Interpretation
What this Epictetus quote asks you to notice
The operative phrase is “is in our power and take the rest as.” Read this as a claim about response under pressure, not as a promise that hardship is harmless or fully controllable. Ask which part concerns action, which part concerns judgment, and what the line might overlook in another person’s circumstances.
This page does not treat one sentence as a complete account of Epictetus’s philosophy. It uses the quote as a reading prompt: identify the claim, test its limits, and follow the source before applying it as advice.
Source Lens
Follow the attribution, not just the image.
- Author
- Epictetus
- Catalog source
- Discourses, Book 4
- Record
674336f2f44700430b574bd3- Reading status
- The catalog gives a named work and a more specific book, part, letter, or section label. That is a stronger starting point, but wording can still vary by translation and edition.
Attribution note: Philosophia’s public record supplies the wording, author, and source label. It does not specify an edition or translator. Before academic use or republication, verify the line in a complete edition and cite that edition directly.
About Epictetus
Epictetus (c. 50-135 CE) was a Greek Stoic philosopher whose teachings have profoundly influenced philosophical and religious thought through the centuries. Born into slavery in Hierapolis, Phrygia (modern-day Pamukkale, Turkey), his life story represents one of the most remarkable journeys in philosophical history - from enslaved person to one of the most influential philosophers of all time. His name "Epictetus" itself means "acquired" in Greek, highlighting his initial status as property rather than a person. As…
A three-step reflection
- Name the event without adding an interpretation.
- Separate the response you can choose from conditions you cannot command.
- Choose one proportionate action that preserves both courage and care.
Return to the exact wording after answering. If your conclusion could have been reached without reading the quote, look again for a distinction or assumption you missed.
Use this quote in Philosophia
Find Epictetus in the app, save the line to a Resilience and adversity collection, and keep the source visible when you revisit it.
Use a widget or notification as the reminder, then open the app when the sentence deserves more than a glance. Compare it with another quote from the same thinker or school before deciding what it means for your day.