[4][5] He was born into slavery at Hierapolis, Phrygia (present-day Pamukkale, in western Turkey) and lived in Rome until his banishment, when he went to Nicopolis in northwestern Greece, where he spent the rest of his life.

Subject to the banishment of all philosophers from Rome by Emperor Domitian toward the end of the first century, Epictetus founded a school of philosophy in Nicopolis.

[10] Epictetus spent his youth in Rome as a slave to Epaphroditus, a wealthy freedman who was secretary to Nero.

[16] Epictetus obtained his freedom sometime after the death of Nero in AD 68,[17] and he began to teach philosophy in Rome.

Around AD 93, when the Roman emperor Domitian banished all philosophers from the city,[18] Epictetus moved to Nicopolis in Epirus, Greece, where he founded a school of philosophy.

[16] He lived alone for a long time,[26] but in his old age, he adopted the child of a friend who otherwise would have been left to die, and raised him with the aid of a woman.

[32] Epictetus maintains that the foundation of all philosophy is self-knowledge; that is, the conviction of our ignorance and gullibility ought to be the first subject of our study.

[39] By rejecting these opinions, and seeking good and evil in the power of choice alone, we may confidently achieve peace of mind in every condition of life.

[47] To repel evil opinions by the good is the noble contest in which humans should engage; it is not an easy task, but it promises true freedom, peace of mind (ataraxia), and a divine command over the emotions (apatheia).

[60] The good person, if able to foresee the future, would peacefully and contentedly help to bring about their own sickness, maiming, and even death, knowing that this is the correct order of the universe.

[64] Anyone who finds life intolerable is free to quit it, but we should not abandon our appointed role without sufficient reason.

[68] We ought not to forget the transitory character of all external advantages, even in the midst of our enjoyment of them; but always to bear in mind that they are not our own, and that therefore, they do not properly belong to us.

[69] The final entry of the Enchiridion, or Handbook, begins: "Upon all occasions we ought to have these maxims ready at hand": Conduct me, Zeus, and thou, Destiny, Wherever thy decree has fixed my lot.

Whoe'er yields properly to Fate is deemed Wise among men, and knows the laws of Heaven.

[71] Enlightenment philosophers Voltaire, Montesquieu, Denis Diderot, and Baron d'Holbach all read the Enchiridion when they were students.

The character Conrad, who through a series of mishaps finds himself in jail and accidentally acquires a copy of the Enchiridion of Epictetus, the Stoic's manual, discovers a philosophy that strengthens him to endure the brutality of the prison environment.

He experiences Joseph Campbell's 'hero's journey' call to action and becomes a strong, honorable, undefeatable protagonist.

[76] Epictetus also is mentioned briefly in Franny and Zooey by J. D. Salinger, and is referred to by Theodore Dreiser in his novel Sister Carrie.

Arnold provides three historical personalities as his inspiration and support in difficult times (Epictetus is preceded by Homer and succeeded by Sophocles): Much he, whose friendship I not long since won, That halting slave, who in Nicopolis Taught Arrian, when Vespasian's brutal son Cleared Rome of what most shamed him.

[77] The title character in Julian Barnes's 2022 novel Elizabeth Finch impresses the teachings of Epictetus on her students.

...I saw Epictetus there, most gallantly apparelled after the French fashion, sitting under a pleasant arbour, with store of handsome gentlewomen, frolicking, drinking, dancing, and making good cheer, with abundance of crowns of the sun.

Above the lattice were written these verses for his device: To leap and dance, to sport and play, And drink good wine both white and brown, Or nothing else do all the day But tell bags full of many a crown.

In the meantime came Cyrus to beg one farthing of him for the honour of Mercury, therewith to buy a few onions for his supper.

"James Stockdale, a fighter pilot who was shot down while serving in the Vietnam War, was influenced by Epictetus.

[79] Quoting Epictetus, Stockdale concludes the book with: The emotions of grief, pity, and even affection are well-known disturbers of the soul.

[80]Psychologist Albert Ellis, the founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, credited Epictetus with providing a foundation for his system of psychotherapy.

[81][82][83] Kiyozawa Manshi, a controversial reformer within the Higashi Honganji branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, cited Epictetus as one of the three major influences on his spiritual development and thought.