Gothic Virtues

The Four Cardinal Virtues,  from two copies of La Somme le Roi by Laurent d'Orleans (c. 1290) 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 176

As Helonchâ (Hincha Repens) should not be counted among pot herbs, or sugar candy among common sweets, because even a sick man can use them without injuring his health; or as the Pranava (Om) is not to be counted as a word, but as Divinity itself; so the desires of holiness, devotion, and love are not to be reckoned as desires at all. 

The Art of Peace 90

Left and right,

Avoid all
Cuts and parries.
Seize your opponents' minds 
And scatter them all! 

Epictetus, Discourses 1.26.3

This argument can only be used by one who has entertained the purpose of right living. 

 

But if a man studies logic and goes to the philosophers just because he wants to show at a dinner party that he knows hypothetical arguments, is he not merely trying to win the admiration of some senator who sits next him? 

 

For in such society the great forces of the world prevail, and what we call wealth here seems child's play there.

 

This is what makes it difficult to get the mastery over one's impressions, where distracting forces are strong. 

 

I know a man who clung to the knees of Epaphroditus in tears and said he was in distress, for he had nothing left but a million and a half. 

 

What did Epaphroditus do? Did he laugh at him, as we should? 

 

No, he was astonished, and said, “Unhappy man, however did you manage to keep silence and endure it?" 

—from Epictetus, Discourses 1.26 

 

Such an appeal, however, will only carry weight if it is driven by a view of philosophy as the actual love of wisdom, not as a clever way to manipulate the appearance of wisdom out of a desire for fame and fortune. 

 

Am I asking these questions in order to impress, to put on a show for an audience, or am I seeking to become a more understanding and loving human being, regardless of who might be watching? Perhaps I can fool others, at least for a time, but I can’t hide from my own motives. 

 

I always return to the insight that philosophy is not merely a lifestyle choice, or an accessory to improve my image, or some tool for boosting a career. No, it is itself a way of living, a radical transformation of attitude where values are based upon critical reflection instead of lazy assumptions. 

 

Once this process takes hold, the world will feel as if it has been turned upside down, and what once seemed acceptable will now seem insane. The big becomes small, and the small becomes big. The grasping man thinks of the virtues as a nuisance, while the searching man is no longer ruled by externals. 

 

Observe how the man engrossed with the world is distressed by the plunging value of his portfolio, and the man caring for his soul is busy with the shortcomings of his character—here is the true difference between bondage and freedom. 

 

In whatever ways philosophy does her work, regardless of the particular schools and traditions that come into play, self-awareness inevitably leads to a liberation from the vagaries of circumstance. I can now ask about who I am and what I ought to do, rather than being at the mercy of who others say I am and what they decide to do. 

 

At any given moment, I am faced with a wave of impressions, immensely varied and constantly changing. Some are violent, and some are subtle; some pull me this way, and some push me that way. Without a discipline of mind and will, I am likely to be swept away—philosophy permits me to discern their meaning and direct their force. 

 

Epaphroditus was the “owner” of Epictetus, and yet he seemed to struggle with an ownership over himself. The roles of master and slave are oddly reversed here, where one fellow thinks it unbearable to lose some money, and the other can laugh it off. 

 

If I’m not careful, I might one day find myself just as poor in body and as rich in spirit as a misfit like Epictetus. The bigwigs will say I am mad, but then again, I will no longer be troubled by their diversions, now will I? 

—Reflection written in 4/2001 

 

Sayings of Pittacus

Pittacus of Mytilene (c. 640-568 BC) was considered one of the Seven Sages of Greece, a collection of statesmen and philosophers who were especially admired for offering wisdom and establishing justice. 

We now have only a smattering of sayings attributed to him, though we know from the historians that he saved his people from a bloody war by challenging and defeating the Athenian general in single combat. He was made absolute ruler as a reward for his service, a position which he used to reform the laws for the benefit of the people. Considering his work done, he resigned his authority after ten years and returned to a private life. 

