Authors / Heraclitus

Heraclitus quotes

c. 535 BC–c. 475 BC · Greek philosopher of change

Only fragments of Heraclitus survive, quoted by later writers. The ancients nicknamed him "the Obscure" — and his best-known line is actually Plato's summary of him.

3 real · 0 not theirs

Really theirs

3 quotes traced to Heraclitus's own work or a reliable witness.

Sourced

Character is destiny.

Source: Fragment B119

Sourced

The way up and the way down are one and the same.

Source: Fragment B60

Attributed

You cannot step twice into the same river.

Plato's paraphrase; Heraclitus' own fragment (B12) speaks of different waters flowing over those who step into the same rivers.

Source: Reported by Plato, Cratylus 402a