Epictetus · c. 50 – c. 135 CE
Fragments 3 — Epictetus
Translation by George Long (1877)
Epictetus, Fragments 3
If you wish to be good, first believe that you are bad.
Cite this passage
Epictetus, Fragments 3, tr. George Long (1877)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/epictetus-fragments/3
Epictetus, Enchiridion and Fragments, tr. George Long (1877). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesReal improvement starts with honestly admitting your faults, so begin by assuming you have work to do and not by believing you are already good.
Themes and situations
- Learning and progress
- Pride and humility
- Virtue and character
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