ZENO THE STOIC

Show Code

Founder of Stoic philosophy. Little is known about his life. However, he was born in Citium, Cyprus and was the son of the merchant Mnaseos, and he also practiced the profession of merchant for a while. In Athens, Zeno is in the years 315 - 13, when he came close to the Cynic philosophers, whose influence can be seen in his first works. In 310 he founded his own school in Athens, with the aim of elevating and expanding the Cynic ethics of the Socratics Antisthenes and Diogenes, supporting it scientifically and connecting it with Heracleian physics and Aristotelian logic.

His students were initially called Zenonians, but later received the name Stoics, from the Poikili Stoa, where they studied. Zenon taught tirelessly for half a century until his death. He wrote many works, but they were all lost. The Athenians especially honored Zeno, both alive and dead, by erecting a monument, the inscription of which declared that the life of the philosopher was completely consistent with his teachings. Zeno lived as a hermit, and usually fed on bread, honey and figs. He only drank water.

Quotes

1. THE GREATEST INDECENCY IS ARROGANCE
2. A GENTLE NATURE WITH MODERATE EXERCISE AND WITH THE GUIDANCE OF A TEACHER CAN VERY EASILY ACHIEVE PERFECT VIRTUE
3. MOST OF THE PHILOSOPHERS IN MOST THINGS ARE NOT WISE, WHILE THEY ARE PERFECTLY IGNORANT OF THE SMALL AND INSIGNIFICANT THINGS
4. THE GOOD IS NOT FOUND IN THE PLENTIFUL, BUT IN THE GOOD PLENTY
5. WHEN LUCK PUSHES YOU TO PHILOSOPHY IT BENEFITS YOU
6. THE YOUNG SHOULD BE DISTINGUISHED BY DECENCY IN WALKING, APPEARANCE AND DRESSING
7. PRUDENCE IS THE FLOWER OF BEAUTY AND BEAUTY IS THE FLOWER OF PRUDENCE
8. SLIPS OF THE FEET ARE BETTER THAN THOSE OF THE TONGUE
9. GOOD IS DONE LITTLE BIT BY LITTLE BIT, BUT IT'S NOT SMALL
10. WOMEN SHOULD BE COMMON TO ALL
11. MEN AND WOMEN SHOULD USE THE SAME CLOTHING AND NOT CONSIDER IT NECESSARY TO HIDE THEIR GENITALIA
12. DIALECTIC IS NECESSARY AND A VIRTUE IN ITSELF BECAUSE IT CONTAINS OTHER VIRTUES
13. IMAGINATION COMES FIRST AND THEN THE INTELLECT REASONABLY FORMULATES WHAT IT RECEIVES FROM IMAGINATION
14. A GHOST IS A THOUGHT OF THE INTELLECT DURING SLEEP
15. WHEN IT IS DAY, THERE IS LIGHT
16. VIRTUE BENEFITS
17. EVIL HURTS
18. THE ULTIMATE GOAL SHOULD BE LIFE IN HARMONY WITH NATURE
19. NATURE LEADS US TO VIRTUE
20. VIRTUE IS A HARMONIOUS MOOD
21. HEALTH IS AN EXTENSION OF PRUDENCE
22. EVIL IS OPPOSED TO VIRTUE
23. WISDOM, COURAGE, JUSTICE AND PRUDENCE ARE THE MAIN VIRTUES
24. INTELLIGENCE IS THE ABILITY TO DISCERN IMMEDIATELY WHAT SHOULD BE DONE
25. DECISION-MAKING ABILITY IS SHOWN BY WHETHER WE CAN DISTINGUISH WHAT WE SHOULD DO AND HOW, IN ORDER TO BE IN OUR INTEREST
26. WISDOM IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE BAD, THE GOOD AND THE INDIFFERENT
27. COURAGE IS KNOWING WHAT TO CHOOSE, WHAT TO AVOID, AND WHAT IS INDIFFERENT
28. MAGNANIMITY IS KNOWLEDGE OR, THE HABIT THAT DISTANCES US FROM EVENTS, WHETHER THEY ARE GOOD OR BAD
