38. Hippôn of Samos

38. HIPPÔN OF SAMOS

Hippôn of Samos flourished during the middle of the fifth century B.C. He published his views in several books; but only one genuine fragment has survived.

1. All water that is drunk comes from the sea; for of course

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the wells from which we drink are not deeper than the sea, for in that case the water would not be from the sea but from elsewhere. But in fact the sea is deeper than the water. It follows therefore that all water that is above the sea comes from the sea.

Spurious

2. (Elegiac epitaph on himself, claiming apotheosis).

3. Nothing is more empty than much learning.

4. The soul is very different from the body: it is active when the body is inert, it sees when the body is blind and lives when the body is dead.