Kleanthes

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Kleanthes ( ancient Greek Κλεάνθης Kleánthēs , * approx. 331 BC or later in Assos in the Troas , today western Turkey; † approx. 232 BC ) was an ancient Greek philosopher of the Stoa .

As the successor to Zenon in the office of the school administration, Kleanthes is said to have prosecuted the astronomer Aristarchus of Samos for his godlessness, because he was looking for an astronomical explanation for natural phenomena. For the Stoic, the attempt to replace the geocentric world view with the heliocentric one was a sacrilege.

The limitation of natural knowledge by the natural law that was perceived as an idea meant the retention of the usual ideas. Although world events were viewed as fate, Kleanthes decided to help Providence when he saw the usual worldview fail. Among his writings were works on Heraclitus , one against Democritus and another against Aristarchus.

Kleanthes was originally a pugilist . When he started his apprenticeship with Zenon, he earned his living by working at night. At a gardener's house, he watered the garden by scooping water. He kneaded the bread dough at a flour seller. He emphasized the advantage of his way of life in front of the rich by saying after Diogenes Laertios : "While they are playing ball, I dig the hard and barren ground." The council of elders of Athens granted him 10 mines as recognition , which Zenon forbade him to accept. It is reported that he received 3000 mines as a gift from Antigonus of Karystos .

In his views on gods, he taught differing views. According to opinions that are compatible with the cult, he declared nothing so divine as reason. Ciceros Velleius therefore remarked "that this deity, which we know with the understanding, and of whose existence we want to seek ideas in the innermost part of our soul, is nowhere to be found."

Cicero writes: “Kleanthes ... soon called the world itself God ( ipsum mundum deum dicit ), soon he appropriated this name of the world soul, now he holds the outermost and highest fire, which flows around everything and surrounds the outermost regions of the world , also called ether, solely for the deity, and in his books, which he wrote against lust, as if he suffered from intellect, he once composed certain images and figures of the gods, another time he wrote the entire divine being towards the stars. "

Kleanthes is considered one of the most important philosophers of the older Stoa. According to him, virtuous action is only possible through knowledge of reality. Moral knowledge is inextricably linked with strength of mind and character. In addition to bravery , self-control and justice , perseverance is therefore the most essential human virtue for Kleanthes. He composed a Zeus hymn in which he glorified Zeus as the world soul and world reason and thus founded Stoic theology. Only fragments are known of his prose writings.

He is said to have passed out of life by refusing to eat.

output

  • Johan C. Thom (Ed.): Cleanthes' "Hymn to Zeus". Text, translation, and commentary. Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen 2005, ISBN 3-16-148660-9

literature

Web links

Remarks

  1. ↑ Cicero, De natura deorum 1.14.
  2. ↑ Cicero, De natura deorum 1.14.
personal data
SURNAME Kleanthes
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Greek philosopher of the Stoa
DATE OF BIRTH around 331 BC Chr.
PLACE OF BIRTH Assos
DATE OF DEATH around 232 BC Chr.