Colotes: Encyclopedia - Colotes

Colotes

Colotes (in Greek Koλωτης; lived 3rd century BC), of Lampsacus, was a hearer of Epicurus, and one of the most famous of his disciples. He wrote a work to prove, That it is impossible even to live according to the doctrines of the other philosophers (oτι κατα τα των αλλων φιλoσoφων δoγματα oυδε ζην εστι). It was de­dicated to king Ptolemy Philopator. In refutation of it Plutarch wrote two works, a dialogue, to prove, That it is impossible even to live pleasantly according to Epicurus, and a work entitled Against Colotes.¹ It may be collected from Plutarch, that Colotes was clever, but vain, dogmatical, and intolerant. He made violent attacks upon Socrates, and other great philosophers. He was a great favourite with Epicurus, who used, by way of endearment, to call him Koλωταρας and Koλωταριoς. It is also related by Plutarch, that Colotes, after hearing Epicurus discourse on the nature of things, fell on his knees before him, and besought him to give him instruc­tion. He held, that it is unworthy of the truthfulness of a philosopher to use fables in his teaching, a notion which Cicero opposes.² Some fragments of another work of Colotes, against the Lysis of Plato, have been discovered at Herculaneum.

Colotes - Notes

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology by William Smith (1867).

Categories: Ancient Greeks | Hellenistic philosophers

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Colotes", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki