Stoicism - College of Stoic Philosophers

STOICISM AT ROME UNDER THE REPUBLIC. 65and statesmen came into close contact with the oldercivilizations of the world.The language and thea necessary study to the governingliterature of Greece becamefamilies of theconquering State ;her poetry and art made them feelthe narro\vness and coldness of their own nationalculture ;Greek rhetoricians soon appeared at Romedazzling the inexperienced hearers with their speciouswords, ready to make any subject matter of debate,and to argue with equal readiness on every side. Theywere not accepted there, indeed, without a protest.The old spirit of conservatism found many a sturdyrepresentative among the ruling classes ;men like theolder Cato vehemently denounced the foreign brood ofsciolists and sophists, who played fast and loose withevery principle of faith and reason, and seemed ofvery wantonness to unsettle every conviction. Morethan once the magistrates or Senate decided on strongmeasures to put down the growing evil, and banishedfrom the soil of Italy the dangerous teachers whomthey dreaded.But the age was one of rapid change, and authoritywas powerless to stay the tide. Half a century hadbeen enough to humble every rival that barred theway of Rome's ambition, and had left her undisputedmistress in the East. The spoil of the world hadpoured into her coffers. Her capitalists and bankerswere not slow to turn their opportunities to goodaccount ;a new school of diplomatists and statesmenof wider aims and suppler policy had been trained inscenes of foreign warfare; one and all were of noF