The 7 deadly sins and a Stoic response
Incorporating the 8th archetype
Integrity not Lust
Sacrifice not gluttony
Growth not Greed
Competence not Envy
Humility not Pride
Power not Sloth
Transcendence not Wrath
///THREAD///
The Stoics had their 4 virtues
Wisdom, Justice, Courage, and Temperance
These virtues in themselves have the strength to overcome the 7 deadly sins
But what words did Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus use in the battle against the 7 deadly sins
Integrity not Lust
"Where another man prays 'Grant that I may possess this woman,' let your own prayer be, 'Grant that I may not lust to possess her."
- Marcus Aurelius
"Many men will meet me who are drunkards, lustful, ungrateful, greedy, and excited by the frenzy of ambition. I will view all these as benignly as a physician does his patients"
- Seneca
Sacrifice not Gluttony
"Until we have begun to go without them, we fail to realize how unnecessary many things are. We've been using them not because we needed them but because we had them."
- Seneca
"Just keep in mind: the more we value things outside our control, the less control we have."
- Epictetus
Growth not Greed
"Asked, Who is the rich man? Epictetus replied - He who is content."
― Epictetus
“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor. ”
― Seneca
Competence not Envy
"A wise man is content with his lot whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not."
- Seneca
"Envy is the antagonist of the fortunate."
- Epictetus
Humility not Pride
“If someone is able to show me that what I think or do is not right, I will happily change, for I seek the truth, by which no one was ever truly harmed. It is the person who continues in his self-deception and ignorance who is harmed.”
― Marcus Aurelius
"If evil be said of thee, and if it be true, correct thyself; if it be a lie, laugh at it."
― Epictetus
“No man is crushed by misfortune unless he has first been deceived by prosperity.”
― Seneca
Power not Sloth
“Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.”
― Seneca
“To refrain from imitation is the best revenge.”
― Marcus Aurelius
“Kindness is invincible.”
― Marcus Aurelius
Transcendence not Wrath
"I must die. Must I then die lamenting? I must be put in chains. Must I then also lament? I must go into exile. Does any man then hinder me from going with smiles and cheerfulness and contentment?"
― Epictetus
“Non est ad astra mollis e terris via" - "There is no easy way from the earth to the stars.”
― Seneca
“What we do now echoes in eternity.”
― Marcus Aurelius
The highest virtue of all is to lead a life where you not only resist the 7 deadly sins
That you look to act in the accordingly opposite manner
This is a challenging task to take on
But a worthy one
Use the quotes I have shared to help guide your path
If you need assistance on starting a Stoic journey
One that can help you resist the 7 deadly sins
Look no further than Tactical Stoicism
gumroad.com/l/jPawd/Stoic%…
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