Tales of Miletus (624 BC – 546 BC) was a Greek philosopher, geometer, mathematician and man of law. He was born and lived his entire life in the Greek city of Miletus, in modern-day Turkey.
As with most thinkers of ancient Greece, Thales of Miletus did not leave any written work, and what is known about him we owe to other later thinkers and philosophers, who collected his teachings.
Famous phrases from Thales of Miletus
A pioneer in deductive thinking applied to the field of geometry, his legacy includes several mathematical theorems that are still valid.
To learn more about the work of this Greek thinker, We have set out to compile the best phrases from Tales of Miletus These aphorisms transport us to the Greece of the time in which this brilliant philosopher lived.
1. The supreme pleasure is obtaining what you want.
Achieving our goals makes us feel fulfilled.
2. The most difficult thing is to know ourselves; The easiest is to speak badly of others.
Criticism is always easy and simple. Introspection is a complicated matter.
3. The happiness of the body is based on health; that of understanding, in knowledge.
Mind and body have different ways of being in top shape.
4. Everything is animated and everything is full of gods.
A phrase from Thales of Miletus that shows us his philosophical animism.
5. Beauty does not come from a beautiful body, but from beautiful actions.
Ethics and aesthetics merge into the same entity.
6. Take for yourself the advice you give to another.
It’s easy to hand out advice everywhere; The complicated thing is to apply them to our own life.
7. Many words never indicate wisdom.
True wise men rarely talk much.
8. Hope is the only good common to all men. Those who have lost everything still possess it.
The last thing that is lost is hope for a better life. Great reflection of Thales of Miletus.
9. If you are looking for a good solution and cannot find it, consult time, since time is the greatest wisdom.
As many thinkers point out, time is the best antidote to any poison.
10. Of all things the oldest is God, because he was not created.
A particular vision of the divine entity.
11. Choose just one good thing.
A summary of his monistic ethics.
12. I am grateful to my destiny for three things; for having been born human, for having been born a man not a woman, for having been born a Hellene not a barbarian.
Some characteristics that Thales of Miletus was especially proud of.
13. Work increases virtue. He who does not know how to cultivate the arts, work with the hoe.
Ode to mental and manual effort.
14. Water is the element and principle of things.
The arkhé; The principle of life.
15. Thus he will break the tongue of charlatans.
The days of lies are numbered.
16. Oh Tales! You are not able to see what is happening at your feet and perceive the sky at the same time.
Phrase he uttered after falling into a well after having his eyes set on the sky.
17. Let moderation be your oracle.
Balance is always the best guide.
18. The greatest thing is space, because it encloses everything.
It may not be infinite, but it does contain everything that can be contained, according to Thales.
19. The most beautiful thing is the world, because it is the work of God.
About divine creation, perfect and in all its splendor.
20. Always look for a task; When you have it, don’t think about anything other than doing it well.
Professionalism is born from daily obsession and effort.
21. Watch your words; May they not build a wall between you and those who live with you.
Being restrained in our words ensures a favorable and friendly environment.
22. The strongest thing is necessity, because it dominates everything.
It reigns in the lives of men and makes them submissive.
23. Understanding is the fastest, because it runs through everything.
One of those phrases from Thales of Miletus that remind us of his ability to describe any concept.
24. The past is true, the future dark.
A reasonable view on temporality.
25. I didn’t become a father because I am a friend of children.
Ironic phrase from Tales in which he shows us his love for childhood.
26. If there is a change, there must be something that changes, however, it does not change.
What is apparently mutable, in reality, is not. According to Thales of Miletus.
27. Who is happy? A person who has a healthy body, who is covered with peace of mind and who cultivates his talent.
The recipe for happiness: healthy mens in healthy corpore.
28. Avoid doing what you can blame others for doing.
Don’t think that your innocence has more foundations than anyone else’s.
29. We do not actually live on top of a solid earth, but at the bottom of an ocean of air.
Curious and interesting reflection about our natural environment.
30. All things are made of water and all things dissolve in water.
A chemical principle not entirely wrong.
31. Isolate yourself in your inner world and reflect on the system of the universe.
From the small to the immeasurable.
32. If there is neither excessive wealth nor immoderate poverty in a nation, then it can be said that justice will prevail.
According to Thales of Miletus, democracy must be based on an equitable distribution of material goods.
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PsychologyFor. (2024). The 32 Best Phrases from Tales of Miletus. https://psychologyfor.com/the-32-best-phrases-from-tales-of-miletus/