Epictetus

Epictetus was a Greek Stoic philosopher whose surviving teachings emphasize freedom through distinguishing one’s own judgments and choices from external events.

Stoicism: An ancient Greek and Roman philosophy that treats virtue as the highest good and emphasizes rational living in accord with nature. Epictetus taught a practical Roman-era form of this wider philosophical tradition.
Assent: In Stoic psychology, the act of accepting an impression as true or worthy of response. Withholding assent gives his students a practical pause between appearance and action.
Hierapolis: An ancient city in Phrygia, in present-day Turkey, known for its thermal springs and Roman-era history. Epictetus was born there before being taken to Rome.
Discourses of Epictetus: A collection of reports by Arrian preserving conversations and lessons attributed to Epictetus. These books offer the fullest surviving record of his teaching style and arguments.
Marcus Aurelius: A Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher whose private reflections survive as the work known as Meditations. His writings carry forward a practical Stoic discipline closely associated with Epictetus’s teaching.
Dichotomy of control: A Stoic distinction between what depends on one’s agency and what does not. This distinction organizes Epictetus’s account of freedom and responsibility.
Stoic passions: In Stoic ethics, destructive emotions understood as excessive impulses arising from mistaken judgments. Epictetus treats correcting judgments as a way to loosen the grip of distressing passions.
Musonius Rufus: A Roman Stoic philosopher of the first century CE, known for teaching practical ethics and self-discipline. He taught Epictetus in Rome and shaped his philosophical formation.
Enchiridion of Epictetus: A concise handbook of Stoic advice compiled by Arrian from Epictetus’s teachings. Its opening distinction between what is and is not up to us condenses his practical approach.
Modern Stoicism: A contemporary revival and reinterpretation of ancient Stoic philosophy for modern life. Epictetus’s focus on judgment and agency is a frequent foundation for modern practice.

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ChrysippusRelated: His practical Stoicism belongs to the school shaped by Chrysippus’s systematic work.