Be careful to leave your sons well instructed rather than rich, for the hopes of the instructed are better than the wealth of the ignorant.

— Epictetus

Concerning the Gods, there are those who deny the very existence of the Godhead; others say that it exists, but neither bestirs nor concerns itself not has forethought far anything. A third party attribute to it existence and forethought, but only for great and heavenly matters, not for anything that is on earth. A fourth party admit things on earth as well as in heaven, but only in general, and not with respect to each individual. A fifth, of whom were Ulysses and Socrates, are those that cry: --I move not without Thy knowledge!

— Epictetus

Difficulties are things that show what men are.

— Epictetus

Don't explain your philosophy. Embody it.

— Epictetus

Don’t just say you have read books. Show that through them, you have learned to think better, to be a more discriminating and reflective person. Books are the training weights of the mind. They are very helpful, but it would be a bad mistake to suppose that one has made progress simply by having internalized their contents.

— Epictetus

Don't just say you have read books. Show that through them, you have learned to think better, to be a more discriminating and reflective person. Books are the training weights of the mind. They are very helpful, but it would be a bad mistake to suppose that one has made progress simply by having internalized their contents." Translation by Sharon Le bell

— Epictetus

Don't put your purpose in one place and expect to see progress made somewhere else.

— Epictetus

Do you know that disease and death must need overtake us no matter what we are doing? ... What do you wish to be doing when it overtakes you? If you have anything better to be doing when you are so overtaken get to work on that.

— Epictetus

Do you know that disease and death must need overtake us no matter what we are doing? ... What do you wish to be doing when it overtakes you?... If you have anything better to be doing when you are so overtaken get to work on that.

— Epictetus

First learn the meaning of what you say and then speak.

— Epictetus