Epictetus Quotes

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.

For as long as the Source entrusts something to your hands, treat it as something borrowed, like a traveller at an inn.

Most of what passes for legitimate entertainment is inferior or foolish and only caters to or exploits people’s weakness.

If you yourself don’t choose what thoughts and images you expose yourself to, someone else will, and their motives may not be the highest.

Freedom, you see, is having events go in accordance with our will, never contrary to it.

First say to yourself what you would be;and then do what you have to do.

When something happens, the only thing in your power is your attitude toward it; you can either accept it or resent it.

Don’t hope that events will turn out the way you want, welcome events in whichever way they happen: this is the path to peace.

If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid with regard to external things. Don't wish to be thought to know anything; and even if you appear to be somebody important to others, distrust yourself. For, it is difficult to both keep your faculty of choice in a state conformable to nature, and at the same time acquire external things. But while you are careful about the one, you must of necessity neglect the other

فلتبدأ من أصغر الأشياء: انسكَبَ شيءٌ من الزيت؟ سُرِق النبيذ؟ قل: «هذا ثمنُ خُلوِّ البال وصفاء النفس، ولكلِّ شيء ثمن.» إذا ناديتَ خادمك، فاذكر أنَّه قد لا يُجيبك. وإذا أجابك فقد لا يُنفِّذ ما تريده. غير أنه ليس من السطوة بحيث يكون بمقدور مثله أن يعكِّر صفوك.

What, for instance, does it mean to be insulted? [29] Stand by a rock and insult it, and what have you accomplished? If someone responds to insult like a rock, what has the abuser gained with his invective? If, however, he has his victim’s weakness to exploit, then his efforts are worth his while.

Men are disturbed not by the things that happen, but by their opinion of the things that happen.

Whatever rules you have adopted, abide by them as laws, and as if you would be impious to transgress them; and do not regard what anyone says of you, for this, after all, is no concern of yours. How long, then, will you delay to demand of yourself the noblest improvements, and in no instance to transgress the judgments of reason? You have received the philosophic principles with which you ought to be conversant; and you have been conversant with them. For what other master, then, do you wait as an excuse for this delay in self-reformation? You are no longer a boy but a grown man. If, therefore, you will be negligent and slothful, and always add procrastination to procrastination, purpose to purpose, and fix day after day in which you will attend to yourself, you will insensibly continue to accomplish nothing and, living and dying, remain of vulgar mind. This instant, then, think yourself worthy of living as a man grown up and a proficient. Let whatever appears to be the best be to you an inviolable law. And if any instance of pain or pleasure, glory or disgrace, be set before you, remember that now is the combat, now the Olympiad comes on, nor can it be put off; and that by one failure and defeat honor may be lost or — won. Thus Socrates became perfect, improving himself by everything, following reason alone. And though you are not yet a Socrates, you ought, however, to live as one seeking to be a Socrates.

Where will I find good and bad? In me, in my choices.

You see, then, that it is necessary for you to become a student, that
creature which every one laughs at, if you really desire to make an
examination of your judgements. But this, as you are quite aware,
is not the work of a single hour or day

And as proof that he has delivered them to you, bring your preconceptions to bear. Bring the arguments of philosophers. Bring what you’ve often heard, and often said yourself; what you’ve read, and what you’ve practised.