Simplicius

by Simplicius; Mueller, Ian

• ISBN13: 9780715638439
• ISBN10: 0715638432
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-11-02
• Publisher: Bristol Classical Pr

Summary

The subject of Aristotle's On the Heavens, Books 3-4, is the four elements of earth, air, fire and water, which exist below the heavens. Book 3, in chapters 1 to 7,frequently criticises the Presocratic philosophers. Because of this Simplicius' commentary is one of our main sources of quotations of the Presocratics. Mueller's translation gains added importance from its enabling us to see the context which guided Simplicius' selection of Presocratic texts to quote. Simplicius also criticises the lost commentary of the leading Aristotelian commentator, Alexander, and thereby gives us important information about that work.

Author Biography

Ian Mueller is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of Chicago. He has also translated Simplicius: On Aristotle On the Heavens 2.1-9, Simplicius: On Aristotle On the Heavens 2.10-14 and Simplicius: On Aristotle On the Heavens 3.7-4.6 for this series.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	p. vii
Abbreviations	p. viii
Introduction	p. 1
Translation	p. 23
The view of Parmenides and Melissus that nothing comes to be; criticism of Plato for generating bodies from planes	p. 25
Natural motion and its priority over unnatural motion; heaviness and lightness; the relation of power to motion	p. 55
The definition of 'element'; the existence of elements	p. 76
There are not infinitely many elements	p. 80
There is more than one element	p. 92
The elements come to be from one another, not from what is incorporeal or from another body	p. 105
305b28 The elements do not come to be from one another by separation out (ekkrisis)	p. 111
Appendix: The argument of Cael. 3.5	p. 117
Textual Questions	p. 119
Departures from Heiberg's text	p. 119
Simplicius' citations of Cael. 3.1-7, 305b28	p. 120
Simplicius' citations of other texts	p. 120
Lemmas	p. 121
Notes	p. 123
Bibliography	p. 140
English-Greek Glossary	p. 143
Greek-English Index	p. 151
Index of Passages	p. 172
Index of Names	p. 174
Subject Index	p. 180
Addenda	p. 181
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.