Complete Works of Plutarch — Volume 3Volume 3 / Book 4 — BOOK IV.Reading editionChapter navigation165 reading sectionsGo to chapterChoose a chapter…The Complete Works Volume 3PHILOSOPHICAL ESSAYSTHAT A PHILOSOPHER OUGHT CHIEFLY TO CONVERSE WITH GREAT MEN.BOOK I.Chapter I · WHAT IS NATURE?Chapter II · WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PRINCIPLE AND AN ELEMENT?Chapter III · WHAT ARE PRINCIPLES?Chapter IV · HOW WAS THIS WORLD COMPOSED IN THAT ORDER AND AFTER THAT MANNER IT IS?Chapter V · WHETHER THE UNIVERSE IS ONE SINGLE THING.Chapter VI · WHENCE DID MEN OBTAIN THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE EXISTENCE AND ESSENCE OF A DEITY?Chapter VII · WHAT IS GOD?Chapter VIII · OF THOSE THAT ARE CALLED GENIUSES AND HEROESChapter IX · OF MATTER.Chapter X · OF IDEAS.Chapter XI · OF CAUSES.Chapter XII · OF BODIES.Chapter XIII · OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE LEAST IN NATURE.Chapter XIV · OF FIGURES.Chapter XV · OF COLORS.Chapter XVI · OF THE DIVISION OF BODIES.Chapter XVII · HOW BODIES ARE MIXED AND CONTEMPERATED ONE WITH ANOTHER.Chapter XVIII · OF A VACUUM.Chapter XIX · OF PLACE.Chapter XX · OF SPACE.Chapter XXI · OF TIME.Chapter XXII · OF THE SUBSTANCE AND NATURE OF TIME.Chapter XXIII · OF MOTION.Chapter XXIV · OF GENERATION AND CORRUPTION.Chapter XXV · OF NECESSITY.Chapter XXVI · OF THE NATURE OF NECESSITY.Chapter XXVII · OF DESTINY OR FATE.Chapter XXVIII · OF THE NATURE OF FATE.Chapter XXIX · OF FORTUNE.Chapter XXX · OF NATURE.BOOK II.Chapter I · OF THE WORLD.Chapter II · OF THE FIGURE OF THE WORLD.Chapter III · WHETHER THE WORLD BE AN ANIMAL.Chapter IV · WHETHER THE WORLD IS ETERNAL AND INCORRUPTIBLE.Chapter V · WHENCE DOES THE WORLD RECEIVE ITS NUTRIMENT?Chapter VI · FROM WHAT ELEMENT GOD DID BEGIN TO RAISE THE FABRIC OF THE WORLD.Chapter VII · IN WHAT FORM AND ORDER THE WORLD WAS COMPOSED.Chapter VIII · WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF THE WORLD'S INCLINATION.Chapter IX · OF THAT THING WHICH IS BEYOND THE WORLD, AND WHETHER IT BE A VACUUM OR NOT.Chapter X · WHAT PARTS OF THE WORLD ARE ON THE RIGHT HAND, AND WHAT ON THE LEFT.Chapter XI · OF HEAVEN, WHAT IS ITS NATURE AND ESSENCE.Chapter XII · INTO HOW MANY CIRCLES IS THE HEAVEN DISTINGUISHED; OR, OF THE DIVISION OF HEAVEN.Chapter XIII · WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF THE STARS, AND HOW THEY ARE COMPOSED.Chapter XIV · OF WHAT FIGURE THE STARS ARE.Chapter XV · OF THE ORDER AND PLACE OF THE STARS.Chapter XVI · OF THE MOTION AND CIRCULATION OF THE STARS.Chapter XVII · WHENCE DO THE STARS RECEIVE THEIR LIGHT?Chapter XVIII · WHAT ARE THOSE STARS WHICH ARE CALLED THE DIOSCURI, THE TWINS, OR CASTOR AND