Hegesias of Cyrene: Difference between revisions
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He is said by [[Diogenes Laërtius]]<ref>Diogenes Laërtius, ii</ref> to have been the disciple of Paraebates. He was the fellow-student of [[Anniceris]], from whom, however, he differed by presenting in its most pessimistic form the system which Anniceris softened and improved. He followed [[Aristippus]] in considering pleasure the object of man's desire; but, the view which he took of human life was of the gloomiest character, and his practical inferences from the Cyrenaic principles were destructive alike to goodness and happiness. The latter he said could not be the aim of man, because it is not attainable, and therefore concluded that the wise man's only object should be to free himself from inconvenience, thereby reducing the whole of human life to mere sensual pleasure. Since, too, every man is sufficient to himself, all external goods were rejected as not being true sources of pleasure, and therefore all the domestic and benevolent affections. Hence the sage ought to regard nothing but himself; action is quite indifferent; and if action, so also is life, which, therefore, is in no way more desirable than death. This statement is, however, less strong than that of Cicero,<ref>Cicero, ''Tusc.'' i. 34</ref> who tells us that Hegesias wrote a book called ''Death by Starvation'' ({{lang-el|ἀποκαρτερνῶ}}), in which a man who has resolved to starve himself is introduced as representing to his friends that death is actually more to be desired than life, and that the gloomy descriptions of human misery which this work contained were so overpowering, that they drove many persons to commit suicide, in consequence of which the author received the surname of ''Death-persuader'' (Peisithanatos). This book was published at [[Alexandria]], where he was, in consequence, forbidden to teach by king Ptolemy. |
He is said by [[Diogenes Laërtius]]<ref>Diogenes Laërtius, ii</ref> to have been the disciple of Paraebates. He was the fellow-student of [[Anniceris]], from whom, however, he differed by presenting in its most pessimistic form the system which Anniceris softened and improved. He followed [[Aristippus]] in considering pleasure the object of man's desire; but, the view which he took of human life was of the gloomiest character, and his practical inferences from the Cyrenaic principles were destructive alike to goodness and happiness. The latter he said could not be the aim of man, because it is not attainable, and therefore concluded that the wise man's only object should be to free himself from inconvenience, thereby reducing the whole of human life to mere sensual pleasure. Since, too, every man is sufficient to himself, all external goods were rejected as not being true sources of pleasure, and therefore all the domestic and benevolent affections. Hence the sage ought to regard nothing but himself; action is quite indifferent; and if action, so also is life, which, therefore, is in no way more desirable than death. This statement is, however, less strong than that of Cicero,<ref>Cicero, ''Tusc.'' i. 34</ref> who tells us that Hegesias wrote a book called ''Death by Starvation'' ({{lang-el|ἀποκαρτερνῶ}}), in which a man who has resolved to starve himself is introduced as representing to his friends that death is actually more to be desired than life, and that the gloomy descriptions of human misery which this work contained were so overpowering, that they drove many persons to commit suicide, in consequence of which the author received the surname of ''Death-persuader'' (Peisithanatos). This book was published at [[Alexandria]], where he was, in consequence, forbidden to teach by king Ptolemy. |
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Hegesias of Cyrene, whose ruler may have been [[Magas of Cyrene]], an apparent recipient of [[Buddhist]] missionnaries from the Indian king [[Ashoka]] according to the latter's [[Edicts of Ashoka|Edicts]], is sometimes thought to have been influenced by Buddhist teachings.<ref>"The philosopher Hegesias of Cyrene (nicknamed ''Peisithanatos'', "The advocate of death") was contemporary of Magas and was probably influenced by the teachings of the Buddhist missionnaries to Cyrene and Alexandria. His influence was such that he was ultimately prohited to teach." Jean-Marie Lafont, [[INALCO]] in "Les Dossiers d'Archéologie", No254, p.78</ref> |
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==Notes== |
==Notes== |
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Revision as of 13:05, 21 December 2007
Hegesias (Greek: Ἡγησίας) of Cyrenes was a Cyrenaic philosopher, who probably lived c. 300 BC.
He is said by Diogenes Laërtius[1] to have been the disciple of Paraebates. He was the fellow-student of Anniceris, from whom, however, he differed by presenting in its most pessimistic form the system which Anniceris softened and improved. He followed Aristippus in considering pleasure the object of man's desire; but, the view which he took of human life was of the gloomiest character, and his practical inferences from the Cyrenaic principles were destructive alike to goodness and happiness. The latter he said could not be the aim of man, because it is not attainable, and therefore concluded that the wise man's only object should be to free himself from inconvenience, thereby reducing the whole of human life to mere sensual pleasure. Since, too, every man is sufficient to himself, all external goods were rejected as not being true sources of pleasure, and therefore all the domestic and benevolent affections. Hence the sage ought to regard nothing but himself; action is quite indifferent; and if action, so also is life, which, therefore, is in no way more desirable than death. This statement is, however, less strong than that of Cicero,[2] who tells us that Hegesias wrote a book called Death by Starvation (Greek: ἀποκαρτερνῶ), in which a man who has resolved to starve himself is introduced as representing to his friends that death is actually more to be desired than life, and that the gloomy descriptions of human misery which this work contained were so overpowering, that they drove many persons to commit suicide, in consequence of which the author received the surname of Death-persuader (Peisithanatos). This book was published at Alexandria, where he was, in consequence, forbidden to teach by king Ptolemy.
Hegesias of Cyrene, whose ruler may have been Magas of Cyrene, an apparent recipient of Buddhist missionnaries from the Indian king Ashoka according to the latter's Edicts, is sometimes thought to have been influenced by Buddhist teachings.[3]
Notes
- ^ Diogenes Laërtius, ii
- ^ Cicero, Tusc. i. 34
- ^ "The philosopher Hegesias of Cyrene (nicknamed Peisithanatos, "The advocate of death") was contemporary of Magas and was probably influenced by the teachings of the Buddhist missionnaries to Cyrene and Alexandria. His influence was such that he was ultimately prohited to teach." Jean-Marie Lafont, INALCO in "Les Dossiers d'Archéologie", No254, p.78
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)