Humanitext Reader

Theophrastus · Fragments §38.1

The Nature of Time as an Accident of Movement

Passage 28 of 196 · Greek

Summary

Explains that while Plato assumed time to be a quantity inseparable from movement, Theophrastus regarded it as a certain accident of movement.

§38.1Fr. 38 Πλάτων μὲν γὰρ τὸ ποσὸν τῆς κινήσεως εἰπὼν τὸν χρόνον ἀχώριστόν τι αὐτὸν ὑπέθετο τῆς κινήσεως, Θ. δὲ συμβεβηκός τι.
Fr. 38 For Plato, having called time the quantity of movement, assumed it to be something inseparable from movement, whereas Theophrastus assumed it to be a certain accident.

Notes

  1. §38.1εἰπὼν — The verb εἰπεῖν is used here with a double accusative (τὸν χρόνον and τὸ ποσὸν τῆς κινήσεως), meaning "calling time the quantity of movement."
  2. §38.1Θ. δὲ συμβεβηκός τι — The abbreviation "Θ." refers to Theophrastus (Θεόφραστος). In this clause, the main verb ὑπέθετο and its object with the genitive complement (αὐτὸν ... τῆς κινήσεως) are omitted; it should be understood as "Theophrastus assumed it to be a certain accident (of movement)."

Cite this passage

Theophrastus, Fragments §38.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0093.tlg010x09.humanitext-grc1:38.1

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