Part V.

ARC ESI L AVS.
1
-j- Cic.
AcitCi,
1.
Hereupon Arcefilaus undertook to oppofe\ This School conftjtutecl by Arcefilaus^ was and contcft with Ze7io^ not out of any pertina-| called^ the fe^ond Academy ^ in relation to itsdef-
•f- Cic. ibid.
^ Cic. ibid.
City or defire of Glory, but led thereunto by that obfcurity of things, which had brought Socrates to a confefiion of his own Ignorance-, as likewife Democritus^ Anaxagoras^ Empedo¬ cles and almoft all the ancient Philofophers,who affirmed. That nothing could be underflood, nothing perceived, nothing known : That the Senfesare narrow', our Minds wreak, our Lives fhorr and Truth (as Democritus faithj d;vwn- edinan Ahyjs. That all things are held by opinion and inllitution, nothing left to Truth;and finally, all things are involved in darknefs.
f Thus Arcejilaus denied there is any thing that can be known, not lb much as that which Smaites referved, [that he knew nothing ] con¬ ceiving all things to be hid in fuch darknels, that there is nothing whiciTcan be feen or un- derftood. For thele reafons we ought not to profcfs or affirm any thing, or to approve any thinc>- by aflent ^ but always to reltram and withhold our Haftinefs from Errour, which then proveth great, when it approvech a thing falfe or unknown. Neither is there any thing more vile, than by aflent and approbation to prevent Knowledge and perception.^
^ He did, as was agreeable to this Tenet,
cent from Tlato-.,'oxA\t muldIe Academy Ipecf of the ncvo one, which was afterwards fet up hy- Carneades thought Cicero feemeth to f make nodiftinclion between this and that, but i- calleth this the new Academy : But, though his likely, that it was norat firftfo called ^ yet, upon the introduflion of a newer, it was af¬ terwards more generally known by the title of the middle.^ or, jecond Academy.
Thefe Acadeinicks differ from the Scepticks^ in as much, as, though they affirmed that nothing can be comprehended j yet they took not away true or falfe from things. On the contrary, they held that fome Phantafies were true, others falfe ^ but the Scepticks hold that they are both indifferent -, alike defenfible by Reafon. The Academicks aflert fome things to be wholly improbable, fome more pro¬ bable than others, and that a Wife Man, when any of thefe occur, ^ may anfwer, yes or Eufeb.pMp. following the probability, provided that he£v.ffl^.'ii).i4. with'hold from aflenting. But the Scepticks hold all things to be alike indifferent , not ad¬ mitting Judgment , nor allowing that either our Senfes or Opinions can perceive true or falfe, and therefore no faith is to be given to
difpute againft all Aflertions and Dodrines • them, but we ought to perfift firm and unmove- and having found, that in the fame thing the able without Opinion, or faying of any thing reafons of two Opinons direffly oppofite, were that it is,- any more than that it is not. of equal weight, he thence inferred, that we ^Eufeb. ought to with-hold our affents ft g, from both-: [ This Laertius means, when he
* faith, that he took away propoftions, by reafon
of the repugnance of Speech^ and was the frft -j *Eufeb.pr£par. that taught f argue on both fdes.'] ^ And that ! whom he conftantly read fome piece
Evavg, neither the Senfes nor Reafon are to be cr^i^d.! went to Bed, and as fbon as he rofe
CHAP. III.
His Vertues and Apophthegms.
E preferred Homer above all Writers, of
He therefore praifed that Apophthegm oTHefwd-. The Gods all knowledge have conceaVdjrom Mem But this t Saint Auguftine affirms was only ^t)ne, to conceal myfterioufly the meaning of Tlato ^ but, they neverthelefs had and held his Dofirins and Decrees, which they ufed.to unfold ^ to tliofe who liv’d, with them till they were old, He likewife, as Laertius faith, frji altered the manner of difputing which Plato delivered.^ andmade it more litigious by quejiionand anfwer^ ^ .... of which, thus Cicero-. Socrates ufed to find
Ot mb. 1.2. queftion and anfwer , the opinions of
thofe with whom he difeourfed, that if there were occafion, he might fay fay fomething upon that which they anfwered : This cuftom not re¬ tained by his Succeflbrs, was taken up by Ar¬ cejilaus.,. who inftituted, that they who would R-arn of him fliould not queflion him ^ but , rhemfelves tell him what they thought, which w'hen they had done, he difputed ' againft it ^ but, his Auditors were to maintain their own o- piiiioii as much as they could poffibly.- This courfe took Arcefilaus., contrary to all other Philofophers, amongft whom, he that would learn held his Peace -, which courfe, faith Cicero., is at this time held in the Academy, where he that, will learn, fpeaks in this manner^ Pleafure feems to be the chief good, wdierenpon in a long Oration it is difputed againft it, whereby may eafily be undeiflood, that they who fay, a thing feemeth to me to be fo,are not really of that opi-
in the Morning. When he went to read any thing in him, he faid, he went to his AUftrefs.
