let us begin with the Ionick Philosophy of which we have already declar'd Thales the Instructor of Anaximander to be the first Founder The End of the First Book Diogenes Laertius Containing the Lives Opinions and Apophthegms Of the most Famous PHILOSOPHERS The Second Book Translated from the Greek by Sam. White M. D. The LIFE of ANAXIMANDER ANaximander a Milesian was the Son of Praxiades He held that the Beginning and Principle of all things was the Vast Immensity however no way bounding the Air the Water or any other Thing That the parts were subject to Alteration but that the whole was immutable that the Earth lay in the middle as it were claiming the place of a Center being of a Spherical Figure That the Light of the Moon was a false Light as being borrowed from the Sun which was at least equal to the Earth and the most pure sort of Fire He was the first inventer of the Gnomen which he fixed in the Dials of Lacedaemon which were then no other than places proper for the observation of the Shadows which the Sun cast whereby as Phavorinus records in his Universal History he mark'd out the Tropics and Equinoxes and erected Horoscopes He was also the first who undertook to delineate the Perimeter or Circuit of the Earth and Sea and to frame a Sphere that ' embody'd both those Elements Which done he set down in writing a short Exposition of such things as occur'd most plainly to his Apprehension In the second year of the fifty eighth Olympiad he had attained to the sixty fourth year of his Age as Apollodorus the Athenian declares in his Chronicle and dy'd not long after but he flourish'd in his prime during the Reign of Polycrates Tyrant of Samos It is reported That one time among the rest as he was singing certain Boys laugh'd at him which when he understood Therefore said he it behoves us to sing so much the better because of the Boys There was also another Anaximander a Milesian likewise who was an Historian and wrote in the Ionic Dialect The LIFE of ANAXIMENES ANaximenes a Milesian also was the Son of Eurystratus and a Hearer of Anaximander and as some say of Parmenides likewise He affirm'd the Air and the Infinite Immensity to be the beginning of All things and that the Stars did not move above the Earth but round about it He wrote in the Ionic Dialect affecting a plain and concise Style He was born in the sixty third Olympiad as Apollodorus testifies and dy'd about the time that Sardis was taken There were also two others of the same name born in Lampsacus the one an Orator the other an Historian and Nephew to the Rhetorician who wrote the History of Alexander's fam'd Atchievements There are likewise extant two Epistles of Anaximenes the Philosopher to Pythagoras of which the first â—uns thus Anaximenes to Pythagoras THales himself in the progress of his Studies from the flower of his Youth to his Old Age was not altogether free from misfortune For as it was his custom going forth one night with his Maid Servant to behold the Stars in the midst of his serious Contemplation forgetting the situation of the place while he went forward gazing up to the Skies he fell down a steep Precipice This was the end say the Milesians of that famous Astrologer But we among the rest of his Scholars forget not the Man nor our Children who are his Disciples likewise But we embrace his Doctrine and ascribe the beginning of all our Learning to Thales His second Epistle was this that follows Anaximenes to Pythagoras CErtainly thou did'st consult our Advantage more than our selves in returning from Samos to Crotona where thou livest in Peace For the Sons of Aeacus are offensive to others and for the Milesians they are in subjection to their Tyrants And the King of the Medes threatens us severely too unless we will submit our Necks to the Yoke of Servitude But as yet the Ionians seem readily resolv'd to fight with the Medes both for their own and the Liberty of their Neighbours But the Enemy so surrounds and over-powers us at present that we have little hopes to preserve it How then is it possible for Anaximenes to mind his Contemplation of the Skies living as he does in continual dread of Perdition or Slavery But thou enjoyest a perfect Tranquillity honour'd by the Crotonaeans and other Italians and crowded with Disciples out of Sicily The LIFE of ANAXAGORAS ANaxagoras a Clozomenian the Son of Hegesibulus or Eubulus was a diligent Disciple of Anaximenes He was the first who attributed to Matter Sense and Reason thus beginning his great Work which is both delightful and loftily compos'd All things at the beginning sprung together then came the World's Intelligence and shap'd and embellish'd every individual Species whereas it was call'd the Great Intelligence Of which thus Timon in his Silli For thus fam'd Anaxagoras profoundly taught That the vast Mind like some great Hero fought Rebellious Chaos that disdain'd controul And then it was that the Worlds mighty Soul Millions of ranging formless Bodies fix'd Rammass'd Compacted here conjoyn'd there mix'd Vntil at length the vanquish'd Mass gave o're And all agreed that was confus'd before This Person was not only eminent for his Birth and Riches but for the Grandeur of his aspiring Mind For he surrender'd his Patrimony to his Relations at what time being by them tax'd for neglecting his Estate What then said he are not you sufficiently able to take care of it Soon after he left 'em all and retir'd himself to the Contemplation of Nature not minding publick or private Affairs Insomuch that to one who thus accosted him What! then takest thou no care of thy Country Yes said he no Man more pointing to the Heav'ns He is said to have been twenty years of Age when Xerxes invaded Greece and to have liv'd seventy two But Apollodorus in his Chronicle affirms him to have flourish'd in his prime in the Seventieth Olympiad and that in the first year of the Se-Seventy eighth Olympiad he ended his days He began to divulge his Philosophical Exercises at Athens under Callias in the twentieth year of his Age as Demetrius Phalereus reports in his Compendium of the Athenian Rulers Where they say he continu'd thirty years He affirm'd the Sun to be a massy Plate of Red-hot Iron bigger than the Peloponnesus Which some assert to have been the Opinion of Tantalus before him He held that the Moon was full of Habitations Mountains and Vallies and that the Principles of all things were endu'd with similitude of Parts For that as the dust and filings of Gold might be embody'd into a Mass so was the Universe compos'd of little Bodies consisting of similar Particles That heavy Bodies possess'd the lowermost place as the Earth Light things the uppermost as Fire and the Middlemost he assign'd to Air and Water That the Sea lay below the Earth which was broad the moisture being
