Book 1
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He was a man of few words; hence Aristagoras of Miletus calls this style of speaking Chilonean. . . . is of Branchus, founder of the temple at Branchidae. Chilon was an old man about the 52nd Olympiad, when Aesop the fabulist was flourishing. According to Hermippus, his death took place at Pisa, just after he had congratulated his son on an Olympic victory in boxing. It was due to excess of joy coupled with the weakness of a man stricken in years. And all present joined in the funeral procession.
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I have written an epitaph on him also, which runs as followsAnth. Pal. vii. 88.:
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I praise thee, Pollux, for that Chilon’s son By boxing feats the olive chaplet won. Nor at the father’s fate should we repine; He died of joy; may such a death be mine. The inscription on his statue runs thusAnth. Pal. ix. 596.: Here Chilon stands, of Sparta’s warrior race, Who of the Sages Seven holds highest place. His apophthegm is: Give a pledge, and suffer for it. A short letter is also ascribed to him.
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Chilon to Periander
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You tell me of an expedition against foreign enemies, in which you yourself will take the field. In my opinion affairs at home are not too safe for an absolute ruler; and I deem the tyrant happy who dies a natural death in his own house.
Chapter 4. PITTACUS (c. 600B.C.)
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Pittacus was the son of Hyrrhadius and a native of Mitylene. Duris calls his father a Thracian. Aided by the brothers of Alcaeus he overthrew Melanchrus, tyrant of Lesbos; and in the war between Mitylene and Athens for the territory of Achileis he himself had the chief command on the one side, and Phrynon, who had won an Olympic victory in the pancratium, commanded the Athenians. Pittacus agreed to meet him in single combat; with a net which he concealed beneath his shield he entangled Phrynon, killed him, and recovered the territory. Subsequently, as Apollodorus states in his Chronology, Athens and Mitylene referred their claims to arbitration. Periander heard the appeal and gave judgement in favour of Athens.
