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List Of Cynic Philosophers ...
This is a list of Cynic philosophers, ordered (roughly) by date. The criteria for inclusion in this list is fairly mild. ''See also :Cynic philosophers''. See also * List of ancient Greek philosophers *List of ancient Platonists *List of Epicurean philosophers *List of Stoic philosophers External links ''Lives & Writings on the Cynics'' directory of literary references to Ancient Cynics {{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Cynic Philosophers Cynic philosophers Cynic philosophers Cynic or Cynicism may refer to: Modes of thought * Cynicism (philosophy), a school of ancient Greek philosophy * Cynicism (contemporary), modern use of the word for distrust of others' motives Books * ''The Cynic'', James Gordon Stuart Grant 18 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cynicism (philosophy)
Cynicism ( grc, κυνισμός) is a school of thought of ancient Greek philosophy as practiced by the Cynics ( grc, Κυνικοί; la, Cynici). For the Cynics, the purpose of life is to live in virtue, in agreement with nature. As reasoning creatures, people can gain happiness by rigorous training and by living in a way which is natural for themselves, rejecting all conventional desires for wealth, power, and fame, and even flouting conventions openly and derisively in public. Instead, they were to lead a simple life free from all possessions. The first philosopher to outline these themes was Antisthenes, who had been a pupil of Socrates in the late 400 BC. He was followed by Diogenes, who lived in a ceramic jar on the streets of Athens. Diogenes took Cynicism to its logical extremes, and came to be seen as the archetypal Cynic philosopher. He was followed by Crates of Thebes, who gave away a large fortune so he could live a life of Cynic poverty in Athens. Cynicism gradua ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cercidas
Cercidas ( grc, Κερκιδᾶς ''Kerkidas''; fl. 3rd century BC) was a poet, Cynic philosopher, and legislator for his native city Megalopolis. A papyrus roll containing fragments from seven of his Cynic poems was discovered at Oxyrhynchus in 1906. Life Cercidas was an admirer of Diogenes, whose death he recorded in some Meliambic lines. He is mentioned and cited by Athenaeus (who cites him as a source for the cult of Venus Kallipygos) and Stobaeus. At his death he ordered the first and second books of the Iliad to be buried with him. Aelian relates that Cercidas died expressing his hope of being with Pythagoras of the philosophers, Hecataeus of the historians, Olympus of the musicians, and Homer of the poets, which clearly implies his esteem for these four disciplines. He commanded his city's infantry contingent at the battle of Sellasia in 222 BC. He appears to be a descendant of Cercidas the Arcadian, who is mentioned by Demosthenes among those Greeks, who, by their co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heraclius The Cynic
Heraclius ( el, Ἡράκλειος ''Herakleios''; fl. 4th century AD) was a Cynic philosopher, against whom the emperor Julian wrote in his seventh oration. Julian relates how Heraclius delivered an allegorical fable before him, in which Heraclius took upon himself the part of Jupiter, and gave the emperor that of the god Pan. Although offended by this fable, and by the disrespect with which Heraclius mentioned the gods, Julian maintained his silence, fearing that he would appear paranoid if he imposed silence upon Heraclius, as well as for regard for the audience. The encounter occurred while Julian was in Constantinople. Julian later composed his long discourse to explain that a Cynic should be an enemy to all pretence and deception, and ought not to compose fables; or, if he will compose them, that they should at least be serious, instructive, and religious. We also hear upon another occasion of an incident in which Heraclius urged bold action to Procopius, a relative of Juli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crescens The Cynic
