Preparation for the Gospel 14.10.1–14.15.11

Eusebius of Caesarea · Preparation for the Gospel · ca. 313–324 · Caesarea · 49 passages

Greek text: Dindorf, Eusebii Opera 1 (Greek text: W. Dindorf, Eusebii Caesariensis Opera 1–2 (Leipzig: Teubner, 1867), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: E. H. Gifford, Eusebii Pamphili Evangelicae Praeparationis libri XV (Oxford, 1903), vol. 3 (English).

Preparation 14, chapter 10

14.10.1Dindorf 2:280

“Ἄρξομαι δὲ τῆς πρὸς σὲ φιλίας ἀπὸ θεῶν καὶ δαιμόνων ἀγαθῶν τῶν τε τούτοις συγγενῶν φιλοσοφημάτων, περὶ ὧν εἴρηται μὲν πλεῖστα καὶ παρὰ τοῖς Ἑλλήνων φιλοσόφοις, εἴρηται δὲ ἐκ στοχασμοῦ τὸ πλέον τὰς ἀρχὰς ἔχοντα τῆς πίστεως.”

“Arxomai de tēs pros se philias apo theōn kai daimonōn agathōn tōn te toutois syngenōn philosophēmatōn, peri hōn eirētai men pleista kai para tois Hellēnōn philosophois, eirētai de ek stochasmou to pleon tas archas echonta tēs pisteōs.”

“I will begin my friendship with you from the gods and good daimones and the philosophical inquiries akin to them, about which a great deal has been said also by the philosophers of the Greeks, but said for the most part with its grounds of belief resting on conjecture.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry (Letter to Anebo): Greek philosophy on the gods rests mostly on conjecture.

Porphyry, Letter to Anebo (fragment).

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Anebo (Porphyry, Letter to Anebo; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.10.1 (Dindorf 2:280; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-10-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Dindorf's Teubner text (1867; digital text First1KGreek, CC BY-SA 4.0), then compared section by section with the public-domain English of E. H. Gifford (1903); differences checked against the Greek.

14.10.2Dindorf 2:280

Καὶ ὑποβὰς ἑξῆς ἐπιφέρει λέγων “Παρὰ μὲν γὰρ ἡμῖν λογομαχία τίς ἐστι πολλὴ, ἅτε ἐξ ἀνθρωπίνων λογισμῶν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ εἰκαζομένου· οἷς δὲ μεμηχάνηται ἡ πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον συνουσία, εἰ παρεῖται τὸ μέρος τοῦτο εἰς ἐξέτασιν, μάτην αὐτοῖς ἡ σοφία ἐξήσκηται.”

Kai hypobas hexēs epipherei legōn “Para men gar hēmin logomachia tis esti pollē, hate ex anthrōpinōn logismōn tou agathou eikazomenou; hois de memēchanētai hē pros to kreitton synousia, ei pareitai to meros touto eis exetasin, matēn autois hē sophia exēskētai.”

And a little further on he adds: “For among us there is much wrangling about words, since the good is guessed at from human reasonings; but for those who have contrived converse with the higher being, if this part is left out of the examination, their wisdom has been practiced in vain.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry: among the Greeks there is endless wrangling about the good.

Porphyry, Letter to Anebo (fragment).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray stop in the digital text): λέγων “. Παρὰ → λέγων “Παρὰ.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Anebo (Porphyry, Letter to Anebo; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.10.2 (Dindorf 2:280; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-10-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.10.3Dindorf 2:280–281

Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν οἶς ἀντέγραψε Βοηθῷ περὶ ψυχῆς ὁ αὐτὸς ὧδε γράφων ὁμολογεῖ πρὸς λέξιν “Ὡς τὰ μὲν τῶν ἐννοιῶν καὶ τὰ τῆς ἱστορίας ἀναμφιλέκτως συνίστησι τὴν ψυχὴν εἶναι ἀθάνατον· οἶ δὲ εἰς ἀπόδειξιν παρὰ τῶν φιλοσόφων κομισθέντες λόγοι δοκοῦσιν εἶναι εὐανάτρεπτοι, διὰ τὴν ἐν πᾶσιν εὑρεσιλογίαν τῶν ἐριστικῶν. τίς γὰρ λόγος τῶν ἐν φιλοσοφίᾳ οὐκ ἀμφισβητήσιμος τοῖς ἑτεροδόξοις, ὅπου καὶ περὶ τῶν δοκούντων ἐναργῶν ἐπέχειν αὐτῶν τισιν ἐδόκει;”

Alla kai en ois antegrapse Boēthǭ peri psychēs ho autos hōde graphōn homologei pros lexin “Hōs ta men tōn ennoiōn kai ta tēs historias anamphilektōs synistēsi tēn psychēn einai athanaton; oi de eis apodeixin para tōn philosophōn komisthentes logoi dokousin einai euanatreptoi, dia tēn en pasin heuresilogian tōn eristikōn. tis gar logos tōn en philosophią ouk amphisbētēsimos tois heterodoxois, hopou kai peri tōn dokountōn enargōn epechein autōn tisin edokei?”

And also in what he wrote against Boethus on the soul the same author admits, writing thus word for word: “That the common notions and history establish beyond dispute that the soul is immortal; but the arguments brought forward by the philosophers for its proof seem easy to overturn, because of the ingenuity of the eristics in everything. For what argument in philosophy is not disputable for those of other opinions, when even about what seems evident some of them thought fit to suspend judgment?”

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry admits that the philosophers’ proofs of the soul’s immortality are easily overturned.

Porphyry, Against Boethus, On the Soul (fragment).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing and quotation mark lost in the digital text; breathing slip in the digital text): ὁμολογεῖ πρὸς λέξιν Ως → ὁμολογεῖ πρὸς λέξιν “Ὡς; εὺρεσιλογίαν → εὑρεσιλογίαν.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Boeth. (Porphyry, Against Boethus, On the Soul; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.10.3 (Dindorf 2:280–281; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-10-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.10.4Dindorf 2:281

Καὶ ἐν οἷς δὲ ἐπέγραψε “Περὶ τῆς ἐκ λογίων φιλοσοφίας” διαρρήδην ὁμολογεῖ τοὺς Ἕλληνας πεπλανῆσθαι, ἐπιμαρτυρόμενος τὸν ἑαυτοῦ θεὸν, ὡς τοῦτο καὶ τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος διὰ χρησμῶν ἐξειπόντος, καὶ βαρβάροις μᾶλλον ἢ Ἕλλησι τὴν εὕρεσιν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπιμαρτυρήσαντος, καὶ δὴ καὶ Ἑβραίων μνημονεύσαντος ἐν τοῖς μαρτυρηθεῖσι.

Kai en hois de epegrapse “Peri tēs ek logiōn philosophias” diarrēdēn homologei tous Hellēnas peplanēsthai, epimartyromenos ton heautou theon, hōs touto kai tou Apollōnos dia chrēsmōn exeipontos, kai barbarois mallon ē Hellēsi tēn heuresin tēs alētheias epimartyrēsantos, kai dē kai Hebraiōn mnēmoneusantos en tois martyrētheisi.

And in the work he entitled On the Philosophy from Oracles he expressly admits that the Greeks went astray, calling his own god to witness, as Apollo too declared this through oracles and bore witness that the discovery of the truth belonged to barbarians rather than to Greeks, and mentioned the Hebrews too among those he bore witness to.

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry’s Philosophy from Oracles admits that Apollo credited barbarians, including Hebrews, with the truth.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); allusion)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.10.4 (Dindorf 2:281; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-10-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.10.5Dindorf 2:281

μετὰ γοῦν τὴν τοῦ χρησμοῦ παράθεσιν ἐξῆς τούτοις κέχρηται τοῖς ἐπιλόγοις “ Ἀκήκοας πόσος πόνος, ἵνʼ ὑπὲρ σώματός τις τὰ καθάρσια θύσῃ, οὐχ ὅτι τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν σωτηρίαν ἐξεύρῃ; χαλκόδετος γὰρ ἡ πρὸς θεοὺς ὁδὸς αἰπεινή τε καὶ τραχεῖα, ἧς πολλὰς ἀτραποὺς βάρβαροι μὲν ἐξεῦρον, Ἕλληνες δὲ ἐπλανήθησαν, οἱ δὲ κρατοῦντες ἤδη καὶ διέφθειραν· τὴν δὲ εὕρεσιν Αἰγυπτίοις ὁ θεὸς ἐμαρτύρησε Φοίνιξί τε καὶ Χαλδαίοις (Ἀσσύριοι γὰρ οὗτοι) Λυδοῖς τε καὶ Ἑβραίοις.”

meta goun tēn tou chrēsmou parathesin exēs toutois kechrētai tois epilogois “ Akēkoas posos ponos, hinʼ hyper sōmatos tis ta katharsia thysę̄, ouch hoti tēs psychēs tēn sōtērian exeurę̄? chalkodetos gar hē pros theous hodos aipeinē te kai tracheia, hēs pollas atrapous barbaroi men exeuron, Hellēnes de eplanēthēsan, hoi de kratountes ēdē kai diephtheiran; tēn de heuresin Aigyptiois ho theos emartyrēse Phoinixi te kai Chaldaiois (Assyrioi gar houtoi) Lydois te kai Hebraiois.”

After setting out the oracle, at any rate, he uses these concluding words: “You have heard how great the toil is, that one may offer the cleansing sacrifices for the body, not to speak of finding the salvation of the soul. For the way to the gods is bound with bronze, steep and rough; and of it the barbarians found many paths, but the Greeks went astray, and those who held power even destroyed it. The discovery the god attributed to the Egyptians, the Phoenicians and Chaldeans (for these are Assyrians), the Lydians and the Hebrews.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry: the oracle credits barbarians, including the Hebrews, with finding the way to the gods.

Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles, fragment 324 (Smith).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (opening parenthesis lost in the digital text; repeated word in the digital text; stray mark in the digital text): Ἀκήκοας πόσος πόσος πόνος → Ἀκήκοας πόσος πόνος; βάρβαρ· οι μὲν → βάρβαροι μὲν; Χαλδαίοις Ἀσσύριοι → Χαλδαίοις (Ἀσσύριοι.

Extrabiblical texts: Porphyry, Porphyry, Phil. orac. fr. 324 (Porphyry, Philosophy from Oracles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.10.5 (Dindorf 2:281; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-10-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.10.6Dindorf 2:281

Ταῦτα ὁ φιλόσοφος, μᾶλλον δὲ ὁ αὐτοῦ θεός. ἆρʼ οὖν ἄξιον μετὰ ταῦθʼ ἡμῖν ἐπιμέμψασθαι, ὅτι δὴ τοὺς πεπλανημένους Ἕλληνας καταλείψαντες τὰ Ἑβραίων εἱλόμεθα, τῶν ἐπʼ ἀληθείας καταλήψει μεμαρτυρημένων;

Tauta ho philosophos, mallon de ho autou theos. arʼ oun axion meta tauthʼ hēmin epimempsasthai, hoti dē tous peplanēmenous Hellēnas kataleipsantes ta Hebraiōn heilometha, tōn epʼ alētheias katalēpsei memartyrēmenōn?

So says the philosopher, or rather his god. Is it right, then, after this to blame us because, abandoning the Greeks who went astray, we have chosen the teachings of the Hebrews, who are attested to have apprehended the truth?

Notes and citation

Summary: Even Porphyry’s god justifies preferring the Hebrews to the Greeks.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; breathing lost in the digital text; stray stop in the digital text): ὁ αὐτοῦ· θεός → ὁ αὐτοῦ θεός; τὰ Εβραίων → τὰ Ἑβραίων; τῶν ἑέ ἀληθείας → τῶν ἐπʼ ἀληθείας.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.10.6 (Dindorf 2:281; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-10-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.10.7Dindorf 2:281–282

τί δὲ χρὴ παρὰ φιλοσόφων μαθήσεσθαι προσδοκᾶν; ἢ ποία ἐλπὶς τῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ὠφελείας, εἰ δὴ τὰ λεγόμενα παρʼ αὐτοῖς ἐκ στοχασμῶν καὶ εἰκασμῶν τὸ πλέον τὰς ἀρχὰς ἔχοντα τῆς πίστεως τυγχάνει; λογομαχίας δὲ τίς ὁ καρπὸς, εἰ δὴ πάντες οἱ τῶν φιλοσόφων λόγοι εὐανάτρεπτοι καθεστήκασι διὰ τὴν ἐν πᾶσιν εὑρεσιλογίαν; ταῦτα γὰρ οὐχ ἡμῶν ἀρτίως, ἀλλὰ παρʼ αὐτῶν εἰρημένα ἠκούετο.

ti de chrē para philosophōn mathēsesthai prosdokan? ē poia elpis tēs ex autōn ōpheleias, ei dē ta legomena parʼ autois ek stochasmōn kai eikasmōn to pleon tas archas echonta tēs pisteōs tynchanei? logomachias de tis ho karpos, ei dē pantes hoi tōn philosophōn logoi euanatreptoi kathestēkasi dia tēn en pasin heuresilogian? tauta gar ouch hēmōn artiōs, alla parʼ autōn eirēmena ēkoueto.

What should one expect to learn from philosophers? Or what hope is there of benefit from them, if what is said among them has its grounds of belief mostly in conjectures and guesses? And what is the fruit of wrangling about words, if all the arguments of the philosophers are easily overturned because of the ingenuity in everything? For these things were heard said not by us just now, but by themselves.

