Only the good mood or intention makes the actions good. Without it, though they look natural, they are not good.This common goodwill or the virtue of will does not differ in degrees: it either exists or does not exist; between virtue and viciousness there is nothing on the average. Man is either clever or foolish, and hence virtuous or not virtuous, for virtue is the dominion of reason. The ideal of the Stoics is the sage, who is full of perfection and bliss. All mankind is divided into two halves: wise and reasonable, but in reality there are only insane ones.

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 The wise man is free, handsome, rich and happy: he knows everything, he has everything he has, he has all the virtues, he always does the wise, he does not wonder, he is not deceived in anything, he is not wrong; he is a true king, governor, artist, prophet, helmsman. He is free from all necessities and sufferings and is a friend of the gods; his happiness is like the happiness of the gods: "Only in the durability of his life the wise man is distinguished from the gods." The wise man is invincible; no one can interfere with him because his activity is manifested in the spiritual realm where external violence is impossible. His complete freedom refers to his own passions, to outsiders and even to God Himself. No difficulty and circumstance can force him, for if he sees something forcibly, he has the last refuge of his freedom-himself to put an end to his life. In this respect, the Stoics, unlike all other schools, have legalized suicide, and in Seneca there is, for example, a rhetorical glorification of suicide as a path to complete freedom.


The doctrine of the sage was, of course, only an ideal. Otherwise, the Stoics realized that even the best philosophers had not reached it, but were only focused on it. Among all the wise, the Stoics believed that there was an inner bond and they formed a worldly brotherhood. Stoic morality has been gradually developed to a great deal of detail and often falls into pettyness and case studies. But in general, in the midst of the decaying ancient society, they exalted an exalted morality to follow the principles of reason. This ideal influenced, even in Christian times, such persons as the Christian apologists Tertullian and others. There are two trends in Stoicism. One is the ideal of cynics: a complete release from all needs, from all connections, from all engagements, from all aspirations, efforts and struggles - complete atarachia and apathy. The other is exactly the opposite.