Il metodo delle molteplici spiegazioni in Diogene di Enoanda

The aim of this paper is to discuss and to analyse Diogenes of Oinoanda’s presentation of the pleonachos tropos along with his exposition of celestial phenomena, in order to understand both their philosophical content and their connection with the previous Epicurean tradition; in doing so, a constant comparison will be set with Epicurus’ Letter to Pythocles and with Lucretius’ De rerum natura. My goal is to show how Diogenes’ text parts from the other two, both in the exposition and in the application of the pleonachos tropos: I will try to argue that such discrepancies, despite representing a departure from Epicurus’ and Lucretius’ texts, might perhaps reveal the evidence of enduring debates between later Epicureans and their rivals, making Diogenes an important source for our understanding of the doctrinal development of the Epicurean school.