Book Description

Description: The new Stoic Classics edition consists of the collection of works recorded by Arrian the pupil of the great stoic philosopher Epictetus. It includes his full works of The Enchiridion, and Fragments. Epictetus rose to become one of the most important Stoic philosophers, but the path to arrive at this accomplishment was fraught with difficulty. Born a slave he managed to start his school and teach classes which would become the basis of the Enchiridion. The word "encheiridion" is an adjective meaning "in the hand" or "ready to hand". The English translations of the texts are also known by the title Manual or Handbook. Enchiridion is, being one of the canonical texts of Stoic philosophy, and one of the most important ancient documents that we are fortunate to have access to, the story of its creator is equally as impressive. The book also contains Epictetus' "sayings" or Fragments some of which are not found in Discourses. The genuine Fragments of Epictetus are not very numerous, however, they are considered an integral part of his teachings. Since the 16th century, they have been translated into multiple languages and reprinted many times. The present text is translated by William Abbott Oldfather. An American classical scholar. He was influential for building strong academic traditions in classical studies at the University of Illinois and for his studies of ancient Locris in Greece. Also, this book is enhanced with hand-drawn illustrations by R. Bigfield to make the experience of reading these ancient texts more enjoyable and pleasant for a contemporary reader.