The Enchiridion

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This is something that epictetus would of course know himself quite well.

This is a new translation by Robin Waterfield it's got all the stuff in here but if you haven't read epictetus you're doing yourself a disservice, you're not as strong or as well armed as you could be so you must read this book.

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He afterwards became free, Thomas Wentworth Higginson would write in his 1865 translation of Epictetus, which is a good translation by the way, although I recommend the Penguin edition or Robin Waterfield's recent translation.

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the distinction between things that are up to us in our control and the things that are not up to us. It is this, the dichotomy of control that is the first principle in the entire philosophy

the chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not in uncontrollable externals, but within myself, to the choices that are my own.

Some things are in our control while others are not. We control our opinion, our choice, our desire, our aversion, in a word, everything of our own doing. We don't control our body, our property, our reputation, our position, and in a word, everything not of our own doing. And even more, the things in our control are by nature free, unhindered, and unobstructed, while those not in our control are weak and slavish and can be hindered and are not our own.

we control our reasons, choice, and all acts that depend on moral will. What's not under control are our body and any of its parts, our possessions, our parents, our siblings, our children, our country, anything with which we might associate.

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don't seek for everything to happen as you wish it would but rather wish that everything happens as it actually will and then your life will flow well

to be truly educated means this learning to wish that each thing happens exactly as it does.

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Keep in mind that it isn't the one who has it in for you and takes a swipe that harms you. But rather, the harm comes from your own belief about the abuse.

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Even the title of Epictetus's In Corridion shows this, as A.A. Long writes in his recent translation of Epictetus for the Princeton University Press, in its earliest usage in Corridion refers to a hand knife or a dagger.

Arian may have wished to suggest that connotation of the works defensive or protective function.

It fits his admonition to the beginning and the end of the text to keep Epictetus's message to hand.

And that really tells you something about this philosophy, doesn't it? That it's not just a book, it's not just handy. It's designed to become almost an extension of ourselves to protect and serve us in each day's task.

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Epictetus's handbook, The Incaridian, begins with the most powerful exercise in all of stoicism, the distinction between things that are up to us in our control and the things that are not up to us.

It is this, the dichotomy of control that is the first principle in the entire philosophy.

Inchoridian 1-1 he riffs on what is and isn't in our control. It says some things are in our control while others are not we control our opinion or choice or desire or our versions in a word everything of our own doing.

And then 1-22 he says we control our reasons, choice and all acts that depend on moral will. What's not under control are our body and any of its parts, our possessions, our parents, our siblings, our children, our country, everything with which we might associate.

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He says every day and night keep thoughts like these at hand, write them, read them aloud, talk to yourself and others about them

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Epictetus offered a powerful tool in his handbook the In Coridion which the Stoics use as an exercise in decision making about difficult events everything Epictetus says it's two interpretations or handles by which it can be grabbed one that will make it harder one that will make it easier

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we all have to um die but do we have to die bawling

It hit me like a shot to the heart.

It's a lovely piece and I've been a fan of Scott Thompson forever.

He ordered the Enchiridion, Epictetus's still-relevant book advice manual, and when it arrived, he made a cup of tea, sat down with his two cats, Rusty and Dusty, and began to read.

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To sainth Levantur the leader of the Haitian revolution studied Epictetus as he rose against Napoleon.

As Epictetus says, every day and night we keep thoughts like this at hand, write them, read them aloud and talk to yourself others about them.

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as Epictetus says every day and night we keep thoughts like this at hand write them read them aloud and talk to yourself and others about them.

Epictetus reminds us that we need to pay attention to what matters and learn how to ignore so many of the relentless provocations that come our way and here we have epictetus telling us keep constant guard over your perceptions for it is no small thing you are protecting but your respect trustworthiness and steadiness peace of mind freedom from pain and fear in a word your freedom for what would you sell these things

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he is a a philosopher of the school stoicism you know he was slave and he wrote this book called the interidian or the manual and I forget which translation he had um I think it's one it's a newer one by a woman um share in the bell

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Epic Titus offered a powerful tool in his handbook, The Incaridian, which the Stoics use as an exercise in decision-making about difficult events.

Every event has two handles. He says one by which it can be carried and one by which it can't. If your brother does you wrong, don't grab it by its wrongdoing because this is the handle incapable of lifting it. Instead use the other that he is your brother, that you are raised together and then you have hold of the handle that it carries.

No, it is events that give rise to fear when another has power over them or can prevent it, that a person becomes able to inspire fear. How is the fortress destroyed not by iron or fire, but by judgments?

always grab things by their smooth handle.

Are you going to try to say this was done to me? Or are you going to say this is done for me? Are you going to say look at all I've lost? Are you going to say look at all I've gained?

You grab the handle that makes you stronger, the one that gives you agency, not the one that strips you of agency. You grab the one that gives you hope, not the one that strips you of hope. You grab the one that gives you a path forward, not the one that freezes you hopelessly in place.

I knew I would survive and if I did, I would turn this into the very best thing that happened to me.

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do you not know that life is a soldier's service? If you neglect your responsibilities when some severe order is laid upon you, do not understand to what a pitiful state you bring the army.

a podium and a prison is each a place one high in the other low, but in either place your freedom of choice can be maintained if you so wish.

look not for any greater harm than this destroying the trustworthy self-respecting well behaved man within you.