Selected Fragments

monadnock.net/epicurus/fragments.html

This translation renders selected fragments of Epicurus from Greek into English. The
numbering follows that of Hermann Usener in his 1887 volume Epicurea.

I made the first version of this translation in 2011; as of 2018 I am adding more
fragments.

English Translation Greek Original [note]

2. Lack of mental disturbance and lack of ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἀταραξία καὶ <ἡ> ἀπονία
bodily pain are static pleasures, whereas καταστηματικαί εἰσιν ἡδοναί. ἡ δὲ
revelry and rejoicing are active pleasures χαρὰ καὶ ἡ εὐφροσύνη κατὰ κίνησιν
involving movement. ἐνεργείᾳ βλέπονται.

18. Would a wise person do something that πράξει τινὰ ὁ σοφὸς ὧν οἱ νόμοι
the laws forbid, if he knew he would ἀπαγορεύουσιν, εἰδὼς ὅτι λήσει·
escape? A simple proof is not easy to εὔοδον τὸ ἁπλοῦν κατηγόρημα.
find.

27. Prophecy is impossible, but even if it μαντικὴ οὖσα ἀνύπαρκτος, εἰ καὶ

were possible we would consider what ὑπαρκτή, οὐδὲν παρʼ ἡμᾶς ἡγητέα τὰ
transpires as meaningless to us. γινόμενα.

67. I do not think I could conceive of the οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔγωγε ἔχω τί νοήσω
good without the joys of taste, of sex, of τἀγαθὸν ἀφαιρῶν μὲν τὰς διὰ χυλῶν
hearing, and without the pleasing ἡδονάς, ἀφαιρῶν δὲ τὰς διʼ
motions caused by the sight of bodies ἀφροδισίων, ἀφαιρῶν δὲ τὰς διʼ
and forms. ἀκροαμάτῶν, ἀφαιρῶν δὲ καὶ τὰς διὰ
μορφῆς κατʼ ὄψιν ἡδείας κινήσεις.

68. To those who are able to reason it out, τὸ γὰρ εὐσταθὲς σαρκὸς κατάστημα
the highest and surest joy is found in the καὶ τὸ περὶ ταύτης πιστὸν ἔλπισμα
stable health of the body and a firm τὴν ἀκροτάτην χαρὰν καὶ
confidence in keeping it. [note] βεβαιοτάτην ἔχει τοῖς ἐπιλογίζεσθαι
δυναμένοις.

70. Beauty and virtue and such are worthy of τιμητέον τὸ καλὸν καὶ τὰς ἀρετὰς καὶ
honor, if they bring joy; but if not then bid τοιουτότροπα, ἐὰν ἡδονὴν
them farewell! [note] παρασκευάζῃ· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ
παρασκευάζῃ χαίρειν ἐατέον.

116. I summon you to unceasing joy and not ἐγὼ δʼ ἐφʼ ἡδονὰς συνεχεῖς
to empty and trifling virtues, which παρακαλῶ καὶ οὐκ ἐπʼ ἀρετὰς κενὰς
destroy your confidence in the fruits of καὶ ματαίας καὶ ταραχώδεις ἐχούσας
what you have. τῶν καρπῶν ἐλπίδας.
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117. Congratulations: you have entered into μακαρίζω σε, ᾧ Ἀπελλῆ, ὅτι
the search for wisdom free from all καθαρὸς πάσης παιδείας ἐπὶ
culture. [note] φιλοσοφίαν ὥρμησας.

135. If you want to make Pythocles wealthy, εἰ βούλει πλούσιον Πυθοκλέα

don't increase his riches but reduce his ποιῆσαι μὴ χρημάτων προστίθει, τῆς
desires. δὲ ἐπιθυμίας ἀφαίρει.

