---
title: "Sayings of Spartans · Apophthegmata Laconica"
author: "Plutarch"
translator: "Frank Cole Babbitt"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Philosophy"
section: 1 of 4
url: https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-sayings-of-spartans/1/
cite: "Plutarch, tr. Frank Cole Babbitt, Sayings of Spartans · Apophthegmata Laconica, section 1. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-sayings-of-spartans/1/"
---

# Sayings of Spartans · Apophthegmata Laconica

*Plutarch, tr. Frank Cole Babbitt*

The laconic sayings of Spartan kings and soldiers, from Agesilaus to Leonidas at Thermopylae.

> Greek: ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0007.tlg082, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Frank Cole Babbitt, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0007.tlg082.perseus-eng3). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 1. Chapters 2–3

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-sayings-of-spartans/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-sayings-of-spartans/1/#p-N

[¶0] Plutarch was an admirer of the old Spartan virtues, and it seems altogether probable that the collection of sayings of Spartans was made by him as literary material for use in his writing, as he tells us was his custom (Moralia, 457 d and 464 f), and many of the sayings are actually found incorporated in his other works. That he did not use all the material which he had accumulated is no more than is to be expected from a discriminating author. The title (Sayings of Spartans) stands as No. 169 in Lamprias’s list of Plutarch’s works. A selection from the sayings of the more famous Spartans is incorporated in the Sayings of Kings and Commanders, which covers a broader field, including both Greeks and Romans, and so does not contain the entire collection of Spartan sayings. For example, in the Spartan Sayings, under the name of Agesilaus are found seventy-nine different sayings, but only twelve of these are selected for inclusion in the Sayings of Kings and Commanders, so that the Emperor Trajan (if the collection was made for him) should not. be overburdened in his reading! The ms. tradition of these Spartan sayings is in sad confusion. The Spartans spoke in the Doric dialect, yet according to the ms. tradition of Plutarch they spoke sometimes Doric, more often Attic, and occasionally used Aeolie forms i It is not likely, for example, that the mother of Brasidas spoke Doric (190 c) and Attic (219 d) in making the same remark, or that Brasidas spoke sometimes Doric and sometimes Attic (219 c-d), or that Charillus said the same thing in both Doric (189 f) and Attic (232 c). The explanation probably is that Plutarch copied these anecdotes as he found them in the books from which he made his excerpts. Xenophon, for example, or Thucydides seldom uses Doric, but represents the Spartans as speaking Attic, as frankly as Herodotus or Aeschylus represents the Persians as spealdng Greek. So on the stage in England or America, or in novels, French or German characters speak English, or vice versa-a convention which is universally accepted. Hence it should not disturb us to find Plutarch recording remarks of Spartans in the Attic dialect, nor should we hastily conclude that the mss. are all wrong. It would be possible, with our present knowledge, to translate all these Spartan sayings into the Doric dialect, but to do so would be a useless tour deforce. It would be as if the editor of a newspaper were to insist that every story about a Scotchman or a Yankee should be edited to conform to the correct Scotch or Yankee dialect-a rather futile proceeding. Hence no radical changes have been made in the ms. tradition. Only when the mss. show a distinct attempt to quote in Doric has an effort been made to make the Doric consistent in itself. It will not escape the attentive reader that the names of the Spartans whose sayings are quoted are arranged in alphabetical order, for the purpose, without doubt, of facilitating reference to them. When someone expressed surprise to Agasicles, king of the Spartans, because, although he was very fond of reading and lectures, yet he would not admit to his presence Philophanes, a learned man, he said, “I want to be a pupil of those whose son I should like to be as well.” In answer to a man who raised the question how anyone could possibly rule in safety without the protection of a bodyguard, he said, “If one rules his subjects as fathers rule their sons.” Agesilaus the Great was once chosen by lot to be master of ceremonies at an evening party, and, when he was asked by the slave who poured the wine how much wine he should serve to each man, Agesilaus said, “If much wine has been provided, as much as each one asks for; but if only a little, then give to all equally.” When a malefactor endured tortures without flinching, Agesilaus said, “What an out-and-out villain the man is, devoting his endurance and fortitude to such base and shameful purposes!” When someone praised an orator for his ability in making much of small matters, Agesilaus said that a shoemaker is not a good craftsman who puts big shoes on a small foot. When someone said to him, “You have agreed,” and kept repeating the same thing, Agesilaus said, “Yes, of course, if it is right; but if not, then I said so, but I did not agree.” And when the other added, “But surely kings ought to carry out ‘whatsoe’er they confirm by the royal assent,’” Agesilaus said, “No more than those who approach kings ought to ask for what is right and say what is right, trying to hit upon the right occasion and a request fitting for kings to grant.” Whenever he heard people blaming or praising, he thought it was no less necessary to inform himself about the ways of those who spoke than of those about whom they spoke. When he was still a boy, at a celebration of the festival of the naked boys the director of the dance assigned him to an inconspicuous place; and he obeyed, although he was already destined to be king, saying, “Good! I shall show that it is not the places that make men to be held in honour, but the men the places.” When a physician prescribed for him an overelaborate course of treatment, not at all simple, he said, “Egad, it is not ordained that I must live at all hazards, and I refuse to submit to everything.” As he was standing at the altar of Athena of the Brazen House sacrificing a heifer, a louse bit him; but he did not turn a hair, and, picking it off, he cracked it openly before the eyes of all, saying, “By Heaven, it is a pleasure to kill the plotter even at the altar.” At another time he saw a mouse being dragged from a hole by a boy who had hold of him, and the mouse turned and bit the hand that held him and escaped; whereupon Agesilaus called the attention of the bystanders to this, and said, “When the smallest animal thus defends itself against those who do it wrong, consider what it becomes men to do.”

> Greek: Ἀγασικλῆς ὁ Λακεδαιμονίων βασιλεύς, θαυμάζοντός τινος ὅτι φιλήκοος ὢν οὐ προσδέχεται Φιλοφάνη τὸν σοφιστήν, ἔφη τούτων χρῄζω μαθητὴς εἶναι, ὧν εἰμι καὶ υἱός. πρὸς δὲ τὸν εἰπόντα, πῶς ἄν τις ἀδορυφόρητος ὢν ἄρχειν ἀσφαλῶς δύναιτο, ἐὰν οὕτως ἔφη αὐτῶν ἄρχῃ, ὥσπερ οἱ πατέρες τῶν υἱῶν. Ἀγησίλαος ὁ μέγας παρὰ πότον ποτὲ λαχὼν συμποσίαρχος, ἐρωτηθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ οἰνοχόου πόσον ἑκάστῳ προσφέρῃ, εἰ μὲν πολὺς οἶνός ἔφη ἐστὶ παρεσκευασμένος, ὅσον ἕκαστος αἰτεῖ· εἰ δὲ ὀλίγος, ἐξ ἴσου δίδου πᾶσι. κακούργου δέ τινος ἐμμόνως ὑπομείναντος βασάνους, ὡς σφόδρα πονηρός εἶπεν ἅνθρωπος, εἰς μοχθηρὰ καὶ αἰσχρὰ πράγματα τὴν ὑπομονὴν καὶ καρτερίαν κατατιθέμενος. ἐπαινοῦντος δέ τινος ῥήτορα ἐπὶ τῷ δυνατῶς αὔξειν τὰ μικρὰ πράγματα, οὐδὲ σκυτοτόμον ἔφησεν εἶναι σπουδαῖον, ὃς μικρῷ ποδὶ ὑποδήματα μεγάλα περιτίθησι. φαμένου δὲ τινός ποτε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὡμολόγηκας, καὶ πολλάκις τὸ αὐτὸ λέγοντος, ναὶ δῆτα, εἴ γʼ ἐστὶ δίκαιον ἔφη εἰ δὲ μή, ἔλεξα μέν, ὡμολόγησα δὲ οὔ. ἐπειπόντος δὲ ἀλλὰ μὴν δεῖ τοὺς βασιλεῖς ἐπιτελεῖν ὅ τι κεν κεφαλῇ κατανεύσωσιν, οὐ μᾶλλον ἔφη ἢ τοὺς προσιόντας τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν αἰτεῖσθαι δεῖ τὰ δίκαια καὶ λέγειν, στοχαζομένους τε τοῦ καιροῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁρμόζοντος τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν. ὁπότε δὲ ψεγόντων ἢ ἐπαινούντων τινῶν ἀκούοι, οὐχ ἧττον ᾤετο δεῖν καταμανθάνειν τοὺς τῶν λεγόντων τρόπους ἢ περὶ ὧν λέγοιεν. ἔτι δὲ παῖδα αὐτὸν ὄντα, γυμνοπαιδίας ἀγομένης, ὁ χοροποιὸς ἔστησεν εἰς ἄσημον τόπον· ὁ δὲ ἐπείσθη καίπερ ἤδη βασιλεὺς ἀποδεδειγμένος καὶ εἶπεν εὖγε· δείξω γὰρ ὅτι οὐχ οἱ τόποι τοὺς ἄνδρας ἐντίμους, ἀλλʼ οἱ ἄνδρες τοὺς τόπους ἐπιδεικνύουσι. προστάττοντος δέ τινος αὐτῷ ἰατροῦ περιεργοτέραν θεραπείαν καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῆν, νὴ τὼ θεὼ φησὶν οὐ πάντως μοι πρόκειται ζῆν οὐδὲ πάντα ἀναδέχομαι. ἐφεστὼς δέ ποτε τῷ βωμῷ τῆς Χαλκιοίκου βουθυτῶν, ἐπειδὴ φθεὶρ αὐτὸν ἔδακεν, οὐ διετράπη λαβὼν δὲ περιφανῶς ἐναντίον πάντων ἀπέκτεινε, προσειπών νὴ τοὺς θεοὺς ἡδέως τὸν ἐπίβουλον καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ βωμῷ. ἄλλοτʼ ἰδὼν μῦν ἑλκόμενον ἐκ θυρίδος ὑπὸ παιδαρίου κρατοῦντος, ἐπεὶ ὁ μῦς ἐπιστραφεὶς ἔδακε τὴν χεῖρα τοῦ κρατοῦντος καὶ ἔφυγεν, ἐπιδείξας τοῖς παροῦσιν εἶπεν ὅταν τὸ ἐλάχιστον ζῷον οὕτως ἀμύνηται τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας, τί τοὺς ἄνδρας προσήκει ποιεῖν λογίζεσθε.

