The Enchiridion, or Handbook was written by a student of Epictetus in the 2nd century. It is a short guide to ethical living, and its focus is more practical than the metaphysical treatises of earlier Greek philosophers. It assumes that "some things are up to us and some are not up to us," and instructs the reader how to deal well with what life brings. It remained an important handbook for Christians and pagans alike for many centuries.