terme from which of generation and the terme to which of generation viz. ens in act is the terme from which of corruption The matter of that which is generated and that which is corrupted is the same for as much as they are or may be made reciprocally of one another as Air of Water water of Air but differenly disposed Alteration and generation are different mutations in alteration the subject remaineth entire the affections only are changed as of sick sound in generation the whole is changed not any sensible subject remaining Alteration is a mutation according to quality augmentation and diminution according to quantity locall motion according to place Augmentation and diminution differ from other mutations first in the object generation and corruption concernes substances alteration quality lation place augmentation and diminution quantity Again in the manner that which is generated or corrupted or altered not necessarily changeth place but that which augments or diminisheth in some manner changeth place for it is bigger or lesser Augmentation is an addition to praeexistent quantity diminution a detraction Whatsoever is augmented or decreased is augmented or decreased according to every part thereof by reception of something throughout all parts decretion on the contrary The animate body encreaseth but not the aliment for the living creature remaineth the aliment is converted into the substance of the living creature Hereupon that which is augmented is like unto that which is altered for both of these remain All parts of a living creature are augmented the similar first as bones and flesh then the dissimilar as consisting of the others Augmentation is made by accession of something according to form not according to matter for by it the whole is augmented and made more such Accession of parts according to matter is not augmentation for by materialls only destitute of that form which the parts to be augmented have the whole living creatures cannot encrease Aliment therefore whereby the living creature is augmented must be the same potentially which the things augmented is in act At first it is contrary and dissimilar being in power the part of a living creature in act something else at last it becommeth assimilate to the living creature taking the form of a part by aggeneration through the digestive power of the animate body which changeth the aliment into its own substance For this reason augmentation presupposeth nutrition Nutrition is when the aliment as substance is converted into the substance of the living creature Augmentation when the same aliment as quantitative is added to the quantity of the living creature Hence a living creature as long as it is sound is alwaies nourished but not alwaies augmented As that which is added is potentially quantitative flesh so it can augment flesh as it is potentially flesh only so it nourisheth which when it can only do as when so much wine is poured into water that it turnes all into water then there is a diminution of the quantity but the form remaineth CHAP. IX Of Action and Passion COntact is of severall kinds Mathematicall by contiguity Physicall when the extreams of severall bodies meet and mutually act and suffer virtuall by power and metaphoricall The mutuall action and passion of Physicall contact is betwixt things partly unlike as to their form partly like as to their genus for they are contraries matter each endeavouring to reduce the patient to his own likenesse as fire wood Every Physicall agent in acting suffers from the patient for both the agent and patient are active endued with formes elementary susceptible of contraries But as the first mover is immovable so is the first agent impassible Every things acts as it is such actually suffers as it is such potentially The conditions of action and passion are five 1. What the agent is in act the patient is in power 2. The patient is such according to each part 3. That which is more disposed suffers more and so on the contrary 4. Every patient is continuous and not actually divided 5. The agent must necessarily touch the patient either immediatly or mediately CHAP. X. Of Mixtion and Temperament MIxtion is not generation for the matter is not mixt with the forme nor alteration for the quality is not mixed with the subject nor augmentation for aliment the matter of augmentation is not mixed with but converted into the animate body Conjunction of small bodies is not true mixtion but coacervation for those bodies remain actually the same according to their forms not composing one third according to every part Things which have not the same matter are not mixt because they cannot be active and passive recâ—procally Those things which are properly said to be mixed must have one common matter they must mutually act upon and suffer one from another they must be easily divisible yet so as that one be not excessive in respect of the other for then it is not mixtion but mutation into the more predominant as a drop of wine into a great quantity of water The principles and differences of Elements sensible tactile bodies are tactile qualities in as much as by such qualities sensible bodies as such are constituted and differ Of tactile qualities there are seven orders hot cold moist dry heavy light hard soft viscous arid rugged smooth thick thin From the two first orders are derived the differences of Elements for by heat and cold humidity and siccity they act and suffer and are mutually changed by alterative passions Of these first qualities two are active heat and cold two passive humidity and siccity Heat is that which congregates homogeneous things cold that which congregates heterogeneous things humid that which is not easily contained in its own bounds dry the contrary As there are four Elements there must be four conjunctions of the primary qualities from each of which the Elements are severally collected The first conjunction is of hot and dry whence proceedeth fire the