Heraclitus transl. Malcom Crowe

Heraclitus and Information Systems1
"
Malcolm Crowe
The fragments of Heraclitus that remain to us are intriguing to information systems practitioners. It is
hard to find a thinker in any age whose preoccupations seem to match ours so well. In this short paper I
would like to outline eight areas where there are resonances with Heraclitus' thought.
Kahn has pointed out that in every age people have adopted Heraclitus as a precursor of their thinking,
projecting onto the fragments their own culture and prejudices. Even the Stoics, direct inheritors of Heraclitus' thought, lost no time in reinterpreting the texts to suit their developing worldview. It is interesting
that one of the more recent translators, Schleiermacher, invented the notion of the hermeneutic circle in an
attempt to give interpretation a firmer basis. Like many other editors, however, I believe that my own edition has jettisoned as much baggage as possible in an effort to let Heraclitus's words speak for themselves.
They are in a dense kind of free verse, each group of lines having a regular metric structure, full of alliteration, wordplay, irony and a delight in apparent contradictions.
Kahn believes that the surviving fragments may well represent most of Herclitus' book, on the rather sensible grounds that the ancient citations constantly repeat (albeit with some errors or glosses) the same
small set of fragments. It seems to me that he nevertheless frequently falls into the trap of taking two or
three fragments in isolation and building whole chapters of philosophy upon them. I believe it is better to
find ways of making the fragments say less rather than more, by placing them together, and interpreting
them in harmony. What is left after that is still striking enough, and the following eight areas, of interest
to information systems, are only some of the points that are explicit in the fragments. The references in
square brackets are to the fragments in Kahn's numbering.
Man is not rational
He disagrees with the rationalistic explanations of human behaviour: people do not learn from their mistakes or behave according to rules [4]. Many writers on management such as H.A. Simon, and contemporary armchair politicians, seem to believe that people work to a rational program: they won't price themselves out of the market, they won't seek unrealistic pay rises that destroy the business, and so on. It is
more prudent to disregard behavioural predictions that depend on functional reasoning of this sort.
Thinking is shared
He is clear that thinking things out is a shared activity [31], and requires enquiry and debate to be
achieved. The heroic mode of philosophical enquiry where a single individual confronts the mysteries of
the cosmos is alien to Heraclitus. Today, many of us feel that "the analyst" cannot simply look at an organisation or its processes single handed.
Things that seem different may be the same
Differences in perspective may make things that are the same seem different, or be described in opposing
terms. At least three examples of this are well-attested in the fragments: the road uphill and downhill
[103], a wheel travels in a line while rotating [74], the sea is life-giving for fish but deadly for humans
[70].
1
This article originally appeared in Systemist 18 (1996), pp. 161-176, and Computing and Information
Systems 3 (1996), pp. 97-106. The layout of this document is not necessarily identical to the original."
© University of Paisley 1996
1
Arguments about what is better depend even more on who is doing the judging. Here his examples include asses' preference for straw over gold [71], the man being considered foolish by a god, as a child
might be by a man [57], and others.
Both of these areas caused a great deal of trouble for most later philosophy (from Plato/Socrates on).
Nowadays, it seems prudent for information systems analysts at least to tread carefully about judgements
of worth or utility.
Things constantly change
For Heraclitus, change is everywhere. Philosophers after him have seemed to look for more stable systems of ideas or classification, seeing change (if they consider it at all) as the result of sudden calamity or
intervention. But with Heraclitus change seems to be the natural order of things, and people fail to notice
that the constant change around them [78] (as of the water in the river [50]). Today, some systems analysis and software engineering techniques to presuppose that things will always be as they seem now, so
that current practice can be enshrined in rigid procedures and mechanisms: while other information systems professionals believe it more prudent to provide support for the changes inevitable in the business.
There are two aspects to this: first, the mechanisms provided need to work even as the business process
changes, and second, the process of change should itself be facilitated if this is the nature of the business.
Heraclitus tells it is wisdom to understand how such change occurs.
The doctrine of opposites
He points out the unity of opposites in a larger design. The most famous and well-attested of his riddles is
the unity of night and day [19], previously considered to be opposites: for Heraclitus they are merely aspects of the daily cycle. The phrase he uses for things being one (esti hen) is reserved for this sense.
