Lycon's Life
I. He was succeeded by Lycon, a native of the Troas, the son of Astyanax, a man of great eloquence, and of especial ability in the education of youth. For he used to say that it was fit for boys to be harnessed with modesty and rivalry, as much as for horses to be equipped with a spur and a bridle. And his eloquence and energy in speaking is apparent, from this instance. For he speaks of a virgin who was poor in the following manner:—“A damsel, who, for want of a dowry, goes beyond the seasonable age, is a heavy burden to her father;” on which account they say that Antigonus said with reference to him, that the sweetness and beauty of an apple could not be transferred to anything else, but that one might see, in the case of this man, all these excellencies, in as great perfection as on a tree; and he said this, because he was a surpassingly sweet speaker. On which account, some people prefixed a Γ to his name. But as a writer, he was very unequal to his reputation. And he used to jest in a careless way, upon those who repented that they had not learnt when they had the opportunity, and who now wished that they had done so, saying, said that they were accusing themselves, showing by a prayer which could not possibly be accomplished, their misplaced repentance for their idleness. He used also to say, that those who deliberated without coming to a right conclusion, erred in their calculations, like men who investigate a correct nature by an incorrect standard, or who look at a face in disturbed water, or a distorted mirror. Another of his sayings was, that many men go in pursuit of the crown to be won in the forum, but few or none seek to attain the one to be gained at the Olympic games.
I. He was succeeded by Lycon, a native of the Troas and the son of Astyanax. Lycon was highly eloquent and especially skilled at educating young people. He used to say that boys should be guided by modesty and a desire to excel, just as horses need a spur and a bridle. His eloquence and force as a speaker can be seen in this example. He described a poor young woman as follows: “A young woman who passes the usual age for marriage because she has no dowry is a heavy burden to her father.” Because Lycon spoke so sweetly, Antigonus is said to have remarked on him. The sweetness and beauty of an apple, Antigonus said, could not be transferred to anything else. Yet in Lycon one could see all those qualities, as perfect as they were on a tree. For the same reason, some people added a Γ to the beginning of his name. But as a writer, he fell far short of his reputation. He used to make casual jokes about people who regretted not learning when they had the chance and now wished they had done so. He said they were accusing themselves. By wishing for something impossible, they showed that their regret over their idleness was misplaced. He also said that people who deliberated without reaching the right conclusion made errors in their calculations. They were like people judging what is correct by a faulty standard, or looking at a face in rippled water or a distorted mirror. Another of his sayings was that many men pursue the crown to be won in the forum, but few or none seek the one to be won at the Olympic games.
So that it appears connected to γλυκὺς, sweet.
II. And as he in many instances gave much advice to the Athenians, he was of exceedingly great service to them.
II. He gave the Athenians much advice on many occasions, and was extremely helpful to them.
III. He was also a person of great neatness in his dress, wearing garments of an unsurpassable delicacy, as we are told by Hermippus. He was at the same time exceedingly devoted to the exercises of the Gymnasium, and a man who was always in excellent condition as to his body, displaying every quality of an athlete (though Antigonus of Carystus, pretends that he was bruised about the ears and dirty); and in his own country he is said to have wrestled and played at ball at the Iliæan games.
III. Hermippus tells us that he dressed with great care, wearing clothes of unsurpassed delicacy. He was also deeply devoted to exercise at the Gymnasium and always in excellent physical condition. He had every quality of an athlete (though Antigonus of Carystus claims that his ears were bruised and he was dirty). In his own country, he is said to have wrestled and played ball at the Iliæan games.
IV. And he was exceedingly beloved by Eumenes and Attalus, who made him great presents; and Antigonus also tried to seduce him to his court, but was disappointed. And he was so great an enemy to Hieronymus the Peripatetic, that he was the only person who would not go to see him on the anniversary festival which he used to celebrate, and which we have mentioned in our life of Arcesilaus.
IV. Eumenes and Attalus were very fond of him and gave him generous gifts. Antigonus also tried to lure him to his court, but failed. He was such a bitter enemy of Hieronymus the Peripatetic that he alone refused to visit him for his annual festival. We mentioned this festival in our life of Arcesilaus.
V. And he presided over his school forty-four years, as Strato had left it to him in his will, in the hundred and twenty-seventh olympiad.
V. He led the school for forty-four years. Strato had left it to him in his will during the 127th Olympiad.
VI. He was also a pupil of Panthoides, the dialectician.
VI. He also studied under Panthoides, the dialectician.
VII. He died when he was seventy-four years of age, having been a great sufferer with the gout, and there is an epigram of ours upon him:—
VII. He died at the age of seventy-four, after suffering greatly from gout. We wrote an epigram about him:
Nor shall wise Lycon be forgotten, who Died of the gout, and much I wonder at it. For he who ne’er before could walk alone, Went the long road to hell in a single night.
Wise Lycon will not be forgotten. He died of gout, and I find that surprising. For he had never been able to walk alone, Yet he traveled the long road to hell in a single night.
VIII. There were several people of the name of Lycon. The first was a Pythagorean; the second was this man of whom we are speaking; the third was an epic poet; the fourth was an epigrammatic poet.
VIII. Several people were named Lycon. The first was a Pythagorean. The second is the man discussed here. The third was an epic poet. The fourth wrote epigrams.
IX. I have fallen in with the following will of this philosopher. “I make the following disposition of my property; if I am unable to withstand this disease:—All the property in my house I leave to my brothers Astyanax and Lycon; and I think that they ought to pay all that I owe at Athens, and that I may have borrowed from any one, and also all the expenses that may be incurred for my funeral, and for other customary solemnities. And all that I have in the city, or in Ægina, I give to Lycon because he bears the same name that I do, and because he has spent the greater part of his life with me, showing me the greatest affection, as it was fitting that he should do, since he was in the place of a son to me. And I leave my garden walk to those of my friends who like to use it; to Bulon, and Callinus, and Ariston, and Amphion, and Lycon, and Python, and Aristomachus, and Heracleus, and Lycomedes, and Lycon my nephew. And I desire that they will elect as president him whom they think most likely to remain attached to the pursuit of philosophy, and most capable of holding the school together. And I entreat the rest of my friends to acquiesce in their election, for my sake and that of the place. And I desire that Bulon, and Callinus, and the rest of my friends will manage my funeral and the burning of my body, so that my obsequies may not be either mean or extravagant. And the property which I have in Ægina shall be divided by Lycon after my decease among the young men there, for the purpose of anointing themselves, in order that the memory of me and of him who honoured me, and who showed his affection by useful presents, may be long preserved. And let him erect a statue of me; and as for the place for it, I desire that Diophantus and Heraclides the son of Demetrius, shall select that, and take care that it be suitable for the proposed erection. With the property that I have in the city let Lycon pay all the people of whom I have borrowed anything since his departure; and let Bulon and Callinus join him in this, and also in discharging all the expenses incurred for my funeral, and for all other customary solemnities, and let him deduct the amount from the funds which I have left in my house, and bequeathed to them both in common. Let him also pay the physicians, Pasithemis and Medias, men who, for their attention to me and for their skill, are very deserving of still greater honour. And I give to the son of Callinus my pair of Thericlean cups; and to his wife I give my pair of Rhodian cups, and my smooth carpet, and my double carpet, and my curtains, and the two best pillows of all that I leave behind me; so that as far as the compliment goes, I may be seen not to have forgotten them. And with respect to those who have been my servants, I make the following disposition:—To Demetrius who has long been freed, I remit the price of his freedom, and I further give five minæ, and a cloak, and a tunic, that as he has a great deal of trouble about me, he may pass the rest of his life comfortably. To Criton, the Chalcedonian, I also remit the price of his freedom, and I further give him four minæ. Micrus I hereby present with his freedom; and I desire Lycon to maintain him, and instruct him for six years from the present time. I also give his freedom to Chares, and desire Lycon to maintain him. And I further give him two minæ, and all my books that are published; but those which are not published, I give to Callinus, that he may publish them with due care. I also give to Syrus, whom I have already emancipated, four minæ, and Menodora; and if he owes me anything I acquit him of the debt. And I give to Hilaras four minæ, and a double carpet, and two pillows, and a curtain, and any couch which he chooses to select. I also hereby emancipate the mother of Micrus, and Noemon, and Dion, and Theon, and Euphranor, and Hermeas; and I desire that Agathon shall have his freedom when he has served two years longer; and that Ophelion, and Poseideon, my litter-bearers, shall have theirs when they have waited four years more. I also give to Demetrius, and Criton, and Syrus, a couch a piece, and coverlets from those which I leave behind me, according to the selection which Lycon is hereby authorised to make. And these are to be their rewards for having performed the duties to which they were appointed well. Concerning my burial, let Lycon do as he pleases, and bury me here or at home, just as he likes; for I am sure that he has the same regard for propriety that I myself have. And I give all the things herein mentioned, in the confidence that he will arrange everything properly. The witnesses to this my will are Callinus of Hermione, Ariston of Ceos, and Euphronius of Pæania.”
IX. I have come across the following will of this philosopher. “I make the following arrangements for my property if I cannot survive this illness: I leave everything in my house to my brothers Astyanax and Lycon. I believe they should pay everything I owe in Athens, including anything I may have borrowed from anyone. They should also pay all expenses for my funeral and the other customary rites. I give everything I have in the city or in Ægina to Lycon. He bears the same name as I do, and he has spent most of his life with me. He has shown me the greatest affection, as was fitting, since he was like a son to me. I leave my garden walk to those of my friends who wish to use it: Bulon, Callinus, Ariston, Amphion, Lycon, Python, Aristomachus, Heracleus, Lycomedes, and my nephew Lycon. I ask them to elect as president the man they think most likely to remain devoted to philosophy and most capable of keeping the school together. I ask the rest of my friends to accept their choice, for my sake and for the sake of the place. I ask Bulon, Callinus, and the rest of my friends to arrange my funeral and cremation. My funeral should be neither mean nor extravagant. After my death, Lycon shall divide my property in Ægina among the young men there, so they can anoint themselves. In this way, may they long remember me and the man who honoured me and showed his affection through useful gifts. Let Lycon put up a statue of me. I ask Diophantus and Heraclides, son of Demetrius, to choose a suitable place for the statue. With my property in the city, Lycon should repay everyone from whom I have borrowed anything since his departure. Bulon and Callinus should help him do this. They should also help him pay all the expenses of my funeral and the other customary rites. He should deduct the amount from the funds I have left in my house and bequeathed to them both jointly. He should also pay the physicians Pasithemis and Medias. Their care and skill make them deserving of even greater honour. I give my pair of Thericlean cups to the son of Callinus. To his wife I give my pair of Rhodian cups, my smooth carpet, my double carpet, my curtains, and the two best pillows I leave behind. I give these as a token to show that I have not forgotten them. For those who have served me, I make the following arrangements: I release Demetrius, who was freed long ago, from paying the price of his freedom. I also give him five minæ, a cloak, and a tunic. He has gone to great trouble for me, and I hope he can live comfortably for the rest of his life. I also release Criton the Chalcedonian from paying the price of his freedom and give him four minæ. I hereby give Micrus his freedom. I ask Lycon to support and educate him for six years from now. I also give Chares his freedom and ask Lycon to support him. I give him two minæ and all my published books. I give my unpublished books to Callinus so that he may publish them with due care. I give Syrus, whom I have already freed, four minæ and Menodora. If he owes me anything, I cancel the debt. I give Hilaras four minæ, a double carpet, two pillows, a curtain, and any couch he chooses. I also free the mother of Micrus, and Noemon, Dion, Theon, Euphranor, and Hermeas. I ask that Agathon be freed after two more years of service. I ask that Ophelion and Poseideon, my litter-bearers, be freed after four more years. I also give Demetrius, Criton, and Syrus each a couch and coverlets from those I leave behind. Lycon is authorized to choose them. These are their rewards for carrying out their assigned duties well. As for my burial, let Lycon do as he pleases. He may bury me here or at home, whichever he prefers. I am sure he has the same regard for propriety as I do. I give all the things mentioned here in the confidence that he will arrange everything properly. The witnesses to this will are Callinus of Hermione, Ariston of Ceos, and Euphronius of Pæania.”
As he then was thoroughly wise in everything relating to education, and every branch of philosophy, he was no less prudent and careful in the framing of his will. So that in this respect too he deserves to be admired and imitated.
He was thoroughly wise in everything related to education and every branch of philosophy. He was just as prudent and careful when drawing up his will. So he deserves to be admired and imitated in this respect too.