I. and 2>.

(n) Lib.
Ep. i6.
(o) Var.Hift.4..
(p) Lib. 10.
Firjl Ceres-^f,fif; to Eiuman-Jndtgence ^
Pcmxrned Athens did long fince difpenfe^ jdnd Mens difordcred ways by Laws redrefl^ j^nd firjl our l ife with greatejl Comfiort Blejl^
When it produc'd a Perfon of fiuch Worthy (forth.
WhofeBreaji contain'dychofelJps aUTruth brought
- Now forafmuch as the /thenian People, be- ipg diitingiiithed by Tribes, were difperfecl in¬ to TVS J'rycH , the adjacent Towns , which ^ ^ ^ _
were made free Cor potations, even from the out of the Chronology of v/po/Zot/orMf X ia time oiThefeus't Epicurus was Born at Gargettus.^ the 3^ year of the 1 09th Olympiad, the y^&day a Town (as (fe) /:/c/yfffc/MJand P/jiawor/wMi deforibe of the Month Gamelion'.^ at whofe Birth, it) belonging to the
^ Til., .X ...... ‘T wr A ^ Uk A O ^ ««* H KT _ _ ll*
CHAP. II.
The Time of his Birth.
jgp;™™, w,5 born ( as (a) Laertius relates C*) liliw lo.
C.^) In Soh'tie. (r) Loc. Cit.
if) In JvthcJ.
Lib. 3.
CULib. 14.
(u) Dc Nar. .deor Lib. i.
f ro) In voc. Ep‘::tr.
(x) Loc, Cit. (j*) Ad,vX’i?for. Lifa. 2-
f?) DeAraor
' t I../ c> • ^
(^i')Plutarch') 1 he feus overcame the PalianttdxpwlxQ confpired againlt him zx\At^geus\ and where Euryfiheus'^iis (k) Stephanus relates ) was buried. For this reafon, he is faid, by ( (/) Laertius., to have been s/‘»r//.*»'rtfpTijT7/(9-*, by (w) Sf^ifr«r term¬ ed, the Gargettick Juthr, and tht Gargettick old Man ; by («) Cicero (0) lElian^ and others, fim- ply the Gargettian.
Laertius (/>) (out of Mctrodorusfin his Treatife of Nobility') writes, that Epicurus was, of the Fami¬ ly of the Pkilaidx ; the Philaidx were denomina¬ ted from Philxus.^ the fecond Son of Ajax., who dwelt in Melite., and is mentioned by (y) Plu¬ tarch., who adds, that Pifi(lratus alfo was of the Philaidx. Of this Family was the Father of Epicurus., ( according to (r ) Laertius and others) named Ncocles., his Mother Cbarejlrata. He is alfo frequently cited, after the Greek fafhion, Epicurus Nfoclis., foinetimes fimply termed Neo- cluks., as when compared by (/) Menander with Themiftocles., whofe Father was named Neocles alfo I omit, that his Father was (according to (0 Strabo ) one of the Two thoufand Citizens, whom tlic ritbenians fent to Samus to (hare the Land by Lots, whither they had before fent Pe- rides and Sophocles^ who ftricfly befteged the re- voiced Samians. I omit alfo, that he was a Schoolmafter, which ( be(ides hrabo) (u) Cicero obferves, when proceeding to reproach him. But his little farm., faith he, mt being faficient to maintain him, as / conceive^he became a ScJjool- mafier.
(w) Suidas mentions only two Brethren of Epicurus., Neocles and Charedemus ;but fx) La- erthss ( out of Pinlodemus the Epicurean ) adds a third, Arijlobuhis, whom (y) Plutarch fome- times feems to call Jgatbobulus. By what cart and Benevolence Epicurus gained their 'Re vereiv .and AffeSion, is excellently declared by (c)
vvQtthy ''AdmiraEwaj bow )he cirhe .6> tb wtin .tJ7tn\^aivi:th€5S to be vvod.; Thht may; be in-'
foired frem^ his W'rll, wheretn he ordereth no-
Hecatomb^eon (the Firft Month) this Year falling in the Summer of the Year 4372. of the Jn/wS Period, (now ufed by Chronologers ) it is nta- nifeft, that Gamelion the fame Year, being the 1th Month frotn Hecatombxm, fell upon the be¬ ginning of the year 4373. which was before the ordinary Computation from Chrift, 341 coihpleat Y^rs. Now ferafmuch asinS^^oa- ary, in which Month the beginning^f
is obferv’d to have fallen, there hapned a new Moon in th^ Attick Horizon, by the Tables of Celeftial Motions, the Fourth Day, in the Morning, ( or the Third Day, according to Athenians, who, as (c) Cenforinus faith, reckon their Day from Sun-fet to Sun-fet) and there¬ fore the Twentieth day of the Moon, is co¬ incident with the Three and twentieth of Ja¬ nuary, It will follow, that Epicurus was Bora on the 23 day of January, if we fuppofe the fame Form of the Year extended from the time of Cxfir, upwards. And this in the old Style, according to which the Cycle of the Sun, or of the Dominical Letters for that Year, (it being Biflextile ) was B. A. whence the 23 Day of Ja¬ nuary mud have been Sunday. But if we fuit it with the Gregorian Account, which is Ten days earlier, fnow in ufe with us) we (hall find that Epicurus was Born on the ^d of February, which was Sunday, ( for the Dominical Letters mufl: have been £. D.) in the Year before Chrift, or the Chriftian Computation, 341. and confe- quently in the 1 974^6 Year, compleat, before the beginning of February this Year, which is from Chrift i 36 paired by.
