Pittacus

Flourished in the 42d Olympiad, and died in the 3d year of the 52d, aged 70 years.

PiTTACUs the son of Cyrradius, the Thradao, was born at Mitylene, a small town in the island of Lesbos, about the 29th Olympiad. In his youth he was very enterprising, a brave soldier, a skilful officer, and uniformly a good citizen. His rule of conduct was to accommodate himself to circumstances, and ncFer to neglect opportunity. His first enterprise was in league with the brother of Alcseus, agsunst thetyiuntMelanchios, who had usurped the sovereignty of the island of Lesbos. Pittacus defeated him, and fixed his reputation as a hero by the act.

The Mitylenians had long carried on a destnic* tive war with the Athenians, for the possession of. a territory called Achillea. The Mitylenians appointed Pittacus to the command of their troops. When the two armies came in sight of each other, and were about to begin the attack, Pittacus offered to decide the matter in dispute, by single combat with Phrynon, the Athenian general, who was invariably successful in every species of warfare, and who had been frequently crowned at the Olympic games. Pliryuou accepted the cliallenge, and it was agreed that the victor should be acknowledged conqueror of the disputed territory. The generals came forward, without any attendants, and met in the open field in presence of both armies.

Pittacus had concealed a net under his buckler, and made so adroit a use of it, that he threw it round Phrynon at the moment when that general suspected nothing, and entangling him completely in it, he exclaimed, " I have taken a fish, not a man." He then put him to death in the sight of the assembled troops, and remained master of Achillea.

From this strat-agem arose the custom of persons fighting with nets on the stage, for the amusement of the people.

Age tempered the warlike spirit of Pittacus, and he gradually acquired a relish for the serene enjoyments of philosophy. The inhabitants of Mityleue holding him in great respect, conferred on him the chief magistracy of the city. Long and painful experience taught him to view with courageous steadfastness the different aspects of fortune. After organising the affairs of the public in the most regular manner, he voluntarily resigned the office which he had held for eleven years, and retired altogether from the turmoil of public affairs.

At one period of his life Pittacus felt a great desire to attain wealth, but he afterwards learned to regard it with indifference, as beneath his consideration. The Mityleniana, in consideration of the essential services he had rendered to the State, offered him a beautiful retreat, watered by refreshing streams, sheltered by woods, adorned by vineyards, and enriched by farms, the revenues of which were sufficient to ensure him a splendid income. But he took up his javelin, and throwing it with aU his strength, he said he should be contented, with a portion of the estate equal to the square of the space over which his javelin had passed. The magistrate, astonished at his moderation, entreated him to tell them on what he founded it. *' A part is better than the whole," he replied; and this was all the explanation he would give.

CrcESUs wrote to him one day, begging him to go and see his wealth. Pittacus sent him the following answer: — •

** You msh to tempt me into Lydia, in order that I maybe an eye-witness of your wealth. Witiiout seeing it at all I am ready to acknowledge that the son of Halyattes is the most puissant of monarchs; but were all your possessions mine, they would not make me any richer than I am. Wealth is no way necessary to my happiness. I have enough to malce myself and a few friends comfortable, and with that little I am contented. Nevertheless, I am very willing to pay you a visit, if my doing so will a£ford you any gratification/'

Croesus having brought the Asiatic Greeks into a state of subjugation, determined to fit out a fleet, in order to make himself master of the islands. Pittacus was at that time in Sardis. Croesus' asked him whether there was any thing new in Greece. ** The inhabitants of the islands," said he, *' have resolved to make war against you, and to attack Sardis itself; and for this purpose they have bought ten thousand horses." — ** Would that the gods," replied Croesus,

*' might put it into the heads of the islanders to attack the Lydiaus with cavalry '." — *' It seems, then/' said Pittacus, " that you would have no objection to meeting these islanders on horseback, and on terra-firma. You are right enough in that, but do not you think that they will in return have the laugh against you, when they find that you think of bringing out a naval force against them? They will be defighted to meet yon and your Lydians at sea. To them it will be the signal for avenging the wrongs of the Greeks, whom you have enslaved." Croesus imagining from this discourse of Pittacus, that he must be acquainted with his schemes, thought proper to relinquish the design^ of fitting out a fleet against the Greek islands, instead of which he entered into an amicable alliance with them.

Pittacus was deformed in person, and had weak eyes; he was corpulent, and had some infirmity in bis feet, which occasioned him to walk veiy awkwardly; and, in addition to all these disadvantages, he was extremely cai*eless in his dress. He had taken to wife the daughter of Draco, the legislator. She was a woman of excessive pride and insupportable insolence; valuing herself upon her high birth, and despising her husband on account of his appearance.

One day Pittacus invited a party of philosophers to dine with bim. His wife, who was constantly out of humour, went into the room, when the repast was ready, and overthrew the table with all the dishes upon it. Pittacus did not betray the least anger, but contented himself with saying to his guests, ** ft is the act of a weak woman; we must excuse her foliy." The little congeniality that existed between him and his wife inspired him, how« ever, with the liveliest aversion to ill-assorted matches. A man went to him one day to ask his advice as to which wife he should choose from two that were offered to him, one of whom was nearly on an equality with himself, the other much his superior both in birth and fortune. " Go," sedd Pittacus, pointing with the stick on which he was leaning to the place he meant to describe, ^^ go to the comer where you see the children assembling together to play, join them a while, and follow the advice they will presently give you." Accordingly the young man went among them; the little ones directly began to laugh and push him about, and to call out to him, ** Get away; go among your equals." This determined him to think no more of the lady who was so much above himself, but to be contented with her who was in his own rank.

