Athenaeus, The Deipnosophists
C. D. Yonge, B.A., Ed.

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But not only did Aristippus and his followers embrace [p. 875] that pleasure which consists in motion, but also Epicurus and his followers did the same. And not to say anything of those sudden motions, and irritations, and titillations, ad also those prickings and stimuli which Epicurus often brigs forward, I will merely cite what he has said in his treatise on the End For he says—“For I am not able to perceive any good, if I take away all the pleasures which arise from flavours, and if I leave out of the question all the pleasures arising from amorous indulgences, and all those which are caused by hearing sweet sounds, and all those motions which are excited by figures which are pleasant to the sight.” And Metrodorus in his Epistles says—“My good natural philosopher Timocrates, reason which proceeds according to nature devotes its whole attention to the stomach.” And Epicurus says—“The origin and root of all good is the pleasure of the stomach; and all excessive efforts of wisdom have reference to the stomach.” And again, in his treatise concerning the End, he says— “You ought therefore to respect honour and the virtues, and all things of that sort, if they produce pleasure; but if they do not, then we may as well have nothing to do with them:” evidently in these words making virtue subordinate to pleasure, and performing as it were the part of a handmaid to it. And in another place he says—“I spit upon honour, and those who worship it in a foolish manner, when it produces no pleasure.”