Photo © D. Paul Graham, “Serenbe Maze”, Serenbe 2019

“Monday 5 Things”™ ….. Ari’s Favorite Stoic …..  

Some of you may have noticed that I was rather preoccupied and busy with nuptials this past week and weekend. A M5T will be coming about that, but haven eaten far too much food, drank far too much wine, and enjoying time with family and friends that has deeply touched this scribe’s heart, I will reuse one of my favorite prior M5Ts from a stoic that sheds light on life and relationships.

Aristotle (that philosopher guy who was a student of Plato, taught Alexander the Great in Macedon, and wrote some rather light reading material on metaphysics, poetry, theater, science, music, logic, rhetoric, politics, etc., etc., etc.,) called him the most tragic of Greek poets. He was a prolific playwright that was socially mindful and openly vocal with his observations of Hellenic life and culture. I can only image what he would have posted on Facebook. He critically satirized many heroes of Greek mythology, and penned plays that shocked Athenian culture with strong women written into key theatrical roles. He wrote his last play when he was 73 years old, a year before he died in 406 BC. I am fascinated at how words written so long ago can be so powerful and relevant for our lives today. Today, as you start this new week, M5T shares quotes to ponder from that most tragic of poets, Euripides.

1. Query

“Question everything. Learn something. Answer nothing.” “Silence is true wisdom’s best reply.” “Leave no stone unturned.” “A man’s most valuable trait is a judicious sense of what not to believe.”

2. Wisdom

“Talk sense to a fool, and he calls you foolish.”. “Silence is wisdom’s best reply.” “The good and the wise lead quiet lives.” “Some wisdom you must learn from one who’s wise.” “The best and safest thing is to keep balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can do that, and live that way, you really are wise.”

3. Planning

“Do not plan for ventures before finishing what is at hand.” “There is safety in numbers.” “A bad beginning makes a bad ending.” “Few have greater riches than the joy that comes to us in visions, in dreams which no one can take away.” “I have found power in the mysteries of thought.”

4. Friendship

“Real friendship is shown in times of trouble; prosperity is full of friends.” “One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives.” “Friends show their love in times of trouble.” “In misfortune, which friend remains a friend?”

5. Embracing Life

“Events will take their course; it is no good of being angry at them; he is happiest who wisely turns them to the best account.” “No one can confidently say that he will still be living tomorrow.” “Life is like a theatre; often very bad people occupy the best seats.” “Nothing is hopeless; we must hope for everything.”

Here’s to a week of applying wisdom from the past to our lives today.

© 2023 D. Paul Graham, all rights reserved.

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For over 12 years, D. Paul Graham has published “Monday 5 Things” ™, also known to readers as M5T.

You can reach Paul by email at dpg@imagegraham.com