Calvisius Taurus

Lucius Calvenus Taurus (Ancient Greek: Λούκιος Καλβῆνος Ταῦρος Loúkios Kalbē͂nos Taũros, also Calvisius Taurus;fl. second century CE) was a Greek philosopher of the Middle Platonist school.

Taurus was a native of Berytos (present-day Beirut) and, according to Jerome, reached the age of forty in the year 145, so he would have been born around 105. He lived in Athens, were he ran a Platonist school in the tradition of the Academy from his home. Two of his students are known by name: the politician Herodes Atticus and the writer Aulus Gellius. The latter accompanied Taurus on his journey to Delphi, were the pair were spectators at the Pythian Games and Taurus obtained citizenship. This voyage was traditionally dated to 163, but its dating is now considered uncertain.

Gellius is one of the main sources for Taurus's life and works, providing anecdotes and accounts of dinner conversations. Gellius, though, never qualified for advanced courses in philosophy, and his dialogues involving Taurus contain some literary embellishments. In these, advice and reprimands aimed at character formation play an important role. In formal education, Taurus permitted his students the liberty to ask questions.

The picture that Gellius paints of his tutor is that of a mild, friendly and well-educated man, equipped with a thorough knowledge of the Platonic dialogues. He lamented the decline of education, amateurism and the arrogance of those who only pretended to be interested in serious education. Following Platonic tradition, he distanced himself from rhetoric, in which he saw a deviation from the actual problems of philosophy. He especially disliked the lack of philosophical interest of those who sought to be tutored by him, holding as an example of superficiality a prospective student whose only reason to be interested in Plato was to improve his verbal skills.

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