Change, for him, demonstrates the unity of what might seem to be opposites: because solid can liquefy
[39], this shows that slid and liquid (earth and water, in his terms) cannot be fundamentally different; because living things die, this shows that the life and death are part of a larger process [93].
In information systems practice where views conflict it is helpful to look at the field of debate on which
the conflict occurs, and what that teaches us, rather than simply come down on one side or the other.
The everliving fire
He extends this argument to assert that ultimately all things form a single entity, the cosmos or natural
order: the everliving fire of transformation [37], always breaking out and dying away. It is a striking insight to focus on the fire in this way, as almost in a state of rest while all it touches is changed. We can
imagine that the Information Systems Analysis processes in an organisation should work the same way,
changing everything they touch, now focusing on one aspect, now another.
The fiery mind
He is suspicious of received wisdom [18]. He sees the mind building on what we see and hear [14], seeking for himself [28]. With clear thinking one can almost hear the crackle of transforming fire. Information
systems professionals aspire to radical insights on the nature of the business and the information support
required to support it through the inevitable changes.
Graspings
Finally, I believe the puzzling fragment about syllapsies [124] presents his view of concepts as provisional and always being part of a longer process of thinking things out: when we generalise from instances to
create a new concept we end up with something that no longer corresponds with anything we have ever
seen and yet represents a convergence of what we have seen. This seems simpler and more useful than the
Socratic notions of Ideas, especially since it seems to emphasise the provisional nature of such graspings,
rather than relating to some Kantian a priori category.
2
The resulting notion of entities that sum up many things goes rather well with the strange kind of unity
that he earlier infers from the transformation into opposites.
What he did not say
It is just as important for us to recognise what is not in the fragments, and avoid misattribution of things
to Heraclitus. Other people may have been doing so for over two thousand years, but that is no excuse.
There is no notion in the fragments (or in any ancient writing for that matter) of the relationship between
wholes and parts; as mentioned above, the hermeneutic circle, despite its Greek-looking name, dates from
around 1800.
The notion of things being in a dynamic equilibrium seems not to be in the fragments, nor that of things
staying the same by changing (fire continues by changing things).
Scholars differ, of course, but it does seem that the word logos in Heraclitus stands simply for the argument of his book [1], whereas the cosmic order, kosmos [37], is everliving fire: the notion of a Godlike
logos in John's gospel is rather different.
Many of Heraclitus' concerns are now remote from us: his view of all gods being one [123], his comments
on ethics [65, 104], astronomy [45] and chronology [95] being others. These are parts of the cultural environment for his thinking that have changed over the years. But the processes of change of that culture,
which he identifies so succinctly, have not changed much.
"
References
The numbers in brackets above are references to the fragments in Kahn's edition.
Bywater, I: Heraclitii Ephesii Reliquae, Oxonii 1877
Crowe, M. K.: The verses of Heraclitus of Ephesus, Computing and Information Systems, 3 (1996), 97-106.
Diels H: Die Fragmente der Vorsokratiker, 5th edition by Kranz, W., Berlin 1934.
Kahn, C H.: The Art and Thought of Heraclitus, Cambridge 1979.
Marcovich, M: Heraclitus, Los Andes University, Merida, 1967
Russos, E. N.: Heraclitus Fragmenta, Athens, 1971
Schleiermacher, F: Herakleitos de Dunkle von Ephesos, Museum der Altertums Wissenschaft, e.d F A Wolf, Ph.
Buttmann, I, Berlin 1807, p.315-533.
"
3
The verses of Heraclitus of Ephesus
Malcolm Crowe
"
Kahn suggests that the surviving fragments may well represent most of the original. This observation has
inspired the tentative reconstruction offered here.
All authentic quotations from Heraclitus (fl. 500 BC) are included in the following text; material shown in
square brackets on the English side has been added by the editor; and some small fragments and guesses
in Marcovich's edition have been added in brackets to the Greek. Marcovich has pointed out by implication that Heraclitus wrote in free verse rather than straight prose.
Heraclitus' words are of legendary opacity, and all of the fragments can be translated in many ways: the
translation given here is partly new. The numbers are references to the fragments in Kahn's translation.
The ordering of the fragments, apart from the opening paragraph, is of course conjectural: the relationship of the ordering given here with other translations is shown in the appendix.
