We do not know much about the life of Thales, and nothing of his work remains, if indeed he wrote, except fragments reported by later writers, such as Aristotle and Herodotus, the fifth-century (A.D.) historian. However, he was named as one of the seven sages of the early ancient Greeks, and he was known not only as a philosopher and scientist, but also as a political advisor. He urged the Ionians to establish a single council located at the center of the province. During the Persian War, when the army of Croesus could not cross the river Halys, Thales ordered the digging of a channel and dam that diverted the river so that it was fordable. He was also an astronomer who allegedly predicted an eclipse in 585 B.C., as well as discovered some of the first theorems of geometry (such as that in every isosceles triangle, the angles at the base are equal). Reportedly he once fell in a ditch when looking at the stars. The woman he was with exclaimed, "Do you think, Thales, that you will learn what is in the heavens, when you cannot see what is in front of your feet?" In contrast, it is claimed that he wanted to show that it is easy for a philosopher to become rich: he foresaw a good early olive crop, and hired all the olive presses, which he rented out at great profit.
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