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
reality habit pleasant
Nothing is in reality either pleasant or unpleasant by nature but all things become so through habit
habit
To make anything a habit, do it; to not make it a habit, do not do it; to unmake a habit, do something else in place of it.
running action habit
Every habit and faculty is preserved and increased by correspondent actions, as the habit of walking, by walking; of running, by running.
practice ifs habitual
Whatever you would make habitual, practice it; and if you would not make a thing habitual, do not practice it, but accustom yourself to something else.
events opinion habit
Be careful whom you associate with. It is human to imitate the habits of those with whom we interact. We inadvertently adopt their interests, their opinions, their values, and their habit of interpreting events.
adversity against antagonist cannot case difficulty god men remember rough
Difficulties show men what they are. In case of any difficulty remember that God has pitted you against a rough antagonist that you may be a conqueror, and this cannot be without toil.
believe educated education free ought people rather
We must not believe the many, who say that only free people ought to be educated, but we should rather believe the philosophers who say that only the educated are free
disturbed men opinion opinions
Men are disturbed not by things that happen, but by their opinion of the things that happen.
disturbed men men-and-women views
Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of them
ears gave hear listening nature tongue twice
Nature gave us one tongue and two ears so we could hear twice as much as we speak.
honour price steal worth
I have a lantern. You steal my lantern. What, then, is your honour worth no more to you than the price of my lantern?
freedom greek-philosopher
Freedom is the right to live as we wish.
greek-philosopher men
Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them.
man religion
All religions must be tolerated... for every man must get to heaven in his own way.