135a. We value self-reliance not so that we will ἐζηλώσαμεν τὴν αὐτάρκειαν οὐχ
live simply and cheaply in all things, but ὅπως τοῖς εὐτελέσι καὶ λιτοῖς παντῶς
so that we will not be consumed by them. χρώμεθα, ἀλλʼ ὅπως θαρρῶμεν
πρὸς αὐτά.

138. I write to you on this blessed day, which τὴν μακαρίαν ἄγοντες καὶ ἅμα
at the same time is the last day of my τελευτῶντες ἡμέραν τοῦ βίου
life. My pains accompanying dysentery ἐγράφομεν ὑμῖν ταυτί· στραγγουρικά
and urinary blockages cannot be τε παρηκολούθει καὶ δυσεντερικὰ
surpassed in their severity; yet πάθη ὑπερβολὴν οὐκ ἀπολείποντα
countering all that is the joy in my soul at τοῦ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς μεγέθους·
the memory of our past conversations. ἀντιπαρετάτεττο δὲ πᾶσι τούτοις τὸ
As is worthy of one who since childhood κατὰ ψυχὴν χαῖρον ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν
has been devoted to me and to γεγονότων ἡμῖν διαλογισμῶν μνήμῃ·
philosophy, please take care of the σὺ δὲ ἀξίως τῆς ἐκ μειρακίου
children of Metrodorus. παραστάσεως πρὸς ἐμὲ καὶ
φιλοσοφίαν ἐπιμελοῦ τῶν παίδων
Μητροδώρου.

163. Embark on your own course: steer clear παιδείαν δὲ πᾶσαν, μακάριε, φεῦγε
of all culture. τἀκάτιον ἀράμενος.

181. Living on bread and water, I rejoice in the βρυάζω τῷ κατὰ τὸ σωμάτιον ἡδεῖ,
pleasure of my body and spit upon the ὕδατι καὶ ἄρτῳ χρώμενος, καὶ
pleasures of extravagance, not for what προσπτύω ταῖς ἐκ πολυτελείας
they are but because of the difficulties ἡδοναῖς οὐ διʼ αὐτάς, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὰ
that follow from them. ἐξακολουθοῦντα αὐταῖς δυσχερῆ.

182. Send me a little vessel of cheese, so that πέμψον μοι τυροῦ κυθρίδιον, ἵνʼ ὅταν
I can feast whenever I please. βούλωμαι πολυτελεύσασθαι
δύνωμαι.

187. I never wanted to please the many. What οὐδέποτε ὠρέχθην τοῖς πολλοῖς
pleased them, I did not learn; and what I ἀρέσκειν, ἃ μὲν γὰρ ἐκείνοις
learned, was beyond their ken. ἤρεσκεν, οὐκ ἔμαθον, ἃ δʼ ᾔδειν ἐγώ
μακρὰν ἦν τῆς ἐκείνων αἰσθήσεως.

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200. Don't think it unnatural that when the ἀφυσιολόγητον μηδὲν ἡγοῦ βοώσης
body cries out, the soul cries also. The τῆς σαρκὸς βοᾶν τὴν ψυχὴν· σαρκὸς
body says don't be hungry, don't be δὲ φωνή· μὴ πεινῆν, μὴ διψῆν, μὴ
thirsty, don't be cold. It is difficult for the ῥιγοῦν· καὶ ταῦτα τὴν ψυχὴν
soul to prevent these cries, and χαλεπὸν μὲν κωλῦσαι, ἐπισφαλὲς δὲ
dangerous for it to ignore the commands παρακοῦσαι τῆς παραγγειλάσης
of nature because of attachment to its φύσεως αὐτῇ τῆς προσφυοῦς αὑτῇ
usual independence. αὐταρκείας καθʼ ἡμέραν.

