to divine is the the conclusion of his discourse with Antipho He advised such as could not easily abstain at feasts to take heed of such things as perswade those that are not hungry to eat and those that are not thirsty to drink for they destroyed the appetite the head and the soul. He used to say merrily Circ◠turned men into Swine by feasting them with such meats but that ulysses partly through Minerva's advice partly through his own temperance refraining from such things remained unchanged That health of body ought diligently to be preserved as that whereon all knowledge of the soule dependes Is the summe of his discourse with Epigenes He advised one that complained he took no delight in his meat to refrain from eating whereby his diet would become more pleasant cheap and wholesome In the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to feast the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies that we should eat only such things as will not hurt the mind nor the body and are easie to be gotten That only temperate persons that discern and choose the best things refraining from the worst that by temperance men become the most excellent and most happy sittest for discourse is the summe of his discourse with Euthidemus Hearing one of his friends say this Town is exceeding deer Chian wine costs a Mina purple three a pint of honey five Denaries he carried him to the Meal-men hear saith he a pint is sold for an obolus it is cheap living in this Town then to those that sold Olives a Chaenix two farthings thence to the frippery a Suit ten Drachmes things are cheap in this Town He said the hungry wanted no sauce the thirsty no choice of wines He commended quiet and leasure above all things He said they who buy early fruits at dear rates believe they will not come in their due season Being asked what was a young mans vertue he answered to do nothing too much Seeing one eate broth very greedily he said Which of you here present useth bread for broth and broth for bread Of which see more at large Xenophon his Memorab Lib. One saying that it was a great matter to abstain from what a man desires he answered but it is much a greater not to desire at all A cleer fire becomes the chimney serenity the mind He said We ought not to seek pleasures in others but in our selves the body being predisposed according as it ought He said It is the property of God to need nothing to need least nighest to God Being demanded from what things we ought to refrain most he answered from sordid unjust pleasures Contentednesse is like a short and pleasant way it hath much delight little toile He that would see vertue as his Country must passe by pleasures as Syrens Being demanded whom he thought richest he answered him who is contented with least for content is the riches of Nature Being demanded what continence is he answered government of corporeall pleasures He said the wicked live to eat but the good eat to live When a woman saith she loveth thee take heed of those words more then when she revileth thee Of Liberality Prodigality and Covetousnesse HE conceived that they who took mony of any owned them for their Masters in the meanest degree of servitude That wisdome is prostituted as well as beauty by taking mony for it that he who meets with an ingenious person ought to acquaint him with all the good he can gratis whereby he acquires a friend and doth the part of a good member of the common-wealth is the summe of his second discourse with Antipho He said if a rich man be proud of his wealth that he could not praise him till he knew how he would employ it None can safely manage a horse without a bit nor riches without reason He compared covetous persons to birds one devoures what ever it meets till it choakes it selfe the rest falling upon what the first left are one after another choaked also The wealth of covetous persons is like the Sun after he is set delights none He that gives to a rich man throwes water into the Sea The life of a covetous person is like the feasts made for the dead he hath all but enjoyes nothing He compared the wealth of prodigalls to fig-trees growing on a precipice for these none are the better but Kites and Crowes for those only harlots and flatterers Being demanded who were covetous he answered such as seek after sordid gain and neglect their necessary friends Wine changeth with the Vessell riches follow the manners of the owner Of Magnanimity and Pride TO one angry for having saluted a man that returned not his salutations It is ridiculous saith he if you are not angry with every one you meet of worse shape or for◠then your self to be angry with any for having leste manners Pride like an ill potter or statuary represents the forms of things inverted Wind puffes up empty bladders opinion fooles To be exalted with good fortune is to runne in a slippery way Of Patience THere is lesse danger in drinking intemperately of troubled water then with a troubled mind full of wrath before it be allayed and purified to satisfie thy anger in the punishment of a kinsman or countryman If every one should bring his misfortunes into a publick stock to be shar'd alike amongst all men the greater part of those that now complain so much would be contented and glad to keep their own It is all one if a