Chapter IV: Appendix: 263 (3)

5 ἀλλὰ βροτοὶ δοκέουσι γεννᾶσθαι θεοὺς,
τὴν σφετέραν δ’ ἐσθῆτά τ’ ἔχειν φωνήν τε δέμας τε.

6 ... ἀλλ’ εἰ χεῖρας ἔχον βόες ἤε λέοντες,
<ὡς> γράψαι χείρεσσι καὶ ἔργα τελεῖν ἅπερ ἄνδρες,
καί κε θεῶν ἰδέας ἔγραφον καὶ σώματ’ ἐποίουν
τοιαῦθ’, οἷόν περ καὶ αὐτοὶ δέμας εἶχον <ἕκαστοι>
ἵπποι μέν θ’ ἵπποισι, βόες δέ τε βουσὶν ὁμοῖα.

7 πάντα θεοῖς ἀνέθηκαν Ὅμηρός θ’ Ἡσίοδός τε
ὅσσα παρ’ ἀνθρώποισιν ὀνείδεα καὶ ψόγος ἐστί,
καὶ πλεῖστ’ ἐφθέγξαντο· θεῶν ἀθεμίστια ἔργα,
κλέπτειν, μοιχεύειν τε καὶ ἀλλήλους ἀπατεύειν.

8 ἐκ γαίης γὰρ πάντα, καὶ εἰς γῆν πάντα τελευτᾷ.

9 πάντες γὰρ γαίης τε καὶ ὕδατος ἐκγενόμεσθα.

10 γῆ καὶ ὕδωρ πάντ’ ἐσθ’ ὅσα γίνοντ’ ἠδὲ φύονται.

11 πηγή δ’ ἐστι θάλασσ’ ὕδατος, πηγὴ δ’ ἀνέμοιο·
οὔτε γὰρ ἐν νέφεσιν <πνοιαί κ’ ἀνέμοιο φύοιντο
ἐκπνείοντος> ἔσωθεν ἄνευ πόντου μεγάλοιο
οὔτε ῥοαὶ ποταμῶν οὔτ’ αἰθέρος ὄμβριον ὕδωρ
ἀλλὰ μέγας πόντος γενέτωρ νεφέων ἀνέμων τε
καὶ ποταμῶν.

12 γαίης μὲν τόδε πεῖρας ἄνω παρὰ ποσσὶν ὁρᾶται
αἰθέρι προσπλάζον, τὰ κάτω δ’ ἐς ἄπειρον ἱκάνει.

13 ἣν τ’ Ἶριν καλέουσι, νέφος καὶ τοῦτο πέφυκε
πορφύρεον καὶ φοινίκεον καὶ χλωρὸν ἰδέσθαι.

14 καὶ τὸ μὲν οὖν σαφὲς οὔτις ἀνὴρ γένετ’ οὔδε τις ἔσται
εἰδὼς ἀμφὶ θεῶν τε καὶ ἅσσα λέγω περὶ πάντων·
εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα τύχοι τετελεσμένον εἰπών,
αὐτὸς ὅμως οὐκ οἶδε· δοκὸς δ’ ἐπὶ πᾶσι τέτυκται.

15 ταῦτα δεδόξασθαι μὲν ἐοικότα τοῖς ἐτύμοισι.

16 οὔτοι ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς πάντα θεοὶ θνητοῖς ὑπέδειξαν,
ἀλλὰ χρόνῳ ζητέοντες ἐφευρίσκουσιν ἄμεινον.

17 πὰρ πυρὶ χρὴ τοιαῦτα λέγειν χειμῶνος ἐν ὥρῃ
ἐν κλίνῃ μαλακῇ κατακείμενον, ἔμπλεον ὄντα,
πίνοντα γλυκὺν οἶνον, ὑποτρώγοντ’ ἐρεβίνθους·
τίς πόθεν εἶς ἀνδρῶν; πόσα τοι ἔτε’ ἐστί, φέριστε;
πηλίκος ἦσθ’ ὅθ’ ὁ Μῆδος ἀφίκετο;

18 νῦν αὖτ’ ἄλλον ἔπειμι λόγον, δείξω δὲ κέλευθον.
...
καί ποτέ μιν στυφελιζομένου σκύλακος παριόντα
φασὶν ἐποικτῖραι καὶ τόδε φάσθαι ἔπος·
παῦσαι μηδὲ ῥάπιζ’, ἐπεὶ ἦ φίλου ἀνέρος ἐστίν 5
ψυχή, τὴν ἔγνων φθεγξαμένης ἀίων.

19 ἀλλ’ εἰ μὲν ταχυτῆτι ποδῶν νίκην τις ἄροιτο
ἢ πενταθλεύων, ἔνθα Διὸς τέμενος
πὰρ Πίσαο ῥοῇσ’ ἐν Ὀλυμπίῃ, εἴτε παλαίων,
ἢ καὶ πυκτοσύνην ἀλγινόεσσαν ἔχων,
εἴτε τὸ δεινὸν ἄεθλον, ὃ παγκράτιον καλέουσιν, 5
ἀστοῖσίν κ’ εἴη κυδρότερος προσορᾶν,
καί κε προεδρίην φανερὴν ἐν ἀγῶσιν ἄροιτο,
καί κεν σῖτ’ εἴη δημοσίων κτεάνων
ἐκ πόλεως καὶ δῶρον, ὅ οἱ κειμήλιον εἴη·
εἴτε καὶ ἵπποισιν, ταῦτά χ’ ἅπαντα λάχοι, 10
οὐκ ἐὼν ἄξιος, ὥσπερ ἐγὼ· ῥώμης γὰρ ἀμείνων
ἀνδρῶν ἠδ’ ἵππων ἡμετέρη σοφίη.
ἀλλ’ εἰκῆ μάλα τοῦτο νομίζεται· οὐδὲ δίκαιον
προκρίνειν ῥώμην τῆς ἀγαθῆς σοφίης.
οὔτε γὰρ εἰ πύκτης ἀγαθὸς λαοῖσι μετείη, 15
οὔτ’ εἰ πενταθλεῖν, οὔτε παλαισμοσύνην,
οὐδὲ μὲν εἰ ταχυτῆτι ποδῶν, τόπερ ἐστὶ πρότιμον
ῥώμης ὅσσ’ ἀνδρῶν ἔργ’ ἐν ἀγῶνι πέλει,
τοὔνεκεν ἂν δὴ μᾶλλον ἐν εὐνομίῃ πόλις εἴη·
σμικρὸν δ’ ἄν τι πόλει χάρμα γένοιτ’ ἐπὶ τῷ, 20
εἴ τις ἀεθλεύων νικῷ Πίσαο παρ’ ὄχθας·
οὐ γὰρ πιαίνει ταῦτα μυχοὺς πόλεως.

20 ἁβροσύνας δὲ μαθόντες ἀνωφελέας παρὰ Λυδῶν,
ὄφρα τυρρανίης ἦσαν ἄνευ στυγερῆς,
ᾔεσαν εἰς ἀγορὴν παναλουργέα φάρε’ ἔχοντες,
οὐ μείους ὥσπερ χίλιοι εἰς ἐπίπαν,
αὐχαλέοι, χαίτῃσιν ἀγαλλόμενοι εὐπρεπέεσσιν, 5
ἀσκητοῖς ὀδμὴν χρίμασι δευόμενοι.

21 νῦν γὰρ δὴ ζάπεδον καθαρὸν καὶ χεῖρες ἁπάντων
καὶ κύλικες· πλεκτοὺς δ’ ἀμφιτιθεῖ στεφάνους,
ἄλλος δ’ εὐῶδες μύρον ἐν φιάλῃ παρατείνει·
κρατὴρ δ’ ἕστηκεν μεστὸς ἐυφροσύνης·
ἄλλος δ’ οἶνος ἑτοῖμος, ὃς οὔποτέ φησι προδώσειν, 5
μείλιχος ἐν κεράμοισ’, ἄνθεος ὀσδόμενος·
ἐν δὲ μέσοισ’ ἁγνὴν ὀδμὴν λιβανωτὸς ἵησιν,
ψυχρὸν δ’ ἔστιν ὕδωρ καὶ γλυκὺ καὶ καθαρόν·
πάρκεινται δ’ ἄρτοι ξανθοὶ γεραρή τε τράπεζα
τυροῦ καὶ μέλιτος πίονος ἀχθομένη· 10
βωμὸς δ’ ἄνθεσιν ἀν τὸ μέσον πάντῃ πεπύκασται,
μολπὴ δ’ ἀμφὶς ἔχει δώματα καὶ θαλίη.
χρὴ δὲ πρῶτον μὲν θεὸν ὑμνεῖν εὔφρονας ἄνδρας
εὐφήμοις μύθοις καὶ καθαροῖσι λόγοις.
σπείσαντας δὲ καὶ εὐξαμένους τὰ δίκαια δύνασθαι 15
πρήσσειν· (ταῦτα γὰρ ὦν ἐστι προχειρότερον·)
οὐχ ὕβρις πίνειν ὁπόσον κεν ἔχων ἀφίκοιο
οἴκαδ’ ἄνευ προπόλου, μὴ πάνυ γηραλέος·
ἀνδρῶν δ’ αἰνεῖν τοῦτον, ὃς ἐσθλὰ πιὼν ἀναφαίνει,
ὥς οἱ μνημοσύνη καὶ <πόνος> ἀμφ’ ἀρετῆς. 20
οὔτι μάχας διέπειν Τιτάνων οὐδὲ Γιγάντων,
οὐδέ τι Κενταύρων, πλάσματα τῶν προτέρων,
ἢ στασίας σφεδανάς· τοῖσ’ οὐδὲν χρηστὸν ἔνεστιν·
θεῶν <δὲ> προμηθείην αἰὲν ἔχειν ἀγαθόν.

