Epictetus Quotes
-
Do not so much be ashamed of that disgrace which proceeds from men's opinion as fly from that which comes from the truth.
-
You know yourself what you are worth in your own eyes; and at what price you will sell yourself. For men sell themselves at various prices. This is why, when Florus was deliberating whether he should appear at Nero's shows, taking part in the performance himself, Agrippinus replied, 'Appear by all means.' And when Florus inquired, 'But why do not you appear?' he answered, 'Because I do not even consider the question.'
-
Have the wisdom to know what cannot be changed, and the strength to change what can.
-
Do not try to seem wise to others.
-
If I can acquire money and also keep myself modest and faithful and magnanimous, point out the way, and I will acquire it.
-
Nature hath given men one tongue but two ears, that we may hear from others twice as much as we speak.
-
Every place is safe to him who lives with justice.
-
Things true and evident must of necessity be recognized by those who would contradict them.
-
What hurts this person is not the occurrence itself, for another person might not feel oppressed by this situation at all. What is hurting this person is the response he or she has uncritically adopted. It is not a demonstration of kindness or friendship to the people we care about to join them in indulging in wrongheaded, negative feelings.
-
If any be unhappy, let him remember that he is unhappy by reason of himself alone. For God hath made man to enjoy felicity and constancy of good. (122).
-
The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.
-
Freedom is the right to live as we wish.
-
We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.
-
Unless we place our religion and our treasure in the same thing, religion will always be sacrificed.
-
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.
-
If you do not wish to be prone to anger, do not feed the habit; give it nothing which may tend to its increase. At first, keep quiet and count the days when you were not angry: "I used to be angry every day, then every other day: next, every two, then every three days!" and if you succeed in passing thirty days, sacrifice to the gods in thanksgiving.
-
Seek not that the things which happen should happen as you wish; but wish the things which happen to be as they are, and you will have a tranquil flow of life.
-
No one who is in a state of fear or sorrow or tension is free, but whosoever is delivered from sorrows or fears or anxieties is at the same time delivered from servitude.
-
Don't demand or expect that events happen as you would wish them do. Accept events as they actually happen. That way, peace is possible.
-
Focus not on what he or she does, but on keeping to your higher purpose. Your own purpose should seek harmony with nature itself. For this is the true road to freedom.
-
What is the first business of one who practices philosophy? To get rid of self-conceit. For it is impossible for anyone to begin to learn that which he thinks he already knows.
-
Seemeth it nothing to you, never to accuse, never to blame either God or Man? to wear ever the same countenance in going forth as in coming in? This was the secret of Socrates: yet he never said that he knew or taught anything... Who amongst you makes this his aim? Were it indeed so, you would gladly endure sickness, hunger, aye, death itself. (85).
-
It is the part of an uneducated person to blame others where he himself fares ill; to blame himself is the part of one whose education has begun; to blame neither another nor his own self is the part of one whose education is already complete.
-
You may be always victorious if you will never enter into any contest where the issue does not wholly depend upon yourself.