second of hot and moist whence Air the third of moist and cold whence Water the fourth of cold and dry whence Earth In each of these one quality is praedominant Earth is more dry then cold water more cold then moist Air more moist then hot Fire more hot then dry All these Elements may be mutually transmutated into one another the Symbolicall which agree in one primary quality are more easily transmutated into one another then the asymbolical because it is lesse difficult to change one then many This transmutation is not a generation but a kind of alteration whence it is manifest one Element cannot be the principle of another Mixtion whereby the Elements concur to the composition of a mixt body is made by coacervation as Empedâ—cles held but after such a manner that their contrary qualities remain in the mixt not potentially only nor simply actually in their height but in a mean kind of way their extremities being reduced to some temper From this contemperation
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
and modest concession the occasion related thus by Laertius and Valerius Maximus Some young men of Ionia having bought a draught of the Milesian fishermen when the net was drawn up there was found in it a Tripod a golden Delphick Table of great weight Hereupon arose a dispute those affirming they had bargain'd onely for the fish the others that they bought the draught at a venturs by reason of the strangenesse of the case and value of the Tripod it was delivered to the City Miletus The Milesians sent to the Oracle at Delphi about it and received this answer Com'st thou Milesian to consult my shrine The Tripod to the wisest I assigne Hereupon the Milesians by agreement presented it to Thales he sent it to Bias Bias to Pittacus he to another till it past through all the seven coming at last to Solon who affirming God to be the wisest sent it back to Delphi giving him at once the title and reward of greatest wisdom But Callimachus in his Iambicks continueth Laertius relates it otherwise that Bathycles an Arcadian left a cup with order that it should be given to the wisest whereupon it was presented to Thales and past about in course till it came to him again who then dedicated it to Apollo Didymaeus with these verses according to Callimachus Thales to him that rules th' Ionian State This twice obtained prize doth consecrate In prose thus Thales the Milesian Son of Examius to Delphian Apollo of the Grecians offers this twice received prize of eminence He that carried the Cup from one to another was Thyrion Son to Bathycles whither allude these Verses of Phoenix Colophonius Thales whose birth his Country blest Esteem'd of all men the best Was of the golden Cup possest Eudoxius of Gnidus and Euanthes of Miletus report that a friend of Croesus having receiv'd from him a golden Cup to be given to the wisest of the Grecians deliver'd it to Thales and that at last it came to Solon who sending to the Phythian Oracle to know who was the wisest was answer'd Myson whom Eudoxius substitutes for Cleobulus Plato for Periander the Oracle concerning Myson was this Octoean Myson I declare Wiser then those that wisest are He that was sent upon the enquiry was Anacharsis Daedacus the Platonist and Clearchus affirm that the Cup was sent by Croesus to Pittacus and so carried about Andron in Tripode which seems to have been a discourse wholy upon this subject and is likewise cited by Clemens Alexandrinus to prove that Thales and the other six flourish'd about the fiftieth Olympiad writes that the Argiâ—es proposed this Trypod as a prize to the wisest of the Greeks and that it was adjudged to Aristodemus a Spartan who resigned it to Chilon Aristodemus is mentioned by Alchaeus This speech we to Aristodemus owe Money 's the man none 's poor and honest too There are who report that a ship richly laden sent by Periandeâ— to Thrasibulus Tyrant of Miletus was cast away in the Coan Sea and theâ— ripod taken up by some Fishermen Phanodius affirms it was lost in the Athenian Sea and afterwards brought to the City and upon consultdtion voted to be sent to Bias. Others say this Tripod was made by Vulcan who gave it to Pelops as his wives Portion from him it came to Menelaus and afterwards being taken away with Hellen by Paris was by the Lacedaemonian Hellen thrown into the Sea calling to mind an old Oracle that it would prove in time to come the ground of many contentions After this some Lebeaians fishing thereabouts drew it up and quarrelling with the fishermen about it it was brought to Coos but the controversie not decided the businesse was told to those of Miletus which is the chief City of that Country they sent sent a messenger to demand it and finding themselves slighted made war upon the Coans in which many being slain on both sides the Oracle declared that the Tripod should be given to the wisest whereupon both parties with joint consent presented it to Thales The Coans being willing to grant that to a private person for which they before contested with all the Milesians who dedicated it to Apollo Didymaâ—us the effect of the Oracle to the Coans was this This Contestation shall continue till The golden Tripod into th' Ocean cast By Vulcan you present to one whose skill Extends to things to come present and past To the Milesians Comest thou Milesian to consult my shrine as before Thusâ—aertius â—aertius Plutarch addes that Thales said Bias was wiser then himself whereupon it past to him from him to another as wiser so passing in a circle from one to another it came at last to Thales the second time Finally it was sent from Miletus to Thebes and dedicated to Ismenian Apollo Theophrastus saith it was first sent to Bias at Priene then by Bias to Thales at Miletus so passing through all it came again to Bias and finally was sent to Delphi This is most generally reported saving instead of a Tripod some say it was a Cup sent from Croesus others that it was left there by Bathycles Thus was the