Epictetus (c. 55–135 C.E.) was born in Hierapolis, Turkiye. He was a profoundly influential Stoic philosopher who rose from slavery to become a renowned teacher in Nicopolis, Greece. His primary achievement lies in refining and popularizing practical Stoic ethics, focusing on the dichotomy of control, internal freedom, and virtue. May these Epictetus quotes and sayings offer you insights to help you focus only on what you can control, managing your reactions, and finding contentment within, rather than through external circumstances.
1. “It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” – Epictetus
2. “Only the educated are free.” – Epictetus
3. “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it.” – Epictetus
4. “No great thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig. I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.” – Epictetus
5. “Circumstances are the things that show a person what they are.” – Epictetus
6. “If you kiss your child, or your wife, say that you only kiss things which are human, and thus you will not be disturbed if either of them dies.” – Epictetus
7. “I cannot escape death, but at least I can escape the fear of it.” – Epictetus
8. “First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.” – Epictetus
9. “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” – Epictetus
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10. “Circumstances don't make the man, they only reveal him to himself.” – Epictetus
11. “There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.” – Epictetus
12. “Do not ask things to happen as you wish, but wish them to happen as they do happen, and your life will go smoothly.” – Epictetus
13. “Small actions, repeated daily, shape habits and character over time.” – Epictetus
14. “It is not so much what happens to you as how you think about what happens.” – Epictetus
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15. “Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.” – Epictetus
16. “It is not he who reviles or strikes you who insults you, but your opinion that these things are insulting.” – Epictetus
17. “Whoever then understands what is good, can also know how to love.” – Epictetus
18. “What is death? A scary mask. Take it off—see, it doesn't bite.” – Epictetus
19. “If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.” – Epictetus
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20. “No man is free who is not master of himself.” – Epictetus
21. “Practice yourself, for heaven's sake, in little things; and thence proceed to greater.” – Epictetus
22. “To love, then, is only in the power of the wise.” – Epictetus
23. “The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.” – Epictetus
24. “Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.” – Epictetus
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25. “Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” – Epictetus
26. “Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.” – Epictetus
27. “One that desires to excel should endeavor in those things that are in themselves most excellent.” – Epictetus
28. “With regard to whatever objects give you delight, remember to tell yourself of what general nature they are.” – Epictetus
29. “People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them.” – Epictetus
30. “First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak.” – Epictetus
More Best Epictetus Quotes on Life
31. “Is freedom anything else than the right to live as we wish? Nothing else.” – Epictetus
32. “The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.” – Epictetus
33. “Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him.” – Epictetus
34. “Let no man think that he is loved by any who love no one.” – Epictetus
35. “All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.” – Epictetus
36. “If you seek truth, you will not seek victory by dishonorable means, and if you find truth, you will become invincible.” – Epictetus
37. “If evil be spoken of you and it be true, correct yourself, if it be a lie, laugh at it.” – Epictetus
38. “The world turns aside to let any man pass who knows where he is going.” – Epictetus
39. “If you desire to be good, begin by believing that you are wicked.” – Epictetus
40. “It is the nature of the wise to resist pleasures, but the foolish to be a slave to them.” – Epictetus
41. “Whoever does not regard what he has as most ample wealth, is unhappy, though he be master of the world.” – Epictetus
42. “He is a drunkard who takes more than three glasses though he be not drunk.” – Epictetus
43. “It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows.” – Epictetus
44. “The two powers which in my opinion constitute a wise man are those of bearing and forbearing.” – Epictetus
45. “Keep silence for the most part, and speak only when you must, and then briefly.” – Epictetus
46. “It is not death or pain that is to be dreaded, but the fear of pain or death.” – Epictetus
47. “Don’t demand or expect that events happen as you would wish them do. Accept events as they actually happen. That way, peace is possible.” – Epictetus
48. “Do not seek to bring things to pass in accordance with your wishes, but wish for them as they are, and you will find them.” – Epictetus
49. “Nothing truly stops you. Nothing truly holds you back. For your own will is always within your control.” – Epictetus
50. “It takes more than just a good looking body. You've got to have the heart and soul to go with it.” – Epictetus
51. “Don’t hope that events will turn out the way you want, welcome events in whichever way they happen: this is the path to peace.” – Epictetus
52. “If one oversteps the bounds of moderation, the greatest pleasures cease to please.” – Epictetus
53. “He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh at.” – Epictetus
54. “Not every difficult and dangerous thing is suitable for training, but only that which is conducive to success in achieving the object of our effort.” – Epictetus
55. “Progress is not achieved by luck or accident, but by working on yourself daily.” – Epictetus
56. “You may be always victorious if you will never enter into any contest where the issue does not wholly depend upon yourself.” – Epictetus
57. “We should not moor a ship with one anchor, or our life with one hope.” – Epictetus
58. “When you are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger.” – Epictetus
59. “Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems.” – Epictetus
60. “Silence is safer than speech.” – Epictetus
61. “Imagine for yourself a character, a model personality, whose example you determine to follow, in private as well as in public.” – Epictetus
62. “Happiness and personal fulfillment are the natural consequences of doing the right thing.” – Epictetus
63. “Desire and happiness cannot live together.” – Epictetus
64. “Unless we place our religion and our treasure in the same thing, religion will always be sacrificed.” – Epictetus
65. “Other people’s views and troubles can be contagious. Don’t sabotage yourself by unwittingly adopting negative, unproductive attitudes through your associations with others.” – Epictetus
66. “If you wish to be a writer, write.” – Epictetus
67. “Tentative efforts lead to tentative outcome.” – Epictetus
68. “Seek not the good in external things; seek it in yourselves.” – Epictetus
69. “You have been given your own work to do. Get to it right now, do your best at it, and don’t be concerned with who is watching you. Create your own merit.” – Epictetus
70. “You become what you give your attention to.” – Epictetus
Share these Famous Epictetus Life Changing Quotes with your friends, family, and loved ones to inspire them as well.
