# Melissus explained — The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers

> Chapter companion for The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers by Diogenes Laërtius.

## What happens

Melissus of Samos, a pupil of Parmenides and conversant with Heraclitus, was a respected statesman and admiral. He taught that the universe is infinite, unchanging, immovable, and one, denying real motion and asserting that no certain knowledge of the gods exists. Apollodorus places his prime around the 84th Olympiad.

## Themes in this chapter

### Natural Philosophy and Cosmology

Melissus posits an infinite, unchanging, immovable, and one universe, denying real motion.

### Political Engagement and Tyranny

Melissus was deeply involved in political affairs and elected admiral, reflecting the intersection of philosophy and civic duty.

## Character check-ins

### Melissus of Samos

Subject of the chapter; Samian statesman and philosopher, pupil of Parmenides.

### Parmenides

Teacher of Melissus.

### Heraclitus

Melissus conversed with Heraclitus and recommended him to the Ephesians.

### Democritus

Mentioned in analogy: Hippocrates recommended Democritus to the Abderites, as Melissus recommended Heraclitus to the Ephesians.

## Key lines

> His doctrine was that the Universe was infinite, unsusceptible of change, immoveable, and one, being always like to itself and complete; and that there was no such thing as real motion, but that there only appeared to be such.

Melissus taught that the universe is infinite, unchanging, motionless, and singular, always identical and whole; apparent motion is an illusion.

_Core metaphysical doctrine of Melissus._

> As respecting the Gods, too, he denied that there was any occasion to give a definition of them, for that there was no certain knowledge of them.

Regarding the gods, Melissus held that no definition is needed because no certain knowledge of them exists.

_Melissus's agnostic or skeptical stance on theology._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters/melissus
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_lives_and_opinions_of_eminent_philosophers_se/chapters