Diogenes Laertius

...than they were able to interpret for him what had been written about Chaos in Hesiod. Hermippus writes that he was a schoolmaster The term "Ludi-Magister" refers to a teacher of basic literacy, a profession often looked down upon by elite philosophers.. He says that after Epicurus came across the books of Democritus, he turned himself toward philosophy. For this reason Timon, the author of the Sylli original Latin: "Syllorum". These were satirical poems or "mockeries" targeting philosophers., says of him:

And then from Samos comes the last of the natural philosophers, a schoolmaster,
Shameless and the most wretched of men.

His three brothers, Neocles, Chaeredemus, and Aristobulus, also practiced philosophy alongside him at his encouragement. This is recorded by Philodemus the Epicurean in the tenth book of his On the Arrangement of Philosophers. He even had a slave named Mus The name "Mus" means "Mouse" in both Latin and Greek., as Myronianus states in his historical chapters.

Furthermore, Diotimus the Stoic, who was ill-disposed toward him, slandered him most maliciously. He circulated fifty lewd letters, claiming Epicurus was the author. He even attributed certain short letters to Epicurus that are more likely the work of Chrysippus. Posidonius the Stoic, Nicolaus, and Sotion in the twelfth of his twenty-four books titled Refutations of Diocles, as well as Dionysius of Halicarnassus, shared these same hostile feelings. They claim that Epicurus went around to small shrines with his mother reading "purification words" original Latin: "lustratoria verba". These were likely spells or exorcisms, implying he was involved in low-status superstition.. They also say he taught letters with his father for a very small fee. They claim one of his brothers was a pimp and that Epicurus himself lived with the courtesan Leontium. They allege he claimed the books of Democritus on Atoms and Aristippus on Pleasure as his own ideas. They say he was not a true citizen, citing Timocrates and Herodotus in his book On the Youth of Epicurus. They charge that he disgracefully flattered Mithras, the steward of Lysimachus, by calling him "Apollo" and "King" in his letters. They further claim he praised and flattered Idomeneus, Herodotus, and Timocrates because they had made some of his secret works public.

...they were not able to explain the passage about Chaos in Hesiod. Hermippus says he was a schoolmaster. Then, after encountering the books of Democritus, he rushed toward philosophy. Because of this, Timon says of him:

Again, the last and most dog-like of natural philosophers comes from Samos,
The son of a schoolmaster, the most ill-bred of living things.

His three brothers, Neocles, Chaeredemus, and Aristobulus, joined him in philosophy because he encouraged them. This is what Philodemus the Epicurean says in the tenth book of the Arrangement of Philosophers. He also had a slave named Mus, as Myronianus says in his Chapters of Likenesses.

Diotimus the Stoic, being hostile toward him, slandered him most bitterly by producing fifty lewd letters as if they were by Epicurus. He also compiled short letters attributed to Chrysippus as if they were by Epicurus. Those around Posidonius the Stoic, Nicolaus, and Sotion in the twelfth of the books titled Refutations of Diocles (which are about twenty-four in number) also did this, as did Dionysius of Halicarnassus. They say that he went around to small houses with his mother reading purifications. They say he taught letters with his father for a miserable little fee. Also, they say one of his brothers was a pimp and that he lived with the courtesan Leontium. They claim he spoke of Democritus's ideas on atoms and Aristippus's ideas on pleasure as his own. They say he was not a legitimate citizen, as Timocrates says and Herodotus in the book On Epicurus's Youth. They say he shamefully flattered Mithras, the steward of Lysimachus, calling him "Healer" original Greek: "Paian", an epithet of Apollo. and "Lord" in his letters. Also, they say he praised and flattered Idomeneus, Herodotus, and Timocrates, who had made his secrets public.

And in the letters, to Leontium he wrote: "Lord Healer, dear little Leontium, what a noisy applause you filled us with when we read your little letter!" And to Themista, the wife of Leonteus: "I am such," he says, "that if you do not come to me, I myself..."

In the letters themselves, among other things, he had this; to Leontium: "O King Apollo, little Leontium, my sweetheart! original Latin: "corculum", literally "little heart". What a shout of applause you raised in us when we read your little letter!" And to Themista, the wife of Leonteus: "I am he who, unless you come to me, would be able to, even..."