27.2. Being nimble and swift of foot, he was urged by his father to run in the foot-race at the Olympic games. “Yes, I would run,” said he, “if I were to have kings as competitors.”
27.2. ἐλαφρὸς δὲ ὢν καὶ ποδώκης καὶ παρακαλούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς Ὀλύμπια δραμεῖν στάδιον, εἴγε ἔφη βασιλεῖς ἕξειν ἔμελλον ἀνταγωνιστάς, ἀχθείσης δὲ παιδίσκης πρὸς αὐτὸν ὡς συναναπαυσομένης περὶ ἑσπέραν βαθεῖαν, ἠρώτησεν ὅ τι τηνικαῦτα;
27.3. A girl was brought to him late in the evening with the intent that she should spend the night with him, and he asked her, “Why at this time?” She replied, “I had to wait to get my husband to go to bed ”; whereupon Alexander bitterly rebuked his servants, since, owing to them, he had so narrowly escaped becoming an adulterer.
27.3. τῆς δὲ εἰπούσης περιέμενον γὰρ τὸν ἄνδρα κατακλῖναι, πικρῶς ἐπετίμησε τοῖς παισὶν ὡς μικροῦ διʼ αὐτοὺς μοιχὸς γενόμενος.
27.4. On a time when he was offering incense to the gods with lavish hand, and often taking up handfuls of the frankincense, Leonidas, who had been his attendant in boyhood, happening to be present, said, “My boy, you may offer incense thus lavishly when you have made yourself master of the land that bears it.” And so, when Alexander had become master of it, he sent a letter to Leonidas: “I have sent to you a half-ton of frankincense and cassia, so that you may never again count any petty cost in dealing with the gods, since you know that we are now masters of the land that bears these fragrant things.”
27.4. ἐπιθυμιῶντι δὲ τοῖς θεοῖς ἀφειδῶς αὐτῷ καὶ πολλάκις ἐπιδραττομένῳ τοῦ λιβανωτοῦ, παρὼν Λεωνίδης ὁ παιδαγωγός οὕτως εἶπεν ὦ παῖ, δαψιλῶς ἐπιθυμιάσεις, ὅταν τῆς λιβανωτοφόρου κρατήσῃς. ὡς οὖν ἐκράτησεν, ἔπεμψεν ἐπιστολὴν πρὸς αὐτόν· ἀπέσταλκά σοι τάλαντα ἑκατὸν λιβανωτοῦ καὶ κασίας, ἵνα μηκέτι μικρολογῇ περὶ τοὺς θεούς, εἰδὼς ὅτι καὶ τῆς ἀρωματοφόρου κρατοῦμεν.
27.5. Just before he fought the battle at Granicus he urged the Macedonians to eat without stint, and to bring out all they had, since on the morrow they should dine from the enemy’s stores.
27.5. μέλλων δὲ τὴν ἐπὶ Γρανίκῳ μάχην μάχεσθαι παρεκάλει τοὺς Μακεδόνας ἀφθόνως δειπνεῖν καὶ πάντα φέρειν εἰς μέσον, ὡς αὔριον δειπνήσοντας ἐκ τῶν πολεμίων.
27.6. When Perillus, one of his friends, asked him for dowry for his girls, Alexander bade him accept ten thousand pounds. He said that two thousand would be enough; but Alexander said, “Enough for you to accept, but not enough for me to give.”
27.6. Περίλλου δέ τινος τῶν φίλων αἰτήσαντος προῖκα τοῖς θυγατρίοις, ἐκέλευσε πεντήκοντα τάλαντα λαβεῖν· αὐτοῦ δὲ φήσαντος ἱκανὰ εἶναι δέκα, σοὶ γε ἔφη λαβεῖν, ἐμοὶ δʼ οὐχ ἱκανὰ δοῦναι.
27.7. He bade his manager give to Anaxarchus, the philosopher, as much as he asked for; and when the manager said that he asked for twenty thousand pounds, Alexander said, “He does well, for he knows that he has a friend who is both able and willing to make such presents.”
27.7. Ἀναξάρχῳ δὲ τῷ φιλοσόφῳ δοῦναι τὸν διοικητὴν ἐκέλευσεν ὅσον ἂν αἰτήσῃ· τοῦ δὲ διοικητοῦ φήσαντος ὡς ἑκατὸν αἰτεῖ τάλαντα, καλῶς ἔφη ποιεῖ γινώσκων ὅτι φίλον ἔχει καὶ δυνάμενον τηλικαῦτα δωρεῖσθαι καὶ βουλόμενον.
27.8. When he saw in Miletus many statues of athletes who had won victories in the Olympic and the Pythian games, he said, “Where were the men with bodies like these when the barbarians were besieging your city?”
27.8. ἐν δὲ τῇ Μιλήτῳ πολλοὺς ἀνδριάντας ἀθλητῶν θεασάμενος Ὀλύμπια καὶ Πύθια νενικηκότων καὶ ποῦ τὰ τηλικαῦτα ἔφη ἦν σώματα, ὅτε οἱ βάρβαροι ὑμῶν τὴν πόλιν ἐπολιόρκουν;
27.9. Ada, queen of the Carians, made it a point of honour to be always sending to him fancy dishes and sweetmeats prepared in unusual ways by the hands of artists and chefs, but he said he had better fancy cooks--his night marches for his breakfast, and for his dinner his frugal breakfast.
27.9. τῆς δὲ τῶν Καρῶν βασιλίσσης Ἄδας ὄψα καὶ πέμματα παρεσκευασμένα περιττῶς διὰ δημιουργῶν καὶ μαγείρων φιλοτιμουμένης ἀεὶ πέμπειν πρὸς αὐτόν, ἔφη κρείττονας ἔχειν αὐτὸς ὀψοποιούς, πρὸς μὲν ἄριστον τὴν νυκτοπορίαν πρὸς δὲ δεῖπνον τὴν ὀλιγαριστίαν.
27.10. Once, when all preparations had been made for battle, his generals asked him whether there was anything else in addition to what they had done. “Nothing,” said he, “except to shave the Macedonians’ beards.” And as Parmenio expressed his surprise, Alexander said, “Don’t you know that in battles there is nothing handier to grasp than a beard?”
27.10. ἐπεὶ δὲ παρεσκευασμένων πάντων πρὸς μάχην, ἠρώτησαν οἱ στρατηγοὶ μή τι πρὸς τούτοις ἕτερον; οὐδέν εἶπεν ἢ ξυρᾶν τὰ γένεια τῶν Μακεδόνων· θαυμάσαντος δὲ τοῦ Παρμενίωνος οὐκ οἶδας εἶπεν ὅτι βελτίων οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν μάχαις λαβὴ πώγωνος;
27.11. When Darius offered him two million pounds, and also offered to share Asia equally with him, Parmenio said, “I would take it if I were Alexander.” “And so indeed would I,” said Alexander, “if I were Parmenio.” But he made answer to Darius that the earth could not tolerate two suns, nor Asia two kings.
27.11. Δαρείου δὲ διδόντος αὐτῷ μύρια τάλαντα καὶ τὴν Ἀσίαν νείμασθαι πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπίσης, καὶ Παρμενίωνος εἰπόντος ἔλαβον ἂν εἰ Ἀλέξανδρος ἤμην. κἀγὼ νὴ Δία, εἶπεν εἰ Παρμενίων ἤμην. ἀπεκρίνατο δὲ Δαρείῳ μήτε τὴν γῆν ἡλίους δύο μήτε τὴν Ἀσίαν δύο βασιλεῖς ὑπομένειν.
27.12. When he was about to risk everything at Arbela against a million men arrayed against him, his friends came to him and accused the soldiers of talking together and making agreements in their tents that they would hand over none of the spoil to the royal treasury, but would keep everything for themselves. And he smiling said, “You bring good news; for I hear in this the talk of men prepared to conquer and not to flee.” And many of the soldiers came to him and said, “Be of good cheer, Sire, and do not fear the great numbers of the enemy; for they will not be able to stand the very smell of goat that clings to us.”
27.12. μέλλοντι δὲ αὐτῷ περὶ τῶν ὅλων ἐν Ἀρβήλοις κινδυνεύειν πρὸς ἑκατὸν μυριάδας ἀντιτεταγμένας προσῄεσαν οἱ φίλοι, τῶν στρατιωτῶν κατηγοροῦντες ὡς ἐν ταῖς σκηναῖς διαλαλούντων καὶ συντιθεμένων, ὅπως μηδὲν τῶν λαφύρων εἰς τὸ βασιλικὸν ἀνοίσουσιν ἀλλʼ αὐτοὶ κερδανοῦσιν. ὁ δὲ μειδιάσας ἀγαθά φησὶν ἀγγέλλετε· νικᾶν γὰρ ἀνδρῶν οὐ φεύγειν παρεσκευασμένων ἀκούω διαλογισμούς. καὶ προσιόντες αὐτῷ πολλοὶ τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἔλεγον ὦ βασιλεῦ, θάρρει καὶ μὴ φοβοῦ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν πολεμίων, αὐτὸν γὰρ ἡμῶν τὸν γράσον οὐχ ὑπομενοῦσι.
