---
title: "Sayings of Spartans · Apophthegmata Laconica"
author: "Plutarch"
translator: "Frank Cole Babbitt"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Philosophy"
section: 2 of 4
url: https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-sayings-of-spartans/2/
cite: "Plutarch, tr. Frank Cole Babbitt, Sayings of Spartans · Apophthegmata Laconica, section 2. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-sayings-of-spartans/2/"
---

# 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.

## 2. Chapters 3–43

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-sayings-of-spartans/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/plutarch-sayings-of-spartans/2/#p-N

[¶0] 3.2. When someone else remarked that he while king had been made hostage with those in the prime of life, and not their children or their women, he said, “That is but just, for it is good that we ourselves should bear the consequences of our own mistakes.”

> Greek: 3.2. ἄλλου δὲ εἰπόντος ὅτι μετὰ τῶν ἀκμαζόντων βασιλεύων ὡμήρευσε καὶ οὐχ οἱ παῖδες οὐδʼ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν, δικαίως εἶπεν αὐτοὺς γὰρ ἡμᾶς καλῶς ἔχον ἐστὶ τὰς αὑτῶν ἁμαρτίας φέρειν.

[¶1] 3.3. When he wished to send for some dogs from home, and someone said, “There is no such export permitted from there,” he said, “Nor was there of men before this; but now it has been done!”

> Greek: 3.3. βουλομένου δʼ αὐτοῦ σκύλακας οἴκοθεν μεταπέμψασθαι, ὥς τις εἶπεν οὐκ ἔστιν ἐξαγωγὴ παρʼ αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀνδρῶν ἔφη πρόσθεν, ἀλλὰ νῦν ἐγένετο.

[¶2] 4.1. Agesipolis, the son of Pausanias, when the Athenians offered to accept the city of Megara as arbitrator regarding some complaints which they had each against the other, said, “It is a shame, men of Athens, that those who have held the hegemony of the Greeks should know less about justice than the Megarians.”

> Greek: 4.1. Ἀγησίπολις ὁ Παυσανίου, Ἀθηναίων πρὸς αὐτὸν περὶ ὧν εἶχον πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐγκλημάτων τὴν τῶν Μεγαρέων πόλιν ἔκκλητον λαμβανόντων, αἰσχρόν ἔφη ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, τοὺς ἀφηγησαμένους τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἧσσον εἰδέναι Μεγαρέων τὸ δίκαιον.

[¶3] 5.1. Once upon a time the Ephors said to Agis the son of Archidamus, “Take the young men and march against the country of this man here. He will himself guide you to its citadel.” “And how, sirs,” said Agis, “is it right to entrust so many youths to a man who is betraying his own country?” Being asked what form of instruction was most in vogue in Sparta, he said, “Knowledge of how to rule and to be ruled.”

> Greek: 5.1. Ἆγις ὁ Ἀρχιδάμου, τῶν ἐφόρων ποτὲ εἰπόντων βάδιζε τοὺς ἡβῶντας ἔχων ἐπὶ τὴν τούτου πατρίδα· ἡγήσεται δέ σοι αὐτὸς οὗτος ἐπὶ τὴν ἀκρόπολιν, καὶ πῶς εἶπε καλῶς ἔχον ἐστίν, ὦ ἔφοροι, τοσούτους νέους πιστεύειν τῷ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πατρίδα προδιδόντι ἐρωτηθεὶς δὲ τί μάλιστα μάθημα ἐν Σπάρτῃ ἀσκεῖται τὸ γινώσκειν εἶπεν ἄρχειν τε καὶ ἄρχεσθαι.

[¶4] 5.3. He said that the Spartans did not ask “how many are the enemy,” but “where are they?”

> Greek: 5.3. οὐκ ἔφη δὲ τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους ἐρωτᾶν πόσοι εἰσὶν οἱ πολέμιοι, ἀλλὰ ποῦ εἰσίν.

[¶5] 5.4. When, at Mantineia, he was not permitted to risk a decisive battle with the enemy, who outnumbered his men, he said, “He who would rule over many must fight with many.”

> Greek: 5.4. ἐν δὲ Μαντινείᾳ κωλυόμενος διαμάχεσθαι τοῖς πολεμίοις πλείοσιν οὖσιν, εἶπεν ἀνάγκη πολλοῖς μάχεσθαι τὸν ἄρχειν πολλῶν βουλόμενον.

[¶6] 5.5. When someone inquired how many Spartans there were, he said, “Enough to keep all bad men away.”

> Greek: 5.5. πυνθανομένου δέ τινος πόσοι εἰσὶν οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι, ὅσοι ἱκανοί εἶπε τοὺς κακοὺς ἀπερύκειν.

[¶7] 5.6. As he was going about among the walls of the Corinthians and observed that they were high and towering and vast in extent, he said, “What women live in that place?”

> Greek: 5.6. διερχόμενος δὲ τὰ τῶν Κορινθίων τείχη καὶ θεασάμενος ὑψηλά τε καὶ ὀχυρὰ ἐπὶ πολύ τε παρατείνοντα, τίνες εἶπεν αἳ τὸν τόπον κατοικοῦσι γυναῖκες;

[¶8] 5.7. When a lecturer said, “Speech is the most important thing of all,” he retorted, “Then if you are silent, you are of no worth at all!”

> Greek: 5.7. σοφιστοῦ δέ τινος εἰπόντος πάντων λόγος ἐστὶ κράτιστον, οὐκοῦν ἔφη σὺ ἐὰν σιωπᾷς οὐδενὸς ἄξιος εἶ.

[¶9] 5.8. When the Argives, after their defeat, met him again with greater boldness, and he saw that his allies were greatly perturbed, he said, “Do not be afraid, men; for when we who are victorious are frightened, what do you think those vanquished by us are doing?”

> Greek: 5.8. ὡς δὲ Ἀργεῖοι μετὰ τὴν ἧτταν ἀπήντων αὐτῷ πάλιν θρασύτερον, ταρασσομένους ὁρῶν τοὺς συμμάχους θαρρεῖτε εἶπεν ὦ ἄνδρες· ὅπου γὰρ ἡμεῖς οἱ νικῶντες ὀρρωδοῦμεν, τί δοκεῖτε ποιεῖν τοὺς ὑφʼ ἡμῶν νενικημένους;

[¶10] 5.9. In answer to the ambassador from Abdera, who, after winding up a long discourse, asked him what report he should make to his people at home, he said, “Report that during all the time you wanted to speak I listened in silence.”

> Greek: 5.9. πρὸς δὲ τὸν ἐκ τῶν Ἀβδήρων πρεσβευτήν, ὅτε κατεπαύσατο πολλὰ εἰπών, ἐρωτῶντα τί τοῖς πολίταις ἀπαγγείλῃ, ὅτι ἔφη ὅσον σὺ χρόνον λέγειν ἔχρῃζες, τοσοῦτον ἐγὼ σιωπῶν ἤκουον.

[¶11] 5.10. When some commended the people of Elis because they were very just in conducting the Olympic games, he said, “What great or marvellous accomplishment is it if they practise justice on one day only in four years?”

> Greek: 5.10. ἐπαινούντων δέ τινων Ἠλείους, ὅτι δικαιότατοί εἰσι περὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα τῶν Ὀλυμπίων, καὶ τί μέγα εἶπεν ἢ θαυμαστὸν ποιοῦσιν, εἰ ἐν ἔτεσι πέντε μιᾷ μόνον ἡμέρᾳ δικαιοσύνῃ χρῶνται;

[¶12] 5.11. In answer to those who said that some members of the other royal house were jealous of him he said, “So then, their own ill fortune will make them miserable and, besides that, the good fortune of myself and of my friends.”

> Greek: 5.11. πρὸς δὲ τοὺς φάσκοντας ὅτι φθονοῦσί τινες αὐτῷ τῶν ἐκ τῆς ἑτέρας οἰκίας, οὐκοῦν ἔφη τὰ ἴδια αὐτοὺς κακὰ λυπήσει, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις τά τε ἐμὰ καὶ τὰ τῶν ἐμῶν φίλων ἀγαθά.

[¶13] 5.12. When someone proffered the advice that they ought to give a passage-way to those of the enemy who were fleeing, he said, “And how, if we do not fight those who because of cowardice are fleeing, shall we fight those who because of bravery stand their ground?”

> Greek: 5.12. συμβουλεύοντος δέ τινος ὅτι δεῖ τοῖς φεύγουσι τῶν πολεμίων διδόναι δίοδον, καὶ πῶς ἔφη τοῖς διὰ δειλίαν φεύγουσι μὴ μαχόμενοι τοῖς διʼ ἀνδρείαν μένουσι μαχεσόμεθα.

[¶14] 5.13. When someone brought forward a plan, for the freedom of the Greeks, which, while not lacking idealism, was difficult to put into practice, he said, “Your words, my friend, need the backing of power and money.”

> Greek: 5.13. προφερομένου δέ τινος περὶ τῆς τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐλευθερίας οὐκ ἀγεννῆ μέν, δυσχερῆ δὲ ἐπιτελεσθῆναι, προσδέονταί σου ὦ ξένε ἔφη οἱ λόγοι δυνάμεως καὶ χρημάτων.

[¶15] 5.14. When someone said that Philip would make Greece forbidden ground to them, he said, “It is quite enough, my friend, for us to go and come within the confines of our own land.”

> Greek: 5.14. λέγοντος δέ τινος ὅτι Φίλιππος αὐτοῖς ἀνεπίβατον τὴν Ἑλλάδα ποιήσει, ἱκανὴ ἡμῖν ἔφη ὦ ξένε ἡ ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἀναστροφή.

[¶16] 5.15. An ambassador who had come from Perinthus to Sparta made a long harangue; and when he had stopped speaking and asked Agis what report he should make to the people of Perinthus, Agis said, “What else except that it was hard for you to stop speaking, and that I said nothing?”

