u/Eudamonia-Sisyphus

Judaism is pretty unique in regards to global religion for banning infanticide early on, what is interesting is that Ancient Egypt was also known for being against infanticide, also unusual for the time

obviously Israel used to be under Ancient Egyptian Control during the 1500-mid 1100s B.C, and must have had a lot of cross-cultural interaction, could this have been an instance of Egyptian influence, or is it just coincidence?

This has a good discussion on Epicurean views on love, sex, and marriage.

Happy Eikas of July 2026

Eikas is a celebration of Epicurean Philosophy held by the ancient Epicureans on the Twentieth of every month. We hope you will strive to rebuild and participate in Epicurean communities and will celebrate this Eikas. Whether with a nice feast with friends, meditation on Epicurean philosophy, writing, or some other activity.

Quote for this Eikas

"Friendship dances around the world, announcing to each of us that we must awaken to happiness."

Epicurus, Vatican Saying 52.

Hello all, i am an Epicurean, and i wish i could by into the concept of Stoicism, since i largely agree with them that virtue stands above all other goods in deciding a good life, but there is really one issue i have, i hope someone could perhaps help me understand, i wish to understand in fairness to your school.

Main question, how can a Stoic justify pursuing virtue "in and of itself"? the main reason i prefer Epicureanism is that i feel it better accounts for why we have our virtues, for peace of mind and long term health. Over the Stoics saying it's "good in and of itself". They often compare to playing the flute, but that still seems based in a desire to play beautiful songs and be regarded as talented or famous, as in, for pleasure rather than "in and of itself".

As Torquatus says in On Moral Ends, Book 1

- Wisdom keeps us from falling into pitfalls of despair caused by bad decisions, as well as feeling fear based on empty notions and worthless desires which only bring more pain.

- Temperance ensures long term health, by avoiding unnecessary pleasures for more important ones on Health, I recently lost about 60 pounds, and I found Epicurus view on how pleasure doesn't increase after the removal of pain to be really helpful.

- Courage/Fortitude ensures we are willing to endure pain for a better life, disregard pain and live more freely, and even die over choosing a disgraceful and bitter life, such as dying for a friend,

- Justice allows us to have peace of mind, a clear conscience in our decisions, the constant dangers of criminality, legal penalties, and avoid the just hatred of our fellow citizens and the pact of mutual justice and fairness is obviously better for associating with our fellow man as it makes our world more peaceful and us more secure.

I find the Epicurean worldview on these virtues to be much more honest, i don't know how we could convince someone virtue is good outside of these pleasures. I would like to believe it's good by itself, but i can't really justify it.

Taking another issue, Friendship as another example. Seneca tries to justify friendship by saying it's for the "the purpose of practicing friendships, in order that his noble qualities may not lie dormant...he may have someone by whose sickbed he himself may sit or whom he may himself release when that person is held prisoner by hostile hands."

Which i find laughably ad hoc, a phrase for people to sit on a high horse about how virtuous they are, i don't think a single person has gone into friendship with this in mind, whereas the Epicurean view that friends are important for the joy and security they bring feels more honest.

Hope this helps.

Because of an earlier post, i want to remind people that secular religion, where prayer is not taking literally for assistance of the gods but enjoyed for practical benefits and community, is very Epicurean. We must understand that while superstition is rejected, civic religion, with prayer, ritual, festivals, and other affairs are not. Here are all the excerpts below which prove this. All taken from Philodemus On Piety by Dirk Obbink. Slightly edited for clarity.

"Epicurus loyally observed all the forms of worship and enjoined upon his friends to observe them, not only on account of the laws but for physical reasons as well. For in On Lifecourses he says that to pray is natural, for us, not because the gods would be hostile if we did not pray, but in order that, according to the understanding of beings surpassing in power and excellence, we may realize our fulfilments and social conformity with the laws.

