Epicurus Quote

[nmarks]

Look at the top one:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/e/epicurus.html

[nmarks]

Look at the top one:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/e/epicurus.html

[Qetesuesi]

A free life cannot acquire many possessions, because this is not easy to do without servility to mobs or monarchs.

All too true. I wonder though what exactly he means by servility to mobs. Could this be, just going with the flow of transient public opinion, without bothering to form views of your own?

[nmarks]

I think by "servility to mobs" he was referring to vested interests: Philopsophy is timeless by its very nature: vested interests today take the form of bankthtaz, landowners, political parties, the media etc.

A man ahead of his time, methinks.

[erranta]

All too true. I wonder though what exactly he means by servility to mobs. Could this be, just going with the flow of transient public opinion, without bothering to form views of your own?

The symbollic mobs were called the kynikos Grey Dogs (pisstake of Gym-master Bannatine who is in the inner 'Athens' druid circle) which means those wanting to be an inner circle 'pure' citizen of Athens!

cynic

mid-16c., in reference to the ancient philosophy, from Gk. kynikos (nick, nick) "a follower of Antisthenes," lit. "dog-like," from kyon (gen. kynos) "dog" (see canine).

Supposedly from the sneering sarcasm of the philosophers, but more likely from Kynosarge "Grey Dog," name of the gymnasium outside ancient Athens (for the use of those who were not pure Athenians) where the founder, Antisthenes (a pupil of Socrates), taught.

Diogenes was the most famous. Popular association even in ancient times was "dog-like" (Lucian has kyniskos "a little cynic," lit. "puppy"). Meaning "sneering sarcastic person" is from 1590s.

illuminati Churchill used to go on about "Black Dog" for instance (which he covered up saying it was his depressive moods)

That's the pisstake link about the Elites ranting on their media about rioters and stealing 'trainers'

(These sneering cynical druids will have you 'trainer' monkeys doing all sorts of symbillic stuff without you realising)

regards

'Sneeker'

"Ancient Athens" - Ancient and Accepted?

"Diamond Dogs"

Edited August 16, 2011 by erranta

[clockslinger]

All too true. I wonder though what exactly he means by servility to mobs. Could this be, just going with the flow of transient public opinion, without bothering to form views of your own?

No, mate, it couldn't. Epicurius was a man with one or two original views of his own and he lived his life by them in the face of ridicule.

[indirectapproach]

The concept may be arguable but the quote is limp if the translation is accurate because there is a glitch/grate between the conditional and the certain, which is very unsatisfactory.

[clockslinger]

Same site, fourth quote from CS Lewis. Sounds pretty Epicurean to me.

[newbie]

Same site, fourth quote from CS Lewis. Sounds pretty Epicurean to me.

The last CS Lewis quote sounds like David Icke!

The Epicurean quotes are great!

"Nothing is enough for the man to whom enough is too little.”

[Fudge]

The quote reminds me of The Prince by Machiavelli on how to manage the monarchy and the people.

[keef]

illuminati Churchill used to go on about "Black Dog" for instance (which he covered up saying it was his depressive moods)

Hmmm, don't wanna lead this thread off topic ... but are you really suggesting Churchill's 'black-eyed dog' was anything other than an articulation of his depressive times? I'm intrigued here ...

[Qetesuesi]

No, mate, it couldn't. Epicurius was a man with one or two original views of his own and he lived his life by them in the face of ridicule.

Looks like you misunderstood me 180°.

[aa3]

The cannon of western philosophy is timeless. They used to teach the elites the great philosophers of western civilization. What makes it timeless is that human beings are the same whether in 2011 in Britain, or 201 in Rome.

I was lucky enough to read the philosophers and read peoples comments on the thoughts at a young age. And the world makes sense quite quickly. Like haircutters recommend peopel get haircuts more often and police recommend more policing and more restrictive laws.