43.5. Summoned from Sicily by the Athenians to be tried for his life, he went into hiding, saying that it is silly for a man under indictment to seek a way to get off when he can get away.
43.5. καλούμενος δὲ ἐπὶ κρίσιν θανατικὴν ὑπὸ τῶν Ἀθηναίων ἀπὸ Σικελίας ἔκρυψεν ἑαυτὸν, εἰπὼν εὔηθες εἶναι τὸ δίκην ἔχοντα ζητεῖν ἀποφυγεῖν, ἐξὸν φυγεῖν.
43.6. When somebody said, “Don’t you trust your fatherland to decide about you?”he replied, “Not I; nor would I trust even my mother, lest in a moment of thoughtlessness she unwittingly cast a black ballot instead of a white one.”
43.6. εἰπόντος δέ τινος οὐ πιστεύεις τῇ πατρίδι τὴν περὶ σεαυτοῦ κρίσιν; ἐγὼ μέν ἔφη οὐδὲ τῇ μητρί, μή πως ἀγνοήσασα τὴν μέλαιναν βάλῃ ψῆφον ἀντὶ τῆς λευκῆς.
43.7. Hearing that sentence of death had been passed upon him and his companions, he said, “Let us show them, then, that we are alive,” and turning to the Spartan side he started the Decelean war against the Athenians.
43.7. ἀκούσας δὲ ὅτι θάνατος αὐτοῦ κατέγνωσται καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ δείξωμεν οὖν αὐτοῖς εἶπεν ὅτι ζῶμεν· καὶ πρὸς Λακεδαιμονίους τρεψάμενος τὸν Δεκελεικὸν ἤγειρεν ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἀθηναίους πόλεμον.
44.1. Lamachus reprimanded one of his captains who had made a mistake, and when the man vowed he would never do it again, Lamachus said, “In war there is no room for two mistakes.”
44.1. Λάμαχος ἐπετίμα τινὶ τῶν λοχαγῶν ἁμαρτόντι· τοῦ δὲ φήσαντος μηκέτι τοῦτο ποιήσειν οὐκ ἔστιν εἶπεν ἐν πολέμῳ δὶς ἁμαρτεῖν.
45.1. Iphicrates, who was reputed to be the son of a shoemaker, was looked down upon. The first occasion on which he won repute was when, wounded himself, he picked up one of the enemy alive, armour and all, and bore him to his own trireme.
45.1. Ἰφικράτης, δοκῶν υἱὸς εἶναι σκυτοτόμου, κατεφρονεῖτο· δόξαν δὲ τότε πρῶτον ἔσχε, ὅτε τραυματίας πολέμιον ἄνδρα μετὰ τῶν ὅπλων ζῶντα συναρπάσας εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ τριήρη μετήνεγκεν.
45.2. Encamping in a friendly and allied country, he threw up a palisade and dug a ditch with all care, and to the man who said, “What have we to fear?” he replied that the worst words a general could utter were the familiar “I never should have thought it.” As he was disposing his army for battle against the barbarians he said he feared that they did not know the name of Iphicrates with which he was wont to strike terror to the hearts of his other foes.
45.2. ἐν δὲ φιλίᾳ καὶ συμμάχῳ χώρᾳ στρατοπεδεύων καὶ χάρακα βαλλόμενος καὶ τάφρον ὀρύττων ἐπιμελῶς πρὸς τὸν εἰπόντα τί γὰρ φοβούμεθα; χειρίστην ἔφησε στρατηγοῦ φωνὴν εἶναι τὴν οὐκ ἂν προσεδόκησα παραταττόμενος δὲ τοῖς βαρβάροις ἔφη δεδιέναι, μὴ τὸν Ἰφικράτην οὐκ ἴσασιν, ᾧ καταπλήττεται τοὺς ἄλλους πολεμίους.
45.4. When he was put on trial for his life he said to the informer, “What are you trying to do, fellow? At a time when war is all around us, you are persuading the State to deliberate about me instead of with me.”
45.4. κρινόμενος δὲ θανάτου, πρὸς τὸν συκοφάντην οἷα ποιεῖς, ὦ ἄνθρωπε εἶπε πολέμου περιεστῶτος, τὴν πόλιν περὶ ἐμοῦ πείθων βουλεύεσθαι καὶ μὴ μετʼ ἐμοῦ.
45.5. In reply to Harmodius, descendant of the Harmodius of early days, who twitted him about his lowly birth, he said, “My family history begins with me, but yours ends with you.”
45.5. πρὸς δὲ Ἁρμόδιον, τὸν τοῦ παλαιοῦ Ἁρμοδίου ἀπόγονον, εἰς δυσγένειαν αὐτῷ λοιδορούμενον ἔφη τὸ μὲν ἐμὸν ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ γένος ἄρχεται, τὸ δὲ σὸν ἐν σοὶ παύεται.
45.6. A certain speaker interrogated him in the Assembly: “Who are you that you are so proud? Are you cavalryman or man-at-arms or archer or targeteer?” “None of these,” he replied, “but the one who understands how to direct all of them.”
45.6. ῥήτορος δέ τινος ἐπερωτῶντος αὐτὸν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ τίς ὢν μέγα φρονεῖς; πότερον ἱππεὺς ἢ ὁπλίτης ἢ τοξότης ἢ πελταστής; οὐδείς ἔφη τούτων, ἀλλʼ ὁ πᾶσι τούτοις ἐπιστάμενος ἐπιτάττειν.
46.1. Timotheus was popularly thought to be a lucky general, and some who were jealous of him painted pictures of cities entering into a trap of their own accord while he was asleep. Whereupon Timotheus said, “If I capture such cities as those while I am asleep, what do you think I shall do when I am awake?”
46.1. Τιμόθεος εὐτυχὴς ἐνομίζετο στρατηγὸς εἶναι· καὶ φθονοῦντες αὐτῷ τινες ἐζωγράφουν τὰς πόλεις εἰς κύρτον αὐτομάτως ἐκείνου καθεύδοντος ἐνδυομένας· ἔλεγεν οὖν ὁ Τιμόθεος εἰ τηλικαύτας πόλεις λαμβάνω καθεύδων, τί με οἴεσθε ποιήσειν ἐγρηγορότα;
46.2. When one of the foolhardy generals was exhibiting to the Athenians a wound he had received, Timotheus said, “But I was ashamed when, at the time I was commanding, you in Samos, a missile from a catapult fell near me.”
46.2. τῶν δὲ τολμηρῶν στρατηγῶν τινος τραῦμα τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις δεικνύντος, ἐγὼ δέ εἶπεν ᾐσχύνθην ὅτι μου στρατηγοῦντος ὑμῶν ἐν Σάμῳ καταπελτικὸν βέλος ἐγγὺς ἔπεσε.
46.3. When the prominent speakers brought forward Chares, and insisted that the general of the Athenians ought to be a man like him, Timotheus said, “Not the general, but the man who carries the general’s bedding!”
46.3. τῶν δὲ ῥητόρων τὸν Χάρητα προαγόντων καὶ τοιοῦτον ἀξιούντων εἶναι τὸν Ἀθηναίων στρατηγόν, οὐ τὸν στρατηγόν εἶπεν ὁ Τιμόθεος ἀλλὰ τὸν τῷ στρατηγῷ τὰ στρώματα κομίζοντα.
47.1. Chabrias used to say that those men commanded an army best who best knew what the enemy were about.
47.1. Χαβρίας ἔλεγε κάλλιστα στρατηγεῖν τοὺς μάλιστα γινώσκοντας τὰ τῶν πολεμίων.
47.2. When he was under indictment for treason along with Iphicrates, Iphicrates rebuked him because, while he was in jeopardy, he went to the gymnasium, and spent the usual time at his luncheon. His answer was, “You may go unwashed and unfed, and I may have had my luncheon and a bath and rub-down, but you may rest assured that, if the Athenians reach any adverse decision regarding us, they will put us both to death.”
47.2. δίκην δὲ φεύγων προδοσίας μετὰ Ἰφικράτους, ἐπιτιμῶντος αὐτῷ τοῦ Ἰφικράτους ὅτι κινδυνεύων εἰς τὸ γυμνάσιον βαδίζει καὶ τὴν εἰωθυῖαν ὥραν ἀριστᾷ, τοιγαροῦν εἶπεν ἂν ἄλλο τι γνῶσι περὶ ἡμῶν Ἀθηναῖοι, σὲ μὲν αὐχμῶντα καὶ ἄσιτον, ἐμὲ δὲ ἠριστηκότα καὶ ἀληλιμμένον ἀποκτενοῦσιν.
47.3. He was wont to say that an army of deer commanded by a lion is more to be feared than an army of lions commanded by a deer.
47.3. εἰώθει δὲ λέγειν ὅτι φοβερώτερόν ἐστιν ἐλάφων στρατόπεδον ἡγουμένου λέοντος ἢ λεόντων ἐλάφου.
48.1. Hegesippus, nicknamed “Topknot,” in a public address was inciting the Athenians against Philip, when someone in the Assembly commented audibly, “You are bringing on war.” “Yes, by Heaven, I am,” said he, “and black clothes and public funerals and orations over the graves of the dead, if we intend to live as free men, and not to do what is enjoined upon us by the Macedonians.”
