Crates and Hipparchia: Cynicism as a Way of Life

Crates of Thebes (c. 365–c. 285 BCE) was a wealthy man who gave away his fortune to live as a Cynic after encountering Diogenes. Unlike Diogenes' harsh reputation, Crates was remembered as gentle and was welcomed into households as a kind of counselor. Hipparchia of Maroneia, from a well-off family, fell in love with Crates and his philosophy. When her family objected, she threatened to take her own life, and Crates reportedly showed her his few possessions, warning her of the life she would share.

She chose it, adopting the same clothing and public life as Crates, which shocked Greek society, where respectable women were expected to stay at home. When challenged about neglecting weaving, she replied that she had spent her time on education instead. Hipparchia is one of very few women philosophers whose life is recorded in ancient sources, and her story shows Cynicism's challenge to gender norms.