Thales' Life

I. Thales, then, as Herodotus and Duris and Democritus say, was the son of Euxamius and Cleobule; of the family of the Thelidæ, who are Phœnicians by descent, among the most noble of all the descendants of Cadmus and Agenor, as Plato testifies. And he was the first man to whom the name of Wise was given, when Damasius was Archon at Athens, in whose time also the seven wise men had that title given to them, as Demetrius Phalereus records in his Catalogue of the Archons. He was enrolled as a citizen at Miletus when he came thither with Neleus, who had been banished from Phœnicia; but a more common statement is that he was a native Milesian, of noble extraction.

I. Herodotus, Duris, and Democritus say that Thales was the son of Euxamius and Cleobule. He belonged to the family of the Thelidæ, who were of Phœnician descent. As Plato says, the Thelidæ were among the noblest of all the descendants of Cadmus and Agenor. Thales was the first man to be called Wise, when Damasius was Archon at Athens. The seven wise men were also given that title during Damasius’s term, as Demetrius Phalereus records in his Catalogue of the Archons. Thales was enrolled as a citizen of Miletus when he came there with Neleus, who had been banished from Phœnicia. But the more common account is that Thales was a native of Miletus and came from a noble family.

II. After having been immersed in state affairs he applied himself to speculations in natural philosophy; though, as some people state, he left no writings behind him. For the book on Naval Astronomy, which is attributed to him is said in reality to be the work of Phocus the Samian. But Callimachus was aware that he was the discoverer of the Lesser Bear; for in his Iambics he speaks of him thus:

II. After being deeply involved in public affairs, he turned to the study of nature. Some people say, however, that he left no writings behind. For the book on Naval Astronomy attributed to him is said to be the work of Phocus the Samian. But Callimachus knew that he had discovered the Lesser Bear. In his Iambics, Callimachus speaks of him as follows:

According to others he wrote two books, and no more, about the solstice and the equinox; thinking that everything else was easily to be comprehended. According to other statements, he is said to have been the first who studied astronomy, and who foretold the eclipses and motions of the sun, as Eudemus relates in his history of the discoveries made in astronomy; on which account Xenophanes and Herodotus praise him greatly; and Heraclitus and Democritus confirm this statement.

Others say he wrote only two books, one on the solstice and one on the equinox. He thought everything else was easy to understand. According to other accounts, he was the first to study astronomy and to predict eclipses and the motions of the sun. Eudemus reports this in his history of astronomical discoveries. For this reason, Xenophanes and Herodotus praise him highly. Heraclitus and Democritus also confirm this account.

III. Some again (one of whom is Chœrilus the poet) say that he was the first person who affirmed that the souls of men were immortal; and he was the first person, too, who discovered the path of the sun from one end of the ecliptic to the other: and who, as one account tells us, defined the magnitude of the sun as being seven hundred and twenty times as great as that of the moon. He was also the first person who called the last day of the month the thirtieth. And likewise the first to converse about natural philosophy, as some say. But Aristotle and Hippias say that he attributed souls also to lifeless things, forming his conjecture from the nature of the magnet, and of amber. And Pamphile relates that he, having learnt geometry from the Egyptians, was the first person to describe a right-angled triangle in a circle, and that he sacrificed an ox in honour of his discovery. But others, among whom is Apollodorus the calculator, say that it was Pythagoras who made this discovery. It was Thales also who carried to their greatest point of advancement the discoveries which Callimachus in his iambics says were first made by Euphebus the Phrygian, such as those of the scalene angle, and of the triangle, and of other things which relate to investigations about lines. He seems also to have been a man of the greatest wisdom in political matters. For when Crœsus sent to the Milesians to invite them to an alliance, he prevented them from agreeing to it, which step of his, as Cyrus got the victory, proved the salvation of the city. But Clytus relates, as Heraclides assures us, that he was attached to a solitary and recluse life.

