No More Learning

But the ultimate can scarcely fail to recognise a reference to his con-
explanatory principle of the world of originated ex- viction that Thought and Existence coincide. But,
istence must, in his view, have been necessity, or little as he could deny that the really existent
destiny, and as such he may very well bave desig- must in some way or other lie at the basis of
nated at one time that deity that holds sway be change and the multiformity of phaenomena, he
tween the opposites (Stobaeus, Eclog. i. 23, p. 482 ; could not attempt to deduce the latter from the
comp Plato, Symp. p. 195, c. ), at other times the former so long as he maintained the idea of the
opposed principles themselves (Plut. de Anim. Pro- existent as single, indivisible, and unchangeable ;
creat. c. T'imaeo, p. 1026, b. ). Of the cosmogony and this idea, again, he could not but maintain, so
of Parmenides, which was carried out very much in long as he conceived it in a purely abstract manner
detail, we possess only a few fragments and notices, as pure Position. * But, howerer insufficient this
which are difficult to understand (1. 132, &c. ; idea is, it was necessary to develope it with sharp-
Stob. Ed. Phys. i. 23, p. 482, &c. ; Cic. de Nat. ness and precision before it would be possible to
Deor. i. 11, &c. ; comp. S. Karsten, l. c. p. 240, make any successful attempts to find the absolutely
&c. ), according to which, with an approach to the existent in place of the originated, and therefore as
doctrines of the Pythagoreans, he conceived the something multiform, The first endeavours to
spherical mundane system, surrounded by a circle define the idea of the existent are found in Xeno.
of the pure light (Olympus, Uranus); in the centre phanes, and with them begins that course of deve-
of this mundane system the solid earth, and between lopment peculiar to the Eleatics. But Parmenides
the two the circle of the milky-way, of the morning was the first who succeeded in developing the idea
or evening star, of the sun, the planets, and the of the existent purely by itself and out of itself,
moon ; which circle he regarded as a mixture of the without carrying it back and making it rest upon
two primordial elements. As here, so in his an- a support, like the Deity in Xenophanes. li is
thropological attempts, he deduced the differences only from inaccurate or indistinct statements that
in point of perfection of organisation, from the it has been concluded that Parmenides represented
different proportions in which the primordial prin-| the absolutely existent as a deity (Ammonius, in
ciples were intermingled (S. Karsten, p. 257, &c. ), Arist. de Interpret. f. 58 ; Arist. de Xenoph. Gurg.
and again deduced the differences in the mental et Melisso, c. 4). So that he was the only philo
capacities from the more or less perfect inter- sopher who with distinctness and precision recog-
mixture of the members (ws gdp erdotu ēxel nised that the existent, as such, is unconnected
κράσις μελέων πολυπλάγκτων, τως νόος ανθρώ- | with all separation or juxtaposition, as well as with
ROLOL, I. 145, &c. ; comp. S. Karsten, p. 266, all succession, all relation to space or time, all
&c. ); - laying down in the first instance that the coming into existence, and all change ; from which
primordial principles are animated, and that all arose the problem of all subsequent metaphysics, to
things, even those that have died, partake of feel reconcile the mutually opposed ideas of Existence
ing, not indeed for the warm, for light, for sound, and Coming into Existence.
but for the cold, for darkness, and for silence After the scanty collection in H. Stephens' Poesis
(Theophrastus, de Sensu Princ. ). Accordingly, Philosophica, 1573, the fragments of Parmenides
consciousness and thought also, in so far as, while were collected and explained more fully by G. G.
conceived in a state of change, it is an object of Fülleborn (Beiträge zur Gesch, der Philos. vi. ; comp.
appearance, is to be deduced from the primordial c. Fr. Heinrich, Spicilegium Observationum, ib.
principles of the world of phaenomena, but must viii. ). A more complete collection was then made
be abstracted from that Thought which is coin-
cident with the absolutely existent. But, however • It may be necessary to suggest to the reader
marked the manner in which Parmenides separated who is unaccustomed to the terminology of meta-
the true, only, changeless Existence from the world physics, that in connection with this word Position
of phaenomena, which passes off in the change of he must dismiss all notion of locality, and look
forms, and however little he may have endeavoured upon it as a noun whose meaning answers to that
to trace back the latter to the former, the possia of the adjective positive. -TRANSLATOR,
me presupposes a non-eristed
similar arguments dinstas
1 or change, as also infinity, are
absolutely existent (L 81, &c. ).
