was beloved by Demochares the Son of Laches and Pythocles the Son of Bugelus whom when he admitted he was wont to say he only gave way for patience sake More than this his Back-biters before mention'd severely tax'd him for his vain affectation of Glory and vulgar Admiration But he was chiefly set upon by Hieronymus the Peripatetic when he invited his friends to celebrate the Birth-day of Alcyoneus the Son of Antigonus upon which day Antigonus sent him a considerable â—â—â—m of Money to bear his Expences At what time refusing to enter into any formal discourse yet being by Aridelus importun'd to speak to a Theoreme which he propos'd ' T is the chief Quality of Philosophy said he to teach the Scholars the Time and Season for every thing Now that he affected popular Applause Timoâ— among other things declares after his Satyrical manner This said obstreperously loud He rush'd i' th' thickest of the Croud Where had you seen him act the part Of Fool by chance but Knave by Art You 'd thought the Rabble silly Fowl Struck mute at sight of Monstrous Owl But never boast to gain the Prize From those that see with others Eyes For though like Oyl thou swim'st a top ` Th' art ne'r the less conceited Fop. Yet for all this he was so far from Pride and Vain-glory that he would often exhort his Scholars to hear other Men. So that when a certain young man more addicted to the forementioned Hieronymus than to him he took the Scholar by the hand and carrying him along recommended him to the Philosopher to whom he exhorted him withal to be observant and obedient Pleasant also is that which is reported of him when being asked by a certain Person Why the Scholars of other Sects frequently betook themselves to the Epicurean but never the Epicureans forsook their own Masters made answer Because that many times Men were made Capons but Capons could never be made Men. At length when he drew near his end he left his whole Estate to Pylades his Brother For which purpose he brought him to Chios without the knowledge of Moirea and thence to Athens For in his life time he never marry'd a Wife nor had any Children However he made three Wills of which he deposited one with Amphicritus in Eretria another with some of his friends in Athens and the third he sent home to Thaumasias a certain kinsman of his desiring him to keep it and to whom he also sent the following Epistle Arcesilaus to Thaumasias Greeting I Have given Diogenes my Will to convey to thee for by reason I am frequently ill and very weak in Body so that if any sudden change should happen I may not be said to have dealt dishonestly by thee to whom among all my friends I have been most beholding in my life time And therefore seeing thou hast always hitherto been so faithful to me I desire thee to keep it for me as well for the sake of thy Age as of our familiarity together Be therefore just to us remembring why it is that I entrust thy so nearly alli'd fidelity to the end that what I leave behind may be decently and truly disposed of Other two Wills there are the one at Athens with some of my acquaintance and the other in Eretria with Amphicritus He dy'd as Hermippus reports after he had drank a great quantity of pure unmixt Wine and getting a fall upon it being in the seventy fifth year of his Age being honour'd by the Athenians above all before him Upon whom we also made this joquing Epigram Arcesilaus What didst thou think Had'st nothing else to do but drink While night and day thou spard'st no pains To bring a Deluge o're thy Brains The generous Wine why didst abuse Which might have serv'd for better use Then thus to murder such a Sot Whose shameful death I pity not But th' injur'd Muses I deplore By thee disgrac'd still more and more That notwithstanding pregnant parts And other helps of liberal Arts Thy Wit and Wisdom dost confound In Brimmers Brushers Facers drown'd There were three other Arcesilaus's The one a writer of ancient Comedy the other a Composer of Elegies The third a Statuary Upon whom Simonides made this Epigram Arcesilaus Aristodicus Son This noble Statue finish'd and begun Diana's Portraicture made to the life The only Goddess that would n'er be Wife Three hundred Parian Drachma's was the price Of famous Artist for this Master-piece In money paid to which Aratus face Gave both the value and the outward grace But the abovesaid Philosopher flourished according to Apollodorus in his Chronicles about the hundred and twentieth Olympiad The LIFE of BION BION as to his Country and Nation was a Borysthenite but who were his Parents and by what means he attain'd to Philosophy we know no more than what he himself made known to Antigonus for thus it was that he was by him interrogated Say in what Country or what City born Hither thou cam'st thy betters thus to scorn To which he answer'd finding himself touched to the quick by the King's Interrogation upon the report of some of his ill-willers my Father was a Borysthenite who wore in his dis-figur'd forehead the engraven marks of his cruel Master afterwards being free from Bondage he learnt to wipe his mouth with his Sleeve intimating that he sold Bacon and Suet and he took my Mother out of a Brothel House such a one as was suitable to his condition and he could ask to have him Afterwards being behind hand in his payments to the Toll-gatherers he was sold with all his family In that place there liv'd an Orator who seeing me to be young and a very handsome youth bought me for a Sum of Money and at his death left me his whole Estate Whereupon I taking all his Pictures and Writings tore the one half and set fire to the other with a resolution to come to Athens where I study'd Philosophy ever since And thus you have in short the story Which I account my chiefest glory This is all that I can say in few words concerning my self And therefore there was no need for Perseus and Philonides to break their Brains about inserting my Genealogy into their History If thou hast any more to say to me look upon me and let my Ancestors alone Bion was a very subtle Man full of wiles and tricks and one that for niceties and evasions had not his Equal among the Sophisters For he began when he was but very young to challenge the field of dispute with any that would exercise their gifts in Philosophy Nevertheless in several other things he knew well how to confine his humour and was extreamly civil and pleasing in his behaviour He has left to Posterity several remarkable Tracts and an infinite number of Sentences very grave and profitable as for example He was upbraided by a certain person That he had not detained a certain young man at his House To whom returning
DIOGENES LAERTIUS THE LIVES OPINIONS AND REMARKABLE SAYINGS Of the Most Famous Ancient Philosophers Written in GREEK by DIOGENES LAERTIUS Made English by Several Hands The First Volume LONDON Printed for Edward Brewster at the Crane in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1688. The LIFE of DIOGENES LAERTIUS SInce our Author Diogenes Laertius has so highly oblig'd Posterity by the Pains which he has taken in collecting the Lives of the most Famous Phylosophers without which Assistance we could never have attain'd the Knowledg of so many remarkable Discourses and Means to understand their Learning my Opinion is that it is but reasonable to do him the same Justice to publish whatever we have found as well in Ancient as in Modern Authors in reference to his own Life Nevertheless because there are but very few who have made mention of him we must be forc'd to do as they do who not daring to stare impudently in the Face of any Lady for that they never had the opportunity of Access to speak to her are constrain'd to fix their Eyes upon her Hands in like manner shall I ground my Discourse for the greater Confirmation of the Reasons which I bring upon his Book of Lives from which we shall endeavour to collect his own as we do the Cause from the Effect not being able to compass more ample Testimonies of his Qualities by reason of the great Distance between the Age he liv'd in and our Times and the Negligence of those who have writ the Lives of Remarkable Persons without making mention of His. In the first place then to remove all Disputes concerning the Time wherein he flourish'd most certain it is that it could not be but very few Years that he preceded the more Modern Philosophers of whom he makes mention in certain Places of his Lives