Epictetus Quotes
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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.
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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.
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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).
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The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.
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We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.
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Remember that you are in actor in a play of such a kind that the author chooses...For this is your duty, to act well the part that is given to you; but to select the part belongs to another.
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Remember that you ought to behave in life as you would at a banquet. As something is being passed around it comes to you; stretch out your hand, take a portion of it politely. It passes on; do not detain it. Or it has not come to you yet; do not project your desire to meet it, but wait until it comes in front of you. So act toward children, so toward a wife, so toward office, so toward wealth.
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Do not strive for things occurring to occur as you wish, but wish the things occurring as they occur, and you will flow well.
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Everything has two handles, one by which it may be borne, the other by which it may not. If your brother sin against you lay not hold of it by the handle of his injustice, for by that it may not be borne: but rather by this, that he is your brother, the comrade of your youth; and thus you will lay hold on it so that it may be borne. (174).
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There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.
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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.
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First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak.
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I laugh at those who think they can damage me. They do not know who I am, they do not know what I think, they cannot even touch the things which are really mine and with which I live.
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Give me by all means the shorter and nobler life, instead of one that is longer but of less account!
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Not every difficult and dangerous thing is suitable for training, but only that which is conducive to success in achieving the object of our effort.
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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.
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On the occasion of every accident that befalls you, remember to turn to yourself and inquire what power you have for turning it to use.
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In theory there is nothing to hinder our following what we are taught; but in life there are many things to draw us aside.
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The origin of sorrow is this: to wish for something that does not come to pass.
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Some of their faults men readily admit, but others not so readily.
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A half-hearted spirit has no power. Tentative efforts lead to tentative outcomes. Average people enter into their endeavors headlong and without care.
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Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.
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Give thyself more diligently to reflection: know thyself: take counsel with the Godhead; without God put thine hand into nothing. (115).
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No man is free who is not master of himself.