author
Theophrastus
-371–-287
A pupil of Plato who became Aristotle’s successor, he helped shape the early study of philosophy and the natural world. He is often remembered as the "father of botany" for careful works on plants that stayed influential for centuries.
1 Audiobook
The Characters of Theophrastus A Translation, with Introduction
by Theophrastus
About the author
Born on Lesbos around 371 BCE, Theophrastus studied first with Plato and later with Aristotle. When Aristotle left Athens, Theophrastus eventually became head of the Lyceum, where he led the Peripatetic school and was said to attract a large circle of students.
He wrote on an astonishing range of subjects, including logic, metaphysics, ethics, politics, and natural science. His best-known surviving works are Enquiry into Plants and On the Causes of Plants, which is why later generations often called him the father of botany.
Much of his writing has been lost, but his reputation endured because he combined wide curiosity with close observation. Alongside his scientific works, he is also known for Characters, a lively set of sketches of human types that still feels sharp and recognizable today.