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Heraclides Ponticus

February 15, 2024

This article is about the philosopher. For the former butterfly genus, see Papilio. For the historian, see Heracleides of Cyme.

Heraclides Ponticus (Greek: Ἡρακλείδης ὁ Ποντικός Herakleides; c. 390 BC – c. 310 BC)[1] was a Greek philosopher and astronomer who was born in Heraclea Pontica, now Karadeniz Ereğli, Turkey, and migrated to Athens. He is best remembered for proposing that the Earth rotates on its axis, from west to east, once every 24 hours.[2] He is also hailed as the originator of the heliocentric theory; although this is disputed.[3][4]

Life edit

Heraclides' father was Euthyphron,[5] a wealthy nobleman who sent his son to study at the Platonic Academy in Athens under its founder Plato and under his successor Speusippus. According to the Suda, Plato, on his departure for Sicily in 361/360 BC, left the Academy in the charge of Heraclides. Heraclides was nearly elected successor to Speusippus as head of the academy in 339/338 BC, but narrowly lost to Xenocrates.[6]

All of Heraclides' writings have been lost; only a few fragments remain. Like the Pythagoreans Hicetas and Ecphantus, Heraclides proposed that the apparent daily motion of the stars was created by the rotation of the Earth on its axis once a day. This view contradicted the accepted Aristotelian model of the universe, which said that the Earth was fixed and that the stars and planets in their respective spheres might also be fixed. Simplicius says that Heraclides proposed that the irregular movements of the planets can be explained if the Earth moves while the Sun stays still.[7]

Although some historians[8] have proposed that Heraclides taught that Venus and Mercury revolve around the Sun, a detailed investigation of the sources has shown that "nowhere in the ancient literature mentioning Heraclides of Pontus is there a clear reference for his support for any kind of heliocentrical planetary position".[9]

A punning on his name, dubbing him Heraclides "Pompicus," suggests he may have been a rather vain and pompous man and the target of much ridicule.[10] Diogenes Laërtius, citing Aristoxenus as his source, states that Heraclides forged plays under the name of Thespis, and further states that Camaeleon claimed that Heraclides had plagiarised commentaries on Hesiod and Homer from him.[11] Laërtius also conveys a story in which Dionysius the Deserter fooled Heraclides by forging a play, Parthenopaeus, under the name of Sophocles. Heraclides was deceived by this easily and cited it as the work of Sophocles.[12] However, Heraclides seems to have been a versatile and prolific writer on philosophy, mathematics, music, grammar, physics, history and rhetoric, notwithstanding doubts about attribution of many of the works. It appears that he composed various works in dialogue form.

Heraclides also seems to have had an interest in the occult. In particular he focused on explaining trances, visions and prophecies in terms of the retribution of the gods, and reincarnation.[2]

A quote of Heraclides, of particular significance to historians, is his statement that fourth century B.C. Rome was a Greek city.[citation needed]

Heraclides Ponticus refers with much admiration that Pythagoras would remember having been Pirro and before Euphorbus and before some other mortal.[citation needed]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Dorandi 1999, p. 48.
  2. ^ a b Porter 2000.
  3. ^ Eastwood 1992, p. 233.
  4. ^ Gottschalk 1980, p. 64-66.
  5. ^ Gottschalk 1980, p. 2.
  6. ^ Guthrie 1986, p. 470.
  7. ^ Simplicius 1997, p. 48.
  8. ^ Heath 1921, pp. 312, 316–317.
  9. ^ Eastwood 1992, p. 256.
  10. ^ Davidson 2007, p. 45.
  11. ^ Laërtius 1925, § 92.
  12. ^ Laërtius 1925, § 92-93.

