Quotes About Stoicism

at any one time, whereas the conjunctive proposition 'Both it is day and it is night' is false at any moment. 8. As you are careful … at the same time: E.g. by 'strutting' or otherwise walking in an inappropriate manner, or engaging in undignified thoughts or daydreams. 9. Don't embrace marble statues: Outdoors, naked, in cold weather: a bizarre and showy kind

It is not things that trouble us, but our judgements about things.

Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of things.

Stop judging the things that fate brings you as "good" or "evil"; only judge your own thoughts, desires, and actions as good or evil. If you suppose events to be good or evil in themselves, when life doesn't go as you wish you will inevitably blame the Author.

With every accident, ask yourself what abilities you have for making a proper use of it. If you see an attractive person, you will find that self-restraint is the ability you have against your desire. If you are in pain, you will find fortitude. If you hear unpleasant language, you will find patience. And thus habituated, the appearances of things will not hurry you away along with them.

Whoever then wishes to be free, let him neither wish for anything nor avoid anything which depends on others: if he does not observe this rule, he must be a slave.

We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.

These are not the circumstances that I want.' Is it up to you to choose them? You have been given that particular body, these particular parents and brothers, this particular social position and place to live. You come to me hoping that I can somehow change these circumstances for you, not even conscious of the assets that are already yours that make it possible to cope with any situation you face.

Work, therefore to be able to say to every harsh appearance, "You are but an appearance, and not absolutely the thing you appear to be." And then examine it by those rules which you have, and first, and chiefly, by this: whether it concerns the things which are in our own control, or those which are not; and, if it concerns anything not in our control, be prepared to say that it is nothing to you.

I will throw you into prison.' 'Correction – it is my body you will throw there.

Ask not that events should happen as you will, but let your will be that events should happen that you will have peace.

The fear of death stems from the view that it is fearful.

I cannot stay in harmony if I let myself become upset by things beyond my control.

When therefore we are hindered, or disturbed, or grieved, let us never attribute it to others, but to ourselves; that is, to our own principles. An uninstructed person will lay the fault of his own bad condition upon others. Someone just starting instruction will lay the fault on himself. Some who is perfectly instructed will place blame neither on others nor on himself.

Yes, but what good will all this do me when a child of mine dies, or if my brother, or I myself, have to die or be tortured?' [19] Nothing. Because that's not why you came, not why you took your seat in front of me, not the reason you sometimes sacrificed sleep to study by lamplight.

If you wish to be rich, you should know that it is neither a good thing nor at all in your power: but if you wish to be happy, you should know that it is both a good thing and in your power, for the one is a temporary loan of fortune, and happiness comes from the will.

Maak er van meet af aan een goede gewoonte van tegen elke pijnlijke indruk van buitenaf te zeggen: 'Jij bent niet meer dan een indruk! Jij bent heel anders dan je je voordoet!

No, I cannot escape death, but at least I can escape the fear of it – or do I have to die moaning and groaning too?

But until he succeeds in suppressing his lust and anxiety, how is he really free?

Whoever wants to be free, therefore, let him not want or avoid anything that is up to others. Otherwise he will necessarily be a slave.

Apropos of which, Diogenes says somewhere that one way to guarantee freedom is to be ready to die.

I have to die. If it is now, well then I die now; if later, then now I will take my lunch, since the hour for lunch has arrived – and dying I will tend to later.

If you intend to improve, throw away such thoughts as these: if I neglect my affairs, I shall not have the means of living: unless I chastise my slave, he will be bad. For it is better to die of hunger and so to be released from grief and fear than to live in abundance with perturbation; and it is better for your slave to be bad than for you to be unhappy.

I will throw you into prison. Correction – it is my body you will throw there.