Epicurus
Epicurus
Epicuruswas an ancient Greek philosopher as well as the founder of the school of philosophy called Epicureanism. Only a few fragments and letters of Epicurus's 300 written works remain. Much of what is known about Epicurean philosophy derives from later followers and commentators...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPhilosopher
believe understanding mind
The flesh believes that pleasure is limitless and that it requires unlimited time; but the mind, understanding the end and limit of the flesh and ridding itself of fears of the future, secures a complete life and has no longer any need for unlimited time.
evil continuing subjects
Necessity is an evil; but there is no necessity for continuing to live subject to necessity.
philosophy men soul
Let no young man delay the study of philosophy, and let no old man become weary of it; for it is never too early nor too late to care for the well-being of the soul.
happiness philosophy real
If you would enjoy real freedom, you must be the slave of Philosophy.
impossible difficult have-confidence
For a wrongdoer to be undetected is difficult; and for him to have confidence that his concealment will continue is impossible.
blessed thanks unnecessary
Thanks be to blessed Nature that she has made what is necessary easy to obtain, and what is not easy unnecessary.
evil feels
There is nothing to fear from gods, There is nothing to feel in death, Good can be attained, Evil can be endured.
being-thankful easy made
We ought to be thankful to nature for having made those things which are necessary easy to be discovered; while other things that are difficult to be known are not necessary.
wise men reason
Misfortune seldom intrudes upon the wise man; his greatest and highest interests are directed by reason throughout the course of life.
evil injustice offense
Injustice is not evil in itself, but only in the fear and apprehension that one will not escape those who have been set up to punish the offense.
understanding add body
Death is nothing to us: for after our bodies have been dissolved by death they are without sensation, and that which lacks sensation is nothing to us. And therefore a right understanding of death makes mortality enjoyable, not because it adds to an infinite span of time, but because it takes away the craving for immortality.
wise men doe
The wise man neither rejects life nor fears death... just as he does not necessarily choose the largest amount of food, but, rather, the pleasantest food, so he prefers not the longest time, but the most pleasant.
wise wisdom men
Fortune seldom troubles the wise man. Reason has controlled his greatest and most important affairs, controls them throughout his life, and will continue to control them.
agreement justice tribes
There is no such thing as justice or injustice among those beasts that cannot make agreements not to injure or be injured. This is also true of those tribes that are unable or unwilling to make agreements not to injure or be injured.