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
carpe-diem disease-and-death wish
Do you know that disease and death must needs overtake us, no matter what we are doing?... what do you wish to be doing when it overtakes you?... If you have anything better to be doing when you are so overtaken, get to work on that.
men mind action
The appearance of things to the mind is the standard of every action to man.
men masters
Man is not fully free unless he is master of himself.
men unhappy faults
If a man is unhappy, remember that his unhappiness is his own fault, for God made all men to be happy.
honor
Act your part with honor.
faults principles blame
When therefore we are hindered, or disturbed, or grieved, let us never attribute it to others, but to ourselves; that is, to our own principles. An uninstructed person will lay the fault of his own bad condition upon others. Someone just starting instruction will lay the fault on himself. Some who is perfectly instructed will place blame neither on others nor on himself.
swans roles praise
If I was a nightingale I would sing like a nightingale; if a swan, like a swan. But since I am a rational creature my role is to praise God.
lying people trying
In trying to please other people, we find ourselves misdirected toward what lies outside our sphere of influence. In doing so, we lose our hold on our lifes purpose.
dues exceed delightful
Exceed due measure, and the most delightful things become the least delightful.
truth opinion conquer
It is better by assenting to truth to conquer opinion, than by assenting to opinion to be conquered by truth.
needs
No living being is held by anything so strongly as its own needs.
knowledge wish trust-yourself
If you would improve, submit to be considered wihout sense and foolish with respect to externals. Wish to be considered to know nothing; and if you shall seem to someone to be a person of importance, distrust yourself.
grateful humble mind
Any one thing in the creation is sufficient to demonstrate a Providence to a humble and grateful mind.
prison
Wherever any one is against his will, that is to him a prison.