Podcasts about cleanthes

Cleanthes and Socrates exposed themselves to cold. Marcus Aurelius slept on a hard mattress. Seneca practiced poverty on a regular basis. Why did they do this?

Zeno of Citium (c. 334 – c. 262 BC) was a Hellenistic philosopher from Cyprus and the founder of Stoicism. His philosophy emphasized living in harmony with nature and practicing virtue to attain peace of mind (ataraxia). Zeno's teachings influenced ethics, logic, and natural philosophy, laying the foundation for Stoicism's prominence during the Roman era and beyond. Despite losing his original writings, Zeno's ideas survived through the works of later Stoics like Cleanthes and Chrysippus.

Joost heeft gelezen over Aristo: één van de eerste volgelingen van Zeno (de oprichter van het Stoïcisme). Aristo hield ervan om te wroeten, dwars te liggen, te steken. Zei Zeno A, dan zei Aristo B, en ook met Cleanthes had hij geregeld aan de stok.Maar wat ligt hier eigenlijk onder? Houdt zo'n Aristo ons eigenlijk niet gewoon scherp? En: zou je liever een handboek hebben waar voor élke situatie staat uitgelegd hoe je moet handelen, of heb je liever een kapstok van 10 regels, en zoek je de rest zelf wel uit? Joost & Jesse gingen erover in gesprek.

Cleanthes: hij zou tien boeken hebben geschreven als leerling van Zeno, maar geen enkele hiervan is bewaard gebleven. Toch is er nog behoorlijk wat over hem bekend, en daarover vertellen we je alles.Anekdotes, lessen, en zelfs poëzie! En hoe je van waterdragen twintig jaar jonger kan lijken.

"No man is free who is not master of himself." – Epictetus   In This Episode, We Get Stoic About:   Part of what makes Stoicism so fascinating is that its early adherents were representative of the extremes of both Greek and Roman society.  Some, like Cato, Zeno of Citium, Helvidius Priscus and Seneca were wealthy merchants, Senators, playwrights and civic leaders.  One, Marcus Aurelius, was the most powerful man on earth, rising to the position of Emperor of Rome.  But on the other hand, many came from more humble origins.  Cleanthes was a simple laborer, Chrysippus a runner, and Epictetus a slave. The varied lives of the progenitors of the philosophy show us that regardless of one's station in life, some things are universally true.    When Epictetus said, "No man is free who is not master of himself," he conveyed a fundamental principle of Stoic philosophy that transcends class and caste, namely that inner freedom and self-mastery are the true source of liberty.      Resources + Links:   Connect with Kristofor | www.kristoforhealey.com Connect with Kristofor on Instagram | @team_healey Subscribe to The Stoic Responder on Substack | https://thestoicresponder.substack.com Subscribe to The Stoic Responder on YouTube | The Stoic Responder Buy your copy of In Valor: 365 Stoic Meditations for First Responders, here! Buy your copy of Indispensable: A Tactical Plan for the Modern Man, here! Book Kristofor for a speaking event, here!   Sponsor Discounts:    Friend of the show Dan Hickman (@danieljasonhickman on Instagram) hosts the Competitive Edge Podcast and is a father, entrepreneur and hybrid athlete. As a MyZone Ambassador, Dan is offering The Stoic Responder Podcast listeners $60 off of a MyZone heart rate monitor using discount code TMZUS001-51445-60. If you aren't using a heart rate monitor to train, you're missing out on critical data. Through accurate heart rate tracking and real-time feedback, all effort counts.   Takeaways:   True freedom and inner peace come from mastering oneself. Self-mastery is not dependent on external circumstances. The Stoic philosophy transcends social strata and applies to everyone. Focus on what is within your control and practice the cardinal virtues. Reflect on your journey of self-mastery and strive for progress, not perfection. Support the podcast by purchasing the book, subscribing to the Substack channel, and sharing the content.   Until Next Time…out of role! 

This lecture discusses key ideas from the ancient philosopher and statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero's work, On The Nature Of The Gods, which critically examines Epicurean, Stoic, and Skeptic perspectives on matters of theology and cosmology Specifically it examines the Epicurean Velleius' criticisms of the Stoic school's viewpoints on the divine, specifically mentioning Zeno (the founder of the school), Aristo, Cleanthes, Persæus, Chrysippus, and Diogenes of Babylon. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3,000 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Cicero's On The Nature Of Gods - https://amzn.to/3JITSZc

Life is comfortable in the ivory tower. You can look down on the rest of the world from the observatory window, seated next to your collection of books chock full of ancient wisdom and quips. The Jedi Order was trapped in this state during the years leading up to the Star Wars prequel trilogy (Episodes I, II, III). The Jedi Council literally sat around at the top of an ivory-looking tower on Coruscant, projecting outward their enlightenment and supernatural power as they looked out on Coruscant from the council chamber. How nice. Yes, there were Jedi of action. If you weren't on the Council, you were doing missions more regularly and seeing the real state of the galaxy. But if you moved up the Council, your world would be books, meditation, politics, and endless discussion. This is famously why Qui-Gon Jinn rejected an offer to join the Jedi Council when a seat opened up. During the Clone Wars period, Jedi Council members experienced more regular deployment into the field, leading many to die in battle. But again, it was not the historical norm. Why am I going on about this? Philosophy is for living and leadingI too like my books. I like my office. I like sitting in it, with my books, reading, highlighting, and writing about what I absorb. It's nice and very cozy. Over the last week though, I've been faced with a call to leave the coziness of my office and enter a different space, one I'd say is a bit more uncomfortable and perilous. I didn't want to answer that call, which I'd received from a number of people in my community, asking me to consider running for City Council in Manassas, Virginia. A lane was open and no one was stepping in to fill it. That means the city gets more of the same in terms of leadership. I thought of Geeky Stoics, my writing, and my time to be alone and think about philosophy, and I didn't like the idea at all.Then I remembered something. The Stoics were (mostly) doers. Many of the Roman Stoics at their peak were ivory tower types in that they were privileged and powerful, but they were “in the arena” as it were, and engaged in public life. Seneca, advisor to the emperor, a masterful politician, and a former senator. Marcus Aurelius, emperor of Rome, not by blood but by merit. He didn't want the purple robe of the emperorship, and he feared it greatly. Thomas Jefferson famously passed away with a copy of Seneca by his bedside. John Adams wrote with great knowledge and appreciation of Epictetus and Aurelius, and George Washington also kept the words of Seneca close as he rose into leadership roles in the Continental Army. To say nothing of President Teddy Roosevelt adventuring through the Amazon with Meditations in his backpack…..Rolling back the clock a bit to Greece, the Stoic known as Cleanthes was known to haul water buckets around on a pole to water the gardens of wealthy homeowners in Athens. He was mocked relentlessly for working to make a living for himself. Cleanthes was also a boxer for most of his life, before becoming the head of the Stoic school in ancient Greece. He succeeded its founder, a man known as Zeno, and was known for doing things with his hands as a means to strengthen his mind. “Be a boxer, not a gladiator, in the way you act on your principles. The gladiator takes up his sword only to put it down again, but the boxer is never without his fist and has only to clench it.” - Marcus Aurelius, MeditationsThat's why Marcus Aurelius wrote fondly of Cleanthes in Meditations, saying one should be a boxer, not a gladiator….because a boxer never lays down his weapon. He carries it with him wherever he goes. Stoic philosophy was for people “in the field” of life. Not their home office. Isolated on an island with a libraryI'm reminded of Luke Skywalker as seen in Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, where he's mostly given up on life and the fight against darkness. He is holed up on the island of Ahch-To, hoarding ancient Jedi texts in a library within a tree. It's not a perfect analogy, but at this time in his life, Luke valued the books more than he did the application of what was inside of them. He had resolved to die alone on the island, and let the way of the Jedi die with him. Yet, he was somehow still really attached to the books. When Master Yoda appears to him to give a much-needed pep talk, Yoda calls on lightning from the sky and sets the tree library ablaze. Luke is horrified. Yoda laughs. He reminds Luke that they are just old books, not page-turners. The truth (which Luke does not know) is that Rey snuck the books out of the library before leaving the island. As the tree burns, the books are safe, and Yoda knows that. But he wants Luke to feel something real: the pain of letting them go. We are called to be leaders in the world. Books and studies are for Hobbits in the Shire. The goal for each of us, “Geeky Stoics”, should be to take those books on the road and on great adventures. We'll miss the simplicity of our old life, Bilbo Baggins certainly did. But these aren't works of fiction for leisure. The books on my desk right now: The Bible, Seneca's Letters from a Stoic, and Meditations, these are field manuals. You take them out into the world. Y'all, I am terrified of what life looks like from now until November when America goes to vote in the 2024 election. I'll be on the ballot in Manassas for City Council, and until then I will be spending more time out in the city talking to my neighbors and asking people to support me in my candidacy. I have some ideas for the city I'm excited about, and I really just want to be an open ear for everyday people in my community who feel like the council doesn't listen to them.In the months ahead I anticipate being verbally attacked, maligned in mailers, gossiped about on weird Facebook Group pages run by the opposition. I know myself and I know that I like to be liked. It's gonna hurt when the slings and arrows start flying from people whom I've never met and the entrenched local politicians who take offense that anyone would dare challenge their leadership. I love this bit from comedian John Mulaney in his Netflix special where he talks about how his wife is awesome because she doesn't care one bit what people think of her. I say this often about my wife, Mel, who ran fearlessly for the city school board in 2022. She took cruel attacks from both sides of the aisle with such stoic grace. Mulaney goes “When I walk down the street I need everybody…all day long…to like me so much, it's exhausting! My wife said that walking around with me is like walking with someone running for mayor of nothing.” He goes on to describe how he got a Best Buy Rewards Card once because he didn't want the employee to be mad at him. Classic. I'm more like John. I am energized by bringing people together and finding common ground in a divisive world. That lights me up inside. But I have learned good and well that in politics (the arena) there are people who are fueled by the opposite. They love division, foolishness, and slander, and they wake up every day with a sense of paranoia and suspicion. I think power does this to people, even in more small, local elected offices. “Begin each day by telling yourself: Today I shall be meeting with interference, ingratitude, insolence, disloyalty, ill-will, and selfishness – all of them due to the offenders' ignorance of what is good or evil (right or wrong)……..” - Marcus Aurelius, part 1 of 2. Geeky Stoics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.We are designed for cooperationI'll wrap this up. Now you know, I'm going to be running for Manassas City Council this year. Nothing changes for Geeky Stoics. I just need to work with my friend and collaborator, Riley Blanton, to stay organized so that we're writing for you on the same regular basis about the philosophy within pop culture. If you want to support me in the campaign, it goes without saying I appreciate it. It's much needed. To close, meditate on this passage from Marcus Aurelius, where he speaks about what to expect from each day. He is not being cynical or crude when he says there will be fools and ill-will found in each day. That's reality. But what he says after the passage above is so important, and often left out when Aurelius' is quoted. He reminds himself (and us, the reader he never anticipated having ) that even amidst stupidity and malice, our human duty is to work with others in a gracious spirit. We forgive the slights and attacks because as students of philosophy, we know that we are meant for cooperation with others, just as our hands, feet, and eyelids strive to work in sync. That is what nature demands of us. “….But for my part I have long perceived the nature of good and its nobility, the nature of evil and its meanness, and also the nature of the culprit himself, who is my brother (not in the physical sense, but as a fellow creature similarly endowed with reason and a share of the divine); therefore none of those things can injure me, for nobody can implicate me in what is degrading. Neither can I be angry with my brother or fall foul of him; for he and I were born to work together, like a man's two hands, feet or eyelids, or the upper and lower rows of his teeth. To obstruct each other is against Nature's law – and what is irritation or aversion but a form of obstruction.” - Marcus Aurelius, part 2 of 2 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.geekystoics.com/subscribe

In Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, philosopher David Hume examines whether belief in God can be rational. The work takes the form of a debate between three characters: Cleanthes, who argues that the existence and nature of God can be empirically verified; Demea, who argues that God is completely beyond human knowledge; and Philo, a philosophical skeptic widely thought to represent Hume's own beliefs.Much of the debate centers around Cleanthes' presentation of the analogical argument from design. According to this argument, the complexity and beauty of the universe can only be explained by inferring an intelligent designer, in the same way that one would infer a designer if one came across an intricately complicated machine. Philo presents several objections to this argument, with rejoinders by Cleanthes and occasional interjections by Demea. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, philosopher David Hume examines whether belief in God can be rational. The work takes the form of a debate between three characters: Cleanthes, who argues that the existence and nature of God can be empirically verified; Demea, who argues that God is completely beyond human knowledge; and Philo, a philosophical skeptic widely thought to represent Hume's own beliefs.Much of the debate centers around Cleanthes' presentation of the analogical argument from design. According to this argument, the complexity and beauty of the universe can only be explained by inferring an intelligent designer, in the same way that one would infer a designer if one came across an intricately complicated machine. Philo presents several objections to this argument, with rejoinders by Cleanthes and occasional interjections by Demea. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, philosopher David Hume examines whether belief in God can be rational. The work takes the form of a debate between three characters: Cleanthes, who argues that the existence and nature of God can be empirically verified; Demea, who argues that God is completely beyond human knowledge; and Philo, a philosophical skeptic widely thought to represent Hume's own beliefs.Much of the debate centers around Cleanthes' presentation of the analogical argument from design. According to this argument, the complexity and beauty of the universe can only be explained by inferring an intelligent designer, in the same way that one would infer a designer if one came across an intricately complicated machine. Philo presents several objections to this argument, with rejoinders by Cleanthes and occasional interjections by Demea. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

They were different. Some of them were downright weird. Cleanthes made quite a spectacle of himself in Athens, a philosopher who did manual labor for a living. Cato walked around bareheaded and barefooted, violating most of the social and class norms of his time. Marcus Aurelius was seen reading books at the Coliseum, indifferent to the popular past times that got everyone else excited.Agrippinus, one middle Stoic who lived in the time of Nero, cared nothing for the niceties and obeisance expected of the citizens of Nero's tyrannical regime. As we explain in Lives of the Stoics, Agrippinus claimed that he wanted to be the red thread in the sweater of life—the little bit of color that stood out and made the garment beautiful.-Ryan Holiday speaks to the United States Military about some of the key Stoic ideas behind being a great leader in the modern world.✉️ Sign up for the Daily Stoic email: https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail

Welcome to Episode 211 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where you will find a discussion thread for each of our podcast episodes and many other topics.This week we continue our discussion of Book Two of Cicero's On Ends, which is largely devoted Cicero's attack on Epicurean Philosophy. Going through this book gives us the opportunity to review those attacks, take them apart, and respond to them as an ancient Epicurean might have done, and much more fully than Cicero allowed Torquatus, his Epicurean spokesman, to do.Follow along with us here: Cicero's On Ends - Complete Reid Edition. Check any typos or other questions against the original PDF which can be found here.This week we move into Section XXI:XXI.You must either blame these examples, Torquatus, or must abandon your advocacy of pleasure. But what kind of advocacy is this, or what sort of case can you make out for pleasure, which will never be able to call witnesses either to fact or to character from among men of distinction? While we are wont to summon as our witnesses from the records of the past men whose whole life was spent in noble exertion, who would never be able to listen to the name of pleasure, on the other hand in your debates history is silent. I have never heard that in any discussion carried on by Epicurus the names of Lycurgus, Solon, Miltiades, Themistocles, Epaminondas were mentioned, men who are ever on the lips of all the other philosophers. Now however, seeing that we Romans also have begun to handle these subjects, what fine and great men will Atticus produce for us from his stores! Is it not better to say something of these men than to talk through such ponderous tomes about Themista? Let us allow such things to be characteristic of Greeks; though it is from them that we derive philosophy and all liberal arts; but still there are things which are not permitted to us, though permitted to them.The Stoics are at war with the Peripatetics. The one school declares that there is nothing good but what is moral; the other that it assigns the highest, aye, infinitely the highest value to morality, but that nevertheless there are some good things connected with our bodies and also some external to us. What a moral debate, what a noble disagreement! In truth, the whole struggle concerns the prestige of virtue. But whenever you discuss with your fellow disciples, you must listen to much that concerns the impure pleasures, of which Epicurus very often speaks. Believe me, then, Torquatus, you cannot maintain your doctrines, if you once gain a clear view of your own nature and your own thoughts and inclinations; you will blush, I say, for that picture which Cleanthes used to paint, certainly very neatly, in his conversation. He bade his audience imagine to themselves pleasure painted in a picture as sitting on a throne, with most lovely raiment and queenly apparel; the virtues near her as her handmaidens, with no other employment, and no thought of other duty, than to wait upon pleasure, and merely to whisper in her ear (if only painting could convey such meaning) to guard against doing anything heedlessly, which might wound men's feelings, or anything from which some pain might spring. We virtues, indeed, were born to be your thralls; we have no other function.XXII. Oh, but Epicurus says (this indeed is your strong point) that no one can live agreeably who does not live morally. As though I gave any heed to what he affirms or denies! The question I ask is, what statement is consistent for a man to make, who builds his highest good upon pleasure. What do you allege to shew that Thorius, that Hirrius, that Postumius, and the master of all these men, Orata, did not live very agreeable lives? He himself, as I mentioned already, asserts that the life of sybarites is not worthy of blame, unless they are utterly foolish, that is, unless they are subject to passion and fear. And when he proffers a remedy for both these conditions, he proffers im- munity to sybaritism. For if these two conditions are removed, he says that he finds nothing to blame in the life of profligates. You cannot therefore, while guiding all actions by pleasure, either defend or maintain virtue. For a man who refrains from injustice only to avoid evil must not be considered a good and just man; you know of course the saying, no one ts righteous, whose righteousness...; well, never suppose that any saying is truer.

