[ 3 / biz / cgl / ck / diy / fa / ic / jp / lit / sci / vr / vt ] [ index / top / reports ] [ become a patron ] [ status ]
2023-11: Warosu is now out of extended maintenance.

/lit/ - Literature

View post   
File: 21 KB, 250x328, zeno_citium.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9891011 No.9891011 [Reply] [Original]

What is essential Stoic core?
I want to get into stoicism but I heard the texts of most of the early stoics including all of Zeno is lost so I'm not sure which to read.
So which are the essential texts?

Already read Meditations and Boethius

>> No.9891079

Epictetus. OWC have an edition containing his discourses, fragments, and the Handbook. It's cheap (~10 bucks), short (~350 pages), and covers all Stoic principles in comfy Socratic-like dialogues. It's pretty much the go-to book.

Read Seneca* after that if you want hundreds of pages more about the same principles, but written much more beautifully. Arian wrote Epictetus' words in a plain style, basically for the average Joe listening to him.

*Seneca is also better at writing about death and brevity of life, if you ask me. I find that he influences the way I think about it more than Epictetus does, but that could be because of his style.

>> No.9891091
File: 33 KB, 313x424, epicuckious.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9891091

>>9891011
This website should be the perfect place for you

>> No.9891099

>>9891091
There is a Reddit page for everything, though. Should we stop talking about all philosophical schools and all authors just because of that? What a bad idea.

>> No.9891109
File: 14 KB, 300x250, 19029574_1481987778534198_8609398979507142164_n.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
9891109

>>9891099
>Should we stop talking about all philosophical schools and all authors just because of that?

Unironically, yes

>> No.9891233

>>9891079
I found the Enchiridion to be more profound and a better introduction to the ideas of Stoicism, but Seneca was a better writer and taught me how to apply these principles in real life.

Seneca's writings on death are absolutely beautiful and helped me cope with it.