Synopses & Reviews
A unique new volume illuminating the philosophy of the ancient Greek and Roman Cynics The Greek Cynics owned no property and rejected fame and fortune, living almost entirely out of doors while surviving on wild plants and water from natural springs. They promoted ideals such as self-sufficiency, freedom, detachment, shamelessness, and toughness, and their philosophy penetrated not only Greek but also Roman civilization. This unique anthology draws together the writings on and by various Cynic philosophers, from founding figures Antisthenes and Diogenes of Sinope to Hipparchia, one of the few female philosophers in antiquity, and fourth-century Roman emperor Julian "the apostate."
Synopsis
'Poverty does not consist in the want of money, ' I answered, 'nor is begging to be deplored. Poverty consists in the desire to have everything, and through violent means if necessary'
From their founding in the fifth century BC and for over 800 years, the Cynic philosophers sought to cure humanity of greed and vice with their proposal of living simply. They guaranteed happiness to their adherents through freedom of speech, poverty, self-sufficiency and physical hardiness. In this fascinating and completely new collection of Cynic writing through the centuries, from Diogenes and Hipparchia, to Lucian and the Roman emperor Julian, the history and experiences of the Cynic philosophers are explored to the full.
Robert Dobbin's introduction examines the public image of the Cynics through the ages, as well as the philosophy's contradictions and how their views on women were centuries ahead of their time. This edition also includes notes on the text, chronology, glossary and suggested further reading.
Translated, edited and with an introduction by Robert Dobbin
Synopsis
A new translation of the influential teachings of the great Stoic philosopherDESPITE BEING BORN into slavery, Greco-Roman philosopher Epictetus became one of the most influential thinkers of his time. Discourses and Selected Writings is a transcribed collection of informal lectures given by the philosopher around AD 108. A gateway into the life and mind of a great intellectual, it is also an important example of the usage of Koine or ?common? Greek, an ancestor to Standard Modern Greek.
About the Author
Robert Dobbin received a Ph.D. in classics from the University of California at Berkeley and taught history and classics at the college level. He is the translator and editor of Epictetus' Discourses and Selected Writings for Penguin Classics, as well as articles on Virgil, Plato, and Pythagoras. He works as a book editor in Northern California.
Table of Contents
Epictetus Introduction
Further Reading
Note on the Translation
The Discourses
Fragments
Enchiridion
Glossary of Names
Notes