The Shelves · Philosophy
On Nature (the 'book' of Heraclitus)
Περὶ φύσεως
Known · Probablein Alexandria?Conjecturedvery likely class
I · The entry, in his form
In the table of Philosophy
Conjecturedvery likely classHeraclitus of Ephesus
On Nature
Περὶ φύσεως
Opening words not preserved.
Length: not counted
Above, his entry form, filled from what we know. Below, ours.
II · Does it survive? Where to read it
Survives in fragments
About 130 fragments, quoted by later authors (Diels-Kranz 22).
Was it in Alexandria?
Known · ProbableProbably held in the Library.
In the cupboard: no source names the Alexandrian copy, but its scholars' use of it makes one very likely.
Read it today
- Greek fragments (Scaife Viewer) · the original · link checked 31 Oct 2026
III · In the show
The show has not yet spoken of this work.
IV · Sources and the living entry
Ancient references (2)
- Diogenes Laertius 9.1-17
- Clement, Stromata (many fragments)
Modern scholarship (2)
- G. S. Kirk, J. E. Raven and M. Schofield, The Presocratic Philosophers, 2nd ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983).
- A. Laks and G. W. Most (eds), Early Greek Philosophy, 9 vols (Loeb Classical Library 524-532; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2016).
Entry checked 31 Oct 2026 · no corrections · Suggest a correction ›
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