The history of philosophy, in eight parts by Thomas Stanley.

ANTISTHENES.

CHAP. I.

His Life.

THe Cynicks are derived from Antisthenes; Disciple of Socrates, who, being most pleased with those discourses of his Master, which treated of To∣lerance and Laboriousnesse, instituted this Sect.a 1.1 He was born at Athens, his Father an Athenian named Antisthenes also; his Mother a Thracian, or, as Plutarch, a Phrygian, in whose defence, to those who reproached him that she was a Forreigner, he answer'd Cibele the Mother of the Gods was a Phrygian. He likewise derided the Athenians for boasting of their being Natives, saying, they were nothing more noble then snailes and Locusts.b 1.2 Neither did Socrates the lesse esteem him; but on the contrary, hearing that he had behav'd himself valiantly at the Fight at Tanagra, he said of him, I knew two Parents both Athenians could not beget so excellent a Person. He first heard Gorgias the Orator, whence his Dialogues are written in a Rhetoricall stile, consisting chiefly in verity and exhortation. Hermippus saith, at the Istmian meeting, he used to make Orations in praise and dispraise of the Athenians, Thebans and Lacedemonians, before all the assembly; But seeing many of the Citizens come thither he refrained.

Next he applyed himself to Socrates, and profited so much un∣der him, that he counselled his Scholers, to become his fellow-di••∣ciples under that Master. He lived in the Piraeum, and went every day 40. Stadia, to hear Socrates.

He affected even whilst he was Disciple to Socrates to go in poor habit, andc 1.3 once having turned the torn part of his garment outer∣most, Socrates spying it, said, I see vain-glory through a hole; or, as Aelian, do you use this ostentation before us also?

d 1.4 Upon the death of Socrates he was the occasion of banishment to Anytus, and of death to Melitus; for Melitus meeting with some young men of Pontus, invited to Athens by the same of Socrates, he brought them to Anytus, telling them he was wiset then Socrates, whereupon the standers by in indignation, turned them both ou•• of the Citty; of which already in the life of Socrates.

CHAP. II.

His institution of a Sect.

a 1.5 S. Ocrates being dead, of whom he learned tolerance and apa∣thy, he made choice of Cynosarges, a Gymnasium at Athens just without the gates, as of the fittest place in which he might dis∣course of Philosophy.b 1.6 It was so called upon this occasion. Didy∣mus the Athenian sacrificing in his own house, a white dog that was by, snatcht the Victim, and running away with it, laid it down in another place; Didymus much troubled thereat, consult∣ed the Oracle, which enjoined him to erect a Temple in that place where the Dog had laid down the Victim, and to dedicate it to Hercules, which was called Cynosarges, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The Tem∣ple of the white Dog.c 1.7 Hence Antisthenes & his follo••ers were call∣ed Cynicks, and, by those that disapproved their institution, Dogs; Antisthenes himself being termed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the sincere Dog.

He first doubled his old fordid Cloak, and wore it alone [with∣out a Coat] as Diocles affirmeth; he carried likewise a staffe and fatchell. Neanthes saith, he first used a single Cloak. Sosicrates in the third of his Successions, saith, Diodorus the Aspendian wore a long beard, and carried a staffe and Wallet.

d 1.8 His assertions were these, that Vertue may be acquired by teach∣ing; that those persons are noble, who are Vertuous; That Vertue was self∣sufficient to Felicity, not needing any thing but a Socratick Courage; That Vertue consisteth in Actions, not requiring many words nor much learning, and is self-sufficient to wisdom, for all other things have a re∣ference thereto; That insamy is good and equall to labour, and that a wise man ought not to govern the Commonwealth according to the Laws in force, but according to Vertue; That a wise man, to have issue, may make choice of beautifull women, and love, for a wise man only knoweth what ought to be loved.

Diocles addeth these; That nothing is new to a wise man; That a good man deserveth love, that vertuous persons are friends; that wee ought to get assistance in War, valiant and just; that vertue is an Ar∣mour never can be taken from us; That it is better with some few good men to oppose all the wicked, then with many wicked men to contend with few good; Observe your Enemies, for they first find out your faults; Esteem a just man more then a neighbour; The same vertue belongeth to man and to woman; those things are good wh••ch are honest, ill which are dishonest; All things esteem strange; Wisdom is the safest fortification, for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 neither fall away, nor can be betray'd; In these inexpugnable things we ought to build Forts, by meditation.

e 1.9 Agellius saith, he esteemed Pleasure the greatest ill, whence hee used to say, I had rather be mad, then be addicted to pleasure.

f 1.10 As to the opinion of the Cynicks in generall (not esteeming them, saith Laertius, a meer form and institution of life, but a true Sect of Philosophy) they were these.

