Marcus Aurelius Stoicism Ideas

Epictetus was a Stoic philosopher who lived during the height of the Roman Empire, 50 to 135 CE roughly. He was born a slave in modern Turkey. He was given his name from the Greek word επικτητος, meaning ‘acquired’ or ‘slave’. As a slave he was permitted to attend philosophy lectures, which were held by Stoics at the time. During his time as a slave, Epictetus’ leg was injured, either from torture or an accident, and, due to his familiarity with Stoicism, he was able to endure it. He got his freedom when Nero was appointed emperor; however, during the rule of Domitian, Epictetus was exiled and moved to Greece. He started a philosophy school where he continued to teach about Stoicism and eventually died. His student, Arrian, wrote and published his works: The Discourses and Epictetus’ shorter book, the Enchiridion, or The Manual.

Stoicism made the transition from an intriguing foreign philosophy to a popular practice because it was taken up by several high profile figures. Scipio Africanus, the original esteemed Roman Stoic died in 129 BCE, but about 40 years later a new crop of celebrated Romans took up the Stoic practice. During the fall of the Roman Republic a group of famed orators, generals, and statesmen including Marcus Junius Brutus (85-42 BCE), Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BCE), Pompey the Great (106-48 BCE), and Cato the Younger (95-46 BCE) all professed themselves Stoics. This group of powerful statesmen and leaders practicing Stoicism disseminated it throughout Rome. Octavian (63 BC- 14 AD) who later became Caesar Augustus had a Stoic tutor and many

Born of different backgrounds, upbringings, and experiences, Epictetus and Seneca are Roman philosophers who outwardly appear very different. Epictetus spent most of his youth as a slave while Seneca was born into money and became a tutor of Nero. Although these two men seem to be very dissimilar, they each shared a common purpose in studying philosophy and teaching people on how to live well. Each suggested different paths for how to do so. Epictetus suggests in his book, The Discourses and The Enchiridion, that living a life in accordance with nature could be achieved by living moderately. Seneca suggests in his work, Letters from a Stoic, that a happy man is self-sufficient and realizes that happiness depends only on interior perfection. Despite the differences, both Epictetus and Seneca are considered Stoics because of their shared belief in the idea that character is the only guarantee of everlasting, carefree happiness. The world outside ourselves will never give us happiness, nor will it be responsible for our unhappiness. It doesn’t matter what’s happening outside ourselves, Epictetus and Seneca claim that the only thing that matters is how we interpret those events. Further evaluating Seneca’s, Letters from a Stoic and Epictetus’s, The Discourses and The Enchiridion, we will clearly be able to differentiate the two in their ideas and opinions regarding stoicism and the keys to living a well, happy life.

During his childhood Marcus studied Stoic Philosophy. Stoic Philosophy deals with the teachings of living simply and being down to Earth and logical about situations. Marcus wrote about this philosophy in his book Meditations. Also during his childhood Hadrian had appointed Marcus to equestrian rank, at the age of six. Then at the age of eight he was appointed Priest of Salian. During his youth he was called “Verissimus”, by Hadrian, which means genuine or true.

Zeno of Citium (333-261 BC) was the first Stoic. Zeno’s father was a merchant of purple dye and used to come home from his travels with books for Zeno to read. Among them were philosophy books purchased in Athens which aroused Zeno’s interest in philosophy and Athens. As a result of a shipwreck, Zeno found himself in Athens, and while there, he decided to take advantage of the philosophical resources the city had to offer. He went to a bookseller’s shop and asked where men liked Socrates could be found. Just then, Crates and the Cynic was walking by. The bookseller pointed at him and said, “Follow yonder man.” And so it was, we are told, that Zeno became Crates’ pupil. Looking back on this time in his life, Zeno commented, “I made a prosperous voyage when I suffered shipwreck” (Irvine, 2009).

Marcus’ main accomplishment was a collection of books called Meditations, that he wrote himself. The books contain notes on his life and his innermost beliefs. He believed in the values of Stoicism and wrote his thoughts down in the Meditations. The books also reveal a moral exploration – as if the Emperor were searching for guidance as he made testing and important decisions without any source of reflection other than himself (Thinkers at War Marcus Aurelius). Another impact on the Roman Empire that Marcus made was that he would not persecute Christians.

