November 25th Reading from The Daily Stoic (Round 2) - Funny How That Works Out

 "As for me, I would choose being sick over living in luxury, for being sick only harms the body, whereas luxury destroys both the body and soul, causing weakness and incapacity in the body, and lack of control and cowardice in the soul. What's more, luxury breeds injustice because it breeds greediness."

~ Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 20.95.14-17

October 31st Reading from The Daily Stoic (Round 2) - You Were Born Good

 "The human being is born with an inclination toward virtue."

~ Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 2.7.1-2

August 11th Reading from The Daily Stoic (Round 2) - No Time For Theories, Just Results

 "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

August 2nd Reading from The Daily Stoic (Round 2) - We Can Work Any Way

"Indeed, how could exile be an obstacle to a person's own cultivation, or to attaining virtue, when no one has ever been cut off from learning or practicing what is needed by exile?"

~ Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 9.37.30-31, 9.39.1

July 28th Reading from The Daily Stoic (Round 2) - Check Your Privilege

"Some people are sharp and others dull; some are raised in a better environment, others in worse, the latter, having inferior habits and nurture, will require more by way of proof and careful instruction to master these teachings and to be formed by them - in the same way that bodies in a bad state must be given a great deal of care when perfect health is sought."

~ Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 1.1.33-1.3.1-3

July 9th Reading from The Daily Stoic (Round 2) - The Philosopher King

"For I believe a good king is from the outset and by necessity a philosopher, and the philosopher is from the outset a kingly person."

~ Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 8.33.32-34

May 4th Reading from The Daily Stoic (Round 2) - What's Truly Impressive

"How much better is it to be known for doing well by many than for living extravagantly? How much more worthy than spending on sticks and stones is it to spend on people?"

~ Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 19.91.26-28

May 1st Reading from The Daily Stoic (Round 2) - Make Character Your Loudest Statement

"For philosophy doesn't consist in outward display, but in taking heed to what is needed and being mindful of it."

~ Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 16.75.15-16

January 16th Reading from The Daily Stoic (Round 2) - Never Do Anything Out of Habit

"So in the majority of other things, we address circumstances not in accordance with the right assumptions, but mostly by following wretched habit. Since all that I've said is the case, the person in training must seek to rise above, so as to stop seeking out pleasure and steering away from pain, to stop clinging to living and abhorring death, and in the case of property and money, to stop valuing receiving over giving."

~ Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 6.25.5-11

November 25th Reading from The Daily Stoic - Funny How That Works Out

"As for me, I would choose to be sick over living in luxury, for being sick only harms the body, whereas luxury destroys both the body and the soul, causing weakness and incapacity in the body, and lack of control and cowardice in the soul. What's more, luxury breeds injustice because it also breeds greediness."

~ Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 20.95.14-17

October 31st Reading from The Daily Stoic - You Were Born Good

"The human being is born with an inclination toward virtue."

~ Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 2.7.1-2

August 11th Reading from The Daily Stoic - No Time For Theories, Just Results

"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

August 2nd Reading from The Daily Stoic - We Can Work Any Way

"Indeed, how could exile be an obstacle to a person's own cultivation, or to attaining virtue when no one has ever been cut off from learning or practicing what is needed by exile?"

~ Musonius Rufus, 9.37.30-31, 9.39.1

July 28th Reading from The Daily Stoic - Check Your Privilege

"Some people are sharp and others dull; some are raised in a better environment, others in worse, the latter, having inferior habits and nurture, will require more by the way of proof and careful instruction to master these teachings and to be formed by them - in the same way that bodies in a bad state must be given a great deal of care when perfect health is sought."

~ Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 1.1.33-1.3.1-3

July 9th Reading from The Daily Stoic - The Philosopher King

"For I believe a good king is from the outset and by necessity a philosopher, and the philosopher is from the outset a kingly person."

~ Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 8.33.32-34

May 4th Reading from The Daily Stoic - What's Truly Impressive

"How much better is it to be known for doing well by many than for living extravagantly? How much more worthy than spending on sticks and stones is it to spend on people?"

~ Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 19.91.26-28

May 1st Reading from The Daily Stoic - Make Character Your Loudest Statement

"For philosophy doesn't consist in outward display, but in taking heed to what is needed and being mindful of it."

~ Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 16.75.15-16

March 9th Readings from The Daily Stoic - Find the Right Scene

"Above all, keep a close watch on this - that you are never so tied to your former acquaintances and friends that you are pulled down to their level. If you don't you'll be ruined . . . you must choose whether to be loved by these friends and remain the same person, or to become a better person at the cost of those friends . . . if you try to have it both ways you will neither make progress nor keep what you once had."

~ Epictetus, Discourses, 4.2.1;4-5

"From good people you'll learn good, but if you mingle with the bad you'll destroy such soul as you had."

~ Musonius Rufus, quoting Theogonis of Megara in Lectures. 11.53.21-22

Reading from The Daily Stoic for January 16th - Never Do Anything Out Of Habit

"So in the majority of other things, we address circumstances not in accordance with the right assumptions, but  mostly by following wretched habit. Since all that I've said is the case, the person in training must seek to rise above, so as to stop seeking out pleasure and steering away from pain; to stop clinging to living and abhorring death; and in the case of property and money, to stop valuing receiving over giving."

~ Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 6.25.5-11