The idea that life’s objective should be pleasure was greeted with horror by contemporaries, who believed that man’s highest calling was self-sacrifice, self-denial and worship of the Gods, and the Emperor. The early christians regarded pleasure as a form of vice. To them the pursuit of pain triumphed over the pursuit of pleasure. Bravery and death in war was particularly admired – “Dulce et decorum est pro patria morí” – a particularly objectionable point of view, fortunately mostly discarded in the slaughter trenches of the first World War.

By “pleasure” Epicurus did not mean selfish wining and dining and self-indulgence.  In fact he offered his guests bread and waiter, and equated pleasure with good company and enlightening conversation.  He meant a happy life, fun with  good friends, lifelong learning, philosophical discussion, avoiding stress and anxiety and the pursuit on money, power and politics. His was a modest life, lived simply with good conversation.

Living up to the ideals of Epicurus is actually rather difficult, especially the bit about stress and anxiety.  Some are in overload about that, but hopefully working on it.