Ἐπίκουρος

Epicurus, Epikouros

Translated by Marcelo Boeri12 Jul 2002Vetting: high11 revisions

6 notes · 178 words

A proper name.
The book, then, contained the doctrines of Epicurus that those people call "principal,"¹ making known the bad [ideas] of Epicurus. In these [doctrines], then, the following was said: that even this universe is put in motion by a certain chance, not indeed by the will or decision of god. And these doctrines indeed repeat over and over that atoms strike each other and that, when they are separated, air, earth, and the sea are produced from them, and then minglings and conjunctions are dissolved and disappear completely into atoms.² [These doctrines also maintain that] all things are moved at random, that is, as a result of chance, not because of the wisdom of a creator. Then all things are mingled up together by providence, not because of having a pilot or a guide or a shepherd.³ Then [...],⁴ he who came with the escort of the god, did not tolerate him talking nonsense, but silenced the mad rage of his words [...].⁵ Then he jumped up, telling Epicurus and his doctrines to go to hell.⁶

Greek original · Adler’s text

Ἐπίκουρος· ὄνομα κύριον. εἶχε δὲ ἄρα τὸ βιβλίον τὰς Ἐπικούρου δόξας, ἃς ἐκεῖνοι κυρίας οὕτω καλοῦσιν, Ἐπικούρου κακὰ γνωρίσματα· ἐν αἷς ἄρα καὶ τόδε ἦν, ὅτι καὶ τόδε τὸ πᾶν φέρεται τύχῃ τινί, οὐ μὴν βουλήσει καὶ κρίσει θεοῦ. ταύτας δὴ τὰς θρυλουμένας ἀτόμους πληττομένας ὑπ' ἀλλήλων, εἶτα ἀφισταμένας, ἐκ τούτων γίνεσθαι ἀέρα, γῆν καὶ θάλατταν, εἶτα διαλύεσθαι τὰς ἀνακράσεις καὶ συνόδους καὶ παντελῶς ἀφανίζεσθαι εἰς ἀτόμους. φέρεσθαι δὲ εἰκῆ τὰ πάντα, καὶ ὡς ἔτυχεν, οὐ μὴν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ ποιητοῦ σοφίας. εἶτα ὅτι ἐκ προνοίας φύρεται πάντα, οὔτε κυβερνήτην οὔτε ἰθυντὴν οὔτε ποιμένα ἔχοντα. εἶτα ὁ πομπῇ τοῦ θεοῦ ἥκων οὐκ ἠνέσχετο παραληρεῖν αὐτόν, ἀλλὰ τὴν τῶν λόγων παραπλῆγα λύτταν κατεσίγασεν, εἶτα ἀνέθορεν, Ἐπικούρῳ καὶ ταῖς ἐκείνου δόξαις κλάειν λέγων.

Betacode

*)epi/kouros: o)/noma ku/rion. ei)=xe de\ a)/ra to\ bibli/on ta\s *)epikou/rou do/cas, a(\s e)kei=noi kuri/as ou(/tw kalou=sin, *)epikou/rou kaka\ gnwri/smata: e)n ai(=s a)/ra kai\ to/de h)=n, o(/ti kai\ to/de to\ pa=n fe/retai tu/xh| tini/, ou) mh\n boulh/sei kai\ kri/sei qeou=. tau/tas dh\ ta\s qruloume/nas a)to/mous plhttome/nas u(p' a)llh/lwn, ei)=ta a)fistame/nas, e)k tou/twn gi/nesqai a)e/ra, gh=n kai\ qa/lattan, ei)=ta dialu/esqai ta\s a)nakra/seis kai\ suno/dous kai\ pantelw=s a)fani/zesqai ei)s a)to/mous. fe/resqai de\ ei)kh= ta\ pa/nta, kai\ w(s e)/tuxen, ou) mh\n e)k th=s tou= poihtou= sofi/as. ei)=ta o(/ti e)k pronoi/as fu/retai pa/nta, ou)/te kubernh/thn ou)/te i)qunth\n ou)/te poime/na e)/xonta. ei)=ta o( pomph=| tou= qeou= h(/kwn ou)k h)ne/sxeto paralhrei=n au)to/n, a)lla\ th\n tw=n lo/gwn paraplh=ga lu/ttan katesi/gasen, ei)=ta a)ne/qoren, *)epikou/rw| kai\ tai=s e)kei/nou do/cais kla/ein le/gwn.