Pindar alfo he faid was proper to raifc the Voice, and give us fupply of Words.
He was fententious and fuccinft. in Speech, often ufing Expreffions of doubtful meaning. He ufed to reprehend and chide fharply,and free¬ ly, whence Timon faith of him,
When thou chid f young Men., think thou once
we I't young.
In this kind,L^m/^j inftances his Sayings to a Young Man, fpeaking confidently, Cdc. to an immodeft young Man, Cjc.
Emo a ChiaUj who, though very deformed, thought himfelf very handfbm, asking him as he put on a rich Cloak, whether he thought a Wife Man might not love.^ Arcefilaus anfwered, do you mean if he be as handfome and as fine as you.
To an effeminate Perfon, upbraiding him as it were of Pride, he fpoke this Verfe,
Shall we demand Great Sir., or Silent be ?
He immediately anfwered,
IVoman.why fpeakejl thou thefe harfh Words to mel
Being troubled with the talk of an incon- fiderable mean Perfon, he faid.
The Sons of Slaves intemperateJy fpeak.
Of another who talked impertinently, and
nion, but defire to hear the contrary maintained, qoudly, he faid, he had a peevifh Nurfe. For
'■ E e fome
fome he would make no anlwer at all.
To an Ufurer, who faid there was fomething he knew nor, he anfwered in thefe Verfes out oi Sophockss OEnonuuis^
The courfe oj Storms hid from the Bird doth Vntil the thne ihotjhcmuft lay draio ni^h-
To a Diale£lick Philofopher of Alexinus^s School, who was not able to fay any thing worthy Alexinus^ he related what Phi/oxenus did to’ a maker of Bricks, who over-hearing him fing his Verfes falfe, trod upon his Bricks and broke them, faying, as you fpoil mine,fo I yours.
He was angry at thofe who learned not the liberal Sciences in due time.
In difpute he ufed this word, I fa)\ and will not fuel) a one^ ( naming the ?QAon)aj]ent to this? which many of his Difciples aftefled to imi- tate,as allb his manner of Ipeaking and gefture.
He was mofl acute in anfwering appofitely, and converting his difeourfe to the prefent lub- jeQ, and fitting it for every time.
He was very efficacious inperfwafion, whence many Difciples reforted to him, though Ibme- times he fharply touched them, which they took patiently.
He was very goodj and much excited hope in his Auditors. .
As to the neceflaries of Life, he was liberal and communicative, ready to do good, and much endeavouring to conceal it, avoiding all that kind of vain-glory. Vifiting Ctefibim^ who was fick, and perceiving him to be poor, he privately put a Purle under his Pillow, which wffien he found •, This, laith he, is the fport of Areefilciusd ktxoxAsx time he lent him loco ^ o Drachms. ^ Plutarehiehtes this as done to A-
M.^abmk.P^Ees the Chian Painter, whom Areejilaus
many other teflimonies of kindnels coming to vifit as |ie lay fick, arid perceiving how poor he was, departed , and returning foon after, bringing twenty Drachms with him, then fitting dole to Apelles's Bed-fide, Here is nothing , lays he , bejides EmpedocHs pour Elements ,
. f/>T, IPater^ Earthy and JEther mounting high^
but methinks you he not at your Eafc^ and with that taking occafion to remove his Pillow, he conveyed the Purfe privately under it, which when the old Woman that tended him found, andwondring, fhewed to Apelles^ he laughing, faid. This is one of AfeefilausT Thefts. t Laert. t Ele recommended Archias^ an Arcadian to Eumenes King of Peigamus., by whom he was exalted to great Dignity.
He was very liberal, and free from Cove- toufnels, as appeared by his Utenfils of Silver, and vying with Athecrates., and Callicrates. He had many Veflels of Gold, which he lent un¬ to many upon occafion of Fealfing. Thele Silver Velfels a certain Man borrowed to enter¬ tain his Friends withal • Arcefilaus knowing him t^'be poor, would never fend for them back ; Others report he lent them to him on purpofe,and when he brought them back,becaule he was poor, he freely belf owed them on him.
