Theagenes of Patras

Short description: 2nd century Greek Cynic philosopher

Theagenes (Greek: Θεαγένης; fl. c. 160 AD) of Patras, was a Cynic philosopher and close friend of Peregrinus Proteus.

He is known principally as a character who appears in Lucian's The Death of Peregrinus (Latin: De Morte Peregrini), where he is introduced as praising Peregrinus' desire to kill himself by self-immolation:

> Proteus," he cried, "Proteus vain-glorious? Who dares name the word? Earth! Sun! Seas! Rivers! God of our fathers, Heracles! Was it for this that he suffered bondage in Syria? that he forgave his country a debt of a million odd? that he was cast out of Rome, — he whose brilliance exceeds the Sun, fit rival of the Lord of Olympus? 'Tis his good will to depart from life by fire, and they call it vain-glory! What other end had eracles?[1]

Theagenes aided Peregrinus by setting fire to the funeral pyre, which Peregrinus threw himself upon.[2] Theagenes compared Peregrinus' suicide with the similar practices of the Gymnosophists in India .[3] Lucian, who was hostile to Theagenes and his brand of Cynicism, states that Theagenes had a fortune of fifteen talents, which he obtained by money-lending.[4]

Theagenes is also mentioned by Galen, who recalls how he lectured daily to large crowds in Trajan's Forum in Rome.[5] Galen describes how Theagenes died when he was given an inappropriate treatment by Statilius Attalus (physician to Marcus Aurelius) for inflammation of the liver.[5]

## References

1. ↑ Lucian, De Morte Peregrini, 4.
2. ↑ Lucian, De Morte Peregrini, 36.
3. ↑ Lucian, De Morte Peregrini, 25.
4. ↑ Lucian, De Morte Peregrini, 30.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Galen, Methodus medendi, 13.15.

* v
* t
* e

Cynic philosophers

Greek era|

* Antisthenes
* Diogenes
* Diodorus
* Zoilus
* Onesicritus
* Philiscus
* Crates
* Hipparchia
* Metrocles
* Monimus
* Cleomenes
* Bion
* Sotades
* Menippus
* Menedemus
* Cercidas
* Teles
* Meleager

Roman era|

* Favonius
* Demetrius
* Dio Chrysostom
* Agathobulus
* Secundus
* Demonax
* Peregrinus Proteus
* Theagenes
* Oenomaus
* Pancrates
* Crescens
* Heraclius
* Horus
* Asclepiades
* Sallustius

0.00

(0 votes)

|

Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Biography:Theagenes_of_Patras&oldid=551207"
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template