The Art of Living

<p><strong>No writings of Epictetus himself are really known. His discourses were transcribed and compiled by his pupil Arrian </strong>(author of the Anabasis Alexandri). The main work is The Discourses four books of which have been preserved (out of an original eight). Arrian also compiled a popular digest entitled the Enchiridion or Handbook. In a preface to the Discourses addressed to Lucius Gellius Arrian states that whatever I heard him say I used to write down word for word as best I could endeavouring to preserve it as a memorial for my own future use of his way of thinking and the frankness of his speech.</p>