Hegesias of Cyrene

Hegesias of Cyrene was a classmate of Anniker, from whom he differed in his very pessimistic interpretation of the system. His deductions from the principles of the Cyrenaic school destroyed both good and happiness. He said of happiness that it should not be a goal because it was unattainable. A wise man should strive to rid himself of discomfort. Thus he reduces the whole of life to mere enjoyment. He also rejects all possessions because they are not the real source of happiness. The basis, according to him, is that one should care only for oneself and whatever one does is not important. Consequently, he argues that life is then no better than death.

His most significant quote is:
"Bliss is said to be utterly impossible, for the body is afflicted by many hardships which the soul experiences along with the body, and is therefore wracked with restlessness; besides, fate hinders the fulfilment of many of our hopes, so that in fact bliss cannot be attained. Both life and death are desirable. (...) Life is said to be beneficial to the unreasonable, but to the reasonable it is something that does not matter. (...) A wise man will not be so much concerned with what good to choose as with how to escape evil, because he aims at a life free from toil and suffering..."