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Summary of Lives of the Stoics 

4.7 . 2351 reviews

Short summary

The ancient philosophy of Stoicism has caught the attention of a vast number of people in our society today. It is especially popular with visionaries, from politicians to entrepreneurs. This surge in popularity of the Stoic philosophy is mainly due to its stance on essential qualities such as virtue, discipline, and control. In “Lives of the Stoics,” bestselling authors Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman share some interesting insights into the lives of people who lived by the ever-relevant virtues of Stoicism. In this summary, we will examine what the Stoic philosophy was like for its early adopters and fervent followers. We’ll highlight important lessons to be learned from their struggles as well as their successes. You will not only learn about the lives of the few Stoics we’ll be examining, but you will also learn about how Stoicism helped them live a life of happiness, success, virtue, and resilience.

Table of content

  • Summary of Lives of the Stoics
  • About the author
  • What is Lives of the Stoics about?
  • Who should read Lives of the Stoics
  • Topics in Lives of the Stoics
first key point

Stoicism is a philosophy of deeds — it is all about learning to live a good and virtuous life

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Contrary to popular belief, philosophy isn’t about having your face buried in books all day long, ruminating on the biggest questions of life, as you gradually ostracize yourself from society. The truth is, philosophy is all about learning to become a better person. Anything else, according to philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, is nothing more than a critique of words with other words.

This school of thought — that believes deeds trump words or ideas — is the foundation of the ancient philosophy of Stoicism, which was born in Athens, Greece, in the 4th century BC. According to the Roman-era Stoic philosopher Seneca, the primary purpose of reading and study is to live a good and happy life. Unfortunately, in our world today, philosophy is all about what smart people say, what big words they use, what paradoxes and riddles they can confuse us with. No wonder most people would rather steer clear of it because it seems so impractical. And quite frankly, this modern-day “pen-and-ink philosophy” is impractical.
All the Stoics cared about was how well they lived and how virtuous they were. To them, the quality of one's choices, causes, and principles was much more important than mere words.
Stoicism was a philosophy of action, and its core virtues — courage, self-control, justice, and wisdom — are still as relevant today as they were in ancient times.

Each Stoic philosopher who lived centuries ago has something crucial to teach us. We all need to learn from the way each of them trod the path of virtue. There is a lot to learn from their life experiences, philosophical writings, and even their deaths.

Yes, Stoics believed we are all born to die, whether naturally, by assassination, by suicide, or by laughing too hard at a joke, as was the case of Chrysippus. To them, philosophy wasn’t just about learning how to live but also learning how to die. So, the Stoics teach us wisely not only how to live but also how to face the most terrifying part of life: death. By their examples, they teach us the art of going out well.

In this summary, we’ll be looking at the lives of powerful Stoic philosophers who, though they are long gone, have great, relevant lessons to teach each of us through the stories of how they lived and died.
second key point

Never give up; be courageous and persevere in the face of hardship

Though Stoicism has grown to become a world, it didn’t have a glorious beginning. It all started in the 4th century BC with one man’s misfortune. That man was Zeno, the Phoenician merchant. Zeno’s family made their fortune trading Tyrian purple dye — a rare dye that was highly valued.
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third key point

Dare to be different; never let yourself be intimidated or pretend to be who you're not

fourth key point

Like Cato, embrace high standards and be uncompromising

fifth key point

The main ingredient of freedom is our ability to choose how we respond to situations in life

sixth key point

Cultivating the four cardinal virtues of Stoicism is the key to living a happy life

seventh key point

Marcus Aurelius never compromised his standard, even in the face of adversity

eighth key point

Conclusion

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What is Lives of the Stoics about?

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