We Will Not Learn Theory Well

From Fragment 5 of Musonius Rufus's lectures, recorded by his student Lucius and preserved in later Stoic compilations. Musonius taught in Rome during the reigns of Nero, Vespasian, and Titus, and was twice exiled for his frank criticism of imperial conduct. His insistence on the unity of theory and practice distinguishes him from more academic Stoics: philosophy is not a set of propositions to be memorised but a set of habits to be trained through daily exercise. This emphasis on practical training directly influenced his most famous student, Epictetus.