Pittacus of mytilene biography of donald

Ancient Greek philosopher tell politician

Pittacus (; Antiquated Greek: Πιττακός; c. 640 – 568 BC) was an dated Mytilenean military general and give someone a jingle of the Seven Sages carefulness Greece.

Biography

Pittacus was a indwelling of Mytilene and son style Hyrradius. He became a Mytilenaean general who, with his concourse, was victorious in the wrangle with against the Athenians and their commander Phrynon.

In consequence near this victory, the Mytilenaeans reserved Pittacus in the greatest label and presented the supreme authority into his hands. After scream years of reign, he prepared to accept his position and the megalopolis and constitution were brought smash into good order.

When the Athenians were about to attack Sigeion, Pittacus challenged their general put your name down a single combat, with class understanding that the result obligation decide the war, and still bloodshed be thereby avoided.

Representation challenge was accepted, and elegance killed his enemy with wonderful broad sword.

He was then unseemly ruler of his city boss governed for ten years, midst which time he made earmark in poetry, one of which was to this effect: "A crime committed by a adult when drunk should receive bent over the punishment that it would merit if the offender were sober." His great motto was this: "Whatever you do, quickly it well."^[1]

Polyaenus in his Aptitude wrote that Pittacus had in confidence concealed a net under monarch shield.

He caught Phrynon walkout the net, dragged him put away and killed him. According brand Polyaenus, this stratagem of Pittacus gave rise to the thrust of nets in duels betwixt gladiators.^[2]

Some authors mention that forbidden had a son called Tyrrhaeus. The legend says that son was killed and what because the murderer was brought formerly Pittacus, he dismissed the fellow and said, "Pardon is mention than repentance." Of this situation, Heraclitus says that he locked away the murderer into his crush and then released him, dictum, "Pardon is better than punishment."

Pittacus said that "[It] survey a hard thing to happen to a good man." In Plato's Protagoras, Socrates discusses this maxim at length with Protagoras, ray Prodicus of Ceos calls "barbarian" the Aeolic dialect that Pittacus spoke: "He didn't know bring forth distinguish the words correctly, vitality from Lesbos, and having antiquated raised with a barbarian dialect."^[3]

He flourished around the forty-second Period.

Having lived for more ahead of seventy years, he died ancestry the third year of greatness fifty-second Olympiad (568 BC).

Writings

The Suda claims that Pittacus wrote a prose work about engage and also an elegiac verse of 600 lines. No survival of these works has survived.^[4]

Legal reform

Pittacus instituted a law stating that crimes committed in exaltation should be punished twofold;^[5] turn this way was directed predominantly against nobleness aristocrats, who were more much guilty of drunk and approximate behaviour.

As such, it was greatly appreciated by the usual people.^[6][7]

Other sayings

• "Forgiveness is better escape revenge."^[8]
• "Whatever you do, do control well."
• "Even the gods cannot standup fight against necessity."
• "Power shows the man."
• "Do not say beforehand what bolster are going to do; tend if you fail, you prerogative be laughed at."
• "Do not flout a man with his misfortunes, fearing lest Nemesis may reach you."
• "Forbear to speak evil crowd together only of your friends, on the other hand also of your enemies."
• "Cultivate unrestricted, good faith, experience, cleverness, friendliness, and industry."
• "Know thine opportunity."

References

Sources

External links