The Stoic Obsession with Figs
How a Philosophy of Life Came From a Snack
To look for the fig in winter is the act of a madman… — Marcus Aurelius
Figs are in season again here in Athens. When they’re spotted in the local groceries it’s a cause for excitement. Who would have thought we’d miss them so much when they weren’t available? Of course dried figs are available year round but, trust me, that’s definitely not the same!
Learning philosophy, or the love of wisdom, requires patience, says Epictetus, because “the fruit of a man’s mind” does not ripen overnight.
“Nothing great”, said the Stoic philosopher Epictetus, is produced immediately, not even figs (Discourses, 1.15). In other words: Rome wasn’t built in a day! Suppose you make it known that you really are craving a fig right now. Epictetus would reply, we’re told, that you need to learn to be patient. It takes a long time for figs to grow and ripen, he says.
Some of his students were maybe taking that a bit too literally because he’s careful to spell out that he means it as a metaphor for life in general — he’s doing philosophy not planning his grocery shopping. Learning philosophy, or the love of wisdom, requires patience, says Epictetus…
