2. A Cynic philosopher of some note, who lived in the latter part of the fifth century after
Christ. His father Basilides was a Syrian; his mother Theoclea a native of Emesa, where
probably Sallustius was born, and where he lived during the earlier part of his life. He
applied himself first to the study of jurisprudence, and cultivated the art of oratory with
considerable diligence under the tuition of Eunoius at Emesa. He subsequently abandoned his
forensic studies, and took up the profession of a sophist. He directed his attention
especially to the Attic orators, and learnt all the orations of Demosthenes by heart. His own
compositions were deemed not unworthy of the great models whom he imitated. Finding the
instructions of Eunoius no longer of service to him, Sallustius betook himself to Alexandria,
and studied under the best masters of eloquence that the city afforded. Here too he probably
imbibed a taste for philosophy ; and, attracted by the fame of the Athenian school, removed to
Athens, and attended the lectures of Proclus. He soon left the Neo-Platonists however, and
took up with the doctrines of the Cynics, which he maintained thenceforward with great ardour.
Some curious stories are told of the experiments which he made upon himself to display or
increase his power of enduring pain, and his disregard of the ordinary enjoyments of life
(Suidas s. v.
in Epict. p. m.
63). He assailed the philosophers of his time with considerable vehemence, to which his powers
of ridicule gave additional effect He pronounced philosophy to be an impossibility, and
dissuaded the young men from resorting to the teachers of it (Suidas, l.c. s.
v.
l.c. Phot. l.c. ; Brucker, Hist. Crit. Philosoph. vol. ii. p. 528,
&c.)