← Glossary
Kartereia (from karterein = to endure, to hold out, to preserve one's strength) denotes in Stoic philosophy the capacity for endurance and steadfastness, both physical and moral-spiritual. It forms the etymological basis of Proskarteresis, yet as a term in its own right it is less specifically directed toward the conscious continuation of a begun ethical task. Kartereia is better understood as the general virtuous strength to hold one's ground, whereas Proskarteresis refers to the continual renewal of that strength in the face of resistance to what has been morally recognised.