Menedemos (Cynic)

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Menedemos ( ancient Greek Μενέδημος Menédēmos , Latinized Menedemus ) was an ancient Greek philosopher . He is counted among the Cynics . Since he was a contemporary of the first half of the 3rd century BC. AD active. Menippus and Bion of Borysthenes was, is to assume that he in the 4th century. Was born in the 3rd century BC and died in the 3rd century.

No writings by Menedemus have survived. Only a few ancient reports on his life and work have survived, although little is known about them.

Diogenes Laertios reports that Menedemus was initially a pupil of the Epicurean Kolotes von Lampsakos . But later he joined a certain Echekles, a grandchild of the Cynic Metrokles . What Diogenes Laertios reports about Menedemus' demeanor and character was probably mistakenly transferred from Menippus to Metrokles.

After he defected to cynicism, he fought literarily with his teacher Kolotes'. We know this from a corresponding answer by Kolotes, which has been preserved on a papyrus roll. The criticism of Menedmos is limited to topics such as the question of whether - as the Menedemos as a cynic claimed - a wise man could live painlessly and well with simple lentil dishes. We know from the same source that Menedemos was poorly respected by many Stoics. Perhaps this is due to his extravagant behavior.

Source editions and translations

output

  • Gabriele Giannantoni (Ed.): Socratis et Socraticorum Reliquiae , Volume 2, Bibliopolis, Naples 1990, pp. 587-589 (= section VN; critical edition, online )

translation

literature

Footnotes

  1. ^ Diogenes Laertios, Lives and Teachings of Famous Philosophers 6,102.
  2. ^ Diogenes Laertios, Lives and Teachings of Famous Philosophers 6.95.
  3. ^ Klaus Döring: Menedemos . In: Hellmut Flashar (ed.): Outline of the history of philosophy. The philosophy of antiquity . Volume 2/1, Schwabe, Basel 1998, p. 305.Diogenes Laertios reports ( Life and Teachings of Famous Philosophers 6,102) that Menedemus walked around in the guise of a fury and pretended to be the messenger of Hades, commissioning the gods of Hades about the wrongdoing of people to report. His costume consisted of a dark cloak with a red belt. His hat was adorned with the twelve signs of the zodiac, in his hand was a club made of ash wood.
  4. ↑ Papyrus Herculanensis 208 and 1032.
personal data
SURNAME Menedemos
BRIEF DESCRIPTION ancient Cynic philosopher
DATE OF BIRTH 4th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 3rd century BC Chr.