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Simplicius: On Epictetus Handbook 27-53

Name: Simplicius: On Epictetus Handbook 27-53
Price: 128.3 GBP
Availability: InStock
Author: Of Cilicia Simplicius
ISBN: 9780715630693

by Of Cilicia Simplicius

Hardback
240 pages
Publisher: Bristol Classical Press
15.6 x 23.4 x 1.3 cm

Today‘s price £128.30

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For theology students and philosophy scholars.

Unpacks how Stoic ethics shaped early thought.

You will gain deeper insight into ancient wisdom.

A scholarly exploration of Stoic ethics and Neoplatonism, revealing the intersection of ancient philosophy and faith.

Our Mission

Equipping you for life's journey with Jesus:

Now a team of 60 – we've been serving the Church since 2004
Together we've raised over £1,000,000 for UK Christian charities
25,000 churches are using the Eden Plus account

Free delivery on orders over £10

The Enchiridion or _Handbook_of the first-century AD Stoic Epictetus was used as an ethical treatise both in Christian monasteries and by the sixth-century pagan Neoplatonist Simplicius. Simplicius chose it for beginners, rather than Aristotle's Ethics, because it presupposed no knowledge of logic. We thus get a fascinating chance to see how a pagan Neoplatonist transformed Stoic ideas. The text was relevant to Simplicius because he too, like Epictetus, was teaching beginners how to take the first steps towards eradicating emotion, although he is unlike Epictetus in thinking that they should give up public life rather than acquiesce, if public office is denied them. Simplicius starts from a Platonic definition of the person as rational soul, not body, ignoring Epictetus' further whittling down of himself to just his will or policy decisions. He selects certain topics for special attention in chapters 1, 8, 27 and 31. Things are up to us, despite Fate. Our sufferings are not evil, but providential attempts to turn us from the body. Evil is found only in the human soul. But evil is parasitic (Proclus' term) on good. The gods exist, are provident, and cannot be bought off.With nearly all of this the Stoics would agree, but for quite different reasons, and their own distinctions and definitions are to a large extent ignored. This translation of the Handbook is published in two volumes. This is the second volume, covering chapters 27-53; the first covers chapters 1-26.