Epitome of Nature and Natural Principles According to the Ancients - Editio princeps

Series: CORPUS PHILOSOPHORUM MEDII AEVI - Philosophi Byzantini, No. 12. Theodorus Smyrnaeus, Epitome de natura et de principiis naturalibus. Introduction, text, indices by Linos G. Benakis. Cloth, 25 cm, 33*+77 pp.; net weight 450 gr. Contains the original text in mediaeval Greek. ISBN: 978-960-404-280-7.

From the content of the Epitome of the Ancients' Discussions on Nature and its Principles it becomes clear that his focus is on the ancient Greek pagan philosophers; this work constitutes a remarkable achievement in the field of Ancient Greek Philosophy teaching during the Middle Byzantine period. The author exhibits all the qualities of an erudite Hypatos ton Philosophon (Chief of the Philosophers): intimate knowledge of the sources, methodical exposition and anremitting alertness to juxtapose the view of the Greeks to Christian tenets on critical issues of science and philosophy. These qualities clearly emerge in the systematic publishing work undertaken, chiefly in the Note on the Sources (apparatus fontium) and the Indices (loci laudati and verba). (...)
The Introduction to the first critical edition of the Epitome provides all the essential bio-bibliographical information on the philosopher from Smyrna, who was trained as a higher judge and teacher of philosophy at Constantinople. (...) It also offers valuable clues as to the content of his work, by utilizing the Notes-Abstracts of an obviously later scholar, written at the margins of the manuscript. The Introduction puts forth a more thorough appraisal of Theodoros' views on the issue of topos as a case that exemplifies the quality and reliability of the Byzantine philosopher's output.