In this episode, we explore the subtle yet powerful Stoic concept of protopathē—the initial stirrings of emotion that arise before reason has a chance to intervene. Often misunderstood as signs of weakness or failure, these “proto-passions” are actually natural physiological responses: a racing heart, a sudden flush of fear, a jolt of surprise. The Stoics didn’t condemn these reactions—they distinguished them from full-blown passions (pathē) that result from poor judgment.