that is to say Simon Apollonides who liv'd in the Reign of the Emperor Tiberius Plutarch and Sextus Empiricus who liv'd in the Time of Marcus Antoninus Nevertheless 't is very probable that he might survive a long time after them seeing that Eunapius the Sardian who liv'd under the Reign of Julian the Emperor makes no mention of him in the Catalogue of Authors who have collected the History of the Ancient Philosophers which makes me question Whether the same Accident did not befal Eunapius Diogenes as befel Sotion Porphyrius the Elder whereof wrote the Lives of the Philosophers who liv'd nearest to his Time and the Younger the Lives of such as were most remote from the Age wherein he liv'd So that there is no Faith to be giv'n to Suidas who asserts that our Historian liv'd both before and after the Death of Augustus As for the Place of his Birth I am not of their Opinion who will have it to be a Village of Cilicia call'd Laertes grounding their Opinion upon his Additional Sirname for their Conjecture is fallacious in regard there is no reason to think but that it ought to be either his Proper Name or given him by reason of some Accident without deriving it from the Place of his Nativity nay though they might have some reason to derive his Name from the Place of his Birth yet there will another doubt arise whether there might not be some other Village in Greece that bore the same Name to prevent his being a Cilician for had they but read with Consideration the Life of Timon the Phliasian they might there observe by his own Testimony that he was of Nice in Macedonia of the same Country with Timon Apolloniates as is manifestly apparent by that Expression of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Countryman which Words cannot be understood in any other Sence as the Learned Reader may judge by the Greek Text in the same Place for there is no Credit to be giv'n to the Latin Version If it be a thing possible to judge of the Manners of a Person by his Physiognomy and of the Cause by the Effect what should hinder us to make a shrewd Conjecture of the Manners of Diogenes in regard that Books much more manifestly discover the Inclinations of those that wrote them then Words and Words more clearly then the Countenance It is impossible to understand the Discourse of a Man by his Face unless he speaks nor whether he can play on the Lute or no unless you hear him touch the Strings But we may apparently discover his Manners in his Works as we may his Face in a Mirror in regard that by his faithful setting down in Writing what Men have done and said we find that he never approves their Vicious Acts but on the other side censures them by some Explication or other As when he tells us that Bion entertain'd his Friends with lewd Discourse which he had learn'd in the School of Prophane Theodorus Or by some Epigram of his own making as when in the same place he laughs at the Folly of Bion who had all along liv'd an impious Life yet dy'd at length in the height of Superstition In the next place we may observe his Humanity or rather true Morality in other places while he overthrows the Impostures of Backbiters and Slanderers and makes it his Business to defend the Virtue of others as we maysee in the Life of Epicurus His Justice is also remarkable in this that he never dissembles what is truly good nor the Errors of any Person which is observable in the Life of Zeno the Cittean and Chrysippus and in this That in all his Writings he is never observ'd to be a rigid Affecter or Favourer of any Sect. Moreover he shews himself so much an Abhorrer of all manner of Venereal Excess that he never lets any Person escape unbranded who was guilty of that Vice yet in Terms so modest as not to offend the Reader as we may observe in the Life of Crates and several others As to the Sects then in Being it is more easie for us to tell of which he was not then to make him a Follower of any one for that he shews himself a Neuter in all his Writings Nevertheless if we may speak by Conjecture our own Sentiments we have some Reason to believe him a Follower of Potamon of Alexandria who after all the rest and a little before his Time set up a Sect of those that were call'd Choosers or Eclectics and bore the Title also of Lovers of Truth because they made Choice out of every Sect of that which they thought was best to stick to Which was the Reason that Clement Potamon's Countryman says in one Place We ought neither to be Zenonians nor Platonics nor Epicureans nor Aristotelics but rather Eclectics chusing out of every Sect that is most Noble and nearest approaching to the Truth His Learning appears by his Writings For if we observe his Style we shall find it concise and full of Efficacy his Words well chosen and his Discourse eloquent Yet is he not altogether exempt from blame as to the Disposal
and Diana which begins Diana Hail and Thou bright Delian Youth Apollo Hail renowned Off-spring Both. Though Dionysodorus will not allow it to be his He also wrote an Aesopian Fable highly significant and to the purpose which thus began The wise Aesopus his Corinthians taught Not to trust Vertue with the common Rout. This was the Exit which Socrates made out of the World. But soon after the Athenians so sorely repented of what they had done that they shut up for a time all their Places of Public Sports and Exercises And for his Judges some they Exil'd and condemn'd Melitus to Death But the Memory of Socrates they honour'd with a Brazen Statue the Workmanship of Lysippus which they erected in the chiefest Street of the City Anytus also being then beyond the Seas the Heracleots exterminated the same day Nor were the Athenians thus unkind to Socrates alone but to several other Illustrious Persons also For as Heraclides reports they Fin'd Homer fifty Drachma's as being a mad Man and condemn'd Tyrtaeus for a Fool though they honour'd Astydamas the first of Aeschylus's Scholars with a Brazen Statue Which Euripides throws upon 'em as a reproach in his Palamedes Y'have slain y'have slain the Wise sweet-singing Muse That liv'd among ye free from all abuse However Philochorus affirms that Enripides dy'd before Socrates He was born as Apollodorus relates in his Chronicle under the Government of Aphsephion in the fourth year of the 77th Olympiad upon the sixth day of the Month Thargelion or April when the Athenians purifie their City with a Solemn Procession the very same day that the Delians affirm Diana to have been born He dy'd in the first year of the ninety fifth Olympiad in the seventieth year of his Age Which Demetrius Phalereus also testifies in opposition to others who will not allow him to have liv'd above sixty However they were Disciples of Anaxagoras both he and Euripides who was born in the first year of the seventy fifth Olympiad under the Government of Callias Now it seems to me that Socrates apply'd himself also to Natural Philosophy which appears by his Discourses of Providence mention'd by Xenophon though he never made any set Orations but such as concern'd Morality and the well ordering of Humane Life And Plato in his Apology making mention of Anaxagoras and other Philosophers discourses of those things which Socrates is said not to have deny'd as attributing all to Socrates Aristotle also reports that a certain Magician coming out of Syria to Athens reprehended Socrates for many things and foretold his violent Death As for any Epigrams that were made upon him we find no other but this of our own Now Nectar sip among the Gods for thee Great Socrates the Delphian Deity Pronounc'd the Man and sure the God was wise Whom he for wisdom above all did prize Ingrateful Athens in a poyson'd Bowl To Starry Mansions sent thy swimming Soul The more ingrateful they and vile much more That drank such Wisdom from thy Lips before Aristotle tells us in his Poetics that Antiochus of Lemnos and Antiopho an expounder of Prodigies labour'd highly to be his Emulaters as Onatas and Kydo vy'd with Pythagoras Sagaris with Homer living and Xenophanes after his death Cecrops with Hesiod Pindar with Amphimenes the Coan Thales with Pherecydes Bias with Salarus of Priene Pittacus with Antimenides and Alceus Sosibius with Anaxagoras Simonides with Timocreon Now of those that succeeded Socrates and were called Socratics the most eminent were Plato Xenophon and Antisthenes Of those that were call'd the Ten the most famous were