[¶1] 2.10. Desiring to bring about the war against the Persian for the sake of setting free the Greeks living in Asia, he consulted the oracle of Zeus at Dodona, and when the god bade him to go on, he reported the answer to the Ephors. And they bade him go to Delphi and ask the same question. Accordingly he proceeded to the prophetic shrine and put his question in this form: “Apollo, are you of the same opinion as your father?” And Apollo concurring, Agesilaus was chosen, and began the campaign.

> Greek: 2.10. βουλόμενος δὲ τὸν πρὸς τὸν Πέρσην συστήσασθαι πόλεμον ἕνεκα τοῦ ἐλευθερῶσαι τοὺς ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ κατοικοῦντας Ἕλληνας, τῷ κατὰ Δωδώνην Διὸς ἐχρήσατο μαντείῳ· κελεύσαντος δέ, τὸ χρησθὲν ἀνήγγειλε τοῖς ἐφόροις· οἱ δὲ ἐκέλευσαν αὐτὸν καὶ εἰς Δελφοὺς ἀφικόμενον περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν πυνθάνεσθαι. πορευθεὶς οὖν εἰς τὸ μαντεῖον ἐπηρώτησεν οὕτως Ἄπολλον, ἦ δοκεῖ σοι ὃ καὶ τῷ πατρί; συναινέσαντος δʼ αἱρεθεὶς οὕτως ἐστρατεύσατο.

[¶2] 2.11. Tissaphernes, at the outset, in fear of Agesilaus, made a treaty, agreeing that the king should leave him the Greek cities free and independent, but, after sending for a great army from the king, he declared war on Agesilaus unless he should depart from Asia. Agesilaus gladly welcomed the transgression, and set forth as if he were intending to advance into Cari a; and when Tissaphernes had concentrated his forces there, Agesilaus, by a rapid movement thence, invaded Phrygia; and having taken very many cities and a wealth of spoil, he said to his friends, “To do wrong after making a treaty is impious, but to outwit the enemy is not only right and reputable, but also pleasant and profitable.”

> Greek: 2.11. ἐπεὶ δὲ Τισσαφέρνης ἐν ἀρχῇ μὲν φοβηθεὶς τὸν Ἀγησίλαον ἐποιήσατο σπονδάς, τὰς πόλεις αὐτῷ τὰς Ἑλληνικὰς ἀφήσειν αὐτονόμους βασιλέα, μεταπεμψάμενος δὲ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως πολὺ στράτευμα πόλεμον κατήγγειλεν αὐτῷ, εἰ μὴ ἀπίοι τῆς Ἀσίας· ἄσμενος τὴν παράβασιν δεξάμενος ὥρμησε μὲν ὡς ἐπὶ Καρίαν προάξων ἐκεῖ δὲ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Τισσαφέρνους ἀθροίσαντος, ἄρας εἰς Φρυγίαν ἐνέβαλε καὶ λαβὼν πόλεις πλείστας καὶ χρημάτων πλῆθος ἔφη τοῖς φίλοις ἐπισπεισάμενον μὲν ἀδικεῖν ἀσεβές, τοὺς δὲ πολεμίους παραλογίζεσθαι οὐ μόνον δίκαιον καὶ ἐπίδοξον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡδὺ καὶ κερδαλέον.

[¶3] 2.12. Finding himself inferior in horsemen, he retreated to Ephesus, and there made proclamation to the men of means that they should each provide a horse and a man, and thus gain their own release from service. As a result there were collected, in a very short time, both horses and capable men in place of wealthy cowards. Agesilaus said he was emulating Agamemnon; for Agamemnon accepted a good mare and released from service a base man of wealth.

> Greek: 2.12. τοῖς δʼ ἱππεῦσιν ἐλαττωθεὶς ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς Ἔφεσον, καὶ τοῖς εὐπόροις προεῖπε παρέχειν ἵππον ἀνθʼ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ἄνδρα ἀπολυομένους τῆς στρατείας· ὥστε ταχὺ συνήχθησαν καὶ ἵπποι καὶ ἄνδρες ἐπιτήδειοι ἀντὶ δειλῶν καὶ πλουσίων. καὶ τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονα ἔφη ζηλοῦν· καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνον θήλειαν ἵππον ἀγαθὴν λαβόντα κακὸν ἄνδρα καὶ πλούσιον τῆς στρατείας ἀπολῦσαι.

[¶4] 2.13. When, in obedience to his orders that the prisoners of war be sold naked, those charged with selling the spoils so offered them, there were many buyers for the clothing, but as for the prisoners’ bodies, altogether white and soft because of their indoor life, the buyers derided them as useless and worthless. And Agesilaus, stepping up, said, “These are the things for which you fight, and these are the men whom you fight.”

> Greek: 2.13. ἐπεὶ δὲ κελεύσαντος αὐτοῦ τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους γυμνοὺς πωλεῖν ἐπίπρασκον οἱ λαφυροπῶλαι, καὶ τῆς μὲν ἐσθῆτος ἦσαν ὠνηταὶ πολλοί, τῶν δὲ σωμάτων λευκῶν καὶ ἁπαλῶν παντάπασι διὰ τὰς σκιατραφίας κατεγέλων ὡς ἀχρήστων καὶ μηδενὸς ἀξίων· ἐπιστὰς ὁ Ἀγησίλαος ταῦτα μέν εἶπεν ὑπὲρ ὧν μάχεσθε, οὗτοι δὲ οἷς μάχεσθε.

[¶5] 2.14. Having routed Tissaphernes in the Lydia n country and slain a great many of his men, he proceeded to overrun the king’s country. The king sent money to him, and in return asked for a cessation of hostilities, but Agesilaus said that the State alone had the power to make peace, and that it gave him more pleasure to enrich his soldiers than to be rich himself, and that he thought it a grand thing that the Greeks did not accept gifts from the enemy, but took spoils instead.

> Greek: 2.14. τρεψάμενος δὲ περὶ Λυδίαν Τισσαφέρνην καὶ πλείστους ἀνελών, κατέτρεχε τῆς βασιλέως χώρας. τούτου δὲ χρήματα αὐτῷ προσπέμψαντος καὶ ἀξιοῦντος διαλύσασθαι τὸν πόλεμον, ὁ Ἀγησίλαος τῆς μὲν εἰρήνης ἔφη τὴν πόλιν εἶναι κυρίαν, τοὺς δὲ στρατιώτας πλουτίζων ἥδεσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ αὐτὸς πλουτῶν καλὸν δὲ νομίζειν Ἕλληνας οὐ δῶρα λαμβάνειν ἀπὸ τῶν πολεμίων, ἀλλὰ λάφυρα κτᾶσθαι.

[¶6] 2.15. When Megabates, Spithridates’ son, who was most fair of form, came near to him as if to greet him with a kiss because the boy felt that he was held in aiFection by Agesilaus, Agesilaus drew back. And when the boy stopped coming to see him, Agesilaus asked for him; whereupon his friends said that he had only himself to blame, because he shrank from coming within kissing distance of the fair one, and if he would not act the coward, the boy would come again. Agesilaus, reflecting by himself for no brief time in uninterrupted silence, finally said, “There is no need of our trying to persuade him; for I feel that I had rather be above such things than to take by storm the most populous city of our opponents, since it is better to preserve one’s own liberty than to deprive others of theirs.”

> Greek: 2.15. Μεγαβάτου δὲ τοῦ Σπιθριδάτου παιδός, ὃς ἦν κάλλιστος τὴν μορφήν, προσελθόντος αὐτῷ ὡς ἀσπασομένου καὶ φιλήσοντος διὰ τὸ σφόδρα δοκεῖν ἀγαπᾶσθαι, ἐξέκλινεν· ὡς δʼ ἐπαύσατο ἐκεῖνος προσιών, ἐπεζήτησεν αὐτὸν ὁ Ἀγησίλαος· τῶν δὲ φίλων φαμένων ὡς αὐτὸς εἴη αἴτιος, τρέσας τὸ τοῦ καλοῦ φίλημα, τοῦ μὴ ἐντὸς φιλήματος ἐλθεῖν, καὶ εἰ μὴ ἀποδειλιάσει, ἥξειν ἐκεῖνον· χρόνον οὐκ ὀλίγον πρὸς αὑτῷ γενόμενος ὁ Ἀγησίλαος καὶ διασιωπήσας οὐδέν ἔφη δεῖν πείθειν ἐκεῖνον ἡμᾶς· ἐγὼ γάρ μοι δοκῶ τῶν τοιούτων βούλεσθαι ἐπάνω εἶναι ἢ τὴν εὐανδροτάτην τῶν ἀντιτεταγμένων πόλιν κατὰ κράτος ἑλεῖν· ἄμεινον γὰρ ἑαυτῷ φυλάττειν τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τοῦ ἑτέρων ἀφαιρεῖσθαι.

[¶7] 2.16. In almost all matters he was exact in observing the law, but in anything affecting his friends he thought that too rigid justice in dealings with them was but a poor excuse. At any rate, there is a note of his in circulation addressed to Hidrieus the Carian, in which he asks for the release of one of his friends in these words: “If Nicias is not guilty, let him go; but if he is guilty, let him go for my sake; but let him go anyway.”

