The misinterpretations in the Bible are interesting and important to tease out. Similarly, I've heard "the meek shall inherit the Earth" is also not correct in that meek isn't weak, but would be better interpreted as "voluntary restraint." A weak person who takes no action has no virtue, but a warrior, trained to kill, who is humble, gentle, and restrained, is demonstrating virtue.
Ya. That's another complex one, and I haven't looked into the Greek, but in Latin, "mitis" (meek) is not only associated with being "gentle," but more like "controlled strength."
When Seneca uses the word, it's usually listed as an element of discipline and self-control and virtue.
From "On The Happy Life," translation below the English word "mild" is translated from Latin "mitis."
"Nothing shall I ever do for the sake of opinion, everything for the sake of my conscience. Whatever I shall do when I alone am witness I shall count as done beneath the gaze of the Roman people. In eating and drinking my aim shall be to quench the desires of Nature, not to fill and empty my belly. I shall be agreeable to my friends, to my enemies mild and indulgent. I shall give pardon before it is asked, and hasten to grant all honourable requests. I shall know that the whole world is my country, that its rulers are the gods, and that they abide above me and around me, the censors of my words and deeds. And whenever Nature demands back my breath, or my reason releases it, I shall depart, bearing witness that I have loved a good conscience and all good endeavour, that I have been guilty of nothing that impaired the liberty of any man, least of all my own”—the man who shall resolve, shall wish, and shall essay to do these things will be following the path toward the gods—ah! such a man, even if he shall not reach them."
Nothing in there gives me the impression of being a pushover, weak, or not standing up for what's important.
This is a perspective I really needed to hear. There are a lot of voices in the modern Stoicism realm who really promote the citizen of the world concept and that people only ever do evil because they lack knowledge of the good. I don’t fully buy that. I’m all for giving people the benefit of the doubt, but some are existential threats, as you say. Thank you Andrew!
The misinterpretations in the Bible are interesting and important to tease out. Similarly, I've heard "the meek shall inherit the Earth" is also not correct in that meek isn't weak, but would be better interpreted as "voluntary restraint." A weak person who takes no action has no virtue, but a warrior, trained to kill, who is humble, gentle, and restrained, is demonstrating virtue.
Ya. That's another complex one, and I haven't looked into the Greek, but in Latin, "mitis" (meek) is not only associated with being "gentle," but more like "controlled strength."
When Seneca uses the word, it's usually listed as an element of discipline and self-control and virtue.
From "On The Happy Life," translation below the English word "mild" is translated from Latin "mitis."
"Nothing shall I ever do for the sake of opinion, everything for the sake of my conscience. Whatever I shall do when I alone am witness I shall count as done beneath the gaze of the Roman people. In eating and drinking my aim shall be to quench the desires of Nature, not to fill and empty my belly. I shall be agreeable to my friends, to my enemies mild and indulgent. I shall give pardon before it is asked, and hasten to grant all honourable requests. I shall know that the whole world is my country, that its rulers are the gods, and that they abide above me and around me, the censors of my words and deeds. And whenever Nature demands back my breath, or my reason releases it, I shall depart, bearing witness that I have loved a good conscience and all good endeavour, that I have been guilty of nothing that impaired the liberty of any man, least of all my own”—the man who shall resolve, shall wish, and shall essay to do these things will be following the path toward the gods—ah! such a man, even if he shall not reach them."
Nothing in there gives me the impression of being a pushover, weak, or not standing up for what's important.
This is a perspective I really needed to hear. There are a lot of voices in the modern Stoicism realm who really promote the citizen of the world concept and that people only ever do evil because they lack knowledge of the good. I don’t fully buy that. I’m all for giving people the benefit of the doubt, but some are existential threats, as you say. Thank you Andrew!