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Were I a nightingale, I would act the part of a nightingale were I a swan, the part of a swan.

Epictetus

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Epictetus
Philosopher
Epictetus of Hierapolis
Swan
Nightingales
Swans
Part
Would
Nightingale

More quotes by Epictetus

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If you would cure anger, do not feed it. Say to yourself: 'I used to be angry every day then every other day now only every third or fourth day.' When you reach thirty days offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the gods.
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Never call yourself a philosopher, nor talk a great deal among the unlearned about theorems, but act conformably to them. Thus, at an entertainment, don't talk how persons ought to eat, but eat as you ought. For remember that in this manner Socrates also universally avoided all ostentation.
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-….when things seem to have reached that stage, merely say “I won’t play any longer”, and take your departure but if you stay, stop lamenting.
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If you wish to be good, first believe that you are bad.
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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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It is a mark of a mean capacity to spend much time on the things which concern the body, such as much exercise, much eating, much drinking, much easing of the body, much copulation. But these things should be done as subordinate things: and let all your care be directed to the mind.
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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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If we are not stupid or insincere when we say that the good or ill of man lies within his own will, and that all beside is nothing to us, why are we still troubled?
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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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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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Pain or pleasure? I say pleasure.
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Covetousness like jealousy, when it has taken root, never leaves a person, but with their life. Cowardice is the dread of what will happen.
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If thou rememberest that God standeth by to behold and visit all that thou doest whether in the body or in the soul, thou surely wilt not err in any prayer or deed and thou shalt have God to dwell with thee.
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If you do not wish to be prone to anger, do not feed the habit give it nothing which may tend to its increase.
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Envy is the antagonist of the fortunate.
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What is learned without pleasure is forgotten without remorse.
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Progress is not achieved by luck or accident, but by working on yourself daily.
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It is not the events but our viewpoint toward events that is the determining factor. We ought to be more concerned about removing wrong thoughts from the mind than removing tumors and abscesses from the body.
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If you would improve, submit to be considered wihout sense and foolish with respect to externals. Wish to be considered to know nothing and if you shall seem to someone to be a person of importance, distrust yourself.
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The appearance of things to the mind is the standard of every action to man.
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