Bias's Life
I. Bias was a citizen of Priene, and the son of Teutamus, and by Satyrus he is put at the head of the seven wise men. Some writers affirm that he was one of the richest men of the city; but others say that he was only a settler. And Phanodicus says, that he ransomed some Messenian maidens who had been taken prisoners, and educated them as his own daughters, and gave them dowries, and then sent them back to Messina to their fathers. And when, as has been mentioned before, the tripod was found near Athens by some fishermen, the brazen tripod I mean, which bore the inscription—“For the Wise;” then Satyrus says that the damsels (but others, such as Phanodicus, say that it was their father,) came into the assembly, and said that Bias was the wise man—recounting what he had done to them: and so the tripod was sent to him. But Bias, when he saw it, said that it was Apollo who was “the Wise,” and would not receive the tripod.
I. Bias was a citizen of Priene and the son of Teutamus. Satyrus places him first among the seven wise men. Some writers say that he was one of the richest men in the city. Others say that he was only a settler. Phanodicus says that Bias paid to free some Messenian girls who had been taken prisoner. He raised them as his own daughters, gave them dowries, and sent them back to their fathers in Messina. As mentioned earlier, some fishermen found a bronze tripod near Athens. It bore the inscription “For the Wise.” Satyrus says that the girls came before the assembly and named Bias as the wise man, describing what he had done for them. Others, including Phanodicus, say that it was their father who came before the assembly. So the tripod was sent to Bias. But when he saw it, he said that Apollo was “the Wise” and refused to accept it.
II. But others say that he consecrated it at Thebes to Hercules, because he himself was a descendant of the Thebans, who had sent a colony to Priene, as Phanodicus relates. It is said also that when Alyattes was besieging Priene, Bias fattened up two mules, and drove them into his camp; and that the king, seeing the condition that the mules were in, was astonished at their being able to spare food to keep the brute beasts so well, and so he desired to make peace with them, and sent an ambassador to them. On this Bias, having made some heaps of sand, and put corn on the top, showed them to the convoy; and Alyattes, hearing from him what he had seen, made peace with the people of Priene; and then, when he sent to Bias, desiring him to come quickly to him, “Tell Alyattes, from me” he replied, “to eat onions;”—which is the same as if he had said, “go and weep.”
II. But others say that he dedicated it to Hercules at Thebes. They say he did so because he was descended from the Thebans who had sent a colony to Priene. Phanodicus tells this story. It is also said that, when Alyattes was besieging Priene, Bias fattened two mules and drove them into Alyattes’ camp. The king saw how well fed the mules were and was amazed that the people of Priene could spare enough food to keep even their animals so well. So he wanted to make peace with them and sent an ambassador to them. Bias then made some heaps of sand, covered them with grain, and showed them to the ambassador. When Alyattes heard from the ambassador what he had seen, he made peace with the people of Priene. Then he sent for Bias, asking him to come quickly. Bias replied, “Tell Alyattes from me to eat onions.” This was the same as telling him, “go and weep.”
III. It is said that he was very energetic and eloquent when pleading causes; but that he always reserved his talents for the right side. In reference to which Demodicus of Alerius uttered the following enigmatical saying—“If you are a judge, give a Prienian decision.” And Hipponax says, “More excellent in his decisions than Bias of Priene.” Now he died in this manner:—
III. He was said to be energetic and eloquent when arguing cases, but he always used his talents for the right side. In reference to this, Demodicus of Alerius made the following puzzling remark: “If you are a judge, give a Prienian decision.” And Hipponax says, “More excellent in his decisions than Bias of Priene.” He died in the following way:
IV. Having pleaded a cause for some one when he was exceedingly old, after he had finished speaking, he leaned back with his head on the bosom of his daughter’s son; and after the advocate on the opposite side had spoken, and the judges had given their decision in favour of Bias’s client, when the court broke up he was found dead on his grandson’s bosom. And the city buried him in the greatest magnificence, and put over him this inscription—
IV. When Bias was very old, he argued a case for someone. After he finished speaking, he leaned back, resting his head on his daughter’s son’s chest. The opposing lawyer then spoke, and the judges ruled in favor of Bias’s client. When the court broke up, Bias was found dead, still resting against his grandson. The city gave him a magnificent burial and placed this inscription over him:
Beneath this stone lies Bias, who was born In the illustrious Prienian land, The glory of the whole Ionian race.
Beneath this stone lies Bias, born in the renowned land of Priene, the pride of the entire Ionian people.
And we ourselves have also written an epigram on him—
We have also written an epigram about him:
Here Bias lies, whom, when the hoary snow Had crowned his aged temples, Mercury Unpitying led to Pluto’s darken’d realms. He pleaded his friend’s cause, and then reclin’d In his child’s arms, repos’d in lasting sleep.