27.13. As the army was being drawn up for battle, he saw one of the soldiers fitting the thong to his javelin, and he shoved him out of the line as a useless man who was making ready at this time when he ought to be using his weapons.
27.13. παρατασσομένου δὲ τοῦ στρατεύματος ἰδών τινα τῶν στρατιωτῶν τὸ ἀκόντιον ἐναγκυλούμενον ἐξέωσε τῆς φάλαγγος ὡς ἄχρηστον, ὃς παρασκευάζεται δὴ νῦν, ὅτε χρῆσθαι δεῖ τοῖς ὅπλοις.
27.14. As he was reading a letter from his mother, which contained secret slanders against Antipater, Hephaestion, as usual, was reading it with him. Alexander did not prevent Hephaestion from reading it, but, when he had finished the reading, he took off his ring, and placed the seal on Hephaestion’s lips.
27.14. ἐπιστολὴν δὲ παρὰ τῆς μητρὸς ἀναγινώσκων ἀπορρήτους κατʼ Ἀντιπάτρου διαβολὰς ἔχουσαν, ἅμα τοῦ Ἡφαιστίωνος ὥσπερ εἰώθει συναναγινώσκοντος, οὐκ ἐκώλυσεν· ὡς δὲ ἀνέγνω, τὸν δακτύλιον ἀφελόμενος τὸν ἑαυτοῦ τῷ στόματι τῷ ἐκείνου τὴν σφραγῖδα ἐπέθηκεν.
27.15. In the shrine of Ammon he was hailed by the prophetic priest as the son of Zeus. “That is nothing surprising,” said he; “for Zeus is by nature the father of all, and he makes the noblest his own.”
27.15. ἐν δὲ Ἄμμωνος ὑπὸ τοῦ προφήτου παῖς Διὸς προσαγορευθεὶς οὐδέν γε ἔφη θαυμαστόν, πάντων μὲν γὰρ ὁ Ζεὺς φύσει πατήρ ἐστιν, ἑαυτοῦ δὲ ποιεῖται τοὺς ἀρίστους.
27.16. When he was hit in the leg by an arrow, and many of those who were oftentimes wont to hail him as a god hurried up to him, he, relaxing his countenance, said, “This is blood, as you see, and not Ichor, like that which flows from the wounds of the blessed Immortals.”
27.16. τοξεύματι δὲ πληγεὶς εἰς τὸ σκέλος, ὡς πολλοὶ συνέδραμον τῶν πολλάκις εἰωθότων αὐτὸν θεὸν προσαγορεύειν, διαχυθεὶς τῷ προσώπῳ τουτὶ μὲν αἷμα εἶπεν ὡς ὁρᾶτε καὶ οὐκ ἰχώρ, οἷόσπέρ τε ῥέει μακάρεσσι θεοῖσιν.
27.17. When some commended the frugality of Antipater, who, they said, lived a plain and simple life, he remarked, “Outwardly Antipater is plain white, but within he is all purple.” When one of his friends was entertaining him in the cold of winter, and brought in a small brazier with a little Are in it, Alexander bade him bring in either firewood or incense.
27.17. ἐπαινούντων δὲ ἐνίων τοῦ Ἀντιπάτρου τὴν εὐτέλειαν ὡς ἀθρύπτως διαιτωμένου καὶ αὐστηρῶς, ἔξωθεν εἶπεν Ἀντίπατρος λευκοπάρυφός ἐστι, τὰ δὲ ἔνδον ὁλοπόρφυρος ἐν δὲ χειμῶνι καὶ ψύχει τῶν φίλων τινὸς ἑστιῶντος αὐτόν, ἐσχάραν δὲ μικρὰν καὶ πῦρ ὀλίγον εἰσενέγκαντος, ἢ ξύλα ἢ λιβανωτὸν εἰσενεγκεῖν ἐκέλευσεν.
27.19. When Antipatrides brought to dinner a beautiful harp-player, Alexander, stirred to love at the sight of her, asked Antipatrides whether he happened to be at all in love with the girl; and when he admitted that he was, Alexander said, “You abominable wretch! Please take her away from here at once.”
27.19. Ἀντιπατρίδου δὲ καλὴν ψάλτριαν ἐπὶ τὸ δεῖπνον ἀγαγόντος, κινηθεὶς τῇ ὄψει πρὸς αὐτὴν ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος ἠρώτησε τὸν Ἀντιπατρίδην, μή τι τυγχάνοι τῆς γυναικὸς ἐρῶν ἐκείνου δὲ ὁμολογήσαντος, ὦ μιαρέ εἶπεν οὐκ ἀπάξεις εὐθὺς ἐκ τοῦ συμποσίου τὴν γυναῖκα;
27.20. On another occasion Casander forced Python, beloved by Evius the flute-player, to kiss him, and Alexander, seeing that Evius was vexed, leapt up in anger against Casander, exclaiming “It isn’t allowable even to fall in love with anybody, because of you and people like you.”
27.20. πάλιν δὲ Πύθωνα τὸν Εὐίου τοῦ αὐλητοῦ ἐρώμενον Κάσανδρος ἐβιάζετο φιλῆσαι· τὸν οὖν Εὔιον ὁρῶν ἀχθόμενον ἀνεπήδησε μετʼ ὀργῆς ἐπὶ τὸν Κάσανδρον, κεκραγώς ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ἐρασθῆναί τινος ἔξεστι διʼ ὑμᾶς;
27.21. When he was sending away to the sea those of the Macedonians who were sick or incapacitated, a man was reported to have put down his name in the list of the sick although there was nothing the matter with him. When therefore the man was brought before Alexander and examined, he admitted that he had employed this ruse because of love for Telesippa, who was departing for the sea; and Alexander asked, “With whom must one talk concerning Telesippa?” And when he learned that she was not a slave, he said, “Then let us, Antigenes, try to persuade Telesippa to stay with us; for to coerce her, a free woman, is not within our right.”
27.21. ἀποστέλλοντος δὲ αὐτοῦ τῶν Μακεδόνων τοὺς νοσώδεις καὶ ἀναπήρους ἐπὶ θάλασσαν, ἐνεδείχθη τις εἰς τοὺς νοσοῦντας ἀπογεγραμμένος ἑαυτὸν οὐ νοσῶν. ἐπεὶ οὖν εἰς ὄψιν ἀχθεὶς καὶ ἀνακρινόμενος ὡμολόγησε προφασίζεσθαι διʼ ἔρωτα Τελεσίππας ἀπιούσης ἐπὶ θάλασσαν, ἠρώτησεν ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος πρὸς τίνα δεῖ περὶ τῆς Τελεσίππας διαλέγεσθαι; πυθόμενος δὲ ἐλευθέραν οὖσαν οὐκοῦν ἔφη ὦ Ἀντιγένη, πείθωμεν τὴν Τελεσίππαν, ἵνα μείνῃ μεθʼ ἡμῶν· βιάζεσθαι γὰρ ἐλευθέραν οὖσαν οὐχ ἡμέτερον.
27.22. When Greek mercenaries serving on the enemy’s side carne into his hands, he would order the Athenians among them to be kept in chains, because, while they could live at the expense of the State, they were serving as mercenaries, and so also the Thessalians, because, although they owned the very best land, they did not till it. But the Thebans he let go free, saying that these alone, because of us, have neither city nor land left to them.
27.22. τῶν δὲ μισθοφορούντων Ἑλλήνων παρὰ τοῖς πολεμίοις ὑποχειρίων γενομένων, τοὺς μὲν Ἀθηναίους ἐκέλευσεν ἐν πέδαις φυλάττειν ὅτι τροφὴν ἔχοντες ἐκ δημοσίου μισθοφοροῦσι καὶ τοὺς Θεσσαλοὺς ὅτι τὴν ἀρίστην κεκτημένοι οὐ γεωργοῦσι· τοὺς δὲ Θηβαίους ἀφῆκεν εἰπὼν ὅτι μόνοις τούτοις οὔτε πόλις οὔτε χώρα διʼ ἡμᾶς ἀπολέλειπται.
27.23. When he had taken captive the man who had the greatest repute for marksmanship among the Indians, of whom it was said that he could send an arrow through a finger-ring, Alexander bade him show his skill, and when he would not, the king in anger decreed his execution. The man, as he was being led away, said to those who were taking him that he had not practised for many days, and was afraid of failing; and when this came to the ears of Alexander, he marvelled and let the man go with many gifts because he preferred to suffer himself to be put to death rather than to show himself unworthy of his reputation.
