Philoponus: On Aristotle's Prior Analytics

why he started from the proposition and not from the term, which is simpler than the proposition; for simpler things always precede complex ones. We say, therefore, that there are other solutions to this. But this one, which most holds the truth, would be: that the things taken for the sake of teaching some matters must be better known than those for whose sake they were taken for instruction. Since, therefore, in the definition of the term he is about to speak—and I call "term" that into which the proposition is analyzed—for this reason he teaches about the proposition first. — (cf. p. 10,31—11,11)

4. It must be known that a simple sound, a noun, a verb, an utterance, and a term are the same in subject, but differ in relationship. For when it is taken simply as a significant sound, it is called a simple sound. When it is taken as a subject in the proposition, it is a noun. When as a predicate, it is a verb. When as a part of a proposition, it is an utterance. And when as a part of a syllogism, it is a term. — (cf. p. 11,19—24)

f. 87r in the right margin, these things are read: (p. 12,15—22) As he promised, he now defines each of those things he announced he would define. And he defines the proposition first, taking "discourse" as the genus. For "discourse" is predicated not only of the declarative discourse but also of the others. The difference... and of quantity, the universal and particular indefinite. And of quality, affirmation and negation... being doubled.

f. 86v after 4, a scholion: (p. 12,23) Some wish to say that he did not strictly render the definition of the proposition, saying that it must... absolutely of the defined. For example, the definition of man is "animal... capable of [reason]." Each of its parts exceeds the defined. "Animal" exceeds "man," because one is the genus and the other is the species. But also "rational" and the rest, as we learned in the Five Sounds Porphyry’s Isagoge. But in the definition rendered now, we do not see it having this status... and negation... they do not exceed... each taken. Then, that also... for it should have been called "declarative discourse." And that the species... the first... this is not... as some supposed... we will say in response to these, and first we must answer the later puzzle... for this is indeed true according to... species divided against one another. Not, however, of the same value. This must be... if, therefore, they are of the substances... as man, for example, and horse, have both shared equally in the nature of animal. But the human being is entirely of a better difference, that is, of the rational. And on the others likewise. What then if the... of the declarative discourse... more honorable... of the affirmative... species and they are some things of others... that is, of rationality and irrationality... of the irrational only... participates in spirit and... the powers and furthermore in addition to these also of the differences of rationality... as therefore also of the rest... and by nature... into animal and zoophyte plant-animal... I mean the generative, the nutritive, and the augmentative... and these and all the powers of the sensitive... and of all these, man is more complex... the plant, second the irrational animals and zoophytes, third man... for it is necessary that simple things pre-exist complex ones both in nature and time, if indeed complex things have their being from the simple ones. For the simple things... but it is possible for those from the simple...

The following is a cataloging note describing the Ottobonianus 169 manuscript: A paper codex from the 15th century, damaged by dampness so that many parts are barely legible. Folio 1 contains Psellus’s paraphrase of the De Interpretatione. Folio 41 contains John Philoponus’s commentaries and notes on the first book of the Prior Analytics, taken from the meetings of Ammonius Hermiae. The sequence of folios, disordered by the binder, was restored by Guil. Crönert to the following order: 1–32 and 57–58 (Psellus); 41–42, 53–56, 43–52, 33–40, 60–89 (Philoponus).