Here lies Bias. When his temples were crowned with the white hair of old age, Mercury led him without pity to Pluto’s dark realm. He pleaded his friend’s case, then rested in his child’s arms and fell into lasting sleep.
V. He also wrote about two thousand verses on Ionia, to show in what matter a man might best arrive at happiness; and of all his poetical sayings these have the greatest reputation:—
V. He also wrote about two thousand verses on Ionia to show how a person might best achieve happiness. Of all his poetic sayings, the following are the most famous:
Seek to please all the citizens, even though Your house may be in an ungracious city. For such a course will favour win from all: But haughty manners oft produce destruction.
Try to please all the citizens, even though Your home may be in an unfriendly city. For doing so will win favor from all: But arrogance often leads to destruction.
And this one too:—
And this one too:
Great strength of body is the gift of nature; But to be able to advise whate’er Is most expedient for one’s country’s good, Is the peculiar work of sense and wisdom.
Great physical strength is a gift of nature. But the ability to advise what is best for one’s country comes from good judgment and wisdom.
Another is:—
Another is:
Great riches come to many men by chance.
Many men become very wealthy by chance.
He used also to say that that man was unfortunate who could not support misfortune; and that it is a disease of the mind to desire what was impossible, and to have no regard for the misfortunes of others. Being asked what was difficult, he said—“To bear a change of fortune for the worse with magnanimity.” Once he was on a voyage with some impious men, and the vessel was overtaken by a storm; so they began to invoke the assistance of the Gods; on which he said, “Hold your tongues, lest they should find out that you are in this ship.” When he was asked by an impious man what piety was, he made no reply; and when his questioner demanded the reason of his silence, he said, “I am silent because you are putting questions about things with which you have no concern.” Being asked what was pleasant to men, he replied, “Hope.” It was a saying of his that it was more agreeable to decide between enemies than between friends; for that of friends, one was sure to become an enemy to him; but that of enemies, one was sure to become a friend. When the question was put to him, what a man derived pleasure while he was doing, he said, “While acquiring gain.” He used to say, too, that men ought to calculate life both as if they were fated to live a long and a short time: and that they ought to love one another as if at a future time they would come to hate one another; for that most men were wicked. He used also to give the following pieces of advice:—“Choose the course which you adopt with deliberation; but when you have adopted it, then persevere in it with firmness.—Do not speak fast, for that shows folly.—Love prudence.—Speak of the Gods as they are.—Do not praise an undeserving man because of his riches.—Accept of things, having procured them by persuasion, not by force.—Whatever good fortune befalls you, attribute it to the gods.—Cherish wisdom as a means of travelling from youth to old age, for it is more lasting than any other possession.”
He also used to say that a man who could not bear misfortune was unfortunate. He said it was a disease of the mind to desire the impossible and ignore the misfortunes of others. When asked what was difficult, he said, “To bear a change of fortune for the worse with generosity of spirit.” Once, he was on a voyage with some impious men when a storm overtook their ship. The men began calling on the gods for help. He said, “Be quiet, or they may find out you are on this ship.” An impious man once asked him what piety was, but he did not answer. When the man asked why he was silent, he said, “I am silent because you are asking about things that are none of your concern.” When asked what people found pleasant, he replied, “Hope.” He said it was more pleasant to settle a dispute between enemies than between friends. Of the friends, one was sure to become his enemy. But of the enemies, one was sure to become his friend. When asked what a man enjoys doing, he said, “Making a profit.” He also said that people should plan their lives as if they were destined to live both long and short lives. They should love one another as if they might later come to hate one another, because most people were wicked. He also gave this advice: “Choose your course carefully, but once you have chosen it, follow it firmly. Do not speak too quickly, because that shows foolishness. Love prudence. Speak of the gods as they are. Do not praise an undeserving man because he is rich. Obtain things through persuasion, not force. Whatever good fortune comes to you, credit it to the gods. Cherish wisdom as a guide from youth to old age, because it lasts longer than any other possession.”
VI. Hipponax also mentions Bias, as has been said before; and Heraclitus too, a man who was not easily pleased, has praised him; saying, in Priene there lived Bias the son of Teutamus, whose reputation is higher than that of the others; and the Prienians consecrated a temple to him which is called the Teutamium. A saying of his was, “Most men are wicked.”
VI. As noted earlier, Hipponax also mentions Bias. Heraclitus, who was not easily pleased, praised him too. He said that Bias, the son of Teutamus, lived in Priene and had a higher reputation than the others. The people of Priene dedicated a temple to Bias called the Teutamium. One of his sayings was, “Most men are wicked.”