Diving into the life, lessons, and greatness of the founders of PayPal from Jimmy Soni's book called, The Founders: The Story of PayPal and the Entreprenuers Who Shaped Silicon ValleyCheck out my new book Chasing Greatness: Timeless Stories on the Pursuit of Excellence-----0:00 - Wrong Ideas“You start off with an idea, and that idea is mostly wrong. And then you adapt that idea and keep refining it and you listen to criticism…and then engage in sort of a recursive self-improvement…keep iterating on a loop that says, ‘Am I doing something useful for other people?' Because that's what a company is supposed to do.” - Elon Musk2:50 -  On questions“A lot of times the question is harder than the answer, and if you can properly phrase the question, then the answer is the easy part.” - Elon Musk6:35 - Trust“Trust builds speed. We could be on a much faster cycle than a lot of companies where you have to take a month to sort of massage things throughout the company before you could say what you were trying to say.” - Peter Thiel7:40 - On hirings“As hire As. Bs hire Cs. So the first B you hire takes the whole company down." - Max Levchin15:30 - On all-nighters“I think there's something very special about the all-nighter ethic. There's definitely something about the nocturnal lifestyle for engineers specifically that really opens up the chakras of creativity or code writing. People get slightly sillier, but also maybe a little more creative. They get tired and some spirit and camaraderie wakes up in those hours and you get more done because you're not afraid to tell people to shove it when they're doing something wrong and the interactions become more interesting." - Max Levchin17:15 - On losers“Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser.” - Peter Thiel25:50 - A question to ask.“Who is the most eccentric or unorthodox person you know and could I meet them.” - Reid Hoffman27:00 - One final note "The fates guide the person who accepts them and hinders the person who resists them." - Cleanthes

This book is a primer on the philosophy of stoicism, resurrected from its origins in Greek and Roman philosophy. The original philosophy was based on a reasoning process which it was assumed would lead to a virtuous life. Zeno, the founder of stoicism, did not begin expounding on its teachings until he was in his forties. He believed that the purpose of life was "to live consistently." Cleanthes, his disciple, added "with nature," so that the purpose of life became "to live consistently with nature." - Summary by Bill Boerst --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/librivox1/support

The Stoics stood out in Athens. They stood out in Rome. Whether it was Cato walking around barefoot or Cleanthes proudly doing manual labor. Whether it was Seneca practicing his poverty or Marcus Aurelius reading during gladiatorial games, the Stoics were different.It was obvious. It was intentional.If I wanted to be like the mob, Chrysippus once said, I would not have become a philosopher.---And with today's excerpt from the Daily Stoic, Ryan explains the importance of prioritizing real action over thinking about what could happen.✉️ Sign up for the Daily Stoic email: https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail

☀️ Easily add Stoicism to your daily routine:Free 13-day Stoic Daily Routine Series: https://whatisstoicism.com/morning----The Greek Stoic philosopher Cleanthes was originally a boxer who took up philosophy when he came to Athens and eventually became the successor to Zeno of Citium as the second head of the Stoic school around 262 BC.He supported his studies by working as a water-carrier at night and the short anecdotes we have about his life provide good lessons on humility and simple living.The biographical stories I share about Cleanthes in this episode come courtesy of Diogenes Laertius and his famous work Lives of the Eminent Philosophers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Ben Watkins continues his series on Hume with a look at section IX of Hume's Dialogue's Concerning Natural Religion. Section IX finds Hume's Demea, Philo, and Cleanthes presenting and subjecting to analysis a cosmological argument for the existence of God. Ben and Dr. Joe Campbell discuss the argument as presented and the various criticisms that Hume brings to bear through his three characters. Dr. Joe Campbell's paper on Section IX of the Dialogues. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40026984

Sunday, 18 June 2023   “for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.' Acts 17:28   Paul has stated that God has ordained the boundaries of the nations so that people should seek the Lord, and in feeling for Him, He might be found. He said this while noting that He is not far from each of us. He now explains that saying, “for in Him.”   The word “in” can have various connotations. One of them is to be inside of something else. It can also mean being the product of, such as “In His act of creating, God displayed infinite wisdom.” Further, it can be used to help define something else. For example, “In seven days, I will finish this job.”   Paul is probably saying this in the sense of being the product of, but because of that, it would be inclusive of the thought of being inside of or surrounded by. We are the product of His hand and thus “we live.”   The word means exactly that. It is experiencing the gift of life given by God. We are the product of His act of creation, but we are also being sustained by Him, as it says in Colossians 1 and Hebrews 1. For example –   “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Colossians 1:16, 17   God created and He sustains. Further, Paul continues, saying, “and move.” The word signifies the act of moving. It is translated as wagging in Matthew 27:39. In Revelation, Jesus tells the church at Ephesus that He will remove their lampstand unless they repent. However, the word also is used figuratively to indicate the arousal of passions. Ellicott seems to rightly argue that this is the intent here.   This is the only time Paul uses the word. Its other two uses in Acts are by Luke. One is in the sense of provocation and another refers to stirring up sedition. If the first word, live, refers to the physical existence of man, this one would speak of his emotional nature. Remembering that the purpose of Paul's words is based on the previous verses where man is to seek after God, this makes complete sense.   First, man is created by God and our lives are the product of His hands. Thus, we have a responsibility to search out the One who so fashioned us. Second, our emotions are a part of who we are and they are to be directed to conduct that would support our seeking after Him. Third, Paul continues with, “and have our being.”   The words are an unnecessary paraphrase. It is a single word meaning “are.” Therefore, an equivalent idea is “and exist.” Not only do we have life as a product of His hand, but our continued existence, from moment to moment is fully known to Him and dependent on Him. This is reflected in Jesus' words –   “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31   The existence of the sparrow is known to God, the state of the hair on our heads – which is a part of our existence – is known to God, and the number of our days is known to God –   “Since his days are determined, The number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.” Job 14:5   Paul's words indicate the total dependence of man on God. Thus, man should acknowledge that He is reliant on Him and seek Him out. His nearness makes this possible and it is thus man's duty to perform. With that noted, Paul next goes outside of Scripture to make his point, saying, “as also some of your own poets have said.”   When he says, “your own poets,” he is not referring to Athenians specifically, but Greek-speaking Gentiles whose work was known and quoted among the people. By quoting such a poet, it would lead the Athenians to know that he wasn't just a wandering Jew, but an educated man who knew Greek literature.   As for the word “poet,” it is introduced into Scripture here, poiétés. It signifies a doer or a performer. In this case, because Paul will cite poetry, it refers to a doer of poems. As Paul notes poets in the plural, he is indicating that what he will cite is found in more than just one poet. It was a well-known thought used again by another. The poets are Aratus and Cleanthes. Paul cites their words, saying, “For we are also His offspring.”   In other words, these Gentile writers understood that man is the product of a greater being. The being they ascribe their life to may not be the God of the Bible, but the premise of being the product of a divine being was understood by them.   Aratus was from Cilicia where Paul was from. He lived from 315-240 BC. Cleanthes was from Behram, Turkey, living from 331-232 BC. Concerning this line of poetry, Barnes writes –   “This precise expression is found in Aratus (‘Phaenom.,' v. 5), and in Cleanthus in a hymn to Jupiter. Substantially the same sentiment is found in several other Greek poets. ... Aratus passed much of his time at the court of Antigonus Gonatas, king of Macedonia. His principal work was the ‘Phoenomena,' which is here quoted, and was so highly esteemed in Greece that many learned men wrote commentaries on it. The sentiment here quoted was directly at variance with the views of the Epicureans; and it is proof of Paul's address and skill, as well as his acquaintance with his auditors and with the Greek poets, that he was able to adduce a sentiment so directly in point, and that had the concurrent testimony of so many of the Greeks themselves. It is one instance among thousands where an acquaintance with profane learning may be of use to a minister of the gospel.”   The specific lines of poetry from Aratus state –   “From Zeus begin; never let us leave His name unloved. With Him, with Zeus, are filled All paths we tread, and all the marts of men; Filled, too, the sea, and every creek and bay; And all in all things need we help of Zeus, For we too are his offspring.” Aratus from Phenomena   Cleanthes' words are almost identical and are in a hymn to Zeus. Paul's point is that truth can be found in other religions and philosophies and it can be used for the benefit of evangelizing. However, this does not mean that the religion itself is true.   In verse 23 he referred to a Greek altar to show that he was not introducing foreign gods. He does the same here by supporting his knowledge of God with words from Greek writers. They may have been confused about who this God is, but they could not say he was introducing a foreign one. Rather, he is clarifying what was stated by them.   Life application: When evangelizing someone of another religion, asking what that person believes is a good way of helping him process what you are telling him. This is because most people really have no idea about their own religion. They do things because that is what they were taught to do.   This is no different than evangelizing someone who has been in church his whole life but has never been told the simple gospel. Such people go to church and do stuff. But they have no idea as to why they do what they do. It is just a part of their cultural life and so they continue with it.   However, without knowing Jesus, those people cannot have a close and personal relationship with God. Introducing them to what Jesus has done will make this possible. There will no longer be a need to “do” stuff because Jesus has done it all. Be sure to get out and tell people about Jesus – our great Doer!   Lord God, thank You that Jesus has done it all! He has accomplished everything necessary to reconcile us to You. Now, all we need to do is to believe. May we use wisdom in how we spend our time and may we get out and tell others about this good news. To Your glory. Amen.  

