Source edition
Epicurus. Epicuri epistulae tres et ratae sententiae a Laertio Diogene Servatae. von der Mühll, Peter, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1922.
Source data
Open Greek and Latin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This work is a collection of practical ethical maxims and sayings by Epicurus and his followers, designed to guide readers toward true happiness. Through short, aphoristic statements, it expounds the core doctrines of Epicurean philosophy, including attitudes toward death, pain, pleasure, and the study of nature. The collection emphasizes the limitation of desires and the importance of self-sufficiency (autarkeia), urging individuals to free themselves from the whims of fortune and empty social evaluations. Friendship is highlighted as a vital source of security and joy in life. Ultimately, the work serves as a guide for the "therapy of the soul," demonstrating how understanding nature and curing the mind leads to the ultimate state of tranquility (ataraxia).