> Greek: 2.16. τὰ δὲ ἄλλα ἀκριβὴς ὢν καὶ νόμιμος, ἐν τοῖς φιλικοῖς πράγμασιν ἐνόμιζε πρόφασιν εἶναι τὸ λίαν δίκαιον πρὸς αὐτούς. φέρεται γοῦν ἐπιστόλιον αὐτοῦ παραιτουμένου τινὰ τῶν φίλων. πρὸς Ἱδριέα τὸν Κᾶρα, οὕτω· Νικίας εἰ μὲν οὐκ ἀδικεῖ, ἄφες· εἰ δὲ ἀδικεῖ, ἐμοὶ ἄφες· πάντως δὲ ἄφες.

[¶8] 2.17. Such, then, was Agesilaus in his friends’ behalf in most matters; but there are instances when, in meeting a critical situation, he showed more regard for the general weal. At any rate, on a time when camp was being broken in some disorder, and Agesilaus was leaving behind his loved one who was ill, and the loved one implored him and called him back with tears, Agesilaus, turning round, exclaimed, “How hard it is to be merciful and sensible at the same time!”

> Greek: 2.17. ἐν μὲν οὖν τοῖς πλείστοις ὑπὲρ τῶν τῶν τοιοῦτος ὁ Ἀγησίλαος· ἔστι δὲ ὅπου πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον ἐχρῆτο τῷ καιρῷ μᾶλλον. ἀναζυγῆς γοῦν ποτε γενομένης θορυβωδεστέρας, ἀσθενοῦντα καταλιπὼν τὸν ἐρώμενον, ἐκείνου δεομένου καὶ ἀνακαλοῦντος μετὰ δακρύων αὐτόν, ἐπιστραφεὶς εἶπεν ὡς χαλεπόν ἐστιν ἐλεεῖν ἅμα καὶ φρονεῖν.

[¶9] 2.18. The mode of living which he followed personally was in no wise better than that of his associates. He refrained always from overeating and from heavy drinking. Sleep he treated, not as a master, but as governed at all times by what he had to do; and such was his attitude towards heat and cold that he alone was able to make good use of the different seasons; and in his tent, which was in the midst of his soldiers, he had no better bed than anybody else.

> Greek: 2.18. δίαιταν δὲ τὴν περὶ τὸ σῶμα οὐδὲν ἀμείνονα τῶν συνόντων εἶχε, κόρου μὲν καὶ μέθης τὸ παράπαν ἀπεχόμενος, ὕπνῳ δὲ οὐ δεσπότῃ ἀλλʼ ἀρχομένῳ ὑπὸ τῶν πράξεων χρώμενος· πρὸς δὲ θάλπος οὕτω καὶ ψῦχος εἶχεν, ὥστε μόνος ἀεὶ χρῆσθαι ταῖς ὥραις. ἐν μέσοις δὲ τοῖς στρατιώταις σκηνῶν οὐδενὸς ἀμείνονα κοίτην εἶχε.

[¶10] 2.19. He was continually saying that the commander ought rightly to be superior to the privates not in soft living and luxury, but in endurance and courage.

> Greek: 2.19. διετέλει δὲ λέγων τὸν ἄρχοντα οὐ μαλακίᾳ καρτερίᾳ δὲ καὶ ἀνδρείᾳ δεῖν τῶν ἰδιωτῶν περιεῖναι.

[¶11] 2.20. At any rate, when someone inquired what advantage the laws of Lycurgus had brought to Sparta, he said, “Contempt for pleasures.”

> Greek: 2.20. πυθομένου γοῦν τινος τί περιεποίησαν οἱ Λυκούργου νόμοι τῇ Σπάρτῃ, καταφρονεῖν ἔφη τῶν ἡδονῶν.

[¶12] 2.21. In answer to the man who expressed surprise at the plainness of the clothes and the fare both of himself and of the other Spartans, he said, “From this mode of life, my friend, we reap a harvest of liberty.”

> Greek: 2.21. πρὸς δὲ τὸν ἐπιθαυμάζοντα τὴν μετριότητα τῆς ἐσθῆτος καὶ τῆς τροφῆς αὐτοῦ τε καὶ τῶν ἄλλων Λακεδαιμονίων ἀντὶ ταύτης ἔφη τῆς διαίτης, ὦ ξένε, τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἀμώμεθα.

[¶13] 2.22. When someone else urged him to relax, and said that, because of the uncertainty of fortune, the opportunity for this might never come to him, he replied, “I accustom myself by training to seek to find a change in no change.”

> Greek: 2.22. ἄλλου δὲ προτρεπομένου ἀνίεσθαι καὶ λέγοντος διὰ τὸ τῆς τύχης ἄδηλον μήποτε καιρὸς τούτου γένηται, ἀλλʼ ἐγώ εἶπεν ἐμαυτὸν ἐθίζω λέγων ὥστʼ ἐν μηδεμιᾷ μεταβολῇ μεταβολὴν ζητεῖν.

[¶14] 2.23. Even when he had grown old, he followed the same course; and in answer to someone who asked him the reason why, at his age, he went about with no undergarment in such very cold weather, he said, “So that the young men may imitate, having the oldest men and the officials as an example.”

> Greek: 2.23. καὶ πρεσβύτης δὲ γενόμενος τῇ αὐτῇ ἀγωγῇ ἐχρῆτο· πρὸς οὖν τὸν πυθόμενον διότι σφοδροῦ χειμῶνος ὄντος ἀχίτων περιέρχεται εἰς τοῦτο ἡλικίας ἥκων, ἵνα φησὶν οἱ νέοι μιμῶνται, παράδειγμα ἔχοντες τοὺς πρεσβυτάτους καὶ ἄρχοντας.

[¶15] 2.24. The Thasians, as he was marching through their country with his army, sent to him flour, geese, sweetmeats, honey-cakes, and other costly foods and drinks of all kinds. The flour alone he accepted, but the rest of the things he bade those who had brought them to carry back because these were of no use to the Spartans. But when the Thasians importuned him and begged him by all means to take all, he gave orders to distribute them among the Helots. And when the Thasians inquired the reason, he said, “It is not in keeping that those who practise manly virtues should indulge in such gormandizing, for things that allure the servile crowd are alien to free men.”

> Greek: 2.24. Θάσιοι δὲ τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν διαπορευομένῳ μετὰ τοῦ στρατεύματος ἄλφιτα καὶ χῆνας καὶ τραγήματα καὶ μελίπηκτα καὶ ἄλλα παντοδαπὰ βρώματά τε καὶ πόματα πολυτελῆ ἔπεμψαν· μόνα δὲ τὰ ἄλφιτα δεξάμενος τὰ λοιπὰ ἀπάγειν ἐκέλευσεν ὀπίσω τοὺς κομίζοντας, ὡς οὐδὲν αὐτοῖς ὄντα χρήσιμα. λιπαρούντων δὲ καὶ δεομένων πάντως λαβεῖν, ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὰ τοῖς εἵλωσι διαδίδοσθαι. πυθομένων δὲ τὴν αἰτίαν, ἔφη τοὺς ἀνδραγαθίαν ἀσκοῦντας τὰς τοιαύτας λιχνείας οὐχ ἁρμόζει προσίεσθαι τὰ γὰρ δελεάζοντα τοὺς ἀνδραποδώδεις τῶν ἐλευθέρων ἀλλότρια.

[¶16] 2.25. At another time the Thasians, because of a feeling that they had been greatly befriended by him, honoured him with temples and deifications, and also sent an embassy to inform him of their action. When he had read the honours which the ambassadors proffered to him, he asked if their country had the power to deify men; and when they answered in the affirmative, he said, “Go to; make gods of yourselves first, and if you can accomplish this, then will I believe that you will be able to make a god of me also.”

> Greek: 2.25. πάλιν δὲ τῶν Θασίων διὰ τὸ δοκεῖν μεγάλως ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ εὐεργετῆσθαι ναοῖς αὐτὸν καὶ ἀποθεώσεσι τιμησάντων καὶ περὶ τούτου πρεσβείαν ἀποστειλάντων, ἀναγνοὺς τὰς τιμάς, ἃς αὐτῷ προσήνεγκαν οἱ πρέσβεις, ἠρώτησεν εἰ ἡ πατρὶς αὐτῶν ἀποθεοῦν ἀνθρώπους δύναται· φαμένων δέ, ἄγετʼ ἔφη ποιήσατε πρώτους ἑαυτοὺς θεούς· καὶ τοῦτʼ ἂν πράξητε, τότε πιστεύσω ὑμῖν ὅτι κἀμὲ δυνήσεσθε θεὸν ποιῆσαι.

[¶17] 2.26. When the Greek peoples of Asia voted to erect statues of him in their most prominent cities, he wrote to them: “Let there be no image of me painted or sculptured or constructed.”

> Greek: 2.26. τῶν δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς Ἀσίας Ἑλληνικῶν ἐθνῶν ψηφισαμένων ἐν ταῖς ἐπιφανεστάταις πόλεσιν εἰκόνας ἀνιστᾶν αὐτοῦ, προσέγραψεν ἐμοῦ μηδεμία εἰκὼν ἔστω μηδὲ γραπτὴ μηδὲ πλαστὴ μηδὲ κατασκευαστή.

[¶18] 2.27. Seeing in Asia a house roofed with square beams, he asked the owner if timber in that country grew square. And when the man said, “No, but round,” he said, “Well, then, if they were square, would you finish them round?”

> Greek: 2.27. θεασάμενος δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς Ἀσίας οἰκίαν τετραγώνοις ὠροφωμένην δοκοῖς ἠρώτησε τὸν κεκτημένον εἰ τετράγωνα παρʼ αὐτοῖς φύεται ξύλα· φαμένου δὲ οὔ, ἀλλὰ στρογγύλα, τί οὖν; εἶπεν εἰ τετράγωνα ἦν, στρογγύλα ἐτελεῖτε.

