The Logos: The Meletic Testament (Chapter 16 The Wisdom)
đź“ś Chapter 16: The Wisdom
1. In the quiet shade of the olive grove, Asterion spoke not to impress me, but to awaken my mind and soul, with the one thing that defined his philosophy, which was wisdom.
2. Wisdom is not the coveting of knowledge, but the art of knowing when to speak and when to remain silent—he said.
3. I preferred to listen with my eyes wide open and an attentive mind that was awakened with his voice. His wisdom was something that was soothing like a harmony, yet enriched with clarity.
4. The Meletic path is the middle way between such things as impulse and inertia Asterion taught. To discover that path one must first discover oneself.
5. He wore no garments of splendour, only the calmness of a man who had wrestled with the truth and made peace. He was always a modest man in clothing and in thought. It was unfathomable at times to imagine that he was once born into wealth.
6. Do not chase virtue as a reward, be patient, and you will discover it, as you discover your truth—he told me.
7. The cicadas sang daily, but Asterion’s words rang louder in the soul that voiced in his wisdom displayed. He preferred to be called a wise man than a sage.
8. He would often tell me to begin to know the self intimately is to truly know the mortal limits of desire, which occupy the mind of people and their habits.
9. And to know human desire is to understand the manifold illusions of the world that distract people so easily. He emphasised the need to unveil these illusions.
10. I asked him—What is the highest form of wisdom achieved in life? My hope was that I could achieve it.
11. Asterion then replied—To live without any fear of the truth. And from that truth, to question it.
12. He taught us that the truth is not a doctrine, but a mirror of the soul. It wounds only those individuals who refuse to see their truth, as they are blinded by the falsehoods.
13. The Meletic does not conquer the world like a king or an emperor; instead, he learns to walk beside it, as its loyal companion, knowing that world is shaped through the emanations of To Ena. The world that we create in our civilisations is one that is created by our minds.
14. Power is fleeting, but clarity—clarity endures with the passing of time, and when we understand to distinguish power from clarity. We learn nothing from power, except that when it belongs to men of authority it is corrupted.
15. He warned and told us to not spend time arguing with blatant fools, for they are deaf to reason and loud in ignorance, and they use deception as their weapon. They will not acquiesce to reason.
16. It was better to plant a seed in silence than to shout in the barren soil, where falsehood lies. Asterion was fully aware of these type of individuals in his life.
17. I wrote each word in wax and with the utmost attention, but the true inscription was upon his soul, whereupon his wisdom shined with each discussion we had.
18. The wise man does not seek applause, only understanding. This is the soul of Meleticism. The way we share our wisdom with others conveys, our knowledge.
19. When understanding finally comes, it comes quietly, like the arrival of dawn; and like that dawn, its reflection is absorbing and at the same time, refreshing.
20. Asterion would smile when questioned about his philosophy, not because he was certain all the time, but because he had learnt to deal with uncertainty.
21. I remember once asking him a curious question of mine—Is it wrong to desire greatness of life?
22. He looked at me calmly and said—Nay. It is not wrong to desire, but foolish to be ruled by it only. Never forsake your reasoning. Logic is only as good as the mind that understands it.
23. Greatness to him pursued for its own sake becomes a shadow that devours the light completely. Man often disguises pride with his ego. Thus, he believes he has obtained greatness.
24. That day, I learnt that ambition without purpose is a path incomplete. Ambition by itself was closer to greed than to modesty. It was when ambition had purpose and meaning that it was complete.
25. Asterion never raised his voice to admonish us, yet his words carried the weight of towering mountains. He was not one to seek the imposition of punishment. He felt that one was capable of reflecting on one's mistakes and learning to correct them.
26. I tell you all, let your deeds speak for themselves, before you reveal your ambition—he uttered.
27. The Meletic in life, does not chase the wind blindly, but learns its direction wisely. This is was significant for Asterion, who entrusted his wisdom unto his students.
28. He taught us to be still is not to be idle, but to be attentive is the voice of the soul; for its allows the mind to explore one's wisdom.
29. The present world is loud and indifferent; wisdom on the other hand is quiet and compassionate. It is not about appeasing wisdom. It is more about sharing it with others.
