Monimus(/ˈmɒnɪməs/;‹See Tfd›Greek:Μόνιμος;4th century BC) ofSyracuse,Magna Graecia,was aCynicphilosopher.
Monimus of Syracuse | |
|---|---|
| Μόνιμος | |
 Monimus of Syracuse | |
| Born | c. 4th century BC |
| Era | Ancient philosophy |
| Region | Ancient Greek philosophy |
| School | Cynicism |
Main interests | Problem of the criterion |
Notable ideas | All is vanity ( "typhos" ) |
Biography
editAccording toDiogenes Laërtius,Monimus was the slave of aCorinthianmoney-changerwho heard tales aboutDiogenes of SinopefromXeniades,Diogenes' master. In order that he might become the pupil of Diogenes, Monimus feigned madness by throwing money around until his master discarded him. Monimus also became acquainted withCrates of Thebes.[1]Menanderclaimed that Monimus held three beggar's wallets instead of one; this may have been intended to imply that Monimus was three times as much of a Cynic as others, or might have been a satire implying that he was more fond of money than was considered proper for a Cynic philosopher.[2]
Philosophy
editAccording to both Diogenes Laërtius[3]andSextus Empiricus,[4]Monimusabolished the criterion,meaning that he rejected the idea that there was any standard of judgment for attaining knowledge.[2]According to Sextus Empiricus, Monimus was likeAnaxarchusbecause they "compared existing things to a scene-painting and supposed them to resemble the impressions experienced in sleep or madness."[5]Monimus was famous for saying that "everything is vanity"[6](τῦφος,tuphos,literally 'mist' or 'smoke'). In book two ofMeditations,Marcus Aureliuswrites:
There is obvious truth to the Cynic Monimus' statement that 'all is opinion'; and obvious, too, is the usefulness of this statement if a man profits from it insofar as it is true.[7]
According toStobaeus,Monimus also said that "it was better to lack sight than education, because under the first affliction, you fall to the ground, under the latter, deep underground,"[8]and he also said that "Wealth is the vomiting of Fortune."[9]
Works
editAccording to Diogenes Laërtius, Monimus wrote two books:On Impulses,and anExhortation to Philosophy,and he also wrote some jests mixed with serious themes[10](presumably related to Cynic-stylespoudogeloia). Another work by Monimus,A Collection of Wonderful Events,is quoted byClement of Alexandria.[11]
Notes
edit- ^Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 82
- ^abRankin 1983,p. 238.
- ^vi. 82-83
- ^Adv. Math VII 221
- ^Sextus Empiricus,Against the Logicians,7.88.
- ^Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 83; compare Marcus Aurelius,Meditations,ii. 15.
- ^Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, trans. Maxwell Staniforth. §2.15
- ^Stobaeus,Florilegium,ii. 13. 88
- ^Stobaeus,Florilegium,iv. 31. 89
- ^Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 83
- ^Clement of Alexandria,Exhortations,3.1
References
edit
Laërtius, Diogenes(1925)..Lives of the Eminent Philosophers.Vol. 2:6. Translated byHicks, Robert Drew(Two volume ed.). Loeb Classical Library.- Rankin, H. D. (1983).Sophists, Socratics and Cynics.Croom Helm. p. 238.ISBN978-0-7099-2223-0.Retrieved3 August2023.
External links
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Media related toMonimusat Wikimedia Commons
