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| Archelaus; System Akin to that of Anaxagoras; His Origin of the Earth and of Animals; Other Systems.
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Chapter VIII.—Archelaus; System Akin to that of Anaxagoras;
His Origin of the Earth and of Animals; Other Systems.
Archelaus was by birth an Athenian, and son of
Apollodorus.89
This person,
similarly with Anaxagoras, asserted the mixture of matter, and
enunciated his first principles in the same manner. This
philosopher, however, held that there is inherent immediately in mind a
certain mixture; and that the originating principle of motion is the
mutual separation of heat and cold, and that the heat is moved, and
that the cold remains at rest. And that the water, being
dissolved, flows towards the centre, where the scorched air and earth
are produced, of which the one is borne upwards and the other remains
beneath. And that the earth is at rest, and that on this account
it came into existence; and that it lies in the centre, being no part,
so to speak, of the universe, delivered from the conflagration; and
that from this, first in a state of ignition, is the nature of the
stars, of which indeed the largest is the sun, and next to this the
moon; and of the rest some less, but some greater. And he says
that the heaven was inclined at an angle, and so that the sun diffused
light over the earth, and made the atmosphere transparent, and the
ground dry; for that at first it was a sea, inasmuch as it is lofty at the horizon
and hollow in the middle. And he adduces, as an indication of the
hollowness, that the sun does not rise and set to all at the same time,
which ought to happen if the earth was even. And with regard to
animals, he affirms that the earth, being originally fire in its lower
part, where the heat and cold were intermingled, both the rest of
animals made their appearance, numerous and dissimilar,90
| 90 Or,
“both many of the rest of the animal kingdom, and man
himself.” (See Diogenes Laertius’ Lives, ii.
17.) | all having the same food, being nourished from
mud; and their existence was of short duration, but afterwards also
generation from one another arose unto them; and men were separated
from the rest (of the animal creation), and they appointed rulers, and
laws, and arts, and cities, and the rest. And he asserts that
mind is innate in all animals alike; for that each, according to the
difference of their physical constitution, employed (mind), at one time
slower, at another faster.91
| 91 There is some
confusion in the text here, but the rendering given above, though
conjectural, is highly probable. One proposed emendation would
make the passage run thus: “for that each body employed
mind, sometimes slower, sometimes faster.” |
Natural philosophy, then, continued from Thales until
Archelaus. Socrates was the hearer of this (latter
philosopher). There are, however, also very many others,
introducing various opinions respecting both the divinity and the
nature of the universe; and if we were disposed to adduce all the
opinions of these, it would be necessary to compose a vast quantity of
books. But, reminding the reader of those whom we especially
ought—who are deserving of mention from their fame, and from
being, so to speak, the leaders to those who have subsequently framed
systems of philosophy, and from their supplying them with a
starting-point towards such undertakings—let us hasten on our
investigations towards what remains for consideration. E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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