Part V.

PLATO.
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Sorn^e, as we faid, begin witli Akibiddes Alajor^ pthers from Theages, others from Eu- thyphrod^ others from QTitiphon., others from T.'m£i*s^ others ffom Fhxdrus (which they fay was the firft Dialogue he wrote, as the SubjeQ it felf feenieth to cotifirm, which favours of Youth j and therefore Dicearchus condmns it as too light : to which Cenfure ^ Gccro agreeth, as conceiving, he alcribed too great a power to Love) others begin with 'nexietus^ many with’ his Apology; ,
He mentions not himfelf in all his "Writings, except once in his FJudo^ and another time in his Apology for Socrates. At the recital of his Fhado, all but Ariihtle rofe, and went away. The efficacy of that Dialogue which treats of the Immortality of the Soul, is evident from Cle- ombrott/s of Ambracia., who, as fbon as he had read it wasfo difaffe6:ed to Life, that he threw himfelf from a high Wall into the Sea j upon whom thus t CallhnaSits^
Cleombrotus cries out; farewell this light.
And headlong throioshimfelf infendlefs night :
Not that he ought had done, deferving death.
Blit Plato read, and weary grew of Breath :
neither Moveable nor Permanent, the fanie both one and many. The like he ufeth often in other things.
The method of his DifcOurfe is three- fold : firff, to declare what that is which is taught ^ then for what reafon it is afferted, whether as a principal caufe, or as a comparifon, and whether to defend the Tenent, or oppugn the contrary. Thirdly, whether it be rightly faid.
The marks which he ufually affixed to hiS Writings, are^thefe.
denotes Platonkk. Words and figures. cT/ttah, Doftrines and Opinions proper to Plato.
choice Expreflions.
J'/tAjJ 'nfetsr/cTjWMVH, Correftibns.
q(35A^ Things Superfluous.
dyJoAypiA Double figification or
ufe.
Kie^vytoVi Philofophical Infticution.' as-4e oliiA©-, Improbacion. Hichrto Laertius.
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The Dialogues generally noted as Ipurious (not to fay any thing of his Epinomis, tho’ fome afcribe it to Vhilippus the Opuntian) ate thefe,
There are two EpifUes under Flato\ name^ befidesthofe in in his Works already mentioned, one in Laertius his Life of Architas.
Alidon, or the Horfe-courfer,.
Erixias, or Erafifratm.
Alcyon.
Acephali, or the Sifyphi.
Axioch//s.
Fhceaces.
Deinddocbf/si
Chelidon, '
The feventh.
Epimenides.
Of thefe Alcion is afcriBed by Phavorin»s to Leon.
His Style, Arijlotle faith, is betwixt Prole and Verfe. He ufeth variety of Names, that his Works may not eafily be underffood by the Unlearned. He conceiveth Wifdoni properly to be of Intelleflual things. Knowledge of re¬ al Beings converfant about God, and the Soul fcparate from the Body. Properly, he calleth Philofophy Wifdoni, being the appetition of Di¬ vine Knowledge', but, commonly he calleth all Skill Knowledge, as an Artificer, a Wife Man. He likewife uled the fame Names in divers fig- nificationsj which properly fignifies
Evil, he ufeth for of fimple; as Euripides in his Lycimnius of Hercules,

The 'fame words fometimes takes for Honefl, fometimes for Little. He likewife ufeth divers names to fignifie the lame thing : Idea he ufeth both for Species and Genus 5 Exem¬ plar, both Principle and Caufe. Sometimes he ufeth contrary expreflions to fignifie the fame thing j Senfible he calleth a Being and no Be¬ ing -, -a Being as having been produced ^ no Be¬ ing in refpebi of its continual Mutation. Idea,
Plato to Architas. ivxed.xlte.vi
TH E Commentaries which came from you^ we received with extraordinary content, in-* finitely admiring the Writer, who appears to us a perfon worthy of thofe ancient predecejfors for thofe Aien are faid to be Myrtcans of thofe Trojans, which were Banifhed in the time of LdiO- medon, good Alen, as Tradition f peaks them. Thofe Cdmm.entaries of mine, concerning which you write, are not yet Polijhed -, however, ai • they are, 1 have fent them to you, in the keep¬ ing of them we agree both, foasT need not give you any direUions. Earewell,
Anofhet Pilbliffied by Leo Allatius amongft the Epiftles.
I had not any of thofe things to fend to Syra- cufe which Architas de fired to receive by you as foon as pojfible I will fend to you. Philo- phy hath wrought in me I know not whether good or bad, ahatred of converjing with many Perfons, jufily, I think, fince they, err in all kind of holly, as well in private as publick Affairs -, but if un- jufily, yet known I can hardly live and breath otherwife. For this reafon 1 have fled out of the City, as out of a Den of Wild Beafis, living not far from the Epheftiades, and the places there¬ abouts. I how fee, that Tiraon hated not Alen, he could not affebl Beafis, therefore he lived alone by himfelf fperhaps not zoithout danger- Take this as you p leaf e •, my refolution is to live far from the City, now and for ever hereafter, as long as God Jhciil grant me Life.