Priority of Thales confirmed by the Oracle for which reason he is by Cicero and Strabo stiled Prince of the wise men to whom the rest yielded the preheminence CHAP. VI. Of his Philosophy THales saith Laertius is by many affirm'd to be the first that made disquisitions upon Nature Cicero who taught the Greek Philosophy first to speak Latine acknowledges Thales to be the first Author thereof Strabo saith that he first of the Grecians made enquiry into naturall Causes and the Maâ—hematicks Plutarch calls him Inventor of Philosophy Iustine Martyr The most antient of Philosophers Tertullian first of Naturall Philosophers Lactantius the first that made enquiry after Naturall Causes Sect. 1. That Water is the Principle of all things IN his disquisition of the naturall Causes of things he conceived Water to be the first Principle of all naturall Bodies whereof they consist and into which they resolve His reasons as deliver'd by Plutarch and repeated by Stobaeus these First because naturall Seed the Principle of all living creatures is humid whence it is probable that humidity is also the principle of all other things Secondly because all kinds of Plants are nourish'd by moisture wanting which they wither and decay Thirdly because Fire even the Sun it self and the stars are nourish'd and maintain'd by vapours proceeding from Water and consequently the whole world consists of the same Whence Homer supposing all things to be engendred of water saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Ocean whence all things receive their birth In pursuit as Aristotle saith of this opinion he assign'd water the lowest place holding according to Seneca that the whole Earth â—â—oats and is carried above the water whether that we call the Ocean or great Sea or any simple
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
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
to divine is the the conclusion of his discourse with Antipho He advised such as could not easily abstain at feasts to take heed of such things as perswade those that are not hungry to eat and those that are not thirsty to drink for they destroyed the appetite the head and the soul. He used to say merrily Circ◠turned men into Swine by feasting them with such meats but that ulysses partly through Minerva's advice partly through his own temperance refraining from such things remained unchanged That health of body ought diligently to be preserved as that whereon all knowledge of the soule dependes Is the summe of his discourse with Epigenes He advised one that complained he took no delight in his meat to refrain from eating whereby his diet would become more pleasant cheap and wholesome In the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to feast the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies that we should eat only such things as will not hurt the mind nor the body and are easie to be gotten That only temperate persons that discern and choose the best things refraining from the worst that by temperance men become the most excellent and most happy sittest for discourse is the summe of his discourse with Euthidemus Hearing one of his friends say this Town is exceeding deer Chian wine costs a Mina purple three a pint of honey five Denaries he carried him to the Meal-men hear saith he a pint is sold for an obolus it is cheap living in this Town then to those that sold Olives a Chaenix two farthings thence to the frippery a Suit ten Drachmes things are cheap in this Town He said the hungry wanted no sauce the thirsty no choice of wines He commended quiet and leasure above all things He said they who buy early fruits at dear rates believe they will not come in their due season Being asked what was a young mans vertue he answered to do nothing too much Seeing one eate broth very greedily he said Which of you here present useth bread for broth and broth for bread Of which see more at large Xenophon his Memorab Lib. One saying that it was a great matter to abstain from what a man desires he answered but it is much a greater not to desire at all A cleer fire becomes the chimney serenity the mind He said We ought not to seek pleasures in others but in our selves the body being predisposed according as it ought He said It is the property of God to need nothing to need least nighest to God Being demanded from what things we ought to refrain most he answered from sordid unjust pleasures Contentednesse is like a short and pleasant way it hath much delight little toile He that would see vertue as his Country must passe by pleasures as Syrens Being demanded whom he thought richest he answered him who is contented with least for content is the riches of Nature Being demanded what continence is he answered government of corporeall pleasures He said the wicked live to eat but the good eat to live When a woman saith she loveth thee take heed of those words more then when she revileth thee Of Liberality Prodigality and Covetousnesse HE conceived that they who took mony of any owned them for their Masters in the meanest degree of servitude That wisdome is prostituted as well as beauty by taking mony for it that he who meets with an ingenious person ought to acquaint him with all the good he can gratis whereby he acquires a friend and doth the part of a good member of the common-wealth is the summe of his second discourse with Antipho He said if a rich man be proud of his wealth that he could not praise him till he knew how he would employ it None can safely manage a horse without a bit nor riches without reason He compared covetous persons to birds one devoures what ever it meets till it choakes it selfe the rest falling upon what the first left are one after another choaked also The wealth of covetous persons is like the Sun after he is set delights none He that gives to a rich man throwes water into the Sea The life of a covetous person is like the feasts made for the dead he hath all but enjoyes nothing He compared the