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Articles

Stoicism: Heroic Acceptance

William Lewis tells us the Graeco-Roman way to keep a stiff upper lip.

Jesus taught that we cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven unless we become like little children; but four centuries earlier Aristotle said we should feel sorry for children because they are incapable of true happiness, which consists of wisdom and virtue. Aristotle’s austere notion of happiness will sound odd to many people but it was accepted by the Stoics, who thought of man as custodian of a divine spark which he could fan into flame with good deeds and douse with evil ones. Here are some words of one well-known Stoic, the slave Epictetus (c. 55-135AD):

“You are a distinct portion of the essence of God, and contain a certain part of him in yourself. Why, then, are you so ignorant of your noble birth? Why do not you consider whence you came? Why do not you remember, when you are eating, who you are who eat, and whom you feed? When you are in the company of women, when you are conversing, when you are exercising, when you are disputing, do not you know that it is a god you feed, a god you exercise? You carry a god about with you, wretch, and know nothing of it.

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