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Epictetus

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The teachings of Epictetus as taken down by his student Arrian, in four surviving books.

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Book I

  1. I.1Of the things which are under our control and not under our control7 sections
  2. I.2How may a man preserve his proper character upon every occasion?8 sections
  3. I.3From the thesis that God is the father of mankind how may one proceed to the consequences?2 sections
  4. I.4Of progress7 sections
  5. I.5Against the Academics3 sections
  6. I.6Of providence9 sections
  7. I.7Of the use of equivocal premisses, hypothetical arguments and the like7 sections
  8. I.8That the reasoning faculties, in the case of the uneducated, are not free from error4 sections
  9. I.9How from the thesis that we are akin to God may a man proceed to the consequences?7 sections
  10. I.10To those who have set their hearts on preferment at Rome3 sections
  11. I.11Of family affection8 sections
  12. I.12Of contentment8 sections
  13. I.13How may each several thing be done acceptably to the gods?2 sections
  14. I.14That the Deity oversees all men4 sections
  15. I.15What does philosophy profess?2 sections
  16. I.16Of providence5 sections
  17. I.17That the art of reasoning is indispensable6 sections
  18. I.18That we ought not to be angry with the erring5 sections
  19. I.19How ought we to bear ourselves toward tyrants?6 sections
  20. I.20How the reasoning faculty contemplates itself4 sections
  21. I.21To those who would be admired1 section
  22. I.22Of our preconceptions5 sections
  23. I.23In answer to Epicurus3 sections
  24. I.24How should we struggle against difficulties?5 sections
  25. I.25Upon the same theme7 sections
  26. I.26What is the rule of life?4 sections
  27. I.27In how many ways do the external impressions arise, and what aids should we have ready at hand to deal with them?5 sections
  28. I.28That we ought not to be angry with men; and what are the little things and the great among men?7 sections
  29. I.29Of steadfastness14 sections
  30. I.30What aid ought we to have ready at hand in difficulties?2 sections

Book II

  1. II.1That confidence does not conflict with caution9 sections
  2. II.2On tranquillity6 sections
  3. II.3To those who recommend persons to the philosophers2 sections
  4. II.4To the man who had once been caught in adultery3 sections
  5. II.5How are magnanimity and carefulness compatible?6 sections
  6. II.6Of indifference in things6 sections
  7. II.7How should one employ Divination?3 sections
  8. II.8What is the true nature of the good?6 sections
  9. II.9That although we are unable to fulfil the profession of a man, we adopt that of a philosopher5 sections
  10. II.10How is it possible to discover a man's duties from the designations which he bears?7 sections
  11. II.11What is the beginning of philosophy?5 sections
  12. II.12Upon the art of argumentation6 sections
  13. II.13Of anxiety6 sections
  14. II.14To Naso6 sections
  15. II.15To those who cling obstinately to the judgements which they have once formed5 sections
  16. II.16That we do not practise the application of our judgements about things good and evil10 sections
  17. II.17How ought we adjust our preconceptions to individual instances?9 sections
  18. II.18How must we struggle against our external impressions?7 sections
  19. II.19To those who take up the teachings of the philosophers only to talk about them7 sections
  20. II.20Against Epicureans and Academics8 sections
  21. II.21Of inconsistency5 sections
  22. II.22Of friendship8 sections
  23. II.23Of the faculty of expression10 sections
  24. II.24To one of those whom he did not deem worthy6 sections
  25. II.25How is logic necessary?1 section
  26. II.26What is the distinctive characteristic of error?2 sections

Book III

  1. III.1Of personal adornment10 sections
  2. III.2The fields of study in which the man who expects to make progress will have to go into training; and that we neglect what is most important4 sections
  3. III.3What is the subject-matter with which the good man has to deal; and what should he the chief object of our training?4 sections
  4. III.4To the man who look sides, in an undignified manner, while in a theatre3 sections
  5. III.5To those who leave school because of illness4 sections
  6. III.6Some scattered sayings2 sections
  7. III.7A conversation with the Imperial Bailiff of the Free Cities, who was an Epicurean8 sections
  8. III.8How ought we to exercise ourselves to deal with the impressions of our senses?2 sections
  9. III.9To a certain rhetorician who was going to Rome for a lawsuit5 sections
  10. III.10How ought we to bear our illnesses?4 sections
  11. III.11Some scattered sayings1 section
  12. III.12Of training4 sections
  13. III.13The meaning of a forlorn state, and the kind of person a forlorn man is5 sections
  14. III.14Some scattered sayings3 sections
  15. III.15That we ought to approach each separate thing with circumspection3 sections
  16. III.16That one should enter cautiously into social intercourse4 sections
  17. III.17Of Providence2 sections
  18. III.18That we ought not to allow any news to disturb us2 sections
  19. III.19What is the position of the layman, and what that of the philosopher?2 sections
  20. III.20That it is possible to derive advantage from everything external4 sections
  21. III.21To those who enter light-heartedly upon the profession of lecturing5 sections
  22. III.22On the calling of a Cynic22 sections
  23. III.23To those who read and discuss for the purpose of display8 sections
  24. III.24That we ought not to yearn for the things which are not under our control24 sections
  25. III.25To those who fail to achieve their purposes3 sections
  26. III.26To those who fear want8 sections

Book IV

  1. IV.1Of freedom36 sections
  2. IV.2Of social intercourse3 sections
  3. IV.3What things should be exchanged for what things?3 sections
  4. IV.4To those who have set their hearts upon living in peace10 sections
  5. IV.5Against the contentious and brutal8 sections
  6. IV.6To those who are vexed at being pitied8 sections
  7. IV.7Of freedom from fear9 sections
  8. IV.8To those who hastily assume the guise of the philosophers9 sections
  9. IV.9To the man who had become shameless4 sections
  10. IV.10What ought we to despise and on what place a high value?8 sections
  11. IV.11Of cleanliness8 sections
  12. IV.12Of attention5 sections
  13. IV.13To those who lightly talk about their own affairs5 sections

Fragments

  1. 1From Arrian the pupil of Epictetus. To the man who was bothering himself about the problem of being1 section
  2. 2From Arrian the pupil of Epictetus1 section
  3. 3From the same1 section
  4. 4Rufus. From the remarks of Epictetus on friendship1 section
  5. 5Rufus. From Epictetus on friendship1 section
  6. 6Rufus. From Epictetus on friendship1 section
  7. 7The same1 section
  8. 8Rufus. From the remarks of Epictetus on friendship1 section
  9. 91 section
  10. 101 section
  11. 11From the homilies of Arrian, exhorting to virtue1 section
  12. 12From Arrian1 section
  13. 13From the Memorabilia of Epictetus1 section
  14. 14From the Memorabilia of Epictetus1 section
  15. 15From the Memorabilia of Epictetus1 section
  16. 16From the Memorabilia of Epictetus1 section
  17. 17From Epictetus1 section
  18. 18From the same1 section
  19. 19The same1 section
  20. 20The same1 section
  21. 21From Epictetus1 section
  22. 22From Agrippinus1 section
  23. 23From Epictetus1 section
  24. 24The same1 section
  25. 25From Epictetus1 section
  26. 261 section
  27. 271 section
  28. 281 section
  29. 28a1 section
  30. 28b1 section
  31. 29From the Encheiridion of Epictetus1 section
  32. 30From Epictetus1 section
  33. 31From the same1 section
  34. 32From Epictetus1 section
  35. 33From the same1 section
  36. 34From the same1 section
  37. 351 section
  38. 361 section
Reading edition: W. A. Oldfather (1925–1928). Public domain.