and modest concession the occasion related thus by Laertius and Valerius Maximus Some young men of Ionia having bought a draught of the Milesian fishermen when the net was drawn up there was found in it a Tripod a golden Delphick Table of great weight Hereupon arose a dispute those affirming they had bargain'd onely for the fish the others that they bought the draught at a venturs by reason of the strangenesse of the case and value of the Tripod it was delivered to the City Miletus The Milesians sent to the Oracle at Delphi about it and received this answer Com'st thou Milesian to consult my shrine The Tripod to the wisest I assigne Hereupon the Milesians by agreement presented it to Thales he sent it to Bias Bias to Pittacus he to another till it past through all the seven coming at last to Solon who affirming God to be the wisest sent it back to Delphi giving him at once the title and reward of greatest wisdom But Callimachus in his Iambicks continueth Laertius relates it otherwise that Bathycles an Arcadian left a cup with order that it should be given to the wisest whereupon it was presented to Thales and past about in course till it came to him again who then dedicated it to Apollo Didymaeus with these verses according to Callimachus Thales to him that rules th' Ionian State This twice obtained prize doth consecrate In prose thus Thales the Milesian Son of Examius to Delphian Apollo of the Grecians offers this twice received prize of eminence He that carried the Cup from one to another was Thyrion Son to Bathycles whither allude these Verses of Phoenix Colophonius Thales whose birth his Country blest Esteem'd of all men the best Was of the golden Cup possest Eudoxius of Gnidus and Euanthes of Miletus report that a friend of Croesus having receiv'd from him a golden Cup to be given to the wisest of the Grecians deliver'd it to Thales and that at last it came to Solon who sending to the Phythian Oracle to know who was the wisest was answer'd Myson whom Eudoxius substitutes for Cleobulus Plato for Periander the Oracle concerning Myson was this Octoean Myson I declare Wiser then those that wisest are He that was sent upon the enquiry was Anacharsis Daedacus the Platonist and Clearchus affirm that the Cup was sent by Croesus to Pittacus and so carried about Andron in Tripode which seems to have been a discourse wholy upon this subject and is likewise cited by Clemens Alexandrinus to prove that Thales and the other six flourish'd about the fiftieth Olympiad writes that the Argiâ—es proposed this Trypod as a prize to the wisest of the Greeks and that it was adjudged to Aristodemus a Spartan who resigned it to Chilon Aristodemus is mentioned by Alchaeus This speech we to Aristodemus owe Money 's the man none 's poor and honest too There are who report that a ship richly laden sent by Periandeâ— to Thrasibulus Tyrant of Miletus was cast away in the Coan Sea and theâ— ripod taken up by some Fishermen Phanodius affirms it was lost in the Athenian Sea and afterwards brought to the City and upon consultdtion voted to be sent to Bias. Others say this Tripod was made by Vulcan who gave it to Pelops as his wives Portion from him it came to Menelaus and afterwards being taken away with Hellen by Paris was by the Lacedaemonian Hellen thrown into the Sea calling to mind an old Oracle that it would prove in time to come the ground of many contentions After this some Lebeaians fishing thereabouts drew it up and quarrelling with the fishermen about it it was brought to Coos but the controversie not decided the businesse was told to those of Miletus which is the chief City of that Country they sent sent a messenger to demand it and finding themselves slighted made war upon the Coans in which many being slain on both sides the Oracle declared that the Tripod should be given to the wisest whereupon both parties with joint consent presented it to Thales The Coans being willing to grant that to a private person for which they before contested with all the Milesians who dedicated it to Apollo Didymaâ—us the effect of the Oracle to the Coans was this This Contestation shall continue till The golden Tripod into th' Ocean cast By Vulcan you present to one whose skill Extends to things to come present and past To the Milesians Comest thou Milesian to consult my shrine as before Thusâ—aertius â—aertius Plutarch addes that Thales said Bias was wiser then himself whereupon it past to him from him to another as wiser so passing in a circle from one to another it came at last to Thales the second time Finally it was sent from Miletus to Thebes and dedicated to Ismenian Apollo Theophrastus saith it was first sent to Bias at Priene then by Bias to Thales at Miletus so passing through all it came again to Bias and finally was sent to Delphi This is most generally reported saving instead of a Tripod some say it was a Cup sent from Croesus others that it was left there by Bathycles Thus was the Priority of Thales confirmed by the Oracle for which reason he is by Cicero and Strabo stiled Prince of the wise men to whom the rest yielded the preheminence CHAP. VI. Of his Philosophy THales saith Laertius is by many affirm'd to be the first that made disquisitions upon Nature Cicero who taught the Greek Philosophy first to speak Latine acknowledges Thales to be the first Author thereof Strabo saith that he first of the Grecians made enquiry into naturall Causes and the Maâ—hematicks Plutarch calls him Inventor of Philosophy Iustine Martyr The most antient of Philosophers Tertullian first of Naturall Philosophers Lactantius the first that made enquiry after Naturall Causes Sect. 1. That Water is the Principle of all things IN his disquisition of the naturall Causes of things he conceived Water to be the first Principle of all naturall Bodies whereof they consist and into which they resolve His reasons as deliver'd by Plutarch and repeated by Stobaeus these First because naturall Seed the Principle of all living creatures is humid whence it is probable that humidity is also the principle of all other things Secondly because all kinds of Plants are nourish'd by moisture wanting which they wither and decay Thirdly because Fire even the Sun it self and the stars are nourish'd and maintain'd by vapours proceeding from Water and consequently the whole world consists of the same Whence Homer supposing all things to be engendred of water saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Ocean whence all things receive their birth In pursuit as Aristotle saith of this opinion he assign'd water the lowest place holding according to Seneca that the whole Earth â—â—oats and is carried above the water whether that we call the Ocean or great Sea or any simple
to have invented it wheras as Gassendus observes morall Philosophy was far more antient that being the principle ground of the attribute of wise conferred upon the Seven whose learning lay chiefly that way but Socrates is called the Author thereof because he first reduced it to a science Archelaus asserted That the principles of all things are twofold one incorpore all the mind not maker of the world the other corporeall infinite in number and dissimilar which is the air and its rarefaction and condensation whereof one is fire the other water That the universe is insinite That the causes of generation are two heat and cold That the starrs are burning iron plates That the Sun is the greatest of stars That the Sea is made by percolation of the hollow parts of the Earth That living Creatures are generated of slime câ—warm Earth emitting a milky kind of slime like the chile that this humid matter being dissolved by the fire that of it which settles into a fiery substance is earth that which evaporates is air That the winds getting into the hollow places of the Earth filling all the spaces the air condensed as much as possible the wind that comes next presseth the first forcing and disturbing it by frequent impulsions This wind seeking a room through the narrow places endeavoureth to break prison whereby it happens the wind strugling for passage that the earth is moved Of the definition of the Voice by Plutarch attributed to Anaxagoras Laertius makes Archelaus the Author describing it a percusion of the air That what is just or dishonest is defined by Law not by Nature These five Anaximander Anaximenes Thales Anaxagoras Archelaus by continuall desent succeding one another compleat the Ionick sect FINIS THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY The Third Part. Containing the Socratick Philosophers LONDON Printed for Humphrey Moseley and Thomas Dring and are to be sold at their shops at the Princes Armes in St. Pauls Church-yard and at the George in Fleetstreet neere Cliffords Inne 1655. SOCRATES SOCRATES CHAP. I. Socrates his Country Parents and time of birth SOcrates was by Country an Athenian borne at Alopece a towne according to Suidas and Phavorinus belonging to the Antiochian tribe This was one of those small villages scattered through Attica before Theseâ—s reduc'd the people into the walls of a City which notwithstanding his decree were not deserted but continued and preserved by their Inhabitants His Parents were very meane Sophroniscus an Athenian his Father a statuary or carver of Images in stone Phaenareta his mother a Midwife a woman of a bold generous quick spirit as is implyd by the character Plato gives her though wrested by Athenaeus of which professions of his Parents he is observed to have been so farre from being asham'd that hee often tooke occasion to mention them Apollodorus Laertius and Suidas affirme he was borne in the fourth yeare of the 77. Olympiad which may likewise be collected from the marble at â—rundel Hoâ—se which saith he dyed when Laches was Arcâ—on and reckons 70. yeares of his life which was compleat because Plato sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from Dometrius Phalereus who was himselfe archon the fourth yeare of the 117. Olympiad who saith he dyed the first yeare of the 95. Olympiad when he had lived 76 yeares the 70. yeare inclusively upwards is the fourth of the 77 Olympiad when Apsephion or as some call him Aphepsion was Archon of whose name in Diodorus Siculus no more is left then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but hath been incuriously alter'd into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which if * Meursius had observed he had not corrected Laertius without cause nor he and * Allatius follow'd the mistake of Scaliger whom they terme Anonymus in placing Aphepsion in the fourth yeare of the 74. Olympiad The day of Socraâ—es birth was according to Apollodorus the sixt of the month Thargelion memorable saith Laertius for the birth of Diana according to the traditions of the Delians upon which day the Athenians did yearely lustrate the â— City Many other good fortunes happening to the Aâ—henians upon this day are recorded by Aelian The day following viz. the seventh of this month was the birthday of Plaâ—o both which were kept with much solemnity by the Greek Philosophers even to the time of Plotinus as is affirmed by Plutarch who thereupon observes it as the effect rather of Providence then of chance that their birth-daies should be so near and that of the Master precede the Scholer's To accommodate this time with our accompt is neither easie nor certain yet in respect it may give some satisfaction by way of conjecture we shall found it upon these hypotheses taking that order of months which Petavius gives 1. That after the Olympiads the beginning of the Grecian year was alwaies on the first of Hecatombaeon and Olympick games on the 15th 2. That the Neomenia of Hecatombaeon did at least in the times wherein we enquire never precede the solstice being then about the Calends or pridie Calendarum Iulij they supposing them in octavis signorum it did not precede the ninth of Iuly This postulatum though it be doubly question'd by Petavius yet none of his Argumen t s pretend beyond Meton's time 3. That upon that supposition if Scaliger hath rightly order'd the Neomenia in his Olympick period against which Petavius brings no one sufficient Argument and consequently the rest the Olympick period doth certainly exhibiâ—t the Neomenia of Hecatombaeon It is true that Petavius disputes the period of 76 years as having never been used till Calippus his time but we take it here onely proleptically as the Julian year to which we would accomodate it 4. That this being after Solon's time the Civill year was Lunary and consisted of months which were alternately of 29. and 30. daies at Athens though diverse places of Greece especially the more remote from thence did not for a long time after part with their tricenary months These things supposed the sixt of Thargelion will according to the Julian accompt taken proleptically fall upon Tuesday the twentieth of May according to the Gregorian upon Tuesday the thirtieth of May in the year of the Julian period 4247. before the Incarnation 467. years the fourth year of the 77. Olympiad at what time Socrates was born CHAP. II. His first Education PLutarch saith that as soon as he was born Sophroniscus his Father consulting the Oracle was by it advis'd to suffer his Son to do what hee pleas'd never compelling him to doe what he disliked nor diverting him from that whereto he was enclined to give thanks for him by Sacrifice to Iupiter Agoraeus and the Muses to be no further sollicitous for him he had one guide of his life within him better then five hundred masters But his Father not observant of 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
moisture of another nature or a moist element By this water saith he the earth is sustained as a great ship which presseth upon the water that bears it up because the most weighty part of the world cannot be upheld by the Air which is subtle and light Thus is Aristotle to be explain'd who saith Thales held that the Earth being capable of swimming resteth as wood or the like now of such things none suim upon Air but upon Water Upon this ground it was that he held Water as Laertius saith to be the cause of Earthquakes Thus Seneca He holds that the Globe of the Earth is upheld by water and carried as a bark and floateth by the mobility thereof at such time as it is said to quake One of his reasons alledged by Seneca is this because in all extraordinary motions thereof some new Fountains commonly issued which if they incline to one side and shew their keel asidelong gather water which if it chance the burden they bear be overweighty raiseth it selfe higher towards the right or left side From the testimony of Homer by which Thales according to Plutaâ—ch and Iustine Martyr defended this Tenet that water is the principle of all things it is manifest it was deliver'd though imperfectly by other Grecians before Thales Plutarch else where producing this Authority of Hesiod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of all things Chaos was the first addeth the greater part of antient Philosophers called water Chaos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from dissusion The Scholiast of Apollonius upon these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Earth of slime was made affirms citing Zeno that the Chaos whereof all things were made according to Hesiod was water which setling became slime the slime condens'd into solid Earth to which adde this testimony of Orpheus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of Water slime was made This opinion they borrow'd from the Phoenicians with whom the Grecians had a very antient correspondence Linus came from thence Orpheus had his learning from thence as Thales is conceived to have done likewise which appears clearly in Numenius an antient Philosopher who cites the very words of Moses for this opinion The spirit of God moved on the face of the waters There is an eminent place in Eusebius to prove this the divinity of the Phoenicians asserts the principle of this world to be a dark spirituall air or the spirit of dark air and Chaos troubled and involv'd in darknesse that this was infinite and a long time had no bound but say they the spirit being moved with the love of his own principles there was made a mixtion which nexure was called love this was the beginning of the production of all things but the spirit it self had no generation and from this connexion of the spirit was begotten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some call slime others corruption of watery mistion and of this was made the seed of all creatures and the generation of all things Nor were the Indians ignorant of this as Megasthenes delivers their opinion They are of the same mind in many things with the Grecians as that the world had beginning and shall have end that God its Maker and Governour goes quite through it that all things had different beginnings but that of which