Bion

Was a disciple of Theopbrastus, who succec^e^ Aristotle in the Peripatetic School> towards ^e 114th Olympiad.

Thb philosopher Bion studied a long time in the academy. This school displeased him; he rediculed the laws they observed there, and made them every day subjects of raillery; at last he quitted it entirely. He took a cloak, a staff, and a bag, and embraced the Cynic doctrine; though even to Uiat he made some objections, and modulated it by adopting with it many of the precepts of Theodorus, the disciple and successor of Aristlppus, of the Cyrenaic school: finally, he studied under TlieophrastHS, who succeeded Aristotle.

Bion possessed a fine understanding, and was a very good logician; he excelled in poetry and music, and had a particular genius for mathematics. He indulged himself in his manner of living, and passed his life in dissipation. He never remsdned long in any place; he walked from town to town, and was to be found at all festivals, where his great talents amused the company, and could not fail to ensure him their admiration. As he was very agreeable, every body received and entertained bim with pleasure.

Mon heard one day that some of his enemies had Vpoken of him to the king Antigonus, ridiculing the meanness of his origin: he did not seem offended, and aflfected to be ignorant of having discovered it. Antigonus sent for Bion, anticipating that he wonld be much distressed: he said to him, ''Tell me in a few words t)iy tiame, thy country, thy origin, and of what profession were thy parents?" Bion with the greatest coolness replied, " My fother was a free man who sold lard and salt butter; it was impossible to guess whether he had been formerly handsome or ugly,, his face was so disfigured by the blows it had received from his master. He was bom on the banics of the Borysthenes, and was consequently a Scythian: he became acquainted with my mother in some place of public resort where they met; and there they celebrated their marriage. I i^now not What crimes my father committed; but he was sold with his wife and children: I was an engaging boy; an orator bought me, and when he died left me all he was possessed of: T immediately tore his will, which T threw into the fire. I proceeded to Athens, where 1 made philoso- (ifay my study. You are now acquainted with my name, my country, my father, and my whole history, at least as much as I know of it myself: Perffeos add Philander, in- pretending to know more, have only been seeking to amuse you at my expense." Bion was one day asked, what men ril^t be considered the most unhappy. "Those," i^i^edhe, '' who wish most passionately to be hap* pff and to 11 vie in a state of perfect exemption from' care."

He said that old age was the acm^ of all mise-ries; that all misfortunes reserved themselves for this period; that no one ought to count the number of his yearSy but in proportion to the glory which he may have acquired during the course of them in the world; that beauty was a blessing that did not depend on ourselves; and that riches were the excitement to all great enterprises, because without them nothing can be accomplished, whatever ability we may have for other pursuits. He one day met a man who had squandered away his wealth: he said to him, ''The earth swallowed Amphiaraus | but as for thee, thou hast swallowed the earth.' A talkative and very importunate man mentioned to him that he designed to ask him a favour: ' I will do willingly what you wish me," replied Bion, '* provided that you send me some one to tell me what you want, so that you do not come yourself." Another time he put to sea in a Tessel accompanied by men of bad character; they were taken by pirates. '' These villains I" said one to the other; ''should they recognise us, we are undone." — " And for myself," said Bion, " I am lost if they do not know me.*' He saw one day. coming towards him a certain envious person, who appeared very unhappy. " Has any misfortune befallen you," said he to him, " or has any good befallen any other person?"

When he saw a miser passing, he said to him: "Thou possessest not thy good things: it is thy good things which possess thee." He said thai mUers hoarded their wealth, as if it was for their own use only; and that they feared to avail them-«

IdveB of it, as much as if it belonged to others. He deemed it one of the greatest evils not to be able to endure misfortune.

He said that no one ought to be reproached with old age, since it is a state at which every one wishes to arrive. That it is better to give away our own riches than to wish for those of others, because it is possible to be happy with a small proportion of them; and to wish for what we have not, always brings unhappiness. That sometimes rashness is not unbecoming in a young man; but that old men should always consult prudence: that when we hare gained friends, they should always be retained, whatever they may be; lest it should appear that we have associated with wicked men, or that we liave neglected good ones. He advised Iiia friends to believe that they had made some progress in philosophy, when they yielded neither to painful or pleasurable sensations, whether they received injuries, or listened to compliments paid them. He said iliat evil deeds were bad companions for cPBScience, since it was very difficult for a man to speali boldly, when his conscience reproached him with any thing; and when he believed that a Divine Being was justly irritated against him: that the road to eternal misery must be very easy, since it might be pursued with our eyes shut: that those who could not philosophize, and who attached themselves to the improvement of general science, weie like the lovers of Penelope, who contented themselves with the society of the servants of the house, being unable to obtain that of their mistress. When Bion was at Rhodes, he remarked that all the z

Athenians who were in tiiat island applied them' selves entirely to the cultivation of eloquence and declamation; he began to teach philosophy. Some one blamed him, because he would not come into the pursuits of those around him: '' I have imported wheat," i-eplied Bion; ** do you advise me to sell barley?** When they spoke to him of the Dauaides, who perpetually drew water in tubs pierced with holes, he said, '^ I should consider them much more pitiable, if they were obliged to draw it in vases which had no hole at all."

After having led an abandoned life, Bion fell HI at Chalcis, where he languished for a long time. As he was very poor, and had not any money to pay for the attendance of servants in order to take proper care of him, king Antigonus sent him two slaves, and presented him with a chariot in order that he might go out when he wished.

It is said that Bion, dming his illness, repented of having despised the gods; and he had recourse to them to afford him consolation in this pitiable situation: he made the altar smoke with the savour of his sacrifices: he confessed his crimes, and had the weakness to implore the assistance of an old sorceress, to whose arts he abandoned himself: he uncovered his arms and his neck, in order that she might fasten her spells to them. He admitted the most extraor^ary superstitions: he ornamented his door with ' laurels, and was willing to submit to any thing to preserve life; but all these remedies proved useless, and the unhappy Bion died at last^-a victim to the diseases his past dissipations had brought upon him.