CHAPTER II 

 THE ALEXANDRIAN PERIOD 



(from 300 b.c. to the first century of the Christian Era) 



IF the conquests of Alexander the Great caused 

 Greek language and science to penetrate into the 

 East, they also brought about an upheaval of 

 existing conditions. Greece lost her creative originality 

 at the same time as her political autonomy. Athens 

 certainly remained the seat of the philosophical schools, 

 but in reality other towns, foremost amongst them 

 Alexandria, became the centres of intellectual life. 

 This now changed its character ; instead of, as in the 

 past, spreading through small democratic states, it 

 concentrated in the capitals of the kingdoms which 

 arose on the ruins of Alexander's empire, and hence 

 was confined to smaller and smaller circles, for in spite 

 of its diffusion, the Greek language, with its charac- 

 teristic syntax and vocabulary, remained an unknown 

 tongue to the masses of Asia Minor and Egypt. The 

 classical works of Greece could only be appreciated by 

 the chosen few. This state of affairs was unfavourable 

 for literary and philosophical production. The latter, 

 when it is intended for only a small circle of readers, 

 is no longer animated by popular inspiration, and loses 

 itself in subtlety, affectation and erudition. 1 But for 

 the sciences properly so called, these conditions were 

 very advantageous. Owing to the diffusion of Greek 

 culture throughout the eastern littoral of the Mediter- 

 ranean, specialists were sure to meet with savants 

 1 15 Heiberg, Naturwiss., p. 42. 

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