the world was made was water The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Principle because with Philosophers it includes the efficient cause and consequently understood singly excludes the rest that being the most noble hath given occasion to some to mistake Thales as is by acknowledging no other principle he consequently accounted Water to be God but that Thales understands by Principle only the material Cause we may easily gather from Plutarch who condemneth Thales for confounding a Principle with an Element and for holding them to be both one Wheras saith he there is great difference Elements are coÌ„pounded Principles are neither compounded nor are any compleat substance truly water air earth fire we term elements but principles we call other natures in this respect that there is nothing precedent â—to them wherof they are engendred For otherwise if they were not the first they would not be Principles but that rather should be so termed whereof they were made Now certaine things there are precedent whereof Earth and water are compounded viz. The first informe matter and the forme it selfe and privation Thales therefore erres affirming Water to be both Element and principle of all things Thus we see by Plutarch that the objection can onely be as to the name not to reason of the name for the distinction of principle and element being not used in that time Thales by principle meant nothing of the efficient cause which is most certaine from Aristotle Thales saith he affirmes water to be the principle wherefore he held the earth to be above the water perhaps hee conceived so because he saw that the nutriment of all things is humid that heat it selfe consists thereof and that every creature lives thereby He held that of which things are made to be the principls of all things for these reasons he was of this opinion as also because the seeds of all things are of a humid nature and water is the principle of things humid Sect. 2. Of God TErtullian saith that Thales to Croesus enquiring concerning the Deity gave no certaine accompt but desired severall times of deliberating to no effect He seemes to reflect upon the same or a like story to that which is reported of Simonides and Hieron But what the opinion of Thales was concerning God may bee gather'd from two Apothegmes cited by Laertius repeated with this glosse by Clemens Alexandrinus And what are not those the sayings of Thales that are derived from hence That God is glorifi'd for ever and ever and he openly confesseth that he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee who knoweth Hearts For Thales being demanded what God was that saith he which hath neither beginning nor end Another asking of a man might doe ill and conceale it from God How saith he when a man that thinkes it cannot Men ought to think sayes Cicero in his name that the Gods see all things He acknowledged God the first of beings and Author of the world asserting according to Laertius that the most antient of all things is God â—or he is not begotten that the fairest is the world for it is his work This is confirmed by Cicero Thales the Mileâ—ian saith he who first enquired into these things said that water was the principle of things but that God was that mind which formed all things of water If Gods may be without sence and mind why did he joyn the mind to waterâ— why water to the mind if the mind can subsist without a body Thus Cicero who understands Thales to intend the materiall principle to be co-eternall with the efficient which Thales himselfe seems not to mean when
the common rule of naturall Philosophers of nothing proceeds nothing it is not possible any thing can be made of that which is not or that which hath a being can be resolved into that which hath none Secondly because contraries are made mutually of each other therefore they were in each other before for if it be necessary that whatsoever is made be made of that which is or is not but that it should be made of that which is not impossible wherein all agree that ever discoursed upon nature it followes necessarily that they be made of things that are and are within these very things though by reason of their smallnesse not discernable by us Hence is it that they say every thing is mixt with every thing because they see any thing made of any thing but things seem different and are called diverse in respect to one another by reason that the multitude of infinites which are within aboundeth in the mistion for the whole is neither quite white nor black flesh nor bone but every thing seemeth to be of the nature of that whereof it hath most of simple nourishment as bread water and the like are bred the hair veines arteries nerves bones and other parts of the body all things are therefore in this food as nerves bones and the like discernable by reason though not by sense Of these Atomes the whole world consisteth as gold of grains these homogeneall parts are the matter of all things his opinion is thus exprest by Lucretius Next Anaxagoras we must pursue And his Homoiomeria review A term that 's no where mention'd but among The Greeks too copious for our naâ—row tongue Yet may the sense be in more words arraid The principle of all things entrailes made Of smallest entrails bone of smallest bone Blood of small sanguine drops reduc'd to one Gold of small graines earth of small sands compacted Small drops to water sparks to fire contracted The like in every thing suppos'd yet he Nature asserted from all vacuum free And held that each corporeall being might Be subdivided into infinite That God is an infinite selfe-moving mind that this divine infinite mind not inclosed in any body is the efficient cause of all things out of the infinite matter consisting of similar parts every thing being made according to its species by the divine minde who when all things were at first confusedly mingled together came and reduced them to order Sect 2. Of the Heavens That the higher parts of the world are full office the power that is there he called aether and that properly saith Aristotle for the body which is continually in quick motion is conceived to be divine by nature for that reason called aether none of those that are here below being of that kind That the ambient aether being of a fiery nature by the swiftnesse of its motion snatcheth up stones from the earth which being set on fire become starres all carried from East to West That the Startes are impelled by the condensation of the aire about the Poles which the Sun makes more strong by compressing That the starres are earthly and that after the first secretion of the Elements the fire separating it selfe drew some parts of the earth to its own nature and made them like fire Whereupon he farther affirmed The Sun is a burning plate or stone many times bigger then Peloponnesus whose conversionn is made by the repulse of the Northern aire which he by compressing makes more strong the Moon is a dark body enlightned by the Sun habitable having plaines hills and waters that the inequality in her face proceeds from a mixture cold and earthly for there is darknesse mixt with her fiery nature whence she is called a star of false light Plato saith that the Moon was occasion of dishonour to him because he assumed the originall of this opinion of her borrowing light to himselfe whereas it was much moreantient That the milky way is the shadow of the earth upon that part of heaven when the Sun being underneath enlightens not all Or as Aristotle that the Milkie way is the light of some starres for the Sun being under the earth looks not upon some starres the light of those on whom he looks is not seen being swallowed up in his the proper light of those which are hindred by the earth from the Suns illumination is the Galaxy Laertius saith he held the Galaxy to be the reflection of the light of the Sun Sect. 3. Of Meteors THat Comets are the coâ—apparition of wandring starres which approach so near each other as that they seem to touch one another Or as Laertius the concourse of Planets emitting flames That falling starres are shot down from the aether as sparkles and therefore soon extinguished That Thunder is the collision of Clouds lightning their mutuall attrition Or as Plutarch the cold falling upon the hot or the aetheriall upon the aeriall the noise which it makes is Thunder of the blacknesse of the cloud is caused lightning of the greatnesse of the light Thunderbolts of the more corporeall fire whirle-winds of the more cloudy Presters That lightning distills from the aether and that from that great heat of Heaven many things fall down which the clouds preserve a long time enclosed That the Rain-bow is a refraction of the Suns light upon a thick dark cloud opposite to him as a looking glasse by the same reason faith he appeared chiefly in Pontus two or more Suns That Earth quakes are caused by the aire or aether which being of its own nature apt to ascend when it gets into the veines and cavernes of the earth finding difficulty in the getting out causeth that shaking for the upper parts of the earth contract themselves by the benefit of rain Nature having made the whole body thereof alike laxe and spungy the parts as in a Ball superiour and inferiour the superiour that which is inhabited by us the inferiour the other This wind getting into the inferiour parts breaks the condensed aire with the same force as we see clouds broken when upon the collision of them and motion of the agitated aire sire breaks forth this aire falls upon that which is next seeking to get out and tears in pieces whatsoever it meets untill through those narrow passages it either finds a way to Heaven or forceth one which Laerâ—ius obscurely expresseth the repulsion of the air upon the earth THat Snow is not white but black nor did it seem white to him because he knew the water whereof it is congealed to be black Sect 4. Of the Earth THat the begining of motion proceeding from the mind the heavie bodies obtained the lowest place as the earth the light the highest as the fire those betwixt both the middle as the aire and water thus the sea subsists upon the superficies of the earth which is flat the
OF GEOMETRY ENTER HERE meant not only of the measure and proportion of lines but also of the inward Affections CHAP. VI. How he instituted a Sect. HAving thus setled himself in the Academy he began out of the Collection he had made from others and his own invention to institute a Sect called from the place where he taught Academick He mixed the Heraclitian discourses with the Socratick and Pythagorick following in sensibles Heraclitus in Intelligibles Pythagoras in Politicks Socrates Whereas Philosophy saith St. Augustine concerns either action or contemplation thence assuming two names Contemplative and Active the Active consisting in practise of morall Actions the contemplative in penetration of abstruse Physicall causes and the nature of the Divinity Socrates excelled in the Active Pythagoras in the Contemplative But Plato join'd them into one perfecâ— kind which he subdivided into three severall parts Morall consisting chiefly in Action Naturall in Contemplation Rationall in Distinction of true and false which though usefull in both the other yet belongeth more particularly to Contemplation So that this Trichotomy contradicts not the other Dichotomy which includeth all within Action and Contemplation And as of old in a Tragedy the Chorus acted alone then Thespis making some intermissions of the Chorus introduc'd one Actour Aeschylus a second Sophocles a Third in like manner Philosophy was at first but of one kind Physick then Socrates added Ethick thirdly Plato inventing Dialectick made it perfect Of these three parts as they were held by Plato and the rest of the old Academy we cannot have a generall better accompt then this of Cicero Sect. 1. Ethick The first concerning well living they sought in Nature affirming that she ought to be obeyed and that in nothing else but Nature was to be had that chief good whereto all things should be referr'd that the ultimate being of desirable things and end of all good in the mind body and life were acquir'd by Nature Those of the body they placed in the whole and in the parts Health Strength Beauty in the whole in the parts sound Sence and a certain Excellâ—nce of particular parts as in the feet swiftnesse strength in the hands clearnesse in the voice in the Tongue plainnesse of expression Of the mind were those which are proper to comprehend the power of wit which they divided into Nature and Manners To Nature they ascribed quickness of apprehension and memory both proper to the mind and wit To manners belonged study and a kind of wisdom formed partly by continuall exercise partly by reason in which consisted Philosophy it self wherein that is begun and not perfected is called progression to vertue what is perfected Virtue perfection of Nature of all things in the mind the most excellent Thus of Minâ—s The Adjuncts of life that was the third they asserted such things as conduced to the practise of Vertue Sect. 2. Physick Of Nature for that was next they so treated as to divide it into two things One the efficient the other giving it self to this that thereof might be made somthing In that they conceived to be a power in this a certain matter to be effected in both matter could not cohere unlesse contained by some power nor the power without some matter for there is nothing which is not enforced to be some where that which consists of both they called Body and Qualitie Of Qualities some are primary others arising from these the primary are uniform and simple hose which arise from these are various and as it were multiform Air Fire Water and Earth are Primary of these arise formes of living Creatures and of those things which are made of the Earth These principles are called Elements of which Air and Fire have a faculty to move and effect the other parts Water and Earth to suffer To all these there is subjected a certain matter without form destitute of quality out of which all things are expressed and formed It is capable of admitting all and of changing all manner of waies in the whole and in every part This resolves nothing to nothing but into its own parts which are divisible into infinite there being in naâ—ure no least which cannot be divided Those which are moved are all moved by intervalls which intervalls likewise may be divided infinitely and that power which we call quality being moved and agitated every way they conceive the whole matter to be throughly changed and by that means those things which they call qualitative to be produced of which in all coherent nature continued with all its parts was effected the World beyond which there is not any part of matter or body The parts of the World are all things therein kept together by a Sensitive nature wherein is likewise perfect reason It is also sempiternall for there is nothing more strong whereby it may be dissolved This power they call the Soul of the World God a certain providence over all things subâ—ected to him regarding in the first place heavenly things next on the Earth those thing which appertain to man The same they somtimes call Necessity because nothing can be otherwise then is by him ordained a fatall immutable continuation of eternall order somtimes Fortune as producing many things not foreseen or expected by us by reason of the obscurity and our ignorance of the Causes Sect. 3. Dialectick Of the third part of Philosophy consisting in reason and dissertation they treated thus Though Iudgment arise from the Sense yet the Iudgment of truth is not in the Senses The mind they affirmed to be Iudge of things conceiving her only sit to be credited because she alone seeth that which is simple and uniform and certain This they called Idea All sense they conceived to be obtuse and slow and no way able to perceive those things which seem subject to sense which are so little as that they cannot fall under sense so moveable and various that nothing is one constant nor the same because all things are in continuall alteration and fluxion All this part of things they called Opimative Science they affirmed to be no where but in the Reasons and Notions of mind whence they approved definitions of things and applyed them to all whereon they discoursed They approved likewise explications of words by Etymologies They used Arguments and marks for things to prove and conclude what they meant to explain In this consisted all the discipline of Dialectick that is of Speech concluded by Reason This accompt in generall Cicero gives of the old Academy Plutarch Laertius Apuleius and others have made collections more particular we shall make choice of that of Alcinous as most full and perfect which by reason of the length is referred as an Appendix to Plato's life CHAP. VII His Inventions HE added much to learning and language by many inventions as well of things as of words To omit Dialectick of which we treated last Phavorinus attributes to his invention discoursing by