He had a fair Eftate at Pitaiic., from which Pylades his Brother continually fupplied him. Eumenes 'APo Son of Philetcri/s^gvtQEvcn many large Prefents, whence to liim only of all Kings he applied himlelf.
When Antigonus was much followed, and many Perlbns thronged to his Houle, he fbr- bore, declining his acquaintance. He was in¬ timate with the Governour oh Aluni.
ehia^ and Pircum^ and conflantly, on Holidays, went thither to vifit him ; Uierocles often en¬ treated him to vifit Antigonus.^ but he refhled, and went along with him as far as the Door, and there parted with him. After Antigonus'‘s fight at Sea, many writing confblatory EpilUc*s to him, Arcefilaus was filent. Being lent by his Country on an Embaffy to Antigonus at IV- metrias.^ he returned frulirate of his defign.
He lived the greateff part of his time in the Academy, avoiding to meddle with publick Bufinels ^ but fometimes went to the Pircum^ as we faid, out of Love to Hierocles j for which fome reproved him.
• He was very magnificent (indeed a lecond Arifippus) in the entertainment of his Friends.
He openly profelTed Love to Theodote and Philo- ta.^ Curtezans of Elis, for which being repre¬ hended, he rehearfed the Chrias of Arifijppus.
He was very amorous, and much affeaed the Company of young Men, whence Arijio of Chios^ a Stoick, called him a corrupter of Youth, temerarious, and impudent. Of thole whom he affeHed are mentioned Demetrius and Leo- charcs ^ Demoehares^ Son of Laches.^ and Pysho- cles Son of Bugerus^ much affected him.
For thefe things he was much inveighed a- gainft at the Houfe of Hieronymus the Peripa» tetick., who had invited his Friends to celebrate the Birth Day of Alcyoneus^ Son of Antigonus^ for the keeping of which Feaft, Antigonus fent yearly much Money. At this Fealt Arcefilaus would not difpute amidft the Cups j and when Aridelus propounded a queftion to him, requi¬ ring that he wmuld fay fomething to it , he anfwered it is the beft property of a Philofo¬ pher to know the Seafons of all things.
But, he was fo free from Pride, that he counfelled his Difciples to go and hear other Mailers ^ and when a certain Chian Youth of his School declared, that he was not pleafed with what he laid fo much as with the Dif- courfes of Hieronymus^ he took him by the hand and led him to the Philofopher, defiring him to cherifh him according to his quality.
To one that asked why Men went from o- ther Sefts to the Epicureans., but never from the Epicureans to other Se£ls .• Becaufe, faith he, of Men, fome are made Eunuchs, but of Eunuchs never any are made Men.
. ^ He laid. Where there are many Medicines, and many Phyficians, there are molt Dileafes ^ and where there are many Laws, there is molt Iniquity.
t He advifed to Ihun Dialefifick, becaufe f 5^95. Ser.- it turneth all things upfide down. 212.
^ He compared Logicians to Gamelfers that * play at Dice, who take delight whilft they are cofened.
t He affirmed, that Poverty is rugged as t stoi. Ser, Ithaca, but good to bring up a Child, in that it ^35- inureth to Frugality and Abftinence , and is ge¬ nerally a good Sckiol of Vertue.
CHAP
pA K T. V.
PLATO.
219
CHAP. IV.
IJis Death.
* ^ the end of his Life,
VV he bequeathed all his Eflate to his Brother Vylades ^ to which end , Mccreas not knowing it , he lent him firft to Chios., and from thence Tent for him back again to Athens. He fent three Copies of his W ill, one to Am- phicritus at Eretria., another to Ibme Friends of bis 2LZ Athens., the third to 'Ihaimafias his near Kinfman, to be kept by them ^ with the laft he fent this Letter.
Arcejilaus to Thaumajias , health.
I Diogenes Will to bring to you., for being often fick and infirm of Body., 1 thought fit to make my Will., leji if any fudden Accident Should befal me., I Jhould depart this Life with
fome Injury done to you, whom I have found fo bountiful towards me. I defire that you, the moji faithful of all my Friends, will take it into yourCuftody. Approve your fe If juft to that ex^ traordinary triift which I have repofed in you, that it may appear I have made a right choice.
He died, as Hermippus faith, in a kind of Phrenzy, after he had drunk much Wine, 75 * years old, in the fourth Year of the 1 34th O- ! lympiad,^ as may be conjeftured from the fuc- cefhon of Lacydes, in the School which began at that time. The Athenians buried him with fuch Solemnity as never any was before.
