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In this paper I will discuss the problematic relationship between individual and community in Ari... more In this paper I will discuss the problematic relationship between individual and community in Aristotle's Politics from the point of view of happiness, as a key concept in the political and already ethical thought of the Stagirian philosopher. After having gone through the argument leading, in the Nicomachean Ethics, to the statement of a definition of happiness, we will ask ourselves if man shall attain it as an individual. We will therefore investigate the notion of individual, attempting firstly to define it according to the cultural parameters of classical Greece, and secondly to test if Aristotle's doctrine leaves the individual the possibility to reach happiness. The result of both our investigations being negative, we will be forced to ascend from the individual level to that of the community, and to enquire about the conditions of common happiness. We will thus be able, at last, to describe the relationship between the latter and the happiness of a single man.

Books by Gabriele Flamigni

In the “Charmides” Plato ascribes to Socrates the recourse to a curious metaphor. To young Charmi... more In the “Charmides” Plato ascribes to Socrates the recourse to a curious metaphor. To young Charmides, who is in need of a headache therapy, he explains that this ought to be preceded by a cure for his soul. “The treatment of the soul –Socrates puts it – is by means of certain charms, and these charms are kaloi logoi”. The study of this image of the charm allows the author of this book to discuss a key concept in Plato’s oeuvre: persuasion, as the subtitle reads. The main outcome of this enquiry is the sketching of an original reworking of the relationship between philosophy and rhetoric, which is often flattened to a mere opposition. Socrates is not a rhetorician, nor is Gorgias a philosopher, but both of them claim to be aiming at persuading the others. And philosophical persuasion, though in a certain sense is something completely different from the rhetorical one, in another shows itself as the offspring of a compulsory compromise of the philosopher with the rhetorician’s activity.

Conference Presentations by Gabriele Flamigni

Colloque international “Les nouveaux fragments du « Nouvel Apulée » dans le palimpseste Veronensis XL (38)”, 2023

Colloquio Internazionale "Paradeigmata Voluntatis 3", 2023

Il convegno è dedicato al tema di ricerca internazionale: PARADEIGMATA VOLUNTATIS. Prosegue il pe... more Il convegno è dedicato al tema di ricerca internazionale: PARADEIGMATA VOLUNTATIS. Prosegue il percorso iniziato nel settembre 2018 con i Colloques di Bordeaux: "La naissance de la volonté".

Royal Holloway Workshop in Stoicism: Stoic Physics, 2023

In Med. 8.7 Marcus Aurelius states that the universal Nature, i.e., the unhindered, rational, and... more In Med. 8.7 Marcus Aurelius states that the universal Nature, i.e., the unhindered, rational, and just principle governing the world, assigns to each being several things equally and according to some value (κατ’ ἀξίαν): these include certain shares of time, substance, cause, activity, and experience. This claim raises two questions, an ontological one, and, so to speak, another concerning “theodicy”: what kinds of things are being dispensed by Nature, and what is the parameter of its distribution? Some scholars have already, to some extent, convincingly dealt with the former issue, and Marcus’ use of the same vocabulary elsewhere in his work helps us understand what he means by such terms as χρόνοι, οὐσία, αἰτία, ἐνέργεια, and σύμβασις. Instead, the latter problem remains unsolved. Med. 9.1 implies that the ἀξία serving as the parameter of the “cosmic allotment” pertains to the individual beings benefiting from it. However, this chapter rules out the theoretically most (though factually least) obvious hypothesis, viz. that Nature gives to each being commonly desirable or undesirable things according to their merit, e.g., pleasures to good people and pains to bad ones. This intriguing puzzle regarding the justice that rulesthe world is all the more urgent since it entails an ethical and political dilemma. It is not by chance that Marcus describes this operation of Nature with the same words appearing in the Stoics’ definition of the virtue of justice, explicitly endorsed by Marcus: since, from his Stoic perspective, human nature is part of the universal one, the latter ought to be taken as a model of conduct by humans, and, along the same lines, the justice of universal Nature must serve as a paradigm for justice as a human virtue. Therefore, grasping the rules of cosmic allotment is fundamental for humans to become just. In my paper, by analysing the Stoic conception of justice and Marcus’ polyvalent use of the vocabulary of value, I suggest that underlying this question of theodicy is an interactive analogy between cosmology and morality: if, on the one side, human justice has the divine organization of the world as its axiological criterion, on the other, the cosmos can be metaphorically depicted as ordered by a principle of justice, to make its complexity intuitive. As a result of this exegesis, the parameter of cosmic allotment, i.e., individual worth, proves to represent the destiny that universal Nature has granted to each reality and that they must accept as beneficial to the fulfillment of Nature’s providential plan for the world as a whole. These findings not only lead us to appreciate the richness of Marcus Aurelius’ self-didactic resources, but they also have a backlash on our understanding of the relationship between Stoic physics and ethics, usually grasped in terms of a natural foundation of morality. Contrariwise, the case examined here shows that this relationship is not that straightforward: physics and ethics sometimes concur to shape a single doctrine, which is thus essentially poised between different domains.

