Epictetus Quotes And Sayings

Epictetus was a Greek-speaking Stoic philosopher. He was born a slave at Hierapolis, Phrygia, and lived in Rome until his banishment, when he went to Nicopolis in northwestern Greece for the rest of his life. Epictetus taught that philosophy is a way of life and not just a theoretical discipline. To Epictetus, all external events are beyond our control; we should accept calmly and dispassionately whatever happens. However, individuals are responsible for their own actions, which they can examine and control through rigorous self-discipline.

We Have Two Ears And One Mouth So That We Can Listen Twice As Much As We Speak.

Keep Silence For The Most Part, And Speak Only When You Must, And Then Briefly.

All Religions Must Be Tolerated... For Every Man Must Get To Heaven In His Own Way.

He Is A Wise Man Who Does Not Grieve For The Things Which He Has Not, But Rejoices For Those Which He Has.

It Takes More Than Just A Good Looking Body. You've Got To Have The Heart And Soul To Go With It.

Be Careful To Leave Your Sons Well Instructed Rather Than Rich, For The Hopes Of The Instructed Are Better Than The Wealth Of The Ignorant.

Nothing Great Is Created Suddenly, Any More Than A Bunch Of Grapes Or A Fig. If You Tell Me That You Desire A Fig. I Answer You That There Must Be Time. Let It First Blossom, Then Bear Fruit, Then Ripen.

It Is The Nature Of The Wise To Resist Pleasures, But The Foolish To Be A Slave To Them.

The Two Powers Which In My Opinion Constitute A Wise Man Are Those Of Bearing And Forbearing.

First Say To Yourself What You Would Be; And Then Do What You Have To Do.

The Key Is To Keep Company Only With People Who Uplift You, Whose Presence Calls Forth Your Best.

Wealth Consists Not In Having Great Possessions, But In Having Few Wants.

If One Oversteps The Bounds Of Moderation, The Greatest Pleasures Cease To Please.

Make The Best Use Of What Is In Your Power, And Take The Rest As It Happens.

We Should Not Moor A Ship With One Anchor, Or Our Life With One Hope.

Do Not Seek To Bring Things To Pass In Accordance With Your Wishes, But Wish For Them As They Are, And You Will Find Them.

God Has Entrusted Me With Myself.

Only The Educated Are Free.

It Is Not Death Or Pain That Is To Be Dreaded, But The Fear Of Pain Or Death.

If Virtue Promises Happiness, Prosperity And Peace, Then Progress In Virtue Is Progress In Each Of These For To Whatever Point The Perfection Of Anything Brings Us, Progress Is Always An Approach Toward It.

Imagine For Yourself A Character, A Model Personality, Whose Example You Determine To Follow, In Private As Well As In Public.

It's Not What Happens To You, But How You React To It That Matters.

Not Every Difficult And Dangerous Thing Is Suitable For Training, But Only That Which Is Conducive To Success In Achieving The Object Of Our Effort.

Practice Yourself, For Heaven's Sake In Little Things, And Then Proceed To Greater.

Whenever You Are Angry, Be Assured That It Is Not Only A Present Evil, But That You Have Increased A Habit.

Neither Should A Ship Rely On One Small Anchor, Nor Should Life Rest On A Single Hope.

First Learn The Meaning Of What You Say, And Then Speak.

If You Want To Improve, Be Content To Be Thought Foolish And Stupid.

The World Turns Aside To Let Any Man Pass Who Knows Where He Is Going.

It Is Impossible To Begin To Learn That Which One Thinks One Already Knows.

If Evil Be Spoken Of You And It Be True, Correct Yourself, If It Be A Lie, Laugh At It.

Never In Any Case Say I Have Lost Such A Thing, But I Have Returned It. Is Your Child Dead? It Is A Return. Is Your Wife Dead? It Is A Return. Are You Deprived Of Your Estate? Is Not This Also A Return?

If Thy Brother Wrongs Thee, Remember Not So Much His Wrong-doing, But More Than Ever That He Is Thy Brother.

Is Freedom Anything Else Than The Right To Live As We Wish? Nothing Else.

He Is A Drunkard Who Takes More Than Three Glasses Though He Be Not Drunk.

The Greater The Difficulty The More Glory In Surmounting It. Skillful Pilots Gain Their Reputation From Storms And Tempests.

Men Are Disturbed Not By Things, But By The View Which They Take Of Them.

You Are A Little Soul Carrying Around A Corpse.

No Greater Thing Is Created Suddenly, Any More Than A Bunch Of Grapes Or A Fig. If You Tell Me That You Desire A Fig, I Answer You That There Must Be Time. Let It First Blossom, Then Bear Fruit, Then Ripen.

There Is Nothing Good Or Evil Save In The Will.

Difficulties Are Things That Show A Person What They Are.

Freedom Is The Right To Live As We Wish.

The Essence Of Philosophy Is That A Man Should So Live That His Happiness Shall Depend As Little As Possible On External Things.

No Great Thing Is Created Suddenly.

People Are Not Disturbed By Things, But By The View They Take Of Them.

All Philosophy Lies In Two Words, Sustain And Abstain.

Know, First, Who You Are, And Then Adorn Yourself Accordingly.

You May Be Always Victorious If You Will Never Enter Into Any Contest Where The Issue Does Not Wholly Depend Upon Yourself.

No Man Is Free Who Is Not Master Of Himself.

If You Seek Truth You Will Not Seek Victory By Dishonorable Means, And If You Find Truth You Will Become Invincible.