The Stoics Speak More Paradoxically than the Poets

Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol 6. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1895.

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This essay critically examines the contradictions inherent in the Stoic concept of the "wise man" (sophos), comparing it to the bizarre characters found in poetry and mythology. The author argues that the paradoxes proposed by the Stoics regarding their sage are far more absurd and unnatural than any fables created by the poets. Throughout the work, the author highlights the stark contrast between the absolute strength and happiness attributed to the Stoic sage and the actual vulnerability and misery they might experience in reality. By juxtaposing the dogmas of the Stoics with mythical monsters and heroic transformations, the text demonstrates that the Stoic ideal is intellectually unsustainable. Ultimately, the essay concludes that the Stoic portrait of the sage is a self-contradictory construct that defies both human nature and common sense.