Handbook of epictetus books

Life is being a soldier. The student of philosophy is a private, the [11] advancing Stoic is a non-commissioned officer, and the philosopher is the combat officer. For this reason all Roman Stoics apply metaphors and images derived from military life. Apprentice students of Stoicism are described as messengers, as scouts of God, as representatives of divine nature. The advancing student who is close to the goal of being a philosopher has the rank of an officer.

He is already able to establish inner freedom and independence. He understands the basic Stoic truth of subjective consciousness, which is to distinguish what is in our power from what is not in our power.

Not in our power are all the elements which constitute our environment, such as wealth, health, reputation, social prestige, power, the lives of those we love, and death. In our power are our thinking, our intentions, our desires, our decisions. These make it possible for us to control ourselves and to make of ourselves elements and parts of the universe of nature.

This knowledge of ourselves makes us free in a world of dependencies. This superiority of our powers enables us to live in conformity with nature. The rational philosophy of control of Self and of adjustment to the Whole implies an asceticism of the emotional and the sensitive life. The philosopher must examine and control his passions, his love, his tenderness at all times in order always to be ready for the inevitable moment of farewell.

The Stoics practiced a Jesuitism avant la lettre. They were able to live in the world as if they did not live in it.

To the Stoic, life is a military camp, a play on the stage, a banquet to which we are invited. The Enchiridion briefly indicated the techniques which the philosopher should apply in acting well the diverse roles which God might assign to those whom he loves, the Stoic philosophers.

From the rules of social conduct to the recommendations of sexual asceticism before marriage, and the method of true thinking, the advanced Stoic will find all principles of perfection and all precepts for realizing philosophical principles in his conduct in this tiny volume.

Thus the Enchiridion was liberating for all intellectuals who learned from it that there are philosophical ways of self-redemption. Epictetus had taught him that philosophical reason could make him free and that he was capable of redeeming himself by sound reasoning.

In the Stoic distinctions of personality and world, of I and mine, of subjective consciousness and the world of objects, of freedom and dependence, we find implicit the basic elements of modern philosophies of rationalism and of objective idealism or pantheism. In this long development in modern times, the tiny Enchiridion of Epictetus played a remarkable part.

The translations of Epictetus and of all other Stoics had the widest effect on philosophers, theologians, and lay thinkers. They were studied by the clergy of the various Christian denominations, by the scientists who were striving for a natural religion, and by the independent philosophers who were eager to separate philosophy from religion.

There were many outstanding bishops in the Catholic and Anglican Churches who were eager to transform the traditions of Roman Stoicism into Christian Stoicism. Among the Calvinistic denominations were many thinkers who were in sympathy with Stoic moral principles because of their praise of the austerity of life and of the control of passions. Likewise the adherents of natural religion were propagating Stoicism as the ideal pattern of universally valid and intelligible religion.

Renascent Stoicism had three functions in the rise of the modern world. First, it reconciled Christian traditions to modern rationalistic philosophies; secondly, it established an ideal pattern of natural religion; and, thirdly, it opened the way for the autonomy of morals. There are things which are within our power, and there are things which are beyond our power.

Within our power are opinion, aim, desire, aversion, and, in one word, whatever affairs are our own. Beyond our power are body, property, reputation, office, and, in one word, whatever are not properly our own affairs. Now the things within our power are by nature free, unrestricted, unhindered; but those beyond our power are weak, dependent, restricted, alien. Remember, then, that if you attribute freedom to things by nature dependent and take what belongs to others for your own, you will be hindered, you will lament, you will be disturbed, you will find fault both with gods and men.

But if you take for your own only that which is your own and view what belongs to others just as it really is, then no one will ever compel you, no one will restrict you; you will find fault with no one, you will accuse no one, you will do nothing against your will; no one will hurt you, you will not have an enemy, nor will you suffer any harm.

Aiming, therefore, at such great things, remember that you must not allow yourself any inclination, however slight, toward the attainment of the others; but that you must entirely quit some of them, and for the present postpone the rest. But if you would have these, and possess power and wealth likewise, you may miss the latter in seeking the former; and you will certainly fail of that by which alone happiness and freedom are procured.

