--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Greek philosopher Epictetus…" description: "\"“The Greek philosopher Epictetus recognised this two thousand years ago when he wrote: ‘What disturbs and alarms man are not the things but his opinion..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/robert-harris-2039_epictetus_the-greek-philosopher-epictetus-recognis_3083919.png" --- # The Greek philosopher Epictetus recognised this two… ![“The Greek philosopher Epictetus recognised this two thousand years ago when he wrote: ‘What disturbs and alarms man are not the things but his opinions and fancies about the things.” quote by Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/robert-harris-2039_epictetus_the-greek-philosopher-epictetus-recognis_3083919.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/robert-harris-2039_epictetus_the-greek-philosopher-epictetus-recognis_3083919.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/robert-harris-2039_epictetus_the-greek-philosopher-epictetus-recognis_3083919.png) > ““The Greek philosopher Epictetus recognised this two thousand years ago when he wrote: ‘What disturbs and alarms man are not the things but his opinions and fancies about the things.”” [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our reactions stem from our interpretations, not the events themselves. **In simple terms:** Opinions, not facts, cause distress. Key Takeaway Question your assumptions before reacting. Themes perception emotion control Mood thoughtful serene Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - conflict resolution - stress management - decision making - personal relationships Key Concepts cognitive psychology stoicism Questions to Reflect On - What opinion is causing you stress? - How can you reframe that belief? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑seated beliefs is difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ago Wrote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ago-wrote-3187751/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epictetus/) [Epictetus Recognised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epictetus-recognised-5272036/) [Greek philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greek-philosopher/) [Philosopher Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher-epictetus-761381/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Things Opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-opinions-1627974/) [Thousand years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-years/) [Years ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-ago/) ## Related quotes > [The ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus taught his students that what happens to them is not as important as what they believe happens to them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-krippner/the-ancient-greek-philosopher-epictetus-taught-his-students-that-what/) [Stanley Krippner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-krippner/) > [“If you wish to be a writer; write! Send quote to a friend Epictetus (50-120) Greek philosopher.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/if-you-wish-to-be-a-writer-write-send-quote-to-a-friend-epictetus-50/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“His letters dwell on me. I carry them around because they are long and detailed, because they remind me of my worthiness, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/his-letters-dwell-on-me-i-carry-them-around-because-they-are-long-and/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [“So much of me longs to run after him and cry, 'Yes, yes, yes!' A few hours ago, when I wrote I could never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dodie-smith/so-much-of-me-longs-to-run-after-him-and-cry-yes-yes-yes-a-few-hours/) [Dodie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dodie-smith/) > [“What people think of me is none of my business. Rodney Crowell paraphrasing the Greek Stoic Philosopher, Epictetus 55-135 AD”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/what-people-think-of-me-is-none-of-my-business-rodney-crowell/) [Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/) > [Before you realize this truth, say the Yogis, you will always be in despair, a notion nicely expressed in this exasperated line from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/before-you-realize-this-truth-say-the-yogis-you-will-always-be-in/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [You can say a lot of things about me, but I own my own opinions. They're not for sale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-perkins/you-can-say-a-lot-of-things-about-me-but-i-own-my-own-opinions-they/) [Sue Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-perkins/) > [Not things, but opinions about things, trouble men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/not-things-but-opinions-about-things-trouble-men/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [What disturbs and alarms man are not the things, but his opinions and fancies about the things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/what-disturbs-and-alarms-man-are-not-the-things-but-his-opinions-and/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [What on earth have a man's name, degree, academic position, and of all things, opinions, to do with whether a thing is true?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-nibley/what-on-earth-have-a-man-s-name-degree-academic-position-and-of-all/) [Hugh Nibley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-nibley/) > [It is not things, but opinions about things that have absolutely no existence, which have so deranged mankind!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-not-things-but-opinions-about-things-that-have-absolutely-no/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [ Some things are up to us \[eph' hêmin\] and some things are not up to us. Our opinions are up to us, and our… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/some-things-are-up-to-us-eph-h-min-and-some-things-are-not-up-to-us/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Only the educated are free. --Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/only-the-educated-are-free-epictetus/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Loving your fate and joyful acceptance Epictetus actually describes a three-stage process to his students, which relates to the discipline of desire. He begins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-j-robertson/loving-your-fate-and-joyful-acceptance-epictetus-actually-describes-a/) [Donald J. Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-j-robertson/) > [“What would Heracles have been if he had said, "How am I to prevent a big lion from appearing, or a big boar, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/what-would-heracles-have-been-if-he-had-said-how-am-i-to-prevent-a/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) ## More by Robert Harris > [“Men mistook measurement for understanding. And they always had to put themselves at the center of everything. That was their greatest conceit. The earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/men-mistook-measurement-for-understanding-and-they-always-had-to-put/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [If one first gives himself to the Lord, all other giving is easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/if-one-first-gives-himself-to-the-lord-all-other-giving-is-easy/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“He felt more human with his boots on. A man can face the world with something on his feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/he-felt-more-human-with-his-boots-on-a-man-can-face-the-world-with/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [Cicero most reminds me of Harold Wilson. Both men knew how to keep the show on the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/cicero-most-reminds-me-of-harold-wilson-both-men-knew-how-to-keep-the/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [The financial world is at the cutting edge of high technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/the-financial-world-is-at-the-cutting-edge-of-high-technology/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“To choose one's victims, to prepare one's plans minutely, to slake an implacable vengeance, and then to go to bed ... there is nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/to-choose-one-s-victims-to-prepare-one-s-plans-minutely-to-slake-an/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“Nature