There are four
causes or varieties of cause:
1. The essence or quiddity (Form):
τὸ τί ἦν
εἶναι.
2. The necessitating conditions (Matter):
τὸ
τίνων ὄντων
ἀνάγκη τοῦτ᾽
εἶναι.
3. The proximate mover or stimulator of change
(Efficient): ἡ
τί
πρῶτον
ἐκίνησε.
4. That for the sake of which (Final Cause or
End): τὸ
τίνος
ἕνεκα. Grote’s
Aristotle, I. 354.
The four Aristotelian causes are thus: 1.
Formal. 2. Material. 3. Efficient. 4. Final.
cf. Arist. Analyt. Post. II. xi., Metaph. I. iii., and Phys. II.
iii. The six causes of Basil may be referred to the four of
Aristotle as follows:
Aristotle.
1.
τὸ τί
ἦν εἶναι
2. τὸ
ἐξ οὗ
γίνεταί
τι
3. ἡ
ἀρχὴ
τῆς
μεταβολῆς ἡ
πρώτη
4. τὸ
οὗ ἕνεκα
Basil.
1. καθ᾽ ὅ:
i.e., the form or idea according to which a thing
is made.
2. ἐξ
οὗ: i.e., the matter out
of which it is made.
3. ὑφ᾽ οὗ:
i.e., the agent, using means.
δι᾽
οὗ: i.e. the means.
4. δι᾽ ὅ:
i.e., the end.
εν
ᾧ, or sine quâ non, applying to all.