16th London Ancient Science Conference, 2023

The topic of my paper is the idea that the Stoic concept of kathēkon concerns plants. This doctri... more The topic of my paper is the idea that the Stoic concept of kathēkon concerns plants. This doctrine, attested, though unexplained, by Diog. Laert., 7.107, is apparently unparalleled in the other sources. This doesn’t seem odd, since kathēkonta pertain to ethics. So far, the scholarship has shed little light on this encroachment of botany into ethics. The main achievements in this regard are intuitions about what sort of things, and why, Stoics would call ‘plant kathēkonta’. However, they are seldom based on an assessment of the place of plants within Stoic philosophy, nor on examples of plant kathēkonta found in ancient sources. It is precisely by understanding how the Stoics conceived plants and by detecting illustrations of their “proper functions” that I shall try to answer this puzzle. I thus conclude that plant kathēkonta are processes granting plants to live healthy and whose label as kathēkonta finds justification within the doctrine of oikeiōsis. These findings have a backlash on our understanding of the relationship between Stoic physics and ethics, usually grasped in terms of a natural foundation of morality. Contrariwise, the case of plant kathēkonta shows that this relationship is more complex: physics and ethics sometimes concur to shape a single concept, which is thus poised between different domains.

At this workshop I presented a paper titled “Officia calculemus. An attempt of integration of the... more At this workshop I presented a paper titled “Officia calculemus. An attempt of integration of the Stoics’ methods of the εὕρεσις καθήκοντος”. In my presentation I examined how the Stoics, particularly the Early ones, dealt with the question of the so-called “discovery of the befitting act”, i.e. a procedure to determine the behaviour fit for a certain agent in a certain circumstance. The first claim I defended is that, according to the Stoics, this determination requires that one considers multiple factors, pertaining to the personality of the agent, their social network and environment, as well as to a moral ideal. I further claim that, for this reason, the Stoics designed different heuristic methods, though some ancient sources suggest that they also envisaged various ways to integrate multiple methods into a single one.

At this seminar I presented a paper titled “ Considérations sur la question de la découverte du c... more At this seminar I presented a paper titled “ Considérations sur la question de la découverte du convenable (εὕρεσις καθήκοντος) dans l’éthique stoïcienne”. In my speech, focusing on the Stoic question of the so-called “discovery of the befitting act”, I advocated for the explanation of this idea in terms of the determination of the conduct that is “adequate” – in a peculiar sense – for a certain human agent in a certain situation. This determination appears to require that one takes into account several elements, such as their personality, social network and the Stoic moral ideal. Therefore, in ancient sources we find different heuristic methods attributed to the Stoics. However, there is also good evidence that the Stoics designed various solutions to integrate multiple methods into one.

At this convention I presented a paper titled “What Should Women? The Stoics on Gender-Role Divis... more At this convention I presented a paper titled “What Should Women? The Stoics on Gender-Role Division”. The theme of my speech was a reconstruction of the Stoics’ thinking on womanhood. In particular, I examined their reflections on the question whether it is convenient to classify certain activities as appropriate (καθήκοντα, officia) for man and others for woman. This study allowed me, in the first place, to shed light on the Stoic notion of appropriate activity, which is the object of a current debate among scholars. Secondly, my analysis gave us some elements to assess the existence of a theoretical stand shared by the Stoics regarding the social role of women and how peculiar their stand is, in comparison to their socio-cultural environment.