Notes and citation

Summary: By their own admission the philosophers offer only conjecture and endless disputes.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip): οὐ ἡμῶν → οὐχ ἡμῶν.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.10.7 (Dindorf 2:281–282; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-10-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.10.8Dindorf 2:282

διόπερ εὖ μοι δοκοῦμεν καὶ μετὰ κρίσεως ἑξητασμένης, οὐχὶ δʼ ἀλόγως, ὡς ἂν τοιούτων καταπεφρονηκέναι, τὰ δὲ παρʼ Ἑβραίοις ἠγαπηκέναι, οὐχ ὅτι πρὸς τοῦ δαίμονος μεμαρτύρηται, ἀλλʼ ὅτι τῆς ἐνθέου ἀρετῆς τε καὶ δυνάμεως μέτοχα ὄντα ἀποδείκνυται.

dioper eu moi dokoumen kai meta kriseōs hexētasmenēs, ouchi dʼ alogōs, hōs an toioutōn katapephronēkenai, ta de parʼ Hebraiois ēgapēkenai, ouch hoti pros tou daimonos memartyrētai, allʼ hoti tēs entheou aretēs te kai dynameōs metocha onta apodeiknytai.

Therefore we seem to me to have done well, and with a judgment well examined, not irrationally, in despising such things and loving those among the Hebrews; not because they have been attested by the daimon, but because they are shown to share in divine virtue and power.

Notes and citation

Summary: Christians prefer the Hebrew writings not because of Apollo’s witness but because of their divine power.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.10.8 (Dindorf 2:282; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-10-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.10.9Dindorf 2:282

ἵνα δʼ οὖν καὶ αὐτοῖς ἔργοις τὰς τῶν θαυμαστῶν φιλοσόφων λογομαχίας μάθοις, τάς τε περὶ ἀρχῶν καὶ περὶ θεῶν καὶ τῆς τοῦ παντὸς συστάσεως διαφωνίας μικρὸν μὲν ὕστερον ἐκθήσομαί σοι τὰς αὐτῶν φωνάς.

hina dʼ oun kai autois ergois tas tōn thaumastōn philosophōn logomachias mathois, tas te peri archōn kai peri theōn kai tēs tou pantos systaseōs diaphōnias mikron men hysteron ekthēsomai soi tas autōn phōnas.

In order, then, that you may learn by the facts themselves the wranglings of the wonderful philosophers, and their disagreements about first principles, about gods, and about the constitution of the universe, I shall set out their own words to you a little later.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius promises to show the philosophers’ disagreements in their own words.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; accent slip in the digital text): ἔνα δʼ οὖν → ἵνα δʼ οὖν; τἀς τῶν → τὰς τῶν.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.10.9 (Dindorf 2:282; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-10-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.10.10Dindorf 2:282

πρῶτον δʼ ἐπειδὴ περιφέρουσιν ἄνω καὶ κάτω θρυλοῦντες τὰ μαθήματα, δεῖν ἐξ ἅπαντος φάσκοντες τοὺς μέλλοντας ἐν πείρᾳ τῆς τοῦ ἀληθοῦς καταλήψεως γίνεσθαι μετελθεῖν ἀστρονομίαν, ἀριθμητικὴν, γεωμετρίαν, μουσικὴν, αὐτὰ δὴ τὰ παρὰ βαρβάρων εἰς αὐτοὺς ἥκειν ἀποδειχθέντα· τούτων γὰρ ἄνευ μὴ δύνασθαι λόγιον ἄνδρα καὶ φιλόσοφον ἀποτελεσθῆναι, ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ τῆς τῶν ὄντων ἀληθείας ψαῦσαι, μὴ τούτων ἐν ψυχῇ τῆς γνώσεως προτυπωθείσης·) εἶτʼ ἐπανατεινάμενοι τῇ μαθήσει τῶν εἰρημένων ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ μονονουχὶ τοῦ αἰθέρος βαίνειν μετέωροι ἀρθέντες οἴονται, ὡς δὴ τὸν θεὸν αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς ἀριθμοῖς περιφέροντες, ἡμᾶς τε, ὅτι μὴ τὰ ὅμοια ζηλοῦμεν, βοσκημάτων κατʼ οὐδὲν διαφέρειν ἡγοῦνται, ταύτῃ δέ φασι μηδὲ θεὸν, μηδέ τι τῶν σεμνῶν ἡμὰς δύνασθαι εἰδέναι· φέρε τοῦτο πρῶτον οὐκ ὀρθῶς ἔχον ἀπευθύνωμεν, τὸν ἀληθῆ λόγον ἀντὶ φωτὸς αὐτοῖς παραβάλλοντες.

prōton dʼ epeidē peripherousin anō kai katō thrylountes ta mathēmata, dein ex hapantos phaskontes tous mellontas en peirą tēs tou alēthous katalēpseōs ginesthai metelthein astronomian, arithmētikēn, geōmetrian, mousikēn, auta dē ta para barbarōn eis autous hēkein apodeichthenta; toutōn gar aneu mē dynasthai logion andra kai philosophon apotelesthēnai, allʼ oude tēs tōn ontōn alētheias psausai, mē toutōn en psychę̄ tēs gnōseōs protypōtheisēs;) eitʼ epanateinamenoi tę̄ mathēsei tōn eirēmenōn epʼ autou mononouchi tou aitheros bainein meteōroi arthentes oiontai, hōs dē ton theon auton en tois arithmois peripherontes, hēmas te, hoti mē ta homoia zēloumen, boskēmatōn katʼ ouden diapherein hēgountai, tautę̄ de phasi mēde theon, mēde ti tōn semnōn hēmas dynasthai eidenai; phere touto prōton ouk orthōs echon apeuthynōmen, ton alēthē logon anti phōtos autois paraballontes.

But first, since they carry them about up and down and talk incessantly of the mathematical sciences, saying that those who are to make trial of the apprehension of truth must by all means pursue astronomy, arithmetic, geometry, music, the very things shown to have come to them from the barbarians (for without these, they say, one cannot become a learned man and a philosopher, nor even touch the truth of things, unless the knowledge of these has first been impressed on the soul); and then, puffed up by the learning of these things, they think they walk lifted up almost on the ether itself, as if carrying God himself about in their numbers; and they think that we, because we do not pursue the same, differ in no way from cattle, and say that in this way we can know neither God nor anything else of the holy things: come, let us first set right this mistaken view, bringing true reason to them instead of light.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius will correct the philosophers’ claim that the mathematical sciences are needed to know God.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.10.10 (Dindorf 2:282; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-10-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.10.11Dindorf 2:282–283

ὁ δὲ μυρίους μὲν Ἕλληνας, μυρία δὲ καὶ βαρβάρων γένη, τοὺς μὲν σὺν τοῖς εἰρημένοις μαθήμασιν οὔτε θεὸν οὔτε σώφρονα βίον οὔθʼ ὅλως τι τῶν βελτίστων καὶ συμφερόντων ἐπιγνόντας ἀποδείξει, τοὺς δὲ τῶν μαθημάτων ἐκτὸς πάντων εὐσεβεστάτους καὶ φιλοσοφωτάτους γεγονέναι. ὁ γοῦν παρὰ πᾶσιν αὐτοῖς ᾀδόμενος Σωκράτης ὅπως ποτὲ ἐδόξαζε περὶ τῶνδε μάθοις ἂν Ξενοφῶντι πιστεύσας ἐν Ἀπομνημονεύμασιν ὧδέ πη ἱστοροῦντι

ho de myrious men Hellēnas, myria de kai barbarōn genē, tous men syn tois eirēmenois mathēmasin oute theon oute sōphrona bion outhʼ holōs ti tōn beltistōn kai sympherontōn epignontas apodeixei, tous de tōn mathēmatōn ektos pantōn eusebestatous kai philosophōtatous gegonenai. ho goun para pasin autois ądomenos Sōkratēs hopōs pote edoxaze peri tōnde mathois an Xenophōnti pisteusas en Apomnēmoneumasin hōde pē historounti

And this will show countless Greeks and countless races of barbarians, some who with the sciences mentioned recognized neither God nor a temperate life nor anything at all of what is best and profitable, and others who without any of the sciences became most godly and most philosophical. At any rate, how Socrates, who is celebrated among them all, thought about these things you may learn by trusting Xenophon, who relates in the Memorabilia somewhat thus:

Notes and citation

Summary: Many learned men knew nothing of God, and many unlearned were godly; Socrates is a witness.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.10.11 (Dindorf 2:282–283; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-10-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Preparation 14, chapter 11

14.11.1Dindorf 2:283

“Ἐδίδασκε δὲ καὶ μέχρις ὅτου δέοι ἔμπειρον εἷναι ἑκάστου πράγματος τὸν ὀρθῶς πεπαιδευμένον. αὐτίκα γεωμετρίαν μέχρι μὲν τούτου ἔφη δεῖν μανθάνειν, ἕως ἱκανός τις γένοιτο, εἴ ποτε δεήσειε, γῆν μέτρῳ ὀρθῶς ἢ παραλαβεῖν ἢ παραδοῦναι ἢ διανεῖμαι, ἢ ἔργον ἀποδεῖξαι. οὕτω δὲ τοῦτο ῥᾴδιον εἶναι μαθεῖν, ὥστε τὸν προσέχοντα τὸν νοῦν τῇ μετρήσει ἅμα τήν τε γῆν ὁπόση ἐστὶν εἰδέναι, καὶ ὡς μετρεῖται ἐπιστάμενον ἀπιέναι.

“Edidaske de kai mechris hotou deoi empeiron heinai hekastou pragmatos ton orthōs pepaideumenon. autika geōmetrian mechri men toutou ephē dein manthanein, heōs hikanos tis genoito, ei pote deēseie, gēn metrǭ orthōs ē paralabein ē paradounai ē dianeimai, ē ergon apodeixai. houtō de touto rhądion einai mathein, hōste ton prosechonta ton noun tę̄ metrēsei hama tēn te gēn hoposē estin eidenai, kai hōs metreitai epistamenon apienai.

“He taught also how far a properly educated man ought to be acquainted with each subject. Geometry, for example, he said one should learn up to the point of being able, if ever necessary, to receive or hand over or divide land correctly by measure, or to show the work done. And this was so easy to learn that one who paid attention to measuring would go away knowing both how large the land was and how it is measured.

Notes and citation

Summary: Xenophon: Socrates taught geometry only so far as land surveying requires.

Xenophon, Memorabilia 4.7.2.

Extrabiblical texts: Xenophon, Mem. 4.7.2 (Xenophon, Memorabilia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.11.1 (Dindorf 2:283; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-11-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.11.2Dindorf 2:283

τὸ δὲ μέχρι τῶν δυσξυνέτων διαγραμμάτων γεωμετρίαν μανθάνειν ἀπεδοκίμαζεν· ὅ τι μὲν γὰρ ὠφελοίη ταῦτα οὐκ ἔφη ὁρᾶν· καίτοι οὐκ ἄπειρός γε αὐτῶν ἠν. ἔφη δὲ ἱκανὰ αὐτὰ εἶναι ἀνθρώπου βίον κατατρίβειν καὶ ἄλλων πολλῶν τε καὶ ὠφελίμων μαθημάτων ἀποκωλύειν.

to de mechri tōn dysxynetōn diagrammatōn geōmetrian manthanein apedokimazen; ho ti men gar ōpheloiē tauta ouk ephē horan; kaitoi ouk apeiros ge autōn ēn. ephē de hikana auta einai anthrōpou bion katatribein kai allōn pollōn te kai ōphelimōn mathēmatōn apokōlyein.

But he disapproved of learning geometry as far as the diagrams that are hard to understand; for he said he did not see what use they were, though he was not unacquainted with them himself. He said they were enough to wear away a man’s life and keep him from many other useful studies.

Notes and citation

Summary: Socrates disapproved of advanced geometry as useless.

Xenophon, Memorabilia 4.7.3.

Extrabiblical texts: Xenophon, Mem. 4.7.3 (Xenophon, Memorabilia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.11.2 (Dindorf 2:283; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-11-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.11.3Dindorf 2:283–284

ἐκέλευε δὲ καὶ ἀστρονομίας ἐμπείρους γίγνεσθαι, καὶ ταύτης μέντοι μέχρι τοῦ νυκτός τε ὥραν καὶ μηνὸς καὶ ἐνιαυτοῦ δύνασθαι γινώσκειν, ἕνεκα τοῦ πορείας τε καὶ πλοῦ καὶ φυλακῆς, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα ἢ νυκτὸς ἢ μηνὸς ἢ ἐνιαυτοῦ πράττεται, πρὸς ταῦτʼ ἔχειν τεκμηρίοις χρῆσθαι, τὰς ὥρας τῶν εἰρημένων διαγινώσκοντα. καὶ ταῦτα δέ ῥᾴδια μαθεῖν παρά τε νυκτοθηρῶν καὶ κυβερνητῶν καὶ ἄλλων πολλῶν, οἶς ἐπιμελὲς ταῦτα εἰδέναι.

ekeleue de kai astronomias empeirous gignesthai, kai tautēs mentoi mechri tou nyktos te hōran kai mēnos kai eniautou dynasthai ginōskein, heneka tou poreias te kai plou kai phylakēs, kai hosa alla ē nyktos ē mēnos ē eniautou prattetai, pros tautʼ echein tekmēriois chrēsthai, tas hōras tōn eirēmenōn diaginōskonta. kai tauta de rhądia mathein para te nyktothērōn kai kybernētōn kai allōn pollōn, ois epimeles tauta eidenai.

He bade them also become acquainted with astronomy, but only so far as to be able to know the time of night and month and year, for the sake of journeys by land and sea and the setting of watches, and to have signs for whatever else is done by night or month or year, recognizing the times of these. And these things too are easy to learn from night hunters and pilots and many others whose concern it is to know them.

Notes and citation

Summary: Socrates allowed astronomy only for practical timekeeping.

Xenophon, Memorabilia 4.7.4.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): νυκτο- θηρῶν → νυκτοθηρῶν.

