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Appearances to the mind are of four kinds. Things either are what they appear to be or they neither are, nor appear to be or they are, and do not appear to be or they are not, and yet appear to be. Rightly to aim in all these cases is the wise man's task.

Epictetus

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Epictetus
Philosopher
Epictetus of Hierapolis
Things
Kinds
Men
Neither
Appearances
Cases
Rightly
Wise
Aim
Either
Task
Four
Appear
Kind
Appearance
Mind
Tasks

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Freedom and happiness are won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.
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Some things are up to us [eph' hêmin] and some things are not up to us. Our opinions are up to us, and our impulses, desires, aversions–in short, whatever is our own doing. Our bodies are not up to us, nor are our possessions, our reputations, or our public offices, or, that is, whatever is not our own doing.
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You ought to choose both physician and friend, not the most agreeable, but the most useful.
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A soul that makes virtue its companion is like an over-flowing well, for it is clean and pellucid, sweet and wholesome, open to all, rich, blameless and indestructible.
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If you wish to be a writer, write.
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We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.
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The soul's impurity consists in bad judgements, and purification consists in producing in it right judgements, and the pure soul is one which has right judgements, for this alone is proof against confusion and pollution in its functions.
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When our friends are present we ought to treat them well and when they are absent, to speak of them well.
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If a man is unhappy, remember that his unhappiness is his own fault, for God made all men to be happy.
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It is not things in themselves which trouble us, but our opinions of things.
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Reason is not measured by size or height, but by principle.
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Give me by all means the shorter and nobler life, instead of one that is longer but of less account!
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Dare to look up to God and say, Deal with me in the future as Thou wilt I am of the same mind as Thou art I am Thine I refuse nothing that pleases Thee lead me where Thou wilt clothe me in any dress Thou choosest.
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Practice yourself, for heaven's sake, in little things, and thence proceed to greater.
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Be free from grief not through insensibility like the irrational animals, nor through want of thought like the foolish, but like a man of virtue by having reason as the consolation of grief.
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Contentment, as it is a short road and pleasant, has great delight and little trouble.
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When you have decided that a thing ought to be done and are doing it, never avoid bein seen doing it, though many shall form an unfavorable opinion about it. For if it is not right to do it, avoid doing the thing but if it is right, why are you afraid of those who shall find fault wrongly?
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Let thy speech of God be renewed day by day, aye, rather than thy meat and drink.
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It is the nature of the wise to resist pleasures, but the foolish to be a slave to them.
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You become what you give your attention to...If you yourself don't choose what thoughts and images you expose yourself to, someone else will, and their motives may not be the highest.
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