29. RESTRAIN IS THE ABILITY TO ACT ACCORDING TO REASON AND NOT TO GIVE IN TO PLEASURE
30. PATIENCE IS THE KNOWLEDGE, OR, THE HABIT OF WHEN TO PERSIST, WHEN NOT AND WHEN TO IGNORE THINGS
31. EVIL COMES FROM THE IGNORANCE OF THOSE WHOSE KNOWLEDGE IS VIRTUE
32. THE MAIN EVILS ARE IGNORANCE, COWARDICE, INJUSTICE AND DEBAUCHERY
33. GOOD IS THAT WHICH ENTAILS SOME BENEFIT
34. COURAGE, HIGH MORALE, FREEDOM, PLEASURE, ABSENCE OF SORROW AND EVERY VIRTUOUS ACT ARE GOALS
35. MEANS AND ENDS ARE VIRTUES
36. THE WISE DECIDES TO LOSE HIS LIFE FOR ACCEPTED REASONS, IN DEFENSE OF COUNTRY AND FRIENDS, OR IF SUFFERING FROM INCONSUMABLE PAIN, DISABILITIES AND INCURABLE DISEASES
37. MEANS AND ENDS ARE THE EVILS
38. GOODS THAT ALWAYS EXIST ARE VIRTUES
39. EVERY GOOD IS IN OUR INTEREST, APPROPRIATE, PROFITABLE, USEFUL, BEAUTIFUL, BENEFICIAL, PREFERABLE AND JUST
40. INTEREST RESULTS IN OUR BENEFIT
41. JUSTICE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE LAW AND CONTRIBUTES TO THE CREATION OF SOCIETY
42. NICE DEEDS CONSIST OF THE RIGHTEOUS, THE BRAVE, THE DECENT AND THE SCIENTIFIC
43. UGLY DEEDS CONSIST OF THE UNJUST, THE COWARDLY, THE INDECENT AND THE STUPID
44. ONLY THE WISE IS GOOD AND BEAUTIFUL
45. WHEN SOMETHING IS GOOD, IT'S BEAUTIFUL
46. ALL GOODS ARE EQUAL AND EVERY GOOD IS MAXIMALLY PREFERED AND NO REDUCTION CAN BE DONE
47. SOME BEINGS ARE GOOD, SOME BAD, SOME INDIFFERENT
48. VIRTUES ARE GOOD, SUCH AS WISDOM, JUSTICE, COURAGE AND PRUDENCE
49. EVIL IS IGNORANCE, INJUSTICE, COWARDICE AND STUPIDITY
50. DUTY IS THE REASONABLE CHOICE, THAT IS TO HONOR PARENTS, BROTHERS AND COUNTRY AND BE GOOD TO FRIENDS
51. LIES CAUSE PERVERSION OF THE MIND WHICH BECOMES THE CAUSE OF MUCH SUFFERING AND DISORDER
52. PASSION IS AN IRRATIONAL AND AGAINST NATURE MENTAL MOVEMENT OR, IT IS AN INHERENT THING IN EXCESS
53. THE HIGHEST PASSIONS ARE SADNESS, FEAR, DESIRE AND PLEASURE
54. BEING FOND OF MONEY, DRUNKENNESS, DEBAUCHERY ARE PASSIONS
55. SADNESS IS IRRATIONAL CONTRACTION
56. PITY, ENVY, JEALOUSY, SORROW, ANNOYANCE, BOREDOM, PAIN AND CONFUSION ARE TYPES OF SADNESS
57. PITY IS SADNESS FOR SOMEONE'S UNFAIR MISFORTUNE
58. ENVY IS THE SADNESS WE FEEL BECAUSE OF GOODS OF OTHERS
59. JEALOUSY IS THE SADNESS CAUSED WHEN SOMEONE ELSE HAS WHAT THEY WANT
60. JEALOUSY IS SADNESS CAUSED BY SOMEONE ELSE HAVING WHAT WE HAVE
61. SORROW IS HEAVY SADNESS
62. ANNOYANCE IS SADNESS CAUSED WHEN WE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE
63. PAIN IS SADNESS CAUSED BY PAINFUL EVENTS AND CONFUSION
64. FEAR IS EXPECTING EVIL
65. TERROR IS FEAR THAT CAUSES AWE
66. DESIRE IS IRRATIONAL WISH
67. HATE IS THE DISPROPORTIONATE DESIRE FOR ONE'S CONTINUED AND INCREASED MISFORTUNE
68. QUARREL IS DESIRE FOR DOMINATION
69. ANGER IS THE DESIRE FOR DISPROPORTIONATE PUNISHMENT OF SOMEONE WHO WE THINK HAS WRONGED US
70. LOVE IS SOME DESIRE WHICH NOTABLE PEOPLE NEVER FEEL, BECAUSE IT IS TRYING TO OBTAIN A RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE BECAUSE OF THEIR EXTERNAL BEAUTY
