It is not the man who has too little, but the man… — Epicurus | Printable Wall Art

“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.”

Words by Epicurus (341-270 BC) — Ancient Greek philosopher, founder of Epicureanism.

About this quote

This line redefines poverty not as a lack of material possessions, but as an endless desire for more. True wealth comes from contentment and understanding what is actually necessary for a good life. Even a person with very little is rich if their desires are modest, whereas someone with vast fortunes remains poor if they are constantly driven by unsatisfied greed.

Associated with the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, this maxim reflects his core teaching on desire and contentment. It survives most famously via the Roman Stoic Seneca, who quoted Epicurus approvingly in his first-century Letters to Lucilius.

People often hang this in a home office or study as a grounding daily reminder to value contentment over consumerism.

What you get

An instant digital download. Choose your design and size at checkout — 18 typographic designs and 8 print sizes are available for this quote.

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Sizes available

5" x 7" · 8" x 10" · 11" x 14" · 12" x 16" · 16" x 20" · 18" x 24" · 24" x 36" · A4 (21 x 29.7 cm)

Designs available

Atelier Serif · Quiet Garamond · Studio Left · Gallery Rule · Midnight Serif · Editorial Left Serif · Modern Sans Calm · Letterpress Caps · Poster Condensed · Manuscript Italic · Asymmetric Left · Minimal Unsigned · Charcoal Sans · Gallery Frame · Soft Serif Right · Statement Serif · Tracked Caps Unsigned · Editorial Justified

Digital product. Colours may vary slightly between screens and printers. Frames and props are not included.