Aristocreon

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Aristocreon (Greek: Ἀριστοκρέων), who lived c. 200 BC, was a Stoic philosopher and the nephew of Chrysippus.

He was a son of the sister of Chrysippus, and became his pupil.[1] Chrysippus dedicated several of his works to him.[2] Of the few facts known about Aristocreon's life, it is known that between 229 and 190 BC, he was in Athens, where he obtained the official position of a Proxenos (a consular agent acting for another city).[3] He was still alive in Athens in 184 BC.[3] Plutarch records that Aristocreon erected a bronze statue of his uncle on a pillar and engraved a verse to him:

Of uncle Chrysippus Aristocreon this likeness erected;
The knots the Academy tied, the cleaver, Chrysippus, dissected.[4]

It is not known whether this Aristocreon is the same one wrote a description of Egypt.[5]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Diogenes Laertius, vii.; Plutarch, de Stoic. Repugn.
  2. ^ Diogenes Laertius, vii.
  3. ^ a b Algra, K., The Cambridge History of Hellenistic Philosophy, page 40. Cambridge University Press. (2005).
  4. ^ Plutarch, de Stoic. Repugn.
  5. ^ Pliny, Naturalis historia, v. 9., vi. 29., 30.; Aelian, Natura Animalium, vii. 40.