The Stoic Creed - College of Stoic Philosophers

52 THE STOIC CREED
IV
A further point must now be noted. As the Stoic
philosophy was pre-eminently and essentially a rule
living as 1 its aim was to , help men in the formation of
character and the discharge of daily duty, its demands
on the personal character of the philosopher were ex
tremely high. The residue of life is short. Live as
on a mountain. It matters not whether here or there ;
everywhere you are a citizen of the city of the world.
Let men see and witness a true man, a life conformed
to nature. If they cannot hear him, let them make
away with him. Better that, than life on their
terms"
(Aurelius, Med. x. 15).
This is best seen in
the Dissertations of Epictetus.
of
In the first place, Stoicism required that the philo
sopher be himself a man of simplicity of aim and a person
thoroughly convinced of his doctrines convinced, not
merely upon bare authority, but upon rational grounds. 1
Indeed, Epictetus
held that firm conviction is the one
thing that is practically irresistible in the world ;
and
by this he explained the fact that senseless opinions so
often gain a hold on mankind when sensible teaching
fails. "Why is he asks his
it," disciples,
"that the
vulgar are stronger than you?" "Because," he
answers, "they
utter these stale words from their real
opinions (d but Soy/xdrcov), you utter your elegant
words from the lips.
For this reason they (your words)
are feeble and dead ;
and it is sickening to listen to
your exhortations and your miserable virtue, which
1
See Epictetus, Diss. ii. 19.