produced He was the first who defined the Voice of Man to be the Repercussion of the Air and affirmed that the Sea was a vast Body of Water strained through the Earth into the Cavities of the terrestrial Globe that the Sun was the bigger of the Stars and the whole was infinite Besides this Archelaus there were three others of the same Name The one Chorographer who made a distinct Mapp of that part of the World over which Alexander had marched Another who wrote of natural Productions the third an Orator who also wrote of the Art of Rhetoric The LIFE of SOCRATES SOcrates was the Son of Sophroniscus a Stone-cutter and Phaenareta a Midwife as Plato witnesses in his Theaetetus however he challeng'd Athens for his Country as being born in Halopex a little Village in the Athenian Territory He is said to have assisted Euripides in composing his Tragedies Which occasion'd the following Verses of Mnesilochus New from the Mint the Phrygians here behold Made by Euripides as we are told But whispers run that Socrates was he Who gave perfection to the Tragedy In another place he calls him Socrates's Wedge And Callias in his Pedaetae thus retorts upon Euripides And why not I look great O Sir you may For Socrates assists your Verse they say Nor is Aristophanes less severe in his Clouds This is the great Euripides whose Plays Are full of Wisdom but who bears the praise He was a Hearer of Anaxagoras as some report but of Damon as Alexander asserts in his Successions who being condemned to death he follow'd Archelaus the Naturalist by whom he was belov'd in the worst Sence as Aristoxenus relates But Doris affirms That he serv'd as an Apprentice and then working at his Trade of a Stone-Cutter made the Statues of the Graces in their Habits which are to be seen in the Acropolis or Castle of Athens Which occasion'd the following lines of Timon in his Silli From These a shabby Stone-Cutter for sooth A babler about Law to tell ye truth His Learning boasts the Grecian's Prophet he If you 'l believe him quaint in Sophistry A scoffing Droll a Sub-Athenian more The cursed'st Flatterer e're known before For as Idomeneus relates he was a very smart and ready Orator only the thirty Tyrants forbid all teaching or practising the Art of Rhetoric as Zenophon testifies And he is severely censur'd by Aristophanes as one that could make a good Cause of a bad one Moreover as Phavorinus writes in his General History he was the first who together with Aeschines his Scholar taught Rhetorick in his Publick School Which Idomeneus also testifies in his Life of Socrates He was also the first who discours'd of the Government to be observ'd in Humane Life and Conversation and the first of the Philosophers who was publickly Executed after Condemnation And Aristoxenus also the Son of Spintharus reports him to have been the first that demanded money for teaching But Demetrius of Byzantium relates that Crito brought him off from that Mercenary Trade of begging and growing in love with his great Parts and the perfections of his Mind became his bountiful Scholar After he had cry'd down Natural Philosophy as neither beneficial nor profitable to Mankind he introduc'd Ethicks which he publickly taught in the Work-Houses and Market-places exhorting the People only to study that which according to the Verse in Homer In civil Converse and each Family Might civil most or most destructive be And such was his vehemency in discourse that he would frequently bend his fists knock his knuckles one against another and twitch the hairs of his Beard from his Chin after such a strange manner that the People contemning his antic Gestures would laugh at him and offer him twenty affronts which nevertheless he bore with an extraordinary Patience Insomuch that once being spurn'd and kick'd by a certain Person to another that admir'd at his forbearance he made answer What if an Ass had kick'd me should I have presently su'd him for it Thus much Demetrius He never thought it necessary to travel unless when any occasion call'd him to the Wars All the rest of his time he staid at home and spent it wholly in conversing and disputing with his familiar Friends not so much to convince them of their own Opinions as to find out the Truth himself To Euripides who ask'd him what he thought of a Treatise of Heraclitus's which he had given him to read he reply'd Those things that I understand are Genuine and Mascâ—liâ—e and so perhaps may they be likewise which I do not understand yet they want a Delian Diver He was very careful to exercise his Body and therefore he enjoy'd a most healthy and strong Constitution Insomuch that in the Expedition against Amphipolis at the Battle of Deliâ—s he sav'd Xenophon that was fallen from his Horse and mounted him again And when all the rest of the Athenians fled he retreated fair and softly and frequently look'd back without the least disturbance resolv'd to have defended himself had any one adventur'd to assail him He also serv'd in the War against Potidaea by Sea in which Expedition he is reported to have stood a whole night in one Posture More than that after a single Victory obtain'd by his own Valour he yielded the honour of the action to Alcibiades by whom he was highly esteem'd as Aristippus relates in his fourth Book of Ancient Delights Iâ— the Châ—â—â—e reports him to have travel'd with Archelaus into Samos Aristotle also affirms that he visited Pytho and Phavorinus in his first Book of Remembrances that he survey'd the Isthmus He was a person resolv'd and obstinate in his Opinions and a great Champion of Democracy which is apparent from hence that he withstood both Critias and his Faction who commanded Leontes the Salaminian a rich Man to be sent for that he might be put to death and was the sole Person that adventur'd to pronounce judgment contrary to the ten most powerful Captains and when the Prison doors were set open to him to go where he pleas'd refus'd severely chid those that wept for him and when fetter'd mollify'd the fury of his Enemies with his soft and smooth Language He was a person contented with his present condition and Majestic So that as Pamphila relates when Alcibiades had giv'n him a large piece of ground whereon to build him a House said he to his Benefactor Hadst thou given me a pair of Shoes and a Hide to make 'em my self would it not appear very ridiculous in me to accept it And when he saw the vast variety of Commodities that were put to sale among the Multitude he was wont to say to himself How many things are there in the World of which I have no need And it was his custom frequently to repeat the following Tambicks Silver and Purple breeding so much strife Fit for Tragoedians not for Humane Life He despis'd Archelaus the Macedonian Scopas the Crannonian and Eurylochus the Larissaean refusing the
proportion from all things that so it may become perfect and incorruptible That time is the Image of Sempiternity which always endures but that time is the Circumrotation of the Heavens For that Nights and Days and Months c. are but parts of Time and therefore there could be no time without the nature of the World. That after the Creation of Time were also Created the Sun the Moon and Planets and that God kindl'd the Light of the Sun that the number of the Hours might be manifest and certain and that the Creatures might be capable to understand Number That the Moon moves above the Circle of the Earth next to her the Sun and over them the Planets That they are all endued with Life as being all consolidated by a Lively Motion That for the greater Perfection of the World being made like to the Intelligible Life the nature of all Creatures was made which the Earth enjoying the Heavens also must of Necessity enjoy That the Gods were for the most part of a fiery Substance That the various sorts of Living Creatures were divided into three distinct Kinds such as lived in the Air such as the Water nourished and such as bred upon the Earth But that the Earth was the Eldest of all the Deities in Heaven The Structure of which was reared for the variation of Day and Night and that the Earth being in the Center is moved about the Center Now in regard he asserted two Causes therefore he said some things were Diuturnal others proceeded from the necessary Cause those were Fire Water Earth and Air not Elements exactly neither but capable of Impression which consisted of Triangles joined together