Do you know that disease and death must needs overtake us, no matter what we are doing?... what do you wish to be doing when it overtakes you?... If you have anything better to be doing when you are so overtaken, get to work on that. Epictetus More Quotes by Epictetus More Quotes From Epictetus The foolish and the uneducated have little use for freedom. Only the educated are free. Epictetus use foolish littles 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." Epictetus faults defense motivational If I was a nightingale I would sing like a nightingale; if a swan, like a swan. But since I am a rational creature my role is to praise God. Epictetus swans roles praise When therefore we are hindered, or disturbed, or grieved, let us never attribute it to others, but to ourselves; that is, to our own principles. An uninstructed person will lay the fault of his own bad condition upon others. Someone just starting instruction will lay the fault on himself. Some who is perfectly instructed will place blame neither on others nor on himself. Epictetus blame faults principles A guide, on finding a man who has lost his way, brings him back to the right path—he does not mock and jeer at him and then take himself off. You also must show the unlearned man the truth, and you will see that he will follow. But so long as you do not show it him, you should not mock, but rather feel your own incapacity. Epictetus doe men long Crows pick out the eyes of the dead, when the dead have no longer need of them; but flatterers mar the soul of the living, and her eyes they blind. Epictetus crow eye soul Things true and evident must of necessity be recognized by those who would contradict them. Epictetus evident There are some things which men confess with ease, and others with difficulty. Epictetus adversity ease men Do not so much be ashamed of that disgrace which proceeds from men's opinion as fly from that which comes from the truth. Epictetus ashamed opinion men "But to be hanged - is that not unendurable?" Even so, when a man feels that it is reasonable, he goes off and hangs himself. Epictetus unendurable feels men 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. Epictetus evil exercise philosophy You ought to choose both physician and friend, not the most agreeable, but the most useful. Epictetus discrimination physicians ought Remember that you ought to behave in life as you would at a banquet. As something is being passed around it comes to you; stretch out your hand, take a portion of it politely. It passes on; do not detain it. Or it has not come to you yet; do not project your desire to meet it, but wait until it comes in front of you. So act toward children, so toward a wife, so toward office, so toward wealth. Epictetus life children hands No living being is held by anything so strongly as its own needs. Epictetus needs It is my business, to manage carefully and dexterously whatever happens Epictetus whatever-happens manage happens Does a man reproach thee for being proud or ill-natured, envious or conceited, ignorant or detracting? Consider with thyself whether his reproaches are true. If they are not, consider that thou art not the person whom he reproaches, but that he reviles an imaginary being, and perhaps loves what thou really art, though he hates what thou appearest to be. Epictetus conceited hate art A soul which is conversant with virtue is like an ever flowing source, for it is pure and tranquil and potable and sweet and communicative (social) and rich and harmless and free from mischief. Epictetus rich soul sweet If you wish to write, write. Epictetus ifs wish writing The appearance of things to the mind is the standard of every action to man. Epictetus mind action men What thou avoidest suffering thyself seek not to impose on others. Epictetus thyself suffering
