Epictetus Quotes
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The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.
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If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid with regard to external things. Don't wish to be thought to know anything; and even if you appear to be somebody important to others, distrust yourself. For, it is difficult to both keep your faculty of choice in a state conformable to nature, and at the same time acquire external things. But while you are careful about the one, you must of necessity neglect the other.
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Why, then, do you walk as if you had swallowed a ramrod?
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Fortune is an evil chain to the body, and vice to the soul.
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As it is pleasant to see the sea from the land, so it is pleasant for him who has escaped from troubles to think of them.
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-….when things seem to have reached that stage, merely say “I won’t play any longer”, and take your departure; but if you stay, stop lamenting.
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Who are those people by whom you wish to be admired? Are they not these whom you are in the habit of saying that they are mad? What then? Do you wish to be admired by the mad?
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These are the signs of a wise man: to reprove nobody, to praise nobody, to blame nobody, nor even to speak of himself or his own merits.
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A thing either is what it appears to be; or it is not, but yet appears to be; or it is, but does not appear to be; or it is not, and does not appear to be.
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What is death? A scary mask. Take it off-see, it doesn't bite.
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Remember that you are an actor in a drama of such sort as the Author chooses: if short, then in a short one; if long, then in a long one. If it be His pleasure that you should enact a poor man, or a cripple, or a ruler, or a private citizen, see that you act it well. For this is your business, to act well the given part. But to choose it belongs to Another.
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Don't be concerned who is watching you. The triumphs and merits of others belong to them - as do yours to you. Make the most of what you've got.
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Be careful whom you associate with. It is human to imitate the habits of those with whom we interact. We inadvertently adopt their interests, their opinions, their values, and their habit of interpreting events.
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Anything worth putting off is worth abandoning altogether.
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What is it to be a philosopher? Is it not to be prepared against events?
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For what constitutes a child?-Ignorance. What constitutes a child?-Want of instruction; for they are our equals so far as their degree of knowledge permits.
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Confidence in nonsense is a requirement for the creative process.
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Dare to look up to God and say, Deal with me in the future as Thou wilt; I am of the same mind as Thou art; I am Thine; I refuse nothing that pleases Thee; lead me where Thou wilt; clothe me in any dress Thou choosest.
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If thou rememberest that God standeth by to behold and visit all that thou doest; whether in the body or in the soul, thou surely wilt not err in any prayer or deed; and thou shalt have God to dwell with thee.
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Any one thing in the creation is sufficient to demonstrate a Providence to an humble and grateful mind.
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Asked, Who is the rich man? Epictetus replied, �He who is content.
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When any person treats you ill or speaks ill of you, remember that he does this or says this because he thinks it is his duty. It is not possible, then, for him to follow that which seems right to you, but that which seems right to himself.
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He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.
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Don't regard what anyone says of you, for this, after all, is no concern of yours.