'It is impossible to live the pleasant life without also living sensibly, nobly and justly'

The ancient Greek philosopher and teacher Epicurus argued that pleasure - not sensual hedonism, but the absence of pain or fear - is the highest goal of life. His hugely influential lessons on happiness are a call to appreciate the joy of being alive.

One of twenty new books in the bestselling Penguin Great Ideas series. This new selection showcases a diverse list of thinkers who have helped shape our world today, from anarchists to stoics, feminists to prophets, satirists to Zen Buddhists.

Epicurus was an ancient Greek philosopher and the founder of the school of philosophy called Epicureanism. Only a few fragments of his works remain, and much of what is known about his philosophy derives from later followers and commentators.