Epictetus: Discourses, Book 1 - Couverture souple

The Discourses are a key source for ancient Stoicism, one of the richest and most influential schools of thought in Western philosophy. They not only represent the Stoicism of Epictetus' own time, but also reflect the teachings of such early Stoics as Zeno and Chrysippus, whose writings are largely lost. The first of the four books of the Discourses is philosophically the richest: it focuses primarily on ethics and moral psychology, but also touches on issues of logic, epistemology, science, and rhetoric. Other notable schools of ancient thought, including Epicureanism, the Sceptics, and the Cynics, are discussed. Robert Dobbin presents a new translation into clear modern English of this important work, together with the first commentary on the work since the eighteenth century. Each of the thirty discourses that make up Book 1 is introduced and summarized; then the arguments are examined in detail. The general introduction gives background information about Epictetus' life, the intellectual context of the work, the style of the discourses, and the history of the text. A bibliography surveys the literature. The volume serves as a guide to Epictetus' thought as a whole. Clarendon Later Ancient Philosophers General Editors: Jonathan Barnes and A. A. Long This series is designed to encourage philosophers and students of philosophy to explore the fertile terrain of later ancient philosophy. The texts will range in date from the first century BC to the fifth century AD, and they will cover all the parts and all the schools of philosophy. Each volume contains a substantial introduction, an English translation, and a critical commentary on the philosophical claims and arguments of the text. The translations aim primarily at accuracy and fidelity, but also at readability; they are accompanied by notes on textual problems that affect the philosophical interpretation. No knowledge of Greek or Latin is assumed.

Review from previous edition Thanks to Dobbin's sensitive translation and intelligent commentary, Epictetus is now more open to serious philosophical study than perhaps at any time since Simplicius wrote his commentary on the Handbook (The Philosophical Review)

Dobbin's translation is clear and accurate ... he often catches the colloquial vigor of Epictetus's oral style with an enviable effectiveness (The Philosophical Review)

a solid and philosophically sensitive translation accompanied by detailed commentary on the argument (The Philosophical Review)

The discussion is clear, up to date, and reliable (The Philosophical Review)

the commentary is uniformly informative and sensible (Christopher Gill, Journal of Hellenic Studies)

Dobbin achieves a good balance between detailed comment on Epictetus and scene-setting accounts of Stoic theory. (Christopher Gill, Journal of Hellenic Studies)

With its fresh but close translation and full analysis of each discourse, it provides a thoroughly helpful basis for detailed study of Epictetus by scholars and students alike. (Christopher Gill, Journal of Hellenic Studies)

The translation is lucid, accurate, and spare: a worthy vehicle for the direct Greek of Epictetus's "diatribes" (John M. Rist, International Philosophical Quarterly)