On Piety, Column 26

Epicurus says that he shared in all the festivals and that while he was joining in celebrating the festival of the Choes (Drinking day in Dionysus Festival) and the urban mysteries and the other festivals, at a meagre dinner, and that it was necessary for him to celebrate this feast of the twentieth.... they (the founders) thought it right to make use of oaths and epithets of the gods, since their philosophical writing is filled with them. But it is proper to say that Epicurus advised the founders to retain asseverations made by means of these and similar expressions, and above all to preserve those made by Zeus himself.

On Piety Column 29.

"Epicurus warns against violating the covenant of the sacred festival table....also writing to Polyaenus that the Anthesteria (Dionysus festivals) too must be celebrated and that it is necessary to make mention of the gods.

On Piety, Column 30.

"Let us sacrifice to the gods’, Epicurus says, ‘devoutly and fittingly on the proper days, and let us fittingly perform all the acts of worship in accordance with the laws, in no way disturbing ourselves with opinions in matters concerning the most excellent and august of being. Moreover, let us sacrifice justly, on the view that I was giving. For in this way it is possible for mortal nature, by Zeus, to live like Zeus, as it seems."

On Piety, Column 31.

Neocles (Brother of Epicurus and student) says "It is necessary to distribute piously assistance from our money to the Gods"

On Piety, Column 33

In his Symposium, Epicurus says "Let us celebrate the festivals’, and ‘Make fine sacrifices to a god"

On Piety, Column 62.

One of the most important ways in dealing with obstacles in life that Epicureanism teaches, is to remember with gratitude our past good fortune and the many pleasures we've already enjoyed. I recommend Journaling (Something grateful every day) or mediation to increase gratitude.

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things only hoped for. - Epicurus, Vatican Saying 35.

We should find solace for misfortune in the happy memory of the things that are gone and in the knowledge that what has come to be cannot be undone. - Epicurus, Vatican Saying 55

We show our feeling for [deceased] friends, not by wailing, but by pleasant recollection - Epicurus, Vatican Saying 66

The saying, "Behold the end of a long life," shows small thanks for past blessings. - Epicurus, Vatican Saying 75.

The Epicureans say the recollection of past blessings is the greatest factor in a pleasant life. Plutarch, That Epicurus actually makes a pleasant life impossible, 18, p. 1099D.

For Epicurus thus presents his Wise Man who is always happy...equipped he enjoys perpetual pleasure, for there is no moment when the pleasures he experiences do not outbalance the pains; since he remembers the past with gratitude, grasps the present with a full realization of its pleasantness, and does not rely upon the future; he looks forward to it, but finds his true enjoyment in the present. Torquatus, from Cicero, on Moral Ends book 1 verse 62.

A little collection of lesser known quotes of Epicureans i want to be more known, mostly my own translations, With info on where to find sources. Hope you all enjoy!

A unnoble soul is made vain by prosperity, and struck down by misfortune - Epicurus. Maximus the Confessor, PG 91, section 316 middle bottom, Catholic Library website.

One cannot be free from fear who inspires fear - Epicurus. Maximus the Confessor, PG 91, section 329 middle bottom, Catholic Library website.

The more you help a friend, the more you help yourself, as their goodwill returns to us. - Polyaenus. Maximus the Confessor, PG 91, section 283 end, Catholic Library website.

Don't lament those who die, such a thing is inevitable, rather lament those who died shamefully - Polyaenus, Maximus the Confessor, PG 91, section 347 top, Catholic Library website.

Do not seek for things to happen as you wish, rather wish for things to happen as they happen - Metrodorus. Maximus the Confessor, PG 91, section 355 end, Catholic Library website.

Neither ridicule nor celebrate those among us, for ridicule invites resentment and celebration invites flattery - Polyaenus, Maximus the Confessor, PG 91, section 356 end, Catholic Encyclopedia website.

I give my gratitude to blessed nature, she has made everything necessary easy to attain, and everything hard to obtain unnecessary - Epicurus. Maximus the Confessor, PG 91, section 364 middle bottom, Catholic Library website.

Habit aims at small things, that when neglected, gain strength - Polyaenus. Maximus the Confessor, PG 91, section 385 middle, Catholic Library website.

If an enemy makes a request, don't immediately reject it, just protect yourself, for they are like a a dog - Epicurus Maximus the Confessor, PG 91, section 391 end, Catholic Library website.