202. He who follows nature and not ὁ οὖν τῇ φύσει παρακολουθῶν καὶ
groundless opinions is completely self- μὴ ταῖς κεναῖς δόξαις ἐν πᾶσιν
reliant. With regard to what is enough by αὐτάρκης· πρὸς γὰρ τὸ τῇ φύσει
nature, everything he owns is a source of ἀρκοῦν πᾶσα κτῆσίς ἐστι πλοῦτος,
wealth; whereas with regard to unlimited πρὸς δὲ τὰς ἀορίστους ὀρέξεις καὶ ὁ
desires, even the greatest wealth is μέγιστος πλοῦτός ἐστι πενία.
poverty. [note]

203. Insofar as you forget nature, you will find ἐφʼ ὅσον δʼ ἂν ἀμηχανῇς, λήθῃ τῆς
yourself in trouble and create for yourself φύσεως ἀμηχανεῖς· σαυτῷ γὰρ
endless fears and desires. ἀορίστους φόβους καὶ ἐπιθυμίας
προσβάλλεις.

207. Better to lie serene upon a bed of straw κρεῖσσον δὲ σοι θαρρεῖν ἐπὶ
than to be full of troubles on a golden στιβάδος κατακειμένῳ ἢ ταράττεσθαι
chair at an overflowing table. χρυσῆν ἔχοντι χλίνην καὶ πολυτελῆ
τράπεζαν.

213. Sweet is the memory of a dead friend. ἡδὺ ἡ φίλου μνήμη τεθνηκότος.

214. Don't avoid doing small favors, lest you μὴ φεῦγε μικρὰ χαρίζεσθαι· δόξεις
seem to be the same with regard to γὰρ καὶ πρὸς τὰ μεγάλα τοιοῦτος
greater things. εἶναι.

221. A philosopher's words are empty if they κενὸς ἐκείνου φιλοσόφου λόγος, ὑφʼ
do not heal the suffering of mankind. For οὗ μηδὲν πάθος ἀνθρώπου
just as medicine is useless if it does not θεραπεύεται· ὥσπερ γὰρ ἰατρικῆς
remove sickness from the body, so οὐδὲν ὄφελος μὴ τὰς νόσους τῶν
philosophy is useless if it does not σωμάτων ἐκβαλλούσης, οὕτως οὐδὲ
remove suffering from the soul. φιλοσοφίας, εἰ μὴ τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς
ἐκβάλλει πάθος.

266. From the perspective of the infinite time οὐδὲν ξένον ἐν τῷ παντv ἀποτελεῖται
that has passed, nothing novel occurs in παρὰ τὸν ἤδη γεγενημένον χρόνον
the universe. ἄπειρον.

388. If god heeded the wishes of men, all men εἰ ταῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων εὐχαῖς ὁ θεὸς
would quickly have died, because they κατηκολούθει, θᾶττον ἄν ἀπώλλυντο
are always wishing evils upon each πάντες ἄνθρωποι, συνεχῶς πολλὰ
other. καὶ χαλεπὰ κατʼ ἀλλήλων εὐχόμενοι.

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409. The beginning and root of all good is the ἀρχὴ καὶ ῥίζα παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ ἡ τῆς
pleasure of the stomach; even wisdom γαστρὸς ἡδονή· καὶ τὰ σοφὰ καὶ τὰ
and refinements have reference to this. περιττὰ ἐπὶ ταύτην ἔχει τὴv
ἀναφοράν.

422. We need pleasure when in pain because τότε χρείαν ἔχομεν τῆς ἡδονῆς, ὅταν
of its absence; but when we are not ἐκ τοῦ μὴ παρεῖναι αὐτὴν ἀλγῶμεν·
experiencing such pain, and are ὅταν δὲ τοῦτο μὴ πάσχωμεν ἐν
perceiving stably, then there is no need αἰσθήσει καθεστῶτες, τότε οὐδεμία
for pleasure. For it is not the needs of χρεία τῆς ἡδονῆς· οὐ γὰρ ἡ τῆς
nature which, from outside us, create φύσεως ἔνδεια τὴν ἀδικίαν ποιεῖ
harm, but desire driven by groundless ἔξωθεν, ἀλλʼ ἡ περὶ τὰς κενὰς δόξας
opinions. ὄρεξις.

