Epictetus: The Virtue of Inward Freedom

The Stoic sages of Greece were men of tolerance and self-control, archetypes of moral and intellectual perfection and who had rid themselves of destructive emotions. Founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium, stoicism set forth a philosophy that was not merely theoretical, but a way of living. Stoic thought centered around a non-dualistic relation of determinism and free will, and maintained that the individual acting in accord with the nature of the cosmos is virtuous. Despite existing within the single totality of the determined universe, the Stoic sage can achieve complete autonomy by calmly accepting external events and by concerning himself only with how he chooses to act upon what is within his power. The sage and philosopher Epictetus taught Stoicism in first-century Rome, and although none of his original writings have survived, much of his teachings were recorded by his student Arrian. The Enchiridion, or Handbook, is a concise manual on how Epictetus thought one should live. The basic idea underlying the practical enactment of stoicism can be summarized in a phrase: “Do not seek to have events happen as you want them to, but instead want them to happen as they do happen, and your life will go well” . If one follows this tenet, inner tranquility and freedom can be attained. Even if one is enslaved or imprisoned, one can reach inward freedom by assuming complete control of what is within the scope of one’s power. In this sense, Epictetus would urge the prisoner, the slave and the student of philosophy alike to seek this inward freedom and self-governing, rather than the futile fight against external forces.
In understanding the nature of freedom as understood by Epictetus, it is helpful to note the distinction made by many political philosophers between negative and positive types of liberty. Negative liberty exists in the absence of external obstructions or limitations; positive liberty is the ability to act in such a way that one gains control of one’s life