containing excellent philosophy in a style which sometimes resembles that of Plato. He has also written tragedies, stamped with a very lofty kind of philosophy ; as, for example, the following passage a : Not one tower hath my country nor one roof, But wide as the whole earth its citadel And home prepared for us to dwell therein. He died in old age, and was buried in Boeotia. Chapter 8. MENIPPUS Menippus, b also a Cynic, was by descent a Phoenician — a slave, as Achaiicus in his treatise on Ethics savs. Diocles further informs us that his master was a citizen of Pontus and was named Baton. But as avarice made him very resolute in begging, he succeeded in becoming a Theban. There is no seriousness c in him ; but his books overflow with laughter, much the same as those of his contemporary Meleager. d Hermippus says that he lent out money by the day and got a nickname from doing so. For he used to make loans on bottomry and take security, thus accumulating a large fortune. At last, however, he fell a victim to a plot, was robbed of all, and in despair ended his days by hanging himself. I have composed a trifle upon him e : were an imitation of the style of Menippus, although their subject matter was original and genuinely Roman. c Strabo, however (xvi. p. 759), speaks of him as o-irovdoyeXoios. d For a fragment from his Banquet see Athenaeus 502 c.