In today's audiobook reading, Ryan presents the biography of the great Stoic philosopher, boxer, and successor to Zeno of Citium as the second head of the Stoic school of Athens, Cleanthes. Written by the prolific biographer of the Greek philosophers Diogenes Laertius, this text covers Cleanthes's early life, the inspiration he took from Zeno, his strong work ethic, and more.✉️ Sign up for the Daily Stoic email: https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail

The Golden Sayings of Epictetus, with the Hymn of Cleanthes

To the Stoics, there wasn't anything wrong with having money. Marcus Aurelius came from money. So did Cato. Seneca came from money and also made a lot of it. In fact, pretty much all the Stoics except for Cleanthes and Epictetus were incredibly rich.Money, nice stuff, living the comfortable life…this was not necessarily the problem.

A Guide to Stoicism by St. George stock is a primer on the philosophy of stoicism, resurrected from its origins in Greek and Roman philosophy. The original philosophy was based on a reasoning process which it was assumed would lead to a virtuous life. Zeno, the founder of stoicism, did not begin expounding on its teachings until he was in his forties. He believed that the purpose of life was "to live consistently." Cleanthes, his disciple, added "with nature," so that the purpose of life became "to live consistently with nature." - Summary by the narrator: Bill Boerst Don't forget to like, comment and subscribe for more Chillbooks! Special Thanks to Librivox and Bill Boerst for this narration. Genre(s): Philosophy, Stoicism Language: English

Seneca presents an argument from design to conclude that the universe is rationally and providentially arranged, just like Cleanthes, Chrysippus, and Cicero had done before him, and like Epictetus will do afterwards. Of course, from a modern scientific perspective, such argument does not hold water. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Seneca explains that there are many ways to help improve the human cosmopolis: one can be a candidate for public office, a defense lawyer, or a teacher. Zeno, Cleanthes, and Chrysippus encouraged involvement in politics, but where themselves teachers. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

This is the first episode of the revamped Practical Stoic Podcast, now The Walled Garden Podcast. In this episode, Simon Drew, Sharon Lebell, Kai Whiting, and Jacob Bush discuss their new collaboration - thewalledgarden.com. They discuss the vision and mission of The Walled Garden, as well as the symbolism behind the name.  ----more---- Discount for all listeners of the Practical Stoic Podcast: PRACTICALSTOIC Use this discount code to get over 20% off your Caretaker membership on thewalledgarden.com. Plus, you won't pay anything for the first month.  Go here to join: thewalledgarden.com/membership-levels/ ----more---- About Sharon Lebell: Sharon Lebell has been an inspiring writer and speaker about philosophy, spirituality, and religion for thirty years. She is best known as the author of the international bestseller The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness, a contemporary interpretation of the Stoic teachings of Epictetus. Her primary focus is how to live a life of virtue and meaning. Central to her message is how we can use our lives to improve the lives of others and the necessity of beauty and engagement with art, music, and design as keystones of a well-lived life. About Kai Whiting: Kai Whiting is a Stoicism and sustainability researcher and lecturer based at UCLouvain in Belgium. He is the co-author of Being Better Stoicism for a World Worth Living in, which tells the personal stories of Zeno, Cleanthes, Epictetus, Musonious Rufus, and ancient Sparta so that we can solve some of the key challenges of the 21 st century. When Kai is not thinking and writing about Stoicism, he likes to build Lego, work out, and read books in Spanish and Portuguese. About Simon Drew: Simon Drew is a poet, musician, photographer, and philosophical mentor. He has a Bachelor of Music Performance from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and is currently studying for a Master of Divinity at Trinity College. He is most well known for his work with the Practical Stoic Podcast, which has since evolved into the Walled Garden. Simon's poetry and writings often play in the realms of mysticism, prophecy, and wisdom, bringing the deepest insights of his consciousness to light in search of answers to life's most fundamental questions. His first book, The Poet & The Sage, is set to be released in late 2021.    

The ancient Stoics were great people; truly. They pushed Stoicism forward, but, more importantly, they pushed critical thinking forward. Something that you will often read in the Stoic texts is a focus on contemplation, on philosophizing.Yet, the ancient Stoics were not Gods; they were people, and so were inherently flawed just like you and I. Seneca in particular knew this, and in one of his letters to Lucius, he directly states that we should actually think about things other Stoics said, like Zeno and Cleanthes, as opposed to just quoting them.Stoicism is an amazing philosophy, but as modern Stoics, we must be careful to not simply accept everything the ancient Stoics said as if they were Gods. That doesn't make us philosophers; that makes us ideologically possessed. Today, I'll cover why, though there is nothing wrong with quoting the ancient Stoics, one's argument must first be built on logic.

The ancient Stoics were great people; truly. They pushed Stoicism forward, but, more importantly, they pushed critical thinking forward. Something that you will often read in the Stoic texts is a focus on contemplation, on philosophizing.Yet, the ancient Stoics were not Gods; they were people, and so were inherently flawed just like you and I. Seneca in particular knew this, and in one of his letters to Lucius, he directly states that we should actually think about things other Stoics said, like Zeno and Cleanthes, as opposed to just quoting them.Stoicism is an amazing philosophy, but as modern Stoics, we must be careful to not simply accept everything the ancient Stoics said as if they were Gods. That doesn't make us philosophers; that makes us ideologically possessed. Today, I'll cover why, though there is nothing wrong with quoting the ancient Stoics, one's argument must first be built on logic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Remember: Matter. How tiny your share of it. Time. How brief and fleeting your allotment of it. Fate. How small a role you play in it." —Marcus Aurelius, MeditationsStoicism as a philosophy is not the same as being lowercase s stoical. It is not about blocking our difficult feelings and emotions. Instead, Stoicism is an approach to life that teaches us how to handle our negative emotions in psychologically healthier ways. So what is Stoicism? What are the Stoic beliefs and principles that can lead to a good life? The meaning of Stoicism can be expressed in many ways, but in essence, it is the difference between viewing something as a blessing or as a curse. It is realizing that the obstacles in life don't obstruct our path—they are the path. Marcus Aurelius, in one of his more famous Stoicism quotes, echoed this by saying the following: "The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way".Author and advocate for Stoicism Ryan Holiday, founder of the Daily Stoic, wrote a book centered on this concept called https://www.amazon.com/Obstacle-Way-Timeless-Turning-Triumph/dp/1591846358 (The Obstacle Is the Way). Instead of victimizing ourselves when we have difficulties, we can see it as the very thing that advances us forward and makes us grow. As Marcus Aurelius says, this framing of events is what allows us to logically see challenges as blessings: “So remember this principle when something threatens to cause you pain: the thing itself was no misfortune at all; to endure it and prevail is great good fortune.”We often cannot control external events, but we can always control our internal framing of those events. Stoicism calls this the art of acquiescence, and it is how we bring ourselves into harmony with nature, with what is. While more difficult, this includes accepting the challenges and tragedies of life, even our own death. In fact, Stoic beliefs and techniques centered around learning how to reframe events that happen to you in this more positive framing of a blessing. Stoicism philosophers (so-called Stoics) include famous Greek names like Zeno, Cleanthes, and Chrysippus as well as even more famous Roman names such Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius. It is the Roman Stoicism, especially the famous Stoicism quotes by Marcus Aurelius, that serve as the foundation for this episode. What is Stoicism?What is Stoicism? For a more in-depth guide to Stoic beliefs, you can read our full article that corresponds to this episode: https://exploringkodawari.blog/definition-of-stoicism-and-stoic-beliefs/ (**Stoicism as a Philosophy of Life**) And look out for Part 2 for our episode that takes these Stoic beliefs and transforms them into specific techniques. Timestamps:coming soon! Links:https://www.amazon.com/Meditations-New-Translation-Marcus-Aurelius/dp/0812968255/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1CHUVROWIVIJ5&dchild=1&keywords=meditations+gregory+hays&qid=1627497848&sprefix=meditations+gre%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-3 (Meditations) by Marcus Aurelius (translated by Gregory Hays) https://www.amazon.com/A-Guide-to-Good-Life-audiobook/dp/B00G6WCGKI/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=a+guide+to+the+good+life&qid=1627497985&s=books&sr=1-1 (A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy) by William B. Irvine https://dailystoic.com/ (Daily Stoic: What is Stoicism?) https://exploringkodawari.blog/podcast-episodes/author-terry-tucker-how-to-embrace-suffering-and-find-purpose-in-life/ (Author Terry Tucker—How to Embrace Suffering and Find Purpose in Life) Support Us:You can always support us by leaving a rating or review in your podcasting app. You can also share our episodes with friends on social media. But it does take a lot of time to put together a podcast, maintain a website, and write new content every week. So if you would like to support us in a more substantial way, consider making a donation through the PayPal buttons on our website:... Support this podcast

