THE PHILOSOPHERS
"Let no-one when they are young delay in studying philosophy; nor grow tired of it when they are old." The Doctor made the final adjustments to the controls, his lined features bathed in a harsh white glare as a faint wheezing and groaning filled the console room. "Who said that?" He said impatiently. "Well, surely one of you must have the answer, hmm?" The Doctor clutched at the lapels of his coat, fussily preening his tie.
Ian Chesterton, a slight frown of confusion dancing across his face, spoke first. "I'm afraid I don't know, Doctor." Barbara Wright looked up from the thick history tome that sprawled on a carved wooden writing-desk the Doctor had managed to dig out of a vast steel cupboard somewhere deep within the depths of the TARDIS. When Barbara had asked him if there was some sort of desk she might borrow, the Doctor had dispensed bitter grumblings about "the indignities of being employed as a general dogsbody in my own craft!", but eventually led her to a huge space crammed with furniture. She glimpsed various armchairs, a pile of heavy leather sofas, as well as random paraphernalia strewn about the place; a brass diving-helmet here, a few faded scrolls of papyrus there, an umbrella-stand in which rested a set of nautical cutlasses. The Doctor gave no explanation for this last beyond protesting: " I'll have you know I taught von Bismarck himself how to fence, my dear girl. I think I of all people am quite capable of mastering the craft of swordsmanship, hmm?" So saying, he brandished one of the sabres in an experimental sweep, nearly knocking an ancient vase to the floor.
The memory brought a smile to Barbara's face as she replied. "I can't help you there." At that moment, Vicki wandered into the console room carrying a pungent heap of small white cubes. "Doctor, the food machine's broken down again." The Doctor held up a hand. "Just a moment, perhaps. I am currently engaged in the task of broadening the intellectual horizons of Miss Wright and Mr Chesterford."
"Chesterton." muttered Ian under his breath, who had long since given up serious attempts to correct the Doctor's continual bouts of ignorance regarding his name. "It was Epicurus, of course!" the Doctor beamed, giving a satisfied chuckle. "Ah!" His eyes twinkled with mirth. "You do not remember, do you? Oh dear." He gave an exaggerated shake of the head. " I can see that we shall have to rectify this lamentable situation at once." He flicked a switch and the scanner screen surged into life in a burst of fizzing static.
Immediately the picture dissolved into a clear image. A bearded man dressed in a toga stood at the centre of a high stone platform, addressing a crowd of thousands. His voice was low, echoing easily from the ornate marbled pillars that surrounded the place.
"The Time-Space Visualiser allows us to travel without leaving the safety of the TARDIS. Therefore, we are fortunately privileged to be able to watch events unfold like so." The Doctor twisted a dial. "According to the instruments, this must be 305 BC. Watch closely."
The bearded man spoke, carefully making his words distinct over the sound of the heavy breeze gathering in an overcast sky. "I now come to the problem of the senses. They are like traders from Rome, Carthage or Egypt; unreliable, and easily misinterpreted." At this there was a babble of laughter. "No, my friends. My point is a serious one." Epicurus continued. "Allow knowledge to arise naturally through your own experiences; all else can be ruled out as false. The experience of the world around us gives this knowledge, this certainty, far more capably than any innate force or influence…"
The Doctor threw a switch and Epicurus faded from view. "Well, that was a highly instructive departure even if I say so myself." He said. "Wouldn't you agree, Chesterman?"
"Yes, Doctor." said Ian wearily. Barbara nodded. "Very impressive." There was a hideous mechanical clanking from somewhere nearby. "That'll be the food machine seizing up. Doctor…" Vicki trailed off.
"Yes, well, I think we can all put our minds at rest by chartering a course for somewhere tranquil and undisturbed. Shall we find out where, hmm?" With a proud note, the Doctor returned to the controls and sent the TARDIS hurtling through time and space once more.