Diogenes Laertius on the Stoic definitions of κόσμος

Abstract

The paper concerns Diogenes Laertius’ report (vii 137) on the Stoic use of the term kosmos. Of the three senses listed in the report the third one is apparently unintelligible. Hans von Arnim proposed to solve the difficulty by excising the reference to the stars, which however proves an inefficient solution. Rather, comparision with a variety of the reports on the Stoic use of the term kosmossuggests that Diogenes’ report on both the second and third senses of kosmosis substantially garbled.