and would be resolved again into the same and that the Elements from which they sprang were the oblong Triangle and the Isosoeles And these were the Beginnings and twofold Causes of all things whose Exemplar and Pattern were God and Matter which of Necessity must be void of Form as all other Substances capable of Impression That the cause of these things was a necessary cause which receiving the Ideas begat the Substances and was moved by the dissimilitude of its Power and by its own Motion compelled those things that were moved by it to move contrary to it That these Causes at first moved without any Order but when the World began to be embellished and adorn'd they received their Symmetry and Order from God. For there were also two Causes before the Creation of Heaven though very obscure and irregular till the World was brought to Perfection and then the Heaven was made of a Mixture and Materials chosen out of all Existences then Created He held that God and the Soul were Immaterial for that as being such and no otherwise it could be free from Corruption and Perturbation And for Ideas he supposes 'em to be certain Principles and Causes that such and such things are by Nature what they are Concerning Good and Evil his Tenents were these that the End was to be like God. That vertue was sufficient to render Life happy though it wanted these Utensils of the Body as Health Strength quickness of the Senses and the like or the exteriour advantages of Wealth Nobility Honour c. For that without these a wise and vertuous Man might be happy moreover he may be admitted to the Government he may Marry and he will be sure to observe the Laws besides he will make as wholesome Laws for the Benefit of his Country according to the utmost of his Ability unless the perverseness of the People frustrate his good Intentions He held that the Gods took Care of human Affairs and that there were also Daemâ—ns or Spirits He first design'd the Notion of Honest to be that which is contiguous to laudable rational profitable and seemly as they are imprinted by Nature and taken so to be He also discoursed of the truth of Words and may be said to have been the first that had the true Art of putting and answering Questions as being his continual Practice Moreover in his Dialogues he allowed the Justice of God to be a Law to the end he might render his Perswasions to Justice the more prevalent and prevent the Punishment of Evil-Doers after Death Which was the Reason that he was look'd upon as fabulous and trivial by some Persons while he intermixed in his Works such Stories as those as if the uncertainty of what should happen after Death would be a means to deter Men from injustice and injury His distribution of things as Aristotle affirms was after this manner Of Blessings said he or enjoyments some are of the Mind others of the Body others Extrinsecal Justice Prudence Frugality c. he plac'd in the Mind Beauty Health and Strength in the Body Riches Friends and Prosperity of our Country he numbred among external Happinesses and thus he asserted three sorts of Blessings He also divided Friendship into three sorts Natural Sociable and Hospitable Natural the Friendship of Parents to their Children and Kindred one to another of which also other Living Creatures participate Soâ—iable is that which Custom and Converse begets where there is no tye of Consanguinity such as that between Pylades and Orestes Hospitable is that which we shew to Strangers being induc'd thereto either by Letters of Recommendation or some secret Sympathy of Disposition to which some add a fourth which is Amorous Friendship As for the Forms of Civil Government he allowed five sorts Democratical Aristocratical Oligarchical Regal and Tyrannical Democratical is where the Multitude have the Power in their hands and chuse Magistrateâ— and make their own Laws Aristocracy where neither the Rich nor the Poor nor the Noble but they who are the most Just and Vertuous and consequently the Best Oligarchy is where the Magistrates are Elected by their Estates for the Rich are fewer by much than the Poor Regal Government is either according to the Law or by Succession The Kingdom of the Carthaginianâ— is a Kingdom according to Law for it is Political but that of the Lacedemonians by Succession Tyranny is that when the People aâ—â— govern'd by force and constraint of one single Person against their wills He asserted also three sorts of Justice The one that related to the Gods the other to Men the third to the Deceased For they that Sacrifice according to the Law and are careful in observance of Religious Ceremonies are Just and Pious toward the Gods. They who pay their Debts and deliver up their Trusts are just toward Men And they that take care of the Monuments of their Predecessors and pay their Funeral Duties to their Friends are just to the Deceas'd He also asserted three sorts of Knowledge The one relating to Trade and Manufacture the other Speculative the other Practical In the first are included Carpenterâ— Shipwrights and the like professing a Craft or Trade To Practical he referr'd the Art of well governing neat piping or playing upon the Harâ— which all consist in
cannot be lost contrary to Cleanthes They also affirm That Justice is Justice by Nature and not by Constitution of Law as Love it self and right Reason are according to the Opinion of Chrysippus in his Treatise De Honesto They also hold that Discord it self is not contrary to Phylosophy For if this were not true there would be a Deficiency in Life it self as Possidonius affirms Chrysippus also asserts the Liberal Sciences to be of great Use in his Treatise of Justice And Possidonius maintains the same Opinion in his Book De Officiis The same Authors aver That we are not just to other Creatures because of the Dissimilitude that is between us and them They allow a Wise man to be in Love with young Lads that carry in their more beautiful Aspects the Marks of Ingenuity and a Propensity to Virtue as Zeno in his Common-Wealth and Chrysippus in his Lives and Apollodorus in his Ethics declare For Love say they is an Endeavour to gain Friendship for the sake of appearing Beauty nor is it for the sake of Coition but of Friendship Therefore Thraso having his Mistress wholly at his Command abstain'd from her for fear of being hated So then Love is a Tie of Friendship not to be blam'd as Chrysippus acknowledges in his Treatise of Love. Beauty they define to be the Flower of Love. Now there being Three Sorts of Lives the Speculative the Practical and the Rational Life they say The Third is to be preferr'd For that a Rational Creature was created by Nature sufficient for Contemplation and Practice Farther they say That a Wise man will readily surrender his Life for his Country and his Friend though he suffer Torment Mutilation of Members or the most incurable Diseases 'T is their Opinion also That Wives should be in common so that a man might make Use of the first he met by accident for thus Zeno and Chrysippus both ordain'd in their Common-Wealths for that they will all have the same Charity and Affection for their Offspring and by that means Adultery and Jealousie will be remov'd out of the World. They affirm that Common wealth to be the best which is a mixture of Regal and Popular Power And this is a Brief Accompt of their Morality though they have asserted many other Opinions not without probable Grounds As for their Natural Philosophy it is comprehended under the Places of Bodies Principles Elements Deities the End Place and Vacuum Thus specifically But generally they divide it into Three Places Of the World of the Elements and of Causes The Place of the World they divide into two Parts For by the means of one Consideration they associate to themselves the Mathematics which teach 'em to enquire into the Nature of the wandring and fix'd Stars and the like As Whether the Sun be as big as he seems to be And the same concerning the Moon the Rising and Setting of the Stars and the like By means of the other Speculation which is only proper for Naturalists they enquire What is the Substance of Natural Philosophy what the Sun is and what the Stars are as to Matter and Form whether Created or not whether Living Bodies or no whether corruptible or not whether govern'd by Providence and so of the rest The Place of Causes also they distinguish into two Parts Under one Consideration falls the Question common to Physicians concerning the Dominion of the Soul what things are existent in the Soul of the Seed c. What remains is common also to the Mathematics as How we see what 's the Cause of the Optic Fancy what the Cause of Clouds Thunder Rainbows Halo's Comets and the like They assert two Principles of all Things the Active and Passive The Passive that same lazy and feneant Substance call'd Matter The Active God which is the Reason contain'd in it Who being Sempiternal was the Architect of the whole Structure and of all things contain'd in it This is the Opinion of Zeno the Cittian in his Treatise of Substance With whom agree Cleanthes in his Book of Atoms and Chrysiyppus in his First Book of Physics toward the End Archedemus in his Treatise of the Elements and Possidonius in his Second Book of Natural Philosophy However they make a Distinction between Principles and Elements for the one they hold to be without beginning the other Corruption that the Elements shall perish by Fire for that the Elements are corporeal but the Principles incorporeal and incorruptible A Body as Apollodorus defines it is that which consists of Longitude Latitude and Depth and this he calls a Solid Body The Supersicies is the Termination of a Body or that which has only Length and Latitude but no Depth And this falls as well under Thoughts as Substance A Line is the End of a Supersicies or Length without Breadth or having only Length A Point is the Termination of a Line and is the smallest Mark that can be They hold but one God to whom they give the Names of Intelligence Fate Jove and sundry other Appellations This God at the Beginning when he was alone by himself turn'd all Substance into Water having rarify'd it first into Ayr. And as the Sperm is contain'd in the Birth thus this Spermatic Reason of the World remain'd in the Water preparing the Matter for the Generation of external Beings and then the four Principles were created Fire Water Ayr and Earth This is the Discourse of Zeno in his Book of the World of Chrysippus in his first Book of Physics and of Archedemus in a certain Book of Elements An Element is that out of which all things were at first produc'd and into which they are to be dissolv'd again That all the Elements together at first compos'd that motionless Substance Matter That Fire is hot Ayr cold Water liquid and Earth dry and that the same Part still remains in the Ayr That the Fire is uppermost which they call the Sky where the Sphere of the Planets was first created next to that the Ayr below that the Water and the Earth the Foundation of all as being in the middle They affirm the World to be God three manner of ways First The peculiar Quality of the whole Substance incorruptible and without Beginning the Architect of the whole adorn'd Structure after some Periods of Time consuming and swallowing up the whole Substance into Himself and then restoring it out of Himself again In the next Place they affirm the Ornamental Order of the Stars to be the World. And Thirdly A Being consisting of both Possidonius defines the World to be the peculiar Quality of the whole Substance compos'd of Heaven and Earth and the Nature of the things therein contain'd Or a Systeme of Gods and Men and of those things created for their sakes That the Heaven is the outermost Periphery or Superficies upon which all that which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Divine Nature was fix'd Moreover That the World was
govern'd by Providence and the Grand Intelligence according to Possidonius in his Treatise of the Gods and that this Grand Intelligence diffuses it self through the whole as also into our Souls but more abundantly into some into others less Into some as a Habit through the Bones and Nerves into others as the Understanding through the Principality of the Mind That the whole World was a Living Creature and endu'd with Reason having the Ayr for its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Principality of the Mind Which was the Opinion of Antipater the Tyrian But Chrysippus and Possidonius affirm the Heaven to be the Principality of the World's Mind or Intelligence and Cleanthes to be the Sun. Soon after Chrysippus contradicting himself affirms Part of the Air to be that Hegemonicum or Receptacle of the World's Intelligence which they affirm'd to be the first Divine Nature so apprehensible to Sence that it was perceiv'd to be diffus'd as it were through the Conduits of the Air into all Creatures and Plants and through the World it self as a Habit That there was but one World Finite and of a Spheerical Form as being a Figure more proper for Motion as Posidonius and Antipater assert That beyond the World there was an immense and surrounding Vacuum But that it was incorporeal because it could contain but not be contain'd by Bodies Moreover That there was no Vacuum in the World but that all was clos'd up together in a miraculous Unity Which happen'd through the Concord and Congruency of the Celestial with the Earthly Beings Of this Vacuity Chrysippus discourses in his Book De Inani and his First Book of Natural Sciences Apollonius also and Posidonius in the Second Book of Natural Reason That all Things like to these were also incorporeal Moreover they held Time to be incorporeal being the interval of the World's Motion That the Time past and to come were infinite only the present finite They also maintain'd the World to be corruptible as being created by the Reason of those Things which are perceptible by Sence Of which the Parts being corruptible so likewise the Whole But the Parts of the World were corruptible for they change reciprocally one into another therefore the World was corruptible More especially that which may be prov'd to change for the worse is corruptible but the World is subject to that sort of Change therefore corruptible for it is plain that the Parts are subject to be dry'd up then soak'd with Moisture again Now the World was created by the Change of the Substance into Moisture being first rarify'd into Air afterwards the Water thicken'd into Earth while the thinner Part turn'd to Air again which being yet more rarify'd produc'd Fire And lastly out of a mixture of all these Plants Animals and other Beings were created Of this Generation and Corruption of the World Zeno discourses in his Treatise of the Vniverse Chrysippus in his Physics Posidonius in his Book of the World Cleanthes and Antipater in their Works under the same Title And besides these Panaetius affirms the World to be corruptible Now that the World is a Creature endu'd with Life Rational and Intelligible Chrysippus affirms in his First Book of Providence together with Apollonius in his Physics and Posidonius who asserts that the World being a Living Creature is likewise