Secundus the Silent
Overview
 
Secundus the Silent was a Cynic or Neopythagorean philosopher who lived in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...

 in the early 2nd century, who had taken a vow of silence
Vow of silence
A vow of silence is a religious vow, usually taken in a monastic context, to maintain silence. Known as Mauna in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, the practice is integral to Christian and Islamic traditions as well...

. An anonymous text entitled Life of Secundus purports to give details of his life as well as answers to philosophical questions posed to him by the emperor Hadrian
Hadrian
Hadrian , was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. He is best known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman Britain. In Rome, he re-built the Pantheon and constructed the Temple of Venus and Roma. In addition to being emperor, Hadrian was a humanist and was philhellene in...

. The work enjoyed great popularity in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...

.
Secundus is known only from an anonymous Life of Secundus which has survived.
Quotations

3 because strength is heightened ten-fold by serenity, devoid of human obsessions and needs. User:Zarbon|Zarbon 05:33, 2 May 2008 (UTC)

2 User:UDScott|UDScott 20:31, 10 March 2009 (UTC)

2 User:Kalki|Kalki 10:07, 13 March 2009 (UTC)

2 User:InvisibleSun|InvisibleSun 22:27, 19 March 2009 (UTC) ---- A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm. ~ Henrik Ibsen

4 because unlike the dictatorship where one person steers the ship, the community steers the ship. This, in some cases, is both damaging and positive...a mixture of thought and deduction, never solid, and moreso governed by the changing of times, parallel to how hard the wind blows the ship in a comparative image. User:Zarbon|Zarbon 05:33, 2 May 2008 (UTC)

3 User:UDScott|UDScott 20:31, 10 March 2009 (UTC)

3 User:Kalki|Kalki 10:07, 13 March 2009 (UTC)

3 User:InvisibleSun|InvisibleSun 22:27, 19 March 2009 (UTC) ---- We can learn even from our enemies. ~ Ovid

3 because learning from friends and allies alone will never be enough. In order to understand one's enemies, one must study them and learn from them. Very militaristic strategist persona taken here. User:Zarbon|Zarbon 05:41, 2 May 2008 (UTC)

3 User:UDScott|UDScott 20:31, 10 March 2009 (UTC)

 
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