1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Metrocles

METROCLES, a Greek philosopher of the Cynic school, was a contemporary of Crates, under whose persuasion he deserted the views of Theophrastus. It was his sister, Hipparchia, whose romantic attachment to Crates is a fascinating sidelight on the almost truculent asceticism of the Cynics. He was a man of peculiar strength of character, and esteemed the joys of life so low that he was deterred from an early suicide only by the influence of Crates. His philosophical views, which were identical with those of Crates (q.v.), he expounded by precept and example with great success, and had among his pupils Menippus of Sinope. Having weighed the probable pains and pleasures of approaching old age, he decided that life had nothing left for which he greatly cared, and drowned himself. He is said to have written several works, which he afterwards burnt. Of one, entitled Χρείαι, Diogenes preserves a single line (vi. 6).