71. VENGANCE IS AN ANGER THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN EXISTING, VENGEFUL AND WAITING TO BREAK OUT AT THE RIGHT MOMENT
72. ANGER IS THE FIRST STAGE OF RAGE
73. PLEASURE IS THE IRRATIONAL EXCITATION FOR SOMETHING CONSIDERED DESIRABLE
74. ENCHANTMENT IS PLEASURE THAT COMES FROM HEARING
75. GLEE IS THE JOY FOR OTHERS' MISFORTUNE
76. INDULGENCE IS THE TURN OF THE SOUL TOWARDS RELAXATION AND NEGLIGENCE
77. DIFFUSION IS THE DISSOLUTION OF VIRTUE
78. JOY IS THE OPPOSITE OF PLEASURE BECAUSE IT IS A RATIONAL AND NOT IRRATIONAL EXCITEMENT
79. CAUTION IS THE OPPOSITE OF FEAR
80. THE WISE WILL UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES BE AFRAID, BUT HE WILL BE CAREFUL
81. WILL IS OPPOSITE TO DESIRE BECAUSE IT IS A RATIONAL DESIRE
82. THE WISE IS INDIFFERENT, BECAUSE HE DOESN'T GET CARRIED AWAY
83. THE WISE IS HUMBLE BECAUSE HE KEEPS THE SAME DISTANCE FROM BOTH THE GLORIOUS AND THE INGLORIOUS
84. SUPERIOR PEOPLE ARE STRICT BECAUSE THEY ARE NEITHER INTERESTED IN PLEASURES NOR DO THEY STAND THE PLEASURES OF OTHERS
85. SUPERIOR PEOPLE ARE NOT DEVIOUS AND ALWAYS MAKE SURE TO BE THEIR BEST, LIVING IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THEM TO AVOID THE BAD AND DISPLAY THE GOOD
86. SUPERIOR PEOPLE ARE NOT HYPOCRITES AND HAVE REJECTED HYPOCRISY IN BOTH THEIR SPEECH AND APPEARANCE
87. SUPERIOR PEOPLE DON'T WORK BECAUSE THEY DO NOTHING BUT THE DUTY
88. SUPERIOR PEOPLE WILL DRINK WINE BUT NOT GET DRUNK
89. SUPERIOR PEOPLE WILL NEVER BE IN A STATE OUT OF CONTROL, ALTHOUGH IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE STRANGE THOUGHTS, EITHER FROM MELANCHOLY OR DELUSION
90. THE WISE FEEL NO SADNESS, BECAUSE SADNESS IS AN IRRATIONAL CONTRACTION OF THE SOUL
91. THE SAGES ARE DIVINE BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOMETHING OF THE DIVINE WITHIN THEM
92. THE WICKED LACK THE DIVINE
93. SUPERIOR PEOPLE ALSO RESPECT GODS BECAUSE THEY KNOW VERY WELL WHAT IS APPROPRIATE TO THE GODS
94. THE ONLY ONES SUITABLE TO BE PRIESTS ARE THE WISE, BECAUSE THEY KNOW WELL ABOUT SACRIFICES, ESTABLISHING TEMPLES, PURIFICATIONS AND ALL THAT ARE APPROPRIATE TO THE GODS
95. WE SHOULD RESPECT PARENTS AND BROTHERS AND HOLD THEM IN SECOND PLACE RIGHT AFTER THE GODS
96. LOVE FOR CHILDREN IS INHERENT IN THE GOOD WHILE THE BAD DON'T HAVE IT
97. THE SAGE CAN BOTH MARRY AND HAVE CHILDREN
98. ONLY THE WISE IS FREE, THE WICKED ARE SLAVES, BECAUSE FREEDOM IS THE CAPACITY OF INDEPENDENT ACTION, WHILE SLAVERY IS THE DEPRIVATION OF THIS POSSIBILITY
99. DESPOTISM IS OPPOSED TO SLAVERY, WHICH IS ALSO BAD
100. THE LORD SHOULD HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, BUT NO WICKED ONE HAS THIS KNOWLEDGE
101. SAGES CAN BECOME SUPREME JUDGES AND ORATORS AND NO ONE IS BAD
102. THE WISE ARE SINLESS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT FALL INTO ERRORS
103. THE WISE ARE HARMLESS BECAUSE THEY NEVER HARM ANYONE, NEITHER OTHERS NOR THEMSELVES
