Lettres, maximes, sentences

by Epicurus

L'épicurisme est un art du bonheur. Qu'est-ce que le bonheur ? La réponse épicurienne est bien connue : une vie de plaisir. Thèse souvent mal comprise car loin de faire l'apologie de tous les plaisirs, Épicure ne recommande que les plaisirs simples. Le mode de vie frugal et raisonnable qu'il prône est tout le contraire d'une vie de débauche.

Les textes réunis ici portent essentiellement sur la morale et sur la physique. Pourquoi la quête de bonheur passe-t-elle par la physique ? On ne peut espérer vivre heureux sans avoir éliminé l'angoisse liée à la croyance en l'immortalité et aux enfers. En nous révélant le caractère composé de tous les corps, la physique atomiste d'Épicure nous convainc que tout ce qui naît est condamné à mourir et que, contrairement à ce que font croire les religions, la mort existe bien. La physique libère donc les hommes de la peur de l'au-delà : elle est bien, à ce titre, une étape nécessaire vers le bonheur.

Des lettres courtes car la vie est brève : dépêchons-nous de les lire et d'être heureux ! --Émilio Balturi

Genres: Philosophy, Classics, Nonfiction, Ancient History

222 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 301

About the author

Epicurus (Greek: Ἐπίκουρος, Epikouros, "upon youth"; Samos, 341 BCE – Athens, 270 BCE; 72 years) was an ancient Greek philosopher and the founder of the school of philosophy called Epicureanism. Only a few fragments and letters remain of Epicurus's 300 written works. Much of what is known about Epicurean philosophy derives from later followers and commentators.

For Epicurus, the purpose of philosophy was to attain the happy, tranquil life, characterized by aponia, the absence of pain and fear, and by living a self-sufficient life surrounded by friends. He taught that pleasure and pain are the measures of what is good and bad, that death is the end of the body and the soul and should therefore not be feared, that the gods do not reward or punish humans, that the universe is infinite and eternal, and that events in the world are ultimately based on the motions and interactions of atoms moving in empty space.

His parents, Neocles and Chaerestrate, both Athenian citizens, had immigrated to the Athenian settlement on the Aegean island of Samos about ten years before Epicurus' birth in February 341 BCE. As a boy he studied philosophy for four years under the Platonist teacher Pamphilus. At the age of 18 he went to Athens for his two-year term of military service. The playwright Menander served in the same age-class of the ephebes as Epicurus.

After the death of Alexander the Great, Perdiccas expelled the Athenian settlers on Samos to Colophon. After the completion of his military service, Epicurus joined his family there. He studied under Nausiphanes, who followed the teachings of Democritus. In 311/310 BC Epicurus taught in Mytilene but caused strife and was forced to leave. He then founded a school in Lampsacus before returning to Athens in 306 BC. There he founded The Garden, a school named for the garden he owned about halfway between the Stoa and the Academy that served as the school's meeting place.

Even though many of his teachings were heavily influenced by earlier thinkers, especially by Democritus, he differed in a significant way with Democritus on determinism. Epicurus would often deny this influence, denounce other philosophers as confused, and claim to be "self-taught".

Epicurus never married and had no known children. He suffered from kidney stones, to which he finally succumbed in 270 BCE at the age of 72, and despite the prolonged pain involved, he wrote to Idomeneus:

"I have written this letter to you on a happy day to me, which is also the last day of my life. For I have been attacked by a painful inability to urinate, and also dysentery, so violent that nothing can be added to the violence of my sufferings. But the cheerfulness of my mind, which comes from the recollection of all my philosophical contemplation, counterbalances all these afflictions. And I beg you to take care of the children of Metrodorus, in a manner worthy of the devotion shown by the young man to me, and to philosophy."

