Athens crates
Krates of Athens ( Greek Κράτης Krátēs ; † between 268 and 264 BC in Athens ) was an ancient Greek philosopher. His hometown was Thria in Athens, hence he is also called Krates of Thria. He belonged to the Platonic Academy and was its director ( Scholarch ) in the last years of his life .
Life and works
Nothing is known about Krates' family of origin apart from the name of his father Antigenes. He was close friends with his teacher, the little scholar Polemon , who had won him over to philosophy. The two philosophers lived together on the academy's premises. Politically, Krates emerged in 287 when he took on the task of visiting the king Demetrios Poliorketes as the envoy of Athens , who besieged the city after it had fallen away from him. The philosopher succeeded in persuading Demetrios to lift the siege. After Polemon's death, he took over the management of the academy in 270 or 269. He held this office until his death. He died in the 128th Olympiad (period between 268 and 264).
In addition to philosophical writings, Krates wrote works on comedy and political speeches. None of this is preserved. In teaching he is said to have been a faithful keeper of the tradition that had prevailed in the academy since Xenocrates and Polemon.
reception
Krates' students included Arkesilaos , who later re-directed the academy as a scholarch, and Bion of Borysthenes . Arkesilaos said that Polemon and Krates seemed like gods or relics from the Golden Age . This comment was also intended as a cautious criticism of the withdrawnness of the two conservative philosophers and their renunciation of contact with the public.
literature
- Tiziano Dorandi : Cratès de Thria . In: Richard Goulet (ed.): Dictionnaire des philosophes antiques , Vol. 2, CNRS Éditions, Paris 1994, ISBN 2-271-05195-9 , pp. 500–501
- Hans Krämer : The late phase of the older academy . In: Hellmut Flashar (ed.): Outline of the history of philosophy . The philosophy of antiquity , Volume 3: Older Academy - Aristoteles - Peripatos , 2nd edition, Schwabe, Basel 2004, ISBN 3-7965-1998-9 , pp. 113–116, 126
Remarks
- ↑ Plutarch , Demetrios 46: 2-3.
- ↑ For the chronology see Tiziano Dorandi: Ricerche sulla cronologia dei filosofi ellenistici , Stuttgart 1991, pp. 3–6.
- ↑ Heinrich Dörrie : The Platonism in antike , Vol. 1: The historical roots of Platonism , Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt 1987, pp. 166–169, 430–433.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Athens crates |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Krates from Thria |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | ancient Greek philosopher |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 4th century BC Chr. |
| DATE OF DEATH | between 268 BC BC and 264 BC Chr. |
| Place of death | Athens |