They took away, with Aristo the Chian, Dialectick and Physick, and only admitted Ethick; whence, what some said of Socrates, Diocles applyed to Diogenes, affirming he used the same expressions, that we ought to enquire,

What good and ill Our ••ouses fill.

They likewise reject the liberall Sciences, whence Antisthenes said, those who have acquired Temperance, ought not to study any learning, left by other things they be diverted. Geometry like∣wise, Musick, and the like, they wholly took away. Whence Diogenes, to one that shew'd him a Watch, It is an excellent inven∣tion, saith he, against supping too late. And to one that entertain'd him with Musick;

Wisdome the greatest Citties doth protect; But Musick cannot one poor house direct.

They likewise, as the Stoicks, affirmed to be happy to live ac∣cording to Vertue, as Antisthenes, in his Hercules; for there is a kinde of affinity betwixt these two Sects, whence the Stoicks as∣serted Cynisme to be the neerest way to Vertue, and so lived Zeno the Cittiean.

Their diet was slender, their food only such as might satisfie Nature, their Cloakes sordid; they despised riches, glory, and nobility: Some of them fed only on hearbs and cold water, living under such shelters as they could finde, or in Tubbs, as Diogenes did, who affirmed, it was proper to the Gods to want nothing, and that those who stand in need of fewest things, come neerest to the Gods.

They held also, according to Antisthenes in his Hercules, that Vertue may be acquired by Learning, and that it cannot be lost; that a wise man deserves to be loved, and never sinneth, and is a friend to such as are like him, and trusteth nothing to Fortune.

They took away with Aristo the Chian, all things between Vertue and Vice.

CHAP. III.

His Apophthegmes.

OF his Apophthegmes are remembered these.* 1.11

He proved Labour to be good, by the examples of Her∣cules and Cyrus, one a Grecian, the other a Barbarian.

He first defined Speech thus, Speech is that which declareth that which is or was.

To a young man of Pontus that came to be his Disciple, and asked him what he must bring with him, he answered, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a new Book, a new pen, and a new tablet, where the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is equivocall, and signifieth (divided 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) Wit.

To one, demanding what kinde of Wife he should take; If a fair one, saith he, she will be common; if foul, a torment.

Hearing that Plato spoke ill of him; it is King-like, saith he, to do well, and be ill spoken of.

Being initiated into the Orphick solemnities, the Priest telling him, that they who were initiated into those rites, were made partakers of many excellent things in the next world: Why then, saith he, do you not die?

To one that reproached him that both his Parents were not free, Neither, saith he, were they both wrastlers, and yet I am a wrastler.

Being demanded why he had few Disciples, I beat them away, saith he, with a silver staffe.

Being demanded why he rebuked his Disciples so sharply; So, saith he, do Physicians the sick.

Seeing an Adulterer running away, Unhappy man, saith he, how much danger might you have escaped for one halfe penny.

He said according to Hecaton, It is better to fall among Crowes then flatterers; for those only devour the dead, these the living.

Being demanded what was most happy for man, he answered, To die in prosperity.

To a friend, complaining he had lost his notes; You should have writ them in your minde, saith he, and not in your book.

As rust consumeth iron, so envy, saith he, consumeth the envious man.

Those who would never die, saith he, must live piously and justly.

He said, Citties were then perishing, when they could not distinguish the good from the bad.

Being commended by some wicked men;* 1.12 I am troubled, saith he, to think what ill I have done.

He said, the cohabitation of concording Brethren is firmer then any wall.

He said, we ought to carry such provision along with us, as if

we should happen to be shipwra••k'd, we might swimme away with.

To those who reproached him for conversing with wicked per∣sons; So do Physicians with the sick, saith he, yet are not sick them∣selves.

He said, It is absurd to separate corn from the weeds, and in way to reject the unserviceable person; 〈◊〉〈◊〉, in a Common-wealth, not to extirpa••e the wicked.