wealth of prodigalls to fig-trees growing on a precipice for these none are the better but Kites and Crowes for those only harlots and flatterers Being demanded who were covetous he answered such as seek after sordid gain and neglect their necessary friends Wine changeth with the Vessell riches follow the manners of the owner Of Magnanimity and Pride TO one angry for having saluted a man that returned not his salutations It is ridiculous saith he if you are not angry with every one you meet of worse shape or for◠then your self to be angry with any for having leste manners Pride like an ill potter or statuary represents the forms of things inverted Wind puffes up empty bladders opinion fooles To be exalted with good fortune is to runne in a slippery way Of Patience THere is lesse danger in drinking intemperately of troubled water then with a troubled mind full of wrath before it be allayed and purified to satisfie thy anger in the punishment of a kinsman or countryman If every one should bring his misfortunes into a publick stock to be shar'd alike amongst all men the greater part of those that now complain so much would be contented and glad to keep their own It is all one if a man being overcome in any gymnick sports should sue his adversary as for a man over master'd by Fortune to accuse her not knowing upon what conditions we entered into the contests of life Of Veracity and Flattery THere is no better way to glory then to endeavour to be good as well as to seem such The kindnesse of flatterers is chased away by adversity Hunters take hares with hounds many take fooles with their own praises Wolves resemble dogs and flatterers friends but their aimes are quite contrary Flattery is like a painted armour only for show not use Think not those faithfull who praise all thy words and actions but those who reprove thy faults Suffer not a talker and slanderer for he tells not thee any thing out of good will but as he discourseth the secrets of others so will he thine to others Good men must let the world see that their manners are more firme then an oath Of Vrbanity and Conversation A Little Hall will serve to dance in and every place and posture to speak Wind kindles fire conversation Love Freedome of discourse like the seasons of the year is best in its proper time It s arrogance to speak all and to be unwilling to
cannot be had but may be participated Some are sixt which we can neither have nor participate as to be virtuous and just Consultation is threefold From the Past by example as what befell the Lacedaemonians through overmuch confidence From the present as considering the timerousnesse of men weakness of walls scarcity of provision and the like From the Future as that Ambassadours should not be injured upon suspicion least it cast infamy upon all Greece Voice is Animate of living creatures Articulate of men Inarticulate of Beasts Iâ—animate sounds and noise Tings are Divisible compounded as Syllables Symphonies living creatures water Gold Homogeneous consist of similar parts differing from the whole onely in number as water gold and all liquid things Heterogeneous consist of dissimilar parts Indivisible compounded of nothing as a point sound Things are Absolute requiring nothing else to expresse them as a man a horse and other creatures Relatives which imply another thing as greater then others swifter fairer and the like for what is greater relates to somthing lesser and the like These according to Aristotle were Plato's divisions of first things CHAP. IX His three voyages to Sicily PLato made three voyages to Sicily the first to see the fâ—ery â—bullitions of Aetna and to improve the knowledge of States and Philosophy which he got by his other travells This was about the 40th year of his age at what time Dionysius the elder Son of Hermocrates reigned in Syracuse Plutarch saith hee was led thither by providence not fortune and that some good Genius designing a far off the liberty of the people of Syracuse brought him acquainted with Dion then very young who entertained him as his guest He much disliked the luxury of that place feasting nocturnal lucubrations and the like Conversed frequently with Dion discoursed with him of those things which were best in man and with his best arguments exhorted him thereto by which he seemed to lay grounds for the subversion of that Tyranny which afterwards hapned Dion though young was the most ingenious of all Plato's followers and most eager in pursuit of Virtue as appears as well by the testimony of Plato as his own actions Though he had been brought up by the King in an effeminate luxurious kind of life yet as soon as he tasted of Philosophy the guide to Virtue his soul was enflamed with love thereof and from his own â—andour and ingenuity was perswaded that Dionysius would be no lesse affected therewith And therefore desired him when hee was at leasure to admit and hear Plato Hereupon the Tyrant sent for him at that meeting all their discourse was concerning fortitude Plato affirmed none was further from that Virtue then a Tyrant and proceeding to speak of Justice asserted the life of the Just to be happy of the unjust miserable Dionysius was displeased at this discourse as reflecting upon himself and with the standers by for approving it at last much exasperated he asked Plato why he came into Sicily Plato answered to seek a good man it seems replyed Dyonisius you have not yet found him Laertius saith Plato disputed with him concerning Tyranny affirming that is not best which benefits our selves unlesse it be excellent also in Virtue whereat Dyonisius incensed said to him your discourse favours of old age and yours answered Plato of Tyranny Dionysius enraged commanded him to be put to death I will have saith he your head taken off at which words Xenocrates being present answered He that doth it must begin with mine but Dion and Aristomenâ—s wrought with him to revoke that sentence Dion thinking his anger would have proceeded