Discourses
Central figure and teacher of Stoic philosophy throughout the Discourses.
Book I
Central speaker and teacher throughout the chapter, offering discourses on self-regard, reason, and acceptance of divine will.
Of the Things Which Are in Our Power, and Not in Our Power
The speaker and teacher, presenting the core Stoic doctrine of control.
II: How a Man on Every Occasion Can Maintain His Proper Character
Central figure; provides teachings on maintaining proper character and uses examples from his own life.
Against the Academics
The speaker who argues against those who oppose evident truths and criticizes the deadening of the soul's sense of shame.
VI: Of Providence
The speaker who exhorts the listener to recognize Providence and use their faculties.
Of the Use of Sophistical Arguments and Hypothetical and the Like
Primary speaker; argues for the necessity of logical training in fulfilling life's duties.
VIII: That the Faculties Are Not Safe to the Uninstructed
The speaker who warns against the misuse of logical faculties by the uninstructed.
IX: How from the Fact That We Are Akin to God a Man May Proceed to the Consequences
Speaker and teacher; argues for the practical consequences of kinship with God, urging patience and endurance.
Against Those Who Eagerly Seek Preferment at Rome
Narrator and teacher; uses a personal anecdote about an older acquaintance to illustrate the seduction of political ambition.
XI: Of Natural Affection
Engages a magistrate in dialectic to expose the inconsistency between his claim of natural affection and his act of deserting his sick child.
XIII: How Everything May Be Done Acceptably to the Gods
The speaker who answers the question about eating acceptably to the gods and instructs on proper attitude toward slaves.
That the Deity Oversees All Things
Instructor who explains the unity of all things under divine oversight and the role of the daemon.
What Philosophy Promises
Advises a man on how to maintain inner harmony regardless of his brother's anger.
Of Providence
Speaker and teacher, uses his own lameness as an example of a rational creature's duty to praise God.
That the Logical Art Is Necessary
Primary speaker; defends the necessity of logic as the foundational art for examining reason and understanding nature.
That We Ought Not to Be Angry with the Errors (Faults) of Others
The speaker throughout the chapter, using personal anecdotes (the stolen lamp) to illustrate the lesson.
XIX: How We Should Behave to Tyrants
Delivers the discourse on how to behave toward tyrants, emphasizing the inviolability of the will.
About Reason, How It Contemplates Itself
The speaker who delivers the discourse on reason's self-contemplation and the philosopher's duty to examine appearances.
XXI: Against Those Who Wish to Be Admired
Speaker and central philosopher in the chapter, critiquing the desire for admiration.
On Precognitions
Delivers the discourse on precognitions and the proper adaptation of natural concepts.
XXIII: Against Epicurus
Argues against Epicurus's views on social duty and child-rearing.
How We Should Struggle with Circumstances
The speaker of the discourse, using the analogy of a wrestling trainer and a scout to teach how to face difficulties.
What Is the Law of Life
The speaker and primary philosopher in the chapter, teaching about the law of life and the proper order of philosophical training.
In How Many Ways Appearances Exist, and What Aids We Should Provide Against Them
Primary speaker; presents the fourfold classification of appearances and prescribes remedies for each.
XXVIII: That We Ought Not to Be Angry with Men; and What Are the Small and the Great Things Among Men
Primary speaker; teaches that anger is misplaced and that true ruin lies in the loss of moral character.
On Constancy (Or Firmness)
The speaker and teacher, who uses his own experience (e.g., losing a lamp to a thief) to illustrate Stoic principles of valuing only what is within one's control.
What We Ought to Have Ready in Difficult Circumstances
Speaker and teacher, reminding the student to recall Stoic doctrines when facing powerful figures.
Book II
The primary speaker and teacher, delivering discourses on Stoic principles.
I: That Confidence (Courage) Is Not Inconsistent with Caution
The speaker throughout the chapter, instructing on the proper use of confidence and caution.
