Eli "fetsh" Heiman

Daily reading

Two tracks, every day, on a yearly cycle — like a lectionary. Marcus takes five minutes, one book of the Meditations per month; the second track walks through the rest of the Stoics, from Zeno to Cicero.

Oct 12

Marcus

Meditations X

X.19

Stoics Seneca, On Benefits

IV.22–28

The Stoic track

The second track takes fifteen to twenty minutes a day, a full year from Zeno to Cicero, while Marcus runs alongside on the first. Every work is read from one fixed translation, so the whole cycle fits on a single shelf of eleven books.

The shelf

11 volumes

Cover of Diogenes Laertius, Lives of the Eminent Philosophers (Oxford University Press, 2018)

Diogenes Laertius

Lives of the Eminent Philosophers

trans. Pamela Mensch; ed. James Miller; intro. A. A. Long

2018 · Oxford University Press

Book VII Jan 1–12

Cover of Xenophon, Memorabilia (Cornell University Press, 1994)

Xenophon

Memorabilia

trans. and annotated Amy L. Bonnette; intro. Christopher Bruell

1994 · Cornell University Press

Memorabilia Jan 13 – Feb 7

Cover of Musonius Rufus, That One Should Disdain Hardships: The Teachings of a Roman Stoic (Yale University Press, 2020 / 2021)

Musonius Rufus

That One Should Disdain Hardships: The Teachings of a Roman Stoic

trans. Cora E. Lutz; intro. Gretchen Reydams-Schils

2020 / 2021 · Yale University Press

Lectures and Fragments Feb 8–19

Cover of Epictetus, The Complete Works: Handbook, Discourses, and Fragments (University of Chicago Press, 2022)

Epictetus

The Complete Works: Handbook, Discourses, and Fragments

ed. and trans. Robin Waterfield

2022 · University of Chicago Press

Discourses Feb 20 – Apr 30
Enchiridion May 1–10

Cover of Seneca, Letters on Ethics: To Lucilius (University of Chicago Press, 2015)

Seneca

Letters on Ethics: To Lucilius

trans. Margaret Graver and A. A. Long

2015 · University of Chicago Press

Moral Letters May 11 – Aug 11

Cover of Seneca, Hardship and Happiness (University of Chicago Press, 2014)

Seneca

Hardship and Happiness

trans. Elaine Fantham, Harry M. Hine, James Ker, and Gareth D. Williams

2014 · University of Chicago Press

On Providence Aug 12
On the Constancy of the Wise Person Aug 13–15
On the Happy Life Aug 16–19
On the Shortness of Life Aug 20–22
On Leisure Aug 23
On Tranquility of Mind Aug 24–26
Consolation to Marcia Sep 11–14
Consolation to Polybius Sep 15–17
Consolation to Helvia Sep 18–20

Cover of Seneca, Anger, Mercy, Revenge (University of Chicago Press, 2010)

Seneca

Anger, Mercy, Revenge

trans. Robert A. Kaster and Martha C. Nussbaum

2010 · University of Chicago Press

On Anger Aug 27 – Sep 10
On Clemency Sep 21–25

Cover of Seneca, On Benefits (University of Chicago Press, 2011)

Seneca

On Benefits

trans. Miriam Griffin and Brad Inwood

2011 · University of Chicago Press

On Benefits Sep 26 – Oct 26

Cover of Seneca, Natural Questions (University of Chicago Press, 2010)

Seneca

Natural Questions

trans. Harry M. Hine

2010 · University of Chicago Press

Natural Questions Oct 27 – Nov 26

Cover of Cicero, On Duties (Cambridge University Press, 1991)

Cicero

On Duties

trans. Margaret Atkins; ed. Miriam Griffin and Margaret Atkins

1991 · Cambridge University Press

On Duties Nov 27 – Dec 21

Cover of Cicero, On Moral Ends (Cambridge University Press, 2001)

Cicero

On Moral Ends

trans. Raphael Woolf; ed. Julia Annas

2001 · Cambridge University Press

De finibus III Dec 22–31

Work-to-edition map

in calendar order

Jan 1–12 Diogenes Laertius, Book VII Diogenes Laertius, Lives of the Eminent Philosophers
Jan 13 – Feb 7 Xenophon, Memorabilia Xenophon, Memorabilia
Feb 8–19 Musonius Rufus, Lectures and Fragments Musonius Rufus, That One Should Disdain Hardships: The Teachings of a Roman Stoic
Feb 20 – Apr 30 Epictetus, Discourses Epictetus, The Complete Works: Handbook, Discourses, and Fragments
May 1–10 Epictetus, Enchiridion Epictetus, The Complete Works: Handbook, Discourses, and Fragments
May 11 – Aug 11 Seneca, Moral Letters Seneca, Letters on Ethics: To Lucilius
Aug 12 Seneca, On Providence Seneca, Hardship and Happiness, trans. James Ker
Aug 13–15 Seneca, On the Constancy of the Wise Person Seneca, Hardship and Happiness, trans. James Ker
Aug 16–19 Seneca, On the Happy Life Seneca, Hardship and Happiness, trans. James Ker
Aug 20–22 Seneca, On the Shortness of Life Seneca, Hardship and Happiness, trans. Gareth D. Williams
Aug 23 Seneca, On Leisure Seneca, Hardship and Happiness, trans. Gareth D. Williams
Aug 24–26 Seneca, On Tranquility of Mind Seneca, Hardship and Happiness, trans. Elaine Fantham
Aug 27 – Sep 10 Seneca, On Anger Seneca, Anger, Mercy, Revenge, trans. Robert A. Kaster
Sep 11–14 Seneca, Consolation to Marcia Seneca, Hardship and Happiness, trans. Harry M. Hine
Sep 15–17 Seneca, Consolation to Polybius Seneca, Hardship and Happiness, trans. Harry M. Hine
Sep 18–20 Seneca, Consolation to Helvia Seneca, Hardship and Happiness, trans. Gareth D. Williams
Sep 21–25 Seneca, On Clemency Seneca, Anger, Mercy, Revenge, trans. Robert A. Kaster
Sep 26 – Oct 26 Seneca, On Benefits Seneca, On Benefits
Oct 27 – Nov 26 Seneca, Natural Questions Seneca, Natural Questions Hine’s edition uses a reconstructed order of the books; the calendar keeps the traditional labels and splits each book evenly across its days.
Nov 27 – Dec 21 Cicero, On Duties Cicero, On Duties
Dec 22–31 Cicero, De finibus III Cicero, On Moral Ends