Ariston's Life

I. Ariston the Bald, a native of Chios, surnamed the Siren, said, that the chief good was to live in perfect indifference to all those things which are of an intermediate character between virtue and vice; making not the slightest difference between them, but regarding them all on a footing of equality. For that the wise man resembles a good actor; who, whether he is filling the part of Agamemnon or Thersites, will perform them both equally well.

I. Ariston the Bald was from Chios and was nicknamed the Siren. He said that the highest good was to live with complete indifference to all things between virtue and vice. One should make no distinction between such things, but regard them all as equal. For the wise person is like a good actor. Whether playing Agamemnon or Thersites, a good actor will perform both parts equally well.

II. And he discarded altogether the topic of physics, and of logic, saying that the one was above us, and that the other had nothing to do with us; and that the only branch of philosophy with which we had any real concern was ethics.

II. He rejected physics and logic entirely. He said physics was beyond us, and logic had nothing to do with us. Ethics was the only branch of philosophy that truly concerned us.

III. He also said that dialectic reasonings were like cobwebs; which, although they seem to be put together on principles of art, are utterly useless.

III. He also said that dialectical arguments were like cobwebs. Although they appear skillfully constructed, they are utterly useless.

IV. And he did not introduce many virtues into his scheme, as Zeno did; nor one virtue under a great many names, as the Megaric philosophers did; but defined virtue as consisting in behaving in a certain manner with reference to a certain thing.

IV. He did not include many virtues in his system, as Zeno did. Nor did he give one virtue many names, as the Megaric philosophers did. Instead, he defined virtue as behaving in a particular way toward a particular thing.

V. And as he philosophized in this manner, and carried on his discussions in the Cynosarges, he got so much influence as to be called a founder of a sect. Accordingly, Miltiades, and Diphilus were called Aristoneans.

V. He practiced philosophy in this way and held discussions in the Cynosarges. He became so influential that he was called the founder of a sect. Accordingly, Miltiades and Diphilus were called Aristoneans.

VI. He was a man of very persuasive eloquence, and one who could adapt himself well to the humours of a multitude. On which account Timon says of him:—

VI. He was a very persuasive speaker and could adapt well to the moods of a crowd. For this reason, Timon says of him:

Diocles, the Magnesian, tells us that Ariston having fallen in with Polemo, passed over to his school, at a time when Zeno was lying ill with a long sickness. The Stoic doctrine to which he was most attached, was the one that the wise man is never guided by opinions. But Persæus argued against this, and caused one of two twin brothers to place a deposit in his hands, and then caused the other to reclaim it; and thus he convicted him, as he was in doubt on this point, and therefore forced to act on opinion. He was a great enemy of Arcesilaus. And once, seeing a bull of a monstrous conformation, having a womb, he said, “Alas! here is an argument for Arcesilaus against the evidence of his senses.” On another occasion, when a philosopher of the Academy said that he did not comprehend anything, he said to him, “Do not you even see the man who is sitting next to you?” And as he said that he did not, he said:—

Diocles of Magnesia tells us that Ariston met Polemo and joined his school while Zeno was suffering from a long illness. The Stoic doctrine Ariston valued most was that a wise man is never guided by opinions. But Persæus argued against this doctrine. He had one of two twin brothers leave a deposit with Ariston, then had the other brother claim it. Ariston was unsure what to do, so he was forced to act on opinion. In this way, Persæus proved him wrong. Ariston was a fierce enemy of Arcesilaus. Once, when he saw a monstrously formed bull with a womb, he said, “Alas! Here is an argument for Arcesilaus against the evidence of his senses.” On another occasion, a philosopher of the Academy said that he understood nothing. Ariston asked him, “Can you not even see the man sitting next to you?” When the philosopher said he could not, Ariston said:

VII. The following works are attributed to him. Two books of Exhortatory Discourses; Dialogues on the Doctrines of Zeno; six books of Conversations; seven books of Discussions on Wisdom; Conversations on Love; Commentaries on Vain Glory; twenty-five books of Reminiscences; three books of Memorabilia; eleven books of Apophthegms; a volume against the Orators; a volume against the Rescripts of Alexinus; three treatises against the Dialecticians; four books of Letters to Cleanthes. But Panætius and Sosicrates say, that his only genuine writings are his letters; and that all the rest are the works of Ariston the Peripatetic.

VII. The following works are attributed to him: two books of Exhortatory Discourses. Dialogues on the Doctrines of Zeno. Six books of Conversations. Seven books of Discussions on Wisdom. Conversations on Love. Commentaries on Vain Glory. Twenty-five books of Reminiscences. Three books of Memorabilia. Eleven books of Sayings. A volume against the Orators. A volume against the Replies of Alexinus. Three treatises against the Dialecticians. Four books of Letters to Cleanthes. But Panætius and Sosicrates say that only his letters are genuine. They say that all the other works are by Ariston the Peripatetic.

VIII. It is said that he, being bald, got a stroke of the sun, and so died. And we have written a jesting epigram on him in Scazon iambics, in the following terms:—

VIII. It is said that he was bald, suffered sunstroke, and died. We have written a humorous epigram about him in Scazon iambics, as follows:

IX. There was also another man of the name of Ariston; a native of Julii, one of the Peripatetic school. And another who was an Athenian musician. A fourth who was a tragic poet. A fifth, a native of Alæa, who wrote a treatise on the Oratorical Art. A sixth was a peripatetic Philosopher of Alexandria.

IX. There was another man named Ariston, from Julii, who belonged to the Peripatetic school. Another was an Athenian musician. A fourth was a tragic poet. A fifth was from Alæa and wrote a treatise on the art of oratory. A sixth was a Peripatetic philosopher from Alexandria.