When I see someone in anxiety, I say to myself, What can it be that this fellow wants? For if he did not want something that was outside of his control, how could he still remain in anxiety?" - Meaning and context.">
Book II, ch. 13, § 1.

When I see someone in anxiety, I say to myself, What can it be that this fellow wants? For if he did not want something that was outside of his control, how could he still remain in anxiety?

— Epictetus

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "When I see someone in anxiety, I say to myself, What can it be that this fellow wants? For if he did not want something that was outside of his control, how could he still remain in anxiety?" in the context of "Book II, ch. 13, § 1." to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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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
Epictetus

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.