Final Essay: Romanesque VS. Gothic Architecture

Architecture has always been a major form of art.  It has been used to express culture and wealth of a society.  The Romanesque architecture was represented as protective and sturdy to withstand any attack.  Gothic architecture was shed a new light on the world, especially when it came to expressing art through the Catholic Church.  The structures were beautifully made and offered the light to be shared. The spread of Christianity had an influence on the world, especially on Romanesque and Gothic architecture; it expresses how the people preached and prayed to God.

Romanesque architecture started around the ninth century and ended during the eleventh century.  The structures were designed to keep people safe and in solitude during prayer.  The thick walls drove unwanted forces away and gave the people inside a sense of comfort.  The Gothic walls were designed to be thinner, so windows could be built and allowed light to shine.  Figure 1, the St. George rotunde, is an example of the sturdy, thick walls that kept the people inside its walls sheltered.  Figure 2, St. Denis Chorumgang, is an example of the change in structure of the cathedrals.  The stain glass windows and columns were new and added beauty to the house of worship.  Romanesque churches did not have windows on the first floor because there was a risk of people invading. The people who prayed within the walls were looking for confinement.  The change in design of the cathedrals allowed more light to shine on those who prayed to the Lord.  During the eleventh century, a large number of churches increased all across Europe, and that was the start of the new idea to put more time and effort into building a holy place for worship.

As Europe began its reformation, more money was available.  Figure 3 (St. Andrew's Church) was built during the Romanesque period and was mainly composed of brick and wood.  Figure 4 (Cathédrale de Reims) can be viewed as looking very detailed and expensive.  The stain glass windows were a new addition because the church had a bigger budget.  The columns support the ceiling and arches.  The walls are visibly thinner unlike the Romanesque church.  The brick walls of St. Andrews offered tended to those who wanted to pray by eliminating the outside world.  The Gothic cathedrals represented the change in the economic situation and allowed more opportunities for the church to improve their houses dedicated to God.

The spread of Christianity soon overtook Europe and polytheism was soon forgotten.  After the Catholic Church was established by Jesus Christ, more people wanted to learn more about God.  The church was the center of the community where everyone came together for a common purpose.  The Maria Lach (figure5) is a more detailed Romanesque church that was later designed for more space for the congregation of the church.  The Notre Dame Cathedral (figure 6) shows that the church had grown far and wide and more people were seeking to worship the Lord in a holy, sacred place.  Each cathedral drew the community grew people closer together.  The bishop ordered the construction of Notre Dame in the mid eleventh century, but it took decades to build.  Still standing today, the church draws people far and wide to admire its beauty.  Every church has a common purpose and is used daily.

In conclusion, churches have been around for centuries but the design of each one is different.  The Romanesque churches were built with thick to keep enemies out and were a place of solitude.  The Gothic cathedrals were beautifully crafted and let the light of God shine into the church.  A modern example of how Gothic architecture still has an impact on the world is the Loyola University chapel in Baltimore.  Art has evolved and changed for the Catholic Church, but the love for God remains the same.

Appendix

Figure #1-Saint George, rotude http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rotunde-of-St.-George-at-Rip.jpeg , photograph take June 8, 2005

Figure #2- St. Denis Chorumgang, interior, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:StDenis_Chorumgang.JPG, photograph taken April 29, 2005

Figure #3-St. Andrew's church, façade, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St._Andrew%27s_church_facade_(Krak%C3%B3w,_Poland).jpg , photograph taken April 7, 2006 

Figure #4-Cathedrale de Reims, interior, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cath%C3%A9drale_de_Reims_int%C3%A9rieur.jpg, photograph taken March 18, 2007 

Figure #5-Maria Lach, cathedral http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maria_Lach_02.jpg, photograph taken April 28, 2008

Figure #6-Notre Dame, cathedral http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:060806-France-Paris-Notre_Dame.jpg, photograph taken August 6, 2006

Rough Draft Essay: Roman VS. Gothic Architecture

Architecture has always been a major form of art.  It has been used to express culture and wealth of a society.  The Romanesque architecture was represented as solitude for prayer and protection.  Gothic architecture was shed a new light on the world.  The structures were beautifully made and offered the light to be shared.  Roman and Gothic architecture can be viewed a revolutions in building and art.  The spread of Christianity had an influence on the world, especially on Roman and Gothic architecture; it expresses how the people preached and prayed to God.

