and he takes number as an equivalent for intelligence. iv. 4; 389.
Pythagoras, Plato: According to a superficial account the soul is of two
parts, the one possessing, the other lacking, reason; but according to
close and exact examination, of three parts; for the unreasoning part
they divide into the emotions and the desires. (Theodor. v. 20); _Dox._
390. The successors of Pythagoras saying that body is a mixture of five
elements (for they ranked the aether as a fifth along with the four)
held that the powers of the soul are of the same number as these. And
these they name intelligence and wisdom and understanding and opinion
and sense-perception. iv. 5; 391. Pythagoras: The principle of life is
about the heart, but the principle of reason and intelligence is about
the head. iv. 5; 392. Pythagoras et al.: The intelligence enters from
without. iv. 7; 392. Pythagoras, Plato: The soul is imperishable. iv.
9; 396. Pythagoras et al.: The sense-perceptions are deceptive. iv. 9;
397. Pythagoras, Plato: Each of the sensations is pure, proceeding from
each single element. With reference to vision, it was of the nature of
aether; hearing, of the nature of wind; smell, of the nature of fire;
taste, of the nature of moisture; touch, of the nature of earth. iv. 14;
405. The followers of Pythagoras and of the mathematicians on reflections
of vision: For vision moves directly as it were against the bronze [of
a mirror], and meeting with a firm smooth surface it is turned and
bent back on itself, meeting some such experience as when the arm is
extended and then bent back to the shoulder. iv. 20; 409. Pythagoras,
Plato, Aristotle: Sound is immaterial. For it is not air, but it is the
form about the air and the appearance [ἐπιφανεία] after some sort of
percussion which becomes sound; and every appearance is immaterial; for
it moves with bodies, but is itself absolutely immaterial;[72] as in the
case of a bent rod the surface-appearance suffers no change, but the
matter is what is bent.
Aet. _Plac._ v. 1; 415. Pythagoras did not admit the sacrificial part
alone (of augury). v. 3; 417. Pythagoras: The seed is foam of the best
part of the blood, a secretion from the nourishment, like blood and
marrow. v. 4; 417. Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle: The power of seed is
immaterial, like intelligence, the moving power; but the matter that
is poured forth is material. v. 20; 432. Pythagoras, Plato: The souls
of animals called unreasoning are reasonable, not however with active
reasoning powers, because of an imperfect mixture of the bodies and
because they do not have the power of speech, as in the case of apes and
dogs; for these have intelligence but not the power of speech.
Ar. Did. _Ep._ Fr. 32; _Dox._ 467. Apollodoros in the second book
_Concerning the gods_: It is the Pythagorean opinion that the morning and
the evening star are the same.
Theophr. _Phys. Op._ Fr. 17; _Dox._ 492. Favorinus says that he
(Pythagoras) was the first to call the heavens a universe and the earth
round [στρογγύλην].
Cic. _de Deor. Nat._ i. 11; Philod. _piet._ Fr. c 4 b; _Dox._ 533. For
Pythagoras, who held that soul is extended through all the nature of
things and mingled with them, and that from this our souls are taken, did
not see that god would be separated and torn apart by the separation of
human souls; and when souls are wretched, as might happen to many, then
part of god would be wretched; a thing which could not happen.
Hippol. _Phil._ 2; _Dox._ 555. There is a second philosophy not far
distant from the same time, of which Pythagoras, whom some call a Samian,
was the first representative. And this they call the Italian philosophy
because Pythagoras fled the rule of Polykrates over the Samians and
settled in a city of Italy where he spent his life. The successive
leaders of this sect shared the same spirit. And he in his studies of
nature mingled astronomy and geometry and music <and arithmetic>. And
thus he asserted that god is a monad, and examining the nature of number
with especial care, he said that the universe produces melody and is put
together with harmony, and he first proved the motion of the seven stars
to be rhythm and melody. And in wonder at the structure of the universe,
he decreed that at first his disciples should be silent, as it were
mystae who were coming into the order of the all; then when he thought
they had sufficient education in the principles of truth, and had sought
wisdom sufficiently in regard to stars and in regard to nature, he
pronounced them pure and then bade them speak. He separated his disciples
into two groups, and called one esoteric, and the other exoteric. To the
former he entrusted the more perfect sciences, to the latter the more
moderate. And he dealt with magic, as they say, and himself discovered
the art of physiognomy. Postulating both numbers and measures he was wont
to say that the first principle of arithmetic embraced philosophy by
combination, after the following manner:
Number is the first principle, a thing which is undefined,
incomprehensible, having in itself all numbers which could reach
infinity in amount. And the first principle of numbers is in substance
the first monad, which is a male monad, begetting as a father all other
numbers. Secondly the dyad is female number, and the same is called by
the arithmeticians even. Thirdly the triad is male number; this the
arithmeticians have been wont to call odd. Finally the tetrad is a female
number, and the same is called even because it is female.
