II. Diogenes of Apollonia
Date.
186. After discussing the three great representatives of the Milesian school, Theophrastos went on to say:
And Diogenes of Apollonia, too, who was almost the latest of those who gave themselves up to these studies, wrote most of his work in an eclectic fashion, agreeing in some points with Anaxagoras and in others with Leukippos. He, too, says that the primary substance of the universe is Air infinite and eternal, from which by condensation, rarefaction, and change of state, the form of everything else arises. R. P. 206 a.[[996]]
This passage shows that the Apolloniate was somewhat later in date than the statement in Laertios Diogenes[[997]] that he was contemporary with Anaxagoras would lead us to suppose, and the fact that he is satirised in the Clouds of Aristophanes points in the same direction.[[998]] Of his life we know next to nothing. He was the son of Apollothemis, and came from Apollonia in Crete.[[999]] The Ionic dialect in which he wrote is no objection to this; it was the regular dialect for cosmological works.[[1000]]
The fact that Diogenes was parodied in the Clouds suggests that he had found his way to Athens; and we have the excellent authority of Demetrios Phalereus[[1001]] for saying that the Athenians treated him in the usual way. He excited so great dislike as nearly to imperil his life.
Writings.
187. Simplicius affirms that Diogenes wrote several works, though he allows that only one survived till his own day, namely, the Περὶ φύσεως.[[1002]] This statement is based upon references in the surviving work itself, and is not to be lightly rejected. In particular, it is very credible that he wrote a tract Against the Sophists, that is to say, the pluralist cosmologists of the day.[[1003]] That he wrote a Meteorology and a book called The Nature of Man is also quite probable. This would be a physiological or medical treatise, and perhaps the famous fragment about the veins comes from it.[[1004]]
The Fragments.
188. The work of Diogenes seems to have been preserved in the Academy; practically all the fairly extensive fragments which we still have are derived from Simplicius. I give them as they are arranged by Diels:—