Metrocles (Ancient Greek:Μητροκλῆς; fl. c. 325 BC) was aCynicphilosopher fromMaroneia. He studied inAristotle’sLyceum underTheophrastus, and eventually became a follower ofCrates of Thebes, who married Metrocles’ sisterHipparchia. Very little survives of his writings, but he is important as one of the first Cynics to adopt the practice of writing moralanecdotes (chreiai) aboutDiogenes and other Cynics.

The supposed story of Metrocles' conversion toCynicism is reported byDiogenes Laërtius.^[1] Metrocles had apparentlyfarted while practicing a speech, and became so upset that he shut himself up in his home, attempting to commit suicide bystarving himself.Crates visited him and made him a dinner oflupines,^[2] explaining to him that what he had done was according to nature and therefore nothing to be ashamed of. When Crates himself farted to demonstrate how natural it was, Metrocles was persuaded to let go of his shame.

Whether or not this story is true, thesymbolism for the Cynics is that it demonstrated the worthlessness of Metrocles' education up until that time. As a pupil ofTheophrastus he may have learned a lot of information, but he was still obsessed with social conventions and good manners, to the point of being ready to die from embarrassment. With Crates' help he was able to let go of his old ways and embrace a Cynic life free from convention, and find truehappiness.

Equally significant is a passage preserved in the writings ofTeles, who tells how Metrocles as a young student of theLyceum and theAcademy could not keep up with the extravagant life-style requirements:

When he was studying with Theophrastus and Xenocrates, although many things were being sent to him from home, he was in constant fear of dying from hunger and was always destitute and in want. But when he later changed over to Crates, he could feed even another person though nothing was sent from home. For in the former case he had to have shoes,... then a cloak, a following of slaves, and a grand house; for the common table he had to see that the breads were pure, the delicacies above the ordinary, the wine sweet, the entertainment appropriate, so that here there was much expense. For among them such a way of life was judged to be 'liberal.'^[3]

According toHecato of Rhodes, Metrocles burned all his writings, but others said it was only the notes he took in the school of Theophrastus that he burned.^[4] It may have been via Metrocles that his sisterHipparchia met Crates, whom she later married, thus also becoming a Cynic.Plutarch represents Metrocles as sleeping in the winter amongstsheep, and in the summer in the porches oftemples.^[5] He apparently knew theMegarian philosopherStilpo and disputed with him,^[6] and Stilpo wrote a dialogue calledMetrocles.^[7] In his biography of Metrocles, Diogenes Laërtius seemingly lists a number of his pupils,^[4] but the list probably refers to Crates.^[8] Metrocles died at a great age, and is said to have deliberatelysuffocated himself.^[4]

Metrocles was a man of great ability,^[1] and wrote several works, but little of his thought survives. He objected towealth unless it was put to good use; and he divided things into those that can be bought withmoney (such as ahouse), and those that take time and care, likeeducation.^[4] One of his works was calledChreiai (Greek:Χρεῖαι), that is,Anecdotes, orMaxims. Thus he became one of the first to contribute to the most important literary art-form for the Cynics: thousands of anecdotes were accumulated (and invented) concerningDiogenes,Crates and other Cynics, all of them providing moral messages through the actions of the Cynics. An anecdote written by Metrocles concerning Diogenes is preserved by Laërtius:

On one occasion Diogenes went with his head half-shaved into an entertainment of young men, as Metrocles tells us in hisChreiai, and so was beaten by them. And afterwards he wrote the names of all those who had beaten him, on a white tablet, and went about with the tablet round his neck, so as to expose them to insult, as they were generally condemned and reproached for their conduct.^[9]

•  Laërtius, Diogenes."The Cynics: Metrocles" .Lives of the Eminent Philosophers. Vol. 2:6. Translated byHicks, Robert Drew (Two volume ed.). Loeb Classical Library.

• Grams, Laura. "Metrocles".Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (Internet Archive)

• 4th-century BC Greek philosophers
• Metic philosophers in Classical Athens
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