V. THE ELEATIC SCHOOL: XENOPHANES.

Xenophanes of Kolophon, son of Dexias (Apollodoros says of Orthomenes), was the founder of the Eleatic School. After a careful review of the evidence, Zeller (Vorsokr. Phil. pp. 521-522) concludes that he was born about 580 B.C.; it is agreed by all writers that he lived to a great age. The stories of his travels and adventures are very numerous. He speaks of the war between the Ionic colonies and the Persians as beginning in his youth. According to Diogenes he sang the founding of Elea in 2,000 hexameter verses. The reference to him by Herakleitos (Fr. 16) indicates the general respect for his philosophy. He composed poetry of all varieties, and is said to have recited his own poems. His philosophic views were embodied in a poem which was early lost, and to which later ages gave the name ‘περὶ φύσεως.’

Literature: Brandis, Comm. Eleat. 1813; Cousin, Nouv. frag. phil. 1828, pp. 9-45;. Karsten, Phil. Graec. vet. reliq. i. 1, 1830; Bergk, Poet. Lyr. Graec. ii.; F. Kern, Quaestionum Xenophanearum cap. duo, Naumb. 1864; Beiträge, Danzig 1871; Ueber Xenophanes, Stettin 1874; Freudenthal, Die Theologie des Xenophanes, 1886; and Archiv f. d. Gesch. d. Phil. i. 1888, p. 322 sqq.; Thill, Xénophane de Colophon, Luxemb. 1890. On the book De Xen. Zen. Gorg. Aristotelis, v. Fülleborn, Halle 1789; Bergk, 1843; Mullach, 1845; Ueberweg, Philol. viii. 1853, p. 104 sqq.; xxvi. 1868, p. 709 sqq.; Vermehren, 1861; F. Kern, Symbola crit. ad libellum π. Ξενοφ. etc. Oldenb. 1867; Diels’ Doxogr. pp. 109-113; Zeller, Geschichte d. Phil. d. Griechen, i. 499-521.

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