48.1. Ἡγησίππου τοῦ Κρωβύλου προσαγορευομένου παροξύνοντος τοὺς Ἀθηναίους ἐπὶ Φίλιππον, ὑπεφώνησέ τις ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας πόλεμον εἰσηγῇ; ναὶ μὰ Δία εἶπε καὶ μέλανα ἱμάτια καὶ δημοσίας ἐκφορὰς καὶ λόγους ἐπιταφίους, εἰ μέλλομεν ἐλεύθεροι βιώσεσθαι καὶ μὴ ποιήσειν τὸ προσταττόμενον Μακεδόσι.
49.1. Pytheas, while still young, came forward in the Assembly to oppose the resolutions proposed in honour of Alexander. When someone said, “Have you the audacity, young as you are, to speak about such important matters?” he replied, “As a matter of fact, Alexander, whom your resolutions declare to be a god, is younger than I am.”
49.1. Πυθέας ἔτι μειράκιον ὢν παρῆλθεν ἀντερῶν τοῖς περὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου γραφομένοις ψηφίσμασιν· εἰπόντος δέ τινος σὺ νέος ὢν τολμᾷς λέγειν περὶ τηλικούτων; καὶ μὴν Ἀλέξανδρος εἶπεν ὃν ψηφίζεσθε θεόν, ἐμοῦ νεώτερός ἐστι.
50.1. Phocion the Athenian was never seen by anyone to laugh or cry.
50.1. Φωκίων ὁ Ἀθηναῖος ὑπʼ οὐδενὸς οὔτε γελῶν ὤφθη οὔτε δακρύων.
50.2. At a meeting of the Assembly someone said to him, “You seem to be thinking, Phocion.” “You guessed right,” said he, “for I am thinking whether I can leave out any part of what I am going to say to the Athenians.”
50.2. ἐκκλησίας δὲ γενομένης πρὸς τὸν εἰπόντα σκεπτομένῳ, Φωκίων, ἔοικας, ὀρθῶς ἔφη τοπάζεις· σκέπτομαι γάρ, εἴ τι δύναμαι περιελεῖν ὧν μέλλω λέγειν πρὸς Ἀθηναίους.
50.3. An oracle was given to the Athenians declaring that there was one man in the city opposed to the opinions of all, whereupon they ordered that search be made to find him, and were very vociferous. But Phocion said that the man was himself, for he was the only one who did not like a single thing of all that the multitude did and said.
50.3. μαντείας δὲ γενομένης Ἀθηναίοις, ὡς εἷς ἀνὴρ ἔστιν ἐν τῇ πόλει ταῖς πάντων ἐναντιούμενος γνώμαις, καὶ τῶν Ἀθηναίων ζητεῖν κελευόντων ὅστις ἐστὶ καὶ βοώντων, Φωκίων ἑαυτὸν ἔφησε τοῦτον εἶναι· μόνῳ γὰρ αὐτῷ μηδὲν ἀρέσκειν ὧν οἱ πολλοὶ πράττουσι καὶ λέγουσιν.
50.4. Once, when he expressed an opinion before the people, he won acclaim, and saw that all alike accepted the view he had expressed, whereupon he turned to his friends and said- “Does it not look as if I had unwittingly said something bad?”
50.4. ἐπεὶ δὲ λέγων ποτὲ γνώμην πρὸς τὸν δῆμον εὐδοκίμει καὶ πάντας ὁμαλῶς ἑώρα τὸν λόγον ἀποδεχομένους, ἐπιστραφεὶς πρὸς τοὺς φίλους εἶπεν οὐ δήπου κακόν τι λέγων ἐμαυτὸν λέληθα;
50.5. When the Athenians were asking for contributions towards a public sacrifice and feast, and all the rest were contributing, he, being importuned to give, said, “I should be ashamed to make a contribution to you and not make restitution to this man,” and, as he said this, he pointed to a man who had lent him money.
50.5. πρὸς δὲ θυσίαν τινὰ τῶν Ἀθηναίων αἰτούντων ἐπιδόσεις καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιδιδόντων, κληθεὶς πολλάκις αἰσχυνοίμην ἄν εἶπεν ὑμῖν ἐπιδιδούς τούτῳ δὲ μὴ ἀποδιδούς, ἅμα δεικνύων τὸν δανειστήν.
50.6. Demosthenes, the orator, said to him, “The Athenians will put you to death if they go mad.” “Yes,” he replied, “me if they go mad, but you if they keep their senses,” Aristogeiton, the informer, was about to be put to death in prison, sentence having been passed upon him, and he wanted Phocion to come to him; but Phocion’s friends were averse to his going to see such a wicked man. “And where,” said he, “could anyone converse with Aristogeiton with greater pleasure?”
50.6. Δημοσθένους δὲ τοῦ ῥήτορος εἰπόντος ἀποκτενοῦσί σε Ἀθηναῖοι, ἐὰν μανῶσι, ναί εἶπεν ἐμὲ μὲν ἐὰν μανῶσι, σὲ δὲ ἂν σωφρονῶσι. Ἀριστογείτονος δὲ τοῦ συκοφάντου μέλλοντος ἀποθνῄσκειν ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ κατακρίτου γεγονότος καὶ δεομένου τὸν Φωκίωνα πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐλθεῖν, τῶν δὲ φίλων οὐκ ἐώντων πρὸς ἄνθρωπον πονηρὸν βαδίζειν, καὶ ποῦ τις ἄν εἶπεν ἥδιον Ἀριστογείτονι λαλήσειεν;
50.8. The Athenians were enraged at the people of Byzantium because they had not received Chares in their city when he had been sent with a force to help them against Philip. But when Phocion said that they must not be enraged at those of their allies who distrusted, but at those of their own generals who were distrusted, he was himself chosen general; and he, being trusted by the people of Byzantium, made Philip withdraw without accomplishing his purpose.
50.8. ὀργιζομένων δὲ τοῖς Βυζαντίοις τῶν Ἀθηναίων, μὴ δεξαμένων τῇ πόλει Χάρητα πεμφθέντα μετὰ δυνάμεως βοηθὸν αὐτοῖς πρὸς Φίλιππον, εἰπὼν ὁ Φωκίων ὅτι δεῖ μὴ τοῖς ἀπιστοῦσι τῶν συμμάχων, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀπιστουμένοις ὀργίζεσθαι τῶν στρατηγῶν αὐτὸς ᾑρέθη στρατηγός· καὶ πιστευθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν Βυζαντίων ἐποίησε τὸν Φίλιππον ἀπελθεῖν ἄπρακτον.
50.9. When Alexander the king sent him twenty thousand pounds as a present, he asked those who brought the money why it was that, when there were so many Athenians, Alexander offered this to him only. They replied that their king considered him only to be upright and honourable. “Then,” said he, “let him suffer me both to seem and to be such.”
50.9. Ἀλεξάνδρου δὲ τοῦ βασιλέως ἑκατὸν τάλαντα δωρεὰν αὐτῷ πέμψαντος, ἠρώτησε τοὺς κομίζοντας τί δήποτε, πολλῶν ὄντων Ἀθηναίων, αὐτῷ μόνῳ ταῦτα δίδωσιν Ἀλέξανδρος· εἰπόντων δὲ ἐκείνων ὡς μόνον αὐτὸν ἡγεῖται καλὸν κἀγαθὸν εἶναι, οὐκοῦν ἔφη ἐασάτω με καὶ δοκεῖν καὶ εἶναι τοιοῦτον.
50.10. When Alexander made a demand for triremes, and the people called for Phocion by name to come forward and advise them, he arose and said, “Well then, I advise you either to be conquerors yourselves by force of arms, or else to be the friends of the conquerors.”
50.10. αἰτοῦντος δὲ Ἀλεξάνδρου τριήρεις καὶ τοῦ δήμου κελεύοντος ὀνομαστὶ παριέναι τὸν Φωκίωνα καὶ συμβουλεύειν, ἀναστὰς ἔφη συμβουλεύω τοίνυν ὑμῖν ἢ κρατεῖν τοῖς ὅπλοις αὐτοὺς ἢ φίλους εἶναι τῶν κρατούντων.
50.11. When word suddenly came, quite unauthenticated, of the death of Alexander, and the orators immediately leaped to the platform, already urgent that there be no delay, but war at once, Phocion insisted that they wait a while, and learn the facts. “For,” said he, “if Alexander is dead to-day, he will be dead to-morrow also, and the day after.”
50.11. λόγου δὲ περὶ τῆς Ἀλεξάνδρου τελευτῆς ἐμπεσόντος ἀδεσπότου καὶ τῶν ῥητόρων ἀναπηδώντων εὐθὺς ἐπὶ τὸ βῆμα καὶ μὴ μέλλειν ἀλλὰ πολεμεῖν ἤδη κελευόντων, ὁ Φωκίων ἠξίου περιμεῖναι καὶ γνῶναι βεβαίως. εἰ γὰρ τήμερον ἔφη τέθνηκε, καὶ αὔριον ἔσται καὶ εἰς τρίτην τεθνηκώς.
