The lives, opinions, and remarkable sayings of the most famous ancient philosophers. The first volume written in Greek, by Diogenes Laertius ; made English by several hands ...

The LIFE of MENEDEMƲS.

MEnedemus, the Son of Phaedo, the Son of Clisthenes, of the Family of the Theopropidae, was a person of a Noble Extraction, but a Carpenter, and poor. Others report him to have been a Tent∣maker, and that he learn'd both Trades.

Which was the reason, that when he had made a certain Decree, he was reproved by one Alexinus, who told him, that it did not become a Wise Man to make ei∣ther a Tent or a Decree. Afterwards be∣ing sent by the Eretrici to Garrison Me∣gara, he took a Journey to the Academy to visit Plato, by whose perswasions, not unwillingly entic'd, he left off his being a Soldier. But being invited by Asclepias the Phthiasian, he liv'd at Megara with Stilpo, whose followers they both became. From whence going by Sea to Elis, they fell into the company of Archipalus, and Moschus, and so till now, they were call'd Eretrici, from the Country where Mene∣demus was born.

Certainly it is that Menedemus was a Person highly esteem'd for his Vertue and Gravity. For which reason Crates in his morose humour calls him,

The Eretric Bull.

Nor is Timon less Satyrical in deriding his compos'd Demeanour.

Then rising up, he knits his beetle Brows, And gravely humms a lesson through his Nose.

However he was a person so awful, that when Eurylochus the Cassandraan was sent for by Antigonus, together with Clippides, a young Gentleman of Cyzicum, he refus'd to go, for fear Menedemus should know it, for he was quick and severe in his Re∣primands. Insomuch that when a young Man behav'd himself with an unbeseem∣ing Insolence before him, he said nothing, but with a Reed upon the Pavement he describ'd the Posture of a Boy suffering under male Agitation, till the young Man perceiving himself to be abus'd in the pre∣sence of all the standers by, sneak'd out of the Room, asham'd of what he had done. Another time, when Hierocles fell most severely foul upon him in the Py∣raeum about Amphiaraus, and told him se∣veral Stories concerning the taking of E∣retria: Menedemus said no more, but on∣ly ask'd him, Wherefore it was that Anti∣gonus so highly extoll'd him?

To one that boasted of his Adultery, Dost thou not know, said he, That Radishes contain as good a juice as Coleworts? To a young Man, that bawl'd and yaul'd after him, Have a care, said he, lest thou forget for hast what thou hast left behind thee. To Antigonus in a quandary, whether he should go to a Feast, where he knew there would be hard drinking, He said no more

than this, Remember thou art the Son of a King.

To a stupid fellow that talk'd imperti∣nently to him, Hast thou any Lands? said he: Who answering, that he had several Farms: Go then, said he, and look after 'em, lest thou lose thy wealth, and com'st to be a poor Fool.

To one that ask'd his advice, whether he should marry: Dost thou not, said he, take me for a Wise Man? Who not deny∣ing but that he was so, Why then, said he, I am marry'd. To one that affirm'd, there were many Good Things, he put the Que∣stion, How many, and whether he thought there were above a hundred?

Being invited to a sumptuous Feast, which was a sort of Riot he could never abide, he said nothing, but by his silence reprehended the person, while he was ob∣serv'd to take only a few Olives for his own share.

This liberty of speech which he us'd had like to have cost him and his Friend Asclepias their lives at Cyprus, where he of∣fended Nicocreon: For the King having invited both them, and several other Phi∣losophers to a monthly Festival, Menede∣mus could not forbear, but with his won∣ted freedom publickly at the Table, If there be any benefit, said he, in such Society,

these Feasts ought to be kept every day: If not, this is now superfluous. To which the Tyrant answering, That he set apart such leisure Holidays to hear the Philosophers: Menedemus more sharply insisted, That it behov'd him to hear the Philosophers at all times: Insomuch that they had both dy'd for it, had not one of the Musicians given 'em private intelligence of the mischief design'd, and sent 'em privately away. Thereupon they presently took shipping, which gave occasion to Asclepias, in the midst of a violent Storm that rose as soon as they were out at Sea, to complain, That the Musicians skill had sav'd him, but Menedemus's over boldness had lost him.

He was a person that little regarded any▪ order in his School; where there were no Benches fix'd round the Room as in a Theatre, but every one sate or stood as they could find a Place or Seat convenient. Otherwise timorous, and jealous of his Reputation, so that when Asclepias and he both wrought with a Bricklayer, and Asclepias never scrupl'd to be seen in his Shirt, carrying Mortar in a Hodd to the top of the Tiles, he would always hide himself when any Passenger came by.

When he took upon him the manage∣ment of Public Affairs, he was so timorous,

that being to put the Incense into the Cen∣sor, he let it fall beside.

