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He is free who lives as he wishes to live who is neither subject to compulsion nor to hindrance, nor to force whose movements to action are not impeded, whose desires attain their purpose, and who does not fall into that which he would avoid.

Epictetus

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Epictetus
Philosopher
Epictetus of Hierapolis
Desire
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Pleasure, like a kind of bait, is thrown before everything which is really bad, and easily allures greedy souls to the hook of perdition.
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It takes more than just a good looking body. You've got to have the heart and soul to go with it.
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Neither should a ship rely on one small anchor, nor should life rest on a single hope.
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With ills unending strives the putter off.
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Wish that everything should come about just as it does.
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We must be afraid of neither poverty nor exile nor imprisonment of fear itself only should we be afraid.
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It is difficulties that show what men are. For the future, in case of any difficulty, remember that God, like a gymnastic trainer, has pitted you against a rough antagonist. For what end? That you may be an Olympic conqueror and this cannot be without toil.
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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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There is only one thing for which God has sent me into the world, and that is to develop every kind of virtue or strength, and there is nothing in all the world that I cannot use for this purpose.
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Try not to react merely in the moment. Pull back from the situation. Take a wider view. Compose yourself.
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Never depend on the admiration of others for self-satisfaction. It is a fact of life that other people, even people who love you, will not necessarily agree with your ideas, understand you always, or share your enthusiasms.
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We all dread a bodily paralysis, and would make use of every contrivance to avoid it but none of us is troubled about a paralysis of the soul.
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As it is pleasant to see the sea from the land, so it is pleasant for him who has escaped from troubles to think of them.
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Our duties naturally emerge form such fundamental relations as our families, neighborhoods, workplaces, our state or nation. Make it your regular habit to consider your roles-parent, child, neighbor, citizen, leader-and the natural duties that arise from them. Once you know who you are and to whom you are linked, you will know what to do.
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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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Shall I show you the sinews of a philosopher? What sinews are those? - A will undisappointed evils avoided powers daily exercised careful resolutions unerring decisions.
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And have you not received faculties which will enable you to bear all that happens to you? Have you not received greatness of spirit? Have you not received courage? Have you not received endurance?
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The universe is but one great city, full of beloved ones, divine and human, by nature endeared to each other.
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Seek not the good in external thingsseek it in yourselves.
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By accepting life's limits and inevitabilities and working with them rather than fighting them, we become free.
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