Presented to the

LIBRARY of the
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

by

MRS. CHESTERMARTIN
r.i *j 3 r rr n ;/ 1 f-f /_

_r i^C"// ^ WKrt^Y/
 PLUTARCH'S LIYES,

TRANSLATED FEOM THE ORIGINAL GREEKi

NOTES, CRITICAL AND HISTORICAL

AND

A LIFE OF PLUTARCH.

BY JOHN LANGHORNE, D.D.

AND WILLIAM LANGHORNE, A.M.

31 nrto Edition,

CABEFDLLY REVISED AND CORRECTED.

NEW YORK:

DERBY & JACKSON, 119 NASSAU STREET.

CDJCIKNATI :-H. W. DERBY.

1856.
 CONTENTS

Cimon and Lucuttos compar-

FnBu*. " . "- ' *. " " "
ed 364
Life of Pratarch . . . . "
XXVH. Nicias 366
Theseus . . ." .....
II. Romulus ........ ' XXVIH. Marcus Crassns .... 379
Romulus
andTheseui
compared
27 NiciasandMarcusCrassuo
TO.Lycurgiu...««""" 29 XXIX.
compared
Sertorius
395
39?
IV. Numa ......... 44

Numa
andLycurgns
compared56 XXX.Eumcnes
Sertorius and Eumenet com-
407
Solon ......... 59
VL Publicola........ 72 pared ..... 415
Solon
andPublicola
compared
. 81 XXXI.Agesilaus. . . 416
Themistocles....... 83 XXXII. Pompey... .432
VIII. Camillu
......... 97 Agesilaus
andPompey
com-
. Pericles ........ 113 pared 463
X. FabmsMaximus ...... 129 X. XXIII. Alexander .464
Periclesand Fabius Moiimus XXXIV. JuliusCzsar 495
compared
....... 140 XXXV. Pbocion 519
XI. Alcibiadcs........ 141 XXXVI. Catothe younger .... 531
XIL CaiusMarciusCoriolanus . .153 XXXVII. Agis 553
Alcibiadcsand C. M. Coriolanus XXXVIII. Clcomencs 560
compared....... 172 XXXIX. TiberiasGracchus
.... 572
XIII. Timoloon ........ 173 XL. CaiusGracchus 580
XIV. Paulus JEmiliui ...... 187 Agis, Clcomenes, and Tibe-
Timoleon and Paulus JEroiliui rius and Caius Gracchus
compared....... 202 compared...... 586
XV. Pelopidas........ 203 XLI. Demosthenes 587
XVI. Marccllus ........ 216 XLII. Cicero 598
Pelopidas andMarcelluscompar- Demosthenes
and Cicero
ed .......... 229 compared 614
-XVH. Arislider ........ 231 XLIII. Demetrius 616
XVIII. Cato the Censor ...... 244 XLIV. Antony 633
Aristides and Cato the Censor Demetrius and Antonycom-
compared....... 255 pared 658
XIX. Philopamcn ....... 257 XLV. Dion 659
XX. Titua Quintiua Flaminius . . . 265 XLVI. Brutus ........ 674
PhilopocmcnandT. Q. Flamin- Dion and Brutuscompared. 6S9
ius compared..... . 274 XLVII. Artaicnes 690
XXI. PynhuB......... 275 XLVIH. Aratiu 701
XXII. CaiusMario* ..... ..290 XLIX. Galba . .... 713
XXIII. Lysandor ........ 307 L. Otho 727
XXIV. Sylla ......... 319 Tablesof coins,weights,
LysandcrandSylla compared . 335 measures,tic 734
XXV. Cimon ......... 337 ChronologicalTable . . 735
LuculloB ........ 346 India . .
 PREFACE

F the merit of a Work may be estimatedfrom the universality of its reception,

Plutarch's Lives have a claim to the first honoursof Literature. No book has
beenmoregenerallysoughtafter,or readwith greateravidity. It wasoneof the
first that werebroughtoutof the retreatsof thelearned,and translatedinto the
modernlanguages. Amiot,Abbeof Bellozane, published
a Frenchtranslationof it
in thereign ofHenry theSecond;andfromthatwork it wastranslated intoEn
glish,in the timeof QueenElizabeth.
It is saidby thosewhoarenot willing to allowShakspearemuchlearning,that
he availedhimself of the last-mentionedtranslation; but they seemto forget that,
in order to support their argumentsof this kind, it is necessaryfor them to
Erove
ratedthat Plato
soliloquy, "too
Towas
be,translated into
or not to be," English
is atthesame
taken almost time;
verbatim, forthe
from thatcele-
phi-
losopher; yet we havenever foundthat Plato was translatedin thosetimes
Amiot wasa man of great industry and considerablelearning. He soughtdil-
igentlyin thelibrariesof Rome
andVeniceforthoseLivesof Plutarchwhichare
.ost; and though his searchwas unsuccessful,it had this good effect, that, by
meetingwith a varietyof manuscripts,
andcomparing
themwith the printed
copies,he wasenabledin many placesto rectify the text. This wasa very es-
sential circumstance; for few ancient writers nad suffered more than Plutarch
from the carelessness of printers and transcribers; and, with all his merit, it was
his fate, for a long time, to find no able restorer. The Schoolmendespisedhia
Greek, becauseit had not the purity of Xenophon,northe attic terseness of Aris-
tophanes;and,on that account,very unreasonablybestowedtheir labourson those
that wantedthem less. Amiot's Translation waspublishedin the year 1558;but
no reputable edition of the Greek text of Plutarch appearedtill that of Paris in
1624. The above-mentioned
translation,however,
thoughdrawnfroman imper-
fect text, passedthrough many editions,and wasstill read,till Dacier, under bet-
ter auspices,and in better times, attempted a new one; which he executed with
great elegance,and tolerableaccuracy. The text he followed wasnot so correct
as might navebeenwished; for the Londoneditionof Plutarch wasnot then pub-
lished. However, the French language being at that time in great perfection,
and the fashionablelanguageof almost every court in Europe,Dacier's transla-
tion camenot only into the libraries but into the handsof men. Plutarch wasuni-
versally read, and no book in those times had a more extensive sale,or went
through a greater numberof impressions. The translatorhad, indeed,acquitted
himself, in one respect, with great happiness. His book was not found to be
French Greek. He hadcarefullyfollowedthat rule,whichno translatorought
everto losesightof, thegreatrule of humouringthegenius,and maintainingthe
structure
of hisownlanguage.For this purpose
hefrequently
brokethe long
and embarrassed periodsof the Greek; andby dividingandshorteningthem in
histranslation,hegavethemgreaterperspicuityandmoreeasymovement. Yet
still hewasfaithfulto hisoriginal; andwherehe didnotmistakehim, which in-
deedhe seldomdid, conveyedhisideaswith clearness, thoughnotwithoutver-
r PREFACE.

boshy. His translationhad anotherdistinguished

advantage.He enrichedit
with a variety of explanatory notes. There are so many readerswho have no
competent acquaintancewith the customsof antiquity, the laws of the ancient
states,the ceremoniesof their religion, and the remoterand minuter parts of their
history and genealogy,that to havean accountof thesemattersever beforeth«
eye, and to travel with a guide who is readyto describeto us every object we are
unacquaintedwith, is a privilege equally convenientand agreeable.But herethe
annotatoroughtto havestopped. Satisfiedwith removingthedifficultiesusually
arising in the circumstancesabove-mentioned,he should not have swelled his
pageswith idle declamationson trite moralsand obvioussentiments. Amiot'i
margins,indeed,are everywherecrowdedwith such. In thosetimestheyfol-
lowed the methodof the old Divines, which was to make practical improvements
of every matter; hut it is somewhatstrange that Dacier, who wrote in a more
enlightenedage,shouldfall into that beatentrack of insipid moralizing, and beat
painsto say what every one must know. Perhaps,as the commentatorof Plu-
tarch, he consideredhimself as a kind of travelling companionto the reader; and
agreeablyto the mannersof his country, he meantto shewhis politenessby never
holding his peace. The apologyhemakesfor deducinganddetailingtheseflat
precepts, is the view of instructing younger minds. He bad not philosophy
enoughto consider,that to anticipatethe conclusionsof suchminds, in their pur-
suit of history and characters,is to prevent their propereffect. When examples
are placed beforethem, they will not fail to make right inferences;but if those
are madefor them, the didactic air of informationdestroystheir influence.
After the old English translationof Plutarch, which wasprofessedly taken from
Amiot's French, no other appearedtill the time of Dryden. That greatman,who
is never to be mentionedwithout pity and admiration, was prevailed upon, by
his necessities,to heada companyof translators; and to lend the sanctionof his
florious
name
y almost toatranslation
as many ofPlutarch,
handsas there written,
were lives. Thatashemotley
this himselfacknowledge
work wasfull of
errors, inequalities,and inconsistencies,
is not in the least to be wonderedat. Of
such a variety of translators,it would have beenvery singular if some had not
failed in learning, and somein language. The truth is, that the greatestpart of
them were deficient in both. Indeed,their task was not easy. To translatePlu-
tarchunderanycircumstances
couldrequirenoordinaryskill in thelanguage
and
antiquities of Greece: but to attempt it whilst the text was in a depraved state;
unsettledand unrectified; aboundingwith errors, misnomers,and transpositions;
this required much greater abilities than fell to the lot of that body of translators
in general. It appears,however, from the executionof their undertaking, that
they gave themselvesno greatconcernaboutthe difficulties that attendedit. Some
few blundered at the Greek ; some drew from the Scholiast's Latin; and others,
morehumble,trod scrupulously
in thepacesof Amiot. Thuscopyingtheidioms
of different languages,they proceededlike the workmen at Babel, and fell into a
confusionof tongues,while they attemptedto speakthe same.But the diversities
of stylewerenot the greatestfaultof this strangetranslation. It wasfull of the
grossesterrors.Ignoranceontheonehand,and hastiness
ornegligence ontheother,
had filled it with absurditiesin every life, and inaccuraciesin almost every page.
The language,in general,was insupportably
tame, tedious,andembarrassed.
The periodshad no harmony; the phraseologyhad no elegance,no spirit, no pre
cision. Yet this is the last translationof Plutarch's Lives that hasappearedin the
English language,and the only one that is now read.
It must beowned, that when Dacier's translationcame abroad, the proprietor
of Dryden'scopyendeavoured
to repairit. But howwasthisdone? Not by the
application
of learned
men,whomighthaverectified
theerrorsby consulting
the
original, but by a meanrecourseto the laboursof Dacier. Where the French
translatorhaddifferedfromthe English,theopinionsof thelatterwerereligiously
given up ; and sometimesa period, and sometimesa page,were translatedanew
from Dacier; while in due compliment to him, the idiom of his language,and
everytaur d'expression
were mostscrupulously
preserved.Nay, theeditorsof
that edition, which waspublishedin 1727,did more. They not only paid Dacier
thecompliment of mixinghisFrenchwith their English,but whiletneyborrowed
his notes,theyadoptedeven themost frivolousandsuperfluous commentsthat
escapedhispen
 PREFACE. "

ThustheEnglish
Plutarch's
Lives,
atfirstsoheterogeneous
andabsurd,
re-
ceivedbut little benefitfromthis whimsicalreparation.Dacier'sbestnoteswere,
indeed,
ofsome
value;butthepatchwork
alterations
theeditors
haddrawn
from
bis translation,
madetheirbookappearstill like Otway's
OldWoman,whose
gown of many coloursspoke
variety of wretchedness.

This translation
continuedin thesameform upwards of thirty years. But in
theyear1758the proprietorengaged a gentleman
of abilities,very differentfrom
those
whohadformerlybeenemployed, to giveit asecond
purgation.He suc-
ceeded
aswellasit waspossible
lor anymanofthebestjudgmentandlearningto
succeed,in anattemptof thatnature. That is to say, herectifieda multitudeof
errors,and in manyplaces endeavoured to mendthemiserable language.Two
of the Lives he translatedanew; and this he executedin sucha manner,that, had
hedonethe whole,thepresenttranslatorswouldneverhavethoughtof theunder-
taking. But two Lives out of fifty madea very small part of this great work;
and thoughhe rectifiedmanyerrorsin the old translation,yet, wherealmost
everythingwas error,it is nowonderif manyescapedhim. This was,indeed,
the case. In thecourseof our Notes we had remarkeda greatnumber; but, ap-
prehensive
thatsuchacontinualattentiontothefaultsof a formertranslation
might
appearinvidious,weexpunged a greaterpartof theremarks,andsuffered such
onlyto remainasmighttestifythe proprietyof our presentundertaking. Be-
sides,thoughthe ingeniousreviserof the editionof 1758might repair thelanguage
whereit wasmostpalpably
deficient,
it wasimpossible
for him to alter thecast
and complexionof thewhole. It wouldstill retain its inequalities,its tameness,
and
heavymarch; its mixture of idioms,and the irksome train of far-connectedpe-
riods. These it still retains; and, after all the operationsit has gone through,
remains

Like somepatcb'ddogholeekedwith endsof wail!

In this view of things, the necessityof a new translationis obvious; and the
hazarddoesnot appearto be great. With suchcompetitorsfor the public favour
the contesthasneither glory nor dangerattendingit. But the labour and atten-
tion necessary,as well to secureas to obtain that favour, neither are, nor oughtto
be, less: And with whatever successthe presenttranslators may be thought to
haveexecutedtheir undertaking,they will alwaysat leasthave themerit of a dil-
igent desireto dischargethis public duty faithfully.
Wherethetextof Plutarch
appeared
to themerroneous,
theyhavespared
no
pains,and neglectedno meansin their power,to rectify it.
Sensiblethat thegreatart of a translatoris to preventthe peculiaritiesof his
Author'slanguagefromstealingintohisown,theyhavebeenparticularlyattentive
tothispoint,andhavegenerally
endeavoured
tokeeptheirEnglishunmixed
with
Greek. At the sametimeit mustbeobserved,that there is frequentlya great
similarityin thestructureof the two languages;yet that resemblance,
in some
instances,makesit the morenecessaryto guard against it on the whole. This
careisof thegreaterconsequence,
because
Plutarchs Livesgenerallypassthrough
thehands
ofyoungpeople,
whooughtto readtheirownlanguage
in itsnativepu-
rity, unmixedanduntaintedwith theidiomsof differenttongues.For their sakes
too, as well as for the sakeof readersof a differentclass,we have omitted some
passagesin the text, and haveonly signifiedthe omission by asterisms. Some,
perhaps,maycensureus for takingtoogreat a liberty with our Author in this
circumstance
: However,wemustbegleavein thatinstance to abideby ourown
opinion; and sure we are, that we shouldhave censurednotranslatorfor the same.
Couldevery thing of that kind havebeenomitted, we shouldhave been still less
dissatisfied;but sometimes
thechainof the narrativewouldnotadmitof it, and
thedisagreeable
partswereto begotoverwith asmuchdecency aspossible.
In thedescriptions
ofbattles,
campsandsieges,
it is morethanprobable
thatwe
maysometimes
be mistakenin themilitaryterms. We haveendeavoured,
how-
ever,tobeasaccurate
in this respect
as possible,
andtoacquaint
ourselves
with
this kind of knowledge
aswell asour situations
would permit; but we will not
promisethereader
thatwe havealwayssucceeded.
Wheresomething
seemed
viii PREFACE.

to havefallenoutofthetext,orwheretheellipsiswastooviolentfortheformsot
our language,
we havenot scrupledto maintainthetenorof thenarrative,or the
chain of reason,by such little insertionsas appearedto be necessaryfor the pur-
pose. Theseshort insertionswe at first put betweenhooks; but as that deformed
thepage,
withoutanswering
anymaterialpurpose,
wesoonrejected
it.
Suchare the liberties we have taken with Plutarch; and the learned,we flatter
ourselves,will not think them too great. Yet there is one more, which, if we
could have presumeduponit, would have made his book infinitely moreuniform
andagreeable.We oftenwishedto throwout of thetext into thenotesthosete-
diousand digressivecomments that spoil the beauty and order of his narrative,
mortify the expectation, frequently, when it is most essentiallyinterested,and
destroythenaturalinfluenceof hisstory,by turning the attentioninto a differ
ent channel. What, for instance,can be more irksome and impertinent than a
long dissertationon a point of natural philosophystarting up at the very crisisof
some important action ? Every reader of Plutarch must have felt the pain of
theseunseasonable digressions]but we could not, upon our own pleasureor au-
thority, remove them.
In the Noteswe haveprosecutedthese several intentions. We have endeav
cured to bring the English reader acquaintedwith the Greek aud Roman An
tiquities; wherePlutarchhadommitted
anythingremarkable
in theLives,to
supply it from otherauthors, and to make hisbook in some measurea general
history of the periodsunder his pen. In the notestoo we have assignedreasons
for it, where we have differed from the former translators.
This part of our work is neither wholly borrowed, nor altogether original.
Where Dacier or other annotatorsoffered us any thing to the purpose,we have
not scrupledto make useof it; and, to avoid the endlesstrouble of citations, we
make this acknowledgementonce for all. The numberof original notes the
learnedreaderwill find to be very considerable: But thereare not somany notes
ofanykindin thelatterpartofthework; because
themanners
andcustoms,
the
religious ceremonies,laws, state-offices,and formsof government,amongthe an-
cients,beingexplainedin the firstLives,muchdid notremainfor the business
of
information.
Four of Plutarch's Parallels are supposed
to be lost: Those of Themistocles
and Camillusj Pyrrhus and Marius ; Phocionand Cato; Alexander and Caesar.
TheseDaciersupplies
byothers
of his owncomposition;
but sodifferentfrom
thoseof Plutarch,that theyhavelittle right tobe incorporated
with hisWorks.
The necessaryChronological Tables, togetherwith the Tablesof Money,
Weights
andMeasures,
anda copious
Index,havebeenprovided
forthistransla-
tion; of whichwemaytruly say,that it wantsno other advantages
thansuchai
the Translatorshad not power to give.
 "ixv-

UFE OF PLUTARCH.

AS,in the progress

of life, we first passthroughscenes
of innocence,
peace,
andfancy,and
afterwardsencounterthe vicesand disordersof society; so we shall here amuseourselvesa
whileiirtfie~peacefulsolitudeof the philosopher,
beforewe proceedto thosemoreanimated,but
less pleasingobjects he describes.
Nor will the viewof a philosopher's life belessinstructivethanhislabours. If the latterteach
us howgreatvices,accompanied with greatabilities,maytend to the ruin of a state;-if theyin«
formus howAmbitionattendedwith magnanimity,how Avaricedirectedby politicalsagacity,
howEnvy andRevenge, armedwith personalvalourandpopularsupport,will destroythe most
"acredestablishments, andbreakthrougheverybarrierof humanreposeandsafety; theformer
will convinceus thatequanimityis moredesirablethan the highestprivilegesof mind,andthat
the mostdistinguished situationsin life, are lessto beenviedthan thosequiet allotments,where
science is the support of Virtue.
Pindarand Epaminondas
had, longbeforePlutarch'stime, redeemed,in somemeasure,
the
credit of Bceotia, and rescued the inhabitants of that country from the proverbial imputation
of stupidity. When Plutarch appeared,
he confirmedthe reputationit had recovered. He
shewed that genius is not the growth of any particular soil ; and that its cultivation requires
no peculiar qualities of climate.
Chzronea, a town in Bcpotia,between Phocis and Attica, had the honour to give him birth.
This place was remarkable for nothing but the lameness and servility of its inhabitants, whom
Antony's soldiers madebeasts of burthen, and obliged to carry their corn upon their shoulders
to the coast. As it lay between two seas,and was partly shut up by mountains, the air, of
course,was heavy, and truly Breotian. But situations as little favoured by nature as Chironea
have given birth to the greatest men; of which the celebrated Locke and many others are in-
stances.
Plutarch himself acknowledgesthe stupidity of the Boeotiansin general ; but he imputes it
rather to their diet than to their air : for, in his treatise on Animal Food, he intimates, that a grosl
indulgence in that article, which was usual with his countrymen, contributes greatly to obscure
the intellectual faculties.
It is not easy to ascertain in what year he was bom. Ruauld places it about the middle of
the reignof Claudius; others,towardsthe endof it. The followingcircumstanceis the only
foundationthey havefor their conjectures.
Plutarchsays,that he studiedPhilosophyunderAmmonius,at Delphi,when Nero madehil
progressinto Greece. This, weknow,wasin thet welfthyearof that Emperor'sreign,in the con-
sulshipof PaulinusSuetoniusandPontiusTelesinua,the secondyearof the Olympiad211,and
the sixty-sixth of the Christian ^Era. Dacier observesthat Plutarch must have beenseventeen
or eighteenat least,whenhewasengaged in the abstruse
studiesof philosophy; and he,therefore,
fixeshis birth aboutlive or six yearsbeforethe deathof Claudius. This, however,is baresup-
position ; and that, in our opinion, not of the most probable kind. The youth of Greece studied
under the philosophersvery early ; for their works, with those of the poets and rhetoricians,
formed their chief course of discipline.
But to determine whether he was born under the reign of Claudius, or in the early part of
Nero's reign, (whichwe the rather believe,as he sayshimself,that he wasvery youngwhen
Nero enteredGreece:) to makeit clearlyunderstood, whetherhestudiedat Delphi at ten,or at
eighteen years of age, is of much lessconsequence,than it is to know by what means,and under
what auspices,he acquiredthat humaneand rational philosophy which is distinguishedin his works.
Ammonius was his preceptor; but of him 7/e know little more than what his scholar has
accidentally let fall concerning him. He mentions a singular instance of his manner of correct-
ing his pupils.
" Ourmaster(sayshe) havingonedayobservedthatwe hadindulgedourselves too luxuriously
at dinner,at his afternoonlecture,orderedhis freedmanto give his own sonthe disciplineof
the whip, in our presence;signifying,at the sametime, that he sufferedthis punishment, be-
causehe could not eat his victualswithout sauce. The philosopher all the while had his eye
upon us, and we knew well for whom this example of punishment was intended." This cir-
cumstanceshows,at least,that Ammoniuswasnot of the schoolof Epicurus. The severityof
hisdiscipline,indeed,
seems
ratherof theStoiccast; butit is mostprobable,
thathebelonged
to theAcademicians
; for their schools,at that time, hadthe greatestreputationin Greece.
It wasa happycircumstance
in thediscipline
of thoseschools,
thatthe parentonlyhadthe
power of corporal punishment: the rod and the ferula were snatched from the hand of the
petty tyrant: his office alonewas to inform the mind: he had no authorityto dastardizethe
spirit : he had no power to extinguishthe generousflameof freedom,or to breakdown the
nobleindependency
of soul,by the slavish,debasing,
anddegrading
application
of therod.
This modeof punii'imcnt in our public schools,is oneof the worstremainsof barbarismthat
prevails
among
us. Sensible
minds,
however
volatileandinattentive
n earlyyears,
mayb»
 LIFE OF PLUTARCH.

drawnto their July by manymeans,whichshame,andfearsof a more liberalnaturethanthose

of corporalpunishment,will supply. Where thereis but little sensibility,the effectwhichthat
modeof punishment producesis not morehappy. It destroysthat little : thoughit shouldbe
the first care and labour of the preceptor to increase it. To beat the body is to debasethe mind.
Nothing so soon, or so totally abolishesthe senseof shame; and yet that sense is at once the
best preservative of virtue, and the greatest incentive to every speciesof excellence.
Another principaladvantage,
which the ancientmodeof theGreekeducationgaveits pupils,
was their early accessto every branch of philosophical learning. They did not, like us, employ
their youth in the acquisition of words : they were engaged in pursuits of a higher nature; in
acquiringthe knowledgeof things. Theydid not,like us,spendsevenor ten yearsof scholastic
Inbourin makinga generalacquaintance with twodeadlanguages.Thoseyearswereemployed
in the studyof nature,andin gainingthe elementsof philosophical
knowledgefrom heroriginal
economy and laws. Hence all that Dacier hasobservedconcerning the probability of Plutarch's
being seventeenor eighteen years of agewhen he studied under Ammonius, iswithout the least
weight.
The way to mathematical and philosophical knowledge was, indeed much more easy among
the ancient Greeks, than it can ever be with us. Those, and every other science,are bound up
in terms, which we can never understand precisely, till we become acquainted with the lan-
guagesfrom which they are derived. Plutarch, when he learned the Roman language,which
was not till he was somewhat advanced in life, observedthat he got the knowledge of words
fromhis knowledge
of things. But weheunderthenecessity
of reversinghis method; andbefore
we can arrive at the knowledge of things, we must first labour to obtain the knowledge of words.
However,thoughtheGreekshadaccess to sciencewithout the acquisitionof other languages,
they were,nevertheless,
sufficientlyattentiveto the cultivationof their own. Philology,after
the mathematics
andphilosophy,wasoneof their principalstudies; andtheyappliedthemselves
considerably to critical investigation.
A proof of this we find in that Dissertation which Plutarch hath given us on the word ",
engraved on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. In this tract he introduces the scholastic dis-
putes, wherein he makes a principal figure. After giving us the various significations which
others assignedto tins word, he adds hia own idea of it; and that is of some consequenceto
us, because it shews us that he was not a pqlytheist. "" says he, Thou art! as if it were
"" ", Thou art one. I meannot in the aggregate
sense,as we say, onearmy or one bodyof
men composedof many individuals ; but that which exists distinctly must necessarily be ono;
and the very idea of being implies individuality. One is that which is a simple Being, free from
mixtureand composition. To beone, therefore,in this sense,is consistentonly with a nature
entire in its first principle, and incapable of alteration or decay."
So far we are perfectlysatisfiedwith Plutarch'screed,but not with his criticism. To sup-
pose that the word " should signify the existenceof one God only, is to hazard too much upon
conjecture ; and the whole tenor of the heathen theology makes againstit.
Nor can we be better pleasedwith the other interpretations of this celebrated word. We can
never suppose,that it barely signified {/'; intimating thereby, that the business of those who
visited the temple was enquiry, and that they cameto ask the Deity t/ suchevents should cometo
pass. This construction is too much forced ; and it would do as well, or even better, were the
11interpreted, if you make large presents to the God, if you pay the priest.
Were not this inscription an object of attention among the learned, we should not at this dia
tant period of time, have thought it worth mentioning, otherwise, than as it gives us an idea
of one branch of Plutarch's education. But as a single word, inscribed on the Temple of Apollo
at Delphi, cannot but be matter of curiosity with those who carry their enquiries into remote
antiquity, we shall not scruple to add one more to the other conjectures concerning it.
W« will suppose then, that the " was here used, in the Ionic dialect, for i'», I wish.
This perfectlyexpressed
the state of mind of all that enteredthe templeon the business
of
consultation ; and it might be no less emphatical in the Greek than Virgil's Quanquam O!
was in the Latin. If we carry this conjecture farther, and think it probable, that this word
might, asthe initial word of a celebratedline in the third bookof the Odyssey,
standthere to
iigmfy the whole line, we shall reacha degreeof probabilityalmost borderingon certainty.
The verse we allude to is this:

£i VUAi/joi yiffftfuSi ^t't &vv*/*t* grapxSdiv*

" O that the Godswouldempowerme to obtainmy wishes!" What prayer moreproperon

enteringthe templeof the Gods,particularlywith the viewof consultingthemontheeventsof life.
If it should be thoughtthat the initial word is insufficientto representa wholeverse,wo
naveto answer,
thatit wasagreeable
to thecustom
of theancients.Theynotonlyconveyed
the senseof particularversesby their initial words,but frequentlyof large passages
by the
quotationof a singleline,or evenof halfa line; someinstances
of whichoccurin thefollow-
ing Lives. The rrasonof thisis obvious.Theworksof their bestpoetswerealmostuni-
versallycommitted to memory ; andthesmallest quotation
wassufficient
to conveythesense
of a whole passage.
These observationsare matters of mere curiosity, mdeed ; but they have had their use : for
theyhave naturallypointedouttousanother
instanceof theexcellence
of thateducation
whick
formedour youngphilosopher.
Thiswastheimprovement of memory,
by meansof exercise
 LIFE OF PLUTARCH. ii
Mr. Lockehasjustly,thoughobviously
enough,
observed,
that nothing«omuenstrengtnem
thii faculty as the employment of it.
The Greekmodeof educationmust have had a wonderfuleffect in this case. The COB-
linualexercise
of thememory,
in layingupthetreasures
of theirpoets,
the precepts
of their
philosophers,
andtheproblems
of theirmathematicians,
musthavegivenit thatmechanical
powerof retention,
whichnothingcouldeasilyescape.ThusPliny* tellsof a Greekcalled
Charmiclas.
who could repeatfrom memorythe contentsof the largestlibrary
The advantages
Plutarchderivedfromthisexercise
appear
in everypartof hisworks. A«
the writingsof poetslived in his memory,they were readyfor use and applicationen every
apposite
occasion.Theywerealwaysat hand,citherto confirmthesentiments
andjustifythe
principlesof his heroes,to supportbis own, or to illustrateboth.
By the aid of a cultivated
memory too,hewasenabledto write a number
of cotempprary
Laves,andto assign to eachsucha portionof business
in thegeneral
transactions
of thetimes,
asmight besufficientto delineatethe character,without repeateddetailsof the sameactions
andnegotiations.This made
a verydifficultpartof hiswork; andheacquitted
himselfhere
with great management and address. Sometimes, indeed,he has repeatedthe samecircum-
stancesin cotemporary
lives; but it washardly avoidable. The great wonderis, that he haa
done it so seldom.
Butthoughanimproved
memory
might,in this respect,
beof serviceto him,asundoubtedly
it was,there were othersin which it was rather a disadvantage.By trustingtoo muchto it,
he has fallen into inaccuraciesand inconsistencies,
where he was professedlydrawingfrom
precedingwriters; andwe haveoftenbeenobligedto rectify his mistakes,by consultingthose
authors, becausehewould not be at the pains to consult them nimself.
If Plutarchmight properlybe saidto belongto any sect of philosophers, his education,the
rationalityof his principles,and the modestyof his doctrines,would incline us to place him
with tlie latter academy. At least, when he left his master Ammonius, and came into society,
it is more than probable, that he ranked particularly with that sect.
His writings,however,furnishus with manyreasonsfor thinking,that he afterwardsbecame
a citizenof thephilosophical
world. Heappears
to haveexamined
everysectwitha calmand
unprejudicedattention; to haveselectedwhat he foundof usefor the purposes
of virtue and
happiness
; andto haveleft the restfor the portionof thosewhosenarrownessof mind could
think either scienceor felicity confined to any denomination of men.
From the Academicians he took their modesty of opinion, and left them their original scepti-
cism : he borrowed their rational theology, and gave up to them, in a great measure, their
metaphysical refinements, together with their vain, though seductive, enthusiasm.
With the Peripatetics, he walked in searchof natural science,and of logic ; but, satisfiedwith
whatever practical knowledge might be acquired, he left them to dream over the hypothetical
part of the former,andto chasethe shadows
of reasonthroughthe mazesof the latter.
To the Stoics, he was indebted for the belief of a particular Providence ; but he could not
enter into their idea of future rewards and punishments. He knew not how to reconcile the
presentagencyof the SupremeBeingwith his judicial characterhereafter; thoughTheodoret
tells us. that he had heard of the Christian religion, and inserted several of its mysteries in his
works.f FromtheStoicstoo,heborrowed
thedoctrineof fortitude
: but he rejectedtheun-
naturalfoundationon whichtheyerectedthat virtue. He wentbackto Socratesfor principles
whereon to rest it.
With the Epicureans he does not seemto have had much intercourse, though the accom-
modating philosophy of Aristippus entered frequently into his politics, and sometimes into the
general economy of his life. In the little states of Greece, that philosophy had not much to
do ; but had it been adopted in the more violent measuresof the Roman Administration, our
celebrated Biographer would not have had such scenesof blood and ruin to describe ; for emu-
lation, prejudice,and opposition,uponwhateverprinciplestheymight pleadtheir apology,first
struck out the fire that laid the commonwealthin ashes. If Plutarch borrowed any thing more
from Epicurus, it was his rational idea of enjoyment. That such was his idea, is more than
probable; for it is impossible
to believethe talesthat the Heathenbigotshavetold of him, or
to supposethat the cultivated mind of a philosophershould pursue its happinessout of the tem-
perate order of nature. His irreligious opinions he left to him, as he had left to the other sect*
their vanities and absurdities.
But when we bring him to the school of Pythagoras, what idea shall we entertain of him?
Phall we considerhim anylongeras anAcademician,
or as acitizen of the philosophicalworld?
Naturallybenevolent
andhumane,
hefindsa system
of divinityandphilosophy
perfectly
adapted
to his naturalsentiments. The whole animalcreationhe hadoriginallylooked uponwith an
inetinctivetenderness
; but whenthe amiablePythagoras,
the priestof Nature,in defenceof the
commonprivileges of her creatures,
hadcalledreligionintotheircause ;-when henought to
"oftenthecrueltythatmanhadexercised against
them,bythehonest art of insinuating
thedoc-
trine of transmigration,
how could the humaneand benevolentPluUrchrefuseto serveunder
this priestof Nature? It wasimpossible.He adopted
thedoctrine
of theMetempsychosis.
Heentered
intothemerciful
scheme of Pythagoras,
and,likehim,diverted
thecrueltyofthe
humanspecies,
by appealing
to theselfishqualities
of theirnature,
bysubduingtheirpride,
" Hist. Nat bb. vii. cap. 24.
t Nothingof Plutarch's
isDOW
extant,fromwhichwecu infer,thathewu tMjuainted
withtheChrutiij
religion.
 rii LIFE OF ; LCTARCH.
andexcitingtheir sympathy,while he shewedthemthat their futureexistencemightbe thecon-
dition of a reptile.
This spirit and dispositionbreak strongly from him in his observationson the elder Cato. And
aanothing can exhibit a mure lively pictureof him thanthesepaintingsof his own,we shall
not scruple to introduce them here : " For my part, I cannot but charge his using his servants
like so manybeastaof burden,andturning themoff, or sellingthemwhentheygrew old,to the
account of a mean and ungenerousspirit which thinks that the sole tie between man and man
is interest or necessity. But goodnessmoves in a larger sphere than justice. The obligation!
of law andequityreachonly to mankind,but kindnessandbeneficence shouldbe extendedto
creaturesof everyspecies; andthesestill flow fromthe breastof a well-naturedman,asstreams
that issuefrom the hying fountain. A goodmanwill takecare of his horsesanddogs,cot only
while theyare young,but when old and pastservice. Thus the peopleof Athens,whenthey
hadfinishedthe TemplecalledHecatompedon, setat libertythe beastsof burdenthathadbeen
chieflyemployedin the work, sufferingthem to pastureat large,free from any otherservice
It is said,thatone of theseafterwardscameof its own accordto work, and,puttingitself at
the headof the labouringcattle,inarchedbeforethemto the citadel. This pleased the people,
andthey madea decree,that it shouldbe kept at the public chargeso longasit lived. The
gravesof Cimon'smares,with which hethrice conqueredat the Olympicgames,arestill to be
Beennearhis own tomb. Many have shewnparticularmarksof regard,in buryingthe dogs
which they had cherishedand beenfond of ; and amongstthe rest, Xantippusof old, whose
dog swam by the side of his galley to Salamis, when the Athenians were forced to abandon
their city, andwas afterwardburiedby him upona promontory,whichto thisday is calledthe
Dog's Grave. We certainlyoughtnot to treat living creatureslike shoesor householdgoods,
which, whenworn out with use,we throw away; andwere it only to leam benevolence to
humankind,we shouldbe merciful to othercreatures. For myown part,I would not sell even
an old ox that hadlabouredfor me ; muchlesswould I remove,for the sakeof a Littlemoney,
a man grown old in my service, from his usual lodgings and diet ; for to him, poor man ! it
would be as bad as banishment, since he could be of no more use to the buyer than he was to
the seller. But Cato, as if he took a pride in these things, tells us, that when consul, he left
his war-horsein Spain,to savethe publicthe chargeof his conveyance.Whethersuchthings
as these are instancesof greatnessor littleness of soul, let the reader judge for himself."
What an amiableideaof our benevolentphilosopher
! How worthy the instructionsof the
priest of Nature! How honourable to that great master of truth and universal science, whose
sentiments were decisive in every doubtful matter, and whose maxims were received with silent
conviction! *
Wherefore should we wonder to find Plutarch more particularly attached to the opinionsof
this great man ? Whether we consider the immensity of his erudition, or the benevolenceof
his system, the motives for that attachment were equally powerful. Pythagoras had collected
all the stores of human learning, and had reduced them into one rational and useful body of
science. Like our glorious Bacon, he led Philosophyforth from the jargon of schools, and the
fopperies of sects. He made her what she was originally designed to be, the handmaidof Na
ture! friendly to her creatures, and faithful to her laws. Whatever knowledge could be gained
by human industry, by the most extensive inquiry and observation,he had every meansand op
portunity to obtain. The priestsof Egypt unfoldedto him their mysteriesandtheir learning:
they led him through the records of the remotest antiquity, and opened all those storesof science
that had been amassingthrough a multitude of ages. The Magi of Persia co-operatedwith
the priestsof Egypt in the instructionof this wonderfulphilosopher. They taught him those
higher parts of science, by which they were themselves so much distinguished,astronomy and
the system of the universe. The laws of moral life, and the institutions of civil societies, with
their several excellencies and defects, he learned from the various statesand establishmentsof
Greece. Thus accomplished,when he came to dispute in the Olympic contests,hewas considered
as a prodigyof wisdomandlearning:but whenthe choiceof his title wasleft to him, hemodestly
declined the appellation of a wise man, and was contented only to be called a lover of wisdom.^
Shall not Plutarch, then, meet with all imaginable indulgence, if, in his veneration for this
great man,he not only adoptedthe noblerpartsof his philosophy,
but (whathehadavoidedwith
regard to the other sects) followed him too in his errors.' Such, in particular, was his doctrine
of dreams', to which our biographer, we must confess,has paid too much attention. Yet, ab-
solutelyto condemnhim for this, would, perhaps,be hazardingas much as totally to defend
him. We mustacknowledge, with theelderPliny, Si exemplisagatur,prqfectopariajiant;{
or, in the language
of honestSir Robertde Coverly," Much maybe saidon bothsides.*
However,if Pliny, whosecomplaisance for the creditof the marvellousin particularwasverj
great,couldbedoubtfulaboutthismatter,we of little faithmaybeallowedto be moreso. Yet
Plutarch,in his Treatiseon Oracles,hasmaintainedhis doctrineby suchpowerfultestimonies,
that if any regardis to be paidto his veracity,someattentionshould begivento his opinion.
We shall thereforeleavethe point,whereMr. Addisonthoughtproperto leavea moreimproba-
ble doctrine, in suspense.
When Zeno consulted the oracle in what manner he should live, the answer was, that he
Shouldinquire of the dead. Assiduous and indefatigable application to reading made a con
siderable part of the Greek education ; and in this our biographer seemsto have exerted the
greatestindustry. The numberof bookshe hasquoted,to which ne has referred,and from
" V«l. Max.lib. viii. cap.IS. » Val. Max. b. riii. cap.7. I Hut. Nat. lib. ». rao.75.
 LIFE OF PLUTARCH. xiil
whichh«has"written,
seemsalmoslincredible,
whenit is considered
that theart of printing
wasnotknownin bistime,andthatthepurchase of manuscripts
wasdifficultanddear.
Hisfamily,indeed,wasnot withoutwealth. In his Symposiacs,
he tella us,that it was
Ancientin Chaeronea;
and that his ancestorshad beeninvestedwith the mostconsiderable
officesin themagistracy.He mentions
in particular
hisgreat-grandfather
Nicarcbus,whom
hehadthehappiness of knowing;andrelates,
fromhisauthority,
themisfortunes
of hisfellow-
citizens, under the severediscipline of Antony's soldiers.
His grandfather
Lamprias,he tellsus, wasa manof greateloquence,and of a brilliant
imagination.He wasdistinguishedby his meritasa convivialcompanion;
andwasoneof
thosehappy
mortals,
who,whentheysacrifice
to Bacchus,
arefavoured
by Mercury.Hi*
good-humour
andpleasantry
increased
with his cups; andhe usedto say,thatwinehadthe
sameeffectuponhim, that fire hason incense,which causes
the finest andrichestessences
to
evaporate.
Plutarchhasmentionedhis fatherlikewise; but hasnot given us his namein anyof those
writingsthatarecomedownto us. However, hehasbornehonourabletestimonytohismem-
ory jfijr hetellsus,thathewasa learnedanda virtuousman,well acquainted
with thephi-
losophyandtheology of histime,andconversant
with the worksof the poets. Plutarch,in
his Political Precepts,mentionsan instanceof his father'sdiscretion,which doeshim great
honour. "I remember,"sayshe, "that I wassent,when avery youngman,alongwith another
citizenof Chxronea,onan embassy to the proconsul. My colleaguebeing,by someaccident,
obliged to stop in the way, I proceededwithout him, and executedour commission.Upon
my returnto Chaeronea, whenI wasto give an accountin public of my negociation,
my father
look me aside, and said, my son,take care that in the account you are to about to give, you do
not mentionyourselfdistinctly,but jointly with your colleague. Saynot, / went, I spake,1
executed ; bat we went, vie spake, we executed. Thus, though your colleague was incapa-
ble of attendingyou, he will sharein the honor of your success,
as well as in that of youi
appointment ; andyou will avoidthat envywhichnecessarilyfollowsall arrogatedmerit."
Plutarchhadtwo brothers,whosenameswereTimon and Lamprias. Thesewerehis asso.
ciates in study and amusement;and he alwaysspeaksof them with pleasureandaffection.
Of Timon in particularhe says,"Though Fortunehas,on manyoccasions, beenfavourableto
me,yet I haveno obligationsto her so greatas the enjoymentof my brotherTimon'sinvaria-
ble friendshipand kindness." Lampriastoo he mentionsas inheritingthe lively disposition
and good-humour of his grandfather, who bore the same name.
Somewriters haveasserted
that Plutarchpassedinto Egypt. Othersallege,that thereIBno
authority for that assertion ; and it is true, that we have no written record concerning it.
Nevertheless, we incline to believe that he did travel into that country ; and we found our
Opinion on the following grounds. In the first place, this tour was a part of liberal education
among the Greeks ; and Plutarch, being descendedfrom a family of distinction, was therefore
likely to enjoy sucha privilege. In the next place,his treatiseof Isis and Osirisshewsthat
he bad a more than common knowledge of the religious mysteries of the Egyptians ; and it ia
therefore highly probable, that he obtained this knowledge by being conversant amongst them.
To have written a treatiseon so abstrusea subject,without somemore eminentadvantages
than otherwriters mightaffordhim, couldnot havebeenagreeableto the genius,or consist'nt
with the modesty of Plutarch.
However,supposing it doubtfulwhetherhe passedinto Egypt, there is nodoubtat all thai
he travelledinto Italy. Upon whatoccasionhe visitedthat country,it is not quite so certain;
but he probablywent to Romein a publiccapacity,on the business of the Chsroneans. For,
in thelife of Demosthenes,
hetellsus,thathe hadno leisurein hisjourneyto Italy to learn
the Latin language,on the account of public business.
As the passagehere referred to affords us further matter of speculation for the life of
Plutarch,we shallgiveit aswe find it. "An authorwho would write a historyof eventswhich
happenedin a foreigncountry,and cannotbe comeat in his own, as he hashis materialsto
collect froma varietyof books,dispersed in differentlibraries,his first care shouldbe to take
np his residence in some populous town which has an ambition for literature. There he will
meetwith manycuriousandvaluablebooks; and the particularsthat arewantingin writers,
hemay,uponinquiry,besupplied
with,by thosewhohavelaidthemupin the faithfulreposi-
tory of memory. This will preventhis work frombeingdefectivein any materialpoint. AM
to myself,I live in a little town ; andI chooseto live there, lest it should becomestill less.
WhenI wasin Rome,andotherpartsof Italy,I hadnot leisureto studytheLatin tongue,
on accountof the public commissionswith which I wascharged,and the numberof people
whocameto be instructed
by mein philosophy.It wasnot,therefore,
till a lateperiodin
life that I began to read the Roman authors."
From this short account,we may collect, with tolerablecertainty,the following circum-
stances :
In the first place,Plutarch tells us,that while he was residentin Rome,public business
tnd lecturesin philosophyleft him no time far learningthe Latin language; andyet, a little
before,hehadobserved,
thatthosewhowritea historyof foreigncharacters
andevents,
ought
to be conversantwith the historiansof that countrywherethe characterexisted,andthe scene
ia laid : but he acknowledges,
that hedid not learnthe Latin languagetill hewaslate in life,
because, when at Rome,hehad not time for that purpose.
We may,therefore,conclude,that h« wote his Moralsat Rome,andhis Livesat Chxrone*
Forthecomposition
of theformer,
theka.Vledge
oftheRoman
language
wasnotnecessary
"
 juv LIFE OF PLUTARCH.
the Greek tongue was then generally understoodin Home : and he had no necessity for making
n»eof any other,whenhedeliveredhis lecturesof philosophyto the people. Thoselecture*,
it is more than probable, made up that collection of Morale which is come down to us.
Thoughhe couldnot avail himself of the Romanhistorians,in the great purposeof writitg
his Lives, for want of a competentacquaintancewith the languagein whichthey wrote; yet,
by conversingwith the principal citizensin the Greektongue,he must havecollectedmany
essential circumstances,and anecdotesof characters and events, that promotedhis design,and
enrichedthe plan of his work. The treasureshe acquiredof this kind he securedby mean*
of a common-place book,which he constantlycarried aboutwith him : anda«it appears that
he was at Rome,and in other parts of Italy, from the beginningof Vespasian's reignto the
endof Trajan's,he musthavehad sufficienttime andopportunityto procurematerialsof every
kind ; for this wasa periodof almostforty years.
We shall the more readilyenterinto the belief that Plutarchcollectedhis materialschiefly
from conversation, when we consider in what manner, and on what subjects, the ancientsused
to converse. The discourseof peopleof educationand distinctionin thosedayswassome-
what differentfrom that of ours. It wasnot on the powersor pedigreeof ahorse: it wasnot
a match of travelling between geese and turkeys ; it was not on a race of maggots,started
against each other on the table, when they first came to daylight from the shell of a filbert : it
was not by what part you may suspend a spaniel the longest without making him whine : it
was not on the exquisite finesse, and the highest manoeuvresof play. The old Romanshad
oo ambition for attainments of this nature. They had no such masters in science as Heber
andHoyle. The tasteof their daydid not run so high. The powersof poetryandphilosophy,
the economy of human life and manners, the cultivation of the intellectual faculties, the
enlargement of the mind, historical and political discussionson the events of their country ;-
these, and such subjects as these, made the principal part of their conversation. Of thii
Plutarch has given us at once a proof and a specimen, in what he calls his Symposiacs,or, as
our Selden calls it, his Table-Talk. From such conversations as these, then, we cannot
wonder that he was able to collect such treasures as were necessaryfor the maintenanceof his
biographical undertaking.
In the sequel of the last quoted passage,we find another argument which confirms us in the
opinion that Plutarch's knowledge of the Roman history was chiefly of colloquial acquisition.
"My method of learning the Roman language," says he, "may seemstrange : and yet it is
very true. I did not so much gain the knowledge of things by the words, as words by the
knowledgeI hadof things." This plainly implies,that he waspreviouslyacquainted
with the
events described in the languagehe was learning.
It must be ownedthat the RomanHistory hadbeenalreadywritten in Greek,by Polybius;
and that, indeed, somewhat invalidates the last-mentioned argument Nevertheless, it has
"till sufficient evidence for its support. There are a thousand circumstances in Plutarch'i
Lives, which could not be collected from Polybius ; and it is clear to us, that he did not make
touch use of his Latin reading.
He acknowledges that he did not apply himself to the acquisition of that languagetill he
was far advanced in life : possibly it might be about the latter part of the reign of Trajan,
whose kind disposition towards his country, rendered the weight of public and political business
easy to him.
But whenever he might begin to learn the language of Rome, it is certain that he made no
great progressin it. This appearsas well from the little comments
he hasoccasionally
given
us on certainLatin words,asfrom somepassages in his Lives, where hehasprofessedly
fol
lowed the Latin historians, and yet followed them in an uncertain and erroneousmanner.
That he wrote the Lives of Demosthenesand Cicero at Chsronea, it is clear from his own
ccount ; and it is more than probable too, that the rest of his Lives were written in that
retirement ; for if while he was at Rome, he could scarcely find time to learn the language,it
it hardly to be supposedthat he could do more than lay up materials for composition.
A circumstanceariseshere, whichconfirmsto usanopinionwe havelongentertained, thatthe
Book of Apopthegms,which is saidto havebeenwritten by Plutarch,is *eally not haswork.
This book is dedicatedto Trajan ; and the dedicatorassumingthe na,meand characterof
Plutarch, says, he had, before this, written the Lives of illustrious Men : but Plutarch wrote
those Lives at Charonea ; and he did not retire to Chsronea till after the death of Trajan.
There are other proofs, if others were necessary,to shew that this work was supposititious.
For, in this dedication to Trajan, not the least mention is made of Plutarch's having beenhi* I
preceptor, of his being raised by him to the consular dignity, or of his being appointedgovernor
of Illyria. Dacier, observingthis, hasdrawna wrongconclusionfrom it, and,contraryto the
arsertionof Suidas,will haveit, that Plutarchwasneitherpreceptorto Trajan,nor honoured
with any appointments under him. Had it occurred to him that the Book of Apopthegma
couldnot be Plutarch'sbook,but that it was merelyan extractmadefrom his realworks,by
someindustriousgrammarian,he would not have beenunder the necessityof hazardingso
much against the received opinion of his connexions with Trajan ; nor would he have found it
necessaryto allow him so little credit to his letter addressedto that emperor, which we have
uponrecord. The letter is as follows:
PLUTARCH TO TRAJAN.
"I AMsensiblethat you soughtnot the empire. Your naturalmodestywould not suffer you
to applyforadistinction
to whichyouwerealways
entitled
bytheexcellency
ofyourmannera
 LIFJi OF PLUTARCH. rr

Thatmodesty,
howevet,
makes
youstillmoreworthyof those
honours
youhadnoambition
to solicit. Shouldyourfuturegovernment
provein anydegreeanswerable
to yourformer
menuI shall havereasonto congratulate
bothyourvirtueaiidmyowngoodfortuneonth«
greatevent.But if otherwise,
youhave
exposed
yourself
todanger,
andmeto obloquy
; for
Romewill neverendurean emperor
unworthy
of her; andthefaultsof thescholar
will bo
imputedtothemaster.Seneca isreproached,andhisfamestillsuffers,
forthevicesofNero;
thereputation
of QuintiLian
\ahurtby theill conduct of hisscholars
; andevenSocrates la
accusedof negligence
in theeducation
of Alcibiades.Of you,however, I havebetterhopes,
andflatter
myself thatyouradministration
will do honour toyourvirtues.Onlycontinue to
bewhatyouare. Let yourgovernment commence in yourbreast
; andlaythefoundation of
it in thecommand
of yourpassions.If you makevirtuethe ruleof yourconduct,
andthe
endof youractions,
everythingwill proceed
inharmony
andorder. I haveexplained
to you
thespiritof those
lawsandconstitutions
thatwereestablished
byyourpredecessors
; andyou
havenothingto dobvjtto canytheminto execution.If this should
bethecase,I shallhave
the glory of havingformedan emperorto virtue; butif otherwise,
let thisletterremaina
testimony
with succeeding
ages,
that youdidnotruintheRomanempire
under
pretence
of
the counsels or the authority of Plutarch."
WhyDaciershouldthinkthatthis letter is neitherworthyof thepen,norwrittenin the
mannerof Plutarch,it is not easyto conceive
: for it hasall the spirit,themanlyfreedom,
and the sentimental turn of that philosopher.
We shallfind it no verydifficult matterto accountfor his connectionswith Trajan, if we
attend to the manner in which he lived, and to the reception he met with in Rome. During
his residencein that city, his bousewasthe resort of the principalcitizens. All that were
distinguishedby their rank,taste,learning,or politeness,soughthisconversation,andattended
his lectures. The studyof the Greeklanguageandphilosophywere,at thattime, thegreatest
pursuitsof the Romannobility,and even the emperorshonouredthe mostcelebratedprofes-
sorswith their presence andsupport. Plutarch,in his Treatiseon Cariosity,hasintroduced
a circumstance, -whichplacesthe attentionthat waspaidto his lecturesin a verystronglight.
"It oncehappened,"sayshe, "that when I was speakingin public at Rome,ArulenusRusti-
CUB, the samewhom Domitian,through envy of his growingreputation,afterwardsput to
death,wasoneof my hearers. When I wasin the middleof my discourse, a soldiercamein, and
broughthim a letter fromthe emperor. Upon this, there was a generalsilencethroughthe
audience,andI stoppedto give him timeto perusethis letter ; but hewouldnot sufferit j nor
did he openthe letter till I hadfinishedmy lectureand the audiencewasdispersed."
To understand the importance of this compliment, it will be necessary to consider the
quality and characterof the person who paidit. Arulenuswasoneof the greatestmen in
Rome ; distinguished as well by the lustre of bis family, as by an honourable ambition and
thirst of glory. He wag tnbune of the people when Nero caused Paetusand Soranusto be
capitally
condemned
by a decree
of thesenate.WhenSoranus
wasdeliberating
with hia
friends, whether he should attempt or give up his defence, Arulenus had the spirit to propose
an oppositionto the decreeof the senate,in his capacityof tribune ; and he would have
carried it into execution, had he not been over-ruled by Pztus, who remonstrated,that by such
a measurehe would destroy himself, without the satisfaction of serving his friend. He was
afterwardsprator after Vitellius, whoseinterestshe followedwith the greatestfidelity. But
hia spirit and magnanimity do him the greatest honor, in that eulogy which he wrote on Panua
andHelvidiusPriscus. His wholeconductwasregulatedby the preceptsof philosophyj and
the respecthe showed to Plutarch on this occasion was a proof of hia attachment to it. Such
was the man who postponed the letter of a prince to the lecture of a philosopher.
But Plutarch wasnot only treatedwith generalmarksof distinctionby the superiorpeople
in Rome ; he had particular and very respectable friendships. SossiusSenecio, who was four
times consul, once under Nerva, and thrice under Trajan, was his most intimate friend. To
him he addresses hiaLives, exceptthat of Aratus,which is inscribedto Polycratesof Sycion,
the grandsonof Aratus. With Seneciohe not only lived in the strictest friendshipwhilst he
wasin Rome,but correspondedwith him after he retired to Greece. And is it not easyto
believe,that throughthe interestof this zealousandpowerfulfriend,Plutarchmightnot only
be appointedtutor to Trajan, but be advancedlikewiseto the consulardignity? When we
considerPlutarch'seminencein Romeasa teacherof philosophy, nothingcanbemoreproba-
ble than the former: when we rememberthe consularinterestof SeneciounderTrajan,and
his distinguishedregardfor Plutarch,nothingcan bemore likely thanthe latter.
The honour
of beingpreceptor
to sucha virtuousprinceasTrajan,is soimportant.a
point
In the We of Plutarch,that it mustnot hastilybegivenup. Suidaahasasserted
it. The letter
abovequoted,if it be,aswehavenodoubtof its being,thegenuine
compositionof Plutarch,
baaconfirmedit. Petrarchhasmaintained
it. Dacieronlyhasdoubted, or ratherdeniedit!
Butuponwhatevidence hashegrounded
hisopinion? Plutarch,hesays wasbutthreeor four
yearsolderthanTrajan,andtherefore
wasunfitto be his preceptor
in philosophy.Nowlet
usinquireintotheforceof thisargument.Trajanspenttheearly partof his Ufein arms:
Plutarch
in thestudy
of thesciences.
Whenthatprince
applied
himself
toliterarypursuits"
he wassomewhatadvancedin life. Plutarchmusthavebeenmoreso. Andwhya manof
"cience
shouldbeanunfitpreceptorin philosophy
to a militaryman,thoughnomorethanfour
yearsolder,the reason,we apprehend,
will be somewhat
difficult to discover.
Dacier,moreover,
is reducedto a petitio principii, whenhesaysthatPlutarchwasonly
fouryearsolderthanTrajan; forwehaveseen
thatit isimpossible
toascertain
thetimeof
 LIFE OF PLUTARCH

