Javier Aoiz - Theory and Practice in Epicurean Political Philosophy: Security, Justice and Tranquility

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This book began life almost four years ago, when we started to have frequent Epicurean conversations in which we discovered many affinities of approach in our understanding of Epicureanism. From then on, we met every week to discuss some Epicurean text or to assess an interpretation of a specific topic until we decided to embark on writing a volume, the result of which is this book.

We have incurred many debts in the preparation of this volume. First and foremost, we are grateful to Michael Erler and David Konstan, who read drafts of a couple of chapters of this work. Their comments (on form and content) offered highly constructive criticism and led to significant improvements. Special thanks also go to Ronald Polansky for his constructive suggestions and critiques regarding chapter 1. We would also like to express our deep gratitude to Anna Angelli, Laurent Anglade, Dino De Sanctis, Matthias Haake, Jrgen Hammerstaedt, Bernard Ludwig, Riet Van Bremen and Francesco Verde. They were kind enough to send us their books and papers on topics relevant to our project. Our reading of their texts helped us consider the results of their research and produce a better-quality manuscript. Also, we would like to thank Bloomsbury (and especially Alice Wright and Lily Mac Mahon) for a straightforward and professional process of reviewing and publication. The critical remarks and suggestions of the reviewers for the press were invaluable. Marcelo D. Boeri acknowledges the support provided by the Agencia Nacional de Investigacin y Desarrollo (ANID), Chile, through his Fondecy Project 1200213 (some aspects of this book are a partial result of that project).

Several sections of this book appeared recently as papers in scientific journals: a slightly different version of chapter 1 (The Genealogy of Justice and Laws in Epicureanism) was published with the same title in Ancient Philosophy 42, 1, 2022. A different version of two sections of chapter 6 was published in Transformao. Revista de Filosofia 45, 2, 2022, as Cun apolticos fueron Epicuro y los epicreos? La polis griega y sus ilustres ciudadanos epicreos. Finally, a rather distinct version of sections of chapters 4 and 5 appeared in Ciceroniana on line. A Journal of Roman Thought VI, 1, 2022, as Cicero and his clamorous silences: Was he fair enough with the Epicureans and their Ethical and Political Views?. We are grateful to the editors of the mentioned journals for allowing us to use this material for our book.

Most of the Greek text of Epicurus letters and sayings as well as the fragments of passages about Epicureanism were contrasted with the still masterpiece by Graziano Arrighettis compilation Epicuro, Opere (1973). All the translations of the main Epicurus letters (Letter to Herodotus, Letter to Menoeceus and Letter to Pythocles), Vatican Sayings and Principal Doctrines follow Inwood and Gerson (1994) and sometimes A. A. Long and D. Sedley (1987), unless otherwise stated. Translations of Lucretius De Rerum Natura are those of Martin Ferguson Smith (2001). When we deviate from these translations, we indicate it in the text (for the most part, those deviations are only slight modifications or different emphases). Translations of the other writers that quote and discuss Epicurean doctrines and arguments (such as Cicero, Plutarch, Athenaeus, Porphyry, Lactantius, etc.) are conveniently indicated in the References. The Greek and Latin texts we have considered are listed in the References. When citing a passage from Cicero, Plutarch, Lactantius (or any other ancient writer) that is included in Hermann Useners compilation (Epicurea 1887), we cite Us. followed by the passage number (e.g. Plutarch, A Pleasant Life 1090C-D; Us. 532). The Greek texts of all Platonic works are from J. Burnets Oxford editions (19007) except for the Greek text of the Republic, which is from S. R. Slings Oxford edition (2003). For Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics and Politics, we have used Reeves translations (1983), and the Greek text from J. Bywaters edition (1894) and Ross edition (1957), respectively.