In his article Leo Zeballos ponders “4 Stoic Ideas That Are Changing The Way I Think and Live“. This one made me really think through some things and I wanted to share it with you. Stoic Philosophy Stoicism has been a common thread though some of history's great leaders. It has been practiced by Kings, presidents, artists, writers and entrepreneurs. Marcus Aurelius. Frederick the Great, Montaigne, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, Theodore Roosevelt, General James Mattis, —just to name a few—were all influenced by Stoic philosophy. From The Daily Stoic I mentioned The Daily Stoic in my ramblings and I would highly encourage you to dig deep into this website for a full back history of Stoic Philosophy and the stories of the famous philosophers who we now utilize in our meditations. 366 Meditations Book A great book that I have personally used over the years is 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living. The Daily Stoic offers 366 days of Stoic insights and exercises, featuring all-new translations from the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the playwright Seneca, or slave-turned-philosopher Epictetus, as well as lesser-known luminaries like Zeno, Cleanthes, and Musonius Rufus. Every day of the year you'll find one of their pithy, powerful quotations, as well as historical anecdotes, provocative commentary, and a helpful glossary of Greek terms. By following these teachings over the course of a year (and, indeed, for years to come) you'll find the serenity, self-knowledge, and resilience you need to live well. 4 Stoic Ideas That Are Changing The Way I Think and Live by Leo Zeballos Full Article Link Our Judgments About Reality Are More Harmful than Reality Itself. Be conscious of your perceptions and judgments about a negative situation. Don't force your perceptions to be positive, but tyr to make them 15% less negative than they are Remember To Bring Your Attention To the Things That You Do. Remember to live. If you become aware you're living on autopilot and only reacting to life, bring your attention to the things that you do. If An Obstacle Gets in The Way It Doesn't Mean You Should Quit. An obstacle doesn't mean you should give up. Instead, it's a sign that you're on the right path and you need to continue. Learn To Embrace Your Weirdness and Accept Yourself. Embrace your weirdness. Don't stop caring about what other people think, but realize it's more important and easier to accept yourself rather than crave acceptance from others. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/warriormindset/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/warriormindset/support

Happy birthday, David Hume! I thought I’d share Hume (or more accurately, Philo) casually destroying skeptical theism in Part XI of Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion. His analogy of an architect and a poorly constructed house arose in a discussion of the problem of evil between Philo and Cleanthes, two of Hume’s fictional characters in the … Continue reading Condemn the Architect: Hume’s Answer to Skeptical Theists (Bonus Episode) →

Cicero very clearly and succinctly explains the difference among five Hellenistic takes on grief, including two Stoic ones, one by Cleanthes (the second head of the Stoa) and one by Chrysippus (the third head). --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

“It’s interesting to think of the Stoics, from Marcus Aurelius to Zeno, reaching back through the centuries like links in a chain (from Z to A no less!).”Ryan explains the importance of choosing who you learn from, on today’s Daily Stoic Podcast.Ryan Holiday's book Lives of the Stoics is on sale as an E-Book for just $1.99! The pages of this book start with Zeno, the founder of Stoicism, and end with Marcus Aurelius, the great philosopher king. In between, you’ll learn the stories of Cicero and Seneca, Cleanthes and Chrysippus, Rusticus and Epictetus, Cato and his daughter Porcia.  Grab your copy of Lives for just $1.99 now!***If you enjoyed this week’s podcast, we’d love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps with our visibility, and the more people listen to the podcast, the more we can invest into it and make it even better.Sign up for the Daily Stoic email: http://DailyStoic.com/signupFollow Daily Stoic:Twitter: https://twitter.com/dailystoicInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dailystoic/Facebook: http://facebook.com/dailystoicYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/dailystoic

“Every parent wants to be respected. They want to be listened to. They want their advice to be taken seriously. They want to be looked up to. And how do far too many of us try to get these things from our kids? By endless words. By force. By fear. By simply assuming it’s ours by right.”Ryan explains how you can truly earn the admiration of your children, on today’s Daily Dad podcast.Ryan Holiday's book Lives of the Stoics is on sale as an E-Book for just $1.99! The pages of this book start with Zeno, the founder of Stoicism, and end with Marcus Aurelius, the great philosopher king. In between, you’ll learn the stories of Cicero and Seneca, Cleanthes and Chrysippus, Rusticus and Epictetus, Cato and his daughter Porcia.  Grab your copy of Lives for just $1.99 now!***If you enjoyed this week’s podcast, we’d love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps with our visibility, and the more people listen to the podcast, the more we can invest into it and make it even better.Sign up for the Daily Dad email: DailyDad.comFollow Daily Dad:Twitter: https://twitter.com/dailydademailInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dailydad/Facebook: http://facebook.com/dailydademailYouTube: https://geni.us/DailyDad

Cicero tells the story of how Dionysius quit Stoicism because he was experiencing chronic pain, and how Cleanthes, the second head of the Stoa, chastised him for not understanding the Stoic take on the issue. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Today’s guests are Ruth Amundsen and Alden Cleanthes. Ruth is an engineer spending most of her career at NASA and Alden runs a digital art company and has always advocated for clean air, clean water, and environmental awareness. These two rockstars combined efforts to launch Norfolk Solar Qualified Opportunity Zone Fund. Norfolk Solar installs solar at no cost to local businesses and non-profits in Qualified Opportunity Zones. The owner of the building gets the benefit of the free solar electricity after the system payoff period of about 7 years, while investors get to reap the rewards of a tax break on capital gains and modest investments returns. Ruth and Alden are continuously building into new markets, and are building a team of like minded individuals to tackle solar installation at a national level. Their impact is incredible and changing the way people finance solar panels.

Cleanthes, the second head of the Stoa, advances four bad arguments for the existence of the gods. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/stoicmeditations/support

Professor Kozlowski opens his discussion of Hume's Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion with a brief discussion of the difference between Rationalism and Empiricism, an analysis of Humian skepticism (as embodied by Philo), and the central argument about God's nature as presented by Cleanthes.

Text LEARNERS to 44222 Full notes at www.LearningLeader.com IG/Twitter: @RyanHawk12 Notes: Community — In Rome, Panaetius met a fellow student of Diogenes named Gaius Laelius, and later in a naval contingent, met and served with Scipio Aemilianus, one of Rome’s great Generals. These three men formed a kind of philosophical club — known to historians today as the Scipionic Club (like Ben Franklin’s Junto’s) — they would meet you discuss and debate the stoic philosophy they all pursued. Plutarch wrote in Moralia: Precepts of Stagecraft “it is a fine thing also, when we gain advantage from the friendship of great men, to turn welfare of our community, as Polybius and Panaetius, thru Scipio’s goodwill towards them, conferred great benefits upon their native states” Ryan participates in off site adventures with other top authors in the world like James Clear and Mark Manson. They go there to share ideas and help one another. He experienced another example of this as he was asked to speak to a group of the top athletic directors in collegiate sports. All of them are very competitive with each other, yet they still meet regularly to share ideas and help one another. Zeno had little patience for idlers or big egos on his porch -- "Stoa is the Greek word for porch." Zeno said “better to trip with the feet than with the tongue” He was the first to express the four virtues of stoicism Courage Temperance/Moderation Justice Wisdom Consistency -- “His work was not defined by some single epiphany or discovery but instead by hard work. He inched his way there, through years of study and training as we all must.” Zeno said “well being is realized by small steps, but is truly no small thing.” Cleanthes — he not only continued his labors but actively turned down large financial gifts to help him retire to his studies — to him labor and philosophy were not rivals. They were pursuits that furthered and enabled each other. The ancients used to describe his industriousness: philoponia - a love of work. Chrysippus, the third Leader is the stoic school. He was introduced to running and it changed his life. The same is true for Ryan... "A marathon doesn't care that you're tired at mile 20. You have to get to 26.2 to be done. Your mind wants to quit much earlier than your body has to." "When you think you're done, you're at 40%." - David Goggins The stoic idea of Oikeiosis - that we share something and our interests are naturally connected to those of our fellow humans — is as pressing in the ancient world as it is today. “Being poor is not having too little, it is wanting more.” Seneca Stay a Student -- The Maxim For Every Successful Person; ‘Always Stay A Student’ -- “Every man I meet is my master in some point, and in that I learn of him.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson. Genghis Khan one of the greatest military minds who ever lived, he was a perpetual student. How to find stillness? Stop watching the news Journal - Anne Frank wrote when she struggled: “Paper,” she said, “has more patience than people.” Go for a walk or run Seek solitude -- Bill Gates “think weeks” How to balance temperance and justice? Start by being better ourselves As a citizen, where do you draw the line? Particularly when it's not in your interest to do so... What are you willing to sacrifice to insist on your standard?   Epictetus’ instructions: Separate things into what you control and what you don’t Choose not to be complicit in getting offended Prep for adversity in advance Realize every situation has 2 handles—grab the right one Memento Mori—let death put everything in perspective “Writer’s block is a phony, made up BS excuse for not doing your work.” Jerry Seinfeld Life advice -- "Don't send me an email asking if you can ask me a question. Just ask the question." -- Ryan Holiday Be worthy of a great mentor... Do work that impresses them. Gets their attention. "Writing forces you to clarify your thinking..."

