The Discourses

The Discourses are a series of informal lectures by the philosopher Epictetus. Rooted in the Stoic tradition, this work presents a profound collection of informal lectures recorded by Epictetus’s disciple Arrian around 108 AD. This 1916 translation by Percy Ewing Matheson brings the ancient teachings into crisp, clear English, preserving the philosopher’s practical wisdom about the inner life and human agency. Set in a garden-like classroom in Nicopolis, the Discourses are not academic treatises but candid, personal conversations on virtue, resilience, reason, and how to live well. Guided by the principle that the only thing truly within our power is our own will, the Stoic message here encourages readers to manage their responses, face adversity with composure, and align their judgments with nature’s rational order.