50.12. When Leosthenes plunged the State into war, elated as it was by brilliant hopes to aspire to the distinction of freedom and leadership, Phocion likened his words to the cypress - trees. “For,” said he, “they are beautiful and tall, but they bear no fruit.” However, the first attempts were successful, and, when the State was offering sacrifices to celebrate the good tidings, Phocion was asked whether he wished that these deeds had been done by himself. “Yes,” said he, “these deeds done, but that advice given.”
50.12. τοῦ δὲ Λεωσθένους εἰς τὸν πόλεμον ἐμβαλόντος τὴν πόλιν, ἐλπίσι λαμπραῖς πρὸς τὸ τῆς ἐλευθερίας ὄνομα καὶ τῆς ἡγεμονίας ἐπαιρομένην, τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ ταῖς κυπαρίττοις ἀπείκαζε· καλοὶ γὰρ ὄντες ἔφη καὶ ὑψηλοὶ καρπὸν οὐκ ἔχουσι. κατωρθωμένων δὲ τῶν πρώτων καὶ τῆς πόλεως εὐαγγέλια θυούσης, ἐρωτηθεὶς εἰ ταῦτα ἤθελεν αὑτῷ πεπρᾶχθαι πεπρᾶχθαι μὲν οὖν ἔφη ταῦτα, βεβουλεῦσθαι δὲ ἐκεῖνα.
50.13. When the Macedonians invaded Attica, and were devastating the land near the sea, he led out the men of military age. Soon many were thronging about him and strongly urging him to “take possession of that hill over there,” to “draw up his forces here.” “Great Heavens,” he said, “how many generals do I see and how few soldiers!” Nevertheless, he engaged the enemy, and overcame them, and slew Micion the Macedonian commander.
50.13. τῇ δὲ Ἀττικῇ τῶν Μακεδόνων προσβαλόντων καὶ πορθούντων τὴν παραλίαν, ἐξήγαγε τοὺς ἐν ἡλικίᾳ· πολλῶν δὲ συντρεχόντων πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ παρεγκελευομένων ἐκεῖνον τὸν λόφον καταλαβεῖν ἐνταῦθα τάξαι τὴν δύναμιν, ὦ Ἡράκλεις εἶπεν ὡς πολλοὺς ὁρῶ στρατηγούς, στρατιώτας δὲ ὀλίγους. οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ συμβαλὼν ἐκράτησε καὶ διέφθειρε Νικίωνα τὸν ἄρχοντα τῶν Μακεδόνων.
50.14. After a little time the Athenians were overcome in the war, and compelled by Antipater to submit to receiving a garrison. Menyllus, the commander of the garrison, offered money to Phocion, who said with indignation that Menyllus was no whit better than Alexander, and the ground for his receiving money was not so good as before, since he had not accepted it then.
50.14. μετʼ ὀλίγον δὲ χρόνον οἱ μὲν Ἀθηναῖοι τῷ πολέμῳ κρατηθέντες ἐδέξαντο φρουρὰν ὑπʼ Ἀντιπάτρου· Μενύλλου δὲ τοῦ τῆς φρουρᾶς ἄρχοντος χρήματα τῷ Φωκίωνι διδόντος, ἀγανακτήσας εἶπε μήτε ἐκεῖνον Ἀλεξάνδρου βελτίονα εἶναι, καὶ χείρονα τὴν αἰτίαν, ἐφʼ λήψεται νῦν τότε μὴ δεξάμενος.
50.15. Antipater said that he had two good friends at Athens; and of the two he had never persuaded Phocion to accept a gift, nor ever sated Demades by giving.
50.15. Ἀντίπατρος δὲ ἔφη, ὡς δυεῖν αὐτῷ φίλων Ἀθήνησιν ὄντων οὔτε Φωκίωνα λαβεῖν πέπεικεν οὔτε Δημάδην διδοὺς ἐμπέπληκεν.
50.16. When Antipater required as his right that Phocion do a certain act of unrighteousness, he said, “Antipater, you cannot use Phocion as a friend and flatterer both.” Repeated by Plutarch in Moralia, 64 C, 142 B, 533 A; Life of Phocion, chap. xxx. (755 B); Life of Agis, chap. ii. (795 E).
50.16. ἀξιοῦντος δὲ Ἀντιπάτρου ποιῆσαί τι τῶν μὴ δικαίων αὐτὸν οὐ δύνασαι εἶπεν Ἀντίπατρε καὶ φίλῳ Φωκίωνι χρῆσθαι καὶ κόλακι.
50.17. The death of Antipater was followed by a democratic government at Athens, and sentence of death was passed in Assembly on Phocion and his friends. The others were led away weeping, but Phocion was proceeding in silence when one of his enemies met him and spat in his face. He looked toward the officers and said, “Will not somebody make this man stop his bad manners?”
50.17. μετὰ δὲ τὴν Ἀντιπάτρου τελευτὴν δημοκρατίας Ἀθηναίοις γενομένης κατεγνώσθη θάνατος τοῦ Φωκίωνος ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ καὶ τῶν φίλων· οἱ μὲν οὖν ἄλλοι κλαίοντες ἤγοντο· τῷ δὲ Φωκίωνι σιωπῇ βαδίζοντι τῶν ἐχθρῶν τις ἐνέπτυσεν ἀπαντήσας εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον. ὁ δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἄρχοντας ἀποβλέψας οὐ παύσει τις εἶπε τοῦτον ἀσχημονοῦντα;
50.18. When one of the men who were to die with him wept and cursed, he said, “Are you not content, Thudippus, that you are to die with Phocion?”
50.18. τῶν δὲ μελλόντων συναποθνήσκειν ἑνὸς ὀδυρομένου καὶ ἀγανακτοῦντος οὐκ ἀγαπᾷς εἶπεν ὦ Θούδιππε μετὰ Φωκίωνος ἀποθανούμενος;
50.19. When the cup of hemlock was already being handed to him, he was asked if he had any message for his son. “I charge and exhort him,” said he, “not to cherish any ill feeling against the Athenians.”
50.19. ἤδη δὲ τῆς κύλικος αὐτῷ προσφερομένης, ἐρωτηθεὶς εἴ τι λέγει πρὸς τὸν υἱόν ἐγώ σε εἶπεν ἐντέλλομαι καὶ παρακαλῶ μηδὲν Ἀθηναίοις μνησικακεῖν.
51.1. Peisistratus, the despot of the Athenians, on a time when some of his friends had revolted and taken possession of Phyle, came to them carrying a bundle of bedding. When they asked what he meant by this, he said, “To persuade you and get you away from here, or, if I cannot persuade you, to stay with you; that is why I have come prepared.”
51.1. Πεισίστρατος ὁ Ἀθηναίων τύραννος, ἐπεὶ τῶν φίλων τινὲς ἀποστάντες αὐτοῦ Φυλὴν κατέλαβον, ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτοὺς στρωματόδεσμον αὐτὸς κομίζων. πυνθανομένων δὲ ἐκείνων τί βούλεται, πείσας ὑμᾶς εἶπεν ἀπαγαγεῖν ἢ μὴ πείσας μένειν μεθʼ ὑμῶν, διὰ τοῦτο ἀφῖγμαι συνεσκευασμένος.
51.2. It was whispered to him regarding his mother that she was in love with a certain young man, and had secret meetings with him, but that the young man was afraid and generally asked to be excused. Whereupon Peisistratus invited him to dinner, and after he had dined asked him, “How was it?” And when the young man said, “Very pleasant,” Peisistratus said, “You shall have this pleasure every day if you are agreeable to my mother.”
51.2. διαβληθείσης δὲ τῆς μητρὸς πρὸς αὐτόν, ὡς ἐρᾷ τινος νεανίσκου καὶ κρύφα σύνεστι φοβουμένῳ καὶ παραιτουμένῳ τὰ πολλά, καλέσας ἐπὶ δεῖπνον τὸν νεανίσκον ἠρώτησε δειπνήσαντα πῶς γέγονεν· ἡδέως δὲ φήσαντος, ταῦτά σοι ἔφη καθʼ ἡμέραν ἔσται, ἐὰν τῇ μητρί μου ἀρέσκῃς ἐπεὶ δὲ Θρασύβουλος ἐρῶν αὐτοῦ τῆς θυγατρὸς ἐφίλησεν ἀπαντήσας, παροξυνόμενος ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τῆς γυναικὸς ἂν τοὺς φιλοῦντας εἶπε μισῶμεν, τί ποιήσομεν τοὺς μισοῦντας;
51.3. When Thrasybulus, who was in love with the daughter of Peisistratus, kissed her one day on meeting her, Peisistratus, when incited by his wife against the man, said, “If we hate them that love us, what shall we do to them that hate us?” And thereupon he gave the maiden as wife to Thrasybulus. Some revellers fell in with his wife, and did and said a good many ribald things. The next day when they besought Peisistratus with many tears, he said, “As for you, do you try to conduct yourselves in a seemly manner hereafter, but as for my wife, she did not go out at all yesterday.”