presented as shut up in itsei,
ompared to a well-rourded bei
nile Thougħt is appropriated wit
e definition, Thougbe and that
of (Object) coinciding (l
. 93, &c;
passages of Plato, Aristotle,
d others, which authenticate this
ry, see in Commeslati. Eiest br
28 article, i. p. 133, &c, and in a
Thus to Parmenides the idea of
ted itself in its complete parits, 10
Il connection with space
, ide, and
he was compelled to decide open
an fancy and illusion sbat aspears
with time and space, changeable
-. 97, &c. 176), though he deres
elf obliged at least to attempt a
this illusion. In this atteurs
nates as mere mortal opinion and
g together of words, he lats com
forms (uoppai), the fine, and liabile
uniform aetherial fire of farbe (tom
up), and the cold, thick, and heart
f dark night (1 112, &c. ), -repre
e who have preserved to us the in
Warm and Cold, Fire and Earth
3, Metaph. i. 5, de Gener. et Corres,
ast. in Alet. Lc. ); the former fe
xistent, the latter to the non-existent
1


## p. 126 (#142) ############################################

126
PARMENION.
PARMENION.
3
by the author of this article (Comment. Eieat. Al- were of the most important kind. His age and
tona, 1815); but the best and most careful col- | long established reputation as a military com-
lection is that of S. Karsten, who made use of the mander naturally gave great weight to his advice
MS. apparatus of the great Jul. Scaliger, which is and opinion ; and though his counsels, leaning
preserved in the library of Leyden. It forms the generally to the side of caution, were frequently
second part of the first volume of Philosophorum orerruled by the impetuosity of the youthful
Graecorum Veterum Oper. Reliquiae, Amstelod. monarch, they were always listened to with do
1835.
(CH. A. B. ] ference, and sometimes followed even in opposition
PARME'NION (Napueviwv). 1. Son of Phi- to the opinion of Alexander himself. (Arrian.
lotns, a distinguished Macedonian general in the ii. 9. ) His special post appears to have been
service of Philip of Macedon and Alexander the that of commander-in-chief of the Macedonian
Great. Notwithstanding the prominent place infantry (Diod. xvii. 17), but it is evident that
that he holds in history we know nothing either he acted, and was generally regarded as second in
of his family and origin, or of the services by command to Alexander himself. Thus, at the
which he had attained the high reputation of three great battles of the Granicus, Issus and
which we find him possessed when his name first Arbela, while the king in person commanded the
appears. As he was considerably older than right wing of the arny, Parmenion was placed at
Philip, having been born about B. c. 400 (see Curt. the head of the left, and contributed essentially to
vii. 2. $ 33) it is probable that he had already dis- the victory on all those memorable occasions. (Arr.
tinguished himself during the reign of Amyntas II. , Anab. i. 14, ii. 8, iii. 11, 14, 15 ; Curt. iii. 9. § 8,
but the first mention of his name occurs in the iv. 13. $ 35, 15. 86, 16. § 1-7; Diod. xvii. 19,
year 356, when we find him entrusted with the 60. ) Again, whenever Alexander divided his
chief command in the war against the Illyrians, forces, and either hastened forward in person with
whom he defeated in a great battle (Plut. Alex. 3). the light-armed troops, or on the contrary, des
Throughout the reign of Philip he enjoyed the patched a part of his army in advance, to occupy
highest place in the confidence of that monarch, some important post, it was always Parmenion
both as his friend and counsellor, and as a general: that was selected to command the division where
the king's estimation of his merits in the latter the king was not present in person. (Arr. Anab.
capacity may be gathered from his well known i. 11, 17, 18, 24, ii. 4, 5, 11, iii
. 18; Curt. iii. 7.
remark, that he had never been able to find more $ 6, v. 3. § 16 ; Diod. xvii. 32. ) The confidence
than one general, and that was Parmenion. (Plut. reposed in him by Alexander appears to have
Apophth. p. 177, c. ) Yet the occasions on which been unbounded, and he is continually spoken of
his name is specially mentioned during the reign as the most attached of the king's friends, and as
of Philip are not numerous. In B. C. 346 we find holding, beyond all question, the second place in
him engaged in the siege of Halus in Thessaly the state. Among other important employments
(Dem. de F. L. p. 392), and shortly after he was we find him selected, after the battle of Issus, to
sent by Philip, together with Antipater and Eu- take possession of the treasures deposited by
rylochus, as ambassador to Athens, to obtain the Dareius at Damascus (Arr. ii. 11, 15; Curt. iii.
