Laudator Temporis Acti

Apuleius, Florida 18.32-35 (on Thales; tr. H.E. Butler):

Even when he was far advanced into the vale of years, he evolved a divinely inspired theory concerning the period of the sun's revolution through the circle in which he moves in all his majesty. This theory, I may say, I have not only learned from books, but have also proved its truth by experiment. This theory Thales is said to have taught soon after its discovery to Mandrolytus of Priene. The latter, fascinated by the strangeness and novelty of his newly acquired knowledge, bade Thales choose whatever recompense he might desire in return for such precious instruction. 'It is enough recompense,' replied Thales the wise, 'if you will refrain from claiming as your own the theory I have taught you, whenever you begin to impart it to others, and will proclaim me and no other as the discoverer of this new law.' In truth that was a noble recompense, worthy of so great a man and beyond the reach of time. For that recompense has been paid to Thales down to this very day, and shall be paid to all eternity by all of us who have realized the truth of his discoveries concerning the heavens.

idem sane iam proclivi senectute divinam rationem de sole commentus est, quam equidem non didici modo, verum etiam experiundo comprobavi, quoties sol magnitudine sua circulum quem permeat metiatur. id a se recens inventum Thales memoratur edocuisse Mandrolytum Priennensem, qui nova et inopinata cognitione impendio delectatus optare iussit, quantam vellet mercedem sibi pro tanto documento rependi. 'satis,' inquit, 'mihi fuerit mercedis,' Thales sapiens, 'si id quod a me didicisti, cum proferre ad quospiam coeperis, non tibi adsciveris, sed eius inventi me potius quam alium repertorem praedicaris.' pulchra merces prorsum ac tali viro digna et perpetua; nam et in hodiernum ac dein semper Thali ea merces persolvetur ab omnibus nobis, qui eius caelestia studia vere cognovimus.

Benjamin Todd Lee on 18.32 (with a typographical error corrected):

Lit. "how many times in respect to its own size the sun measures the orbit that it travels." This calculation related the sun's diameter to its apparent orbit, a ratio of 1:720. For this calculation cf. Diels Vorsokratiker I² p3; Vallette 165n1 with Diogenes Laertius 1.24; for more cf. A. Wasserstein, "Thales' determination of the diameters of the sun and the moon," JHS 75 (1955), 214-216.

I have seen this several times, in the corporate world and elsewhere — people taking undeserved credit for work that others have done. It always strikes me as especially low and despicable behavior, an odious blend of falsehood and theft.