Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance.

The saying captures a core Epicurean idea: pleasure is best secured not by excess but by measured desire. For Epicurus, the most reliable pleasures are stable and sustainable—freedom from bodily distress and mental disturbance—rather than intense indulgences that often produce pain, dependency, or anxiety. “Moderation” here is not moralistic self-denial but a practical strategy: by limiting wants and cultivating simple satisfactions, one becomes less vulnerable to fortune and more capable of enjoying what is available. The paradox is that restraint can enlarge pleasure, because it preserves health, sharpens appreciation, and prevents the backlash of overconsumption.