30. He would often pause before answering, as if listening to the silence itself within his soul. It was in the depth of the soul where his conscience was revealed.
31. A rushed answer to him was often a wrong one done in haste than in great reflection. To use the mind, one had to properly use with the process of thinking.
32. He told us to let our thoughts ripen before we offer them blindly. Thoughts without reason are empty and hollow like the false promises people seek.
33. I once tried to impress him with cleverness, but he only smiled and said—Cleverness is the mask of insecurity.
34. To him, the wise man speaks last, and listens first. It is what is heard that means more. When a man of wisdom speaks the truth, his wisdom reflects his knowledge.
35. Asterion told me—If you must choose between being right and being kind, choose kindness—it is the deeper truth of man.
36. Anger is the flame of ignorance; do not feed it with selfish pride that will enrage the mind. Nothing good comes from anger, except irrational consequences.
37. I asked him how to respond to insult, and he replied—With silence, if your dignity is intact, then your silence is enough to respond.
38. The Meletic he taught, does not fight every battle for victory; he chooses those worth his virtue. It is his virtue that should always be retained in his words.
39. To forgive is not to forget the self, but to free oneself from the weight of memory. What we learn from our lessons in life are the things that teach us about the self.
40. And in that moment, I understood that forgiveness was not weakness, but wisdom in motion. An act of forgiveness was meant to be one that exemplified one's character.
41. Asterion’s wisdom was not merely spoken from his knowledge—it was lived by him daily. He knew that he was not only a philosopher, but a teacher as well.
42. He walked with the certain grace of one who had made peace with the world and with himself. He never bothered with reaching the recognition of a great philosopher.
43. To him, wisdom is never to be mistaken for man's possession. Instead, it is a genuine practice man must obtain in life, if he is to enhance his knowledge.
44. It is not found in the written scrolls, but in the awareness, in patience and in restraint. All of these aforementioned things are the manifestations of wisdom.
45. I saw how others came to him with numerous questions, and left with the sense of clarity. It was common to see others than students question his wisdom.
46. He never claimed to be an eminent sage above other men, yet he was the measure by which I judged all others. He was not my judge, but more my mentor.
47. The greatest virtue that a man can have is to know what is enough in life—he professed.
48. He taught that excess is the enemy of peace, and modesty is the friend of the self. By exercising the mind daily, one strengthens the self and character.
49. The wise man does not need to gather abundant knowledge, but needs less of life to be wiser. He was an example of that thought. He lived and breathed philosophy.
50. I asked him why he never sought fame, and he replied—Because fame is the echo of vanity. I am too old now to seek its rewards.
51. He would teach us to believe that life should not be measured by our legacy and our name afterwards. It was a mistake to believe in that assumption.
52. It was virtue that would ultimately define our legacy, and virtue is not loud like the bustle of the city—it is quiet, firm, and enduring like a quiet grove.
53. Verily, he made me realise that wisdom was not a crown to place upon one's head, but a virtue to cherish and to use with knowledge, intellect and logic.
54. Wisdom to him does not elevate one above others in life; it guides one amongst them. It is the one thing that allows us to explore our minds and the truth.
55. He taught us to be wise is to be useful in our philosophy, not admired by the masses who listened. Philosophy he told us should never be compared to religion.
56. I watched him give counsel to a grieving widow, and he said only to her—Your sorrow is known. Let it speak before you silence it.
57. In that unique moment, I saw that wisdom is not always an answer—it is sometimes a presence. A presence that is observed and interpreted with awareness.
58. He did not rush to heal what must first be honoured. He told the woman to listen to her soul more. It was there in the soul, where she would discover her truth.
59. Virtue is not the absence of mere pain, but the courage to face it without bitterness. With virtue, we learn to confront our pain with the realisation of its existence.
60. And I knew then that Asterion’s wisdom was not merely a virtue to inherit—it was a light that others walked by, whereupon one could be enlightened.
61. I once asked him—Is virtue learnt or are we born with it? I often wondered which of the two was correct.
62. He replied without hesitation—Virtue is awakened. It sleeps in all men, but few people dare to stir it before the ego.
63. To him, the Meletic does not impose virtues upon others; he cultivates them within himself. He understands that each person has the qualities of virtues.
