Zeno of Citium
Zeno of Citium (
The Stoic) (
333-
264 BC) was a
Hellenistic philosopher from
Citium,
Cyprus. Zeno was the son of a
merchant and a student of
Crates of Thebes. Zeno was, himself, a merchant until the age of 42, when he started a
school. Named for his teaching platform, the
Painted Porch ("
stoa" is Greek for "porch"), his teachings were the beginning of
Stoicism. None of Zeno's works have survived; he is believed to have taught that
tranquility can best be reached via indifference to
pleasure and
pain.
Quotes Attributed to Zeno of Citium