In 155 BC, Athens was hit with a crippling 500-talent fine by the rising superpower that was Rome. Unable to afford it, the leaders of Athens summoned the city-state's only weapon of defense: its philosophers.
Diogenes of Babylon, then the head of the Stoic school, was dispatched along with Carneades of the Academy and Critolaus of the Lyceum to appeal the judgment through a series of lectures in Rome. Just a few years earlier, the Roman Senate had decreed an outright ban on philosophers, worried the teachings of the Epicureans, Skeptics, and Cynics—each with their provocative questions—would undermine Roman values and traditions. Even Stoicism, which had yet to step out of the classroom and into the public arena, was viewed with suspicion.
Carneades, a Skeptic, spoke first and delivered two controversial lectures: one in praise of justice and another challenging its existence and practicality. He wanted to demonstrate the immense power of rhetoric but instead confirmed to some Romans that philosophy was nothing but sophistry. Cato the Elder, one of Rome's most sober and politically influential individuals, was so horrified he demanded the philosophers be sent home before they could corrupt any more of the city's youth.
Diogenes followed Carneades with discussions on Stoic principles, such as cultivating personal virtue within oneself, the importance of justice in governance, and the power of reason. He spoke in a straightforward, frank manner, devoid of emotional manipulation or rhetoric. What struck the Romans most was his "restraint and sobriety" and his clear and practical ethics opened the door for Rome's elite to reconsider the value of philosophy in education. In fact, Cato the Elder's great grandson, Cato the Younger, would eventually become one of the greatest students of Stoicism and went down in history for his ardent defense of Rome's old ways—the mos maiorum.
You could argue that it's because of Diogenes that we even know about Stoicism in the present day. He was the first Stoic to go beyond the Stoa and meet audiences where they were in order to spread this philosophy, serving as a bridge between the early founders of Stoicism and its later Roman proponents. Without him introducing Stoicism to Rome, would Cato, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius become the examples we cherish today? Perhaps not!
Any time I get on stage (hey, it's Ryan here), I try to remember what precedent Diogenes established. Let me tell you, no one becomes a writer because you want to talk in front large groups of people in person. No you become a writer usually because you're an introvert! As a writer, the page can be your shield, you're safe and you have all the time in the world to perfect your arguments. You don't risk criticism from the audience or risk the rush that Marcus Aurelius himself noted about being up there in the rostrum—the temptation to tell the audience what they want to hear.
But you can't hide on stage. Right away, in the moment, the audience lets you know what they think and feel about you.
At a certain point, I had to accept that my ego (and fears) were prohibiting me from trying this difficult art. Just like Diogenes was willing to travel to Rome to spread Stoicism, I had to be willing to meet you where you are if I really believed in this philosophy. That's why we here at Daily Stoic work so hard to share this philosophy across different mediums like YouTube, the podcast, and social media. Not all of them are naturally comfortable to me, but I have gotten better by challenging myself with them.
And it's why I have taken to getting on stage more lately with the Stoic Life Tour, moving beyond the more private events I typically do and giving more public talks like the ones I did last month at Sydney Town Hall and Melbourne Town Hall to 2,000 people each. It's to connect with you and share Stoicism so that you may better apply it to your life and in turn share it with the world around you, just like Epictetus, Seneca, and others eventually did in Rome following those lectures by Diogenes.
I'm heading out on the road again in November to do some more talks: London (November 12), Rotterdam (November 13), Dublin (November 15), Vancouver (November 18), and Toronto (November 20). If you're in the area, I'd love to see you there (you can grab tickets here). And if you want to see the Stoic Life Tour visit your neck of the woods, shoot us a message. We'd love to meet you where you are.
P.S. Ryan again. Wanted to share those dates one last time:
London — November 12
Rotterdam — November 13
Dublin — November 15
Vancouver — November 18
Toronto — November 20
We're also doing a couple premium Q&A sessions for VIP ticket holders, which includes special backstage access. Learn more and grab tickets here!
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