Cratippus of Pergamon
Encyclopedia
Cratippus of Pergamum, was a leading Peripatetic philosopher of the 1st century BC who taught at Mytilene
and Athens
. The only aspects of his teachings which are known to us are what Cicero
records concerning divination
.
who was connected with him by intimate friendship, and entertained a very high opinion of him, for he declared him to be the most distinguished among the Peripatetics that he had known, and thought him at least equal to the greatest men of his school. Cratippus lived for a time at Mytilene, and accompanied Pompey
in his flight after the Battle of Pharsalia, endeavouring to comfort and rouse him by philosophical arguments. Several eminent Romans, such as M. Marcellus
and Cicero himself, received instruction from him, and in 44 BC
Cicero's son
was his pupil at Athens
, and was tenderly attached to him. Young Cicero seems also to have visited Asia in his company. When Julius Caesar
was at the head of the Roman republic, Cicero obtained from him the Roman franchise for Cratippus, and also induced the council of the Areopagus
at Athens to invite the philosopher to remain in the city and to continue his instructions in philosophy. Although Cicero speaks of him as the leading philosopher of the Peripatetic school, it is not certain if he was the scholarch
. After the murder of Caesar, Brutus
, while staying at Athens, also attended the lectures of Cratippus.
, on which he seems to have written a work. Cicero states that Cratippus believed in dreams
and supernatural inspiration but that he rejected all other kinds of divination. He seems to have held that, while motion, sense and appetite cannot exist apart from the body, thought reaches its greatest power when most free from bodily influence, and that divination is due to the direct action of the divine mind on that faculty of the human soul which is not dependent on the body.
Mytilene
Mytilene is a town and a former municipality on the island of Lesbos, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lesbos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is the capital of the island of Lesbos. Mytilene, whose name is pre-Greek, is built on the...
and Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. The only aspects of his teachings which are known to us are what Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
records concerning divination
Divination
Divination is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic standardized process or ritual...
.
Life
Cratippus was a contemporary of CiceroCicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
who was connected with him by intimate friendship, and entertained a very high opinion of him, for he declared him to be the most distinguished among the Peripatetics that he had known, and thought him at least equal to the greatest men of his school. Cratippus lived for a time at Mytilene, and accompanied Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
in his flight after the Battle of Pharsalia, endeavouring to comfort and rouse him by philosophical arguments. Several eminent Romans, such as M. Marcellus
Marcus Claudius Marcellus (consul 51 BC)
Marcus Claudius Marcellus, was a member of the plebeian gens Claudia of the branch cognomitated Marcellus and a Roman politician.Marcellus was elected curule aedile in 56 BC. In 52 BC he was elected consul, together with Servius Sulpicius Rufus, for the following year...
and Cicero himself, received instruction from him, and in 44 BC
44 BC
Year 44 BC was either a common year starting on Sunday or Monday or a leap year starting on Friday or Saturday of the Julian calendar and a common year starting on Sunday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
Cicero's son
Cicero Minor
Marcus Tullius Cicero Minor , or Cicero the Younger, was born in 64 BC. He was the son of Marcus Tullius Cicero, who as a distinguished orator and consular senator was one of the leading figures of the Roman Republic during the 1st century BC. His mother was Terentia, Cicero senior’s first wife...
was his pupil at Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, and was tenderly attached to him. Young Cicero seems also to have visited Asia in his company. When Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
was at the head of the Roman republic, Cicero obtained from him the Roman franchise for Cratippus, and also induced the council of the Areopagus
Areopagus
The Areopagus or Areios Pagos is the "Rock of Ares", north-west of the Acropolis, which in classical times functioned as the high Court of Appeal for criminal and civil cases in Athens. Ares was supposed to have been tried here by the gods for the murder of Poseidon's son Alirrothios .The origin...
at Athens to invite the philosopher to remain in the city and to continue his instructions in philosophy. Although Cicero speaks of him as the leading philosopher of the Peripatetic school, it is not certain if he was the scholarch
Scholarch
A scholarch is the head of a school. The term was especially used for the heads of schools of philosophy in ancient Athens, such as the Platonic Academy, whose first scholarch was Plato himself...
. After the murder of Caesar, Brutus
Marcus Junius Brutus
Marcus Junius Brutus , often referred to as Brutus, was a politician of the late Roman Republic. After being adopted by his uncle he used the name Quintus Servilius Caepio Brutus, but eventually returned to using his original name...
, while staying at Athens, also attended the lectures of Cratippus.
Teachings
Notwithstanding the high opinion which Cicero entertained of the knowledge and talent of Cratippus, we do not hear that he wrote on any philosophical subject, and the only allusions we have to his tenets, refer to his opinions on divinationDivination
Divination is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic standardized process or ritual...
, on which he seems to have written a work. Cicero states that Cratippus believed in dreams
Dream
Dreams are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, philosophical intrigue and religious...
and supernatural inspiration but that he rejected all other kinds of divination. He seems to have held that, while motion, sense and appetite cannot exist apart from the body, thought reaches its greatest power when most free from bodily influence, and that divination is due to the direct action of the divine mind on that faculty of the human soul which is not dependent on the body.