The lives, opinions, and remarkable sayings of the most famous ancient philosophers. The first volume written in Greek, by Diogenes Laertius ; made English by several hands ...

The LIFE of LYCO.

LYCO the Son of Astyanax of Troas, was a person of great Eloquence, and one that was every way fit to form and fashion the manners of young Men; for he was wont to say, That Shame and Praise were as requisite for Youth, as the Bridle and Spur for Horses.

You may understand by some Touches, what a great Person he was, whether it were for Discourse, or for the Interpreta∣tion of his own Conceptions. For hap∣pening to speak of a Poor Virgin, he said thus, That a Poor Virgin who being arriv'd to ripe. Years, and in the Flower of her Age, ••••d lies at home in her Fathers House, for •••••••• of a Portion to marry her, is an into∣lerable Burthen. And therefore tis repor∣ted that Antigonus speaking of him, com∣pared the Nature of Men to the Nature of Pears, saying that it was impossible to transport the Beauty and sweet Scent of one Pear into another, or to exchange the Graces of this, for the Endowments of that Man. And therefore in my O∣pinion we must seek for the true faculty of well expressing every thing, in several

Men, as we do for the sweetness and good∣ness of Pears, not all from one Tree▪ Which was the Reason that some Men considering the sweetness of his Dis∣course, put a G before the L, and called him Glyco, which signifies: as much▪ •• sweet. Besides he was a Man that alwa•••• wrote different from himself; such a Plenty of words he had at his command.

He often laught at those that repented themselves, for having idl'd away the••e Youth, without ever learning or impro∣ving their knowledge, with a Resolution by their diligence for the future, to repair the losses of their miss-spent time. For said he, They go about a thing which is al∣most impossible: for that the one had too late repented their folly, to think by wishes to re∣pair the defects of their Negligence: and they that betook themselves to Study in their old Age, though they were not quite out of their wits, yet they were next door by; and re∣sembled those that sought to see their faces i•• troubl'd Waters, or to find the Nature of a Right in a Crooked Line. He was wont to say, There were many that strove to out-doe one another at pleading and wrangling, but few that ventur'd for the Olympic Crown. And as for his Counsels, the Athenians found Benefit of 'em, more than once or twice.

There was never any Man more neat and curious in his Apparel than himself. For as Hermippus reports, he was wont to wear the most fashionable and the richest Stuffs he could buy; so that his Effeminacy in that particular was almost Incredible. However he was very much given to Exercise, and preferred Wrest∣ling before all others: by which means he was very strong, vigorous, and lusty. Antigonus the Carystian reports, that in his younger days he was very feeble and ten∣der of Body. But having Convenience in his Country of Wrestling, and hurling the Ball, he omitted no means that might render a Man active and lusty.

He was always welcome to Attalus and Eumenes, who with some few others held him in high Esteem, and many times gave him signal Testimonies of their Royal Munificence. Antigonus laboured by all ways imaginable to have had him in his House; but all his Hopes and Contri∣vances fail'd him. But he had such an Antipathy against Jerome the Peripatetic, that he of all the Philosophers was the only Person who absented himself from the annual Solemnity to which they were in∣vited, because he would not come into his Enemies Company. He governed the School forty two years from the day

that Lyco surrendered up the Employ∣ment to him, by his Will, which was in the Hundred twenty seventh Olympiad▪ Nor must I here forget to tell you, that he was a hearer of Panthoedes the Logi∣cian.

He died in the Seventy fourth year of his Age, being strangely tormented with the Gout; as we have describ'd him in the following Epigram.

Fettered in Oily Rag and Clo••t, Lyco long lay▪ tormented with the Gout; Till Death his Pain to ease, Cur'd him at once of Life and his Disease But here's the Wonder; He that alive could hardly Crawl, But still in danger of a Fall; When dead and stiff, ne'e stood to blun∣der▪ But in the twinkling of an Eye, To Pluto's Mansions in a Night could fly▪

There were also several other Lyco's. The first a Pythagorean: the second him∣self: the third a Writer of Verses; and the fourth a Maker of Epigrams.

We have also recovered his last Will, after much toil and diligent Search▪ which was to this Effect. My Will is, if

I cannot overcome the force of my pre∣sent Distemper, that my Estate shall be disposed as I hereby ordain. First, I give to Astyanax and Lyco, my two Nephews, all the Goods in my House; unless what I have borrowed or taken upon Mortgage in Athens, and what shall be expended upon the Solemnities of my Funeral. As for what I have in the City, and at Aegi∣na, I give it particularly to Lyco, because he bears my Name, and because we have liv'd long in great Friendship together, as it was his duty to do, because I have always looked upon him as my Son. I •• leave my walking place to my Friends and Familiars, Bulo, Callio, Aristo, Am∣phio, Lyco, Pytho, Aristomachus, Hero∣clius, Lycomedes, and to Lyco before-men∣tioned, my Brothers Son. Moreover I desire Bulo and Callio, and my other Friends to take Care that there be no want, nor superfluity at my Funeral. As for my part in Aegina, let Lyco see it distributed after my Decease to the Youngmen to buy 'em Oil for their Exercises, and that they may have an occasion to remember their Benefactor. I would have him advise with Diophantes, and Heraclides the Son of Demetrius, where to set up my Statue. As for my Estate in the City, I desire Ly∣co to pay every Man his due, and what

Bulo and Callio shall have laid out upon my Funeral; but for that Money let him charge it upon my Houshold Goods. Let him satisfy my Physicians, Pasithemis and Midas, Persons highly deserving by rea∣son of their great Skill, and for the pains they took about me in my Sick∣ness. I give to Callinus's Son, two fair Cups, and to his Wife two pretious Stones, and two Carpets, the one Shagged, the other smooth; a Jacket and two Pillows, that they may see we have not forgot 'em, as far as it stood with our Honour. I forgive Demetrins, made free long since, the Price of his Redemption, and or∣der him a Legacy of four Mina's beside. I give Micros his Freedom, and recom∣mend him to Lyco to instruct him for six Years. I also give Chares his Freedom, and order him his Being with Lyco, two Mi∣na's in Silver, and all the rest of my Books, except those which I never yet made publick, which I recommend to Callinus to publish. Moreover, let Syrus my free'd Man have four Mina's, and Menodora for his Servant-Maid, and if he owe me any more I freely discharge him. I give also five Mina's to Hilaras, a s••••ag Carpet, two Pillows, a figur'd Coverlet, and a Bed, such a one as she shall make choice of.

I also enfranchise the Mother of Mi∣cros, Noemo, Dio, The••, Euphrano and Hermyas. As for Agatho, I do not think it fit that he have his Freedom these two Years. And as for my Litter-Carriers, Ophelio, and Possidonius, let them stay four Years longer before they be set at Liberty. Moreover my Will is, That Demetrius, Crito, and Syrus have each of them a Bed, and one of my old Suits, such as Lyco shall think most Convenient. As for the place of my Burial, let Lyco consider whether he will bury me here, or in my House; for I am assur'd that he knows what is decent and comely as well as my self. And thus let him execute the Con∣tents of my Will, and all the rest is his own. The witnesses to this Will, were Callinus the Hermionean, Aristo of Chios, and Euphronius the Peanian.

He shewed himself in all his Actions that appertained either to Learning or the Study of Human Things, so wise, that his Prudence did not only extend it self to what was before his Eyes, but also to provide so well by his Will for all his Affairs, that he deserves to be a Pattern for every one to imitate.