Don’t feel harmed, and you haven’t been.” Our … This is not an idea that is heavily under contention. He returns to this theme many times throughout The Meditations. Before we begin our studies we need to ask ourselves: Who are the people that followed these precepts? No imprecision in your thoughts.”. His writings are spotted with references to his loved ones, teachers and acquaintances and it is clear that he was astutely aware of just what impact the people he knew had on his own nature. In that respect, it’s easy to see how fear can do us more harm than the things of which we’re afraid because it can impinge on our physical health and quality of life. T he Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was the last famous Stoic philosopher of antiquity. Born in Ucubi, Cordoba, to a Praetor and Senator’s son, Marcus Annius Verus and a very, very wealthy woman named Domitia Lucilla, Marcus was destined for greatness. Read what he warns about leaving things to chance: “The universal intelligence puts itself in motion for every separate effect… or it puts itself in motion once, and everything else comes by way of a sequence in a manner; or individual elements are the origin of all things. Marcus had no ties to Christianity, except perhaps the fact that he chose to keep it firmly outlawed in his state. For the Stoics that’s a fate worse than death. This is one of the basic psychological principles of Stoicism. According to one historian, his circle of friends were distraught. After his father’s death, Marcus was mostly raised by his nurses and grandfather, also Marcus Annius Verus, who, although he lived in a palace and had all the means a man could ask for, never displayed ill-temper, only the purest of characters. They learn from how other people cope. Even historical figures or fictional characters can serve as role models. “All that comes to pass”, he tells himself, even illness and death, should be as “familiar as the rose in spring and the fruit in autumn”. He married his cousin two years before being sworn in and they must have been rather busy, since their offspring reached the massive count of 13. We’re told this was what Marcus was thinking about on his deathbed. It’s also the basic premise of modern cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), the leading evidence-based form of psychotherapy. In the middle of this plague, Marcus wrote a book, known as The Meditations, which records the moral and psychological advice he gave himself at this time. The poet says that Law rules all. An introspective man whose collected works are considered some of the most poignant amongst the texts of our Stoic fathers, Marcus took no human relationship lightly. Marcus Aurelius was a man who lived by the Stoic laws, which so capably go into making a virtuous man. Avoidance is the No1 most popular coping strategy in the world. Still, there was no shortage of formidable masculine figures in the boy’s life – his guardians equipped him with the best tutors the civilized world could offer and he was, of course, the best pupil they could have asked for. Marcus Aurelius was a man who lived by the Stoic laws, which so capably go into making a virtuous man. What happens to me is never directly under my control, never completely up to me, but my own thoughts and actions are – at least the voluntary ones. It is very common to hear in both academic circles, as well as more close-knit Stoic circles, Marcus Aurelius (121 – 180 CE) being referred to as the philosopher king. Marcus Aurelius, the Philosopher King, as they call him, was most certainly one of those special few. In extreme cases some people may even take their own lives. He was a keen student of the science and, to him, what ascetic habits he could afford, considering his status, came easily indeed. During the last 14 years of his life he faced … This applies to unhealthy emotions in general, which the Stoics term “passions” – from pathos, the source of our word “pathological”. The Antonine Plague, named after him, was probably caused by a strain of the smallpox virus. Illness overcame him in 180 AD and following his death he was immediately deified, which is no surprise, given his strength of character and steadfast kindliness. With all of this in mind, it’s easier to understand another common slogan of Stoicism: fear does us more harm than the things of which we’re afraid. That, however, didn’t stop the later named ‘Meditations’ from becoming one of the most celebrated pieces of Stoic literature. Tragically, only four daughters and one son outlived him, which was, no doubt, something of a trial for one who held so dearly the people close to him. Our view of Roman leadership, especially over the few centuries around the birth of Christ, is tainted by tales of tyranny and callous pompousness. The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was the last famous Stoic philosopher of antiquity. It was only during those last 10 years that Marcus Aurelius compiled his great work, although its format was more like a journal (and, originally, with no title) than an actual philosophical treatise. This striving is part of the reason why his works are such an invaluable source of lessons in overcoming and remaining positive throughout life’s tests. Love mankind. To order a copy go to guardianbookshop.com. Most of us find it easier to bury our heads in the sand. Finally, during a pandemic, you may have to confront the risk, the possibility, of your own death. He frequently applies Stoic philosophy to the challenges of coping with pain, illness, anxiety and loss. It’s hypocrisy to criticize others without recognizing your own … Problems are Created in the Mind. The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius was the most famous proponent of the ancient philosophy known as Stoicism. Available for everyone, funded by readers. Follow God. Hence, “It’s not events that upset us but rather our opinions about them.” More specifically, our judgment that something is really bad, awful or even catastrophic, causes our distress. The pandemic isn’t really under my control but the way I behave in response to it is. Cato the Younger – the most interesting Stoic ever? His love for his fellows and his dedication to service shines through in this quotation: “All men are made one for another: either then teach them better, or bear with them.”. He did this by nature and also by learned practices, all the way from his youth to his dying breath: “Adorn thyself with simplicity and with indifference towards the things which lie between virtue and vice. No confusion in your words. It was Diognetus who Marcus admired for his freedom from the hindering superstitions of men and also for the Stoic principles he displayed in his conduct and teachings. The Meditations, by a Roman emperor who died in a plague named after him, has much to say about how to face fear, pain, anxiety and loss, Sat 25 Apr 2020 07.00 EDT Roman historians describe the legions being devastated, and entire towns and villages being depopulated and going to ruin. Marcus calmly asked why they were weeping for him when, in fact, they should accept both sickness and death as inevitable, part of nature and the common lot of mankind. Love mankind. This is an extended example of one of the central practices of Stoicism. Seneca The Younger – philosopher and dramatist, How to Keep a Stoic Journal – 7 Days of Example Entries, Interview With Donald Robertson, Author Of How To Think Like A Roman Emperor. Marcus likes to ask himself, “What virtue has nature given me to deal with this situation?” That naturally leads to the question: “How do other people cope with similar challenges?” Stoics reflect on character strengths such as wisdom, patience and self-discipline, which potentially make them more resilient in the face of adversity. First of all, because Stoics believe that our true good resides in our own character and actions, they would frequently remind themselves to distinguish between what’s “up to us” and what isn’t. It may have been him who introduced the young genius to the ‘Discourses’ of Epictetus, which exercised a profound effect on Marcus’ thought process at a very early age.