The Epicurean Sage in the Ethics of Philodemus.

• Superior document: Philosophia Antiqua Series ; v.168
• Author: Nijs, Wim.
• Place / Publishing House: Boston : : BRILL,, 2023.; ©2024.
• Year of Publication: 2023
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Series: Philosophia Antiqua Series
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (319 pages)

"The papyrological writings of Philodemus of Gadara continue to yield crucial new insights on key aspects of ancient Epicureanism. In fact, they even shed light on the Epicurean paragon of human wisdom and happiness itself: the sage. From the many references to the wise person's characteristics that can be found scattered throughout Philodemus' ethics, a uniquely detailed and multifaceted portrait of the Epicurean sage emerges. This is the first book-length study of the Epicurean sage. It explores the different aspects of the sage's way of life and offers a reconstruction of this Epicurean role model, as envisaged by Philodemus"-- Provided by publisher.

Table of Contents

Intro -- Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Abbreviations -- 1 Introduction -- 2 The Sage -- 2.1 The Sage in Antiquity -- 2.2 The Sage in Epicureanism -- 2.2.1 The Historical Sage -- 2.2.2 The Sage as a Role Model -- 2.2.3 The Feasibility of Sagehood -- 2.2.3.1 Διάθεσις and Easy Life Choices -- 2.2.3.2 Basic Requirements -- 2.2.4 Philodemus' Use of the Sage as a Role Model -- 3 A Sociable Fellow and a Good Friend -- 3.1 The Avoidance of Social Isolation -- 3.1.1 Introduction -- 3.1.2 The Relationship between Vice and Social Isolation -- 3.1.3 Conclusion -- 3.2 Φιλανθρωπία and Sociability -- 3.3 The Importance of Having (Many) Friends -- 3.3.1 General Remarks -- 3.3.2 The Sage as a Friend-Maker -- 3.3.3 Generosity and Gratitude -- 3.3.3.1 Sharing with Friends -- 3.3.3.2 Gratitude as an Emotional Response -- 3.4 Sage Meets Sage: How Will the Sage Befriend His Peer? -- 3.5 Concluding Remarks -- 4 A Teacher and a Healer -- 4.1 General Remarks -- 4.2 Why Is the Sage a Teacher and a Healer? -- 4.2.1 Practical Benefits -- 4.2.2 Teaching the Other to Be One's Friend -- 4.2.3 The Sage's συμπάθεια -- 4.3 The Art of Teaching -- 4.3.1 Epicurean τέχνη -- 4.3.2 Φιλοσοφικὴ τέχνη? -- 4.3.3 The τέχνη of Teaching -- 4.3.4 Are All Sages Expert Teachers? -- 5 Strategies of Interaction: How to Deal with the Morally Deficient -- 5.1 The Sage's Downward Gaze -- 5.1.1 Magnanimity and Disdain -- 5.1.1.1 The Epicureans and μεγαλοψυχία -- 5.1.1.2 Disdain: μεγαλοψυχία vs. ὑπερηφανία -- 5.1.1.3 Disdain ἅπαντος τοῦ χυδαίου -- 5.1.1.4 An Alternative Antithesis in Col. 15? -- 5.1.1.5 Other Instances of Epicurean καταφρόνησις towards People -- 5.1.1.6 The Philanthropic Sage and the χυδαῖοι -- 5.1.1.7 Concluding Remarks -- 5.1.2 Pity -- 5.1.2.1 Introduction -- 5.1.2.2 Whom Does the Sage (Not) Pity and Why (Not)?.

5.1.2.3 Redefining Weakness and Pitifulness: Two Elucidating Examples -- 5.1.2.4 How Does Pity Accord with Epicurean Eudaimonism? -- 5.1.2.5 Epicurean Pity: Concluding Remarks -- 5.1.3 The Sage's Downward Gaze: Conclusion -- 5.2 The Sage's Defense against His Enemies -- 5.2.1 Introduction -- 5.2.2 Natural Anger -- 5.2.2.1 The Sage's Anger -- 5.2.2.2 Bites and the Painfulness of Natural Anger -- 5.2.2.3 Effectiveness -- 5.2.2.4 Alienation and Hatred -- 5.2.3 Punishment and Revenge -- 5.2.4 The Powerless Sage: Better to Suffer Injustice than to Commit It? -- 6 The Sage's Self-Control -- 6.1 Bites of Anger and Sorrow -- 6.1.1 Introduction -- 6.1.2 Bites of Anger -- 6.1.3 Bites of Sorrow -- 6.1.4 A Bite of Envy? -- 6.1.5 Natural Emotions and Rational Assessment -- 6.2 Will the Sage Feign Anger? -- 6.2.1 Introduction -- 6.2.2 Feigned Anger? -- 6.2.3 Feigned Kindness? -- 6.2.4 Is There Room for Feigned Anger in Epicurean Ethics? -- 6.2.5 Conclusion -- 6.3 Will the Sage Become Drunk? -- 7 Apology of the Sage -- 7.1 Three Apologies -- 7.1.1 The Flattering Sage -- 7.1.1.1 An Accusation of Flattery -- 7.1.1.2 In Search of the Accusers -- 7.1.1.3 Philodemus' Response -- 7.1.1.4 The Intended Reader -- 7.1.1.5 Flattery and Frank Speech -- 7.1.2 The Irascible Sage -- 7.1.3 The Arrogant Sage -- 7.2 Structural Comparison -- 7.3 The Epistemological Dimension -- 7.3.1 General Principles -- 7.3.2 Perception of the 'Arrogant' or 'Irascible' Sage -- 7.3.3 Perception of the 'Flattering' Sage -- 7.4 Conclusion -- 8 The Sage's Livelihood -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 The Roman Sage and His Estate -- 8.2.1 The Greek Context -- 8.2.2 The Roman Context -- 8.2.3 Philodemus' Epicurean Clarifications -- 8.2.4 Conclusion -- 8.3 Leisure and the Labor of Others -- 8.3.1 The Utility of Slavery -- 8.3.1.1 Introduction -- 8.3.1.2 The Value of Slave Labor for the Sage's Happiness.

8.3.1.3 The Ethical Status of Slavery -- 8.3.1.4 Humane Slave Ownership in Function of the Sage's Security -- 8.3.2 The Sage's Slaves -- 8.3.2.1 Wisdom for Slaves? -- 8.3.2.2 Wisdom for All Slaves? -- 8.3.3 Conclusion -- 9 Conclusions -- 9.1 A Qualifying View on Sagehood -- 9.1.1 The Adaptive Sage -- 9.1.2 The Fallible Sage -- 9.1.3 The Anti-Stoic Sage -- 9.1.4 The Bashful Sage? -- 9.2 The Limits of Qualifying Philosophy -- 9.3 Final Conclusion -- Appendix: Philodemus' Papyrological Writings: An Overview of the Cited Papyri and Their Editions -- Bibliography -- Index Locorum -- Index Nominum -- Index Rerum.