Chapter XVII.—Aristotle; Duality of Principles; His Categories; His Psychology; His Ethical Doctrines; Origin of the Epithet “Peripatetic.”

Aristotle, who was a pupil of this (Plato), reduced philosophy into an art, and was distinguished rather for his proficiency in logical science, supposing as the elements of all things substance and accident; that there is one substance underlying all things, but nine accidents,—namely, quantity, quality, relation, where, when, possession, posture, action, passion; and that substance is of some such description as God, man, and each of the beings that can fall under a similar denomination. But in regard of accidents, quality is seen in, for instance, white, black; and quantity, for instance two cubits, three cubits; and relation, for instance father, son; and where, for instance at Athens, Megara; and when, for instance during the tenth Olympiad; and possession, for instance to have acquired; and action, for instance to write, and in general to evince any practical powers; and posture, for instance to lie down; and passion, for instance to be struck. He also supposes that some things have means, but that others are without means, as we have declared concerning Plato likewise. And in most points he is in agreement with Plato, except the opinion concerning soul. For Plato affirms it to be immortal, but Aristotle that it involves permanence; and after these things, that this also vanishes in the fifth body,104    Or, “the fifth body, in which it is supposed to be, along with the other four (elements);” or, “the fifth body, which is supposed to be (composed) of the other four.” which he supposes, along with the other four (elements),—viz., fire, and earth, and water, and air,—to be a something more subtle (than these), of the nature of spirit. Plato therefore says, that the only really good things are those pertaining to the soul, and that they are sufficient for happiness; whereas Aristotle introduces a threefold classification of good things, and asserts that the wise man is not perfect, unless there are present to him both the good things of the body and those extrinsic to it.105    Hippolytus expresses himself in the words of Stobæus, who says (Eclog., ii. 274): “And among reputed external blessings are nobility, wealth, glory, peace, freedom, friendship.” The former are beauty, strength, vigour of the senses, soundness; while the things extrinsic (to the body) are wealth, nobility, glory, power, peace, friendship.106    Or, “glory, the confirmed power of friends.” And the inner qualities of the soul he classifies, as it was the opinion of Plato, under prudence, temperance, justice, fortitude. This (philosopher) also affirms that evils arise according to an opposition of the things that are good, and that they exist beneath the quarter around the moon, but reach no farther beyond the moon; and that the soul of the entire world is immortal, and that the world itself is eternal, but that (the soul) in an individual, as we have before stated, vanishes (in the fifth body). This (speculator), then holding discussions in the Lyceum, drew up from time to time his system of philosophy; but Zeno (held his school) in the porch called Poecilé. And the followers of Zeno obtained their name from the place—that is, from Stoa—(i.e., a porch), being styled Stoics; whereas Aristotle’s followers (were denominated) from their mode of employing themselves while teaching. For since they were accustomed walking about in the Lyceum to pursue their investigations, on this account they were called Peripatetics. These indeed, then, were the doctrines of Aristotle.

