The Cynic Epistles Reading Plan

Phil Somers, the chief fellow of The Cynic Philosophy group on Facebook, wanted to do a reading plan of The Cynic Epistles; and I have put one together for them.  I find the stories (Gr: χρείαι) about Diogenes of Sinope particularly interesting, and it’s a good thing for Stoics to be familiar with the school which gave us birth.  The Epistles were not written by the folks to whom they are attributed.  Instead, they were pedagogical parables, or even proselytizing tools, for Cynics traveling west from Greece to Rome.

Over the next couple months, we’ll go through the letters.  Feel free to follow along, or contribute at the group page linked above.  We are using this edition of the book, and it’s to this one which page numbers below refer.  Letter numbers are also included, so you may follow in other editions, as well.

You’ll see the Introduction has been split into several parts, each one according to the author.  Rather than reading them all in one chunk, they’ll introduce their respective letters. Some of the Epistles are grouped together in days, because of their brevity, while others are split across several days due to their length.

Each day’s reading is about 2-3 pages, keeping in mind, the English text is only on the odd-numbered pages.  This should take between five and seven minutes each day, and should be quite do-able in the mornings or evenings as your schedule permits.

Without further ado…

The Cynic Epistles Reading Plan

Week 1 –

  1.  Tuesday, 01-March-2016:
    1. Introduction (p. 1-4)
  2. Wednesday, 02-March-2016:
    1. Introduction to The Epistles of Anacharsis (p. 6-7)
  3. Thursday, 03-March-2016:
    1.  I. Anacharsis to the Athenians (p. 37)
    2.  II. Anacharsis to Solon (p. 39)
  4. Friday, 04-March-2016
    1.  III. Anacharsis to the Tyrant Hipparchus (p. 41)
    2.  IV. Anacharsis to Medocus (p. 41)
    3.  V. Anacharsis to Hanno (p. 43)
    4.  VI. Anacharsis to the Son of the King (p. 43)
    5.  VII. Anacharsis to Tereus, the Cruel Despot of Thrace (p. 45)
    6.  VIII. Anacharsis to Thrasylochus (p. 45)

Week 2 –

  1.  Monday, 07-March-2016:
    1. IX. Anacharsis to Croesus (p. 47)
    2.  X. Anacharsis to Croesus (p. 51)
  2. Tuesday, 08-March-2016:
    1. Introduction to The Epistles of Crates (p. 10)
  3. Wednesday, 09-March-2016:
    1. I. To Hipparchia (p. 55)
    2. II. To His Students (p. 55)
    3. III. To the Same (p. 55)
    4. IV.  To Hermascus (p. 57)
    5. V.  To His Students (p. 57)
    6. VI. To the Same (p. 57)
  4. Thursday, 10-March-2016:
    1. VII. To the Wealthy (p. 59)
    2. VIII. To Diogenes (p. 59)
    3. IX.  To Mnasos (p. 61)
    4. X. To Lysis (p. 61)
  5. Friday, 11-March-2016:
    1. XI. To His Students (p. 63)
    2. XII. To Orion (p. 63)
    3. XIII. To Eumoplus (p. 65)
    4. XIV. To the Youths (p. 65)
    5. XV. To His Students (p. 65)

Week 3 –

  1.  Monday, 14-March-2016:
    1. XVI. To His Students (p. 67)
    2. XVII. To the Same (p. 67)
    3. XVIII. To the Youths (p. 69)
    4. XIX. To Patrocles (p. 69)
  2. Tuesday, 15-March-2016:
    1. XX. To Metrocles (p. 71)
    2. XXI. To Metrocles the Cynic (p. 71)
    3. XXII. To Metrocles (p. 73)
    4. XXIII. To Ganymedes (p. 73)
  3. Wednesday, 16-March-2016:
    1. XXIV. To the Thessalians (p. 75)
    2. XXV. To the Athenians (p. 75)
    3. XXVI. To the Same (p. 77)
    4. XXVII. To the Same (p. 77)
    5. XXVIII. To Hipparchia (p. 79)
    6. XIX.  To the Same (p. 79)
  4. Thursday, 17-March-2016:
    1. XXX. To the Same (p. 81)
    2. XXXI. To the Same (p. 81)
    3. XXXII. To the Same (p. 83)
    4. XXXIII. To the Same (p. 83)
  5. Friday, 18-March-2016:
    1. XXXIV. To Metrocles (p. 85)