22 πέμψας γὰρ κωλῆν ἐρίφου σκέλος ἤραο πῖον
ταύρου λαρινοῦ, τίμιον ἀνδρὶ λαχεῖν,
τοῦ κλέος Ἑλλάδα πᾶσαν ἐφίξεται οὐδ’ ἀπολήξει
ἔστ’ ἂν ἀοιδάων ᾖ γένος Ἑλλαδικόν.

23 οὐδέ κεν ἐν κύλικι πρότερον κεράσειέ τις οἶνον
ἐγχέας, ἀλλ’ ὕδωρ καὶ καθύπερθε μέθυ.

24 ἤδη δ’ ἑπτά τ’ ἔασι καὶ ἑξήκοντ’ ἐνιαυτοί
βληστρίζοντες ἐμὴν φροντίδ’ ἀν’ Ἑλλάδα γῆν·
ἐκ γενετῆς δὲ τότ’ ἦσαν ἐείκοσι πέντε τε πρὸς τοῖς,
εἴπερ ἐγὼ περὶ τῶνδ’ οἶδα λέγειν ἐτύμως.

25 οὐκ ἴση πρόκλησις αὕτη, ἀσεβεῖ πρὸς εὐσεβῆ.

26 ἀνδρὸς γηρέντος πολλὸν ἀφαυρότερος.

27 ἑστᾶσιν δ’ ἐλάτης <βάκχοι> πυκινὸν περὶ δῶμα.

28 ἐξ ἀρχῆς καθ’ Ὅμηρον ἐπεὶ μεμαθήκασι πάντες.

29 εἰ μὴ χλωρὸν ἔφυσε θεὸς μέλι, πολλὸν ἔφασκον
γλύσσονα σῦκα πέλεσθαι.

30 <ἁγνὸν> ἐνὶ σπεάτεσσι τεοῖς καταλείβεται ὕδωρ.

31 ὁππόσα δὴ θνητοῖσι πεφήνασιν εἰσοράασθαι.

_Sources and Critical Notes._

1. Clem. Alex. _Strom._ v. p. 714. Euseb. _Praep. Ev._ xiii. 13, p. 678 D. MS. οὐδε δ’, ... οὔτε, corr. Potter.

2. Sext. Emp. _Math._ ix. 144.

3. Simplic. _Phys._ 6 r 23, 20; _Dox._ 481.

4. Simplic. _Phys._ 6 r 23, 11; _Dox._ 481.

5. Clem. Al. _Strom._ v. p. 714; Euseb. _Praep. Ev._ xiii. 13, p. 678 D, following Fr. 1. Theodoret, _Gr. Aff. Curat._ iii. 72, p. 49.

V. 1: Theod., Clem. cd. Par. and Ed. Floren., Euseb. _CFGI_
read ἀλλ’ οἱ βροτοί. Text follows remaining MSS. of Clem. and
Euseb. V. 2: Theod. καὶ ἴσην, Clem. and Euseb. τὴν σφετέραν;
Theod. τ’ αἴσθησιν, Clem. and Euseb. δ’ ἐσθῆτα.

6. Clem. Euseb. and Theod. after preceding fragment. Line 5 stands third in MSS. and earlier texts; Karsten places it fifth.

V. 1: Clem. and Theod. ἀλλ’ εἴ τοι χεῖρας εἶχον: Clem. Euseb.
λέοντες, Theod. ἐλεφάντες. V. 2: Euseb. _FG_ καὶ, other MSS.
ἢ, corr. Hiller. V. 3: Euseb. and Theod. καί κε: Eus. _DEFG_
δώματ’. V. 4: MSS. ἔσχον, corr. Karst.: MSS. ὁμοῖον, Meineke
ἕκαστοι. V. 5: Clem. Theod. ὁμοῖοι, Eus. ὅμοιοι, Karst. ὁμοῖα.

7. Sext. Emp. _Math._ ix. 193 and i. 289 combined.

V. 3: MSS. ὅς, Karst. καὶ.

8. Sext. Emp. _Math._ x. 313; Stob. _Ecl. Phys._ i. p. 294, _Dox._ 284; Schol. Vill. and Schol. Min. to Homer, _Il._ Η 99.

9. Sext. Emp. _Math._ ix. 361 and x. 313; Eustath. _Il._ Η 99, p. 668, 60.

10. Simplic. _Phys._ 41 r 189, 1, attributes this verse to Anaximenes on the authority of Porphyry. Joh. Philoponus (_Phys._ i. 188 b 30) attributes it to Xenophanes on the same authority.

MS. γίνονται, corr. Diels.

11. Schol. Genev. to Homer, _Il._ Ι 199, 2. V. _Sitz. d. berl. Akad._ June 18, 1891. I have inserted Diels’ emendation in lines 2 and 3. The first line also occurs in Stob. _Flor._ ed. Gais. iv. App. p. 6.

12. Achill. Tat. in _Isagoge ad Aratum_ (_Petavii Doctr. Tempor._ iii. p. 76). Cf. Aristotle, _de Xenophane_, &c., 2; 976 a 32.

V. 2: καὶ ῥεῖ προσπλάζον, τὰ κάτω δ’ εἰς, Karst. αἰθέρι.

13. Eustath. _Il._ Λ 24, p. 827, 59; Schol. Vill. ad _Il._ Λ 27 and Schol. Leyd. in Valckenaer, _Diatr. Eurip._ p. 195.

14. Sext. Emp. _Math._ vii. 49 and 110, and viii. 326. Vv. 1-2: Plut. _aud. poet._ 17 E; Laer. Diog. ix. 72. Vv. 3-4: Hipp. _Phil._ 14, _Dox._ 565; Origen, _Philos._ xiv. vol. i. p. 892; Galen, _de diff. puls._ iii. 1, viii. p. 62. Last half line: Sext. Emp. _Pyrrh._ ii. 18; Proklos in _Tim._ p. 78, &c.

V. 1: Sext. Diog. ἴδεν. V. 3: Galen ἢν γὰρ καὶ τὰ μέγιστα τύχῃ
τετελεσμένα, Hipp. τύχῃ.

15. Plut. _Symp._ ix. 746 B. Karst. reads δεδόξασται.

16. Stob. _Flor._ xxix. 41 G, _Ecl. Phys._, I. 224.

V. 1: _Flor._ ἐπέδειξαν, Ecl. παρέδοξαν. V. 2: _Ecl._ MS. Flor.
ἐφευρίσκουσιν, other MSS. ἐφεύρισκον.

17. Athen. ii. p. 54 E. V. 3: Eustath. p. 948, 40.

18. Diog. Laer. viii. 36; Suidas, v. Ξενοφάνης. _Anthol. Graec._ i. 86, p. 345, ed. Bosch. prefixes two verses which Karsten assigns to Apollodoros on the evidence of Athen. 418 E.

V. 1: MSS. νῦν οὖν τ’, corr. Steph. V. 3: Suidas φησί γ’. V. 5:
Karst. τῆς. Suidas BE φθεγξαμένην.

19. Athen. x. 413 F.

V. 3: Schneidewin ῥοὰς, cf. v. 21. V. 5: MSS. τί, Wakef. τὸ.
V. 6: Vulg. πρὸς ἄκρα, Jacobs προσορᾶν from MS. _A_ προσέραν.
V. 8: MSS. σιτείη, corr. Turnebus. V. 10: Dindorf connects
with the preceding line and reads οὔ κ’ ἔοι ἄξιος. V. 15: _A_
λαοῖσιν ἔτ’ εἴη, corr. Steph.

20. Athen. xii. p. 526.

V. 1: MSS. ἁφροσύνας, corr. Schneider V. 2: Vulg. ἐπὶ στυγερῆς,
corr. Dindorf. V. 4: _AB_ ὥσπερ, _PVL_ ἤπερ. V. 5: Last word:
Schneidewin ταναῇσιν, Bergk⁴ prefers ἀγάλμασί τ’.