Romanesque architecture started around the ninth century and ended during the eleventh century.  The structures were designed to keep people safe and in solitude.  The thick walls drove unwanted forces away and gave the people inside a sense of solitude.  The Gothic walls were designed to be thinner, so windows could be built.  Figure 1 is an example of the sturdy, thick walls that kept the people inside its walls safe.  Figure 2 is an example of the change in the structure of the cathedral and allows sunlight to shine within the building.  Romanesque churches did not have windows on the first floor because there was a risk of people invading and the people who prayed were looking for confinement.  The Gothic cathedrals, however, had special stain glass window designs and the walls were thinner in order to install them.  This change in the looks of churches allowed more light to shine on those who prayed to the Lord.  During the eleventh century, a large number of churches in creased all across Europe, and that was the start of the new idea to put more time and effort into building a holy place for worship.

As Europe began its reformation, more money was available.  Figure 3 was built during the Romanesque period and was mainly composed of brick and wood.  Figure 4 can be viewed as looking very detailed and expensive.  The stain glass windows represent God’s light shining down upon his people.  The columns support the ceiling and arches.  The walls are visibly thinner unlike the Romanesque church.  The brick walls offered safety for those who wanted to reflect and pray eliminating the outside world.  The Gothic cathedrals represented the change in the economic situation and allowed more opportunities for the church to improve their churches.

The spread of Christianity soon overtook Europe and polytheism was soon forgotten.  One the Catholic Church was established by Jesus Christ, more people wanted to learn more about God.  The church was the center of the community where everyone came together for a common purpose.  Figure 5 is a more detailed Romanesque church that was later designed for more space for the congregation of the church.  Figure 6 shows that the church had grown far and wide and more people were seeking to worship the Lord in the holiest, sacred place.  Each cathedral drew the community close and grew people closer together.  The bishop order the construction of Notre Dame in the mid eleventh century, but it took years to build.  Still standing today, the church draws people far and wide to admire its beauty.  Every church is meant to be a place to worship God and learn from his teachings.

In conclusion, every church was built for a common purpose but had different design and architectural structure.  The Romanesque churches were sturdy, thick, and were a place of solitude.  The Gothic cathedrals were beautifully crafted and let the light of God shine into the church.  A modern example of how Gothic architecture still has an impact on the world is the Loyola University chapel.  Art has evolved and changed for the Catholic church, but the love for God remains the same. 

1. Figure #1-rotude of Saint George,  http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rotunde-of-St.-George-at-Rip.jpeg
2. Figure #2- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:StDenis_Chorumgang.JPG
3. Figure #3- http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St._Andrew%27s_church_facade_(Krak%C3%B3w,_Poland).jpg
4. Figure #4- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cath%C3%A9drale_de_Reims_int%C3%A9rieur.jpg

5. Figure #5- http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maria_Lach_02.jpg

6. Figure #6- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:060806-France-Paris-Notre_Dame.jpg

  

       

The "Fall" of the Roman Empire

Question:  Did the Roman Empire 'decline and fall' or did it evolve into something new?

The Roman Empire had been in its glory for a long time. They had conquered most of the known world and became a wealthy and diverse empire.  The Romans were masters of the trade routes and trained an army to be ready to fight any time, any place.  There were many rulers whom the people loved and praised.  The others were hated until they left the office or assassinated.  After the Roman Empire split into the east and west, things started to decline.  The “decline” of the empire was about a 320 year period.  Rome was not politically unified and the Eastern Roman Empire started to gain more power.  These changes influenced the different groups of people to evolve into something new.  Parts of the Roman Empire itself declined while others developed into something new. 

The Roman government went through a lot of hard times.  There were years of good and bad emperors.  For example, the crisis of the third century tested Rome to its limits as the rulers almost caused Rome to fall apart at the seams.  “The Romans had dealt with all of these in the past and survived. The trouble was that in the third century many problems surfaced at the same time, some of them on a grander scale than ever before, and they proved more difficult to eradicate.” (BBC History, 2011) After Diocletian took the throne, he took part in a plan that he thought would help control the amount of power one ruler has.  The development of the tetrarchy pulled the empire farther and farther apart.  The four main rulers of the empire all fought for power.  This caused the Roman Empire to split in to two major parts and the move of the capital.  Constantine won the Battle of the Milvian Bridge and in return, made Christianity legal.  He also moved the capital to Constantinople, which is present day Istanbul.  This was the rise of the Greek speaking Eastern Roman Empire, or the Byzantine Empire.

