«Symposion» and «Philanthropia» in Plutarch - Bad Request ...

Delfim F. LeãoCleoboulus is again stressed by Plutarch in the De E apud Delphos (385d-e),a passage already commented on in the introduction, where he expresslyeliminates the tyrant of Lindos from the core of Sages. Accordingly, it wouldhave been easy for Plutarch to choose a character different from that ofCleoboulus, among the many other candidates recorded by the tradition ofthe Seven Wise Men 14 . Consequently, the justification for the presence of thetyrant Cleoboulus within the circle of the sophoi should perhaps be sought notso much in the inherent qualities of the autocrat (as happened with Pittacus)but in the opportunity to make Cleobouline appear in the convivial space 15 .In fact, although the young girl does not voice a single word, it isparticularly impressive to see the way she is presented for the first time inthe Septem Sapientium Convivium in the act of combing the dishevelled hairof Anacharsis (148d-e). The symbolic importance of this scene is underlinedduring the conversation between Neiloxenos and Thales when it is said thatboth the Greek girl and the Scythian sophos derived benefits from that mutualproximity. Neiloxenos also pays her a compliment by recognizing that herriddles were renowned as far as Egypt. This is a very interesting statementbecause, apart from the obvious flattering remark, it may also provide anhistorical hint at the way personalities and events connected with the SevenSages spread throughout the Hellenized world. 16 Particularly significant isalso the comment made by Thales when he emphatically mentions the naturalgood character of Eumetis to the foreigner of Naucratis and at the same timestates the positive effect that she exerts on her father (148d):καὶ ὁ Νειλόξενος “ἦ που τὴν περὶ τὰ αἰνίγματα δεινότητα καὶ σοφίαν” ἔφη“τῆς κόρης ἐπαινεῖς· καὶ γὰρ εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἔνια τῶν προβαλλομένων ὑπ’αὐτῆς διῖκται.”“oὐκ ἔγωγ’” εἶπεν ὁ Θαλῆς· “τούτοις γὰρ ὥσπερ ἀστραγάλοις, ὅταν τύχῃ,παίζουσα χρῆται καὶ διαβάλλεται πρὸς τοὺς ἐντυχόντας. ἀλλὰ καὶ φρόνημαθαυμαστὸν καὶ νοῦς ἔνεστι πολιτικὸς καὶ φιλάνθρωπον ἦθος, καὶ τὸν πατέρατοῖς πολίταις πραότερον ἄρχοντα παρέχει καὶ δημοτικώτερον.According to him, the natural qualities of Cleobouline — whereintelligence, political sensibility and a generous character are particularlyevident (φρόνημα θαυμαστὸν καὶ νοῦς ἔνεστι πολιτικὸς καὶ φιλάνθρωπονἦθος) — project over her father and help to make his government become‘sweeter’ (πραότερον) and ‘closer to democracy’ (δημοτικώτερον). ThroughEumetis, Plutarch manages to attenuate the negative traits of Cleoboulus and14See the elucidative testimony of Diogenes Laertius (1.41-42) on the number ofpersonalities that could play the role of sophos.15Thus contributing to innovate within the Greek tradition in what concerns the presenceof ‘serious’ women in the banquet, which was an ambience clearly marked by masculineWeltanschauung. For more on this, see D. F. Leão, 2008, pp. 486-7.16A. Busine, 2002, pp. 65-71, too, calls attention to this issue, when analysing the work ofDemetrius of Phalerum and Callimachus of Cyrene in Alexandria. However, the author doesnot discuss this particular case of Cleobouline.516