Crates' Life

I. Crates was a Theban by birth, and the son of Ascondus. He also was one of the eminent disciples of the Cynic. But Hippobotus asserts that he was not a pupil of Diogenes, but of Bryson the Achæan.

I. Crates was born in Thebes, the son of Ascondus. He was also one of the Cynic’s prominent pupils. But Hippobotus says that Crates was a pupil of Bryson the Achæan, not Diogenes.

II. There are the following sportive lines of his quoted:—

II. The following playful lines of his are quoted:

There is also an account-book of his much spoken of, which is drawn up in such terms as these:—

There is also a much-discussed account book of his, written in these terms:

He was also nicknamed Door-opener, because he used to enter every house and give the inmates advice. These lines, too, are his:—

He was also nicknamed Door-opener because he would enter every house and give advice to the people living there. He also wrote these lines:

There is a line, too, which tells us that he gained from philosophy:—

There is also a line that tells us what he gained from philosophy:

This, too, is attributed to him:—

This is also attributed to him:

III. He flourished about the hundred and thirteenth olympiad.

III. He was active around the 113th Olympiad.

IV. Antisthenes, in his Successions, says that he, having once, in a certain tragedy, seen Telephus holding a date basket, and in a miserable plight in other respects, betook himself to the Cynic philosophy; and having turned his patrimony into money (for he was of illustrious extraction), he collected three hundred talents by that means, and divided them among the citizens. And after that he devoted himself to philosophy with such eagerness, that even Philemon the comic poet mentions him. Accordingly he says:—

IV. Antisthenes says in his Successions that he once saw Telephus in a tragedy. Telephus was holding a basket of dates and was otherwise in a miserable state. After seeing this, he took up Cynic philosophy. He was of distinguished ancestry and turned his inheritance into money. In this way, he raised three hundred talents and distributed them among the citizens. After that, he devoted himself to philosophy so eagerly that even Philemon, the comic poet, mentions him. Philemon says:

But Diocles says that it was Diogenes who persuaded him to discard all his estate and his flocks, and to throw his money into the sea; and he says further, that the house of Crates was destroyed by Alexander, and that of Hipparchia under Philip. And he would very frequently drive away with his staff those of his relations who came after him, and endeavoured to dissuade him from his design; and he remained immoveable.

But Diocles says that Diogenes persuaded him to give up all his property and flocks and throw his money into the sea. Diocles also says that the house of Crates was destroyed by Alexander, and that of Hipparchia under Philip. He often drove away with his staff the relatives who came after him and tried to persuade him to abandon his plan. But he remained determined.

V. Demetrius, the Magnesian, relates that he deposited his money with a banker, making an agreement with him, that if his sons turned out ordinary ignorant people, he was then to restore it to them; but if they became philosophers, then he was to divide it among the people, for that they, if they were philosophers, would have no need of anything. And Eratosthenes tells us that he had by Hipparchia, whom we shall mention hereafter, a son whose name was Pasicles, and that when he grew up, he took him to a brothel kept by a female slave, and told him that that was all the marriage that his father designed for him; but that marriages which resulted in adultery were themes for tragedians, and had exile and bloodshed for their prizes; and the marriages of those who lived with courtesans were subjects for the comic poets, and often produced madness as the result of debauchery and drunkenness.

V. Demetrius of Magnesia says that he deposited his money with a banker under an agreement. If his sons turned out to be ordinary, ignorant people, the banker was to return the money to them. But if they became philosophers, he was to divide it among the people. As philosophers, his sons would have no need of anything. Eratosthenes tells us that he had a son named Pasicles by Hipparchia, whom we will mention later. When Pasicles grew up, his father took him to a brothel run by an enslaved woman. He told Pasicles that this was all the marriage he intended for him. But marriages that led to adultery were subjects for tragic poets, with exile and bloodshed as their rewards. And the marriages of those who lived with courtesans were subjects for comic poets. Such marriages often led to madness through debauchery and drunkenness.

VI. He had also a brother named Pasicles, a pupil of Euclides.

VI. He also had a brother named Pasicles, who was a student of Euclides.

VII. Phavorinus, in the second book of his Commentaries, relates a witty saying of his; for he says, that once, when he was begging a favour of the master of a gymnasium, on the behalf of some acquaintance, he touched his thighs; and as he expressed his indignation at this, he said, “Why, do they not belong to you as well as your knees?” He used to say that it was impossible to find a man who had never done wrong, in the same way as there was always some worthless seed in a pomegranate. On one occasion he provoked Nicodromus, the harp-player, and received a black eye from him; so he put a plaster on his forehead and wrote upon it, “Nicodromus did this.” He used to abuse prostitutes designedly, for the purpose of practising himself in enduring reproaches. When Demetrius Phalereus sent him some loaves and wine, he attacked him for his present, saying, “I wish that the fountains bore loaves;” and it is notorious that he was a water drinker.

