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
then he if by himself it must be either to better or to worse both which are absurd From all these it followeth that God is incorporeal which may likewise be proved thus If God were a body he should consist of matter and form for every body consisteth of matter and its form joynes to that matter which is made like unto the Idaea's aâ—d in an ineffable manner participant of them But that should consist of matter and form is absurd for then he could not bee either simple or a Principle therefore he is incorporeall Again if he be a body he consisteth of matter and consequently is either fire or air or earth or water or somthing made out of these but none of these is principle by it selfe besides he must then bee later then matter as consisting of it which being absurd it is necessary that God be incorporeall Moreover if he were a body it would follow that he must be generable corruptible mutable which to affirm of God were intollerable CHAP. XI Of Qualities THat Qualities are incorporeall may be proved thus every body is a Subject quality is not a Subject but an accident therefore quality is not a body Again no body is in a subject every quality is in a Subject therefore quality is not a body Again quality is contrary to quality but no body as no body is contrary to a body therefore qualities are not bodies To omit that it is most agreeable to reason that as matter is void of quality so quality should be void of matter aud if quality be void of matter it must likewise be void of corporeity for if qualities were bodies two or three bodies might be together in the same place which is absurd Qualities being incorporeal the maker of them must be incorporeall also moreover there can be no efficients but in corporeals for bodies naturally suffer and are in mutation not continuing alwaies in manner nor persevering in the same state For whensoever they seem to effect any thing we shall find that they suffer it long before Whence as there is something which wholly suffereth so must there bee somthing which wholly acteth but such only is incorporeall Thus much concerning principles as far they relate to Theology we proceed next to Physicall contemplations CHAP XII Of the Causes Generation Elements and Order of the World FOrasmuch as of sensible and singular things there must of necessity be some examplars viz. Idea's of which are Sciences and Definitions for besides all particular men we conceive a man in our mind and besides all particular horses a horse and likewise besides all living creatures a living creature immortall and unbegotten as from one seale are made many prints and of one man there may be many Pictures of all which the Idaea it self is cause that they are such as it self is it is necessary that this Universe the fairest Fabrick of Gods making be so made by God that in the making thereof he look'd upon an Idaea as its exemplar whilst by a wonderfull providence and most excellent design God applyed himselfe to the building of this frame because he was good God therefore made it of all matter which being before the generation of Heaven disorderly scattered he from a deformed confusion reduced to beautifull order and adorned every way the parts thereof with sit numbers and figures untill at last he so distinguish'd them as now they are Fire and Earth to Air and Water of which there were then only the footsteps and a certain aptitude to admit the power of Elements and so without any reason or order they justled matter and were justled again by matter Thus God framed the World of four entire Elements of whole Fire and Earth Water and Air omitting no power or part of any of them For he saith it must be corporeall and generated and subject to touch and sight but without Fire and Earth nothing can be touched or seen Wherefore justly he framed it of Fire and Earth and because it was requisite there should be some chain to unite these there is a Divine chain which according to the proportion of reason maketh one of it self and those things which are united to it and the World could not be plain for then one medium would have served but sphaericall therefore there was need of two mediums to the constitution thereof Betwixt Fire and Earth by the prescription of this reason is interposed Air and Water that as Fire is to Air so is Air to Water and as Air is to Water so is Water to Earth and again as Earth is to Water so is Water to Air and as Water is to Air so is Air to Fire There being nothing remaining beyond the World God made the World one conformable to this Idaea which is one He likewise made it such as that is uncapable of sicknesse or age For besides that nothing can befall it whereby it may be corrupted it is so sufficient to it self that it hath not need of any exteriour thing He bestowed upon it a Sphaericall figure as being the fairest the most capacious and aptest to motion and because it needeth not hearing or sight or the rest of the senses he gave it not any Organs of sense He denied all kinds of motion to be competible to it except the circular which is proper to the mind and to Wisdom CHAP XIII Of the convenience of figures with the Elements and World THe world thus consisteth of two parts a Soul and a Body this visible and corruptible that neither subject to sight nor touch The power and constitution of each is different the body consisteth of Fire Earth Water and Aire which foure the maker of the Universe there being untill then nothing more confused then the Elements formed in a Pyramid a Cube an Octaedron and an Icosaedron but chiefly in a Dodecaedron Matter as far as it put on the figure of a Pyramid became Fire and mounted upward For that figure is the most apt to cut and to divide as consisting of fewest triangles and therefore is the rarest of all figures As far as it is an Octaedron it took the qualitie of Aire VVhere it took that of an Icosaedron it became Water The figure of a Cube Earth as being the most solid and staple of all the Elements The figure of a Dodecaedron he used in the fabrick of the Universe Superficies come nigher the nature of Principles then all these for they are before solids Of its nature the two Parents as it were are two Triangles most fair and rectangular one a Scalenum the other an Isosceles a Scalenum is a triangle having one right angle the other of two thirds the last of one third A Scalenum therefore is the element of a Pyramid and an Octaedron and an Icosaedron A Pyramid consisteth of foure triangles having all sides equall to one another each whereof is divided as we said into six scalenous triangles The Octaedors consist of eight like sides whereof each is
he erreth also for then there would be somthing that should be alwaies and yet could not be alwaies Heaven is void of labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it hath no contrary to retard its motion Heaven hath the threefold difference of position upwards and downwards backwards right and left for these are proper to all animate things which have the principle of motion within themselves The right side of Heaven is the East for from thence begins its motion the left side the West and consequently the Artick pole is lowermost the Antartick uppermost forwards our Hemisphear backwards the other Heaven naturally moveth circularly but this circular motion is not uniform throughout all Heaven for there are other Orbs which move contrary to the primum mobile that there may be a vicissitude in sublunary things and generation and corruption Heaven is Sphaericall for to the first body the first figure is most proper If it were quadrangular triangular or the like the angles would somtimes leave a space without a body and occupate another space without a body The motion of Heaven is circular as being the measure of all others therefore most compendious and swiftest The motion of the primum mobile is aequable and uniform for it hath neither beginning middle nor end the primum mobile and first mover being eternall both and subject to no variation Starres are of the same body with that wherein they are carried but more thick and compact they produce warmth and light in inferiour things through frication of the Air by their motion for swift motion fires wood and melts lead yet the spheares themselves are not heated but the Air only and that chiefly by the sphear of the Sun which by his accession towards us increaseth the heat his beams falling more directly and with double force upon us The Starres being infixed in the Heavens are moved not by themselves with a proper motion as fishes in the water and Birds in the Air but according to the motion of their Orbes Otherwise those in the eight Sphear would not be alwaies aequidistant from one another neither would the stars have alwaies the same side turned towards us as we see the Moon hath The primum mobile is carried about with the swiftest motion the seven Orbes of Planets under it as they are nearer to it are carried so much the more swiftly about by the motion thereof and as they are further distant more slowly Whence by how much the nigher they are to the primum mobile so much the slower is their proper motion because it is contrary to that of the primum mobile as being from East to West The Starres are round for that figure is most unapt for self-motion wee see the Moon is round by her orbicular sections therefore the other Starres are so likewise for the reason is the same in all