Remember that desire demands the attainment of that of which you are desirous; and aversion demands the avoidance of that to which you are averse; that he who fails of the object of his desires is disappointed; and he who incurs the object of his aversion is wretched. If, then, you shun only those undesirable things which you can control, you will never incur anything which you shun; but if you shun sickness, or death, or poverty, you will run the risk of wretchedness. Remove [the habit of] aversion, then, from all things that are not within our power, and apply it to things undesirable which are within our power.

But for the present, altogether restrain desire; for if you desire any of the things not within our own power, you must necessarily be disappointed; and you are not yet secure of those which are within our power, and so are legitimate objects of desire. Where it is practically necessary for you to pursue or avoid anything, do even this with discretion and gentleness and moderation. With regard to whatever objects either delight the mind or contribute to use or are tenderly beloved, remind yourself of what nature they are, beginning with the merest trifles: if you have a favorite cup, that it is but a cup of which you are fond of—for thus, if it is broken, you can bear it; if you embrace your child or your wife, that you embrace a mortal—and thus, if either of them dies, you can bear it.

When you set about any action, remind yourself of what nature the action is. If you are going to bathe, represent to [19] yourself the incidents usual in the bath—some persons pouring out, others pushing in, others scolding, others pilfering. Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of things.

Thus death is nothing terrible, else it would have appeared so to Socrates. But the terror consists in our notion of death, that it is terrible. When, therefore, we are hindered or disturbed, or grieved, let us never impute it to others, but to ourselves—that is, to our own views.

It is the action of an uninstructed person to reproach others for his own misfortunes; of one entering upon instruction, to reproach himself; and one perfectly instructed, to reproach neither others nor himself.

Be not elated at any excellence not your own. What then is your own? The use of the phenomena of existence. So that when you are in harmony with nature in this respect, you will be elated with some reason; for you will be elated at some good of your own. As in a voyage, when the ship is at anchor, if you go on shore to get water, you may amuse yourself with picking up a shellfish or a truffle in your way, but your thoughts ought [20] to be bent toward the ship, and perpetually attentive, lest the captain should call, and then you must leave all these things, that you may not have to be carried on board the vessel, bound like a sheep; thus likewise in life, if, instead of a truffle or shellfish, such a thing as a wife or a child be granted you, there is no objection; but if the captain calls, run to the ship, leave all these things, and never look behind.

But if you are old, never go far from the ship, lest you should be missing when called for. Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. Sickness is an impediment to the body, but not to the will unless itself pleases.

Lameness is an impediment to the leg, but not to the will; and say this to yourself with regard to everything that happens.

For you will find it to be an impediment to something else, but not truly to yourself. Upon every accident, remember to turn toward yourself and inquire what faculty you have for its use. If you encounter a handsome person, you will find continence the faculty needed; if pain, then fortitude; if reviling, then patience. And when thus habituated, the phenomena of existence will not overwhelm you.

It is restored. Has your wife died? She is restored. Has your estate been taken away? That likewise is restored. While he permits you to possess it, hold it as something not your own, as do travelers at an inn. Begin therefore with little things. Is a little oil spilled or a little wine stolen? But it is not at all desirable for him, and very undesirable for you, that it should be in his power to cause you any disturbance.

If you would improve, be content to be thought foolish and dull with regard to externals. Do not desire to be thought to know anything; and though you should appear to others to be somebody, distrust yourself. For be assured, it is not easy at once to keep your will in harmony with nature and to secure externals; but while you are absorbed in the one, you must of necessity neglect the other.

If you wish your children and your wife and your friends to live forever, you are foolish, for you wish things to be in your power which are not so, and what belongs to others to be your own. So likewise, if you wish your servant to be without fault, you are foolish, for you wish vice not to be vice but [22] something else.

But if you wish not to be disappointed in your desires, that is in your own power. Exercise, therefore, what is in your power. Whoever then would be free, let him wish nothing, let him decline nothing, which depends on others; else he must necessarily be a slave.

