The Good Book_ A Secular Bible - A. C. Grayling [122]
8. This hard usage of Corcyraean youths was a punishment imposed by Periander for the murder of his son by the Corcyraeans, which arose as follows.
9. After Periander had put to death his wife Melissa, it chanced that on this first affliction a second followed of a different kind.
10. His wife had borne him two sons, and one of them had now reached the age of seventeen, the other eighteen years, when their mother’s father Procles, tyrant of Epidaurus, invited them to his court.
11. They went, and Procles treated them with much kindness, as was natural, considering they were his grandchildren.
12. When time for parting came, Procles, as he was bidding farewell, asked, ‘Do you know who caused your mother’s death?’
13. The elder son took no account of this speech, but the younger, whose name was Lycophron, was sorely troubled to learn that his father had killed his mother;
14. So much so, that when he returned to Corinth he would neither speak to his father, nor answer when spoken to. So Periander at last, growing furious at such behaviour, banished him from his house.
15. The younger son gone, he turned to the elder and asked him what it was that their grandfather had said to them.
16. Then the youth related how kind and friendly Procles had been; but, not having taken notice of what Procles said at parting, he did not mention it.
17. Periander insisted that it was not possible this should be all; their grandfather must have given them some hint or other; and he went on pressing the youth, till at last he remembered the parting speech and told it.
18. Periander, after he had considered the whole matter, felt unwilling to give way, and sent a messenger to the persons who had opened their houses to his outcast son, and forbade them to harbour him.
19. Then the boy, when he was chased from one friend, sought refuge with another, but was driven from shelter to shelter by the threats of his father,
20. Who menaced all those that took him in, and commanded them to shut their doors against him.
21. Still, as fast as he was forced to leave one house he went to another, and was received by the inmates;
22. For his acquaintance, although in no small alarm at the danger, yet gave him shelter, as he was Periander’s son.
23. At last Periander made proclamation that whoever harboured, or even spoke to him, would be fined.
24. On hearing this no one any longer took Lycophron in, or even spoke with him, and he himself did not think it right to do what was forbidden; so he made his lodging in the public porticos.
25. When four days had passed in this way, Periander, seeing how wretched his son was, that he neither washed nor took any food, felt moved with compassion towards him;
26. And foregoing his anger, he approached him, and said, ‘Which is better, my son, to fare as you now do, or to receive my crown and all the good things I possess, on the one condition of submitting yourself to your father?
27. ‘See, now, though my own child, and heir to this wealthy Corinth, you have brought yourself to a beggar’s life, because you must defy him whom it least behoves you to oppose.
28. ‘If there has been a calamity, and you hate me on that account, consider that I feel it too, and am the greater sufferer, because it was by me that the deed was done.
29. ‘For yourself, now that you know how much better a thing it is to be envied than pitied, and how dangerous it is to indulge anger against parents, come home with me.’
30. With such words as these did Periander chide his son; but the son made no reply, except to remind his father that he was liable to the fine for speaking to him.
31. Then Periander knew that there was no cure for the youth’s disaffection, nor means of overcoming it;
32. So he prepared a ship and sent him away out of his sight to Corcyra, which island at that time belonged to him.
Chapter 27
1. As for Procles, Periander regarded him as the true author of all his present troubles, and so he went to war with him