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicurus

Reviews

[Tyler Windham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epicurus is remarkably underrated, it seems, when compared to other Greek philosophers like Zeno, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle and there is absolute no reason for this that is based in any strain of thought except in the minds of point-proving medieval European theologians. The full genius of Epicurus can be seen in the Letters and Sayings which catalogue the philosopher's theoraties and ideas concern the world, both physical and metaphysical, and his views on ethics and the highest good. In the former regard Epicurus in many ways anticipates modern physics as he insists that all of the universe is made of indivisible and microscopic particles called atoms, and empty space. Epicurus expounds on this theory to form a view of the universe as eternally existing, though not in its present form, of infinite size (that is to say without any boundaries), with time and direction only being relative assessments and not absolutes. Further, Epicurus places the burden of proof squarely on the mystics and peddler of superstitious bombast of his era, declares sense perception to be the logical yard stick by which to measure truth, and that the soul is not incorporeal and that the cosmos are not orchestrated or planned by deities or spirits. Epicurus parlays this into an assertion that death is nothing to us, is meaningless in the scope of human understanding, and therefore, should not be feared or loathed; instead, we should focus to live as pleasurable a life as possible--not through hedonism but through the elimination of suffering, control over ones desires, and a conviction to hold to the ethics of reciprocity.

[Абрахам Хосебр · Rating 5 out of 5]

Листи Епікура

До нашого часу дійшли три листи цього відомого філософа до своїх друзів та учнів.
Два з них: до Пітокла та до Геродота - роздуми стосовно природних, фізіологічних та космічних феноменів в яких Епікур викладає свою атомарну теорію. Центральна ідея: феномен може мати декілька причин і потрібно мати їх усіх на увазі допоки ми не дістанемося істини. Так Місяць може відбивати світло Сонця, а може володіти власним світлом, або при сонячному затемненні ми спостерігаємо його закриття Місяцем, або справжнє пригасання. Загалом, ідеї цікаві та інколи прогресивні на свій час (наприклад утворення блискавки від "тертя" хмар), а інколи абсурдні (лід утворюється тоді, коли з води виділяються округлі частки, а залишаються кубічні частки) але всі вони мають радше історичну цінність.

Зовсім інша справа з листом до Менекея, який містить життєві епікурейські настанови. Фраґменти з нього я і зацитую.

З листа до Менекея:

Нехай ніхто в молодості не відкладає заняття філософією, а й в старості не втомлюється філософувати, бо ж ніхто не буває ні недозрілим, ні перезрілим для здоров'я душі. Хто каже, що філософувати вже запізно чи зарано, той схожий на такого, що каже, що і для щастя ще зарано, або вже немає часу. Тому і юнакові, і старому слід займатися філософією: першому—для того, щоб, старіючи, бути молодим в благах, вдячно згадуючи минуле, а другому—для того, щоб бути одночасно і молодим, і старим через відсутність страху перед майбуттям.

Дійсно, боги існують: їхнє пізнання — факт очевидний. Але вони не такі, якими їх увляє натовп, тому що натовп накидає на них свої бачення. Нечестивий не той, хто відкидає богів натовпу, але той, хто застосовує до богів уявлення натовпу.

Привчай себе до думки, що смерть не має до нас ніякого відношення. Адже все добре і погане полягає у відчутті, а смерть є позбавленням відчуття.

Отже, коли ми говоримо, що задоволення є кінцевою метою, то ми розуміємо не задоволення розпусників і не задоволення, які полягають у чуттєвій насолоді, як то думають деякі впертюхи та невігласи, але ми розуміємо свободу від тілесних страждань і від душевних тривог.

Люди натовпу то уникають смерті як найбільшого із лих, то жадають її як відпочинку від лих життя. А мудрець не ухиляється від життя, але й не боїться нежиття, тому що життя йому не заважає, а нежиття не видається якимось злом. Як їсть він не для переїду, але для приємного насичення, так і часом він насолоджується не найдовшим, але найприємнішим.

[Illiterate · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite Hellenistic sage. Atheistic-ish materialism and simple happiness.

[Kaju Janowski · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for more life-related philosophy yet encountered reflections on the nature of the physical world. Not what I expected but still quite interesting - how did they think things worked.

[нєνєℓ ¢ανα · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joie de vivre!... a real rationalist as well as materialist!