27.23. τῶν δὲ Ἰνδῶν τὸν ἄριστα τοξεύειν δοκοῦντα καὶ λεγόμενον διὰ δακτυλίου τὸν ὀιστὸν ἀφιέναι λαβὼν αἰχμάλωτον ἐκέλευσεν ἐπιδείξασθαι, καὶ μὴ βουλόμενον ὀργισθεὶς ἀνελεῖν προσέταξε· ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀγόμενος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἔλεγε πρὸς τοὺς ἄγοντας, ὅτι πολλῶν ἡμερῶν οὐ μεμελέτηκε καὶ ἐφοβήθη διαπεσεῖν, ἀκούσας ὁ Ἀλέξανδρος ἐθαύμασε καὶ ἀπέλυσε μετὰ δώρων αὐτόν, ὅτι μᾶλλον ἀποθανεῖν ὑπέμεινεν ἢ τῆς δόξης ἀνάξιος φανῆναι, ἐπεὶ δὲ Ταξίλης, εἷς τῶν Ἰνδῶν βασιλεὺς ὤν, ἀπαντήσας προυκαλεῖτο μὴ μάχεσθαι μηδὲ πολεμεῖν Ἀλέξανδρον, ἀλλʼ εἰ μέν ἐστιν ἥττων, εὖ πάσχειν, εἰ δὲ βελτίων, εὖ ποιεῖν·
27.24. When Taxiles, king of the Indians, met Alexander, he charged him not to fight or make war, but, if he were inferior, to accept favours, and, if he were superior, to bestow them. To this Alexander replied that this was the very issue between them, to determine which could outdo the other in bestowing favours. When he was told concerning the “Birdless Rock,” as it is called, in India, that the place was extremely difficult to capture, but that the man who held it was a coward, he said, “In that case it is easy to capture.”
27.24. ἀπεκρίνατο περὶ αὐτοῦ τούτου μαχετέον εἶναι, πότερος εὖ ποιῶν περιγένηται. περὶ δὲ τῆς λεγομένης Ἀόρνου πέτρας ἐν Ἰνδοῖς ἀκούσας, ὅτι τὸ μὲν χωρίον δυσάλωτόν ἐστιν, ὁ δὲ ἔχων αὐτὸ δειλός ἐστι, νῦν ἔφη τὸ χωρίον εὐάλωτόν ἐστιν.
27.26. When another man who held a seemingly impregnable rock surrendered himself together with his stronghold to Alexander, Alexander bade him to continue to rule, and gave him additional country to govern, saying that “this person seems to me to show sense in trusting himself to a good man rather than to a strong place.”
27.26. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἄλλος ἔχων πέτραν ἄληπτον δοκοῦσαν εἶναι ἐνεχείρισεν ἑαυτὸν μετὰ τῆς πέτρας τῷ Ἀλεξάνδρῳ, καὶ τῆς δυνάμεως ἐκέλευσεν ἄρχειν καὶ προσέθηκε χώραν, εἰπὼν ὅτι φρονεῖν μοι δοκεῖ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἀνδρὶ μᾶλλον ἀγαθῷ πιστεύσας ἑαυτὸν ἢ ὀχυρῷ τόπῳ.
27.27. After the capture of the rock his friends were saying that he had surpassed Heracles in his deeds, but he remarked, “No, I do not feel that my deeds, with my position as commander, are to be weighed against one word of Heracles.” Learning that in gambling with dice some of his friends did not enter into the game as a sport, he punished them.
27.27. μετὰ δὲ τὴν τῆς πέτρας ἅλωσιν τῶν φίλων λεγόντων ὑπερβεβληκέναι τὸν Ἡρακλέα ταῖς πράξεσιν, ἀλλʼ ἐγώ εἶπε τὰς ἐμὰς πράξεις μετὰ τῆς ἡγεμονίας ἑνὸς οὐ νομίζω ῥήματος ἀνταξίας εἶναι τοῦ Ἡρακλέους τῶν δὲ φίλων τινὰς αἰσθόμενος ἐν τῷ κυβεύειν οὐ παίζοντας ἐζημίωσε.
27.29. Of his foremost and most influential friends he seems to have honoured Crateras most and to have loved Hephaestion best. “For,” said he, “Crateras is fond of the king, but Hephaestion is fond of Alexander.”
27.29. τῶν δὲ πρώτων φίλων καὶ κρατίστων τιμᾶν μὲν ἐδόκει Κρατερὸν μάλιστα πάντων, φιλεῖν δὲ Ἡφαιστίωνα. κρατερὸς μὲν γάρ ἔφη φιλοβασιλεύς ἐστιν, Ἡφαιστίων δὲ φιλαλέξανδρος Ξενοκράτει δὲ τῷ φιλοσόφῳ πεντήκοντα τάλαντα πέμψας, ὡς οὐκ ἐδέξατο μὴ δεῖσθαι φήσας, ἠρώτησεν εἰ μηδὲ φίλον ἔχει Ξενοκράτης·
27.30. He sent ten thousand pounds to Xenocrates the philosopher, but when Xenocrates would not accept them, and said he had no need of them, Alexander asked whether Xenocrates had not a single friend. “For, in my case,” said he, “the wealth of Darius was hardly enough for my friends.” Porus, after the battle, was asked by Alexander, “How shall I treat you?” “Like a king,” said he. Asked again if there were nothing else, he said, “Everything is included in those words.” Marvelling at his sagacity and manliness, Alexander added to his kingdom more land than he had possessed before.
27.30. ἐμοὶ μὲν γάρ ἔφη μόλις ὁ Δαρείου πλοῦτος εἰς τοὺς φίλους ἤρκεσεν. ἐπεὶ δὲ Πῶρος ἐρωτηθεὶς ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ μετὰ τὴν μάχην πῶς σοι χρήσωμαι; βασιλικῶς εἶπε, καὶ προσερωτηθεὶς καὶ μή τι ἄλλο; πάντα εἶπεν ἐν τῷ βασιλικῶς ἔνεστι· θαυμάσας καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀνδραγαθίαν πλείονα χώραν ἧς πρότερον εἶχε προσέθηκε.
27.32. Learning that he was being maligned by a certain man, he said, “It is kingly to be ill spoken of for doing good.”
27.32. πυθόμενος δὲ ὑπό τινος λοιδορεῖσθαι βασιλικόν ἔφη ἐστὶν εὖ ποιοῦντα κακῶς ἀκούειν.
27.33. As he was dying, he said, looking towards his companions, “I see that my funeral rites will be imposing.”
27.33. ἀποθνῄσκων δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἑταίρους ἀπιδὼν ἔφη μέγαν ὁρῶ μου τὸν ἐπιτάφιον ἐσόμενον.
27.34. When he had come to his end, Demades the orator said that the army of the Macedonians, because of its lack of leadership, looked like the Cyclops after his eye had been put out.
27.34. τελευτήσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ Δημάδης ὁ ῥήτωρ ὅμοιον ἔφη διὰ τὴν ἀναρχίαν ὁρᾶσθαι τὸ στρατόπεδον τῶν Μακεδόνων ἐκτετυφλωμένῳ τῷ Κύκλωπι.
28.1. Ptolemy, son of Lagus, used, as a rule, to dine and sleep at his friends’ houses; and if ever he gave a dinner, he would send for their dishes and linen and tables, and use them for the occasion. He himself owned no more than were required for everyday use; and he used to say that it was more kingly to enrich than to be rich.
28.1. Πτολεμαῖος ὁ Λάγου τὰ πολλὰ παρὰ τοῖς φίλοις ἐδείπνει καὶ ἐκάθευδεν· εἰ δέ ποτε δειπνίζοι, τοῖς ἐκείνων ἐχρῆτο μεταπεμπόμενος ἐκπώματα καὶ στρώματα καὶ τραπέζας· αὐτὸς δὲ οὐκ ἐκέκτητο πλείω τῶν ἀναγκαίων, ἀλλὰ τοῦ πλουτεῖν ἔλεγε τὸ πλουτίζειν εἶναι βασιλικώτερον.
29.1. Antigonus was persistent in his demands for money, and when somebody said, “But Alexander was not like this,” he replied, “Very naturally; for he reaped Asia, and I am picking up the straws.”
29.1. Ἀντίγονος εἰσέπραττε χρήματα συντόνως· εἰπόντος δέ τινος ἀλλʼ οὐκ Ἀλέξανδρος ἦν τοιοῦτος εἰκότως εἶπεν, ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ ἐθέριζε τὴν Ἀσίαν, ἐγὼ δὲ καλαμῶμαι.
29.2. Seeing some of his soldiers playing ball in their breastplates and helmets, he was much pleased and sent for their officers, wishing to commend them. But when he heard that they were engaged in drinking, he gave their positions to their soldiers.
29.2. τῶν δὲ στρατιωτῶν ἰδών τινας ἐν τοῖς θώραξι καὶ τοῖς κράνεσι σφαιρίζοντας ἥσθη, καὶ τοὺς ἡγεμόνας αὐτῶν μετεπέμπετο ἐπαινέσαι βουλόμενος· ὡς δὲ ἤκουσεν ὅτι πίνουσιν, τὰς ἐκείνων ἡγεμονίας τοῖς στρατιώταις ἔδωκε.
29.3. When all were astonished because, after he had grown old, he handled matters with mildness and gentleness, he said, “Time was when I craved power, but now I crave repute and goodwill among men.”
29.3. θαυμαζόντων δὲ πάντων, ὅτι γέρων γενόμενος ἠπίως ἐχρῆτο καὶ πράως τοῖς πράγμασι, πρότερον μὲν γάρ εἶπε δυνάμεως ἐδεόμην, νῦν δὲ δόξης καὶ εὐνοίας.
29.4. To his son Philip, who inquired in the presence of numerous persons, “When are we going to break camp?” he said, “What are you afraid of? That you alone may not hear the bugle?”
