Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

Being asked this same question by another man, [*](By Philip of Macedon, according to Aelian, Varia Historia, xii. 60.) he said, My father bequeathed to me his kingdom, but not his luck.

Agathocles was the son of a potter. After he had made himself master of Sicily, and had been proclaimed king, he used to have drinking-cups of pottery placed beside those of gold, and as he pointed these out to the young men he would say, That is the sort of thing which I used to do formerly, but this is what I do now because of my diligence and fortitude.[*](Cf. Moralia, 544 B, where the story is repeated in slightly different words.)