[Basel · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, every once in a while I like to reread some of the philosophy books of my student years (O those were the days. You say a joke and instead of people laughing, they give you long, intricate arguments…). Even to those non-familiar with classical philosophy, the name Epicurus usually rings a bell. You don’t need to search far and wide. Just go to any social media website and you’ll find a plethora of people describing themselves as “Epicurean”, usually such description is attached to photos of lavish feasts, parties, extravaganza… And not just your social media people. Even many critics and authors throughout history have been using Epicureanism as the ultimate description of hedonism and pleasure, equating him, in a sense with someone going to a buffet and literally eating for many people, equating him at times with a life’s purpose of debauchery. Nevertheless, Epicurus is actually one of the most misunderstood philosophers out there. It is true that searching for pleasure is the ultimate source of happiness to Epicurus, this his philosophy does have a hedonistic goal to it. But it’s the “how” that’s mostly misunderstood. To address his entire philosophy would take a long time, so I’ll just focus on two main points: The study of nature and pleasure as simple pleasure with prudence.

On the one hand, it is true that Epicure’s philosophy is a version of hedonism, but it’s a negative hedonism. The simple pleasures of life are the pleasures that make life worth living. The more you attach yourself to the corporal pleasures of life, the more you mass consume what’s out there, the more losing these elements will bring trouble to your soul. It’s like someone who spends his/her money on the fanciest of clothes. All is fine and well until he/she is broke and thus can’t afford the old life style. Being modest will help you control better your life. So, focus more on the simple pleasures of life. A nice loaf of bread, some olive oil, some olives, some cheese maybe, a nice garden and people with whom you can have the best of talks are the main source of pleasure to Epicurus, and this is the main source to be sought after. On the other hand, the more you study nature, the more you study and understand the world around you and how it affects your sensations, the more you will have peace of the soul/mind. There are great things to be discovered, and the world is filled with wonder, so the more you discover them, the more you are relieved.

In the end, there are many things to be discussed, but I thought I’d just highlight these two. Of his works, only three letters remain and several fragment. But they’re enough to give us a good idea and much to ponder. If you want at least a good introduction to what true Epicureanism is, then I recommend his Epistle to Epistle to Menoeceus. It will give you an important and precise summary of his ethical views on life.

[Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it. Didn't love it, but liked it. Part of the problem is that we don't have a lot of his original writings, rather works about his works.

Epicurus is labeled as an atheist, which I don't think is the proper label. He taught that the immortals existed, but are perfect and therefore have no need to muck around with human affairs, which was heretical to the Greeks. He also was anti-superstition and placed a lot of weight on sensing. What was sensed was real and true. What we believed could be right or wrong since we were judging sense experiences and could be wrong.

Anyways, not on my top of my list of favorite Greek writings, but interesting nonetheless.

[Jasper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the book is natural science, describing how things might work in the absence of divine control, which is really interesting and sometimes funny in light of the scientific knowledge we've gained since Epicurus' time. I was looking for ethics to compare and contrast with the Stoics, and there is a bit of that, but not much.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only read letters to Heredotus and Menocus, but found them both interesting and insightful. His ideas on physics and how to live both seem very relevant to today's questions.

[Dave/Maggie Bean · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Epicurean philosophy from the horse’s mouth (uh, make that “pen”…), along with a few maxims commonly attributed to him.

[Nicolas Name · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly, most of epicurus’s writings have not survived, and I’ve gotten a better understanding of epicurus through what other contemporary authors of his had to say about his work than about him himself, which is a shame. I don’t think of the surviving work to have been his best work, since the 40 doctrines are just simple do’s and don’ts, and his three letters were really just him communicating with people he knew at that time.

