Epictetus Quotes on Control, Freedom, and Practice
Epictetus taught that some things are up to us and some are not. These quotes come from the Discourses and the Enchiridion, a short handbook of his teaching compiled by his pupil Arrian.
Epictetus quotes on control
Of things some are in our power, and others are not.
Disease is an impediment to the body, but not to the will, unless the will itself chooses.
Men are disturbed not by the things which happen, but by the opinions about the things.
Epictetus quotes on freedom
For Epictetus, freedom means not depending on what other people can give or take away.
Whoever then wishes to be free let him neither wish for anything nor avoid anything which depends on others.
You can be invincible, if you enter into no contest in which it is not in your power to conquer.
Is freedom anything else than the power of living as we choose? Nothing else.
Enchiridion quotes for daily practice
Practice shows in what you do, even when nobody is watching.
When you are going to take in hand any act remind yourself what kind of an act it is.
And if you ever wish to exercise yourself in labor and endurance, do it for yourself, and not for others.
For example, at a banquet do not say how a man ought to eat, but eat as you ought to eat.
Desire, patience, and enough
Nothing great, said Epictetus, is produced suddenly, since not even the grape or the fig is.
Keep by every means what is your own; do not desire what belongs to others.
In every act observe the things which come first, and those which follow it; and so proceed to the act.
Status and other people's opinions
Money and reputation say little about a person's character.
And whatever any man shall say about you, do not attend to it; for this is no affair of yours.
For if it is not right to do it, avoid doing the thing; but if it is right, why are you afraid of those who shall find fault wrongly?
Besides, which would you rather have, money or a faithful and modest friend?
Choosing how to play your part
Epictetus separates the circumstances we receive from how we meet them.
For this is your duty, to act well the part that is given to you; but to select the part, belongs to another.
If it is good to use attention tomorrow, how much better is it to do so today?
Questions
What does Epictetus mean by what is in our control?
He means our own acts: judgment, desire, and aversion. Things like property, reputation, and office are not up to us.
What is the Enchiridion?
The Enchiridion, also spelled Encheiridion, is a short handbook of Epictetus's teaching compiled by Arrian. It condenses lessons from the longer Discourses.
Did Epictetus write the Discourses himself?
No. His pupil Arrian wrote down the teaching that became the Discourses, and also compiled the Enchiridion.
What does freedom mean to Epictetus?
It means not letting your purpose depend on what someone else can give or take away. Epictetus, who had been enslaved himself, was describing inner freedom, not legal freedom.
Which English translation is used here?
George Long's, in its 1890 reprint. The quotations keep his wording, with links to the passages in the Enchiridion and Discourses.
Translations are by George Long, and are in the public domain.