More All Souls Day Mass Announcements: Madison, WI.All Souls Requiem at Holy Innocents NYC.Populus Summorum Pontificum - More Pictures from L.Reminder: All Souls Requiem in Tiverton, R.I.They like it when the odds seem to be against them because they know that the momentum of history is secretly with them, even if they had to suffer or perish for it. For thousands of years, the Stoics have been like Pliny, like Marcus, like Cato, like Stockdale, fighting for his comrades in that POW camp, defying his captors at every turn. The idea is not just that we’re obligated to contribute to the world but that we will have to brave obstacles and risk and misfortune to do so. He braved the deadliest plague of Rome’s 900-year history.Ĭourage is a critical Stoic virtue. “Our job is to do them good.” So Marcus did his job. “People are our proper occupation,” he’d write during the plague. No one would have faulted Marcus if he had done so too. When the Antonine Plague overwhelmed Rome, if you had the means to flee, you did. “Fortune favors the bold, head for Pomponianus.” As Pliny’s nephew recounted, what “he had begun in a spirit of inquiry he completed as a hero.” Tragically, Pliny did not survive. “‘ Fortes fortuna iuvat: Pomponianum pete, ’” he commanded. ” Do you know where that expression comes from? From Pliny, who refused to turn back. We talked before about how “ fortune favors the bold. Assembling the fleet, Pliny rushed to the scene in utter fearlessness to rescue all those he could by boat.Īrriving, he found the shoreline blocked by debris. He planned to go investigate until a messenger came with urgent news from a friend trapped at the foot of the mountain.

But Pliny the Elder, an admiral and amateur scientist, was immediately curious. Those who were far away could see only the plumes of smoke and ash. As Mount Vesuvius erupted, those who could run away did.

Romans fortune favors the brave