29.4. πρὸς δὲ τὸν υἱὸν Φίλιππον πυθόμενον πλειόνων παρόντων πότε μέλλομεν ἀναζευγνύναι; τί δέδοικας; εἶπε μὴ μόνος τῆς σάλπιγγος οὐκ ἀκούσῃς;
29.5. When the young man was determined to take up his quarters at the house of a widow who had three handsome daughters, he called the quartermaster and said, “Will you not get my son out of his crowded quarters?”, Strategemata, iv. 1. 10.
29.5. σπουδάσαντος δὲ τοῦ νεανίσκου λαβεῖν κατάλυσιν παρὰ γυναικὶ χήρᾳ τρεῖς ἐχούσῃ θυγατέρας εὐπρεπεῖς, καλέσας τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν ξενίων εἶπεν οὐκ ἐξάξεις μου τὸν υἱὸν ἀπὸ τῆς στενοχωρίας;
29.6. He suffered a long illness, and when he had recovered his strength he said, “’twas nothing so very bad; for the illness has reminded us not to feel too proud, since we are but mortal” When Hermodotus in his poems wrote of him as “The Offspring of the Sun,” he said, “The slave who attends to my chamber-pot is not conscious of that!”
29.6. νοσήσας δὲ μακρὰν νόσον ὡς ἀνέρρωσεν οὐδέν ἔφη χεῖρον· ὑπέμνησε γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἡ νόσος μὴ μέγα φρονεῖν ὡς ὄντας θνητούς. Ἑρμοδότου δὲ αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς ποιήμασιν Ἡλίου παῖδα γράψαντος οὐ ταῦτά μοι ἔφη σύνοιδεν ὁ λασανοφόρος εἰπόντος δέ τινος ὅτι πάντα καλὰ καὶ δίκαια τοῖς βασιλεῦσι ναὶ μὰ Δία εἶπε τοῖς τῶν βαρβάρων·
29.8. When somebody remarked that all things are honourable and righteous for kings, he said, “Yes indeed, for kings of the barbarians; but for me only the honourable things are honourable and the righteous righteous.” When Marsyas his brother had a lawsuit, and claimed the right to have the trial held at his house, Antigonus said, “It shall be in the Forum and with everybody listening to see whether we do any injustice.”
29.8. ἡμῖν δὲ μόνα καλὰ τὰ καλὰ καὶ μόνα δίκαια τὰ δίκαια. Μαρσύου τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ δίκην ἔχοντος, ἀξιοῦντος δὲ τὴν κρίσιν αὐτῷ γενέσθαι κατʼ οἰκίαν, ἔσται μὲν οὖν εἶπεν ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ καὶ πάντων ἀκουόντων, εἰ μηδὲν ἀδικοῦμεν.
29.10. Once upon a time in the winter when he had forced a halt in regions lacking provisions, and some of the soldiers were cursing him, not knowing that he was near, he poked open his tent with his stick, and said, “You’ll be sorry if you don’t go farther off to curse me.”
29.10. ἐπεὶ δέ ποτε χειμῶνος ἐν τόποις σπανίζουσι τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἠνάγκασε καταζεῦξαι καὶ τῶν στρατιωτῶν τινες ἐλοιδόρουν αὐτὸν ἀγνοοῦντες ὅτι πλησίον ἐστὶν, τῇ βακτηρίᾳ τὴν σκηνὴν διαστείλας οἰμώξετε εἶπεν εἰ μὴ μακρότερον ἀποστάντες λοιδορήσετε ἡμᾶς.
29.11. When Aristodemus, one of his friends, who, it was whispered, was the son of a cook, advised him to curtail his expenditures and his giving of presents, he said, “Aristodemus, your words have the stink of a kitchen apron.”
29.11. Ἀριστοδήμου δὲ τῶν φίλων τινὸς ἐκ μαγείρου γεγονέναι δοκοῦντος, συμβουλεύοντος δὲ αὐτῷ τῶν ἀναλωμάτων καὶ τῶν δωρεῶν ἀφαιρεῖν, οἱ λόγοι σου εἶπεν ὦ Ἀριστόδημε, περιζώματος ὄζουσιν.
29.12. When the Athenians admitted to citizenship a slave of his, held in much esteem, and enrolled him as a free man, he said, “I could wish that one Athenian had not been flogged by me!”
29.12. Ἀθηναίων δὲ δοῦλον αὐτοῦ τιμώμενον εἰς τὴν πολιτείαν ὡς ἐλεύθερον ἐγγραψάντων, οὐκ ἂν εἶπεν ἐβουλόμην ἕνα Ἀθηναῖον ὑπʼ ἐμοῦ μαστιγοῦσθαι.
29.13. A young man, one of the pupils of Anaximenes the orator, pronounced before him a very carefully prepared oration, and he, wishing to gain some further information, asked a question. But when the young man relapsed into silence, he remarked, “What is your answer? Or Is this the content of the written page?”
29.13. νεανίσκου δέ τινος τῶν Ἀναξιμένους τοῦ ῥήτορος μαθητῶν λόγον ἐσκεμμένον ἐκ παρασκευῆς εἰπόντος ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ, βουλόμενός τι μαθεῖν ἠρώτησεν· ἀποσιωπήσαντος δὲ τοῦ νεανίσκου τί λέγεις; εἶπεν ἢ ταῦτʼ ἐστὶ τἀν δέλτοισιν ἐγγεγραμμένα;
29.14. Hearing another orator say that the season had been snowy and so had caused a lack of herbage in the land, he said, “Please stop treating me as you treat a common crowd.”
29.14. ἑτέρου δὲ ῥήτορος ἀκούων λέγοντος, ὅτι χιονοβόλος ἡ ὥρα γενομένη λιποβοτανεῖν ἐποίησε τὴν χώραν, οὐ παύσῃ μοι εἶπεν ὡς ὄχλῳ χρώμενος;
29.15. When Thrasyllus the Cynic asked him for a shilling, he said “That is not a fit gift for a king to give.” And when Thrasyllus said, “Then give me two hundred pounds,” he retorted, “But that is not a fit gift for a Cynic to receive.”
29.15. Θρασύλλου δὲ τοῦ κυνικοῦ δραχμὴν αἰτήσαντος αὐτόν, ἀλλʼ οὐ βασιλικόν ἔφη τὸ δόμα· τοῦ δὲ εἰπόντος οὐκοῦν τάλαντον δός μοι, ἀλλʼ οὐ κυνικόν, ἔφη τὸ λῆμμα.
29.16. When he sent Demetrius his son, with many ships and forces, to make the Greeks a free people, he said that his repute, kindled in Greece as on a lofty height, would spread like beacon-fires through out the inhabited world.
29.16. πέμπων δὲ Δημήτριον τὸν υἱὸν μετὰ νεῶν πολλῶν καὶ δυνάμεων ἐλευθερώσοντα τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἔλεγε τὴν δόξαν ὥσπερ ἀπὸ σκοπῆς τῆς Ἑλλάδος εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην πυρσεύεσθαι.
29.17. While Antagoras the poet was cooking a congereel, and was shaking the skillet with his own hand, Antigonus stepped up behind him and said, “Antagoras, do you imagine that Homer cooked a conger while he was writing of the exploits of Agamemnon?” To which Antagoras retorted. “And do you, Your Majesty, believe that Agamemnon, while he was performing those exploits, was overmuch concerned if anybody in the army cooked a conger?”
29.17. Ἀνταγόρου δὲ τοῦ ποιητοῦ γόγγρον ἕψοντος καὶ αὐτοῦ τὴν λοπάδα σείοντος, ἐπιστὰς ἐξόπισθεν οἴει φησὶ τὸν Ὅμηρον, ὦ Ἀνταγόρα, γόγγρον ἕψειν τὰς τοῦ Ἀγαμέμνονος γράφοντα πράξεις; καὶ ὁ Ἀνταγόρας σὺ δέ εἶπεν ὦ βασιλεῦ, τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονα νομίζεις πράττοντα τὰς πράξεις ἐκείνας πολυπραγμονεῖν, εἴ τις ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ γόγγρον ἕψει;
29.18. In a dream he saw Mithradates reaping a golden harvest, and thereupon planned to kill him. He told Demetrius his son, and bound him by an oath to silence. But Demetrius took Mithridates to walk with him beside the sea, and with the butt of his spear wrote in the sand, “Flee, Mithridates.” And Mithridates, understanding the purport, fled to Pontus and reigned there until his end.
29.18. ὄναρ δʼ ἰδὼν χρυσοῦν θέρος ἐξαμῶντα Μιθριδάτην ἐβουλεύσατο κτεῖναι, καὶ Δημητρίῳ τῷ υἱῷ φράσας ὥρκωσε σιωπῆσαι· ὁ δὲ παραλαβὼν τὸν Μιθριδάτην καὶ συμπεριπατῶν παρὰ θάλασσαν ἐν τῷ αἰγιαλῷ κατέγραψε τῷ σαυρωτῆρι τοῦ δόρατος φεῦγε, Μιθριδᾶτα ἐκεῖνος δὲ νοήσας ἔφυγεν εἰς Πόντον κἀκεῖ βασιλεύων διετέλεσε.
