THE theory on which Epicurus based his explanation
of the world was a revival of an earlier philosophy.
As the Stoics for their theory partly reverted to
Heraclitus, so Epicurus to Democritus of Abdêra.
They both passed over Aristotle and Plato to seek
fresh inspiration in the vigorous thinkers who lived
anterior to, or outside of, the influence of Socrates.
Democritus was, indeed, a contemporary of Socrates,
but his work and character placed him quite on a
different level from the Athenian philosopher. Like
most of the earlier philosophers, his primary interest
was the physical universe. He was a traveller and
a man of science, who stood aloof from political life;
while Socrates was as true to Athens as Dr. Johnson
was to Fleet Street, and cared for no science which
had not some bearing on human life.

The main achievement with which the name of
Democritus is connected is the atomic theory. The
theory and its consequences were afterwards intro-
duced in a popular form into Athens by Protagoras;
and the somewhat sceptical applications of it by
which that professor made himself notorious were
hardly likely to secure favour to the parent doctrine.

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