Q0020
“Pleasure is the beginning and end of the happy life — not…” — Epicurus (Letter to Menoeceus)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Letter to Menoeceus. Theme: life.
English
Pleasure is the beginning and end of the happy life — not the pleasures of profligates, but freedom from pain in the body and from disturbance in the soul.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Letter to Menoeceus and files it under Epicureanism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Epicurus
Epicurus (341–270 BCE) founded the Garden school in Athens, teaching atomist physics and a therapy of desire aimed at ataraxia. He admitted women and slaves as students and wrote extensively; most works are lost, leaving letters and maxims plus Lucretius’s later poem.
How to read this passage
Life is both a biological fact and a practical project. Philosophers debate flourishing, suffering, mortality, and the standards by which a biography can be judged successful or wasted. This passage enters that discussion through life.
Concepts in this quote
- Life
- Philosophy quotes about life ask what makes a life good, meaningful, or worth examining—questions that drive ethics, religion, and everyday decision.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Epicurus. (n.d.). Pleasure is the beginning and end of the happy life — not the pleasures of profligates, but freedom from pain in the body and from disturbance in the soul. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0020
MLA: Epicurus. “Pleasure is the beginning and end of the….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0020.
Chicago: Epicurus. “Pleasure is the beginning and end of the….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0020.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Pleasure is the beginning and end of the…”?
The passage is attributed to Epicurus, Letter to Menoeceus. The archive attributes this English wording to Letter to Menoeceus and files it under Epicureanism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Epicurus mean by life?
Life is both a biological fact and a practical project. Philosophers debate flourishing, suffering, mortality, and the standards by which a biography can be judged successful or wasted. This passage enters that discussion through life.