no further sent Plato away at his own request in a Ship which carried Pollis whom Laertius calls Polis Aelian Pôlis a Lacedaemonian Captain who at that time had been sent Embassadour to Dionysius back to Greece Dionsiyus secretly desired Pollis to kill him whilst he was on Shipboard or if not by all means to sell him alledging it would be no injury to Plato for he would be as happy in bondage as at liberty as being a just man Some affirm the occasion of Dionysius his anger was because that when he asked what was the best brasse Plato answered that whereof the Statues of Aristogiton and Harmodius were made Others that it was because he was over-mastered in learning But Tzetzes rejecting these as idle fictions of Philosophers falsifiers affirms the true reason to have been that he perceived he advised Dion to possesse himselfe of the Kingdome Pollis transported him to Aegina there Charmander son of Charmandrites accused him as meriting death by a Law they had made that the first Athenian that should come to that Island should without being suffered to speak for himselfe be put to death Which Law as Phavorinus affirms he himselfe made One that was present saying in sport he is a Philosopher they set him at liberty Some say they brought him to the publick assembly to plead for himselfe where he would not speak a word but underwent all with a great courage Then they altered their intent of putting him to death and agreed to sell him for a slave Plutarch saith that upon a decree of the Aeginetae that all Athenians taken in that Island should be sold for Slaves Pollis sold him there Anniceris a Cyrenaick Philosopher being accidentally present redeemed him for twenty or as others thirty Minae and sent him to Athens to his friends they immediately returned the mony to Anniceris but he refused it saying they were not the only persons concerned in Plato's welfare Some say Dion sent the mony which he would not accept but bought therewith a little Orchard in the Academy Pollis was defeated by Chabrias and afterwards drowned in Elice The report goes that an apparition told him he suffered those things for the Philosophers sake Dionysius understanding what had happened writ to Plato to desire him not to speak ill of him Plato returned answer that he had not so much time vacant from Philosophy as to remember Dionysius To some detractours who upbraided him saying Dionysius hath cast off Plato no saith he but Plato Dionysius Dion continued to live not according to the ordinary luxury of the Sicilians and Italians but in vertue untill Dionysius died for which maligned by those who lived after Tyrannicall institutions Then considering that these documents were not practised by himselfe alone but by some others though few he entertained a hope that Dionysius the younger who succeeded his Father in the Government might become one of those to the extraordinary happinesse of himselfe and the rest of the Sicilians To this end he used many exhortations to invite him to vertue intermixed with some sentences of Plato with whom Dionysius upon this occasion became extreamly desirous to be acquainted To that effect many Letters were sent to Athens to him some from Dionysius others from Pythagoreans in Italy desiring Plato to go to Syracuse who by
proceeded only from ignorance yet that so great that Patricius argues from thence neither Ammonius not Philoponus to be the Authors of his life so are there some other errours which no lesse manifestly appear to have proceeded from malice raised it is likely by the Authors of the other scandalls and imputations wherewith they sought to blast his memory Some affirm that Alexander upon the treason of Callisthenes took a great displeasure against Aristotle for having recommended him to him For though at first writing to Criterus Attalus and Alcetas immediately upon this accident he sent them word that the youths had confessed the plot proceeded only from themselves not by the instigation of any other Yet afterwards in an Epistle to Antipater he imputes the same crime to Callisthenes not without this sharp reflection upon Aristotle The youths saith he were stoned to death by the Macedonians but as for the Sophist I will punish him my selfe and those who sent him and those who entertain in their Cities such as are Traitors to me Hereupon they interpret the bounty of Alexander to Xenocrates and favour to Anaximenes as not proceeding from the magnificence of his disposition but from the displeasure he had conceived against Aristotle whom he endeavoured to vex by obliging his adversaries and aemulators Upon this supposed displeasure was grounded another report that Aristotle conspiring with Cassander against Alexander sent him by Antipater some of the water of Styx wherewith he poisoned Alexander But the Relators hereof differ not a little amongst themselves Diodorus Siculus and Suidas affirme that Alexander was poisoned by Cassander son of Antipater Arianus by Iolla his younger son Porphyrius saith that nothing but the horn of an Asse such as the Asses of Scythia had would contain the poyson Iustine and Pausanias the hoofe of a Horse Pliny and Arrian of a Mule Plutarch and Zonaras of an Asse They differ no lesse about the place whence the water was fetch'd Neither indeed can it be expected there should be a better harmony amongst the Relators of this Fable when there is so great dissention and variety of relations concerning the occasion and manner of his death But the most creditable is that of Ephippus cited by Athenaeus Orosius Iustine and others who averr that Alexander died of a Feaver caused by excesse of drinking CHAP. IX Vpon what occasion he left Athens and went to Chalcis TWelve years Aristoâ—le professed Philosophy in the Lyceum not molested by any for though his eminence in Learning procured him many Aemulators and enemies yet the favour he had with Alexander whilst he lived awed them so much that they durst not make any discovery of the ill will