Cynics on Superphysics

Hipparchia: Crates the Cynic

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

¹ Hipparchia, the sister of Metrocles, was charmed among others, by the doctrines of this school.

² She and Metrocles were natives of Maronea.

She:

fell in love with the doctrines and manners of Crates.
could not be diverted from her regard for him by either the wealth, high birth, or personal beauty, of any of her suitors

Crates was everything to her.

Antisthenes: Socratic Founder of Cynics

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

¹ Antisthenes was:

an Athenian
the son of Antisthenes
a pupil of Gorgias the rhetorician

² Hermippus says, that he had originally intended in his address at the assembly, on account of the Isthmian games, to attack and also to praise the Athenians, and Thebans, and Lacedæmonians; but that he afterwards abandoned the design, when he saw that there were a great many spectators come from those cities.

Crates: the Handsome Cynic

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

¹ Crates was:

a Theban
the son of Ascondus
one of the eminent disciples of the Cynics

Hippobotus asserts that he was not a pupil of Diogenes, but of Bryson the Achæan.

Menippus: Cynic

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

¹ Achaicus tells us in his Ethics that Menippus was:

a Cynic
a Phœnician by descent
a slave by birth

Diocles informs us that his master was Baton, a native of Pontus.

Mendemus: Cynic

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

¹ Menedemus was a disciple of Colotes of Lampsacus.

² Hippobotus tells that he was so superstitious.

He assumed the garb of a fury, and went about saying that he had come from hell to take notice of all who did wrong, in order that he might descend thither again and make his report to the deities who abode in that country.

Metrocles: Crates the Cynic

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

¹ Metrocles was:

the brother of Hipparchia
a pupil of Theophrastus

He had profited so little by his instructions, that he fell into despondency, and shut himself up in his house, intending to starve himself to death.

Monimus: Diogenes

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

¹ Monimus was a Syracusan, and a pupil of Diogenes, but also a slave of some Corinthian money-changer, as Sosicrates tells us.

Xeniades, who bought Diogenes, used often to come to him, extolling the excellency of Diogenes both in actions and words, till he excited a great affection for the man in the mind of Monimus. For he immediately feigned madness, and threw about all the money and all the coins that were on the table, until his master discarded him, and then he straightway went to Diogenes and became his pupil.