Periander of Corinth (c. 630-585 BC) was the "tyrant" of his city, in the original Greek sense of an absolute ruler who came to power without the support of a constitution. As such, he was mainly praised for his remarkable achievements in a government that was both strong and fair, by bringing great prosperity to all of his citizens, not just to a few at the expense of the many.
Yet he is perhaps the most problematic of the candidates for the Seven Sages, a man seemingly racked with contradictions. As such, there was some debate as to whether he was worthy of the title, or if the "wise" Periander might even have been a completely different man that the "tyrant" Periander.
Though known for his sense of justice, he was also said to have been a man with a fierce temper. I do not fret over this too much, since many of the best people I have known have also been those who struggled with the greatest vices. We all do wrong, sometimes catastrophically so, but only some of us learn from our mistakes to increase our virtues.
The story has it that Periander unintentionally killed his wife in a rage, and that this caused a permanent rift between him and his son. This may have led him to such despair that he chose to die anonymously, by means of an odd arrangement:
He did not wish the place where he was buried to be known, and to that end contrived the following device. He ordered two young men to go out at night by a certain road which he pointed out to them; they were to kill the man they met and bury him.
He afterwards ordered four more to go in pursuit of the two, kill them and bury them; again, he dispatched a larger number in pursuit of the four.
Having taken these measures, he himself encountered the first pair and was slain.
Diogenes Laërtius offers this tragic warning from the life of Periander:
Grieve not because thou hast not gained thine end,
But take with gladness all the gods may send
Be warned by Periander's fate, who died
Of grief that one desire should be denied.
Some sayings of Periander include:
Never do anything for money; leave gain to trades pursued for gain.
Those tyrants who intend to be safe should make loyalty their bodyguard, not arms.
When someone asked him why he was tyrant, he replied, "Because it is as dangerous to retire voluntarily as to be dispossessed."
Democracy is better than tyranny.
Pleasures are transient, honors are immortal.
Be moderate in prosperity, prudent in adversity.
Be the same to your friends, whether they are in prosperity or in adversity.
Whatever agreement you make, stick to it.
Correct not only the offenders but also those who are on the point of offending.
