--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Remember that you are an actor in a drama…" description: "\"Remember that you are an actor in a drama of such sort as the Author chooses: if short, then in a short one; if long, then in a long one. If it be His ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e0/epictetus-413_actors_remember-that-you-are-an-actor-in-a-dram_1771631.jpg" --- # Remember that you are an actor in a drama of such sort as… ![“Remember that you are an actor in a drama of such sort as the Author chooses: if short, then in a short one; if long, then in a long one. If it be His pleasure that you should enact a poor man, or a cripple, or a ruler, or a private citizen, see that you act it well. For this is your business, to…” quote by Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e0/epictetus-413_actors_remember-that-you-are-an-actor-in-a-dram_1771631.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e0/epictetus-413_actors_remember-that-you-are-an-actor-in-a-dram_1771631.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e0/epictetus-413_actors_remember-that-you-are-an-actor-in-a-dram_1771631.jpg) > “Remember that you are an actor in a drama of such sort as the Author chooses: if short, then in a short one; if long, then in a long one. If it be His pleasure that you should enact a poor man, or a cripple, or a ruler, or a private citizen, see that you act it well. For this is your business, to act well the given part. But to choose it belongs to Another.” [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We must accept the roles assigned by fate and perform them excellently, recognizing that the choice of role belongs to a higher power. **In simple terms:** Accept your role and do it well. Key Takeaway Do your best with the part given. Themes stoicism acceptance duty Mood reflective calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - theatre - personal challenges - leadership - ethical decision making Key Concepts fate role performance Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when assigned an undesirable role? - Can you find meaning in any role? A Different Perspective Limited control over which role you receive may cause frustration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-given-1275976/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-drama-1203613/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Choose Belongs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose-belongs-1783589/) [Chooses Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chooses-short-1783588/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Cripples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cripples/) [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Poor man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-man/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Rulers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rulers/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [What is yours is to play the assigned part well. But to choose it belongs to someone else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/what-is-yours-is-to-play-the-assigned-part-well-but-to-choose-it/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Act well your given part; the choice rests not with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/act-well-your-given-part-the-choice-rests-not-with-you/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Remember that you are in actor in a play of such a kind that the author chooses...For this is your duty, to act well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/remember-that-you-are-in-actor-in-a-play-of-such-a-kind-that-the/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Remember that you are but an actor, acting whatever part the Master has ordained. It may be short or it may be long. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/remember-that-you-are-but-an-actor-acting-whatever-part-the-master/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“Life happens once. Get into character, and act the part you were given.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/utibe-samuel-mbom/life-happens-once-get-into-character-and-act-the-part-you-were-given/) [Utibe Samuel Mbom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/utibe-samuel-mbom/) > [“You will learn, but you have to act. You will be given, but you have to receive. Stretch your hands and take up your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-will-learn-but-you-have-to-act-you-will-be-given-but-you-have-to/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I refuse to be an actor in your drama, when I did not audition for that part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-refuse-to-be-an-actor-in-your-drama-when-i-did-not-audition-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm just an actor. If it's drama, I add as much humour as the part will stand. And if it's a comedy, add as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/i-m-just-an-actor-if-it-s-drama-i-add-as-much-humour-as-the-part-will/) [Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/) > [When youre the lead actor in a drama, you have 2 1/2 months at the end of a season to do other projects, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-kanakaredes/when-youre-the-lead-actor-in-a-drama-you-have-2-1-2-months-at-the-end/) [Melina Kanakaredes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-kanakaredes/) > [My PAST is just a MEMORY , my FUTURE will be a HISTORY . 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Most of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/the-role-of-the-writer-is-not-to-say-what-we-can-all-say-but-what-we/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Exploitation and manipulation produce boredom and triviality; they cripple man, and all factors that make man into a psychic cripple turn him also into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/exploitation-and-manipulation-produce-boredom-and-triviality-they/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [the greater part of the suffering in the world is caused not by wicked intents and hard hearts, but by the careless desire to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marah-ellis-ryan/the-greater-part-of-the-suffering-in-the-world-is-caused-not-by/) [Marah Ellis Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marah-ellis-ryan/) ## More by Epictetus > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Practice yourself, for heaven's sake in little things, and then proceed to greater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/practice-yourself-for-heaven-s-sake-in-little-things-and-then-proceed/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Do not laugh much or often or unrestrainedly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/do-not-laugh-much-or-often-or-unrestrainedly/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [When men are unhappy, they do not imagine they can ever cease to be so; and when some calamity has fallen on them, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/when-men-are-unhappy-they-do-not-imagine-they-can-ever-cease-to-be-so/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [We are not disturbed by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-not-disturbed-by-what-happens-to-us-but-by-our-thoughts-about/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Don't be prideful with any excellence that is not your own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/don-t-be-prideful-with-any-excellence-that-is-not-your-own/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [You know yourself what you are worth in your own eyes; and at what price you will sell yourself. For men sell themselves at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/you-know-yourself-what-you-are-worth-in-your-own-eyes-and-at-what/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Crows pick out the eyes of the dead, when the dead have no longer need of them; but flatterers mar the soul of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/crows-pick-out-the-eyes-of-the-dead-when-the-dead-have-no-longer-need/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [As a man, casting off worn out garments taketh new ones, so the dweller in the body, entereth into ones that are new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/as-a-man-casting-off-worn-out-garments-taketh-new-ones-so-the-dweller/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [If you would improve, submit to be considered wihout sense and foolish with respect to externals. Wish to be considered to know nothing; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/if-you-would-improve-submit-to-be-considered-wihout-sense-and-foolish/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“For it is not death or pain that is to be feared, but the fear of pain or death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/for-it-is-not-death-or-pain-that-is-to-be-feared-but-the-fear-of-pain/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [What else can I do, a lame old man, but sing hymns to God? If I were a nightingale, I would do the nightingale's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/what-else-can-i-do-a-lame-old-man-but-sing-hymns-to-god-if-i-were-a/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [People are disturbed not by things, but by the view they take of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them-2/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“Small-minded people blame others. Average people blame themselves. The wise see all blame as foolishness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/small-minded-people-blame-others-average-people-blame-themselves-the/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/all-philosophy-lies-in-two-words-sustain-and-abstain/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) [Explore all 577 Epictetus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. 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Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. 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