Ὀνησίκριτος δὲ πεμφθῆναί φησιν αὐτὸς διαλεξόμενος τοῖς σοφισταῖς τούτοις· ἀκούειν γὰρ τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον ὡς γυμνοὶ διατελοῖεν καὶ καρτερίας ἐπιμελοῖντο οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἐν τιμῇ τε ἄγοιντο πλείστῃ, παρʼ ἄλλους δὲ μὴ βαδίζοιεν κληθέντες, ἀλλὰ κελεύοιεν ἐκείνους φοιτᾶν παρʼ αὐτούς, εἴ του μετασχεῖν ἐθέλοιεν τῶν πραττομένων ἢ λεγομένων ὑπʼ αὐτῶν· τοιούτων δὴ ὄντων, ἐπειδὴ οὔτε αὐτῷ πρέπειν ἐδόκει παρʼ ἐκείνους φοιτᾶν οὔτε ἐκείνους βιάζεσθαι παρὰ τὰ πάτρια ποιεῖν τι ἄκοντας, αὐτὸς ἔφη πεμφθῆναι. καταλαβεῖν δὲ ἄνδρας πεντεκαίδεκα ἀπὸ σταδίων εἴκοσι τῆς πόλεως, ἄλλον ἐν ἄλλῳ σχήματι ἑστῶτα ἢ καθήμενον ἢ κείμενον γυμνὸν ἀκίνητον ἕως ἑσπέρας, εἶτʼ ἀπερχόμενον εἰς τὴν πόλιν· χαλεπώτατον δʼ εἶναι τὸ τὸν ἥλιον ὑπομεῖναι οὕτω θερμὸν ὥστε τῶν ἄλλων μηδένα ὑπομένειν γυμνοῖς ἐπιβῆναι τοῖς ποσὶ τῆς γῆς ῥᾳδίως κατὰ μεσημβρίαν.
Onesicritus says, that he himself was sent to converse with these wise men. For Alexander heard that they went about naked, practised constancy and fortitude, and were held in the highest honour; that, when invited, they did not go to other persons, but commanded others to come to them, if they wished to participate in their exercises or their conversation. Such being their character, Alexander did not consider it to be consistent with propriety to go to them, nor to compel them to do anything contrary to their inclination or against the custom of their country; he therefore despatched Onesicritus to them.
Onesicritus found, at the distance of 20 stadia from the city, fifteen men standing in different postures, sitting or lying down naked, who continued in these positions until the evening, and then returned to the city. The most difficult thing to endure was the heat of the sun, which was so powerful, that no one else could endure without pain to walk on the ground at mid-day with bare feet.
διαλεχθῆναι δʼ ἑνὶ τούτων Καλάνῳ, ὃν καὶ συνακολουθῆσαι τῷ βασιλεῖ μέχρι Περσίδος καὶ ἀποθανεῖν τῷ πατρίῳ νόμῳ τεθέντα ἐπὶ πυρκαϊάν· τότε δʼ ἐπὶ λίθων τυχεῖν κείμενον. προσιὼν οὖν καὶ προσαγορεύσας εἰπεῖν ἔφη, διότι πεμφθείη παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἀκροασόμενος τῆς σοφίας αὐτῶν καὶ ἀπαγγελῶν πρὸς αὐτόν· εἰ οὖν μηδεὶς εἴη φθόνος, ἕτοιμος εἴη μετασχεῖν τῆς ἀκροάσεως. ἰδόντα δʼ ἐκεῖνον χλαμύδα καὶ καυσίαν φοροῦντα καὶ κρηπῖδα, καταγελάσαντα τὸ παλαιόν φάναι πάντʼ ἦν ἀλφίτων καὶ ἀλεύρων πλήρη καθάπερ νῦν κόνεως· καὶ κρῆναι δʼ ἔρρεον αἱ μὲν ὕδατος γάλακτος δʼ ἄλλαι καὶ ὁμοίως μέλιτος, αἱ δʼ οἴνου τινὲς δʼ ἐλαίου· ὑπὸ πλησμονῆς δʼ οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ τρυφῆς εἰς ὕβριν ἐξέπεσον. Ζεὺς δὲ μισήσας τὴν κατάστασιν ἠφάνισε πάντα καὶ διὰ πόνου τὸν βίον ἀπέδειξε· σωφροσύνης δὲ καὶ τῆς ἄλλης ἀρετῆς παρελθούσης εἰς μέσον πάλιν εὐπορία τῶν ἀγαθῶν ὑπῆρξεν· ἐγγὺς δʼ ἐστὶν ἤδη νυνὶ κόρου καὶ ὕβρεως τὸ πρᾶγμα, κινδυνεύει τε ἀφανισμὸς