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Epicurus Quotes

Philosopher

Epicurus, an influential ancient Greek philosopher, taught that the key to a good life lies in seeking happiness, peace of mind, and freedom from unnecessary desires. His quotes reflect his insights on moderation, friendship, and the pursuit of simple, meaningful pleasures. Together, they offer timeless guidance for living a balanced, joyful, and thoughtful life.

The man who says that all events are necessitated has no ground for critizing the man who says that not all events are necessitated. For according to him this is itself a necessitated event.
From Epicurus: Letters, Principal Doctrines, and Vatican Sayings
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Of all the means to insure happiness throughout the whole life, by far the most important is the acquisition of friends.
From A Guide to Happiness
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If you wish to make Pythocles rich, do not add to his store of money, but subtract from his desires.
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When, therefore, we maintain that pleasure is the end, we do not mean the pleasures of profligates and those that consist in sensuality, as is supposed by some who are either ignorant or disagree with us or do not understand, but freedom from pain in the body and from trouble in the mind. For it is not continuous drinkings and revelings, nor the satisfaction of lusts, nor the enjoyment of fish and other luxuries of the wealthy table, which produce a pleasant life, but sober reasoning, searching out the motives for all choice and avoidance, and banishing mere opinions, to which are due the greatest disturbance of the spirit.
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Death, therefore, the most awful of evils, is nothing to us, seeing that, when we are, death is not come, and, when death is come, we are not.
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The wise man who has become accustomed to necessities knows better how to share with others than how to take from them, so great a treasure of self-sufficiency has he found.
From Epicurus: Letters, Principal Doctrines, and Vatican Sayings
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I was not, I was, I am not, I care not. (Non fui, fui, non sum, non curo)
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He who is not satisfied with a little is satisfied with nothing.
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Empty is the argument of the philosopher which does not relieve any human suffering.
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Death means nothing to us
From The Art of Happiness
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Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.
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If thou wilt make a man happy, add not unto his riches but take away from his desires.
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Why should I fear death?
If I am, then death is not.
If Death is, then I am not.
Why should I fear that which can only exist when I do not?
Long time men lay oppressed with slavish fear.
Religious tyranny did domineer.
At length the mighty one of Greece
Began to assent the liberty of man.
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Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist.
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Don't fear the gods,
Don't worry about death;
What is good is easy to get, and
What is terrible is easy to endure.
From The Epicurus Reader: Selected Writings and Testimonia
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Let no one delay the study of philosophy while young nor weary of it when old.
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Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
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He who says either that the time for philosophy has not yet come or that it has passed is like someone who says that the time for happiness has not yet come or that it has passed.
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The man who says that all events are necessitated has no ground for critizing the man who says that not all events are necessitated. For according to him this is itself a necessitated event.
From Epicurus: Letters, Principal Doctrines, and Vatican Sayings
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Of all the means to insure happiness throughout the whole life, by far the most important is the acquisition of friends.
From A Guide to Happiness
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If you wish to make Pythocles rich, do not add to his store of money, but subtract from his desires.
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When, therefore, we maintain that pleasure is the end, we do not mean the pleasures of profligates and those that consist in sensuality, as is supposed by some who are either ignorant or disagree with us or do not understand, but freedom from pain in the body and from trouble in the mind. For it is not continuous drinkings and revelings, nor the satisfaction of lusts, nor the enjoyment of fish and other luxuries of the wealthy table, which produce a pleasant life, but sober reasoning, searching out the motives for all choice and avoidance, and banishing mere opinions, to which are due the greatest disturbance of the spirit.
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Death, therefore, the most awful of evils, is nothing to us, seeing that, when we are, death is not come, and, when death is come, we are not.
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The wise man who has become accustomed to necessities knows better how to share with others than how to take from them, so great a treasure of self-sufficiency has he found.
From Epicurus: Letters, Principal Doctrines, and Vatican Sayings
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I was not, I was, I am not, I care not. (Non fui, fui, non sum, non curo)
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He who is not satisfied with a little is satisfied with nothing.
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Empty is the argument of the philosopher which does not relieve any human suffering.
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Death means nothing to us
From The Art of Happiness
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Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
If thou wilt make a man happy, add not unto his riches but take away from his desires.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Why should I fear death?
If I am, then death is not.
If Death is, then I am not.
Why should I fear that which can only exist when I do not?
Long time men lay oppressed with slavish fear.
Religious tyranny did domineer.
At length the mighty one of Greece
Began to assent the liberty of man.
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Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Don't fear the gods,
Don't worry about death;
What is good is easy to get, and
What is terrible is easy to endure.
From The Epicurus Reader: Selected Writings and Testimonia
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Let no one delay the study of philosophy while young nor weary of it when old.
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Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
He who says either that the time for philosophy has not yet come or that it has passed is like someone who says that the time for happiness has not yet come or that it has passed.
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The man who says that all events are necessitated has no ground for critizing the man who says that not all events are necessitated. For according to him this is itself a necessitated event.
From Epicurus: Letters, Principal Doctrines, and Vatican Sayings
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Of all the means to insure happiness throughout the whole life, by far the most important is the acquisition of friends.
From A Guide to Happiness
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If you wish to make Pythocles rich, do not add to his store of money, but subtract from his desires.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
When, therefore, we maintain that pleasure is the end, we do not mean the pleasures of profligates and those that consist in sensuality, as is supposed by some who are either ignorant or disagree with us or do not understand, but freedom from pain in the body and from trouble in the mind. For it is not continuous drinkings and revelings, nor the satisfaction of lusts, nor the enjoyment of fish and other luxuries of the wealthy table, which produce a pleasant life, but sober reasoning, searching out the motives for all choice and avoidance, and banishing mere opinions, to which are due the greatest disturbance of the spirit.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Death, therefore, the most awful of evils, is nothing to us, seeing that, when we are, death is not come, and, when death is come, we are not.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
The wise man who has become accustomed to necessities knows better how to share with others than how to take from them, so great a treasure of self-sufficiency has he found.
From Epicurus: Letters, Principal Doctrines, and Vatican Sayings
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I was not, I was, I am not, I care not. (Non fui, fui, non sum, non curo)
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
He who is not satisfied with a little is satisfied with nothing.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Empty is the argument of the philosopher which does not relieve any human suffering.
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Death means nothing to us
From The Art of Happiness
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Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
If thou wilt make a man happy, add not unto his riches but take away from his desires.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Why should I fear death?
If I am, then death is not.
If Death is, then I am not.
Why should I fear that which can only exist when I do not?
Long time men lay oppressed with slavish fear.
Religious tyranny did domineer.
At length the mighty one of Greece
Began to assent the liberty of man.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Don't fear the gods,
Don't worry about death;
What is good is easy to get, and
What is terrible is easy to endure.
From The Epicurus Reader: Selected Writings and Testimonia
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Let no one delay the study of philosophy while young nor weary of it when old.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
He who says either that the time for philosophy has not yet come or that it has passed is like someone who says that the time for happiness has not yet come or that it has passed.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote