Bion's Life

I. Bion was a native of the country around the Borysthenes; but as to who his parents were, and to what circumstances it was owing that he applied himself to the study of philosophy, we know no more than what he himself told Antigonus. For when Antigonus asked him:—

I. Bion came from the country around the Borysthenes. But all we know about his parents and what led him to study philosophy comes from what he himself told Antigonus. For when Antigonus asked him:

He, knowing that he had been misrepresented to the king, said to him, “My father was a freedman, who used to wipe his mouth with his sleeve,” (by which he meant that he used to sell salt fish). “As to his race, he was a native of the district of the Borysthenes; having no countenance, but only a brand in his face, a token of the bitter cruelty of his master. My mother was such a woman as a man of that condition might marry, taken out of a brothel. Then, my father being in arrears to the tax-gatherers, was sold with all his family, and with me among them; and as I was young and good looking, a certain orator purchased me, and when he died he left me everything. And I, having burnt all his books, and torn up all his papers, came to Athens and applied myself to the study of Philosophy:—

He knew that he had been misrepresented to the king, so he said to him, “My father was a freedman who used to wipe his mouth with his sleeve.” (By this he meant that his father used to sell salt fish.) “He was a native of the district of the Borysthenes. His face was disfigured by a brand, a mark of his master’s bitter cruelty. My mother was the kind of woman a man in his position might marry. She had been taken from a brothel. Then my father fell behind on his taxes and was sold along with his whole family, including me. Because I was young and good-looking, an orator bought me. When he died, he left me everything. I burned all his books and tore up all his papers. Then I came to Athens and devoted myself to the study of Philosophy:

This is all that I can tell you of myself: so that Persæus and Philonides may give up telling these stories about me: and you may judge of me on my own merits.”

This is all I can tell you about myself, so that Persæus and Philonides may stop telling these stories about me, and you may judge me on my own merits.”

II. And Bion was truly a man of great versatility, and a very subtle philosopher, and a man who gave all who chose great opportunities of practising philosophy. In some respects he was of a gentle disposition, and very much inclined to indulge in vanity.

II. Bion was truly a versatile man and a very subtle philosopher. He gave all who wished to practice philosophy ample opportunities to do so. In some respects, he was gentle and very prone to vanity.

III. And he left behind him many memorials of himself in the way of writings, and also many apophthegms full of useful sentiments. As for instance, once when he was reproved for having failed to charm a young man, he replied, “You cannot possibly draw up cheese with a hook before it has got hard.” On another occasion he was asked who was the most miserable of men, and replied, “He who has set his heart on the greatest prosperity.” When he was asked whether it was advisable to marry (for this answer also is attributed to him), he replied, “If you marry an ugly woman you will have a punishment (ποινὴ), and if a handsome woman you will have one who is common” (κοινή). He called old age a port to shelter one from misfortune; and accordingly, he said that every one fled to it. He said that glory was the mother of years; that beauty was a good which concerned others rather than one’s self; that riches were the sinews of business. To a man who had squandered his estate he said, “The earth swallowed up Amphiaraus, but you have swallowed up the earth.” Another saying of his was that it was a great evil not to be able to bear evil. And he condemned those who burnt the dead as though they felt nothing, and then mocked them as though they did feel. And he was always saying that it was better to put one’s own beauty at the disposal of another, than to covet the beauty of others; for that one who did so was injuring both his body and his soul. And he used to blame Socrates saying, that if he derived no advantage from Alcibiades he was foolish, and if he never derived any advantage from him he then deserved no credit. He used to say that the way to the shades below was easy; and accordingly, that people went there with their eyes shut. He used to blame Alcibiades, saying that while he was a boy he seduced husbands from their wives, and when he had become a young man he seduced the wives from their husbands. While most of the Athenians at Rhodes practised rhetoric, he himself used to give lectures on philosophical subjects; and to one who blamed him for this he said, “I have bought wheat, and I sell barley.”

III. He left many written works as memorials of himself, along with many sayings full of useful insights. Once, someone criticized him for failing to charm a young man. He replied, “You cannot pull cheese up with a hook before it has hardened.” Another time, he was asked who was the most miserable person. He replied, “The man who has set his heart on the greatest prosperity.” He was also asked whether it was wise to marry. This answer, too, is attributed to him: “If you marry an ugly woman, you will have a punishment (ποινὴ). If you marry a beautiful woman, you will have one who is common” (κοινή). He called old age a harbor that shelters people from misfortune. For that reason, he said, everyone flees to it. He said that glory was the mother of years. Beauty, he said, was a good that benefited others rather than oneself. Riches, he said, were the sinews of business. To a man who had squandered his estate, he said, “The earth swallowed up Amphiaraus, but you have swallowed up the earth.” He also said that being unable to bear misfortune was a great misfortune. He condemned people who burned the dead as if they felt nothing, then mocked them as if they did feel. He always said it was better to offer one’s own beauty to another than to covet the beauty of others. A person who coveted others’ beauty, he said, harmed both body and soul. He criticized Socrates, saying that if he gained nothing from Alcibiades, he was foolish. If he never gained anything from Alcibiades, he deserved no credit. He said the way to the world of the dead was easy. For that reason, people went there with their eyes shut. He criticized Alcibiades, saying that as a boy he seduced husbands away from their wives. As a young man, Alcibiades seduced wives away from their husbands. While most Athenians in Rhodes practiced rhetoric, he lectured on philosophy. When someone criticized him for this, he said, “I have bought wheat, and I sell barley.”

It was a saying of his that the inhabitants of the shades below would be more punished if they carried water in buckets that were whole, than in such as were bored. To a chattering fellow who was soliciting him for aid, he said, “I will do what is sufficient for you, if you will send deputies to me, and forbear to come yourself.” Once when he was at sea in the company of some wicked men, he fell into the hands of pirates; and when the rest said, “We are undone, if we are known.” “But I,” said he, “am undone if we are not known.” He used to say that self-conceit was the enemy of progress. Of a rich man who was mean and niggardly, he said, “That man does not possess his estate, but his estate possesses him.” He used to say that stingy men took care of their property as if it was their own, but derived no advantage from it as if it belonged to other people. Another of his sayings was, that young men ought to display courage, but that old men ought to be distinguished for prudence. And that prudence was as much superior to the other virtues as sight was to the other senses. And that it was not right to speak of old age, at which every one is desirous to arrive. To an envious man who was looking gloomy, he said, “I know not whether it is because some misfortune has happened to you, or some good fortune to someone else.” One thing that he used to say was, that a mean extraction was a bad companion to freedom of speech. For:—

He used to say that the inhabitants of the underworld would suffer more if they carried water in intact buckets than in buckets full of holes. To a talkative man who asked him for help, he said, “I will do enough for you if you send representatives to me and do not come yourself.” Once, while sailing with some wicked men, he was captured by pirates. The others said, “We are lost if they recognize us.” “But I,” he said, “am lost if they do not recognize us.” He used to say that self-conceit was the enemy of progress. Of a rich man who was miserly, he said, “That man does not own his wealth. His wealth owns him.” He said that stingy people guarded their property as if it were their own. But they got no benefit from it, as if it belonged to someone else. He also said that young men should show courage, while old men should be known for prudence. Prudence was as much superior to the other virtues as sight was to the other senses. He also said it was wrong to speak ill of old age, since everyone hopes to reach it. To an envious man who looked gloomy, he said, “I do not know whether you have suffered a misfortune or someone else has had good fortune.” He also used to say that humble birth was a poor companion to freedom of speech. For:—

And another was that we ought to keep our friends, whatever sort of people they may be, so that we may not seem to have been intimate with wicked men, or to have abandoned good men.

Another view was that we should keep our friends, whatever kind of people they are. Otherwise, we may seem to have been close to bad people or to have abandoned good people.

IV. Very early in his career he abandoned the school of the Academy, and at the same time became a disciple of Crates. Then he passed over to the sect of the Cynics, taking their coarse cloak and wallet. For what else could ever have changed his nature into one of such apathy? After that he adopted the Theodorean principles, having become a disciple of Theodorus the Atheist, who was used to employ every kind of reasoning in support of his system of philosophy. After leaving him, he became a pupil of Theophrastus, the Peripatetic.

IV. Very early in his career, he left the Academy and became a disciple of Crates. He then joined the Cynics, adopting their coarse cloak and wallet. What else could have made him so indifferent? After that, he adopted the Theodorean principles and became a disciple of Theodorus the Atheist. Theodorus used every kind of reasoning to support his philosophy. After leaving him, he became a pupil of Theophrastus, the Peripatetic.

V. He was very fond of theatrical entertainments, and very skilful in distracting his hearers by exciting a laugh, giving things disparaging names. And because he used to avail himself of every species of reasoning, they relate that Eratosthenes said that Bion was the first person who had clothed philosophy in a flowery robe.

