Diogenes Laërtius, the biographer of the Greek philosophers, is supposed by some to have received his surname from the town of Laerte in Cilicia, and by others from the Roman family of the Laërtii.

Of the circumstances of his life we know nothing. He must have lived after Sextus Empiricus (c. 200), whom he mentions, and before Stephanus of Byzantium (c. 500), who quotes him. It is probable that he flourished during the reign of Alexander Severus (222–235) and his successors.

His own opinions are equally uncertain. By some he was regarded as a Christian; but it seems more probable that he was an Epicurean. The work by which he is known, Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, was written in Greek and professes to give an account of the lives and sayings of the Greek philosophers. Although it is at best an uncritical and unphilosophical compilation, its value, as giving us an insight into the private life of the Greek sages, justly led Montaigne to exclaim that he wished that instead of one Laërtius there had been a dozen.

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We have two ears and only one tongue in order that we may hear more and speak less. -by Laertius Diogenes- #iTweetQuote
artmarketing (Art Marketing) Mon, 28 Dec 2009 04:38:32 -0000
We have two ears and only one tongue in order that we may hear more and speak less. -by Laertius Diogenes- #iTweetQuote
Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend. - Laertius Diogenes
MeredithForsyth (MeredithForsythe) Mon, 28 Dec 2009 03:38:45 -0000
Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend. - Laertius Diogenes
Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend. - Laertius Diogenes
MeredithForsyth (MeredithForsythe) Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:15:03 -0000
Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend. - Laertius Diogenes
I am a citizen of the world. -Laertius Diogenes #quote
NewFreedomParty (New Freedom Party) Sun, 27 Dec 2009 22:00:53 -0000
I am a citizen of the world. -Laertius Diogenes #quote
Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend. - Laertius Diogenes
MeredithForsyth (MeredithForsythe) Sun, 27 Dec 2009 20:51:23 -0000
Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend. - Laertius Diogenes
De mortuis nihil nisi bene - Say nothing but good about the dead. (Diogenes Laertius; quoted by Horace) http://krz.ch/latin #latin
danielrauch (Daniel Rauch) Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:04:11 -0000
De mortuis nihil nisi bene - Say nothing but good about the dead. (Diogenes Laertius; quoted by Horace) http://krz.ch/latin #latin

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