When and where was Protagoras born?
Protagoras lived in the year 490 BC within the coastal city of Abdera. He originally worked as a porter carrying heavy loads across the marketplace before his life changed.
Questions about Protagoras
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is the famous declaration from Protagoras book Truth?
Protagoras stated that man is the measure of all things existing and not existing in his work titled Truth. Plato later quoted this line in his dialogue Theaetetus at section 152a to explain how each person judges reality through their own lifetime experiences.
Why did Athenian authorities burn copies of Protagoras On the Gods?
Athenian authorities collected and burned all copies of Protagoras On the Gods because he declared he had no means of knowing if gods exist. Diogenes Laërtius reported that this outspoken position aroused anger among citizens despite Cicero noting the deliberate destruction of these works.
How did Democritus discover Protagoras talent for philosophy?
Democritus watched Protagoras tie a bundle of wood with a short cord and noticed the knot displayed perfect geometric accuracy for such rough work. This observation led Democritus to take Protagoras into his household to teach him philosophy.
Which ancient authors recorded information about Protagoras lost books?
Diogenes Laërtius listed titles such as On Those in Hades and On Sciences while modern scholars rely on testimonies from Sextus Empiricus and Eusebius. Plato also cited works like Antilogiae and Truth which were known through references since the bulk of his written output remains lost to history.