1. THALES

Regarding the Seven, it is worth mentioning them here in a general way, as various accounts are in circulation. Damon of Cyrene, who wrote On the Philosophers [FHG IV 277], criticizes them all, but the Seven most of all. Anaximenes says that they all turned to poetry. Dicaearchus [fr. 28, FHG II 243] says they were neither wise men nor philosophers, but rather sagacious men and legislators. Archetimus of Syracuse [FHG IV 318] has recorded their meeting at the court of Cypselus, which he claims he himself attended. Ephorus [fr. 101, FHG I 262] places the meeting at the court of Croesus, except for Thales. Some say they met at the Panionion, in Corinth, and at Delphi. There is disagreement regarding their sayings, with different ones attributed to different people, such as:

The Lacedaemonian Chilon was a wise man, who said:

"Nothing in excess; all things are good in their proper time."

There is also dispute about the number of the Sages. Leandrius [fr. 4, FHG II 336] includes Leophantus of Lebedus or Ephesus and Epimenides the Cretan instead of Cleobulus and Myson. Plato, in the Protagoras [p. 343 A], puts Myson in place of Periander. Ephorus [fr. 101, FHG I 262] substitutes Anacharsis for Myson, while others even add Pythagoras. Dicaearchus [fr. 28, FHG II 244] provides us with four universally agreed-upon names: Thales, Bias, Pittacus, and Solon. He lists six others, from whom three are to be chosen: Aristodemus, Pamphilus, Chilon the Lacedaemonian, Cleobulus, Anacharsis, and Periander. Some add Acusilaus, the son of Cabas or Scabras, of Argos. Hermippus, in his On the Wise Men [fr. 8, 42 FHG III 37], says there are seventeen, from whom different people choose different groups of seven. These include Solon, Thales, Pittacus, Bias, Chilon, , Cleobulus, Periander, Anacharsis, Acusilaus, Epimenides, Leophantus, Pherecydes, Aristodemus, Pythagoras, Lasus (son of Charmantides or Sisubrinus, or as Aristoxenus says, of Chabrinus) of Hermione, and Anaxagoras. Hippobotus, in his Register of Philosophers...