[¶19] 2.28. Being asked once how far the bounds of Sparta extended, he said, with a flourish of his spear, “As far as this can reach.”

> Greek: 2.28. ἐρωτηθεὶς δέ ποτε ἄχρι τίνος εἰσὶν οἱ τῆς Λακωνικῆς ὅροι, τὸ δόρυ κραδάνας εἶπεν ἄχρις οὗ τοῦτο φθάνῃ.

[¶20] 2.29. When someone else wished to know why Sparta was without walls, he pointed to the citizens in full armour and said, “These are the Spartans’ walls.”

> Greek: 2.29. ἄλλου δὲ ἐπιζητοῦντος διὰ τί ἀτείχιστος ἡ Σπάρτη, ἐπιδείξας τοὺς πολίτας ἐξωπλισμένους ταῦτά ἐστιν εἶπε τὰ Λακεδαιμονίων τείχη.

[¶21] 2.30. When another person put the same question, he said, “Cities ought not to be fortified with stones and timbers, but with the strong virtues of their inhabitants.”

> Greek: 2.30. ἄλλου δὲ τὸ αὐτὸ ἐπιζητοῦντος, οὐ λίθοις δεῖ καὶ ξύλοις τετειχίσθαι τὰς πόλεις ἔφη ταῖς δὲ τῶν ἐνοικούντων ἀρεταῖς.

[¶22] 2.31. He advised his friends to endeavour to be rich, not in money, but in bravery and virtue.

> Greek: 2.31. τοῖς δὲ φίλοις παρήγγειλε μὴ χρήμασιν, ἀνδρείᾳ δὲ καὶ ἀρετῇ σπουδάζειν πλουτεῖν.

[¶23] 2.32. Whenever he wished a task to be quickly performed by his soldiers, he himself took hold first in the sight of all.

> Greek: 2.32. ὁπότε δὲ βούλοιτο ἔργον τι ταχέως ὑπὸ τῶν στρατιωτῶν γενέσθαι, αὐτὸς πρῶτος ἐφήπτετο ἐν ὄψει ἁπάντων.

[¶24] 2.33. He found more cause for pride in his working quite as hard as anybody, and in his mastery over himself, rather than in his being king.

> Greek: 2.33. ἐμεγαλύνετο δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ μηδενὸς ἧττον πονεῖν, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ ἄρχειν ἑαυτοῦ μᾶλλον ἢ ἐπὶ τῷ βασιλεύειν.

[¶25] 2.34. When he saw a lame Spartan going forth to war and asking where he could get a horse, Agesilaus said, “Don’t you realize that war has need, not of those who run away, but of those who stand their ground?”

> Greek: 2.34. θεωρήσας δέ τινα Λάκωνα χωλὸν ἐπὶ πόλεμον ἐξιόντα καὶ ἵππον ζητοῦντα, οὐκ αἰσθάνῃ ἔφη ὅτι οὐ φευγόντων ἀλλὰ μενόντων ὁ πόλεμος χρείαν ἔχει;

[¶26] 2.35. Being asked how he had fostered his great repute, he said, “By showing contempt for death.”

> Greek: 2.35. ἐρωτώμενος δὲ πῶς μεγάλην δόξαν περιεποιήσατο, θανάτου καταφρονήσας ἔφη.

[¶27] 2.36. When someone desired to know why Spartans do battle amidst the sound of fifes, he said, “So that, as all keep step to the music, the cowardly and the brave may be plainly seen.”

> Greek: 2.36. ἐπιζητοῦντος δέ τινος διὰ τί Σπαρτιᾶται μετʼ αὐλῶν ἀγωνίζονται, ἔφη ἵνʼ, ὅταν πρὸς ῥυθμὸν βαίνωσιν, οἵ τε δειλοὶ καὶ οἱ ἀνδρεῖοι φανεροὶ ὦσι.

[¶28] 2.37. When someone dwelt upon the great good fortune of the king of Persia, who was a very young man, Agesilaus said, “But even Priam at that time of life had not met with misfortune.”

> Greek: 2.37. μακαρίζοντος δέ τινος τὸν Περσῶν βασιλέα νέον ὄντα κομιδῇ, εἶπεν ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ Πρίαμος ταύτην ἔχων τὴν ἡλικίαν ἠτύχησε.

[¶29] 2.38. When he had brought a great part of Asia under his control, he decided to march against the king himself, so that he might put an end to the king’s spending his time in leisure and corrupting the popular leaders among the Greeks.

> Greek: 2.38. πολλὴν δὲ τῆς Ἀσίας ὑφʼ ἑαυτῷ ποιησάμενος διέγνω χωρεῖν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν βασιλέα, ὅπως παύσῃ σχολὴν αὐτὸν ἄγοντα καὶ διαφθείροντα τοὺς τῶν Ἑλλήνων δημαγωγούς.

[¶30] 2.39. When he was summoned home by the Ephors because of the war declared against Sparta by the surrounding Greek states, influenced by the money which had been sent to them by the Persian, he said that the good commander ought to be subject to the command of the laws, and sailed away from Asia, leaving behind a great yearning for him among the Greeks there.

> Greek: 2.39. μεταπεμφθεὶς δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν ἐφόρων ἕνεκα τῆς τοῦ περιεστηκότος τὴν Σπάρτην Ἑλληνικοῦ πολέμου αἰτίας διὰ τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ Πέρσου διαπεμφθέντα χρήματα, εἰπὼν τὸν ἀγαθὸν ἄρχοντα δεῖν ὑπὸ τῶν νόμων ἄρχεσθαι ἀπέπλευσε τῆς Ἀσίας πολὺν ἑαυτοῦ πόθον τοῖς ἐνταῦθα Ἕλλησι καταλιπών.

[¶31] 2.40. Inasmuch as the Persian coinage was stamped with the figure of a bowman, he said, as he was breaking camp, that he was being driven out of Asia by the king with thirty thousand bowmen; for such was the number of gold pieces brought to Athens and Thebes through Timocrates and distributed among the popular leaders; and thus the people were stirred to hostilities against the Spartans.

> Greek: 2.40. τοῦ δὲ Περσικοῦ νομίσματος χάραγμα τοξότην ἔχοντος, ἀναζευγνύων ἔφη τρισμυρίοις τοξόταις ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐξελαύνεσθαι τῆς Ἀσίας· τοσούτων γὰρ εἰς Ἀθήνας καὶ Θήβας κομισθέντων διὰ Τιμοκράτους χρυσῶν δαρεικῶν καὶ διαδοθέντων τοῖς δημαγωγοῖς, ἐξεπολεμώθησαν οἱ δῆμοι πρὸς τοὺς Σπαρτιάτας.

[¶32] 2.41. He wrote a letter in reply to the Ephors as follows: “Agesilaus to the Ephors greeting.” “We hae conquered the maist pairt of Asia, and made the barbarians rin, an’ in Ionia we hae built mony an armed camp. But gin ye bid me come back as ye hae set the limit, I’ll come after the letter, or I’ll mebbe get there afore it; for I rule, no for masel’, but for the State and oor allies. An a mori truly rules richt whan he gangs wi’ the laws an the Ephors or whatever ither rulers there may be in the State.”

> Greek: 2.41. καὶ ἀντέγραψε τοῖς ἐφόροις ἐπιστολὴν τήνδε· Ἀγησίλαος τοῖς ἐφόροις χαίρειν· τὰν πολλὰν τᾶς Ἀσίας κατεστρεψάμεθα καὶ τὼς βαρβάρως ἐλάσαμες καὶ ἐν τᾷ Ἰωνίᾳ ὅπλα ἐποιήσαμες πολλά· ἐπεὶ δὲ κέλεσθέ με κατὰ τὰν προθεσμίαν παραγίνεσθαι, ἕπομαι τᾷ ἐπιστολᾷ, σχεδὸν δʼ αὐτὰν καὶ φθάσω· ἄρχω γὰρ οὐκ ἐμαυτῷ ἀρχάν, ἀλλὰ τᾷ πόλει καὶ τοῖς συμμάχοις· καὶ τότε ἄρχων ἄρχει ἀλαθέως κατὰ δίκαν, ὅταν καὶ ἄρχηται ὑπό τε νόμων καὶ ἐφόρων ἢ οἷοι ἂν ἄλλοι ἐν πόλει ἄρχοντες ὦσιν.

[¶33] 2.42. When he had crossed the Hellespont and was marching through Thrace he made no request of any of the barbarian peoples, but sent to each to inquire whether, as he passed through their country, he should find it friendly or hostile. Nearly all received him in a friendly manner, and helped him on; but the people called Trallians, to whom as it is said even Xerxes gave gifts, demanded of Agesilaus, as the price for passing through their land, an hundred talents of silver and an equal number of women. And he, making fun of them, asked why they did not come at once to get all this, and, leading on his forces to where the Trallians were drawn up for battle, he engaged them, and, having routed them with great slaughter, he marched through.

> Greek: 2.42. ὡς δὲ διαβὰς τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον ἐβάδιζε διὰ τῆς Θρᾴκης, ἐδεήθη μὲν οὐδενὸς τῶν βαρβάρων, πέμπων δὲ πρὸς ἑκάστους ἐπυνθάνετο πότερον ὡς φιλίαν ἢ ὡς πολεμίαν διαπορεύηται τὴν χώραν. οἱ μὲν οὖν ἄλλοι φιλικῶς ἐδέχοντο καὶ παρέπεμπον οἱ δὲ καλούμενοι Τρωαδεῖς, οἷς καὶ Ξέρξης ὡς λέγεται δέδωκε δῶρα, τῆς διόδου μισθὸν ᾔτουν τὸν Ἀγησίλαον ἑκατὸν ἀργυρίου τάλαντα καὶ γυναῖκας τοσαύτας· ὁ δὲ κατειρωνευσάμενος αὐτοὺς καὶ φήσας τί οὖν οὐκ εὐθὺς ἦλθον ληψόμενοι προῆγε καὶ συμβαλὼν αὐτοῖς παρατεταγμένοις τρεψάμενος καὶ διαφθείρας πολλοὺς διῆλθε.

