With its rational acceptance of the present moment and its insistence on virtue, Stoicism has long appealed to leaders, athletes, and thinkers. Born into slavery in 1st century Roman Turkey, Epictetus established this major school of thought, later befriending the emperor Hadrian. Far from advocating emotional detachment, Epictetus's epigrams prove here to be warm, bold, and communal: "Try to enjoy the great festival of life with other men."