That One Should Disdain Hardships: The Teachings of a Roman Stoic

Perennial wisdom from one of historys most important but lesser-known Stoic teachers

He knew that all a philosopher could do was respond wellbravely, boldly, patientlyto what life threw at us. That's what we should be doing now.Ryan Holiday, Reading List email

The Stoic philosopher Musonius Rufus was one of the most influential teachers of his era, imperial Rome, and his message still resonates with startling clarity today. Alongside Stoics like Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius, he emphasized ethics in action, displayed in all aspects of life. Merely learning philosophical doctrine and listening to lectures, they believed, will not do one any good unless one manages to interiorize the teachings and apply them to daily life.

In Musonius Rufuss words, Philosophy is nothing else than to search out by reason what is right and proper and by deeds to put it into practice. At a time of renewed interest in Stoicism, this collection of Musonius Rufuss lectures and sayings, beautifully translated by Cora E. Lutz with an introduction by Gretchen Reydams-Schils, offers readers access to the thought of one of historys most influential and remarkable Stoic thinkers. See more