ARISTOTLE 



founder of the " Italian " school of medicine. Con- 

 siderable portions of his poems on Nature and Purifica- 

 tions are extant. He adopted, perhaps formulated, 

 the doctrine of the four E!,lements, which really means 

 (see TT. apxaii]<i n]TpiKrj<i, chh. 13 fF.) that he selected, 

 as especially important, four out of the many sub- 

 stances already recognized as fundamental in tradi- 

 tional Gi-eek medical theory (see Introd. § 24). 



Democritus of Abdera, the follower of Leucippus, is 

 best known for his advancement of the atomic theory 

 originated by his master. Abdera is not far from 

 Aristotle's birthplace, Stageira, and Aristotle seems 

 to have been specially interested in Democritus." 



The following table will indicate roughly the dates 

 of these early scientists : 



Alcmeon of Crotona, probably a Pythagorean and a 

 pupil of Pythagoras himself (he was " a young man 

 in Pythagoras' old age "). Pythagoras is said to 

 have gone to Italy in 529 b.c. and to have lived at 

 Crotona for twenty years. Alcmeon was probably 

 active, therefore, about 510-480.'' 



Anaxagoras of Clazomenae. Born about 500 b.c, 

 died 428. Lived at Athens c. 480-450, and was 

 a friend of Pericles. Mentioned by Socrates in a 

 well-known passage in Plato's Phaedo. 



Empedocles of Acragas (Agrigentum) in Sicily ; 

 c. 494-434. 



Democritus of Abdera in Thrace ; c. 460-370. 



" For further details about Democritus, see C. Bailey, The 

 Greek Atomists and Epicurus. 



* According to W. A. Heidel, however, Hippocratic Medi- 

 cine (1911), 43, and American Journal of Pliilology, LXI 

 (1940), 3 ff., Alcmeon's floruit should be put considerably 

 later, say at 450 b.c. 



