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1662 · The Chaldaick Philosophy and Oracles

Thomas Stanley · 1662

The Chaldaick Philosophy and Oracles

Thomas Stanley, poet and classical scholar, wrote the first full history of ancient philosophy in English, and this volume, issued separately in 1662, covers the wisdom of the East. Three books treat the Chaldaeans, with their theology, physics, astrology, magic and gods, followed by the Persians and the Sabaeans, gathered from Greek, Latin and Arabic authors. Appended, under a title page dated 1661, are the Chaldaick Oracles of Zoroaster and his followers: Franciscus Patricius's Latin collection, Stanley's English translation arranged by subject, and the expositions of Gemistus Pletho and Michael Psellus. EEBO-TCP did not transcribe the Greek text of the Oracles, which is noted where it stood; otherwise the text follows the original spelling.

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Contents

  1. 1.Title page35 w.
  2. 2.Dedication to Sir John Marsham; preface698 w.
  3. 3.Book I, part 1: the Chaldaean philosophers, their institution and sects5,845 w.
  4. 4.Book I, part 2, section 1: Chaldaick theology and physick, part 1 of 23,793 w.
  5. 5.Book I, part 2, section 1: Chaldaick theology and physick, part 2 of 23,409 w.
  6. 6.Book I, part 2, section 2: astrology4,441 w.
  7. 7.Book I, part 2, section 3: magick, natural and divine3,659 w.
  8. 8.Book I, part 2, section 4: the gods and their rites4,592 w.
  9. 9.Book II: of the Persians4,674 w.
  10. 10.Book III: of the Sabaeans5,178 w.
  11. 11.The Chaldaick Oracles: title, introduction and Patricius’s Latin text3,184 w.
  12. 12.The Oracles of Zoroaster in English, collected by Franciscus Patricius2,866 w.
  13. 13.Pletho his exposition of the more obscure passages3,135 w.
  14. 14.Psellus his exposition of the Oracles; conjectures upon the Greek text, part 1 of 23,060 w.
  15. 15.Psellus his exposition of the Oracles; conjectures upon the Greek text, part 2 of 23,120 w.