With their clique, as with their master Aristippus, the
senses were the only avenues to knowledge; man was the measure of all
things; and "happiness our being's end and aim." Theodorus was surnamed
the Atheist; and, it seems, not without good reason; for he taught that
there was no absolute or eternal difference between good and evil;
nothing really disgraceful in crimes; no divine ground for laws, which
according to him had been invented by men to prevent fools from making
themselves disagreeable; on which theory, laws must be confessed to have
been in all ages somewhat of a failure. He seems to have been, like his
master, an impudent light-hearted fellow, who took life easily enough,
laughed at patriotism, and all other high-flown notions, boasted that
the world was his country, and was no doubt excellent after-dinner
company for the great king. Hegesias, his fellow Cyrenaic, was a man of
a darker and more melancholic temperament; and while Theodorus contented
himself with preaching a comfortable selfishness, and obtaining
pleasure, made it rather his study to avoid pain. Doubtless both their
theories were popular enough at Alexandria, as they were in France
during the analogous period, the Siecle Louis Quinze.
Pages:
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83