Week 4 –

  1.  Monday, 21-March-2016:
    1. XXXV. To Aper, do well (p. 89)
    2. XXXVI. To Dinomachus (p. 89)
  2. Tuesday, 22-March-2016:
    1. Introduction: The Epistles of Diogenes Part 1 (p. 14-16)
  3. Wednesday, 23-March-2016:
    1. Introduction: The Epistles of Diogenes Part 2 (p. 17-18)
    2.  I. To the Sinopians (p. 93)
    3. II. To Antisthenes (p. 93)
  4. Thursday, 24-March-2016:
    1. III. To Hipparchia (p. 95)
    2. IV. To Antipater (p. 95)
    3. V. To Pediccas (p. 97)
    4. VI. To Crates (p. 97)
  5. Friday, 25-March-2016:
    1. VII. To Hicetas (p. 99)
    2. VIII. To Eugnesius (p. 101)

Week 5 –

  1.  Monday, 28-March-2016:
    1. IX. To Crates (p. 103)
    2. X. To Metrocles, do well (p. 103)
    3. XI. To Crates, do well (p. 105)
    4. XII. To the same, do well (p. 107)
  2. Tuesday, 29-March-2016:
    1. XIII. To Apolexis, greetings (p. 107)
    2. XIV. To Antipater, greetings (p. 109)
    3. XV.  To Antipater, greetings (p. 109)
    4. XVI. To Apolexis, greetings (p. 109)
    5. XVII.  To Antalcides, greetings (p. 111)
    6. XVIII. To Apolexis, greetings (p. 111)
  3. Wednesday, 30-March-2016:
    1. XIX. To Anaxilaus the wise, greetings (p. 113)
    2. XX. To Melesippus, greetings (p. 113)
    3. XXI. To Amynander, greetings (p. 115)
    4. XXII. To Agesilaus, greetings (p. 115)
  4. Thursday, 31-March-2016:
    1. XXIII. To Lacydes, greetings (p. 117)
    2. XXIV. To Alexander, greetings (p. 117)
    3. XXV. To Hippon (p. 117)
    4. XXVI. To Crates (p. 119)
    5. XXVII. To Aniceres, greetings (p. 119)
  5. Friday, 01-April-2016:
    1. XXVIII. untitled: “Diogenes the Dog to the so-called Greeks…” (p. 121)

Week 6 –

  1.  Monday, 04-April-2016:
    1. XXIX. To Dionysius (p. 127)
  2. Tuesday, 05-April-2016:
    1. XXX. To Hicetas, do well (p. 131)
  3. Wednesday, 06-April-2016:
    1. XXXI. To Phaenylus, do well (p. 133)
  4. Thursday, 07-April-2016:
    1. XXXII. To Aristippus, greetings (p. 137)
  5. Friday, 08-April-2016:
    1. XXXIII. To Phanomachus, do well (p. 141)
    2. XXXIV. To Olympias, do well (p. 143)

Week 7 –

  1.  Monday, 11-April-2016:
    1. XXXV. To Sopolis, do well (p. 145)
  2. Tuesday, 12-April-2016:
    1. XXXVI. To Timomachus, do well (p. 149)
  3. Wednesday, 13-April-2016:
    1. XXXVII. To Monimus, do well (p. 155)
  4. Thursday, 14-April-2016:
    1. XXXVIII. untitled:  “After the games…” (p. 161)
  5. Friday, 15- April-2016:
    1. XXXIX. To Monimus, do well (p. 165)

Week 8 –

  1.  Monday, 18-April-2016:
    1. XL. Diogenes the Cynic to Alexander (p. 169)
  2. Tuesday, 19-April-2016:
    1. XLI. To Melesippus (p. 173)
    2. XLII. To the wise Melesippe, greetings (p. 173)
    3. XLIII. To the Maroneans, do well (p. 173)
    4. XLIV. To Metrocles, do well (p. 175)
    5. XLV. To Perdiccas, do well (p. 175)
  3. Wednesday, 20-April-2016:
    1. XLVI. To Plato, the Sage, greetings (p. 177)
    2. XLVII. To Zeno, do well (p. 179)
    3. XLVIII. To Rhesus, greetings (p. 179)
  4. Thursday, 21-April-2106:
    1. XLIX. untitled: “The Cynic to Aroueca…” (p. 181)
    2. L. To Charmides, greetings (p. 181)
    3. LI. To Epimenedes, greetings (p. 183)
  5. Friday, 22-April-2016:
    1. Introduction: The Epistles of Heraclitus (p. 22)

