The Enchiridion

Epictetus

This a distillation of Epictetus’ teachings, as recorded by Arrian who attended Epictetus’ school in the stoic philosopher’s later years - probably around 125 AD. Arrian recorded all of Epictetus’ lectures, and those are available in Discourses in Four Books. The Enchiridion has 51 passages - nuggets of stoic thinking.

This book is short and sweet. 51 quick arguments / rules / facts. I decided to create titles for each of the passages as shorthand for my own quick recall. I’ll list those.

1. Understand what’s in your ability to influence or control
2. Restrict desires and aversions only to what is internal
3. You can bear the loss of any “favorite”
4. Shit happens - know what you’re getting into
5. Does he blame others for his problems? Himself? 
6. My handsome horse is not excellence of my own
7. Death will call (you can’t take it with you)
8. Amor Fati
9. No sickness, lameness, or incident can impede your will
10. Upon every accident, look inside for what faculty you have for its use
11. Easy come, easy go. Nothing is yours that is external. Wife and kids included.
12. People suck and things break - let it go. That’s the price for peace and tranquility
13. If you would improve, be content to be thought foolish and dull with regard to externals.
14. A man’s master is he who is able to confer or remove whatever that man seeks or shuns
15. Be patient waiting for children, wife, office, and riches.
16. Do not be overwhelmed by the grief of others, but be an empathetic friend
17. Play the hand you’re dealt as best you can
18. Don’t be superstitious. Whatsoever happens, it belongs to me to derive advantage therefrom.
19. Don’t envy things outside our own power. Desire to be free.
20. Appearances - it’s your own opinion which provokes and insults you. Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me
21. Memento mori
22. Steady resolve for the course you’ve decided is best. Others will ridicule you until they admire you.
23. Do it for you. Don’t turn your attention to externals for the pleasure of anyone. Be content with being a philosopher.
24. Character over wealth and power. Pursue these without sacrificing your fidelity and honor.
25. If it’s a good thing you want, pay a fair price to obtain it. Don’t expect something for nothing.
26. Take an outsider’s perspective to your own struggles.
27. Evil is not of Nature.
28. Don’t donate your mind to haters. They provoke you and you waste your most valuable resource of time stewing. “The jerk store, called. They’re running out of you!”
29. It takes what it takes. Know what you’re signing up for.
30. Be dutiful, even in relationships where your counterpart isn’t.
31. Accept what comes, and don’t find fault in gods or accuse them of neglecting you. The only things good or evil are internal.
32. Attitude toward oracles. Events are indifferent and nothing to you. Make use of any event preordained or not.
33. How to converse, abstain, and get along with others:
1. Speak merely what is needful, tending toward topics worthy of discussion:
1. The ignorant speak about people
2. The learned speak about events
3. The wise speak about ideas
2. Avoid oaths
3. Don’t laugh too loudly, frequently, or abundantly
4. Avoid vulgar entertainments
5. Take only what you need. Avoid flashy and luxurious things.
6. Abstain from premarital sex, but don’t judge.
7. If anyone speaks ill of you, answer that they’re ignorant of all your other faults, to only mention these.
8. Don’t cheer or deride violently, and be dazzled by a spectacle. May the best man win.
9. Don’t be too eager for private gatherings. If you attend, preserve your gravity and dignity, and avoid being disagreeable.
10. Don’t speak excessively about your actions and dangers. Avoid vulgarity and approaches to indecent discourse.
34. If you’re excited by the thought of a pleasure, think about how you’ll feel the next day. Will you repent? Would you applaud your prior abstinence?
35. If you decided to do a thing after thoughtful consideration, follow through on it, even though the world misunderstands it
36. Don’t pig out. Remember the value of proper courtesy to your host.
37. Character bluff - virtue signal. You demean yourself and quit one which you might have supported.
38. Take care not to hurt the ruling faculty of your mind.
39. Don’t be greedy. There will be no bound
40. Teach your daughters self respect. To value internal character and demeanor rather than perceiving that they are only as qualified as to give men pleasure.
41. Mouth breathers fixate too much on things relating to the body (muscle, fat, sex, poop). Apply yourself to reason.
42. “Well, are you?” - if somebody speaks ill of you, remember that it seemed so to him.
43. Always take things by the smooth handle
44. You aren’t your wealth or style
45. Only God can judge - you don’t know their life
46. Avoid ostentation. Don’t talk about it to impress. Be about it.
47. When you learn to live simply, don’t flaunt the fact. Consider the poor. Tell nobody of your ability
48. The condition and characteristic of a vulgar person is that he never looks for either help or harm from himself, but only from externals. The condition and characteristic of a philosopher is that he looks to himself for all help or harm.
49. Don’t value your ability to interpret philosophic writing. Value understanding of the underlying principle which inspired the philosopher to write, and live the values in real life.
50. Respect your own Reason’s authority in your life. Whatever rules you have adopted, abide by them as laws.
51. Back to first principles.