Extrabiblical texts: Xenophon, Mem. 4.7.4 (Xenophon, Memorabilia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.11.3 (Dindorf 2:283–284; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-11-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.11.4Dindorf 2:284

τὸ δὲ μέχρι τούτου ἀστρονομίαν μανθάνειν, μέχρι τοῦ καὶ τὰ μὴ ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ περιφορᾷ ὄντα, καὶ τοὺς πλανήτας καὶ ἀσταθμήτους ἀστέρας γνῶναι, καὶ τὰς ἀποστάσεις αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, καὶ τὰς περιόδους, καὶ τὰς αἰτίας αὐτῶν ζητοῦντα κατατρίβεσθαι, ἰσχυρῶς ἀπέτρεπεν. ὠφέλειαν μὲν γὰρ οὐδεμίαν οὐδʼ ἐν τούτοις ἔφη ὁρᾶν· καίτοι οὐδὲ τούτων γε ἀνήκοος ἢν. ἔφη δὲ καὶ ταῦτα ἱκανὰ εἶναι κατατρίβειν ἀνθρώπου βίον καὶ πολλῶν καὶ ὠφελίμων ἀποκωλύειν.

to de mechri toutou astronomian manthanein, mechri tou kai ta mē en tę̄ autę̄ periphorą onta, kai tous planētas kai astathmētous asteras gnōnai, kai tas apostaseis autōn apo tēs gēs, kai tas periodous, kai tas aitias autōn zētounta katatribesthai, ischyrōs apetrepen. ōpheleian men gar oudemian oudʼ en toutois ephē horan; kaitoi oude toutōn ge anēkoos ēn. ephē de kai tauta hikana einai katatribein anthrōpou bion kai pollōn kai ōphelimōn apokōlyein.

But learning astronomy so far as to know also the bodies that are not in the same revolution, and the planets and wandering stars, and their distances from the earth, and their periods, and wearing oneself out seeking their causes, he strongly discouraged. For he said he saw no benefit in these either, though he was not ignorant of them. He said these too were enough to wear away a man’s life and keep him from many useful things.

Notes and citation

Summary: Socrates discouraged theoretical astronomy.

Xenophon, Memorabilia 4.7.5.

Extrabiblical texts: Xenophon, Mem. 4.7.5 (Xenophon, Memorabilia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.11.4 (Dindorf 2:284; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-11-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.11.5Dindorf 2:284

ὅλως δὲ τῶν οὐρανίων ᾗ ἕκαστα ὁ θεὸς μηχανᾶται, φροντιστὴν γίγνεσθαι ἀπέτρεπεν· οὔτε γὰρ εὑρετὰ ἀνθρώποις αὐτὰ ἐνόμιζεν εἶναι οὔτε χαρίζεσθαι θεοῖς ἂν ἡγεῖτο τὸν ζητοῦντα, ἃ ἐκεῖνοι σαφηνίσαι οὐκ ἐβουλήθησαν. κινδυνεῦσαι δʼ ἂν ἔφη καὶ παραφρονῆσαι τὸν ταῦτα μεριμνῶντα οὐδὲν ἧττον ἢ Ἀναξαγόρας παρεφρόνησεν, ὁ μέγιστον φρονήσας ἐπὶ τῷ τὰς τῶν θεῶν μηχανὰς ἐξηγεῖσθαι.

holōs de tōn ouraniōn hę̄ hekasta ho theos mēchanatai, phrontistēn gignesthai apetrepen; oute gar heureta anthrōpois auta enomizen einai oute charizesthai theois an hēgeito ton zētounta, ha ekeinoi saphēnisai ouk eboulēthēsan. kindyneusai dʼ an ephē kai paraphronēsai ton tauta merimnōnta ouden hētton ē Anaxagoras parephronēsen, ho megiston phronēsas epi tǭ tas tōn theōn mēchanas exēgeisthai.

In general, he discouraged anyone from becoming a student of the heavenly things, of how God contrives each of them; for he did not think them discoverable by men, nor did he think one who sought out what the gods did not wish to make clear would please them. He said that one who troubled himself about these things would run the risk of going mad, no less than Anaxagoras went mad, who thought most highly of himself for explaining the contrivances of the gods.

Notes and citation

Summary: Socrates held that the workings of the heavens are not for men to discover.

Xenophon, Memorabilia 4.7.6.

Extrabiblical texts: Xenophon, Mem. 4.7.6 (Xenophon, Memorabilia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.11.5 (Dindorf 2:284; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-11-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.11.6Dindorf 2:284

ἐκεῖνος γὰρ λέγων μὲν τὸ αὐτὸ εἶναι πῦρ τε καὶ ἥλιον ἠγνόει ὅτι τὸ μὲν πῦρ οἶ ἄνθρωποι ῥᾳδίως καθορῶσιν, εἰς δὲ τὸν ἥλιον οὐ δύνανται ἀντιβλέπειν· καὶ ὑπὸ μὲν τοῦ ἡλίου καταλαμπόμενοι τὰ χρώματα μελάντερα ἔχουσιν, ὑπὸ δὲ τοῦ πυρὸς οὔ. ἠγνόει δὲ καὶ ὅτι τῶν ἐκ τῆς γῆς φυομένων ἄνευ μὲν ἡλίου αὐγῆς οὐδὲν δύναται καλῶς αὔξεσθαι, ὑπὸ δὲ τοῦ πυρὸς θερμαινόμενα πάντα ἀπόλλυται· φάσκων δὲ τὸν ἥλιον λίθον διάπυρον εἶναι καὶ τοῦτο ἠγνόει ὅτι λίθος μὲν ἐν πυρὶ ὢν οὔτε λάμπει οὔτε πολὺν χρόνον ἀντέχει, ὁ δὲ ἥλιος πάντα τὸν χρόνον πάντων λαμπρότατος ὢν διαμένει.

ekeinos gar legōn men to auto einai pyr te kai hēlion ēgnoei hoti to men pyr oi anthrōpoi rhądiōs kathorōsin, eis de ton hēlion ou dynantai antiblepein; kai hypo men tou hēliou katalampomenoi ta chrōmata melantera echousin, hypo de tou pyros ou. ēgnoei de kai hoti tōn ek tēs gēs phyomenōn aneu men hēliou augēs ouden dynatai kalōs auxesthai, hypo de tou pyros thermainomena panta apollytai; phaskōn de ton hēlion lithon diapyron einai kai touto ēgnoei hoti lithos men en pyri ōn oute lampei oute polyn chronon antechei, ho de hēlios panta ton chronon pantōn lamprotatos ōn diamenei.

For in saying that fire and the sun are the same, he did not know that men easily look at fire but cannot look straight at the sun; and that those lit by the sun have darker skin, but not those lit by fire. He did not know either that of the things that grow from the earth none can grow well without the sun’s light, but all perish when heated by fire. And in saying that the sun is a fiery stone, he did not know this either, that a stone in fire neither shines nor lasts long, while the sun remains for all time the brightest of all.

Notes and citation

Summary: Socrates refuted Anaxagoras’ view that the sun is a fiery stone.

Xenophon, Memorabilia 4.7.7.

Extrabiblical texts: Xenophon, Mem. 4.7.7 (Xenophon, Memorabilia; quotation); Anaxagoras (Anaxagoras; allusion)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.11.6 (Dindorf 2:284; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-11-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.11.7Dindorf 2:284–285

ἐκέλευε δὲ καὶ λογισμοὺς μανθάνειν, καὶ τούτων δὲ ὁμοίως τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐκέλευε φυλάττεσθαι τὴν μάταιον πραγματείαν μέχρι δὲ τοῦ ὠφελίμου πάντα καὶ αὐτὸς συνεσκόπει καὶ συνδιεξῄει τοῖς συνοῦσι.” Ταῦτα Ξενοφῶν ἐν Ἀπομνημονεύμασιν. ἐν ἐπιστολῇ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς τῇ πρὸς Αἰσχίνην περὶ Πλάτωνος καὶ τῶν αὐχούντων τὴν τοῦ παντὸς φυσιολογίαν τοιαῦτα γράφει

ekeleue de kai logismous manthanein, kai toutōn de homoiōs tois allois ekeleue phylattesthai tēn mataion pragmateian mechri de tou ōphelimou panta kai autos syneskopei kai syndiexę̄ei tois synousi.” Tauta Xenophōn en Apomnēmoneumasin. en epistolę̄ de ho autos tę̄ pros Aischinēn peri Platōnos kai tōn auchountōn tēn tou pantos physiologian toiauta graphei

He bade them also learn calculation, and in this, as in the others, he bade them beware of vain labor; but as far as was useful, he himself examined and went through everything with his companions.” So Xenophon in the Memorabilia. And in the letter to Aeschines about Plato and those who boast of the study of nature of the universe, the same writes thus:

Notes and citation

Summary: Socrates allowed arithmetic as far as useful; Eusebius introduces a letter of Xenophon.

Xenophon, Memorabilia 4.7.8.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slips): Ἀπομνηυμονεύμασιν → Ἀπομνημονεύμασιν; φισιολογίαν τοιαυτα → φυσιολογίαν τοιαῦτα.

Extrabiblical texts: Xenophon, Mem. 4.7.8 (Xenophon, Memorabilia; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.11.7 (Dindorf 2:284–285; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-11-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Preparation 14, chapter 12

14.12.1Dindorf 2:285–286

“Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ τὰ θεῖα ὑπὲρ ἡμὰς παντὶ δῆλον· ἀπόχρη δὲ τῷ κρείττονι τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοὺς σέβειν· οἷοι δέ εἰσιν οὔτε εὑρεῖν ῥᾴδιον οὔτε ζητεῖν θεμιτόν. οὐδὲ γὰρ δεσποτῶν φύσιν ἢ πρᾶξιν δούλοις εἰδέναι πλέον ὑπηρεσίας προσήκει. καὶ τὸ μέγιστον, ὅσῳ χρὴ ἄγασθαι τἀνθρώπινα διαπονουμένων, τοσῷδε τοῖς δόξης ἐκ πολλῶν ἀκαίρων καὶ κενῶν γλιχομένοις ἄχθος φέρει. πότε γὰρ, ὠ Αἰσχίνη, Σωκράτους ἀκήκοε τις οὐρανίων πέρι λέγοντος; ἢ γραμμὰς εἰς ἐπανόρθωσιν παραινοῦντος μανθάνειν; μουσικὴν μὲν γὰρ ἴσμεν αὐτὸν μέχρι ὤτων συνιέντα· διετέλει δὲ ἑκάστοτε αὐτοῖς λέγων τί καλὸν καὶ τί ἀνδρεία δικαιοσύνη τε καὶ ἄλλαι ἀρεταί. ἀνθρώπινα γοῦν αὐτὰ ἀγαθὰ ἐκάλει, τὰ δʼ ἄλλα, ἢ ἀδύνατον ἀνθρώποις ἁλῶναι ἔφασκεν, ἢ μύθων εἶναι συγγενῆ, μετʼ ὀφρύος σοφιστῶν παίγνια διεξιόντων. καὶ οὐκ ἔλεγε μὲν ταῦτα, οὐχὶ δὲ ἔπραττε. γράφειν δὲ τὰ πραχθέντα εἰδότι σοι, καίπερ οὐκ ἀηδὲς ἐσόμενον, χρόνον ἔχει, ἀνέγραψά τε ἄλλοθι. παυσάσθωσαν οὖν ἐλεγχόμενοι, ἢ πρὸς τὸ εἰκὸς ἴτωσαν, οἶς Σωκράτης οὐκ ἤρεσεν, ᾧ ζῶντι μὲν ὁ θεὸς σοφίαν ἐμαρτύρησεν, οἱ δὲ κτείναντες τῆς μετανοίας ἀποκάθαρσιν οὐχ εὗρον. τὸ δὲ καλὸν ἄρα, Αἰγύπτου ἠράσθησαν καὶ τῆς Πυθαγόρα τερατώδους σοφίας, ὧν τὸ περιττὸν καὶ μὴ μόνιμον ἐπὶ Σωκράτει ἤλεγξεν ἔρως τυραννίδος, καὶ ἀντὶ διαίτης λιτῆς Σικελιῶτις γαστρὸς ἀμέτρου τράπεζα.” Ταῦτα Ξενοφῶν τὸν Πλάτωνα αἰνιττόμενος. ὁ δέ γε Πλάτων ἐν Πολιτείᾳ περὶ γυμναστικῆς καὶ μουσικῆς τάδʼ ἱστορεῖ φάναι τὸν Σωκράτην

“Hoti men gar ta theia hyper hēmas panti dēlon; apochrē de tǭ kreittoni tēs dynameōs autous sebein; hoioi de eisin oute heurein rhądion oute zētein themiton. oude gar despotōn physin ē praxin doulois eidenai pleon hypēresias prosēkei. kai to megiston, hosǭ chrē agasthai tanthrōpina diaponoumenōn, tosǭde tois doxēs ek pollōn akairōn kai kenōn glichomenois achthos pherei. pote gar, ō Aischinē, Sōkratous akēkoe tis ouraniōn peri legontos? ē grammas eis epanorthōsin parainountos manthanein? mousikēn men gar ismen auton mechri ōtōn synienta; dietelei de hekastote autois legōn ti kalon kai ti andreia dikaiosynē te kai allai aretai. anthrōpina goun auta agatha ekalei, ta dʼ alla, ē adynaton anthrōpois halōnai ephasken, ē mythōn einai syngenē, metʼ ophryos sophistōn paignia diexiontōn. kai ouk elege men tauta, ouchi de epratte. graphein de ta prachthenta eidoti soi, kaiper ouk aēdes esomenon, chronon echei, anegrapsa te allothi. pausasthōsan oun elenchomenoi, ē pros to eikos itōsan, ois Sōkratēs ouk ēresen, hǭ zōnti men ho theos sophian emartyrēsen, hoi de kteinantes tēs metanoias apokatharsin ouch heuron. to de kalon ara, Aigyptou ērasthēsan kai tēs Pythagora teratōdous sophias, hōn to peritton kai mē monimon epi Sōkratei ēlenxen erōs tyrannidos, kai anti diaitēs litēs Sikeliōtis gastros ametrou trapeza.” Tauta Xenophōn ton Platōna ainittomenos. ho de ge Platōn en Politeią peri gymnastikēs kai mousikēs tadʼ historei phanai ton Sōkratēn

“That divine things are beyond us is clear to everyone; it is enough to revere them for the superiority of their power; but what they are like is neither easy to find nor lawful to seek. For it does not befit slaves to know the nature or conduct of their masters beyond their service. And, what is greatest, as much as we should admire those who labor at human things, so much do those who covet reputation from many untimely and empty things bring annoyance. For when, Aeschines, did anyone hear Socrates speaking about the heavenly bodies, or urging people to learn lines for correction? Music we know he understood as far as the ears; but he continually said to them each time what is noble, and what courage, justice, and the other virtues are. These, at least, he called human goods; the other things he said were either impossible for men to grasp, or akin to myths, sophists’ toys gone through with raised eyebrows. And he did not say these things and not do them. To write what was done to you who know it, though it would not be unpleasant, takes time; and I have written it elsewhere. Let those, then, whom Socrates did not please, stop being refuted, or turn to what is reasonable; to him, while he lived, the god bore witness to wisdom, and those who killed him found no cleansing by repentance. But the fine fellows, then, fell in love with Egypt and the marvel-mongering wisdom of Pythagoras, the excess and inconstancy of which, as compared with Socrates, was proved by their love of tyranny and, instead of a simple diet, the Sicilian table of an immoderate belly.” So Xenophon, hinting at Plato. And Plato in the Republic relates that Socrates said this about gymnastics and music:

Notes and citation

Summary: A letter ascribed to Xenophon says Socrates taught only human goods, and hints at Plato’s Sicilian ventures.

