Theophrastus: Leucippus

¹ Theophrastus was:

• a native of Eresus
• the son of Melantas, a fuller, as we are told by Athenodorus in the eighth book of his Philosophical Conversations.

² He was originally a pupil of Leucippus, his fellow citizen, in his own country.

After having attended the lectures of Plato, he went over to Aristotle.

When he withdrew to Chalcis, he succeeded him as president of his school, in the 114th olympiad.

³ A slave of his, named Pomphylus, was a philosopher, as we are told by Myronianus of Amastra, in the first book of Similar Historical Chapters.

⁴ Theophrastus was a man of great acuteness and industry, and, as Pamphila asserts in the thirty-second book of her Commentaries, he was the tutor of Menander, the comic poet. He was also a most benevolent man, and very affable.

⁵ Accordingly Cassander received him as a friend.

Ptolemy sent to invite him to his court. And he was thought so very highly of at Athens, that when Agonides ventured to[195] impeach him on a charge of impiety, he was very nearly fined for his hardihood.

There thronged to his school a crowd of disciples to the number of two thousand. In his letter to Phanias, the Peripatetic, among other subjects he speaks of the court of justice in the following terms:

“It is not only out of the question to find an assembly (πανήγυρις), but it is not easy to find even a company (συνέδριον) such as one would like; but yet recitations produce corrections of the judgment. And my age does not allow me to put off everything and to feel indifference on such a subject.”

Though he was of this disposition, he nevertheless went away for a short time, both he and all the rest of the philosophers, in consequence of Sophocles, the son of Amphiclides, having brought forward and carried a law that no one of the philosophers should preside over a school unless the council and the people had passed a resolution to sanction their doing so; if they did, death was to be the penalty.

But they returned again the next year, when Philion had impeached Sophocles for illegal conduct; when the Athenians abrogated his law, and fined Sophocles five talents, and voted that the philosophers should have leave to return, that Theophrastus might return and preside over his school as before.

⁶ His name had originally been Tyrtamus, but Aristotle changed it to Theophrastus, from the divine character of his eloquence.

⁷ He is said also to have been very much attached to Aristotle’s son, Nicomachus, although he was his master; at least, this is stated by Aristippus in the fourth book of his treatise on the Ancient Luxury.

⁸ Aristotle used the same expression about him and Callisthenes, which Plato employed about Xenocrates and Aristotle himself.

For he is reported to have said, since Theophrastus was a man of extraordinary acuteness, who could both comprehend and explain everything, and as the other was somewhat slow in his natural character, that Theophrastus required a bridle, and Callisthenes a spur.

⁹ He had a garden of his own after the death of Aristotle, by the assistance of Demetrius Phalereus, who was an intimate friend of his.

¹⁰ He used to say that it was better to trust to a horse without a bridle than to a discourse without arrangement.

And once, when a man preserved a strict silence during the whole of a banquet, he said to him, “If you are an ignorant man, you are acting wisely; but if you have had any education, you are behaving like a fool.”

A very favourite expression of his was, that time was the most valuable thing that a man could spend.

¹¹ He died when he was of a great age, having lived eighty-five years, when he had only rested from his labours a short time.

We have composed the following epigram on him:

The proverb then is not completely false, That wisdom’s bow unbent is quickly broken; While Theophrastus laboured, he kept sound, When he relaxed, he lost his strength and died.

When dying, he was asked by his disciples whether he had any charge to give them.

He replied, that he had none but that they should “remember that life holds out many pleasing deceits to us by the vanity of glory; for that when we are beginning to live, then we are dying. There is, therefore, nothing more profitless than ambition.

But may you all be fortunate, and either abandon philosophy (for it is a great labour), or else cling to it diligently, for then the credit of it is great; but the vanities of life exceed the advantage of it.

However, it is not requisite for me now to advise you what you should do; but do you yourselves consider what line of conduct to adopt.”

When he had said this, as report goes, he expired. And the Athenians accompanied him to the grave, on foot, with the whole population of the city, as it is related, honouring the man greatly.

