CHRYSIPPUS

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Leading Stoic philosopher of the 3rd century BC from Solus of Cilicia or Tarsus. He is considered the regenerator of the Stoa and the exponent of Stoic "orthodoxy".

Initially, he studied at the Academy with Arkesilaos as headmaster. His training and pre-education in dialectic allowed him later to become "so aspiring among dialecticians", so that it was said that, if there was a dialectic among the gods, it would be none other than "that of Chrysippus". It was precisely thanks to her that he was later able to re-establish and systematize Stoic teaching with logical proofs. In the Stoa he was a student of Cleanthus with whom he often clashed and whom he succeded in 232 BC.

He was very hardworking ("ponikotatos"), and in his lectures, which took place in the countryside, at the Lyceum, he gathered crowds. Diogenes Laertius gives a figure of 750 of his works which is considered excessive. Diogenes Laertius lists a long list of titles of his works.

Quotes

1. THE BEAUTIFUL IS GOOD
2. PLEASURE IS NOT GOOD BECAUSE THERE ARE UGLY PLEASURES AND NOTHING UGLY CAN BE GOOD
3. THE SAGE CAN BE INVOLVED IN POLITICS IF HE IS NOT PREVENTED BY SOMETHING, BECAUSE IN THIS WAY HE WILL LIMIT EVIL AND PROMOTE VIRTUE
4. THE WISE ARE NOT ONLY FREE BUT ALSO KINGS, SINCE KINGHOOD IS POWER FREE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND ONLY THE WISE CAN ASSUME IT
5. THE VIRTUES FOLLOW EACH OTHER AND HE WHO HAS ONE HAS THEM ALL, SINCE THEIR PRINCIPLES ARE COMMON
6. VIRTUE CAN BE LOST, DUE TO DRUNKENNESS AND MELANCHOLY
7. VIRTUE IS ENOUGH BY ITSELF TO BRING BLISS
8. NO ISSUE OF JUSTICE IS POSED BETWEEN MAN AND THE OTHER ANIMALS, BECAUSE OF THE DISSIMILARITY BETWEEN THEM
9. THE WISE WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUNG PEOPLE WHOSE APPEARANCE SHOWS AN APPEAL TO VIRTUE
10. LOVE SHOULD BE RELATED TO FRIENDSHIP AND SHOULD NOT BE JUDGED
11. BEAUTY IS A FLOWER OF VIRTUE
12. WOMEN AMONG THE WISE SHOULD BE COMMON AND EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH ANYONE
13. MIND AND PROVIDENCE RULE THE WORLD
14. HEAVEN IS THE SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY OF THE WORLD
15. THERE IS NO VOID IN THE WORLD, BUT EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED BETWEEN THEM. THIS RESULTS IN THE AGREEMENT AND COORDINATION OF HEAVENLY AND EARTHLY
16. EVERYTHING HAPPENS ACCORDING TO DETERMINED FATE
17. THE SUBSTANCE OF ALL BEINGS IS PRIMARY MATTER
18. MATTER IS THAT FROM WHICH EVERYTHING IS MADE. MATTER AND SUBSTANCE ARE MEANT WITH TWO MEANINGS, UNIVERSAL AND PARTICULAR
19. THERE ARE SOME DEMONS WHO LIKE PEOPLE AND OVERSEE THEIR AFFAIRS
20. HEROES ARE SOULS OF IMPORTANT MEN THAT REMAIN
21. HUMAN SEMEN EXCRETED BY MAN WITH LIQUID IS A MIXTURE OF PARTS OF THE SOUL IN THE SAME PROPORTION AS THEY EXIST IN THE PARENT
22. THE SPERM IS ESSENTIALLY A SPIRIT AND COMES FROM ALL PARTS OF THE BODY, BECAUSE IT GIVES BIRTH TO ALL PARTS OF THE BODY
23. DOMINANT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE SOUL, WHERE REPRESENTATIONS AND URGES ARE CREATED AND FROM WHICH REASON STEMS
24. THE WISE SHOULD PROVIDE THE NECESSARY FOR HIS OWN LIVING
25. ALL LOVE RELATIONS WITH MOTHERS, DAUGHTERS AND SONS ARE APPROPRIATE