The Centre of Heaven is the Earth round seated immoveable in the midst which together with the Sea makes up one Globe CHAP. VII Of Elements THe Element of Bodies is a simple Body into which other Bodies are divided in which it is either actually or potentially as in flesh wood and the like there is fire and earth potentially for into these they are segregated but actually they are not for then should the flesh and wood bee segregated Whereas every naturall Body hath a proper motion motions are partly simple partly mixt the mixt proper to mixt bodies the simple to simple it is manifest that there are simple bodies for there are simple motions the circular proper to Heaven the right to the Elements The Elements are not eternall for they are dissolved with reciprocall mutations and perish and are mutually generated of one another The motive qualities of the Elements are gravity and levity Heavy is that which is apt to be carried downwards to the Centre or midst of Heaven light is that which is apt to be carried upwards towards the extremities of Heaven These are either simple or comparative Simply heavy is that which is below all as the Earth Simply light is that which is above as all the fire Comparatively heavy and light are those in which are both these above some below others as Air and Water From these have mixt things gravity and levity the heavy are carried downwards to a definite medium the light upwards to a definite extream for nothing tends to infinite Whence it followeth that two Elements are extreamly contrary simply heavy and simply light Fire and Earth which tend to contrary places Betwixt these are two means participating of the nature of each extream Air and Water Those Elements which are highest and lightest are most perfect and have the nature of forms in respect of the inferiour because these are contained by those to be contained is the property of matter to contain of form Hence it followeth that there are four kinds of particular second matter differing by the accidentall differeâ—ces of heat cold humidity siccity levity and gravity simple and comparative though there be but one common matter of them all for they are made mutually of one another The mean Elements are heavy in their proper places for Earth being taken away Water tending downwards succeeds in its room Air descends into the place of Water but not contrariwise for Water ascends not into its place of Air unlesse by force In the extream it is otherwise for the Air being taken away the fire will not descend into its place nor the Earth ascend into the place of Water or Air for Fire is not heavy nor Earth light in their naturall place because they are extream Elements Figure conduceth to the swiftnesse or slownesse of motion either upwards or downwards but is not simply and in it self the cause of motion so an acute figure cuts the medium swiftly a broad obtuse figure slowly Hence a thin plate of Lead or Iron will swim on water because it comprehends much of the subjected body which it cannot easily divide or penetrate CHAP. VIII Of generation Corruption Alteration Augmentation and Diminution THere is a perpetuall succession of generation as well simple as accidentall which proceeds from two causes Efficient the first mover and the Heavens alwaies moving and allwaies moved and Materiall the first matter of which being non-ens actually ens potentially all things generable and corruptible consist This is incorruptible in its self susceptible of all forms whereby the corruption of one natural substance becometh the generation of another whatsoever matter remaineth upon the corruption being assumed towards the generation of another Generation and Corruption are twofold simple of a substance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of an accident generation of the lesse noble substance is called generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of the more noble as that of Earth in respect of fire Corruption alwaies succeedeth generation because the terme to which of corruption viz. non-ens is the
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
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
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
which more gently austere The sense of touching was formed by the Gods to discern hot and cold soft and hard light and heavy smooth and rough and to iudge the differences of each of these Yielding bodies we call those which yield to the touch resisting those which yield not this proceedeth from the bases of bodies those which have large bases are firm and solid these which have narrow bases are yielding soft and easily changed Rough is that which is uneven and hard smooth that which is plain and thick As warm and cold qualities are most opposite so they proceed from the most different causes That which cutteth by the acutenesse and roughnesse of its parts begetteth a hot affection that which is more thick in penetration a cold whilst the more rare are expelled and the more dense compelled to penetrate into their room Thence ariseth a concussion and trepidation and an affection which is from hence begotten in bodies rigor CHAP. XX. Of Heavy and Light HEavy and light ought not to be defined by higher or lower place nothing is high or low for Heaven being absolutely round and its convexe extremity even we cannot term any thing higher or lower yet may we call that heavy which is hardly drawn to a place different from its Nature light which easily or heavy is that which consisteth of most parts light of fewest CHAP. XXI Of Respiration WE breath after this manner The externall Air compasseth us round about and passeth in at our mouth nostrills and invisible Pores of the body where being warmed it floweth back again to the externall Air by that part out of which it flowed it again thrusteth the externall Air to the interiour Thus there is an unintermitted succession of inspiration and expiration CHAP. XXII Of the Causes of Diseases OF Diseases Plato alledgeth many causes The first is defect or excesse of the Elements and a change into places which agree not with their Nature The second a preposterous generation of homogeneall parts as when of flesh is made blood or choler or flegme for all these are nothing but colliquation or putrefaction â—legm is a new collâ—quation of flesh sweat and tears are a kind of Serum of flegm Flegm intercepted in the outward parts begetteth Scurse and Leprosie in the inward being mingled with Melancholy it causeth the falling-sicknesse Sharp and salt flegme engender those affections which consist in rigour for all bodies that are inflamed with choler must suffer that A world of various diseases are engendred by choler and flegm As concerning feavours Plato conceiveth that a continuall feavour proceedeth from excesse of fire a quotidian from excesse of air a tertian from excesse of water a quartan from excesse of Earth It remaineth that we here begin to speak of the Soul though not without some danger of repeating the same things CHAP. XXIII Of the three principall powers of the Soul THE Gods the makers of mortall Creatures having received from the first God the Soul of Man immortall added unto it two mortall parts yet left the immortall divine part might be infected with mortall extravagances they seated as Prince of all in the tower as it were of the body the Head in figure resembling the Universe The rest of the body they appointed as a vehiculum to serve this To each mortall part they assigned its proper habitation placing the irascible in the heart the concupiscible in the midst betwixt the Navell and the Diaphragme binding it there as a furious savage Beast They framed the Lungs in respect of the heart soft bloodlesse hollow and spungy that the heart being somthing heated with anger might thereby be refrigerated and asswaged the Liver to excite and allay the concupiscible part having both sweetnesse and bitternesse as likewise for the clearing of divinations which are given by dreams for as much as in it by reason of its smoothnesse shining and brightnesse the power which proceedeth from the mind doth shine forth The Spleen was made for the benefit of the Liver to purge and cleanse it so that those corruptions which by some diseases are contracted about the Liver retire thither CHAP. XXIV Of the distinction of the parts of the Soul THat the Soul and parts thereof according to their proper faculties are threefold every part appointed by reason their severall places is manifest from hence Those things which are separated by Nature are divers passionate and reasonable are separate by nature this being conversant in Intelligibles that in things sad or joyful to omit the passive part which is common likewise to bruit Beasts Now these two being distinct by Nature must likewise be distinguished by place because for the most part they disagree and are repugnant to one another but nothing can be repugnant to it self neither can those things which are contrary to one another consist together in the same In Medea anger seemeth to contest thus with reason I know what I intend is ill But anger over-rules my will In Laius when he ravished Chrysippus concupiscence contested with Reason for so he saith Men to this crime the Gods confine To know the ill that they decline That the rationall power is different from the Passive is evident from this that they ordered by severall means one by discipline the other by habituall practice CHAP. XXV