Stoicism and Women

Women’s Voices can be heard in Stoicism... we just need to listen carefully enough (say Kai Whiting and Leonidas Konstantakos!)

Professor Nancy Sherman stated in 2021 that contemporary forms of Stoicism have become an industry. And a mega-industry at that. While many of these forms have little to do with Stoic philosophy, she is right. It is also clear that, like all industries, Stoicism is predominantly led by men. Most modern-day popularizers and academics linked to Stoicism happen to be men (we are two men). Most of those that profess an interest in Stoicism happen to be men. Some of the most deluded fans of popularized Stoicism even champion the idea that only men can be virtuous (within the Stoic community we call this group the “Broics”). Not only is such an interpretation highly toxic - it is just plain wrong. And, you don’t come to that conclusion just because you have read Donna Zuckerberg’s Not All Dead White Men. The Stoic writings of Musonius Rufus, Epictetus, and Seneca the Younger make it clear that the ability to act virtuously is not contingent on one’s sex or gender identity.

Photo of the Goddess Athena (after the East pediment of the Parthenon) taken by Mark Cartwright

Musonius, in particular, advocated for women to be taught philosophy so that, like men, they too could progress towards a life well-lived. He did so because he believed that women had received the same cognitive abilities and natural inclinations towards virtue as their male counterparts. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given Musonius’ views, the feminist philosopher Mary Wollstonecraft was influenced by Stoicism and likewise emphasized the overarching goal of, and human capacity for, a flourishing life. Like Musonius, she believed that all humans could learn to act rationally and morally.

The Roman historian Plutarch and the biographer Diogenes Laërtius highlight that the quest for virtue doesn’t only concern men. Plutarch documents the stories of the powerful Spartan queens Agiatis, Archidamia, and Agesistrata[i]. His point was to illustrate the fact that these women led by example when attempting to bring about the much needed socioeconomic and land reforms in Hellenistic Sparta. For his part, Diogenes dedicated time and effort to recording the story of Zeno’s philosophical foster-mother and Cynic philosopher, Hipparchia[ii]. Diogenes also highlights the fact that Stoic philosophy owes its very existence to the wisdom of the Oracle, one of the most powerful of women’s voices in all of history[iii]. If not for her, in all likelihood, Zeno would have remained destitute and lost following his shipwreck! The fact that there is so little ink dedicated to any of these women in contemporary Stoic books, blogs, and social media posts suggests, to us at least, a lack of knowledge, not a lack of interest. So, let’s play our part in changing that.

What did the Ancient Stoics say about women?

In his Discourses 3.1, Musonius Rufus very explicitly states that there is zero difference between men and women in terms of their ability to act rationally and virtuously:

Women have received from the gods the same reasoning power as men—the power which we employ with each other and according to which we consider whether each action is good or bad, and honorable or shameful... In addition, a desire for virtue and an affinity for it belong by nature not only to men but also to women[iv].

He explained, in the very same lesson, the value of being a philosophically educated woman. Specifically, he stated that a woman who has studied philosophy is a better manager of the estate and is more likely to be happy and self-reliant. He also labeled women who truly understand the philosophy as “philosophers,” not simply as “educated.” Clearly, Discourses 3 lies in direct contrast to any contemporary perspective that holds that Stoicism is only for men or that it is only of value if you happen to be a man! In Discourses 4.3, Musonius justifies his claim for equal education:

 Someone might say that courage is an appropriate characteristic for men only, but this is not so. It is also necessary for a woman—at least for a most noble one—to be courageous and free from cowardice so that she is overcome neither by pain nor by fear.

It isn’t just Musonius who expects women to receive a philosophical education. Epictetus too, albeit in a much more matter-of-fact tone, also makes it clear that women (and men) should be taught philosophical principles[v], if they are to understand what constitutes an “appropriate act” (kathekonta). He evidently sees no reason why women cannot be philosophers. Seneca also shares similar sentiments when it comes to the education of his mother. Far from wishing to deny her a good education or thinking that it was inappropriate for her to have obtained one, he writes in a public letter to her (Consolation to Helvia 17):

“If only my father, who really was the best of men, had resisted the tradition of his ancestors and let you make a thorough study of philosophy, rather than just a smattering! Thanks to your keen intellectual appetite, you learned more than one could have expected in the time[vi].