they bore him No sooner was Alexander dead according to Diâ—nysius Halicarnassaeus but some of them conspired against his life To which end Eurymedon a Priest or according to Phaâ—orinus Demophilus accused him of impiety that he introduced some Philosophicall assertions contrary to the Religion of the Athenians that he celebrated Hermias as a God with a hymne and had caused his statue to be set up in the Delphian Temple with an honourable inscription Some affirm hereupon he made an Oration in defence of himselfe at the Court of Areopaâ—us wherein he openly pronounced this verse made out of two in Homer Peares upon pears and figs on figs grow here By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 figs on figs reflecting upon the multitude of Sycopâ—aâ—ts which sprung up every day in the City Hence Phavorâ—nus saith he was the first Philosopher that pleaded for himselfe and there was an Oration to that purpose went about many years after under his name But of the truth hereof Athenaeus maketh question Others affirm that Aristotle perceiving the conspiracy that was against his life stole privately out of Athens and went to Chalcis where he spent the rest of his daies returning to his friends who demanded the reason of his going this answer We left Athens that we might not give the Athenians occasion to commit again the same wickednesse they committed against Socrates that they miâ—ht not be guilty of a double crime against Philosophy To Antipater he wrote the fore-mentioned verse Pears upon pears and figs on figs grow here Giving him to understand how dangerous it was for him to live in Athens since the Athenians were wholly addicted to Sycophantisme and calumny This departure of Aristotle from Athens Dionysius Halicarnâ—ssaeus placeth in the second year of the hundred and fourteenth Olympiad Apollodorus a yeer latter perhaps lesse rightly Being neer sixtie two yeers of age very sickly and without hope of living much longer the whole company of his followers came to him and besought him to make choice of a Successor whom after his death they might look upon as the perfecter of those studies whereinto he had brought them There were at that time many excellent Scholars in his School but especially two Theophrastus and Menedemus or rather as Patricius reads Eudemus These excelled the rest in Wit and Learning The first was of Lesbos Eudemus of Rhodes Aristotle answered them he would do as they requested when he saw it convenient Soon after the same persons being present who had made this request to him he complained the wine which he then drank did not agree with his health but was unwholsome and harsh and therefore desired they would send for other sorts both Râ—odian and Lesbian saying he would make use of that which he should finde best for him They go seek finde bring Aristotle first calls for the Rhodian tasts it a strong wine saith he and pleasant then calls for the Lesbian which having tasted both saith he are good but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lesbian is the sweeter whereby every one understood that his choice was not of the wine but of his successour which was Theophrastus of Lesbos a man of extraordinary sweetnesse in discourse and conversation Whence not long after assoon as Aristotle was dead all his Disciples applyed themselves to Theophrastus CHAP. X. His Apophthegms OF his Apophthegmes are remembered these Being demanded what a man got by lying he answered not to be believed when he spoke truth Being reproved for giving mony to a wicked man I saith he gave it compassionating not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the condition but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as Stobaeus not to the man but to humanity He used this saying frequently amongst his disciples and friends the eye recâ—ives light from the air the soul â—rom learning Inveighing against the Athenians he said They had invented two things Corn and Law but made use only of one the Corn. He said The root of learning is bitter the fruit sweet Being demanded what growes old soonest he answered a Benefit Being demanded what is Hope he answered a waking Dream Diogenes the Cynick offered him a fig Aristotle 〈◊〉 that Diogenes had prepared some sharp saying in case he should
adversary are Falsitie Paradox Soloecism and Tautologie Sophismes are solved either by distinction or negation Thus much may serve for a slight view of his Logick whereof we have but few Books left in respect of the many which he wrote upon that part of Philosophy THE SECOND PART CHAP. I. Of PHYSICK NOt to question the Method of Aristotle's Books of Physick much lesse their titles as some to make them better agree with Laertius's Catalogue have done and least of all their Authority with Patricius we shall take them in that order which is generally received according to which next Logick is placed Physick Physick is a science concerning that substance which hath the principle of motion and rest within it self The Physicall Books of Aristotle that are extant treat of these nine generall heads Of the principles of naturall things of the Common affections of naturall things of Heaven of Elements of the action and passion of Elements of Exhalation of Plants of Animals of the Soul CHAP. II. Of the Principles of Naturall Bodies THe Principles of naturall Bodies are not one as Parmenides and Melissus held nor Homoiomeria's as Anaxagoras nor Atomes as Leucippus and Democritus nor sensible Elements as Thales Anaximander Anaximenes Empedocles nor numbers or figures as the Pythagoreans nor Idaea's as Plato That the Principles of things are Contrary privately opposite was the joint opinion of the Ancients and is manifest in Reason For Principles are those which neither are mutually of one another nor of others but of them are all things Such are first contraries as being first they are not of any other as contrary not of another Hence it follows that being contrary they must be more then