A Selection From The Discourses Of Epictetus

Contains The Discourses/Fragments/Enchiridion 'I must die. But must I die bawling?' Epictetus, a Greek Stoic and freed slave, ran a thriving philosophy school in Nicopolis in the early second century AD. His animated discussions were celebrated for their rhetorical wizardry and were written down by Arrian, his most famous pupil. The Discourses argue that happiness lies in learning to perceive exactly what is in our power to change and what is not, and in embracing our fate to live in harmony with god and nature. In this personal, practical guide to the ethics of Stoicism and moral self-improvement, Epictetus tackles questions of freedom and imprisonment, illness and fear, family, friendship and love. Translated and Edited with an Introduction by Robert Dobbin

The Discourses of Epictetus Epictetus - The books did not have a formal title in ancient times. Although Simplicius called them Diatribai other writers gave them titles such as Dialexis , and Homiliai . The modern name comes from the titles given in the earliest medieval manuscript: "Arrian's Diatribai of Epictetus" . The Greek word Diatribai literally means "informal talks".As to the date, it is generally agreed that the Discourses were composed sometime in the years around 108 AD. Epictetus himself refers to the coins of Trajan, which shows he was teaching during that reign. Arrian was suffect consul in around 130, and since forty-two was the standard age for that position, he would have been at the right age of around twenty in 108. Furthermore the "commissioner" of the "free cities" to whom Discourse iii. 7 is addressed is thought to be the same man Pliny the Younger addresses his Letter viii. 24a letter which has been dated to around 108.

Stoic Choices is the plain English version of Discourses Book II by the eminent Stoic philosopher, Epictetus. Here are some of the choices discussed in this book: What should you act upon: External things or internal things? When should you choose to be confident and when to be cautious in making decisions? What should you protect: Your inherent qualities or qualities that are not inherent to you? Is there a choice between knowledge and action? Is there a choice between knowledge and anxiety? Should you study logic? Why? Choose to be faithful. Choose habits that fight impressions. Show yourself to be worthy. Choose to be skillful.

Though Epictetus contends that man has power over his will, he well knew how weak this power sometimes is. An appearance, he says, is presented, and straightway I act according to it; and, what is the name of those who follow every appearance? They are called madmen. - Such are a large part of mankind; and it is true, that many persons have no Will at all. They are deceived by appearances, perplexed, tossed about like a ship which has lost the helm: they have no steady, fixed, and rational purpose. Their perseverance or obstinacy is often nothing more than a perseverance in an irrational purpose. It is often so strong and so steady that the man himself and others too may view it as a strong will; and it is a strong will, if you choose, but it is a will in a wrong direction. "The nature of the Good is a certain Will: the nature of the Bad is a certain kind of Will." This edition of A SELECTION FROM THE DISCOURSES WITH THE ENCHEIRIDION includes: - TRANSLATION by George Long - PREFACE and THE PHILOSOPHY OF EPICTETUS BY EDWIN GINN - QUOTES BY EPICTETUS

The Role Ethics of Epictetus: Stoicism in Ordinary Life offers an original interpretation of Epictetus’s ethics and how he bases his ethics on an appeal to our roles in life. Epictetus believes that every individual is the bearer of many roles from sibling to citizen and that individuals are morally good if they fulfill the obligations associated with these roles. To understand Epictetus’s account of roles, scholars have often mistakenly looked backwards to Cicero’s earlier and more schematic account of roles. However, for Cicero, roles are merely a tool in the service of the virtue of decorum where decorum is one of the four canonical virtues—prudence, justice, greatness of spirit, and decorum. In contrast, Epictetus sets those virtues aside and offers roles as a complete ethical theory that does the work of those canonical virtues. This book elucidates the unique features of Epictetus’s role based ethics. First, individuals have many roles and these roles are substantial enough that they may conflict. Second, although Epictetus is often taken to have only a sparse theory of appropriate action (or “duty” in older translations), Brian E. Johnson examines the criteria by which appropriate action is measured in order to demonstrate that Epictetus does have an account of appropriate action and that it is grounded in his account of roles. Finally, Epictetus downplays the Stoic ideal of the sage and replaces that figure with role-bound individuals who are supposed to inspire each of us to meet the challenges of our own roles. Instead of looking to sages, who have a perfect knowledge and action that we must imitate, Epictetus’s new ethical heroes are those we do not imitate in terms of knowledge or action, but simply in the way they approach the challenges of their roles. The analysis found in The Role Ethics of Epictetus will be of great value both to students and scholars of ancient philosophy, ethics and moral philosophy, history, classics, and theology, and to the educated reader who admires Epictetus.