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Epictetus

Philosopher

Epictetus, a Stoic philosopher and former slave, taught that true freedom comes from mastering one’s thoughts and responses. His quotes emphasize self-discipline, resilience, and the importance of focusing on what lies within our control. Together, they offer practical, timeless guidance for living with clarity, strength, and inner peace.

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The first and most important field of philosophy is the application of principles such as “Do not lie.” Next come the proofs, such as why we should not lie. The third field supports and articulates the proofs, by asking, for example, “How does this prove it? What exactly is a proof, what is logical inference, what is contradiction, what is truth, what is falsehood?” Thus, the third field is necessary because of the second, and the second because of the first. The most important, though, the one that should occupy most of our time, is the first. But we do just the opposite. We are preoccupied with the third field and give that all our attention, passing the first by altogether. The result is that we lie – but have no difficulty proving why we shouldn’t.
From The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness and Effectiveness
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Whoever is going to listen to the philosophers needs a considerable practice in listening.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
For in this Case, we are not to give Credit to the Many, who say, that none ought to be educated but the Free; but rather to the Philosophers, who say, that the Well-educated alone are free.
From All the Works of Epictetus
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Education, Philosophical
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.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Don't explain your philosophy. Embody it.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Know you not that a good man does nothing for appearance sake, but for the sake of having done right?
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Philosophy does not claim to secure for us anything outside our control. Otherwise it would be taking on matters that do not concern it. For as wood is the material of the carpenter, and marble that of the sculptor, so the subject matter of the art of life is the life of the self.
From Discourses and Selected Writings
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Happiness, Life, Philosophical
What really frightens and dismays us is not external events themselves, but the way in which we think about them. It is not things that disturb us, but our interpretation of their significance.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
If you are told that such an one speaks ill of you, make no defence against what was said, but answer, He surely knew not my other faults, else he would not have mentioned these only!
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Happiness
No man is free who is not master of himself.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Inspirational
Small-minded people blame others. Average people blame themselves. The wise see all blame as foolishness
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Inspirational
It is our attitude toward events, not events themselves, which we can control. Nothing is by its own nature calamitous -- even death is terrible only if we fear it.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
First say to yourself what you would be;
and then do what you have to do.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Motivational
What would have become of Hercules do you think if there had been no lion, hydra, stag or boar - and no savage criminals to rid the world of? What would he have done in the absence of such challenges?

Obviously he would have just rolled over in bed and gone back to sleep. So by snoring his life away in luxury and comfort he never would have developed into the mighty Hercules.

