Epictetus

Philosopher

Epictetus was a Greek Stoic philosopher who taught that virtue and rational self-control are the basis of freedom. His teachings were preserved by his student Arrian in the Discourses and Enchiridion.

Quotes by Epictetus

Freedom is secured not by the fulfilling of men's desires, but by the removal of desire.
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Freedom is not archived by satisfying desire, but by eliminating it.
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What you shun enduring yourself, attempt not to impose on others. You shun slavery- beware enslaving others! If you can endure to do that, one would think you had been once upon a time a slave yourself. For vice has nothing in common with virtue, nor Freedom with slavery.
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Man, what are you talking about? Me in chains? You may fetter my leg but my will, not even Zeus himself can overpower.
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Freedom, you see, is having events go in accordance with our will, never contrary to it.
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Don't put your purpose in one place and expect to see progress made somewhere else.
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Men are not afraid of things, but of how they view them.
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Don't just say you have read books. Show that through them you have learned to think better, to be a more discriminating and reflective person. Books are the training weights of the mind. They are very helpful, but it would be a bad mistake to suppose that one has made progress simply by having internalized their contents.
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First say to yourself what you would beand then do what you have to do.
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Now is the time to get serious about living your ideals. How long can you afford to put off who you really want to be? Your nobler self cannot wait any longer. Put your principles into practice – now. Stop the excuses and the procrastination. This is your life! You aren't a child anymore. The sooner you set yourself to your spiritual program, the happier you will be. The longer you wait, the more you'll be vulnerable to mediocrity and feel filled with shame and regret, because you know you are capable of better. From this instant on, vow to stop disappointing yourself. Separate yourself from the mob. Decide to be extraordinary and do what you need to do – now.
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You only have to doze a moment, and all is lost. For ruin and salvation both have their source inside you.
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The condition and characteristic of an uninstructed person is this: he never expects from himself profit (advantage) nor harm, but from externals. The condition and characteristic of a philosopher is this: he expects all advantage and all harm from himself.
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Concerning the Gods, there are those who deny the very existence of the Godhead; others say that it exists, but neither bestirs nor concerns itself not has forethought far anything. A third party attribute to it existence and forethought, but only for great and heavenly matters, not for anything that is on earth. A fourth party admit things on earth as well as in heaven, but only in general, and not with respect to each individual. A fifth, of whom were Ulysses and Socrates, are those that cry: --I move not without Thy knowledge!
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The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.
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I must die. Must I then die lamenting? I must be put in chains. Must I then also lament? I must go into exile. Does any man then hinder me from going with smiles and cheerfulness and contentment?
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no man is free until he s a master of himself!!
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It is much better to die of hunger unhindered by grief and fear than to live affluently beset with worry, dread, suspicion and unchecked desire.
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There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power or our will.
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He who exercises wisdom, exercises the knowledge which is about God.
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Is it not the same distance to God everywhere?
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