come mixt bodies differing according to the various proportion of the temperament and as they are compounded of the Elements so they resolve into the same All these mixt bodies consist of all the Elements of Earth for every things participates of the nature of that thing wherein it is produced of water because every mixt thing must be concrete and terminated which properties Water best affordeth to Earth of Air and Fire because every perfect mixt body is made by temperament of contraries such is Air to Earth Fire to Water Again the nature of all mixt bodies as well animate as inanimate as to mixture is the same but that the animate consist of all the Element is manifest in that they are nourished by them The causes and common principles of mixt bodies are three materiall fomall efficient The Materiall is the power to be and not to be by which elementary things are generated and corrupted The formall is the reason of the essence of every thing the universall efficient is the circular motion of Heaven not onely as being eternall continuall and before generation but chiefly because it bringeth nigh to us and carrieth far from us that which hath the generative power of all things that is the Sun and the other Stars which by their accession and recession are the causes of generation and corruption All these are so disposed according to the order of Nature that because no naturall being can be permanent in the same individuall state they may be at lest preserved by a continuall succession of many individuum's of the same species Whence the naturall cause of generation is onely conservation of the species CHAP. XI Of imperfect mixt bodies MIxt bodies are twofold imperfect and perfect Meteors are imperfect mixt bodies produced according to Nature but after a lesse orderly and constant manner The generall matter thereof are the Elements the efficient the celestiall bodies which act upon inferiours by a kind of coherence Heaven is highest next Heaven the Element of fire next fire air under air water and earth Clouds are not generated in the sphear of fire nor in the region of the air partly by reason of the heat which is there partly because of the motion of the Heavens which carrieth along with it the element of fire and the upper region of the air by which motion heat is produced in inferiour bodies for the air being carried along by the Heaven is heated by that motion and by the proximity of the Sunne and of the Element of fire Flames that appear in the upper part of the air are made thus The Sun by his warmth extracteth a kind of breath out of the Earth which if hot and dry is called exhalation and if hot and moist vapour Exhalation ascends higher as being higher and being got into the upper region of the air is there enkindled by the motion of the air and proximity of the fire Hence come those they call fire-brands goates falling-starres and the like Hence are also Phasmes such as are called gulses chasmes bloody colours and the like the exhalation being variously colour'd by reflection of the light but chiefly seeming purple which colour ariseth from the mixture of fire and white The efficient cause of Comets are the Sun and stars the materiall an exhalation hot dry condensed and combustible so as it burnes not much nor is soon extinguished It is called a Comet or airy starre when it is a like on every side a pogoneia or bearded starre when it hath a long train That it consists of fire is manifest because at the same time there is commonly great winde and drought It appears seldome and then single and beyond the Tropicks because starres especially the Sun dissipate the matter whereof it consists The Galaxie is not the light of many starrs together as Anaxagoras held but an exhalation hot and dry kindled by the motion of many great starrs which are in that part where the Galaxie appeareth We come next to those meteors which are in the middle and lower region of the air When the Sun and other Starres draw up vapours out of waterish places into the middle region of the air they are there kept so long untill they are condensed by the cold of that place into drops of water which if they come down very small are called misling if greater rain This thick vapour which is seen suspended in the aire and changeth from air to water is a Cloud Mist is the superfluity of a cloud condensed into water Vapour attracted by a small heat not much above the earth and descending more condensed by the nocturnall cold becometh either dew or frost Frost when it congealeth before it resolves into water Dew when it turnes into water so as the warmth cannot dry it up nor the cold freez it Snow is a congealed cloud rain dew frost and snow differ almost only in bignesse and smalnesse Haile though it be of the same nature as ice yet is seldome produced in winter as being caused by Antiperistasis As the air above the earth condensed becommeth vapour and vapour by cold becommeth water so doth it also in the caverns and receptacles of the earth by a continuall mutation first it turnes into little drops then those little into greater Hence comes all springs and heads of rivers abundantly flowing out at one part of the earth Hence great Rivers and Fountains commonly flow from great hills which have greatest caverns The parts of the earth are in continuall mutation sometimes humid sometimes dry sometimes fertile sometimes desert by new eruptions or defections of rivers or accesse or recesse of the sea according to certain periods of time Thus have the parts of the earth their youth and age as well as plants and living creatures by the heat and conversion of the Sun Time and the World are eternall but Nilus and Tanais were not alwaies for those places whence they first issued were once dry grounds The proper place of water is the concave superficies of the aire This place the Sea compassing the earth possesseth for the swift and more rare water is drawn upwards by the heat of the Sun the salt more thick and terrene setleth downwards For this reason all waters tend to the sea as to their proper place yet hereby the Sea is not enlarged for the sun draweth out of it by reason of its expansion as great a quantity of water as it receiveth from rivers The sea is as the world eternall the saltnesse thereof proceedeth from admixtion of some terrene adust exhalation From the top of the Sea is drawn up a fresh vapour from the bottom heated by the Sun an exhalation which passeth through the Sea and commeth up with the vapour but falling back into the Sea bringeth that saltnesse with it as water passed often through ashes Winds are produced by the Sun and Starrs of a hot dry
manner The Univâ—rse being set on fire the midle part thereof first setled downwards then the next parts by little and little were quenched Thus the Universe being wet the extream fire the midle part opposing it sprang upward and began the costitution of the World and the revolution of this constitution shall never end For as the parts of every thing are at certain times produced of Seed so the parts of the Universe amongst which are living Creatures and Plants are produced in their seasons and as some reasons of the parts are mixed together in the seed which being composed are again dissolved so of one are all things made and again of one is all compounded by an equall and perpâ—tuall revolution The World is One of the same corporeall substance and of a Sphaericall figure for this is of all figures most apt for motion Thus Zeno Chrysippus Pâ—ssidonius and others The World is feared in an infinite incorporeall vacuity which is beyond it circumfused about it into which the world shall be dissolved by conflagration The World is finite the vacuity infinite yet Pâ—ssidonius saith it is no more then will suffice for the resolution of the World when it shall pâ—rish By this argument they consute the motion of Atomes downward introduced by Epicure for in that which is infinite there are no locall differences of high or low The world is not heavy because the whole fabrick thereof consisteth of heavy and light Elements and being placed in the midst whither such bodies tend it keepeth its place In the World there is no vacuity but it is compleatly one for that necessitates a conspiration and harmony betwixt Celestialls and Terrestrialls The World only is self-sufficient because it alone hath all in it self whereof it standeth in no need Of it self it is nourished and augmented whereas the parts are transmuted and converted into one another The World is a perfect body the parts of the World are not perfect because they are respective to the whole and not of themselves The Universe is by Nature apt to move it self in all parts to contain preserve and not break dissolve and burn it self the Universe sending and moving the same point and the parts thereof having the same motion from the Nature of the body Like it is that this first motion is naturally proper to all Bodies namely to encline towards the midst of the World considering the World moveth so in regard of it self and the parts likewise in that they are parts of the whole The World is a living Creature rationall animate and intellectuall so Chrysippus Apollodorus and Pâ—ssidonius and hath an animate sensible essence For a living Creature is more excellent then that which is not a living Creature but nothing is more excellent then the World therefore the World is a living Creature That it is animate is manifest from our Soul which is a piece therof taken out of it but Boethius denies that the world is a living Creature The mind or Providence passeth through every part thereof as the Soul doth in us but in some parts more in others lesse through some permeating as a habit as in the bones and Nerves through some as a mind as through the principall Hegemonick part In like manner the whole World is an animate rationall Creature the Hegemonicall part thereof is the Aether as Antipater the Tyrian in his eighth Book of the World But Chrysippus in his first of Providence and Pâ—ssidonius of the Gods affirm that Heaven is the Hegemonick of the World Cleanthes the Sunne But Chrysippus in the same Book differing from what he said before affirmeth it to be the purest part of the Aether which they call the first God sensibly because it passeth through all in the air and through all living Creatures and Plants but through the Earth as a habit The World according to the greater part of Stâ—iâ—ks is corrupâ—ible for it is generated in the same manner as things comprehensible by sense Again if the parts thereof be corruptible the whole is also corruptible but the parts of the World are corruptible for they are dayly changed into one another therefore the whole it selfe is corruptible And again if any thing admit any change into the worse it is corruptible but the World doth for it admitteth exâ—iccation and inundation therefore c. The World shall perish by fire caused by the power of fire which is in all things which after a long time consuming all the moisture shall resolve all things into it self The Moon Stars and Sun saith Cleanthes shall perish but God shall assimilate all things to himself and resolve all into himself This opinion of the generall conflagration of the World was held by the first and most antient of this Sect Zeno Cleanthes and Chrysippus This fire is the Seed of the World after the conflagration it diffuseth it self even into the Vacuity that was beyond the World Afterwards by order of the same reason which made the World it shall withdraw and contract itself towards the generation of a new World yet not be quite extinguished but so as that some portion thereof remain for as much as it is the cause of motion But Boethius Pâ—ssidonius and Panaetius deny this conflagration of the World conceiving rather that the VVorld is eternall to whom likewise Diogenes the Babylonian assents CHAP. VI. Of Elements GOd having converted as we said all matter into moisture and prepared it for the generation of future things in the next place produced the foure Elements Fire VVater Air and Earth Of these discourseth Zeno in his Book of the Universe and Chrysippus in his first of Physicks and Archedemus of Elements Element is that of which generated things are first made and into which they are resolved The foure Elements are matter or substance endued with quality Fire is hot water moist Aire cold Earth dry yet not so but that in Aire tâ—ere is part of the same quality for in the highest it is fire which is called Aether in which is generated the first sphear of Planets next Air then Water the basis of all Earth being placed in the midst of all c Of the four Elements two are light Fire and Air the other two Earth and water heavy which properly tend to the centre but the centre it self is no way heavy CHAP. VII Of Fire THE first Element is that of Fire which as all bodies tend to the middle enclineth as much as the lightnesse of its Nature permits to the centre of the world by a circular motion round about it There are according to Zeno two kinds of fire one artificiall requisite to the use of life which converteth nutriment into it self the other inartificiall so Cicero renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which all things grow and are preserved for whatsoever is nourished and groweth compriseth within it self the
power of heat This fire is diffused through all the parts of the World and they are all sustained by it That it is in the Earth appeareth by Seeds and Roots which spring up and grow by the temperament of this heat That it is in Water appeareth forasmuch as Water is susceptible of greater cold as by freezing It is consequently in air also that being a vapour extracted from Water and supply'd by motion of the heat which is in the Water But primarily and originally it is in the Element of fire a Nature absolutely hot which dispenseth salutary vitall heat to all other things This is Nature saith Zeno and the Soul Of fire consist the Sun Moon and Starrs CHAP. VIII Of the Starres IN the aether are generated the Starrs of the noblest and purest part thereof without admixtion of any other Nature wholly hot and pellucid animate creatures indued with sense and Intellect Possidonius defineth a Star a divine body consisting of sethericall fire splendid and fiery never resting but alwaies moving circularly That the Starrs are wholly fiery Cleanthes proveth by the testimony of two senses touch and sight For the Lustre of the Sun is brighter then of any fire seeing that it shines so far and wide to so vast a world and such is its touch that it not onely warmeth but oftentimes burneth neither of which it would do if it were not fiery Now saith he the Sun being fiery is either like that fire which is requisite to the use of life or unto that which is contained in the bodies of living creatures but this our fire which the use of life requireth is a consumer of all things disturbeth and dispatcheth all things On the contrary the other is corporeall vitall and salutary it conserveth all things it nourisheth enâ—reaseth sustaineth and affecteth with sense therefore saith he there 's no question to which of these fires the Sun is like for he causeth all things to flourish and sprout up according to their severall kinds Wherefore the fire of the Sun being like those fires which are in the bodies of living creatures the Sun must be a living creature also and so must be likewise the rest of the Starres in the celestiall fire which is called Aether or Heaven For seeing that of living creatures one kinde is generated in the earth other kinds in the water others in the aire it were absurd to think that in that part which is most apt for generation of living creatures no living creature is generated The Starrs possesse the Aether which being most rare and in perpetuall agitation and vigour it is necessary the living creature that is generated in it be endued with most acute sense quickest mobility The starrs therefore have sense and intelligence whence it followeth that they are to be reputed Gods For we say that they who live in the purest aire are much more acute and understanding then those who live in a thick climate The diet likewise is thought to conduce not a little to the sharpening of the understanding Whence it is probable the starrs are endued with most excellent understanding forasmuch as they dwell in the aetheriall part of the world and are nourished with exhalations from the Sea and Earth extenuated by a long distance The sense and intellect of the Starrs is chiefly manifest from their order and constancy for nothing can be moved by proportion and number without providence in which nothing is temerarious nothing various nothing casuall But the order of Starrs and constancy throughout