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Primary sourceBook1905

Unterredungen mit Epiktet

Epictetus · 1905

A German translation of selections from Epictetus's Discourses, published in 1905.

A German translation of Epictetus's own teachings, showing how his words were passed down and translated long after his death.

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Unterredungen mit EpiktetPDF · 174 pages
Epictetus (trans. Joseph Grabisch), Unterredungen mit Epiktet, 1905.

About this source

What it is

This is a German-language edition of Epictetus's teachings, titled Unterredungen mit Epiktet (Conversations with Epictetus). It was selected and translated into German by Joseph Grabisch and published in Jena and Leipzig in 1905.

Why it matters

Epictetus himself never wrote anything down — his teachings survive because a student, Arrian, recorded his lectures. This book shows how, centuries later, translators like Grabisch kept bringing Epictetus's ideas to new readers in new languages, proving the lasting appeal of Stoic philosophy.

Look closer

  • Why might a publisher in 1905 Germany want to bring out a new edition of an ancient Greek philosopher's words?
  • What might be gained or lost when a text is translated from Greek to German, centuries after it was spoken?
  • What does the survival of so many translations tell you about how ideas travel across time?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Epictetus on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Title page and opening of Chapter I of the Enchiridion of Epictetus, a 1683 edition with Greek and Latin text in two columns, a decorated initial letter, and Latin commentary below.Book

Secondary source

Enchiridion of Epictetus

Arrian · early 2nd century AD (this edition 1683)

A photographed page of an ancient Greek manuscript on aged, yellowed parchment with brownish edges. Dense lines of handwritten Greek script fill the page, with a large dark brown stain in the center obscuring part of the text. A small circular library stamp appears on the right side, and a marginal number is visible at the upper right. Some marginal notes are written at the lower right.Book

Secondary source

Discourses of Epictetus

Arrian · c. 108 AD

A photographed page of an old handwritten Greek manuscript on yellowed, worn parchment. The dense brown-black lines of script are written in a cursive hand, with a large dark stain in the middle obscuring part of the text. A circular library stamp is visible at the upper right and another near the bottom. Faded marginal notes appear on the right side.Document

Secondary source

Codex Bodleianus

c. 11th-12th century

Title page of a 1558 Latin and Greek edition of Marcus Aurelius's Meditations, printed in Zurich by Andreas Gesner. The page lists Xylander as translator and includes a second title for Marinus' Life of Proclus.Book

Primary source

Meditations

Marcus Aurelius · c. 170-180 AD (this edition printed 1558)

Scan of the inside cover or flyleaf of a book, grey and aged, with an oval library stamp reading 'Bibliotheque de la Ville de Poitiers' and 'D 3463' at top left, and handwritten shelfmark 'v. 33.' and 'in 8°' in the centre. No title page text is visible.Book

Secondary source

Altercacion, dialogue de l'Empereur Adrian et du Philosophe Epictete

Jean de Coras (translator)

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