from the domain of good things ( agatha), and to why externals may be, nevertheless, valuable in some sense. These are devoted, respectively, to why Epictetus excludes externals - wealth, reputation, friendship, bodily health, etc. Theme (A) is discussed in Chapters 1 and 2. The principal themes studied here are (A) the place of the so-called "indifferents" in the pursuit of the good life or eudaimonia, (B) how philanthropy, and love in particular, fits in the good life, and (C) why the only good life is the fully rational one but also why full rationality requires moral obligations to others rather than, for instance, a non-moral life of egoistic self-preservation. Nevertheless this monograph contains several insightful and subtle comments on Epictetan and Stoic ethics, and is of interest to anyone looking for a philosophical treatment of certain problems to which they give rise. Stephens himself has published more recently on themes he deals with in this book, revising and sharpening some of his earlier ideas (see, for example, Chapter 3: "How does the Stoic love?" and Stephens, "Epictetus on how the Stoic sage loves", Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy 14, 193-210).
However, there is no detailed discussion of scholarly literature published from 1990 to 2007 even though the author does include in the bibliography some recent titles, and often refers to them in the footnotes (e.g. Being a lightly edited version of a 1990 doctoral dissertation, the book is intended for the specialist. Although its title could suggest a comprehensive account of Stoic ethics with an emphasis on Epictetus' contribution, the present book is wholly centered on Epictetus, and early Stoic ethics is cited only when it serves to illuminate particular aspects of his philosophy.
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