64. And by living it and being an example for others, he invites others to do the same thing. To share the knowledge they have with others, as others would do the same with others.
65. Asterion believed that wisdom without virtue was indeed hollow, like a temple without a flame or pillars to stand. Virtues were at the core of his philosophy.
66. Knowledge may entice men to believe that they are superior to others, but without wisdom, they are ignorant of their own actions. Only virtue warms the soul.
67. He told us to allow our wisdom to be tested in hardship and good deeds, for that is where its truth is revealed. It is in our judgement, where wisdom is the most effective.
68. I saw him being mocked by sceptics or Cynics, yet he answered only with silence and a steady gaze. He was not dissuaded by their attitude towards him.
69. To respond with anger is to admit they have touched your peace—he told me later.
70. He told me then to guard my inner peace as one would an ancient relic of the past. Without that inner peace there would be instability in the mind, body and soul.
71. To him, wisdom is not the absence of emotion, but the mastery of it. This was inspirational for me. Unlike others, he never once dismissed the necessity for emotions.
72. To feel deeply, but do not be ruled by feeling or emotion alone. Never forsake or forget our thinking. It was fundamental to comprehend the functions of emotions and thoughts.
73. To him, the wise man weeps in life his sorrow, but does not drown in that depth forever. He realises that he must eventually learn from this sorrow.
74. He rejoices thereafter, but does not lose himself endlessly in senseless pleasure that abandons the self. He is fully aware of the presence of the self in his life.
75. Asterion’s virtue was not rigid in its practice or form—it bent like the reed, but never broke. He had no need to make virtue a part of dogma or doctrine.
76. Adaptation to him is not weakness, it is the strength of the living that is like the change of seasons. He warned us of stagnation, and how unhealthy is was to the mind.
77. The selfish fool clings to his pride; the wise man lets go of what no longer serves his character. True wisdom has not space for one's vanity or greed.
78. I asked him once—What is the mark of a wise man? Truly, I have seen few of them in my life.
79. He answered—He leaves others better than he found them before. This is mark of a wise man.
80. And I knew then that Asterion had left me better—more patient, more thoughtful and freer. I was always astonished by his capability to teach Meleticism.
81. In the agora, I heard men debate with thunderous voices, each seeking victory on their behalf. They seemed to be more occupied with their own agendas.
82. Asterion taught me an important lesson that the loudest voice is often the least certain, and that we should not interpret justice for any established precepts.
83. Thus, we should not mistake volume for mistaken conviction displayed before others. Asterion would convince me to speak wisely with fewer words than to speak foolishly with more words.
84. We should allow our words to be few in utterance, but our meaning to be deep in its resonance, whereupon our wisdom could demonstrate the lessons of life.
85. I began to speak less as I heard him speak, and listen more—and in that silence, I grew as a man of philosophy. A man who would expand the message of Meleticism.
86. The Meletic does not seek to distort truths, but to reveal them. To reveal that, they must be unveiled with the understanding of wisdom, if they are to be meaningful.
87. And sometimes, the truth is found in the space between words uttered. It is there, where our awareness blossoms, and where wisdom makes the truth accessible to us.
88. Asterion’s wisdom was not a token of his praise, but more a sign of his knowledge. He lived his life which were many years—not in the shadow of others, but in the forefront of life.
89. Wisdom did not always protect me from hardship, but it showed me how to walk through it like a man, who learnt to value life with its challenges.
90. Do not ask for an easier path, ask for stronger feet to be able to tread upon that path—he said.
91. He taught that virtue is not the coveted laurels of the ego—it is the courage of the self. It is the self that must be considered worthier than the ego.
92. I watched him comfort a dying man who was suffering, not with promises, but with presence. This act of compassion of his was not an unusual occurrence, because he was a man of compassion.
93. He told the man that the end is not to be feared, but understood and embraced for what it represents. The man began to realise the truth that were spoken by Asterion.
94. To live wisely is to die without regret and sadness in life. One is only mortal and nothing more than that in body, but in the Ousia which is one's true essence, one becomes free.
95. That moment and those words taught me more than any previous lecture in the halls of Athens before. There were few philosophers in Athens who could boast to have wisdom, but none of them were as humble as Asterion.
