The history of philosophy, in eight parts by Thomas Stanley.

THE MEGARICK SECT. EVCLID.

CHAP. I.

His Country and Masters.

a 1.1 EUCLID (instituter of the Megarick Sect) was born at Megara, Town adjacent up∣on the Isthmus; though others say at Geta, a City of Sicilie.

He first studied the writings of Parmeni∣des, then went to Athens to hear Socrates: Afterwards theb 1.2 Athenians made an order, that if any Citizen of Megara came into the City of Athens, he should be put to death: So great was the hatred the Athenians bore to the Megarenses.c 1.3 Thucydides mentions this Decree, whereby the Megarenses were prohibited to make use of any Lawes within the Athenian jurisdiction, or the Attick Forum: Which Order the Lacedemonians requiring to be repealed, and not prevailing, the Peloponnesian War ensued thereupon, the cruellest and longest that ever was amongst the Grecians.

d 1.4 Euclid, who was of Megara, and before that Decree used to go to Athens, and hear Socrates, after it was promulgated, came by night in a long womans Gown, and Cloak of severall co∣lours, his head attired in a womans Vail (so Varro expounds Rica) from his house in Megara to Athens, to Socrates, that he might be in that time partaker of his counsell and instructions, and went back again before that day in the same habit, above twenty thousand paces.

e 1.5 Upon the death of Socrates, Plato and the rest of the Philoso∣phers, fearing the cruelty of the Tyrants, went to Megara to him, who entertained them kindly.

CHAP. II.

His institution of a Sect.

a 1.6 HE affected litigious disputes, andb 1.7 was therefore told by So∣crates, that he knew how to conte••d with Sophists, but not with me••••

Suitable to this contentious humour, he instituted a Sect,c 1.8 first called Megarick from the place, afterwards Eristick, from the li∣tigious sophisticall nature thereo••, Whenced 1.9 Diogene•• said▪ it was not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a School, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 anger:e 1.10 thus reproved by Timon,

O•• all these triflles, I not value ou••ht, W••ich•• Phaedo nor litigious Euc••••d caught•• Who the Megareans mad contention taught.

Lastly, it was called Dialectick; which name Dionysius, a Car∣thaginian first gave them, because their discourses consisted of question and answer.

He affirmed, that there is but one good, which is called by severall names; sometimes Prudence, sometimes God, sometimes the Minde, and the like: He took away all things opposite to good, saying, there was no such thing.

He used arguments not by assumption, but by inference.

He took away disputation by similitude, saying, that it con∣sisted either of like or unlike; if of like, it were better to examine the things themselves to which they are like: if of unlike, the comparison is to no purpose.

CHAP. III.

His Apothegmes, Writings.

HE was famous in the Schooles (saitha 1.11 Plutarch) for as much as hearing his Brother in in a wild rage, say, Let me perish, if I be not revenged: he answered, and I, unlesse I perswade you to lay aside your anger, and love me as at first. Ifb 1.12 Hierocles (who relates the same story) for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 writ not as Plutarch 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ••hat epithite occasion'd the mistake.

c 1.13 He said, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 there is one kinde of sleep, a young pliant Deity, easie to be driven away; the other gray and aged, chiefly frequenting old men: Pertinacious and inexorable, from this God, if he once come, it is hard to get loose; words avail nothing, for he is deafe; nor can you shew him any thing that may move him, for he is blinde.

d 1.14 Being demanded what the Gods are, and wherein they de∣light: Of all things else concerning them, saith he, I am ignorant but of this, I know they hate curious persons.

e 1.15 He wrot (besides other things) six Dialogues (f 1.16 Panaetius doubts whether they were genuine or spurious) their Titles these,

• Lamprias.
• Aeschines.
• Phaenix; or (as Suidas) the Phoenixes.g 1.17
• ...

• Crito.
• Alcibiades.
• The Erotick.

Of the same names are numbered

Euclid the Mathematician, a Megarean also, whence confoun∣ded byh 1.18 Valerius Maximus with the Philosopher: Plato (saith he) ••ent the undertakers of the sacred Altar (who came to confer with him concerning the manner and form thereof) to Euclid the Geometr••cian, yielding to his skill and pr••••ession: That these undertakers came to Plato, is evident from the testimony of many others; but, that he remitted them to Euclid the Geometrician; or, that Euclid the Philosopher own'd that profession, is no where to be proved. Oh the contrary,i 1.19 Proclus affirms, that Euclid the Mathematician was of the Platonick Sect; and thatk 1.20 Ptolomy King of Aegypt ask∣ing if there were any shorter way to Geometry, he answered, Not any Kings-high-way. From the death of Socrates to the first of the Ptolomies are 95 years. So that Euclid the Mathematician was much latter then the Philosopher.

Euclid the Archon in the second year of the 88^th Olympiad, ac∣cording tol 1.21 Diodorus Siculus; but,m 1.22 Aristotle names the Archon for that year Euclees, confirmed by his Commentators, and by n 1.23 Suidas, who only erres a little in the distance of years betwixt him and Euclid the other Archon.o 1.24 Salmasius not knowing the name Euclees to be any where found amongst the Archontes, and expresly affirming the contrary, endeavours to corrupt the Text of Suidas reading Diocles.

Euclid the Archon, in the second year of the 94^th Olympiad.

Euclid the Soothsayer, friend to Xenophon, whop 1.25 mentions him.

Euclid the Stone-cutter, named in Plato's Will.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Laer••.
• b 1.2

  Agell. 6. 10.
• c 1.3

  Lib. 1.
• d 1.4

  Agell. 6. 10.
• e 1.5

  Laer••.
• a 1.6

  Laert
• b 1.7

  Laert. vit. Soc••.
• c 1.8

  Laert.
• d 1.9

  Laert. vit. Diog.
• e 1.10

  Laert.
• a 1.11

  De fraterno amore.
• b 1.12

  Stob. serm. 32.
• c 1.13

  Stob. Eth. 38.
• d 1.14

  Stob. Eth. 47.
• e 1.15

  Laert.
• f 1.16

  Laert. vit. Aes••hin.
• g 1.17

  In voce Eu∣clides.
• h 1.18

  Lib. ••. cap. 13.
• i 1.19

  In Euclid. lib. 2. Cap. 4.
• k 1.20

  The Text is imperfect, read Ka•• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. and so (well nigh) Barocius.
• l 1.21

  Lib.
• m 1.22

  Meteor. 1. 6.
• n 1.23

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• o 1.24

  Inscript. p. 235.
• p 1.25

  Expedit. cyr. lib. 7.