On the Soul (De Anima) with Simplicius Commentary

is incorporeal, but others, that it is a body. And of those who say it is a body, some assert that it is a simple, but others that it is a composite body. And of those who assert that it is a composite, some say that it is composed of conjoined, but others, of unconjoined bodies. But of those who assert that the soul is a simple body, some say that it is an ethereal, i.e., a celestial body, as Heraclides Ponticus Heraclides Ponticus (c. 390–310 BC), a Greek philosopher.. But others say that it is fire, as Heraclitus Heraclitus (c. 535–475 BC), a Greek philosopher who believed fire was the primary element., since, according to him, fire is the principle of things, and thus the soul is of a fiery nature on account of the facility of its motion. Others, however, say that the soul is aerial, as Anaximenes Anaximenes (c. 585–528 BC), who believed air was the underlying principle. and some of the Stoics Stoics, an ancient school of philosophy.. But others say that it is aqueous, as Thales Thales of Miletus (c. 624–546 BC), who believed water was the primary substance. and Hippo Hippo of Rhegium, an early philosopher., who was surnamed the Atheist. For, since they saw that seed is from a moist essence, they thought that water is the principle of things. No one, however, has dared to call the soul earth, on account of the gravity and immobility of this element. These, therefore, are the philosophers who said that the soul is a simple body, since there are only these five simple bodies; and these alone, among those who said that the soul is a body, are able to assert that it is immortal. But of those who thought that it is a composite body, some assert that it consists of unconnected elements, as Democritus Democritus (c. 460–370 BC), the proponent of atomism. and Leucippus Leucippus, the founder of atomism., and, in short, those who introduce atoms. For they said that the principles of things are atoms and a vacuum; and hence, that the soul is composed from spherical atoms, on account of the facility of its motion. But others said that it consists of connected elements, as Critias Critias (c. 460–403 BC), a politician and philosopher., who was one of the thirty tyrants. For he said that the soul is blood; since he asserts that the conceptions of men are the blood that surrounds the heart. Of those, however, who were of opinion that the soul is immortal,