Epicurean Philosophy and the Pursuit of Pleasure

Where it surfaces

• II: White-Nights

  The chapter notes that Marius's serious nature persisted amid later Epicurean speculations, framing his philosophical journey.

• VIII: Animula Vagula

  The chapter explores Cyrenaic and Epicurean doctrines, focusing on pleasure as a guide to life, but reinterprets it as a 'general completeness of life' rather than mere hedonism.

• IX: New Cyrenaicism

  Marius reinterprets Cyrenaic/Epicurean thought, rejecting crude hedonism for a pursuit of 'fullness of life' that includes noble pain, sorrow, and moral striving.

• XI: “The Most Religious City in the World”

  Marius's Epicurean perspective is highlighted as he observes the religious fervor around him, ultimately rejecting the call to wasteful pleasures at the chapter's end.

• XII: The Divinity That Doth Hedge a King

  Marius's internal reflection contrasts Aurelius's asceticism with the Epicurean pursuit of pleasure, as seen in Verus's hedonistic character.

• Stoicism at Court

  Marius's intellectual scheme is Epicurean, seeking a many-sided existence, but he confronts the challenge of reconciling it with the 'old morality' and the pull of ethical beauty.

• XVI: Second Thoughts

  Marius critically examines Cyrenaic Epicureanism, weighing its emphasis on refined sensation against the sacrifices of sympathy and tradition.

• Beata Urbs

  Aurelius's detachment from material wealth and focus on mental peace contrasts with Epicurean ideals.

• The Ceremony of the Dart

  Marius's sensuous delight in the visible body and physical sunshine contrasts with Aurelius's contempt for the body, highlighting the Epicurean appreciation of material existence.

• XIX: The Will as Vision

  Marius's pursuit of serenity and the will as an organ of knowledge reflect Epicurean and Stoic contemplations on happiness.

• XX: Two Curious Houses

  Marius's skeptical empiricism and his resistance to idealist fantasies reflect an Epicurean-like reliance on sensory experience.

• Guests

  Marius's detached observation of the sensual pleasures of the feast—fine food, perfumes, elegant dress—reflects an Epicurean sensibility tempered by philosophical reflection.

• XXII: "The Minor Peace of the Church"

  Marius, as an Epicurean, is drawn to the serene and joyful spirit of the Christian community, finding a new form of pleasure and satisfaction in its pastoral security.

• XXIV: A Conversation Not Imaginary

  The dialogue contrasts Stoic asceticism with Epicurean skepticism, questioning the attainability of absolute wisdom and happiness.