V. He loved theatrical entertainment and was skilled at distracting his listeners by making them laugh and calling things insulting names. Because he used every kind of reasoning, Eratosthenes is said to have called Bion the first to dress philosophy in a flowery robe.

VI. He was also very ingenious in parodying passages, and adapting them to circumstances as they arose. As for instance, I may cite the following:—

VI. He was also very clever at parodying passages and adapting them to situations as they arose. For example, I may cite the following:

And he jested on every part of music and geometry.

And he joked about every aspect of music and geometry.

VII. He was a man of very expensive habits, and on this account he used to go from city to city, and at times he would contrive the most amazing devices.

VII. He had expensive habits, so he traveled from city to city. At times, he devised the most amazing contrivances.

VIII. Accordingly, in Rhodes, he persuaded the sailors to put on the habiliments of philosophical students and follow him about; and then he made himself conspicuous by entering the gymnasium with this train of followers.

VIII. So, in Rhodes, he persuaded the sailors to dress like students of philosophy and follow him around. Then he drew attention to himself by entering the gymnasium with this group of followers.

IX. He was accustomed also to adopt young men as his sons, in order to derive assistance from them in his pleasures, and to be protected by their affection for him. But he was a very selfish man, and very fond of quoting the saying, “The property of friends is common;” owing to which it is that no one is spoken of as a disciple of his, though so many men attended his school. And he made some very shameless; accordingly, Betion, one of his intimate acquaintances, is reported to have said once to Menedemus, “So Menedemus constantly spends the evening with Bion, and I see no harm in it.” He used also to talk with great impiety to those who conversed with him, having derived his opinions on this subject from Theodorus.

IX. He also used to adopt young men as his sons, so they would help him pursue his pleasures and protect him out of affection. But he was very selfish and loved to quote the saying, “Friends share everything.” As a result, no one is called his disciple, although many men attended his school. He also made some people very shameless. For example, Betion, one of his close acquaintances, is said to have once told Menedemus, “So Menedemus constantly spends the evening with Bion, and I see no harm in it.” He also spoke very impiously to those who talked with him. He had taken his views on this subject from Theodorus.

X. And when at a later period he became afflicted with disease, as the people of Chalcis said, for he died there, he was persuaded to wear amulets and charms, and to show his repentance for the insults that he had offered to the Gods. But he suffered fearfully for want of proper people to attend him, until Antigonus sent him two servants. And he followed him in a litter, as Phavorinus relates in his Universal History. And the circumstances of his death we have ourselves spoken of in the following lines:—

X. Later, he became ill, according to the people of Chalcis, where he died. He was persuaded to wear amulets and charms and to show repentance for insulting the Gods. But he suffered terribly because he had no suitable people to care for him, until Antigonus sent him two servants. He followed Antigonus in a litter, as Phavorinus relates in his Universal History. We ourselves have described the circumstances of his death in the following lines:

XI. There were ten people of the name of Bion. First of all, the one who flourished at the same time with Pherecydes of Syros, and who has left two books behind him, which are still extant; he was a native of Proconnesus. The second was a Syracusan, the author of a system of rhetoric. The third was the man of whom we have been speaking. The fourth was a pupil of Democritus, and a mathematician, a native of Abdera, who wrote in both the Attic and Ionic dialect. He was the person who first asserted that there were countries where there was night for six months, and day for six months. The fifth was a native of Soli; who wrote a history of Æthiopia. The sixth was a rhetorician, who has left behind him nine books, inscribed with the names of the Muses, which are still extant. The eighth was a Milesian statuary, who is mentioned by Polemo. The ninth was a tragic poet of the number of those who are called Tarsicans. The tenth was a statuary, a native of Clazomenæ or Chios, who is mentioned by Hipponax.

XI. There were ten people named Bion. The first was from Proconnesus and lived at the same time as Pherecydes of Syros. He left two books, which still survive. The second was a Syracusan who wrote a system of rhetoric. The third was the man we have been discussing. The fourth was a mathematician from Abdera and a pupil of Democritus. He wrote in both the Attic and Ionic dialects. He was the first to claim that some countries had six months of night and six months of day. The fifth was from Soli and wrote a history of Æthiopia. The sixth was a rhetorician who left nine books, each named after a Muse. These books still survive. The eighth was a sculptor from Miletus, mentioned by Polemo. The ninth was a tragic poet, one of those called Tarsicans. The tenth was a sculptor from Clazomenæ or Chios, mentioned by Hipponax.