30.1. When Demetrius was besieging the Rhodians he seized in one of the suburbs a painting of the artist Protogenes in which he portrayed Ialysus. The Rhodians sent a herald to him and besought him to spare the painting. He replied that he would sooner destroy the statues and portraits of his father than that painting. And coming to terms with the Rhodians, he left his great siege-engine, the Citytaker, with them to serve as a token of his prowess and of their courage.
30.1. Ῥοδίους δὲ πολιορκῶν ὁ Δημήτριος ἔλαβεν ἔν τινι προαστείῳ πίνακα Πρωτογένους τοῦ ζωγράφου τὸν Ἰάλυσον γράφοντος· ἐπικηρυκευσαμένων δὲ τῶν Ῥοδίων καὶ φείσασθαι τοῦ πίνακος παρακαλούντων, ἔφη μᾶλλον ἂν τὰς τοῦ πατρὸς εἰκόνας ἢ τὴν γραφὴν ἐκείνην διαφθεῖραι. σπεισάμενος δὲ τοῖς Ῥοδίοις τὴν ἑλέπολιν ἀπέλιπε παρʼ αὐτοῖς, ὑπόδειγμα τῆς αὑτοῦ μεγαλουργίας ἐκείνων δὲ ἀνδρείας ἐσομένην.
30.2. The Athenians revolted, and when he had taken their city, which was already in serious straits from lack of food, an assembly of the people was immediof grain. In speaking about this before them he lapsed into a barbarism. One of those sitting there repeated the phrase as it should have been spoken, and he said, “For this correction, then, I give you eight thousand bushels more.”
30.2. ἀποστάντων δὲ τῶν Ἀθηναίων, ἑλὼν τὴν πόλιν ἤδη κακῶς ὑπὸ σιτοδείας ἔχουσαν, εὐθὺς ἐκκλησίας αὐτῷ συναχθείσης, ἐπέδωκε δωρεὰν σῖτον αὐτοῖς· δημηγορῶν δὲ περὶ τούτων ἐβαρβάρισε· τῶν δὲ καθημένων τινὸς ὡς ἔδει τὸ ῥῆμα λεχθῆναι παραφωνήσαντος, οὐκοῦν ἔφη καὶ τῆς ἐπανορθώσεως ταύτης ἄλλους ὑμῖν πεντακισχιλίους ἐπιδίδωμι μεδίμνους.
31.1. When Demetrius, the father of Antigonus the Second, had been taken captive, he sent one of his friends and urged Antigonus to pay no attention if he should write anything under compulsion of Seleucus, and not to withdraw from the cities; but Antigonus of his own accord wrote to Seleucus resigning to him his whole kingdom and offering to surrender himself as a hostage on condition that his father Demetrius be released. When Antigonus was about to engage in a naval battle against Ptolemy’s generals, the pilot said that the ships of the enemy far outnumbered their own. “But,” said Antigonus, “how many ships do you think my own presence here is equivalent to?”
31.1. Ἀντίγονος ὁ δεύτερος, Δημητρίου τοῦ πατρὸς ἁλόντος καὶ πέμψαντός τινα τῶν φίλων καὶ κελεύοντος μὴ προσέχειν, ἄν τι γράφῃ βιασθεὶς ὑπὸ Σελεύκου, μηδὲ παραχωρεῖν τῶν πόλεων, αὐτὸς ἔγραψε πρὸς Σέλευκον ἐξιστάμενος αὐτῷ τῆς ἀρχῆς ἁπάσης καὶ παραδιδοὺς ὅμηρον ἑαυτὸν ἐπὶ τῷ τὸν πατέρα Δημήτριον ἀπολυθῆναι μέλλων δὲ ναυμαχεῖν πρὸς τοὺς Πτολεμαίου στρατηγοὺς, εἰπόντος τοῦ κυβερνήτου πολὺ πλείονας εἶναι τὰς τῶν πολεμίων ναῦς, ἐμὲ δέ ἔφη αὐτὸν παρόντα πρὸς πόσας ἀντιτάττεις;
31.3. Once when he was withdrawing before the advance of the enemy, he said that he was not fleeing, but was following up his advantage, which lay in the rear.
31.3. ὑποχωρῶν δέ ποτε τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐπερχομένοις οὐκ ἔφη φεύγειν, ἀλλὰ διώκειν τὸ συμφέρον ὀπίσω κείμενον.
31.4. When a young man, son of a brave father, but not himself having any reputation for being a good soldier, suggested the propriety of his receiving his father’s emoluments, Antigonus said, “My boy, I give pay and presents for the excellence of a man, not for the excellence of his father.”
31.4. ἐπεὶ δὲ νεανίσκος ἀνδρείου πατρός, αὐτὸς δὲ μὴ πάνυ δοκῶν ἀγαθὸς εἶναι στρατιώτης ἠξίου τὰς τοῦ πατρὸς λαμβάνειν ἀποφοράς, ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ εἶπεν ὦ μειράκιον, ἀνδραγαθίας οὐ πατραγαθίας μισθοὺς καὶ δωρεὰς δίδωμι.
31.5. When Zeno of Citium died, whom he admired most among the philosophers, he said that the audience to hear of his exploits had been taken away.
31.5. Ζήνωνος δὲ τοῦ Κιτιέως ἀποθανόντος, ὃν μάλιστα τῶν φιλοσόφων ἐθαύμασεν, ἔλεγε τὸ θέατρον αὐτοῦ τῶν πράξεων ἀνῃρῆσθαι.
32.1. Lysimachus was overpowered by Dromichaetas in Thrace, and because of thirst surrendered himself and his army; and when he drank after he had been made a prisoner, he said, “My God, for what a little pleasure have I made myself a slave from being a king!”
32.1. Λυσίμαχος ἐν Θρᾴκῃ κρατηθεὶς ὑπὸ Δρομιχαίτου καὶ διὰ δίψαν ἑαυτὸν καὶ τὸ στράτευμα παραδούς, ὡς ἔπιεν αἰχμάλωτος γενόμενος, ὦ θεοί εἶπεν ὡς μικρᾶς ἡδονῆς ἕνεκα δοῦλον ἐμαυτὸν ἐκ βασιλέως πεποίηκα.
32.2. To Philippides the comic poet who was his friend and intimate he said, “What of mine shall I share with you?” And the other replied, “What you will, except your secrets.”
32.2. πρὸς δὲ Φιλιππίδην τὸν κωμῳδιοποιὸν φίλον ὄντα καὶ συνήθη τίνος σοι εἶπε τῶν ἐμῶν μεταδῶ; κἀκεῖνος οὗ βούλει πλὴν τῶν ἀπορρήτων.
33.1. Antipater, hearing of the death of Parmenio at the hands of Alexander, said, “If Parmenio plotted against Alexander, who is to be trusted? And if he did not, what is to be done?”
33.1. Ἀντίπατρος ἀκούσας τὴν Παρμενίωνος ὑπὸ Ἀλεξάνδρου τελευτὴν εἰ μὲν ἐπεβούλευσεν Ἀλεξάνδρῳ Παρμενίων εἶπε τίνι πιστευτέον; εἰ δὲ μή, τί πρακτέον;
33.2. Of Demades the orator, who had already become an old man, he said that he was like an animal which had been eaten at a sacrificial feast; there was left only the belly and the tongue.
33.2. Δημάδου δὲ τοῦ ῥήτορος ἤδη πρεσβύτου γεγονότος, ἔφη καθάπερ ἱερείου διαπεπραγμένου καταλείπεσθαι μόνην τὴν γαστέρα καὶ τὴν γλῶτταν.
34.1. Antiochus the Third wrote to the cities that, if he should write ordering anything to be done contrary to the laws, they should pay no attention, assuming that he had acted in ignorance. Seeing the priestess of Artemis surpassingly beautiful in her appearance, he straightway marched forth from Ephesus, for fear that even against his determination he might be constrained to commit some unholy act.
34.1. Ἀντίοχος ὁ τρίτος ἔγραψε ταῖς πόλεσιν ἄν τι γράψῃ παρὰ τοὺς νόμους κελεύων γενέσθαι, μὴ προσέχειν ὡς ἠγνοηκότι, τὴν δὲ τῆς Ἀρτέμιδος ἱέρειαν ἰδὼν ὑπερβολῇ καλὴν φανεῖσαν εὐθὺς ἀνέζευξεν ἐξ Ἐφέσου, φοβούμενος μὴ παρὰ γνώμην ἐκβιασθῇ πρᾶξαί τι τῶν οὐχ ὁσίων.
35.1. Antiochus who was nicknamed the Hawk was warring against his brother Seleucus for the kingdom. But when Seleucus, vanquished by the Galatians, could nowhere be found, but, to all appearances, had been cut down in battle, Antiochus laid aside his purple and assumed a dark robe. But after a little time, learning that his brother was safe and sound, he offered sacrifices to the gods to celebrate the good tidings, and made the people in the cities under him to wear garlands.
35.1. Ἀντίοχος ὁ ἐπικληθεὶς Ἱέραξ ἐπολέμει περὶ τῆς βασιλείας πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν Σέλευκον· ἐπεὶ δὲ ὁ Σέλευκος ἡττηθεὶς ὑπὸ Γαλατῶν οὐδαμοῦ φανερὸς ἦν ἀλλʼ ἐδόκει κατακεκόφθαι, θεὶς τὴν πορφύραν ὁ Ἀντίοχος φαιὸν ἱμάτιον ἀνέλαβε. μετʼ ὀλίγον δὲ πυθόμενος τὸν ἀδελφὸν σῴζεσθαι, εὐαγγέλια τοῖς θεοῖς ἔθυσε καὶ τὰς πόλεις τὰς ὑφʼ ἑαυτοῦ στεφανηφορεῖν ἐποίησεν.
36.1. Eumenes, plotted against by Perseus, was reputed to be dead. When the story was brought to Pergamum, Attalus his brother put on the crown, married his wife, and assumed the rule. But upon learning that his brother was approaching alive, he went to meet him, attended, as was his wont, by his bodyguards, and holding a short spear. Eumenes greeted him kindly and whispered in his ear, “—ldquo; Haste not to marry ere you see him dead,—rdquo;” and neither said nor did anything else during his whole lifetime to arouse suspicion, but when he died he left to Attalus his wife and his kingdom. As a requital, Attalus reared no child of his own, although many were born, but while still living he transferred the kingdom to Eumenes’ son when the boy became of age.
36.1. Εὐμένης ἐπιβουλευθεὶς ὑπὸ Περσέως ἔδοξε τεθνάναι τῆς δὲ φήμης εἰς Πέργαμον κομισθείσης, Ἄτταλος ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ περιθέμενος τὸ διάδημα καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα γήμας ἐβασίλευσε· πυθόμενος δὲ προσιόντα ζῶντα τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἀπήντησεν ὥσπερ εἰώθει μετὰ τῶν σωματοφυλάκων δοράτιον ἔχων· ὁ δὲ Εὐμένης φιλοφρόνως ἀσπασάμενος αὐτὸν καὶ πρὸς τὸ οὖς εἰπών μὴ σπεῦδε γῆμαι πρὶν τελευτήσαντʼ ἴδῃς, οὐδὲν ἄλλο παρὰ πάντα τὸν βίον οὔτʼ εἶπεν ὕποπτον οὔτε ἐποίησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τελευτῶν ἐκείνῳ τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν ἀπέλιπεν. ἀνθʼ ὧν ἐκεῖνος οὐδὲν ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ τέκνον ἔθρεψε, πολλῶν γενομένων, ἀλλὰ τῷ Εὐμένους υἱῷ τὴν βασιλείαν ἔτι ζῶν ἐνηλίκῳ γενομένῳ παρέδωκε.
37.1. The sons of Pyrrhus, when they were children asked their father to whom he intended to leave the kingdom; and he said, “To that one of you who keeps his sword sharper.”
37.1. Πύρρον οἱ υἱοὶ παῖδες ὄντες ἠρώτων, τίνι καταλείψει τὴν βασιλείαν· καὶ ὁ Πύρρος εἶπεν ὃς ἂν ὑμῶν ὀξυτέραν ἔχῃ τὴν μάχαιραν.
37.2. Being asked whether Python or Caphisias were the better flute-player he said, “Polysperchon is the better general.”
37.2. ἐρωτηθεὶς δὲ πότερον Πύθων ἢ Καφισίας αὐλητὴς ἀμείνων Πολυσπέρχων ἔφη στρατηγός.
37.3. When he was twice victorious in conflict with the Romans, but lost many of his friends and commanders, he said, “If we are victorious over the Romans in one more battle, we are lost!”
37.3. ἐπεὶ δὲ συμβαλὼν Ῥωμαίοις δὶς ἐνίκησε πολλοὺς τῶν φίλων καὶ τῶν ἡγεμόνων ἀπολέσας, ἂν ἔτι ἔφη μίαν μάχην Ῥωμαίους νικήσωμεν, ἀπολώλαμεν.
37.4. As he was sailing away from Sicily after his failure there, he turned to look back, and said to his friends, “What a field of conflict are we leaving behind us for the Romans and Carthaginians to wrestle in!”
37.4. ἐπεὶ δὲ Σικελίας ἀποτυχὼν ἐξέπλει, μεταστραφεὶς ὀπίσω πρὸς τοὺς φίλους οἵαν ἔφη Ῥωμαίοις καὶ Καρχηδονίοις ἀπολείπομεν παλαίστραν.
37.5. When the soldiers addressed him as “Eagle,” he said, “Why not an eagle, when I am borne aloft on the swift wings of your weapons?”
37.5. τῶν δὲ στρατιωτῶν Ἀετὸν αὐτὸν προσαγορευόντων τί γάρ εἶπεν οὐ μέλλω, τοῖς ὑμετέροις ὅπλοις ὥσπερ ὠκυπτέροις αἰρόμενος;
37.6. Hearing that some young men had made many defamatory remarks about him while in their cups, he ordered that they should all be brought before him the next day. When they were brought, he asked the first whether they had said these things about him. And the young man replied, “Yes, Your Majesty; and we should have said more than that if we had had more wine.”
37.6. ἀκούσας δὲ ὅτι νεανίσκοι πολλὰ βλάσφημα περὶ αὐτοῦ πίνοντες εἰρήκασιν, ἐκέλευσεν ἀχθῆναι μεθʼ ἡμέραν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἅπαντας· ἀχθέντων δὲ τὸν πρῶτον ἠρώτησεν, εἰ ταῦτα εἰρήκασι περὶ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ὁ νεανίσκος ταῦτα εἶπεν ὦ βασιλεῦ· πλείονα δʼ ἂν τούτων εἰρήκειμεν, εἰ πλείονα οἶνον εἴχομεν.
38.1. Antiochus, who made his next campaign against the Parthians, in a hunt and chase wandered away from his friends and servants, and unrecognized entered the hut of some poor people. At dinner he brought in the subject of the king, and heard that, in general, he was a decent man, but that he entrusted most matters to friends who were scurvy fellows, and overlooked and often disregarded matters that were imperative through being too fond of hunting. At the time he said nothing; but at daybreak some of his bodyguards arrived at the hut, and his identity was disclosed when the purple and the crown were brought to him. “Howbeit,” said he, “since the day when I donned you, yesterday was the first time that I heard true words about myself.”
38.1. Ἀντίοχος ὁ στρατεύσας δεύτερον ἐπὶ Πάρθους, ἔν τινι κυνηγεσίῳ καὶ διωγμῷ τῶν φίλων καὶ θεραπόντων ἀποπλανηθείς, εἰς ἔπαυλιν πενήτων ἀνθρώπων ἀγνοούμενος εἰσῆλθε· καὶ παρὰ τὸ δεῖπνον ἐμβαλὼν λόγον περὶ τοῦ βασιλέως ἤκουσεν, ὅτι τἄλλα χρηστός ἐστιν, φίλοις δὲ μοχθηροῖς ἐπιτρέπων τὰ πλεῖστα παρορᾷ καὶ πολλάκις ἀμελεῖ τῶν ἀναγκαίων διὰ τὸ λίαν φιλόθηρος εἶναι. τότε μὲν οὖν ἐσιώπησεν· ἅμα δὲ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν δορυφόρων παραγενομένων ἐπὶ τὴν ἔπαυλιν φανερὸς γενόμενος, προσφερομένης τῆς πορφύρας αὐτῷ καὶ τοῦ διαδήματος, ἀλλὰ ἀφʼ ἧς εἶπεν ἡμέρας ὑμᾶς ἀνείληφα, πρῶτον ἐχθὲς ἀληθινῶν λόγων ἤκουσα περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ.
38.2. The Jews, when he was besieging Jerusalem, asked for an armistice of seven days for their most important festival, and he not only granted this, but he also made ready bulls with gilded horns, and a great quantity of incense and spices, and brought all these in solemn procession as far as the gates. Then, having transferred the offering to the hands of their priests, he returned to his camp. The Jews were amazed, and immediately after the festival placed themselves in his hands.
38.2. τῶν δὲ Ἰουδαίων, πολιορκοῦντος αὐτοῦ τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα, πρὸς τὴν μεγίστην ἑορτὴν αἰτησαμένων ἑπτὰ ἡμερῶν ἀνοχάς, οὐ μόνον ἔδωκε ταύτας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταύρους χρυσόκερως παρασκευασάμενος καὶ θυμιαμάτων καὶ ἀρωμάτων πλῆθος ἄχρι τῶν πυλῶν ἐπόμπευσε· καὶ παραδοὺς τοῖς ἐκείνων ἱερεῦσι τὴν θυσίαν αὐτὸς ἐπανῆλθεν εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον. οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι θαυμάσαντες εὐθὺς ἑαυτοὺς μετὰ τὴν ἑορτὴν ἐνεχείρισαν.
39.1. Themistocles while yet in his youth abandoned himself to wine and women. But after Miltiades, commanding the Athenian army, had overcome the barbarians at Marathon, never again was it possible to encounter Themistocles misconducting himself. To those who expressed their amazement at the change in him, he said that “the trophy of Miltiades does not allow me to sleep or to be indolent.”
