Epictetus · c. 50 – c. 135 CE
Fragments 51 — Epictetus
Translation by George Long (1877)
Epictetus, Fragments 51
Nothing is smaller (meaner) than love of pleasure, and love of gain and pride. Nothing is superior to magnanimity, and gentleness, and love of mankind, and beneficence.
Cite this passage
Epictetus, Fragments 51, tr. George Long (1877)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/epictetus-fragments/51
Epictetus, Enchiridion and Fragments, tr. George Long (1877). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesThe smallest, meanest things in a person are love of pleasure, love of money and pride. The finest are generosity of spirit, gentleness, love for humanity and doing good for others, so aim for the second set.
Older wording
- “magnanimity”
- — greatness of spirit, generosity
- “beneficence”
- — active kindness, doing good for others
Themes and situations
- Virtue and character
- Pride and humility
- Desire and craving
- Kindness and forgiveness
- Pleasure and pain
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