104. THE WISE ARE NOT MERCIFUL NOR FORGIVE ANYONE, BECAUSE SOFTNESS, MERCY, AND FORGIVENESS ARE A WEAKNESS OF THE SOUL
105. THE WISE DOES NOT LIVE IN ISOLATION, BECAUSE HE IS SOCIAL AND PRACTICAL BY NATURE
106. THE WISE MAN DOESN'T REJECT GYMNASTICS BECAUSE HE WANTS HIS BODY TO BE STRONG
107. FRIENDSHIP CAN ONLY DEVELOP BETWEEN SUPERIOR MEN BECAUSE OF THEIR SIMILARITY
108. FRIENDSHIP IS PARTICIPATION IN COMMON IN EVERYTHING RELATED TO LIFE, AS WE DO FOR FRIENDS THE SAME AS FOR OURSELVES
109. WE CHOOSE FRIENDS FOR WHAT THEY ARE AND HAVING MANY FRIENDS IS GOOD
110. THERE IS NO FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN WICKED AND NO WICKED HAS A FRIEND
111. ALL IGNORANTS ARE MANIAC, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT PRUDENT, BUT ALWAYS ACT WITH AN IGNORANCE THAT IS THE SAME AS MANIA
112. THE VIRTUOUS CAN DISCERN AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT
113. THE THINGS TO BE DONE SHOULD BE CHOSEN, ENDURED, MAINTAINED, AND AWARDED
114. EACH VIRTUE IS LIMITED TO ITS OWN FIELD, SUCH AS COURAGE IN WHAT WE SHOULD ENDURE AND WISDOM IN WHAT WE SHOULD DO
115. BETWEEN VIRTUE AND EVIL THERE IS NOTHING
116. VIRTUE IS ENOUGH BY ITSELF TO BRING BLISS
117. VIRTUE CANNOT BE LOST
118. WHAT IS RIGHT EXISTS BY NATURE AND NOT BY LAW
119. THE WISE WILL LOVE YOUNG PEOPLE WHOSE APPEARANCE SHOWS AN APPEAL TO VIRTUE
120. LOVE IS AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE SOMEONE A FRIEND BECAUSE OF THEIR EXTERNAL BEAUTY. IT SHOULD NOT BE ABOUT CARNAL RELATIONSHIP BUT ABOUT FRIENDSHIP
121. BEAUTY IS A FLOWER OF VIRTUE
122. THE IDEAL POLITICAL SYSTEM IS A MIX OF DEMOCRACY, MONARCHY AND ARISTOCRACY
123. TWO ARE THE PRINCIPLES OF THE UNIVERSE: DOING AND FEELING. FEELING IS MATTER, DOING IS THE WORD, GOD, IN MATTER
124. PRINCIPLES DIFFER FROM THE ELEMENTS BECAUSE THEY ARE UNBORN AND IMPERISHABLE, WHILE THE ELEMENTS ARE DESTROYED BY FIRE
125. GOD, MIND, PREDESTINATION AND ZEUS ARE THE SAME THING CALLED BY MANY OTHER NAMES
126. THE FOUR ELEMENTS WERE BORN FIRST: FIRE, WATER, AIR, EARTH
127. FIRE IS HOT, WATER IS WET, AIR IS COLD AND EARTH IS DRY
128. HEAVEN IS THE ULTIMATE CIRCLE IN WHICH EVERYTHING DIVINE IS INSTALLED
129. THE MIND IS IN ALL PLACES OF THE WORLD, LIKE THE SOUL IN THE BODY
130. TIME IS INCORPORATE. IT IS THE SPACE OF THE WORLD'S MOVEMENT.
131. PAST AND FUTURE ARE INFINITE, THE PRESENT IS FINITE
132. THE WORLD IS PERISHABLE, BECAUSE IT WAS BORN, ACCORDING TO THINGS PERCEIVED BY THE SENSES
133. THE WORLD WAS BORN WHEN ESSENCE BY FIRE WAS TRANSFORMED TO LIQUID THROUGH AIR
134. GOD IS LIVING, IMMORTAL, RATIONAL, AND PERFECT, OR, IDEAL IN BLISS
135. GOD ALLOWS NO EVIL AND CARES FOR THE WORLD AND ALL THAT ARE IN IT
136. GOD IS THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE AND LIKE A FATHER HE TAKES CARE OF EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND EVERYTHING SEPARATELY
137. PREDESTINATION IS THE CAUSE THAT CONNECTS BEINGS OR, THE REASON ACCORDING TO WHICH THE WORLD IS DRIVEN
138. THE SOUL IS BY ITS NATURE ABLE TO FEEL