Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

Demosthenes, the orator, said to him, The Athenians will put you to death if they go mad. Yes, he replied, me if they go mad, but you if they keep their senses, [*](Ibid. chap. ix. (745 F). In Moralia, 811 A, Demades is substituted for Demosthenes.)

Aristogeiton, the informer, was about to be put to death in prison, sentence having been passed upon him, and he wanted Phocion to come to him; but Phocion’s friends were averse to his going to see such a wicked man. And where, said he, could anyone converse with Aristogeiton with greater pleasure ? [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Phocion, chap. x. (746 E).)

The Athenians were enraged at the people of Byzantium because they had not received Chares in their city when he had been sent with a force to help them against Philip. But when Phocion said that they must not be enraged at those of their allies who distrusted, but at those of their own generals who were distrusted, he was himself chosen general; and he, being trusted by the people of Byzantium, made Philip withdraw without accomplishing his purpose. [*](Ibid. chap. xiv. (748 A); the date was 339 B.C.)

When Alexander the king sent him twenty thousand pounds as a present, he asked those who brought the money why it was that, when there were so many Athenians, Alexander offered this to him only. They replied that their king considered him only to be upright and honourable. Then, said he, let him suffer me both to seem and to be such. [*](Ibid. chap. xviii. (749 E); cf. also Aelian, Varia Historia, xi. 9.)

When Alexander made a demand for triremes, and the people called for Phocion by name to come forward and advise them, he arose and said, Well then, I advise you either to be conquerors yourselves by force of arms, or else to be the friends of the conquerors. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Phocion, chap. xxi. (751 A).)

When word suddenly came, quite unauthenticated, of the death of Alexander, and the orators

When Leosthenes plunged the State into war, elated as it was by brilliant hopes to aspire to the distinction of freedom and leadership, Phocion likened his words to the cypress - trees. For, said he, they are beautiful and tall, but they bear no fruit. However, the first attempts were successful, and, when the State was offering sacrifices to celebrate the good tidings, Phocion was asked whether he wished that these deeds had been done by himself. Yes, said he, these deeds done, but that advice given. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Phocion, chap. xxiii. (752 A B); Valerius Maximus, iii. 8, ext. 2.)

When the Macedonians invaded Attica, [*](In the Lamian war, 322 B.C.) and were devastating the land near the sea, he led out the men of military age. Soon many were thronging about him and strongly urging him to take possession of that hill over there, to draw up his forces here. Great Heavens, he said, how many generals do I see and how few soldiers ! Nevertheless, he engaged the enemy, and overcame them, and slew Micion the Macedonian commander. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Phocion, chap. xxv. (752 E).)

After a little time the Athenians were overcome in the war, and compelled by Antipater to submit to receiving a garrison. Menyllus, the commander of the garrison, offered money to Phocion, who said with indignation that Menyllus was no whit

Antipater said that he had two good friends at Athens; and of the two he had never persuaded Phocion to accept a gift, nor ever sated Demades by giving. [*](Ibid. chap. xxx. (p. 755 B).)

When Antipater required as his right that Phocion do a certain act of unrighteousness, he said, Antipater, you cannot use Phocion as a friend and flatterer both. Repeated by Plutarch in Moralia, 64 C, 142 B, 533 A; Life of Phocion, chap. xxx. (755 B); Life of Agis, chap. ii. (795 E).

The death of Antipater was followed by a democratic government at Athens, and sentence of death was passed in Assembly on Phocion and his friends. The others were led away weeping, but Phocion was proceeding in silence when one of his enemies met him and spat in his face. He looked toward the officers and said, Will not somebody make this man stop his bad manners ? [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Phocion, chap. xxxvi. (758 D).)

When one of the men who were to die with him wept and cursed, he said, Are you not content, Thudippus, that you are to die with Phocion ? [*](Ibid.; cf. 541 C, and Aelian, Varia Historia, xiii. 41.)

When the cup of hemlock was already being handed to him, he was asked if he had any message for his son. I charge and exhort him, said he, not to cherish any ill feeling against the Athenians. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Phocion, chap. xxxvi. (758 D); Aelian, Varia Historia, xii. 49.)

Peisistratus, the despot of the Athenians, on a time when some of his friends had revolted and taken possession of Phyle, came to them carrying a bundle of bedding. When they asked what he meant by this, he said, To persuade you and get you away from here, or, if I cannot persuade you, to stay with you; that is why I have come prepared.

It was whispered to him regarding his mother that she was in love with a certain young man, and had secret meetings with him, but that the young man was afraid and generally asked to be excused. Whereupon Peisistratus invited him to dinner, and after he had dined asked him, How was it ? And when the young man said, Very pleasant, Peisistratus said, You shall have this pleasure every day if you are agreeable to my mother.

When Thrasybulus, who was in love with the daughter of Peisistratus, kissed her one day on meeting her, Peisistratus, when incited by his wife against the man, said, If we hate them that love us, what shall we do to them that hate us ? And thereupon he gave the maiden as wife to Thrasybulus. [*](Cf. Valerius Maximus, v. 1, ext. 2. Plutarch also refers to the incident in Moralia, 457 F.)

Some revellers fell in with his wife, and did and said a good many ribald things. The next day when they besought Peisistratus with many tears, he said, As for you, do you try to conduct yourselves in a seemly manner hereafter, but as for my wife, she did not go out at all yesterday. [*](Musonius in Stobaeus, Florilegium, xix. 16, records a similar action on the part of Phocion.)

When he was bent on marrying a second wife, his children inquired whether he had any fault to find with them. By no means, he said, but only

Demetrius of Phalerum recommended to Ptolemy the king to buy and read the books dealing with the office of king and ruler. For, as he said, those things which the kings’ friends are not bold enough to recommend to them are written in the books.