Fragment 61
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θάλασσα ὕδωρ καθαρώτατον καὶ μιαρώτατον. ἰχθύσι μὲν πότιμον καὶ σωτήριον, ἀνθρώποις δὲ ἄποτον καὶ ὀλέθριον
The sea is the purest and the impurest water. Fish can drink it, and it is good for them; to men it is undrinkable and destructive.
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Commentary
[ Hide commentary ]Most editors accept this whole fragment as authentic, but I disagree. Heraclitus typically observes a contradiction without explaining it. (See fragments 59 and 60, along with the commentary to fragment 12.) I think that Hippolytus added the last sentence to explain how sea water is both pure and impure.