-
Things true and evident must of necessity be recognized by those who would contradict them.
Epictetus -
Practice yourself, for heaven's sake in little things, and then proceed to greater.
Epictetus
-
The origin of sorrow is this: to wish for something that does not come to pass.
Epictetus -
Freedom is the right to live as we wish.
Epictetus -
In prosperity it is very easy to find a friend; but in adversity it is the most difficult of all things.
Epictetus -
And are all profited by what they hear, or only some among them? So that it seems that there is an art of hearing as well as one of speaking. (81).
Epictetus -
In theory there is nothing to hinder our following what we are taught; but in life there are many things to draw us aside.
Epictetus -
If what the philosophers say be true,-that all men's actions proceed from one source; that as they assent from a persuasion that a thing is so, and dissent from a persuasion that it is not, and suspend their judgment from a persuasion that it is uncertain,-so likewise they seek a thing from a persuasion that it is for their advantage.
Epictetus
-
If you seek Truth, you will not seek to gain a victory by every possible means; and when you have found Truth, you need not fear being defeated.
Epictetus -
No matter where you find yourself, comport yourself as if you were a distinguished person.
Epictetus -
You will do the greatest service to the state if you shall raise, not the roofs of the houses, but the souls of the citizens: for it is better that great souls should dwell in small houses rather than for mean slaves to lurk in great houses.
Epictetus -
You are a principal work, a fragment of [Goddess herself], you have in yourself a part of [her]. Why then are you ignorant of your high birth?
Epictetus -
I must die. I must be imprisoned. I must suffer exile. But must I die groaning? Must I whine as well? Can anyone hinder me from going into exile with a smile? The master threatens to chain me: what say you? Chain me? My leg you will chain--yes, but not my will--no, not even Zeus can conquer that.
Epictetus -
Nature hath given men one tongue but two ears, that we may hear from others twice as much as we speak.
Epictetus
-
Every place is safe to him who lives with justice.
Epictetus -
Men are not troubled by things themselves, but by their thoughts about them.
Epictetus -
There is only one thing for which God has sent me into the world, and that is to develop every kind of virtue or strength, and there is nothing in all the world that I cannot use for this purpose.
Epictetus -
It is hard to combine and unite these two qualities, the carefulness of one who is affected by circumstances, and the intrepidity of one who heeds them not. But it is not impossible: else were happiness also impossible.
Epictetus -
When one maintains his proper attitude in life, he does not long after externals. What would you have, O man?
Epictetus -
If a Cynic is an object of pity, he seems a mere beggar; all turn away, all are offended at him. Nor should be be slovenly of look, so as not to scare men from him in this way either; on the contrary, his very roughness should be clean and attractive. (118).
Epictetus
-
Some of their faults men readily admit, but others not so readily.
Epictetus -
Inner peace begins when we stop saying of things, 'I have lost it' and instead say, 'It has been returned to where it came from.' Why should it be any concern of yours who gives your things back to the world that gave them to you? The important thing is to take great care with what you have while the world lets you have it.
Epictetus -
The soul is unwillingly deprived of truth.
Epictetus -
Do not strive for things occurring to occur as you wish, but wish the things occurring as they occur, and you will flow well.
Epictetus