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Secondary sourceBook1906

Words of the Ancient Wise

W. H. D. Rouse · 1906

A 1906 selection of sayings drawn from Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, compiled as a daily reading book.

A later selection and adaptation of Epictetus's sayings, not his original full text.

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Words of the Ancient WisePDF · 380 pages
Words of the Ancient Wise, from Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, compiled by W. H. D. Rouse, 1906.

About this source

What it is

This book, compiled by W. H. D. Rouse and published in 1906, presents extracts from Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius arranged as a daily reader. The Epictetus passages are drawn from Elizabeth Carter's 1758 translation, with some corrections and omissions made by Rouse.

Why it matters

This is not Epictetus's full text but a curated selection intended to make his and Marcus Aurelius's ideas accessible to everyday readers. It shows how Epictetus's teachings were repackaged for popular use long after his death, reflecting the ongoing appeal of Stoic wisdom in the early 20th century.

Look closer

  • Why might an editor choose to present only short daily extracts rather than full texts?
  • What might be changed or lost when old translations are corrected and shortened?
  • How does this book differ from reading Epictetus's original words directly?

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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