"
του δε λογου τουδ’ εοντο
αιει αξυνετοι γινονται ανθρωποι
και προσθεν η ακουσαι και ακουσαντε το πρωτον
γινοµενων γαρ παντων κατα τον λογον τονδε
απειροισιν εοικασι περωµενοι και επεων και εργων τοιουτεων οκοιων εγω διηγευµαι κατα ϕυσιν διαιρεων εκαστον και ϕραζων οκως εχει
τους δε αλλους ανθρωπους λανθανει οκοσα εγερθεντες ποιουσιν οκωσπερ οκοσα ευδοντες
επιλανθανονται
Although this account holds forever men fail to
comprehend it, both before they hear it and when
they first hear. Even though all happenings are in
accordance with this account, people behave like
the unlearned when they experience works and
words; whereas I set them forth, distinguishing
everything according to its nature and telling how
it is. But then most people are as unconscious of
what they do awake as they are forgetful of what
they do asleep:
Failing to comprehend after hearing, they learn
like the deaf: the saying is their witness, absent
while present.
αξυνετοι ακουσαντες
κωϕοισιν εοικασι
ϕατις αυτοισι µαρτυρει
παρεοντας απειναι
του δε λογου δ’εοντος ξυνου
ζωουσιν οι πολλοι ως ιδιαν εχοντες ϕρονησιν
Although this account is shared, the many live as
though thinking things out were a private matter.
ου ϕρονεουσι τοιαυτα πολλοι
οκοιοις εγκυρεουσιν
ουδε µαθοντες γινωσκουσιν
εωυτοισι δε δοκεουσι
[Contrary to Archilochus], the many do not think
about things they way they find them, and do not
gain understanding from their own experiences,
but simply believe their own opinions.
Gaining learning from what we see and hear: this I
do prefer.
οκοσων οψις ακοη µαθησις
ταυτα εγω προτιµεω
κακοι µαρτυρες ανθρωποισιν οϕθαλµοι και ωτα
βαρβαρους ψυχας εχοντων
But eyes and ears are bad witnesses for men with
barbaric minds:
4
ακουσαι ουκ επισταµενοι ουδ
ωι µαλιστα διηνεκως οµιλουσι τουτωι διαϕερονται
not knowing how to listen, neither can they speak.
They are at odds with what they have most
continuous involvement:
as they step into the same rivers, other and still
other waters flow over them.
ποταµοισι τοισιν
αυτοισιν εµβαινουσιν
ετερα και ετερα
υδατα επιρρει
ου ξυνιασιν οκως διαϕεροµενον εωυτωι
συµϕερεται
παλιντροπος αρµονιη οκωσπερ τοξου και
λυρης78
They fail to recognise how things can diverge
while being brought together; it is a harmony that
changes back, like that of the bow and the lyre.
θαλασσα υδωρ καθαρωτατον και µιαρωτατον
The sea is the purest and the foulest water: for fish
ιχθυσι µεν ποτιµον και σωτηριον
drinkable and life-sustaining; for men undrinkable
ανθρωποις δε αποτον και ολεθριον
and deadly.
γναϕειωι οδος ευθεια και σκολιη
µια εστι και η αυτη
The path of the carding wheel is straight and
crooked.
The way uphill and downhill is the same.
αρµονιη αϕανης
ϕανερης κρειττων
οδος ανω κατω µια και ωυτη
Harmonies that are hidden are more powerful than
those that are obvious.
πολυµαθιη νοον ου διδασκει
Ησιοδον γαρ αν εδιδαξε και Πυθαγορην
αυτις τε Ξενοϕανεα τε και Εκαταιον
Much learning does not teach common sense, for
they would have taught Hesiod and Pythagoras,
and also Xenophanes and Hecataeus.
εν Πριηνηι Βιας εγενετο ο Τευταµεω
ου πλεων λογος η των αλλων
Bias son of Teutames who lived in Priene. He is of
more account than the rest:
οι πολλοι κακοι
ολιγοι δε αγαθοι
The many are worthless, good men are few.
εις εµοι µυριοι
εαν αριστος ηι
One is ten thousand if he is the best.
δοκεοντα ο δοκιµωτατος
γινωσκει ϕυλασσει
The esteemed man merely estimates; but maintains
he understands.
κυνες και βαυζουσιν ον αν µη γινωσκωσι
Only dogs bark at what they do not understand:
βλαξ ανθρωπος επι παντι λογωι
επτοησθαι ϕιλει
A fool loves to get excited at any new teaching.