POLLUX?Chapter XIX · HOW STARS PROGNOSTICATE, AND WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF WINTER AND SUMMER.Chapter XX · OF THE ESSENCE OF THE SUN.Chapter XXI · OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE SUN.Chapter XXII · WHAT IS THE FIGURE OR SHAPE OF THE SUN.Chapter XXIII · OF THE TURNING AND RETURNING OF THE STARS, OR THE SUMMER AND WINTER SOLSTICE.Chapter XXIV · OF THE ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.Chapter XXV · OF THE ESSENCE OF THE MOON.Chapter XXVI · OF THE SIZE OF THE MOON.Chapter XXVII · OF THE FIGURE OF THE MOON.Chapter XXVIII · FROM WHENCE IS IT THAT THE MOON RECEIVES HER LIGHT?Chapter XXIX · OF THE ECLIPSE OF THE MOON.Chapter XXX · OF THE PHASES OF THE MOON, OR THE LUNAR ASPECTS; OR HOW IT COMES TO PASS THAT THE MOON APPEARS TO US TERRESTRIAL.Chapter XXXI · HOW FAR THE MOON IS REMOVED FROM THE SUN.Chapter XXXII · OF THE YEAR, AND HOW MANY CIRCULATIONS MAKE UP THE GREAT YEAR OF EVERY PLANET.BOOK III.Chapter I · OF THE GALAXY, OR THE MILKY WAY.Chapter II · OF COMETS AND SHOOTING FIRES, AND THOSE WHICH RESEMBLE BEAMS.Chapter III · OF VIOLENT ERUPTION OF FIRE OUT OF THE CLOUDS. OF LIGHTNING. OF THUNDER. OF HURRICANES. OF WHIRLWINDS.Chapter IV · OF CLOUDS, RAIN, SNOW, AND HAIL.Chapter V · OF THE RAINBOW.Chapter VI · OF METEORS WHICH RESEMBLE RODS, OR OF RODS.Chapter VII · OF WINDS.Chapter VIII · OF WINTER AND SUMMER.Chapter IX · OF THE EARTH, WHAT IS ITS NATURE AND MAGNITUDE.Chapter X · OF THE FIGURE OF THE EARTH.Chapter XI · OF THE SITE AND POSITION OF THE EARTH.Chapter XII · OF THE INCLINATION OF THE EARTH.Chapter XIII · OF THE MOTION OF THE EARTH.Chapter XIV · INTO HOW MANY ZONES IS THE EARTH DIVIDED?Chapter XV · OF EARTHQUAKES.Chapter XVI · OF THE SEA, AND HOW IT IS COMPOSED, AND HOW IT BECOMES TO THE TASTE BITTER.Chapter XVII · OF TIDES, OR OF THE EBBING AND FLOWING OF THE SEA.Chapter XVIII · OF THE AUREA, OR A CIRCLE ABOUT A STAR.BOOK IV.Chapter I · OF THE OVERFLOWING OF THE NILE.Chapter II · OF THE SOUL.Chapter III · WHETHER THE SOUL BE A BODY, AND WHAT IS THE NATURE AND ESSENCE OF IT.Chapter IV · OF THE PARTS OF THE SOUL.Chapter V · WHAT IS THE PRINCIPAL PART OF THE SOUL, AND IN WHAT PART OF THE BODY IT RESIDES.Chapter VI · OF THE MOTION OF THE SOUL.Chapter VII · OF THE SOUL'S IMMORTALITY.Chapter VIII · OF THE SENSES, AND OF THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE OBJECTS OF THE SENSES,Chapter IX · WHETHER WHAT APPEARS TO OUR SENSES AND IMAGINATIONS BE TRUE OR NOT.Chapter X · HOW MANY SENSES ARE THERE?Chapter XI · HOW THE ACTIONS OF THE SENSES, THE CONCEPTIONS OF OUR MINDS, AND THE HABIT OF OUR REASON ARE FORMED.Chapter XII · WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IMAGINATION [GREEK OMITTED], THE IMAGINABLE [GREEK OMITTED], FANCY [GREEK OMITTED], AND PHANTOM [GREEKChapter XIII · OF OUR SIGHT, AND BY WHAT MEANS WE SEE.Chapter XIV · OF THOSE IMAGES WHICH ARE PRESENTED TO OUR EYES IN MIRRORS.Chapter XV · WHETHER DARKNESS CAN BE VISIBLE TO US.Chapter XVI · OF HEARING.Chapter XVII · OF SMELLING.Chapter XVIII · OF TASTE.Chapter XIX · OF THE VOICE.Chapter XX · WHETHER THE VOICE IS INCORPOREAL. WHAT IS IT THAT THE GIVES ECHO?Chapter XXI · BY WHAT MEANS THE SOUL IS SENSIBLE, AND WHAT IS THE PRINCIPAL AND COMMANDING PART OF IT.Chapter XXII · OF RESPIRATION OR BREATHING.Chapter XXIII · OF THE PASSIONS OF THE BODY, AND WHETHER THE SOUL HATH A SYMPATHETICAL CONDOLENCY WITH IT.Chapter I · OF DIVINATION.Chapter II · WHENCE DREAMS DO ARISE.Chapter III · OF THE NATURE OF GENERATIVE SEED.Chapter IV · WHETHER THE SPERM BE A BODY.Chapter V · WHETHER WOMEN DO GIVE A SPERMATIC EMISSION AS MEN DO.Chapter VI · HOW IT IS THAT CONCEPTIONS ARE MADE.Chapter VII · AFTER WHAT MANNER MALES AND FEMALES ARE GENERATED.Chapter VIII · BY WHAT MEANS IT IS THAT MONSTROUS BIRTHS ARE EFFECTED.Chapter IX · HOW IT COMES TO PASS THAT A WOMAN'S TOO FREQUENT CONVERSATION WITH A MAN HINDERS CONCEPTION.Chapter X · WHENCE IT IS THAT ONE BIRTH GIVES TWO OR THREE CHILDREN.Chapter XI · WHENCE IT IS THAT CHILDREN REPRESENT THEIR PARENTS AND PROGENITORS.Chapter XII · HOW IT COMES TO PASS THAT CHILDREN HAVE A GREATER SIMILITUDE WITH STRANGERS THAN WITH THEIR PARENTS.Chapter XIII · WHENCE ARISETH BARRENNESS IN WOMEN, AND IMPOTENCY IN MEN?Chapter XIV · HOW IT ARISES THAT MULES ARE BARREN.Chapter XV · WHETHER THE INFANT IN THE MOTHER'S WOMB BE AN ANIMAL.Chapter XVI · HOW EMBRYOS ARE NOURISHED, OR HOW THE INFANT IN THE BELLY RECEIVES ITS ALIMENT.Chapter XVII · WHAT PART OF THE BODY IS FIRST FORMED IN THE WOMB.Chapter XVIII · WHENCE IS IT THAT INFANTS BORN IN THE SEVENTH MONTH ARE BORN ALIVE.Chapter XIX · OF THE GENERATION OF ANIMALS, HOW ANIMALS ARE BEGOTTEN, AND WHETHER THEY ARE OBNOXIOUS TO CORRUPTION.Chapter XX · HOW MANY SPECIES OF ANIMALS THERE ARE, AND WHETHER ALL ANIMALS HAVE THE ENDOWMENTS OF SENSE AND REASON.Chapter XXI · WHAT TIME IS REQUIRED TO SHAPE THE PARTS OF ANIMALS IN THE WOMB.Chapter XXII · OF WHAT ELEMENTS EACH OF THE MEMBERS OF US MEN IS COMPOSED.Chapter XXIII · WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF SLEEP AND DEATH?Chapter XXIV · WHEN AND FROM WHENCE THE PERFECTION OF A MAN COMMENCES.Chapter XXV · WHETHER SLEEP OR DEATH APPERTAINS TO THE SOUL OR BODY.Chapter XXVI · HOW PLANTS INCREASE.Chapter XXVII · OF NUTRITION AND GROWTH.Chapter XXVIII · WHENCE IT IS THAT IN ANIMALS THERE ARE APPETITES AND PLEASURES.Chapter XXIX · WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF A FEVER, OR WHETHER IT IS AN AFFECTION OF THE BODY ANNEXED TO A PRIMARY PASSIONChapter XXX · OF HEALTH, SICKNESS, AND OLD AGE.ABSTRACT OF A DISCOURSE SHOWING THAT THE STOICS SPEAK GREATER IMPROBABILITIES THAN THE POETS.BOOK 1.BOOK II.BOOK IIIBOOK IV.BOOK V.BOOK VI.BOOK VII.BOOK VIII.BOOK IXCOMMON CONCEPTIONS AGAINST THE STOICS.COMMON CONCEPTIONS AGAINST THE STOICS. (continued 2)CONTRADICTIONS OF THE STOICS.CONTRADICTIONS OF THE STOICS. (continued 2)THE EATING OF FLESH.CONCERNING FATE.AGAINST COLOTES, THE DISCIPLE AND FAVORITE OF EPICURUS.PLATONIC QUESTIONS.LITERARY ESSAYS.LITERARY ESSAYS. (continued 2)THE BANQUET OF THE SEVEN WISE MEN.THE BANQUET OF THE SEVEN WISE MEN. (continued 2)ABSTRACT OF A COMPARISON BETWEEN ARISTOPHANE AND MENANDERTHE MALICE OF HERODOTUS.INDEX.Previous chapter ←Volume 3 / Book 3 — Chapter XVIII · OF THE AUREA, OR A CIRCLE ABOUT A STAR.Next chapter →Volume 3 / Book 4 — Chapter I · OF THE OVERFLOWING OF THE NILE.All chapters and sections (165)Sections3Volume 3 · Other sectionsPHILOSOPHICAL ESSAYSTHAT A PHILOSOPHER OUGHT CHIEFLY TO CONVERSE WITH GREAT MEN.Volume 3 / Book 1 · Books1Volume 3 / Book 1 · Chapters123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930Volume 3 / Book 2 · Books2Volume 3 / Book 2 · Chapters1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132Volume 3 / Book 3 · Books3Volume 3 / Book 3 · Chapters123456789101112131415161718Volume 3 / Book 4 · Books4Volume 3 / Book 4 · Chapters1234567891011121314151617181920212223Volume 3 / Book 5 · Chapters123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930Volume 3 / Book 5 · Other sectionsABSTRACT OF A DISCOURSE SHOWING THAT THE STOICS SPEAK GREATER IMPROBABILITIES THAN THE POETS.Volume 3 / Book 1 · Books1Volume 3 / Book 2 · Books2Volume 3 / Book 3 · Books3Volume 3 / Book 4 · Books4Volume 3 / Book 5 · Books5Volume 3 / Book 6 · Books6Volume 3 / Book 7 · Books7Volume 3 / Book 8 · Books8Volume 3 / Book 9 · Books9Volume 3 / Book 9 · Other sectionsCOMMON CONCEPTIONS AGAINST THE STOICS.COMMON CONCEPTIONS AGAINST THE STOICS. (continued 2)CONTRADICTIONS OF THE STOICS.CONTRADICTIONS OF THE STOICS. (continued 2)THE EATING OF FLESH.CONCERNING FATE.AGAINST COLOTES, THE DISCIPLE AND FAVORITE OF EPICURUS.PLATONIC QUESTIONS.LITERARY ESSAYS.LITERARY ESSAYS. (continued 2)THE BANQUET OF THE SEVEN WISE MEN.THE BANQUET OF THE SEVEN WISE MEN. (continued 2)ABSTRACT OF A COMPARISON BETWEEN ARISTOPHANE AND MENANDERTHE MALICE OF HERODOTUS.INDEX.Having taken a survey of the general parts of the world, I will take a view of the particular members of it.← CHAPTER XVIII. OF THE AUREA, OR A CIRCLE ABOUT A STAR.CHAPTER I. OF THE OVERFLOWING OF THE NILE. →