Enchiridion

The Enchiridion, also known as the Handbook of Epictetus, is a short collection of ethical precepts by the Stoic philosopher Epictetus, gathered by his disciple Arrian. Arrian drew it from the Discourses of Epictetus, of which four of the original eight books survive. The Discourses were written around 108 AD from the informal conversations Epictetus held with his students at his school in Nicopolis. According to a letter Arrian placed before the text, and which Simplicius preserves in his commentary, the work was selected according to what Arrian judged most useful, most necessary, and best suited to move people's minds.

The work consists of fifty-three short chapters, each of a paragraph or two. Rather than a continuous argument, they form a loosely structured series of maxims. Largely avoiding metaphysics, Arrian concentrates on applying philosophy to daily life. Its starting point is the distinction between what depends on us and what does not: our judgements, desires and aversions are ours, while the body, reputation, fortune and external goods are not. From this follows inner freedom: wanting nothing outside our control and not letting circumstances disturb our judgement. Epictetus illustrates his points with everyday examples, such as a broken jug, a trip to the baths, or the price of lettuce.

The Enchiridion has had a long reception. It was widely read in the medieval world and adapted in three Christian versions for use in Greek-speaking monasteries. It was translated into Latin in the fifteenth century and, after the arrival of printing, into many European languages. Its popularity peaked between 1550 and 1750, in parallel with the Neostoic movement led by Justus Lipsius. The sixth-century Neoplatonist Simplicius of Cilicia wrote a commentary far longer than the original text.