The Fourfold Remedy: Epicurus and the Art of Happiness

Epicureanism offers the perfect cure for our anxious age. What can it teach us about the art of happiness?

What do we really need in order to live a happy life? Over two thousand years ago the Greek philosopher Epicurus offered a seemingly simple answer- pleasure. All we really want is pleasure.

Today we tend to associate the word ‘Epicurean’ with the enjoyment of fine food and wine and decadent self-indulgence. But, as philosopher John Sellars shows, these things are a world away from the vision of a pleasant life developed by Epicurus and his followers, who were more concerned with mental pleasures and avoiding pain. Their goal, in short, was a life of tranquillity.

In vivid, elegant prose, Sellars walks us through the history of Epicureanism from a private garden on the edge of ancient Athens to the streets of ancient Rome, to explore a completely different way of thinking about the pleasures of friendship, our place in the world and the meaning of death. Inspiring and illuminating, The Fourfold Remedy draws on ancient wisdom that feels remarkably relevant today, offering a new way of thinking about what truly matters in our lives.