Aesthines Phaedo Euclid and Aristippus There was also another Socrates who was an Historian and wrote the History of Argos another a Bithynian and a Peripatetic a third a writer of Epigrams and a fourth a Coan who set down several Forms of Supplications to the Gods. The LIFE of XENOPHON XEnophon an Athenian was the Son of Gryllus Born in the Village of Argeus modest to Excess and the most lovely Person living It is reported that meeting Socrates in a narrow Passage he held up his Stick and having stopped him from going forward asked him where he might purchase such and such things that were necessary for humane Use to which when Socrates had returned him an Answer Socrates asked him again where good and vertuous Men were to be found which sudden question putting Xenophon to a non-plus Follow me then said Socrates and Learn and so from thenceforth Xenophon became a Hearer of Socrates and was the first who taking Notes of what he heard afterwards made his Observations public in writing to all the World being also the first that wrote the History of the Philosophers He was in Love with Cliniâ—s as Aristippus relates in his fourth Book of the delights of the Ancients to whom he is said to have used these Expressions And now Clinias I behold thee with more delight than all things else whatever that are accounted Beautiful among Men. Nor would I value my being Blind as to all other Objects so I might enjoy the Sight of Clinias only But I am perplexed all Night and disquieted in my Dreams because I see not Him. But I return the choicest of my Thanks to Day and to the Suâ— because they shew me Clinias again As for his Friendship with Cyrus he gained it in this manner There was then in the Persian Court a familiar Friend of his Proxenus by Name by Birth a Boeotian the Disciple of Gorgius Leontinus well known to Cyrus and by him highly beloved He remaining at Sardis with Cyrus sent an Epistle to Xenophon and then at Athens inviting him to an Acquaintance with the Prince Xenophon shewed the Letter to Socrates and asked his Advice who sent him to Delphos to consult the Oracle Thither Xenophon went in obedience to Socrates and enquires of the Deity not whether he should go to Cyrus but after what manner For which tho' Socrates modestly blamed him yet he advised him to go Thereupon he went and ingratiated himself in such a manner with the young Prince that he became no less his Friend than Proxenus As for what happened in the ascent of Cyrus and the return of the Greeks he himself has given us a perfect account with his own Pen. But he hated Meno the Pharsalian at the time of the Ascent Commander of the Foreign Troops who among other Reproaches upbraided him with his Excess of Male-Venery Moreover he was wont to scoff at Apollonides and tell him that his Ears were bored After the Ascent his misfortunes in Pontus and the violation of the Leagues he had made with Seuthus King of the Odrysians he marched into Asia and join'd with Agesilaus King of the Lacedemonians and listing under his Command the Souldiers that he brought along with him he became his familiar Acquaintance at what time because he seemed to take part with the Lacedemonians he was Condemn'd and Exil'd by the Athenians Marching then to Ephesus and being full of
The same Author writes that Hermias was a Bithynian who killed his Master and then â—surped his Authority However Aristippus relates this otherwise in his Treatise of the Delights of the Ancients saying That Aristotle was in Love with Pythais Hermias's Concubine whom when Hermias had surrender'd to his Embraces he married to her and for Joy offered Sacrifice to the Woman as the Athenians did to Ceres of Elensina and That he wrote a Paean or Hymn in her Praise intituled the Inside From thence he retired into Macedon to King Philip where he made his abode after he had received his Son Alexander into his Tuition Which gave him an opportunity to request 'em that they would be pleased to restore his Native Country to its former Liberty and Splendour as having been ruined by the Wars of Philip the Father of Alexander Which when he had obtained he fram'd Laws for his City under the form of a Common-wealth He also ordain'd certain Rules and Constitutions for the Government of his School in Imitation of Xenocrates of which one among the rest was to elect a Head-Master once every ten Years At length finding that Alexander had acquired no small Benefit by his Precepts and that he had made him greatly beholding to him he resolved to return to Athens after he had recommended his Nephew Callisthenes the Olynthian to Alexander's Favour Of whom they report that upon his presuming to speak more peremptorily to the Prince than became him and little regarding his Obedience to his Commands he was reproved by him in the words of a little Distick admonishing him to take Care how he behaved himself for that if he did not change his manners it might chance to cost him his Life The Distick was this The words thou speak'st no Mortal can endure I fear thy Life 's not in this World secure Which happened to be a true Prophecy for being discovered to have been in the Conspiracy of Hermolaus against Alexander's Life he was carried about in an Iron Cage wherein being at length over-run with Nastiness and Lice he was thrown to a hungry Lyon and so ended his miserable days Now after Aristotle was come to Athens and had taught in that City thirteen Years he went without disclosing his intentions to Chalcis for that he was accus'd of Impiety by Eurymedon the Inquisitor or rather Over-seer of the sacred Mysteries tho' Phavorinus in his Historical Oglio reports him to have been summoned by Demophilus because he had made a Hymn in Praise of Hermias and caused this following Epigram to be engraved upon one of the Statues in the Temple of Delphos This Man the Impious Persian Tyrant slew Impious indeed since to the Gods untrue Not with his Launce in lawful Combat slain But by the treacherous Hand of Friendship fain'd So that being almost out of hopes to save himself as Eumolus says in his fifth Book of Histories he poysoned himself at Chalcis and dyed in the seventieth Year of his Age. The same Author avers That he was not Plato's Hearer till he was thirty Years of Age whereas it is certain that he was his Disciple at seventeen Now the Hymn for which he was questioned was this Tho' difficult are Virtues ways And few find Clews to trace the Maze Yet once o'ercome this tedious strife A Relish gives to human Life This made the Grecians for thy sake The greatest hardships undertake Their Courage led them to outface A thousand Deaths for thine Embrace Not glittering Gold that stands the Test Or Love of Parents or of Rest Can equal that Immortal Fruit By thee produc'd from Heavenly Root For thee that mighty Son of Jove In Blooming Youth express'd his Love Made Monsters feel his Conquering Hand And wearied Juno to Command Nor did fair Leda's Twins give place Whose valiant acts confirmed their Race Achilles Ajax forc'd their Fates And storm'd Hell's Adamantine Gates Atarnians for thy Radiant Light Brave Hermias depriv'd of Sight To set his Contemplation free And raise his Soul to Ecstasie Things Poets fain'd or Fools believ'd Were not so great as he atchiev'd But could my Muse describe his Mind My verse with Jove might favour find For constant Friendship he alone A model to the World was known With Love like his I 'll sing his Praise And Altars to his Friendship raise Time Marble Monuments may wast But Verse and Friendship ever last This was Aristotle's Hymn in Praise of Hermias for which his Accusation Flight and Poysoning himself produced the following Epigram of our own Eurymedon the Priest deeming his Grief assail'd By Traytor Aristotle for that reason Against the Gods accus'd him of High Treason Th' Offender knew the Crime could not be Bail'd And therefore saves himself by speedy Flight To what Intent For he could but have dy'd Not so for Hangmen he could not abide So Drowned Life in deadly Aconite So strange a way he found and thought it best To vanquish so th' unjust officious Priest Nevertheless Phavorinus in his Historical Oglio replied That finding himself accused of Impiety he wrote a Rhetorical Defence for himself and that he utter'd this Distick in Athens From Pear-trees Pears and Figs from Fig-trees shoot Athens the Tree th' Athenians are the Fruit. Apollodorus relates in his Chronicle that he