Ancilla to the Pre-Socratic Philosophers

by Kathleen Banks Freeman (Translator), Hermann Diels

This book is a complete translation of the fragments of the pre-Socratic philosophers given in the fifth edition of Diels, Fragmente der Vorsokratiker .

Genres: Philosophy, History, Classics, Nonfiction, Anthologies

172 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1935

Reviews

[Randal Samstag · Rating 4 out of 5]

A plain translation of Diels's German translation of the Fragments. No Greek. But a very useful reference for the English speaker. At once more comprehensive and more compact than Burnet and without his interpretations; containing just the fragments and one or two-sentence biographical introductions. One of the things that strikes me is how little we actually have of so many these great thinkers: Pythagoras (nothing), Parmenides (six pages), Zeno (one page), Timaeus (nothing), Anaxagoras (four pages), Cratylus (nothing), Antisthenes (nothing). We have more of Empedocles (eighteen pages), Heracleitus (ten pages)and Democritus (twenty nine pages). Freeman's book contains only text attributed directly to the thinker in question. We have a whole dialogue spoken mainly in the voice of Timaeus from Plato, for example, but no direct attributions to the man himself. So Diels' (and Freeman's) entry for him is blank, save for a reminder of this and some other brief remarks.

[Erick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as a supplement to Jonathan Barnes' "Early Greek Philosophy" collection. The Diels/Freeman collection contains a lot more entries, e.g. Epicharmis, Orpheus etc. In some cases more fragments are included, and in others less. It also includes many fragments of the sophists. I skipped most of those here because I have separate books dedicated to them that I am intending to read in the not too distant future. Overall, it functions as a great supplement to Barnes and I recommend it as such.

[Quentin Crisp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick review: I feel better for having read this.

Longer review: If only monotheism had been historically more informed by the concepts of ancient Greeks, perhaps there would have been less intolerance and conflict between creeds and we wouldn't now find ourselves (in the west) in a culture playing an endlessly stuck record of vacuous controversy between theists and atheists.

[sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heraclitus.... man of powr....

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read--if one can be said to 'read' such an assembly of mostly short fragments--this collection while taking Peter Maxwell's course, "History of Ancient Philosophy", at Loyola University Chicago during the second semester of 1980/81

[Sam Seshadri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of all, the Presocratics propose modesty (temperance) in living and pleasure with a focus on intellect, intense thought, and equanimity in hardship.

Great read, choppy excerpts, but so many quotes and short passages that encourage thinking.
Three important people:

Heracleitus : Order in the universe. "The way up and down are one an the same" "Immortals are mortal, mortals are immortal, each lives the death of the other, and dies their life."
Parmenides: A single reality: "For it is the same thing to think and to be." (Sorry Descartes).
Democritus: For atomic Theory. "Medicine heals diseases from the body, wisdom frees the souls from passions." "People are foos who live without enjoyment of life". "The hopes of the educated are better than the wealth of the ignorant."

[Gab Nug · Rating 3 out of 5]

For undergrad ancient philosophy. Handy collection of the sayings/writings of pre-socratics.

[Ibn Cereno · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the title implies, best used as a reference alongside other works.

[U Recife · Rating 4 out of 5]

A definitely must read for any Philosophy student or anyone interested in knowing the origins of Western thought.

Here you find all the known fragments of the early Greek Philosophers without commentary; this, in a way, can be a positive thing in that it will allow room for a more pristine view of their take on the world and its mysteries.

[Caleb Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it. I'm a little confused as to why I didn't hear more about this version. I found it at the library (it was the only pre-socratics they had) and as such i read it. Freeman has a companion volume that I am going to get and read as well. All the versions that came up in searches and what not were different, but I found this one fine.

[John Herman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must have for history of philosophy.

[Brent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of my favourite writings from my university days. Heraclitus, anyone? Parmenides?