NOVUM ORGANUM 333 



more modern writers, are but few and of small importance, and 

 such as they are, are founded on the basis of Greek invention. 

 But the wisdom of the Greeks was professional and disputa- 

 tious, and thus most adverse to the investigation of truth. The 

 name, therefore, of sophists, which the contemptuous spirit of 

 those who deemed themselves philosophers, rejected and trans- 

 ferred to the rhetoricians Gorgias, Protagoras, Hippias, 

 Polus might well suit the whole tribe, such as Plato, Aris- 

 totle, Zeno, Epicurus, Theophrastus, and their successors 

 Chrysippus, Carneades, and the rest. There was only this dif- 

 ference between them the former were mercenary vagabonds, 

 travelling about to different states, making a show of their wis- 

 dom, and requiring pay ; the latter more dignified and noble, 

 in possession of fixed habitations, opening schools, and teach- 

 ing philosophy gratuitously. Both, however (though differing 

 in other respects), were professorial, and reduced every subject 

 to controversy, establishing and defending certain sects and 

 dogmas of philosophy, so that their doctrines were nearly (what 

 Dionysius not unaptly objected to Plato) the talk of idle otd 

 men to ignorant youths. But the more ancient Greeks, as 

 Empedocles, Anaxagoras, Leucippus, Democritus, Parmen- 

 ides, Heraclitus, Xenophanes, Philolaus, and the rest (for I 

 omit Pythagoras as being superstitious), did not (that we are 

 aware) open schools, but betook themselves to the investiga- 

 tion of truth with greater silence and with more seventy and 

 simplicity, that is, with less affectation and ostentation. Hence 

 in our opinion they acted more advisedly, however their 

 works may have been eclipsed in course of time by those 

 lighter productions which better correspond with and please 

 the apprehensions and passions of the vulgar; for time, like 

 a river, bears down to us that which is light and inflated, 

 and sinks that which is heavy and solid. Nor were even these 

 more ancient philosophers free from the national defect, but 

 inclined too much to the ambition and vanity of forming a 

 sect, and captivating public opinion, and we must despair of 

 any inquiry after truth when it condescends to such trifles. 

 Nor must we omit the opinion, or rather prophecy, of an Egyp- 

 tian priest with regard to the Greeks, that they would forever 

 remain children, without any antiquity of knowledge or knowl- 

 edge of antiquity ; for they certainly have this in common with 

 children, that they are prone to talking, and incapable of gen- 

 eration, their wisdom being loquacious and unproductive of 

 effects. Hence the external signs derived from the origin and 

 birthplace of our present philosophy are not favorable. 



72. Nor are those much better which can be deduced from 

 the character of the time and age, than the former from that of 

 the country and nation ; for in that age the knowledge both of 