51.3. καὶ ἔδωκε γυναῖκα τῷ Θρασυβούλῳ τὴν παρθένον. κωμαστῶν δέ τινων περιτυχόντων αὐτοῦ τῇ γυναικὶ καὶ πολλὰ πραξάντων ἀσελγῆ καὶ εἰπόντων, μεθʼ ἡμέραν δὲ τοῦ Πεισιστράτου δεομένων καὶ δακρυόντων, ὑμεῖς μέν ἔφη πειρᾶσθε σωφρονεῖν τὸ λοιπόν· ἡ δʼ ἐμὴ γυνὴ τὸ παράπαν ἐχθὲς οὐδαμῇ προῆλθε.
51.5. When he was bent on marrying a second wife, his children inquired whether he had any fault to find with them. “By no means,” he said, “but only praise—and the desire to have other children like you.”
51.5. τῶν δὲ παίδων, αὐτοῦ γαμεῖν ἑτέραν γυναῖκα μέλλοντος, διαπυνθανομένων μή τι μεμφόμενος αὐτοὺς εἴη, ἥκιστα εἶπεν ἀλλʼ ἐπαινῶν καὶ βουλόμενος ἑτέρους μοι παῖδας τοιούτους γενέσθαι.
52.1. Demetrius of Phalerum recommended to Ptolemy the king to buy and read the books dealing with the office of king and ruler. “For,” as he said, “those things which the kings’ friends are not bold enough to recommend to them are written in the books.”
52.1. Δημήτριος ὁ Φαληρεὺς Πτολεμαίῳ τῷ βασιλεῖ παρῄνει τὰ περὶ βασιλείας καὶ ἡγεμονίας βιβλία κτᾶσθαι καὶ ἀναγινώσκειν· ἃ γὰρ οἱ φίλοι τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν οὐ θαρροῦσι παραινεῖν, ταῦτα ἐν τοῖς βιβλίοις γέγραπται.
53.1. Lycurgus, the Spartan, introduced the custom among his citizens of wearing their hair long, saying that it made the beautiful more comely and the ugly more frightful.
53.1. Λυκοῦργος ὁ Λακεδαιμόνιος εἴθισε τοὺς πολίτας κομᾶν λέγων ὅτι τοὺς μὲν καλοὺς ἡ κόμη εὐπρεπεστέρους ποιεῖ, τοὺς δὲ αἰσχροὺς φοβερωτέρους.
53.2. To the man who urged him to create a democracy in the State his answer was, “Do you first create a democracy in your own house.”
53.2. πρὸς δὲ τὸν κελεύοντα ποιεῖν ἐν τῇ πόλει δημοκρατίαν σὺ πρῶτος εἶπεν ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ σου ποίησον δημοκρατίαν.
53.3. He ordered that the people build their houses with saw and axe only; for he knew that men are ashamed to bring into simple houses costly vessels, rugs, and tables.
53.3. ἐκέλευε δὲ τὰς οἰκίας ποιεῖν ἀπὸ πρίονος καὶ πελέκεως μόνον· αἰσχύνεσθαι γὰρ εἰς οἰκίας λιτὰς ἐκπώματα καὶ στρώματα καὶ τραπέζας πολυτελεῖς εἰσφέροντας.
53.4. He prohibited boxing and prize-fighting so that the people might not even in sport get the habit of crying off.
53.4. πυγμὴν δὲ καὶ παγκράτιον ἀγωνίζεσθαι ἐκώλυσεν, ἵνα μηδὲ παίζοντες ἀπαυδᾶν ἐθίζωνται.
53.5. He prohibited making war upon the same people many times, so that they should not make their opponents too belligerent. And it is a fact that years later, when Agesilaus was wounded, Antalcidas said of him that he was getting a beautiful return from the Thebans for the lessons he had taught them in habituating and teaching them to make war against their will.
53.5. στρατεύειν δὲ πολλάκις ἐπὶ τοὺς αὐτοὺς ἐκώλυσεν, ὅπως μὴ ποιῶσι μαχιμωτέρους. ὕστερον γοῦν τοῦ Ἀγησιλάου τρωθέντος, ὁ Ἀνταλκίδας εἶπεν καλὰ διδασκάλια παρὰ Θηβαίων λαμβάνειν αὐτὸν ἐθίσαντα καὶ διδάξαντα πολεμεῖν ἄκοντας.
54.1. Charillus the king, being asked why Lycurgus enacted so few laws, replied that people who used few words had no need of many laws.
54.1. Χάριλλος ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐρωτηθεὶς διὰ τί νόμους ὀλίγους οὕτω Λυκοῦργος ἔθηκεν, ἀπεκρίνατο τοὺς χρωμένους ὀλίγοις λόγοις μὴ δεῖσθαι νόμων πολλῶν.
54.2. When one of the helots conducted himself rather boldly towards him, he said, “By Heaven, I would kill you if I were not angry.”
54.2. τῶν δὲ εἱλώτων τινὸς θρασύτερον αὐτῷ προσφερομένου, ναὶ τὼ σιώ εἶπε κατέκτανον ἄν τυ, αἰ μὴ ὠργιζόμαν.
54.3. In answer to the man who inquired why he and the rest wore their hair long, he said that of all ornaments this was the least expensive.
54.3. πρὸς δὲ τὸν πυθόμενον διὰ τί κομῶσιν εἶπεν ὅτι τῶν κόσμων ἀδαπανώτατος οὗτός ἐστι.
55.1. Teleclus the king answered his brother, who complained against the citizens because they conducted themselves with less consideration towards him than towards the king, by saying, “The reason is that you do not know how to submit to injustice.”
55.1. Τήλεκλος ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἐγκαλοῦντα τοῖς πολίταις ὡς ἀγνωμονέστερον αὐτῷ προσφερομένοις ἢ ἐκείνῳ, σὺ γάρ εἶπεν οὐκ οἶδας ἀδικεῖσθαι.
56.1. When Theopompus was in a certain city, a man pointed out the wall to him and inquired if it seemed to him to be beautiful and high, and he replied, “It isn’t a dwelling-place for women, is it?”
56.1. Θεόπομπος ἔν τινι πόλει πρὸς τὸν ἐπιδεικνύμενον τὸ τεῖχος αὐτῷ καὶ πυνθανόμενον, εἰ δοκεῖ καλὸν καὶ ὑψηλὸν εἶναι οὐδʼ εἰ γυναικῶν εἶπεν ἦν.
57.1. When the allies said in the Peloponnesian war it was only right that Archidamus set a limit to their contributions, he said, “War does not feed on fixed rations.”
57.1. Ἀρχίδαμος, ἐν τῷ Πελοποννησιακῷ πολέμῳ τῶν συμμάχων ἀξιούντων ὁρίσαι τοὺς φόρους αὐτοῖς, εἶπεν ὁ πόλεμος οὐ τεταγμένα σιτεῖται.
58.1. Brasidas caught a mouse among some dry figs, and, getting bitten, let it go. Then, turning to those who were present, he said, “There is nothing so small that it cannot save its life, if it has the courage to defend itself against those who would lay hand on it.”
58.1. Βρασίδας ἐν ἰσχάσι συλλαβὼν μῦν καὶ δηχθεὶς ἀφῆκεν· εἶτα πρὸς τοὺς παρόντας οὐδὲν οὕτως ἔφη μικρόν ἐστιν, ὃ μὴ σῴζεται τολμῶν ἀμύνεσθαι τοὺς ἐπιχειροῦντας.
58.2. In a battle he was wounded by a spear which pierced his shield, and, pulling the weapon out of the wound, with this very spear he slew his foe. Asked how he got his wound, he said, “’twas when my shield turned traitor.”
58.2. ἐν δὲ μάχῃ διὰ τῆς ἀσπίδος ἀκοντισθεὶς καὶ τὸ δόρυ τοῦ τραύματος ἐξελκύσας αὐτῷ τούτῳ τὸν πολέμιον ἀπέκτεινεν· ἐπερωτηθεὶς δὲ πῶς ἐτρώθη, προδούσης με τῆς ἀσπίδος εἶπεν.
58.3. When it came to pass that he fell while trying to win independence for the Greeks who were living within the borders of Thrace, and the envoys sent to Sparta approached his mother, her first question was whether Brasidas had died honourably. And when the Thracians spoke of him in the highest terms, and said that there would never be another like him, she said, “Ye ken naught aboot it, being from abraid; for Brasidas was e’en a guid mon, but Sparta has mony a better mon than him.”
58.3. ἐπειδὴ συνέβη πεσεῖν αὐτὸν ἐλευθεροῦντα τοὺς ἐπὶ Θρᾴκης Ἕλληνας, οἱ δὲ πεμφθέντες εἰς Λακεδαίμονα πρέσβεις τῇ μητρὶ προσῆλθον αὐτοῦ, πρῶτον μὲν ἠρώτησεν εἰ καλῶς ὁ Βρασίδας ἀπέθανεν· ἐγκωμιαζόντων δὲ τῶν Θρᾳκῶν αὐτὸν καὶ λεγόντων ὡς οὐδεὶς ἄλλος ἔσται τοιοῦτος, ἀγνοεῖτε εἶπεν ὦ ξένοι· Βρασίδας μὲν γὰρ ἦν ἀνὴρ ἀγαθός, ἁ δὲ Λακεδαίμων πολλὼς ἔχει τήνω κάρρονας.