21. Athen. xi. p. 462.

Vv. 4-8: Eustath. _Od._ ι 359, p. 1633, 53. V. 2: MSS.
ἀμφιτιθεὶς, corr. Dindorf. V. 13: Bergk⁴ reads πορσύνει. V. 4:
Eust. omits δὲ and reads ἐμφροσύνης. V. 5: _AE_ οἶνος ἐστὶν
ἕτοιμος, Karst. ἄλλῳ δ’ οἶνος ἕτοιμος. Text follows Meineke
and Bergk. V. 11: Vulg. αὐτὸ μέσον, corr. Karst. V. 14: MSS.
λόγοις, Eichstädt νόοις, Schneid. νόμοις. V. 16: Vulg. puts
colon after πρήσσειν and period at end of line. Meineke puts
comma at end of line, and colon after ὕβρις. Bergk reads ταῦτα
γὰρ ὧν ... ὕβρις as parenthetical. Schneid. προαιρέτεον. V. 19:
Hermann ἀναφαίῃ. V. 20: Vulg. ἡ μνημοσύνη, καὶ τὸν ὃς, Schneid.
οἱ μνημοσύνη καὶ πόνος, Bergk οἱ μνημοσύν’ ᾖ, καὶ τὸν, ὃς.
V. 21: Bergk διέπει. V. 22: Hermann οὐδέ τι, Bergk οὐδ’ αὖ:
MSS. πλασμάτων, corr. Hermann. V. 23: MSS. φενδόνας, Scalig.
φλεδόνας, Osann. σφεδανάς. V. 24: Scalig. adds δὲ: MSS. ἀγαθήν,
corr. Franke et al.

22. Athen. ix. P. 368 E. V. 3: MSS. ἀφίξεται, corr. Karst. V. 4: Meineke κλέος Ἑλλαδικῶν, Bergk ἀοιδοπόλων ᾖ γένος Ἑλλαδικῶν.

23. Athen. xi. p. 782. V. 2: Vulg. ἐγχεύας, corr. Casaub.

24. Diog. Laer. ix. 19.

25. Arist. _Rhet._ i. 15; p. 377 a 20.

26. _Etym. Magn._ s.v. Γηράς; attributed to Xenophon.

27. Schol. ad Aristoph. _Equit._ v. 408. Vulg. ἐλάται, MS. θ ἐλάτε, V ἐλάτη. Lobeck, _Aglaoph._ p. 308 i, suggests ἐκστᾶσιν δ’ ἐλατῶν πυκινοὶ περὶ δώματα βάκχοι, and compares Eurip. _Bacch._ 110.

(28). Draco Straton. p. 33, ed. Herm.; Cram. _An. Oxon._ iii. p. 296 (Herod. περὶ διχρόν. p. 367 Lehrs); Cram. _An. Oxon._ iv. p. 415 (_Choerob. dict._ p. 566 Gais.).

(29). Herod. περὶ μον. λέξ. 41, 5. MSS. Ξενοφῶν, corr. Dind. Cf. _Etym. Magn._ 235, 4. _Etym. Gud._ 301, 15.

(30). Herod. _Ibid._ 30, 30. MSS. καὶ μὴν, corr. Lehrs. Cf. περὶ κλισ. ὄνομ. 772, 33.

(31). Herod. περὶ διχρόν. 296, 5.

TRANSLATION.

1. God is one, supreme among gods and men, and not like mortals in body or in mind.[33]

2. The whole [of god] sees, the whole perceives, the whole hears.[34]

3. But without effort he sets in motion all things by mind and thought.

4. It [_i.e._ being] always abides in the same place, not moved at all, nor is it fitting that it should move from one place to another.

5. But mortals suppose that the gods are born (as they themselves are), and that they wear man’s clothing and have human voice and body.[35]

6. But if cattle or lions had hands, so as to paint with their hands and produce works of art as men do, they would paint their gods and give them bodies in form like their own—horses like horses, cattle like cattle.[36]

7. Homer and Hesiod attributed to the gods all things which are disreputable and worthy of blame when done by men; and they told of them many lawless deeds, stealing, adultery, and deception of each other.[37]

8. For all things come from earth, and all things end by becoming earth.[38]

9. For we are all sprung from earth and water.[39]

10. All things that come into being and grow are earth and water.

11. The sea is the source of water and the source of wind; for neither would blasts of wind arise in the clouds and blow out from within them, except for the great sea, nor would the streams of rivers nor the rain-water in the sky exist but for the sea; but the great sea is the begetter of clouds and winds and rivers.

12. This upper limit of earth at our feet is visible and †touches the air,† but below it reaches to infinity.[40]

13. She whom men call Iris (rainbow), this also is by nature cloud, violet and red and pale green to behold.

14. Accordingly there has not been a man, nor will there be, who knows distinctly what I say about the gods or in regard to all things, for even if one chances for the most part to say what is true, still he would not know; but every one thinks he knows.[41]

15. These things have seemed to me to resemble the truth.

16. In the beginning the gods did not at all reveal all things clearly to mortals, but by searching men in the course of time find them out better.

17. The following are fit topics for conversation for men reclining on a soft couch by the fire in the winter season, when after a meal they are drinking sweet wine and eating a little pulse: Who are you, and what is your family? What is your age, my friend? How old were you when the Medes invaded this land?

18. Now, however, I come to another topic, and I will show the way.... They say that once on a time when a hound was badly treated a passer-by pitied him and said, ‘Stop beating him, for it is the soul of a dear friend; I recognised him on hearing his voice.’

19. But if one wins a victory by swiftness of foot, or in the pentathlon, where the grove of Zeus lies by Pisas’ stream at Olympia, or as a wrestler, or in painful boxing, or in that severe contest called the pancration, he would {5} be more glorious in the eyes of the citizens, he would win a front seat at assemblies, and would be entertained by the city at the public table, and he would receive a gift which would be a keepsake for him. If he won by means of horses he would get all these things {10} although he did not deserve them, as I deserve them, for our wisdom is better than the strength of men or of horses. This is indeed a very wrong custom, nor is it right to prefer strength to excellent wisdom. For if there should be in the city a man good at boxing, or in the {15} pentathlon, or in wrestling, or in swiftness of foot, which is honoured more than strength (among the contests men enter into at the games), the city would not on that account be any better governed. Small joy would it be to any city in this case if a citizen conquers at the games {20} on the banks of the Pisas, for this does not fill with wealth its secret chambers.

20. Having learned profitless luxuries from the Lydians, while as yet they had no experience of hateful tyranny, they proceeded into the market-place, no less than a thousand in number all told, with purple garments completely covering them, boastful, proud of their comely locks, anointed with unguents of rich perfume.

21. For now the floor is clean, the hands of all and the cups are clean; one puts on the woven garlands, another passes around the fragrant ointment in a vase; the mixing bowl stands full of good cheer, and more wine, mild and of delicate bouquet, is at hand in jars, which {5} says it will never fail. In the midst frankincense sends forth its sacred fragrance, and there is water, cold, and sweet, and pure; the yellow loaves are near at hand, and the table of honour is loaded with cheese and rich honey. The altar in the midst is thickly covered with {10} flowers on every side; singing and mirth fill the house. Men making merry should first hymn the god with propitious stanzas and pure words; and when they have poured out libations and prayed for power to do the right (since this lies nearest at hand), then it is no unfitting {15} thing to drink as much as will not prevent your walking home without a slave, if you are not very old. And one ought to praise that man who, when he has drunk, unfolds noble things as his memory and his toil for virtue suggest; but there is nothing praiseworthy in {20} discussing battles of Titans or of Giants or Centaurs, fictions of former ages, nor in plotting violent revolutions. But it is good always to pay careful respect to the gods.

22. For sending the thigh-bone of a goat, thou didst receive the rich leg of a fatted bull, an honourable present to a man, the fame whereof shall come to all Greece, and shall not cease so long as there is a race of Greek bards.

23. Nor would any one first pour the wine into the cup to mix it, but water first and the wine above it.

24. Already now sixty-seven years my thoughts have been tossed restlessly up and down Greece, but then it was twenty and five years from my birth, if I know how to speak the truth about these things.[42]

25. Nor is this (an oath) an equal demand to make of an impious man as compared with a pious man.

26. Much more feeble than an aged man.

27. Bacchic wands of fir stand about the firmly built house.

28. From the beginning, according to Homer, since all have learned them.[43]

29. If the god had not made light-coloured honey, I should have said that a fig was far sweeter.

30. Holy water trickles down in thy grottoes.

31. As many things as they have made plain for mortals to see!

SAYINGS OF XENOPHANES.

Arist. _Rhet._ ii. 23; 1399 b 6 (Karsten, _Fr._ 34). Xenophanes asserts that those who say the gods are born are as impious as those who say that they die; for in both cases it amounts to this, that the gods do not exist at all.

_Ibid._ 1400 b 5 (K. 35). When the inhabitants of Elea asked Xenophanes whether they should sacrifice to Leukothea and sing a dirge or not, he advised them not to sing a dirge if they thought her divine, and if they thought her human not to sacrifice to her.[44]

Plutarch, _de vit. pud._ p. 530 F (K. 36). When Lasos, son of Hermiones, called that man a coward who was unwilling to play at dice with him, Xenophanes answered that he was very cowardly and without daring in regard to dishonourable things.

Diog. Laer. ix. 20 (K. 37). When Empedokles said to him (Xenophanes) that the wise man was not to be found, he answered: Naturally, for it would take a wise man to recognise a wise man.

Plut. _de comm. not._ p. 1084 E (K. 38). Xenophanes, when some one told him that he had seen eels living in hot water, said: Then we will boil them in cold water.

Diog. Laer. ix. 19 (K. 39). ‘Have intercourse with tyrants either as little as possible, or as agreeably as possible.’

