It is impossible to live pleasurably without living wisely, well, and justly, and impossible to live wisely, well, and justly without living pleasurably.

This maxim comes from Epicurus’s ethical teaching as preserved in his Letter to Menoeceus (early 3rd century BCE), a short summary of Epicurean philosophy written to a younger correspondent. Epicurus is often caricatured as advocating indulgence, but in his own presentation “pleasure” (hēdonē) is chiefly the stable freedom from bodily pain and mental disturbance (aponia and ataraxia). In that framework, prudence (phronēsis), justice, and moderation are not external constraints on happiness but the practical conditions that make a secure, tranquil life possible—especially in a world where fear, social conflict, and limitless desires undermine peace of mind.

Epicurus links pleasure and virtue by making them mutually entailing: genuine pleasure is not a momentary thrill but a durable state that depends on wise choice, ethical conduct, and just relations with others. Conversely, a life that is wise and just is not grim self-denial; it is precisely what yields the most reliable pleasure because it minimizes anxiety, retaliation, and inner turmoil. The statement also functions as a rebuttal to critics who opposed “pleasure” to moral seriousness. For Epicurus, prudence is the master virtue because it teaches which desires to satisfy, which to limit, and how to live without the fears and conflicts that destroy happiness.

1) “It is impossible to live a pleasant life without living wisely and well and justly, and it is impossible to live wisely and well and justly without living a pleasant life.”
2) “It is not possible to live pleasantly without living prudently, honorably, and justly; nor to live prudently, honorably, and justly without living pleasantly.”