> Greek: 5.15. πρεσβευτὴς ἐκ Περίνθου παραγενόμενος εἰς Λακεδαίμονα ἐμακρηγόρει· ὡς δὲ ἐπαύσατο λέγων καὶ ἠρώτα τὸν Ἆγιν τί δεῖ τοῖς Περινθίοις ἀπαγγεῖλαι, τί δʼ ἄλλο ἔφη ἢ ὅτι σὺ μὲν μόλις ἐπαύσω λέγων, ἐγὼ δὲ σιωπῶν;

[¶17] 5.16. He came alone on an embassy to Philip, and when Philip exclaimed, “What is this? Have you come all alone?”, he said, “Yes, for I came to only one man.”

> Greek: 5.16. πρεσβεύων δὲ μόνος ἧκε πρὸς Φίλιππον· εἰπόντος δʼ ἐκείνου τί τοῦτο; μόνος ἥκεις; ἔφη καὶ γὰρ πρὸς ἕνα.

[¶18] 5.17. When one of the elderly men said to him in his old age, inasmuch as he saw the good old customs falling into desuetude, and other mischievous prae tices creeping in, that for this reason everything was getting to be topsy-turvy in Sparta, Agis said humorously, “Things are then but following a logical course if that is what is happening; for when I was a boy, I used to hear from my father that everything was topsy-turvy among them; and my father said that, when he was a boy, his father had said this to him; so nobody ought to be surprised if conditions later are worse than those earlier, but rather to wonder if they grow better or remain approximately the same.”

> Greek: 5.17. φήσαντος δέ τινος τῶν πρεσβυτέρων πρὸς αὐτὸν γηραιὸν ὄντα, ἐπειδὴ τὰ ἀρχαῖα νόμιμα ἐκλυόμενα ἑώρα ἄλλα δὲ παρεισδυόμενα μοχθηρά, διότι τὰ ἄνω κάτω ἤδη γίνεται ἐν τῇ Σπάρτῃ, παίζων εἶπε κατὰ λόγον οὕτω προβαίνει τὰ πράγματα, εἰ τοῦτο γίνεται· καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ παῖς ὢν ἤκουον παρὰ τοῦ πατρός, ὅτι τὰ ἄνω κάτω γέγονε παρʼ αὐτοῖς· ἔφη δὲ καὶ τὸν πατέρα αὐτῷ παιδὶ ὄντι τοῦτο εἰρηκέναι· ὥστε οὐ χρὴ θαυμάζειν, εἰ χείρω τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα τῶν προτέρων, ἀλλʼ εἴ που βελτίω καὶ παραπλήσια γένοιτο.

[¶19] 5.18. Being asked how one could be a free man all his life, he said, “By feeling contempt for death.”

> Greek: 5.18. ἐρωτηθεὶς δὲ πῶς ἄν τις ἐλεύθερος διαμένοι, θανάτου καταφρονῶν ἔφη.

[¶20] 6.1. The younger Agis, when Demades said that the jugglers who swallow swords use the Spartan swords because of their shortness, retorted, “But all the same the Spartans reach their enemies with their swords.”

> Greek: 6.1. Ἆγις ὁ νεώτερος, Δημάδου λέγοντος ὅτι τὰ Λακωνικὰ ξίφη διὰ μικρότητα καταπίνουσιν οἱ θαυματοποιοί, καὶ μήν ἔφη οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι τῶν πολεμίων τοῖς ξίφεσιν ἐφικνοῦνται.

[¶21] 6.2. In answer to a base man who asked repeatedly who was the best Spartan, he said, “The one most unlike you.”

> Greek: 6.2. πρὸς δὲ ἄνθρωπον πονηρὸν ἐρωτῶντα πολλάκις τίς ἄριστος εἴη Σπαρτιάτης ὁ σοὶ ἀνομοιότατος.

[¶22] 7.1. Agis, the last of the kings of Sparta, was arrested as the result of treachery and condemned by the Ephors without a trial. As he was being led away to the halter he saw one of the officers weeping, and said, “Stop your weeping for me, man. For in spite of my being put to death in such defiance of law and justice, I am superior to those who are taking my life.” With these words he willingly offered his neck for the noose.

> Greek: 7.1. Ἆγις ὁ τελευταῖος τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων βασιλέων ἐξ ἐνέδρας συλληφθεὶς καὶ καταδικασθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἐφόρων χωρὶς δίκης, ἀπαγόμενος ἐπὶ τὸν βρόχον ἰδών τινα τῶν ὑπηρετῶν κλαίοντα, παῦσαι εἶπεν ὦ ἄνθρωπε ἐπʼ ἐμοὶ κλαίειν· καὶ γὰρ οὕτω παρανόμως καὶ ἀδίκως ἀπολλύμενος, κρείσσων εἰμὶ τῶν ἀναιρούντων. καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν παρέδωκε τῷ βρόχῳ τὸν τράχηλον ἑκουσίως Ἀκρότατος, ἐπεὶ οἱ γονεῖς αὐτὸν ἄδικόν τι συμπρᾶξαι αὐτοῖς ἠξίουν, μέχρι τινὸς ἀντέλεγεν·

[¶23] 8.1. Acrotatus, when his parents claimed it was his duty to co-operate with them in some unjust action, spoke in opposition up to a certain limit. But when they insisted, he said, “While I was with you, I had not the slightest idea of justice; but since you have surrendered me to our country and its laws, and, besides, have had me instructed in justice and honourable conduct so far as lay in your power, I shall try to follow these rather than you. And since your wish is for me to do what is best, and since what is just is best both for a private citizen, and much more so for a ruler, I will do what you wish; but as for what you propose I shall beg to be excused.”

> Greek: 8.1. ὡς δὲ ἐνέκειντο, εἶπεν ἕως μὲν παρʼ ὑμῖν ἦν, οὐκ ἠπιστάμην δικαιοσύνης οὐδεμίαν ἔννοιαν ἐπεὶ δὲ με τῇ πατρίδι παρέδοτε καὶ τοῖς ταύτης νόμοις, ἔτι δὲ δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ καλοκαγαθίᾳ ἐπαιδεύσατε ὡς ἠδύνασθε, τούτοις πειράσομαι ἢ ὑμῖν ἕπεσθαι· καὶ ἐπεὶ θέλετε ἄριστα πράττειν, ἄριστα δὲ τὰ δίκαιά ἐστι καὶ ἰδιώτῃ καὶ πολὺ μᾶλλον ἄρχοντι, πράξω ἃ θέλετε ἃ δὲ λέγετε παραιτήσομαι.

[¶24] 9.1. Alcamenes, the son of Teleclus, when somebody inquired how a man could best keep a kingdom secure, said, “If he should not hold his own advantage too high.”

> Greek: 9.1. Ἀλκαμένης ὁ Τηλέκλου, πυθομένου τινὸς πῶς ἄν τις ἄριστα βασιλείαν διατηροίη, εἰ περὶ πλείονος ἔφη τὸ κέρδος μὴ ποιοῖτο.

[¶25] 9.2. When another person sought to know the reason why he did not accept gifts from the Messenians, he said, “Because if I took the gifts, it would be impossible to maintain peace with impartial regard for the laws.”

> Greek: 9.2. ἑτέρου δὲ ἐπιζητοῦντος διὰ τί παρὰ Μεσσηνίων δῶρα οὐκ ἐδέξατο, ὅτι λαβόντος μου ἔφη πρὸς τοὺς νόμους εἰρήνην ἄγειν ἀδύνατον.

[¶26] 9.3. When someone said that he lived a straitened life while possessed of plenty of property, he said, “Yes, for it is a noble thing for one who possesses much to live according to reason and not according to his desires.”

> Greek: 9.3. λέγοντος δέ τινος ὅτι συνεσταλμένως ζῇ ἱκανὴν οὐσίαν κεκτημένος, καλὸν γάρ ἔφη πολλὰ κεκτημένον ζῆν κατὰ λογισμὸν καὶ μὴ κατὰ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν.

[¶27] 10.1. Anaxandridas, the son of Leo. in answer to a man who took much to heart the sentence imposed upon him of exile from the country, said, “My good sir, be not downcast at being an exile from your country but at being an exile from justice.”

> Greek: 10.1. Ἀναξανδρίδας ὁ Λέοντος πρὸς τὸν δυσφοροῦντα διὰ τὴν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως αὐτῷ γενομένην φυγὴν ὦ λῷστε ἔφη μὴ τὴν πόλιν φεύγων ὀρρώδει, ἀλλὰ τὴν δικαιοσύνην.

[¶28] 10.2. To a man who told the Ephors of things that were needful, but spoke at greater length than would have sufficed, he said, “My friend, in needless time you dwell upon the need!” When someone inquired why they put their fields in the hands of the Helots, and did not take care of them themselves, he said, “It was by not taking care of the fields, but of ourselves, that we acquired those fields.”

> Greek: 10.2. τῷ δὲ τοῖς ἐφόροις τὰ δέοντα μὲν λέγοντι πλείω δὲ τῶν ἱκανῶν ὦ ξένε ἔφη οὐκ ἐν δέοντι τῷ δέοντι χρῇ, πυνθανομένου δέ τινος διὰ τί τοῖς εἵλωσι τοὺς ἀγροὺς ἐγχειρίζουσι καὶ οὐκ αὐτοὶ ἐπιμελοῦνται, ὅτι ἔφη οὐ τούτων ἐπιμελούμενοι ἀλλʼ αὑτῶν αὐτοὺς ἐκτησάμεθα.

[¶29] 10.4. When someone else said that high repute works injury to men and that he who is freed from this will be happy, he retorted, “Then those who commit crimes would, according to your reasoning, be happy. For how could any man, in committing sacrilege or any other crime, be concerned over high repute?”

