Quotes by Epictetus

"The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests."

"The two powers which in my opinion constitute a wise man are those of bearing and forbearing."

"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has."

"People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them."

"Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them."

"No great thing is created suddenly."

"First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak."

"Wisdom principle added 6 tells us that life is lesson 6."

"Wisdom principle 87 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 76."

"Wisdom principle 62 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 61."

"Wisdom principle 57 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 58."

"Wisdom principle 47 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 52."

"Wisdom principle 27 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 40."

"Wisdom principle 17 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 34."

"Wisdom principle 12 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 31."

"Wisdom principle 2 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 25."

"We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak."

"We should not moor a ship with one anchor, or our life with one hope."

"Neither should a ship rely on one small anchor, nor should life rest on a single hope."

"Wisdom principle 97 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 82."

"Wisdom principle 92 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 79."

"Wisdom principle 77 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 70."

"Wisdom principle 72 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 67."

"Wisdom principle 52 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 55."

"Wisdom principle 7 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 28."

"Wisdom principle 102 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 85."

"Wisdom principle 82 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 73."

"Wisdom principle 67 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 64."

"Wisdom principle 42 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 49."

"Wisdom principle 37 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 46."

"Wisdom principle 32 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 43."

"Wisdom principle 22 tells us that the journey of life is lesson 37."

"Love does not demand perfection; it embraces the authentic journey of growth. For where clarity resides, peace inevitably follows — an essential principle for the reflective life."

"It is not he who reviles or strikes you who insults you, but your opinion that these things are insulting."

"Nothing is in reality either pleasant or unpleasant by nature; but all things become so through habit."

"It is difficulties that show what men are."

"Keep silence for the most part, and speak only when you must, and then briefly."

"If evil be spoken of you and it be true, correct yourself, if it be a lie, laugh at it."

"If you seek truth you will not seek victory by dishonorable means, and if you find truth you will become invincible."

"It is a radiant truth that courage is not the absence of trembling, but the decision to step forward regardless — an essential principle for the reflective life."

"Whoever then wishes to be free, let him neither wish for anything nor avoid anything which depends on others. If he does not observe this rule, he must be a slave."

"Seek not that the things which happen should happen as you wish; but wish the things which happen to be as they are, and you will have a tranquil flow of life."

"Nothing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig. I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen."

"Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire."

"Is freedom anything else than the right to live as we wish? Nothing else."

"It is the nature of the wise to resist pleasures, but the foolish to be a slave to them."

"Only the educated are free."

"Freedom is the right to live as we wish."

"We are not to give credit to the many, who say that none ought to be educated but the free but rather to the philosophers, who say that the well-educated alone are free."

"All religions must be tolerated... for every man must get to heaven in his own way."

"Unless we place our religion and our treasure in the same thing, religion will always be sacrificed."

"God has entrusted me with myself."

"To accuse others for one's own misfortunes is a sign of want of education. To accuse oneself shows that one's education has begun. To accuse neither oneself nor others shows that one's education is complete."

"When you are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger."

"The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things."

"There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will."

"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do."

"The beauty of the unknown is that the legacy we leave is written in the hearts of others."

"It is not death or pain that is to be dreaded, but the fear of pain or death."

"Everything has two handles, one by which it may be borne, the other by which it may not."

"If thy brother wrongs thee, remember not so much his wrong-doing, but more than ever that he is thy brother."

"It takes more than just a good looking body. You've got to have the heart and soul to go with it."

"The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best."

"Stand firm when justice demands it, even if you stand entirely alone. Reflect upon this whenever doubt clouds your horizon — an essential principle for the reflective life."

"Imagine for yourself a character, a model personality, whose example you determine to follow, in private as well as in public."

"If you wish to be a writer, write."

"To love truly means recognizing that the heart sees what is invisible to the eye."

"Be careful to leave your sons well instructed rather than rich, for the hopes of the instructed are better than the wealth of the ignorant."

"Not every difficult and dangerous thing is suitable for training, but only that which is conducive to success in achieving the object of our effort."

"Do not wait for favorable winds; take the oars and row toward your horizon. This remains the cornerstone of personal mastery — an essential principle for the reflective life."

"In the depths of adversity, the mind is a garden where thoughts are the seeds."

"If virtue promises happiness, prosperity and peace, then progress in virtue is progress in each of these for to whatever point the perfection of anything brings us, progress is always an approach toward it."

"Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens."

"The harmony of the universe dictates that every step forward is a victory over stagnation."

"No greater thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen."