Humanitext Reader

Theophrastus · Fragments §44.1

Parmenides on the Two Ways of Truth and Opinion

Passage 34 of 196 · Greek

Summary

Theophrastus describes Parmenides' dual approach of truth and opinion, explaining that according to truth the universe is one and spherical, while according to opinion generation is explained through fire and earth.

§44.1Fr. 44 Περὶ Παρμενίδου καὶ τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ καὶ Θ. ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ τῶν Φυσικῶν οὕτως λέγει· Τούτῳ δʼ ἐπιο γενόμενος Παρμενίδης Πύρητος ὁ Ἐλεάτης, δὲ λέγει καὶ Ξενοφάνην.
Fr. 44 Concerning Parmenides and his doctrine, Theophrastus also speaks as follows in the first book of his Physics: "Parmenides of Elea, son of Pyres, who came after him—and he [Theophrastus] also speaks of Xenophanes.—He went along both ways.
- ἐπʼ ἀμφοτέρας ἦλθε τὰς ὁδούς, Καὶ γὰρ ὡς ἀΐδιόν ἐστι τὸ πᾶν ἀποφαίνεται καὶ γένεσιν ἀποδιδόναι πειρᾶται τῶν ὄντων οὐχ ὁμοίως περὶ ἀμφοτέρων δοξάζων, ἀλλὰ κατʼ ἀλήθειαν μὲν ἓν τὸ πᾶν καὶ ἀγέννητον καὶ σφαιροειδὲς ὑπολαμβάνων, κατὰ δόξαν δὲ τῶν πολλῶν εἰς τὸ γένεσιν ἀποδοῦναι τῶν φαινομένων δύο ποιῶν τὰς ἀρχὰς, πῦρ καὶ γῆν, τὸ μὲν ὡς ὕλην, τὸ δʼ ὡς αἴτιον καὶ ποιοῦν.
For he both declares that the universe is eternal and attempts to account for the coming-to-be of things that are, not holding the same opinion about both, but rather, according to truth, supposing that the universe is one, ungenerated, and spherical, whereas according to the opinion of the many, in order to account for the coming-to-be of appearances, making two principles, fire and earth, the one as matter, the other as cause and agent."

Notes

  1. 44.1ἐπιο γενόμενος — Considered a scribal error or typographical corruption for `ἐπιγενόμενος` (aorist participle of `ἐπιγίγνομαι`, "to come after" or "succeed"), governing the dative `Τούτῳ` (referring to Xenophanes).
  2. 44.1δὲ λέγει καὶ Ξενοφάνην — A highly suspected corruption in the text. While the parallel tradition usually states that Parmenides "associated with" (`κοινωνῆσαι`) Xenophanes, taking the current reading with the accusative `Ξενοφάνην` and the active indicative `λέγει`, the subject must be Theophrastus (continued from the introductory sentence): "and he [Theophrastus] also speaks of Xenophanes."
  3. 44.1εἰς τὸ γένεσιν ἀποδοῦναι — The preposition `εἰς` combined with the articular infinitive `τὸ ἀποδοῦναι` (from `ἀποδίδωμι`, "to render" or "account for") expresses purpose ("in order to account for"). `γένεσιν τῶν φαινομένων` ("the coming-to-be of appearances") serves as the object of the infinitive.
  4. 44.1τὸ μὲν ὡς ὕλην, τὸ δʼ ὡς αἴτιον καὶ ποιοῦν — `τὸ μὲν ... τὸ δʼ` refer respectively to the two principles (`δύο ... ἀρχάς`) just mentioned, namely `πῦρ` (fire) and `γῆν` (earth). `ποιοῦν` is the neuter singular present participle of `ποιέω`, functioning substantively as "the active/efficient cause".

Cite this passage

Theophrastus, Fragments §44.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0093.tlg010x09.humanitext-grc1:44.1

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