Stoicism - College of Stoic Philosophers

THE RISE OF STOICISM. 23kindly patron of the arts and liberal studies, andsecured peace and plenty to the land to compensatefor the lost self-respect and turbulent energy offreedom.There were worse times indeed to follow, when thedegradation of the State was more complete, and theindignities of her public action more profound. Ifwe would know something of the social aspects ofthose times we shall find some striking illustrationsin Plutarch's account of Demetrius Poliorcetes, inwhose life adventurous exploits strangely contrastedwith wild extravagance and licence. What the rulersof the period often were we may judge from the quietwords of Plutarch " : Of the descendants of AntigonusPhilip was the only prince who put his son to death ;whereas in the families of other kings nothingis morecommon than the murder of sons, mothers, and wives.As for the killing of brothers, like a postulate ingeometry, it was considered as indisputably necessaryto the safety of the reigning prince."iRoyal insolence may be measured bythe madwhim of Demetrius, who ordered the Athenians to" raise two hundred and fifty talents in a very shorttime, and the money was exacted with the greatestrigour. When the money was brought in, and hesaw it all together, he ordered it to be given to Lamiaand his other mistresses to buy soap. Thus the disgracehurt them more than the loss,and the applicationmore than the impost." ^'Plutarch, " Demetrius," translation of Langhome. 'Ibid,