“It’s ruinous for the soul to be anxious about the future and miserable in advance of misery, engulfed by anxiety that the things it desires might remain its own until the very end. For such a soul will never be at rest—by longing for things to come it will lose (more…)
“Inwardly, we ought to be different in every respect, but our outward dress should blend in with the crowd.” —SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 5.2 Hongera sana mwanamafanikio kwa siku hii mpya na bora sana tuliyoiona leo. Ni siku bora na ya kipekee sana kwetu kwenda kuweka juhudi kubwa ili kuweza kupata (more…)
“It is said that if you would have peace of mind, busy yourself with little. But wouldn’t a better saying be do what you must and as required of a rational being created for public life? For this brings not only the peace of mind of doing few things, but (more…)
“For nothing outside my reasoned choice can hinder or harm it—my reasoned choice alone can do this to itself. If we would lean this way whenever we fail, and would blame only ourselves and remember that nothing but opinion is the cause of a troubled mind and uneasiness, then by (more…)
“Just as the nature of rational things has given to each person their rational powers, so it also gives us this power—just as nature turns to its own purpose any obstacle or any opposition, sets its place in the destined order, and co-opts it, so every rational person can convert (more…)
“This can be swiftly taught in very few words: virtue is the only good; there is no certain good without virtue; and virtue resides in our nobler part, which is the rational one. And what can this virtue be? True and steadfast judgment. For from this will arise every mental (more…)
“Philosophy isn’t a parlor trick or made for show. It’s not concerned with words, but with facts. It’s not employed for some pleasure before the day is spent, or to relieve the uneasiness of our leisure. It shapes and builds up the soul, it gives order to l ife, guides (more…)
“You’ve endured countless troubles—all from not letting your ruling reason do the work it was made for—enough already!” —MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 9.26 Ni siku mpya, siku nzuri na ya kipekee sana kwetu. Tumeipata nafasi bora sana kwetu kwenda kuweka juhudi kubwa ili kuweza kupata matokeo bora sana. Kwa msingi wetu (more…)
“Many words have been spoken by Plato, Zeno, Chrysippus, Posidonius, and by a whole host of equally excellent Stoics. I’ll tell you how people can prove their words to be their own—by putting into practice what they’ve been preaching.” —SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 108.35; 38 Hongera sana mwanamafanikio kwa siku hii (more…)
“When the problem arose for us whether habit or theory was better for getting virtue—if by theory is meant what teaches us correct conduct, and by habit we mean being accustomed to act according to this theory—Musonius thought habit to be more effective.” —MUSONIUS RUFUS, LECTURES, 5.17.31–32, 5.19.1–2 Hongera sana (more…)