quantitative
relations
of matter were its original
20.
20.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - a
S.
) of Plato, it may be that he was acquainted with
DEMOCRITUS. (DAMOCRITUS. ]
Socrates, perhaps eren with Plato, who, however,
DEMOCRITUS (Anuókpitos), was a native of does not mention Democritus anywhere. (Her-
Abdera in Thrace, an Ionian colony of Teos. mann, System der Platon. Philos. i. p. 281. ) Aris-
.
(Aristot. de Coel. iii. 4, Meteor. ii. 7, with Ideler's rotle describes him and his views as belonging to
note. ) Some called him a Milesian, and the name the ante-Socratic period (Arist. Metaph. xii. 4 ;
of his father too is stated differently. (Diog. Laert. Phys. ii. 2, de Partib. Anim. i. 1); but modern
ix. 34, &c. ) His birth year was fixed by Apol. scholars, such as the learned Dutchman Groen van
lodorus in Ol. 80. 1, or B. c. 460, while Thrasyllus Prinsterer (Prosopograph. Platon. p. 41, &c. , comp.
had referred it to Ol. 77. 3. (Diog. Laërt. l. c. Brandis, l. c. p. 292, &c. ), assert, that there are
§ 41, with Menage's note ; Gellius, xvii. 21 ; symptoms in Plato which shew a connexion with
Clinton, F. H. ad ann. 460. ) Democritus had Democritus, and the same scholar pretends to dis-
called himself forty years younger than Anaxagoras. cover in Plato's language and style an imitation of
His father, Hegesistratus,-—or as others called him Democritus. (Persop. Plat. p. 42. )
Damasippus or Athenocritus,—was possessed of so anecdotes about Democritus which are preserved,
large a property, that he was able to receive and especially in Diogenes Laërtius, shew that he was
treat Xerxes on his march through Abdera. De- a man of a most sterling and honourable character.
mocritus spent the inheritance, which his father His diligence was incredible: he lived exclusively
left hiin, on travels into distant countries, which he for his studies, and his disinterestedness, modesty,
undertook to satisfy his extraordinary thirst for and simplicity are attested by many features which
knowledge. He travelled over a great part of are related of him. Notwithstanding his great
Asia, and, as some state, he even reached India property, he seems to have died in poverty,
and Aethiopia. (Cic. de Fin. v. 19; Strabo, xvi. though highly esteemed by his fellow-citizens, not
p. 703; A. H. C. Geffers, Quaestiones Democrit. so much on account of his philosophy, as “ be-
The many
## p. 975 (#995) ############################################
DEMOCRITUS.
975
DEMOCRITUS.
p. 22,
cause," as Diogenes says, " he had foretold them these fragments refer more to ethics than to physi-
some things which the event proved to be true. " cal matters. There is a very good collection of
This had probably reference to his knowledge of these fragments by F. G. A. Mullach, “ Democriti
natural phaenomena. His fellow-citizens honoured Abderitae operum fragmenta,” Berlin, 1843, 8vo.
him with presents in money and bronze statues. Besides this work, which contains also elaborate
Even the scoffer Timon, who in his silli spared no dissertations on the life and writings of Democritus,
one, speaks of Democritus only in terms of praise. the student may consult-1. Burchardt, Comment.
He died at an advanced age (some say that he was crit. de Democriti de sensibus philosophia, in two pro-
109 years old), and even the manner in which he grams, Minden, 1830 and 1839, 4to. 2. Burchardt,
died is characteristic of his medical knowledge, Fragmente der Morul des Demokrit, Minden, 1834,
which, combined as it was with his knowledge of 4to. 3. Heimsith, Democriti de unima doctrina,
nature, caused a report, which was believed by Bonn, 1835, 8vo. 4. H. Stephanus, Poesis Philos.
some persons, that he was a sorcerer and a magician. p. 156, &c. 5. Orelli, Opusc. Graec. Sent. i. p.
(Plin. H. N. xxiv. 17, xxx. 1. ) His death is 91, &c. Concerning the spurious works and letters
placed in Ol. 105. 4, or B. c. 357, in which year of Democritus, see Fabric. Bill. Gr. i. p. 683, &c. ,
Hippocrates also is said to have died. (Clinton, ii. pp. 641, 639, iv. p. 333, &c.
