Life of

Epictetus
(a. d. 55-135)
 Hello! I am Epictetus
I am a Greek Stoic philosopher.
 He was born a slave at Heirapolis, Phrygia
(present day Pamukkale, Turkey) 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 and Enchiridion.

The Discourses that bears his name are notes

taken from discussion of Stoic texts.
 Epictetus taught that philosophy is a way of life and not

just a theoretical discipline. To Epictetus, all external events

are beyond our control; we should accept calmly and

dispassionately whatever happens. However, individuals are

responsible for their own actions, which they can examine and

control through rigorous self-discipline.

 He grew up as a slave to a wealthy man, who allowed him to
study philosophy yet certain accounts argue that it was his master
who crippled Epictetus at a young age.

Luckily, when he was 33 years old, Epictetus was freed, and

taught philosophy in Rome until again, a powerful person would
intervene, this time the Roman emperor Domitius, who banished
all philosophers from Rome, including Epictetus.

It was then that Epictetus would start his school and teach
classes which would become the basis of the Enchiridion.
The Enchiridion
Concentrated collection of Epictetus’s wisest
teachings and contains all the fundamentals of
his philosophy..
 VII

Require not things to happen

as you wish, but wish them
to happen as they do happen
and you will go on well.
 IX
Sickness is an impediment to the body but not
to the faculty of choice unless itself pleases.
Lameness is an impediment to the leg but not
to the faculty of choice; and say this yourself
with regard to everything that happens. For you
will find it to be an impediment to something
else but not to yourself.
 X
Upon every accident,
remember to turn
toward yourself and
inquire what powers you
have for making a proper
use of it. If you see a
handsome person, you
will find continence a
power against this;
If pain be presented to you,
you will find fortitude; if ill
language, you will find
patience. And thus
habituated, the appearance
of things will not hurry
you along the.
 xi
Never say of anything, “I
have lost it,” but “I have
restored it.” Is your child
dead? She is restored. Is
your estate taken away?
Well, and is not that
likewise restored? “But he
who took it away is a bad
man.”
What is it to you by whose
hands he who gave hath
demanded it back again?
While he allows you to
possess it, take care of it, but
as of something not your
own, as a passenger of an inn.
 xv
Remember that you
must behave (in life) as
at an entertainment. Is
anything brought around
to you? Put out your
hand and take your share
with moderation. Doth it
pass by you? Do not stop
it. Is it not yet come?
Do not stretch forth your
desire toward it, but wait
till it reaches you. Thus
do with regard to
children, to a wife, to
public posts, to riches and
you will be sometime or
other a worthy partner of
the feast of the gods.
 And if you do not so much as take the things
which are set before you are able even to despise
them, then you will not only be a partner of the
feasts but of their empire also. For by thus doing,
Diogenes and Heraclitus and others like them
were called divine.
most important lessons from the book
Focus on your own actions

Character is key

Go with the flow

 Epictetus teaches us to simplify what we are concerned
with and not be emotionally affected by what happens in this
massive world, where we have power over nothing besides what
we ourselves do. If something bad happens, it should not upset
you unless you did it.

When something is out of our control, Epictetus says,

“BE PREPARED TO SAY THAT IT IS NOTHING TO
YOU”
 The key is to keep
company only with
people who uplift
you, whose presence
calls forth your
best.
Epictetus.
THE END