Problems Concerning First Principles

V) Damascius’s φιλόσοφος ἱστορία Philosophical History, which Suidas commemorates, seems to me one and the same book as that which is cited by others and by Suidas himself under the title Ἰσιδώρου Βίος Life of Isidore. Photius excerpted many things from it in Codex 242; Suidas translated far more into his Lexicon from it, praising Damascius by name here and there, and somewhat more often omitting his name, so that from both sources this work could be restored to a certain extent. If it had reached our age complete, it would easily be judged the most excellent of all Damascius’s writings $^10$).

VI) Photius read four books of his παραδόξων λόγων Strange Tales in Codex 130, p. 311, Hœschel edition $^11$).

VII) Codex CCXXVII of the Royal Munich Library contains: Ἑρμηνεία εἰς τοὺς Ἀφορισμοὺς Ἱπποκράτους ὑπὸ φωνῆς Δαμασκίου φιλοσόφου Interpretation of the Aphorisms of Hippocrates from the voice of the philosopher Damascius $^12$).

10. H. Valesius intended to restore this philosophical history from Photius and Suidas to some extent, as Fabricius testifies in Bibl. gr. Greek Library Vol. XIII p. 784. Elmenhorst, in the Index to Apuleius under the entry 'Secta', says that Damascius, or some other author, wrote about philosophical history in Galen, in the last volume, etc. Except for Elmenhorst, no one, I think, ever attributed that little book to Damascius.

11. What Theophylactus Simocatta mentions in the last book of φυσικῶν Ἀποριῶν Physical Problems (p. 22, Commelin edition) as Damascius’s Προβλήματα Problems, I believe existed in this volume of Παραδόξων Strange Tales. Photius attributes these παραδόξους λόγους strange tales to the same Damascius, whom he also frequently accuses of atheism and impiety in Codices 181 and 242, so there is no reason why this book of unrefined narratives should be rejected from our author.

12. Behold the beginning of this commentary.

Section 1. Text. "Life is short . . . . and external things."

"If the doctor wishes to heal the sick person easily and to understand the truth of what is said by me, he should not only endeavor to do what is proper for him himself, but he should also teach the sick person himself to do what is fitting, and those who are present and serving him, and in addition to these, also the external things. Therefore, let him compel the sick person neither to be angry, nor to be sad, nor to offer anything for the sake of pleasure that is friendly to the disease, nor indeed to despise covers or anything of the sort; let him instruct those who are present and serving him not to disturb the sufferer, nor to feed him at the improper time, nor to make noise..."