Epicurus’s school admitted women, slaves, and non-Greeks free of charge

Evidence

Epicurus’s garden was different from other schools in important ways. Since only an individual could decide whether he had been “cured,” the atmosphere was noncompetitive, and students graded themselves. And while shunning one type of community, the school of Epicurus actively constructed another one: The Garden was the only school to admit non-Greeks, slaves, and women (including hetaera, or professional courtesans). Admission was free. — Jenny Odell, How to Do Nothing, 149

Categorization

• DEFINE: Key evidence for her claim that retreat is not selfish withdrawal but construction of an alternative community.
• XREF: Supports the reader’s defense of Odell against the withdrawal misreading: retreat toward people, not from them.