today we are talking about Zeno and Cleanthes two of the very early stoics (Zeno, the founder). It's basically like some sort of a biography, this article by the dailystoic.com site including exercises and quotes and more. Again: A great great article!!! —————————————————————

Post by Skyler J. Collins (Editor). Episode 012 looks at two Stoic teachings, "Zeno always said that nothing was more unbecoming than putting on airs, especially with the young." - Diogenes; and "For it’s disgraceful for an old person, or one in sight of old age, to have only the knowledge carried in their notebooks. Zeno said this . . . what do you say? Cleanthes said that . . . what do you say? How long will you be compelled by the claims of another? Take charge and stake your own claim—something posterity will carry in its notebook." - Seneca.

"It was said for all the genius that Socrates possessed, Plato, and Aristotle, and all the sages who learned from him 'derived more benefit from the character than from the words of Socrates.' So it was too for Zeno and Cleanthes, the two earliest Stoic philosophers. 'Cleanthes could not have been the express image of Zeno,' Seneca would write, 'if he had merely heard his lectures; he shared in his life, saw into his hidden purposes, and watched him to see whether he lived according to his own rules.'"Find out how to be this kind of teacher on today's Daily Dad Podcast.***If you enjoyed this week’s podcast, we’d love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps with our visibility, and the more people listen to the podcast, the more we can invest into it and make it even better.Sign up for the Daily Dad email: DailyDad.comFollow @DailyDadEmail:Twitter: https://twitter.com/ryanholidayInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanholiday/Facebook: http://facebook.com/ryanholidayYouTube: https://geni.us/DailyDad

This week we'll look at one of the few pieces of writing from Cleanthes (the second head of the Stoic school). We will examine his Hymn To Zeus and see what an early Stoic thought of God, the cosmos and humanities relationship with them. Sources: http://elfinspell.com/ClassicalTexts/Rolleston-Epictetus/TeachingsOfEpictetus-HymnToZeus.htmlhttps://department.monm.edu/classics/courses/clas230/MythDocuments/cleanthes.htmhttps://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Hymn_to_ZeusSupport the show by going to www.patreon.com/sundaystoicA paraphrase of the Hymn to ZeusMost glorious of immortals, called by many names, oh sovereign kingZeus, ruler of nature, you govern all things with universal lawHail! For it is right that mortals should address youFor we are your offspring, we are the only creatures on earth to speakTherefore, I will sing hymns to you foreverThe whole cosmos, which circles the earth, obeys youFor such power is contained in your hands, the two-edge thunderboltUnder its blow all nature shuddersYou are the guide of universal reason which mingles with the greater and lesser lights which has grown to become ruler over allNothing occurs apart from you oh Lord, not on earth, or in the cosmos nor beneath the ocean except that which is done through lack of wisdomYou can make the rough smooth and bring order from chaosTo you the ugly seems beautiful. You have fitted things together good and evil into one world guided by reason This reason mortal men ignore at their own peril, while they long to obtain something good They do not know God’s universal law, but if they would only listen and obey, they would live well, in harmony with reasonInstead they rush past each other on diverse paths, some seeking fame, others strife, some wealth others seek pleasures of the body Each self-deceived, working on their own destruction. But you great Zeus, giver of all who lives in the clouds, lord of thunder, save men from their unhappy ignoranceScatter it from our souls and give us the same wisdom that you yourself rely upon And we in return we will praise your works unceasingly as there is no higher office for man or god than to praise Universal Reason

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:  Stoicism began as one of the major schools of philosophy within the Hellenistic period in the mediterranean. For context, Hellenistic literally means “one who uses the Greek language”. This period is marked to have started around the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and some estimates suggest that it ended in 146 BC  following the invasion of the Greek heartlands by Rome. Most people agree that this period officially ended in 31 BC.  We talk about Hellenism as a period in time, but we can also talk about the “Hellenistic schools of thought”, or the “Hellenistic Philosophies”. This was the period when Greece gave rise to the first structures of Democracy, and places like Athens, where Stoicism began, were bustling with new inventions and ideas. It was a cultural expansion unlike any other time in History, and we have that to thank for much of our western culture that we enjoy today.  I have a great interview with Michael Tremblay where we discuss the ins and outs of the Hellenistic philosophies, but for now it's important to know that this period in ancient Greece was marked by massive advancements and explorations into art, theatre, mathematics, sciences, music, literature and of course, philosophy, including schools of philosophy that you may have heard of, like the Cynics, the Skeptics, the Epicureans, and of course, Stoicism, which all belonged to the “Hellenistic” tradition.  And so that brings us to the birth of Stoicism.  Zeno of Citium was by all accounts the official founder of the Stoic school of philosophy. The story goes that Zeno was a wealthy merchant who was shipwrecked while traveling to Athens with a load full of purple dye. This was very expensive cargo as this die was extracted painstakingly from sea snails, and it was seen as a symbol of luxury and royalty to use such a colour. And as Donald Robertson puts it so eloquently, Zeno's fortune came from and now returned to the sea.  So now Zeno is stuck in Athens. What does he do? Well the legend goes that Zeno did what any of us would have done; he traveled to the Oracle of Delphi to receive guidance from the God Apollo. There, the Oracle told him that he was to “dye himself with the colour, not of dead shellfish, but of dead men.”  Zeno interpreted this to mean that he should learn from the great thinkers of the past, and began at once to read about people like Socrates, which is very important to know as the Stoic philosophy is widely considered to be a derivative of the Socratic teachings, especially with its focus on virtue as the main good in life.  And so the legend continues that as Zeno was reading about Socrates, he asked the bookseller, “tell me where I can find a man like this?”. And because Athens was a town full of thinkers and philosophers the bookseller pointed out the window at a man called Crates of Thebes, a famous Cynic philosopher.  And so Zeno went on to study with Crates for a couple of decades before he started his own school of philosophy in around 300BC on the stairs of a painted porch in Athens called the Stoa Poikile, thus, Stoicism is created - a philosophy that was founded in the principle that a good life is one that is aimed first at virtue, and is lived in alignment with Nature.  We really don't have many writings from the early Greek Stoics, and it's not until Stoicism makes its way to Rome that we really start to get some great literature to sink our teeth into. It's important to note that between Greece and Rome there were many notable philosophers who lead the Stoic school and added to the teachings of Zeno. Some of these include Cleanthes, the second head of the Stoic school, and Chrysippus, the third head. And we also have Diogenes of Babylon, who travelled to Rome in 155BC with other philosophers and spread these Greek ideas to the Roman Empire. And so here we are in Rome, and we now have some excellent writings from four main Stoic thinkers from very different backgrounds in Rome.  First we have Seneca the Younger, a roman statesman, play writer, investor and advisor to the emperor Nero. Seneca was a confusing fellow because from his writings we see a man who was deeply interested in philosophy, and a man who was trying hard to understand what was good and what was bad. But his history tells us a story of a man that was also entrenched in scandal, especially seeing as Nero was one of the most tyrannical emperors of Rome and Seneca had such a close association.   But regardless of his many imperfections, one cannot say that he didn't wrestle with philosophy, and that's why he remains my personal favorite of all the Stoics we can learn from. He truly was a person who struggled to live in the way that he taught, and this makes him deeply human. His most popular writings are contained in a book called “Letters from a Stoic”, which is a collection of letters that he wrote to his friend Lucilius on how to live a good life.  Musonius Rufus is the next of the core Roman philosophers who we can read from today. We don't have much from Musonius, but what we do have can give us an insight into a man who was very interested not only in the deeper ideas of Stoicism, but also in the very practical day to day application of this philosophy, sometimes maybe too practical. For example, he would discuss the kind of career path a Stoic should choose, or he would even say that a man should not cut off his beard as it's his sign of being a man.  And so moving on, we come to Epictetus, who was actually a student of Musonius Rufus. Epictetus started his life as a slave, and his name literally translates to “gained” or “acquired”. Later he was freed by his master, who saw intellectual potential in him, and that's when he studied with Musonius Rufus. He is widely regarded to be one of the most important Stoic teachers, and what we have from him is a collection of discourses that were captured by a man called Arrian of Nicomedia, who also compiled somewhat of a “best of Epictetus”, and called it the Enchiridion, or “Handbook”.  And so now we come to Marcus Aurelius, maybe the most widely known Stoic, and also a man who was heavily influenced by the teachings of Epictetus.  Marcus Aurelius was the last of what is considered to be the five good Roman emperors. He was groomed from a young age, along with his brother Lucius Verus, to be Emperor of Rome. And although his brother didn't have much of an interest in governing well, Marcus's love of philosophy and understanding of Epictetus's teachings led him to carrying out his duty as Emperor in as effective and ethical a way possible.  As emperor, he had ultimate power, and because of this we are able to see the true power of philosophy, and of Stoicism. As emperor he could have had absolutely anything he wanted. He could have clicked his fingers and summoned anything he liked, including the death of anyone he disliked. But he was a philosopher first, and an emperor second. He was dedicated to living by correct principles, and we can see this in his personal diary which we can read today called “Meditations”. This collection of thoughts from Marcus Aurelius shows us a man who was probably very displeased with the fact that he was emperor. He constantly had people trying to manipulate him, deceive him, and likely kill him. He was faced with every possible temptation, and yet he made sure that the power he had never got to his head, and that in itself is an impossible task.  And this is a great time to point out that all of these Stoics who I've talked about lived lives of extremes. Zeno lost everything in his shipwreck, Seneca was very wealthy and influential but also experienced periods of exile, Epictetus was a slave and experienced exile as well, Marcus Aurelius had ultimate power, and this is a true testament to the fact that Stoicism is a philosophy that was born in adversity, and shaped in the ups and downs of life.  It's a philosophy that can help us to be effective human beings at any time in our lives. Sometimes your life will suck, and sometimes your life might be amazing, but what Stoicism offers is a guide for how to deal with the highest highs and the lowest lows of life effectively. And this is why Stoicism has been cited to have influenced people like Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, James Stockdale, John Steinbeck, JK Rowling, and Nelson Mandela, who is reported to have taken inspiration from the Stoics during his time in jail.  And so here we are, in the 20s, still being influenced by Stoicism in our society today and still trying to get to the bottom of just how useful and effective this philosophy can be. And that's where you and I come in. It's really our job to test these ancient ideas and to see how true they really are. It's our job to add to the philosophy and take the best ideas from it so that we can do as all of the ancient Stoics did, and that is to welcome the philosophy into a new age. I hope that I can play a role in bringing this incredible philosophy that has stood the test of time into the hearts and minds of as many people as possible, and I hope you'll join me. Let's test it's ideas, improve them, and share them. Simon Drew Links Patreon: patreon.com/simonjedrew Coaching: simonjedrew.com/coaching/ Practical Stoic Mastermind: facebook.com/groups/practicalstoicmastermind Facebook: facebook.com/simonjedrew Instagram: instagram.com/simonjedrew LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/simonjedrew Website: simonjedrew.com

