Here is the text for "The Enchiridion" by Epictetus:
The Enchiridion (meaning "the handbook" in Greek) is a short manual of Stoic philosophical advice written by Epictetus, a Greek slave and later philosopher who lived in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. The work is a collection of aphorisms and essays that offer guidance on how to live a virtuous and happy life, focusing on the development of self-discipline, resilience, and moral character. Below is a selection of key passages from the Enchiridion:
1. Chapter 1: On Freedom
"Remember that you are an actor in a play, the play is the drama of life, and the director is God. You may think you have a great many needs, but in truth, you have very few. Just remember that the play is not yours, but God's, and that you are only an actor in it."
2. Chapter 2: On Desire
"Take away your complaints and you will have taken away the greater part of your troubles. For it is not the things themselves that trouble us, but the complaints about them."
3. Chapter 4: On Thought and Judgment
"The key to happiness is the mastery of thought. The more we think, the less we feel. The less we think, the more we feel."
4. Chapter 6: On Friendship
"Friends should be selected for their good character and not for their wealth or status. For true friendship is not based on what a man has, but on what he is."
5. Chapter 9: On Death
"Remember that you must die. Hold this thought in your mind and you will never fall into the trap of the past or the future. The past is gone, the future is uncertain. The only thing that exists is the present moment."
6. Chapter 13: On Anger
"Do not allow yourself to be carried away by anger, for anger is the worst enemy of judgment."
7. Chapter 17: On the Art of Living
"The art of living is not a matter of what you do, but how you do it. The way to live is to live without thinking about it."
8. Chapter 26: On the Limitations of Wealth
"Wealth is not the accumulation of riches, but the accumulation of the ability to enjoy what you have."
9. Chapter 29: On the Nature of God
"Remember that God is everywhere present, and that He is the cause of all things. Do not be surprised at anything, for everything is the work of God."
10. Chapter 31: On the Value of Life
"Do not seek to make life easy, but make life meaningful. For life is not easy, but it is worth living."
These passages provide a glimpse into the wisdom and guidance offered in Epictetus' "Enchiridion." The work remains a powerful and relevant resource for anyone seeking to cultivate a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.
