Menedemus

Menedemus of Eretria (345/44 – 261/60 BC) was a Greek philosopher and the founder of the Eretrian school. Born in Eretria, he belonged to the noble but impoverished Theopropidai family. Initially working as a builder and tent maker like his father, Cleisthenes, Menedemus was drawn to philosophy during military conflicts, traveling to the Platonic Academy in Athens. He formed a close friendship with Asclepiades of Phlius, and together they studied under philosophical descendants of Phaedo of Elis, then under Stilpo. Menedemus eventually transferred Stilpo's school to Eretria, giving it its name. He and Asclepiades also visited Cyprus and stayed at the court of King Nikocreon. Beyond his philosophical pursuits, Menedemus was actively involved in the politics of Eretria, advocating for its independence. His close ties with Antigonus II Gonatas, king of Macedonia, led to suspicions about his loyalty. Accounts of his death vary: some say he died of grief at Antigonus's court, while others claim he starved himself to death after failing to persuade Antigonus to free his city. While little of his philosophical work remains, later writers like Diogenes Laërtius record his views, including his denial of the value of negative propositions and his belief that virtue is intellectual and singular.