The Roman Stoics: Seneca and Epictetus
Among the ancient philosophers, the Roman Stoics are perhaps most concerned with bringing philosophy down to earth, and treating it as something that ought to be lived. The central role of doing philosophy is to take care of oneself, and to reflect on how best to live a life that is worth living. The strong comeback that Stoicism has made in the past twenty years or so is mainly grounded in a short period of the early Roman Empire (30–180 CE), and is due to the work of only a few philosophers. We will focus our study on Seneca and Epictetus, with occasional glances at Marcus Aurelius, Musionus Rufus, and the original Athenian Stoics.
As they contrast widely in terms of their education, wealth, and status, Seneca and Epictetus strikingly exemplify the essential Stoic idea that practical moral questions and reflections on one’s life concern anyone. In our thematic sessions, we read and discuss a range of exemplary passages from the works of Seneca (e.g., from On Anger) and Epictetus (e.g., from the Discourses). We will explore to what extent, and in what ways, philosophy matters for our everyday lives.
Resources for this course
Type | Resource | Description | People | Full details |
---|---|---|---|---|
Stoicism: Early, Middle, Late, and New |
The handout for the first session. |
Peter Wyss | ||
Coursework 1 |
Questions for the readings for the second meeting. |
Peter Wyss | ||
Willing the Good: Agathon and Prohairesis |
The handout from the third session. |
Peter Wyss | ||
Seneca's 'One the Happy Life' (De Vita Beata) |
The handout from the second session. |
Peter Wyss | ||
How to Keep One's Cool |
The notes from the fourth meeting. |
Peter Wyss | ||
Passions and 'Passions' |
Further notes from the fourth session. |
Peter Wyss | ||
Coursework 4 |
Leading questions and some backgrund for the fifth set of readings. |
Peter Wyss | ||
Coursework 3 |
Some questions and information for the fourth readings. |
Peter Wyss | ||
Impressions, Grasps, and Preconceptions |
The notes from the fifth meeting. |
Peter Wyss | ||
Coursework 5 |
Some leading questions for the readings for the sixth session. |
Peter Wyss | ||
Fate and Providence |
From the sixth meeting: sketch of Stoic physics and notes on fat-ing. |
Peter Wyss | ||
Coursework 6 |
A range of questions for the readings for the seventh session. |
Peter Wyss | ||
Playing One's Cosmic Role |
Afterhoughts and notes for the seventh meeting. |
Peter Wyss | ||
Coursework 7 |
Some questions about the readings for the eighth meeting. |
Peter Wyss | ||
Coursework 8 |
A few leadings questions for the readings of the ninth session. |
Peter Wyss | ||
Cosmic Love and Friendship |
The notes from our eighth session: oikeiosis, philia, and cosmopolitanism. |
Peter Wyss | ||
Epictetus on God: Extracts |
The passages on God from Epictetus. |
Peter Wyss | ||
Leaving the Festival |
The notes from our ninth session on death, life, and God. |
Peter Wyss | ||
'How I Long to See a Stoic!' |
The notes from the final session on Stoic pedagogy. |
Peter Wyss |