423. What brings unsurpassed joy is the τὸ γὰρ ποιοῦν ἀνυπέρβλητον γῆθος
removal of a great evil; and this is the τὸ πάραυτα πεφυγμένον μέγα κακόν·
nature of the good, if you apply your καὶ αὕτη φύσις ἀγαθοῦ, ἄν τις ὀρθῶς
mind rightly and then stand firm and do ἐπιβάλῃ. ἔπειτα σταθῇ, καὶ μὴ κενῶς
not stroll about chattering emptily. [note] περιπατῇ περὶ θρυλῶν.

442. Although it is better to endure a given ἀμεινόν ἐστίν ὑπομεῖναι τούσδε τινὰς
pain in order to experience a greater τοὺς πόνους, ὅπως ἡσθῶμεν
pleasure, it can also be better to abstain ἡδονὰς μείζους. συμφέρει τῶνδέ
from a given pleasure in order to avoid τινων ἀπέχεσθαι τῶν ἡδονῶν, ἵνα μὴ
an even greater pain. [note] ἀλγῶμεν ἀλγηδόνας χαλεπωτέρας.

445. We must not blame the body for the μηδὲ αἰτιώμεθα τὴν σάρκα ὡς τῶν
greatest evils nor attribute our troubles to μεγάλων κακῶν αἰτίαν μηδʼ εἰς τὰ
mere circumstance. Instead we seek πράγματα τρέπωμεν τὰς δυσφορίας,
their cause within the soul: for by giving ἐν δὲ τῇ ψυχῇ τὰς τούτων αἰτίας
up every trifling and fleeting desire we μᾶλλον ζητῶμεν καὶ ἀπορρηξαντες
give birth to a confidence perfect in itself. πᾶσαν ματαίαν τῶν ἐφημέρων ὄρεξιν
[note] καὶ ἐλπίδα ὅλοι γενώμεθα ἑαυτῶν.

457. Passion for true philosophy destroys ἔρωτι φιλοσοφίας ἀληθινῆς πᾶσα
every disturbing and troublesome desire. ταραχώδης καὶ ἐπίπονος ἐπιθυμία
[note] ἐκλύεται.

469. Praise be to blessed Nature: she has χάρις τῇ μακαρίᾳ φύσει ὅτι τὰ
made what is necessary easy to get, and ἀναγκαῖα ἐποίησεν εὐπόριστα, τὰ δὲ
what is not easy to get unnecessary. δυσπόριστα οὐκ ἀναγκαῖα.

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471. It is rare to find a man who is poor with σπάνιόν γε εὑρεῖν ἄνθρωπον
regard to the aims of nature and rich in <πένητα> πρὸς τὸ τῆς φύσεως τέλος
groundless desires. For a fool is never καὶ πλούσιον πρὸς τὰς κενὰς δόξας.
satisfied with what he has, but instead is οὐδεὶς γὰρ τῶν ἀφρόνων οἷς ἔχει
distressed about what he doesn't have. ἀρκεῖται, μᾶλλον δὲ οἷς οὐκ ἔχει
Just as those who are feverish through ὀδυνᾶται. ὥσπερ οὖν οἱ πυρέττοντες
the evil of their sickness are always διὰ κακοήθειαν τῆς νόσου ἀεὶ διψῶσι
thirsty and desiring the opposite of what καὶ τῶν ἐναντιωτάτων ἐπιθυμοῦσιν,
they should, so those whose souls are in οὕτω καὶ οἱ τὴν ψυχὴν κακῶς
a bad condition are always poor in ἔχοντες διακειμένην πένονται
everything and through their greed fall πάντων ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς πολυτρόπους
into ever-changing desires. [note] ἐπιθυμίας ὑπὸ λαιμαργίας
ἐμπίπτουσιν.