39.1. Θεμιστοκλῆς ἔτι μειράκιον ὢν ἐν πότοις ἐκυλινδεῖτο καὶ γυναιξίν· ἐπεὶ δὲ Μιλτιάδης στρατηγῶν ἐνίκησεν ἐν Μαραθῶνι τοὺς βαρβάρους, οὐκέτι ἦν ἐντυχεῖν ἀτακτοῦντι Θεμιστοκλεῖ· πρὸς δὲ τοὺς θαυμάζοντας, τὴν μεταβολὴν ἔλεγεν ὡς οὐκ ἐᾷ με καθεύδειν οὐδὲ ῥᾳθυμεῖν τὸ Μιλτιάδου τρόπαιον.
39.2. Being asked whether he would rather have been Achilles or Homer, he said, “How about you yourself? Would you rather be the victor at the Olympic games or the announcer of the victor?”
39.2. ἐρωτηθεὶς δὲ πότερον Ἀχιλλεὺς ἐβούλετʼ ἂν ἢ Ὅμηρος εἶναι, σὺ δʼ αὐτός ἔφη πότερον ἤθελες ὁ νικῶν Ὀλυμπίασιν ἢ ὁ κηρύσσων τοὺς νικῶντας εἶναι;
39.3. When Xerxes was descending upon Greece with his mighty armament, Themistocles was afraid of Epicydes the popular leader, unscrupulous and cowardly, lest possibly he might, by being elected general, bring about the ruin of the State; and so he bribed Epicydes to withdraw from his attempt to gain the command.
39.3. Ξέρξου δὲ καταβαίνοντος ἐπὶ τὴν Ἑλλάδα τῷ μεγάλῳ στόλῳ, φοβηθεὶς Ἐπικύδην τὸν δημαγωγὸν αἰσχροκερδῆ καὶ δειλὸν ὄντα μὴ στρατηγὸς γενόμενος ἀπολέσῃ τὴν πόλιν, ἔπεισεν ἀργυρίῳ τῆς στρατηγίας ἀποστῆναι.
39.4. When Adeimantus lacked the courage to risk a naval battle, and said to Themistocles, who was exhorting and urging on the Greeks, “Themistocles, in the games they always scourge the runners who start before the signal is given,” Themistocles replied, “Yes, Adeimantus, but they do not crown those who are left behind in the race.”
39.4. Ἀδειμάντου δὲ ναυμαχεῖν μὴ τολμῶντος, εἰπόντος πρὸς τὸν Θεμιστοκλέα τοὺς Ἕλληνας παρακαλοῦντα καὶ προτρέποντα ὦ Θεμιστόκλεις, τοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσι προεξανισταμένους μαστιγοῦσιν, ναὶ εἶπεν ὦ Ἀδείμαντε, τοὺς δὲ λειπομένους οὐ στεφανοῦσιν.
39.5. When Eurybiades lifted his cane as though to strike him, he said, “Strike but listen.”
39.5. ἐπαραμένου δὲ τοῦ Εὐρυβιάδου τὴν βακτηρίαν ὡς πατάξοντος πάταξον μὲν οὖν εἶπεν ἄκουσον δέ.
39.6. Unable to persuade Eurybiades to engage the enemy’s ships in the narrows, he sent a secret message to the barbarian telling him not to be afraid of the Greeks, who were running away. And when the barbarian, by taking this advice, was vanquished in the battle because he fought where the Greeks had the advantage, Themistocles again sent a message to him, bidding him flee to the Hellespont by the speediest route, since the Greeks were minded to destroy the bridge. In this his purpose was, while saving the Greeks, to give the king the impression that he was saving him.
39.6. μὴ πείθων δὲ τὸν Εὐρυβιάδην ἐν τοῖς στενοῖς ναυμαχῆσαι, κρύφα πρὸς τὸν βάρβαρον ἔπεμψε παραινῶν μὴ δεδιέναι τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἀποδιδράσκοντας· ἐπεὶ δὲ πεισθεὶς ἐκεῖνος ἡττήθη ναυμαχήσας ὅπου συνέφερε τοῖς Ἕλλησι, πάλιν ἔπεμψε πρὸς αὐτὸν κελεύων φεύγειν ἐπὶ τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον τὴν ταχίστην ὡς τῶν Ἑλλήνων διανοουμένων λύειν τὴν γέφυραν, ἵνα σῴζων τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἐκεῖνον δοκῇ σῴζειν.
39.7. When the man from Seriphus said to him that it was not because of himself but because of his country that he was famous, Themistocles remarked, “What you say is true enough; but if I were from Seriphus, I should not have become famous, nor would you if you were from Athens.”
39.7. τοῦ δὲ Σεριφίου πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰπόντος, ὡς οὐ διʼ αὑτὸν ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν πόλιν ἔνδοξός ἐστιν, ἀληθῆ λέγεις εἶπεν ἀλλʼ οὔτʼ ἂν ἐγὼ Σερίφιος ὢν ἐγενόμην ἔνδοξος οὔτε σὺ Ἀθηναῖος.
39.8. Antiphates, the handsome youth of whom Themistocles was enamoured, avoided him in the earlier days, and looked down upon him, but, after Themistocles had acquired great repute and power, kept coming to him and trying to flatter him. “My boy,” said Themistocles, “it has taken time, but now we have both come to have sense.”
39.8. Ἀντιφάτου δὲ τοῦ καλοῦ πρότερον μὲν ἐρῶντα τὸν Θεμιστοκλέα φεύγοντος καὶ καταφρονοῦντος, ἐπεὶ δὲ δόξαν ἔσχε μεγάλην καὶ δύναμιν, προσερχομένου καὶ κολακεύοντος, ὦ μειράκιον εἶπεν ὀψὲ μὲν ἀμφότεροι ἀλλὰ νοῦν ἐσχήκαμεν.
39.9. To Simonides, who petitioned for a legal decision which was not just, he said that Simonides would not be a good poet if he sang out of tune, nor should he himself be a useful official if he gave a decision out of tune with the law.
39.9. πρὸς δὲ Σιμωνίδην ἐξαιτούμενόν τινα κρίσιν οὐ δικαίαν ἔφη μήτʼ ἂν ἐκεῖνον γενέσθαι ποιητὴν ἀγαθὸν ᾄδοντα παρὰ μέλος μήτʼ αὐτὸν ἄρχοντα χρηστὸν δικάζοντα παρὰ τὸν νόμον.
39.10. Of his son, who was pert towards his mother, he said that the boy wielded more power than anybody else in Greece; for the Athenians ruled the Greeks, he himself ruled the Athenians, the boy’s mother ruled himself, and the boy ruled the mother.
39.10. τὸν δὲ υἱὸν ἐντρυφῶντα τῇ μητρὶ πλεῖστον Ἑλλήνων ἔλεγε δύνασθαι· τῶν γὰρ Ἑλλήνων ἄρχειν Ἀθηναίους, Ἀθηναίων δʼ ἑαυτόν, αὑτοῦ δὲ τὴν ἐκείνου μητέρα, τῆς δὲ μητρὸς ἐκεῖνον.
39.11. Of the suitors for his daughter’s hand he esteemed the man of promise higher than the man of wealth, saying that he was looking for a man that was in need of money rather than for money that was in need of a man. When he offered a plot of land for sale, he ordered the announcement to be made that it also had a good neighbour.
39.11. τῶν δὲ τὴν θυγατέρα μνωμένων αὐτοῦ τὸν ἐπιεικῆ τοῦ πλουσίου προτιμήσας ἄνδρα ἔφη ζητεῖν χρημάτων δεόμενον μᾶλλον ἢ χρήματα ἀνδρός χωρίον δὲ πωλῶν ἐκέλευσε κηρύττειν ὅτι καὶ γείτονα χρηστὸν ἔχει.
39.13. When the Athenians treated him with contumely, he said, “Why do you grow tired of being well served many times by the same men?” He also likened himself to the plane-trees, beneath which men hasten when overtaken by a storm, but, when fair weather comes, they pluck the leaves as they pass by and break off the branches.
39.13. τῶν δὲ Ἀθηναίων αὐτὸν προπηλακιζόντων τί κοπιᾶτε εἶπεν ὑπὸ τῶν αὐτῶν πολλάκις εὐχρηστούμενοι; καὶ ταῖς πλατάνοις ἀπείκαζεν αὑτόν, αἷς ὑποτρέχουσι χειμαζόμενοι, γενομένης δὲ εὐδίας τίλλουσι παρερχόμενοι καὶ κολούουσι.
39.14. The Eretrians, he said humorously, were like cuttle-fish in having a sword but no heart.
39.14. τοὺς δὲ Ἐρετριεῖς ἐπισκώπτων ἔλεγεν ὥσπερ τευθίδας μάχαιραν μὲν ἔχειν καρδίαν δὲ μὴ ἔχειν.
39.15. After his banishment from Athens first, and later from Greece, he went to the Persian king, and, when he was bidden to speak, he said that speech is like rugs woven with patterns and figures; for speech, like the rugs, when it is extended, displays its figures, but, when it is rolled into a small compass, it conceals and spoils them.
