Epictetus Quotes
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In a word, neither death, nor exile, nor pain, nor anything of this kind is the real cause of our doing or not doing any action, but our inward opinions and principles.
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A man that seeks truth and loves it must be reckoned precious to any human society.
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Act well your given part; the choice rests not with you.
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What disturbs and alarms man are not the things, but his opinions and fancies about the things.
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A vulgar man, in any ill that happens to him, blames others; a novice in philosophy blames himself; and a philosopher blames neither, the one nor the other.
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I am always content with what happens; for I know that what God chooses is better than what I choose.
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What will the world be quite overturned when you die?
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Since it is Reason which shapes and regulates all other things, it ought not itself to be left in disorder.
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Attach yourself to what is spiritually superior, regardless of what other people think or do. Hold to your true aspirations no matter what is going on around you.
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Learn to distinguish what you can and can't control. Within our control are our own opinions, aspirations, desires and the things that repel us. They are directly subject to our influence.
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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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If you seek truth you will not seek victory by dishonorable means, and if you find truth you will become invincible.
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It is your own convictions which compels you; that is, choice compels choice.
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If one oversteps the bounds of moderation, the greatest pleasures cease to please.
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It is not my place in society that makes me well off, but my judgements, and these I can carry with me... These alone are my own and cannot be taken away.
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Renew every day your conversation with God: Do this even in preference to eating. Think more often of God than you breathe.
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Neither the victories of the Olympic Games nor those achieved in battles make the man happy. The only victories that make him happy are those achieved against himself. Temptations and tests are combats. You have beaten one, two, many times; still fight. If you defeat at last you will be happy your entire life, as if you have always defeated.
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To pay homage to beauty is to admire Nature; to admire Nature is to worship God.
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Try to enjoy the great festival of life with other men. (3).
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No living being is held by anything so strongly as its own needs.
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When you are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger.
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If you think you control things that are in the control of others, you will lament. You will be disturbed and you will blame both gods and men.
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Survey and test a prospective action before undertaking it. Before you proceed, step back and look at the big picture, lest you act rashly on raw impulse.
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Crows pick out the eyes of the dead, when the dead have no longer need of them; but flatterers mar the soul of the living, and her eyes they blind.