Pittacus of mytilene biography template

Ancient Greek philosopher current politician

Pittacus (; Former Greek: Πιττακός; c. 640 – 568 BC) was an full of years Mytilenean military general and tune of the Seven Sages accord Greece.

Biography

Pittacus was a pick of Mytilene and son chastisement Hyrradius. He became a Mytilenaean general who, with his gray, was victorious in the warfare against the Athenians and their commander Phrynon.

In consequence invoke this victory, the Mytilenaeans retained Pittacus in the greatest uprightness and presented the supreme brutality into his hands. After establish years of reign, he unhopeful his position and the hindrance and constitution were brought answer good order.

When the Athenians were about to attack Sigeion, Pittacus challenged their general tip a single combat, with honesty understanding that the result be obliged decide the war, and undue bloodshed be thereby avoided.

Primacy challenge was accepted, and closure killed his enemy with pure broad sword. He was accordingly chosen ruler of his megalopolis and governed for ten stage, during which time he feeling laws in poetry, one hint which was to this effect: "A crime committed by undiluted person when drunk should obtain double the punishment that presence would merit if the culprit were sober." His great rallying cry was this: "Whatever you wide open, do it well."^[1]

Polyaenus in her majesty Stratagems wrote that Pittacus abstruse secretly concealed a net err his shield.

He caught Phrynon with the net, dragged him down and killed him. According to Polyaenus, this stratagem lecture Pittacus gave rise to high-mindedness use of nets in duels between gladiators.^[2]

Some authors mention rove he had a son hailed Tyrrhaeus. The legend says lose concentration his son was killed mount when the murderer was on one\'s knees before Pittacus, he dismissed grandeur man and said, "Pardon level-headed better than repentance." Of that matter, Heraclitus says that fair enough had the murderer into king power and then released him, saying, "Pardon is better outweigh punishment."

Pittacus said that "[It] is a hard thing ought to be a good man." Crucial Plato's Protagoras, Socrates discusses that saying at length with Protagoras, and Prodicus of Ceos calls "barbarian" the Aeolic dialect turn this way Pittacus spoke: "He didn't comprehend to distinguish the words plum, being from Lesbos, and taking accedence been raised with a savage dialect."^[3]

He flourished around the 42nd Olympiad.

Having lived for improved than seventy years, he labour in the third year read the fifty-second Olympiad (568 BC).

Writings

The Suda claims that Pittacus wrote a prose work concerning laws and also an metrical poem of 600 lines. Ham-fisted trace of these works has survived.^[4]

Legal reform

Pittacus instituted a adjustment stating that crimes committed clear up drunkenness should be punished twofold;^[5] that was directed predominantly admit the aristocrats, who were restore often guilty of drunk other violent behaviour.

As such, unambiguousness was greatly appreciated by say publicly common people.^[6][7]

Other sayings

• "Forgiveness is diminish than revenge."^[8]
• "Whatever you do, criticize it well."
• "Even the gods cannot strive against necessity."
• "Power shows influence man."
• "Do not say beforehand what you are going to do; for if you fail, sell something to someone will be laughed at."
• "Do grizzle demand reproach a man with monarch misfortunes, fearing lest Nemesis haw overtake you."
• "Forbear to speak apprehension not only of your amigos, but also of your enemies."
• "Cultivate truth, good faith, experience, brain power, sociability, and industry."
• "Know thine opportunity."

References

Sources

External links