Remember that you must behave as at a banquet. Is anything brought round to you? Put out your hand and take a moderate share. Does it pass by you? Do not stop it. Is it not yet come? Do not yearn in desire toward it, but wait till it reaches you.

So with regard to children, wife, office, riches; and you will some time or other be worthy to feast with the gods. And if you do not so much as take the things which are set before you, but are able even to forego them, then you will not only be worthy to feast with the gods, but to rule with them also.

For, by thus doing, Diogenes and Heraclitus, and others like them, deservedly became divine, and were so recognized. Take heed, however, not to groan inwardly, too. Remember that you are an actor in a drama of such sort as the Author chooses—if short, then in a short one; if long, [23] then in a long one. If it be his pleasure that you should enact a poor man, or a cripple, or a ruler, or a private citizen, see that you act it well. For this is your business—to act well the given part, but to choose it belongs to another.

But to me all portents are lucky if I will. For whatsoever happens, it belongs to me to derive advantage therefrom. You can be unconquerable if you enter into no combat in which it is not in your own power to conquer.

When, therefore, you see anyone eminent in honors or power, or in high esteem on any other account, take heed not to be bewildered by appearances and to pronounce him happy; for if the essence of good consists in things within our own power, there will be no room for envy or emulation. But, for your part, do not desire to be a general, or a senator, or a consul, but to be free; and the only way to this is a disregard of things which lie not within our own power.

Remember that it is not he who gives abuse or blows, who affronts, but the view we take of these things as insulting. When, therefore, anyone provokes you, be assured that it is your own opinion which provokes you. Try, therefore, in the first place, not to be bewildered by appearances. For if you once gain time and respite, you will more easily command yourself.

Let death and exile, and all other things which appear terrible, be daily before your eyes, but death chiefly; and you will never entertain an abject thought, nor too eagerly covet anything.

For remember that, if you are persistent, those very persons who at first ridiculed will afterwards admire you. But if you are conquered by them, you will incur a double ridicule. If you ever happen to turn your attention to externals, for the pleasure of anyone, be assured that you have ruined your scheme of life.

Be content, then, in everything, with being a philosopher; and if you wish to seem so likewise to anyone, appear so to yourself, and it will suffice you. Is it any business of yours, then, to get power or to be admitted to an entertainment?

By no means. How then, after all, is this discredit? And how it is true that you [25] will be nobody anywhere when you ought to be somebody in those things only which are within your own power, in which you may be of the greatest consequence?

They will not have money from you, nor will you make them Roman citizens. Who told you, then, that these are among the things within our own power, and not rather the affairs of others? And who can give to another the things which he himself has not? Besides, which would you rather have, a sum of money or a faithful and honorable friend? Rather assist me, then, to gain this character than require me to do those things by which I may lose it.

Well, but my country, say you, as far as depends upon me, will be unassisted. Here, again, what assistance is this you mean? It will not have porticos nor baths of your providing? But Epictetus is not advising that we just let anything happen.

Rather, Enchiridion is about acting according to virtue a few basic interests, and not being disturbed if any of our plans go awry or we encounter misfortune. There are few things in life that we truly need. Epictetus says we should remember that everything we are given by life will be taken from us at some point and we should not grieve when we lose things.

Nothing in this life is ours to keep. The main takeaway from Enchiridion is that events outside of our control should not disturb us in the slightest. The first step is to stop seeing them as misfortunes. To do so, use the Epictetus method, and consider whether the misfortune is your own action, or involves the results of the actions of others or of nature. If it is not your own action, you do not control it.

In every such case, you must firmly tell yourself that it does not matter. For this to change your thinking process you must do it every time, so have reminders handy. Repetition is key. A key lesson in Enchiridion, and a crucial part of reaching Stoic-style enlightenment, is limiting your desires and aversions. Wanting things to go a certain way will often lead to disappointment, which leads to being upset with the cause of that disappointment, which is nature.

