CLEANTHES, a Stoic philosopher, born at Assos in Asia Minor, about 300 B.C., was originally a boxer. He first listened to the lectures of Crates the Cynic, and then to those of Zeno, the Stoic, supporting himself meanwhile by working all night as water-carrier to a gardener. His apparent idleness aroused suspicion, and he was summoned before the Areopagus; but when his story became known the court offered him a present of ten minae, which he refused to accept. His power of patient endurance, or perhaps his slowness, earned him the title of the Ass; but such was the esteem awakened by his high moral qualities that, on the death of Zeno in 263, he became the leader of the school. He still, however, continued to support himself as before by the labour of his own hands. Among his pupils were his successor, Chrysippus, and Antigonus, king of Macedon, from whom he accepted 2000 minae. The story of his death, which took place about 220 or 225 b.c., is thus related. Being troubled by an ulcer, he had been directed to fast for a short time, but when that time had expired, he still refused to eat on the ground that he was now half-way on the road to death, and need not take the trouble of twice performing the journey....