Aristippus was a young Greek gentleman of large means, genuine
intellectual power, a sense of humor and a reputation as a
philosopher.

He was on his way to Corinth with a young lady named Lais, or
possibly he was coming from Corinth with her. Anyhow, he was
wrecked on the voyage. If you know anything about the reputation
of Lais, you know that the philosopher was badly employed, and
that the Greek gods doubtless wrecked his vessel to impress upon
his mind the importance of morality.

Thrown ashore on a barren stretch of sand, the philosopher was
very sad at first. He observed on the sand the remains of
certain geometrical drawings, and instantly exclaimed: "There is
help near. Here I see signs of thinking men, of civilization."
----

Voltaire tells of wrecked individuals thrown on a lonely coast,
and also much distressed and frightened.

They saw no geometrical tracings in the sand. But on a bleak
moor in the twilight they saw the black beams of a gibbet, and
below the cross-piece, swinging in the wind, they saw a human
skeleton with bony wrists and ankles chained together.

Prayerfully the wanderers dropped on their knees and exclaimed
with upturned eyes:

"Thank God, we have got back to civilization." ----