Pittacus was so temperate, that he drank nothing but the crystal spring, though Mitylene abounded with the choicest wines; and he secretly advised Periander to abstain from the use of wine, if he wished to succeed in his design of making himself master of Corinth, or meant to maintain himself firmly in his usurpation.

He ordered that any man committing a fault in a state of intoxication, should receive a double share of punishment.

He often used to say, that necessity was so absolute a power that the gods themselves were forced to submit to its decrees. That it was under a republican form of Gm'emment that a man could best pirrAcus. 71 dev«lo|>e the exteut of his powers. That wise men i^ould calculate the misfortunes which may possibly happen to them, in order that they may endeavour to guard against them; but should these come to pass, it is then the duty of a brave mind to endure them without a murmur. That it is difficult to be a good man. lliat every thing that is done should be well done. That in order to succeed in whatever we may undertalte^ we should design slowly, and execute quickly. That the most desirable victories were those that were obtiuned without bloodshed; and that in order for a kingdom to be really well governed » the laws ought to be respected as scrupulously by the king himself, and all in authority under him, as by the lowest subject. *' When you intend to attempt any thing," said he to his disciples, '^ never make a boast of it betbrehand; for then, if you cannot accomplish your design, you will at least have no one to laugh at you. Never reproach any one with being unfortunate; for one day you may find yourself in the same condition. SpeidL ill of none, not even of your enemies. Preserve your friends, but observe the same degree of caution towards them as if they were one day to be your greatest foes.

'* Respect chastity, frugality, and truth. Reverence the gods. Acquit yourself faithfully of every trust reposed in you, and never reveal a secret confided to your keeping."

Pittacus composed some verses, in which he asserted that a man ought to take his bow and arrows, and destroy a wicked persou wherever he might find him, for, as the heart of such an one was always hollow, no confidence could ever be placed on the words that his lips might utter.

Whilst Pittacus was in retirement, a large sum of money was sent him by Crcesus; but he declined accepting it, coolly observing that he was already richer by one half than he would wish to be, for in consequence of his brother having died without children, he had succeeded to his fortune. Pittacus was always prompt and happy in his replies. He was never at a loss for an answer, whatever might be the question put to him. One day he vns asked, ** What was the most variable thing in nature?" — *' The course of water, and the humour of women," was his reply. — ** What is it that ought to be deferred as long as possible?" — " The borrowing money of a friend." — " What ought we to do every where, and at every moment? " — ** To make the best jf good or evil, as each may occur." — *' What is nost desirable?" — " Opportunity." — ** What most;ecret?" — " Futurity." — " What most foithful?" • Land." — " What most treacherous?" — " The <ea." Phccaicus told him, that he intended to ask I gentleman for something which he had in his lead. " You may spare yourself the trouble," aid Pittacus, " of looking for it there — ^you will lever find it.

Tyrrseus, the son of Pittacus, chanced one day at Cumae to be in a barber's shop, where the young men generally met to talk over the news of the day. A tradesman present thoughtlessly throwing a hatchet, it struck Tyrraeus on the head, and dove his skull in twain. The inhabitants of Cumse seized piTTAeus; 73 him, and brought him before the fiither of the deceased as a murderer.

PittacQSy having made himself master of the circnmstances exactly as they oocarred, acquitted the man, finding that no blame coold be attached to him. " A £EMilt committed unintendonally," said he, '^oufjdt to be forgiven, and he who avenges it becomes in that 'case himself the guilty, party, by unjustly punishing the innocent."

Pittacus occasionally amused himself with making verse; he framed his laws and many other works in poetical measui-es: his favourite exercise was taming a grind-stone, to grind com. He had for bis disciple Pherecides, who has been reckoned by some among the Sages of Greece, and whose death took place under very extraordinary circumstances. It is said, that one day, when the war between the Ephesians and Magnesians was at its height, Phereddes, who was zealous in the cause of the Ephesians, met a man on the road. He asked him to what country he belonged The man answered, tiiat he was an Ephesian: on hearing which, Pherecides said to him, '* Take me by the legs, drag me into the country of the Magnesians, and then hasten back to the Ephesians, and tell them the manner in which you treated Pherecides in compliance with his own desire. Tell them, also, not to fail to pay me funeral honours, when they shall have gadned the victory." Hie man dragged Pherecides to the place which he had directed, and then returned fo Ephesiis to relate his singular adventure. It inspired the Ephesians with the liveliest hopes; they gave battle the next day to the enemy, and obtained a decisive victory. Tliey immediately went to the -spilt to which Phereddes had ordered himself to be taken; there they found him dead, and his fineral obsequies were celebrated with- the utmost magni«> ficenc'e:- Pittacos hhnself died in the island of Lesbos, in the fifty-^econd Olympiad,' and the seventieth year of his age.