Zeno
(
Ζήνων).
1.
The founder of the School of the Stoics, born at Citium, in the island of Cyprus. His
father was a merchant, but, noticing in his son a strong bent towards learning, he early
devoted him to the study of philosophy. In his mercantile capacity, the father had frequent
occasions to visit Athens, where he purchased for the young Zeno several of the writings of
the most eminent Socratic philosophers. These he read with great avidity; and, when about
thirty years of age, he determined to take a voyage to a city which was so celebrated. Upon
his first arrival in Athens, going accidentally into the shop of a bookseller, he took up a
volume of the commentaries of Xenophon, and, after reading a few passages, was so much
delighted with the work, and formed so high an idea of its author, that he asked the
bookseller where he might meet with such men. Crates, the Cynic philosopher, happening at
that instant to be passing by, the bookseller pointed to him, and said, “Follow
that man.” Zeno soon found an opportunity of attending upon the instructions of
Crates, and was so well pleased with his doctrine that he became one of his disciples. But,
though he highly admired the general principles and spirit of the Cynic School, he could not
easily reconcile himself to their peculiar manners. Besides, his inquisitive turn of mind
would not allow him to adopt that indifference to every scientific inquiry which was one of
the characteristic distinctions of the sect. He therefore attended upon other masters, who
professed to instruct their disciples in the nature and causes of things. When Crates,
displeased at his following other philosophers, attempted to drag him by force out of the
school of Stilpo, the Megarian, Zeno said to him, “You may seize my body, but
Stilpo has laid hold of my mind.” After continuing to attend the lectures of Stilpo
for several years, he passed over to other schools, particularly those of Xenocrates and
Diodorus Chronus. By the latter he was instructed in dialectics. At last, after attending
almost every other teacher, he offered himself as a disciple of Polemo. This philosopher
appears to have been aware that Zeno's intention in thus passing from one school to another
was to collect materials from various quarters for a new system of his own; for, when he came
into Polemo's school, the latter said to him, “I am no stranger to your
Phœnician arts, Zeno; I perceive that your design is to creep slyly into my garden
and steal away my fruit.” Polemo was not mistaken in his opinion. Having made
himself master of the views of others, Zeno determined to become the founder of a new sect.
The place which he made choice of for his school was called the Poecilé (
Ποικίλη Στοά), or “Painted Porch,” a public
portico, so called from the pictures of Polygnotus and other eminent masters with which it
was adorned. This portico, being the most famous in Athens, was called, by way of
distinction,
Στοά, “the Porch.” It was
from this circumstance that the followers of Zeno were called
Stoics (
Στωϊκοί), i. e. “men of the Porch.”
Zeno excelled in that kind of subtle reasoning which was then popular. At the same time, he
taught a strict system of moral doctrine, and exhibited a model of moral discipline in his
own life. The Stoic School, in fact, was a branch of the Cynic, and, so far as respected
morals, differed from it more in words than in reality. Its founder, while he avoided the
eccentricities of the Cynics, retained the spirit of their moral teaching; and at the same
time, from a diligent comparison of the tenets of other masters, he framed a new system of
speculative philosophy. It is not at all surprising, therefore, that he obtained a
considerable vogue, and even enjoyed the favour of the great. Antigonus Gonatas, king of
Macedon, while residing at Athens, attended his lectures, and, upon his return, earnestly
invited him to his court. Zeno, in fact, possessed so large a share of esteem among the
Athenians that, on account of his approved integrity, they deposited the keys of their
citadel in his hands. They also honoured him with a golden crown and a statue of bronze.
Among his countrymen, the inhabitants of Cyprus, and with the Sidonians
from whom his family was derived, he was likewise highly esteemed.
In his person Zeno was tall and slender; his aspect was stern, and his brow contracted. His
constitution was feeble, but he preserved his health by great abstemiousness. His food
consisted only of figs, bread, and honey; yet his table was frequently honoured with the
company of great men. He paid more attention to neatness in his personal appearance than did
the Cynic philosophers. In his dress, indeed, he was plain, but this is not to be imputed to
avarice, but to a contempt of external magnificence. He showed as much respect to the poor as
to the rich, and conversed freely with persons of the meanest occupations. He had only one
servant, or, according to Seneca, none. Although Zeno's sobriety and continence were even
proverbial, he was not without enemies. Among his contemporaries, several philosophers of
great ability and eloquence employed their talents against him. Arcesilaüs and
Carneades, the founders of the Middle Academy, were his professed opponents. Towards the
close of his life, also, he found another powerful antagonist in
Epicurus (q.v.), whose temper and doctrines were alike inimical to the
severe gravity and philosophical pride of the Stoic sect. Hence mutual invectives passed
between the Stoics and other sects.
Zeno lived to the extreme age of ninety-eight, and at last, in consequence of an accident,
put an end to his life. As he was walking out of his school he fell down, and in the fall
broke one of his fingers. He was so affected by this with a consciousness of infirmity that,
striking the earth, he exclaimed,
Ἔρχομαι, τί μ̓
ἀΰεις; “I am coming, why do you call me?” and immediately
went home and strangled himself. He died B.C. 264. The Athenians, at the request of
Antigonus, erected a monument to his memory in the Ceramicus.
His writings, of which a list is given by Diogenes Laertius (vii. 4), have all been lost.
They treated of the State, and of the Life according to Nature. For his doctrines, see
Zeller, Stoics, Epicureans, and Skeptics (1870), and the
articles
Philosophia;
Stoïci.
2.
The Eleatic philosopher, a native of Elea (Velia) in Italy, son of Teleutagoras, and the
favourite disciple of Parmenides. He was born about B.C. 488, and at the age of forty
accompanied Parmenides to Athens. (See
Parmenides.) He appears to have resided some time at Athens, and is said to have
unfolded his doctrines to men like Pericles and Callias for the price of 100 minae. Zeno is
said to have taken part in the legislation of Parmenides, to the maintenance of which the
citizens of Elea had pledged themselves every year by an oath. His love of freedom is shown
by the courage with which he exposed his life in order to deliver his native country from a
tyrant. Whether he perished in the attempt or survived the fall of the tyrant is a point on
which the authorities vary. They also state the name of the tyranny differently. Zeno devoted
all his energies to explain and develop the philosophical system of Parmenides. See
Zeller's Pre-Socratic Schools (1881).
3.
An Epicurean philosopher, a native of Sidon, and a contemporary of Cicero, who heard him
when at Athens. He was sometimes termed
Coryphaeus Epicureorum. He seems to
have been noted for the disrespectful terms in which he spoke of other philosophers, calling,
for instance, Socrates “the Attic buffoon.” He was a disciple of
Apollodorus, and is described as a clear-headed thinker and perspicacious expounder of his
views.