Epictetus
Greek Stoic philosopher (born in the 50s CE, died around 135); once a slave in Rome, he later taught at his own school at Nicopolis; his teaching survives in the Discourses and Encheiridion written up by Arrian of Nicomedia.
Epictetus did not write this page. ppll compiled it from their own words, each linked to the source. Is this you? · Report a mistake
What they believe
-
What is in our power is by nature free; what is not is weak, slavish and in others' power
And the things in our power are by nature free, not subject to restraint or hindrance; but the things not in our power are weak, slavish, subject to restraint, in the power of others.
gutenberg.orgSaid c. 89–135 CEThis on korrents
The bold line is korrents’ wording; the quote is theirs. These one: what they wrote before what they said aloud, one per source, newest first.
Beliefs
Korrents What they believe 10 beliefs — each backed by an exact quote.
Each is a — compiled by korrents.com, not by them: the one-line wordings are korrents', the quotes are theirs.
Recent
What is in our power is by nature free; what is not is weak, slavish and in others' power
And the things in our power are by nature free, not subject to restraint or hindrance; but the things not in our power are weak, slavish, subject to restraint, in the power of others.
Encheiridion of Epictetus, as recorded by Arrian (tr. George Long, 1877) Said c. 89–135 CE
People are disturbed not by events but by their opinions about them
Men are disturbed not by the things which happen, but by the opinions about the things; for example, death is nothing terrible, for if it were it would have seemed so to Socrates; for the opinion about death that it is terrible, is the terrible thing.
Encheiridion of Epictetus, as recorded by Arrian (tr. George Long, 1877) Said c. 89–135 CE
The uninstructed blame others for their condition, learners blame themselves, and the fully instructed blame no one
It is the act of an ill-instructed man to blame others for his own bad condition; it is the act of one who has begun to be instructed, to lay the blame on himself; and of one whose instruction is completed, neither to blame another, nor himself.
Encheiridion of Epictetus, as recorded by Arrian (tr. George Long, 1877) Said c. 89–135 CE
Show 7 more
Wish for things to happen as they do, not as you would like, and life will flow tranquilly
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.
Encheiridion of Epictetus, as recorded by Arrian (tr. George Long, 1877) Said c. 89–135 CE
Disease and lameness impede the body, not the will, unless the will chooses
Disease is an impediment to the body, but not to the will, unless the will itself chooses. Lameness is an impediment to the leg, but not to the will.
Encheiridion of Epictetus, as recorded by Arrian (tr. George Long, 1877) Said c. 89–135 CE
Of anything taken from you, say it has been given back, not lost
Never say about anything, I have lost it, but say I have restored it.
Encheiridion of Epictetus, as recorded by Arrian (tr. George Long, 1877) Said c. 89–135 CE
Education is learning to apply general notions to particular cases and to tell what is in our power from what is not
Education is the learning how to adapt the natural præcognitions to the particular things conformably to nature; and then to distinguish that of things some are in our power, but others are not.
Encheiridion of Epictetus, as recorded by Arrian (tr. George Long, 1877) Said c. 89–135 CE
Difficulties show what people are, like a trainer matching a wrestler with a rough opponent
It is circumstances (difficulties) which show what men are. Therefore when a difficulty falls upon you, remember that God, like a trainer of wrestlers, has matched you with a rough young man.
Encheiridion of Epictetus, as recorded by Arrian (tr. George Long, 1877) Said c. 89–135 CE
Spend time with people and you will either become like them or bring them round to your own ways
If a man has frequent intercourse with others either for talk, or drinking together, or generally for social purposes, he must either become like them, or change them to his own fashion. For if a man places a piece of quenched charcoal close to a piece that is burning, either the quenched charcoal will quench the other, or the burning charcoal will light that which is quenched.
Encheiridion of Epictetus, as recorded by Arrian (tr. George Long, 1877) Said c. 89–135 CE
Keep company with an impure companion and you become impure too, even if you started out pure
For you must know, that if your companion be impure, he also who keeps company with him must become impure, though he should happen to be pure.
Encheiridion of Epictetus, as recorded by Arrian (tr. George Long, 1877) Said c. 89–135 CE
What is a korrent?
A korrent is a belief a person has stated in their own words: one sentence stating the claim, backed by a quote and a source, kept at korrents.com.
Under a name here, the quoted block is what they actually said. The korrent beneath it is the claim those words support, in korrents' wording — tap it to see the record, its source, and who else holds it.
Nobody here wrote their own korrents. They are compiled from public statements, and a person can change their mind, which is recorded too.
About the English under a post
Some people here publish in a language other than English. Where they do, this site shows a machine translation beneath the post, in this typeface — the site's own, not theirs.
The post itself is never changed, moved or hidden: what is set in the serif above is exactly what the person published, and it is what to quote them on. A translation can be wrong in ways that matter, especially about tone.
Only the post's own words are translated. A quoted post, a linked article and a belief on korrents.com are left in their original language.