Gaius Musonius Rufus is actually among five high Stoic philosophers of one’s Roman kingdom, also Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius. The guy recommended a commitment to live for virtue, not fulfillment, since advantage conserves united states regarding the problems one to damage life. Although philosophy is more difficult to learn than other subjects, it’s more significant because it corrects the fresh new problems in convinced that lead so you can problems in the acting. The guy often referred to as getting rustic individual activities, such as the best vegetarian food diet, and you can limited, inexpensive clothing and you may footwear, to experience good, strong lifestyle when you look at the agreement for the values out-of Stoicism. The guy considered that values should be learnt to not ever nurture excellence from inside the arguments otherwise a too high cleverness, however, growing a great character, an audio brain, and a hard, compliment body. Musonius doomed most of the luxuries and you may disapproved away from sexual pastime outside of e knowledge into the viewpoints because men, as virtues are the same for sexes. He applauded this new wedded life with many different people. The guy verified Stoic orthodoxy within the knowledge one to neither passing, injury, insult, discomfort, impoverishment, neither exile is going to be feared as the do not require is actually evils.
Dining table away from Contents
- Lifestyle
- Instruction
- Thinking, Philosophers, and you may Virtue
- Food and Frugality
- Feminine and you will Equivalent Degree
- Sex, ily, and you can Later years
- Feeling
- Sources and further Studying
1. Lifetime
Gaius Musonius Rufus was given birth to ahead of 31 C.E. within the Volsinii, an enthusiastic Etruscan city of Italy, since good Roman eques (knight), the course from aristocracy ranked next just to senators. He was a pal off Rubellius Plautus, who emperor Nero saw Japanese damer att sГ¤lja just like the a risk. When Nero banished Rubellius up to sixty C.Age., Musonius observed him to your exile in China Small. Shortly after Rubellius died when you look at the 62 C.E. Musonius gone back to Rome, where the guy instructed and experienced Stoicism, and therefore roused the uncertainty out of Nero. For the advancement of your high conspiracy facing Nero, provided from the Calpurnius Piso when you look at the 65 C.Age., Nero banished Musonius on the arid, desolate isle off Gyaros throughout the Aegean Ocean. He returned to Rome according to the leadership away from Galba inside 68 C.Elizabeth. and you may made an effort to endorse tranquility on Flavian military approaching Rome. Inside 70 C.Elizabeth. Musonius safeguarded the fresh conviction of philosopher Publius Egnatius Celer, who’d deceived Barea Soranus, a pal out of Rubellius Plautus. Musonius is actually exiled an extra time, of the Vespasian, however, gone back to Rome regarding reign from Titus. Musonius is actually very known together with a considerable following through the their existence. The guy died ahead of 101-2 C.Elizabeth.
2. Theories
Possibly Musonius blogged nothing himself, otherwise exactly what the guy did write try shed, due to the fact nothing away from his own site survive. Their philosophical lessons survive just like the 30-one or two apophthegms (pithy sayings) and twenty-one prolonged discourses, the frequently kept because of the anybody else as well as within the Greek, with the exception of Aulus Gellius’ testimonia in the Latin. Ergo, odds are the guy lectured inside the Greek. Musonius best a direct and to the level form of tuition. The guy taught that the teacher regarding values must not expose of several arguments but instead is to offer a few, obvious, basic arguments built to help you their listener and you can couched with regards to recognized becoming persuasive to that listener.
3. Thinking, Philosophers, and Virtue
Musonius considered that (Stoic) philosophy try probably the most of good use topic. Beliefs persuades us, based on Stoic training, that neither lifestyle, nor wide range, neither pleasure is an excellent, and this none dying, nor poverty, nor problems is actually a wicked; ergo the second aren’t getting dreadful. Advantage ‘s the only good since it alone keeps all of us out-of and work out mistakes inside traditions. More over, it is merely the brand new philosopher whom appears to make a survey out-of virtue. The one who states become learning philosophy need routine it a great deal more faithfully versus individual studying medicine or any other ability, while the opinions is more essential, plus hard to see, than nearly any other journey. It is because, instead of other experience, those who study philosophy was basically corrupted inside their souls which have vices and you may careless activities of the studying something contrary to what they will discover in opinions. But the philosopher doesn’t analysis advantage just as theoretical studies. As an alternative, Musonius claims one practice is more crucial than simply concept, while the behavior better guides me to step than idea. He held that even if folks are definitely disposed to live without error and also the capability to become virtuous, anyone who has maybe not actually read the art of virtuous way of living can not be likely to real time without error any longer than just individuals who’s not a trained doctor, artist, pupil, helmsman, otherwise runner is likely to habit men and women knowledge in place of mistake.