Plutarch's
birth ; andthedatewhichDacierassigns
it is purelycoojectural: wewill therefor*
conclude,
with thoselearnedmenwhohaveformerlyallowedPlutarchthehonourof being
preceptor
to Trajan,that hecertainlywasBO. Thereis littledoubtthattheygrounded their
assertionsuponproperauthoiity ; and, indeed,the internal evidencearisingfrom the nature
andeffects
of that education,
whichdid honourto thescholar
andto themaster,comes
in aid
of the argument.
Somechronologers havetakenuponthemto ascertain thetimewhenPlutarch's reputation
wasestablished
in Rome. Peterof Alexandriafixesit in thethirteenth
year of the reignof
Nero,in theConsulate
of Capitoand Rufus: "Lucian,"sayshe,"was,at this time,in great
reputation amongst the Romans ; and Musonius and Plutarch were well known." Eusebim
bringsit oneyear lower, andtells us, that, in the fourteenthyear of Nero's reign, Musonmi
and Plutarchwere in great reputation. Both thesewritersare palpablymistaken. We have
"een,that in the twelfth year of Nero, Plutarchwasyet at schoolunderAmmonius; andit U
not very probablethat a school-boyshouldbe celebratedas a philosopher in Rome,within a
yearor twoafter. Indeed,Eusebius
contradicts
himself; for, on anotheroccasion,
heplacet
him in the reign of Adrian, the third year of the olympiad 224, of the Christian ira 120 : "In
this year,"sayshe,"the philosophers
Plutarchof Chsronea,
Sextus,
andAgathobulus,
flour-
ished." Thushecarrieshimas muchtoolow,ashehadbeforeplacedhimtoohigh. It is
certain, that he first grewinto reputationunderthe reignof Vespasian,
andthat his philosoph-
ical fame was established in the time of Trajan.
It seemsthat the Greek andLatin writers of thosetimeswere either little acquaintedwith
each other's works, or that there were some literary jealousies and animosities between them.
WhenPlutarchflourished,
therewereseveralcotemporary
writersof distinguished
abilitiesj
Perseus,Lucan, Silius Italicus, ValeriusFlaccus,the youngerPliny, Solinus,Martial, Quin-
tilian,andmanymore. Yetnoneof thosehavemadethe leastmention
of him. Was thi§
envy ? or wasit Romanpride* Possiblythey could not bearthat a Greek sophist,a native
of such a contemptibletown as Chsronea,shouldenjoythe palmof literary praisein Rome.
It must be observed, at the same time, that the principal Roman writers had conceived a
jealousyof the Greek philosophers,which wasvery prevailing in that age. Of this we find
a strongtestimonyin the elderPliny, where,speakingof Cato the Censor'sdisapprovingand
dismissingthe Grecianorators,and of the youngerCato's bringingin triumpha sophistfrom
Greece, he exclaims in terms that signified contempt, quanta morwm commutatio '.
However, to be undistinguished by the encomiumsof cotemporarywriters, was by no
meansa thing peculiarto Plutarch. It has been,andstill is, the fateof superiorgenius,to be
beheldeither with silent or abusiveenvy. It makesits way like the sun,which we look npon
with pain, unless something passes over him that obscureshis glory. We then view with
eagerness
the shadow,the cloud or the spot, andarepleasedwith whateclipsesthe brightness
we otherwise cannot bear.
Yet, if Plutarch, like other great men, found "Envy never conqueredbut by death,"hi§
maneshavebeen appeasedby the amplestatonements.Amongst the many that havedone
honourto his memory,the following eulogiumsdeserveto berecorded.
AULUSGELLIUScompliments him with the highest distinction in science.*
TAURUS,
quotedby Gellius,calls hima manof the mostconsummate learningandwisdomf
EUSEBIUS
placeshim at the headof the Greekphilosophers.{
SARDIANUS,
in his Prefaceto the Lives of the Philosophers,
callshim the mostdivine Plu-
tarch, the beauty and harmony of philosophy.
PETRARCH,
in his moral writings, frequentlydistinguisheshim by the title of the great
Plutarch.
Honour has beendone to him likewise by Origen, Himeriasthe Sophist,Cyrillus, Theo-
doret, Sui<ias,Photius,Xiphilinus,JoannesSahsberiensis,
Victorius,Lipsius,andAgathiasin
the epigramwhich is thustranslatedby Dryden:
Chzronean Plutarch, to thy dtathlesi praise
Does martial Rome this grateful staliM raise ;
Becauseboth Greece and she thy famebare shared ,
Their heroes written, and their lifts compared.
But thou thyself could*! utier write thy own ;
Their lives hate parallels, but thine has none.
But this is perfectlyextravagant. We aremuch better pleasedwith the Greekversesof the
tonert MetropolitanunderConstantinoMcmomachus.They deserveto be translated
Lord of that light, that living power to iare
W Ij K.IIher lost ions no Heathen Sciencegav? ,
If aught of thesethy mercy meansto spare,
Yield Plata, Lord, - yield Plutarch to my prayer.
Led by no grace, no new conTersionwrought,
They Celtthy own divioily of thought.
That grace exerted, spare the partial rod :
The last, bestwitness,that thouart their God'.
TheodoreGaza,who wasa roanof considerable
learning,anda greatreviverof letters,bad
» particularattachment
to ourbiographer.Whenhewasasked, in caseof a generaldestruc-
tion of books,whatauthorhe wouldwishto savefromthe ruin,heanswered Plutarni.. II|
" A. Gtlliui. lib iv. c»p.7. f Cell.lib. i. cap.96. JEuseb.
Praep.
lib.iii. ink
 LIFE OF PLUTARCH.

considered
hishistorical
andphilosophical
writingsasthemostbeneficial
to society,
andof
course,the bestsubstitutefor all otherbooks.
Wereit necessary to producefurthersuffrages
for themeritof Plutarch,it would
eicntto say,thathehasbeenpraisedby Montaigne,St.Evremont andMontesquieu, thebest
critics and the ablest writers of their time.
After receiving
the mostdistinguished
honours
that a philosopher
couldenjoy; afterthe
god-like
officeof teaching
wisdom
andgoodness
tothemetropolis
oftheworld: afterhaving
formedan emperorto virtue; andalterbeholding
theeffects
of hisprecepts
in thehappines*
of humankind: Plutarch retired to his native country. The death of his illustriousprince
andpupil,to a manof his sensibility,
musthaverendered
Romeevenpainful: for whatever
influencephilosophy
mayhaveon the cultivationof themind,wefindthat it hasverylittle
powerover the interestsof the heart.
It must have been in the decline of life that Plutarch retired to Chsronea. But though he
withd/ew from the busierscenesof the world,he fled not to an unpiofitableor inactivesoli-
tude. In that retirement he formed the great work for which he had so long beenpreparing
materials,his Lives of Illustrious men; a work which,as Scaligersays,iwn solumfuit in
tnanilnis hommum, at etiatn humani generis memoriam occupavit.
To recommend by encomiumswhathasbeenreceivedwilh universalapprobation, would be
superfluous.But to observewherethe biographerhasexcelled,andin what hehasfailed; to
make a due estimate as well of the defects as of the merits of Ins work ; may have its use.
Lipsius hasobserved,that he doesnot write history,but scrapsof history; non historiam,
ted particulas historix. This is said of his Lives, and, in one sense, it is true. No single
life that he haswritten will afford a sufficient history of its proper period ; neither was it pos-
sible that it should do so. As his plan compriseda numberof cotcmporary lives, most of which
werein publiccharacters,
thebusiness
of theirperiodwasto bedividedamongst
them. The
generalhistoryof the time wasto be throwninto separateportions; and thoseportionswere
to be allotted to suchcharacters as had the principal interest in the several events.
This was, iii some measure, done by Plutarch; but it was not done with great art or ac-
curacy. At the sametime, as we have alreadyobserved,it is not to be wondered,if there
v»ere some repetitions, when the part which the several characters bore in the principal
events, was necessaryto be pointed out.
Yet these scraps of history, thus divided anddispersed,when seenin a collective form, make no
rerv imperfect narrative of the times within their view. Their biographer'sattention to the mi
nuter circumstancesof character, his disquisitionsof principles and manners,and his political and
philosophical discussions,lead us, in an easyand intelligent mariner,to the events he describes.
It is not to be denied,that his narrativesare sometimes
disorderly,and too oftenencum-
bered with impertinent digressions. By pursuing with too much indulgence the train of :dcas,
he nas frequently destroyed the order of facts, brought together events that lay at a distance
from each other, called forward those circumstancesto which he should have made a regular
progress, and made no other apology for these idle excursions, but by telling us that he is out
of the order of time.
.Notes,in the time of Plutarch, were not in use. Had he known the convenience of mar-
inal writing, he would certainly have thrown the greatest part of his digressionsinto that
orm. They are, undoubtedly, tedious and disgustful; and all that we can do to reconcile
ourselves to them, is to remember, that, in the first place, marginal writing was a thing iir.-
mown; and that the benevolent desire of conveying instruction, was the greatest native with
the biographer for introducing them. This appears, at least, from the nature of them; frjp
they are chiefly disquisitions in natural history and philosophy.
In painting the manners of men, Plutarch is truly excellent. Nothing can be more clour
than his moral distinctions; nothing finer than his delineations of the mind.
The spirit of philosophicalobservationandenquiry,whi':h, whenproperlydirected,is tho
great ornament and excellenceof historical composition, Plutarch possessedin an eminent tie-
gree. His biographicalwritings teach philosophyat onceby preceptandby example. His
morals and his characters mutually explain and give force to each oilier.
His sentimentsof the duty of a biographerwere peculiarlyjust anddelicate. This iriD
appearfromhisstrictures
onthosehistorians
whowroteof Philistus."It is plain,"sayshe,
"that Timaus takeseveryoccasion,from Phihstus'sknownadherence to arbitrarypower,to
loadhim with the heaviestreproaches.Thosewhomheinjuredare in somedegreeexcusalIDL
if, in their resentment,
they treated
himwithindignities
alterdeath. But wherefore
shou.J
h,»biographers,
whomhe never injured, and who havehadthe benefitof his works; where*-
fore shouldtheyexhibithim with all the exaggerations
of scurrility, in thosescenesof distrcst
tc whichfortunesometimes reducesthe bestof men? On the other hand,Ephorusis no less
extravagant in his encomiums on Plulistus. He knows well how to throw into shadesthe
foibles of the humancharacter,andto give an air of plausibilityto the mostindefensible
con-
duct: but with all his elegance,
withall his art,hecannotrescue
Philistusfromthe impu-
tation of beingthe moststrenuoussupporterof arbitrarypower,of beingtlje fondestfollowei
and admirerof the luxury,the magnificence,the alliance
of tyrants. Uponthewhole,he
who neitherdefends theprinciples
of PhJlistus,
norexultsoverInsmisfortunes,
will bestdu-
charge the duties of the historian."
Thereis sucha thing as constitutional
religion. Thereis a certaintemperandframeof
mindnaturally
productive
of devotion.
Therearemenwhoarebornwiththeorigin*!pnnci-
pleaof piety; andin thisclasswe neei not hesitateto pUce Plutarch.
B
 LIFE OF PLUTARCH

If this disposition
hassometimes
madehim too indulgentto superstition,andtoo attentiveto
the less rational cireumslanceaof the heathen theology, it is not to be wondered. But, upon
the whole, lie had consistent and honourable notions of the Supreme Being.
Thai hr lii-lirvtpilthe unity of the Divine Nature, we havealreadyseen,in his obscrvationi
on tliu wurd i., engraved on Apollo's temple. The sameopinion, too, is found in his Trea-
tise on the Cessation of Oracles; where, in the character of a Platonist, he arguesagainst the
Stoics, \\|MI d'-mcd the plurality of worlds. " if there arc many worlds," saidthe Stoics,
" why thru there is only one Fate, and one Providence to guide them; for the Platonists allow
that there is but one. Why should not many Jupiters, or Gods, be necessaryfor the govern-
ment of many worlds?" To this Plutarch answers, " Where is the necessity of supposing
many Jupitcrs for this plurality of worlds.' Is not oneexcellentBeing,enduedwith reason
and int. hiL'i n. e, such as He is whom we acknowledge to be the Father and Lord of all
things, suliii'ient to direct and rule theseworlds? If thereweremore supremeagents,their
decrees would be vain, and contradictory to each other."
But though Plutarch acknowledgedthe individuality of the Supreme
Being,he believed,
nevertheless, in the existenceof intermediate beings of an inferior order, between the divine
and tin?humannature. These beingshe callsgenii, or daemons.It is impossible,
hethinks,
from the general order and principles of creation, that there should be no mean betwixt the
two extremesof a mortal and immortal being; that there cannot be in natureeogreata
vacuum, without some intermediate speciesof life, which might in some measurepartake of
both. And as we find the connection between soul and body to be made by meansof the ani-
mal spirits, so thesedxmonsare intelligencesbetweendivinity andhumanity. Their nature,
however, is believedto be progressive.At first they are supposedto havebeenvirtuous
nen, whose souls being refined from the gross parts of their former existence, are admitted
h to the. higher order of genii, and are from thence either raised to a more exalted modeof
O'hcrial being,or degradedto mortal forms, accordingto their merit or their degeneracy.
tne order of these genii, he supposes,presides over oracles; others administered, under the
Supreme Being, the affairs and the fortunes of men,supportingthe virtuous,punishingthe
bid, and sometimeseven communicating with the best and purest natures. Thus the geniusof
£ Deratesstill warned him of approaching danger, and taught him to avoid it.
It is this orderof beingswhichthe late Mr. Thompson,who in enthusiasm
wasa Platonist,
8 id in benevolencea Pythagorean, has so beautifully described in his Seasons; and, as if the
c >oilbardhadbelievedthe doctrine,he patheticallyinvokesa favouritespirit whichhadlately
L rsakenits formermansion:-
.And art Ihou, Stanley, of that sacredband '
Alas ! for us too soon !
Suchwere Plutarch'sreligiousprinciples;andasaproofthathethoughtthemof consequence,
^ t entered,after his retirement,into a sacredcharacter,andwasconsecrated
priestof Apollo.
This was not his sole appointment, when he returned to Cha:ronea. He united the sacer-
dol.il with the magristratial character, and devoted himself at once to the service of the gods,
and tu the duties of society. He did not think that philosophy, or the pursuit of letters, ought
to exempt any man from personal service in the community to which he belonged; and though
his literary labours were of the greatest importance to the world, he sought no excusein those
from discharging offices of public trust in his little city of Chironea.
It appears that he passedthrough several of these offices, and that he was at last appointed
archon, or chief magistrate of the city. Whether he retained his superintendenceof IlJyna
after the death of Trajan, we do not certainly know: but, in this humble sphere, it will be
worth our while to enquire in what manner a philosopher would administer justice.
With rezard to the inferior officesthai he bore, he lookeduponthemin the samelight ai
the great Epaminondas had done, who, when he was appointed to a commissionbeneath his
rank, observed, " that no office could give dignity to him that held it; but that he who held it
"night give dignity to any office." It is not unentertainingto hearour philosopher
apologize
>\r his employment,when he dischargesthe office of commissionerof sewersand public
baildmgs. " I make no doubt," says he, " that the citizensof Chaeronea oftensmile, when
they see me employedin suchofficesasthese. Onsuchoccasions, I generallycall to mind
what is saidof Antisther.es:-When he wasbringinghome,in his own hands,a dirty fishfrom
the market, some, who observed it, expressedtheir surprise; 'It is for myself,' said Antli*
focnrs, ' that I carry this fish.' On the contrary,for my own part,when I am ralliedfor me*
soring titles, or for calculatinga quantityof stonesor mortar,I answer,that it is not for my-
V:lf I do thesethings,but for my country. For, in all thingsof this nature,the public utility
takes otT the disgrace;andthe meanerthe office you sustainmaybe, the greateris the com-
plimentthat youpayto thepublic."
Plutnn-li, in the capacityof a public magistrate,wasindefatigable
in recommending
unanim-
t v to thecitizens. To carrythispointmoreeffectually,
he laysit downas a firstprinciple,
Ciat a magistrate shouldbeaffableandeasyof access;thathishouseshouldalways beopen
"9 a placeof refugefor thosewhosought forjustice;andthatheshouldnotsatisfyhimself
merely with allotting certain hours of the day to sit for the dispatchof business,but that Ld
shouldemploy a part of his time in privatenegociations, in makingup domesticquarrels and
reconcilingdividedfriends.Thisemployment
he regarded asoneof theprincipal partsol
his office;and,indeed,hemightproperly
consider
it Ji apolitical
light,forit toofrequently
happens,that the mostdangerous pubhc'factionsare at first kindledby privatenusundcr-
"landings. Thus,in one part of his works,he fallsinto thesamesentiment:"Asi.ubiia
 LIFE OF PLUTARCH. M

conflagrations,"
says
he," donotalways begin
in public
edifices,
tmtarecausedmore frequent
ly bysome
lampneglectedin a private
house;
soin theadministration
of states,
it does
not
always happen thattheflameof sedition arisesfrompoliticaldifferences,butfromprivatedis-
aentions, which,runningthrougha longchainof connections, at lengthaffectthewholebody
of thepeople.For thisreason, it is oneof theprincipaldutiesof a ministerof stateormagis-
trate,to healtheseprivateanimosities,andtoprevent themfromgrowing intopublicdivisions.
Aftertheseobservations, hementions severalstatesandcitieswhichhadowedtheirnimto the
aame littlecauses;andthenadds,thatweoughtnotbyanymeans to beinattentiveto themis-
understandings
of privatemen,but applyto themthe mosttimely remedies;
for, bypropercare,
asCatoobserves,
whatis greatbecomes
little, andwhatis litlle is reduced
to nothing. Of the
truth of theseobservations,
the annalsof our own country,we wishwe hadno reasonto say
our own times, have presented us with many melancholy instances.
As Plutarchobservedthat it wasa fashionable
fault amongstmenof fortuneto refusea prop-
er respectto magistrates
of inferiorrank,heendeavored
to remove
thisimpoliticevil aswell
bypreceptasby example." To learnobedience anddeference
to themagistrate,"sayshe,
" is oneof the first and bestprinciplesof discipline;nor oughttheseby any meansto bedis-
pensedwith, thoughthat magistrate shouldbe inferior to us in figure or in fortune. For how
absurdis it, if, in theatricalexhibitions,the meanestactor,that wearsa momentary diadem,
shall receivehis duerespectfrom superiorplayers;andyet, in civil life, men of greaterpower
or wealth shall withhold the deference that is due to the magistrate! In this case,however,
theyshould remember,
thatwhile they consulttheir own importance,theydetract from the
honour of the state. Private dignity ought always to give place tc public authority; as, in
Sparta,it wasusualfor the kingsto rise in complimentto the ephori."
With regard to Plutarch's political principles, it is clear that he was, even whilst at Rome,
a Republican in heart, and a friend to liberty: but this does him no peculiar honour. Such
privilegesare the birthright of mankind; andtheyare never partedwith but through fear or
favour. At Rome, he acted like a philosopher of the world. Quango noi siamo in Roma,
noifactamo come Eglinojanno in Roma. He foundaconstitutionwhichhe hadnot power
to alter; yet, though he could not make mankind free, he made them comparatively happy, by
teaching clemency to their temporary ruler."
At Chaironeawe find him more openly avowing the principles of liberty. During his resi-
denceat Rome, he had remarked an essential error in the police. In all complaints and pro-
cesses,however trifling, the people had recourse to the first officers of state. By this means
they supposedthat their interest would be promoted; but it had a certain tendency to enslave
them still more, and to render them the tools and dependents of court power. Of these
measuresthe archon of Chzronea thus expresseshis disapprobation: "At the same time,"
says he, " that we endeavour to render a city obedient to its magistrates, we must beware
of reducing it to a semle or too humiliating a condition. Those who carry every trifle to
thp cognizanceof the suprememagistrate, are contributing all they can to the servitude of their
country." And it is undoubtedly true, that the habitual and universal exertion of authority haa
a nitiiral tendency to arbitrary dominion.
We havenow consideredPlutarchin the light of a philosopher,
a biographer,
anda magis-
trate; we have entered into his moral, religious, and political character, as well as the informa
tion we could obtain would enable us. It only remains that we view him in the domestic
sphereof lite-that little, but trying sphere,wherewe act wholly from ourselves,
andassume
no character but that which nature and education have given us.
Pacier, on falling into this part of Plutarch's history, has made a whimsical observation
"There are two cardinalpoinu," sayshe, " in a man'slife, which determinehis happiness
or
hismisery. Thesearehisbirthandhismarriage.It is in vainfor a manto bebornfortunate,
if he be unfortunate
in his marriage." How Daciercouldreconcilethe astrologers
to this new
doctrine,
it isnoteasyto say:for, uponthisprinciple,
a manmustat leasthavetwogoodstars,
onefor hisbirthday,the otherfor hisweddingday; as it seems
thatthe influenceof the natalstar
could not extendbeyond the bridal morn, but that a man then falls under a different dominion.
At whattimePlutarchentered
intothisstate,wearenotquitecertain;butasit is notproba-
ble that a manof his wisdomwould marryat an advancedtime of life, and as his \vile wa3
a native of Cha°ronea,we may conclude that he married before he went to Rome. However
that mightbe,it appears
that hewasfortunate
in hischoice;for hiswifewasnotonlywell-
born andwell-bred,but a womanof distinguished
senseandvirtue. Her namewasTimoxena.
Plutarch
appearstohavehadat leastfivechildren
byher,foursons, andadaughter, whom,
cat of regardfor her mother,he calledTimoxena. He hasgivenus a proofthathe hadall the
tenderness
ofanaffectionate
fatherforthese children,
byrecordingalittleinstance
ofhisdaugh-
ter'snatural
benevolence.
" When shewasveryyoung," sayshe,"shewould frequently
begof
hernurseto givethebreastnotonlytotheotherchildren,butto herbabies
anddolls,whichshe
connidered
asherdependents,
andunderherprotection."
Whodoes
notsee,in thissimple
circumstance,at oncethefondnessof theparent,andthebenevolent disposition
oftheman.'
But thephilosopher Boonlost hislittle blossom
of humanity.His Timoxenadiedm her
infancy;andif wemayjudgefromtheconsolatory letterhewroteto her motherontheocca-
sion,heborethelossasbecamea philosopher. " Consider,"saidhe," thatdeath hasdeprived
yourTimoxena onlyofsmall
enjoyments. Thethings sheknew werebutoflittleconsequence
andshecouldbedelightedonlywithtrifles." In thisletterwefindaportraitof hiswife which
doesherthegreatesthonour.Fromthetestimony givenbyherhusband, it appears thatshe
wasfarabove thegeneralweakness andaffectation of hersei. Shehadnopassion fortho
 xx LIFE OF PLUTARCH.

cipensivenessof dress,or the paradeof public appearances.Shethoughteverykind of ex

travaganccblamcable;andherambitionwent not beyondthe decencies andproprietiesof life
Plutarchhadbeforethis buriedtwo of his sons,his eldestson,anda youngernamedCharon.
and it appears
from the abovementioncd letter, that the conductof Timoxena,on theseevents.
wasworthy the wife of a philosopher. Shedid not disfigureherselfby changeof apparel,or
give wayto the extravaganceof grief,aswomenin generaldo on suchoccasions^ but supported
the dispensations
of Providence "witha solemnandrationalsubmission, evenwhenthey seemed
to be mostsevere. Shehadtakenunweariedpains,andundergone the gieatestBufferings,
to
nurseher sonCharonat her own breast,at a time when an abscessformednearthe part had
obligedherto undergoan incision. Yet, whenthe child, rearedwith so muchtenderpainand
difficulty, died, those who went to visit her on the melancholy occasion,found her housein no
more diMirder than if nothing distressinghad happened. She received her friends as Admctos
entertainedHercules,who,the sameday that he buriedAlccste,betrayednot the leastconfu
sion before his heroic guest.
With a womanof so muchdignityof mind andexcellence
of disposition,a manof Plutarch's
wisdomandhumanitymusthavebeeninfinitely happy:and, indeed,it appears from thosep>-«-
cf j>t>of conjugal happinessand affection which he has left us, that he hasdrawn his observa
tionsfrom experience,
and that the ruleshe recommended
had beenpreviouslyexemplifieduj
las own family.
It is said that Plutarch had somemisunderstanding with his wife's relations; uponwhich
Tmioxena,fearingthat it mightaffecttheir union, had duty and religionenoughto go as fat
as Mount Heliconandsacrificeto Love, who hada celebratedtemplethere.
He left two sons,PlutarchandLamprias.Thelatterappears
to havebeena philosopher
and it is to him we areindebtedfor a catalogueof his father'swritings;which, however,one
cannot look upon, as Mr. Dryden says, without the same emotions that a merchant must feel
in perusinga bill of freightafterhehaslost his vessel. The writingsno longerextantarethese;
f Hercules,
Hesiod,
Pindar,
Crates and Daiphantus, with a Parallel,
Leonidas,
Aristomenes,
The Lives of " Scipio Africanus Junior, and Metelliu,
Augustus,
Tiberius,
Claudius,
Nero,
Caligula,
Vitellius,
(.Epaminondas
andtheElderScipio,witha Parallel.
Four Books of Commentaries on Homer.
Four Books of Commentaries on Hesiod.
Five Books to Empedocles, on the Quintessence.
Five Books of Essays.
Three Books of Fables
Three Books of Rhetoric. "
Three Books on the Introduction of the Soul. """ "
Two Books of Extracts from the Philosophers.
Three Books on Sense.
Three Books on the great Actions of Cities.
Two Books on Politics.
An Essayon Opportunity,to Theophrastus.
Four Books on the Obsolete Parts of History.
Two Books of Proverbs.
Eijjht Booksonthe Topicsof Aristotle.
Three Books on Justice, to Chrysippus.
An Essay on Poetry.
A Dissertationon the Differencebetweenthe Tyrrheniansandthe Academicians.
A Treatiseto provethat therewas but oneAcademyof Plato.
Aulus Gellius has takena long story from Taurus,aboutPlutarch'smethodof correctinga
ela\e, in which there is nothing morethan this, that he punishedhim like a philosopher,and
gavehim his disciplinewithout beingout of temper
Plutarchhad a nephewnamedSextus,who borea considerable reputationin the world of
letters,and taughttheGreeklanguage and learning to MarcusAntoninus.The character
whichthatphilosopher hasgivenhim,in hisFirst Bookof Reflections, may,withgreatpro-
priety,beappliedto hisuncle. " Sextus, by hisexample, taughtmemildness andhumanity to
governmy house like a goodfatherof a family;to fall intoan easyandunaffected gravityof
manners; to liveagreeably to nature;to findouttheart of discoveringandpreventingthewant*
of myfriends;to conniveat thenoisyfolliesof theignorant andimpertinent;andto comply
with the understandingsand the humours of men."
Oneof therewards of philosophyis longlife; andit is clearthatPlutarchenjoyedthis; but
cf thetime,01thecircui-*stances of lusdeath,wehavenosatisfactory account.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

THESEUS.

AS geographers
thrustinto theextremities
of sentment
: * andboth,towards
theendof their
their mapsthosecountriesthat are unknown lives,aresaidto haveoffendedtheir respective
to them,remarkingat the sametime, that all citizens,if we maybelievewhatseemsto bede-
beyondis hills of sand and hauntsof wild liveredwith the leastmixtureof poeticalfiction
beasts,frozen seas,marshes,and mountains The lineageof Theseus,by his father'sfide,
that are inaccessibleto human courage or in- stretches to Erectheus and the first inhabitants
dustry; so,in comparingthe livesof illustrious of thiscountry;f by hismother'ssideto Pelops,t
men,whenI havepassed throughthoseperiods whowasthe mostpowerfulof all the Pclopon-
of time which may be describedwith probabili- nesian kings, not only on account of his great
ty, andwherehistory mayfind firm footingin opulence,but the numberof his children: for
facts,I maysay,my Senecio,*of the remoter he marriedhis daughters
to personsof the first
ages, that all beyond is full of prodigy and fic- dignity, and found meansto place his sons at
tion, the,regionsof poets and fabulists,wrapped the head of the chief states. One of them,
in clouds,andunworthyof belief,f Yet since namedPittheus,grandfather
to Theseus,found-
I hadgivenanaccountof LycurgusandNuma, edthe smallcity of Troczene, andwasesteemed
I thought I might without impropriety ascend the most learned and the wisest man of his age.
to Romulus,as I had approached
his times. The essence
of the wisdomof thosedayscon-
But considering sisted in such moral sentences as Hesiod§ is
celebrated for in his Book of Works. One of
Who, for the palm, in contest high shall join ? these is ascribed to Pittheus-
Or who in equal ranks shall stand?
Blast not the hope which friendship has conceived,
(as JEschylus expressesit) it appeared to me, But fill its measure
high.
that he who peopled the beautiful and famed
cityof Athens,
mightbe bestcontrasted
and Thisis confirmed byAristotle
: andEuri-
compared withthefatherof themagnificent
pides,
in saying
thatHippolytus
wastaught
by
.and invincible Rome. Permit us then to take " the sage and venerable Pittheus," gives hint
from Fableherextravagance,
andmake heraveryhonourable
testimony.
yieldto,andaccept
thelormof,History: but JEgeuswantingto havechildren,
is saidto
where
sheobstinately
despises
probability,
and havereceived,
fromtheOracle
atDelphi,
that
refuses
to mixwithwhatis credible,wemust celebrated
answer
whichcommanded
him not
implore the candour of our readers,and their
kind allowance for the tales of Antiquity.
THESEUS,
then, appearedto answerto Ro- f Theseus
wasthesixthindescent
fromErectheus,
mulus in many particulars. Both were of un- or Ericthonius,saidto bethesonof VulcanandMiner-
certain parentage, born out of wedlock ; and va,or Cranae.grandaughter of Cranaus,the second
both had the reputeof beingsprungfrom the kingof Athens;sothatPlutarch veryjustlysays,that
Theseuswas descendedfrom the Auloclhones,or first
gods. Both stood in the first rank of warriors ; inhabitantsof Attica, who were so called becausethey
forbothhadgreatpowers
of mind,withgreatpretended
tobeborn
inthatvery
country.
It isgene
"trength of body. One was the founderof rallyallowed,
however,
thatthiskingdom
wasfounded
Koine, and one peopled Athens, the most il- byCccrops,anEgyptian,who broughthithera <-,.],.,y
jsirious cities in the world. Both carried off of Saites,aboutthe year of the world 2448,before
Christ 1356. The inhabitants of Attica were indeed
women by violence. Both were involved in a more ancient people than thoseof many other dis-
domesticmiseries,and exposedto family re- tricts of Greece,which beingof a morefertile soil,
often changedtheir masters,while few were ambitioui
of settling in a barren country.
} Felops
wasthesonof Tantalus,
andof Phrygian
eitraclion. He carried with him immenserichts into
Feloponnesus,
whichhe haddugoul of the minesof
mountSypilus. Bymeans«[ this wealth,he got ihe
governmentof the most considerable iowns for hil
sons,andmarriedhis daughtersto princes.
$ Hesiodflourishedaboutfive hundredyearsafter
Pitlheus. Solomonwrote his Moral Sentencestwo or
three hundred jenrs after FilUieui.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

to approachany womanbefore he returnedto FarnoblerskillEuboea's

sonsdisplay,
Athens. ButastheOracleseemed
notto give Andwiththethundering
sword
decide
thefr«y.
him clear instruction, he came to Trotzene, and
communicated it to Pittheus in the following That theymight not, therefore,give idvan
terms : tage to their enemies by their hair, they took
care to cut it off. And we are informed that
Themystic
vessel
shalluntouch'd
remain, Alexander
of Macedon,
havingmadetheearns
Till in thy nativerealm-- - observation, ordered hie Macedonian troops to
cut off fheir beards,these being a ready handle
It is uncertain what Pittheus saw in this in battle.
Oracle. However, eitherbypersuasion
orde- Forsometime,^Ethra,declarednotthereal
ceit,hedrew.SSgeusintoconversation
withhis fatherof Theseus,
but thereportpropagate
daughterjEthra. JEgeaaafterwardscomingby Pittheuswas,that hewasthesonof Nep-
to kiiciwthatshewhomhehadlamwithwastune: fortheTrrezenians
principally
worship
Fittheus's
daughter, and suspecting herto be thatgod; heis thepatronof theircity; to him
withcliild,hid a swordanda pair of sandalstheyoffertheir first fruits; andtheir money
nndera largestone, whichhada cavityfor the bears theimpression of a trident. Theseus, in
purpose.Beforehisdeparture, hetoldthese- hisyouth,discovering not onlygreatstrength
cretto the princess only,aridleft orders,
that of body,butfirmness andsolidityof mind,to-
if shebroughtfortha son,who,whenhecamegetherwitha largeshare of understandingand
to a man'sestate,shouldbe ableto removeprudence, JEthraled him to the stone,and
thestone,andtakeawaythethingsleft under having toldhimthetruthconcerning hisorigin,
it, sheshouldsendhimwith thesetokensto ordered himto takeup hisfather'stokens, and
him,with all imaginable privacy;for hewas sailto Athens. He easilyremoved thestone,
very muchafraidthat borneplot would be butrefused to gobysea,though hemighthave
formedagainsthim by the Pallantidi!,who doneit with greatsafety,andthoughhewas
despised himfor hiswantof children. Thesepressed to it bytheentreaties orhisgrandfathe
werefifty brothers,thesonsof Pallas.* andhismother Awhileit washazardous, at that
jKthra wasdeliveredof a son; and sometime,to goby landtoAthens,because nopart
eavhewasimmediately namedTheseus,t be- wasfreefromthedangerof ruffiansandrob-
causeof the layingup of thetokens;others,bers. Thosetimes,indeed,produced menof
thathereceived hisname afterwards atAthens,strongandindefatigable powersof body,of
"whenjEgeusacknowledged him for his son. extraordinary swiftnessand agility; butthey
He wasbroughtupby Pittheus,andhada tutor appliedthosepowersto nothingjust or useful.
DarnedConnidas,to whomtheAthenians, even Onthecontrary, theirgenius,
theirdisposition
in our times,sacrificea ramon thedaypre- their pleasures,
tendedonly to insolence,to
cedingtheThcsean Feasts,givingthishonourviolence,andtorapine.Asformodesty,justice,
to his memoryuponamuchjuster accountthan equity, andhumanity,theylooked upunthem
that whichtheypayto SilanionandParrhasius,as qualitiesin which thosewho hadit in their
who only madestatuesand pictures of Theseus. power to add to their possessions,had no man-
As it wasthen the customfor suchas had ner of concern; virtues praisedonly by such
arrived at man'sestate,to goto Delphi to offer as were afraid of being injured,andwho ab-
the first-fruitsof their hair to Apollo, Theseus stainedfrom injuringothersout of the same
went thither, and the placewhere this cere- principleof fear. Semeof theseruffianswere
mony is performed,fromhim, is saidto beyet cut off by Herculesin his peregrinations, while
called
Thesea.Heshaved,
however,
onlythe others
escaped
totheirlurkingholes,
andwere
fore part of his head,as Homer tells us the sparedby the hero in contemptof their cow-
Abantes
did;f andthiskindof tonsure,
onhis ardice.|ButwhenHercules hadunfortunate
account,
wascalled
Theseis.TheAbantesfirst killedIphitus,heretiredtoLydia,where,
for
cut theirhairin thismanner,not in imitationa longtime,he wasa slaveto Omphale,»
a
of the Arabians,aa someimagine,nor yet of punishment
whichheimposeduponhimselffor
theMysians,
butbecause
theywerea warlike themurder. TheLydiansthenenjoyed
great
people, who loved close fighting, and were quiet and security; but in Greecethe same
jiore expertin it thananyothernation Thus kindof enormities
brokeoutanew,therebeing
Archilochus;§ no one to restrain or quell them. It was there-
foreextremelydangerous
Thesetwangnot bows,nor slingthehissingstone, Peloponnesus to travelby landfrom
When Mars exult:, and fields with armies groan : to Athens; and Pittheus, ac-
quainting Theseus with the number of these
" Pallas
wasbrother
toMgeus,
andas.ffigeus
wasruffians,and with their cruel treatmentof
lupposed
tohave
nochildren,
liePallan
tidae
considered
strangers,
advised
himto gobysea.But he
thekingdom
of Athens
astheirundoubted
inheritance.
had long beensecretlyfired with the glory of
It wasnatural, therefore,for-Egeus toconclude,
that,Hercules,
whomheheldin thehighest esteem
ifto they came to
assassinate
know hehadason, theywould
either him or his son.
attemptlistening
withgreatattention
to suchasrelated
f The Greeks,aswell asthe Hebrews,gavenames
bothto persons
andthingsfromsome
eventorcircum-timeof Romulus.Homerhadgiven
thesame
account
stance attending that which they were to name. The of the Abantesabovethree hundrrd yearsbefore. For
Greekword Thesissignifieslnyii'g up, andthcsthai in thesecondbookof the Iliad, l.e tellsus,theAbantei
ui'on,to acknowledge,
orrathertoadopt
a.son. .iEgcuipierced
thebreastplates
of theirenemies
withextended
didboth;theceremony
ofadoption
being
necessary
to spears
or pikes;thatis to say,theyfoughthandto
enable
Theseus,
whowasnotalegitimate
son,toinherit hand.
the cniwri- * Thosewho had beenguilty of murder becam*
1 Tin- Abanteiwerethe inhabitantsof Eubusa,
but voluntaryexiles,and imposedon themselves
a certain
origin.ill)
ofAbae,
atowninThrace. penance,
whichthtycontinued
(ill theythought
thej/
I Arcailochus.
was
aGreekpoet,
wholircdabout
thecrime
expiated*
 THESEUS.

hisachievements,
particulaily
tothose
thathad killed,*goingoutof hiswayto engage
her,
RCCD
him,conversed
with him,andhudbeenendtherebyshowing
anactof vcJuntary
val-
witnesses to his prowess. He wasaffectedin our : for he believedit equallybecamea brave
the samemannerasThemistoclcsafterwardsman to standupon his defenceagainstaban-
was, when he declaredthat the trophiesol' donedruffians,andto seekout, and beginthe
Miltiadeswouldnot sufferhim to sleep. The combatwith strongandsavageanimals, but
virtuesof Hercules were his dreamby night, somesay,that Phua wasanabandoned female
andby day emulationled him out andspurred robber,whodwelt in Cromrnyon, that shehad
him on to performsomeexploitslike his. Be- the nameof Sow from her htu andmannersj
sides,they were nearlyrelated,beingbornof andwasafterwardsslamby Theseus.
cousin-germans ; for ^Ethrawas the daughter On the bordersof Megara he dtstioyed
of Pittheus and Alcmena,of Lysidice, and Sciron,a robber,by castinghim headlong from
Pittheusand Lysidice were brotherandsister a precipice,as the story generallygoes: and
By Pelops and Hippodamia. He consideredit is added,that, in wantonvillain), this Scirun
t, therefore,as an insupportable dishonour, usedto makestrangerswashhis feet,and lo
hat Hercules should traverse both sea and take those opportunities to push them into the
iand to clear them of these villains, while he sea. But the writers of Megara in contradic-
nimself declined such adventures as occurred tion to this report, and, as Simonidesexpresses
lo him ; disgracing his reputedfather, if hetook it, fighting with all antiquity, assert,that Sci-
his voyage, or rather tiight, by sea; |andcarry- ron was neither a robber nor a rulhan, but, on
ing to his real fathera pair of sandals,and a the contrary,a destroyerof robbers,anda man
"word unstained with blood, instead of the or- whose heart and house were ever opento the
namentof greatandgoodactions,to assertand goodarid the honest. For JEacus,sa»y
they,
addlustre to his noblebirth. With suchthoughts was looked upon as the justcst man in Greece,
and resolutions as these he set forward, deter- Cychreusof Salamis had divine honours paid
mined to injure no one, but to take vengeance him at Athens, and the virtue of Peleus and
of such as ohould offer him any violence. Telemon too was universally known. JN'oW
He was first attacked by Periphetes, in Sciron was eon-in-law to Cychreua, father-in-
Epidauria, whose weapon was a club, and law to JEacus, and grand-father to Peleusand
who, on that account, was called Corynetes, Telemon, who were both of them sons of
or the Club-bearer. He engaged with him, Endeis, the daughter of Sciron and Chariclo :
and slew him. Delighted with the club, he thereforeit was not probablethat the bestof men
took it for his weapon,and usedit as Hercules should make such alliances with one of so vile
did the lion's skin. The skin was a proof of a character,giving and receivingthe greatest
the vast size of the wild beast which that hero anddearestpledges. Besides,they tell us, that
had slain ; and Theseus carried about with Theseus did not slay Sciron in his first journey
Him this club, whose stroke he had been able to Athens, but afterwards, when he took Eleusis
to parry, but which, in his hand, was irresisti- from the Megarensians, having expelled Uio-
ble. In the Isthmus he slew Sinnis the Pine- cles, its chief magistrate, by a stratagem. In
bender," in the same manner as he had de- such contradictious are these things involved.
stroyed many others : and this he did, not as At Eleusis he engaged in wrestling with
having learned or practised the bending of Cercyon the Arcadian, and killed him on the
those trees, but to show that natural strength spot. Proceeding to Hermionevt he put a
is above all art. Sinnis had a daughter re- period to the cruelties of Damastes,surnamed
markable for her beauty and stature, named Procrustes, making his body fit the size of his
Perigune, who had concealed herself when her own beds, as he had served strangers. These
father was killed. Theseus made diligent things he did in imitation of Hercules, who
search for her, and found, at last, that she had always returned upon the aggressorsthe same
retired into a place overgrown with shrubs, sort of treatment wInch they intended for him ;
and rushes,and wild asparagus. In her child- for that hero sacrificed Busiris, killed Antaeus
ish simplicity she addressedher prayers and in wrestling, Cygnus in single combat, and
vows to these plants and bushes,as if they broke the skull of Termerus ; whence tins is
could have a senseof her misfortune, promis- called the Tcrmerian mischiel ; lor Termerus,
ing, if theywould saveandhideher, that she it seems,destroyedth" passengers
hemet, by
would never burn or destroy them. But when dashing his headagainsttheirs. Thus Theseus
Theseuspledged his honor for treating her po- pursued his travels to punish abandoned
litely, shecame to him, and in duetune brought wretches, who suffered the same kind of death
him a son named Melanippus. Afterwards by from him that they inflicted on others, and were
Theseus' permission, she married De'ioneus, requitedwith vengeancesuitableto their crimes.
the sonof Eurytusthe CCchalian. Melanip- In his pr9gress,
he cameto Cepliitus,where
pushada sonnamedloxus,whojoinedwith hewaslirst saluted
by some
of thePhytalidaj
}
Ornytus in planting a colony in Cana ; whence
the loiides, with whom it is aninviolable rule, * In this instance
our herodeviatedfromtheprinci
not to burn either rushes or wild asparagus, pieheset out upon,vshieli\\asne\crtu bethe a^grei-
But to honour and worship them. sor in any enpujeuncnt. The wild fnv wu.< cerum.lj
no lessrespectablean animal lhan tin- [INK-bt uder.
Aboutthis time Crommyonwasinfestedby fThis seimsto bea mistake;
lur \\>knuwof iwj
a wild sow named Phaj'a',z. fierce and formida- placecalledHannione,or Hermione,belwien L!ea»js
ble creature. This savagehe attackedand andAthens.
Fauianiaa
califit ErioDo;andtheauthors
uf the UniversalHistory, after thiluchurua,call M
* Sinnis was so called from his bending the headsof Ti run. lie.
twopines,
andtyingpassengers
between
tht oppu-ile JTIiesewere the descendants
of FnylaluiwHh
branches,which,by their suildcurilurn, tort Ihun whomOres entrustedthe superintendence of ittr
lo piecei. holy mysteries,ill recumpeu'*for Hit I
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Upon his desireto havethe customarypurifi-, hatethe very nameof Leos,onaccountoftb*

cations, they pave him them in due form, andI treachery of that herald.
having offeredpropitiatory sacrifices,invited Theseus,desirousto keephimselfin action,
him to their houses. This was the first hospi- and at the sametime courting the favour of the
table treatment he met with on the road. He people, went against the Marathoman buU,
is said to have arrived at Athens on the eighth which did no small mischief to the inhabitant!
day of the month Cronius, which now they call of Tetrapolis. When he had taken him, he
Hecatombccon
[July]. There he found the broughthim alive in triumphthroughthe city,
Btate full of troubles and distraction, and the and afterwards sacrificed him to the Delphi
familyof JEgeusin greatdisorder:for Medea, nianApollo. Hecalealso,andthe storyof her
who had fled from Corinth, promised by her receiving and entertaining Theseus,docs not
art to enableJEgeus to have children, and was appear destitute of all foundation; for the j-eo-
admittedto his bed. Shefirst discovering
The- pie in thatneighbourhood
assemble to perform
seus,whom as yet JEgcusdid not know,per- the Hecalcsianrites to JupiterHecalus:they
suadedhim,nowin years,andfull of jealousieshonourHecaletoo, calling her by the diminu
and suspicions,on account of the faction that live, Hccalene, becausewhen sheentertained
prevailedin the city, to prepareanentertain- Theseus,
while hewasbut ayouth,shecaressed
ment for him as a stranger, and take him off by him as personsin years useto do children, and
poison. Theseus, coming to the banquet, did called him by such tender diminutive names
not intend to declare himself at first, but, wil- She vowed, moreover, when he went to battle,
ling to give his lather occasion to find him out, to offer sacrificesto Jupiter, if he returned safe;
when the meat was served up, he drew his but as she died before the end of the expcdi
sword,* as if he designedto carve with it, and tion, Theseus performed those holy rites in
took care it should attract his notice. JEgeus testimony of the grateful sensehe had of her
quickly perceiving it, dasheddown the cup of hospitality. So Philochorus relates the story »
poison, and after somequestions,embracedhim Not long after, there came the third time,
as his son: then assembling the people, he ac- from Crete, the collectors of the tribute, ex
knowledged him also before them,who received acted on the following occasion. Audrogeusf
him with great satisfaction on account of his being treacherouslyslain in Attica, 3 very 'ataj
valour. The cup is said to have fallen, and the war was carried on against that country by
poison to have been spilt, where the mclosure Minos, and divine vengeancelaid it waste; for
now is, in the place called Delphinium ; for it was visited by famine and pestilence, and
there it was that .fligeus dwelt; and the Mer- want of water increased their misery. The
cury which standson the east side of the tem- remedy that Apollo proposedwas, that they
ple, is yet called the Mercury of jEgeus's gate. should appease.Minos, and be reconciled to
The Pallantidx, who hoped to recover the hrn; whereupon the wrath of Heaven would
kingdomif jEgeusdied childless,lost all pa- cease,and their calamitiescometo a period
tience when Theseus wasdeclared his succes- In consequenceof this, they sent ambassadors
sor. Exasperated at the thought that ./Egeus, with their submission; and, as most writers
who was not in the leastallied to the Erec- agree,engagedthemselves
by treaty,to send
thida?,but only adopted by Pandion,f should every ninth year a tribute of seven young men
first gain the crown, and afterwardsTheseus,andasmanyvirgins^ Whenthesewerebrought
who was an emigrantand a stranger,they into Crete, the fabulousaccountinforms us,
preparedfor war; and, dividing their forces, thatthey were destroyedby the Mmotaurf in
one party marchedopenly,with their father, the Labyrinth, or that, lost in its mazes,and
from Sphettus to the city; and the other, con- unableto find the way out, they perished there
cealingthemselvesin Gargettus,lay in ambush,The Minotaur was,asEuripidestells us,
with a designto attack the enemyfrom two A mingled
form,prodigious
to behold,
several quarters. They had with them an Half bull, half mail!
herald named Leos, of the tribe of Agnus.But Philochorussaysthe Cretansdeny this,
This man carriedto Theseusan accountof all andwill not allow the labyrinthto have been
the designsof the Pallantidae:and he imme- any thing but a prison,whichhadno other in-
diatelyfell uponthosethat lay in ambush,and convenience than this, that thosewho wer
destroyedthem. Pallasandhiscompanybeing confinedtherecould not escape: And IVImof
informedof this,thoughtfit to disperse.Hence tiavmginstitutedBarnesin honourof Andro-
it is saidto be, that the tribe of Pallenenever jeus,the prizefor thevictorswasthoseyouths,
intermarry with the Agnusians,nor suffer whohadbeenkepttill thattimein the labyrinth.
any proclamationto begin with theseword*, He that first won the prizesin thosegames,
JlkoucteLeos, (Hear,U ye people!)fur they wasa personof greatauthorityin the court of
Minos, andgeneral of his armies, named,Tau-
M Hhwhich shehad been treated at his house. The-
ft7 as thought himself unfit to be admitted to those invs- * Philochorus was an Athenian historian, who flour-
tv rieswithout cupialion,because
he had dippedhis ishedin the reignof PtolemyPhilopater,abouttwo
t' ii'N in blood though it was only that of thieves and buiidrid \ears buiire the birlh of our Saviour. He
robbers. wrote manyvaluablepieces,of which nothing remains,
* Somenr<ill< -s learning hasbeen adducedto show, but somefragmentspreservedby other writers.
If at in the heroic times they carved with a cutlass or f SomesayJEeeua caused him to be murdered, be-
liirge knife, and not with a sword; and that conse-causehewasin theinterestof thePallanlidx; oUiers,
«centlyPlutarchheremustcertainlybemistaken ; but that hewaskilled by theMarathonianbull.
If ft*;, "'. ligl '<'* ' "In r a cutlassor a sword,how { Feignedby thepoetsU>havebeenbegotby a bull
£owe know ili.it it wasa sword,and not a cutlass,uponPasiphae, Miiios'squeen,who wasinspired,it
y'lich ./KtrMisli'd undera'"hi!- " ... in-,u iili llu^ li<-rr]<lpassicn
by Neptune,in reveng«
t It had beenactuallyr<p..rlid, thatJEgeuiwas forMinos's refusinghim a ucauuiulbull, which h«
,-»»thesonof Fa.idion,butof Scyria* "i ""»!"<
t d 33anoflcring.
 THESEUS. 5

tui, who,beingunmercifulandsavago in his ordering

him,if hebrought
Theseus safeback,
nature,hadtrratedtheAthenianyouthswith to hoistthewhite;butif riotto sail .viththe
greatinsolencenncjcruelty. And it is plain blackonein tokenof hismisfortune.Simo-
that Aristntle himself,in his account oi' the nides,however,tells us,that it wasnot awhile
Botticean
Government,doesnot suppose that sailwhich^Egeusgave,butascarletone,dyed
the youngmenwereput to deathby Minos, withthejuiceof theflowerofa veryflourishing
butthattheylived,someof themto old age, holm-oak,*andthat thiswasto bethesignal
in servileemployments in Crete. He adds, thatall waswell He adds,that Phereclus the
that the Cretans,in pursuanceof an ancient sonof Amarsyas, was pilot of the ship: bu.
vow, oncesenta numberof their first-bornto Philochorussays,thatTheseushada pilot sent
Delphi,amongwhomweresomeof the de- him by Sciras,from Salamis,
namedNausi-
scendantsof theseAthenianslaves,who,not theus,and onePhxax to be at the prow,be-
beingable to supportthemselves there, first causeas yet the Athenianshad not applied
passedfrom thenceinto Italy, wherethey set- themselves to navigation^andthat Scirasdid
tled aboutJapygia;and from thencetheyre- this, becauseone of the young men, named
movedagain into Thrace, and were called Menesthes,was his daughter'sson. This is
linitm .ins. Whereforethe Bottictanvirgins, confirmedby the monumentsof Nausitheus
in Bornesolemnitiesof religion, sing, " To and Phzax, built by Theseus,at Phalerum,
Athens let us go." And, indeed,it seems neartheTempleof Sciron;andthefeastcalled
dangerous to beat enmitywith a city whichis Cybernesia, or the Pilot's Feast,is saidto be
the seatof eloquenceand learning: 1 or Minos kept in honour of them.
was always satirized on the Athenian stage; When the lots were cast, Theseus taking
nor was his fame sufficiently rescued by He- with him, out of the Prytancum, those upon
siod's calling him " Supreme of Kings," or whom they fell, went to the Dclphinian temple
Homer's sayingthat he "conversed with Jove;" and madeanoffering to Apollo for them. This
for the writers of tragedyprevailing,repre- offeringwas a branch of consecrated
olive,
sented him as a man of vicious character,* bound about with white wool. Having paid
violent, and implacable;yet, inconsistentlyhis devotionshe embarkedon the sixth of
enough,they saythat Miuoa wasa king anda April; at which time they still sendthe vir-
lawgiver,andthat Rhadamanthus was an up- gins to Delphiniumto propitiatethe god. It
right judge, and guardian of the laws which is reported that the oracle at Delphi command-
Minos had made. ed him to take Venus for his guide, and entreat
When the time of the third tributecame, her to be his companionin the voyage;and
and those parents who had sons not arrived whilst he sacrificed to her a she-goat on the
at fall maturity, were obliged to resign them to sea shore, its sex was immediately changed'
the lot, complaints against JEgcus sprung up hence the goddesshad the name of Epitragia
again among the people, who expressedtheir When he arrived in Crete, according to most
grief and resentment, that he, who was the historians and poets, Ariadne, falling in love
causeof all their misfortunes, bore no part of with him, gave him a clue of thread, and in-
the punishment, and while he was adopting structed him how to passwith it through the
tnd raising to the succession,a stranger of intricacies of the labyrinth. Thus assisted,he
ipnrious birth, took no thought for them who killed the Minotaur, and then set sail, carrying
lost their legitimate children. Those things off Ariadne, together with the young men. Phe-
werematterof greatconcernto Theseus,who, recydessays,that Theseusbrokeup the keefs
to express his regard for justice, and take his of the Cretan ships, to prevent their pursuit.
share in the common fortune, voluntarily offer- But, asDemon hasit, he killed Taurus, Minos's
ed himself as one of the seven, without lot. commander, who engagedhim in the harbour,
The citizens were charmed with this proof of just as he was ready to sail out. Again, ac-
nis magnanimityand public spirit; and ^Egeus cording to Philochorus,when Minos celebrated
himselfj when he saw that no entreaties or per- the games in honour of his son, it was be-
suasionsavailed to turn him from it, gave out lieved that Taurus would bear away the prizes
the lots for the restof the young men. But in them as formerly,and everyone grudged
Hellamcus says, that the youths and virgins him that honour; for his excessivepower and
which the city furnished were not chosen by haughty behaviour were intolerable; and be-
lot, but that Minoscamein personandselect- sides,hewasaccusedof toogreata familiarity
ed them, and Theseus before the rest, upon with Pasiphae: therefore, when Theseus de-
these conditions: That the Athenians should sired the combat, Minos permitted it. In
furnisha vessel,and the youngmen embark Creteit wasthe customfor the womenaswell
and sail alongwith him, but carry no arms; asthe mento secthegames;andAriadne,being
andthat if theycouldkill the Minotaur,there present,was struckwith the personof The
should be an end of the tribute. There ap- sens,and with his superior vigour and addres*
pearingno hopesof safetyfor theyouthsin the in the wrestling-ring. Minos too wasgreatly
two formertributes,theysentouta shipwith a delighted,especially whenhesawTaurusvan-
black sail, as carrying them to certainruin. quishedand disgraced;and this inducedhim
But when Theseus encouraged his father by
his confidence of successagainstthe Minotaur of *little
It is not the flower, but the fruit of the IleT, full
worms, wliich the Arabians call kermes, from
Legaveanothersail, a white one,to the pilot, whichascarlet
dyeisprocured.
t The Athenians,accordingto Homer, sentfifty
* Thisis amistake,
into-which
Plutarchandseve-shipsto Troy; butthosewereonlytransport
sliipj.
ral otherwriters havefallen. TherewereIwoof the Thucydidesassuresus, that they did not brgin to
nameof Minos. One wasthe SODof Jupiter and makeanyfigure at seatill ten or twelve yearsafter
£uropa,and a just and excellentprince; theother, thebaUli-ol Marathon,
nearityeuhundredjean aftei
b i grandson,andsouof i) caster,waj a tyrant. thesiegeof Troy.
6 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

to giveup theyoungmento Theseus,andto re- letters as from Theseus that they attended
mit the tribute. Clulcmus
beginning
higher, andassisted
her,whenshefell in labour;and,
(fivesa prolix accountof thesematters,accord- as shedied in childbed,paid her the funeral
ing to hismanner There was,it seema, a de- honours:that Theseus,on his return,greatly
cree throughoutall Greece,that no vessel atnictedat the news, left moneywith the in-
shouldsail with more than five hands,except habitants,orderingthem to pay divine hon-
the Argo, commandedby Jason, who was ap- ours to Ariadne; and that he caused two
pointedto clear the seaof pirates. But when little statuesof herto be made,oneof silver,
L>u.'dalusescapedby seato Athens, Minos pur- and the other of brass: that they celebrate
suing him with his men of war, contrary to the her festival on the secondof September, when
decree, was driven by a storm to Sicily, and a young man lies down, and imitates the cries
there ended his life. And when Deucalion and gesture of a woman in travail; and that
his successor, pursuing his father's quarrels the Amathusians call the grove in which
with the Athenians,demandedthat they should they show her tomb, the Grove of Venus
deliver up Dxdalus, and threatened, if they Ariadne.
did not, to make away with the hostages that Some of the Naiian writers relate, that
Minos had received, Theseus gave him a mild there were two Minos, and twn Anadues; one
answer, alle^injr that Dirdalus, was his rela- of whom was married to Bacchus in Naios,
tion, nearly allied in blood, being son to Me- and had a son named Staphylus; the other, of
ropethedaughterof Erectheus. But privately a later age,being carriedon"by Theseus,and
he prepareda fleet, part of it amongthe Thy- afterwardsdeserted,cameto Naios, with her
nurtada.1,
at a distancefrom any public road, nurse Corcyne,whosetomb is still shewn.
and part undfr the direction of Pittheus,at That this Ariadne died there, and hail dif
Tnrzene. When it was ready,he set sail, ferent honourspaid her from the former; fot
taking Dojdalus, and the rest of the fugitives the feastsof one were celebrated with mirth
from Crete for his guide. The Cretansre- and revels,while the sacrificesof the.other
ceiving no information of the matter, and, were mixcii with sorrow and mourning.*
when they saw his fleet, taking them for friends Theseus, in his return from Crete, put in at
he easilygainedthe harbour,and makinga Delos;f and having sacrificedto Apollo, and
descent, proceeded immediately to Gnossus. dedicated a statue of Venus, which he received
There he engagedwith Deucalionand his from Ariadne,he joined with the youngmen
guards, before the gates of the labyrinth, and in a dance,which the Delians are said to prac-
slew them. The government, by this means, tise at this day. It consistsin an imitation of
falling to Ariadne, he entered into an agree- the mazes and outlets of the labyrinth, and,
ment with her, by which he received the young with various involutions and evolutions, ia
captives, and madea perpetual leaguebetween performedin regular time. This kind of dance,
the Athenians and the Cretans, both sides as Dicaarchus informs us, is called by the
ewearing to proceedto hostilities no more. Delians the Crane.f He danced it round the
There are many other reports about these altar Keraton, which was built entirely of the
things, and as many concerning Ariadne, but left-side horns of beasts. He is also said to
none of any certainty. For some say, that have instituted gamesin Delos, where he be-
beingdesertedby Theseus,shehangedherself; ganthecustomof giving a palmto thevictors.
others,that shewascarriedby the marinersto When theydrew nearto Attica, bothThe-
Naxos, and there married Onarus the priest of seus and the pilot were so transported with
Bacchus,Theseushavingleft her for another joy, that theyforgotto hoistthe sailwhichwas
mistress: to be the signal to jEgeus of thrir safety, who,
therefore, jn despair, threw himself (cum the
For^Egle's
charms
hadpierced
thehero's
heart. rock, and wasdashedto pieces.Theseus
Whereasthe Megarensiantells us,that Pisi- disembarked,oiid performedthose sacrifices
etratusstruck the line out of Hesiod; as on to the gods,whichhe hadvowedat Phalerum,
thecontrary,to gratifytheAthenians,headded whenheset sail,andsenta heraldto the city,
this other to Hoiner'adescriptionof the state with anaccountof hissafereturn. The messen-
of the dead: ger met with numberslamenting the fate of the
The godlikeTheseus
andthegreatPirithous. king, andothersrejoicing,asit wasnaturalto
expect, at the return of Theseus, welcoming
SomesayAriadnehadtwo sonsby Theseus, him with the greatestkindness,and readyto
CEnopianand Staphylus. With theseagrees crown him with flowers for his goodnewa.
Ion of Chios,who saysof his nativecity, that He receivedthe chaplets,and twined them
it wasbuilt by CEnopionthe sonof Theseus. roundhis herald'sstaff. Returningto the sea-
But the moststriking passagesof the poets, shore,and finding that Theseushad not yet
relative to thesethings, are in every body's finishedhis libations,he stoppedwithout,not
mouth. Somethingmore particular is delivered choosing to disturb the sacnlice. When the
by Pa:onthe Amathusian. He relates,that libationswere over,he announcedthe death
Theseus,being driven by a storm to Cyprus,
and having with him Ari.idne, who was big * TheFeasUof Ariadne,thewife of Bacchus,wer«
with child, and extremelydiscomposed
with celebrated
with joy. to denotethat shewasbecome
a
theagitationof thesea,he sether onshore,UTinitv;those
of theotherAriadne
signify
lliatshe
und left her alone, while he returned to take fell like a meremorul.
careof the ship; but bya violentwind was t il'ticecame
thecustom
of sending
annually
i
forced
outagain
to sea;thatthewomen
of deputation
fromAlhens
J Tins dance, toDclos,
tell.to
Callimachui sacnlice
Uj, toApollo.
wasa particular
the countryreceivedAriadnekindly, consoledimc; ami probal'lyit wasi.ill..| u,e ( r;iiit, because
her underher loss,and brought her feigned cranescommonlyny inthefigureo' tocircle.
 THESEUS.

of A^geus.Uponthis,theyhastened, with himall thevirgins uponwhomthelot bad

"orrow,andtumultuouslamentations, to the I ill. ii,butselected
twoyoung
menof hisac
city. Hence,
theytell us,it is,that,in the quaintance whohadfeminine
andfloridas-
Oschophoria, or Feastof Boughs, to thisday pects,but-werenot-wanting in spiritandpres-
theheraldis not crowned, but hisstart; anil enceof mind. Thesebywarmbathing, and
thosethatare presentat thelibationscryout, keepingthemout of the sun, by providing
Elelu! Jo'ii,jou!* The formeris theexcla-unguents for their hair andcomplexions, and
mationof hasteandtriumph,andthelatterof everythingnecessary for theirdress,byform-
troubleandconfusion.Theseus,havingburied ing their voice,their manner,and their step,
his father,paidhis vowsto Apolloon the he BOeffectuallyaltered,that they passed
leventhof October;foron that daytheyar- among
thevirginsdesigned for Crete,andno
rived safeat Athens. The boilingof all sorts onecoulddiscerntnc difference.
of pulseat tnat timeis saidto takeitsrise At hisreturnhewalkedin procession
with
from their mixingthe remainsof their provis- thesameyoungmen,dressed in the mannerof
ions,whentheyfoundthemselves safeashore,thosewhonowcarrythebranches.Theseare
boiling them in one pot, and feastingupon carriedin honourof BacchusandAriadne,on
themall together.In thatfeasttheyalsocarry accountof the storybeforerelated; or rather
a branchboundaboutwith wool,suchas they because they returnedat the timeof gathering
then madeuseof in their supplications,which ripe fruits. The Deipnophonc,womenwho
they call Eiresione,
ladenwith all sortsof carrytheprovisions,
beara partin thesolem-
fruits ; and to signify the ceasingof scarcity nity, and havea sharein the sacrifice,to re-
at that time,theysingthis strain: presentthe mothersof thoseuponwhomthe
lots fell, who brought their children provisions
Th« golden ear, th' ambrosial hrft,
In fair Eircsione thrive. for the voyage. Fables and talesare the chief
Seethejuicyfigg
appear
! discourse,
because
thewomen
thentoldtheir
Olivescrownthewealthyyear! children stories to comfort them and keep up
Seethecluster-bending
vine! their spirits.Theseparticularsare takenfrom
See,
anddrink,anddropsupine
! the Historyof Demon.Therewasa place
Somepretendthat thisceremonyis retained consecrated,anda templeerectedto Theseus
in memoryof the Heraclids,f whowereenter- andthosefamilieswhichwouldhavebeenlia
tainedin thatmannerbytheAthenians; but the ble to the tribute,in caseit had continued,
greaterpart relateit as abovedelivered. were obligedto paya taxto thetemplefor sac-
The vesselin whichTheseussaJed,andre- rifices. These were committedto the care
turnedsafe,with thoseyoungmen,went with of the Phytahdae.Theseusdoing them that
thirty oars. It waspreserved
by the Athenianshonourin recompense of their hospitality.
to thetimesof Demetrius
Phalereus
; J being /After thedeathof JEgeus,
heundertook
and
BOpiecedandnew framedwith strongplank, effecteda prodigiouswork. He settled all
thatit affordedan exampleto the philosophers,the inhabitantsof Attica in Athens,and made
in their disputations
concerningthe identity of themonepeoplein onecity, whobeforewere
thingsthat arechanged by growth; somecon- scatteredup and down,and could with diffi-
tending that it was the same,and others that culty beassembledon any pressingoccasionfor
it was not. the public good./ Nay, often such differences
The feist called Oschophoria,§which the had happened between them, as ended in
Atheniansstill celebrate,wasthen first insti- bloodshed.The methodhetookwasto applj
tutedby Theseus. For he did not takewith to them,in particularby their tribesandfami
lies. Private personsand the poor easily lis
* Eleleudenotes
thejoy andprecipitation
with tenedto his summons. To the rich andgreat
which Theseusmarched towards Athens; ami Jou,
jou, his sorrow for the death of his lather. he representedthe advantageof a government
fThedescendants
of Hercules,
being
drirenoutof withouta king,wherethechiefpowershould
Peloponnesus
andallGreece,
applied
totheAtheniansbein thepeople,whilehehimselfonlydesired
for their protection,which waagranted:and asthey to commandin war, and to be the guardian ol
wentassupplicants,
theywentwithbranches
in their the laws; in all the rest, everyonewould ba
hands. This subjectis treated by Euripides in his
Heraclidx. uponanequalfooting. Partof themhearkened
\ Thatis,n«r1000
years.ForTheseus
returned
to hispersuasions
; andothers
fearing
hispow
fromCreteabouttheyearbeforeChrist1235,andCal- er, which was already very great, as well ashii
limachus,whowascotcmporary with Demetrius,and enterprising spirit, choserather to be persua
who tells us the Athenianscontinuedto sendthis ship ded,than to beforcedto submit. Dissolving,
to Delos in his tune, flourished about the year before
Christ280. therefore,the corporations,
the councils,and
^Thisceremony
wasperformed
in thefollowing
courtsin eachparticulartown,he builton*
manner:They madechoiceof a certainnumberof common Prytaneum and court-hall, where ii
youths
of themostnoblefamilies
in each
tribe,whosestandsto thisday. The citadel,with its de-
lather?
andmothers bothwere living.They bore
vine-pendencies,
branchesin their hands,with grapes upon them, and
andthecity,or theoldandnew
ranfromthetemple ofBacchus tothatofMinerva Sci- town,heunitedunderthecommon nameof
radia,
which
wasnear
thePhalcrian
gate.Hethatar- Athens,
andinstituted
the Panathensa
asa
rivedtherefirstdrankoffacupof wine,mingled
with commonsacrifice.* He appointedalso the
honey,cheese,meal,and oil. They were followed by a
chorus
conducted
by twoyoungmen,dressed
iu wo- * TheAthenza
werecelebrated
before,
inhonour
of
men's apparel,
thechorus singing
asong inpraise of thegoddess
thoseyoung men. Certain women,with basketson their
Minerva
; butasthatwas
afeast
peculiar
beads,attended them, and were chosenfor that office lo thecityof Athens,
Theseus
enlarged
it, andm»d«
it common
to all theinhabitautiof Aitica; andthere-
fromamong themostwealthy
of thecitizens.
The foreit was
calledPhnalhc.isa.
Th.rcwere thegreat.
whole procession
washeaded
bya herald,bearing
a erandtheen Panalheuaa. Tin-I,«-w,.r,keptan
Italfencircled
withboughs. nualljaiultingreater
every
filthyear.In thelattej
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Metcccia,
orFeast
of Migration,"
andfixedit ] woverses
todistinguish
theboundaries.
That
to the sixteenth of July, and so it still contin- m the east side ran thus -.
ues. Giving up the kingly power,as he had
promised,
hesettled
thecommonwealth
under ThisisnotPeloponnesus,
butIonia:
theauspices
ofthegods; forheconsulted
the andthatonthewest,was
Oracle at Delphi concerning his new govern-
ment, and received this answer : Tliis isPeloponnesus,
not Ionia.
FromRoyalstems
thyhonour,
Theseus,
springs; He likewiseinstitutedgameiin imitationof
ByJovebeloved, thesiresuprtme ofkings. Hercules,
beingambitious,
thatastheGreeks,
See rising towns, !te wide-extended stales.
Onthee
dependent,
ask
their
future
fate'! pursuance
ofthathero's
appointment,
cele-
Hence,
hence
withfear!Thyfavour'd
barkshall
ride bratedtheOlympicgames
in honourof Jupi-
Safe
o'erthesurges
of Hiefoamy
tidc.f ter, so they shouldcelebratethe Isthmianin
honour of Neptune: for the ritea performed
Withthisagrees
theSibyl'sprophecy,
which, therebefore,in memoryof Melicertea,
were
wearetold,shedelivered
longafter,concern-observed
in thenight,andhadmoretheairof
ingAthens: mysteries,thanof a public spectacle andas-
Thebladder
maybedipp'd,
butnever
drown'd. sembly. But some say theIsthmian games
were dedicatedto Sciron, Theseus inclining to
Desiringyet fartherto enlarge
thecity,he expiatehis untimelyfate,by reason of their
invitedall s'rangers
to equalprivileges
in it : beingsonearlyrelated; for Scironwastheson
andthewordsstill in use,"Comehither,all ye of Canethusand Henioche,the daughterof
people,"aresaidto be the beginningof a pro- Pittheus. Otherswill haveit, that Sinniswas
clamation,whichTheseusorderedto bemade their son,andthat to him, and not to Sciron,
whenhecomposedthe commonwealth,as it the games were dedicated. He made an
were,of all nations.Yet heleft it notin the agreement
toowiththeCorinthians,
thatthey
contusionanddisorderlikely to ensuefromthe shouldgivethe place of honourto the Athe-
confluenceandstrangenviture of people; but jians who cameto the Isthmiangames,asfai
distinguished
them into nooiemen,husband-as the groundcould be coveredwith the sail
men, and mechanics. The nobility were to of the public ship that broughtthem, when
havethe care of religion,to supply the city stretchedto its full extent. Thisparticularwe
with magistrates, to explain the laws, and to learn from Hellanicua and Andron of Hali-
interpret whateverrelatedto the worshipof carnassus.
the gods. As to the rest, he balanced the citi- Philochorus and some others relate, that he
zensagainsteachotheras nearly aspossible sailedin companywithHercules,into the Eux-
the noblesexcellingin dignity,the husband-ine sea,to carry on war with the Amazons,*
men in usefulness,and the artificers in num- and that he received Antiopef as the reward
ber. It appearsfrom Aristotle,that Theseus of hisvalour : but the greaternumber,among
wasthe first who inclinedto a democracy,
and whomarePherecydes, Hellanicus,andHero-
gave up the regal power; and Homer also dorus,tell us, that Theseusmadethat voyage,
seemsto bear witness to the same in his cata with his own fleet only, some time after Her-
logue of ships,where he gives the name01 cules,and tookthat Amazoncaptive,whichis
Peopleto the Atheniansonly. To his money indeedthe moreprobableaocount; for we do
hegavethe impression of an or, either on ac not readthat any otherof his fellow warriors
count of the Marathonianbull, or becauseo madeany Amazonprisoner. But Bionsays,
Mmos'sgeneralTaurus,or because he would he tookandcarriedheroff by astratagem.The
encourage the citizensin agriculture. Hence Amazons,beingnaturallyloversof men,were
camethe expression of a thing beingworthten so far from avoidingTheseus,whenhe touch-
01anhundred
oxen. Havingalsomadea se- edupontheircoasts,
thattheysenthimpres-
cure acquisitionof the countryaboutMegara ents. TheseusinvitedAntiope,who brought
to the territory of Athens,heset up the famed them into his ship, and as soon as shewag
pillar in the Isthmus, { and inscribed it with aboard, set sail. But the account of one Men
ecrates, who published a history of Nice, in
theycarried
in pnxession
the mysterious
pcpfitmor Bithynia, is, that Theseus,having Antiope
reil of Minerva, onwhich wereembroidered thevie aboard
lory of the gods over the giants, and the mostremark
hisvessel,
remained
in thosepartssome
&bU-achievements
of theirheroes. time ; andthat he wasattended
in thatexpedi
* In memory
of theirquittingtheboroughs,
and tionby threeyoungmenof Athens,whowere
uniting it in onecity. brothers, Euneos, Thoas, and Soloon. The
Ontnlsoccasion
helikewiseinstituted,
or at leasi last of these,unknownto the rest,fell in love
restored, the famousIsthmian games, in honour 01 with Antiope, and communicated his passion
Neptune. AM thesewere chiefly designedto draw a
Concourseof strangers; and as a (artner encourage- to one of his companions, who applied to
mentfor themto come
andsettle
in Athens,
hegav<Antiopeaboutthe affair. Shefirmly rejected
them the privilegesof natives.
\ In theoriginalit is, "Safe, [ike a.bladdv, &c.' reignof Oxlrua,during which it wasdemolished
by
When Sylla had taken Athens, and exercisedall man the Heraclidz, who had made themselvesmaitersof
ner of crueltiesthere,someAthenians
wentto Delphi, the territory of Megara,which therebypassed
from
to inquire of the oracle,whether the last hour of their the lonians to the Dorians. Strata lib. ii.
city was come? anil the priestessaccording lo Pausa * Nothing canbe more fabulous than Ihe wVle his.
Ilias, madeansmr, TX nf TO*atn'/^vI^OYT*,Th*± tory of the Amazons.Straboobserves,
that the mo»»
wA^'cA
1/clortfSto Ike klaMer now has an end ; plainly credible of Alexander's historianshavenot so murh ai
referring
tuth' oM\>r<>(ih'-cy
heredelivered. mentioned
them: andindeed,
if theywereaScythian
JThis pillar w:tserectedby thecommonconsent 01 nation,howcametheyall to haveGreeknames?
theIonian*and Pcloponnesians,to putanendto thedis- t Justinsay?,HerculesgaveHippolyteto Tbeseut
putesabout their boundaries; and it continued to the and kept Antiopt for himself.
 THESEUS.

hi* pretensions,
buttreated
himwithcivility, Butsomesaythisheroinsfell fightingby
andprudently
concealed
thematter
fromThe- Thcscus's side,beingpierced
witha dartby
"eus. But Soloon,in despair,
leaped
intoa Molpadia,
andthata pillar,by theTempleot
river and drowned himself: Theseus,then the Olympianearth,*wassetupoverher grave.
Sensibleof thecause,andtheyoungman'spas-Nor is it to bewondered, thatin theaccount
iion, lamentedhisfate,and,in hissorrow,re- of thingssoveryancient,
historyshouldbethu»
collectedanoraclewhichhe hadformerlyre- uncertain,sincetheytell usthateome Ama-
ceivedat Delphi. The priestess hadordered,zons,wounded byAntiope,wereprivately
sent
that when,in someforeigncountry,he should to Chalcis to be cured, and that some-jjerB
labourunderthe greatestaffliction,he should buriedthere,at aplacenowcalledAmazomum.
build a city there,andleavesomeof his fol- But thatthe war wasendedbyaleague,we maj
lowers
to govern
it. Hence
hecalled
thecity assuredly
gatherfroma placecalledHor-
"whichhe built Pythopolis,
afterthePythiancomosium,
nearthetempleof Theseus,
where
God, and the neighbouringriver Soloon,in it was sworn to, as well as from an ancient
honourof theyoungman. He left the two sacrifice,whichIBoffered to theAmazons
the
surviving
brothers
to govern
it,andgiveit laws; daybeforethefeastof Theseus.Thepeople
andalongwiththemHermus, whowasof one of Megaratoo shewa place,in thefigureof
of the bestfamiliesin Athens. From him the a lozenge,wheresomeAmazonswere buried
inhabitantsof Pythopoliscall acertainplacein ae you go from the market-place
to the place
their city Iltrmcs'sHouse,[Hermouoikia], cilffd Khus. Othersalsoarc saidto have
and by misplacingan accent,transfei the ho- diedby Cha;ronea, andto havebeenburiedby
nourfrom the heroto the GodMercury. the rivulet, which, it seems,was formerly
Hence the war with the Amazons took its called Thcrmodon, but now Hajmon; of which
rise. And it appearsto havebeenno slight I have given a furtheraccountin the life oi
womanish enterprise;for theycould not have Demosthenes.It appearslikewise, that the
encampedin the town, or joined battle on the Amazons traversed Thcssaly, not without op-
ground about the Pnyx* and the Museum,! or position; for their sepulchresare shewn to this
fallen in so intrepid a manner upon the city of day, between Scotussza and Cynoscephalae.
Athens, unless they had first reducedthe coun- This is all that is memorable in the story of
try about it. It is difficult, indeed, to believe the Amazons; for as to what the author of the
(though Hcllanicus hag related it) that they Theseis relates of the Amazons rising to take
crossedtlie Cimmerian Bosphorusuponthe ice; vengeancefor Antiope, when Theseus quitted
but that they encampedalmost in the heart ol her, and married Phaedra,and of their being
the city is confirmed by the names of places, skin by Hercules, it has plainly the air of fable
and by the tombsof those that fell. Indeed he married Pkxdra after the death ol
There was a long pause and delay before Antiope, having had by the Amazon a son
either army would begin the attack. At last, named Hippolytus,t or according to Pindar,
Theseus, by the direction of some oracle, of- Detnophoon. As to the calamities which befeJ
fered a sacrifice to Fear,{ and after that im- Pruedra and Hippolytus, since the historian!
mediately engaged. The battle was fought do not differ from what the writers of tragedy
in the month Boedromion, [September] the clay have said of them, we may look upon them an
on which the Athenians still celebrate the matters of fact.
feast called Boedromia. Clidemus, wlw is wil- Some other marriagesof Theseusare spoken
ling to be veryparticular,writes, that the left of, but havenot beenrepresented
on the stage,
wing of the Amazons movedtowardswhati» whichhad neither an honourablebeginning,
now called the Amazoniuin; and that the right
eitendedasfar asthePnyx,nearChrysa:that *Bythisis meant
themoon,
socalled
(asPlutarch
the Athenians first engagedwith the left wing supposes in his Treatiseon tin.-Ce^jii..n of Oracles)
of the Amazons, falling upon them from the because like the Genii or Demons, sheis neitherso
Museum; and that the tombs of those that fell perfectas the£ods5nor so imperfectas humankind.
in the battle are in the street which leads to put as someot the philosopher*, vre mta.il the Pytha-
goreans, had astronomy enough afterwards to con-
thegatecalledPiraica,whichis by themonu-clude
thatthesunisthecentre
of thissystem,
vrepre-
ment erected in honour of Chalcodon, where sumeit might occurto thinking menin themoreearly
the Athenians were routed by the Amazons, ages,that the moonwasan opaque,ajjd, therefore,
and fled as 1'arasthe Templeof the Furies: probably aterrene body-
t'l'li'i' us had a son,by the Amazonianqueen,named
but that the left wing of the Athenians, which Hippolytuj, having soou after marriLd Phaedra,the
chargedfrom the Palladium,Ardettus,and sister
ofDeucalion,
thesun
andsuccessor
ofMinos,
bj
Lyceum,drovethe right wingof the enemyto whomhe had twosons;hesentHippulytus
to b*
their camp, and slewmany of them: That after broughtup byhis ownmother^Ethra,ijU'-enof Trie-
four months a peace was concluded by means "/.ene:but ne corningafterwards to be presentat some
oi'Hippolyte; for sothisauthorcallstrie Ama- Athenian games, Phaedra fell in love withiiim, and
having solicited him in vain to a compliance,in j»Si
zonthatattended
withTheseus,
notAntiojje. uf r>"eminent,
accused
himtoThesius
ofhaving
mad*
annil.nipt uponher chastity. Tlie f»hl«rays, th»t
Tin -" ii* prayedto Neptuneto punishhim by «om«
"ThePnyiwasa place(Dear thecitadel)whereii"l'nl death;andallsolemnexecrations,
ai.-cordiig
tVt«peopleof Mheivsustdtoasstmble, tiiiuwhere the inHi.DotioDi
oftheheathent,
certainly
takingeflert,
Orators
(poke tothemabout public attain. asHippolytus
wasridingalongtheseashore,Nep-
fThemuseum
citadel, was.
upon
and probably a littlefrrra
so called lullover against
a templeof the
the tunesentiwoseacalve),
whofrigUteuid
thehorws,
Muses there. .11.rturnedthechariot,andlurehim to pieces. Th«
I""-I- a.Ill, that the lu?lliil IJIJMM
li,'H0.J l.crsflf fol
i'L'tu-
htathens
considered
noloulythe passions,
bvil grief;butasforHippo))
lus,Dianabtini;takenwith
evendistempers,sUirias,
andtempests,
asdjrimi'cs,hischastity,
andpiUing
thesadfaleit frought
upon
andworshipped them,thai theymightdo then no him, prevailed
uponAiacuhkiuui
to restorehim w
"arm life, to bea companion
ot herdner&ioiu
10 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

nor a happy conclusion. He is alsosaidto andindecency,and not evenrefrainingfrom

have forcibly carried ofT Anaxoof Tro?zene,the women,the Lapithx roseup in their de-
»nd having slam Sinnis and Ccrcyon, to have fence, killed some of the Centaurs upon tho
committed rapes upon their daughters: to have spot, and soon after beating them in a set bat-
married Pen linn, the mother of Ajax, too, and tle, drove them out of the country with the
Pheroba-a, ami lope the daughter of Iphicles. assistanceof Theseus. Herodorus relates the
Besides,
theychargehimwith beingenamouredmatter differently. He saysthat, hostilities
of jEgle, tho daughter of Panopeus,(as above being already begun, Theseus came in aid to
related) and, for her, leaving Ariadne, con- the Lapithx, and then had the first sight of
trary to the rules of both justice and honour; Hercules, having made it his businessto find
but above all, with ihe rape of Helen, which him out at Trachin, where he reposedhimself
involved Attica in war, andendedin liis ban- after all his wanderingsandlabours^andthat
ishment and death, of which we shall speak this interview passedin marks of great respect,
more at large by and by civility, and mutual compliments. But we are
Though there were many expeditions under- rather to follow those historians who write,
taken liy tin hrroes of those times, Herodorus that they had very frequent interviews; and
thinks that Tin Mus was not concerned in any that by means of Theseus, Hercules wai
if them, except in assistingthe Lapithx against initiated into the mysteries of Ceres, having
the Centaurs. Others write, that he attended first obtained lustration, as he desired, on ac-
Jason to Cukhos, and Meleager in killing the count of several involuntary pollutions.
Doar; and that hence came the proverb, "No- Theseus was now fifty years old, according
thing without Theseus." It is allowed, however, to Hellanicus, when he was concerned in the
that Theseus, without any assistance,did liim- rape of Helen,* who had not yet arrived at
eelf perf'irni mmy great exploits; and that the years of maturity. Some writers thinking this
extraordinary instancesof his valour gave oc- one of the heaviestchargesagainsthim, endea-
casion to the saying, " This mm is another voured to correct it, by saying it was not The-
Hercules." Theseus was likewise assistingto seus that carried off Helen, but Idas and
Adrastus in reco\enng the bodies of those that Lynceus, who committed her to his care, and
fell be-foreThebes, not by defeating the The- that therefore he refused to give her up, when
bans in battle, as Euripides hasit in his tragedy, demandedby Castor and Pollux; or rather that
but by persuading them to a truce; for so most she was delivered to him by Tyndarus himself,
writers agree: and Philochorus is of opinion, to keep her from Enarsphorus,the sonof Hip-
that this was the first truce ever known for pocoon, who endeavouredto possesshimselt
burying the dead. But Hercules was, in- by violence of Helen, who was yet but a child.
deed, the first who gave up their dead to the But what authors generally agree in as most
enemy, as we have shewn in his life. The probable is as follows: The two friends went
burying place of the common soldiers is to be together to Sparta, and having seen the girl
leen at Elcutherx, and of the officers at dancing in the temple of Diana Orthia, carried
Eleusis; in which particular Theseus gratified her off, and fled. The-pursuersthat were eent
Adrastus. JF.schyius,in whose tragedy of the after them following no farther than Tegea,
Eleusinians, Theseusis introduced relating the they thought themselvessecure,and having tra-
matter as above, contradicts what Euripides versed Peloponnesus, they entered into an
has delivered in his Suppliants. agreement, that he who should gain Helen
The friendship betweenTheseus and Piritho- by lot should have her to wife, but be obliged
us is saidto havecommenced on this occasion: to assist in procuring a wife for the other. In
Theseus being much celebratedfor his strength consequence of these terms, the lots being
and valour, Pirithous was desirous to prove it, cast, she fell to Theseus, who received the
and therefore drove away his oxen from Mar- virgin, and conveyed her, as she was not yet
athon. When he heard that Theseus pursued marriageable, to Aphidnoe. Here he placed
him in arms, he did not fly, but turned back to his mother with her, and committed them to
meet him. But, as soon as they beheld one the care of his friend Aphidnus, charging him
another, each was so struck with admiration of to keep them in the utmost secrecy and safety;
the other's person and courage, that they lajd whilst, to pay his debt of service to Pinthous,
aside all thoughts of fighting; and Pinthous he himself travelled with him into Epirus, with
first giving Theseushis hand,badehim bejudge a view to the daughter of Aidoneus, king of
in this cause himself, and he would willingly the Molossians. This prince named his wife
abide by his sentence. Theseus, in his turn, Proserpine,! his daughter Core, and his dog
left the cause to him, and desired him to be Cerberus: with this dog he commanded all
his friend andfellow warrior. They then con- his daughters'suitors to fight, promising her to
firmed their friendship with an oath. Pirithous him that should overcome him. But under-
afterwards marrying Deidamia,* entreated standing that Pirithous came not with aniuten
Theseus to visit his country, and to becomeac-
quaintedwith the Lapithx.f He had also "This princess
wasthereputed
daughter
of Jupi-
ir.vited the Centaurs to the entertainment. ter, by Leda,the wife of Tyndarus,king of (Kunln,
These, in their cupsbehavingwith insolence iu Peloponnesus;
andthoughthenbutuineyearsold,
was reckonedthe greatest beautyin the world.
* All olher writers call her Hippodamia,except f Proserpine
andCorewasthe sameperson,d*ugh
Proprrtius, who calls her I*c)K>macna. She was the ter to Aidcneus, whose wile wai namedCeres, rill
dhu^tiUr uf Ailr:iJ<lU3. larch himsdf ttlls us so in his morals, where he adds
(Homer calls the Lapithxheroes. The Centaurs thatby Projcrpine-'sirieanl
the Moon,whomPluto,0'
ire leirijrd '<> !i;ne b?tn half man half horse, either the God of Darknesssometimescarries off. Indeed,
fr. in their brutulity, or because(if not !he it^-nn r* Core signifies nothing :nore, than young wrtmin or
of horji inaiiship,jet) Uity generallyappearedoil rfuu£/i£cr;andtheyurghi saj a daughterof Epirua,ai
k*ncbaok. we saya Juu^/UtT o/ frJacct, jr of Spain.
 THESEUS. 11
tiontocourthisdaughter,
butto carryhe"off desired
nothing
butto beadmitted
to themys-
by force,heseizedbothhimandhisfriend,teries,to whichtheyhadno lessclaimthan
destroyedPinthous
immediatelybymeans of Hercules,*sincetheywereequallyalliedto
hlBdog,andshutupTheseus
in closeprison. thecity. Thisrequest
waseasilygranted
them,
MeantimeMenestheus,
the son of Peteus, and theywere adoptedby Aphidniis,as Her-
grandson
of Orneus,
andgreatgrandson
of culeswasby Pylius.Theyhid ilso divine
Erectheus,it saidto be the first of mankindhonours paidthem,with the title of Anakes,
thatundertook to bea demagogue, andbyhis whichwast_'iu:ntin-in,eitheronaccountof the
eloquenceto ingratiate
himselfwiththepeople.truce[onocAc]whichtheymade,or because
He endeavoured alsoto exasperate andinspireof theirgreatcarethat no oneslioul»lbein-
thenobilitywithsedition,whohadbutill bornejured,thoughthereweresomanytroopsinthe
with Theseusfor sometime; reflectingthat he city; for the phraseanakoscclieinsignifiesto
haddeprived
everyperson
of familyof hisgov- keepor takecareof anything;andfor thi«
ernmentandcommand,and shut them up to- reason,perhaps,kings are called Anaktes.
getherin onecity,whereheusedthemashis Some againsay,theywerecalledAnakes, be-
subjectsandslaves.Amongthecommon peo-causeof theappearance
of theirstars;I'orthe
plehesoweddisturbance bytellingthem,that Athenians
usethewordsoiicfcosandantka-
thoughtheypleased
themselves
with the dream then, insteadof ano and auothtn, that it,
of liberty, in fact they were robbed of their above or on high.
country and religion; and insteadof many We aretold that JEthra,the motherof The-
goodand native kings,were lorded over by seus,who was now a prisoner,wascarriedto
one man, who was a new comer and a stran- Laccdxmon, and from thence with, Helen, to
ger. Whilst he wasthusbusilyemployed,the Troy; andthatHomerconfirmsit when,speak
war declaredby the Tyndaridiegreatlyhelped ing of thosethat waiteduponHelen,he men
forward the sedition. Some say plainly, they tions
were invited by Menestheus to invade the -The beauteous
Clymcne,
country. At first theyproceeded
not >na hos- AndJEthraborn
of Fittheus,
tile manner,
onlydemanding
their sister:but Others
rejectthis verseas noneof Homer's,
the Atheniansanswering,that they' neither as theydo alsothe story of Munychus,who is
hadher amongthem,norknewwhereshewas said to have beenthe fruit of a secret com-
left, they began their warlike operations. Aca- merce between IJemophoonand Laodice, and
demus,
however,
finding
it outbysome
meansbrought
upbyJKthra
atTroy. But Ister,in
or other, told themshe wasconcealed at thethirteenthbookof his Historyof Attica,
Aphidnae. Hence,not only the Tyndarida? givesan accountof jEthradifferentfromall
treated
himhonourablyin hislife time,butthe therest.Hewasinformed, it seems,thatafter
Lacedaemonians,
who, in after times, often the battle in which Alexanderor Paris was
made inroads
intoAttica,andlaidwasteall the routed byAchilles andPatroclus, in Thessaly,
country besides,spared the Academy for his near the river Sperchius, Hector took and
sake.But Dicaiarchus says,thatEchedemus plunderedthecityofTrceiene, andcarried off
andMarathus,twoArcadians, beingalliesto /Ethra,whohadbeenleft there. Buttinsin
theTyndarida: in thatwar,theplacewhichhighlyimprobable.
nowgoes bythename oftheAcademy, wasfirst It happened thatHercules,inpassingthrough
calledEchcdemia, fromoneofthem-, andthat thecountry oftheMolossians, wasentertained
fromtheotherthedistrictof Marathon had byAidoneus theking,whoaccidentally made
itsname, because hefreelyofferedhimself,in mention of theboldattempts of Theseusand
pursuance
of someoracleto besacrificed
at Pirithous,
andof themannerin whichhehad
the headofthearmy.ToAphidna? thentheypunished themwhendiscovered. Hercules
came, where they beat the enemy in a set bat- was much disturbed to hear of the inglorious
tle,andthentookthecity,andrazed it to the deathoftheone,andthedanger of theother.
ground.There,theytell us,Alycus, thesonAstoPuitlious, hethought it in vainto expos-
of Sciron,wasslain,fighting for Castor andtulateabout him;buthebegged to have The-
Pollux; and that a certain place,within the seusreleased,and Aidoneus granted it. The-
territories of Megara, is called Alycus, from seus,thus set at liberty, returned to Athens,
hisbeing
buried
there:
andHereaswrites,
thatwhere hisparty
wasnotyetentirely
suppress-
Alycus
received
hisdeath
from Theseus's
owned:andwhatever temples
andgrovesthecity
hand.These
versesalso
arealleged
asaproofhadassignedhim,heconsecrated
them all,but
inpoint: four,to Hercules,
andcalled
them,
(asPhilo-
For bright-hair'd
Helen
hewasalain chorusrelates)insteadof Thesea,Heraclea.
By Thoeus,onAphidna'aplain. But desiringto presidein the commons
ealth,
and direct it as before, he found himself encom-
Butit isnotprobable
thatAphidnse
would
havepassed
withfaction
andsedition;
forthose
that
been taken and his mother made prisoner, had were his enemiesbefore hisdeparture, had now
Theseus been present. added totheir
hatred
acontempt
ofhisauthor-
Aphidnz, however, wastaken, andAthens ity; andhe beheldthepeople
sogenerally
in danger. Menestheus tookthisopportunity
to persuadethe people to admit the Tyndaridae
corrupted,
thatthey
wanted
tobeflattered
into
into thecity,andto treatthemhospitably,since theirduty, instead
of sik-ntlyexecutingnil
they only leviedwar against Theseus,who be- * For CastorandPollui,like him, weresonsof Ju
gan with violencefirst, but that they were filer, fromwhomvheAilirnunslooprctt-niled lode-
benefactors and deliverers to the rest of the rivetheirorigin.It wasniccsiary,
huwever,
thatIhej
Athenians. Their behaviour also confirmed ?h.'iildbenaturalitedbeforellir-j Rtrt admittedlo Die
myslmrs,and accordingly tlicy werenaturalizedb
»hat was said; for, though conquerors,
they aiiupUuB.
12 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

commands. When he attemptedto reduce to bekept with the greatestcare, Bot it w»*
tlicm by force, he was overpoweredby the difficult to take them up, or evento find out
prevalence of faction; and, in the end, linding the grave, on account of the savageand inhos-
his affairsdesperato,
he privatelysenthis chil- pitabledispositionof the barbarians
who dwelt
dren into Euboea,to Klephenor,the son of in Scyros. Nevertheless, Cimonhavingtaken
Ch,ilcodon;and himself, having uttered solemn the island (a* is related in his Life,) and being
execrations againstthe Athenians at Gargettus, very desirousto find out the piace vhere The-
where there is still a place thence called Ara- seuswas buried, by chancesaw an eagle,on a
terion,sailed to Scyros.* He imaginedthat certaineminence, breakingthe ground(asthey
thereheshouldfind hospitabletreatment,as he tell us) and scratchingit up with her talons.
had a paternal estatein that island. Lyco- This he consideredas a divine direction,and,
medeswas then king of the Scyrians.To him, digging there, found the coffin of a man of ex-
therefore, he applied, and desired to be put in traordinary size, with a lance of brass and a
possessionof his lands, as intending to settle sword lying by it. When these remains were
there. Some say,he askedassistance
of him brought to Athens in Cimon's galley, the
againstthe Athenians.But Lycomedes,either Atheniansreceivedthem with splendid pro-
jealous of the glory of Theseus, or willing to cessionsand sacrifices, and were as much trans-
oblige Menestht'us, having led him to the high- ported as if Theseus himself had returned to
est cliffs of the country, on pretence of showing the city. He lies interred in the middle of the
him from thence his lands, threw him down town, nearthe Gymnasium:andhisoratoryis
headlong from the rocks, and killed him. Oth- a place of refuge for servants and all persona
ers siy he fell off himself, missing his step, of mean condition, who rly from men in power,
w lion he took a walk according to his custom, as Theseus,while he lived, was a humane and
after supper. At that time his death was disre- benevolent patron, who graciously receivedthe
garded, and Menestheus quietly possessedthe petitions of the poor. The chief sacrifice ii
kingdom of Athens, while the sous of Theseus offered to him on the eighth of October, the
attended Klephenor, as private persons to the day on which he returned with the young men
Trojan wvir. But Menestheus dying in the from Crete. They sacrifice to him Likewiseon
same expedition, they returned and recovered each eighth day of the other months, either
the kingdom. In succeedingagesthe Athenians becausehe first arrived from Troezcue on the
honoured Theseus as a demi-god, induced to it eighth of July, as Diodorus the geographerre-
as well by other reasons, as because, when lates; or else thinking this number, aboveall
thev were righting the Medes at Marathon, a others, to be most proper to him, because he
considerable part of the army thought they saw was said to be the son of Neptune; the solemn
the apparition of Theseuscompletely armed and feastsof Neptune being observedon the eighth
bearing down before them upon the barbarians. day of every month. For 'the number eight, as
After the Median war, when Pbidon was the first cube of an even number, and the double
archon,t the Athenians consulting the Oracle of the first square, properly representsthe firm-
of Apollo were ordered by the priestessto take ness and immoveable power of this god, who
up the bonesof Theseuo, and lay them in an thence has the namesof Asphahus and Gaieo
honourable place at Athens, where they were chua

ROMULUS.

FROMwhom, and for what cause, the city of not agreed.* Some say the Pelasgi, after they
Rome t/btained that name, whose glory has had overrun great part of the globe, and con-
diffused itself over the world, historians are quered many nations, settled there, and gave
their city the name of Rome,f on account of
* The ungratefulAthenianwere in process
of time their strength in war. Others tell us, that when
made so sensibleof the effectsof his curse, Ihat to ap-
peasehis ghost,theyappointedsolemnsacrifices
and sonelectedfor tenyearsonly; but alwaysin thesame
dirme honoursto be paidto him. family, till the deathof JSryiias,or, accordingto
t Codru;, the seventeenthking of Athens, cotempo- others, of Tlesi», the seventhand lastdecennialarchon.
rary with Saul,devotedhimselftodeathfor thesakeof For thefamilyof Codrusor of the MedonUdx,ending
his country, in the year beforeChrist1068;having in him, the Athenians
createdannualarchous,and,
in-
learned that the Oracle had promised its enemies,the stead of one, they appointed nine every year. See t
Doriansand the Hernclids, victory, if they did not kill farther account of the archonsin the Rotes on the Lib
tliekingof theAthenian?.His subjects,on(Im account. of Solon.
conceived suchvenerationfor him, that theyesteemed * Suchis the uncertaintyof the origin of imperial
none worthy to bear the royal title after him, and there- Rome, and indeed of most cities and nations, that are
forecommittedthe managementof thestateto elective of anyconsiderable
antiquity. That of Romemight
magistrates,to whnmthey gavethetitle of archons, bethe moreuncertain,because its firstinhabitants.Do-
and chose Mfdon, the eldest sonof Godrus, to this new ing a collection of mean persons,fugitives, and out-
dignity. Thusendedthelegalsuccessionand title of laws, from other nations,could not be supposed
to
king of Athens,after it hadcontinuedwithout any leavehistoriesbehindthem. LiTy,however,andmolt
interruption487years,fromCecropsto Codrus.The of IheLatin historians,agreethat Romewasbuill kj
archon actid with sovereign authority, but was ac- Romulus, and both the city and people named aflei
countableto the pcnplcwheneverit was riijiJiriiJ. him; whilethevanityof the Greekwriters wantsto
There were tlnrtrrn perpetualarchonsin the spaceascribealmosteverything,andRouteamongthere«U
»f325jenn>. Afti-r the deathof Alcinxon,«li» ":is to a Grecianoriginal.
tkt laii of tlicm, thischargewasconiisuei1
to theper- t P.ju>!,
fioino, signifiesttrcn^th.
 ROMULUS. 13

Troywastaken,someof theTrojans havingsome virginshouldacceptof theembrace* o(

"Kapcdandgained
theirships,putlosou,and thephantom,thefruitwhereofwouldbea son,
being
drivenbythewindsuponthecoasts of eminentforvalour,
goodfortune,andstrength
Tuscany, ramcto an anchorin theriverTi- of body.Hereupon Tarchetius
acquainted one
ber: thatheretheirwivesbeingmuchfatigued,of hisdaughters withthe prediction,andor-
andnolongerableto bearthehardships of the deredherto entertaintheapparition
; butshe
"ea,oneoi' them,superiorto therest in birth declining
it, senthermaid.WhenTarchctiut
and prudence, namedKoma,proposed that cameto knowit, hewashighlyoffended, and
theyshould burnthe fleet:that this beingef- confinedthemboth,intendingto put themto
fected,the men at first were muchexasper-death.But Vestaappeared
to him in a dream,
tted, but afterwards,
throughnecessity,
fixed andforbadhimto kill them; butordered
that
their seaton the Palatine hill, and in a short the youngwomenshouldweavea certainweb
timethingssucceeded beyondtheir expecta-in liieir fetters,andwhenthat wasdone,be
tion: for thecountrywasgood,*andthepeo-givenin marriage. Theyweaved,
therefore,
in
ple hospitable" that therefore,besidesother the day time; but others,by Tarchetius'sor-
honourspaid to Roma,theycalledtheir city, drr, unravelledit in the night. The woman
as shewas the causeof its being built, after having twins by this commerce,Tarchetius
her name. Hencetoo,We are informed,the deliveredthemto oneTeratius,with ordersto
custom arosefor the women lo salute their re- destroy them. But, instead of that, he exposed
lations and husbandswith a kiss, becausethose them by a river side, where a she-wolf came
women,whentheyhadburnedthe ships,used andgavethemsutk, andvarioussortsof birds
such kind of endearmentsto appease the re- brought food and fed the infants, till at last a
sentment of their husbands. herdsman,who beheld these wonderful things,
Amongthe variousaccounts
of historians,it venturedto approach
andtakeupthe children.
is said thai Kooia was the daughter of Halus Thus securedfrom danger, they grew up, and
and Ijeucaria. ; or else the daughter of Tele- thtn attacked Tarchetius, and overcame him.
phus the son of Hercules, and married to This is the account Promathion gives in Ins
yEnras ; or that she was the daughter of As- history of Italy.
canius,t the son of ./Eneas; and gave name to But the principal parts of that account, which
the city ; or that Romanus,the eon of Ulysses deserve the most credit, and have the mopl
and Circe, built it ; or Romus, the son of vouchers, were first published among the
Jt'niatlnon, whom Diomedes sent from Troy ; Greeks by Diodes the Peparethian, whom
or else Romus, king of the Latins, after he Fabius Pictor commonly follows ; anrl though
had expelled the Tuscans, who passedorigin- there are different relations of the matter, yet
ally from Thessaly into Lydia, and from Lydia to dispatch it in a few words, the story IB tins'
into Italy. Even they, who with the greatest I The kings of Alba* descending lineally from
probability,
declarethat thecityhadits name
j JEneas,
the succession
fell to two brother*,
from Romulus,do not agreeabout his extrac-j NurmtorandAmulius. The latterdividedthe
tion : for some say he was son of ^'tin/as whole inheritance into two parts, setting the
and Ocxithca, the daughter of Phorbus, and treasuresbrought from Troy against the king
wasbroughtaninfantinto Italy wilh hisbro-j dom;andNumitormade
choice
of thekingdom.
ther Remus, that all the other vessels were Amulmsthen having the treasures, and conse-
lost by the violence of ihe flood, except that in quently being more powerful than Numitoi,
which the children were, which driving gently easily possessedhimself of the kingdom too ;
ashore where the bank was level, they were and fearing the daughter of Numitor might have
tared beyondexpectation, and the place from children, he appointed her priestessof Vesta,
them was called Rome. Somewill haveit, in v-Inchcapacityshewas alwayslo live un-
that Roma, daughter of that Trojan woman rnarni'tl, and a virgin. Some say her name
who was niarricd to Latinus, Ihe son of Tele- was Ilia, some Rhea, and other* Sylvia. But
machus, wasmother to Romulus. Others say she was soon discoveredto be with child,con-
that .iKrrrilia the daughter of ^neas and Lavi- trary to the law of the vestals. Antlio, the
nia, hadhim by JVIurs
: andothersagaingive king'sdaughter,by much entreaty,prevailed
an account of his birth, which is entirely fabu- with her father that sheshould not be capitally
lous. There appeared,it seems,to Tarchetius, punished. She wa« confined, however,and
king of the Albans,who wasthe mostwicked excludedfrom society,lest she should bede-
and mostcruelof men,a supernatural visionin liveredwithoutAmulius'sknowledge. When
his own bouse,the figureof Priapusrising out her time wascompleted,she wasdeliveredot
of the chimney-hearth,andstayingtheremany two sonsof uncommon sizeandbeauty;w»erc-
days. The goddessTethys had an oraclein "jponAmulius,still morealarmed,orderedon«
Tuscany,!vvInchbeingconsulted,gavethisan- of hisservantsto destroythem. Somesayth«
iwer to Tarchetius, That it was necessary name of this servant was Faustulus : olher»
that that wasthe nameof a personthat took
"Whatever desirable things Nature- has nattered
frugallyio othercountries wereformerlyfoundin Ita- of Evandcr,whichlaatnameshehad,because shed«
ly, a>in their originalseminary. But thereha.1been liveredherormeles, in curmtite,in verses.
lo little encouragement givento thecultivationof the " From./Eueasdown to IVumitorfuidAmuliui, there
"oil in the Imie<>ithepontiffs,that it is nowcompira- werethirteen kingsof the samerace,but we scare*
tirely barren. know anythingol them,excepttheir names, andIhe
| 'Ol 1* Atf-xxvm,Th AIUIIH[rwj. fltTIp*SC.Jf.ly tv < yearsof their respectivereigns. Amulius,the lastol
tlitm, whosurpassed his brotherin courage.»n<) un-
TheformerEnglishiran«latinu,
andthe French,in dentanding, drovehim fromthe throne,and,to se-
ihitplaceareerroneous. curejt for himself,murdered JF.gtstiis,
.VuuuU.r's
(Therewa*nooracleofTethys,
butof Themis
there .nil; son,andcuinecmled
liis daughterKViea Sywit,
WM.Themii waithesamewithCarmcula,themother if theworshipof Vena.
C
 14 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

themup. Pursuantto his orders,he put the people. It is said,that at the time whenme
Childrenintoa smiilltroughor cradle,.unlwent w,i* in liij_'hreputation,andconsideredas the
down towardsthe river,with a designto cast favouriteof a god,she suddenlydisappeared
them in ; but seeingit very rough, and running about the place where the former Larentia wai
with a strong current, he was afraid to ap- laid. It is now called Velabrum, becausethe
proa<li it. He therefore laid them down near river often overflowing, they passedit at this
the bank, and departed. The flood menu n^ place, in ler.-y-boats,to go to the Forum. Thi»
continually, let the trongh afloat, and cameo kind of passagethey cMvelatura. Others de>
it gentlydown to a pleasantplacenow called rue tlie namefromvelum, a sail, because they
Cernianmn,but formerly(;is it shouldseem) who have the exhibitingof the publicshows,
Geriuanuiii,denotingthat the brothersarrived lieginiiiiii! at Velabrum,overshade
all the way
there. that leads from the Forum to the Hippodrome
Near this place wasa wild fig-tree,which v,ith canvass,
for a sail in Latin is vilnut. On
they called Kuimnalis, either on account of tin <r accountsis the secondLarentia so much
Kun.inus, as is generally supposed,or because honored among the Romans.
tli' i ,111h.-there ruminated, or chewed the cud, In the mean time, Faustulus, Amulius's
during t/ie noontide, in the sliade ; or rather lien/Milan, brought up the children entirely un-
i iif the suckling of the children there ; discovered ; or rather, as others with greater
fur the ancient Latins called the breast ruma, probability assert, Numitor knew it from the
ami the goddesswho presides over the nursery first,* and privately supplied the necessaries
Runulia,* whoserites they celebratewithout for their maintenance.It is alsosaidthatthey
wine, .in.I only with libations of milk. The in- were sent to Gabii, and there instructed in let-
fants, js (lie storegoes,lying there, Heresuckled ters, and other branchesof education suitable
by a she-wolf,andled andtaken care of by a to i heir birth ; andhistoryinformsusthatthey
woodpecker. These animals are tacred to had the names «f Romulus and Remus, from
Mars ; arid the woodpecker is held in great the teat of the wild animal which they were
honour and veneration by the Latr'is Such seen to suck. The beauty and dignity of their
wonderful eventscontributed not a ln.tie to gam persons, even in their childhood, promiseda
credit to the mother'sreport,that tlie had the generousdisposition; and as they grew up,
children by Mars ; though in t'uis they tell us they both discovered great courage and brave-
shewas herselfdeceived,havingsufferedvio- ry, with an inclinationto hazardous
attempts,
lence from Amulius, who came to her, and lay and a spirit which nothing could subdue. But
with her in armour. Some say, the ambiguity Romulus seemedmore to cultivate the powers
of the nurse'snamegaveoccasionto the fable; of reason,andto excelin politicalknowledge;
for i he Latins call not only she wolves but whilst, by his deportment among his neighbours
prostituteslupae; and suchwasAcca Laren- in the employmentof pasturage,
andhunting,
tia, the wife of Faustulus, the foster-father of he convinced them that he was born lo com-
the children. To her also the Romansoffer mand rather than to obey. To their equals
sacrifice, and the priest of Mars honours her and inferiors they behaved very courteously;
willi libations in llie month of April when they hut they despisedthe king's bailiffs and chief
celebrate her feast Larentiaha. herdsmen, as not superior to themselvesin
They worship also another Larentia on the courage, though they were in authority, disre-
following account. The keeper of the temple garding at once their threats and their anger.
of Hercules,having,it seems,little elseto do, Theyappliedthemselvesto generous
exercises
proposedto play a gameat dice with the god, and pursuits,looking uponidlenessandinac-
on condition that, if be won he should have tivity as illiberal things, but on hunting, run-
somethingvaluable of tliat deity ; but if he lost, ning, banishing or apprehending robbers, and
he -h.iuld provide a noble entertainment lor delivering suchas were oppressedby violence,
him, anda beautifulwomanto lie with him. asthe employments
of honouraod virtue. By
Then throwing the dice, first for the god, and these things they gained great renown.
next for himself, it appeared that he had lost. A dispute arising between the herdsmenof
\Villmg, however,to standto his bargain,and Numitor andAmulius,and the formerhaving
to perform the conditions agreed upon, he pre- driven away some cattle belonging lo the latter
pareda supper,and engagingfor the purpose RomulusandRemuslielluponthem,put them
oneLarcntia, who wasvery hajidsome, but as to Hight,andrecoveredthe greatestpart of tin
yd little known,he treatedher in the temple, booty. At this conductNumitor washighly
"wherehe hadprovideda bed;andaftersupper, offended; but they little regardedhis resent-
left her for the enjoymentof the god. It is ment. The first stepstheytook on this occa-
said,that the deityhadsomeconversation with sionwereto collect,andreceiveinto theirCODI-
her,andorderedher to goearly in the morning pany,persons of desperate
fortunes,audagreat
to the market place,salutethe first manshe number of slaves; a measurewhich gare
should meet, and make him her friend. The alarming proofs of their bo'd and seditious in-
first that met her was one far advanced in clinations. It happened,that when Romulus
years,andin opulentcircumstances,
Tarrutias wasemployedin sacrificing(for to that anddi-
by name,who hadno children,and neverhad vination he was much inclined,) Nunntor's
lira married. ThismantookL-irentiatohis herdsmen
metwithRen)us,ashewaswalking
bed, and loved her BOwell, that athis death he
left her heir to his whole estate,which was "Numitormightbuilduponthi>the liopeiof hii
Tery considerable ; and"she afterwardsbe- . M.,l'li.|nm
nl ; butliiskniiHingUieplace
where
Oie
queathed
thegreatest
fart of it bvwill tothe children were
nere...«aries, brought
is quite up,andsupplying
mconsisluil will, the ihtmwilh
manner o
" TheRomans
calledthat goddess,
not Rumilia,but thtir duoner} when growu up,which is ib» matt
agreeablepart of the >tury.
 ROMULUS.