one but not infinite for then naturall things would not be comprensible by Reason yet more then two for of contraries only nothing would be produced but that they would rather destroy one another There are therefore three Principles of naturall bodies two contrary privation and form and one common subject of both Matter The constitutive Principles are matter and form of privation bodies consist not but accidentally as it is competent to Matter Things are made of that which is Ens potentially Materia prima not of that which is Ens actually nor of that which is non-ens potentially which is pure nothing Matter is neither generated nor corrupted It is the first insite subject of every thing whereof it is framed primarily in it self and not by accident and into which it at last resolveth To treat of forme in generall is proper to Metaphysicks CHAP. III. Of Nature and the Causes of Naturall bodies OF Beings some are by Nature as Plants others from other causes those have in themselves the principle of their motion these have not Nature is a Principle and Cause of the motion and rest of that thing wherein it is primarily by it self and not by accident Materiall substances have nature Natural properties are according to Nature Nature is twofold Matter and Form but Form is most Nature because it is in act Of Causes are four kinds the Material of which a thing is made the Formall by which a thing is made or reason of its essence The efficient whence is the first principle of its mutation or rest as a Father the Finall for which end it is made as health is to walking Causes are immediate or remote principall or accidentall actuall or potentiall particular or universall Fortune and Chance are Causes of many effects Fortune is an accidentall Cause in those things which are done by election for some end Chance is larger an accidentall cause in things which are done for some end at least that of Nature They are both efficient Nature acts for some end not temerariously or casually for those things which are done by nature are alwaies or for the most part done in the same manner yet somtimes she is frustrated of her end as in Monsters which she intends not Necessity is twofold absolute which is from Matter conditional which is from the end or form both kinds are in naturall things CHAP. IV. Of the affections of naturall Bodies Motion Place Time MOtion is of a thing which is not such but may be such the way or act by which it becommeth such as curing of a body which is not in health but may be in health is the way and act by which it is brought to health Neither is it absurd that the same thing should be both in act and power as to different respects for the thing moved as water in warming is in act as to the heat which it hath in power as to the greater heat which it is capable of Infinite is that which is pertransible without end such an infinite in act there is not not amongst simple bodies for the elements are confined to certain number and place neither amongst mixt bodies for they consist of the elements which are finite But there are things infinite potentially as in addition Number which may be augmented infinitely in division Magnitude which may be divided infinitely in time and continued succession of generation The properties of place are that it containes the thing placed that it is equall to and separable from the thing placed that the place and thing placed are together that it hath upwards or downwards and the like differences that every Physicall body tends naturally to its proper place and there resteth Place is the immediate immovable superficies of a continent body Those things which are contained by another body are in place but those which have not any other body above or beyond them are not properly in place Bodies rest in their naturall places because they tend thither as a part torn off from the whole Vacuum is place void of body such a vacuum there is not in nature for that would destroy all motion seeing that in vacuum there is neither upwards nor downwards backwards nor forwards Nor would there be any reason why motion should be to one part more then to another Moreover it would follow that it were impossible for one body to make another to recede if the triple dimension which bodies divide were vacuous Neither is the motion of rare bodies upwards caused by vacuity for that motion is as naturall to light bodies as to move downwards is to heavy Time is the number of motion by before and after Those two parts of time are conjoyned by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the present as the parts of a line are by a point Time is the measure of rest as well as of motion for the same measure which serves for the privation serves for the habit All motion and mutation is in time for in every motion there is a swiftnesse or slownesse which is defined by time The Heavens Earth Sea and other sensibles are in time for they are movable Time being a numerate number exists not without a numerant which
thin diet and drinking water to go negligently in habit shaven without coats without shooes and silent looking upon themselves as they went He brought them up likewise to Hunting On the other side they took great care of Diogenes and recommended him to their Parents When Alexander was upon expedition against the Persian many Philosophers came to salute him the same duty he expected from Diogenes who was at that time at the Craneum a Gymnasium in Corinth where he lived idly not minding Alexander Alexander therefore went and found him out sitting in the Sun hee rose a little to look upon the great crowd of people that came along with Alexander who saluting him asked Diognes what he would desire of him he answer'd that you would stand aside a little from betwixt me and the Sun Hereat Alexander was so surpris'd and so much admir'd his high mind that his Attendants in returning laughing thereat but I saith he were I not Alexander would choose to be Diogenes CHAP. IV. His