59.1. Agis the king said that the Spartans do not ask how many are the enemy, but where are they.
59.1. Ἆγις ὁ βασιλεὺς οὐκ ἔφη τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους ἐρωτᾶν πόσοι εἰσίν, ἀλλὰ ποῦ εἰσὶν οἱ πολέμιοι.
59.2. At Mantineia, when efforts were made to dissuade him from risking a battle with the enemy who outnumbered his own men, he said, “He who would rule over many must fight with many.”
59.2. ἐν δὲ Μαντινείᾳ κωλυόμενος διαμάχεσθαι τοῖς πολεμίοις πλείοσιν οὖσιν, εἶπεν ἀνάγκη πολλοῖς μάχεσθαι τὸν ἄρχειν πολλῶν βουλόμενον.
59.3. When the Eleans were commended for conducting the Olympic games honourably, he said, “What wonderful feat is it if they practise justice on one day in four years?” And when these same persons were persistent in their commendation, he said, “What wonder if they practise honourably an honourable thing, that is, justice?”
59.3. ἐπαινουμένων δὲ τῶν Ἠλείων ἐπὶ τῷ τὰ Ὀλύμπια καλῶς ἄγειν, τί δέ εἶπε ποιοῦσι θαυμαστόν, εἰ διʼ ἐτῶν τεσσάρων μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ χρῶνται τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ; ἐπιμενόντων δὲ τοῖς ἐπαίνοις, ἔφη τί θαυμαστὸν εἰ πράγματι καλῷ καλῶς χρῶνται, τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ;
59.4. To a base man, who asked him many times who was the best of the Spartans, he replied, “The one most unlike you.”
59.4. πρὸς δὲ ἄνθρωπον πονηρὸν ἐρωτῶντα πολλάκις τίς ἄριστος εἴη Σπαρτιατῶν, εἶπεν ὁ τὶν ἀνομοιότατος.
59.5. When another man inquired about the number of the Spartans, he said, “Enough to keep away all bad men.”
59.5. ἑτέρου δὲ πυνθανομένου πόσοι εἰσὶν οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι ὅσοι εἶπεν ἱκανοὶ τοὺς κακοὺς ἀπείργειν.
59.6. When another asked the same question, he said, “You will think they are many, if you see them fight.”
59.6. καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ἑτέρου πυνθανομένου, πολλοί σοι ἔφη δόξουσιν εἶναι, ἐὰν αὐτοὺς ἴδῃς μαχομένους.
60.1. When Dionysius, the despot, sent garments of a very costly kind for Lysander’s daughters, Lysander would not accept them, saying that he was afraid that the girls would appear more ugly because of them., To those who found fault with him for accomplishing most things through deception (a procedure which they asserted was unworthy of Heracles) he used to say in reply that where the lion’s skin does not reach it must be pieced out with the skin of the fox.
60.1. Λύσανδρος, Διονυσίου τοῦ τυράννου πέμψαντος ἱμάτια ταῖς θυγατράσιν αὐτοῦ τῶν πολυτελῶν, οὐκ ἔλαβεν εἰπὼν δεδιέναι, μὴ διὰ ταῦτα μᾶλλον αἰσχραὶ φανῶσιν, πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ψέγοντας αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῷ διʼ ἀπάτης τὰ πολλὰ πράσσειν ὡς ἀνάξιον τοῦ Ἡρακλέους, ἔλεγεν ὅπου μὴ ἐφικνεῖται ἡ λεοντῆ, προσραπτέον εἶναι τὴν ἀλωπεκῆν.
60.3. When the Argives seemed to make out a better case than the Spartans about the territory in dispute, he drew his sword, and said to them, “He who is master of this talks best about boundaries of land.”
60.3. πρὸς δὲ Ἀργείους δικαιότερα τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων λέγειν περὶ τῆς ἀμφισβητουμένης χώρας δοκοῦντας, σπασάμενος τὴν μάχαιραν ὁ ταύτης ἔφη κρατῶν βέλτιστα περὶ γῆς ὅρων διαλέγεται.
60.4. Seeing that the Spartans were reluctant to carry on the battle against the walls of the Corinthians, he said, as he saw a hare leap out of the moat, “Are you afraid of such enemies as these, in whose walls hares go to sleep because of the men’s inaction?”
60.4. τοὺς δὲ Λακεδαιμονίους ὁρῶν ὀκνοῦντας προσμάχεσθαι τοῖς τείχεσι τῶν Κορινθίων, ὡς εἶδε λαγὼν ἐξαλλόμενον ἐκ τῆς τάφρου, τοιούτους ἔφη φοβεῖσθε πολεμίους, ὧν οἱ λαγοὶ διʼ ἀργίαν ἐν τοῖς τείχεσιν ἐγκαθεύδουσιν;
60.5. When a man from Megara used frank speech towards him in the general council, he said, “Your words need a country to back them.”
60.5. Μεγαρέως δὲ ἀνδρὸς ἐν κοινῷ συλλόγῳ παρρησίᾳ χρησαμένου πρὸς αὐτόν, οἱ λόγοι σου εἶπε πόλεως δέονται.
61.1. Agesilaus used to say that the inhabitants of Asia Minor were poor freemen, but good slaves.
61.1. Ἀγησίλαος ἔλεγε τοὺς τὴν Ἀσίαν κατοικοῦντας ἐλευθέρους μὲν κακοὺς εἶναι, δούλους δὲ ἀγαθούς.
61.2. Regarding their custom of calling the king of the Persians the Great King, he said, “In what respect is he greater than I, unless he is more upright and self-restrained?”
61.2. εἰθισμένων δὲ αὐτῶν τὸν Περσῶν βασιλέα μέγαν προσαγορεύειν, τί δὲ ἐκεῖνος εἶπεν ἐμοῦ μείζων, εἰ μὴ δικαιότερος καὶ σωφρονέστερος;
61.3. When he was questioned about bravery and uprightness and asked which was the better, he said, “We have no need of bravery if we are all upright.”
61.3. περὶ ἀνδρείας καὶ δικαιοσύνης ἐρωτηθεὶς ποτέρα βελτίων οὐδὲν ἀνδρείας ἔφη χρῄζομεν, ἐὰν πάντες ὦμεν δίκαιοι.
61.4. When he was about to break camp in haste by night to leave the enemy’s country, and saw his favourite youth, owing to illness, being left behind all in tears, he said, “It is hard to be merciful and sensible at the same time.”
61.4. νυκτὸς δὲ μέλλων κατὰ τάχος ἀναζευγνύειν ἐκ τῆς πολεμίας καὶ τὸν ἐρώμενον ὁρῶν ἀπολειπόμενον διʼ ἀσθένειαν καὶ δακρύοντα, χαλεπόν εἶπεν ἅμα ἐλεεῖν καὶ φρονεῖν.
61.5. Menecrates the physician, who was addressed by the title of “Zeus”, wrote in a letter to him: “Menecrates Zeus to King Agesilaus, health and happiness.” Agesilaus wrote in reply: “King Agesilaus to Menecrates, health and sanity!”
61.5. Μενεκράτους δὲ τοῦ ἰατροῦ Διὸς προσαγορευομένου, γράψαντος ἐπιστολὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν Μενεκράτης Ζεὺς βασιλεῖ Ἀγησιλάῳ χαίρειν ἀντέγραψεν βασιλεὺς Ἀγησίλαος Μενεκράτει ὑγιαίνειν.
61.6. The Spartans won a victory over the Athenians and their allies at Corinth, and when he learned the number of the enemy ’s dead he exclaimed, “Alas for Greece which by her ain hands has destroyed so mony men, in number eneuch to conquer all the barbarians!”
61.6. Λακεδαιμονίων δὲ νικησάντων Ἀθηναίους καὶ τοὺς συμμάχους ἐν Κορίνθῳ, πυθόμενος τὸ πλῆθος τῶν πολεμίων νεκρῶν φεῦ τᾶς Ἑλλάδος εἶπεν ἃ τοσούτους ὑφʼ αὑτᾶς ἀπολώλεκεν, ὅσοις ἀρκεῖ τοὺς βαρβάρους νικῆν ἅπαντας.
61.7. He received an oracle from Zeus at Olympia such as he wished, and thereupon the Ephors commanded him to ask the Pythian god about the same matter. So, when he arrived at Delphi, he asked the god if his opinion was the same as his father’s.
61.7. χρησμὸν δὲ λαβὼν ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ παρὰ τοῦ Διὸς ὃν ἤθελεν, εἶτα τῶν ἐφόρων κελευόντων καὶ τὸν Πύθιον ἐρωτῆσαι περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν, εἰς Δελφοὺς παραγενόμενος ἠρώτησε τὸν θεὸν εἰ ἅπερ τῷ πατρὶ δοκεῖ καὶ αὐτῷ.
61.8. In interceding with Hidrieus of Caria for one of his friends he wrote: “If Nicias has done no wrong, let him go free; if he has done wrong, let him go as a favour to me; but let him go anyway.”
