Epictetus quotes
28 passages from Enchiridion, Discourses
Born enslaved in Phrygia around 50 CE and freed as a young man, he taught in Nicopolis after philosophers were expelled from Rome. He wrote nothing himself; the Discourses and the shorter Enchiridion were set down by his student Arrian.
“Man is affected not by events but by the view he takes of them.”
— Epictetus, Enchiridion
“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“Don't explain your philosophy. Embody it.”
— Epictetus, Enchiridion
“It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”
— Epictetus, Enchiridion
“If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh at.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“Only the educated are free.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.”
— Epictetus, Enchiridion
“No man is free who is not master of himself.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“A ship should not ride on a single anchor, nor life on a single hope.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“If anyone tells you that a certain person speaks ill of you, do not make excuses about what is said of you but answer, "He was ignorant of my other faults, else he would not have mentioned these alone."”
— Epictetus, Enchiridion
“You become what you give your attention to.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“No great thing is created suddenly.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“If you wish to be a writer, write.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“Control thy passions lest they take vengeance on thee.”
— Epictetus, Enchiridion
“The true man is one who wants to be always at his best.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“We are disturbed not by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens.”
— Epictetus, Enchiridion
“If you want to be a philosopher, train yourself to be happy in everything.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“Remember that your ruling faculty is unassailable; for it is not subject to external events, nor can it be controlled by anything outside itself.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“Every habit and faculty is maintained and increased by the corresponding actions.”
— Epictetus, Discourses
“Keep yourself free from passion and hatred.”
— Epictetus, Enchiridion
“Do not look for an ideal man, but rather for an ideal action.”
— Epictetus, Discourses