Best Epictetus Quotes
Epictetus Quotes About Success, Love, Control, Happiness, Freedom, Death, Money Friendship, & Gratitude! Epictetus, a prominent Stoic philosopher, was born in Hierapolis, a Greek city in Asia Minor, to a slave mother in 55 A.D. Epictetus means “Acquired,” which is an allusion to his time as a slave. When his master’s social rank made him eligible for the mentorship of Stoic philosopher Musonius Rufus, Epictetus was given the opportunity to pursue his studies in the most exclusive manner possible.
He began to teach philosophy and develop his ideas when he was free. Epictetus’ writings have been made widely available to the public primarily via his student’s efforts, and it is still questioned whether the works were written by Epictetus himself or by his Flavian Arrian, who was his teacher. His writings may be found in the eight volumes of the ‘Discourses’ and ‘Encheiridion,’ but his ideas look dispersed and disorganized because of the disarray of his works.
All external circumstances are beyond one’s control, and one should accept them quietly. On the other hand, individuals are accountable for their conduct, which they may scrutinize and control via severe self-discipline. Epictetus referred to philosophy as education. As far as he was concerned, genuine education consisted of learning that nothing is more important than one’s desire or goal.
Epictetus also argued that men are not solely responsible for their thoughts to their conscious awareness, and however, they are entirely accountable for how they utilize the concepts. This man’s ideas had been influential for centuries, and Emperor Marcus Aurelius even made one of his works the primary philosophy of his empire. He passed away on 135 A.D. Epictetus’s life philosophy is evident in his quotations, which give life and living a profound significance.
Best Epictetus Quotes
1. “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” ― Epictetus
2. “The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.” ― Epictetus
3. “It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.” ― Epictetus
4. “A ship should not ride on a single anchor, nor life on a single hope” ― Epictetus
5. “The flourishing life cannot be achieved until we moderate our desires and see how superficial and fleeting they are.” ― Epictetus
6. “Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself.” ― Epictetus
7. “Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.” ― Epictetus
8. “Small-minded people blame others. Average people blame themselves. The wise see all blame as foolishness” ― Epictetus
9. “Caretake this moment. Immerse yourself in its particulars. Respond to this person, this challenge, this deed. Quit evasions. Stop giving yourself needless trouble. It is time to really live; to fully inhabit the situation you happen to be in now.” ― Epictetus
10. “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.” ― Epictetus
11. “Although we can’t control which roles are assigned to us, it must be our business to act our given role as best we possibly can and to refrain from complaining about it. Where ever you find yourself and in whatever circumstances, give an impeccable performance.” ― Epictetus
12. “Remember, it is not enough to be hit or insulted to be harmed, you must believe that you are being harmed. If someone succeeds in provoking you, realize that your mind is complicit in the provocation. Which is why it is essential that we not respond impulsively to impressions; take a moment before reacting, and you will find it easier to maintain control.” ― Epictetus
13. “Do not try to seem wise to others. ” ― Epictetus
14. “If evil be said of thee, and if it be true, correct thyself; if it be a lie, laugh at it.” ― Epictetus
15. “Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” ― Epictetus
16. “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has. ” ― Epictetus
17. “There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power or our will.” ― Epictetus
18. “God has entrusted me with myself. No man is free who is not master of himself. A man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things. The world turns aside to let any man pass who knows where he is going.” ― Epictetus
19. “Seek not the good in external things; seek it in yourselves.” ― Epictetus
20. “He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh at.” ― Epictetus
21. “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
22. “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
23. “Authentic happiness is always independent of external conditions.” ― Epictetus
24. “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.” ― Epictetus
25. “We are not disturbed by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens to us.” ― Epictetus
26. “It is not so much what happens to you as how you think about what happens.” ― Epictetus
27. “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.” ― Epictetus
28. No great thing is created suddenly. ― Epictetus
29. “First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.” ― Epictetus
30. “Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.” ― Epictetus