Week 9 –

  1.  Monday, 25-April-2016:
    1. I. King Darius greets Heraclitus of Ephesus, a wise man (p. 187)
    2. II. Heraclitus to King Darius, Son of father Hystaspes, greetings (p. 189)
  2. Tuesday, 26-April-2016:
    1. III. King Darius to the Ephesians (p. 189)
  3. Wednesday, 27-April-2016:
    1. IV. Heraclitus to Hermodorus (p. 191)
  4. Thursday, 28-April-2016:
    1. V. Heraclitus to Amphidamas (p. 195)
  5. Friday, 29-April-2016:
    1. VI. To the Same (p. 197)

Week 10 –

  1.  Monday, 02-May-2016:
    1. VII. To Hermodorus Part 1 (p. 201-203)
  2. Tuesday, 03-May-2016:
    1. VII. To Hermodorus Part 2 (p. 205-207)
  3. Wednesday, 04-May-2016:
    1. VIII. To the Same (p. 207)
  4. Thursday, 05-May-2016:
    1. IX.  To the Same (p. 211)
  5. Friday, 06-May-2016:
    1. Introduction to The Epistles of Socrates and the Socratics (p. 27)

Week 11 –

  1.  Monday, 09-May-2016:
    1. I.  Of Socrates Part 1 (p. 219-221)
  2. Tuesday, 10-May-2016:
    1. I.  Of Socrates Part 2 (p. 213-227)
  3. Wednesday, 11-May-2016:
    1.  II. Socrates to Xenophon (p. 227)
    2.  III. Of Socrates (p. 229)
    3.  IV. Of Socrates (p. 229)
  4. Thursday, 12-May-2016:
    1. V. Socrates to Xenophon (p. 231)
  5. Friday, 13-May-2016:
    1. VI.  Of Socrates Part 1 (p. 233-235)

Week 12 –

  1.  Monday, 16-May-2016:
    1. VI.  Of Socrates Part 2 (p. 237-239)
  2. Tuesday, 17-May-2016:
    1. VII. Of Socrates (p. 241)
  3. Wednesday, 18-May-2016:
    1. VIII. Antisthenesto Aristippus (p. 245)
    2.  IX. Aristippus to Antisthenes (p. 245)
  4. Thursday, 19-May-2016:
    1. X. Aeschines to Aristippus (p. 249)
    2. XI. Aristippus to Aeschines (p. 249)
    3. XII. Simon to Aristippus (p. 251)
    4. XIII. Aristippus to Simon (p. 251)
  5. Friday, 20-May-2016:
    1. XIV. Aeschines to Xenophon Part 1 (p. 253-255)

Week 13 –

  1.  Monday, 23-May-2016:
    1. XIV. Aeschines to Xenophon Part 1 (p. 257-259)
  2. Tuesday 24-May-2016:
    1. XV. Xenophon to the Friends of Socrates (p. 261)
    2.  XVI. Of Aristippus (p. 263)
  3. Wednesday, 25-May-2016:
    1. XVII. untitled: “I know about your relationship with Socrates…” (p. 263)
  4. Thursday, 26-May-2016:
    1. XVIII. Xenophon to the Friends of Socrates (p. 267)
    2.  XIX. Of the Same Person (Xenophon) (p. 269)
    3.  XX. untitled:  “I have known your patient endurance…” (p. 269)
  5. Friday, 27-May-2016:
    1. XXI. Aeschines to Xanthippe, the Wife of Socrates (p. 271)
    2. XXII. To Simmias and Cebes (p. 273)

Week 14 –

  1.  Monday, 29-May-2016:
    1. XXIII. Aeschines to Phaedon (p. 275)
    2. XXIV.  Of Plato (p. 277)
  2. Tuesday, 01-June-2016:
    1. XXV. Phaedrus to Plato (p. 279)
    2. XXVI. To Plato (p. 281)
  3. Wednesday, 02-June-2016:
    1. XXVII. Aristippus to his daughter Arete (p. 283)
  4. Thursday, 03-June-2016:
    1. XXVIII. To Philip Part 1 (p. 285-289)
  5. Friday, 04-June-2016:
    1. XXVIII. To Philip Part 2 (p. 291-295)
    2. XXIX. To Philip (p. 295)

Week 15 –

  1.  Monday, 07-June-2016:
    1. XXX. (Speusippus to Xenocrates) (p. 297)
    2. XXXI. (Speusippus to Xenocrates) (p. 299)
    3. XXXII. (Xenocrates to Speusippus) (p. 299)
  2. Tuesday, 08-June-2016:
    1. XXXIII. untitled:  “I decided to write two letters to you…” (p. 301)
  3. Wednesday, 09-June-2016:
    1.  XXXIV. (Dionysius to Speusippus) (p. 305)
  4. Thursday, 10-June-2016:
    1. XXXV. untitled:  “These are the things that…” (p. 307)