2. “Only the educated are free.” – Epictetus
3. “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it.” – Epictetus
4. “No great thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig. I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.” – Epictetus
5. “Circumstances are the things that show a person what they are.” – Epictetus
6. “If you kiss your child, or your wife, say that you only kiss things which are human, and thus you will not be disturbed if either of them dies.” – Epictetus
7. “I cannot escape death, but at least I can escape the fear of it.” – Epictetus
8. “First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.” – Epictetus
9. “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” – Epictetus
11. “There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.” – Epictetus
12. “Do not ask things to happen as you wish, but wish them to happen as they do happen, and your life will go smoothly.” – Epictetus
13. “Small actions, repeated daily, shape habits and character over time.” – Epictetus
14. “It is not so much what happens to you as how you think about what happens.” – Epictetus
16. “It is not he who reviles or strikes you who insults you, but your opinion that these things are insulting.” – Epictetus
17. “Whoever then understands what is good, can also know how to love.” – Epictetus
18. “What is death? A scary mask. Take it off—see, it doesn't bite.” – Epictetus
19. “If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.” – Epictetus
21. “Practice yourself, for heaven's sake, in little things; and thence proceed to greater.” – Epictetus
22. “To love, then, is only in the power of the wise.” – Epictetus
23. “The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.” – Epictetus
24. “Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.” – Epictetus
26. “Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.” – Epictetus
27. “One that desires to excel should endeavor in those things that are in themselves most excellent.” – Epictetus
28. “With regard to whatever objects give you delight, remember to tell yourself of what general nature they are.” – Epictetus
29. “People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them.” – Epictetus
30. “First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak.” – Epictetus
More Best Epictetus Quotes on Life
31. “Is freedom anything else than the right to live as we wish? Nothing else.” – Epictetus
32. “The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.” – Epictetus
33. “Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him.” – Epictetus
34. “Let no man think that he is loved by any who love no one.” – Epictetus
35. “All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.” – Epictetus
36. “If you seek truth, you will not seek victory by dishonorable means, and if you find truth, you will become invincible.” – Epictetus
37. “If evil be spoken of you and it be true, correct yourself, if it be a lie, laugh at it.” – Epictetus
38. “The world turns aside to let any man pass who knows where he is going.” – Epictetus
39. “If you desire to be good, begin by believing that you are wicked.” – Epictetus
40. “It is the nature of the wise to resist pleasures, but the foolish to be a slave to them.” – Epictetus
41. “Whoever does not regard what he has as most ample wealth, is unhappy, though he be master of the world.” – Epictetus
42. “He is a drunkard who takes more than three glasses though he be not drunk.” – Epictetus
43. “It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows.” – Epictetus
44. “The two powers which in my opinion constitute a wise man are those of bearing and forbearing.” – Epictetus
45. “Keep silence for the most part, and speak only when you must, and then briefly.” – Epictetus
46. “It is not death or pain that is to be dreaded, but the fear of pain or death.” – Epictetus
47. “Don’t demand or expect that events happen as you would wish them do. Accept events as they actually happen. That way, peace is possible.” – Epictetus
48. “Do not seek to bring things to pass in accordance with your wishes, but wish for them as they are, and you will find them.” – Epictetus
49. “Nothing truly stops you. Nothing truly holds you back. For your own will is always within your control.” – Epictetus
50. “It takes more than just a good looking body. You've got to have the heart and soul to go with it.” – Epictetus
51. “Don’t hope that events will turn out the way you want, welcome events in whichever way they happen: this is the path to peace.” – Epictetus
52. “If one oversteps the bounds of moderation, the greatest pleasures cease to please.” – Epictetus
53. “He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh at.” – Epictetus
54. “Not every difficult and dangerous thing is suitable for training, but only that which is conducive to success in achieving the object of our effort.” – Epictetus
55. “Progress is not achieved by luck or accident, but by working on yourself daily.” – Epictetus
56. “You may be always victorious if you will never enter into any contest where the issue does not wholly depend upon yourself.” – Epictetus
57. “We should not moor a ship with one anchor, or our life with one hope.” – Epictetus
58. “When you are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger.” – Epictetus
59. “Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems.” – Epictetus
60. “Silence is safer than speech.” – Epictetus
61. “Imagine for yourself a character, a model personality, whose example you determine to follow, in private as well as in public.” – Epictetus
62. “Happiness and personal fulfillment are the natural consequences of doing the right thing.” – Epictetus
63. “Desire and happiness cannot live together.” – Epictetus
64. “Unless we place our religion and our treasure in the same thing, religion will always be sacrificed.” – Epictetus
65. “Other people’s views and troubles can be contagious. Don’t sabotage yourself by unwittingly adopting negative, unproductive attitudes through your associations with others.” – Epictetus
66. “If you wish to be a writer, write.” – Epictetus
67. “Tentative efforts lead to tentative outcome.” – Epictetus
68. “Seek not the good in external things; seek it in yourselves.” – Epictetus
69. “You have been given your own work to do. Get to it right now, do your best at it, and don’t be concerned with who is watching you. Create your own merit.” – Epictetus
70. “You become what you give your attention to.” – Epictetus
Share these Famous Epictetus Life Changing Quotes with your friends, family, and loved ones to inspire them as well.