770 Quotes by Epictetus

The condition and characteristic of an uninstructed person is this: he never expects from himself profit (advantage) nor harm, but from externals. The condition and characteristic of a philosopher is this: he expects all advantage and all harm from himself.

You only have to doze a moment, and all is lost. For ruin and salvation both have their source inside you.

Only the educated are free.

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

As a man, casting off worn out garments taketh new ones, so the dweller in the body, entereth into ones that are new.

It is not so much what happens to you as how you think about what happens.

It is our attitude toward events, not events themselves, which we can control. Nothing is by its own nature calamitous -- even death is terrible only if we fear it.

If you have assumed any character beyond your strength, you have both demeaned yourself ill in that and quitted one which you might have supported.

As the sun does not wait for prayers and incantations tob e induced to rise, but immediately shines and is saluted by all, so do you also not wait for clappings of hands and shouts of praise tob e induced to do good, but be a doer of good voluntarily and you will be beloved as much as the sun.