Aleister Crowley (born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was a British occultist, scholar, and ceremonial magician who influenced Western esotericism and contemporary occultism. He was a prolific author, poet, and mountaineer, but perhaps is best known as the founder of the Thelemic religion.

Epictetus was a Greek Stoic philosopher who was born into servitude in the Roman Empire around the year 50 AD. He obtained his freedom later in life and went on to become a prominent philosopher and educator. Epictetus is well-known for his Stoic teachings, which emphasize the importance of cultivating interior virtues, such as wisdom, courage, justice, and self-discipline, in order to live a happy and fulfilling life.