Firft, That (d) Laertius obferves Sofigenes to(i) i«» %ave bben Archon the fame Year, wherein Epi- 'urups-yy^a^ and that it was the ith Year
irdifi tiie death of Plato. Moreover, it was the -iBth o^ w*;,fa84^
’owing tihats^'ia which . was fPIvtO;
( :I
come to him, then 1 5 Tears old.
Secondly^
'jM-, , T^rr
535
B4RT XIII. ETIGURUS.
I , . . — - - — _
(f) In Chron. Secondly, That (f) Eufebius can hardly be cxcufed from a Miltake, making Epicurus to fiourifh jn the 1 1 Olympiad ; for at that time,
' Epicurus fcarce had pafs’d bis Childhood, and
V jirijlqth began but to hourilh in the Lycetum^
being returned the foregoing Olympiad out of (l) Loc. Cit, Macedonia^ as appears from (/) Laertius.
Thirdly, That the Error which is crept into ' (jfr;inToc.f:/i. (h) Saidas, and hath deceived his Interpreter, is not to be allowed, who reports Epicurus Born in the -jgth Olympiad/ I need not take Notice, how much this is- inconfifteut, not only with other Relations, but even with that which fol- loweth m Sutdws, where he extends his Life to j^ritigofms GonotoA • I fhall only obferve, that,for the number of Olympiads, having doubt- lefs fet down s 9, which denote the 1 09th Olym¬ piad, thq end of the f was eafily defaced in the Manufeript, fo as there remained only which means of 0 9, v/as made the Olym¬ piad,
Fourthly, That it matters not that the Chro- nicon j4lexandrimm,Ceor^ius SinceOus, and others, fpeak too largely of the time wherein Epicurus flourilbed, and that we heed not the Errors of fome Perfons, otherwife very Learned, who make Arifiippus later than Epicurus, and fome- thing of the like kind. Let us only obferve (0E>c vi.aw. what (/) St. Hierom cites out of Cicero^ pro GaUio •, A Poet is there mentioned, making Epicurus and difcourfing together, Whofe Times Cicero, we know were disj^yned > not by Tears, but Jges.
Fifthly, That the Birth-day of Epicurus, ta- ken from Laertius and Eliny, feems to argue, ^ That amongft the Athenians of old, the Civil
Months and theLunary had different Beginnings.
, This indeed will feem ftrange, unlefs we Ihould
imagine it may be colleded, that the Month Camelien began only from the Full Moon that went before it ; For, if we account the i /^th i day of the Moon to be the ift of the Month,
■ the T fl of the Moon will fall upon the yrb of the
; Month, Not to mention that Epicurus feems
in his Will to appoint his Birth-day to be Cele¬ brated on the Firft Decad of the days of the Month Gamelion, becaufc he was Born in one of them -, and then ordaineth fomething more particularly concerning the loth of the Moon, A Birth-day, as we (hall relate
Writ^ hereafter; Unlpfs you think it fit to follow the is no other * Anonymous \Vriter, who affirms, Epicurus was than Staiiger, Born on the 10th Day of Gamelion ; but I know whofe mi- jjot whether his Authority (hould ont- weigh La- ^^part Certainly, many Errors, and thofe ve-
hath ry great, have been obferved in him, particu- unhaopHy fbl- larly by Meurfius, I lhall not take Notice, that lowed, and ta- the of Gamelion might perhaps be under- kc" ftood of the loth of the Moon , hapning
within the Month Gamelion, from Cicero^ whofe hitnfoJRc Words we (hall cite hereafter. But this by the antient Au* way. thor*
CHAP. III.
IVhere be lived in his ytunger time.
uiertiusy (a) out of Heraclides, in his Epi-^'*^ tome of Sotion relates, that a Colony be¬ ing fent by the Athenians lo Samus, Epicurus was bred up there till the iSth year of his Age, in which he went to -/Athens ; Xenocrates li¬ ving in the Academy, rlrijlotle at Chalcis. 14.
