Epicure

Use in the book

The verb epicurize occurs in a scornful sequence: tyranny, oppression, luxury, faction, litigation, warfare and waste lead to people wallowing like Ulysses’s companions transformed into swine. Its force comes from accumulated denunciation, not a developed argument about a philosophical school. The passage’s permissive let them is bitter dismissal, immediately followed by Burton’s decision to construct an imagined commonwealth. Elsewhere the Epicure is the idle rich person opposed to the useful but neglected worker, or the lover of luxury whose inactivity and excess obstruct digestion in the historical model.

Burton nevertheless explicitly vindicates Epicurus when describing correction of the passions. His pleasure or highest good is freedom from pain and care and a tranquil mind, not eating and drinking. Burton presents Seneca as an accurate witness and accuses Aristotle of perpetuating a slander; the supplied edition retains the charge but marks its chronological difficulty. Other favorable examples include composure amid severe pain through remembered discoveries, voluntary fasting against satiety, and the counsel to diminish desires rather than increase wealth. The pain passage’s immortality may concern lasting fame; an afterlife belief is not established by its wording. Another consolation attributes to Epicurus the argument that when we exist death is absent, and when death is present we no longer exist. The body names Epicurus but the margin Seneca; perpetual sleep is Burton’s surrounding comparison, not a verified exact quotation from the philosopher.

The contrast becomes a pun: a saying by an Epicure is no Epicurean speech because it praises being satisfied with little. This distinguishes the philosophical association from the indulgent stereotype. The wider consolation later challenges praise of poverty by people who are themselves comfortably supported. The favorable maxims are voices within that exchange, not a claim that real deprivation is merely mistaken thinking.

Other passages return to hostility. The account of sensory pleasures as a remedy first presents Epicurus as their advocate, then qualifies the anecdotes with doubt about Plutarch and Athenaeus, and finally endorses Cicero’s criticism while acknowledging physicians’ restricted approval. Religious melancholy from deficiency uses Epicures as a polemical class alongside atheists and others, not a neutral philosophical classification. Burton’s later assertion that Epicurus denies everything follows a brief admission that rejecting pagan gods need not be outright atheism; the supplied edition calls the final assertion an overstatement. Epicurism can also accuse outwardly observant Christians of sensual and grasping conduct. Medicinal drunkenness is likewise condemned as “Epicureall tenents”, before Burton permits wine only moderately, soberly and at the right time. The Latin “Epicurus in corde” makes the name an emblem of indulgence in the heart, opposed to Christ in the mouth. This is an unattributed polemical saying within criticism of fasting misused, following an explicit acceptance of moderate and timely fasting. The Table itself keeps separate routes for Epicurus defended, his reported medicine, and the polemical Epicures.

Related entries

Diet and regimen

Wine

Luxurious and riot

Fasting

Religion and superstition: Related vocabulary beyond this volume.

