ARISTOTLE AND THE EARLIER PERIPATETICS vol.I by Eduard Zeller, B.F.C.Costelloe 1897

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608 ARISTOTLE
PHYSICS 507
thought which lay at the root of the natural religion of
Aristotle, like Plato, thought the stars were bodies
the Greeks, and which stamped themselves in similar
animated by rational spirits, and ascribed to these
notions upon the philosophy of Plato. 1 Aristotle himself,
indeed, is perfectly conscious of this connection
beings a nature far more godlike than man's. 1
Therefore
he attributes a priceless value to the smallest iota
between his theories and the ancient faith of his nation. 2
of knowledge which we can boast to have acquired
The relation between the terrestrial world and the
about them. 2 In this view we can trace the consequences
of a metaphysic which deduced all motion
earthly things. The laws that govern the earth are
celestial spheres gives rise .to the motions and change of
ultimately from incorporeal essences ; but it is also
necessarily different from those of heaven, 3 because of
possible to recognise in it a reflection of those modes of
the difference of materials, if for no other reason*,
The nature of the elements forces them to move in
supplied by the four elements, doctrine, Metaph. i. 9, 990, b, 34,
opposite directions and to exhibit opposite qualities, to
and in which birth, death, and 991, b, 13, iii. 6, 1002, b, 15, 17,
qualitative change take place, 22, 467.
act and be acted upon, to pass into and to intermingle
with one another. 4 But since everything that
1
and the world of the heavenly Mh. N. vi. 7, 1141, a, 34:
spheres,which consists of aetherial avBpc&Trov iro\b Beidr'epa t^v tpvfftv,
matter and which, while exhibiting
motion in space, admits avviarttKev. De Ccelo, i. 2 ; see
oToy (pavepdrard ye e£ Sv b xoafxos
is moved must be moved by something else, it follows
neither growth nor transformation
of any kind. Similarly,
2
preceding that the reciprocal interaction of
note.
the elements receives
Part.
-.
An. i. 5 mit. the
1
Zbll.
De Ccelo, i. 2, 269, a, 30, b, 14 beings in the world
Ph. d. Gr. i. p. 686 sq. tpBeipoixevwv Kal ravras ras 5o'{as
are either
2
vetpvKe ris ovffia trtlip.aros dWrj unbegotten and
See p. 505, n. 2, supra, eKeivuv otov Aeityava irepuretruaiai
imperishable, or
Trapa ras ii/ravBa avardceis, Beiorepa
Kal irporepa roinwv airdvrtav f}i]Ke 5e
begotten and perishable
and p. 475, swpra. Meta/ph. p-expi T0" v^v-
: o-u/ijSe-
^ P*** °^v ^arpios
xii. 8, 1
irepl per
074, a, 38 : rrapaSeio- 8