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Among the classical Greco-Roman philosophers none are more influential than the first century Stoic, Epictetus, and the core of his teachings is found in The Enchiridion, or "handbook." Epictetus was the slave of an officer in Nero's imperial guard. He became schooled in Stoicism and after obtaining his freedom, brought his own insights to bear on the precepts of this life-changing philosophy, lecturing first in Rome and then in Nicopolis where he spent the rest of his life. Like so many early philosophers, he did not put pen to parchment and were it not for one of his students, Arrian, his sage and practical advice on how to live a tranquil life would have been lost to us. The Enchiridion sets out the principles of stoic moral philosophy as a way of life and the basis of happiness. We should not try to change events that are beyond our control and seek only to control our own thoughts and actions through self-knowledge. Rooted in ethics, logic and natural laws, Epictetus' guidelines emphasise that "No man is free who is not master of himself," a challenge that many latter-day greats like Marcus Aurelius recognised as a worthy goal. This little book deserves several re-reads to fully appreciate the hard simplicity of Epictetus' wisdom.

The Rosicrucians burst upon European consciousness some 400 years ago with the publication of three 'manifestos', causing consternation throughout the continent and promulgating ideas that remain potent to the present day. The Fama Fraternitatis tells the story of the enigmatic C.R.C. who journeyed to Jerusalem and thence to fabled Damcar in Arabia, where he sought, and was instructed in, the sacred knowledge of the sages. Returning to Europe by way of Egypt and Fez, he founded a fraternity to both freely heal the sick, and to spread the mystical teachings throughout the world. Such were the 'The Brothers of the Rosy Cross'. The Confessio Fraternitatis is in essence both an extension and a justification of the brotherhood's spiritual beliefs and earthly aspirations as described in the Fama. A New Dawn was heralded, which would bring the 'Reformation of Mankind'. This was heady stuff, revolutionary for its time, and proclaimed at the height of the Inquisition's powers. The manifestos set many cities and towns in a ferment. Less revolutionary in tone, and the longest of the three documents, The Alchemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz, is sometimes considered merely as 'Fantasy Fiction', but is regarded by those with deeper spiritual knowledge as a detailed allegorical description of mystical initiation. Rosicrucian Dawn is required reading for all those who hope to understand the founding philosophy that lies behind the 'Brotherhood of the Rosy Cross', its offshoots, and many of today's New Age beliefs.

As a comprehensive work on magic through the ages, The History of Magic, is hard to beat. Éliphas Lévi was born in poverty in 1810, the son of a Parisian shoemaker. His early associations with the Christian Catholic Church were ambivalent because of his interest in "the Secret Doctrine" - Magic. His voice as a magus emerged in Transcendental Magic, its Doctrine and Ritual, published in 1855-56, followed by The History of Magic (1860), where he combines his belief in both magic and religion. Recognised as the occult scientist of the 19th century, Lévi has left a valuable legacy in his writings. The present work is divided into a septad of books - based on the sacred number, seven - with seven chapters in each. Lévi begins with a clear definition of magic - "the exact and absolute science of Nature and her laws" and these laws, conforming always to an ideal state of equilibrium, are governed by a supreme intelligent principle, God. Throughout the book the author emphasizes the inseparability of science and religion and that magic is part of both, but he is at pains to denigrate Black magic and counterfeit magicians. He charts magic through the ages, from its early origins to the 19th century occult revival, in which he played a major part. We read about Zoroaster, Abraham, the magic of the Magi, Hermetic magic, Kabalism, Gnosticism, Freemasonry - and much else besides. According to Lévi, the Secret Doctrine was eventually passed down to the Roman Catholic Church of which he became a faithful member. However, he admitted this revered institution had lost the Kabalistic Keys and his life's work was to direct their rediscovery that these powerful tools may be applied to our lives, albeit only within the confines of the hierarchical Church. Occult historian and author in his own right, A. E. Waite provides a valuable adjunct to Levi's book with his preface and detailed notes. The original index has been revised and extended by Aziloth Books.

Written over two millennia ago in China, The Art of War is the first known rational treatise on the planning and conduct of military operations. It's author, Sun Tzu, was a Chinese strategist who lived between 554-496 BC, during the Spring and Autumn Period of the Middle Kingdom's turbulent history. Dr. Lionel Giles published his classic translation of Art of War in 1910, when he was Keeper of the British Museum's Department of Oriental Manuscripts. Complete with Preface, Introduction and abundant Footnotes, the work has never been bettered, and succeeds brilliantly in placing Sun Tzu's masterpiece in its true historical and cultural context. Concise and aphoristic in style, The Art of War represents the distilled wisdom of a great commander - limning strategies and ploys that men of later generations, including Mao Tse Tung and Ho Chi Minh, have used with great success.

Benedictus de Spinoza's ground-breaking philosophy made him a controversial figure of 17th century Rationalism and a major influence in the Enlightenment that followed. Spinoza developed contentious ideas from an early age, resulting in his expulsion from Amsterdam's Jewish community when he was only twenty-three. Christian orthodoxy likewise repudiated his philosophy and the Catholic Church later issued a ban on all his writings. Undeterred and unrepentant, Spinoza the outcast went on to explore notions of God, man, the universe and reality, an intellectual journey that culminated in his magnum opus, Ethica, which he wrote between 1661 And 1675. This was a metaphysical analysis so radical that he was forced to have it published after his death. The intention behind the Ethics is to demonstrate that it is possible for man to attain a good life and experience "blessedness" or knowledge of God. Inspired by Cartesian rigour, Spinoza employs Euclid's step-by-step logic to prove his various propositions, signing off each proof with an assured "Q.E.D." flourish. The five-part work addresses the nature of God and concludes that He is intrinsic to the universe rather than outside of it - and is certainly not a personal god in the orthodox sense. The treatise then proceeds to dissect the human mind and to explore the notion of free will and of good and evil. This is followed by a detailed analysis of the origin and strength of various emotions and the way in which they enslave man. In the final part he reveals how we can free ourselves of these emotional manacles by fully understanding how they work and by distinguishing between those that are harmful and those that are useful. For Spinoza, reason is the sole means to this end. It is no easy task, he warns, and few will succeed - "But all things excellent are as difficult as they are rare."