There has always been an odd streak in the Stoics. Zeno used to practice begging people for money, even though he had plenty. Cleanthes worked as a manual laborer for so long, some in Athens thought it might be a front for something. Cato used to walk around bareheaded and barefooted, wearing dingy clothing. Seneca was completely unafraid both of regularly practicing poverty (despite his wealth) and unafraid of showing his wealth (despite his reputation as a Stoic). He also experimented with vegetarianism at a time when it was deeply transgressive in Rome. And can you imagine the scene Marcus Aurelius created when he would write and read philosophy while the gladiatorial games raged on beneath his box seats in the coliseum? The Stoics were not afraid to be themselves, to be seen as weird. In fact, that’s something Epictetus said: If you want to improve, if you want to achieve wisdom, you have to be okay looking strange or even clueless from time to time. Epictetus also tells us the story of Agrippinus, who refused to keep a low profile during Nero’s reign, who refused to conform or tamp down his independent thinking. Why do this, Agrippinus was asked, why not be like the rest of us? Because you consider yourself to be only one thread of those which are in the tunic. Well then it was fitting for you to take care how you should be like the rest of men, just as the thread has no design to be anything superior to the other threads. But I wish to be purple, that small part which is bright, and makes all the rest appear graceful and beautiful. Why then do you tell me to make myself like the many? And if I do, how shall I still be purple?Beautifully said. And a reminder to all of us today. Embrace who you really are, embrace what makes you unique. Let your freak flag fly—because chances are it’s special. Shine on you crazy diamond. Be purple. Be the small part that makes the rest bright.We desperately need you to do that.

There’s no question that much of what we talk about in this philosophy is hard. Specifically, it’s hard on the person practicing it. Stoicism asks you to challenge yourself. It doesn’t tolerate sloppy thinking or half measures. It wants you to undergo deprivation, it asks you to look in the mirror and examine your flaws. But it’s important that we don’t mistake all this with self-flagellation and a lack of self-esteem. The early Stoic Cleanthes once overheard a philosopher speaking unkindly to himself when he thought no one was listening. Cleanthes stopped him and reminded him: “You aren’t talking to a bad man.” One of the most beautiful passages in Seneca’s letters is the one where he talks to Lucilius about how he was learning to be his own friend. He wrote that as a very old man. He was still working, even then, on being kinder to himself. The same man who was so hard on himself—practicing poverty and diving into freezing rivers—wanted to make sure that he was also loving himself like a good friend. Are you doing the same? Do you know that you’re a good person? Are you your own friend? There is a line in a great song by The Head and The Heart about this:Until you learn to love yourselfThe door is locked to someone elseIt’s true. It’s also locked to wisdom. The point of this philosophy we are writing and talking about is not self-punishment, it’s self-improvement. Nobody improves for a teacher that loathes them. No one trusts someone that is out to hurt them. Forget cutting yourself a break today. Instead, just be kind. Be your own friend. Catalog some of your strengths. Smile at all the progress you’ve made. Tell yourself, “good job.” And then promise that you’re going to keep going and keep working because you know you’re worth it.

There is something strange you find when you study the early Stoics. Not Marcus Aurelius and Seneca and Epictetus, but the Stoics who influenced them. The names you don’t hear much: Cleanthes. Posidonius. Panaetius. Aristo. Antipater. Chrysippus. What you find—beside the fact that these were living, breathing, human beings with all sorts of interesting experiences—is that you start to notice just how big a role they played in the shaping of the classic Stoic texts we know and love.For instance, the interesting analogy about how a philosopher should be like a wrestler—a fighter dug in for sudden attacks—that Marcus Aurelius famously makes in Meditations? That actually originates from Panaetius, a Stoic philosopher from the 2nd century BCE that Marcus studied. There are allusions to the insights of Aristo and Antipater and Chryssippus in Seneca. A deep dive into Epictetus shows not only how he was influenced by Zeno, but reveals how many unattributed quotations of Epictetus appear in Marcus Aurelius!So what is this philosophy then? Just a bunch of people repeating the same old insights? Hardly. Remember, Stoicism is a practice, not merely a set of principles. The act of sitting down and journaling—writing and rewriting—about ideas from the earlier Stoics is a kind of meditative experience. It’s almost like a prayer. It’s what transforms an epigram into a mantra...and then later into action when it counts. Besides, have we not learned from music how powerful and creative the art of remixing can be? It’s in this writing and rewriting that each successive generation of Stoics was able to come up with new insights and further refine the philosophy (a tradition that continues today with writers all over the world). Blaise Pascal, whose book Pensées is eerily similar in tone and style and content to Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations, puts it well when he writes, “Let no one say that I have said nothing new, the arrangement of the material is new. In playing tennis both players use the same ball, but one plays it better." Today, your job is to sit down and do some writing—using this old material. Sit down with The Daily Stoic Journal. Sit down on Twitter and put some quotes in your own language. Riff on the ideas with your kids. Write a reminder to yourself on your phone. Pick up the ball and play with it. Practice the philosophy.

