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Discourses and Selected Writings
- Narrated by: Richard Goulding
- Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Politics & Social Sciences, Philosophy
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
This Penguin Classic is performed by Richard Goulding, best known for Me Before You, The Iron Lady and The Windsors.
Epictetus, a Greek stoic and freed slave, ran a thriving philosophy school in Nicropolis in the early second century AD. His animated discussions were celebrated for their rhetorical wizardry and were written down by Arrian, his most famous pupil. Together with the Enchiridion, a manual of his main ideas, and the fragments collected here, The Discourses argue that happiness lies in learning to perceive exactly what is in our power to change and what is not, and in embracing our fate to live in harmony with god and nature. In this personal, practical guide to the ethics of stoicism and moral self-improvement, Epictetus tackles questions of freedom and imprisonment, illness and fear, family, friendship and love, and leaves an intriguing document of daily life in the classical world.
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What listeners say about Discourses and Selected Writings
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Anonymous User
- 06-10-21
Excellent starting point
My first book on philosophy. I had heard of being stoic and the usual stern, wise and quiet person came to mind. Then I watched PewDiePie do a summary on stoicism and said I'd give it a read, it looked like a way of thinking I would be interested in. It's surreal to think a man living in ancient Rome, an ancient civilisation filled with ancient gods, slaves and the setting for some of my favourite films growing up would have so much knowledge that is applicable to me, an Irish man living in 2021 and the age of social media. I would recommend it to anyone struggling with their own values, virtues, vices and path in life.
2 people found this helpful
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- BB
- 15-03-21
Fantastic, Epictetus on demand!
I have been studying the Stoic philosophy seriously for the last eight months and it has transformed my life. I had an older translation of the Discourses but a lot of the passages were quite obscure. This newer translation is much clearer for the modern reader.
This audiobook is fantastic, the narration is spot on and listening to the works take it to a whole new level and complements the written material incredibly well. The discourses after all are lectures compiled by one of Epictetus student, and this audio version immerses you into what of his classes may have felt back in the day.
Amazon also did a good job of listing each individual discourse so I can always get to your favourites quite easily. The Enchiridion is provided as one single chapter though but that's ok.
1 person found this helpful
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- Andrew Cunningham
- 10-07-22
Spot on
As fresh today as the time of Trajan -- just so true in his analysis of human nature
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- bigblue
- 06-02-22
a must read,
really great book full of ideas, most of the chapters are quite short so the whole book seemed to fly by, I would really recommend
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- H. D. Martinez
- 01-05-21
Outstanding Audible Title and performance
First off, I was delighted when this edition finally made it to Audible but to my greater surprise, the combination of such terrific narrator with Epictetus' brilliant work makes for a remarkably immersive experience. If you are new to Epictetus, I would strongly suggest you start with The Enchiridion. To get an insight into the ultimate goal of Stoic philosophy, as a way of life vs theoretical knowledge, listen first to Discourse 4.1 On Progress.
5 people found this helpful
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- Branden Harris
- 11-03-21
thanks pewdiepie
this was a straightforward fascinating next step in my discovery of these truths. glad I read.
5 people found this helpful
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- Jason Holmes
- 14-12-21
Incredible
when people say "life doesn't come with a handbook" I'll know they haven't read discourses.
3 people found this helpful
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- Collin Whittle
- 08-03-22
Stoicism in it's time
I'm enjoying these deposits of Wisdom. I just have to remind myself that a few of the things he discusses are more about Christian morality then philosophy
1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 11-02-22
hits hard
these writings are near 2000 years old. the fact that they make more sense and have a more impactful meaning to me than most modern readings on philosophy is astounding. Epictetus speaks to the common man and the scholar all at once. these are words to love by.
1 person found this helpful
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- Hunter Weir
- 11-05-21
Excellent Translation, Excellent Narration
Nuff said in the title. Only one strike against this version- it’s the “selected” writings, not the complete. Try the Naxos recording for completeness.
1 person found this helpful
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- JSJ
- 29-12-21
Lessons from Epictetus
This is one of the essential books of Stoicism. Of the three Stoic philosophers I was introduced to, Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus, Epictetus is the one who speaks to me most clearly. He speaks to me and makes sense to me. His words make you think and go to the gist of the principle or idea. I can apply his lessons today, 2000 years after he said them, to my life and the world I live in. When my thoughts are muddled and my thinking is unclear and irrational, his words show me where to go for clarity and rational thinking.
This is one of my go-to books (audible and print) that I will keep with me now and in the future.
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- Amazon Customer
- 08-06-21
Excellent
Easy to follow narrator. Wise and useful content. I have and would recommend it to my friends and family.