96. I realised that Asterion’s wisdom was not confined to theory—it was lived in gesture, in silence and in grace. He taught me that wisdom is discernment.
97. Heromenes, let your philosophy be visible in how you treat the unseen—he told me.
98. —The servant, the stranger and the forgotten—there is where your virtue is tested. Man must never be a slave to his desire or his indifference.
99. I began to see the virtuous life he described not in some eternal salvation, but in the kindness expressed by people, who understood the value of virtue.
100. And I understood that Asterion’s wisdom was not merely a virtue—it was a way of being. He taught me the different forms of wisdom, but the one that he emphasised the most was practical wisdom.
101. As I grew wiser in life, I found myself repeating his words—not to others, but to myself in my solitude, as I walked the streets of Athens or the grove.
102. In such moments of doubt, I would hear him say—Clarity comes not from answers, but from honest questions.
103. He taught us the belief to ask not what you want to hear, but what you need to know. I was very receptive, knowing that there was wisdom behind that belief.
104. I began to see that wisdom was not some type of destination that one must reach in life, but a companion of life that continues to be present and relevant.
105. At first, it walked beside me daily without much notice, quietly, like Asterion once mentioned before, but slowly it began to manifest in my knowledge.
106. Do not fear or despise solitude, for it is the birthplace of our understanding—he said.
107. The Meletic does not flee from himself—he sits with his own soul to connect and to contemplate about the meaning of life and the necessity of reflection.
108. In my days of solitude, I found the courage to face my own contradictions of the past, and what I discovered was a resilience that I had ignored in me.
109. He convinced me that I was not my worst thought acted, nor my proudest moment. This had confused me, until he proceeded to explain what he meant.
110. His explanation was that I was the only one who chooses between either my worst thought or proudest moment, and what they mean to me in the end.
111. I began to see virtue not as attainable perfection, but as persistence in my endeavours to be able to accomplish the fulfilment of my good deeds and character.
112. Fall, but fall forth. To fall is the easiest thing, but to rise up and continue is the hardest thing—he said.
113. He made us realise that each mistake was a teacher, not a punisher of what we did wrong. Instead, it was important to understand that in life, one should always rise when fallen.
114. When I failed in love, I remembered his words fondly—Do not seek to be needed—seek to be understood.
115. Love is not a possession of ours bestowed—it never was. It is a genuine presence we experience, and one that we share with others in life, who value love.
116. And presence is the highest form of wisdom expressed. Love thyself and you will learn to love others. This is the motto for which, we should understand love.
117. I saw how he loved the world—not blindly, but bravely. In spite of the fact that he was dying, and I could sense that. It was becoming more difficult to watch him become more fragile in his body.
118. To love wisely is to love without the veil of illusion, and without fear in one to express love or to feel its rejection. When he spoke of love, he referred to the love of expression, which was his philosophy.
119. He showed us to let our heart be always open to new adventures, but not unguarded in its beating. To understand that love alone can be sustained. It must be accompanied by compassion and then reason.
120. And so, I learnt that true wisdom is not only a virtue to practise—it is the soul’s quiet strength revealing itself to us. The self is the guardian of the soul.
121. An elite Roman named Marcus Sertorius visited Asterion one day, who was near the agora. He was accompanied by his male slave. He had heard of Asterion's philosophy and wisdom. He wanted to know how to attain his wisdom.
122.—They tell me that you are a philosopher, whose wisdom is unmatched and enviable.
123. Asterion answered—If I was any other man I would be flattered, but as for my philosophy, it is for anyone to learn.
124. —How did you discover your wisdom? It must have taken you years to achieve in life?
125. No more than it took Socrates, Plato or Aristotle. All who came before me—Asterion replied.
126. Do you truly vision yourself, as wise as they once were?—The elite Roman enquired.
127. Asterion never gave an answer that demonstrated vanity—I am only wise as my philosophy makes me in life.
128. Asterion looked at his slave and asked him—Do you too come to me for wisdom?
129. At first, the slave was hesitant, knowing that he did not want to irk his master, before Asterion.
130. Speak, you heard the question. Do not bite your tongue—the elite Roman said to him.
131. —Who am I to ask for wisdom? I am no one to seek it from another man. I am only a slave.