Much like Cincinnatus, Pittacus appears to be one of those extremely rare men who possessed the character to be a benevolent "tyrant", and was not corrupted by the acquisition of power. 

Forgiveness is better than revenge. 

It is better to pardon now than to repent later.

Whatever you do, do it well. 

Power shows the man. 

Even the gods cannot strive against necessity. 

It is difficult for man to be genuinely good. 

Achieve victories without blood.  

 Practice piety. 

Love temperance. 

Do not reproach a man with his misfortunes, fearing lest Nemesis may overtake you. 

Do not say beforehand what you are going to do; for if you fail, you will be laughed at. 

Forbear to speak evil not only of your friends, but also of your enemies. 

Cultivate truth, good faith, experience, cleverness, sociability, and industry. 

Know your opportunity. 

Whatever you rebuke your neighbor for, do not do it yourself. 

What is agreeable? Time. 

Obscure? The future. 

Trustworthy? The earth. 

Untrustworthy? The sea.  

Duly restore what has been entrusted to you. 

It is for wise men to forsee, before the difficult things come, so that they do not happen. 

It is for the brave to face them, should they happen. 

Stoic Snippets 164

It is satisfaction to a man to do the proper works of a man. 

Now it is a proper work of a man to be benevolent to his own kind, to despise the movements of the senses, to form a just judgment of plausible appearances, and to take a survey of the Nature of the Universe and of the things which happen in it. 

—Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 8.26 

IMAGE: George Clausen, The Boy and the Man (1908) 

Sayings of Heraclitus 64

Man is called a baby by God, even as a child by a man. 

IMAGE: Gaspare Traversi, Old Man and a Child (c. 1750) 

Epictetus, Discourses 1.26.2

And this is the defense that we must plead with parents who are angered at their children studying philosophy: 
 
“Suppose I am in error, my father, and ignorant of what is fitting and proper for me. If, then, this cannot be taught or learnt, why do you reproach me? 
 
“If it can be taught, teach me, and, if you cannot, let me learn from those who say that they know. For what think you? That I fall into evil and fail to do well because I wish to? God forbid. 
 
“What, then, is the cause of my going wrong? Ignorance. Would you not then have me put away my ignorance? Who was ever taught the art of music or of steering by anger? Do you think, then, that your anger will enable me to learn the art of living?" 

—from Epictetus, Discourses 1.26 
 
I will always be grateful for a father who never needed convincing about the merits of philosophy, at least philosophy as properly understood—being a classically trained scholar, he had no patience for the hogwash. 
 
Having painted myself into the corner of an academic life, I would only advise such a profession for the very few, and yet I do think it a fundamental calling of life that we all, in our own distinct ways, become philosophical. All things in this life, big or small, are only of benefit to us when joined to a sound awareness of meaning and value. 
 
I can no longer count how often I have seen young people drawn to a deeper understanding of themselves and their world, only to find their elders telling them how they are wasting their time. “Stop with this nonsense and go get a real job!”
 
As it turns out, that is exactly what they are trying to do, for they are still unspoiled enough to recognize how the most important job of all is becoming a decent human being. We are free to choose the trade of our liking, and commit ourselves to our peculiar preferences, but those efforts will be wasted without the direction of a moral compass. 
 
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out how the work of a rational animal is, well, the most complete act of being rational. 
 
If making money or climbing the social ladder are truly most important, I ask those who scoff at philosophy to offer an account of why this way of life is better than some other. Note how they will express their views so strongly, and yet they will be at a loss to provide an explanation, any argument presenting a proof for their conclusions. It turns out they are quite full of opinions and rather empty of knowledge. 
 
Even where they make a noble attempt, usually employing appeals to force or popularity, they end up using the power of reason, however poorly, to in turn denigrate the power of reason. They don’t like it one bit when you point this out. 
 
Most of us will ultimately resort to pleasure as the rule of life: if it feels good, then it is good, and we like our wealth and our fame because they are a means to our gratification. Just scratch the surface a bit, however, and we realize how often pleasure has been a hindrance, and how often pain has been an asset. The honest man now admits he must go back to the drawing board. 
 
See? Philosophy, properly understood, is a necessity of life—every thought, word, and deed hinges upon the measure of conscience. 
 
Certainly, find a way to pay the bills, though never forget why all of that is in service to the sort of person you decide to become. Skill without prudence will twist you up. Ambition without courage will transform you into a monster. Luxury without temperance will smother you. Riches without justice will pull you under. 
 
It doesn’t matter whether you are a lawyer, a programmer, or a busboy; all that matters is striving to be a wise and virtuous lawyer, programmer, or busboy. 
 
I adore this passage by Epictetus, and I recommend it to any youth who is being hassled about taking his life seriously. 
 
Where is my mistake? Are you saying these questions are irrelevant, or that there are no answers? Why be angry at someone who wonders? 
 
Will you teach me? If you can’t, or you won’t, can you blame me for looking to others? How am I doing wrong by asking how to live rightly? 
 
You say I don’t get it? I want so much to make sense of it. Putting me down won’t lift me up. 
 

Some parents are horrified when their children start painting, writing poetry, or pondering the meaning of life. For me, it is a sign that something within them is working according to plan. 

—Reflection written in 4/2001 

IMAGE: Johannes Moreelse, The Young Poet (c. 1620) 

Dhammapada 249, 250

The world gives according to their faith or according to their pleasure: if a man frets about the food and the drink given to others, he will find no rest either by day or by night. 

 
He in whom that feeling is destroyed, and taken out with the very root, finds rest by day and by night. 

IMAGE: Ignacio Diaz Olano, Envy. Reading in the Park. (1895) 

Tidbits from Montaigne 46

Saying is one thing and doing is another. 

—Michel de Montaigne, Essays 2.31 

Laurent de la Hyre, The Liberal Arts

Laurent de La Hyre, Allegories of the Seven Liberal Arts (1649-1650) 

Grammar—language 

Dialectic—language in reasoning 

Rhetoric—language in persuasion 

Arithmetic—number 

Geometry—number in space  

Music—number in time 

Astronomy—number in space and time  

Epictetus, Discourses 1.26.1

Chapter 26: What is the law of life. 

 

When someone was reciting hypothetical arguments, Epictetus said: This also is a law which governs hypothesis, that we must accept what conforms with the hypothesis. But much more important is the law of living, which is this—to act in conformity with Nature. 

 

For if we wish in every subject and in all circumstances to observe what is natural, it is plain that in everything we must aim at not letting slip what is in harmony with Nature, nor accepting what is in conflict with it. 

 

First, then, philosophers train us in the region of speculation, which is easier, and only then lead us on to what is harder: for in the sphere of speculation there is no influence which hinders us from following what we are taught, but in life there are many influences which drag us the contrary way. 

 

We may laugh, then, at him who says that he wants to try living first; for it is not easy to begin with what is harder. 

—from Epictetus, Discourses 1.26 

 

In any process of growth or development, the complex follows from the simple, and the compound builds upon the elements. When our own intentions come into play, it is tempting to try skipping ahead, yet I shouldn’t be surprised if nothing is achieved later when no effort was invested earlier. 

 

Sometimes the specialist will become obsessed with only one part at the expense of the whole, and so the logician must remember how his art is in the greater service of the good life. What purpose can there be in refining the methods of thinking, and then failing to apply them to the content of right and wrong? 

 

Far more common, however, is the overzealous seeker, who hopes to avoid the legwork and wants to hitch a free ride to a debate on the “big questions”. He pursues the answers, or perhaps just the appearance of having the answers, and therefore latches on to buzzwords and hasty generalizations, without having honed the power of judgment. 

 

He reminds me of a certain little boy I once knew, who was inspired to run a marathon, and yet hadn’t quite managed taking a lap around the block. 

