While not a direct Epictetus quote, the principle runs deep in Stoic practice. He taught that people act from ignorance, not malice — and to judge them harshly was to abandon compassion. One day, a student mocked a beggar. Epictetus scolded him: 'You see his weakness, but do you see your own?' Judgment narrows the heart. Understanding expands it. Stoicism calls for firmness in principle — and softness in ego.