[Xenophon], Letter to Aeschines (Socratic Epistles 18; probably not by Xenophon). The “Sicilian table” alludes to Plato’s stay with Dionysius of Syracuse.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (stray mark in the digital text): Πλάτωνʼ → Πλάτων.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.12.1 (Dindorf 2:285–286; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-12-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Preparation 14, chapter 13

14.13.1Dindorf 2:286

“Τί ἂν οὖν εἴη, ὦ Γλαύκων, μάθημα ψυχῆς ὁλκὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ γιγνομένου ἐπὶ τὸ ὄν; τόδε δʼ ἐννοῶ λέγων ἅμα· οὐκ ἀθλητὰς μέντοι πολέμου ἔφαμεν τούτους ἀναγκαῖον εἷναι νέους ὄντας; Ἔφαμεν γάρ. Δεῖ ἄρα καὶ τοῦτο προσέχειν τὸ μάθημα ὃ ζητοῦμεν πρὸς ἐκείνῳ. Τὸ ποῖον; Μὴ ἄχρηστον πολεμικοῖς ἀνδράσιν εἶναι.

“Ti an oun eiē, ō Glaukōn, mathēma psychēs holkon apo tou gignomenou epi to on? tode dʼ ennoō legōn hama; ouk athlētas mentoi polemou ephamen toutous anankaion heinai neous ontas? Ephamen gar. Dei ara kai touto prosechein to mathēma ho zētoumen pros ekeinǭ. To poion? Mē achrēston polemikois andrasin einai.

“What study, then, Glaucon, would draw the soul from becoming to being? And I think of this as I speak: did we not say that these men must be athletes of war when young? We did. Then the study we seek must have this in addition. What? Not to be useless to men of war.

Notes and citation

Summary: Plato (Republic): what study draws the soul from becoming to being?

Plato, Republic 7.521d.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slips): “Tί ἂν οὖν εἴη, ὖ αύκων → “Τί ἂν οὖν εἴη, ὦ Γλαύκων.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Resp. 521d (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.13.1 (Dindorf 2:286; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-13-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.13.2Dindorf 2:286

Δεῖ μέντοι, ἔφη, εἴπερ οἶόν τε. Γυμναστικῇ πη καὶ μουσικῇ ἔν γε τῷ πρόσθεν ἐπαιδεύοντο ἡμῖν. Ἠν ταῦτα, ἔφη. Καὶ γυμναστικὴ μέν που περὶ γιγνόμενον καὶ ἀπολλύμενον τετεύτακε· σώματος γὰρ αὔξης καὶ φθίσεως ἐπιστατεῖ. Φαίνεται. Τοῦτο μὲν δὴ οὐκ ἂν εἴη ὃ ζητοῦμεν μάθημα. Οὐ γάρ. Ἀλλʼ ἄρα μουσικὴ ὅσην τὸ πρότερον διήλθομεν;

Dei mentoi, ephē, eiper oion te. Gymnastikę̄ pē kai mousikę̄ en ge tǭ prosthen epaideuonto hēmin. Ēn tauta, ephē. Kai gymnastikē men pou peri gignomenon kai apollymenon teteutake; sōmatos gar auxēs kai phthiseōs epistatei. Phainetai. Touto men dē ouk an eiē ho zētoumen mathēma. Ou gar. Allʼ ara mousikē hosēn to proteron diēlthomen?

It must, he said, if possible. In gymnastics and music, then, they were educated by us before. That was so, he said. And gymnastics is concerned with what becomes and perishes; for it presides over the growth and decay of the body. It seems so. Then this would not be the study we seek. No. But is it music, as much as we went through before?

Notes and citation

Summary: Gymnastics concerns the perishable body and is not the study sought.

Plato, Republic 7.521d–522a.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Resp. 521e–522a (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.13.2 (Dindorf 2:286; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-13-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.13.3Dindorf 2:286

Ἀλλʼ ἦν ἐκείνη γʼ, ἔφη, ἀντίστροφος τῆς γυμναστικῆς, εἰ μέμνησαι, ἔθεσι παιδεύουσα τοὺς φύλακας, κατά τε ἁρμονίαν εὐαρμοστίαν τινὰ, οὐκ ἐπιστήμην, παραδιδοῦσα, καὶ κατὰ ῥυθμὸν εὐρυθμίαν, ἔν τε τοῖς λόγοις ἕτερα τούτων ἀδελφὰ ἔθη ἄττα ἔχουσα, καὶ ὅσοι μυθώδεις τῶν λόγων καὶ ὅσοι ἀληθινώτεροι ἦσαν· μάθημα δὲ πρὸς τοιοῦτόν τι ἄγον, οἶον σὺ νῦν ζητεῖς, οὐδὲν ἦν ἐν αὐτῇ.

Allʼ ēn ekeinē gʼ, ephē, antistrophos tēs gymnastikēs, ei memnēsai, ethesi paideuousa tous phylakas, kata te harmonian euarmostian tina, ouk epistēmēn, paradidousa, kai kata rhythmon eurythmian, en te tois logois hetera toutōn adelpha ethē atta echousa, kai hosoi mythōdeis tōn logōn kai hosoi alēthinōteroi ēsan; mathēma de pros toiouton ti agon, oion sy nyn zēteis, ouden ēn en autę̄.

But that, he said, was the counterpart of gymnastics, if you remember, educating the guardians by habits, imparting by harmony a certain harmoniousness, not knowledge, and by rhythm good rhythm, and having in its words other habits akin to these, both in the words that were mythical and in those that were truer; but a study leading to such a thing as you are now seeking there was none in it.

Notes and citation

Summary: Music trains by habit, not knowledge, and so is not the study sought either.

Plato, Republic 7.522a.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Resp. 522a (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.13.3 (Dindorf 2:286; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-13-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.13.4Dindorf 2:286

Ἀκριβέστατα, ἦν δʼ ἐγὼ, ἀναμιμνήσκεις με· τῷ γὰρ ὄντι τοιοῦτον οὐδὲν εἶχεν. Ἀλλʼ ὦ δαιμόνιε Γλαύκων, τί ἂν εἴη τοιοῦτον; αἵ τε γὰρ τέχναι βάναυσοί που ἅπασαι ἔδοξαν εἷναι. Πῶς δʼ οὔ;”

Akribestata, ēn dʼ egō, anamimnēskeis me; tǭ gar onti toiouton ouden eichen. Allʼ ō daimonie Glaukōn, ti an eiē toiouton? hai te gar technai banausoi pou hapasai edoxan heinai. Pōs dʼ ou?”

You remind me most precisely, I said; for in fact it had nothing of the kind. But, my excellent Glaucon, what would be of this kind? For the arts all seemed to be base. Of course.”

Notes and citation

Summary: The practical arts are also excluded.

Plato, Republic 7.522b.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (mismatched quotation mark in the digital text): Πῶς δʼ οὔ;’ → Πῶς δʼ οὔ;”.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Resp. 522b (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.13.4 (Dindorf 2:286; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-13-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.13.5Dindorf 2:286–287

Εἶθʼ ἑξῆς προϊὼν ἐπιλέγει “Μή ποτʼ αὐτῶν τι ἀτελὲς ἐπιχειρῶσιν ἡμῖν μανθάνειν οὓς θρέψομεν, καὶ οὐκ ἐξῆκον ἐκεῖσε ἀεὶ οἶ πάντας δεῖ ἀνήκειν, οἷον ἄρτι περὶ τῆς ἀστρονομίας ἐλέγομεν. ἢ οὐκ οἶσθʼ ὅτι καὶ περὶ ἁρμονίας ἕτερον τοιοῦτον ποιοῦσι; τὰς γὰρ ἀκουομένας αὖ συμφωνίας καὶ φθόγγους ἀλλήλοις ἀναμετροῦντες ἀνήνυτα ὥσπερ οἱ ἀστρονόμοι ποιοῦσι.

Eithʼ hexēs proïōn epilegei “Mē potʼ autōn ti ateles epicheirōsin hēmin manthanein hous threpsomen, kai ouk exēkon ekeise aei oi pantas dei anēkein, hoion arti peri tēs astronomias elegomen. ē ouk oisthʼ hoti kai peri harmonias heteron toiouton poiousi? tas gar akouomenas au symphōnias kai phthongous allēlois anametrountes anēnyta hōsper hoi astronomoi poiousi.

Then, proceeding next, he adds: “Lest those whom we shall rear try to learn some part of them imperfectly, which does not always come out where all must arrive, as we were saying just now about astronomy. Or do you not know that they do the same thing about harmony too? For measuring against one another the concords and sounds that are heard, they labor in vain, as the astronomers do.

Notes and citation

Summary: Plato: musicians, like astronomers, labor in vain measuring audible sounds.

Plato, Republic 7.530e–531a.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (quotation mark lost and broken word in the digital text): ἐπιλέγει Μή ποτʼ αὐτῶν τι ἀτελὲς ἐπιχειρῶσιν ἡμῖν μανἐν θανεῖν → ἐπιλέγει “Μή ποτʼ αὐτῶν τι ἀτελὲς ἐπιχειρῶσιν ἡμῖν μανθάνειν.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Resp. 530e–531a (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.13.5 (Dindorf 2:286–287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-13-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.13.6Dindorf 2:287

Νὴ τοὺς θεοὺς, ἔφη, καὶ γελοίως γε, πυκνώματʼ ἄττα ὀνομάζοντες καὶ παραβάλλοντες τὰ ὦτα, οἷον ἐκ γειτόνων φωνὴν θηρευόμενοι, οἱ μέν φασιν ἔτι κατακούειν ἐν μέσῳ τινὰ ἠχὴν καὶ σμικρότατον εἶναι τοῦτο διάστημα ᾧ μετρητέον, οἶ δʼ ἀμφισβητοῦντες ὡς ὅμοιον ἤδη φθεγγομένων, ἀμφότεροι ὦτα τοῦ νοῦ προστησάμενοι.

Nē tous theous, ephē, kai geloiōs ge, pyknōmatʼ atta onomazontes kai paraballontes ta ōta, hoion ek geitonōn phōnēn thēreuomenoi, hoi men phasin eti katakouein en mesǭ tina ēchēn kai smikrotaton einai touto diastēma hǭ metrēteon, oi dʼ amphisbētountes hōs homoion ēdē phthengomenōn, amphoteroi ōta tou nou prostēsamenoi.

By the gods, he said, and ridiculously too, naming certain “close intervals” and putting their ears to them, as if hunting a voice from the neighbors; some say they still hear a sound in between, and that this is the smallest interval by which to measure, while others dispute that the notes are now sounding alike, both putting their ears before their mind.

Notes and citation

Summary: Glaucon mocks the empirical musicians.

Plato, Republic 7.531a–b.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Resp. 531a–b (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.13.6 (Dindorf 2:287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-13-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.13.7Dindorf 2:287

Σὺ μὲν, ἦν δʼ ἐγὼ, τοὺς χρηστοὺς λέγεις τοὺς ταῖς χορδαῖς πράγματα παρέχοντας καὶ βασανίζοντας, ἐπὶ τῶν κολλόπων στρεβλοῦντας. ἵνα δὲ μὴ μακροτέρα ἡ εἰκὼν γίγνηται, πλήκτρῳ τε πληγῶν γιγνομένων καὶ κατηγορίας πέρι καὶ ἐξαρνήσεως καὶ ἀλαζονείας χορδῶν, παύομαι τῆς εἰκόνος, καὶ οὔ φημι τούτους λέγειν, ἀλλʼ ἐκείνους οὓς ἔφαμεν νῦν δὴ περὶ ἁρμονίας εἰρῆσθαι.

Sy men, ēn dʼ egō, tous chrēstous legeis tous tais chordais pragmata parechontas kai basanizontas, epi tōn kollopōn streblountas. hina de mē makrotera hē eikōn gignētai, plēktrǭ te plēgōn gignomenōn kai katēgorias peri kai exarnēseōs kai alazoneias chordōn, pauomai tēs eikonos, kai ou phēmi toutous legein, allʼ ekeinous hous ephamen nyn dē peri harmonias eirēsthai.

You mean, I said, those good men who give the strings trouble and torture them, twisting them on the pegs. But so that the image may not become too long, with blows of the plectrum, and accusation and denial and boastfulness of the strings, I stop the image, and say I do not mean these, but those whom we said just now we would ask about harmony.

Notes and citation

Summary: Socrates means not the string-twisters but the Pythagorean theorists.