endu'd with Sence for that a Living Creature is much more noble then an inanimate Creature Moreover that it is a Living Creature is manifest from hence that the Soul of man is as it were more violently torn out of it But on the other side Bâ—â—thus affirms That the World as not a Living Creature But that it is but one Zeno Oâ—ryâ—ippus Apollodorus and Posidonius all agree And Apollodorus adds that the World is one way call'd the Vniverse and after another manner the Vast Systeme consisting of the World and the Vacuity beyond it So that the World is finite but the surrounding Vacuity infinite As for the Stars they affâ—rm That the Fix'd Stars are whirl'd about by the Circular Motion of the Heaven but that the Planets observe their own peculiar Motions That the Sun makes an oblique Revolution through the Circle of the Zodiac and so the Moon likewise That the Sun is a most pure sort of Fire according to Posiâ—onius in hiâ— Seventeenth Book of Meteors and bigger then the Earth but Sphaerical in proportion to the World. That it is made of Fire because Fire produces all things and bigger then the Earth because it enlightens all the Earth and not only the Earth but the Heaven Of which a farther Proof is this That the Earth casts a Conical Shadow and for that the Sun is every where seen by reason of its Magnitude That the Moon partakâ—s more of the Earth because it is nearer to it That these Fiery Bodiâ—â— receive continual Nourishment The Sun being a sensible Flâ—â—beau from the vast Ocean the Moon from the Potable Rivers beiâ—g miâ—â— d with Air and near to the Earth as Posâ—doniâ—â— aâ—â—â—r â—â— in his 6. Book of the Râ—â—son of Nature The râ—st receive their nouriâ—â—ment from the Earth They believe the Sâ—â—â—â— also to be Spherical â— the Earth â—o be immoveable That the Moon doeâ— not â—hine with her own borrow'd Light but borrowâ— it from the Sun. That the Sun happens to be â—â—lipsed when thâ— Moon interposâ—s hâ—r self between the Sun and that part of the Earth which is next us as Zâ—no writes in his Book of the Vniverse That the Moon is eclips'd when she falls into the Shadow of the Earth so that she is never eclips'd but when she is at the Full and diametrically opposite to the Sun which happens onâ—â— in every Month For moving obliquely contrary to the Sun she alters her Latitude sometimes more to the North someâ—imes more to the South But when her Latitude comes to the Latitude of the Sun and that which lies between and so becomes diametrical to the Sun then she suffâ—râ— an Eclipse Now she moves in her middlâ— Latitude the Claws of the Crab the Scorpion the Ram and the Bull as Posidoniâ—â— asserts They affirm God to be an immortal Creature rational perfect blessed void of all Evil governing by his Providence both the World and all things contain'd in it That he is not only the Architect of the whole but the Father of all things but generally that Part of him which penetrates all things is call'd by severâ—l Names according to the Effects In the first Place Jupiter by whom all things were made then Zous from 〈◊〉 because he gives Life to all things next Athenai because his Dominion extends into the Sky which is â—ither in the Greek Hera as bâ—ing Lord of the Air Vâ—lcan from the Use of Fire in forging of Iron Nâ—ptune from hiâ— Power over the Sea Ceres from his Power over the Earth with several others for Reasons altogâ—ther as probable As â—or the Divine Substance Zâ—no conclude it to be the Woâ—ld anâ— the Heaven But
of various Names to preserve his Writings from being thumbed by rude and illiterate Readers For he said that Wisdom was properly the knowledg of those things which were apprehended by the Understanding and were truly existent which was separated from the Body in the Contemplation of God and the Soul. Moreover he defin'd Wisdom and Philosphy to be an inbred desire of Divine or Heavenly Wisdom But generally he took it for all sort of Skill and Knowledg as when we call an Artificer a Knowing Man. He also makes use of the same words to signifie several things Thus he makes use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signify Plain or Simple as in Euripides thus speaking of Hercules in his Lysimnius Careless and Plain but for the most part honest Who measured Wisdom still by Deeds not words What e're he said he meant The same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato frequently uses sometimes for Honest sometimes for Small tho' at other times he makes use of different words to signify one and the same thing Thus he calls Idea sometimes Genus sometimes Species as also the Beginning the Exemplar and the Cause Sometimes he expresses the same thing by contrary words Thus he give◠the Names of Entity and Non Entity to Sensible Entity because it is generated Non Entity because of its being subject to continual Change. Moreover he calls Idea that which never is moved nor is permanent the same one and many And this he uses to do in several other things As for his works they require a threefold Exposition First what every one of the Subjects are that are discoursed of Then the end of the Discourse whether according to the first Intention or in lieu of an Example whether to assert or 〈◊〉 fute and thirdly whether rightly and truly said In the next place in regard there are several marks and Characters affixed tohis Books let us take some account of Them also The Letter X. is affixed to Sentences and Figures altogether according to the Platonic Custom Double XX. to his peculiar Opinions and Tenents X′ accented to his more polite and elegant Flourishes Double accented X″ to the Emendations of others A little Dagger †accented for the rejecting ridiculous Confutations An Antisigma to shew the double use and transpositions of Writing A small Half-Moon to shew the Context of the Philosophy An Astcrisk * to shew the Concurrently of Opinions A Dagger to denote a Confutation And thus much for the Notes and particular Marks which he that desired to understand gave s much Money to his instructor as Antigonus the Carystian relates in his Treatise concerning Zeno late put forth As for his Opinions which he most fancied they were these That the Soul was Immortal and transmigrated into several Bodies having its beginning from Number but that the Beginning of the Body was Geometrical He defined it to be the Idea of a Spirit altogether separate moveing it self and consisting of three parts That the Rational part was seated in the Head. That part which was subject to Passion and Anger in the Heart and the Part which brought forth Desire and Concupiscence in the Navel and Liver That it encompassed the one half of the Body all over in a circular Form consisting of the Elements and that being divided according to Harmonical Intervals made two Semi-circles joined together◠the innermost of which being divided into six Parts made all the other seven Circles and lay Diametrically to the Left side within the other close to the side upon the Right and therefore it was most predominant as being but one For the other was divided within of which the one was of the same and the rest of the Other alledging this to be motion of the Soul that of the Universe and of the Planets and that by means of the middle Segments holding Proportion with the Extreams she comprehends all Beings and adapt◠'em together as having the Principles of all things in her self according to Harmony That Opinion arises from the Elevation of the Circle of the Other Knowledg from the Elevation of the Circle of the same That there were two Beginnings of all Things God and Matter which he calls