AUTARQUIA E GOVERNO DAS EMOÇÕES: UMA RELEITURA DO MANUAL DE EPICTETO

Abstract

This article proposes a reinterpretation of Epictetus' Handbook, focusing on the
relationship between emotions and autarchy (autárkeia), moving away from the view that
emotions must be eliminated. It is based on six thematic axes from the text that demonstrate how
the achievement of self-sufficiency and serenity (ataraxia) also seems to depend on a
transformation in the way of dealing with emotions, which are understood as part of human nature.
Finally, it reflects on the relevance and risks of recovering the autarchic ideal in the contemporary
context, questioning its potential as a solution against unruly collective emotions and its danger
of being appropriated by narratives of self-control that deny human vulnerability. The aim is thus
to highlight that the problems the philosopher grappled with remain open and current.