Preorder my new philosophical biography of the Roman Emperor from Yale University Press

Below you can read an excerpt from the beginning of my latest book, Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor, which is part of the Yale University Press Ancient Lives series.

It is due out in Feb 2024 but you can help it reach more people by pre-ordering your copy. Ebook and audiobook (narrated by me) editions will be forthcoming. Please get your copy today from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or other retailers via the publisher’s website. Thanks for your support!

Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor

Exclusive Excerpt

Most of us, of course, are interested in Marcus because of the famous book attributed to him.  The Meditations has become one of the most cherished self-improvement classics of all time.  It has had a profound influence on many different individuals throughout history.  Modern appreciation of it began when the first printed edition of the Greek manuscript was published in 1558, bearing the title “To himself” (Ta eis heauton), along with a Latin translation.  In 1634, the first English translation appeared under the title Marcus Aurelius Antoninus the Roman Emperor, his Meditations Concerning Himself.  The use of this term eventually stuck and it is now common to abbreviate the title simply to the Meditations. 

So what are the core teachings “to himself” described in the Meditations?  First of all, the Stoics defined humanity’s supreme goal as “living in agreement with nature”.  Although Marcus only uses the word “Stoic” once, he often uses this slogan.  He gives thanks that his tutors provided him with frequent examples of what “living in agreement with nature” meant in practice, in their daily lives.  He also tells himself that nothing can prevent him from living in agreement with nature, just like they did, although he often struggled to do so in practice.  

“In agreement with nature”, for the Stoics, meant rationally because they considered reason to be the highest human faculty.  If we lived consistently in accord with reason, we would perfect our nature and attain the virtue of wisdom.  If we apply such wisdom in our relationships with others, treating them honestly and fairly, we achieve the social virtue of justice.  In order to live more fully in accord with wisdom and justice, though, we need to master any fears and desires that threaten to lead us astray.  That calls for courage and moderation, giving us the four “cardinal virtues” of ancient Stoicism: wisdom, justice, fortitude, and temperance.  The Stoic goal of life can also be understood, in this sense, as “living in accord with virtue”, as long as we bear in mind that all the virtues are taken by them to be forms of moral wisdom.

Although the wise are not highly perturbed by misfortune, neither are they completely unfeeling.  Marcus, as we’ve seen, could be described as quite a sensitive man.  He gradually trained himself to manage his emotions better, by examining them rationally rather than merely suppressing them.  Stoicism taught him to view external events, i.e., events beyond our direct control, as of secondary importance.  Marcus thereby learned a kind of psychological therapy, designed to free him from unhealthy passions, a state of mind called apatheia by the Stoics.  Almost everything he says about philosophy can be related back to this basic goal of living in agreement with Nature, free from unhealthy emotions.  This book includes over a hundred such references tothe Meditations, which have been carefully interspersed in order to highlight various connections between Marcus’ Stoic principles and the events of his life. 

Who was Marcus, though?  Many today came to know him through his portrayal by Richard Harris in the movie Gladiator (2000) and a few may recall Alec Guinness in The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) – these are only very loosely based on history.  Sometimes people assume that we know little or nothing about the facts of Marcus’ life.  Fortunately, that is not the case.  Indeed, we know more about him than about any other Stoic, or most other ancient philosophers.  Three main Roman histories survive that describe his life and character: the Historia Romana of Cassius Dio, Herodian’s History of the Empire from the Death of Marcus, and the Historia Augusta.  We also possess a cache of private letters between Marcus and his rhetoric tutor, which give us an exceptional insight into his private life as Caesar, and later as emperor. 

Experts Praise the Book

• “Few historical figures are as fascinating as Marcus Aurelius, the emperor-philosopher. And few writers have been so effective at bringing his complex life and character to the attention of modern readers as Donald Robertson.”—Massimo Pigliucci, author of How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life
• “Robertson has written a very thorough and very readable account of Marcus’s life and the events and people that shaped him. Anyone who wants to understand the author of Meditations should read this book.”—Robin Waterfield, author of Marcus Aurelius, Meditations: The Annotated Edition
• “Donald Robertson guides us into the world of a philosopher-emperor whose humility and Stoic teachings fill the pages. We are indebted to Robertson for this wonderful account of the emperor who penned notes to himself while in battle that would be later known as the Meditations and read by millions for philosophical inspiration. Simply spellbinding.”—Nancy Sherman, author of Stoic Wisdom: Ancient Lessons for Modern Resilience
• “This highly readable biography is the perfect place to begin for anyone who wants to learn more about the man behind the Meditations.”—John Sellars, author of Marcus Aurelius (Philosophy in the Roman World)
• “Robertson’s biography provides a compelling narrative of Marcus’ life, carefully based on the primary sources. He brings out very clearly the life-long significance of Stoicism for Marcus and the interplay between philosophy, politics, and warfare.”—Christopher Gill, author of Marcus Aurelius: Meditations, Books 1-6

