Pittacus of Mytilene Quotes
That state is best ordered when the wicked have no command, and the good have.
Stanley, Thomas. The History of Philosophy. 3rd ed., W. Battersby, 1701, p. 49.
This is one of the most interesting quotations of Medieval history. The king had equated morality and rule of law with popularity, and has placed a high priority on both—this at a time when most rulers believed that theirs was a divine right of rule. The great ones like Alexander the Great and Theodoric were exceptions. The letter was actually drafted and written by Cassiodorus, the King’s secretary.
There are a number of reasons for punishing someone for violating a law. Confucius argues that when the person will no longer continue to commit the crime, further punishment is uncalled for. However, others would argue that there are other reasons to keep punishing a person including retribution / vengeance, incapacitation (people can’t commit crimes if they are in jail), and prevention (make an example to discourage others).
Pittacus (/ˈpɪtəkəs/; Greek: Πιττακός; c. 640 – 568 BC) was an ancient Mytilenean military general and one of the Seven Sages of Greece.