> Greek: 10.4. ἑτέρου δέ τινος λέγοντος, ὅτι βλάπτουσιν αἱ δόξαι καὶ ὅτι τούτων ὁ ἀπαλλαγεὶς εὐδαιμονήσει, οὐκοῦν οἱ τὰ ἄδικα ποιοῦντες ἔφη κατὰ τὸν σὸν λόγον εὐδαίμονες ἄν εἶεν· πῶς γὰρ ἄν τις ἱεροσυλῶν ἢ ἀδικῶν δόξης ἐπιμελοῖτο;

[¶30] 10.5. When another person asked why the Spartans, in their wars, ventured boldly into danger, he said, “Because we train ourselves to have regard for life and not, like others, to be timid about it.”

> Greek: 10.5. ἄλλου δὲ ἐρωτῶντος διὰ τί ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις Σπαρτιᾶται θαρσαλέως κινδυνεύουσιν, ὅτι ἔφη αἰδεῖσθαι περὶ βίου μελετῶμεν, οὐχ ὥσπερ οἱ ἄλλοι φοβεῖσθαι.

[¶31] 10.6. When someone asked him why the elders continue the trials of capital cases over several days, and why, even if the defendant is acquitted, he is none the less still under indictment, he said, “They take many days to decide, because, if they make an error in a capital case, there can be no reversal of the judgement; and the accused continues, perforce, to be under indictment of the law, because, under this law, it may be possible, by deliberation, to arrive at a better decision.”

> Greek: 10.6. ἐρωτῶντος δέ τινος αὐτὸν διὰ τί τὰς περὶ θανάτου δίκας πλείοσιν ἡμέραις οἱ γέροντες κρίνουσιν, κἂν ἀποφύγῃ τις, ἔτι οὐδὲν ἧσσόν ἐστιν ὑπόδικος, πολλαῖς μὲν ἔφη ἡμέραις κρίνουσι, ὅτι περὶ θανάτου τοῖς διαμαρτάνουσιν οὐκ ἔστι μεταβουλεύσασθαι· νόμῳ δὲ ὑπόδικον δεήσει εἶναι, ὅτι κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν νόμον ἂν εἴη καὶ τὸ κρείττονα βουλεύσασθαι.

[¶32] 11.1. Anaxander, the son of Eurycrates, when someone inquired why the Spartans did not amass money in the public treasury, said, “So that those made the guardians of it may not become corrupt.”

> Greek: 11.1. Ἀνάξανδρος ὁ Εὐρυκράτεος, πυνθανομένου τινὸς διὰ τί χρήματα οὐ συνάγουσιν εἰς τὸ δημόσιον, ὅπως ἔφη μὴ οἱ φύλακες αὐτῶν γινόμενοι διαφθείρωνται.

[¶33] 12.1. Anaxilas, in answer to the man who wondered why the Ephors did not rise and offer their places to the kings, d and this, too, although they were appointed to their position by the kings, said, “For the very same reason that they hold the office of Ephor.”

> Greek: 12.1. Ἀναξίλας πρὸς τὸν θαυμάζοντα διὰ τί οἱ ἔφοροι τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν οὐχ ὑπεξανίστανται, καὶ ταῦτα ὑπὸ τῶν βασιλέων καθιστάμενοι, διὰ τὴν αὐτὴν αἰτίαν ἔφη διʼ ἣν καὶ ἐφορεύουσιν.

[¶34] 13.1. Androcleidas the Spartan, who had a crippled leg, enrolled himself among the fighting-men. And when some persons were insistent that he be not accepted because he was crippled, he said, “But I do not have to run away, but to stay where I am when I fight the opposing foe.”

> Greek: 13.1. Ἀνδροκλείδας ὁ Λάκων πηρωθεὶς τὸ σκέλος κατέταξεν αὑτὸν εἰς τοὺς πολεμιστάς· ὡς δʼ ἐνίσταντό τινες διακωλύοντες ὅτι ἐπεπήρωτο, ἀλλʼ οὐ φεύγοντα εἶπε μένοντα δὲ δεῖ τοῖς ἀντιτεταγμένοις μάχεσθαι.

[¶35] 14.1. When Antalcidas was being initiated into the mysteries at Samothrace, he was asked by the priest what especially dreadful thing he had done during his life, and he replied, “If any such deed has been committed by me, the gods themselves will know it.”

> Greek: 14.1. Ἀνταλκίδας ἐν Σαμοθρᾴκῃ μυούμενος, ἐρωτηθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ ἱερέως τί δεινότερον δέδρακεν ἐν τῷ βίῳ, εἴ τί μοι πέπρακται τοιοῦτον, εἴσονται εἶπεν αὐτοὶ οἱ θεοί.

[¶36] 14.2. In answer to the Athenian who called the Spartans unlearned, he said, “At any rate we are the only people who have learned no evil from you.”

> Greek: 14.2. πρὸς δὲ τὸν ἀμαθεῖς καλοῦντα τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους Ἀθηναῖον μόνοι γοῦν εἶπεν ἡμεῖς οὐδὲν μεμαθήκαμεν παρʼ ὑμῶν κακόν.

[¶37] 14.3. When another Athenian said to him, “You must admit that we have many a time put you to rout from the Cephisus,” he retorted, “But we have never put you to rout from the Eur o t as.”

> Greek: 14.3. ἑτέρου δʼ Ἀθηναίου πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰπόντος ἀλλὰ μὴν ἡμεῖς ἀπὸ τοῦ Κηφισοῦ πολλάκις ὑμᾶς ἐδιώξαμεν, ἡμεῖς δέ ἔφη οὐδέποτε ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ Εὐρώτα.

[¶38] 14.4. Being asked how anybody could best make himself agreeable to people, he said, “If his conversation with them is most pleasant and his suggestions most profitable.”

> Greek: 14.4. ἐρωτηθεὶς δὲ πῶς ἄν τις μάλιστα ἀρέσκοι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, εἰ ἥδιστα μέν ἔφη αὐτοῖς διαλέγοιτο, ὠφελιμώτατα δὲ προσφέροιτο.

[¶39] 14.5. When a lecturer was about to read a laudatory essay on Heracles, he said, “Why, who says anything against him?”

> Greek: 14.5. σοφιστοῦ δὲ μέλλοντος ἀναγινώσκειν ἐγκώμιον Ἡρακλέους, τίς γὰρ αὐτόν ἔφη ψέγει;

[¶40] 14.6. When Agesilaus was wounded in battle by the Thebans, Antalcidas said to his face, “You have your just reward for the lessons in fighting you have given to that people who had no desire to fight and no knowledge even of fighting.” For it appeared that they had been made warlike by the continual campaigns of Agesilaus against them.

> Greek: 14.6. πρὸς Ἀγησίλαον πληγέντα ἐν μάχῃ ὑπὸ Θηβαίων ἀπέχεις εἶπε τὰ διδασκάλια, μὴ βουλομένους αὐτοὺς μηδʼ ἐπισταμένους μάχεσθαι διδάξας. ἐδόκουν γὰρ ταῖς συνεχέσιν ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς τοῦ Ἀγησιλάου στρατείαις μάχιμοι γεγονέναι.

[¶41] 14.7. He used to say that the young men were the walls of Sparta, and the points of their spears its boundaries.

> Greek: 14.7. τείχη δὲ ἔλεγεν εἶναι τῆς Σπάρτης τοὺς νέους, ὅρια δὲ τὰς ἐπιδορατίδας.

[¶42] 14.8. In answer to the man who sought to know why the Spartans use short daggers in war, he said, “Because we fight close to the enemy.”

> Greek: 14.8. πρὸς δὲ τὸν ἐπιζητοῦντα ὅ τι ἐγχειριδίοις βραχέσι κατὰ πόλεμον χρῶνται Λακεδαιμόνιοι, διότι εἶπε πλησίον τοῖς πολεμίοις μαχόμεθα.

[¶43] 15.1. Antiochus, when he was Ephor, hearing that Philip had given the Messenians their land, asked if he had also provided them with the power to prevail in fighting to keep it. Areus, when some men commended, not their own wives, but certain wives of other men, said, “By Heaven, there ought to be no random talk about fair and noble women, and their characters ought to be totally unknown save only to their consorts.”

> Greek: 15.1. Ἀντίοχος ἐφορεύων ὡς ἤκουσεν ὅτι Μεσσηνίοις Φίλιππος τὴν χώραν ἔδωκεν, ἠρώτησεν εἰ καὶ δύναμιν αὐτοῖς παρέσχετο ὥστε μαχομένους περὶ τῆς χώρας κρατεῖν Ἄρευς, ἐπαινούντων τινῶν οὐκ ἰδίας ἀλλά τινας τῶν ἀλλοτρίων γυναικῶν, μὰ τοὺς θεοὺς εἶπε περὶ τῶν καλῶν κἀγαθῶν γυναικῶν οὐδένα δεῖ λόγον εἰκῆ λέγεσθαι, ἀγνοεῖσθαι δʼ αὐτὰς τὸ παράπαν, ὁποῖαι τυγχάνουσι, πλὴν μόνοις τοῖς συμβιοῦσι.

[¶44] 16.2. Once upon a time, when he was passing through Selinus in Sicily, he saw inscribed upon a monument this elegiac couplet: Here at Selinus these men, who tyrc.nny strove to extinguish, Brazen-clad Ares laid low; nigh to our gates were they slain. Whereupon he said, “You certainly deserved to die for trying to extinguish tyranny when it was ablaze; rather you ought to have let it burn itself out completely.”

> Greek: 16.2. διὰ Σελινοῦντος δέ ποτε τῆς Σικελίας πορευόμενος ἰδὼν ἐπὶ μνήματος ἐλεγεῖον ἐπιγεγραμμένον
σβεννύντας ποτὲ τούσδε τυραννίδα χάλκεος Ἄρης
εἷλε· Σελινοῦντος δʼ ἀμφὶ πύλαις ἔθανον, δικαίως ἔφη ἀπεθάνετε τυραννίδα καιομένην ἀποσβεννύναι ἐπιχειρήσαντες· τοὐναντίον γὰρ ἔδει ὅλην αὐτὴν ἀφεῖναι κατακαῆναι.