Get my new philosophical biography of the Roman Emperor from Yale University Press

It’s finally here! I can now announce my latest book, a philosophical biography called Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor, part of the Yale University Press Ancient Lives series. When the series editor, James Romm, contacted me I was very pleased because although there are already several excellent biographies of Marcus Aurelius, I always felt there was something missing. I wanted to write a biography that said more about Stoic philosophy and how it influenced Marcus’ life as a young man, and later his actions as emperor. I hope I achieved that, while also giving the reader a few ideas they can take away and benefit from in their own lives.

The book is now available for pre-order in hardback, due out 7th Feb 2024. Ebook and audiobook edition will be forthcoming (narrated by me). You can get a copy now from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other retailers via the publisher’s website. NB: This title is eligible for Amazon’s pre-order price guarantee, which means that if you order your copy now, not only will you be helping the author (!) but you will also be more likely to benefit from certain discounts off the price. (See Amazon’s website for terms and conditions.)

Experience the world of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and the tremendous challenges he faced and overcame with the help of Stoic philosophy.

Yales’ Ancient Lives series consists of titles by leading academics who unfold the stories of thinkers, writers, kings, queens, conquerors, and politicians from all parts of the ancient world. The aim is for readers to come to know these figures in fully human dimensions, complete with foibles and flaws, and to see that the issues they faced—political conflicts, constraints based in gender or race, tensions between the private and public self—have changed very little over the course of millennia.

Experts Praise the Book

• “Few historical figures are as fascinating as Marcus Aurelius, the emperor-philosopher. And few writers have been so effective at bringing his complex life and character to the attention of modern readers as Donald Robertson.”—Massimo Pigliucci, author of How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life
• “Robertson has written a very thorough and very readable account of Marcus’s life and the events and people that shaped him. Anyone who wants to understand the author of Meditations should read this book.”—Robin Waterfield, author of Marcus Aurelius, Meditations: The Annotated Edition
• “Donald Robertson guides us into the world of a philosopher-emperor whose humility and Stoic teachings fill the pages. We are indebted to Robertson for this wonderful account of the emperor who penned notes to himself while in battle that would be later known as the Meditations and read by millions for philosophical inspiration. Simply spellbinding.”—Nancy Sherman, author of Stoic Wisdom: Ancient Lessons for Modern Resilience
• “This highly readable biography is the perfect place to begin for anyone who wants to learn more about the man behind the Meditations.”—John Sellars, author of Marcus Aurelius (Philosophy in the Roman World)
• “Robertson’s biography provides a compelling narrative of Marcus’ life, carefully based on the primary sources. He brings out very clearly the life-long significance of Stoicism for Marcus and the interplay between philosophy, politics, and warfare.”—Christopher Gill, author of Marcus Aurelius: Meditations, Books 1-6

Description

Add this title to your Goodreads bookshelf.

This novel biography brings Marcus Aurelius (121–180 CE) to life for a new generation of readers by exploring the emperor’s fascinating psychological journey. Donald J. Robertson examines Marcus’s relationships with key figures in his life, such as his mother, Domitia Lucilla, and the emperor Hadrian, as well as his Stoic tutors. He draws extensively on Marcus’s own Meditations and correspondence, and he examines the emperor’s actions as detailed in the Augustan History and other ancient texts.

Marcus Aurelius struggled to reconcile his philosophy and moral values with the political pressures he faced as emperor at the height of Roman power. Robertson examines Marcus’s attitude toward slavery and the moral dilemma posed by capturing enemies in warfare; his attitude toward women; the role of Stoicism in shaping his response to the threat of civil war; the treatment of Christians under his rule; and the naming of his notorious son Commodus as his successor.

Throughout, the Meditations is used to shed light on the mind of the emperor—his character, values, and motives—as Robertson skillfully weaves together Marcus’s inner journey as a philosopher with the outer events of his life as a Roman emperor.