All numbers, then, taken by classes are fours (for number is undefined
in reference to class), of which is composed the perfect number, the
decad. For the series, one two three and four, becomes ten, if its own
name is kept in its essence by each of the numbers. Pythagoras said that
this sacred tetraktys is ‘the spring having the roots of ever-flowing
nature’ in itself, and from this numbers have their first principle. For
the eleven and the twelve and the rest derive from the ten the first
principle of their being. The four parts of the decad, this perfect
number, are called number, monad, power, and cube. And the interweavings
and minglings of these in the origin of growth are what naturally
completes nascent number; for when a power is multiplied upon itself, it
is the power of a power; and when a power is multiplied on a cube, it is
the power of a cube; and when a cube is multiplied on a cube, the cube of
a cube; thus all numbers, from which arises the genesis of what arises,
are seven:—number, monad, power, cube, power of a power, power of a cube,
cube of a cube.
He said that the soul is immortal, and that it changes from one body
to another;[73] so he was wont to say that he himself had been born
before the Trojan war as Aethalides, and at the time of the Trojan war
as Euphorbos, and after that as Hermotimos of Samos, then as Pyrrhos
of Delos, fifth as Pythagoras. And Diodoros of Eretria and Aristoxenos
the musician say that Pythagoras had come into Zaratas of Chaldaea;
and he set forth that in his view there were from the beginning two
causes of things, father and mother; and the father is light and the
mother darkness; and the parts of light are warm, dry, light, swift;
and of darkness are cold, moist, heavy, slow; and of these all the
universe is composed, of male and female. And he says that the universe
exists in accordance with musical harmony, so the sun also makes an
harmonious period. And concerning the things that arise from the earth
and the universe they say that Zaratas spoke as follows: There are two
divinities, one of the heavens and the other of the earth; the one of
the earth produces things from the earth, and it is water; and the
divinity of the heavens is fire with a portion of air, warm, and cold;
wherefore he says that none of these things will destroy or even pollute
the soul, for these are the essence of all things. And it is said that
Zaratas forbade men to eat beans because he said that at the beginning
and composition of all things when the earth was still a whole, the bean
arose. And he says that the proof of this is that if one chews a bean to
a pulp and exposes it to the sun for a certain time (for the sun will
affect it quickly), it gives out the odour of human seed. And he says
that there is another and clearer proof: if when a bean is in flower
we were to take the bean and its flower, and putting it into a pitcher
moisten it and then bury it in the earth, and after a few days dig it up
again, we should see in the first place that it had the form of a womb,
and examining it closely we should find the head of a child growing with
it.
He perished in a conflagration with his disciples in Kroton in Italy. And
it was the custom when one became a disciple for him to burn his property
and to leave his money under a seal with Pythagoras, and he remained in
silence sometimes three years, sometimes five years, and studied. And
immediately on being released from this he mingled with the others and
continued a disciple and made his home with them; otherwise he took his
money and was sent off. The esoteric class were called Pythagoreans,
and the others Pythagoristae. And those of the disciples who escaped
the conflagration were Lysis and Archippos and Zalmoxis the slave of
Pythagoras, who is said to have taught the Pythagorean philosophy to the
Druids among the Celts.[74] It is said that Pythagoras learned numbers
and measures from the Egyptians; astonished at the wisdom of the priests,
which was deserving of belief and full of fancies and difficult to buy,
he imitated it and himself also taught his disciples to be silent, and
obliged the student to remain quietly in rooms underneath the earth.
Epiph. _Pro._ i.; _Dox._ 587. Pythagoras laid down the doctrine of the
monad and of foreknowledge and the interdict on sacrificing to the gods
then believed on, and he bade men not to partake of beings that had life,
and to refrain from wine. And he drew a line between the things from the
moon upwards, calling these immortal, and those below, which he called
mortal; and he taught the transmigration of souls from bodies into bodies
even as far as animals and beasts. And he used to teach his followers to
observe silence for a period of five years. Finally he named himself a
god.
Epiph. _Haer._ iii. 8; _Dox._ 390. Pythagoras the Samian, son of
Mnesarchos, said that the monad is god, and that nothing has been brought
into being apart from this. He was wont to say that wise men ought not to
sacrifice animals to the gods, nor yet to eat what had life, or beans,
nor to drink wine. And he was wont to say that all things from the moon
downward were subject to change, while from the moon upward they were
not. And he said that the soul goes at death into other animals. And
he bade his disciples to keep silence for a period of five years, and
finally he named himself a god.