[¶45] 17.1. When someone commended the maxim of Cleomenes, who, on being asked what a good king ought to do, said, “To do good to his friends and evil to his enemies,” Ariston said, “How much better, my good sir, to do good to our friends, and to make friends of our enemies?” This, which is universally conceded to be one of Socrates’ maxims, is also referred to Ariston.

> Greek: 17.1. Ἀρίστων, ἐπαινοῦντός τινος τὴν τοῦ Κλεομένους χρείαν, ὅτι ἐρωτηθεὶς τί δεῖ τὸν ἀγαθὸν βασιλέα ποιεῖν εἶπε τοὺς μὲν φίλους εὐεργετεῖν τοὺς δὲ ἐχθροὺς κακῶς ποιεῖν· καὶ πόσῳ κρεῖσσον ἔφη ὦ λῷστε, τοὺς μὲν φίλους εὐεργετεῖν τοὺς δὲ ἐχθροὺς φίλους ποιεῖν; αὕτη Σωκράτους ὁμολογουμένη πρὸς πάντων χρεία οὖσα καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἀναφέρεται.

[¶46] 17.2. When someone inquired how many Spartans there were in all, he said, “Enough to keep away our enemies.”

> Greek: 17.2. πυνθανομένου δέ τινος πόσοι Σπαρτιᾶται τὸ πλῆθος, ὅσοι ἱκανοί εἶπε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἀπερύκειν.

[¶47] 17.3. When one of the Athenians read a memorial oration in praise of those who fell at the hands of the Spartans, he said, “What kind of men, then, do you think ours must be who vanquished these?”

> Greek: 17.3. τῶν Ἀθηναίων δέ τινος ἔπαινον ἐπιτάφιον ἀναγινώσκοντος τῶν πεσόντων ὑπὸ Λακεδαιμονίων, ποδαποὺς οὖν ἔφη τοὺς ἡμετέρους νομίζεις εἶναι νικήσαντας τούτους;

[¶48] 18.1. Archidamidas, in answer to a man who commended Charillus because he was gentle towards all alike, said, “And how could any man be justly commended if he be gentle towards the wicked?”

> Greek: 18.1. Ἀρχιδαμίδας πρὸς τὸν ἐπαινοῦντα Χαρίλαν, ὅτι πρὸς ἅπαντας ὁμοίως πρᾶος ἦν, καὶ πῶς τις ἔφη δικαίως ἂν ἐπαινοῖτο, εἰ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς πονηροὺς πρᾶος εἴη;

[¶49] 18.2. When somebody found fault with Hecataeus the sophist because, when he was received as a member at the common table, he spoke not a word, Archidamidas said, “You do not seem to realize that he who knows how to speak knows also the right time for speaking.”

> Greek: 18.2. μεμφομένου δέ τινος Ἑκαταῖον τὸν σοφιστήν, ὅτι παραληφθεὶς εἰς τὸ συσσίτιον, αὐτῶν οὐδὲν ἔλεγεν, ἀγνοεῖν μοι δοκεῖς εἶπεν ὅτι ὁ εἰδὼς λόγον καὶ τὸν τοῦ λέγειν καιρὸν οἶδεν.

[¶50] 19.1. Archidamus, the son of Zeuxidamus, when someone inquired of him who were at the head of Sparta, said, “The laws and the magistrates in accordance with the laws.”

> Greek: 19.1. Ἀρχίδαμος ὁ Ζευξιδάμου, πυθομένου τινὸς αὐτοῦ τίνες προεστήκασι τῆς Σπάρτης, οἱ νόμοι καὶ τὰ ἀρχεῖα ἔφη κατὰ τοὺς νόμους.

[¶51] 19.2. In answer to a man who praised a harper and expressed amazement at his ability, he said, “My good sir, what honours shall you be able to offer to good men when you have such praise for a harper?”

> Greek: 19.2. πρὸς δὲ τὸν ἐπαινοῦντα κιθαρῳδὸν καὶ θαυμάζοντα τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ ὦ λῷστε ἔφη ποῖον γέρας παρὰ σοῦ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἔσται, ὅταν κιθαρῳδὸν οὕτως ἐπαινῇς;

[¶52] 19.3. When someone, in introducing a musician to him, remarked, “This man is a good musician,” he said, “And in this country of ours that man there rates as a good soup-maker,” thus implying that there was no distinction between giving pleasure through the sound of instruments and giving it through the preparation of appetizing foods and soup.

> Greek: 19.3. ἐπεὶ δέ τις αὐτῷ συνιστὰς ψάλτην εἶπεν οὗτος ἀγαθὸς ψάλτης ἐστίν, παρʼ ἡμῖν δέ γε οὗτος ἔφη ἀγαθὸς ζωμοποιός, ὡς οὐδὲν διαφέρον διʼ ὀργάνων φωνῆς ἡδονὴν ἐμποιεῖν τῆς διʼ ὄψων καὶ ζωμοῦ σκευασίας.

[¶53] 19.4. When somebody promised him to make the wine pleasant to the taste, he said, “What for? For more of it will be used, and it will make the men’s eating together less beneficial.”

> Greek: 19.4. ὑπισχνουμένου δέ τινος αὐτῷ τὸν οἶνον ἡδὺν ποιήσειν, πρὸς τί; ἔφη καὶ γὰρ δαπανηθήσεται πλείων καὶ ποιήσει τὰ ἀνδρεῖα ἀχρηστότερα.

[¶54] 19.5. As he was establishing his camp hard by the city of Corinth, he saw hares start up from a spot near the wall. He said therefore to his fellowsoldiers, “The enemy are ours.”

> Greek: 19.5. ἐπιὼν δὲ τὴν Κορινθίων πόλιν μετὰ στρατεύματος εἶδεν ἐκ του περὶ τὸ τεῖχος τόπου λαγωοὺς ἀναστάντας· εἶπεν οὖν πρός τοὺς συστρατιώτας, εὐάλωτοι ἡμῖν οἱ πολέμιοί εἰσι.

[¶55] 19.6. When two persons accepted him as arbiter, he took them to the sacred precinct of Athena of the Brazen House, and made them swear to abide by his decision; and when they had given their oaths, he said, “My decision, then, is that you are not to leave this sacred precinct before you compose your differences.”

> Greek: 19.6. δύο δέ τινων διαιτητὴν αὐτὸν λαβόντων, ἀγαγὼν εἰς τὸ τῆς Χαλκιοίκου τέμενος ἐξώρκισεν ἐμμεῖναι τοῖς κριθεῖσιν αὐτούς· ὀμοσάντων δὲ ἐκείνων κρίνω τοίνυν ἔφη μὴ πρότερον ἀπελθεῖν ὑμᾶς ἐκ τοῦ τεμένους, πρὶν ἂν τὰ πρὸς ἀλλήλους διαλύσησθε.

[¶56] 19.7. When Dionysius, the despot of Sicily, sent costly raiment to Archidamus’s daughters, he would not accept it, saying, “I am afraid that, if the girls should put it on, they would appear ugly to me.”

> Greek: 19.7. ταῖς δὲ θυγατράσιν αὐτοῦ ἱματισμὸν πολυτελῆ Διονυσίου τοῦ Σικελίας τυράννου πέμψαντος, οὐκ ἐδέξατο εἰπών φοβοῦμαι μὴ περιθέμεναι αἱ κόραι φανῶσί μοι αἰσχραί.

[¶57] 19.8. Observing that his son was fighting impetuously against the Athenians, he said, “Either add to your strength, or subtract from your courage.”

> Greek: 19.8. θεασάμενος δὲ τὸν υἱὸν προπετῶς μαχόμενον Ἀθηναίοις ἢ τῇ δυνάμει πρόσθες ἔφη ἢ τοῦ φρονήματος ὕφες.

[¶58] 20.1. Archidamus, the son of Agesilaus, when Philip after the battle of Chaeroneia, wrote him a somewhat haughty letter, wrote in reply, “If you should measure your own shadow, you would not find that it has become any greater than before you were victorious.”

> Greek: 20.1. Ἀρχίδαμος ὁ Ἀγησιλάου, Φιλίππου μετὰ τὴν ἐν Χαιρωνείᾳ μάχην σκληροτέραν αὐτῷ ἐπιστολὴν γράψαντος, ἀντέγραψεν εἰ μετρήσαις τὴν σαυτοῦ σκιάν, οὐκ ἂν εὕροις αὐτὴν μείζονα γεγενημένην ἢ πρὶν νικᾶν.

[¶59] 20.2. Being asked how much land the Spartans controlled, he said, “As much as they can reach with the spear.”

> Greek: 20.2. ἐρωτηθεὶς δὲ πόσης χώρας κρατοῦσιν οἱ Σπαρτιᾶται ὅσης ἄν ἔφη τῷ δόρατι ἐφίκωνται.

[¶60] 20.3. Periander, the physician, was distinguished in his profession and commended very very highly, but was a writer of wretched verses. “Why in the world, Periander,” said Archidamus, “do you yearn to be called a bad poet instead of a skilful physician?”

> Greek: 20.3. Περιάνδρου δὲ τοῦ ἰατροῦ ἀξιολόγου κατὰ τέχνην ὄντος καὶ ἐπαινουμένου ἐς τὰ μάλιστα, φαῦλα δὲ ποιήματα γράφοντος, τί δήποτε, ὦ Περίανδρε εἶπεν ἀντὶ χαρίεντος ἰατροῦ κακὸς ποιητὴς καλεῖσθαι ἐπιθυμεῖς;

[¶61] 20.4. In the war against Philip, when some proffered the advice that they ought to engage him in battle at a good distance from their own land, Archidamus said, “No, that is not what we ought to look to, but where, in fighting, we shall be superior to the enemy.”

> Greek: 20.4. ἐν δὲ τῷ πρὸς Φίλιππον πολέμῳ συμβουλευόντων τινῶν ὅτι πόρρω τῆς οἰκείας τὴν μάχην συνάπτειν δεῖ, ἀλλʼ οὐ τοῦτο ἔφη ὁρᾶν δεῖ, ἀλλʼ οἷ μαχούμενοι κρείσσονες τῶν πολεμίων ἐσόμεθα.

