77 Epictetus Quotes That Are Full Of Stoic Wisdom
埃皮克提图斯（Epictetus）是古罗马时期的著名斯多葛派哲学家，尽管他出身卑微，一生饱受奴隶之苦，但他以坚韧不拔的精神和对人生命运的深刻思考，成为了斯多葛派的重要代表人物。
斯多葛派哲学强调理性、自制、内在的道德力量以及对外界不可控因素的超然态度。这种哲学观教导人们通过掌控自己的思想和行为，来应对生活中的痛苦和挑战，从而达到内心的平和与满足。斯多葛的英文是stoic，这里我们译为坚忍，指不以苦乐为意，常表示践行原则或自身修炼修养(stoic: implies an apparent indifference to pleasure or especially to pains, often as a matter of principle or self-discipline，如remained resolutely stoic even in the face of adversity尽管深陷逆境，仍保持着坚决和忍耐=坚忍的态度)，是【同义词辨析】 2019-04-24 无感impassive-stolid组的第二个词，stoic是希腊语，表示stone石头。
最早是在杭州旅游时从浙江省图书馆的一本书中读到埃皮克提图斯，他在那本书中说：“如果你很想做一件事，但这件事对你不利，你就想想如果你做了这件事以后的失望和愤怒，再想想如果你克制住自己不做这件事，你会感到的满足和喜悦，那么你就知道该怎样做了”。这句话令人印象深刻。接下来分享的埃皮克提图斯的话主要来自《生活的艺术》，这些智慧的语言精辟地体现了坚忍主义的精髓: 理性、自制、注重内在道德力量、以及对外界不可控因素的超然态度。希望这些话能给我们带来启发，通过掌控自己的思想和行为，来应对生活中的困难和挑战，从而达到内心的平和、自由、和满足。
本文正文转自succeedfeed.com网站；文末增加了浙江省图书馆、和陕西省图书馆《生活的艺术》一书的封面照片，和书中的一些生词。
Epictetus was a Greek philosopher who lived from 50 – 135 AD.
He was born as a slave to a wealthy household in Hierapolis
(present-day Pamukkale in Turkey), later obtaining his freedom shortly
after emperor Nero’s death and started teaching philosophy in Rome for
nearly 25 years.
When emperor Domitian famously banished all philosophers in Rome,
Epictetus fled to Nicopolis in Greece where he founded a philosophy
school and taught there until his death.
Epictetus adhered to Stocism and while a great starting point is
definitely these quotes by Epictetus, you can also check out his Enchiridion,
which translates as a ‘small manual or a handbook’ and it is exactly
that. It’s packed with short Stoic maxims and principles. A much more
committed read would be Epictetus’ Discourses.
In addition to Epictetus, Stoicism’s most famous adherents were the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121 AD – 180 AD), who was greatly influenced by Epictetus and the Roman statesman Seneca (4 BC – 65 AD).
For now though I hope you enjoy this collection of Epictetus quotes that are packed with wisdom.
77 Epictetus Quotes
1. “The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his
happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.” – Epictetus
2. “People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them.” – Epictetus
3. “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” – Epictetus
4. “The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.” – Epictetus
5. “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” – Epictetus
6. “Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” – Epictetus
7. “If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.” – Epictetus
8. “Keep silence for the most part, and speak only when you must, and then briefly.” – Epictetus
9. “We should not moor a ship with one anchor, or our life with one hope.” – Epictetus
10. “Only the educated are free.” – Epictetus
11. “Difficulties are things that show a person what they are.” – Epictetus
12. “There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.” – Epictetus
13. “It takes more than just a good looking body. You’ve got to have the heart and soul to go with it.” – Epictetus
14. “First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak.” – Epictetus
15. “Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.” – Epictetus
16. “First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.” – Epictetus
17. “If you desire to be good, begin by believing that you are wicked.” – Epictetus
18. “If evil be spoken of you and it be true, correct yourself, if it be a lie, laugh at it.” – Epictetus
19. “It is the nature of the wise to resist pleasures, but the foolish to be a slave to them.” – Epictetus
20. “If you wish to be a writer, write.” – Epictetus
21. “The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it.
Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.” – Epictetus
22. “Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.” – Epictetus
23. “If thy brother wrongs thee, remember not so much his wrong-doing, but more than ever that he is thy brother.” – Epictetus
24. “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” – Epictetus
25. “No man is free who is not master of himself.” – Epictetus
26. “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.” – Epictetus
27. “If one oversteps the bounds of moderation, the greatest pleasures cease to please.” – Epictetus
28. “It is not he who reviles or strikes you who insults you, but your opinion that these things are insulting.” – Epictetus
29. “No great thing is created suddenly.” – Epictetus
30. “All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.” – Epictetus
31. “Whoever does not regard what he has as most ample wealth, is unhappy, though he be master of the world.” – Epictetus
32. “When you are offended at any man’s fault, turn to yourself and
study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger.” – Epictetus
33. “All religions must be tolerated… for every man must get to heaven in his own way.” – Epictetus
34. “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.” – Epictetus
35. “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.” – Epictetus
36. “You are a little soul carrying around a corpse.” – Epictetus
37. “Practice yourself, for heaven’s sake in little things, and then proceed to greater.” – Epictetus
38. “Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire.” – Epictetus
39. “It is not death or pain that is to be dreaded, but the fear of pain or death.” – Epictetus
40. “It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.” – Epictetus
41. “Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself.” – Epictetus
42. “We are not privy to the stories behind people’s actions, so we
should be patient with others and suspend judgement of them, recognizing
the limits of our understanding.” – Epictetus
43. “In prosperity it is very easy to find a friend; but in adversity it is the most difficult of all things.” – Epictetus
44. “These reasoning’s are unconnected: “I am richer than you,
therefore I am better”; “I am more eloquent than you, therefore I am
better.” The connection is rather this: “I am richer than you, therefore
my property is greater than yours;” “I am more eloquent than you,
therefore my style is better than yours.” But you, after all, are
neither property nor style.” – Epictetus
45. “Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.” – Epictetus
46. “Don’t just say you have read books. Show that through them you
have learned to think better, to be a more discriminating and reflective
person. Books are the training weights of the mind. They are very
helpful, but it would be a bad mistake to suppose that one has made
progress simply by having internalized their contents.” – Epictetus
47. “Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems.” – Epictetus
48. “Attach yourself to what is spiritually superior, regardless of
what other people think or do. Hold to your true aspirations no matter
what is going on around you.” – Epictetus
49. “He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh at.” – Epictetus
50. “Of pleasures, those which occur most rarely give the most delight.” – Epictetus
51. “Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can
anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him.” – Epictetus
52. “It is not so much what happens to you as how you think about what happens.” – Epictetus
53. “It is your own convictions which compels you; that is, choice compels choice.” – Epictetus
54. “Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one
principle. Some things are within your control. And some things are
not.” – Epictetus
55. “Suffering arises from trying to control what is uncontrollable, or from neglecting what is within our power.” – Epictetus
56. “If you want any good, get it from within.” – Epictetus
57. “Authentic happiness is always independent of external conditions.” – Epictetus
58. “Be careful whom you associate with. It is human to imitate the
habits of those with whom we interact. We inadvertently adopt their
interests, their opinions, their values, and their habit of interpreting
events.” – Epictetus
59. “It’s time to stop being vague. If you wish to be an
extraordinary person, if you wish to be wise, then you should explicitly
identify the kind of person you aspire to become.” – Epictetus
60. “A half-hearted spirit has no power. Tentative efforts lead to
tentative outcomes. Average people enter into their endeavors headlong
and without care.” – Epictetus
61. “Nothing truly stops you. Nothing truly holds you back. For your
