January 6th Reading from The Daily Stoic - Where, Who, What, and Why

"A person who doesn't know what the universe is, doesn't know where they are. A person who doesn't know their purpose in life doesn't know who they are or what the universe is. A person who doesn't know any one of these things doesn't know why they are here. So what to make of people who seek or avoid the praise those who have no knowledge of where or who they are?"

~ Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 8.52

It's not just the translation, if you're wondering. This one rather shows, in my opinion, the original nature of the Meditations as notes Marcus jotted to himself while out on campaign, with no thought to anyone else ever reading them or eventual publication. One gets what he's trying to say, but it's a bit unpolished, to say the least!

January 5th Reading from The Daily Stoic - Clarify Your Intentions

"Let all your efforts be directed to something, let it keep that end in view. It's not activity that disturbs people, but false conceptions of things that drive them mad."

~ Seneca, On Tranquility of Mind, 12.5

January 4th Reading from The Daily Stoic - The Big Three

"All you need are these" certainty of judgment in the present moment; action for the common good in the present moment; and an attitude of gratitude in the present moment for anything that comes your way."

~ Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 9.6

Perception, Action, and Will. Control your perceptions; direct your actions properly; willingly accept what's outside your control. That's it.

January 3rd Reading from The Daily Stoic - Be Ruthless to the Things That Don't Matter

"How many have laid waste to your life when you weren't aware of what you were losing, how much was wasted in pointless grief, foolish joy, greedy desire, and social amusements - how little of your own was left to you. You will realize you are dying before your time!"

~ Seneca, On The Brevity of Life, 3.3b

Note: As far as the interpretation of this quote goes, I don't believe Seneca really meant that true joy, Stoic joy, the pleasure in virtuous life, is ever "foolish" - I think he means that brief happiness found in vice that the foolish mistake for joy. 

January 2nd Reading from The Daily Stoic - Education Is Freedom

"What is the fruit of these teachings? Only the most beautiful and proper harvest of the truly educated - tranquility, fearlessness, and freedom. We should not trust the masses who say only the free can be educated, but rather the lovers of wisdom who say that only the educated are free."

~ Epictetus, Discourses, 2.1.21-23a

"Voluntas"

Today's reading from Brevissima is rather good, I think - it reminds me of some of the Stoics, and almost has a Neo-Stoic sound to it. It is #118, given the title "Voluntas" (or "Will"), from John Owen (c.1564-c.1628), Epigrammata 3.106:

Vis bonus esse? Velis tantum, fiesque volendo;

Is tibi posse dabit, qui tibi velle dedit.

Roughly translated into English:

You want to be good? Just want, and you will become so by wanting it;

He will give you the ability to do so, who gave you the power of will.

As the Stoics teach, there are some things you can control, and some things you cannot. Nothing external truly lies within your power, but the divine spark of free will within you gives you the power to choose between good and evil, between virtue and vice. You wish to be good? Be good! It is entirely up to you!

January 1st reading from The Daily Stoic - Control and Choice

"The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own . . ."

~ Epictetus, Discourses, 2.5.4-5