After the practice of Christianity was legalized, people were more outright with their faith. “Thereafter, Christians were tolerated at best—but often tortured or killed—until the reign of Constantine I (312–337). In 313 an edict of toleration for all religions was issued, and from about 320 Christianity was favoured by the Roman state rather than persecuted by it.” (1994-2009 Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.) Before Constantine made Christianity legal, people practiced the faith in secret.  The Romans persecuted the Christians and died for their faith, making them martyrs.  The Romans did not like the Christians because they would not pay their tribute to the Roman gods.  This angered the Romans and caused many disputes.  Constantine saw the sign of the Ki Ro in the sky the morning of the battle and made his men write the symbol on their shields.  He wanted to thank the Lord for winning the battle and let anyone practice the Christian faith.  This caused more people to convert to the faith and it soon became a popular, worldwide religion.

Many different kings tried to rule the “empire” all at once.  “Since the Crisis of the Third Century, the Empire was intermittently ruled by more than one emperor at once (usually two), presiding over different regions.” (Wikipedia, 2011) Rebellions and armies were unorganized and there was a lot of miscommunication.  The Huns were headed to invade Gual but the efforts of the Roman and Germanic forces stopped them.  Battles between tribes were occurring everywhere and after 476 AD, Rome was under a barbaric rule.  There was no control for the Western Roman Empire.

The Roman Empire flourished and created a name for itself for a while.  After eras of bad rulers and battles, the empire faded and other places started advancing into something new.  The spread of Christianity was a major turning point for the world because it started advancement in new empires or nations.  Many powerful men taught they could rule and were thirsting for power.  Tribes of people soon became “empires” of their own.  The world is constantly evolving and the Roman Empire was ready for a new change.  The development of countries and nations shaped Europe into what it is today.

Works Cited:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fall_of_the_Roman_Empire

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roman_Empire       

http://www.history.com/topics/roman-empire

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/thirdcenturycrisis_article_01.shtml

    

The Fall of the Roman Empire

Question:  Did the Roman Empire 'decline and fall' or did it evolve into something new?

The Roman Empire had been in its glory for a long time. They had conquered most of the known world and became a wealthy and diverse empire.  The Romans were masters of the trade routes and trained an army to be ready to fight any time, any place.  There were many rulers whom the people loved and praised.  The others were hated until they left the office or assassinated.  After the Roman Empire split into the east and west, things started to decline.  The “decline” of the empire was about a 320 year period.  Rome was not politically unified and the Eastern Roman Empire started to gain more power.  These changes influenced the different groups of people to evolve into something new.  Parts of the Roman Empire itself declined while others developed into something new. 

The Roman government went through a lot of hard times.  There were years of good and bad emperors.  For example, the crisis of the third century tested Rome to its limits as the rulers almost caused Rome to fall apart at the seams.  After Diocletian took the throne, he took part in a plan that he thought would help control the amount of power one ruler has.  The development of the tetrarchy pulled the empire farther and farther apart.  The four main rulers of the empire all fought for power.  This caused the Roman Empire to split in to two major parts and the move of the capital.  Constantine won the Battle of the Milvian Bridge and in return, made Christianity legal.  He also moved the capital to Constantinople, which is present day Istanbul.  This was the rise of the Greek speaking Eastern Roman Empire, or the Byzantine Empire.

After the practice of Christianity was legalized, people were more outright with their faith.  Before Constantine made it legal, Christians practiced their faith in secret.  The Romans persecuted the Christians and died for their faith.  The Romans did not like the Christians because they would not pay their share to the Roman gods.  This angered the Romans and caused many disputes.  Constantine saw the sign of the Ki Ro in the sky the morning of the battle and made his men write the symbol on their shields.  He wanted to thank the Lord for winning the battle and let anyone practice the Christian faith.  This caused more people to convert to the faith and it soon became a popular, worldwide religion.

Many different kings ruled the Western Roman Empire all at once.  Rebellions and armies were unorganized and there was a lot of miscommunication.  The Huns were headed to invade Gual but the efforts of the Roman and Germanic forces stopped them.  Battles between tribes were occurring everywhere and after 476 AD, Rome was under a barbaric rule.  There was no control for the Western Roman Empire.

