1. Epicurean, Stoic, The Academy (Neoplatonism)
Philosophy
Epicurean, Stoic, The Academy (Neoplatonism)

2. Roman Philosophy Gods began as shapeless powers Etruscans and Greeks
Relationships with the gods
obligations
Meticulous prayers
Romans fear and respect gods

3. Educated turn to philosophy
Tolerant of gods
Foreign cults
Romans discouraged
Decorum
Educated turn to philosophy
Greeks – rational explanation of nature of universe 6th Century
5th and 4th century – best ways to live
3rd century – Athens taught philosophy
2 Schools: Epicureans (Epicurus) and Stoics (Zeno)

4. Epicurus Born: Greek Is. of Samos 341 BC
Est. school on outskirts of Athens
Taught until death in 270 BC
Wide circle of friends
Followers included women and slaves
Most philosophers despised these two groups - incapable

5. Defined as…
Epicurean (adj.) fond of or adapted to luxury or indulgence in sensual pleasures; having luxurious tastes or habits, esp. in eating and drinking.
Synonyms gourmet, luxury, lavish, deluxe, rich.

6. Basic Theory Explain nature of universe Early thinker – Democritus
All things are made up of atoma
Everything consists of steams of atoms
Flow in parallel lines in a void
Occasionally - atoms collide and joins to produce matter

7. Some additional beliefs…
Atoms and the void have always existed by the swerving and combining come about purely by chance so the world cannot have been created by any gods or god
Because atoms swerve by chance nothing is fixed. The destiny of humans is not predestined and humans can act according to their free will.

8. Some additional beliefs…
There are many different kinds of atoms
There are many universes besides the one we can see
Each human has a soul composed of very fine atoms
Eventually the combinations of atoms break up. This explains the death and disintergration of human body and soul

9. Some additional beliefs…
All human atoms rejoin the common pool. They may recombine to form some other kind of matter but human memory dies forever. This means that, for humans, death is the end of everything
All unexplained events which people claim are caused by the gods, are in fact caused by the movement and combination of atoms.

10. Epicurean view of the gods
No point in worshipping the gods
Nothing to be feared after death
Gods do not create life
Gods have no influence on events of individual
Gods were outside of the universe
Perfect beings

11. Epicurean view of the gods
Indifferent to human affairs and behaviour
Try to be like gods
No point in praying or sacrificing
Gods could give off very fine atoms

12. Epicurus believed: People should strive to behave with moral ideals
Greatest good = pleasure
Best achieved by: avoiding pain
Humans should live secluded, quiet lives
Avoid all extremes and all activities that might bring pain

13. A true Epicurean: Replaced love with friendship
Replaced ambition and greed with attempts to achieve peace and tranquillity
Replaced excess of any kind moderation
Believed the human senses were a true guide to reality
Replaced prayer, sacrifice and fear of the gods with the contemplation of their perfection

14. A true Epicurean:
Did not fear death because human consciousness would no longer exist after death
Believed the world consisted of atoms and void
Believed all matter came about by the chance swerving of atoms to create new combinations
Believed there were many more universes then the one visible to the human eye

15. In Rome… Reached Rome late 3rd Century
Greek culture spread and tradition decayed
Titus Lucretius Carus (1st century BC)
The Nature of the Universe
Explained teaching of Epicurus

16. Lucretius
“Bodies are of two kinds, the basic atoms and combination of basic atoms. The basic atoms cannot be destroyed by any force, for they defeat any force by their very lack of void.”

17. Lucretius
“Nature… can run the universe by herself and does not need the help of the gods. They spend their peaceful lives, their placid ages in untroubled tranquillity. For who can govern that which is too great too measure? Who is able to control the uncontrollable? Who can spin each universe and nourish all earths as they bear their produce? Who can be in all places at once…?

