Discourses · Character
Epicurus
Founder of Epicurean philosophy, often criticized by Epictetus.
minor
First appearance: i of the things which are in our power and not in our power
Epicurus's tie to Menelaus is one of the pressures that moves Discourses—worth meeting in the text, not only on a cast list.
Mentioned as a hypothetical interlocutor who claims the good is in the body, prompting a refutation that the leading principle in humans is superior to the body.
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With Menelaus (rivalry): Epicurus and Menelaus represent opposing philosophical schools, with Epicurus critiquing Stoic and Socratic ethics. With Menelaus (rivalry): Epicurus and Menelaus represent opposing…
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The fuller portrait of Epicurus sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Epicurus in i of the things which are in our power and not in our powerCharacter Web
2 connectionsA slice of how Epicurus sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Rivalry
- Other
Character groups
- Philosophical opponents and tragic figures
- Philosophers and rulers
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Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This passage is the dramatic climax because it delivers the emotional and psychological peak of Epictetus’s ar…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Menelaus
rivalry · negative
Epicurus and Menelaus represent opposing philosophical schools, with Epicurus critiquing… How this plays out →
- Menelaus
rivalry · negative
Epicurus and Menelaus represent opposing philosophical schools, with Epicurus critiquing… How this plays out →
- Menelaus
rivalry · negative
Epicurus and Menelaus represent opposing philosophical schools, with Epicurus critiquing… How this plays out →
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Epicurus in i of the things which are in our power and not in our powerIn the story
Epicurus appears across 5 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
- About Reason, How It Contemplates Itself
- XXIII: Against Epicurus
- IX: That When We Cannot Fulfil That Which the Character of a Man Promises, We Assume the Character of a Philosopher
- XX: Against the Epicureans and Academics
- On the Power of Speaking
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Epicurus unlock in the free preview.
See Epicurus in i of the things which are in our power and not in our power