Epictetus Quotes

Philosopher

Epictetus was a renowned Greek philosopher born in 55 AD and died in 135 AD. He founded the Stoic school of philosophy, emphasizing the importance of reason, morality, and self-control, which had a profound impact on subsequent philosophy.

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Famous Epictetus Quotes

“What is yours is to play the assigned part well. But to choose it belongs to someone else”

Wells Play

Book:The Handbook (The Encheiridion)

Source: The Handbook (The Encheiridion)

“When our friends are present we ought to treat them well; and when they are absent, to speak of them well.”

Wells Speak Friends Ought Treats Absent

Book:Enchiridion

Source: Enchiridion

“Act well your given part; the choice rests not with you.”

Wells Choices Given Resignation

Author:Epictetus

“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.”

Ifs Wells Would Be Succeed Strive

Author:Epictetus

“We do not choose our own parts in life, and have nothing to do with those parts. Our duty is confined to playing them well.”

Life Wells Duty Confined

Author:Epictetus

“A soul that makes virtue its companion is like an over-flowing well, for it is clean and pellucid, sweet and wholesome, open to all, rich, blameless and indestructible.”

Wells Soul Virtue Rich Sweet Clean Companion Indestructible Blameless

Author:Epictetus

“I have to die. If it is now, well then I die now; if later, then now I will take my lunch, since the hour for lunch has arrived - and dying I will tend to later.”

Ifs Wells Dies Hours Dying Lunch

Author:Epictetus

“I must die. I must be imprisoned. I must suffer exile. But must I die groaning? Must I whine as well? Can anyone hinder me from going into exile with a smile? The master threatens to chain me: what say you? Chain me? My leg you will chain--yes, but not my will--no, not even Zeus can conquer that.”

Wells Suffering Dies Masters Legs Chains Conquer Exile Hinder Zeus Groaning

Author:Epictetus

“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.”

Wells I Can My Own Taken Judgement

Author:Epictetus

“Do not strive for things occurring to occur as you wish, but wish the things occurring as they occur, and you will flow well.”

Wells Wish Flow Strive

Author:Epictetus

“Concerning the Gods, there are those who deny the very existence of the Godhead; others say that it exists, but neither bestirs nor concerns itself not has forethought far anything. A third party attribute to it existence and forethought, but only for great and heavenly matters, not for anything that is on earth. A fourth party admit things on earth as well as in heaven, but only in general, and not with respect to each individual. A fifth, of whom were Ulysses and Socrates, are those that cry: -- I move not without Thy knowledge!”

Source: The Philosophy of Epictetus: Golden Sayings and Fragments

“Don't seek to have events happen as you wish, but wish them to happen as they do happen, and all will be well with you.”

Wells Happens Wish Events

Author:Epictetus

“If someone speaks badly of you, do not defend yourself against the accusations, but reply; "you obviously don't know about my other vices, otherwise you would have mentioned these as well”

Ifs Knows Wells Speak Vices Accusation

Author:Epictetus

“If you hear that someone is speaking ill of you, instead of trying to defend yourself you should say: 'He obviously does not know me very well, since there are so many other faults he could have mentioned.'”

Ifs Knows Should Trying Wells Doe Perfect Faults Ill Know Me

Author:Epictetus

“Wherever I go it will be well with me, for it was well with me here, not on account of the place, but of my judgments which I shall carry away with me, for no one can deprive me of these; on the contrary, they alone are my property, and cannot be taken away, and to possess them suffices me wherever I am or whatever I do.”

Wells Taken Judgment Accounts Property Contrary

Author:Epictetus

“Remember that you are in actor in a play of such a kind that the author chooses...For this is your duty, to act well the part that is given to you; but to select the part belongs to another.”

Life Wells Kind Play Remember Actors Given Duty Select

Author:Epictetus

“Remember that you are an actor in a play, and that the Playwright chooses the manner of it: If he wants you to act a poor man you must act the part with all your powers; and so if your part be a cripple or a magistrate or a plain man. For your business is to act the character that is given you and act it well. The choice of the cast is Another's.”

Ifs Men Want Wells Play Character Remember Choices Actors Given Poor Business He Man Casts Playwright Poor Man Cripples Magistrates

Book:Stoic Six Pack: Meditations of Marcus Aurelius The Golden Sayings Fragments and Discourses of Epictetus Letters from a Stoic and The Enchiridion

Source: Stoic Six Pack: Meditations of Marcus Aurelius The Golden Sayings Fragments and Discourses of Epictetus Letters from a Stoic and The Enchiridion

“When we act pugnaciously, and injuriously, and angrily, and rudely, to what level have we degenerated? To the level of the wild beasts. Well, the fact is that some of us are wild beasts of a larger size, while others are little animals, malignant and petty.”

Wells Littles Facts Animal Levels Anger Size Beast Petty Wild Beasts

Book:Epictetus: the Discourses as reported by Arrian, the Manual, and fragments

Source: Epictetus: the Discourses as reported by Arrian, the Manual, and fragments

“Be careful to leave your sons well instructed rather than rich, for the hopes of the instructed are better than the wealth of the ignorant.”