Strabo adds, that being firft brought up, partly at Samus, partly at Teas, he fpent the firft part of his Youth at Athens, growing up together with, Menander, the Comick Poet, (c) Laer-^‘^^ tius further relates, That Alexander dying, and / t\\t Athenians being oppreft by Pcrdiccas, he went to Colophon to his Father, ( about the 23 year of his age ) and that he lived awhile there.
And adds afterwards out of ApoSodorus, that from the 32 year of his Age to the he li¬ ved partly at Mitylene, partly at Lampfacutii,
( whither he made a dangerous Voyage, as (d)(d')AAv. CoL Plutarch obferves. ) (e) Suidas fets down how Lib. 2. much time he beftowed in eacli of thefe places,
One Year at Mitylene, Four at Lampftcum. La-
ertius adds, that he returned to Athens, when
Anaxicrates was Archon. Now forafmuch as
Anaxicrates ( who fucceeded Charinus, in the year
of whofe Magiftracy , as (/) Seneca notes , Cf) Epife. i8.
Epicurus writ to Poly^nus ) was Archon in the xd
Year of the iiStb Olympiad, and confequently
the ^6th of Epicurus's Age, there muft necelfari-
ly be here a Metachronifm of one Year.
Hitherto of the places where Epicurus lived in his younger times, partly Learning, partly Teaching, before he fetled at Athens, where he inftituted a Seft.
CHAP. IV.
Bis Majlers.
AS for the Mafters which he had, we read,
' in (i-i) Laertius, that fome relate, Epicu- (a) Lib. 10. rus was Auditor of Pamphilus the Platonick; (fc) in Epic. Suidas faith the fame •, (c) Cicero alfo mentions Pe Nat. Epicurus, himfelf acknowledging, that he heard ** him at Samus, but exceedingly flighted his Do- drine. Others alfo report the fame.
Moreover , (d) Clemens Alexandrmus and others, report Naufiphanes the Pythagorean, Dif- ** ciple of Pyrrho, to have been his Mafter, though , , , , „
(e) Sextus Empiricus writes, That he hirafclf de- ny’d he had been Difciple to Naufiphanes. Apol- lodorus, in his Chronology, reports. That Epi¬ curus heard Lyfiphanes and Praxiphaties ; but this, faith (/) Laertius, he doth not himfelf ac- loc. Gt.
knowledge, in his Epiftle to Euridicus.
He might indeed have heard Xenocrates, an^ fome there are ( faith (/) Cicero ) who tbirtk, he did hear him, ( as Demetrius the Magnefian in La^ or. Lib. i. ertius^ bnc Epicurut himfelf will not allow it.
I would mention Democrates, with whom,(fo)
Plutarch faith, Epicurus contefted about Syllables and Accents > but that I fufped Democrates to be fallly read inftead oi Democritus, even from this, that Plutarch adds. That Epicurus ftole all his Opinions from him, which was the common
Objedion
E T i C U R U S. ? ART’ Xllli
Objedion concerning Demecritus ^ as (hall be (hewn hereafter.
(l) Phyr. \ fhould mention alfo Metrodo''us^ whom (fe)
Stobxus calls, his Interpreter-, Do-
• Horerrt^ the Majler of Epicurus ^ and (hould fufped C'n Cap. I. he were the fame with him, whom (/) Solinus makes contemporary with. Diogenes the Cynick ; did not the Opinion, attributed to him of the Infinity of Worlds, and of Atoms, argue, that r- this was the CfcwM, Difciple of De-
' fnocritus whom Epicurus might have , not as Dof^orem^Oi Teacher by word of Mouth; but as Du&orem^ a Lender^ by Writing.
_ , Thus alfo is Lucian to be taken, when he faith fportingly, that fpJCMm was Difciple to Democritus^ making him to be Difciple of Ari- Jltppus alfo, by reafon of his Opinion of Pleafure, wherein yet there was a great difference between them, as we (hall (hew in its due place. But
(m) Lociscita-'notvvithffanding all we have alledged, (m) Ci-
tis. cero^ Plutarch^ Empericusy and others, write, that
Epicurus ufed to boaflr. That he never had any Matter, but was his own Teacher,
and attained Philofophy by his own Wit and Induflry. And though they feem to mention this, not without fome difparagement of him, yet it will eafily be granted, that he found out nwhy things of himfelf,{ince this was that where¬ in he took moft delight at his lafl: end ; and witfial, feeing he writ fo many Books, filled on¬ ly With his own Sayings, as we (hall (hew here- («) Apud. 14- afcer,\, And indeed (w) Athenxus, dtlivering in ert. Lib. lo. Epigram an excellent Sentence of his, con¬ cludes, as if Epicurus learnt it not from any other, than from the Mufes and Jpollo. Hither alfo conduce thefe commendations of Laertius :
Difpenfing Gifts acquir'^d by his own Breaft.
