VII PHILOSOPHIC AND POLITICAL LITERATURE TO THE DEATH OF SOCRATES Early Philosophy In turning abruptly from History to Philosophy, it is well to remember that we are only moving from one form to another of the Ionic * Historic,' and that there was, and still is, a considerable Greek literature dealing with other subjects, Science, Medicine, Geographical Discovery, Painting, Sculpture, Politics, and Commerce ; all occupying the best powers of the Greek mind, and all, except Sculpture and Commerce, referred to by extant writers with respect and even enthusiasm. But the plan of this work compels us to omit them almost entirely, and we can only touch on Philosophy so far as is absolutely necessary for the understanding of literature in the narrower sense. Philosophy first meets us in Miletus, where Thales, son of Examias — a Carian name — sought as a basis for his scientific work some doctrine of the 'Arche,' or origin of the world. He ignored myths and cosmo- gonies, and sought for an original substance, which he found in what he called ' Moisture.' His disciple Anaximander preferred to describe it as the aireLpov, the Infinite Undefined material, out of which all definite ■53