F. H. ad ann. 357. ) We cannot leave unnoticed The philosophy of Democritus has, in modern
the tradition that Democritus deprived himself of times been the subject of much investigation. He-
his sight, in order to be less disturbed in his pur- gel (Vorlesung, üb. Gesch. d. Philos. i. p. 379, &c. )
suits. (Cic. de Fin. v. 29 ; Gellius, x. 17 ; Diog. treats it very briefly, and does not attach much
Laërt. ix. 36 ; Cic. Tusc. v. 39 ; Menage, ad Diog. importance to it. The most minute investigations
Laërt. ix. 43. ) But this tradition is one of the concerning it are those of Ritter (Gesch. d. Philos.
inventions of a later age, which was fond of i. p. 559), Brandis (Rhein. Mus. iii. p. 133, &c. ,
piquant anecdotes. It is more probable that he and Gesch. der Griech. u. Röm. Philos. i. p. 294,
may have lost his sight by too severe application &c. ), Petersen (Histor. Philog. Studien. i.
to study. (Brandis, l. c. p. 298. ) This loss, &c. ), Papencordt ( Atomicorum doctrina), and Mul-
however, did not disturb the cheerful disposition lach (l. c. pp. 373—419).
of his mind and his views of human life, which It was Democritus who, in his numerous writ-
prompted him everywhere to look at the cheerful ings, carried out Leucippus's theory of atoms, and
and comical side of things, which later writers took especially in his observations on nature. These
to mean, that he always laughed at the follies of atomists undertook the task of proving that the
men. (Senec. de Ira, ii. 10; Aelian, V. H. iv.
quantitative relations of matter were its original
20. )
characteristics, and that its qualitative relations
Of the extent of his knowledge, which embraced were something secondary and derivative, and of
not only natural sciences, mathematics, mechanics thus doing away with the distinction between
(Brandis, in the Rhein. Mus. iii. p. 134, &c. ). gram- matter and mind or power. (Brandis, l. c. p. 291. )
mar, music, and philosophy, but various other use- In order to avoid the difficulties connected with
ful arts, we may form some notion from the list of the supposition of primitive matter with definite
his numerous works which is given by Diogenes qualities, without admitting the coming into exist-
Laërtius (ix. 46—49), and which, as Diogenes ence and annihilation as realities, and without
expressly states, contains only his genuine works. giving up, as the Eleatic philosophers did, the
The grammarian Thrasyllus, a contemporary of the reality of variety and its changes, the atomists
emperor Tiberius, arranged them, like the works of derived all definiteness of phaenomena, both phy-
Plato, into tetralogies. The importance which sical and mental, from elementary particles, the
was attached to the researches of Democritus is infinite number of which were homogeneous in
evident from the fact, that Aristotle is reported to quality, but heterogeneous in form. This made it
have written a work in two books on the problems necessary for them to establish the reality of a
of Democritus. (Diog. Laërt. v. 26. ) His works vacuum or space, and of motion. (Brandis, l. c.
were composed in the Ionic dialect, though not p. 303, &c. ) Motion, they said, is the eternal and
without some admixture of the local peculiarities of nece art consequence of the original variety of
Abdera. (Philopon. in Aristot. de gener. et cor- atoms in the vacuum or space. All phaenomena
rupt. fol. 7, a. ; Simplic. ad Aristot. de Coelo, fol. arise from the infinite variety of the form, order, and
150, a. ; Suid. s. v. Þuo uós. ) They are neverthe position of the atoms in forming combinations. It
less much praised by Cicero on account of the is impossible, they add, to derive this supposition
poetical beauties and the liveliness of their style, from any higher principle, for a beginning of the
and are in this respect compared even with the infinite is inconceivable. (Aristot. de Generat.
