---
title: "The Dinner of the Seven Wise Men · Septem sapientium convivium"
author: "Plutarch"
translator: "Roger Davis, rev. William W. Goodwin"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Philosophy"
section: 3 of 3
url: https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-dinner-of-the-seven-wise-men/3/
cite: "Plutarch, tr. Roger Davis, rev. William W. Goodwin, The Dinner of the Seven Wise Men · Septem sapientium convivium, section 3. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-dinner-of-the-seven-wise-men/3/"
---

# The Dinner of the Seven Wise Men · Septem sapientium convivium

*Plutarch, tr. Roger Davis, rev. William W. Goodwin*

Thales, Solon, Bias and the other sages at dinner with Periander, with riddles, Aesop and the tale of Arion and the dolphin.

> Greek: ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0007.tlg079, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Roger Davis, rev. William W. Goodwin, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0007.tlg079.perseus-eng4). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 3. Sections 16–21

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-dinner-of-the-seven-wise-men/3/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-dinner-of-the-seven-wise-men/3/#p-N

[¶0] 16. Yea, doubtless, replies Solon, or we may be reputed more injudicious than the Egyptians. For when any person dies among them, they open him and show him so dissected to the sun; his guts they throw into the river, to the remaining parts they allow a decent burial, for they think the body now pure and clean; and to speak truly, they are the foulest parts of the body, and like that lower hell crammed with dead carcasses and at the same time flowing with offensive rivers, such as flame with fire and are disturbed with tempests. No live creature feeds upon another living creature, but we first take away their lives, and in that action we do them great wrong; forasmuch as whatsoever is transmuted and turned into another loseth the nature which it had before, and is corrupted that it may become nourishment to the others. Now the very plants have life in them,—that is clear and manifest, for we perceive they grow and spread. But to abstain from eating flesh (as they say Orpheus of old did) is more a pretence than a real avoiding of an injury proceeding from the just use of meat. One way there is, and but one way, whereby a man may avoid offence, namely by being contented with his own, not coveting what belongs to his neighbor. But if a man’s circumstances be such and so hard that he cannot subsist without wronging another man, the fault is God’s, not his. The case being such with some persons, I would fain learn if it be not advisable to destroy, at the same time with injustice, these instruments of injustice, the belly, stomach, and liver, which have no sense of justice or appetite to honesty, and therefore may be fitly compared to your cook’s implements, his knives and his caldrons, or to a baker’s chimney and bins and kneading-tubs. Verily one may observe the souls of some men confined to their bodies, as to a house of correction, barely to do the drudgery and to serve the necessities thereof. It was our own case but even now. While we minded our meat and our bellies, we had neither eyes to see nor ears to hear; but now the table is taken away, we are free to discourse among ourselves and to enjoy one another; and now our bellies are full, we have nothing else to do or care for. And if this condition and state wherein we at present are would last our whole life, we having no wants to fear nor riches to covet (for a desire of superfluities attends a desire of necessaries), would not our lives be much more comfortable and life itself much more desirable? Yea, but Cleodemus stiffly maintains the necessity of eating and drinking, else we shall want tables and cups, and shall not be able to sacrifice to Ceres and Proserpina. By a parity of reason there is a necessity there should be contentions and wars, that men may have bulwarks and citadels and fortifications by land, fleets and navies abroad at sea, and that having slain hundreds, we may offer sacrifices (called Hecatomphonia) after the Messenian manner. By this reason we shall find men grudging their own health, for (they will say) there will be no need of down or feather beds unless they are sick; and so those healing Gods, and particularly Esculapius, will be vast sufferers, for they will infallibly lose so many fat and rich sacrifices yearly. Nay, the art of chirurgery will perish, and all those ingenious instruments that have been invented for the cure of man will lie by useless and insignificant. And what great difference is there between this and that? For meat is a medicine against hunger, and such as keep a regular diet are said to cure themselves,—I mean such as use meat not for wantonness but of necessity. For it is plain, the prejudices we receive by feeding far surmount the pleasures. And the pleasure of eating fills a very little place in our bodies and very little time. But why should I trouble you or myself with a catalogue of the many vexations which attend that man who is necessitated to provide for a family, and the many difficulties which distract him in his undertaking? For my part, I verily believe Homer had an eye to this very thing, when, to prove the immortality of the Gods, he made use of this very argument, that they were such because they used no victuals;
For not the bread of man their life sustains,
Nor wine’s inflaming juice supplies their veins; intimating meat to be the cause of death as well as the means of sustaining and supporting life. From hence proceed divers fatal distempers caused much more by fulness than by fasting; and to digest what we have eaten proves frequently a harder matter than to provide and procure what we eat. And when we solicitously enquire beforehand what we should do or how we should employ ourselves if we had not such care and business to take up our time, this is as if Danaus’s daughters should trouble their heads to know what they should do if they had no sieves to fill with water. We drudge and toil for necessaries, for want of better and nobler business. As slaves then who have gained their freedom do now and then those drudgeries and discharge those servile employments and offices for their own benefit which they undertook heretofore for their masters’ advantage, so the mind of man, which at present is enslaved to the body and the service thereof, when once it becomes free from this slavery, will take care of itself, and spend its time in contemplation of truth without distraction or disturbance. Such were our discourses upon this head, O Nicarchus.

> Greek: 16. πάνυ μὲν οὖν ἔφη ὁ Σόλων, μὴ καὶ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἀκριτώτεροι φανῶμεν, οἳ τὸν νεκρὸν ἀνατεμόντες ἔδειξαν τῷ ἡλίῳ, εἶτʼ αὐτὰ μὲν εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν κατέβαλον, τοῦ δʼ ἄλλου σώματος ὡς ἤδη καθαροῦ γεγονότος ἐπιμέλονται. τῷ γὰρ ὄντι τοῦτʼ ἐστὶ τὸ μίασμα τῆς σαρκὸς ἡμῶν καὶ ὁ Τάρταρος ὁ ἐν ᾍδου, δεινῶν τινων ῥευμάτων καὶ πνεύματος ὁμοῦ καὶ πυρὸς συμπεφυρμένου καὶ νεκρῶν περίπλεως. ζῶν γὰρ οὐδεὶς ἀπʼ οὐδενὸς τρέφεται ζῶντος, ἀλλὰ θανατοῦντες τὰ ἔμψυχα καὶ τὰ φυόμενα τῷ τρέφεσθαι καὶ αὔξεσθαι μετέχοντα τοῦ ζῆν ἀπολλύντες ἀδικοῦμεν. ἀπόλλυται γὰρ ἐξ οὗ πέφυκε τὸ μεταβάλλον εἰς ἄλλο, καὶ πᾶσαν φθείρεται φθοράν, ὅπως ἂν θατέρου τροφὴ γένοιτο. τὸ δʼ ἀπέχεσθαι σαρκῶν ἐδωδῆς, ὥσπερ Ὀρφέα τὸν παλαιὸν ἱστοροῦσι, σόφισμα μᾶλλον ἢ φυγὴ τῶν περὶ τὴν τροφὴν ἀδικημάτων ἐστί. φυγὴ δὲ μία καὶ καθαρμὸς εἰς δικαιοσύνην τέλειος αὐτάρκη καὶ ἀπροσδεᾶ γενέσθαι. ᾧ δʼ ἄνευ κακώσεως ἑτέρου τὴν αὑτοῦ σωτηρίαν ἀμήχανον ὁ θεὸς πεποίηκε, τούτῳ τὴν φύσιν ἀρχὴν ἀδικίας προστέθεικεν. ἆρʼ οὖν οὐκ ἄξιον, ὦ φίλε, συνεκτεμεῖν ἀδικίᾳ κοιλίαν καὶ στόμαχον καὶ ἧπαρ, ἃ καλοῦ μὲν οὐδενὸς αἴσθησιν ἡμῖν οὐδʼ ὄρεξιν ἐνδίδωσι, σκεύεσι δὲ μαγειρικοῖς, οἷα κοπίδες καὶ λέβητες, τὰ δὲ μυλωθρικοῖς καὶ καμίνοις καὶ φρεωρύχοις καὶ μακτηρίοις ἔοικεν; ἀτεχνῶς δὲ τῶν πολλῶν ἴδοι τις ἂν ὥσπερ ἐν μυλῶνι τῷ σώματι τὴν ψυχὴν ἐγκεκαλυμμένην ἀεὶ περὶ τὴν τῆς τροφῆς χρείαν κυκλοῦσαν, ὥσπερ ἀμέλει καὶ ἡμεῖς ἄρτι μὲν οὔθʼ ἑωρῶμεν ἀλλήλους οὔτʼ ἠκούομεν, ἀλλʼ ἕκαστος ἐγκεκυφὼς ἐδούλευε τῇ περὶ τὴν τροφὴν χρείᾳ. νυνὶ δʼ ἐπαρθεισῶν τῶν τραπεζῶν ἐλεύθεροι γεγονότες ὡς ὁρᾷς, ἐστεφανωμένοι περὶ λόγους διατρίβομεν καὶ ἀλλήλοις σύνεσμεν καὶ σχολὴν ἄγομεν, εἰς τὸ μὴ δεῖσθαι τροφῆς ἐληλυθότες. ἆρʼ οὖν, ἄνπερ ἡ νῦν οὖσα περὶ ἡμᾶς ἕξις ἄπαυστος διαμένῃ παρὰ πάντα τὸν βίον, οὐκ ἀεὶ σχολὴν ἕξομεν ἀλλήλοις συνεῖναι, μὴ δεδιότες πενίαν μηδʼ εἰδότες πλοῦτον; ὁ γὰρ τῶν περισσῶν ζῆλος εὐθὺς ἀκολουθεῖ καὶ συνοικίζεται τῇ χρείᾳ τῶν ἀναγκαίων. ἀλλʼ οἴεται δεῖν τροφὴν εἶναι Κλεόδωρος, ὅπως τράπεζαι καὶ κρατῆρες ὦσι, καὶ Δήμητρι καὶ Κόρῃ θύωμεν. ἕτερος δέ τις ἀξιούτω μάχας εἶναι καὶ πόλεμον, ἵνα καὶ τείχη καὶ νεωσοίκους καὶ ὁπλοθήκας ἔχωμεν καὶ θύωμεν ἑκατομφόνια, καθάπερ φασὶ νόμον εἶναι Μεσσηνίοις. ἄλλον δὲ πρὸς τὴν ὑγίειαν οἶμαι χαλεπαίνειν· δεινὸν γὰρ εἰ μηδενὸς νοσοῦντος οὐ στρωμνῆς ἔτι μαλακῆς ὄφελος οὐ κλίνης, οὐκ Ἀσκληπιῷ θύσομεν οὐκ ἀποτροπαίοις, ἰατρικὴ δὲ μετʼ ὀργάνων καὶ φαρμάκων ἀποκείσεται τοσούτων ἀκλεὴς καὶ ἀπόθεστος. ἢ τί ταῦτʼ ἐκείνων διαφέρει; καὶ γὰρ ἡ τροφὴ λιμοῦ φάρμακον προσάγεται, καὶ θεραπεύειν ἑαυτοὺς λέγονται πάντες οἱ τρεφόμενοι καὶ δίαιταν, οὐχ ὡς ἡδύ τι καὶ κεχαρισμένον ἀλλʼ ὡς ἀναγκαῖον τοῦτο τῇ φύσει πράττοντες. ἐπεὶ λύπας γε πλείονας ἔστιν ἀπὸ τῆς τροφῆς τῶν ἡδονῶν γιγνομένας καταριθμῆσαι, μᾶλλον δʼ ἡ μὲν ἡδονὴ καὶ τόπον ἔχει βραχὺν ἐν τῷ σώματι καὶ χρόνον οὐ πολύν· ἡ δὲ περὶ τὴν διοίκησιν αὐτῆς ἀσχολία καὶ δυσχέρεια τί δεῖ λέγειν ὅσων αἰσχρῶν καὶ ὀδυνηρῶν ἡμᾶς ἐμπίπλησιν; οἶμαι γὰρ εἰς ταῦτα βλέψαντα τὸν Ὅμηρον ἀποδείξει κεχρῆσθαι περὶ θεῶν τοῦ μὴ ἀποθνῄσκειν τῷ μὴ τρέφεσθαι
οὐ γὰρ σῖτον ἔδουσʼ, οὐ πίνουσʼ αἴθοπα οἶνον·
τοὔνεκʼ ἀναίμονές εἰσι καὶ ἀθάνατοι καλέονται, ὡς μὴ μόνον τοῦ ζῆν ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ ἀποθνῄσκειν τὴν τροφὴν ἐφόδιον οὖσαν. ἐκ ταύτης γὰρ αἱ νόσοι συντρεφόμεναι τοῖς σώμασιν οὐκ ἔλαττον ἐνδείας κακὸν ἔχουσι τὴν πλήρωσιν· πολλάκις δὲ καὶ μεῖζόν ἐστιν ἔργον τοῦ πορίσαι τροφὴν καὶ συναγαγεῖν τὸ καταναλῶσαι καὶ διαφορῆσαι πάλιν εἰς τὸ σῶμα παραγενομένην. ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ εἰ διαποροῖεν αἱ Δαναΐδες τίνα βίον βιώσονται καὶ τί πράξουσιν ἀπαλλαγεῖσαι τῆς περὶ τὸν πίθον λατρείας καὶ πληρώσεως, οὕτω διαποροῦμεν ἡμεῖς, εἰ γένοιτο παύσασθαι φοροῦντας εἰς τὴν σάρκα τὴν ἄτρυτον ἐκ γῆς ἅμα καὶ θαλάττης τοσαῦτα, τί πράξομεν ἀπειρίᾳ τῶν καλῶν τὸν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀναγκαίοις στέργοντες βίον. ὥσπερ οὖν οἱ δουλεύσαντες, ὅταν ἐλευθερωθῶσιν, ἃ πάλαι τοῖς δεσπόταις ἔπραττον ὑπηρετοῦντες, ταῦτα πράττουσιν αὑτοῖς καὶ διʼ αὑτούς, οὕτως ἡ ψυχὴ νῦν μὲν τρέφει τὸ σῶμα πολλοῖς πόνοις καὶ ἀσχολίαις, εἰ δʼ ἀπαλλαγείη τῆς λατρείας, αὑτὴν δήπουθεν ἐλευθέραν γενομένην θρέψει καὶ βιώσεται, εἰς αὑτὴν ὁρῶσα καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν, οὐδενὸς περισπῶντος οὐδʼ ἀπάγοντος. ἑ τὰ μὲν οὖν ῥηθέντα περὶ τροφῆς, ὦ Νίκαρχε, ταῦτʼ ἦν.

