Book 4
7.47
And I burnt his books, scraped everything together, came to Athens and turned philosopher. This is the stock and this the blood from which I boast to have sprung.Hom. Il. vi. 211. Such is my story. It is high time, then, that Persaeus and Philonides left off recounting it. Judge me by myself.
7.47
In truth Bion was in other respects a shifty character, a subtle sophist, and one who had given the enemies of philosophy many an occasion to blaspheme, while in certain respects he was even pompous and able to indulge in arrogance. He left very many memoirs, and also sayings of useful application. For example, when he was reproached for not paying court to a youth, his excuse was, You can’t get hold of a soft cheese with a hook.
7.48
Being once asked who suffers most from anxiety, he replied, He who is ambitious of the greatest prosperity. Being consulted by some one as to whether he should marry—for this story is also told of Bion— he made answer, If the wife you marry be ugly, she will be your bane; if beautiful, you will not keep her to yourself.Cf. infra, vi. 3. He called old age the harbour of all ills; at least they all take refuge there. Renown he called the mother of virtues; beauty another’s good; wealth the sinews of success. To some one who had devoured his patrimony he said, The earth swallowed Amphiaraus, but you have swallowed your land. To be unable to bear an ill is itself a great ill. He used to condemn those who burnt men alive as if they could not feel, and yet cauterized them as if they could.
