For centuries, people have been grappling with life’s biggest questions: Who am I? What’s my purpose? How can I be happy? In modern times, many have found meaningful answers in Stoic philosophy. But there are other Greek and Roman philosophers who offer invaluable insights for modern life. Each chapter introduces a new tool for our tool kit by combining a biographical sketch of a particular philosopher, an exploration of the larger philosophy, and applicable lessons and to tackle common challenges found in our everyday life. We learn how to avoid pain with Epicurus, how to strike the right balance between extremes with Aristotle, how to rebel like the Cynic Hipparchia, and how to embrace uncertainty with the help of Cicero. Organized around three main themes of pleasure, virtue, and doubt, this book offers something to learn from each master in our philosophical quest. Even though these ideas were first presented thousands of years ago, they’re more relevant than ever today. We still want the same things: love, friendship, money, reputation; and still fear the same threats: poverty, sickness, pain, and death. These Hellenistic philosophers devised powerful wisdom on how to live—now, we can use it to make our lives better.

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