τῶν ὄντων γενέσθαι. ταῦτα εἰπόντα κελεύειν, εἰ βούλοιτο ἀκροάσασθαι, καταθέμενον τὴν σκευὴν γυμνὸν ἐπὶ τῶν αὐτῶν λίθων κείμενον μετέχειν τῶν λόγων. ἀπορουμένου δὲ αὐτοῦ, Μάνδανιν ὅσπερ ἦν πρεσβύτατος καὶ σοφώτατος αὐτῶν, τὸν μὲν ἐπιπλῆξαι ὡς ὑβριστήν, καὶ ταῦτα ὕβρεως κατηγορήσαντα, αὐτὸν δὲ προσκαλέσασθαι καὶ εἰπεῖν ὡς τὸν μὲν βασιλέα ἐπαινοίη, διότι ἀρχὴν τοσαύτην διοικῶν ἐπιθυμοίη σοφίας· μόνον γὰρ ἴδοι αὐτὸν ἐν ὅπλοις φιλοσοφοῦντα· ὠφελιμώτατον δʼ εἴη τῶν ἁπάντων, εἰ οἱ τοιοῦτοι φρονοῖεν οἷς πάρεστι δύναμις τοὺς μὲν ἑκουσίους πείθειν σωφρονεῖν τοὺς δʼ ἀκουσίους ἀναγκάζειν· αὐτῷ δὲ συγγνώμη εἴη, εἰ διʼ ἑρμηνέων τριῶν διαλεγόμενος πλὴν φωνῆς μηδὲν συνιέντων πλέον ἢ οἱ πολλοί, μηδὲν ἰσχύσει τῆς ὠφελείας ἐπίδειξιν ποιήσασθαι· ὅμοιον γὰρ ὡς ἂν εἰ διὰ βορβόρου καθαρὸν ἀξιοῖ τις ὕδωρ ῥεῖν.
He conversed with Calanus, one of these sophists, who accompanied the king to Persia, and died after the custom of his country, being placed on a pile of [burning] wood. When Onesicritus came, he was lying upon stones. Onesicritus approached, accosted him, and told him that he had been sent by the king, who had heard the fame of his wisdom, and that he was to give an account of his interview, if there were no objection, he was ready to listen to his discourse. When Calanus saw his mantle, head-covering, and shoes, he laughed, and said, Formerly, there was abundance everywhere of corn and barley, as there is now of dust; fountains then flowed with water, milk, honey, wine, and oil, but mankind by repletion and luxury became proud and insolent. Jupiter, indignant at this state of things, destroyed all, and appointed for man a life of toil. On the reappearance of temperance and other virtues, there was again an abundance of good things. But at present the condition of mankind approaches satiety and insolence, and there is danger lest the things which now exist should disappear.
When he had finished, he proposed to Onesicritus, if he wished to hear his discourse, to strip off his clothes, to lie down naked by him on the same stones, and in that manner to listen to him; while he was hesitating what to do, Mandanis, who was the oldest and wisest of the sophists, reproached Calanus for his insolence, although he censured such insolence himself. Mandanis called Onesicritus to him, and said, I commend the king, because, although he governs so large an empire, he is yet desirous of acquiring wisdom, for he is the only philosopher in arms that I ever saw; it would be of the greatest advantage, if those were philosophers who have the power of persuading the willing and of compelling the unwilling to learn temperance; but I am entitled to indulgence, if, when conversing by means of three interpreters, who, except the language, know no more than the vulgar, I am not able to demonstrate the utility of philosophy. To attempt it is to expect water to flow pure through mud.
