The Enchiridion — literally "the handbook" — is a compact manual of Stoic ethics, assembled from the teachings of the former-slave-turned-philosopher Epictetus. It was meant to be carried and practised, not merely studied.
Its opening line is its whole philosophy in miniature: some things are within our power, and some are not. Almost everything that follows is a way of living that one distinction all the way down.
Where it comes from
Epictetus taught in Greek in the late 1st and early 2nd century CE. He wrote nothing himself; his student Arrian recorded his lectures, then distilled the essentials into this handbook — a practical companion that has guided readers from Roman senators to modern soldiers.
Key themes
The dichotomy of control
Our judgements, desires, and actions are up to us; our bodies, reputations, and circumstances are not. Peace begins the moment we stop demanding control over what was never ours.
Virtue as the only good
For the Stoic, character is everything. Wealth, health, and status are "indifferents" — fine to prefer, but never the measure of a good life, which is made of wisdom, justice, courage, and self-control.
Equanimity
Epictetus invites readers to distinguish events from their judgements about them, and to practise examining those judgements before responding.
Living according to nature
Play well the role you are given; accept what fate sends as a wise person accepts the weather. Freedom is wanting reality to be as it is.
Why read it today
The Enchiridion is a short guide to Stoic ethics. Readers can return to its questions about judgement, choice, and responsibility as prompts for reflection.
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Epictetus's handbook on what is — and isn't — in our power.
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What is the Enchiridion about?
It is a short handbook of Stoic ethics teaching that we should focus only on what is within our control — our judgements and choices — and accept the rest with equanimity. Virtue, not circumstance, is the good life.
Who wrote the Enchiridion?
It records the teachings of Epictetus, a Greek Stoic philosopher who was born into slavery. His student Arrian compiled it from Epictetus's lectures in the early 2nd century CE.
Is the Enchiridion the same as Stoicism today?
It is one of Stoicism's foundational sources. Modern Stoic writers continue to discuss its distinction between events and our judgements, while interpreting those ideas in different contemporary settings.
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