— Thales of MiletusReported in Diogenes Laertius 1.35; approximate English rendering
Commentary
This answer, attributed to Thales in the sayings of the Seven Sages, presents advice as easy in contrast to self-knowledge, which the sages describe as the hardest task. The saying is a sharp observation about the human tendency to judge others more readily than oneself, and it sits comfortably within the moral wisdom literature of the period. A. A. Long notes that such antitheses were a stock feature of the sayings collections, which were valued for their brevity and wit. G. S. Kirk, J. E. Raven, and M. Schofield observe that the saying belongs to the genre of proverbial wisdom rather than to natural philosophy, and that its attribution to Thales is traditional. Charles Kahn suggests that the Milesians' interest in practical affairs, including the politics and trade of their city, may have encouraged such observations, though the link is not demonstrable. Jonathan Barnes treats the attribution as uncertain, since the collections of sayings were compiled and reattributed over several centuries. The English is an approximation, and the Greek should be checked in Diogenes Laertius before quotation.
Commentary
This answer, attributed to Thales in the sayings of the Seven Sages, presents advice as easy in contrast to self-knowledge, which the sages describe as the hardest task. The saying is a sharp observation about the human tendency to judge others more readily than oneself, and it sits comfortably within the moral wisdom literature of the period. A. A. Long notes that such antitheses were a stock feature of the sayings collections, which were valued for their brevity and wit. G. S. Kirk, J. E. Raven, and M. Schofield observe that the saying belongs to the genre of proverbial wisdom rather than to natural philosophy, and that its attribution to Thales is traditional. Charles Kahn suggests that the Milesians' interest in practical affairs, including the politics and trade of their city, may have encouraged such observations, though the link is not demonstrable. Jonathan Barnes treats the attribution as uncertain, since the collections of sayings were compiled and reattributed over several centuries. The English is an approximation, and the Greek should be checked in Diogenes Laertius before quotation.