was born in the first year of the Ninty ninth Olympiad that he came to Plato in the Seventeenth year of his Age and lived with him twenty Years without ever budging out of the School Then he travelled to Mytelene at what time Eubulus was Archon or chief Magistrate of Athens which was in the fourth Year of the Hundred and eighth Olympiad But Plato dying in the first Year of the same Olympiad under the Government of Theophilus he went to Hermias with whom he remained three Years when Pythagoras was Archon he went to Philip at what time Alexander was not above fifteen Years of Age in the second Year of the Hundred and ninth Olympiad After which he returned to Athens in the second year of the hundred and Eleventh Olympiad where for thirteen years together he taught in the Lycaeum Lastly he withdrew himself from thence into Chalcis in the third year of the hundred and fourteenth Olympiad where he fell sick and dyed at the Age of sixty three Years or very near it at the same time that Demosthenes died in Calabria and that Philocles was Governour in Athens It is reported that he fell under Alexander's displeasure by reason of the Conspiracy of Callisthenes against him and that to vex him he preferred Anaximenos and sent Presents to Xenocrates Not was it possible for him as well as it was for other Men to avoid the Quipps and Girds of envious Men and among the rest of Theocritus the Shiot who speaks of him after the following manner To Hermias a noble Tomb he rais'd And with another dead Eubulus grac'd But what was in ' em Why to tell ye Troth As empty as his empty Noddle both Nor is Timon
180. Olympiad They report likewise that his Servant Pompylus was a very great Philosopher as Myronius Amastrius relates in the first of his a like Historical Chapters Theophrastus was a Man of great Judgment and who as Pamphilus writes in the thirteenth Book of his Commentaries delighted very much in Comedies and was the Person that instructed and Moulded Menander Moreover he was a Person that would do Kindnesses voluntarily and was very affable to all Men. Cas-sander held him in High Esteem and Ptolomy also sent him several Presents He was so extreamly Popular and so greatly â—everenced by the Athenians that one Agnonides who accused him of Irreligion had much ado to escape th Punishment of the same Crime for which he had accused Theophrastus His Auditors â—looked to him from all parts to the number of above two thousand In a Letter written to Phanias the Peripatetic among other things touching the Decree made against Philosophers he thus discourses I am so far says he from calling together great Assemblies of the People that I seldom appear in any Company For by such a Retirement I have the advantage to review and correct my Writings This was part of his Epistle to Phanias wherein he calls him Scholar Nevertheless notwithstanding all his endowments he made no Opposition to the Decree but withdrew for some time as did all the rest of the Philosophers For Sophocles the Son of Amphiclides had made a Law by which it was enacted and commanded that none of the Philosophers should intrude themselves to preside in Schools without the consent of the People and Senate and that whoever it were that disobey'd this Decree should be punished with Death But it pleased God that Philo prefixed a day to answer to certain Treacheries by him committed but then the Philosophers returned the Athenians having â— brogated that Law the Philosophers were restored to their Employments and Theâ—phrastus presided as he did before in his School He was called before Tyrtamus but Aristotle taking notice of the subâ—imity of his Language and Discourses changed his Name and called him Theophrastus He also had a great Esteem for Nicomachus the Son of Aristotle and shewed him a more particular friendship then it was usual for a Master to do as Aristippus reports in his fourth Book of the Delights of the Ancients It is reported how that Aristotle should say the same thing of Callisthenes and Theophrastus as Plato had uttered concerning him and Xenocrates as we have mention'd in another place for of one he said that apprehended he made all things plain through the nimbleness and quickness of his gentile Wit but that the other was slow and heavy and so thick-scull'd and dull that the one required a Bridle and the other Spurrs T is said that he took possession of Aristotle's Garden so soon as he was retired to Chalcis by the Assistance of Demetrius Phalereus who furnished him with Money He was wont to say that 't was better to trust a Horse without a Bridle than to one irregular and improperly disposed To a certain person that at a great feast listened to others but spoke not a word himself If thou art ignorant said he thou dost well but if thou art learned 't is thy Folly makes thee silent He was always wâ—nt to have this saying in his Mouth That there was nothing cost so dear as the waste of Time. He was very old when hee dy'd as having lived four score and five years after he had retired a while from his former Exercises Which produced this Epigram of ours upon him Thâ—â— vainly talk that cry unbend your Bow Lâ—â—st by continual stress it slacker grow For Theophrastus here his Bow unbent His Labour quitted and to Orcus went. His Scholars beholding him ready to â—â—pire upon his Death-bed asked him as tâ—â— reported what commands he had to lay upon 'em before he departed this Life To whom he returned this answer I have nothing said he more to say but only that this Life deceives us for that it flatters us with many pleasing Dreams under the pâ—â—tâ—â—ce of Glory but when 〈◊〉 thâ—â—â— to live Death comes and snatches us away So that there is nothing more vain thâ—n the loâ— of Honour My Dear friends live happiâ—â— and â—ear my words in mind and either forget the saying for the labour iâ— greâ—◠〈◊〉 stâ—â—fastly apply 〈◊〉 minds to it for gâ—â—â—â— is the Glory that â—ttâ—â—ds it Hâ—â—evâ—â— will not have undertake to advise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the two â—o Elect but consider among 〈◊〉 solves what â—e have to do And with these words in his mouth he expirâ—d 〈◊〉 was honourably attended at his Fuâ—â—ral by all the Athenians who followed him 〈◊〉 his Grave â—â—avâ—â—inâ—â— reports That whâ—â— he was very old he was wont to 〈◊〉 â—â—ry'd about in a Litter and after hiâ— Hermippus testifies the same thing acknowledging that he had taken his Infâ—â—mation out of the History of Arcesâ—â—â—â— the â—ytanâ—â—â— He left behind to Posterity several â—â—numents of his sublime Wit of which I think it but requisite to give the Readers Catalogue to the end that there by it 〈◊〉 be known how great a Philosopher 〈◊〉 was First several Treatisâ—â— under the naâ—â— of the Persons to whom they are dedicated A Book to Anaxagoras anâ—â—her to the same one to Anaximenes one to Archelâ—us one to those that belonged to the Aâ—ademy entituled Acicarâ—us one to Eâ—pedocles one enâ—itâ—led Eviades one of Democritus one entituled Megacles another entituled Megarica An Epitome of Aristotles Works one Book of Commentaries one of Natural Moral and Civil Problems and of Love Seven of Aristotles Commentaries or Theophrastics Of Nature Three Books of the Gods one of Enthusiasm an Epitome of Natural Things A tract against Naturallists one Book of Nature three more of Nature two Abridgments of natural things eighteen more of Natural things seventeen of various Opinions concerning Natural things one of Natural Problems three of Motion two more of Motion three of Water one of a River in Sicily two of Meteors two of Fire one of Heaven one of Nitre and Alum two of things that putrifie one of Stones one of Metals one of things that melt and coagulate one of the Sea one of Winds two of things in dry places two of Sublime things one of Hot and Gold one of Generation ten of the History of Plants eight of the causes of them five of Humours one of Melancholy one of Honey eighteen first Propositions concerning Wine one of Drunkenness one of Spirits one of Hair another of Juices Flesh and Leather one of things the sight of which is unexpected one of things which are subject to wounds and bitings seven of Animals and other six of Animals one of Men one of Animals that are thought to participate of Reason One of the Prudence and Manners or Inclinations of Animals one of Animals that dig themselves Holes and Dens one of fortuitoâ—â— Animals 1182 Verses comprehending all sorts of Fruits and Animals A question
