The Good Book_ A Secular Bible - A. C. Grayling [270]
9. His first voyage was to Egypt, and he lived, as he himself says, ‘Near Nilus’ mouth, by fair Canopus’ shore’,
10. And spent some time in study with Psenophis of Heliopolis, and Sonchis, the most learned of all Egyptians;
11. From whom he learned the story of Atlantis. Solon proposed putting this into a poem, and bringing it to the knowledge of the Greeks.
12. From thence he sailed to Cyprus, where he was feted by Philocyprus, one of the kings there,
13. Whose city lay in a strong but incommodious hilly situation.
14. Solon persuaded him, since there lay a fair plain below, to remove, and build there a pleasanter and more spacious city.
15. And he assisted in gathering inhabitants, and in fitting it both for defence and for convenience of living;
16. Insomuch that many flocked to Philocyprus, and the other kings imitated the design; and, therefore, to honour Solon, he called the city Soli.
17. Solon himself, in his Elegies, addressing Philocyprus, mentions this foundation in these words:
18. ‘Long may you live, and fill the Solian throne, Succeeded still by children of your own;
19. ‘And from your happy island while I sail, Let Cyprus send me a favouring gale.’
Chapter 25
1. That Solon should discourse with Croesus on these travels, some think is not agreeable with chronology;
2. But I cannot reject so famous and well-attested a narrative, and, what is more, so worthy of Solon’s wisdom and greatness of mind.
3. They say, therefore, that Solon, visiting Croesus at his request, was in the same condition as an inland man when first he goes to see the sea;
4. For as he fancies every river he meets with to be the ocean, so Solon, as he passed through the court,
5. And saw a great many nobles richly dressed, and proudly attended with a multitude of guards and footboys, thought each one was the king,
6. Till he was brought to Croesus himself, who was decked with every possible rarity and curiosity,
7. In ornaments of jewels, purple and gold, that could make a grand and gorgeous spectacle of him.
8. Now when Solon came before him, and seemed not at all surprised, nor gave Croesus those compliments the king expected,
9. But showed himself to be a man that despised the gaudiness and petty ostentation of it,
10. Croesus commanded his servants to open his treasure houses, and take Solon to see his sumptuous furniture and luxuries, though he did not wish it;
11. For Solon could judge of him well enough by the first sight of him. When he returned from viewing all, Croesus asked him if he had ever known a happier man than he.
12. And when Solon answered that he had known one Tellus, a fellow-citizen of his own,
13. And told him that this Tellus had been an honest man, had had good children, a competent estate, and died bravely in battle for his country,
14. Croesus took him for an ill-bred fellow and a fool, for not measuring happiness by the abundance of gold and silver,
15. And preferring the life of a private man before so much power and empire.
16. He asked him, however, again, if, besides Tellus, he knew any other man more happy.
17. And Solon replying said, ‘Yes, Cleobis and Biton, who were loving brothers, and extremely dutiful to their mother,
18. ‘For when the oxen delayed her, they harnessed themselves to the wagon, and drew her to the festival,
19. ‘Her neighbours all calling her happy, and she herself rejoiced; then, after feasting, the brothers went to rest,
20. ‘And never rose again, but died in the midst of their honour a painless and tranquil death.’
21. ‘What,’ said Croesus, angrily, ‘and do you not reckon me amongst the happy men at all?’
22. Solon, unwilling either to flatter or exasperate him more, replied,
23. ‘The Greeks, O king, have all the gifts of nature in moderate degree; and so our wisdom, too, is a homely thing;
24. ‘And this, observing the numerous misfortunes that attend all conditions, forbids us to grow insolent upon our present enjoyments,
25. ‘Or to admire any man’s happiness that may yet, in course of time, suffer change.
26. ‘For the uncertain