Much about the same time when Crates reproach'd him for medling with the Go∣vernment, he order'd him to be carry'd to Prison. Where Crates nevertheless would still watch him as he pass'd to and again, and taunt him with the Nick-names of Agamemnon, and Alderman Menedemus: For, to speak the Truth, he was somewhat addicted to Superstition.

Another time, Asclepias and he having din'd in an Inn upon a Dish of flesh, as the Proverb is, of Goda'mighty's Killing, when Menedemus came to understand it, he be∣gan to grow pale, and fall a puking, till Asclepias, rebuking him severely, convin∣ced him, that 'twas not the flesh, but his own squeamish conceit that caus'd his ill∣ness. But setting these humours aside, he was both Magnanimous and Liberal.

His habit and condition of Body was the same in his Old Age and in his Youth, strong and lusty as a Wrestler; of a swar∣thy Complexion; fat and smooth; of a middle Stature, as appears by his Statue in the Street call'd the old Stadium in Ere∣tria. For it is carv'd for the nonce, half naked, discovering the chiefest parts of his Body. He was a most courteous en∣tertainer of his Friends; and because

Eretria was an unhealthy place, he was wont to feast often. He was a great ad∣mirer of Aratus Lycophron the Tragic Poet, and Antagoras the Rhodian. But Homer was his chiefest delight. The Lyrics he lov'd, as also Sophocles and Achaeus, among the Satyrists; but he preferr'd Aeschylus above all the rest. Therefore to those that oppos'd him at the Council Table, he would always repeat these lines:

The swiftest foot in time th' infirm and weak, And Tortoises may Eagles overtake.

Which was a Sentence of Achaeus, taken out of his Satyr entitl'd Omphale. So that they were foully mistaken, who affirm'd that he never read any other Books but Euripides's Medea, which is said by some to have been written by Neophron the Si∣cyonian. But he slighted his Masters Pla∣to, Xenocrates, and Parecbates the Cyrenaic. However he was an admirer of Stilpo; concerning whom the question being once put to him, what his Conditions were, he only answer'd, He is liberal.

Moreover he was a person not easily to be understood; and in Disputations an Adversary troublesome to be encounter'd. He was ready upon all subjects, and fur∣nished with a copious Elegancy of words.

Much addicted to Syllogisms, and there∣fore he was wont to argue thus.

Is one thing different from another? Yes. Does Profitable differ from Good? Yes. There∣fore that which is good, is not that which is Profitable.

He rejected all Ne∣gatives, making use of Affirmatives only; and those simple, not compound, which he said were intricate and complex'd.

Heraclides asserts that in his Doctrine and Opinions he was a Platonic, but that he sported with Logic. So that Alexinus asking him whether he had left off beat∣ing his Father: He answer'd, I have nei∣ther struck him, nor have I left off. Upon which the other desiring him to explain himself by saying I, or No. 'Tis a ridicu∣lous thing, said he, to obey your Laws, that will permit a Man to brawl and wrangle in the open Market-places.

He complain'd that Bion murder'd the dead, when he exclaim'd so industriously against the Southsayers.

Hearing another maintain, that there could be no greater good than for a Man to enjoy whatever he desired: Yes, said he, a much greater, for a Man to desire no more than is needful.

Antigonus the Caristyan positively as∣serts, that he never wrote or compos'd any. Treatise in his life, nor that he ever

set up any Opinion, as a fundamental Truth: But that he was so obstinate and quarrelsome in his Questions and Interro∣gatories, that he would never give over till the Blood started out of his Eyes. Yet though he were so passionate in words, his actions bespake him the meekest Man i'the World. And therefore though A∣lexinus laught at him, and abus'd him where-ever he met him, yet he was always kind to him, and accompany'd his Wife from Delphos to Chalcis, because she was afraid of being rob'd upon the Road. He was also a true and constant friend, as appears by his strict League with Asclepias, almost as signal as that between Pylades and Orestes. But Asclepias being the El∣der, they liken'd him to the Poet, and Me∣nedemus to the Actor. And it is report∣ed, that when Archeopolis had once told 'em out three thousand pieces of Money, because there was a friendly dispute who should take first, neither would touch it.

They were both marry'd, Asclepias to the Daughter, and Menedemus to the Mo∣ther: Moreover they tell us, that when Asclepias's Wife dy'd, he took his friend Menedemus's; for that he being advanc'd to preferment, had marry'd another more Noble and Wealthy: However, because

they kept House together, Menedemus gave his first Wife leave to manage the Family.

Now as Asclepias was the Elder, so he dy'd long before him in Eretria, being far strick'n in years, after they had liv'd long and happily together, and with so much love; that when, sometime after, a young Lad that had been Asclepias's Minion, coming to Menedemus's House to a Feast, was shut out of Doors by his Ser∣vants, he bid 'em let him in, for that As∣clepias though dead, had still the power to open his Doors.

