We hear that Bion the Borysthenite, Whom the ferocious Scythian land brought forth, Used to deny that there were Gods at all. Now, if he’d persevered in this opinion, One would have said he speaks just as he thinks; Though certainly his thoughts are quite mistaken. But when a lengthened sickness overtook him, And he began to fear lest he should die; This man who heretofore denied the Gods, And would not even look upon a temple, And mocked all those who e’er approached the Gods With prayer or sacrifice; who ne’er, not even For his own hearth, and home, and household table, Regaled the Gods with savoury fat and incense, Who never once said, “I have sinned, but spare me.” Then did this atheist shrink, and give his neck To an old woman to hang charms upon, And bound his arms with magic amulets, With laurel branches blocked his doors and windows, Ready to do and venture anything Rather than die. Fool that he was, who thought To win the Gods to come into existence, Whenever he might think he wanted them. So wise too late, when now mere dust and ashes, He put his hand forth, Hail, great Pluto, Hail! XI. There were ten people of the name of Bion. First of all, the one who flourished at the same time with Pherecydes of Syros, and who has left two books behind him, which are still extant; he was a native of Proconnesus. The second was a Syracusan, the author of a system of rhetoric. The third was the man of whom we have been speaking. The fourth was a pupil of Democritus, and a mathematician, a native of Abdera, who wrote in both the Attic and Ionic dialect. He was the person who first asserted that there were countries where there was night for six months, and day for six months. The fifth was a native of Soli; who wrote a history of Æthiopia. The sixth was a rhetorician, who has left behind him nine books, inscribed with the names of the Muses, which are still extant. The eighth was a Milesian statuary, who is mentioned by Polemo. The ninth was a tragic poet of the number of those who are called Tarsicans. The tenth was a statuary, a native of Clazomenæ or Chios, who is mentioned by Hipponax. LIFE OF LACYDES. I. Lacydes, the son of Alexander, was a native of Cyrene. He it is who was the founder of the New Academy, having succeeded Arcesilaus; and he was a man of great gravity of character and demeanour, and one who had many imitators. II. He was industrious from his very childhood, and poor, but very pleasing and sociable in his manners.