[¶34] 2.43. To the king of the Macedonians he sent to propound the same question; and when the king said that he would consider it, Agesilaus said, “Let him consider it, then, but we will be marching on.” Amazed at his boldness, and fearful, the king accordingly bade him advance as a friend.b Since the Thessalians were in alliance with his enemies, he ravaged their country.

> Greek: 2.43. τῷ δὲ τῶν Μακεδόνων βασιλεῖ τὸ αὐτὸ ἐρώτημα προσέπεμψε· φήσαντος δʼ ἐκείνου βουλεύεσθαι, βουλευέσθω τοίνυν εἶπεν ἡμεῖς δὲ πορευσόμεθα. θαυμάσας οὖν τὴν τόλμαν καὶ δείσας ἐκέλευσεν ὡς φίλον προάγειν.

[¶35] 2.44. To Larissa, however, he sent Xenocles and Scythes to suggest an amicable agreement. But when these were seized and detained, the rest of his men bore it very ill, and thought that he ought to encamp about Larissa and lay siege to it. But he declared that he would not lose either one of those men for the whole of Thessaly, and got them back by coming to terms with the enemy.

> Greek: 2.44. τῶν δὲ Θετταλῶν τοῖς πολεμίοις συμμαχούντων, ἐπόρθει τὴν χώραν· εἰς δὲ Λάρισσαν ἔπεμψε Ξενοκλέα καὶ Σκύθην περὶ φιλίας. συλληφθέντων δὲ τούτων καὶ παραφυλαττομένων, οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι βαρέως φέροντες ᾤοντο δεῖν τὸν Ἀγησίλαον περιστρατοπεδεύσαντα πολιορκεῖν τὴν Λάρισσαν ὁ δὲ φήσας οὐκ ἂν ἐθελῆσαι Θεσσαλίαν ὅλην λαβεῖν ἀπολέσας τῶν ἀνδρῶν τὸν ἕτερον, ὑποσπόνδους αὐτοὺς ἀπέλαβε.

[¶36] 2.45. When he learned that a battle had been fought in the vicinity of Corinth, and that only a very few of the Spartans had fallen, but a vast number of the Corinthians and Athenians and the others on their side, he was not observed to be overjoyful or elated at the victory, but with a very deep sigh said, “Hech, sirs, for Greece, wha her ane sel’ has killed sae mony men—as mony as micht pit doon a’ the barbarians.”

> Greek: 2.45. πυθόμενος δὲ μάχην γεγονέναι περὶ Κόρινθον, καὶ Σπαρτιατῶν μὲν παντάπασιν ὀλίγους τεθνάναι, Κορινθίων δὲ καὶ Ἀθηναίων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων συμμάχων αὐτοῖς παμπόλλους, οὐκ ὤφθη περιχαρὴς οὐδʼ ἐπηρμένος τῇ νίκῃ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάνυ βαρὺ στενάξας φεῦ τᾶς Ἑλλάδος ἔφη ἣ τοσούτους ὑφʼ αὑτᾶς ἀπολώλεκεν, ὅσοις ἀρκεῖ τὼς βαρβάρως νικᾶν ἅπαντας.

[¶37] 2.46. When the Pharsalians beset him and harassed his army, he routed them with five hundred horsemen, and set up a trophy at the foot of Mount Narthacium. And he was better satisfied with this victory than with all others, because he himself by his own efforts had built up this company of cavalry, and with this alone he had overcome those who took the greatest pride in horsemanship.

> Greek: 2.46. Φαρσαλίων δὲ προσκειμένων καὶ κακουργούντων αὐτοῦ τὸ στράτευμα, πεντακοσίοις ἱππεῦσι τρεψάμενος αὐτοὺς τρόπαιον ἔστησεν ὑπὸ τῷ Ναρθακίῳ· καὶ τὴν νίκην ἐκείνην πάντων ὑπερηγάπησεν, ὅτι συστησάμενος τὸ ἱππικὸν αὐτὸς διʼ ἑαυτοῦ, τούτῳ μόνῳ τοὺς μέγιστον ἐφʼ ἱππικῇ φρονοῦντας ἐκράτησε.

[¶38] 2.47. Diphridas brought word to him from home that he should at once, as he passed by, invade Boeotia. It had been his purpose to do this later after making more adequate preparation, but he did not disobey those in authority, and, after sending for two divisions of the army in the field at Corinth, he entered Boeotia. At Coroneia he engaged in battle Thebans, Athenians, Argives, Corinthians, and the two Locrian peoples, and, although he was in desperate straits by reason of the many wounds in his body, he was victorious in the greatest battle, as Xenophon says, of those fought in his day.

> Greek: 2.47. Διφρίδα δὲ οἴκοθεν ἀπαγγείλαντος αὐτῷ εὐθὺς ἐκ παρόδου ἐμβαλεῖν εἰς τὴν Βοιωτίαν, καίτοι ἐκ μείζονος παρασκευῆς ὕστερον τοῦτο ποιῆσαι διανοούμενος, οὐκ ἀπειθήσας τοῖς ἄρχουσι, μεταπεμψάμενος δύο μόρας τῶν περὶ Κόρινθον στρατευομένων ἐπέβη τῆς Βοιωτίας. καὶ συμβαλὼν ἐν Κορωνείᾳ Θηβαίοις Ἀθηναίοις Ἀργείοις Κορινθίοις Λοκροῖς ἀμφοτέροις ἐνίκησε, καίτοι ὑπὸ πολλῶν τραυμάτων κακῶς τὸ σῶμα διακείμενος, τὴν μεγίστην μάχην ὥς φησι Ξενοφῶν τῶν καθʼ ἑαυτὸν γενομένων.

[¶39] 2.48. After he returned home he made no change in anything touching his life and his manner of living on account of so many successes and victories.

> Greek: 2.48. οὐδὲν δὲ τῶν περὶ τὸν βίον καὶ τὴν δίαιταν διὰ τὰς τοσαύτας εὐτυχίας καὶ νίκας ἤλλαξεν οἴκαδʼ ἐπανελθών.

[¶40] 2.49. Seeing that some of the citizens thought themselves to be somebody and gave themselves great airs because they kept a racing stud, he persuaded his sister Cynisca to enter a chariot in the races at Olympia, for he wished to demonstrate to the Greeks that this sort of thing was no sign of excellence, but only of having money and being willing to spend it.

> Greek: 2.49. ὁρῶν δʼ ἐνίους τῶν πολιτῶν ἀπὸ ἱπποτροφίας δοκοῦντας εἶναί τινας καὶ μεγαλοφρονοῦντας, ἔπεισε τὴν ἀδελφὴν Κυνίσκαν ἅρμα καθεῖσαν Ὀλυμπίασιν ἀγωνίσασθαι, βουλόμενος ἐνδείξασθαι τοῖς Ἕλλησιν ὡς οὐδεμιᾶς ἐστιν ἀρετῆς πλούτου δὲ καὶ δαπάνης τὰ τοιαῦτα.

[¶41] 2.50. He had with him Xenophon the philosopher, who was treated with marked consideration, and he urged Xenophon to send for his sons, and bring them up in Sparta, where they would be taught the fairest of all lessons-to rule and to be ruled.

> Greek: 2.50. Ξενοφῶντα δὲ τὸν σοφὸν ἔχων μεθʼ ἑαυτοῦ σπουδαζόμενον, ἐκέλευε τοὺς παῖδας ἐν Λακεδαίμονι τρέφειν μεταπεμψάμενον, τὸ κάλλιστον τῶν μαθημάτων παιδευθησομένους, ἄρχειν τε καὶ ἄρχεσθαι.

[¶42] 2.51. On one other occasion he was asked what was the especial reason why the Spartans were fortunate above all other peoples, and he replied, “Because they, above all others, make it their practice to rule and to be ruled.”

> Greek: 2.51. ἄλλοτε δʼ ἐρωτώμενος διὰ τί μάλιστα παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους εὐδοκιμοῦσιν οἱ Σπαρτιᾶται, διότι εἶπε παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους ἀσκοῦσιν ἄρχειν τε καὶ ἄρχεσθαι.

[¶43] 2.52. After Lysander’s death he found a huge association banded together, which Lysander, immediately after his return from Asia, had organized against him, and he set out to show up Lysander by pointing out what kind of a citizen he had been when he was alive. So, after reading a speech which had been left among Lysander’s papers, the author of which was Cleon of Halicarnassus, and which Lysander had been intending to appropriate and deliver before the people on the subject of revolution and changing the form of government, Agesilaus wished to make it public. But when one of the aged men read the speech, and was frightened at its cleverness, and advised him not to disinter the dead Lysander, but rather to inter the speech along with him, he took the advice and did nothing.

> Greek: 2.52. Λυσάνδρου δὲ τελευτήσαντος, εὑρὼν ἑταιρείαν πολλὴν συνεστῶσαν, ἣν ἐκεῖνος εὐθὺς ἐπανελθὼν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀσίας συνέστησεν ἐπὶ τὸν Ἀγησίλαον, ὥρμησεν αὐτὸν ἐξελέγχειν οἷος ἦν ζῶν πολίτης. καὶ λόγον ἀναγνοὺς ἐν βιβλίῳ ἀπολελειμμένον, ὃν ἔγραψε μὲν Κλέων ὁ Ἁλικαρνασσεύς, ἔμελλε δὲ λέγειν ἀναλαβὼν ὁ Λύσανδρος ἐν τῷ δήμῳ περὶ πραγμάτων καινῶν καὶ μεταστάσεως τοῦ πολιτεύματος, ἠθέλησεν εἰς μέσον ἐξενεγκεῖν ἐπεὶ δέ τις τῶν γερόντων τὸν λόγον ἐπελθὼν καὶ φοβηθεὶς τὴν δεινότητα συνεβούλευσε μὴ τὸν Λύσανδρον ἀνορύττειν, ἀλλὰ τὸν λόγον μᾶλλον αὐτῷ συγκατορύττειν, ἐπείσθη καὶ ἡσύχασε.