τις αυτων νοος η ϕρην
δηµων αοιδοισι πειθονται
και διδασκαλωι χρειωνται οµιλωι
ουκ ειδοτες οτι οι πολλοι κακοι
What wit or thinking do they have? They believe
the popular poets and take the mob for their
teacher, not knowing that “The many are
worthless”.
αιρευνται εν αντι απαντων οι αριστοι
κλεος αεναον θνητων
οι δε πολλοι κεκορηνται οκωσπερ
κτηνεα
The best choose one thing in exchange for all,
everflowing fame among mortals; but most men
have sated themselves like cattle.
5
αξιον Εϕεσιοις ηβηδον απαγξασθαι πασι
και τοις ανηβοις την πολιν καταλιπειν
οιτινες Ερµοδωρον ανδρα εωυτων ονηιστον
εξεβαλον ϕαντες ηµεων µηδε εις ονηιστος εστω
ει δε µη αλλη τε και µετ
The Ephesians deserve to be hanged to the last
man, every one of them, and leave the city to the
boys, since they drove out their most successful
man, Hermodorus, saying “Let no one be the most
successful among us; if he is, let him be so elsewhere and among others”
ciple, they will empty the city.]
[µη επιλιποι Εϕεσιους πλουτος
ιν’ εξελεγχοιντο πονηροι εοντες]
May wealth never fail you, men of Ephesus, so
that your wickedness be proved!
εξηπατηνται οι ανθρωποι προς την γνωσιν
των ϕανερων παραπλησιως Οµηρω [αστρολογον
ος εγενετο των Ελλενων σοϕωτερος παντων
εκεινον τε γαρ παιδες ϕθειρας
κατακτεινοντες εξηπατησαν ειποντες οσα ειδοµεν και καταλαβοµεν ταυτα
απολειποµεν
οσα δε ουτε ειδοµεν ουτ ελαβοµεν ταυτα
ϕεροµεν
Men deceive themselves in their knowledge of the
obvious, even Homer the [blind] astronomer,
considered wisest of all Greeks. For he [died of
grief over a riddle when he] was fooled by boys
killing lice who said: what we see and catch we
leave behind; and what we neither see nor catch
we carry away.
τον τε Οµερον εϕασκεν αξιον
εκ των αγωνων
εκβαλλεσθαι και ραπιζεσθαι και Αρχιλοχος οµοιως
Homer deserves to be expelled from the contest
and beaten with the same staff as Archilochus.
διδακαλος δε πλειστων Ησιοδος
τουτον επιστανται πλειστα ειδεναι
οστις ηµερην και ευϕρονην ουκ εγινωσκεν εστι γαρ εν
For most people, Hesiod is the teacher: they know
him as knowing most, though he did not understand day and night: they are one:
en, the nights shorten in equal measure].
Πυθαγορη Μνησαρχου ιστοριην ησκησεν ανθρωπων µαλιστα
παντων και εκλεξαµενος ταυτας τας ουγγραϕας εποιησατο εαυτου σοϕιην
πολυµαθειην κακοτεχνιην
Pythagoras son of Mnesarchus pursued inquiry
further than all other men, but choosing only what
he liked from these compositions, made a wisdom
of his own: much learning, artful knavery.
κοπιδων αρχηγος
That prince of impostors!
Σιβυλλα
The Sybil with raving mouth utters things
µαινοµενωι στοµατι αγελαστα ϕθεγγοµενη mirthless.
34
ο αναξ ου το µαντειον εστι το εν Δελϕοις
ουτε λεγει ουτε κρυπτει αλλα οηµαινει
The lord [Apollo] whose oracle is in Delphi
neither declares nor conceals, but gives a sign.
οκοσων λογους ηκουσα Of all those whose accounts I have heard, none has
ουδεις αϕικνειται ες τουτο ωστε γινωσκειν gone so far as this, to understand what is wise, set
οτι σοϕον εστι παντων κεχωρισµενον
apart from all things.
ανθρωποισι πασι µετεστι γινωσκειν εωυτους και σωϕρονειν
χρη εν µαλα πολλων ιστορας
It belongs to all men to know themselves and to
think things out;
careful inquirers into a great many things:
6
εδιζησαµην εµεωυτον
I went on my own search.
σωϕρονειν αρετη µεγιστη και σοϕιη
αληθεα λεγειν και ποειν κατα ϕυσιν
επαιοντας
Thinking things out is the greatest excellence and
wisdom: to act and speak what is true, perceiving
things according to their nature.