Witnasmi"retinue,
andtelluponhim. After| andfearcarriedit to Numitor. His disorder
tomeblowsexchanged,
anilwuunds
givenanil raised
some
suspicion
in theking'sguards
at
received,
Nuimtor's
people
pn-v.nlrd
andlook tin-gate,andthatdisorderincreasing
while
Remus prisoner.
Hewasearned before
Nu- thpylookedearnestly
uponhim,andperplexed
mitor,andhadseveral
thingslaidto hischarge,himwiththeirquestions,
hewasdiscovered
to
but Nuinitor did not chooseto punish him havea.troughunderhis cloak. There happen-
himself,
forfearof hisbrother's
resentment.
edto beamong
themoneof those
whohadit
To him,therefore,
heapplied
forjustice,which in charge
to throwthechildrenintotheriver,
he had all the reasonin the world to expect", andwhowasconcerned
in the exposing
of them.
since,thoughbrothertothereigningprince,he This man,seeingthetrough,andknowingit
hid beeninjuredbyhisservants,
wliopresumed by itsmakeandinscription,
rightlyguessed the
uponhisauthority.Thepeople of Alba,more-business; andthinkingit an affairnot to be
over,expressing
theiruneasiness,
andthinningneglected, immediatelyacquainted the king
that Numitor sutl'ercd
greatindignities,Amuli- with it, and put him upon inquiringinto it.
ns movedwith their complaints,deliveredRe- In thesegreat und pressingdifficulties,Faus-
mus to him to be treated as he should think tulus did not preserve entirely his presenceof
proper. Whentheyouthwasconducted
tohis rnind,noryetfullydiscover thematter. He
Bouse,Numitor wasgreatlystruckwith hisap- acknowledged that the children were saved,
pearance,as he wasverj remarkablefor size indeed,but saidthat theykept cattleat a great
andstrength;heobserved, too,his presenceof distancefromAlba ; andthat he wascarrying
mind, and the steadiness of his looks,which the trough to Ilia, who had often desiredto
had nothing servilein them,nor were altered seeit, that shemightentertainthe betterhopes
with the senseof his present danger: and he that her children were alive. Whatever per-
was informed that his actions and whole be- sonsperplexed and actuated with fear or anger
haviour were suitable to what he saw. But used to suffer, Amulius then suffered; for in Ilia
aboveall, somedivine influence,as it seems,hurry, hesentan honestman,a friend of Nu-
directing the beginnings of the great events mitoc's, to inquire of him v\hether he had any
that were to follow, Numitor, by his sagacity, account that the children were alive. When
or by a fortunate conjecture, suspecting the the man was come, and saw Remus almost in
truth, questioned him concerning the circum- the embraces of Numitor, he endeavoured to
stancesof his birth; speakingmildly at the same confirm him in the persuasionthat the youth
time, and regarding him with a gracious eye. was really his grandson ; lugging him at the
He boldly answered," I will hide nothing from same time, immediately to take the best meas-
you; for you behave in a more princely man- ures that could be thought of, and offering his
ner than Arriulius, since you hear and examine best assistanceto support their party. The
before you punish: but he hasdelivered us up occasionadmitted of no delay, if they had been
without inquiring into the matter. I have a inclined to it ; for Romulus was now at hand,
twin-brother, and heretofore we believed our- and a good number of the citizens were now
selves the sons of Faustulus and Larentia, gatheredabout him, either out of hatred or fear
servints to the king. But since we were ac- of Amulius. He brought also a considerable
cused before you, and so pursuedby slander as force with him, divided into companies of a
to be in danger of our lives, we hear nobler hundred men each, headed by an officer who
thingsconcerningour birth. Whether they borea handfulof grassandshrubsupona pole.
are true, the present crisis will shew.» Our These the Latins call J\Ianipuli; and hence it
birth is said to have been secret; our support is, that, to this day, soldiers of the same com-
in our infancy miraculous. We were exposed pany are called Mampulares. Remus, then,
to birdsandwild beasts,andby themnourish- havinggainedthosewithin, and Romulusas-
ed; suckledby a she-wolf,andfed by the at- saultingthe palacewithout, the tyrant knew
tentions of a woodpeckeras we lay in a trough not what to do, or whom he should consult, but
by the great river. The trough is (.till pre- amidsthisdoubtsandperplexjy, wastakenand
served,boundaboutwith brassbands,and in- slain Theseparticulars,thoughmostlyrelated
scribedwith letters partly faded; which may by Fabius,and Dioclcsthe Peparethian,who
prove, perhaps,hereafter very useful tokens to seemsto have been the first that wrote abiut
our parents,whenwe aredestroyed." Numi- the foundingof Rome,are yet suspectedby
tor hearingthis, and comparingthe time with someas fabulousand groundless. Perhaps,
the young man's looks,wasconfirmedin the however,weshouldnot besoincredulous, when
pleasinghopehe had conceived,and he con- we seewhatextraordinary eventsFortunepro-
sideredhow he might consult his daughter duces:nor, whenwe considerwhat heightof
aboutthisaffair; for shewasstill kept in close greatnessRome attainedto, can we think it
custody. could ever have been effected without some
MeanwhileFaustulus,havingheardthat supernatural
assistance
at first,andanorigin
Hemuswastakenanddeliveredup to punish- morethan human.
ment, desiredRomulusto assisthis brother, Amuhusbeingdead,andthe troublescom-
informinghimthenclearlyof the particularsposed, thetwobrothers werenotwillingto live
of hisbirth; for beforehehadonlygivendark in Alba,withoutgoverningthere; noryet to
hintsaboutit, andsignifiedjust so muchas takethe government uponthemduringtheir
mighttakeoff theattentionof hiswardsfrom grandfather'slife. Having,therefore,
invested
everythingthatwasmean He himselftook him with it, and paiddue honoursto tlieir
thetrough,
andin all thetumultof concern
mother,
theydetermined
todwellin a cityof
* For if theywcrr Irue,the godwho miraculous!; their own,and, for that purpose,to build one
protected (hem in their infancy, would deliver Rturns in the placewheretheyhadtheir first nourish-
fromhii present
danger ment. This seems,at least, to be the nju<4
16 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

plausiblereasonof their quitting Alba-, and and kill their own kind ; and, as
perhaps, too, it was necessary, as a great las it,
number of slaves and fugitives was collected
What bird it VK«M,that fellow birdt Art ,mi
about them, either to see their affairs entirely
ruined,if theseshoulddisperse,
or withthem Besides,
othc"birdsarcfrequentN»e*i>;
and
to seekanother Inbilation;I'orthatthepeoplemaybefound
of Alba refused to permit the fugitives to mix
atanytime; butavulture
isan
uncommonsignt, and we have selrtoui.net with
with them, or to receive them as citizens, suf- any of their young; so that the rarity of them
ficientlyappearsfromtherapeof thewomen,liasoccasioned an absurdopinionin some,
whichwasnotundertaken out of a licentiousthattheycometo usfromothercountries; and!
humour, butdeliberately,
andthroughnecessi-soothsayers judgeeveryunusual appearance
ty, frumthewantof wives;since,afterthey to be preternatural, andtheeffectof a divine
seized them, they treated them very honoara- power.
bly. When Remusknew that he was imposed
As soon as the foundation of the city was upon, he was highly incensed,and as Romulus
laid,theyopened
a placeof refuge forfugitives,wasopening
a ditchroundtheplacewhere the
whichtheycalledtheTempleof theAsylzanwallswereto bebuilt,heridiculed someparts
God.* Heretheyreceived all thatcame,and of thework,andobstructed others. At last,
would neither deliver up the slave to his mas- as he presumed to leap over it, some say he
ter, the debtorto his creditor,nor the mur- fell by thehandof Romulus ;* othersbylhat
dererto the magistrate ",declaringthat they of Celer,one of his companions. Faustulus
weredirectedbytheoracleof Apolloto pre- alsofell in thescuttle;and Plistinus,
who,be-
servetheasylum fromall violation.Thusthe ingbrotherto Faustulus, is saidto haveassist-
citywassoonpeopled ;f for it is said,thatthe ed in bringingRomulusup. Celerfledir.to
houses at lirstdidnotexceed a thousand.But Tuscany;andfromhim suchasare swiftof
of thathereafter. fool,or expeditious
in business, are by the
While theywere intentuponbuilding,a dis- Romanscalledceleres. Thus, whenQumtus
pute soonaroseaboutthe place. KomulusMetellus,within a fewdaysafterhisfather's
havingbuilla square,
whichhecalledRome, death,
provided a showof gladiators,
thepeople
would havethe city there; but Remusmarked admiringhisquickdispatch,gavehimthename
out a more secure situation on Mount Aven- of Celer.
tine, which,from him,wascalledRemonium,f RomulusburiedhisbrotherRemus,together
but nowhasthe nameof Rignariuvn. The dis- with his fosurfathers,in Remonia,and then
putewasreferredto the decisionof augury;built his city, havingsentfor persons
from
andfor tins purpose
theysat downin the open Hetruria,t who, (as is usual in sacredmys
air, when Remus,as theytell us,sawsix vul- teries) accordingto stated ceremoniesand
tures, and Romulus twice as many. Some written rules, were to order and direct how
say, Rcmus's account of the number he had every thing was to be done. First, a circular
seenwas true, and that of Romulusnot so ; ditch was dug aboutwhat is now calledthe
but whenRernuscameup to him,he did real- Comitium,or Hall of Justice,andthefirst fruiuj
ly seetwelve. Hencethe Romans,in their of everything that is reckonedeithergoodby
divinationUythe (light of birds,chieflyregard use,or necessary
by nature,werecastinto it;
the vulture: thoughHerodorusof Pontusre- and theneachbringinga smallquantityof the
lates, that Hercules usedto rejoice when a earthof thecountryfromwhencehecame,threw
vultureappeared
to himwhenhewasgoing it in promiscuously.{
Thisditchbadthename
upon any great action. This was, probably,
because it is a creature the least mischievous
* The two brothers fir' differed about the place
of any, pernicious neither to corn, plants, nor where their new city was to be built, and referring;
cattle. It onlyfeedsupondeadcarcases;
bul tliematter
to theirgrandfather,
headvised
them
to
neither Kills nor preysuponany thing that has haveit decided
byaugury.In tinsaugury
Romulul
life. As for birds, it does not touch them imposed
uponRemus;andwhen'.heformerprevaikd
even when dead, becausethey are of its own that the city should be built upon Mount Palatine,the
builders, being divided into two companies,were no
nature ; while eagles, owls, and hawks tear better than two factions. At last, Remus,in contempt,
leapedover the work, and said, »'Just go will the ene-
my leap over il!" whereupon Celer gavehim a deadly
* It M not certain, who this Godof Refugewas. blow, andanswered,
"In thismaunerwillourciuzenl
Dionysius
of rlalicarnassua
i-II- us,that,in his time, repulse
theenemy."Some
say,thatRomulus
wasso
the placr where the asylumhad been,was consecrated afflicted at the death of his brother, lhat he would hare
u>Jupiter, Romulus did not at first receive tin tugi- laid violent hands upon himself, if he had not bcel
tires and outlaws within the walls, but allow. <) OHin prevented
the hill Saturmus,afterwards called Capitoliuus, fur t The Hetrurians, or Tuscans, had, as Kestu:
tlieir lirtbi'.AVir.u. forms us, a sort of ritual, vshtreiii were coutalntb v
t Moslof theTrojans,of whorntherestill remainedceremonies thatwereto beobserved in bui :ling ciu'i
itiet.
6fty familii> in Augustus'stune,choseto follow Iht temples,
altars,walls,andgates.Th<y wcr*-instruct*.
cted
fortuneof Komulusand Remus,asdid alsothe inha- in auguryandreligiousrites by Tages,whois saidto
bitant* of Fallen>iumand Salurnia, two small towns. havebeen taught by Mercury.
J We find no mention either oi' Kemonium or Rig-
nariurn in ->M<iiln r v\ritrr. An anonymousMS. reads
Remuriu.: and Festustells us (De Ling. Lalin. Ill;, n )
the smninii "f Mnunt Atenline was ca'led Remuria,
from the lime Remus resolved to build the cit) Iti- rr.
But Di'jpiy«iusof Halicarnassussp»ak*ol Mmmt Aven- 1I"'" i .in. ni turvn HIKmi' iii "i 11uiij ana a nanuiiu
tinr and Hi imiri;i a* two different places; and Slepha- oftarth m'o the trench, liny adnoiii'h the bradsof the
Bui will U-rt%v
U.i,\uti.i U>Uive btcu a city iu the colon),Hal lUmglu M UeUitii liicfitudy to procvM*
neighbourhood of Kouie for their fellow citizensall iht cunvenitliceiof
 ROMULUS. 17
ofMundus, thesame withthat of theuniverse.at the third hour,whenthe sunwastotally
In theneit place,theymarkedout thecity, eclipsed ;" andthathisbirthwasonthetwenty
like acircle,roundthiscentre;andthefounderthird dayof themonthThoth [September],
navmg fittedtoa plough,
a brazen ploughshare,
aboutsunrise;andthat hefounded Romeon
andyokeda bull andcow,himselfdrewa deeptheninthof themonthPharmuthi [April], be-
furrowroundthe boundaries.The business of tween the secondand third hour;f for it n
thosethat followedwasto turn all the clods supposedthat the fortunesof cities, aswell as
raisedbytheploughinwards to thecity,and men,havetheirproperperiodsdetermined by
not to sufferanyto remainoutwards.This thepositionof the starsat the timeof their
linedesribcdthecompassof thecity; andbe- nativity. These,andthelike relations,
may,
tweenit and thewallais a spacecalled,by perhaps, ratherplease
thereader,becausethey
contraction,Pomerium, as lying behindor arecurious, thandisgust
him,because theyare
beyond the wall. Where they designedto have fabulous.
a gate,theytookthe ploughshareoutof the Whenthe citywasbuilt, Romulus divided
ground,and lifted up the plough,makinga the younger
part of the inhabitants
intobat-
breakfor it. Hencethey lookuponthe whole talions. Each corpsconsistedof three thou-
wall asVcrcd, exceptthe gate-ways. If they sandfoot, and threehundredhorse,fandwas
considered the gatesin the samelight as the calleda legion,becausethe most warlikeper-
rest, it would be deemedunlawful either to re- sonswere selected. The rest of the multitude
ceive the necessaries of life by them, or to hecalledThe People. A hundredof themost
carryout throughthemwhat is unclean. considerable citizenshe took for his council,
The day on which theybeganto buildthe with the title of Patricians,§and the whole
city is universallyallowed to be the twenty- bodywascalled the Senate,whichsignifiesan
first of April; and is celebrated annually by Assembly of Old Men. Its members were
the Romansas the birth-dayof Rome. At styled Patricians; because,
as somesay,they
first, we are told, they sacrificed nothing that were fathers of freeborn children; or rather,
hadlife, persuadedthat theyoughtto keepthe accordingto others,becausetheythemselves
solemnitysacredto the birth of their country had fathersto shew,which was not the case
pure, and without bloodshed.Nevertheless,with manyof the rabblethat first flocked to
beforethe city was built, on that sameday, the city. Othersderivethe title from Patro-
theyhad kept a pastoralfeastcalled Palilia.* viniiiin, or Patronage,attributingthe originof
At present,indeed,thereis verylittle analogy the term to one Patron,who cameoverwith
between the Roman and the Grecian months; Evander, and was remarkablefor his humanity
yet the day on which Romulusfoundedthe and careof the distressed. But we shall be
city, is stronglyaffirmedto bethe thirteenthof nearerthe truth, if we concludethat Romulua
the month. Un that day, too, we are informed, styled them Patricians, as expecting theee
there was a conjunction of the sun and moon, respectablepersonswould watch over those in
attended with an eclipse, the same that was humble stations with a paternal care and re-
observed, by Antimachus, the Teian poet, in
thethird
Varro year
the ofthesiithwho
philosopher, Olympiad.
of all the Ro- * Therd
wasnototal
eclipse
ofthesun
inthefirst
year of the secondOlympiad, but in the secondyear of
manswas mostskilled in history,had an ac- thatOlympiad
therewas. If Romulus
wasconceived
quaintance named Tarutius, who, beside his in theyearlastnamed,it will agreewith thecommon
knowledgein philosophyandthe mathematics,opinion,
thathe\saseighteen
years
oldwhenViefound-
to indulgehis speculative
turn,had applieded Rome, andthatRome
of thi seventhOlympiad.
wasfounded
inthefirstyear
himself to astrology, and was thought to be a f There is great disagreementamonghistorians and
perfectmasterof it. To him Varro proposedchronologers,
asto theytarof thefoundation
of Rome.
to find out the day and hour of Rornulus's Varro places
it in thethird yearof thesixthOlympiad,
birth, making his calculation from the known 752yearsbeforetheChristianaera;andFabiusPictor,
events of his life, as problems in geometry are who is the mostancient of all the Roman writers, and
followed by the learned Usher, placesit at the end cf
solved
bytheanalyticmethod;
forit belongs
theseventh
Olympiad,
which,
according
tothatpre-
to the samescience,whena man's nativityis late,wasin the yar of the world3356,
and748be-
given, to predict his life, and when his life is fore Christ. But DionysiusHalicarnassus, Solinus,
given, to find out his nativity. Tarutius com- and Eusebius, place it in the first year of the seventh.
plied-withtherequest;
andwhenhehadcon- Olympiad.
J Instead of this, Dionysius of Halicarnassustelli
sideredthe disposition
andactionsof Romulus, us (lib. ii. p. 76.) the whole colony consisted of but
howlonghelived,andinwhatmanner
hedied, 3300
men.These
Romulus
divided
intothreeequal
and had put all thesethingstogether,he af- parti,whichhecalledtribesor thirds,each of which
firmed, without doubt or hesitation,that his was tobecommanded byitsprefect or tribune.The
tribes are divided into ten curia?, and these subdi-
conception was in the first year of the second videdinto ten decurix. The numberof houses, or
Olympiad, on the twenty-third day of the month rather huta, which was but a thousand, bearwitness
whichtheEgyptians
callChoeac
[December],tothetruthof Dionysius's
assertion.
Butit is pro-
bablethe meanrabble,who look the protectionof
Ihe asylum,and who might bevery numerous,were
to maintain
peace
andunionamongst
a people
comenotreckoned
among
the3300firstcolonists,
though
together fromdifferent partsof theworld,andbythis they
to form themselves into a body never to be dissolved.
wereafterwards
citizens.
admitted
to the privilege!o.
* The Palilia,or ffa.<t
of Pales,
issometimes call- § The choiceof thesehundredpersonswasnot
edParilia,fromtheLatinwordparere,
to trrin^forth^madebythekinghimself:
eachtribechose
threesena
becauseprayerswerethenmade for thefruitfulnesa tors,andeachof thethirtycuristhelike number,
of thesheep.According
lo Chid,(Fast. lib. iv.)the which madeinallthenumber ofninety-nine
; sothat
"hepherds
tinn m»<lc
» greatfeastat nigh1,andcon- Homulus named onlythe hundredth,who wasth«
cludedthewholewithdancingoverthefirestheyhad head, orprince
of thesenate,andthechiefgoverao*
audeinthefieldswithheaps
of sLraw. of thecity,whenthekingwsiiu,th«GeU.
 18 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

gard; and teachingthe commonaltyin, thei Counsel,(for withthemthewordconsiliirn hit

turn not to fear or envythe power of thei that signification,and their chief magistrate!
superiors.,
but to behaveto themwith loveant afterwardswereConsuls,personswho wereto
respect, both looking upon them as fathers consult thepublic good,) or elsethe Equestrian
and honouring them with that name. For a Neptune; for the altar in the Circus Maximus*
this verytime,foreignnationscall the Senator ia not visible at other times, but during the
.Lords,but the Romansthemselves ca.ll them Circcnaiangamesit is uncovered. Somesay
ConscriptFathers,a style of greaterdignit; it wasproperthat the altar of that godshould
and honour, and withal much less invidious be under ground, becausecounselshould beai
At first,indeed,theywerecalledFathersonly privateandsecretaspossible. Uponthisdis-
but, afterwards, when more were enrolled in covery, Romulus, by proclamation, appointed
their body, Conscript Fathers. With this a dayfor a splendidsacrifice,with publicgamci
venerabletitle, then,hedistinguished
thesenateandshows. Multitudesassembled at thetime,
from the people. He likewise made anothe and he himself presided, sitting among hie no-
distinction between the nobility and the com bles, clothed in purple. As a signal for the
nums, calling the former Patrons,* and the assault, he was to rise, gather up his robe,and
othersclients;whichwasthesource
of mutua fold it abouthim. Manyof his pejplewore
kindness
andmany
goodoffices
between
them swords
thatday,andkepttheireyes^ion
him,
For the Patronswere to thosetheyhad taken watchingfor the signal,whichwasno sooner
under their protection, counsellors and advo- given than they drew them, andrushing on with
cates in their suits at law, and advisers am a shout, seizedthe daughters of the Sabiuca,
assistants on all occasions. On the other but quietly suffered the men to escape. Some
hand, the Clients failed not in their attentions say only thirty were carried off, who eachgave
whetherthey were to beshewnin deferencenameto a tribe; but Valerius Antiasmakes
and respect,or in providing their daughterstheir numberfive hundredand twenty-seven;
portions,or in satisfyingtheir creditors,it' their and accordingto Juba,t there were sixhun-
circumstances happened to benarrow. No law dredand eighty-three,all virgins. This was
or magistrateobligedthe Patronto beevidencethe best apologyfor Romulus;for theyhad
againsthis Client, or the Client againsthis taken but one married woman,namedHer-
Patron. But in aftertimes,thoughthe other silia, who wasafterwardschieflyconcerned in
claims continuedin full force, it was lookec reconcilingthem; and her they took by mis-
uponas ungenerous for personsof conditionto take, as theywere not incitedto this violence
take moneyof thosebelowthem. by Justor injustice,but by their desireto con-
In the fourthmonthafterthe buildingof the ciliate andunite the two nationsin the strong-
city,f as Fabius informsus, the rape of the estties. Sometell us, HersUiawasmarried
Sabinewomenwas put in execution. Some to Hostilius, one of the most eminentmen
say,Romulushimself,who wasnaturallywar- amongthe Romans;others,that Romulus him-
like andpersuaded by certainoraclesthat the selfmarriedher, andhadtwo childrenbyher;
Fates haddecreedRome to obtainher great- a daughternamedPnma, on accountof her
nessby military achievements, beganhostilities being first born, and an only son,whomhe
against the Sabines,and seizedonly thirty calledAollius, because of the greatconcourse
virgins, beingmore desirousof war than of of people to him, but after ages,Abillius.
wives for his people. But this is not likely. This accountwe have from Zenodotusof
For, as he sawhis city soon filled with inha- Trcezene,but heis contradictedin it by manj
bitants, very few of whom were married; the other historians.
greatest part consisted of a mixed rabble of Among those that committed this rape, we
meanandobscurepersons,to whomnoregard are told, someof the meanersort happened
was paid, and who were not expecting to set- to be carrying off a virgin of uncommonbeau-
tle in anyplacewhatever,the enterprisenatur- ty and stature; and when some of superior
ally tookthat turn; andhehopedthat fromthis rank thatmet themattemptedto takeherfrom
attempt,thoughnot a just one, somealliance them,theycried out,theywereconducting her
and union with the Sabineswould beobtained, to Talasius, a young man of excellent charac-
whenit appeared
that they treatedthe women ter. When they heard this, they applauded
kindly. In order to this, he first gave out that their design ; and some even turned back
he had found the altar of some god, which and accompaniedthem with the utmost satis-
hadbeencoveredwith earth. This deitythey "action, all the way exclaiming Talasius.
called Census, meaning either the God of tJencethis becamea term in the nuptial songs
of the Romans, as Hymensus is in thoseof the
"reeks; for Talasius is said to have been
* This
guinity or patronage was
alliance, and as
had effectual
as
awonderful any
effect consan-
towards veryhappyin marriage.But SextiusSylla,
maintainingunion amongthe peoplefor theapaceof ;he Carthaginian, a man beloved both by the
"ix hundred andtwenty years, during which timewe MusesandGraces, told me,that thiswasthe
find no dissensions
or jealousiesbetweenthe patrons word which Romulus gave as a signal for the
and theirclients,
evenin thetimeof therepublic, rape. All of them,therefore,as theywere
when the populace frequently mutinied against those
who weremostpowerfulin thecity. At last,thegreat
"edition raisedby CaiusGracchusbrokein uponthat * That is to say,in the placewhereAncusMu-
harmony. Indeed,a client who waswantingin his tius afterwardsbuilt the great Circus for horseand
duty to his palron, was deemeda traitor and an out- chariot races.
law,andliableto beput to deathby anypersonwhat- f This was the sonof Juba,king of Mauri'auia,
f\< r. It maybe properto observe,thatnotonly ple- who,being broughtvery younga captive to Rome.
beians
chose
theirpatrons,
butintimecitiesandstateswasinstructed
in theRoman
andGrecian
literature,
put themselves
underthelikeprotection. andbecame
anexcellenthistorian. Eiouysiusol'Hali
f Litlljus s»ays,
it wa> in the fourth year. caruasaushas followed his account.
 ROMULUS.

earning off tnc virgins, cried out Talasms for the briJe not to go overthe thresholdof
and thence it still continues the custom a her husband1!! house herself, but to be carriet
marriages. Most writers, however, and Juba over, becausethe Sabine virgins did not go
in particular, are of opinion that it is only ai in voluntarily, but were carried in by violence.
incitementto goodhousewiferyandspinning Someadd,that the bride's hair is partedwith
whichthe word Talasiasignifies;Italianterm the pointof a spear,in memoryof the first mar-
being at that time thus mixed with Greek.' riagesbeingbroughtaboutin a warlikemanner
If this be right, and the Romans did then ust of which we have spoken more fully in the
the word Talasia in the same sense with the book of Questions. This rape was committed
Greeks,anotherandmore probablereasono on the eighteenthday of the monththen call-
the custommay be assigned. For when the Sa ed Sextilis, now August, at which time thfl
bines, after the war with the Romans, were feast of the Consualia is kept.
reconciled, conditions were obtained for the The Sabines were a numerous and warlike
women, that they should not be obliged b; people, but they dwelt in unwalled towns
their husbandsto do any other work besides thinking it becamethem, who were a colony
(pinning. It was cust-mary therefore, evei of the Lacedaemonians, to be bold and fcarlesi.
at'ter^that they who gavethe bride, or conduct But as they saw themselves bound by such
ed tier home, or were present on the occasion pledges, and were very solicitous for their
should cry out, amidst the mirth of the wed daughters, they sent ambassadorsto Romulus
ding, Talasius; intimating that she was not to with moderate and equitable demands: That
be employed in any other labour but that of he should return them the young v omen, and
spinning. And it is a custom still observed disavow the violence, and then the two na-
tions should prpceedto establisha correspon-
dence, and contract alliances in a friendly and
* The original which runs thus: O< Ji
out\TII\ vvxxi 0 Ia£MC(
iiai, *xrjnvfvtvft legalway. Romulus,however,refusedto part
with the young women, and entreated the Sa-
tv-uATtrnv ITX/IXUVin-fK'xu/iu'wt1,
is manifestlybines to give their sanction to what had been
corrupted:
andall theformertranslation*,
followingdone whereuponsome of them lost time in
corrupt reading, assertwhat is utterly false, namely,
**thatnoGreek terms
werethen
mixed
withthelan-consultingand makingpreparations.But
guage of Italy.1'Thecontrary
appears
fromFlu Acron,king of the Ceninensians,
a manof
larch's Life of riuiua, where Greek terms are spirit, and an able general, suspectedthe ten-
mentionedas frequentlyused by the Romans:TWI dency of Romulus's first enterprises; and,
*£/.>.»"
vi*A-v
OfOjUxruiv
TOTI /*3tA.\OV
>)pUVTftlf
AMTIVA'jwhen he had behavedso boldly in the rape,
looked upon him as one that would grow
Butnottohaverecourse
to facts,
let usinquireinto formidable,and indeed insufferableto his
theseveralformertranslations.TheLatin runsthus: neighbours,except he were chastised. Acron,
P.'eritfue
(inter quosestJuba)adhorttitionem
et therefore,went to seekthe enemy,andRo-
tncitationem adlubvrit sedutitatemet /ant/u/um, quoJ
Graci rx^xitxv dicunt, censent nondum id temporis mulus prepared to receive him. When they
Jtalicis
verbis
cumGrt££\s
con/u&Cs.
TKeEnglishcamein sight, and hadwell viewedeach
thus:"But most are of opinion,andJuba,in parti- other, a challenge for single combat wag
cular, that this word Toluai'us
wasusedto new mar- mutually given, their forces standing under
ried women, by way of incitement to good house- arms in silence. Romulus on this occasion
wifery; for the Greek word Talasia signifies spin-
ning, and the languageof Italy was notyetinixed with made a vow, that if he conquered his enemy,
DieGreek." TheFrench of Dacierthus:" Cepen-le would himselfdedicatehis adversary's
arms
daiitla plupartdesauteurs
croitnt,etJubaestmemeo Jupiter: in consequence of which, heboth
dc cclle opinion,quece motn'etoit qu'uneexhorta- overcame Acron, and, after battle was join
tionqn'on
curiM-i'e faisoit
a filer de aux mariees
la laine d'aimer
que les Grecs letravail,
appellent nui d, routedhis army,andtookhiscity. But
Ta-
lasifi; car en ce temsla la langueGrecque n'avoit pas le did no injury to its inhabitants, unlessit
encore
etecorrompue
par lesmotsLatins." Thus were such to order them to demolishtheir
they declarewith oneconsent,that thelanguageof louses, and follow him to Rome, as citizens
Italy wasnotyetmixedwiththeGreek;though
it ap- entitledto equalprivilegeswith the rest. In-
pears from -what was said immediately before, that
LTuIrtjt'a,
aGreek term,
was
made
useofinthatlan-deed,
therewasnothing
thatcontributed
more
guage.Instead,
therefore,
of<"re,
notyet,weshould:othegreatness
of Rome,thanthat shewaa
most certainlyreadKTO,thus: WTO TOT*TOK£>.>-- tlways uniting and incorporating with herself
«vi*:», OH:jt:trlTvv Ira>.(*i.vurixtxi-^fvwv, "the .hosewhom she conquered. Romulus having
language
of Italybeing
atthattimethusmixed
with considered
how he shouldperformhis vow
Greek terms; for instance,Talaiia." By thisemenda-
Uon, which consistsonly of the small alteration of the n the most acceptable manner to Jupiter, and
sr into T, the sense
is easy,thecontextclear,Plu- vithal makethe procession
mostagreeable
to
tarch is reconciledto himself,and freed from the iis people, cut down a great oak that grew in
charge
of contradicting
in onebreath
whathehadas- he camp,andhewedit into thefigureof a tro-
serttijinanother. ihy; to this he fastened
Acron'swholesuit
If this wantedanyfurther support,we mightal- of armour, disposedin its proper form. Then
cgea passage
fromPlutarch's
Marcellus,
which,as le put on his own robes,andwearingacrown
wellas that in the life of Numa;isexpress
anddeci- if laurelon his head,bis hair gracefully flow-
"ive. Speaking there of the derivation of the word
Fere(nus,
anappellation
which
Jupiter
probably
first ng,hetookthe trophyerectuponhis right
nadin thetimeof Romulus,
onoccasion
of hisconse-ihoulder,andso marchedon, singingthe song
crating to him the spoliaopima; one accounthe if victory before his troops, which followed
eivesofthemailer is,thatFeretnvs might bederived:ompletcly
armed,
whilethecitizensreceived
from cipiTf.i, the vehicle on which the trophy was
Carried, XXT* T*V lEt.f*v,vtlix y^,<riry.v ,-i - /.,.., lim with joy and admiration. This procession
TOTI"ru.uujutM'j-.iivi-v
T»)A'.Tiv ..v; " forat thattime vas the originand modelof futuretriumphs
theGreeklanguagewasmuchmixedwiththeLatin." rhe trophywasdedicatedto JupiterFerctriw
20 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

"o calledfromtheLatin word^/en're,*to smite;| andlet in the Sabines. It seems,it was not
tor Romulus
hadprayedthathemight
have
I thesentiment
of Antigonus
alone,whosaid,
power to tmiite his adversaryand kill him. He lovedmenwhile they were betraying,out
Varrosays,this>
sortof spoilsis termedopimaj hated them when theyhad betrayed; norof
from opes, which signifiesriches. But more Caesar,whosaid, in the caseof Khymitacles
probably they are so style*! from opus, the he Thracian, "He loved the treason,but hated
meaningoi' which is action. For whenthe :he traitor-." But men arecommonlyaBected
generalof an armykills the enemy'sgeneral towardsvillains,whomtheyhaveoccasion for,
"withhis own hand,then only he is allowedto just as they aretoward*venomous creatures,
consecratethe spoils called opima, as the which they haveneedof for their poisonand
soleperformerof that action.} This honour their gall. Whilf: they are of use they love
hasbeenconferredonlyonthreeRomanchiefs; them, but abhor them whentheir purpose13
first on Romulus, when he slew Acron the effected. Such were the sentimentsof Tatiug
Ceninensiitri; next on Cornelius Cossus, for with regard to Tarpeia when he ordered the
killing Tolumnius the Tuscan; and lastly, on Sabinea to remember their promise, and tc
Claudius Marcellus, when Viridomarus, king grudgeher nothing which they had on their left
of the Gauls, fell by his hand. Cossusand arms.He wasthe first to takeoff his bracelet,
Marcellus bore,indeed,thetrophies themselves, and throw it to her, and with that his shield.*
but drove into Rome in triumphal chariots. But As every one did the same, she was over
Dionysiusis mistakenin sayingthat Romulus poweredby the gold andshieldsthrownupon
madeuseof a chariot; for somehistoriansas- her, and sinking under the weight, expired.
sertthat Tarquinms,the sonof Demaratus,
was Tarpeiustoo, was taken, and condemned by
the first of the kings that advancedtriumphs to Romulus for treason, as Juba writes after
this pomp and grandeur: Others say, Publicola Sulpitius Galba. As for the account given o(
wasthe first that led upthistriumph in a cha- Tarpeia by other writers,amongwhomAnti-
riot. However,thereare statuesof Romulus gonusis one, it is absurdandincredible:They
bearing these trophies yet to beseen in Rome, say, that shewas daughter to Tatius the Sabine
which are all on foot. general, and being compelled to live with
After'thedefeatof the Ceninenses,
while the Romulus,sheactedand sufferedthus by her
restof the Sabineswerebusiedin preparations,father's contrivance. But the poet SimuluB
the people of Fidena-, Crustumenium, and An- iKi's a most egregious blunder when he
temnz, united against the Romans. A battle says, Tarpeia betrayed the Capitol, not to the
ensued,in whichtheywere likewisedefeated,Sabines,but to the Gauls,havingfallenin love
and surrendered to Romulus, their cities to be with their king. Thus he writes:
spoiled,theirlandsto be divided,and them- From
herhighdome,
Tarpeia,
wretched
mail],
selves to be transplanted to Rome. All the To thefell GaulstheCapitolbetray'd;
lands thus acquired, he distributed among the Thehapless victimof unchaste
desires,
citizens, except what belongedto the parents She lost the fortressof her sceptredsires.
of thestolenvirgins;for those
heleftin the Anda littleafter,concerning
herdeath,
possession
of their former owners. The rest PTo
amorous
Celt,nofierce
Bavarian,
bore
of the Sabines,enraged
at this, appointed Press'd
Thefairby
Tarpeia tohisstormy shore;
those shields, whose splendour sh«
Tatius their general, and carried war to the admir'd,
gatesof Rome. The city wasdifficult of ac- Shesunk,andin theshining deathexpired.
cess,havingastronggarrisonon thehill where From the placewhereTarpeia wasburied,
the Capitol now stands,commanded by Tar- the hill hadthe name of the Tarpeian,till
peius,not by the virgin Tarpeia,as somesay, Tarquin consecratedthe placeto Jupiter, at
who in this representRomulusas a veryweak whichtime her boneswere removed,andso it
man. However,this Tarpeia,the governor'slosther namej exceptthatpart of the Capitol
daughter,charmedwith the goldenbracelets of from which malefactorsare thrown down,
the Sabines,betrayedthefort into their hands; which is still calledthe Tarpeian rock. The
and asked,in returnfor hertreason,whatthey Sabinesthus possessed of the fort, Romului
wore on their left arms. Tatiusagreeingto the in greatfury offeredthembattle,whichTatiui
condition,sheopenedoneof thegatesby night, did not decline,ashe sawhe had a placeof
strength to retreat to, in case he was worsted.
* Or fromthewordfrrre, to carry,becameRo- And, indeed,the spoton which he wasto en-
miiluj hadhimself
carriedto theTempleof Jupitergage,beingsurroundedwith hills, seemedto
thearmour of thekinghehadkilled; or,more pro- promise onbothsidesa sharpandbloody con-
bably, fromtheGreek wordpheretron, whichLivy test,because it wasso confined
andtheoutlets
callsin LatinJfrculum, and whichproperlysignificr
t tropky. weresonarrow,thatit wasnoteasyeitherto
f Festus
derives
theword
opvma
fromops,
whichflyorto pursue.H happened
too,that,afew
signifies
Ihcearth,
andthericnes
it produces;
«othat daysbefore,
theriverhadoverflowed,
andleft
optim. yolia, accordingto that writer, signifyrich a deep mud on the plain, where the Forum
"poils. now stands; which, as it was covered with a
)This is Livy's accountof thematter; but Varro, crust, was not easilydiscoverable
by the eye,
as quotedby Festus,tellsus, a Romanmight be en-
titled to tlie sjioh'a otHf/ia though but a private sol- but at the same time was soft underneath and
dier,>m'/es
maii'imlara,provided
lie killedandde- mpracticable. The Sabines,ignorantof this,
ipoilcdtheenemy'sgeneral.Accordingly Corneliuswerepushingforwardinto it, butbygoodfortune
Cossuehad tlirm, fur killing Tolumnius, king of the
Tuscans,though Cosjuswas but a tribune, who *Piso andotherhistorianssay, that Tatius treat
fought uiiilrr (he commandof ^Knnlius.^Cossus,rd h(r in this manner,because sheacted a double
ihereiiire, in all probability,did notenterRomein » p-'xrt,and endeavoured
to betraytheSabines.
to R»
triumphalchariot, but Vulluwrdlijal ol his general,mulus, while shewaspretendingto betrayUieRo
ivill, Ui> trophy on his shoulder. Dtansto them.
 ROMULUS.

were
prevented:
ForCurtius,
aman
ofhighwere
eitremely
moved,
androom
wasmade
distinction
andspirit,beingmounted
onagoodfor thembetween
the two armies.Theirla-
liursi.,
advanced
a considerable
waybefore
the mentations
pierced
totheutmost
ranks,
andaft
rest.* Presentlyhis horseplungediuto the weredeeplyaffected; particularly
whenthei/
slough,andfor a whileheendeavouredtodis- upbraidingandcomplaints endedin suppiica-
engage him,encouraging himwithhisvoice,tionandentreaty." Whatgreatinjuryhave
andurginghimwithblows;butfindingall in- wedoneyou,(saidthey,)thatwehavesuffer-
effectual,
he quittedhim,andsavedhimself.ed,anddo still suffersomanymiseries;1 We
Fromhimtlueplace,to thisverytime,is call- werecarriedoff, by thosewhonowhaveus,
ed the Curtian Lake. The Sabines,having violentlyandillegally: After this violencewe
escaped
thisdanger,
beganthefightwithgreat weresoneglected byourbrothers,
ourfathers,
bravery.Thevictoryinclinedto neitherside, andrelations,that we werenecessitated
to
thoughmanywere slain,and amongthe rest unite in the strongest
ties with thosethatwera
Hostiiius; who theysay,washusband
to Her- the objectsof our hatred;and we are now
silia,and grandfather
to that Hostiiiuswho brought
totremble
forthementhathadinjured
reignedafterNuma.It is probable
therewere ussomuch,whenweseethemindanger, and
manyother battlesin a short time; but the to lamentthemwhen theyfall. For youcame
most memorablewas the last; in which Romu- not to deliver us from violence, while virgins,
lus havingreceiveda blow uponthe headwith or to avengeour cause,but now youtear the
a stone,wasalmostbeatendownto theground, wives from their husbands, and the mothe's
»ndno longerableto opposethe enemy; then fromtheir children;an assistance moregriet
the Romansgave way, andwere drivenfrom ousto usthan all your neglectanddisregard.
the plain as far aa the PalatineHill. By this Suchlovewe experienced
fromthem,andsuch
time Romulus, recovering from the shock, en- compassionfrom you. Were the war under-
deavouredby force to stophis men in their taken in someother cause,yet surely you
flight,andloudlycalleduponthemto standand wouldstopits ravagesfor us,who havemade
renew the engagement. But when he saw the you fathers-in-law and grandfathers,or other-
rout was general, and that no one had courage wise placed you in some near affinity to those
to face about, he lifted up his handstowards whom you seekto destroy. But if the war be
heaven,and prayed to Jupiter to stop the army, for UB,take us, with your sons-in-lawand their
and to re-establish and maintain the Roman children, and restore us to our parents and
cause, which was now in extreme danger. kindred; but do not, we beseechyou, rob ua
When the prayer was ended, many of the fu- of our children and husbands,lest we become
gitives were struck with reverence for their captives again." Hersilia having said a great
king, and their fear was changed into courage. deal to this purpose,and others joining in the
They first stoppedwhere now stands the tem- same request, a truce was agreed upon, and
ple of Jupiter Stator, so called from his putting the generals proceeded to a conference. la
a stop to their flight. There they engaged the mean time the women presentedtheir hus-
again, and repulsed the Sabines as far as the bands and children to the!.-lathers and bro-
palacenow called Regia, and the templeof thers,broughtrefreshments
to thosethat want-
Vesta. ed them, and carried the wounded home to be
When they were preparing here to renew cured. Here they shewed them, that they had
the combat with the sameanimosityas at first, the ordering of their own houses,what atten-
their ardour was repressed by an astonishing tions th«ir husbandspaid them, and with what
«pectacle, which the powers of language are respect and indulgence they were treated. Up*
unable to describe. The daughtersof the Sa- on this a peacewas concluded, the conditions
bines, that had been forcibly carried off, ap- of which were, that suchof the women aschose
peared rushing this way and that with loud to remain with their husbands,should be ex-
cries and lamentations,like personsdistracted, empt from all labour and drudgery,except spin-
amidstthe drawn swords,and over the dead ning, as we have mentionedabove;that the
bodies,to comeat their husbands andfathers; city shouldbe inhabitedby the Romansand
somecarryingtheir infantsin their arms,some Sabinesin common,with the nameof Rome,
dartingforwardwith dishevelledhair, but all from Romulus;but that all the citizens,from
callingbyturnsboth uponthe Sabinesandthe Cures,thecapitalof theSabines,andthe coun-
Romans,by the tenderest names.Both parties try of Tatius,shouldbe calledQuirites;*and
* Livy andDionysius
of Halicarnassusrelatethe that the regalpower,andthe commandof the
matterotherwise. They tell us,that Curtius at first army, should be equally sharedbetweenthem.
repulsed
theRomans;
butbeingin histurnoverpow-The placewhere thesearticleswere ratified,
ered byRomulus, andendeavouring tomake good his is still calledComitium,t
retreat, he happenedto fall into the lake, which from
fromtheLatinword
thattimebore hisname : Forit wascalled LacusCur- coire,whichsignifies to assemble.
tius, even when it was dried up, and almostin the ceo The city having doubled the number of its
treof theRoman Forum.Prociliussays, thattheearth " ThewordQuiri's, inthePabine language,signified
having opened, theAruspiees declared it necessaryfor bothadart,anda warlikedeityarmed withadart. It
thesafety oftherepublic, thatthebravest manof the is uncertain
whetherthegodgave nametothedart,or
lity should throwhimself into the eulf; whereupon Ihedwt to thegod;but however thatbe,thisgod
cm Curtius,mounting onhorseback, leapedarmedQ.uirisor Quiriuus waseitherMars,or some other
intoit, andthegulf immediately closed.Beforethe godcifwar,andwasworshipped in Rometill Hi.ma-
building of thecommonsewers, thispoolwasasortof in-,ivhoafterhisdeath washonoured withthename
"ink, whichreceived all thefilth of thecity. SomeQuirinus, tookhisplace.
Writersthink, that it receivedits namefromCurtius t The Comiliumwasat the foot of the hill Pals-
theconsul, colleaguetoM.Genucius, becausehecausedtinus,
overagainsttheCapitol. Notfarfromtheuca
it to bewalledin by theadviceof theAruspicei,alUi IU«-
l*o kingsbuiltihetemple
ofVulcan,wherethey
it had been struck with lightning. Varro de Line.
Lai. 1. ,v. usuallymetto consultthesenate
aboutthemostimpor
taut aflairs.
 22 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

inhabitant!!,
an hundredadditionalsenatoranyonethat approached
it sawit not very
were electedfrom amongthe Sabines,andthe flourishingandgreen,but inclining to fadt and
legionswere
to consist
of six thousand
foot,an< wither, he presently
proclaimed
it to all he
six hundredhorse.* The people,too, were met, who, as if they wereto assistin ca«eof
dividedinto three tribes, called Rhamnensesfje, criedout for water,andranfrom all quar-
from Romulus ; Tatienses, from Tatius; an ters with full vesselsto the place. But when
Lucerenses, from the Lucas or Grove, where Caius Ciesarordered the steps to be repaired,
the Asylum stood, whither many had fled, am and the workmen were digging near it, it ii
were admitted citizens. That they were pre- said they inadvertently injured the routs 111
such
cisely three, appears from the very name of a manner, that the tree withered away.
Tribes, and that of their chief officers, who The Sabines received the Roman months
were called Tribunes. Each tribe containec All that is of importance on this subject is
ten Curirt or Wards, which some eaywere mentioned in the life of Numa. Romulus on
called after the Sabine women. But this seems the other hand, came into the use of their
to be false; for many of them have their names shields,makingan alteration in Ins own armour,
from the severalquartersof the city which and that of the Romans,who, before,wore
were assignedto them. Many honourable pri- bucklers in the manner of the Greeks. They
vileges, however, were conferred upon the mutually celebrated each other's feasts and
women; some of which were these: That the sacrifices,not abolishing those of either nation,
men shouldfive themthe way, whereverthey but over andaboveappointingsomenewones;
met them; that they should not mention an one of which is the Matronalia,* instituted in
obsceneword, or appear naked, before them honour of the women, for their putting an end
that, in caseof their killing any person, they to the war: and another the Camn-nUiha.t
shouldnot be tried beforethe ordinaryjudges- Carmentais by somesupposedto beoneof
and that their children should wear an orna- the Destinies, who presidesover human nativi-
ment about thc-ir necks, called BullaJ from ties: therefore she is particularly worshipped
its likenessto a bubble, and a garment border- by mothers. Others say, shewas wife to Kvan-
ed with purple. The two kingsdid not prc der the Arcadian,and a womanaddictedto
sently quit their councils; each meeting, for divination, who received inspirations from
some time, their hundred Senators apart; bnt Apollo, and delivered oraclesin verse; thence
afterwards they all assembledtogether. Tatius Called Carmenta, for carmina signifiesverse;
dwelt wherethe templeof Monetanow stands, but her propername,as is agreedon all hands,
"and Romulus by the steps of the Fair Shore, was Nicostrata. Others, again, with greater
as they are called, at the descent from the Pa- probability assert that the former name was
latine Hill to the Great Circus. There, we given her becauseshewas distracted with en-
are told, grew the sacred Gomel-tree; the thusiastic fury; for carere mente signifies to
fabulousaccountof which is, that Romulus be insane. Of the feast of Palilia, we have
once,to try his strength,threwa spear,whose alreadygivenan account. As for the Luper-
shaft was of cornel-wood, from Mount Aven- calia,} by the time, it should seemto bea feast
tine to that place; the headof which stuckso of lustration; for it was celebratedon oneof
deepin the ground,that no onecould pull it the inauspicious daysof the monthof Febru
out, thoughmanytried; andthesoil beingrich, ary, whichnamedenotesit to be the monthof
BOnourishedthe wood, that it shotforth branch- Purifying; and the day was formerly called
es, and became a trunk of cornel of consider- Februata. But the true meaning of Luper-
able bigness. This posterity preserved with calia is the Feast of Wolves; and it seems,
a religious care, as a thing eminently sacred, for that reason, to be very ancient, as received
and therefore built a wall about it: and when from the Arcadians,who came over with Evan
der. This is the general opinion But the term
* Ruauld,in his animadversions
uponPlutarch,has may be derived from Lupa, a shewolf; for we
discovered
twoconsiderable
errorsin thisplace.The seetheLuperci begintheircoursefromtheplace
first is, that Plutarch affirms there were 600 horse put
oy Romulus in every legion, vrhereaj, there never were where they say Romulus was exposed. How
atanytime,somany
inanyo(thelegions.
Forthereever,if weconsider
theceremonies,
thereason
wereat first000horsein eachlegion; after that they of the name seems hard to guess: For first,
roseto 300,andat last to 400,but nevercameup to oats are killed; then two noblemen's sonsare
600. In the secondplace he tells us, that Romulus
made the legion to consistof 6000foot; whereas in his
time it was never more than 3000. It is said by some, * During this feast, such of the Roman women u
that Marius was the first who raisedthe legion to 6000; were married, servedtheir slavesat table,and received
out Livy informs us, that that augmentationwas made iresentsfrom their husbands,asthe husbandsdiii from
by ScipioAfricanus,long beforeMarius. After the heir wivesin the timeof the Saturnalia. Asthe fes-
expulsionof thekings,it wasaugmented
fromthreeto ivaJof theMatronaliawasnotonly observed iu hon-
four thousand, and sometime after to fire, and at last, our of the Sabine women, but consecrated to Mart,
by Scipio(aswehavesaid,)to six. Butthiswasnever and,assomewill haveit, to Juno Lucina,sacrifice!
done,but uponpressingoccasions.The statedforce wereofferedto both thesedeilies. This feastwasthe
of a 1-uion was 4000 fool, and 200 horse. ubject of Horace's Ode; Martia adclx qitiil u»am ca-
f The youus men,whenthey tookuponthemthe emfis,4'e.andOvid describes it at largein Uiethird
TosaTt'nTus,or man'srobe,quitted the Bulla, which Bookof Fasti. Daciersays,bymistake,that thisfeast
*" supposedto havebeena little hollow ball of gutd, vaskepton the6rst of April, insteadof the fir-t of
%ndmadeanofliriug ofit to the Dii Lares,or house- "larch,andtheformerEnglishannutatorhasfolk Yed
hold gods. As to the Pralatn, or robeedgedwilh lim.
purple,it is wornbygirlstill theirmarriage,
andby t Thisisa verysolemnfeast,kepton the lllh of
boyslifl theywereseventeen. Butwhatinthetimeof anuaryundertheCapitol,
neartheCanr.in!algate.
Romu!> was a mark of distinction for the children of ?heybeggedof this goddessto render Iheir women
the Sabinennrmn,became
afterwardsverycommon; ruilful, anil In gi\e Ihrrn happydeliveries.
fcr even the chi drcn of the Liberti or freed men, {This f<«ti\al \\a» i, |. I,riled'ou the llth cf Kcbru-
"ore it. '}', in houour uf the God Pan.
 ROMULUS. 23
introduced,
andsome
aretostain
theirfore-vorce
hiewife,in case
of herpoisoning
hu
heads witha bloodyknife,others to wipeoft' children,or counterfeiting
hiskeys,orbt:ing
Jiestaindirectly,withwoolsteeped in milk, guiltyof adultery.Butif onanyotherocca
"vhich theybringforthatpurpose. Whenit is sionheputheraway,shewasto haveone
*ipedoff,theyoungmenaretolaugh.After moiety of hisgoods,andtheotherwasto be
"jiistheycutthegoats'skinsin pieces,andrun consecrated to Ceres;andwhoever putaway
about allnaked,
except theirmiddle,
andlashhiswifewastomake anatonement tothegods
withthose thongsalltheymeet.Theyoungof theearth.It issomething particular,
thai
women avoidnot thestroke, astheythinkit Romulus appointednopunishment foractual
assistsconception
andchildbirth.Another thingparricides, but calledall murderparricide,
proper tothisfeastis,fortheLupercitosacri-looking uponthisasabominable, andtheother
ficeadog.Butas, whoin hisElegies hasgivenas impossible. For manyages,indeed, be
a fabulousaccount
of theoriginof theRomanseemed to havejudgedrii'htly; no onewag
institutions,
writes,that whenRomulushad guilty of thatcrimein Romefor almostsix
overcome Amulius,
in thetransports
of victory hundredyears;andLuciusOstius, after the
heranwithgreatspeed
to theplace
where
the warsofHannibal,
isrecorded
tohave
been
the
wolf suckledhim and his brother,when in- first thatmurderedhis father.
fants; and that this feastis celebrated,and In thefifthyearof thereigi of Tatius,some
theyoungnoblemen run,in imitationof that of his friendsand kinsmenmeetingcertain
action,strikingall thatarein theirway:- ambassadors whoweregoingfromLaurentum
Asthefamed twinsof Rome, Amulius
slain, to Rome,"attempted to robthemontheroad,
FromAlbapour'd,andwiththeirreeking-
iwordg and, as they would not sufferit, but stoodin
Saluted all they met. their own defence, killed them. As this was
And the touchingof the foreheadwith a bloody an atrocious crime, Romulus required that
knife, is a symbol of that slaughteranddan- thosewho committedit shouldimmediatelybe
ger,asthewipingoff thebloodwithmilk isin punished,
butTatiushesitated
and putit off
memory of theirfirstnourishment.
ButCaiusThiswasthefirstoccasionof anyopenvari
Acilius relates, that before the building of ancebetweenthem; for till now the) had be-
Rome,RomulusandRemushavinglost their havedthemselvesasif directed by one soul,
cattle, first prayed to Faunusfor successin andthe administration
hadbeencarriedonwith
the searchof them,and then ran out naked all possibleunanimity. The relationsof those
to seekthem,that theymightnot be incom- thatwere murdered, findingtheycouldhaveno
modedwith sweat; thereforethe Lupercirun legalredress fromTatius,fell uponhimandslew
about naked. As to the dog, if this be a feast him at Lavinium, as he was offering sacrifice
of lustration,we may supposeit is sacrificed, with Romulusjf but theyconducted
Romulus
in order to be usedin purifying ; for the Greeks back with applause, as a prince who paid all
in their purificationsmakeuse of dogs,and properregardto justice. To the bodyof Ta-
perform the ceremonies which they call perif- tius he gave an honourableinterment at Armi-
kulakismoi. But if these rites are observed lustrium^t on Mount Aventine; but he took no
in gratitudeto the wolf thatnourishedandpre- care to revengehis deathon the personsthat
served Romulus, it is with propriety they kill killed him. Some historians write, that the
a dog,becauseit is an enemyto wolves: yet Laurentiansrn greatterror gaveup the mur-
perhaps,nothing more wasmeant by it than to derers of Tatius ; but Romulus let them go,
punishthat creaturefor disturbingthe Luperci saying,"Blood with bloodshouldbe repaid."
in their running. This occasioneda report, and indeed a strong
Romulus is likewise said to have introduced suspicion, that he was not sorry to get rid >>t
the Sacred Fire, and to have appointed the his partner in the government. None of these
holy virgins, called Vestals.* Othersattribute things, however, occasioned any disturbance
this to Numa, but allow that Romulus was re- or sedition among the Sabmes; but, partly out
markably strict in observingother religious of regardfor Romulus,partly out of fear ot
rites, and skilled in divination,for whichpur-
pose he bore the Lituus. This ia a crooked in greaterlatitude. The women,however,among
the Romans,cameat length to divorce their husbands,
staff, with which those that sit to observe theasappearsfromJuvenal(Sat.9.) andMartial (I. x. ep.
flight of birdsfdescribethe severalquartersof 41.) At thesametimeit mustbeobserved,
to theho-
the heavens. It waskept in the Capitol,but nourof Roman virtue,thatnodivorce
wasknowuat
lostwhenRomewastakenby theGauls; af- Rumt forfivehundred andtw-enty years.One P.Ser
vilius, or Carvilius Spurius, was the first of Ihe Ro-
terwardswhenthe barbarians
hadquittedit, it mansthat ever put away his wife.
wasfound
buried
deepin ashes,
untouched
by " Dionysius
ofHalicaraassus
says,
theywere
am
the fire, whilst every thing about it was de- bassadors
fromLavinium,
whohadbeenat-Kome
to
stroyed and consumed- Romulus also enacted cuinplam
of theincursions
madeby someof Tatius*!
somelaws; amongstthe restthat severeone, friendsuponthrir territories; and that astheywere
whichforbids
thewifein anycasetoleaveher returning, thethem
road, stripped Sabiueslayinfcveral
and killed waitfor themon
of them. the
Lavi-
hubband.fbut givesthe husband
powerto di- niumandLaureutum
wereneighbouring
townsin
Latium.
* Plutarch means that Romulu> was the first who
introduced the Sacred Fire at Ro.-ne. That there t Probably
thiswasasacrifice
to the Dii Indigene!
of Lalium,in which Romewas included. ButLici-
wereVestal virgins, however, beforethis,at Alba,niuswrites,tliatTatiuc
wentnotthitherwithRomu-
wearecertain, because themother of Romulus waslus,noronaccount of Ihesacrifice,
butthathewent
one
onlyofkept
them.
up The sacred
iu Italy, and
but inperpetual
Egypt, infirewasnot
Persia,in alone,
topersuade
derers. theinhabitants
tupiirdon
themur-
Greece, uid almost in all nations.
f The Vugurs. {Theplace
wassocalled,
bicausr
,,f a ceremony 01
the s jne name,celebrated
t\try jtar onDie19lhof
} Yet 'lis. privilege, which Plutarch thinks a hird- October
wlxntheIroopswere
mustered,au.lpurified
"lup unoii Ihe women, was indulged the men bj " bysacrinci. .
24 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

his power,or becausetheyreverencedhim as answer; uponwhichtheydivided their force*

