Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

To a friend who wanted him to bear false witness, which included also an oath, he answered that he was a friend as far as the altar. [*](Cf. Moralia, 531 C and 808 A, and Aulus Gellius, i. 3.)

On his death-bed he accounted himself happy in that no Athenian, because of him, had ever put on a black garment.[*](Given with more details in Moralia, 543 C, and Plutarch’s Life of Pericles, chap. xxxviii. (173 c), and Julian, Oration iii. 128 D.)

Alcibiades, while still a boy, was caught in a fast hold in a wrestling-school, and, not being able to get away, he bit the arm of the boy who had him down. The other boy said, You bite like a woman. No indeed, said Alcibiades, but like a lion. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Alcibiades chap. i. (192 C). The same story is told of a Spartan in Moralia, 234 E.)

He owned a very beautiful dog, for which he had paid two hundred and seventy-five pounds, and he cut off its tail, so that, as he said, the Athenians may tell this about me, and may not concern themselves too much with anything else. [*](In quite different words in Plutarch’s Life of Alcibiades, chap. ix. (195 D).)

Coming upon a schoolroom, he asked for a book of the Iliad, and when the teacher said that

He came to Pericles’ door, and upon learning that Pericles was not at liberty, but was considering how to render his accounting to the Athenians, he said, Were it not better that he should consider how not to render it ? [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Alcibiades, chap. vii. (194 E); Diodorus, xii. 38; Valerius Maximus, iii. 1, ext. 1.)