[20] Ἀριστοτέλης τούτου γενόμενος ἀκροατὴς εἰς τέχνην τὴν φιλοσοφίαν ἤγαγεν καὶ λογικώτερος ἐγένετο, τὰ μὲν στοιχεῖα τῶν πάντων ὑποθέμενος οὐσίαν καὶ συμβεβηκός: τὴν μὲν οὐσίαν μίαν τὴν πᾶσιν ὑποκειμένην, τὰ δὲ συμβεβηκότα ἐννέα: ποσὸν ποιὸν πρός τι ποῦ πότε ἔχειν κεῖσθαι ποιεῖν πάσχειν. τὴν μὲν οὖν οὐσίαν τοιαύτην εἶναι οἷον θεόν, ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἕκαστον τῶν τῷ ὁμοίῳ λόγῳ ὑποπεσεῖν δυναμένων: περὶ δὲ τὰ συμβεβηκότα θεωρεῖται τὸ μὲν ποιὸν οἷον λευκόν, μέλαν, τὸ δὲ ποσὸν οἷον δίπηχυ, τρίπηχυ, τὸ δὲ πρός τι οἷον πατήρ, υἱός, τὸ δὲ ποῦ οἷον Ἀθήνησι, Μεγαροῖ, τὸ δὲ πότε οἷον ἐπὶ τῆς δεκάτης ὀλυμπιάδος, τὸ δὲ ἔχειν οἷον κεκτῆσθαι, τὸ δὲ κεῖσθαι οἷον κατακεῖσθαι, τὸ δὲ ποιεῖν οἷον γράφειν καὶ ὅλως ἐνεργεῖν τι, τὸ δὲ πάσχειν οἷον τύπτεσθαι. Ὑποτίθεται καὶ αὐτὸς τὰ μὲν μεσότητα ἔχειν, τὰ δὲ ἄμεσα εἶναι, ὡς εἴπομεν καὶ περὶ τοῦ Πλάτωνος. καὶ σχεδὸν τὰ πλεῖστα τῷ Πλάτωνι σύμφωνός ἐστιν πλὴν τοῦ περὶ ψυχῆς δόγματος: ὁ μὲν γὰρ Πλάτων ἀθάνατον, ὁ δὲ Ἀριστοτέλης ἐπιδιαμένειν καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ταύτην ἐναφανίζεσθαι τῷ πέμπτῳ σώματι, ὃ ὑποτίθεται εἶναι [μετὰ] τῶν ἄλλων τεσσάρων_τοῦ τε πυρὸς καὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ τοῦ ὕδατος καὶ τοῦ ἀέρος_ λεπτότερον, οἷον πνεῦμα. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Πλάτων μόνα ἀγαθὰ ὄντως τὰ περὶ ψυχὴν εἶναί φησιν καὶ ἀρκεῖν πρὸς τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν: ὁ δὲ Ἀριστοτέλης τριγένειαν τῶν ἀγαθῶν εἰσάγει καὶ λέγει μὴ εἶναι τέλειον τὸν σοφόν, ἐὰν μὴ παρῇ αὐτῷ καὶ τὰ τοῦ σώματος ἀγαθὰ καὶ τὰ ἐκτός. ἅ ἐστι κάλλος ἰσχὺς εὐαισθησία ἀρτιότης: τὰ δὲ ἐκτός, πλοῦτος εὐγένεια δόξα δύναμις εἰρήνη φιλία. τὰ δὲ ἐντὸς περὶ ψυχήν, καθὼς καὶ Πλάτωνι ἔδοξεν, φρόνησιν σωφροσύνην δικαιοσύνην ἀνδρείαν. τὰ δὲ κακά φησι καὶ οὗτος κατ' ἐναντίωσιν τῶν ἀγαθῶν γενέσθαι, καὶ εἶναι ὑπὸ τὸν περὶ σελήνην τόπον, ὑπὲρ δὲ σελήνην μηκέτι. τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν τὴν μὲν ὅλου τοῦ κόσμου ἀθάνατον εἶναι, καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν κόσμον ἀίδιον, τὴν δὲ καθ' ἕκαστον, ὡς προείπομεν, ἀφανίζεσθαι. Οὗτος μὲν οὖν ἐν τῷ Λυκείῳ ποιούμενος τὰς διατριβὰς ἐφιλοσόφει, ὁ δὲ Ζήνων ἐν τῇ Ποικίλῃ στοᾷ. ἐκτήσαντο δὲ οἱ μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ Ζήνωνος ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου τὸ ὄνομα, τουτέστιν ἀπὸ τῆς στοᾶς, Στωϊκοὶ κληθέντες, οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀριστοτέλους ἀπὸ τοῦ ἔργου: ἐπειδὴ γὰρ περιπατοῦντες ἐν τῷ Λυκείῳ ἐζήτουν, διὰ τοῦτο Περιπατητικοὶ ἐκλήθησαν. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν καὶ ὁ Ἀριστοτέλης.