Plato, Republic 7.531b.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Resp. 531b–c (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.13.7 (Dindorf 2:287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-13-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.13.8Dindorf 2:287

ταὐτὸν γὰρ ποιοῦσι τοῖς ἐν τῇ ἀστρονομίᾳ. τοὺς γὰρ ἐν ταύταις ταῖς συμφωνίαις ταῖς ἀκουομέναις ἀριθμοὺς ζητοῦσιν, ἀλλʼ οὐκ εἰς προβλήματα ἀνίασιν, ἐπισκοπεῖν τίνες ξύμφωνοι ἀριθμοὶ καὶ τίνες οὒ, καὶ διὰ τί ἑκάτεροι.

tauton gar poiousi tois en tę̄ astronomią. tous gar en tautais tais symphōniais tais akouomenais arithmous zētousin, allʼ ouk eis problēmata aniasin, episkopein tines xymphōnoi arithmoi kai tines ou, kai dia ti hekateroi.

For they do the same as those in astronomy. They seek the numbers in these concords that are heard, but do not ascend to problems, to examine which numbers are concordant and which not, and why each.”

Notes and citation

Summary: The harmonic theorists, too, stop at audible numbers and do not rise to problems.

Plato, Republic 7.531c.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Resp. 531c (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.13.8 (Dindorf 2:287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-13-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.13.9Dindorf 2:287–288

Ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ ταῦθʼ ἡμῖν πρὸ ὁδοῦ κείσθω, ἀπολογουμένοις ὅτι μὴ δίχα διανοίας ὀρθῆς καὶ τῆς τῶν τοιῶνδε ἀχρηστομαθείας ὠλιγωρήσαμεν. σκεψώμεθα δῆτα λοιπὸν ἤδη ἄνωθεν ἀρξάμενοι τὰς τῶν εἰρημένων φυσικῶν φιλοσόφων δογματικὰς πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀντιδοξίας, γράφει δὴ ἀθρόως ἀπάντων τῶν Πλατωνικῶν ὁμοῦ καὶ Πυθαγορείων τῶν τε ἔτι πρεσβυτέρων φυσικῶν φιλοσόφων ἐπικεκλημένων καὶ αὖ πάλιν τῶν νεωτέρων Περιπατητικῶν τε καὶ Στωϊκῶν καὶ Ἐπικουρείων τὰς δόξας συναγαγὼν ὁ Πλούταρχος ἐν οἶς ἐπέγραψε “Περὶ τῶν ἀρεσκόντων τοῖς φιλοσόφοις φυσικῶν δογμάτων, ” ἐξ ὧν παραθήσομαι ταῦτα

Alla gar kai tauthʼ hēmin pro hodou keisthō, apologoumenois hoti mē dicha dianoias orthēs kai tēs tōn toiōnde achrēstomatheias ōligōrēsamen. skepsōmetha dēta loipon ēdē anōthen arxamenoi tas tōn eirēmenōn physikōn philosophōn dogmatikas pros allēlous antidoxias, graphei dē athroōs apantōn tōn Platōnikōn homou kai Pythagoreiōn tōn te eti presbyterōn physikōn philosophōn epikeklēmenōn kai au palin tōn neōterōn Peripatētikōn te kai Stōïkōn kai Epikoureiōn tas doxas synagagōn ho Ploutarchos en ois epegrapse “Peri tōn areskontōn tois philosophois physikōn dogmatōn, ” ex hōn parathēsomai tauta

But let these things too be set before us as a preface, in defense that it was not without right thought that we have disregarded the useless learning of such things. Let us now examine, beginning from the beginning, the doctrinal contradictions of the natural philosophers mentioned against one another. Plutarch writes them all together, having collected the opinions of the Platonists and Pythagoreans alike, and of the still older so-called natural philosophers, and again of the younger Peripatetics and Stoics and Epicureans, in the work he entitled On the Natural Doctrines Approved by the Philosophers; from which I shall set out the following:

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius introduces Plutarch’s collection of the philosophers’ opinions (the Placita).

[Plutarch], Placita philosophorum, a doxographical work ascribed to Plutarch.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent slips in the digital text): ἐξ ὦν παραθήσομαι ταύτα → ἐξ ὧν παραθήσομαι ταῦτα.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.13.9 (Dindorf 2:287–288; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-13-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Preparation 14, chapter 14

14.14.1Dindorf 2:288

“ Θαλῆς ὁ Μιλήσιος, εἶς τῶν ἑπτὰ σοφῶν, ἀρχὴν τῶν ὄντων ἀπεφήνατο εἶναι τὸ ὕδωρ. δοκεῖ δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ οὗτος ἄρξαι τῆς φιλοσοφίας, καὶ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ ἡ Ἰωνικὴ αἵρεσις προσηγορεύθη· ἐγένοντο πλεῖσται διαδοχαί. φιλοσοφήσας δὲ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ πρεσβύτερος ἦλθεν εἰς Μίλητον. ἐξ ὕδατος δέ φησι πάντα εἶναι καὶ εἰς ὕδωρ πάντα ἀναλύεσθαι. στοχάζεται δὲ ἐκ τούτου πρῶτον ὅτι πάντων ζῴων ἡ γονὴ ἀρχή ἐστι, ὑγρὰ οὖσα· οὕτως εἰκὸς καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐξ ὑγροῦ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔχειν. δεύτερον, ὅτι πάντα τὰ φυτὰ ὑγρῷ τρέφεταί τε καὶ καρποφορεῖ, ἀμοιροῦντα δὲ ξηραίνεται. τρίτον δὲ, ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ πῦρ τὸ τοῦ ἡλίου καὶ τῶν ἄστρων ταῖς τῶν ὑδάτων ἀναθυμιάσεσι τρέφεται, καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ κόσμος. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ Ὅμηρος ταύτην τὴν γνώμην ὑποτίθεται περὶ τοῦ ὕδατος, Ὠκεανὸν, ὅσπερ γένεσις πάντεσσι τέτυκται. ταῦτα μὲν ὁ Θαλῆς.”

“ Thalēs ho Milēsios, eis tōn hepta sophōn, archēn tōn ontōn apephēnato einai to hydōr. dokei de ho anēr houtos arxai tēs philosophias, kai apʼ autou hē Iōnikē hairesis prosēgoreuthē; egenonto pleistai diadochai. philosophēsas de en Aigyptǭ presbyteros ēlthen eis Milēton. ex hydatos de phēsi panta einai kai eis hydōr panta analyesthai. stochazetai de ek toutou prōton hoti pantōn zǭōn hē gonē archē esti, hygra ousa; houtōs eikos kai ta panta ex hygrou tēn archēn echein. deuteron, hoti panta ta phyta hygrǭ trephetai te kai karpophorei, amoirounta de xērainetai. triton de, hoti kai auto to pyr to tou hēliou kai tōn astrōn tais tōn hydatōn anathymiasesi trephetai, kai autos ho kosmos. dia touto kai Homēros tautēn tēn gnōmēn hypotithetai peri tou hydatos, Ōkeanon, hosper genesis pantessi tetyktai. tauta men ho Thalēs.”

“Thales of Miletus, one of the seven wise men, declared that the principle of existing things is water. This man seems to have begun philosophy, and from him the Ionian school was named; there were very many successions. Having studied philosophy in Egypt, he came to Miletus when older. He says that all things are from water and all are dissolved into water. He conjectures this, first, from the fact that the seed of all living things is their principle, being moist; so it is likely that all things have their principle from the moist. Second, that all plants are nourished and bear fruit by moisture, and wither when deprived of it. Third, that the very fire of the sun and stars is nourished by the exhalations of the waters, and so is the world itself. For this reason Homer too supposes this view about water: ‘Oceanus, who is the origin of all.’ So much for Thales.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Plutarch: Thales made water the principle of all things.

[Plutarch], Placita 1.3.1; Homer, Iliad 14.246.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (repeated word in the digital text): ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἡ Ἰωνικὴ → ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ ἡ Ἰωνικὴ.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Plac. 1.3.1 (Plutarch; quotation); Homer, Il. 14.246 (Homer, Iliad; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.14.1 (Dindorf 2:288; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-14-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.14.2Dindorf 2:288–289

“Ἀναξίμανδρος δὲ ὁ Μιλήσιός φησι τῶν ὄντων τὴν ἀρχὴν εἶναι τὸ ἄπειρον· ἐκ γὰρ τούτου πάντα γίνεσθαι καὶ εἰς τοῦτο πάντα φθείρεσθαι· διὸ καὶ γεννᾶσθαι ἀπείρους κόσμους, καὶ πάλιν φθείρεσθαι εἰς τὸ ἐξ οὗ γίνεται. λέγει δʼ οὖν, διότι τὸ ἀπέραντόν ἐστιν, ἵνα μηδὲν ἐλλείπῃ καὶ ἡ γένεσις ἡ ὑφισταμένη. ἁμαρτάνει δὲ καὶ οὗτος μὴ λέγων τί ἐστι τὸ ἄπειρον, πότερον ἀήρ ἐστιν, ἢ ὕδωρ, ἢ γῆ, ἢ ἄλλα τινὰ σώματα· ἁμαρτάνει οὗν τὴν μὲν ὕλην ἀποφαινόμενος, τὸ δὲ ποιοῦν αἴτιον ἀναιρῶν. τὸ γὰρ ἄπειρον οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἢ ὕλη ἐστίν· οὐ δύναται δὲ ἡ ὕλη εἶναι ἐνεργείᾳ, ἐὰν μὴ τὸ ποιοῦν ὑπόθηται.”

“Anaximandros de ho Milēsios phēsi tōn ontōn tēn archēn einai to apeiron; ek gar toutou panta ginesthai kai eis touto panta phtheiresthai; dio kai gennasthai apeirous kosmous, kai palin phtheiresthai eis to ex hou ginetai. legei dʼ oun, dioti to aperanton estin, hina mēden elleipę̄ kai hē genesis hē hyphistamenē. hamartanei de kai houtos mē legōn ti esti to apeiron, poteron aēr estin, ē hydōr, ē gē, ē alla tina sōmata; hamartanei houn tēn men hylēn apophainomenos, to de poioun aition anairōn. to gar apeiron ouden allo ē hylē estin; ou dynatai de hē hylē einai energeią, ean mē to poioun hypothētai.”

“Anaximander of Miletus says that the principle of existing things is the infinite; for from it all things come to be and into it all perish; that is why infinite worlds are generated and perish again into that from which they come. He says, then, why it is unlimited: so that the generation that subsists may in no way fail. But he too errs in not saying what the infinite is, whether it is air or water or earth or some other bodies. He errs, then, in declaring the matter but doing away with the efficient cause. For the infinite is nothing other than matter; and matter cannot be in act unless the efficient cause is supposed.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Anaximander made the infinite the principle but omitted the efficient cause.

[Plutarch], Placita 1.3.3.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line number leaked into the digital text; line-end hyphen left in the digital text): γῆ, 7 ἢ ἄλλα → γῆ, ἢ ἄλλα; ὑφιστα- μένη → ὑφισταμένη.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Plac. 1.3.3 (Plutarch; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.14.2 (Dindorf 2:288–289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-14-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.14.3Dindorf 2:289

“Ἀναξιμένης δὲ ὁ Μιλήσιος ἀρχὴν τῶν ὄντων τὸν ἀέρα ἀπεφήνατο· ἐκ γὰρ τούτου πάντα γίνεσθαι καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν πάλιν ἀναλύεσθαι. οἶον ἡ ψυχὴ, φησὶν, ἡ ἡμετέρα ἀήρ ἐστι· συγκρατεῖ γὰρ ἡμᾶς· καὶ ὅλον δὲ τὸν κόσμον πνεῦμα καὶ ἀὴρ ἐμπεριέχει· λέγεται δὲ συνωνύμως ἀὴρ καὶ πνεῦμα. ἁμαρτάνει δὲ καὶ οὗτος ἐξ ἁπλοῦ καὶ μονοειδοῦς ἀέρος καὶ πνεύματος δοκῶν συνεστάναι τὰ ζῷα. ἀδύνατον γὰρ ἀρχὴν μίαν τὴν ὕλην τῶν ὄντων ὑποστῆναι· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ποιοῦν αἴτιον χρὴ τιθέναι. οἷον, οὐκ ἄργυρος ἀρκεῖ πρὸς τὸ ἔκπωμα γενέσθαι, ἐὰν μὴ τὸ ποιοῦν ᾖ, τοῦτʼ ἔστιν ὁ ἀργυροκόπος· ὁμοίως καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ χαλκοῦ καὶ ξύλων καὶ τῆς ἄλλης ὕλης.”

“Anaximenēs de ho Milēsios archēn tōn ontōn ton aera apephēnato; ek gar toutou panta ginesthai kai eis auton palin analyesthai. oion hē psychē, phēsin, hē hēmetera aēr esti; synkratei gar hēmas; kai holon de ton kosmon pneuma kai aēr emperiechei; legetai de synōnymōs aēr kai pneuma. hamartanei de kai houtos ex haplou kai monoeidous aeros kai pneumatos dokōn synestanai ta zǭa. adynaton gar archēn mian tēn hylēn tōn ontōn hypostēnai; alla kai to poioun aition chrē tithenai. hoion, ouk argyros arkei pros to ekpōma genesthai, ean mē to poioun ę̄, toutʼ estin ho argyrokopos; homoiōs kai epi tou chalkou kai xylōn kai tēs allēs hylēs.”

“Anaximenes of Miletus declared air to be the principle of existing things; for from it all things come to be and into it they are dissolved again. As our soul, he says, is air and holds us together, so breath and air encompass the whole world; air and breath are used as synonyms. He too errs in thinking that living beings are composed of simple and uniform air and breath. For it is impossible for matter alone to be the one principle of things; the efficient cause must also be posited. For example, silver is not enough for a cup to come to be, unless there is the maker, that is, the silversmith; and likewise with bronze and wood and other matter.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Anaximenes made air the principle but omitted the efficient cause.

