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The naturalist philosopher, who predicted the eclipse of the sun in the reign of Darius.[1]
And Aristophanes says, "Thales [is] a man." Meaning [he is] the greatest in astronomy. [The name Θαλῆς ] is declined Θαλοῦ [in the genitive]; but [the form] Θάλης [has the genitive] Θάλητος .[2] But one should note that [as] from the nominative Θαλῆς , like Ἑρμῆς , [accusative] Ἑρμῆν , Aristophanes declined [the name] Θαλῆν [in the accusative]. Also Ἑρμέας like Θαλέας . The name is pronounced in two different ways: with barytone accent Θάλης , like Χρέμης , from which the genitive [is] Θάλητος like Χρέμητος .[3]

Θαλῆς, ὁ φυσικὸς φιλόσοφος, ἐπὶ Δαρείου προειπὼν τὴν τοῦ ἡλίου ἔκλειψιν. καὶ Ἀριστοφάνης φησίν, ἄνθρωπος Θαλῆς. ἀντὶ τοῦ ἄκρος τὴν ἀστρονομίαν. κλίνεται δὲ Θαλοῦ: Θάλης δὲ Θάλητος. παρατηρητέον δέ, ὡς ὅτι ἀπ' εὐθείας τῆς Θαλῆς, ὡς Ἑρμῆς Ἑρμῆν, Θαλῆν ἔκλινεν Ἀριστοφάνης. καὶ Ἑρμέας ὡς Θαλέας. διχῶς δὲ τοὔνομα ἐκφωνητέον: βαρυτόνως μὲν Θάλης, ὡς Χρέμης, οὗ ἡ γενικὴ Θάλητος, ὡς Χρέμητος.

[1] cf. generally theta 17. The specific eclipse in question here has been dated to 585 BCE, which places Th. far earlier than the reign of Darius (delta 72, delta 73).
[2] Aristophanes, Birds 1009 with scholion; cf. theta 20
[3] From a scholion on Aristophanes, Clouds 180; the sentence should go on to mention the second pronunciation with circumflex accent.

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