Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.176 — Diogenes Laërtius on Cleanthes

Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.176

Reported speech · Diogenes Laërtius on Cleanthes

His end was as follows. He had severe inflammation of the gums, and by the advice of his doctors he abstained from food for two whole days. As it happened, this treatment succeeded, so that the doctors were for allowing him to resume his usual diet. To this, however, he would not consent, but declaring that he had already got too far on the road, he went on fasting the rest of his days until his death at the same age as Zeno according to some authorities, having spent nineteen years as Zeno’s pupil. My lighter verse on him runs thus: I praise Cleanthes, but praise Hades more, Who could not bear to see him grown so old, So gave him rest at last among the dead, Who’d drawn such load of water while alive.