References edit

  • Dorandi, Tiziano (1999). "Chapter 2: Chronology". In Algra, Keimpe; et al. (eds.). The Cambridge History of Hellenistic Philosophy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 48. ISBN 9780521250283.
  • Davidson, Martin P. (2007). The Stars And The Mind. Fabri Press. p. 45. ISBN 978-1-4067-7147-3.
  • Eastwood, Bruce (1992). "Heraclides and Heliocentrism: Texts, Diagrams, and Interpretations". Journal for the History of Astronomy. 23 (4): 233–260. Bibcode:1992JHA....23..233E. doi:10.1177/002182869202300401. S2CID 118643709.
  • Gottschalk, H. B. (1980). Heraclides of Pontus. Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-814021-5.
  • Guthrie, W. K. C. (1986). A History of Greek Philosophy: Volume 5, The Later Plato and the Academy (Later Plato & the Academy). Cambridge University Press. p. 470. ISBN 0-521-31102-0.
  • Heath, Thomas L. (1921). A History of Greek Mathematics: From Thales to Euclid. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 312, 316–317.
  • Hutchinson, D. S.; Johnson, Monte Ransome (25 January 2015). "Protrepticus: New Reconstruction, includes Greek text".
  •   Laërtius, Diogenes (1925). "The Peripatetics: Heraclides" . Lives of the Eminent Philosophers. Vol. 1:5. Translated by Hicks, Robert Drew (Two volume ed.). Loeb Classical Library. § 92.
  • Porter, Roy, ed. (2000). "Heraklides of Ponticus". The Hutchinson Dictionary of Scientific Biography (1st ed.). Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-1859863046.
  • Simplicius (1997). On Aristotle's Physics 2. Translated by Fleet, Barries. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. p. 48. ISBN 0-8014-3283-9.

Further reading edit

  • Diogenes Laërtius trans. C.D. Yonge (1853) "Lives of Eminent Philosophers"
  • O. Voss (1896) De Heraclidis Pontici vita et scriptis
  • Wehrli, F. (1969) Herakleides Pontikos. Die Schule des Aristoteles vol. 7, 2nd edn. Basel.
  • Heraclides of Pontus. Texts and translations, edited by Eckart Schütrumpf; translators Peter Stork, Jan van Ophuijsen, and Susan Prince, New Brunswick, N.J., Transaction Publishers, 2008
  • Heraclides of Pontus. Discussion, edited by William W. Fortenbaugh, Elizabeth Pender, New Brunswick, N.J. : Transaction Publishers, 2009
  • Neugebauer, Otto (1969) [1957]. The Exact Sciences in Antiquity (2 ed.). Dover Publications. ISBN 978-0-486-22332-2.
  • O. Neugebauer (1975) A History of Ancient Mathematical Astronomy

