The Wisdom of Epictetus

Epictetus, a prominent Stoic philosopher, believed in moral philosophy as a practical guide to leading better lives. He held that only through self-mastery could we live in accordance with nature. This self-mastery consists of the use of reason and living virtuously.

Epictetus focused on the responsibility of the individual to live the best life possible. He insisted that human beings do have freedom of choice in all matters even though that choice may be limited by the operation of the logos.

He taught that the key to transforming oneself into a true Stoic is to learn what is 'in one's power', which involves not judging as good or bad anything that appears to one. For Epictetus, the only thing that is good is acting virtuously (that is, motivated by virtue), and the only thing that is bad is the opposite, acting viciously (that is, motivated by vice).

In essence, Epictetus' moral philosophy was aimed at helping people live a good and meaningful lives. It was about understanding and accepting what we can control, and letting go of what we cannot. This philosophy encourages rigorous self-discipline and a focus on our own actions, which are within our control.

Epictetus' stoic philosophy will sit as an excellent companion in this new classic by the Greek philosopher alongside Meditations (Aurelius) and Letters (Seneca).