Diogenes Laërtius · fl. 3rd century CE
Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.129 — Diogenes Laërtius on the Stoics
Translation by R. D. Hicks (1925)
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.129
Reported speech · Diogenes Laërtius on the Stoics
Neither do they think that the divergence of opinion between philosophers is any reason for abandoning the study of philosophy, since at that rate we should have to give up life altogether: so Posidonius in his Exhortations. Chrysippus allows that the ordinary Greek education is serviceable. It is their doctrine that there can be no question of right as between man and the lower animals, because of their unlikeness. Thus Chrysippus in the first book of his treatise On Justice, and Posidonius in the first book of his De officio. Further, they say that the wise man will feel affection for the youths who by their countenance show a natural endowment for virtue. So Zeno in his Republic, Chrysippus in book i. of his work On Modes of Life, and Apollodorus in his Ethics.
Cite this passage
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.129 (on the Stoics), tr. R. D. Hicks (1925)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/lives-of-the-stoics/7.129
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Book VII, tr. R. D. Hicks (Loeb, 1925). Text: Perseus Digital Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesPhilosophers disagreeing is no reason to give up philosophy, since by that logic you would have to give up living. Ordinary education is useful. Humans owe no rights to animals, because they are too unlike us, and the wise show affection toward young people who display a natural gift for virtue.
Older wording
- “countenance”
- — face or expression
- “Exhortations”
- — a title meaning encouraging speeches urging people to philosophy
Themes and situations
- Learning and progress
- Justice and fairness
- Nature and the cosmos
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