Clem. Al. _Strom._ vii. p. 841. And Greeks suppose the gods to be like men in their passions as well as in their forms; and accordingly they represent them, each race in forms like their own, in the words of Xenophanes: Ethiopians make their gods black and snub-nosed, Thracians red-haired and with blue eyes; so also they conceive the spirits of the gods to be like themselves.[45]

A. Gellius, _Noct. Att._ iii. 11 (K. 31). Some writers have stated that Homer antedated Hesiod, and among these were Philochoros and Xenophanes of Kolophon; others assert that he was later than Hesiod.

(_b_) PASSAGES RELATING TO XENOPHANES IN PLATO AND ARISTOTLE.

Plato, _Soph._ 242 D. And the Eleatic group of thinkers among us, beginning with Xenophanes and even earlier, set forth in tales how what men call all things is really one.

_De Coelo_, ii. 13; 294 a 21. On this account some assert that there is no limit to the earth underneath us, saying that it is rooted in infinity, as, for instance, Xenophanes of Kolophon; in order that they may not have the trouble of seeking the cause.[46]

_De mirac. oscult._ 38; 833 a 16. The fire at Lipara, Xenophanes says, ceased once for sixteen years, and came back in the seventeenth. And he says that the lava-stream from Aetna is neither of the nature of fire, nor is it continuous, but it appears at intervals of many years.

_Metaph._ i. 5; 986 b 10. There are some who have expressed the opinion about the All that it is one in its essential nature, but they have not expressed this opinion after the same manner nor in an orderly or natural way. 986 b 23. Xenophanes first taught the unity of these things (Parmenides is said to have been his pupil), but he did not make anything clear, nor did he seem to get at the nature of either of these things, but looking up into the broad heavens he said: The unity is god. These, as we have said, are to be dismissed from the present investigation, two of them entirely as being rather more crude, Xenophanes and Melissos; but Parmenides seems to speak in some places with greater care.[47]

(_c_) PASSAGES RELATING TO XENOPHANES IN THE ‘DOXOGRAPHISTS.’

Theophrastos, Fr. 5; Simpl. _Phys._ 5 v: 22, 36; _Dox._ 480. Theophrastos says that Xenophanes of Kolophon, teacher of Parmenides, asserted that the first principle is one, and that being is one and all-embracing, and is neither limited nor infinite, neither moving nor at rest. Theophrastos admits, however, that the record of his opinion is derived from some other source than the investigation of nature. This all-embracing unity Xenophanes called god; he shows that god is one because god is the most powerful of all things; for, he says, if there be a multiplicity of things, it is necessary that power should exist in them all alike; but the most powerful and most excellent of all things is god.[48] And he shows that god must have been without beginning, since whatever comes into being must come either from what is like it or from what is unlike it; but, he says, it is no more natural that like should give birth to like, than that like should be born from like; but if it had sprung from what is unlike it, then being would have sprung from not-being.[49] So he showed that god is without beginning and eternal. Nor is it either infinite or subject to limits; for not-being is infinite, as having neither beginning nor middle nor end; moreover limits arise through the relation of a multiplicity of things to each other.[50] Similarly he denies to it both motion and rest; for not-being is immovable, since neither could anything else come into it nor could it itself come into anything else; motion, on the one hand, arises among the several parts of the one, for one thing changes its position with reference to another, so that when he says that it abides in the same state and is not moved (Frag. 4.), ‘And it always abides in the same place, not moved at all, nor is it fitting that it should move from one place to another,’ he does not mean that it abides in a rest that is the antithesis of motion, but rather in a stillness that is out of the sphere of both motion and rest. Nikolaos of Damascus in his book _On the Gods_ mentions him as saying that the first principle of things is infinite and immovable.[51] According to Alexander he regards this principle as limited and spherical. But that Xenophanes shows it to be neither limited nor infinite is clear from the very words quoted,—Alexander says that he regarded it as limited and spherical because it is homogeneous throughout; and he holds that it perceives all things, saying (Frag. 3) ‘But without effort he sets in motion all things by mind and thought.’[52]

Theophrast. Fr. 5 a; Galen, in Hipp. _d. n. h._ xv. 35 K.; _Dox._ 481. Several of the commentators have made false statements about Xenophanes, as for instance Sabinos, who uses almost these very words: ‘I say that man is not air, as Anaximenes taught, nor water, as Thales taught, nor earth, as Xenophanes says in some book;’ but no such opinion is found to be expressed by Xenophanes anywhere. And it is clear from Sabinos’s own words that he made a false statement intentionally and did not fall into error through ignorance. Else he would certainly have mentioned by name the book in which Xenophanes expressed this opinion. On the contrary he wrote ‘as Xenophanes says in some book.’ Theophrastos would have recorded this opinion of Xenophanes in his abridgment of the opinions of the physicists, if it were really true. And if you are interested in the investigation of these things, you can read the books of Theophrastos in which he made this abridgment of the opinions of the physicists.

Hipp. _Philos._ i. 14; _Dox._ 565. Xenophanes of Kolophon, son of Orthomenes, lived to the time of Cyrus. He was the first to say that all things are incomprehensible, in the following verses: (Frag. 14) ‘For even if one chances for the most part to say what is true, still he would not know; but every one thinks he knows.’[53] And he says that nothing comes into being, nor is anything destroyed, nor moved; and that the universe is one and is not subject to change. And he says that god is eternal and one, homogeneous throughout, limited, spherical, with power of sense-perception in all parts. The sun is formed each day from small fiery particles which are gathered together; the earth is infinite, and is not surrounded by air or by sky; an infinite number of suns and moons exist, and all things come from earth. The sea, he said, is salt because so many things flow together and become mixed in it; but Metrodoros assigns as the reason for its saltness that it has filtered through the earth.[54] And Xenophanes believes that once the earth was mingled with the sea, but in the course of time it became freed from moisture; and his proofs are such as these: that shells are found in the midst of the land and among the mountains, that in the quarries of Syracuse the imprints of a fish and of seals had been found, and in Paros the imprint of an anchovy at some depth in the stone, and in Melite shallow impressions of all sorts of sea products. He says that these imprints were made when everything long ago was covered with mud, and then the imprint dried in the mud. Farther he says that all men will be destroyed when the earth sinks into the sea and becomes mud, and that the race will begin anew from the beginning; and this transformation takes place for all worlds.

Plut. _Strom._ 4; _Dox._ 580. Xenophanes of Kolophon, going his own way and differing from all those that had gone before, did not admit either genesis or destruction, but says that the all is always the same. For if it came into being, it could not have existed before this; and not-being could not come into existence nor could it accomplish anything, nor could anything come from not-being. And he declares that sensations are deceptive, and together with them he does away with the authority of reason itself. And he declares that the earth is constantly sinking little by little into the sea. He says that the sun is composed of numerous fiery particles massed together. And with regard to the gods he declares that there is no rule of one god over another, for it is impious that any of the gods should be ruled; and none of the gods have need of anything at all, for a god hears and sees in all his parts and not in some particular organs.[55] He declares that the earth is infinite and is not surrounded on every side by air; and all things arise from earth; and he says that the sun and the stars arise from clouds.

Galen, _Hist. Phil._ 3; _Dox._ 601. Xenophanes of Kolophon is said to be the chief of this school, which is ordinarily considered aporetic (skeptical) rather than dogmatic. 7; _Dox._ 604. To the class holding eclectic views belongs Xenophanes, who has his doubts as to all things, except that he holds this one dogma: that all things are one, and that this is god, who is limited, endowed with reason, and immovable.

Aet. _Plac._ i. 3; _Dox._ 284. Xenophanes held that the first principle of all things is earth, for he wrote in his book on nature: ‘All things come from earth, and all things end by becoming earth.’[56]

Aet. ii. 4; _Dox._ 332. Xenophanes et al.: The world is without beginning, eternal, imperishable. 13; 343. The stars are formed of burning cloud; these are extinguished each day, but they are kindled again at night, like coals; for their risings and settings are really kindlings and extinguishings. 18; 347. The objects which appear to those on vessels like stars, and which some call Dioscuri, are little clouds which have become luminous by a certain kind of motion. 20; 348. The sun is composed of fiery particles collected from the moist exhalation and massed together, or of burning clouds. 24; 354. Eclipses occur by extinction of the sun; and the sun is born anew at its risings. Xenophanes recorded an eclipse of the sun for a whole month, and another eclipse so complete that the day seemed as night. 24; 355. Xenophanes held that there are many suns and moons according to the different regions and sections and zones of the earth; and that at some fitting time the disk of the sun comes into a region of the earth not inhabited by us, and so it suffers eclipse as though it had gone into a hole; he adds that the sun goes on for an infinite distance, but it seems to turn around by reason of the great distance. 25; 356. The moon is a compressed cloud. 28; 358. It shines by its own light. 29; 360. The moon disappears each month because it is extinguished. 30; 362. The sun serves a purpose in the generation of the world and of the animals on it, as well as in sustaining them, and it drags the moon after it.

Aet. iii. 2; 367. Comets are groups or motions of burning clouds. 3; 368. Lightnings take place when clouds shine in motion. 4; 371. The phenomena of the heavens come from the warmth of the sun as the principal cause. For when the moisture is drawn up from the sea, the sweet water separated by reason of its lightness becomes mist and passes into clouds, and falls as rain when compressed, and the winds scatter it; for he writes expressly (Frag. 11): ‘The sea is the source of water.’