III. Others, including the poet Chœrilus, say that he was the first to claim that human souls are immortal. They also say that he first discovered the sun's path from one end of the ecliptic to the other. According to one account, he calculated that the sun was 720 times as large as the moon. He was also the first to call the last day of the month the thirtieth. Some say he was the first to discuss natural philosophy as well. Aristotle and Hippias say that he also believed lifeless things had souls. He based this idea on the nature of magnets and amber. Pamphile relates that he learned geometry from the Egyptians. She says he was the first to draw a right-angled triangle inside a circle. She also says he sacrificed an ox to celebrate his discovery. But others, including Apollodorus the calculator, say that Pythagoras made this discovery. Thales also brought certain discoveries to their highest level of development. In his iambic poems, Callimachus says that Euphebus the Phrygian first made these discoveries. They included discoveries about the scalene angle, the triangle, and other matters concerning the study of lines. Thales also seems to have been a man of great wisdom in political affairs. When Crœsus invited the Milesians to form an alliance, Thales stopped them from agreeing. Since Cyrus won the war, this action saved the city. But Clytus relates, as Heraclides assures us, that Thales preferred a solitary and secluded life.

IV. Some assert that he was married, and that he had a son named Cibissus; others, on the contrary, say that he never had a wife, but that he adopted the son of his sister; and that once being asked why he did not himself become a father, he answered, that it was because he was fond of children. They say, too, that when his mother exhorted him to marry, he said, “No, by Jove, it is not yet time.” And afterwards, when he was past his youth, and she was again pressing him earnestly, he said, “It is no longer time.”

IV. Some say that he was married and had a son named Cibissus. Others say that he never married, but adopted his sister’s son. Once, when asked why he had not become a father himself, he replied that it was because he loved children. They also say that when his mother urged him to marry, he said, “No, by Jove, it is not time yet.” Later, when he was no longer young, she pressed him again. He said, “It is no longer time.”

V. Hieronymus, of Rhodes, also tells us, in the second book of his Miscellaneous Memoranda, that when he was desirous to show that it was easy to get rich, he, foreseeing that there would be a great crop of olives, took some large plantations of olive trees, and so made a great deal of money.

V. Hieronymus of Rhodes also tells this story in the second book of his Miscellaneous Memoranda. Wanting to show that it was easy to get rich, he foresaw a large olive crop and took over some large olive plantations. In this way, he made a great deal of money.

VI. He asserted water to be the principle of all things, and that the world had life, and was full of dæmons: they say, too, that he was the original definer of the seasons of the year, and that it was he who divided the year into three hundred and sixty-five days. And he never had any teacher except during the time that he went to Egypt, and associated with the priests. Hieronymus also says that he measured the Pyramids: watching their shadow, and calculating when they were of the same size as that was. He lived with Thrasybulus the tyrant of Miletus, as we are informed by Minyas.

VI. He said that water was the basic principle of all things, and that the world was alive and full of dæmons. He is also said to have been the first to define the seasons and to divide the year into 365 days. He had no teacher except when he went to Egypt and spent time with the priests. Hieronymus also says that he measured the Pyramids. He watched their shadows and calculated their height when the shadows were the same length as the Pyramids were tall. According to Minyas, he lived with Thrasybulus, the tyrant of Miletus.

VII. Now it is known to every one what happened with respect to the tripod that was found by the fishermen and sent to the wise men by the people of the Milesians. For they say that some Ionian youths bought a cast of their net from some Milesian fishermen. And when the tripod was drawn up in the net there was a dispute about it; until the Milesians sent to Delphi: and the God gave them the following answer:—

VII. Everyone knows what happened to the tripod that the fishermen found and the Milesians sent to the wise men. They say that some Ionian youths bought whatever some Milesian fishermen would catch in one cast of their net. When the tripod was pulled up in the net, a dispute arose over it. The dispute continued until the Milesians sent to Delphi, and the God gave them the following answer:

Accordingly they gave it to Thales, and he gave it to some one, who again handed it over to another, till it came to Solon. But he said that it was the God himself who was the first in wisdom; and so he sent it to Delphi. But Callimachus gives a different account of this in his Iambics, taking the tradition which he mentions from Leander the Milesian; for he says that a certain Arcadian of the name of Bathycles, when dying, left a goblet behind him with an injunction that it should be given to the first of the wise men. And it was given to Thales, and went the whole circle till it came back to Thales, on which he sent it to Apollo Didymæus, adding (according to Callimachus,) the following distich:—

So they gave it to Thales. He gave it to someone else, who passed it to another, until it reached Solon. But Solon said that the god himself was the wisest, so he sent it to Delphi. Callimachus gives a different account in his Iambics, drawing on a tradition from Leander the Milesian. He says that an Arcadian named Bathycles left a goblet when he died. Bathycles instructed that it be given to the wisest man. The goblet was given to Thales and passed through the whole circle until it came back to him. Thales then sent it to Apollo Didymæus, adding the following couplet, according to Callimachus:

And the prose inscription runs thus:—

And the prose inscription reads as follows:

Thales the son of Examius, a Milesian, offers this to Apollo Didymæus, having twice received it from the Greeks as the reward for virtue.

Thales, son of Examius, from Miletus, offers this to Apollo Didymæus. He received it twice from the Greeks as a reward for virtue.

And the name of the son of Bathycles who carried the goblet about from one to the other, was Thyrion, as Eleusis tells us in his History of Achilles. And Alexander the Myndian agrees with him in the ninth book of his Traditions. But Eudoxus of Cnidos, and Evanthes of Miletus, say that one of the friends of Crœsus received from the king a golden goblet, for the purpose of giving it to the wisest of the Greeks; and that he gave it to Thales, and that it came round to Chilo, and that he inquired of the God at Delphi who was wiser than himself; and that the God replied, Myson, whom we shall mention hereafter. (He is the man whom Eudoxus places among the seven wise men instead of Cleobulus; but Plato inserts his name instead of Periander.) The God accordingly made this reply concerning him:—

Bathycles’ son, who carried the goblet from one person to another, was named Thyrion, according to Eleusis in his History of Achilles. Alexander the Myndian agrees in the ninth book of his Traditions. But Eudoxus of Cnidos and Evanthes of Miletus tell a different story. They say that Crœsus gave a golden goblet to one of his friends to give to the wisest of the Greeks. The friend gave it to Thales, and it eventually reached Chilo. Chilo asked the God at Delphi who was wiser than he was, and the God replied that it was Myson, whom we shall mention later. (Eudoxus includes Myson among the seven wise men instead of Cleobulus, while Plato includes him instead of Periander.) The God gave this reply about Myson:

The person who went to the temple to ask the question was Anacharsis; but again Dædacus, the Platonic philosopher, and Clearchus, state that the goblet was sent by Crœsus to Pittacus, and so was carried round to the different men. But Andron, in his book called The Tripod, says that the Argives offered the tripod as a prize for excellence to the wisest of the Greeks; and that Aristodemus, a Spartan, was judged to deserve it, but that he yielded the palm to Chilo; and Alcæus mentions Aristodemus in these lines:—

Anacharsis was the person who went to the temple to ask the question. But Dædacus, the Platonic philosopher, and Clearchus give a different account. They say that Crœsus sent the goblet to Pittacus, and that it was then passed around to the different men. But Andron, in his book called The Tripod, says that the Argives offered the tripod as a prize for excellence to the wisest of the Greeks. Aristodemus, a Spartan, was judged worthy of the prize, but he gave the honor to Chilo. Alcæus mentions Aristodemus in these lines:

But some say that a vessel fully loaded was sent by Periander to Thrasybulus the tyrant of the Milesians; and that as the ship was wrecked in the sea, near the island of Cos, this tripod was afterwards found by some fishermen. Phanodicus says that it was found in the sea near Athens, and so brought into the city; and then, after an assembly had been held to decide on the disposal, it was sent to Bias—and the reason why we will mention in our account of Bias. Others say that this goblet had been made by Vulcan, and presented by the Gods to Pelops, on his marriage; and that subsequently it came into the possession of Menelaus, and was taken away by Paris when he carried off Helen, and was thrown into the sea near Cos by her, as she said that it would become a cause of battle. And after some time, some of the citizens of Lebedos having bought a net, this tripod was brought up in it; and as they quarrelled with the fishermen about it, they went to Cos; and not being able to get the matter settled there, they laid it before the Milesians, as Miletus was their metropolis; and they sent ambassadors, who were treated with neglect, on which account they made war on the Coans; and after each side had met with many revolutions of fortune, an oracle directed that the tripod should be given to the wisest; and then both parties agreed that it belonged to Thales: and he, after it had gone the circuit of all the wise men, presented it to the Didymæan Apollo. Now, the assignation of the oracle was given to the Coans in the following words:—

But some say that Periander sent a fully loaded ship to Thrasybulus, the tyrant of the Milesians. The ship was wrecked at sea near the island of Cos, and some fishermen later found this tripod. Phanodicus says that it was found in the sea near Athens and brought into the city. An assembly was then held to decide what to do with it, and it was sent to Bias. We will explain why in our account of Bias. Others say that this goblet was made by Vulcan and given to Pelops by the Gods at his wedding. Later it came into the possession of Menelaus. Paris took it away when he carried off Helen, and she threw it into the sea near Cos. She said that it would cause a battle. Some time later, some citizens of Lebedos bought a net, and this tripod was brought up in it. They quarreled with the fishermen over the tripod and went to Cos. Unable to settle the matter there, they brought it before the Milesians, since Miletus was their mother city. The Milesians sent ambassadors, but they were treated with neglect. For this reason, the Milesians made war on the Coans. After both sides had experienced many changes of fortune, an oracle directed them to give the tripod to the wisest man. Both sides then agreed that it belonged to Thales. After the tripod had passed through the hands of all the wise men, Thales presented it to the Didymæan Apollo. The oracle's direction to the Coans was given in these words:

And the reply given to the Milesians was—

And the reply to the Milesians was:

and so on, as I have related it before. And now we have said enough on this subject.

and so on, as I have described before. We have now said enough on this subject.

But Hermippus, in his Lives, refers to Thales what has been by some people reported of Socrates; for he recites that he used to say that he thanked fortune for three things:—first of all, that he had been born a man and not a beast; secondly, that he was a man and not a woman; and thirdly, that he was a Greek and not a barbarian.

But in his Lives, Hermippus attributes to Thales a saying that some people attribute to Socrates. Hermippus says that Thales used to thank fortune for three things. First, he was born a human being, not an animal. Second, he was a man, not a woman. Third, he was a Greek, not a barbarian.

VIII. It is said that once he was led out of his house by an old woman for the purpose of observing the stars, and he fell into a ditch and bewailed himself, on which the old woman said to him—“Do you, O Thales, who cannot see what is under your feet, think that you shall understand what is in heaven?” Timon also knew that he was an astronomer, and in his Silli he praises him, saying:—

VIII. It is said that an old woman once led Thales out of his house to observe the stars. He fell into a ditch and cried out in distress. The old woman said to him, “Thales, you cannot see what is under your feet. Do you think you can understand what is in heaven?” Timon also knew that Thales was an astronomer. In his Silli, he praises him, saying:

And Lobon of Argos, says, that which was written by him extends to about two hundred verses; and that the following inscription is engraved upon his statue:—

Lobon of Argos says that his writings amount to about two hundred verses. He also says that the following inscription is engraved on his statue:

IX. And these are quoted as some of his lines:—

IX. These are quoted as some of his lines:

And the following are quoted as sayings of his:—“God is the most ancient of all things, for he had no birth: the world is the most beautiful of things, for it is the work of God: place is the greatest of things, for it contains all things: intellect is the swiftest of things, for it runs through everything: necessity is the strongest of things, for it rules everything: time is the wisest of things, for it finds out everything.”

The following sayings are attributed to him: “God is the oldest of all things because he was never born. The world is the most beautiful of things because it is God’s creation. Place is the greatest of things because it contains all things. Intellect is the swiftest of things because it runs through everything. Necessity is the strongest of things because it rules everything. Time is the wisest of things because it discovers everything.”

