Early Greek philosophy

Name: Early Greek philosophy
Author: Burnet, John

Burnet, John

Philosophy, Ancient

He sees all over, thinks all over, and hears all over. R. P. 102.

                                   (25)

  But without toil he swayeth all things by the thought of his mind. R.
  P. 108 b.

                                   (26)

  And he abideth ever in the selfsame place, moving not at all; nor doth
  it befit him to go about now hither now thither. R. P. 110 a.

                                   (27)

  All things come from the earth, and in earth all things end. R. P. 103
  a.

                                   (28)

  This limit of the earth above is seen at our feet in contact with the
  air;[285] below it reaches down without a limit. R. P. 103.

                                   (29)

  All things are earth and water that come into being and grow. R. P.
  103.

                                   (30)

  The sea is the source of water and the source of wind; for neither in
  the clouds (would there be any blasts of wind blowing forth) from
  within without the mighty sea, nor rivers’ streams nor rain-water from
  the sky. The mighty sea is father of clouds and of winds and of
  rivers.[286] R. P. 103.

                                   (31)

  The sun swinging over[287] the earth and warming it....

                                   (32)

  She that they call Iris is a cloud likewise, purple, scarlet and green
  to behold. R. P. 103.

                                   (33)

  For we all are born of earth and water. R. P. _ib._

                                   (34)

  There never was nor will be a man who has certain knowledge about the
  gods and about all the things I speak of. Even if he should chance to
  say the complete truth, yet he himself knows not that it is so. But
  all may have their fancy. R. P. 104.

                                   (35)

  Let these be taken as fancies[288] something like the truth. R. P. 104
  a.

                                   (36)

  All of them[289] that are visible for mortals to behold.

                                   (37)

  And in some caves water drips....

                                   (38)

  If god had not made brown honey, men would think figs far sweeter than
  they do.

Footnote 284:

  I formerly, with Zeller, preferred Theodoret’s reading αἴσθησιν, but
  both Clement and Eusebios have ἐσθῆτα, and Theodoret is entirely
  dependent on them.

Footnote 285:

  Reading ἠέρι for καὶ ῥεῖ with Diels.

Footnote 286:

  This fragment has been recovered in its entirety from the Geneva
  scholia on Homer (see _Arch._ iv. p. 652). The words in brackets are
  added by Diels. See also Praechter, “Zu Xenophanes” (_Philol._ xviii.
  p. 308).

Footnote 287:

  The word is ὑπεριέμενος. This is quoted from the _Allegories_ as an
  explanation of the name Hyperion, and doubtless Xenophanes so meant
  it.

Footnote 288:

  Reading δεδοξάσθω with Wilamowitz.

Footnote 289:

  As Diels suggests, this probably refers to the stars, which Xenophanes
  held to be clouds.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Early Greek philosophyBurnet, John

Philosophy

Early Greek philosophy

Burnet, John

Philosophy, Ancient

He sees all over, thinks all over, and hears all over. R. P. 102.

                                   (25)

  But without toil he swayeth all things by the thought of his mind. R.
  P. 108 b.

                                   (26)

  And he abideth ever in the selfsame place, moving not at all; nor doth
  it befit him to go about now hither now thither. R. P. 110 a.

                                   (27)

  All things come from the earth, and in earth all things end. R. P. 103
  a.

                                   (28)

  This limit of the earth above is seen at our feet in contact with the
  air;[285] below it reaches down without a limit. R. P. 103.

                                   (29)

  All things are earth and water that come into being and grow. R. P.
  103.

                                   (30)

  The sea is the source of water and the source of wind; for neither in
  the clouds (would there be any blasts of wind blowing forth) from
  within without the mighty sea, nor rivers’ streams nor rain-water from
  the sky. The mighty sea is father of clouds and of winds and of
  rivers.[286] R. P. 103.

                                   (31)

  The sun swinging over[287] the earth and warming it....

                                   (32)

  She that they call Iris is a cloud likewise, purple, scarlet and green
  to behold. R. P. 103.

                                   (33)

  For we all are born of earth and water. R. P. _ib._

                                   (34)

  There never was nor will be a man who has certain knowledge about the
  gods and about all the things I speak of. Even if he should chance to
  say the complete truth, yet he himself knows not that it is so. But
  all may have their fancy. R. P. 104.

                                   (35)

  Let these be taken as fancies[288] something like the truth. R. P. 104
  a.

                                   (36)

  All of them[289] that are visible for mortals to behold.

                                   (37)

  And in some caves water drips....

                                   (38)

  If god had not made brown honey, men would think figs far sweeter than
  they do.

Footnote 284:

  I formerly, with Zeller, preferred Theodoret’s reading αἴσθησιν, but
  both Clement and Eusebios have ἐσθῆτα, and Theodoret is entirely
  dependent on them.

Footnote 285:

  Reading ἠέρι for καὶ ῥεῖ with Diels.

Footnote 286:

  This fragment has been recovered in its entirety from the Geneva
  scholia on Homer (see _Arch._ iv. p. 652). The words in brackets are
  added by Diels. See also Praechter, “Zu Xenophanes” (_Philol._ xviii.
  p. 308).

Footnote 287:

  The word is ὑπεριέμενος. This is quoted from the _Allegories_ as an
  explanation of the name Hyperion, and doubtless Xenophanes so meant
  it.

Footnote 288:

  Reading δεδοξάσθω with Wilamowitz.

Footnote 289:

  As Diels suggests, this probably refers to the stars, which Xenophanes
  held to be clouds.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Early Greek philosophy

Early Greek philosophy

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