"The two powers which in my opinion constitute a wise man are those of bearing and forbearing"
About this Quote
The subtext is quietly radical: the wise person is not the one who wins arguments, accumulates status, or even feels serene. It’s the one who keeps agency where Epictetus insists it belongs - in the judgments we choose. Everything else (health, reputation, other people’s behavior) sits in the category Stoics treat as not fully ours. “Bearing” accepts that boundary; “forbearing” defends it. Together they describe a disciplined refusal to outsource your inner life to circumstance.
Context sharpens the stakes. Epictetus was born enslaved and later expelled from Rome; he taught philosophy as training for living under power you cannot control. His formula is not polite self-help but a survival ethic. It’s also a critique of elite Roman masculinity: strength isn’t domination, it’s self-command. In a culture that prized public face and quick vengeance, he frames wisdom as the ability to absorb impact and deny the impulse to strike back.
Quote Details
| Topic | Wisdom |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Epictetus. (2026, January 18). The two powers which in my opinion constitute a wise man are those of bearing and forbearing. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-two-powers-which-in-my-opinion-constitute-a-14222/
Chicago Style
Epictetus. "The two powers which in my opinion constitute a wise man are those of bearing and forbearing." FixQuotes. January 18, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-two-powers-which-in-my-opinion-constitute-a-14222/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"The two powers which in my opinion constitute a wise man are those of bearing and forbearing." FixQuotes, 18 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-two-powers-which-in-my-opinion-constitute-a-14222/. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
