Know, first, who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly.

Epictetus (c. 50–135 CE), a former slave turned Stoic teacher in Nicopolis, is recorded by his student Arrian in the Discourses and the Enchiridion. The sentiment behind this line reflects a recurring Stoic concern: people misjudge what they are (rational, social beings with moral purpose) and so chase external “adornments” like status, wealth, or fashionable display. In Epictetus’ teaching, ethical progress begins with self-knowledge—recognizing one’s role, capacities, and what lies within one’s control—before attempting to shape one’s life. The phrasing commonly circulates in modern quotation collections as a compact summary of that Stoic counsel.

The quote urges self-knowledge as the prerequisite for self-fashioning. “Know…who you are” points to identifying one’s true nature and vocation: a rational agent responsible for judgments, choices, and character rather than for externals. “Adorn yourself accordingly” then means cultivating virtues—integrity, self-command, justice, and practical wisdom—so that one’s outward conduct matches one’s inner identity. Read Stoically, it is also a warning against adopting borrowed identities (social rank, reputation, luxury) that do not belong to the self. The line compresses a Stoic ethic: align appearance and action with the moral self, not with contingent social display.