Note 33 — Chapter XIX · THE MORAL SCIENCE OF THE EPICUREANS. GENERAL PRINCIPLES.
Oswald J. (Oswald Joseph) Reichel translation
(2) Family life. Family life is said to have been deprecated by Epicurus equally with civil life.33 Stated thus baldly, this is an exaggeration. It appears, however, to be established, that Epicurus believed it to be generally better for the wise man to forego marriage and the rearing of children, since he would thereby save himself many disturbances.34 It is also quite credible that he declared the love of children towards parents to be no inborn feeling.35 This view is, after all, only a legitimate consequence of his materialism; but it did not oblige him to give up parental love altogether. Nay, it is asserted of him that he was anything but a stranger to family affections.36