EPICTETUS

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Greek Stoic philosopher. He was born in Hierapolis, Phrygia. He was a contemporary of Nero and Trajan, and he was a slave of Epaphroditus, and he lived at the beginning as a slave in Rome, where he listened to the lessons of the Stoic philosopher Musonius.

His calmness and stoicism were proverbial. It is said that his master, to test the apathy of Epictetus, cut the flesh of his shin with a sharp instrument. Then the slave philosopher turned and said impassively to his tormentor: "you will break her." And when, indeed, he broke his bone, Epictetus added: "I told you so." Since then he has been lame.

He was released by redemption and became a teacher of philosophy in Rome, from where he was expelled around 90 AD, following an order of Domitian. He retired to Nicopolis in Epirus and there gathered his numerous disciples, who had flocked from Rome, and continued his teaching, admired for his simplicity and extreme austerity.

Epictetus was one of the most faithful interpreters of pure Stoicism.

Works

• Essays
• Manual

Quotes

1. LOVE TOWARDS PEOPLE IS A DUTY, SINCE WE ARE ALL CHILDREN OF ONE GOD
2. SELF-SUFFICIENCY, IS A SHORT ROAD, WHICH, WHILE GIVING GREAT PLEASURE, GIVES LITTLE DISCOMFORT
3. TRY TO DO WHAT IS NOT BEYOND YOUR CAPACITY
4. REMEMBER THAT IT IS NOT THE ONE WHO SHOUTS OR HITS THAT OFFENDS, BUT THE IDEA THAT THEY ARE OFFENSIVE
5. DON'T ASK THINGS TO BE THE WAY YOU WANT, BUT WANT THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE, AND THEN YOU WILL BE HAPPY
6. WAIVE OATH IF YOU ALWAYS CAN OR AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE
7. WHATEVER SEEMS VERY GOOD TO YOU, LET IT BE UNBREAKABLE LAW FOR YOU
8. IT IS NOT THINGS THAT DISTURB PEOPLE, BUT THE OPINIONS THEY FORM ABOUT THINGS
9. BETTER TO STARVE AND HAVE NEITHER SORROW NOR FEAR, THAN TO LIVE IN ABUNDANCE OF GOODS WITH CARES AND WORRIES
10. IF YOU WANT YOUR KIDS AND YOUR WIFE AND YOUR FRIENDS TO LIVE FOREVER, YOU ARE A FOOL. THAT IS YOU WANT TO HAVE POWER OVER THINGS THAT ARE NOT UNDER YOUR AUTHORITY AND FOREIGN THINGS TO BE YOUR OWN
11. HOW CAN ONE THAT ASKS THE HELP OF THE POWERFUL ENJOY THE SAME AS ONE WHO DOES NOT ASK FOR SUCH HELP, ONE WHO BECOMES A FOLLOWER OF THEM AS ONE WHO BECOMES NOT, ONE WHO PRAISES THEM AS ONE WHO DOES NOT PRAISE THEM
12. DETERMINE FOR YOURSELF A CHARACTER, A WAY OF LIFE, AND KEEP IT STABLE, WHETHER YOU ARE ALONE OR WITH OTHERS
13. WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU HOW YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING AND YOU DON'T TAKE IT AS AN INSULT AND IT DOESN'T AFFECT YOU THEN YOU START APPLYING PHILOSOPHY
14. THE PHILOSOPHER EXPECTS EVERY BENEFICENCE AND EVERY HARM FROM HIMSELF. HE SLAMS NOBODY, PRAISES NOBODY, COMPLAINTS AGAINST NOBODY, ACCUSES NOBODY, NEVER SAYS OF HIMSELF HOW SOMETHING IS OR, THAT HE KNOWS SOMETHING
15. HE WHO KNOWS SUBMISSION TO NEED IS WISE, KNOWER OF THE DIVINE