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The Stoics, Epicureans and Sceptics - College of Stoic Philosophers

The Stoics, Epicureans and Sceptics - College of Stoic Philosophers

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Ufi THE EPICUREANS.<br />

X\"I1.<br />

Confining liis interest in nature, as Epicurus did,<br />

entirely to this general view <strong>of</strong> things, he was all<br />

the more inclined, in it carrying into details, to rely<br />

upon some older system. No system, however, appeared<br />

to correspond better with his tone <strong>of</strong> mind<br />

than that <strong>of</strong> Democritus. which, moreover, commended<br />

itself to him not only by absolutely banishing the<br />

idea <strong>of</strong> final cause, but by referring everything to<br />

matter, <strong>and</strong> by its theory <strong>of</strong> atoms. As Epicui-us<br />

places in each individual thing taken by itself the<br />

ultimate end <strong>of</strong> action, so Democritus had theoretically<br />

made all that is real to consist in what is<br />

absolutely<br />

individual or in atoms. His natural<br />

science, therefore, seemed to present the most na-<br />

Sed quia luulta modis multis<br />

mutata per omne<br />

Ex inlinito vexantur percita<br />

pla^is,<br />

Omne genus motus et coetus experiundo.<br />

T<strong>and</strong>em deveniunt in tales dis-<br />

posituras,<br />

Qualibus haiC rebus consistit<br />

^umma creata.<br />

V. 156 :<br />

Dicere porro hominum causa<br />

voluisse [^sell. Deos] parare<br />

Prajclaram mundi naturam, &c.<br />

Desipere est. Quid enim imniortalibus<br />

atque beatis<br />

Gratia nostra queat largirier<br />

emolumenti,<br />

Ut nostra quidquam causa gerere<br />

adgrediantur 1<br />

Quidve novi potuit tanto post<br />

ante quietos<br />

Inlicere, ut cuperent vitam mutare<br />

priorem ? . . .<br />

Exemplum porro gignundis rebus<br />

et ipsa<br />

Notitics hoiuinura, Dis uiide<br />

est insita priraum ;<br />

. . .<br />

Si non ipsa dedit specimen natura<br />

cre<strong>and</strong>i ?<br />

Conf. iv. 820; v. 78 ; 195; 41!>.<br />

In these views, he is only following<br />

Epicurus. Heavenly<br />

phenomena, says the latter, in<br />

Diog. 7(), ixi]Ti Ken (ivpyovvr6s tivos<br />

von'i^ftv Sit ylferrdai Kol 5:ardTTOVTOs<br />

t) ftiardiavTos koI afxa<br />

rriv -naaav /xaxapiSTrjTa ^X'^^'^o^<br />

ixtr' ddapfflas' ov yap av)X'boivovai<br />

irpayfxaTf'iai koI ^povriSei Kal<br />

opyoL Koi x^piTiS rij fxiKapioTrtrt,<br />

oAA' atrflfteict no} yir\rjffiuv ravra. yiveiai.<br />

J bid. 1)7: ri Otia

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