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ARCHELAVS.
ARchelaus was either an Athenian, or a Milesi∣an; his Father Apollodorus,* 1.1 or according to some, Mylon; he was Scholer to Anaxagoras, Master to Socrates. He first transferr'd natu∣rall Philosophy out of Ionia to Athens, (But how that can be, when Anaxagoras his Master taught there thirty years, Casau∣bone justly questions) and therefore was called the Natural Phi∣losopher: in him naturall Philosophy ended, Socrates his Scholer introducing morality; but hee seemeth also to have touched morall Philosophy, for he treated of lawes, of things honest and just; from whom Socrates receiving his learning, because he increased it, is therefore thought to have invented it; wheras as Gassendus observes, morall Philosophy was far more antient, that being the principle ground of the attribute of wise con∣ferred upon the Seven, whose learning lay chiefly that way: but Socrates is called the Author thereof, because he first redu∣ced it to a science. Archelaus asserted
That the principles of all things are twofold, one incorpore all,* 1.2 the mind, (not maker of the world) the other corporeall, infinite in number, and dissimilar* 1.3 which is the air, and its rarefaction and condensation, whereof one is fire, the other water.
That the universe is insinite.
That the causes of generation are two; heat and cold.
That the starrs are burning iron plates.
That the Sun is the greatest of stars.
That the Sea is made by percolation of the hollow parts of the Earth.
That living Creatures are generated of slime c••warm Earth, emit∣ting a milky kind of slime like the chile; that this humid matter being dissolved by the fire, that of it which settles into a fiery substance is earth, that which evaporates is air.
That the winds getting into the hollow places of the Earth,* 1.4 filling all the spaces, the air condensed as much as possible, the wind that comes next presseth the first, forcing and disturbing it by frequent impulsions. This wind seeking a room through the narrow places, endeavoureth to break prison, whereby it happens the wind strugling for passage, that the earth is moved.
Of the definition of the Voice, by Plutarch attributed to Anaxa∣goras, Laertius makes Archelaus the Author, describing it a per∣cusion of the air.
That what is just, or dishonest is defined by Law, not by Nature.
* 1.5 These five, Anaximander, Anaximenes Thales, Anaxagoras, Arche∣laus, by continuall desent succeding one another, compleat the Ionick sect▪