476. Self-reliance is the greatest wealth of all. πλουσιώτατον αὐτάρκεια πάντων.

478. Fearing an austere way of life, most φοβούμενος ὁ πολὺς τὸ λιτὸν τῆς
people end up doing things that are διαίτης διὰ τὸν φόβον ἐπὶ πράξεις
exceedingly likely to result in fear. πορεύεται τὰς μάλιστʼ ἂν τοῦτον
παρασκευαζούσας.

479. Many of those who happen into wealth πολλοὶ τοῦ πλούτου τυχόντες οὔ τινʼ
are not liberated from their troubles but ἀπαλλαγὴν τῶν κακῶν εὗρον ἀλλὰ
merely swap them for greater ills. μεταβολὴν μειζόνων.

480. If you work like a dog you'll have piles of ἐξ ἐργασίας θηριώδους οὐσίας μὲν
stuff but a miserable life. πλῆθος σωρεύεται, βίος δὲ
ταλαίπωρος συνίσταται.

485. Unhappiness is caused by fears, or by ἢ γὰρ διὰ φόβον τις κακοδαιμονεῖ ἢ

endless and empty desires; but he who is διʼ ἀόριστον καὶ κενὴν ἐπιθυμίαν· ἅ
able to rein these in creates for himself a τις χαλινῶν δύναται τὸν μακάριον
blissful understanding. ἑαυτῷ περιποιῆσαι λογισμόν.

486. Pain does not consist in being deprived οὐκ ἀπορεῖν τούτων πόνος ἐστίν,
of things, but rather in bearing the ἀλλὰ φέρειν μᾶλλον τὸν ἀνόνητον ἐκ
avoidable distress caused by groundless τῶν κενῶν δοξῶν πόνον.
opinion.

488. The ignoble soul is inflated by good ἡ ταπεινὴ ψυχὴ τοῖς μὲν
fortune and deflated by misfortune. εὐημερήμασιν ἐχαυνώθη, ταῖς δὲ
συμφοραῖς καθῃρέθη.

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489. Nature teaches us to think nothing of καὶ τὰ παρὰ τῆς τύχης μικρότερα (ἡ
what fortune brings, to understand that φύσις) διδάσκει νομίζειν, καὶ
when prospering we are unfortunate and εὐτυχοῦντας μὲν γινώσκειν ἀτυχεῖν,
when not prospering we are fortunate, to δυστυχοῦντας δὲ μὴ παρὰ μέγα
receive undisturbed the good things that τίθεσθαι ὄν τὸ εὐτυχεῖν, καὶ δέχεσθαι
fortune brings and to stand ready for its μὲν ἀθορύβως τὰ παρὰ τῆς τύχης
seeming evils. For what is good or evil to ἀγαθά, παρατετάχσθαι δὲ πρὸς τὰ
most people is fleeting, and wisdom has παρʼ αὐτῆς δοκοῦντα εἶναι κακά· ὡς
nothing in common with fortune. ἐφήμερον μὲν πᾶν τὸ τῶν πολλῶν
ἀγαθόν ἐστι καὶ κακὸν, σοφία δὲ
οὐδαμῶς τύχῃ κοινωνεῖ.

490. He who needs tomorrow least, most ὁ τῆς αὔριον ἥκιστα δεόμενος ἥδιστα
gladly greets the coming day. πρόσεισι πρὸς τὴν αὔριον.

512. I spit upon beauty and those who admire προπτύω τῷ καλῷ καὶ τοῖς κενῶς
it, if it brings no joy. αὐτὸ θαυμάζουσιν, ὅταν μηδεμίαν
ἡδονὴν σοιῇ.

519. The greatest fruit of justice is serenity. δικαιοσύνης καρπὸς μέγιστος

ἀταραξία.

