Quotes from Ancient Times

Epictetus (55 AD - 135 AD), Stoic Philosopher

All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.

The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it.

To accuse others for one's own misfortunes is a sign of want of education. To accuse oneself shows that one's education has begun.

To accuse neither oneself nor others shows that one's education is complete.

One that desires to excel should endeavor in those things that are in themselves most excellent.

Difficulties show men what they are. In case of any difficulty, God has pitted you against a rough antagonist that you may be a conqueror, and this cannot be without toil.

There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.

Whoever does not regard what he has as most ample wealth, is unhappy, though he be master of the world.

Neither should a ship rely on one small anchor, nor should life rest on a single hope. 

Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.

It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows.

Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.

Liars are the cause of all the sins and crimes in the world.

A ship should not ride on a single anchor, nor life on a single hope.

You are a little soul carrying around a corpse.

Nature gave us one tongue and two ears so we could hear twice as much as we speak.

Practice yourself, for heaven's sake in little things, and then proceed to greater.

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.

He is a drunkard who takes more than three glasses though he be not drunk.

It is the nature of the wise to resist pleasures, but the foolish to be a slave to them.

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.

The soul's impurity consists in bad judgments, and purification consists in producing in it right judgments, and the pure soul is one which has right judgments.

First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak.

A man that seeks truth and loves it must be reckoned precious to any human society.

The people have a right to the truth as they have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

A wise man is he who does not grieve for the thing which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.

He who exercises wisdom exercises the knowledge which is about God.

If you wish to be a writer; write!

Be careful to leave your sons well instructed rather than rich, for the hopes of the instructed are better than the wealth of the ignorant.

All philosophy lies in two words: Sustain and Abstain.

Common and vulgar people ascribe all ills that they feel to others; people of little wisdom ascribe to themselves; people of much wisdom, to no one.

To accuse others for one's own misfortunes is a sign of want of education. To accuse oneself shows that one's education has begun.

To accuse neither oneself nor others shows that one's education is complete.

The two powers which in my opinion constitute a wise man are those of bearing and forbearing.

People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them.

Covetousness like jealousy, when it has taken root, never leaves a person, but with their life. Cowardice is the dread of what will happen.

No greater thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.

It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.

Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them.

It is your own convictions which compels you; that is, choice compels choice.

Men are disturbed not by things that happen, but by their opinion of the things that happen.

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