Chrysippus

The dialogues entitled Cephalion, the Icthias, the Jactov, the Leopard, the people of Athenians, the Republic.

one on moral art, one on wealth, one on love, the Theodorus, the Hypsias, the Aristarchus, one on death, a volume of letters, seven tragedies, the Helen, the Thistis, the Hercules, the Achilles, the Medea, the Chrysippus, and the Oedipus.

But Sosicratus, in the first book of his Successions, and Satyrus in the fourth book of his Lives, both assert that none of all these are the genuine compositions of Diogenes, and Satyrus affirms us that the tragedies are the work of Felicicus, the Argentian, a friend of Diogenes.

But Sotian, in his seventh book, says that these are the only genuine works of Diogenes, a dialogue on virtue, another on the good, another on love the beggar the solomius the leopard the cassander the cephalion and the aristarchus the cespius the ganymede a volume of apothegms and another of letters are all work of there were five persons of the name of diogenes the first a native of apollyona a natural philosopher and the beginning of his treatise on natural philosophy is as follows It appears to me to be well for everyone who commences any kind of philosophical treatise to lay down some undeniable principle to start with.

In one word, he keeps watching guard on himself as his own enemy, lying in wait for him.

Chapter 49 When a man prides himself on being able to understand and interpret the books of Chrysippus, say to yourself, If Chrysippus had not written obscurely, this man would have had nothing on which to pride himself.

What is my object? To understand nature and follow her.

I look then for someone who interprets her, and having heard that Chrysippus does, I come to him.

But I do not understand his writings, so I seek an interpreter.

So far, there is nothing to be proud of.

But when I have found the interpreter, it remains for me to act on his precepts.

That and that alone is a thing to be proud of.

Above all, see that the child's nurse speaks correctly.

The ideal, according to Chrysippus, would be that she should be a philosopher.

Failing that, he desired that the best should be chosen as far as possible.

No doubt, the most important point is that they should be of good character, but they should speak correctly as well.

Most of them attribute this view to Hesiod; at least such as lived before the time of Aristophanes the grammarian, who was the first to deny that the Hypothetae, in which this opinion is expressed, was the work of that poet.

But other authorities, among them Eratosthenes, give the same advice.

Those, however, who hold that a child's mind should not be allowed to lie fallow for a moment are wiser; Chrysippus, for instance, though he gives the nurses a three years' reign, still holds the formation of the child's mind on the best principles to be a part of their duties.

Why, again, since children are capable of moral training, should they not be capable of literary education? I am well aware that during the whole period of which I am speaking we can expect scarcely the same amount of progress that one year will effect afterwards.