χρυσον οι διζηµενοι
γην πολλην ορυσσουσι
και ευρισκουισιν ολιγον
Seekers of gold must dig up much earth and find
little.
for things love to hide their nature
ϕυσις κρυπτεσθαι ϕιλει
εαν µη ελπηται ανελπιστον ουκ εξευρησει
ανεξερευνητον εον και απορον
He who does not search the unsearchable will not
find ways in what is trackless and unsolved.
απιστιηι διαϕυγγανει µη γινωσκεσθαι
What cannot be known escapes understanding:
αµαθιην κρυπτειν αµεινον
Whereof we are ignorant, we should hide our lack
of knowledge;
Thinking things out is shared by all.
ξυνον εστι πασι το ϕρονεειν
ξυν νοωι λεγοντας ισχυριζεσθαι χρη τωι ξυνωι παντων
οκωσπερ νοµωι πολις και πολυ
ισχυροτερως
τρεϕονται γαρ παντες οι ανθρωπειοι νοµοι
υπο ενος του θειου
κρατει γαρ τοσουτον οκοσον εθελει
και εξαρκει πασι και περιγινεται
Speaking with understanding they must hold fast
to what is shared by all, as a city holds to its law,
and even more firmly. For all human laws are
nourished by one law, a divine one. It prevails as it
will and suffices for all and is more than enough.
µαχεσθαι χρη τον δηµον υπερ γε τον νοµου
οκοσπερ τειχεος
The people must fight for the law as for their city
wall
υβριν χρη σβεννυναι µαλλον η πυρκαιην
Crime must be extinguished faster than a blazing
fire.
ηθος γαρ ανθρωπεοιν [δαιµων
ουκ εχει γνωµας θειον δε εχει
Man's nature, his spirit, has no set purpose, but the
divine has.
Ηλιος ουχ υπερβησεται µετρα
ει δε µη Ερινυες µιν Δικης επικουροι εξευρησουσιν
The sun will not transgress his measures. (If he
does, the Furies, ministers of Justice, will find him
out.)
ωρας αι παντα ϕερουσι
Seasons which bring all to birth,
ετη τριακοντα ποιουσι την γενεαν
thirty years for a generation, [and 10800 for the
great year.]
ηους και εσπερας τερµατα η αρκτος και αντιον της αρκτου ουρος αιθριου Διος
The limits of Dawn and Evening is the Bear; and
opposite the Bear, the Warder of bright Zeus [is the
star Arcturus].
ει µη ηλιος ην
[ενεκα των αλλων αστρων]
ευϕρουν αν ην
If there were no sun, for all the stars, it would still
be night.
ο ηλιος νεος εϕ
The sun is new every morning,
45
7
το µη δυνον ποτε πως αν τις λαθοι;
[But] how will one hide from that which never
sets?
εν το σοϕον επιστασθαι γνωµην
οτεη κυβερνησαι παντα δια παντων
The wise is one, knowing the plan by which all
things are steered through all.
It is law also to obey the counsel of one.
νοµος και βουληι πειθεσθαι ενος
τωι µεν θεωι καλα παντα και δικαια
ανθρωποι δε α µεν αδικα υπειληϕασιν α δε δικαια
For god all things are fair and just, but men have
taken some things as unjust, others as just.
Δικης ονοµα ουκ αν ηιδεσαν ει ταυτα µη ην
If it were not for these things, they would not have
known the name of Justice.
Δικη καταληψεται ψευδων τεκτονας και
µαρτυρας
Justice will catch up with those who invent lies
and those who swear to them.
πολεµος παντων µεν πατηρ εστι παντων δε βασιλευς
και τους µεν θεους εδειξε τους δε ανθρωπους
τους µεν δουλους εποιησε τους δ
War is father and king of all; and some he has
shown as gods, others men; some he has made
slaves, others free.
ειδεναι χρ τον πολεµον εοντα ξυνον και δικην εριν
και γινοµενα παντα κατ
One must realise that war is shared and conflict is
justice, and that all things come to pass in
accordance with conflict.
"
82
τα νοµιζοµενα κατ’ ανθρωπους µυστηρια ανιερωστι µυουνται
The mysteries current among men initiate them
into impiety.
