Clitomachus's Life

I. Clitomachus was a Carthaginian. He was called Asdrubal, and used to lecture on philosophy in his own country in his native language.

I. Clitomachus was a Carthaginian. He was called Asdrubal and taught philosophy in his native language in his own country.

II. But when he came to Athens, at the age of forty years, he became a pupil of Carneades; and, as he was pleased with his industry, he caused him to be instructed in literature, and himself educated the man carefully. And he carried his diligence to such a degree, that he composed more than four hundred books.

II. But when he came to Athens at the age of forty, he became a pupil of Carneades. Pleased with his pupil's hard work, Carneades arranged for him to study literature and carefully taught him himself. The pupil was so diligent that he wrote more than four hundred books.

III. And he succeeded Carneades in his schools; and he illustrated his principles a great deal by his writings; as he himself had studied the doctrines of their sects, the Academic, the Peripatetic, and the Stoic. Timon attacks the whole school of Academics, as a body, in these lines:—

III. He succeeded Carneades at his school and explained his principles extensively in his writings. He had studied the doctrines of the Academic, Peripatetic, and Stoic schools. Timon attacks the entire Academic school in these lines:

But now that we have gone through the philosophers of Plato’s school, let us go to the Peripatetics, who also derived their doctrines from Plato; and the founder of their sect was Aristotle.

Now that we have covered the philosophers of Plato’s school, let us turn to the Peripatetics. They also drew their teachings from Plato. Aristotle founded their school.