Aet. iv. 9; 396. Sensations are deceptive.

Aet. v. 1; 415. Xenophanes and Epikouros abolished the prophetic art.

VI.

_THE ELEATIC SCHOOL: PARMENIDES._

Parmenides, the son of Pyres (or Pyrrhes), of Elea, was born about 515 B.C.; his family was of noble rank and rich, but Parmenides devoted himself to philosophy. He was associated with members of the Pythagorean society, and is himself called a Pythagorean by later writers. In the formation of his philosophic system however he was most influenced by his aged fellow-townsman, Xenophanes; the doctrines of Xenophanes he developed into a system which was embodied in a poetic work ‘On Nature.’ The statement that he made laws for the citizens may have reference to some connection with the Pythagorean society.

Literature: The fragments of Parmenides have been collected by
Peyron, Leipzig 1810; Karsten, Amsterdam 1830; Brandis, _Comm.
Eleat._ Altona 1813; Vatke, Berlin 1864; Stein, _Symb. philol.
Bonn._ Leipzig 1867; V. _Revue Phil._ 1883, 5: 1884, 9. Berger,
_Die Zonenlehre d. Parm._ München, 1895.

(_a_) FRAGMENTS OF PARMENIDES.

Ἵπποι ταί με φέρουσιν, ὅσον τ’ ἐπὶ θυμὸς ἱκάνοι,
πέμπον, ἐπεί μ’ ἐς ὁδὸν βῆσαν πολύφημον ἄγουσαι
δαίμονος ἣ κατὰ πάντ’ αὐτὴ φέρει εἰδότα φῶτα.
τῇ φερόμην· τῇ γάρ με πολύφραστοι φέρον ἵπποι
ἅρμα τιταίνουσαι· κοῦραι δ’ ὁδὸν ἡγεμόνευον. 5
ἄξων δ’ ἐν χνοιῇσιν <ἵει> σύριγγος ἀυτὴν
αἰθόμενος (δοιοῖς γὰρ ἐπείγετο δινωτοῖσιν
κύκλοις ἀμφοτέρωθεν), ὅτε σπερχοίατο πέμπειν
Ἡλιάδες κοῦραι, προλιποῦσαι δώματα νυκτός,
εἰς φάος, ὠσάμεναι κρατῶν ἄπο χερσὶ καλύπτρας. 10
ἔνθα πύλαι νυκτός τε καὶ ἤματός εἰσι κελεύθων,
καί σφας ὑπέρθυρον ἀμφὶς ἔχει καὶ λάινος οὐδός,
αὐταὶ δ’ αἰθέριαι πλῆνται μεγάλοισι θυρέτροις.
τῶν δὲ Δίκη πολύποινος ἔχει κληῖδας ἀμοιβούς.
τὴν δὴ παρφάμεναι κοῦραι μαλακοῖσι λόγοισιν 15
πεῖσαν ἐπιφραδέως, ὥς σφιν βαλανωτὸν ὀχῆα
ἀπτερέως ὤσειε πυλέων ἄπο. ταὶ δὲ θυρέτρων
χάσμ’ ἀχανὲς ποίησαν ἀναπτάμεναι, πολυχάλκους
ἄξονας ἐν σύριγξιν ἀμοιβαδὸν εἱλίξασαι,
γόμφοις καὶ περόνῃσιν ἀρηρότε· τῇ ῥα δι’ αὐτῶν 20
ἰθὺς ἔχον κοῦραι καθ’ ἁμαξιτὸν ἅρμα καὶ ἵππους.
καί με θεὰ πρόφρων ὑπεδέξατο, χεῖρα δὲ χειρὶ
δεξιτερὴν ἕλεν, ὧδε δ’ ἔπος φάτο καί με προσηύδα·
ὦ κοῦρ’ ἀθανάτοισι συνήορος ἡνιόχοισιν,
ἵπποις ταί σε φέρουσιν ἱκάνων ἡμέτερον δῶ, 25
χαῖρ’, ἐπεὶ οὔτι σε μοῖρα κακὴ προύπεμπε νέεσθαι
τήνδ’ ὁδόν· ἦ γὰρ ἀπ’ ἀνθρώπων ἐκτὸς πάτου ἐστίν·
ἀλλὰ θέμις τε δίκη τε. χρέω δέ σε πάντα πυθέσθαι,
ἠμὲν ἀληθείης εὐπειθέος ἀτρεμὲς ἦτορ,
ἠδὲ βρότων δόξας τῇς οὐκ ἔνι πίστις ἀληθής. 30
ἀλλ’ ἔμπης καὶ ταῦτα μαθήσεαι, ὡς τὰ δοκοῦντα
χρὴ δοκίμως κρῖναι· διὰ παντὸς πάντα περῶντα.

τὰ πρὸς ἀλήθειαν.

εἴ δ’ ἄγ’, ἐγὼν ἐρέω, κόμισαι δὲ σὺ μῦθον ἀκούσας,
αἵπερ ὁδοὶ μοῦναι διζήσιός εἰσι νοῆσαι.
ἡ μὲν ὅπως ἔστιν τε καὶ ὡς οὐκ ἔστι μὴ εἶναι 35
πειθοῦς ἐστι κέλευθος, ἀληθείη γὰρ ὀπηδεῖ·
ἡ δ’ ὡς οὐκ ἔστιν τε καὶ ὡς χρεών ἐστι μὴ εἶναι
τὴν δή τοι φράζω παναπειθέα ἔμμεν ἀταρπόν·
οὔτε γὰρ ἂν γνοίης τό γε μὴ ἐόν· οὐ γὰρ ἀνυστόν·
οὔτε φράσαις. τὸ γὰρ αὐτὸ νοεῖν ἐστίν τε καὶ εἶναι. 40

ξυνὸν δέ μοί ἐστιν,
ὁππόθεν ἄρξωμαι, τόθι γὰρ πάλιν ἵξομαι αὖθις.

χρὴ τὸ λέγειν τε νοεῖν τ’ ἐὸν ἔμμεναι. ἔστι γὰρ εἶναι,
μηδὲν δ’ οὐκ εἶναι, τά σ’ ἐγὼ φράζεθαι ἄνωγα,
πρώτης γάρ σ’ ἀφ’ ὁδοῦ ταύτης διζήσιος <εἴργω> 45
αὐτὰρ ἔπειτ’ ἀπὸ τῆς, ἣν δὴ βροτοὶ εἰδότες οὐδὲν
πλάζονται δίκρανοι· ἀμηχανίη γὰρ ἐν αὐτῶν
στήθεσιν ἰθύνει πλαγκτὸν νόον· οἱ δὲ φορεῦνται
κωφοὶ ὁμῶς τυφλοί τε τεθηπότες ἄκριτα φῦλα,
οἷς τὸ πέλειν τε καὶ οὐκ εἶναι τὠυτὸν νενόμισται 50
κοὐ τὠυτόν, πάντων δὲ παλίντροπός ἐστι κέλευθος.
οὐ γὰρ μή ποτε τοῦτο δαμῇ, φησιν, εἶναι μὴ ἐόντα
ἀλλὰ σὺ τῆσδ’ ἀφ’ ὁδοῦ διζήσιος εἶργε νόημα·
μηδέ σ’ ἔθος πολύπειρον ὁδὸν κατὰ τήνδε βιάσθω
νωμᾶν ἄσκοπον ὄμμα καὶ ἠχήεσσαν ἀκουήν 55
καὶ γλῶσσαν, κρῖναι δὲ λόγων πολύδηριν ἔλεγχον
ἐξ ἐμέθεν ῥηθέντα. μόνος δ’ ἔτι μῦθος ὁδοῖο
λείπεται, ὡς ἔστιν. ταύτῃ δ’ ἐπὶ σήματ’ ἔασι
πολλὰ μάλ’, ὡς ἀγένητον ἐὸν καὶ ἀνώλεθρόν ἐστιν,
οὖλον μουνογενές τε καὶ ἀτρεμὲς ἠδ’ ἀτέλεστον. 60
οὐδέ ποτ’ ἦν οὐδ’ ἔσται ἐπεὶ νῦν ἔστιν ὁμοῦ πᾶν,
ἕν, ξυνεχές· τίνα γὰρ γένναν διζήσεαι αὐτοῦ;
πῇ πόθεν αὐξηθέν; οὔτ’ ἐκ μὴ ἐόντος ἐάσω
φάσθαι σ’ οὐδὲ νοεῖν· οὐ γὰρ φατὸν οὐδὲ νοητὸν
ἐστὶν ὅπως οὐκ ἔστι. τί δ’ ἄν μιν καὶ χρέος ὦρσεν, 65
ὕστερον ἢ πρόσθεν τοῦ μηδενὸς ἀρξάμενον φῦν;
οὕτως ἢ πάμπαν πέλεναι χρεών ἐστιν ἢ οὐχί.
οὐδέ ποτ’ ἔκ πῃ ἐόντος ἐφήσει πίστιος ἰσχύς
γίνεσθαί τι παρ’ αὐτό· τοῦ εἵνεκεν οὔτε γενέσθαι
οὔτ’ ὄλλυσθαι ἀνῆκε Δίκη χαλάσασα πέδῃσιν 70
ἀλλ’ ἔχει.

