academica of cicero. - 912 Freedom Library

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The scribes often prefix h to parts of the pronoun is, and Goer. generally patronises their vulgar
error.
§§72—78. Summary. You accuse me of appealing to ancient names like a
revolutionist, yet Anaxagoras, Democritus, and Metrodorus, philosophers of the
highest position, protest against the truth of sense knowledge, and deny the
possibility of knowledge altogether (72, 73). Empedocles, Xenophanes, and
Parmenides all declaim against sense knowledge. You said that Socrates and Plato
must not be classed with these. Why? Socrates said he knew nothing but his own
ignorance, while Plato pursued the same theme in all his works (74). Now do you
see that I do not merely name, but take for my models famous men? Even
Chrysippus stated many difficulties concerning the senses and general experience.
You say he solved them, even if he did, which I do not believe, he admitted that it
was not easy to escape being ensnared by them (75). The Cyrenaics too held that
they knew nothing about things external to themselves. The sincerity of Arcesilas
may be seen thus (76). Zeno held strongly that the wise man ought to keep clear
from opinion. Arcesilas agreed but this without knowledge was impossible.
Knowledge consists of perceptions. Arcesilas therefore demanded a definition of
perception. This definition Arcesilas combated. This is the controversy which has
lasted to our time. Do away with opinion and perception, and the ep??? of Arcesilas
follows at once (77, 78).
§72. De antiquis philosophis: on account of the somewhat awkward constr. Lamb. read antiquos
philosophos. Popularis: cf. 13. Res non bonas: MSS. om. non, which Or. added with two very
early editions. Faber ingeniously supposed the true reading to be novas, which would be written
nobas, and then pass into bonas. Nivem nigram: this deliverance of Anaxagoras is very often
referred to by Sextus. In P.H. I. 33 he quotes it as an instance of the refutation of fa???µe?a by
means of ????µe?a, "??a?a???a? t?? ?e???? e??a? t?? ????a, a?et??e? ??t? ???? est?? ??d??
pep???? t? de ??d?? est? µe?a? ?a? ?? ???? a?a µe?a??a." There is an obscure joke on this in
Ad Qu. Fratrem II. 13, 1 risi nivem atram ... teque hilari animo esse et prompto ad iocandum
valde me iuvat. Sophistes: here treated as the demagogue of philosophy. Ostentationis: = ep?de?
?e??.
§73. Democrito: Cic., as Madv. remarks on D.F. I. 20, always exaggerates the merits of Democr.
in order to depreciate the Epicureans, cf. T.D. I. 22, De Div. I. 5, II. 139, N.D. I. 120, De Or. I. 42.
Quintae classis: a metaphor from the Roman military order. Qui veri esse aliquid, etc.: cf. N.D. I.
12 non enim sumus ii quibus nihil verum esse videatur, sed ii qui omnibus veris falsa quaedam
adiuncta dicamus. Non obscuros sed tenebricosos: "not merely dim but darkened." There is a
reference here to the s??t?? ???s?? of Democr., by which he meant that knowledge which stops
at the superficial appearances of things as shown by sense. He was, however, by no means a
sceptic, for he also held a ???s?? ???s??, dealing with the realities of material existence, the
atoms and the void, which exist ete?? and not merely ??µ?? as appearances do. See R. and P.
51.
§74. Furere: cf. 14. Orbat sensibus: cf. 61, and for the belief of Empedocles about the possibility
of ep?st?µ? see the remarks of Sextus A.M. VII. 123—4 qu. R. and P. 107, who say "patet errare
eos qui scepticis adnumerandum Empedoclem putabant." Sonum fundere: similar expressions
occur in T.D. III. 42, V. 73, D.F. II. 48. Parmenides, Xenophanes: these are the last men who
ought to be charged with scepticism. They advanced indeed arguments against sense-knowledge,
but held that real knowledge was attainable by the reason. Cf. Grote, Plato I. 54, Zeller 501, R.
and P. on Xenophanes and Parmenides. Minus bonis: Dav. qu. Plut. De Audit. 45 A, µeµ?a?t? d'
a? t?? ?a?µe??d?? t?? st???p???a?. Quamquam: on the proper use of quamquam in clauses
where the verb is not expressed see M.D.F. V. 68 and cf. I. 5. Quasi irati: for the use of quasi =
almost cf. In Verr. Act. I. 22, Orat. 41. Aiebas removendum: for om. of esse see n. on I. 43.
Perscripti sunt: cf. n. on I. 16. Scire se nihil se scire: cf. I. 16, 44. The words referred to are in
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