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too fast for his despotic power。 But as a despot； he must have a knot of men round him who would do his work。 And here came out his deep insight into fact。 It had not escaped that man； what was the secret of Greek supremacy。 How had he come there？ How had his great master conquered half the world？ How had the little semi…barbarous mountain tribe up there in Pella； risen under Philip to be the master…race of the globe？ How； indeed； had Xenophon and his Ten Thousand； how had the handfuls of Salamis and Marathon； held out triumphantly century after century； against the vast weight of the barbarian？ The simple answer was： Because the Greek has mind； the barbarian mere brute force。 Because mind is the lord of matter； because the Greek being the cultivated man； is the only true man； the rest are ＇Greek text： barbaroi＇； mere things； clods； tools for the wise Greeks' use； in spite of all their material phantom…strength of elephants； and treasures； and tributaries by the million。 Mind was the secret of Greek power； and for that Ptolemy would work。 He would have an aristocracy of intellect； he would gather round him the wise men of the world （glad enough most of them to leave that miserable Greece； where every man's life was in his hand from hour to hour）； and he would develop to its highest the conception of Philip； when he made Aristotle the tutor of his son Alexander。 The consequences of that attempt were written in letters of blood； over half the world； Ptolemy would attempt it once more； with gentler results。 For though he fought long； and often； and well； as Despot of Egypt； no less than as general of Alexander； he was not at heart a man of blood； and made peace the end of all his wars。
So he begins。 Aristotle is gone： but in Aristotle's place Philetas the sweet singer of Cos； and Zenodotus the grammarian of Ephesus； shall educate his favourite son； and he will have a literary court； and a literary age。 Demetrius Phalereus； the Admirable Crichton of his time； the last of Attic orators； statesman； philosopher； poet； warrior； and each of them in the most graceful； insinuating； courtly way； migrates to Alexandria； after having had the three hundred and sixty statues； which the Athenians had too hastily erected to his honour； as hastily pulled down again。 Here was a prize for Ptolemy！ The charming man became his bosom friend and fellow； even revised the laws of his kingdom； and fired him； if report says true； with a mighty thoughtno less a one than the great public Library of Alexandria； the first such institution； it is said； which the world had ever seen。
So a library is begun by Soter； and organised and completed by Philadelphus； or rather two libraries； for while one part was kept at the Serapeium； that vast temple on the inland rising ground； of which； as far as we can discover； Pompey's Pillar alone remains； one column out of four hundred； the rest was in the Brucheion adjoining the Palace and the Museum。 Philadelphus buys Aristotle's collection to add to the stock； and Euergetes cheats the Athenians out of the original MSS。 of AEschylus； Sophocles； and Euripides； and adds largely to it by more honest methods。 Eumenes； King of Pergamus in Asia Minor； fired with emulation； commences a similar collection； and is so successful； that the reigning Ptolemy has to cut off his rival's supplies by prohibiting the exportation of papyrus； and the Pergamenian books are henceforth transcribed on parchment； parchemin； Pergamene； which thus has its name to this day； from Pergamus。 That collection； too； found its way at last to Alexandria。 For Antony having become possessor of it by right of the stronger； gave it to Cleopatra； and it remained at Alexandria for seven hundred years。 But we must not anticipate events。
Then there must be besides a Mouseion； a Temple of the Muses； with all due appliances； in a vast building adjoining the palace itself； under the very wing of royalty； and it must have porticos； wherein sages may converse； lecture…rooms； where they may display themselves at their will to their rapt scholars； each like a turkey…cock before his brood； and a large dining…hall； where they may enjoy themselves in moderation； as befits sages； not without puns and repartees； epigrams； anagrams； and Attic salt； to be fatal； alas； to poor Diodorus the dialectician。 For Stilpo； prince of sophists； having silenced him by some quibbling puzzle of logic； Ptolemy surnamed him Chronos the Slow。 Poor Diodorus went home； took pen and ink； wrote a treatise on the awful nothing； and died in despair； leaving five 〃dialectical daughters〃 behind him； to be thorns in the sides of some five hapless men of Macedonia； as 〃emancipated women；〃 a class but too common in the later days of Greece； as they will always be； perhaps； in civilisations which are decaying and crumbling to pieces； leaving their members to seek in bewilderment what they are； and what bonds connect them with their fellow…beings。 But to return： funds shall be provided for the Museum from the treasury； a priest of rank； appointed by royalty； shall be curator； botanical and zoological gardens shall be attached； collections of wonders made。 In all things the presiding genius of Aristotle shall be worshipped； for these； like Alexander； were his pupils。 Had he not mapped out all heaven and earth； things seen and unseen； with his entelechies； and energies； and dunameis； and put every created and uncreated thing henceforth into its proper place； from the ascidians and polypes of the sea to the virtues and the vicesyea； to that Great Deity and Prime Cause （which indeed was all things）； Noesis Noeseon； 〃the Thought of Thoughts；〃 whom he discovered by irrefragable processes of logic； and in whom the philosophers believe privately； leaving Serapis to the women and the sailors？ All they had to do was to follow in his steps； to take each of them a branch； of science or literature； or as many branches as one man conveniently can； and working them out on the approved methods； end in a few years； as Alexander did； by weeping on the utmost shore of creation that there are no more worlds left to conquer。
Alas！ the Muses are shy and wild； and though they will haunt； like skylarks； on the bleakest northern moor as cheerfully as on the sunny hills of Greece； and rise thence singing into the heaven of heavens； yet they are hard to tempt into a gilded cage； however amusingly made and plentifully stored with comforts。 Royal societies； associations of savants； and the like； are good for many things； but not for the breeding of art and genius： for they are things which cannot be bred。 Such institutions are excellent for physical science； when； as among us now； physical science is going on the right method： but where； as in Alexandria； it was going on an utterly wrong method； they stereotype the errors of the age； and invest them with the prestige of authority； and produce mere Sorbonnes； and schools of pedants。 To literature； too； they do some good； that is； in a literary agean age of reflection rather than of production； of antiquarian research； criticism； imitation； when book…making has become an easy and respectable pursuit for the many who cannot dig； and are ashamed to beg。 And yet； by adding that same prestige of authority； not to mention of good society and Court favour； to the popular mania for literature； they help on the growing evil； and increase the multitude of prophets who prophesy out of their own heart and have seen nothing。
And this was； it must be said； the outcome of all the Ptolemaean appliances。
In Physics they did little。 In Art nothing。 In Metaphysics less than nothing。
We will first examine； as the more pleasant spectacle of the two； that branch of thought in which some progress was really made； and in which the Ptolemaic schools helped forward the development of men who have become world…famous； and will remain so； I suppose； until the end of time。
Four names at once attract us： Euclid； Aristarchus； Eratosthenes； Hipparchus。 Archimedes； also； should be included in the list； for he was a pupil of the Alexandrian school； having studied （if Proclus is to be trusted） in Egypt； under Conon the Samian； during the reigns of two Ptolemies； Phil