Plato Contra Atheos: Plato Against the Atheists - Plato - Google Books

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Distinction between Λόγος and Όνομα

Infinite Distance between Self-motion and Motion by Impulse.

-Impassable Chasm between Spirit and Matter.-Ideas of

Change, Cause, and Spirit inseparable. - The Word Пoλ-

λοστή Principle of Euphonic Attraction

Argument of Ancient Atheists that Apparent Evidences of

Design were only Evidences of subsequent Accommodation.

-Things (they said) older than Knowledge of Things, and

therefore older than Soul

Platonic Doctrine of the Evil Principle.-Of 'Aváуêŋ, or Ne-

Platonic Analogy between the Motion of Nous and Yuxý, and

that of a Sphere, or of the Heavens

The Motions of the Evil Soul Irregular and Disorderly. — The

nearer an Approach to the Pure Reason, the more of Fixed-

ness and Uniformity.-Heaven a State of Eternal Rest.-

Atheistic Objection from the unvarying Regularity of the

Heavens, from whence was inferred the Absence of Will and

Platonic Doctrine of the Animation of the Heavenly Bodies.

-Ancient Belief that each Nation had its own peculiar

Guardian Dæmon or Genius

Three Hypotheses in respect to the Animation of the Heav-

Tñs "Oxnμa, or Vehiculum Mundi.-Examination of a Remark

able Passage from Euripides

The Greek Words for Blessedness, Happiness, Fortune, &c.

The Singular Word 'Αποδιοπομπέομαι, and the Remarkable

Use made of it by Plato

Defect of Plato's Theology in regard to the Doctrine of Atone-

ment and the Necessity of Expiation

Highest Proof of the Divine Goodness, the a priori Convic-

tion of the Moral Sense

Sublime Mode in which the Bible represents the Divine Provi-

dence and Omniscience as contrasted with all mere Philos-

ophizing on these Attributes.-Analysis of the Greek Word

'Avdpeía, as denoting one of the Cardinal Virtues of Soul.-

Piety of Epicureanism .

The true Dignity of Man his Religious Nature. — Analysis of

the Greek Words Σέβας, Εὐσέβεια, &c.

Men Compared to Sheep of the Divine Pasture.-Language of

Plato on this Subject in Harmony with that of the Scriptures 261

Peculiarity of certain Negative Forms of Greek Verbs

Great Things cannot Exist without Small.-Application of the

Maxim to the Doctrine of a Special Providence, to Educa-

tion, and to Politics

Gentleness of Plato's Mode of Argument, and its peculiar

Adaptation to the Minds of the Young

The Machinery of Physical Events controlled by Invisible Spir-

itual Agencies.-The Doctrine of Plato and of the Bible.

The Ancient Maxim De Nihilo Nihil.-Greek Ideas in Respect

to Creation. Language of the Fathers. - Plato defended

against the Charge of teaching the Eternity of the World

and of Matter.-Platonic Sense of the Maxim.-Comparison

of Hebrews, xi., 3, with the Language of Plato.-Difficulties

of Reason when the Doctrine of Creation is examined apart

from Revelation.

Doctrine that the Parts are made for the Whole as set forth

by Plato, and as viewed by Modern Rationalists and Semi-

Infidels. The Converse Doctrine, that the Whole is also for

the Parts, examined with Reference to the Mutual Harmony

Atheistic Objection drawn from the Extent of the Universe 292

Explanation of a Difficult Passage.-Remarks on those Views

that resolve Morality into an Obedience to Physical Laws,

and regard all Punishment as Consequential instead of Penal 294

The Word 'Ανώλεθρος as distinguished from Αἰώνιος.-Remark-

able Passage in the Timæus

The Greek Words for Eternity, Alúv and Alúvios

Plato's Doctrine of the Freedom of the Will, viewed in Con-

nexion with the Law of Cause and Effect in Nature

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בֵּית עוֹלָם

Similar Views of a Future State, and Similar Fears of Hell

The Word "Ayios.- Exceeding Spirituality of some of Plato's

Views. Many of his Thoughts capable of being fairly ac-

commodated to a Spiritual Sense higher than the Author him-

self had ever intended to convey.-Difference in this Re-

spect between his Writings and those of all other Philoso-

phers, Ancient and Modern .

