Page "Epicurus" Paragraph 39

According to Diskin Clay, Epicurus himself established a custom of celebrating his birthday annually with common meals, befitting his stature as hero ctistes ( or founding hero ) of the Garden.

He ordained in his will annual memorial feasts for himself on the same date ( 10th of Gamelion month ).

Epicurean communities continued this tradition, referring to Epicurus as their " savior " ( soter ) and celebrating him as hero.

Lucretius apotheosized Epicurus as the main character of his epic poem De rerum natura.

The hero cult of Epicurus may have operated as a Garden variety civic religion.

However, clear evidence of an Epicurean hero cult, as well as the cult itself, seems buried by the weight of posthumous philosophical interpretation.

Epicurus ' cheerful demeanor, as he continued to work despite dying from a painful stone blockage of his urinary tract lasting a fortnight, according to his successor Hermarchus and reported by his biographer Diogenes Laertius, further enhanced his status among his followers.