works of Plato. (Groen van Prinsterer, l. c. ; Cic. Anim. i. 6, p. 742, b. 20, ed. Bekker; Brandis,
de Div. ii. 64, de Orat. i. 11, Orat. 20 ; Dionys. l. c. p. 309, &c. ) The atoms are impenetrable,
de Compos. verb. 24; Plut. Sympos. v. 7, p. 683. ) and therefore ofier resistance to one another. This
Pyrrhon is said to have imitated his style (Euseb. creates a swinging, world-producing, and whirling
Praep. Evang. xiv. 6), and even Timon praises it, motion. (This reminds us of the joke in the Clouds
and calls it περίφρονα και αμφίνοον λέσχην. (Diog. of Aristophanes about the god Δίνος! ) Now as
Laërt. ix. 40. ) Unfortunately, not one of his similars attract one another, there arise in that
works has come down to us, and the treatise which motion real things and beings, that is, combinations
we possess under his name is considered spurious. of distinct atoms, which still continue to be sepa-
Callimachus wrote glosses upon his works and made rated from one another by the vacuum. The first
a list of them (Suid. s. v. ); but they must have cause of all existence is necessity, that is, the neces-
been lost at an early time, since even Simplicius sary predestination and necessary succession of
does not appear to have read them (Papencordt, de cause and effect. This they called chancc, in oppo-
Atomicorum doctrina, p. 22), and since compara- sition to the vous of Anaxagoras. But it does the
tively few fragments have come down to us, and 'highest honour to the mind of Democritus, that he
1
TAT
## p. 976 (#996) ############################################
976
DEMOCRITUS.
DEMOCRITUS.
inade the discovery of causes the highest object or sensuous perception, but that he considered
of scientific investigations. He once said, that he knowledge derived from reason to be sensuous
preferred the discovery of a true cause to the pos- perceptions. (De Anim. i. 2. p. 404, 27. ) A purer
sesssion of the kingdom of Persia. (Dionys. Alex. and higher knowledge which he opposed to the
an. Euscb. Pruen. Erang. xiv. 27. ) We must not, obscure knowledge obtained through the medium
therefore, take the word chance (Tuxń) in its vul- of the senses, must therefore have been to him a
gar acceptation. (Brandis, l. c. p. 319. ) Aristotle kind of sensation, that is, a direct perception of
understood Democritus rightly in this respect the atoms and of space. For this reason he as.
(Phys. Auscult. ii. 4, p. 196. 11; Simplic. fol. 74), sumed the three criteria (Epithpia): a. Phaeno-
as he generally valued him highly, and often says mena as criteria for discovering that which is hid-
of him, that he had thought on all subjects, search- den : 1. Thought as a criterion of investigation :
ed after the first causes of phaenomena, and endea- and c. Assertions as criteria of desires. (Sext.
Toured to find defnitions. (De Generat. ct Corrupt. Emp. adr. Math. vii. 140; Brandis, l. c. p. 334. )
i. 2, 8, Metaph. N. 4, Phys. ii. 2, p. 194, 20, de Now as Democritus acknowledged the uncertainty
Purt. Anim. i. p. 642, 26. ) The only thing for of perceptions, and as he was unable to establish a
which he censures him, is a disregard for teleologi- higher and purely spiritual source of knowledge as
cal relations, and the want of a comprehensive sys- distinct from perceptions, we often find him com-
tem of induction. (De Respir. 4, de Generat. Anim. plaining that all human knowledge is uncertain,
v. 8. ) Democritus himself called the common no- ihat in general either nothing is absolutely trie,
tion of chance a cover of human ignorance (Tpóda- or at least not clear to us (äənaov, Aristot. Metaph.
ow idins avoins), and an invention of those who r. 5), that our senses grope about in the dark
were too idle to think. (Dionys, ap. Euseb. Praep. (sensus tenebricosi, Cic. Acad. iv. 10, 23), and that
Evang. xiv. 27; Stob. Eclog. Eth. p. 341. ) all our views and opinions are subjective, and come
Besides the infinite number of atoms existing in to us only like something epidemic, as it were,
infinite space, Democritus also supposed the exist with the air which we breathe. (Sext. Emp. adv.
ence of an infinite number of worlds, some of which Math. vii. 136, 137, viii. 327, Hypotyp. i. 213;
resembled one another, while others differed from Diog. Laërt. ix. 72, te d' oùdėv louer, èv Buon
one another, and each of these worlds was kept gap n alhoera, which Cicero translates in profundo
together as one thing by a sort of shell or skin. | veritatem esse. )
He derived the four elements from the form of the In his ethical philosophy Democritus considered
atoms predominating in each, from their quality, the acquisition of peace of mind (evduula) as the
and their relations of magnitude. In deriving in- end and ultimate object of our actions. (Diog.
dividual things from atoms, he mainly considered Laërt. ix. 45; Cic. de Fin. v. 29. ) This peace,
the qualities of warm and cold. The warm or fire- this tranquillity of the mind, and freedom froin
like he took to be a combination of fine, spheric, fear (pobos and devoidaluovia) and passion, is the
and very mosable atoms, as opposed to the cold last and fairest fruit of philosophical inquiry.
and moist.
