This article is called forth by an article of Schaarschmidt's in the Rhein.-Mus. (Neue Folge, XVIII, p. 1 ff.), in which the Sophistes was held to be unauthentic. Schaarschmidt's objection to Sophistes is based on the fact that the idealistic doctrine, which is attacked in Sophistes 246, 248, and 249, is identical with the Platonic doctrine as we find it in dialogues of undoubted authenticity. The Platonic teaching of the holiness and exaltedness of the world of ideas is ridiculed in Sophistes. A., without discussing the view of Schaarschmidt, gives the passages in the Sophistes, along with those in the undoubtedly genuine dialogues, in which mention is made of the doctrine of ideas.
D. objects that it is one-sided to call Apollinarios of Laodicea a Platonist on the ground of his threefold division of man: σῶμα, φυχή, πνεῦμα. The custom in general of dividing philosophers into Platonists and Aristotelians he finds erroneous. This he finds particularly true in the case of Apollinarios, whose independence of thought forbids his being classified as a follower of this or that leader. D. then proceeds to give the evidences of both Platonic and Aristotelian influence in the writings of Apollinarios, which show him to have been well schooled in the philosophies of both philosophers, without being their dependent. In the writing falsely ascribed to Justin Martyr, Λόγος παραινετικὸς πρὸς Ἕλληνας, D. finds evidence of the close acquaintance of Apollinarios with the writings and doctrines of Plato. Apollinarios says (Cap. 20) that the teaching of Moses and the Prophets on God, which Plato learned in Egypt, was accepted by him, but that, intimidated by the fate of Sokrates, he explained the doctrine differently for believers and unbelievers. Timaios 27 D and 28 A are quoted by Apollinarios as proofs of Plato's belief in the downfall of the created gods. In Plato's words, ὁ μὲν δὴ θεός, ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ παλαιὸς λόγος, ἀρχὴν καὶ τελευτὴν καὶ μέσα τῶν πάντων ἔχων (De Legg. 715 E), he finds a direct reference to Moses (Cap. 25). Apollinarios finds that the Republic (330 D E, 331 A, 615 C D E, 616 A B) proves that Plato got not only the doctrine of the last judgment, but also of a resurrection in which the Hellenes did not believe, from the Prophets. Apollinarios also refers Plato's doctrine of ideas (Cap. 29) to Moses, and finds the myth of the winged wagon of Zeus in Ezekiel (10. 18, 19). He declares that Plato not only teaches the same doctrine of God as Moses, but that he follows him even in expression, e.g. θεοὶ θεῶν, ὧν ἐγὼ δημιουργός (Tim. 41 A), which he treats
