Gaius Musonius Rufus was one of many four great Stoic philosophers of Roman empire, including Seneca, Epictetus, and you will Marcus Aurelius. The guy recommended a partnership to reside getting advantage, perhaps not pleasure, since the virtue conserves us on mistakes you to definitely ruin life. Though beliefs is more difficult to learn than many other sufferers, it’s more significant whilst corrects the brand new problems inside the considering that lead in order to mistakes from inside the pretending. The guy also referred to as to possess traditional individual habits, for instance the greatest vegetarian diet, and you will restricted, inexpensive clothes and you may footwear, in order to achieve a beneficial, strong life in the agreement towards the values from Stoicism. The guy thought that viewpoints need to be read to not cultivate excellence in objections otherwise an excessive intelligence, but to cultivate good profile, a sound head, and a hard, suit muscles. Musonius condemned all luxuries and you may disapproved out-of sexual pastime away from elizabeth studies during the beliefs because guys, given that virtues are exactly the same for sexes. The guy applauded brand new marriage with many youngsters. He affirmed Stoic orthodoxy inside the training one to neither dying, injury, insult, discomfort, poverty, nor exile is usually to be dreadful because do not require was evils.
Desk from Contents
- Lives
- Lessons
- Beliefs, Philosophers, and you can Virtue
- Food and Frugality
- Women and Equivalent Knowledge
- Sex, ily, and you can Senior years
- Impact
- Sources and additional Understanding
step one. Lifetime
Gaius Musonius Rufus came into this world ahead of 29 C.E. inside the Volsinii, a keen Etruscan city of Italy, as the a Roman eques (knight), the class of aristocracy ranked next simply to senators. He had been a friend away from Rubellius Plautus, who emperor Nero saw just like the a risk. Whenever Nero banished Rubellius to 60 C.Elizabeth bästa raggningsrepliken 2022., Musonius followed him toward exile for the Asia Lesser. Immediately following Rubellius died in 62 C.Elizabeth. Musonius returned to Rome, where the guy trained and practiced Stoicism, and that roused the uncertainty away from Nero. To your finding of your own higher conspiracy against Nero, led because of the Calpurnius Piso inside 65 C.Age., Nero banished Musonius on the arid, desolate island out of Gyaros from the Aegean Sea. He gone back to Rome underneath the rule off Galba inside the 68 C.Elizabeth. and you will attempted to suggest serenity towards the Flavian armed forces handling Rome. Inside the 70 C.Age. Musonius secured brand new conviction of your philosopher Publius Egnatius Celer, who had deceived Barea Soranus, a buddy away from Rubellius Plautus. Musonius was exiled an extra time, by Vespasian, but returned to Rome regarding rule out-of Titus. Musonius is actually extremely recognized together with a considerable following the through the their lives. He passed away in advance of 101-2 C.Age.
2. Teachings
Often Musonius composed nothing himself, or what the guy did establish are lost, due to the fact not one regarding his own web log survive. His philosophical teachings survive while the 30-a couple apophthegms (pithy sayings) and twenty-one lengthened discourses, all of the apparently preserved because of the anyone else and all of when you look at the Greek, except for Aulus Gellius’ testimonia in Latin. Ergo, it’s likely that he lectured in Greek. Musonius preferred a primary and you may to the level type of knowledge. The guy educated that the professor off viewpoints cannot expose of numerous arguments but alternatively would be to offer a number of, obvious, basic arguments built to help you their listener and you may couched with regards to recognized to be persuasive to this listener.
3. Thinking, Philosophers, and you can Virtue
Musonius thought that (Stoic) thinking is the quintessential of good use situation. Beliefs persuades united states, based on Stoic exercises, you to definitely none lifestyle, neither wealth, neither pleasure is an excellent, hence none passing, nor poverty, nor discomfort is an evil; hence aforementioned commonly to be dreaded. Advantage is the merely a great as it by yourself enjoys united states out of while making mistakes in the life. More over, it is merely the philosopher who appears to build a survey off virtue. The one who claims to end up being training thinking need behavior they way more diligently compared to person studying drug or another experience, since values is more extremely important, plus difficult to learn, than any almost every other search. This is because, unlike most other knowledge, people that research opinions was contaminated in their souls having vices and you can thoughtless patterns because of the reading some thing contrary to whatever they will discover inside the philosophy. However the philosopher does not analysis advantage exactly as theoretical training. Rather, Musonius insists one habit is much more important than theory, since the behavior more effectively guides me to step than theory. He kept one to though individuals are naturally disposed to reside versus mistake features the capability to getting virtuous, somebody who has not in fact discovered the ability of virtuous traditions can not be likely to alive rather than error more than simply some one who is not an experienced doc, singer, beginner, helmsman, otherwise runner might be likely to routine the individuals experiences in the place of error.
