Ideas from 'fragments/reports' by Xenophanes [530 BCE], by Theme Structure
[found in 'Ancilla to the Pre-Socratic Philosophers' (ed/tr Freeman,Kathleen) [Harvard 1957,-]].
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13. Knowledge Criteria / D. Scepticism / 1. Scepticism
411
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If we succeed in speaking the truth, we cannot know we have done it
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Full Idea:
No man has seen certain truth, and no man will ever know about the gods and other things I mentioned; for if he succeeds in saying what is fully true, he himself is unaware of it; opinion is fixed by fate on all things.
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From:
Xenophanes (fragments/reports [c.530 BCE], B34), quoted by Sextus Empiricus - Against the Professors (six books) 7.49.4
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13. Knowledge Criteria / E. Relativism / 1. Relativism
412
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If God had not created honey, men would say figs are sweeter
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Full Idea:
If God had not created yellow honey, men would say that figs were sweeter.
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From:
Xenophanes (fragments/reports [c.530 BCE], B38), quoted by Herodian - On Peculiar Speech 41.5
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26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / e. The One
1640
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The basic Eleatic belief was that all things are one
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Full Idea:
The Eleatic tribe, which had its beginnings from Xenophanes and still earlier, proceed on the grounds that all things so-called are one.
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From:
report of Xenophanes (fragments/reports [c.530 BCE]) by Plato - The Sophist 242d
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28. God / A. Divine Nature / 2. Divine Nature
3055
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Xenophanes said the essence of God was spherical and utterly inhuman
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Full Idea:
Xenophanes taught that the essence of God was of a spherical form, in no respect resembling man.
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From:
report of Xenophanes (fragments/reports [c.530 BCE]) by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 09.2.3
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28. God / C. Attitudes to God / 5. Atheism
408
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Ethiopian gods have black hair, and Thracian gods have red hair
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Full Idea:
Ethiopians have gods with snub noses and black hair, Thracians have gods with grey eyes and red hair.
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From:
Xenophanes (fragments/reports [c.530 BCE], B16), quoted by Clement - Miscellanies 7.22.1
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407
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Mortals believe gods are born, and have voices and clothes just like mortals
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Full Idea:
Mortals believe the gods to be created by birth, and to have raiment, voice and body like mortals'.
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From:
Xenophanes (fragments/reports [c.530 BCE], B14), quoted by Clement - Miscellanies 5.109.2
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