description Epictetus Overview
Epictetus was a Greek Stoic philosopher, formerly enslaved, whose Discourses and Enchiridion teach control over judgment and desire.
help Epictetus FAQ
What does Epictetus say is under our control?
Epictetus teaches that our judgments, choices, desires, and aversions are under our control, while reputation, wealth, body, and external events are not. This distinction opens the Enchiridion, the short handbook compiled by his student Arrian.
Was Epictetus really enslaved?
Yes, ancient sources describe Epictetus as formerly enslaved before he became a Stoic teacher. He later taught in Nicopolis in Greece, and his teachings survive through Arrian's Discourses and Enchiridion.
How is Epictetus different from Marcus Aurelius?
Epictetus was a teacher whose ideas were recorded by Arrian, while Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor writing private reflections in the Meditations. Both are Stoics, but Epictetus is more direct about training judgment and desire.
Why do modern Stoic readers start with the Enchiridion?
The Enchiridion is short, practical, and organized around daily discipline rather than technical argument. It condenses Epictetus's Stoic teaching into memorable instructions about control, judgment, and freedom.
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