Hegesias of Cyrene

Hegesias of Cyrene, an ancient Greek Cyrenaic philosopher, was active around 290 BC. He posited a deeply pessimistic view of life, asserting that true happiness (eudaimonia) is unattainable. Consequently, he proposed that the primary objective for an individual should be the avoidance of pain and sorrow. Hegesias considered conventional values such as wealth, poverty, freedom, and slavery as ultimately indifferent, holding that they did not inherently produce more pleasure or pain than their opposites. This radical perspective is famously documented by Cicero in his 'Tusculan Disputations.' Cicero recounts that Hegesias authored a book titled 'Death by Starvation' (Ἀποκαρτερῶν), which reportedly had such a profound and disturbing effect on its readers that it persuaded many to view death as preferable to life. Due to this influence, Hegesias was allegedly forbidden from teaching in Alexandria by Ptolemy. Some scholars have noted a potential influence of Buddhist teachings on Hegesias's philosophy, given the thematic similarities in their emphasis on suffering and detachment.