Table of Contents

• Prologue: Truth in the Meditations
• Chapter One. The Mother of Caesar
• Chapter Two. Verissimus the Philosopher
• Chapter Three. The Greek Training
• Chapter Four. Hadrian’s Vendettas
• Chapter Five. The Death of Hadrian
• Chapter Six. Disciple of Antoninus
• Chapter Seven. Disciple of Rusticus
• Chapter Eight. The Two Emperors
• Chapter Nine. The Parthian Invasion
• Chapter Ten. The War of Lucius Verus
• Chapter Eleven. Parthicus Maximus
• Chapter Twelve. The Antonine Plague
• Chapter Thirteen. The War of Many Nations
• Chapter Fourteen. Germanicus
• Chapter Fifteen. Sarmaticus
• Chapter Sixteen. Cassius the Usurper
• Chapter Seventeen. The Civil War
• Chapter Eighteen. The Setting Sun
• Epilogue: The Hall of Mysteries

Register now completely free of charge, using the promo code NODONATION. If you are able, we welcome even small donations. We can’t continue our work without you. Your donation helps us to help others learn about philosophy. We recommend a donation of 30 euros or above. Please donate whatever you believe the opportunity to hear this experts is worth. Thanks for your generosity!

Not available or in a different time zone? Don’t worry as recordings of all presentations will be provided afterwards if you book your tickets now.

Win Breakfast with Seneca

All attendees are eligible to enter our book giveaway! Three lucky winners will receive a copy of David Fideler’s acclaimed Breakfast with Seneca!

We will send a form to everyone’s email post event, asking for their name and full postal address to send the book should they be selected. You must fill out the form in order to be entered. Winners will be selected at random.

Program

• “Seneca’s Philosophy as a Real World Pursuit”, David Fideler, author of Breakfast with Seneca
• James Romm, Professor of Classics at Bard College, author of Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero
• “Following Nature: Reading Seneca During the Climate Crisis”, Christopher Star, Professor of Classics at Middlebury College, author of The Empire of the Self: Self-Command and Political Speech in Seneca and Petronius
• Lalya Lloyd, writer and classicist, Eton College, University College School
• Margaret Graver, Professor of Classics at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, author of Stoicism and Emotion and Seneca: The Literary Philosopher.
• More details to be confirmed soon!

You can now enroll for my upcoming eLearning course, Marcus Aurelius: Life and Stoicism.

Check out this free preview of the first video, giving an introduction to the course, and this one explaining the course overview. If you’re feeling brave, you can also try your hand at this pretty hard quiz.

Would you like to hear three authors who have written books about Marcus Aurelius discussing his life and philosophy? Join us on 26th April at 3pm EDT for the Marcus Aurelius Anniversary Event hosted by Plato’s Academy Centre. Tickets are free; everyone is welcome. Don’t worry if you’re in a different time zone as recordings will be available to everyone who registers in advance.

• Dr. John Sellars is the author of several books on Stoicism, including Marcus Aurelius in Routledge’s Philosophy in the Ancient World series.
• Donald Robertson is the author of three books on Marcus Aurelius, including How to Think Like a Roman Emperor.
• Prof. William O. Stephens is the author of Marcus Aurelius: A Guide for the Perplexed.

Dear Stoic fam,

I want to begin by thanking you! In January, my newsletter became one of Substack’s official bestsellers, as a direct result of your support.

When I was thinking about starting it, I wondered whether it was really needed and what it could accomplish. Way back in Oct 2012, I was invited to a multi-disciplinary workshop, organized by Chris Gill, professor emeritus of Ancient Thought, at Exeter University. We went on to found the Modern Stoicism organization, the Stoic Week online course, and Stoicon conferences. We contributed, I hope, in our small way, to the renaissance in popularity that Stoicism has gone through since then. However, in some regards the philosophy we love has now become a victim of its own success.

Over the years, I noticed more and more articles, videos, podcasts, and books, which seemed to present Stoicism in a very superficial way, or even to badly misrepresent its central ideas. I also watched as the Stoicism communities on social media grew to hundreds of thousands of members but increasingly became dominated by joke memes, and articles about things like how to get rich quick, etc. This seemed very far removed from the Stoic philosophy of Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius. Controversial influencers, such as Andrew Tate and others like him, have jumped on the bandwagon, claiming to be inspired by Stoicism. I noticed that high-quality content from leading experts on the philosophy — like Chris Gill, Massimo Pigliucci, and Chris Gill — was often being drowned out by all the noise on social media.

I learned, though, that Substack was building a space designed to be different. I began to wonder if starting a newsletter might offer a way to create a community where I could help others to put Stoicism and other branches of Greek philosophy into practice, in ways that might help them in daily life.

