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File:Teofrasto_Orto_botanico_detail.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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Theophrastus

Also known as Theophr., Theophrastus of Eresos

Theophrastus (; ; c. 371 – c. 287 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher and naturalist. A native of Eresos in Lesbos, he was Aristotle's close colleague and successor as head of the Lyceum, the Peripatetic school of philosophy in Athens. Theophrastus wrote numerous treatises across all areas of philosophy, working to support, improve, expand, and develop the Aristotelian system. He made significant contributions to various fields, including ethics, metaphysics, botany, and natural history. Often considered the "father of botany" for his groundbreaking works "Enquiry into Plants" () and "On the

AI overview

Theophrastus was an ancient Greek philosopher and naturalist who succeeded Aristotle as head of the Lyceum in Athens and made major contributions to ethics, metaphysics, botany, and natural history by expanding Aristotle's philosophical system. He is widely regarded as the "father of botany" for his pioneering botanical works, making him one of the most influential thinkers of the ancient world across multiple fields of study.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Person · Open Library

Born: 370 BCE
Died: 286
Works: 156

Top works

Theophrastou Charactēres
De historia plantarum lib. ix et decimi principium duntaxat
De causis plantarum lib. vi
I caratteri morali
Theophrasti De historia, et causis plantaru[m], libri quindecim

via Open Library + Wikidata

Music · MusicBrainz

Type: Person

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Listeners · Last.fm

Listeners: 13
Total plays: 16

via Last.fm · Theophrastus

Recent publications · Crossref

5 total works indexed

Enquiry into Plants
· 1916 · cited 112x
Enquiry into plants : and minor works on odours and weather signs
· 1916 · cited 33x
De Causis Plantarum
· 1976 · cited 25x
Enquiry into plants, and minor works on odours and weather signs
· 1916 · cited 16x
Theophrastus <i>Metaphysics</i>
· 1993 · cited 15x

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Quotes

“Συνεχές τε … πολυτελὲς ἀνάλωμα εἶναι τὸν χρόνον.”
“The Unseasonable man is one who will go up to a busy person, and open his heart to him. He will serenade his mistress when she has a fever. He will address himself to a man who has been cast in a surety-suit, and request him to become his security. He will come to give evidence when the trial is over.”
“Superstition would seem to be simply cowardice in regard to the supernatural.”
“Εἰ μὲν ἀμαθὴς εἶ, φρονίμως ποιεῖς, εἰ δὲ πεπαίδευσαι, ἀφρόνως.”
“Ἐπισκήπτειν μὲν ἔχειν οὐδέν, πλὴν ὅτι πολλὰ τῶν ἡδέων ὁ βίος διὰ τὴν δόξαν καταλαζονεύεται. Ἡμεῖς γὰρ ὁπότ' ἀρχόμεθα ζῆν, τότ' ἀποθνῄσκομεν. Οὐδὲν οὖν ἀλυσιτελέστερόν ἐστι φιλοδοξίας.”

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Key facts

Philosopher.region: Western philosophy
Philosopher.era: Ancient philosophy
Philosopher.image: Teofrasto Orto botanico detail.jpg
Philosopher.alt: A statue of Theophrastus wearing a robe and unfurling a scroll
Philosopher.caption: Statue of Theophrastus, Palermo Botanical Garden
Philosopher.name: Theophrastus
Philosopher.birth_place: Eresos
Philosopher.death_date: (aged 83 or 84)
Philosopher.death_place: Athens
Philosopher.school_tradition: Peripatetic school
Philosopher.main_interests: Ethics, grammar, history, logic, metaphysics, natural history, physics, botany

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Place of birth: Eresos
Image: Teofrasto Orto botanico head.jpg

Show 8 more facts

Commons category: Theophrastus
date of birth: 0371-00-00
date of death: 0287-00-00
name in native language: Θεόφραστος Ἐρέσιος
Commons Creator page: Theophrastus
P12749: Norbert Trelle
P13311: Roncoferraro
significant place: Eresos

Sources (3)

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Works in European collections

36 objects attributed to Theophrastus, held across European museums, libraries & archives · via Europeana

The Caracters of Theophrast and de la Bruyere

Theophrasti Eresii Opera que supersunt omnia ex Thetione Friderici Wimmer. Tomus primus Historiam plantarum

Iulii Caesaris Scaligeri Animadversiones in Historias Theophrasti

Theophraste of the Odeurs, made of Greek in the nostre of the French-speaking language, with annotations of more notable and difficult places with the history of a few plants. By J. de L' Estrade,

Theophrasti Characteres

Theophrasti Eresii from Historia plantarum libri decem graece and Latin. In quibus textum graecum..., latinam Gazae versionem... rariorum plantarum iconibus illustravit Joannes Bodaeus a Stapel,... Accesserunt Julii Caesaris Scaligeri in eosdem libros animadversiones, and Roberti Constantini annotationes...

