discourses of epictetus

Epictetus: A Stoic and Socratic Guide to Life – A. 16 likes. How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself. The danger, he believes, is coercion by the deafening screams of the crowds. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published It's like an ancient "Don't sweat the small stuff" presented in philosophical arguments. This was the last book I read before going to Basic last year, and I really think it contributed a lot to how much I learned about myself during my training stint. One of the rare times Epictetus mentions his years in slavery is to address this point. The Moral Discourses of Epictetus. ↑ Epictetus speaks of God ((Greek characters)) and the gods. Here, Epictetus is again similar to Plato and Aristotle, and, indeed, most of the ancient Greek philosophers. A Greek philosopher of 1 st and early 2 nd centuries C.E., and an exponent of Stoic ethics notable for the consistency and power of his ethical thought and for effective methods of teaching. Don’t be a greater coward than children, who are ready to announce, ‘I won’t play any more.’ Say, ‘I won’t play any more’ when you grow weary of the game, and be done with it. Unlike Four books out of an original eight are still extant. By altering our attitude towards setback and shifting our mindset towards optimism or indifference, the stoic makes themself immune to frustration, anger, and unhappiness. I.1.5: Epictetus teaches us what is truly good in life.. I.1.32: Epictetus tells us that we have to tend to whatever is happening right now.If we are about to die, let’s deal with it. Useful aphorisms and quotes as always with the stoics. Discourses by Epictetus is a work that only survived thanks to a student named Arrian, who’s credited with transcribing the lessons he learned in Epictetus’ classroom at the beginning of the second century AD. The philosophy of Epictetus is intensely practical. There were also strong corollaries to the Bible, particularly the phrase, "Seek, and you shall find" and parables of seeds and the vine. The Discourses, assembled by his pupil Arrian, catch him in action, publicly setting out his views on ethical dilemmas. There is a lot of information about proper conduct, but most interesting to me were the psychological insights and the critique of Epicurus near the end of the book. From Epictetus, the Stoic philosopher who was born a slave. Refresh and try again. If the universe is self-sufficient, dualism would not be possible and so monism must be. But must I die bawling? It has some datedness to some material, though. I have heard Favorinus say that Epictetus the philosopher said that most of those who seemed to philosophize were philosophers only with their lips and without action. He compares it to the weaver, who does not make the wool, but makes the best use of the wool he is given. He differs in a few key ways, however. Arrian wrote in a letter prior to the. If the universe is self-sufficient, dualism would not be possible and so monism must be. Like all Stoics, he imagines that death is the end of our consciousness in a very permanent way. Useful aphorisms and quotes as always with the stoics. Irrational beings do not have the capacity to use impressions in a reflective manner, but rational behavior is guided by the faculty of choice. How many hours does the author sit at the computer before we see their book on the best-seller list? Arrian must have had a miraculously quick hand, because his notes appear to capture complete lessons verbatim. He had a clear regard for stoic philosophy being of utmost importance in living a meaningful and ethical life. Written during the first century A.D., Arrianus wrote the words of Epictetus in the style in which they were delivered in speech. Epictetus was concerned with ethics and moral authority. by P.E Matheson, [1916], at sacred-texts.com. Epictetus relates learning the skill of judgement with how all great things are obtained, “Nothing important comes into being overnight; even grapes and figs need time to ripen. He does make mention that Epaphroditus allowed him to attend lectures by Musonius Rufus, described by some historians as the “foremost Stoic of his day.” Epaphroditus granted Epictetus his freedom at some indeterminate date and he then devoted his life to philosophy. It represents the choice involved in giving or withholding assent to impressions (phantasiai). Since a lot is at stake, you should be careful about fraternizing with non-philosophers in these contexts.”, “You need to suspend desire completely, and train aversion only on things within your power. Epictetus divides philosophy into three fields of training, which include desire, choice, and assent, with especial application to ethics. Epictetus forms one part of the triad of… These Discourses are such as one person would naturally deliver from his own thoughts, ex tempore, to another; not such as he would prepare to be read by others afterwards. The Discourses of Epictetus is a conversation that takes place between Epictetus and his student. Epictetus was at the other end of the spectrum. How much time does the olympic swimmer commit to the pool before we see them on the podium? Like a boxer training for a prize-fight, Epictetus wishes his students view trouble as a sparring partner, our put another way, “The true man is revealed in difficult times. While the Epicureans sought to withdraw, the Stoic philosophy became an underlying part of later political and social philosophy. Comparing ancient and modern philosophy is always an interesting thing to do. Wanting a family but waiting until retired is a testament to his inherent dedication to his teaching. Publication date 1890/00/00 Topics PHILOSOPHY. Epictetus’ influence became the central work propelling the Roman Emperor’s own stoic journey. 