SPEUSIPPUS, an Athenian philosopher, the ne-
phew and successor of Plato. Contrary to the practice of
Plato, Speusippus required from his pupils a stated grat-
uity. He placed statues of the Graces in the school
which Plato had built. On account of his infirm state
of health, he was commonly carried to and from the aca-
demy in a vehicle. On his way thither he one day met
Diogenes, and saluted him; the surly philosopher re-
fused to return the salute, and told him, that such a fee-
ble wretch ought to be ashamed to live; to which
Speusippus replied, that he lived not in his limbs, but
in his mind. At length, being wholly incapacitated, by
a paralytic stroke, for the duties of the chair, he resign-
ed it to Xenocrates. He is said to have been of a vio-
lent temper, fond of pleasure, and exceedingly avaricious.
Speusippus wrote many philosophical works,
which are now lost, but which Aristotle thought suffi-
ciently valuable to purchase at the expence of three
talents. From the few fragments which remain of his
philosophy, it appears that he adhered very strictly to
the doctrine of his master.