Read more…

Why we changed the name of our forthcoming virtual event about Stoicism and politics

The Plato’s Academy Centre’s March 11th virtual conference on how to save rational discourse is completely free of charge. Not available? Don’t worry because if you register now you’ll be able to watch videos of all the presentations later, at your leisure. So don’t miss out!

Extreme partisanship dominates. You must choose a team according to news networks, social media and even our own friends and family. This is not only a most unhealthy lens, but has led to the whole of society being uninformed and misinformed. It has even led to acts of violence as extreme as domestic terrorism.

The topic of politics is such a hot-button that it’s avoided at all costs for fear of the fall out. Being our authentic selves promotes our flourishing, happiness, and freedom, though!If we lose that freedom, we’ve lost who we are and have chosen to let those who anger us become our master, as Epictetus puts it.

After a meeting with our PAC Team, we decided that the title of our March 11th event, Stoicism and Politics: How Can We Save Civility, be changed to How Can We Save Rational Discourse: Philosophy & Politics. We felt this better encapsulated the essence of our message: that regardless of philosophical lens, society is in dire need of restoring civility when discussing politics.

Thanks for reading Plato’s Academy Centre Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.

Join us and other modern day philosophy academics and authors as we discuss in Socratic fashion, “How Can We Save Rational Discourse: Philosophy & Politics”. EVERYONE is welcome and encouraged to attend!

Our Finalized Run of Show

1. Civic Friendship & Politics as an Act of Love, Spencer Klavan, author of How to Save the West: Ancient Wisdom for Five Modern Crises, associate editor at the Claremont Institute, host of Western Civilization podcast with the Daily Wire.
2. Stoicism and the Friend-Enemy Distinction, Pat McGeehan, member of the West Virginia House of Delegates (US), author of Stoicism and the Statehouse
3. Stoicism, the Enlightenment, Self-Othering, and Civility, Prof. Matthew Sharpe, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Deakin University, author of Stoicism, Bullying, and Beyond, The Other Enlightenment: Self-estrangement, Race, and Gender; series coeditor, Thinkers and Politics.
4. What does Stoicism bring to the ‘diversity’ table?, Dr. Kai Whiting, Postdoctoral Researcher, Université catholique de Louvain, author of Being Better: Stoicism for a World Worth Living In
5. Save Yourself, Save Your City, Diane Kalen-Sukra, founder of the Kalen Academy civic leadership academy, author of Save Your City: How Toxic Culture Kills Community & What to Do About Ithttps://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/RhKg3ZmgmHk?rel=0&autoplay=0&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=0
6. Aristotle and the Stoics Meet Rock and Roll: A Return to Rational Discourse in Politics, Dr. Tom Morris, author of The Stoic Art of Living and The Everyday Patriot , Chairman, Morris Institute for Human Values
7. Solon of Athens on the Art of Positive-Sum Negotiation, Josiah Ober, American historian of ancient Greece and classical political theorist, Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis Professor in honor of Constantine Mitsotakis, and professor of classics and political science, at Stanford University.
8. Panel: Stoicism, Civility, and Politics, hosted by Anya Leonard.Panel includes: Justin Stead, Entrepreneur & Investor, CEO Radley London, Founder of Aurelius Foundation; Mick Mulroy, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for the Middle East. Senior Fellow for National Security and Defense Policy with the Middle East Institute, an Analyst for ABC News, and co-founder of the Lobo Institute; Alexandra O. Hudson, author of The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves, founder of Civic Renaissance
9. Keynote: Hubris Syndrome, Rt Hon. Lord David Owen, co-founder of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), member of the House of Lords, author of The Hubris Syndrome: Bush, Blair and The Intoxication of Power and Riddle, Mystery and Enigma. Two Hundred Years of British-Russian Relations

Our hosts will be Donald Robertson, the president of the Plato’s Academy Centre, and Anya Leonard, the founder and director of the Classical Wisdom website.

If you’re feeling stifled by extreme politics, know that you’re not alone. Please share this post and the message of rational, peaceful, and meaningful discourse with loved ones, friends, and colleagues by sharing the link below.

Thank you so much for your support. We can’t wait to see you there!

Details

Seneca: On the Creation of Earthquakes, starring John Malkovich, will be released in Germany on 23rd March 2023.

Donald Robertson is the author of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: the Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius; Verissimus, a graphic novel about Marcus Aurelius; and a forthcoming prose biography of Marcus Aurelius for Yale University Press.

Donald also wrote a biography of Seneca for the Capstone Classics edition of his Moral Letters.