a god, theyall continuedwell affectedto him. into two bodies;one attackedthe garrisonof
This veneration lor him extended to many Fidenz, and the other went to meet Romulus.
other nations. The ancient Latins Bent am- That which went againstFidenac defeatedthe
bassadors,and entered into leagueand alliance Romans, and killed two thousand of them; but
with him. Fidena?,
a city in the neighbour-the other was beatenby Romulus, with the
hood of Rome, he took, as some say, by send- loss of more than eight thousandmen. They
ing a body of horse before, with orders to gave battle, however, once more, at Fidcns,
break the hinges of the gates,and then appear- where all allow the victory was chiefly owing
ing unexpectedly
in person. Otherswill have to Romulus himself,whoseskill andcourage
it, that the Fidenates first attacked and rava- were then remarkably displayed, and whose
ged the Komanterritories,and werecarrying strengthandswiftnessappeared
morethan hu-
off considerable
booty, when Romuluslay in man. But what somereportis entirely fabu-
ambush for them, cut many of them off, and lous, and utterly incredible, that there fell that
took their city. He did not, however, demolish day fourteen thousandmen, abovehalf of whom
It, but made it a Roman colony, and sent into Romulus slew with his own hand. For even
it two thousand five hundred inhabitants on the Messenianeseemto have beenextravagant
the thirteenth of April. in their boasts, when they tell us Aristomenes
After this a plaguebrokeout, so fatal, that offereda hecatombthree severaltimes, for
peopledied of it without any previoussick- havingas often killed a hundredLacedemo-
ness ; while the scarcity of fruits, and barren- nians.* After the Veientes were thus ruined,
nessof the cattle, addedto the calamity. It Romulussufferedthe scatteredremainsto es-
rained blood, too, in the city ; so that their un- cape, and marcheddirectly to their city. The
avoidable sufferings were increased with the inhabitants could not bear up after so dreadful
terrors of superstition: and when the destruc- a blow, but humbly suingfor a peace,obtained
tion spreaditselfto Laurentum,thenall agreed, a truce for a hundredyears,by giving up a
it wasfor neglectingto do justice on the mur- considerable part of their territory calledSep-
derersof the ambassadors andof Tatms,that tempagium,whichsignifiesa district of seven
the divine vengeance pursuedbothcities. In- towns,togetherwith the salt-pitsby the river ;
deed,whenthosemurderers weregiven upand besideswhich, they deliveredinto his hands
punishedby bothparties,their calamitiesvisi- fifty of theirnobilityashostages.He triumphed
bly abated; and Romulus purified the city for this on thefifteenthof October,leadingup,
with lustrations,which, they tell us,are yet amongmanyothercaptives,the generalof the
celebrated at the Ferentme gate. Before the Veientes, a. man in years,who seemedon this
pestilenceceased,the peopleof Cameria*at- occasionnot to have behavedwith the pru-
tackedthe Romans,andover-ranthe country, dencewhich might havebeenexpectedfrom
thinkingthemincapable of resistance
by reason his age. Hence it is, that, to this day, when
of the sickness. But Romulus soon met them they offer a sacrifice for victory, they lead an
in the field, gave them battle, in which he old manthroughthe Forumto the Capitol,in
killed six thousandof them, took their city, a boy'srobe,edgedwith purple,with a bulla
and transplanted half its remaininginhabitants abouthis neck; andtheheraldcries"Sardians
to Rome; adding,on the first of August,to to be sold;"f for the Tuscansaresaidto bea
thoseheleft in Cameria,doubletheir number colony of the Sardians, andVeii is a city of
fromRome. Somanypeoplehadhe to spare Tuscany.
in aboutsixteenyears'time fromthe building This wasthe last of the warsof Romulus,
of the city. Among other spoils he carried After this he behavedas almost all mendo,
from Cameria a chariot of brass, which he who rise by some great and unexpectedgood
consecratedin the templeof Vulcan,placing fortuneto dignityandpower ; for, exaltedwith
uponit his own statuecrownedby victory. his exploits, and loftier in his sentiments,
he
His affairsthusflourishing,the weakerpart droppedhis popularaffability,andassumed the
of his neighbourssubmitted,satisfiedif they monarchto an odiousdegree. He gavethe
couldbut live in peace;but the morepowerful, first offenceby his dress; his habit beinga
dreadingor envyingRomulus,thought they purplevest,overwhichheworea robeborder-
ehouldnot by any meanslet him go unnoticed, edwith purple. He gave audiencein a chair
butoppose
andputa stopto hisgrowing
great-ofstate.He hadalwaysabouthimanumber
of
ness. The Veientes,who had a strong city youngmencalledCeleres,{fromtheir dispatch
andextensivecountry,!werethe first of the in doingbusiness
; andbeforehimwent men
Tuscanswhobeganthe war,demanding Fi- withstavesto keepoff thepopulace,
whoalso
denzas their property.But it wasnotonly 'Pausanias confirms
thisaccount,
mentioning
both
unjust, but ridiculous, that they who had given thetime andplaceof theseachievements,
aswellasthe
the peopleof Fidenz no assistancein the hecatombs
offered
onaccount
of themto JupiterHho-
greatest
extremities,
but hid suffered
themto mates.Those
warsbetween
the Mcss/riiians
and
perish,
should
challenge
theirhouses
andSpartans
were about
t The Veienles, the
with time
the ofTullus
other Hostilius.
Hetrurians, were a
landsnowin thepossession
of othermasters.
colony
ofLydians,
whose
metropolis
wasthecityof
Romulus, therefore,gave them acontemptuous Sardis. Otherwriters datethiscustomfromthetime
of the conquest
of Sardiniaby Tiberius Scmpronius
"This wasa townwhichRomulushadtakenbefore. Gracchus,whensucha numberof slaveswasbrought
Its old inhabitants look this opportunity to rise in from that island, that none were to be seen in the
arms, and kill the Human garrison. market but Sardinians.
f Veil, ther.qiiul of Tuscany,was situatedon a t RomulusorderedtheCuriaeto choosehimaguardT!
craggyrock,aboutonehundredfurlongsfromRome; threehundredmta, tenoutof caclx Curia?;-Andvhese
h%
and is compared by Dionysius of Halicaruutius lo called Celeres,for the reasou which Plutanu has tf*
AUitus,forn tentandriches signed.
 ROMULUS. 25
worethongsof leatherat theirgirdles,readythe Goafs-Marsh.Theair on that cccasio*
to binddirectlyanyperson
he shouldorderto wassuddenlyconvulsed andalteredin a woii-
bebound. Tin-,bindingtheLatinsformerlyderl'ulmanner;for thelightof thesunfailed,"
calledligare,*nowalligare: whencethoseandtheywereuwolved in anastonishing
dark-
"erjeants
arecalledL.ictore.8,
andtheirrodsness,attended
on everysidewithdreadful
""ascts;
for the stickstheyusedonthat occa-thunderings, andtempestuous winds.Themul
sionwere email. Though,perhaps,at first titudethendispersed andfled,butthenobilitj
theywerecalledLitores,andafterwards, hy gathered intoonebody. Whenthe tempest
puttingin a c,Lictores;fortheyarethesamewasover,and the light appeared again,the
thattheGreeks calledLeitourgai(officers
for people returnedto thesameplace,anda very
thepeople;) andleitos,inGreek,stillsignifiesinxiouainquirywasmade for theking;butthe
thepeople,butluosthepopulace- patricianswouldnotsufferthemto lookclose-
When hisgrandfatherNumitor diedin Alba, ly into the matter. They commanded
them
though thecrownundoubtedly
belongedtohim, to honourand worshipRomulub,whowas
yet,to pleasethe people,
he lefttheadminis-caughtupto heaven,
andwho,ashehadbeen
tration in their own hands; and over the Sa- a gracious king, would beto the Romansa pro-
binesf (in Kome) he appointedyearlya par- pitiousdeity. Upon this, the multitudewent
ticular magistrate:thusleachingthegreatmen awaywith great satisfaction,and worshipped
of Rome to seek a free commonwealthwithout him, in hopes of his favour and protection.
a king, andby turnsto rule andto obey. For Some,however,searchingmoreminutelyinto
now the patricianshadno sharein the govern- the afi'air,gavethe patriciansno smalluneasi-
ment,but onlyan honourable title andappear-ness; theyevenaccused themof imposingup-
once,assembling in the Senate-house morefor on thepeoplea ridiculoustale,whentheyhad
form than business. There, with silent atten- murdered the king with their own hands.
tion, they heard the king give his orders, and While things were in this disorder, a senator,
differedonly from the rest of the peoplein weare told, of greatdistinction,andfamedfor
this, thatthey wenthomewith the first know- sanctityof manners,
JuliusProculusby name,t
ledgeof whatwasdetermined.This treatment who camefrom Alba with Romulus,and had
they digestedas well as they could; but when beenhis faithful friend, went into the Forum,
of his own authority,he divided the conquer-anddeclareduponthe mostsolemnoaths,be-
ed lands among the soldiers,and restored the fore all the people, that as he was travelling
Veientes their hostages without the consent on the road, Romulus met him, in a form more
or approbation of the senate, they considered noble and august than ever, and clad in bright
it as an intolerable insult. Hence arose strong and dazzling armour. Astonished at the sight,
suspicions against them, and Romulus soon he said to him, " For what misbehaviour of
after unaccountably disappeared. This hap- ours, O king, or by what accident, have you
pened on the 7th of July (as it is now called) so untimely left us, to labour under the heaviest
then Quintilis: and we have no certainty of calumnies, and the whole city to sink under
any thing about it but the time; various cere- inexpressiblesorrow?" To which he answer-
inonies being stiU performed on that day with ed, "It pleased the gods, my good Proculus,
reference to the event Nor needwe won- that we should dwell with men for a time; and
der at this uncertainty, since, when Scipio after having founded a city which will be the
Afhcanuswas found deadin his houseafter mostpowerfulandgloriousin the world,return
«>upper,J
there was no clear proof of the man- to heaven, from whence we came. Farewell
ner of his death: for somesay,that beingna- then,andgo, tell the Romans,that, by the ex-
turally infirm, he died suddenly; some,that he ercise of temperance and fortitude, they shall
tookpoison;andothe'R,thathis enemies
broke attain the highestpitch of humangreatness;
into his house by nignt, and strangled him. and I, the god Quirinus, will ever bepropitious
Besides,all wereadmittedto seeScipio'sdead to you." This, by the characterand oathof
body, and every one, from the eight of it, the relator, gainedcredit with the Romans,
hadhis own suspicionor opinionof the cause. who were caught with the enthusiasm,as if
But asRomulusdisappeared on a sudden,and theyhadbeenactuallyinspired;and,far from
no part of his body or even his garments could contradicting what they had heard, badeadieu
befound,someconjectured, that the senators,to all their suspicions
of the nobility,unitedin
who wereconvenedin the templeof Vulcan, the deifyingof Quirinus,and addressed their
fell uponhim andkilled him; afterwhicheach devotionsto him. This is very like the Gre-
carriedapart awayunderhis gown. Others cian fablesconcerningAmteas the Proconne-
«ay,that his exit did not happenin the temple sian, and Cleomedesthe Astypalesian. For
of Vulcan,nor inthepresence
of thesenatorsAristeas,as theytell us,expiredin a fuller'a
only,butwhilehewasholdinganassemblyof shop;andwhenhisfriends cameto takeaway
the peoplewithout the city, at a placecallec the body,it could not befound. Soonafter
* Plutarch had no critical skill in the Latin lan-
somepersonscomingin from a journey,said,
ried out, with the facecoveredwith alineu cloth, that
t XylandcrandH. Stephanus
are rationallyenough theblackness
of it mightnotappear.
of opiniun, that instead of Sabines we should rtaj * Cicero mentions this remarkable darkness in a
Albany; andBO(tieLatin translatorrendersit. fragmentof hismth bookLe Kcj/u6. Audit appear*
| This wanScipio,the sonof PaulusJEaiiliiu, fromtheastronomical
tables,
thattherewasa great
tdoptedbyScipioAfricanus.Asheconstautly
opponereclipseof the sunin the first yr&r of Hit snliYnth
the designs
of theGracchi,it wassupposedthat hL> Ol)ni|>iad,supposed
to hetheJiar lhatRomulusdied,
wifeStmpliroiiiA.
whowassisterto thosestduimi \-~\\ ihi twtnty-snthf>fMiy,whicVi.coni)dering Oie
men,tookhimonby notion.According to VaJrriu liltle n .1n.i.. therewasIlirn iniheRoman calendar,
Maiiuim,nojudicialinquiryMasmade
intotht cau* miglilvcrjr«cll !".n,in!i will,ilie nmnlh
of July.
"f his death; and V clor tells u«, the corpsewas car f A drsruidaijl of lulus or Ascauius.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

ncy met Aristeastravelling towardsCroton. to conclude,thatvirtuoussouls,by natureand

As for Cleomedea, their account of him is, the divine justice, rise from men to heroes,
thathewasamanof giganticsizeajidstrength; from heroesto genii; andat last, if, as in tha
but behavingin a foolish andfrantic manner,mysteries,they beperfectlycleansedandpuri-
he was guilty of many acts of violence. At fied,shakingoff all remainsof mortality,and
lasthewentinto a school,wherehestruckthe all the powerof the passions, then theyfinally
pillarthatsupported
theroofwithhisfist,and attainthemostglorious
andperfect
happiness,
broke it asunder, so that the roof fell in and and ascendfrom genii to gods, not by the vote
destroyedthe children. Pursuedfor this, he of the people,but by the just and established
took refugein a greatchest,and havingshut orderof nature.*
the hd upon him,he heldit downsofast, that The surnamethat Romulushadof Quirinus,
manymen togethercould not force it open: somethink wasgivenhim,as (another)Mars;
when they had cut the chestin pieces,they others,becausetheycall the Romancitizens
could not find him either dead or alive. Struck Quirites; others, again, becausethe ancients
with this strangeaffair,they sent to consult gavethenameof Quiristo the pointof a spear,
the oracleat Delphi,andhadfromthe priestessor to the spearitself; andthat of Juno Quiritis
thisanswer, to the statuesof Juno,when she was repre-
The raceof heroesendsin Ckomedes. sented leaning on a spear. Moreover, they
styled a certain spear, which was consecrated
It islikewise
said,
thatthebody
ofAicmena
inthepalace,
Mars;and
those
thatdistinguish-
waslost,as they werecarryingit to the grave, ed themselvesin war were rewardedwith a
and a stone was seen lying on the bier in its spear. Romulus, then, as a martial or warrior
stead. Many such improbable tales are told god, was named Quirinus; and the hilJ on
bywriterswhowanted todeifybeings naturallywhichhis templestandshasthe nameof
mortal.It is indeed impious andilliberalto Quirinalis
onhisaccount. Thedayonwhich
leave
same nothing
time to ofdivinity
unite to virtue:
heaven but,inatthe
and earth the hedisappeared,
iscalled
thtjlightof thepeo-
ple, and JVbruE Caprotime, becausethen they
samesubject, is absurd. We should,therefore, go out of the city to offer sacrifice at the Goat's-
rejectfables,
whenwearepossessed of unde-Marsh.Onthisoccasion
theypronounce
aloud
mulilctruth;for,according
to Pindar, some
oftheirproper
names,MarcusandCaius
Tli' bodyyieldsto death'sall powerfulsummons, for instance, representing the flight that then
While iht brightimageof eteroity happened,and their calling upon one another,
Survives
amidst the terror and confusion. Others, how-
This alone is from the gods: from heaven it ever, are 01"opinion that this is not a represen-
comes,and to heavenit returns; not indeed tationof flight, but of hasteandeagerness, de-
with the body; but whenit is entirelysetfree riving the ceremonyfrom this source: When
and separatefrom the body,when it becomesthe Gauls, after the taking of Rome, were
disengaged from everything sensualand un- driven out by Camillus,andthe city thusweak-
holy. For in the languageof Heraclitus,the eneddid not easilyrecoveritself,manyof the
pure soul is of superiorexcellence,*darting Latins, underthe conductof Livius Posthu-
fromthe bodylike a Hashof lightningfrom a mius,marchedagainstit. This armysitting
cloud;butthe soul thatis carnalandimmerseddown beforeRome,a heraldwas sentto sig-
in sense,!like a heavyand dark vapour,with nify, that the Latins were desirousto renew
difficulty is kindled and aspires. There is, their old allianceandaffinity,whichwas now
therefore,no occasion,againstnature to send declining,by new intermarriages.If, there-
the bodiesof goodmento heaven;but we are fore, theywould sendthema goodnumberof
their virgins and widows, peaceand friendship
* This19
a verydifficult
passage.
Theformer
trans-shouldbeestablished
between
them,asit wo*
lator,with anunjustifiable
liberty,hasturnedXUTIJ
beforewith the Sabineson the like occasion.
y -'r "'"'/." sifi *p'5*>"&f'Vfuoutfoul it pureaniun-
imjerf li«M ; which, however excellent the sentiment, When the Romans heard this, though they
as borrowedfromtheScripture,wherehehadfound were afraid of war, yet they looked upon the
lhatCorfislight,isby nomeans
thesense
of theoriginal. giving up of their women as not at all more
Dacierhastranslated
it literallyfamescche,
and eligiblethancaptivity. While theywerein this
remarksthe propriety of the expression,with respect
tothat
position
ofHeraclitus,
that
fireisthe
firt»t
prin-suspense,
aservant
maid,
named
Pbilotes,
or,
cipleof allthings.TheFrench
criticwentupon
the according
to others,Tutola,advisedthemto
sup;io>ed
analogy
between
6reanddryness;
butthere do neither,but by a stratagem(which shehad
is -Amuchmorenatural and moreobviousanalogy,thought of) to avoid both the war and the
wliirli mayhelpustotheinterpretation
of thispassage
; giving of hostages.The stratagem
wasto dress
that
or is.tlienear
cleanliness: relation
and which
indeed dryness
we find has
the word to purity
;>v"-; used Philotes
herself,and otherhandsome
female
jnela/ihorjcaJly
in thelattersense-*"/>°<
TfoTot. slaves,
in goodattire,andsendthem,instead
f Milton,inhisComus, usesthesame comparison; of freeborn virgins,to the enemy. Then, in
(or which,howerer, he is indebted ratherto Plato the night,Philoteswas to light up a torch,an
f I.ILto I'luUrch. a signalfor the Romansto attackthe enemy,
Thelavishactoftin anddispatchthemin their sleep. The I .atint
I.i Is in defilementto the inward parti.
The soul grows clotted by contagion, were satisfied,andthe scheme put in practice,
Jmbodies,andimbrutes,till shequitelose * Hesiodwas thefirst whodistinguished
thosefour
Thedivinepropertyof her first btIMC- natures,men,heroes,genii, andgods. lie sawroom,
Suchare thosethickandgloomyshadows damp it seems,
for perpetualprogression
andimprovement 10
Oft seenill charnel vaultsand sepulchres, a slate of immortality. And when tht luathens tell u»
Lingeringandsittingby a newmadegrave, thaibeforeIhc lastdegree,
thai of divinity, isnaclieil.
As lualhto leavethe bodythat it loied, thosebcingsarcliableto bereplunged into their prim-
And linksit-,elfbycarinl sensuality itive stateof darkness,one wouldiniiignietheyn*d
To n degenerateaud degradedstale. heardsomething of the Ulli.ii cugels.
 ROMULUS AND THESEUS COMPARED. 27
for accordingly
Philotis
didsetupa torchon] runabout
andplay; afterwards
theycome to
wildfig-tree,
screeningit behind
withcur-blows, andthr.ow
stones
atoneanother,
in re-
tainsandcoverlets
fromthesightoftheenemy,membrance
of theirthenassisting
andstanding
whilst it wasvisibleto the Romans. As soon by the Romansin the battle. Theseparticu-
astheybeheld it, theysetoutin greathaste,larsareadmitted
butbyfewhistorians.
Indeed,
oftencalling
uponeach other
at thegates
tobe theircalling
uponeach
other'snamesintheday
expeditious.TheyfellupontheLatins,whotime,andtheirwalking in procession
to the
.xpectednothing less,
andcutthemin pieces.Goat'sMarsh*like persons thatweregoing
Hencethis feast,in memoryof thevictory. to a sacrifice,
seemuratherto beplacedto tha
ThedaywascalledJVo/ueCaprotinx,onac- formeraccount:thoughpossiblyboththese
countofthewildJig-tree,
intheRoman tongue,events mighthappen, in distantperiods,
onthe
caprificu&.Thewomen areentertained
inthe same day. Romulus iasaidto havebeenfifty-
fields,in boothsmadeof thebranchesof the fouryearsof age,andinthethirty-eighth
of hit
fig-tree: andtheservantmaidsin companies reign,fwhenhewastakenfromtheworld.

ROMULUS AND THESEUS COMPARED.

THIS is all that I have met with that deserves and dishonourableslavery, it is not easyto ei
to be relatedconcerningRomulusandThese- presshis courageandmagnanimity, his regard
us. And to cometo the comparison,* first it for justiceandthe publicgood,andhis love of
appears,that Theseuswasinclinedto greaten- glory and of virtue. On this occasion,it ap-
terprises,
by hisownproperchoice,andcom-pearsto me,thatthephilosophers
havenotill
pelled by no necessity,sincehe might have definedlove to be a remedyprovided by the
reignedin peaceat Trcezene,over a kingdom gods for the safety and preservation of
by nomeanscontemptible,whichwould have youth.\ For Ariadne's love seemsto have
fallen to him by succession: WhereasRo- beenthe work of somegod, whodesignedby
mulus,in orderto avoidpresentslaveryandim- that meansto preservethis great man. Not
pending punishment, becamevaliant (as Plato should we blameher for her passion,but rather
expressesit) throughfear,and wasdriven by wonderthat all werenot alike affectedtowardi
the terror of extreme sufferings to arduous at- him. And if she alone was sensible of that
tempts. Besides,
the greatestactionof Romu- tenderness,
1 mayjustly pronounce
herworthy
lus was the killing of one tyrant in Alba: But the love of a god.§as she showed so great a
the first exploits of Theseus, performed occa- regard for virtue and excellence in her attach-
sionally,and by way of prelude only, were those ment to so worthy a man.
of destroying Sciron, Sinnis, Procrustes, and Both Theseus and Romulus were born with
the Club-bearer; by whosepunishmentand politicaltalents;yet neitherof thempreserved
death he delivered Greece from several cruel the proper character of a king, but deviated
tyrants, before they, for whose preservation he from the due medium, the one erring on th«
waslabouring,knewhim. Moreover,hemight sideof democracy, theotheronthat of absolute
havegonesafelyto Athensby sea,without any power, accordingto their different tempers.
dangerfrom robbers;but Romuluscouldhave For a prince'sfirst concernis to preservethe
no security while Amulius lived. This differ- government itself : and this is effected,no less
ence is evident. Theseus,when unmolestedby avoidingwhateveris improper,than by
himself, went forth to rescueothers from their
oppressors. On the other hand, Romulus and * Insteadof *ci^-t ^XKXTTXV,
thereadingin Bryan'"
his brother,whilethey wereuninjuredby the teit, whichhasnotolerable
sen^e,
ananonymous
copy
tyrant themselves,quietly sufferedhim to exer- gives us «<a-TipM/.*A:«C*<V.And that to sornyice,or
rather to ojfet uji prayers at a sacriju-c, is in one
cisohiscruelties.And,if it wasa greatthing sense
of a>.*^*Jm,
appears
fromthescholiast
onSo-
for Romulusto bewounded in thebattlewith phoclts's
True/lima,
where
heeipUin*x/.a*.-*^
-ai;
the Sabines, to kill Acron,andto conquermany byTJISIT* TTVJUTITTV iv/_xtf. Thissignification,
other enemies,we mayset againstthesedis- we suppose,
those itare
prayers gained
saidfrom
or the loudaccent
sung. in which
tinctions the battle with the Centaurs, and the f Dionysiusof Halicarnassus(and indeed Plutarch
"w.ir
withtheAmazons. himself,
in Ihebeginning
of thelifeofNuma)
sayi,
But asto Theseu&'s enterprise
with respectthatRomulus lefttheworldinthethirty-seventh
year
to the Cretantribute, when he voluntarilyof- afterthefoundation
ofRome.Butperhaps thosetwo
feredto goamong theyoungmenandvirgins,historians maybereconciledasInIheagelit diedat
whether he was to expect to be food for some For Plutarch
says,
hewas>hen full t'ifly-louryears of
age,andDionynius
thathe wasiu his fifty fifth year
wild beast,or to be sacrificed at Androgeus's f VidePlat.Conmv.
tomb,or, whichis thelightestof all theevils $ Plutarch
here
enters
intoIhenotion
of SocrmtM,
faid to be preparedfor him,to submitto a vile wholeaches, that it is the loveof virtueind real
excellence
whichalonecanuniteus to theSupreme
* Nolhing canbemore eicellent
leb)of Plutarch.Heweighs
thantheseparalBeing. Butthough
thevirtuesandvicesof plicable
thismaiim isgood, it isnotap-
to Ariadne.Forwhereis"Ihe, irlm ,.l 'I,at
meninsojusta balance,
andputssotrueanestimate
princess
who(,II ,n|,,,t with astrai,,;,
r alfirstsight,
onl\i*irgtu.tl
andbadqua'^ies,
Vhatthereader
cannot
andhastened
loHi.completion of h.r wi>li»through
attend
tothem
without
infinite
advantage. theruinofhtrkindred
andofhercountry?
28 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

cultivating what ia suitable to hie dignity. He ved in mean and dishonourable subjection,
who gives up, or extetidn his autliority, con- pon the throne of ./Eneas: Moreover, he
tinues not a prince or u king, tntt degenerates oluntarily did him many kind oltices, but
into a republican or a tyrant, and thus incurs ever injured him, not even inadvertently. On
either the hatred or contempt of his subjects. ic other hand, I think Thesem, in forgetting
The former seemsto bethe error of a mild and r neglecting the command about the sail, can
Humanedisposition, the latter of self-love and carcely, by any excuses,or before the mildest
seventy. udges,avoid the imputation of parricide. Sen-
If, then, the calamities of mankind are not ible how difficult the defence of this affair
to be entirely attributed to fortune, but we are would be to those who should attempt it, a
to seekthe causein their different manners and crtain Athenian writer feigns, that when the
passions,
herewe shallfind, that unreasonable hip approached,
jKgeusran in great hasteto
anger, with quick and unadvisedresentment, is hecitadel for the better view of it, and missing
to be imputedbothto Romulus,in the caseof is step,fell down; as if he weredestituteof
his brother, and to Theseus in that of his son. ervanls, or went, in whatever hurry, uuatlend-
But, if we consider whence their anger took :d to the sea.
its rise,thelatterseema
themoreexcusable, Moreover,Theseus's
''rapesand offence*,
from the greater cause he had for resentment, vith respect to women, admit of no plausible
as yielding to the heavier blow. For, as the excuse; (because,in the first place, they were
dispute beganwhen Romulus was in cool con- committed often ; for *e carried off Ariadne,
sultation for the common good,* one would Antiopc, and Anaxo the Tro;zenian ; after the
think he could not presently havegiven way to "est, Helen ; though she was a girl not yet
SHIUa passion: WhereasTheseuswasurged cometo maturity, and he so far advancedin
against his son by emotions which few men 'ears, that it was time for him to think no more
have been able to withstand, proceeding from even of lawful marriage. The next aggrava-
tone, jealousy, and the false suggestionsof his ,ion is the cause; for the daughters of the
wife. What is more, the anger of Romulus TrcEzcnians,the Lacedaemonians, and the Ama-
dischargeditself in an action of most unfortu- zons,were not more fit to bring children, than
nate consequence;but that of Theseuspro- thoseof the AthenianssprungfromErectheui
ceeded no further than words, reproaches,ant and Cecrops. These things, therefore, ara
imprecations,the usual revengeof old men iable to the suspicionof a wantonand licen-
The rest of the youngrnan^smiseryseemsto tiousappetite. On the otherhand,Romulus,
havebeenowingto fortune. Thusfar, Theseus havingcarriedoff at oncealmosteighthundred
seemsto deservethe preference. women, did not take them all, but only Her-
But Homulus has,in the first place, this grea silia, as it is said, for himself, and distributed
advantage,
that heroseto distinctionfromverj the rest amongthe most respectable
citizens
Email beginnings. For the two brothers were And afterwards, by the honourable and affec-
reputedslavesandsonsof herdsmen;andyet tionatetreatmenthe procuredthem,he turned
beforetheyattainedto liberty themselves, the; that injury andviolenceinto a gloriousexploit,
oestowed it onalmostall theLatins; gaininga performedwith a politicalviewto the goodof
once the most glorioustitles, as destroyersol society. Thus he united and cementedthe
theirenemies, deliverersof kindred,kingsof na two nationstogether,andopeneda sourceo"
tions, and founders of cities, not transplanters future kindnessand of additional power. Tuna
asTheseuswas,whofilled indeedonecity will bearswitnessto the conjugalmodesty,tender-
people,but it wasbyruiningmanyothers,whicl nessand fidelity which he established
; for
bore the names of ancient kings and heroes during two hundred and thirty years, no mail
And Romulus afterwards effected the same attempted to leave his wife, nor any woman
when he compelled his enemies to demolisi her husband.* And, as the very curioui
their habitations, and incorporate with thei among the Greeks can tell you \vlio was th<3
conquerors. He had not, however, a cit first person that killed his father and mother,
ready built, to enlarge,or to transplant inhabi so all the Romansknow that Spunus Camlius
tants to from other towns, but he created one was the first that divorced his wife, alleging
gainingto himselflands,a country,a kingdom her barrenness, f The immediatetrtects,a*
children, wives, alliances; and this withou well as lengthof time, attestwhatI havesaid.
destroyingor ruining any one. On the con For the two kings sharedthe kingdom,and
trary, he was a great benefactor to person the two nations came under the same govern-
who, having neither house nor habitation, wil ment, by means of these alliances. But the
"inglybecamehis citizensandpeople. He dii marriagesof Theseusprocuredthe Athenian!
not, indeed,like Theseus,destroyrobbersan< no friendshipwith any other state; on the
ruffians, but he subdued nations, took cities contrary, enmity, wars, the destruction of their
andtriumphedoverkingsandgenerals. citizens, and at lost the loss of Aphidnz;
As for the fate of Remus, it is doubtful b
what hand he fell; most writers ascribing it t * These numbers are wrong in Plutarch ; fcr Dio-
others,
andnottoRomulus.
But,in thefac nysiusofacquainting
aclness, Halicarna&sus
us marks
OiaJ it the
wastime
fiveuithgreat
hundred ex*
and
of all the world, he savedhis motherfror twentyyears
afterthebuildingof limm,in thecon
destruction, and placed his grandfather, wh sulateof M. Pomponius MalhuandC- 1'apiriu-s Ma&ao.
t Carviliusmadeoath beforethe ciniurs, lh»l h«
hadthe bestregardfor his wife,andthai il wassolely
" Plutarchdoesnot seemto hayehada ju»t ideao in compliance with thesacredengai'irmnl of marriage,
thecontrolbetweenRomulusand Hemus. The tw the detignof which wanto ha>echildren,that hedi-
brothers were nut sosolicitous aboul the situation o vorced her. But this did not hinder his cliaractef
llu-ir nenrily, aswhichof themshouldhavethecon) frombeingeverafterodiousto thepeople,»ho though/
Handin it whenit tvai built. lie hadMI a veryperniciouseiauiple.
 LYCURGUS.

which,only throughthe compassion of the wellbe. Asto thestorieswehaveconcerning

enemy,whomthe inhabitants supplicatedand both,of a supernatural
kind,the difference
11
honouredlikegods,escaped thefatethatbefel great. For Romuluswaspreserved by the
TnJfbymeans of Paris.However, themothersignalfavourof Heaven:but as the oracle,
of Theseus,deserted
andgivenup byherson, whichcommanded JEgeusnotto approachany
Wasnotonlyin danger of, butreallydidsuffer,woman ina foreigncountry,
wasnotobserved,
the misfortune*of Hecuba,if her captivitybe the birth of Theseusappears
to havebeenun-
not » fiction,asa greatdeal besidesmayvery acceptable to the gods.

LYCURGUS.*

OPLycurgus
thelawgiver
wehavenothing
to than the first Olympiad.Timxus,however,
relate that is certain and uncontroverted. For supposes,that, as there were two Lycurgusei
there are different accounts of his birth, his in Sparta at different times, the actions of both
travels,his death,and especiallyof the laws areascribedto one,on accountof his particu-
andformof government which he established.
lar renown;andthat the moreancientof them
But leastof all are the timesagreeduponin lived not long afterHomer: Nay, someBayhe
whichthis greatmanlived. For somesayhe had seen him. Xenophontoo confirmsthe
flourishedat the sametime with Jphitus,fand opinionof his antiquity,when he makeshim
joinedwi*.hhim in settling the cessationof cotemporarywith the Heraclidaa. It is true,
armsduringtheOlympicgames.Amongthese the latestof the Lacedemoniankingswereof
is Aristotle the philosopher,who allegesfor the lineageof the Heraclidae;but Xenophon
proof an Olympicquoit, on which was pre- there seemsto speakof the h'rstandmoreim-
servedthe inscriptionof Lycurgus'sname. mediatedescendants of Hercules.* As the
But otherswho, with Eratosthenes and Apol- historyof thosetimes is thus involved,in re-
lodorus,computethe timeby the succession of lating the circumstancesof Lycurgus'slife,
the Spartankiogs,t place him much earlier we shall endeavour to selectsuchasare least
controverted, and follow authors of the great-
est credit.
* Thelife ofLycurgus
wasthefirstwhich Plutarch Simonides
the poet,tellsus,that Prytanis,
published,
ashehimselfobserves
in thelift of Theseus. not Eunomus, was father to .Lycurgus. But
He seems to have had a strong attachment to the
Spartans
andtheircustoms,
asXenophon
likewisemostwritersgiveusthegenealogy
of Lycurgus
had. For, besides
thislife, andthoseof severalother and Eunomus in a different manner; for, ac-
Spartan
chiefs,
wehaveatreatise
of hisonthe laws cordingto them,Souswasthesonof Patrocles,
and customsof theLacedaemonians,
andanother of and grandson
Lacouic Apophthegms. He makes Lycurgus in all
of Aristodemus,
Eurytionthe
tilings a perfect hero, and alleges his behaviour as a son of Sous, Prytanis of Eurytion, and Euno-
proof,thatthe wiseman,»ooftendescribed bythe mus of Prytanis;to this Eunomuswas bora
philosophers,
wasnotamereidealcharacterunattain-Polydectes,
hy a formerwife, andby a second,
ablebyhuman nature.It is certain,however,
that namedDianassa, Lycurgus.Eutychidas,how-
the encomiums bestowed uponhimandhislawsby ever,saysLycurguswasthesixthfromFatro-
the Delphic oracle,were merelya contrivancebetween
thePythoness
andhimself;
andsome
of hislaws,cles,andtheeleventh
fromHercules.The
for instancethat concerning the women, were eicep- most distinguished of his ancestorswas Sous,
ttonable. under whom the Lacedaemonians made the
f Iphitus,
kingof Elis,issaidtohaveinstituted,or Htlotes their slaves,tandgainedan extensive
ratherrestored
theOlympic games, onehundred and tract of land from the Arcadians. Of this
eight yearsbeforewnat iscommonlyreckonedthe first
Olympiad,which,commenced in theyearbeforeChrist Sousit is related,that, beingbesiegedby the
776,or,assome will haveit, 774,andborethe nameClitohansin a difficult postwhere therewas
of Corcebus,
as thefollowingOlympiads
did thoseof no water, he agreed to give up all his con-
othervictors.
Iphitus, beganwith offering a sacrifice to Hercules,
quests,
provided
thathimselfandall hisarmy
whom the Eleans believed to have been upon some shoulddrink of theneighbouring spring.Whe»
account eiasperated againstthem. He next ordered these conditions were sworn to, he assembled
theOlympic games, thediscontinuance of whichwas his forces,andofferedhis kingdomto the man
"aidto have
caused a pestilence,
to be proclaimed all that would forbeardrinking; not oneof them,
over Greece,with a promise of free admission to all
comers, and fixed the time for the celebration of them. however,woulddenyhimself,but theyall
He likewisetookuponhimselfto besolepresident
and edsomeshorttimeafterSolomon,
aboutDinehundred
judge of those games,a privilege which the Pisea.ni yean beforethe Christian jEra.
hadoftendisputedwith his predecessors, and which * This passage is in Xenophon'a excellent(realist
continuedto hisdescendants aslongas theregaldig- concerning
the republicof Sparta,from which Plu-
nity subsisted.After this, the peopleappointedtwo tarchhastakenthebestpartof this life.
presidents,
whichin timeincreased,
to ten,andat t TheHeloUs,
or Holes,
wereinhabitants
of Heloi,
length to lvff\\v. a maritime town of Laconia. The Lacedxmooianj
{ Strabosays,thatLycurg-us
thelawgivercertainly havin?conquered
andmadeslaves
of them,callednot
livedinthefirthgeneration
afterAllliemene*,
wholed onlythem,
butalltheotherslaves
theyhappened
to
acnjonyintoCrete.ThisAlthemencs wasthew>nof havi,bythenameof Helotet.It iscertain,
however,
Cn*.in.,
who r<>nii<)t
<IArpin,at the *am'-'imethai lhalHiedescendants
of the originalHeio«es,though
Da'r.«Mn.i,y'nrpu«"5ancestor in the fifth degree,
laid tlii-y werecxtivmr-lyill-trcatcd,andsonicof IhemM
e foumlati'n* nj' Sparta. Sothat Lycurgu*flourish- "auinaied.minutedmany<<-sin Laconia.
D
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

drank. Then Souswent down to the spring laid him down uponthe chair of sU.te,and
himself,and havingonly sprinkledhis facein namedhim Chanlaus,because of the joy and
sightof the enemy,he marchedoff, and etill admirationof his magnanimityandjusticetes-
held the country,becauseall had not drank. tified by all present. Thus thereignof Lycur-
Yet, though he was highly honouredfor this, guslastedonlyeight months. But the citizens
the family had not their name from him, but had a great veneration for him on other ac-
from his son, were called Eurytionidm ,"* and counts, and there were more that pain him
this, becauseEurytion seemsto be the first their attentions,andwerereadyto execute
his
who relaxed the strictness of kingly govern- commands,out of regard to his virtues, than
ment, inclining to the interest of the people, those that obeyed him as a guardian to the
and ingratiating himself with them. Upon king, and director of the administration. There
this relaxation, their encroachmentsincreased, were not, however, wanting those that envied
and the succeeding kings, either becoming him, and opposed his advancement, as too
odious, treating them with greater rigour, or high for so young a man; particularly the re-
elsegiving waythroughweaknessor in hopes lations andfriendsof the queen-mother, who
of favour, for a long time anarchyand con- seemedto have beentreatedwith contempt
fusion prevailedin Sparta; by which one of Her brother Leonidas, one day boldly at
its kings,the fatherof Lycurgus,lost his life. tackedhimwith virulentlanguage,
andscrupled
For while he was endeavouring to part some not to tell him, that he was well assured he
persons who were concerned in a fray, he re- would soon be king; thus preparingsuspicions,
ceived a wound by a kitchen knife, of which and matter of accusation against Lycurgus, in
he died, leaving the kingdom to his eldest son case any accident should befal the king. In-
Polydectes. sinuations of the same kind were likewise
But he too dying soon after, the general spreadby the queen-mother. Moved with this
Toice gave it for Lycurgus to ascend the ill treatment, and fearing some dark design,he
throne; andhe actuallydid so,till it appeareddeterminedto get clear of all suspicion,by
that his brother's widow was pregnant. As travelling into other countries, till his nephew
soon as he perceived this, he declared that the should be grown up, and have a son to succeed
kingdom belonged to her issue, provided it him in the kingdom.
were male, and he kept the administration in He set sail, therefore, and landed in Crete
his handsonly as his guardian. This he did There having observed the forms (if govern
with the title of Prodicos, which the Lacedae- ment, and conversedwith the most illustrious
monians give to the guardians of infant kings. personages,he was struck with admiration of
Soon after, the queen made him a private some of their laws,* and resolvedat his return
overture, that she would destroy her child, to make use of them in Sparta. Some others
uponconditionthat he wouldmarry herwhen he rejected. Amongthe friendshe gainedin
king of Sparta. Though he detested her Crete, was Thales,f with whom he had inter-
wickedness, he said nothing against the pro- est enough to persuadehim to go and settle at
posal, but pretending to approve it, charged Sparta. ThaJes was famed for his wisdom
tier not to take any drugs to procure an abor- and political abilities: he was withal a lyric
tion, lest she should endangerher own health poet, who under colour of exercising his art,
or life; for he would take care that the child, performed as great things asthe most excellent
as soon as born, should be destroyed. Thus lawgivers. For his odes were so many per-
he artfully drew on the woman to her full suasives to obedience and unanimity, as by
time, and, when he heard she was in labour, meansof melody and numbers they had great
he sent persons to attend and watch her de- grace and power, they softened insensibly the
livery, with orders, if it were a girl, to give it manners of the audience, drew them off from
to the women, but if a boy, to bring it to him, the animosities which then prevailed, and
in whatever business he might be engaged. united them in zeal for excellence and virtue.
It happened that he was at supper with the So that, in some measure,he prepared the way
magistrates whenshewasdeliveredof a boy, for Lycurgus towardsthe instructionof the
and his servants,who were present,carried Spartans. From Crete Lycurgus passedto
the child to him. When he receivedit, he is Asia, desirous,as is said, to comparethe
reported to havesaid to the company,Spar- Ionian}:expenseand luxury with the Cretan
fans, seehereyour new-bornking. He then
* The mostancientwriters, as Ephoriu. Callis-
* It maybeproperhereto givethereader
ashort thenes,
Aristotle,
SindPlato,areof opinion,
thatLy-
new of the regalgovernmentof Laceda?mon,
under curgusadoptedmftnythingsin theCretanpolity. But
the Herculeanline. The HeraclidaB.
havingdriven Polybiuswill haveit that theyare all mistaktn. "At
out Tisameoes,thesonof Orestes. Eurysthenes and Sparta," sayshe,in hissiiih book," thelands art
Proelts,thesonsof Aristodemus,
reignedin lhat king- equallydividedamongall the citizens;wealthis ban
dom. Underthemthe government took a newform, ished; thecrownishereditary; whereasin Cretethe
andinsteadof onesovereign, becamesubjectto two. contraryobtains." But this doesnot provethat Ly-
Thesetwo brothersdid not dividethe kingdombe- curgusmight notU.kesomegoodlawsandusages from
tweenthem,neitherdid theyafjreeto reignalternate-Crete,and leavewhat he thought defective.There
ly, but theyresolvedto governjointly, andwith equal is, indeed,sogreat a conformitybetween
the lawsof
powerana authority. What is surprisingH. that, Lycurgusand thoseof Minos,that we must believe
notwithstanding this mutualjealousy, this diarchy did with Strabo, that these were the foundation of the
not end with these two brothers, but continued under other.
* sucre.'sionof thirty princesof the line of Euryg- f This Thales,whowas a poetand musician,mmt
thi n«, and twenty-seven of that of Procli-s. Eury«- br distinguished
from Thalis the Milesian,whipwas
Ihen'*VIM*
locceeded
f'y his sonAgis,fromwhumnil nncof theseven
wisemen
of Greece.Thepoetlived
the descrndanlsof lhat linewereaurnamtd./iifn/irf,as two hundredandfifty yearsbeforeihe pliilnsi.pl,.T.
UK o'her lint took the nameof £urvf»0nu/<r, lrom | The lonianssenta colonyfrom Attita inln A*ii
Eurytioli, thegrandson of Procln,Patrocles,
or Pro- Minor, alxmtonethousand and fifty yearsbefort the
toeleY l''.iM-;i".*frab. ft M. ChriNtiaiivKra,andonehundredaud fifty beforeLT.
 LYCURGUS.

frugalityandharddiet,to a*tojudgewhatef- bymedicines,

it wasnecessary
to begina new
fect each bad on their severalmannersand regimen. With thesesentimentshe went to
government*
; just as physicianscompareDelphi,andwhenhehadoffered
and consult
bodiesthat are weak and sickly with the ed the god,*be returnedwith that celebrated
healthy
androbust. Therealso,probably,he oracle,in which tie priestesscalledhim,
metwith Homer'spoema,whichwerepre- Beloved of thegods,andrathera godthana
lervedby theposterityof Cleophylus.Ob- man. As to hisrequest thathe mightenact
servingthat manymoralsentences,and much goodlaws,shetold him, Apollohadheardhit
political knowledgewereintermixedwith his request,andpromisedthattheconstitution he
stories, which had an irresistible charm, he ehould establish would be the most excellent
collectedthemintr onebody,andtranscribedin the world. Thusencouraged, heappliedto
them with pleasure,in order to take them the nobility, and desired them to put their
homewith him. For his gloriouspoetrywas handsto the work; addressing himselfprivate-
notyet fully knownin Greece;onlysomepar- ly at first to his friends,and afterwards,by
ticular pieceswere in a few hands,asthey degrees,trying the dispositionof others, and
happened to be dispersed.Lycurguswasthe preparingthem to concur in the business.
first that madethemgenerallyknown. The When matterswereripe, heorderedthirty of
Egyptians likewise supposethat he visited the principal citizensto appeararmedin the
them; and as of all their institutions he wan market place by break of day, to strike terror
mostpleasedwith their distinguishing
themil into such as might desire to oppose him.
itary men from the rest of the people,* he Herroippus hasgiven us the namesof twenty ot
took the samemethodat Sparta,and,by sepa- the mosteminentof them;but he that hadthe
rating from these the mw.hanicBand artificers, greatest share in the whole enterprise, and
he rendered the constitution more noble and gave Lycurgus the best assistancein the estab-
moreof a piece. This assertion
of the Egyp- lishing of his laws, was called Anthmiades.
tians is confirmedby someof the Greek writers. Upon the first alarm, king Charilaus, appre-
But we knowof noone,exceptAristocrates,
hendingit to be a design
against
hisperson,
son of Hipparchus,and a Spartan,who has tookrefugein the Chalcioicos.f But he was
affirmed that he went to Libya and Spain, and soon satisfied, and accepted of their oath.
in his Indian excursions conversed with the Nay, so far from being obstinate, he joined in
Gymnosophistsj the undertaking. Indeed, he was so remarka-
The Lacedaemoniansfound the want of ble for the gentleness of his disposition, that
Lycurgus when absent,and sent many em- Archelaus, his partner in the throne, is report-
bassiesto entreat him to return. For they ed to have said to some that were praising the
perceived that their kings had barely the title young king, Yes, Charilaus is a good man to
and outward appendagesof royalty, but in besure, who eannotjind in his heart to punish
nothing else differed from the multitude ; the bad.' Among the many new institutions of
whereasLycurgus had abilities from nature to Lycurgus, the first and most important wai
guidethemeasures
of government,
andpowers that of usenate;whichsharing,asPlatosays^
of persuasion,that drew the hearts of men to
him. The kings, however, were consulted
about his return, and they hoped that in his * As Minos had persuaded the Cretans that hii
presencethey should experienceless insolence lawswere deliveredto him fromJupiter, BO,Lycur-
gus,hii imila'or, waswilling to makethe Spartans
amongst
the people. Returningthen to a city believe
thathe dideverythingby the directionol
thus disposed,he immediately applied himself Apollo. Otherlegislators
havefoundit very conve-
to alter the whole frame of the constitution; nientto propagate
anopinion,(hat their institution*
sensible
that a.partialchange,andtheintro- werefromthegods.Forthatself-love
inhuman
na-
ducing
ofsome
newlaws,would
beof nosort ture;
rioritywhich would
of genius but
that ill have
must borne
havebeenwith
thesupe-
acknowledged
of advantage;
but, as in the caseof a body in anunassisted
lawgiver,foundanease
andsatis-
diseasedand full of bad humours, whose tem- faction in admittinghis new regulations,
whenthey
peramentis to becorrectedandnew formed weresaidtocomefromheaven.
t That is, the brazen temvle. It was standing in
eurgas Andthoughtheymightnot b«greatlyde- thetimeof Pausanias,
wholivedin thereignof Mar
generated
in »oshorta time,yetourlawgiver
could cusAntonius.
judge of the effect which the climate and Asiatic J The passageto which Plutarch refers, is in Pla
*>leuty
haduponthem. to'i third bookof loan, wherehe isexamininginto
" The ancient Egyptians Vept not only the prints the causesof the downfall of states. An Athenian
tnd military men,whoconsisted chieflyof the nobil- is introduced thus speakingto a Lacedaemonian.
ity, distinctfromthe restof thepeople; buttheother " Somegod, I believe,in hia carefor your state,and
employ menu, viz.thoseof herdsmen,
shepherds,
mer- inhis foresight of whatwouldhappen,hasgivenyou
chants,interpreters,
andseamen,descended
in partic- twoking*ofthesamefamily7 in orderthatreigning
ulartribesfromfathertoson. jointly,theymightgovern
withthemore moderation,
f Indianpriests andphilosopher!
whowentalmostandSparta experience
thegreatertranquillity.After
naked,andlivedin woods.The Bfochmans were this,whentheregalauthoritywasgrownagaintoo
oneof theirsects.Theyhadagreataversion
to idle- absolute andimperious,
a divinespirit re-idine in
ness. Apuleiustells us, every pupil of theirs was a humannature(». t. Lycurgns)reducedit witliin
obliged
to giveaccount
everyday
ofsome
goodhehad theboundsof equityandmoderation,
by Diewise
done,eitherby meditationor action,beforehewa5ad- provisionof a senate,whoseauthority wasto be
mitted to sit down to dinner. So thoroughlyvvere equal to that of the kings." Aristotlefinds lault
theypersuaded of the transmigration
of thesoul, and with this circumstance
in the institution of the
" happyonefor themselves, that theyusedto commit senate,that the senatorswere to continue for
themselves
to theflames,
when theyhadlivedtosatiety,life; for, ai themindgrowsoldwith theboJy,he
or wereapprehensive of anymisfortune.Butwearc thoughtit unreasonable to pot the fortunes
of th«
afraidit wasvanitythatinduced oneofthemto burn citizens intothe powerof meuwho,through age
himselfbefore Aletander theGreat,andanother
U> do mightbecome incapable
of judging. He GkewiM
ll.etamebefore Augustus Ce«r. thoughtit very unreuoubleth»t tifj wwt sot
32 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

in thepowerof thekings,too imperious

and law,thesenate
and chiefsshallretire: the}
unrestrainedbefore, and having equal authority is, they shall dissolvethe assembly,and anno.
with them, was the meansof keeping them the alterations. And they found means to
within the boundsof moderation,and highly persuadethe Spartansthat thistoo wasorder-
contributedto the preservation
of the state. ed by Apollo; as we leam from theseverses
For beforeit hadbeenveeringandunsettled,ofTyrtasus:
sometimes inclining to arbitrary power, ana
sometimes
towards
a puredemocracy
; but Yesons
Your ofSparta,
humble who
TOWS atPhoebus'
prefer, shrine
attentivehear
this establishment of a senate, an intermedi- The god's decision. 0>r your beauteouslandf
ate body,like ballast,kept it in ajustequilibri- Twoguardian
kings,asenate,
andthevoice
um, and put it in a safe posture: the twenty- Of theconcurringpeople,lastinglaws
eightsenators
adheringto the kings,when- Shallwithjointpower
establish.
evertheysawthepeople
tooencroaching,
and, Though thegovernment
wasthustempereu
ontheotherhand,supporting
thepeople,whenby Lycurgus, yet soonafterit degenerate
thekingsattemptedto makethemselvesab- intoanoligarchy,
whosepower wasexercised
tolute. This,according
toAristotle,
wasthe with suchwantonness andviolence,thatit
number of Senatorsfixed upon, becausetwo of wanted indeed a bridle, as Plato expressesit.
thethirtyassociates
of Lycurgus
deserted
the This curbtheyfoundin theauthority
of the
business
throughfear ButSphaerustellsusEphori,'about a hundred andthirtyyean
therewereonlytwenty-eight
atfirstentrustedafterLycurgus.Elatuswasthefirstinvested
withthedesign.Something,
perhaps,thereia withthisdignity,
inthereign
ofTheopompu
in itsbeingaperfectnumber, formed ofsevenwho,whenhis wifeupbraided him,thatbe
multipliedbyfour,andwithalthefirstnumber,wouldleavetheregalpowerto hischildren
aftersix,thatis equalto all itsparts.ButI lessthanhereceived it, replied,JVoj/,but
ratherthink,justsomanysenators werecre-greater, because morelasting. And,infact,
ated,thattogether with thetwokings,the theprerogative, sostripped of allextravagan
whole bodymightconsist of thirtymembers.pretensions, no longeroccasioned either
He hadthisinstitution so muchatheart,envyor danger to its possessors. Bythese
that he obtainedfrom Delphi an oraclein its means they escapedthe miseries which befel
behalf,calledrhetra,orthedecree.Thiswasthe Messenian andArgivekings,whowould
couched
inveryancientanduncommon
terms,not in the leastrelax the severityof their
which interpreted, ran thus: When you have power in favour of the people. Indeed, from
builta temple
to theSyllanianJupiter,and nothing
moredoes
thewisdomandforesight
of
the SyllanianMinerva,*dividedthepeopleLycurgusappear,thanfromthe disorderly
into tribesand classes,
and established
a se- governments,
andthebad understanding
that
nate of thirty persons,including thetwo subsisted
betweenthe kings andpeopleof
kings,you shalloccasionally summon the Messena
andArgos,neighbouringstates,and
peopleto an assembly bettreen Babyceand relatedin bloodto Sparta. For, as at first
Cnacion, and theyshallhavethedetermin-theywerein all respects equalto her,and
ing voice. BabyceandCnacion arenowpossessed
called Oenus. But Aristotle thinks, by Cna-
of a bettercountry,
andyetprs
cionis meantthe river,andby Babyce
the * Herodotus,
(1.i. c. 65.)andXenophon,
(Dt
bridge. Betweenthesethey held their as- Repub.
Lac.)tell us,theEphoriwere
appointed
bi
semblies, having neither halls, nor any kind of Lycurgushimself. But the accountwhich Plularcn
building for that purpose. These things he givesus fromAristotle,(Polit.1.T.) andothers,
ol
thoughtof noadvantage
to theircouncils,
but theirbeing
instituted
longafter,seems
moreagreea-
rather a dis-service; as they distracted the at- ble to reason. For it is not likely, that Lycurgui,
who in all things endeavoured to supportthearis-
tention,andturnedit upontrifles,on observ-tocracy,
andleftthepeople
onlytherightof assent-
ing the statuesand pictures, the splendidroofs, ing or dissentingto what was proposedto them,
and ever)'othertheatricalornament.The peo- wouldappoint
a Kindof tribones
of lh«people,
to in
ple thus assembled had no right to proposeany matters as it were both of the kings and the senate
subject of debate, and were only authorised to Some, indeed, suppose the Ephori, to hare beenat
first the king'sfriends,to whomtheydelegated their
ratifyorrejectwhatmightbeproposed
to them authority,
whentheywere
obliged
tobeinthefield.
by the senateand the kings. But because,in But it isvery clearthat theywereelectedby thepeo-
processof time, the people,by additionsor re- pleoutof theirownbody,andsometimes
out of the
trenchments,
changed
theterms,
andperverted
verydregs
ofit; fortheboldest
citizen,
whoever
he
thesense
of thedecrees,
thekings
Po)ydx>rus
was,
which was
wasmost likely
intended asto bechosen
a check on the to this
senate office,
and the
and Theopompus
insertedin therhetrathis kings.Theywerefiveinnumber,
liketheQm'iiyue
clause.If the peopleattempt to corrupt any rtr»in therepublic of Carthage.Theywereannual
ly elected,
and,in orderto effectanywing,theunan
imousvoiceof the collegewasrequisite. Their an
"ade accountable
for theiractions.Butforthelatter thority,though welldesignedat first,came
to beini
inconvenience sufficientprovisionseems
to harebeen mannerboundless.They presidedin popularasstm
mfcdeafterwards,by the institution of the Ephori, blies, collectedtheir suffrages,declaredwar, "madf
who had it chiefly in chargeto defendthe rights of peace,treatedwith foreign princes,determined th*
the people; andthereforePlatoadds," A third bles- numberof forcesto beraised,appointedthe fundstc
"ine to r?parlawasthe prince,who findingthepower maintainthem, and distributedrewardsandp'inish.
OfThe
senate
andthr kingstooarbitrary
anduncon-menuin thename
of thestale.Theylikewise
held
trolled, contrivedtlie authority of the Ephori asa a court of justice, inquiredinto the conductof all
restraint upon it," &c. magistrates, inspectedinto the behaviour and educa
" Annoaccountcanbegivenof the meaningof the lion of ynuth,had a particularjurisdictionover thi
word Syllaniun, it is supposedit shouldbe either Helotes,and in short, by decrees,drew the whole
read SelUaian,from Sclla.-ia,a town of Lacouia adminiitrationiulo their hands. They evenwentM
uponHieEurolas; or elseHellanitm, as muchas to far asto put king Agisto deathunder a form of joi-
ray, the 'Jrr/>i»u Juuitcr, Sic. uce. and were themselvesat hut killed bj CleoBue*
 LYCURGUS. 33

