Enchiridion Of Epictetus

This is my reinterpretation and rephrasing of Chapter 1 of the Handbook by Epictetus. Serenity, purposefulness, and social utility come from the clear understanding of one principle: Some things are in our control, and others are not. In our control are judgment, inclination, desire, and aversion– simply put, what is in your control is what you decide on after reflection and evaluation. Everything else…

Most people take pride in things they own and people they know. Sometimes it takes losing them all to make them realize that they really had nothing, and that they had relied on a false sense of pride derived from something that they can never truly own. …

Do you make money on Medium? If so, that’s most excellent. I don’t make money here. No worries! Money is not why I post. One of my posts that received few claps or reads — and there are plenty of contenders! — was the post that lead to a fun…

Direct Quote Remember that desire contains in it the hope of obtaining that which you desire, and the hope in aversion is that you will not fall into that which you attempt to avoid: and he who fails in his desire is unfortunate, and he who falls into that which…

Direct Quote Of things, some are in our power, and others are not. In our power are opinion, movement towards a thing, desire, aversion; and in a word, whatever are our own acts: not in our power are the body, property, reputation, offices, and in a word, whatever are not…

Epictetus was one of the great Ancient Greek Stoic philosophers. He was born around 55 AD in Hierapolis, Phrygia, which is now in southwest Turkey. He spent his youth as a slave to Epaphroditus, who was once a slave himself, and later a secretary for Emperor Nero. It is worth…