Epictetus quotes:

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

Difficulties show men what they are. In case of any difficulty, remember that God has pitted you against a rough antagonist that you may be a conqueror, and this cannot be without toil.

Keep your attention focused entirely on what is truly your own concern, and be clear that what belongs to others is their business and none of yours.

He is a drunkard who takes more than three glasses though he be not drunk.

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

If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.

Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.

By accepting life's limits and inevitabilities and working with them rather than fighting them, we become free.

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.

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

Don't just say you have read books. Show that through them you have learned to think better, to be a more discriminating and reflective person. Books are the training weights of the mind. They are very helpful, but it would be a bad mistake to suppose that one has made progress simply by having internalized their contents." Translation by Sharon Lebell

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.

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.

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

If you would cure anger, do not feed it. Say to yourself: 'I used to be angry every day; then every other day; now only every third or fourth day.' When you reach thirty days offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the gods.

Authentic happiness is always independent of external conditions.

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

What you shun enduring yourself, attempt not to impose on others. You shun slavery- beware enslaving others! If you can endure to do that, one would think you had been once upon a time a slave yourself. For vice has nothing in common with virtue, nor Freedom with slavery.

All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.

There is nothing good or evil save in the will.

If you ever happen to turn your attention to externals, for the pleasure of any one, be assured that you have ruined your scheme of life. Be contented, then, in everything, with being a philosopher; and if you with to seem so likewise to any one, appear so to yourself, and it will suffice you.

If you ever happen to turn your attention to externals, for the pleasure of any one, be assured that you have ruined your scheme of life. Be contented, then, in everything, with being a philosopher; and if you with to seem so likewise to any one, appear so to yourself, and it will suffice you."

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

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.

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.

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

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

We should do everything both cautiously and confidently at the same time.

Do not seek to bring things to pass in accordance with your wishes, but wish for them as they are, and you will find them.

When we blather about trivial things, we ourselves become trivial, for our attention gets taken up with trivialities. You become what you give your attention to.

It is the sign of a dull mind to dwell upon the cares of the body, to prolong exercise, eating and drinking and other bodily functions. These things are best done by the way; all your attention must be given to the mind.

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

Nothing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig.

It is hard to combine and unite these two qualities, the carefulness of one who is affected by circumstances, and the intrepidity of one who heeds them not. But it is not impossible: else were happiness also impossible.

We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.

The origin of sorrow is this: to wish for something that does not come to pass.

Don't be concerned with other people's impressions of you. They are dazzled and deluded by appearances. Stick with your purpose. This alone will strengthen your will and give your life coherence.

At every occasion in your life, do not forget to commune with yourself and ask of yourself how you can profit by it.

When the idea of any pleasure strikes your imagination, make a just computation between the duration of the pleasure and that of the repentance that is likely to follow it.

What is the first business of one who practices philosophy? To get rid of self-conceit. For it is impossible for anyone to begin to learn that which he thinks he already knows.

You may be always victorious if you will never enter into any contest where the issue does not wholly depend upon yourself.

Renew every day your conversation with God: Do this even in preference to eating. Think more often of God than you breathe.

Sickness is a hindrance to the body, but not to your ability to choose, unless that is your choice. Lameness is a hindrance to the leg, but not to your ability to choose. Say this to yourself with regard to everything that happens, then you will see such obstacles as hindrances to something else, but not to yourself.

When you actively engage in gradually refining yourself, you retreat from your lazy ways of covering yourself or making excuses. Instead of feeling a persistent current of low-level shame, you move forward by using the creative possibilities of this moment, your current situation.

Cowardice, the dread of what will happen.

Watch yourself as you go about your daily business and later reflect on what you saw, trying to identify the sources of distress in your life and thinking about how to avoid that distress.

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

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

We are not disturbed by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens to us.

Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him.

Happiness and personal fulfillment are the natural consequences of doing the right thing.

Only the educated are free.

It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.

One that desires to excel should endeavor in those things that are in themselves most excellent.

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

It is better to advise than upbraid, for the one corrects the erring; the other only convicts them.

Never in any case say I have lost such a thing, but I have returned it. Is your child dead? It is a return. Is your wife dead? It is a return. Are you deprived of your estate? Is not this also a return?

The flourishing life cannot be achieved until we moderate our desires and see how superficial and fleeting they are.

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

It was the first and most striking characteristic of Socrates never to become heated in discourse, never to utter an injurious or insulting word -- on the contrary, he persistently bore insult from others and thus put an end to the fray.

