Epictetus Works (Discourses, Enchiridion, Fragments)

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When the Emperor Domitian Domitian was a Roman Emperor who reigned from 81 to 96 AD; his reign was marked by increasing authoritarianism, including the expulsion of philosophers whom he viewed as political critics. banished the philosophers from Rome, Epictetus retired to Nicopolis, a city of Epirus Epirus is a region in northwestern Greece; Nicopolis was founded by Augustus to commemorate his victory at the Battle of Actium., where he taught as before. He still lived in the same frugal way. His only companions were a young child, whom he adopted in the later years of his life because its parents had abandoned it, and a woman whom he employed as its nurse. He suffered from extreme lameness and, according to his contemporary Aulus Gellius, composed a couplet to proclaim his gratitude to the Gods despite these misfortunes:

“Epictetus, a slave, maimed in body, an Irus Irus was a famous beggar in Homer’s Odyssey; his name became a common term for someone living in extreme poverty. in poverty, and favored by the Immortals.”*

After Hadrian became Emperor (117 AD), Epictetus was treated with favor, but he probably did not return to Rome. In these later years of his life, his discourses were written down by his disciple Arrian Arrian of Nicomedia (c. 86–160 AD) was a historian and philosopher who preserved Epictetus's teachings in the Discourses and the Enchiridion (Manual)., a man of the highest character both as a philosopher and as an historian. Only four of the original eight books remain. The date of Epictetus’s death is entirely unknown.

Marcus Aurelius The Roman Emperor and Stoic author of the Meditations. ranked this philosopher with Socrates, and Origen thought that his writings had done more good than those of Plato. In modern times, Niebuhr Barthold Georg Niebuhr (1776–1831) was a highly influential German historian of Rome. has said of him:

“Epictetus’s greatness cannot be questioned, and it is impossible for any person of sound mind not to be charmed by his works.”

I am acquainted with no book more replete with high—

• Aulus Gellius, Attic Nights original: Noctes Atticæ, Book II, chapter 18. Salmasius Claude Saumaise (1588–1653) was a French classical scholar., however, doubts the genuineness of this passage (Commentary original: Com., 1640 edition, page 3). The same epigram has been attributed to Leonidas of Tarentum.