all eternity cometh neither from Nature for that is void of Reason nor from Fortune which affecteth variety and disalloweth constancy Again all things are moved either naturally or violently or voluntarily Those which move naturally are carried either by their weight downward or by their lightnesse upwards neither of which is proper to the Starres for their motion is circular Neither can it be said that they are moved violently against their own nature for what power can be greater it remaineth therefore that their motion be voluntary No fire can subsist without some aliment the starres therefore are nourished by the vapours of the earth Of Starrs according to Câ—rysippus there are two sorts both which are by nature divine animate and providentiall the fixed and the Erratick The multitude of the fixed is incomprehensible the Erratick are lower then the fixed The fixed are all ranked in one superficies as is manifest to the sight the erratick in severall The sphear of fixed starrs includeth that of the erratick The highest of the erratick and next to the fixed starres is the sphear of Saâ—urn next that of Iupiter after which that of Mars then that of Mercury then that of Venus then that of the Sun and lastly that of the Moon which being neerest the air seemeth therefore aeriall and hath greatest influence upon terrestriall bodies Saturn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 finisheth his course in almost thirty years Iupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in twelve Mars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in twenty foure Months wanting six daies Mercury 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a year Venus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lowest of the five Planets in a year The Sun and the Moon are properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Starrs but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differ for every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not the contrary The rising of a star Chrysippus defineth its advancement above the earth and the setting thereof its occultation under the earth The same starrs at the same time rise to some and set to others The apparition of a star 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is its rising together with the Sun and the setting thereof is its setting with the Sun for setting is taken two waies in opposition to rising and in opposition to apparition As the apparition of the Dogâ— star is its rising together with the Sun and its setting is its occultation under the earth together with the Sun The same is said of the Pleiades CHAP. IX Of the Sun NExt Venus the lowest Planet is the Sun the chiefe of all that consist of this aetheriall fire The Sun is defined by Cleanthes and Chrysippus an intellectuall Taper gather'd and kindled from the vapours of the Sea Possidonius defineth the Sun a most pure fire greater then the earth of a sphaericall figure as Cleanthes also affirmes answerable to that of the world That the Sun is fiery is manifest in that it hath all the operations of fire and forasmuch as he is fire it followeth that hee must be nourished The Sun is nourished by exhalations from the great Ocean According to the expansion of this subjected aliment saith Cleanthes in his motion from Tropick to Tropick He moveth in a spirall line from the Aequinoctiall towards the North and towards the South Zeno saith he hath two
assertion equally false that the world is everlasting which could not be saith he if it had beginning That the world being Gods work is the fairest of things whatsoever disposed in lively order being a part thereof for which reason Pythagoras according to Plutarch called it first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That night is elder then day This circumstance of the creation was held likewise by Orpheus and Hesiod who had it from the Phoenicians for this reason the Numidians Germans and * Gaules reckoned by nights That the world is animated and that God is the soul thereof diffus'd through every part whose divine moving vertue penetrats through the element of water Thus explain'd by the Hermetick Philosophers â—he divine spirit who produc'd this world out of the first water being infus'd as it were by a continuall inspiration into the works of nature and diffus'd largely through by a certain secret and continuall act moving the whole and every particular according to its kind is the soul of the world That the World is contained in place This agrees with the definition of place by space but they who with Aristotle define place a superficies though they hold the parts of the world to be in place are forced to deny the whole to be so That in the world there is no vacuum in which as Plutâ—rch observes all Philosophers agree who affirm the world to be animated and govern'd by providence the contrary defended by those who maintain that it consisteth of Atomes is inanimate not governed by providence That matter is fluid and variable That Bodies are passible and divisible in infinitum and continuous as are also a line supersâ—cies place and time That mistion is made by composition of the elements That * the starrs are earthly yet fiery the Sun earthly They who affirm the starres to be fiery saith * Aristotle hold so as conceiving the whole superiour body to be fire That the Moon is of the same nature with the Sun that she is illuminatâ—d by him Plutarch and Stobaeus affirm this to be first held by Thales though Eudemus cited by Theon ascribe it to Anaximander That the monthly occulations of the Moon are caused by the neerness of the Sun shining round her That there is but one earth round in fashion of a Globe seated in the midst of the world to which relates that speech ascribed to him by Cleodemus that if the earth were taken out of the world there must of necessity follow a confusion of all things That the overflowing of Nilus is caused by the Etesian yearly winds which rise with the Dog star after the summer solstice and beginning to bâ—ow from the North spread as Aristotle describes them into remote quarters These saith Plutaâ—ch blowing directly against Aegypt cause the water so to swell that the sea driven by these winds entereth within the mouth of that River and hindereth it that it cannot discharge it selfe freely into the Sea but is repulsed Whereupon addes Diodorus Siculus it overflowes Aegypt which lyeth low and levell But this reason though it seem plausible is easily disproved for if this were true all the Rivers which are discharged into the Sea opposite to the Etesian winds should have the same overflowing Thus Diodorus in his excellent discourse upon this subject which concludes with the opinion of Agatharchides that it is occasion'd by rain coming from the mountaines of Ethiopia CHAP. VII Of his Geometry APuleius who calls Thales the inventer of Geometry amongst the Grecians is more just to his memory then Anticlides and others who ascribe the honour thereof to Moeris or to Pythagoras who by the acknowledgment of Iamblichus a Pythagorean learnt Mathematicks of Thales The originall and progresse of this science to the perfection it received from Pythagoras which gave occasion to that mistake is thus delivered by â—roclus Geometry was invented by the Egyptians taking â—is beginning from measuring fields it being necessary for them by reason of the inundation of Nilus which washed away the bounds of their severalls Nor is it to be wondered at that as well this as other sciences should have their beginning from commodiousnesse and opportunity since as is said in generation it proceeds from imperfect to perfect therefore not without reason is the transition from sense to consideration and from consideration to the mind As therefore among the Phaenicians by reason of merchandise and traffick the certain knowledge of numbers had its beginning so likewise among the Aegyptians Geometry was found out upon the foresaid occasion and Thales going to Egypt first brought over this science inâ—o Greece and many things he found out himselfe and taught his followers the principles of many things declaring some more generally other things more plainly Next him Ameristus brother to Stesichorus the Poet is remembred as having touched Geometry of whon Hippias the Elean makes mention as eminent in that knowledge After these Pythagoras considering the principles thereof more highly advanced it into a liberall science Sect. 1. Propositions invented by him THat he improved as Proclus implies the Geometry which he learnt of the Aegyptians with many propositions of his own is confirmed by Laertius who saith that he much advanced those things the invention whereof Callimachus in his Iambicks asscribes to Euphorbus the Phrygian as scalenous triangles and others Nor is it to be doubted but that many of them are of those which Euclid hath reduced into his Elements whose design it was to collect and digest those that were invented by others accurately demonstrating such as were more negligently proved but of them only these are known to be his 1. Every Diameter divides its circle into two equall parts This proposition which Euclid makes part of the definition of a Diameter Proclus affirmes to have been first demonstrated by Thales 2. In all Isosceles triangles the angles at the base are equall the one to the other and those right lines being produced the angles under the base are equall Proclus saith that for the invention of this likewise as of many other propositions we are beholding to Thales for he first observed and said that of every Isosceles the angels at the base are equall and according to the antients called equall like These are three passages in the demonstration which infer nothing toward the conclusion of which kind there are many in Euclid and seem to confirm the antiquity thereof and that it was lesse curiously reformed by him 3. If two lines cut one the other the verticle angles shall equall the one the other Eudemus attests this theorem to have been invented by Thales but first demonstrated by Euclid 4. If two triangles have two angles equall to two angles the one to the other and one side equall to one side either that which is adjacent to the equall
to prophane the Oracle but that they should vindicate the Gods cause The Amphictions thus instigated by him undertook the war with much eagernesse as Aristotle aâ—â—irms ascribing to Solon the honour of that Enterprise Aeschines saith the motion made by Solon was confirmed by the Oracle Some affirme he was made Generall others Alcmaeon But the whole Army of the Greeks was according to Pausanias led by Clisthenes â—yrant of Sycionia along with whom they sent Solon from Athens to be his counsellor Suidas saith he was chosen counsellor by those who were pickt out for the service of that war Whilst Clisthenes besieged Cirrha they enquired concerning the victory and from the Pythian Oracle received this Answer This Cities fort you shall not take before Blew Amphitrites swelling billowes roare Against my water wash't grove and hallow'd shore Where upon Solon advis'd to consecrate the Cyrrhaean field to Apollo by which means the sea should touch sacred land He used also another stratagem against the Cirrhaeans the River Plistus which ran through the Cittie he diverted another way the Town holding out against the besiegers some drunk well-water others rain which they saved in Cisterns He caused roots of Hellebore to be thrown into Plistus and when he found it was fully poison'd turned the River again into its proper channell The Cyrrhaeans drinking greedily of that water were taken with a continuall flux and forced thereby to give over the defence of their works the Amphictions being possest of the Citty punished the Cirrhaeans and aveng'd the Gods These two stratagems were ascribed to Clisthenes the first by Poliaenus the second by Frontinus but the reason is apparent he doing them by the direction of Solon Solon perswaded also the Athenians to reduce into their power the Thracian Chersonesus CHAP. III. How he composed differences and seditions at home and was made Archon THe Cylonian impiety had for a long time vexed the City ever since the complices of Cylon having taken sanctuary were perswaded by Megacles the Archon to put themselves upon a tryall they laying hold of a threed which was tyed to the image of â—allas when they came neer the images of the furies the threed broke of it selfe whereupon Megacles with the other Archons fell upon them as persons disown'd by the Goddesse those that were without the Temple they stoned those who run to the Altars they were murdered they only escaped who sued to their wives whence being called impious they were accounted odious those that remained of the Cylonians were grown very rich and had perpetuall enmity with the family of Megacles at what time this diâ—â—ention was highest and the people thereby divided into factions Solon being of much authority amongst them taking with him the chiefest of the City interposed betwixt them and with intreatles and advice perswaded those who were called impious to submit to the judgment of three hundred of the chief Citizens Miro was their accuser they were condemned the living to be banished the bones of the dead to be digged up and thrown beyond the confines of the country During these commotions the Megarenses took Nysaea and recovered 〈◊〉 from the Athenians the City was full of superstitious terrors and apparitions the Priests declared that the entralls of the sacrificed beasts imported great crimes and impieties which required expâ—ation There was also a great plague the Oracle advis'd them to lustrate the City to this end they sent Nicias son of Niceratus with a ship to fetch Epimenides out of Creet who comming to Athens was â—ntertained by Solon as a guest â—onversed with him as a friend instructed him in many things and set him in the way of making Lawes This lustration of the Citty Eusebius under-reckons placing it in the second year of the fortie seventh Olympiad whereas Solons being Archon which certainly happened after this was in the third of the â—ortie sixt Suidas seems to over-reckon ranking it in the fortie fourth the opinion of Laertius agrees best with the circumstances of the story that it was in the fortie sixt The commotions of the Cylonei being thus appeased and the offendors extirpated the people fell into their old difference about the government of the commonwealth whereby they were divided into as many factions as the Province contained distinctions of people the Citizens were Democraticall the countrymen affected Olygarchy the maritimes stood for a mixt kind of government and hindred both the other parties from having the rule at the same time the City was in a dangerous condition by reason of a dissension betwixt the rich and the poor arising from their inequality the businesse seemed impossible to be composed but by a Monarchy the commons were generally oppressed by the mony which they had borrowed of the rich and either had tilled their land paying to them the sixth part of the crop whence they were called Hectemoru and Thetes or ingaged their bodies to their creditors whereof some served at home others were sold abroad many also there being no law to the contrary were necessitated to sell their children and leave the City through the cruelty of these usurers the greatest part such as had most courage amongst them assembling together mutually exhorted one another not to indure these things any longer but choosing some trusty man to be their leader to discharge those that paid not their mony at the set day to share the land and quite invert the State of the comwon-wealth The discreetest amongst the Athenians looking upon Solon as a person free from any crime neither ingaged in the oppressions of the rich nor involved in the necessities of the poor intreated him to take charge of the common-wealth and to compose the differences of the people Phanias the Lesbian affirmeth that for preservation of the State he deceived both parties promising under-hand to the poor a division of the land the rich to make good their contracts but that he first made scruples of undertaking the businesse deterred by the avarice of the one and insolence of the other he was chosen Archon next after Cleombrotus in the third year of the forty sixt Olympiad at what time he made his lawes also being at once a peace-maker and a law-giver acceptable to the rich as rich and to the poor as good the people had often in their mouths this saying of his equality breeds no strife which pleased alike both parties one side understanding it of number and measure the other of worth and vertue upon which hope the most powerfull of both factions courted him much and desired him to take upon him the tyranny of that common-wealth which he had now in his power offering themselves to his assistance Many also of the moderate part seeing how laborious and difficult it would be to reform the state by reason and law were not unwilling to have a Prince created such an one as were most prudent and just