At this convention I presented a paper titled “Walking at the same pace. On the Relevance and Mod... more At this convention I presented a paper titled “Walking at the same pace. On the Relevance and Models of Clarity in Epictetus’ Teaching”. The object of my speech was an analysis of some chapters from Epictetus’ Discourses aimed at showing the relevance of the notion of clarity (ἐνάργεια) in his theory of didactic communication. I discussed both his methodological reflection on this subject and his implementation of this method. Before doing so, I presented the main ancient conceptions of ἐνάργεια and summarized the existing critical literature on the theme of my speech. Lastly, I ran through the models of Epictetus’ theory of communicative clarity.

At this convention I presented a paper titled “La crisi elenctica e la sua gestione nell’insegnam... more At this convention I presented a paper titled “La crisi elenctica e la sua gestione nell’insegnamento di Epitteto” (The elenctic crisis and its management in Epictetus’ teaching). The aim of my intervention was to analyze some occurrences of the Socratic ἔλεγχος in Epictetus’ Discourses. I started by recalling the Socratic paradigm, in order to define the forms of the ἔλεγχος, to grasp its ethopoietic purpose and to circumscribe the concept of elenctic crisis. I then assessed the importance of Epictetus’ reprise of the Socratic model. Finally, I tried to remark his skills in practicing this dialogical strategy and the fact that he shares with Socrates the need to modulate his words so as to allow his interlocutor to get over the crisis usually following the refutation.

Papers by Gabriele Flamigni

Philosophie antique, 2022

SVF III 514 reproduces a text from the rhetorician Fronto’s correspondence (De el. II, 4-5) conta... more SVF III 514 reproduces a text from the rhetorician Fronto’s correspondence (De el. II, 4-5) containing a classification of officia. The place of this theory in the Stoic domain of the καθῆκον, within which von Arnim puts it, and its function in Fronto’s argument are not evident. Several scholars have attempted an explanation of one issue or the other, but an extensive study integrating both is missing. In this contribution we try to fill this gap by analysing the set of Fronto’s letters thematically linked to the one in which the classification of officia appears and by comparing the latter to some Stoic testimonies on καθήκοντα. From this we infer that the theory reported by Fronto belongs to the question of the ‘discovery of the befitting act’ and implements the Stoic doctrine of the ‘genres’. The orator resorts to this theory to persuade his addressee, Marcus Aurelius, of the need for him to put into practice the rhetorical style Fronto taught him ; Fronto turns to this theory to convince Marcus Aurelius by means of a tenet borrowed from the Stoic philosophy, dear to the Emperor. With this study, we hope to enrich the discussion between the researchers on Fronto and Stoicism.

The Limits of Exactitude in Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Literature and Textual Transmission, 2022

In Epict. diss. 2.12 Epictetus stresses the importance of talking clearly (ἐναργής) when teaching... more In Epict. diss. 2.12 Epictetus stresses the importance of talking clearly (ἐναργής) when teaching, without explaining what that means. The inquiry led hereafter results in discovering that this form of communication is defined by the description of concepts in sensory terms, the reference to the addressee, the use of dialogue and images, and a logical analysis of words. It is then easy to prove that Epictetus uses this technique. This study is structured in three parts. Firstly, a history of ἐνάργεια is sketched. We then examine Epict. diss. 2.12 by comparing Epictetus’, the Stoics’, and the rhetorical notion of ἐνάργεια. Finally, the didactic strategies of Socrates and Musonius Rufus are detected as two relevant models for Epictetus’ ἐνάργεια. The results of this study allow us to appreciate a key feature of Epictetus’ didactic methodology largely overlooked. Hopefully, this essay will contribute to the debate on the rhetoric of philosophical discourse.

