All volumes of Professor Guthrie's great history of Greek philosophy have won their due acclaim. The most striking merits of Guthrie's work are his mastery of a tremendous range of ancient literature and modern scholarship, his fairness and balance of judgement and the lucidity and precision of his English prose. He has achieved clarity and comprehensiveness.
Preface; Notes on the sources; List of abbreviations; 1. Introduction and summary; 2. The beginnings of philosophy in Greece; 3. The Milesians; 4. Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans; 5. Alcmaeon; 6. Xenophanes; 7. Heraclitus; Bibliography; Indexes.