Places to read

1. Democritus Junior to the Reader · paragraphs 34–36The verb joins tyranny, oppression, luxury and waste in an angry catalogue.
2. Democritus Junior to the Reader · paragraphs 42–43The idle rich pleasure-seeker is contrasted with the useful laborer abandoned in old age.
3. Subsection 5. The Soul and Its Faculties · paragraphs 27–29Epicures join gluttons and idle people in the account of incomplete digestion.
4. Member 6 Subsection 1 Disturbances of the Mind Corrected Through The… · paragraphs 1–5Burton separates his highest good from indulgent eating and drinking.
5. Subsection 4 Cheerfulness, Merry Company, and Pleasing Sights as Remedies · paragraphs 36–40Epicurus is criticized for a reported sensory remedy for grief.
6. Member 2 Bodily Deformity, Sickness, Low Birth, and Particular Discontents · paragraphs 16–18Remembered discoveries are said to counterweight bodily pain.
7. Member 3 Against Poverty and Want and Other Such Adversities · paragraphs 18–20Voluntary fasting prevents satiety in the portrayal of a temperate philosopher.
8. Member 3 Against Poverty and Want and Other Such Adversities · paragraphs 21–22The adjective is denied of the approved saying by an Epicure.
9. Member 3 Against Poverty and Want and Other Such Adversities · paragraphs 61–63Reducing desires is recommended instead of accumulating more wealth.
10. Member 3 Against Poverty and Want and Other Such Adversities · paragraphs 4–6The objection challenges praise of poverty by comfortably supported observers.
11. Member 5 Against Sorrow Over the Death of Friends or Other Causes, Groundless… · paragraphs 21–25The death-and-fear argument names Epicurus in the body and Seneca in the margin; perpetual sleep belongs to Burton’s framing.
12. Subsection 5 Alteratives and Cordials That Strengthen the Body, Disperse The… · paragraphs 32–40Alleged medicinal drunkenness receives a hostile Epicurean label; Burton’s reply limits wine to moderate, sober and timely use.
13. Causes of Religious Melancholy. From the Devil, Through Miracles, Apparitions… · paragraphs 5–7Moderate fasting is accepted before polemic against its abuses makes Epicurus the emblem of inward indulgence.
14. Member 2 Subsection 1 Religious Melancholy From Deficiency: Those… · paragraphs 28–30The term names a class in religious melancholy from deficiency.
15. Member 2 Subsection 1 Religious Melancholy From Deficiency: Those… · paragraphs 38–41Epicurus is accused of denying all divinity.
16. Member 2 Subsection 1 Religious Melancholy From Deficiency: Those… · paragraphs 11–13The Latin describes the entire manner of living, echoed by Burton’s English abstract noun.
17. E · paragraphs 179–181The Table distinguishes the philosopher’s defense, reported medicine and the polemical class of Epicures.

In this edition

“epicurize” → “pursue pleasure” states the verb’s action, while its surrounding catalogue preserves the condemnation. “Epicures” becomes “lovers of luxury” in the digestion account, where membership in the ancient school is not required.

The full contrast “It was no Epicurean Speech of an Epicure” becomes “It was no indulgent saying for an Epicurean”. Its two components therefore require different local glosses. The named Epicurus remains distinct from both labels. The Latin “tota vitæ ratio Epicurea est” and Burton’s English restatement about Epicurism are retained as separate constructions. Historical Table numbers remain the authorial index’s locators, not this lexicon’s pagination.

Epicure · Epicures

Printed “Epicures” (English; lemma).

A person devoted to bodily pleasure or luxurious living.

Here: Epicures join gluttons and idle people in the account of incomplete digestion.

Context: This is Burton’s moral and humoral classification, not proof that the people follow Epicurus’s philosophy.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: Gluttons, Epicures, and idle persons

Modern rendering: gluttons, lovers of luxury and idle people

Word and construction: Epicures supplies lovers of luxury; Gluttons and idle persons supply the two other groups, gluttons and idle people.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

Further local use

Printed “Epicure” (English; lemma).

Here: The idle rich pleasure-seeker is contrasted with the useful laborer abandoned in old age.

Context: Burton’s social protest draws on More; Epicure is reproach, not a philosophical affiliation.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: an Epicure or idle drone

Modern rendering: a pleasure-seeker or idle drone

Word and construction: Epicure supplies pleasure-seeker; an and or idle drone retain their separate contributions.

Sense relation: The same reproachful person-label, applied in a different social or theological argument.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

Further local use

Printed “Epicures” (English; lemma).

Here: The term names a class in religious melancholy from deficiency.

Context: Burton joins heterogeneous groups under a theological accusation, also including the opposite problem of excessive distrust.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: Atheists, Epicures, Infidels

Modern rendering: atheist, Epicure and unbeliever

Word and construction: Epicures supplies Epicure; Atheists and Infidels supply atheist and unbeliever. The coordinated labels are changed from plural forms to singular class labels.

Sense relation: The same reproachful person-label, applied in a different social or theological argument.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

Epicure

Printed “Epicure” (English; lemma).

An Epicurean or follower of Epicurus, here associated with a maxim of sufficiency.

Here: The noun is set against the pejorative adjective in a deliberate verbal contrast.