[¶62] 20.5. In answer to those who commended him when he had been victorious in battle against the Arcadians, he said, “It would have been better if we had vanquished them by intelligence rather than by strength.”

> Greek: 20.5. πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἐπαινοῦντας αὐτόν, ὅτε τὴν πρὸς Ἀρκάδας μάχην ἐνίκησε, βέλτιον ἂν ἦν, εἰ τῇ φρονήσει ἔφη αὐτοὺς ἐνικῶμεν μᾶλλον ἢ τῇ ἰσχύι.

[¶63] 20.6. When he invaded Arcadia, he learned that the Eleans were supporting the Arcadians, and so he sent this letter to them: “Archidamus to the Eleans. Quiet is a good thing.”

> Greek: 20.6. ὅτε δὲ εἰς Ἀρκαδίαν ἐνέβαλε, πυθόμενος βοηθεῖν αὐτοῖς Ἠλείους ἐπέστειλεν αὐτοῖς Ἀρχίδαμος Ἠλείοις· καλὸν ἡσυχία.

[¶64] 20.7. In the Peloponnesian war, when his allies sought to know how much money would be sufficient, and said it was only fair that he set a limit to their contributions, he said, “War does not feed on fixed rations.”

> Greek: 20.7. τῶν δὲ συμμάχων ἐν τῷ Πελοποννησιακῷ πολέμῳ ἐπιζητούντων, πόσα χρήματα ἀρκέσει, καὶ ἀξιούντων ὁρίσαι τοὺς φόρους, ὁ πόλεμος ἔφη οὐ τεταγμένα σιτεῖται.

[¶65] 20.8. When he saw the missile shot by a catapult, which had been brought then for the first time from Sicily, he exclaimed, “Great Heavens! man’s valour is no more!”

> Greek: 20.8. καταπελτικὸν δὲ ἰδὼν βέλος τότε πρῶτον ἐκ Σικελίας κομισθὲν ἀνεβόησεν Ἡράκλεις, ἀπόλωλεν ἀνδρὸς ἁρετά.

[¶66] 20.9. When the Greeks were not willing to take his advice and break their agreements with Antipater and Craterus the Macedonian, and be free, because of a feeling that the Spartans would be harsher than the Macedonians, he said, “A sheep or a goat bleats always in the same way, but a man talks in a great variety of ways until he accomplishes what he has set his mind upon.”

> Greek: 20.9. ἐπεὶ δὲ οὐκ ἐβούλοντο Ἕλληνες πείθεσθαι αὐτῷ καὶ λῦσαι τὰς πρὸς Ἀντίγονον καὶ Κρατερὸν τοὺς Μακεδόνας ὁμολογίας καὶ ἐλεύθεροι εἶναι, ὡς χαλεπωτέρων ἐσομένων Λακεδαιμονίων ἢ Μακεδόνων, εἶπε πρόβατον μὲν ἀεὶ τὴν αὐτὴν φθέγγεται φωνήν, ἄνθρωπος δὲ πολλὰς καὶ ποικίλας, ἕως ἂν τὸ δόξαν ἐπιτελέσῃ.

[¶67] 21.1. When someone said to Astycratidas, after the defeat of Agis their king in the battle against Antipater in the vicinity of Megalopolis, “What will you do, men of Sparta? Will you be subject to the Macedonians?” he said, “What! Is there any way in which Antipater can forbid us to die fighting for Sparta?”

> Greek: 21.1. Ἀστυκρατίδας, εἰπόντος τινὸς αὐτῷ μετὰ τὸ ἡττηθῆναι Ἆγιν τὸν βασιλέα ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἀντίπατρον μάχῃ περὶ Μεγάλην πόλιν τί ποιήσετε, ὦ Λακεδαιμόνιοι; ἦ δουλεύσετε Μακεδόσιν; εἶπε τί δέ; κωλῦσαι ἂν δύναιτο Ἀντίπατρος μαχομένους ἡμᾶς ἀποθανεῖν ὑπὲρ τῆς Σπάρτης;

[¶68] 22.1. Bias, caught in an ambush by Iphicrates the Athenian general, and asked by his soldiers what was to be done, said, “What else except for you to save your lives and for me to die fighting?”

> Greek: 22.1. Βίας ἐνεδρευθεὶς ὑπὸ Ἰφικράτους τοῦ Ἀθηναίων στρατηγοῦ καὶ ἐρωτώμενος ὑπὸ τῶν στρατιωτῶν τί δεῖ ποιεῖν, τί γὰρ ἄλλο ἔφη ἢ ὑμᾶς μὲν σῴζεσθαι, ἐμὲ δὲ μαχόμενον ἀποθανεῖν;

[¶69] 23.1. Brasidas caught a mouse among some figs, and, when he got bitten, let it go. Then, turning to those who were present, he said, “There is nothing so small that it does not save its life if it has the courage to defend itself against those who would lay hand on it.”

> Greek: 23.1. Βρασίδας ἐν ἰσχάσι συλλαβὼν μῦν καὶ δηχθεὶς ἀφῆκεν· εἶτα πρὸς τοὺς παρόντας οὐδὲν οὕτως ἔφη μικρόν ἐστιν, ὃ οὐ σῴζεται τολμῶν ἀμύνεσθαι τοὺς ἐπιχειροῦντας.

[¶70] 23.2. 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.”

> Greek: 23.2. ἐν δέ τινι μάχῃ διὰ τῆς ἀσπίδος ἀκοντισθεὶς καὶ τὸ δόρυ τοῦ τραύματος ἐξελκύσας αὐτῷ τούτῳ τὸν πολέμιον ἀπέκτεινε καὶ πῶς ἐτρώθη ἐρωτηθεὶς προδούσης με ἔφη τῆς ἀσπίδος.

[¶71] 23.3. As he was going forth to war he wrote to the Ephors, “What I wull to dae I’ll dae as regairds the war or be a deid mon.”

> Greek: 23.3. ἐξελθὼν δὲ ἐπὶ πόλεμον ἔγραψε τοῖς ἐφόροις ἅσσα δηλῶμαι πράξω κατὰ πόλεμον ἢ τεθναξοῦμαι.

[¶72] 23.4. When it came to pass that he fell in trying to win independence for the Greeks who were living in the region of Thrace, the committee which was sent to Sparta waited upon his mother Argileonis. Her first question was whether Brasidas had come to his end honourably; and when the Thracians spoke of him in the highest terms, and said that there was no other like him, she said, “You have no knowledge of that, sirs, being from abroad; for Brasidas was indeed a good man, but Sparta has many better than he was.”

> Greek: 23.4. ἐπεὶ δὲ συνέβη πεσεῖν αὐτὸν ἐλευθεροῦντα τοὺς ἐπὶ Θρᾴκης Ἕλληνας, οἱ δὲ πεμφθέντες εἰς Λακεδαίμονα πρέσβεις τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ Ἀργιλεωνίδι προσῆλθον πρῶτον μὲν ἠρώτησεν εἰ καλῶς ὁ Βρασίδας ἐτελεύτησεν ἐγκωμιαζόντων δὲ τῶν Θρᾳκῶν καὶ λεγόντων ὡς οὐδεὶς ἄλλος ἐστὶ τοιοῦτος, ἀγνοεῖτε εἶπεν ὦ ξένοι Βρασίδας γὰρ ἦν μὲν ἀνὴρ ἀγαθός, πολλοὺς δʼ ἐκείνου κρείσσονας ἔχει ἡ Σπάρτη.

[¶73] 24.1. Damonidas, being assigned to the last place in the chorus by the director, exclaimed, “Good! You have discovered, sir, how this place which is without honour may be made a place of honour.”

> Greek: 24.1. Δαμωνίδας ταχθεὶς ἔσχατος τοῦ χοροῦ ὑπὸ τοῦ τὸν χορὸν ἱστῶντος εὖγε εἶπεν ὦ χοραγέ, ἐξεῦρες πῶς καὶ αὕτη ἡ χώρα ἄτιμος οὖσα ἔντιμος γένηται.

[¶74] 25.1. Damis, with reference to the instructions sent from Alexander that they should pass a formal vote deifying him, said, “We concede to Alexander that, if he so wishes, he may be called a god.”

> Greek: 25.1. Δᾶμις πρὸς τὰ ἐπισταλέντα παρὰ τοῦ Ἀλεξάνδρου θεὸν εἶναι ψηφίσασθαι, συγχωροῦμεν ἔφη Ἀλεξάνδρῳ, ἐὰν θέλῃ, θεὸς καλεῖσθαι.

[¶75] 26.1. When Philip invaded the Peloponnesus, and someone said, “There is danger that the Spartans may meet a dire fate if they do not make terms with the invader,” Damindas exclaimed, “You poor womanish thing! What dire fate could be ours if we have no fear of death?”

> Greek: 26.1. Δαμίνδας, Φιλίππου ἐμβαλόντος εἰς Πελοπόννησον καὶ εἰπόντος τινὸς κινδυνεύουσι δεινὰ παθεῖν Λακεδαιμόνιοι, εἰ μὴ τὰς πρὸς αὐτὸν διαλλαγὰς ποιήσονται, ἀνδρόγυνε εἶπε τί δʼ ἂν πάθοιμεν δεινὸν θανάτου καταφρονήσαντες;

[¶76] 27.1. Dercylidas, when Pyrrhus had his army near Sparta, was sent to him as ambassador; and when Pyrrhus stated that they must receive their king Cleonymus, or they would find out that they were no braver than any of the rest, Dercylidas interrupted to say, “If this man is a god, we do not fear him, for we are guilty of no wrong; but if he is a man, he is surely not superior to us.”

