Grigoriy Skovoroda Russian and Ukrainian philosopher, poet, teacher. Date of Birth: 03.12.1722 Country: Ukraine

Biography of Hryhoriy Skovoroda

Hryhoriy Skovoroda was a Russian and Ukrainian philosopher, poet, and educator. Despite living in poverty and homelessness, he did not have any published works. However, Skovoroda held the belief that material possessions were not important for true happiness. He valued his friends and considered himself fortunate to have them in his life.

Once, the governor-general of Kharkiv asked Skovoroda why he was not engaged in any meaningful work. Skovoroda humbly replied that he had chosen a role that suited him - that of a simple and useless person. He had no regrets about his choice. For Skovoroda, life was a journey where one had to forge their own path, not knowing where or why they were going.

Skovoroda's background was humble, coming from a family of Cossacks. He entered the Kyiv Academy and attended lectures at universities in Italy, Germany, and Austria. He later taught at the Kharkiv Collegium and wrote fables. However, he ultimately embraced a life of simplicity, stating that those who do not like to be bothered should learn to live simply and poorly. Despite his poverty and lack of published works, Skovoroda held a disdain for the wealthy and admired those who acquired what they wanted.

His loyal friend and disciple, M. Kovalinsky, preserved Skovoroda's manuscripts, which traveled with him in his shoulder bag during his life as a wandering philosopher. Remarkably, these writings contained almost no citations or references to authorities, even though Skovoroda had a profound knowledge of antiquity and was fluent in multiple languages, including Latin and Greek. Skovoroda referred to himself as someone who aspired to be the Socrates of Russia.

Upon hearing Skovoroda's response, the governor-general exclaimed, "What a wise man! If everyone thought like him, there would be fewer failures and dissatisfied individuals."