Gaius Musonius Rufus

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Gaius Musonius Rufus
Bornc. AD 20 – 30
Volsinii, Etruria
DiedAs late as AD 101
NationalityRoman
Other namesMusonius Rufus
EraAncient philosophy
RegionWestern philosophy
SchoolStoicism

Gaius Musonius Rufus (

philosopher of the 1st century AD. He taught philosophy in Rome during the reign of Nero and so was sent into exile in 65 AD, returning to Rome only under Galba. He was allowed to stay in Rome when Vespasian banished all other philosophers from the city in 71 AD although he was eventually banished anyway, returning only after Vespasian's death. A collection of extracts from his lectures still survives. He is also remembered for being the teacher of Epictetus and Dio Chrysostom
.

Life

The son of a Roman

Gyaros (65 AD) on a trumped-up charge of participation in the Pisonian conspiracy.[3] While Gyaros was "harsh and devoid of human culture",[4] Musonius was able to survive and form a small community of philosophers.[5] He specifically refers to his time in exile in his ninth discourse, pointing out its advantages for a practitioner of Stoicism.[6]

He returned under Galba (68 AD). When Marcus Antonius Primus, the general of Vespasian, was marching upon Rome (69 AD), he joined the ambassadors that were sent by Vitellius to the victorious general, and going among the soldiers of the latter, preached about the blessings of peace and the dangers of war, but was soon made to stop.[7] When the party of Vitellius gained the upper hand, Musonius was able to accuse, and obtain the conviction of, Publius Egnatius Celer, the Stoic philosopher who had condemned Barea Soranus.[8] It was perhaps about this time that Musonius taught Epictetus, his most famous student. So highly was Musonius esteemed in Rome that Vespasian allowed him to remain in Rome when the other philosophers were banished from the city (71 AD),[9] but eventually he was exiled anyway (perhaps around 75 AD), only returning after Vespasian's death (79 AD). As to his death, we know only that he was dead by 101 AD, when Pliny speaks of his son-in-law Artemidorus.[10]

Writings

Teubner
series, 1905.

It is unknown whether Musonius wrote anything for publication. His philosophical opinions were collected by two of his students. One collection of Discourses, by a certain Lucius, form the basis of the 21 lengthy extracts preserved by Stobaeus.[11] A second collection was compiled by one Pollio; it has been lost, but some fragments survive in quotations by later writers.[12]

The titles of the 21 discourses (Cora Lutz edition) are as follows:

  1. That There is No Need of Giving Many Proofs for One Problem
  2. That Man is Born with an Inclination Toward Virtue
  3. That Women Too Should Study Philosophy
  4. Should Daughters Receive the Same Education as Sons?
  5. Which is more Effective, Theory or Practice?
  6. On Training
  7. That One Should Disdain Hardships
  8. That Kings Also Should Study Philosophy
  9. That Exile is not an Evil
  10. Will the Philosopher Prosecute Anyone for Personal Injury?
  11. What means of Livelihood is Appropriate for a Philosopher?
  12. On Sexual Indulgence
  13. What is the Chief End of Marriage
  14. Is Marriage a Handicap for the Pursuit of Philosophy?
  15. Should Every Child that is Born be Raised?
  16. Must One Obey One's Parents under all Circumstances?
  17. What is the Best Viaticum for Old Age?
  18. On Food
  19. On Clothing and Shelter
  20. On Furnishings
  21. On Cutting the Hair

Philosophy

Papyrus fragment P.Harr. I 1, showing a section of Discourse 15 of Gaius Musonius Rufus. 3rd century.

His philosophy, which is in many respects identical with that of his pupil,

soul he considers to be akin to the gods,[16] and agrees with other Stoics that the soul is material, which after being corrupted by bodily influence, may be again purified and cleansed.[17] He strongly asserts the liberty of the rational soul (Greek: διάνοια).[17]

Musonius pays much more attention to

childhood, and the evil habits confirmed by practices.[18] Thus he regards philosophy as the mental art of healing, and lays great stress on the practice of virtue, preferring practice to precept.[18] He distinguishes two kinds of practice: the exercise of the mind in reflection and the adoption of good rules in life, and the endurance of bodily pains which affect both the soul and the body.[19]

A life lived according to nature consists in social, friendly sentiments and temper, and in contentment with what will simply alleviate the primary needs of nature.

human race.[19] He zealously protests against the exposure of children as an unnatural custom, and at every opportunity recommends the practice of benevolence.[19] His precepts for the simple life are carefully detailed, and he gives precise regulations for diet, the care of the body, clothing, and even furniture. Thus he recommends that the hair should be allowed to grow long and not cut too close; and he honours the beard on the basis that the hair was provided by nature for covering the body.[19] He forbids meat, and prefers food which is furnished and offered by nature to that which requires the art of cooking.[19]

Musonius argued because men's and women's capacity to understand virtue is the same, both should be trained in philosophy.[20]

Notes

  1. ^ Suda μ 1305, Musonius
  2. ^ Tacitus, Annals, xiv. 59
  3. ^ Tacitus, Annals, xv. 71; Cassius Dio, lxii. 27; Philostratus, Vit. Apoll., vii. 16
  4. ^ … addidit insulam Gyarum immitem et sine cultu hominum esse: In the Annales, Tiberius is portrayed as extraordinarily cruel and vengeful, making his hesitance to exile a criminal to Gyaros particularly pointed.
  5. ISBN 978-0761829027
    .
  6. ^ "Lecture IX – TheStoicLife.org". www.thestoiclife.org. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  7. ^ Tacitus, Histories, iii. 81
  8. ^ Tacitus, Histories, iv. 10, 40
  9. ^ Cassius Dio, lxv. 13
  10. ^ Pliny, Epistles, iii. 11
  11. ^ Stobaeus, Floril. xxix. 78, lvi. 18
  12. ^ e.g. Aulus Gellius, v. 1, ix. 2, xvi. 1
  13. ^ a b Heinrich Ritter, The History of Ancient Philosophy, Alexander James William Morrison, tr. (London, 1846), vol. IV, p. 190.
  14. ^ a b Ritter, p. 191.
  15. ^ Epictetus, Discourses, i. 7
  16. ^ a b c Ritter, p. 192.
  17. ^ a b c Ritter, p. 193.
  18. ^ a b Ritter, p. 194.
  19. ^ a b c d e f Ritter, p. 195.
  20. ^ Diotima, Philosophers on the Role of Women Archived 2014-04-27 at the Wayback Machine

Further reading

Translations

  • Cora Lutz, (1947), Musonius Rufus: The Roman Socrates. Printed in: Yale Classical Studies, Volume X. Edited by A. R. Bellinger. Yale University Press.
  • Cynthia King, (2011), Musonius Rufus: Lectures and Sayings. Edited by William B. Irvine. CreateSpace.
    ISBN 978-1456459666

Studies

External links

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