Monimus (; ; 4th century BC) of Syracuse, Magna Graecia, was a Cynic philosopher, and a notable student of Diogenes.
Biography According to Diogenes Laërtius, Monimus was the slave of a Corinthian money-changer who heard tales about Diogenes of Sinope from Xeniades, Diogenes' master. In order that he might become the pupil of Diogenes, Monimus feigned madness by throwing money around until his master discarded him. Monimus also became acquainted with Crates of Thebes.Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 82 Menander claimed that Monimus held three beggar's wallets instead of one; this may have been intended to imply that Monimus was three times as much of a Cynic as others, or might have been a satire implying that he was more fond of money than was considered proper for a Cynic philosopher.
Philosophy According to both Diogenes Laërtiusvi. 82-83 and Sextus Empiricus,Against the Logicians [Adversus Dogmaticos] 1.87-88; cf. also 2.5-6. This work is also known as Adversus Mathematicos, bks. VII and VIII. (The line numbers are the same.) Monimus abolished the criterion, meaning that he rejected the idea that there was any standard of judgment for attaining knowledge. According to Sextus Empiricus, Monimus was like Anaxarchus because they "compared existing things to a scene-painting and supposed them to resemble the impressions experienced in sleep or madness."Sextus Empiricus, Against the Logicians, 7.88. Monimus was famous for saying that "everything is vanity"Diogenes Laërtius, vi. 83; compare Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, ii. 15. (τῦφος, tuphos, literally 'mist' or 'smoke'). In book two of Meditations, Marcus Aurelius writes:
According to Stobaeus, Monimus also said that "it was better to lack sight than education, because under the first affliction, you fall to the ground, under the latter, deep underground,"Stobaeus, Florilegium, ii. 13. 88 and that "Wealth is the vomiting of Fortune."Stobaeus, Florilegium, iv. 31. 89
Works According to Diogenes Laërtius, Monimus wrote two books: On Impulses, and an Exhortation to Philosophy, and he also wrote some jests mixed with serious themesDiogenes Laërtius, vi. 83 (presumably related to Cynic-style spoudogeloia). Another work by Monimus, A Collection of Wonderful Events, is quoted by Clement of Alexandria.Clement of Alexandria, Exhortations, 3.1
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