causing her father to govern his people with more mildnesse Cratinus also mentions her in a Comedy named from her Cleobulae often cited by Athenaeus He died full of years which extended to seventy his tomb carried this inscription Wise Cleobulus death the Lindian shore To which his birth was owing doth deplore He composed Verses and Riddles to the number of three thousand of which was this Riddle concerning the Year by Suidas ascribed to his daughter Cleobulina One fire twelve sons from every one a race Of thirty daughters with a double face Their looks are black and white successively Immortall they are all and yet all die Some assert him the Author of this Epigram upon Midas not Homer who as they account lived long before Midas though Herodotus otherwise A brazen virgin stretcht on Mida's tomb To last whilst water runs and Trees shall bloom Whilst Sun and Moon dart their successive beams And the rough sea supplied by gentle streams I dwell upon this dismal sepulcher To tell all those that passe Midas lies here There is likewise extant under his name this Epistle Cleobulus to Solon YOu have many friends and a habitation every where but I dare affirme Lindus would be most pleasing to Solon being governed by a Democracy an Island where there is no fear of Pisistratus thither your friends will come to you from all parts CHAP. II. His morall sentences precepts and verses OF his morall saying are these Employ thy selfe in something excellent Be not vain and ungratefull Bestow your daughters Virgins in years Matrons in discretion implying that the Virgins also should be instructed which the Greeks used not the Romans brought them up in the liberall sciences Do good to your friend that he may be more your friend your enemy that he may become your friend for we should beware of the calumny of friends of the treachery of nemies When any man goeth forth let him consider what he is to do when he returnes examine what he hath done A Prince may be happy if he trust none that are about him That common-wealth is best ordered wherein the Citizens fear reproach more then Law That family is best wherein more loue then fear the Master His precepts thus collected by Demetrius Phalereus A mean is best His particular sentence To reuerence thy father is dutie 〈◊〉 care of thy bodie and soul. Hear willingly but trust not hastily oâ— as Laertius 't is better to love to hear then to love to speak 〈…〉 better to know many things Laertius to love knowledge then 〈◊〉 be ignorant of all Teach your tongue to speak well It is proper to 〈◊〉 and contrary to vice to hate injustice Laertius be a friend to vertue a stranger to vice Preserve thy pietie Advise thy country 〈◊〉 what is best Govern thy tongue Laertius pleasure Do nothing by violence Instruct thy children Pray to fortune Forgoe enmitie The Enemy to thy conntry esteem thy own Fight not nor be kind 〈◊〉 wife in the presence of others one argues folly the other madnesse Corect not your servants when they are drunk it showes as if you were drunk your selfe Marry with your equall for by matching into a higher family you procure Masters not kinsmen Laugh not in compliance with him who derides others for you will be hated by those he derides Rich be not exalted poor be not dejected Laertius addes learn to bear the changes of fortune Ausonius ascribes these to him The more is in thy power desire the lesse Not to be envi'dis unhappinesse None long in his impieties can thrive In other much nought in thy selfe forgive All men would spare the good the bad cast down We share not in our ancestors renown But their inglorious actions often own Of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these were most noted By ignorence most deeds are swaid In many specious words arraid But all things shall by time be weigh'd PERIANDER PERIANDER CHAP. I. The Country Ancestors and Parents of Periander PEriander was sonne of Cypselus Tyrant of Corinh his mother Cratea his Ancestors the Heraclidae descended from Hercules and Iardana raigned Kings of Lydia five hundred five yeares the son continually succeeding the father for two and twenty generations The originall of Cypselus and the manner of his obtaining the Kingdome receive thus from Herodotus When Corinth was governed by an Oligarchy inhabited by the Bacchiadae who never would marry out of their own family one of them called Amphion had a lame daughter by name Labda whom when none of the Bacchiadae would take to wife Eetion married son of Echeâ—rates of the Betraean tribe but desended afar off from Lapithe and Caenis having no children he consulted the Delphian Oracle about it as soone as he entred the Prophetesse spake thus to him Eetion none will thee though great respect A stone from Labdas fruitfull wombe expect Which shall the people crush Corinth correct This Oracle to Eetion agreed with another deliver'd to the Bacchiadae though by them not understood to this effect A Lyon by an Eagle shall be laid Upon a rock fierce making all afraid Corinthians what I say consider well Who in tall Corinth and Pirâ—ne dwell The Bacchiadae who could not comprehend the meaning of this Oracle when they heard that to Eetion understood their owne by the affinity it had with the other and thereupon secretly design'd amongst themselves to kill Eetions child His wife being delivered they sent ten men of their owne to the tribe wherein Eetion dwelt that they should murder the Infant when thy came to Petra to Eetions house they demanded the child Labda not knowing their intent but thinking they came to congratulate with the Father brings her sonne and gives him into the hands of one of them they had agreed upon the way that he into whose hands the child were delivered should dash out its braines against the ground but by divine providence the child smiling upon him to whom Labda had given it he was moved therewith to such compassion that he could not finde in his heart to kill it but delivered it to another he to a third untill at last it past through the hands of all the ten None of them having power to kill it they restored it to the mother Then going forth and standing before the doore they began to finde fault with one another but chiefly with him who tooke the child first for not performing the agreement after some debate they agreed to goe in all and bee equall sharers in the murther but it was decreed that Eetions child should bee the oppressour of Corinth for Labda standing at the doore heard all their discourse and fearing lest their mindes changing they should murther it carried away the child and hid it in a measure of corne called Cypsela a place which she conceived they could never search if they returned and so it fell out They came back and sought all about
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
Apollodorus who answer'd he would sooner take up the cup of poyson from the hand of Socrates then pledge him upon that condition Upon the death of Socrates Plato whose excessive grief upon that occasion is observed by Plutarch with others of his Disciples fearing the Tyranny of those persons who put their Master to death â—ed to Euclid at Megara who friendly entertained them till the storm was blown over Apuleius saith that before he came to Socrates he was initiated in the Sect of Heraclitus But more likely is that which is affirmed by Laertius that after Socrates's death he applyed himselfe to Craâ—ylus a follower of Heraclitus and to Hermogenes He conceived saith Saint Augustine that his own invention and Socrates ' s instructions came short of the true aime of Philosophy He considered with himselfe what course he should take to benefit himselfe most for this purpose he determined to travell to any place where report told him he might drink of the spring of Learning even to the farthest parts of the Earth saith Cicero First to Italy where he addicted himselfe to the discipline of Pythagoras which though he saw replenished with curious and high reason yet he chiefly affected to imitate the continence and chastity thereof though the Pythagoreans themselves affirme he had all his naturall Philosophy from thence Perceiving the knowledge of the Pythagoreans to be assisted with other disciplines he went to Cyrene to learn Geometry of Theodorus the Mathematician thence to Aegypt which was then under the Empire of Artaxerxes Mnemon under pretence of selling Oyle but the scope of his journey was to fetch Astrology from thence To learn Arithmetick and Celestiall Speculations of the Barbarians saith Cicero and to be instructed in the rites of the Prophets He travelled over the Country inâ—orming himselfe all the way by their Priests of the multiplicious proportions of Geometry and the observation of Celestiall motions At what time the young Students at Athens â—ere enquiring for Plato to instruct them he was busied in surveying the inexplicable banks of Nilus the vast extent of a barbarous Country and the winding compasse of their trenches a Disciple to the Aegyptian old men Having taken a full survey of all the Country he at last setled himselfe in the Province of Sais Learning of the Wise men there what they held concerning the Vniverse whether it had a beginning and whether it is moved at present wholly or in part according to Reason From these Pausanias affirmes he learn'd the Immortality of the Soul which that they held as likewise the transmigration thereof into severall bodies is affirmed by Herodotus Some say that Euripides followed him to Aegypt and falling sick was cured by the Priests with sea-Sea-water whereupon he said The Sea doth wash away all ills of Man But this agrees not with the time of his death which was before that of Socrates viz. in the 93d Olympiad From Aegypt Plato returned to Tarentum in Italy at what time L. Camillus and P. Claudius were Consuls at Rome as Cicero affirmeth What Fasti he used I know not for in those which are now with us received as authentick there are no such Consuls during the whole life of Plato And indeed in those times Rome was for the most part govern'd by Tribunes Here he conversed with Eurytus of Tarentum the Elder Archytas the Elder at whose discourse concerning Pleasure he was present and with the rest of the Pythagoreans Echecrates Timaeus Acrio corruptly in Valerius Maximus Ario and Coetus Locrians Thus to the learning of Socrates he added that of Pythagoras and informed himselfe in those things which Socrates neglected He would have gone also to the Indians and to the Magi but that the Warres which at that time were in Asia hindred him CHAP. IV. What Authors he follow'd EUgubinus affirmes that Plato borrow'd the mystick part of his Philosophy from Hermes Trismegistus particularly that concerning the Divine Goodnesse which I suppose he rather asserts from his own conjecture in regard Plaâ—o had been long in Aegypt then from any good Authority He was induced thereunto by those Books which are now commonly but falsely vented under the name of Hermes Trismegistus whereas the learned Casaubon in his Exercitations upon Baronius hath sufficiently taught us the forgery of those Books which seem by some Impostor to have been compiled out of the works of Plato and the Divine Scripture That Plato received some light from Moses is affirmed with much greater Authorities of severall Nations and Religions Of Iewes by Aristobulus Plato saith he followed our Law in many things his various allegations evince him a curious observer thereof for the Volumes of Moses were translated before Alexander's time And Iosephus Plato chiefly followed our Law-giver Of Philosophers by Numenius what is Plato saith he but Moses speaking Greek Of Fathers by Iustine Martyr Clement Alexandrinus Eusebius Theodoret Saint Augustine c. When Plato went to Sicily he bought the Books of Philolaus a Pythagorean which were three of Nâ—turall Philosophy the first that ever were published out of that School Some say he had them of Dionysius's friends for four Alexandrian Minae Others that Dionysius had them of a young Man one of Philolaus's Disciples and gave them to Plato Others that he sent to Dion at Syracuse to buy them for him which he did for 100 Minae Agellius saith ten thousand Denaries For having received of Dionysius above eighty Talents he was very full of mony Out of these he is said as Agellius and Laertius affirm to have taken a great part of his Timaeus for which derided by Timon in Sillis thus You Plato with the same affections caught With a great Summ a little Treatise bought Where all the knowledge which you own was taught Alcimus in his four Books to Amintas affirmes that Plato borrow'd much from the writings of Epicharmus the Comick Poet in the first Book he hath these words In Sensibles saith Plato neither magnitude nor quality is permanent but in continuall fluxion and mutation as if we should substract number from them which are neither equall nor certain nor quantitative nor qualitative these are they where generation is alwaies their essence never To Insensibles nothing can be added nothing taken away This is the nature of Eternall Beings the like and same ever Thus Plato cited by Alcimus Indeed he teacheth this in many places particularly in Timaeo where he at large explaineth what is that which never is and never had beginning and that which hath beginning but no being He concludes the first comprehensible by the Intellect with Reason the other by sence and opinion But the citation of Alcimus seems to refer to Plato's Theaetetus the subject of which Dialogue is Science there he examines some Definitions of Science by the Antients amongst the rest the
divided into six Scalenums The Icosaeders of twenty in the same manner but the element of a Cube is an Isosceles triangle for foure such triangles concurring make a square and six squares a Cube God made use of a Dodecaedron in the construction of the Universe whence there are twelve figures of living creatures in the Zodiack whereof each is divided into thirty parts Likewise in a Dodecaedron which consisteth of twelve Pentagones if each be divided into five triangles there are in every one six triangles so that in the whole Dodecaedron there will be 360 triangles as many as there are dâ—grees in the Zodiack When matter was put into those figures by God first it was moved rudely without order untill at last he reduced it to order each being conjoyned to one another and composed in due proportion Neither are these distinct in place but are in perpetuall motion which they give likewise into matter For being straitned by the compasse of the world and agitated by mutuall justlings they are driven the rare alwaies into the region of the solid whence nothing is left vacuous nothing void of body The inequality which remaineth amongst them causeth convulsion for matter is agitated amongst them and they reciprocally by matter CHAP. XIV Of the Soul of the World the Sphears and Stars FRom Bodies hee alloweth that we collect the powers of the Soul for seeing that we discern all things by the Soul hee justly placed the principles of all things therein that whatsoever should occur we might contemplate it by that which is of kin and neighbour unto it and attribute an essence thereunto consonant to the functions Then therefore he called one substance intelligible and indivisible he placed another divisible amongst bodies to signifie that the knowledge as well of the one as of the other may be had by Intellect And knowing that in things intelligible and sensible there is identity and diversity he fitly composed the Soul out of all these For either the like is known by the like as the Pythagoreans hold or as Heraclitus the Naturalist unlike alwaies by unlike That he would that the World should be generate we must not so understand as if there shall be any time wherein the world is not but in as much as it alwaies perisheth in generation and declareth that there is some more excellent and principall cause of its essence The soul of the world which was from all eternity was not made by God but only adorned by him in which respect he is sometimes said to have made it for that he exciteth it and converteth the mind thereof as out of a profound sleep unto himself that beholding his intelligibles and affecting his notions it should from thence receive Species and form whence it is manifest that the World was endued by God both with a Soul and mind For intending it to be the best he must have made it animate and intelligent since an animate thing is more excellent then an inanimate and an intelligent then an unintelligent perhaps the mind also could not subsist without a Soul This Soul being diffused from the Centre of the world to the extreams compreâ—endeth the whole body of the World so as it