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| Chapter II.—Justin describes his studies in philosophy.
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Chapter II.—Justin describes his
studies in philosophy.
“I
will tell you,” said I, “what seems to me; for philosophy is,
in fact, the greatest possession, and most honourable before God,1955
| 1955 ὧ some omit,
and put θεῷ of prev. cl. in
this cl., reading so: “Philosophy is the greatest possession, and
most honourable, and introduces us to God,” etc. | to
whom it leads us and alone commends us; and these are truly holy men who
have bestowed attention on philosophy. What philosophy is, however, and
the reason why it has been sent down to men, have escaped the observation
of most; for there would be neither Platonists, nor Stoics, nor Peripatetics, nor Theoretics,1956
| 1956 Maranus thinks that those who are different
from the masters of practical philosophy are called Theoretics. I
do not know whether they may be better designated Sceptics or
Pyrrhonists.—Otto. | nor Pythagoreans, this knowledge being
one.1957
| 1957 Julian,
Orat., vi., says: “Let no one divide our philosophy into
many parts, or cut it into many parts, and especially let him not make
many out of one: for as truth is one, so also is
philosophy.” | I wish to tell you why it has become
many-headed. It has happened that those who first handled it [i.e.,
philosophy], and who were therefore esteemed illustrious men, were
succeeded by those who made no investigations concerning truth, but only
admired the perseverance and self-discipline of the former, as well as
the novelty of the doctrines; and each thought that to be true which he
learned from his teacher: then, moreover, those latter persons handed
down to their successors such things, and others similar to them;
and this system was called by the name of him who was styled the father
of the doctrine. Being at first desirous of personally conversing with
one of these men, I surrendered myself to a certain Stoic; and having
spent a considerable time with him, when I had not acquired any further
knowledge of God (for he did not know himself, and said such instruction
was unnecessary), I left him and betook myself to another, who was called
a Peripatetic, and as he fancied, shrewd. And this man, after
having entertained me for the first few days, requested me to settle the
fee, in order that our intercourse might not be unprofitable. Him, too,
for this reason I abandoned, believing him to be no philosopher at all.
But when my soul was eagerly desirous to hear the peculiar and choice
philosophy, I came to a Pythagorean, very celebrated—a man who
thought much of his own wisdom. And then, when I had an interview with
him, willing to become his hearer and disciple, he said, ‘What
then? Are you acquainted with music, astronomy, and geometry? Do you
expect to perceive any of those things which conduce to a happy life, if
you have not been first informed on those points which wean the soul from
sensible objects, and render it fitted for objects which appertain to the
mind, so that it can contemplate that which is honourable in its essence
and that which is good in its essence?’ Having commended many of
these branches of learning, and telling me that they were necessary, he
dismissed me when I confessed to him my ignorance. Accordingly I took it
rather impatiently, as was to be expected when I failed in my hope, the
more so because I deemed the man had some knowledge; but reflecting again
on the space of time during which I would have to linger over those
branches of learning, I was not able to endure longer procrastination. In
my helpless condition it occurred to me to have a meeting with the
Platonists, for their fame was great. I thereupon spent as much of my
time as possible with one who had lately settled in our city,1958
| 1958 Either Flavia Neapolis is
indicated, or Ephesus.—Otto. | —a
sagacious man, holding a high position among the Platonists,—and
I progressed, and made the greatest improvements daily. And the
perception of immaterial things quite overpowered me, and the
contemplation of ideas furnished my mind with wings,1959
| 1959 Narrating his progress in the study of
Platonic philosophy, he elegantly employs this trite phrase of
Plato’s.—Otto. | so that in a
little while I supposed that I had become wise; and such was my
stupidity, I expected forthwith to look upon God, for this is the end of
Plato’s philosophy.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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