Book 1: Chapter 27, The Epicureans Summary and Analysis

The Stoics and Epicureans involved two new schools of the Hellenistic time. Found by Zeno and Epicurus, they were primarily based in Athens. Diogenes Laertius was considered to be the main authority for the life of Epicurus, who lived in the third century AD. Inventing scandals was frequent in antiquity and even Epicurus was prone to various accusations and misconceptions. His father was a poor Athenian colonist in Samos while Epicurus was born in 342-1 BC. He grew up in Samos and started studying philosophy when he was fourteen. When he went to Athens at the age of eighteen his family fled to Asia Minor, where he joined them. He was taught philosophy by Nausiphanes, a follower of Democritus at Taos.

He founded his school in 311 in Mitylene, then in Lampsacus, and from 307 in Athens...