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

CHAP. I.

The Country, Parents, and Time of PLATO.

THE most eminent of all the Sects derived from Socrates was the Academick, so called from the Academy, a place in Athens, where the Pro∣fessors thereof taught: This Sect was instituted by Plato, continued by Speusippus, Xenocrates, Polemon, Crates, Crantor, thus farre called the first or old Academy. Arcesilaus, succeeding Cran∣tor, instituted the middle Academy, continued by Lacydes, Telecles, Euander, and Hegesinus. Carneades founded the new Academy, of which was also (••litomachus: Some reckon a fourth Academy, insti∣tuted by Philo and Charmidas: a fifth by Antiochus.

a 1.1 Plato was out of doubt an Athenian, nor are they to be cre∣dited who relate himb 1.2 a Theban, born at Cynocephalus;c 1.3 An∣tileon affirmes his Parents to bee of Colly••tus.d 1.4 Hee was born (according to Phavorinus) in the Island Aegina, in the house of Phidiades, son of Thales; his Father sent with others thither at the division of the Land (upon their defection from, and subjection by the Athenians, at the beginning of the Peloponnesian War) and returned to Athens, at what time those Athenians were ejected by the Lacedemonians, in aid of the Aeginetae.

e 1.5 He was of an eminent Family; his Father Aristo (Son of Aristoteles) of the race of Codrus, Son of Melanthus, who (as Thra∣sylus affirmes) derived themselves from Neptune. Melanthus fly∣ing Messena, came to Athens, where afterwards by a Strata∣gem killing Xanthus, he was made King after Thymocles, the last of the Theseidae. His Mother Perictione, by some called Potone, whose Kindred with Solon is thus described by Laertius and f 1.6 Proclus. Execestides had two Sons, Solon and Dropides: Dropides had Critias, mentioned by Solon in his Poems.

Bid fair-haird Critias his Sire observe; A wandring minde will from his leader swerve.

Critias had Callaeschrus, Callaeschrus had Critias, one of the thirty Tyrants, and Glaucon (whom Apuleius calls Glaucus) Glaucon had Charmides and Perictione; Perictione by Aristo had Plato, the sixt from Solon; Solon was descended from Neptune and Neleus, [Father of Nestor.] Thus Laertius, from whom Proclus dissents only in that, that he makes Glaucon Son of the first Critias, Bro∣ther to Callaesch••us, which Critias manifestly (saith he) in Plat. Charmides confirmes, calling Glauco (Father of Charmides) his Uncle. Thus was Plato descended both waies from Neptune.

••here are (saithg 1.7 Apuleius) who assert Plato of a more sublime race: Aristander, followed by many Platonists, thinks, he was begotten on his Mother by some Spectrum in the shape of Apollo:h 1.8 Speusippus in his Treatise, entitl'd Plato, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Clearchus in his Eulogie of Plato; Anaxili••es in his second Book of Philosophers;i 1.9 Plu∣tarch, Suidas, and others, affirm it to have been commonly re∣ported at Athens, that he was the Son of Apollo, who appearing in vision to her (being a woman of extraordinary Beautie) k 1.10 Perictionae se miscuit, she thereupon conceived: Aristo (her Husband) having often attempted to enjoy her, but in vaine; at last Apollo appearing to him in a vision or dream, and a voice commanding him to refrain the company of his Wife for ten Months, untill her delivery were past, he forbore; whence Tyndarus

He did not issue from a mortall bed; A God his Sire; a God-like life he led.

Some thereupon (asl 1.11 Saint Hierom saith) affirmed, he was born of a Virgin, andm 1.12 it was a common speech among the Athenians, that Phoebus begat Aesculapius and Plato, one to cure Bodies, the other Soules.

n 1.13 Aristo had afterwards by Perictione, two Sons, Adimaretus and Glauco, and a Daughter Potone, Mother to Speusippus: These relations of Plato will be more conspicuous in this Genealogicall Table.

[illustration]

For the Year of his Birth, (to omit the mistakes of Eusebius, who placeth it in the fourth year of the eightie eight Olympiad, in the Archonship of Stratocles, and of the Chronicon Alexan∣drinum, that placeth it the year following) Laertius saith, He was born, according to the Chronologie of Apollodorus, in the eightie eight Olympiad, which seemes to be towards the beginning of the first year, whilst Aminias was yet Archon. For Laertius else∣where saith, that he was six years younger then Isocrates; for Iso∣crates (saith he) was born, when Lysimachus, Plato, when Aminias

was Archon, under whom Pericles dyed: in the third year of the Peloponesian War. This Aminias is by ther 1.14 Scholiast of Euripi∣des called Ameinon, bys 1.15 Athenaeus, Epameinon, byt 1.16 Diodorus Siculus, Epaminondas. The various reading, occasion'd either by addition or detraction of the Preposition 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but by which of these two cannot easily be evinc'd.u 1.17 Salmasius endevouring to prove the name to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, positively affirms, that the Greeks never name an Archon without the Preposition 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but that errour* 1.18 Pe•• avius confutes, whose opinion is confirmed by the antient Marble at Arundell-house, which addeth not the Pre∣position to the names of the Archons.