 

Nature has instilled a certain order to all things, and the very fact that I struggle with discerning that order is itself an indicator of how I fit into the grand design. My own conscious reflection cannot spring forth from nothing: it is instead formed from one step to another, slowly increasing in ability, gradually expanding in scope. Before I take to building a structure, I am called to becoming proficient with the tools. 

 

Hence the apprentice commits awful blunders, while the master has learned to flow effortlessly with his materials. As it will be in any particular trade, so it will be in the universal vocation of living well. Strive for the goal of wisdom and virtue, though do not forget to properly train the mental muscles for the task. 

 

The professional “philosopher” is inclined to get all tangled up in the discipline of reason, while the amateur “philosopher” is inclined to dodge the discipline of reason entirely, and between these two extremes lies the mean of trying to be a thoughtful and decent human being, of putting each component in its appropriate place. Begin by perfecting the habits of mind, however tedious it may initially feel, and only then move on to perfecting the habits of character, by which all other things become meaningful. 

 

Or, as an old-school teacher once told me, “Don’t go messing with the ethics until you’re a pro at the logic. You need to earn the big-boy pants.” 

 

In the current academic climate, you will be hard-pressed to find a program of study that pays any more than a cursory attention to a schooling in dialectic. It’s bad enough that Johnny can’t read or add, but even more tragic is that Johnny has never been encouraged to think for himself with any rigor and consistency. If we ask him how he “feels” about racism or nuclear war, how will this help him if he lacks a proficiency in putting together a solid argument? 

 

Indeed, we further ignore the development of conscience, perhaps with the exception of blindly imposing the political fads of the moment, and there is certainly little exercise in critical reasoning about measures of the true, the good, and the beautiful. 

 

These principles can’t be discussed, of course, because no one is fluent in defining clear terms, combining true judgments, and developing valid demonstrations. 

 

We make the excuse that logic is beyond Johnny’s capacities, which is really rather degrading, for we are saying that Johnny lacks the power to grow into a mature human being. With regular attention and effort, I find rather that adolescents are brilliant at logic, much as younger children have an uncanny knack at soaking up languages. 

 

If I treat them as if they are stupid, they will live up to my miserable expectations. If I do not ask them to set out on the easier path of making sense of their thoughts, they won’t stand a chance on the harder path of making sense of their values. Only a firm judgment can resist the many traps in life. 

—Reflection written in 4/2001 

IMAGE: Georg Pencz, Dialectic (c. 1550)  

The Sleep of Reason

Francisco Goya, The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters (c. 1799) 

"Imagination abandoned by reason produces impossible monsters; united with her, she is the mother of the arts and source of their wonders." 

Epictetus, Golden Sayings 160

Remember that you are an actor in a play, and of such sort as the Author chooses, whether long or short. 

If it be his good pleasure to assign you the part of a beggar, a ruler, or a simple citizen, yours it is to play it fitly. 

For your business is to act the part assigned you, well: to choose it, is another's. 

IMAGE: Joshua Reynolds, David Garrick Between Tragedy and Comedy (1761) 

Sayings of Publilius Syrus 79

Learn to see in another's calamity the ills which you should avoid. 

The Labors of Hercules 2

Antonio del Pollaiuolo, Hercules and the Hydra (c. 1475) 

Francisco de Zurbaran, Hercules and the Hydra (1634) 

Gustave Moreau, Hercules and the Lernaean Hydra (1876) 

John Singer Sargent, Hercules and the Hydra (1925) 

Seneca, Moral Letters 30.7

I am glad to hear such words, my dear Lucilius—not as new to me, but as leading me into the presence of an actual fact. 
 
And what then? Have I not seen many men break the thread of life? I have indeed seen such men; but those have more weight with me who approach death without any loathing for life, letting death in, so to speak, and not pulling it towards them.
 
Bassus kept saying: "It is due to our own fault that we feel this torture, because we shrink from dying only when we believe that our end is near at hand." 
 
But who is not near death? It is ready for us in all places and at all times. 
 
"Let us consider," he went on to say, "when some agency of death seems imminent, how much nearer are other varieties of dying which are not feared by us."
 
