Epĭcūrus

, a celebrated philosopher, son of Neocles and Chere strata, born at Gargettus in Attica. Though his parents were poor and of an obscure origin, yet he was early sent to school, where he distinguished himself by the brilliancy of his genius, and at the age of 12, when his preceptor repeated to him this verse from Hesiod, Ἠτοι μεν πρωτιστα χαος γενετ’ , . , In the beginning of things the Chaos was created , Epicurus earnestly asked him who created it? To this the teacher answered that he knew not, but only philosophers. “Then,” says the youth, “philosophers henceforth shall instruct me.” After having improved himself, and enriched his mind by travelling, he visited Athens, which was then crowded by the followers of Plato, the Cynics, the Peripatetics, and the Stoics. Here he established himself, and soon attracted a number of followers by the sweetne and gravity of his manners, and by his social virtues. He taught them that the happine of mankind consisted in pleasure, not such as arises from sensual gratification, or from vice, but from the enjoyments of the mind, and the sweets of virtue. This doctrine was warmly attacked by the philosophers of the different sects, and particularly by the Stoics. They observed that he disgraced the gods by representing them as inactive, given up to pleasure, and unconcerned with the affairs of mankind. He refuted all the accusations of his adversaries by the purity of his morals, and by his frequent attendance on places of public worship. When Leontium, one of his female pupils, was accused of prostituting herself to her master and to all his disciples, the philosopher proved the falsity of the accusation by silence and an exemplary life. His health was at last impaired by continual labour, and he died of a retention of urine, which long subjected him to the most excruciating torments, and which he bore with unparalleled fortitude. His death happened 270 years before Christ, in the 72nd year of his age. His disciples showed their respect for the memory of their learned preceptor, by the unanimity which prevailed among them. While philosophers in every sect were at war with mankind and among themselves, the followers of Epicurus enjoyed perfect peace, and lived in the most solid friendship. The day of his birth was observed with universal festivity, and during a month all his admirers gave themselves up to mirth and innocent amusement. Of all the philosophers of antiquity, Epicurus is the only one whose writings deserve attention for their number. He wrote no le than 300 volumes, according to Diogenes Laërtius; and Chrysippus was so jealous of the fecundity of his genius, that no sooner had Epicurus published one of his volumes, than he immediately composed one, that he might not be overcome in the number of his productions. Epicurus, however, advanced truth and arguments unknown before; but Chrysippus said what others long ago had said, without showing anything which might be called originality. The followers of Epicurus were numerous in every age and country; his doctrines were rapidly di eminated over the world, and when the gratification of the sense was substituted to the practice of virtue, the morals of mankind were undermined and destroyed. Even Rome, whose austere simplicity had happily nurtured virtue, felt the attack, and was corrupted. When Cineas spoke of the tenets of the Epicureans in the Roman senate, Fabric i us indeed entreated the gods that all the enemies of the republic might become his followers. But those were the feeble efforts of expiring virtue; and when Lucretius introduced the popular doctrine in poetical composition, the smoothne and beauty of the numbers contributed, with the effeminacy of the Epicureans, to enervate the conquerors of the world. Diogenes Laërtius , Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers .— Ælian , Varia Hist or i a , bk. 4 , ch. 13 .— Cicero , de Natura Deorum , bk. 1 , chs. 24 & 25; Tusculanæ Dis put at i ones , bk. 3 , ch. 49 ; De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum , bk. 2 , ch. 22 .