Book II, ch. 5, § 1
“
Materials are indifferent, but the use which we make of them is not a matter of indifference.
— Epictetus
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Materials are indifferent, but the use which we make of them is not a matter of indifference." in the context of "Book II, ch. 5, § 1" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Epictetus" (Quotes, Discourses, Book II)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Epictetus
Epictetus (c. 55 – c. 135 AD), born a slave, was a Greek Stoic philosopher. His words were recorded by his student Arrian in the Discourses and Enchiridion written in the early 2nd-century.
About Epictetus
Epictetus (c. 55 – c. 135 AD), born a slave, was a Greek Stoic philosopher. His words were recorded by his student Arrian in the Discourses and Enchiridion written in the early 2nd-century.
View all quotes →