Theophrastus succeeded Aristotle as teacher of the Lyceum. Menander is said to have been one of his disciples. Theophrastus is thought to have lived into his eighties or longer, but to have complained about the shortness of life. Few of the writings of Theophrastus survive. He is known for his Characters. Some of the traits described in the Characters of Theophrastus are: flattery, complaisance, surliness, arrogance, irony, boastfulness, petty ambition, late learning, unseasonableness, officiousness, and unpleasantness.
Pronunciation:
thE-&-'fras-t&s • (noun)
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Theophrastus was a Greek philosopher, born (c. 371 B.C.) Tyrtamus, in Eresus, Lesbos. Plato and Aristotle were both teachers of Theophrastus. It was Aristotle who gave Tyrtamus the name Theophrastus, which means divine speaker.
Related Terms
• Plato
• Lyceum
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