61.8. παραιτούμενος δέ τινα τῶν φίλων παρὰ τοῦ Καρὸς Ἱδριέως, ἔγραψε πρὸς αὐτὸν Νικίας εἰ μὲν οὐκ ἀδικεῖ, ἄφες· εἰ δὲ ἀδικεῖ, ἐμοὶ ἄφες, πάντως δὲ ἄφες.
61.9. Being urged to hear a man who gave an imitation of the nightingale’s voice, he said, “I hae heard the bird itsel’ mony a time.”
61.9. τοῦ δὲ μιμουμένου τὴν τῆς ἀηδόνος φωνὴν ἀκοῦσαι παρακαλούμενος αὐτᾶς εἶπεν ἄκουκα πολλάκις.
61.10. After the battle of Leuctra, since the law decrees that all who run away in battle shall lose their citizenship, and the Ephors saw that the State was destitute of men, they, wishing to abrogate this penalty, invested Agesilaus with authority to revise the laws. He came forward into their midst, and ordered that beginning with the morrow all laws should be in full force.
61.10. μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἐν Λεύκτροις μάχην, πάντας τοὺς τρέσαντας ἀτίμους εἶναι τοῦ νόμου κελεύοντος, ὁρῶντες οἱ ἔφοροι τὴν πόλιν ἀνδρῶν ἔρημον οὖσαν ἐβούλοντο τὴν ἀτιμίαν λῦσαι, καὶ νομοθέτην ἀπέδειξαν τὸν Ἀγησίλαον· ὁ δὲ προελθὼν εἰς τὸ μέσον ἐκέλευσε τοὺς νόμους ἀπὸ τῆς αὔριον κυρίους εἶναι.
61.11. He was sent as an ally to the king of the Egyptians, and was shut up in camp, together with the king, besieged by hostile forces which many times outnumbered their own. As the enemy were digging a ditch around the encampment, the king urged a sally and a decisive battle, but Agesilaus refused to hinder the enemy in their desire to put themselves on an equal footing with the defending force. When the ends of the ditch almost met, he drew up his men at this gap, and contending with equal numbers against equal numbers won a victory.
61.11. ἐπεὶ δὲ πεμφθεὶς τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων σύμμαχος ἐπολιορκεῖτο μετʼ αὐτοῦ, πολλαπλασιόνων ὄντων τῶν πολεμίων καὶ περιταφρευόντων τὸ στρατόπεδον, κελεύσαντος ἐπεξιέναι καὶ διαμάχεσθαι τοῦ βασιλέως, οὐκ ἔφη διακωλύσειν τοὺς πολεμίους ἴσους αὐτοῖς γενέσθαι βουλομένους. ἔτι δὲ μικρὸν ἀπολιπούσης τῆς τάφρου συνάψαι, κατὰ τοῦτο παρατάξας τὸ διαλεῖπον καὶ πρὸς ἴσους ἴσους ἀγωνισάμενοι ἐνίκησεν.
61.12. When he was dying he gave orders that his friends have no plaster or paint used, for this was the way he spoke of statues and portraits. “For,” said he, “if I have done any noble deed, that is my memorial; but if none, then not all the statues in the world avail.”
61.12. ἀποθνῄσκων δὲ τοὺς φίλους ἐκέλευσε μηδεμίαν πλαθὰν μηδὲ μιμηλὰν ποιήσασθαι τὰς εἰκόνας οὕτω προσαγορεύων· εἰ γάρ τι καλὸν ἔργον πεποίηκα, τοῦτό μου μνημεῖόν ἐστιν· εἰ δὲ μηδέν, οὐδʼ οἱ πάντες ἀνδριάντες.
62.1. Archidamus, the son of Agesilaus, on seeing the missile shot by a catapult, which had been brought then for the first time from Sicily, cried out, “Great Heavens! Man’s valour is no more!”
62.1. Ἀρχίδαμος ὁ Ἀγησιλάου καταπελτικὸν ἰδὼν βέλος τότε πρῶτον ἐκ Σικελίας κομισθὲν ἀνεβόησεν ὦ Ἡράκλεις, ἀπόλωλεν ἀνδρὸς ἀρετά.
63.1. The Younger Agis, referring to the assertion of Demades that jugglers use the Spartan swords for swallowing because of their small size, said, “But it is a fact that the Spartans, above all men, reach their enemies with their swords.”
63.1. ὁ δὲ νεώτερος Ἆγις, Δημάδου λέγοντος ὅτι τὰ Λακωνικὰ ξίφη διὰ μικρότητα καταπίνουσιν οἱ θαυματοποιοί, καὶ μήν ἔφη μάλιστα οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι τῶν πολεμίων τοῖς ξίφεσιν ἐφικνοῦνται.
63.2. When the Ephors ordered him to turn over soldiers to a traitor to lead, he said that he did not entrust another’s men to the man that betrayed his own.
63.2. τῷ δὲ προδότῃ παραδοῦναι στρατιώτας τῶν ἐφόρων κελευόντων, οὐκ ἔφη πιστεύειν τοὺς ἀλλοτρίους τῷ προδόντι τοὺς ἰδίους.
64.1. Somebody promised to give to Cleomenes cocks that would die fighting, but he retorted, “No, don’t, but give me those that kill fighting.”
64.1. Κλεομένης πρὸς τὸν ὑπισχνούμενον αὐτῷ δώσειν ἀλεκτρυόνας ἀποθνῄσκοντας ἐν τῷ μάχεσθαι μὴ σύ γε εἶπεν ἀλλὰ δός μοι τοὺς κατακτέννοντας ἐν τῷ μάχεσθαι.
65.1. When Paedaretus was not chosen to be one of the three hundred, an honour which ranked highest in the State, he departed, cheerful and smiling, with the remark that he was glad if the State possessed three hundred citizens better than himself.
65.1. Παιδάρητος οὐκ ἐγκριθεὶς εἰς τοὺς τριακοσίους, ἥτις ἦν ἐν τῇ πόλει πρωτεύουσα τιμὴ τῇ τάξει, ἱλαρὸς καὶ μειδιῶν ἀπῄει, χαίρειν λέγων εἰ τριακοσίους ἡ πόλις ἔχει πολίτας ἑαυτοῦ βελτίονας.
66.1. When Damonidas was assigned to the last place in the chorus by the director, he said, “Good! You have discovered a way by which even this place may come to be held in honour.”
66.1. Δαμωνίδας δὲ ταχθεὶς εἰς τὴν τελευταίαν τοῦ χοροῦ τάξιν ὑπὸ τοῦ τὸν χορὸν ἱστάντος εὖγε εἶπεν ἐξεῦρες, πῶς καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ τόπος ἔντιμος γένηται.
67.1. Nicostratus, the general of the Argives, was urged by Archidamus to betray a certain stronghold, his reward to be a large sum of money and marriage with any Spartan woman he wished, save only the royal family; but his reply was that Archidamus was not descended from Heracles, for Heracles, as he went about, punished the bad men, but Archidamus made the good men bad.
67.1. Νικόστρατος ὁ τῶν Ἀργείων στρατηγὸς ὑπὸ Ἀρχιδάμου χωρίον τι προδοῦναι παρακαλούμενος ἐπὶ χρήμασι πολλοῖς καὶ γάμῳ Λακαίνης, ἣν βούλεται, δίχα τῶν βασιλικῶν, ἀπεκρίνατο μὴ εἶναι τὸν Ἀρχίδαμον ἀφʼ Ἡρακλέους· τὸν μὲν γὰρ Ἡρακλέα περιιόντα τοὺς κακοὺς κολάζειν, Ἀρχίδαμον δὲ τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς κακοὺς ποιεῖν.
68.1. Eudamidas, seeing Xenocrates, already well on in years, discussing philosophy with his pupils in the Academy, and being informed that he was seeking after virtue, said, “And when will he make use of it?”
68.1. Εὐδαμίδας ἰδὼν ἐν Ἀκαδημείᾳ Ξενοκράτην πρεσβύτερον ἤδη μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν φιλοσοφοῦντα καὶ πυθόμενος ὅτι τὴν ἀρετὴν ζητεῖ, πότε οὖν εἶπεν αὐτῇ χρήσεται;
68.2. At another time, after he had listened to a philosopher who argued that the wise man is the only good general, he said, “The speech is admirable, but the speaker has never been amid the blare of trumpets.”
68.2. πάλιν ἀκούσας φιλοσόφου διαλεχθέντος, ὅτι μόνος ἀγαθὸς στρατηγὸς ὁ σοφός ἐστιν, ὁ μὲν λόγος ἔφη θαυμαστός, ὁ δὲ λέγων οὐ περισεσάλπισται.
69.1. Antiochus, when he was an ephor, heard that Philip had given to the Messenians their land, whereupon he asked whether Philip had also given them the power to prevail in fighting to keep it. Antalcidas, retorting to the Athenian who called the Spartans unlearned, said, “At any rate, we alone have learned no evil from you Athenians.”
69.1. Ἀντίοχος ἐφορεύων, ὡς ἤκουσεν ὅτι Μεσσηνίοις Φίλιππος τὴν χώραν ἔδωκεν, ἠρώτησεν εἰ καὶ τὸ κρατεῖν αὐτοῖς μαχομένοις περὶ τῆς χώρας ἔδωκεν Ἀνταλκίδας πρὸς τὸν Ἀθηναῖον ἀμαθεῖς ἀποκαλοῦντα τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους μόνοι γοῦν εἶπεν ἡμεῖς οὐδὲν μεμαθήκαμεν κακὸν παρʼ ὑμῶν.