¹² But Phavorinus says, that when he was very old he used to go about in a litter; and that Hermippus states this, quoting Arcesilaus, the Pitanæan, and the account which he sent to Lacydes of Cyrene.

¹³ He left behind many works:

• 3 books of the First Analytics
• 7 of the Second Analytics
• 1 book of the Analysis of Syllogisms
• 1 book, an Epitome of Analytics
• 2 books, Topics for referring things to First Principles
• 1 book, an Examination of Speculative Questions about Discussions
• 1 on Sensations
• 1 addressed to Anaxagoras
• 1 on the Doctrines of Anaxagoras
• 1 on the Doctrines of Anaximenes
• 1 on the Doctrines of Archelaus
• 1 on Salt, Nitre, and Alum
• 2 on Petrifactions
• 1 on Indivisible Lines
• 2 on Hearing
• 1 on Words
• 1 on the Differences between Virtues
• 1 on Kingly Power
• 1 on the Education of a King
• 3 on Lives
• 1 on Old Age
• 1 on the Astronomical System of Democritus
• 1 on Meteorology
• 1 on Images or Phantoms
• 1 on Juices, Complexions, and Flesh
• 1 on the Description of the World
• 1 on Men
• a Collection of the Sayings of Diogenes
• 3 books of Definitions
• 1 treatise on Love
• 1 treatise on Love
• 1 book on Happiness
• 2 books on Species
• 1 on Epilepsy
• 1 on Enthusiasm
• 1 on Empedocles
• 18 books of Epicheiremes
• 3 books of Objections
• 1 book on the Voluntary
• 2 books, being an Abridgment of Plato’s Polity
• 1 on the Difference of the Voices of Similar Animals
• 1 on Sudden Appearances
• 1 on Animals which Bite or Sting
• 1 on such Animals that are Jealous
• 1 on animals which live on Dry Land
• 1 on those which Change their Colour
• 1 on those which live in Holes
• 7 on Animals in General
• 1 on Pleasure according to the Definition of Aristotle
• 74 books of Propositions
• 1 treatise on Hot and Cold
• 1 essay on Giddiness and Vertigo and Sudden Dimness of Sight
• 1 on Perspiration
• 1 on Affirmation and Denial
• the Callisthenes, or an essay on Mourning
• 1 on Labours
• 3 on Motion
• 1 on Stones
• 1 on Pestilences
• 1 on Fainting Fits
• 1 on the Megaric Philosopher
• 1 on Melancholy
• 2 on Mines
• 1 on Honey
• 1 collection of the Doctrines of Metrodorus
• 2 books on those Philosophers who have treated of Meteorology
• 1 on Drunkenness
• 24 books of Laws, in alphabetical order
  • 10 books, being an Abridgment[198] of Laws
• 1 on Definitions
• 1 on Smells
• 1 on Wine and Oil
• 18 books of Primary Propositions
• 3 books on Lawgivers
• 6 books of Political Disquisitions
• 1 treatise on Politicals, with reference to occasions as they arise as 4 books
• 4 books of Political Customs
• 1 on the best Constitution
• 5 books of a Collection of Problems
• 1 on Proverbs
• 1 on Concretion and Liquefaction
• 2 on Fire
• 1 on Spirits
• 1 on Paralysis
• 1 on Suffocation
• 1 on Aberration of Intellect
• 1 on the Passions
• 1 on Signs
• 2 books of Sophisms
• 1 on the Solution of Syllogisms
• 2 books of Topics
• 2 on Punishment
• 1 on Hair
• 1 on Tyranny
• 3 on Water
• 1 on Sleep and Dreams
• 3 on Friendship
• 2 on Liberality
• 3 on Nature
• 18 on Questions of Natural Philosophy
• 2 books, being an Abridgment of Natural Philosophy
• 8 more books on Natural Philosophy
• 1 treatise addressed to Natural Philosophers
• 2 books on the History of Plants
• 8 books on the Causes of Plants
• 5 on Juices
• 1 on Mistaken Pleasures
