Aristotle and the Stoics (Cambridge Philological Society Supplementary Volume, No. 10)

104 Pages·1985·6.16 MB·English

by  F. H. Sandbach

..
CAMBRIDGE PHILOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Supplementary Volume no. 10
:ARISTOTLE AND THE STOICS
F. H. SANDBACH
PUBLISHED BY THE CAMBRIDGE PHILOLOGICAL SOCIETY
CAMBRIDGE
1985
@ CAMBRIDGE PHILOLOGICAL SOCIETY
ISBN 0 906014 06 9
Supplementary Volume no. 10
ARIS-TOTLE AND THE- STOICS
by
F. H. SANDBACH
THE CAMBRIDGE PHILOLOGICAL SOCIETY
1985
@ CAMBRIDGE PHILOLOGICAL SOCIETY
ISBN. 0 906014 06 9
Printed in Great Britain by the University Press, Cambridge.
CONTENTS
page
Preface IV
· Abbreviations
V
List of works cited vi
INTRODUCTION
Il REFERENCES TO ARISTOTLE 4
Ill METHODS OF ESTIMATING INFLUENCE 16
IV LOGIC 18
V ETHICS 24
VI PHYSICS 31
VII DISREGARD OF PECULIARLY ARISTOTELIAN IDEAS 53
VIII CONCLUSION 55
PANAETIUS AND POSIDONIUS 58
APPENDIX: OCELLUS LUCANUS 63
NOTES 65
INDEX 82
PREFACE
In this essay I examine the widely-held view that Stoicism, being su~sequent to
Aristotle, must be explained as a development from Aristotelianism. I hope that I
have shown this to be insecurely founded at the least. Paucity of information about
the philosophers of the late fourth and early third centuries often makes it
impossible to speak with certainty, but the evidence that we have seems to indicate
that in general the Stoics neither read, nor learned the contents of, the works
contained in our Corpus Aristotelicum. Some leading scholars have remarked
upon the apparent neglect of these works after the time ofTheophrastus: lngemar
DUring, Paul Moraux, and Fritz Wehrli spring to mind. It will appear that ~ven
before that man's death they did not attract the attention of the Stoics.
In the following pages some scholars of deservedly high reputation will be found
occasionally to have slipped into errors more characteristic of lesser men. It has
given me little pleasure to record these, and it is only right to express my great
admiration for these authors. But I hope that it was useful to notice their mistakes
because they provide a warning against the dangers involved in trusting to one's
memory or accepting others' statements without verification from the ancient texts
themselves. If such failings mar my own work, as they may well do, I do not seek to
excuse them.
In casting doubt on the influence of Aristotle, I do not wish to suggest that to
compare the views of Aristotle and later philosophers is not a valuable enterprise.
On the contrary, by directing attention to dissimilarities it may lead to a clearer
apprehension of the intentions and the meaning, the strength and the weaknesses of
the arguments used by both parties. This is urged by Myles Burnyeat, who read an
earlier version of this essay and to whom I owe a heavy debt of gratitude for his
corrections, his indication of omissions, his suggestions, and above all his
continued interest and encouragement. I also gratefully acknowledge the help and
encouragement that I have received from John Easterling and from David Sedley,
who gave me many valuable detailed notes. None of these friends must be
understood to be convinced by all that I here maintain.
The financial assistance of Trinity College, Cambridge, facilitated the
publication of this essay by the Cambridge Philological Society. It gives me great
pleasure to record my thanks for my C'lllege's generous help.
October 1984 F. H. SANDBACH
ABBREVIATIONS
DK : Diels-Kranz, Fragmente der Vorsokratiker
Dox Diets, Doxographi Graeci
EE Aristotle, Ethica Eudemia
EN Aristotle, Ethica Nicomachea
F.Gr.Hisl. Jacoby, Fragmenta Graecorum Historicorum
LSJ Liddell-Scott-Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon
MM Aristotle (?), Magna Moralia
RE Pauly-Wissowa, Rea/encyclopiidie der c/assischen
Alterlwnswissenschaft
S/G Dittenberger, Syl/oge Inscriptionum Graecarum
SVF von Arnim, Stoicorwn Veterum Fragmenta
TGL Stephanus-Dindorf, Thesaurus Graecae linguae
Any abbreviations for modern journals are those used by L'Annee philologique
vi LIST OF WORKS CITED
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Archiv fiir Geschichte der Philosophie 51 (1975) 246-68 .
Arnim, H. von. Arius Didymus' Abriss der peripatetischen Ethik. Akadernie der ..
Wissenschaften zu Wien, phil.-hist. Klasse 204.3 (1926}
Arrighetti, G. Epicuro, opere (Turin 1960; ed.2, 1973)
Beutler, R. 'Okellos', RE XVII 2 (1937) 2361-8
Bignone, E. L'Aristotele perduto (Florence 1936)
Bonhtiffer, A. Epiktet und die Stoa (Stuttgart 1890)
Brehier, E. Chrysippe et /'ancien stoicisme (Paris 1910; ed. 2, 1951)
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Phronesis 1 (1956) 123-45
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87
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