Philodemus’ book 4 of the De morte (PHerc. 1050) is today available in many critical editions. The present one, which has been published by Daniel Delattre (from now on DD), supersedes in many respects the work that Benjamin Henry completed some 14 years ago (Philodemus: On Death, Atlanta, 2009). The beginning of this edition dates back to 2010. That year, DD published with Jackie Pigeaud a French translation and commentary of the last columns of the De morte in the volume (...) Les Épicuriens. (Pa... (shrink)

This paper deals with the place Diogenus of Babylon grants music within the realm of ethical education and training, as reported in Philodemus of Gadara’s (partisan) testimony in his De Musica, wherein it is stated that music encourages men to cultivate virtue and strengthen it. By exploring the controversy between Epicureanism and Stoicism, this paper aims to understand how, according to Stoic thought, cognitive sense-perception (ἐπɩστημoνKὴ σἲσθησɩᴤ) could have an ethical outcome, the sensory experience thus proving its expertise within (...) the field of ethics, and succeeding in changing man's varying states of pleasure and pain. In fact, music like poetry turns out to be the resounding image of rationality that holds direct sway over the rational soul. (shrink)