> Greek: 27.1. Δερκυλλίδας, Πύρρου τὴν στρατιὰν ἐπὶ τῆς Σπαρτιάτιδος ἔχοντος, πεμφθεὶς πρὸς αὐτὸν πρεσβευτής, τοῦ Πύρρου προστάττοντος καταδέχεσθαι τὸν βασιλέα αὐτῶν Κλεώνυμον ἢ γνώσεσθαι ὡς οὐδενὸς τῶν ἄλλων ἀνδρειότεροι τυγχάνουσιν, ὑποτυχὼν εἶπεν εἰ μὲν θεός ἐστιν, οὐ φοβούμεθα τοῦτον· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἀδικοῦμεν· εἰ δὲ ἄνθρωπος, οὐχ ἡμῶν γε κρείσσων.

[¶77] 28.1. Demaratus, when Orontes had talked to him rather haughtily and someone remarked, “Orontes has treated you haughtily, Demaratus,” said, “He has committed no fault against me; for it is those who talk to please that do harm, not those who talk with hatred at heart.”

> Greek: 28.1. Δημάρατος, Ὀρόντου πρὸς αὐτὸν σκληρότερον ὁμιλήσαντος καὶ εἰπόντος τινὸς σκληρῶς σοι κέχρηται Ὀρόντης, ὦ Δημάρατε, οὐδὲν ἥμαρτεν εἰς ἐμὲ εἶπεν οἱ γὰρ πρὸς χάριν ὁμιλοῦντες βλάπτουσιν οὐχ οἱ μετὰ ἀπεχθείας.

[¶78] 28.2. When someone asked why they visited disgrace upon those among them who lost their shields, but did not do the same thing to those who lost their helmets or their breastplates, he said, “Because these they put on for their own sake, but the shield for the common good of the whole line.”

> Greek: 28.2. ἐρωτήσαντος δέ τινος διὰ τί τοὺς μὲν τὰς ἀσπίδας παρʼ αὐτοῖς ἀποβαλόντας ἀτιμοῦσι, τοὺς δὲ τὰ κράνη καὶ τοὺς θώρακας οὐκέτι, ὅτι ἔφη ταῦτα μὲν ἑαυτῶν χάριν περιτίθενται τὴν δὲ ἀσπίδα τῆς κοινῆς τάξεως ἕνεκα.

[¶79] 28.3. As he was listening to a musician, he said, “He seems to do his silly task fairly well.”

> Greek: 28.3. ψάλτου δὲ ἀκροώμενος οὐ κακῶς εἶπε φαίνεταί μοι φλυαρεῖν.

[¶80] 28.4. In a council meeting he was asked whether it was due to foolishness or lack of words that he said nothing. “But a fool,” said he, “would not be able to hold his tongue.”

> Greek: 28.4. ἐν δέ τινι συνεδρίῳ ἐρωτώμενος πότερον διὰ μωρίαν ἢ διʼ ἀπορίαν λόγων σιωπᾷ, ἀλλʼ ὅ γε μωρὸς οὐκ ἂν δύναιτο σιγᾶν ἔφη.

[¶81] 28.5. When someone inquired why he was an exile from Sparta, being a king, he said, “Because her laws are more powerful than I am.”

> Greek: 28.5. πυθομένου δέ τινος διὰ τί φεύγει τὴν Σπάρτην βασιλεὺς ὤν, ὅτι ἔφη κρείσσονες αὐτῆς οἱ νόμοι εἰσί.

[¶82] 28.6. When one of the Persians, by unremitting bribery, had got away from him his beloved youth, and said to him, “Ho, Spartan, I have captivated your beloved,” he said, “Not you, I swear, but you have bought and paid for him!”

> Greek: 28.6. τῶν δὲ Περσῶν τινος διὰ τὸ συνεχὲς τῆς δωροδοκίας τὸν ἐρώμενον αὐτοῦ ἀπαγαγόντος καὶ λέγοντος ὦ Λάκων, τεθήρευκά σου τὸν ἐρώμενον μὰ τοὺς θεούς ἔφη οὐχὶ σύ γε, ἀλλʼ ἠγόρακας.

[¶83] 28.7. When one of the Persians deserted from the king and was persuaded by Demaratus to change his mind and return, and the king was going to have him put to death, Demaratus said, “For shame, your Majesty! To think that when this man was your enemy you could not punish him for his desertion but now that he has become your friend, you would put him to death!”

> Greek: 28.7. ἀποστάντος δέ τινος τῶν Περσῶν τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ μεταπεισθέντος ὑπὸ Δημαράτου ἐπανελθεῖν καὶ μέλλοντος τοῦ βασιλέως τὸν Πέρσην διαχειρίζεσθαι, αἰσχρόν ἔφη ὦ βασιλεῦ, ὅτε μὲν ἐχθρὸς ἦν σοι, μὴ δύνασθαι δίκην τῆς ἀποστάσεως παρʼ αὐτοῦ λαβεῖν, ὅτε δὲ φίλος γέγονεν, ἀποκτείνειν.

[¶84] 28.8. In answer to a man who was a parasite of the king and often jeered at him over his exile, he said, “I have no quarrel with you, my friend; for I have squandered my position in life.”

> Greek: 28.8. πρὸς δὲ τὸν παρασιτοῦντα τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ περὶ τῆς φυγῆς πολλάκις ἐπισκώπτοντα αὐτὸν οὐ μαχοῦμαί σοι ἔφη, ὦ ξένε· κατανάλωκα γὰρ τὴν τοῦ βίου τάξιν.

[¶85] 29.1. Ecprepes, an Ephor, cut out with an adze two of the nine strings of Phrynis the musician, saying, “Do not murder music.”

> Greek: 29.1. Ἐκπρέπης ἔφορος Φρύνιδος τοῦ μουσικοῦ σκεπάρνῳ τὰς δύο τῶν ἐννέα ἐξέτεμεν, εἰπών μὴ κακούργει τὴν μουσικήν.

[¶86] 30.1. Epaenetus said that liars are to blame for all sins and crimes.

> Greek: 30.1. Ἐπαίνετος πάντων ἔφη τοὺς ψεύστας τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ τῶν ἀδικημάτων αἰτίους εἶναι.

[¶87] 31.1. Euboedas, on hearing some men praising the wife of another man, could not stomach it, saying, “In regard to a woman’s endowments there should be absolutely no talk among those outside the family.”

> Greek: 31.1. Εὐβοίδας ἀκούων τινῶν ἐπαινούντων γυναῖκα ἀλλοτρίαν οὐκ ἀπεδέχετο, φήσας ὅλως περὶ γυναικείας φύσεως παρὰ τοῖς ἔξω λόγον εἶναι οὐδένα δεῖ.

[¶88] 32.1. Eudamidas, the son of Archidamus and the brother of Agis, seeing Xenocrates in the Academy, already well oil in years, discussing philosophy with his acquaintances, inquired who the old man was. Somebody said that he was a wise man and one of the seekers after virtue. “And when will he use it,” said Eudamidas, “if he is only now seeking for it?” a Hearing a philosopher discoursing to the effect that the wise man is the only good general, he said, “The speech is admirable, but the speaker is not to be trusted; for he has never been amid the blare of trumpets.”

> Greek: 32.1. Εὐδαμίδας ὁ Ἀρχιδάμου, ἀδελφὸς δὲ Ἄγιδος, ἰδὼν Ξενοκράτην ἐν Ἀκαδημείᾳ πρεσβύτερον ἤδη μετὰ τῶν γνωρίμων φιλοσοφοῦντα, ἐπύθετο τίς ὁ πρεσβύτης· φαμένου δέ τινος ὅτι σοφὸς ἀνὴρ καὶ τῶν ζητούντων τὴν ἀρετήν, καὶ πότε ἔφη χρήσεται αὐτῇ, ἐὰν ἄρτι ζητῇ; ἀκούσας δὲ φιλοσόφου διαλεχθέντος ὅτι μόνος ἀγαθὸς στρατηγὸς ὁ σοφός ἐστιν, ὁ μὲν λόγος ἔφη θαυμαστός· ὁ δὲ λέγων ἄπιστος· οὐ γὰρ περισεσάλπιγκται.

[¶89] 32.3. Xenocrates had been expounding his theme, and had just reached the stopping-point when Eudamidas arrived. One of the persons with him remarked, “Just when we arrive he comes to the stopping-point.” “Quite properly so,” said Eudamidas, “if he has already said all he wanted to say.” “It would have been nice to hear him,” said the other. “Indeed,” said Eudamidas, “and if we came to a man who had just dined, should we insist that he eat another dinner?”

> Greek: 32.3. τὴν θέσιν δὲ Ξενοκράτους εἰρηκότος καὶ καταπαυομένου, παρῆν ὁ Εὐδαμίδας· ὡς δʼ εἶπέ τις τῶν μετʼ αὐτοῦ ὅτε πάρεσμεν ἡμεῖς, τότε πέπαυται· καλῶς γε ἔφη εἴπερ ἤδη ἔλεξε ταῦτα ἃ ἔχρῃζε· τοῦ δʼ εἰπόντος καλὸν ἦν ἀκοῦσαι· ἦ καὶ πρὸς δεδειπνηκότα μολόντες εἶπεν ἠξιοῦμεν πάλιν αὐτὸν δειπνεῖν;

[¶90] 32.4. Someone inquired why, when the citizens professed to be all for war against the Macedonians, he himself decided in favour of keeping the peace. He replied, “Because I do not need to prove that they are lying.”

> Greek: 32.4. πυνθανομένου δέ τινος διὰ τί, τῶν πολιτῶν αἱρουμένων τὸν πρὸς Μακεδόνας πόλεμον, αὐτὸς ἡσυχίαν ἄγειν δοκιμάζει, ὅτι ἔφη οὐ χρῄζω ψευδομένους αὐτοὺς ἐλέγξαι.

[¶91] 32.5. When another man brought up their brave successes against the Persians, and was urgent for the war, Eudamidas said, “You do not seem to realize that your proposition is the same as fighting fifty wolves after overcoming a thousand sheep!”

> Greek: 32.5. ἑτέρου δὲ προφερομένου τὰ κατὰ Περσῶν ἀριστεῖα καὶ προτρέποντος ἐπὶ τὸν πόλεμον, ἀγνοεῖν ἔφη μοι δοκεῖς γε, ὅτι ταὐτόν ἐστι χιλίων προβάτων κρατήσαντα πεντήκοντα λύκοις μάχεσθαι.