The Roman Empire flourished and created a name for itself for a while.  After eras of bad rulers and battles, the empire faded and other places started advancing into something new.  The spread of Christianity was a major turning point for the world because it started advancement in new empires or nations.  Many powerful men taught they could rule and were thirsting for power.  Tribes of people soon became “empires” of their own.  The world is constantly evolving and the Roman Empire was ready for a new change.  The development of countries and nations shaped Europe into what it is today.

Works Cited:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fall_of_the_Roman_Empire

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roman_Empire       

    

The Death of Seneca: An Essay on Stoicism

It is human nature to have feelings about certain events in a person’s life. Sometimes people’s emotions can get in the way of things.  Through it all, people have to carry on even through the worst times.  In late ancient Roman philosophy, there was the study of Stoicism.  There were certain events in history that prove that Stoicism was present in the minds of people. Stoicism is the belief that one controls his emotions while confronted with hardships; the events of the death of Seneca are the best examples of Stoicism.

                                                                             
A Stoic is someone who will deliberately block out their emotions in order to make an effective decision and finish the task.  This philosophy was practiced in ancient Rome and had positive and negative outcomes. The sole purpose was to carry out a deed or assignment without any other input from human emotion. The problem with this is that humans are meant to feel and know that it okay to have mixed feelings about certain situations.  This wasn’t the case for Seneca—he lost the will to live and wanted to take his own life.   

A Stoic would never let their emotions change their mind when they want to do something.  When Seneca announced that he wanted to die, no one was going to stop him, not even his wife. Nero was certain that Seneca was plotting against him.  If both of the men were friends, then why did he suspect him of betrayal?  Seneca’s wife wanted to kill herself as well but Nero forbade it to happen.  There were proper preparations before Seneca died. “Seneca, quite unmoved, asked for tablets on which to inscribe his will, and, on the centurion's refusal, turned to his friends, protesting that as he was forbidden to requite them, he bequeathed to them the only, but still the noblest possession yet remaining to him, the pattern of his life, which, if they remembered, they would win a name for moral worth and steadfast friendship. At the same time he called them back from their tears to manly resolution, now with friendly talk, and now with the sterner language of rebuke.” (Internet Ancient History Sourcebook, 1998) He made sure that there was a will in his name and told his friends that no one could change his mind about killing himself. This is an example of the philosophy that kept Seneca stuck on the thought of death. 

"I have shown you ways of smoothing life; you prefer the glory of dying. I will not grudge you such a noble example. Let the fortitude of so courageous an end be alike in both of us, but let there be more in your decease to win fame." (Internet Ancient History Sourcebook, 1998)  Seneca’s wife said those words before he died.  This was her way of expressing to him that he was a Stoic because she could not even change his mind.  Seneca’s mind was set on going down into the grave and leaving his enemy behind.  His wife expressed her opinion about his way to die.  She knew there could have been a way to settle the conflict between Nero and Seneca but the deed was already done.  Seneca wanted to get himself out of the way because he thought it would be better for the people.  

Seneca’s pain tolerance was high because he was stabbed, poisoned, and boiled to death before he finally took his last breath.  It was quite a way to die, to have a lot of physical pain inflicted that way.  "Seneca meantime, as the tedious process of death still lingered on, begged Statius Annaeus, whom he had long esteemed for his faithful friendship and medical skill, to produce a poison with which he had some time before provided himself, same drug which extinguished the life of those who were condemned by a public sentence of the people of Athens. It was brought to him and he drank it in vain, chilled as he was throughout his limbs, and his frame closed against the efficacy of the poison." (Internet Ancient History Sourcebook, 1998)  Seneca was going to do everything he could to die a very painful death.  He must have felt physical pain but mentally he was telling himself that it was the only effective way to die.  The Greeks used to poison the people who were guilty of crime and Seneca shared that pain as well.  His life meant nothing to him, there was only one solution to resolve the conflict of being called a traitor.

Stoics are the people who want to carry on and not let anything painful bring them down, even if it is put upon themselves.  Seneca’s friends and wife must have been surprised, upset, and confused by the way he wanted to end his life.  That was the way Seneca wanted to do things his way and go down in history in some shape or form.  Not many people would have the courage to kill themselves by using the most painful things they could think of, but Seneca did.  Stoics could have been brilliant or insane depending on the way they handled certain situations.