External links edit

February 15, 2024
heraclides, ponticus, this, article, about, philosopher, former, butterfly, genus, papilio, historian, heracleides, cyme, greek, Ἡρακλείδης, Ποντικός, herakleides, greek, philosopher, astronomer, born, heraclea, pontica, karadeniz, ereğli, turkey, migrated, at. This article is about the philosopher For the former butterfly genus see Papilio For the historian see Heracleides of Cyme Heraclides Ponticus Greek Ἡrakleidhs ὁ Pontikos Herakleides c 390 BC c 310 BC 1 was a Greek philosopher and astronomer who was born in Heraclea Pontica now Karadeniz Eregli Turkey and migrated to Athens He is best remembered for proposing that the Earth rotates on its axis from west to east once every 24 hours 2 He is also hailed as the originator of the heliocentric theory although this is disputed 3 4 Contents 1 Life 2 Notes 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksLife editHeraclides father was Euthyphron 5 a wealthy nobleman who sent his son to study at the Platonic Academy in Athens under its founder Plato and under his successor Speusippus According to the Suda Plato on his departure for Sicily in 361 360 BC left the Academy in the charge of Heraclides Heraclides was nearly elected successor to Speusippus as head of the academy in 339 338 BC but narrowly lost to Xenocrates 6 All of Heraclides writings have been lost only a few fragments remain Like the Pythagoreans Hicetas and Ecphantus Heraclides proposed that the apparent daily motion of the stars was created by the rotation of the Earth on its axis once a day This view contradicted the accepted Aristotelian model of the universe which said that the Earth was fixed and that the stars and planets in their respective spheres might also be fixed Simplicius says that Heraclides proposed that the irregular movements of the planets can be explained if the Earth moves while the Sun stays still 7 Although some historians 8 have proposed that Heraclides taught that Venus and Mercury revolve around the Sun a detailed investigation of the sources has shown that nowhere in the ancient literature mentioning Heraclides of Pontus is there a clear reference for his support for any kind of heliocentrical planetary position 9 A punning on his name dubbing him Heraclides Pompicus suggests he may have been a rather vain and pompous man and the target of much ridicule 10 Diogenes Laertius citing Aristoxenus as his source states that Heraclides forged plays under the name of Thespis and further states that Camaeleon claimed that Heraclides had plagiarised commentaries on Hesiod and Homer from him 11 Laertius also conveys a story in which Dionysius the Deserter fooled Heraclides by forging a play Parthenopaeus under the name of Sophocles Heraclides was deceived by this easily and cited it as the work of Sophocles 12 However Heraclides seems to have been a versatile and prolific writer on philosophy mathematics music grammar physics history and rhetoric notwithstanding doubts about attribution of many of the works It appears that he composed various works in dialogue form Heraclides also seems to have had an interest in the occult In particular he focused on explaining trances visions and prophecies in terms of the retribution of the gods and reincarnation 2 A quote of Heraclides of particular significance to historians is his statement that fourth century B C Rome was a Greek city citation needed Heraclides Ponticus refers with much admiration that Pythagoras would remember having been Pirro and before Euphorbus and before some other mortal citation needed Notes edit Dorandi 1999 p 48 a b Porter 2000 Eastwood 1992 p 233 Gottschalk 1980 p 64 66 Gottschalk 1980 p 2 Guthrie 1986 p 470 Simplicius 1997 p 48 Heath 1921 pp 312 316 317 Eastwood 1992 p 256 Davidson 2007 p 45 Laertius 1925 92 Laertius 1925 92 93 References editDorandi Tiziano 1999 Chapter 2 Chronology In Algra Keimpe et al eds The Cambridge History of Hellenistic Philosophy Cambridge Cambridge University Press p 48 ISBN 9780521250283 Davidson Martin P 2007 The Stars And The Mind Fabri Press p 45 ISBN 978 1 4067 7147 3 Eastwood Bruce 1992 Heraclides and Heliocentrism Texts Diagrams and Interpretations Journal for the History of Astronomy 23 4 233 260 Bibcode 1992JHA 23 233E doi 10 1177 002182869202300401 S2CID 118643709 Gottschalk H B 1980 Heraclides of Pontus Clarendon Press ISBN 0 19 814021 5 Guthrie W K C 1986 A History of Greek Philosophy Volume 5 The Later Plato and the Academy Later Plato amp the Academy Cambridge University Press p 470 ISBN 0 521 31102 0 Heath Thomas L 1921 A History of Greek Mathematics From Thales to Euclid Oxford Clarendon Press pp 312 316 317 Hutchinson D S Johnson Monte Ransome 25 January 2015 Protrepticus New Reconstruction includes Greek text nbsp Laertius Diogenes 1925 The Peripatetics Heraclides Lives of the Eminent Philosophers Vol 1 5 Translated by Hicks Robert Drew Two volume ed Loeb Classical Library 92 Porter Roy ed 2000 Heraklides of Ponticus The Hutchinson Dictionary of Scientific Biography 1st ed Hodder amp Stoughton ISBN 978 1859863046 Simplicius 1997 On Aristotle sPhysics 2 Translated by Fleet Barries Ithaca Cornell University Press p 48 ISBN 0 8014 3283 9 Further reading editDiogenes Laertius trans C D Yonge 1853 Lives of Eminent Philosophers O Voss 1896 De Heraclidis Pontici vita et scriptis Wehrli F 1969 Herakleides Pontikos Die Schule des Aristoteles vol 7 2nd edn Basel Heraclides of Pontus Texts and translations edited by Eckart Schutrumpf translators Peter Stork Jan van Ophuijsen and Susan Prince New Brunswick N J Transaction Publishers 2008 Heraclides of Pontus Discussion edited by William W Fortenbaugh Elizabeth Pender New Brunswick N J Transaction Publishers 2009 Neugebauer Otto 1969 1957 The Exact Sciences in Antiquity 2 ed Dover Publications ISBN 978 0 486 22332 2 O Neugebauer 1975 A History of Ancient Mathematical AstronomyExternal links editO Connor John J Robertson Edmund F Heraclides Ponticus MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive University of St Andrews Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Heraclides Ponticus amp oldid 1197134746, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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