Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism that brings you the ancient wisdom of this philosophy to our modern-day lives. Walking the digital streets, Brendan and Benny examine the ancient texts and tools through a current lens. The Stoics teach us to focus on the moment, and that’s how Stoicism should be approached. We have the foundation of the wise minds of the past and now it is our time to find the right application to this philosophy of life.
In our weekly episodes, we will dissect a wide range of topics and apply the Stoic teachings to them. It is our goal to show you the benefits of Stoicism and provide you with examples and tools to help you live a better and more peaceful life.
If you wish to contact us, you can visit Viastoica.com, or email us at info@viastoica.com. You can find us on X.com: @viastoica, Brendan:@BogglestheStoic, and Benny: @benny_viastoica. If you like the content we are providing you can support us by subscribing, leaving a rating, and a review. Furthermore, you can support us via Patreon as well.
Stoicism is a philosophy we adhere to in our daily lives. It helps us live better lives and it is our duty to share this with you. And remember, Virtue is the only good.
Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism that brings you the ancient wisdom of this philosophy to our modern-day lives. Walking the digital streets, Brendan and Benny examine the ancient texts and tools through a current lens. The Stoics teach us to focus on the moment, and that’s how Stoicism should be approached. We have the foundation of the wise minds of the past and now it is our time to find the right application to this philosophy of life.
In our weekly episodes, we will dissect a wide range of topics and apply the Stoic teachings to them. It is our goal to show you the benefits of Stoicism and provide you with examples and tools to help you live a better and more peaceful life.
If you wish to contact us, you can visit Viastoica.com, or email us at info@viastoica.com. You can find us on X.com: @viastoica, Brendan:@BogglestheStoic, and Benny: @benny_viastoica. If you like the content we are providing you can support us by subscribing, leaving a rating, and a review. Furthermore, you can support us via Patreon as well.
Stoicism is a philosophy we adhere to in our daily lives. It helps us live better lives and it is our duty to share this with you. And remember, Virtue is the only good.
Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the show where ancient wisdom meets modern life.
In this episode, Benny explores a passage from Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 1.9, a lesson Marcus attributes to his teacher Sextus:
“Not to display anger or other emotions; to be free of passion and yet full of love.”
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book 1.9
This quote captures a profound Stoic balance, emotional freedom without emotional emptiness. Marcus reminds himself that true strength lies not in suppressing feelings, but in mastering them through reason.
To be “free of passion” (apatheia) is not to be cold, but to live without being ruled by destructive impulses like anger or fear.
Seneca called anger “temporary madness,” and Epictetus taught that emotions begin as impressions, automatic responses we don’t control, but that what we do with them is up to us. The Stoic discipline of Assent helps us pause between feeling and action, so that love, kindness, and reason guide our response instead of passion and impulse.
This teaching also points to the discipline of Desire, learning not to crave emotional intensity, and instead to choose harmony. And through Action, we express virtue outwardly: gentleness, compassion, and integrity toward others.
How to Practice This Teaching:
When anger arises, recognize it as a pre-emotion, a reflex, not a command.
Pause before reacting, and ask: “What would love choose here?”
Cultivate the good emotions (eupatheiai), joy, wish, and caution that arise from virtue and clear thinking.
By freeing ourselves from destructive passions, we make space for a tender, affectionate heart, the kind Marcus admired in Sextus, and that remains a timeless expression of Stoic strength.
For more, check out this related article with quotes on anger and emotional control:
https://viastoica.com/what-is-the-stoic-emotional-focus/
And if you’re looking for more Stoic sayings, visit viastoica.com, where you’ll find hundreds of quotes with full references to the original texts:
https://viastoica.com/stoic-quotes
https://viastoica.com/marcus-aurelius-quotes
https://viastoica.com/epictetus-quotes
https://viastoica.com/seneca-quotes
Make sure to subscribe for more Stoic Quotes episodes every Friday, as well as our Tuesday interviews and longer discussions.
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