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Anecdotes from Diogenes Laertius

Pyrrho·Greek·attributed

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Stories about Pyrrho told by Diogenes Laertius. They paint a man who lived his philosophy: indifferent to danger, unmoved by circumstance, serene in the face of everything.

He led a life consistent with his doctrine, going out of his way for nothing, taking no precaution, but facing all risks as they came, whether carts, precipices, or dogs, and leaving nothing to the arbitrament of the senses. But he was kept out of harm's way by his friends who used to follow close after him.

Once when he was on a ship in a storm, while those about him were alarmed, he kept calm and pointed to a little pig that was still eating and said that such should be the wise man's freedom from disturbance.

He lived to be nearly ninety. The people of Elis held him in such honour that they made him chief priest and on his account made all philosophers exempt from taxation.

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