If someone is incapable of distinguishing good things from bad and neutral things from either — well, how could such a person be capable of love? The power to love, then, belongs only to the wise man. — Epictetus
In the modern-English sense of the word “love” can encompass a lot of different meanings depending on the nature of the relationship of the individuals in question. We have romantic love (eros); familial love (philostorgia); platonic love (philia); unconditional love. It can also have other, more negative connotations such as obsessive or unrequited love.
If a Stoic is to live in accordance with nature, they should not deny themselves love
The age-old myth that Stoics reject emotion and lack the ability to feel or fall in love is something that they had to work hard to debunk, including the notion that all Stoics refrain from falling in love for fear that it will contradict their philosophy. This, of course, is incorrect, and if a Stoic is to live in accordance with nature, they should not deny themselves love, one of the most natural human emotions.
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