[¶1] 17. And before Solon had fully finished, in came Gorgias, Periander’s brother, who was just returned from Tacnarum, whither he had been sent by the advice of the oracle to sacrifice to Neptune and to conduct a deputation. Upon his entrance we welcomed him home; and Periander having among the rest saluted him, Gorgias sat by him upon a bed, and privately whispered something to his brother which we could not hear. Periander by his various gestures and motions discovered different affections; sometimes he seemed sad and melancholic, by and by disturbed and angry; frequently he looked as doubtful and distrustful men use to do; awhile after he lifts up his eyes as is usual with men in a maze. At last recovering himself, saith he, I have a mind to impart to you the contents of this embassy; but I scarce dare do it, remembering Thales’s aphorism, how things impossible or incredible are to be concealed and only things credible and probable are to be related. Bias answered, I crave leave to explain Thales’s saying, We may distrust enemies, even though they speak things credible, and trust friends, even though they relate things incredible; and I suppose by enemies he meant vicious men and foolish, and by friends, wise and good men. Then, brother Gorgias, quoth Periander, I pray relate the whole story particularly.

> Greek: 17. ἔτι δὲ τοῦ Σόλωνος λέγοντος εἰσῆλθε Γόργος ὁ Περιάνδρου ἀδελφός· ἐτύγχανε γὰρ εἰς Ταίναρον ἀπεσταλμένος ἔκ τινων χρησμῶν, τῷ Ποσειδῶνι θυσίαν καὶ θεωρίαν ἀπάγων. ἀσπασαμένων δʼ αὐτὸν ἡμῶν καὶ τοῦ Περιάνδρου προσαγαγομένου καὶ φιλήσαντος καθίσας παρʼ αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης ἀπήγγειλεν ἅττα δὴ πρὸς μόνον ἐκεῖνον, ὁ δʼ ἠκροᾶτο, πολλὰ πάσχοντι πρὸς τὸν λόγον ὅμοιος ὤν. τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἀχθόμενος τὰ δʼ ἀγανακτῶν ἐφαίνετο, πολλάκις δʼ ἀπιστῶν, εἶτα θαυμάζων· τέλος δὲ γελάσας πρὸς ἡμᾶς βούλομαι μέν ἔφη πρὸς τὸ παρὸν φράσαι τὸ προσηγγελμένον· ὀκνῶ δʼ ἀκούσας Θαλέω ποτʼ εἰπόντος ὅτι δεῖ τὰ μὲν εἰκότα λέγειν, τὰ δʼ ἀμήχανα σιωπᾶν ὑπολαβὼν οὖν ὁ Βίας ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτʼ ἔφη Θαλέω τὸ σοφόν ἐστιν, ὅτι δεῖ τοῖς μὲν ἐχθροῖς καὶ περὶ τῶν πιστῶν ἀπιστεῖν, τοῖς δὲ φίλοις καὶ τὰ ἄπιστα πιστεύειν, ἐχθροὺς μέν, ἔγωγʼ ἡγοῦμαι, τοὺς πονηροὺς καὶ ἀνοήτους, φίλους δὲ τοὺς χρηστοὺς καὶ φρονίμους αὐτοῦ καλοῦντος. οὐκοῦν ἔφη λεκτέον εἰς ἅπαντας, ὦ Γόργε, μᾶλλον δʼ ἀκτέον ἐπὶ τοὺς νέους τούτους διθυράμβους ὑπερφθεγγόμενον ὃν ἥκεις λόγον ἡμῖν κομίζων.

[¶2] 18. Gorgias in obedience to his brother’s command began his story thus:— When we had fasted now for three days and offered sacrifice upon each of those days, we were all resolved to sit up the third night and spend it in pastime and dancing. The moon shone very bright upon the water, and the sea was exceeding calm and still; this we saw, for we sported ourselves upon the shore. Being thus taken up, all of a sudden we espied a wonderful spectacle off at sea, making with incredible expedition to the adjoining promontory. The violence of the motion made the sea foam again, and the noise was so loud, that the whole company forsook their sport and ran together toward the place, admiring what the matter should be. Before we could make a full discovery of the whole, the motion was so rapid, we perceived divers dolphins, some swimming in a ring or circle, others hastening amain to that part of the shore which was most smooth, and others following after and (as it were) bringing up the rear. In the middle there was a certain heap which we could perceive above the water; but we could not distinctly apprehend what it was, till drawing near the shore we saw all the dolphins flocking together, and having made near the land they safely surrendered their charge, and left out of danger a man breathing and shaking himself. They returned to the promontory, and there seemed to rejoice more than before for this their fortunate undertaking. Divers in the company were affrighted and ran away; myself and a few more took courage, and went on to see and satisfy ourselves what this unusual matter might be; there we found and instantly knew our old acquaintance Arion the musician, who told us his name. He wore that very garment he used when he strove for mastery. We brought him into our tent and found he had received no damage in his passage, save only a little lassitude by the violence of the motion. He told us the whole story of his adventure,—a story incredible to all but such as saw it with their eyes. He told us how, when he had determined to leave Italy, being hastened away by Periander’s letters, he went aboard a Corinthian merchantman then in port and ready to sail; being off at sea with the winds favorable, he observed the seamen bent to ruin him, and the master of the vessel told him as much, and that they purposed to execute their design upon him that very night. In this distress, the poor man (as if inspired by his good Genius) girds about him his heretofore victorious, now his funeral cloak, with a brave resolution to compose and sing his own epitaph, as the swans when they apprehend the approaches of death are reported to do. Being thus habited, he told the seamen he was minded to commit the protection of himself and his fellow-passengers to the providence of the Gods in a Pythian song; then standing upon the poop near the side of the vessel, and having invoked the help and assistance of all the sea Gods, he strikes up briskly and sings to his harp. Before he had half finished his carol, the sun set, and he could discern Peloponnesus before him. The seamen thought it tedious to tarry for the night, wherefore they resolved to murder him immediately, to which purpose they unsheathed their swords. Seeing this, and beholding the master standing with his face covered, he leaped into the sea as far as he could; but before his body sunk he found himself supported by dolphins. At first he was surprised with care and trouble; but by and by, finding himself marching forward with much ease and security, and observing a whole shoal of dolphins flocking about him and joyfully contending which should appear most forward and serviceable in his preservation, and discerning the vessel at a considerable distance behind, he apprehended the nimbleness of his porters; then, and not till then, his fears forsook him, and he professed he was neither so fearful of death nor desirous of life as he was full of ambitious desire to reach the haven of safety, that he might show to all men that he stood in the grace and favor of the Gods, and that he might himself believe more firmly than ever before in their being and goodness. In his passage, as he lifted up his eyes toward heaven, and beheld the stars glittering and twinkling and the moon full and glorious, and the sea calm all about her as she seemed to rise out of it, and yielding him (as it were) a beaten track; he declared, he thought God’s justice had more eyes than one, and that with these many eyes the Gods beheld what was acted here below both by sea and land. With such contemplations he performed his voyage less anxiously, which much abated the tediousness thereof and was a comfort and refreshment to him in his solitude and danger. At last, arriving near the promontory which was both steep and high, and fearing danger in a straight course and direct line, they unanimously veered about, and making to shore with a little compass for security, they delivered Arion to us in safety, so that he plainly perceived and with thanks acknowledged a Providence. When Arion had finished this narrative of his escape, I asked him (quoth Gorgias) whither the ship was bound; he told me for Corinth, but it would not be there very suddenly, for when he leaped out of the ship and was carried (as he conceived) about five hundred furlongs, he perceived a calm, which must needs much retard their arrival who were aboard. Gorgias added that, having learned the names of the pilot and master and the colors of the ship, he immediately despatched out ships and soldiers to examine all the ports, all this while keeping Arion concealed, lest the criminals should upon notice of his deliverance escape the pursuit of justice. This action happened very luckily, as if it were directed by the power of the Gods; for as soon as he arrived at Corinth, news was brought him that the same ship was in port, and that his party had seized it and secured all the men, merchants and others. Whereupon Periander commended Gorgias’s discretion and zeal, desiring him to proceed and lose no time, but immediately to clap them in close prison, and to suffer none to come at them to give the least notice of Arion’s miraculous escape.

