La mano sinistra di Zenone: su Cicerone, Luc. 145

The Left Hand of Zeno: On Cicero Luc. 145 · It is known that Antiochus of Ascalon, a follower of the Platonic Academy, had largely adopted the theory of knowledge according to the Stoics. His teacher, Philo of Larissa, opposed this position and instead advocated for Aca demic Skepticism. This dispute was rooted in the clash between Zeno and Arcesilaus, which Cicero recounts in his Lucullus. Describing the scene in which Zeno explains how knowledge is attained, Cicero portrays him as a typical Stoic master who completes his speech using an im age, the famous metaphor of the open right hand, which indicates representation (φαντασία/ visum); a slightly contracted hand to indicate assent (συγκατάϑεσις/adsensus); a closed fist to indicate the complete grasp (κατάληψις /comprehensio). When the left hand grasps the closed fist, we will have wisdom (ἐπιστήμη / scientia), which is the highest degree of knowledge and an exclusive prerogative of the sage. This contribution proposes the idea that this scene is not taken from unknown Greek sources, but is an invention of Cicero