[ἡ δὲ κρίσις περὶ τούτων ἐν τῷδ’ ἔνεστιν]
ἔστιν ἢ οὐκ ἔστιν. κέκριται δ’ οὖν ὥσπερ ἀνάγκη,
τὴν μὲν ἐᾶν ἀνόητον, ἀνώνυμον· οὐ γὰρ ἀληθὴς
ἐστὶν ὁδός· τὴν δ’ ὥστε πέλειν καὶ ἐτήτυμον εἶναι.
πῶς δ’ ἂν ἔπειτ’ ἀπόλοιτο ἐόν; πῶς δ’ αὖ κε γένοιτο; 75
εἰ γὰρ ἐγέντ’ οὐκ ἔστ’ οὐδ’ εἴ ποτε μέλλει ἔσεσθαι.
τὼς γένεσις μὲν ἀπέσβεσται καὶ ἄπυστος ὄλεθρος.
οὐδὲ διαίρετόν ἐστιν, ἐπεὶ πᾶν ἐστιν ὁμοῖον·
οὐδέ τι τῇ μᾶλλον, τό κεν εἴργοι μιν συνέχεσθαι,
οὐδέ τι χειρότερον, πᾶν δ’ ἔμπλεόν ἐστιν ἐόντος. 80
τῷ ξυνεχὲς πᾶν ἐστιν, ἐὸν γὰρ ἐόντι πελάζει.
αὐτὰρ ἀκίνητον μεγάλων ἐν πείρασι δεσμῶν
ἔστιν, ἄναρχον, ἄπαυστον, ἐπεὶ γένεσις καὶ ὄλεθρος
τῆλε μάλ’ ἐπλάγχθησαν, ἀπῶσε δὲ πίστις ἀληθής.
τωὐτόν τ’ ἐν τωὐτῷ τε μένον καθ’ ἑωυτό τε κεῖται, 85
χοὕτως ἔμπεδον αὖθι μένει· κρατερὴ γὰρ ἀνάγκη
πείρατος ἐν δεσμοῖσιν ἔχει, τό μιν ἀμφὶς ἐέργει.
οὕνεκεν οὐκ ἀτελεύτητον τὸ ἐὸν θέμις εἶναι·
ἐστὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἐπιδευές, ἐὸν δ’ ἂν παντὸς ἐδεῖτο.

λεῦσσε δ’ ὅμως ἀπεόντα νόῳ παρεόντα βεβαίως· 90
οὐ γὰρ ἀποτμήξεις τῇ ἐὸν τῇ ἐόντος ἔχεσθαι
οὔτε σκιδνάμενον πάντῃ πάντως κατὰ κόσμον οὔτε συνιστάμενον.
τωὐτὸν δ’ ἐστὶ νοεῖν τε καὶ οὕνεκέν ἐστι νόημα.
οὐ γὰρ ἄνευ τοῦ ἐόντος, ἐν ᾧ πεφατισμένον ἐστίν, 95
εὑρήσεις τὸ νοεῖν. οὐδὲν χρέος ἔστιν ἢ ἔσται
ἄλλο πάρεξ τοῦ ἐόντος, ἐπεὶ τό γε μοῖρ’ ἐπέδησεν
οὖλον ἀκίνητόν τ’ ἔμεναι. τῷ πάντ’ ὄνομ’ ἔσται
ὅσσα βροτοὶ κατέθεντο, πεποιθότες εἶναι ἀληθῆ,
γίνεσθαί τε καὶ ὄλλυσθαι, εἶναί τε καὶ οὐκί, 100
καὶ τόπον ἀλλάσσειν διά τε χρόα φανὸν ἀμείβειν.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πεῖρας πύματον, τετελεσμένον ἐστὶ
πάντοθεν, εὐκύκλου σφαίρης ἐναλίγκιον ὄγκῳ,
μεσσόθεν ἰσοπαλὲς πάντῃ· τὸ γὰρ οὔτε τι μεῖζον
οὔτε τι βαιότερον πέλεναι χρεών ἐστι τῇ ἢ τῇ. 105
οὔτε γὰρ οὐκ ἐόν ἐστι, τό κεν παύοι μιν ἱκνεῖσθαι
εἰς ὁμόν, οὔτ’ ἐὸν ἔστιν ὅπως εἴη κεν ἐόντος
τῇ μᾶλλον τῇ δ’ ἧσσον, ἐπεὶ πᾶν ἐστιν ἄσυλον.
εἰ γὰρ πάντοθεν ἶσον ὁμῶς ἐν πείρασι κύρει.

τὰ πρὸς δόξαν.

ἐν τῷ σοι παύσω πιστὸν λόγον ἠδὲ νόημα 110
ἀμφὶς ἀληθείης· δόξας δ’ ἀπὸ τοῦδε βροτείας
μάνθανε, κόσμον ἐμῶν ἐπέων ἀπατηλὸν ἀκούων.
μορφὰς γὰρ κατέθεντο δύο γνώμαις ὀνομάζειν
τῶν μίαν οὐ χρεών ἐστιν, ἐν ᾧ πεπλανημένοι εἰσίν.
ἀντία δ’ ἐκρίναντο δέμας καὶ σήματ’ ἔθεντο 115
χωρὶς ἀπ’ ἀλλήλων, τῇ μὲν φλογὸς αἰθέριον πῦρ
ἤπιον ἔμμεν ἀραιὸν, ἑαυτῷ πάντοσε τωὐτόν,
τῷ δ’ ἑτέρῳ μὴ τωὐτόν· ἀτὰρ κἀκεῖνο κατ’ αὐτοῦ
ἀντία νύκτ’ ἀδαῆ, πυκινὸν δέμας ἐμβριθές τε.
τῶν σοι ἐγὼ διάκοσμον ἐοικότα πάντα φατίζω, 120
ὡς οὐ μή ποτέ τίς σε βροτῶν γνώμη παρελάσῃ.

αὐτὰρ ἐπειδὴ πάντα φάος καὶ νὺξ ὀνόμασται
καὶ τὰ κατὰ σφετέρας δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τοῖσί τε καὶ τοῖς,
πᾶν πλέον ἐστὶν ὁμοῦ φάεος καὶ νυκτὸς ἀφάντου,
ἴσων ἀμφοτέρων, ἐπεὶ οὐδετέρῳ μέτα μηδέν. 125

αἱ γὰρ στεινότεραι πλῆνται πυρὸς ἀκρήτοιο,
αἱ δ’ ἐπὶ ταῖς νυκτὸς, μετὰ δὲ φλογὸς ἵεται αἶσα,
ἐν δὲ μέσῳ τούτων δαίμων, ἣ πάντα κυβερνᾷ.
πάντῃ γὰρ στυγεροῖο τόκου καὶ μίξιος ἄρχει
πέμπουσ’ ἄρσενι θῆλυ μιγὲν τό τ’ ἐνάντιον αὖθις 130
ἄρσεν θηλυτέρῳ.

πρώτιστον μὲν Ἔρωτα θεῶν μητίσατο πάντων.

εἴσῃ δ’ αἰθερίαν τε φύσιν τά τ’ ἐν αἰθέρι πάντα
σήματα καὶ καθαρᾶς εὐαγέος ἠελίοιο
λαμπάδος ἔργ’ ἀίδηλα καὶ ὁππόθεν ἐξεγένοντο, 135
ἔργα τε κύκλωπος πεύσῃ περίφοιτα σελήνης
καὶ φύσιν. εἰδήσεις τε καὶ οὐρανὸν ἀμφὶς ἔχοντα,
ἔνθεν ἔφυ τε, καὶ ὥς μιν ἄγουσ’ ἐπέδησεν Ἀνάγκη
πείρατ’ ἔχειν ἄστρων.

πῶς γαῖα καὶ ἥλιος ἠδὲ σελήνη 140
αἰθήρ τε ξυνὸς γάλα τ’ οὐράνιον καὶ Ὄλυμπος
ἔσχατος ἠδ’ ἄστρων θερμὸν μένος ὡρμήθησαν
γίνεσθαι.
νυκτιφαὲς περὶ γαῖαν ἀλώμενον ἀλλότριον φῶς

αἴει παπταίνουσα πρὸς αὐγὰς ἠελιοῖο 145

ὡς γὰρ ἑκάστοτ’ ἔχει κρᾶσις μελέων πολυκάμπτων,
τὼς νόος ἀνθρώποισι παρέστηκεν· τὸ γὰρ αὐτὸ
ἔστιν ὅπερ φρονέει μελέων φύσις ἀνθρώποισιν
καὶ πᾶσιν καὶ παντί· τὸ γὰρ πλέον ἐστὶ νόημα.

δεξιτεροῖσιν μὲν κούρους, λαοῖσι δὲ κούρας. 150
οὕτω τοι κατὰ δόξαν ἔφυν τάδε νῦν τε ἔασι,
καὶ μετέπειτ’ ἀπὸ τοῦδε τελευτήσουσι τραφέντα.
τοῖς δ’ ὄνομα ἄνθρωποι κατέθεντ’ ἐπίσημον ἑκάστῳ.

Kars. 150

Femina virque simul Veneris cum germina miscent
unius in formam diverso ex sanguine virtus
temperiem servans bene condita corpora fingit.
at si virtutes permixto semine pugnent
nec faciant unam permixto in corpore dirae
nascentem gemino vexabunt semine sexum.

Simpl. _Phys._ 7, v. 31, 4. ἐπὶ τῷδέ ἐστι τὸ ἀραιὸν καὶ τὸ θερμὸν καὶ τὸ φαὸς καὶ τὸ μαλθακὸν καὶ τὸ κουφὸν, ἐπὶ δὲ πυκνῷ ὠνόμασται τὸ ψυχρὸν καὶ ὁ ζόφος καὶ σκληρὸν καὶ βαρύ· ταῦτα γὰρ ἀπεκρίθη ἑκατέρως ἑκατέρα.

_Sources and Critical Notes._

1-30. (Followed without break by 53-58) Sext. Emp. _Math._ vii. 111. Cf. Porphyrius, _de antro nymph._ ch. 22. 28-32. Simpl. _de coelo_ 557, 25. 28-30. Laer. Diog. ix. 22. 29-30. Plut. _adv. Colot._ 1114 D. Prokl. _Tim._ p. 105 B; Clem. Al. _Strom._ v. p. 682.

Vv. 6-8 Karsten transfers to a position after v. 10 (order: 5, 9, 10, 6, 7, 8, 11), comma at end of v. 5 and period at end of v. 8. Stein transfers vv. 4-8 to a position after v. 21, and changes δαίμονος of v. 3 to δαίμονες in apposition with Ἡλιάδες κοῦραι. Order: 3, 9, 10 ... 20, 21, 4, 5 ... 7, 8, where a break occurs, and v. 22 begins a new section.

V. 2: SV ζησαν. V. 3: MSS. πάντα τῆ φέρει, Karst. πάντ’ ἀδαῆ
φ., Hermann καὶ πάντ’ αὐτὴ, Stein πάντα μάθη. Diels compares
v. 32 and Verg. _Aen._ vi. 565. V. 4: _C_ φερομένην, _G_
φέρομαι. V. 6: Karsten inserts ἵει. V. 7: _G_ αἰσθόμενος, Stein
ἀχθόμενος: _GR_ ἐπήγετο, _C_ ἐπήγετος V. 10: MSS. κρατερῶν,
except _G_ κρατεραῖς, corr. Karsten. V. 12: MSS. καὶ σφᾶς. V.
14: _CRV_ δίκην. V. 17: _FG_ ταῖς. V. 20: MSS. _CGRV_ ἀρηρότα
τῆ, Hermann ἀρηρότας ᾗ. V. 25: _V_ ἵπποι: _R_ τε, other MSS.
ταὶ. V. 26: _CR_ οὔτοι, _G_ οὔτε. V. 27: Stein τηλοῦ for
ἐκτὸς. V. 28: _CR_ πείθεσθαι. V. 29: Prokl. εὐφέγγεος, Simpl.
εὐκυκλέος: Plut., Diog., Sext. _L_ ἀτρεκές; text follows Prokl.
and other MSS. of Sext. Stein compares Sextus’s explanation
ἀμετακίνητον 215 6. V. 31: Stein suggests τοῦτο. V. 32: MSS.
εἶναι, corr. Karsten.

33-40. Prokl. _Tim._ 105 B. 35-40. Simpl. _Phys._ 25 r 116, 28. 40 b. Plot. _Ennead._ v. 1, 8, p. 489; Clem. Al. _Strom._ 749.

V. 33: MSS. ἄγε τῶν, corr. Karsten. V. 34: MSS. μοῦσαι, corr.
Brandis. V. 38: Prokl. δ’ ἤτοι: Simpl. παναπευθέα, Stein
παναπειθῆ, text follows Prokl. V. 39 Prokl. ἐφικτὸν, text
follows Simpl. Stein compares Simpl. D 109, 24; 111, 25.

41-42. Prokl. _Parm._ ii. 120; Vulg. ἄρξομαι corr. Karst.

43-51. Simpl. _Phys._ 25 r 117, 4. 43-44. _Ibid._ 19 r 86, 27. 45. Cf. _Ibid._ 17 r 78, 6. 50. _Ibid._ 17 r 78, 3.

V. 43: _F_ τέον, a_DE_ (19: 86) τὸ ὄν. V. 44: MSS. (19: 86)
and a (25: 117): _D_ μὴ δὲ οἵδ’, _F_ οἶδ’, _E_ μὴ δέοι δ’: f
εἶναι, _DEF_ (25: 117) ἔστι. V. 45: Diels supplies εἴργω, Stein
concludes the line like v. 52. V. 47 _DEF_ πλάττονται, text
follows a. Vv. 50, 51: Diels ταὐτόν.

53-58a follow 1-32 in Sext. Emp. 52-53. Plato, _Soph._ 237 A, 258 D; Arist. _Met._ xiii. 1089 a; Simpl. _Phys._ 29 v 135, 21; 31 r 143, 31; 53 v 244, 1. 53. Simpl. _Phys._ 11 r 78, 6; 152 v 650, 13. 54-56. Diog. Laer. ix. 22.

V. 52: Plato, τοῦτ’ οὐδαμῇ, Arist. τοῦτο δαῇς Simpl. δαμῆ,
corr. Stein. Karsten omits v. 52. V. 55: Bergk εὔσκοπον. V.
56: _CRV_ κρίνε, _G_ κριναν: _L_ πολύπειρον. Vulg. λόγῳ, corr.
Burnet. Stein rejects v. 53, and transfers 54-57a to the
proœmium following 32.

57 b-112 (except 90-93). Simpl. _Phys._ 31: 145-146. 57 b-59. _Ibid._ 31 r 142, 34. 57 b-70. _Ibid._ 17 r 78, 12. 59-60. Clem. Al. _Strom._ v. 716; Euseb. _Praep._ xiii. 680 c. 59-61. Simpl. _Phys._ 7 r 30, 1. 60. Plut. _adv. Col._ 1114 D; Euseb. _Praep._ i. 23; Theod. _Ther. Ser._ iv. 7; Phil. _Phys._ B 5 r: 65; Simpl. _de Caelo_ 557, 17; _Phys._ 26 r 120, 23. 60a. Simpl. _Phys._ 19 r 87, 21; Plut. _Strom._ 5; _Dox._ 580. 61. Ammon. on Herm. D 7 (= Cramer A. P. 1388); Philop. _Phys._ 5 r: 65; Prokl. _Parm._ iv. 62. 62-66. Simpl. _Phys._ 34 v 162, 18. 62-65. Simpl. _de Caelo_, 137, 1.

V. 57: Stein μόνης: _V_ δέ τι, _CH_ δὲ τοι, _FG_ δέ γε. V. 60:
Plut. _Strom._ 5 reads μοῦνον for οὖλον: a (17: 78) ἀτέλευτον,
MSS. (26: 120) and _Dox._ 284 and 580 ἀγένητον. V. 62: _F_
διζήσεται. V. 66: D (31: 145) μηδαμῶς: _E_ (31: 145) αὐξάμενον:
_Da_ (17: 78) a (31: 145) φῦναι, _E_ φῦν. Cf. Stein, p. 786.
V. 68: MSS. ἔκ γε μὴ ὄντος, _DE_ om. γε, Karst. ἐκ τοῦ ἐόντος,
Stein ἔκ γε πέλοντος. Corr. Diels, paraphrasing Simpl. 78, 27.
V. 70: _EF_ Bergk, Diels πέδησιν. V. 71b: _v._ Stein, _Symbol._
787. V. 73: a_DE_ ἀνόνητον; text follows F. V. 75: MSS. ἔπειτα
πέλοι το, corr. Karsten, Stein ἀπόλοιτο πέλον: MSS. ἄν, corr.
Stein. V. 76: _EF_ ἐγένετ’, _D_ ἔγετ’, corr. Bergk.

77. _De Caelo_, 559, 115. 78. Simpl. _Phys._ 19 r 86, 24, 31 r 143, 3; 81. Simpl. _Phys._ 86, 22; 87, 23. Plot. _Ennead._ vi. 4, 4, 648 A; Prokl. _Parm._ ii. 62 and 120; Philop. B 5: 65. 82-89 (except 85). Simpl. _Phys._ 9 r 39, 26. 82-84. _Ibid._ 17 v 79, 32. 85-89. _Ibid._ 7 r 30, 6; 9 r 40, 3. 85. Prokl. _Parm._ iv. 32. Simpl. _Phys._ 31 r 143, 15.

V. 78: _F_ διαιρέτεον. V. 79: For μᾶλλον Stein reads κεν ἐόν.
V. 80: _F_ δὲ πλέον. V. 82: _D_ ἀκινήτων. V. 84: MSS. τῆδε,
corr. Scal. _DEF_ ἐπλάχθησαν, corr. a. V. 85: Diels ταὐτόν,
ταὐτῷ, ἑαυτό. Simpl. 30, 6 omits the last τε. V. 86: _C_ οὐχ
οὕτως, a οὕτως, text from _DF_. V. 88: Stein πέλον. V. 89:
Simpl. μὴ ἐὸν δὲ ἂν παντὸς. Karsten reads ἐπιδευές in three
syllables and puts κε for ἄν. Preller omits μή. Stein considers
these views untenable, and finds a break, probably longer than
one line, after ἐπιδευές.

