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Aristotle · On the Soul (Codex E recension, fragments) §1

Inquiry into the Soul and Division of Substance

Passage 1 of 7 · Greek

Summary

A variant fragment from the beginning of Book II of Aristotle's De Anima. Having reviewed prior views, the author restarts the inquiry to define the soul, introducing the division of substance and the distinction between potentiality and actuality.

§1## Codicis E fragmenta recensionis a vulgata diversae I lib.
## Fragments of Codex E from a recension different from the vulgate I lib.
II, 412a3—112 Ἐοεὶ δὲ τὰ παραδεδομένα περὶ ψυχῆς παρὰ τῶν ἄλλων, ἐφʼ ὅσον ἕκαστος ἀπεφήνατο τῶν πρότερον, εἴρηται σχεδόν, νῦν ὥσπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς πάλιν ἐπανίωμεν, πειρώμενοι διορίσαι τί ἐστιν ἡ ψυχὴ καὶ τίς ἂν εἴη λόγος αὐτῆς κοινότατος·
II, 412a3—112 Since what has been handed down concerning the soul by others, as far as each of the predecessors has declared, has been nearly stated, let us now return as if from the beginning again, attempting to define what the soul is and what would be its most common definition.
χωρίζομεν δὴ τὰς μὲν οὐσίας ἀπὸ τῶν ὄντων τῶν ἄλλων·
Indeed, we distinguish substances from other beings.
τῆς δὲ οὐσίας τὸ μὲν ὡς ὕλην λέγεσθαι τίθεμεν, ὅ καθʼ αὐτὸ οὐκ ἔστι τόδε τι, τὸ δὲ ἡ μορφή, τὸ δʼ ἐκ τούτων.
Of substance, we posit one part as being spoken of as matter, which of itself is not a "this", another as form, and a third as what is from these.
ἔστι δʼ ἡ μὲν ὕλη δυνάμει, τὸ δʼ εἶδος ἐντελέχεια, αὕτη δʼ ὑπάρχει διχῶς, ἢ γὰρ ὡς ἡ ἐπιστήμη, ἢ ὡς τὸ θεωρεῖν.
And matter is potentiality, while form is actuality, and this exists in two ways, either as knowledge or as contemplation.
οὐσίαι δὲ μάλιστα δοκοῦσιν εἶναι τὰ σώματα, καὶ τούτων τὰ φυσικά·
Bodies seem to be substances most of all, and of these, the physical ones.

Notes

  1. 412a3Ἐοεὶ — The spelling 'Ἐοεὶ' in the manuscript is a clerical error for 'Ἐπεὶ', functioning as a causal conjunction meaning 'since' or 'because'.
  2. 412a7τὸ μὲν ὡς ὕλην λέγεσθαι — An articular infinitive phrase in the accusative case, serving as the direct object of the main verb τίθεμεν ('we posit').
  3. 412a10αὕτη — A feminine singular demonstrative pronoun, referring back to the preceding feminine noun ἐντελέχεια ('actuality').

Cite this passage

Aristotle, On the Soul (Codex E recension, fragments) §1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0086.tlg052.humanitext-grc1:1

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