Ethics, Politics & Society, 2021

The aim of this paper is to enquire if the Stoics consider certain social activities appropriate ... more The aim of this paper is to enquire if the Stoics consider certain social activities appropriate only for men or women, a much-debated question in the scholarship. Here it is argued that the Stoics are not committed to gendered divisions of tasks. This claim is pled through an analysis of the various testimonies and of the Stoic notion of appropriate activity (καθῆκον). This result leads to reconsider the Stoics’ stand within their cultural environment and will hopefully contribute to the debate on their thinking on womanhood. This study is thus structured: firstly, the notion of καθῆκον is presented; next, the evidence of the Stoic use of gender as a parameter in determining καθήκοντα is discussed; then, a reconstruction of the social role the early Stoics assigned to women in their planned constitutions is attempted; finally, the reflection of later Stoics on the role of women in actual societies is addressed.

‘Argomenti ed emozioni. Epitteto interprete dell’ἔλεγχος socratico’, 2020

The object of this contribution is Epictetus' reprise of the Socratic ἔλεγχος. I underline Epicte... more The object of this contribution is Epictetus' reprise of the Socratic ἔλεγχος. I underline Epictetus' cognition of the characteristics of this technique and his ability in implementing it. Before doing so, I recall the Socratic paradigm, in order to define the forms and goals of the ἔλεγχος.

Méthexis, 2020

Many scholars rely on a passage from Arrian’s Discourses (II 11.1–6) to interpret Epictetus’ gnos... more Many scholars rely on a passage from Arrian’s Discourses (II 11.1–6) to interpret Epictetus’ gnoseology as divergent from Stoic tradition. They find in this passage an expression of innatism, starting from the statement that «we come» (to an unuttered whither) carrying certain preconceptions (προλήψεις) or innate conceptions (ἔμφυτοι ἔννοιαι): this would allude to man ‘coming into the world’ not completely ignorant. This reading, relying upon an unlikely translation, finds no parallel elsewhere in our evidences on Epictetus. Contrariwise, it can be undermined by a comparison with one of those, with two excerpts concerning Musonius Rufus and with other evidences on Stoic gnoseology. The new reading of the passage proposed here, justified from a linguistic perspective, enables to preserve Epictetus’ adherence to Stoic gnoseology: here he is not alluding to the genesis of knowledge in man, but to the cognitive condition of one about to embark on his philosophical training.

Book Reviews by Gabriele Flamigni

Philosophie antique, 2022

In this paper I will discuss the problematic relationship between individual and community in Ari... more In this paper I will discuss the problematic relationship between individual and community in Aristotle's Politics from the point of view of happiness, as a key concept in the political and already ethical thought of the Stagirian philosopher. After having gone through the argument leading, in the Nicomachean Ethics, to the statement of a definition of happiness, we will ask ourselves if man shall attain it as an individual. We will therefore investigate the notion of individual, attempting firstly to define it according to the cultural parameters of classical Greece, and secondly to test if Aristotle's doctrine leaves the individual the possibility to reach happiness. The result of both our investigations being negative, we will be forced to ascend from the individual level to that of the community, and to enquire about the conditions of common happiness. We will thus be able, at last, to describe the relationship between the latter and the happiness of a single man.

In the “Charmides” Plato ascribes to Socrates the recourse to a curious metaphor. To young Charmi... more In the “Charmides” Plato ascribes to Socrates the recourse to a curious metaphor. To young Charmides, who is in need of a headache therapy, he explains that this ought to be preceded by a cure for his soul. “The treatment of the soul –Socrates puts it – is by means of certain charms, and these charms are kaloi logoi”. The study of this image of the charm allows the author of this book to discuss a key concept in Plato’s oeuvre: persuasion, as the subtitle reads. The main outcome of this enquiry is the sketching of an original reworking of the relationship between philosophy and rhetoric, which is often flattened to a mere opposition. Socrates is not a rhetorician, nor is Gorgias a philosopher, but both of them claim to be aiming at persuading the others. And philosophical persuasion, though in a certain sense is something completely different from the rhetorical one, in another shows itself as the offspring of a compulsory compromise of the philosopher with the rhetorician’s activity.