Of the Immortality of the Soul THat the Soul is immortall Plato proveth by these Arguments The Soul to every thing wherein it is conferreth life as being naturally innate in her self but that which conferreth life to others never admitteth death but what is such is immortall The Soul being immortall is likewise incorruptible for it is an incorporeall essence which cannot be changed substantially and is only perceptible by the Intellect not by the eyes and is uniform Hence it must be simple neither can be at any time dissolved or corrupted The body is contrary for it is subject to sight and other senses and as it is compounded so shall it again be dissolved and it is multiform When the Soul adhereth to those things which are preceptible by Intellect it acquieseeth Now to that by whose presence she is disturbed she cannot possibly be like wherefore she is more like to those things which are perceptible by Intellect but what is such is by nature incorruptible and perishable Again the Soul naturally doth preside over the body not the body over the Soul but that which by nature ruleth and commandeth is of kin to Divinity wherefore the Soul being next unto God must be immortall not subject to corruption Again Contraries which have no medium not by themselves but by some accident are so ordered by Nature that they may be mutually made of one another But that which men call life is contrary to that which they call death as therefore Death is a separation of the Soul from the body so islife a conjunction of the Soul with the body praeexistent to the Body But if she be praeexistent and shall
he is To things that are that which is not is not opposed as contrary for it neither existeth nor is participant of any essence nor can be understood So that if any man endeavour to expresse it in words or comprehend it by thought he is deceived because he putteth together things contrary and repugnant Yet that which is not as far as it is spoken is not a pure negation of that which is but implyeth a relation to another which in some manner is joined to Ens. So that unlesse we assume somthing from that which is to that which is not it cannot be distinguished from other things but thus as many kinds as they are of Ens so many are there of Non-Ens because that which is not an Ens is a Non-Ens Thus much may serve for an introduction into Plato's Philosophy Some things perhaps are said orderly others dispersedly or confusedly yet is all so laid down that by those which we have delivered the rest of his Assertions may be found out and contemplated After so serious a Discourse it will not be amisse to give the Reader a Poeticall entertainment upon the same Subject being A PLATONICK DISCOURSE Written in Italian by IOHN PICUS Earl of MIRANDULA In explication of a Sonnet by HIERONIMO BENIVIENI The first PART Sect. I. IT is a principle of the Platonists That every created thing hath a threefold being Causal Formal Participated In the Sun there is no heat that being but an elementary quality not of Celestiall nature yet is the Sun the cause and Fountain of all hear Fire is hot by nature and its proper form Wood is not hot of its self yet is capable of receiving that quality by Fire Thus hath heat its Causall being in the Sun its Formall in the Fire it s Participated in the Fuel The most noble and perfect of these is the Causal and therefore Platonists assert That all excellencies are in God after this manner of being That in God is nothing but from him all things That Intellect is not in him but that he is the original spring of every Intellect Such is Plotinus's meaning when he affirms God neither understands nor knows that is to say after a formall way As Dionysius Areopagita God is neither an Intellectuall nor Intelligent nature but unspeakably exalted above all Intellect and Knowledge Sect. II. PLatonists distinguish Creatures into three degrees The first comprehends the corporeall and visible as Heaven Elements and all compounded of them The last the invisible incorporeal absolutely free from bodies which properly are called Intellectual by Divines Angelicall Natures Betwixt these is a middle nature which though incorporeall invisible immortall yet moveth bodies as being obliged to that Office called the rationall Soul inferiour to Angells superiour to Bodies subject to those regent of these Above which is God himselfe author and principle of every Creature in whom Divinity hath a casuall being from whom proceeding to Angells it hath a formall being and thence is derived into the rationall Soul by participation of their lustre below which no nature can assume the Title of Divine Sect. III. THat the first of these three Natures cannot be multiplyed who is but one the principle and cause of all other Divinity is evidently proved by Platonists Peripateticks and our Divines About the second viz. The Angelick and Intellectuall Platonists disagree Some as Proclus Hermias Syrianus and many others betwixt God and the rationall Soul place a great number of creatures part of these they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intelligible part intellectuall which termes Plato sometimes confoundeth as in his Phaedo Plotinus Porphyrius and generally the most refined Platonists betwixt God and the Soul of the World assigne only one Creature which they call the Son of God because immediately produced by him The first opinion complies most with Dionysius Areopagita and Christian Divines who assert the number of Angells to be in a manner infinite The second is the more Philosophick best suiting with Aristotle and Plato whose sense we only purpose to expresse and therefore will decline the first path though that only be the right to pursue the latter Sect. IV. VVE therefore according to the opinion of Plotinus confirmed not only by the best Platonists but even by Aristotle and all the Arabians especially Avicenna affirm That God from eternity produced a creature of incorporeall and intellectuall nature as perfect as is possible for a created being beyond which he produced nothing for of the most perfect cause the effect must be most perfect and the most perfect can be but one for of two or more it is not possible but one should be more or lesse perfect than the rest otherwise they would not be two but the same This reason for our opinion I rather choose then that which Avicen alledges founded upon this principle That from one cause as one can proceed but one effect We conclude therefore that no creature but this first minde proceeds immediately from God for of all other effects issuing from this minde and all other second causes God is only the mediate efficient This by Plato Hermes and Zoroaster is called the Daughter of God the Minde Wisdome Divine Reason by some interpreted the Word not meaning with our Divines the Son of God he not being a creature but one essence coequall with the Creator Sect. V. ALL understanding agents have in themselves the form of that which they design to effect as an Architect hath in his minde a figure of the building he undertakes which as his pattern he exactly strives to imitate This Platonists call the Idea or Exemplar believing it more perfect then that which is made after it and this manner of Being Ideal or Intelligible the other Materiall and Sensible So that when a Man builds a house they affirm there are two one Intellectuall in the Workmans mind the other sensible which he makes in Stone Wood or the like expressing in that matter the form he hath conceiv'd to this Dante alludes â—None any work can frame Unless himself become the same Hereupon they say though God produced only one creature yet he produced all because in it he produced the Ideas and forms of all and that in their most perfect being that is the Ideal for which reason they call this Mind the Intelligible World Sect. VI. AFter the pattern of that Mind they affirm this sensible World was made and the exemplar being the most perfect of all created things it must follow that this Image thereof be as perfect as its nature will bear And since animate things are more perfect then the inanimate and of those the rational then the irrationall we must grant this World hath a Soul perfect above all others This is the first rationall Soul which though incorporeall and immateriall is destin'd to the function of governing and moving corporeall Nature not free from the body as that mind whence from Eternity it was deriv'd as was the mind from