Crescans (fl. 2nd century AD) was a Cynic philosopher who attacked the Christians, and was in turn, attacked by Justin Martyr. Eusebius, writing 150 years later, accused him of causing Justin's death. Life The only information regarding Crescens comes from hostile attacks by the church fathers. He was active according to the ''Chronicon'' of Eusebius around 152-153. Tatian refers to Crescens as being resident in the "great city,"Tatian, presumably Rome. According to Justin, Crescens attacked the Christians with great acrimony, calling them atheists: Crescens, that lover of bravado and boasting; for the man is not worthy of the name of philosopher who publicly bears witness against us in matters which he does not understand, saying that the Christians are atheists and impious, and doing so to win favour with the deluded mob, and to please them.Justin Martyr, Crescens called the Christians ''atheotatous'', "the most atheist ones", and Justin admitted that the Christians were ind ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pancrates Of Athens
Pancrates ( el, Παγκράτης; fl. c. 140 AD) of Athens, was a Cynic philosopher. Philostratus relates, that when the celebrated sophist Lollianus was in danger of being stoned by the Athenians in a tumult about bread, Pancrates quieted the mob by exclaiming that Lollianus was not a "bread-dealer" ( el, ἀρτοπώλης) but a "word-dealer" ( el, λογοπώλης). Alciphron Alciphron ( grc-gre, Ἀλκίφρων) was an ancient Greek sophist, and the most eminent among the Greek epistolographers. Regarding his life or the age in which he lived we possess no direct information whatsoever. Works We possess under the ... also mentions a Cynic philosopher of this name in his fictitious letters.Alciphron, ''Epistles'', iii. 55. Notes {{DEFAULTSORT:Pancrates of Athens 2nd-century Athenians 2nd-century philosophers Roman-era Cynic philosophers Roman-era Athenian philosophers ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oenomaus Of Gadara
Oenomaus of Gadara ( grc-gre, Οἰνόμαος ὁ Γαδαρεύς, ''Oinomaus ho Gadareus''; fl. 2nd century AD), was a Pagan Cynic philosopher. He is known principally for the long extracts of a work attacking oracles, which have been preserved among the writings of Eusebius of Caesarea. Life Oenomaus was a native of Gadara,Blank, David"Philodemus" The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2019 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), accessed 3 June 2020. which was then a partially Hellenized community in northern Jordan. He is listed in the '' Chronicle'' of Jerome as flourishing in the 224th Olympiad (117 to 121 AD): "Plutarch of Chaeronea, Sextus, Agathobulus and Oenomaus are considered notable philosophers." He is also mentioned in ''The Chronography of George Synkellos'' associated with events from 109 to 120 AD "The philosopher Sextus, as well as Agathobulus and Oenomaus were becoming known." It has been suggested that Oenomaus is identical to the philosopher ''Abnim ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Theagenes Of Patras
Theagenes ( el, Θεαγένης; fl. c. 160 AD) of Patras, was a Cynic philosopher and close friend of Peregrinus Proteus. He is known principally as a character who appears in Lucian's ''The Death of Peregrinus'' ( la, De Morte Peregrini), where he is introduced as praising Peregrinus' desire to kill himself by self-immolation: Proteus," he cried, "Proteus vain-glorious? Who dares name the word? Earth! Sun! Seas! Rivers! God of our fathers, Heracles! Was it for this that he suffered bondage in Syria? that he forgave his country a debt of a million odd? that he was cast out of Rome, — he whose brilliance exceeds the Sun, fit rival of the Lord of Olympus? 'Tis his good will to depart from life by fire, and they call it vain-glory! What other end had eracles? Theagenes aided Peregrinus by setting fire to the funeral pyre, which Peregrinus threw himself upon. Theagenes compared Peregrinus' suicide with the similar practices of the Gymnosophists in India. Lucian, who was hostile ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peregrinus Proteus
Peregrinus Proteus ( grc-gre, Περεγρῖνος Πρωτεύς; c. 95 – 165 AD) was a Greek Cynic philosopher, from Parium in Mysia. Leaving home at a young age, he first lived with the Christians in Palestine, before eventually being expelled from that community and adopting the life of a Cynic philosopher and eventually settling in Greece. He is most remembered for committing suicide after giving his own funeral oration, cremating himself on a funeral pyre at the Olympic Games in 165. By 180 AD, a statue of Peregrinus had been erected in his home city of Parium; it was reputed to have oracular powers. Life Lucian's satirical biography The only detailed account of the life of Peregrinus was recorded by Lucian in his satire, ''The Death of Peregrinus'' ( la, De Morte Peregrini). Although this account is hostile to Peregrinus, the bare facts of his life can be extracted. Peregrinus was born in Parium, c. 95 AD. At a young age he was suspected of parricide, and was obliged t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lucian