Being demanded what he had gain'd by Philosophy, he an∣swer'd, that I can converse with myselfe.

At a Feast, to one that said to him, 〈◊〉〈◊〉; he reply'd, Do you then pipe.

Diogenes demanding a Coat, he bad him double his Cloak.

Being demanded what learning is most necessary; That, saith he, which unlearneth ill.

He advised those who were provoked by revilings, to bear it with greater Fortitude, then if stones were cast at them.

He derided Plato, as being proud, and seeing at a show a horse going loftily, turning to Plato, Me thinks, saith he, you would have acted the part of this horse very well. This he said, because Plato at the same time had commended the horse.

Another time visiting Plato, as he lay sick, and looking into the basin whereinto he had vomited, I see here, saith he, the choler, but not the pride.

He advised the Athenians to love Asses as well as Horses, which they conceiving absurd; and yet, saith he, you choose those for Generalls, who know nothing, but how to stretch out the hand.

To one that said to him, many praise thee; Why, saith he, what ill have I done?

To one that demanded (as Phanias saith) what he should do to be a good and an honest man: if you learn, saith he, of knowing persons, that the vices which you have are to be avoided.

To one that praised a life full of delicacies; Let the sons of my enemies, saith he, live delicatly.

To a young man, who desired his statue might be made hand∣somer then himselfe; Tell me, saith he, if the brasse it selfe could speak, what you think it would boast of; the other answer'd, of its handsome figure: Are you not ashamed then, replies he, to be proud of the same that an inanimate creature would be?

A young man of Pontus promised to supply him, as soon as his ship came home laden with saltfish; hereupon he took him to a meal-woman, and filling his satchell departed; she calling to him for mony: This young man, saith he, will pay you as soon as his ship comes home.

When at any time he saw a woman richly dress'd, he went to her house, and bad her husband bring out his horse and armes, that

if he were so provided, he might allow her those freedomes, be∣ing better able to justifie the injuries it occasion'd; otherwise, that he should take off her rich habit.

He said,* 1.13 Neither a feast is pleasant without company, nor riches with∣out Vertue.

He said,* 1.14 Those pleasures which come not in at the dore, must not go out by the dore, but by incision or purging with Hellebor, or by* 1.15 star∣ving, so to punish those sur••eits which we have incurred for a short plea∣sure.

He said,* 1.16 Whosoever seareth others is a slave, though he know it not himselfe.

He said,* 1.17 No covetous man can be a good man, or a King, or a free∣man.

Being demanded what a feast is,* 1.18 he answered, The occasion of surfeits.

He said,* 1.19 We ought to aim at such pleasures as follow labour, not at those which go before labour.

He said,* 1.20 Common Executioners are better then Tyrants; those p••t on∣ly guilty men to death, Tyrants, the innocent.

He said,* 1.21 We ought to wish our enemies all good things but Fortitude, for that they possesse would fall into the hands of the Victor, not the Owner.

Him that contradicteth, he said,* 1.22 he said, we must not again contradict, but instruct; for a mad-man is not cured by anothers growing mad also.

He said,* 1.23 A man should alwaies have in readinesse his wits or a rope.

Seeing the Thebans much exalted with their successe at the Luctrian sight, he said, They were like boyes that triumph when they have beaten the. Masters.

To some that commended a Piper;* 1.24 But, saith he, he is an ill man, for else he would never have been so good a Piper.

CHAP. IV.

His Writings.

OF his Bookes saith Laertius, there are ten Tomes.

The first containeth these.

• Of speech, or of Characters.
• Ajax, of the speech of Ajax.
• Ulysses, or of Ulysses.
• An apology for Orestes.
• Of Lawyers.
• Isographe, or Desias, or Isocrates.
• Against Isocrates's 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

The second Tome.

• Of the Nature of Animals.
• ...

• Of Procreation of children, or of Marriage, Brotick.
• Of Sophists, Physiognomick.
• Of Iustice and Fortitude Protreptick 1, 2, 3,
• Of Theognis.

The third Tome.

• Of Good.
• Of Fortitude.
• Of Law, or of Policy.
• Of Law, or of Fair and Iust.
• Of Freedom and Servitude.
• Of Faith.
• Of a Guardian, or of Trusting.
• Of Victory, Oeconomick.