God Hence Platonists argue the World is eternall its soul being such and not capable of being without a body that also must be from eternity as likewise the motion of the Heavens because the Soul cannot be without moving Sect. VII THe antient Ethnick Theologians who cast Poeticall vails over the face of their mysteries expresse these three natures by other names Coelum they call God himself he produc'd the first Mind Saturn Saturn the Soul of the World Iupiter Coelum imples Priority and excellence as in the Firmament the first Heaven Saturn signifies Intellectuall nature wholly imploy'd in contemplation Iupiter active life consisting in moving and governing all subordinate to it The properties of the two latter agree with their Planets Saturn makes Men Contemplative Iupiter Imperious The Speculative busied about things above them the Practick beneath them Sect. VIII WHich three names are promiscuously used upon these grounds In God we understand first his Excellence which as Cause he hath above all his effects for this he is called Coelus Secondly the production of those effects which denotes conversion towards inferiours in this respect he is sometimes called Iupiter but with an addition Optimus Maximus The first Angelick nature hath more names as more diversity Every creature consists of Power and Act the first Plato in Philebo calls Infinite the second Finite all imperfections in the Mind are by reason of the first all perfections from the latter Her operations are threefold About Superiours the contemplation of God about the knowledge of herself about inferiours the production and care of this sensible World these three proceed from Act. By Power she descends to make inferiour things but in either respect is firm within her self In the two first because contemplative she is called Saturn in the third Iupiter a name principally applyed to her power as that part from whence is derived the act of Production of things For the same reason is the soul of the World as she contemplates her self or superiours termed Saturn as she is imployed in ordering worldly things Iupiter and since the government of the World belongs properly to her the contemplation to the Mind therefore is the one absolutely called Iupiter the other Saturn Sect. IX THis World therefore as all other creatures consisteth of a Soul and Body the Body is all that we behold compounded of the four Elements These have their casuall being in the Heavens which consist not of them as sublunary things for then it would follow that these inferiour parts were made before the Celestiall the Elements in themselves being simple by concourse causing such things as are compounded of them Their formal being from the Moon down to the Earth Their participate and imperfect under the Earth evident in the Fire Air and Water experience daily finds there evinc'd by naturall Philosophers to which the antient Theologians aenigmatically allude by their four infernall Rivers Acheron Cocytus Styx and Phlegeton We may divide the body of the World into three parts Celestiall Mundane Infernall The ground why the Poets â—eign the Kingdom of Saturn to be shar'd betwixt his three Sons Iupiter Neptune and Pluto implying only the three-fold variation of this corporeall World which as long as it remains under Saturn that is in its Ideal Intellectual being is one and undivided and so more firm and potent but falling into the hands of his Sons that is chang'd to this material Being and by them divided into three parts according to the triple existence of bodies is more infirm and lesse potent degenerating from a spiritual to a corporeal estate The first part the heavenly they attribute to Iupiter the last and lowest to Pluto the middle to Neptune And because in this principality is all generation and corruption the Theologians express it by the Ocean ebbing or flowing continually by Neptune understanding the Power or deity that presides over Generation Yet we must not imagine these to be different souls distinctly informing these three parts the World her self being one can have but one Soul which as it animates the subterraneall parts is called Pluto the sublunary Neptune the celestiall Iupiter Thus Plato in Philebo averrs by Jove is understood a regall soul meaning the principall part of the World which governs the other This opinion though only my owâ—â— I suppose is more true then the expositions of the Grecians Sect. X. NExt that of the World Platonists assign many other rational souls The eight principall are those of the heavenly Spheres which according to their opinion exceeded not that number consisting of the seven Planets and the starry Orb. These are the nine Muses of the Poets Calliope the universall soul of the World is first the other eight are distributed to their severall Spheres Sect. XI PLato asserts That the Author of the World made the mundane and all other rationall souls in one Cup and of the same Elements the universall soul being most perfect ours least whose parts we may observe by this division Man the chain that ties the World together is placed in the midst and as all mediums participate of their extreams his parts correspond with the whole World thence called Microcosmus In the World is first Corporeall Nature eternall in the Heavens corruptible in the Elements and their compounds as Stones Mettals c. Then Plants The third degree is of Beasts The fourth rationall souls The fifth Angelicall minds Above these is God their origine In man are likewise two bodies one eternall the Platonists Vehiculum coeleste immediately inform'd by the rational soul The other corruptible subject to sight consisting of the Elements Then the vegetative faculty by which generated and nourished The third part is Sensitive and motive The fourth Rational by the Latine Peripateticks believ'd the last and most noble part of the Soul yet above that is the Intellectuall and Angelick the most excellent part whereof we call the Souls Union immediately joyning it to God in a manner resembling him as in the other Angels Beasts and Plants About thâ—se Platonists differ Proâ—lus and Porphyrius only allow the rationall part to be Immortall Zenocrates and Speusippus the sensitive also Numenius and Plotinus the whole Soul Sect. XII IDeas have their casuall being in God their formall in the first Minde their participated in the rationall Soul In God they are not but produced by him in the Angelick nature through this communicated to the Soul by whom illuminated when she reflects on her intellectuall parts she receives the true formes of things Ideas Thus differ the Souls of Men from the Celestiall these in their bodily functions recede not from the Intellectuall at once contemplating and governing Bodies ascend to them they descend not Those employ'd in corporeall office are depriv'd of contemplation borrowing science from sence to this wholly enclin'd full of errors Their only means of release from this bondage is the amatory life which by sensible beauties exciting in the soul a remembrance
care that he brought him to his own house and kept him there untill he were quite cured He likewise by the compulsion of his Brother studied Rhetorick and being by nature vehement in discourse and of indefatigable industry he addicted himselfe likewise to Poetry There is an Epigram of his extant upon Attalus to this effect For armes and horses oft hath been the name Of Pergamus through Pisa spread by fame But now shall if a mortall may divine To future times with greater glory shine There is another Epigram of his Menodorusâ— son of Eudemus Far hence is Thyatire far phrygian earth Whence Menodore thou didst derive thy birth But down to Acheron unpierc'd by day From any place thou knew'st the ready way To thee this Tâ—mb Eudemus dedicates Whom Love hath wealthy made though poor the Fates Although his Brother Maereas would have had him profâ—ssed Rhetorick yet was he naturally more enclined to Philosophy to which end he first became a hearer of Theophrastus in which time Crantor being much taken with him spoke that verse of Euripides to him out of his Andromeda Mayd if I save thee wilt thou thankfull be He answer'd in the following verse Stranger for wife or slave accept of me From thence forward they lived in intimate friendship whereaâ— Theophrastus troubled said He had lost a youth of extraordinary wit and quicknesse of apprehension He emulated Pyrrho as some affirm and studied Dialectick and the Eretriack Philosophy whence Aristo said of him Pyrrho behinde Plato before And in the middle Diodore And Timon Next leaden Menedemus he pursues And Pyrrho doth or Diodorus choose And soon after maketh him say thus I le swim to Pyrrho and crook'd Diodore He was a great admirer of Plato whose Bookes he had CHAP. II. Vpon what occasion he constituted the middle Academy CRates dying Arcesilaus took upon him the government of the School which was yielded to him by Socratides Being possessed of that place he altered the Doctrine and manner of Teaching which had been observed by Plato and his successors upon this occasion Plato and his followers down to Arcesilaus held as was said That there are two kinds of things some perceptible by Sence others perceptible only by Intellect That from the latter ariseth Science from the former Opinion That the Minde only seeth that which alwaies is simple and in the same manner and such as it is that is Ideas But that the Senses are all dull and slow neither can they perceive those things which seem subjected to Sense because either they are so little that they cannot fall beneath sense or so movable and transient that not one of them is constant or the same but all are in continuall lapse and fluxion Hence they called all this part of things Opiâ—â—onable affirming that Science is no where but in the notions and reasons of the minde Yet did they professe against those who said the Academy took away all sence for they affirmed not that there was no such thing as colour or tast or sapor or sound but only maintained there was no proper mark of true and certain in the senses there being no such any where Hence they allowed that we make use of the senses in actions from the reason that appeareth our of them but to trust them as absolutely true and infallible they allowed not Thus held the Academicks down to Poleme of whom Arcesilaus and Zenâ— were constant Auditors but Zeno being older then Arcesilaus and a very subtle disputant endeavoured to correct his