Arcesilas

But neither did Saturninus — to name an enemy of our own by preference — have anything like those men of old, nor is the slander of Arcesilas to be compared with the modesty of Democritus.

was nothing then accomplished, that they were investigated, after Arcesilas — carping, as is supposed, at Zeno, who was finding nothing new but emending his predecessors by a change of words — while he wished to undermine Zeno's definitions, attempted to spread darkness over the clearest things?

When the most weighty schools of philosophy had now been established, was there not one who arose — as in the best-ordered commonwealth a Tiberius Gracchus to throw the public peace into confusion, so an Arcesilas to overthrow established philosophy, and to take refuge in the authority of those who had denied that anything could be known or perceived?

Since this practice was not kept up by his successors, Arcesilas revived it, and established that those who wished to hear him should not ask questions of him, but should themselves say what they thought;

Had he been a Peripatetic, he would have remained, I believe, in his opinion — those who say pain is an evil, but, about bearing its harshness bravely, give the same precepts as the Stoics.

This method in philosophy, of arguing against all positions and pronouncing openly upon none, set going by Socrates, taken up again by Arcesilas and confirmed by Carneades, has flourished down to our own day;

Arcesilas pressed Zeno, since he himself said that all things that appeared to the senses were false, while Zeno said some appearances were false, not all;

be bold, and apply all earnestness for the sake of fortunate Cyrene.

Arcesilas, and stole away Medea, with her own help, to be the death of Pelias.

Then he would tell you, Arcesilas, what a fountain of immortal song he found, when he was recently entertained by his host at Thebes.