About Sotades in Plutarch's Morals

If anyone thinks it a small and unimportant matter to govern the tongue, another point I promised to touch on, he is very far from the reality.

For silence at the proper season is wisdom, and better than any speech.

And that is, I think, the reason why the ancients instituted the mysteries that we, learning therein to be silent, might transfer our secrecy to the gods to human affairs.

And no one ever yet repented of his silence, while multitudes have repented of their speaking.

And what has not been said is easy to say, while what has been once said can never be recalled.

I have heard of myriads who have fallen into the greatest misfortunes through inability to govern their tongues.

Passing over the rest, I will mention one or two cases in point.

When Ptolemy Philadelphus married his sister Arsinoe, Sotades said, "You are contracting an unholy marriage."

For this speech he long lingered in prison, and paid the righteous penalty for his unseasonable babbling, and had to weep a long time for making others laugh.

Theocritus the Sophist similarly cracked his jokes, and had to pay even a greater penalty. F

Plutarch, Plutarch's Morals (Translator: Arthur Richard Shilleto), Sometime Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge, London, 1898.

Photo: wikimedia

Palindromes:  A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z