There were also those that supported both, Hipponicus the Macedonian, and A∣getor the Lamian. Of which the one pre∣sented 'em with thirty Minas apiece; and Hipponicus gave two thousand Drachmas to Menedemus's Daughters upon their Marriage, of which he had three by his Wife Oropia, as Heraclides witnesses.

His Feasts he order'd after this manner, first he sate down himself with two or three Friends, till it grew to be Evening. Then the rest of the Guests were call'd in, though they had already supp'd: And therefore if any one came too soon, they would ask the Servants what was upon the Table, and how long it had stood there? If only Roots and Sallets, away

they went again; but if either Roast or Boil'd, they went in. The Guests in the Summer lay upon Mats; in the Win∣ter upon Sheep-skins, with the woolly part upwards; and every one had his Pil∣low brought him. The Cup that went about, contain'd something more than half a Pint. The junkets were Beans and Lupins. Sometimes Pears or Pomgra∣nates, or dry Figgs. Of all which Lyco∣phron makes mention in his Satyr call'd Menedemus, where he writes in praise of the Philosopher thus much in part.

The Banquet short, the Cup that went about, Of moderate size, was fill'd again, when out. But the chief junkets that adorn these Feasts, Were learning's sweet Preserves and harmless Jests.

He was at first very much contemn'd and slighted, and by the Eretrians fre∣quently abus'd, who call'd him Curr and mad Man: But afterwards he was so high∣ly admir'd, that he was solely intrusted with the Government of the City. He perform'd three Embassies to Ptolomy, to Lysimachus, and Demetrius, highly ho∣nour'd where-ever he came. And when the City allow'd him two hundred Ta∣lents a year, he remitted fifty. Being ac∣cus'd

to Demetrius for designing to betray the City to Ptolomy, he justify'd himself in an Epistle, of which this was the begin∣ning.

Menedemus to Demetrius, Happiness.

I Hear that several stories have been told thee concerning Ʋs, &c.

By this Letter he admonishes Demetrius to have a watchful Eye upon Aeschylus, who was one of the contrary Faction. He seems to have been sent to Demetrius in the behalf of Oropus, which Embassy was by him manag'd with singular Gravity, as Euphantus in his History records. Anti∣gonus also had a particular esteem for him, and own'd himself to be his Disciple, and when he had vanquish'd the Barbari∣ans about Lysimachia, Menedemus sent him a Decree written in a plain Style, and free from any flattery, which thus began.

The Captains and chief Counsellors to Antigonus. Seeing that King Antigonus, victorious over the Barbarians, is now advanc'd to Elia, prosperous in all things else according to his wishes, therefore the Senate and People have thought fit, &c.

This Decree, and his intimate familari∣ty with the King were the Reasons that

he was suspected for having a design to betray the City. And being accus'd by Aristodemus, he retir'd privately to the Temple of Amphiaraus, in Oropus, from whence after the loss of the Golden Cups, as Hermippus relates, he was by the gene∣ral Decree of the Boeotians, commanded to depart. Removing therefore from thence with a heavy heart, he privately return'd into his Country, sent for his Wife and Children, and retiring to Anti∣gonus, under his Protection ended his Days, for grief and anguish of mind. On the other side Heraclides tells us a story quite contrary; how that being made President of the Senate, he freed the E∣retrians several times from the attempts of those that affected the Tyranny, by calling in Demetrius to his assistance. And that therefore it was not likely he should have any design to betray the City to Antigonus, which was a meer Calumny thrown upon him: But that he went to Antigonus with another design, was true; for when he could not prevail with him to set his Country at liberty, he abstain∣ed from all manner of Food for seven days together, and so ended his life. And this is also testified by Antigonus the Ca∣rystian. Only against Persaeus he profess'd an inexorable hatred; for when Antigo∣nus

would have restor'd to the Eretrians, their former Republican Government, for the sake of Menedemus, he was the only Person that disswaded him. For which reason Menedemus bitterly incens'd against him, in the hearing of a full Assembly, at a great Feast. 'Tis true, said he, he is a Philosopher, but of all Men that are, or ever were, or ever will be, assuredly the most vile and wicked.

He dy'd (according to Heraclides) in the seventy third year of his Age. Nor could we chuse but dedicate this Epigram to his memory.

When first (Great Menedemus) loudest Fame Did to our Ears thy sudden End proclaim; How thou morose, and sternly obstinate, By Abstinence did'st hasten on thy Fate, It was no more, 'tis true, than what thy Sect Allow'd; however 'twas a weak Defect Of Noble Courage in a Man so rare, Not to be able to withstand Despair.

And thus much for the Socratics, and those that descended from them. We come now to Plato, who founded the Aca∣demy, and to those of his Followers, who were most transcendent in Learning and Eloquence.

The End of the Second Book.