If you look at any of the great Stoics, you’ll notice that philosophy was just one of their many diverse interests. Seneca was a philosopher and a playwright and a political advisor. Marcus Aurelius was dabbling in philosophy...as he had the most important job on the planet. Cato was a senator who led the opposition to Julius Caesar. Cleanthes was a boxer and a water-carrier. And Zeno, the founding teacher of the philosophy, began his career as a successful merchant voyager. The stereotype of the philosopher is one who spends all day and night with their dense textbooks and their denser thoughts. When the truth is that the great philosophers we hold up as having made these brilliant insights into human nature and the human experience were reading and studying philosophy in addition to many other endeavors and activities. They, David Epstein would say, had “range,” they were “generalists.” In his new book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, Epstein put to bed the myth that going all in on a particular field is the key to lasting success. As he told us in our interview for DailyStoic.com:We miss out on wisdom if we’re too narrow...Specialists become so narrow that they actually start developing worse judgment about the world as they accumulate knowledge...Breadth of training predicts breadth of transfer. Transfer is your ability to take knowledge and skills and apply them to a problem or situation you have not seen before. And your ability to do that is predicted by the variety of situations you’ve faced...As you get more variety, you’re forced to form these broader conceptual models (in the classroom setting called “making connections” knowledge), which you can then wield flexibly in new situations. One can imagine Zeno translating things he learned on the open sea as a merchant into lessons for his students at the Stoa. Maybe Cleanthes discovered something about himself during his manual labors. It's unquestionable that Marcus Aurelius's real world responsibilities provided insights for his philosophical studies and vice versa. As for Seneca, his philosophy influenced his politics and his bloody and dark plays are undoubtedly influenced by what he experienced walking the halls of power.The more things we open ourselves up to, the more we experience, the better philosophers we’ll be, the better leaders, employees, individuals we’ll be. Today, put an emphasis on variety, on opening yourself up to the opportunity of being a little outside your comfort zone. Read philosophy. Read subjects outside your field. Pursue those curiosities you’ve been postponing. Say yes to the experience you’re reluctant to make time for. You’ll be better for it.P.S. Check out our full interview with David Epstein and if you haven’t already, check out his book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World

If you were to run down the list of the great Stoics of history, who would come to mind?Seneca. Marcus Aurelius. Epictetus. Maybe if you really knew your stuff, you’d mention Zeno or Cleanthes or Chrysippus. What do all those people have in common? They were all men. In fact, you really have to look—and stretch—to come up with even one or two “accepted” female Stoics. Does this mean that Stoicism is just for men? Or that it’s been entirely composed of men for the last twenty five hundred years? Do you think Seneca and Marcus Aurelius and the male Stoics had a monopoly on suffering? On courage? On mastering emotions? On being disappointed? Of having to make due with an imperfect world? No. Not at all. It’s an omission that needs to be addressed. When the biographer Robert Caro was researching what life in Texas was like in the late 19th and early 20th century, he and his wife were appalled by what they found. Just how primitive and tough things were. Most of all, how much backbreaking work was expected of women—doing loads of laundry by hand, carrying endless amounts of water, cooking so much food in such incredible heat, fear of Native Americans, the terrible loneliness and isolation. After speaking to one woman, his wife, Ena, finally said, “I don’t ever want to see another John Wayne movie again.” She was just disgusted at how much of the picture had been left out by historians and writers. Robert Caro would write later about how much this experience opened his eyes: “You hear a lot about gunfights in Westerns; you don’t hear so much about hauling the water after a perineal tear.” Women have had to deal with trials like these as much as, if not more than, the famous Stoics we read and talk about so much here. Certainly, they had to put up with being underappreciated, misunderstood, taken for granted, and being deprived of many critical rights. They did all that on top of having to give birth…and know that they might well die going into it. The fact that they did this, along with countless other sacrifices and daily obligations, and did so bravely and patiently for so long is proof that they are true Stoics. And not only do they deserve our respect for it—but they have a thing or two to teach everyone else about what focusing only on what you can control really looks like.

The occupations of the three most well-known Stoics could not be more different. Seneca was a playwright, a wealthy landowner, and a political advisor. Epictetus was a former slave who became a philosophy teacher. Marcus Aurelius would have loved to be a philosopher but instead found himself wearing the purple cloak of the emperor. Zeno was a prosperous merchant. Cleanthes was a water carrier. Cato was a Senator. The modern Stoics include James Stockdale, a fighter pilot, and Tim Ferriss, a writer and a technology investor.These jobs have very little in common. The lifestyles they support are vastly different as well—so are the opportunities, the temptations, the frustrations and the stresses that they produce. But none of that matters. What matters is how you do your job and how you respond to the situations it creates for you. Marcus Aurelius wrote to himself that it was possible to live a good life anywhere—including in the complicated and intoxicating halls of power. He mostly proved that true. (Sadly, Seneca fell short in those same hallways). It doesn’t matter whether you’re a janitor or a junior senator. It doesn’t matter whether you’re negotiating a multi-million dollar deal or negotiating traffic on the way to your unpaid internship. What matters is what you do with this time. What matters is how you manage it. Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, it’s possible to live a good life and to be a good Stoic. It’s not easy, but it’s possible.

If we are truly adopting a philosophy of life, we should know its history and its early proponents. In this episode we look at some of the Early Stoics. Reading: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0258%3Abook%3D7%3Achapter%3D2

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It would be impossible to give a full account of the philosophy of the Stoics without, at the same time, treating of their theology; for no early system is so closely connectedwith religion as that of the Stoics. Founded, as the whole view of the world is, upon the theory of one Divine Being…There is hardly a single prominent feature in the Stoic system whichis not, more or less, connected with theology.[1] The Stoic God is an all-pervasive, immanent, active force in the cosmos, and is equivalent to and often called “Nature.” Zeus, pneuma, universal Reason and logos are also used to refer to this active force. The Stoics used many names to refer to the divine principle in the cosmos. In fact, Cleanthes, the second head of the ancient Stoa addressed the Stoic God as follows in his Hymn to Zeus: Most glorious of the immortals, invoked by many names When describing the Stoic conception of God, it is actually easier to begin by listing the characteristic commonly attributed to deities that do not apply to the Stoic God. The Stoic God is NOT: Transcendent Supernatural Anthropomorphic Aristotle’s prime mover A metaphor An interventionist The Stoic God IS: Immanent Universal Reason Logos Providence Creative fire Active principle The generative principle (σπερματικός λογός) World-soul Breath (πνευμα) World mind Pantheism The Stoics are most frequently considered pantheists; however, deist, theist, and panentheistic qualities are found in the surviving writings. It is important to keep in mind that all of these labels are modern creations; therefore, none applies perfectly. The God of Stoicism does not fit neatly into any modern theological box.[2] More importantly, people use these terms with slightly different meaning, so we must be careful and accurate when we anachronistically refer to the Stoics using a modern term like pantheism. As an example, I have encountered several pantheists online who claim to be atheists. Simply put, at best this is an abuse of language. Our English word pantheism is derived from a combination of the Greek word pan, which means “all”; and theos, which means “god.” Therefore, pantheism means all is God. To declare oneself a pantheist and an atheist simultaneously may be a great conversation starter; however, if pressed, the individual making such a claim will necessarily have to redefine atheism to make that assertion sensible. Where does this come from? One contributor to this abuse of the word pantheism is Richard Dawkins, the fundamentalist advocate of New Atheism. He famously declared that pantheism is nothing more than “sexed-up atheism” in his book the God Delusion.[3] Interestingly, it appears the World Pantheist Movement agrees with Dawkins’ assessment: Richard Dawkins, in his book The God Delusion, has described Pantheism as “sexed-up atheism.” That may seem flippant, but it is accurate. Of all religious or spiritual traditions, Pantheism – the approach of Einstein, Hawking and many other scientists – is the only one that passes the muster of the world’s most militant atheist.[4] Unfortunately, this appeal to the authority of Einstein is undercut by the fact that he vehemently denied being an atheist and was extremely critical of atheism on several occasions.[5] Abusing the definition of pantheism to include atheism adds confusion to discussions about an already difficult topic. I will leave this topic with a clear statement: If your definition of pantheism is open to atheism, then it does not apply to the ancient Stoics. There is no credible evidence the ancient Stoics entertained atheism. In fact, the overwhelming body of evidence points in the opposite direction; the ancient Stoics were deeply spiritual. Cleanthes, the second head of the Stoa, wrote the religious Hymn to Zeus; Posidonius, accused the Epicureans of atheism; a charge Philodemus, an Epicurean, felt compelled to deny in his work On Piety. Moreover,

On David Hume’s Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (1779). How would a scientifically minded person argue for the existence of God? In Hume’s dialogue, a character named Cleanthes argues from this point of view for God’s existence based on the complexity and order apparent in nature: It looks designed. But how good is that argument, and is it enough to prove an infinite God of the traditional sort? With guest Stephen West. To capture your real-life hero’s story, visit www.en.familysounds.net/podcast and get a discount with promo code PEL.

This lecture covers Hume's Dialogues (1752/1779) - natural vs. revealed religion and the three discussants - Demea, Cleanthes, Philo.

Introducing the early Stoics, Zeno, Cleanthes and Chrysippus, and their innovations in logic

Transcript -- Timothy Chappell and Peter Kail discuss Hume on design.

Timothy Chappell and Peter Kail discuss Hume on design.