90-93. Clem. Al. _Strom._ v. 2, 653. 90. Theod. _Ther. Ser._ i. 13.

V. 90: Stein suggests ἀπεόν τε νόῳ παρεόν τε βεβαίῳ. V. 91:
Stein πέλον: Vulg. ἀποτμήξει, corr. Brandis. MSS. τὸ ἐὸν τοῦ,
corr. Preller, comparing vv. 105 and 108.

94-112. Simpl. _Phys._ 31 v 146, 7. 94-98. _Ibid._ 19 r 87, 13 and 86, 31. 94-96. _Ibid._ 31 r 143, 22. 98. Plat. _Theaet._ 180 E, and from this Simpl. _Phys._ 7 r 29, 18. 103-105. Plat. _Soph._ 244 E; from Plato, Simpl. _Phys._ 12 r 52, 23; 19 v 89, 22; Stob. _Ecl._ i. 15, p. 352. 103-104. Arist. _de X. Z. G._ ch. 2 and 4; Prokl. _Tim._ 160 D; Simpl. _Phys._ 27 r 126, 22 and 127, 31; 29 v 137, 16. 104-105. Prokl. _Parm._ iv. p. 62.

V. 95: _DE_ (87, 15) πεφωτισμένον. V. 96: (19: 86, 13) οὐδὲν
γάρ ἐστιν. (31: 146) οὐδ’ εἰ χρόνος ἐστίν, corr. Stein. V. 98:
Text from Simpl. 19: 87. Simpl. 31: 146 πάντ’ ὠνόμασται. Plato
οἷον ἀκίνητον † τελέθει τῷ πάντι † ὄνομ’ εἶναι. V. 100: MSS.
οὐχί, corr. Karst. V. 105: _E_ and Plato χρεόν. V. 102: Karsten
αὐτὰρ ἐπί, Stein αὐτὰρ ἐόν, V. 106: _DEF_ παύοι, text from a:
_F_ κινεῖσθαι, Stein ἱκέσθαι. V. 107: MSS. οὔτε ὄν, corr. a.
_DEF_ καὶ ἕν, a κενὸν, corr. Karsten. V. 109: _DEF_ οἱ γάρ, a ἦ
γάρ, Diels εἰ γάρ or ἧ γάρ: MSS. κυρεῖ, corr. Stein.

110-121. Simpl. _Phys._ 9 r 38, 30. 110-119. _Ibid._ 7 v 30, 4. 113-119. _Ibid._ 38 r 180, 1. 110-113. Simpl. _de Coelo_ 138, Peyr. 55 sq.

V. 113: (9 r 38) _DEF_ γνώμας. 110-111. _Phys._ 9 r 41, 8 (7 v
30 and 38 r 180 all MSS. give γνώμαις and Stein prefers this,
p. 794). V. 117: (9 r 39) _DE_, (39 r 180) _DEF_ ἤπιον ἀραιὸν
ἐλαφρόν (ἔστιν a), 7 r 30, and (9 r 39) a_F_ ἤπιον ὂν μέγ’
ἀραιὸν ἐλαφρόν, RP λεπτὸν ἀραιὸν ἐλαφρὸν, text follows Stein V.
118: (9 r 39) a_EF_ (39 r 180) a_F_, (7 v 31) MSS. κατ’ αὐτό·
(9 r 39) _DE_ κατὰ ταὐτον, text follows Stein, who uses first
letter of the next line. V. 119: _F_ κατ’ αὐτό τἀντια, a_DE_
τἀναντια, text from Stein by change of Τ to Υ. V. 120: MSS.
τὸν, corr. Karsten. V. 121: Stein reads γνώμῃ.

122-125. Simpl. _Phys._ 39 r 180, 9.

V. 125: D ἶσον, Stein suggests ἀμφότερον.

126-128. _Ibid._ 9 r 39, 14. 127-131. _Ibid._ 7 v 31, 13.

V. 126: _E_ᵃ_D_¹ πάηντο, _D_²_E_ πύηντο, a ποίηντο, corr.
Bergk: _DE_ᵃ ἀκρήτοις, a ἀκρίτοιο, corr. Stein. V. 127: _E_ᵃ
οἴεται. V. 129: MSS. πάντα, Mullach πάντῃ, Stein πᾶσιν: a_F_
ἄρχη, text follows _DE_. V. 130: Stein suggests μιγῆν, τό τ’.

132. Plato, _Symp._ 178 B; Arist. _Met._ i. 4, 984 b 26; Plut. _Amat._ 756 F; Sext. Emp. _Math._ ix. 9; Stob. _Ecl._ i. 10, p. 274; Simpl. _Phys._ 9 r 39, 18.

133-139. Clem. Al. _Strom._ v. 14, 732. Stein assigns to Empedokles.

140-143. Simpl. _de Coelo_ f. 138: Peyr. 55 sqq., Brandis 510 a.

V. 140: Stein introduces λέγειν before πως from what precedes.

144. Plut. _Colot._ p. 1116 A.

145. Plut. _Quaest. Rom._ 282 A; _de fac. lun._ 929 A.

146-149. Arist. _Met._ iii. 5, 1009 b 17; Theophr. _de sens._ 3; _Dox._ 499.

V. 146: Text follows Arist. SBᵇCᵇ, Theophr. PF; Vulg. ἕκαστος:
MSS. κρᾶσιν, corr. Stephan. V. 147: Arist. παρίσταται; text
follows Theophr.

150. Galen, Hipp. _Epid._ vi. 48; Comm. ii. (ix. p. 430 Char).

151-153. Simpl. _de Coelo_ f. 138; Peyr. 55 sq., Gaisf. _Poet. Min._ 287.

V. 151: MSS. ἔφυ, corr. Stein. MSS. (καὶ) νῦν ἔασι, Peyr. νῦν
τε ἔασι, Stein νῦν καὶ ἔασι. V. 153: Text follows Oxford MS.:
Turin MS. transposes last two words.

150-155. (Karsten) Coelius Aurel. _de Morb. Chron._ iv. 9, p. 545 Wet. R. P. 102 c. V. (151) Vulg. _venis informans_, corr. Diels, Dox. 193, n. 1.

TRANSLATION.

(Proœmium) The horses which bear me conducted me as far as desire may go, when they had brought me speeding along to the far-famed road of a divinity who herself bears onward through all {5} things the man of understanding. Along this road I was borne, along this the horses, wise indeed, bore me hastening the chariot on, and maidens guided my course. The axle in its box, enkindled by the heat, uttered the sound of a pipe (for it was driven on by the rolling wheels on either side), when the maiden daughters of Helios hastened to conduct me {10} to the light, leaving the realms of night, pushing aside with the hand the veils from their heads. There is the gate between the ways of day and night; lintel above it, and stone threshold beneath, hold it in place, and high in air it is fitted with great doors; retributive Justice holds the keys that open and {15} shut them.[57] However, the maidens addressed her with mild words, and found means to persuade her to thrust back speedily for them the fastened bolt from the doors; and the gate swinging free made the opening wide, turning in their sockets the bronze {20} hinges, well fastened with bolts and nails; then through this the maidens kept horses and chariot straight on the high-road. The goddess received me with kindness, and, taking my right hand in {25} hers, she addressed me with these words:—Youth joined with drivers immortal, who hast come with the horses that bear thee, to our dwelling, hail! since no evil fate has bid thee come on this road (for it lies far outside the beaten track of men), but right and justice. ’Tis necessary for thee to {30} learn all things, both the abiding essence of persuasive truth, and men’s opinions in which rests no true belief. But nevertheless these things also thou shalt learn, since it is necessary to judge accurately the things that rest on opinion, passing all things carefully in review.

CONCERNING TRUTH.

Come now I will tell thee—and do thou hear my word and heed it—what are the only ways of {35} enquiry that lead to knowledge. The one way, assuming that being is and that it is impossible for it not to be, is the trustworthy path, for truth attends it. The other, that not-being is and that it necessarily is, I call a wholly incredible course, {40} since thou canst not recognise not-being (for this is impossible), nor couldst thou speak of it, for thought and being are the same thing.

It makes no difference to me at what point I begin, for I shall always come back again to this.

It is necessary both to say and to think that being is; for it is possible that being is, and it is impossible {45} that not-being is; this is what I bid thee ponder. I restrain thee from this first course of investigation; and from that course also along which mortals knowing nothing wander aimlessly, since helplessness directs the roaming thought in their bosoms, and they are borne on deaf and likewise {50} blind, amazed, headstrong races, they who consider being and not-being as the same and not the same; and that all things follow a back-turning course.[58]

That things which are not are, shall never prevail, she said, but do thou restrain thy mind from this course of investigation.

And let not long-practised habit compel thee {55} along this path, thine eye careless, thine ear and thy tongue overpowered by noise; but do thou weigh the much contested refutation of their words, which I have uttered.