Skip to content
What Would Stoics Do

Diogenes Laërtius · fl. 3rd century CE

Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.201 — Diogenes Laërtius on Chrysippus

Translation by R. D. Hicks (1925)

Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.201

Reported speech · Diogenes Laërtius on Chrysippus

2. Ethics dealing with the common view and the sciences and virtues thence arising. First series: Against the Touching up of Paintings, addressed to Timonax, one book. How it is we name each Thing and form a Conception of it, one book. Of Conceptions, addressed to Laodamas, two books. Of Opinion or Assumption, addressed to Pythonax, three books. Proofs that the Wise Man will not hold Opinions, one book. Of Apprehension, of Knowledge and of Ignorance, four books. Of Reason, two books. Of the Use of Reason, addressed to Leptines. Second series: That the Ancients rightly admitted Dialectic as well as Demonstration, addressed to Zeno, two books.
— Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.201 · tr. R. D. Hicks (1925)Read in context →

Cite this passage

Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.201 (on Chrysippus), tr. R. D. Hicks (1925)

https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/lives-of-the-stoics/7.201

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

Read Chrysippus in context →

In plain English

AI-written notes

The second ethics group, on common conceptions and the sciences and virtues that arise from them, lists titles on opinion, proof that the wise person will not hold mere opinions, knowledge versus ignorance, and reason, with a first title on dialectic and demonstration.

Older wording

“Apprehension”
— a firm, secure grasp of something as true
“Demonstration”
— formal proof

Themes and situations

  • Judgements and impressions
  • Learning and progress

Quote cards

The opening line of this passage as an image, with its citation — for sharing or keeping.