is extended throughout the Universe and in that manner joyneth and conserveth the whole The externall preside over the internall for they are not divided but these are divided into seven Circles from the first distributed according to duple and triple Intervalls That which is comprehended by the indivisible sphear is correspondent to it that which is divided to the other For the motion of Heaven which comprehendeth all things being not uncertain is one and ordinate but that of the things within it is changeable varied by rising and setting whence called Planetary The outermost sphear moveth to the right hand from East to West the innermost contrariwise to the left hand from West to East meeting the World God framed also the Stars and constellations some fixed for the Ornament of Heaven and might very many in number The Erratick are seaven serving for number and time and the illumination of all things for time is an intervall of the motion of the World as an image of eternity which is the measure of the state of the eternall World The Planets are not of equall power the Sun is the leader of all who illuminateth and sheweth all things to the eye Next the Moon which in respect of her power hath the second place The rest of the Planets each according to their severall proportions The Moon maketh the measure of a Month in that space compleating its circle and overtaking the Sun The Sun measureth the Year for running through the circle of the Zodiack he compleateth the seasons of the year Of the other starrs each hath its proper revolution with which all men are not acquainted but only the Learned By all those revolutions the absolute number of time is compleated when coming all to the same point they are in such order as if we should imagine a right line to be drawn from the sphear of fixed stars to the Earth the Centers of them all would be seen in that line There being seven Orbes in the Planetary sphear the maker of the World framed in them seven conspicuous bodies of matter for the most part fiery and inserted them into the sphears belonging to the other Erratick Circle The Moon he placed in that Circle which is next the Earth the Sun in the second the Morning-star and the sacred Star of Mercury in that Orbe which is equall in swiftnesse with the Sun The rest higher each in his proper sphear That of Saturn the slowest of all he placed in that Orbe which is next to the sixed stars Second to this is that which they call the sphear of Iupiter next that of Mars the eighth which is the Supream power includeth all These are all living intelligent Creatures and Gods endued with a sphericall figure CAAP. XV. Of Daemons and Elements THere are other Daemons also which we may call Intelligent Gods in each of the Elements partly visible partly invisible in the aether fire air and water that there be not any part of the World void of Soul or of an animate creature more excellent then humane nature Below these are all earthly sublunary things God is maker of the World of all Gods and Daemons This Universe by his Divine Wil shall not be dissolved Over the rest his Sons preside who by his command and example order whatsoever they do By these loâ—s nocturnall visions dreams Oracles and whatsoever men referre to divination is artificially wrought The Earth is fixed in the midst of all round about the Axletree which passeth through the midst of the World It is the observer of night and day the most antient of all Gods in Heaven Next the Soul of the World it affordeth us most nutriture about it the Heavens move and it self is a kind of Starre It remaineth in its
proper place which by reason of its even weight is the Centre the aether extâ—riour is divided into the sphear of fixed Starrs and that of Planets Next to these is the Air in the midst the Earth with its humidity CHAP. XVI Of the younger Gods makers of men AFter that all these were framed there remained three kinds of living Creatures which were to be mortall Volatile Aquatile and Terrestriall the generation whereof he committed to his Son left if he himself had begotten them they should have been immortall as well as the rest They borrowing some little parts from first matter for a certain time formed mortall living Creatures and because of Mankind as being next to the Gods both the Father of all things and his Sons likewise have a particular care the Maker of all things sent down himself their Soules into the earth equall in number to the Starrs having imposed each one his proper Star as a vehiculum like a Law-giver he pronounced decrees unto them that he himself might be inculpable which was that there should arise mortall affections from the body first senses next pleasure then grief and fear and anger which those soules that should overcome and not suffer themselves to be transported by them should justly be accounted Victors and at the last return to their proper Star though they which should be transported by injustice should in the second generation undergoe the lives of women wherein if they ceased not from their wickednesse they should at last transmigrate into the Nature of brute Beasts the end of these Labours shall then be when they have overcome the innate affections of the body and then return to their proper habit CHAP. XVII Of the Body and parts of man and Powers of the Soul THe Gods first formed man of Earth Fire Air and Water borrowing some parts from matter to be restored in their due time which they so connected to one another by secret ties as that of all these they framed one body The most excellent part of the soul that was sent down from Heaven they placed in the Head for which as a manured Field they prepared the Brain About the face they disposed Organs proper for sense Marrow they made of smooth straight triangles of which the Elements were formed that it should be the Origine of prolifick seed Benes they formed of Marrow and Earth the Earth moistned and often dipt in Water and Fire Flesh is compounded of salt and sharpe as of a kind of ferment Marrow they enclosed with bones bones with sinewes instead of chaines that by these inflexions the knitting of the joints might be plyant Over these as a cover is extended the Skin partly white partly black for beauty and use Of these likewise consist the internall bowells and the belly and the intestines every where rolled about it And from the mouth above the aspera arteria and the oesophagus of which one commeth down to the stomack the other to the Lungs Meat is digested in the belly by spirit and heat and thence distributed to the whole body according to their severall constitutions The two veines passing along the spine of the Back meet and crosse at the head where they spread into many parts Thus when the Gods had made man and given him a soul as the Mistresse of his body they placed the principall part of that soul to which Reason appertaineth in the head Whence is derived marrow and sinewes and by the different affection of this the minde likewise is altered Moreover they gave him senses as the attendants of Reason and the power of judging and contemplating with Reason Those parts of the soul which are moved by meaner affections they seated in lower places the irascible part in the heart the concupiscible about the belly and the parts next to the Navell of which hereafter CHAP. XVIII Of sight AFter that the Gods had placed the eyes conduits of light in the face they included in them a fiery light which being smooth and in some manner thick they conceived of kin to diurnall light This breaketh forth every where at the Eyes but chiefly through the Eye-balls as being there most pure and clear This agreeing with the externall light as like with like affordeth the sense of sight whence in the night when the light vanisheth and is obscured this ray of ours no longer mingleth with the immediate air but on the contrary withdrawing it self inwards smooths and diffuses the motions that are in us and so bringeth on sleep whereby the eyelids are shut If it bring much rest the sleep is little disturb'd with dreams but if there remain any motions behind we are troubled with many illusions In this manner phantasies whether true or false arise Of the same Nature are images which we see in glasses or other smooth pellucid bodies which exist only by reflection For as the glasse is concave or convex or oblong the object is differently represented to the beholder The light being reflected to other parts those which are dispersed in convex meet in the concave for in some the right and left sides seem quite inverted in others alike in others those which are upwards seem downwards and on the contrary those which are downwards upwards CHAP. XIX Of the rest of the Senses HEaring is given for the perception of voice it ariseth from a motion made about the head and setteth in the liver Voice is that which passeth through the ears brain and bloud to the Soul A sharp voice is that which is moved swiftly deep which slowly great which much small which little Next followeth the sense proper to the Nostrills perceptible of odour Odour is an affection which passeth from the veines of the Nostrills to the parts of the Navell The Species thereof have no name except the two that are most common pleasant and unpleasant commonly called sweet and stinking All Odour is more thick then Air more thin then Water for Odour is properly said to be of those things which have not yet received perfect mutation but consist of a communion of Air and Water as smoke and mists For by the resolution of these into one another the sense of smelling is made Tast was made by the Gods to be the judge of different savours Hence are veines extended to the Heart by whcih several â—avours are examined These Veins by dilating or contracting themselves severally according to the Sapors presented to them discern their differences The differences of Sapours are seven sweet sharp sowre picqueant salt acid bitter the Nature of sweet Sapour is contrary to all the rest for by its power it sootheth and pleaseth the moisture of the tongue whereas of the rest some disturb and â—dispell it as acute Sapors some heat and fly upwards as the hot others being abstersive dissolve it as the bitter others are by degrees purgative and abstersive as the salt Of these some contract the passages they which do it more roughly are called acid they
Parents living with Plato XEnocrates was of Chalcedon Son of Agatho or Agathenor From the years of his life 82. which in all probability ended when Polemo succeeded in the School the first year of the 116. Olympiad it may be gathered that he was born in the fourth year of the 95. Olympiad He heard Plato from his Childhood He was dull of apprehension whence Plato comparing him with Aristotle said one needs a spur the other a bridle what an ass what an horse have I to yoke together He was severe and had a sad look for which reason Plato oft said to him Xenocrates sacrifice to the Graces which was an usuall phrase to meâ—ancholy people Another time Plato sharply reprehended the roughnesse of his disposition which hee took quietly and unmoved saying to one that instigated him to reply in his own defence No this is an advantage to me He accompanied Plato in his voyage to Sicily where at a drinking Feast with Dionysius being honoured with a wreath of Gold instead of a Garland of flowers which were bestow'd upon the guests upon such occasions when he went away he put it upon the Statue of Mercury where they used to leave their ordinary Garments When Dionysius fell out with Plato and threatned to find one that should cut off his head Xenocrates made answer not before he hath cut off this shewing his own Aelian saith that Xenocrates having taken a journey into his own Country Aristotle with his Disciples came to Plato Sâ—eusippus was at that time sick and therefore could not be with Plato Plato being fourscore years old which falls upon the fourth year of the 107. Olympiad the year before his death his memory through age much decay'd Aristotle fell upon him with subtle sophisticall questions whereupon Plato gave over walking in publick and retired with his friends to his own house At the end of the three months Xenocrates returning from his travel finds Aristotle walking where he had left Plato and seeing that he and his friends when they went out of the School went not to Plato but to some other part of the City hee asked one there present what was become of Plato thinking he had been sick the other answer'd he is not sick but Aristotle hath molested him driven him out of the School so that now he teacheth Philosophy in his own Garden Xenocrates hearing this went immediately to Plato whom he found discoursing to his Disciples persons of great worth and eminence As soon as he had ended his discourse he saluted Xenocrates as he used very kindly and Xenocrates him When the company was dismiss'd Xenocrates without speaking a word of it to Plato getting his friends together after he had chid Speusippus for permitting Aristotle to possesse the School made a head against Aristotle and opposed him with his utmost force untill at last he reinstated him in the School Thus Aelian But this story which he acknowledgeth to have taken up on no better authority then vulgar report disagrees with many circumstances of Aristotle's life supported by far more credible Testimonies CHAP. II. His Profession of Philosophie AFter Speusippus had held the School eight years finding himself not able to continue that charge any longer hee sent to Xenocrates intreating him to take it upon him which Xenocrates did in the second year of the 110. Olympiad Lysimachides being Archon not without emulation and dissension with the Peripatâ—ticks for Aristotle at his return out of Macedonia finding Xenocrates possess'd of the Academy instituted a School in opposition to him in the Lycaeum saying Silent to be now most disgracefull were And see Xenocrates possess the Chair Some affirm that Alexander falling out with Aristotle to vex him sent a present to Xenocrates of 50. Talents where of Xenocrates took but 3000. Atticks and sent back the rest saying that he needed it most that was to maintain so many Or as Stobaeus relates it having entertained the Messenger after his usuall fashion go and tell Alexander saith he that after the rate I live I shall not need 50. Talents in all my life The money being brought back to Alexander he asked if Xenocrates had not any friend adding that as for his own friends the wealth of Darius was too little for them He asserted Unity and Duality to be Gods the first as it were Masculine in the nature of a Father raigning in Heaven whom he called also Iupiter the Odd and the Mâ—â—de The other as it were Female and the Mother commanding all things under Heaven This he called the Minde of the Universe He likewise asserts Heaven to be divine and the fiery starrs to be Olympian Gods the rest sublunary invisible Deities which permeate through the elements of matter whereof that which passeth through the air is called Iuno that which through the water Neptune that which through the earth Ceres This the Stoicks borrowed from him as he the former from Plato He continued Master of the School twenty five years untill the first year of the hundred and sixt Olympiad then his Disciple Polemo succeeded him During that time he lived very retired in the Academyâ— and if at any time he went into the City all the trades men and other people thronged to see him CHAP. III. His Vertues and Apophthegmes AMongst his other Vertues he was very remarkable for his Continence of which there is this instance Phryne a famous Athenian Curtezan having laid a wager with some young men his Disciples that he could not resist her enticements stole privately into his bed The next morning being question'd and â—aught at by his Disciples she said The wager they laid was of a man not of a stone To this end he used to mortifie himselfe by incision and cauterising of his flesh His wisdome and Sanctity was much reverenced by the Athenians for being to give his testimony and to swear as the custome was that he spoke nothing but truth the Judges all rose up and cryed out that he should not swear indulging that to his sincerity which they did not allow to one another Being sent with others to Philip on an Embassy the rest received gifts from him and went to treat in private with him Xenocrates did neither and for that part was not invited by him The Ambassadours returning to Athens said that Xenocrates went along with them to no purpose whereupon the Athenians were ready to impose a mulct upon him but when they understood by him that they were at that time to consider cheifly concerning the Common-wealth Philip having corrupted the rest with gifts and that he would not accept any they bestowed double honours upon him Philip said afterwards that of those who came to him only Xenocrates would not take any gifts Being sent in the time of the Lanâ—ack war which was about the second year of the 104th Olympiad Ambassadour to Antipater about the redemption of
