In our last couple +1s (here and here), we’ve been spending some time mining A.A. Long’s BRILLIANT book on Epictetus and his BRILLIANT Stoic wisdom.
Long’s book is called How to Be Free. Check out the Notes for more.
And, while you’re at it, check out our collection of Notes on DOZENS of the best books on Stoicism. In the app, just got to the “Theory” section then scroll down and click on “STOICISM” to find all the Notes including some of my old-school favorites like Aurelius’s Meditations, Seneca’s Letters from a Stoic and On the Shortness of Life, plus, of course Epictetus’s Enchiridion and Discourses.
Then there’s the modern classics including Ryan Holiday’s The Daily Stoic, The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, Stillness Is the Key, Discipline Is Destiny, and Courage Is Calling. Plus Donald Robertson’s How to Think Like a Roman Emperor and, well, a ton of others.
Today we’re going to continue our exploration of some Big Ideas from A.A. Long’s great book.
Let’s get to work.
Professor Long tells us: “As a book title, encheiridion was not Arrian’s invention. The Greek word cheir is literally a little thing for carrying in the hand. The word had been previously used by an Epicurean philosopher to describe a ‘handy’ collection of subject matter. In choosing the word encheiridion for his compendium of Epictetus, Arrian’s meaning can be largely conveyed by ‘handbook’ or ‘manual,’ but I prefer to keep the Greek word.”
He continues by saying: “In its earliest usage encheiridion refers to a hand-knife or dagger. Arrian may have wished to suggest that connotation of the work’s defensive or protective function. It fits his admonition at the beginning and end of the text to keep Epictetus’s message ‘to hand’ (procheiron). In obvious imitation, Erasmus in 1501 published a work in Latin with the title Encheiridion militas Christiani (A Christian Soldier’s Manual).”
Now…
As we’ve discussed, Epictetus never wrote anything.
We have one of his best students, Arrian, to thank for capturing his teacher’s words. (Thanks, Arrian! 🙌 🤓 )
And…
I just LOVE this origin story regarding the name of the book—and the fact that Long thought it was important enough to merit a comment in his brief introduction.
Encheiridion.
We translate that word as “Handbook” in English.
But…
Like a LOT of ancient words, it has a much deeper and much more powerful meaning.
Epictetus’s wisdom was less of a “handbook” on how to live a good life and much more of a WEAPON we could use to meet life’s inevitable challenges.
So…
Want to practice your philosophy as a WARRIOR rather than a mere librarian?
Fantastic. Me, too.
Let’s have our wisdom READY AT HAND.
Like a hand dagger—defending ourselves from the danger of poor thinking and acting.
When?
Echo.
(Echo!)
(Echo!)
All day.
Every day.
Especially…
TODAY.
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