Vatican Sayings
These sayings concern desire, friendship, aging, gratitude, frankness, and philosophical practice. Some repeat the Principal Doctrines; others transmit sayings associated with Epicurus or his companions, notably Metrodorus. The collection opens a window onto a shared culture of moral education.
Understanding the text
The medieval manuscript brought the collection to modern editors’ attention in 1888. Neither its late discovery nor its title makes every sentence an autograph by Epicurus.
Collection of 81 Epicurean sayings preserved in Vaticanus graecus 1950; individual attributions vary.
Key points
- 01
A collective memory
Overlaps and multiple attributions show a school preserving shared discourse. A maxim’s authority does not automatically settle who composed it.
- 02
Working on desires
Several sayings contrast limited needs with limitless aspirations. They ask what a satisfaction actually adds to one’s life.
- 03
The presence of friends
Friendship appears as trust, appreciation, and shared experience. It broadens the account of pleasure beyond an isolated sensation.
How to read it
Keep the edition’s numbering; compare duplicated passages with the Principal Doctrines and check the indications of authorship.
Editions & sources
Summaries and key points are original editorial interpretations. They accompany reading the work and do not replace an edition of the text. Editorial method ↗