LIFE

He was accustomed to doing the same in many other instances. There are three ways to explain his discourse. First, one must teach exactly what each of the terms used means. Second, for what purpose a thing was said: whether as a primary intention, or as an analogy, or to establish a doctrine, or to refute a false argument. Third, whether the statement is correctly made. Furthermore, since certain marks are placed beside his books to guide the reader, let us say something about them.

The letter $χ$ The Greek letter Chi, used here as a scholarly shorthand. is used for specific expressions and figures of speech, and generally for the unique Platonic style. The double $χ$ is used for his specific doctrines and opinions. A dotted $χ$ original: "περιεστιγμένη" (periestigmenê) is applied to choice passages and elegant phrasing. A double dotted $χ$ is used for the corrections of certain editors. A dotted obelus A horizontal line with dots above and below. is placed beside passages rejected as redundant or unnecessary. A dotted antisigma A mark resembling a reversed C with dots. is used for cases where a passage has a double use or where there are transpositions in the text. The ceraunium The "thunderbolt" mark, used to highlight the vigor of the philosophical training. is used for the method of his philosophical training. The asterisk marks the agreement of doctrines. The obelus marks a rejection of the text.

These are the signs used, and the number of his books is as recorded by Antigonus of Carystus A 3rd-century BC biographer and art historian. in his work On Zeno. Antigonus says that when the books were recently published, anyone who wished to examine them paid a fee to their owners.

His favorite doctrines were as follows: He stated that the soul is immortal, that it migrates through many bodies in succession, and that its beginning is numerical, while the body's beginning is geometrical. He defined the soul as the "idea of the spirit diffused in every direction." He held it to be self-moving and divided into three parts: the rational part is situated in the head; the spirited part original: "θυμοειδές" (thymoeides), referring to anger, courage, and willpower. is around the heart; and the desiring part is established around the navel and the liver. He taught that the soul encompasses the body in a circle from the center outward and is composed of the elements. Once divided according to harmonic intervals, it forms two joined circles. The inner circle, being divided six times, creates seven circles in total. He placed the inner circle on the left according to the diameter, and the other on the right according to the side. For this reason, the one circle remains single because it is the "motion of the Same," while the other is divided because it is the "motion of the Other." He says the former is the motion of the soul, while the latter represents the movement of the universe and the orbits of the wandering stars The planets..

Because the soul is joined from the center to the extremities, it knows existing things and harmonizes them because it contains within itself the harmony of the elements. Opinion arises when the circle of the "Other" moves correctly, but knowledge arises when the circle of the "Same" moves correctly. He declared there are two principles of all things: God and Matter, and he calls God "Mind" and "the Cause." He held that matter is formless and infinite, and from it all compounded things are made. He says that when matter was once moving in a disordered and chaotic way, it was brought together into one place by God, who considered order to be better than disorder. He then transformed this substance into four elements: fire, water, air, and earth, from which the world itself and all things in it are born. He says that only the earth is immutable, believing the cause to be the difference in the shapes of which it is composed. For he says the shapes of the other elements are of the same kind—all being made from one type of triangle—but the earth has its own unique shape. For the element of fire is the pyramid, of air the octahedron, of water the icosahedron, and of earth the cube. Therefore, earth is not transformed into the others, nor the others into earth. Nor are they all separated into their own regions, because the rotation of the universe constricts them and forces the small parts together,

He was also accustomed to doing the same in very many cases. There is a threefold exposition of his books. First, one must teach what each of the things being said is. Second, for what purpose it was said: whether from the principal intention, or as a similarity, or for the assertion of doctrines, or for refuting a dissenting opponent. Third, whether it was correctly said. But, since certain marks are also attached to the books themselves, come, let us speak a few things about these as well.

The letter $χ$ is assumed for words and figures of speech, strictly according to Platonic custom. The double $χ$ is for his peculiar doctrines and opinions. The περιεστιγμένον original Greek: "dotted," referring to the dotted chi. is attached to choice sentences and the ornament of words. The double dotted chi is used for the emendations of certain editors. The dotted obelus is placed before anything superfluous to be cut away. The antisigma is used for double meanings and transpositions of the text. The ceraunium is assumed for the instruction of philosophy. The asterisk is for the agreement of doctrines. The obelus is for disapproval. These are the marks of this kind, and this is the number of books, as Antigonus of Carystus reports in the book he recently published On Zeno. If anyone wished to distinguish these things, he paid a fee to those who taught them.

Now, the things which pleased him i.e., his doctrines. were of this sort: That the soul is immortal, and migrates by perpetual turns from bodies to bodies, and that its beginning consists of numbers. Likewise, the principle of the body consists of a geometrical ratio. He defined the soul as the idea of a spirit utterly remote, moving itself and providing motion to the body, and being tripartite. Its rational part is located in the head, the irascible part in the heart, and the concupiscible part consists in the navel and the liver. Likewise, it always contains the body in a circle from the middle, and consists of elements: and being divided according to the intervals of harmony, it makes two joined orbs. Of these, the interior circle is cut into six others, making seven remaining circles, and it has its seat on the left within the diameter. But the other is according to the side on the right, and for that reason it obtains the fact that it is unique. For the one interior is divided into many, and this one belongs to the soul itself, while those belong to the "other." He says this is the motion of the soul, but that is the motion of the universe and of the wandering stars, which are so arranged that the division made from the middle is congruent and joined to the extremities; it knows what things are and adapts them, because it has the elements within itself through harmony.

And opinion indeed occurs according to the circle of the "other" raising itself up, but knowledge according to the other circle which is the "same." There are two principles of all things: God and matter. He calls the former "mind" and "cause." Matter is formless and infinite, and from it combinations are made. When it was once moving blindly and inordinately, he says it was driven into one place by God, because He judged that order excelled blindness. Furthermore, this sort of essence was turned into four elements: fire, water, air, earth. From these the world itself and those things which are in it are born. He says only the earth is unchangeable, thinking the cause to be the difference of its shapes from which it consists. Indeed, he says the figures of the others are of the same kind, all being composed of one oblong triangle, but the shape of the earth is its own. For the element of fire is the pyramid, of air that which he calls the ὀκτάεδρον original: octahedron (8-sided solid)., of water the εἰκοσάεδρον original: icosahedron (20-sided solid)., and of the earth the cube. Wherefore the earth is not changed into those, nor those converted into earth. However, the individual elements are not separated in their own places, because the circumference, constricting and forcing them to the middle, composes these small parts,