Principal Doctrines & Letter to Menoeceus by Epicurus and translated by Robert Drew Hicks. Epicurus was an ancient Greek philosopher who founded a school of philosophy now called Epicureanism. Only a few fragments and letters of Epicurus's 300 written works remain. Much of what is known about Epicurean philosophy derives from later followers and commentators. The "Principal Doctrines," also known as the "Sovran Maxims," are a collection of forty quotes...