英语词汇epicure的起源、历史背景-英语词源词典

epicure. “The fountain and root of every good is the pleasure of the stomach,” is a quotation attributed to Epicurus by the Greek writer Athenaeus five centuries after the philosopher’s death. Nothing could be further from the spirit of Epicurus. The Greek philosopher (341–270 b.c.) did not teach that mere sensual pleasure is man’s reason for being. He argued, rather, that while pleasure constitutes the happiness of life, pleasure means peace of mind and freedom from want and pain, which can be achieved only through noble thoughts, self-control, and moderation. Though this generous, brave man regarded virtue as having no value in itself, the real harm in his philosophy lay in the fact that it was an escapist one—permitting, for example, no marriage, children, or participation in public life. Later stu- dents of his garden school in Athens—which lasted over 200 years—distorted his teachings completely, using them as an ex- cuse for selfish hedonism and heedless indulgence. Seizing upon his idea of pleasure, they magnified it so that epicure be- came one entirely devoted to gluttony, debauchery, and every wanton sensual pleasure imaginable. It took centuries before the word acquired its present meaning of “gourmet or connois- seur,” one with refined tastes and knowledge of food and drink, and even today’s epicure is still far removed from the simple se- rene philosophy of Epicurus.

词汇	epicure
词源	epicure. “The fountain and root of every good is the pleasure of the stomach,” is a quotation attributed to Epicurus by the Greek writer Athenaeus five centuries after the philosopher’s death. Nothing could be further from the spirit of Epicurus. The Greek philosopher (341–270 b.c.) did not teach that mere sensual pleasure is man’s reason for being. He argued, rather, that while pleasure constitutes the happiness of life, pleasure means peace of mind and freedom from want and pain, which can be achieved only through noble thoughts, self-control, and moderation. Though this generous, brave man regarded virtue as having no value in itself, the real harm in his philosophy lay in the fact that it was an escapist one—permitting, for example, no marriage, children, or participation in public life. Later stu- dents of his garden school in Athens—which lasted over 200 years—distorted his teachings completely, using them as an ex- cuse for selfish hedonism and heedless indulgence. Seizing upon his idea of pleasure, they magnified it so that epicure be- came one entirely devoted to gluttony, debauchery, and every wanton sensual pleasure imaginable. It took centuries before the word acquired its present meaning of “gourmet or connois- seur,” one with refined tastes and knowledge of food and drink, and even today’s epicure is still far removed from the simple se- rene philosophy of Epicurus.
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