Vitae philosophorum

Diogenes Laertius

Diogenes Laertius. Hicks, R. D., editor. Cambridge, MA.: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1925.

And according to Caeneus he was the first to divulge what Isocrates called the secrets of his art, and the first to devise the means by which fagots of firewood are rendered portable.

When he was already crippled by paralysis, he sent a message to Xenocrates entreating him to come and take over the charge of the school.[*](The most trustworthy account of what happened when Xenocrates was elected is furnished by Index Academicus, pp. 38 sq. ed. Mekler.) They say that, as he was being conveyed to the Academy in a tiny carriage, he met and saluted Diogenes, who replied, Nay, if you can endure to live in such a plight as this, I decline to return your greeting. At last in old age he became so despondent that he put an end to his life. Here follows my epigram upon him[*](Anth. Pal. viii. 101.):

Had I not learnt that Speusippus would die thus, no one would have persuaded me to say that he was surely not of Plato’s blood; for else he would never have died in despair for a trivial cause.

Plutarch in the Lives of Lysander and Sulla makes his malady to have been morbus pedicularis.[*](Cf. supra, iii. 40.) That his body wasted away is affirmed by Timotheus in his book On Lives. Speusippus, he says, meeting a rich man who was in love with one who was no beauty, said to him, Why, pray, are you in such sore need of him? For ten talents I will find you a more handsome bride.

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He has left behind a vast store of memoirs and numerous dialogues, among them:

  • Aristippus the Cyrenaic.
  • On Wealth, one book.
  • On Pleasure, one book.
  • On Justice,
  • On Philosophy,
  • On Friendship,
  • On the Gods,
  • The Philosopher,
  • A Reply to Cephalus,
  • Cephalus,
  • Clinomachus or Lysias,
  • The Citizen,
  • Of the Soul,
  • A Reply to Gryllus,

  • Aristippus,
  • Criticism of the Arts, each in one book.
  • Memoirs, in the form of dialogues.
  • Treatise on System, in one book.
  • Dialogues on the Resemblances in Science, in ten books.
  • Divisions and Hypotheses relating to the Resemblances.
  • On Typical Genera and Species.
  • A Reply to the Anonymous Work.
  • Eulogy of Plato.
  • Epistles to Dion, Dionysius and Philip.
  • On Legislation.
  • The Mathematician.
  • Mandrobolus.
  • Lysias.
  • Definitions.
  • Arrangements of Commentaries.

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    They comprise in all 43,475 lines. To him Timonides addresses his narrative in which he related the achievements of Dion and Bion.[*](Nothing is known of any such Bion having taken part in the expedition of Dion against Syracuse. There may be an error in the text arising from dittography.) Favorinus also in the second book of his Memorabilia relates that Aristotle purchased the works of Speusippus for three talents.

    There was another Speusippus, a physician of Alexandria, of the school of Herophilus.

    Xenocrates, the son of Agathenor, was a native of Chalcedon. He was a pupil of Plato from his earliest youth; moreover he accompanied him on his journey to Sicily. He was naturally slow and clumsy. Hence Plato, comparing him to Aristotle, said, The one needed a spur, the other a bridle. And again, See what an ass I am training and what a horse he has to run against. However, Xenocrates was in all besides dignified and grave of demeanour, which made Plato say to him continually, Xenocrates, sacrifice to the Graces. He spent most of his time in the Academy; and whenever he was going to betake himself to the city, it is said that all the noisy rabble and hired porters made way for him as he passed.

    And that once the notorious Phryne tried to make his acquaintance and, as if she were being chased by some people, took refuge under his roof; that he admitted her out of ordinary humanity and, there being but one small couch in the room, permitted her to share it with him, and at last, after

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    many importunities, she retired without success, telling those who inquired that he whom she quitted was not a man but a statue. Another version of the story is that his pupils induced Laïs to invade his couch; and that so great was his endurance that he many times submitted to amputation and cautery. His words were entirely worthy of credit, so much so that, although it was illegal for witnesses to give evidence unsworn, the Athenians allowed Xenocrates alone to do so.