Epicurus

341–270 BC · Greek philosopher, founder of Epicureanism

Epicurus (341–270 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher who founded Epicureanism and taught in his Athenian “Garden.” He held that pleasure — understood as tranquility (ataraxia) and freedom from bodily pain — is the highest good, best reached by limiting desire to what is natural and necessary. Almost none of his voluminous writing survives; we have a few letters and two collections of maxims, the Principal Doctrines and the Vatican Sayings.

Traced to source

3 quotes we’ve traced to Epicurus

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not”

Verified

“He who is not satisfied with a little is satisfied with nothing”

Attributed

“Of all the means to ensure happiness, friendship is the most important”

Disputed

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