doctrine not that as Theophrastus saith he did enervate vertue but on the contrary he placed all things that are reckon'd among the good in vertue only and this he called honest as being simple sole one good Of the rest though neither good nor evill he held that some were according to Nature others contrary to Nature others Mediate Those which are according to Nature he held to be worthy estimation the contrary contrary the neuter he left betwixt both in which he placed no value Of those which were eligible some were of more estimation some of lesse those which were of more he called preserred those of lesse rejected And as in these he did not change so much the things themselves as the words so betwixt a rectitude and a sin an office and a praeterossice he placed some things mediate holding that Rectitudes consisted only in good actions sins in evill but offices either performed or omitted he conceived mediate things And whereas the Philosophers of the old Academy did not hold all Vertue to consist in Reason but some vertues to be perfected by nature or custome Zeno on the contrary placed all Vertue in Reason and whereas the Academicks held as we said in the life of Plato that all those vertues may be separated Zeno maintained that could not be averring that not only the use of vertue as the Academicks held but the habit thereof was excellent in it selfe neither had any one vertue who did not alwaies make use of it And whereas the Academicks took not away passion from man affirming that we are subject to compassion desire fear and joy by nature but only contracted them and reduced them within narrower limits Zeno affirmed that from all these as from so many diseases a wise man must be free And whereas they held that all passions were naturall and irrationall and placed in one part of the Soule Concupiscence in the other Reason Neither did Zeno herein agree with them for he asserted that passions are voluntary that opinions are taken up by judgment that immoderate intemperance is the Mother of all passion Thus much for Ethicks As for Physick He did not allow that fift nature besides the foure Elements of which the Academicks held Sence and Minde to be effected for He asserted Fire to be that nature which begetteth every thing both Minde and Sence He likewise dissented from them in that he held nothing can be made by a thing which hath no body of which nature Xenocrates and the old Academicks thought the soule to be and that whatsoever made any thing or was it selfe made must of necessity be a Body He likewise asserted many things in the third part of Philosophy wherein He asserted some things new of the Senses themselves which he conceived to be joyned by a certain extrinsecall impulsion which he called Phantasie To these phantasies received by the Senses He added Assent of the mind which he held to be placed in us and voluntary Heâ— did not allow all phantasies to be faithfull and worthy â—reditâ— but only those which have a proper declaration of those things which they seem which phantasie when it is seen is called comprehensible when received and approved he calleth it comprehension That which was comprehended by sense he calleth Sense and if it were so comprehended that it could not be pulled away by reason Science if otherwise Ignorance of which kinde was opinion infirme and
put into an iron Cage and so carried up and down in a miserable fordid condition and at last as Laertius relates though others otherwise thrown to Lyons and devoured CHAP. VI. His School and manner of Teaching THus Aristotle having lived eight years with Alexander returned to Athens as Apollodorus and Dionysius Halicarnassaeus affirm in the second year of the hundred and eleventh Olympiad Pythodorus being Archon where he found Xenocrates teaching in the Academy which place was resigned unto him by Speusippus in the fourth year of the hundred and ninth Olympiad Hence it appeareth that Hermippus erreth in affirming that Xenocrates took upon him the School of Plato at what time Aristotle was sent by the Athenians on an Embassy to Philip. For as Patricius hath observed it can no way agree in time it being certain as Laertius attests that Speusippus succeeded Plato in the School in the first year of the hundred and eight Olympiad immediately upon Plato's death and continued therein eight years that is to the end of the hundred and ninth Olympiad in the second year of which Olympiad Aristotle as we said went to Philip not on an Embassy but upon his invitation to educate Alexander Neither is the Author of Aristotles life lesse mistaken who saith that upon the death of Speusippus the Athenians sent to Aristotle and that both of them Aristotle and Xenocrates took upon them Plato's School Xenocrates in the Academy Aristotle in the Lyceum But this errour is easily detected by the same computation for at the time of Speâ—sippus's death Aristotle was with Alexander nor did he leave him untill six years after all which time Xenocrates profess'd Philosophy in the Academy The Academy being prepossess'd by Xenocrates Aristotle made choice of the Lyceum a place in the suburbs of Athens built by Pericles for the exercising of Souldiers Here he taught and discoursed of Philosophy to such as came to him walking constantly every day till the houre of anointing which the Greeks usually did before meals whence he and his followers are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from walking Peripateticks Others say he was called Perâ—paâ—etâ—ck from walking with Alexander newly recovered of a sicknesse in which manner he used to discourse of Philosophy with him The number of his auditors encreasing very much he gave over walking and taught sitting saying Now to be silent most disgracefull were And see Xenocrates possesse the chair Though Cicero and Quintilian affirm he used this verse against Isocrates in emulation of whom he taught Rhetorick to his Disciples every morning So many Disciples resorted to him that he made Lawes in his School as Xenocrates did in the Aâ—ademy creating Archons that ruled ten daies The discourse and doctrine which he delivered to his Disciples was of two kinds One he called Exoterick the other Acroatick Exoterick were those which conduced to Rhetorick meditation nice disputes and the knowledge of civill things Acroatick those in which more remote and subtile Philosophy was handled and such things as pertain to the contemplation of nature and Dialectick disceptations Acroatick Discipline he taught in the Lyceum in the morning not admitting every one to come and hear them but those only of whose wit and principles of Learning and diligence in study he had before made tryall His Exoterick Lectures were in the afternoon and evenings these he communicated to all young men without any distinction calling the latter his evening walk the former his morning walk CHAP. VII His Philosophy IN Philosophy saith Ammonius he seemeth to have done more then Man for there is not any part of Philosophy whereof he treated but he doth it most accurately and many things he himselfe such was his sagacity and acutenesse finding out compleated and finished In Logick it was his invention that he separated the precepts of Disputation from the things themselves of which we dispute and taught the manner and reason of disputation For they who went before though they could demonstrate yet they knew not how to make a demonstration as they who cannot make shooes but only wear them Alexander Aphrodisaeus affirmes that he first reduced Syllogismes to Mood and Figure Philoponus that he invented all Dialectick Method whence Theodorus calls him both inventer and perfecter of Logick which he indeed in a manner challengeth but modestly to himselfe in the last Chapter of his Elenchs affirming nothing had been done in that kinde before but what the Eristicks and Sophists taught As for the Categories the invention whereof some ascribe to the Pythagoreans it is much more probable that they were wholly his own for those books entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the name of Archytas from which some conceive Aristotle to have borrowed much the particulars whereof are instanced by Patricius Theâ—istius affirmes to have been written not by the Pythagorean neither hath Laertius made mention of any writings of his for the Pythagoreans at that time wrote but little the first that wrote any thing being Philolaus but by some Peâ—ipatetick who thought his work might passe with greater credit if published in the name of so antient a Philosopher In Physick the â—ift essence whereof celestiall bodies consist distinct from the foure Elements is generally ascribed to his invention only Simplicius citeth the authority of Xenocrates in his book of the life of Plato that Plato constituted five simple bodies Heaven and the foure Elements asserting they differ no lesse in nature then in figure for which reason he assigned the figure of a Dodecaedron to Heaven differing from the figure of the foure Elements But these as the learned Nunnesius observes seem to be rather Symbolicall and Pythagoricall then the true meaning of Plato For Plato in his Timaeus expressely averrs that the Heavens are of their own nature dissolute but by the divine Will are kept together as it were by a Tye from being dissolved Xenarchus a Philosopher wrote against the fift Essence introduced by Aristotle whom Alexander Aphrodisaeus exactly answereth Theodorus calleth Aristotle the Perfecter of Physick adding â—that only his writings upon that subject were approved by following ages who rejected whatsoever others had written in the same kinde as appeareth by their losse What Epicure and others have objected against him as a fault that he enquired with such diligence into the minute and meanest things of nature is a sufficient testimony of his excellence and exactnesse in this study In Ethick whereas Polyaenus placed Felicity in externall goods Plato in those of the soule only Aristotle placed it chiefly in the soul but affirmed it to be deâ—â—led and straighâ—ned if it want exteriour goods properly using these terms For those things which are deâ—iled have the same beauty within but their superficies only is hidden and those which are straightned have the same reall magnitude In Metaphysick which he calleth First-Philosophy and Wisdome and as the more antient Philosophers before him
