Vitae philosophorum

Diogenes Laertius

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

Probabilities in Support of the Definitions, addressed to Dioscurides, two books.

Of Species and Genera, addressed to Gorgippides, two books.

Of Classifications, one book.

Of Contraries, addressed to Dionysius, two books.

Probable Arguments relative to the Classifications, Genera and Species, and the Treatment of Contraries, one book.

Fourth series:

Of Etymological Matters, addressed to Diocles, seven books.

Points of Etymology, addressed to Diocles, four books.

Fifth series:

Of Proverbs, addressed to Zenodotus, two books.

Of Poems, addressed to Philomathes, one book.

On the Right Way of reading Poetry, two books.

A Reply to Critics, addressed to Diodorus, one book.

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2. Ethics dealing with the common view and the sciences and virtues thence arising.

First series:

Against the Touching up of Paintings, addressed to Timonax, one book.

How it is we name each Thing and form a Conception of it, one book.

Of Conceptions, addressed to Laodamas, two books.

Of Opinion or Assumption, addressed to Pythonax, three books.

Proofs that the Wise Man will not hold Opinions,[*](Cf. supra, § 162.) one book.

Of Apprehension, of Knowledge and of Ignorance,[*](Cf. Cicero, Acad. post. 42 sed inter scientiam et inscientiam comprehensionem illam, quam dixi, collocabat [sc. Zeno]; Sext. Emp. Adv. math. vii. 151.) four books.

Of Reason, two books.

Of the Use of Reason, addressed to Leptines.

Second series:

That the Ancients rightly admitted Dialectic as well as Demonstration, addressed to Zeno, two books.

Of Dialectic, addressed to Aristocreon, four books.

Of the Objections urged against the Dialecticians, three books.

Of Rhetoric, addressed to Dioscurides, four books.

Third series:

Of formed State, or Habit, of Mind, addressed to Cleon, three books.

Of Art and the Inartistic, addressed to Aristocreon, four books.

Of the Difference between the Virtues, addressed to Diodorus, four books.

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Of the Characters of the several Virtues, one book.

Of Virtues, addressed to Pollis, two books.

3. Ethics, dealing with things good and evil.

First series:

Of the Good or Morally Beautiful and Pleasure, addressed to Aristocreon, ten books.

Proofs that Pleasure is not the End-in-chief of Action, four books.

Proofs that Pleasure is not a Good, four books.

Of the Arguments commonly used on Behalf of [Pleasure].

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Having now completed our account of the philosophy of Ionia starting with Thales, as well as of its chief representatives, let us proceed to examine the philosophy of Italy, which was started by Pythagoras,[*](Compare Clement Alex. Strom. i. 62 Πυθαγόρας μὲν οὖν Μνησάρχου Σάμιος, ὥς φησιν Ἱππόβοτος, ὡς δὲ Ἀριστόξενος ἐν τῷ Πυθαγόρου βίῳ, καὶ Ἀρίσταρχος καὶ Θεόπομπος, Τυρρηνὸς ἦν, ὡς δὲ Νεάνθης, Σύριος ἢ Τύριος, ὥστε εἷναι κατὰ τοὺς πλείστους τὸν Πυθαγόραν βάρβαρον τὸ γένος. Porphyry also (V. Pyth. i.) favours the connexion with Phoenicia, so that the boy Pythagoras was instructed there by Chaldaeans before, on his return to Samos, he enjoyed the instruction of Pherecydes of Syros and of Hermodainas of Samos.) son of the gem-engraver Mnesarchus, and according to Hermippus, a Samian, or, according to Aristoxenus, a Tyrrhenian from one of those islands which the Athenians held after clearing them of their Tyrrhenian inhabitants. Some indeed say that he was descended through Euthyphro, Hippasus and Marmacus from Cleonymus, who was exiled from Phlius, and that, as Marmacus lived in Samos, so Pythagoras was called a Samian.

From Samos he went, it is said, to Lesbos with an introduction to Pherecydes from his uncle Zoïlus. He had three silver flagons made and took them as presents to each of the priests of Egypt. He had brothers, of whom Eunomus was the elder and Tyrrhenus the second; he also had a slave, Zamolxis, who is worshipped, so says Herodotus,[*](iv. 93 sq.) by the Getans,

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as Cronos. He was a pupil, as already stated, of Pherecydes of Syros, after whose death he went to Samos to be the pupil of Hermodamas, Creophylus’s descendant, a man already advanced in years. While still young, so eager was he for knowledge, he left his own country and had himself initiated into all the mysteries and rites not only of Greece but also of foreign countries.