Another Tyrannocide

Last year we posted some drinking songs for Harmodius and Aristogeiton

Diogenes Laertius, Lives of the Philosophers 9.26

“When he was interrogated about his conspirators and the arms he was bringing to Liparas, he informed on all the friends of the tyrant because he wished to isolate that men. Then, telling him that he could tell him something about these things to his ear only, he bit down on [Nearchus’] ear and would not let go until he was stabbed to death, suffering the same fate as the tyrannocide Aristogeiton.”

ὅτε καὶ ἐξεταζόμενος τοὺς συνειδότας καὶ περὶ τῶν ὅπλων ὧν ἦγεν εἰς Λιπάραν, πάντας ἐμήνυσεν αὐτοῦ τοὺς φίλους, βουλόμενος αὐτὸν ἔρημον καταστῆσαι· εἶτα περί τινων εἰπεῖν ἔχειν τινα αὐτῷ πρὸς τὸ οὖς καὶ δακὼν οὐκ ἀνῆκεν ἕως ἀπεκεντήθη, ταὐτὸν ᾿Αριστογείτονι τῷ τυραννοκτόνῳ παθών.

Greek Anthology, 7.388

“The hateful mob hurled Kleitonumos to the fish and the river
When he came to the fortress to kill the tyrant.
But justice interred him: the bank fell over
And covered his whole body from head to foot.
He dies untouched by the water; and the reverent earth
Hides him, her safe harbor of freedom.”

ΤΟΥ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΒΙΑΝΟΡΟΣ
᾿Ιχθύσι καὶ ποταμῷ Κλειτώνυμον ἐχθρὸς ὅμιλος
ὦσεν, ὅτ’ εἰς ἄκρην ἦλθε τυραννοφόνος.
ἀλλὰ Δίκα μιν ἔθαψεν· ἀποσπασθεῖσα γὰρ ὄχθη
πᾶν δέμας ἐς κορυφὴν ἐκ ποδὸς ἐκτέρισεν·
κεῖται δ’ οὐχ ὑδάτεσσι διάβροχος· αἰδομένα δὲ
Γᾶ κεύθει τὸν ἑᾶς ὅρμον ἐλευθερίης.

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Greek Anthology 7. 129 [From Diogenes Laertius]

“You were wishing, dear Zeno, to kill a tyrant, a good wish
And to free Elea from slavery with his death.
But you were killed when the tyrant caught you and beat
You to dust. Why do I say this? It was your body, not you”

῎Ηθελες, ὦ Ζήνων, (καλὸν ἤθελες) ἄνδρα τύραννον
κτείνας ἐκλῦσαι δουλοσύνης ᾿Ελέαν.
ἀλλ’ ἐδάμης· δὴ γάρ σε λαβὼν ὁ τύραννος ἐν ὅλμῳ
κόψε. τί τοῦτο λέγω; σῶμα γάρ, οὐχὶ δὲ σέ.

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