Philosophy and Exegesis in Simplicius The Methodology of a Commentator

by Baltussen, Han

• ISBN13: 9780715635001
• ISBN10: 071563500X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-08-14
• Publisher: Bristol Classical Press

Summary

This is the first book-length study in English of the interpretative and philosophical approach of the commentaries of Simplicius of Cilicia (c. AD 530). Simplicius' work, marked by doctrinal complexity and scholarship, is unusually self-conscious, learned and rich in its sources. Consequently, he is one of those rare authors who is of interest to ancient philosophers, historians and classicists alike. The book argues that our understanding of Simplicius' methodology will be greatly enhanced if we study how his scholarly approach impacts on his philosophical exegesis. His commentaries are placed in their intellectual context and several case studies shed light on his critical treatment of earlier philosophers and his at times polemical use of previous commentaries. The investigation opens up connections with broader issues, such as the reception of Presocratic philosophy within the commentary tradition, the nature and purpose of his commentaries, and the demise of pagan philosophy.

Author Biography

Han Baltussen is Senior Lecturer in Classics at the University of Adelaide.

Table of Contents

Abbreviations	p. viii
Preface	p. ix
Introduction: Simplicius of Cilicia and Philosophy in Late Antiquity	p. 1
Philosophy in Late Antiquity: eclecticism, syncretism and 'post-classicism'	p. 10
Simplicius of Cilicia: life and works	p. 12
Method and outline of this study	p. 14
The Scholar and His Books	p. 21
The author: philosophical and intellectual context	p. 24
Scholarly pursuits: exegetical objectives and practices	p. 31
A puzzle about location	p. 48
Of books and men: Simplicius' scholarly method	p. 51
Rethinking Early Greek Philosophy? Origins of Ancient Wisdom	p. 54
What we have thanks to Simplicius	p. 63
Two views on unity and plurality: Parmenides and Empedocles	p. 68
A special case: Anaxagoras	p. 78
The unity of Greek philosophy	p. 84
Towards a Canon: the Early Peripatetics	p. 88
Succeeding Aristotle, understanding Aristotle	p. 89
Teaching Aristotle: Theophrastus and Eudemus	p. 91
Simplicius and the early Peripatetics	p. 104
Ghost in the Machine? The Role of Alexander of Aphrodisias	p. 107
Two commentators, two traditions	p. 111
Alexander the pioneer: exegetical format and style	p. 114
Simplicius' use of Alexander	p. 121
Disagreeing with Alexander	p. 129
The ghost in the machine and the making of commentary	p. 132
Platonist Commentators: Sources and Inspiration	p. 136
A new Platonism: Plotinus	p. 140
Harmonising strategies: from Porphyry to Proclus	p. 147
Simplicius' teachers	p. 158
Two outsiders: Galen and Themistius	p. 166
Platonist exegesis from Plotinus to Simplicius	p. 169
Polemic and Exegesis in Simplicius: Defending Pagan Theology	p. 172
Polemic and philosophy: a very brief history	p. 173
Against the Christian Philoponus: defending Platonism or paganism?	p. 176
Extensive quotation and disagreement: Alexander revisited	p. 188
The rhetoric of interpretation	p. 193
Epilogue: Simplicius and Greek Philosophy: The Last Pagan Gospel?	p. 196
The commentator's craft	p. 197
Simplicius on Simplicius: self-image and self-presentation	p. 198
Exegesis and philosophy: a complex relationship	p. 201
The methodology of a commentator: a final appraisal	p. 208
The 'Library' of Simplicius	p. 211
New Evidence on Alexander	p. 216
Distribution of Alexander References in in Phys	p. 217
Sumphonia in Simplicius	p. 218
Notes	p. 221
Bibliography	p. 257
Index Locorum	p. 283
Index of Names	p. 288
Subject Index	p. 290
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.