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Question 34. Who was he that sacrificed an ox to his
benefactor?
Solution. In a haven of Ithaca there was a pirate ship,
in which happened to be an old man who had earthen pots
holding pitch. It fell out that an Ithacan skipper named
Pyrrhias put into this port, who ransomed the old man
upon free cost, only upon his supplication and out of commiseration towards him, and at the request of the old
man he purchased also some of his tar-pots. The pirates
departing and all fear of danger over, the old fellow brings
Pyrrhias to his earthen pots, and shows him a great deal
of gold and silver blended amongst the pitch; whereupon
Pyrrhias attaining to great riches treated the old man well
in all respects, and sacrificed an ox to him. Hence they
say proverbially that none hath sacrificed an ox to his
benefactor but Pyrrhias.
Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals. Translated from the Greek by several hands. Corrected and revised by. William W. Goodwin, PH. D. Boston. Little, Brown, and Company. Cambridge. Press Of John Wilson and son. 1874. 2.
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