Cebes

Cebes of Thebes was a Greek philosopher of the late 5th and early 4th century BC

Life

According to Plato Cebes took along with his companions Simmias part in the teaching of the Pythagoreans Philolaus when he stayed in Thebes. Later the two went to Athens and was a pupil of Socrates. After the arrest of Socrates, Cebes and Simmias offered to provide money for an escape, but Socrates refused to escape from. On the death of Socrates in prison Cebes was present. In Plato's dialogue Phaedo, he is one of the interlocutors of Socrates. Even Xenophon mentions him as a pupil of Socrates.

In the Phaedo arises in conversation that Cebes and Simmias of Philolaos have not received satisfactory information about the appropriate relationship of a philosopher to his death. Therefore, this question will be taken up and subjected to an in-depth investigation. Socrates maintains that arguments for the pre-existence and immortality of the soul. Cebes raises objections and is difficult to convince, but shows up at the end with the argument of Socrates satisfied.

Ways of teaching, which he received in Philolaus, Cebes is often called Pythagoreans. The correctness of this assumption is not proved; from attending classes does not necessarily follow that he shared the philosophical views of the teacher. Maybe it was only a short time a pupil of Philolaus. In conversation with Socrates, Cebes and Simmias express doubts as to the Pythagorean teachings.

Works

The Diogenes Laertius Doxograph which Cebes treated only just wrote him three dialogues: Pinax ( " The painting ," Latin tabula Cebetis ) Hebdómē ( " The Seventh " ) and Phrynichus. With the " Seventh " the seventh day of the month Thargelion (May / June) is meant, the birthday of the god Apollo and, according to tradition, the birthday of Plato.

Receive, of the three dialogues only Pinax, a sure fake plant, which undoubtedly dates from the 1st century AD in reality. The title refers to a votive, which was located in front of the temple of the god Cronus and represented human life. In an old man talks in the fictional dialogue with two young men. The philosophical views that are expressed here are neupythagoreisch to a considerable extent, but is also Stoic and Cynic influence recognizable.

The Pinax of Cebes pseudo - was widespread in antiquity and was quoted among others by Lucian and the Church writer Tertullian. In the Middle Ages the factory in the Latin -speaking scholarly world of the West was unknown. However, it was translated in the High Middle Ages by an anonymous translator into Arabic. The Arabic text is received. During the Renaissance, the Pinax was rediscovered; 1497 was first published in a Latin translation, which came from the humanist Ludovicus Odaxius, in press. Numerous other prints followed, whereby the Pinax often with the Golden Verses or the "Hand Book", an excerpt from the doctrinal discussions Epictetus, joined. The work was translated in the 16th century in seven other languages ​​and remained popular until the 18th century.

Expenditure

• The artful board concerning hochberühmbten very old Philosophical Cebetis Theban. In the ... Teutsche language brought by Georgium Iacobum shooters Noribergensem. Merian, Franckfurt at Mayn 1638 ( digitized the University Library of Regensburg via EOD
• The image panel of Cebes ( = Sapere, Vol 8). Introduced, translated and provided with interpretive essays by Rainer Hirsch - Luipold, Reinhard box Meier, Barbara Hirsch, Lutz Koch, Heinz -Günther Nesselrath. University Press, Darmstadt 2005