And even if he had, what good would it have done him? What would have been the use of those arms, that physique, and that noble soul, without crises or conditions to stir into him action?
From The Discourses
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Motivational, Philosophical
An ignorant person is inclined to blame others for his own misfortune. To blame oneself is proof of progress. But the wise man never has to blame another or himself.
From The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness and Effectiveness
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
The philosopher's school, ye men, is a surgery: you ought not to go out of it with pleasure, but with pain. For you are not in sound health when you enter.
From The Discourses
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Philosophy does not promise to secure anything external for man, otherwise it would be admitting something that lies beyond its proper subject-matter. For as the material of the carpenter is wood, and that of statuary bronze, so the subject-matter of the art of living is each person's own life.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
I must die. Must I then die lamenting? I must be put in chains. Must I then also lament? I must go into exile. Does any man then hinder me from going with smiles and cheerfulness and contentment?
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Death, Happiness, Life
What does it mean to be getting an education? It means learning to apply natural preconceptions to particular cases as nature prescribes, and distinguishing what is in our power from what is not.
From Discourses and Selected Writings
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Education
You only have to doze a moment, and all is lost. For ruin and salvation both have their source inside you.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Success
When a youth was giving himself airs in the Theatre and saying, 'I am wise, for I have conversed with many wise men,' Epictetus replied, 'I too have conversed with many rich men, yet I am not rich!’.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Now is the time to get serious about living your ideals. How long can you afford to put off who you really want to be? Your nobler self cannot wait any longer. Put your principles into practice – now. Stop the excuses and the procrastination. This is your life! You aren’t a child anymore. The sooner you set yourself to your spiritual program, the happier you will be. The longer you wait, the more you’ll be vulnerable to mediocrity and feel filled with shame and regret, because you know you are capable of better. From this instant on, vow to stop disappointing yourself. Separate yourself from the mob. Decide to be extraordinary and do what you need to do – now.
From The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness and Effectiveness
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Motivational
The first and most important field of philosophy is the application of principles such as “Do not lie.” Next come the proofs, such as why we should not lie. The third field supports and articulates the proofs, by asking, for example, “How does this prove it? What exactly is a proof, what is logical inference, what is contradiction, what is truth, what is falsehood?” Thus, the third field is necessary because of the second, and the second because of the first. The most important, though, the one that should occupy most of our time, is the first. But we do just the opposite. We are preoccupied with the third field and give that all our attention, passing the first by altogether. The result is that we lie – but have no difficulty proving why we shouldn’t.
From The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness and Effectiveness
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Whoever is going to listen to the philosophers needs a considerable practice in listening.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
For in this Case, we are not to give Credit to the Many, who say, that none ought to be educated but the Free; but rather to the Philosophers, who say, that the Well-educated alone are free.
From All the Works of Epictetus
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Education, Philosophical
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.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Don't explain your philosophy. Embody it.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Know you not that a good man does nothing for appearance sake, but for the sake of having done right?
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Philosophy does not claim to secure for us anything outside our control. Otherwise it would be taking on matters that do not concern it. For as wood is the material of the carpenter, and marble that of the sculptor, so the subject matter of the art of life is the life of the self.
From Discourses and Selected Writings
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Happiness, Life, Philosophical
What really frightens and dismays us is not external events themselves, but the way in which we think about them. It is not things that disturb us, but our interpretation of their significance.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
If you are told that such an one speaks ill of you, make no defence against what was said, but answer, He surely knew not my other faults, else he would not have mentioned these only!
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Happiness
No man is free who is not master of himself.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Inspirational
Small-minded people blame others. Average people blame themselves. The wise see all blame as foolishness
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Inspirational
It is our attitude toward events, not events themselves, which we can control. Nothing is by its own nature calamitous -- even death is terrible only if we fear it.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
First say to yourself what you would be;
and then do what you have to do.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Motivational
What would have become of Hercules do you think if there had been no lion, hydra, stag or boar - and no savage criminals to rid the world of? What would he have done in the absence of such challenges?

Obviously he would have just rolled over in bed and gone back to sleep. So by snoring his life away in luxury and comfort he never would have developed into the mighty Hercules.