articulate only Speech and Word differ for word is alwaies significative but speech sometimes signifieth nothing as Blitri which is no word To speak and to pronounce differ voices are pronounced but things only are spoken for to speak is to pronounce a significant voice of a thing that is said Hence Chrysippus saith that he who beginneth to speak and pronounce words before he can put them in their right place doth not speak but thinketh that he speaks as the Image of a man is not a man so in Crowes Dawes and Children when they first begin to speak the words which they say are not words He only speaketh who knoweth to put a word in the right place They particularly Zeno took much pains in the invention and expliâ—ation of words wherein they distinguished very subtlely Hence Cicero calleth the Stoicks Architects of words Ammonius the Grammarians followers of the Stoicks The Elemenâ—s of speech are the 24 Letters Letter is taken three waies First for the character of figure which is formed Secondly for the element or power Thirdly for the name as A. Of the Elements seven are Vowels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 six Mutes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of speech there are five parts as Diogenes saith in his Book of Voice and Chrysippus at first they reckon'd but foure separating the Articles from the Conjunctions afterwards the latter Stoicks dividing the Appellatives from the Nounes made them five Noun Appellation Verb Conjunction Article Antipater in his Book of Speech added the medium Appellation as Diogenes saith is a part of speech signifying a common quality as Man Horse Noune a part of speech denoting a proper quality as Diogenes Socrates Verbe as Diogenes saith a part of speech signifying a thing which is predicated of one or more things incomposed or as some say an Element of speech without cases whereby the parts of speech are connected as I write I speak Conjunction is a part of speech without cases conjoyning the parts of speech Article is an element of speech having cases distinguishing the kinds and numbers of Nounes as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every word by reason of that which it signifieth calleth foure necessary things into question its origine power declination ordination As concerning the first which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they conceived that names were given by nature the first pronounced voices imitating the things themselves from which the names were afterwards imposed by whâ—ch reason they derive Etymologies conceiving that there is not any word for which there cannot be given a certain reason They therefore studiously enquired whence words are deduced much pains was taken first by Zeno then by Cleanthes afterwards by Chrysippus to give a reason of commentitious fables and to explain the causes of words why they are called so and so This beginning is to be sought untill we arrive so far as that the thing agree in some similitude with the sound of the word as when we say tinkling of brasse the neighing of horses the bleating of sheep the gingling of chains These words by their sound expresse the things which are signified by them But for as much as there are things which found not in these the similitude of touching hath the same power As they touch the sense smoothly or harshly the smoothnesse or harshnesse of letters in like manner touch the hearing and thereby occasioneth their names As when we say smooth it sounds smoothly so who will not judge harshnesse to be harsh by the very word It is smooth to the ear when we say pleasure harsh when we say crux a crosse the things themselves make good the sound of the words Honey as sweetly as the thing it selfe affects our tast so sweetly doth the name touch our hearing Soure as harsh in both Wool and Bryars as the words are to the hearing the things are to the touch These are conceived to be the infancy as it were of words when the sense of the thing concords with the sense of the sound From hence proceeded the licence of naming according to the similitude of the things among themselves as when for example crux a crosse is therefore so called because the harshnesse of the word concords with the harshnesse of the pain which the crosse affecteth But Crura thighes are so called not from harshnesse of pain but because in length and hardnesse they are in respect of the other limbs like unto the wood of a crosse Hence it comes to abuse that the name usurped not of a like thing but as it were neer for what likenesse is there between the signification of little and minute when as that may be little which not only is nothing minute but is somewhat grown yet by reason of a certain neernesse we say minute for little But this abuse of the word is in the power of the speaker for he may use the word little and not minute This example belongs to that which we will shew when we call that a fish-pond which hath no fish in it nor any thing like a fish It is denominated from fishes by reason of the water wherein fishes live So the word is used by translation not from similitude but a certain kinde of vicinity And if any one should say that men in swimming resemble fishes and that from thence a fish-pond is so named it were foolish to refuse it since that neither is repugnant to the nature of the thing and both are occult But this is to the purpose which we cannot dilucidate by one example how much the origine of the word which is taken from vicinity differs from that which is derived from similitude From hence there is a progression to the contrary Lucus is thought to be so named quod minime luceat and bellum quòd res bella non sit and soedus quòd res foeda non sit But if we derive pâ—rcus as some do à soeditate it returnes to that vicinity when that which is made is named from that by which it is made For this vicinity is very large and divided into many parts either by efficience as this word procus à foeditate from which likewise foedus or by effect as puteus so named because the effect thereof is potatio or by that it containeth as urbs ab orbe because in a place which they liked they first made a track about it with a plough as Virgil saith of Aeneas Urbem designat Aratro Or by that which is contained as if horreum were derived from hordeum or by abuse as hordeum for wheat or the whole from a part as mucro which is the point for the whole sword or a part from the whole as capillus quasi capitis pilus What need we go any further whatsoever else can be reckoned we may see the origin of the word contained either in the similitude betwixt things and sounds or in the similitude betwixt things themselves
in a Wildernesse abstain from any thing that is evill but that the very deformity and dishonesty thereof deterrs them Nothing therefore is more clear then that honest things are expetible in themselves and dishonest things avoidable in themselves Hence it followeth that what is honest is more estimable then those mean things which accrue by it And when we say that folly temerity injustice and intemperance are avoidable in respect of those things which are consequent to them it contradicts not the former assertion that what is dishonest only is ill because they relate not to the hurt of the body but to dishonest actions which proceed from vice All good is equall and every good is highly expetible and admits neither increase nor decrease Here commeth in a great controversy betwixt the Stoicks and the Peripateticks which though Carneades affirm to be only verball Cicero holdeth to be more in things then words The Peripateticks hold that all goods are requisite to happy life the Stoicks that whatsoever is worthy estimation compreâ—iendeth happy life Those holding pain to be an ill it followes that a wise man cannot be happy upon the rack These who account not pains among the ills hold that a wise man continueth happy in the midst of torments For if some bear those pains with greater courage for their Country or some lighter cause opinion not nature increaseth or diminisheth the power of the pain Again the Peripateticks asserting three kinds of good affirm a man to be so much the more happy the fuller he is of externall corporeall goods or in the Stoicks expression he who hath most corporeall estimables is most happy for as much as by them Beatitude is compleated On the contrary the Stoicks hold that those goods which they call of nature make not by their frequency a life more happy or are more expetible or more estimable For then wisdome being expetible and health expetible both together would be more expetible then wisdome alone whereas either being worthy estimation both are not more worthy of estimation then wisdome alone For the Stoicks who hold health to be estimable but place it not amongst the goods hold likewise that no estimation is to be preferred before vertue From this the Peripateticks dissent asserting that an honest action without pain is more expetible then the same action with pain the Stoicks otherwise For as a Taper is darkened by the light of the Sun and as a drop of water is lost in the vastnesse of the Aegean Sea and as in the riches of Croesus the accession of one farthing and one step in the way between this and India so in that end of all good which the Stoicks assert all the estimation of corporeall things must necessarily be obscured overwhelmed and perish by the splendour and magnitude of vertue And as opportunity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not made any thing greater by production of time for whatsoever is opportune hath its measure so right affection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the good it selfe placed in it that it be conformable to nature admitteth no accession of encrease For as that opportunity to those of which we speak are not made greater by production of time for which reason the Stoicks conceive that a happy life is not more to be desired if it be long then if it be short and they use this simile As it is the praise of a shoe to fit the foot neither are many shoes preferred before two nor the greater before the lesse So in those things whose good is confined to opportunity and convenience neither are the more to be preferred before the fewer nor the longer before the shorter Nor do they argue acutely who say if long health be more to be esteemed then short then likewise a long use of wisdome more then a short they understand not that the estimation of health is judged by space that of vertue by opportunity as if they should say likewise a good death or a good labour to a woman in travell is better long then short So that they see not that some things are more esteemed for their shortnesse others for their length CHAP. VI. Of Eupathies AS soon as any object is presented to us which seemeth good Nature as we said drives us on to the acquisition thereof which being done constantly and prudently is called Will imprudently and excessively Desire Moreover while we are so moved that we are in some good that happeneth also two waies when the Soul is moved quietly and constantly according to reason this is called Joy when vainly and excessively Pleasure In like manner as we desire good things by nature so by nature we decline the ill This declination if done according to reason is called Caution if without reason Fear Caution is only in a wise man of fear he is not capable Hence it appeareth that there are three kinds of good affections of the minde called Eupathies or Constancies Ioy Caution Will. 1. Ioy is contrary to pleasure as being a rationall elevation of the minde 2. Caution is contrary to fear as being a rationall declination of ill 3. Will is contrary to desire as being a rationall appetite These are the primarie Eupathies and as under the primary passions are comprehended many subordinate passions so are there secondary Eupathies subordinate to those Under Ioy are 1. Delectation 2. Cheerfulnesse 3. Aequanimity Under Caution 1. Respect 2. Cleernesse Under Will are 1. Benevolence 2. Salutation 3. Charity Notwithstanding that Eupathies and passions are contrary yet are there but three Eupathies though there are foure passions for there is no Eupathie contrary to Grief CHAP. VII Of Passions FRom falsities proceedeth a perversitie of Intellect hence spring up severall passions and causes of disorder Zeno defineth passion a praeternaturall motion of the Soul or as Cicero renders it a commotion of the Soul aâ—erse from right reason against Nature Others more briefly a more vehement appetite More vehement they call that which recedeth from the constancy of Nature and is contrary to nature wherefore all passion is an excessive stupide desire The kinds of passion arise from two opinionated goods and two opinionated evils so they are four From the good desire and pleasure pleasure from present good desire from future from the ill fear and grief fear from the future grief from the present for these things whose coming we fear when they do come grieve us Pleasure and desire arise from an opinion of good things desire is fervently transported to that which seemeth good pleasure rejoyceth when wee have obtained what we desire Thus desire and fear go formost that to apparent good this to apparent ill pleasure and grief follows pleasure when we attain what wee desire griefe when wee incurre what wee fear All passions arise from Iudgement and Opinion whence they are more strictly defined that it may appear not
for the Stoiâ—ks take away intellectuall substances affirming all things that are to be comprehended by sense onely differences are not subsistent A solid body according to Apollodorus is divisible three waies into length breadth and depth A superficies is the terme of a body or that which hath onely length and breadth but no depth thus Possidonius A line is the terme of a Superficies or a length without breadth that which hath length only A point is the terme of a line or thâ— least mark A body is divisible into infinite yet it consisteth not of infinite bodies CHAP. III. Of Principles THe place concerning bodies is divided into two degrees into those which produce and those which are produced the first Principles the second Elements â—Principles and Elements differ Principles are ingenerate incorruptible Elements shall perish by conflagration Moreover Principles are bodies and void of form Elements have forme There are two principles of all things the Agent and the Patient The Patient is a substance void of quality called Matter the Agent is the reason which is 〈◊〉 the Matter God Matter is sluggish a thing ready for all things but will cease if none move it The Causâ— that is the Reason â—formeth mâ—tter and moldeth it which way he pleaseth out of which he produceth various woâ—ks There must therefore be something out of which a thing is made and also by which it â—s made This is the Cause that Matter The Cause or active Reason is God In the Agent there is power in the Patient a certain matter or capacity and in both both for matter it selfe could not 〈◊〉 if it were not kept together by a power nor that power without some matter for there is nothing which is not compelled to be somewhere Both 〈◊〉 God and the World the Artist and his work they compâ—ehend within this terme Nature as if nature were God mixed through the World Sometimes they call that naturâ— which containeth the World sometimes that which generateth and produceth things upon the earth The Agent is as we said called the Cause A Cause according to Zeno is that by which there is an effect which is not a Cause 30 or as 〈◊〉 the reason of the effect or as Pâ—ssâ—donius the first Author of a thing A Cause is a body a not Cause a Categorem It is impossible that the cause being assigned the effect should not be present which is to be understood thus The Soule is the â—ause through which we live Prudence the Cause by which we are wise It is impossible that he who hath a Soule should not live or he who hath Prudence should not be wise CHAP. IV. Of Matter THe substance of all qualitative beings is first Matter according to Zeno and â—hrysippuâ— in his first of Physicks Matter is that of which every thing is made it hath two names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Substance and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matter Substance is of all things in generall Matter of particulars Universall matter is according to Zeno wholly eternall not admitting as Chrysippus saith encâ—â—ase or deâ—rease Particular matter admitteth augmentation and diminution for it remaineth not alwaies the same but is separated and mixed so that according to Chrysippus its parts perish by separation and exist by mutuall mistion But those who call fire aire water and earth