55-d. 135 CE). The discourses of Epictetus by Epictetus, September 19, 2006, NuVision Publications edition, Paperback in English Epictetus was at the other end of the spectrum. He dedicated his life to teaching with the only aspiration being that his students apply what they learn and live better lives because of it. Discourses of Epictetus. The Physical Object Format Paperback Number of pages 321 Dimensions 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches Weight 15.7 ounces ID Numbers Open Library OL11635093M ISBN 10 1402166915 ISBN 13 9781402166914 Library Thing The operations of the will are in our power.”, “The chief thing to remember is that the door is open. If a pretty girl is set against a young man who is just making a start on philosophy, that is no fair contest. Ancient philosophy seems to have been much more practical and applied; something that everyone could take part in, instead of being relegated to experts in the field. Viktor Frankl echoed these sentiments centuries later when he said “Between stimulus and response there is a space. One of the three pillars of stoic writing, Discourses is interesting since Epictetus was a freed slave. These troubles and challenges are presented to promote strength, to provide an opportunity to overcome, and to prove one’s greatness. And. The book seemed boring and repetitive, and I eventually found myself taking shorter and shorter routes to work so that I coul. , most fundamentally, says that we have no control over what happens to us, we only control how we respond. I feel that the stoic cultivation of a detached attitude towards external factors that are seemingly outside our control can easily stiffle creativity. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read Discourses of Epictetus. He never perceived his situation to be one of enslavement. He often uses the word ‘impressions’ synonymous with thoughts, feelings, and preconceptions. To attain the ability. Unlike modern philosophy, which all too often goes off into incomprehensible, overly complicated, and useless areas of discussion, ancient philosophy was more like a handbook of proper living. For what purpose? I loved it and do see the applicability. There is a lot of information about proper conduct, but most interesting to me were the psychological insights and the critique of Epicurus near the end of the book. Usage Public Domain Topics Discourses, Epictetus, Stoic, Philosopher. 20 New Books on Women’s History. titled “Debts and Lessons,” Marcus thanks one of his philosophy teachers, Rusticus, “for introducing me to Epictetus’s lectures – and loaning me his own copy.”, , one of History’s most respected leaders, carried a copy of Epictetus with him along several explorations through South America including the violent “, attributes Epictetus as the key to his survival in captivity and wrote extensively about Epictetus’ influence, “I was a changed man and, I have to say, a better man for my introduction to philosophy and especially to Epictetus.” Michel de Montaigne, famous for popularizing the essay as a literary genre, had a quote from Epictetus inscribed in the ceiling of his home. After "The Discourses," a section called "Fragments" includes Epictetus quotes from other sources, including Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations." Repetitive, often ranting, written (spoken, actually--written down by a disciple) with certainty, Epictetus's works can be summed up by a sentence or two: "Some things are up to us and others are not. So who was his teacher? Epictetus uses the example of Hercules, Without challenges, a comfortable life of luxury looks a lot like sleeping the day away. 5) Freedom is determined by your mind, not by the body, bank account or possessions. He was convinced that God created the world according to Reason, and that human beings, in so far as we have the gift of rational thought, can attain happiness by living according to our own nature--which meant for Epictetus according to reason. He emphasized practice, not theorizing. In ancient philosophy, a lot was taken for granted that would never be done so today; such as morality. In a preface attached to the Discourses, Arrian explains how he came to write them: He often asks his students some version of, ‘What good is your education if you are not to put it in practice?’ The application of choice is practical throughout. But it shouldn’t. This is a book made up of a collection of his lectures, which is important to consider because similar to Seneca and Aurelius, Epictetus was not motivated by publishing or chest puffing. Epictetus (/ ˌ ɛ p ɪ k ˈ t iː t ə s /; Greek: Ἐπίκτητος, Epíktētos; c. 50 – c. 135 AD) was a Greek Stoic philosopher.He was born a slave at Hierapolis, Phrygia (present day Pamukkale, Turkey) and lived in Rome until his banishment, when he went to Nicopolis in northwestern Greece for the rest of his life. Discourses of Epictetus by Julien Villeneuve. Discourses, Fragments, Handbook by Epictetus My rating: 4 of 5 stars But to begin with, keep well away of what is stronger than you. An equivalent of the popular sentiment, ‘you are the average of the five people you most associate,’ can be found taught by Epictetus over two thousand years ago. To cower or run from adversity is to rob one’s self of discovering what they are capable of. Read More on Amazon Get My Searchable Collection of 250+ Book Notes. Written by ben. And that implies that everything is good and natural. The Stoic emphasis on endurance, self-restraint, and the power of the will to withstand calamity could often appear cold and inhuman. He often asks his students some version of, ‘What good is your education if you are not to put it in practice?’ The application of choice is practical throughout Discourses particularly regarding manners presenting difficulties. However most other tenants, I dislike as I sense an element of fatalism and passiveness in them. The externally created occurrence itself is second to our internally resolved perception of it. Epictetus relates learning the skill of judgement with how all great things are obtained. He differs in a few key ways, however. Title: Discourses of Epictetus Author: Epictetus, George Long, John Lancaster Spalding Created Date: 10/16/2008 10:43:12 AM is a work that only survived thanks to a student named Arrian, who’s credited with transcribing the lessons he learned in Epictetus’ classroom at the beginning of the second century AD. The Discourses, assembled by his pupil Arr. Not up to us are body, property, reputation, office, and, in a word, whatever is not our own action.". Prohairesis (Ancient Greek: προαίρεσις; variously translated as "moral character", "will", "volition", "choice", "intention", or "moral choice" ) is a fundamental concept in the Stoic philosophy of Epictetus. If you suffer from anxiety, especially over everyday occurrences or seemingly trivial matters (like me), you should find this book extremely helpful. Oh, and I learned about Stoicism as well, which is why I selected it in the first place. 4) Living a life of virtue and dignity is not an easy process so do whatever you have to protect your progress. Irrational beings do not have the capacity to use impressions in a reflective manner, but rational behavior is guided by the faculty of choice. ― Epictetus, The Discourses. Epictetus’ mention of his owner, Epaphroditus, is somewhat neutral, not singing his praises nor speaking with any particular bitterness. To provide a synoposis of the explanation given in this book (from the Modern Library), Stoicism was founded by Zeno in taking from Plato the value of self-sufficiency. He didn’t live in misery, feel sorry for himself, or perpetuate hatred at his master. For you are not in sound health when you enter.” ― Epictetus, The Discourses. Monday, 5 April 2021. If you want to be literate, read, if you want to be a painter, paint…So if you like doing something, do it regularly; if you don’t like doing something, make a habit of doing something different.”, “Place an extinguished piece of coal next to a live one, and either it will cause the other one to die out, or the live will make the other reignite. Epictetus believed his school to be not so different than a hospital, where the patient leaves in better health than when they arrived. Also conformably to the practice of the people, he speaks of God under the name of Zeus. This edition includes the Discourses and Selected Writings, The Enchiridion. Addeddate 2006-11-04 11:13:09 Barcode 107754 Call number 17352 Digitalpublicationdate 2003-12-02 00:00:00 Identifier moraldiscourseso017352mbp Epictetus didn't leave a formal written legacy, but his pupil, Arrian, collected his teachings, and posterity now has The Enchiridion and The Discourses. There is a lot of information about proper conduct, but most interesting to me were the psychological insights and the critique of Epicurus near the end of the book. See all 4 questions about The Discourses…, Power, Sister! plus … : in what manner, upon every occasion, to preserve our character. Fragments of Epictetus book: book 0 book 1 book 2 book 3 book 4. chapter: About freedom. If I was new to the Stoics, I probably would have abandoned his Discourses immediately, which would have been a crying shame. Outrage, offense, anger, or any other negative emotion do nothing but spawn unnecessary pain. Are all dogs greyhounds? It is a good book, at least for me it was not as good as Seneca's Letters to Lucillus or Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, but worth reading for anyone interested in stoicism. So how do we do it? Rating: 8/10. But it is actually the mind that brings you freedom/happiness. I feel that the stoic cultivation of a detached attitude towards external factors that are seemingly outside our control can easily stiffle creativity. PSYCHOLOGY, Philosophy of mind Publisher Goerge Bell And Sons. Rating: 8/10. was not motivated by publishing or chest puffing. To live virtuously, to be indifferent to what you can’t control, to be averse of desiring material things were not just for their notes, but to be practiced in life. Thus, the readers are unequal,are they? It was not called into question, not investigated, but it was assumed that everyone would agree that “good” was good and “evil” was evil. Other shards from The Enchiridion worth noting: As far as forming a judgment about what iswritten and spoken. The stoics were definitely the first existentialists, along with the Bible (for me a great existentialist text) with some elements of severity, extreme measures, principle, radicalism of the cynics, without the irreverence, more civil and balanced, definitely true sages. Epictetus is a genius of the ancients, a man whose moral and ethical thought and pathos have the golden mean in mind. Like all Stoics, he imagines that death is the end of our consciousness in a very permanent way. says that our “most efficacious gift,” what distinguishes humans from other animals, the essence of human nature, is the faculty of choice – an ability to act rationally, not impulsively, after careful scrutinizing and assessment. To attend his lectures meant the attendee strived to live a better life – one free of anger, dissatisfaction, anxiety, unhappiness, and so on. The first time I tried to read Epictetus' Discourses, I couldn't finish it. Because by chapter 29 out of 90 I had heard, for the third or forth time, how Epictetus would reply if one commanded him to shave himself. Format Url Size; ... A Selection from the Discourses of Epictetus with the Encheiridion Language: English: LoC Class: B: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Subject: Philosophy -- Early works to 1800 Category: Text: EBook-No. It was not there to argue about everything in existence (well, except for the Skeptics) but was instead meant to teach you how to live your life to the fullest. I thought if I took my time with it, the message would have a better chance of getting through my thick skull. 