Heraclitus

Heraclitus of Ephesus, was a Greek philosopher; Ephesus is a name of his birth city in lonia on the shoreline of Asia Minor. He was of eminent and royal background.  Not much is known about his childhood and education. But owing to his lonely life, Heraclitus had a more inquisitive nature with a hatred for mankind. He was called as “The Obscure” and the “Weeping Philosopher” because of his forlorn life he lead starting the mystery life of his philosophy and also he disliked humans in common. He believed in the unity of Opposites and emphasized on importance of Change. He belonged to the Hellenistic period to wish the conquests of Alexander were identified with. The age of Heraclitus was approximately sixty years.

Life of Heraclitus:

Heraclitus was born in a patrician family in Ephesus, currently in Efes. His father was known as Bloson or Herakon. Ephesus descended from Androclus, who had a chief title, Privileged seat in games and other privileges. Diogenes remarks his resignation of power in favour of his brother. The works of Heraclitus reached its peak during 504-501 BC. Heraclitus passed his time playing knuckle bones, with the youth at the temple of Artemis. The inquisitive mind of Heraclitus was his own tutor. Heraclitus did not have healthy inter personal realtions. He had hostile feeling towards the likes of Hesiod, Pythagoras, Homer and Archilochus where his emotions were highly violent. This hatred for humans, made Heraclitus wander through the hills, surviving on grass and herbs. The health of Heraclitus was interrupted by dropsy, for which no cure was available at that time. Heraclitus made a self cure from manure, which turned fatal and terminated his life.

Works of Heraclitus:

Heraclitus made a study of nature which comprises of the Universe, Politics and Theology. Heraclitus further dedicated his works to the temple of Artemis, which was one of the seven wonders of the Ancient world. Those days, temples were used to preserve treasures and in exceptional cases private individuals were given opportunities. His works were unclear and only a genius could interpret them. Similar to other pre-Socrates genius, the works of Heraclitus survive in fragments. At many points of time, Heraclitus was deliberately obscure so that his interpretations of nature were misunderstood. While some of his works were incomplete, many of them were a strange composition.

Questions:

• What are the two characterizations of Heraclitus?
• Which philosopher described Heraclitus?