Dionysius's Life

I. Dionysius, the Deserter, as he was called, asserted that pleasure was the chief good, from the circumstance of his being afflicted with a complaint in his eyes. For, as he suffered severely, he could not pronounce pain a thing indifferent.

I. Dionysius, known as the Deserter, claimed that pleasure was the highest good because he suffered from an eye condition. Because he was in severe pain, he could not say that pain was a matter of indifference.

II. He was the son of Theophantus, and a native of Heraclea.

II. He was the son of Theophantus and was from Heraclea.

III. He was a pupil, as we are told by Diocles, first of all of Heraclides, his fellow citizen; after that of Alexinus, and Menedemus; and last of all of Zeno. And at first, as he was very devoted to learning, he tried his hand at all kinds of poetry. Afterwards, he attached himself to Aratus, whom he took for his model. Having left Zeno, he turned to the Cyrenaics, and became a frequenter of brothels, and in other respects indulged in luxury without disguise.

III. According to Diocles, he studied first under Heraclides, a fellow citizen, then under Alexinus and Menedemus, and finally under Zeno. At first, because he was very devoted to learning, he tried writing all kinds of poetry. Later, he joined Aratus and took him as his model. After leaving Zeno, he turned to the Cyrenaics. He became a frequent visitor to brothels and openly indulged in other luxuries.

IV. When he had lived near eighty years, he died of starvation.

IV. He died of starvation at nearly eighty years old.

V. The following books are attributed to him. Two books on Apathy; two on Exercise; four on Pleasure; one on Riches, and Favours, and Revenge; one on the Use of Men; one on Good Fortune; one on Ancient Kings; one on Things which are Praised; one on Barbarian Customs.

V. The following books are attributed to him: two on Apathy, two on Exercise, and four on Pleasure. He is also credited with one book on Riches, Favours, and Revenge, and one on the Use of Men. The others are one book each on Good Fortune, Ancient Kings, Things That Are Praised, and Barbarian Customs.

These now are the chief men who differed from the Stoics. But the man who succeeded Zeno in his school was Cleanthes, whom we must now speak of.

These are the main men who disagreed with the Stoics. But Cleanthes succeeded Zeno as head of his school, and we must now discuss him.