Page:Philosophical & Other Essays.pdf/37

 Philosophical and other Essays Herakleitos A Philosopher of War If any apology is needed for the discussion at the present moment* of such an academic subject as the philosophy of Herakleitos, it seems to the present writer to consist in the fact that Herakleitos is pre-eminently a philosopher of war. Like Hobbes at a later date, Hera- kleitos found, wherever he looked, the reign of war and strife. War, said Herakleitos, is the Father of all, and King of all : πόλεμος πάντων μὲν πατήρ ἐστι, πάντων δὲ βασιλεύς. He who wished to do away with the reign of strife in this world knew not what he said. Herakleitos thus blamed Homer for praying that strife might perish from among gods and men; he said that Homer did not see that he was thus praying for the destruction of the universe, for, if his prayer was granted, it would happen that all things would pass away. The cessation of strife, in short, thus means the end of the world; for, the world, said Herakleitos, is supported by strife. War, therefore, is the condition of nature, and as such we may identify strife and justice, said Herakleitos: ei dévxi dirnu epiv. Lastly, not only is war, said Herakleitos, natural and just, but we may also say that it is the very spring of all things, and that all things come into being through strife: γινόμενα πάντα κατ' ἔριν. Personality and style. Such in a nutshell is the war-philosophy of that dark Ephesian philosopher, Herakleitos, who is said to This essay was first published in February, 1916.