Monimus

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For the Macedonian officer, see Monimus (general).
Monimus of Syracuse

Monimus (Greek: Μόνιμος; 4th century BCE) of Syracuse, was a Cynic philosopher.

According to Diogenes Laërtius, Monimus was the slave of a Corinthian money-changer who heard tales about Diogenes of Sinope from Xeniades, Diogenes' master. In order that he might become the pupil of Diogenes, Monimus feigned madness by throwing money around until his master discarded him. Monimus also became acquainted with Crates of Thebes.[1]

He was famous for saying that "everything is vanity"[2] (τῦφος, tuphos, literally 'mist' or 'smoke'). According to Sextus Empiricus, Monimus was like Anaxarchus, because they "compared existing things to a scene-painting and supposed them to resemble the impressions experienced in sleep or madness."[3] He said that "it was better to lack sight than education, because under the first affliction, you fall to the ground, under the latter, deep underground,"[4] and he also said that "Wealth is the vomiting of Fortune."[5]

He wrote two books: On Impulses, and an Exhortation to Philosophy, and he also wrote some jests mixed with serious themes[6] (presumably related to Cynic-style spoudogeloia).

Notes

  1. ↑ Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 82
  2. ↑ Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 83; compare Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, ii. 15.
  3. ↑ Sextus Empiricus, Against the Logicians, 7.88.
  4. ↑ Stobaeus, Florilegium, ii. 13. 88
  5. ↑ Stobaeus, Florilegium, iv. 31. 89
  6. ↑ Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 83

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