by Epicurus (Ἐπίκουρος), trans. Peter Saint-Andre (2008).

Principal Doctrines

Translator’s Notes

[0] The English translation is provided under Creative Commons CC0 (for details, refer to the Publisher’s Note). The Greek text is in the public domain. The text provided here generally follows that of Hermann Usener as published in his Epicurea (1887), with some attention paid to the texts of G. Arrighetti as published in Epicuro Opere (Torino: Giulio Einaudi Editore, 1960) and of A.A. Long and D.N. Sedley as published in Volume 2 of The Hellenistic Philosophers (Cambridge University Press, 1987). [back]

[1] The phrase “that which is blissful and immortal” is a roundabout way of referring to the gods (see the Letter to Menoeceus, Section 123, in which Epicurus exhorts the reader to “believe that god is a blissful, immortal being”). The Greek word μάκαρ, translated here as “blissful”, could also be translated as “blessed” (Fragments #138 and #469) or as “completely happy” (Principal Doctrine #27). The idea that a being at peace with itself does not cause trouble for others also appears in Vatican Sayings #79. (This paragraph is the same as Vatican Sayings #1.) [back]

[2] The phrase “what has disintegrated” is a reference to a living being that has died. (This paragraph is the same as Vatican Sayings #2.) [back]

[3] The word ἡδονή is often translated solely as “pleasure”; however, depending on the context I also translate it as “delight”, “joy”, or “enjoyment” because the Greek word ἡδονή refers to any physical, emotional, or mental state that is filled with sweetness (ἡδύς), whereas the English word “pleasure” carries stronger connotations of a purely physical state (although compare phrases such as “the pleasures of philosophy”). Furthermore, although there is no hard and fast distinction between ἄλγος as bodily pain and λυπούμενος as mental distress, the former word tends to be used more in relation to the body and the latter more in relation to the mind or emotions; see also Principal Doctrine #10. For other texts that emphasize the concept of a natural limit to enjoyment, see Principal Doctrines #11, #15, #18, #19, #20, as well as Letter to Menoeceus, Section 133, Vatican Saying #35, and Fragment #548. [back]

[4] (This paragraph is the same as Vatican Sayings #3.) [back]

[5] The word φρονίμως, translated here as “wisely”, derives from the word for practical wisdom (see also Letter to Menoeceus, Section 132); although it is often translated as “prudently”, that word is no longer commonly used in current English and to the modern ear sounds positively Victorian, which is why I have opted to translate φρονίμως as “wisely”. The word καλῶς, translated here as “beautifully”, has many meanings, including “nobly” and “honorably”; however, the root meaning of καλός is beauty in either the aesthetic or the ethical sense. On the word δικαίως as “rightly” instead of “justly”, see the note to Principal Doctrine #17. It is not clear what “this” refers to in the phrase “whoever lacks this cannot live joyously”; I take the phrase to mean that one cannot live joyously if one lacks the integration or harmony of wisdom, beauty, and rightness. (This paragraph is the same as Vatican Sayings #5 and appears almost verbatim at Letter to Menoeceus, Section 132.) [back]

[6] The phrase “taking courage” translates the verb θαρρεῖν, which is derived from the word for courage, daring, boldness, or confidence. The basic Epicurean sense I find in this paragraph is “if you were the king or a leader of men, you would take courage from the support of the men under your command (at least to the extent that they are the sort of men who can give you courage), and taking courage in that way would be a natural good for you — but for the rest of us, we must take courage not from our followers but from ourselves and from our friends.” [back]

[7] As a contrast to the false sense of security engendered by being well esteemed and widely admired, see among other passages Principal Doctrines #14, #28, and 39, where Epicurus discusses more reliable foundations for safety and security, such as self-reliance, friendship, and living in accordance with reason. [back]

[8] Similar sentiments can be found at, for example, Letter to Menoeceus, Section 129 (This paragraph is the same as Vatican Sayings #50.) [back]

[10] Epicurus also mentions the pleasures or delights of decadent people at Letter to Menoeceus, Section 131. [back]

[11] I translate the word φυσιολογία as “the study of what is natural”; see the note to Vatican Sayings #29. [back]

[12] (This paragraph is the same as Vatican Sayings #49.) [back]

[13] (This paragraph is the same as Vatican Sayings #72.) [back]

[14] The word ἡσυχία, translated here as “solitude”, can also mean “quietude” or “stillness” (translations that would also be quite consistent with the philosophy of Epicurus). The phrase “breaking away from the herd” is my attempt to render the Greek phrase ἐκχωρήσεως τῶν πολλῶν, which means literally “departing from the many” (οἱ πολλοί are “the masses” — a phrase so useful it has been transliterated directly in English as “hoi polloi”). Note also that although the received text reads ἐκχωρήσεως (“departing”), the Greek word ἐκχορήσεως means “stepping out from the chorus” and thus draws a vivid contrast between the vibrant leading characters and the stolid mass of citizens in ancient Greek tragedies; scribal error could account for a change from omicron to omega in the fourth character of the word, especially because ἐκχορήσεως is much less common than ἐκχωρήσεως. [back]

