Bias of priene biography of christopher

After educating them as his own daughters, he sent them back to Messinatheir homeland, and to their fathers. Bias is said to have died at a very advanced age while pleading a cause for his client. After he had finished speaking, he rested his head on his grandson. When the advocate on the opposite side had spoken, the judges decided in favor of Bias's client, by which time Bias had died.

It is said that Bias wrote a poem of lines on Ionia and the way to make it prosperous. Indeed this must have been his maxim. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. For example, he redeemed captive girls from Messina from slavery. He then brought them up with his daughters and then sent them and their dowries back to their parents.

When Priene was attacked by the Persians, all the inhabitants fled and tried to take as many valuables as possible.

Bias of priene biography of christopher

Only Bias carried nothing, because he said he carried everything important with him. He considered knowledge to be important. Herodotus tells us that Bias, when the Persians had defeated the Lydian king Croesus after BCEadvised the Greeks of Asia Minor to leave their cities and migrate to the far west, and build a new city on Sardinia.

The author of the Histories adds that he considered this to be a very wise proposal, apparently unaware that Sardinia, at this moment, was a Carthaginian possession that could not be colonized. There's a second remark about Bias in the Histories. He also wrote about two thousand verses on Ionia, to show in what matter a man might achieve happiness.

In reference to which Demodicus of Alerius uttered the following enigmatical saying—"If you are a judge, give a Prienian decision. The legend says that he died as an old man, pleading a cause for his client. After he had finished speaking, he leaned back with his head on the bosom of his daughter's son. When the advocate on the opposite side had spoken, the judges decided in favor of Bias's client.