Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

Once in a precipitate retreat his baggage was plundered, and as he ate dry figs and barley-bread he exclaimed, What a pleasure is this which has never been mine before! [*](Ibid. chap. xii. (1017 B_ is a similar story regarding stale water.)

Parysatis, the mother of Cyrus and Artaxerxes, advised that he who was intending to talk frankly with the king should use words of softest texture.

Orontes, the son-in-law of King Artaxerxes, became involved in disgrace because of an accusation, [*](Against Tiribazus according to Diodorus, xv. 10-11, where the story is told at length.) and, when the decision was given against him, he said that, as mathematicians’ fingers are able to represent tens of thousands at one time, and at another

Memnon, who was waging war against Alexander on the side of King Darius, [*](Circa 333 B.C.) when one of his mercenary soldiers said many libellous and indecent things of Alexander, struck the man with his spear, saying, I pay you to fight Alexander, not to malign him.

The kings of the Egyptians, in accordance with a rule of their own, used to require their judges to swear that, even if the king should direct them to decide any case unfairly, they would not do so. [*](Cf. Diodorus, i. 71.)

Poltys, king of the Thracians at the time of the Trojan war, when once both the Trojans and the Greeks sent deputations to him at the same time, bade Alexander restore Helen and accept a couple of beautiful women from him,

Teres, the father of Sitalces, used to say that whenever he had nothing to do and was not in the field with his army he felt that there was no difference between himself and his grooms. [*](In Moralia, 729 C, this remark is attributed to Ateas, king of the Scythians.)