[Plutarch], Placita 1.3.4.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Plac. 1.3.4 (Plutarch; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.14.3 (Dindorf 2:289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-14-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.14.4Dindorf 2:289–290

“Ἡράκλειτος καὶ Ἵππασος ὁ Μεταποντῖνος ἀρχὴν τῶν πάντων τὸ πῦρ. ἐκ τοῦ πυρὸς γὰρ τὰ πάντα γίνεσθαι καὶ εἰς πῦρ πάντα τελευτᾶν λέγουσι· τούτου δὲ κατασβεννυμένου κοσμοποιεῖσθαι τὰ πάντα. πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ τὸ παχυμερέστατον αὐτοῦ εἰς αὑτὸ συστελλόμενον γῆ γίγνεται· ἔπειτα ἀναχαλωμένην τὴν γῆν ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρὸς φύσει ὕδωρ ἀποτελεῖσθαι, ἀναθυμιώμενον δὲ ἀέρα γίνεσθαι. πάλιν δὲ τὸν κόσμον καὶ πάντα τὰ σώματα ὑπὸ πυρὸς ἀναλοῦσθαι ἐκπυρώσει. ἀρχὴ οὖν τὸ πῦρ, ὅτι ἐκ τούτου τὰ πάντα, τέλος δὲ καθότι εἰς τοῦτο ἀναλύεται τὰ πάντα.”

“Hērakleitos kai Hippasos ho Metapontinos archēn tōn pantōn to pyr. ek tou pyros gar ta panta ginesthai kai eis pyr panta teleutan legousi; toutou de katasbennymenou kosmopoieisthai ta panta. prōton men gar to pachymerestaton autou eis hauto systellomenon gē gignetai; epeita anachalōmenēn tēn gēn hypo tou pyros physei hydōr apoteleisthai, anathymiōmenon de aera ginesthai. palin de ton kosmon kai panta ta sōmata hypo pyros analousthai ekpyrōsei. archē oun to pyr, hoti ek toutou ta panta, telos de kathoti eis touto analyetai ta panta.”

“Heraclitus and Hippasus of Metapontum: the principle of all things is fire. For they say that all things come from fire and all end in fire; and as it is quenched, all things are formed into a world. For first the densest part of it, contracting into itself, becomes earth; then the earth, loosened by fire, naturally produces water, and this, evaporating, becomes air. And again the world and all bodies are consumed by fire in a conflagration. Fire, then, is the principle, because all things come from it, and the end, inasmuch as all things are dissolved into it.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Heraclitus and Hippasus made fire the principle and end of all things.

[Plutarch], Placita 1.3.11.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Plac. 1.3.11 (Plutarch; quotation); Heraclitus (Heraclitus (fragments); allusion)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.14.4 (Dindorf 2:289–290; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-14-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.14.5Dindorf 2:290

“ Δημόκριτος, ᾧ μετὰ πλεῖστον Ἐπίκουρος ἠκολούθησεν, ἀρχὰς τῶν ὄντων σώματα ἄτομα, λόγῳ δὲ θεωρητὰ, ἀμέτοχα κενοῦ, ἀγέννητα, ἀΐδια, ἄφθαρτα, οὐδὲ θραυσθῆναι δυνάμενα, οὔτε διαπλασμὸν ἐκ τῶν μερῶν λαβεῖν, οὔτε ἀλλοιωθῆναι, εἶναι δʼ αὐτὰ λόγῳ θεωρητὰ, ταῦτα μέντοι κινεῖσθαι ἐν τῷ κενῷ καὶ διὰ τοῦ κενοῦ· εἶναι δὲ καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ κενὸν ἄπειρον καὶ τὰ σώματα ἄπειρα. συμβεβηκέναι δὲ τοῖς σώμασι τρία ταῦτα, σχήματα, μέγεθος, βάρος, ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν Δημόκριτος ἔλεγε δύο, μέγεθος καὶ σχῆμα· ὁ δὲ Ἐπίκουρος τούτοις καὶ τρίτον βάρος προσέθηκεν. ἀνάγκη γὰρ, φησὶ, κινεῖσθαι τὰ σώματα τῇ τοῦ βάρους πληγῇ, ἐπεὶ οὐ κινηθήσεται. εἶναι δὲ τὰ σχήματα τῶν ἀτόμων περιληπτὰ, οὐκ ἄπειρα· μὴ γὰρ εἶναι μήτε ἀγκιστροειδεῖς, μήτε τριαινοειδεῖς, μήτε κρικοειδεῖς· ταῦτα γὰρ τὰ σχήματά ἐστιν εὔθραυστα, αἶ δὲ ἄτομοι ἀπαθεῖς, ἄθραυστοι· ἴδια δὲ ἔχειν σχήματα λόγῳ θεωρητά. καὶ εἴρηται ἄτομος οὐχ ὅτι ἐστὶν ἐλαχίστη, ἀλλʼ ὅτι οὐ δύναται τμηθῆναι, ἀπαθὴς οὖσα καὶ ἀμέτοχος κενοῦ· ὥστε ἐὰν εἴπῃ ἄτομον, ἄθραυστον λέγει, ἀπαθῆ, ἀμέτοχον κενοῦ. ὅτι δέ ἐστιν ἄτομος σαφές· καὶ γάρ ἐστι στοιχεῖα καὶ ζῷα κενὰ καὶ ἡ μονάς.”

“ Dēmokritos, hǭ meta pleiston Epikouros ēkolouthēsen, archas tōn ontōn sōmata atoma, logǭ de theōrēta, ametocha kenou, agennēta, aïdia, aphtharta, oude thrausthēnai dynamena, oute diaplasmon ek tōn merōn labein, oute alloiōthēnai, einai dʼ auta logǭ theōrēta, tauta mentoi kineisthai en tǭ kenǭ kai dia tou kenou; einai de kai auto to kenon apeiron kai ta sōmata apeira. symbebēkenai de tois sōmasi tria tauta, schēmata, megethos, baros, allʼ ho men Dēmokritos elege dyo, megethos kai schēma; ho de Epikouros toutois kai triton baros prosethēken. anankē gar, phēsi, kineisthai ta sōmata tę̄ tou barous plēgę̄, epei ou kinēthēsetai. einai de ta schēmata tōn atomōn perilēpta, ouk apeira; mē gar einai mēte ankistroeideis, mēte triainoeideis, mēte krikoeideis; tauta gar ta schēmata estin euthrausta, ai de atomoi apatheis, athraustoi; idia de echein schēmata logǭ theōrēta. kai eirētai atomos ouch hoti estin elachistē, allʼ hoti ou dynatai tmēthēnai, apathēs ousa kai ametochos kenou; hōste ean eipę̄ atomon, athrauston legei, apathē, ametochon kenou. hoti de estin atomos saphes; kai gar esti stoicheia kai zǭa kena kai hē monas.”

“Democritus, whom Epicurus followed long after, held that the principles of existing things are atomic bodies, contemplated by reason, without share in the void, ungenerated, everlasting, imperishable, unable either to be broken or to receive formation from parts or to be altered; that they are contemplated by reason, and move in the void and through the void; and that the void itself is infinite and the bodies infinite. Three things belong to the bodies: shape, size, weight. Democritus said two, size and shape; Epicurus added to these a third, weight. For bodies must be moved, he says, by the impulse of weight, since otherwise they will not move. The shapes of the atoms are limited, not infinite; for there are none hook-shaped, nor trident-shaped, nor ring-shaped; for these shapes are easily broken, but the atoms are impassible and unbreakable; and they have their own shapes contemplated by reason. And it is called atom not because it is smallest, but because it cannot be cut, being impassible and without share in the void; so that when he says ‘atom,’ he means unbreakable, impassible, without share in the void. That there is an atom is clear; for there are elements, and living beings, and the void, and the monad.”

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: Democritus and Epicurus: the principles are indivisible atoms moving in the infinite void.

[Plutarch], Placita 1.3.16. The last sentence is corrupt in the text; translated by sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; line-end hyphen left in the digital text; stray mark in the digital text; wrong quotation mark in the digital text): ” Δημόκριτος → “ Δημόκριτος; Ἐπἐκουρος → Ἐπίκουρος; κενοῦ ’ ὥστε → κενοῦ· ὥστε; ἠκο- λούθησεν → ἠκολούθησεν; σχή- ματα → σχήματα.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Plac. 1.3.16 (Plutarch; quotation); Democritus (Democritus (fragments); allusion); Epicurus (Epicurus (sayings and fragments); allusion)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.14.5 (Dindorf 2:290; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-14-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.14.6Dindorf 2:290–291

“ Ἐμπεδοκλῆς Μέτωνος, Ἀκραγαντῖνος, τέτταρα μὲν στοιχεῖα, πῦρ, ἀέρα, ὕδωρ, γῆν, δύο δὲ ἀρχὰς καὶ δυνάμεις, φιλίαν τε καὶ νεῖκος, ὧν ἡ μέν ἐστιν ἑνωτικὴ, τὸ δὲ διαιρετικόν. φησὶ δὲ οὕτως τέσσαρα τῶν πάντων ῥιζώματα πρῶτον ἄκουε· Ζεὺς ἀργὴς, Ἥρη τε φερέσβιος, ἠδʼ Ἀϊδωνεύς, Νῆστίς θʼ, ἣ δακρύοις τέγγει κρούνωμα βρότειον. Δία μὲν γὰρ λέγει τὴν ζέσιν καὶ τὸν αἰθέρα, Ἥραν δὲ φερέσβιον τὸν ἀέρα· τὴν γῆν τὸν Ἀϊδωνέα· Νῆστιν δὲ καὶ κρούνωμα βρότειον, οἱονεὶ τὸ σπέρμα καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ.”

“ Empedoklēs Metōnos, Akragantinos, tettara men stoicheia, pyr, aera, hydōr, gēn, dyo de archas kai dynameis, philian te kai neikos, hōn hē men estin henōtikē, to de diairetikon. phēsi de houtōs tessara tōn pantōn rhizōmata prōton akoue; Zeus argēs, Hērē te pheresbios, ēdʼ Aïdōneus, Nēstis thʼ, hē dakryois tengei krounōma broteion. Dia men gar legei tēn zesin kai ton aithera, Hēran de pheresbion ton aera; tēn gēn ton Aïdōnea; Nēstin de kai krounōma broteion, hoionei to sperma kai to hydōr.”

“Empedocles son of Meton, of Acragas: four elements, fire, air, water, earth, and two principles and powers, Love and Strife, of which the one unites and the other divides. He speaks thus: ‘Hear first the four roots of all things: shining Zeus, life-bearing Hera, and Aidoneus, and Nestis, who with her tears wets the mortal spring.’ By Zeus he means the boiling and the ether, by life-bearing Hera the air, by Aidoneus the earth, and by Nestis and the mortal spring, as it were, the seed and water.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Empedocles: four elements, with Love and Strife as moving powers.

[Plutarch], Placita 1.3.20; Empedocles, fragment B 6.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip; broken word and Latin letter in the digital text): ‘Πρη τε → Ἥρη τε; Nῆ- ’στιν → Νῆστιν.

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Plac. 1.3.20 (Plutarch; quotation); Empedocles, fr. B 6 (Empedocles (fragments); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.14.6 (Dindorf 2:290–291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-14-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.14.7Dindorf 2:291

Τοσαύτη μὲν ἡ τῶν πρώτων φυσικῶν φιλοσόφων διαφωνία, τοιαύτη δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ περὶ ἀρχῶν δόξα, οὐ θεὸν, οὐ ποιητὴν, οὐ δημιουργὸν, οὐδέ τι τῶν ὅλων αἴτιον, οὐδὲ μὴν θεοὺς, οὐδʼ ἀσωμάτους δυνάμεις, οὐ νοερὰς φύσεις, οὐ λογικὰς οὐσίας, οὐδʼ ὅλως τι τῶν ἐκτὸς αἰσθήσεων ἐν ταῖς ἀρχαῖς ὑποθεμένων.

Tosautē men hē tōn prōtōn physikōn philosophōn diaphōnia, toiautē de autōn kai hē peri archōn doxa, ou theon, ou poiētēn, ou dēmiourgon, oude ti tōn holōn aition, oude mēn theous, oudʼ asōmatous dynameis, ou noeras physeis, ou logikas ousias, oudʼ holōs ti tōn ektos aisthēseōn en tais archais hypothemenōn.

So great is the disagreement of the first natural philosophers, and such their opinion about first principles, positing in the principles not God, not a Maker, not a Creator, nor any cause of the universe, nor gods, nor incorporeal powers, nor intellectual natures, nor rational beings, nor anything at all beyond the senses.

Notes and citation

Summary: The early natural philosophers posited no God or Creator among the first principles.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.14.7 (Dindorf 2:291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-14-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.14.8Dindorf 2:291

μόνος δʼ οὖν πρῶτος Ἑλλήνων Ἀναξαγόρας μνημονεύεται ἐν τοῖς περὶ ἀρχῶν λόγοις νοῦν τὸν πάντων αἴτιον ἀποφήνασθαι. φασὶ γοῦν ὡς ἄρα οὗτος μάλιστα παρὰ τοὺς πρὸ αὐτοῦ ἐθαύμασε φυσιολογίαν· μηλόβοτόν γε τοι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ χώραν διʼ αὐτὴν εἴασε, τόν τε περὶ ἀρχῶν λόγον πρῶτος Ἑλλήνων διήρθρωσεν. οὐ γὰρ μόνον περὶ τῆς πάντων οὐσίας ἀπεφήνατο, ὡς οἱ πρὸ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τοῦ κινοῦντος αὐτὴν αἰτίου.

monos dʼ oun prōtos Hellēnōn Anaxagoras mnēmoneuetai en tois peri archōn logois noun ton pantōn aition apophēnasthai. phasi goun hōs ara houtos malista para tous pro autou ethaumase physiologian; mēloboton ge toi tēn heautou chōran diʼ autēn eiase, ton te peri archōn logon prōtos Hellēnōn diērthrōsen. ou gar monon peri tēs pantōn ousias apephēnato, hōs hoi pro autou, alla kai peri tou kinountos autēn aitiou.

Only Anaxagoras is recorded as the first of the Greeks to declare, in his discussions of first principles, that mind is the cause of all things. They say, at least, that he admired the study of nature more than those before him; he let his own land go to pasture for sheep because of it, and he was the first of the Greeks to articulate the account of first principles. For he declared not only about the substance of all things, as those before him did, but also about the cause that moves it.