Context: Burton approves the saying that those not content with little will never have enough; his wording distinguishes school association from indulgence.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: It was no Epicurean Speech of an Epicure

Modern rendering: It was no indulgent saying for an Epicurean

Word and construction: Epicure supplies Epicurean, the person associated with the philosopher; Epicurean supplies indulgent, Speech supplies saying, and no negates the adjective-bearing characterization. The modern for recasts of in this contrast.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

Epicurean

Printed “Epicurean” (English; lemma).

Indulgent or devoted to sensual pleasure, in the contrast at this location.

Here: The adjective is denied of the approved saying by an Epicure.

Context: The negative construction matters: Burton expressly says the maxim is not Epicurean in the indulgent sense.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: no Epicurean Speech

Modern rendering: no indulgent saying

Word and construction: Epicurean supplies indulgent; Speech supplies saying and no retains the negation.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

Further local use

Printed “Epicurea” (Latin; lemma).

Citation key: Epicureus.

Here: The Latin describes the entire manner of living, echoed by Burton’s English abstract noun.

Context: The expression belongs to the accusation of hypocritical religious conduct.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: tota vitæ ratio Epicurea est

Modern rendering: their whole way of life is Epicurean

Word and construction: Epicurea supplies Epicurean; tota vitæ ratio supplies whole way of life and est supplies is. Their is supplied from the surrounding people under criticism.

Alignment qualification: The Latin construction has no explicit possessive corresponding to their; the modern rendering supplies it from context.

Sense relation: The cognate Latin adjective carries the same reproachful sense.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

Further local use

Printed “Epicureall” (English; lemma).

Citation key: Epicurean.

Here: The adjective condemns doctrines recommending medicinal drunkenness; Burton later permits only moderate, sober and timely use of wine.

Context: Burton’s hostile moral classification of the preceding authorities; the imagined reader’s unrestricted conclusion is not his final position.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: Epicureall tenents

Modern rendering: Epicurean doctrines

Word and construction: Epicureall supplies Epicurean in the hostile sense; tenents supplies doctrines.

Sense relation: A variant adjective form in the same reproachful sense, applied to a specific disputed medical doctrine.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

Epicurism

Printed “Epicurism” (English; lemma).

Sensual indulgence treated as a way of life.

Here: The abstract noun participates in an accusation of religious hypocrisy.

Context: Burton contrasts public churchgoing with grasping and sexual conduct; these are his polemical judgments.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: all their life is Epicurism and Atheism

Modern rendering: their entire life is Epicurean indulgence and atheism

Word and construction: Epicurism supplies Epicurean indulgence; all their life and Atheism supply their entire life and atheism.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

epicurize

Printed “epicurize” (English; lemma).

To indulge in or pursue pleasure, used reproachfully.

Here: The verb joins tyranny, oppression, luxury and waste in an angry catalogue.

Context: Burton’s let them is bitter dismissal after describing reform as impossible; he then turns to imagining his own commonwealth.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: epicurize

Modern rendering: pursue pleasure

Word and construction: Epicurize is the verb of pleasure-pursuit; pursue pleasure unfolds that verbal sense.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

Epicurus · local use 1

Printed “Epicurus” (English; lemma).

The ancient philosopher, here defended as an advocate of mental tranquillity.

Here: Burton separates his highest good from indulgent eating and drinking.

Context: Burton invokes Seneca and blames Aristotle for slander; the supplied edition marks that accusation’s chronological problem and leaves its basis unidentified.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: Summum bonum of Epicurus

Modern rendering: “highest good,” of Epicurus

Word and construction: Epicurus names the philosopher; Summum bonum supplies highest good and of supplies the relation of attribution.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

Further local use

Printed “Epicurus” (English; lemma).

Here: Epicurus is criticized for a reported sensory remedy for grief.

Context: Burton endorses Cicero’s objection but acknowledges permissive physicians in certain cases; the preceding anecdotes are expressly qualified reports.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: Tully 3. Tusc. scoffes at Epicurus

Modern rendering: Cicero, in Tusculan Disputations, book 3, mocks Epicurus

Word and construction: Epicurus retains the name; Tully is modernized to Cicero, 3. Tusc. expanded to the work and book, and scoffes at becomes mocks.

