Chapter XXXI. That Their Recommendations Were for the Most Part Unphilosophical

‘FOR this reason, if thou canst not persuade them to learn something worthy of the school of a god instead of their contemptible questions, I recommend thee to take a rod to them rather than to say to Archilochus of Paros after he had thrown away his substance in political follies, and in sorrow had come to consult thee:

“To Thasos, Archilochus, go, and dwell in that glorious island.”

‘For he would have profited more had he been told in this other way:

“Archilochus, come to thy senses, in poverty make no bewailing.”

‘Or to the Cretans who had come to thee:

“Dwellers in Phaestus and Tarra and wave-beaten headland of Dium, Hear ye my bidding, and offer the Pythian lustrations to Phoebus In pious devotion, so dwell ye for ever in Creta’s fair island, Worshipping wealth and Zeus in customs not those of your fathers.”

‘It would have been better for them to be told:

“Dwellers in folly and madness and self-conceited elation, Hear ye my bidding, and offer at home in pious devotion Lustrations your folly to purge; so dwell ye in wisdom for ever Worshipping wealth in customs not those of your sires but divine.”

‘Beware lest thou need lustration more than Crete, for inventing lustrations such as those of Orpheus and Epimenides.’