Colotes

Colotes of Lampsacus(Greek:Κολώτης Λαμψακηνός,Kolōtēs Lampsakēnos;c. 320 – after 268 BC)was a pupil ofEpicurus. He wrote a work to prove "That it is impossible even to live according to the doctrines of the other philosophers" (ὅτι κατὰ τὰ τῶν ἄλλων φιλοσόφων δόγματα οὐδὲ ζῆν ἐστιν) and dedicated it toPtolemy II Philadelphus,in all likelihood meant for the Library of Alexandria.Although this work is lost, its arguments are preserved in two works written byPlutarchin refutation of it: "That it is impossible even to live pleasantly according to Epicurus", andAgainst Colotes.According to Plutarch, Colotes attackedSocratesand other great philosophers in this work. Some fragments of two other works of Colotes have been discovered at theVilla of the PapyriatHerculaneum:Against Plato'sLysis,andAgainst Plato'sEuthydemus.According to Plutarch, Colotes, upon hearing Epicurus discourse on the nature of things, fell on his knees before him, and besought Epicurus to give him instruction. Plutarch claims that Colotes was a great favorite with Epicurus, who used, by way of endearment, to call himKoλωτάραςandKoλωτάριoς.Ciceroalso recounts that Colotes held that it is unworthy of the truthfulness of a philosopher to use fables in his teaching, a notion which Cicero opposes.

References

• Dorandi, Tiziano (1999). "Chapter 2: Chronology". In Algra, Keimpe; et al. (eds.).The Cambridge History of Hellenistic Philosophy.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p.51.ISBN9780521250283.

This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Smith, William,ed. (1870).Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.{{cite encyclopedia}}:Missing or empty|title=(help)