A Stoic Breviary takes a slight turn. . .

Yes, pun intended.

When someone has built a habit over twenty-five years of reading a brief passage of philosophy almost every morning and writing a short personal response, that adds to up a lot of writing. Though they were never intended to be public, I'm glad that a few people have nevertheless now enjoyed them and perhaps found them helpful.

Since I have read and re-read the major works of Stoicism multiple times, I quite accidentally ended up with with what are complete, though very informal, commentaries on these works. In many cases there are multiple responses to the same passage.

My hope is to share three of these collections here, as best as is possible and as long as the circumstances permit. First is the Handbook of Epictetus, in my mind as close to a real primer of Stoicism as there can be. Second is the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, that perennial classic. Third is On the Happy Life by Seneca, a profound account of that one thing we all strive for.

As always, my intent is simply to share the wisdom of Stoicism with others, so that this philosophy can perhaps help you in your life as much as it has in mine. My own thoughts and reflections should hardly be taken as authoritative, and they reveal only the ways that these texts informed me personally. Your mileage may vary. What matters, I believe, is that you can also make these Ancient works relevant to yourself today.

I would be honored if you would stop by every so often, or perhaps even commit for the full six or seven months it will easily take to post all of these passages and reflections.

Written in 4/2017