70.2. When another Athenian said to him, “You cannot deny that we have many a time put you to rout from the Cephisus,” he said, “But we have never put you to rout from the Eurotas!”
70.2. ἑτέρου δὲ Ἀθηναίου πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰπόντος ἀλλὰ μὴν ἡμεῖς ἀπὸ τοῦ Κηφισοῦ πολλάκις ὑμᾶς ἐδιώξαμεν, ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐδέποτε εἶπεν ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ Εὐρώτα.
70.3. When a lecturer was about to read a laudatory essay on Heracles, he said, “Why, who says anything against him?”
70.3. σοφιστοῦ δὲ μέλλοντος ἀναγινώσκειν ἐγκώμιον Ἡρακλέους, ἔφη τίς γὰρ αὐτὸν ψέγει;
71.1. While Epameinondas the Theban was general, panic never fell upon his troops.
71.1. Ἐπαμεινώνδου τοῦ Θηβαίου στρατηγοῦντος, οὐδέποτε πανικὸς θόρυβος ἐνέπεσεν εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον.
71.2. He used to say that the most beautiful death was death in war. He used to declare that the heavy-armed soldier ought to have his body trained not only by athletic exercises but by military drill as well. For this reason he always showed a repugnance towards fat men, and one such man he expelled from the army, saying that three or four shields would scarce serve to protect his belly, because of which he could not see a thing below it.
71.2. ἔλεγε δὲ τὸν ἐν πολέμῳ θάνατον εἶναι κάλλιστον, τῶν δὲ ὁπλιτῶν δεῖν ἀπέφαινεν εἶναι τὸ σῶμα γεγυμνασμένον οὐκ ἀθλητικῶς μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ στρατιωτικῶς· διὸ καὶ τοῖς πολυσάρκοις ἐπολέμει, καί τινα τοιοῦτον ἀπήλασε τῆς στρατιᾶς εἰπὼν ὅτι μόλις αὐτοῦ σκέπουσι τὴν γαστέρα ἀσπίδες τρεῖς ἢ τέσσαρες, διʼ ἣν οὐχ ἑώρακεν αὑτοῦ τὸ αἰδοῖον.
71.4. He was so frugal in his manner of living that once, when he was invited to dinner by a neighbour, and found there an elaborate display of cake and pastry and other dishes, and perfumes as well, he left at once, saying, “I thought this was to be a meal and not a display of arrogance.”
71.4. οὕτω δὲ ἦν εὐτελὴς περὶ τὴν δίαιταν, ὥστε κληθεὶς ἐπὶ δεῖπνον ὑπὸ γείτονος εὑρὼν πεμμάτων καὶ ὄψων καὶ μύρων παρασκευὴν ἀπῆλθεν εὐθύς, εἰπών ἐγώ σε θύειν ᾠόμην οὐχ ὑβρίζειν.
71.5. When the cook rendered his accounts to Epameinondas and his fellow-officers of the expenses for several days, Epameinondas showed indignation only at the great amount of olive oil. As his fellowofficers expressed their surprise, he said it was not the matter of expense that worried him, but that he had taken into his body so much oil.
71.5. τοῦ δὲ μαγείρου τοῖς συνάρχουσιν ἡμερῶν τινων δαπάνην ἀπολογιζομένου, πρὸς μόνον ἠγανάκτησε τὸ πλῆθος τοῦ ἐλαίου· θαυμασάντων δὲ τῶν συναρχόντων, οὐ τὸ τῆς δαπάνης ἔφη λυπεῖν αὐτόν, ἀλλʼ εἰ τοσοῦτον ἔλαιον ἐντὸς παραδέδεκται τοῦ σώματος.
71.6. While the city was keeping holiday, and all were busy with drinking and social enjoyment, Epameinondas, as he was walking along unwashed and absorbed in thought, met one of his intimate friends, who inquired in surprise why it was that he alone was going about in that state. “So that all of you,” said he, “may get drunk and have a holiday.”
71.6. ἑορτὴν δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἀγούσης καὶ πάντων ἐν πότοις καὶ συνουσίαις ὄντων, ἀπήντησέ τινι τῶν συνήθων αὐχμηρὸς καὶ σύννους βαδίζων θαυμάζοντος δὲ καὶ πυνθανομένου τί δὴ μόνος οὕτως ἔχων περίεισιν, ὅπως εἶπεν ἐξῇ πᾶσιν ὑμῖν μεθύειν καὶ ῥᾳθυμεῖν.
71.7. A worthless fellow, who was guilty of one of the minor offences, he would not let off at the request of Pelopidas, but, when the man’s mistress pleaded for him, he let him off, saying that such favours may properly be received by strumpets, but not by generals.
71.7. ἄνθρωπον δὲ φαῦλον ἐξημαρτηκότα τι τῶν μετρίων, τοῦ μὲν Πελοπίδα παρακαλοῦντος οὐκ ἀφῆκε, τῆς δʼ ἐρωμένης δεηθείσης ἀφῆκεν, εἰπὼν ὅτι τοιαῦτα πρέπει λαμβάνειν ἑταιριδίοις, ἀλλὰ μὴ στρατηγοῖς ἐπεὶ δὲ Λακεδαιμονίων ἐπιστρατευομένων ἀνεφέροντο χρησμοὶ τοῖς Θηβαίοις, οἱ μὲν ἧτταν οἱ δὲ νίκην φράζοντες, ἐκέλευε τοὺς μὲν ἐπὶ δεξιὰ τοῦ βήματος θεῖναι, τοὺς δὲ ἐπʼ ἀριστερά.
71.8. When the Spartans threatened an invasion, and oracles were reported to the Thebans, of which some told of defeat and others of victory, he ordered that these be placed at the right of the speakers’ platform, and those at the left. When they had all been so placed, he arose and said, “If you are willing to obey your officers, and come to close quarters with the enemy, these are the oracles for you,” and he pointed to those of good omen; “but if you are going to play the cowards in the face of danger, then those,” and he glanced at those of ill omen.
71.8. τεθέντων δὲ πάντων, ἀναστὰς εἶπεν ἐὰν μὲν ἐθελήσητε τοῖς ἄρχουσι πείθεσθαι καὶ τοῖς πολεμίοις ὁμόσε χωρεῖν, οὗτοι ὑμῖν εἰσὶν οἱ χρησμοὶ δείξας τοὺς βελτίονας· ἐὰν δὲ ἀποδειλιάσητε πρὸς τὸν κίνδυνον, ἐκεῖνοι πρὸς τοὺς χείρονας ἰδών.
71.9. On another occasion, when he was leading his troops against the enemy, there came a thunderstroke, and, when those about him inquired what he thought the god meant to signify by this, he replied, “That the enemy have been thunder-struck out of all sense because, when such places as those are near at hand, they pitch their camp in places such as these.”
71.9. πάλιν δὲ προσάγων τοῖς πολεμίοις, βροντῆς γενομένης καὶ τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν πυνθανομένων τί σημαίνειν οἴεται τὸν θεόν, ἐμβεβροντῆσθαι τοὺς πολεμίους εἶπεν ὅτι τοιούτων χωρίων ἐγγὺς ὄντων, ἐν τοιούτοις στρατοπεδεύουσιν.
71.10. He used to say that of all the fair and goodly fortune that had fallen to his lot the thing that gave him the greatest gratification was that his victory over the Spartans at Leuctra came while his father and mother were still living.
71.10. ἥδιστον δὲ πάντων αὑτῷ τῶν γεγονότων καλῶν καὶ ἀγαθῶν ἔλεγε τὸ τοῦ πατρὸς ἔτι ζῶντος καὶ τῆς μητρὸς ἐν Λεύκτροις νικῆσαι Λακεδαιμονίους.
71.11. It was his habit to appear at all times with a well-groomed body and a cheerful countenance, but on the day after that battle he went forth unwashed and with a look of dejection. When his friends asked if anything distressing had befallen him, he said, “Nothing; but yesterday I found myself feeling a pride greater than is well. Therefore to-day I am chastising my immoderate indulgence in rejoicing.”
71.11. εἰωθὼς δὲ φαίνεσθαι τὸν ἄλλον χρόνον ἀληλιμμένος τὸ σῶμα καὶ φαιδρὸς τῷ προσώπῳ, μετὰ τὴν μάχην ἐκείνην τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ προῆλθεν αὐχμηρὸς καὶ ταπεινός· τῶν δὲ φίλων ἐρωτώντων μὴ τι λυπηρὸν αὐτῷ συμπέπτωκεν, οὐδέν εἶπεν ἀλλʼ ἐχθὲς ᾐσθόμην ἐμαυτοῦ μεῖζον ἢ καλῶς ἔχει φρονήσαντος· διὸ σήμερον κολάζω τὴν ἀμετρίαν τῆς χαρᾶς.
