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Some new material, but mostly a summary
This book contains a biography of Epictetus, the sayings of Epictetus (also called Fragments, some of which are not in any of the precious four books in this series) and two summaries of the works of Epictetus. The two summaries – Enchiridion and the Golden Sayings – draw heavily from Discourses. Enchiridion and the Golden Sayings themselves have some overlap between them, This is not necessarily a bad thing when one tries to internalize the profound truths of Stoic thoughts and be inspired by them.
Consequently the primary purpose of this book is to reinforce what we have already learned in the previous four books. It can also be an inspiring reminder of the principles learned earlier and lead us to a life of serenity, happiness and freedom..
Here’s an outline of what is in this book:
Contents of this book
1. The man who was Epictetus
The opening chapter of the book outlines the life and times of Epictetus, whose teachings we have explored in the previous four books in this series and continue to explore in this book.
2. Fragments (Epictetus, as quoted by others)
The second chapter is a collection of Epictetus’ sayings as quoted by others. They are not too numerous, but the collection does contain quotes not found in Discourses. Although a number of quotes have been attributed to Epictetus our collection is limited to what has been confined to what has been judged to be authentic or near-authentic quotes.
3. The golden sayings of Epictetus
These are extracts from Epictetus’ works, mostly from Discourses and Fragments. The extracts were initially translated and compiled by Hastings Crossley during the early 20th Century. Although it is a good summary of Epictetus’ teachings, it is longer than the other summary Enchiridion, compiled by Arrian. Many passages in The Golden Sayings have a devotional slant.
4. Enchiridion (The Handbook)
Enchiridion or The Handbook is a compilation of Epictetus’ teachings. It is short and is one of the best-known books on Stoicism. (It is also available as a separate volume, published by The Stoic Gym.)
A note on the plain English version
Like the other books in this series, this is a plain English version. This means I have used modern English as well as simple word and sentences. I have also tried to use non-sexist language and used titles, subtitles, and comments to make it easy for the contemporary reader. Occasionally, I have even shortened some passages.
There is some trade-off, however, resulting in differences between this version and literal translations. While they may mean the same thing, if you need the literal translation for scholarly purposes, you should consult other sources that are widely available.
Part 1
