Talk:Pherecydes of Syros

The two Pherecydeses

There are two different Pherecydes in ancient Greece, this page seems to present a person which is a mixture of both ... this need to be fixed . (Note to myself.) Nixdorf 14:35, 10 Aug 2004 (UTC)

No point. Tale of two Pherekydeses originates from Diogenes Laertius, and he cannot decide if there is one or two, or which deeds belong to which one. Just mention the possible ambiguity in the article, that should be enough for anybody. http://classicpersuasion.org/pw/diogenes/dlpherecydes.htm

If Diogenes didn't know, then it's highly improbable that we'll ever know either... :-/ OK will do this. Nixdorf 12:26, 13 Sep 2004 (UTC)

According to nordisk familjebok the two Pherecydes's are:

• Pherecydes of Syros, the philosopher, associated with Pythagoras and autor of "On the nature of the Gods"
• Pherecydes of Leros (from the island of Leros close to Miletus) the author of Fragmenta Historium Graecorum

Nixdorf 12:48, 13 Sep 2004 (UTC)

This has been resolved by the new, excellent entry for Pherecydes of Leros. Nixdorf 08:11, 21 Sep 2004 (UTC)

@Nixdorf: Actually, as the corresponding articles now reflect, according to the Suda, there were three Pherecydes (see Pherecydes):

• Pherecydes of Syros,
• Pherecydes of Athens, and
• Pherecydes of Leros.

Note also, Pherecydes of Leros is not the author of the Fragmenta Historicorum Graecorum (= FHG), which is a compilation of the fragments of many ancient Greek authors by Karl Wilhelm Ludwig Müller, and which has been for the most part superseded by Felix Jacoby's Fragmente der griechischen Historiker (= FGrHist)). Rather, Pherecydes of Athens is one of the authors whose fragments are compiled in FHG and FGrHist (= FGrHist 3), who may or may not be the same person as Pherecydes of Leros. Paul August ☎ 21:13, 24 March 2020 (UTC)

Pentamychos

Also, article Pentagram talks about Pherekydes's book as Pentamychos (with its conclusions in Pythagorean mystics); while this seems to have a sound reasoning behind it, as Pherekydes is said to have teached Pythagoras, at least 1911 Britannica says Pentamychos is probably misreading (but it is widespread in scholarship). That's another Pherekydean mystery, but it could be mentioned in the article - it is confusing if you see a reference and you don't know it's the same book.

Well, the 1911 Britannica is outdated. Modern scholars almost all agree that Pentemychos is the correct title. In particular, Hermann S. Schibli, considered the most acclaimed scholar on Pherecydesa and author of the only scholarly book wholly devoted to Pherecydes, believes the title was Pentemychos. —Preceding unsigned comment added by August (talk • contribs) 10:26, 7 August 2008 (UTC)

Raising standards

Attempted to increase the profile of this important yet little known figure by adding content and also by copying the layout of pages considered as being of a high standard. However I am no expert - I had never heard of Pherecydes until a couple of days ago, nor do I have much experience of editing wikipedia articles. My efforts probably require wiki-templates for "citations needed", "more work needed", and/or "tidy up required" or similar notifications. I have never used such templates before, and ran out of time trying to find them.--Davidc 18:43, 19 October 2007 (UTC)

Discovered {{attention}} template which I have added. I feel that the claims for Pherecydes' astronomical work requires primary sources. His importance for me is his position bridging traditional mythology and rational philosophy. Sadly history appears to have pigeon-holed him as a writer on mythology, rather than a philosopher.--Davidc 21:49, 21 October 2007 (UTC)

Influenced by?

The "Influenced By" section says "Zedekiah"....who is this? Cornelius (talk) 19:31, 31 August 2012 (UTC)

Presumably Zedekiah, last king of Judah, was meant. I've removed it, and put in Hesiod instead, since he seems a more plausible influence. Pasicles (talk) 19:02, 11 September 2012 (UTC)

Ridicolous claim of ethnicity

All the sources agree that Pherecydes was ethnically a Greek from Syros (both "σύρος" and "συριανός" in ancient Greek,thence the 19th century translations that give him as a "Syrian"), and the works cited are three from the 19th century and one even from the 17th century, and also they three of them state he was "native from the island of Syros" and only one just says "Syrian"; the modern translation of "Lives of Eminent Philosophers" by Diogenes Laertius renders "συριανός" as "native of Syros", http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0258%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D11 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 151.54.19.49 (talk) 23:30, 17 February 2021 (UTC)

Doesn't "Syrian" basically mean native of Syros?

During Pherecydes birth modern-day Syria was Babylonia. Saying that he's "Syrian" sounds like a huge misunderstanding between the 2 entities (syros & syria). Encyclopedia Britannica also calls him "Greek". Should it be changed? Deji Olajide1999 (talk) 17:10, 9 July 2021 (UTC)

Yes, I've removed it. The "Syrian" claim was introduced a couple of months ago by a ban-evading sockpuppet of some ethnic agenda-pusher, and I quite agree with the analysis of the anon user posting above who tried to remove it earlier this year ([1]), and who was unfortunately reverted by an over-eager recent-changes patroller. Fut.Perf. ☼ 12:15, 11 July 2021 (UTC)