τὰ γοῦν λεχθέντα εἰς τοῦτʼ ἔφη συντείνειν ὡς εἴη λόγος ἄριστος, ὃς ἡδονὴν καὶ λύπην ψυχῆς ἀφαιρήσεται· καὶ ὅτι λύπη καὶ πόνος διαφέροι· τὸ μὲν γὰρ πολέμιον τὸ δὲ φίλιον αὐτοῖς τά γε σώματα ἀσκοῦσι πρὸς πόνον, ἵνʼ αἱ γνῶμαι ῥωννύοιντο, ἀφʼ ὧν καὶ στάσεις παύοιεν καὶ σύμβουλοι πᾶσιν ἀγαθῶν παρεῖεν καὶ κοινῇ καὶ ἰδίᾳ· καὶ δὴ καὶ Ταξίλῃ νῦν συμβουλεύσειε δέχεσθαι τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον· κρείττω μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῦ δεξάμενον εὖ πείσεσθαι, χείρω δὲ εὖ διαθήσειν. ταῦτʼ εἰπόντα ἐξερέσθαι εἰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς Ἕλλησι λόγοι τοιοῦτοι λέγοιντο, εἰπόντος δʼ ὅτι καὶ Πυθαγόρας τοιαῦτα λέγοι κελεύοι τε ἐμψύχων ἀπέχεσθαι, καὶ Σωκράτης καὶ Διογένης οὗ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀκροάσαιτο, ἀποκρίνασθαι ὅτι τἆλλα μὲν νομίζοι φρονίμως αὐτοῖς δοκεῖν, ἓν δʼ ἁμαρτάνειν νόμον πρὸ τῆς φύσεως τιθεμένους· οὐ γὰρ αἰσχύνεσθαι γυμνοὺς ὥσπερ αὐτὸν διάγειν ἀπὸ λιτῶν ζῶντας· καὶ γὰρ οἰκίαν ἀρίστην εἶναι ἥτις ἂν ἐπισκευῆς ἐλαχίστης δέηται· ἔφη δʼ αὐτοὺς καὶ τῶν περὶ φύσιν πολλὰ ἐξετάσαι καὶ προσημασιῶν, ὄμβρων αὐχμῶν νόσων· ἀπιόντας δʼ εἰς τὴν πόλιν κατὰ τὰς ἀγορὰς σκεδάννυσθαι· ὅτῳ δʼ ἂν κομίζοντι σῦκα ἢ βότρυς παρατύχωσι, λαμβάνειν δωρεὰν παρέχοντος· εἰ δʼ ἔλαιον εἴη, καταχεῖσθαι αὐτῶν καὶ ἀλείφεσθαι· ἅπασαν δὲ πλουσίαν οἰκίαν ἀνεῖσθαι αὐτοῖς μέχρι γυναικωνίτιδος, εἰσιόντας δὲ δείπνου κοινωνεῖν καὶ λόγων. αἴσχιστον δʼ αὐτοῖς νομίζεσθαι νόσον σωματικήν· τὸν δʼ ὑπονοήσαντα καθʼ αὑτοῦ τοῦτο, ἐξάγειν ἑαυτὸν διὰ πυρὸς νήσαντα πυράν, ὑπαλειψάμενον δὲ καὶ καθίσαντα ἐπὶ τὴν πυρὰν ὑφάψαι κελεύειν, ἀκίνητον δὲ καίεσθαι.
The tendency of his discourse, he said, was this, that the best philosophy was that which liberated the mind from pleasure and grief; that grief differed from labour, in that the former was inimical, the latter friendly to men; for that men exercised their bodies with labour in order to strengthen the mental powers, by which means they would be able to put an end to dissensions, and give good counsel to all, to the public and to individuals; that he certainly should at present advise Taxiles to receive Alexander as a friend; for if he entertained a person better than himself, he might be improved; but if a worse person, he might dispose him to good.
