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Épictète citations
Page 5

Épictète, en grec ancien Ἐπίκτητος / Epíktêtos, qui signifie « homme acheté, serviteur », était un philosophe de l’école stoïcienne. Sa vie est relativement peu connue, et il ne laissa aucune œuvre écrite de sa main. Son disciple Arrien assura la transmission de son œuvre en publiant les notes prises lors des leçons de son maître, en huit livres, dont la moitié sont aujourd'hui perdus, ainsi qu'un condensé de doctrine morale, le Manuel, textes qui eurent une influence certaine sur Marc Aurèle.

Épictète met fortement en avant la partie éthique de la philosophie. Bien qu'il enseigne également la logique stoïcienne, il insiste fortement sur la prépondérance de l'action, et sa philosophie est avant tout pratique. Fidèle aux conceptions traditionnelles de l'école du portique, il présente l'Homme comme soumis au destin ordonné par les dieux. Son enseignement se veut une méthode pour atteindre le bonheur par l'ataraxie, la paix de l'âme en acceptant, avec courage et amour, tout décret du destin inexorable, en accomplissant loyalement son devoir en dépit des circonstances, et en agissant avec bienveillance envers les autres Hommes.

✵ 50 ap. J.-C. – 138   •   Autres noms Epiktétos z Hierápole
Épictète photo
Épictète: 182   citations 0   J'aime

Épictète citations célèbres

“Les feuilles tombent, la figue sèche, remplace la figue fraîche, le raisin sec la grappe mûre, voilà selon toi des paroles de mauvaise augure! Mais il n’y a là que la transformation d’états antérieurs en d’autres; il n’y a pas de destruction, mais un aménagement et une disposition bien réglée. L’émigration n’est qu’un petit changement. La mort en est un plus grand, mais il ne va pas de l’être actuel au non-être, mais au non-être de l’être actuel. Alors ne serais-je plus? Tu ne seras pas ce que tu es mais autre chose dont le monde aura alors besoin.”

Épictète

“Supprime donc en toi toute aversion pour ce qui ne dépend pas de nous et, cette aversion, reporte-la sur ce qui dépend de nous et n’est pas en accord avec la nature. Quant au désir, pour le moment, supprime-le complètement. Car si tu désires une chose qui ne dépend pas de nous, tu ne pourras qu’échouer, sans compter que tu te mettras dans l’impossibilité d’atteindre ce qui est à notre portée et qu’il est plus sage de désirer. Borne-toi à suivre tes impulsions, tes répulsions, mais fais-le avec légèreté, de façon non systématique et sans effort excessif.”

Épictète

The Discourses

“Dès qu’une image viendra te troubler l’esprit, pense à te dire : « Tu n’es qu’image, et non la réalité dont tu as l’apparence. » Puis, examine-la et soumets-la à l’épreuve des lois qui règlent ta vie : avant tout, vois si cette réalité dépend de nous ou n’en dépend pas; et si elle ne dépend pas de nous, sois prêt à dire : « Cela ne me regarde pas. »”

Épictète

The Discourses

“Ni les victoires de Jeux Olympiques, ni celles que l'on remporte dans les batailles, ne rendent l'homme heureux. Les seules qui le rendent heureux sont celles qu'il remporte sur lui-même. Les tentations et les épreuves sont des combats. Tu as été vaincu une fois, deux fois, plusieurs fois; combats encore. Si tu es enfin vainqueur, tu seras heureux toute ta vie, comme celui qui as toujours vaincu.”

Épictète

Épictète: Citations en anglais

“If we are not stupid or insincere when we say that the good or ill of man lies within his own will, and that all beside is nothing to us, why are we still troubled?”

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Epictetus

Book I, ch. 25.
Discourses

“In general, any methods of discipline applied to the body which tend to modify its desires or repulsions, are good—for ascetic ends. But if done for display, they betray at once a man who keeps an eye on outward show; who has an ulterior purpose, and is looking for spectators to shout, "Oh what a great man!" This is why Apollonius so well said: "If you are bent upon a little private discipline, wait till you are choking with heat one day—then take a mouthful of cold water, and spit it out again, and tell no man!"”

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Epictetus

100
Golden Sayings of Epictetus

“Think you to be a philosopher while acting as you do? think you to go on thus eating, thus drinking, giving way in like manner to [your own] wrath and to displeasure? Nay you must watch, you must labor; overcome certain desires; quit your familiar friends, submit to be despised by your slave, to be held in derision by them that meet you, to take the lower place in all things, in office, in positions of authority, in courts of law. Weight these things fully, and then, if you will, lay to your hand; if as the price of these things you would gain Freedom, Tranquility, and passionless Serenity.”

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Epictetus

104
Golden Sayings of Epictetus

“The anger of an ape—the threat of a flatterer—these deserve equal regard.”

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Epictetus

Fragment xiii.
Golden Sayings of Epictetus, Fragments

“Dare to look up to God and say, "Make use of me for the future as Thou wilt. I am of the same mind; I am one with Thee. I refuse nothing which seems good to Thee. Lead me whither Thou wilt. Clothe me in whatever dress Thou wilt."”

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Epictetus

That we do not study to make Use of the established Principles concerning Good and Evil, Chap. xvi.
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Do not give sentence in another tribunal till you have been yourself judged in the tribunal of Justice.”

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Epictetus

Fragment vii.
Golden Sayings of Epictetus, Fragments

“It is unlikely that the good of a snail should reside in its shell: so is it likely that the good of a man should?”

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Epictetus

Book I, ch. 20.
Discourses

“Every art and every faculty contemplates certain things as its principal objects.”

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Epictetus

Book I, ch. 20.
Discourses

“Exceed due measure, and the most delightful things become the least delightful.”

