EPICTETUS was born at Iliempolis, a city of Phrygia. The year of his birth is not known, nor are wo able to make any very close approximation to it. lie must have been born however before the end of the reign of the emperor Nero, A.D. 68, else he could not have been more than twenty-one when Domitiau published that edict against philosophers, in the year 89, in consequence of which Epictetus retired from Rouse. At the age of twenty-one, he was not likely to have attained sufficient notoriety to bring him within tho operation of such an edict.
Epictetus was born most probably during the last eight years of Nero's reign. The names and condition of his parents are unknown; neither do we know how he came to be brought to Rome. But at Rome be was for some time slave to Epaphroditus, who was a freed man of Nero's, and one of his body-guard. An anecdote related by Origen, which illustrates the fortitude of Epietetus, would also show, if it is true, that Epaphroditua was a most cruel master. "Epictetus, whin his master was twisting his leg one day, smiled and quietly amid, 'you will break it; and when ho did break it, only observed, ' Did I not tell you that you would do so!'" (Origen, ' C. Cell' vii, p. 368.) We are not told how or when Epictetus managed to effect his freedom ; but ho could not have been still a slave when he loft Rome hi consequence of the edict against philosophers. This, which is the only event in his life whose date we can assign, took place, as has been said, In the year SO, being the eighth rear of Domitian's reign. 1:pictetus then retired to Nicopolis, in Epirus; and it is a question whether he aver returned to Roma The chief ground for believing that be did in a statement of Spartian (' Vit. Hadr.' 16), that Epiatetus lived on terms of intimacy with the emperor Iladrian ; while it la argued on the other Land, that there is no evidence of any of his discourses having been delivered at home, but that they contain frequent mention of Nloopolis. This argument is however hardly
sufficient to overthrow the express testimony of Spartian.
We do not know when Le died. Suidas says that he lived till the reign of Marcus Aurelius; and a confirmation of this statement has been thought to be furnished by Themistius, who says Orat. V. ad Jovian. Imp.') that the two Antonines patronised Epretetns. But if, as there is good reason to believe, Epictetus was born before 68, the adoption of Suidas's statement would make him almost a hundred years old at hie death ; and what is said by Themistius might very well be true, even though Epictetus did not live under either of the Antonines. It may be added, that Suldas's account of Epictetus is in other respects inaccurate. But the strongest argument against Suidas is derived from Aulus Genius, who, writing during the reign of the first Antonine, speaks of Epictetus in two places as being dead. ('Noct. Att.' il. 18; xvii. 19.) Epictetns led a life of exemplary contentment, simplicity, and virtue, practising in all particulars the morality he taught. Ile lived for a long while in a small hut, with no other furniture than a bed and lamp, and without an attendant; until he benevolently adopted a child whom a friend had been compelled by poverty to expose, and hired a nurse for its sake. There is a story connected with his lamp which Illustrates the equanimity of Eplctctue. He had bought one day an iron lamp, which was very soon after stolen from his hut, while he was himself standing iu a corner wrapped in meditation ; and when on looking up he came to miss it, he observed with a smile, "I shall disappoint this thief to-morrow, for if he comes back for another lamp, he shall only find an earthen one." (Arrian, Epict.' ii. C.) Neither was it in trifles alone that his equanimity was manifested, as the anecdote of his patience under his master's cruelty may suffice to prove. The biographers of Epictetus have taken particular care to commemorate his love of neatness.