be no fault found with their Labour and Diligence but then let them have their Freedom Let my houshold Goods be appraised and sold for the Benefit of those to whom I have bequeathed them with this proviso That Pompylus may have enough for his own use as the Executors shall think reasonable I give Cano to Demotimus and Donax to Neleus As for Eâ—bius I would have him sold and that Hipparchus give three thousand Drachma's to Callio Had I not a respect for Hipparchus as to a Man to whom I have been greatly beholding and who is now perplexed in business of his own I had joyned him with Melantus and Pancreon in the Execution of this my Will. But I thought it better to assign a sum of Money upon Hipparchus than to put him to that trouble Therefore let Hipparchus pay Melantus and Pancreon two Talents each being also bound by that means to furnish the â—â—d Executors as occasion shall require with Money to defray the Expences in Execution of this my last Will and Testament Which being done I discharge him from all farther trouble according to the Covenants and Articles between us Moreover my will is That all the Profit which Hipparchus receives from Chalcis in my Name shall be entirely his own Now for the Executors whom I desire to be Executors of this my last Will let them be Hipparchus first then Neleus Strato Callio Demotimus Callisthenes and Cresarchus This was Theophrastus's Will of which a Copy being sealed with his Seal was put into the hands of Hegesias the Son of Hipparchus Witnesses to it were Calippus the Pelanean Philomelus Euonymus Lysander Hybeus and Philo of Alopeca Olympiodorus also received another Duplicate of the same Will in the presence of the same Witnesseâ—… Adimanthes another from Andrusthenes his Son to which were other Witnesses Acimuestes the Son of Cleobulus Lysistratus the Son of Phido the Thrasian Strato the Son of Arcesilaus of Lampsacum Thesippus the Son of Thesippus one of the Potters and Dioscorides the Son of Dionysius the Eâ—icopâ—… Some there are who affirm That Erâ—…stratus the Physician was one of his Hearers which I will not contradict However Strato succeeded him in his School The LIFE of STRATO STRATO of whom Theophrastus makes mention in his Will was a Native of Lampsacum the Son of one Arcesilaus a Man certainly of great Eloquence and who formerly assum'd the Title of a Physician as being by reason of his great Industry superiour to other in those kinds of Speculations But among other Employments that he had he was tutour to Ptolomy Philadelphus from whom they say he received a present of four and twenty Talents He began to precide in the forementioned School as Apâ—llâ—derus testifies in his Chronicles in the hundred thirty third Olympiad and held it eighteen years He wrote several Volumes of which these were the chiefest An Extract of Royal Philosophy three Books of Enthusiasm of Causes of Vacuum of Time of Light and Heavy of the Heaven of the Generation of Animals of Coition of the Faculties of the Wit of Growth and Nourishment of Dreams of the Sight of Colds of the Nature of Man of Sickness of Crises's of Hunger of dimness of Sight of Animals whose Original was uncertain Of Discourse Of Accident of more and less of Antecedent and Consequent of a Definition of the Principles of Places some Solutions of Doubts As to Manners Of Felicity three Books of Good of Pleasure of Strength three of Justice and a single Tract of Injustice As to Civils Three Books of a Kingdom two or three of a Magistrate A Tract of Judgments another of Metallic Engines He also wrote some Lives and some Commentaries but it is questioned whether they were his or no. There are also extant about 450 of his Epistles that begin Strato to Arsinoe Health He is reported to have been of so thin and exhausted a Constitution that he was not sensible of his Death as we have described him in the following Epigram At length reduced to Skin and Bone Strato was quite transparent grown A Candle set in Mouth upright Would through his Cheeks have giv'n ye light His Soul perceived it and afraid Of catching cold so thinly clad Away she stole as Nurses creep From Beds of sick Men when asleep Or as they steal from drinking Trade That leave the Reckoning to be paid So parted Strato and his Soul For whom all Athens did condole We meet with eight Strato's in all among the Writings of other Authors The first a hearer of Isocrates The second our Philosopher himself The third a Physician the Disciple or as others say the Foster-Child of Erasistratus The fourth was a Historian who wrote the Wars of Philip and Perseus who headed two Armies against the Romans The sixth a writer of Epigrams The seventh an Ancient Physician as Aristotle testifies The eighth a Peripapetic who lived in Alexandra His Will is also Extant in this Form. Seeing that according to the Frail Condition of other Men I must be laid in my Grave I dispose before my Death of my Affairs First my Will is that Lampyrion and Arcesilaus be possessors of all that I have in my House Moreover I assign the Expence of my Funeral upon the Money which I have lying at Athens charging my Executors that it be performed with all solemn Decency imaginable but not superfluous My Executors shall be Olympicus Aristides Mnesigenes Hippocrates Epicrates Gorgylus Diocles Lyco and Athanes I leave Lyco Head of the School as being not so full of business as the rest besides that he has a Body able enough to undergo the Trouble I also leave him all my Books except those that I have written my self with all the Vessels Pots and Carpets which I made use of when I entertained my Friends My Will also is That my Executors shall give to Epicrates five hundred Drachma's and a Boy such a one as Arcesilaus shall judge most convenient Moreover my Will is That Lampyrion and Arcesilaus shall cancel the Bonds which Daippus made for Hireus that he may be discharged from them and their Heirs of all dues and demands whatever And in regard of the Kindnesses and Benefits which we have received from him We order our Executors to pay him five hundred Drachma's and a Boy such a one as Arcesilans shall think fit that he may live handsomly I set free Diophantes Dioctes Abâ—â— and Dromo but as for Simmias I leave him to Arcesilans It is also my Will that till Arcesilaus shall return that Hirâ—â— shall give up his Accompts to Olympicus in the presence of Epicrates and the Reâ—â— of the Executors deducting my Funeral Expences and other necessary Ceremonies As for the rest of the Money remaining after the stating of the Accompts in the hands of Olympicus let Arcesilaus take it to his own use exacting nothing from him for Time or interest Lastly I desire Arcesilaus to cancel the Writings between me and Amimas and the said Olympicus which
laid waste by Famine deputed certain Persons to consult the Oracle of Apollo about the redress of their Calamity Whereupon Heraclides brib'd the Pythian Priestess and the Deputies to the end that at their return they might say that their Country would not be reliev'd till they had honoured Heraclides the Son of Euthypron yet living with a Crown of Gold and plac'd him after his Death among the Hero's and Semi-Gods Which was done accordingly Nevertheless they who were Actors in this Tragedy got little by it for just as Heraclides was crowned in the Theatre he was struck with an Apoplexy and the Commissioners with an Epilepsy with such a giddiness in their Heads which never left 'em 'till they breath'd out their Souls And as for the Pythian Priestess she dyed at the same instant being bit by a venemous Snake in the Vestry Aristoxenus the Musician reports That he wrote several Tragedies under the Title of Thespis Cameleo also relates That he stole the choicest of his Writings from Homer and Hesiod Moreover Autodorus an Epicurean Philosopher reprooves him for mâ—â— things which he writ in his Treatises of Justice But Dyonisius the Mathematics an or as others will have it Spinthaâ—… attributes those Writings to Sophocles in his Parthenopea which Autodorus believing to be false when he comes to â—â—â— the same Verses in certain Commentaries of his he quotes 'em as made by Heraclides Dyonisius thereupon signified to Autodorus his mistake but the other still mistrusting the Truth he sent him the Verses transeribed out of the Original Copy conformable to Pancalus's Copy which Pancalus was