After this Mandanis inquired, whether such doctrines were taught among the Greeks. Onesicritus answered, that Pythagoras taught a similar doctrine, and enjoined his disciples to abstain from whatever has life; that Socrates and Diogenes, whose discourses he had heard, held the same opinions. Mandanis replied, that in other respects he thought them wise, but that in one thing they were mistaken, namely, in preferring custom to nature, for otherwise they would not be ashamed of going naked, like himself, and of subsisting on frugal fare; for the best house was that which required least repairs. He says also that they employ themselves much on natural subjects, as prognostics, rain, drought, and diseases. When they repair to the city, they disperse themselves in the market-places; if they meet any one carrying figs or bunches of grapes, they take what is offered gratuitously; if it is oil, it is poured over them, and they are anointed with it. Every wealthy house, even to the women’s apartment, is open to them; when they enter it, they engage in conversation, and partake of the repast. Disease of the body they regard as most disgraceful, and he who apprehends it, after preparing a pyre, destroys himself by fire; he (previously) anoints himself, and sitting down upon it orders it to be lighted, remaining motionless while he is burning.
νέαρχος δὲ περὶ τῶν σοφιστῶν οὕτω λέγει· τοὺς μὲν Βραχμᾶνας πολιτεύεσθαι καὶ παρακολουθεῖν τοῖς βασιλεῦσι συμβούλους, τοὺς δʼ ἄλλους σκοπεῖν τὰ περὶ τὴν φύσιν, τούτων δʼ εἶναι καὶ Κάλανον· συμφιλοσοφεῖν δʼ αὐτοῖς καὶ γυναῖκας, τὰς δὲ διαίτας ἁπάντων σκληράς. περὶ δὲ τῶν κατὰ τοὺς ἄλλους νομίμων τοιαῦτα ἀποφαίνεται· τοὺς μὲν νόμους ἀγράφους εἶναι, τοὺς μὲν κοινοὺς τοὺς δʼ ἰδίους, ἀήθειαν ἔχοντας πρὸς τοὺς τῶν ἄλλων, οἷον τὸ τὰς παρθένους ἆθλον παρά τισι προκεῖσθαι τῷ πυγμὴν νικήσαντι ὥστʼ ἀπροίκους συνεῖναι· παρʼ ἄλλοις δὲ κατὰ συγγένειαν κοινῇ τοὺς καρποὺς ἐργασαμένους, ἐπὰν συγκομίσωσιν, αἴρεσθαι φορτίον ἕκαστον εἰς διατροφὴν τοῦ ἔτους, τὸν δʼ ἄλλον ἐμπιπράναι τοῦ ἔχειν εἰσαῦθις ἐργάζεσθαι καὶ μὴ ἀργὸν εἶναι. ὁπλισμὸν δʼ εἶναι τόξον καὶ οἰστοὺς τριπήχεις, ἢ σαύνιον, καὶ πέλτην καὶ μάχαιραν πλατεῖαν τρίπηχυν· ἀντὶ δὲ χαλινῶν φιμοῖς χρῆσθαι κημῶν μικρὸν διαφέρουσιν· ἥλοις δὲ τὰ χείλη διαπεπάρθαι.
Nearchus gives the following account of the Sophists. The Brachmanes engage in public affairs, and attend the kings as counsellors; the rest are occupied in the study of nature. Calanus belonged to the latter class. Women study philosophy with them, and all lead an austere life.
Of the customs of the other Indians, he says, that their laws, whether relating to the community or to individuals, are not committed to writing, and differ altogether from those of other people. For example, it is the practice among some tribes, to propose virgins as prizes to the conquerors in a trial of skill in boxing; wherefore they marry without portions; among other tribes the ground is cultivated by families and in common; when the produce is collected, each takes a load sufficient for his subsistence during the year; the remainder is burnt, in order to have a reason for renewing their labour, and not remaining inactive. Their weapons consist of a bow and arrows, which are three cubits in length, or a javelin, and a shield, and a sword three cubits long. Instead of bridles, they use muzzles, which differ little from a halter, and the lips are perforated with spikes.
