Epictetus · c. 50 – c. 135 CE
Fragments 128 — Epictetus
Translation by George Long (1877)
Epictetus, Fragments 128
Time relieves the foolish from sorrow, but reason relieves the wise.
Cite this passage
Epictetus, Fragments 128, tr. George Long (1877)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/epictetus-fragments/128
Epictetus, Enchiridion and Fragments, tr. George Long (1877). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesEveryone's sorrow fades with time eventually, but a wise person need not wait: thinking the loss through clearly relieves it sooner. Use understanding rather than just passing time to ease grief.
Older wording
- “reason”
- — clear thinking about what has happened
Themes and situations
- Grief and mourning
- Emotions and the passions
- Judgements and impressions
- Time and the present
- Bereavement
- A break-up or divorce
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