Q0023

“It is not things that disturb people, but their judgments about things.” — Epictetus (Enchiridion 5)

Verified English quotation. Primary source: Enchiridion 5. Theme: desire.

English

It is not things that disturb people, but their judgments about things.
Thinker Epictetus
School Stoicism
Source Enchiridion 5
Theme Desire
Another quotation More from this thinker

Source and attribution

The archive attributes this English wording to Enchiridion 5 and files it under Stoicism. 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 Epictetus

Epictetus (c. 50–c.

Interpretation

This is the opening move of the Enchiridion and the premise of Stoic therapy. Epictetus separates the event from the judgement about it — "my son is dead" is one thing, "this is a disaster" is an addition. His claim is that disturbance is caused by the addition, not the event, and that the addition is something we supply. The point is not that loss is unreal but that our reaction contains a claim we have not examined.

Why it matters

The practical version is to state what happened without the verdict attached. That separation is where a response becomes a choice rather than a reflex.

Concepts in this quote

Desire
Desire drives action and suffering alike; philosophy asks which desires to educate, restrain, or affirm.
Freedom
Freedom is among the most searched and most contested themes in philosophy: what it is to choose, to be responsible, and to live without illegitimate constraint.

How to cite this quotation

APA: Epictetus. (n.d.). It is not things that disturb people, but their judgments about things. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0023

MLA: Epictetus. “It is not things that disturb people, but….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0023.

Chicago: Epictetus. “It is not things that disturb people, but….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0023.

Frequently asked questions

What is the source of the quotation “It is not things that disturb people, but…”?

The passage is attributed to Epictetus, Enchiridion 5. The archive attributes this English wording to Enchiridion 5 and files it under Stoicism. 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 Epictetus mean by desire?

Ethics and moral psychology analyze appetite, love, ambition, and addiction. Stoic, Buddhist, and psychoanalytic traditions treat desire as trainable rather than merely given. This passage enters that discussion through desire, freedom.

Explore Epictetus on desire

Same thinker

More from Epictetus

  1. Of things, some are in our power, and some are not.
  2. With whatever delights you, remind yourself of its nature — then if it is lost, you will not be disturbed.
  3. Remember that you are an actor in a play, of such a kind as the playwright may choose.
  4. The beginning of philosophy is a consciousness of one's own weakness and inability concerning necessary things.
  5. Do not seek for things to happen as you wish, but wish for things to happen as they do, and you will flow well.

All quotations by Epictetus

Same theme

More on desire

  1. If you are distressed by anything external, it is not the thing itself that disturbs you, but your own judgment about it.
  2. Thinking is the habit of examining whatever happens to come to pass or to attract attention.
  3. Better a well-made head than a well-filled head.
  4. Nothing is miserable unless you think it so.
  5. The great method of ordering the world lies in discerning the times and gauging the situation.

Browse the desire theme