Mythical Sense of the Word Oávatos

Omnipresence of the Divine Justice. Remarkable Resem-

blance of Plato's Language to some Passages from the Bible 333

Doctrine of a Final Judgment.-Use of the Word Evvréhela, 334

Platonic Use of the Word Túπoç

Explanation of a Difficult Passage, in which Plato seems to

assert that our Evils in the Present State exceed our Good 339

Máxn 'Alávaros, or Battle of the Universe, between the Pow-

ers of Good and Evil. -Sin, therefore, no Light Matter, be-

cause it is Treason against the Cause of Good, for which

God is contending with the Evil Soul

Plato's Doctrine of the Aaíuoves, or Genii

Beauty and Accuracy of the Ancient and Platonic Division of

the Four Cardinal Virtues.-Deep Moral Significance of the

Four Greek Words, Ακολασία, Ακρατεία, Εγκράτεια, and

Zwppoovvn, as indicating the Four Moral Degrees

Peculiar Use of the Indicative Mode in certain Cases.-Com-

parison of Passages from the New Testament

Use of the Word IIλɛovesía. — Aristotle's Distinction between

Arithmetical and Geometrical Equality

Impiety and Folly of attempting to bribe Heaven

Different Species of Atheists.-Morality of Atheists not found-

ed on Principle.-First Species styled Aíkaιos by Plato, and

invested by him with too Good a Character.-Second Species,

the Magician or Juggler. — The Atheist often in Secret the

Victim of Superstition.-Hobbes.-The Ironical Species of

Atheist, a Character peculiar to the Ancient World.-Ely-

mas the Sorcerer.-Apollonius of Tyanea.

The Nightly Conference, or Areopagus of Plato's State.

The Athenian Areopagus

Common Law against all Private Religions.-Examination of

Plato's Doctrine in respect to Changes in the Public Wor-

ship and Religion of the State

Belief in Apparitions, Ghosts, Spectres, Dreams, &c., the same

STATEMENT OF THE ARGUMENT.

As a dramatic work, The Laws is far inferior to the Republic. The speakers are three: namely, Clinias, a Cretan, Megillus, a Lacedæmonian, and a stranger, who passes by no other name than the Athenian. The latter is the Socrates of the dialogue. The first two are either mere listeners, or only brought in as suggestive helps in the various transitions of the discourse. After nine books occupied with varied and extended schemes of legislation, and where laws are mingled with reasonings and introductory preambles, which need not here be specified, the author comes, in the tenth book, to treat of offences against the public worship and religion, which it is supposed, of course, the State must possess, if it would be a state indeed, and not a mere herding together of men and women in a political congregation, having no other bond of union than the temporary consent of individual wills. Previously, however, to the enactment of laws for the punishment of sacrilege and other offences against religion, the chief speaker proposes that there should be laid down, by way of foundation, a preamble or hortatory statement, containing the reasons of the laws; which preamble, although concisely expressed at first (page 3), is subsequently expanded into an argument which occupies nearly the whole book, the few last pages only being taken up with the laws and the penalties annexed.

The argument is divided into three parts; Against those who denied the Divine existence; 2. Against those who, while they admitted the existence of a God, denied a providence; and, 3. Against those who, while they admitted both a God and a providence, maintained that the Deity was easily propitiated, or would not punish sin severely. The first part is introduced by a declaration of Clinias, that it must be easy to prove the existence of the Deity. He appeals at once to the most obvious phenomena of nature, the sun, the earth, and stars, &c., as conclusive evidence, especially if taken in connexion with the universal sentiments of mankind. This gives occasion to the chief speaker to suggest that the subject is involved in greater difficulties than the other, in his simplicity, had imagined; difficulties, however, not intrinsic, but arising from the perverseness of those who imposed upon themselves by the words chance, nature, art, &c., referring to the old Atheists of the Ionic or Materializing school (page 4 to page 15). After a short digression, in which it is

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