[¶92] 32.6. When a certain musician made a great hit, they asked Eudamidas what he thought of the man, and he replied, “He has great power to charm in a trifling matter.”

> Greek: 32.6. ψάλτου δέ τινος εὐημερήσαντος, ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν ποδαπός τις αὐτῷ δοκεῖ εἶναι, μέγας ἔφη κηληκτὰς ἐν μικρῷ πράγματι.

[¶93] 32.7. When someone praised Athens, he said “And who could praise that city deservedly, towards which nobody has ever felt any affection for having been made a better man by it?”

> Greek: 32.7. ἐπαινοῦντος δέ τινος τὰς Ἀθήνας, ἔφη καὶ τίς ἂν ταύτην τὴν πόλιν δεόντως ἐπαινοίη, ἣν οὐδεὶς ἔστερξε γενόμενος βελτίων;

[¶94] 32.8. When a man from Argos said that the Spartans became more unscrupulous on going abroad and being out of the control of their long-established laws, he said, “But you, when you come to Sparta, do not become worse, but better.”

> Greek: 32.8. Ἀργείου δέ τινος λέγοντος, ὡς φαυλότεροι γίνονται κατὰ τὰς ἀποδημίας οἱ Λάκωνες ἐξιστάμενοι τῶν πατρίων νόμων, ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὑμεῖς γε ἔφη εἰς τὴν Σπάρτην ἐλθόντες χείρονες ἀλλὰ βελτίονες γίνεσθε.

[¶95] 32.9. When Alexander caused proclamation to be made at Olympia that all exiles might return to their own land, save only the Thebans, Eudamidas said, “The proclamation for you, men of Thebes, is unfortunate, but very complimentary; for it is you only that Alexander fears.”

> Greek: 32.9. Ἀλεξάνδρου δὲ κηρύξαντος ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ κατιέναι τοὺς φυγάδας ἅπαντας εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν πλὴν Θηβαίων, ἀτυχὲς μέν ἔφη ὦ Θηβαῖοι τὸ κήρυγμα ἀλλʼ ἔνδοξον μόνους γὰρ ὑμᾶς φοβεῖται Ἀλέξανδρος.

[¶96] 32.10. Being asked for what purpose they offered sacrifice to the Muses before hazardous ventures, he said, “So that our deeds may find good words.”

> Greek: 32.10. ἐρωτηθεὶς δὲ τίνος ἕνεκα πρὸ τῶν κινδύνων ταῖς Μούσαις σφαγιάζουσιν, ὅπως ἔφη αἱ πράξεις λόγων ἀγαθῶν τυγχάνωσιν.

[¶97] 33.1. Eurycratidas, the son of Anaxandridas, when someone inquired why the Ephors try cases involving contracts each day, said, “So that also amid our enemies we may trust one another.”

> Greek: 33.1. Εὐρυκρατίδας ὁ Ἀναξανδρίδου, πυθομένου τινὸς διὰ τί τὰ περὶ τῶν συμβολαίων δίκαια ἑκάστης κρίνουσιν οἱ ἔφοροι, ὅπως ἔφη καὶ ἐν πολεμίοις πιστεύωμεν ἀλλήλοις.

[¶98] 34.1. When someone inquired why they kept the laws in regard to bravery unwritten, and did not have them written down and thus give them to the young men to read, Zeuxidamus said, “Because the young ought to accustom themselves to deeds of manly valour, a better thing than to apply their mind to writings.”

> Greek: 34.1. Ζευξίδαμος, πυνθανομένου τινὸς διὰ τί περὶ τῆς ἀνδρείας νόμους ἀγράφους τηροῦσι καὶ νέοις ἀπογραψάμενοι οὐ διδόασιν ἀναγινώσκειν, ὅτι ἔφη συνεθίζεσθαι δεῖ ταῖς ἀνδραγαθίαις κρεῖττον ἢ ταῖς γραφαῖς προσέχειν.

[¶99] 34.2. When a certain Aetolian asserted that, for those who are able to play the part of real men, war is better than peace, Zeuxidamus said, “By Heaven, no; but for such men death is better than life.”

> Greek: 34.2. Αἰτωλοῦ δέ τινος λέγοντος ὅτι τοῖς ἀνδραγαθεῖν δυναμένοις κρείσσων τῆς εἰρήνης ὁ πόλεμος, οὐ μὰ τοὺς θεούς ἔφη ἀλλὰ τούτοις κρείσσων ὁ θάνατος τῆς ζωῆς.

[¶100] 35.1. Herondas was at Athens when a man there was found guilty on a charge of not having any occupation, and, when he heard of this, he bade them point out to him the man who had been convicted of the freeman’s crime!

> Greek: 35.1. Ἡρώνδας, Ἀθήνησιν ἁλόντος τινὸς γραφὴν ἀργίας, παρὼν καὶ πυθόμενος ἐκέλευσεν ἐπιδεῖξαι αὑτῷ τὸν τὴν ἐλευθερίαν δίκην ἡττηθέντα.

[¶101] 36.1. Thearidas, as he was whetting his sword, was asked if it was sharp, and he replied, “Sharper than slander.”

> Greek: 36.1. Θεαρίδας ξίφος ἀκονῶν καὶ ἐρωτώμενος, εἰ ὀξύ ἐστιν, εἶπεν ὀξύτερον διαβολῆς.

[¶102] 37.1. Themisteas foretold to Leonidas, the king, the coming destruction both of himself and of his fellowsoldiers at Thermopylae, for he was a prophet. He was sent away by Leonidas to Sparta, on the pretext of announcing there what would come to pass, but in reality so that he should not suffer death with the rest. He, however, would not brook this, but said, “I was sent out to fight, not to carry messages.”

> Greek: 37.1. Θεμιστέας προεῖπε μὲν Λεωνίδᾳ τῷ βασιλεῖ τὴν γενησομένην ἀπώλειαν περὶ Θερμοπύλας αὐτοῦ τε καὶ τῶν συστρατευομένων αὐτῷ, μάντις ὤν· ἀποπεμπόμενος δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ Λεωνίδα εἰς τὴν Λακεδαίμονα προφάσει τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαι τὰ συμβησόμενα, ταῖς δʼ ἀληθείαις ἵνα μὴ παραπόληται, οὐκ ἠνέσχετο ἀλλʼ εἶπε μαχητὴς ἐπέμφθην οὐκ ἀγγελιαφόρος.

[¶103] 38.1. Theopompus, in answer to a man who asked how anyone could keep a kingdom most securely, said, “If he concede to his friends their just share of frank speech, and, so far as lies in his power, do not suffer any of his subjects to be wronged.”

> Greek: 38.1. Θεόπομπος πρὸς τὸν ἐρωτήσαντα πῶς ἄν τις ἀσφαλέστατα τηροίη τὴν βασιλείαν, εἰ τοῖς μὲν φίλοις ἔφη μεταδιδοίη παρρησίας δικαίας, τοὺς δὲ ἀρχομένους κατὰ δύναμιν μὴ περιορῴη ἀδικουμένους.

[¶104] 38.2. In answer to a man from abroad who said that among his own citizens he was called a lover of Sparta, he said, “It would be better to be called a lover of your own country than a lover of Sparta.”

> Greek: 38.2. πρὸς δὲ τὸν ξένον τὸν λέγοντα ὅτι παρὰ τοῖς αὑτοῦ πολίταις καλεῖται φιλολάκων, κρεῖσσον ἔφη ἦν σε φιλοπολίτην ἢ φιλολάκωνα καλεῖσθαι.

[¶105] 38.3. When the ambassador from Elis said that his citizens had sent him for the especial reason that he alone emulated the Spartan way of living, Theopompus said, “Is your way of living or that of the other citizens better?” And when the man said that his own was, Theopompus said, “How, then, can that State be saved in which, among many citizens, only one is a good man?”

> Greek: 38.3. τοῦ δʼ ἐκ τῆς Ἤλιδος πρεσβευτοῦ εἰπόντος ὅτι διὰ τοῦτʼ αὐτὸν ἐξαπέστειλαν οἱ πολῖται, ὅτι μόνος τὸν Λακωνικὸν ἐζήλωσε βίον, καὶ πότερον ἔφη ὁ σὸς ἢ ὁ τῶν ἄλλων πολιτῶν βίος βελτίων ἐστί; τοῦ δὲ εἰπόντος τὸν αὑτοῦ, πῶς οὖν ἂν ἔφη αὕτη ἡ πόλις σῴζοιτο, ἐν ᾗ πολλῶν ὄντων εἷς μόνος ἀγαθός ἐστι;

[¶106] 38.4. When someone said that Sparta was saved through its kings, because they were competent to rule, he said, “Not so, but through its citizens, because they are obedient to the rulers.”

> Greek: 38.4. λέγοντος δέ τινος ὅτι ἡ Σπάρτη σῴζεται διὰ τοὺς βασιλεῖς ἀρχικοὺς ὄντας, οὔκ ἔφη ἀλλὰ διὰ τοὺς πολίτας πειθαρχικοὺς ὄντας.

[¶107] 38.5. When the people of Pylos voted him some unusually high honours, he wrote in reply that time increases modest honours, but obliterates those that are extravagant.

> Greek: 38.5. Πυλίων δὲ αὐτῷ μείζονας τιμὰς ψηφισαμένων, ἀντέγραψεν ὅτι τὰς μὲν μετρίας ὁ χρόνος αὔξει, τὰς δʼ ὑπεραιρούσας ἀφανίζει.

[¶108] 38.6. When someone pointed out to him a wall, and inquired if it was strong and high, he said, “Is it not a place where women live?”

> Greek: 38.6. ἐπιδεικνυμένου δέ τινος αὐτῷ τεῖχος καὶ πυνθανομένου εἰ καρτερὸν καὶ ὑψηλόν, οὐδʼ εἰ γυναικῶν εἶπεν ἦν.

