Stoicism

Around 300 BCE, a Phonecian merchant Zeno of Citium, founded this philosophy in Athens. Originally the name for this philosophy was called Zenonism, but because Zeno and his people would talk under a painted porch called a Stoa Poikile, people started referring to Zeonoism as Stoicism.

The Stoics believe that “virtue is the sole good” for humans and that external things like health, prosperity, and pleasure are neither good nor bad in and of themselves but have worth as material for virtue to operate on.
Stoicism encourages the cultivation of self-control and fortitude as a means of conquering negative emotions; it is based on the belief that becoming a clear and unbiased thinker permits one to comprehend the universal reason (logos). The basic goal of Stoicism is to improve one’s ethical and moral well-being: Virtue consists in a will that is in agreement with Nature”

The Three fields of study within Stoic philosophy

• Physics – modern natural science, metaphysics, and theology. How the world works.
• Logic – modern logic proper, rhetoric, epistemology, and cognitive science.
• Ethics – the study of how to best live one’s life.

The Three Disciplines

• Desire – This has to do with acceptance of our fate.
• Action – This has to do with philanthropy or the love of mankind.
• Assent – This has to do with mindfulness of our judgments.

The Four Virtues

• Wisdom – Wisdom is subdivided into good sense, good calculation, quick-wittedness, discretion, and resourcefulness. Wisdom is connected to Assent and Logic.
• Justice – Justice is subdivided into piety, honesty, equity, and fair dealing. Justice is connected to Action and Ethics.
• Courage – Courage is subdivided into endurance, confidence, high-mindedness, cheerfulness, and industriousness. Courage is connected to Desire and Physics.
• Temperance – Temperance is subdivided into good discipline, seemliness, modesty, and self-control. Temperance is connected to Desire and Physics.

All this leads to what a Stoic would call eudaimonia”, the good life, by following the above, one can work at a harmonious life in accordance with nature.

Below is a list of inspirational words from the Great Stoics.

Note
Obviously, Stoicism was not in Gaul, but I do believe that what the Senodruides taught would have fit nicely within Stoicism. As stoicism can fits nicely into a Gaulish worldview.

Brigouelon (commanding view) A Gaulish take on Stoicism.

As one stands on a mountaintop and sees the world around, one becomes aware of everything around one’s self, looking at what things create other things and destroy other things. You ultimately control the self and will not allow something outside of your control to control you. At times others can change our perception of the world around us and even ourselves, allowing us to not be in control of our own view.
Brigindû is the Great Guardian who overwatches from high above. She is always ready to give victory with her piercing spear to defeat those that would do us harm. She has gifted us with the knowledge and wisdom of warfare, not just with others but the war within the self. She has given us the tools to have control over our own views giving us the sovereignty of the self, and we call this Brigouelon (commanding view). As Brigouelon allows us to stand tall, commanding our own ways. Brigouelon encourages the cultivation of self-control and fortitude to conquer negative emotions; it is based on the belief that becoming a clear and unbiased thinker permits one to comprehend the universal reason. The fundamental goal of Brigouelon is to improve one’s ethical and moral well-being virtue consists in a will that is in agreement with Nature.

More to come