man being overcome in any gymnick sports should sue his adversary as for a man over master'd by Fortune to accuse her not knowing upon what conditions we entered into the contests of life Of Veracity and Flattery THere is no better way to glory then to endeavour to be good as well as to seem such The kindnesse of flatterers is chased away by adversity Hunters take hares with hounds many take fooles with their own praises Wolves resemble dogs and flatterers friends but their aimes are quite contrary Flattery is like a painted armour only for show not use Think not those faithfull who praise all thy words and actions but those who reprove thy faults Suffer not a talker and slanderer for he tells not thee any thing out of good will but as he discourseth the secrets of others so will he thine to others Good men must let the world see that their manners are more firme then an oath Of Vrbanity and Conversation A Little Hall will serve to dance in and every place and posture to speak Wind kindles fire conversation Love Freedome of discourse like the seasons of the year is best in its proper time It s arrogance to speak all and to be unwilling to
key-hole I shewed them how desperately ill I was and bespoke them to come on the morrow to the funerall of Pherecydes There was another of this name of the same Island an Astrologer there are more mentioned by Suidas FINIS THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY The Second Part. Containing the Ionick Philosophers LONDON Printed for Humphrey Moseley and are to be sold at his Shop at the Princes Armes in St. Pauls Church-yard and by Thomas Dring at the George in Fleetstreet neere Cliffords Inne 1655. ANAXIMANDER CHAP. I. Of his life PHilosophy had a twofold beginning one from Anaximander another from Pythagoras Anaximander was Disciple to Thales whence that Philosophy was called Ionick Thales being an Jonian for he was of Miletus Pythagoras was Disciple to Pherecydes that king of Philosophy called from the place where he taught Italick Thales was succeeded by Anaximander Anaximander by Anaximenes Anaximenes by Anaxagoras Anaxagoras by Arceolans in whom as Plutarch Laertius and others affirm it ended Socrates the scholer of Archelans introducing Morality Anaximander a Milesian â—ountryman companion and Kinsman of Thales was his Disciple also and successor in the propagation of his Doctrine son of Praxiades corruptly called by some Praxidamus born the third year of the 42 Olympiad He flourished most in the time of Polycrates Tyrant of Samos He demonstrated the compendium of Geometry being next Homer the first Master of that science hee first set forth a Geographick table of which Laertius is to be understood who affirms he designed the circumference of the Sea and land In the 50. Olympiad he found out the obliquity of the Zodiack that is saith Pliny he opened the gates of things He invented the Gnomon set up the first in an open place at Lacedaemon He found out the Aequinoctiall Solstices and Horologies He framed Horoscopes to denote the Tropicks and Aequinoxes whence Salmasius conceives the use of his diall was onely to delineate the Tropick and Aequinoctiall points that they did not serve to distinguish the hours or twelve parts of the day he proveth because the very name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that sence or the division of the day into twelve equall parts was not known a long time after He advised the Lacedaemonians to quit their City and houses and to lie armed in the open field foretelling an Earthquake which threw down the whole City and tore away piece of the Mountain Taygetus As he sung the boyes used to deride him whereupon hee said we must learn to sing better for the boyes Of his Auditors are remembred Anaximenes and Parmenides Of his writings these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of Nature This treatise perhaps Laertius meanes who saith he digested his opinions into Commentaries which Book fell into the hands of Apollodorus the Athenian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Sphear with other things He was according to Apollodorus 64 years old the second yeare of the 58. Olympiad and died soon after CHAP. 2. Of his Opinions Sect. 1. That Infinity is the principle of all things THales saith Cicero who held that all things consist of water could not perswade his Countryman and Companion Anaximander thereto for he asserted That infinity is that whereof all things were made or according to Plutarch Laertius and Iustine Martyr that it is the principle and element of things for these two he confounded as was observ'd of his Master Thales but not declared what this infinity is whether Air Water Earth or any other body for which condemned by Plutarch That it is one infinite in magnitude not number whence Aristotle reprehends him for imagining contrarieties can proceed from the same principle That it is for that reason infinite that it may not fail That the parts thereof are changed the whole is immutable Symplicius saith moveable That out of it all things proceed and resolve into it That there are infinite worlds generated which corrupt into that whereof they were generated Sect. 2. Of the Heavens HIs opinion according to Cicero was that the Gods are native having a beginning rising