He said also that there was no difference between life and death. “Why, then,” said some one to him, “do not you die?” “Because,” said he, “it does make no difference.” A man asked him which was made first, night or day, and he replied, “Night was made first by one day.” Another man asked him whether a man who did wrong, could escape the notice of the Gods. “No, not even if he thinks wrong,” said he. An adulterer inquired of him whether he should swear that he had not committed adultery. “Perjury,” said he, “is no worse than adultery.” When he was asked what was very difficult, he said, “To know one’s self.” And what was easy, “To advise another.” What was most pleasant? “To be successful.” To the question, “What is the divinity?” he replied, “That which has neither beginning nor end.” When asked what hard thing he had seen, he said, “An old man a tyrant.” When the question was put to him how a man might most easily endure misfortune, he said, “If he saw his enemies more unfortunate still.” When asked how men might live most virtuously and most justly, he said, “If we never do ourselves what we blame in others.” To the question, “Who was happy?” he made answer. “He who is healthy in his body, easy in his circumstances, and well-instructed as to his mind.” He said that men ought to remember those friends who were absent as well as those who were present, and not to care about adorning their faces, but to be beautified by their studies. “Do not,” said he, “get rich by evil actions, and let not any one ever be able to reproach you with speaking against those who partake of your friendship. All the assistance that you give to your parents, the same you have a right to expect from your children.” He said that the reason of the Nile overflowing was, that its streams were beaten back by the Etesian winds blowing in a contrary direction.

He also said there was no difference between life and death. “Then why don’t you die?” someone asked him. “Because,” he said, “it makes no difference.” A man asked him which came first, night or day. He replied, “Night came first, by one day.” Another man asked whether someone who did wrong could escape the notice of the Gods. “No, not even if he thinks wrong,” he said. An adulterer asked him whether he should swear that he had not committed adultery. “Perjury,” he said, “is no worse than adultery.” When asked what was very difficult, he said, “To know yourself.” What was easy? “To advise someone else.” What was most pleasant? “To be successful.” Asked, “What is the divine?” he replied, “That which has neither beginning nor end.” When asked what difficult thing he had seen, he said, “An old man who is a tyrant.” Asked how a man could most easily endure misfortune, he said, “By seeing his enemies suffer even greater misfortune.” When asked how people could live most virtuously and justly, he said, “If we never do what we blame others for doing.” Asked, “Who is happy?” he answered, “Someone who is healthy in body, comfortable in his circumstances, and well educated in mind.” He said people should remember absent friends as well as those who were present. They should not focus on making their faces beautiful, but should be made beautiful by their studies. “Do not,” he said, “get rich by doing wrong, and never let anyone reproach you for speaking against your friends. You have the right to expect the same help from your children that you give your parents.” He said the Nile overflowed because the Etesian winds blew against its currents and drove them back.

X. Apollodorus, in his Chronicles, says, that Thales was born in the first year of the thirty-fifth Olympiad; and he died at the age of seventy-eight years, or according to the statement of Sosicrates, at the age of ninety, for he died in the fifty-eighth Olympiad, having lived in the time of Crœsus, to whom he promised that he would enable him to pass the Halys without a bridge, by turning the course of the river.

X. In his Chronicles, Apollodorus says that Thales was born in the first year of the thirty-fifth Olympiad. He died at seventy-eight, or at ninety according to Sosicrates, for he died in the fifty-eighth Olympiad. He lived in the time of Crœsus. Thales promised to help Crœsus cross the Halys without a bridge by diverting the river.

XI. There have also been other men of the name of Thales, as Demetrius of Magnesia says, in his Treatise on People and Things of the same name; of whom five are particularly mentioned, an orator of Calatia of a very affected style of eloquence; a painter of Sicyon, a great man; the third was one who lived in very ancient times, in the age of Homer and Hesiod and Lycurgus; the fourth is a man who is mentioned by Duris in his work on Painting; the fifth is a more modern person, of no great reputation, who is mentioned by Dionysius in his Criticisms.

