Diogenes Laërtius

3rd-century Roman biographer of Greek philosophers

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Lived 180–240, aged 60

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53 languages
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Era
180–240
Aged 60

Summary

Updated 2026-06-08

He wrote the book that became our main window into ancient Greek philosophy — not because it's brilliant, but because nearly everything else burned.

Biography

About

Diogenes Laërtius compiled Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers sometime in the 3rd century CE, pulling together anecdotes and teachings about the great thinkers of Greece. Almost nothing is known about his own life. Scholars have argued over his method for centuries: he repeats sources without vetting them, lingers on trivial biographical details while skipping core doctrine, sometimes blurs which ideas belonged to which era of a school. But he also tends to report what the philosophers said without twisting it to fit his own agenda, a rarer virtue than it sounds. The primary texts he c…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Diogenes Laërtius

Diogenes Laërtius

saidundated

Alcæus mentions Aristodemus in these lines:—’T is money makes the man; and he who ’s noneIs counted neither good nor honourable.

— Thales, 8.

Diogenes Laërtius

saidundated

Thales said there was no difference between life and death. "Why, then," said some one to him, "do not you die?" "Because," said he, "it does make no difference.

— Thales, 9.

Diogenes Laërtius

saidundated