The Presence of Stoicist in Medieval Thought

During the ten or more centuries which are known as the Middle Ages, many important authors and writings manifest the presence of Stoic ideas and teaching- ings. A difficulty confronts the student of Stoic influences in this period, however, because in many instances medieval writers were not themselves aware of their debt to Stoicism. Nor did Stoicism suddenly burst upon the scene due to a wave of new translations at any particular time during the medieval period, Rather it had gradually been assimilated from the first centuries of the Christian era. As a consequence, its legacy was passed on to later generations, frequently enough, without being identified as Stoic. Nevertheless, as the author amply illustrates in the present study, Stoic philosophy was indeed present in the intellectual life of the Middle Ages and played an important role in the development of medieval thought. In this study Professor Verbeke devotes an opening chapter to the various written sources or channels through which Stoicism penetrated into the Latin West. In the chapters which follow he adopts a thematic approach in order to develop his theme. In limiting himself to the areas of physics and ethics, he investigates Stoicism's influence on medieval thought by concentrating on topics including materialism, selected moral issues revolving around natural law, synderesis and conscience, and classical questions relating to fate, determinism, and human freedom. The reader who is already somewhat familiar with medieval thought without being an expert on Stoicism will be surprised at the many indications of Stoicism's presence and influence in medieval thought uncovered by Professor Verbeke.