In his three letters, one letter focuses on his outlook regarding cosmology and natural scientific phenomenon, of which practically all have been improved upon on tremendously over the last two thousand years. That is not really useful, outside of as an intellectual curiosity. There’s a short letter to Menoeceus that focuses a bit more on philosophy that epicurus is generally known for rather than speculations about natural science, but in this, there is a hasty feel to the ideas being presented, and there’s quite a bit of jumping around in the topics (that was present in the other letters as well, hence why I don’t think these are the works he was admired for by his contemporaries who wrote about him often, and expressed his philosophy in a deeper manner than he does so himself here). Anyways, in that letter, he discusses death (how we shouldn’t fear it, since when death is here, we are not, so it’s nothing to us). There’s also less a focus on what is generally known as the “epicurean” philosophy of trying to live the best life we can, which is often associated with some sort of “ethical” “hedonism” (quotations around those two words necessary, since many critique him and his followers for not being ethical and not being entirely hedonistic in the way that we imagine when thinking of that word). He seems like an interesting author/philosopher to get to know deeper, with regards to how people like Seneca and Epictetus discuss him (since they simultaneously critique him, cite him, and compliment him, and Epicurus is perhaps the second most quoted philosopher by those two authors, after Socrates/Plato, so it seems he had an influence during that time).

It’s just a shame that none of his more serious, developed works survived, that undoubtedly existed at one time. So the rating above (2/5) is not really a rating of epicurean philosophy as a whole (I don’t know how I would be able to define that), but with regards primarily to the 3 letters (to Menoeceus, Herodorus, and Pythocles).

[Joseph F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always wanted to read about Epicurus. Being exposed to Jesuits at college and growing up Catholic, I’ve always been told that Epicurus promulgated the idea of pleasure. It colored him as a person that simply felt like doing what you pleased; as long as it felt good.
This of course is a superficial understanding of his philosophy.

Epicurus wasn’t an atheist, but his philosophy is definitely materialistic; adopting the “atoms and the void” philosophy of Democrates. I was very impressed on how, long before the scientific method was perfected, he put together a fairly accurate view of the universe(for its time), just by thinking about atoms.

Surprisingly there isn’t too much moral or ethical philosophy in this little book. The idea of pleasure is simply trying to make life worth living in a universe filled with gods that really don’t care about us.
No immortality or life beyond the grave.
So grab some wine, a piece of cheese, and make the best of things by hanging out with friends and loved ones.

[Xavier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Want dwazen kwellen zich af door zich hun ongeluk voor de geest te halen; de wijzen verlustigen zich in hun vroegere geluk dat herleeft in dankbare herinnering.

[Alessandro Orlandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but sometimes a little bit boring and difficult to read. There are very interesting ideas though. And it's incredible that has been written so long ago.

[Fileogem · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai beaucoup apprécié les Maximes. Certaines sont intemporelles et j'aurai plaisir à rouvrir l'ouvrage pour en relire de temps en temps.

[Sara Salomè · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this class, loved his letters

[maggie ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Épicure c’était un gars simple enft

[Santiago González · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me pareció interesante, por lo menos en mi traducción la carta a Heródoto está escrita pesada (tampoco se expone nada muy complejo) pero se puede leer. Me gustó su física sobretodo

[Yann · Rating 4 out of 5]

150 pages d'introduction difficiles pour 50 pages de texte limpides. Au delà des extravagances relatives la physique, les études morales sont intéressantes. Si Épicure n'est pas un aussi bon conteur et psychologue que Platon, il vise au plus de précision et de clarté possible, ce qui le rend très agréable à suivre. La nature des choses de Lucrèce est ce que j'ai pu lire de plus complet sur cette école tant critiquée.

[Mark]

A rather short book, though that's due to the scarcity of the surviving writings of Epicurus. Of interest, although I wonder about the translation. I'd like to read a few different translations of Epicurus in order to triangulate; sometimes the clarity (or lack thereof) is in the original, and sometimes it's in the transmission.

[Blue Caeruleus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Epicurus presents the world with the first effective guide for achieving happiness and living well.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Epicurus was a rationalist materialist like me. Too bad later philosophers (incl. those darn early Xians!) twisted his ideas and now people think he was a hedonist.

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much agree with the ideas of Epicurus, but what remains of his writings is not that ... not that extensive or systematic.