FILODEM (Philodemos)

Filodem; Philodemos, from Ghadar, genus. after a 110-um. in 40-35 years. BC. e., Greek poet and philosopher, epicurean (cm. Epicurus). Approximately 75 g. arrived in Italy, accompanied by L. Calpurnia Piso, in a villa in Herculaneum which he subsequently spent much time surrounded by young Epicurean. He was familiar with Cicero, and possibly with Horace and Virgil. F. is the author of about 30 committed in respect of poetic epigrams, mostly erotic, preserved in the Palatine Anthology. F. also wrote philosophical works, to the XVIII century. knew only one name for such work. In 1752-54 he. Villa I in. n. e. in Herculaneum, owned probably other F. Piso, found 800 charred papyrus scrolls

. With this discovery, we now know fragments of more than 30 works of F., . that, . despite the low originality, . are of great historical value for scholars of ancient philosophy, . especially because, . that they represent a compilation of works of earlier authors, . in polemics F,
. often verbatim quotes of his opponents. Deserve attention, among other works: On poems (Peri poiematon) in 5 books and about music (Peri musikes) in 4 books, in which F. tries to resolve the question whether the function of poetry and music exclusively aesthetic, or may be teaching. Work on rhetoric (Peri rhetorikes) proves the uselessness of this discipline. In the works of the gods (Peri theon) and O piety (Peri eusebeias) in 2 books F. expounds his theological views. Work On Epicurus (Peri Epikuru) is a biography of the philosopher, illustrated in his correspondence with friends. History of Philosophy (Ton philosophon syntaksis) is a sketch of the history of Greek philosophy, where the history of individual schools. F. also wrote promotional work in line with the Epicurean philosophy, treatises in the form of diatribe, in which mainly raises ethical issues.