1. A native of Cyrene, the son of Alexander. In his youth he was poor, but remarkable for
his industry, as well as for his affable and engaging manners. He removed to Athens, and
attached himself to the New Academy, according to a silly story quoted by Eusebius (Praep. Evang. 14.7) from Numenius, because the facility with which his
servants robbed him without being detected, convinced him that no reliance could be placed on
the evidence of the senses. He was a disciple of Arcesilaus, and succeeded him as president of
the school, over which he presided for 26 years. The place where his instructions were
delivered was a garden, named the Λακύδειον, provided
for the purpose by his friend Attalus Philometor king of Pergamus. This alteration in the
locality of the school seems at least to have contributed to the rise of the name of the
New Academy. Before his death Lacydes resigned his place to Telecles and
Evander of Phocis, a thing which no philosopher had ever done before him. He died in B. C. 241, according to Diogenes Laertius (4.60; comp. Aelian, Ael. VH 2.41; Athen. 10.438. a.), from the effects of excessive drinking. According to Eusebius
(Euseb. Praep. Ev. 14.7), he was so frugal, in other
respects at least, that he was styled ὁ οἰκονομικός. In
his philosophical tenets he followed Arcesilaus closely. Cicero (Cic.
Ac. 2.6), speaking of the latter, says: "cujus primo non admodum probata ratio,
quanquam floruit quum acumine ingenii tum admirabili quodam lepore dicendi proxime a Lacyde
solo retenta est." Suidas (s. v.Λακ.) mentions writings of his under the general name of
φιλόσοφα or περὶ
φύσεως. (D. L. 4.59_61.)