Heraclitus' Quarrel with Polymathy and Historie

Abstract

Heraclitus' attitude towards polymathy (B40) and inquiry or historiê (B129) is controversial, although most scholars believe that he was a practicing histôr who thought that polymathy was a necessary, but not a sufficient, condition for "understanding." Through a study of historiê and polymathy as practiced by those whom Heraclitus explicitly attacks, and by other practitioners of the sixth and fifth centuries, this paper argues that the Histores were dependent upon polymathy, and that since Heraclitus believes that polymathy is an impediment to understanding, he would not count himself among the polymaths and histores.