καθαιρονται δ’ αλλω αιµατι µιαινοµενοι
οκοιον ει τις εις πηλον εµβας πηλωι απονιζοιτο
µαινεσθαι δ’ αν δοκοιη ει τις αυτον ανθρωπων επιϕασαιτο ουτω
ποιεοντα
και τοις αγαλµασι δε τουτεοισιν ευχονται
οκοιον ει τις τοις δοµοισι λεσχηνευοιτο
ου τι γινωσκων θεους ουδ’ ηρωας οιτινες
εισι 117
They are purified in vain with blood, those
polluted with blood, as if someone who stepped in
mud should try to wash himself with mud. Anyone
who notices him doing this would think he was
mad. And they pray to images as if they were
chatting with houses, not understanding what gods
or even heroes are like.
ει µη Διονυσωι ποµπην εποιουντο και υµνεον αισµα αιδοιοισιν
αναιδεστατα ειργαστ’ αν
ωυτος δε Αιδης και Διονυσος
οτεω µαινονται και ληναιζουσιν
If it were not Dionysus for whom they march in
procession and chant the hymn to the genitals,
their action would be most shameless, But Hades
and Dionysus are the same, him for whom they
rave and celebrate the festival of Lenaia.
εν το σοϕον µουνον λεγεσθαι ουκ εθελει και εθελει Ζηνος
ονοµα 118
The wise is one alone, unwilling and willing to be
spoken of by the name of Zeus.
8
ο θεοσ ηµερη ευϕρονη
χειµων θερος
πολεµος ειρηνη
κορος λιµος
αλλοιουται δε οκωσπερ ελαιον οκοταν ουµµιγηι θυωµασιν
ονοµαζεται καθ
The god: day and night, winter and summer, war
and peace, satiety and hunger. It alters, as when
mingled with perfumes, and gets named by each
according to his wish.
κοσµον τονδε ουτε τισ θεων ουτε ανθρωπων εποιησεν
αλλ’ ην αει και εστιν και εσται
πυρ αειζωον απτοµενον µετρα και αποσβεννυµενον
µετρα 37
The cosmic order
man, but has always been and always will be: fire
everliving, for ever breaking out here and dying
out there.
παντα το πυρ επελθον κρινει και καταληψεται
A breaking fire will pick out and catch up with all
things,
χρησµουσυνην και κορος
hunger and satiety,
it rests by changing.
µεταβαλλον αναπαυεται
πυρος ανταµοιβη τα παντα
και πυρ απαντων οκωσπερ χρυσου χρηµατα και χρηµατων χρυσος
All things are a payment for fire, and fire for all
things, as goods for gold and gold for goods.
ουκ εµου αλλα του λογου ακουσαντας
οµολογειν σοϕον εστιν εν παντα ειναι
Listening not to me but to the argument, it is wise
to agree rather that all things are one.
πυρος τροπαι πρωτον θαλασσα
θαλασσης δε το µεν ηµισυ γη
το δε ηµισυ πρηστηρ
The changes of fire: first sea; but of sea half is
earth, half lightning storm.
θαλασσα διαχεεται
και µετρεεται εις τον αυτον λογον
οκοιος προσθεν ην η γενεσθαι γη
The sea dissolves, and measures up to the same
amount as was there before it became earth.
[πυρος θανατος αερι γενεσις
και αερος θανατος υδατι γενεσις
The death of fire is birth for air, and the death of
air is birth for water.
Cold warms up, warmth cools down, wetness dries
up, dryness becomes damp.
ψυχρον θερεται
θερµον ψυχεται
υγρον αυαινεται
καρϕαλεον νοτιζεται
ανηρ νηπιος ηκουσε προς δαιµονος
οκωσπερ παις προς ανδρος
A man is considered foolish by a god, as a child by
a man.
παν ερπετον πληγηι νεµεται
All beasts are driven to pasture by blows:
the thunderbolt of heavenly fire pilots all things.
ταδε παντα οιακιζει κεραυνος
υες βορβορωι ηδονται µαλλον η καθαρωι
υδατι 72
Swine delight in mire more than clean water,
ονους ουρµατ’ αν ελεσθαι µαλλον η
χρυσον
Asses prefer garbage to gold,
[βοες ορβοις ηδονται µαλλον η µελετι]
Cattle delight in bitter vetch rather than honey,
9
σαρµα εικηι κεχυµενων
ο καλλιστος κοσµος
The fairest order in the world is a heap of random
sweepings.