39.15. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐξέπεσε τῶν Ἀθηνῶν τὸ πρῶτον, εἶτα καὶ τῆς Ἑλλάδος, ἀναβὰς πρὸς βασιλέα καὶ κελευόμενος λέγειν ἔφη τὸν λόγον ἐοικέναι τοῖς ποικίλοις στρώμασιν ὡς γὰρ ἐκεῖνα, καὶ τοῦτον ἐκτεινόμενον μὲν ἐπιδεικνύναι τὰ εἴδη συστελλόμενον δὲ κρύπτειν καὶ διαφθείρειν.
39.16. He asked for time so that, when he should have learned the Persian tongue, he might conduct his interview through his own self and not through another.
39.16. ᾐτήσατο δὲ καὶ χρόνον, ὅπως τὴν Περσικὴν διάλεκτον καταμαθὼν διʼ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ μὴ διʼ ἑτέρου ποιήσαιτο τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔντευξιν.
39.17. Being held deserving of many gifts, and speedily becoming rich, he said to his sons, “Boys, we should be ruined now if we had not been ruined before!”
39.17. πολλῶν δὲ δωρεῶν ἀξιωθεὶς καὶ ταχὺ πλούσιος γενόμενος πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας εἶπεν ὦ παῖδες, ἀπωλόμεθʼ ἄν, εἰ μὴ ἀπωλώλειμεν.
40.1. Myronides, conducting a campaign against the Boeotians, gave orders to the Athenians for an invasion of the enemy’s territory. When the hour was near, and the captains said that not all were present as yet, he said, “All are present that intend to fight.” And, leading them into battle before their ardour had cooled, he won a victory over the enemy.
40.1. Μυρωνίδης παρήγγειλεν ἔξοδον Ἀθηναίοις ἐπὶ Βοιωτοὺς στρατεύων ἐνστάσης δὲ τῆς ὥρας καὶ τῶν λοχαγῶν λεγόντων μηδέπω πάντας παρεῖναι, πάρεισιν εἶπεν οἱ μέλλοντες μάχεσθαι· καὶ χρησάμενος αὐτοῖς προθύμοις ἐνίκησε τοὺς πολεμίους.
41.1. Aristeides the Just was always an independent in politics, and avoided political parties, on the ground that influence derived from friends encourages wrongdoing. At one time when the Athenians had impetuously determined to vote on ostracism, an ignorant country fellow, holding his potsherd, approached him and bade him write on it the name of Aristeides. “Why,” said he, “do you know Aristeides?” And when the man said that he did not know him, but was irritated at his being called “the Just,” Aristeides said never a word more, but wrote the name on the potsherd, and gave it back to him.
41.1. Ἀριστείδης δὲ ὁ δίκαιος ἀεὶ καθʼ αὑτὸν ἐπολιτεύετο καὶ τὰς ἑταιρείας ἔφευγεν, ὡς τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν φίλων δυνάμεως ἀδικεῖν ἐπαιρούσης ἐπεὶ δὲ τῶν Ἀθηναίων ὁρμωμένων ἐπὶ τὸν ἐξοστρακισμὸν ἄνθρωπος ἀγράμματος καὶ ἄγροικος ὄστρακον ἔχων προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ κελεύων ἐγγράψαι τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Ἀριστείδου, γινώσκεις γάρ ἔφη τὸν Ἀριστείδην; τοῦ δὲ ἀνθρώπου γινώσκειν μὲν οὐ φήσαντος, ἄχθεσθαι δὲ τῇ τοῦ δικαίου προσηγορίᾳ, σιωπήσας ἐνέγραψε τὸ ὄνομα τῷ ὀστράκῳ καὶ ἀπέδωκεν.
41.3. He was hostile to Themistocles, and once, when he was sent as ambassador in his company, he said, “Are you willing, Themistocles, that we should leave our hostility behind us at the boundaries? And then, if it be agreeable, we will take it up again on our return.”
41.3. ἐχθρὸς δὲ ὢν τοῦ Θεμιστοκλέους καὶ πρεσβευτὴς ἐκπεμφθεὶς σὺν αὐτῷ βούλει φησὶν ὦ Θεμιστόκλεις ἐπὶ τῶν ὅρων τὴν ἔχθραν ἀπολίπωμεν; ἂν γὰρ δοκῇ, πάλιν αὐτὴν ἐπανιόντες ληψόμεθα.
41.4. When he had fixed the contributions that the Greeks were to pay, he returned poorer by exactly as much as he spent on his journey.
41.4. τάξας δὲ τοὺς φόρους τοῖς Ἕλλησι τοσούτῳ πτωχότερος ἐπανῆλθεν,. ὅσον εἰς τὴν ἀποδημίαν ἀνήλωσεν.
41.5. Aeschylus wrote referring to Amphiaraus, “His wish is not to seem, but be, the best, Reaping the deep-sown furrow of his mind In which all goodly counsels have their root.” And as these words were spoken all looked towards Aristeides.
41.5. Αἰσχύλου δὲ ποιήσαντος εἰς Ἀμφιάραονοὐ γὰρ δοκεῖν ἄριστος ἀλλʼ εἶναι θέλει,βαθεῖαν ἄλοκα διὰ φρενὸς καρπούμενος,ἐξ ἧς τὰ κεδνὰ βλαστάνει βουλεύματα·καὶ λεγομένων τούτων, πάντες εἰς Ἀριστείδην ἀπέβλεψαν.
42.1. Whenever Pericles was about to take command of the army, as he was donning his general’s cloak, he used to say to himself, “Take care, Pericles; you are about to command free-born men who are both Greeks and Athenians.”
42.1. Περικλῆς, ὁπότε μέλλοι στρατηγεῖν, ἀναλαμβάνων τὴν χλαμύδα πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἔλεγε πρόσεχε, Περίκλεις, ἐλευθέρων μέλλεις ἄρχειν, καὶ Ἑλλήνων καὶ Ἀθηναίων.
42.2. He bade the Athenians remove Aegina, “that sore on the eye of the Piraeus.”
42.2. ἐκέλευσε δὲ τοὺς Ἀθηναίους τὴν Αἴγιναν ὥσπερ λήμην ἀφαιρεῖν τοῦ Πειραιῶς.
42.3. To a friend who wanted him to bear false witness, which included also an oath, he answered that he was a friend as far as the altar.
42.3. πρὸς δὲ φίλον τινὰ μαρτυρίας ψευδοῦς δεόμενον, προσῆν καὶ ὅρκος, ἔφησε μέχρι τοῦ βωμοῦ φίλος εἶναι.
42.4. On his death-bed he accounted himself happy in that no Athenian, because of him, had ever put on a black garment.
42.4. μέλλων δὲ ἀποθνήσκειν αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἐμακάριζεν, ὅτι μηδεὶς Ἀθηναίων μέλαν ἱμάτιον διʼ αὐτὸν ἐνεδύσατο.
43.1. Alcibiades, while still a boy, was caught in a fast hold in a wrestling-school, and, not being able to get away, he bit the arm of the boy who had him down. The other boy said, “You bite like a woman.” “No indeed,” said Alcibiades, “but like a lion.”
43.1. Ἀλκιβιάδης ἔτι παῖς ὢν ἐλήφθη λαβὴν ἐν παλαίστρᾳ· καὶ μὴ δυνάμενος διαφυγεῖν ἔδακε τὴν χεῖρα τοῦ καταπαλαίοντος· εἰπόντος δὲ ἐκείνου δάκνεις ὡς αἱ γυναῖκες, οὐ μὲν οὖν εἶπεν ἀλλʼ ὡς οἱ λέοντες.
43.2. He owned a very beautiful dog, for which he had paid two hundred and seventy-five pounds, and he cut off its tail, “so that,” as he said, “the Athenians may tell this about me, and may not concern themselves too much with anything else.”
43.2. ἔχων δὲ κύνα πάγκαλον ἐωνημένον ἑπτακισχιλίων δραχμῶν, ἀπέκοψεν αὐτοῦ τὴν οὐρὰν ὅπως ἔφη τοῦτο λέγωσιν Ἀθηναῖοι περὶ ἐμοῦ καὶ μηδὲν ἄλλο πολυπραγμονῶσι.
43.3. Coming upon a schoolroom, he asked for a book of the Iliad, and when the teacher said that he had nothing of Homer’s, Alcibiades hit him a blow with his fist and passed on.
43.3. προσελθὼν δὲ διδασκαλείῳ ῥαψῳδίαν Ἰλιάδος ᾔτει· τοῦ δὲ διδασκάλου μηδὲν ἔχειν Ὁμήρου φήσαντος, ἐντρίψας αὐτῷ κόνδυλον παρῆλθεν.
43.4. He came to Pericles’ door, and upon learning that Pericles was not at liberty, but was considering how to render his accounting to the Athenians, he said, “Were it not better that he should consider how not to render it?”
43.4. ἐλθὼν δὲ ἐπὶ θύρας τοῦ Περικλέους καὶ πυθόμενος αὐτὸν μὴ σχολάζειν ἀλλὰ σκοπεῖν, ὅπως ἀποδώσει λόγους Ἀθηναίοις, οὐ βέλτιον ἔφη σκοπεῖν ἦν, ὅπως οὐκ ἀποδώσει;