A man is threatened with death by an enemy, but this form of death is anticipated by an attack of indigestion. And if we are willing to examine critically the various causes of our fear, we shall find that some exist, and others only seem to be. 
 
We do not fear death; we fear the thought of death. For death itself is always the same distance from us; wherefore, if it is to be feared at all, it is to be feared always. For what season of our life is exempt from death? 
 
But what I really ought to fear is that you will hate this long letter worse than death itself; so I shall stop. Do you, however, always think on death in order that you may never fear it. Farewell. 

—from Seneca, Moral Letters 30 

 
In the end, of course, there is no point in dwelling merely on the strengths and weaknesses of youth and old age, since how long is relative to how well.
 
Death itself is a certainty, and its time and place are ultimately at Fortune’s call. What remains mine? The capacity to accept death on my own terms. 
 
Some rush ahead to meet it, while others run away to avoid it, and in between the wise man can be indifferent. He is not at the mercy of either desire or fear, but instead he looks to the integrity of his virtues as the measure of his life. 
 
I am terrified of death because I think it will take away something I need, and the whole time I am forgetting how everything I need is already within me right now, and cannot be taken from who I am. We torture ourselves by choosing to care for the wrong ends. 
 
Modify the judgment, and thereby modify the feeling. You may grow tired of me repeating it, though it is a boon for me to hear it daily, even hourly. 
 
The role of the estimation is key. How silly it is for me to cower at death if I am threatened with a weapon, or diagnosed with a wasting disease! I suddenly take it to be bad now, for I originally failed to scan the bigger picture. 
 
Mortality was always present, and the extension or contraction of the time involved have never made the slightest bit of difference. 
 
More importantly, it is the attitude with which we go in that will decide the way we go out. Think differently from the herd. 
 
Pain is not itself an evil, or else human nature would not have been designed to defeat it. 
 
Poverty is not itself an evil, or else the good man would depend upon everything except himself to be good. 
 
Death is not itself an evil, or else the purity of the immediate act would be compromised by an infinity of cheap excuses. 
 
Pain, poverty, and death have never been the basic human problems—a lack of mindfulness is the basic human problem. 

—Reflection written in 11/2012 

IMAGE: George Frederic Watts, The Angel of Death (c. 1870) 

The Real Work

"The Real Work" 

Wendell Berry 

It may be that when we no longer know what to do
we have come our real work, 

and that when we no longer know which way to go
we have come to our real journey. 

The mind that is not baffled is not employed. 

The impeded stream is the one that sings. 

Aesop's Fables 58

The Laborer and the Nightingale 

A Laborer lay listening to a Nightingale's song throughout the summer night. So pleased was he with it that the next night he set a trap for it and captured it. 

"Now that I have caught you," he cried, "you shall always sing to me."

"We Nightingales never sing in a cage," said the bird. 

"Then I'll eat you," said the Laborer. "I have always heard say that nightingale on toast is a dainty morsel."

"Nay, kill me not," said the Nightingale, "but let me free, and I'll tell you three things of far better worth than my poor body." 

The Laborer let him loose, and he flew up to a branch of a tree and said: 

"Never believe a captive's promise; that's one thing. 

"Then again: Keep what you have. 

"And a third piece of advice is: Sorrow not over what is lost forever." 

Then the songbird flew away. 

Sayings of Ramakrishna 175

A tame mongoose had its home high up on the wall of a house. One end of a rope was tied to its neck, while the other end was fastened to a weight. 

The mongoose with the appendage runs and plays in the parlor or in the yard of the house, but no sooner does it get frightened than it at once runs up and hides itself in its home on the wall. 

But it cannot stay there long, as the weight at the other end of the rope draws it down, and it is constrained to leave its home. 

Similarly, a man has his home high up at the feet of the Almighty. Whenever he is frightened by adversity and misfortune he goes up to his God, his true home; but in a short time he is constrained to come down into the world by its irresistible attractions.