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Cicero, Stoicism, and the Academy

The Stoic Viewproving the existence of the gods; describing the nature of the g g gods; p ; providence, that is the , ordering of the universe by the gods; the solicitude of the gods for man. Cotta as Academic and Priest; the rejoinder of Academy.

Raphael, The School of Athens (151011)

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School of Athens: Figures

1. Plato. 2. Aristotle. 19. Self-portrait of Raphael. 20. Sodoma, Raphaels older contemporary and predecessor as papal painter. 21. Ptolemy (Hellenistic geographer). 22. Zoroaster (Persian prophet and magi). 23. Euclid (Greek geometry). 28. Diogenes (Cynic philosopher) 29. Heraclitus (Greek natural philosopher, face is of Michelangelo). 37. Epicurus. 40. Zeno, founder of Stoicism.

School of Athens details

Left: Plato, carrying his dialogue Timaeus, points upward, signifying the ideal world of Forms; Aristotle, holding his treatise Ethics, stretches his hand outwards, indicating the empirical world around us. Lower left: Zeno of the Stoics and Epicurus. Below: Michelangelos features grace the portrait of the natural philosopher Heraclitus; Diogenes the Cynic sprawls on the steps.

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Proofs of the Existence of Gods, 14 points

Heavenly bodies (4; Walsh, 48)

Cf. Psalm 19:1, Alma 30:44

Consensus (5; Walsh, 48) Epiphanies or divine manifestations (6; Walsh, 4849) Divination (712a; Walsh, 4951) Consensus again, this time because of signs in the universe (12b15; Walsh, 5153) The orderly universe (16; Walsh, 53) splendid house, great master comparison (17; Walsh, 53) Human reason implies a universal mind (18a; Walsh, 5354) Divine reason necessary for perfection of the universe (18b; Walsh, 54)

Sympathy or harmony of the physical and astronomical elements (19; Walsh, 54) Zenos argument: what which employs reason i b tt th th t l is better than that which does not; nothing is superior to the universe; it must have been created by the greatest Reason (20 22; Walsh, 5455) Arguments from physics: heat and its ultimate sourcegod! (2332; Walsh, 5559) Aristotles Great Chain of Being: vegetables, animals, h t bl i l humans, gods d (3339a; Walsh, 5961) Stars are divine (39b44; Walsh, 6162)

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Divine Nature, 4 points

Spherical (4549a; Walsh, 6364) Activerotate, progress, etc. (49b56; Walsh, 6467) ,p g , ( ; , ) Creative, artistic, providential (5760a; Walsh, 6768) Holy and purenot personifications with human frailities

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26. Cicero, Stoicism, and the Academy working

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Stoic Providence

Though not assigned, the complicated arguments in 73153 actually represent the heart of Stoic philosophy The world is ordered by the gods providence . . .

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26. Cicero, Stoicism, and the Academy working

Gods Solicitude for Man, six points

Everything in the world was provided for mans enjoyment (154 155; Walsh, 103104) The Vegetable kingdom (156158; Walsh, 104) The Animal kingdom (159161; Walsh, 104105) The Mineral kingdom (162; Walsh, 105) Divination (163; Walsh, 106) Divine care of states and individuals (164167; Walsh, 106107)

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26. Cicero, Stoicism, and the Academy working

26. Cicero, Stoicism, and the Academy working

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Cottas Position Reviewed

As an Academic (later Platonist), he finds it easier to prove what is not true rather than what is As a Roman pontiff (religious expert), he believes that worshiping the gods is important, even if we cannot be certain that (or how) they exists (5, Walsh, 109) Does not demand proof from the maiores or ancestors, but from philosophers he expects it! (6, Walsh, 109)

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Cottas Refutations of Stoicism

Of divine existence (in 5 points; 719 , Walsh, 110114 )

Stoics overstress their point, especially on consensus Epiphanies may just be rumors, old wives tales Cotta believes that gods exist but does not think that Balbus has proven it! (15, Walsh, 113) Nature, not the gods, is responsible for the universe and its order If the stars are ordered by gods, did they also determine the return of periodic fevers? (25, Walsh, 116) Fire goes out without fuel, is not the only element needed for life Too many traditional gods! (omit 4464, Walsh, 123131)

Of divine nature (in 12 points; 2064 , Walsh, 114131) 20 64 114 131)

Of providence (in 5 points; 65 . . . , Walsh, 131133): most of this set of arguments 131 has been lost from the text Of divine solicitude of man (in 9 points; 6693, Walsh,133145)

Is God weak unwilling or grudging? (65g Walsh, 133) weak, unwilling, (65g, Walsh Reason is given to the wicked and the conniving as well as the good! (examples of Medea and Thyestes) The wicked prosper and the good often fail (example of the tyrant Dionysius of Syracuse)

Sounds almost like Ecclesiastes!

Stoic argument that the gods do not pay attention to the details is inane

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Summary of Arguments

Cotta did not intend to deny the gods but to show that Balbus had not proved their existence (94, Walsh, 145) In sum, Epicurean gods were too inactive, Stoic gods were too busy! Dialogue closes with Velleius thinking that Cottas arguments won the day, but Cicero, the largely mute listener, feels that Balbus seemed to come more closely to a semblance of the truth (95c, Walsh, 146)

By training Cicero was an Academic, but by temperament, and as a traditional Roman, he was more inclined to the Stoic position!

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26. Cicero, Stoicism, and the Academy working