He took not any Women into the Houfe with him, neither had he any Children. He flouriflied»according to Apollodorus m the 120th Olympiad.
There were three more of this Name, one an ancient Comick Poet, the fecond an Elegiack Poet, the third a Statuary.
LACYDES.
LacA. ACTDES FuccQQdci Arcefilaus he
I was a Cyrenean, (his Father named I Alexander a perfon of much gravi-
« ty, and had many Emulators. He
was from his youth much given to ftudy, poor, but pleafing to all company, and of a delight¬ ful Converfation.
As concerning his managing his Houfhould affairs, it is reported that when he took any thing out of the place where he kept his pro- vifions, he locked the Door, and threw the Key in at a hole that none might ffeal ought from him ^ which his Servants obferving, fre¬ quently took it, and opening the Door, car¬ ried away what they thought good, and then put it into the fame place again, in which Faff they were never dilcovered.
But themoft pleafant part of the Story, is, htfeb. pr£p. that (as + Numenius affirms) he was thereby Evang.iib.i^i. pgrfwaded to be of the Opinion of the middle Academicks ^ that nothing is comprehen¬ ded by fenfe, arguing thus ^ Why fhould . I think that Senfe can comprehend any thing cer¬ tainly, when I know that my own Senfes are fo often deceived, for when I go abroad , I think that I fee with my Eyes thofe things which I leave in my Storehoufe •, when I return I find none of them -, which could not be unlels our Senles were fallible and uncertain, a
Lacydes upon the Dearh of Arcejilaus, being made Mailer of the School in the fourth year of the 134th Olympiad, taught in the Academy,
_ • in, ihe^rdens which were/ made by - Attains _ , . , . the, l^ing,- . which from him were called the .i\r. XMcydean Laertius, and, from him,
5»itf demy j - but- erroneoufly. He continued this Charge 2(5 Years, at the end whereof lie refign-, ed . itjwhilft he was yet alive, to L decks . and
Euander, Fhocians, his Diiciples, in the fecond year of the 141ft Olympiad.
fending for him to come to him, he returned him anfwer, 'That Figures make the beft Shew at a di fiance.
Studying Geometry in his old Age, one laid to him, Is it now time ? he anfwered. When, if not now?
Athen.-eus faith, That Lacydes and Timon Philofophers,being invited by oneoftheirFriends to an entertainment of two days, and defirous to fuit themfelvestQ the Company, drank very freely. Lacydes went away firft, half Drunk, and perceiving Timon tp AqA away too, faid n. x, out of Homer,
To our great Glory Hefilor we have Slain.
The next day meeting again at the
fame place, and feeing. hijEij.%!^-^bre to takeoff his Cups at ofice, made a paufe, when he put it to his Mouth the fecond time, he jaid hut of . another place of Homer, ^ ' 5’
Thofe are unhappy who conteji with me.
JElian likewife numbers thefe two amongft the great drinkers, and perhaps not unjuft- ly i for by excefs of Wine he fell into the Palfie, of which he died in the fecond Year of the- one hundred Fony firft Olym¬ piad.
He wrote Philofophicks^ and of Nature.
In the School, he was fucceeded,^ as is faid by E V AN D E R, Evander, by hisDifciple, hGES INUS, whom . Clemens Alexandrinus calleth Hegefilaus of Fergamus, Egefinus, by CARNE'ADES,
Var, hi3.
Eea CARNE-
c A R N E A D E S
.r
Pakt V.
i;
w I
I'
XI
CARITEADES
CHAP. I.
H/s Country^ Varents^ Tme, Mafters.
CARNE ADE S ( Succeflbr of Egejjnus) was ^ Cyrene^ whence t Cicero laith, f jLzaI quU. he was an acute Perfon, as being an African. He ^ was Son of Epicomus^ or Ehilocomu 's. Apollo-
dor us., as cited by Laertius affirmeth he died in the idad Olympiad ^ but there is a miflake in the Text ^ for the words of Apollodcrus re¬ late doubtleis tp the time of his Birth, which upon that Authority, we may affirm to have
tfl
been in the firft Year of the i6ith. Olympiad'.
Florus (cited by ^ Plutarch) adds, he W2is * Symptf. born on the feventh day of Thargelion., at what«« time the Carnean Feftivals were celebrated at Cyrene., whence perhaps he took his Name.
This time falling after the Callippical Period, we ffiall compute it according to t ^
Method, which although it be not exempt ffomqueftion, yet is better than that of Sea-
hery
1