DEMOCRITUS. (DAMOCRITUS. ]
Socrates, perhaps eren with Plato, who, however,
DEMOCRITUS (Anuókpitos), was a native of does not mention Democritus anywhere. (Her-
Abdera in Thrace, an Ionian colony of Teos. mann, System der Platon. Philos. i. p. 281. ) Aris-
.
(Aristot. de Coel. iii. 4, Meteor. ii. 7, with Ideler's rotle describes him and his views as belonging to
note. ) Some called him a Milesian, and the name the ante-Socratic period (Arist. Metaph. xii. 4 ;
of his father too is stated differently. (Diog. Laert. Phys. ii. 2, de Partib. Anim. i. 1); but modern
ix. 34, &c. ) His birth year was fixed by Apol. scholars, such as the learned Dutchman Groen van
lodorus in Ol. 80. 1, or B. c. 460, while Thrasyllus Prinsterer (Prosopograph. Platon. p. 41, &c. , comp.
had referred it to Ol. 77. 3. (Diog. Laërt. l. c. Brandis, l. c. p. 292, &c. ), assert, that there are
§ 41, with Menage's note ; Gellius, xvii. 21 ; symptoms in Plato which shew a connexion with
Clinton, F. H. ad ann. 460. ) Democritus had Democritus, and the same scholar pretends to dis-
called himself forty years younger than Anaxagoras. cover in Plato's language and style an imitation of
His father, Hegesistratus,-—or as others called him Democritus. (Persop. Plat. p. 42. )
Damasippus or Athenocritus,—was possessed of so anecdotes about Democritus which are preserved,
large a property, that he was able to receive and especially in Diogenes Laërtius, shew that he was
treat Xerxes on his march through Abdera. De- a man of a most sterling and honourable character.
mocritus spent the inheritance, which his father His diligence was incredible: he lived exclusively
left hiin, on travels into distant countries, which he for his studies, and his disinterestedness, modesty,
undertook to satisfy his extraordinary thirst for and simplicity are attested by many features which
knowledge. He travelled over a great part of are related of him. Notwithstanding his great
Asia, and, as some state, he even reached India property, he seems to have died in poverty,
and Aethiopia. (Cic. de Fin. v. 19; Strabo, xvi. though highly esteemed by his fellow-citizens, not
p. 703; A. H. C. Geffers, Quaestiones Democrit. so much on account of his philosophy, as “ be-
The many
## p. 975 (#995) ############################################
DEMOCRITUS.
975
DEMOCRITUS.
p. 22,
cause," as Diogenes says, " he had foretold them these fragments refer more to ethics than to physi-
some things which the event proved to be true. " cal matters. There is a very good collection of
This had probably reference to his knowledge of these fragments by F. G. A. Mullach, “ Democriti
natural phaenomena. His fellow-citizens honoured Abderitae operum fragmenta,” Berlin, 1843, 8vo.
him with presents in money and bronze statues. Besides this work, which contains also elaborate
Even the scoffer Timon, who in his silli spared no dissertations on the life and writings of Democritus,
one, speaks of Democritus only in terms of praise. the student may consult-1. Burchardt, Comment.
He died at an advanced age (some say that he was crit. de Democriti de sensibus philosophia, in two pro-
109 years old), and even the manner in which he grams, Minden, 1830 and 1839, 4to. 2. Burchardt,
died is characteristic of his medical knowledge, Fragmente der Morul des Demokrit, Minden, 1834,
which, combined as it was with his knowledge of 4to. 3. Heimsith, Democriti de unima doctrina,
nature, caused a report, which was believed by Bonn, 1835, 8vo. 4. H. Stephanus, Poesis Philos.
some persons, that he was a sorcerer and a magician. p. 156, &c. 5. Orelli, Opusc. Graec. Sent. i. p.
(Plin. H. N. xxiv. 17, xxx. 1. ) His death is 91, &c. Concerning the spurious works and letters
placed in Ol. 105. 4, or B. c. 357, in which year of Democritus, see Fabric. Bill. Gr. i. p. 683, &c. ,
Hippocrates also is said to have died. (Clinton, ii. pp. 641, 639, iv. p. 333, &c.
