Epictetus
Epictetus
Epictetuswas 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 north-western Greece for the rest of his life. His teachings were written down and published by his pupil Arrian in his Discourses and Enchiridion...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPhilosopher
feet waiting trying
Be not swept off your feet by the vividness of the impression, but say, Impression, wait for me a little. Let me see what you are and what you represent. Let me try you.
men faults
There are some faults which men readily admit, but others not so readily.
men choices masters
No man is free who is not master of himself... Is freedom anything else than the power of living as we choose?
self blame ill
It is the part of an uneducated person to blame others where he himself fares ill; to blame himself is the part of one whose education has begun; to blame neither another nor his own self is the part of one whose education is already complete.
matter use indifference
The materials are indifferent, but the use we make of them is not a matter of indifference.
men thinking blame
If you think you control things that are in the control of others, you will lament. You will be disturbed and you will blame both gods and men.
anger animal levels
When we act pugnaciously, and injuriously, and angrily, and rudely, to what level have we degenerated? To the level of the wild beasts. Well, the fact is that some of us are wild beasts of a larger size, while others are little animals, malignant and petty.
happens knows
I am always content with what happens; for I know that what God chooses is better than what I choose.
insulting firsts characteristics
It was the first and most striking characteristic of Socrates never to become heated in discourse, never to utter an injurious or insulting word -- on the contrary, he persistently bore insult from others and thus put an end to the fray.
advice upbraid erring
It is better to advise than upbraid, for the one corrects the erring; the other only convicts them.
art faculty certain
Every art and every faculty contemplates certain things as its principal objects.
giving justice sentences
Do not give sentence in another tribunal till you have been yourself judged in the tribunal of Justice.
wise wisdom men
These are the signs of a wise man: to reprove nobody, to praise nobody, to blame nobody, nor even to speak of himself or his own merits.
soul use dread
We all dread a bodily paralysis, and would make use of every contrivance to avoid it; but none of us is troubled about a paralysis of the soul.