The Life of Parmenides
I. Parmenides, the son of Pyres, and a citizen of Velia, was a pupil of Xenophanes. And Theophrastus, in his Abridgment, says that he was also a pupil of Anaximander. However, though he was a pupil of Xenophanes, he was not afterwards a follower of his; but he attached himself to Aminias, and Diochaetes the Pythagorean, as Sotion relates, which last was a poor but honourable and virtuous man. And he it was whose follower he became, and after he was dead he erected a shrine, or ἡρῷον, in his honour. And so Parmenides, who was of a noble family and possessed of considerable wealth, was induced, not by Xenophanes but by Aminias, to embrace the tranquil life of a philosopher.
I. Parmenides, the son of Pyres and a citizen of Velia, was a pupil of Xenophanes. Theophrastus says in his Abridgment that Parmenides was also a pupil of Anaximander. But although Parmenides studied under Xenophanes, he did not continue to follow him. Instead, as Sotion relates, he became associated with Aminias and Diochaetes the Pythagorean. Diochaetes was poor but honorable and virtuous. Parmenides became his follower and, after his death, built a shrine, or ἡρῷον, in his honor. Parmenides came from a noble family and had considerable wealth. It was Aminias, not Xenophanes, who persuaded him to embrace the quiet life of a philosopher.
II. He was the first person who asserted that the earth was of a spherical form; and that it was situated in the centre of the universe. He also taught that there were two elements, fire and earth; and that one of them occupies the place of the maker, the other that of the matter. He also used to teach that man was originally made out of clay; and that they were composed of two parts, the hot and the cold; of which, in fact, everything consists. Another of his doctrines was, that the mind and the soul were the same thing, as we are informed by Theophrastus, in his Natural Philosophy, when he enumerates the theories of nearly all the different philosophers.
II. He was the first to say that the earth was spherical and lay at the center of the universe. He also taught that there were two elements, fire and earth. One acted as the maker, and the other as the material. He taught that humans were originally made from clay and consisted of two parts, the hot and the cold. In fact, everything consists of these two parts. He also taught that the mind and the soul were the same thing. Theophrastus tells us this in his Natural Philosophy, when he lists the theories of nearly all the different philosophers.
He also used to say that philosophy was of a twofold character; one kind resting on certain truth, the other on opinion. On which account he says some where:
He also used to say that philosophy had two kinds: one based on certain truth, the other on opinion. For this reason, he says somewhere:
And ’twill be needful for you well to know, The fearless heart of all-convincing truth: Also the opinions, though less sure, of men, Which rest upon no certain evidence.
And you must come to know well The fearless heart of truth, which convinces all. You must also know the less certain opinions of people, Which rest on no reliable evidence.
III. Parmenides too philosophizes in his poems; as Hesiod and Xenophanes, and Empedocles used to. And he used to say that argument was the test of truth; and that the sensations were not trustworthy witnesses. Accordingly, he says:—
III. Parmenides also expressed his philosophy in poems, as Hesiod, Xenophanes, and Empedocles did. He said that reason was the test of truth and that the senses were not reliable witnesses. Accordingly, he says:
Let not the common usages of men Persuade your better taught experience, To trust to men’s unsafe deceitful sight, Or treacherous ears, or random speaking tongue: Reason alone will prove the truth of facts.
Do not let common habits Persuade you to ignore what experience has taught you And trust your unreliable, deceptive sight, Your untrustworthy ears, or your careless tongue. Reason alone will establish the truth of the facts.
On which account Timon says of him:—
For this reason, Timon says of him:
The vigorous mind of wise Parmenides, Who classes all the errors of the thoughts Under vain phantasies.
The strong mind of wise Parmenides, Who sees all errors of thought As empty fantasies.
Plato inscribed one of his dialogues with his name—Parmenides, or an essay on Ideas. He flourished about the sixty-ninth Olympiad. He appears to have been the first person who discovered that Hesperus and Lucifer were the same star, as Phavorinus records, in the fifth book of his Commentaries. Some, however, attribute this discovery to Pythagoras. And Callimachus asserts that the poem in which this doctrine is promulgated is not his work.
Plato named one of his dialogues after him: Parmenides, or an Essay on Ideas. He flourished around the sixty-ninth Olympiad. He seems to have been the first to discover that Hesperus and Lucifer were the same star. Phavorinus records this in the fifth book of his Commentaries. Some, however, attribute the discovery to Pythagoras. And Callimachus says that the poem setting out this doctrine was not his work.
IV. He is said also to have given laws to his fellow-citizens, as Speusippus records, in his account of the Philosophers. He was also the first employer of the question called the Achilles, as Phavorinus assures us in his Universal History.
IV. He is also said to have made laws for his fellow citizens. Speusippus records this in his account of the Philosophers. Phavorinus says in his Universal History that he was also the first to use the question called the Achilles,.
See the account of Zeno the Cittiæan.
V. There was also another Parmenides, an orator, who wrote a treatise on the art of Oratory.
V. There was also another Parmenides, an orator who wrote a treatise on public speaking.