• 1 on Investigation of a proposition on the Soul
• 1 on Unskilfully Adduced Proofs
• 1 on Simple Doubts
• 1 on Harmonics
• 1 on Virtue
• 1 on Occasions or Contradictions
• 1 on Denial
• 1 on Opinion
• 1 on the Ridiculous
• 2 called Soirees
• 2 books of Divisions
• 1 on Differences
• 1 on Acts of Injustice
• 1 on Calumny
• 1 on Praise
• 1 on Skill
• 3 books of Epistles
• 1 on Self-produced Animals
• 1 on Selection
• 1 on the Praises of the Gods
• 1 on Festivals
• 1 on Good Fortune
• 1 on Enthymemes
• 1 on Inventions
• 1 on Moral Schools
• 1 book of Moral Characters
• 1 treatise on Tumult
• 1 on History
• 1 on the Judgment on Syllogisms
• 1 on Flattery
• 1 on the Sea
• 1 essay, addressed to Cassander, on Kingly Power
• 1 on Comedy
• 1 on Meteors
• 1 on Style
• 1 book called a Collection of Sayings
• 1 book of Solutions
• 3 books on Music
• 1 on Metres
• 1 on the Megades
• 1 on Laws
• 1 on Violations of Law
• a collection of the Sayings and Doctrines of Xenocrates
• 1 book of Conversations
• 1 book on an Oath
• 1 of Oratorical Precepts
• 1 on Riches
• 1 on Poetry
• a collection of Political, Ethical, Physical, and amatory Problems
• 1 book of Proverbs
• 1 book, being a Collection of General Problems
• 1 on Problems in Natural Philosophy
• 1 on Example
• 1 on Proposition and Exposition
• a second treatise on Poetry
• 1 on the Wise Men
• 1 on Counsel
• 1 on Solecisms
• 1 on Rhetorical Art
• a collection of 61 figures of Oratorical Art
• 1 book on Hypocrisy
• 6 books of a Commentary of Aristotle or Theophrastus
• 16 books of Opinions on Natural Philosophy
• 1 book an Abridgment of Opinions on Natural Philosophy
• 1 on Gratitude
• 1 called Moral Characters
• 1 on Truth and Falsehood
• 6 on the History of Divine Things
• 3 on the Gods
• 4 on the History of Geometry
• 6 books as Abridgment of the work of Aristotle on Animals
• 2 books of Epicheiremes
• 3 books of Propositions
• 2 on Kingly Power
• 1 on Causes
• 1 on Democritus
• 1 on Calumny
• 1 on Generation
• 1 on the Intellect and Moral Character of Animals
• 2 on Motion
• 4 on Sight
• 2 on Definitions
• 1 on being given in Marriage
• 1 on the Greater and the Less
• 1 on Music
• 1 on Divine Happiness
• 1 addressed to the Philosophers of the Academy
• 1 Exhortatory Treatise
• 1 discussing how a City may be best Governed
• 1 called Commentaries
• 1 on the Crater of Mount Etna in Sicily
• 1 on Admitted Facts
• 1 on Problems in Natural History
• 1 on What are the Different Manners of Acquiring Knowledge
• 3 on Telling Lies
• 1 book as a preface to the Topics
• 1 addressed to Æschylus
• 6 books of a History of Astronomy
• 1 book of the History of Arithmetic relating to Increasing Numbers
• 1 called the Acicharus
• 1 on Judicial Discourses
• 1 on Calumny
• 1 volume of Letters to Astycreon, Phanias, and Nicanor
• 1 book on Piety
• 1 called the Evias
• 1 on Circumstances
• 1 volume entitled Familiar Conversations
• 1 on the Education of Children; another on the same subject, discussed in a different manner
• 1 on Education, called also, a treatise on Virtue, or on Temperance;
• 1 book of Exhortations; one on Numbers; one consisting of Definitions referring to the Enunciation of Syllogisms;
• 1 on Heaven
• 2 books on Politics
• 2 on Nature, on Fruits, and on Animals

These works contain in all 232,908 lines.

¹⁴ I have found his will: