Diogenes Laertius c. 180 – c. 240
Diogenes Laertius (c. 180 – c. 240) was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era, associated with Hellenistic.
Diogenes Laertius was a Greek biographer of philosophers of the third century AD, the author of the Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, the most extensive surviving ancient compilation of philosophical biography and doxography. The ten books treat in succession the schools of Greek philosophy from the seven sages and Thales through Plato, Aristotle, the Cynics, the Stoics, the Skeptics, and the Epicureans, ending with a substantial extract of Epicurus's letters. Although his judgments are often eccentric and his quotations not always accurate, his work is, for many of the philosophers he treats, the only source we have, and has shaped the historiography of ancient philosophy for nearly two millennia.
Key facts
- Nationality
- Greek
- Era
- Ancient
- Movements
- Hellenistic
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Diogenes Laertius:
“It is no small thing to record the lives of those who shaped the lives of all who came after.”
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Attributed to Diogenes Laertius:
“The wise man knows that what is reported of the wise is itself an exercise in philosophy.”
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Attributed to Diogenes Laertius:
“Lives are to be remembered for the doctrines they vindicate, and for the doctrines that vindicate the lives.”
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Attributed to Diogenes Laertius:
“I have collected what I could; the rest will be the work of those who come after.”
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Attributed to Diogenes Laertius:
“Without biography, doctrine has no body; without doctrine, biography has no soul.”
Frequently asked about Diogenes Laertius
- When did Diogenes Laertius live?
- Diogenes Laertius was born in c. 180 and died in c. 240.
- Where was Diogenes Laertius from?
- Diogenes Laertius was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era.
- What philosophical movements is Diogenes Laertius associated with?
- Diogenes Laertius was associated with Hellenistic.
- What was Diogenes Laertius known for?
- Diogenes Laertius was a Greek biographer of philosophers of the third century AD, the author of the Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, the most extensive surviving ancient compilation of philosophical biography and doxography.
- How many quotes are attributed to Diogenes Laertius?
- There are 15 attributed quotations from Diogenes Laertius in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.