[¶44] 2.53. Those who covertly opposed him he did not openly put to confusion, but managed to have some of them always sent out as generals and officers, and then he would proceed to demonstrate that they had proved themselves unprincipled and greedy in exercising their authority. Then later, when they were brought to trial, his role this time would be to help them and defend them at their trial; and thus he won their allegiance, and brought them over to his own side, so that there was nobody who opposed him.

> Greek: 2.53. τοὺς δὲ ὑπεναντιουμένους αὐτῷ φανερῶς μὲν οὐκ ἐτάραττε διαπραττόμενος δὲ πέμπεσθαί τινας ἀεὶ στρατηγοὺς καὶ ἄρχοντας ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐπεδείκνυε γενομένους ἐν ταῖς ἐξουσίαις πονηροὺς καὶ πλεονέκτας· εἶτα κρινομένοις πάλιν αὖ βοηθῶν καὶ συναγωνιζόμενος οἰκείους ἐποιεῖτο καὶ μεθίστη πρὸς ἑαυτόν, ὥστε οὐδένα ἀντίπαλον εἶναι.

[¶45] 2.54. Somebody wanted him to write to his friends in Asia so that the petitioner might meet with right treatment there. “But,” said Agesilaus, “my friends of themselves do what is right, even if I do not write to them.”

> Greek: 2.54. ἐδεήθη τις αὐτοῦ γράψαι πρὸς τοὺς ἐπʼ Ἀσίας ξένους, ὅπως τύχῃ τοῦ δικαίου ἀλλʼ οἱ ἐμοὶ ξένοι εἶπε τὰ δίκαια διʼ ἑαυτῶν, κἂν ἐγὼ μὴ γράψω, ποιοῦσιν.

[¶46] 2.55. Somebody in a foreign land pointed out to Agesilaus the city wall, high towering and exceedingly massive in its construction, and asked Agesilaus if it looked grand to him. “Yes,” said Agesilaus, “grand indeed, not for men though, but for women to live in.”

> Greek: 2.55. ἐπεδείκνυέ τις αὐτῷ τῆς πόλεως τὸ τεῖχος ὀχυρὸν καὶ καρτερῶς ἄγαν ἐξῳκοδομημένον, καὶ ἠρώτα εἰ καλὸν αὐτῷ φαίνεται· νὴ Δία ἔφη καλὸν οὐχ ὡς ἀνδράσι δὲ ἀλλʼ ὡς γυναιξὶν ἐνοικεῖν.

[¶47] 2.56. When a man from Megara boasted greatly about his city, Agesilaus said, “Young man, your words need a great power to back them.”

> Greek: 2.56. Μεγαρέως δέ τινος περὶ τῆς πόλεως πρὸς αὐτὸν μεγαλαυχουμένου, μειράκιον ἔφη οἱ λόγοι σου πολλῆς δυνάμεως δέονται.

[¶48] 2.57. Things which he saw other people admiring he seemed not even to notice. For example, once upon a time Callippides, the tragic actor, who had a name and repute among the Greeks, and was received everywhere with the most flattering attention, first of all put himself in front of Agesilaus and addressed him, and then pompously thrust himself into the company that was walking with him, thus making it plain that he expected the king to begin some friendly conversation, and finally he said, “Your Majesty, do you not recognize me, and have you not heard who I am?” At that Agesilaus looked towards him and said, “Are ye no Callippidas the shawman?” That is what the Spartans call the strolling players.

> Greek: 2.57. ἃ δὲ τοὺς ἄλλους ἑώρα θαυμάζοντας ἐδόκει μηδὲ γινώσκειν. καί ποτε Καλλιππίδης ὁ τῶν τραγῳδιῶν ὑποκριτής, ὄνομα καὶ δόξαν ἔχων ἐν τοῖς Ἕλλησι καὶ σπουδαζόμενος ὑπὸ πάντων, πρῶτον μὲν ἀπήντησεν αὐτῷ καὶ προσεῖπεν, ἔπειτα σοβαρῶς εἰς τοὺς συμπεριπατοῦντας ἐμβαλὼν ἑαυτὸν ἐπεδείκνυτο, νομίζων ἐκεῖνον ἄρξειν τινὸς φιλοφρονήσεως· τέλος δὲ εἶπεν οὐκ ἐπιγινώσκεις με, ὦ βασιλεῦ, οὐδʼ ἤκουσας ὅστις εἰμί; ὁ δʼ Ἀγησίλαος ἀποβλέψας εἰς αὐτὸν εἶπεν ἀλλʼ οὐ τύ ἐσσι Καλλιππίδας ὁ δεικηλίκτας; οὕτω δὲ Λακεδαιμόνιοι τοὺς μίμους καλοῦσι.

[¶49] 2.58. When he was invited to hear the man who imitated the nightingale’s voice, he begged to be excused, saying, “I hae heard the bird itsel’ mony a time.”

> Greek: 2.58. τοῦ δὲ μιμουμένου τὴν τῆς ἀηδόνος φωνὴν ἀκοῦσαι παρακαλούμενος, παρῃτήσατο φήσας αὐτᾶς ἄκουκα πολλάκις.

[¶50] 2.59. Menecrates the physician, who, because of his success in curing certain persons who had been given up to die, had come to be called Zeus, used to drag in this title on all occasions, and even went so far in his effrontery as to write to Agesilaus in this fashion: “Menecrates Zeus to King Agesilaus, health and happiness.” Agesilaus did not read any further, but wrote in reply, “King Agesilaus to Menecrates, health andsanity!”

> Greek: 2.59. Μενεκράτους δὲ τοῦ ἰατροῦ, ἐπεὶ κατατυχὼν ἔν τισιν ἀπεγνωσμέναις θεραπείαις Ζεὺς ἐπεκλήθη, φορτικῶς ταύτῃ χρωμένου τῇ προσωνυμίᾳ, καὶ δὴ πρὸς τὸν Ἀγησίλαον ἐπιστεῖλαι τολμήσαντος οὕτω Μενεκράτης Ζεὺς βασιλεῖ Ἀγησιλάῳ χαίρειν, οὐκ ἀναγνοὺς τὰ λοιπὰ ἀντέγραψε βασιλεὺς Ἀγησίλαος Μενεκράτει ὑγιαίνειν.

[¶51] 2.60. When Conon and Pharnabazus with the Great Kings fleet were masters of the sea and blockaded the Spartans’ coast, and the walls of Athens had been rebuilt with the money provided by Pharnabazus, the Spartans made peace with the king. They sent one of their citizens, Antalcidas, to Tiribazus, and surrendered into the king’s power those Greeks in Asia Minor for whose freedom Agesilaus had fought. It follows, therefore, that Agesilaus could not have had the slightest thing to do with this disreputable business; for Antalcidas was at enmity with him, and employed every resource in working for the peace, because he felt that the war made Agesilaus great and enhanced his repute and importance.

> Greek: 2.60. ἐπεὶ δὲ Κόνων καὶ Φαρνάβαζος τῷ βασιλέως ναυτικῷ θαλαττοκρατοῦντες ἐπολιόρκουν τὰ παράλια τῆς Λακωνικῆς, ἐτειχίσθη δὲ τὸ ἄστυ τῶν Ἀθηναίων Φαρναβάζου χρήματα δόντος, εἰρήνην ἐποιήσαντο Λακεδαιμόνιοι πρὸς βασιλέα· καὶ πέμπουσι πολίτην Ἀνταλκίδαν πρὸς Τιρίβαζον, τοὺς ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ Ἕλληνας, ὑπὲρ ὧν ἐπολέμησεν Ἀγησίλαος, βασιλεῖ παραδιδόντες. ὅθεν δὴ ἥκιστα συνέβη τῆς κακοδοξίας ταύτης Ἀγησιλάῳ μετασχεῖν ὁ γὰρ Ἀνταλκίδας ἐχθρὸς ἦν αὐτῷ, καὶ τὴν εἰρήνην ἐξ ἅπαντος ἔπραττεν, ὡς τοῦ πολέμου τὸν Ἀγησίλαον αὔξοντος καὶ ποιοῦντος ἐνδοξότατον καὶ μέγιστον.

[¶52] 2.61. Yet, in answer to a man who said that the Spartans were becoming pro-Persian, Agesilaus said that rather the Persians were becoming pro-Spartan!

> Greek: 2.61. οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τὸν εἰπόντα μηδίζειν τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους ἀπεκρίθη μᾶλλον τοὺς Μήδους λακωνίζειν.

[¶53] 2.62. Being asked once which was better of the virtues, bravery or justice, he said that there is no use for bravery unless justice is also in evidence, and if all men should become just they would have no need of bravery.

> Greek: 2.62. ἐρωτηθεὶς δέ ποτε ὁποτέρα βελτίων τῶν ἀρετῶν, ἀνδρεία ἢ δικαιοσύνη, οὐδὲν ὄφελος ἀνδρείας ἔφασκεν εἶναι μὴ παρούσης δικαιοσύνης· εἰ δὲ δίκαιοι πάντες γένοιντο, μηδένʼ ἀνδρείας δεηθήσεσθαι.

[¶54] 2.63. The inhabitants of Asia were accustomed to give to the king of Persia the title of “The Great,” but Agesilaus said, “In what, pray, is he greater than I. unless he is more just and more self-controlled?”