Intelligence and nominates to be the Cause That Matter is without form and immense from the coalition and conjunction of Forms That this Matter at first being hurried up and down without order was at length rammassed together into one Place by the wise God who deem'd Ordel more seemly than Disorder That this existent Matter is divided into four Elements Fire Water Air and Earth Out of which the World and all things therein were Created only that the Earth is immutable believing it to be the cause of that Diversity of Forms whereof it consists for that the Forms of all other things are of the same kind being all composed of one Oblong Triangle tho' the Figure of the Earth be peculiar to it self seeing the Figure of Fire is Pyramidical the Air resembles an Octaedron the Water an Icosaedron but the Form of the Earth is Cubical Which is the reason that the Earth never changes into Them nor they into the Earth However he denies every Element to be confin'd to its proper place for that the Circular Motion by constraining and depressing to the Center congregates the smaller but separates the more bulky things which is the reason that when they change their forms they also change their Places That the World was Created single and one and was made a sensible Being by the Creator as being for its greater Excellency endued with Life and as the most glorious of Fabricks proceeding from the best of Causes and therefore but one though not Infinite because the Exemplar by which it was Created is but one That it is of a Sphaerical Figure as being the Form of the Creator For he encompasses the whole Creation and the World contains all other Forms of all things Moreover that it is smooth without any other Circular Organ as having no need of any such thing farther that the World is Immortal because it cannot be dissolv'd again into God. But that Cod was the cause of the whole Creation since only that which was good could do good That the best of causes was also the cause of the Creation of Heaven For that there could be no other cause of the most lovely part of the Creation than the best and most excellent of intelligible Beings which it being certain that God himself is and that the Heaven is also likest to him as being the next that transcends in Beauty there can be no Creature that it can resemble but only God. That the World consists of Fire Water Air and Earth Of Fire to the end it might be visible Of Earth that it might be solid of Air and Water that it might not want Proportion For solid things derive their Solidity from two Mediums to the end the whole may be made One. But then it takes its
exhaled by the Sun. That the motions of the Stars were at first disorderly and confus'd as it were over the Top of the Earth or the Pole which always appears but that afterwards the change of Inclination happen'd That the Milky-way was only the Reflexion of the Sun where none of the Stars could cast their Light. That Comets were only the Meeting together or Conjunctions of all the Planets sending forth flames of Fire which danc'd to and fro according to the Motion of the Air. That the Rarifying the Air by the Sun was the occasion of Winds That Thunder was a compression of the Clouds Light'ning a brushing of the Clouds one against another That an Earthquake was the return of the Air from the Subterraneal Parts That all Living Creatures sprung at first from a mixture of Moist Hot and Earthy and then begat each other That Males were generated in the right Females in the left side of the Womb. It is reported that he foretold the fall of the Stone near the River of Aegos call'd Aegos-Potamos which he said would fall from the Sun. Whence Euripides who was his Disciple in his fable of Phaeton calls the Sun a Golden Mass or Clod of Gold. Coming to Olympia he sate himself down covered with a Leathern Hide as if it had been going to rain and being asked whether he thought the Sea would ever overflow the Mountains of Lampsacus Yes said he unless it want time To the question to what purpose he was Born He replied To contemplate the Sun the Moon and the Heavens To one that told him he had lost the Athenians Not so said he but they me Beholding Mausolus's Tomb Asumptuous Monument said he is a great Estate Metamorphosed into Stone To one who griev'd that he should dye in a foreign Country The Descent said he to the Infernal Shades is every where alike He was the first as Phavorinus relates in his Universal History who affirmed that Homer's Poem was composed of Vertue and Justice To which Opinion of his Metrodorus of Lampsacus his intimate Friend is said to have contributed very much who was the first that essayed to write of Natural things in Poetry However Anaxagoras was the first who ever published any Treatise written upon that Subject Silenus also farther reports in his first Book of History that a Stone fell from Heaven in the time that Dimylus Ruled at what time Anaxagoras aver'd that the whole Heaven was Composed of Stones only that the Swiftness of the Circumrotation fixed 'em in their Places which otherwise would suddenly loosen and fall down But as to his being called in Question there are various Reports For Sotion in his Succession of the Philosophers asserts that he was accused of Irreligion by Cleo because he held the Sun to be a Red-hot Mass of Iron for which when Pericles his Scholar defended him he was fin'd fifty Talents and exiled his Country Satyrus also in his Lives reports that he was accused by Thucydides who always opposed Pericles not only of Impiety but Treason and in his absence was Condemned to Death At what time when he received the News both of the Sentence pronounced against him and the Death of his Sons as to his Condemnation he answered That it was no more than what Nature had long before decreed that both he and they should Dye As to the Death of his Sons he replied That he well knew he had not begotten 'em to be Immortal Yet some there are who attribute these Sayings to Salon others to Zenophon However Demetrius Phaâ—areus records in his Treatise of old Age that he buried his Sons with his own Hands On the other side Hermippus relates that he was imprisoned in order to his Execution But then Pericles coming into the Assembly asked the Rulers whether they could accuse him of anything that reached his Life who returning no answer Why then said he I am his Disciple and therefore beware how ye destroy a Man impeached only by Malice and Calumny but rather take my Advice and let him go Which was accordingly done However he took the affront so hainously that he would not stay in the City In opposition to this Jerome in his second Book of Commentaries asserts That Pericles caused him to be brought into Court tottering every Step he went as being spent with Age and long Sickness and that he was acquitted rather through the Compassion of the Judges than that he was found innocent of what was laid to his Charge So strangely do Authors vary in their Reports concerning his Condemnation He was also thought to have born Democritus a grudge for refusing him a Conference which he desired At length retiring to Lampsacus he there ended his days And being asked by the Magistrates of the City whether he had any particular Command to lay upon 'em he desired that the Boys might have Liberty to Play every Year during the Month wherein he died which Custom is observed to this Day He was honourably interred by the Lampsacenses who caused this Epigram to be engraved upon his Monument Here he who th' utmost bounds of Earth and Skies For Truth and Knowledg rang'd entombed lies To which we shall