Matter assert not a thing void of forme but of a body Matter is a body and finite Possidonius saith that the substance and matter of the Universe is void of quality and form in as much as it hath not a certain figure and quality in it selfe but it is alwaies seen in some figure and quality But the substantiall nature of the Universe differs from matter intentionally only Matter is passible for if it were immutable things could not be generated of it Hence it followeth that it is divisible into infinite yet it selfe as Chrysippus saith it not infinite for nothing that is divisible is infinite but matter is continuous Through this matter Zeno affirmeth that the reason of the World which some call Fate is diffused as feed CHAP. V. Of the World OF this matter was made the World The World hath severall appellations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the â—ll 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 World is taken three waies First for God himselfe who is properly qualified with all Essence incorruptible and ingenerate who framed the Universe after a certain period of time who resolved all nature into himselfe and again generated it out of himselfe Secondly for the starry Ornament and thirdly that which consists of both The All 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one way taken as Apollodorus saith for the World and another way for the System of the World and the vacuity beyond it The World is finito the vâ—â—uity infinite Thus likewise they distinguish betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 includeth also an infinite vacuity in which the world is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the world without that vacuity which neither is increased nor diminished but its parts are sometimes extended sometimes contracted It began from the earth as its center for the center is the beginning of a Circle The world is that which is properly qualited with the essence of all things or as Chrysippus and ` Possidonius define it a System of Heaven and Earth and of the natures therein contained or a System of God and Men and of all things that were made for them The world was made by God for if saith Chrysippus there be any thing which produceth such things as Man though indued with reason cannot produce that doubtlesse is greater and stronger and wiser then man But a Man cannot make the Celestiall things therefore that which made them transcendeth man in Art Counsell Prudence and Power and what can that be but God The World was made for those animate â—ssences which have the use of Reason these are the Gods and men then whom nothing is better All things of which it consisteth and which it produceth within it selfe are accommodated to the use of Man The World was made in this manner God in the beginning being alone by himself converted all substance which according to Zeno was fire first into air then into Water And as in the Plant the seed is contained so God who is the prolisick reason of the World left such a â—eed in the humidity as might afford easie and apt matter for the generation of those things that were to be produced Zeno addeth that one part tending downward was condensed into Earth another part remained partly water and partly being exhal'd air of a particle of which air flashed out fire Cleanthes describeth it in this
the great Ocean The earth is in the midst being in the nature of a Center one and finite sphericall in figure The water is likewise sphericall having the same center with the earth The earth hath five Zones one northern beyond the Artick Circle uninhabitable through extremity of cold another temperate a third not habitable by reason of extream heat whence it is called Torrid a fourth temperate a fift southern not habitable by reason of cold But Possidonius conceiveth the Climate under the Equinoctiall to be temperate for saith he under the Tropicks where the Sun dwells longest the places are habitable and why not then under the Aequator Again the night being equall to the day affordeth leisure enough for refrigeration which is assisted likewise by showers and winds The generation of the world began from the earth as from the Center for the Center is the beginning of a sphear Plants have not any soul at all but spring up of themselves as it were by chance CHAP. XIII Of Mistion and Temperament CHrysippus asserteth a Spirit moving it selfe to it selfe and from it selfe or a spirit moving it selfe backwards and forwards He calleth it spirit as being moved aire answering in some proportion to the Aether so that it both meets in one and this motion is only according to those who think that all nature receiveth mutation solution composition and the like Composition mixtion temperament and confusion are different Composition is a contract of bodies whose superficies are contiguous to one another as in heaps of grain or sand Mixtion is of two or more bodies whose qualities are diffused through the whole as we see in fire and red hot iron and in our own â—oules for every where there is a diffusion through entire bodies so as one body doth passe through another Temperament is of two or more humid bodies whose qualities are diffused through the whole Mixtion is also common to drie bodies as to fire and iron to the soul and the body temperament only to the humid For qualities appear from the temperament of severall humid things as of wine honey water vinegar and the like that in such temperament the qualities of the things tempered remain is evident from this that oftentimes they are by some art separated from one another For if we put a spunge dipped in oyle into wine mixt with water the water separating it selfe from the wine will gather to the spunge Lastly confusion is the transmutation of two or more qualities into another of a different nature as in composition of Unguents and Medicines CHAP. XIV Of Generation and Corruption POssidonius asserteth foure species of generation and corruption of things that are into things that are for that of things that are not and of things that are not he rejected conceiving there is none such Of transmutations into things that are one is by division another by alteration a third by confusion a fourth of the whole by resolution Of these alteration concerneth the substance the other three are of the qualities which inhere in the substance According to these are generations made But the substance it selfe is neither augmented nor diminished by apposition or detraction but is only altered as happeneth to numbers and measures But in things properly qualited as Dion and Theon there is augmentation and diminution wherefore the quality of each remaineth from the generation untill the corruption thereof in plants and living creatures which are capable of corruption In things properly qualited he asserted two susceptible parts one according to the substance another according to the quality This as we have often said admitteth augmentation and diminution Neither is the thing properly qualited and the substance out of which it is all one nor divers but only not all one because the substance is a part and occupateth the same place but things that are divers have distinct places and are not consider'd in part That as to the thing properly qualited and as to the substance it is not the same Mnesarchus affirmeth to be evident because it is necessary that to the same happen the same things For if for example a man having formed a horse should break it and make a dog we would presently beholding it say this was not before but it is now So are the qualited and the substance divers Neither is it likely that we should all be the same as to substance for it often happens that the substance is preexistent to the generation as the substance of Socrates was before Socrates was and after the corruption and death of Socrates the substance remaineth though Socrates himselfe be not CHAP. XV. Of Motion MOtion according to Chrysippus is a mutation of parts either in whole or in parts or an excession out of place either in whole or in part or a change according to place or figure Iaculation is a vehement motion from on high Rest is partly a privation of motion in a body partly the same habit of a body before and after There are two first motions right and oblique from the mixtion of these ariseth great variety of motions Zeno affirmes the parts of all things consisting by themselves are moved towards the midle of the whole and likewise of the World it self wherefore it is rightly said that all parts of the World tend to the midle thereof and principally the heavy and that there is the same cause of the rest of the World in the infinite vacuity and of the rest of the Earth in the World in the midst of which it is constituted as a point All bodies have not gravity as air and fire yet these in some manner tend to the midst of the World CHAP. XVI Of Living Creatures OF animate Creatures there are two kinds for Plants as wee said have no souls some are appetitive and concupiscible others rationall The Soul according to Zeno Antipater and Pâ—ssidonius is a hot spirit for hereby we breath and move Cleanthes saith we live so long as that heat holdeth Every soul hath sense and is a spirit innate in us wherefore it is a body and shall not continue after death yet is it by Nature corruptible notwithstanding that it is a part of the Soul of the Universe which is incorruptible Yet some hold that the lesse firm Souls such as are those of the unlearned perish at the dissolution of the body the stronger as those of the wise and virtuous shall last even untill the generall conflagration The Soul hath eight parts whereof five are the Sences the sixth generative the seventh Vocall the eighth Hegemonick The Supream or Hegemonick part of the Soul is that which maketh Phantasies assent sense appetite This Supreme part is called Ratiocination it is seated in the Heart some say in the Head as in its sphear From the Hegemonick issue and are extended to the body the seven other parts which it guideth by their proper Organs as a
just nor dispraise nor honour nor punishment but this is false therefore all things are not done by Fate But Chrysippus not allowing this necessity yet maintaining that nothing happened without precedent causes distinguisheth thus Of Causes saith he some are perfect and principall others assistant and immediate When we say all things are done by Fate from antecedent causes we understand not the perfect and principall causes but the assistent and immediate He therefore answers the former objection thus If all things are done by Fate it followeth that all things be done by antecedent causes but not by the principall and perfect but by the assistent and immediate which though they be not in our power it followeth not that the appetite likewise is in our power This Argument therefore concludes well against those who joyne necessity with Fate but nothing against those who assert antecedent causes not perfect nor principall What assent is and how it commeth to be in our power we have already shewn in the Logick Hence it followeth that notwithstanding that all things are necessarily coacted and connected by Fate with a certain principall reason yet saith Chrysippus our mindes are so obnoxious to Fate as their property and quality is For if at the first by nature they were formed soundly and profitably all that power which commeth upon them extrinsecally from Fate they transmit easily and inoffensively but if they are harsh ignorant and rude not supported by any helps of good art although they are pressed by little or no conflict of fatall incommodity yet by their own unluckinesse and voluntary impulsion they rush into continuall sins and errours which thing maketh that this naturall and necessary consequence of things which is called Fate be by this reason For it is as it were fatall and consequent in its kinde that wicked minds should not be without sins and errours an instance whereof he bringeth not unapposite As saith he a rolling stone if you turn it down a steep place you first give it the cause and beginning of its precipitation but afterwards it rolleth headlong of it selfe not that you make it do so any longer but because its figure and the volubility of its form is such In like manner order and reason and necessitie moveth the beginnings of causes but the impetuousnesse of our thoughts and mindes and our own actions are guided by every mans private will and minde Thence continueth he the Pythagoreans say Men of their own accord their ills procure As conceiving that all ills proceed from themselves and according to their own appetites when they sin and offend and according to their own minde and signe For this reason he denyeth that we ought to suffer and hear such wicked or idle or noxious or impudent persons who being taken in some fault and wickednesse have recourse to the necessity of Fate as to a Sanctuary affirming that they have done wickedly is not to be attributed to their temerity but to Fate CHAP. XX. Of Not-Bodies or Incorporealls and first of Dicibles HItherto of Bodies we come next to the second place of Physick concerning Not-Bodies or Incorporealls Incorporeall is that which may be but is not contained in bodies Of those there are four kinds Dicibles Vacuum place and Time Dicible is that which consisteth according to rationall phantasy a mean betwixt notion and thing Of this already in the Logick CHAP. XXI of Vacuum and Place THe second incorporeall is Vacuum which is the solitude or vacuity of a body In the world there is no vacuum neither in the whole nor in any part Beyond it there is an infinite vacuity into which the world shall be resolved Of this already in the Chapter concerning the world Next is Place Place is that which is fully occupated by the body or as Chrysippus defines it that which is or may be occupated by one or more things Thus it differs from vacuity which hath no body and from space which is occupated but in part as a vessell halfe full of wine CHAP. XXII Of Time LAst of the Incorporealls is Time Time is according to many of the Stoicks the motion of it selfe not of heaven and had no beginning of generation Chrysippus saith that Time is the measure of slownesse or swiftnesse Zeno defined it the intervall of motion and measure of slownesse and swiftnesse according to which all things were and are Possidonius saith that some are wholly infinite as all Time some only in part as the past and future for they are joyned together by the present He defined Time the intervall of motion or the measure of swiftnesse and slownesse one part of it being present the other future the present connected to the future by something like a point It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 attributed to the least part of Time that falleth under sense subsisting according to the difference of past and future Chrysippus saith that Time is the intervall of motion the measure of swiftnesse and slownesse a consequent intervall to the worlds motion according to which all things are and are moved unlosse rather there be a two-fold Time as the Earth and Sea and Vacuity and Universe have the same names with their parts And as vacuity is every way infinite so Time is both waies infinite for the present and future have no end He likewise asserts that no entire present is Time for continuous things being divided into infinite Time likewise admitteth of the same division so that no Time is properly present but so called after a lesse accurate manner The present only is subsistent unlesse it be understood as of Categorems as walking is attributed to him that walketh but not to him that sitteth or lyeth Thus much for the STOICALL PHILOSOPHY CLEANTHES CAP. I. His Life CLeanthes was of Assus an Aeolian City fortified as Stralo describes it both by Nature and Art sonne of Phanias He was first according to Antisthenes a wrastler and comeing to Athens having no more then four Drachms he apply'd himself first to Crates then to Zene whom he heard constantly and persevered in his Philosophy and Opinions He was much commended for his laboriousnesse in as much as being poor he went by night to the Gardens to draw water and in the day time studied Philosophy Hence he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The drawer of Water Being cited to the Court to give an account how he lived being so healthfull and lusty hee produced the Gardener under whom he drew water and a woman for whom he ground meal to witnesse how he subsisted The Areopagites wondring hereat allotted him 10. minae which Zeno would not suffer him to accept Antigonus gave him 3000. minae On a time leading some young men to a spectacle the wind blew back his Cloak and discovered that he had no Coat whereupon the Athenians much applauded him and as Demetrius the Magnesianâ—aith â—aith bestowed a Coat upon him Antigonus who was his Auditor asked