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In
178
PLATO. Part Vi
In Poefie he wiit
Dithyrambs.
An Epic/i Pom,
Four Traget/iesj all which (as we Paid) he Burned.
The Atlantick Story., of which thus Plutarch ^ Solon began the Atlantick Story ( which he had learnt of the Priejis of Sais, very proper for the Athenians ) but gave it over by reajon of his Old Age., and. the largenefs of the Work. Plato took the fame Argument., oj a waft piece offer- tile Ground fallen to him by hereditary right •, He manured it., refined it., enclofed it with large Walls., Porches, and Galleries, fuch as never any Fable, or Poem had before •, but becaufe he un- deroook it late., he was prevented by Death. The more things written delight, the more their not being perfected is For as the Athenian
Qty left the Temple of Jupiter-, fo Plato’s Wif- dom amongft many excellent Writ ingsfeft the At¬ lantick alone imperfell.
If thou refufe my fute, yet redd in this.
How fhort thy years, how frail thy Beauty ist I cafi the Apple, loving thofe love thee, *
^ Xantippe yield, for foon both old will be. if
t On the Eretrians vanquifh’dby the Perfians. f Hmi. iib.s.
^ We in Euboea horn Eretrians are * taiert.
Buried in ^\xF2i from our Country far,
Tenus and the Mufes.
t Virgins (faid Venus to the Mufes) pay
Homage to usprEcrue fhall wound your hearts :
The Mufes anfwer^d, take thefe Toys away.
Our Breafis are proof againfi his childifh darts.
Fortune Exchang’d.
TT 'l Ualter quits, .
Miffing hts Gold, t other the Halter knits, 84. i. i
Epigrams, of which thefe are extant in Laer¬ tius and the Anthology.
Upon one Named Afler,
» Uert.Anm. ^ viewefi Heaven /
i.6,27. would he.
That 1 with thouf and eyes might gaze on thee.
Upon his Death.
\Uert. i A VhoFphet'mongft the Living, late wert thou.
But Shinfi among the Dead aKeFpet now.
Epitaph on Dion, Engraved on his Tomb at Syracufe. '
^ Old Hecuba the Trojan MatronV years Were interwoven hy the Fates with Tears -,
But thee with blooming hopes my Dion deckt, God\ did a Trophy of their Power ereS.
Thy honouPd Reliques in their Country reft. Ah Dion/ whofe Love rages in my Breaft.
On Alexis.
t Fair is Alexis, I no fooner faid.
When every one his eyes that way convefd : My Soul (as when fome Dog a Bone we fhow. Who fnatcheth it) loft we not Phacdrus fo?
On Sappho.
+ He, who believes the Mufes Nine, mifiakes^ ,
Lesbian Sappho their number makes, ig. **
Time.
^ Time all things brings to pafs,a change creates i- jinth.i. 19, In A'ameSyinForms, in Nations and in States. " ’ '
Death.
t That is a P lough-man'' s Grave, a SailoPs this -
To Sea and Land alike Death common is. ’ ^
22, 3.
On one Sliip-wreck’d.
^ The cruel Sea, which took my Life away, ^ Anth.^.22,6. Forbore to fir ip me of my laft Array :
From this a Covetous Man did not refrain AU'ing a Crime fo great for fofmall ga'in\
But let him wear 'it to the Shades, and there Before great Pluto in my Cloaths appear.
Another.
f Safely (0 Sailors) prefs the Land,and wave \ Aiith.^.22,j, Tet know, ye pafs a Ship-wreck" d perfon"s Grave.
On the Statue oF Venus.
t LaerUAnthol.
4. 33> 25.
t Laert. Antol. 3- 44-
Laos.
On Archicanafia.
^ To Archat’nalla, on whofe furrowed Brow Love fits in Triumph, I my Service vow If her declining Graces fh'ine Jo bright.
What flames felt you who faw her noon of light}
^ Paphian Cylh.Qr2i,fwimming crofs the Main,*
To Gnidas canie her Statue there to fee- * And from on high, furveying round the Plain Where Praxiteles me fpy ? (faith Jhe\
He faw not whaf s forbidden mortal Eyes,
"Twas Mars’T Steel that Venus did incize!
f LaerU
On Agathon,
My Soul, when I kifs"d A^athon, did ft art . Up to my Lip, ]uft ready to depart.
To Xantippe,
t An Apple I (Love's Emblem) at thee throw. Thou in exchange thy Virgin- zone be flow.
Another;
t Not carv'd by Steefor PraXitdes f am' dhand: x. ,
Thus naked before the fudges didft thou jiand.-^^^'^'^^'^'
Love Sleeping.
^ Within the covert of a fhady Grove »
We faw the Tittle red-cheek' d God of Love. 19. *
He had nor Bow nor ^iver, thofe among
The