Epictetus Quotes
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The universe is but one great city, full of beloved ones, divine and human, by nature endeared to each other.
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Our duties naturally emerge form such fundamental relations as our families, neighborhoods, workplaces, our state or nation. Make it your regular habit to consider your roles-parent, child, neighbor, citizen, leader-and the natural duties that arise from them. Once you know who you are and to whom you are linked, you will know what to do.
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It's so simple really: If you say you're going to do something, do it. If you start something, finish it.
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The cause of all human evils is the not being able to apply general principles to special cases.
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When men are unhappy, they do not imagine they can ever cease to be so; and when some calamity has fallen on them, they do not see how they can get rid of it. Nevertheless, both arrive; and the gods have ordered it so, in the end men seek it from the gods.
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If a man has reported to you, that a certain person speaks ill of you, do not make any defense (answer) to what has been told you: but reply, The man did not know the rest of my faults, for he would not have mentioned these only. (33) tr. George Long (1888).
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If you would be well spoken of, learn to be well-spoken; and having learnt to be well- spoken, strive also to be well-doing; so shall you succeed in being well spoken of.
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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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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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With ills unending strives the putter off.
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Is freedom anything else than the right to live as we wish? Nothing else.
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Freedom and happiness are won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.
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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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Be free from grief not through insensibility like the irrational animals, nor through want of thought like the foolish, but like a man of virtue by having reason as the consolation of grief.
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Do nothing in a depressed mood, nor as one afflicted, nor as thinking that you are in misery, for no one compels you to that.
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This whole world is one great City, and one is the substance whereof it is fashioned: a certain period indeed there needs must be, while these give place to those; some must perish for others to succeed; some move and some abide: yet all is full of friends-first God, then Men, whom Nature hath bound by ties of kindred each to each. (123).
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When you do anything from a clear judgment that it ought to be done, never shun the being seen to do it, even though the world should make a wrong supposition about it; for, if you don't act right, shun the action itself; but, if you do, why are you afraid of those who censure you wrongly? (35).
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If your heart is quite set upon a crown, make and put on one of roses, for it will make the prettier appearance.
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If you would be good, first believe that you are bad.
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When something happens, the only thing in your power is your attitude toward it; you can either accept it or resent it.
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We can't control the impressions others form about us, and the effort to do so only debases our character.
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If you desire to be good, begin by believing that you are wicked.
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All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.
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It is better to die of hunger having lived without grief and fear, than to live with a troubled spirit, amid abundance.