Notes (6)

See also epsilon 2404, epsilon 2405. The present entry, after the initial categorizing gloss, is Aelian fr. 64a Domingo-Forasté (61 Hercher).
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry for Epicurus at web address 1.
1That is to say, Epicurus' Principal Doctrines, a set of moral maxims preserved by Diogenes Laertius. ↩
2See Epicurus, Letter to Herodotus, passim; Lucretius 2.63-597. See also alpha 4373. ↩
3This is not Epicurus' position on the role of providence (pronoia) in the universe. Rather, he argues against the thesis (defended by the Stoics) that there is a providence (and the teleology it implies) operating in the universe (see Epicurus, Letter to Herodotus 73-74; Lucretius 5.156-234). Adler's apparatus lists several simple suggestions for emending the text here, each of them introducing the sense not by providence. ↩
4Lacuna marked by Hercher. ↩
5Lacuna marked by Hercher. The sentence is quoted again at pi 414. ↩
6The last sentence is quoted again at kappa 1701 (Aelian fr. 64d D-F); see also pi 414.

↩

External resources

Web address 1 utm.edu

Linked from5 entries

Neighbouring entries

ε2404ἘπίκουροςEpicurus, Epikouros ε2405ἘπίκουροςEpicurus, Epikouros ε2406ἘπίκουροςEpicurus, Epikouros ε2407Ἐπίκουροςally ε2408Ἐπικωμάσαιto go wild, to revel

Revision history11 revisions · last 26 May 2021

26 May 2021cross-reference, deleted a link — Catharine Roth
9 Sep 2017tweaked note — Catharine Roth
27 Jan 2014another x-ref — David Whitehead
15 Oct 2012Revised — David Whitehead
14 Feb 2012tweaked translation, updated reference, added keyword — Catharine Roth
23 Nov 2008added cross-reference — Catharine Roth
6 Nov 2007augmented n.3 — David Whitehead
1 Dec 2005another keyword — David Whitehead
21 Apr 2004restorative cosmetics — David Whitehead
14 Jul 2002added links; cosmetics — Catharine Roth
14 Jul 2002modified translation; internal rearrangement; added notes and keyword; other cosmetics — David Whitehead
12 Jul 2002Translated — Marcelo Boeri

Greek original · Adler’s text

Betacode

*)epi/kouros: o)/noma ku/rion. ei)=xe de\ a)/ra to\ bibli/on ta\s *)epikou/rou do/cas, a(\s e)kei=noi kuri/as ou(/tw kalou=sin, *)epikou/rou kaka\ gnwri/smata: e)n ai(=s a)/ra kai\ to/de h)=n, o(/ti kai\ to/de to\ pa=n fe/retai tu/xh| tini/, ou) mh\n boulh/sei kai\ kri/sei qeou=. tau/tas dh\ ta\s qruloume/nas a)to/mous plhttome/nas u(p' a)llh/lwn, ei)=ta a)fistame/nas, e)k tou/twn gi/nesqai a)e/ra, gh=n kai\ qa/lattan, ei)=ta dialu/esqai ta\s a)nakra/seis kai\ suno/dous kai\ pantelw=s a)fani/zesqai ei)s a)to/mous. fe/resqai de\ ei)kh= ta\ pa/nta, kai\ w(s e)/tuxen, ou) mh\n e)k th=s tou= poihtou= sofi/as. ei)=ta o(/ti e)k pronoi/as fu/retai pa/nta, ou)/te kubernh/thn ou)/te i)qunth\n ou)/te poime/na e)/xonta. ei)=ta o( pomph=| tou= qeou= h(/kwn ou)k h)ne/sxeto paralhrei=n au)to/n, a)lla\ th\n tw=n lo/gwn paraplh=ga lu/ttan katesi/gasen, ei)=ta a)ne/qoren, *)epikou/rw| kai\ tai=s e)kei/nou do/cais kla/ein le/gwn.

Notes (6)

See also epsilon 2404, epsilon 2405. The present entry, after the initial categorizing gloss, is Aelian fr. 64a Domingo-Forasté (61 Hercher).
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry for Epicurus at web address 1.

1That is to say, Epicurus' Principal Doctrines, a set of moral maxims preserved by Diogenes Laertius. ↩

2See Epicurus, Letter to Herodotus, passim; Lucretius 2.63-597. See also alpha 4373. ↩

3This is not Epicurus' position on the role of providence (pronoia) in the universe. Rather, he argues against the thesis (defended by the Stoics) that there is a providence (and the teleology it implies) operating in the universe (see Epicurus, Letter to Herodotus 73-74; Lucretius 5.156-234). Adler's apparatus lists several simple suggestions for emending the text here, each of them introducing the sense not by providence. ↩

4Lacuna marked by Hercher. ↩

5Lacuna marked by Hercher. The sentence is quoted again at pi 414. ↩

6The last sentence is quoted again at kappa 1701 (Aelian fr. 64d D-F); see also pi 414.

Translation

Greek original · Adler’s text

Notes (6)

External resources

Linked from5 entries

Neighbouring entries

Translation

Greek original · Adler’s text

Notes (6)

External resources

Linked from5 entries

Neighbouring entries