Epictetus on Wisdom Quotes

"We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak."

"What is the first business of one who practices philosophy? To get rid of self-conceit."

"It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows."

"Nature hath given men one tongue but two ears, that we may hear from others twice as much as we speak."

"Preach not to others what they should eat, but eat as becomes you, and be silent."

"Curb your desire—don't set your heart on so many things and you will get what you need."

"When you are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings."

"No man is free who is not master of himself."

"Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants."

"Don’t hope that events will turn out the way you want, welcome events in whichever way they happen: this is the way to peace."

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

"To accuse neither oneself nor others shows that one's education is complete."

"It is the act of an ill-instructed man to blame others; of one whose instruction has begun, to blame himself; of one whose instruction is completed, to blame neither another nor himself."

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

"To accuse others for one's own misfortunes is a sign of want of education."

"Some things are within our power, while others are not."

"The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things."

"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has."

"Only the educated are free."

"Everything has two handles, one by which it may be borne and the other by which it may not."

"True instruction is this: learning to will that things should happen just as they do happen."

"Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them."

"A ship should not ride on a single anchor, nor life on a single hope."

"If anyone tells you that a certain person speaks ill of you, do not make excuses, just answer: He was ignorant of my other faults."

"Small-minded people blame others. Average people blame themselves. The wise see all blame as foolishness."

"If you are ever tempted to look for outside approval, realize that you have compromised your integrity."

"To accuse oneself shows that one's education has begun."

"A city is not adorned by external things, but by the virtue of those who dwell in it."

"If someone speaks badly of you, do not defend yourself against the accusations, but reply; 'you obviously don’t know about my other vices'."

"Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control."