Folia Theologica 19. (2008)
Perendy László: Judging Philosophers - Theophilus of Antioch on Hellenic inconsistency
200 PERENDY, László science [cf. [Menander], Monostichoi 81 and 107 Jaekel], Others, on the contrary, hold that the spirit extended through everything is God [SVT ii. 1033]." (II 4)17 The first representatives of Stoicism, Zeno and Cleanthes are not named by Theophilus, only their follower, Chrysippus is. Zeno of Citium (Zf|VC0V ó Kixieùç) (c. 334262) "was a Phoenician born on Cyprus, originally a pupil of Crates the Cynic. He turned to Socratic philosophy, and gradually evolved the unified metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics that make up the Stoical system."18 None of his works has survived. However, his teachings have been passed on, including his main concept that "tranquillity can best be reached through indifference to pleasure and pain". Cynic teaching was, at least in part, continued in his Stoic philosophy. Zeno preached that "man conquers the world by conquering himself". He lectured his students on the value of apatheia, which he explained to be "the absence of passion". Cleanthes (c. 331-232 BC) was the "second head of the Stoic school. Coming between Zeno of Citium, the founder, and Chrysippus, the 'second founder' of the Stoic school, Cleanthes has usually been accorded a relatively minor position. However, his Hymn to Zeus contains an elaboration of Stoic physics, explaining the flux in terms of a principle of 'tension' (tonos) in the underlying substance of the world. He represents the pantheism of Stoicism, and the conception of ideal life as one lived in accordance with nature."19 Chrysippus (Xfri)(5Ul7I0Ç) of Soli c. 280-207 BC was "the third leading Stoic after Cleanthes, and possibly the most productive philosopher of all time, having written 704 books, none of which survive (...). Chrysippus was originally a pupil of Arcesilaus, and was converted to Stoicism by Cleanthes. He enjoyed a considerable reputation as a logician (...) He also held a cognitive theory of the emotions, which he thought consisted in judgements of the value of things."20 He is honoured as the second founder of Stoicism. 17 Jaekel is the abbreviation for S. Jaekel, Menandri sententiae, Leipzig, 1964. SVF stands for H. von Arnim, Stoicorum Veterum Fragmenta , 3 vols., Leipzig, 1903-5. 18 Blackburn, 404. 19 Blackburn, 66. 20 Blackburn, 63.