Sense relation: The same named philosopher; the distinct favorable and hostile portrayals are not harmonized.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

Further local use

Printed “Epicurus” (English; lemma).

Here: Remembered discoveries are said to counterweight bodily pain.

Context: Burton’s conceit of immortality remains ambiguous; the supplied edition suggests enduring fame and does not establish an afterlife belief.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: That famous philosopher Epicurus

Modern rendering: The famous philosopher Epicurus

Word and construction: Epicurus retains the name; That famous philosopher becomes The famous philosopher.

Sense relation: The same named philosopher; the distinct favorable and hostile portrayals are not harmonized.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

Further local use

Printed “Epicurus” (English; lemma).

Here: Voluntary fasting prevents satiety in the portrayal of a temperate philosopher.

Context: The claim belongs to Burton’s comparison of excess and simple fare; its exact source remains uncollated.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: that temperate Epicurus sometimes voluntarily fast

Modern rendering: the temperate Epicurus sometimes fasted voluntarily

Word and construction: Epicurus retains the name; temperate, sometimes, voluntarily and fast supply the character, frequency, manner and action, with the past tense explicit in fasted.

Sense relation: The same named philosopher; the distinct favorable and hostile portrayals are not harmonized.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

Further local use

Printed “Epicurus” (English; lemma).

Here: Reducing desires is recommended instead of accumulating more wealth.

Context: The advice is attributed to Epicurus through Stobaeus and supported with Chrysostom; later poverty objections remain relevant.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: ’tis Epicurus advice

Modern rendering: Epicurus’s advice

Alignment scope: Corresponding attributive constructions; original it is is implicit in the modern parenthesis

Word and construction: Epicurus supplies the philosopher’s name in the possessive attribution Epicurus’s advice; original ’tis is left implicit in the modern parenthetic construction.

Alignment qualification: The modern nominal parenthesis omits an explicit equivalent of ’tis.

Sense relation: The same named philosopher; the distinct favorable and hostile portrayals are not harmonized.

Further local use

Printed “Epicurus” (English; lemma).

Here: Epicurus is accused of denying all divinity.

Context: Burton briefly distinguishes rejection of pagan gods from outright atheism, then rejects defenses of Epicurus; the supplied edition identifies his conclusion as an overstatement.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: Epicurus he denys all

Modern rendering: Epicurus denies everything

Word and construction: Epicurus retains the name; the redundant pronoun he is omitted, denys becomes denies, and all becomes everything.

Sense relation: The same named philosopher; the distinct favorable and hostile portrayals are not harmonized.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

Further local use

Printed “Epicurus” (English; lemma).

Here: The argument against fear distinguishes the time when we exist and death is absent from the time when death is present and we no longer exist.

Context: Burton’s body names Epicurus while the margin names Seneca. Perpetual sleep is Burton’s surrounding comparison, not a verified exact Epicurus quotation.

Source: original body

Source and modern wording: as Epicurus argues

Word and construction: The entire attribution is retained: as marks the comparison of argument, Epicurus names the authority and argues supplies the reported act.

Sense relation: Another favorable deployment of the named philosopher in Burton’s consolation, with conflicting body and marginal attributions retained.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.

Epicurus · local use 2

Printed “Epicurus” (Latin; lemma).

Epicurus used figuratively as an emblem of sensual indulgence.

Here: The philosopher’s name figures inward indulgence against outward profession of Christ, within criticism of corrupted fasting.

Context: An unattributed polemical saying introduced as one saith; the preceding passage accepts fasting when moderate and timely.

Source: original body

Source wording and original alignment: Epicurus in corde

Modern rendering: Epicurus in their hearts

Word and construction: Epicurus supplies the emblematic name and in corde supplies in the heart, pluralized distributively as in their hearts; their is context-supplied.

Alignment qualification: The Latin phrase has singular corde and no explicit possessive; the modern uses plural hearts and supplies their from the people being described.

Alignment conventions: Alignment convention.