• IMDB
• How to Think Like a Roman Emperor
• Verissimus graphic novel
• Seneca’s Moral Letters (Capstone Classics)

Are the classics only for university professors? Do you need to read ancient Greek or Latin to benefit from texts composed in those languages? Why should anyone give two

hoots about Plato or Socrates today? These are some of the questions I explore in this podcast episode with Anya Leonard from Classical Wisdom Weekly. Let us know your thoughts: have the classics had their day?

Listen to this Audio Recording of my Fractional Relaxation Technique

NB: This episode contains a recording of a guided relaxation technique, which you should not listen to while driving. I created this recording for my psychotherapy clients, many years ago, but wanted to make it more widely available. It’s a short and simple exercise, about thirteen minutes in duration. This is the approach that I found to work best for the majority of people.

We’re delighted to announce that our newsletter, Stoicism – Philosophy as a Way of Life, has already been awarded bestseller status by Substack. Check out our most recent posts and podcast episodes.

To celebrate, we have a special offer. If you’re not already a paid subscriber, you can use this link to claim a free 30-day trial of full access to all content. (Offer valid until 31st Jan 2023.)

Latest Posts

• The Philosophical Therapy of Anaxagoras
  January 12, 2023
  Reading Greek Philosophy as Psychotherapy
• Stoicism in a Time of Pandemic
  January 11, 2023
  Listen now | Did Marcus Aurelius create a handbook for coping with the plague?
• Book Giveaway: The Everyday Patriot
  January 11, 2023
  Register for the Plato's Academy Centre Stoicism and Politics event
• The Socratic Philosophy of Wednesday Addams
  January 10, 2023
  How Socrates creeps into the hit Netflix series
• Marcus Aurelius and Carnuntum
  January 6, 2023
  Listen now (23 min) | Audio of Interview with Markus Wachter, CEO, of the Carnuntum Archeological Park
• Exclusive: Marcus Aurelius Poster
  January 5, 2023
  Downloadable PDF of artwork from Verissimus, our graphic novel

Audio of Interview with Markus Wachter, CEO, of the Carnuntum Archeological Park

This podcast episode contains the audio recording from a conversation about Marcus Aurelius, which I had with Markus Wachter, the CEO of the Carnuntum Archeological Park, at the Museum Carnuntinum, in 2019. I was visiting Austria for around a week, doing research for my books on Marcus Aurelius. The audio was recorded live in the main hall of the reconstructed Roman villa in the archeological park, hence the acoustics.

Marcus stationed himself at the Roman legionary fortress of Carnuntum, for part of the Marcomannic Wars. He included the note “At Carnuntum” near the start of the Meditations, proving that he must have written at least part of the manuscript there.

Thanks to Landessammlungen Niederösterreich, Archäologischer Park Carnuntum for permission to film, and to Adam Piercey for filming and editing.

Sign up for our Substack newsletter to download this new Marcus Aurelius poster, with artwork by award-winning illustrator Zé Nuno Fraga.

We are delighted to be able to bring you this downloadable PDF of a full-color, 16” x 20” Marcus Aurelius poster designed by Zé Nuno Fraga, courtesy of St. Martin’s Press. Zé is the award-winning Portuguese illustrator, responsible for the artwork in our graphic novel, Verissimus: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius.

Stoicism – Philosophy as a Way of Life

For the New Year, why not send someone the gift of a subscription to our Substack newsletter “Stoicism – Philosophy as a Way of Life”?

• How to Deal with Overwhelming Feelings
  December 29, 2022
  The Postponement Strategy in Ancient Stoic Practice
• Marcus Aurelius and Carnuntum
  December 28, 2022
  Watch now (23 min) | Interview with Markus Wachter, CEO, of the Carnuntum Archeological Park
• Happy Birthday From Marcus Aurelius
  December 27, 2022
  Today is my own birthday but here's a birthday card from Marcus
• Massimo Pigliucci on Socrates, Stoicism and Leadership
  December 22, 2022
  Listen now (58 min) | Podcast Featuring the Author of "How to be a Stoic" and "The Quest for Character"
• Get our Guide to Marcus Aurelius and Stoicism
  December 21, 2022
  Download our beautiful full-color illustrated PDF free of charge

The latest podcast episode of my podcast, brand new today, is a conversation with Prof. Massimo Pigliucci, author of How to be a Stoic and The Quest for Character. I’ve known Massimo for years and wanted to talk to him about how he first became interested in Stoicism, whether his views had changed, his interest in Skepticism and anti-pseudoscience, as well as what his new book says about Socrates, Alcibiades, good leadership, and the development of character.

You can download from Substack Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and many other hosts.