530. Laws are made for the wise: not to keep οἱ νόμοι χάριν τῶν σοφῶν κεῖνται,
them from doing wrong, but to keep them οὐχ ὅπως μὴ ἀδικῶσιν, ἀλλʼ ὅπως
from being wronged. μὴ ἀδικῶνται.

533. He who has achieved the goal of his kind οὐ παρόντος οὐδενὸς ὁ κεκτημένος
is equally good even if no one else is [τὸ τοῦ] γένους τέ[λ]ος
present. [πα]ρα[πλησίω]ς ἐστὶν ἀγαθ[ός.]

537. He who causes fear cannot be without οὐκ ἔστιν ἄφοβον εἶναι φοβορὸν
fear. φαινόμενον.

548. Happiness and bliss are produced not by τὸ εὔδαιμον καὶ μακάριον οὐ
great riches nor vast possessions nor χρημάτων πλῆθος οὐδὲ πραγμάτων
exalted occupations nor positions of ὄγκος οὐδʼ ἀρχαί τινες ἔχουσιν οὐδὲ
power, but rather by peace of mind, δυνάμεις, ἀλλʼ ἀλυπία καὶ πραότης
freedom from pain, and a disposition of παθῶν καὶ διάθεσις ψυχῆς τὸ κατὰ
the soul that sets its limits in accordance φύσιν ὁρίζουσα.
with nature.

551. Live unknown. [note] λάθε βιώσας.

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 I, Peter Saint-Andre, made this translation of the Selected Fragments of Epicurus from Greek
into English in the year 2011. By licensing this translation under Creative Commons CC0, I
hereby release all legal and economic rights to this translation under all jurisdictions
(including but not limited to the rights to copy, republish, translate, arrange, modify, and
make derivative works from this translation), and I grant anyone the right to use this
translation without conditions for any purpose. My intent is that this translation shall be free
from all claims of copyright and therefore dedicated directly into the public domain.

[0] The English translation is provided under Creative Commons CC0 (for details, refer to
the Publisher's Note). The Greek text is in the public domain. The text provided here
generally follows that of Hermann Usener as published in his Epicurea (1887), with some
attention paid to the texts of G. Arrighetti as published in Epicuro Opere (Torino: Giulio
Einaudi Editore, 1960) and of A.A. Long and D.N. Sedley as published in Volume 2 of The
Hellenistic Philosophers (Cambridge University Press, 1987). I have not included
fragments whose meaning is very close to paragraphs from the Letter to Menoikos, the
Principal Doctrines or the Vatican Sayings (e.g., fragments 447, 473, and 532), nor have I
translated any fragments from Latin since those cannot possibly represent the exact words
of Epicurus. [back]

[117] By "culture" Epicurus means the traditional form of ancient Greek enculturation and
socialization (παιδεία), which he seems to have thought of as something close to
indoctrination. [back]

[423] On the simultaneity of removing a great evil and creating a great good, see Vatican
Saying #42. The phrase "strolling about" (περιπατῇ) is a jibe at the Aristotelians (also
called the Peripatetics), since Aristotle was known to teach while strolling about the
grounds of his school in Athens. [back]

[457] The word I have rendered as "passion" is ἔρως; thus for Epicurus the love of wisdom
is an erotic emotion! [back]

[471] In the second chapter of the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle characterizes desires as
groundless and trifling (κενὴν καὶ ματαίαν) if they are not related to or subsumed under an
overarching goal of life; in this fragment and in Fragment 442, Epicurus applies the same
terms to certain kinds of desires. [back]

[551] What does it mean to "live unknown"? It seems to mean that it is best to live one's life
hidden from public view, unseen by prying eyes, unnoticed by the many, without fame or
celebrity — even to go through life in secret. There are connections here to Epicurus's
disdain for conventional culture, his raising of the simple pleasures above traditional Greek
values like fame (κλέος), and his advice to not get involved in public affairs (Vatican Saying
#58). [back]

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The Greek text provided here is in the public domain.

The translator has provided the following statement regarding the copyright of his
translation:

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