Colloque international “Les nouveaux fragments du « Nouvel Apulée » dans le palimpseste Veronensis XL (38)”, 2023

Colloquio Internazionale "Paradeigmata Voluntatis 3", 2023

Il convegno è dedicato al tema di ricerca internazionale: PARADEIGMATA VOLUNTATIS. Prosegue il pe... more Il convegno è dedicato al tema di ricerca internazionale: PARADEIGMATA VOLUNTATIS. Prosegue il percorso iniziato nel settembre 2018 con i Colloques di Bordeaux: "La naissance de la volonté".

Royal Holloway Workshop in Stoicism: Stoic Physics, 2023

In Med. 8.7 Marcus Aurelius states that the universal Nature, i.e., the unhindered, rational, and... more In Med. 8.7 Marcus Aurelius states that the universal Nature, i.e., the unhindered, rational, and just principle governing the world, assigns to each being several things equally and according to some value (κατ’ ἀξίαν): these include certain shares of time, substance, cause, activity, and experience. This claim raises two questions, an ontological one, and, so to speak, another concerning “theodicy”: what kinds of things are being dispensed by Nature, and what is the parameter of its distribution? Some scholars have already, to some extent, convincingly dealt with the former issue, and Marcus’ use of the same vocabulary elsewhere in his work helps us understand what he means by such terms as χρόνοι, οὐσία, αἰτία, ἐνέργεια, and σύμβασις. Instead, the latter problem remains unsolved. Med. 9.1 implies that the ἀξία serving as the parameter of the “cosmic allotment” pertains to the individual beings benefiting from it. However, this chapter rules out the theoretically most (though factually least) obvious hypothesis, viz. that Nature gives to each being commonly desirable or undesirable things according to their merit, e.g., pleasures to good people and pains to bad ones. This intriguing puzzle regarding the justice that rulesthe world is all the more urgent since it entails an ethical and political dilemma. It is not by chance that Marcus describes this operation of Nature with the same words appearing in the Stoics’ definition of the virtue of justice, explicitly endorsed by Marcus: since, from his Stoic perspective, human nature is part of the universal one, the latter ought to be taken as a model of conduct by humans, and, along the same lines, the justice of universal Nature must serve as a paradigm for justice as a human virtue. Therefore, grasping the rules of cosmic allotment is fundamental for humans to become just. In my paper, by analysing the Stoic conception of justice and Marcus’ polyvalent use of the vocabulary of value, I suggest that underlying this question of theodicy is an interactive analogy between cosmology and morality: if, on the one side, human justice has the divine organization of the world as its axiological criterion, on the other, the cosmos can be metaphorically depicted as ordered by a principle of justice, to make its complexity intuitive. As a result of this exegesis, the parameter of cosmic allotment, i.e., individual worth, proves to represent the destiny that universal Nature has granted to each reality and that they must accept as beneficial to the fulfillment of Nature’s providential plan for the world as a whole. These findings not only lead us to appreciate the richness of Marcus Aurelius’ self-didactic resources, but they also have a backlash on our understanding of the relationship between Stoic physics and ethics, usually grasped in terms of a natural foundation of morality. Contrariwise, the case examined here shows that this relationship is not that straightforward: physics and ethics sometimes concur to shape a single doctrine, which is thus essentially poised between different domains.

16th London Ancient Science Conference, 2023

The topic of my paper is the idea that the Stoic concept of kathēkon concerns plants. This doctri... more The topic of my paper is the idea that the Stoic concept of kathēkon concerns plants. This doctrine, attested, though unexplained, by Diog. Laert., 7.107, is apparently unparalleled in the other sources. This doesn’t seem odd, since kathēkonta pertain to ethics. So far, the scholarship has shed little light on this encroachment of botany into ethics. The main achievements in this regard are intuitions about what sort of things, and why, Stoics would call ‘plant kathēkonta’. However, they are seldom based on an assessment of the place of plants within Stoic philosophy, nor on examples of plant kathēkonta found in ancient sources. It is precisely by understanding how the Stoics conceived plants and by detecting illustrations of their “proper functions” that I shall try to answer this puzzle. I thus conclude that plant kathēkonta are processes granting plants to live healthy and whose label as kathēkonta finds justification within the doctrine of oikeiōsis. These findings have a backlash on our understanding of the relationship between Stoic physics and ethics, usually grasped in terms of a natural foundation of morality. Contrariwise, the case of plant kathēkonta shows that this relationship is more complex: physics and ethics sometimes concur to shape a single concept, which is thus poised between different domains.

