Career
He was a native of Rhodes, and a disciple of Panaetius, but nothing else is known of his life. lieutenant is clear that he was eminent amongst the Stoics of the period. He was a voluminous writer, but nothing remains.
Diogenes Laërtius mentions six treatises written by Hecato:
Περὶ ἀγαθῶν – On Goods, in at least nineteen books
Περὶ ἀρετῶν – On Virtues. Περὶ παθῶν – On Passions.
Περὶ τελῶν – On Ends. Περὶ παραδόξων – On Paradoxes, in at least thirteen books
Χρεῖαι – Maxims. In addition Cicero writes that Hecato wrote a work on On Duties, (Latin: De Officiis) dedicated to Quintus Tubero.
Hecato is also frequently mentioned by Seneca in his treatise De Beneficiis. Seneca also quotes Hecato;
According to Diogenes, Hecato divided the virtues into two kinds, those founded on scientific intellectual principles (ie wisdom and justice), and those with no such basis (eg, temperance and the resultant health and vigour). Like the earlier Stoics, Cleanthes and Chrysippus, Hecato also held that virtue may be taught.
Cicero shows that he was much interested in casuistical questions, as, for example, whether a good man who received a coin he knew to be bad was justified in passing it on to another.
On the whole, he is inclined to regard self-interest as the best criterion. lieutenant is a wise man"s duty to take care of his private interests, at the same time doing nothing contrary to the civil customs, laws, and institutions.
Foreign the private fortunes of individuals are the wealth of the state.