Mendemus: Cynic

¹ Menedemus was a disciple of Colotes of Lampsacus.

² Hippobotus tells that he was so superstitious.

He assumed the garb of a fury, and went about saying that he had come from hell to take notice of all who did wrong, in order that he might descend thither again and make his report to the deities who abode in that country.

His clothing was:

• a dark tunic reaching to his feet
• a purple girdle round his waist
• Arcadian hat on his head with the 12 signs of the zodiac embroidered on it
• tragic buskins
• a preposterously long beard
• an ashen staff in his hand

³ These are the lives of each of the Cynics.

They wished to abolish the whole system of logic and natural philosophy, like Aristo of Chios, and thought that men should study only ethics.

and what some people assert of Socrates was described by Diocles as a characteristic of Diogenes, for he said that his doctrine was, that a man ought to investigate:

Only the good and ill that taketh place within our houses.

They also discard all liberal studies. Accordingly, Antisthenes said that wise men only applied themselves to literature and learning for the sake of perverting others. They also wish to abolish geometry and music, and everything of that kind.

Accordingly, Diogenes said once to a person who was showing him a clock; “It is a very useful thing to save a man from being too late for supper.” And once when a man made an exhibition of musical skill before him, he said:—

“Cities are governed, so are houses too, by wisdom, not by harp-playing and whistling.”[80]

Antisthenes says in his Hercules that their doctrine is that the chief good of mankind is to live according to virtue.

They resemble the Stoics in this.

The Cynics are similar to the Stoics.

They themselves say that:

• cynicism is a short road to virtue
• Zeno, the Cittiæan lived in the same way [as a cynic]

They teach that men should:

• live simply
• use only plain food in moderate quantities
• wear nothing but a cloak
• despise riches and glory and nobleness of birth

Some of them:

• feed only on herbs and cold water
• live in any shelter that they can find, or in tubs as Diogenes did

Diogenes said that the Gods want nothing. Therefore, when a man wished for nothing he was like the Gods.

They believe that:

• virtue may be taught, as Antisthenes affirms in his Heraclides.
• when it has once been attained it can never be lost.

They also say that the wise man deserves to be loved, and cannot commit error, and is a friend to every one who resembles him, and that he leaves nothing to fortune.

Everything which is unconnected with either virtue or vice they call indifferent, agreeing in this with Aristo, the Chian.