He was an emperor that was not just remembered for the wars that he fought for his people, but mainly for “his contemplative nature and his rule driven by reason” (“Marcus Aurelius” 3). His stoic beliefs, hardworking nature, and self-restraint allowed him to be loved and honored by those he ruled (“Marcus Aurelius” 2). Due to his many accomplishments and tolerant nature the Romans honored him as a man and their leader. “In ancient Rome equestrian statues of emperors would not have been uncommon sites in the city…as they were official devices for honoring the emperor for singular military and civic achievements” (Becker

Juan Avila Professor Anne Haeckl Seminar 203 11 January 2017 Structured Reflection on Marcus Aurelius’ life Although Marcus Aurelius had many Second Sophistic teachers during his youth, it can be noted that his relationship with Marcus Fronto was unique. From an examination of the epistolary Marcus Aurelius in Love, the expression of appreciation, longing, and concern between the erastes and the eromenos is evident and of great interest. In comparing the letters exchanged between Marcus Aurelius and Fronto with Chapter One of Meditations, there is an observable change in the manner that Marcus Aurelius articulates his thoughts and feelings for Fronto, showing that his sentiments for his mentor have changed from great admiration to remorse.

In the Aeneid by Vergil, the Roman values of Stoicism, dutifulness, and patriotism are reflected through the main characters’ actions and beliefs, such as Aeneas’s abandonment of Dido and his speech of encouragement to his soldiers. In Roman philosophy, Stoicism was valued because it emphasized following duty over giving into emotion. Vergil portrays this belief consistently throughout the Aeneid through the characters’ actions. The first instance of Stoicism is when Aeneas and his crew are shipwrecked in Carthage. Aeneas states, “Now call back your courage, and have done with fear and sorrow.

2nd century emperor Meditations, a response within an ever-growing philosophical dialogue between the philosophers of the past and present. As the ruler of the known world, Marcus's worldview is surprisingly modest, positing that the human experience, regardless of length, is a thing of equality as every man possesses only the present moment in which he lives. Within this work, the emperor addresses the men of the Roman world (therefore, those who could read in Greek and had an interest in philosophy or learnedness) in an educated fashion and exhorts them to lead a balanced and good life without fear of death, “Bear in mind always that as a Roman and a man you should perform your duties well and with dignity and

Marcus Aurelius and his philosophies were composed down in a collection of his intimate writings titled Meditations. The compilations and stories that Meditations follows are the influence of Stoicism along with

	Throughout his life, Aurelius was never able to be happy being an emperor. Even though he had money and privileges, and was royalty, he never became tranquil, or at peace with himself, with these material riches. It is evident when a person reads Meditations that Aurelius would much rather have lived the quite life of a philosopher than the public life of an emperor. He always wished that, at some point in his life, maybe when the wars were over, he would have some time to actively pursue philosophy. He never received that opportunity. However, he did, in the midst of all the wars he fought in, find the time to write down his thoughts into a

Stoicism’s primary differentiating feature from other varieties of Greco-Roman philosophy is its assertion that the individual has absolute control over some aspects of their life and absolute powerlessness to affect others. The thinking that follows is that the only concern for humans should be that which we individually can control – the rest can be regarded as up to chance and therefore irrelevant to ideal human behavior. Stoicism therefore dismisses, even rejects, the ideas of natural superiority and inferiority, constructs that defined much of the Roman social-political system. However, despite this egalitarian premise, the Stoic emphasis on individual agency irrespective of individual circumstance

Happiness is all around the world, it is a very genuine and important thing, and everyone wants to be happy. Being happy is what makes life worth living, and it makes life a lot better in every way possible. What makes people happy though? Are bodily and external goods necessary to happiness? I would say no because by which they can make you happy, they are not necessary for human happiness. It’s not what things you buy, the pain, the suffering, or enjoyment your body might get. Human happiness comes from somewhere else within the human. Comparing and contrasting Aristotle’s and the Stoics’ view of human happiness will help give a better clear and logical understanding on what really happiness is and why I believe that bodily

Included in Aurelius’ book are all the philosophies he believes in, which generally match with those of the Stoics. His views on such topics as man’s place in the universe, an outer force, the soul, death, truth, knowledge, and virtue are included in his works.