Epictetus Quotes

Say to yourself each time, 'He did what he believed was right.'

that rational animals can hold off acting on impressions until they are scrutinized and assessed; and (2) if they are judged unreasonable – i.e. irrational or merely impractical – we can and should withhold our assent from them.

So if you like doing something, do it regularly; if you don't like doing something, make a habit of doing something different.

'Tell me what to do!' What would I tell you? It would be better to say 'Make my mind adaptable to any circumstance.

But they have produced such wonderful fruit in a human mind, as part of their plan to bestow on humanity the true secret of happiness.

And every animal is better or worse from his own merit (virtue) or his own badness. Is there then no virtue in man only? and must we look to the hair, and our clothes and to our ancestors?

When you see a person weeping in sorrow either when a. child goes abroad or when he is dead, or when the man has lost his property, take care that the appearance do not hurry you away with it, as if he were suffering in external things. But straightway make a distinction in your own mind, and be in readiness to say, it is not that which has happened that afflicts this man, for it does not afflict another, but it is the opinion about this thing which afflicts the man. So far as words then do not be unwilling to show him sympathy, and even if it happens so, to lament with him. But take care that you do not. lament internally also.

Seek not that the things which happen should happen as you wish; but wish the things which happen to be as they are, and you will have a tranquil flow of life.

In each separate thing that you do consider the matters which come first, and those which follow after, and only then approach the thing itself.

The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.

Nicht die Dinge an sich sind es, die uns beunruhigen, sondern unsere Vorstellung von den Dingen.

Който не умее да владее себе си, той е роб, па ако ще да е владетел на целия свят. Епиктет

If it pleases the gods, so be it.

Such was, and is, and will be the nature of the universe, and it isn’t possible that things should come into being in any other way than they do at present; and not only have human beings participated in the process of change and transformation along with all the other creatures that live on the earth, but also those beings that are divine, and, by Zeus, even the four elements, which are changed and transformed upwards and downwards, as earth becomes water, and water air, and air is transformed in turn into ether. If someone endeavours to turn his mind towards these things, and to persuade himself to accept of his own free will what must necessarily come about, he will live a very balanced and harmonious life.

Whatever your vocation, pursue it wholeheartedly. Consider, choose, and commit.