When I think of Stoic comedy, or the silly idea that somehow laughter is incongruent with stoicism, I think of a line from Diogenes Laertius's "Lives of the Stoics" (reproduced in Hackett's "Stoics Reader") about the death of Chyrisippus:
"Some say that he died after being seized with a fit of laughter, for when an ass had eaten his figs he said to the old woman, 'So give the ass some unmixed wine to swill,' at which he cackled so heartily that he died."
Seneca complained about noise! How human…I forget which letter it is, but I still giggle about it sometimes. I learned to laugh late in life. It didn’t come easily, since I was raised in a household where the mood was dark and laughter was unheard. Stoicism allows me to laugh 😹
I’ve just spent all night watching Michael’s shows. He makes Stoicism seem so simple. I love it! So glad you interviewed him so I get to see a bit more of him off the stage, which is not all that different. Actually I think Seneca is pretty hilarious too. In one letter he complained about his wife getting a fool who he didn’t care much for, because “if I need to look at a fool, I just need to look at myself.”
😆 Did you read Seneca’s “The pumpkinification of the divine Claudius”? The only surviving example of Menippean satire, named after the Cynic philosopher Menippus.
Gosh! I must watch it during my lunch break today! I’ve always wanted to become a comedian but I’ve also often told jokes at the most inappropriate times. 😖
When I think of Stoic comedy, or the silly idea that somehow laughter is incongruent with stoicism, I think of a line from Diogenes Laertius's "Lives of the Stoics" (reproduced in Hackett's "Stoics Reader") about the death of Chyrisippus:
"Some say that he died after being seized with a fit of laughter, for when an ass had eaten his figs he said to the old woman, 'So give the ass some unmixed wine to swill,' at which he cackled so heartily that he died."
😆
Seneca complained about noise! How human…I forget which letter it is, but I still giggle about it sometimes. I learned to laugh late in life. It didn’t come easily, since I was raised in a household where the mood was dark and laughter was unheard. Stoicism allows me to laugh 😹
That’s right, Letter 56! Glad to hear you learn to laugh, as Mel Brooks once said, a sense of humor is a major defense against the universe.
Your “Think Like Stoic” series, followed by reading Seneca, made a difference. Thank you!
Very glad to hear it!
I’ve just spent all night watching Michael’s shows. He makes Stoicism seem so simple. I love it! So glad you interviewed him so I get to see a bit more of him off the stage, which is not all that different. Actually I think Seneca is pretty hilarious too. In one letter he complained about his wife getting a fool who he didn’t care much for, because “if I need to look at a fool, I just need to look at myself.”
😆 Did you read Seneca’s “The pumpkinification of the divine Claudius”? The only surviving example of Menippean satire, named after the Cynic philosopher Menippus.
Haha no I’ve not! But I have to now
Gosh! I must watch it during my lunch break today! I’ve always wanted to become a comedian but I’ve also often told jokes at the most inappropriate times. 😖
😆 I hope you’ll enjoy it!