Zeno of Citium
The founding of the Stoic school of philosophy stands as the defining act of Zeno of Citium's life — a sustained commitment to teaching and thought that gave his name its lasting weight in the history of ideas.
Zeno was born in Kition, Cyprus, a city of which he was a citizen. He worked in Ancient Greek and pursued careers as both philosopher and writer. He taught in Athens from around 300 BC, and it was there that he established the Stoic school, the movement with which his identity became wholly bound up. The Library of Congress, in its authorized heading, renders him simply as "Zeno, the Stoic" — a compression that reflects how completely his name and that school of thought came to belong to each other.
Zeno died in Athens in 262 BC. He had been born a Hellenistic philosopher from Citium and died the founder of Stoicism, the movement recorded against his name in every surviving account. That designation — founder of the Stoic school — remains the central, concrete fact by which he is known.
Quotes by Zeno of Citium
When a dog is tied to a cart, if it wants to follow, it is pulled and follows, making its spontaneous act coincide with necessity. But if the dog does not follow, it will be compelled in any case. So it is with men too: even if they don’t want to, they will be compelled to follow what is destined.
The end may be defined as life in accordance with nature or, in other words, in accordance with our own human nature as well as that of the universe.
No matter whether you claim a slave by purchase or capture, the title is bad. They who claim to own their fellow-men, look down into the pit and forget the justice that should rule the world.
That which exercises reason is more excellent than that which does not exercise reason; there is nothing more excellent than the universe, therefore the universe exercises reason.
Fate is the endless chain of causation, whereby things are; the reason or formula by which the world goes on.
All things are parts of one single system, which is called nature; the individual life is good when it is in harmony with nature.
