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The Choice of Hercules

Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life Podcast

CHAPTER

Introduction

Zeno the founder of Stoicism was inspired to become a philosopher after hearing a reading from Book 2 of Xenophons memorabilia. In that text Socrates is addressing Aristippus, the founder of the Serenaic school of hedonistic philosophy. He tries to persuade him that easy living and fleeting pleasures cannot produce physical fitness or improve the mind. The story goes like this: Hercules was a young man who couldn't make up his mind which path to follow in life.

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