Don't avoid doing small favors, for you will seem like this for bigger matters. - Epicurus. Maximus the Confessor. Could not find on website but accepted by all experts, see Usener 214, Pg. 3, on Attalus.org

The Epicureans say the recollection of past blessings is the greatest factor in a pleasant life. Plutarch, That Epicurus actually makes a pleasant life impossible, 18, p. 1099D.

He who needs tomorrow the least, enjoys it the most - Epicurus. Plutarch, On Peace of Mind, 16 p. 474C

The greatest fruit of Justice is peace of mind - Epicurus. Clement of Alexandria, Miscellanies, VI.2

Sustainability is the greatest of all riches. - Epicurus. Clement of Alexandria, Miscellanies, VI.2, p.226.38

Cherish men of noble character, and keep him within your sight, living as if he was watching you, and doing everything as he saw your actions" - Epicurus. Seneca, Letters to Lucilius, 11.8

it is nobler, and more pleasant, to give help than to receive it. - Epicurus, Plutarch, Philosophers and Men in Power, 3, p.778E

The memory of a departed friend is pleasant in every way- Epicurus. Plutarch, That Epicurus actually makes a pleasant life impossible, 28, p.1105D.

The Epicureans criticize those who remove grief, tears, and lamentation when friends die, and say that the absence of grief that renders us completely unemotional stems from another great evil: apathy, or a desire for fame, which has become so excessive that it makes them insane. Hence, they say that it is better to be moved somewhat, to grieve and to melt into tears, and with all the sad emotion they feel and write down, get themselves the name of being soft-hearted and affectionate people. Plutarch, That Epicurus actually makes a pleasant life impossible, 20, p. 1101A:

(It is impossible to live pleasantly without living Wisely, Decently, and Justly) and also living without Fortitude, Temperance, a Noble Spirit, Friendliness, and Benevolence, and generally without all the other Virtues as well, for the greatest problems in our Choices and Avoidances come from taking any action while having the opposing vices - Philodemus, On Choices and Avoidances, Column 14. See Indelli/Tsouna Choices and Avoidances.

Those who believe our proclamations about the Gods will want to imitate their blessedness as much as mortals can, and since blessedness is seen to come by not harming anyone, they will try above all else to be harmless to as many people as they can, and secondly, to make themselves truly noble. - Philodemus, On Piety Column 71. See Obbink "On Piety"

In the same way we call worthless anger an evil because it stems from a unnoble character and causes endless turmoil. One must also say natural anger is not evil, but rather something which stings us, happens because of few things, in which we (use reason well and since it comes) from a noble character, it is not evil but actually good - Philodemus, On Anger. Column 38. See David Armstrong, On Anger

The sum of our happiness consists in our disposition, of which we are masters - Diogenes of Oenoanda. Fragment 112. Translation by Martin Ferguson Smith.

What are the emotions that disturb us? It is our fears of the gods, of death, and of pain, Along with our desires which exceed nature's limits. These are the root of all evil! Which if not removed, many more evils grow from them - Diogenes of Oenoanda. Fragment 34. Edited translation of Martin Ferguson Smith.

We also composed this inscription for those called "foreigners" although they are not really so, for while the various segments of the Earth give different people different countries, the entirety of the world gives all people a single country, the entire Earth, and a single home, the World - Diogenes of Oenoanda. Fragment 30. Edited translation of Martin Ferguson Smith.

Here's hoping we learn more of Philodemus and Epicurus works soon. Such an exciting technological development!

Having a good community is one of the most central parts of the philosophy. So don't forget to celebrate with like-minded people if you can find them. Feel free to reach out to me if you want to.

I am not Jack Gedney the author of the substack just FYI.

PD27: "Of all the means that wisdom provides to make the whole of life blessed and complete by far the most important is friendship"

I've been getting more interested in the Hellenistic composition date hypothesis for when the torah was written in large part because of the Elephantine Papyri, so I'm curious how far scholars actually think the Torah might be written well still being respected scholars.

More recent works would be preferred.