Of course, if we were to read the Stoics uncharitably, we could highlight that their discussions about women in the abstract way is not very different to the contemporary practice of touting inclusivity by asking a female expert to interview a completely male expert panel (a “manel”). Yes, her voice is being heard but, really, she is being judged according to her ability to make the men look good! Perhaps, it’s not an entirely fair point, but it is important that we raise it if we are to be intellectually honest about Stoicism’s past and work towards justice in the future.

Queen Agiatis’ Story

Agiatis, the 3rd century BCE Spartan Queen, plays a significant role in Stoicism’s history. Yet, while the Sparta of Hollywood holds center stage in amongst contemporary Stoic groups, she is barely mentioned. This is despite her role in standing up against an oligarchical murderous regime. We highlight this irony in our book Being Better: Stoicism for a World Worth Living In, for what could be more Stoic than having the courage to take the fight to the powerful and passing socioeconomic and land reforms in the name of justice, even at great personal cost?

We told Agiatis’ story in our book precisely because it is the quintessential hero’s journey. It also proves the ancient Stoics claims that an educated woman who courageously stands up for justice, employs self-control to keep her wits about her, and wisely goes about assisting in a just revolution is an asset to her community, her family and herself. Agiatis accomplished all this at the very moment that her world was turned upside down following the murder of her husband, King Agis IV, and her in-laws by the very man, Leonidas II, who left her little option but to marry his son, the future king Kleomenes III. As we explain in our book:

Even though Agiatis, out of love and devotion to the memory of her dead husband, Agis, grieved deeply over his demise, she agreed to marry Kleomenes and become his wife. She did her royal duties well and showed genuine affection to Leonidas’ son, who equally doted on her. However, Leonidas didn’t count on Agiatis’ loyalty to Sparta and her commitment to bring Agis’ social, political, and educational reforms into fruition. He also severely underestimated her ability to keep the ball firmly in her court and beat him at his own game. Agiatis countered Leonidas’ power moves by encouraging Kleomenes to become the hero who would restore Sparta to its former glory. Kleomenes eagerly listened to her, and he often asked her about Agis’ character strengths and flaws and his notions for reform. Before long, Agis’ plans became Kleomenes’ vision.

Contemporary Female Stoic Stories

We feel that it is particularly appropriate to briefly mention how women are contributing to Stoicism and moving the philosophy forward today. Firstly, it is not coincidental that we used Cynthia King’s or Emily Wilson’s translations of the classic Stoic texts. Equally, we could have chosen a passage from Sharon Lebell’s extremely accessible re-interpretation of Epictetus’ words in her book Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness. We might have also chosen to highlight Liz Gloyn’s work on The Ethics of the Family in Seneca, Margaret Graver’s Stoicism and Emotions or Julia Annas’ excellent book Intelligent Virtue.

Outside of authored endeavors, women are increasingly contributing to the conversation about, and application of, Stoic principles in everyday life. Kathryn Koromillas and Brittany Polat organized the first all woman’s Stoic conference, which had a peak attendance of 220 people. Eve Riches and Brittany Polat run Stoic Care, a non-profit initiative that gives caregivers Stoic-based tools to better handle the pressures that teaching, volunteering and formal/informal forms of personal care typically involve. Santara Gonzales is the co-founder and director of the non-profit organization Wisdom Unlocked, which runs Stoic educational programs and events in Californian women’s prisons. Kellys Rodriguez is the leader of the Madrid Stoic group and has helped develop contemporary Stoic material that is written in the Spanish language and built upon Hispanic culture. Sofia Linha has launched a Stoicism podcast in Portuguese and co-runs the Stoa Lisboa group with the aim of making Stoic teaching more accessible for Lusophones. All these initiatives highlight the fact that women are increasing at the forefront of developing practical tools that are rooted in Stoic philosophy. In short, Stoic women are finding their voices and it’s about time they were heard.

Notes:

Leonidas Konstantakos is a co-author of Being Better: Stoicism for a World Worth Living in.

This article is an updated version of one Leo and Kai originally published in 2021 on Classical Wisdom.

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[i] See Plutarch’s Life of Agis and Life of Kleomenes.

[ii] See Lives of the Eminent Philosophers 6.96-98

[iii] See Lives of the Eminent Philosophers 7.2

[iv] All translations of Musonius Rufus’ Discourses are from Cynthia King (2011)

[v] Specifically  Discourses 3.24.22

[vi] Taken from: Emily Wilson’s (2015). Seneca: A Life. Penguin UK.