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- Herausgeber: SK Digital Classics
- Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
- Sprache: Englisch
In this essential guide to the Stoic philosophy, Epictetus, who rose from enslavement to become one of antiquity's greatest teachers, reveals the path to inner freedom through self-discipline and acceptance. His Stoic wisdom shows how to find serenity by distinguishing between what we can and cannot control, mastering our emotions even in life's harshest moments. Drawing from Stoic principles, Epictetus' "Manual" offers practical strategies for developing resilience and maintaining unwavering tranquility in an uncertain world - teachings that illuminate the path through life's daily challenges.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025
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Epictetus
The Manual
New Translation of the “Enchiridion” for Contemporary Readers
Copyright © 2025 by Novelaris Publishing
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.
ISBN: 978-3-68931-209-1
Contents
FIRST PART
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
SECOND PART
1 What we command and what we do not command
2 Desire and avoidance
3 Consider the true nature of things
4 Avoid anger, keep your composure
5 Things and opinions about them are not the same thing
6 False and true pride
7 The call of the helmsman
8 Not my will
9 No obstacle for you
10 counterforces within you
11 There is no loss
12 Equanimity has its price
13 Either -- or
14 Wrong and right intentions
15 Wait your turn
16 Compassion, but with reservations
17 Life is a spectacle
18 About signs
19 The path to freedom
20 Insults don't affect you
21 Meditatio mortis
22 Defy the mockery
23 Stay true to your maxim
24 Helping yes, but not at any price
25 Honors have their price
26 Forbearance -- even when it hits you
27 Of evil
28 Don't hand yourself over to anyone else
29 Consider the prerequisites and consequences
30 Always do your duty
31 Piety
32 Do not abuse the oracle
33 Important rules of life
34 The challenge of sensual pleasure
35 Do right and fear no one
36 Exercise restraint
37 Don't overextend yourself
38 Beware of emotional damage
39 Tame your expectations
40 The honor of women
41 Body and mind
42 Who insults harm
43 Every thing has two handles
44 False conclusions
45 Do not make hasty judgments
46 Acting instead of talking
47 Don't imagine anything
48 Characteristics of a progressive
49 Theory and practice
50 From loyalty to philosophy
51 Decide now
52 The most important thing: the practice
53 Key sentences
Cover
Table of Contents
Text
FIRST PART
1
Some things are within our power, others are not. In our power are judgment, aspiration, desire and aversion, in a word, everything that is the product of our will. Not in our power are our body, possessions, honor, office, and everything that is not our work. What is in our power is by its nature free, cannot be forbidden or prevented; but what is not in our power is servile, can be denied, belongs to another.
Therefore, remember that you will be hindered, grieved and troubled, and even accuse gods and men, if you regard what is naturally yours as free and what is foreign as your own. If, on the other hand, you regard as your own only that which is truly your own, and consider that which is foreign as foreign, no one will ever force or hinder you; you will accuse or insult no one, and will not do the least thing with reluctance; no one can harm you; you will have no enemy, and nothing that could be detrimental to you will come your way.
If, however, you want to strive for such great things, remember that you must not merely strive for them with mediocre earnestness, but must give up some things altogether and put others aside for the time being. If you strive for these things, but at the same time wish to hold high office or be rich, you will probably attain these latter goods all the less because you desire the former at the same time. But you will certainly miss completely that from which alone happiness and freedom arise.
Therefore, endeavor to meet every unpleasant thought by saying: “You are not what you appear to be (something real), but merely a thought thing (an imagination).” Then examine according to the basic rules you have adopted, especially according to the first, whether it belongs to the things within our power or not. If it is not within our power, have this word ready: “It does not touch me.”
2
Realize that desire promises the attainment of that which is desired, but aversion does not want to fall into that which is detested, and that he who is deceived by his desire is unhappy, but he who falls into that which he dislikes is even more unhappy.
If you detest only that which is contrary to the things that are in your power, then nothing that you should detest will come your way. But if you detest sickness, or death, or poverty, you will be unhappy. Therefore do not allow yourself to be averse to anything that is not in our power, and only allow yourself to be averse to that which is contrary to the nature of the things in our power.
But abstain entirely from desire for the time being. For if you desire something that is not in our power, you must necessarily miss happiness; but for the time being you know nothing of what is in our power and what is proper to desire. With all desire and loathing, turn away and towards it gently and calmly.
3
With all things that are pleasant, useful and therefore beloved by you, never fail to make clear to yourself what they are like, starting with the smallest goods. If you see a jug, say to yourself that you see a jug; then you will not be troubled when it breaks. If you embrace your child or wife, tell yourself that you are kissing a person, so you will not be left alone when he dies.
4
When you begin any work, consider carefully what kind of work it is. If you want to take a bath, first consider for yourself what tends to happen in the bath, that some push themselves out, others rush in impetuously, some swear, others steal. Therefore you will undertake the matter with greater safety if you say to yourself from the outset: “I will bathe and thereby maintain my rational decisions.”
Proceed in this way with every work. Then, if something obstructive happens while you are bathing, you will immediately have the thought at hand: “I didn’t just want this (bathing, for example), I also wanted to preserve my free will and character. But I would not assert it if I wanted to be displeased about what is going on here.”
5
It is not the things themselves but the opinions about them that worry people. Thus death in and of itself is nothing terrible, otherwise it would have seemed so to Socrates; rather, it is the preconceived opinion of it, that it is something terrible, that is the terrible thing. Therefore, when we are hindered, troubled or distressed by something, we never want to accuse others, but ourselves, namely our opinion of it. To accuse others of their misfortunes is the way of the uneducated; to accuse ourselves, that of beginners, nor ourselves, that of the educated and fully trained.
6
Do not be proud of an advantage that is not your own. If a horse were to say in proud self-exaltation: “I am beautiful”, this would be bearable; but if you say with pride: “I have a beautiful horse”, you are proud of the horse’s merit. What belongs to you? The way of thinking. You will then be justly proud if you act rightly in it, for then you are proud of a good quality that really belongs to you.
7
If you are on a sea voyage, when the ship is temporarily anchored in a harbor and you get out to fetch water, you may also pick up a muesli or an onion on the way, but you must always have your thoughts focused on the ship and constantly look back, if the helmsman is not calling, and if he calls, you must leave everything so as not to be tied up like sheep (like a disobedient or runaway slave) and thrown into the ship; But when the helmsman calls, hurry to the ship, leave everything, look around for nothing.