> Greek: 2.63. εἰθισμένων δὲ τῶν τὴν Ἀσίαν κατοικούντων τὸν Περσῶν βασιλέα μέγαν προσαγορεύειν, τί δαὶ ἐκεῖνος ἐμοῦ μείζων ἔφη, εἰ μὴ δικαιότερος καὶ σωφρονέστερος;

[¶55] 2.64. He used to say that the inhabitants of Asia were poor freemen, but good slaves.

> Greek: 2.64. ἔλεγε δὲ τοὺς τὴν Ἀσίαν κατοικοῦντας ἐλευθέρους μὲν κακούς, δούλους δὲ ἀγαθοὺς εἶναι.

[¶56] 2.65. Being asked how one might most surely have a good name among men, he said, “If one say what is best and do what is most honourable.” He used to say that a general ought to be possessed of boldness towards the enemy and kind ness towards the men under him.

> Greek: 2.65. ἐρωτηθεὶς δὲ πῶς ἄν τις μάλιστα εὐδοκιμοίη παρʼ ἀνθρώποις εἰ λέγοι εἶπε τὰ ἄριστα, πράττοι δὲ τὰ κάλλιστα, τὸν δὲ στρατηγὸν δεῖν ἔφασκε πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἐναντίους τόλμαν, πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ὑποτεταγμένους εὔνοιαν ἔχειν.

[¶57] 2.67. When someone desired to know what boys ought to learn, he said, “That which they will use when they become men.”

> Greek: 2.67. ἐπιζητοῦντος δέ τινος τίνα δεῖ μανθάνειν τοὺς παῖδας, ταῦτʼ εἶπεν οἷς καὶ ἄνδρες γενόμενοι χρήσονται.

[¶58] 2.68. Once when he was sitting as judge the accuser spoke well and the defendant poorly, merely repeating in answer to each point, “Agesilaus, a king must uphold the laws;” whereat Agesilaus said, “And if somebody had broken into your house, and if somebody had robbed you of your coat, should you expect that the builder of the house or the maker of the coat would come to your assistance?”

> Greek: 2.68. δικάζοντος δέ τινα δίκην αὐτοῦ, καὶ τοῦ μὲν κατηγόρου εὖ εἰρηκότος τοῦ δὲ ἀπολογουμένου φαύλως, λέγοντος δὲ πρὸς ἕκαστα Ἀγησίλαε, δεῖ τὸν βασιλέα τοῖς νόμοις βοηθεῖν, καὶ τὴν οἰκίαν ἔφη εἴ τίς σοι διέσκαπτε καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον εἰ ἀφῃρεῖτο, προσεδέχου ἂν τὸν οἰκοδόμον ἢ τὸν τὸ ἱμάτιον ὑφάναντα ἐπικουρήσειν σοι;

[¶59] 2.69. After the peace was made, a letter from the king of Persia was brought to him, of which the Persian with Gallias the Spartan was the bearer, in regard to hospitality and friendship; but Agesilaus would not receive it, bidding the man to take back word to the king that there was no need to send letters to him personally; that if the king showed himself to be a friend to Sparta and well disposed towards Greece, he himself, to the very best of his power, would be a friend to the king. But if the king should be caught plotting against Greece, he went on to say, “even if I receive many letters, let him not believe that he shall have me for a friend.”

> Greek: 2.69. ἐπιστολῆς δὲ αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ Περσῶν βασιλέως κομισθείσης, τῆς εἰρήνης γενομένης ἣν ὁ μετὰ Καλλίου τοῦ Λακεδαιμονίου Πέρσης ἤνεγκε, περὶ ξενίας καὶ φιλίας, οὐκ ἔλαβεν εἰπὼν ἀπαγγεῖλαι βασιλεῖ ὡς ἰδίᾳ μὲν πρὸς αὐτὸν οὐδὲν δέοι ἐπιστολὰς πέμπειν· ἢν δὲ φίλος τῇ Λακεδαίμονι καὶ τῇ Ἑλλάδι εὔνους ὢν φαίνηται, ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸς φίλος αὐτῷ κατὰ κράτος ἔσοιτο· ἐάν μέντοι ἐπιβουλεύων ἁλίσκηται, μηδʼ ἂν πάνυ πολλὰς δέχωμαι ἐπιστολάς, πιστευέτω φίλον με ἕξειν.

[¶60] 2.70. He was unusually fond of children, and it is said that at home he used to mount astride a stick as a hobby-horse and play with his children when they were little. But when he was seen thus by one of his friends, he begged the man to tell nobody before he had children of his own.

> Greek: 2.70. φιλοτεκνότατος δʼ ὢν διαφερόντως, λέγεται ὅτι μικροῖς τοῖς παιδίοις κάλαμον περιβεβηκὼς ὥσπερ ἵππον οἴκοι συνέπαιζεν· ὀφθεὶς δὲ ὑπό τινος τῶν φίλων παρεκάλει μηδενὶ φράζειν, πρὶν καὶ αὐτὸς πατὴρ παίδων γένηται.

[¶61] 2.71. He made war continually upon the Thebans, and when he was wounded in the battle, they say that Antalcidas exclaimed, “This is a fine reward which you are receiving from the Thebans for giving them lessons in fighting when they had no desire to fight, and no knowledge even of fighting!” For, as a fact, they say that the Thebans at that time were more warlike than they had ever been before, owing to the many campaigns of the Spartans against them. It was for this reason that Lycurgus of old, in his so-called “Decrees,” forbade campaigning frequently against the same peoples, so that these should not learn to make war.

> Greek: 2.71. συνεχῶς δὲ αὐτοῦ τοῖς Θηβαίοις πολεμοῦντος καὶ τρωθέντος ἐν τῇ μάχῃ, φασὶ τὸν Ἀνταλκίδαν εἰπεῖν καλὰ τὰ διδασκάλια παρὰ Θηβαίων ἀπολαμβάνεις, μὴ βουλομένους αὐτοὺς μηδʼ ἐπισταμένους μάχεσθαι διδάξας. τῷ γὰρ ὄντι Θηβαίους αὐτοὺς ἑαυτῶν πολεμικωτάτους τότε φασὶ γενέσθαι ταῖς πολλαῖς στρατείαις τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων ἐπʼ αὐτούς. διὸ καὶ Λυκοῦργος ὁ παλαιὸς ἐν ταῖς καλουμέναις Ῥήτραις ἀπεῖπε πολλάκις ἐπὶ τοὺς αὐτοὺς στρατεύειν ὅπως πολεμεῖν μὴ μανθάνωσιν.

[¶62] 2.72. When he heard once that the allies had come to be disaffected because of the continual campaigning (for they in great numbers followed the Spartans who were but few), wishing to bring their numbers to the proof, he gave orders that the allies all sit down together indiscriminately and the Spartans separately by themselves; and then, through the herald, he commanded the potters to stand up first; and when these had done so, he commanded the smiths to stand up next, and then the carpenters in turn, and the builders, and each of the other trades. As a result, pretty nearly all of the allies stood up, but of the Spartans not a single one; for there was a prohibition against their practising or learning any menial calling. And so Agesilaus, with a laugh, said, “You see, men, how many more soldiers we send out than you do.”

> Greek: 2.72. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἤκουσέ ποτε δυσχερᾶναι τοὺς συμμάχους διὰ τὰς συνεχεῖς στρατείας, ὀλίγοις οὖσι τοῖς Λακεδαιμονίοις πολλοὺς ἀκολουθοῦντας, ἐλέγξαι βουλόμενος αὐτῶν τὸ πλῆθος ἐκέλευσεν ἅπαντας. τοὺς συμμάχους καθίσαι μετʼ ἀλλήλων ἀναμεμιγμένους, ἰδίᾳ δὲ τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους ἐφʼ ἑαυτῶν εἶτα ἐκήρυττε τοὺς κεραμεῖς ἀνίστασθαι πρώτους, ὡς δὲ ἀνέστησαν οὗτοι, δευτέρους ἐκήρυττε τοὺς χαλκεῖς, εἶτα τέκτονας ἐφεξῆς καὶ οἰκοδόμους, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τεχνῶν ἑκάστην. πάντες οὖν ὀλίγου δεῖν ἀνέστησαν οἱ σύμμαχοι, τῶν δὲ Λακεδαιμονίων οὐδείς· ἀπείρητο γὰρ αὐτοῖς τέχνην ἐργάζεσθαι καὶ μανθάνειν βάναυσον. οὕτω δὴ γελάσας ὁ Ἀγησίλαος ὁρᾶτε εἶπεν ὦ ἄνδρες, ὅσῳ πλείονας ὑμῶν στρατιώτας ἐκπέμπομεν ἡμεῖς;

[¶63] 2.73. In the battle of Leuctra many Spartans ran away to escape the enemy, and these were liable to disgrace as provided by the law. The Ephors, seeing the State bereft of men when it was in great need of soldiers, wished to do away with the disgrace, and also to observe the laws. Accordingly they chose Agesilaus as lawgiver; and he, coming into the public meeting, said, “I would not become a lawgiver to enact another set of laws, for in the present laws I would make no addition, subtraction, or revision. It is good that our present laws be in full force, beginning with the morrow.”

> Greek: 2.73. ἐν δὲ τῇ περὶ Λεῦκτρα μάχῃ, πολλῶν Λακεδαιμονίων φυγόντων καὶ τούτων ταῖς ἐκ τοῦ νόμου αἰτίαις ὑπευθύνων ὄντων, οἱ ἔφοροι ἔρημον ἀνδρῶν τὴν πόλιν ὁρῶντες δεομένην στρατιωτῶν ἐβούλοντο τὴν ἀτιμίαν λῦσαι καὶ τοὺς νόμους τηρεῖν. αἱροῦνται οὖν νομοθέτην τὸν Ἀγησίλαον ὁ δὲ προσελθὼν εἰς τὸ δημόσιον νομοθέτης μὲν οὐκ ἂν γενοίμην ἑτέρων νόμων εἶπε, τοῖς γὰρ οὖσιν οὔτʼ ἂν προσθείην τι οὔτʼ ἂν ἀφέλοιμι οὔτε μεταποιήσαιμι· τοὺς δὲ ὄντας ἡμῖν νόμους κυρίους εἶναι καλῶς ἔχον ἐστὶν ἀπὸ τῆς αὔριον.

