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
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.
wisdom fun practice
From now on practice saying to everything that appears unpleasant: You are merely an appearance and NOT what you appear to be.
inspirational wisdom disturbed
We are not disturbed by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens to us.
wise wisdom stupid
It is the nature of the wise to resist pleasures, but the foolish to be a slave to them.
inspirational wisdom fall
Difficulty shows what men are. Therefore when a difficulty falls upon you, remember that God, like a trainer of wrestlers, has matched you with a rough young man. Why? So that you may become an Olympic conqueror; but it is not accomplished without sweat.
wisdom philosophical men
The world turns aside to let any man pass who knows where he is going.
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.