Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 5 (Hippolytus, Cyprian, Novatian)

We shall not, however, be wanting in exertion; for afterwards it will be a source of joy—just like an athlete obtaining a crown with much toil, or a merchant gaining wealth after a huge swell of the sea, or a husbandman enjoying the fruits after the sweat of his brow, or a prophet seeing his predictions turn out true after suffering reproaches and insults. In the commencement, therefore, we shall declare who first among the Greeks pointed out the principles of natural philosophy. For from these especially have those who first propounded these heresies furtively taken their views, as we shall subsequently prove when we come to compare them one with another. By assigning to each of those who take the lead among philosophers their own peculiar tenets, we shall publicly exhibit these heresiarchs as naked and unseemly.

CHAP. I. — THALES; HIS PHYSICS AND THEOLOGY; FOUNDER OF GREEK ASTRONOMY.

It is said that Thales of Miletus, one of the seven wise men,These were: Periander of Corinth (585 B.C.), Pittacus of Mitylene (570 B.C.), Thales of Miletus (548 B.C.), Solon of Athens (540 B.C.), Chilo of Sparta (597 B.C.), Bias of Priene, and Cleobulus of Lindus (564 B.C.). first attempted to frame a system of natural philosophy. This person said that water is the generative principle of the universe and its end; for out of this, whether solidified or dissolved, all things consist, and all things are supported on it. From this also arise earthquakes, changes of the winds, and atmospheric movements; and all things are both produced and are in a state of flux corresponding with the nature of the primary author of generation. He stated that the Deity is that which has neither beginning nor end. This person, having been occupied with an investigation concerning the stars, became the earliest author to the Greeks of this kind of learning. And he, looking towards heaven—alleging that he was carefully examining objects above—fell into a well; and a certain maid, by name Thratta, remarked of him derisively that while intent on beholding things in heaven, he did not know what was at his feet. He lived about the time of Croesus.

CHAP. II. — PYTHAGORAS; HIS COSMOGONY; RULES OF HIS SECT; DISCOVERER OF PHYSIOGNOMY; HIS PHILOSOPHY OF NUMBERS; HIS SYSTEM OF THE TRANSMIGRATION OF SOULS; ZARATAS ON DEMONS; WHY PYTHAGORAS FORBADE THE EATING OF BEANS; THE MODE OF LIVING ADOPTED BY HIS DISCIPLES.

But there was also, not far from these times, another philosophy which Pythagoras originated (who some say was a native of Samos), which they have denominated "Italian," because Pythagoras, fleeing from Polycrates the king of Samos, took up his residence in a city of Italy and there passed the entire of his remaining years. Those who received his doctrine in succession did not much differ from this opinion. This person, instituting an investigation concerning natural phenomena, combined astronomy, geometry, and music. He proclaimed that the Deity is a monad; and, carefully acquainting himself with the nature of number, he affirmed that the world sings and that its system corresponds with harmony. He was the first to resolve the motion of the seven stars into rhythm and melody. Being astonished at the management of the entire fabric, he required that at first his disciples should keep silence, as if they were persons coming into the world initiated in the secrets of the universe. Next, when it seemed that they were sufficiently conversant with his mode of teaching and could philosophize regarding the stars and nature, he would consider them pure and enjoin them to speak. This man distributed his pupils into two orders: the esoteric and the exoteric. To the former, he confided more advanced doctrines; to the latter, a more moderate amount of instruction.

He also touched on magic—as they say—and discovered an art of physiognomy, laying down as a basis certain numbers and measures, saying that they comprised the principle of arithmetical philosophy by composition. The first number became an originating principle, which is one: indefinable, incomprehensible, having in itself all numbers that, according to plurality, can go on to infinity. But the primary monad became a principle of numbers according to substance—which is a male monad, begetting all the rest of the numbers after the manner of a parent. Secondly, the duad is a female number, and by arithmeticians is termed even. Thirdly, the triad is a male number.