Epictetus by A A Long

Epictetus by A A Long

The philosophy of Epictetus, a freed slave in the Roman Empire, has been profoundly influential on Western thought: it offers not only stimulating ideas but practical guidance in living one's life. A. A. Long, a leading scholar of later ancient philosophy, gives the definitive presentation of the thought of Epictetus for a broad readership. Long's fresh and vivid translations of a selection of the best of Epictetus' discourses show that his ideas are as valuable and striking today as they were amost two thousand years ago. The translations are organized thematically within the framework of an authoritative introduction and commentary, which offer a way into this world for those new to it, and illuminating interpretations for those who already know it. Epictetus is known as one of the great Stoic thinkers. But he took the life and conversation of Socrates as his educational model. His Socratic allegiance, scarcely examined before, is a major theme of this ground-breaking book. Long shows how Epictetus offered his students a way of life premised on the values of personal autonomy and integrity. Never a sermonizer, Epictetus engages his students in brilliantly challenging dialogue; Long offers the first accessible study of his argumentative and rhetorical methods. This is a book for anyone interested in what we can learn from ancient philosophy about how to live our lives.

This book is a tour de force, encapsulating a profound reading of a major source for Stoic ethics within the framework of a highly accessible introductionThe full significance of Long's powerful hypothesis about Socratic basis of Epictetus' version of the Stoic project and about the nature of Epictetus' originality will provide material for scholarly debate for many years. Long has also underlined how this work of Roman Stoic practical ethics can speak to our thought-world as powerfully as it has spoken to previous eras of Western culture. * Christopher Gill, Archiv fur Geschichte der Philosophie *

Michael Frede, who died in 2007, held positions successively in the departments of philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley, Princeton University, and Oxford University, where he held the Chair of the History of Philosophy. In 1997-1998, he was Sather Professor of Classical Literature at UC Berkeley, where he delivered the lectures that make up this volume. A. A. Long is Professor of Classics, Irving Stone Professor of Literature, and Affiliated Professor of Philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of Epictetus: A Stoic and Socratic Guide to Life and From Epicurus to Epictetus: Studies in Hellenistic and Roman Philosophy. David Sedley is Lawrence Professor of Ancient Philosophy at the University of Cambridge and the author of Creationism and Its Critics in Antiquity (UC Press).

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780199268856
ISBN 10	0199268851
Title	Epictetus
Author	A A Long
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Year published	2004-01-08
Number of pages	336
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.