A collection of golden sayings by Epictetus, including The Hymn of Cleanthes. Epictetus was a Greek-speaking Stoic philosopher. He lived in Rome until his banishment, when he went to Nicopolis in north-western Greece for the rest of his life. Epictetus taught that philosophy is a way of life and not just a theoretical discipline. To Epictetus, all external events are beyond our control; we should accept whatever happens calmly and dispassionately. However, individuals are responsible for their own actions, which they can examine and control through rigorous self-discipline.