18. Lucretius put forward the ideas of Epicureans in the purest form
BUT Romans…
If death ended all – then enjoy life!

20. Stoicism Founder: Zeno Phonecian born around 355 BC Athens 314 BC
died 262 BC
Athens 314 BC
Ideas very different from Epicurus

21. Defined as…
Stoic: (adj.) 1. of or pertaining to the school of philosophy founded by Zeno, who taught that people should be free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief, and submit without complaint to unavoidable necessity.
Stoicism: conduct conforming to the precepts of the Stoics, as repression of emotion and indifference to pleasure or pain.

22. Basic Theory Not scientific No theory to rival atoms and void
Earlier doctrine
Thinker named Heraclitus
Fire was the basis of all matter
Identified fire with God of Reason – created world

23. Basic Theory Believe in a single god – World Soul
All things shared in World Soul
After death
Soul returned to and dissolved back into World Soul
World not governed by blind chance
Ruled by fixed and unchanging laws

24. Stoics believed: All living beings were children of God
All humans ruled by same law and so were equal
Included women, slaves and foreigners
Humans can only fulfil themselves by conforming to divine law
Live by rules of nature

25. Living with nature…
Accept without complaint whatever fate the Supreme being choose
Train themselves to live with basics only
Develop the gift of reason
Help discipline pleasures and passions
Overcome pain, grief, superstition, fear
Subdue the body and emotions
= Reach greater good = VIRTUE

26. In Rome… Romans found ideas attractive
Little trouble believing in single, all powerful World Soul
Fixed laws of universe = sensible
Pursuit of virtue identified with pietas
Introduced in 2nd Century BC by Greek called Panaetius
Seneca (tutor of Nero)
Marcus Aurelius (emperor)

27. Seneca on the value of philosophy
It was the custom with our ancestors, observed right up to my own time, to add the first words of a letter “I hope you are as well as I am”. We are speaking the truth if we say “I hope you are studying philosophy” for that is what is really mean by being well. Without this the mind is sick, and the body, even if it has great strength is only as well as the body of an insane or delirious person. So I particularly recommend you see to the health of the mind first and the body second.” Seneca (Letter XVI)

28. Seneca on self-denial
‘Put aside a few days on which you are content with a very little and very cheap food, and hard and rough clothing and you will say to yourself, “Is this what use to be feared?” In a time of security let the mind prepare itself for the difficulties, and be strengthened against fortune’s injuries while she is handing out favours.’ Seneca (Letter XVIII)

29. Marcus Aurelius on brotherhood
If the faculty of understanding lies in common amongst us all, then reason, the cause of it, must be common too; and that other reason too which governs the practise by commands and prohibitions. From whence we may conclude, that mankind are under one common law; and if so, they must be fellow-citizens, and belong to some body politic. From whence it will follow, that the whole world is but one commonwealth; for certainly there is no other society in which mankind can be incoporated Marcus Aurelius Meditations IV

30. The Academy A 3rd important school of philosophy
Based on teachings of Plato
Born in Athens 427 BC
Died 384 BC
School called the Academy
Believed the world was constantly changing
People cannot be sure of anything
Behind the world…
Humans can grasp ideas through reason
Important idea: Goodness
Few Romans admired his teachings

31. Difference between philosophy and religion:
All three schools gave followers instructions about best way to live
Moral conduct was not essential to Roman religion
Philosophy rejected traditional views of gods
Roman religion had little intellectual content
Philosophy was intellectually challenging
Neither Roman religion or Philosophy was emotionally satisfying

32. Growth and influence of Epicureanism and Stoicism…
Rome became increasingly involved in Greek world…
Romans attracted to lack of superstition…
Man has a place in the universe…
Taught how to lead your life…
Upper class…
Powerful men…

33. Referencing primary sources
In his poem The Nature of the Universe , Lucretius urged men to reject “ancient superstitions”…
In Virgil’s Aeneid…

34. What was the attitude of the Romans to Epicureanism?
Discuss using references to Lucretius and Horace
STOICISM!
What was the attitude of the Romans to Stoicism?
Discuss using references to Cicero, Seneca and Marcus Aurelius