Epictetus being asked how a man should give pain to his enemy answered, By preparing himself to live the best life that he can.
Small-minded people blame others. Average people blame themselves. The wise see all blame as foolishness.
Anger so clouds the mind that it cannot perceive the truth.
An angry man opens his mouth and shuts his eyes.
Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him.
If you would cure anger, do not feed it. Say to yourself: ‘I used to be angry every day; then every other day; now only every third or fourth day.’ When you reach thirty days offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the gods.
It is our own evil thoughts which madden us.
When a man’s eyes are sore his friends do not let him finger them, however much he wishes to, nor do they themselves touch the inflammation: But a man sunk in grief suffers every chance comer to stir and augment his affliction like a running sore; and by reason of the fingering and consequent irritation it hardens into a serious and intractable evil.
Your enemies can kill you, but only your friends can hurt you.
