Silenus
creatureSilenus was the oldest and wisest of the satyrs, the foster-father and tutor of Dionysus, famous for his drunkenness and his paradoxical deep wisdom.
The Myth
Despite appearing as a fat, perpetually drunk old man riding a donkey, Silenus possessed profound wisdom. King Midas once captured him and forced him to share his knowledge. Silenus declared that the best thing for a human was never to have been born; the second best was to die quickly. This "wisdom of Silenus" became one of Greek philosophy's most discussed ideas, influencing Nietzsche deeply.
Parents
Pan or Hermes
Symbols
Fun Fact
The "wisdom of Silenus" — that the best fate is not to be born — influenced Nietzsche's Birth of Tragedy.
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