Lives of the Stoics

Introduction


The only reason to study philosophy is to become a better person. Anything else, as Nietzsche said, is merely a critique of words by means of other words.

No school of thought believed this in the power of deeds over ideas more than Stoicism, an ancient philosophy that dates to Greece in the third century BC.

It was Seneca, a Stoic philosopher of the Roman era, far removed from the academy, who would say quite bluntly that there was no other purpose to reading and study if not to live a happy life.

Yet this is not the role philosophy plays in the modern world. Today it s about what smart people say, what big words they use, what paradoxes and riddles they can baffle us with.

No wonder we dismiss it as impractical. It is!

This book will be about a different and far more accessible type of wisdom, the kind that comes from people like Seneca, a man who served his country at the highest levels, endured exile and loss, struggled with ambition and personal flaws, and ultimately died tragically and heroically trying to make good on his theories. Unlike the so-called pen-and-ink philosophers, as the type was derisively known even two thousand years ago, the Stoics were most concerned with how one lived. The choices you made, the causes you served, the principles you adhered to in the face of adversity. They cared about what you did, not what you said.

Their philosophy, the one that we need today more than ever, was a philosophy not of ephemeral ideas but of action. Its four virtues are simple and straightforward: Courage. Temperance. Justice. Wisdom.

It should not surprise us then that we can learn just as much from the Stoics lived experiences (their works) as we can from their philosophical writings (their words). The wisdom offered by Cato the Younger s published works is scant as a lifelong public servant, he was too busy in office and in battle to write down more than a few sentences. But the story of how he

Ryan Holiday is one of the world’s bestselling living philosophers. His books, including The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, The Daily Stoic, and the #1 New York Times bestseller Stillness Is the Key, appear in more than forty languages and have sold over 10 million copies. He lives outside Austin with his wife and two boys ... and a small herd of cows and donkeys and goats. His bookstore, The Painted Porch, sits on historic Main Street in Bastrop, Texas.

Stephen Hanselman has worked for more than three decades in publishing as a bookseller, publisher and literary agent. He is a graduate of Harvard Divinity School, where he received a master's degree while also studying extensively in Harvard's philosophy department. He lives with his family in South Orange, New Jersey.

"Whether you're a general or a gardener, a stockbroker or a senator, there is much to learn from Ryan Holiday s excellent Lives of the Stoics."
--Senator Ben Sasse

"There is philosophy for school and philosophy for life. This book is about the lives of men and women who lived their words and shows you how to do the same."
--Thomas Tull, founder of Legendary Entertainment
 
"The Stoics were more than just thinkers. They were athletes and generals and emperors and husbands and daughters and parents. This is a wonderful book that shows you the lives behind the philosophers whose words have shaped the world."
--Chris Bosh, 2x NBA Champion
 
In story after page-turning story, Lives of the Stoics brings ancient philosophers to life. And that is exactly what they would have wanted, because Stoicism is not a thought experiment but rather a guide for living. Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman show us how the masters succeeded and sometimes failed at turning theory into practice."
--David Epstein, New York Times bestselling author of Range

In a time of pandemic and economic turmoil, we are all asked to be stoic. Lives of the Stoics is a great place to begin. It entertainingly, and yet thoughtfully, introduces us to the philosophers and mere human beings who shaped ideas that guide us over 2,000 years later. A great read, particularly for a tough time.   
--Gen. Stanley McChrystal, author of Team of Teams

Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman have achieved something remarkable with Lives of the Stoics. It's a gift to the many of us today who are searching for inspiration and sense a deep connection with the thought of Zeno, Cato, Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius. At last the story we needed has been told! Indispensable to anyone who genuinely wants to learn about Stoic philosophy."