Autumn XIII. Stoics - part 1

Intro & Preface & Contents

Previous: Autumn XII. Death and dying

Many a time, when life went hard with me, I have betaken myself to the Stoics, and not all in vain. Marcus Aurelius has often been one of my bedside books; I have read him in the night watches, when I could not sleep for misery, and when assuredly I could have read nothing else. He did not remove my burden; his proofs of the vanity of earthly troubles availed me nothing; but there was a soothing harmony in his thought which partly lulled my mind, and the mere wish that I could find strength to emulate that high example (though I knew that I never should) was in itself a safeguard against the baser impulses of wretchedness. I read him still, but with no turbid emotion, thinking rather of the man than of the philosophy, and holding his image dear in my heart of hearts.

Of course the intellectual assumption which makes his system untenable by the thinker of our time is: that we possess a knowledge of the absolute. Noble is the belief that by exercise of his reason a man may enter into communion with that Rational Essence which is the soul of the world; but precisely because of our inability to find within ourselves any such sure and certain guidance do we of to-day accept the barren doom of scepticism [existentialism?]. Otherwise, the Stoic’s sense of man’s subordination in the universal scheme, and of the all-ruling destiny, brings him into touch with our own philosophical views, and his doctrine concerning the “sociable” nature of man, of the reciprocal obligations which exist between all who live, are entirely congenial to the better spirit of our day. His fatalism is not mere resignation; one has not only to accept one’s lot, whatever it is, as inevitable, but to accept it with joy, with praises. Why are we here? For the same reason that has brought about the existence of a horse, or of a vine, to play the part allotted to us by nature. As it is within our power to understand the order of things, so are we capable of guiding ourselves in accordance therewith; the will, powerless over circumstance, is free to determine the habits of the soul. The first duty is self-discipline; its correspondent first privilege is an inborn knowledge of the law of life.

Alpha.

Curious that he focuses on Marcus Aurelius and not Seneca. I’m not a huge fan of Seneca, but I’ve always preferred him to Aurelius, who I’ve always thought of as the “talking dog” of antiquity -- a Roman Emperor who had been taught to parrot Stoic phrases. The “philosopher” Emperor who adopted a fool (or villain), and who died (doing what should have been the job of a general) leaving that fool (or villain) to rule Rome.

This isn’t fair, but I always imagine  Quintus Junius Rusticus’s Stoicism lessons with Marcus starting thus, “Now, repeat ethical rule number one.” “Never feed your philosophy teacher to the lions.” “Very good, now we can continue...” 

Much of the Stoic philosophy Marcus Aurelius describes is, regardless of truth, what one would wish an absolute ruler to believe. Aurelius’s Stoicism is rather like Confucianism in this respect, and I can find little fault with it as a guide for rulers or for government officials generally.

Stoicism has much to offer people in general, and maybe people in a position of authority could benefit more than most. But I can’t imagine Alexander or Caesar writing books of philosophical aphorisms. Alcibiades probably could have written something better than Aurelius ever did, but he never would have... unless possibly to amuse Socrates.

Stoicism may still work well even if it’s metaphysical foundation is suspect. People are as they are, and the world is as it is. Coming to terms with this -- finding a kind of peace -- is still a worthy goal even in a world devoid of meaning.

The happy life is a life that is in harmony with its own nature.

The highest good is a mind that scorns the happenings of chance, and rejoices only in virtue.

The wise man will not despise himself even if he has the stature of a dwarf, but nevertheless he will wish to be tall.

-Seneca

But I think Horace made this last point even better:

Tis the first virtue, vices to abhor;

And the first wisdom, to be fool no more.

But to the world, no bugbear is so great

As want of figure, and a small estate.

Personally, as long as we’re on Hellenistic Philosophy, I think Epicurus is just as valuable:

We should not spoil what we have by desiring what we have not, but remember that what we have too was the gift of fortune.

Natural justice is a pledge of expedience with a view to men not harming one another and not being harmed by one another.

...prudence teaches that it is not possible to live pleasurably without living prudently, nobly, and justly, nor to live prudently, nobly, and justly without living pleasurably.

Live quietly.

Next: Autumn XIII. Stoics - part 2.