Richard Sorabji presents a ground-breaking study of ancient Greek views of the emotions and their influence on subsequent theories and attitudes, Pagan and Christian. While the central focus of the book is the Stoics, Sorabji draws on a vast range of texts to give a rich historical survey of how Western thinking about this central aspect of human nature developed.

"Sorabji's book is an insightful and compelling study of the emotions and their role in the psychology of human action and should be considered mandatory reading for anyone doing academic research on the analysis of the emotions in Hellenistic, late antique or early Christian philosophy."

"Another brilliant, astounding production, exciting in the breadth of its coverage, terrifying in the scope of its learning.... Rich, provocative, varied, and entertaining"

Richard Sorabji, Research Professor of Philosophy at King's College London; and Fellow, Wolfson College, Oxford