and setting by long intervalls and that there are innumerable worlds This Plutarch and Stobaeus apply to the Heavens and Stars But how can we addes Cicero understand a God that is not eternall That Heaven consists of cold and heat mixed That the starrs are globous instances consisting of air full of fire respiring flames at some certain part moved by the circles and sphears wherein they inhere which assertion Aristotle borrowed from hence That the Sun is seated highest the moon next then the sixed starres and Planets That the circle of the Sun is 28. times Theodoret saith 27. greater then the earth having a hollow circle about it like a Chariot wheel full of fire in one part whereof there is a mouth at which the fire is seen as out of the hole of a â—lute which is the Sun equall in bignesse with the Earth That the cause of the Sunn's Eclipse is the stopping that hole in the midst out of which the fire issues That the circle of the Moon is 29. times greater then the Earth like a Chariot wheel having a hollow or be in the midst full of fire like the Sun and oblique breathing fire out at one part as out of a tunnel That the Eclipse of the Moon happens according to her conversions when the mouth out of which the â—ire issueth is stopped That the Mooon hath a light of her own but very thin that she shineth in the light she borroweth from the Sun which two assertions are so far from being inconsistent that it is the common opinion â— both are true Sect. 3. Of Meteors THat wind is a fluxion of the air when the most subtle and liquid parts thereof are either stirr'd or resolved by the Sun That Thunders lightnings presters and whirlewinds are caused by the wind enclosed in a thick cloud which by reason of its lightnesse breaketh forth violently the rupture of the cloud maketh a crack and the divulsion by reason of the blacknesse causeth a slashing light Seneca more expressely He ascribed all to wind Thunder saith he is the sound of a breaking cloud why unequall because the breakings are unequall Why doth it thunder in a clear day Because even then the wind breaks through the thick and dry air Why sometimes doth it thunder and not lighten Because the thinner and weaker spirit is able to make a flame but not a sound What is lightning The agitation of the air severing it self and rushing down disclosing a faint fire What is Thunder The motion of a piercing thick spirit All things are so ordered that some influence descend from the Aether upon inferiour things so fire sounds forced upon cold clouds When it breaks them
humidity being ratified by the Sun That the primitive humidity being diffused as a pool was burned by the motion of the Sun about it and the unctuous part bring exhaled the remainder became salt That assoon as the world was made and living creatures produced out of the world the world enclined of it selfe towards the south according to divine providence that some parts thereof might be habitable others not habitable by reason of the extremities of heat and cold That the mistion of the Elements is by apposition That the inundation of Nilus is caused by the snow of Aethiopia which is dissolved in summer and congealed in winter Sect 5. Of living Creatures THat Creatures were first generated of humidity calidity and earthly matter afterwards mutually of one another males on the right side females on the left That the soule is that which moveth that it is aeriall and hath a body of the nature of aire That there is a death of the soule likewise which is separation from the body That all Animalls have active reason That sleep is an action of the body not of the soul. That in the hand of man consists all his skill That the voice is made by the wind hitting against firm resisting air returning the counter-blow to our ears which is the manner whereby also the repercussion of the air is formed called Eccho That the Gall is the cause of acute diseases which overflowing is dispersed into the lungs veines and costs CHAP. III. His predictions SUidas saith he foretold many things of those two instances onely have been hitherto preserved The first thus related by Pliny The Grecians celebrate Anaxagoras of the Clozomenian and for foretelling by his learning and Science in the second yeare of the 78. Olympiad on what day a stone would fall from the Sun which happen'd in the day time in a part of Thrace at the river Agos which stone is at this day shewne about the bignesse of a became of an adust colour a Comet also burning in those nights Plutarch adds that it was in his time not onely shewen but reverenced by the Peloponnesians Eusebius reckons the fall of this stone upon the fourth yeare of the 78. Olympiad which is two yeares after Pliny accompts of the prediction Silenus cited by Laertius saith it fell when Dimylus was Archon which if it be to be red Dyphilus for the other name is not to be found neere these times will be the first yeare of the 84 Olympiad But the marble at Arundell House graven about the 129. Olympiad to be preferred before any other chronologicall accompt expressly names the fall upon the 4th yeare upon the 77. Olympiad when Theagenides was Archon two yeares before Pliny saith it was foretold It was beleeved to have portended as Plutarch testifies the great defeat given to the Athenians