Hello comrades. 'Tis the season, so I wanted to recount a story I’ve read at this time of year, many times. The story of Athenodorus Cananites and the man in chains is a famous anecdote that dates back to ancient Greece and has been recounted by various writers over the centuries, originally by Pliny the Younger.
As the story goes, Athenodorus was a Greek philosopher (a Stoic at that) and writer known for his wisdom and rational thinking. One day, he arrived in Athens and rented a house to stay. Soon after moving in, he started to hear strange noises coming from the house at night.
The sounds included rattling chains and eerie groans. However, Athenodorus never saw anything when he investigated the source of the noises. Curious about the mysterious disturbances, Athenodorus decided to stay awake one night and observe what was happening.
As he waited, he heard the familiar rattling of chains and saw a ghostly figure, covered in chains, approaching him. The apparition seemed to beckon Athenodorus to follow it. Intrigued, Athenodorus picked up his lamp and followed the ghostly figure through the house until they reached a spot in the courtyard.
At this point, the ghost vanished.
Undeterred, Athenodorus marked the spot and the following day, he and the local authorities dug at the marked location. They unearthed human remains, and after giving the proper burial to the body, the disturbances in the house ceased.
Lessons learned
Whether the story has any truth is another matter. Athenodorus told this story to the young king, who was reportedly easily scared and a big believer in the supernatural.
The message behind the tale is important, although.
The unwanted guest I mentioned in the title. Will not be a spirit from another ether, nor even a real physical guest. It’s the implication of rational thinking and courage prevailing over fear and superstition.
It illustrates a calm and methodical approach to solving a problem, even one as deeply unlikely as a haunting.
It’s significance is a moral tale about facing one's fears and using reason to overcome the unknown. The unfamiliar. The uncomfortable. The ludicrous.
We can’t hide from these problems, no matter how grave they may seem. The unwanted guest can come in many forms. Led by fears, and anxieties. Completely natural feelings of course.
But these can compound. They will eat us up.
Courage plays a role here. From small to mighty things. You need it.
Acknowledging these problems internally is important. Some degree of self awareness is crucial.
What matters is not what is going to happen to you, but how you respond to these issues that’s important.
Rationality is essential, but difficult to master.
Taking time to process your impressions that go on inside your head is key.
Not too quick to react, not to slow to miss the beat.
Balance. Equanimity. Grounding yourself.
These are what are important in everyday life situations. And things that I’ve been learning from Stoicism.
Keep your head level if you can. You can be rattled, it’s inevitable - but you can’t stay in that state.
It’s detrimental for you. Remember this; you usually have a choice.
You’re in charge of you.
Until next time:
Memento mori,
Enda