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 CRATES.

CRATES, the Son of Antigenes, of the Thriasian Tribe, was both a Hearer, and Lover of Polemo, and suc∣ceeded him in his School, and profited in such a manner mutually together, so that living, they not only followed the same studies, but to their very last gasps they liv'd alike one to another, and being dead were buried in the same Tomb. Whence Antagoras made the following lines upon both.

Stranger, who e're thou art, that passest by, Within this Tomb a noble pair doth lye; The Holy Crates, and Great Polemo; From whose sweet Lips such Sacred Love did flow: Whose Lives in Wisdom so serenely bright, Shon forth to give succeeding Ages light. Both equal in their praise, both equal friends, Both liv'd alike, and both had equal ends.

Hence it was, that Arcesilaus when he left Theophrastus to associate with them, is reported to have said, that they were

either certain Deities, or the remainders of the Golden Age. For they were nei∣ther of 'em lovers of Popularity, nor did they covet vulgar Applause; but rather it might be said of them, as Dionysiodoru•• the Musitian was wont to boast of him∣self▪ That never any of his Composition were to be heard at your public Meeting•• like those of Ismenius.

Antigonus reports that he was wont of∣ten to Sup at Crantor's House; Aroesilaus and they two being all three inseparable Cro∣nies. Farther he adds, that Arcesilaus and Crantor liv'd together; and that Polemo liv'd with Crates and Lysiclides, another of their Country-men; Crates being par∣ticularly belov'd by Polemo, and Arcesi∣laus having a peculiar friendship for Cran∣tor.

As for Crates, when he dy'd (as Apollo∣dorus relates in his third Book of Chro∣nicles) he left several Books behind him▪ some Philosophical, some concerning Co∣medy; also several popular Orations, and some in relation to Embassies. He had also several Disciples of great note: Of which number was Arcesilaus; of whom more hereafter; together with Bio, and Borysthenites; and lastly Theodorus, the Author of the Theodoric Sect. Of whom next after Arcesilaus.

There were in all ten that carry'd the name of Crates. The first a writer of An∣cient Comedy: The second, a Trallian Rhetorician, of the family of Isocrates. The third, an Engineer that serv'd under Alexander in his Wars. The fourth, a Cynic. The fifth, a Peripatetic. The sixth an Academic, of whom already. The se∣venth a Grammarian. The eighth, a Geo∣met••••cian. The ninth an Epigrammatist. The tenth, of Tarsus, an Academic Philo∣sopher also.