add this other of our own For saying that the Sun was but a Mass Of Iron Red-hot doom'd Anaxagoras To Death great Pericles sav'd which danger past Another Error was his End at last There are also three more of the same Name The first an Orator and Scholar of Isocrates The Second a Statuary of whom Antigonus makes mention and the third a Grammarian the Disciple of Zenodorus The LIFE of ARCHELAVS ARchelaus an Athenian or Milesian was the Son of Apollodorus or of Mido as others affirm the Disciple of Anaxagoras and Socrates's Master He was the first that introduced natural Philosophy out of Ionia into Athens and was therefore called the Naturalist However he was the last Professor of natural Philosophy Socrates soon after advancing the Study of Ethics of which nevertheless he himself in his Life-time did not seem to have been utterly Ignorant for he made several of his publick Readings upon the Subjects of Law of Morality and Justice Which being borrowed from him and propagated by Socrates he was therefore look'd upon as the first Inventor of Ethics He asserted two Principles of Generation Heat and Cold and that Living Animals were first created out of Mud and that Good and Evil did not proceed from Nature but from the Law. For all which he gave these particular Reasons First that the Water being melted and dissolved by the Heat when it came to be thickned by the fiery Mixture made the Earth but being fluid produced the Air whence it came to pass that the one was curbed by the circular Motion of the Air the other by that of the Fire Then that living Animals were begotten out of the hot Earth which dissolved the Mud into a Substance almost like Milk for their Nourishment and that after the same manner Men were
relation to the Mind as ability to Think to Meditate to Invent c. The second in reference to the strength of Body as a power to walk to strike to give and receive c. The third when we are Potent in Military Forces and wealthy in Money which enables us for great undertakings And therefore he that abounds with Men and Riches is call'd a Potent Prince The fourth sort of Power is to be able to do or suffer well or ill And thus we have a power to live in health to be taught to sing or play and the like He made Humanity to be threefold The first consisting in Salutation and Complements as when a Man meeting another salutes him kindly and freely giveâ— him his right hand The second sort is when we compassionately relieve the distressed in their Afflictions The third sort consists in Feasting and Invitations and cordial Entertainments He numbred five sorts of Felicity The first happiness and success in Counsel The second vigour of Mind and Body found judgment and strength of Body The third Success and Prosperity in our Undertakings The fourth Precedency in Glory Honour and Authority among Men. The fifth Affluence of Wealth and all other accommodations of Life That sound and wholsome counsel sprang from Learning and Experience Vigour of Mind and Body from a sound constitution of health and perfection in the members as sharpness of Sight quickness of Hearing c. Prosperity proceeds from hence That a wise Man considers what he has to do before he puts his designs in Execution That Fame and Glory flow'd from the Opinion of Men. That Plenty consisted in the abundance of all things useful and requisite for Human Life so as to be able to entertain his Friends and to be magnificent and liberal in all his Actions And these Felicities whoever enjoy'd might be said to be perfectly happy The Arts he divided into three sorts of which some were employ'd in the working of Metals and squaring of Timber and generally in the preparation of Materials The second sort of Arts are such as frame and shape these Materials as the Smith forges Arms out of Iron and the Musical Artist Pipes and Harps out of Wood. The third sort of Arts are proper to those that have learn'd the use of what the others make Thus the Art of Horsemanship makes use of Bridles the Art of War of Arms and Music of Pipes and Harps He reckon'd that the signification of Good might be apply'd four ways First We call him a good Man who is endu'd with Vertue In the next place we deem Vertue it self and Justice to be good things Thirdly We account Food Exercise and Physick to be good things In the fourth place as when we say a good Actor a good Lutinist a good Singer Many things he affirm'd to be good others to be evil and other things to be sometimes good sometimes bad Evil things were such as were absolutely hurtful as Intemperance Madness Iniquity and the like Things to be desired were such as were contrary to these Things good or bad were Walking Sitting Feeding which sometimes did good sometimes harm Equity and moderation in the Law he alledged to be threefold For first if the Laws were just they were to be deem'd equal Secondly when the People were careful to observe the Laws as they were establish'd Thirdly if the Common-wealth were rightly govern'd without written Laws according to the Customs and Manners of the People Irregularity also he distinguish'd in the same manner first if such Laws were established as were prejudicial both to the Natives and Foreigners Secondly if the People refus'd to obey the settl'd Constitutions And thirdly where there was no Law at all Contraries he made to be threefold First good things are said to be contrary to evil as Justice to Injustice Prudence to Folly. In the second place when bad is contrary to evil Thus Prodigality is contrary to Penuriousness and unjust Punishment to unjust Impunity Thirdly when there is a contrariety between things neither good nor bad As Poverty and Riches for neither are good in themselves yet contrary one to another In like manner Ponderosity and Levity swift and slow black and white which are all neither good nor bad yet contrary to each other Of good things he averr'd three sorts of which some were to be acquired some of which we might partake and others existent The good things which might be acquired were Justice Health c. The second sort were such things as could not be acquired yet of which we might be made partakers Thus it was impossible to attain the real Good it self yet was it not impossible to enjoy the Communication of Good. The third sort were such things as were exislent which we could neither possess nor participate and yet the thing ought to be Thus a Man ought to be Just to be Honest c. Which are things that a Man can neither enjoy nor communicate only it is sufficient for a Man to be Honest and Just Counsel also he alledged to be threefold as being taken from the time past the time present and the time to come The time Past affords us Examples when we consider what the Lacedaemonians suffer'd through their over Confidence what they bravely acted for our Imitation The Present Time admonishes us to consider the Decay of the City Walls the faint-heartedness and present dismay of the People and the scarcity of Provisions The Future puts us in mind to beware of violating the Priviledges of Ambassadors to the dishonour of Greece The Voice he said was either Animate or Inanimate Animate were the several Cries Bellowings and Howlings of living Creatures Inanimate were the various sounds of things Inanimate thumping and knocking one against the other Animate he divided into Articulate such as was the Speech of Men and Inarticulate such as were the several noises of Mute Creatures Of all Beings some he said were subject to division others were not to be divided And of those things that might be divided some consisted of similar some of dissimilar parts As for those things that do not admit of division they are simple unmixt without any composition at all as an Unite a Point a Sound But those things which are subject to be divided are compounded as Syllables Consonants Animals Water and Gold. Similar things are such as are composed of like Parts and of which the Whole differs not from the Part but in Bulk or Quantity As Water and Gold. Dissimilars are such as consist of Parts that are unlike as a House c. Some things also he defin'd to be such things as needed no farther interpretation than only the bare naming to make us understand what they were as a Man a Horse and so of all other Creatures Other things there were that could not be understood without an Additional Interpretation as Better than Bigger than Fairer than For Better is Better than that which is Worse Bigger is Bigger than that