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Epictetus

Fragment xii.
Golden Sayings of Epictetus, Fragments

“A man should also be prepared to be sufficient unto himself—to dwell within himself alone, even as God dwells with Himself alone… So should we also be able to converse with ourselves, to need none else beside, to sigh for no distraction, to bend our thoughts upon the Divine Administration, and how we stand related to all else; to observe how human accidents touched us of old, and how they touch us now; what things they are that still have power to hurt us, and how they may be cured and removed; to perfect what needs perfecting as Reason would direct.”

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Epictetus

98
Golden Sayings of Epictetus

“Practice yourself, for heaven's sake, in little things; and thence proceed to greater.”

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Epictetus

Book I, ch. 18.
Discourses

“Fortify thyself with contentment: that is an impregnable stronghold.”

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Epictetus

Fragment xvii.
Golden Sayings of Epictetus, Fragments

“Men are disturbed, not by things, but by the principles and notions which they form concerning things.”

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Epictetus

5
The Enchiridion (c. 135)
Source: Enchiridion 5 http://classics.mit.edu/Epictetus/epicench.html

“No thing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.”

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Epictetus

Book I, ch. 15.
Discourses

“To you, all you have seems small: to me, all I have seems great. Your desire is insatiable, mine is satisfied. See children thrusting their hands into a narrow-necked jar, and striving to pull out the nuts and figs it contains: if they fill the hand, they cannot pull it out again, and then they fall to tears.—'Let go a few of them, and then you can draw out the rest!'—You, too, let your desire go! covet not many things, and you will obtain.”

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Epictetus

95
Golden Sayings of Epictetus

“Nature hath given men one tongue but two ears, that we may hear from others twice as much as we speak.”

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Epictetus

Fragment vi.
Golden Sayings of Epictetus, Fragments

“When one maintains his proper attitude in life, he does not long after externals. What would you have, O man?”

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Epictetus

Book I, ch. 21.
Discourses

“Remember that it is not he who gives abuse or blows who affronts, but the view we take of these things as insulting. When, therefore, any one provokes you, be assured that it is your own opinion which provokes you.”

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Epictetus

20
The Enchiridion (c. 135)

“A ship should not ride on a single anchor, nor life on a single hope.”

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Epictetus

Fragment xvi.
Golden Sayings of Epictetus, Fragments

“Let thy speech of God be renewed day by day, aye, rather than thy meat and drink.”

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Epictetus

Fragment xxi.
Golden Sayings of Epictetus, Fragments

“If a person gave your body to any stranger he met on his way, you would certainly be angry. And do you feel no shame in handing over your own mind to be confused and mystified by anyone who happens to verbally attack you?”

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Epictetus

[tr. Elizabeth Carter]
Alternative translation: If someone turned your body over to just any person who happened to meet you, you would be angry. But are you not ashamed that you turn over your own faculty of judgment to whoever happens along, so that if he abuses you it is upset and confused? (28) http://books.google.com/books?id=9WRzxtTBkPgC&lpg=PA19&ots=hXwTf1JmW6&dq=%22'If%20someone%20turned%20your%20body%20over%20to%20just%20any%20person%20who%20happened%20to%20meet%20you%2C%20you%20would%20be%20angry.%22&pg=PA19#v=onepage&q&f=false tr. Nicholas P. White
The Enchiridion (c. 135)

“Things true and evident must of necessity be recognized by those who would contradict them.”

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Epictetus

Concerning the Epicureans, Chap. xx.
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“Even as the Sun doth not wait for prayers and incantations to rise, but shines forth and is welcomed by all: so thou also wait not for clapping of hands and shouts and praise to do thy duty; nay, do good of thine own accord, and thou wilt be loved like the Sun.”

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Epictetus

Fragment xxii.
Golden Sayings of Epictetus, Fragments

“Be not swept off your feet by the vividness of the impression, but say, "Impression, wait for me a little. Let me see what you are and what you represent. Let me try you."”

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Epictetus

Book II, ch. 18, Reported in Bartlett's Quotations (1919) as "Be not hurried away by excitement, but say, "Semblance, wait for me a little".
Discourses

“Since it is Reason which shapes and regulates all other things, it ought not itself to be left in disorder.”

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Epictetus

Book I, ch. 17.
Discourses

“My brother ought not to have treated me thus.' True: but he must see to that. However he may treat me, I must deal rightly by him. This is what lies with me, what none can hinder.”

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Epictetus

97
Golden Sayings of Epictetus

“It is more necessary for the soul to be cured than the body; for it is better to die than to live badly.”

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Epictetus

Fragment xxxii.
Golden Sayings of Epictetus, Fragments

“For he who is unmusical is a child in music; he who is without letters is a child in learning; he who is untaught, is a child in life.”

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Epictetus

Book III, ch. 19. http://books.google.com/books?id=7e0NAAAAYAAJ&q=%22For+he+who+is+unmusical+is+a+child+in+music+he+who+is+without+letters+is+a+child+in+learning+he+who+is+untaught+is+a+child+in+life%22&pg=PA241#v=onepage
Discourses

“"But to be hanged—is that not unendurable?" Even so, when a man feels that it is reasonable, he goes off and hangs himself.”

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Epictetus

Book I, ch. 2.
Discourses

“Till then these sound opinions have taken firm root in you, and you have gained a measure of strength for your security, I counsel you to be cautious in associating with the uninstructed. Else whatever impressions you receive upon the tablets of your mind in the School will day by day melt and disappear, like wax in the sun. Withdraw then somewhere far from the sun, while you have these waxen sentiments.”

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Epictetus

107
Golden Sayings of Epictetus

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