The Stoic Philosophy
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quite clear that it is only good because of some goodness in it. We, perhaps, should not express the matter in quite this way, but we should scarcely think it worth while to object if Zeno chooses to phrase it so, especially as the statement itself seems little better than a truism.
Now, to an ancient Greek the form of the phrase was quite familiar. He was accustomed to asking, “What is the good?” It was to him the central problem of conduct. It meant: “What is the object of life, or the element in things which makes them worth having?” Thus the principle will mean: “Nothing is worth living for except goodness.” The only good for man is to be good. And, as we might expect, when Zeno says “good” he means good in an ultimate