Dyonisius's Friend But Autodorus still persisting in his Obstinacy and affirming he could prove the contrary Dionysius sent him the following Verses Thou must not think the wary Ape to nooze And therefore seek out Cullies to abuse For Senseless Heraclide's a Man well known T' have eaten Shame and drank to wash it down Besides this Heraclides there were thirteen others The first a native of the same Country and a writer of Pyrrich Fancies The second a Cumaean who wrote five Books of the Persian Story The third a Cumaean who wrote concerning the Art of Rhetoric The fourth a Calatinian or Alexandrian who set forth his Successions in six Books and a Lembeatic Oration entituled Lembas The fifth of Alexandria a Writer of the Persian Proprieties The sixth a Bargyleitan Logician who wrote against Epicurus The seventh a Nicesian Physician The eighth a Tarentine Empiric The ninth a writer of Precepts in Verse The tenth a Phocian Statuary The eleventh a smart Epigrammatist The twelfth a Magnesian who wrote a Poem entituled Mithridatics The thirteenth an Astrologer and our Philosopher makes the fourteenth The End of the fifth Book Diogenes Laertius Containing the Lives Opinions and Apophthegms Of those that were most Famous in PHILOSOPHY The Sixth Book Translated from the Greek by William Baxter Gent. The LIFE of ANTISTHENES ANTISTHENES was the Son of Antisthenes and an Athenian by birth but he was thought not to be rightly descended Whence it is that once he said to one that twitted him with it Even the Mother of the Gods is a Phrygian For his Mother was look't upon as a Thracian Whence it was that having â—ignalized himself in the Battel of Tanagra he gave occasion to Socrates to say of him So brave a man as he could not be an Athenian by both sides And himself once reflecting upon the Athenians for valuing themselves upon their being Earth-sprung said That could make them no better Gentlemen than Snails and Caterpillars He was first a hearer of Gorgias the Orator whence it is that he expresses an haranguing kind of style in his Dialogues and especially in his Truth and Persuasives And Hermippus saith That at the Isthmian Games he lookt upon him to praise and discommend the Athenians Thebans and Lacedaemonians but seeing a very great Concourse coming in from those Cities he left it off Afterwards he struck in with Socrates and improved so much by him that he persuade his Scholars to go with him to School to Socrates And though he dwelt at the Pireaeum yet went he up every day fourty Stadia to hear Socrates Of whom when he had got the Art of Patience and had affected a sedateness of Mind he became the first Founder of the Cynick Philosophy He would make out that Labour was good by the great Hercules and Cyrus borrowing the one Example from the Greeks and the other from the barbarous People He was also the first man that ever defined a Definition saying A Definition is that which declares what any thing is whereby it is He used often to say I had much rather be mad than sâ—â—sually delighted and That a man should accompany with no woman that would not acknowledge the kindness And to a young Youth of Pontus that purposed to be his Scholar and therefore asked him what things he should have occasion to use he replyed A new Writing-Book a new Writing-Pen and a new Writing Table intending in it his Mind To one that asked him what kind of woman he should marry he said If thou hast a handsome woman thou wilâ— have a Common woman but if an ugly one thou wilt have a Tormentor Hearing upon a time that Plato spoke ill of him he said It is like a Prince to do well and be ill spoken of Being admitted to the Mysteries of Orpheus and the Priest telling him that such as were initiated into those Rites should participate of many good things in the World beneath he said And why then dost not thou dye Being on a time upbraided as not being descended of Parents that were both free he said I am not descended of Parents that were both Wrestlers and yet I can wrestle Being asked why he had so few Scholars he said Because I don't keep them out with a silver Staff. Being aâ—kâ— why he did chide his Scholars so severely he said Doctors were wont to do the like to their Patients Seeing upon a time an Adulterer making his Escape he said Vnhappy Fellow what a danger mightest thoâ— have escaped for one Obolus He used to say as Hecato in his Sayings informs us It was far better to light among Ravens than among Flatterers for those would eâ—â— but dead men but these these the living Being askt what he thought the happiest thing among men he said To dye in a prosperous Condition As one of his Followers was bewailing the loss of his Memoirs he said You ought to have written them on your Mind and not upon Parchments As Iron is fretted by rust so he said were envious persons by their own ill nature He said They that would be immortal should live piously and justly He said Commonwealthâ— were then destroyed when they lost the distinction betwixt good men and bad Being once commended by wicked Fellows he said I am mightily afraid I have done some mischief The Cohabitation of Brothers living in Amity he
because their Virtue is exhal'd Moreover Sphaerus affirms that this Seed flows from all Parts of the Body by which means it comes to generate all the Parts of the Body That the Seed of a Woman conduces nothing to Generation being but small in Quantity and watery as Sphaerus asserts That the Hegemonicum is the most principal Part of the Soul where the Imagination and Desires reside and from whence the Reason proceeds which is the Heart And thus much for their Opinions in Natural Philosophy which is sufficient considering the Brevity design'd in this present Undertaking We are next to observe wherein they have differ'd and contradicted one another The LIFE of ARISTO ARISTO the Chiote and Phalanthian Sirnam'd the Syren affirm'd that the End and Scope of Mankind was to live in differently between Virtue and Vice observing no distinction between 'em but an equality in every one That a Wise Man was like a Famous Actor who whether he acted Thyrsites or Aganiemnon did both Parts well So that he rejected the Places of Natural and Rational saying That what was above us nothing concern'd us That therefore only Morals concern'd us He compar'd the Subtleties of Logic to Spiders Web which though Artificial to Sight were yet of no Use He neither introduc'd many Virtues like Zeno neither did he advance any one particularly above the rest giving to it particular Titles or Names like the Megarics And thus professing this kind of Philosophy and disputing in the Cynosarges he gain'd the Honour to be the Founder of a peculiar Sect. So that Miltiades and Dychilus were call'd Aristonians for he had an extraordinary perswasive Eloquence and very taking among the vulgar sort However as Diocles reports he was worsted by Polemo in a Dispute at what time Zeno fell into a tedious Fit of Sickness Yet he was a great Admirer of that Opinion of the Stoics That a wise man could never doubt Thereupon Persaeus brought him two Twins and order'd the one to deliver him a Trust with Instructions to the other to demand it again soon after from him at what time seeing him in a Doubt which to restore it to he convinc'd him of his Error He was an utter Enemy to Artesilaus So that it being his Chance to see a monstrous Bull that carry'd a Matrix Wo is me said he to Artesilaus as an Argument against Evidence To an Academic that deny'd he apprehended any thing Why said he Dost thou not see that Rich Man sitting by thee Who answering No he retorted upon him this Verse Who struck thee blind or from thy sight Remov'd the glittering Lamps of Light He is said to have been the Author of all the following Volumes Of Exhortations in two Books Dialogues concerning Zeno's Opinions Six Dialogues concerning Schools Seven Discourses upon Wisdom Amorous Exercises Commentaries concerning Vain-Glory Commentaries upon Fifteen Commentaries in three Volumes Eleven Books of Proverbs and Sentences Against the Orators against Alexinus against Logicians in three Volumes Four Books of Epistles to Cleanthes But Panatius and Sosicrates will allow no more then the Epistles to be his own The Report is that being Bald the Heat of the Sun pierc'd his Skull which brought him to his End. Old as thou wer't and Bald it was ill done T' expose thy Noddle to the Roasting Sun For when thou sought'st