Persaeus

Persaeus

Persaeus ( _el. Περσαῖος), of Citium, son of Demetrius, (lived 306-243 BC), was a Stoic philosopher, and a friend and favourite student of Zeno of Citium.

He lived in the same house as Zeno.Diogenes Laërtius, [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/diogeneslaertius-book7-stoics.html "The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, vii"] 31] Later writers wrote that Persaeus had been Zeno's slave, [cf. eg. Aulus Gellius, "Attic Nights", ii. 18. 8] who had perhaps originally been a copyist sent to Zeno by King Antigonus II Gonatas; however, the source of this story seems to be due to a sarcastic remark made about Persaeus by Bion of Borysthenes who upon seeing a statue of Persaeus inscribed: "Persaeus the pupil of Zeno", sneered that it ought to have been: "Persaeus the Servant of Zeno". [Athenaeus, [http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/Literature/subcollections/DeipnoSubAbout.shtml "Deipnosophists"] , Book IV.]

It is known that Antigonus II Gonatas invited Zeno to his court at Pella around 276 BC. Zeno refused because of his old age and sent his students Persaeus and Philonides of Thebes instead. Persaeus became an important figure at the Macedonian court. After Antigonus captured Corinth around 244 BC, Persaeus was given control of the city as Archon. Persaeus died in 243 BC defending the city against the attack led by Aratus of Sicyon. [Pausanias, [http://www.fordham.edu/HALSALL/ancient/pausanias-bk2.html "Description of Greece, Book II: Corinth"] , 2. 8. 4.]

None of the writings of Persaeus survive except a few fragments. Diogenes Laërtius lists the following works as being written by Persaeus:

* Ἠθικαῖς σχολαῖς - "Ethical School".
* Περὶ βασιλείας - "On Kingship".
* Πολιτεία Λακωνική - "Constitution of the Lacedaemonians".
* Περὶ γάμου - "On Marriage".
* Περὶ ἀσεβείας - "On Impiety".
* Θυέστης - "Thyestes".
* Περὶ ἐρώτων - "On Love".
* Προτρεπτικοί - "Exhortations".
* Διατριβῶν - "Conversations".
* Χρειῶν - "Apophthegms".
* Ἀπομνημονεύματα - "Reminiscences".
* Πρὸς τοὺς Πλάτωνος νόμους - "Plato's Laws".

Concerning Persaeus's philosophical views, Cicero mentions that:

Persaeus says that it was men who had discovered some great aid to civilisation that were regarded as gods, and that the names of divinities were also bestowed upon actual material objects of use and profit, so that he is not even content to describe these as the creations of God, but makes out that they are themselves divine. [Cicero, [http://oll.libertyfund.org/?option=com_staticxt&staticfile=show.php%3Ftitle=539 "De Natura Deorum (On the Nature of the Gods)"] , 1. 15]

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • PERSAEUS — Philosophus, Antigoni amicus, quem cum Archelao praesidiariis militibus Acrocorinthi imposuit. Polyaenus, l. 6. In Arato. c. 5. Postea proditâ per quatuor fratres Syros Acrocorinthô refugiens, Cenchreas ad Antigonum evasit …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • ПЕРСЕЙ, (I) — •Persaeus, Περσαι̃ος, 1) из города Киттия, сын Деметрия, первоначально раб, затем сделался учеником Зенона и стоическим философом, жил во время правления Антигона Гоната и умер, вероятно, ок. 243 г. до …   Реальный словарь классических древностей

  • Zeno of Citium — Infobox Philosopher region = Western Philosophy era = Ancient philosophy color = #B0C4DE image size = 200px image caption = Zeno of Citium name = Zeno of Citium birth = c. 334 BC, Citium, Cyprus death = c. 262 BC, Athens school tradition =… …   Wikipedia

  • List of stoic philosophers — This is a list of Stoic philosophers, ordered (roughly) by date. The criteria for inclusion in this list is fairly mild. See also .3rd Century BC*Zeno of Citium (c. 334 262 BC), Founder of the Stoic school in Athens (c. 300 BC). *Persaeus (306… …   Wikipedia

  • Antigonus II Gonatas — born с 320 died 239 BC King of Macedonia (276–239 BC). The son of Demetrius I Poliorcetes, he defeated the Gauls in Greece (279) and in Asia Minor (277), occupied key cities, and made alliances. He defeated Pyrrhus of Epirus in Greece (272) to… …   Universalium

  • Amphipolis — ( gr. Ἀμφίπολις ndash; Amphípolis ) was an ancient Greek city in the region once inhabited by the Edoni people in the present day periphery of East Macedonia and Thrace. It was built on a raised plateau overlooking the east bank of the river… …   Wikipedia

  • Marcus Aurelius — Not to be confused with Aurelian. Marcus Aurelius 16th Emperor of the Roman Empire Bust of Marcus Aurelius in the Glyptothek, Munich …   Wikipedia

  • Chrysippus — This article is about the philosopher. For other people named Chrysippus, see Chrysippus (disambiguation). Chrysippus of Soli Roman copy of a Hellenistic bust of Chrysippus, British Museum Full name Chrysippus of Soli Born c. 279 BC …   Wikipedia

  • Seneca the Younger — Ancient bust of Seneca, part of a double herm (Antikensammlung Berlin) Lucius Annaeus Seneca (often known simply as Seneca) (ca. 4 BC – 65 AD) was a Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist, and in one work humorist, of the Silver Age of… …   Wikipedia

  • Gaius Musonius Rufus — Chapter 1, page 1, of the works of Gaius Musonius Rufus, in Greek, edited by Otto Hense in the Teubner series, 1905. Gaius Musonius Rufus, was a Roman Stoic philosopher of the 1st century AD. He taught philosophy in Rome during the reign of Nero …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”