τὴν δὲ φιλοτεχνίαν τῶν Ἰνδῶν ἐμφανίζων σπόγγους φησὶν ἰδόντας παρὰ τοῖς Μακεδόσι μιμήσασθαι, τρίχας καὶ σχοινία λεπτὰ καὶ ἁρπεδόνας διαρράψαντας εἰς ἔρια, καὶ μετὰ τὸ πιλῆσαι τὰ μὲν ἐξελκύσαντας τὰ δὲ βάψαντας χροιαῖς· στλεγγιδοποιούς τε καὶ ληκυθοποιοὺς ταχὺ γενέσθαι πολλούς· ἐπιστολὰς δὲ γράφειν ἐν σινδόσι λίαν κεκροτημέναις, τῶν ἄλλων γράμμασιν αὐτοὺς μὴ χρῆσθαι φαμένων· χαλκῷ δὲ χρῆσθαι χυτῷ, τῷ δʼ ἐλατῷ μή· τὴν δʼ αἰτίαν οὐκ εἶπε, καίτοι τὴν ἀτοπίαν εἰπὼν τὴν παρακολουθοῦσαν, ὅτι θραύεται κεράμου δίκην τὰ σκεύη πεσόντα. τῶν δὲ περὶ τῆς Ἰνδικῆς λεγομένων καὶ τοῦτʼ ἐστίν, ὅτι ἀντὶ τοῦ προσκυνεῖν προσεύχεσθαι τοῖς βασιλεῦσι καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐν ἐξουσίᾳ καὶ ὑπεροχῇ νόμος. φέρει δὲ καὶ λιθείαν ἡ χώρα πολυτελῆ κρυστάλλων καὶ ἀνθράκων παντοίων, καθάπερ τῶν μαργαριτῶν.
Nearchus, producing proofs of their skill in works of art, says, that when they saw sponges in use among the Macedonians, they imitated them by sewing hairs, thin threads, and strings in wool; after the wool was felted, they drew out the hairs, threads, and strings, and dyed it with colours. There quickly appeared also manufactures of brushes for the body, and of vessels for oil (lecythi). They write, he says, letters upon cloth, smoothed by being well beaten, although other authors affirm that they have no knowledge of writing. They use brass, which is cast, and not wrought; he does not give the reason of this, although he mentions the strange effect, namely, if that vessels of this description fall to the ground, they break like those made of clay.
This following custom also is mentioned in accounts of India, that, instead of prostrating themselves before their kings, it is usual to address them, and all persons in authority and high station, with a prayer.
The country produces precious stones, as crystal, carbuncles of all kinds, and pearls.
τῆς δʼ ἀνομολογίας τῶν συγγραφέων ἔστω παράδειγμα καὶ ὁ περὶ τοῦ Καλάνου λόγος· ὅτι μὲν γὰρ συνῆλθεν Ἀλεξάνδρῳ καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἑκὼν παρʼ αὐτῷ διὰ πυρὸς ὁμολογοῦσι· τὸν δὲ τρόπον οὐ τὸν αὐτόν φασιν οὐδὲ κατὰ τὰς αὐτὰς αἰτίας, ἀλλʼ οἱ μὲν οὕτως εἰρήκασι· συνακολουθῆσαι γὰρ ὡς ἐγκωμιαστὴν τοῦ βασιλέως ἔξω τῶν τῆς Ἰνδικῆς ὅρων παρὰ τὸ κοινὸν ἔθος τῶν ἐκεῖ φιλοσόφων· ἐκείνους γὰρ τοῖς αὐτόθι συνεῖναι βασιλεῦσιν ὑφηγουμένους τὰ περὶ τοὺς θεούς, ὡς τοὺς μάγους τοῖς Πέρσαις. ἐν Πασαργάδαις δὲ νοσήσαντα, τότε πρῶτον αὐτῷ νόσου γενομένης, ἐξαγαγεῖν ἑαυτόν, ἄγοντα ἔτος ἑβδομηκοστὸν καὶ τρίτον, μὴ προσέχοντα ταῖς τοῦ βασιλέως δεήσεσι· γενομένης δὲ πυρᾶς καὶ τεθείσης ἐπʼ αὐτῆς χρυσῆς κλίνης, κατακλιθέντα εἰς αὐτήν, ἐγκαλυψάμενον ἐμπρησθῆναι· οἱ δὲ ξύλινον οἶκον γενέσθαι, φυλλάδος δʼ ἐμπλησθέντος καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς στέγης πυρᾶς γενομένης ἐγκλεισθέντα, ὥσπερ ἐκέλευσε, μετὰ τὴν πομπὴν μεθʼ ἧς ἧκε, ῥίψαντα ἑαυτὸν ὡς ἂν δοκὸν συνεμπρησθῆναι τῷ οἴκῳ. Μεγασθένης δʼ ἐν τοῖς μὲν φιλοσόφοις οὐκ εἶναι δόγμα φησὶν ἑαυτοὺς ἐξάγειν· τοὺς δὲ ποιοῦντας τοῦτο νεανικοὺς κρίνεσθαι, τοὺς μὲν σκληροὺς τῇ φύσει φερομένους ἐπὶ πληγὴν ἢ κρημνόν, τοὺς δʼ ἀπόνους ἐπὶ βυθόν, τοὺς δὲ πολυπόνους ἀπαγχομένους, τοὺς δὲ πυρώδεις