served
nolastinghappiness,
butthrough
the of thegoldandtulver
coin,andordered
tliat
insolence
of thekings
anddisobedience
of the theyshouldmakeuseof ironmoney only:
people,
wereharassed
withperpetual
troubles,
thentoagreat
quantity
andweight
oftliishe
theymade it veryevident,
thatit wasreallya assigned
buta emailvalue; sothattolayup
felicitymorethanhuman, a blessingfromtenminx* awholeroomwasrequired, andto
heavento the Spartans,
to havea legislatoiremove
it, nothinglessthana yokeof oxen.
whoknewso well howto frameandtemperWhenthisbecame current,manykindsof in-
theirgovernment.*
Butthiswasaneventof justiceceased
in Lacedxmon.
Whowould
a laterdate. atealor take a bribe,who would defraudor
A second
andbolderpoliticalenterprise
of rob,whenhe couldnot concealthebooty;
Lycurgus,
wasa newdivision
of the lands.whenhecouldneither
bedignified
bythepos-
For hefounda prodigious
inequality,
thecity session
of it, nor if cut in piecesbeservedby
overcharged
withmanyindigentpersons,who its use?For wearetoldthat whenhot,they
had no land,andthe wealthcentredin the quenched it in vinegar,to makeit brittleand
handsof a few. Determined,therefore,to unmalleable, and consequentlyunfit for any
root out the evils Of insolence,envy,avarice, other service. In the nextplace,he excluded
andluxury,andthosedistempers
of a state unprofitable
and^superfluous
arts: indeed,
if he
still moreinveterateandfatal, I meanpoverty hadnot done thus,most of them wouldhave
andriches,he persuadedthem to cancel all fallen of themselves, when the new money
former divisionsof land, and to make new took place,as the manufactures could not be
ones,in sucha mannerthat theymightbeper- disposedof. Their iron coin wouldnot pass
fectlyequalin their possessions
andwayof in the rest of Greece,
but wasridiculedand
living. Hence,if theywereambitious
of dis- despised
; sothattheSpartans
had no means
tinction they might seekit in virtue, as no of purchasingany foreign or curiouswares;
other differencewasleft betweenthembut that nor did any merchant-ship
unladein their har-
which arises from the dishonour of base ac- bours. There were not even to be found in
tionsand the praiseof goodones. His pro- all their country either sophists,wandering
posalwasput in practice.He madenine fortune-tellers,
keepers
of infamous
houses,
or
thousandlotsfor the territory of Sparta,which dealersin gold andsilver trinkets, because
he distributed amongso many citizens, and there wasno money. Thus luxury, losingby
thirty thousandfor the inhabitantsof the rest degreesthe meansthat cherishedandsupport-
of Laconia. But somesayhe made only six ed it, died awayof itself: eventheywho had
thousandsharesfor the city, and that Polydo- great possessions, had no advantagefrom them
rus added three thousand afterwards j others. since they could not be displayedin public, bul
that Polydorusdoubledthe numberappointedmust lie useless,in unregardedrepositories.
by Lycurgus,which were only four thousandHenceit was,that excellentworkmanshipwas
five hundred. Each lot was capable of pro- shewn in their useful and necessaryfurniture,
ducing(oneyearwith another)seventybushelsas beds,chairs,and tables; andthe Lacede-
of grainfat sach man,f and twelve for each moniancup called cothon,as Critias informs
woman,
besides
a quantityof wine andoil in us, was highlyvalued,particularlyin cam-
proportion. Such a provisionthey thought paigns;for the water, whichmustthenof ne-
sufficient for health and a good habit of body, cessity be drank, though it would often other-
andtheywantednothingmore. A storygoeswiseoffendthesight,had its mujdmess
con-
of our legislator,that sometime after return- cealedby the colourof the cup,and the thick
ing from a journey through the fields just part stopping at the shelving brim, it came
reaped,and seeingthe shocksstandingparal- clearerto the lips. Of theseimprovements
the
lel and equal, he smiled and said to some that lawgiver was the cause; for the workmen
were by, How like is Laconia to an estate having no more employment in matters of
newly divided amongmany brothers! merecuriosity,shewedthe excellenceof their
After this he attempted to divide also the art in necessarythings.
moveables,-in
orderto take away all appear- Deiirousto completethe conquest
of luxury,
ance of inequality ; but he soonperceived that and exterminate the love of riches, he intro-
theycouldnot bearto havetheir goodsdirect- duced a third institution, which was wisely
ly taken from them, and therefore took an- enough and ingeniously contrived. This wa§
othermethod,counterworkingtheir avariceby the use of jjublic tables,twhere all were to
» stratagem
4 First he stoppedthe currency
judged that h« wastoo desirousof gain, since his,
*Whatever Plutarch mightmean byT«UT» pt«,v mindwasemployed in getting,
atanagewhen other)
«cip:>,
it is certainthatkinglypower
wasabolished
in thinkof nothing
butspending.
thestatesorMessene andArgos longbefore
thetime ButwhentheSpartans, nolongersatisfied
with
of Lycurgus thelawgiver, anda democracy
hadtakentheirownterritories,
(asLycurgushadenjoinedthem
placeinthose cities.Indeed those
states
experienced
tobe)came
tobeengaged in foreign
wars,theirmon«r
greatinternaltroubles,notonlywhileunderthegov-notbeingpassable
inothercountries,
theyfoundthem-
ernment ofkings, butwhen intheformofcommon- selves
obliged
loapply tothePersians,
whose
gold and
ly althsandnever, afterthetimeofLycurgus,
my figure equalto Lacedxmon.
madesilverdazzledtheir eyes,Andtheircovctoiiine«»
f By a manis meant of a family,whosegrew
a master at length
soinfamous,
verbmentioned
thatit occasioned
thepro-
byPlato,Onemo-seca.greatdealof
household
wastosubsist
uponthese
seventy
bushels.money
carried
Mo LaceiioTrum.'kui
onenever
ie.e»
} For a longtimeaflerLycurgus,
theSpartans
glo- anyof it Inuthl outagain,
riouslyopposed thegrowthofavarice;
insomuch,
that "Ol.5s. IDAsterling
ayoungman,whohadboughtanestate ata greatad- fXenophon seems to havepenetrated
fartheruit
rantagc,
wascalledto account
forit, anda fineset thereason
of tinsinstitution
thananyotherauthor
uponhim. For,besides
them.juslice
hewasguilty
anj or
of u indeed
hehadbelteropportunity lo do:thereit
i buying
athing
for)euthant was
worth
" U»ey
only
say,
Uiat
thiswas
intended
torepress
luxury;
till
34 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
eat in common
of the samemeat,and §uch commanded.
Livingin thismannerwithLy.
kindsof it uswereappo'nted
bylaw. At the curgus,
andhaving
anopportunity
to observe
sametimetheywereforbidden
to eatat home,themildness
andgoodneas
of his heart,his
on expensivecouchesand tables,to call in strict temperanceandindefatigableindustry,
the assistanceof butchersand cooks, or to hetold Innfriendsthat Lycurgus wasnot that
fatten like voracious animals in private. For proud and severe man he might have been
BOnot only their mannerswould be corrupted, takenfor, but, aboveall others,gentleanden-
but their bodiesdisordered; abandonedto all gagingin bis behaviour. This, then, waa the
manner of sensualityand dissoluteness, they chastisement, andthispunishment he suffered,
would requirelong sleep,warmbaths,andthe of a wild andheadstrong youngmanto become
sameindulgenceas in perpetualsickness.To avery modestandprudentcitizen. In memo-
effectthis wascertainlyverygreaj; but it was ry of his misfortune,Lycurgua built a temple
greaterstill, to securerichesfrom rapineand to Minerva Optiletit, so called by him from
from envy, as Theophrastusexpresses it, or a term which theDoriansusefor the eye.Yet
rather by their eatingin common,andby the Dioscorides, who wrote atreatise concerning
frugalityof their table,to takefrom richestheir the Lacedxmoniangovernment,and others,
very being. For what use or enjoymentof relate,that his eyewashurt, but not put out,
them, what peculiar display of magnificence and that he built the temple in gratitude to the
could there be, where the poor man went to goddess for his cure. However, the Spartan*
the same refreshment with the rich? Hence never carried staves to their assemblies after
the observation, that it was only at Sparta wards.
wherePlutus (accordingto the proverb) was The public repastswere calledby the Cre-
kept blind, and, like an image, destitute of life tans Jlndria; but the Lacedaemoniansstyled
or motion. It must further be observed, that them Pliiditia, either from their tendency to
they had not the privilege to eat at home, and friendship and mutual benevolence,phiditia
so to comewithout appetiteto the public re- beingused insteadof philitia ; or else from
past: theymadeapoint of it to observeanyone their teachingfrugality andparsimony,which
that did not eat and drink with them, and to the word pheido signifies. But it is not at all
reproach him as an intemperate and effeminate impossible, that the first letter might by some
person that was sick of the common diet. means or other be added, and sophiditia take
The rich, therefore,(wearetold) weremore placeof editia, which barely signifieseating.
offendtd with this regulation than with any There were fifteen personsto a table, or a few
other, and, rising in a body,they loudly ex- more or less." Each of them wasobligedto
pressedtheir indignation: nay, they proceeded, bring in monthly a bushel of meal, eight gal-
BOfar as to assault Lycurgus with stones, so lons of wine, five poundsof cheese,twopoundf
that hewasforcedto fly from theassemblyand anda half of figs, and a little moneyto buy
take refuge in a temple. Unhappily, however, flesh and fish. If any of them happenedto of-
before he reached it, a young man named Al- fer a sacrifice of first fruits, or to kill venison,
cander,hasty in his resentments,
though not he senta part of it to the publictable:for after
otherwise ill-tempered, came up with him, and, a sacrifice or hunting, he was at liberty to sup
uponnis turning round, struck out oneof his at home: but the rest were to appearat the
eyeswith a stick. Lycurgus then stopped usual place. For a long time this eatingin
short, and, without giving way to passion, common was observed with great exactness;
showed thetpeople his eye beat out, and his so that when king Agis returned from a suc-
face streamingwith blood. They were so cessfulexpeditionagainstthe Athenians,and
struckwith shameandsorrowat the sight,that from a desire to supwith bis wife, requested
they surrendered Alcander to him, and con- to have his portion at home,* the Pole.ma.rch*
ducted him home with the utmost expressions refused to send it rf nay, when through resent-
of regret. Lycurgus thanked them for their ment, he neglected, the day following, to offer
care of his person, and dismissed them all ex- the sacrifice usual on occasion of victory, they
cept Alcander. He took him into his house, set a fine uponhim. Children alsowerein-
but showed him no ill treatment either by troduced at these public tables, as so many
word or action; only ordering him to wait upon schools of sobriety. There they hi-anl dia
him, instead of his usual servants and atten- coursesconcerning government, and v.ir. in-
dants. The youth, who wag of an ingenuous structed in the most liberal breeding. There
disposition,without murmuring, did aahe was they were allowed to jest without scmn'uiy,
and were not to take it ill when tl.c ntn.Vry
was returned. For it teas reckoned uurtlnj ojf
he very wisely remarks, that it wai also intended to a Lacedaemonian
to bear a jest: but n ;u>y
"erre for a kind or school or academy, where the
youngwereinstructedby the old,the formerrelating one's patience failed, he had only to Oi-sire
thegreatthings
thathadbeen
performed
withintheir themto bequiet,andtheyleft off immediately.
memory, andthereby
eicitingtnegrowing
generationWhen theyfirst entered,the o'dcstman [ire-
todistinguish
themselves
byperformances
equally
great. sent pointed to the door, and said, .\l/( a
But as it was found impracticable for all the citizen!
to cat in common, when the number of them cameto * The kings of Sparta had always double commons
ex-HT1thenumberof the lotsof laud,Dacier thinks allowedthem;not that thevwtre permilltd to in-
it migftt havebeenbetterif thelawgiverhadordained dulgetheir appetites
more thanothers,but that they
that thosepublictablesshouldbe maintainedat the mignt have anopportunityof sharingtlteir poruoi
expeose
of thepublic,asit wasdonein Crete. Butit withsome
bravemanwhomtheychose
to dutinguiik
must be considered,that while the discipline of Lycur- with that honour.
guswaskept upin iIs purity, they provided against t The Polfmarcfa were those whi had com
»DTincomenif nee from the increaseof citizens,by mandedthe army under the kings. The jirinci
sendingoutcolonies,andLacedttmon wasnot tmrdtu- pal men m the sUte always divided tbe com
"d with pooruU thedeclension of that sute. mon*.
 LYCURGUS.

wordspokenin this companygoesoutthere. room,thecovcuetof thebedand therestof

Theadmitting
of anymanto a particular
table theirutensils
au**furniture
to that. Fromthi*
was under the following regulation. Each plain sort of dwellings,proceededthe ques-
memberof thatemailsocietytook a little ball tion of Leotychldasthe elderto his host,when
of soft breadin his hand. This he was to be suppedat Corinth, and sawthe ceiling of
drop,withoutsayinga word,into a vesseltheroomverysplendid
andcuriously
wrought,
called cadilos,which the waitercarriedupon tfnether treesgrew squarein his country.*
hishead. In casehe approved
of thecandi- A thirdordinance
of Lycurgus
was,thatthey
date,hedidit withoutalteringthe figure,if not, shouldnot often makewar againstthe same
he first pressedit flat in his hand;for a flatted enemy,lest, by beingfrequentlyput uponde-
ball wasconsidered asa negative. And if but fending themselves,theytoo should become
one suchwas found,the personwasnot ad- able warriors in their turn. And this they
mitted,astheythoughtit properthatthe whole most blamedking Agesilauefor afterwards,
tDmpanyshouldbe satisfiedwith each other. that by frequentandcontinuedincursionsinto
He who wasthus rejected,wassaid to have Boeotia,the taughtthe Thebansto makehead
no luck in the caddos. The dishthat wasin againstthe Lacedaemonians. This madeAn-
the highest esteemamongstthem was the talcidassay,when he sawhim wounded,Tht
black broth. The old men were so fond of it Thebanspay you well far making them good
that theyrangedthemselves on one side and soldiersu>honeitherwerewilling nor ableto
eat it, leaving the meatto the young people. Jight you before. Theseordinanceshecalled
It is related of a king of Pontus,* that he pur- Rhetrx, as if they had been oracles and der
chaseda Lacedaemoniancook, for the sakeof crees of the Deity himself.
this broth. But whenhecameto tasteit, he As for the educationof youth, which he
stronglyexpressed his dislike; and the cook lookeduponas the greatestand mostglorious
made answer, Sir, to make this broth relish, work of a lawgiver, he beganwith it at the very
it is necessaryfirst to bathe in the Eurotas. source, taking into consideration their concep-
After theyhad drank moderately,theywent tion and birth, by regulating the marriages.
bornewithout lights. Indeed,theywere for- For he did not (as Aristotlesays)desistfrom
b.dden to walk with a light either on this or his attempt to bring the women under sober
any otheroccasion,that theymight accustomrules Theyhad,indeed,assumed greatliberty
themselvesto marchin the darkestnight bold- andpoweron accountof the frequentexpedi-
ly and resolutely. Such was the order of their tions of their husbands,during which they were
public repasts. left solemistresses
at home,and so gainedan
Lycurgusleft noneof his laws in writing; it unduedeferenceand impropertitles; but not-
was ordered in one of the Rhetrx that none withstanding this he took all possible care of
should be written. For what he thought most them. He ordered the virgins to eiercise them-
conducive to the virtue and happiness of a selves in running, wrestling, and throwing
city, wa? principles interwoven with the man- quoits and darts; that their bodies being strong
ners aud breeding of the people. These and vigorous, the children afterwards produced
would remain immoveable,as founded in in- from them might be the same;and that, thus
clination, and be the strongest and most last- fortified by eiercise, they might the better sup-
ing tie; andthe habitswhich educationpro- port the pangsof child-birth,andbedelivered
ducedin the youth,would answerin eachthe with safety. In orderto take awaj the excea-
purpose of a lawgiver. As for smaller mat- sive tendernessand delicacyof the sex, the con-
ters, contracts about property, and whatever sequenceof a recluse life, he accustomedthe
occasionally varied, it was better not to reduce virgins occasionally to be seennaked aswell as
these to a written form and unalterable me- the young men, and to dance and sing in their
thod, but to suffer them to change with the presence on certain festivals. There they
times, and to admit of additions or retrench- sometimes indulged in a little raillery upon
ments at the pleasure of personsso well edu- those that had mis-behaved themselves, and
cated. For he resolved the whole businessof sometimes they sung encomiums on such as
legislationinto the bringingup of youth. And deserved
them,thusexcitingin the youngmea
this, as we have observed, was the reason a useful emulation and love of glory. For he
«vhyoneof his ordinancesforbadthemto lave whowu praisedfor his braveryandcelebrated
any written laws. amongthe virgins,went awayperfectlyhappy:
Anotherordinancelevelledagainstmagnifi- while their satirical glancesthrown out in
cenceand expence, directedthat the ceilings sport,wereno lesscuttingthanseriousadmon
of housesshouldbewroughtwith no tool but itions; especially asthe kingsandsenatewent
the axe, and the doorswith nothing but the with the othercitizensto seeall that passed
saw. For, asEpaminondas is reportedto have As for the virginsappearingnaked,therewas
"aidafterwards,
of histable,Treason
lurksnot nothingdisgraceful
in it, because
everything
under such a dinner, so Lycurgus perceived was conducted with modesty, and without one
beforehim, that such a houseadmits of no indecentwordor action. Nayit causeda sim-
luiury and needlesssplendour. Indeed,no plicity of mannersandanemulationfor the beet
mancouldbe so absurd,as to bringinto a habitof body;their ideastoo werenaturally
dwelling
sohomely
andsimple,
bedsteads
with * This
isrendered
bythe
former
English
translator
silverfeet,purple
coverlets,
golden
cups,
andasif Leotychidas's
Question
proceeded
from
ignorance*
a train of expense
that followsthese:butall whereas
it wasreally
anarchsneer
upon
lliesumpt*
would necessarily have the bed suitable to the ousandeipensivcbuildincsof Corinth.
t This appearedplainfyat the battleof Leuctra
* Thisstorya elsewhere
toldbyPlutarch
of Dio- where
theLacedaemonians
wereoverthrow
nbvEpanw
nysiusihc tyrantof Sicily:andCicerocoufirmjit, inpndai,
audlosttheir king CleombroUw.
thatbewastheperson. withtheflowerof (heirarmy.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

enlarged,whils they were not excludedfrom a properregardto modestyanddecorumwith

their shareof braveryandhonour: Hencethey respectto marriage,he was equallystudiouj
"werefurnished with sentiments and language, to drive from that state the vain and womaninh
suchas Gorgothe wifeof Leonidasis saidto passionof jealousy;by makingit quite asrepu-
have made useof. When a woman of another table to have children in common with persons
country said to her, You of Laccdxmon are of merit, as to avoid all offensivefreedomin
the only women in tlie world that rule the their own behaviourto their wives. He laughed
men: she answered, We are the only women at thosewho revengewith wars and bloodshed
that bring forth men- the communicationof a married wonAn's fa-
Thesepublicdancesand other exercises of vours; and allowed,that if a man in yeari
"theyoungmaidens naked,in sightof vheyoung shouldhavea young-wife,he might introduce
men,were,moreover,incentivesto marriage: to her somehandsome andhonestyoungman,
and, to use Plato's expression,drew them whomhe mostapprovedof, andwhenshehad
almostasnecessarily by the attractionsof love, a child of this generous
race,bringit up ashi*
as a geometricalconclusionfollows from the own. On the otherhand,he allowed,thatif a
premises. To encourageit still more,some manof charactershouldentertaina passion for
marksof infamywere setuponthosethat con- a marriedwomanon accountof her modesty
tinued bachelors.* For they were not per- andthe beautyof her children,hemighttreat
mitted to see these exercises of the naked vir- with her husband for admission to her com-
gins; andthe magistrates
commanded
themto pany,*that eoplantingin a beauty-bearing
soilj
march naked round the market-place in the he might produce excellent children, the con-
winter, and to sing a song composedagainst genialoffspringof excellentpatents. For, ia
themselves,which expressedhow justly they the first place,Lycurgus consideredchildren,
were punishedfor their disobedience to the not so much the propertyof their parents,
ai
laws. They were also deprived of that honour of the state; and therefore he would not have
andrespectwhichthe youngerpeoplepaidto thembegotby ordinarypersons,
but by thebest
the old; so that nobody found fault with what men in it. In the next place, he observedthe
was said to Dercyllidas, though an eminent vanity and absurdity of other nations, where
commander.It seems,whenhecameoneday peoplestudyto havetheir horsesanddogsof
into company,a youngman, insteadof rising the finestbreedthey canprocureeither by in-
up and giving place, told him. You have no terest or money; and yet keep their wives shut
child to give place to me,when I j.m old. up, that they mayhave children by nonebut
In their marriages, the bridegroom carried themselves, though they may happen to b»
off the bride by violence; and she was never doting,decrepid,or infirm. As if children, when
chosenin a tender age,but when shehadar- sprungfroma badslock,andconsequently
good
rived at full maturity. Then the woman that for nothing, were no detriment to thosewhom
had the direction of the wedding, cut the they belong to, and who have the trouble of
bride's hair close to the skin, dressed her in bringing themup, nor anyadvantage,whenwell
man's clothes, laid her upon a mattrass, and descendedandof a generousdisposition. These
left herin the dark. The bridegroom,neither regulationstending to securea healthyoff-
oppressed with wine nor enervated with lux- spring, and consequentlybeneficial to the state,
ury, but perfectly sober, as having always sup- were so far from encouraging that licentious-
ped at the common table, went in privately, nessof the women which prevailed afterwards,
untied her girdle, and carried her to another that adultery was not known amongatthem. A
bed. Having staid there a short time, he saying, upon this subject, of Geradas,an an-
modestly retired to his usualapartment, to sleep cient Spartan, is thus related. A strangerhad
with the otheryoung men; andobservedthe askedhim, What punishmenttheir law ap-
gameconductafterwards, spending thedaywith pointed fvr adulterers? He answered, JUy
his companions,andreposinghimselfwith them friend, therearenoadulterert mour country
in the night, nor even visiting his bride but The otherreplied,But what if thereshouldbe
with greatcautionandapprehensions of being one? Why then, saysGeradas,hemustfor-
discoveredby the restof the family; the bride feit a bull so largethat hemight drink of the
at thesametime exertedall herart to contrive Eurotasfrom the top of Mount Taygetui.
convenient opportunities
for their privatemeet- When the strangerexpressedhis surpriseat
ings. And this theydid not for a shorttime this, andsaid,How tan sucha bull btfoundj
only, but someof themevenhad childrenbe- Geradasansweredwith a smile,How can art
fore they had an interview with their wives in adulterer be found in Sparta? This is the
theday time. This kind of commerce
not only accountwe haveof their marriages.
exercised their temperance and chastity, but It was not left to the father to rear what chil-
kepttheirbodies
fruitful,andthefiretardour
of drenhepleased
buthewasobligedtocarrythe
Vaeirlove freshandunabated;for as theywere child to a placecalledLesehe,to beexamined
not satiatedlike thosethat are alwayswith bythe mostancientmenof the tribe,whowere
their wives,there still was place for unextin- assembled
there. If it was strong and well
guisheddesire. Whenhehadthusestablishedproportioned, theygaveordersfor its education.
and assigned it one of the nine thousand
* The time of marriage waj fixed; and if a man did
Dot marry when he was of full age, he was liable to asharesof land;but if it wasweaklyandde-
prosecution; asweresuch alsowhomarried above or formed,theyorderedit to be thrownintothe
'oelow themselves. Suchashadthreechildren had placecalledJipothctee,
whichisa deepcavern
rreatimmunities; andthose thaihadfourwerefreenearthe mountain Taygetus;concluding thai
from all taies.Virginsweremarried withoutpor- its lifecouldbe no advantage eitherto itself
tions, becauseneither want should hinder a man, nor
aichctinduce
him,to marrycontrary
lo his mclma- * In thisCMIIhekingsttfrt excepled:
for UMV
were oot at liberty to lend (heir irnts.
 LYCURGUS.

ortothepublic, since
nature
hadnotgiven
it bsolutely
necessary.
All therestof their
it firstanystrength
orgoodness
of constitu-
iducation
wascalculated
to make themsub-
tion.*For thesamereason
thewomen
didnot ectto command,
to endure
labour,tofightand
washtheirnew-borninfantswithwater,but Conquer. Theyadded, therefore,
to theirdii-
withwine,thusmakingsome trialoftheirha-cipline,
astheyadvanced in age;cutting
their
bitofbody;imagining
thatsicklyandepileptichairveryclose,
making themgobarefoot, and
children
sinkanddieundertheexperiment, play,forthemostpart,quitenaked.At twelve
whilehealthy
became
morevigorousandhar- -earsof age,their undergarmentwastaken
dy. Great
careandartwasalsoexerted
by away,
andbutoneupper
onea yearallowed
thenurses;for,astheyneverswathed thein- them. Hencethey-werenecessarily dirtyin
fants,theirlimbshad a freerturn,and their theirpersons,andnotindulged thegreatfavour
countenances a moreliberalair; besides,
they of baths,and oils,excepton someparticular
usedthemto anysortof meat,to havenoter- daysof the year. Theysleptin companies,
rorsin thedark,norto beafraidof beingalone,onbedsmadeof thetopsof reeds,whichthey
andto leaveall ill humourandunmanlycrying. ;atheredwiththeii own hands,without knives,
Hencepeople'of
cedsmonian
othercountries purchased La-_!ndbrought fromthebanks oftheEurotas.
nursesfor their children:andAl- n winter they werepermittedto add a little
cibiadesthe Athenian is said to have been histle-down,as that seemedto have some
nursedby Amicla,a Spartan. But if hewas warmthin it.
fortunate in a nurse,he was not so in a pre- At this age,the mostdistinguished
amongst
ceptor:for Zopyrus,appointed
to thatoffice hembecame
thefavouritecompanions
of the
by Pericles,was,as Platotells us, no better :lder;»and the old men attendedmore con-
qualifiedthana commonslave. The Spartan stantlytheir placesof exercise, observing
their
children were not in that manner, under tutors rials of strength and wit, not slightly and in a
purchasedor hiredwith money,nor werethe cursorymanner,but as their fathers,guardians,
parentsat libertyto educatethemas they andgovernors:
so thattherewasneithertime
pleased:butassoonastheyweresevenyearsnor place,wherepersonswerewantingto in-
old, Lycurgus orderedthemto beenrolledin structandchastisethem. Oneof the bestand
companies, wheretheywereall kept underthe ablestmenof the city was,moreover,
appointed
sameorderanddiscipline,andhad their exer- nspectorof the youth: and he gavethe com-
cises and recreationsin common. He who mandof eachcompanyto the discreetestand
shewedthemostconductandcourageamongstmostspiritedof thosecalled Jrens. An Iren
them,wasmadecaptainof the company.The wasone that had beentwo yearsout of the
rest kept their eyes upon him, obeyedhis classof boys:aMtlliren oneof the oldestlads.
orders,andborewith patiencethe punishmentThis Iren, then,a youthtwentyyearsold,gives
he inflicted: so that their whole education was orders to those under his command, in their
an exerciseof obedience. The old men were little battles, and has them to serve him at his
present at their diversions, and often suggested house. He sendsthe oldest of them to fetch
BOme
occasion
of disputeor quarrel,that they wood,and the younger to gather pot-herbs:
might observewith exactnessthe spirit of each, these they steal where they can find them,t
and their firmnessin battle. either slily gettinginto gardens,or elsecraftily
As for learning,! they had just what was andwarily creepingto thecommontables. But
if any one be caught, he is severelyflogged for
* Thegeneral
expediency
of thij lawmaywellbe negligenceor want of dexterity. They steal
disputed, though it suited the mania! constitution ol
Sparta;
since
many
person*
ofweak
constitutions
maketoo,whatever
victuals
theypossibly
can,inge-
upiningenuii
f whattheywantinstrength,
andsobe-niouslycontrivingto do it whenpersons
are
comemorevaluable
members
of thecommunity
than asleep,or keepbut indifferentwatch. If they
themo«trobust. It seems
however,to havehad one are discovered,they are punished not only with
goodeffect,viz.makingwomenverycareful,
during whipping,but with hunger. Indeed,their sup-
their pregnancy,of eithereating,drinkingor exerci
ing to excess.It madethemalso excellentnurses,i per is bet slender at all times, that, to fenca
is observed,
just below.
f Theplainness
of their manners,
andtheir beingso andsuchmechanic
business
u wasabsolutely
necessary,
very muchaddicted to war, made the Lacedaemoniansit was left to the slaves.
lew fondof the sciences
than the reit of the Greeks, * Thoughthe youth of the male sex were much
If theywroteto beread,andspoketo beunderstood,
cherished
andbeloved,
asthosethatwereto buildup
it wasall theysought. For this the Athenians,who thefutureglory of thestate,yet in Spartait wasa vir-
werenmahtly TainoCtheir learning,held themin tuousandmodest affection,untingeo.-withthat seniu-
great contempt;insomuchthat Thucydideshimself ality which was so scandalous at Athensand other
in drawingthe characterof Brasidas, says,He spate places. Xenophonsays,theseloverslivedwith those
wellerUHteh for a Lacedemonian,On thi» occasion theywereattachedto, as a latherdoeswith his chiW
it is properto mention
the answerof a Spartantoi dren,orabrotherwithhisbrethren.
Thegoodeflecti
learned Athenian,
whoupbraided him with theigno- ofthispartofLycurgus's
institutions
wereseen
in th>
rance of his country:All youlaymayberrue,am unionuiatreigned among thecitizens.
yet it amounts
to no more,than that weonly among' t Not that the Spartans
authorisedthefts and rob-
theGreeks
havelearned
noevilcustoms
fromyou beries;
forasall wasin commonin theirrepublic,
TheSpartans,
however,
hada force
andpoignancy
o thosevices
could
have noplaca.
there.Butthedesign
expression,
whichcutdownall the flowersof studiet wasto accustom
children
whoweredestinedfor war,
elegance.
Thiswastheconsequence of theirconciseto surprise
thevigilance
of thosewhowatched over
wayofspeaking, andtheirencouraging, onall occathem,andto expose themselves
courageously to th«
lions,decentrepartee.Artswereinnogreater credi severest
pumshmenU,in case
theyfailedof thatdex-
withthem thansciences.Theatricaldiversions
fount teritywhichwasexactedof them,a dexterity that
nocountenance; temperance and exercisemadethe would havebeenattendedwith fatal effectsto the
physician
unnecessary; theirjustice
left no room fo
the practiceof the kwyer; and all the tradeslha morals
ofanyyouth
but theSpartan,
cducaited as that
was.lo contemnrichesand superfluities,
andguarded
al
ministerloluxurywereunknown.
ASfor agriculturein allotherrespects
bytheseverest
virtue.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

againstwant,theymaybeforcedto exercisethatthevirginstoo had their loversnmoogit

theircourage
andaddress.Thisis thefirstin- themostvirtuous
matrons.A competition
of
tentionof their sparediet: a subordinateone affection causedno misunderstanding,
but
IB,to makethemgrowtall. For whentheani- rathera mutualfriendship
betweenthosethat
malspiritsare not too muchoppressedby a hadfixedtheirregardsuponthe sameyouth,
great quantity of food, which stretches itself and an united endeavour to maV.ehim as ac-
out in breadthand thickness,they mountup- complished as possible.
wardsby their naturallightness,and the body The hoyswere alsotaughtto use sharpre-
easilyandfreelyshootsupin height. This also partee,seasonedwith humour,and whatever
contributesto makethem handsome;for thin theysaid was to be conciseand pithy. For
and slender habits yield more freely to nature Lycurgus, as we have observed, fixed but a
whichthengivesa fineproportionto the limbs smallvalue on a considerablequantityof hia
whilst the heavyand grossresisther by their iron money;but on the contrary,the worth of
weight. So womenthat take physic during speechwasto consistin its beingcomprised
their pregnancy,
haveslighterchildrenindeed,in a few plain words,pregnant
with a great
but of a finer and moredelicateturn, becausedealof sense:and he contrived that by long
the supplenessof the matter more readily obeys silence they might learn to be sententiousand
the plasticpower. However,theseare specu- acutein their replies. As debaucheryoften
lationswhichwe shall leaveto others. causesweaknessand sterility in the body,so
The boys steal with so much caution, that the intemperance of the tongue makesconver-
oneofthemhavingconveyed
a youngfox under sationemptyandinsipid.King Agis,therefore,
his garment, suffered the creature to tear out when a certain Athenian laughed at the Lace-
his bowelswith his teethand claws,choosingdemonianshortswords,andsaid,Thejuggler!
rather to die than to be detected. Nor does would swallowthemwith easeuponthe stage,
this appear incredible, if we consider what answered in his laconic way, JLnd yet we can
their young men can endure to this day; for reach our enemies' hearts with them. Indeed,
we haveseenmanyof them expire underthe to me there seemsto be something in this con-
lash at the altar of J>ianaOrthia.* cise manner of speakingwhich immediately
The Iren, reposinghimselfaftersupper,used reachesthe objectaimedat,and forciblystrikes
to order one of the boys to sing a song; to an- the mind of the hearer. Lycurgus himself was
otherheput somequestion
whichrequireda shortand sententious
in his discourse,
if we
judicious answer: for example, Who was the may judge by some of his answers which are
bestman in the city ? or, What he thought recorded; that, for instance, concerningthe
of such an action 1 This accustomed them constitution. When one advised him to estab-
from their childhood to judge of the virtues, to lish a popular government in Lacedxmon, Go,
enter into the affairs of their countrymen. For said he, and first make a trial of it in thy own
if one of them was asked, Who is a good citi- family. That again, concerning sacrifices to
ten, or who an infamousone, and hesitatedin the Deity, whenhewasaskedwhy heappoint-
his answer, he was considered a boy of slow ed them so trifling and of so little value, That
parts, and of a soul that would not aspire to we might never be in want, said he, of some-
honour. The answer was likewise to have a thing to offer htm. Once more, when they in-
reason assignedfor it, and proof conceived in quired of him, what sort of martial exerciseshe
few words. He whose account of the matter allowed of, he answered,Jill, except those in
was wrong, by way of punishment, had his which you stretch* out your hands. Several
thumb bit by the Iren. The old men and ma- such like replies of his are said to be taken
gistrate!oftenattendedtheselittle trials,to see fromthe letterswhichhe wrote to his country-
whether the Iren exercised his authority in a men: as to their question, " How shall we best
rational andpropermanner. He was permit- juard againstthe invasionof an enemy?"By
ted, indeed,to inflict the penalties;but when continuing poor, and not desiring in your
the boys were gone,he waa to be chastised aossessions to beoneaboveanother. And to
himself,if he had punishedthem either with :hequestion,whethertheyshouldencloseSpar-
too muchseverityor remissnees. "a.
with walls?Thatcity is wellfortified, which
The adoptersof favouritesalsosharedboth has a wall of meninsteadof brick. Whether
in the honour and disgrace of their boys: and these and some other letters ascribedto him
one of them is said to have been mulcted by are genuine or not, is no easy matter to deter-
the magistrates,
becausethe boywhomhe had mine. However,that theyhatedlongspeeches,
takeninto his affectionslet someungenerous;hefollowing apophthegms
areafartherproof.
wordor cry escapehimashewasfighting.This "(ingLeonidassaid to onewho discoursedat
love was so honourable,and in so much esteem, an improper time about affairs of someconcern,
My friend, you should not talk so much to the
"This 11supposed
to be the DianaTmerica,whose jurpose, of what it is not to the purpose to
ItatueOrestesis»aid
tohavebrought toLaccdxmon, 'alk of Charilaus,thenephewof Lycurgus,
»nd to"whom
tended huminvictims
that Lycurgus viere
abolished offered.
these It ispre-
and >eing
sacrifices, askedwhyhisunclehadmadesolewlaws
substitutedin their room the flagellation of youngmen, answered,To men of few words, few laws art
withwhose
blood
thealtarwas,at\tttt} to besprin-sufficient.SomepeoplefindingfaultwithHe-
kled. But,in truth,adesireofovercoming
theweak-catausthe sophist,because,whenadmittedto
"eises
ofhuman nature,
afldthereby
rendering
hisSpar- oneof the public repasts,he said nothingall
tans
notonlysuperior
totheirneighbours,
buttotheir Jietime,Archidamidas
replied,
Hethatknoioi
ipccifs.runsthroughmanyof the institutions
of Lv-
eurgus; whichprinciple, to,thorough-how to speak, knows also when to speak.
if wellattended
ly einlains
them,andwithoutattendingto whichit il
impossible
togiveanyaccount
at allof some
of them. <ThuITUtheformofdenuuiding
qcarter
intaltM.
 LYCURGUS.

Themanner
of theirrepartees,
which,asI Indeed,
if weconsider
withsome
attention
such
Mid,wereseasonedwithhumour,maybe oftheLacedsmonian poemsasareMillextant,
gathered
fromthese
instances.
Whena trou-and getinto
those
airs
whichwereplayedupon
blesome
fellowwaipestering
Demaratus
with theflutewhentheymarched
tobattle,
wemust
impertinent
questions,
andthisin particular
agree thatTerpander*
andPindarhavevery
several
timearepeated,
" Whoisthebestmanfitly joinedvalourandmusictogether.Th«
in Sparta?"He answered,
Hethat « leastformer thusspeaksof Lacedsmon,
like you. To some who were commending
the Eleans for managing the Olympic games Theregleanu theyouth'ibrightfelchion:
lb«reUM
mute
with so muchjusticeandpropriety,Agis said, Lift»herntetVvoice;tiuit a-wful
Ju»U«ope*
ll'hat great matter is it, if the Eleansdo Herwidepavilion.
justice
once inhis
wasprofessing
five years?When astranger
regardfor Theopompus,
and
AndPindar
sings,
sayingthat his owncountrymen
calledhim There
ingrave
council
sitithesage;
Philolacon
(aloverof theLacedaemonians,)Thereburns theyouth's rejistitM
To hurl the quir'ring lance;
rag«
the king answeredhim, My goodfriend, it The Muse with glory crowns their ainu.
ueremuchletter,\fthey calledyouPhilopo- AuJMelody
exert*
hercharms,
lites (a loverof your owncountrymen.) Plis- Andpleasure
leads
thedance.
to»as,the sonof Pausanias,replied to an orator Thus we are informed, not only of their war
of Athens,who said the Lacedaemonians had like turn, but their skill in music, for as the
no learning, True, for we are the only people Spartan poet says,
of Greecethat havelearnedno HI of you.
To one who asked what number of men there To swelltheboldnotej of thelyre,
werein Sparta,
Archidamidas
said,Enough
to Becomes
thewarrior's
loftyfire.
keep bad men at a distance. And the king always offered sacrifice to the
Evenwhentheyindulgeda vein of pleasan-musesfbeforea battle, putting his troopsin
try, one might perceive,that they would not mind,I suppose,
of their early educationand
use oneunnecessary word,nor let an expres-of the judgmentthat would be passedupon
sion escapethemthat had not somesenseworth them ; as well as that those divinities might
attendingto. For onebeingaskedto go and teachthem to despisedanger,while they per-
heara personwhoimitated the nightingaleto formedsomeexploit fit for themto celebrate.
perfection,answered,
/ haveheardthe night- Ontheseoccasions^ theyrelaxedthe severity
ingale herse{f. Another said, upon reading of their discipline,permittingtheir mento be
this epitaph, curious in dressing their hair, and elegant in
Victimsof Man, at Selintutheyfell, their arms and apparel, while they expressed
Whoquench'dtherageof tyranny.^-- theiralacrity,like honesfull of fireandneighing
"And they deservedto fall, for, insteadof for the race. They let their hair, therefore,
quenchingit, they should have let it burn growfrom their youth, but took moreparticu-
out.n A youngman answeredone that pro- lar care,whentheyexpectedanaction,to have
mised him some gamecocks that would stand it well combed and shining; remembering a
their death, Give me those that will be the saying of Lycuigus, that a large head of hair
deathof others. Anotherseeingsomepeople madethe handsomemore graceful, and the
carried into the country la litters said, May I ugly more terrible. The exercises,too, of the
never sit in any place where I cannot rise young menduring the campaigns,
were more)
before the aged.' ThU was the mannerof moderate,their diet not so bard, and their
their apophthegms:so that it hasbeenjustly wholetreatmentmoreindulgent: sothat they
enough observedthat the term lakonizein (to were the only people in the world, with whom
act the Lacedaemonian)is to be referred rather military discipline wore in time of war, a gen-
to the exercises
of the mind,thanthoseof the tler face than usual. When the army was
body. drawn up, and the enemynear,the king sa-
Nor were poetry and music less cultivated crificed a goat, and commandedthem all to set
amongthem, than a concisedignity of expres-
sion. Their songshad a spirit, which could rouse * Terpander was a poet and musiciantoo (as indeed
thesoul,andimpelit in anenthusiastic
man-theyofthose
times
wereingeneral,)
whoadded
three
nerto action.Thelanguage
wasplainandstrings tothe
flourished harp,
about a which tilland
hundred thenhadbut
twenty four.
years He
after
manly,thesubjectseriousandmoral. Foi they Homer.
consistedchieflyof the praisesof heroesthat f Xenophon says,
thekingwhocommanded thearmy
naddiedfor Sparta,or elseof expressions
of de- sacrificed
toJupiterandMinerva
onthefrontierof hij
tea;ationfor suchwretchesashaddeclinedthe kingdom.Probably themuses
werejoinedwithMin-
glo.ious opportunity, and rather chose to drag erva the patronessof science.
} Thetrue reasonof thiswas,in all probability,that
on life in miseryandcontempt. Nor did they warmightbelessburthensome lo them;for lorender
forgetto express an ambitionfor glory suitable themboldandwarlikewasthe reigningpassion
of
to their respective
ages. Of thisit maynot be theirlegislator.
Underthisarticle
vie mayadd,that
amissto givean instance.Therewerethree theywereforbidden
toremain
longencamped
in the
choirs ontheir festivals,correspondingwith the si>
""«place,
aswellto hindertheirbeingsurprised,
as
thattheymightbemore troublesome
totheirenemies,
threeagesof man. Theoldmenbegan, bywasting
every
corner oftheircountry.They
were
Onceinbattle
boldweshone; also
forbidden
lo fightthesame enemyoften.They
the young men answered, sleptall nightin theirarmour;but theiroutguards
werenotallowed theirshields,
lhat,beingunprovided
Try us;ourvigouris Dotgone; of defence,Iheymightnotdareto sleep.In allexpe-
andthehoysconcluded, ditions
theywere
careful
in theperformance
ofreligi-
The j)dlu- ousrites:andaftertheirevening
nualwasover,lot
"olilierssungtogetherhymnsto their godi.
40 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

garlandsupontheirheads,
andthe musicianshewasborn,notfor himself,tmtfor hiscoun-
to playCastro'smarch,whilehimselfbegantry. Hence,if theyhadnoparticular order*
the pxan, whichwasthe signalto advance. It they employedthemselvesin inspectingthe
wasat oncea solemnanddreadfulsightto see boys,and teachingthem something useful,or
them measuringtheir stepsto the sound of in learningof thosethatwereolderthanthem-
music,andwithout the leastdisorderin their selves. One of the greatestprivilegesthat
ranks or tumult of spirits, moving forward Lycurgusprocuredfor his countrymen,wasthe
cheerfullyandcomposedly,
with harmonyto enjoyment
of leisure,the consequence
of hii
battle. Neither fear nor rashnesswas likely forbiddingthemto eierciseanymechanic trade.
to approvemenso disposed, possessed asthey It wasnot worththeir while to takegreatpaini
were of a firm presenceof mind,with courage to raisea fortune,sinceriches therewereof
andconfidence of success,
asunderthe conduct no account: and the Helotes,who tilled the
of heaven. When the king advancedagainst ground,wereanswerable for theproduceabove-
theenemy,
hehadalwayswithhimsomeone mentioned.To this purpose
wehavea story
that had beencrownedin the public gamesof of a Lacedaemonian, who,happening to beat
Greece. And theytell us,that a Lacedemo-Athenswherethe courtsat,wasinformedof a
nian,whenlargesumswereofferedhim oncon- manwhowasfined for idleness;andwhenthe
dition that he would not enter the Olympic poorfellow wasreturninghomein greatdejec-
lists,refusedthem: havingwith muchdifficulty tion, attendedby his condolingfriends,hede-
thrownhis antagonist,oneput this questionto siredthe company to showhim the personthat
him, " Spartan,what will you get by this vic- was condemned for keepingvp his dignity.
tory ?" He answeredwith a smile, I shall Somuchbeneath themtheyreckonedallatten-
have the honour to ftght foremost in the tion to mechanicarts, andall desireof riches!
ranks before my prince. When they had Lawsuits were banished from Lacedzmon
touted the enemy,theycontinuedthe pursuit with money.The Spartansknewneitherrichet
till theywereassured
of the victory: afterthat nor poverty,but possessed
anequalcompeten-
they immediatelydesisted; deemingit neither cy, and hada cheapandeasywayof supplying
generousnor worthy of a Grecian to destroy their few wants. Hence,whentheywerenot
thosewhomadeno fartherresistance.This engaged
in war,theirtimewastakenupwith
was not only a proof of magnanimity, but of dancing,feasting,hunting,or meetingto exer-
great serviceto their cause. For when their cise,or converse. They went not to market
adversaries foundthattheykilled suchasstood underthirty yearsof age,"all their necessary
it out, but sparedthe fugitives,theyconcludedconcernsbeingmanaged by their relationsand
It wasbetterto fly thanto meettheir fateupon adopters. Nor wasit reckoneda creditto the
the spot. old to be seen sauntering in the market-place;
Hippiasthe sophisttells us, that Lycurgus it wasdeemedmore suitablefor themto pass
himselfwasa manof frreatpersonalvalour,and great part of the dayin the schoolsof exercise,
an experiencedcommander.* Philostephanus or placesof conversation.Their discoursesel-
alsoascribesto him the first divisionof caval- dom turneduponmoney,or business, or trade,
ry into troopsof fifty, who weredrawn up in but uponthe praiseof theexcellent,or thecot-
a square body. But Demetrius the Phalcrean tempt of the worthless; and the last was ex-
says,that he never had any military employ- pressedwiththatpleasantryandhumour,which
ment, and that there was the profoundestpeace conveyed instruction and correction without
imaginable when he establishedthe constitution seemingto intend it. Nor was Lycurgus him-
of Sparta. His providingfor a cessationof selfimmoderately
severein his manner;but,as
arms during the Olympic games is likewise a Sosibius tells us, he dedicated a little statueto
mark of the humaneandpeaceableman. Some, the god of laughter in eachhall. He considered
iiowever,acquaintas,andamongthe restHer- faoetiousness
as a seasoning
of the hardexer-
mippus, that Lycurgus at first had no commu- cise and diet, and therefore ordered it to take
nication with Iphitus; but comingthat way, placeonall properoccasions, in their common
andhappening to be a spectator,he heardbe- entertainments
and partiesof pleasure.
hindhim a humanvoice(as hethought)which Upon the whole,he taught his citizensto
expressedsomewonderand displeasurethat think nothingmoredisagreeable thanto live by
hedid not put his countrymenuponresorting (or for) themselves.Like bees,they acted
to sogreatanassembly.lie turnedroundim- with one impulsefor the publicgood,and
mediately,to discoverwhencethe voicecame, always assembled about their prince. They
andastherewasnoman to beseen,concludedwere possessed with a thirst of honour»nden-
it was from heaven. He joined Iphitus, thusiasmborderinguponinsanity,andhadnot
therefore; and ordering,alongwith him, the a wishbut for their country. Thesesentiment!
ceremonies of the festival, renderedit more are confirmedby some of their aphorisms.
magnificent and lasting. When Pzdaretus lost his election for one of
The disciplineof the Lacedaemonians
con- the threehundred,hewentawayrejoicing that
tinued after they were arrived at years of ma- there were three hundred better men than
turity . For nomanwasat liberty to live ashe himselffoundin the.city .t Pisistratidas
going
pleased;the city beinglike one great camp,
whereall had their stated allowance, and knew
their public charge, each man concluding that
" Xenophon,in his treatise of tht Spartancommon-
wealth,
»avs,
Lycurgus
broughtmilitarydiscipline
to those
writerswhothinkthatthe militaryageis not
greatperfection,
andgivesusa detailof hisregulationswtll ascertained.
and improvement in theart of war; someof which I f Xenophon says,it wasthecustomTorthefjjAoK'»
navementioned in the foregoing note appoint three officers, each of whom wa* to select "
 LYCURGUS. 41

withtomeothers,ambassadorto thekingol teem,andpresentedherwiththeportion,»ay-

Persia's
lieutenants,
wasaskedwhetherthey ing at thesame
time, ThatwhichI received
f*mt>
witha publiccommission,
orontheirown asa markof honour,I five to you. Then
iccount,to whichheanswered,
If successful,shewasconductedhomewithgreatapplause
for thepublic; if unsuccessful,
for ourselves by the restof thewomen.
Agrileonis,the motherof Brasidas,*
asking Lycurguslikewisemadegoodregulation*
borneArophipolitans
that waiteduponheral with respectto burials. In thefirstplace,to
her house,
whetherBrasidas diedhonourablytakeawayall superstition, he orderedthe
andasbecamea Spartan? theygreatlyextolled deadto be buried in the city, andevenper
his merit, andsaid therewas not sucha man milled iheir monument* to be erectednearthe
left in Sparta;whereupon
shereplied,Say temples;accustoming
theyouthto suchsight!
not so,myfriends; for Braxidaswasindeed from their infancy,that they might have no
a manof honour,but Lacedxmon
canboast uneasiness
from them,nor any horror foi
of manybettermen than he. death,as if peoplewerepollutedwiththe touch
The senate,as I said before,consistedat of a deadbody,or with treadingupona grave.
first of thosethat wereassistants
to Lycurgus In the next place,he sufferednothingto ba
in his greatcnterprize. Afterwards,to fill up buriedwith the corpse, exceptthe red cloth
any vacancythat mighthappen,he orderedthe andthe olive leavesin whichit waswrapped.*
mostworthymen to beselected,of thosethat Nor would he sufferthe relationsto inscribe
were full threescoreyears old. This was the any namesupon the tombs, except of those men
mostrespectabledisputein the world,andthe that fell in battle,or thosewomenwho diedin
contestwastruly glorious:for it wasnot who somesacredoffice. He fixedelevendays for
shouldbe theswiftest amongthe swift, or strong- the time of mourning: on the twelfth they were
est of the strong, but who was the wisest and to put an end to it, after offering sacrifice to
bestamongthe goodand wise. He who had the Ceres. No part of life was left vacant and
preference was to bear this mark of superior unimproved, but even with their necessaryac-
excellence through life, this great authority, tions he interwove the praise of virtue and the
H'hicJi put into his hands the lives and honour contempt of vice: and he so filled the city with
of the citizens, and every other important af- living examples,that it was next to impossible,
fair. The manner of the election was this: for persons who had these from their infancy
When the people were assembled,some per- before their eyes,not to be drawn and formed
sons appointed for the purpose were shut up to honour.
in a room near the place; where they could For the samereason he would not permit all
neither see nor be seen, and only hear the that desiredit, to go abroadandseeother coun-
(boutsof the constituentsrf for by themthey tries,lest theyshouldcontractforeignmanners,
decidedthis and most other affairs. Each gain tracesof a life of little discipline,andof
candidatewalkedsilently throughthe assem-a different form of government. He forbid
bly, oneafteranother,accordingto lot. Those strangerstootto resortto Sparta,who could
thatwereshutup hadwriting tables,in which not assigna goodreasonfor their coming;not,
theysetdownin differentcolumns the number as Thucydidessays, out of fear they should
and loudnessof the shouts,without knowing imitate the constitutionof that city, andmake
whothey were for; only theymarkedthemas improvementsin virtue, but lest theyshould
first,second,third, andso on, accordingto the teachhis own peoplesomeevil. For along
numberof the competitors. He that had the with foreignerscome new subjectsof dis-
most and loudestacclamations, wasdeclared course$ newdiscourse producesnewopinions;
duly elected.Then he wascrowned with a andfromthesetherenecessarily springnew
garland,andwentroundto givethanksto the passions anddesires, which,like discordsin
gods:a number of youngmenfollowed,striv-music,woulddisturbthe established govern-
ing whichshouldextol him most,and the ment. He, therefore, thoughtit moreexpedi-
womencelebrated his virtuesin theirsongs,entfor thecity,to keepoutof it corruptcus-
and blessedhis worthy life and conduct..omsand manners, thanevento preventthe
Eachof hisrelations
offered hima repast,and ntroductionof a pestilence.
theiraddress
on theoccasionwas,Sparta Thusfar,then,wecanperceive novestigei
honoursyouwiththiscollation.Whenhe of a disregard
to rightandwrong, whichii
hadfinished
the procession,
he wenttothe thefaultsome
peoplefindwiththelawsofLy
common
table,andlivedasbefore. Onlytwo curgus,allowing
themwell enough
calculated
portions
weresetbeforehim,oneofwhichhe :oproduce
valour,butnotto promote justice.
carried
away:andasallthewomenrelated
to * -Elian
telbus(1.vi.c.6.)th»tnotallthecitizen!
him attendedat the gatesof the publichall, he indifferently
wereburiedin the redclothandolive
calledherfor whom he had the greatest es- leaves, butonlyluchashaddistinguished
themselves
particularly in the field.
hundredmen,thebesthecouldfind; andit wasa point >nd t Herecededwith pleasuresuchstrangers ascame
of great emulation to be one of thesethree hundred. submittedto his laws,andassigned
themshares
ol
* Brasidas,the Lacedxmoniangeneral, defeatedthe land, whichtheycouldnotalienate.Indeed,
of all the citizens were unalienable.
theloti
Atheniansin a battlefoughtnearAmphipolia,a town } Xenophon,
of Macedonia, onthe banksof the Strymon,but lost :hanges whowasaneye-witness, imputesthe
his life in the action. Thucydid.lib. T. intheSpartandiscipline lo foreignmanners.
t Asthis wasa tumultuaryanduncertainwayof de- But in fact theyhad a deeper root. When the La-
"edacmonianj,
cidingwho had themajority,theywere oftenobliged injunction, instead
of keeping to theirlawgiver1!
t" «-paratc the people and count the TOlcs. Aristotle onlyto defend theirowncountry,andlo
makeno conquests,carried their victorious arms over
tliinks that in «uch a case persons should not ofler
tlieuuelvelcandidates, or solicitthe officeor empluy- allGreece andintoAsiaitself,thenforeignsoldand
na,i.i. hui ti, call-rd to it merely for their »bililie9«nd oriMgnmannerscamemlu Sparta, corrupted the sirn-
then merit. pIlCllT of hit institutions,
andat lastoverturnedthat
republic
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Perhaps
it wastheCryptia,*
astheycalled
it, ference
ofstates.Butinmyopinion,
it wuU
or ambuscade,if that wasreally oneof this aftertimes that these cruelties took place
lawgiver'sinstitutions,asAristotlesaysit was, amongthe Lacedaemonians
; chieflyafter the
whichgavePlatosobadan impression both greatearthquake,when,ashistoryinformsus,
of Lycurgueandhislaws. Thegovernora of theHelotes,joiningtheMessenians,attacked
the youthordered
theshrewdestof themfrom them,did infinitedamage tothecountry,
and
timeto time to dispersethemselvesin the broughtthecily to the greatest
extremity.I
country,providedonly with daggersandsome can never ascribeto Lycurgusso abominable
necessaryprovisions. In the day-time they hid an act as that of the ambuscade. I would
themselves,and restedin the most private judgein this caseby the mildnessandjustice
places
theycouldfind,butatnighttheysalliedwhichappeared
in therest of hisconduct,
to
out into the roads,andkilled all the Helotes whichalsothegodsgavetheir sanction.
theycould meetwith. Nay, sometimes by day, When his principal institutionshad taker
the) fell uponthemin the fields,andmurdered root in the mannersof the people,and the
theablestandstrongest
of them. Thucydidesgovernment
wascometo suchmaturityasto
relates in his history of the Peloponnesianbeableto supportandpreserveitself,then,as
war, that the Spartansselectedsuch of them Platosaysof the Deity, that he rejoicedwhen
as were distinguished for their courage,to the hehadcreatedthe world, andgivenit its first
numberof two thousand
or more, declaredmotion;so Lycurguswascharmed
withthe
them free, crownedthem with garlands,and beautyandgreatnessof hie politicalestablish-
conductedthem to the templesof the gods; ment,whenhe sawit exemplifiedin fact, and
but soon after they all disappeared; and no move on in due order. He was next desirous
onecouldeitherthenor since,giveaccountin to makeit immortal,sofar ashumanwisdom
what mannertheywere destroyed. Aristotle could effect it, and to deliver it down un-
particularly says,that the ephari,as soonas changedto the latesttimes. For this purpose
they wereinvestedin their office,declared
war he assembledall the people,and told them,
againstthe Helotes,that theymightbe mas- the provisionshe had alreadymade for the
sacred under pretence of law. In other statewere indeedsufficientibr virtueandhap-
respectsthey treatedthem with great inhu- piness,but the greatestand most important
manity: sometimestheymadethemdrink till matter was still behind,which he could not
they were intoxicated, and in that condition disclose to them till he had consulted the
led them into the public halls, to shewthe oracle;that they mustthereforeinviolablyob-
youngmen what drunkenness was. They or- servehis laws, without altering any thing in
dered them to sing mean songg, and to them,till he returnedfrom Delphi; andthen
dance ridiculous dances,but not to meddle he wouldacquaintthem with the pleasureot
with any thatweregenteelandgraceful.Thus Apollo. When they had all promisedto do
theytell us,thatwhenthe Thebansafterwardsso, anddesiredhim to setforward,hetookan
invadedLaconia,andtook a greatnumberof oathof the kingsandsenators,andafterwards
the Helotes prisoners,they orderedthemto of all the citizens,that they wouldabideby
singthe odesof Terpander,Aleman,or Spen- the presentestablishment till Lycurguscame
dontheLacedemonian, but theyexcused
them- back. He thentook his journeyto Delphi.
selves,allegingthat it wasforbiddenby their When he arrivedthere,he offeredsacrifice
masters. Those who say, that a freemanin to the gods,andconsultedthe oracle,whether
Spartawas mosta freeman,anda slavemost hislaws weresufficientto promotevirtue, and
a slave, seemwell to haveconsidered the dif- secure the happinessof the state. Apollo
answered, that the laws were excellent, and
* Thecrueltyof theLacedzmonians
toward]
the thatthecitywhichkeptto theconstitution
he
Helates,
U frequently
spoken
of, andgenerally
de- hadestablished,
would be the mostgloriousin
cried by all authors;though Plutarch,who was a the world. This oracle Lycurgus took down
jrr.:it admirer
oftheSpartans,
endeavours
to palliatein writing, and sent it to Sparta. He then
it as much as may be. These poor wretches were offered another sacrifice, and embraced his
markedout for slatesin their dress,their gesture,
and,in short,inevery
thing.Theyworedog-skin
friendsandhisson,determined
never
torelease
bonnets
andsheep-skin
vests;they wereforbiddenhis citizensfrom their oath, but voluntarily
to learnanyliberal art, or to performanyact -worthy there to put a period to his life-,* while he waa
of theirmasters.Once
a daytheyreceived
acertainyet of an age when life was not a burden,
number ofstripes,
ilavei: and, forfear
to crown all,theyshould
they forget
were they
liable towere
this whendeathwasnot desirable,
andwhilehe
cri/ptia, which was sure to be executedon all such as was not unhappy in any one circumstance.
sj'ike,looked
or walkedlike freemen;
a crueland He, therefore,destroyed
himselfby abstaining
ui.necessary
expedient,and unworthy of a virtuous from food, persuaded that the very death of
people.The epAoTi,
indeed,declared
war againstlawgiversshouldhave its use,andtheir exit,
tli- in- Againstwhom?why, againstpoornakedslaves,so far from being insignificant, have its share
who tilled their lands, dressedtheir food, and did all
those
offices
fnr them,
which
theyweretooproud
to of virtue,andbeconsidered
asa greataction
doforthemselves.
Plutarch,
according
to custom,
en- To him,indeed,whoseperformances
were so
deavours
to placeall this cruelty far lower than the illustrious, the conclusion of life was the crown
titnnof Lycurgus: andalleges thatit wasintroduced of happiness,
o.ndhisdeathwasItftguarJiiU
on accountof the Helatei joining with the Messenians
afler a terrible earthquake,that happtned about 467 of those invaluable blessingshe had procured
j. ar* beforethebirth of Christ,where!y a greatpart tils countrymen through life, as they had taken
of l.aeedjemon
wasoverthrown,
andin whichabovean oath not to depart from his establishment
Iv.rniy inxii'inil Spartans
perished. But JElianteill till his return. Nor was he deceived in his
11.
i rpr,».|y,'Hist.Var.1.iii.) thutit wasthecom-expectations.
Sparta
continued
superior
to the
monopinionin Greece,thattVii»verytarth^Maliewas rest of Greece, both in its government at home
1 n.luinrni from heavenupon the qr«rtaus fur treat-
in^ in"-, llclota with suchinhumanity. 1 VetLucicosays
that Lycurgus
diedat theageof 85.
 LYCURGUS.

