Crantor
Encyclopedia
Crantor was a Greek
philosopher of the Old Academy, probably born around the middle of the 4th century BC, at Soli
in Cilicia
.
and a friend of Polemo
, and one of the most distinguished supporters of the philosophy of the older Academy. As Xenocrates died 314/3 BC, Crantor must have come to Athens previous to that year, but we do not know the date of his birth. He died before Polemo and Crates
, and the dropsy was the cause of his death. He left his fortune, which amounted to twelve talents, to Arcesilaus
.
says that he left behind Commentaries, which consisted of 30,000 lines; but of these only fragments have been preserved. They appear to have related principally to moral subjects, and, accordingly, Horace
classes him with Chrysippus
as a moral philosopher, and speaks of him in a manner which proves that the writings of Crantor were much read and generally known in Rome
at that time. The most popular of Crantor's works at Rome seems to have been that "On Grief" , which was addressed to his friend Hippocles on the death of his son, and from which Cicero
seems to have taken almost the whole of the third book of his Tusculan Disputations. The philosopher Panaetius
called it a "golden" work, which deserved to be learnt by heart word for word. Cicero also made great use of it while writing his celebrated Consolatio
on the death of his daughter, Tullia; and several extracts from it are preserved in Plutarch
's treatise on Consolation addressed to Apollonius, which has come down to us. Crantor paid especial attention to ethics
, and arranged "good" things in the following order - virtue, health, pleasure, riches.
Crantor was the first of Plato
's followers who wrote commentaries on the works of his master. He also made some attempts in poetry; and Diogenes Laërtius
relates, that, after sealing up a collection of his poems, he deposited them in the temple of Athena
in his native city, Soli. He is accordingly called by the poet Theaetetus
, in an epitaph which he composed upon him, the friend of the Muses; and we are told, that his chief favourites among the poets were Homer
and Euripides
.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
philosopher of the Old Academy, probably born around the middle of the 4th century BC, at Soli
Soli, Cilicia
Soli was an ancient city and port in Cilicia, in present day Turkey, a part of Mezitli municipality which in turn is a part of Greater Mersin. It was a colony of Rhodes, founded c. 700 BC. Soli was destroyed in the 1st century BC, and rebuilt by Pompey the Great. Thereafter, it was called...
in Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
.
Life
Crantor moved to Athens in order to study philosophy, where he became a pupil of XenocratesXenocrates
Xenocrates of Chalcedon was a Greek philosopher, mathematician, and leader of the Platonic Academy from 339/8 to 314/3 BC. His teachings followed those of Plato, which he attempted to define more closely, often with mathematical elements...
and a friend of Polemo
Polemon (scholarch)
Polemon of Athens was an eminent Platonist philosopher and Plato's third successor as scholarch or head of the Academy from 314/313 to 270/269 BC...
, and one of the most distinguished supporters of the philosophy of the older Academy. As Xenocrates died 314/3 BC, Crantor must have come to Athens previous to that year, but we do not know the date of his birth. He died before Polemo and Crates
Crates of Athens
Crates of Athens was the son of Antigenes of the Thriasian deme, the pupil and eromenos of Polemo, and his successor as scholarch of the Platonic Academy, in 270/69 BC...
, and the dropsy was the cause of his death. He left his fortune, which amounted to twelve talents, to Arcesilaus
Arcesilaus
Arcesilaus was a Greek philosopher and founder of the Second or Middle Academy—the phase of Academic skepticism. Arcesilaus succeeded Crates as the sixth head of the Academy c. 264 BC. He did not preserve his thoughts in writing, so his opinions can only be gleaned second-hand from what is...
.
Writings
His works were very numerous. Diogenes LaërtiusDiogenes Laertius
Diogenes Laertius was a biographer of the Greek philosophers. Nothing is known about his life, but his surviving Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers is one of the principal surviving sources for the history of Greek philosophy.-Life:Nothing is definitively known about his life...
says that he left behind Commentaries, which consisted of 30,000 lines; but of these only fragments have been preserved. They appear to have related principally to moral subjects, and, accordingly, Horace
Horace
Quintus Horatius Flaccus , known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus.-Life:...
classes him with Chrysippus
Chrysippus
Chrysippus of Soli was a Greek Stoic philosopher. He was a native of Soli, Cilicia, but moved to Athens as a young man, where he became a pupil of Cleanthes in the Stoic school. When Cleanthes died, around 230 BC, Chrysippus became the third head of the school...
as a moral philosopher, and speaks of him in a manner which proves that the writings of Crantor were much read and generally known in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
at that time. The most popular of Crantor's works at Rome seems to have been that "On Grief" , which was addressed to his friend Hippocles on the death of his son, and from which Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
seems to have taken almost the whole of the third book of his Tusculan Disputations. The philosopher Panaetius
Panaetius
Panaetius of Rhodes was a Stoic philosopher. He was a pupil of Diogenes of Babylon and Antipater of Tarsus in Athens, before moving to Rome where he did much to introduce Stoic doctrines to the city. After the death of Scipio in 129, he returned to the Stoic school in Athens, and was its last...
called it a "golden" work, which deserved to be learnt by heart word for word. Cicero also made great use of it while writing his celebrated Consolatio
Consolatio Literary Genre
The Consolatio or consolatory oration is a type of ceremonial oratory, typically used rhetorically to comfort mourners at funerals. It was one of the most popular classical rhetoric topics, and received new impetus under Renaissance humanism....
on the death of his daughter, Tullia; and several extracts from it are preserved in Plutarch
Plutarch
Plutarch then named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
's treatise on Consolation addressed to Apollonius, which has come down to us. Crantor paid especial attention to ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
, and arranged "good" things in the following order - virtue, health, pleasure, riches.
Crantor was the first of Plato
Plato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
's followers who wrote commentaries on the works of his master. He also made some attempts in poetry; and Diogenes Laërtius
Diogenes Laertius
Diogenes Laertius was a biographer of the Greek philosophers. Nothing is known about his life, but his surviving Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers is one of the principal surviving sources for the history of Greek philosophy.-Life:Nothing is definitively known about his life...
relates, that, after sealing up a collection of his poems, he deposited them in the temple of Athena
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
in his native city, Soli. He is accordingly called by the poet Theaetetus
Theaetetus
Theaetetus could mean:* Theaetetus , a Greek geometer* Theaetetus , a dialogue by Plato, named after the geometer* Theaetetus , a lunar impact crater....
, in an epitaph which he composed upon him, the friend of the Muses; and we are told, that his chief favourites among the poets were Homer
Homer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
and Euripides
Euripides
Euripides was one of the three great tragedians of classical Athens, the other two being Aeschylus and Sophocles. Some ancient scholars attributed ninety-five plays to him but according to the Suda it was ninety-two at most...
.