have refused it took the fig telling Diogenes he had lost both his figg and his conceit Then throwing it up into the aire and catching it as boyes use to do O worthy Diogeâ—es said he and restored it He said to Learning three things are requisite Nature Institution Exercise Being told that one had reviled him When I am absent said he let him beat me too He said Beauty was a better recommendation then any Letter Others ascribe this to Diogenes adding that Arâ—stotle called beauty the gift of a specious â—orm He called Socrates a short-liv'd Tyranny Plato Natures Prerogative Theophrastus silent â—raud Theocriâ—us specious hurt Carneades a guardlesse Kingdome Being demanded what difference there is betwixt the learned and unlearned he answered as much as between the living and the dead He said Learning in prosperity is an ornament in adversity a refuge He said they who educated children well are more to be honoured then they who beget them for these only gave them life others well-living To one boasting of the greatnesse of his Country That saith he is â—ot to be considered but whether a man deserve to be of a great Country He said Friends are one soul in two bodies He said some men lived so sparingly as if they were to live alwaies others so prodigally as if they were to die to morrow To one that asked why we love the company of those that are fair That saith he is a question for a blind man to ask Being asked what he had gotten by Philosophy hee answer'd to do those things voluntarâ—ly which others do for fear of the Law Being demanded how Disciples should profit most he answer'd if they follow those that are before them and stay not for those behind them To a foolish talker who after a long Discourse said to him I am afraid I have been tedious to you not at all answer'd he for I did not mind you Being asked how we should behave our selves towards our Friends he answer'd as we would have them do towards us He said Iustice is the vertue of giving to every one according to his desert He said Learning was the best provision against old age He used as Phavorinus relateâ— in the second of his Commentaries to say frequently he who hath many friends hath none which is â—â—â—â—wise extant in the seventh book of his Ethicks 〈◊〉 said when things happen not as we would we must will as they happen Seeing a youth very self-conceited and withall ignorant young man saith he I wish I were what you think your self and my enemies what you are Seeing a young man proud of a fine Cloak why boast you saith he of a Sheeps Fleece He said they who demonstrate plain things light a candle to see the Sun Being reviled by an impudent person Thou saith he who art vers'd to bear all things speakest them with delight I who am not used to speak them take no delight in hearing them Being demanded why he who taught others to speak himselfe held his tongue a whetstone saith he cannot cut yet it sets an edge upon swords Being asked who can keep a secret He saith he that can hold a glowing coal in his mouth Seeing a young man very neatly dress'd are you not asham'd saith he when Nature made you a man to make your self a woman A handsome young man much courted said to him If I were hated of the Citizens as you are I would hang my self And I reply'd he would hang my self if I were lov'd by them as you are Being demanded how a man should come to be rich he answer'd by being poor in desire It repented him of three things that he had ever committed a secret to a Woman that he had rid when he might have gone a foot that he had lived one day not having his Will made CHAP. XI His will and Death FRom that speech of Aristotle last mentioned may be gathered how carefull he was to make his Will but more from the exact form thereof which was thus BE all well but if it happen otherwise thus Aristotle maketh his Will Be Antipater my sole Executor during the Minority of Nicanor Let Aristomenes Timarchus Hipparchus Dioteles and if he please and have leisure Theophrastus be Guardians of the children of Herpylis and all that I leave I will that my Daughter assoon as she shall be marriageable be given Nicanor for Wife If any thing happen otherwise which God forbid before she be married or after she be married before she hath any Children let Nicanor have the ordering of my Sonne and the disposall of all other things for his reputation and mine Let therefore Nicanor take care of the Maid Pythais and my Son Nicomachus and order their Estates according to their condition as a Father and a Brother If in the mean time any thing shall happen to Nicanor which God forbid either before my Daughter be married or if married before she hath any Children if he make any Will as he appointeth so let it be Otherwise if Theophrastus approve of it let him marry the Maid and have the same power that Nicanor should have had Otherwise let the Estates as well of the Maid as the Boy be disposed with the joint consent of the Guardians and Antipater as they shall think fit Let likewise the Executors of Nicanor take care to remember us and Herpylis since that she hath been faithfull to me and if she will take a husband that such a one be given unto her as may be no disparagement unto us Let them give her out of my Estate besides what is already mentioned a Talent of Silver three Maid-servants if shee so please and the handmaid which she hath and the boy Pyrrhaeus And moreover if she will dwell at Chalcis let her have that habitation which joyneth to the Garden if at Stagira our Patrimoniall seat which howsoever Herpylis shall choose let the Executors furnish it as they shall think convenient and proper for Herpylis Let likewise Nicanor take charge of the Boy Mirmax that he may be restored honourably as becommeth us unto his own with all his goods which we delivered to our Trust. Let likewise Ambracis be a free woman and have bestowed upon her at her marriage fifty Drachmes and the Girle which she hath I will likewise that to Thales be given besides the Handmaid he hath bought a thousand Drachmes and another Handmaid Likewise to Simo besides that money which he hath already received to buy a Servant let another Servant be bought or the like Sum be given again wherewith he may purchase one As soon as my Daughter shall be married let Tycho Philo Olympias and his Son be free men Of those boyes which served me let none be sold but let my Heirs make use of their service and when they come to age as they deserve let them be manumitted Let the Executors take care to those Statues of
he wasted prodigally all the means his father left him whereby he was necessitated to betake himselfe to the Warres but therein being unfortunate he set up an Apothecaries shop and Plato keeping open School amongst the rest admitted him And who will credit Timaeus the Tauromenite who writes that being come to riper years he shut up his poor shop and gave over his mercenary profession Who can be perswaded to believe what Aristoxenus the Musician saith in the life of Plato that when he was from home some strangers rose up and set up a School in opposition to him which words some interpret of Aristotle but erroneously for Aristoxenus alwaies commendeth Aristotle yet Suidas as we said averrs the contrary Who does not esteem the Commentaries of Alexinus ridiculous for he bringeth in Alexander as a youth talking with his Father Philip sleghting the instructions of Aristotle but approving those of Nicagoras surnamed Hermes Eâ—bulides manifestly falsifies in the book he wrote against Aristoâ—le For first he bringeth in some dull Poems as written by others upon his marriage and affinity with Hermias then he saith that he injured Philip that he was not present with Plato at his death and that he corrupted his writings As for the accusation of Demochares against Philosophers it is not worth the mention for he asperseth not only Aristotle but all the rest and whosoever looks upon his calumnies will say they are triviall for he affirmes that some Letters of Aristotle's against the Citty of Athens were intercepted and discovered that he betrayed his own Country Stagira to the Macedonians that when Olynthus was taken he informed Philip upon the sale and ransome of the goods and prisoners which were the most wealthy of the Olynthians No lesse foolishly doth Cephisodorus disciple of Isocrates calumniate him as an effeminate person and a glutton with many other aspersions of the same kinde But of all the most foolish is that of Lyco who professed himselfe a Pythagorean for he saith that Aristotle sacrificed to his