Discourses and Selected Writings (Penguin Classics)

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The main purpose of the stoic teaching is to live a life free from fear and anxiety. To achieve this one needs a rigorous training of the faculty of the will and its appreciation of impressions. The knowledge of what is really a vice or a virtue is essential. It seems that to achieve a certain degree of inner peace one should train himself to practice beliefs and habits which most humans indulge in and find very difficult to adhere to, like detachment from material objects, indifference towards blame or praise, acceptance of one’s lot. Epictetus often cites the example of athletes or craftsmen, as if such attitudes are not innate to humans, but acquired through a long apprenticeship. Without this training in the art of life, it is only the existence of slaves which one should expect. It is slavery to worthless objects, petty people, false opinions and vain struggles.

Arrian recorded and published Epictetus’ informal lectures and conversations on ethics, in eight books, of which four books and some fragments survive. These are the Discourses; Arrian also wrote a summary of main themes, the Manual Jonathan Barnes, Logic and Imperial Stoa, Leiden: Brill, 1997 (Chapter Three: Epictetuts, pp.24–127). [ ISBNmissing] The Discourses of Epictetus ( Greek: Ἐπικτήτου διατριβαί, Epiktētou diatribai) are a series of informal lectures by the Stoic philosopher Epictetus written down by his pupil Arrian around 108 AD. Four books out of an original eight are still extant. The philosophy of Epictetus is intensely practical. He directs his students to focus attention on their opinions, anxieties, passions, and desires, so that "they may never fail to get what they desire, nor fall into what they avoid." True education lies in learning to distinguish what is our own from what does not belong to us, and in learning to correctly assent or dissent to external impressions. The purpose of his teaching was to make people free and happy.The final entry of the Enchiridion, or Handbook, begins: "Upon all occasions we ought to have these maxims ready at hand": Epictetus appears in a 2nd or 3rd century Dialogue between the Emperor Hadrian and Epictetus the Philosopher. [70] This short Latin text consists of seventy-three short questions supposedly posed by Hadrian and answered by Epictetus. [70] This dialogue was very popular in the Middle Ages with many translations and adaptations. [70] Philosophy [ edit ] Marcus Aurelius [ edit ] Discourses, Fragments, Handbook, Robin Hard (trans.), Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014. ISBN 978-0199595181

Everything has two handles, the one by which it may be carried, the other by which it cannot" is the theme of Disturbances in the Field (1983), by Lynne Sharon Schwartz. Lydia, the central character, turns often to The Golden Sayings of Epictetus – the latter being a modern selection from Epictetus's writings, compiled and translated by Hastings Crossley. Heinrich Ritter, Alexander James William Morrison, (1846), The History of Ancient Philosophy, Volume 4, p. 217 Somewhere in book 2, Epictetus criticizes the Academics and Epicureans of contradictions and, ultimately, self-refutation. Skeptics claim nothing can be known, but yet this proposition if proclaimed to be a general truth - how do they know? Epicureanism claim only individual pleasures should be sought, yet Epicurus himself busied himself with teaching and writing many books to inform others - why bother? As a matter of fact, Epictetus brilliantly remarks, a true Epicurean should teach his students Stoicism, since then he can, being a closet-Epicurean, have all the fun for himself. The teaching Epicurean is a contradiction in terms - he creates other Epicureans who then compete with him for pleasures.... But if everyone in his environment close themselves off from the world, he can then do what he wants.a b Heinrich Ritter, Alexander James William Morrison, (1846), The History of Ancient Philosophy, Volume 4, p. 208 Enchiridion, George Long (trans.), New York: A. L. Burt, 1955 (reprint: New York: Dover, 2004) ISBN 0879757035. Epictetus obtained his freedom sometime after the death of Nero in AD 68, [17] and he began to teach philosophy in Rome. Around AD 93, when the Roman emperor Domitian banished all philosophers from the city, [18] Epictetus moved to Nicopolis in Epirus, Greece, where he founded a school of philosophy. [19]

Why do you read anyway - for the sake of amusement or mere erudition? Those are poor, fatuous pretexts. Reading should serve the goal of attaining peace; if it doesn't make you peaceful, what good is it?"

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The books did not have a formal title in ancient times. Although Simplicius called them Diatribai (Διατριβαί, Discourses), [1] other writers gave them titles such as Dialexis (Διαλέξεις, Talks), [2] Apomnêmoneumata (Ἀπομνημονεύματα, Records), [3] and Homiliai (Ὁμιλίαι, Conversations). [4] The modern name comes from the titles given in the earliest medieval manuscript: "Arrian's Diatribai of Epictetus" ( Greek: Ἀρριανοῦ τῶν Ἐπικτήτου Διατριβῶν). [5] The Greek word Diatribai literally means "informal talks". [5] The main point of the Discourses can be summed up in a couple sentences: If it is under your control, change it. If it's not under your control, don't worry about it. Unlike Seneca, who gives at least some due credence to the imperfectness of this world and ourselves, Epictetus has this tone of “stop whining lol” (there’s really no more accurate way of saying this). He keeps emphasising people to stop finding fault in what cannot be changed. While that is true from a logical perspective, why should people mute themselves in this act of self-control when they lose nothing from their complaints? Epictetus’ remarks only make sense when our complaints completely ruin our peace of mind. But in my experience, I believe we can retain our peace while complaining as well. See: how complaining about politicians or the weather brings people together. Laurence Sterne, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, ed. Ian Campbell Ross (Oxford Univ. Press, 1983), p. 540.

Early in life, Epictetus acquired a passion for philosophy and, with the permission of his wealthy master, he studied Stoic philosophy under Musonius Rufus. [13] Becoming more educated in this way raised his social status. [14] At some point, he became disabled. Celsus, quoted by Origen, wrote that this was because his leg had been deliberately broken by his master. [15] Simplicius, in contrast, wrote that Epictetus had been disabled from childhood. [16] Roman-era ruins (the Nymphaeum) at Nicopolis Percy Ewing Matheson, (1916), Epictetus: The Discourses and Manual together with Fragments of his Writings. (Oxford University Press)

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Epictetus forms one part of the triad of classic stoic authors, along with Seneca and Marcus Aurelius. Aurelius was one of the most powerful men of his time and Seneca was one of the wealthiest of his. Epictetus was at the other end of the spectrum Simplicius, Commentary on the Enchiridion, 46. There is a joke at Epictetus' expense in Lucian's Life of Demonax about the fact that he had no family.