ratification of the proposed peace from the Athe- 12, 13): and again at a later period when Aler-
nians and their allies. (Id. ib. p. 362 ; Arg. ad ander himself determined to push on into the
Or. de. F. L. p. 336. ) In B. c. 342, while Philip wilds of Parthia and Hyrcania in pursuit of
was in Thrace, Parmenion carried on operations in Dareius, he left Parmenion in Media with a large
Euboea, where he supported the Macedonian force, with instructions to see the royal treasures
party at Eretria, and subsequently besieged and taken in Persia safely deposited in the citadel of
took the city of Oreus, and put to death Euphraeus, Ecbatana, under the charge of Harpalus, and then
the leader of the opposite faction. (Dem. Phil. iii. to rejoin Alexander and the main army in Hyr-
p. 126 ; Athen. xi. p. 508. ) When Philip at cania. (Art. iii. 19; Justin. xii. 1. )
length began to turn his views seriously towards But before the end of the year 330, while
est of Asia B. c.
336, he sent forward Parmenion still remained in Media in pursuance
Parmenion and Attalus with an army, to carry on of these orders, the discovery took place in Dran-
preliminary operations in that country, and secure a giana of the plot against the king's life, in which
firm footing there by liberating some of the Greek Philotas, the only surviving son of Parmenion,
cities. (Diod. xvi. 91, xvii. 2 ; Justin. ix. 5. ) was supposed to be implicated (PhilotAS) : and
They had, however, little time to accomplish any- the confession wrung from the latter by the tor-
thing before the assassination of Philip himself ture not only admitted his own guilt, but involved
entirely changed the aspect of affairs: Attalus was his father also in the charge of treasonable designs
bitterly hostile to the young king, but Parmenion against the life of Alexander. (Curt. vi. 11. § 21
was favourably disposed towards him, and readily --30. ) Whether the king really believed in the
joined with Hecataeus, who was sent by Alex- guilt of Parmenion, or deemed his life a necessary
ander to Asia, in effecting the removal of Attalus sacrifice to policy after the execution of his son, it
by assassination. By this means he secured the is impossible for us to decide, but the sentence of
attachment of the army in Asia to the young the aged general was pronounced by the assembled
king: he afterwards carried on some military Macedonian troops, and Polydamas was despatched
operations of little importance in the Troad, but in all haste into Media with orders to the officers
must have returned to Europe before the com- next in command under Parmenion to carry it
mencement of the year 334, as we find him into execution before he could receive the tidings
taking part in the deliberations of Alexander of his son's death. The mandate was quickly
previous to his setting out on the expedition into obeyed, and Parmenion was assassinated by
Asia. (Diod. xvii. 2, 5, 7, 16 ; Curt. vii. 1. $ 3. ) Cleander with his own hand. (Arr. Anab. iii 26 ;
Throughout the course of that expedition the Curt. vii. 2. $11-33; Diod. xvii. 80 ; Plut
services rendered by Parmenion to the young king | Alex. 49 ; Justin. xii. 5 ; Strab. xv. p. 724. )
the con


## p. 127 (#143) ############################################

PARMENION.
327
PARMENON.
The death of Parmenion, at the age of seventy (vol. ii. pp. 201—203), and one more in the
years, almost the whole of which period had been Lectiones (p. 177 ; Jacobs, Anth. Graec. rol. ii.
spent in the service of the king himself or of his pp. 184—187). Reiske refers to him one of the
father, will ever remain one of the darkest stains anonymous epigrams (No. cxxi. ), on the ground of
upon the character of Alexander. Nothing can be the superscription Napulvovtos in the Vatican MS. ,
less probable than that the veteran general who, on but that is the name, not of the author of the
two occasions, had been the first to warn the king epigram, but of the victor who dedicated the statue
against the real or supposed designs of his enemies to which it forms the inscription, as is clear from
(Arr. Anub. i. 25, ii. 4 ; Curt. iii. 6. § 4, vi. 10. the epigram itself (comp. Brunck, Lect. p. 265 ;-
§ 33; Plut. Alex. 19), should have now himself Jacobs, Animadv. in Anth. Gracc. vol. iii. pt. i.