Chrysippus Poâ—sidonius and Antipaâ—er affirm it to be the Air. Boethus assâ—rts the Globe of the Fix'd Sâ—ars to be the Divine Nature Nature they sometimes define to bâ— that which comprehends and embraces the World sometimes that which causâ—s the Products of the Earth to groâ— and flourish Nature therefore is a Habit deriving motion from it self according to the Sâ—ermatic Rationalities terminating and putting an end to those things that flow from her at certain prefix'd times and performing what she was ordain'd for and it is apparent that she aims at profitable Pleasure by the Structure of Man. On the other side Zeno Chrysippus Posidonius and Boethus in their Treatises of Fate assert all things to have been created by Fate Now Fate is a Series of things link'd together or else thâ—t Reason by which the World is administer'd They also allow all manner of Divination to be substantial or else Providence Which was the Opinion of Zeno Chrysippus Athenodorus and Posidonius But Panaetius will not yield it to be a Substance for that the Prima Mâ—tâ—ria or first Matter was the Substance of all things as Cleanthes and Zeno both acknowledge Now Matter is that of which any thing consists and it is call'd sometimes Matter sometimes Substance or the Caâ—se of all things both general and particular but the Substance of the Whole neither increases nor diminishes A Body they say is a terminated Substance as Apollodorus and Antipater define it It is also Passive for if it were immutable those things which are could not be form'd out of it Hence the Division of it extends to Infinity Which Chrysippus denies for that there is nothing Infinite which can be divided The Mixtures also are made quite through the whole and not with Limitation or by Apposition of Parts for a small Quantity of Wine being thrown into the Sea will resist for a time but soon mingle and lose its Nature They also affirm That there are Daemons or Spirits which have the Guardianship of Humane Affairs and that the Souls of Wise men being departed from the Bodies become Hero's As to those things that derive their Original from the Air they say That Winter is the congealing of the Air by reason of the Sun's remoteness the Spring a more moderate Temper of the Air upon the Return of the Sun to our Hemispere Summer when the Air is heated by the approach of the Sun to the North and that the Fall of the Leaf is occasion'd by the Sun's Departure from us That the Winds are the Flowings and Inundations of the Air various in their Names according to the Climates from whence they come and of which the Sun is the Cause by exhaling the Clouds That the Rain-bow is the Reflexion of the Sun-Beams upon Watery Clouds Or as Possidonius defines it the Manifestation of some part or portion of the Sun or Moon in a dewle Cloud concave and shewing it self firm and contiguous to the apprehension of Sight as the Periphery of a Circle fancy'd in a Looking-Glass That Comets Bearded Comets and other Celestial Meteors are substantial Fires caus'd by the thicker Part of the Air drawn up into the Ethereal Region A Sun-Beam the kindling of a sudden Flame swistly darted through the Air and representing to the Sight the Figure of a long Line The Rain is the Alteration of a Cloud turn'd into Water when the Moisture exhal'd by the Sun either from the Earth or the Sea loses its first Operation and thickens into Ponderosity which being congeal'd is call'd Frost or Ice Hail is a more solid Cloud crumbl'd by the force of the Wind. Snow is the Moisture of a compacted Cloud according to Possidonius Lightning is the kindling of Clouds shatter'd and brok'n by the Wind as Zeno defines it Thunder is a Noise which proceeds from the rushing of the Clouds one against another A Thunder-Bolt is a vehement kindling and baking of a substantial Cloud which then comes poudring down upon the Earth the Clouds being once brok'n and shiver'd in pieces A Typho is the sâ—oaky Wind of a broken Cloud carry'd vehemently to the Earth A Prester or Fiery Whirlwind is a Cloud surrounded with Fire carry'd by the Wind into the Concavities of the Earth or else a Wind enclos'd in the Bowels of the Earth according to Posidonius Of which there are several sorts as Earth-quak's Yâ—â—nings of the Earth Burnings and Ebullitions Now having plac'd the Earth in the middle they make it the Center of the whole next to which is the Water which has a Center likewise with the Earth so that the Earth seems to be in the Water and above the Water is the Air in a Body resembling a Sphear That there are five Circles in the Heavens the Arctic which always appears the Summer Tropic the Equinoctial the Winter-Tropic and the Antarctic They are also call'd Parallels because they never meet one another The Zodiac is an oblique Circle because it touches the Parallels They also reckon five Zones the Frigid Zone beyond the Arctic Pole uninhabited through extremity of Cold the Temperate Zone the Torrid Zone the Southern Temperate Zone and the Southern Frigid Zone They further conceive Nature to be an artificial Fire tending her own way to Generation which is also a fiery and artificial Spirit That the Soul is sensible and is a Spirit bred within us therefore it is a Body and remains after Death but is liable however to Corruption But the Soul of the whole is incorruptible the Parts of which are Souls of Beasts Zeno and Antipater affirm the Soul to be a Hot Spirit as being that with which we breath and by which we are mov'd Cleanthes also asserts That all souls are so long durable till they lose their Heat But Chrysippus allows that Pre-eminency to none but the Souls of Wise men As to the Senses they affirm Sight to be the Interval between the Sight and the subjected Light conically extended according to Chrysippus But as Apollodorus defines it that Part of the Air which resembles a Conical Figure next the Sight of which the Basis is the Object next the Sight which is apparent to be seen when the Air is smitten with a Wand Hearing is the interval of Air between the Speaker and the Heurer smitten into Circles which upon that Agitation flows into the Ears like the Circles made by a Stone in a Cistern of Water That Sleep proceeds from the Relaxation of the sensible Faculty being put upon the stress in the Principality of the Soul. That the Passions are occasion'd by the Alterations of the Spirit The Seed is that which was appointed by Nature to generate the like to that by which it was begotten and that the Seed of Man mixes its Moisture with some Parts of the Soul thereby to communicate the Reason of the Parent to the Thing generated which Chrysippus affirms to be a Spiritual Substance as appears by the Seeds that are sown in the Earth which being too old never grow