If you are disappointed with an outcome, you are not accepting the course of nature. When reflecting on future possibilities, remember that you will be fine no matter what happens, as long as you do not allow your character to be corrupted. We must dedicate ourselves entirely to denying the appearances of things which seem good or bad but are out of our control. To practice this, you must prioritize philosophy over things that you want badly but might emotionally disturb you.

Sacrifice pursuits that might consume you in favor of working on your own character and doing virtuous things. The condition and characteristic of a philosopher is, that he expects all hurt and benefit from himself.

In fact, classics. In terms of a paid translation, if you want to own a physical copy of the book you should! With nearly all of this the Stoics would agree, but for quite different reasons, and their own distinctions and definitions are to a large extent ignored.

This translation of the Handbook is published in two volumes. This is the second volume, covering chapters ; the first covers chapters Epictetus's teachings rank among the greatest wisdom texts of human civilization.

Epictetus taught that philosophy is a way of life and not just a theoretical discipline. To Epictetus, all external events are beyond our control; we should accept calmly and dispassionately whatever happens.

However, individuals are responsible for their own actions, which they can examine and control through rigorous self-discipline. By putting into practice the ninety-three wise instructions that make up The Art of Living, readers learn to successfully meet the challenges of everyday life.

Although Simplicius called them Diatribai other writers gave them titles such as Dialexis , and Homiliai. The modern name comes from the titles given in the earliest medieval manuscript: "Arrian's Diatribai of Epictetus". The Greek word Diatribai literally means "informal talks". As to the date, it is generally agreed that the Discourses were composed sometime in the years around AD. Epictetus himself refers to the coins of Trajan, which shows he was teaching during that reign.

Arrian was suffect consul in around , and since forty-two was the standard age for that position, he would have been at the right age of around twenty in Furthermore the "commissioner" of the "free cities" to whom Discourse iii.

Marcus was one of the leaders of Stoicism, a philosophy of personal ethics which sought resilience and virtue through personal action and responsibility.

Stoicism, viewed as a foundation of modern self-help, has inspired many personal development and psychotherapy approaches through to the present day. Meditations is perhaps the most important source of our modern understanding of Stoic philosophy. Although he ruled during the Pax Romana, the age of relative peace and stability throughout the empire, his reign was marked by near-constant military conflict and a devastating plague which killed upwards of five million people. The lessons, insights and perspectives contained within this remarkable work are just as relevant today as they were two millennia ago.

A modernised, up to date version of the classic George Long translation. Meditations: The Philosophy Classic is a volume which will occupy a prominent place in any library for years to come. Book Summary: Perhaps the clearest and most influential statement of the principles driving the early Protestant reformers, Martin Luther's On the Freedom of a Christian challenged the teachings and authority of the old Church while simultaneously laying out the blueprint for a new one.

Book Summary: Adventure Time and Philosophy is a monster-beating, wild ride of philosophical mayhem. The authors have come together to understand and explore one of the deepest and most thoughtful television shows ever to assault human brain waves. Where Adventure Time shows us what the world could be like, this book screws open our cranial lids, mucks about in the mess that is our heads, and attempts to come to some answers about the nature of reality.

Adventure Time challenges everything we know about life, meaning, heroism, and even burritos. Adventure Time and Philosophy is a chance to put down your broadsword, put your exhausted monster-slaying feet up, and try to figure out why you spend your time rescuing people in distress and fighting for justice.

What is justice anyway? Book Summary: By utilizing the contributions of a variety of scholars — theologians, historians, and biblical scholars — this book makes the complex and sometimes disparate Anabaptist movement more easily accessible.

It does this by outlining Anabaptism's early history during the Reformation of the sixteenth century, its varied and distinctive theological convictions, and its ongoing challenges to and influence on contemporary Christianity. The volume concludes with a chapter on how contemporary Anabaptists interact with the wider Church in all its variety. While some of the authorities within the volume will disagree even with one another regarding Anabaptist origins, emphases on doctrine, and influence in the contemporary world, such differences represent the diversity that constitutes the history of this movement.

Book Summary: The timeless message of the New Testament applies to people of every culture and generation. Yet there is great value in understanding the world in which that message was first revealed - its social manners, politics, religious customs, and culture.