thy father's will? Thou however, being my son and the prince 45 of
wealthy Corinth, didst choose nevertheless the life of a vagabond by
making opposition and displaying anger against him with whom it behoved
thee least to deal so; for if any misfortune happened in those matters,
for which cause thou hast suspicion against me, this has happened to me
first, and I am sharer in the misfortune more than others, inasmuch as I
did the deed 46 myself. Do thou however, having learnt by how much to be
envied is better than to be pitied, and at the same time what a grievous
thing it is to be angry against thy parents and against those who are
stronger than thou, come back now to the house." Periander with these
words endeavoured to restrain him; but he answered nothing else to his
father, but said only that he ought to pay a fine to the god for having
come to speech with him. Then Periander, perceiving that the malady of
his son was hopeless and could not be overcome, despatched a ship to
Corcyra, and so sent him away out of his sight, for he was ruler also of
that island; and having sent him away, Periander proceeded to make war
against his father-in-law Procles, esteeming him most to blame for the
condition in which he was; and he took Epidauros and took also Procles
himself and made him a prisoner.

53. When however, as time went on, Periander had passed his prime and
perceived within himself that he was no longer able to overlook and
manage the government of the State, he sent to Corcyra and summoned
Lycophron to come back and take the supreme power; for in the elder of
his sons he did not see the required capacity, but perceived clearly
that he was of wits too dull. Lycophron however did not deign even to
give an answer to the bearer of his message. Then Periander, clinging
still in affection to the youth, sent to him next his own daughter, the
sister of Lycophron, supposing that he would yield to her persuasion
more than to that of others; and she arrived there and spoke to him
thus: "Boy, dost thou desire that both the despotism should fall to
others, and also the substance of thy father, carried off as plunder,
rather than that thou shouldest return back and possess them? Come
back to thy home: cease to torment thyself. Pride is a mischievous
possession. Heal not evil with evil. Many prefer that which is
reasonable to that which is strictly just; and many ere now in seeking
the things of their mother have lost the things o