Problems Concerning First Principles

III) Other commentaries of our author, for example on Plato’s Alcibiades, Timaeus, and other dialogues, seem to have perished long ago.

IV) But our Damascius illustrated not only Plato but also Aristotle with commentaries, and his commentary on Aristotle’s books de Cœlo On the Heavens perhaps still lies hidden in the libraries of Italy or Spain; it seems to be preserved either complete or at least in excerpts. See Labbé, Bibl. nov. Mscrr. New Library of Manuscripts p. 112, 169. The Trincavelli edition of the Ζητημάτων Problems of Alexander of Aphrodisias from the year 1536 promises in its title: Μετάφρασιν ἐκ τῶν Δαμασίου Translation from Damascius (sic; but the Latin inscription has: Metaphrasis from Damascius, etc.) εἰς τὸν πρῶτον περὶ οὐρανοῦ βιβλίον on the first book On the Heavens, and ἐπιτομὴν σχολικὴν εἰς τὰ δ' πρῶτα καὶ τὸ ἢ περὶ φυσικῆς βιβλία a scholastic epitome on the first four and the eighth books On Physics; but these do not exist in print. However, commentators of Aristotle’s books praise him here and there ⁹).

Damascius continues his reflection on the One: ...it is necessary to establish things by assuming the greatest, and to further construct the rest, and in this way, neither is that arrogant, nor is this weak; except that it is the One itself and the being itself, and it itself is, and to it, being is not one thing and 'It is' another, as a man is a man by participation in being; but all being is captured in it, and it is essence, but not by participation in essence, but it is supra-essential.

Perhaps these expositions on the Parmenides were taken down from the voice of Damascius. Cf. Lambec. Comm. Commentaries bk. VII p. 88.

9. Simplicius on Aristotle, bk. IV ἀκρ. φυσ. Physics fol. 136 A and fol. 150 B sq. regarding Place, fol. 184 A sq. regarding Time, cites the opinion of Damascius verbatim, and there he often praises Damascius as his guide. Philoponus, Commentary on bk. I of Aristotle’s On Meteorology, fol. 86, A and B and fol. 104 A and B. He expounds our author’s opinion on the cause of color in the air, etc., and on the Milky Way, from which it is clear that Damascius was quite dull and devoted to fabrications in Physics. From his commentaries on Aristotle’s books π. οὐρανοῦ On the Heavens, perhaps the fragment περὶ τοῦ γεννητοῦ on the generated was taken, which Iriarte published under the name of Damascius in the Catalogue of Greek Codices of the Madrid Library p. 330 sqq. from Codex LXXXIV. Theodorus Metochita also seems to indicate his commentaries on Aristotelian books in Miscell. philos. et hist. Philosophical and Historical Miscellanies ch. 12 p. 96, and on Platonic dialogues, Olympiodorus in Creuzer, p. 4, 5, 9, 91, and elsewhere.