28 Zeno of Citium Quotes To Guide Your Journey

By Maxime Lagacé

Maxime is the founder of WisdomQuotes. He has been collecting quotes since 2004. His goal? To help you develop a calm and peaceful mind. Learn more about him on his about page.

Best Quotes – Nature – Life, Death – Happiness – Virtue – Takeaways

Here are 28 profound quotes by Zeno of Citium, the founder of Stoicism.

And I’ve collected them for this simple reason:

Stoicism saved my life back in 2004.

I was lost and confused after the loss of my girlfriend.

And then I discovered the brilliant words of Zeno, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius.

You can find a list of excellent Stoic quotes here.

Who was Zeno of Citium?

A Greek philosopher (334 BC – 262 BC)
Founded the Stoic school of philosophy in Athens around 300 BC
He was a student of the Cynic philosopher Crates of Thebes

And now, what will you learn from Zeno and Stoicism?

How to live with virtue (high moral standards)
How to have more self-control and resilience
How to live according to nature
How to have more inner peace

Zeno of Citium and the other stoics transformed my life.

Are you ready to transform yours?

Enjoy.

The Best Zeno of Citium Quotes

The goal of life is living in agreement with nature. Zeno of Citium

Man conquers the world by conquering himself. Zeno of Citium

We have two ears and one mouth, so we should listen more than we say. Zeno of Citium

The avaricious man is like the barren, sandy ground of the desert, which sucks in all the rain and dews with greediness, but yields no fruitful herbs or plants for the benefit of others.

Extravagance is its own destroyer. Zeno of Citium

Zeno of Citium Quotes About Nature

A bad feeling is a commotion of the mind repugnant to reason, and against nature. Zeno of Citium

All things are parts of one single system, which is called nature; the individual life is good when it is in harmony with nature. Zeno of Citium

The end may be defined as life in accordance with nature or, in other words, in accordance with our own human nature as well as that of the universe. Zeno of Citium

Why, then, seeing that the universe gives birth to beings that are animate and wise, should it not be considered animate and wise itself? Zeno of Citium

Zeno of Citium Quotes About Life, Death

Steel your sensibilities, so that life shall hurt you as little as possible. Zeno of Citium

Man seems to be deficient in nothing so much as he is in time. Zeno of Citium

No evil is honourable: but death is honourable; therefore death is not evil. Zeno of Citium

Fate is the endless chain of causation, whereby things are; the reason or formula by which the world goes on. Zeno of Citium

No one entrusts a secret to a drunken man; but one will entrust a secret to a good man; therefore, the good man will not get drunk. Zeno of Citium

When a dog is tied to a cart, if it wants to follow, it is pulled and follows, making its spontaneous act coincide with necessity. But if the dog does not follow, it will be compelled in any case. So it is with men too: even if they don’t want to, they will be compelled to follow what is destined. Zeno of Citium

Love is a God, who cooperates in securing the safety of the city. Zeno of Citium

Fortune bids me to follow philosophy with fewer encumbrance. Zeno of Citium

Zeno of Citium Quotes About Happiness

Wellbeing is attained by little and little, and nevertheless is no little thing itself. Zeno of Citium

Happiness is a good flow of life. Zeno of Citium

It is in virtue that happiness consists, for virtue is the state of mind which tends to make the whole of life harmonious. Zeno of Citium

Zeno of Citium Quotes About Friendship

A friend is our alter ego. Zeno of Citium

All the good are friends of one another. Zeno of Citium

If you lay violent hands on me, you’ll have my body, but my mind will remain with Stilpo. Zeno of Citium

Zeno of Citium Quotes About Virtue

That which exercises reason is more excellent than that which does not exercise reason; there is nothing more excellent than the universe, therefore the universe exercises reason. Zeno of Citium

Better to trip with the feet than with the tongue. Zeno of Citium

Nothing is more hostile to a firm grasp on knowledge than self-deception. Zeno of Citium

No matter whether you claim a slave by purchase or capture, the title is bad. They who claim to own their fellow-men, look down into the pit and forget the justice that should rule the world. Zeno of Citium

Follow where reason leads. Zeno of Citium

Key Takeaways From Zeno of Citium’s Quotes

Accept reality as it is: Zeno believed in the rational order of nature and that it was useless to go against it. By dealing with what’s in front of you right now and accepting it, you’ll feel more in control of your life.
Practice self-control: Zeno believed the best way to deal with adversities was to stay calm and composed. He believed in reason and logic as ideal paths to a smoother life. By better understanding your emotions and yourself, you’ll achieve inner peace.
Expect less: Zeno believed expectations lead to misery. He trusted nature. He believed that everything that happened was as it was supposed to be. So, by staying alert yet relaxed, you’ll avoid unnecessary disappointments.
Keep happiness simple: Zeno believed happiness was the goal of life. And to achieve happiness, it’s important to be in harmony with whatever happens and with ourselves. Remember: “Happiness is a good flow of life.”
Do what is right, not what is popular: Zeno believed that living with virtue (courage, temperance, justice, wisdom) was enough to be happy. All other external things were distractions. So keep your eyes on what’s right and do it. Avoid drama. Avoid following the crowd.

28 Zeno of Citium Quotes To Guide Your Journey

The Best Zeno of Citium Quotes

Zeno of Citium Quotes About Nature

Zeno of Citium Quotes About Life, Death

Zeno of Citium Quotes About Happiness

Zeno of Citium Quotes About Friendship

Zeno of Citium Quotes About Virtue

Key Takeaways From Zeno of Citium’s Quotes

Further Readings

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