own will is always within your control. Sickness may challenge your
body. But are you merely your body? Lameness may impede your legs. But
your are not merely your legs. Your will is bigger than your legs. Your
will needn’t be affected by an incident unless you let it.” – Epictetus
62. “Every difficulty in life presents us with an opportunity to turn
inward and to invoke our own submerged inner resources. The trials we
endure can and should introduce us to our strengths.” – Epictetus
63. “Other people’s views and troubles can be contagious. Don’t
sabotage yourself by unwittingly adopting negative, unproductive
attitudes through your associations with others.” – Epictetus
64. “I laugh at those who think they can damage me. They do not know
who I am, they do not know what I think, they cannot even touch the
things which are really mine and with which I live.” – Epictetus
65. “Small-minded people blame others. Average people blame themselves. The wise see all blame as foolishness.” – Epictetus
66. “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.” – Epictetus
67. “No one is ever unhappy because of someone else.” – Epictetus
68. “Stop the excuses and the procrastination. This is your life! You
aren’t a child anymore…. 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.” – Epictetus
69. “Concern should drive us into action and not into a depression. No man is free who cannot control himself.” – Epictetus
70. “We all carry the seeds of greatness within us, but we need an image as a point of focus in order that they may sprout.” – Epictetus
71. “Keep your attention focused entirely on what is truly your own
concern, and be clear that what belongs to others is their business and
none of yours.” – Epictetus
72. “Never say you are alone for you are not alone, your God and your genius is within.” – Epictetus
73. “Progress is not achieved by luck or accident, but by working on yourself daily.” – Epictetus
74. “To make anything a habit, do it; to not make it a habit, do not
do it; to unmake a habit, do something else in place of it.” – Epictetus
75. “Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by
disregarding things that lie beyond our control. Stop aspiring to be
anyone other than your own best self: for that does fall within your
control.” – Epictetus
76. “You are not your body and hair-style, but your capacity for
choosing well. If your choices are beautiful, so too will you be.” – Epictetus
77. “Who is your master? Anyone who has control over things upon
which you’ve set your heart, or over things which you seek to avoid.” – Epictetus
What did you think of these Epictetus Quotes?
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help others. I’d also love to know which Epictetus quote is your
favourite. Let me know in the comments below!
浙江图书馆
陕西省图书馆《生活的艺术》封面
forego: 放弃(想要或喜欢的事物)mean to give up the use or enjoyment of something，如~ an opportunity放弃一次机会，如书中: You may well have to ~ wealth and power if you want to assure the attainment of happiness and freedom如果你想获得幸福和自由，很可能就要放弃财富和权力。
hew to: 遵守坚持mean to stick to，如to ~ to rules遵守规则，如书中: It is your job to comport yourself humbly and to consistently ~ to your moral ideals你要保持谦卑，坚持你的道德理想
chatterbox: 夸夸其谈的人mean a person who talks a lot；babble/blather/palaver/pap/prattle: 都表示闲扯空谈喋喋不休，如书中: When we blather about trivial things, we ourselves become trivial, for our attention gets taken up with trivialities. You become what you give your attention to当我们闲谈一些琐碎微不足道的事时，我们自己也会变得琐碎微不足道，因为我们的注意力被琐碎微不足道的事占据。我们会变成自己注意力所关注的。作为比较，jabber则表示快速不清楚的说。
hoodwind: 欺骗耍弄mean to deceive or trick，如he ~ed us into believing him他耍弄我们相信了他，如书中Take the time to assidulously study clear thingking and you won't be ~ed. Strong education in logic and the rules of effective argument will serve you well花时间努力学习如何清晰地思考，你就不会被欺骗耍弄。坚实的逻辑和辩证法教育对你很有用
mesmerize: 迷住吸引，使全神贯注to hold the attention of something entirely，如he was ~d by her smile她的笑容使他着迷，如书中Most people don't realize that both help and harm come from within ourselves. Instead they looked to externals, ~d by appearances大多数人都没有意识到利弊都来自内心。相反他们关注外部，为一些外表而着迷
take stock: 对情况加以总结、作出评估、进行反思mean to carefully think about something in order to make a decision about what to do next，如It was time to stand back and take stock of his career他该停一下来反思一下自己的职业生涯了，如书中This is our predicament: over and over again, we lose sight of what is important and what isn't. We need to regularly stop and take stock: which things are worth valuing and which things are not; which risks are worth the cost and which are not. Even the most confusing or hurtful aspects of life can be made more tolerable by clear seeing and by choice这是我们的窘境: 我们总是忘记什么重要什么不重要。我们需要定期停下来(总结评估和)反思，哪些事真正有价值那些事没有，哪些事值得冒风险哪些不值。通过清晰的审视做出选择，即使生活中最让人烦恼痛苦的事也能加以缓解(made more tolerable)
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