crats, as the opponents of tyranny, were able to recommend themselves to the democracy. Until
the fall of Pericles, democratic processes gave power to the aristocracy, as in nineteenth century
England. But towards the end of his life the leaders of the Athenian democracy began to demand a
larger share of political power. At the same time, his imperialist policy, with which the economic
prosperity of Athens was bound up, caused increasing friction with Sparta, leading at last to the
Peloponnesian War ( 431-404), in which Athens was completely defeated.
In spite of political collapse, the prestige of Athens survived, and throughout almost a millennium
philosophy was centred there. Alexandria eclipsed Athens in mathematics and science, but
Aristotle and Plato had made Athens philosophically supreme. The Academy, where Plato had
taught, survived all other schools, and persisted, as an island of paganism, for two centuries after
the conversion of the Roman Empire to Christianity. At last, in A.D. 529, it was closed by
Justinian because of his religious bigotry, and the Dark Ages descended upon Europe.
CHAPTER VIII AnaxagorasTHE philosopher Anaxagoras, though not the equal of Pythagoras, Heraclitus, or Parmenides, has
nevertheless a considerable historical importance. He was an Ionian, and carried on the scientific,
rationalist tradition of Ionia. He was the first to introduce philosophy to the Athenians, and the
first to suggest mind as the primary cause of physical changes.
He was born at Clazomenae, in Ionia, about the year 500 B.C., but he spent about thirty years of
his life in Athens, approximately from 462 to 432 B.C. He was probably induced to come by
Pericles, who was bent on civilizing his fellow-townsmen. Perhaps Aspasia, who