[¶109] 39.1. Thorycion, arriving from Delphi and seeing in the Isthmus the forces of Philip, who had already gained possession of the narrow entrance, said, “The Peloponnesus has poor gate-keepers in you, men of Corinth!”

> Greek: 39.1. Θωρυκίων ἐκ Δελφῶν παραγενόμενος, ἰδὼν τὸ Φιλίππου στρατόπεδον ἐν Ἰσθμῷ τὰ στενὰ κατειληφότος, κακούς ἔφη πυλωροὺς ὑμᾶς, ὦ Κορίνθιοι, ἡ Πελοπόννησος ἔχει.

[¶110] 40.1. Thectamenes, when the Ephors condemned him to death, went away smiling. Someone among the bystanders asked him if he felt such contempt for the laws of Sparta. “No,” said he, “but I rejoice to think that I must pay this penalty myself without begging or borrowing anything from anybody.”

> Greek: 40.1. Θεκταμένης, καταγνόντων αὐτοῦ θάνατον τῶν ἐφόρων, ἀπῄει μειδιῶν· καί τινος τῶν παρόντων ἐρωτήσαντος εἰ καὶ καταφρονεῖ τῶν τῆς Σπάρτης νομίμων, οὐχί εἶπεν ἀλλὰ γέγηθα, ὅτι δεῖ με τὴν ζημίαν ἐκτῖσαι ταύτην, παρʼ οὐδενὸς οὔτε τι αἰτήσαντα οὔτε δανεισάμενον.

[¶111] 41.1. Hippodamus, when Agis was taking his place on the field of battle beside Archidamus, was sent with Agis to Sparta to render his services there. “But look you,” said he, “I shall meet no more honourable death than in playing the part of a brave man for Sparta’s sake.” (He was over eighty years old.) And thereupon, seizing his arms and taking his stand at the king’s right hand, he fell fighting.

> Greek: 41.1. Ἱππόδαμος, ὅτε Ἆγις Ἀρχιδάμῳ παρετάσσετο, συμπεμφθεὶς τῷ Ἄγιδι εἰς Σπάρτην ἐκεῖ τὰς χρείας παρέχεσθαι, ἀλλʼ οὗτος ἔφη οὔτοι κάλλιον θάνατον ἀποθανοῦμαι ὑπὲρ Σπάρτας ἀνδραγαθῶν ἦν δὲ βεβιωκὼς ὑπὲρ τὰ ὀγδοήκοντα ἔτη· καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα λαβὼν τὰ ὅπλα καὶ στὰς ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ βασιλέως, μαχόμενος ἀποθνῄσκει.

[¶112] 42.1. This is the answer of Hippocratidas to the governor of Caria who wrote a letter to him because a man from Sparta had been privy to the plot of certain conspirators, and had said nothing about it; and the governor added a line, asking how he should deal with him. Hippocratidas wrote in reply: “If you have done him any great favour, put him to death; but if not, expel him from your country, for he is a poltroon so far as any virtue is concerned.”

> Greek: 42.1. Ἱπποκρατίδας πρὸς τὸν τῆς Καρίας σατράπην ἐπιστείλαντα, διότι Λακεδαιμόνιος ἀνὴρ ἐπιβουλευόντων τινῶν συνειδὼς τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν κατεσιώπησε, καὶ προσθέντος πῶς χρήσηται αὐτῷ, ἀντέγραψεν εἰ μὲν μέγα τι ἀγαθὸν αὐτὸν πεποίηκας, κατάκτανε· εἰ δὲ μή, ἐκ τῆς χώρας ἔκβαλε δειλὸν πρὸς ἀρετὴν ὄντα.

[¶113] 42.2. When a youth with a lover in attendance met him one day, and turned colour, he said, “You ought to walk with persons such that when you are seen with them you shall keep the same complexion.”

> Greek: 42.2. ἀπαντήσαντος δέ ποτε αὐτῷ μειρακίου, ᾧ ἠκολούθει ἐραστής τις, καὶ διατραπέντος, μετὰ τοιούτων ἔφη βαδίζειν δεῖ, μεθʼ ὧν ὀφθεὶς τὴν αὐτὴν χρόαν τηρήσεις.

[¶114] 43.1. Callicratidas, an admiral, when Lysander’s friends made him a fair offer that he permit them to make away with one of their enemies and receive ten thousand pounds, although he was in sore need of money for rations for his sailors, would not consent. Cleander, who was a member of his council, said, “But I would take it, if I were you.” “And so would I,” said Callicratidas, “if I were you!”

> Greek: 43.1. Καλλικρατίδας ναύαρχος, τῶν Λυσάνδρου φίλων ἀξιούντων ἐπιτρέψαι αὐτοῖς ἕνα τινὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἀνελεῖν καὶ λαβεῖν πεντήκοντα τάλαντα, καίτοι σφόδρα δεόμενος χρημάτων εἰς ὀψώνια τοῖς ναύταις οὐ συνεχώρησε. Κλέανδρος δὲ σύμβουλος ὤν ἀλλʼ ἔγωγʼ ἂν ἔλαβον εἶπεν εἰ σὺ ἤμην· καὶ γὰρ αὐτός εἶπεν εἰ σὺ ἦν.

[¶115] 43.2. When he came to Cyrus the Younger at Sardis (who was allied with the Spartans) to get money for his fleet, on the first day he bade them send in word that he wished to have an audience with Cyrus. But when he was told that Cyrus was busy drinking, he said, “I will wait till he has finished drinking.” And at that time he withdrew, when he realized that it was not possible to meet Cyrus on that day, thus creating the impression that he was somewhat lacking in manners. On the succeeding day, when he was again told that Cyrus was drinking and would not come forth, he said, “We must not be so eager to get money as to do anything unworthy of Sparta,” and withdrew to Ephesus, invoking many evil curses on those who were first wantonly treated by the barbarians and had taught the barbarians to be arrogant because of wealth. And he swore to the persons present that, just so soon as he should arrive at Sparta, he would do everything to bring about a reconciliation among the Greeks, that they might become more formidable to the barbarians, and cease begging them for their resources to use against one another.

> Greek: 43.2. παραγενόμενος δὲ πρὸς Κῦρον τὸν νεώτερον εἰς Σάρδεις, σύμμαχον ὄντα Λακεδαιμονίοις, ἐπὶ χρήματα τῷ ναυτικῷ, τῇ μὲν πρώτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκέλευσεν εἰσαγγεῖλαι ὅτι βούλεται Κύρῳ ἐντυχεῖν ὡς δʼ ἤκουσε πίνειν, προσμενῶ εἶπεν ἕως ἂν πίῃ. καὶ τότε μὲν ἀπηλλάγη, ὡς ἔγνω οὐχ οἷόν τε εἶναι συμβαλεῖν αὐτῷ ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, δόξας ἀγροικότερος εἶναι. τῇ δʼ ἐχομένῃ, ὡς πάλιν αὐτὸν πίνειν ἤκουσε καὶ οὐ προϊόντα, φήσας οὐχ οὕτω σπουδαστέον χρήματα λαβεῖν ὡς μηδὲν ἀνάξιον τῆς Σπάρτης ποιεῖν, ἀπηλλάγη εἰς Ἔφεσον, πολλὰ μὲν ἐπαρώμενος κακὰ τοῖς πρώτοις ἐντρυφηθεῖσιν ὑπὸ βαρβάρων καὶ διδάξασιν αὐτοὺς ὑβρίζειν διὰ πλοῦτον· ὤμνυε δὲ πρὸς τοὺς παρόντας ὡς, ὅταν πρῶτον εἰς Σπάρτην παραγένηται, πάντα ποιήσει ὑπὲρ τοῦ διαλλάξαι τοὺς Ἕλληνας, ὡς φοβερώτεροι τοῖς βαρβάροις εἶεν καὶ παύσαιντο τῆς ἐκείνων ἐπʼ ἀλλήλους δεόμενοι δυνάμεως.

[¶116] 43.3. Being asked what kind of men the lonians were, he said, “Poor freemen, but good slaves.”

> Greek: 43.3. ἐρωτηθεὶς δὲ ὁποῖοι ἄνδρες εἰσὶν οἱ Ἴωνες, ἐλεύθεροι μένʼ ἔφη κακοί, δοῦλοι δὲ ἀγαθοί.

[¶117] 43.4. When Cyrus sent on money to pay the soldiers, and special presents for himself as a token of friendship, he took the money only and sent back the presents, saying that there was no need of any private friendship between him and Cyrus, but the general friendship which had been contracted with all the Spartans would serve also for him.

> Greek: 43.4. τοῦ δὲ Κύρου τὸν μισθὸν προπέμψαντος τοῖς στρατιώταις καὶ ξένια αὐτῷ, μόνον ἔλαβε τὸν μισθὸν τὰ δὲ ξένια ἀνέπεμψε, φήσας μὴ δεῖν φιλίαν αὐτῷ ἰδίαν πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶναι, ἀλλὰ τὴν κοινὴν πρὸς ἅπαντας Λακεδαιμονίους γεγονυῖαν καὶ αὐτῷ ὑπάρχειν.

[¶118] 43.5. As he was about to engage in the naval battle at Arginusae, Hermon the pilot said that it would be well to sail away, for the ships of the Athenians were many more in number; but Callicratidas said, “And what of that? To flee is a disgrace and an injury to Sparta. No; to stay here, be it death or be it victory, is best.”

> Greek: 43.5. μέλλων δὲ περὶ τὰς Ἀργινούσας ναυμαχεῖν, Ἕρμωνος τοῦ κυβερνήτου εἰπόντος ὅτι καλῶς ἔχει ἀποπλεῦσαι, αἱ γὰρ τριήρεις τῶν Ἀθηναίων πολλῷ πλείους εἰσίν, εἶπε καὶ τί τοῦτο; ἀλλὰ φεύγειν αἰσχρὸν καὶ βλαβερὸν τῇ Σπάρτῃ· μένοντα δὲ ἢ ἀποθανεῖν ἢ νικᾶν ἄριστον.