132. Asterion replied with a great measure of influence—Wisdom knows no actual master. Know that well.
133. How do you know that is even true? Wisdom must have a master. If not it would be senseless—the elite Roman interjected.
134. —Do you think, you are wiser than a slave, only because you have power over him?
135. —That is foolish of you to say. Indeed, I am wiser. If not, I would be the slave and not the master. He is beneath me.
136. And yet, you come before me, seeking wisdom from a poor man. Is that not so?—Asterion replied.
137. What are you implying?—The elite Roman questioned Asterion with a brazen expression.
138. —I am not implying anything. You are the one who came to seek wisdom from me. Now, I have given it to you.
139. —If you were me, what would you do with my slave? Would you dare to liberate him?
140. —That is a question you must ask your slave, not I. But know one thing, man was not born to be a slave to any god or man.
141. The elite Roman chuckled—But without slaves, how would our society even function? I am not a slave. I am an elite of Roman society.
142. —But you are a slave, to your desires and to your ego, but you do not see this, because you are enticed by your world of luxury than your wisdom.
143. The elite Roman left then, but before he did, he told his slave the unthinkable, which was that he was free.
144. The slave was grateful to Asterion who told the free man—There is no need to thank me. Go now, and breathe the air of freedom. It will not last forever.
145. Asteron did not comfort him out of mere pity—he simply responded out of compassion for him. He had one day been a slave too in his youth, but not to a master. Instead, to his desires.
146. For presence is the first gift of wisdom that any man could demonstrate to others with humbleness.
147. And silence, the second is a gift that we often ignore or dismiss so blindly, because we do not care enough.
148. The third is the courage to walk away from one's enemies, and to never look back or seek revenge.
149. His teachings were not solely written, they etched themselves into the lives of those people who listened and were inspired by his wisdom and knowledge.
150. Let your life be the lasting parchment, and your choices the ink that will remain—he once said.
151. If Meleticism is to endure, it must never become rigid. It must be willing to philosophise. It cannot be stifled by its inability to answer questions.
152. The truth is not a mere figure of a statue—it is a burning flame passed from hand to hand that carries that truth onwards in life.
153. I feared that others would distort his words for their own gain, seeking power instead of clarity. Athens was becoming a place where philosophers were emulating each other.
154. But he warned me—Do not guard my teachings like treasure—share them like bread unto the world.
155. We should let each soul taste and question, not swallow whole and be satisfied afterwards, with what that soul has discovered.
156. If they dare to reshape his words, let them—but hold them to our soul, not the letter. Asterion never sought to emulate other philosophers. He sought only to give them a voice anew.
157. I asked him once curiously—What if they forget you? How will your philosophy be remembered?
158. He smiled and responded—Then I shall have succeeded. No man can ever replace the true essence of my philosophy with imitations or falsehood.
159. The Meletic does not seek remembrance for his wisdom—only the resonance of its purpose from which wisdom is drawn and retained.
160. If my voice faded one day, but the questions remained, I shall have lived well in my life—he said to me.
161. And so, I taught—not Asterion’s answers only, but his way of asking and sharing his wisdom to others who gathered to listen to me speak of Meleticism.
162. I taught many people to sit with discomfort, to listen to silence and to walk without maps, telling them that the path of enlightenment began with wisdom.
163. And in doing so, I always felt him near—not as memory, but as lasting presence to me. No man like Asterion could be so easily forgotten. He was a genuine philosopher.
164. In his final season, his body betrayed him noticeably. This I could tell, as I looked deep into his eyes. I knew that he sensed that his time on the earth was coming to its end.
165. His hands, once so expressive and steady, trembled afterwards with no sign of recovery.
166. His breath grew shallow, like a candle flickering in the dusk that arrived before the moonlight.
167. But his eyes—his distinguishable eyes remained clear as they were always in their observation.
168. And in them, I saw no fear—only the quiet certainty of a man who had lived his questions and discovered his answers. This was the man named Asterion.
169. His conversations with me began to dwindle in occasions, but he was valiant unto the end. He did not want anyone including myself to feel pity for him.
170. The man and philosopher who once walked with the gentle ease of the wind now moved like a rigid stone that languished with each step he took.
171. His movements became more difficult to control, but he never stopped philosophising or answering questions. This was a genuine sign of his wisdom.