by Lysander at the river Agos 62. yeares after viz. the fourth yeare of the 39. Olympiad Of the wonder Aristotle gives a very slight accompt affirming It was a stone snatched up by the wind and fell in the day time a Comet happening in those nights which is disproved by Plutarch who hath this large discourse upon it It is said that Anaxagoras did prognosticate that one of the bodies included the Heavens it should be loosed by shaking fall to the ground the Stars are not in place where they were first created they are heavie bodies of the nature of stone shining by reflection of the aether being drawn up by force kept there by the violence of that circular motion as at the beginning in the first separation of things cold heavie they were restrained There is another opinion more probable which saith those which we call falling starres are not fluxions of the aether extinguisht in the aire almost as soon as lighted nor inflammations or combustions of any part of the aire which by it spreadeth upwards but they are coelestiall bodies failing of their retention by the ordinary course of heaven throwne downe not upon the habitable earth but into the Sea which is the cause we doe not see them yet the assertion of Anaxagoras is confirmed by Damachus who writeth in his book of Religion that 75. daies together before this stone fell they saw a great body of fire in the Air like a cloud enflamed which tarried not in one place but went and came uncertainly removing from the driving whereof issued flashes of fire that fell in many places like falling starrs when this great body of fire fell in that part of the Earth the Inhabitants emboldned came to the place to see what it was and found no appearance of fire but a great stone on the ground nothing in comparison of that body of fire Herein Damachus had need of favourable hearers But if what he saith be true he confuseth those Arguments who maintain it was a piece of a Rock by the force of a boistrous wind torn from the top of a Mountain and carried in the air so long as this whirlwind continued but so soon as that was laid the stone fell immediately unlesse this lightning body which appeared so many daies was fire indeed which coming to dissolve and to be put out did beget this violent storm of force to tear off the stone and cast it down This it is likely Charimander meant who in his book of Comets saith Anaxagoras observed in the Heavens a great unaccustomed light of the greatnesse of a huge pillar and that it shined for many daies The other memorable prediction of Anaxagoras was of a storm which hee signified by going to the Olympick games when the weather was fair in a shaggy gown the rain powring down all the Graecians saith Aelian saw and gloried that hee knew more divinely then according to humane Nature CHAP. IV. His Scholers and Auditors THese are remembred as his Scholars and Auditors Pericles Son of Xantippas being instructed by Anaxagoras could easily reduce the exercise of his mind from secret obstrusive things to publick popular causes Pericles much esteemed him was by him instructed in natural Philosophy and besides other virtues fre'd from superstitious fears arising from ignorance of physicall causes whereof there is this instance the head of a Ram with but one horn being brought to Pericles was by the South sayers interpreted prodigious Anaxagoras opening it showed that the brain filled not its naturall place but contracted by degrees in an ovall form toward that part where the horn grew Afterwards Anaxagoras neglected and decrepit with age in a melancholy resentment thereof lay down and cover'd his face resolving to starve himself which Pericles hearing came immediately to him bewailing not Anaxagoras but himself who should lose so excellent a Counsellor Anaxagoras uncovering his face said They Pericles who would use a Lamp must apply it with oil Archelaâ—s Son of Apollodorus was Disciple to Anaxagoras and as Laertius affirms called the
motions one with the World from East to VVest the other contrary through the Signes That the Sun is greater then the Earth appeareth in that it enlightneth not only all the Earth but Heaven also Again the shadow of the Earth being conicall argues the Sun to be greater then the Earth Again it is visible every where by reason of its magnitude The Sun is Eclipsed by interposition of the Moon betwixt us and that part of the Sun which is toward us as Zeno in his book of the Universe For meeting the Sun and coming under him she seemeth to darken his light and afterwards to disclose it again as will appear in a basin of water CHAP. X. of the Moon IN the lowest part of the aether is the Moon The Moon according to Zeno is an intellectuall wise igneous Star consisting of artificiall fire Cleanthes saith she is of a fiery substance and 〈◊〉 a dirty figure Lipsius for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dirty substitutes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is if of the same figure as a nat or cap. But perhaps there needs no alteration for they affirmed as she is nearer to the Earth then the Sun so is she of a more terrene Nature Possidonius and most of the Stoicks affirm she is mixt of fire and air by reason of which diversity of substance she is not subject to corruption To this mixtion