> Greek: 18. ἔφη τοίνυν Γόργος ὅτι, τῆς θυσίας ἐφʼ ἡμέρας τρεῖς συντελεσθείσης ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῇ τελευταίᾳ παννυχίδος οὔσης καὶ χορείας τινὸς καὶ παιδιᾶς παρὰ τὸν αἰγιαλόν, ἡ μὲν σελήνη κατέλαμπεν εἰς τὴν θάλατταν, οὐκ ὄντος δὲ πνεύματος ἀλλὰ νηνεμίας καὶ γαλήνης, πόρρωθεν ἀφεωρᾶτο φρίκη κατιοῦσα παρὰ τὴν ἄκραν, ἀφρόν τινα καὶ ψόφον ἄγουσα τῷ ῥοθίῳ περὶ αὐτὴν πολύν, ὥστε πάντας ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον οἷ προσβάλλειν ἔμελλε καταδραμεῖν θαυμάσαντας. πρὶν δʼ εἰκάσαι τὸ προσφερόμενον ὑπὸ τάχους, δελφῖνες ὤφθησαν, οἱ μὲν ἀθρόοι πέριξ κυκλοῦντες, οἱ δʼ ὑφηγούμενοι τοῦ αἰγιαλοῦ πρὸς τὸ λειότατον, ἄλλοι δʼ ἐξόπισθεν, οἷον περιέποντες. ἐν μέσῳ δʼ ἀνεῖχεν ὑπὲρ τῆς θαλάσσης ὄγκος ἀσαφὴς καὶ ἄσημος ὀχουμένου σώματος, μέχρι οὗ συναγαγόντες εἰς ταὐτὸ καὶ συνεποκείλαντες ἐξέθηκαν ἐπὶ γῆν ἄνθρωπον ἔμπνουν καὶ κινούμενον, αὐτοὶ δὲ πάλιν πρὸς τὴν ἄκραν ἀναφερόμενοι μᾶλλον ἢ πρότερον ἐξήλαντο, παίζοντες ὑφʼ ἡδονῆς τινος ὡς ἔοικε καὶ σκιρτῶντες. ἡμῶν δʼ ὁ Γόργος ἔφη πολλοὶ μὲν διαταραχθέντες ἔφυγον ἀπὸ τῆς θαλάσσης, ὀλίγοι δὲ μετʼ ἐμοῦ θαρρήσαντες προσελθεῖν ἐγνώρισαν Ἀρίονα τὸν κιθαρῳδόν, αὐτὸν τοὔνομα φθεγγόμενον ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ τῇ στολῇ καταφανῆ γενόμενον· τὸν γὰρ ἐναγώνιον ἐτύγχανεν ἀμπεχόμενος κόσμον, ᾧ κιθαρῳδῶν ἐχρῆτο. κομίσαντες οὖν ἐπὶ σκηνὴν αὐτόν, ὡς οὐδὲν εἶχε κακὸν ἀλλʼ ἢ διὰ τάχος καὶ ῥοῖζον ἐφαίνετο τῆς φορᾶς ἐκλελυμένος καὶ κεκμηκώς, ἠκούσαμεν λόγον ἄπιστον ἅπασι πλὴν ἡμῶν τῶν θεασαμένων τὸ τέλος. ἔλεγε γὰρ Ἀρίων ὡς πάλαι μὲν ἐγνωκὼς ἐκ τῆς Ἰταλίας ἀπαίρειν, Περιάνδρου δὲ γράψαντος αὐτῷ προθυμότερος γενόμενος ὁλκάδος Κορινθίας παραφανείσης εὐθὺς ἐπιβὰς ἀναχθείη, μετρίῳ δὲ πνεύματι χρωμένων ἡμέρας τρεῖς αἴσθοιτο τοὺς ναύτας ἐπιβουλεύοντας ἀνελεῖν αὐτόν, εἶτα καὶ παρὰ τοῦ κυβερνήτου πύθοιτο κρύφα μηνύσαντος ὡς τῇ νυκτὶ τοῦτο δρᾶν αὐτοῖς εἴη δεδογμένον. ἔρημος οὖν ὢν βοηθείας καὶ ἀπορῶν ὁρμῇ τινι χρήσαιτο δαιμονίῳ τὸ μὲν σῶμα κοσμῆσαι καὶ λαβεῖν ἐντάφιον αὑτῷ τὸν ἐναγώνιον ἔτι ζῶν κόσμον, ἐξᾷσαι δὲ τὸν βίον τελευτῶν καὶ μὴ γενέσθαι κατὰ τοῦτο τῶν κύκνων ἀγεννέστερος. ἐσκευασμένος οὖν καὶ προειπὼν ὅτι προθυμία τις αὐτὸν ἔχοι τῶν νόμων διελθεῖν τὸν Πυθικὸν ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας αὑτοῦ καὶ τῆς νεὼς καὶ τῶν ἐμπλεόντων, καταστὰς παρὰ τὸν τοῖχον ἐν πρύμνῃ καί τινα θεῶν πελαγίων ἀνάκλησιν προανακρουσάμενος ᾄδοι τὸν νόμον. καὶ ὅσον οὔπω μεσοῦντος αὐτοῦ καταδύοιτο μὲν ὁ ἥλιος εἰς τὴν θάλατταν, ἀναφαίνοιτο δʼ ἡ Πελοπόννησος. οὐκέτʼ οὖν τῶν ναυτῶν τὴν νύκτα περιμενόντων ἀλλὰ χωρούντων ἐπὶ τὸν φόνον, ἰδὼν ξίφη γεγυμνωμένα καὶ παρακαλυπτόμενον ἤδη τὸν κυβερνήτην, ἀναδραμὼν ῥίψειεν ἑαυτὸν ὡς δυνατὸν ἦν μάλιστα πόρρω τῆς ὁλκάδος. πρὶν δʼ ὅλον καταδῦναι τὸ σῶμα δελφίνων ὑποδραμόντων ἀναφέροιτο, μεστὸς ὢν ἀπορίας καὶ ἀγωνίας καὶ ταραχῆς τὸ πρῶτον· ἐπεὶ δὲ ῥᾳστώνη τῆς ὀχήσεως ἦν, καὶ πολλοὺς ἑώρα ἀθροιζομένους περὶ αὐτὸν εὐμενῶς καὶ διαδεχομένους ὡς ἀναγκαῖον ἐν μέρει λειτούργημα καὶ προσῆκον πᾶσιν, ἡ δʼ ὁλκὰς ἀπολειφθεῖσα πόρρω τοῦ τάχους αἴσθησιν παρεῖχε, μήτε τοσοῦτον ἔφη δέους πρὸς θάνατον αὐτῷ μήτʼ ἐπιθυμίας τοῦ ζῆν ὅσον φιλοτιμίας ἐγγενέσθαι πρὸς τὴν σωτηρίαν, ὡς θεοφιλὴς ἀνὴρ φανείη καὶ λάβοι περὶ θεῶν δόξαν βέβαιον. ἅμα δὲ καθορῶν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀστέρων περίπλεων καὶ τὴν σελήνην ἀνίσχουσαν εὐφεγγῆ καὶ καθαράν, ἑστώσης δὲ πάντῃ τῆς θαλάσσης ἀκύμονος ὥσπερ τρίβον ἀνασχιζόμενον τῷ δρόμῳ, διανοεῖσθαι πρὸς αὑτὸν ὡς οὐκ ἔστιν εἷς ὁ τῆς Δίκης ὀφθαλμός, ἀλλὰ πᾶσι τούτοις ἐπισκοπεῖ κύκλῳ ὁ θεὸς τὰ πραττόμενα περὶ γῆν τε καὶ θάλατταν. τούτοις δὴ τοῖς λογισμοῖς ἔφη τὸ κάμνον αὐτῷ καὶ βαρυνόμενον ἤδη τοῦ σώματος ἀναφέρεσθαι, καὶ τέλος ἐπεὶ τῆς ἄκρας ἀπαντώσης ἀποτόμου καὶ ὑψηλῆς εὖ πως φυλαξάμενοι καὶ κάμψαντες ἐν χρῷ παρενήχοντο τῆς γῆς ὥσπερ εἰς λιμένα σκάφος ἀσφαλῶς κατάγοντες, παντάπασιν αἰσθέσθαι θεοῦ κυβερνήσει γεγονέναι τὴν κομιδήν. ταῦθʼ, ὁ Γόργος ἔφη τοῦ Ἀρίονος εἰπόντος ἠρόμην αὐτὸν ὅπου τὴν ναῦν οἴεται κατασχήσειν. ὁ δὲ πάντως μὲν εἰς Κόρινθον, πολὺ μέντοι καθυστερεῖν· αὐτὸν γὰρ ἑσπέρας ἐκπεσόντα πεντακοσίων οὐ μεῖον οἴεσθαι σταδίων δρόμον κομισθῆναι, καὶ γαλήνην εὐθὺς κατασχεῖν οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ ἑαυτὸν ὁ Γόργος ἔφη πυθόμενον τοῦ τε ναυκλήρου τοὔνομα καὶ τοῦ κυβερνήτου καὶ τῆς νεὼς τὸ παράσημον ἐκπέμψαι πλοῖα, καὶ στρατιώτας ἐπὶ τὰς κατάρσεις παραφυλάξοντας· τὸν δʼ Ἀρίονα μετʼ αὐτοῦ κομίζειν ἀποκεκρυμμένον, ὅπως μὴ προαισθόμενοι τὴν σωτηρίαν διαφύγοιεν. ὄντως οὖν ἐοικέναι θείᾳ τύχῃ τὸ πρᾶγμα· παρεῖναι γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἅμα δεῦρο καὶ πυνθάνεσθαι τῆς νεὼς κεκρατημένης ὑπὸ τῶν στρατιωτῶν συνειλῆφθαι τοὺς ἐμπόρους καὶ ναύτας.