XI. There were also other men named Thales, as Demetrius of Magnesia says in his Treatise on People and Things of the same name. Five are mentioned in particular. One was an orator from Calatia with a very affected style of speaking. Another was a great painter from Sicyon. The third lived in very ancient times, in the age of Homer, Hesiod, and Lycurgus. The fourth is mentioned by Duris in his work on Painting. The fifth was a more recent man of no great reputation, mentioned by Dionysius in his Criticisms.

XII. But this wise Thales died while present as a spectator at a gymnastic contest, being worn out with heat and thirst and weakness, for he was very old, and the following inscription was placed on his tomb:—

XII. But the wise Thales died while watching an athletic contest. He was exhausted by heat, thirst, and weakness, for he was very old. The following inscription was placed on his tomb:

I have also myself composed this epigram on him in the first book of my epigrams or poems in various metres:—

I also wrote this epigram about him in the first book of my epigrams, or poems in various metres:

XIII. The apophthegm, “know yourself.” is his; though Antisthenes in his Successions, says that it belongs to Phemonoe, but that Chilo appropriated it as his own.

XIII. The saying “know yourself” is his. However, Antisthenes says in his Successions that it belongs to Phemonoe, but Chilo claimed it as his own.

XIV. Now concerning the seven, (for it is well here to speak of them all together,) the following traditions are handed down. Damon the Cyrenæan, who wrote about the philosophers, reproaches them all, but most especially the seven. And Anaximenes says, that they all applied themselves to poetry. But Dicæarchus says, that they were neither wise men nor philosophers, but merely shrewd men, who had studied legislation. And Archetimus, the Syracusian, wrote an account of their having a meeting at the palace of Cypselus, at which he says that he himself was present. Ephorus says that they all except Thales met at the court of Crœsus. And some say that they also met at the Pandionium,⁸ and at Corinth, and at Delphi. There is a good deal of disagreement between different writers with respect to their apophthegms, as the same one is attributed by them to various authors. For instance there is the epigram:—

XIV. It is appropriate to discuss the seven together here. The following traditions have been handed down about them. Damon the Cyrenæan, who wrote about philosophers, criticizes them all, but especially the seven. Anaximenes says that all seven devoted themselves to poetry. But Dicæarchus says that they were neither wise men nor philosophers. He says they were merely shrewd men who had studied legislation. Archetimus of Syracuse wrote an account of a meeting of the seven at the palace of Cypselus. He says he was present himself. Ephorus says that all except Thales met at the court of Crœsus. Some say they also met at the Pandionium,⁸ and at Corinth and Delphi. Writers disagree considerably about their sayings, often attributing the same saying to different people. For example, there is the epigram:

There is also a difference of opinion with respect to their number. Leander inserts in the number instead of Cleobulus and Myson, Leophantus Gorsias, a native of either Lebedos or Ephesus; and Epimenides, the Cretan; Plato, in his Protagoras, reckons Myson among them instead of Periander. And Ephorus mentions Anacharsis in the place of Myson; some also add Pythagoras to the number. Dicæarchus speaks of four, as universally agreed upon, Thales, Bias, Pittacus, and Solon; and then enumerates six more, of whom we are to select three, namely, Aristodemus, Pamphilus, Chilo the Lacedæmonian, Cleobulus, Anacharsis, and Periander. Some add Acusilaus of Argos, the son of Cabas, or Scabras. But Hermippus, in his Treatise on the Wise Men says that there were altogether seventeen, out of whom different authors selected different individuals to make up the seven. These seventeen were Solon, Thales, Pittacus, Bias, Chilo, Myson, Cleobulus, Periander, Anacharsis, Acusilaus, Epimenides, Leophantus, Pherecydes, Aristodemus, Pythagoras, Lasus the son of Charmantides, or Sisymbrinus, or as Aristoxenus calls him the son of Chabrinus, a citizen of Hermione, and Anaxagoras. But Hippobotus in his Description of the Philosophers enumerates among them Orpheus, Linus, Solon, Periander, Anacharsis, Cleobulus, Myson, Thales, Bias, Pittacus, Epicharmus, and Pythagoras.