The fourth Tome,

• Cyrus.
• Hercules the Greater, or of Strength.

The fift Tome.

• Cyrus, or of a Kingdom.
• Aspasia.

The sixt Tome.

• Truth.
• Of Dissertation, Anti-logick.
• Sathon, of Contradiction 3.
• Of Dialectick.

The seventh Tome.

• Of Discipline, or of names, 5.
• Of dying.
• Of Life and Death.
• Of things after death.
• Of the use of names, or Eristick.
• Of Interrogation and answer.
• Of Opinion and Science 4.
• Of Nature 2.
• Interrogation concerning Nature 2.
• Opinions, or the Eristick.
• Problems concerning Learning

The eighth Tome.

• Of Musick.
• Of Interpreters.
• Of Homer.
• Of Injustice and impiety.
• ...

• Of Chalcas.
• Of the spie.
• Of Pleasure.

The ninth Tome.

• Of the Odysseis.
• Of Minerva's wand, or of Telemachus, Helena, and Pe∣nelope.
• Of Proteus
• The Cyclops, or of Ulysses.
• Of the use of Wine, or of Drunkenesse, or of the Cyclops.
• Of Circe.
• Of Amphiaraus.
• Of Ulysses and Penelope.
• Of the Dog.

The tenth Tome.

• Hercules, or Midas.
• Hercules, or of Prudence, or of strength.
• The Master, or Lover.
• The Masters, or spies.
• Menexenus, or of Ruling.
• Alcibiades.
• Archelaus, or of a Kingdom.

These saith Laertius, were his writings, the great number where∣of Timon derides, calling him an ingenious Trifler.

There is also among the Socratick Epistles one under his name to this effect.

Antisthenes to Aristippus.

IT is not the part of a Philosopher to live with Tyrants, and to wast time at Sicilian Feasts, but rather to be content with a little in his own Country; but you esteem it the greatest excellence of a Vertuous per∣son, to be able to acquire much wealth, and to have powerfull friends. Riches are not good; neither if they were in themselves good, are they such, being thus obtained, nor can a multitude of unlearned persons, espe∣cially Tyrants, be true friends. Wherefore I would co••nsell you to leave Syracuse and Sicily; but if, as some report, you are in love with Plea∣sure, and aim at such things, as beseem not wise persons, go to Anticyra and cure your self by drinking Hellebore, for that is much better for you then the Wine of Dionysius; this causeth madnesse, that asswageth it. So that as health and discretion differ from sicknesse and ••olly, so

much shall you be better then you are in these things which you now enjoy Farewell.

The Answer to this Epistle, see in the life of Aristippus.

CHAP. V.

His Death.

HE died saith Laertius of sicknesse. As he lay on his death-bed, Diogenes came to him and asked him if he wanted a friend. Another time he came to him with a dagger; Antisthenes crying out, who will free me from this pain, he shewed him the dagger, saying, This shall, Antisthenes reply'd, I say from my pain, not from my life; for he bore his sicknesse somwhat impatiently through love of life.

Theopompus commends him above all the Disciples of Socrates, as being of such acute and sweet discourse, that he could lead any man to what he would.

There were three more of this name, one a Heraclitean Philo∣sopher; the second of Ephesus, the third of Rhodes a Historian.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Laert.
• b 1.2

  Laert. vi••. Soc••.
• c 1.3

  Laert. Aelian.
• d 1.4

  Laert.
• a 1.5

  Laert.
• b 1.6

  Suid.
• c 1.7

  Laert.
• d 1.8

  Laert.
• e 1.9

  Lib. 9. c 5.
• f 1.10

  Laert. vit. Menedem.
• * 1.11

  Laert.
• * 1.12

  Laert. Stob.
• * 1.13

  Stob. Ser. 1.
• * 1.14

  Stob. Ser. 38.
• * 1.15

  Ser. 44.
• * 1.16

  Ser. 50.
• * 1.17

  Ser. 53.
• * 1.18

  Ser. 87.
• * 1.19

  Ser. 117.
• * 1.20

  Ser. 148.
• * 1.21

  Ser. 171.
• * 1.22

  Ser. 212.
• * 1.23

  Plut. rep. Stoic. Plut. vit. Lyc.
• * 1.24

  Plut. vit. Per.