[¶3] 19. Gentlemen, quoth Esop, I remember you derided my dialogue of the daws and crows; and now you can admire and believe as improbable a story of dolphins. You are mightily out, said I, for this is no new story which we believe, but it is recorded in the annals of Ino and Athamas above a thousand years ago. These passages are supernatural, quoth Solon, and much above our reason; what befell Hesiod is of a lower kind, and more proper for our discourse, and if you have not heard of it before, it is worth your hearing. Hesiod was once entertained at the same house in Locris with a certain Milesian. In this his sojourning time it happened the gentleman’s daughter was got with child by the Milesian; which being discovered, the whole family concluded Hesiod, if not guilty, must be privy to the fact. His innocence was but a weak fence against their jealousy and aspersions; and therefore, rashly censuring him guilty, the brothers of the woman waylaid him in his return home, and slew him and his companion Troilus near the temple of Nemean Jove in Locris. Their carcasses they threw into the sea; that of Troilus was carried into the river Daphnus, and rested upon a certain rock compassed with waters, just above the surface of the sea, which rock bears his name to this day. The body of Hesiod was no sooner fallen upon the surface of the water, but a company of dolphins received it, and conveyed it to Rhium and Molycria. It happened the Locrians were assembled at Rhium that day to feast and make merry, according to the custom which continues still among them. As soon as they perceived a carcass floating or rather swimming towards them, they hastened, not without admiration, to see what it was; and knowing the body to be Hesiod’s, they instantly resolved to find out the murderers. It proved an easy discovery. After conviction they threw them headlong alive into the sea, and ordered their houses to be demolished to the very foundations. The body they buried in the grove of the temple of Jove, that no foreigner might find it out; the reason of this act was that the Orchomenians had searched far and near for it at the instigation of the oracle, who promised them the greatest felicity if they could get the bones of Hesiod and bury them in their city. Now if dolphins are so favorable to dead men, it is very probable they have a strong affection for the living, especially for such as delight in music, whether vocal or instrumental. And this we know undoubtedly, that these creatures delight infinitely in music; they love it, and if any man sings or plays as he sails along in fair weather, they will quietly swim by the side of the ship, and listen till the music is ended. When children bathe in the water and sport themselves, you shall have a parcel of them flock together and sport and swim by them; and they may do it the more securely, since it is a breach of the law of Nature to hurt them. You never heard of any man that fishes for them purposely or hurts them wilfully, unless falling into the nets they spoil the sport, and so, like naughty children, are corrected for their misdemeanors. I very well remember the Lesbians told me how a maid of their town was preserved from drowning by them.

