Cleanthes of Assos (c. 330 – c. 230 BC) was a prominent Stoic philosopher and the successor to Zeno of Citium, the founder of Stoicism.
Known for his dedication, humility, and intellectual rigor, Cleanthes played a crucial role in the development and preservation of Stoic philosophy.
Despite facing financial hardships and initially being underestimated by his peers, Cleanthes emerged as a respected philosopher who would later guide one of the most influential philosophical schools of the Hellenistic period.
Cleanthes is perhaps best known for his Hymn to Zeus, a poetic work that encapsulates the Stoic worldview and expresses the Stoic belief in the rational order of the universe.
His teachings, which emphasized ethics, cosmology, and the practical application of philosophy, laid the groundwork for his successor, Chrysippus, to further develop and systematize Stoicism.
Early Life and Introduction to Philosophy
Cleanthes was born around 330 BC in Assos, a city in the Troad region of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
Little is known about his early life, but it is believed that he came from humble beginnings.
He worked as a manual laborer, carrying water for gardeners and grinding grain, to support himself while studying philosophy in Athens.
His journey into philosophy began when he moved to Athens and became a student of Zeno of Citium.
Despite being initially mocked by some of his contemporaries for his physical labor, Cleanthes was deeply committed to his philosophical studies.
He was known for his tireless dedication to learning, often studying late into the night after completing his day’s work.
This dedication eventually earned him the respect of his peers, and he became Zeno’s most trusted student.
Upon Zeno’s death around 262 BC, Cleanthes succeeded him as the head of the Stoic school, a position he held for over three decades.
Teachings of Cleanthes
Cleanthes was instrumental in preserving and continuing the teachings of Zeno while also contributing his own insights to Stoic philosophy.
His teachings emphasized the importance of living in accordance with nature, the role of reason in human life, and the unity of the cosmos.
Ethics
Cleanthes upheld the Stoic doctrine that virtue is the only true good and that living a virtuous life leads to true happiness.
He taught that individuals should strive to live in harmony with nature and with the rational order of the universe.
For Cleanthes, this meant living a life of reason, self-discipline, and moral integrity.
One of his most significant contributions to Stoic ethics was his emphasis on the concept of eupatheia (good emotions) as opposed to apatheia (freedom from passions).
Cleanthes believed that the Stoic sage, while free from destructive passions, would still experience positive emotions such as joy, caution, and rational desire.
These good emotions were seen as aligned with reason and the natural order, in contrast to the irrational and harmful passions that Stoics sought to avoid.
Cosmology and Theology
Cleanthes’s most famous work, the Hymn to Zeus, reflects his deep interest in cosmology and theology.
In this hymn, Cleanthes praises Zeus (who is synonymous with the Stoic concept of the divine logos or rational principle) as the governing force of the universe.
He describes Zeus as the source of order and harmony in the cosmos and as the guiding force behind all natural processes.
Cleanthes’s cosmology was rooted in the belief that the universe is a living, rational being, governed by divine reason.
He argued that everything in the cosmos is interconnected and that all events are part of a divine plan.
This belief in the rational and providential nature of the universe was central to Stoic philosophy and provided a foundation for Stoic ethics.
Physics and the Unity of the Cosmos
In addition to his contributions to ethics and cosmology, Cleanthes also developed Stoic physics, which sought to explain the nature of the physical world.
He believed that the cosmos was a single, unified organism, animated by a divine rational principle (logos).
This principle, which he identified with Zeus, was thought to permeate the entire universe, giving it order and coherence.
Cleanthes’s views on physics also included the idea that the universe undergoes periodic cycles of creation and destruction, known as the ekpyrosis (conflagration).
According to this theory, the cosmos is periodically consumed by a divine fire, only to be reborn and begin a new cycle of existence.
This cyclical view of the universe was an important aspect of Stoic cosmology and reflected the Stoic belief in the eternal and rational nature of the cosmos.
Cleanthes’s Works
Although Cleanthes wrote extensively, only fragments of his works have survived.