F. H. ad ann. 357. ) We cannot leave unnoticed The philosophy of Democritus has, in modern
the tradition that Democritus deprived himself of times been the subject of much investigation. He-
his sight, in order to be less disturbed in his pur- gel (Vorlesung, üb. Gesch. d. Philos. i. p. 379, &c. )
suits. (Cic. de Fin. v. 29 ; Gellius, x. 17 ; Diog. treats it very briefly, and does not attach much
Laërt. ix. 36 ; Cic. Tusc. v. 39 ; Menage, ad Diog. importance to it. The most minute investigations
Laërt. ix. 43. ) But this tradition is one of the concerning it are those of Ritter (Gesch. d. Philos.
inventions of a later age, which was fond of i. p. 559), Brandis (Rhein. Mus. iii. p. 133, &c. ,
piquant anecdotes. It is more probable that he and Gesch. der Griech. u. Röm. Philos. i. p. 294,
may have lost his sight by too severe application &c. ), Petersen (Histor. Philog. Studien. i.
to study. (Brandis, l. c. p. 298. ) This loss, &c. ), Papencordt ( Atomicorum doctrina), and Mul-
however, did not disturb the cheerful disposition lach (l. c. pp. 373—419).
of his mind and his views of human life, which It was Democritus who, in his numerous writ-
prompted him everywhere to look at the cheerful ings, carried out Leucippus's theory of atoms, and
and comical side of things, which later writers took especially in his observations on nature. These
to mean, that he always laughed at the follies of atomists undertook the task of proving that the
men. (Senec. de Ira, ii. 10; Aelian, V. H. iv.
quantitative relations of matter were its original
20. )
characteristics, and that its qualitative relations
Of the extent of his knowledge, which embraced were something secondary and derivative, and of
not only natural sciences, mathematics, mechanics thus doing away with the distinction between
(Brandis, in the Rhein. Mus. iii. p. 134, &c. ). gram- matter and mind or power. (Brandis, l. c. p. 291. )
mar, music, and philosophy, but various other use- In order to avoid the difficulties connected with
ful arts, we may form some notion from the list of the supposition of primitive matter with definite
his numerous works which is given by Diogenes qualities, without admitting the coming into exist-
Laërtius (ix. 46—49), and which, as Diogenes ence and annihilation as realities, and without
expressly states, contains only his genuine works. giving up, as the Eleatic philosophers did, the
The grammarian Thrasyllus, a contemporary of the reality of variety and its changes, the atomists
emperor Tiberius, arranged them, like the works of derived all definiteness of phaenomena, both phy-
Plato, into tetralogies. The importance which sical and mental, from elementary particles, the
was attached to the researches of Democritus is infinite number of which were homogeneous in
evident from the fact, that Aristotle is reported to quality, but heterogeneous in form. This made it
have written a work in two books on the problems necessary for them to establish the reality of a
of Democritus. (Diog. Laërt. v. 26. ) His works vacuum or space, and of motion. (Brandis, l. c.
were composed in the Ionic dialect, though not p. 303, &c. ) Motion, they said, is the eternal and
without some admixture of the local peculiarities of nece art consequence of the original variety of
Abdera. (Philopon. in Aristot. de gener. et cor- atoms in the vacuum or space. All phaenomena
rupt. fol. 7, a. ; Simplic. ad Aristot. de Coelo, fol. arise from the infinite variety of the form, order, and
150, a. ; Suid. s. v. Þuo uós. ) They are neverthe position of the atoms in forming combinations. It
less much praised by Cicero on account of the is impossible, they add, to derive this supposition
poetical beauties and the liveliness of their style, from any higher principle, for a beginning of the
and are in this respect compared even with the infinite is inconceivable. (Aristot. de Generat.
works of Plato. (Groen van Prinsterer, l. c. ; Cic. Anim. i. 6, p. 742, b. 20, ed. Bekker; Brandis,
de Div. ii. 64, de Orat. i. 11, Orat. 20 ; Dionys. l. c. p. 309, &c. ) The atoms are impenetrable,
de Compos. verb. 24; Plut. Sympos. v. 7, p. 683. ) and therefore ofier resistance to one another. This
Pyrrhon is said to have imitated his style (Euseb. creates a swinging, world-producing, and whirling
Praep. Evang. xiv. 6), and even Timon praises it, motion. (This reminds us of the joke in the Clouds
and calls it περίφρονα και αμφίνοον λέσχην. (Diog. of Aristophanes about the god Δίνος! ) Now as
Laërt. ix. 40. ) Unfortunately, not one of his similars attract one another, there arise in that
works has come down to us, and the treatise which motion real things and beings, that is, combinations
we possess under his name is considered spurious. of distinct atoms, which still continue to be sepa-
Callimachus wrote glosses upon his works and made rated from one another by the vacuum. The first
a list of them (Suid. s. v. ); but they must have cause of all existence is necessity, that is, the neces-
been lost at an early time, since even Simplicius sary predestination and necessary succession of
does not appear to have read them (Papencordt, de cause and effect. This they called chancc, in oppo-
Atomicorum doctrina, p. 22), and since compara- sition to the vous of Anaxagoras. But it does the
tively few fragments have come down to us, and 'highest honour to the mind of Democritus, that he
1
TAT
## p. 976 (#996) ############################################
976
DEMOCRITUS.
