Fragment 114

ξὺν νόῳ λέγοντας ἰσχυρίζεσθαι χρὴ τῷ ξυνῷ πάντων, ὅκωσπερ νόμῳ πόλις καὶ πολὺ ἰσχυροτέρως· τρέφονται γὰρ πάντες οἱ ἀνθρώπειοι νόμοι ὑπὸ ἑνὸς τοῦ θείου· κρατεῖ γὰρ τοσοῦτον ὁκόσον ἐθέλει καὶ ἐξαρκεῖ πᾶσὶ καὶ τεριγίνεται

Those who speak with understanding must hold fast to what is common to all as a city holds fast to its law, and even more strongly. For all human laws are fed by the divine one. It prevails as much as it will, and suffices for all things with something to spare.

Commentary

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The phrases ξὺν νόῳ ('with understanding') and ξυνῷ (to the common) are very similar. Heraclitus is most likely playing on this words. No matter how much learning a person has, he will not have understanding if he turns aside to his own private world (fragments 40 and 129).

Many commentators see the reference to 'the divine one' as 'the divine law', but I do not think this is correct. The Greek ἑνὸς τοῦ θείου should be read as 'the one divine being'.

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