VII. In the second book of his Commentaries, Phavorinus records a witty remark of his. He once asked the master of a gymnasium for a favor on behalf of an acquaintance. As he did so, he touched the master's thighs. The master was indignant, so he said, “Why, don't your thighs belong to you just as your knees do?” He used to say that it was impossible to find a man who had never done wrong, just as a pomegranate always contains some worthless seeds. Once he provoked Nicodromus, the harp player, who gave him a black eye. He put a plaster on his forehead and wrote on it, “Nicodromus did this.” He deliberately insulted prostitutes to practice enduring insults himself. When Demetrius Phalereus sent him some loaves and wine, he criticized him for the gift. He said, “I wish the fountains produced loaves.” He was well known for drinking water.

He was once reproved by the ædiles of the Athenians, for wearing fine linen, and so he replied, “I will show you Theophrastus also clad in fine linen.” And as they did not believe him, he took them to a barber’s shop, and showed him to them as he was being shaved. At Thebes he was once scourged by the master of the Gymnasium, (though some say it was by Euthycrates, at Corinth), and dragged out by the feet; but he did not care, and quoted the line:—

Once, the Athenian ædiles rebuked him for wearing fine linen. He replied, “I will show you Theophrastus wearing fine linen too.” They did not believe him, so he took them to a barber’s shop. There he showed them Theophrastus getting shaved. Once at Thebes, the master of the Gymnasium whipped him and dragged him out by the feet. Some say it was Euthycrates at Corinth who did this. But he did not care and quoted the line:

But Diocles says that it was by Menedemus, of Eretria, that he was dragged in this manner, for that as he was a handsome man, and supposed to be very obsequious to Asclepiades, the Phliasian, Crates touched his thighs and said, “Is Asclepiades within?” And Menedemus was very much offended, and dragged him out, as has been already said; and then Crates quoted the above-cited line.

But Diocles says that Menedemus of Eretria was the one who dragged Crates out in this way. Menedemus was handsome and was thought to be very attentive to Asclepiades of Phliasia. So Crates touched his thighs and said, “Is Asclepiades within?” Menedemus was greatly offended and dragged Crates out, as already described. Crates then quoted the line given above.

VIII. Zeno, the Cittiæan, in his Apophthegms, says, that he once sewed up a sheep’s fleece in his cloak, without thinking of it; and he was a very ugly man, and one who excited laughter when he was taking exercise. And he used to say, when he put up his hands, “Courage, Crates, as far as your eyes and the rest of your body is concerned:—

VIII. Zeno of Cittium says in his Apophthegms that he once sewed a sheep’s fleece into his cloak without thinking. He was very ugly, and people laughed when he exercised. When he raised his hands, he used to say, “Courage, Crates, as far as your eyes and the rest of your body are concerned:

IX. “For you shall see those who now ridicule you, convulsed with disease, and envying your happiness, and accusing themselves of slothfulness.” One of his sayings was, “That a man ought to study philosophy, up to the point of looking on generals and donkey-drivers in the same light.” Another was, that those who live with flatterers, are as desolate as calves when in the company of wolves; for that neither the one nor the other are with those whom they ought to be, or their own kindred, but only with those who are plotting against them.

IX. “For you will see those who now mock you wracked by disease, envying your happiness, and blaming themselves for their laziness.” One of his sayings was, “A man should study philosophy until he views generals and donkey drivers in the same light.” He also said that those who live among flatterers are as helpless as calves among wolves. Neither is with those they should be with, their own kind. Instead, they are with those who are plotting against them.

X. When he felt that he was dying, he made verses on himself, saying:—

X. When he felt he was dying, he wrote these verses about himself:

For he was humpbacked from age.

For he was hunched over with age.

XI. When Alexander asked him whether he wished to see the restoration of his country, he said, “What would be the use of it? for perhaps some other Alexander would come at some future time and destroy it again.

XI. When Alexander asked whether he wanted his country restored, he replied, “What would be the use? Perhaps another Alexander would come someday and destroy it again.”

He also said that he was:—

He also said that he was:

Menander, in his Twin-sister, mentions him thus:—

Menander mentions him in Twin-sister as follows:

XII. He gave his daughter to his pupils, as he himself used to say:—

XII. As he himself used to say, he gave his daughter to his students: