Let us consider briefly some of the explanations which have been attempted of the apparent heresy of Aenesidemus towards the Sceptical School.  We will begin with the most ingenious, that of Pappenheim.[2]

Pappenheim claims that Sextus was not referring to Aenesidemus himself in these statements which he joins with his name.  In the most important of these, the one quoted from the Hypotyposes,[3] which represents Aenesidemus as claiming that Scepticism is the path to the philosophy of Heraclitus, the expression used is [Greek:  hoi peri ton Ainesidemon], and in many of the other places where Sextus refers to the dogmatic statements of Aenesidemus, the expression is either [Greek:  hoi peri ton Ainesidemon], or [Greek:  Ainesidemos kath’ Herakleiton], while when Sextus quotes Aenesidemus to sustain Scepticism, he uses his name alone.

    [1] Compare Zeller Op. cit. III. p. 16.

    [2] Die angebliche Heraclitismus des Skeptikers
    Ainesidemos, Berlin 1889.

    [3] Hyp. I. 210-212.

Pappenheim thinks that Sextus’ conflict was not with the dead Aenesidemus, who had lived two centuries before him, but with his own contemporaries.  He also seeks to prove that Sextus could not have gained his knowledge of these sayings of Aenesidemus from any of Aenesidemus’ own writings, as neither by the ancients, nor by later writers, was any book spoken of which could well have contained them.  Neither Aristocles nor Diogenes mentions any such book.

Pappenheim also makes much of the argument that Sextus in no instance seems conscious of inconsistency on the part of Aenesidemus, even when most earnestly combating his alleged teachings, but in referring to him personally he always speaks of him with great respect.

Pappenheim suggests, accordingly, that the polemic of Sextus was against contemporaries, those who accepted the philosophy of Heraclitus in consequence of, or in some connection with, the teachings of Aenesidemus.  He entirely ignores the fact that there is no trace of any such school or sect in history, calling themselves followers of “Aenesidemus according to Heraclitus,” but still thinks it possible that such a movement existed in Alexandria at the time of Sextus, where so many different sects were found.  Sextus use Aenesidemus’ name in four different ways:—­alone, [Greek:  hoi peri ton Ainesidemon], [Greek:  Ainesidemos kath’ Herakleiton], and in one instance [Greek:  hoi peri ton Ainesidemon kath’ Herakleiton].[1]

    [1] Adv.  Math. VIII. 8.