it is probable that he was sent to Athens, and there studied philosophy under Zeno the Sidonian, and Phædrus. Towards the close of his life he was often insane; and it was during his lucid intervals that he wrote his celebrated poem. It is addressed to his friend and patron Memmius: it was revised by Cicero, and is still extant. Lucretius died by his own hand, in the forty-fourth year of his age, and in the seven hundred and third year of Rome,82 * The Pyrrhonic or Sceptic sect was not followed among the Romans: not because the method of philosophising adopted by this sect had no admirers, but because it was superseded by the Academic philosophy, which pursued the same track, but with greater caution and sobriety. The heights of extravagance, to which the Sceptics had by this time advanced, both in theory and practice, had brought such a general odium upon the sect, that although Ænesidemus attempted to revive Pyrrhonism at Alexandria, and inscribed his works to Lucius Tubero, an illustrious Roman, it does not appear that Rome gave any public countenance to the Sceptic philosophy.+ • B. C. 50. Euseb. Chron. Vid. Lambin. Gifan. Bayl. de Vit. Lucr. Voss. de Poet. Lat. p. 15. 83 Cic. de Fin. 1. ii. + Vidend. Heumann. Act. Phil. v. iii. p. 63. Gaudent. de Phil. apud Rom. initio, &c. Pis. 1643. Cellarii Diss. de Stud. Rom. Budd. de Stud. Lib. ap. Rom. Falster. Qu. Rom. Schilter. Manud. Phil. Mor. ad Jurisprud. Everard. Otto de Stoica Juriscons. Ph. Horn. Hist. Phil. l. iv. c. 4, 5. Voss, de Hist. Lat. 1. i. c. 7. 16. P. Blount Cens. Auth. p. 60. Cozzand de Magisterio Antiq. Phil. 1. iii. p. 231. Huet de la Foiblesse, &c. l. i. c. 14. § 25. Scaligeriana Prim. p. 146. Ciceronis Vita à Mylæo, Bullingero, A. de Scarparia, Const. Felice, C. Preysio, Corrado, P. Ramo, Lambino, Brantio, Herbesto, Chytræo, Vallamberto, Cappello, Sagittario, Masenio, Middleton. Kircher in Latio. c. ii. Reimman. Syst. Ant. Lit. p. 496. Perizonius de Erud. et Indust. Cic. Franeq. 1682. Morhoff. Polyh. Lit. t. iii. I. i. c. 17. t. i. l. iv. c. 11. § 17. Jasonis de Nores Instit. in Cic. Phil. Cat. 1597. Lips. 1721. Buscheri Ethic. Cic. Parker's Apology, Lond. 1702. Wopken's Lection. Tull. Amst. 1730. Voss, de Poet. Lat. p. 15, Suidas Bayle. CHAP. II. OF THE STATE OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE. SECT. I. Of the general State of Philosophy under the Emperors. In the midst of the commotions and changes which took place in the Roman state, at the period when it lost its liberty, and became subject to the arbitrary control of a monarch; whilst almost every thing else assumed a new aspect, philosophy still retained its station, and appeared with increasing lustre. This is, perhaps, chiefly to be ascribed to the cultivated taste, and elegant manners of the Augustan age. Many persons of the first distinction in Rome, with Augustus himself, were patrons of literature and science. During the reign of this prince, so generally prevalent was the study of philosophy, that almost every statesman, lawyer, and man of letters, was conversant with the writings of philosophers, and discovered a bias towards some ancient system. And this taste continued through several succeeding ages, even under those emperors, who were more addicted to pleasure than to wisdom; till, in process of time, the distinction of sects was confounded in that monstrous production of monkish ignorance, the Scholastic philosophy. The sentiments and language of almost all the Roman poets were tinctured with the philosophy of some Grecian sect. Virgil, whose immortal works remain a perfect model of poetic harmony and elegance, was in his youth instructed by Syro in the doctrine of Epicurus; and the spirit of this doctrine appears in several parts of his writings. It is true, that after the usual practice of poets, and other writers of this period, he introduces allusions to the dogmas of different sects, where he judged that they might serve to illustrate and adorn his subject. Thus, in the fourth Georgic, he derives the origin of things, after the Stoics, from a Divine principle, pervading the whole mass of matier:1 His quidam signis atque hæc exempla secuti, In another place 3 the poet introduces Anchises philosophising upon the same principles: Principio coelum, ac terras, camposque liquentes Mens agitat molem, et magno se corpore miscet, &c.