Epictetus quotes - page 5

You have not stirred my spirit. For what can I see in you to stir me, as a spirited horse will stir a judge of horses? Your body? That you maltreat. Your dress? That is luxurious. Your behavior, your look?-Nothing whatsoever. (81). (Epictetus)
Have this thought ever present with thee, when thou losest any outward thing, what thou gainest in its stead; and if this be the more precious, say not, I have suffered loss. (27). View quote
Epictetus
Let not another's disobedience to Nature become an ill to you; for you were not born to be depressed and unhappy with others, but to be happy with them. And if any is unhappy, remember that he is so for himself; for God made all men to enjoy felicity and peace. View quote
Epictetus
To you, all you have seems small: to me, all I have seems great. Your desire is insatiable, mine is satisfied. See children thrusting their hands into a narrow-necked jar, and striving to pull out the nuts and figs it contains: if they fill the hand, they cannot pull it out again, and then they fall to tears.-'Let go a few of them, and then you can draw out the rest!'-You, too, let your desire go! covet not many things, and you will obtain. View quote
Epictetus
My brother ought not to have treated me thus.' True: but he must see to that. However he may treat me, I must deal rightly by him. This is what lies with me, what none can hinder. View quote
Epictetus
He that hath no musical instruction is a child in Music; he that hath no letters is a child in Learning; he that is untaught is a child in Life. View quote
Epictetus
Suffering arises from trying to control what is uncontrollable, or from neglecting what is within our power. View quote
Epictetus
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. View quote
Epictetus
Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants. View quote
Epictetus
Let silence be your general rule; or say only what is necessary and in few words. View quote
Epictetus
The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things. (Epictetus)
If evil be spoken of you and it be true, correct yourself, if it be a lie, laugh at it. View quote
Epictetus
It is not he who reviles or strikes you who insults you, but your opinion that these things are insulting. View quote
Epictetus
All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain. View quote
Epictetus
Imagine for yourself a character, a model personality, whose example you determine to follow, in private as well as in public. View quote
Epictetus
Never call yourself a philosopher, nor talk a great deal among the unlearned about theorems, but act conformably to them. Thus, at an entertainment, don't talk how persons ought to eat, but eat as you ought. For remember that in this manner Socrates also universally avoided all ostentation. View quote
Epictetus
Appearances to the mind are of four kinds. Things either are what they appear to be or they neither are, nor appear to be or they are, and do not appear to be or they are not, and yet appear to be. Rightly to aim in all these cases is the wise mans task. View quote
Epictetus
Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire. View quote
Epictetus
The two powers which in my opinion constitute a wise man are those of bearing and forbearing. View quote
Epictetus
To accuse others for one's own misfortunes is a sign of want of education. To accuse oneself shows that one's education has begun. To accuse neither oneself nor others shows that one's education is complete. View quote
Epictetus
Is freedom anything else than the right to live as we wish? Nothing else. (Epictetus)
Do not seek to bring things to pass in accordance with your wishes, but wish for them as they are, and you will find them. View quote
Epictetus
Whenever you are angry, be assured that it is not only a present evil, but that you have increased a habit. View quote
Epictetus
It is hard to combine and unite these two qualities, the carefulness of one who is affected by circumstances, and the intrepidity of one who heeds them not. But it is not impossible: else were happiness also impossible. View quote
Epictetus
No great thing is created suddenly. View quote
Epictetus