PJiOM THALES TO LUCRETIUS. n 



snub-nosed; the Thracians give theirs red hair and 

 blue eyes." 



" There is one god, the greatest among gods and 

 men, unHke mortals both in mind and body." 



Had such heresies been spoken in Athens, where 

 the effects of a religious revival were still in force, 

 the " secular arm " of the archons would probably 

 have made short work of Xenophanes. But in Elea, 

 or in whatever other colony he may have lived, " the 

 gods were left to take care of themselves." 



Greater than the philosophers yet named is 

 Heraclitus of Ephesus, nicknamed " the dark," from 

 the obscurity of his style. His original writings have 

 shared the fate of most documents of antiquity, and 

 exist, like many of these, only in fragments pre- 

 served in the works of other authors. Many of 

 his aphorisms are indeed dark sayings, but those 

 that yield their meaning are full of truth and sug- 

 gestiveness. As for example: 



" The eyes are more exact witnesses than th^ 

 ears." 



" You will not find out the boundaries of soul by 

 travelling in any direction." 



" Man is kindled and put out like a light in the 

 nighttime." 



" Man's character is his fate." 



But these have special value as keys to his phi- 

 losophy; 



" You cannot step twice into the same rivers ; 

 for fresh waters are ever flowing in upon you." 



