Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

Menecrates the physician, who was addressed by the title of Zeus, wrote in a letter to him: Menecrates Zeus to King Agesilaus, health and happiness. Agesilaus wrote in reply: King Agesilaus to Menecrates, health and sanity! [*](The story is repeated in Moralia, 213 A, and in Plutarch’s Life of Agesilaus, chap. xxi. (607 E). Aelian, Varia Historia, xii. 51, and Athenaeus, 289 B, say that it was Philip of Macedon who thus replied to Menecrates.)

The Spartans won a victory over the Athenians and their allies at Corinth, [*](In 394 B.C.) and when he learned the number of the enemy ’s dead he exclaimed, Alas for Greece which by her ain hands has destroyed so mony men, in number eneuch to conquer all the barbarians ! [*](Cf. Moralia, 211 E, infra; Plutarch’s Life of Agesilaus, chap. xvi. (604 F); Cornelius Nepos, Agesilaus, 5. 2. The source is probably Xenophon, Agesilaus, 7. 4.)

He received an oracle from Zeus at Olympia such as he wished, and thereupon the Ephors commanded him to ask the Pythian god [*](Apollo, the son of Zeus.) about the same matter. So, when he arrived at Delphi, he asked the god if his opinion was the same as his father’s. [*](Cf. Moralia, 208 F, when the oracle at Dodona is mentioned instead of Olympia. It is probable that this story, which was related of Agesipolis by Xenophon, Hellenica, iv. 7. 2, and by Aristotle, Rhetoric, ii. 23 (MSS. Hegisippus), has been transferred to Agesilaus.)

In interceding with Hidrieus of Caria for one of his friends he wrote: If Nicias has done no wrong, let him go free; if he has done wrong, let him go as a favour to me; but let him go anyway. [*](Cf. Moralia, 209 E and 807 F; and Plutarch’s Life of Agesilaus, chap. xiii. (603 B).)

Being urged to hear a man who gave an imitation of the nightingale’s voice, he said, I hae heard the bird itsel’ mony a time. [*](Cf. Moralia, 212 F and 213 C, infra Plutarch’s Life of Agesilaus, chap. xxi. (607 E); and Life of Lycurgus, chap. xx. (52 E).)