Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him.


Epictetus

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More Epictetus

The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation f...
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Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems
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If one oversteps the bounds of moderation, the greatest pleasures cease to please.
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Keep silence for the most part, and speak only when you must, and then briefly.
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Let death be daily before your eyes, and you will never entertain any abject thought, nor too eagerl...
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Only the educated are free. -Epictetus.
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Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.
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If anyone tells you that a certain person speaks ill of you, do not make excuses about what is said ...
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First say to yourself what you would be;
and then do what you have to do.
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Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our contro...
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It is the sign of a dull mind to dwell upon the cares of the body, to prolong exercise, eating and d...
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Men are disturbed not by things that happen, but by their opinion of the things that happen.
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Tentative efforts lead to tentative outcomes. Therefore, give yourself fully to your endeavors. Deci...
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If you set your heart upon philosophy, you must straightway prepare yourself to be laughed at and mo...
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The two powers which in my opinion constitute a wise man are those of bearing and forbearing.
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It is a sign of a dull nature to occupy oneself deeply in matters that concern the body; for instanc...
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First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.
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Whenever you are angry, be assured that it is not only a present evil, but that you have increased a...
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He is a drunkard who takes more than three glasses though he be not drunk.
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There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the p...
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To accuse others for one's own misfortunes is a sign of want of education. To accuse oneself shows t...
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Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them.
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It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.
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Remember that you are an actor in a drama of such sort as the Author chooses: if short, then in a sh...
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It is your own convictions which compels you; that is, choice compels choice.
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Who is not attracted by bright and pleasant children, to prattle, to creep, and to play with them?
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Difficulties are things that show a person what they are.
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Difficulties show men what they are. In case of any difficulty, God has pitted you against a rough a...
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Liars are the cause of all the sins and crimes in the world.
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If evil be spoken of you and it be true, correct yourself, if it be a lie, laugh at it.
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No great thing is created suddenly.
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God hath entrusted me with myself.
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For it is not death or hardship that is a fearful thing, but the fear of death and hardship.
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A strict belief, fate is the worst kind of slavery; on the other hand there is comfort in the though...
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Remember that you are an actor in a drama, of such a part as it may please the master to assign you,...
EPICTETUS
No man is free who is not a master of himself.
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Is freedom anything else than the right to live as we wish? Nothing else.
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Freedom is the right to live as we wish.
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It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows.
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He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which h...
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The soul's impurity consists in bad judgments, and purification consists in producing in it right ju...
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Forgiveness is better than revenge, for forgiveness is the sign of a gentle nature, but revenge is t...
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One that desires to excel should endeavor in those things that are in themselves most excellent.
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Never in any case say I have lost such a thing, but I have returned it. Is your child dead? It is a ...
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Nature gave us one tongue and two ears so we could hear twice as much as we speak.
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What will the world be quite overturned when you die?
EPICTETUS
It is not he who gives abuse that affronts, but the view that we take of it as insulting; so that wh...
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Practice yourself, for heaven's sake in little things, and then proceed to greater.
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So you wish to conquer in the Olympic games, my friend? And I too, by the Gods, and a fine thing it ...
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All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.
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Covetousness like jealousy, when it has taken root, never leaves a person, but with their life. Cowa...
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It is difficulties that show what men are
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Difficulties show men what they are. In case of any difficulty remember that God has pitted you aga...
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All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.
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Preach not to others what they should eat, but eat as becomes you, and be silent.
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Bear in mind that you should conduct yourself in life as at a feast.
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When you close your doors, and make darkness within, remember never to say that you are alone, for y...
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You know yourself what you are worth in your own eyes; and at what price you will sell yourself. For...
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What is the first business of one who practices philosophy? To get rid of self-conceit. For it is im...
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If you would cure anger, do not feed it. Say to yourself: 'I used to be angry every day; then every ...
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If you do not wish to be prone to anger, do not feed the habit; give it nothing which may tend to it...
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Do not seek to have events happen as you want them to, but instead want them to happen as they do ha...
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Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.
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Whoever does not regard what he has as most ample wealth, is unhappy, though he be master of the wor...
