Batis of Lampsacus

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Batis (or Bates) of Lampsacus, was a student of Epicurus at Lampsacus in the early 3rd century BC. She was the sister of Metrodorus and wife of Idomeneus.[1] When her son died, Metrodorus wrote to his sister offering comfort,[2] telling her that "all the Good of mortals is mortal,"[2] and "that there is a certain pleasure akin to sadness, and that one should give chase thereto at such times as these."[3] Epicurus, for his part, wrote a letter to Batis on the death of Metrodorus in 277 BC.[4]

Among the various fragments of letters discovered among the papyri at Herculaneum, some may have been written by Batis.[5]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Diogenes Laertius, x. 23.
  2. ^ a b Seneca, Epistles, xcviii. 9
  3. ^ Seneca, Epistles, xcix. 25. cf. Plato, Phaedo, 59a
  4. ^ Pap. Herc. 176
  5. ^ Klauck, H., Bailey, D., (2006), Ancient Letters And the New Testament: A Guide to Context And Exegesis, page 154. Baylor University Press.