Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers

...which is also the view of Hermodorus. Aristotle, in the first book of his work On Philosophy, says that the Magi Magi: the priestly caste of ancient Persia (modern Iran) are even more ancient than the Egyptians. According to them, there are two first principles: a good spirit and an evil spirit. To the first, they give the names Zeus and Oromasdes original: "Ὠρομάσδης" — the Greek form of Ahura Mazda, the supreme god of Zoroastrianism; to the second, Hades and Areimanius original: "Ἀρειμάνιος" — the Greek form of Angra Mainyu or Ahriman, the spirit of darkness and destruction.

Hermippus also mentions this in his first book On the Magi, as does Eudoxus in his Description of the Earth, and Theopompus in the eighth book of his Philippics. Theopompus further states that, according to the Magi, humans will one day return to life and become immortal, and that the world will endure through their invocations. Eudemus of Rhodes records these same things.

Hecataeus, however, says that according to them [the Magi], the gods are "begotten" Meaning they have a birth or origin, rather than existing eternally from the start.. Clearchus of Soli, in his work On Education, claims that the Gymnosophists Gymnosophists: literally "naked wise men," a term Greeks used for Indian ascetics and yogis are actually descendants of the Magi. Some writers even suggest that the Jews are descended from them.

Furthermore, those who write about the Magi criticize Herodotus The famous Greek historian, known as the "Father of History.". They argue that Xerxes The Persian King who invaded Greece. would never have shot arrows at the sun or cast chains into the sea Referring to stories in Herodotus where Xerxes "punished" the Hellespont and the sun for hindering his invasion., because the Magi taught that these were gods. However, it makes sense that he would destroy statues [of foreign gods], as the Magi do not recognize images of the divine.

The philosophy of the Egyptians is described as follows: it concerns the gods and justice. They claim that matter original: "ὕλη" (hyle) was the first principle; from it, the four elements Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. were separated, and eventually, living creatures were produced. They believe the Sun and Moon are gods, naming the former Osiris and the latter Isis.

They represent these gods through riddles and symbols original: "αἰνίττεσθαί" — to speak in riddles or allegories such as the beetle, the serpent, and the hawk, as stated by Manetho A famous Hellenistic Egyptian priest and historian who wrote about Egyptian history for a Greek audience. in his Epitome of Physical Doctrines, and by Hecataeus in the first book of his On the Philosophy of the Egyptians.

They build statues and sacred precincts because they do not know the true form of God. They believe the universe had a beginning, is perishable, and is spherical in shape. The stars are made of fire, and their mixtures determine what happens on earth. The moon is eclipsed when it falls into the earth's shadow. They hold that the soul both survives after death and migrates into other bodies original: "μετεμβαίνειν" — the doctrine of transmigration or reincarnation.. Rain is produced by changes in the atmosphere. They provide physical explanations for other phenomena as well, as recorded by Hecataeus and...