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(Zenon). The founder of the School of the Stoics, born at Citium,
in the island of Cyprus. His father was a merchant, but, noticing in his son a
strong bent towards learning, he early devoted him to the study of philosophy.
In his mercantile capacity, the father had frequent occasions to visit Athens,
where he purchased for the young Zeno several of the writings of the most eminent
Socratic philosophers. These he read with great avidity; and, when about thirty
years of age, he determined to take a voyage to a city which was so celebrated.
Upon his first arrival in Athens, going accidentally into the shop of a bookseller,
he took up a volume of the commentaries of Xenophon, and, after reading a few
passages, was so much delighted with the work, and formed so high an idea of its
author, that he asked the bookseller where he might meet with such men. Crates,
the Cynic philosopher, happening at that instant to be passing by, the bookseller
pointed to him, and said, "Follow that man." Zeno soon found an opportunity
of attending upon the instructions of Crates, and was so well pleased with his
doctrine that he became one of his disciples. But, though he highly admired the
general principles and spirit of the Cynic School, he could not easily reconcile
himself to their peculiar manners. Besides, his inquisitive turn of mind would
not allow him to adopt that indifference to every scientific inquiry which was
one of the characteristic distinctions of the sect. He therefore attended upon
other masters, who professed to instruct their disciples in the nature and causes
of things. When Crates, displeased at his following other philosophers, attempted
to drag him by force out of the school of Stilpo, the Megarian, Zeno said to him,
"You may seize my body, but Stilpo has laid hold of my mind." After
continuing to attend the lectures of Stilpo for several years, he passed over
to other schools, particularly those of Xenocrates and Diodorus Chronus. By the
latter he was instructed in dialectics. At last, after attending almost every
other teacher, he offered himself as a disciple of Polemo. This philosopher appears
to have been aware that Zeno's intention in thus passing from one school to another
was to collect materials from various quarters for a new system of his own; for,
when he came into Polemo's school, the latter said to him, "I am no stranger
to your Ph?nician arts, Zeno; I perceive that your design is to creep slyly into
my garden and steal away my fruit." Polemo was not mistaken in his opinion.
Having made himself master of the views of others, Zeno determined to become the
founder of a new sect. The place which he made choice of for his school was called
the Poecile (Poikile Stoa), or "Painted Porch," a public portico, so
called from the pictures of Polygnotus and other eminent masters with which it
was adorned. This portico, being the most famous in Athens, was called, by way
of distinction, Stoa, "the Porch." It was from this circumstance that
the followers of Zeno were called Stoics (Stoikoi), i. e. "men of the Porch." Zeno
excelled in that kind of subtle reasoning which was then popular. At the same
time, he taught a strict system of moral doctrine, and exhibited a model of moral
discipline in his own life. The Stoic School, in fact, was a branch of the Cynic,
and, so far as respected morals, differed from it more in words than in reality.
Its founder, while he avoided the eccentricities of the Cynics, retained the spirit
of their moral teaching; and at the same time, from a diligent comparison of the
tenets of other masters, he framed a new system of speculative philosophy. It
is not at all surprising, therefore, that he obtained a considerable vogue, and
even enjoyed the favour of the great. Antigonus Gonatas, king of Macedon, while
residing at Athens, attended his lectures, and, upon his return, earnestly invited
him to his court. Zeno, in fact, possessed so large a share of esteem among the
Athenians that, on account of his approved integrity, they deposited the keys
of their citadel in his hands. They also honoured him with a golden crown and
a statue of bronze. Among his countrymen, the inhabitants of Cyprus, and with
the Sidonians, from whom his family was derived, he was likewise highly esteemed.
In his person Zeno was tall and slender; his aspect was stern,
and his brow contracted. His constitution was feeble, but he preserved his health
by great abstemiousness. His food consisted only of figs, bread, and honey; yet
his table was frequently honoured with the company of great men. He paid more
attention to neatness in his personal appearance than did the Cynic philosophers.
In his dress, indeed, he was plain, but this is not to be imputed to avarice,
but to a contempt of external magnificence. He showed as much respect to the poor
as to the rich, and conversed freely with persons of the meanest occupations.
He had only one servant, or, according to Seneca, none. Although Zeno's sobriety
and continence were even proverbial, he was not without enemies. Among his contemporaries,
several philosophers of great ability and eloquence employed their talents against
him. Arcesilaus and Carneades, the founders of the Middle Academy, were his professed
opponents. Towards the close of his life, also, he found another powerful antagonist
in Epicurus, whose temper and doctrines were alike inimical to the severe gravity
and philosophical pride of the Stoic sect. Hence mutual invectives passed between
the Stoics and other sects.
Zeno lived to the extreme age of ninety-eight, and at last,
in consequence of an accident, put an end to his life. As he was walking out of
his school he fell down, and in the fall broke one of his fingers. He was so affected
by this with a consciousness of infirmity that, striking the earth, he exclaimed,
Erchomai, ti m aueis; "I am coming, why do you call me?" and immediately
went home and strangled himself. He died B.C. 264. The Athenians, at the request
of Antigonus, erected a monument to his memory in the Ceramicus.
His writings, of which a list is given by Diogenes Laertius,
have all been lost. They treated of the State, and of the Life according to Nature.
For his doctrines, see Zeller, Stoics, Epicureans, and Skeptics (1870), and the
articles Philosophia; Stoici.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Nov 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
334 - 262
Greek philosopher. An early exponent of stoic philosophy, he devised
its characteristic separation of logic, natural science, and ethics.
According to Zeno, only acceptance of objective reality permits human
beings to overcome their subjective passions.
This extract is cited Sept 2003 from the Philosophy Pages URL below, which contains image.
Zeno was born in Citium, Cyprus.
He went to Athens
around 315 BC, where he attended Plato's Academy and other philosophical schools,
then opened his own school.
Zeno was the founder of Stoicism, a philosophy that asserted that
virtue consisted in a will which is in agreement with nature. Zeno was teaching
his students in Athens on
a painted porch or “stoa”, from which the name “stoic”
came. He taught that happiness came in freedom from desire, and in freedom from
fear of evil.
The Stoic philosophy spread to Rome
and flourished for several centuries.
This text is cited July 2003 from the Hyperhistory Online URL below.
The founder of Stoicism was born on Cyprus,
and was also called the Phoenecian. Originally a merchant, he had not intended
to live in Greece, but after
a shipwreck just outside the coast of Attica
he remained in the country.
He studied under Crates of Thebes,
Xenocrates and Polemon, and founded his own school, the Stoa Poikile, circa 300BC.
He taught ethics, and stated that one must control oneself and live in harmony
with nature, himself living as he learned. He said that nature had given man two
ears and one mouth, which meant that one should listen twice as much as one should
speak.
Zeno taught in Athens
for over 50 years, but refused to become an Athenian citizen since he wanted to
be loyal to Cypus. He died
at the age of 98.
“All things are produced by Fate” Zeno
This text is cited Sept 2003 from the In2Greece URL below.
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