> Greek: 19. ὁ μὲν οὖν Περίανδρος ἐκέλευσεν εὐθὺς ἐξαναστάντα τὸν Γόργον εἰς φυλακὴν ἀποθέσθαι τοὺς ἄνδρας οἷ μηδεὶς αὐτοῖς πρόσεισι μηδὲ φράσει τὸν Ἀρίονα σεσωσμένον· ὁ δʼ Αἴσωπος ἀλλʼ ὑμεῖς ἔφη τοὺς ἐμοὺς χλευάζετε κολοιοὺς καὶ κόρακας εἰ διαλέγονται δελφῖνες δὲ τοιαῦτα νεανιεύονται; Κἀγὼ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἄλλο τι λέγωμεν ἔφην ὦ Αἴσωπε· τούτῳ δὲ τῷ λόγῳ πιστευομένῳ καὶ γραφομένῳ παρʼ ἡμῖν πλέον ἢ χίλιʼ ἔτη διαγέγονεν ἀπὸ τῶν Ἰνοῦς καὶ Ἀθάμαντος χρόνων ὁ δὲ Σόλων ὑπολαβών ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μέν, ὦ Διόκλεις, ἐγγὺς θεῶν ἔστω καὶ ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς· ἀνθρώπινον δὲ καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς τὸ τοῦ Ἡσιόδου πάθος· ἀκήκοας γὰρ ἴσως τὸν λόγον. οὐκ ἔγωγʼ εἶπον. ἀλλὰ μὴν ἄξιον πυθέσθαι. Μιλησίου γάρ, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἀνδρός, ᾧ ξενίας ἐκοινώνει ὁ Ἡσίοδος καὶ διαίτης ἐν Λοκροῖς, τῇ τοῦ ξένου θυγατρὶ κρύφα συγγενομένου καὶ φωραθέντος ὑποψίαν ἔσχεν ὡς γνοὺς ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς καὶ συνεπικρύψας τὸ ἀδίκημα, μηδενὸς ὢν αἴτιος, ὀργῆς δὲ καιρῷ καὶ διαβολῆς περιπεσὼν ἀδίκως. ἀπέκτειναν γὰρ αὐτὸν οἱ τῆς παιδίσκης ἀδελφοὶ περὶ τὸ Λοκρικὸν Νέμειον ἐνεδρεύσαντες, καὶ μετʼ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀκόλουθον, ᾧ Τρωίλος ἦν ὄνομα. τῶν δὲ σωμάτων εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν ὠσθέντων τὸ μὲν τοῦ Τρωίλου, εἰς τὸν Δάφνον ποταμὸν ἔξω φορούμενον, ἐπεσχέθη περικλύστῳ χοιράδι μικρὸν ὑπὲρ τὴν θάλασσαν ἀνεχούσῃ· καὶ μέχρι νῦν Τρωίλος ἡ χοιρὰς καλεῖται· τοῦ δʼ Ἡσιόδου τὸν νεκρὸν εὐθὺς ἀπὸ γῆς ὑπολαβοῦσα δελφίνων ἀγέλη πρὸς τὸ Ῥίον κατὰ τὴν Μολύκρειαν ἐκόμιζε. ἐτύγχανε δὲ Λοκροῖς ἡ τῶν Ῥίων καθεστῶσα θυσία καὶ πανήγυρις, ἣν ἄγουσιν ἔτι νῦν ἐπιφανῶς περὶ τὸν τόπον ἐκεῖνον. ὡς δʼ ὤφθη προσφερόμενον τὸ σῶμα, θαυμάσαντες ὡς εἰκὸς ἐπὶ τὴν ἀκτὴν κατέδραμον, καὶ γνωρίσαντες ἔτι πρόσφατον τὸν νεκρὸν ἅπαντα δεύτερα τοῦ ζητεῖν τὸν φόνον ἐποιοῦντο διὰ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Ἡσιόδου. καὶ τοῦτο μὲν ταχέως ἔπραξαν, εὑρόντες τοὺς φονεῖς· αὐτούς τε γὰρ κατεπόντισαν ζῶντας καὶ τὴν οἰκίαν κατέσκαψαν. ἐτάφη δʼ ὁ Ἡσίοδος πρὸς τῷ Νεμείῳ· τὸν δὲ τάφον οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν ξένων οὐκ ἴσασιν, ἀλλʼ ἀποκέκρυπται ζητούμενος ὑπʼ Ὀρχομενίων, ὥς φασι, βουλομένων κατὰ χρησμὸν ἀνελέσθαι τὰ λείψανα καὶ θάψαι παρʼ αὑτοῖς. εἴπερ οὖν οὕτως ἔχουσιν οἰκείως καὶ φιλανθρώπως πρὸς τοὺς ἀποθανόντας, ἔτι μᾶλλον εἰκός ἐστι τοῖς ζῶσι βοηθεῖν, καὶ μάλιστα κηληθέντας αὐλοῖς ἤ τισι μέλεσι. τουτὶ γὰρ ἤδη πάντες ἴσμεν, ὅτι μουσικῇ τὰ ζῷα ταῦτα χαίρει καὶ διώκει, καὶ παρανήχεται τοῖς ἐλαυνομένοις πρὸς ᾠδὴν καὶ αὐλὸν ἐν εὐδίᾳ χορείαις τερπόμενα. χαίρει δὲ καὶ νήξεσι παίδων καὶ κολύμβοις ἁμιλλᾶται. διὸ καὶ νόμος ἀδείας ἄγραφός ἐστιν αὐτοῖς· θηρᾷ γὰρ οὐδεὶς οὐδὲ λυμαίνεται, πλὴν ὅταν ἐν δικτύοις γενόμενοι κακουργῶσι περὶ τὴν ἄγραν, πληγαῖς κολάζονται καθάπερ παῖδες ἁμαρτάνοντες. μέμνημαι δὲ καὶ παρὰ Λεσβίων ἀνδρῶν ἀκούσας σωτηρίαν τινὸς κόρης ὑπὸ δελφῖνος ἐκ θαλάττης γενέσθαι· ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἀκριβῶ τἄλλα, ὁ δὲ Πιττακὸς ἐπεὶ γιγνώσκει, δίκαιός ἐστι περὶ τούτων διελθεῖν.

[¶4] 20. It was a very true story, quoth Pittacus, and there are divers still alive who will attest it, if need be. The builders or founders of Lesbos were commanded by the oracle to sail till they came to a haven called Mesogaeum, there they should sacrifice a bull to Neptune, and for the honor of Amphitrite and the sea-nymphs they should offer a virgin. The principal persons in this colony were seven in number; the eighth was one Echelaus by name, and appointed head of the rest by the oracle himself; and he was a bachelor. A daughter of one of these seven was to be sacrificed, but who it should be was to be decided by lot, and the lot fell upon Smintheus’s sister. Her they dressed most richly, and so apparelled they conveyed her in abundance of state to the water-side, and having composed a prayer for her, they were now ready to throw her overboard. There was in the company a certain ingenuous young gentleman whose name was Enalus; he was desperately in love with this young lady, and his love prompted him to endeavor all he could for her preservation, or at least to perish in the attempt. In the very moment she was to be cast away, he clasps her in his arms and throws himself and her together into the sea. Shortly after there was a flying report they were both conveyed safe to land. A while after Enalus was seen at Lesbos, who gave out they were preserved by dolphins. I could tell you stories more incredible than these, such as would amuse some and please others; but it is impossible to command men’s faith. The sea was so tempestuous and rough, the people were afraid to come too near the waters, when Enalus arrived. A number of polypuses followed him even to Neptune’s temple, the biggest and strongest of which carried a great stone. This Enalus dedicated, and this stone is therefore called Enalus to this day. To be short and to speak all in a few words,—he that knows how to distinguish between the impossible and the unusual, to make a difference between the unlikely and the absurd, to be neither too credulous nor too distrustful,—he hath learned your lesson, Do not overdo.

