Enchiridion

Sometimes comes off as harsh and I think best followed in combination with something else that accommodates pleasure and happiness (e.g epicurus), but the strength of foundation of Epictetus stoic guide to life is the most practical important tool to live well and do the right thing in the face of so so many misleading external distractions.

I got the book at a nice price. Worth it.

A pocket -sized paperback, small enough to fit in your bag wherever you go . I take mine to the beach, and dip into it while sunbathing in between swims !

One of the greats as far as practical philosophy goes...

It's ok for what it is. Definitely some good ideas to distill.

A timeless classic

amazing.

Very poor and confusing translation; "In everything which pleases the soul, or supplies a want, or is loved, remember to add this to the (description, notion): What is the nature of each thing, beginning from the smallest?" Also Chapter 51 has been smashed into chapter 50 I assume to save paper (Saving paper isn't a bad thing do it was done poorly).

If you believe that human nature is constantly evolving -- that the spark of what makes someone a human being today animates different passions, energies, and predispositions than what formed people living in previous ages, then the words of Epictetus will mean nothing to you. But that would be to your immense loss. The Stoic philosopher taught just a few decades after the life of Christ, and we are fortunate that one of his students recorded the essence of some of his lessons in the Enchiridion. While it is a short collection -- easily read in little more than an hour -- its simple, practical advice makes an awful lot of sense entirely untethered to the time of its writing. Epictetus certainly had no idea he was speaking to a culture saturated with reality television and social media when he wrote, "If a person had delivered up your body to some passer-by, you would certainly be angry. And do you feel no shame in delivering up your own mind to any reviler, to be disconcerted and confounded?" Yet that advice, like so much else in the Enchiridion, is just as sensible today as it was two millennia ago. For anyone whose knowledge of Stoicism is no deeper than a paragraph in a history textbook, reading this book is a worthwhile investment of merely a few minutes.

This short book is fundamental reading along with meditations for those attempting to understand Stoicism. A short book that provides paragraphs designed to urge philosophical thoughts about them to truly understand the value.

Written in unnecessarily flowery and sometimes difficult to follow language, but it's not too bad. The nuggets of wisdom are still accessible with a little effort.

Stoicism as a philosophical system seems to be gaining popularity, and I am beginning to understand why. We live in an era where we get more and more information from social media, and in order for these mediums to work, they have to be emotionally engaging. As a result, they very often favour the most extreme and polarising viewpoints, meaning that you can quite literally have a never-ending stream of infuriating information available 24/7. Naturally, most of it doesn’t involve you directly, but it is tailor made to make you feel involved. Sadness, fear, anger, all of these things are being played up. Stoicism, and perhaps particularly Epictetus, is a cure for this. Unlike what its critics say, Stoicism isn’t about neglecting the world and trying to withdraw from it, but rather to teach you how to deal with it. By controlling how you react to information or events, you can calmly sort through the things that affect you and the things that do not, and you will quickly find yourself with a greater peace of mind and a more constructive outlook. I highly recommend this book, but be aware that is anything but easy to read.

It’s quite amazing to read words written so long ago that are so relevant for today. The word “enchiridion” means manual, or handbook in Greek. This is like a human being user manual to psychologically succeed in life. Out of the big three (Marcus, Seneca, and Epictetus) Epictetus definitely gives you the short, succinct guides to different problems life presents. A must have classic of ancient literature and self-help.