[¶64] 2.74. Although Epameinondas came on with such an overwhelming tide, and the Thebans and their allies were boasting mightily over the victory, nevertheless Agesilaus kept him out of the city and made him turn back, although the number of persons in the city was very small.

> Greek: 2.74. τὸν δʼ Ἐπαμεινώνδαν ἐπελθόντα μετὰ τοσούτου ῥεύματος καὶ κλύδωνος, τῶν Θηβαίων καὶ συμμάχων μεγαλαυχουμένων ἐπὶ τῇ νίκῃ, ὅμως εἶρξε τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἀναστρέψαι ἐποίησεν, ὀλίγων ὄντων τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει.

[¶65] 2.75. In the battle of Mantineia he urged the Spartans to pay no attention to any of the others, but to fight against Epameinondas, for he said that only men of intelligence are valiant and may be counted upon to bring victory; if, therefore, they could make away with that one man, they would very easily reduce the others to subjection; for these were unintelligent and worthless. And so it came to pass. For while the victory rested with Epameinondas, and the rout of the enemy was complete, as he turned and was cheering on his men, one of the Spartans struck him a fatal blow; and when he had fallen, Agesilaus’s men, rallying from their flight, made the victory hang in the balance, and the Thebans showed themselves far inferior, and the Spartans far superior.

> Greek: 2.75. ἐν δὲ τῇ περὶ Μαντίνειαν μάχῃ παρεκελεύσατο τοῖς Λακεδαιμονίοις τοὺς ἄλλους ἐάσαντας πάντας Ἐπαμεινώνδᾳ μάχεσθαι, μόνους λέγων τοὺς ἔμφρονας ἀνδρείους εἶναι καὶ μόνους νίκης αἰτίους ὑπάρχειν· εἰ οὖν τοῦτον ἀνέλοιμεν, ῥᾷστα τοῦ ἄλλους ὑποχειρίους ποιήσειν· ἄφρονας γὰρ εἶναι καὶ οὐδενὸς ἀξίους. ὃ καὶ συνέβη· τῆς γὰρ νίκης σὺν Ἐπαμεινώνδᾳ οὔσης καὶ φυγῆς γενομένης, ἐπιστραφέντα αὐτὸν καὶ ἀνακαλούμενον τοὺς ἰδίους τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων τις καιρίως ἐπάταξε, καὶ πεσόντος ἀναστρέψαντες ἀπὸ τῆς φυγῆς οἱ σὺν Ἀγησιλάῳ ἐφάμιλλον τὴν νίκην ἐποίησαν, παρὰ πολὺ μὲν τῶν Θηβαίων χειρόνων παρὰ πολὺ δὲ τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων ἀμεινόνων φανέντων.

[¶66] 2.76. When Sparta was in need of money for war, and was supporting a mercenary force, Agesilaus set out for Egypt, having been summoned by the king of the Egyptians for a goodly remuneration. But because of the simplicity of his clothes he came into contempt among the people there; for they had been expecting that they should see the king of Sparta, like the king of Persia, with his person magnificently apparelled-a sorry opinion for them to hold regarding kings. At any rate, he showed them, before they were done with him, that the proper way to acquire greatness and distinction is by understanding and manly virtues.

> Greek: 2.76. χρημάτων δὲ δεομένης τῆς Σπάρτης πρὸς πόλεμον καὶ ξενοτροφούσης ἐπορεύθη ὁ Ἀγησίλαος εἰς Αἴγυπτον μεταπεμφθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως Αἰγυπτίων ἐπὶ μισθῷ· διὰ δὲ τὸ λιτὸν τῆς ἐσθῆτος εἰς καταφρόνησιν ἦλθε τοῖς ἐγχωρίοις· προσεδόκων γὰρ τὸν Σπάρτης βασιλέα καθάπερ τὸν Περσῶν κεκοσμημένον ὄψεσθαι διαπρεπῶς τὸ σῶμα, φαύλην ἔχοντες περὶ βασιλέων δόξαν. ἔδειξε γοῦν αὐτοῖς μεταξύ, ὡς τὸ μεγαλεῖον καὶ ἀξιόλογον νοήσει καὶ ἀνδρείᾳ κτᾶσθαι προσήκει.

[¶67] 2.77. When he saw that his men were on the point of capitulating, for fear of the oncoming danger because of the vast number of the enemy (two hundred thousand) and the small number with him, he determined, before drawing up the battle-line, to forestall this by a plan unknown to the others. And upon his hand he wrote the word victory with the letters turned towards the left. Then, as he received the liver from the priest, he placed it on the hand which had the writing upon it. Holding it for rather a long time, he showed perplexity, and kept up a pretence of not knowing what to do, until the marks of the letters had been taken up by the liver and imprinted upon it. Then he exhibited it to those who with him were to engage in the struggle, saying that the gods through the letters had revealed victory. So his men, feeling that they had a sure sign that they were to overcome the enemy, became bold for the battle.

> Greek: 2.77. ἐπεὶ δὲ τοὺς παρʼ αὐτῷ παραστήσεσθαι μέλλοντας ἑώρα δεδιότας τὸν ἐπιόντα κίνδυνον διὰ τὸ τῶν πολεμίων πλῆθος εἴκοσι γὰρ ἦσαν μυριάδες καὶ τὴν τῶν περὶ αὑτὸν ὀλιγότητα, πρὸ τῆς παρατάξεως ἔγνω προθύσασθαι ἀσυνειδήτως τοῖς ἄλλοις· καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἀριστερὰν ὑπεστρωμένῃ τῇ χειρὶ νίκην προσέγραψε. καὶ λαβὼν παρὰ τοῦ μάντεως τὸ ἧπαρ ἐπέθηκε μὲν ἐπὶ τὴν ὑπογεγραμμένην χεῖρα· κρατῶν δὲ ἐφʼ ἱκανὸν χρόνον ὑπέφαινε δισταγμὸν καὶ προσποίησιν εἶχεν ἀποροῦντος, μέχρι τῷ ἥπατι συναναληφθέντες ἐτυπώθησαν οἱ τῶν γραμμάτων χαρακτῆρες. καὶ τότε τοῖς συναγωνίζεσθαι μέλλουσιν ἐπεδείκνυε, φάμενος τοὺς θεοὺς διὰ τῶν γεγραμμένων ἐκφῆναι νίκην. ἀσφαλὲς οὖν τεκμήριον δόξαντες ἔχειν τοῦ κρατῆσαι ἐθάρρησαν πρὸς τὴν μάχην.

[¶68] 2.78. While the enemy were digging a ditch to surround his position (as they could do by reason of their vast numbers), and Nectanabis, with whom he was allied, was insistent upon a sortie and a decisive battle, Agesilaus said that he would not hinder the enemy in their desire to put themselves on equal terms with the defenders. And when the trench lacked but little of completion, he drew up his men in the open space between the ends, and, fighting with equal numbers against equal numbers, he routed the enemy with great slaughter by means of few soldiers with him, and sent home much money for the State.

> Greek: 2.78. περιταφρευόντων δὲ τῶν πολεμίων τὸ στρατόπεδον αὐτοῦ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος, καὶ Νεκτανάβιος, ᾧ συνεμάχει, ἀξιοῦντος ἐπεξιέναι καὶ διαμάχεσθαι, οὐκ ἔφη διακωλύσειν τοὺς πολεμίους ἴσους αὐτοῖς γενέσθαι βουλομένους. ἔτι δὲ μικρὸν ἀπολιπούσης τῆς τάφρου συνάψαι, κατὰ τοῦτο παρατάξας τὸ διαλεῖπον καὶ πρὸς ἴσους ἴσοις ἀγωνισάμενος τροπὴν ἐποιήσατο καὶ πολὺν φόνον τῶν πολεμίων ὀλίγοις τοῖς περὶ αὑτὸν στρατιώταις καὶ χρήματα πολλὰ τῇ πόλει διεπέμψατο.

[¶69] 2.79. On his way home from Egypt death came to him, and in his last hours he gave directions to those with him that they should not cause to be made any sculptured or painted or imitative representation of his person. “For if I have done any goodly deed, that shall be my memorial; but if not, then not all the statues in the world, the works of menial and worthless men, will avail.”

> Greek: 2.79. κατὰ δὲ τὸν Αἰγύπτου ἀπόπλουν ἀποθνήσκων ἐνετείλατο τοῖς περὶ αὑτὸν μήτε πλαστὰν μήτε γραπτὰν μήτε μιμηλὰν τοῦ σώματος εἰκόνα ποιήσασθαι, εἰ γάρ τι καλὸν ἔργον πεποίηκα, τοῦτό μου μνημεῖον ἔσται· εἰ δὲ μή, οὐδʼ οἱ πάντες ἀνδριάντες, βαναύσων καὶ οὐδενὸς ἀξίων ἔργα ὄντες.

[¶70] 3.1. Agesipolis, son of Cleombrotus, when somebody said that Philip in a few days had razed Olynthus to the ground, said, “By Heaven, he will not build another like it in many years!”

> Greek: 3.1. Ἀγησίπολις ὁ Κλεομβρότου, εἰπόντος τινὸς ὅτι Φίλιππος ἐν ὀλίγαις ἡμέραις Ὄλυνθον κατέσκαψε, μὰ τοὺς θεούς εἶπεν ἄλλην τοιαύτην ἐν πολλαπλασίονι χρόνῳ οὐκ οἰκοδομήσει.