* .. Virgil's whole doctrine concerning a future state, divested of its mythological clothing, proceeds, indeed, upon the Stoic, rather than the Platonic, or Pythagoric system. It must not however be hence inferred, that he was himself a Stoic. In the passages just quoted, he relates the opinions of others, and expressly introduces the former as such: His quidam signis. But in other parts of his works, he makes use of the doctrine and language of the Epicurean school: for example: 5 Led by such wonders sages have opin'd, * En. vi. v. 724. • Know first a spirit with an active flame Pervades and animates the mighty frame, J. WARTON. Runs through the wat'ry worlds, the fields of air, Thus mingling with the mass, the general soul Ecl. vi. v. 31, &c. PITT. Namque canebat, uti magnum per inane coacta st Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas, Subjecit pedibus, strepitumque Acherontis avari!® The predilection of Virgil for the Epicurean system may be also inferred from his intimate acquaintance with the poem of Lucretius, to which, in the course of his works, he is frequently indebted. It must not be omitted, that Virgil, in the fifty-second year of his age, set out for Greece, with the design of putting the finishing hand to his Æneid, and then devoting the remainder of his days to the study of philosophy: but that, being seized with illness upon his journey, he returned to Brundisium, and died. He was buried, according to his request, at Naples." Horace, through all his writings breathes the Epicurcan spirit, and sometimes appears to confess his partiality to this school. But we are not to suppose that he entertained a very serious attachment to any system of philosophy. He was rather disposed to ridicule the folly of all the sects, than to become a strenuous advocate for any one of them. He had indeed, when young, studied philosophy in the Academy at Athens." Adjecere bonæ paulo plus artis Athenæ ; He sung, at universal nature's birth, How seeds of water, fire, and air, and earth, Fell through the void; whence order rose, and all 7 Georg. ii. v. 490, &c. J. WARTON. Happy the man, whose vigorous soul can pierce Through the formation of this universe! Who nobly dares despise with soul sedate, The din of Acheron, and vulgar fears, and fate. • Donatus de Vit. Virgil. ed. H. Steph. p. 6. 10 Ep. I. i. ep. 4. Carm. 1. ii. od. 34. Id. 11 Ep. I. ii. ep. 2. v. 43. 12 Athens, kind nurse of science, led my youth But he expressly asserts his independence, and disclaims subjection to the authority of any master.13 Quid verum atque decens curo, et rogo, et omnis in hoc sum; Condo, et compono, quæ mox depromere possim: Nunc in Aristippi furtim præcepta relabor.14 The works of Ovid abound with passages, which prove him to have been well acquainted with the Greek philo sophy, and particularly with the ancient theogonies. In his Metamorphoses he introduces the doctrines of the Pythagorean school concerning the transmigration of the soul, and the vicissitudes of nature.15 But no certain judgment can be formed concerning his philosophical opinions, from tenets which are introduced merely to embellish a work of imagination. Manilius, in his astronomical poem, dedicated to Augustus, strenuously opposes the doctrine of Epicurus concerning nature, and maintains with the Stoics, that God is the soul of the world, pervading and animating all things: 16 In search of wisdom taught my feet to rove 13 Ep. 1. i. ep. 1. v. 11, &c. 14 What right, what true, what fit we justly call, But ask not to what teacher I apply; Sworn to no master, of no sect am I : Now active plunge into the world's wide sea ; Nor to the world-the world to me shall bend. And the gay Aristippus make my guide. 15 L. xv. v. 150, &c. VOL. II. 16 L. i. v. 422. Conf. 1. ii. v. 61. E |