Epicureanism Epicurus

"Eat and drink with friends; the pleasure doubles and the pain halves."

"Art exists not to instruct us but to delight us, and through delight to ennoble us."

"The wealth required by nature is limited and easy to procure; but the wealth required by vain desires is endless."

"When death comes to us, it is of no concern to us; if it is, it has not yet come."

"Never say death is evil; it is a release from pain."

"The miserable are those who are always desiring what they cannot have."

"True pleasure comes not from gaining new things but from freeing oneself of unnecessary wants."

"The man who adapts his desires to his means is far richer than the wealthy man enslaved by his desires."

"In the season of prosperity, one should prepare for the season of adversity."

"An empty belly is not conducive to philosophy, nor is a hungry mind conducive to happiness."

"The pain of the body is trifling if the mind is at ease."

"Friendship must be cultivated through sincere conversation and genuine care."

"The natural desires are limited, but imagination creates unlimited artificial ones."

"Do not pursue a great reputation if it requires you to abandon your natural pleasures."

"The beauty of a life well-lived lies in its simplicity, not its grandeur."

"Virtue arises from wisdom, not from laws or customs."

"The truly free man is he who desires nothing he cannot obtain."

"In friendship, we find the greatest and most reliable source of human happiness."

"The pursuit of unnecessary knowledge is as harmful as the pursuit of unnecessary pleasure."

"Time heals all wounds, but only if we allow our minds to heal as well."

"The constant anxiety of the ambitious man proves that ambition does not lead to happiness."

"One must fortify oneself against the fear of death through proper reasoning."

"The wise man never envies the powerful; he pities them."

"Justice is an agreement made by men for mutual benefit."

"Poverty, when viewed through the lens of gratitude, is not a hardship but an opportunity."

"The mind must be trained to find pleasure in the simple things of life."

"True courage is not the absence of fear but the rational assessment of danger."

"The bonds of justice cannot exist between those who distrust one another."

"A life without friendship is like a year without spring."

"The gods care nothing for human affairs, so we must care for ourselves."