172. His voice, once firm and convincing, faded in fragments—soft, but deliberate in their tone expressed.
173. Yet his eyes as said, remained unchanged: clear, unwavering, full of the quiet fire of his wisdom.
174. He no longer taught with mere speech uttered, but with the authority of his wisdom. The knowledge he imparted was valuable. Each scroll that I wrote, reflected his great wisdom.
175. Each breath he took seemed to carry a lesson to be learnt, and one to convey to others, who were either his students or the common people who knew him or heard him speak.
176. Do not mourn the fading of form, it is the soul that must remain awake—he said.
177. I watched him closely—not out of worry, but with reverence for what he stood for and the man he became then. I often found him the grove alone staring at the beauty of nature.
178. Even in his weakness displayed in his darkest hours, he was whole in his thoughts. I admired him for so many things that he taught me, but the one thing that I admired about him was his fortitude.
179. He asked for no physical comfort in life, only my presence and my patience as well. He trusted me, and saw in me his successor, which I was honoured.
180. Sit with me now, but bring no questions this time—he told me as I sat beside him, as he was chuckling.
181. So I sat, and the silence between us deepened with the moment that arrived with our awareness.
182. It was not empty—it was full of actual memory, of meaning and of quiet transmission of thoughts that we expressed with such a facile manner. It was like a father speaking to his son.
183. Outside, the olive trees that he so often spoke of swayed gently, as they had for decades.
184. Their roots deepened as his breath slowed to the point that I feared for his death. I interrupted him to ask, if he was in some kind of discomfort.
185. The sun moved across the wall, casting long shadows that were transparent and lingering.
186. He watched them form and pass, not with the longing of the soul, but with the inner peace of the mind.
187. I did not speak. I had learnt that silence was the final form of listening that a man could honour another man near to death than life.
188. And in that unique silence, I felt the weight of what he had given me—not as a lingering burden, but as promising inheritance.
189. His illness came slowly, like the dusk creeping across a familiar field that was waiting for the wind to blow it away.
190. He did not resist it—he welcomed it as one welcomes winter after harvest. He accepted his outcome. He knew that his return to the Logos was near, as was his ultimate fate, which was his return to To Ena.
191. This illness too is a part of the cycle of life and death, and I shall walk it as I have walked all things before, with the knowledge that I have lived a long life—he confessed.
192. Pain visited him more often, but never stayed long—he met it with stillness and courage, like few men could ever do in public.
193. His body weakened even more with days and weeks that transpired, but his gaze grew stronger and contemplative.
194. There was no apparent sign of bitterness in him for his illness, only clarity and the acceptance of his fate. I tried to bring him solace with my words.
195. Do not pity me I ask, I am not diminished—I only am distilled—he told me. Those words echoed in my thoughts.
196. Each day he would speak less, but his silence grew more articulate with his expressions. I had to convince him to rest more.
197. I watched him rise gradually from his body, each movement was deliberate, like a natural current in the river.
198. He did not ask for help, even though I offered it. I was to be the only student from the others, who would be there before his illness and death at his bedside. He confided in me the most.
199. Let me carry what I can, for strength is not in what we lift, but in how we bear it—he said.
200. His breath became even more shallow with ever breath taken, but his presence filled the room with his wisdom.
201. Even in the grasp of his illness, he remained a teacher to me—not of endurance, but of grace.
202. He taught me that weakness is not our failure, and that fragility is not a shame to avoid in life.
203. The Meletic does not conquer suffering—he understands it with the knowledge of what it actually means.
204. And in those quiet conversations we shared together, I saw a man more whole than ever. I saw the sincerity reflected in his eyes.
205. The olive trees outside bent so gently in the wind that blew, as if bowing to him out of reverence.
206. Light moved across his face that came from the sunlight, tracing the lines of a life well questioned.
207. I did not speak or utter a single word. I simply remained in my presence and stood by him in stillness. And in that stillness, I learnt what great strength truly was in him. I had also understood that his wisdom would pass unto me then.
208. He once said to me—I am sowing the seeds of Meleticism, for the generations to come, to harvest its abundance.
For more features, such as favoriting, recommending, and reviewing, please go to the full version of this story.