d is to live in a manner corresponding to one's own nature, and
to universal nature; doing none of those things which the common law of
mankind (the universal conscience of our race) forbids. _That common law
is identical with_ RIGHT REASON _which pervades every thing, being the
same with Jupiter_ (Zeus), _who is the regulator and chief manager of
all existing things_.[824] The foundation of the ethical system of the
Stoics is thus laid in their philosophy of nature--their Physiology and
Psychology. If, therefore, we would apprehend the logical connection and
unity of Stoicism, we must follow their order of thought--that is, we
must commence with their

PHYSIOLOGY.

Diogenes Laertius tells us that the Stoics held "that there are two
general principles in the universe--the _passive_ principle (to
naschon), which is matter, an existence without any distinctive quality,
and the _active_ principle (to poioun), which is the reason existing in
the passive, that is to say, God. For that He, being eternal, and
existing throughout all matter, makes every thing."[825] This Divine
Reason, acting upon matter, originates the necessary and unchangeable
laws which govern matter--laws which the Stoics called logoi
spermatikoi--generating reasons or causes of things. The laws of the
world are, like eternal reason, necessary and immutable; hence the
eimarmene--the _Destiny_ of the Stoics, which is also one of the names
of the Deity.[826] But by Destiny the Stoics could not understand a
blind unconscious necessity; it is rather the highest reason in the
universe. "Destiny (eimarmene) is a connected (eiromene) cause of
things, or the reason according to which the world is regulated."[827]

[Footnote 824: Diogenes Laertius, "Lives of the Philosophers," bk. vii.
ch. liii.]

[Footnote 825: Id., ib., bk. vii. ch. lxviii.]

[Footnote 826: "They teach that God is unity, and that he is called
Mind, and _Fate_, and Jupiter."--Id., ib., bk. vii. ch. lxviii.]

[Footnote 827: Diogenes Laertius, "Lives of the Philosophers," bk. vii.
ch. lxxiv.]

These two principles are not, however, regarded by the Stoics as having
a distinct, separate, and independent existence. One is substance
(ousia); the other is quality (poios). The primordial matter is the
passive ground of all existence--the original substratum for the Divine
activity. The Divine Reason is the active or formative energy which
dwells within, and is essentially united to, the primary su