Heraclitus
Heraclitus
Heraclitus of Ephesuswas a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher, a native of the Greek city Ephesus, Ionia, on the coast of Asia Minor. He was of distinguished parentage. Little is known about his early life and education, but he regarded himself as self-taught and a pioneer of wisdom. From the lonely life he led, and still more from the apparently riddled and allegedly paradoxical nature of his philosophy and his stress upon the needless unconsciousness of humankind, he was called "The Obscure"...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPhilosopher
world common seeing
The seeing have the world in common.
men world common
There is but one world common for those who are awake, but when men are asleep, each turns away into a world of his own.
world common share
The awake share a common world, but the asleep turn aside into private worlds.
common ifs
Though wisdom is common, yet the many live as if they had a wisdom of their own.
war justice common
One must know that war is common, justice is strife, and everything happens according to strife and necessity.
goes greek-philosopher workers
Even sleepers are workers and collaborators in what goes on in the Universe.
flowing greek-philosopher waters
You could not step twice into the same rivers; for other waters are ever flowing on to you.
reached
If you do not expect the unexpected you will not find it, for it is not to be reached by search or trail.
eyes greek-philosopher witnesses
The eyes are more exact witnesses than the ears.
carry chain greek-philosopher takes
The chain of wedlock is so heavy that it takes two to carry it - and sometimes three.
beautiful all-things
To God all things are beautiful and good and just.
men knowing acting
All men have the capacity of knowing themselves and acting with moderation.
night impossible distinction
Could you tell night from day? No, I regard all such distinctions as logically impossible.
death fit burial
Corpses are more fit to be thrown out than is dung.