εἰς· πῦρ ὠθουμένους· οἷος ἦν καὶ ὁ Κάλανος, ἀκόλαστος ἄνθρωπος καὶ ταῖς Ἀλεξάνδρου τραπέζαις δεδουλωμένος· τοῦτον μὲν οὖν ψέγεσθαι, τὸν δὲ Μάνδανιν ἐπαινεῖσθαι, ὃς τῶν τοῦ Ἀλεξάνδρου ἀγγέλων καλούντων πρὸς τὸν Διὸς υἱὸν πειθομένῳ τε δῶρα ἔσεσθαι ὑπισχνουμένων ἀπειθοῦντι δὲ κόλασιν μήτʼ ἐκεῖνον φαίη Διὸς υἱὸν ὅν γε ἄρχειν μηδὲ πολλοστοῦ μέρους τῆς γῆς, μήτε αὐτῷ δεῖν τῶν παρʼ ἐκείνου δωρεῶν ὧν οὐδεὶς κόρος, μήτε δὲ ἀπειλῆς εἶναι φόβον ᾧ ζῶντι μὲν ἀρκοῦσα εἴη τροφὸς ἡ Ἰνδική, ἀποθανὼν δὲ ἀπαλλάξαιτο τῆς τετρυχωμένης ὑπὸ γήρως σαρκός, μεταστὰς εἰς βελτίω καὶ καθαρώτερον βίον· ὥστʼ ἐπαινέσαι τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον καὶ συγχωρῆσαι.
As an instance of the disagreement among historians, we may adduce their (different) accounts of Calanus. They all agree that he accompanied Alexander, and underwent a voluntary death by fire in his presence, but they differ as to the manner and cause of his death. Some give the following account. Calanus accompanied the king, as the rehearser of his praises, beyond the boundaries of India, contrary to the common Indian custom; for the philosophers attend upon their kings, and act as instructors in the worship of the gods, in the same manner as the Magi attend the Persian kings. When he fell sick at Pasargadae, being then attacked with disease for the first time in his life, he put himself to death at the age of seventy-three years, regardless of the entreaties of the king. A pyre was raised, and a golden couch placed upon it. He laid down upon it, and covering himself up, was burnt to death.
Others say, that a chamber was constructed of wood, which was filled with the leaves of trees, and a pyre being raised upon the roof, he was shut up in it, according to his directions, after the procession, with which he had been accompanied, had arrived at the spot. He threw himself upon the pyre, and was consumed like a log of wood, together with the chamber.
Megasthenes says, that self-destruction is not a dogma of the philosophers, and that those who commit this act are accounted fool-hardy; that some, who are by nature harsh, inflict wounds upon their ,bodies, or cast themselves down precipices; those who are impatient of pain drown themselves; those who can endure pain strangle themselves; and those of ardent tempers throw themselves into the fire. Of this last description was Calanus, who had no control over himself, and was a slave to the table of Alexander. Calanus is censured, while Mandanis is applauded. When Alexander’s messengers invited the latter to come to the son of Jove, promising a reward if he would comply, and threatening punishment if he refused, he answered, Alexander was not the son of Jove, for he did not govern even the smallest portion of the earth; nor did he himself desire a gift of one who was satisfied with nothing. Neither did he fear his threats, for as long as he lived India would supply him with food enough; and when he died, he should be delivered from the flesh wasted by old age, and be translated to a better and purer state of existence. Alexander commended and pardoned him.
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