Diogenes Laërtius · fl. 3rd century CE
Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.189 — Diogenes Laërtius on Chrysippus
Translation by R. D. Hicks (1925)
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.189
Reported speech · Diogenes Laërtius on Chrysippus
“And yet what reason is there that he should provide a living? For if it be to support life, life itself is after all a thing indifferent. If it be for pleasure, pleasure too is a thing indifferent. While if it be for virtue, virtue in itself is sufficient to constitute happiness. The modes of getting a livelihood are also ludicrous, as e.g. maintenance by a king; for he will have to be humoured: or by friends; for friendship will then be purchasable for money: or living by wisdom; for so wisdom will become mercenary.” These are the objections urged against him. As the reputation of his writings stands so high, I have decided to make a separate catalogue of them, arranged according to the class of subject treated. And they are as follows: I. Logic. Logical Theses. The Philosopher’s Inquiries. Dialectical Definitions addressed to Metrodorus, six books. On the Terms used in Dialectic, addressed to Zeno, one book.
Cite this passage
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.189 (on Chrysippus), tr. R. D. Hicks (1925)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/lives-of-the-stoics/7.189
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Book VII, tr. R. D. Hicks (Loeb, 1925). Text: Perseus Digital Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesWhy should a wise person bother to earn a living? Life and pleasure are indifferent and virtue alone is enough for happiness. Every way of earning is awkward, since a royal patron must be flattered, friends supporting you make friendship something bought, and selling wisdom makes it mercenary. The rest begins a catalogue of his writings on logic.
Older wording
- “mercenary”
- — motivated only by money
- “humoured”
- — flattered and indulged
- “ludicrous”
- — absurd, ridiculous
Themes and situations
- Wealth and poverty
- Virtue and character
- Friendship
- Freedom
Quote cards
The opening line of this passage as an image, with its citation — for sharing or keeping.