Diagoras of Melos

Diagoras of Melos (c. 475 BC in Melos; † after 410 BC) was a Greek sophist and poet, who was also active as a legislator and lived before Christ at the end of the 5th century. Sometimes it is the epithet " atheist " is added.

Diagoras first came around 425 BC as a legislator in the city of Mantinea appearance where he worked out with democratic constitution was considered exemplary. The distinction made in the reform of strengthening democratic elements introduced in the year 418 BC federated political upheaval in favor of Athens.

As a poet Diagoras first wrote religiously inspired lyrics. However, in the year 423 BC, he was apparently already known as a critic of belief in gods, since Aristophanes quoted him as such in his comedy The Clouds.

About the reason for his change for atheists there are different versions. A version sees the reason that Diagoras was convinced as a pupil of Democritus by his theory that religious ideas emerge from the shock of terrible natural phenomena. Another says that he was an atheist, as a student stole from him, and then lived a happy life, instead of being punished by the Gods for the deed, and then denying it in a false oath. The historian Wolfgang Will thinks it is possible that only the enslavement of his home island of Melos 416 BC triggered the final turn to atheism.

After attacking in response to the atrocities in the beginning of Melos in 415 BC in an important speech for the Athens also economically important cult of Demeter and Kore at Eleusis, Diagoras was by the Athenians in the spring of the year for impiety to death condemned ( in the same year, in which Protagoras was exiled ). However, since he still had friends in the city, he was able to escape from execution to Corinth. After another station in Pellene was lost his trail. The stele with the ostracism and the APB was to visit at Eleusis even centuries later.

After his unspecified traditional death circulated numerous anecdotes that stamped Diagoras the most famous atheists of antiquity. According to the common legend, are more difficult to distinguish fact and fiction, Diagoras polemic against orthodox religion of his time, and denied miracles. He should have thrown the wooden image of a god into a fire, with the words, the deity should still save by a miracle, even once.

Cicero delivers an anecdote that Diagoras ' atheistic thesis " The gods do not care about human affairs " illustrates: A friend shows Diagoras votive tablets with the representation of people who have been shipwrecked and have been rescued from it. When asked whether he it does not recognize that the gods very well take care of the people who answered Diagoras, "Yes. But nowhere, people are shown that were not rescued from drowning, but perished in the sea. "

The most detailed biographical appreciation of Diagoras has recently submitted Wolfgang Will in his book about the downfall of Melos.