Thales’ image in the literary greek sources. Short analysis from Herodotus to Plutarch

Abstract

The aim of this work is to inquire into the process of literary construction of the figure of the philosopher Thales of Miletus in Greek literature in the course of time, particularly from the Histories of Herodotus to the works of Plutarch. Thales is a very important personage in greek archaic culture, but the sources represent him as a sofός, versatile and eclectic, able to interact with the oriental civilisations of the Asia Minor. Within the philosophic speculation of the IV century there’s a cultural turning-point in the way of conception of the Milesian’s figure. He becomes the first philosopher which inquire into the nature of the Principle. This characterization will influence both the doxographic literature, that will see in Thales the first philosopher, and the literature in general, where Thales will be the first of the Seven Sages of the greek archaic culture.