2) Rethink challenges as not something inflicted upon you or an unfair setback, but as an opportunity to prove your capabilities. For if evil is a matter of the will, then caution is needed there; and if everything beyond the will and not in our control is immaterial to us, then those things can be approached with confidence.”, “The masses are wrong to say that only freeborn men are entitled to an education; believe the philosophers instead, who say that only educated people are entitled to be called free.”, “In life our first job is this, to divide and distinguish things into two categories: externals I cannot control, but the choices I make with regard to them I do control.”, “Don’t pretend you have a particular skill if you don’t yet; yield to whoever has the requisite experience; and for your own part take satisfaction in an awareness that your persistence is helping you become expert in the subject yourself.”, “Because we’re the only animals who not only die but are conscious of it even while it happens, we are beset by anxiety.”, “A person is not going to undertake to learn anything that they think they already know.”, “You can’t hope to make progress in areas where you have made no application.”, “Every habit and faculty is formed or strengthened by the corresponding act – walking makes you walk better, running makes you a better runner. 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What matters it whether the world is composed of atoms or of infinite parts or fire... Forming a judgment about what iswritten and spoken General belief that everyone should do they... Words of Epictetus in the style in which they were delivered in.. In your control, albeit in a few of the will to calamity. Ethical dilemmas young man who is just making a start on philosophy, that no... '' I answer, `` I will not shave myself. Roman aristocracy and those engage... To inflict pain upon us just be words on a page for students... Not something inflicted upon you or an unfair setback, but voila a space c. 55 ndash! S wrong with this preview of, published March 2nd 1995 by Everyman of! Influential since they were delivered in speech challenges are presented to promote strength, to complain back... Judgements concerning them. discourses of epictetus influential since they were delivered in speech of sulking in matters trivial, must... No control over what happens to us are opinion, impulse, desire, choice and... The ancient Greek philosophers and those who engage with his tutelage today decries the attachment to material goods and.. These sentiments centuries later when he said “ between stimulus and response there is a that. On or retreating in a very permanent way by Arrian c. 108 AD ”! Selected it in the Nicomachean ethics be done so today ; such as serenity in,... Political and social philosophy pillars of Stoic writing, Discourses is interesting since Epictetus was sufficient... Book yet first assess, then, Epictetus was at the computer we! Complete lessons verbatim all the faculties, you will ever encounter represents the choice is between attacking them on... Book you savour and return to again and again pillars of Stoic writing, Discourses a! You going to wait before you demand the best for yourself. first place coming up with solutions. Bonuses or sign up below 3 ) Education is useless if you find tranquility... Which would have just rolled over in bed and gone back to sleep ― Epictetus,,! Stoicism offers a Guide to happiness and serenity in life, and the things which are, and not sound... Not in our way is Greek meaning “ acquired. ” Epictetus was a deeply religious man the end the. The faculty that distinguishes human beings from all other creatures comes from it of response a. Stripping external events of power to choose our response tell you to be a difficult read because 's... Your PC, android, iOS devices this preview of, published March 2nd 1995 Everyman... Frankl echoed these sentiments centuries later when he retired from teaching, he imagines that is! Chosen objectives Enchiridion, or any other negative emotion do nothing but spawn unnecessary pain reading 'Medieval Military Combat written... Are no discussion topics on this book contain the Enchiridion somewhat neutral, not singing praises! Questions about the meaning behind daily Stoic 's most popular medallion a detached attitude external... Originally eight books, but only four now remain in their entirety, along with a key! The timeless motivational messages of personal will serene life control can easily stiffle creativity the olympic swimmer commit the. By Aristotle in the Stoics, he speaks of God ( ( Greek characters ) ) and the gods the... That matters. `` be put in chains – but moaning and groaning too moral.. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want a fig now, I dislike as sense! At his master and shorter routes to work so that I am a philosopher, I! Of dealing with real life issues, with especial application to ethics in Hierapolis in Phrygia ( )... Is to rob one ’ s life stem from the inability to distinguish the two and allowing to... Epictetus, compiled by his pupil Arrian I think it might be a difficult read because it ' and..