[15] (This paragraph is the same as Vatican Sayings #8.) [back]

[16] The contrast between chance or fate and reason or choice is explored in greater depth at Letter to Menoeceus, Section 133 and following. [back]

[17] I have expanded the translation here to capture several meanings of the key terms: ἀταρακτότατος means “utterly without disturbance” and by extension steady or serene, whereas πλείστης ταραχῆς means full of trouble, disorder, or tumult (expanded here to “full of trouble and confusion”; see also Principal Doctrine #22 and the note thereto). The words ὁ δίκαιος and ὁ ἄδικος are often translated “the just man” and “the unjust man”, but the modern concept of justice is almost purely social whereas the Greek word δίκαιος has a wider range of meaning that encompasses what is right, fitting, balanced, ordered, decent, civilized, etc.; I have attempted to capture this ambiguity through the phrases “one who acts aright” and “one who goes astray”. (This paragraph is the same as Vatican Sayings #12.) [back]

[19] (This paragraph is the same as Vatican Sayings #22.) [back]

[20] In the Greek, this paragraph is written in the past tense. Because it is confusing to read that way, I have rendered it in the present tense. [back]

[21] The word ἀγών, translated here as “struggle”, originally referred to the contests pursued by athletes at public festivals such as the Olympic games; Epicurus is not necessarily counselling against personal discipline (such as that involved in learning true philosophy), but against the trials and dangers of action in the public arena. [back]

[22] Here the translated phrase “trouble and confusion” reflects the Greek words ἀκρισία (literally “indistinctness”) and ταραχή (literally “trouble”, “disorder”, or “tumult”); see also Principal Doctrine #17 and the note thereto. [back]

[23] This paragraph reflects the Epicurean doctrine that all perceptions are true. [back]

[26] For related insights, see Letter to Menoeceus, Section 127 and following, Principal Doctrines #21 and #30, as well as Vatican Saying #21. [back]

[27] The concept of μακαρία, translated here as “complete happiness”, is also referenced in Principal Doctrine #1 when Epicurus speaks of the gods. In Vatican Saying #78, Epicurus says that friendship is an immortal good whereas wisdom is a mortal good; it is unclear if the other things that wisdom provides for complete happiness are also immortal goods. (This paragraph is the same as Vatican Sayings #13.) [back]

[29] (This paragraph is the same as Vatican Sayings #20.) [back]

[31] The word σύμβολον refers to a covenant, contract, or other mutual agreement, especially (in a legal sense) a treaty between two city-states to safeguard trading between them. The verb βλάπτω means to hurt or damage someone or something, but not in a way that reflects willful injustice or wrongdoing (for which the verb ἀδικέω is used). [back]

[33] The word συνθήκη, translated here as “compact”, means essentially the same as the word σύμβολον from Principal Doctrine #31. [back]

[35] (This paragraph is the same as Vatican Sayings #6.) [back]

[36] The word κοινωνία means a fellowship, an association, a partnership, a community; I have chosen to translate συμφέρον ἐν τῇ πρὸς ἀλλήλους κοινωνίᾳ as “what is mutually advantageous among companions” to emphasize the sense of a shared venture that is implicit in the Greek verb κοινωνέω. [back]

[37] The Greek phrase τιθέναι νόμον means to make legislation; here Epicurus contrasts man-made legislation with natural justice, which in somewhat old-fashioned English we might call natural law. The word πρόληψις has a special meaning in the philosophy of Epicurus: it is the basic grasp that one has of a concept. For other instances, see Principal Doctrine #38 and Letter to Menoeceus, Section 124. [back]

[39] For related thoughts, see Letter to Menoeceus, Section 133 and following. [back]

[40] Somewhat reluctantly, I have translated the word οἰκειότης (from the Greek word for household) as “fellowship”. I say reluctantly because my preferred translation is the obsolete English word “frith”, which referred to the bonds of mutual loyalty and trust between family members, kinsmen, and friends, as well as the resulting feeling of mutual security (see <http://www.friggasweb.org/frith.html>). Unfortunately, the word “frith” has passed out of common usage and therefore is not appropriate for a modern translation of Epicurus (although the concept it identifies deserves to be resurrected). Other alternatives might include “intimacy”, “kindliness”, “friendly relations”, “friendliness”, “sense of community”, even “sense of belonging”. [back]

Publisher’s Note

The Greek text provided here is in the public domain.

The translator has provided the following statement regarding the copyright of his translation:

I, Peter Saint-Andre, made this translation of the Principal Doctrines of Epicurus from Greek into English in the year 2008. By licensing this translation under Creative Commons CC0, I hereby release all legal and economic rights to this translation under all jurisdictions (including but not limited to the rights to copy, republish, translate, arrange, modify, and make derivative works from this translation), and I grant anyone the right to use this translation without conditions for any purpose. My intent is that this translation shall be free from all claims of copyright and therefore shall pass directly into the public domain.

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