Note 956 — Chapter IX · LEUKIPPOS OF MILETOS

Aet. i. 3, 18 (of Epicurus), συμβεβηκέναι δὲ τοῖς σώμασι τρία ταῦτα, σχῆμα, μέγεθος, βάρος. Δημόκριτος μὲν γὰρ ἔλεγε δύο, μέγεθός τε καὶ σχῆμα, ὁ δὲ Ἐπίκουρος τούτοις καὶ τρίτον βάρος προσέθηκεν· ἀνάγκη γάρ, φησί, κινεῖσθαι τὰ σώματα τῇ τοῦ βάρους πληγῇ· ἐπεὶ (“or else”) οὐ κινηθήσεται; ib. 12, 6, Δημόκριτος τὰ πρῶτά φησι σώματα, ταῦτα δ’ ἦν τὰ ναστά, βάρος μὲν οὐκ ἔχειν, κινεῖσθαι δὲ κατ’ ἀλληλοτυπίαν ἐν τῷ ἀπείρῳ. Cic. de fato, 20, “vim motus habebant (atomi) a Democrito impulsionis quam plagam ille appellat, a te, Epicure, gravitatis et ponderis.” These passages represent the Epicurean school tradition, which would hardly venture to misrepresent Demokritos on so important a point. His works were still accessible. It is confirmed by the Academic tradition in de Fin. i. 17 that Demokritos taught the atoms moved “in infinito inani, in quo nihil nec summum nec infimum nec medium nec extremum sit.” This doctrine, we are told, was “depraved” by Epicurus.