wâ—fe after she was dead as the Athenians to Ceres and that using to bath himselfe in warme oyle he afterwards sold it and that when he went to Chalcis those who bought his goods found in one bark 75 brasse pots Indeed neer so many were the first calumniators of Aristotle from whom sprung up others some in the same age others little after all Sophists Litigious persons and Orators of whose names and bookes no more remains then of their bodies As for those who flourished after these some repeat only what these had said before and therefore we need not take any notice of them much lesse of those who not lighting upon those books have fram'd some inventions of their own such as they who affirm he had 300 pots for there was not any Author of that time who made mention thereof but Lyco and he saith there were found only 75 pots And not only from computation of time and from the persons who assert these calumnies may any man perceive all they say to be but false but also from this that not any two of them lay the same thing to his charge but every one hath a particular calumny different from the rest But if any one of these had been true Aristotle should have heard of it not only once from them but a thousand times It is manifest therefore the same thing befell Aristotle which happened to many others that as well for the respect and friendship he had with Princes as for the excellency of his Dissertations the envy of the Sophists of that age persecuted him But such as are ingenious ought not to minde calumniâ—tors but those who have praised and imitated him whom they will finde to fall nothing short of the others either for number or worth Hitherto Aristocles CAP. XVI His writings LAertius hath given a large Catalogue of his Writings as a testimony of his excellency in all kinds of learning Their Titles as reduced to their severall heads by Patricius are these LOGICK THe Sophist 1. Of Sciences 1. Sophistick distinctions 4. Of Eristick 2. Eristick solutions 4. Of Genus and Species 1. Of Proprium 1. Epichirematick Commentaries 1. Instances 1. Of those which are said many waies as according to the propositum 1. For Science 1. Distinctions 17. Diaereticks 1. Of interrogation and answer 2. Propositions 1. Eristick Propositions 4. Syllogismes 1. First Analyticks 9. Second Analyticks 2. Of Problems 1. Methodicks 8. Termes Antetopical 7. Syllogismes 2. Syllogistick and Termes 1. Ante-Topicks 1. Topicks to Termes 1. Diaeretick 1. Definitions 13 Argumentations 2. Propositions 1. Epichiretick Theses 25. Methodick 1. Of Speech 1. Categories 1. Of Interpretation 1. In all 123. PHYSICK OF the Soul 1. Of suffering and being passive 1. Of Elements 3. Of motion 1. Theses of the Soul 1. Of Nature 3. Physick 1. Of Animals 9. Anatomy 7. Anatomick selections 1. Of compound Animals 1. Upon not Generating 1. Of Plants 2. Physiognomick 1. Signes of Tempest 1. Physicks by Elements 38. Perspective Problems 2. Of Stone 1. In all 75. ETHICK OF Iustice 4. Of Philosophy 3. Politick 2. Of Riches 1. Of Nobility 1. Of Pleasure 1. Alexander or os Colonies 1. Of a Kingdome 1. Of Education 1. Of Good 3. Oeconomick 1. Of friendship 1. Propositions concerning Vertue 3. Of the passions of anger 1. Ethicks 4. Of the Better 1. Of Elegible and Accident 1. Of Pleasure 1. Of Voluntary 1. Of Faire 1. Amiâ—able Theses 2. Politicks 2. Laws 4. Constitutive Law 1. Politick Auscultation 8. Of Iust 2. Of Consultation 1. Iurisdictions 1. Passions 1. Governments of Cities 158. Proper Democracies Oligarchicks Aristocraticks Tyrannicks In all 217. METAPHYSICK OF Contraries 1. Of Principle 1. Of Idaea 1. In all 3. MATHEMATICK MAthematicks 1. Of Magnitude 1 Of Unity 1. Astronomick 1. Optick 1. Of Musick 1. Mechanicks 1. In all 7. PHILOLOGICK OF Poets 3. Gryllus of Rhetorick Works of Rhetorical art 2. Collection of the Theodectick art 1 Rhetoricall Enthymemes 1. Homericall Difficulties 6. Poeticks 1. Comparisons 1. The Olympionicae 1. Phythionick Musick Pythick 1. Pythionick Elenchs 1. The Dyonysiack Victories 1. Of Tragedies 1. Poems 3. So Hermias to Democritus Elegies In all 27. UNCERTAIN or EXTRAORDINARY NErinthus 1. Menexenus 1. Erotick 1. Symposium 1. Protreptick 1. Of prayer 1. Collection of arts 12. Art 1. Another art 1. Collection 2. Of fabulous living creatures 1. Medicine 2. Memorialls 1. Encyclicks 2. Inordinate 12. Expounded by their Genus 14. Doctrines 1. Proverbs 1. In all 46. EPISTLES TO Philip and Alexander 4. To Antipater 9. To Mentor 1. To Aristo 1. To Olympias 1. To Hephaestion 1. To Themistagoras 1. To Philoxenus 1. In all 19. AGAINST THE ANCIENT PHILOSOPHERS OVt of Plato's Laws 2. Out of Plato's Commonwealth 2. Out of Timaeus and Archytas their writings 1. Problems out of Democritus 2. Against Melissus 1. Against Alcmaeon 1. Against Gorgias 1. Against Xenophanes 1. Against Zeno 1. Of the Philosophy of Archytas 3. Of the
exhalation which ascending is driven down again by the coldnesse of the middle region of the air and by reason of the lightnesse of its nature cannot go directly to the bottom but is carried by the air up and down We call it a hot and dry exhalation as being more dry then humid Winde is weakest in the beginning but gaineth strength by taking along with it other light exhalations which it meets with by the way Winds are laid by heat and cold excessive heat consumeth the exhalations as soon as it commeth out of the earth excessive cold binds up the pores of the earth so as it cannot passe Earthquake is a trembling of the earth caused by an exhalation hot and dry inclosed in the bowells of the earth which striving to get forth as its nature requireth and not able by reason of the solidity of the earth to passe maketh the earth shake forcing a way through it and bearing down whatsoever opposeth it The more hot this included spirit is the more vehement Of the same nature is lightning thunder and the like Thunder is when an exhalation enclosed in a thick cold cloud rolleth it up and down and at last breaketh through it with more or lesse noise according to the thicknesse of the cloud By this eruption it acquireth a rare kinde of heat and light which is lightning subsequent to the noise of the eruption yet seen before the other is heard by reason of the quicknesse of the sight beyond the hearing As of dry exhalations the rare and dispersed produce thunder and lightning so of the great and condensed is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thunder-bolts Of lucid Meteors appearing in the clouds are Haloes Rainbowes Parelies and Streaks All these are caused by refraction but differ according to the objects from which they are reflected A Halo appeareth about some starre when there happeneth a cloud to be the middle part whereof by reason of its rarity being dissipated the rest of the parts about by reflection represent the colour of the star Rainbow is a refraction of the Suns beam upon a humid cloud ready to dissolve into rain In like manner are caused Parelies and Streaks There are likewise imperfect mixt bodies under or within the earth and these also of two kinds some caused by exhalation called Mineralls others by vapour called Metalls fusile or ductile CHAP. XII Of perfect mixt bodies THe common affections of perfect mixt bodies are those which proceed from the primary qualities of the Elements whereof two are active heat and cold two passive humidity and siccity The naturall effect of these is Generation when heat and cold overcome the matter otherwise it is inquination and inconcoction The opposite to simple generation is Putreâ—action every thing unlesse violently dissolved putrifieth Hence those things that putrifie become first humid then dry for the externall heat expelleth the internall and at last consumeth it All things therefore putrifie except fire for putrefaction is the corruption of the naturall heat in every humid body by the externall For this reason things are lesse subject to putrifie in cold or in motion and the hotter or greater they are as a part of the sea may putrifie the whole cannot Out of putrid things are bred living creatures for the naturall heat whilst it is separating endeavoureth as much as possible that what is taken asunder and segregated by corruption may gather together in some small parts which afterwards by help of the Sun receive life Thus are wormes beetles gnats and other insects bred Concoction is the effect of heat inconcoction of cold Concoction is a perfection caused by naturall heat of the opposite passive qualities which are mixed with the matter as being passive The end of concoction in some things is mutation of the essence as when food is converted into flesh or blood in others only a mutation according to quantity or quality as in fruites that ripen Inconcoction is an imperfection in the opposite passive qualities proceeding from defect of heat Concoction is three-fold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inconcoction is also three-fold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the concoction of that Element which is in fruits it is perfect when the seeds that are within the fruit are capable of producing their like hereto is opposite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inconcoction of fruits not able through want of heat to overcome the humidity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a concoction of an humid interminate by externall humidity and heat Hereto is opposite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inconcoction