Menippus of Gadara Quotes
Menippus of Gadara was a Greek Cynic philosopher and satirist of the third century BC, traditionally born a slave and later freed, whose mixed-genre satires of philosophical pretension fused prose and verse, parody and earnest argument, in a form that came to be known after him as Menippean satire. Although none of his own writings survive, his style and figure are reflected in the satires of Lucian of Samosata and the Saturae Menippeae of Varro, and through them in the broader tradition of satirical philosophy from Apuleius to Erasmus. The quotes below are attributed to Menippus of Gadara, organized by topic.
Menippus of Gadara on Freedom
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Attributed to Menippus of Gadara:
“The wise man is a stranger in every city, including his own.”
Menippus of Gadara on God
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Attributed to Menippus of Gadara:
“He who can laugh at the gods has nothing left to fear from them.”
Menippus of Gadara on Happiness
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Attributed to Menippus of Gadara:
“Wealth is a heavier load than poverty, for it must be carried with one's reputation.”
Menippus of Gadara on Truth
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Attributed to Menippus of Gadara:
“A philosophy that has lost its sense of humor has lost its grip on the world.”
Menippus of Gadara on Virtue
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Attributed to Menippus of Gadara:
“Mock the philosophers gently, and they may yet remember they were once human.”