Lucian of Samosata, '; la, Lucianus Samosatensis ( 125 – after 180) was a Hellenized Syrian satirist, rhetorician and pamphleteer Pamphleteer is a historical term for someone who creates or distributes pamphlets, unbound (and therefore inexpensive) booklets intended for wide circulation. Context Pamphlets were used to broadcast the writer's opinions: to articulate a poli ... who is best known for his characteristic tongue-in-cheek style, with which he frequently ridiculed superstition, religious practices, and belief in the paranormal. Although his native language was probably Syriac language, Syriac, all of his extant works are written entirely in ancient Greek (mostly in the Attic Greek dialect popular during the Second Sophistic period). Everything that is known about Lucian's life comes from his own writings, which are often difficult to interpret because of his extensive use of sarcasm. According to his oration ''The Dream'', he was the son of a lower middle clas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Demonax
Demonax ( el, Δημώναξ, ''Dēmōnax'', ''gen''.: Δημώνακτος; c. AD 70 – c. 170) was a Greek Cynic philosopher. Born in Cyprus, he moved to Athens, where his wisdom, and his skill in solving disputes, earned him the admiration of the citizens. He taught Lucian, who wrote a ''Life of Demonax'' in praise of his teacher. When he died he received a magnificent public funeral. Life The only source known for the life of Demonax is Lucian, who describes Demonax in glowing terms, in contrast to the disreputable Cynics whom Lucian reviled. He is not mentioned by any other contemporary writer. He is mentioned in the 5th century by Eunapius, but only because he knows of him from Lucian's work. It is possible, therefore, that Demonax is a character invented by Lucian. There are, however, some sayings attributed to Demonax found in anthologies compiled by later writers which are not found in Lucian's work. Demonax was born c. 70 AD, in Cyprus, where he belonged to an influent ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Secundus The Silent
Secundus the Silent ( grc, Σεκοῦνδος) (fl. 2nd century AD) was a Cynic or Neopythagorean philosopher who lived in Athens in the early 2nd century, who had taken a vow of silence. An anonymous text entitled ''Life of Secundus'' ( la, Vita Secundi Philosophi) purports to give details of his life as well as answers to philosophical questions posed to him by the emperor Hadrian. The work enjoyed great popularity in the Middle Ages. Life Secundus is known only from an anonymous ''Life'' of Secundus which has survived.Perry, B., ''Secundus: The Silent Philosopher''. We are told that he was sent away from home to be educated when he was a small boy. When he was an adult he decided to test the proposition that every woman is a whore. So he returned home dressed as a Cynic philosopher with long hair and a beard, and, unrecognisable to his own mother, he persuaded her to agree to sleep with him for fifty gold pieces. After he had spent the night with her, doing nothing more tha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Agathobulus
Agathobulus ( el, Ἀγαθόβουλος ''Agathoboulos''; fl. 2nd century) of Alexandria, who lived c. 125 AD, was a Cynic philosopher and teacher of Demonax and Peregrinus Proteus. Little is known about his life. He is listed in the ''Chronicle'' of Jerome as flourishing in the 224th Olympiad (117 to 121 CE): "Plutarch of Chaeronea, Sextus, Agathobulus and Oenomaus are considered notable philosophers." He is also mentioned in ''The Chronography of George Synkellos'' associated with events from 109 to 120 CE "The philosopher Sextus, as well as Agathobulus and Oenomaus were becoming known." According to Lucian, he was the teacher of Demonax; and Peregrinus Proteus studied the Cynic way of life in Alexandria under his tutelage: Thereafter Peregrinus went away a third time, to Egypt, to visit Agathobulus, where he took that wonderful course of training in asceticism Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