Herm. _I. G. P._ 16; _Dox._ 655. Others then from the ancient tribe,
Pythagoras and his fellow-tribesmen, revered and taciturn, transmitted
other dogmas to me as mysteries, and this is the great and unspeakable
_ipse-dixit_: the monad is the first principle of all things. From its
forms and from numbers the elements arose. And he declared that the
number and form and measure of each of these is somehow as follows:—Fire
is composed of twenty-four right-angled triangles, surrounded by
four equilaterals. And each equilateral consists of six right-angled
triangles, whence they compare it to the pyramid. Air is composed of
forty-eight triangles, surrounded by eight equilaterals. And it is
compared to the octahedron, which is surrounded by eight equilateral
triangles, each of which is separated into six right-angled triangles
so as to become forty-eight in all. And water is composed of one
hundred and twenty triangles, surrounded by twenty equilaterals, and
it is compared to the icosahedron, which is composed of one hundred
and twenty equilateral triangles. And aether is composed of twelve
equilateral pentagons, and is like a dodecahedron. And earth is composed
of forty-eight triangles, and is surrounded by six equilateral pentagons,
and it is like a cube. For the cube is surrounded by six tetragons, each
of which is separated into eight triangles, so that they become in all
forty-eight.
X.
_EMPEDOKLES._
Empedokles, son of Meton, grandson of an Empedokles who was a victor at
Olympia, made his home at Akragas in Sicily. He was born about 494 B.C.,
and lived to the age of sixty. The only sure date in his life is his
visit to Thourioi soon after its foundation (444). Various stories are
told of his political activity, which may be genuine traditions; these
illustrate a democratic tendency. At the same time he claimed almost
the homage due to a god, and many miracles are attributed to him. His
writings in some parts are said to imitate Orphic verses, and apparently
his religious activity was in line with this sect. His death occurred
away from Sicily—probably in the Peloponnesos.
Literature:—Sturz, _Emped. vita et phil. carm. rell._ Lips.
1805; Karsten, _Emped. carm. rell._ Amst. 1838; Bergk, _Kleine
Schriften_, Berl. 1839; Panzerbieter, _Beitr. z. Kritik u.
Erkl. d. Emped._ Meining. 1844; Stein, _Emped. Frag._ Bonn
1852; Schneidewin, _Philol._ xv.; H. Diels; _Hermes_ xv. pp.
161-179; _Gorgias und Empedocles_, Acad. Berol. 1884; Unger,
_Philol. Suppl._ 1883, pp. 511-550; O. Kern, _Archiv f. d.
Gesch. d. Philos._ i. 498 ff.; Knatz, ‘Empedoclea’ in _Schedae
Phil. H. Usener oblatae_, Bonn 1891; A. Platt, _Journal of
Philology_, xxiv. p. 246; Bidez, _Archiv_, ix. 190; Gomperz,
_Hermes_, xxxi. p. 469.
NOTE.—I print Stein’s numbers at the left of the Greek text, Karsten’s
numbers at the right.
FRAGMENTS OF EMPEDOKLES.
ΠΕΡΙ ΦΥΣΕΩΣ ΠΡΩΤΟΣ.
Παυσανία, σὺ δὲ κλῦθι, δαΐφρονος Ἀγχίτου υἱέ. 54
στεινωποὶ μὲν γὰρ παλάμαι κατὰ γυῖα κέχυνται· 32
πολλὰ δὲ δειλ’ ἔμπαια, τά τ’ ἀμβλύνουσι μερίμνας.
παῦρον δὲ ζωῆς ἀβίου μέρος ἀθρήσαντες
5 ὠκύμοροι καπνοῖο δίκην ἀρθέντες ἀπέπταν, 35
αὐτὸ μόνον πεισθέντες, ὅτῳ προσέκυρσεν ἕκαστος
πάντοσ’ ἐλαυνόμενος, τὸ δ’ ὅλον μὰψ εὔχεται εὑρεῖν·
οὕτως οὔτ’ ἐπιδερκτὰ τάδ’ ἀνδράσιν οὐδ’ ἐπακουστὰ
οὔτε νόῳ περιληπτά. σὺ δ’ οὖν, ἐπεὶ ὧδ’ ἐλιάσθης,
10 πεύσεαι οὐ πλέον ἠὲ βροτείη μῆτις ὄπωπεν. 40
ἀλλὰ, θεοὶ, τῶν μὲν μανίην ἀποτρέψατε γλώσσης,
ἐκ δ’ ὁσίων στομάτων καθαρὴν ὀχετεύσατε πηγήν.
καὶ σέ, πολυμνήστη λευκώλενε παρθένε Μοῦσα,
ἄντομαι, ὧν θέμις ἐστὶν ἐφημερίοισιν ἀκούειν,
15 πέμπε παρ’ εὐσεβίης, ἐλάουσ’ εὐήνιον ἅρμα· 45
μηδὲ μέ γ’ εὐδόξοιο βιήσεται ἄνθεα τιμῆς
πρὸς θνητῶν ἀνελέσθαι, ἐφ’ ᾧ θ’ ὁσίης πλέον εἰπεῖν
θάρσεϊ καὶ τότε δὴ σοφίης ἐπ’ ἄκροισι θοάζειν.
