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and Lydians. Airy fixed the date May 28th,
585 B.C. But other modern astronomers give
different dates. Thales went to Egypt to
study science, and learnt from its priests the
length of the year (which was kept a pro-
found secret!), and the signs of the zodiac,
and the positions of the solstices. He held
that the sun, moon, and stars are not mere
spots on the heavenly vault, but solids; that
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