Epicurus on desire
Epicurus (341–270 BCE) approaches desire within Epicureanism. Pleasure is tranquil freedom from bodily distress and mental disturbance, achieved through modest desires, friendship, and atomist understanding. Systematically, the teaching links pleasure, atoms, friendship into a practical and theoretical whole. On this page, the archive isolates English passages where that project meets desire most directly—useful for searches such as “epicurus quotes on desire.”
How to use this page
Start with the shortest passage, then compare tone across sources. Return to the Epicurus thinker page for biography and to the desire theme for other voices on the same question.
Frequently asked
What did Epicurus say about desire?
The quotations below are the archive’s curated answer: English renderings selected for clarity and attribution, not a complete corpus.
Where else should I read after epicurus on desire?
Related themes: Philosophy , Self , Knowledge , Freedom , Life , Wisdom .