ἀλλ’ ἄγ’ ἄθρει πάσῃ παλάμῃ πῆ δῆλον ἕκαστον,
20 μήτε τιν’ ὄψιν ἔχων πίστει πλέον ἢ κατ’ ἀκουὴν 50
μήτ’ ἀκοὴν ἐρίδουπον ὑπὲρ τρανώματα γλώσσης,
μήτε τι τῶν ἄλλων, ὁπόσων πόρος ἐστὶ νοῆσαι,
γυίων πίστιν ἔρυκε, νόει δ’ ᾗ δῆλον ἕκαστον.
φάρμακα δ’ ὅσσα γεγᾶσι κακῶν καὶ γήραος ἄλκαρ
25 πεύσῃ, ἐπεὶ μούνῳ σοὶ ἐγὼ κρανέω τάδε πάντα. 425
παύσεις δ’ ἀκαμάτων ἀνέμων μένος οἵ τ’ ἐπὶ γαῖαν
ὀρνύμενοι πνοιαῖσι καταφθινύθουσιν ἀρούρας·
καὶ πάλιν, εὖτ’ ἐθέλῃσθα, παλίσσυτα πνεύματ’ ἐπάξεις·
Θήσεις δ’ ἐξ ὄμβροιο κελαινοῦ καίριον αὐχμὸν
30 ἀνθρώποις, θήσεις δὲ καὶ ἐξ αὐχμοῖο θερείου 430
ῥεύματα δενδρεόθρεπτα κατ’ αἰθέρος ἀΐσσοντα·
ἄξεις δ’ ἐξ Ἀίδαο καταφθιμένου μένος ἀνδρός.
τέσσαρα τῶν πάντων ῥιζώματα πρῶτον ἄκουε· 55
Ζεὺς ἀργὴς Ἥρη τε φερέσβιος ἠδ’ Ἀιδωνεὺς
35 Νῆστίς θ’ ἣ δακρύοις τέγγει κρούνωμα βρότειον.
ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω· φύσις οὐδενός ἐστιν ἁπάντων
θνητῶν, οὐδέ τις οὐλομένου θανάτοιο τελευτή,
ἀλλὰ μόνον μεῖξίς τε διάλλαξίς τε μιγέντων
ἐστὶ, φύσις δ’ ἐπὶ τοῖς ὀνομάζεται ἀνθρώποισιν. 80
40 οἱ δ’ ὅτε κεν κατὰ φῶτα μιγὲν φῶς αἰθέρι <ἵκῃ>
ἢ κατὰ θηρῶν ἀγροτέρων γένος ἢ κατὰ θάμνων
ἠὲ κατ’ οἰωνῶν, τότε μὲν τὰ λέγουσι γενέσθαι·
εὖτε δ’ ἀποκριθέωσι, τὰ δ’ αὖ δυσδαίμονα πότμον, 345
ἣ θέμις ἐστί, καλοῦσι, νόμῳ δ’ ἐπίφημι καὶ αὐτός.
45 νήπιοι· οὐ γάρ σφιν δολιχόφρονές εἰσι μέριμναι,
οἳ δὴ γίγνεσθαι πάρος οὐκ ἐὸν ἐλπίζουσιν
ἤ τι καταθνῄσκειν τε καὶ ἐξόλλυσθαι ἁπάντῃ.
ἔκ τε γὰρ οὐδάμ’ ἐόντος ἀμήχανόν ἐστι γενέσθαι, 81
καί τ’ ἐὸν ἐξαπολέσθαι ἀνήνυστον καὶ ἄπυστον·
50 αἰεὶ γὰρ στήσονται ὅπη κέ τις αἰὲν ἐρείδῃ.
οὐκ ἂν ἀνὴρ τοιαῦτα σοφὸς φρεσὶ μαντεύσαιτο, 350
ὡς ὄφρα μέν τε βιοῦσι, τὸ δὴ βίοτον καλέουσι,
τόφρα μὲν οὖν εἰσὶν καί σφιν πάρα δειλὰ καὶ ἐσθλά,
πρὶν δὲ πάγεν τε βροτοὶ καὶ ἐπεὶ λύθεν, οὐδὲν ἄρ’ εἰσίν.
55 ἀλλὰ κακοῖς μὲν κάρτα πέλει κρατέουσιν ἀπιστεῖν. 84
ὡς δὲ παρ’ ἡμετέρης κέλεται πιστώματα Μούσης,
γνῶθι, διατμηθέντος ἐνὶ σπλάγχνοισι λόγοιο.
κορυφὰς ἑτέρας ἑτέρῃσι προσάπτων 447
μύθων, μήτε τελεῖν ἀτραπὸν μίαν·
60 δὶς γὰρ καὶ τρὶς δεῖ ὅ τι δὴ καλόν ἐστιν ἐνίσπειν. 446
[πείρατα μύθων] 87
δίπλ’ ἐρέω· τοτὲ μὲν γὰρ ἓν ηὐξήθη μόνον εἶναι
ἐκ πλεόνων, τοτὲ δ’ αὖ διέφυ πλέον’ ἐξ ἑνὸς εἶναι.
δοιὴ δὲ θνητῶν γένεσις, δοιὴ δ’ ἀπόλειψις. 90
τὴν μὲν γὰρ πάντων σύνοδος τίκτει τ’ ὀλέκει τε,
65 ἡ δὲ πάλιν διαφυομένων θρεφθεῖσα διέπτη.
καὶ ταῦτ’ ἀλλάσσοντα διαμπερὲς οὐδαμὰ λήγει,
ἄλλοτε μὲν Φιλότητι συνερχόμεν’ εἰς ἓν ἅπαντα,
ἄλλοτε δ’ αὖ δίχ’ ἕκαστα φορεύμενα Νείκεος ἔχθει, 95
118 εἰς ὅ κεν ἓν συμφύντα τὸ πᾶν ὑπένερθε γένηται. 144
οὕτως ᾗ μὲν ἓν ἐκ πλεόνων μεμάθηκε φύεσθαι
70 ἠδὲ πάλιν διαφύντος ἑνὸς πλέον’ ἐκτελέθουσι,
τῇ μὲν γίγνονταί τε καὶ οὔ σφισιν ἔμπεδος αἰών·
ᾗ δὲ τάδ’ ἀλλάσσοντα διαμπερὲς οὐδαμὰ λήγει,
ταύτῃ αἰὲν ἔασιν ἀκινητὸν κατὰ κύκλον. 100
ἀλλ’ ἄγε, μύθων κλῦθι, μάθη γάρ τοι φρένας αὔξει.
75 ὡς γὰρ καὶ πρὶν ἔειπα πιφαύσκων πείρατα μύθων,
δίπλ’ ἐρέω· τοτὲ μὲν γὰρ ἓν ηὐξήθη μόνον εἶναι
ἐκ πλεόνων, τοτὲ δ’ αὖ διέφυ πλέον’ ἐξ ἑνὸς εἶναι,
πῦρ καὶ ὕδωρ καὶ γαῖα καὶ αἰθέρος ἄπλετον ὕψος· 105
Νεῖκός τ’ οὐλόμενον δίχα τῶν, ἀτάλαντον ἑκάστῳ,
80 καὶ Φιλότης ἐν τοῖσιν ἴση μῆκός τε πλάτος τε.
τὴν σὺ νόῳ δέρκευ μηδ’ ὄμμασιν ἧσο τεθηπώς,
ἥτις καὶ θνητοῖσι νομίζεται ἔμφυτος ἄρθροις,
τῇ τε φίλα φρονέουσι καὶ ἄρθμια ἔργα τελεῦσι, 110
γηθοσύνην καλέοντες ἐπώνυμον ἠδ’ Ἀφροδίτην·
85 τὴν οὔτις †μετ’ ὄσοισιν ἑλισσομένην δεδάηκε
θνητὸς ἀνήρ. σὺ δ’ ἄκουε λόγου στόλον οὐκ ἀπατηλόν.
ταῦτα γὰρ ἶσά τε πάντα καὶ ἡλίκα γένναν ἔασι,
τιμῆς δ’ ἄλλης ἄλλο μέδει, πάρα δ’ ἦθος ἑκάστῳ. 115
οὐδὲν γὰρ πρὸς τοῖς ἐπιγίγνεται οὐδ’ ἀπολήγει.
90 εἴτε γὰρ ἐφθείροντο διαμπερὲς, οὐκέτ’ ἂν ἦσαν.
οὐδέ τι τοῦ παντὸς κενεὸν πέλει οὐδὲ περισσόν.
τοῦτο δ’ ἐπαυξήσειε τὸ πᾶν τί κε καὶ πόθεν ἐλθόν; 120
πῆ δέ κε καὶ ἀπολοίατ’ ἐπεὶ τῶνδ’ οὐδὲν ἔρημον;
112 ἐν δὲ μέρει κρατέουσι περιπλομένοιο κύκλοιο
113 καὶ φθίνει εἰς ἄλληλα καὶ αὔξεται ἐν μέρει αἴσης. 138
94 ἀλλ’ αὔτ’ ἔστιν ταῦτα· δι’ ἀλλήλων δὲ θέοντα 122
95 γίνεται ἄλλοθεν ἄλλα καὶ ἠνεκὲς αἰὲν ὁμοῖα.
110 καὶ γὰρ καὶ πάρος ἦν τε καὶ ἔσσεται, οὐδέ ποτ’, οἴω,
111 τούτων ἀμφοτέρων κεινώσεται ἄσπετος αἰών.
96 ἀλλ’ ἄγε τῶνδ’ ὀάρων προτέρων ἐπιμάρτυρα δέρκευ,
εἴ τι καὶ ἐν προτέροισι λιπόξυλον ἔπλετο μορφῇ. 125
ἠέλιον μὲν θερμὸν ὁρᾶν καὶ λαμπρὸν ἁπάντῃ,
ἄμβροτα δ’ ὄσσα πέλει τε καὶ ἀργέτι δεύεται αὐγῇ,
100 ὄμβρον δ’ ἐν πᾶσι δνοφόεντά τε ῥιγαλέον τε,
ἐκ δ’ αἴης προρέουσι θέλυμνά τε καὶ στερεωπά.
ἐν δὲ Κότῳ διάμορφα καὶ ἄνδιχα πάντα πέλονται, 130
σὺν δ’ ἔβη ἐν Φιλότητι καὶ ἀλλήλοισι ποθεῖται.
ἐκ τούτων γὰρ πάνθ’ ὅσα τ’ ἦν ὅσα τ’ ἔστι καὶ ἔσται,
105 δένδρεά τ’ ἐβλάστησε καὶ ἀνέρες ἠδὲ γυναῖκες
θῆρές τ’ οἰωνοί τε καὶ ὑδατοθρέμμονες ἰχθῦς
καί τε θεοὶ δολιχαίωνες τιμῇσι φέριστοι. 135
ὡς δ’ ὁπόταν γραφέες ἀναθήματα ποικίλλωσιν
120 ἀνέρες ἀμφὶ τέχνης ὑπὸ μήτιος εὖ δεδαῶτε 155
οἵ τ’ ἐπεὶ οὖν μάρψωσι πολύχροα φάρμακα χερσίν,
ἁρμονίῃ μίξαντε τὰ μὲν πλέω, ἄλλα δ’ ἐλάσσω,
123 ἐκ τῶν εἴδεα πᾶσιν ἀλίγκια πορσύνουσι·
127 οὕτω μή σ’ ἁπάτη φρένα καινύτω ἄλλοθεν εἶναι 162
θνητῶν, ὅσσα γε δῆλα γεγᾶσιν ἀάσπετα, πηγήν.
ἀλλὰ τορῶς ταῦτ’ ἴσθι θεοῦ πάρα μῦθον ἀκούσας....
130 εἰ δ’ ἄγε, νῦν τοι ἐγὼ λέξω πρῶθ’ ἡλίου ἀρχὴν,
ἐξ ὧν δὴ ἐγένοντο τὰ νῦν ἐσορώμενα πάντα,
γαῖά τε καὶ πόντος πολυκύμων ἠδ’ ὑγρὸς ἀὴρ
Τιτὰν ἠδ’ αἰθὴρ σφίγγων περὶ κύκλον ἅπαντα. 185
[σφαῖρον ἔην.] 64
135 ἔνθ’ οὔτ’ ἠελίοιο δεδίσκεται ἀγλαὸν εἶδος 72
οὐδὲ μὲν οὐδ’ αἴης λάσιον μένος οὐδὲ θάλασσα·
οὕτως ἁρμονίης πυκινῷ κύτει ἐστήρικται 59
σφαῖρος κυκλοτερὴς μονίῃ περιηγέϊ γαίων.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ μέγα Νεῖκος ἐνὶ μελέεσσιν ἐθρέφθη 66
140 ἐς τιμάς τ’ ἀνόρουσε τελειομένοιο χρόνοιο,
ὅς σφιν ἀμοιβαῖος πλατέος παρελήλαται ὅρκου.
πάντα γὰρ ἑξείης πελεμίζετο γυῖα θεοῖο. 70
χωρὶς γὰρ βαρὺ πᾶν, χωρὶς κοῦφον. 71
ἄστοργοι καὶ ἄκρητοι.
145 σωρευόμενον μέγεθος.
εἴπερ ἀπείρονα γῆς τε βάθη καὶ δαψιλὸς αἰθήρ, 199
ὡς διὰ πολλῶν δὴ βροτέων ῥηθέντα ματαίως
ἐκκέχυται στομάτων, ὀλίγον τοῦ παντὸς ἰδόντων....
ἥλιος ὀξυβελὴς ἡδ’ αὖ ἱλάειρα σελήνη... 168
150 ἀλλ’ ὁ μὲν ἁλισθεὶς μέγαν οὐρανὸν ἀμφιπολεύει. 187
ἀνταυγεῖν πρὸς Ὄλυμπον ἀταρβήτοισι προσώποις. 188
ἡ δὲ φλὸξ ἱλάειρα μινυθαδίης τύχεν αὐγῆς. 193
ὣς αὐγὴ τύψασα σεληναίης κύκλον εὐρύν. 192
κυκλοτερὲς περὶ γαῖαν ἑλίσσεται ἀλλότριον φῶς 190
155 ἅρματος ὥσπερ ἀν’ ἴχνος 189
ἀθρεῖ μὲν γὰρ ἄνακτος ἐναντίον ἁγέα κύκλον. 191
ἐπεσκέδασεν δέ οἱ αὐγὰς
εἰς αἴθρην καθύπερθεν, ἐπεσκνίφωσε δὲ γαίης 195
τόσσον ὅσον τ’ εὖρος γλαυκώπιδος ἔπλετο μήνης.
160 νύκτα δὲ γαῖα τίθησιν ὑφισταμένη φαέεσσιν. 197
νυκτὸς ἐρημαίης ἀλαώπιδος. 198
πολλὰ δ’ ἔνερθ’ ἕδεος πυρὰ καίεται. 207
φύλον ἄμουσον ἄγουσα πολυσπερέων καμασήνων. 205
ἃλς ἐπάγη ῥιπῄσιν ἐωσμένος ἠελίοιο 206
165 γῆς ἱδρῶτα θάλασσαν.
<ἀλλ’> αἰθὴρ μακρῇσι κατὰ χθόνα δύετο ῥίζαις. 203
οὕτω γὰρ συνέκυρσε θέων τότε, πολλάκι δ’ ἄλλως.
καρπαλίμως ἀνόπαιον. 202
αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ παλίνορσος ἐλεύσομαι ἐς πόρον ὕμνων, 165
170 τὸν πρότερον κατέλεξα, λόγου λόγον ἐξοχετεύων
κείνου· ἐπεὶ Νεῖκος μὲν ἐνέρτατον ἵκετο βένθος
δίνης, ἐν δὲ μέσῃ Φιλότης στροφάλιγγι γένηται,
ἐν τῇ δὴ τάδε πάντα συνέρχεται ἓν μόνον εἶναι,
οὐκ ἄφαρ, ἀλλὰ θελημὰ συνιστάμεν’ ἄλλοθεν ἄλλα. 170
175 τῶν δὲ συνερχομένων ἐπ’ ἔσχατον ἵστατο Νεῖκος.
πολλὰ δ’ ἄμιχθ’ ἕστηκε κεραιομένοισιν ἐναλλάξ,
ὅσσ’ ἔτι Νεῖκος ἔρυκε μετάρσιον· οὐ γὰρ ἀμέμφεως
πὼ πᾶν ἐξέστηκεν ἐπ’ ἔσχατα τέρματα κύκλου.
ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν τ’ ἐνέμιμνε μελέων, τὰ δέ τ’ ἐξεβεβήκει. 175
180 ὅσσον δ’ αἰὲν ὑπεκπροθέοι, τόσον αἰὲν ἐπῄει
ἠπιόφρων Φιλότητος ἀμεμφέος ἄμβροτος ὁρμή·
αἶψα δὲ θνήτ’ ἐφύοντο τὰ πρὶν μάθον ἀθάνατ’ εἶναι,
ζωρά τε τὰ πρὶν ἄκρητα, διαλλάξαντα κελεύθους.
τῶν δέ τε μισγομένων χεῖτ’ ἔθνεα μυρία θνητῶν, 180
185 παντοίῃς ἰδέῃσιν ἀρηρότα, θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι.
ἄρθμια μὲν γὰρ ἑαυτὰ ἑαυτῶν πάντα μέρεσσιν 326
ἠλέκτωρ τε χθών τε καὶ οὐρανὸς ἠδὲ θάλασσα,
ὅσσα φίλ’ ἐν θνητοῖσιν ἀποπλαγχθέντα πέφυκεν.
ὡς δ’ αὕτως ὅσα κρᾶσιν ἐπάρτεα μᾶλλον εἶναι,
190 ἀλλήλοις ἐστέρκται ὁμοιωθέντ’ Ἀφροδίτῃ. 330
ἐχθρὰ δὲ πλεῖστον ἀπ’ ἀλλήλων διέχουσι μάλιστα
γέννᾳ τε κράσει τε καὶ εἴδεσιν ἐκμακτοῖσιν,
πάντῃ συγγίγνεσθαι ἀήθεα καὶ μαλὰ λυγρά
Νείκεος ἐννεσίῃσι, ὅτι σφίσι γένναν ἔοργεν.
195 τῇδε μὲν οὖν ἰότητι τύχης πεφρόνηκεν ἅπαντα... 312
καὶ καθ’ ὅσον μὲν ἀραιότατα ξυνέκυρσε πεσόντα.
[ὕδατι μὲν γὰρ ὕδωρ,] πυρὶ δ’ αὔξεται [ὠγύγιον] πῦρ 270
αὔξει δὲ χθὼν μὲν σφέτερον δέμας, αἰθέρα δ’ αἰθήρ.
ἡ δὲ χθὼν ἐπίηρος ἐν εὐστέρνοις χοάνοισι 211
200 τὼ δύο τῶν ὀκτὼ μερέων λάχε Νήστιδος αἴγλης.
τέσσαρα δ’ Ἡφαίστοιο· τὰ δ’ ὀστέα λεύκ’ ἐγένοντο
Ἁρμονίης κόλλῃσιν ἀρηρότα θεσπεσίηθεν.