of a humid interminate caused by defect of externall humidity and heat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a concoction by dry and externall heat yet not excessive for then it were adustion to this is opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an incoction caused through defect of heat and fire or excess of humidity in the subject As concerning the two passive qualities things are humid and dry either actually or potentially Those things which are mixt of humid and dry are terminate for these qualities mutually terminate one another whence bodies consist not without earth and water this humid that dry And for this reason Animals can onely live in Earth and Water which are their matter The first affections of terminate bodies are hardnesse and softnesse hard is that which yields not to the touch soft the contrary Both these are such either absolutely or relatively They are made such by concretion which is a kind of exiccation Exiccation is of things that are water or of the Nature of water or have water in them either naturally insite or adventitious It is done principally by heat accidentally by cold Humectation its contrary is the concretion of a vapour into water or liquefaction of a solid body as Metall Concretion is when the humidity being removed the dry is reduced together and condensed either by cold as in generation of stones or by heat as in segregation of salt from water To concretion is opposite resolution which is effected by its contraries Those things which are condensed by heat only are resolved by cold only and so on the contrary Besides these principall affections there are others secondary chiefly competent to homogeneous bodies some passive some active Of passive qualities in mixt bodies there are 18. differences Concretile Eliquabile Mollisicable Humectable Flexible Frangible Impressible Formable Compressible Tractile Ductile Fissile Sectile Unctious Friable Condensable Combustible exhalable and their contraries From these are thus denominated homiomerious mixt bodies as Metalls Gold Brass Silver Stone and the like and whatsoever is made out of these as likewise similar parts in Animals and in Plants as flesh and bone whereof some are more cold which consist most of water others more hot which most of earth and air CHAP. XIII Of Plants and Animals AT the end of his meteors he proposeth to speak of Similar parts as
when it is present only excited by the phantasy The object of the Theoretick Intellect is true or false of the practick good or ill The rationall soul in some manner is every thing for that which actually knoweth is in some maner the same with the thing known CHAP. XXIII Of the Motive faculty BEsides the nutritive sensitive and intellective faculties there is also a motive faculty in animate creatures That it is not the same with the nutritive is manifest in as much as it proceeds from imagination and apprehension which plants have not neither have they organs fit for motion which nature would have given them if they had this power That it is not the same with the sensitive appears in that some animals which have sense have not the power as Zoophytes which have not the organs fit for this motion Neither is it the same with the Theoretick Intellect for that judgeth not as to action but progressive motion is the action of an animal flying ill or pursuing good The principles of locall motion in animals are the practick Intellect under which is comprehended phantasy and appetite These two direct and impell the motive faculty to action intellect and phantasy by directing what is to be shunned what to be embraced appetite by shunning or embracing it Appetite is the chief principle thereof for that may move without intellect as in beasts and many times in men who desert their reason to follow their pleasure But intellect never moveth without appetite that is will for appetite is the principle of all motion honest and dishonest intellect only of honest motion In man appetite is two-fold Will which followeth the judgment of reason and sensuall appetite irascible or concupiscible which followeth sense and phantasy In the motion of animals three things are considered First that which moveth and that is two-fold the appetible object which moveth the appetite as a finall cause not as an efficient and the appetite it selfe which being moved by the appetible object moveth the animall Secondly by what it moves which is the heart of the animal by which instrument the appetible object moveth it Thirdly that which is moved the animall it selfe perfect Insects are moved locally as perfect animals are and consequently by the same principles appetite and phantasy but this phantasy is imperfect diffused through the whole body as appeareth by their uncertain motion only towards present occurrent objects That they have appetite is manifest in as much as they are sensible of pain and pleasure Beasts have sensitive phantasie only rationall creatures deliberative which compareth many things conducing to some foreknown end and chooseth the most expedient Yet somtimes the sensitive appetite in man overswayeth the rationall but by the order of nature the will which is the rationall ought as being the superiour to it to oversway the sensitive Thus there are three motions one of the will commanding another of the sensitive appetite resisting and a third of the body obeying But when the sensitive overruleth there are only two motions for the will resists not but is deceived CHAP. XIV Of Life and Death GEneration and dissolution are common to all living Creatures though all are not produced and dissolved in the same manner The generation of a living Creature is the first conjunction of the nutritive Soul with the naturall heat Life is the permanence of that Soul with the said heat Youth is the encrease of the first refrigerative part age the decrease thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the constant and perfect life which is betwixt both As long as an animate Creature liveth it hath naturall heat within it self and as soon as that faileth dieth The principle of this heat is in the heart If it be extinguish'd in any other part the Animal may live but if in the heart it cannot This heat is extinguish'd two waies first by consumption when it faileth of it self secondly by extinction from some contrary as in violent death the cause is the same in both defect of aliment which in the living Creature is its vital moisture as fire wanting refrigeration groweth more violent and soone consumeth the humidity which being gone it self must of necessity go out Refrigeration therefore is necessary to the conservation of the naturall heat Plants are refrigerated by the ambient air and by aliment their naturall heat is extinguish'd by excessive cold and dry'd up by excessive heat Animals which live in the air or in the water are refrigerated by the air or water some by breathing others without Death according to the extinction of naturall heat is two-fold violent or naturall violent when the cause is extrinsecall naturall when the principle thereof is in the animate Creature For that part wheron life dependeth the Lungs is so ordered by nature that its cannot perform its office for ever Death therefore cometh from defect of heat when through want of refrigeration the radicall humidity is consumed and dry'd up Refrigeration faileth naturally when by progresse of time the lungs in Creatâ—res that have breath the gils in fishes grow so hard that they are unapt for motion Old men die easily as having but little naturall heat and without pain because his dissolution comes not from any violent affection The lives of living Creatures as well of the same as of divers species differ in length the longest life most commonly is that of some Plants as the Palm and Cypresse that of Creatures which have blood rather then the bloodlesse that of terrestriall creatures rather then the aquatile that of those which have great bodies as of Elephants rather then those of little The causes of long life are first the quantity and quality of the vitall moisture if it be much and fat not easily dry'd up nor congealed Secondly natural hear which suffereth not that humour to be congealed Thirdly a due proportion betwixt this heat and that moisture Fourthly fewnesse of excrements for excrements are contrary to Nature and somtimes corrupt nature it self somtimes a part Salacious creatures or laborious grow soon old by reason of exiccation For the same reason men are shorter liv'd then women but more active In hot Countries animate creatures are larger and live longer then in cold Those animals which have little or no blood either are not at all produced in the Northern parts or soon dye Both Plants and Animals â—f they take not aliment die for the naturall heat when the aliment faileth consumeth the matter it self wherein it is the vitall moisture Aquatile creatures are shorter liv'd then the terrestriall and the bloodlesse then those that have blood because their humidity is more waterish and consequently more apt to be congealed and corrupted Plants live long as having lesse of waterish moisture which therefore is not so apt to be congealed The largenesse of the upper parts as well in Plants as Animals is a signe of long life because it argues much naturall
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
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