The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers · Character
Cleanthes
The Stoic successor to Zeno who preached that virtue alone suffices, wore a doubled cloak, and carried a stick and wallet like a downright dog.
supporting
Also known as Cleanthes of Assos
First appearance: Cleanthes
As a supporting figure in The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, Cleanthes is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Stoic who maintains virtue cannot be lost and that the virtuous man exercises his soul in a state of perfection.
Cleanthes inherits Zeno's school and turns it toward a rugged, self-sufficient ethic: the wise man needs nothing but the strength of Socrates, marries for children, and builds his fortress in impregnable thoughts. Nicknamed Haplocyon, the downright dog, he lectures at the Cynosarges gymnasium and dresses with a severity that becomes a Stoic signature. His apothegms—on enemies as the first to detect one's errors, on virtue as a weapon no one can take—give the early Stoa its moral spine and its memorable voice.
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Character Web
23 connectionsA slice of how Cleanthes sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Major Philosophers and Biographers
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Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
Monimus’s feigned madness and destruction of the money is the emotional and psychological peak because it dram…
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Cleanthes appears across 6 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
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See Cleanthes in Cleanthes