of air in her composition they impute likewise those spots which are seen in her face She is greater then the Earth as well as the Sun is and Spnaericall as the Sun yet apeareth in various figures the full-Moon first quarter New-Moon last quarter Chrysippus saith she is a fire collected after the Sun from the exhalation of fresh Waters for which cause she is likewise nourished by them as Possidonius also asserteth Her motion is spiral Zeno saith she hath two motions as the one with the World from East to West the other contrary through the signes The period of her course is called a Mont◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is likewise that part of the Moon which appeareth to us for one halfe of her is alwaies turned towards us The Moon is Eclipsed when she falleth into the shadow of the earth For although every month she is opposite to the Sun yet she is then only eclipsed when she is fullest by reason of the obliquity of her course whereby her latitude is varied towards the north and south When therefore she happens to be neer the Ecliptick and opposite to the Sun she is eclipsed which happens as Possidonius saith in Libra and Scorpio and in Aries and Taurus Thus Laertius but Possidonius seemes to have been ignorant of or not to have considered the motion of the Nodes of the Moon commonly called Caput Cauda draconis whereby the restitution or period of Eclipses is made in ninteen yeeres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was the ground of Meton's period and of the Cycle of the Moon in the Julian Calender CHAP. XI Of Aire NExt the sphear of the Moon saith Chrysippus is the element of Aires interposed betwixt the Sea and Heaven sphericall in figure consecrated by the name of Iuno Sister and Wife of Iupiter who is the Aether betwixt these there is a neer conjunction The Aire is divided into three regions the highest the middle and the lowest The highest region is the hottest and dryest and rarest by reason of the vicinity of the eternall fires The lowest and neerest to the earth is thick and caliginous because it receiveth terrene exhalations The middle region is more temperate then the higher and lower as to siccity and rarity but colder then both This wherein the clouds and winds are generated is according to Possidonius forty furlongs above the earth Next to it is the pure and liquid aire of untroubled light From the turbulent part to the Moon is twenty hundred thousand furlongs To the aire is attributed the primitive cold As concerning things in the Aire Winter is the rigour of the aire next above the earth occasion'd by the remotenesse of the Sun and is the coldest of the seasons of the year Spring is the season succeeding Winter preceding Summer and is a good temperature of the air occasion'd by approach of the Sun Summer is that season of the year when the aire above the earth is warmed by the Suns accesse towards the north Autumne that season of the year which followeth Summer and precedeth Winter is made by the return of the Sun from us Winter commeth when the aire is predominant in thicknesse and is forced upward Summer when the fire is predominant and driven downward Winde is a fluxion of the aire having severall names from the variety of places as for example That which bloweth from the darknesse of the night and Sun-setting is called Zephyrus from the East and Sun-rising Apeliotes from the North Boreas from the South Lybs It is occasion'd by the Sun's extenuation of the vapours The Rainbow is a reflection of the Sun's beams from a humid cloude or as Possidonius an apparition of part of the Sun or Moon in a cloud dewy concave and continuous to the phantasy as in a looking-glasse the representation of a Circle Comets are fires subsisting of thick air carried up to the aetheriall place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an accension of suddain fire swiftly carried through the air appearing length-waies Rain is a conversion of clouds into water when either from the Earth or from the Sea by the power of the Sun the humour is drawn upwards ineffectually Frost is congealed rain Hail is a concrete cloud dispersed by the winde Snow is humidity from a concrete cloud according to Possidonius Lightning is an accension of clouds which are driven by the winds upon one another and broken according to Zeno. Thunder is a noise occasion'd by the collision of clouds Thunderbolt is a strong inflammation rushing upon the earth with great violence when the clouds by impulsion of the winds are broken against one another Some define it a conversion of fiery inflamed aire violently rushing down Typho is a violent Thunder thrust down with a great force of winde or a smoaking winde which rusheth down upon the breaking of the cloud Prester is a cloud inclosed with fire by winde in the concavities of the earth There are many kinds thereof Earthquakes Câ—asma's and the like CHAP. XII Of Water and Earth THat part of the world saith Chrysippus which is the most solid support of nature as bones are in a living creature is called the earth About this the water is evenly diffused The earth hath some uneven parts arising out of the water called Islands or if of large extent Continents from the ignorance of man who knowes not that even those are Islands in respect of