Epictetus c. 50 – c. 135
Epictetus (c. 50 – c. 135) was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era, associated with Stoicism and Hellenistic.
Epictetus was a Greek Stoic philosopher of the first and early second centuries, born into slavery in Hierapolis in Roman Phrygia and freed in adulthood. He taught Stoic philosophy in Rome until the emperor Domitian banished philosophers from the city around 93 AD, after which he established a school in Nicopolis on the Adriatic coast. He left no written works of his own; his teachings survive in the Discourses and the Enchiridion, a short handbook compiled by his pupil Arrian. His central doctrine, that some things are within our power and others are not, became one of the defining formulations of Stoic ethics. His influence on Marcus Aurelius and on the modern revival of Stoicism has been substantial.
Epictetus (c. 50–135 AD) was born a slave in Hierapolis (modern Pamukkale, Turkey) and lived for years in the household of a freedman of the emperor Nero. He was eventually freed, studied with the Stoic philosopher Musonius Rufus, and taught philosophy in Rome until the emperor Domitian banished philosophers from the city around 93 AD. He spent the rest of his life in Nicopolis, in northwestern Greece, running a school that drew students from across the empire.
Epictetus wrote nothing himself. His teachings were preserved by his student Arrian in two works: the Discourses, four surviving books of the original eight, and the much shorter Enchiridion or Handbook, a condensed manual of Stoic ethical practice. The teaching centers on the dichotomy of control: some things are up to us — our own judgments, choices, desires — and some things are not, and Stoic practice consists in directing one's attention and assent only to what is genuinely within one's power.
Marcus Aurelius read Epictetus carefully and the Meditations are saturated with him. Through Marcus, Simplicius's commentary, and the Renaissance recovery of the Stoics, Epictetus shaped Western moral psychology for two millennia. The contemporary revival of Stoicism in popular philosophy and self-help literature treats Epictetus as a primary source.
Key facts
- Nationality
- Greek
- Era
- Ancient
- Movements
- Stoicism, Hellenistic
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Epictetus:
“It is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”
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“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”
Τίς εἶναι θέλεις, σαυτῷ πρῶτον ἐιπέ· εἶθ᾿ οὕτως ποίει ἃ ποιεῖς. -
Attributed to Epictetus:
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.”
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Attributed to Epictetus:
“Men are disturbed not by the things which happen, but by the opinions about the things.”
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“No man is free who is not master of himself.”
Οὐδεὶς ἐλεύθερος ἑαυτοῦ μὴ κρατῶν.
Epictetus by topic
Epictetus vs other philosophers
Three-way comparisons including Epictetus
Frequently asked about Epictetus
- When did Epictetus live?
- Epictetus was born in c. 50 and died in c. 135.
- Where was Epictetus from?
- Epictetus was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era.
- What philosophical movements is Epictetus associated with?
- Epictetus was associated with Stoicism and Hellenistic.
- What was Epictetus known for?
- Epictetus was a Greek Stoic philosopher of the first and early second centuries, born into slavery in Hierapolis in Roman Phrygia and freed in adulthood.
- How many quotes are attributed to Epictetus?
- There are 20 attributed quotations from Epictetus in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.
Quotes that are not actually from Epictetus
These lines are widely circulated as Epictetus, but they do not appear in Epictetus's works. Each entry below identifies the actual source.
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“The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skilful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.”
This quote is commonly attributed to philosophers but its actual source is uncertain or unverified in the standard reference works. Wikiquote's note on this attribution: This quote is frequently attributed to Epictetus, e.g. by Brigid Delaney, How not to panic during the coronavirus pandemic: welcome hard times like a Stoic , The Guardian, 17 March 2020. The quote is also frequently attributed to Epicurus . In fact this quotation first appears as two separated sente
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“Other people’s views and troubles can be contagious. Don’t sabotage yourself by unwittingly adopting negative, unproductive attitudes through your associations with others.”
This quote is commonly attributed to philosophers but its actual source is uncertain or unverified in the standard reference works. Wikiquote's note on this attribution: This quote is frequently attributed to Epictetus, e.g. by Brigid Delaney, Six ways to make your life easier and more peaceful – by using stoic principles , The Guardian, 22 November 2023. This quotation originates from the 1995 book: The Art of Living: the classic manual on virtue, happiness, and ef
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“You become what you give your attention to.”
This quote is commonly attributed to philosophers but its actual source is uncertain or unverified in the standard reference works. Wikiquote's note on this attribution: This quote has been attributed to Epictetus since around 2016. (e.g. in this thephilosophyofeverything blog .) Sometimes appears in an extended form, e.g. by The Daily Stoic : "You become what you give your attention to. If you yourself don't choose what thoughts and images you expose yourself to, s
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“Tentative efforts lead to tentative outcomes. Therefore, give yourself fully to your endeavors. Decide to construct your character through excellent actions, and determine to pay the price for a worthy goal. The trials you encounter will introduce you to your strengths. Remain steadfast... and one day you will build something that endures, something worthy of your potential.”
This quote is commonly attributed to philosophers but its actual source is uncertain or unverified in the standard reference works. Wikiquote's note on this attribution: Has been ascribed to Epictetus since the late 1990s, (e.g. The Nassau Herald (1999), page 220 ). The first sentence ("Tentative efforts lead to tentative outcomes") appears in the 1995 book: The Art of Living: the classic manual on virtue, happiness, and effectiveness , page 39, by Sharon Lebell.
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“Don't explain your philosophy. Embody it.”
This quote is commonly attributed to philosophers but its actual source is uncertain or unverified in the standard reference works. Wikiquote's note on this attribution: Has been ascribed to Epictetus since around 2016, (e.g. on this Daily Stoic web page ). It may be an attempt to summarise the start of Enchiridion 46 : "On no occasion call yourself a philosopher, and do not, for the most part, talk among laymen about your philosophic principles, but do what follows