And even if he had, what good would it have done him? What would have been the use of those arms, that physique, and that noble soul, without crises or conditions to stir into him action?
From The Discourses
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Motivational, Philosophical
An ignorant person is inclined to blame others for his own misfortune. To blame oneself is proof of progress. But the wise man never has to blame another or himself.
From The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness and Effectiveness
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
The philosopher's school, ye men, is a surgery: you ought not to go out of it with pleasure, but with pain. For you are not in sound health when you enter.
From The Discourses
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Philosophy does not promise to secure anything external for man, otherwise it would be admitting something that lies beyond its proper subject-matter. For as the material of the carpenter is wood, and that of statuary bronze, so the subject-matter of the art of living is each person's own life.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
I must die. Must I then die lamenting? I must be put in chains. Must I then also lament? I must go into exile. Does any man then hinder me from going with smiles and cheerfulness and contentment?
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Death, Happiness, Life
What does it mean to be getting an education? It means learning to apply natural preconceptions to particular cases as nature prescribes, and distinguishing what is in our power from what is not.
From Discourses and Selected Writings
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Education
You only have to doze a moment, and all is lost. For ruin and salvation both have their source inside you.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Success
When a youth was giving himself airs in the Theatre and saying, 'I am wise, for I have conversed with many wise men,' Epictetus replied, 'I too have conversed with many rich men, yet I am not rich!’.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Now is the time to get serious about living your ideals. How long can you afford to put off who you really want to be? Your nobler self cannot wait any longer. Put your principles into practice – now. Stop the excuses and the procrastination. This is your life! You aren’t a child anymore. The sooner you set yourself to your spiritual program, the happier you will be. The longer you wait, the more you’ll be vulnerable to mediocrity and feel filled with shame and regret, because you know you are capable of better. From this instant on, vow to stop disappointing yourself. Separate yourself from the mob. Decide to be extraordinary and do what you need to do – now.
From The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness and Effectiveness
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Motivational
The first and most important field of philosophy is the application of principles such as “Do not lie.” Next come the proofs, such as why we should not lie. The third field supports and articulates the proofs, by asking, for example, “How does this prove it? What exactly is a proof, what is logical inference, what is contradiction, what is truth, what is falsehood?” Thus, the third field is necessary because of the second, and the second because of the first. The most important, though, the one that should occupy most of our time, is the first. But we do just the opposite. We are preoccupied with the third field and give that all our attention, passing the first by altogether. The result is that we lie – but have no difficulty proving why we shouldn’t.
From The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness and Effectiveness
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Whoever is going to listen to the philosophers needs a considerable practice in listening.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
For in this Case, we are not to give Credit to the Many, who say, that none ought to be educated but the Free; but rather to the Philosophers, who say, that the Well-educated alone are free.
From All the Works of Epictetus
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Education, Philosophical
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.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Don't explain your philosophy. Embody it.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Know you not that a good man does nothing for appearance sake, but for the sake of having done right?
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Philosophy does not claim to secure for us anything outside our control. Otherwise it would be taking on matters that do not concern it. For as wood is the material of the carpenter, and marble that of the sculptor, so the subject matter of the art of life is the life of the self.
From Discourses and Selected Writings
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Happiness, Life, Philosophical
What really frightens and dismays us is not external events themselves, but the way in which we think about them. It is not things that disturb us, but our interpretation of their significance.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
If you are told that such an one speaks ill of you, make no defence against what was said, but answer, He surely knew not my other faults, else he would not have mentioned these only!
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Happiness
No man is free who is not master of himself.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Inspirational
Small-minded people blame others. Average people blame themselves. The wise see all blame as foolishness
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Inspirational
It is our attitude toward events, not events themselves, which we can control. Nothing is by its own nature calamitous -- even death is terrible only if we fear it.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
First say to yourself what you would be;
and then do what you have to do.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Motivational
What would have become of Hercules do you think if there had been no lion, hydra, stag or boar - and no savage criminals to rid the world of? What would he have done in the absence of such challenges?

Obviously he would have just rolled over in bed and gone back to sleep. So by snoring his life away in luxury and comfort he never would have developed into the mighty Hercules.

And even if he had, what good would it have done him? What would have been the use of those arms, that physique, and that noble soul, without crises or conditions to stir into him action?
From The Discourses
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Motivational, Philosophical
An ignorant person is inclined to blame others for his own misfortune. To blame oneself is proof of progress. But the wise man never has to blame another or himself.
From The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness and Effectiveness
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
The philosopher's school, ye men, is a surgery: you ought not to go out of it with pleasure, but with pain. For you are not in sound health when you enter.
From The Discourses
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Philosophy does not promise to secure anything external for man, otherwise it would be admitting something that lies beyond its proper subject-matter. For as the material of the carpenter is wood, and that of statuary bronze, so the subject-matter of the art of living is each person's own life.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
I must die. Must I then die lamenting? I must be put in chains. Must I then also lament? I must go into exile. Does any man then hinder me from going with smiles and cheerfulness and contentment?
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Death, Happiness, Life
What does it mean to be getting an education? It means learning to apply natural preconceptions to particular cases as nature prescribes, and distinguishing what is in our power from what is not.
From Discourses and Selected Writings
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Education
You only have to doze a moment, and all is lost. For ruin and salvation both have their source inside you.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Success
When a youth was giving himself airs in the Theatre and saying, 'I am wise, for I have conversed with many wise men,' Epictetus replied, 'I too have conversed with many rich men, yet I am not rich!’.
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Philosophical
Now is the time to get serious about living your ideals. How long can you afford to put off who you really want to be? Your nobler self cannot wait any longer. Put your principles into practice – now. Stop the excuses and the procrastination. This is your life! You aren’t a child anymore. The sooner you set yourself to your spiritual program, the happier you will be. The longer you wait, the more you’ll be vulnerable to mediocrity and feel filled with shame and regret, because you know you are capable of better. From this instant on, vow to stop disappointing yourself. Separate yourself from the mob. Decide to be extraordinary and do what you need to do – now.
From The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness and Effectiveness
NOT YET RATING ▼
Topic: Motivational
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