71.12. Knowing that the Spartans were wont to conceal such calamities as this, and wishing to bring out clearly the magnitude of their disaster, he did not grant them leave to remove their dead all together, but separately by cities, so that it was seen that the Spartan dead numbered over a thousand.
71.12. εἰδὼς δὲ τοὺς Σπαρτιάτας ἐπικρυπτομένους τὰ τοιαῦτα συμπτώματα, καὶ βουλόμενος ἐξελέγξαι τὸ μέγεθος τῆς συμφορᾶς αὐτῶν, οὐχ ὁμοῦ πᾶσι νεκρῶν ἀναίρεσιν ἀλλʼ ἑκάστοις κατὰ πόλιν ἔδωκεν, ὥστε πλείονας ἢ χιλίους ὄντας ὀφθῆναι τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίων.
71.13. When Jason, monarch of Thessaly, arrived at Thebes as an ally, he sent two thousand pieces of gold to Epameinondas, who was then sadly in want. Epameinondas did not take the money, but with a steadfast look at Jason said, “You are beginning wrong.” Then he borrowed a couple of pounds from one of his fellow-citizens to meet his personal expenses in the campaign, and invaded the Peloponnesus.
71.13. Ἰάσονος δὲ τοῦ Θεσσαλῶν μονάρχου συμμάχου μὲν εἰς Θήβας παραγενομένου, δισχιλίους δὲ χρυσοῦς τῷ Ἐπαμεινώνδᾳ πέμψαντος ἰσχυρῶς πενομένῳ, τὸ μὲν χρυσίον οὐκ ἔλαβε, τὸν δὲ Ἰάσονα θεασάμενος ἀδίκων ἔφη χειρῶν ἄρχεις· αὐτὸς δὲ πεντήκοντα δραχμὰς δανεισάμενος παρά τινος τῶν πολιτῶν, ἐφόδιον τῆς στρατιᾶς, ἐνέβαλεν εἰς Πελοπόννησον.
71.14. On a later occasion, when the king of the Persians sent twenty-five thousand pounds to him, he assailed Diomedon bitterly because he had made such a long voyage to corrupt Epameinondas; and he bade him say to the king that if the king should hold views conducive to the good of the Thebans, he should have Epameinondas as his friend for nothing; but if the reverse, then as his enemy.
71.14. αὖθις δὲ τοῦ Περσῶν βασιλέως τρισμυρίους δαρεικοὺς ἀποστείλαντος αὐτῷ, καθήψατο πικρῶς Διομέδοντος, εἰ τοσοῦτον πλοῦν πέπλευκε διαφθερῶν Ἐπαμεινώνδαν· πρὸς δὲ τὸν βασιλέα λέγειν ἐκέλευσεν ὅτι τὰ συμφέροντα Θηβαίοις φρονῶν ἕξει προῖκα φίλον Ἐπαμεινώνδαν· τὰ δὲ μὴ συμφέροντα πολέμιον.
71.15. When the Argives entered the Theban alliance, ambassadors of the Athenians arrived at Arcadia and accused both nations; and when Callistratus, the chief speaker, held up Orestes and Oedipus as a reproach to their respective cities, Epameinondas, rising to reply, said, “We admit that we have had a parricide among us, and the Argives a matricide; but we expelled from our land those who did these deeds, and the Athenians received them ί ” When the Spartans accused the Thebans of a long list of serious offences, he retorted, “These Thebans, however, have put a stop to your brevity of speech!”
71.15. ἐπεὶ δὲ Ἀργεῖοι μὲν ἐγένοντο σύμμαχοι Θηβαίων, Ἀθηναίων δὲ πρέσβεις εἰς Ἀρκαδίαν παραγενόμενοι κατηγόρουν ἀμφοτέρων, καὶ Καλλίστρατος ὁ ῥήτωρ ὠνείδισε τὸν Ὀρέστην καὶ τὸν Οἰδίποδα ταῖς πόλεσιν, ἐπαναστὰς ὁ Ἐπαμεινώνδας ὁμολογοῦμεν ἔφη καὶ παρʼ ἡμῖν πατροκτόνον γενέσθαι καὶ παρʼ Ἀργείοις μητροκτόνον· ἀλλὰ τοὺς ταῦτα δράσαντας ἡμεῖς μὲν ἐξεβάλομεν, Ἀθηναῖοι δὲ ὑπεδέξαντο, πρὸς δὲ τοὺς Σπαρτιάτας πολλὰ καὶ μεγάλα τῶν Θηβαίων κατηγορήσαντας οὗτοι μέντοι εἶπεν ὑμᾶς βραχυλογοῦντας ἔπαυσαν.
71.17. When the Athenians took as a friend Alexander, the despot of Pherae, who was an enemy of the Thebans, and he promised to supply the Athenians with meat to be sold at a penny a pound, Epameinondas said, “But we will supply them with wood to cook their meat for nothing; for we will cut down everything in their land, if they make any trouble.”
71.17. ἐπεὶ δὲ Ἀλέξανδρον τὸν Φεραίων τύραννον πολέμιον ὄντα Θηβαίων Ἀθηναῖοι φίλον ἐποιήσαντο καὶ σύμμαχον ὑποσχόμενον αὐτοῖς ἡμιωβολίου τὴν μνᾶν κρεῶν ὤνιον παρέξειν, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἔφη ὁ Ἐπαμεινώνδας ξύλα προῖκα παρέξομεν Ἀθηναίοις ἐπὶ τὰ κρέα ταῦτα· τὴν γὰρ χώραν αὐτῶν τεμοῦμεν, ἂν πολυπραγμονῶσι.
71.18. The Boeotians, relaxed by leisure, he was always desirous of keeping continually under arms, and whenever he was chosen Governor of Boeotia he used to urge his advice upon the people, saying, “Bethink yourselves once more, men, for, if I am general, you will have to serve in my army.” And he used to call their country, which was flat and exposed, “the dancing-floor of War,” intimating that they could not hold their power over it if they did not keep a grip on the handles of their shields.
71.18. τοὺς δὲ Βοιωτοὺς ὑπὸ σχολῆς ἐκλυομένους ἀεὶ βουλόμενος ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις συνέχειν, ὁπότε βοιωτάρχης αἱρεθείη, παραινῶν ἔλεγεν ἔτι βουλεύσασθε, ἄνδρες· ἐὰν γὰρ ἐγὼ στρατηγῶ, στρατευτέον ἐστὶν ὑμῖν· καὶ τὴν χώραν ὑπτίαν οὖσαν καὶ ἀναπεπταμένην πολέμου ὀρχήστραν προσηγόρευεν, ὡς μὴ δυναμένους κρατεῖν αὐτῆς, ἂν μὴ τὴν χεῖρα διὰ πόρπακος ἔχωσι.
71.19. Chabrias, in the vicinity of Corinth, having struck down some few Thebans whose eagerness led them to carry the fighting to the foot of the walls, set up a trophy. Epameinondas, ridiculing it, said, “In that place should stand, not a trophy, but a Hecate”; for it was in keeping to set up an image of Hecate, as they used to do, at the meeting of three ways in front of the gates.
71.19. τοῦ δὲ Χαβρίου περὶ Κόρινθον ὀλίγους τινὰς τῶν Θηβαίων ὑπὸ τὰ τείχη φιλομαχοῦντας καταβαλόντος καὶ στήσαντος τρόπαιον, ὁ Ἐπαμεινώνδας καταγελῶν ἔφη ἐνταῦθα δεῖ οὐ τρόπαιον ἀλλὰ Ἑκατήσιον ἑστάναι· τὴν γὰρ Ἑκάτην ἐπιεικῶς ἐν ταῖς πρὸ τῶν πυλῶν ἱδρύοντο τριόδοις ἀπαγγείλαντος δέ τινος ὡς Ἀθηναῖοι στράτευμα καινοῖς κεκοσμημένον ὅπλοις εἰς Πελοπόννησον ἀπεστάλκασι, τί οὖν εἶπεν Ἀντιγενίδας στένει καινοὺς Τέλληνος αὐλοὺς ἔχοντος;
71.20. When somebody reported that the Athenians had sent an army, decked out with novel equipment, into the Peloponnesus, he said, “Why should Antigenidas cry if Tellen has a new flute or two?” (Tellen was the worst of flute-players, and Antigenidas the best. ) Learning that his shield-bearer had received a great deal of money from a man who had been taken captive in the war, he said to him, “Give me back my shield, and buy yourself a tavern in which to spend the rest of your days; for you will no longer be willing to face danger as before, now that you have become one of the rich and prosperous.”
71.20. ἦν δὲ αὐλητὴς ὁ μὲν Τέλλης κάκιστος, ὁ δὲ Ἀντιγενίδας κάλλιστος. τὸν δὲ ὑπασπιστὴν αἰσθόμενος εἰληφότα χρήματα πολλὰ παρʼ ἀνδρὸς αἰχμαλώτου γεγονότος ἐμοὶ μέν εἶπεν ἀπόδος τὴν ἀσπίδα, σεαυτῷ δὲ πρίω καπηλεῖον, ἐν ᾧ καταζήσεις· οὐκέτι γὰρ ἐθελήσεις κινδυνεύειν ὁμοίως εἷς τῶν πλουσίων γεγονὼς καὶ μακαρίων.