And, .
He Youz^d his Soul to breah the narrow Bonds ^
Which fetter Nature -
And others of the fame kind.
As for thofe whom Epicurus particularly Co) hoc. Git. efteem’d, (o) Laertius ( citing Diodes ) affirms, he was chiefly addifted so (though
in fome things he contradifted him ) and Arche- taus^ who was Mafier to Socrates. Of Demo¬ critus wc {haWC’pizsikhtrteif ter. I only add, that Epicurus much admiring the converfation of Pyrrho^ continually queftion’d his Difciple Nau- (^p) Lib. 9. .ftphanes concerning him; as (jf>) Laertius faith, in the Life of Pyrrho.
G H A P. V.
Whea^ and upon what occajlon^ he addiEled bim- fdfto Philofophy j and inftituted a Sed.
(s) la Epic, C^Vidas {a) faith. That he began to apply himfelf to Philofophy in the .12th Year of .• .f' ' • which is confirmed by others, who
wrote his Life, as (b) Laertius relates. But (u) Ibid; Epicurus himfelf ( alledged by the fame (c) La¬ ertius ) attefteth. That be did not addid him¬ felf to Philofophy till he was Fourteen Years (i) Ibt'J. old. Herinippus (in (c^) Laertius ') that, lighting accidentally upon the Books of Demo- cntiis , he betook himfelf to Philofophy ; but
r • ! -
ApoUodorus the Epicurean., In the Firffc Book^ of • ' ; ' '0
the Life of Epicurus., affirms, he applied hiiii^ felf to Philofophy upon diflike of the SopHiftS' and Grammdrians, for that they could riot ek-» plain what Hefiod meant by Chaos, (e) Seoiturce) Mt.Vhyl. Empiricus having related this more fully, it wfll-Lib» 2. not be amifs to tranferibe his Words. Havirt^ ■■■ propofed foibe Doubts condemning thefe Veffes of Hefiod.,- . - ' ■ . :v
Firfi, Chaos ftext broad-Breafied Earth was mdde.
The feat of all - - ■■
He adds, and fome affirm. That this was- the- occafion of Epicurus’s fudden applying himfelf- to Philofophy ; for being yet very young, He^ asked a Grammarian who read to him {^'Chzuis' . was firft made Of what was Chaos made,' if it was firft made ? The' other anfwcriag. That it did not belong to him to Teach fuch thiftgs, but to thofe who were called Philofophcrs.Then, faith Epicurus, I mufl go to thofe, for they are the Perfons that know the Truth of Beings.-
To omit, what fome affirm, that he was, as Hermippus ( (f) in Laertius ) relates, before he (f) toe; Oct addifted himfelf to Philofophy, a Schoolmafter .- And though the (g) Stoicksy who were much hisfg)
Enemies, reproached him, that with his Father he taught Boys for a fmall ftipend , and • 0
that with his Mother he went from Houfe td Houfe reading expiatory Prayers; 1 obfervc; that after he had applyed himfelf toPhilofo-' phy, he inftituted a School, being Thirty two years old, as (/?) Laertius relates, and this firft (i)iMa, at Mitylene, afterwards at Lampfacum, as may Be- collefted from the relation of Suidas, but had Difciples alfo from Colophon, as (t) Laertius r^fODfid; lates. ■
Returning to Athens in the ^6th,OT sphYeat’ of his Age, He awhile Difeourdd ( faith Laertius ) of Philofophy in Publick with others, but afterwards inftituted a Sed in Private, denominated from him. At firft indeed,admiring the Doiftfirie of Democritus, he profefled himfelf a Democri- tian, as Plutarch (0 relates; but afterwards, (/) Ad. Cot u for that he changed or added many things, his Followers were from him called Epicureans. ; - .
CHAP. VI.
His School.
• I .
' ! C
WHereas other ProfefTors of Sefts made choice of particular places in Athens, as the Academy, the and thelike, he.
purchafed a very pieafant Garden, for Four- fcore Minx, where he lived with his Friends and ■ ^ Difciples, and taught Philofophy. Thns,amongft others, (a) Laertius citing ApoUodorttS. (fc) Phny (a) Loc.Qt- writes, that Epicurus firft brought into Athens, (b) LM». 19- the Cuftome of having under the name of Z/or- tus a Garden, the Delights of Fields and Coun¬ try Man fions within the Cityitfelf, whereas, untill his Time, ’twas not the falhion to have thofe kinds of Manfions ( Rut a ) in Towns.
Hence we may conjefture, that this was the place which (c) Paufanias rei»rts to have been ^f) called, even in his time, the Gardens, adding.
That there was in it a Statue oiE'enus, made by
Akamems,
.}/* :T‘- t . . .