Epictetus

Some things are up to us and some are not. Up to us are judgment, impulse, desire, aversion, and our own actions. Not up to us are body, property, reputation, office, and whatever is not our own doing. Confuse these categories and you hand your peace to strangers.

It is not things themselves that disturb people, but their judgments about things. Death is not terrible, or Socrates would have thought it so. The judgment that death is terrible is the disturbance. Philosophy does not remove events. It trains the ruling faculty to meet them truthfully.

Some things are in our control and others not.

Seek not that the things which happen should happen as you wish; but wish the things which happen to be as they are, and you will have a tranquil flow of life.

Lameness is an impediment to the leg, but not to the will; and say this to yourself with regard to everything that happens. For you will find such things to be an impediment to something else, but not truly to yourself.

Remember that you are an actor in a drama of such a kind as the author chooses—if short, a short one; if long, a long one: if it be his pleasure you should act a poor man, a cripple, or a governor, or a private person, see that you act it well; for this is your duty, to act well the part that is given to you.

Never say about anything, I have lost it; but, I have returned it. Is your child dead? It has been returned. Is your wife dead? She has been returned. Is your estate taken away? Well, and is not that likewise returned? But he who took it away is a bad man. For what is it to you, by whose hands he who gave it hath demanded it back again?

Everything has two handles, the one by which it may be carried, the other by which it cannot. If your brother acts unjustly, do not lay hold on the action by the handle of his injustice, for by that it cannot be carried; but by the opposite, that he is your brother, that he was brought up with you; and thus you will lay hold on it as it is to be carried.

When any person does ill by you, or speaks ill of you, remember that he acts or speaks from a supposition of its being his duty. Now, it is not possible that he should follow what appears right to you, but what appears so to himself.

Begin by prescribing to yourself some character and demeanour, such as you may preserve both alone and in company. And as you would maintain silence for the most part, so let there be only what is necessary spoken.

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.

The ignorant man's position and character: he never looks to himself for benefit or harm, but to the world outside him. The philosopher's position and character: he always looks to himself for benefit and harm.