Notes and citation

Summary: Anaxagoras was the first Greek to make mind the cause of all things.

Extrabiblical texts: Anaxagoras (Anaxagoras; allusion)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.14.8 (Dindorf 2:291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-14-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.14.9Dindorf 2:291

“ἦν γὰρ ἐν ἀρχῇ φησὶν) ὁμοῦ τὰ πράγματα πεφυρμένα, νοῦς δὲ εἰσελθὼν αὐτὰ ἐκ τῆς ἀταξίας εἰς τάξιν ἤγαγε.” θαυμάσαι δʼ ἔστιν ὡς οὗτος πρῶτος παρʼ Ἕλλησι τοῦτον θεολογήσας τὸν τρόπον, δόξας Ἀθηναίοις ἄθεος εἶναι, ὅτι μὴ τὸν ἥλιον ἐθεολόγει, τὸν δὲ ἡλίου ποιητὴν, μικροῦ δεῖν καταλευσθεὶς ἔθανε.

“ēn gar en archę̄ phēsin) homou ta pragmata pephyrmena, nous de eiselthōn auta ek tēs ataxias eis taxin ēgage.” thaumasai dʼ estin hōs houtos prōtos parʼ Hellēsi touton theologēsas ton tropon, doxas Athēnaiois atheos einai, hoti mē ton hēlion etheologei, ton de hēliou poiētēn, mikrou dein kataleustheis ethane.

“For in the beginning,” he says, “things were mixed together, but mind came in and brought them from disorder into order.” It is remarkable how this man, the first among the Greeks to speak of God in this way, seemed to the Athenians to be an atheist, because he did not deify the sun but the Maker of the sun, and almost died by stoning.

Notes and citation

Summary: Anaxagoras, who said mind ordered all things, was nearly stoned as an atheist.

Anaxagoras, compare fragment B 1 and Diogenes Laertius 2.6.

Extrabiblical texts: Anaxagoras (Anaxagoras; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.14.9 (Dindorf 2:291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-14-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.14.10Dindorf 2:291

λέγεται δὲ μηδὲ οὗτος σῶον φυλάξαι τὸ δόγμα. ἐπιστῆσαι μὲν γὰρ νοῦν τοῖς πᾶσι, οὐκέτι δὲ κατὰ νοῦν καὶ λογισμὸν τὴν περὶ τῶν ὄντων ἀποδοῦναι φυσιολογίαν. ἐπάκουσον δʼ οὖν οἶα ὁ Σωκράτης ἐν τῷ Πλάτωνος Περὶ ψυχῆς αἰτιᾶται τὸν ἄνδρα ἐν τούτοις

legetai de mēde houtos sōon phylaxai to dogma. epistēsai men gar noun tois pasi, ouketi de kata noun kai logismon tēn peri tōn ontōn apodounai physiologian. epakouson dʼ oun oia ho Sōkratēs en tǭ Platōnos Peri psychēs aitiatai ton andra en toutois

But it is said that he too did not keep his doctrine intact. For he set mind over all things, but no longer gave his account of nature in accordance with mind and reason. Hear, then, how Socrates in Plato’s On the Soul accuses the man in these words:

Notes and citation

Summary: Anaxagoras failed to explain nature by mind, as Socrates complains in the Phaedo.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.14.10 (Dindorf 2:291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-14-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Preparation 14, chapter 15

14.15.1Dindorf 2:291–292

“Ἀλλʼ ἀκούσας μέν ποτε ἐκ βιβλίου τινὸς, ὡς ἔφη, Ἀναξαγόρου ἀναγινώσκοντος, καὶ λέγοντος ὡς ἄρα νοῦς ἐστιν ὁ διακοσμῶν τε καὶ πάντων αἴτιος, ταύτῃ δὴ τῇ αἰτίᾳ ἥσθην τε καὶ ἔδοξέ μοι τρόπον τινὰ εὖ ἔχειν τὸ τὸν νοῦν εἶναι πάντων αἴτιον, καὶ ἡγησάμην, εἰ τοῦτο οὕτως ἔχει, τόν γε νοῦν κοσμοῦντα πάντα κοσμεῖν καὶ ἕκαστον τιθέναι ὅπη ἂν βέλτιστα ἔχῃ.

“Allʼ akousas men pote ek bibliou tinos, hōs ephē, Anaxagorou anaginōskontos, kai legontos hōs ara nous estin ho diakosmōn te kai pantōn aitios, tautę̄ dē tę̄ aitią hēsthēn te kai edoxe moi tropon tina eu echein to ton noun einai pantōn aition, kai hēgēsamēn, ei touto houtōs echei, ton ge noun kosmounta panta kosmein kai hekaston tithenai hopē an beltista echę̄.

“But having once heard someone reading from a book, as he said, of Anaxagoras, and saying that it is mind that orders and is the cause of all things, I was pleased with this cause, and it seemed to me in a way good that mind should be the cause of all things; and I thought that, if this is so, mind in ordering all things orders them and places each where it is best.

Notes and citation

Summary: Socrates (Phaedo) was delighted to hear that mind orders all things.

Plato, Phaedo 97b–c.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Phaed. 97b–c (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.15.1 (Dindorf 2:291–292; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-15-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.15.2Dindorf 2:292

εἰ οὖν τις βούλοιτο τὴν αἰτίαν εὑρεῖν περὶ ἑκάστου, ὅπη ἢ γίνεται ἢ ἀπόλλυται ἢ ἔστι, τοῦτο δεῖν περὶ αὐτοῦ εὑρεῖν, ὅπη βέλτιστον αὐτόν ἐστιν ἢ εἶναι ἢ ἄλλο ὁτιοῦν πάσχειν ἢ ποιεῖν. ἐκ δὴ τοῦ λόγου τούτου οὐδὲν ἄλλο σκοπεῖν προσήκειν ἀνθρώπῳ καὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀλλʼ ἢ τὸ ἄριστον καὶ τὸ βέλτιστον. ἀναγκαῖον δὴ εἶναι τὸν αὐτὸν τοῦτον καὶ τὸ χεῖρον εἰδέναι· τὴν αὐτὴν γὰρ εἷναι ἐπιστήμην περὶ αὐτῶν.

ei oun tis bouloito tēn aitian heurein peri hekastou, hopē ē ginetai ē apollytai ē esti, touto dein peri autou heurein, hopē beltiston auton estin ē einai ē allo hotioun paschein ē poiein. ek dē tou logou toutou ouden allo skopein prosēkein anthrōpǭ kai peri autou kai peri tōn allōn allʼ ē to ariston kai to beltiston. anankaion dē einai ton auton touton kai to cheiron eidenai; tēn autēn gar heinai epistēmēn peri autōn.

If, then, anyone wished to find the cause of each thing, how it comes to be or perishes or is, he must find this about it: how it is best for it to be, or to undergo or do anything else. From this argument, then, it befits a man to consider nothing else, both about himself and about other things, but what is best and most excellent. And this same man must necessarily also know the worse; for the knowledge of them is the same.

Notes and citation

Summary: If mind orders all, the cause of each thing is what is best for it.

Plato, Phaedo 97c–d.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Phaed. 97c–d (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.15.2 (Dindorf 2:292; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-15-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.15.3Dindorf 2:292

ταῦτα δὴ λογιζόμενος ἄσμενος εὑρηκέναι ᾤμην διδάσκαλον τῆς αἰτίας περὶ τῶν ὄντων κατὰ νοῦν ἐμαυτῷ, τὸν Ἀναξαγόραν, καί μοι φράσειν πρῶτον μὲν πότερον ἡ γῆ πλατεῖά ἐστιν ἢ στρογγύλη, ἐπειδὴ δὲ φράσειεν, ἐπεκδιηγήσασθαι τὴν αἰτίαν καὶ τὴν ἀνάγκην, λέγοντα τὸ ἄμεινον, καὶ ὅτι αὐτὴν ἄμεινον ἦν τοιαύτην εἶναι· καὶ εἰ ἐν μέσῳ φαίη εἶναι αὐτὴν, ἐπεκδιηγήσεσθαι ὡς ἄμεινον ἦν αὐτὴν ἐν μέσῳ εἶναι· καὶ εἴ μοι ταῦτα ἀποφαίνοιτο, παρεσκευάσμην ὡς οὐκέτι ποθεσόμενος αἰτίας ἄλλο εἶδος.

tauta dē logizomenos asmenos heurēkenai ǭmēn didaskalon tēs aitias peri tōn ontōn kata noun emautǭ, ton Anaxagoran, kai moi phrasein prōton men poteron hē gē plateia estin ē strongylē, epeidē de phraseien, epekdiēgēsasthai tēn aitian kai tēn anankēn, legonta to ameinon, kai hoti autēn ameinon ēn toiautēn einai; kai ei en mesǭ phaiē einai autēn, epekdiēgēsesthai hōs ameinon ēn autēn en mesǭ einai; kai ei moi tauta apophainoito, pareskeuasmēn hōs ouketi pothesomenos aitias allo eidos.

Reckoning these things, I was glad to think I had found in Anaxagoras a teacher after my own mind of the cause of things; and that he would tell me first whether the earth is flat or round, and when he had told me, would explain further the cause and the necessity, saying what is better, and that it was better for it to be such; and if he said it was in the middle, he would explain further that it was better for it to be in the middle; and if he showed me these things, I was prepared no longer to long for another kind of cause.

Notes and citation

Summary: Socrates hoped Anaxagoras would explain everything by what is best.

Plato, Phaedo 97d–98a.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Phaed. 97d–98a (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.15.3 (Dindorf 2:292; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-15-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.15.4Dindorf 2:292

καὶ δὴ καὶ περὶ ἡλίου οὕτω παρεσκευάσμην ὡσαύτως πευσόμενος, καὶ σελήνης καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἄστρων, τάχους τε πέρι πρὸς ἄλληλα καὶ τροπῶν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων παθημάτων, πή ποτε ταῦτʼ ἄμεινόν ἐστιν ἕκαστον καὶ ποιεῖν καὶ πάσχειν ἃ πάσχει. οὐ γὰρ ἄν ποτʼ αὐτὸν ᾤμην, φάσκοντά γε ὑπὸ νοῦ αὐτὰ κεκοσμήσθαι, ἄλλην τινὰ αὐτοῖς αἰτίαν ἐπενεγκεῖν ἢ ὅτι βέλτιστον αὐτὰ οὕτως ἔχειν ἐστὶν ὥσπερ ἔχει.

kai dē kai peri hēliou houtō pareskeuasmēn hōsautōs peusomenos, kai selēnēs kai tōn allōn astrōn, tachous te peri pros allēla kai tropōn kai tōn allōn pathēmatōn, pē pote tautʼ ameinon estin hekaston kai poiein kai paschein ha paschei. ou gar an potʼ auton ǭmēn, phaskonta ge hypo nou auta kekosmēsthai, allēn tina autois aitian epenenkein ē hoti beltiston auta houtōs echein estin hōsper echei.

And so I was prepared to inquire likewise about the sun, and the moon, and the other stars, about their speeds relative to one another and their turnings and other experiences, how it is better for each of them to do and undergo what it undergoes. For I never thought that he, saying that they had been ordered by mind, would bring any other cause for them than that it is best for them to be as they are.

Notes and citation

Summary: He expected the same kind of explanation of the heavenly bodies.

Plato, Phaedo 98a.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Phaed. 98a (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.15.4 (Dindorf 2:292; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-15-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.15.5Dindorf 2:292–293

ἑκάστου οὐν [αὐτῶν] ἀποδιδόντα τὴν αἰτίαν καὶ κοινῇ πᾶσι τὸ ἑκάστῳ βέλτιστον ᾤμην καὶ τὸ κοινὸν πᾶσιν ἐπιδιηγήσασθαι ἀγαθόν. καὶ οὐδʼ ἂν ἀπεδόμην πολλοῦ τὰς ἐλπίδας, ἀλλὰ πάνυ σπουδῇ λαβὼν τὰς βίβλους ὡς τάχιστα οἷός τʼ ἦν ἀνεγίνωσκον, ἵνʼ ὡς τάχιστα εἰδείην τὸ βέλτιστον καὶ τὸ χεῖρον. ἀπὸ δὴ θαυμαστῆς, ὦ ἑταῖρε, ἐλπίδος ᾠχόμην φερόμενος. ἐπεὶ δὲ προϊὼν καὶ ἀναγινώσκων ὁρῶ ἄνδρα τῷ μὲν νῷ οὐδὲν χρώμενον οὐδέ τινας αἰτίας ἐπαιτιώμενον εἰς τὸ διακοσμεῖν τὰ πράγματα, ἀέρας δὲ καὶ αἰθέρας καὶ ὕδατα αἰτιώμενον καὶ ἄλλα πολλὰ καὶ ἄτοπα.

hekastou oun [autōn] apodidonta tēn aitian kai koinę̄ pasi to hekastǭ beltiston ǭmēn kai to koinon pasin epidiēgēsasthai agathon. kai oudʼ an apedomēn pollou tas elpidas, alla pany spoudę̄ labōn tas biblous hōs tachista hoios tʼ ēn aneginōskon, hinʼ hōs tachista eideiēn to beltiston kai to cheiron. apo dē thaumastēs, ō hetaire, elpidos ǭchomēn pheromenos. epei de proïōn kai anaginōskōn horō andra tǭ men nǭ ouden chrōmenon oude tinas aitias epaitiōmenon eis to diakosmein ta pragmata, aeras de kai aitheras kai hydata aitiōmenon kai alla polla kai atopa.

So, assigning the cause to each and to all in common, I thought he would further explain what is best for each and the good common to all. And I would not have sold my hopes for much, but taking up the books very eagerly I read them as quickly as I could, so that I might know as quickly as possible the best and the worse. From this wonderful hope, my friend, I was swept away. For as I went on reading, I saw a man making no use of mind, nor assigning any causes for the ordering of things, but assigning airs and ethers and waters and many other strange things.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: Socrates was disappointed: Anaxagoras explained everything by physical causes, not by mind.

