Stoic Quote: Examine Who You Are: Epictetus on the First Step to Wisdom

Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism.
In this episode, we turn to Epictetus, Discourses, Book 2, Chapter 10, where he begins with a powerful invitation:

“Examine who you are. For you are capable of understanding the divine governance of the universe and of reasoning on what follows from that.”
Epictetus, Discourses, Book 2, Chapter 10

At the heart of this quote lies the Stoic call to self-knowledge. Epictetus reminds us that our first duty is not to chase success, fame, or wealth, but to understand ourselves. Only when we know who we are can we know how to live. This isn’t abstract philosophy; it’s an invitation to observe, question, and align our actions with our nature. In modern terms, it’s about becoming aware of our beliefs, values, and reactions, the foundations of a meaningful life.

Epictetus follows the example of Socrates, who famously said that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” The Stoics carried this Socratic insight further: by knowing ourselves, we come to understand nature itself. As Marcus Aurelius often reminded himself, we are fragments of the same Logos that governs the universe.
This idea connects deeply with the three Stoic disciplines:

• Desire – wanting only what aligns with nature.

• Assent – judging impressions clearly and rationally.

• Action – behaving in a way that reflects our true character.
  Through self-examination, we cultivate harmony between what we think, desire, and do.

Pause before reacting. When something triggers you, ask: Why does this affect me so strongly? What belief lies beneath my reaction?
Reflect daily. Journal about your choices and emotions. What patterns do you see? What virtues guide your actions?
Detach from labels. You are not your job, income, or reputation. You are the sum of your moral choices — your character revealed through action.

For more, check out this related article with quotes on self-knowledge: https://viastoica.com/how-to-know-yourself/

And if you’re looking for more Stoic sayings, visit viastoica.com, where you’ll find hundreds of quotes with full references to the original texts:
https://viastoica.com/stoic-quotes
https://viastoica.com/marcus-aurelius-quotes
https://viastoica.com/epictetus-quotes
https://viastoica.com/seneca-quotes

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