Epictetus Quotes

Greek Stoic philosopher (c. 50–c. 138)

Add quote

Epictetus (c. 55 – c. 135 AD), born a slave, was a Greek Stoic philosopher. His words were recorded by his student Arrian in the Discourses and Enchiridion written in the early 2nd-century.

From: Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Native Name: ΕΠΙΚΤΗΤΟΣ

Alternative Names: Epictetus of Hierapolis • Epiktetos

From Wikidata (CC0)

If you would cure anger, do not feed it. Say to yourself: 'I used to be angry every day; then every other day; now only every third or fourth day.' When you reach thirty days offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the gods.

Even as the Sun doth not wait for prayers and incantations to
rise, but shines forth and is welcomed by all: so thou also wait
not for clapping of hands and shouts and praise to do thy duty;
nay, do good of thine own accord, and thou wilt be loved like the
Sun.

The more we value things outside our control, the less control we have.

It is unrealistic to expect people to see you as you see yourself.

If someone tried to take control of your body and make you a slave, you would fight for freedom. Yet how easily you hand over your mind to anyone who insults you. When you dwell on their words and let them dominate your thoughts, you make them your master.

Set before your eyes every day death and exile and everything else that looks terrible, especially death. Then you will never any any mean thought or be too keen on anything.

It is our attitude toward events, not events themselves, which we can control. Nothing is by its own nature calamitous — even death is terrible only if we fear it.

Men are not afraid of things, but of how they view them.

Who is your master? Anyone who has control over things upon which you’ve set your heart, or over things which you seek to avoid.

No great thing is created suddenly.

Whenever anyone criticizes or wrongs you, remember they are only doing or saying what they think is right.

Appearances to the mind are of four kinds. Things either are what they appear to be; or they neither are, nor appear to be; or they are, and do not appear to be; or they are not, and yet appear to be. Rightly to aim in all these cases is the wise man's task.

Remember to act always as if you were at a symposium. When the food or drink comes around, reach out and take some politely; if it passes you by don't try pulling it back. And if it has not reached you yet, don't let your desire run ahead of you, be patient until your turn comes. Adopt a similar attitude with regard to children, wife, wealth and status, and in time, you will be entitled to dine with the gods. Go further and decline these goods even when they are on offer and you will have a share in the gods' power as well as their company. That is how Diogenes, Heraclitus and philosophers like them came to be called, and considered, divine.

Two words should be committed to memory and obeyed alternately...persist and resist.

If you want to make progress, put up with being perceived as ignorant or naive in worldly matters, don't aspire to a reputation for sagacity. If you do impress others as somebody, don't altogether believe it. You have to realize, it isn't easy to keep your will in agreement with nature, as well as externals. Caring about the one inevitably means you are going to shortchange the other.