οι ιατροι τεµνοντες καιοντες
επαιτιωνται µηδεν αξιον µισθον
λαµβανειν
ταυτα εργαζοµενοι και αι νοσοι
Doctors cut and burn, complain that they receive
no worthy fee for the same effects as the diseases!
νουσος υγιειην εποιησεν ηδυ και αγαθον
λιµος κορον
καµατος αναπαυσιν
It is disease that makes health sweet and good,
hunger satiety, weariness rest.
ψυχης πειρατα ιων ουκ αν εξευροιο
πασαν επιπορευοµενος οδον
ουτω βαθυν λογον εχει
You will not find the limits of the mind by going,
even if you travel over every road, so deep is its
argument.
αυη ψυχη σοϕωτατη και αριστη
A dry mind, the wisest and best.
ανηρ οκοταν µεθυσθηι
αγεται υπο παιδος ανηβου σϕαλλοµενος
ουκ επαιων οκη βαινει
υγρην την ψυχην εχων
When drunk, a grown man is led by a beardless
boy, stumbling, not knowing where he is going, his
mind is wet.
ψυχηισιν θανατος υδωρ γενεσθαι
υδατι δε θανατος γην γενεσθαι
εκ γης δε υδωρ γινεται
εξ υδατος δε ψυκη
For the mind it is death to become water, for water
it is death to become earth; out of earth water
springs, out of water the mind.
θυµωι µαχεσθαι χαλεπον
ο γαρ αν θεληι ψυχης ωνειται
It is hard to fight against the heart’s desire; for
whatever it wants it gets and the mind loses.
ανθρωποις γινεσθαι οκοσα θελουσιν ουκ
αµεινον
[It is said: the sweetest thing is to get your desire,
but] it is not better for human beings to get all they
want.
ανθρωποσ εν ευϕρονηι ϕαος απτεται εαυτωι
αποσβεσθεις οψεις
ζων δε απτεται τεθνεωτος ευδων εγρηγορως απτεται ευδοντος
A man strikes a light for himself in the night, when
his sight is put out. Living, he touches the dead in
his sleep; waking, he touches the sleeper.
θανατος εστιν οκοσα εγερθεντες ορεοµεν
οκοσα δε ευδοντες υπνος
Death is all things we see awake; all we see asleep
is sleep.
ταυτο τ’ ενι ζων και τεθνηκος
και εγρηγορος και καθευδον
και νεον και γηραιον
ταδε γαρ µεταπεσοντα εκεινα εστι κακεινα παλιν µεταπεσοντα ταυτα
The same: living and dead, waking and sleeping,
young and old. For these transposed are those, and
those transposed are these.
ανθρωπους µενει αποθανοντας ασσα ουκ ελπονται ουδε δοκεουσιν
What awaits men at death they do not expect or
even imagine.
10
αθανατοι θνητοι
θνητοι αθανετοι
ζωντες τον εκεινων θανατον
του δε εκεινων βιον τεθνεωτες
Immortals are mortal, mortals immortal, living the
others’ death, dead in the others’ life. Corpses
should be thrown out quicker than dung.
µοροι µεζονες µεζονας µοιρας λαγχανουσι
Greater deaths
gods and men honour those who fall in battle.
100
αρηιϕατους θεοι τιµωσι και ανθρωποι
γενοµενοι ζωειν εθελουσι µορους τ’ εχειν
και παιδας καταλειπουσι µορους γενεσθαι
Once born they want to live and have their fates;
and they leave children behind born to become
their fates,
ενθα δ’ εοντι επανιστασθαι και ϕυλακας γινεσθαι εγερτι ζωντων και
νεκρων
rising up to become wakeful watchers of living
men and corpses;
αι ψυχαι οσµωνται καθ
their souls smell [blood, of offerings] in Hades:
if all turned to smoke, the nostrils would sort them
out.
ει παντα καπνος γενοιτο ρινες αν διαγνοιεν
αιων παις εστι παιζων πεσσευων
παιδος η βασιληιη
Lifetime is a child at play, moving pieces in a
game. Kingship belongs to the child.
τω τοξωι ονοµα βιος
εργον δε θανατος
The bow has the name bios, life; its work is death.
ξυνον αρχη και περας επι κυκλου
Shared are the beginning and end around a circle.