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Do not seek to bring things to pass in accordance with your wishes, but wish for them as they are, a...
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It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.
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People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them.
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The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.
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We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.
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First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak.
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All religions must be tolerated... for every man must get to heaven in his own way.
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When you are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you...
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The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as ...
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No greater thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that ...
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Nothing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you...
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It takes more than just a good looking body. You've got to have the heart and soul to go with it...
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Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.
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Be careful to leave your sons well instructed rather than rich, for the hopes of the instructed are ...
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It is the nature of the wise to resist pleasures, but the foolish to be a slave to them.
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If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.
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For in this Case, we are not to give Credit to the Many, who say, that none ought to be educated but...
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Don't explain your philosophy. Embody it.
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To accuse others for one's own misfortunes is a sign of want of education. To accuse oneself sho...
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Prevention is better than cure.
EPICTETUS
I talk of cheese, you of chalk.
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Why, then, do you walk as if you had swallowed a ramrod?
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Nature has given man one tongue, but two ears, that we may hear twice as much as we speak
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Only the educated are free.
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If you wish to be good, first believe that you are bad.
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Neither should a ship rely on one small anchor, nor should life rest on a single hope.
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We should not moor a ship with one anchor, or our life with one hope.
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Check your passions that you may not be punished by them.
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Not every difficult and dangerous thing is suitable for training, but only that which is conducive t...
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Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire.
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If you seek truth you will not seek victory by dishonorable means, and if you find truth you will be...
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It is not death or pain that is to be dreaded, but the fear of pain or death.
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The two powers which in my opinion constitute a wise man are those of bearing and forebearing.
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Difficulties show men what they are. In case of any difficulty remember that God has pitted you agai...
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No man is free who is not master of himself.
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The Beginning of Philosophy . . . is a Consciousness of your own Weakness and inability in necessar...
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Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them. -Epictetus.
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The good or ill of a man lies within his own will.
EPICTETUS
Know, first, who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly.
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Control thy passions, lest they take vengeance on thee.
EPICTETUS
A man that seeks truth and loves it must be reckoned precious to any human society.
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The people have a right to the truth as they have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happin...
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A wise man is he who does not grieve for the thing which he has not, but rejoices for those which he...
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He who exercises wisdom exercises the knowledge which is about God.
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The first and most important field of philosophy is the application of principles such as “Do not ...
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Remember to act always as if you were at a symposium. When the food or drink comes around, reach out...
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If you want to make progress, put up with being perceived as ignorant or naive in worldly matters, d...
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It is more necessary for the soul to be cured than the body; for it is better to die than to live ba...
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What really frightens and dismays us is not external events themselves, but the way in which we thin...
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Remember, it is not enough to be hit or insulted to be harmed, you must believe that you are being h...
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A ship should not ride on a single anchor, nor life on a single hope.
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You are a little soul carrying around a corpse.
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Silence is safer than speech.
EPICTETUS
In order to please others, we loose our hold on our life’s purpose.
EPICTETUS
God has entrusted me with myself.
EPICTETUS
Neither should a ship rely on one small anchor, nor should life rest on a single hope
EPICTETUS
It is the sign of a dull mind to dwell upon the cares of the body, to prolong exercise, eating and d...
EPICTETUS
Control thy passions lest they take vengence on thee.
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How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself and in no instance bypass the...
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The condition and characteristic of an uninstructed person is this: he never expects from himself pr...
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One that desires to excel should endeavor in those things that are in themselves most excellent
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Confident because of our caution
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In order to please others, we loose our hold on our life’s purpose.
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Unless we place our religion and our treasure in the same thing, religion will always be sacrificed.
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I have never wished to cater to the crowd; for what I know they do not approve, and what they approv...
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All religions must be tolerated... for... every man must get to heaven in his own way.
EPICTETUS
When you have shut your doors, and darkened your room, remember, never to say that you are alone, fo...
EPICTETUS
Iam always content with what happens,for i know that what God chooses is always better than what i c...
EPICTETUS
It takes more than just a good looking body. You've got to have the heart and soul to go with it.