At this workshop I presented a paper titled “Officia calculemus. An attempt of integration of the... more At this workshop I presented a paper titled “Officia calculemus. An attempt of integration of the Stoics’ methods of the εὕρεσις καθήκοντος”. In my presentation I examined how the Stoics, particularly the Early ones, dealt with the question of the so-called “discovery of the befitting act”, i.e. a procedure to determine the behaviour fit for a certain agent in a certain circumstance. The first claim I defended is that, according to the Stoics, this determination requires that one considers multiple factors, pertaining to the personality of the agent, their social network and environment, as well as to a moral ideal. I further claim that, for this reason, the Stoics designed different heuristic methods, though some ancient sources suggest that they also envisaged various ways to integrate multiple methods into a single one.

At this seminar I presented a paper titled “ Considérations sur la question de la découverte du c... more At this seminar I presented a paper titled “ Considérations sur la question de la découverte du convenable (εὕρεσις καθήκοντος) dans l’éthique stoïcienne”. In my speech, focusing on the Stoic question of the so-called “discovery of the befitting act”, I advocated for the explanation of this idea in terms of the determination of the conduct that is “adequate” – in a peculiar sense – for a certain human agent in a certain situation. This determination appears to require that one takes into account several elements, such as their personality, social network and the Stoic moral ideal. Therefore, in ancient sources we find different heuristic methods attributed to the Stoics. However, there is also good evidence that the Stoics designed various solutions to integrate multiple methods into one.

At this convention I presented a paper titled “What Should Women? The Stoics on Gender-Role Divis... more At this convention I presented a paper titled “What Should Women? The Stoics on Gender-Role Division”. The theme of my speech was a reconstruction of the Stoics’ thinking on womanhood. In particular, I examined their reflections on the question whether it is convenient to classify certain activities as appropriate (καθήκοντα, officia) for man and others for woman. This study allowed me, in the first place, to shed light on the Stoic notion of appropriate activity, which is the object of a current debate among scholars. Secondly, my analysis gave us some elements to assess the existence of a theoretical stand shared by the Stoics regarding the social role of women and how peculiar their stand is, in comparison to their socio-cultural environment.

At this convention I presented a paper titled “Walking at the same pace. On the Relevance and Mod... more At this convention I presented a paper titled “Walking at the same pace. On the Relevance and Models of Clarity in Epictetus’ Teaching”. The object of my speech was an analysis of some chapters from Epictetus’ Discourses aimed at showing the relevance of the notion of clarity (ἐνάργεια) in his theory of didactic communication. I discussed both his methodological reflection on this subject and his implementation of this method. Before doing so, I presented the main ancient conceptions of ἐνάργεια and summarized the existing critical literature on the theme of my speech. Lastly, I ran through the models of Epictetus’ theory of communicative clarity.

At this convention I presented a paper titled “La crisi elenctica e la sua gestione nell’insegnam... more At this convention I presented a paper titled “La crisi elenctica e la sua gestione nell’insegnamento di Epitteto” (The elenctic crisis and its management in Epictetus’ teaching). The aim of my intervention was to analyze some occurrences of the Socratic ἔλεγχος in Epictetus’ Discourses. I started by recalling the Socratic paradigm, in order to define the forms of the ἔλεγχος, to grasp its ethopoietic purpose and to circumscribe the concept of elenctic crisis. I then assessed the importance of Epictetus’ reprise of the Socratic model. Finally, I tried to remark his skills in practicing this dialogical strategy and the fact that he shares with Socrates the need to modulate his words so as to allow his interlocutor to get over the crisis usually following the refutation.

Philosophie antique, 2022

SVF III 514 reproduces a text from the rhetorician Fronto’s correspondence (De el. II, 4-5) conta... more SVF III 514 reproduces a text from the rhetorician Fronto’s correspondence (De el. II, 4-5) containing a classification of officia. The place of this theory in the Stoic domain of the καθῆκον, within which von Arnim puts it, and its function in Fronto’s argument are not evident. Several scholars have attempted an explanation of one issue or the other, but an extensive study integrating both is missing. In this contribution we try to fill this gap by analysing the set of Fronto’s letters thematically linked to the one in which the classification of officia appears and by comparing the latter to some Stoic testimonies on καθήκοντα. From this we infer that the theory reported by Fronto belongs to the question of the ‘discovery of the befitting act’ and implements the Stoic doctrine of the ‘genres’. The orator resorts to this theory to persuade his addressee, Marcus Aurelius, of the need for him to put into practice the rhetorical style Fronto taught him ; Fronto turns to this theory to convince Marcus Aurelius by means of a tenet borrowed from the Stoic philosophy, dear to the Emperor. With this study, we hope to enrich the discussion between the researchers on Fronto and Stoicism.

The Limits of Exactitude in Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Literature and Textual Transmission, 2022

In Epict. diss. 2.12 Epictetus stresses the importance of talking clearly (ἐναργής) when teaching... more In Epict. diss. 2.12 Epictetus stresses the importance of talking clearly (ἐναργής) when teaching, without explaining what that means. The inquiry led hereafter results in discovering that this form of communication is defined by the description of concepts in sensory terms, the reference to the addressee, the use of dialogue and images, and a logical analysis of words. It is then easy to prove that Epictetus uses this technique. This study is structured in three parts. Firstly, a history of ἐνάργεια is sketched. We then examine Epict. diss. 2.12 by comparing Epictetus’, the Stoics’, and the rhetorical notion of ἐνάργεια. Finally, the didactic strategies of Socrates and Musonius Rufus are detected as two relevant models for Epictetus’ ἐνάργεια. The results of this study allow us to appreciate a key feature of Epictetus’ didactic methodology largely overlooked. Hopefully, this essay will contribute to the debate on the rhetoric of philosophical discourse.

Ethics, Politics & Society, 2021

The aim of this paper is to enquire if the Stoics consider certain social activities appropriate ... more The aim of this paper is to enquire if the Stoics consider certain social activities appropriate only for men or women, a much-debated question in the scholarship. Here it is argued that the Stoics are not committed to gendered divisions of tasks. This claim is pled through an analysis of the various testimonies and of the Stoic notion of appropriate activity (καθῆκον). This result leads to reconsider the Stoics’ stand within their cultural environment and will hopefully contribute to the debate on their thinking on womanhood. This study is thus structured: firstly, the notion of καθῆκον is presented; next, the evidence of the Stoic use of gender as a parameter in determining καθήκοντα is discussed; then, a reconstruction of the social role the early Stoics assigned to women in their planned constitutions is attempted; finally, the reflection of later Stoics on the role of women in actual societies is addressed.

‘Argomenti ed emozioni. Epitteto interprete dell’ἔλεγχος socratico’, 2020

The object of this contribution is Epictetus' reprise of the Socratic ἔλεγχος. I underline Epicte... more The object of this contribution is Epictetus' reprise of the Socratic ἔλεγχος. I underline Epictetus' cognition of the characteristics of this technique and his ability in implementing it. Before doing so, I recall the Socratic paradigm, in order to define the forms and goals of the ἔλεγχος.

Méthexis, 2020

Many scholars rely on a passage from Arrian’s Discourses (II 11.1–6) to interpret Epictetus’ gnos... more Many scholars rely on a passage from Arrian’s Discourses (II 11.1–6) to interpret Epictetus’ gnoseology as divergent from Stoic tradition. They find in this passage an expression of innatism, starting from the statement that «we come» (to an unuttered whither) carrying certain preconceptions (προλήψεις) or innate conceptions (ἔμφυτοι ἔννοιαι): this would allude to man ‘coming into the world’ not completely ignorant. This reading, relying upon an unlikely translation, finds no parallel elsewhere in our evidences on Epictetus. Contrariwise, it can be undermined by a comparison with one of those, with two excerpts concerning Musonius Rufus and with other evidences on Stoic gnoseology. The new reading of the passage proposed here, justified from a linguistic perspective, enables to preserve Epictetus’ adherence to Stoic gnoseology: here he is not alluding to the genesis of knowledge in man, but to the cognitive condition of one about to embark on his philosophical training.

Philosophie antique, 2022