The moral discourses of epictetus

Informal lectures by Stoic philosopher Epictetus

The Discourses of Epictetus (Greek: Ἐπικτήτου διατριβαί, Epiktētou diatribai) are a series of informal lectures by the Stoic philosopher Epictetus written down by his pupil Arrian around 108 AD.

Four books out of an original eight are still extant. The philosophy of Epictetus is intensely practical. He directs his students to focus attention on their opinions, anxieties, passions, and desires, so that "they may never fail to get what they desire, nor fall into what they avoid."

The Discourses have been influential since they were written.

The moral discourses of epictetus

They are referred to and quoted by Marcus Aurelius. Since the 16th century, they have been translated into multiple languages and reprinted many times.

Title and dating

The books did not have a formal title in ancient times.

Although Simplicius called them Diatribai (Διατριβαί, Discourses),^[1] other writers gave them titles such as Dialexis (Δι