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📿 Stoic Paradoxes
This week’s Saturday meditation comes from the writings of the Roman statesman Cicero (106 B.C. — 43 B.C.). In what is known today as Stoic Paradoxes, Cicero discusses six counterintuitive beliefs in Stoicism. Today’s meditation comes from paradox II, “When virtue is present in a man, nothing will be lacking for proper living.”
Cicero writes,
You do not know—reckless fool!—you do not know that virtue may have just such strengths. You make use of virtue’s name, but of what it itself may be worth, you know nothing. No man is unable to be happy who finds all suitable things within himself and who places all faith in himself. But for him whose hope, reason, and thinking hang on Fortune—on which nothing can be certain—nothing that he may have become acquainted with will abide with him for a single day.
Paradoxically, virtue is all one needs to live well. Even death and exile are nothing to worry about. “Do you threaten me with death,” explained Cicero. “Death is terrible to those from whom all life has been snuffed out, not for those whose glory remains; exile exists for those whose place of living is circumscribed within certain bounds, not for those who call the entire world their city.”
Contemplation Questions (Pick one or create your own!):
What if much of your worries are unnecessary?
How might adopting the view of virtue as the highest good change your life?
This Week’s Meditations…
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Thank you for reading/listening this week; I hope you found something useful.
Until next time, be wise and be well,
J.W.
P.S. Feel free to comment, ask questions, or make suggestions!