The Best of the Early Stoics

For many today, Stoicism implies "emotional repression" or so-called "toxic masculinity." It's too bad.

When Zeno of Citium (335-263 bc) developed Stoicism in the Stoa Poikile (Painted Colonnade) in Athens, his philosophy was optimistically oriented to living well. He wanted to practice happiness.

What did Zeno and the ancient Stoics hope to do? In short, they wanted to think well in order to understand nature. And that in order to live in harmony with nature, reason, and virtue. All in order to be happy. That's it.

Although extraordinary both in its ideas and demands, ancient Stoicism was in many ways an ordinary affair in that it did not draw you away from ordinary life-from your city, family, friends, or business. Rather, Stoicism counseled full engagement with ordinary life. Well-known Stoics ranged from manual laborers to emperors, from scholars, teachers, and writers to businessmen, soldiers, and politicians.

The Best of the Early Stoics presents the lives, writings, and teachings of the Early Stoics, as well as the work of those ancients who wrote about them. It begins with an informative introduction and ends with a twelve-point "Plan of Life" and three exercises for practice, along with "Other Matters of Interest Related to the Early Stoics," including a cast of significant Stoics, a map, a glossary of pertinent Greek terms, and suggestions for further reading. Enjoy!