has granted man no better gift than the shortness of life. The senses grow dull, the limbs are numb, sight, bearing, gait, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/nature-has-granted-man-no-better-gift-than-the-shortness-of-life-the/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“A crock of shit,” Rick had called it. But actually this was worse. Shit, to quote Gore Vidal, has its own integrity. This was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/a-crock-of-shit-rick-had-called-it-but-actually-this-was-worse-shit/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“... unfortunately, freedom alone is not enough, by far. If there is a shortage of bread, a shortage of butter and fats, a shortage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/unfortunately-freedom-alone-is-not-enough-by-far-if-there-is-a/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [It is perseverance, and not genius that takes a man to the top. Rome is full of unrecognized geniuses. Only perseverance enables you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/it-is-perseverance-and-not-genius-that-takes-a-man-to-the-top-rome-is/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“No one can really claim to know politics properly until he has stayed up all night writing a speech for delivery the following day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/no-one-can-really-claim-to-know-politics-properly-until-he-has-stayed/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [People perish. Books are immortal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/people-perish-books-are-immortal/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [Does a name stick because it suits a man or does the man, unconsciously, evolve into his name?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/does-a-name-stick-because-it-suits-a-man-or-does-the-man/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“He glanced around the reading room and closed his eyes, trying to keep hold of the past for a minute longer, a fattening and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/he-glanced-around-the-reading-room-and-closed-his-eyes-trying-to-keep/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [The natural impulse of men is to follow and whoever has the strongest sense of purpose will always dominate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/the-natural-impulse-of-men-is-to-follow-and-whoever-has-the-strongest/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) [Explore all 184 Robert Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) ## More Epictetus quotes > [“Loving your fate and joyful acceptance Epictetus actually describes a three-stage process to his students, which relates to the discipline of desire. He begins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-j-robertson/loving-your-fate-and-joyful-acceptance-epictetus-actually-describes-a/) [Donald J. Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-j-robertson/) > [Only the educated are free. --Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/only-the-educated-are-free-epictetus/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What would Heracles have been if he had said, "How am I to prevent a big lion from appearing, or a big boar, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/what-would-heracles-have-been-if-he-had-said-how-am-i-to-prevent-a/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“If you wish to be a writer; write! Send quote to a friend Epictetus (50-120) Greek philosopher.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/if-you-wish-to-be-a-writer-write-send-quote-to-a-friend-epictetus-50/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“Epictetus is reminding you that serenity and stability are results of your choices and judgment, not your environment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/epictetus-is-reminding-you-that-serenity-and-stability-are-results-of/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Ernest Hemingway wrote that happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing. However, if we are intelligent yet unhappy, then perhaps we are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giannis-delimitsos/ernest-hemingway-wrote-that-happiness-in-intelligent-people-is-the/) [Giannis Delimitsos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giannis-delimitsos/) > [“Use, do not abuse; the wise man arrange things so. I flee Epictetus and Petronius alike. Neither abstinence nor excess ever renders man happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/use-do-not-abuse-the-wise-man-arrange-things-so-i-flee-epictetus-and/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.” Epictetus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/change-your-life-publishing/the-key-is-to-keep-company-only-with-people-who-uplift-you-whose/) [Change Your Life Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/change-your-life-publishing/) > [“Asked how a man should best grieve his enemy, Epictetus replied, "By setting himself to live the noblest life himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/asked-how-a-man-should-best-grieve-his-enemy-epictetus-replied-by/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Asked, Who is the rich man? Epictetus replied, �He who is content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/asked-who-is-the-rich-man-epictetus-replied-he-who-is-content/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“As Epictetus said centuries ago, “It is impossible to begin to learn what one thinks one already knows.” This”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-wiseman/as-epictetus-said-centuries-ago-it-is-impossible-to-begin-to-learn/) [Liz Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-wiseman/) > [“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” - Epictetus By”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-martine/it-s-not-what-happens-to-you-but-how-you-react-to-it-that-matters/) [Ali Martine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-martine/) > [“Show your character and commitment through your actions,” Epictetus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ballantyne/show-your-character-and-commitment-through-your-actions-epictetus/) [Craig Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ballantyne/) > [There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will. -Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/there-is-only-one-way-to-happiness-and-that-is-to-cease-worrying-2/) [Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/) > [“Circumstances don't make the man, they only reveal him to himself."   - Epictetus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-crosby/circumstances-don-t-make-the-man-they-only-reveal-him-to-himself-2/) [Dennis Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-crosby/) [Browse all 22 Epictetus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epictetus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Greek philosopher Epictetus recognised this two thousand years ago when he wrote: ‘What disturbs and alarms man are not the things but his opinions and fancies about the things.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Harris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/the-greek-philosopher-epictetus-recognised-this-two-thousand-years/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Epictetus" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/the-greek-philosopher-epictetus-recognised-this-two-thousand-years/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/robert-harris-2039_epictetus_the-greek-philosopher-epictetus-recognis_3083919.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/robert-harris-2039_epictetus_the-greek-philosopher-epictetus-recognis_3083919.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ed/robert-harris-2039_epictetus_the-greek-philosopher-epictetus-recognis_3083919.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Greek philosopher Epictetus recognised this two thousand years ago when he wrote: ‘What disturbs and…” — Robert Harris", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Robert Harris", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The Greek philosopher Epictetus recognised this...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/the-greek-philosopher-epictetus-recognised-this-two-thousand-years/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/the-greek-philosopher-epictetus-recognised-this-two-thousand-years/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```