Beyond Philosophy

~ Seneca does not like approaches to philosophy that render it as a matter of chopping logic, interrogating syntax, articulating universal grammars. For him, this is weak sauce: insufficient to nourish strong minds. ~ Pudet dicere contra fortunam militaturis quae porrigant tela, quemadmodum illos subornent. Hac ad summum bonum itur? per istud philosophiae sive nive et turpes infamesque etiam ad album sedentibus exceptiones? Quid enim aliud agitis, cum eum quem interrogatis scientes in fraudem inducitis, quam ut formula cecidisse videatur? Sed quemadmodum illos praetor, sic hos philosophia in integrum restituit. Quid disceditis ab ingentibus promissis et grandia locuti, effecturos vos ut non magis auri fulgor quam gladii praestringat oculos meos, ut ingenti constantia et quod omnes optant et quod omnes timent calcem, ad grammaticorum elementa descenditis? Quid dicitis?     sic itur ad astra. Hoc enim est quod mihi philosophia promittit, ut parem deo faciat; ad hoc invitatus su...

~ How can we improve our moral character? One method that Marcus recommends to himself: we should take time to see the best in the characters with whom we live. Railing at the wicked should not consume all, or the most important part, of our lives. ~ Ὅταν εὐφρᾶναι σεαυτὸν θέλῃς, ἐνθυμοῦ τὰ προτερήματα τῶν συμβιούντων· οἷον τοῦ μὲν τὸ δραστήριον, τοῦ δὲ τὸ αἰδῆμον, τοῦ δὲ τὸ εὐμετάδοτον, ἄλλου δὲ ἄλλο τι. οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως εὐφραίνει ὡς τὰ ὁμοιώματα τῶν ἀρετῶν ἐμφαινόμενα τοῖς ἤθεσι τῶν συζώντων καὶ ἀθρόα ὡς οἷόν τε συμπίπτοντα. διὸ καὶ πρόχειρα αὐτὰ ἑκτέον. Whenever you wish to cheer yourself up, think on the real achievements of those who live with you. Consider the activity that one of them has, the modesty expressed by another, the generosity of a third, and so on. There is nothing so cheering as the appearance of virtues in the habits of our fellowmen, especially when these virtues manifest as close and thick as possible. For they are then right at your own hand, ready to be grasped.