Plato, Phaedo 98b–c. The editor deletes “of them” (αὐτῶν).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR slip): ἔνʼ ὡς τάχιστα → ἵνʼ ὡς τάχιστα; νῷ αὐδὲν → νῷ οὐδὲν.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Phaed. 98b–c (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.15.5 (Dindorf 2:292–293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-15-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.15.6Dindorf 2:293

καί μοι ἔδοξεν ὁμοιότατον πεπονθέναι, ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις λέγων ὅτι Σωκράτης πάντα ὅσα πράττει νῷ πράττει, κἄπειτα ἐπιχειρήσας λέγειν τὰς αἰτίας ἑκάστων ὧν πράττω, λέγοι πρῶτον μὲν ὅτι ἐνθάδε διὰ ταῦτα νῦν κάθημαι, ὅτι σύγκειταί μου τὸ σῶμα ἐξ ὀστῶν καὶ νεύρων, καὶ τὰ μὲν ὀστᾶ ἐστι στερεὰ καὶ διαφυὰς ἔχει χωρὶς ἀπʼ ἀλλήλων, τὰ δὲ νεῦρα οἷα ἐπιτείνεσθαι καὶ ἀνίεσθαι, περιαμπέχοντα τὰ ὀστᾶ μετὰ τῶν σαρκῶν τε καὶ δέρματος, ὃ συνέχειν αὐτά.

kai moi edoxen homoiotaton peponthenai, hōsper an ei tis legōn hoti Sōkratēs panta hosa prattei nǭ prattei, kapeita epicheirēsas legein tas aitias hekastōn hōn prattō, legoi prōton men hoti enthade dia tauta nyn kathēmai, hoti synkeitai mou to sōma ex ostōn kai neurōn, kai ta men osta esti sterea kai diaphyas echei chōris apʼ allēlōn, ta de neura hoia epiteinesthai kai aniesthai, periampechonta ta osta meta tōn sarkōn te kai dermatos, ho synechein auta.

And he seemed to me to be in a position most like that of one who said that Socrates does all that he does by mind, and then, attempting to give the causes of each of the things I do, said first that I am sitting here now because my body is composed of bones and sinews, and the bones are hard and have joints separating them from one another, and the sinews are such as to tighten and relax, enveloping the bones together with the flesh and skin which holds them together.

Notes and citation

Summary: Anaxagoras’ method is like explaining Socrates’ sitting by bones and sinews.

Plato, Phaedo 98c–d.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (breathing slip in the digital text): ἑξ ὀστῶν → ἐξ ὀστῶν.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Phaed. 98c–d (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.15.6 (Dindorf 2:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-15-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.15.7Dindorf 2:293

αἰωρουμένων οὖν τῶν ὀστῶν ἐν ταῖς αὐτῶν ξυμβολαῖς χαλῶντα καὶ συντείνοντα τὰ νεῦρα κάμπτεσθαί που ποιεῖ οἶόν τε εἶναι ἐμὲ νῦν τὰ μέλη, καὶ διὰ ταύτην τὴν αἰτίαν συγκαμφθεὶς ἐνθάδε κάθημαι. καὶ αὖ περὶ τοῦ διαλέγεσθαι ὑμῖν ἑτέρας τοιάσδε αἰτίας λέγοι, φωνάς τε καὶ ἀέρας καὶ ἀκοὰς καὶ ἄλλα ἄττα μυρία τοιαῦτα αἰτιώμενος, ἀμελήσας τὰς ὡς ἀληθῶς αἰτίας λέγειν, ὅτι ἐπειδὴ Ἀθηναίοις ἔδοξε βέλτιον εἶναι ἐμοῦ καταψηφίσασθαι, διὰ ταῦτα δὴ καὶ ἐμοὶ βέλτιον αὖ δέδοκται ἐνθάδε καθῆσθαι, καὶ δικαιότερον παραμένοντα ὑπέχειν τὴν δίκην, ἣν ἂν κελεύσωσιν,

aiōroumenōn oun tōn ostōn en tais autōn xymbolais chalōnta kai synteinonta ta neura kamptesthai pou poiei oion te einai eme nyn ta melē, kai dia tautēn tēn aitian synkamphtheis enthade kathēmai. kai au peri tou dialegesthai hymin heteras toiasde aitias legoi, phōnas te kai aeras kai akoas kai alla atta myria toiauta aitiōmenos, amelēsas tas hōs alēthōs aitias legein, hoti epeidē Athēnaiois edoxe beltion einai emou katapsēphisasthai, dia tauta dē kai emoi beltion au dedoktai enthade kathēsthai, kai dikaioteron paramenonta hypechein tēn dikēn, hēn an keleusōsin,

So, as the bones swing in their sockets, the sinews, relaxing and tightening, make me able now to bend my limbs, and for this cause I am sitting here bent. And again, about my conversing with you, he would give other such causes, alleging voices and airs and hearings and countless other such things, neglecting to give the true causes: that since the Athenians thought it better to condemn me, for this reason I too have thought it better to sit here, and more just to stay and undergo the penalty they order.

Notes and citation

Summary: The true cause of Socrates’ staying is his judgment of what is best, not his bones.

Plato, Phaedo 98d–e.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent slip in the digital text; line-end hyphen left in the digital text): λἐγοι → λέγοι; κελεύσω- σιν → κελεύσωσιν.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Phaed. 98d–e (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.15.7 (Dindorf 2:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-15-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.15.8Dindorf 2:293–294

ἐπεὶ νὴ τὸν κύνα, ὡς ἐγᾦμαι, πάλαι ἂν ταῦτα τὰ νεῦρα καὶ τὰ ὀστᾶ ἢ περὶ Μέγαρα ἢ περὶ Βοιωτοὺς ἦν, ὑπὸ δόξης φερόμενα τοῦ βελτίστου, εἰ μὴ δικαιότερον ᾤμην καὶ κάλλιον εἶναι πρὸ τοῦ φεύγειν τε καὶ ἀποδιδράσκειν ὑπέχειν τῇ πόλει δίκην ἥντινʼ ἂν τάττῃ.

epei nē ton kyna, hōs egǭmai, palai an tauta ta neura kai ta osta ē peri Megara ē peri Boiōtous ēn, hypo doxēs pheromena tou beltistou, ei mē dikaioteron ǭmēn kai kallion einai pro tou pheugein te kai apodidraskein hypechein tę̄ polei dikēn hēntinʼ an tattę̄.

For, by the dog, I think these sinews and bones would long ago have been near Megara or among the Boeotians, carried by an opinion of what is best, if I had not thought it more just and nobler, rather than fleeing and running away, to undergo whatever penalty the city appoints.

Notes and citation

Summary: Socrates would have fled if he had not judged it more just to stay.

Plato, Phaedo 98e–99a.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (line-end hyphen left in the digital text): Βοιω- τοὺς → Βοιωτοὺς.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Phaed. 98e–99a (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.15.8 (Dindorf 2:293–294; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-15-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.15.9Dindorf 2:294

ἀλλʼ αἴτια μὲν τὰ τοιαῦτα καλεῖν λίαν ἄτοπον· εἰ δέ τις λέγοι ὅτι ἄνευ τοῦ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἔχειν καὶ ὀστᾶ καὶ νεῦρα καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα ἔχω, οὐκ ἂν οἷός τε ἦ ποιεῖν τὰ δόξαντά μοι, ἀληθῆ ἂν λέγοι· ὡς μέντοι διὰ ταῦτα ποιῶ ἃ ποιῶ, καὶ ταῦτα νῷ πράττω, ἀλλʼ οὐ τῇ τοῦ βελτίστου αἱρέσει, πολλὴ ἂν καὶ μακρὰ ῥᾳθυμία εἴη τοῦ λόγου.”

allʼ aitia men ta toiauta kalein lian atopon; ei de tis legoi hoti aneu tou ta toiauta echein kai osta kai neura kai hosa alla echō, ouk an hoios te ē poiein ta doxanta moi, alēthē an legoi; hōs mentoi dia tauta poiō ha poiō, kai tauta nǭ prattō, allʼ ou tę̄ tou beltistou hairesei, pollē an kai makra rhąthymia eiē tou logou.”

But to call such things causes is very absurd; if someone were to say that without having such things, bones and sinews and whatever else I have, I would not be able to do what I decided, he would speak truly; but to say that I do what I do because of these, and that I act by mind but not by choice of the best, would be a great and long carelessness of speech.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Bodily conditions are necessary conditions, not causes; the cause is the choice of the best.

Plato, Phaedo 99a–b.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Phaed. 99a–b (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.15.9 (Dindorf 2:294; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-15-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.15.10Dindorf 2:294

Εἶτα ἐπιλέγει “Διὸ δὴ καὶ ὁ μέν τις δίνην περιθεὶς τῇ γῇ ὑπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ μένειν δὴ ποιεῖ τὴν γῆν, ὁ δὲ ὥσπερ καρδόπῳ πλατείᾳ βάθρον τὸν ἀέρα ὑπερείδει· τὴν δὲ τοῦ ὡς οἶόν τε βέλτιστα αὐτὰ τεθῆναι δύναμιν οὕτω νῦν κεῖσθαι, ταύτην οὔτε ζητοῦσιν οὔτε τινὰ οἴονται δαιμονίαν ἰσχὺν ἔχειν, ἀλλὰ ἡγοῦνται τούτου ἄν ποτε Ἄτλαντα ἰσχυρότερον καὶ ἀθανατώτερον καὶ μᾶλλον ἅπαντα συνέχοντα ἐξευρεῖν, καὶ ὡς ἀληθῶς τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ δέον ξυνδεῖν καὶ συνέχειν οὐδὲν οἴονται.”

Eita epilegei “Dio dē kai ho men tis dinēn peritheis tę̄ gę̄ hypo tou ouranou menein dē poiei tēn gēn, ho de hōsper kardopǭ plateią bathron ton aera hypereidei; tēn de tou hōs oion te beltista auta tethēnai dynamin houtō nyn keisthai, tautēn oute zētousin oute tina oiontai daimonian ischyn echein, alla hēgountai toutou an pote Atlanta ischyroteron kai athanatōteron kai mallon hapanta synechonta exeurein, kai hōs alēthōs to agathon kai deon xyndein kai synechein ouden oiontai.”

Then he adds: “So one man, putting a vortex round the earth, makes the earth stay in place under the heaven, while another props up the air under it as a base, as under a flat kneading trough; but the power by which they are now placed as well as they could be placed, this they neither seek nor think to have any divine strength, but they think they will someday find an Atlas stronger and more immortal than this and holding all things together more; and they think that the good and binding does not truly bind and hold anything together.”

Notes and citation

Summary: The natural philosophers ignore the good that truly holds all things together.

Plato, Phaedo 99b–c.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent slip in the digital text; quotation mark lost in the digital text): ὑπὸ τοὐ οὐρανοῦ → ὑπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ; Εἶτα ἐπιλέγει Διὸ δὴ → Εἶτα ἐπιλέγει “Διὸ δὴ.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Phaed. 99b–c (Plato (works); quotation)

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.15.10 (Dindorf 2:294; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-15-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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14.15.11Dindorf 2:294–295

Τοσαῦτα ὁ Σωκράτης περὶ τῆς Ἀναξαγόρου δόξης. ἦν δὲ Ἀναξαγόρου μὲν διάδοχος τῆς τε διατριβῆς ὁμοῦ καὶ τῆς δόξης Ἀρχέλαος, Ἀρχελάου δὲ ἀκουστὴς γεγονέναι λέγεται Σωκράτης. πλὴν ἀλλὰ φυσικοὶ καὶ ἄλλοι Ξενοφάνης καὶ Πυθαγόρας, συνακμάσαντες Ἀναξαγόρᾳ, ἀφθαρσίας θεοῦ καὶ ψυχῆς ἀθανασίας ἐφιλοσόφησαν· ἐκ τούτων τε καὶ μετὰ τούτους αἶ τῆς Ἑλλήνων φιλοσοφίας ὑπέστησαν αἱρέσεις, τῶν μὲν τοῖσδε, τῶν δὲ ἑτέροις ἐξηκολουθηκότων, τινῶν δὲ καὶ ἰδίας δόξας ἐπινενοηκότων. πάλιν δʼ οὖν ὁ Πλούταρχος τὰς περὶ θεῶν ὑπολήψεις τῶν αὐτῶν τοῦτον γράφει τὸν τρόπον

Tosauta ho Sōkratēs peri tēs Anaxagorou doxēs. ēn de Anaxagorou men diadochos tēs te diatribēs homou kai tēs doxēs Archelaos, Archelaou de akoustēs gegonenai legetai Sōkratēs. plēn alla physikoi kai alloi Xenophanēs kai Pythagoras, synakmasantes Anaxagorą, aphtharsias theou kai psychēs athanasias ephilosophēsan; ek toutōn te kai meta toutous ai tēs Hellēnōn philosophias hypestēsan haireseis, tōn men toisde, tōn de heterois exēkolouthēkotōn, tinōn de kai idias doxas epinenoēkotōn. palin dʼ oun ho Ploutarchos tas peri theōn hypolēpseis tōn autōn touton graphei ton tropon

So much Socrates on the opinion of Anaxagoras. Archelaus was Anaxagoras’ successor both in the school and in his opinion, and Socrates is said to have been a hearer of Archelaus. However, other natural philosophers too, Xenophanes and Pythagoras, who flourished at the same time as Anaxagoras, taught the imperishability of God and the immortality of the soul; and from these and after them the schools of Greek philosophy arose, some following these, others others, and some devising their own opinions. Again, then, Plutarch writes the suppositions of the same men about the gods in this way:

Notes and citation

Summary: Anaxagoras’ successors; Eusebius introduces Plutarch on the philosophers’ views of the gods.

Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Praep. ev. 14.15.11 (Dindorf 2:294–295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/eusebius-praeparatio/14-10-1/#p-14-15-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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