This
makes their public extremely small, and causes their fame to be more
remarkable for its length than for its breadth. And, in general, it
may be said that the possibility of a man's fame lasting a long time,
stands in almost inverse ratio with the chance that it will be early
in making its appearance; so that, as regards length of fame, the
above order of precedence may be reversed. But, then, the poet and
the composer will come in the end to stand on the same level as the
philosopher; since, when once a work is committed to writing, it is
possible to preserve it to all time. However, the first place still
belongs by right to the philosopher, because of the much greater
scarcity of good work in this sphere, and the high importance of it;
and also because of the possibility it offers of an almost perfect
translation into any language. Sometimes, indeed, it happens that a
philosopher's fame outlives even his works themselves; as has happened
with Thales, Empedocles, Heraclitus, Democritus, Parmenides, Epicurus
and many others.
My remarks are, as I have said, confined to achievements that are not
of any material use. Work that serves some practical end, or ministers
directly to some pleasure of the senses, will never have any
difficulty in being duly appreciated.
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