Epictetus Quotes
Epictetus was born a slave and became one of the great Stoic teachers. He wrote nothing himself; his student Arrian recorded his teaching in the Discourses and the Enchiridion (Handbook). Sources are listed with each quote.
4 real Epictetus quotes, with sources
“Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of them.”Epictetus — Enchiridion 5
“Some things are within our power, while others are not.”Epictetus — Enchiridion 1
“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”Epictetus — Discourses 3.23
“No man is free who is not master of himself.”Epictetus — Fragments (attributed, preserved by Stobaeus)
Famous quotes Epictetus never said
“It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”A modern paraphrase of Enchiridion 5. Epictetus's real wording is above.
Who was Epictetus?
Lame from youth and enslaved in Rome, Epictetus studied philosophy, won his freedom and opened a school in Nicopolis. His core lesson, separating what is in our control from what is not, shaped Marcus Aurelius and, much later, cognitive behavioural therapy. Read more on Wikipedia.
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What is Epictetus's most famous quote?
One of the best known is “Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of them.” (Enchiridion 5)
Did Epictetus really say “It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”?
No. A modern paraphrase of Enchiridion 5. Epictetus's real wording is above.
Where do these Epictetus quotes come from?
Epictetus was born a slave and became one of the great Stoic teachers. He wrote nothing himself; his student Arrian recorded his teaching in the Discourses and the Enchiridion (Handbook). Sources are listed with each quote.
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