συλλαψιες
ολα και ουκ ολα
συµϕεροµενον διαϕεροµενον
συναιδον διαιδον
εκ παντων εν και εξ ενος παντα
Concepts: wholes and not wholes, convergent
divergent, consonant dissonant, from all things a
unity and from this unity all things [are made].
"
11
Kahn
Russos
Diels-Kranz
Marcovich
Bywater
Schleiermacher
1
1
1
1
2
47
2
2
34
2
3
3
3
25
2
23b
92
48
4
3
17
3
5
2
14
5
55
5
13
16
7
107
13
4
22
19
1g
90
p.520
17
5
4
72
4
93
50
41
12
40a
42
21
78
28
51
27
45
27
70
37
61
35
52
74
34
59
32
50
103
35
60
33
69
28
80
29
54
9
47
36
18
18
40
16
16
13
62
99
39
100
112
15
59
100
104
101
111a
71
63
96
49
98
113
85
23
28a
20
118a
8a
61
10
97
22
115
5
60
11
87
109
117
68
97
93
29
95
111b
71
64
104
121
105
114
46
105
125a
106
8
56
21
47a
105
63a
119n
p.345
p.345
22
23
21
21
42
30
119
19
45
57
43
35
25
19
129
17
17
26
20
81
18
138
92
75
12
9
34
14
33
15
93
14
11
10
27
84
108
83
65
11
116
15f=23e
106
p.520
29
12
9
17
35
7
49
28
16
101
15
80
73
112
23f
107
p.479
5
32
8
12
22
10
115
10
30
123
8
10
7
13
18
11
7
6
86
14
86
12
116
12
107
9
95
110a
108
1
113
23d
91a
p.478
31
30
24
114
23a
91b
18
65
102
44
103
100
19
104
101
43
102
103
16
114
92
119
94
121
57
55
87
78
90
96
66
44
65
94
52
29
30
42a
67
100
64
34
p.400
A19
108b
87-9
95
45
66
120
62
30
31
46
49
99
60
31
32
48a
64
6
58a
32
29
122
82
16
81
27
40
54
86
41
85
19
44
66
103
33
104
110
45
68
88
102
91
61
p.409s
69
48
23
45
60
69
87
22
28b
19
118b
8b
83
33
53
29
44
p.408a
82
32
80
28
62
35
115
55
14
87
124,125
p.525
117
54
5
86
130,126
116
56
15
50
127
70
118
85
32
84
65
11
123
57
67
77
36
37
58
30
51
20
121
83
66
82
26
65
79,55
28,24
120
25
p.430
13
40
60
90
54
22
36
27
50
26
1
38
59a
31a
53a
21
25
39
59b
31b
53b
23
26
76
6.6E+02
25
p.372,376
41
41
49
68
126
42
39
57
89
79
92a
97
67
76
81
11
80
55
37
119
80
64
79
28
72a
38
13
36a
54
71
39
9
37
51
4
38
124
107
125
73
50
58
46
57,58
67
74,47
110-111
71,44
104
35
70
45
67
71
109
71
118
68
74-76
60-62
106
72
117
69
73
59
102
69
36
66
68
49
105
73
85
70
105
58
90
52
26
48
77
64
89
53
21
49
64
42
93
44
88
41
78
38bis
84
77
27
74
122
52
92
51
62
47
67
50,51
88
79
96
76
85
43
96
95
25
97
101
53
100
94
24
96
102
54
98
97
20
99
86
55
110
76
63
73
123
98
72
111
39
112
31
7
78
37
24
94
90
52
93
79
79
40
48
39
66
56
124
26
10
25
59
37bis
14
References
"
Only Kahn, Marcovich, and Russos have been studied directly in creating the above version.
"
"
Bywater, I: Heraclitii Ephesii Reliquae, Oxonii 1877
Diels H: Die Fragmente der Vorsokratiker, 5th edition by W. Kranz, Berlin 1934
Kahn, C H.: The Art and Thought of Heraclitus, Cambridge 1979
Marcovich, M: Heraclitus, Los Andes University, Merida, 1967
Russos, E. N.: Heraclitus Fragmenta, Athens 1971
Schleiermacher, F: Herakleitos de Dunkle von Ephesos, Museum der Altertums Wissenschaft, ed. F.A.
Wolf, Ph. Buttmann, I. Berlin 1807, pp.315-533
15
M. K. Crowe is a Head of Department at the University of Paisley.
"
"
16

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