Cleobulus

Lived between the 35th and 55th Olympiad; bditg contemporary and of nearly the same age with Solon.

Clbobulus, though one of the least important among the Sages of Greece, was one of the most happy. He was the son of Evagorus, a descendant of Hercules, and was bom at Lindus, a maritime town in the island of Rhodes, where he flourished in the reign of Croesus, King of Lydia. Cleobulus manifested uncommon wisdom, even from his earliest years; his countenance was prepossessing, his figure commanding, and his strength surprising. His youth was passed, according to the fashion of his time, in travelling in Egypt, in order to become acquainted with philosophy. On his return, he united himself in wedlock with a most amiable woman, and lived in the bosom of his family in undisturbed tranquillity. By this marriage he had a daughter, the celebrated Cleobuliua, who by the able instructions of her father, seconded by her own application, obtained a degree of learning that enabled her to puzzle the greatest philosophers of her time, especially by enigmatical questions. She was moreover so unassuming and affectionate, that she would herself wash the feet of the friends and guests, whom her father invited to his entertainments on any festival.

Cleobuius being chosen governor of the little State of Lindus, acquitted himself of his office with as much ease as if he had only had a single family to manage. He avoided every thing that might involve the country in wars, and took care to keep on the most amicable terms, as well with foreigners as with the citizens. The great merit of Cleo> bulus, in a literary point of view, was the subtlety with which he proposed, and the clearness with which he explained, all descriptions of enigmatical questions; and ^om him Greece became fittmous for the application of enigmas, which he had learned in Egypt. He was the author of the foUovnng:

/ am the father of twelve sons, each of whom has thirty daughters^ of very dfferent kinds of beatjUy* The complexions of some are white, of others very black: they are all immortal, yet they each die every day.

By this enigma is signified the year.

Cleobuius is also the author of the epitaph on the tomb of Midas, wherein he bestows extraordinary praises on that monarch. It has by some been improperly attributed to Homer, who lived long before Midas.

Cleobuius held virtue principally to consist in avoiding injustice and other vices; in which opinion Horace coincides, when he says,

Virtut et€ vUium Juget^, et st^entia prima ShtltUia caruivie.

To flj from vtre b virtu^'; and most wi^e Is he who folly shuns. K

Cleobttlus used to say that order, time, and measure, ought to be observed in aU things. That in order to banish the great folly of luxury which reigned in all States, every citizen ougbt to be required to live in conformity to his actual rank and condition. That nothing was more common in the world than great talkers, and great ignorance. '' Endeavour," said he, '< always to cherish elevated sentiments, and be neither faithless nor ungrateful. Do good to both your friends and enemies: by this means you will I'etain the former, and may win over the latter,

*' Before you set out fi-om home, consider, well what you are about to do; and when you return, examine with equal care all that you may have done.

*' Speak little, and listen attentively.

'' Utter nothing to the disparagement of any olie. Always give that advice whidi you sincerely believe to be right. Do not abandon yourself to your pleasures. If you should have any enemies, seek to be recondled to them. Do nothing by vlcAence. Endeavour to educate your children properly^ Never make a jest of afflictk>ns. If Fortune squle.on you, do not be lifted up by it; neither suffer ^iourself to be cast down, should she turn her back upon you. Seek to marry in your own rank: if you choose a wife of birth superior to your own, you will find a master in each of her rdations, Partictdar aiileii*- tion ought to be paid to daughters; they, ought nat to be allowed to marry, except they add to the youth of virgins the conduct and understanding of matrons. A man ought neither to praise his mfe,nor find foult with her, before strangers: in one case he shews his weakness, in the other his folly."

When Cleobulus understood that Solon had bidden a final leave to his native country, he did all in his power to induce him to take up his residence with himself, and wrote to him thus: —

'< You have many friends, and I doubt not that they will all gladly throw open their doors to you: for my own part, however, I believe that you would be more happy at Lindus, than any where else. It is a maritime ]dace, and In possession of perfect freedom: you will have nothing to fear from Pisistratus whilst you remsdn here, and all your friends can come to visit you in perfect security."

Cleobulus was fortunate in being able to make the best of every thing that fell to his lot. His condition rose not above mediocrity, but he kept himself fr«e from the cares of the world. He was happy in every relation of life, as a father, husband, dtizen, and philosopher; and died, at the advanced age. of more than seventy years, as highly esteemed as he had been throughout his long life.

The inhabitants of Lindus evinced the sincerest regret for his loss, and erected a magnificent monument to his memory, engraving on it an appropriate epitaph.