Editing Epictetus (section)

== Life ==
Having described himself as old in 108 AD, Epictetus is presumed to have been born around AD 50,<ref>{{cite SEP |url-id=epictetus |title=Epictetus |last=Graver |first=Margaret}}</ref><ref>The year of his birth is uncertain. He was born a slave. We do know that he was born early enough to be teaching philosophy by around AD 93, when Domitian banished all philosophers from [[Rome]], because he was among those who left the city under that decree. Around 108 AD, he described himself to Arrian as being an old man cf. [http://classics.mit.edu/Epictetus/discourses.html ''Discourses''], i.9.10; i.16.20; ii.6.23; etc.</ref> at [[Hierapolis]], [[Phrygia]].<ref>Suda. ''Epictetus''.</ref> The name given by his parents is unknown. The name by which he is known is derived from the word ''epíktētos'' (ἐπίκτητος) that in [[Greek language|Greek]], simply means "gained" or "acquired";<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?l=%E1%BC%90%CF%80%CE%AF%CE%BA%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%82&la=greek#Perseus:text:1999.04.0057:entry=e)pi/kthtos-contents|title=Greek Word Study Tool|website=www.perseus.tufts.edu}}</ref> the Greek philosopher [[Plato]], in his ''[[Laws (dialogue)|Laws]]'', used that term to mean property that is "added to one's hereditary property".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:abo:tlg,0059,034:924a&lang=original|title=Plato, Laws, section 924a|website=www.perseus.tufts.edu}}</ref> Epictetus spent his youth in Rome as a [[slavery|slave]] to [[Epaphroditus (freedman of Nero)|Epaphroditus]], a wealthy [[freedman]] who was secretary to [[Nero]].<ref>[https://www.livius.org/ei-er/epaphroditus/epaphroditus.html Epaphroditus] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140802005238/http://www.livius.org/ei-er/epaphroditus/epaphroditus.html |date=2014-08-02 }}, livius.org</ref> His social position was thus complicated, combining the low status of a slave with the high status of one with a personal connection to Imperial power.<ref>P. Christoforou, ''Imagining the Roman Emperor'' (2023), p. 22</ref>

Early in life, Epictetus acquired a passion for philosophy and, with the permission of his wealthy master, he studied [[Stoicism|Stoic]] philosophy under [[Musonius Rufus]].<ref>Epictetus, [http://classics.mit.edu/Epictetus/discourses.html ''Discourses'']. i.7.32.</ref> Becoming more educated in this way raised his social status.<ref>Epictetus, [http://classics.mit.edu/Epictetus/discourses.html ''Discourses''], i.9.29.</ref> At some point, he became disabled. [[Celsus]], quoted by [[Origen]], wrote that this was because his leg had been deliberately broken by his master.<ref>Origen, [http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/origen167.html ''Contra Celcus''. vii.]</ref> Without citing a cause, [[Simplicius of Cilicia|Simplicius]] wrote that Epictetus had been disabled from childhood.<ref name="simpl1">Simplicius, ''Commentary on the Enchiridion'', 13.</ref>

Epictetus obtained his freedom sometime after the death of Nero in AD 68,<ref>Douglas J. Soccio, ''Archetypes of Wisdom: An Introduction to Philosophy'' (2012), p. 197</ref> and he began to teach [[philosophy]] in Rome. Around AD 93, when the [[Roman emperor]] [[Domitian]] banished all philosophers from the city,<ref>Suetonius, [http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/ancient/suet-domitian-rolfe.html ''Domitian''], x.</ref> Epictetus moved to [[Nicopolis]] in [[Epirus]], [[Greece]], where he founded a school of philosophy.<ref>Aulus Gellius, ''Attic Nights'', xv. 11.</ref>

His most famous pupil, [[Arrian]], studied under him as a young man (around AD 108) and claimed to have written his famous ''[[Discourses of Epictetus|Discourses]]'' based on the notes he took about lectures by Epictetus. Arrian argued that his Discourses should be considered comparable to the [[Socrates|Socratic]] literature.<ref>Hendrik Selle: ''Dichtung oder Wahrheit&nbsp;– Der Autor der Epiktetischen Predigten''. Philologus 145 [2001] 269–290</ref> Arrian described Epictetus as a powerful speaker who could "induce his listener to feel just what Epictetus wanted him to feel".<ref name="arrian1">Epictetus, [http://classics.mit.edu/Epictetus/discourses.html ''Discourses''], prologue.</ref> Many eminent figures sought conversations with him.<ref>Epictetus, [http://classics.mit.edu/Epictetus/discourses.html ''Discourses''], i.11; ii.14; iii.4; iii. 7; etc.</ref> Emperor [[Hadrian]] was friendly with him,<ref>[http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/ancient/aelius-hadrian.html Historia Augusta, ''Hadrian''], 16.</ref> possibly having heard Epictetus speak at his school in Nicopolis.<ref>Fox, Robin ''The Classical World: An Epic History from Homer to Hadrian'' Basic Books. 2006 p. 578</ref><ref>A surviving second- or third-century work, ''Altercatio Hadriani Et Epicteti'' gives a fictitious account of a conversation between Hadrian and Epictetus.</ref>

Epictetus lived a life of great [[simple living|simplicity]], with few possessions.<ref name="simpl1"/> He lived alone for a long time,<ref>Simplicius, ''Commentary on the Enchiridion'', 46. There is a joke at Epictetus' expense in Lucian's [https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6829 ''Life of Demonax''] about the fact that he had no family.</ref> but in his old age, he adopted the child of a friend who otherwise would have been left to die, and raised him with the aid of a woman.<ref>Simplicius, ''Commentary on the Enchiridion'', 46. It is possible that they were married, but Simplicius' language on that subject is ambiguous.</ref> It is unclear whether Epictetus and she were married.<ref>Lucian, Demoxan, c. 55, torn, ii., ed Hemsterh., p. 393; as quoted in ''A Selection from the Discourses of Epictetus With the Encheiridion'' (2009), p. 6</ref> He died sometime around AD 135.<ref>He apparently was alive in the reign of [[Hadrian]] (117–138). [[Marcus Aurelius]] (born AD 121) was an admirer, but never met him, and [[Aulus Gellius]] ([https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Gellius/2*.html#18.10 ii.18.10]) writing mid-second century, speaks of him as if he belonged to the recent past.</ref> After his death, according to [[Lucian]], his [[oil lamp]] was purchased by an admirer for 3,000 [[Ancient drachma|drachma]]e.<ref>Lucian, [https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6829 ''Remarks to an illiterate book-lover''].</ref>