APAD: Don't speak ill of the dead

Background:

 

The earliest known use of this expression is in The Lives and Opinions of

Eminent Philosophers written by Digenese Laërtius around 300 AD. In this he

attributes Chilon of Sparta as saying "don't badmouth a dead man." Chilon was

one of the Seven Sages of Greece - a title given by Ancient Greek tradition to

seven 6th century BC philosophers and statesmen who were revered for their

wisdom.

 

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I wonder if Chilon cared to explain why. Is this, like other proverbs, a summary

of wisdom gained through misery and suffering? I doubt it.

 

The philosopher could be full of philanthropy and pissed off by unsavory remarks

toward some deceased person he pitied for no other reason than empathy. The fox

grieved the death of the hare, as the Chinese saying goes.

 

Besides, the dead can't defend themselves and humans despise a freeloader, one

who wins with no skin in the game.