Burnet and Blavatsky on Anaxagoras' Ideas and Impact

Book excerpt: Anaxagoras believed that since the spiritual prototypes of all things are differentiations of Father Æther, the One Element, all things are essentially the same. The learned astronomer explained openly that which was taught by Pythagoras secretly, regarding the movements of the planets, the eclipses of the sun and moon, etc. He also taught the theory of Chaos, on the principle that “nothing comes from nothing.” Like all great philosophers, Anaxagoras expounded the doctrine of parallel evolution, of spirit and matter. And like Pythagoras, Plato, and Socrates, he too was persecuted by his compatriots, for free speech was not tolerated in the birthplace of “democracy.” The rabble revelled in exacting far harsher punishment on their Spiritual Teachers, than Karma metes out to those who break the vow of silence.