The Lives and Opinions of Eminent PhilosophersDiogenes Laertius
Philosophy
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers
Diogenes Laertius
Philosophers, Ancient -- Biography; Philosophy, Ancient
IV. Of his apophthegms, the following are the most celebrated. Ignorance
and talkativeness bear the chief sway among men. Opportunity will be the
most powerful. Cherish not a thought. Do not be fickle, or ungrateful.
He used to say too, that men ought to give their daughters in marriage
while they were girls in age, but women in sense; as indicating by this
that girls ought to be well educated. Another of his sayings was, that
one ought to serve a friend that he may become a greater friend; and an
enemy, to make him a friend. And that one ought to guard against giving
one’s friends occasion to blame one, and one’s enemies opportunity of
plotting against one. Also, when a man goes out of his house, he should
consider what he is going to do: and when he comes home again he should
consider what he has done. He used also to advise men to keep their
bodies in health by exercise.—To be fond of hearing rather than of
talking.—To be fond of learning rather than unwilling to learn.—To speak
well of people.—To seek virtue and eschew vice.—To avoid injustice.—To
give the best advice in one’s power to one’s country.—To be superior to
pleasure.—To do nothing by force.—To instruct one’s children.—To be
ready for reconciliation after quarrels.—Not to caress one’s wife, nor to
quarrel with her when strangers are present, for that to do the one is a
sign of folly, and to do the latter is downright madness.—Not to chastise
a servant while elated with drink, for so doing one will appear to be
drunk one’s self.—To marry from among one’s equals, for if one takes a
wife of a higher rank than one’s self, one will have one’s connexions
for one’s masters.—Not to laugh at those who are being reproved, for so
one will be detested by them.—Be not haughty when prosperous.—Be not
desponding when in difficulties.—Learn to bear the changes of fortune
with magnanimity.
V And he died at a great age, having lived seventy years, and this
inscription was put over him:—
His country, Lindus, this fair sea-girt city
Bewails wise Cleobulus here entombed.
VI. One of his sayings was, “Moderation is the best thing.” He also wrote
a letter to Solon in these terms:—
CLEOBULUS TO SOLON.
You have many friends, and a home everywhere, but yet I think that Lindus
will be the most agreeable habitation for Solon, since it enjoys a
democratic government, and it is a maritime island, and whoever dwells in
it has nothing to fear from Pisistratus, and you will have friends flock
to you from all quarters.
LIFE OF PERIANDER.
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