Simplicius On Epictetus Handbook 1-26 [Paperback]

'[Simplicius'] moral interpretation of Epictetus is preserved in the library of nations, as a classic book, most excellently adapted to direct the will, to purify the heart, and to confirm the understanding, by a just confidence in the nature both of God and man.'
Edward Gibbon

'This book, written by a pagan philosopher, makes the most Christian impression conceivable. The betrayal of all reality through morality is here present in its fullest splendour - pitiful psychology, the philosopher is reduced to a country parson. And Plato is to blame for all of it! He remains Europe's greatest misfortune!'
Fredrich Nietzsche

Of these two rival reactions the favourable one was most common. Epictetus'Handbookon ethics was used in Christian monasteries, and Simplicius' commentary on it was widely available up to the nineteenth century.
The commentary gives us a fascinating chance to see how a pagan Neoplatonist transformed Stoic ideas, adding Neoplatonist accounts of theology, theodicy, providence, free will and the problem of evil.
This translation of the Commentary on theHandbookis published in two volumes. This is the first, covering chapters 1-26; the second covers chapters 27-53.

Preface
Introduction
Textual Emendations
TRANSLATION
Notes
Bibliography English-Greek
Glossary Greek-English Index
Index of Passages Cited
Subject
Index

Charles Brittain is Associate Professor at the Department of Classics, Cornell University.
Tad Brennan is Associate Professor at the Department of Philosophy, Yale University.