Introduction

Salomon claims that the Enchiridion, despite being a small manual, has exerted an outsized influence on modern thought and philosophy since its translation into vernacular languages.

Salomon provides concrete examples of major historical figures—Montaigne, Pascal, Frederick the Great, and the Scottish philosophers—who engaged with the Enchiridion, showing its appeal to diverse thinkers.

Salomon argues that the rebirth of Stoicism was not accidental but resulted from structural affinities between Roman Stoic thought and the conditions of the modern age—despotism, loss of medieval liberties, emergence of independent intellectuals.

Salomon explains that the Enchiridion was not intended as a comprehensive philosophical treatise but rather as a practical guide for advanced students already committed to Stoicism.

Unlike Seneca (who explored decadence and psychology) or Marcus Aurelius (who applied Stoicism to rulership), Epictetus taught Stoic philosophy both as a systematic doctrine and as a lived way of life.

Salomon recounts Epictetus's life from his birth as a slave to his training by Musonius Rufus, his eventual freedom, and his establishment of a philosophical school at Nicopolis that attracted students from across the empire.

Salomon describes how Flavius Arrian, a prominent Roman who studied with the aging Epictetus, recorded the teacher's discourses and later compiled them into the Discourses and the Enchiridion after Hadrian's death.

Salomon notes that like G. H. Mead, Epictetus was entirely focused on his students' development and left preservation of his teaching to them, with his emphasis on moral philosophy rather than epistemology or physics.

The Discourses present Epictetus philosophizing in action, responding to varied students and real-life situations with practical advice, whereas the Enchiridion strips away the living personality to present pure Stoic principles.

Salomon compares the Enchiridion to a military combat officer's manual, reflecting the Stoic maxim that life is military service, with students advancing through ranks toward philosophical wisdom.

Salomon articulates the core Stoic principle distinguishing what is in our power (thought, intention, desire, decision) from what is not (external circumstances), which enables freedom through self-control.

Salomon argues that the Enchiridion provided intellectuals with a philosophical path to self-redemption without requiring divine grace, making reason itself the instrument of freedom.

Salomon traces the continuity of Stoic distinctions (subject and object, freedom and dependence) through modern philosophy from Descartes to Kant, establishing the Enchiridion's enduring philosophical significance.

Salomon identifies three ways Stoicism shaped modernity: reconciling Christian tradition with rationalism, establishing natural religion, and enabling the autonomy of morals from theology.