You are a principal work, a fragment of [Goddess herself], you have in yourself a part of [her]. Why then are you ignorant of your high birth?

To pay homage to beauty is to admire Nature; to admire Nature is to worship God

If you hear that someone is speaking ill of you, instead of trying to defend yourself you should say: 'He obviously does not know me very well, since there are so many other faults he could have mentioned.'

It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows.

It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.

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

It is not he who gives abuse that affronts, but the view that we take of it as insulting; so that when one provokes you it is your own opinion which is provoking.

If someone irritates you, it is only your own response that is irritating you. Therefore, when anyone seems to be provoking you, remember that it is only your judgment of the incident that provokes you. -

As you think, so you become.....Our busy minds are forever jumping to conclusions, manufacturing and interpreting signs that aren't there.

If anyone should tell you that a particular person has spoken critically of you, don't bother with excuses or defenses. Just smile and reply, "I guess that person doesn't know about all my other faults. Otherwise, he wouldn't have mentioned only these."

Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control. Stop aspiring to be anyone other than your own best self: for that does fall within your control.

Living a good life leads to enduring happiness. Goodness in and of itself is the practice AND the reward.

The good or ill of a man lies within his own will.

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

The Beginning of Philosophy is a Consciousness of your own Weakness and inability in necessary things.

Were I a nightingale, I would act the part of a nightingale; were I a swan, the part of a swan.

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

If we are not stupid or insincere when we say that the good or ill of man lies within his own will, and that all beside is nothing to us, why are we still troubled?

A vulgar man, in any ill that happens to him, blames others; a novice in philosophy blames himself; and a philosopher blames neither, the one nor the other.

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

Our duties naturally emerge form such fundamental relations as our families, neighborhoods, workplaces, our state or nation. Make it your regular habit to consider your roles-parent, child, neighbor, citizen, leader-and the natural duties that arise from them. Once you know who you are and to whom you are linked, you will know what to do.

Shall I show you the sinews of a philosopher? What sinews are those? - A will undisappointed; evils avoided; powers daily exercised; careful resolutions; unerring decisions.

Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.

Practice yourself, for heaven's sake in little things, and then proceed to greater.

The soul's impurity consists in bad judgments, and purification consists in producing in it right judgments, and the pure soul is one which has right judgments.

The people have a right to the truth as they have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Ruin and recovering are both from within.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.

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

When something happens, the only thing in your power is your attitude toward it; you can either accept it or resent it.

Act well your given part; the choice rests not with you.

Do not seek to have events happen as you want them to, but instead want them to happen as they do happen, and your life will go well

If someone speaks badly of you, do not defend yourself against the accusations, but reply; you obviously don't know about my other vices, otherwise you would have mentioned these as well

Fortify yourself with contentment for this is an impregnable fortress.

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

Know you not that a good man does nothing for appearance sake, but for the sake of having done right?

A city is not adorned by external things, but by the virtue of those who dwell in it.

If anyone tells you that a certain person speaks ill of you, do not make excuses about what is said of you but answer, "He was ignorant of my other faults, else he would not have mentioned these alone.

Freedom is secured not by the fulfilling of men's desires, but by the removal of desire.

Know you not that a good man does nothing for appearance sake, but for the sake of having done right~?

It is much better to die of hunger unhindered by grief and fear than to live affluently beset with worry, dread, suspicion and unchecked desire.

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

I must die. Must I then die lamenting? I must be put in chains. Must I then also lament? I must go into exile. Does any man then hinder me from going with smiles and cheerfulness and contentment~?

Other people's views and troubles can be contagious. Don't sabotage yourself by unwittingly adopting negative, unproductive attitudes through your associations with others.

Silence is safer than speech.

No man is free who is not master of himself.

In trying to please other people, we find ourselves misdirected toward what lies outside our sphere of influence. In doing so, we lose our hold on our lifes purpose.

It has been ordained that there be summer and winter, abundance and dearth, virtue and vice, and all such opposites for the harmony of the whole, and (Zeus) has given each of us a body, property, and companions.

Difficulty shows 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. Why? So that you may become an Olympic conqueror; but it is not accomplished without sweat.

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.

If you have assumed a character above your strength, you have both acted in this matter in an unbecoming way, and you have neglected that which you might have fulfilled.

But to be hanged is that not unendurable?" Even so, when a man feels that it is reasonable, he goes off and hangs himself.