for more then needful Heat Thou found'st cold Death and Styx to cool thy Pate There was also another Aristo of Iliete a Peripatetic a second an Athenian and a Musitian Another a Tragic Poet a fourth who wrote the Art of Rhetoric and a fifth a Peripatetic of Alexandria The LIFE of ERILLVS ERillus the Carthaginian asserts Knowledge to be the End and Scope of Mankind which is to live for ever referring all things to a Life of Knowledge by which means we avoid the Death of Ignorance He defin'd Knowledge to be a Habit proceeding from a Crowd of Imaginations not to be express'd in Words Sometimes he held there was no End as being alter'd and chang'd as various Accidents and Businesses alter'd the Resolutions of Men. As if the same Metal may serve to make a Statue for Alexander or Socrates But he distinguish'd between the End and the thing subjected to the End For the one Fools as well as Wise Men apprehend the other only the Wise can conceive He also maintain'd that there were things Indifferent between Virtue and Vice. His Treatises are but short however full of Pith and Sence and full of Contradictions of Zeno. It is reported that when he was a Boy he was belov'd by several Men whom Socrates not being willing to admit caus'd Erillus to be shav'd and then they ceas'd to make any farther Addresses He wrote several Dialogues under the following Titles Of Exercise of the Affections of Apprehension the Legislator the Midwife Antiphero the Schoolmaster Preparatives Direction Mercury Medea and Moral Questions But Dionysius Sirnam'd Metathemenus asserted Pleasure to be the End and Aim of all men For having a Pain in his Eyes he was so tormented with it that he cry'd out that Pain could not be a thing indifferent His Father's Name was Theophantus of the City of Heraclea and when he came of Age he was first of all a Hearer of Heraclides his Fellow-Citizen after that of Alexinis and Menedemus and lastly of Zeno 〈…〉 Yet he lov'd none so clearly as Aratus whom he labour'd to imitate At length when he left Zeno he betook himself to the Cyrenaics frequented the Common Prostitutes and indulg'd himself to all manner of Voluptuous Pleasures Several Writings are Father'd upon him under these Titles Of Calming the Passions in two Volumes Of Exercise two Volumes Of Pleasure four Of Riches Favour and Punishment Of the Vse of Men Of Happiness Of the Ancient Kings Of Things deserving Applause Of Barbarous Customs These were they that differ'd from the Stoicks But to Zeno himself succeeded both his Scholar and Admirer Cleanthes The LIFE of CLEANTHES CLEANTHES the Son of Phanius and Asian as Antisthenes reports in his Successions was at first a Fisty-Cuffer but coming to Athens with no more then four Drachma's in his Pocket and meeting with Zeno he betook himself most sedulously to the Study of Philosophy and adher'd altogether to his Precepts and Opinions It is reported also that being miserably poor he hir'd himself out to draw Water in Gardens in the Night and follow'd his Studies by Day so that they gave him the Nickname of Well-Emptier For which they say he was call'd in question by the Judges who demanded of him Wherefore being such a stout and well made Fellow he follow'd such an effeminate Employment And being cast by the Testimony of the Gardiner that set him at Work and of a Woman whose Ovens he heated he was acquitted by the Judges who admiring his Parts order'◠him ten Mina's which Zeno forbid him to accept though afterwards it is reported that Antigonus sent him three Thousand Another time as he was
carrying certain Children to a Show the Wind blew off his single Garment and discover'd him quite naked upon which the People giving a loud Shout he was order'd to be new clad as Demetrius the Magnesian relates For which Antigonus admiring him and becoming his Hearer ask'd him Wherefore he drew Water To whom I do not only draw Water said he Do I not dig Do I not endure the bitter hardship of cold Weather and all for the Love of Philosophy For Zeno put him to it and made him bring him a Half-peny a time out of his Labour and one time among the rest fetching out one of his small Pieces and shewing it among his intimate Friends Well said he this Cleanthes is able to maintain another Cleanthes if he would and yet they who have enough of their own cannot be content but they must be begging of others though not half such diligent Philosophers For which Reason Cleanthes was call'd another Hercules for he was a most indefatigable Student but very slow and dull but he surmounted his want of Parts by Labour and Industry which occasion'd Timon to give him a very ill Character What Bell-weather is that that struts along And fain would seem to head the gazing Throng Fondly conceited of his Eloquence Yet a meer Blockhead without Wit or Sence And therefore when he was jeer'd and laugh'd at by his Fellow-Disciples who call'd him Ass and Dolt he took all patiently saying no more but that he was able to bear all Zeno ' s Burthens Another time being upbraided for being timorous Therefore it is said he that I so seldom mistake And preferring his own miserable Life before the Plenty of the wealthy he said no more then this They toil at Tennis and I dig hard for my Living Sometimes as he was digging he would be chiding himself which Aristo over-hearing Who 's that said he thou art scolding withal An old Fellow reply'd the other smiling that has grey Hairs but no Wit. When it was told him that Arcesilans neglected to do as became him Forbear said he and do not blame the Man for though he talk against Duty yet he upholds it in Deeds To one that ask'd him what Instructions he should most frequently give his Son He repeated that Verse in Euripides Softly there softly gently tread To a certain Lacedaemonian that asserted Labour to be a Felicity falling into a loud Laughter he cry'd out Sure some great Man from high Extraction sprung Discoursing to a Young Man he ask'd him Whether he understood him or no Who answering Yes Why then said he do not I understand that thou dost understand When Sositheus put the following Sarcasm upon him in the Public Theatre Whom dull Cleanthes Follies drive like Oxen. He never alter'd his Countenance nor his Gesture which when the whole Pit took notice of they applauded Cleanthes and laugh'd at Sositheus as one that had spent his Jest in vain Whereupon the other begging his Pardon for the Injury he had done him he made Answer That 't would be ill done in him to take notice of a slight Injury when Hercules and Bacchus were so frequently injur'd by the Poets He compar'd the Peripatetics to Harps which though they yielded ne'er so pleasing a Sound yet never heard themselves It is reported That as he was openly maintaining the Opinion of Zeno that the Disposition and Inclinations might be discover'd by the Shape and Form of the Party certain abusive Young Men brought him an old Catamite that had been long worn out and ask'd him what he thought of his Inclinations Which he perceiving after a short Pause bid the Fellow be gone but as he was going he fell a sneezing whereupon he cry'd out Hold I smell him now he 's a Rascal To one that upbraided him with his Old Age Truly said he I am willing to depart but then again when I consider my self to be perfectly in Health and that I am still able to write and read methinks I am as willing to stay yet a little longer It is reported that he wrote down upon Potsherds and Blade-bones of Oxen the Sayings of Zeno for want of Money to buy Paper and by this means he grew so famous that though Zeno had several other Scholars Men of great Parts and Learning yet he was only thought worthy to succeed him in his School He left several most excellent Pieces behind him as his Treatises of Time of Zeno's Physiology in two Volumes Expositions of Heraclitus Four Books of the Senses of Art against Democritus against Aristarchus against Erillus of Natural Inclination two Volumes Antiquities of the Gods of the Gyants of Marriage of a Poet of Offices three Books of Council of Favour of Exhortation of the Virtues of the Art of Love of Honour of Glory of Ingenuity of Gorgippus of Malevolence of the Mind of Liberty of Politicks of Counsel of Law of Judicature of Education of the End of Things Noble of Actions and Business of Regal Dominion Symposiacs of Friendship That the Virtue of Men and Women is the same of Sophistry in Wise Men of Proverbs two Books of Pleasure