Humanitext Reader

Theophrastus · Fragments §14.1

The Conception of God as Heaven or Breath

Passage 2 of 196 · Greek

Summary

Introducing the view that Theophrastus supposes God to be either heaven or breath.

§14.1Fr. 14 Ὁ δὲ Ἐρέσιος ἐκεῖνος Θεόφραστος ὁ Ἀριστοτέλους γνώριμος πὴ μὲν οὐρανὸν πὴ δὲ πνεῦμα τὸν θεὸν ὑπονοεῖ.
\nFr. 14\nAnd that Eresian Theophrastus, the acquaintance of Aristotle, supposes God to be at one time heaven, and at another time breath.

Notes

  1. §14.1ὁ Ἀριστοτέλους γνώριμος — The noun γνώριμος (acquaintance, disciple) takes the genitive of relation Ἀριστοτέλους, meaning 'the disciple (or acquaintance) of Aristotle'.
  2. §14.1πὴ μὲν ... πὴ δὲ ... — A variant of the adverb πῇ, expressing contrast: 'partly... partly...' or 'at one time... at another...''
  3. §14.1οὐρανὸν πὴ δὲ πνεῦμα τὸν θεὸν ὑπονοεῖ — The verb ὑπονοέω takes a double accusative (object and object complement). τὸν θεὸν with the definite article is the direct object ('God'), while the anarthrous οὐρανὸν ('heaven') and πνεῦμα ('breath') serve as object complements ('to be...').

Cite this passage

Theophrastus, Fragments §14.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0093.tlg010x09.humanitext-grc1:14.1

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.