As a prokopton I pledge to follow these precepts and rules of conduct:

I. The most important thing in my life is the practice of virtue, in order to

live in accordance to nature.

"Pleasure is not the reward or the cause of virtue, but comes in addition to it; nor
do we choose virtue because she gives us pleasure, but she gives us pleasure also
if we choose her." (Seneca, On the Happy Life, IX)

II. I will not be discouraged by setbacks in my practice. I will get up in the

morning and try again.

"When faced with anything painful or pleasurable, anything bringing glory or

disrepute, realize that the crisis is now, that the Olympics have started, and
waiting is no longer an option; that the chance for progress, to keep or lose, turns
on the events of a single day." (Epictetus, Enchiridion, 51.2)
III. I will do my best to behave ethically, regardless of the popularity of my
opinions and actions.

"I will do nothing because of public opinion, but everything because of

conscience." (Seneca, On the Happy Life, XX)

IV. I will be concerned for the welfare of all humanity, regardless of people's
gender, ethnicity, religion, or political persuasion.

"Labor not as one who is wretched, nor yet as one who would be pitied or
admired; but direct your will to one thing only: to act or not to act as social reason
requires." (Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, IX.12)

V. I will reject nationalism and any other kind of parochial view of humanity.
My creed is that of cosmopolitanism.

"I will view all lands as though they belong to me, and my own as though they
belonged to all mankind." (Seneca, On the Happy Life, XX)

VI. I will refrain to the best of my abilities from judging people's actions,
especially without forming a good opinion as to their motivations.

"Someone bathes in haste; don't say he bathes badly, but in haste. Someone
drinks a lot of wine; don't say he drinks badly, but a lot. Until you know their
reasons, how do you know that their actions are vicious?" (Epictetus, Enchiridion
45)

VII. I will cultivate true friendships because they are important for a
eudaimonic life.
"Ponder for a long time whether you shall admit a given person to your
friendship; but when you have decided to admit him, welcome him with all your
heart and soul. Speak as boldly with him as with yourself." (Seneca, Letters to
Lucilius, III.2)

VIII. I will treat everyone kindly and with respect.

"I will be agreeable with my friends, gentle and mild to my foes: I will grant
pardon before I am asked for it, and will meet the wishes of honorable men half
way." (Seneca, On the Happy Life, XX)

IX. I will do my best to contribute to discourse about important matters,

while at the same time avoiding to lecture people or become overbearing.

"Be silent for the most part, or, if you speak, say only what is necessary and in a
few words. Talk, but rarely, if occasion calls you, but do not talk of ordinary
things of gladiators, or horse-races, or athletes, or of meats or drinks these
are topics that arise everywhere but above all do not talk about men in blame
or compliment or comparison. If you can, turn the conversation of your company
by your talk to some fitting subject; but if you should chance to be isolated among
strangers, be silent." (Epictetus, Enchiridion, 33)

X. I will follow a simple, largely vegetarian diet, because it is healthy (and

thus helps the practice of virtue), it has a lower impact on the environment,
and it reduces needless pain and suffering in the world.

"Just as one should choose inexpensive food over expensive food, and food that is
easy to obtain over food that is hard to obtain, one should choose food suitable for
a human being over food that isnt. And what is suitable for us is food from things
which the earth produces: the various grains and other plants can nourish a
human being quite well. Also nourishing is food from domestic animals which we
dont slaughter." (Musonius Rufus, Lectures, 18a)

XI. I will cultivate an attitude of indifference toward material possessions.

"Whatever I may possess, I will neither hoard it greedily nor squander it

recklessly." (Seneca, On the Happy Life, XX)

XII. I will adopt a reasonably minimalist life style.

"On the whole, we can judge whether various household furnishings are good or
bad by determining what it takes to acquire them, use them, and keep them safe.
Things that are difficult to acquire, hard to use, or difficult to guard are inferior;
things that are easy to acquire, are a pleasure to use, and are easily guarded are
superior." (Musonius Rufus, Lectures, XX.3)

XIII. I will remind myself that just as we ought to endure the blows that
Fortuna delivers, so we ought to enjoy the gifts she bestows.

"It does good also to take walks out of doors, that our spirits may be raised and
refreshed by the open air and fresh breeze: sometimes we gain strength by
driving in a carriage, by travel, by change of air, or by social meals and a more
generous allowance of wine: at times we ought to drink even to intoxication, not
so as to drown, but merely to dip ourselves in wine: for wine washes away
troubles and dislodges them from the depths of the mind, and acts as a remedy to
sorrow as it does to some diseases." (Seneca, On the Tranquility of Mind, XVII)