Comparing Enchiridion And The Letter To Menoeceus By Epicurus

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The Enchiridion and The Letter to Menoeceus by Epicurus have a few similar themes between them. One of these themes is their viewpoint on death, which I happen to share: Death is not something to be feared, but just an event which will inevitably come to pass. One can not control what happens around them, only how they feel or react to such outside events. The Enchiridion argues this point in section V when the author, Epictetus, says “Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of things.” (Epictetus) By taking this standpoint, the text gives a philosophy which equates to today’s anecdote: “Don’t cry over spilled milk”. This example bears striking resemblance to a quote found in section XII when Epictetus writes “Is

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