Definition: Epicurus (341-270 B.C.), the founder of the philosophy of Epicureanism, was born in Samos or Athens (according to
The Lives and Opinions of Famous Philosophers) and died at Athens. He studied at Plato's Academy when it was run by Xenocrates. Later, when he joined his family on Colophon, Epicurus studied under Nausiphanes, who introduced him to the atomist philosophy of Democritus whose physical theory he used to develop his own. In 306/7 Epicurus bought a house in Athens. It was in its garden that he taught his philosophy. Epicurus and his followers, who included slaves and women, secluded themselves from the life of the city. In his will provision was made for his followers to continue in the Garden.
Hermarchus of Mitylene succeeded Epicurus as leader of the school. Hermarchus wrote about the death of Epicurus (from The Lives and Opinions of Famous Philosophers):
"He died, Hermarchus writes in his letters, from a kidney stone, after being ill for a fortnight. Hermippus relates that he entered a bronze bath tempered with warm water, asked for a cup of undiluted wine, and drank it. He then bade his friends to remember his doctrines, and expired."
Sources:
Mainly: David John Furley "Epicurus" Who's Who in the Classical World. Ed. Simon Hornblower and Tony Spawforth. Oxford University Press, 2000.
Also used: "Epicurus' Attitude to Democritus," by Pamela M. Huby. Phronesis, Vol. 23, No. 1 (1978), pp. 80-86.
Examples:
It is said that Epicurus turned to philosophy out of disgust for a teacher who couldn't explain to him what Chaos meant in Hesiod.