> Greek: 20. ἔφη τοίνυν ὁ Πιττακὸς ἔνδοξον εἶναι καὶ μνημονευόμενον ὑπὸ πολλῶν τὸν λόγον. χρησμοῦ γὰρ γενομένου τοῖς οἰκίζουσι Λέσβον, ὅταν ἕρματι πλέοντες προστύχωσιν ὃ καλεῖται Μεσόγειον, τότʼ ἐνταῦθα Ποσειδῶνι μὲν ταῦρον Ἀμφιτρίτῃ δὲ καὶ Νηρηίσι ζῶσαν καθεῖναι παρθένον· ὄντων οὖν ἀρχηγετῶν ἑπτὰ καὶ βασιλέων, ὀγδόου δὲ τοῦ Ἐχελάου πυθοχρήστου τῆς ἀποικίας ἡγεμόνος, οὗτος μὲν ἠίθεος ἦν ἔτι, τῶν δʼ ἑπτὰ κληρουμένων, ὅσοις ἄγαμοι παῖδες ἦσαν, καταλαμβάνει θυγατέρα Σμινθέως ὁ κλῆρος. ἣν ἐσθῆτι καὶ χρυσῷ κοσμήσαντες ὡς ἐγένοντο κατὰ τὸν τόπον, ἔμελλον εὐξάμενοι καθήσειν. ἔτυχε δέ τις ἐρῶν αὐτῆς τῶν συμπλεόντων, οὐκ ἀγεννὴς ὡς ἔοικε νεανίας, οὗ καὶ τοὔνομα διαμνημονεύουσιν Ἔναλον. οὗτος ἀμήχανόν τινα τοῦ βοηθεῖν τῇ παρθένῳ προθυμίαν ἐν τῷ τότε πάθει λαβὼν παρὰ τὸν καιρὸν ὥρμησε καὶ περιπλακεὶς ὁμοῦ συγκαθῆκεν ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὴν θάλατταν. εὐθὺς μὲν οὖν φήμη τις οὐκ ἔχουσα τὸ βέβαιον, ἄλλως δὲ πείθουσα πολλοὺς ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ διηνέχθη περὶ σωτηρίας αὐτῶν καὶ κομιδῆς. ὑστέρῳ δὲ χρόνῳ τὸν Ἔναλόν φασιν ἐν Λέσβῳ φανῆναι καὶ λέγειν ὡς ὑπὸ δελφίνων φορητοὶ διὰ θαλάττης ἐκπέσοιεν ἀβλαβῶς εἰς τὴν ἤπειρον, ἔτι δʼ ἄλλα θειότερα τούτων ἐκπλήττοντα καὶ κηλοῦντα τοὺς πολλοὺς διηγεῖσθαι, πάντων δὲ πίστιν ἔργῳ παρασχεῖν. κύματος γὰρ ἠλιβάτου περὶ τὴν νῆσον αἰρομένου καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων δεδιότων ἀπαντῆσαι, μόνον … θαλάττῃ ἕπεσθαι πολύποδας αὐτῷ πρὸς τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος. ὧν τοῦ μεγίστου λίθον κομίζοντος λαβεῖν τὸν Ἔναλον καὶ ἀναθεῖναι, καὶ τοῦτον Ἔναλον καλοῦμεν. καθόλου δʼ εἰπεῖν, εἴ τις εἰδείη διαφορὰν ἀδυνάτου καὶ ἀσυνήθους καὶ παραλόγου καὶ παραδόξου, μάλιστʼ ἄν, ὦ Χίλων, καὶ μήτε πιστεύων ὡς ἔτυχε μήτʼ ἀπιστῶν τὸ μηδὲν ἄγαν ὡς σὺ προσέταξας διαφυλάττων.

[¶5] 21. Anacharsis after all this discourse spake to this purpose: Since Thales has asserted the being of a soul in all the principal and most noble parts of the universe, it is no wonder that the most commendable acts are governed by an over-ruling Power; for, as the body is the organ of the soul, so the soul is an instrument in the hand of God. Now as the body has many motions of its own proceeding from itself, but the best and most from the soul, so the soul acts some things by its own power, but in most things it is subordinate to the will and power of God, whose glorious instrument it is. To me it seems highly unreasonable—and I should be but too apt to censure the wisdom of the Gods, if I were convinced.—that they use fire, and water, and wind, and clouds, and rain for the preservation and welfare of some and for the detriment and destruction of others, while at the same time they make no use of living creatures that are doubtless more serviceable to their ends than bows are to the Scythians or harps or pipes to the Greeks. Chersias the poet broke off this discourse, and told the company of divers that were miraculously preserved to his certain knowledge, and more particularly of Cypselus, Periander’s father, who being newly born, his adversary sent a party of bloody fellows to murder him. They found the child in his nurse’s arms, and seeing him smile innocently upon them, they had not the heart to hurt him, and so departed; but presently recalling themselves and considering the peremptoriness of their orders, they returned and searched for him, but could not find him, for his mother had hid him very carefully in a chest. When he came to years of discretion, and understood the greatness of his former danger and deliverance, he consecrated a chapel at Delphi to Apollo, by whose care he conceived himself preserved from crying in that critical time, and by his cries from betraying his own life. Pittacus, addressing his discourse to Periander, said: It is well done of Chersias to make mention of that chapel, for this brings to my mind a question I several times purposed to ask you but still forgot, namely,—To what intent all those frogs were carved upon the palm-tree before the door, and how they affect either the Deity or the dedicator? Periander remitted him to Chersias for answer, as a person better versed in these matters, for he was present when Cypselus consecrated the chapel. But Chersias smiling would not satisfy them, until they resolved him the meaning of these aphorisms; “Do not overdo,” “Know thyself,” but particularly and principally this,—which had scared divers from wedlock and others from suretyship and others from speaking at all,—“Promise, and you are ruined.” What need we to explain to you these, when you yourself have so mightily magnified Esop’s comment upon each of them. Esop replied: When Chersias is disposed to jest with me upon these subjects, and to jest in earnest, he is pleased to father such sayings and sentences upon Homer, who, bringing in Hector furiously flying upon others, yet at another time represents him as flying from Ajax son of Telamon, —an argument that Hector knew himself. And Homer made Ulysses approve the saying “Do not overdo,” when he besought his friend Diomedes not to commend him too much nor yet to censure him too much. And for suretyship he exposes it as a matter unsafe, nay highly dangerous, saying that to be bound for idle and wicked men is full of hazard. To confirm this, Chersias reported how Jupiter had thrown Ate headlong out of heaven, because she was by when he made the promise about the birth of Hercules whereby he was circumvented. Here Solon interrupted: I am of this mind, that we now give ear to the most wise Homer,—
But now the night extends her awful shade:
The Goddess parts you: be the night obeyed. If it please the company then, let us sacrifice to the Muses, to Neptune, and to Amphitrite, and so bid each adieu for this night. This was the conclusion of that meeting, my dear Nicarchus.