EPICTETUS
In every affair consider what precedes and what follows, and then undertake it
EPICTETUS
No man is free who is not a master of himself
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When you are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you wil...
EPICTETUS
Don't just say you have read books. Show that through them you have learned to think better, to be a...
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We are not troubled by things, but by the opinion which we have of things.
EPICTETUS
On the occasion of every accident that befalls you...inquire what power you have for turning it to u...
EPICTETUS
Nature has given men one tongue and two ears, that we may hear twice as much as we speak.
EPICTETUS
Lameness is an impediment to the body but not to the will.
EPICTETUS
The man who is not satisfied with little will be satisfied with nothing.
EPICTETUS
I have a lantern. You steal my lantern. What, then, is your honour worth no more to you than the pri...
EPICTETUS
Common and vulgar people ascribe all ills that they feel to others; people of little wisdom ascribe ...
EPICTETUS
If you would be a reader, read; if a writer,write
EPICTETUS
What concerns me is not the way things are, but rather the way people think things are
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Seek not that the things which happen should happen as you wish; but wish the things which happen to...
EPICTETUS
A child understands fear and the hurt and hate it brings.
EPICTETUS
Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of them
EPICTETUS
As the sun does not wait for prayers and incantations tob e induced to rise, but immediately shines ...
EPICTETUS
You may fetter my leg, but Zeus himself cannot get the better of my free will.
EPICTETUS
First say to yourself what you would be, and then do what you have to do.
EPICTETUS
Circumstances do not make the man; they merely reveal him to himself.
EPICTETUS
Whenever you are angry, be assured that it is not only a present evil, but that you have increased a...
EPICTETUS
We must not believe the many, who say that only free people ought to be educated, but we should rath...
EPICTETUS
Everything has two handles, one by which it may be borne, the other by which it may not
EPICTETUS
It is not he who gives abuse that affronts, but the view that we take of it as insulting; so that wh...
EPICTETUS
You may fetter my leg, but Zeus himself cannot get the better of my free will
EPICTETUS
It is not he who reviles or strikes you who insults you, but your opinion that these things are insu...
EPICTETUS
Imagine for yourself a character, a model personality, whose example you determine to follow, in pri...
EPICTETUS
If you hear that someone is speaking ill of you, instead of trying to defend yourself you should say...
EPICTETUS
God has pitted you against a rough antagonist that you may be a conqueror, and this cannot be withou...
EPICTETUS
He is a man of sense who does not grieve for what he has not, but rejoices in what he has.
EPICTETUS
There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the p...
EPICTETUS
As a man, casting off worn out garments taketh new ones, so the dweller in the body, entereth into o...
EPICTETUS
You may be always victorious if you will never enter into any contest where the issue does not wholl...
EPICTETUS
We are not to give credit to the many, who say that none ought to be educated but the free; but rath...
EPICTETUS
If thy brother wrongs thee, remember not so much his wrong-doing, but more than ever that he is thy ...
EPICTETUS
Seek not good from without: seek it from within yourselves, or you will never find it
EPICTETUS
Know you not that a good man does nothing for appearance sake, but for the sake of having done right...
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Man, what are you talking about? Me in chains? You may fetter my leg but my will, not even Zeus hims...
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An ignorant person is inclined to blame others for his own misfortune. To blame oneself is proof of ...
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Thus Epicurus also, when he designs to destroy the natural fellowship of mankind, at the same time m...
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Whoever is going to listen to the philosophers needs a considerable practice in listening.
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Very little is needed for everything to be upset and ruined, only a slight lapse in reason.
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If virtue promises happiness, prosperity and peace, then progress in virtue is progress in each of t...
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If you wish to be a writer, write.
EPICTETUS
There is nothing good or evil save in the will.
EPICTETUS
Do not laugh much or often or unrestrainedly.
EPICTETUS
Practice yourself, for heaven's sake in little things, and then proceed to greater.
EPICTETUS
A city is not adorned by external things, but by the virtue of those who dwell in it.
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Men are not afraid of things, but of how they view them.
EPICTETUS
You become what you give your attention to.
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Show me a man who though sick is happy, who though in danger is happy, who though in prison is happy...
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