Source: Ancient History Sourcebook: Tacitus: The Death of Seneca, 65 CE

The Death of Seneca

It is in human nature to have feelings about certain events in a person’s life.  Sometimes people’s emotions can get in the way of things.  Through it all, people have to carry on even through the worst times.  In late ancient Roman philosophy, there was the study of Stoicism.  There were certain events in history that prove that Stoicism was present in the minds of people. Stoicism is the belief that one controls his emotions while confronted with hardships; the events of the death of Seneca are the best examples of Stoicism.

A Stoic would never let their emotions change their mind when they want to do something.  When Seneca announced that he wanted to die, no one was going to stop him, not even his wife. Nero was certain that Seneca was plotting against him.  If both of the men were friends, then why did he suspect him of betrayal?  Seneca’s wife wanted to kill herself as well but Nero forbade it to happen.  There were proper preparations before Seneca died. “Seneca, quite unmoved, asked for tablets on which to inscribe his will, and, on the centurion's refusal, turned to his friends, protesting that as he was forbidden to requite them, he bequeathed to them the only, but still the noblest possession yet remaining to him, the pattern of his life, which, if they remembered, they would win a name for moral worth and steadfast friendship. At the same time he called them back from their tears to manly resolution, now with friendly talk, and now with the sterner language of rebuke.” (Internet Ancient History Sourcebook, 1998) He made sure that there was a will in his name and told his friends that no one could change his mind about killing himself. This is an example of the philosophy that kept Seneca stuck on the thought of death. 

"I have shown you ways of smoothing life; you prefer the glory of dying. I will not grudge you such a noble example. Let the fortitude of so courageous an end be alike in both of us, but let there be more in your decease to win fame." (Internet Ancient History Sourcebook, 1998)  Seneca’s wife said those words before he died.  This was her way of expressing to him that he was a Stoic because she could not even change his mind.  Seneca’s mind was set on going down into the grave and leaving his enemy behind.  His wife expressed her opinion about his way to die.  She knew there could have been a way to settle the conflict between Nero and Seneca but the deed was already done.  Seneca wanted to get himself out of the way because he thought it would be better for the people.  

Seneca’s pain tolerance was high because he was stabbed, poisoned, and boiled to death before he finally took his last breath.  It was quite a way to die, to have a lot of physical pain inflicted that way.  "Seneca meantime, as the tedious process of death still lingered on, begged Statius Annaeus, whom he had long esteemed for his faithful friendship and medical skill, to produce a poison with which he had some time before provided himself, same drug which extinguished the life of those who were condemned by a public sentence of the people of Athens. It was brought to him and he drank it in vain, chilled as he was throughout his limbs, and his frame closed against the efficacy of the poison." (Internet Ancient History Sourcebook, 1998)  Seneca was going to do everything he could to die a very painful death.  He must have felt physical pain but mentally he was telling himself that it was the only effective way to die.  The Greeks used to poison the people who were guilty of crime and Seneca shared that pain as well.  His life meant nothing to him, there was only one solution to resolve the conflict of being called a traitor.

Stoics are the people who want to carry on and not let anything painful bring them down, even if it is put upon themselves.  Seneca’s friends and wife must have been surprised, upset, and confused by the way he wanted to end his life.  That was the way Seneca wanted to do things his way and go down in history in some shape or form.  Not many people would have the courage to kill themselves by using the most painful things they could think of, but Seneca did.  Were Stoics smart by blocking out emotion or just mental?

Eleven-Point Critique for Peer Review

News Flash: Starting tomorrow, April 7th, we will stop doing dailies. Instead, we will be concentrating on the weekly essays. This week's rough draft we are finishing in class. From then on, every Wednesday you will have a rough draft due for Peer review (you'll receive participation credit: P/F for having the draft ready). On your rough draft, please underline the thesis statement and in a different color prove it is an opinion by writing the opposite side; underline one quote properly cited with in-text citations for each body paragraph; make bold your four-sentence analysis of each quote; analysis should explain how the quote serves to support your thesis. After peer review, a final draft will be due on Fri by Midnight.

1. 5 paragraphs -- 5 to 7 sentences per paragraph.

