--- product_id: 48513410 title: "Discourses and Selected Writings (Penguin Classics)" price: "AED 88" currency: AED in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.ae/products/48513410-discourses-and-selected-writings-penguin-classics store_origin: AE region: United Arab Emirates --- # Ancient philosophy relevance 4.7/5 star acclaim Timeless Stoic wisdom Discourses and Selected Writings (Penguin Classics) **Price:** AED 88 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 📖 Unlock ancient wisdom to lead with clarity and calm in a chaotic world ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Discourses and Selected Writings (Penguin Classics) - **How much does it cost?** AED 88 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ae](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/48513410-discourses-and-selected-writings-penguin-classics) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Enduring Stoic Insights:** Master the art of controlling what’s in your power and embrace life’s challenges with ancient wisdom. - • **Highly Acclaimed Classic:** Join thousands of readers who rate this Penguin Classic 4.7 stars for its timeless relevance and depth. - • **Expertly Translated & Edited:** Robert Dobbin’s fresh translation makes 2,000-year-old philosophy accessible and engaging for today’s leaders. - • **Philosophy Meets Practicality:** A personal guide to ethics, freedom, and resilience that resonates with modern managerial challenges. - • **A Must-Have for Thought Leaders:** Elevate your intellectual library with a top-ranked historical essay that sparks meaningful conversations. ## Overview Discourses and Selected Writings by Epictetus, translated by Robert Dobbin, is a Penguin Classic that distills 2,000-year-old Stoic philosophy into practical guidance on ethics, resilience, and self-mastery. Celebrated for its rhetorical brilliance and timeless relevance, this edition is highly rated (4.7/5 stars) and ranks among the top historical essays and journals, making it essential reading for professionals seeking mental clarity and leadership insight. ## Description The Discourses/Fragments/Enchiridion 'I must die. But must I die bawling?' Epictetus, a Greek Stoic and freed slave, ran a thriving philosophy school in Nicopolis in the early second century AD. His animated discussions were celebrated for their rhetorical wizardry and were written down by Arrian, his most famous pupil. The Discourses argue that happiness lies in learning to perceive exactly what is in our power to change and what is not, and in embracing our fate to live in harmony with god and nature. In this personal, practical guide to the ethics of Stoicism and moral self-improvement, Epictetus tackles questions of freedom and imprisonment, illness and fear, family, friendship and love. Translated and Edited with an Introduction by Robert Dobbin Review: It can be heavy going but stick with it you will be rewarded - Writings from 2000 years ago that are still very much relevant today, indeed timeless. It can be heavy going in parts but stick with it as the are some real gems to be found. It’s a book you can refer back to and quote a few lines from to you friends as well as live by. I particularly like the reference to ‘externals’ for all those things that are outside our control. Nice way to sum it up. We are always in control of how we can respond that’s another message I took. All in all a great book. Review: One we should revisit - The morality of Greek philosophers was the antithesis of our modern one: they believed we should eschew all material desires, not because of some dictate of the heavens, but because they can never be satisfied and come to tyrannise us rather than make us happy. Like Epicurus, Epictetus believed that you had to implement your own philosophy so for his followers it became a quasi-religion. The quasi is justified by the fact that they never drifted away from rational thought. Read Epictetus on why we should not be angry when our neighbour steals from our house, and you will find his logic quite convincing. His thoughts survive (mainly in the form written down by one of his students) because the Church found this Theistic philosopher acceptable, but he is now somewhat ignored. This excellent new translation reads very well, and should encourage us to revisit this thinker. ## Features - New Store Stock ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | 8,662 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 2 in Historical Essays, Journals, Letters & True Accounts 43 in Essays, Journals & Letters | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 3,524 Reviews | ## Images ![Discourses and Selected Writings (Penguin Classics) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91KERqQphkL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ It can be heavy going but stick with it you will be rewarded *by L***M on 8 May 2022* Writings from 2000 years ago that are still very much relevant today, indeed timeless. It can be heavy going in parts but stick with it as the are some real gems to be found. It’s a book you can refer back to and quote a few lines from to you friends as well as live by. I particularly like the reference to ‘externals’ for all those things that are outside our control. Nice way to sum it up. We are always in control of how we can respond that’s another message I took. All in all a great book. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ One we should revisit *by A***N on 30 May 2009* The morality of Greek philosophers was the antithesis of our modern one: they believed we should eschew all material desires, not because of some dictate of the heavens, but because they can never be satisfied and come to tyrannise us rather than make us happy. Like Epicurus, Epictetus believed that you had to implement your own philosophy so for his followers it became a quasi-religion. The quasi is justified by the fact that they never drifted away from rational thought. Read Epictetus on why we should not be angry when our neighbour steals from our house, and you will find his logic quite convincing. His thoughts survive (mainly in the form written down by one of his students) because the Church found this Theistic philosopher acceptable, but he is now somewhat ignored. This excellent new translation reads very well, and should encourage us to revisit this thinker. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Noice *by A***A on 25 April 2026* Noice ## Frequently Bought Together - Discourses and Selected Writings (Penguin Classics) - Meditations (Penguin Classics) --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ae/products/48513410-discourses-and-selected-writings-penguin-classics](https://www.desertcart.ae/products/48513410-discourses-and-selected-writings-penguin-classics) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Arab Emirates* *Store origin: AE* *Last updated: 2026-07-10*