ἡ δὲ χθὼν τούτοισιν ἴση συνέκυρσε μάλιστα 215
Ἡφαίστῳ τ’ Ὄμβρῳ τε καὶ Αἰθέρι παμφανόωντι,
205 Κύπριδος ὁρμισθεῖσα τελείοις ἐν λιμένεσσιν,
εἴτ’ ὀλίγον μείζων εἴτε πλεόνεσσιν ἐλάσσων.
ἐκ τῶν αἷμά τε γέντο καὶ ἄλλης εἴδεα σαρκός.
ἄλφιτον ὕδατι κολλήσας ... 208
σχεδύνην Φιλότητα.
ΠΕΡΙ ΦΥΣΕΩΣ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΟΣ
210 Εἰ δέ τί σοι περὶ τῶνδε λιπόξυλος ἔπλετο πίστις, 136
πῶς ὕδατος γαίης τε καὶ αἰθέρος ἠελίου τε
κιρναμένων χροιαί τ’ εἴδη τε γενοίατο θνητῶν
τοῖ’, ὅσα νῦν γεγάασι συναρμοσθέντ’ Ἀφροδίτῃ...
πῶς καὶ δένδρεα μακρὰ καὶ εἰνάλιοι καμασῆνες... 243
215 ὣς δὲ τότε χθόνα Κύπρις, ἐπεί τ’ ἐδίηνεν ἐν ὄμβρῳ 207
αἰθέρ’ ἐπιπνείουσα θοῷ πυρὶ δῶκε κρατῦναι.
τῶν δ’ ὅσ’ ἔσω μὲν πυκνὰ, τὰ δ’ ἔκτοθι μανὰ πέπηγε, 230
Κύπριδος ἐν παλάμῃς πλάδης τοιῆσδε τυχόντα.
οὕτω δ’ ᾠοτοκεῖ μακρὰ δένδρεα πρῶτον ἐλαίας. 245
220 οὕνεκεν ὀψίγονοί τε σίδαι καὶ ὑπέρφλοα μῆλα 246
οἶνος ὑπὸ φλοιῷ πέλεται σαπὲν ἐν ξύλῳ ὕδωρ. 247
εἰ γάρ κέν σφ’ ἀδινῇσιν ὑπὸ πραπίδεσσιν ἐρείσας
εὐμενέως καθαρῇσιν ἐποπτεύσῃς μελέτῃσιν,
ταῦτά τέ σοι μάλα πάντα δι’ αἰῶνος παρέσονται,
225 ἄλλα τε πόλλ’ ἀπὸ τῶνδε κεκτήσεαι· αὐτὰ γὰρ αὔξει
ταῦτ’ εἰς ἦθος ἕκαστον, ὅπη φύσις ἐστὶν ἑκάστῳ.
εἰ δέ σύ γ’ ἀλλοίων ἐπορέξεαι οἷα κατ’ ἄνδρας
μυρία δειλὰ πέλονται, τά τ’ ἀμβλύνουσι μερίμνας,
†ζῆν ἄφαρ ἐκλείψουσι περιπλομένοιο χρόνοιο
230 σφῶν αὐτῶν ποθέοντα φίλην ἐπὶ γένναν ἵκεσθαι·†
πάντα γὰρ ἴσθι φρόνησιν ἔχειν καὶ νώματος αἶσαν.
(χάρις) στυγέει δύστλητον Ἀνάγκην. 69
τοῦτο μὲν ἐν κόγχαισι θαλασσονόμοις βαρυνώτοις 220
καλχῶν κηρύκων τε λιθορρίνων χελύων τε...
235 ἔνθ’ ὄψῃ χθόνα χρωτὸς ὑπέρτατα ναιετάουσαν.
ταὐτὰ τρίχες καὶ φύλλα καὶ οἰωνῶν πτερὰ πυκνὰ 223
καὶ φλονίδες γίγνονται ἐπὶ στιβαροῖσι μέλεσσιν.
αὐτὰρ ἐχίνοις 225
ὀξυβελεῖς χαῖται νώτοις ἐπιπεφρίκασιν.
240 ἐξ ὧν ὄμματ’ ἔπηξεν ἀτειρέα δῖ’ Ἀφροδίτη.
γόμφοις ἀσκήσασα καταστόργοις Ἀφροδίτη. 228
Κύπριδος ἐν παλάμῃσιν ὅτε ξὺμ πρῶτ’ ἐφύοντο. 299
πολυαίματον ἧπαρ.
ᾗ πολλαὶ μὲν κόρσαι ἀναύχενες ἐβλάστησαν, 232
245 γυμνοὶ δ’ ἐπλάζοντο βραχίονες εὔνιδες ὤμων,
ὄμματα δ’ οἶ’ ἐπλανᾶτο πενητεύοντα μετώπων.