Of Tranquillity (Freedom from Perturbation)
The speaker and teacher, delivering the discourse on tranquility and the dichotomy of control.
To Those Who Recommend Persons to Philosophers
Uses the analogy of silver coin testing to illustrate the need for skill in judging character, contrasting it with his own ability to resolve syllogisms.
Against a Person Who Had Once Been Detected in Adultery
Speaker of the discourse, arguing against adultery and for fidelity as the essence of humanity.
How Magnanimity Is Consistent with Care
The speaker of the discourse, teaching how to combine magnanimity with carefulness.
VI: Of Indifference
Primary speaker; delivers the discourse on indifference and the proper use of externals.
How We Ought to Use Divination
The speaker who critiques the misuse of divination and advocates for reliance on reason.
VIII: What Is the Nature (Ἡ Οὐσία) of the Good
Primary speaker; delivers the discourse on the nature of the good and the divine within humans.
IX: That When We Cannot Fulfil That Which the Character of a Man Promises, We Assume the Character of a Philosopher
Primary speaker; admonishes against hypocrisy and emphasizes practice over mere learning.
X: How We May Discover the Duties of Life from Names
Delivers the discourse on discovering duties from names, urging self-examination of one's roles.
Of Disputation or Discussion
Narrator who once admired Socratic questioning but learned of its dangers at Rome.
XIII: On Anxiety (Solicitude)
Delivers the discourse on anxiety, diagnosing its root in misplaced desire for externals.
To Naso
The teacher who instructs a Roman visitor on the nature of philosophy and the importance of self-examination.
To or Against Those Who Obstinately Persist in What They Have Determined
Epictetus confronts a companion who has resolved to starve himself, arguing that determination must be based on sound judgment.
XVI: That We Do Not Strive to Use Our Opinions About Good and Evil
Speaker and central figure, delivering the discourse on the misuse of opinions about good and evil.
How We Must Adapt Preconceptions to Particular Cases
The speaker and primary philosopher in this chapter, instructing on the adaptation of preconceptions.
How We Should Struggle Against Appearances
The speaker, who exhorts himself and the reader to resist appearances and cultivate virtue through disciplined practice.
XIX: Against Those Who Embrace Philosophical Opinions Only in Words
The teacher who challenges his students to embody Stoic principles, not just recite them.
XX: Against the Epicureans and Academics
The speaker who refutes Epicurean and Academic doctrines, emphasizing the self-evident nature of truth and human fellowship.
Of Inconsistency
The speaker who analyzes human inconsistency and admonishes students for their misguided approach to learning.
On Friendship
The philosopher delivering the discourse on the nature of friendship.
On the Power of Speaking
Speaker and primary philosopher; argues for the supremacy of the will over the speaking faculty.
To (Or Against) a Person Who Was One of Those Who Were Not Valued (Esteemed) by Him
The speaker who questions the unnamed person about the art of speaking and hearing, and uses examples from Homer to illustrate ignorance.
That Logic Is Necessary
Engages a student in a Socratic dialogue to prove the necessity of logic.
Book III
The primary speaker and teacher, delivering discourses on Stoic principles and using his own life as an example of freedom and contentment despite external poverty.
I: Of Finery in Dress
The philosopher who challenges the young rhetorician about his vanity and urges him to pursue human excellence instead of superficial beauty.
In What a Man Ought to Be Exercised Who Has Made Proficiency; and That We Neglect the Chief Things
The speaker who delivers the discourse, criticizing the neglect of chief topics and urging focus on desires, duties, and inner will.
What Is the Matter on Which a Good Man Should Be Employed, and in What We Ought Chiefly to Practice Ourselves
The speaker and teacher, who presents the doctrine of using appearances conformably to nature and practicing daily examination.
Against a Person Who Showed His Partisanship in an Unseemly Way in a Theatre
The philosopher who delivers the admonition to the governor of Epirus.
Against Those Who on Account of Sickness Go Away Home
Delivers the discourse, urging the student to focus on correcting his will rather than fleeing sickness.
VI: Miscellaneous
Responds to questions about progress, common sense, and the invincibility of the good man.
To the Administrator of the Free Cities Who Was an Epicurean
Engages the Epicurean administrator in dialectic, challenging the Epicurean focus on pleasure and advocating for Stoic governance of rational beings.
VIII: How We Must Exercise Ourselves Against Appearances (Φαντασίας)
The speaker and teacher, who uses examples and personal observation to illustrate the practice of exercising against appearances.
IX: To a Certain Rhetorician Who Was Going Up to Rome on a Suit
Engages with a rhetorician, emphasizing self-examination and the primacy of right opinions over external success.
In What Manner We Ought to Bear Sickness
Primary speaker; instructs on bearing sickness with philosophical readiness.
About Exercise
The primary speaker, instructing on the proper nature of philosophical exercise.
What Solitude Is, and What Kind of Person a Solitary Man Is
Primary speaker; defines solitude and advocates for self-sufficiency through philosophical practice.
That We Ought to Proceed with Circumspection to Everything
Delivers the discourse on circumspection and the need for deliberate action.
That We Ought with Caution to Enter Into Familiar Intercourse with Men
The speaker delivering the discourse on cautious social intercourse.
On Providence
Speaker and teacher, arguing against charges of injustice against Providence.
That We Ought Not to Be Disturbed by Any News
The speaker who delivers the discourse on remaining undisturbed by external reports.
What Is the Condition of a Common Kind of Man and of a Philosopher
Speaker and teacher, defining the distinction between the common person and the philosopher.
That We Can Derive Advantage from All External Things
Delivers the discourse on deriving advantage from all external things.
About Cynism
Instructor explaining the true nature of Cynicism to a pupil.
To Those Who Read and Discuss for the Sake of Ostentation
The speaker who admonishes those who read and discuss for ostentation, urging them to focus on self-examination and genuine improvement.
XXIV: That We Ought Not to Be Moved by a Desire of Those Things Which Are Not in Our Power
The primary speaker, delivering a discourse on not being moved by desire for things not in our power.
To Those Who Fall Off (Desist) from Their Purpose
Speaker of the discourse, urging perseverance and self-correction.
To Those Who Fear Want
Delivers a diatribe against those who fear want, urging them to embrace Stoic self-reliance.
Book IV: On Freedom and Familiar Intimacy
Central speaker; defines freedom as living without compulsion or hindrance, and contrasts it with the slavery of desire and fear.
About Freedom
The speaker and philosopher, teaching the path to freedom through detachment from externals.
On Familiar Intimacy
Delivers the discourse on the necessity of choosing between former habits and philosophical improvement.
III: What Things We Should Exchange for Other Things
The speaker who delivers the discourse on exchanging external losses for inner virtues.
To Those Who Are Desirous of Passing Life in Tranquillity
The speaker throughout, delivering the discourse on how to achieve a tranquil life by focusing on what is within one's power.
Against the Quarrelsome and Ferocious
The speaker who presents the Stoic teaching on non-fighting and the primacy of the ruling principle.
VI: Against Those Who Lament Over Being Pitied
The speaker and teacher, addressing a student who is distressed by being pitied.
On Freedom from Fear
The speaker and philosopher who teaches freedom from fear through control of opinions.
VIII: Against Those Who Hastily Rush Into the Use of the Philosophic Dress
The speaker of the discourse, warning against hasty adoption of the philosophic dress and advocating for inner growth before public display.
To a Person Who Had Been Changed to a Character of Shamelessness
Speaker of the discourse, urging a person to reclaim their lost modesty and virtue.
X: What Things We Ought to Despise, and What Things We Ought to Value
The primary speaker, delivering the discourse on what to value and despise.
On Attention
Delivers the discourse on the necessity of constant attention and the dangers of procrastination.
XIII: Against or to Those Who Readily Tell Their Own Affairs
The speaker of the discourse, cautioning against revealing one's own affairs indiscriminately.
