Epictetus: Master of Stoic Wisdom.

about epictetus

Around AD 50, under the warm Mediterranean sun, a child was born into slavery in ancient Greece. His given name, if he had one, has been lost to history. The name we now associate with him, Epictetus, means “gained” or “acquired,” a reflection of his birth into servitude.

Despite his circumstances, Epictetus developed a profound passion for philosophy. His master, Epaphroditos, secretary to Emperor Nero and himself a former slave, permitted him to study Stoicism. Epictetus became a student of Gaius Musonius Rufus, one of Rome’s most prominent Stoic philosophers.

In AD 68, Emperor Nero, declared a public enemy by the Senate, took his own life with the assistance of Epaphroditos. Following Nero’s death, Epictetus was eventually granted his freedom.

As a free man, Epictetus dedicated his life to teaching Stoic philosophy. He first taught in Rome but was later banished by Emperor Domitian around AD 98, along with other philosophers. Undeterred, he established his own school in Nicopolis, Greece, where his teachings flourished.

Although Epictetus himself never wrote anything, his ideas have endured through the detailed notes of his student, Arrian. These notes capture Epictetus’ philosophy as pragmatic, clear, and profoundly practical. His teachings challenge us to confront the lies we tell ourselves, question our assumptions, and reframe our perspectives on ourselves, others, and the world around us. At its heart, his philosophy encourages the cultivation of resilience, wisdom, inner peace, and virtue.

To delve deeper into Epictetus’ timeless wisdom, start with the Enchiridion (meaning “handbook”), a concise summary of his principles that can be applied in daily life. For a more comprehensive exploration, the Discourses provide a richer understanding of his philosophy and its real-world application.

Epictetus' Greatest Quotes:

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

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

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

No man is free who is not master of himself.

Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself.

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

Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems.

Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.

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

Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.

Seek not the good in external things; seek it in yourselves.

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.