DEMOCRITUS.
inade the discovery of causes the highest object or sensuous perception, but that he considered
of scientific investigations. He once said, that he knowledge derived from reason to be sensuous
preferred the discovery of a true cause to the pos- perceptions. (De Anim. i. 2. p. 404, 27. ) A purer
sesssion of the kingdom of Persia. (Dionys. Alex. and higher knowledge which he opposed to the
an. Euscb. Pruen. Erang. xiv. 27. ) We must not, obscure knowledge obtained through the medium
therefore, take the word chance (Tuxń) in its vul- of the senses, must therefore have been to him a
gar acceptation. (Brandis, l. c. p. 319. ) Aristotle kind of sensation, that is, a direct perception of
understood Democritus rightly in this respect the atoms and of space. For this reason he as.
(Phys. Auscult. ii. 4, p. 196. 11; Simplic. fol. 74), sumed the three criteria (Epithpia): a. Phaeno-
as he generally valued him highly, and often says mena as criteria for discovering that which is hid-
of him, that he had thought on all subjects, search- den : 1. Thought as a criterion of investigation :
ed after the first causes of phaenomena, and endea- and c. Assertions as criteria of desires. (Sext.
Toured to find defnitions. (De Generat. ct Corrupt. Emp. adr. Math. vii. 140; Brandis, l. c. p. 334. )
i. 2, 8, Metaph. N. 4, Phys. ii. 2, p. 194, 20, de Now as Democritus acknowledged the uncertainty
Purt. Anim. i. p. 642, 26. ) The only thing for of perceptions, and as he was unable to establish a
which he censures him, is a disregard for teleologi- higher and purely spiritual source of knowledge as
cal relations, and the want of a comprehensive sys- distinct from perceptions, we often find him com-
tem of induction. (De Respir. 4, de Generat. Anim. plaining that all human knowledge is uncertain,
v. 8. ) Democritus himself called the common no- ihat in general either nothing is absolutely trie,
tion of chance a cover of human ignorance (Tpóda- or at least not clear to us (äənaov, Aristot. Metaph.
ow idins avoins), and an invention of those who r. 5), that our senses grope about in the dark
were too idle to think. (Dionys, ap. Euseb. Praep. (sensus tenebricosi, Cic. Acad. iv. 10, 23), and that
Evang. xiv. 27; Stob. Eclog. Eth. p. 341. ) all our views and opinions are subjective, and come
Besides the infinite number of atoms existing in to us only like something epidemic, as it were,
infinite space, Democritus also supposed the exist with the air which we breathe. (Sext. Emp. adv.
ence of an infinite number of worlds, some of which Math. vii. 136, 137, viii. 327, Hypotyp. i. 213;
resembled one another, while others differed from Diog. Laërt. ix. 72, te d' oùdėv louer, èv Buon
one another, and each of these worlds was kept gap n alhoera, which Cicero translates in profundo
together as one thing by a sort of shell or skin. | veritatem esse. )
He derived the four elements from the form of the In his ethical philosophy Democritus considered
atoms predominating in each, from their quality, the acquisition of peace of mind (evduula) as the
and their relations of magnitude. In deriving in- end and ultimate object of our actions. (Diog.
dividual things from atoms, he mainly considered Laërt. ix. 45; Cic. de Fin. v. 29. ) This peace,
the qualities of warm and cold. The warm or fire- this tranquillity of the mind, and freedom froin
like he took to be a combination of fine, spheric, fear (pobos and devoidaluovia) and passion, is the
and very mosable atoms, as opposed to the cold last and fairest fruit of philosophical inquiry.
and moist.
