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
gratitude lying fool
The fool’s life is empty of gratitude and full of fears; its course lies wholly toward the future.
believe evil enjoy-life
Accustom yourself to believe that death is nothing to us, for good and evil imply awareness, and death is the privation of all awareness; therefore a right understanding that death is nothing to us makes the mortality of life enjoyable, not by adding to life an unlimited time, but by taking away the yearning after immortality. For life has no terror; for those who thoroughly apprehend that there are no terrors for them in ceasing to live.
giving important matter
It is impossible for someone to dispel his fears about the most important matters if he doesn't know the nature of the universe but still gives some credence to myths. So without the study of nature there is no enjoyment of pure pleasure.
carpe-diem fool faults
The fool, with all his other faults, has this also, he is always getting ready to live.
evil religion atheism
Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can and does not want to. If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If he can, but does not want to, he is wicked. If, as they say, God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?
men justice fairness
Justice is a contract of expediency, entered upon to prevent men harming or being harmed.
appearance theory myth
When someone admits one and rejects another which is equally in accordance with the appearances, it is clear that he has quitted all physical explanation and descended into myth.
god strong prayer
A strong belief in fate is the worst kind of slavery; on the other hand, there is a comfort in the thought that God will be moved by our prayers.
men thinking unhappy
Any man who does not think that what he has is more than ample, is an unhappy man, even if he is the master of the whole world.
missing
We must meditate on what brings happiness, since when it has, it has everything, and when he misses, we do everything to have it
death dying
Where I am death is not, where death is I am not.
character personality handiwork
As if they were our own handiwork we place a high value on our characters.
being-happy thankful hope
Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not.
care i-care
I was not, I was, I am not, I care not. (Non fui, fui, non sum, non curo)