Neither is the opinion ofx 1.19 Athenaeus much different, who affirmes, Plato was born (the Year before) Apollodorus being Archon, who succeeded Euthydemus, who was Archon the third Year of the eightie seventh Olympiad, and that under Euphe∣mus, in the fourth year of the nintieth Olympiad, he was fourteen years old. For both Laertius and Athenaeus agree in the Year of his death, viz. the first of the hundred and eight Olympiad, when Theophilus, the successor of Callimachus, was Archon; Athenaeus only differeth in this, that, computing eightie two Archons, he attributes so many years to Plato's life, whereas it is certain, that he lived but exactly eightie one.

The day of his birth,y 1.20 according to Apollodorus, was the seventh of Thargelion, at which time the Delians did celebrate the Feast of Apollo. So likewise Florus, cited byz 1.21 Plutarch, who addes, that the Priests and Prophets call Apollo 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as being born upon this seventh day; whence perhaps was occasion'd the fiction, that he was Son of Apollo, which Plutarch esteemes no disparagement to his Deity. In the first year of the eighty eight Olympiad, the Neomenia of Hecatombaeon fell upon the second of August, and (upon those Hypotheses which we laid down formerly in thea 1.22 life of Socrates) the Dominicall Letter for that Year being E. the seventh of Thargelion will (according to the Julian accompt taken proleptically) fall upon Friday, the thirtieth of May; according to the Gregorian, upon Friday the ninth of Iune, in the year of the Julian period, 4286.

This is according to the faith of the Historians, with whom the Astrologers do not agree; forb 1.23 Iulius Firmicus hath erected the Scheme of his Nativity after this manner.

[illustration]

If the Ascendent saith he shall be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 therein posited; and if 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 then be placed in the seventh, having 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for his signe, and in the second the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the fifth house beholding the Ascendent with a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 aspect, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the ninth from the Ascendent in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. This Geniture renders a man Interpreter of Divine and heavenly Instituti••ns, who endued with instructive speech, and the power of divine wit, and formed in a manner by a celestiall Inst••••tion, by the true license of disputations shall arrive at all the secrets of Divinity. Thus Firmicus, whose Scheme agreeth not with the other Calculation, as being betwixt the midst of February and of March, during which time the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Hence will appear the great Anachronisme of those, who affirm, that Plato went to Aegypt in the time of the Prophet Hieremie (whom Eusebius placeth in the thirtie sixt Olympiad) and heard him there. Hieremie at the captivity of the Jewes into Babylon, was carried by Iohanan son of Caree into Aegypt: The Jewes were carried away by Nebuchadnezzar, at what time Tarquinius Priscus reign'd at Rome, Vaphres in Aegypt, to whom the rest of the Jewes fled, which was in the fortie seventh Olympi∣ade, 160 years before Plato was born. This opinionc 1.24 once held, was afterwards retracted by Saint Augustine, in his Book of Retractations, and confuted, de Civit. Dei. 8. 11.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Laert.
• b 1.2

  Tzetz. Chili∣ad. 11. 390.
• c 1.3

  Laert.
• d 1.4

  Laert. Suid.
• e 1.5

  Laert. Apul. Suid.
• f 1.6

  In Timaeum.
• g 1.7

  D••gm. Plat.
• h 1.8

  Laert 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: perh. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. it shou'd be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 amongst the wri∣tings of ••peusip∣pus is mentioned 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• i 1.9

  Sympos. 8. 1.
• k 1.10

  Apul. d••gm. Plat.
• l 1.11

  Advers. Iul.
• m 1.12

  Laert.
• n 1.13

  Laert. Suid.
• r 1.14

  Argum. Hip∣pol.
• s 1.15

  Deipn. 5.
• t 1.16

  Lib.
• u 1.17

  Plin. Exercit. p. 157.
• * 1.18

  Doctr. temp.
• x 1.19

  Deipn. 5.
• y 1.20

  Laert.
• z 1.21

  Sympos. 8. 1.
• a 1.22

  Cap. 1.
• b 1.23

  Astron.
• c 1.24

  De Doc••r. Christ. 2. 28.