In this episode, I chat with Tim LeBon, cognitive-behavioural psychotherapist, research director for the Modern Stoicism organization, and author of Wise Therapy: Philosophy for Counsellors, Teach Yourself Positive Psychology, and more recently, 365 Ways to be More Stoic, edited by my wife Kasey Pierce.  

Topics covered include…

• How Tim first got into philosophical practice and Stoicism  
• The relationship between Stoicism and CBT in general
• Stoicism and third-wave CBT — recent advances
• What Tim has learned about Stoicism from his experience as research director with Modern Stoicism
• What’s 365 Ways like?  How it differs from other Stoicism books  

Thanks for following my blog! As a reward, I’m offering everyone who reads this blog 30-day subscription free of charge to my new Substack newsletter, so you can try out premium content at no risk. Offer available only until 23rd Dec – so don’t miss out!

You’ll notice I’ve been posting lots of articles and episodes of my new podcast there, and you’ll see a more new content appearing in the future, as well as special offers for my readers.

Plato’s Academy Centre virtual conference on Sat 3rd Dec

Stories of Character, Confidence and Success

We’re looking forward to the forthcoming Plato’s Academy Centre virtual conference, titled Ancient Philosophy for Modern Leadership. I’ve been planning this event for several years, hoping to bring together a wide variety of academics, CEOs, and other leaders to discuss how ancient philosophies such as Stoicism can help us understand the role of leaders in the modern world.

This is very timely event! We see one leadership crisis after another, in business, education, government, and the military. Philosophy can teach us not only how to become better leaders ourselves but also what to expect from our leaders, and how to know good leaders from bad ones! The ancient Greek sage and lawmaker, Solon, likewise taught Athenians that to be a leader one must first of all learn how to be led by others.

We can also all learn more about how to raise the next generation of leaders, by becoming good parents and educators, as these too are leadership roles in our society. Finally, we must learn to lead ourselves, which is what philosophy promises to teach us, rather than being led by the nose, unwittingly, by Sophists and demagogues. To be a good teacher, you must first become a good student. “The greatest empire is to be emperor of oneself,” according to Seneca.

You will be hearing a wealth of inspirational and insightful talks from our stellar program of twenty speakers! Our two keynotes are Justin Stead, the president of the Aurelius Foundation, and CEO of Radley; and Prof. Nancy Sherman, from Georgetown University, author of Stoic Wisdom. We have presentations from many authors and experts, including former advisor to General Mattis, Mick Mulroy, CEO of Muck Rack, Gregory Galant, and Tom Morris, author of The Stoic Art of Living. I’ll also be giving a presentation on Socrates and Leadership.

Please share the details with your friends. Remember, these Plato’s Academy Centre events are completely free of charge. We welcome donations, of course, because they are necessary to fund the nonprofits continued work — including doing more of these events in the future. You’re able to enjoy these talks free, in other words, because someone else has made a donation, for which we’re very grateful. Thanks, as always, for your continued support!

Look forward to seeing you there,

Donald Robertson

Thank you for reading Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Editor’s Preface

This is possibly James Braid’s very earliest publication on hypnotism; his letter was dated March 7th 1842 and published in the March 12th edition of The Medical Times. In it he does not use the term “hypnotism”, though elsewhere he suggests it was already in use by him at his lectures. The anonymous report which precedes his letter mentions his use of the expression “neuro-hypnology”, albeit spelt incorrectly.

Indeed, this is one of Braid’s most interesting letters, providing a neat summary of his early theory and practice.  It illustrates how, from the outset, Braid’s work was independently reported, and publicly examined and endorsed by a wide variety of observers, including some of the most distinguished scientists and physicians of his day.  In his first booklet on the subject, published shortly after this letter, a frustrated Braid reminds his critics of the sincere and persistent efforts which he made in order to substantiate his views,

Had I not, moreover, stated the fact that impressed with the importance of the subject, I had, at great personal inconvenience as well as pecuniary sacrifice, gone to London, that my views might be subjected “to a rigid examination” of the most learned men in our profession, to propound to them the laws by which I consider it to act, and above all, to prove to them “the uniformity of its action” and its practical applicability and value as a curative agency, by [my] mode of operating. 

