Quotes About Freedom

Some things are in our control and others not. Things inour control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in aword, whatever are our own actions. Things not in our controlare body, property, reputation, command, and, in one word,whatever are not our own actions. The things in our control are by nature free, unrestrained,unhindered; but those not in our control are weak, slavish,restrained, belonging to others.

Kein Mensch, der in Furcht oder Sorge oder Chaos lebt, ist frei, aber wer sich von Sorgen, Furcht und Chaos befreit, wird dadurch auch aus der Sklaverei befreit.

Doesn't it seem to you that acting against one's will, under protest and compulsion, is tantamount to being a slave?

But until he succeeds in suppressing his lust and anxiety, how is he really free?

Some things are up to us and some are not up to us. Our opinions are up to us, and our impulses, desires, aversions—in short, whatever is our own doing. Our bodies are not up to us, nor are our possessions, our reputations, or our public offices, or, that is, whatever is not our own doing. The things that are up to us are by nature free, unhindered, and unimpeded; the things that are not up to us are weak, enslaved, hindered, not our own.

Whoever wants to be free, therefore, let him not want or avoid anything that is up to others. Otherwise he will necessarily be a slave.

I was born to fly wherever I like, to live in the open air, to sing whenever I want. You take all this away from me and then say, "What's wrong with you?

Apropos of which, Diogenes says somewhere that one way to guarantee freedom is to be ready to die.

there is but one way to freedom - to despise what is not in our power.

I hope death overtakes me when I'm occupied solely with the care of my character, in an effort to make it passionless, free, unrestricted and unrestrained.

Every day you should put the ideas in action that protect against attachment to externals such as individual people, places or institutions – even your own body.

not even God has the power of coercion over us'.

If someone tried to take control of your body and make you a slave, you would fight for freedom. Yet, how easily you hand over your mind to anyone who insults you.

Throw him in jail.' What jail? The one he is in already, since he is there against his will; and if he is there against his will then he is imprisoned.

Liberty is lost unless we despise those things which put the yoke upon our necks.

Every moment think steadily as a Roman and a man to do what thou hast in hand with perfect and simple dignity, and feeling of affection, and freedom, and justice; and to give thyself relief from all other thoughts.

No man is free unless he is the master of himself.

It is better to die poor, while free from fear and grief, than to live surrounded by riches and filled with anxiety.

So in life our first job is this, to divide and distinguish things into two categories: externals I cannot control, but the choices I make with regard to them I do control

that you never be unfortunate or unhappy, but free, unrestricted and unrestrained; in sympathy with God's rule, which you submit to cheerfully; at odds with no one, no one's accuser; able in all sincerity to speak Cleanthes' line: 'Lead me, Zeus, lead me, Destiny.

No person is free who is not master of themselves.

Working within our sphere of control, we are naturally free, independent, and strong. Beyond that sphere, we are weak, limited, and dependent.

Do you think freedom is something good?' 'The greatest good of all.' 'Can anyone in possession of the greatest good be unhappy or unfortunate?' 'No.

And then we'll be emulating Socrates,* once we're able to write hymns of praise in prison.