2 Clear, coherent thesis statement expressing an opinion to be argued in the paper.

3. One quote or piece of sourcable evidence properly cited in APA format per body paragraph / proper in-text citation format

(author, date). APA format bibliography at end of paper. Use top-notch sources (BBC, Met Museum, Nat Geo, Internet History

Sourcebook, school-library based databases, etc.)

4. Four sentences per body paragraph analysis. This is your own analysis demonstrating how the evidence supports your thesis.

5. Solid conclusion demonstrating the validity of the argument.

6. Emphasis: Put strongest evidence in the fourth paragraph.

7. No 1st or 2nd person personal pronouns (I, we, us, me, my, myself, you, etc.)

8. Academic Tone: No slang, no contractions, make it coherent and readable.

9. Avoid generalizations -- give specific information; I'm not looking for you to write an "encyclopedia" article. I'm looking for

your ability to construct an academic argument.

10. Avoid unnecessary information: "more" quotes doesn't mean a "better" paper.

11. Original and honest writing voice and a creative and remarkable take on the subject.

Week #6 Daily #2

Question: How did the Roman Empire change after the Era of the Soldier Emperors.


Answer: The Era of the Soldier Emperors was also called the crisis of the third century because it was a time in Roman history where the leadership of the empire was very unorganized.  There were many soldiers/generals that were fighting for the throne and none of them lasted long.  Some of the soldiers either lasted a few months, weeks, or days.  After this went on for a while, a general named Diocletian took control and changed the ruling system.  His plan was to have four rulers, or better known as the Tetrarchy to govern the entire empire.  Two of the men would be like presidents and the other two vice presidents.  As it turned out, his plan did not work out as well as he planned.  The men fought over the amount of power each one had and that had a big impact on their people.  After the big battle between Constantine and Maxentius, two major events happened.  Constantine made Christianity legal and changed the capital of the Roman Empire.  He thanked God for helping him win the battle and made Christianity a legal religion to practice.  The new capital, Constantinople (or present day Istanbul), was named after Constantine himself.  The Roman Empire split into two parts-- east and west.  The Eastern Roman Empire spoke Greek and the Western Empire spoke Latin.  The East grew very prosperous and was soon known as the Byzantine Empire.  In conclusion, there was a huge turn of events after the rule of the Soldier Emperors because the ruling system changed and the empire split into two.       

Week #6 Daily #1

Assignment: Required Daily: Read Tacitus' description of the Death of Seneca and Book One of M. Aurelius' Meditations. Find quotes within those two texts that help explain what Stoicism is all about.


Response: "Seneca, quite unmoved, asked for tablets on which to inscribe his will, and, on the centurion's refusal, turned to his friends, protesting that as he was forbidden to requite them, he bequeathed to them the only, but still the noblest possession yet remaining to him, the pattern of his life, which, if they remembered, they would win a name for moral worth and steadfast friendship. At the same time he called them back from their tears to manly resolution, now with friendly talk, and now with the sterner language of rebuke."


He wanted to die because Nero thought he was plotting against him and his enemy was far too big.


"Seneca meantime, as the tedious process of death still lingered on, begged Statius Annaeus, whom he had long esteemed for his faithful friendship and medical skill, to produce a poison with which he had some time before provided himself, same drug which extinguished the life of those who were condemned by a public sentence of the people of Athens. It was brought to him and he drank it in vain, chilled as he was throughout his limbs, and his frame closed against the efficacy of the poison."


Marcus Aurelius Antonius: Meditations
  
"FROM my grandfather Verus I learned good morals and the government of my temper."


A Stoic would know how to control his emotion and not let them get in the way of decision.


"From Apollonius I learned freedom of will and undeviating steadiness of purpose; and to look to nothing else, not even for a moment, except to reason; and to be always the same, in sharp pains, on the occasion of the loss of a child, and in long illness; and to see clearly in a living example that the same man can be both most resolute and yielding, and not peevish in giving his instruction; and to have had before my eyes a man who clearly considered his experience and his skill in expounding philosophical principles as the smallest of his merits; and from him I learned how to receive from friends what are esteemed favours, without being either humbled by them or letting them pass unnoticed."


A Stoic knows that one you have your mind set on something, then you have to accomplish it.  You need to have a high pain tolerance and resist the urge to change your mind.  Mentally, you have to know that your decision will have a good or bad outcome.