The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers · Chapter
Xenophanes explained
Xenophanes of Colophon, a poet and philosopher, was banished from his homeland and lived in Sicily.
What happens
Xenophanes of Colophon, a poet and philosopher, was banished from his homeland and lived in Sicily. He criticized Homer and Hesiod for their depictions of the gods, argued against Thales, Pythagoras, and Epimenides, and taught that there are four elements, infinite unchangeable worlds, and a spherical, non-anthropomorphic god. He lived to nearly a hundred years old and was the first to assert that everything produced is perishable and that the soul is spirit.
Themes in this chapter
Natural Philosophy and Cosmology
Xenophanes proposed four elements, infinite unchangeable worlds, and a spherical god that is intellect and wisdom, and explained clouds as vapor from the sun.
Wisdom vs. Sophistry
Xenophanes criticized Homer and Hesiod for their false tales about the gods, and argued that only a wise man can recognize another wise man.
Death and Legacy
Xenophanes lived to nearly a hundred years old, buried his own sons, and left a legacy of poems and philosophical doctrines.
Characters to notice
- Xenophanes
Main subject of the chapter; a poet and philosopher from Colophon who criticized Homer and Hesiod, taught about the elements and god, and lived to extreme old age.
- Anaximander
Mentioned as a contemporary of Xenophanes according to Sotion.
- Thales
Xenophanes argued against the opinions of Thales.
- Pythagoras
Xenophanes attacked the opinions of Pythagoras.
- Epimenides of Crete
Xenophanes also attacked Epimenides.
- Empedocles
Engaged in a dialogue with Xenophanes about the discoverability of the wise man.
Key passages
“Threescore and seven long years are fully passed, Since first my doctrines spread abroad through Greece: And ’twixt that time and my first view of light Six lustres more must added be to them: If I am right at all about my age, Lacking but eight years of a century.”
Xenophanes states that he is 92 years old, having begun teaching at age 25, and is now approaching 100.
Xenophanes calculates his own age to demonstrate his longevity.
“When Empedocles said to him that the wise man was undiscoverable, he replied: “Very likely; for it takes a wise man to discover a wise man.””
In response to Empedocles' claim that a wise person cannot be found, Xenophanes retorts that only a wise person can recognize another wise person.
Xenophanes emphasizes the difficulty of recognizing wisdom without possessing it oneself.