The Greek Philosopher Who Died Laughing at His Own Joke

Four Greek philosophers depicted successful an past artwork. Credit: Cristian Bortes from Cluj-Napoca, Romania / CC BY 2.0

Over 2,000 years ago, a Greek philosopher named Chrysippus of Soli became the taxable of 1 of history’s astir peculiar decease stories. Widely regarded arsenic a cardinal fig successful Stoicism, Greek philosopher Chrysippus reportedly died laughing astatine his ain joke.

Life of Chrysippus

Born astir 280 BC successful the ancient Greek metropolis of Soli (Greek: Σόλοι), adjacent modern-day Mersin, Turkey, Chrysippus lived during the Hellenistic period, marked by governmental upheaval and philosophical change. After Alexander the Great’s death successful 323 BC, Greek city-states mislaid their independence, becoming pawns successful the powerfulness struggles of emerging rulers. Philosophy, too, transformed. Thinkers shifted absorption from cosmic questions to idiosyncratic morals and pursuing a meaningful life.

Chrysippus studied nether Cleanthes, the caput of the Stoic School successful Athens, and rapidly gained a estimation for intelligence rigor and audacity. He became known for his quality to reason some sides of an contented thoroughly, producing astir 750 works exploring logic, ethics, and quality behavior.

Around 230 BC, helium succeeded Cleanthes arsenic the person of the Stoic School, cementing his power connected the philosophical movement. Though nary of his works person survived intact, his ideas are preserved done aboriginal writers.

A mysterious extremity to his life

Chrysippus’ decease successful 206 BC, during the 143rd Olympiad, has been documented successful 2 conflicting accounts by past historiographer Diogenes Laertius. One mentation claims helium attended the Olympic Games and witnessed a donkey eating his figs.

Amused, helium joked that idiosyncratic should springiness the animals vino to lavation them down. Overcome with laughter, helium reportedly convulsed and died.

The 2nd relationship is much grounded: Chrysippus allegedly consumed excessive undiluted vino astatine a feast, starring to dizziness and his eventual death. Diogenes himself suggested intoxicant poisoning was a much plausible explanation. The truth, however, remains unclear, arsenic forensic sciences successful past times were nonexistent and stoic philosophers did not enactment similar that.

It’s worthy mentioning that Stoicism, the doctrine Chrysippus is known for, emphasizes self-control, moderation, and rational behavior. It would beryllium antithetic for specified a salient Stoic philosopher to indulge successful excess, fixed the absorption connected temperance and intelligence subject inherent successful Stoic teachings. Therefore, stories of his death—whether from excessive vino oregon laughter—seem retired of place, contradicting the principles helium championed.

Can laughter kill?

The conception of dying from laughter, portion rare, is not wholly implausible. Medical experts admit conditions similar gelastic syncope, wherever aggravated laughter tin origin atonia (loss of musculus strength) and fainting owed to reduced humor travel to the brain.

In utmost cases, laughter whitethorn trigger asphyxiation, cardiac arrest, oregon adjacent brainstem damage, perchance starring to death. However, specified cases are exceedingly rare.

Chrysippus is not the lone humanities fig associated with decease by laughter. Zeuxis, a 5th-century BC Greek painter, reportedly died portion laughing astatine his ain depiction of the goddess Aphrodite arsenic an aged woman—a communicative interpreted by immoderate arsenic divine punishment.

In much caller history, a 62-year-old instrumentality of Seinfeld astir died successful 1979 aft fainting 3 times portion watching a peculiarly comic episode. These examples item the antithetic and timeless quality of laughter-induced incidents.

The bequest of an irony

Despite his singular achievements arsenic a philosopher, Chrysippus is often remembered arsenic the Greek philosopher who died laughing.

Whether helium succumbed to laughter oregon wine, the communicative carries a unsocial irony: a Stoic thinker, who taught affectional discipline, perchance undone by a infinitesimal of unrestrained wit oregon indulgence.

The ambiguity surrounding Chrysippus’ decease raises questions astir humanities storytelling. Did Laertius embellish his accounts for entertainment? Was the communicative of laughter an exaggeration to adhd intrigue to the philosopher’s legacy?

While the existent origin of his decease volition apt ne'er beryllium known, the communicative endures arsenic a whimsical yet poignant reminder of life’s unpredictability.

Chrysippus’ bequest arsenic a philosopher remains unquestioned. He was a towering fig of his age, offering contented and guidance to radical successful a clip of uncertainty. That his beingness ended successful specified a peculiar and ironic mode lone deepens the fascination surrounding him—a antheral who sought to maestro quality emotions yet became immortalized by the astir uncontrollable one: laughter.