There is also disagreement about their number. Leander includes Leophantus Gorsias and Epimenides instead of Cleobulus and Myson. Leophantus came from either Lebedos or Ephesus, and Epimenides was a Cretan. Plato, in his Protagoras, includes Myson instead of Periander. Ephorus mentions Anacharsis in place of Myson. Some also add Pythagoras to the group. Dicæarchus says that four are universally agreed upon: Thales, Bias, Pittacus, and Solon. He then names six more, from whom three must be chosen: Aristodemus, Pamphilus, Chilo the Lacedæmonian, Cleobulus, Anacharsis, and Periander. Some add Acusilaus of Argos, the son of Cabas or Scabras. But Hermippus, in his Treatise on the Wise Men, says there were seventeen in all. Different authors selected different individuals from them to make up the seven. The seventeen were Solon, Thales, Pittacus, Bias, Chilo, Myson, Cleobulus, Periander, Anacharsis, Acusilaus, Epimenides, Leophantus, Pherecydes, Aristodemus, Pythagoras, Lasus, and Anaxagoras. Lasus was a citizen of Hermione and the son of Charmantides, or Sisymbrinus, or, according to Aristoxenus, Chabrinus. But Hippobotus, in his Description of the Philosophers, includes Orpheus, Linus, Solon, Periander, Anacharsis, Cleobulus, Myson, Thales, Bias, Pittacus, Epicharmus, and Pythagoras.

XV. The following letters are preserved as having been written by Thales:—

XV. The following letters survive as letters written by Thales:

I hear that you are disposed, as no other Ionian has been, to discourse to the Greeks about divine things, and perhaps it will be wiser of you to reserve for your own friends what you write rather than to entrust it to any chance people, without any advantage. If therefore it is agreeable to you, I should be glad to become a pupil of yours as to the matters about which you write; and if you invite me I will come to you to Syros; for Solon the Athenian and I must be out of our senses if we sailed to Crete to investigate the history of that country, and to Egypt for the purpose of conferring with the priests and astronomers who are to be found there, and yet are unwilling to make a voyage to you; for Solon will come too, if you will give him leave, for as you are fond of your present habitation you are not likely to come to Ionia, nor are you desirous of seeing strangers; but you rather, as I hope, devote yourself wholly to the occupation of writing. We, on the other hand, who write nothing, travel over all Greece and Asia.

I hear that you intend to speak to the Greeks about divine matters, as no other Ionian has done. Perhaps you would be wiser to keep your writings for your friends rather than share them with just anyone, for no benefit. If you agree, I would be glad to become your pupil in the subjects you write about. If you invite me, I will come to you in Syros. Solon the Athenian and I must be out of our minds if we sailed to Crete to investigate its history, and to Egypt to consult its priests and astronomers, but are unwilling to sail to you. Solon will come too, if you allow him. You are fond of your present home, so you are unlikely to come to Ionia. Nor do you wish to see strangers. Instead, I hope you devote yourself entirely to writing. We, on the other hand, write nothing and travel throughout all Greece and Asia.

XVI. If you should leave Athens it appears to me that you would find a home at Miletus among the colonists of Athens more suitably than anywhere else, for here there are no annoyances of any kind. And if you are indignant because we Milesians are governed by a tyrant, (for you yourself hate all despotic rulers), still at all events you will find it pleasant to live with us for your companions. Bias has also written to invite you to Priene, and if you prefer taking up your abode in the city of the Prieneans, then we ourselves will come thither and settle near you.

XVI. If you leave Athens, I think Miletus would be a better home for you than anywhere else. You would be among colonists from Athens, and there are no annoyances of any kind here. You may be indignant that we Milesians are ruled by a tyrant, since you hate all despotic rulers. Even so, you will find it pleasant to live here with us as your companions. Bias has also written to invite you to Priene. If you prefer to live in the city of the Prieneans, we will come and settle near you.