"Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that are outside our control."
— Epictetus
Discourses
Epictetus defines freedom in uniquely Stoic terms. It is not political or physical liberty, but the inner freedom that comes from detaching one's happiness from things one cannot control. By ceasing to desire what is not up to us, we become immune to disappointment, fear, and external coercion.