Euenus

Euenus (or Evenus) of Paros, (Greek: Εὔηνος ὁ Πάριος), was a 5th-century BC philosopher and poet who was roughly contemporary with Socrates.[1] Euenus is mentioned several times in Plato's Phaedo, Phaedrus (dialogue), and Apology of Socrates. He is quoted in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (7.10.1152a32) and Eudemian Ethics (2.7.1223a30). He was apparently, although obscure, well respected, and was never called a Sophist by Socrates, even though he charged a sizeable sum for teaching students.

Sayings

• One of his famous sayings is cited twice in: Artemidoros, Oneirocritica 1,15 = Plutarch, Moralia 497A De amore prolis 4: ἢ δέος ἢ λύπη παῖς πατρὶ πάντα χρόνον ("a son is always a terror or a pain for his father.").
• "Every thing compelled is by nature grevious", Eudemian Ethics (2.7.1223a30)
• Montaigne quotes him to the effect that fire is the spice of life.[2]

Poems

Eight poems are attributed to "Euenos" in the Palatine Anthology, but most are probably by Euenus of Ascalon, and some may be by Euenus of Athens, Euenus of Sicily or Euenus Grammaticus. Most are about works of art.

See also

• Simmias of Thebes

References

1. W. Smith, A Classical Dictionary of Biography (1858) p. 260
2. Montaigne, Essays (Penguin 1978) p. 363

Further reading

• Plato. Phaedo, ed. C.J. Rowe
• Nails, Debra. The People of Plato