On the supposed Monism of Thales in PHerc. 1788 (= VH2 VIII 60, Fr. 6) Praesocratica Herculanensia I
Abstract
This paper considers PHerc. 1788 (= HV2 VIII 60, fr. 6) as a source for Presocratic doxography. As a matter of fact, in the Neapolitan apograph of the papyrus it is possible to read a testimonium to Thales, which has hitherto not been taken into account by the editors of his fragments. The text is full of gaps. Even so a clear reference to a monistic physical theory can be restored in the lines immediately following the quotation of the Presocratic. The evidence falls in a polemical context. An Epicurean (probably Philodemus) seems to take the side of a philosopher accused by others (most likely Epicurean dissidents) to have stolen several theories of Thales and in particular his equation of the first principle with the “One” (ἕν). The paper tries to understand if there are sufficient elements in order to give credit to an ‘emanatistic’ theory of the first Western philosopher, as HEGEL supposed. The negative answer which concludes the inquiry does not undermine the importance of this Herculanean piece of evidence, which certainly must put in the corpus of Thales’ fragments and testifies to the prominent role of the Herculaneum papyri for the most complete possible reconstruction of the Presocratic tradition in ancient philosophy.