"A free life cannot acquire many possessions, because this is not easy to do without servility to mobs or monarchs"

In this quote, Epicurus is revealing his belief that real flexibility can not be accomplished if one is consumed by the pursuit of product possessions. He argues that the desire for belongings often results in a life of bondage, either to the needs of the masses or to the impulses of rulers. This servility, according to Epicurus, is antithetical to a really complimentary life. Instead, he suggests that true flexibility can be discovered in simpleness and contentment with what one has, instead of constantly pursuing more. By rejecting the pressure to build up ownerships, one can live a life free from the control and influence of others.