The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers · Character
Aristippus of Cyrene
The Cyrenaic founder who made pleasure the goal of life, yet moved through Socrates' circle with the ease of a man who feared nothing.
supporting
Also known as Aristippus the Cyrenian, Cyrene
First appearance: Aristippus
As a supporting figure in The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, Aristippus of Cyrene is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Cyrenaic philosopher; first Socratic to charge fees; known for adaptability and luxury; exchanged barbs with Diogenes and Plato.
Aristippus of Cyrene was a student of Socrates who took the master's lessons in self-command and turned them toward a philosophy of refined enjoyment. He was at home in courts and marketplaces alike, and his willingness to accept money for teaching set him apart from the ascetic Socratics. His school, the Cyrenaics, would argue that immediate pleasure is the only certain good, making him the ancient world's most articulate defender of a life lived for the moment.
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See Aristippus of Cyrene in Aristippus