> Greek: 21. μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον ὁ Ἀνάχαρσις εἶπεν ὅτι τοῦ Θαλέω καλῶς ὑπολαμβάνοντος ἐν πᾶσιν εἶναι τοῖς κυριωτάτοις μέρεσι τοῦ κόσμου καὶ μεγίστοις ψυχήν, οὐκ ἄξιόν ἐστι θαυμάζειν εἰ τὰ κάλλιστα περαίνεται θεοῦ γνώμῃ. ψυχῆς γὰρ ὄργανον τὸ σῶμα, θεοῦ δʼ ἡ ψυχή· καὶ καθάπερ σῶμα πολλὰς μὲν ἐξ αὑτοῦ κινήσεις ἔχει, τὰς δὲ πλείστας καὶ καλλίστας ὑπὸ ψυχῆς, οὕτως αὖ πάλιν ἡ ψυχὴ τὰ μὲν ὑφʼ ἑαυτῆς κινουμένη πράττει, τὰ δὲ τῷ θεῷ παρέχει χρωμένῳ κατευθύνειν καὶ τρέπειν αὐτὴν ᾗ βούλοιτο, πάντων ὀργάνων εὐτρεπέστατον οὖσα. δεινὸν γάρ εἶπεν εἰ πῦρ μὲν ὄργανόν ἐστι θεοῦ καὶ πνεῦμα καὶ ὕδωρ καὶ νέφη καὶ ὄμβροι, διʼ ὧν πολλὰ μὲν σῴζει τε καὶ τρέφει, πολλὰ δʼ ἀπόλλυσι καὶ ἀναιρεῖ, ζῴοις δὲ χρῆται πρὸς οὐδὲν ἁπλῶς οὐδέπω τῶν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ γιγνομένων. ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εἰκὸς ἐξηρτημένα τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ δυνάμεως ὑπουργεῖν, καὶ συμπαθεῖν ταῖς τοῦ θεοῦ κινήσεσιν ἢ Σκύθαις τόξα λύραι δʼ Ἕλλησι καὶ αὐλοὶ συμπαθοῦσιν. ἐπὶ δὲ τούτοις ὁ ποιητὴς Χερσίας ἄλλων τε σωθέντων ἀνελπίστως ἐμέμνητο καὶ Κυψέλου τοῦ Περιάνδρου πατρός, ὃν οἱ πεμφθέντες ἀνελεῖν νεογνὸν ὄντα προσμειδιάσαντʼ αὐτοῖς ἀπετράποντο· καὶ πάλιν μετανοήσαντες ἐζήτουν καὶ οὐχ εὗρον, εἰς κυψέλην ὑπὸ τῆς μητρὸς ἀποτεθέντα. διὸ καὶ τὸν οἶκον ἐν Δελφοῖς κατεσκεύασεν ὁ Κύψελος, ὥσπερ θεοῦ τότε τὸν κλαυθμυρισμὸν ἐπισχόντος, ὅπως διαλάθοι τοὺς ζητοῦντας. καὶ ὁ Πιττακὸς προσαγορεύσας τὸν Περίανδρον εὖ γʼ ἔφη Περίανδρε Χερσίας ἐποίησε μνησθεὶς τοῦ οἴκου· πολλάκις γὰρ ἐβουλόμην ἐρέσθαι σε τῶν βατράχων τὴν αἰτίαν ἐκείνων, τί βούλονται περὶ τὸν πυθμένα τοῦ φοίνικος ἐντετορευμένοι τοσοῦτοι, καί τίνα πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἢ τὸν ἀναθέντα λόγον ἔχουσι. τοῦ δὲ Περιάνδρου τὸν Χερσίαν ἐρωτᾶν κελεύσαντος, εἰδέναι γὰρ ἐκεῖνον καὶ παρεῖναι τῷ Κυψέλῳ καθιεροῦντι τὸν οἶκον, ὁ Χερσίας μειδιάσας ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἄν ἔφη φράσαιμι πρότερον ἢ πυθέσθαι παρὰ τούτων ὅ τι βούλεται τὸ μηδὲν ἄγαν αὐτοῖς καὶ τὸ γνῶθι σαυτόν, καὶ τοῦτο δὴ τὸ πολλοὺς μὲν ἀγάμους πολλοὺς δʼ ἀπίστους ἐνίους δὲ καὶ ἀφώνους πεποιηκὸς ἐγγύα πάρα δʼ ἄτα. τί δʼ εἶπεν ὁ Πιττακὸς ἡμῶν δέῃ ταῦτα φραζόντων; πάλαι γὰρ Αἰσώπου λόγον εἰς ἕκαστον ὡς ἔοικε τούτων συντεθεικότος ἐπαινεῖς. Καὶ ὁ Αἴσωπος ὅταν γε παίζῃ πρὸς ἐμὲ Χερσίας εἶπε· σπουδάζων δὲ τούτων Ὅμηρον εὑρετὴν ἀποδείκνυσι καί φησι τὸν μὲν Ἕκτορα γιγνώσκειν ἑαυτόν, τοῖς γὰρ ἄλλοις ἐπιτιθέμενος
Αἴαντος ἀλέεινε μάχην Τελαμωνιάδαο
τὸν δʼ Ὀδυσσέα τοῦ μηδὲν ἄγαν ἐπαινέτην τῷ Διομήδει παρακελεύεσθαι
Τυδεΐδη, μήτʼ ἄρʼ με μάλʼ αἴνεε μήτε τι νείκει
τὴν δʼ ἐγγύην οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι λοιδορεῖν αὐτὸν ὡς πρᾶγμα δείλαιον καὶ μάταιον οἴονται λέγοντα
δειλαί τοι δειλῶν γε καὶ ἐγγύαι ἐγγυάασθαι,
Χερσίας δʼ οὑτοσί φησι τὴν Ἄτην ὑπὸ τοῦ Διὸς ῥιφῆναι τῇ ἐγγύῃ παραγιγνομένην ἣν ἐγγυησάμενος ὁ Ζεὺς ἐσφάλη περὶ τῆς τοῦ Ἡρακλέους γενέσεως. ὑπολαβὼν δʼ ὁ Σόλων οὐκοῦν ἔφη καὶ τῷ σοφωτάτῳ πιστευτέον Ὁμήρῳ
νὺξ δʼ ἤδη τελέθει· ἀγαθὸν καὶ νυκτὶ πιθέσθαι.
σπείσαντες οὖν Μούσαις καὶ Ποσειδῶνι καὶ Ἀμφιτρίτῃ διαλύωμεν εἰ δοκεῖ τὸ συμπόσιον.
τοῦτʼ ἔσχεν, ὦ Νίκαρχε, πέρας ἡ τότε συνουσία.