AMONG THE GREEKS 45 



naturalistic reaction to the novel and widely op- 

 posed mechanical or later materialistic concep- 

 tions of the universe developed by the Epicu- 

 reans. This phase included a return to the direct 

 observation of Nature, especially in increased 

 interest in anatomy — human and comparative — 

 and in botany, and departure from philosophy 

 and speculation. This phase culminated in the 

 anatomy of Galen (131-201). 



In Zeller's volumes on Greek philosophy and 

 in his special discussion of Evolution among the 

 Greeks, Die griechischen Vorgdnger Darwin's, 

 we find a full examination of the speculations of 

 these ancient philosophers. Lange and Haeckel 

 tend to read into these speculations opinions 

 which Zeller, with his more critical and exact 

 analysis, throws into their actual relative value. 



Greek natural philosophers and observers were 

 driven to their wits' end to account for a natural 

 origin of man, for man was ever their chief con- 

 cern. Doubtless the subject was very much dis- 

 cussed and debated, but only a few fragments of 

 current hypotheses and speculations have come 

 down to us. All we know of the pioneers of the 

 earliest period — of Thales, of Anaximander, and 

 of others of the Ionian school — has been handed 

 down by later commentators. 