of Property of Ambiguity of Logic of the Moods and Predicaments The manner of his Death was thus It happen'd that his Gums swell'd and began to putrifie whereupon the Physicians order'd him to abstain from Meat for two Days which recover'd him so well again that the Physicians allow'd him to eat what he pleas'd But he was so far from making Use of that Liberty that on the other side he was resolv'd to eat nothing at all saying He was at the End of his Journey 't was to no purpose and so starv'd himself to Death after he had liv'd to Zeno's Years of which he had been Nineteen his Scholar The manner of whose Exit occasions the following Epigram of our own Cleanthes I applaud but Death much more That would not force him to the Stygian Shoar For he was old and weak nay more then so Death knew th' Old Man knew his own time to go Death therefore let him stay till he believing H' had liv'd too long himself gave over living The LIFE of SPHAERVS SPHAERVS the Bosphorian was a Hearer of Cleanthes after Zeno's Decease who after he had made a considerable Progress in his Studies went to Alexandria where he made his Addresses to Ptolomy Philopater At what time a Dispute arising upon the Question Whether a wise man ever made any doubt of any Thing and Sphaerus maintaining That no wise man could be deceiv'd the King desirous to convince him caus'd certain Pomegranates made of Wax to be set before him with which when Sphaerus was deluded taking one upon his Trencher to eat it the King cry'd out That he had been led by the Nose with an idle and false Imagination To whom Sphaerus made this ready Repartee That he knew they were no Pomegranates however 't was probable they might be Pomegranates Being accus'd by Mnesistratus for that he deny'd Ptolomy to
and thrifty Men they will bear with me If they be proud and luxurious we shall have no occasion to mind ' em He was wont to say That other Men liv'd that they might eat but that he eat only that he might live Concerning the vulgar Multitude he said they were like a vast sum of Money where a Man refuses to take the pieces one by one but never scruples to carry away the whole Heap When Aeschines told him he was poor and had nothing else to give him but himself How said he and art thou not sensible that thou givest me the greatest gift thou can'st e'er expect to be Master of in this World To one that murmur'd to find himself despis'd when the thirty Tyrants came into Power Oh said he d' ye repent at length To another who brought him the news that the Athenians had condemned him to dye Very good said he and Nature has condemned them Which saying is ascribed by others to Anaxagoras To his Wife that cry'd to him Thou dy'st unjustly Do'st wish said he it had been justly Dreaming that he heard a Person recite this Verse to him in his sleep On the third day come thou to Phthia's Plains He told Aeschines that he should dye within three days Upon the day that he was to drink the Hemlock draught when Apollodorus offer'd him a sumptuous upper Garment to cover him expiring What! said he my own Cloak suffic'd me while I liv'd and will it not serve me to dye in To one who brought him word that a certain Person curs'd and rail'd at him It may be so said he for he never learn'd to speak any better When Antisthenes held up his upper Garment and shew'd it full of holes to the light I see said Socrates thy vanity through the Rents of my Cloak To one that cry'd to him Does not such a one abuse thee No said he for his words concern me not He said 't was expedient for him to expose himself on purpose to the Comoedians For if they tell us our faults we ought to correct 'em in our selves if not their Scoffs are nothing to Us. To Xantippe that first read him a Curtain Lecture and then threw a Bowl of Water in his Face Did I not tell ye said he that when Xantippe thunder'd she would rain soon after To Alcibiades telling him That Xantippe's Billingsgate Language was not to be endur'd Oh! said he I have accustom'd my self to it and it troubles me no more than the noise of the Mill offends the Miller And then adding Dost not thou bear with the cackling of thy Geese To which Alcibiades replying that they brought him Eggs and Goslins And Xantippe said he has brought me Children Another time when she pull'd his Cloak from his back and his familiar Friends advis'd him to chastise her with his fists Well advis'd by Jove said he for you while we are together by the Ears to laugh at us and cry well done Socrates bravely done Xantippe Therefore he said that a Man must use himself to a morose ill humour'd Wife as Jockies order their high mettl'd Horses For by breaking Them of their Jades tricks they learn to ride others with pleasure So I said he being accustom'd to Xantippe's bawling can the more easily brook the indignities of Men when I come abroad These and such like Sentences and Admonitions when he had both utter'd and practis'd every day he was applauded by the Pythian Priests who return'd that Answer to Chaerephon which is in every Bodies Mouth Of all Men living Socrates the Wisest This drew upon him the envy of several especially those who having a proud and impertinent conceit of themselves he always despis'd for Fools and Nonsensical fellows of which number was Anytus as Plato relates in his Memnon This Anytus therefore not brooking the Jokes and Sarcasms that Socrates daily put upon him first embitter'd Aristophanes after that he incensed Melitus to draw up an Indictment against him laying Impiety and corrupting of Youth to his Charge Thereupon Melitus drew up the Bill and Polyeuretus took upon him the Prosecution as Phavorinus relates in his Universal History Polycrates the Sophister compil'd the Declamation against him as Hermippus reports though others will have Anytus himself to be the Person and Lyco the Orator manag'd the Tryal But Antisthenes in his Successions of the Philosophers and Plato in his Apologies relate him to have had three Accusers Anytus Lyco and Melitus Anytus took the Citizens and Tradesmens part Lyco appear'd for the Orators and Melitus stood for the Poets who had every one felt the lash of Socrates's Reprimands But Phavorinus in his first Book of Remembrances tells us that the Oration fix'd upon Polycrates could not be his for that there is mention made therein of the Walls that were repair'd by Conan which was not done till six years after the death of Socrates Now the form of the Process ran thus For it still remains to be seen says Phavorinus in the Metroum Melitus of Pithea the Son of Melitus accuses Socrates the Alopecian the Son of Sophroniscus of the following Crimes Socrates does impiously not believing those to be Gods which the City believes to be so but introducing other strange Deities He does impiously in Corrupting and Seducing the Youth of the City Wherefore his punishment ought to be Death Soon after when Lysias had read the Apology which he had made for him 'T is an exceeding Eloquent and Polite Oration Lysias said the Philosopher yet it nothing concerns me for it was more like a judicial piece of Pleading than was proper for a Philosopher to own But then Lysias demanding if the Oration were good and lik'd him wherefore it were not convenient for him May not said he my Garments and Shoes be very splendid and fashionable yet not fit me At the time of the Tryal Justus of Tiberias in his Stemma relates that Plato ascended into the Pulpit and thus beginning his Harangue Though the youngest in years O Men of Athens of any that ever yet ascended into this Place He was presently interrupted by the Judges who cry'd out Come down then Thereupon he was cast by two hundred eighty and one Voices After which the Judges debating whether to punish his Body or his Purse he told 'em he was ready to pay twenty five Drachma's though Eubulides affirms that he promis'd a hundred Upon which the Judges being divided in their Opinions I should have thought said he for what I have done I might rather have been rewarded and allowed the Public Maintenance of the Prytaneum But that put 'em into such a Heat that they presently condemned him to death with a new access of fourscore Voices more Thereupon he was thrown into Irons Nor was it many days after that before he drank the poysonous Juice uttering at his death those Raptures of Morality Philosophy which Plato has recorded in his Phaedo There are some who affirm that he wrote that Hymn to Apollo