Iulii Caesaris Scaligeri viri clariss. Commentarii, and animadversiones, in sex libros de causis plantarum Theophrasti

Theophrasti Eresii, peripateticorum post Aristotelem principis, Pleraque: antehac Latine nunquam, nunc Graece & Latine simul edita. Interpretibus, Daniele Furlano Cretensi, Adriano Turnebo. Accesserunt, Liber de innato Acc, Aristoteli attributus, & Danielis Furlani Uberes ad omnia Commentarii: Ex Libreca Ioan. Vincentii Pinelli

Theophrastus De historia plantarum Theod. Gaza interprete

Theophrasti De caussis plantarum

Theophrasti Characteres

Theophrasti De historia et caussis plantarum

Theofrastoy ēthikoi charaktēres = Theophrasti notationes morum

Caratteri di Teofrasto [Texto impreso]

Characters [Printed Text]

I Trenta Caratteri Di Teofrasto Volgarizzati Da Tullio Dandolo

Suite des caracteres de Theophraste et des pensees de Pascal

Theophrasts Kennzeichen der Sitten ; Nebst des Herrn Johann de la Bruyere Mitglieds der französischen Akademie Moralischen Abschilderungen dieser Zeit

De historia plantarum libri IX et Decimi principium, de causis, sive generatione plantarum libri VI. Theodoro Gaza interpreted.

De historia plantarum libri IX et decimi principium duntaxat; Ejusdem de causis plantarum libri VI, Theodoro Gaza interprete.

History of stones. With an english version and ... notes, including the modern history of the gems etc. by John Hill. (etc.)

Theophrasti Eresii De historia plantarum :libri decem ; Graece et Latine

Theophrasti Characteres

Theophrest’s hallmark of customs: Next to Johann de la Bruyere Member of the French Academy of Moral Dependencies of the customs of that time

Theophrastu Charaktēres ēthikoi :graece & latine = Theophrasti Characteres ethici

Theophrasti Eresii Opera quae supersunt omnia. 1, Historiam plantarum continens

Theophrasti Characteres :Marci Antonini commentarii, Epicteti dissertationes ab Arriano literis mandatae, fragmenta et enchiridion cum commentario Simplicii, Cebetis tabula, Maximi Tyrii dissertationes Graece et Latine cum indicibus ; Theophrasti characteres XV et Maximum Tyrium

Theophrasti Notationes Morvm = Theophrastu ēthikoi Charaktēres

Theophrasti Characters ethici sive descriptiones morum: Graece

Theophrasti Eresii Opera, quae supersunt, omnia

Theophrast 's Characters

Theophrasti Characteres

Theophrastu Eresiu ta sōzomena. 5, Supplementum et indicem rerum et verborum continens

Theophrasti Eresii Opera quae supersunt omnia. 1, Historia plantarum

Theophrest’s hallmark of customs: Next to Johann de la Bruyere, members of the French Academy of Moral Decorations of the customs of that time. 2

Theophrastu Ēthikoi charaktēres = Theophrasti Notationes morum

~31 min read

Article

23 sections

Contents

Life
Writings
On plants
On moral characters
On sensation
Physics
Metaphysics
On stones
Publication History
Philosophy
Logic
Physics and metaphysics
Ethics
The "portrait" of Theophrastus
In popular culture
Works
Modern editions
Brill
Explanatory notes
Citations
General and cited references
Further reading
External links

He came to Athens at a young age and initially studied in Plato's school. After Plato's death, he attached himself to Aristotle who took to Theophrastus in his writings. When Aristotle fled Athens, Theophrastus took over as head of the Lyceum. Theophrastus presided over the Peripatetic school for thirty-six years, during which time the school flourished greatly. He is often considered the father of botany for his works on plants. After his death, the Athenians honoured him with a public funeral. His successor as head of the school was Strato of Lampsacus.