The Metaphysics of Aristotle

situated, or any other common place of assembly belonging to the city. They neither hear nor see the laws or decrees, whether promulgated or written. And, as to the ardent endeavors of their companions to obtain magistracies, the associations of these, their banquets and wanton feastings accompanied with pipers—these they do not even dream of accomplishing. But whether any thing in the city has happened well or ill, or what evil has befallen any one from his progenitors, whether male or female, of these they are more ignorant than, as it is said, of how many measures called choes (a unit of liquid measure) the sea contains. And besides this, such a one is even ignorant that he is ignorant* of all these particulars: for he does not abstain from them for the sake of renown, but, in reality his body only dwells and is conversant in the city; but his dianoëtic (discursive/rational) part considering all these as trifling and of no value, he is borne away, according to Pindar, on all sides, geometrizing about things beneath and upon the earth, astronomizing above the heavens, and perfectly investigating all the nature of the beings which every whole contains, but by no means applying himself to any thing which is near.

Theodorus. How is this, Socrates?

Socrates. Just, O Theodorus, as a certain elegant and graceful Thracian maid-servant is reported to have said to Thales, when while astronomizing he fell into a well, that he was very desirous of knowing what the heavens contained, but that he was ignorant of what was before him, and close to his feet. In the same manner all such as are conversant in philosophy may be derided. For, in reality, a character of this kind is not only ignorant of what his

* The multitude are ignorant that they are ignorant with respect to objects of all others the most splendid and real; but the coryphæan philosopher is ignorant that he is ignorant with respect to objects most unsubstantial and obscure. The former ignorance is the consequence of a defect, but the latter of a transcendency of gnostic energy (intellectual power of knowledge).