uutreputation abroad,
tolongasit retained tratio-Jf its kingi,replied,
nay,rather fry
the institution
of Lycurgua : andthisit did the bedience oftlteirsubjects.It is certain
duringthespaceoffivehundred years,
andthethatpeople willnotcontinuepliantto those
reignof fourteensuccessivekings,
downto who know nothow tocommand ; butit isthe
Agisthesonof Archidamus. Asfortheap-partof agood governortoteach obedience
pointment ofthecphori,it wz»aofarfromHe.whoknows how toleadwelJ,
issure tobe
weakening theconstitution,
thatit gave it ad-wellfollowed:andasit isbytheartof horse-
ditional
vigour,andthough it seemed tobees-manship thatahorseismade gentleandtrac-
tablishedin favour
of the people, it strength-table,
so it isby theabilities
of himthatfill*
enedthearistocracy.* thethronethatthepeople become ductileand
Butin thereignofAgis,money found itsway submissive. Suchwasthe conduct of the
intoSparta,andwithmoney came itsinsepara- Lacedemonians, thatpeople didnotonJyen-
ble attendant-avarice. This was by meansdure, but even desiredto be their subjects.
of Lysander; who,thoughhimselfincapableTheyasked not of them,eitherships,money,
of beingcorrupted bymoney, filledhiscountryortroops,butonlya Spartan general.When
withthe loveof it, andwith luxurytoo. He theyhadreceived him,theytreatedhimwith
broughtbothgoldandsilverfromthewars,f thegreatest honourandrespect;so Gylippus
andtherebybrokethroughthelawsof Lycur- wasrevered by the Sicilians,
Brasidasbythe
gus. Whilethesewerein force,Spartawas Chalcidians, Lysander, Callicratidas,
andAge-
notsomuchunderthepoliticalregulations ofa silausbyall the peopleof Asia. These,and
commonwealth,
asthestrict rulesof a philoso- suchasthese,wherevertheycame,werecalled
phiclife; and asthepoetsfeignof Hercules,moderators
andreformers,
bothof themagis
thatonly with a club andlion's skin hetravel- tratesandpeople,and Spartaitself was con-
led over the world, clearing it of lawless ruf- sidered as a school of discipline', where the
fiansandcruel tyrants; sothe Lacedemoniansbeautyof life and political orderwere taught
with a pieceof parchment^and coarsecoat in the utmost perfection. Hence Stratoni-
keptGreece
in a voluntary
obedience,
destroy-cus seemsfacetiously
enoughto havesaid,
" ed usurpationandtyrannyin the states,put an thathe would ordertheAtheniansto havethe
end to wars, and laid seditions asleep, very conduct of mysteries and processions; the
i oftenwithout either shieldor lance,and only Eleans to presidein games,<wtheir particu-
"by sendingone ambassador; to whosedirec- lar province; andthe Lacedsemoniansto be
tions all parties concerned immediately sub- beaten, if the other did amiss.* This was
mitted. Thus bees, when their prince appears, spoken in jest: but Antisthenes, one of the
compose
their quarrelsandunitein oneswarm. scholarsof Socrates,said(more seriously)of
So much did justice and good government the Thebans, when he saw them pluming them-
prevail in that state, that I am surprisedat selvesupon their successat Leuctra, They
those who say, the Lacedaemoniansknew in- were just like so many school-boys rejoicing
deedhow to obey, but not how to govern; and that they had beaten their master.
on this occasionquote the sayingof king It wasnot, however,the principaldesignof
Theopompus, who, when one told him, that Lycurgus, that his city should govern many
Sparta was preserved by the good adminis- others, but he considered its happiness like
that of a private man, as flowing from virtue
* Afterall thispompous
account,
Plutarch
himselfand self-consistency:he thereforeso ordered
acknowledges,
thai authorsare not well agreed,
how and disposedit, that by the freedom and sobri-
andwherethis greatmandied. That hestarvedhim- ety of its inhabitants, and their having a suffi-
selfisimprobable;butthathereturned DOmoreto ciency within themselves,
his country, seeou to be perfectly agreeable to his
its continuance
manner
ofacting,
aswellastothecurrent
ofhistory.
mightbe themoresecure.Plato,Diogenes,
t Xenonhon
acquaints
us,thatwhen,
Lysander
had Zeno,andotherwritersupongovernment,
have
taken Atnens,he sentto Spartamanyrich spoilsand taken Lycurgus for their model: and these
470talents
of silver. Thecoming of thishugemazshave attained great praise, thoughthey left
of wealthcreatedgreat disputesat Sparta. Many
celebratedLysandcr'spraises,and rejoicedexceed-only an ideaof somethingexcellent.Yet he,
ingly
atthisgood
fortune,
asthey
called
it;others,
who,
notinideaandinwords,
butinfactpro-
whowere
better
acquainted
withmenature
ofthings,duceda mostinimitableformof government
and with their constitution,wereof quite another and by shewing a whole city of philosophers,f
opinion:theylooked
uponthereceipt
of thistreasureconfounded
thosewhoimaginethatthe somuch
B-San
they open violation
expressed of thelawsofloudly,
their apprehensions Lycurgus;
that,and
in talkedot strictness
of a philosophic
lifeis im-
processof time,theymight, byachange intheirman-practicable; he,I say,Elandsin the rank of
ners,pay infinitely
morefor this money
thanit wasglory far beyondthe foundersof all the other
worth. The event justified their fears.
I Thiswasthescytale,
thenatureand useof which
Plutarch explains in the life of Lysander. He tells "Because the teacherishould be awwerable for the
"s, thatwhenthe magistratesgavetheir commissionfaultsof their pupils. The pleasantryof the obser-
to anyadmiralor general,theytooktwo roundpieces vationseems to bethis. That asthe LacedinioDianl
of wood,
bothexactly
equal
in breadthandthickness;
usedto punishtheparents
or adopters
of thusc
)oun»
(Thucydides
adds,
thattheyweresmooth andlong:) peoplethat behaved
amiss;nowthatthey werelhv
onetheykeptthemsAcs,the otherwasdelivered
to instructors
of othernations,
theyshouldsuffer(or
their officer. When they hadanything of moment, their faults. Bryan'sLatin texthai it, that theLart-
whichtheywouldsecretly
convey
to him.theycuta dEmonians
ihouldteatthem-Butthereis nojoki in
lonj narrowscrollof parchment, and rolling it about that.
their own staff, onefold close upon another,they t Aristotleand Platodiffer in this from Plutarch.
wrote their business on it: whenthey had written EvenPolybiui,who wasto great an admirerof th
what
theyhad
tosay,
theytookofftheparchment,
and theSpartan
government,
allows,
that,thoughth«
Knt it KJthegeneral;
andhe applying
it tohisown Spartans,
considered as individuals,
wrre v lie and
staff,thecharacters
ivhichbefore
werecoufusedand virtuous,
jet in theircollective
capacity
the)paidbut
unintelligible,appealedIheuveryplainly. little regardto justiceandmoderation.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Grecian states.* Therefore Aristotle is of Cretansshewhis tomb at Pergamia,neai tin

opinion,that die honourspaid him in Lace- high road. We are told, he left an only son
damonwerefar beneath
hismerit. Yetthosenamed
Antiorus:andashediedwithoutissue,
honours weie very great; for he hag a temple the family was extinct. His friends and rela-
there,andtheyoffer him a yearlysacrifice,as tionsobservedbis anniversary,
whichsubsisted
a god. It is alsosaid,that whenhis remainsfor manyaget,andthe dayson whichthey
were broughthome,his tombwas struckwith met for that purposetheycalledL/ycurgidx
lightning:a sealof divinitywhich no otherAristocrates,
the sonof Hipparchus,
relates,
man,howevereminent,hashad,exceptEuri- that the friends of Lycurgus,with whomhe
pides,who diedandwasburiedat Arethusain sojourned,and at last died in Crete,burned
Macedonia. This was matterof greatsatis- his body,and,at his request,threw his ashes
factionandtriumphto the friendsof Euripides, into the sea. Thus he guardedagainsttho
that the same thing shouldbefall him after possibilityof his remainsbeingbroughtback
death,which hadformerlyhappened
to the to Spartaby theLacedaemonians,
lest they
most venerableof men, and the most favoured should then think themselves released from
of heaven. Some say, Lycurgus died at their oath, on the pretence that he was return-
Cirrha; but Apollothemiswill haveit, that he ed, and make innovations in the govern.
wasbroughtto Elis and diedthere;andTi- ment. This is whatwe hadto sayof Ly.
maeusand Aristoxenus write, that he ended his curgus.
days in Crete; nay, Aristoxemia adds, that the

NUMA.

THERE is likewise a great diversity amongs thagoras, were intermixed with the Roman
historiansabout the timein whichking Nutn But this mixturemighthaveanothercause,as
lived,thoughsomefamiliesseemto tracethei Numawasof Sabineextraction,and the Si
genealogy up to him with sufficientaccuracy bines,declared themselves
to have beena
However, a certain writer called Clodius, in Lacedemonian colony.* It is difficult, how
his emendations of chronology, affirms, tha ever, to adjust the times exactly, particularly
the ancient archives were destroyed when those that are only distinguished with the
Rome was sackedby the Gauls; and tha namesof the Olympic conquerors;of which
those which are now shewn as such, were we are told, Hippias, the Elean, made a col-
forgedin favourof somepersonswho wantei lection at a late period, without sufficient
to stretch their lineage far back, and to deduce vouchers. We shall now relate what we have
it fromthe mostillustrioushouses. Somesay metwith mostremarkableconcerningNuma,
that Numa was the scholar of Pythagoras;^ beginning from that point of time which a
but others contend, that he was unacquaintec most suitable to our purpose.
with the Grecian literature, either alleging. It was in the thirty-seventh year from the
thathis own geniuswassufficientto conduct buildingof Rome,andof the reignof Romu-
hiir^toexcellence,
or that he wasinstructedlus, on theseventhof the monthof July
by somebarbarian philosophersuperior to (whichday is now calledJVbna:Caprotiiw)
Pythagoras. Some,again,affirm,that Pytha- whenthat princewentout of thecity to offera
goras of Samos flourished about five genera- solemn sacrifice at a place called the Goat's-
tionsbelowthe times of Numa: but that Py- Marsh, in the presenceof the senateandgreat
thagoras the Spartan, who won the prize at jart of the people. Suddenly there happened
the Olympic race in the sixteenthOlympiad i greatalterationintheair, andthecloudsburst
(aboutthe third yearof whichit.wasthat Nu- in a storm of wind andhail. The rest of tho
ma came to the throne,) travelling into Italy, assemblywere struck with terror and fled, but
becameacquaintedwith that prince,and as- Romulusdisappeared, andcouldnot be found
sisted him in regulating the government.either alive or dead. Upon this, the senators
HejicemanySpartan customs,taught by Py- ell under a violent suspicion,and a report
was propagated against them among the peo-
~Je,that havinglong beenweary of the yoke
* The sameDionysim informs us, that he found in
no history of the Subioo, that, while Lycurgus
ivas guardian to his m phew Euromus (Charilaus it
hould be,) some of the Lacedemonians, unable to
ndure the severity of his laws, fled into Italy, and
si* n; but Ihc former had the stronger, the laller the ettled firat at Pometia; from n-hencc several of them
mililir genius;the eflcctsof which appearedin the emoved intoIhe countryof the Sabines,
and,uniting
rommnnwealtni they founded. Tiththatpeopletaughtthemtheir customs; particu-
f Pythagoras
thephilosopher
wentnot into Italy ,rlythowrelating
to theconduct
of war,to fortitude,
ulhl.t rt i^ii of the tlder 1 arquin,which was in the tieace,anda frugal and abstemious mannerof U'T.
Sfij 1'irM(il)ni[ii»<l,aud fout centi-ations
(as Diony- 11:.This colon),then,settledin Italy 120yeui b«
uui ol llalicarnasiul tell) u» ifirr Numa. ore the birth of Numa.
 NUMA. *»

ofkingly
government,
anddesirous
togetthement
intoanoligarchy,
andasthey
hadthe
power
intotheirownhands,
theyhadmurder-
direction
ofallaffairs
intheirhands"were
un-
edtheking Particularly
ashebadtreated
willing
to haveaking.Atlastit wasagreed
themforsome timein anarbitrary
andimpe-between thetwoparties,
thatonenation
should
riousman
adr. Buttheyfound means to obvi-choose
a kingoutof thewholebodyof tho
atethissuspicion,
bypayingdivinehonours
to other. Thiswasconsidered
asthebestmean*
Romulus
asaperson
thathadbeen
privileged
ofputting
astop
tothepresent
contention,
and
fromthefile of othermorult,andwasonlyof inspiring
thekingwithanaffection
forboth
removedtoa happierscene.Moreover,
Pro- parties,
sincehewouldbegracious tothese,
culus,a manof highrank,madeoaththat he because theyhadelectedhim,andto thosea*
law Romuluscarriedupto heaven
iacompletehis kindredand countrymen.The Sabinei
armour,andhearda voicecommanding that leavingthe Romans to their option,theypro
beshouldbe called ferreda Sabineking of their own electing,to
Freshdisturbances
andtumultsarosein the a Roman,chosen,
by the Sabines. Consulting,
cityabouttheelection
of a newking,thelater therefore,
among
themselves,*
theyfixedupon
inhabitantsbeingnotyet thoroughjy
incorpo-NumaPompilius,a Sabine,
whowa«not of
ratedwith the first, the commonalty fluctuat- the numberof thosethathadmigratedto Rome^
ing andunsettledin itself,and the patricians but so celebratedfor virtue,that the Sabinet
full of animosityand jealousiesof eachother. receivedthe nominationevenwith greaterap-
All, indeed,agreedthat a. king shouldbe ap- plausethan the Romansthemselves.When
pointed, but they differed and debated,not theyhad acquaintedthe peoplewith their re-
only about the person to be fixed upon, but solution, they sent the most eminent person-
fromwhich of the two nationshe shouldbe agesof both nationsambassadors,
to entreat
elected. For neither could they who, with him to come and take upon him the govern-
Romulus, built the city, endure, that the Sa- ment.
bines,who had beenadmitted citizens,and Numawasof Cures,a considerable
city of
obtained a shareof the lands, should attempt to the Sabines,from which the Romans, together
command those from whom they had received with the incorporated Sabines,took the name
such privileges; nor yet could the Sabinesde- of Quirttes. He was the son of a person of
part from their claim of giving a king in their distinction namedPomponius, and the youngest
turn to Rome, having this good argument in of four brothers. It seemed to be by the di-
their favour, that upon the death of Tatius, rection of the gods, that hewas born the twenty
they had suffered Romulus peaceably to enjoy first of April, the same day that Rome wa«
the throne, without a colleague. It was also founded by Romulus. His mind was naturally
to be considered, that they did not come as disposedto virtue; and he still farther subdued
inferiors to join a superior people, but by their it by discipline, patience, and philosophy, not
rank and number added strength and dignity only purging it of the grosserand most infamous
to the city that received them. These were passions,but even of that ambition and rapa-
the arguments on which they founded their ciousness which was reckoned honourable
claims. Lest this dispute should produce an amongst the barbarians: persuadedthat true
utter confusion, whilst there was no king, nor fortitude consistsin the conquest of appetites
any steers-manat the helm, the senatorsmade by reason. On this account he banished all
an order that the hundred and fifty members luxury and splendourfrom his house; and both
who composedtheir body,* should each, in the citizens and strangers found in him a faith
their turns, beattired in the robesof state;in ful counsellor,and an upright judge. As for
the roomof Quirinua, offer the stated sacri- his hoursof leisure,he spentthemnot in the
ficesto the gods,anddespatchthe wholepub- pursuitsof pleasure,or schemes of profit, but
lic business, sixhoursin the day,andsix hours in the worshipof the gods,andin rational in-
tt night. This distribution of time seemedquiriesinto their natureandtheir power. Hi»
well contrived,in point of equalityamongst name becameat length so illustrious, that
the regents,and the changeof power from Tatius, who was the associateof Romulusin
handto handpreventedits beingobnoxiousto the kingdom,having an only daughternamed
the people,who sawthe samepersonin one Tatia, bestowedher upon him. He wasnot,
day and onenight reducedfrom a king to a however,eomuchelatedwith this matchas to
privateman. This occasional
administration removeto the courtof his father-in-law, but
theRomans callanIntenegnum. continued in the countryof theSabines, pay-
But thoughthematterwasmanaged in this ing hisattentions to his ownfather,whowas
moderateandpopularway,thesenatorscould now grownold. Tatia waspartakerof hit
not escapethe suspicions
and complaintsof retirement, andpreferredthecalmenjoyment
thepeople,
thattheywerechanging
thegovera-of life with her husband in privacy,to th*
honours and distinctionin whichshemigh
" Accordingto our author in the life or Romulus, have lived with her father at Rome. Thirteen
thenumber
of thesenators
was200, Indeed,
Diony- yearsaftertheir marriageshedied.
rius says, lhat writ-rs differed in thi« particular, lome
affirming,that 100senatorswereaddedto (heoriginal Numathenleft thesocietyof thecity,and
number
upon
theunion
of theSabines
withtheRo-passed
histimein wandering
aboutalonein
mans, and others, that only fifty were added. Liry the sacredgrovesand lawns,in the most re-
E'res
themostprobable
account
ofthemanner
iterre^num.The senators,
of
hesays,divided
the * The
them-moned
inttrrtx,
for
the people,
thetime
addressed
being,
havingsum-
themtkus:" Romans,
"elvrs
intodecuries
ortens.These decuries
drewlots elect
/ourselvei
a king;thesenate
givetheirconsent;
which shouldgovern
first; addthedecury,
towhose lot and,
ifyouchooseaprince
worthy
tosucceedRomulus,
it fell,enjoyed
thesupreme authority
for fivedays;thesftiatewill confirm
yourchoice."Thepeople
yet,in sucha manner,
thatoneperson
onlyofthegov- weresowell pleased
with thiscondescension
of it*
erningdwuryhadthetnnjui ofsovereignty
ataU senate,
th»ttheyremitted
thechoice
to them.
E
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

tired and solitaryplaces. Hencethe report wasequallyin hisfavour;BOtyiatwhenever

he
concerningthe goddessKgeriachieflytook ita sailedfrom Cirrna to Sicyon,the priestess,to
riie;* and it wasbelievedit wasnot from any signify Apollo's satisfaction, repeated thil
inward sorrow or melancholy turn that he heroic verse:
iToidedhumanconversation,
but from his Hecomes,
again
themuch-loved
herocome*.
beingadmitted
to thatwhichwasmorevene-It is alsofabled,
thatPanwasin lovewith
rableandexcellent, fromthehonour hehadPindar,* onaccount
of hispoetry;
andthat
of a familiar
loved intercourse
him, which Jed himwith
to a divinity
happiness that
and Archilochus
andHesiod,f
aftertheirdeath,
were honoured by the heavenly powersfor the
knowledge more than mortal. It is obvious
enough, how much this resemblesmany of the same reason.Sophocles, too (asthe story
goes), was blessed in his lifetime with the con-
ancientstoriesreceived
anddelivered downversation
of the godJEaculapius,
of which
by the Phrygiansof Atys,f the Bythenians
manyproofsstill remain,'
andanother
deity
of Herodotus,andtheArcadians of Endy-procured
himburial.JNowif weadmit
that
mion:towhom mightbeadded many others,thesewereBOhighly
favoured,
shallwedeny
whowerethought to haveattainedto supe-thatZaleucus,§
Minos,Zoroaster,
Numa, and
riorfelicity,
andto bebeloved in anextra-Lycurgus,kingsandlawgivers,
werehappy
ordinary mannerby thegods.And,indeed,in thesamerespect? Nay,ratherweshall
it is rational
enoughto suppose,
thatthedeity think,thatthegodsmightseriously converse
wouldnotplacehisaffection uponhorsesor withsuch excellentpersonsasthese,
toinstruct
birds,butratheruponhuman beings,
eminent- andencourage themin theirgreatattempts;
ly distinguished
byvirtue;andthatheneitherwhereas, if theyindulgedpoetsandmusicians
dislikes nordisdains
toholdconversation
with in thesame grace,it mustbebywayofdiver-
amanofwisdom andpiety.Butthatadivinity sion. To suchasareof another opinion,
I
should becaptivated
with theexternal
beautyshallsay,however, with Bacchylides,
The
of any human body is irrational to believe. way it broad. For it is no unplausible ac-
The ^Egyptians,indeed,makea distinctioncount of the matter which others give, when
in thiscase,whichtheythinknotanabsurdtheytellus,thatLycurgus,
Numa,
andother
one, that it is not impossible for a woman to great men, rinding their people difficult to
be impregnated
by the approach
of somedivine manage, and alterations to be made in their
spirit;butthata mancanhave
no corporeal
several
governments,
pretended
commission!
intercourse
witha goddess.But theydo not, fromheavenwhichwere salutary,
at leastto
however,considerthat a mixture,be it of thosefor whomtheywereinvented.
whatsortit may,equally communicates its Numawasnowin his fortiethyear,when
being. In short, the regard which the gods ambassadorscamefrom Rometo makehim an
haveformen,though, likeahuman passion,
it offerof the kingdom.The speakers were
becalledlove,mustbeemployed in formingProculus andVelesus,whomthe people be-
theirmanners,andraisingthemtohigher de- forehadcasttheireyesuponfortheroyal
dig-
freesof virtue. In thissense wemayadmitnity,theRomans b»ing
attachedtoProcuJus,
the assertionof the poets,that Phorbas,} andtheSabmes toVelesus.Astheyimagined
Hyacinthus, andAdmetus, werebeloved by thatNumawouldgladly embrace hisgood
for-
Apollo;andthatHippolytus, theSicyoman, tune,theymadebuta shortspeech. They
found it, however, no easy matter to persuade
" Numa'sinclination
to solitude,
andhiscustom
of him,but wereobligedto makeuseof muchen-
retiring into the secretplacesof the forest of Aricia,
tave
risetuseveral
popular
opinions^
Some
believed
treaty
todrawhimfromthatpeaceful
retreat
he
thatthenymph
Egeriaherself
dictated
to himthe wassofondof, to thegovernment
of a city,
laws,bothcivil anareligious,
whichheestablished.
born, as it were,and brought up in war In
And,indeed,hedeclared sohimself,
inordertopro- the presence,therefore,of his father,and one
cure a divine sanctionto them. But, as no great man
is without aspersions,others have thought, that under
thisaflVcted
passion
lorwoods andcaves,
wasconceal-changed
intoa flower whichbears hisname.Fuji
edanothermorerealandless
chaste.Thisgave
occa-Pausan,DeLaconic. 1.iii. andOvid.Metam. \. x.
sionlo thatSarcasm
of Juvenal,
ia speaking
of the fab.
5.
(rore of Egeria (S<ii. iii. ver. 12.) Admetuswas the ton of Pheres,king of Thesuly.
Hie ubi nocturnse Numx constitoebat amicsc. It issaidthatApollokepthissheep.
" Pindarhada particulardevotionfor the godPan,
Grid sayi. that to removeher grief for the loss of andthereforetook up his abodenearthe templeof
Numa.Dianachangedher intoa fountainwhich still RheaandPan. He cotnimrd the hymnswhich th«
tearsher name. Metam.I. xv. Thcbanvirginssungon thefestivalof thatdeity; and,
t Airs wassaidtobebeloved
bythegoddess
Cybele,it issaidhehadthehappiness
to hearI'auhimself
sing-
tiid Endymion by Diana; but we believe there is DO ing one of his odes.
where else any mention made of this Herodotus, or Archilochus was slain by a soldier of NBTOS,
who
Rhodotus,asDacierfromhis manuscriptcallshim. s obiicedby thepriestessof Apolloto makeeipia-
f Phorbaswas the sonof Triopas,Icingof Argos. tioafor havingkilled a manconsecrated to themuses.
He delivered (he Rhodians from a prodigious number -As lor !Tr5io<],(heOrchomenians,a peopleofBoeotia,
of serpentsthat infestedtheir island,and particularly beingterribly afflictedby a plague,wereorderedby
from one furiousdragonthat had devoureda great theoracleto removethe bonesof that poet,fromK»u-
manypeople.He was,therefore,
supposed
to be pactus
in X,to\ia,intotheircountry.
dearto Apollo,who hadplainthePython. After his J Sophoclesdied at Athens,while Lyrandrr wu
death he was placed in the heavens,with the dragon carrying on the siege of the city; and Bacchusis said
he had destroyed, in the constellation Op/imcus or to have appeared to the Spartan general in a dream,
Serpeittnrita. and ordered him to permit the new Athenian Syren to
Hyacinth us was the sonof Amyrlas, founder of the be buried atDecelea.
city of Amycl*, near Sparta. He was.bcldVedby Zaleucusgavelaws to the Locriani in NUjn*
Ap-ill" andZephyrus,andwaskilled in a fit of jeal- Orzcia; Zoroaster,oneof the magi, andkinc of UM
ousyby the latter,who,with a puff of wind, caused
a Bactrians,to his own subjects;andMinosto Diepoo-
"jiuit thrownby Apolloto fall uponhishead. He was pleof Crete.
 NUMA.

of Mi kinsmen,namedMarcius,hegavethem theyeverbe aoardentlyinclinedto war,yet

Jus answer: " Everychange
of humanlifehas is it notbetterto torn their violenceanother
itsdangers;
butwhena manhasa sufficiency way,andtobethecentre
of union
andfriend-
forevery
thing,andthereisnothing
inhispre-shipbetween
thecountry
of theSabines,
and
sentsituationto be complained
of,what but so greatand flourishinga stateas that ot
madnesscan lead him from his usual track of Romef Theseinducements,we are told, were
life,which,if it hasnootheradvantage,
hasthat strengthened
by auspicious
omens,
and by the
ef certainty,to experienceanotherasyet doubt- zealand ardourof his fellow-citizens,
who,ai
"ul andunkoown?But the dangersthat attend soonas theyhadlearnedthe subjectof theem
Idsgovernment
are beyondanuncertainty,
if bassy,
wentin a bodyto entreathim to take
we mayforma judgmentfrom the fortunesof the government uponhim,as theonly meansto
Romulus,who labouredunder the suspicionappease all dissensions,and effectuallyincor-
of takingoff Tatius his colleague,andwassup- poratethe two nationsinto one.
posed
to havelosthisownlifewithequalinjus- Whenhehaddetermined
to go,he offered
tice. Yet Romulus is celebrated as a person sacrifice to the gods, and then set forward to
of divine origin, as Bupernaturally nourished,Rome. Struck with love and admirationof
whenan infant,andmostwonderfullypreserv- the man,the senateandpeoplemethim on the
ed. For my part, I am only of mortal race, way; the womenwelcomedhim with blessings
andyou aresensiblemynureingandeducationandshoutsof joy, the templeswere crowded
boastof nothingextraordinary.As for my cha- with sacrifices;andso universalwasthe satis-
racter, if it has any distinction,it has been faction,that the city might seemto have re-
gainedin a waynot likely to qualifyme for a ceiveda kingdom,insteadof a king. When they
king, in scenesof reposeand employments by were comeinto the Forum, SpuriusVettius,
no means arduous. My genius is inclined to whoseturn it was then to be Interrex, put it to
peace,my lovehaslongbeenfixeduponit, and the vote,whetherNuma.shouldbe king, and
I ha\e studiouslyavoided
the contusionof war: all the citizensagreedto it with one voice.
I have also drawn others,so far as my influence The robes and other distinctions of royalty
extended,
to the worshipof the gods,to mutual thenwereofferedhim,but hecommanded
them
offices of friendship, and to spend the rest of to stop, aa his authority yet wanted the sanction
their time in tilling the ground, and feeding of heaven. Taking therefore with him the
cattle. The Roman« may have unavoidable priests and augurs, he went up to the Capitol,
wars left upontheir hands by their late king, which the Romans at that time called the Tar-
for the maintaining of which you have need of peian rock. There the chief of the augurt
another more active and more enterprising. Be- covered the head of Numa,* and turned his
sides,the peopleare of a warlike disposition,facetowardsthe south; then standingbehind
ipirited with success,and plainly enough dis- him, and laying his right band upon his head,
cover their inclination to extendtheir conquests. he offered up his devotions, and looked around
Of course,therefore, a person who has set his him, in hopes of seeing birds, or some other
heart uponthe promoting of religion and jus- signal from the gods. An incredible silence
tice, anddrawingmenoff from the love of vio- reigned among the people, anxiousfor the
lenceandwar, would soon becomeridiculous event,andlost in suspense, till the auspicious
andcontemptibleto a city that hasmoreocca- birdsappearedand passedon the right hand.
sion for a general than a king." Then Numa took the royal robe, and went
Numain this mannerdeclining the crown, downfrom the mount to the people,who re-
the Romans,on the other hand, exertedall ceived him with loud acclamations,as the
their endeavoursto obviate his objections, and most pious of men, and most beloved of the
beggedof him not to throw them into conl'u- gods.
lion andcivil war again,as therewasno other His first actof governmentwasto discharge
jvhomboth partieswould unanimously elect. thebodyof threehundredmen,calledCeleres,^
When the ambassadors hadretired,his father whom Romulusalwayskept abouthis person
»nd his friend Marcius privately urged him, by as guards; for he neither choseto distrust those
all the arguments
in their power,to receive who put a confidence
in him, nor to reignover
this great and valuable gift of heaven. " If a people that could distrust him. In the nei
"ontented,"said they, " with a competence,place,to the priestsof JupiterandMarsheadd
you desirenot riches,nor aspire after the ho- ed onefor Romulus,whomhe styled Flamen
nour of sovereignty, having a higher and better Quirinalis. Flamines was a common name
distinction in virtue; yet consider that a king for priests before that time, and it is said to
is theministerof God,whonow awakensand havebeencorrupted from Pilamines,a term
putsin actionyournativewisdomandjustice.derivedfromPiloi, whichin Greeksignifiea
Decline
not,therefore,
anauthority,
whichto (fortheywore,it seems,
akindofcap*
a wise man is a field I'orgreat and goodactions;
where dignity may be added to religion, and
men may bebrought over to piety, in the easi- but" So it is in thetelt of Plutarch,u it nowstands,
it appearsfrom Livjr, that the augur covered his
est and readiest way, by the influence of the own head,not thatof JVuma,*#u£urad Unam cjui
prince.Tatius,
though
a stranger,
wasbeloved
cajnle
velato,
tfJem
ceptt,
4'c.AnS,
indeed,
theaugur
by this people, and they pay divine honours to alwayscoveredhisheadin a gownpeculiarto hij oi
the memoryof Romulus.Besides, who knows, lice,called
Lzna,whenhemade
hu observations.
astheyare victorious,but theymaybesatiated f Numadidnotmakeuseof themasguards,butu
with war,andhavingno fartherwishfor tri- inferior
minisUn,
whoweretotakecareof thesacri-
umphs
andspoils,
maybedesirous
of a mild fices,
under
thedirection
commanded
them of thecapacity.
in their military tribunes,
whohad
ind just governor for the establishingof good } Others think they took their namesfrom the flame
laws,and the settling of peace? But should colouredtufts they had oa their caps. Ther w«n
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

or hoods;)andthe Latin languagehadmany with the muses. To the latter he ascribed

more Greek words mixed with it then, than it most of his revelations; and there was one IB
hasat thistime. Thus royalmantleswere,by particular,thathecalledTacita, asmuchasto
the Romans,calledKanat, whichJubaassuressay,themusenf fiience,' whomhetaughtths
Di wasfromthe Greek,Chl&nsc,andthe name Romansto distinguishwith their veneration
of Camilltu,* given to the youthwho served By this,too,he seemed
to showhisknowledge
« thetempleof Jupiter,andwhowasto have andapprobation
of thePythagorean
precept
of
both his parentsalive, was the samewhich silence.
some of the Greeks give to Mercury, on ac- His regulationsconcerningimagesseemlike.
countof his being an attendant of that god. wise to have some relation to the doctrine of
Numa havingsettled thesematters with a view Pythagoras; who was of opinion that the First
to establish himself in the people's goodgraces, Causewas not an object of sense,nor liable to
immediatelyafter attemptedto softenthem,as passion, but invisible,incorruptible,
anddiscern-
iron is softenedby fire, andto bring themfrom ible only by the mind. Thus Numa forbade
a violent and warlike disposition, to a juster the Romansto representthe Deity in the form
and more gentle temper. For, if any city ever either of man or beast. Nor was there among
wasin a state of ir^flammation,as Plato ex- themformerlyany imageor statueof theDi*
pressesit, Rome certainly was, being composed vine Being: during the first hundredand seven-
at first of the most hardy and resolute men, ty years they built temples, indeed, and other
whom boldness and despair had driven thither sacreddomes, but placed in them no figure of
from all quarters, nourished and grown up to any kind, persuadedthat it is impiousto repre-
power by a series of wars, and strengthened sent things divine by what is perishable,and
even by blows and conflicts, as piles fixed in that we can have no conception of God but by
the ground becomefirmer under the strokes of the understanding. His sacrifices,too, resem-
the rammer. Persuadedthat no ordinary means bled the Pythagorean worship: for they were
were sufficient to form and reduce so high spi- without any effusionof blood,consisting chiefly
rited and untractable a people to mildness and of flour, libations of wir.c, and other very sim-
peace,he called in the assistanceof religion. ple and unexpensivethings.
By sacrifices, religious dances,and processions, To these argumentsother circumstancesare
which he appointed, and wherein himself offici- added, to prove that these two great men were
ated, he contrived to mix the charmsof festivity acquainted with each other. One of which it,
and socialpleasurewith the solemnityof the thatPythagoras
wasenrolledacitizenofRome
ceremonies. Thus he soothedtheir minds, and This account we have in an address to Ante-
calmed their fiercenessand martial fire. Some- rior from Epicharmus,t a writer of comedy,
times also, by acquainting them with prodigies and a very ancient author, who was himselfof
from heaven, by reports of dreadful apparitions the school of Pythagoras. Another is, thai
and menacing voices, he inspired them with Numa having four sons,} called one of them
terror and humbled them with superstition. Mamercus, after the name of a son of Pytha-
This was the principal cause of the report, that goras. From him too, they tell as, the JEmi-
he drew his wisdom from the sourcesof Py- lian family is descended,which is one of the
thagoras: for a great part of the philosophy of noblest in Rome; the king having given him
the latter, as well as the government of the for- the surname of JEmihas, on account of his
mer, consisted in religious attentions and the graceful andengagingmanner of speaking.And
worship of the gods. It is likewise said, that I have myself beeninformed by severalpersons
his solemn appearanceand air of sanctity was in Rome, that the Romans being commanded
copied from Pythagoras. That philosopherhad by the Oiacle to erect two statues,§one to the
so far tamed an eagle, that, by pronouncing wisest, and the other to the bravestof the Gre-
certain words, he could stop it in its flight, or cians, set tip is brass the figures of Pytha-
bring it down; and passing through the multi- goras and Alcibiades. But as these matter*
tudes assembledat the Olympic games,he are very dubious,to support or refute them
showed them his golden thigh; besides other
arts and actions, by which he pretended to " In tie city of Erythrse,therewasa templeof Mi
something
supernatural.Thisled Tunonthe nenra,where the
the competed, priestess
the tiient. wascalled
Hen/dun,
thatu
Phliasian to write,
f Accordingto the Marmora Oxon. Epicharmut,
Tocatchapplause
Pythagoras
aflects flourished in theyearbefore
Christ472;andit iicer
A solemn
airandgrandeur
of expression. tain it musthave Menaboutthattime,because
at the court of Hiero.
hewas
But Numa feigned that some goddess or 1 Somewriters,to corintenance
thevanityof certain
mountain nymph favoured him with her private noble familiesin Rome,in deducingtheir genealogy
from Numa, have given that prince lour sons. But the
regards (as we have already observed,) and common opinion is, that he had only one daughter,
that he had moreover frequent conversations namedPompilia. The jEmilii wereoneof the most
considerablefamilies in Rome, and branched into the
denominated
from the particulargod to whomtheir Lepidi,the Pauli,and thePapi. Theword -frmtifal
ministrywasconfined,
asflamenSiaKi,thePriestof orJEmylus,
in Greek,signifies
gentle,graceful.
Jupiter; FlamenMartialis,thePriestof Mars. § Pliny tellsus, (1.miv. c. 5.) it wasin thetimeof
* Camillasis d-rived from the Botic *xi/*.>.<:;, which their war with the Samnitel that the Romanswere
properly signifies
a servitor.In everytemple thereu ordered tosetupthese
statues; thattheywereaccor-
ft youthofquality,whosebusinessit wasto minister
to dinglyplaced
in theamititrm,andthattheyremained
the pri;sl. It wasnecessarythat the falherandmo- theretill thedictatorshipof Sylla. Theoracle,by this
ther ot the youthshouldbebothalive; for which rea- direction,probablyintimated,thatthe Romans,if they
sonPlutarchmakesuseof theword a,wci-*:»>.»-,which desiredto bevictorious,shouldimitatethewisdom ftM
Ike Lfttins call yurrnnum cl matrimvm. valour of the Greek*.
 NUMA.

fatherwould
looklikethejuvenile
affectation
Medcs;
andatRome,
in theMithridatic
war,
gfdispute. asalsoin thecivilwar,*when
notonlythe
To Nuroais attributedthe institutionof firewasextinguished,
butthealtaroverturned;
thathighorder
of priests
calledPontificesfit ianottobelightedagain fromanotherfire,
overwhichheiasaidto havepresided
himself.butnewfireis to begainedby drawinga pure
Some say,theywerecalledPontificea,
asem-andunpolluted flamefromthe sun-beanu
ployed
intheservice
of those
powerful
godsTheykindle
it generally
withconcave
vessels}
thatgovern
theworld;forpoterw
in theRomanofbrass,
formed
bytheconicsection
ofarect-
language
signifies
powerful.Others,
fromtheir angledtriangle,whoselinesfromthecircum-
beingordered
bythelawgiverU>perform
suchference meetin onecentralpoint. Thisbeing
gecret officesas were ia their power, and placedagainstthe sun,causes
its raysto con-
Handingexcusedwhentherewassomegreat vergein the centre,which, by reflection,ac-
impediment.Butmostwritersassign
a ridic- quiring
theforceandactivityof fire, rarifythe
ulous reason,for the term, as if they were air, andimmediatelykindlesuchlight anddry
calledPontifices from their offeringsacrificesmatteras theymaythink fit to apply.f Some
uponthebridge,whichtheLatinscallponton, areof opinion,
thatthesacred
virginshavethe
suchkind of ceremonies
it seems
beinglooked care of nothing but the perpetualfire. But
nponasthemostsacred, andof greatest
anti- otherssaytheyhavesome private
ritesbesides,
quity. Thesepriest*too,are saidto have keptfromthesightof all but theirownbody,
beencommissionedto keepthe bridges
in re- concerningwhichI havedelivered,in thelife
pair,asoneof themostindispensable
partscf ofCamiUus, asmuchasit wasproperto inquire
their holy office. For the Roman:consideredinto or declare.
it as aa execrableimpiety to demolishthe It is reportedthat at first only two virgins
woodenbridge;which, we aretold, was built were consecratedby Numa, whose names
without iron, and put togetherwith pins of were Geganiaand Verania; afterwardstwo
woodonly, by the direction of someoracle. othersCanuleiaandTarpeia;to whomServiug
The stone bridge was built many agesafter, added two more-, and that number has conti-
when.ZEmilms wasquxstor. Some,however, nuedto this time. The vestalswere obliged
inform us, that the woodenbridgewas not by the king to preservetheir virginity for thir-
constructed in the time of Numa, having the ty years. The first ten years they spent ia
last handput tc it by Ancus Marcius, who learningtheir office;the nextten in puttingin
was grandsonto Numa by bis daughter. practice what they had learned; and the third
Thepontt/ei morimtu, chiefof thesepriests, periodin the instructing of others. At the
is interpreter of all sacred rites, or rather a conclusion of this time, such as choseit had
superintendentof religion, having the care not liberty to marry, and quitting their sacredem-
only of public sacrifices, but even of private ployment to take up some other. However,
rites and offerings,forbiddingthe people to we haveaccountof but very few thataccepted
depart from the statedceremonies, and teach- this indulgence, and those did not prosper.
jig them how to honour and propitiate the They generally became a prey to repentance
gods. He hadalsothe inspectionof the holy andregret,fromwhencetherest,inspiredwith
virgins called Vestals. For to Numais as- a religiousfear,were willing to endtheir liveg
cribed the sacred establishment of the vestal under the same institution.
virgins, and the whole seivice with respect to The king honoured them with great privi-
the perpetual fire, which they watch continu- leges, such as power to make a will during
ally- This office seemsappropriated to them, their father's life, and to transact their other
either becausefire, which is of a pureand affairswithout a guardian,like the mothersof
incorruptiblenature,shouldbelookedafterby threechildrennow. When they wentabroad,
persons untouched and undefiled, or else be- they had the_/<iscejcarried before thern;J and
causevirginity, like fire, is barrenandunfruit- if, by accident,theymeta personled to eiecu-
ful. Agreeablyto thislast reason,at theplaces tion, hislife wasgrantedbun. But the vestal
in Greecewhere the sacredfire is preservedwasto makeoath§that it was by chanceshe
UneUinguiahed, as at Delphi and Athens,not met him, andnot by design. It wagdeathto
virgins,but widowspastchildbearing,havethe go underthe chair in whichtheywerecarried.
chargeof it. If it happensby any accidentto
be put out, as the sacredlamp is saidto have itsbeingsacked andplundered.As for the sacred
beenat Athens,
underthetyranny
of Aristion;f fire,it waskeptinthetemple
ofMinerva.
"t Delphi,whenthetemplewagburned by the * LiTytellsus(1.86.)thattowardstheconclusion
of the civil war betweenSyllaand Marius,Mutiiu
" Numa createdfour, who were all patricians. Schzrola,the pontiffwaskilled at the entrance
of the
But in the yearor Rome453or 454, four plebeianstempleof Vesta; but we do not findthat thesacred
"wireadded
to thenumber.Thekinghimselfishere fir« was«tingui»hed.AndMenwhenthattemple
"ssertedto harebeenthe chiefaf them,ot fonttfex »asburned,towardsthe end of the first Punicwar,
maxinuu; though Livy attribute! that honour to an- L. Cecilius
Metellus,
thenpontiff,rushed
through
the
other personof thesamename,viz. NumaMarcius, flames,andbroughtoff the Palladiumand otter sa-
the sonof Marcius,one of the senators.It seems,credthings,though withthelossof hissight.
however,Dot improbablethat Numa,-whowasof «o
religious a turn,reserved thechiefdignityin the who
t Burnine glasses
flourished were
500years invented
after Numa.by Archimedes,
priesthoodto himself,as kingshaddone>nthe first
ages of the world, and astheemperorsof Rome did {Thishonourwasnot conferred uponthemby
titcrwards.
Numa,but by the triumvirate
in theyearof Rome
f ThisAristionheldouta longtimeagainst
Sylla,
who besiegedand took Athensin the time of the Mith-
ridatic war. ' Ariition himself committed innumera- 6Neithera vestalnor a priestof Jupiter wai
ble outragesin the city, and wasat lastthecauseof obliged to takean oath. Theywerebelieved
with-
out thatsolemnity.
00 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

For smaller offences these virgins were the infernal gods, as receiving the mo«t ej.ce!
punished with stripes; and sometimesthe pon- lent part of us, and more particularly to vene
tifix maximusgavethemthedisciplinenaked, rate the goddessLibitina, as he called her,
in somedark place,andunderthe coverof a whopresides overfuneralsolemnities;
whether
veil: but she that broke her vow of chastity hemeant by her Proserpine, or rather Venus,*
was buried alive by the Colline gate. There, as some of the most learned Romanssuppose;
within the walls, is raiseda little mount of not improperlyascribingto the samedivins
enrth,calledin Latin Jigger: underwhich is powerthe careof our birth andof our death
prepareda small cell with stepsto descend He himselflikewisefixedthe timeof mourn-
to it. In this areplaceda bed,a lightedlamp, ing, accordingto the differentagesof the de-
and some slight provisions, such as bread ceased. He allowed none for a child that
water, milk, andoil, astheythoughtit impious died under three yearsof age; and for one
to takeoff a personconsecratedwith the most older,the mourningwasonly to laut as many
awful ceremonies, by such a death as that of months as he lived years, provided those were
famine.* The criminal is carried to punish- not more than ten. The longestmourningwas
ment through the Forum, in a litter well covered not to continue above ten months, after which
without,and boundup in sucha mannerthat spacewidowswerepermittedto marryagain;
her cries cannot be heard. The peoplesilently but she that took another husbandbefore that
make way for the litter, and follow it with term was out, was obliged by his decree to
marks of extremesorrow and dejection. There sacrifice a cow with calf.f
is no spectaclemore dreadful than this, nor any Numa instituted severalother sacredorders,
day which the city passesin a more melancholy two of which I shall mention, the Salii,\ and
manner. When the litter comes to the place Feciales,tj which afford particular proofs of hii
appointed, the officers loose the cords, the piety. The Feciales, who were like the Ireno-
h'gh-priest,with handslifted up towardsheav- phylakes,or guardians of the peace,among
en, offers up some private prayers just before the Greeks, had, I believe, a name expressive
the fatal minute, then takes out the prisoner, of their office ; for they were to act and
who is covered with a veil, and places her upon mediate between the two parties, to decide
the stepswhich leaddown to the cell: after their differences
by reason,andnot sufferthem
this, he retires with the rest of the priests, and to go to war till all hopesof justice were lost
when she is gone down,the steps are taken The Greekscall sucha peaceIrene,as puts
away, and the cell is covered with earth; so an end to strife, not by mutual violence, but in
that the place is made level with the rest of a rational way. In like manner the feciales,
the mount. Thus were the vestals punished or heralds, were often despatchedto such na-
that preserved not their chastity.
It is also said, that Numa built the temple of * This VenusLUitina was the samewith Proser
Testa, where the perpetual fire was to be pine. Shewascalledat Delphi VenusEpitumina.
kept,f in an orbicularform, not intendingto PlutowastheJupiterof theshades
below
; andthere
represent
thefigureof th».earth,asif thatwas they hadtheir
f Such Mercury
an unnatural too. was intended to deter
sacrifice
meantby T'esta,
buttheframeof theuniverse,thewidows frommarrying againbefore
theexpiration
in the centreof whirfhthe Pythagoreans
place of theirmourning.Romulus
?syearconsisting
butof
the element of fire,:f and give it the name of tenmonths,whenNumaafterwards
addedtwo monthj
J'esta and Unity. The earththey supposedmore,hedidnotalterthe timehehadbefore
settled
notto bewithout
motion,
norsituated
in the for
we mourning; andtherefore,
often meet with though
Luctus annus, or aafter
that
year's time
mourn-
centre of the world, but to make its revolution ing, we must take it only for the old year of Romulus.
roundthe sphereof fire, beingneither oneof The ordinarycolourto express
theirgrief,used
the most valuable nor principal parts of the alike by both sexes,wasblack,without trimmings.
greatmachine.Plato,too,in hisold age,is dance
Butafter theestablishment oftheempire, when abun-
of colours came in fashion, the old primitive
reported to have been of the same opinion, as- white grewsomuchinto contempt,
that it became
pe-
signingtheeartha differentsituation fromthe culiartothewomen fortheirmourning. VidePint.
centre, and leaving that, as the place of hon- uetst.Rom.
our, to a nobler element. Therewere severalacr-identa
whichoftenoccasion-
The Pontificeswere,moreover,to prescribeed theconcluding of apu«fjcmourning, or suspension
of a private one, before the fixed time ; such as th«
Vie form of funeral rites to such as consulted
dedicationof a temple, the solemnity of public games
diem. Numa himself taught them to look or festivals, the solemn lustration performed by the
uponthe lastofficesto the deadasnopollution. censor,
andthedischarging
of avowmade
byamagit-
He instructed them to pay all due honour to trateor a general.Theylikewiseput offtheir mourn-
ing habit when a father, brother, or son, returned
from captivity, or when someof the family were ad-
* Thereseems
to be something
improbable
and vanced
to aconsiderable
employment.
Alconsistent in this. Of what use could provisions
beto thevestal,
who,whenthegrave wasclosed { TheSaliiweretheguardians of therfncilia. at
uponher,mustexpirethroughwantof air? Or, twelve shields hung upinthetemple of Mars.They
if shecouldmake
useof those
provisions,
wasshetook
of antheirname
annual from
festival theirdancing
instituted intheofcelebration
in memory a mirac-
not at last to die by famine? Perhaps what Plu-
tarch here calls provisions were materials for tome ulous shield, which, Numa pretended, fell down from
sacrifice, heaven.
§ Dionysiusof Halicarnassus
findsthemamongthe
t Di"nyimof Halicaraassxis
(1.ii.) is of opinion,
Aborigines;
andNumais saidto have
borrowed
the
andprobably
heisright,thatNumadidbuildthetem- institution
fromthepeople
of Latium. Heappointed
pleof,1'esta
inaroundform,torepresent thefiguretwenty
ftcialest
chosen
outof themost eminent
fami-
of theearth; for by Vestatheymeant
theearth. liesin Rome,
andsettled
theminacollege.
Thepater
J That this waj the opinionof Philolausand other luitratits,who madepeace,or denouncedwir, was
Pythagoreans is well known: but DiogenesLaertius probablyoneof their bodyselected
for that purpose,
tells us, that Pythagoras himself held the earth to be becausehe had both a father and ason alive. Lu>.1. i,
tin centre. c.94.
 i UMA. 51
tioniu hadinjured
theRomans,
topersuadi
dance
itself,which
theyleadup alongth«
themto entertain
moreequitablesentiments
streets,
whenin themonth of Marchthey
if theyrejected
theirapplication,
tbeycallec
carrythe sacred
bucklers
throughthecity.
thegods
towitness,
withimprecations
againsOnthatoccasion
theyarehabited
in purple
themselves
andtheir country,if vheircausevests,girtwithbroadbeltsof brass;theywear
wasnotjust;andsotheydeclared war. Bu alsobrazen helmets,andcarryshortswords,
if thefecialesrefusedtheirsanction,it waswithwhichtheystrikeuponthebucklers, and
notlawfulfor anyRomansoldier,norevenfor to thosesounds theykeeptimewiththeirfeet.
thekinghimself, to beginhostilities.War Theymove in anagreeablemanner,perform-
wasto commence withtheirapprobation,as ingcertain
involutionsandevolutions
inaquick
theproperjudgeswhetherit wasjust,andthen measure,
withvigour,agility,andease.
thesupreme magistrate
wasto deliberate con- Thesebucklers arecalledJlnctiia,fromthe
cerningthepropermeansof carryingit on. formof them. For theyareneithercircular,
The greatmisfortunes
which befelthe city noryet,like thepelta,semicircular,butfash-
from the Gauls, are said to have proceededionedin two crookedindentedlines,the ex-
from the violation of these sacred ritea. For tremities of which meeting close, form a curve,
whenthosebarbarians
werebesieging
Clusium, in GreekAncylon. Or else they may beso
Fabms Ambustus was sent ambassadorto their named from the ancon or bend of the arm, on
camp,with proposalsof peacein favourof the whichtheyare carried. This accountof thft
besieged.But receivinga harshanswer,he matter we have from Juba,who is veryde-
thoughthimselfreleased fromhis characterof sirousto derivethe term fromthe Greek. But
ambassador, andrashlytakingup armsfor the f we musthavean etymologyfrom that Ian-
Clusians,challengedthe bravestman in the juage,it maybe takenfrom their descending,
Gaulisharmy. He provedvictorious,indeed, anekathen, from on high; or from a/cesu,
in the combat,for he killed his adversary,
and their healingof the sick; or from auchmon
carried off his spoils: but the Gauls having <usis,their puttingan end to the drought; or
discovered who he was, sent a herald to Rome astly, from anascheiis, deliverance from ca-
to accuseFabiusof bearingarmsagainstthem, lamities:For which reasonalso Castor and
contraryto treatiesandgoodfaith,and without Polluxwere by the Athenianscalled anakes.
a declarationof war. Upon this the feciales The rewardMamuriushadfor his art, was,we
exhortedthe senateto deliver him up to the are told, an ode, which the Salianssung in
Gauls; but he applied to the people, and being memory of him, along with the Pyrrhic dance.
a favourite with them, was screenedfrom the Some,however, eay, it was not Veturius JHar
sentence. Soon after this the Gauls marched murius, who was celebrated in that composi-
to Rome, and sacked the whole city except tion, but vetus memoria, the ancient remem-
the Capitol: as we have related at large in the branceof the thing.
life of Camillas. After Numa had instituted these several or-
The order of priests called Salii, is said to ders of priests, he erected a royal palace,
have been instituted on this occasion: In the called Regia near the temple of Vesta; and
eighth year of Numa's reign a pestilence pre- here he passedmost of his time, either in per
vailed in Italy; Rome also felt its ravages. brming some sacred function, or instructing
While the people were greatly dejected, we Jie priests,or, at least, in conversing with them
are told that a brazen buckler fell from heaven on some divine subject. He had also another
into the hands of Numa. Of this he gave a louse upon the Quirinal mount, the situation
very wonderful account, received from Egeria of which they still shew us. In all public cere-
and the musee: That the buckler was sent monies and processionsof the priests a herald
down for the preservationof the city, and went before,who gavenoticeto the peopleto
should be kept with great care: That eleven keep holiday. For, as they tell us, the Pitha
othersshouldbe madeaslike it as possiblein ;oreauswouldnot.suffer their disciplesto pay
sizeandfashion,in order, that if any person anyhomageor worshipto the godsin a cursory
were disposedto steal it, he might not be able manner, but required them to come prepared
to distinguishthat which fell from heaven from "or it by meditation at home; so Numa was of
the rest. He fartherdeclared,that the place, jpinion, thathis citizensshouldneitherseenor
andthemeadows aboutit, wherehe frequent- tearanyreligiousservicein a slightor careless
ly conversedwith the muses,shouldbe conse- way,but disengaged from other affairs,bring
crated to those divinities; and that the spring with them that attention which an object of
which watered the ground should be sacred to uch importance required. The streets and
the useof the -vestalvirgins,daily to sprinkle ways,on suchoccasions,
were clearedof cla-
and purify their temple. The immediatecessa- mour, and all manner of noise which attendi
tion of the pestilenceis saidto haveconfirmed manuallabour,that the solemnitiesmightnot
the truth of this account. Numa then shewed >edisturbed. Some vestiges of this still re-
the buckler to the artists, and commandedmain: for when the consulis employedeither
themto exertall their skill for an exactresem- n augury or sacrificing,they call out to th«
blance. They all declinedthe attempt, ex- >eople, Hoc age,Mind this; andthus admou
ceptVeturiusMamurius,who wasso success- 'i themto be orderlyandattentive.
ful in the imitation,andmadethe othereleven Many otherof hisinstitutionsresemble those
BO
likeit, thatnotevenNumahimselfcouldof thePythagoreans.
For as these
hadpre-
distinguish
them. Hegavethesebucklersin cepts,whichenjoined notto situpona bushelf
chargeto theSalii; whodidnotreceive
their DOT
to stir the fire witha sword;\i.otto turi»
name, as some pretend, from Salius of Samo-
thrace or Mantmea, that taught the way of * That is, not to giye up ourKlreg to iJ)" m «
dancingin arms,but ratherfrom the subsuitive t Not to irritate himwho it ilrcadj anifry.
a PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

