(Κλεόβουλος), one of the Seven Sages, was son of Evagoras and a citizen of Lindus in Rhodes, for Duris seems to stand alone in stating that he was a Carian. (D. L. 1.89 ; Strab. xiv. p.655.) He was a contemporary of Solon's, and must have lived at least as late as B. C. 560 (the date of the usurpation of Peisistratus), if the letter preserved in Diogenes Laertius is genuine, which purports to have been written by Cleobulus to Solon, inviting him to Lindus, as a place of refuge from the tyrant. In the same letter Lindus is mentioned as being under democratic government; but Clement of Alexandria (Strom. 4.19) calls Cleobulus king of the Lindians, and Plutarch (de Εἰ ap. Delph. 3) speaks of
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him as a tyrant. These statements may, however, be reconciled, by supposing him to have held, as αἰσυμνήτης, an authority delegated by the people through election. (Arist. Polit. 3.14, 15, ad fin. 4.10, ed. Bekk.) Much of the philosophy of Cleobulus is said to have been derived from Egypt. He wrote also lyric poems, as well as riddles (γρίφους) in verse. Diogenes Laertius also ascribes to him the inscription on the tomb of Midas, of which Homer was considered by others to have been the author (comp. Plat. Phaedr. p. 264), and the riddle on the year (ελ̔͂ς ὁ πατήπ, παῖδες δὲ δυώδεκα, κ. τ. λ.), generally attributed to his daughter Cleobuline. He is said to have lived to the age of sixty, and to have been greatly distinguished for strength and beauty of person. Many of his sayings are on record, and one of them at least,--δεῖν συνοικίζειν τὰς Δυγατέρας, παρθένους μέν τὴν ἡλικίαν, τῷ δὲ φρονεῖν γυναῖκας,--shews him to have had worthier views of female education than were generally prevalent; while that he acted on them is clear from the character of his daughter. (D. L. 1.89-93; Suid. s. v. Κλεόβουλος; Clem. Alex. Strom. 1.14; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. ii. pp. 117, 121, 654; comp. Dict. of Ant. s. v. Χελιδόνια.) [E.E]