His most famous surviving work is the Hymn to Zeus, a poetic expression of Stoic theology and cosmology.
In this hymn, Cleanthes praises the divine rational order of the universe and emphasizes the importance of living in accordance with nature.
Some of the other known titles of his works include:
“On the Nature of the Gods” (Peri theon):
A work that explored Stoic theology and the nature of the divine.
“On Pleasure” (Peri hedonēs):
A treatise in which Cleanthes argued against the Epicurean view that pleasure is the highest good, upholding instead the Stoic belief in virtue as the only true good.
“On Reason” (Peri logou):
A work that delved into the Stoic understanding of reason as the guiding principle of human life and the cosmos.
While the majority of his works are lost, Cleanthes’s ideas have been preserved through the writings of later Stoics and other ancient philosophers, such as Cicero, Diogenes Laërtius, and Seneca.
Prominent Disciples
As the head of the Stoic school, Cleanthes taught and influenced many students who would go on to become important figures in the Stoic tradition.
Some of his most prominent disciples include:
Chrysippus of Soli:
Chrysippus was Cleanthes’s most famous student and the third head of the Stoic school.
He is often regarded as the “second founder” of Stoicism due to his extensive writings and his role in systematizing Stoic philosophy.
Chrysippus’s contributions to logic, ethics, and physics were foundational to the development of Stoicism.
Sphaerus of Bosporus:
A student of both Zeno and Cleanthes, Sphaerus was an important Stoic philosopher who later became an advisor to the kings of Sparta and Alexandria.
He wrote on a wide range of topics, including logic, ethics, and politics.
Aristo of Chios:
Although Aristo eventually diverged from Cleanthes’s teachings, he was initially a student of both Zeno and Cleanthes.
Aristo is known for his emphasis on ethics and his critique of the focus on logic and physics in Stoicism.
These disciples helped to spread Cleanthes’s teachings and contributed to the continued development of Stoic philosophy.
Influence on Society and Stoicism
Cleanthes’s influence on Stoicism and ancient philosophy was profound.
As the successor to Zeno and the teacher of Chrysippus, Cleanthes played a crucial role in preserving and transmitting the teachings of the early Stoic school.
His emphasis on ethics, cosmology, and the practical application of philosophy helped to shape the Stoic tradition and ensured its survival through the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Cleanthes’s Hymn to Zeus remains one of the most famous expressions of Stoic theology and continues to be studied for its insights into Stoic cosmology and the Stoic view of the divine.
His teachings on the unity of the cosmos, the importance of living in accordance with nature, and the role of reason in human life have had a lasting impact on the development of Stoicism and on Western philosophy more broadly.
In modern times, Cleanthes is remembered as a key figure in the history of Stoicism and as a philosopher whose dedication to learning and moral integrity exemplified the Stoic ideals he espoused.
Notable Quotes Attributed to Cleanthes
Although much of Cleanthes’s work has been lost, a few quotes attributed to him have been preserved through the writings of later philosophers.
These quotes reflect the core principles of his philosophy and offer insight into his teachings:
“Lead me, Zeus, and you, O Destiny,
To the goal I was long ago assigned.”
This quote, from Cleanthes’s Hymn to Zeus, reflects his belief in the rational order of the universe and the importance of accepting one’s fate with equanimity.
“Better to be silent than to dispute with the ignorant.”
Here, Cleanthes emphasizes the value of wisdom and the importance of engaging in meaningful and rational discourse.
“He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart.”
This quote reflects the Stoic belief in the importance of learning from hardship and the role of suffering in the development of wisdom.
Cleanthes of Assos was a pivotal figure in the history of Stoicism, serving as a bridge between the founding teachings of Zeno and the later systematization of the philosophy by Chrysippus.
His dedication to the Stoic school, despite personal hardships, exemplified the Stoic virtues of perseverance, discipline, and commitment to the pursuit of wisdom.
Cleanthes’s contributions to ethics, cosmology, and the practical application of Stoic principles have left an enduring legacy that continues to inspire those who seek to live in harmony with the natural order and to cultivate a life of reason and virtue.