STOICS, the name for the sect of ancient moralists opposed to the Epicureans in their views of human life. The Stoical system dates from the end of the 4th c. B.C.; it was derived from the system of the Cynics, whose founder, Antisthenes, was a disciple of Socrates. Indeed, the doctrines, but still more the manner of life, and most of all the death, of Socrates, were the chief foundations of the Stoical philosophy.
The founder of the system was ZENO, from Cittium in Cyprus (he lived from 340-260 LI B.G.), Who derived his first impulse from Crates the Cynic. He opened his school in a building or porch, called the .Stop Pcecile ("painted porch") at Athens, whence the origin of the name of the sect. Zeno had for his disciple CLEANTHEs, from Asses in the 'Frond (300-220 B.c.), whose Hymn to Jupiter is the only fragment of any length that has come down to us from the early Stoics, and is a remarkable production, setting lord' the unity of God, his omnipotence, and his from Soli in Cilicia (2S0-207 u.c.), followed Cleanthes, and, in his voluminous writings, both defended and modified the Stoical creed. These three represent the first period of the system. The second period (200-50 B.c.) embraces its general promulgation, and its introduction to the Romans. Chrysippus was succeeded by ZENO of Sidon, and DIOGENES of Babylon; then followed of Tarsus, who taught PAN,ETIUS of Rhodes (died 112 u.c.), who, again, taught Posmomos of Apamea, in Syria. (Two philosophers are mentioned from the native province of St. Paul, besides Chrysippus—Athenodorus, from Cana in Cilicia; and Archidemus, from Tarsus, the apostle's birthplace. It is remarked by sir A. Grant, that almost all the first Stoics were of Asiatic birth; and the system itself is undeniably more akin to the oriental mind than to the Greek.) Posidonius was acquainted and Pompey, and taught Cicero; but the moral treatise of Cicero, De Officlis, is derived from a work of Panmtius, The third period of Stoicism is Roman. In this period we have Cato the younger, who invited to his house the philosopher Athenodorus; and, under the empire, the three Stoic philosophers whose writings have come down to Us—SENECA (6 n.c.-65 EPICTETUS (60-140 A.D.), who began life as
a slave, and the emperor MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS (121-180 A.D.). Stoicism pre vailed widely in the Roman world, although not to the exclusion of Epicurean views.
The leading Stoical doctrines are given in certain phrases or expressions, as "life according to nature," the ideal "wise man," "apathy" or equanimity of mind, the power of the "will." the worship of "duty," the constant " advance " in virtue, etc. But perspicuity will be best gained by considering the moral system under four heads— the theology; the psychology or theory of mind; the theory of the good or human hap piness; and the scheme of virtue or duty. .
II. Their theological doctrines comprehended their system of the universe, and of man's position in it. They held that the universe is governed by one good and wise God, together with inferior or subordinate deities. God exercises a moral government; under it the good are happy, while misfortunes happen to the wicked. According to Epictetus, God is the father of men; Antonius exults in the beautiful arrangement of all things. They did not admit that the Deity intermeddled in the smaller minutim; they allowed that omens and oracles might be accepted as signs of the foreordained arrangement of God. They held this foreordination even to the length of fatalism, and made the same replies as have been given in modern times, to the difficulty of reconciling it with free will, which in their system was unusually prominent. As to the existence of evil, they cffered explanations such as the following: God is the author of all things except wick edness; the very nature of good supposes its contrast evil, and the two are inseparable, like light and dark, which may be called the argument from relativity; in the enormous extent of the universe, some things must be neglected; when evil happens to the good, it is not as a punishment, but as connected with a different dispensation; parts of the world may be presided over by evil demons; what we call evil may act be evil.