For the Greeks 'philosophy' has never meant only rational inquiry of intellectual, but also the ability to translate into action the truth known, and the adoption of a style of life according to them. Dealing with the Absolute involved a departure from what people normally consider to be of value and implied a kind of ascetic life, which aims to facilitate communion with the divine.
Also significant is the close connection that philosophy has always shown with politics. Lawmakers were several of the Scholars, who were the forerunners of the early philosophers; political or policy were masters of many of the greatest philosophers, like Pythagoras, Parmenides, Plato, Zeno of Elea ... So true philosopher was only one who proved to be able to achieve a consistency of thought and behavior, thus becoming the master of life.