Epictetus (c. 50–135CE) was a Greek stoic philosopher. Robin Waterfield is an independent scholar and translator living in southern Greece. In addition to thirty volumes of translations of works of Greek literature, he is the author of numerous books, ranging from children’s fiction to Greek history, most recently The Making of a King, also published by the University of Chicago Press.

"In this volume, Waterfield provides a translation of the extant works of Epictetus, an accessible introduction, and helpful historical, scholarly notes. . . . Waterfield provides essential philosophical ideas (for example, one should focus on what is in one's full control and let go of what is not), a condensed list of Stoic exercises, and specific references to Epictetus's works. . . . Recommended."

• PrefaceNote on the TranslationIntroductionHandbookDiscoursesPreface1.1: What is and is not up to us1.2: How to preserve conformity with one’s role in every situation1.3: How one may proceed from the fact that God is the father of humankind to its consequences1.4: On progress1.5: Against the Academics1.6: On providence1.7: On the use of changing arguments, hypothetical arguments, and the like1.8: That our faculties are not without danger for uneducated people1.9: How one may proceed from the fact of our kinship with God to its consequences1.10: To those who are intent on advancement at Rome1.11: On family affection1.12: On contentment1.13: How to do whatever we do in a way that pleases the gods1.14: That the Deity watches over us all1.15: The prospect held out by philosophy1.16: On providence1.17: On the indispensability of logic1.18: That one should not get angry with people for their mistakes1.19: The proper attitude to have toward tyrants1.20: On reason and its ability to examine itself1.21: To those who want to be admired1.22: On preconceptions1.23: Against Epicurus1.24: How to combat difficult circumstances1.25: The same topic1.26: What is the law of life?1.27: How many ways are there for impressions to arise, and what resources should we have ensured that we have at hand to help us with them?1.28: That we ought not to get angry with people, and what is trivial or important in human life1.29: On self-possession1.30: What we should have at hand in difficult circumstances2.1: That confidence and caution are not incompatible2.2: On tranquility2.3: To those who recommend people to philosophers2.4: To a man who had once been caught in adultery2.5: How are greatness of mind and carefulness compatible?2.6: On indifference2.7: The correct way to go about divination2.8: The essence of goodness2.9: That despite our inability to fulfill our potential as human beings, we assume the mantle of philosophy as well2.10: How the names that a person bears reveal what behavior is appropriate for him2.11: The starting point of philosophy2.12: On argument2.13: On anxiety2.14: To Naso2.15: To those who cling obstinately to certain of their decisions2.16: That in practice we fail to apply our judgments about what is good and bad2.17: How to apply preconceptions to particular cases2.18: How to combat impressions2.19: To those who take up philosophy just to enhance their conversation2.20: Against the Epicureans and Academics2.21: On inconsistency2.22: On friendship2.23: On rhetoric2.24: To someone who Epictetus thought did not have what it takes2.25: On the indispensability of logic2.26: What is it that makes a mistake a mistake?3.1: On personal adornment3.2: The training a person needs if he is to progress, and that we neglect what is most important3.3: What the material is that a good person works with, and what the primary orientation of one’s training should be3.4: To someone who expressed immoderate support in the theater3.5: To those who quit school because of illness3.6: A miscellany3.7: To the Corrector responsible for the free Greek cities, who was an Epicurean3.8: How we should train ourselves to deal with impressions3.9: To an orator who was on his way to Rome for a lawsuit3.10: How to bear illness3.11: A miscellany3.12: On training3.13: What loneliness is and the kind of person who is lonely3.14: A miscellany3.15: That we should approach everything with circumspection3.16: That venturing into company requires caution3.17: On providence3.18: That there is no need for news to worry us3.19: How a non-philosopher’s stance differs from that of a philosopher3.20: That it is possible to turn every external circumstance to good account3.21: To people who too readily set out to become lecturers3.22: On Cynicism3.23: To those who give readings and lectures just to be admired3.24: On the necessity of not being attached to things that are not up to us3.25: To those who fail to see their projects through to completion3.26: To those who fear destitution4.1: On freedom4.2: On social intercourse4.3: What should be exchanged for what4.4: To those who are intent on living a quiet life4.5: Against those who are pugnacious and fierce4.6: To those who find the pity of others distressful4.7: On freedom from fear4.8: To those who rush to assume the guise of philosophers4.9: To someone who had lapsed into shamelessness4.10: What we should treat as unimportant and what should matter to us4.11: On cleanliness4.12: On paying attention4.13: On those who too readily share personal informationFragmentsNotesTextual NotesRecommended ReadingIndex