ASTRONOMER, METEOROLOGIST

Life
Born in Samos of Athenian parents (Neocles and Chaerestrate), Epicurus studied first with Pamphilus, a Platonist, and later on the neighbouring island of Teos with Nausiphanes: This was his first introduction to the theories of Democritus. At the age of 18 he went to Athens to perform his military service as an Athenian citizen, with - among others - Menander. This duty accomplished, he went to Colophon (322-310), and then on to Mytilene and Lampsacus. In all these places he taught, and gradually developed his pwn philosophical system. In 306 he returned to Athens, where he founded his famous school and laid the foundations of the Epicurean / Hedonistic system. He also made a particular study of astronomy and meteorology. Cited by Suidas, Diogenes Laertius, Cicero, Sextus Empiricus, Apollodorus, Diotimus, Posidonius, Stobaeus, Sotion and Dionysus of Halicarnassus.


Work
Epicurus supported the atomic theory of Leucippus and Democritus, and formulated the view that everything in nature comes from the movement of the atom in a void. His treatises occupied "the space of 300 cylinders". Very few have survived.

"On nature. 57 books"

"On atoms and the void"

"Principal doctrines"

"On the angle in the atom"

"Letter to Herodotus": Summary of his doctrines on physics. Extant.

"Letter to Pythocles": on the subject of meteorology. Treats of eclipses of the sun and moon, and of the heavenly signs and portents that herald changes in the weather. It also gives an account of the causes of such meteorological and geological phenomena as hail, snow, dew, crystals, earthquakes, hot whirlwinds. Extant.