Satanic Agency, etc., 1852

This journalist’s report and Braid’s subjoined letter, show the extent to which, with the limited means available to him, Braid attempted to develop his theory in a credible manner.  In Neurypnology (1843), Braid comments on the role of Dr. Herbert Mayo, one of the most distinguished medical scientists of the period, at the meeting,

I am fully borne out by the opinion of that eminent physiologist, Mr. Herbert Mayo, in my view of the subject, that my plan is ‘the best, the shortest, and surest for getting the sleep,’ and throwing the nervous system, by artificial contrivance, into a new condition, which may be rendered available in the healing art.  At a private conversazione, which I gave to the profession in London on the 1^st of March, 1842, he examined and tested my patients most carefully, submitted himself to be operated on by me both publicly and privately, and was so searching and inquisitive in his investigations as to call forth the animadversions of a medical gentleman present, who thought he was not giving me fair play; but which he has assured me proceeded from an anxious desire to know the truth, not being biased by having any peculiar views of his own to bring forward; and because he considered the subject most important, both in a speculative and practical point of view.

In his Electro-Biological Phenomena (1851) Braid describes a successful public demonstration delivered by him in Manchester, adding,

I was equally successful in operating upon a number of strangers together at a private conversazione, given to the profession in London, in March 1842, sixteen out of eighteen having passed into the sleep, simply by maintaining a steady fixed stare and fixed act of attention, whilst gazing at root of a chandelier.  Most of these had never been so tried before.  I never touched any one of them until their eyelids closed.  Mr Herbert Mayo, the eminent physiologist and surgeon, tested them, and ran a needle from the back to the palm of the hand of one patient without his (the patient) evincing the slightest consciousness of pain, or remembrance of it after awaking.

Dr. Mayo subsequently published his own favourable account entitled ‘On Mr. Braid’s experiments’, in the next volume of the Medical Times for 1852.

[Report by Anonymous Correspondent]

Mr. Braid delivered two very excellent lectures on this subject last week, one on Tuesday the 1^st of March, at the Hanover Square Rooms, the other, the following day, at the London Tavern.

The lecturer commenced by giving his audience a detailed explanation of the theory and phenomena of animal magnetism, and entered fully into the subject, illustrating the paper by physiological facts, and several interesting anecdotes.  He prefers the term “neuohypnology [sic., an obvious typographical mistake], or the rationale of nervous sleep,” to that of animal magnetism, and thinks that that term is more proper, inasmuch as the effect is produced through the medium of the nervous system. Several experiments performed after the lecture.

The first was a young woman, whom Mr. Braid directed to look at her own finger; in two minutes the face became flushed, the woman sighed, and the eyes closed. She was then requested to sit down, which she did; her arms were raised and also her legs; ammonia was placed under her nose, the galvanic battery applied, pins stuck in the forehead and legs, and without the woman evincing the slightest pain.  The second experiment was upon two deaf brothers, one of them was magnetised by looking upwards, and in three minutes the effect was produced.  Mr. Braid extended both arms, which remained so for some time; he then clapped his hands, and the boy instantly became de-mesmerised.  The experimenter stated that the hearing was increased twelvefold during the time the patient was under the influence of the magnetising process.  The elder brother was then subjected to the same process, and became magnetised in about three or four minutes; a percussion cap was fired at his ear when in this state, but no effect supervened.  It is a singular thing that [presumably at a different stage in the lecture] the pulse in this boy increased from 84 to 140[bpm], and Mr. Braid remarked that such was generally the case.  [Braid repeatedly makes this observation in his writings, which seems to be verified by the reporter.  The induction of rigid catalepsy seems to roughly double the pulse, raising it to a level more typical during intense aerobic exercise.]

The third experiment was upon his own footman [perhaps the young “man-servant” discussed in Neurypnology]. In this case he bandaged the man’s eyes and in three minutes he was asleep; he was subjected to nearly the same experiments as the preceding.  Mr. Braid then recovered him and directed the man to turn his eyes to the side; in a few minutes the eyes closed, and the most curious effect was produced; the man began gradually to turn round, a circumstance by no means uncommon with those who turn the eyes to the side (so the lecturer informed us).  [This phenomenon might be compared to Braid’s later observations on “muscular suggestion.”]

The fourth experiment was upon a young lady, whom Mr. Duncan [who had previously conducted lectures introducing Braid’s work to the London audience prior to his arrival] had been in the habit of experimenting on.  This was a very interesting case; after being magnetised, several objects were placed before her eyes (which were closed), and she distinctly names each article in succession [an illusory feat, later attributed by Braid to the ability to see through eyelids which are not properly closed]; she then walked about the platform, and knelt and arose at the request of the lecturer.

The last and concluding experiment was upon a young woman, who after going through nearly the same operations, finished by singing “off, off, says the stranger,” and it really seemed as if she were about to go off.

