Golden Sayings of Epictetus: On God

On God

In the sayings below, you will find that Epictetus thought all people were made equal by God. He also indicates that we have great powers and above all reason that god has bestowed upon us and that we must value these above all other things.

I: Long passage in praise of God

IV: On God V: Rufus
VI: Long passage on what man is given by God
IX: Why is adoption by Cæsar more valued than being created by God?
XVI: On the importance of being decedent from God
XX: Despite the great faculties God has given you, you still lament.
XXI: "Socrates ... was fully assured that he was the kinsman of Gods."
XXII: All things will be at once according to your mind and according to the Mind of God.
XXVIII: On peoples differing beliefs concerning God.
XXIX: On accepting what comes as from God
XXXIII: In reason thou art equal to the gods.
XXXIV: On eating with the Gods, and to treat all men as brothers.
XXXV: On appreciating what the Gods have given.
XXXVI: Concerning God's omnipresence.
XXXVII: On allegiance to God and God's companionship.
XLIX: On God, what is in our control and bearing witness.
LI: Only will and reason is in our control and pleasing God.
LIII: On God and his messengers.
LVIII: On seeking God as a guide.
LIX: The nature of God is good therefore: Intelligence, Knowledge and Right Reason.
LX: As thou art a fragment of God, see the good.
LXI: A beautiful long passage on the the strength of the knowledge of God.
LXVI: On God and Philosophers teaching that we must be imitators of God.
LXXVII: "you are fighting for Kingship, for Liberty, for Happiness, for Tranquillity. Remember God: call upon Him to aid thee, like a comrade that stands beside thee in the fight."
CX: Long passage on the Cynic's lack of God.
CXIII: On the Cynic as a messenger from God.
CXV: "Give thyself more diligently to reflection: know thyself: take counsel with the Godhead: without God put thine hand unto nothing!"
CXXII: "If any be unhappy, let him remember that he is unhappy by reason of himself alone. For God hath made all men to enjoy felicity and constancy of good."
CXXIII: On the connectedness of God, Men and Nature.
CXXIV: On God as the Father of all.
CXXVII: “It befits thee not to be unhappy by reason of any, but rather to be happy by reason of all men, and especially by reason of God, who formed us to this end.”
CXXXVII: Long passage on choosing God as one’s companion in life.
CXXXVIII: ” …That what God wills, he should will also; that what God wills not, neither should he will…”
CXXXIX: Long passage on being grateful for what God has given.
CXL: Long passage on being grateful for what God has given and the requirement to contribute to and make better the world.
CXLII: Long passage on being ready to give up all that God has given.
CXLIV: Long passage on having no expectations of the world and being a friend of God.
CXLVII: On happiness coming from the Gods.
CXLVIII: On God’s principles.
CLXIII: On Piety toward the Gods.
CLXXXV: “We shall then be like Socrates, when we can indite hymns of praise to the Gods in prison.”
CLXXXVIII: Long passage on what a man gains through the peace proclaimed by God through reason.

Epictetus image, by Frontispiece drawn by “Sonnem.” (? hard to read, left bottom corner) and engraved by “MB” (bottom right corner). Image scanned by the John Adams Library at the Boston Public Library. Image slightly improved by Aristeas. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

3 Leadership Lessons from Greek Philosopher Epictetus

In March of last year as a leader with the growing responsibilities of family,  a new company and community, I found myself committing to do something and then doing what I knew others would view as a good job. However, I was aware of gaps in the result, and these bothered me. I wanted to always know that I had done the best possible work. That I had closed all actions and finished a task as completely as possible. I sought guidance, I spoke with friends and read articles about religion and philosophy. Though they all helped, I still had not found what I needed. Then I came across Courage Under Fire  by James Stockdale. In this short book Stockdale describes how after studying Epictetus at Stanford, he put those learnings to test during seven years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. Reading this I became more interested in the Stoics and Epictetus's The Enchiridion. You can find it in the Stoic Six Pack. Epictetus was a slave in Rome later freed and after which he began teaching his philosophy. When philosophers were banned from Rome, Epictetus founded a school in Greece. The Enchiridion is the most accessible of Epictetus's writings. I've read most of his work and have tested it out in my own life. As a result of that investigation, I discovered three things that leaders must do to succeed.

#1: Choose the Right Thing

There is something personal about choosing the right thing. What is the right thing for me to do with this moment? I have passion for work, community, relationships (wife, children, parents, co-workers and friends). What is the best thing to do right now? That is not an easy question to answer.

#2: Know What Success Looks Like

In chapter 28 of the Enchiridion there is a discussion on preparation for winning at Olympia;

You must submit to discipline, eat to order, touch no sweets, train under compulsion, at a fixed hour, in heat and cold, drink no cold water, nor wine, except by order; you must hand yourself over completely to your trainer as you would to a physician, and then when the contest comes you must risk getting hacked, and sometimes dislocate your hand, twist your ankle, swallow plenty of sand, sometimes get a flogging, and with all this suffer defeat. When you have considered all this well, then enter on the athlete's course, if you still wish it. 

Before you choose the right thing consider all the above and make sure you know what it takes to succeed. You also must understand that due to many things outside your control you may suffer defeat along the way. Make sure to consider all this prior to committing.

#3: Deliver Flawlessly

Having chosen that this is the right thing to do and determined that you can do it, now it is time to deliver. No excuses. When you have finished the work, there should be a sense that everything possible was completed, there are no gaps and there is pride in the accomplishment. You don't care what others think of the result, because you know it is well-done. Think of a professional actor that has agreed to take a role. This actor knows the process that leads to success, they know to practice the lines, rehearse alone and onstage with others. The actor knows the techniques needed for a great performance. Having prepared fully and delivered on opening night, can the actor control how the audience reacts? No! Do they care? Think about it. Reflect on the times when you know you've done a great job. Did you care what others thought? Epictetus is very clear on this subject.

The Golden Sayings of Epictetus

On a side note I also started reading the Golden Sayings of Epictetus. The only problem with those is that they are organized by number with no subject information, so to choose what to read is difficult since all you have to go by are the numbers. As I read each of the sayings, I created subject references for them which I am sharing at the Subject Index to the Golden Sayings of Epictetus.

The Golden Sayings of Epictetus XVIII

And to this I reply:—

“Friends, wait for God. When He gives the signal, and releases you from this service, then depart to Him. But for the present, endure to dwell in the place wherein He hath assigned you your post. Short indeed is the time of your habitation therein, and easy to those that are thus minded. What tyrant, what robber, what tribunals have any terrors for those who thus esteem the body and all that belong to it as of no account? Stay; depart not rashly hence!”