The Strange Story of Stoicism
An unlikely story
The strangeness of Stoics runs through their history as a connecting thread. The early Stoic leaders (scholarchs) were from Athens and they included a wealthy businessman, Zeno, (the founder of Stoicism), a poverty-stricken professional boxer, Cleanthes, and a brilliant long-distance runner, Chrysippus.
The later proponents of Stoicism were even more diverse: the most powerful man in the world in his time, Marcus Aurelius, a powerless lame slave, Epictetus, and a royal advisor whose misfortune it was to be the advisor to a mad tyrant, Seneca.
Ancient Stoicism had seven formal leaders or “scholarchs,” but much of what we know of Stoicism today comes from four Stoics who lived after the all the scholarchs were gone. It is hard to conceive of a group of people so dissimilar and so unique as this group of four. They nurtured Stoicism, they worked on solutions to the problems of living and found answers. Their methods worked for the rich and the poor; for the sickly and the vibrantly healthy; and for the most powerful and least powerful. No wonder the answers they found have illumined the paths of seekers over two thousand years and continue to do so today.
The Story of a Slave, his teacher, an Emperor, and a royal advisor
Almost everything we know firsthand about Stoicism has its origins in Rome. Unlike Athenian Stoicism, Roman Stoicism had no formal heads or scholarchs. Instead, without formal leadership, it produced Stoics who wrote and taught for nearly two hundred years.
Four major figures stand out from this period: Seneca, Musonius Rufus, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius.
Seneca, the wealthy Stoic
Seneca was an advisor to Nero. While serving Nero, Seneca became very wealthy and led an opulent life. He became a money lender and built a fortune, estimated at more than 300 million sestertii, making him probably a billionaire by today’s standard. His exposition of Stoic principles applied in different contexts is among the most elegant writings of Stoicism. His writings continue to inspire people to lead a more productive life to this day.
His legacy includes a dozen philosophical essays, 124 letters dealing with moral issues, and epistles (“longer” letters) now called Epistulae morales ad Lucilium.
Nero, the roman Emperor, ordered Seneca to kill himself. Seneca had no choice. In turn, rich, exiled, ultra-rich, and famous, Seneca died like a Stoic and admonished his friends who were present not to mourn his death.
Musonius Rufus, the third founder of Stoicism
The least known of the four famous Stoics of the late Stoa, his claim to historical fame is mostly as the teacher of Epictetus. By his contemporaries, he was considered the Roman Socrates and the third founder of Stoicism.
Epictetus, philosophy’s most famous slave
We know Epictetus was a slave and he was lame; it’s said that Epictetus’ legs were broken by his master. Eventually, Epictetus became a free man. After he had gained his freedom, Epictetus began to teach his philosophy. Although he left no writings of his own, his disciple Flavius Arrian faithfully transcribed the teachings of Epictetus. He collected them into eight books called Discourses, only four of which survive today. Also, Arrian captured a summary of Epictetus’ teaching in a small manual called Enchiridion (The Handbook that you can have for free here : the Stoic Gym). This is one of the most widely read books on Stoicism.
Aurelius, the Emperor inspired by a slave
Marcus Aurelius was unique among famous Stoics. He was neither poor, exiled, murdered, nor forced to commit suicide. Quite the contrary. He was the Emperor of Rome.
While he was away in battles, Marcus Aurelius kept a personal diary, commonly known as “To Himself” or “Meditations.” Not meant for publication, the journal contained the Emperor’s Stoic musings written under difficult circumstances. Fortunately for us, it was found and later published. It contains some of the finest writings on Stoicism written by a practitioner.
It is ironic that while most Stoic writings meant for public consumption disappeared over time, Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations, clearly a personal journal not meant to be read by anyone else, became the most widely read work of Stoicism of all time.
Marcus Aurelius was the last great Stoic. After his death, it is likely Stoicism was practiced but there was no one who advanced the philosophy any further.
The Stoic Philosophy’s main Principle
If you are not familiar with Stoic philosophy, here is what can be considered as the main principle : You can be free, happy, and serene, no matter what else is happening around you, if you understand this basic truth: some things in life are under your control, and others are not. You need to deal with reality using things that are under your control.
How I came to write this article
I just finished translating Chuck Chakrapani’s A Fortunate Storm, and wanted to highlight some parts of the book, that I strongly recommend that you read. It’s available free on the Stoic Gym website , you also have more information about the author.