[Braid’s Letter to the Editor]

To the Editor of the Medical Times,

Sir,

I feel obliged by the kind note you have sent me stating your intention of honouring me by a report of my lecture.  I much regret you could not attend the conversazioni, but I shall furnish you with a brief account of what took place on that occasion.  When I had briefly explained to those present my theoretical views, and the ground on which I had come to such conclusions, I expressed my intention to exhibit the phenomena on some of the subjects I had brought with me; some stranger proposed that it might be still more satisfactory and convincing to all present, were I to operate on a stranger, to which I readily assented, provided any one present was willing to become the subject of experiment.  It was then announced that a person born deaf and dumb was present, and had come with the express desire to be operated on, and would now come forward if I chose to begin with him.  I assented, and the patient came forward accordingly.  He was totally deaf, was never known to have heard sound at any time in his life, and was 32 years of age.  In about eight minutes, I evinced to all present the most incontestable proof of hearing being restored.  I then operated on another stranger successfully, and on a third, who was one of my subjects; the varied phenomena intended, and expressed as meant to be exhibited by said patient, were all demonstrated, to the satisfaction of all present.  The next operated on was Herbert Mayo, Esq., so well known to the profession; afterwards my other subjects were operated on, exhibiting these varied phenomena, both mental and corporeal.  As the last experiment of the evening, eighteen were subject to their operation at once, and in ten minutes 16 of the number [89%] were all in a state of somnolency, and some in the cataleptiform state, with insensibility to pain, as tested both by myself and Mr. Mayo [who seems to have shoved a pin straight through his hand].  The other two did not comply with my injunctions.  For the correctness of this statement, I beg to refer you to Dr. [Archibald] Billing [a physician and medical author] and Mr. Herbert Mayo, who tested the patients, and neither of whom I had had the honour of knowing till that evening.  [In Hypnotic Therapeutics, 1853, Braid adds, that of this group, ‘twelve of whom had never been tried before’, the sixteen responsive subjects ‘went into the condition at same time, by gazing fixedly and abstractedly on the root of a chandelier.’]  I should feel obliged by your recording the fact now stated, in addition to what your reporter might see or hear at the public lecture.  In short, the whole of my experiments go to prove, that there is a law of the animal economy by which a continued fixation of the visual organ, and a constrained attention of the mind to one subject, which is not of itself of an exciting nature; a state of somnolency is induced, with a peculiar mobility of the whole system, which may be directed so as to exhibit the whole or greater part of the mesmeric phenomena.

The remarks of your talented correspondent, Mr. Barrallier, relative to Mr. Catlow’s experiments, are quite in accordance with my own views.  I had made experiments to prove this, and had come to the same conclusion as Mr. Barrallier before I was aware of his experiments, and have confirmed them many times since on different subjects.  Mr. C.’s cases on the sense of hearing, touch, taste, smelling, and muscular motion, were nothing beyond natural sleep, at any rate totally different from mesmeric sleep, unless in those cases where the patients had been repeatedly operated on in my way, or through the eye. After a certain time, and frequency of being operated on in this way, the brain has an impressibility stamped on it which renders the patient subject to be acted on entirely through the imagination, and this is the grand source of the follies which have misled Mr. C. and the animal magnetisers.  I feel most confident of this, and shall feel obliged by your publishing this letter to record what I believe to be the fact.

On my return home, I delivered a lecture at Birmingham on Thursday evening, 3^rd inst. [3^rd March 1842], when I exhibited a series of experiments which were quite conclusive on the subject.  I am to deliver another lecture in Manchester next Saturday evening, when I shall exhibit the same, and many more, illustrative of the imagined transposition of the senses [i.e., seeing with the stomach, and other supposed paranormal abilities called the “higher phenomena” of Mesmerism], and the magnetic power of attraction, a report of which shall be sent to some of our papers, which I shall correct if any mistakes should appear before I send it.

I beg leave further to state, that as I have operated successfully on the blind, it is evident it is not the optic nerve so much as the ganglionic or sympathetic systems and motor nerves of the eye, and state of the mind, which influence the system in this extraordinary manner.

I have the honour to be, Sir, your much obliged and obedient servant,

James Braid.

3, St. Peter’s Square, March 7^th 1842

PS. I may add, that last night I was called to a lady suffering the most agonizing Tic Douloroux.  In five minutes by my mode of inducing refreshing sleep, I succeeded in putting this patient into comfortable sleep, from which she did not awake till Sunday in the morning, being five and a half hours, and was then quite easy. By what other agency, I now ask, could such an effort have been induced.