Editing Simplicius of Cilicia (section)

==Writings==
[[File:Simplicius Commentary on Aristotle De Caelo.jpg|right|thumb|Commentary on Aristotle's ''De Caelo'' by Simplicius. This 14th-century manuscript is signed by a former owner, [[Basilios Bessarion]].]]
His surviving works are commentaries on Aristotle's ''[[On the Heavens]]'', ''[[Physics (Aristotle)|Physics]]'', and ''[[Categories (Aristotle)|Categories]]'', as well as a commentary upon the ''[[Enchiridion of Epictetus]]''. There is also a commentary on Aristotle's ''[[On the Soul]]'' that has been transmitted under his name, but many scholars consider it to be stylistically inferior and lacking in the breadth of historical information usually used by Simplicius, suggesting that it was written by [[Priscian of Lydia]],<ref>{{harvnb|Steel|1997}} See [http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/bmcr/1999/1999-10-18.html Bryn Mawr Classical Review 1999.10.18]</ref> However, other scholars have defended it as an authentic work of Simplicius.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Hadot |first=I. |title=Simplicius or Pricianus? On the Author of the Commentary on Aristotle's De Anima |journal=[[Mnemosyne (journal)|Mnemosyne]] |volume=55 |issue=2 |year=2002 |pages=159–199 |doi=10.1163/15685250252989724 }}</ref>

The ''On the Heavens'' commentary was written before that on the ''Physics'', and probably not in Alexandria, since he mentions in it an astronomical observation made during his stay in that city by Ammonius.<ref>Simplicius, ''On The Heavens'', f. 113.</ref> Simplicius wrote his commentary on the ''Physics'' after the death of Damascius, and therefore after his return from Persia.<ref>Simplicius, ''Commentary on Aristotle's On the Heavens'' f. 184, etc.</ref> When it was that he wrote his explanations of the ''Categories'', whether before or after those on the above-mentioned Aristotelian treatises, it is impossible to ascertain. Besides these commentaries of Simplicius which have been preserved, the ''On the Soul'' commentary mentions explanations on the metaphysical books, and an epitome of the ''Physics'' of [[Theophrastus]].<ref>Simplicius, ''in Arist. de Anima'', 38.</ref>

=== ''Commentary on Aristotle's Categories'' ===
Simplicius begins his commentary on the categories with a preface listing out and summarizing the contributions of his predecessors whose work on the Categories he has consulted: [[Themistius]], [[Porphyry of Tyre]] ([[Isagoge]]), [[Alexander of Aphrodisias]], [[Herminus]], [[Maximus of Ephesus]], [[Boethus of Sidon (Peripatetic)|Boethus of Sidon]], [[Lucius Calvenus Taurus]], [[Nicostratus (philosopher)|Nicostratus]], [[Plotinus]], [[Porphyry of Tyre]] (a now lost full commentary), and [[Iamblichus]], stating that he is mostly following Iamblichus, who himself mostly followed Porphyry's (lost) commentary.{{sfn|Chase|2003|pp=6-7}} Following the convention of his predecessors, he then proceeds through a two standard introductory schemes on the philosophy of Aristotle and on the categories itself, and continues through the text of the Categories itself lemma by lemma, for over 400 pages of Greek text.{{sfn|Chase|2003|pp=6-7}}
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=== ''Commentary on Aristotle's Physics'' === 

=== ''Commentary on Aristotle's On The Heavens'' ===

=== ''Commentary on the Enchiridion of Epictetus'' ===

=== ''Commentary on Aristotle's On the Soul'' ===
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