engaged in a plot against the life of his sovereign. p. 356). The epigrams of Parmenion are charac-
Indeed it is certain even if we admit the very terized by brevity, which he himself declares (Ep. 1)
questionable evidence that Philotas was really that he aimed at ; unfortunately, they want the
concerned in the conspiracy of Dimnus, that with body, of which brevity is said to be the soul, -wit.
that plot at least Parmenion had no connection. 2. A grammarian and glossogmpher (onwooo-
(Curt. vi. 11. & 33. ) The confessions extorted zpápos), who is quoted in the Venetian Scholia on
from Philotas on the rack amounted only to some Homer. (N. i. 591. )
[P. S. )
vague and indefinite projects said to have been PARME'NION. (Hapuevſwv), an architect, who
entertained by his father at the suggestion of was employed by Alexander the Great in the
Hegelochus, and which, if they were not alto-building of Alexandria. He was entrusted with
gether a fiction, had probably been no more than the superintendence of the works of sculpture, es-
a temporary ebullition of discontent. (Id. ib. pecially in the temple of Serapis, which came to be
$ 22—29. ) Yet on this evidence not only was called by his name Parmenionis
. (Jul. Valer. i. 35. )
Parmenion condemned unheard, but the mode of Clemens Alexandrinus, however, ascribes the great
his execution, or rather assassination, was marked statue of Serapis to Bryaxis. (Protrep. p. 14,
by the basest treachery.
Sylburg).
[P. S. )
But however unjust was the condemnation of PARMENISCUS (Tappevlokos). 1. À partner
Parmenion, and great as were the services really of Dionysodorus, against whom Demosthenes
rendered by him to Alexander, it is certain that pleaded in the speech Kard Alovuobowpov. (Dem.
his merits are unduly extolled by Quintus pp. 1282—1298, ed. Reisk. )
Curtius, as well as by some modern writers; and 2. Of Metapontum, who probably lived about
the assertion of that author that the king had the middle of the fifth century B. C. Iamblichus
done nothing great without his assistance (multa (Vit. Pythagor. c. 36) calls him (according to the
sine rege prospere, rex sine illo nihil magnae rei common reading) Mapulokos, and ranks bim
gesserat, vii. 2. § 33) is altogether false. On the among the celebrated Pythagorean philosophers.
contrary, many of the king's greatest successes Athenaeus, (who, iv. 156, c. &c. , gives a quotation
were achieved in direct opposition to the advice of from a letter of a man of this name, containing an
Parmenion ; and it is evident that the prudent and account of a Cynic banquet,) narrates (xiv. p. 614,
cautious character of the old general rendered him a. b. ) an incident in his life, connected with a
incapable of appreciating the daring genius of his descent into the cave of Trophonius, and calls him
young leader, which carried with it the assurance rich and high born. He is also mentioned by
of its own success. Had Alexander uniformly Diogenes Laërtius, ix. 20.
followed the advice of Parmenion, it is clear that 3. A grammarian and commentator, of whom
he would never have conquered Asia. (See we have fragments and notices in the Schol. Hom.
Arrian, Anab. i. 13, ii. 25 ; Plut. Alex. 16, 29, Od. 8. 242. n. S. 513, 1'. 424 ; Eustath. ad 11. ii.
Apophth. p. 180, b. ; Diod. xvii. 16, 54. )
p. 854 ; Schol. Eurip. Med. 10, 276, Troad. 222,
Three sons of Parmenion had accompanied 230, Rhes. 524; Et Mag, s. v. "Apew; Steph. Byz.
their father to Asia ; of these the youngest, s. vr. "Ados, "Epupa, peia. Hyginus, when speak-
Hector, was accidentally drowned in the Nile, ing (Poet. Astron. ii. 2, 13) of his history of the
B. c. 331. (Curt. iv. 8. $ 7. ) Nicanor was carried stars, probably refers to a lost coinmentary on
off by a sudden illness on the march into Hyr. Aratus. Varro (de L. L. x. 10) refers to him as
cania, and Philotas was put to death just before making the distinctive characteristics of words to
his father. We find also two of his daughters be eight in number. (Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. i.
mentioned as married, the one to Attalus, the p. 518, vol. vi. p. 375 ; Vossius, De Hist.