The STOIC's BIBLE

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The STOIC'S BIBLE

Apollo’s commands:

ΓΝ ΘΙ ΣΕΑΥΤΟΝ Ω KNOW THYSELF

ΜΕΔΕΝ ΑΓΑΝ NOTHING IN EXCESS

ΕΓΓΥΑ ΠΑΡΑ ΔΑΤΗ MAKE A PLEDGE AND TROUBLE IS NIGH

(As they appeared in the temple of Apollo at Delphi) The STOIC'S BIBLE & Florilegium for the Good Life ______

GILES LAURÉN

σπευδε βραδεωσ

SOPHRON 2010

EDITO PRINCEPS SOPHRON 2010

ISBN:1453816224 13: 9781453816226

Bible is the Greek word for book; it had been in use for eight hundred years when the Christian Bible was written.

Florilegium is Latin for a collection of flowers. One of our principal sources for the ancients is the Florilegium of Stobaeus.

σπευδε βραδεωσ, was an expression favoured by Augustus. It was later used by the great renaissance printer, Aldus, in its Latin form: festina lente, or ‘make haste slowly.’ It was accompanied by the sign of a dolphin entwined about an anchor.

Cover photograph: The Charioteer of Delphi, bronze, 470 B.C. Back cover: The Seven Sages from the Nuremberg Chronicle. DEDICATION

Several years ago a dear friend of many years sent me a favourite quotation which he attributed to Seneca:

“The good man always loses.”

The thoughts this troubling paradox evoked led me to several years of study, and through the discovery of the Stoics, to a better understanding of the origins of Western man. This book would never have been conceived nor written without the inspiration of JohnWalker-Haworth, to whom it is gratefully dedicated.

CONTENTS

List of Abbreviations Page x Abbreviations xi Chronology xii Prologue xiv Introduction xvii The PRE-SOCRATICS Homer fl. 850 B.C. 1 Hesiod fl. 825 5 Aesop c.620-c.560 8 The Commandments of the Seven c. 580 13 The SEVEN SAGES 18 Thales of Miletus 624-546 Solon of Athens 638-558 Pittacus of Mytilene, Lesbos 640-568 Bias of Priene fl. 650 Cleobolus of Lindos, Rhodes fl. 650 Periander of Corinth fl. 625 Anacharsis the Sythian fl. 589 Myson of Chen fl. 650 Chilon of Sparta 595-525 Pythagoras of Samos 575-495 Xenophanes of Colophon 570-470 THEOGNIS of Megara fl. 540 25 HERACLITUS of Ephesus 535-475 31 SOPHISTS 37 Anaxagoras of Clazomenae 500-428 Protagoras of Abdera 490-420 Prodicus of Cos 465-415 DEMOCRITUS of Abdera 460-370 38 SOCRATES 469-399 (Plutarch) 51 (DiogenesLaertius) vii Contents Aeschines Aristippus 435-356 XENOPHON 431-355 Memorabilia. 54 Oeconomicus. Symposium. Apology. Cyropedia. Scripta Minora PLATO 428-348 Apology 71 Crito. Phaedo. Charmides. Laches. Lysis. Euthyphro. Gorgias. Protagoras. Meno. Euthydemus. Phaedrus. Symposium. Republic. Theatetus. Sophist. Statesman. Philebus. Laws. CYNICS Antisthenes of Athens 112 DIOGENES of Sinope Crates of Thebes 365-285 ARISTOTLE 384-322 Nicomean Ethics. 125 viii Contents Demetrius of Phalerum 146 EPICURUS of Samos 147 STOICS Zeno of Citium 334-280 150 Ariston Cleanthes of Assos 330-230 Chrysippus 280-207 Cato 95-46 CICERO 106-43 B.C DeOfficius. 153 De Finibus. Tusculan Disputations. De Fato. Paradoxa Stoicorum. De Senectute. De Amicus. De Natura Deorum. Academica. Laelius de Amacitia. SENECA 4 B.C.-65 A.D. De Providentia. 205 De Constantia. De Ira.1,2,3. De Clementia. De Consolatione ad Marciam. De Vita Beata. De Otio. De Tranquillitate Animi. De Brevitate Vitae. De Consolatione af Polybium. De Consolatione ad Helviam. De Beneficiis. Epistles. Maxims. MUSONIUS c.25-c.9 A .D. 338 ix Contents PLUTARCH 46-120 Moralia. 345 EPICTETUS 55-135 Arrian’s notes. 411 Fragments. Manual. MARCUS AURELIUS The Meditations. 498 LUCIAN 120-190 The Satires. 548 AULIUS GELLIUS 125-180 The Attic Nights. 575 BOETHIUS 480-525 The Consolation of Philosophy. 596 AFTERWORD 604 Bibliography 607 Illustrations Plan of Athens (From: Flacelière: Daily Life in Greece in the Time of Pericles.) 611 The Herms & The Stoa (FromTravlos) 612