Theophrastus
Theophrastus
Theophrastus, a Greek native of Eresos in Lesbos, was the successor to Aristotle in the Peripatetic school. He came to Athens at a young age and initially studied in Plato's school. After Plato's death, he attached himself to Aristotle. Aristotle bequeathed to Theophrastus his writings and designated him as his successor at the Lyceum. Theophrastus presided over the Peripatetic school for thirty-six years, during which time the school flourished greatly. He is often considered the "father of botany" for his...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPhilosopher
men lazy sloth
Slovenliness is a lazy and beastly negligence of a man's own person, whereby he becomes so sordid as to be offensive to those about him.
appears approaches asks case cast ears evidence head ill man mistress sort stand verdict work
The unseasonable man is the sort of person who comes up to you when you are head over ears in work and confides to you all about it. He serenades his mistress when she is ill with fever. He approaches a man who has been cast in a surety case and asks him to stand surety for him. He appears to give evidence after the verdict is given.
advanced desire learning
Late-learning, I think, is the desire for learning inconsistent with one's advanced age.
science air wind
Anaximenes ... also says that the underlying nature is one and infinite ... but not undefined as Anaximander said but definite, for he identifies it as air; and it differs in its substantial nature by rarity and density. Being made finer it becomes fire; being made thicker it becomes wind, then cloud, then (when thickened still more) water, then earth, then stones; and the rest come into being from these.
ambition men dinner
The man of petty ambition if invited to dinner will be eager to be set next his host.
superstitions cowardice seems
Superstition would seem to be simply cowardice in regard to the supernatural.
doe boasters pretension
I would define boastfulness to be the pretension to good which the boaster does not possess.
horse judgment orators
An orator without judgment is a horse without a bridle.
men ignorant acting
If you are an ignorant man, you are acting wisely; but if you have had any education, you are behaving like a fool.
may companionship flattery
One may define flattery as a base companionship which is most advantageous to the flatterer.
faces superstitions cowardice
Ah, yes, superstition: it would appear to be cowardice in face of the supernatural.
inspirational expenditures
Our costliest expenditure is time.
men animal differences
Alcmaeon was the first to define the difference between man and animals, saying that man differs from the latter in the fact that he alone has the power of understanding.
time waste expenses
Waste of time is the most extravagant and costly of all expenses.