Chapter I.—Thales; His Physics and Theology; Founder of Greek Astronomy.

It is said that Thales of Miletus, one of the seven21    [These were: Periander of Corinth, b.c. 585; Pittacus of Mitylene, b.c. 570; Thales of Miletus, b.c. 548: Solon of Athens, b.c. 540; Chilo of Sparta, b.c. 597; Bias of Priene; Cleobulus of Lindus, b.c. 564.]    Or, “Celbes,” or “Ademes.” The first is the form of the name employed in book v. c, viii.; the second in book x. c. vi.    [Consult Bunsen, vol. i. p. 35, always interesting and ingeniously critical; nobody should neglect his work. But for a judicial mind, compare Dr. Wordsworth, p. 182.] wise men, first attempted to frame a system of natural philosophy. This person said that some such thing as water is the generative principle of the universe, and its end;—for that out of this, solidified and again dissolved, all things consist, and that all things are supported on it; from which also arise both earthquakes and changes of the winds and atmospheric movements,22    Or, “motions of the stars” (Roeper).    The ms. employs the form Sithians, which is obviously not the correct one. and that all things are both produced23    Or, “carried along” (Roeper).    This term κλεψίλογος is frequently applied by Hippolytus to the heretics. and are in a state of flux corresponding with the nature of the primary author of generation;—and that the Deity24    Or,“ that which is divine.” See Clemens Alexandrinus, Strom., v. pp. 461, 463 (Heinsius and Sylburgius’ ed.). Thales, on being asked, “What is God?” “That,” replied he, “which has neither beginning nor end.” is that which has neither beginning nor end. This person, having been occupied with an hypothesis and investigation concerning the stars, became the earliest author to the Greeks of this kind of learning. And he, looking towards heaven, alleging that he was carefully examining supernal objects, fell into a well; and a certain maid, by name Thratta, remarked of him derisively, that while intent on beholding things in heaven, he did not know25    Or, “see.” what was at his feet. And he lived about the time of Crœsus.

[1] Λέγεται Θαλῆν τὸν Μιλήσιον, ἕνα τῶν ἑπτὰ σοφῶν, πρῶτον ἐπικεχειρηκέναι φιλοσοφίαν φυσικήν. οὗτος ἔφη ἀρχὴν τοῦ παντὸς εἶναι καὶ τέλος τὸ ὕδωρ: ἐκ γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὰ πάντα συνίστασθαι πηγνυμένου καὶ πάλιν διανιεμένου, ἐπιφέρεσθαί τε αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα. ἀφ' οὗ καὶ σεισμοὺς καὶ πνευμάτων [συ]στροφὰς καὶ ἄστρων κινήσεις [γίνεσθαι]. καὶ τὰ πάντα φέρεσθαί τε καὶ ῥεῖν, τῇ τοῦ πρώτου ἀρχηγοῦ τῆς γενέσεως αὐτῶν φύσει συμφερόμενα. θεὸν δὲ τοῦτ' εἶναι, τὸ μήτε ἀρχὴν μήτε τελευτὴν ἔχον. οὗτος περὶ τὸν τῶν ἄστρων λόγον καὶ τὴν ζήτησιν ἀσχοληθεὶς Ἕλλησι ταύτης τῆς μαθήσεως αἴτιος πρῶτος γίνεται. ὃς ἀποβλέπων πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὰ ἄνω ἐπιμελῶς κατανοεῖν λέγων, εἰς φρέαρ ἐνέπεσεν: ὃν ἐγγελῶσά τις θεραπαινὶς Θρᾷττα τοὔνομα ἔφη: τὰ ἐν οὐρανῷ προθυμούμενος εἰδέναι, τὰ ἐν ποσὶν οὐκ εἶδεν. ἐγένετο δὲ κατὰ Κροῖσον.