Philosophy ANd concerning Opinions he said there is a twofold Exercitation one spirituall the other corporeall If in the first of these we employ our selves constantly frequent phantasies wil occurre which facilitate the performance of Vertue the one cannot be without the other a good habit and strengh being necessary both in respect of the soul and the body That Vertue is easily acquired by exercitation he argued in as much as in the Mechanick Arts and others that Artists by practise quickly arrive at an extraordinary readinesse therein and Wrastlers and Musicians excell one another according to the continuall pames they take therein one more then another and if they should have taken the same pains about their souls it would not have been unprofitably and imperfectly employ'd He said nothing in life can be rightly done without exercitation and that exercitation could master any thing for whereas men should choose Naturall Labours whereby they might live happily they on the contrary make choice of the unprofitable and through their own folly are in continuall misery For even the contempt of Pleasure if we accustome our selves thereto will be most pleasant and as they who inure themselves to a voluptuous life cannot be taken off it without much trouble and grief so they who exercise themselves in a contrary manner with as great ease contemn even the pleasures themselves He ascribed not so much to Law as to Nature Hee affirmed that he followed the same course of life with Hercules preferring nothing before Liberty He asserted that all things belong to the wise arguing thus all things belong to the Gods the Gods are friends to wise persons all things are common amongst friends therefore all things belong to the wise As concerning Law he held that without it a Commonwealth could not be ordered for saith he without a City there cannot be any profit of Civill things a City is a Civill thing of Law without a City there is no profit therefore Law is Civil He derided Nobility glory and the like saying they were the Ornaments or veiles of wickednesse and that only a right Commonwealth ought to be honour'd He held that there ought to be a Community of women conceiving marriage to be nothing and that every man and woman might enjoy one another as they pleased themselves and consequently that all Children should be in common Hee held that it was not unlawfull to take any thing out of a Temple or to feed upon living Creatures neither was it impious to eat mans flesh as appeared by the practise of other Nations adding that all things are in all and by all in bread there is flesh in flesh bread the remainders of flesh and bread being insinuated by occult passages into other bodies and evaporating in like manner This Laertius cites out of a Tragedy of his named Thyestes if saith he that Tragedy belong to him and not rather to Philiscus or Pasiphon Musick Geometry Astronomy and the like he rejected as unprofitable and unnecessary CHAP. V. His Apophthegms HE was very acute saith Laertius in deriding others Hee said Euclides school was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a School but Anger for the Dialecticks affected Litigious dispute He said Plato's school was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not an exercitation but Consumption He said when he look'd upon Pilots Physicians and Philosophers Man was the wisest of all Creatures but when he looked upon Interpreters of Dreams Prophets or persons puff'd up with wealth or honours nothing is more foolish then man Hee said that he often sound it convenient in life to have ready an answer or a rope At a great Feast seeing Plato eat Olives Why saith he you being a wise man and going to Sicily for such entertainments did you not enjoy them He answer'd by the Gods Diogenes I fed upon Olives there likewise as well as upon other things Diogenes replyed why then needed you to have gone to Syracuse were there no Olives at that time in Attica This Phavorinus ascribes to Aristippus adding that as he was eating figges he met him and said tast the other taking and eating I bad you saith he tast and not devour In the presence of some friends of Plato sent to him by Dionysius Diogenes trod under foot Plato's robe saying I tread under foot Plato's pride But Diogenes answer'd Plato how proud are you your selfe when you think you contemn pride Sotion relates this as said to the Cynick by Plato Diogenes sent to Plato for wine and figgs he sent him a large vessell of wine and figs whereupon Diogenes as you saith he being demanded how much 2. and 2. are answer 20. so you neither grant what I request nor answer what I demand thus censuring his verbosity Being demanded in what part of Greece he had seen good men Men saith he no where but good boyes at Lacedaemon Making a serious discourse and perceiving that no man came to hear him he began to sing whereat a great many gather'd together whom he reproached for coming to trifles being so backward to serious things He said men contested in undermining or kicking but none about goodnesse He wondred at Grammarians who enquiring after the misfortunes of Ulysses forgot their own and at Musicians who whilst they tune their instruments have discordant affections in their souls and at the Mathematicians that gazing upon the Sun and Moon neglected what was just at their feet and at Oratours who studyed to speak just things and neglected to act them and lastly at covetous persons for dispraising mony which they loved above all things He reprehended those who though they commended just men for thinking themselves to be above mony yet esteemed the rich happy He was angry at those who when they sacrificed to the Gods for their health feasted at the same time contrary to their health He wondered at Servants who seeing their Masters eat
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
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
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