Epictetus (55–135) was a Greek sage and Stoic philosopher. He was born a slave at Hierapolis, Phrygia, and lived in Rome until his banishment, when he went to Nicopolis in northwestern Greece for the rest of his life. His teachings were written down and published by his pupil Arrian in his Discourses.
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Let death be daily before your eyes, and you will never entertain any abject thought, nor too eagerly covet anything.
—Epictetus
Topics: Dying, Death
Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him.
—Epictetus
First say to yourself what you would be;
and then do what you have to do.
—Epictetus
Any one thing in the creation is sufficient to demonstrate a Providence to a humble and grateful mind.
—Epictetus
It is no easy thing for a principle to become a man’s own unless each day he maintains it and works it out in his life.
—Epictetus
Topics: Time Management, Value of Time
It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.
—Epictetus
Whenever you are angry, be assured that it is not only a present evil, but that you have increased a habit.
—Epictetus
Topics: Anger
Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.
—Epictetus
We are not troubled by things, but by the opinion which we have of things.
—Epictetus
What ought one to say then as each hardship comes? “I was practicing for this, I was training for this.”
—Epictetus
A ship ought not to be held by one anchor, nor life by a singe hope.
—Epictetus
There is only one way to happiness and
that is to cease worrying about things
which are beyond the power of our will.
—Epictetus
Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment
of what is desired, but by controlling that desire.
—Epictetus
We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.
—Epictetus
Topics: Listening, Communication, Kindness
There is nothing good or evil save in the will.
—Epictetus
Topics: One liners
What ought one to say then as each hardship comes?
I was practicing for this, I was training for this.
—Epictetus
Difficulties show men what they are.
In case of any difficulty remember that God has
pitted you against a rough antagonist that you
may be a conqueror, and this cannot be without toil.
—Epictetus
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