backupon* journey;* to offeran oddnumber comingto visit him, when, on " suddenDM
to the celestialgoda, and an even oneto the roomwassuppliedwith the most costly ?e*-
terrestrial ;f the senseof which precepts is hid sels, and the table with a most magnificent en*
from the vulgar: so oomeof Numa's have a tertainment. But nothing can be imagined
concealed meaning; as, not to offer to the more absurd than what is related of his con-
godswine proceedingfrom a vine unpruned; versationwith Jupiter. The storygoes,that
nor to sacrifice without meal ;\ to turn round when mount Jlvtntine was not enclosedwith-
whenyou worship;§ andto sit downwhenyou in the walls, nor yet inhabited,but abounded
haveworshipped.The two first preceptsseem with flowingspringsandshadygroves,it was)
to recommend agricultureasa part of religion. frequentedby twodemigods,
PicusandFaunas
And the turning round in adoration,is saidto These,in otherrespects,werelike the Satyrs,
representthe circularmotionof the world. or theraceof Titans: but in the wonderful
But I rather think, that asthe templesopenedfeatsthey performedby their skill in pharma-
towards the east, such as entered them neces- cy and magic more resembled the Idxi Doc-
sarily turning their backsuponthe rising sun, tyli* (as the Greekscall them); and thuspro-
madea half turn to that quarter,in honourof vided,they roamedabout Italy. They tell us,
the godof day, andthencompletedthe circle, that Numa,havingmixedthefountainof which
aa well as their devotions, with their faces to- they used to drink with wine and honey, am-
wards the god of the temple. Unless, per- prised and caught them. Upon this, they turn-
haps,this changeof posturemayhavean enig- ed themselvesinto many forms,and,quitting
matical meaning,like the Egyptian wheels, their natural figure,assumedstrangeandhor-
admonishingus of theinstabilityof everything rible appearances.
But when they foundthey
human,and preparingus to acquiesce andrest could not breakor escapefrom the bondthat
satisfiedwith whateverturnsand changesthe held them,they acquaintedhim with manyse
divine Being allots us. As for sitting down crets of futurity and taught him a charm for
after an act of rcugion,they tel\ us it wasin- thunder and lightning, composedof omont,
tendedas an omenof success in prayer,andof hair, andpilchards,which is usedto this day.
lastinghappinessafterwards. They add,that Otherssay,thesedemigodsdid not communi-
as actions are divided by intervals of rest, so cate the charm, but that by the force of magic
when one businesswas over, they sat down in they brought down Jupiter from heaven. The
presenceof the gods,that undertheir auspi- god, resentingthis at Numa's bands,ordered
ciousconductthey might beginanother. Nor the charmto consistqf heads. Ofoniont, re-
is this repugnant to what has been already ad- plied Numa. JVb, human.-Hairs, said Numa,
vanced; sincethe lawgiver wanted to accus- desirousto fenceagainstthe dreadfulinjunc-
tom us to address the deity, not in the midst tion, and interrupting the god. Living, said
of business
or hurry, but when we havetime Jupiter: Pilchards, said Numa. He wasin-
and leisure to do it as we ought. structed, it seems,by Egeria, how to manage
By this sortof religiousdisciplinethe people the matter. Jupiter went awaypropitious,in
became BOtractable, and were impressedwith Greek Ueos,whence the place was called ttt-
"uch a veneration of Numa's power, that they ceum.-f and so the charm was effected. Thew
admittedmanyimprobable,and evenfabulous things,fabulousandridiculousas theyare,shew
tales,and thoughtnothingincredibleor impos- how superstition,confirmedby custom,opera
sible which he undertook. Thus he is said to ted upon the minds of the people. As for Numa
have invited many of the citizens to his ta- himself, he placed his confidence so entirely
ble, .1 where he took care the vessels should be in God, that when one brought him word the
mean, and the provisions plain and inelegant; enemy was coming, he only smiled, saying,
but after they were seated, he told them, the Jlnd I am sacrificing.
goddesswith whomhe used to converse,was He is recordedto have been the first that
built templesto .Fides,} or Faith, and to
* In another place Plutarch fives this precept thus,
Severreturn from the borders. But thesense isthe " Diodorustells u>from Ephorus,the IdaeiDactrli
"urn; Die like a man;donotlongafterlife, whenit is were originally from mount Idain Phrvgia. frca
departing,or wishto beyoungagain. whencethey passedinto Europewith king Minos.
f The Pagans lookedonanoddnumberasthemore They settledfirst in Samothracr,wherethey taught
perfectandthe symbolof concord,because it cannot theinhabitantsreligiousrites. Orpheusis thoughtto
be divided into two equal parts, a* the even number have been their disciple; aad the first that carried *
may,whichistherefore
thesymbol
of division.This formof worshipoverinto Greece.TheDaclyliaft
prejudicewasnot only thereasonwhy the firstmonth likewisesaidto havefoundout the useof fire, andI*
was consecratedto the celestial, and the second,to the have discoveredthe nature of iron and brassto the in-
terrestrial deities;but gavebirth to a thousand
super- habitantsof the country adjoiningto Mount Ber*
ttitious practices,which in somecountriesare still cynthus,and to havetaughtthem theway of work
Keptupby thosewhomreasonand religion oughtto ing them. For this, andmanyotherusefuldiscoveries,
bareundeceived. theywereafter their deathworshipled asgods.
JThe principalintentionof this preceptmightbe to tThii is Plutarch's mistake. Ovid informsII
wean themfrom the sacrifices of blood,andto bring (Fast. 1. iii.) that Jupiter was calledEliciut from
themto offeronly cakesand figuresof animalsmade eJiccrc, to drawout, because Jupiterwasdrawnout ol
of paste. heavenon this occasion.
{Probablyto representtheimmensityof theGodhead. t This was intendedto makethe Romanspar at
IDionysiustellsus, that Numa shewedtheseRo- muchregardto their word, asto a contractin writiag.
mansall the roomsof hispalacein themorning,mean- Andso excellent,in fact, were their principles,thai
ly furnished, and without any signs of a great enter- Poljbiu! gives the Romansof his time this honourable
tainment;
that hekeptthemwith himgreatpart of testimony-"They
mostinviolablykeeptheir word
the day; and whenthey returnedto supwith him by without being obligedto it by bail, witness,or pro-
invitationin the evening,they foundevery thing sur- mise;whereas,
ten securities,
twentypromises,andat
prisinglymagnificent.
It is likely, JVuina
imputedmanywitnesses,
cannothinderthe faithless
Greek*
\9« changeto hisinvisiblefriend. fromattemptingto deceiveanddisappointyou." Nt-
 NCTMA. S3
Termtnta,*
andhetaught theRoman* to 10manyparts.Thisdistribution
waim»de
made
"wear
by/oiWi,
asthegreatest
ofoaths;
-whichaccording
totheseveral
artsortrades
ofmusi-
they
stillcontinue
tomakeuseof. In ourcians,
goldsmiths,
masons,
dyere,
shoemakers,
(mettheysacrifice
animals
inthefields,
bothtanners,
braziers,
andpotters.Hecollected
onpublic
andprivate
occasions,
toTerminus, theother
artificers
aJsointocompanies,
who
u thegodofboundaries;
butformerly
theof-had
theirrespective
halls,
courts,
andreligion!
fering
wasaninanimate
one;forNuma
arguedceremonies,
peculiar
toeach
society.Bythese
thatthereshould
benoeffusion
of bloodin the meanshe first tookawaythe distinctionof
ritegofa god,
whoU thewitness
ofjustice,
Sabines
andRomans,
subjects
ofTatiusand
andguardianof peace.
It isindeed
certain,
subjects
ofRomulus,
bothname
and.
thing;
the
that Numawasthe first who markedout the veryseparationinto partsmixingandincorpo-
bounds
oftheRoman
territory;Romulus
beingratingthewholetogether.
unwilling,
bymeasuring
outhisown,toshew Heiscelebrated also,
inhispolitical
capact-
howmuch hehadencroached
upontheneigh-ty,for correcting
the lawwhichempowered
bouring
countries
: forbounds,
if preserved,
fathersto selltheirchildren,*
exceptingsuch
arebarriers
against lawless power:if violated, asmarried bytheirfather'scommand orcon-
theyareevidences ofinjustice.Theterritorysent;forhereckoned it a greathaidship
that
of thecitywasbynomeans extensive atfirst, awoman should marrya manasfree,andtheo
but Romulusaddedto it a considerable dis- live with a slave.
trict gainedby thesword.All thisNuma Heattempted thereformationof thecalen-
divided among the indigent citizens, that pov- dar too, which he executed with some degree
ertymightnotdrivethemto rapine ; and,as of skill,though notwith absoluteexactness.
heturnedtheapplication
of thepeople
to agri-In thereignof Romulus,
it hadneithermeasure
culture,their temperwassubdued togethernor order,somemonthsconsisting of fewer
withtheground.Fornooccupationimplantsthantwentydays,f
whilesome
werestretched
gospeedyandsoeffectual
a loveof peace,
as tothirty-five,
andothers
even
to more.They
a countrylife ; wherethereremainsindeedbodno ideaof thedifference between thean-
courage
andbravery sufficient
to defend their nualcourse
of thesunandthat of the moon,
property,
butthetemptations to injusticeand andonlylaiddownthisposition,
thattheyear
avariceareremoved. Numa,therefore,intro- consistedof three hundred and sixty days.
ducedamonghis subjects
an attachmentto Numa,then,observing thattherewasa differ-
husbandry
asa charmof peace,
andcontrivingenceof elevendays,threehundredandfifty-
a business
for them,whichwould ratherform four daysmakingup the lunar year,andthree
theirmanners
to simplicity,
thanraisethemto hundred
andsixty-five
theeolar.doubled
those
opulence, he divided the country into several
portions,which he calledpagi, or boroughs, " RomuluihadaDow»<i
father!greaterpowerover
andappointedovereachof thema governoror theirchildren
thanmatters
hid overtheirslaves.For
overseer.Sometimes
alsoheinspected
them amaster could tellhisslavebutonce ; whereasa lather
could sell his son three times, let him be or what ag«
himself, and judging of the disposition of the or condition soever.
peopleby theconditionof their farms,somehe t ButMacrobiui tellsni, (Saturnal.
1.1.c. 12.)that
advancedto postsof honourandtrust; andon Romulus settled
thenumber of dayswithmoreequali-
theotherband,hereprimanded andendeavour-ty, allottingto March,May,Quintilis.andOctober
edto reformthenegligent
andtheidle.f one andthirtydays each;toApril,June,SeitUii,
November, and December, thirty: making np io all
But the most admired of all his institutions
three hundred and fo'ir days. Numa was better ac-
is his distributionof the citizensinto compa- quainted
withthecelestial
motions;
and.therefore,
in
nies,accordingto their arts and trades. For the thefirst place,addedthetwo months01Januaryand
city consisting,
aswehaveobserved,
of two na- February.Bytheway,it isprobable,
thereaderwill
tions,
orrather
factions,
whowere
bynomeansthinkj thatneither Romulus, norany other man, could
be so ignorant asto makethe lunar year consistof three
willing to unite, or to blot out the remem- hundred and four days: and that the Romans reckoned
branceof their originaldifference,
but main-bylunarmonths,
andconsequently
bythelunaryear,
tainedperpetual
contest*andpartyquarrels;he originally,
is plain,by theircalends,
nones,
andidea,
took the same method with them as is used to To composethesetwo months,he added fifty days M
incorporate
hardandsolidbodies,
which,while thethreehundred andfour,in order to make them
answer to the course of the moon. Beside this, he
entire, will not mix at all, but when reducedto obserred the difference between the solar and the lunar
powder,
unitewithease. To attainthis pur- course
tobeeleven
days;
and,
toremedy
theinequality,
pose,hedivided,as I said,thewhole multitude hedoubled thosedaysaltereverytwoyean,adding
an
into small bodies,who, gainingnew distinc- interstitial
month afterFebruary;whichPlutarch
here
tions,lost by degreesthe great and original one, calls Mercedtnutf and, in the life of Julius Cesar
in consequence of their beingthusbrokeninto Mtrctdaniut. Festuispeaks
callsDies Mercedonii,because
of certaindayswhichhe
they wereappointed
for the paymentof workmenand domestics, which
wonder,then,thatsovirtuousa peoplewerevictorious u all we knowof the word. As Numawassensible
over those that were becomethus degenerateand dis-
th»tthesolaryearconsisted
ofthreehundred andsiily.
honest. fivedaysandrii hours,andthat the rii hoursmade«
*_The D\t Terr/urnwererepresented
by stones,whole dayin fouryears,
hecommanded thatthemonth
whichNumacaused tobeplaced
onthebordersof the Mercedinus aftereveryfouryears, shouldconsist of
Romanstate,andof eachman'*privateland*. In twenty-three days;butthecareof these intercalation*
honourof these
deities,
heinstituteda festival
calledbeing
lefttothepriests,
theyputinorleftoutthein-
Terminalia,whichwasannuallycelebrated
onthe33d
end22d of February. To removethe Dii Termini
ynt deemeda sacrilrg-of soheinousanature,that any
manmightkill, with impunity,the transgressor. seasonquitecontraryto whattheyhadbeenformerly.
* Toneglectthecultivationofaform THIS
considered mancal'noir hadgainednearthreemonthsin
amongsttheRomansase cnwonumproirum; a (ault the u jdaysof JuliusCzsar,andthereforewanteda rreal
"tatmerited
thechastisement
ofthecensor. reformation
again.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

elevendays,andinsertedthemasanintercalary but a little while; for whenhe wasslain,they

month after that of February, every other year. resumed their old names, Septemberand Oc-
This additionalmonthwascalled by the Ro- tober. The two last werethe only ones that
mans J\Ierccdinus. But this amendment of all along retainedthe original appellation which
the irregularityafterwardsrequireda farther theyhad from their order. February,which
amendment. He likewise altered the order of was either added or transposed by Numa, ii
the months,makingMarch the third, which the monthof purification;for so the terrasig
was the first ; January first, which was the nifiea ; and then rites are celebrated for the
"'"""nth of Romulus,andFebruarythesecond, purifying of trees,»and procuringa blessing
wnich was the twelfth and last. Many, how- on their fruits ; then also the feast of the L.U-
ever,assert,that the two monthsof Januarypcrcaliais held,whoseceremonies
greatlyre-
and Februarywereaddedby Numa, whereassemblethose of a lustration. January,the
before they had reckonedbut ten months in the first month, is so named from Janus. And
year,assomebarbarousnationshadbut three; Numa seemsto me to have takenawaythe
and, among the Greeks, the Arcadians four, and precedencyfrom March, which is denominated
the Acarnanians six. The Egyptian year,they from the god of war, with a design to shew hii
tell us, at first, consisted only of one month, preference of the political virtues to the mar-
afterwards four. And, therefore, though they tial. For this Janus, in the most remote an-
inhabit a new country,theyseemto be a very tiquity, whethera demigodor a king, being
ancient people, and reckon in their chronology remarkable for his political abilities and hii
an incrediblenumberof years,becausethey cultivation of society, reclaimedmen from
account months foi- years.» their rude and savagemanners; he is therefore
That the Roman year contained at first ten representedwith two faces, as having altered
monthsonly, andnot twelve,we havea proof the formerstateof the world,and givenquite
in the nameof the last; for theystill call it a new turn to life. He has also a templeat
December,or the tenth month; and that March Rome with two gates,which they call the gates
was the first is also evident, becausethe fifth of war. It is the custom for this temple to
from it was called QuintHis, the sixth Sextttis, stand open in the time of war, and to be shut
and so the rest in their order. If January and in time of peace. The latter was seldomthe
February had then beenplaced before March, case,as the empire has beengenerally engaged
the month QuintUii would have been the fifth in war on account of its great extent, and iti
in name, but the seventh in reckoning. Be- having to contend with so many surrounding
sides, it is reasonable to conclude, that the barbarousnations. It has, therefore,beenshut
month of March, dedicated by Romulus to the only in the reign of Augustus Csesar,fwhen he
godMars,should
standfirst;andAprilsecond,hadconquered
Antony:andbefore,
inthecon-
whichhasits namefromAphroditeor Venus, sulateof MarcusAttiliusJ andTitus Manlius,
for in this month the women sacrifice to that a little while; for, a new war breaking out, it
goddess,andbatheon thefirst of it, with crowns was soon openedagain. In Numa's reign,
of myrtleontheir beads. Some,however,say, however,it wasnot openedfor oneday,but
April derivesnot its name from Aphrodite; stoodconstantlyshutduringthe spaceof forty
but, as the very sound of the term seems to three years,while uninterrupted peacereigned
dictate, from aperire, to open, because the in every quarter. Not only the peopleof Rome
springhavingthen attainedits vigour,it opens were softenedand humanizedby the justice
and unfolds the blossomsof plants. The next and mildness of the king, but even the circum-
month, which is that of May, is so called from jacent cities, breathing, as it were, the same
Maia, the mother of Mercury; for to him it is salutaryand delightful air, beganto changetheir
sacred. June is so styled from the youthful behaviour. Like the Romans,they became
seasonof the year. Someagain inform us, that desirousof peaceand good laws, of cultivating
these two months borrow their namesfrom the the ground, educating their children in tran-
two ages,old andyoung; for the oldermenare quillity, and payingtheir homageto the god*.
called majores, and the youngerjuniores. The
succeeding months were denominated accord- "Anotherreadinghasit,TOISfirst; i«i> i"««-iin-
ingtotheirorder,offifth,sixth,seventh,
eighth,stead
ofTOI,-
(fuToi;
: andthenthesense
will be,tkt$
ninth,tenth.Afterwards
Quinttfis
wascalledlacrifice
tothe
the common dead.
reading Both
being haretheir
supported by aauthorities;
passageii
July, in honourof Julius Czsar,whoovercameOrid,whotakesnoticethatthe Lupercipurifie*uw
Pompey;and Sextilis August,from Augustusground.-
the secondemperor of Rome. To the two fol-
lowing months Domitian gave his two names Secta juia Pelle Luperci
Crone soium lustrant. Lib. ii. Fast.
of Gtrmanicus and Domitianus, which lasted
And the other, which seemsthe better rests upon the
* To »upposethe Egyptiansreckonedmonthsfor authorityof Varro andothers,who mentionanoffer
years,doesindeedbringtheir computation
prettynear ing to the deadin the mouthof February-*46 deit
the truth, vfith respectto the then age of Ihe -world; \n/ervs .Februarysaj>peUaiiu, ouod tuiu nis parent*
for they reckoned a successionof kings for the space fur.
of 36,000years. But that suppositionwould makethe f Augustus shut the temple of Janus three sereral
reigns of their kings unreasonably short. Betides, times; one of which was in the year of Rome 750. be-
Herodotussays,the Egyptians were the first that began fore the birth of our Saviour, according to Isatah'f
to computeby years; and that they niade the year con- prophecy, that all the world should be blessedwith
list of twelvemonths. Their boaated
antiquitymiut, peace,
whenthePrinceof Peace
wasbora. This tem-
therefore, be imputed to their stretching the fabulous ple was alsoshut by Vespasianafter his triumph OTIS
part of their historytoo far back. As to Plutarch's theJews.
layingthat Egyptwasa newcountry,it is strangethat \ Insteadof Marcuswe shouldreadCaiusAttiliuf
"uch a notion could ever be entertainedby a man of hii Titus Manlius, his colleague,shut the templeof Jailor
caowlcdge, at theconclusion
of thefirst Punicwar.
 NUMA.

Italythenwastakenup with festivals

on cendcd
thethrone.All,however,
agree,that
sacrifices,
gamesandentertainments;
thepco Pompilia
wasmarried
toMarcius,
sonof that
ole, withoutanyapprehensions
of dangeiMarcius
whopersuaded Numato acceptthe
mixedin a friendlymanner, andtreatedeac crown:for he followedhim to Rome,where
otherwithmutualhospitality; thelov«of vir hewasenrolleda senator,and,afterNuma'»
tuoandjustice,as fromthesource of Numa' death,wascompetitor with Tullus Hostiliu*.
wisdom,gentlyflowinguponall,and movin; for thethrone;but,failingin theenterprise,
withthe composure of Awheart. Eventh hestarvedhimselfto death. His sonMar-
hyperbolical
expressionsof thepoetsfall shor cius,husbandto Pompilia,
remained ixi Rome,
of describing
thehappiness of thosedays. andhad a sonnamedAncusMarcius,who
Secure
Jirachne
spreadherslender toils reignedafterTullus Hostilius. This sonis
O'erthebroadbuckler;
eating
rustaonsum'J said to have been but five yearsold at the
Thevengeful
swordsandoncefar-gleaming
spears: death of Numa.
No more thetrumpofwarswelh itshoarse throat, Numawascarriedoffbynosudden
Nor robs the eyelids of their genial slumber.4
oracute
distemper;but, as Piso relates,wastedaway
Wehave noaccountofeither
warorinsur insensiblywitholdageanda gentle decline.
rectionin the stateduringNuma'sreign Hewassome fewyears aboveeightywhenhe
Nay, heexperiencedneitherenmitynor envy died.
nordidambitiondictate
eitheropen orprivate The neighbouring nationsthat werein
attemptsagainst
hiscrown.Whether it werefriendship
andalliance withRome, strove to
thefearof thegods,whotooksopiousamanmakethehonours of his burialequalto the
under their protection,or reverenceof his happinessof his life, attending with crowns and
virtue, or the singular good fortune of his other public offerings. The senators carried
times,that keptthe mannersof menpureand the bier, and the ministers of the gods walked
unsullied; he was an illustrious instance of in procession. The rest ">( the people, with
that truth,whichPlatoseveral agesafterven-thewomen
tured to deLver concerning government: That
andchildren, crowded to thefu-
neral; not, as if they were attending the inter
theonlysureprospect of deliverancefrom mentof anagedking,butasif theyhadlost
the evils of life will be,when the divine Pro- one of their beloved relations in the bloom of
videnceshallsoorderit, thattheregalpower,life;for theyfollowed it withtearsandloud
invested in a princewhohasthesentiments lamentations.Theydidnotburnthebody,"
of a philosopher, shall Tender virtue trium- because (as we are told) he himself forbade
phantovervice. A manof suchwisdom is it; buttheymadetwostone coffins,
andburied
notonly
his happy intohimself,
instructions, butcontributes,
the happiness by them
of others. under theJaniculum; theonecontaining
lis body, and the other the sacredbooks which
There is, in truth, no need either of force or ae had written, in the same manner as the
menaces, to direct the multitude; for when recian legislatorswrote their tables of laws.
theyseevirtueexemplified
in soglorious
a Numa
had
taken
care,however,
in hislife-
pattern as the life of their prince, they become :ime, to instruct the priests in all that those
wise of themselves,and endeavour by friend- jooks contained, and to impress both the
shipandunanimity, bya strictregard tojus-sense andpracticeontheirmemories.He
ticeandtemperance, toformthemselves toan thenordered
themtobeburiedwithhim,per
happy
ment; life.
and heThis isthe
is most noblest
worthy of end
the ofgovern-
royal seat suaded
thatsuchmysteries
couldnotsafely
who can regulate the lives and dispositions of exist in lifeless writing. Influenced by the
same reasoning, it is said, the Pythagoreans
his subjects in such a manner. No one was did
more sensible of this than Numa. not commit their precepts to writing, but
intrusted them to the memoriesof suchas they
Astohiswives andchildren, therearegreathought worthy
of sogreata deposit.
And
contradictions
say, he had noamong historians.
wife but Tatia, norFor
any some
child when
theyhappenedto communicate
to an
but one daughternamedPompilia. Others, unworthy person their abstruse problems in
geometry,they gave out that the gods threaten-
beside that daughter,give an account of four ed to avengehis profaneness
eons,Pompon,Pinus,Calpus,andMamercus; ome great and signal calamity. andimpietywith
Those, there-
every
terity, one
the of -which
Pomponii left andescended
being honourable pos-oremaybewellexcused
from whoendeavour to
>roveby so many resemblances that-Numa
Pompon,the Pinarii from Pinus,the Calpurnii was acquainted with Pythagoras. Valerius
from Calpus, and the Mamercii from Mamer- Antiaa relates, that there were twelve booki
cus. TheseweresurnamedRegis or fcings'.f
But a third set of writers accuse the former
of forging Jhesegenealogies
from Numa, in * In the mostancienttimestheycommitted
the
orderto ingratiate
themselves
with particularbUtory
lodies
of thedead to theground,asappearsfrom th*
of thepatriarchs. Butthe Egyptians,
from"
families. And they tell us,that Pouipiliawas vaindesire
of preserving
theirbodies
fromcorruption
notthedaughter
of Tatia,but of Lucretia,after
death,
hadthem
embalmed;
persons
ofcondition
anotherwife,whomhe marriedafterhe as- withrichspices,
andeventhepoorhadtheirspr»-
sened with salt The Greeks, to obviate the inconve-
* Plutarchtookthis passage fromsome excellent lenccsthatmightpossiblyhappen fromcorruption.
verses
of Bacchylidesin praiseof peace,give»usby urnedthebodies of thedead ; butPlinytellsusthat
Stobzus. iylla wasthefirst Roman whosebodywasburned.
t Re*wasthe surname of the .Emilif.ruorMar- WhenPaganism wasabolished, the burningof dead
cians,butnot of the Pomponians, the Pioarians,
or odies ceased
withit; andin thebelief
of theresurrec-
Mamercians.The Finarii were descended
from a on, Christianscommittedtheir deadwith due ear*
family who were priests of Herculci, and more ancient
thin llie times of idhonour
totheearth,
torepose
theretill thatgrtal
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

written in Latin concerning religion, and beforethem. The misfortmei,indeed,of the

twelve moreof philosophy,
in Greek,buriedin succeeding
kingsaddedlustreto the character
'hat coffin. But four hundred years after,* of Numa. Of the five that came after him.
when Publius Cornelius and Marcus Bxbius the last was driven from the throne, and Lived
were consuls, a prodigious fall of rain, having long in exile-, and of the other four, not one
washedawaythe earth that coveredthe cof- dieda naturaldeath. Three weretraitorously
fins, and the lids falling off, one of them ap- slain. As for Tullus Hostilius, who reigned
pearedentirelyempty, without the least re- next after Numa, he ridiculed and despised
mains of the body; in the other the books manyof his best institutions,particularlyhit
were found. Petilivis, then Praetor,having religiousones,as effeminate,and tendingto
examinedthem, madehis report uponoath to inaction;for his viewwasto dispose the people
the senate,that it appearedto him inconsist- to war. He did not, however,abideby nil
ent both with justice and religion, to make irreligious opinions, but falling into a severe
thempublic: in consequence
of which all the and complicatedsickness,he changedthem
volumes were carried into the Comnium, and for a superstition,* very different from Numa's
burned. pie :y: others, too, were infected with the same
Glory followsin the train of great men,and falseprinciples,whentheysawthe mannerof
increasesaftertheir death; for envydoesnot his death,which IBsaidto havehappenedhi
long survive them; nay, it tometnneadies lightniog.f

NUMA AND LYCURGUS COMPARED.

RAVINGgonethroughthe lives of Numa and Numa softenedthe high and harshtone of

Lycurgus, we must now endeavour(though Rome. The former had the more difficult
it is no easy matter) to contrast their actions. task. For it was not their swords and breast-
The resemblancesbetweenthemhoweverare plates,which he persuadedhis citizensto lay
obvious enough;their wisdom,for instance, aside,but their gold and silver,their sumptu-
their piety, their talents for government, the ous beds and tables; what he taught them
instruction of their people, and their deriving was not to devote their time to feastsand sa
their laws from a divine source. But the chief crifices, after quitting the rugged paths of war,
of their peculiardistinctions,was Niima'sac- but to leave entertainments
and the pleasure*
ceptinga.crown,andLycurgus'srelinquishing of wine, for the laboriousexercisesof amis
one. The former receiveda kingdom without and the wrestling ring. Numa effected his
seeking it; the latter resigned one when he purposes in a friendly way by the regard and
had it in possession.Numawas advancedto venerationthe peoplehad for his person;Ly-
sovereignpower when a privatepersonanda curgushadto strugglewith conflictsanddan-
ttrauger: Lycurgus reduced himself from a gers, before he could establish his laws. The
king to a privateperson. It wasan honourto genius of Numa was more mild and gentle,
the oneto attain to royal dignity by his jus- softeningandattempering
the fiery dispositions
tice; and it was an honour to the other to pre- of his people to justice and peace. If we be
fer justice to that dignity. Virtue rendered obliged to admit the sanguinaryand unjust
the one BOrespectable as to deserve a throne, treatment of the Helotes, as a part of the poli-
and the other so great as to be above it. tics of Lycurgus, we must allow Numa to have)
The secondobservation,is that both managed been far the more humane and equitable law-
their respectivegovernments, as musiciansdo giver,who permitted absoluteslavesto tasto
the lyre, each in a differentmanner. Lycur- of the honourof freemen,andin the Saturna-
gus wound up the strings of Sparta, which he lia to be entertained along with their masters.}
found relaxed with luxury, to a stronger tone:
* None are so superstitious in distressas thosewho
" Plutarch probablywrote five hundred; for (nil in their prosperityhavelaughedat religion. The
happened
in lAeyearof Rome573. " OneTcreu- famous
Canon
Vouiuswasnolessremarkable
for the
tiui," saysVaro, [ap. S. Auepit. deCiv.Del.] "' had greatness of his fears,thanhe wasfor theUttlcttMof
" pieceof groundneartheJaniculum;andanhusband-his faith.
manof hisonedayaccidentallyrunningoverNuma's f The palaceof Tullus Hostiliuswasburneddown
tomb,turneduptomeof thelegislator'"bookswherein by lightning; and he, with his wife and children,
begavehis reason*for establishing the religionof the perishedin the flames. Thoughsomehistorianssay,
Romansas he left it. The husbandmancarried these that Ancus Marcius, who, as the grandsonof IVuua,
books to the prztor, and the prztor to the wnate, who, expectedto succeedto the crown, took the opportu-
"Her taring read hu frivolous reasonsCorhis religious nity of the storm to assassinate
the king.
establishments,
agreed,that the booksshouldbode- | The Saturnaliawasa feastcelebrated onthe 14th
stroyed,in pursuance
of Numa's intentions. It was of the kalendsof January. Besidethe tacriucesia
accordingly
decreed,
thatthe prztor shouldthrow honourof Saturn,
who,uponhis retiringintoItaly,
them into the fire." But though Numa's motives for introduced there the happinessof the golden age, ser-
the religion heestablished
might be trivial enough, vantswereat thistime indulgedin mirthandfreedom
that was not the chief reason for suppressing them. in memory of the equality which prevailed in that age
The real, at least, the principal reason, was the many presentswere sent from one friend to another; and no
"ew superstitions,
equallytrivia), which the Romanswar wasto be proclaimed,or offendeiexecuted.It
had introduced,and the worshipwhich theypaid to is uncertainwhenthisfestivalwasinstituted. Macro-
images, contraryto Numa'i appointment. biui says,it wascelebratedin Italy long beforeU>«
 NUMA AND LYCURGUS COMPARED.
t orthisal«o
theytelluswasoneof Numa'sealousy A Roman husband,
whenhehad"
institution!,
thatpersons
in astate
ofservitude sufficient
numberofchildren,
and-was
applied
"houldbeadmitted,
atleastoncea year,tothe tobyonethathadnone,might
giveuphiswifo
liberal
enjoyment
ofthosefruits
whichthey hadtohim,*andwas atliberty
both
todivorce
her,
helped toraise.Some howeverpretend
tofind andtotakeheragain.ButtheLacedemonian,
in thincustom thevestiges
oftheequality
whichwhilehi»wiferemained in biahouse,
andthe
subsisted inthetiroes
ofSaturn,
when there
was marriagesubsisted
initsoriginal
force,
allowed
neither servantnormatter,
butall-were
uponMSfriend,whodesired to havechildren
by
thesame
footing,
And,
asit were,
ofonefamily.iier,theuseofhisbed:and(aswehave al-
Both
appeared
tohavebeenequally
studiousrea.dy observed)
manyhusbands
invited
totheir
toleadtheirpeople totemperance
andsobriety.lousea
suchmenaswerelikelyto givethem
Astotheothervirtues, theonewa»moreat- tiealthy
andwellmade children.Thediffer
tached to fortitudeandtheotherto justice.encebetween
thetwocustoms, isthis,thatthe
Though possiblythedifferent
nature
andqual-Lacedaemoniansappeared veryeasyandun
ity of theirrespectivegovernments
requireda concernedaboutanaffairthatin otherplacet
different
process.Forit wainotthrough want causesso muchdisturbance, and consume*
ofcourage,buttoguard against injustice,
that men'sheartswithjealousy
andsorrow;whilst
Numarestrained his subjectsfromwar: nor amongst the Romanstherewasa modesty,
did Lycurgusendeavour to infusea martial whichveiledthematterwitha newcontract,
spirit into his people,with a view to encourage and seemed to declare that a community in
themto injureothers, butto guardthemagainstwedlockis intolerable.
beinginjuredby invasion*.As eachhadthe Yet farther,Numa'sstrictness asto virgin*
luxuriancesof hiscitizens to prune,and their tendedto formthemto that modesty whichi*
deficiencies
to fill up,theymustnecessarily theornament of theirsex:butthegreatliberty
makeveryconsiderable alterations. whichLycurgus gavethem,brought uponthem
Numa's distribution of thepeoplewasindul- thecensure of the poets,particularly
Ibicus;
gentandagreeable to thecommonalty, aswith fortheycallthemP/uenomertdes, andJlndro*
hima variousandmixedmassof goldsmiths, mantis,Euripides describes
themin thisman
musicians,shoemakers,and other trades, com- sr>
posedthe body of the city. But Lycurgus in- These quit their hornet, ambitious to di«play,
clined to the nobility in modelling his state, Amidst the youths their rigour in the race,
andhe proceeded
in a severe
andunpopular Orfeats
ofwrestling,
whilsttheirairyrobe
manner ; putting all mechanic arts into the Flits back,andka-rtsihtir limbsMnccnti'd.-
hands of slaves and strangers, while the citi-
zenswereonlytaughthowto manage
the spear The skirtsof the habitwhich the virginswor«
and shield. They were only artists in war, and were not sewed to the bottom, but opened at
servantsof Mars, neitherknowingnordesiring the sidesas they walked,and discoveredthe
to knowanything but how to obey,command,thigh: as Sophocles very plainly writes:
and conquer their enemies. That the freemen
might be entirely and once for all free, he Still in thelight drew strutsthe T»inHermione,
wouldnotsufferthemto gi.veanyattentionto Whose
opening
folds
duplav
thenaked
thigh.
their circumstances, but that whole business
"was
tobelefttotheslaves
andHelotes,
in the Consequently
theirbehaviour
issaidto have
samemanneras the dressingof their meat. beentooboldandtoomasculine,
in particular
Numa made no such distinction as this : he to their husbands. For they consideredthem-
only puta stopto the gainof rapine. Not selvesaeabsolute mistressesin theirhouses;
solicitous
to prevent
aninequality
ofsubstance, nay,theywanteda sharein affairs
of state,and
heforbadeno othermeansof increasing the delivered
theirsentimentswithgreatfreedom
fortunesof hissubjects,
northeirrisingto the concerningthe mostweightymatters. But
greatest
opulence;
neither
didheguard
againstNuma,though
hepreserved
entiretothema-
poverty,whichat the sametime madeits way trons all the honour and respect that were paid
into,andspreadin thecity. Whilethere-wasthembytheirhusbands inthetimeof Romulus,
nogreatdisparity
in thepossessions
of hisciti- whentheyendeavoured by kindnessto com
zens,but all were moderatelyprovided,he pensate for the rape,yet he obligedthemto
should at 6rat have combated the desire of behavewith great reserve, and to lay asideall
gain;andlikeLycurgus
have
watched
againstimpertinent
curiosity.Hetaught
themto be
its inconveniences:
for thosewerebynomeanssober, andaccustomedthemto silence,
entire-
inconsiderable,
but suchasgavebirth to the ly to abstainfromwine,fand not to speak
manyandgreattroubles that bappraed
in the evenof themostnecessary
affairsexcept
in the
Roman state. presence of their husbands. When a woman
As to anequaldivisonof lands,
neitherwas onceappeared in theforum to pleadherowm
Lycurgusto blamefor makingit, norNuma cause,it is reportedthatthesenateordered
the
fornotmaking
it. Theequality
which
it caused,
oracle
to beconsulted,
whatthisstrange
event
afforded the former a firm foundation for his
government;and the latter finding a division " It dotsnot appearthat Numag»*eanysanctionto
aJreadymade,and probablyas yet subsistingno thisliberty. Plutarchhimself
says
alittlebelow,that
divorcewasknownin Rometill longafter.
entire,hadnooccasion
to make
anewone. f Romulus
madethedrinking
ofwine,
aswellat
With respect
to thecommunity
of wivesand adultery,
acapital
crime
inwomen.
Forhesaid,
adul-
children, each took a politic method to banish tery opensthe door to all sorb of crimes,and win*
opensthedoorto adultery. The seterityof this law
buildingof Rome; andprobably hei>right,forthe wassoftened
Greeks kept the samefeastunder the nameof CArom'a.
I'Dsucceeding
ages',
thewomen*
howcr*
Utcreb. Stturn. 1. i. e. 7. overtakenin liquor,wereDotcondemned
to die,but
to lose their dowers.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

portendedto the city.B Nay what is recorded fencein time of danger,merelyout of fear lor
of a few infamouswomenis a proof of the themselves or their property,andon other oc-
obedienceand meeknessof the Roman matrons casionsare attentive only to their pnvate ends.
in general. For as our historiansgive us ac- In sucha casecommonlegislatorswould have
countsof thosewho first carried war into the beenexcusable, whomight havefailedthrough
bowelsof theircountryor againsttheirbrotiiers, ignoranceor want of power; but shouldnot to
or were first guilty of parricide;so theRomans wisea manas Numa,who took uponhim the
relate, that Spurius Carvilius was the first governmentof a state so lately formed,and
amongthem that divorcedhis wife, when no not likely to makethe least oppositionto any
suchthing had happenedbeforefor two lujn- thing he proposed,haveconsideredit his first
dred and thirty years from the building of care,to give the children sucha bent of edu-
Rome:f andthat Thatea,the wife of Pinarius, cation,andthe youthsucha modeof exercise,
was the first that quarrelled, having a dispute as would prevent any great difference or con-
with her mother-in-lawGcgania,in the reign fusionin their manners,that eotheymight be
vf Tarquin (heproud. Sowell framedfor the formedfrom their infancy,and persuaded to
preserving
of decency
anda proprietyof be- walktogether,in the samepathsof virtue?
haviour were this lawgiver's regulations with Lycurgus found the utility of this in several
respect to marriage. respects, and particularly in securing the con-
Agreeableto the educationof virgins in tinuanceof his laws. For the oath the Spar-
Sparta,werethe directionsof Lycurgusas to tanshadtaken,would haveavailedbut little,
the time of their beingmarried. For he or- if the youth had not been alreadytinctured,
dered them to be married when both their age with his discipline, and trained to a zeal for his
andwishesled them to it ; that the company establishment.Nay, so stronganddeepwaa
of a husband, which nature now required, the tincture, that the principal laws which he
mightbe the foundationof kindnessandlove, enactedcontinuedin force for morethanfive
anil not of fearandhatred,whichwould bethe hundredyears. But the primaryview of Nu-
consequencewhen Naturewas forced; and that ma's government, which was to settle the
their bodiesmight have strengthto bearthe Romansin lastingpeaceandtranquillity,im-
troubles of breeding and the pangs of child- mediately vanished with him : and, after his
birth;thepropagation
ofchildrenbeinglookeddeath,thetempleof Janus,whichhehadkept
upon as the only end of marriage. But the shut(as if he hadreally heldwarin prisonand
Romansmarriedtheir daughtersat the ageof subjection)was set wide open,and Italy waj
twelveyears,or under; that both their bodies filled with blood.* The beautifulpile of jus-
and mannersmight comepure and untainted ticewhich he had rearedpresentlyfell to the
into the management of their husbands. It ap- ground, being without the cement of education.
pears then that the former institution more You will saythen,was not Rome bettered
naturallytendedto the procreationof children, by her wars? A questionthis whichwantsa
and the latter to the forming of the manners long answer, to satisfy such as place the happi-
for the matrimonialunion. nessof a statein riches,luxury, andanextent
However,in the educationof the boya,in of dominion,rather than in security,equity,
regulatingtheir classes,and laying down the temperance, andcontent. It mayseem,how-
whole methodof their exercises, their diver- ever,to afford an argumentin favourof Ly-
sions, and their eating at a commontable, curgus,that the Romans,upon quitting the
Lycurgusstandsdistinguished, andleavesNu- disciplineof Numa, soon arrived at a much
ma only upona level with ordinarylawgivers. higherdegreeof power; whereasthe Lacedz-
For Numa left it to the option or convenience monians, as soon as they departed from the in-
of parentsto bring up their sonsto agricul- stitutionsof Lycurgus, from being the mort
ture,to ship-building,to the business of a bra- respectablepeople of Greece, becamethe
zier, or the art of a musician. As if it were meanest,and were in dangerof being abso-
not necessary for onedesignto run throughthe lutelydestroyed. On the other handit muit
educationof themall, and for eachindividual be acknowledgedsomethingtruly great and
to havethe samebiasgivenhim; but,as if they divine in Numa, to be invited from another
were all like passengers in a ship,whocoming countryto the throne; to make so manyal-
eachfrom a differentemployment, andwith a terationsby meansof persuasion only; to reign
different intent, standupontheir commonde- undisturbedovera city not yet united in itself,
* What then appearedsostrange,becauseafterwards without the useof an armedforce (whichLy-
common
enough;
insomuch
thatevery
troublesome
curgus
wasobliged
to haverecourse
to,when
woman of Ihal kindwascalled
Afrania,froma sena-lie availedhimself of the aid of the nobility
tor'swifeof that Lame,
whobusied herselfmuchin againstthe commons,)andby his wisdomand
courtsof justice. TheeloquentHortensia,daughter justice alone to conciliate and combine all hij
to theoratorHortensius, pleadedwithsuch success for subjects
the women, when the triumvirs had laid a fine upon
in peace.
them that she rut a considerablepart of it remitted.
t 1 wu in the 520th year of Rome that thii htp- the" Latin*
In the iran with the Fidtnau*. the Albans. u4
f*ned.
 69

SOLON.'

DrpTMrs,
the grammarian,
if hieanswer
to raise
anestate.For heprofessed
hisloveof
Asclepiadcs concerningthe lawsof Solon,wisdom,and whenfar advanced in yean
citesthetestimonyof onePhilocles,
by which madethisdeclaration,
I grew oldin tlu pur
hj -wouldproveSolonthe sonof Euphorion,suit o/ learning. He wasnottoomuchat
contraryto the opinionof othersthat havetachedto wealth,aswemaygatherfromth
writtenof him. For theyail with onevoicede- followingverses;
clare that Kxecestides was his father; a man The man that boastsof goldenstores,
of moderatefortuneandpower,but of the Ofgrainthatloads hisbending
floors,
noblestfamily in Athens, being descended Of fieldswithfreshening
herbage
green,
frcjmCodrus.Hismother,according to Hera- Where bounding stccdsand
herds
areKta,
clidesof Pontus,
wascousin-gennan
to the IWhose
callnothappier
limbs than
the
arc sound, swain
whosefood is plain,
mother of Pisistratus. This tie of kindred at
Whose ioy»a bloomingwife endears,
first united Solonand Pisistratusin a veryin- Whose
hours
asmiling
offspring
cheers.*
timatefriendship,which wasdrawncloser(if
we maybelieve some writers) bytheregard YetinThe
another place hesays:
which the former had for the beauty and ex- flow of riches,thoughdesired.
cellentqualitiesof the latter.f Hencewe may Life'srealgoods,
if wellacquired,
believeit was,thatwhentheydiffered
after- Unjustly
letmenever
gain,
wards
about
matters
of state,thisdissension Lest
vengeance
follow
in theirtrain.
broke not out into any harsh or ungenerous Indeed, a good man, a valuable member of
treatment of each other; but their first union society, should neither set his heart upon
keptsomeholdof their hearts,somesparksof superfluities,nor reject the use of what is
the Jlame still remained, and the tenderness necessary and convenient. And in those
of formerfriendshipwasnot quiteforgotten. times,as Hesiodf informsus,no business
was
lookeduponasa disparagement, nor did any
trade cause a disadvantageous distinction.
Solon's father having hurt his fortune,^ as The professionof merchandizewashonourable,
Hermippus tells us, by indulging his great and as it brought home the produce of barbarous
munificent spirit, though the son might have countries, engagedthe friendship of kings, and
beensupportedby his friends,yet ashewasof openeda wide field of knowledgeand ex-
a family that had long beenassistingto others, perience. Nay, some merchants have been
he was ashamedto accept of assistancehim- foundersof great cities; Protus, for instance,
self; and therefore in his younger years ap- that built Marseilles, for whom the Gauls
plied himself to merchandise. Some, however, about the Rhone had the highest esteem.
say that" he travelled rather to gratify his Thalesalso, and Hippocratesthe mathema-
curiosity and extend his knowledge than to tician, are said to have had their share in
commerce; and the oil that Plato disposedof
* Solon
flourished
about
theyearbefore
Christ597. in Egyptf defrayedthe expense
of his travels.
f fisislratus
liberal. WAS
He had remarkably
always two orcourteous, affable,
and
If Solonwastoo expensive
three slavesnear him andluxurious
withbags
ofsilver
coin1,
whenhesawanymanlook in hiswayof living,andindulged
hispoetical
sickly,or heard
thatanydiedinsolvent,
herelieved
the vein in his descriptionof pleasuretoo freely
one,andburiedtheothersat his own expense.If he for a philosopher, it is imputed to his mercan-
perceived
people
melancholy,
heinquiredthecauje
; tile life. For as hepassedthroughmanyand
»nd if he found H was poverty, he furnished them-with
what
might
enable
themtogetbread,
butnottolivethem
greatwith
dangers, he mightsurelycompensate
a little relaxation and enjoyment.
idly. Nay, heleft evenhis gardens
andorchardsopen,
andthe fruit freeto thecitizens.His lookswereeasy But that he placed himself rather in the class
andsedate, hislanguage softandmodest. In short,if of the poor than thfcrich, is evident from these
hisvirtueshadbeengenuine, andnotdissembled,with lines:
I view to the tyranny of Athens, he would (as Solon
told him) have beenthe bestcitizen in it. For vice, though Plenty fills her horn;
} Anslotle reckonsSolonhimself amongthe inferior And virtue sinks in want and scorn;
citizens,and quoteshis ownworksto proveit. The Vet never,sure,rhall Solonchange
truth \i, that Solonwasneverrich, it maybe,because His truth for wealth'smosteasyrange!
heWBJ<Jways nonest. in nis youin hewasmignnly Sincevirtue lives,andtruth shallstand,
addictedto poetry. And Plato(in Timao)says,that While wealtheludesthegraspinghand.
if he had finishedall his poems, andparficiJarlythe
Historyof theAtlanticIsland,
whichhe brought
out He seemsto have madeuseof his poetical
of Egypt,andhadtakentimeto reviseandcorrecttalent at first, not for any seriouspurpose,
but
them asothersdid,neither Homer, Hcsiod, norany onlyfor amusement, andto fill uphishourso
other ancientpoet,would havebeen more famous. It leisure;butafterwards
heinserted moralsen
is evidentbothfromthe life andwritingsof this great
man, thathewas a person cotonlyof exalted virtue.tences,andinterwove manypoliticaltransao
butofa pleasant
andagreeable
temper.Heconsidered
tionsin his poems,not for the sakeof record
men as men ; and keepingboth their capacity for vir-
tue, andthtirproniness
toevilinhisview, headapted" Thispassage of Solon's,
and another
below,
ar«
his laws>oasto strengthenand supportthe one,and now foundamongthesentences
of Theoenis
to check and keep under the other. His institutions t Lib. Ob. and Di. vcr. 309.
areasremarkable for theirsweetness andpractica- j 11wasusualto tradeinto Egyptwith Iheoil of
bility, as thoseof Ly .urgusarefor harshness
andforc- Greece andJudea.It is saidin the prophetHose*.
«ut human nature.
(c.lii. v.l.) Efhrtumcurricth
oil intoEgypt.
60 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Xg or rememberingthem,but sometimes
by of anotherhe had with Thales. Anachanii
wayof apology
for his ownadministration,
wentto Solon's
house
at Athens,
knocked
at
and sometimes to exhort, to advise, or to cen- the door, and said,hewas a stranger who de-
"ure the citizens of Athens. Some are of sired to enter into engagements offriendship
opinion,that he attemptedto put his lawstoo and mutual hospitalitywith him. Solonan-
in,verse,andthey giveus this beginning: swered,Friendshipsarebestformed at home.
Then do you, said Anacha-rsis,who are at
Supremeof gods,whosepowerwe firstaddress
Thisplan
tohonour
andtheselawstobless. home, make meyourfriend,andreceive me
into your house. Struck with the quicknessof
Likemostofthesagesof thosetimes,hecul- hisrepartee,
Solon gavehima kindwelcome,
tivatedchieflythat part of moral philosophyandkepthimsometimewithhim,beingthen
"whichtreatsof civil obligations.His physicsemployed
in publicaffairs,andin modelling
were of a very simple and ancient cast, as ap- his laws. When Anacharcisknew what Solon
pearsfrom the following lines: wasabout,helaughedat his undertaking,and
From cloudyvapoursfallsthe trcasur'dsnow. at the absurdity of imagining he could restrain
And thefiercehail: fromlightning'srapidblaze the avariceand injusticeof his citizens'
by
Springs the loud thunder-winds disturb the deep,
Than
whose
unruffled
breast,
nosmoother
scene writtenlaws, whichin allrespectsresembled
spiders' webs, and would, like them, only en-
In all the works of nature !

to havebeenthe tangle
Uponthewhole,Thalesseems and hold thepoor and weak, while tht
rich andpowerful easily broke,through them.
only philosopher who then carried bis specula- To this, Solon replied, Men keep their agree-
tions beyond things in common use, while the ments when it is an advantage to both parties
rest of the wise men maintained their charac-
not to break them; andhe would soframe hi*
ter by rules for social life.
Theyarereported to havemetatDelphi,laws, it as tomake
be it evident
for to theAthenians,
ind afterwards at Corinth upon the invitation that would more their interest to
observe than to transgress them. The event,
of Periander, who made provision for their en-
tertainment.
But whatcontributed
mostto however,
shewed
thatAnacharsis
wasnearer
the truth in his conjecture, than Solon was in
their honour was their sending the tripod from his hope. Anacharsis having seen an assem-
one to another, with an ambition to outvie bly of the people at Athens, said he was sur-
each other in modesty. The story is this:
When some Coans were drawing a net, cer- prised at this, that in Greece
wiseminpleod-
ed causes, and fools determined them.
tainstrangers
fromMiletus bought thedraughtWhenSolon wasentertained
byThales
at
unseen. It proved to be a golden tripod,
which Helen, ae she sailed from Troy, is said Miletus,
he expresse-1
some
wonder
that
hedid
notmarry andraise a family. To this, Thalei
to have thrown in there, in compliance with an
ancient
oracle.A dispute
arising
atfirstbe-gave
after no immediate
he instructed a answer; butsay,
stranger to somethatdayi
he
tween the strangers and the fishermen about camefrom Athens ten days before. Solonin-
the tripod, andafterwards extending itselfto quiring,
the states to which they belonged,so asalmost
Whatnews
there
wasatJlthens,
the
man, according to his instructions, said,None,
to engage them in hostilities, the priestessof except thefuneral of a young man, whichwai
Apollotookupthematter,byorderingthatthe attended by the whole city. For he was tht
wisest man they could find should have the ion (as they told me) of a person of great
tripod. And first it was sent to Thales at honour, and of the highest reputationfor vir-
Miletus, the Coans voluntarily presenting that tue, who was then abroad upon his travels.
to one of the Milesians, for which they would What a miserable man is he, said Solon: but
have gone to war with them all. Thales de- what wai his name? I have heard his name,
clared thatBias wasawiser man thanhe,so answered thestranger,
butdonotrecollect
it.
it was brought to him.He sent it toanother,
as wiser still. After making a farther circuit,
Ml I remember
is, that
there
was muchtalk
it came to Thales the second time. And at of his wisdom and justice.Solon, whoseap-
prehensions increased with every reply, waj
last, it was carried from Miletus to Thebes; now much disconcerted and mentioned hif
and dedicated to the Ismenian Apollo. Tbeo- own name; asking, Whetheritwas not Solon'*
ptirastusrelates,that the tripod wasfirst sent son that was dead? The stranger answering
toBiasatPriene; thatBias sentit back againin theaffirmative, hebegan tobeathishead,
to Thales
through theat Miletus;
hands of thethatsohaving
seven, it camepassed
round and to doandsaysuch things asareusual
to
men in a transport of grief.* Then Thales,
toBias again, andat lastwassent tothetem-taking himbythehand, said,witha smile,
ple
rentofApollo
account;at
yetDelphi.
some sayThis
the is themoat
present wascur-
not These things,which strikedown sojirmaman
as Solon, kept me from marriage and from
a tripod, but a bowl sent by Croesus; and
others, that it was a cup which one Bathycles
had left for that purpose. encies:for suchit certainlywas, for Anacharsis
to
carry the Grecian worship, the riles of Cybele, into
We have a particular account of a conversa- Scylliia,contraryto thelawsof his country. Though
tion which Solon had with Anacharsis,*and heperformed
those
ritesprivately
in awoodypartof
the country, a Scythian happened to seehim, and ac
. The Scythians,longbeforethedaysof Solon,had quamtedthe king with it, who cameimmediately, and
beencelebratedfor their frugality,their temperance,shothim with aaarrow uponthespot, tferodot.1."
indjustice. Anacharsis
wasoneof theseScythiani,c.76.
ind aprinceof theblood.He wentto Athens about " Whether onthisoccasion,
or onthereallossoft
the forty-seventh
olympiad,thatis,590yenrsbeforeson,is uncertain,
Solonbeingdesired not to weep,
Christ. Hisgoodsense,
hisknowledge, andgreatex- since
weeping
wouldavailnothing;heanswered, with
perience,madehimpassforoneof theierenwisemen. muchhumanityandgoodsense,
jiiul 'or tha CHUMi
Butthegreatestand wisestmenhavetheir inconsist-wit p.
 SOLON. 01
"airingchildren.
But, takecourage,
rmjhouse
Intothecity,thathewasoutof hu
fOodfricnd,fornota wordofmliathasbeensenses. Privately,
however,
hehadcomposed
toldyouis true. Herinippus
says,hetookanelegy, andgotit byheart,in orderto re-
thisstoryfromPaliccus,
whousedto boast
he peatit in public;
thusprepared,
hesalliedout
hadthesoulof JEsop. unexpectedly
intothemarket-place,
witha cap
But afterall, to neglecttheprocuringof uponhis head* A greatnumberof people
whatisuecessary
orconvenient
in life,forfearflockingabouthimthere,he gotuponth«
of losingit, wouldbeactinga verymeananc herald's
stone,
andstingtheelegywhichbegin*
abturdpart; by the eamerule a manmight re- thus:
fute the enjoyment of riches, or honour, or Hearsodattend: from SalamuI came
wiidom, becauseit is possible for him to be To showyour error.
deprivedof them. Even the excellentquali- This compositionis entitledSalamis,andcon-
tiesof the mind,the most valuableand pleas- sistsof a hundredverybeautifullines. When
ing possessionin the world we see destroyed Solon had done, his friends began to expres*
by poisonous
drugs,or by the violenceof some their admiration,andPisistratus,in particular,
disease.Nay, Thaleshimselfcouldnot be exertedhimselfin persuading
the peopleto
"ecure from fears,by living single,unlesshe comply with his directions;whereuponthey
would renounceall interestin Jusfriends,his repealedthe law, once more undertookthi
relations, and hit country. Insteadof that, war, and investedSolon with the command.
however, he is eaid to have adoptedhis sistor's The common account of his proceedings is
"on, named Cybisthus. Indeed the soul has this: He sailed with Pisistratus to Cohas, and
not only a principleof sense,
of understanding,having seizedthe women,who, accordingto
of memory, but of love; and when it has the custom of the country, were offering sacri-
nothing at home to fix its affection upon, it fice to Ceres there, he sent a trusty person to
unitesitself,andcleavesto somethingabroad. Salamis,whowasto pretendhewasa deserter,
Strangers,or personsof spuriousbirth often and to advisethe Megarcnsians, if they hada
insinuatethemselves into such a man'sheart, mindto seizethe principalAthenianmatrons,
as into a houseor landthat hasnolawfulheirs, to setsailimmediatelyfor Cohas. The JMega-
and, togetherwith love,bringa train of cares rensiansreadilyembracingthe proposal,and
andapprehensions for them. It is not uncom- sendingout a bodyof men, Solondiscovered
mon to hearpersonsof a morosetemper,who the ship as it put off from the island; and
talk againstmarriageand a family, uttering causingthe womendirectly to withdraw, or
the most abject complaints,when a child dereda numberof young men, whose1'aceg
whichtheyhavehadby a slaveor a concubine,were yet smooth,to dressthemselves in their
happens
to sickenor die. Nay, somehave habits,caps,andshoes.Tims,withweapons
expressed
a very great regret upon the death concealedunder their clothes,thry were to
of dogsandhorses;whilstothershavebornedance,
andplayby thesea-side
till theenemy
the lossof valuablechildren,without any af- waslauded,andthe vesselnearenoughto be
fliction,or at leastwithout any indecentsor- seized. Mattersbeingthus ordered,the Me-
row,and havepassed the rest of their days garensiansweredeceivedwiththeappearance,
withcalmness andcomposure. It is certainlyandran confusedly
on shore,strivingwinch
weakness, not affection,
whichbringsinfinite shouldfirstlayholdonthewomen. Butthey
troublesandfearsuponmenwhoare notfor- metwithso warma reception, thattheywere
tifiedby reason againstthe powerof fortune;cut offto a man;andtheAthenians embarking
whohavenoenjoyment of a present good,be- immediatelyfor Salamis,
took possessionof
cause of their apprehensions, and the real the island.
anguish
theyfind in considering
that,in time, Othersdenythat it wasrecovered
in this
theymaybedeprived of it. Noman,surely,manner,andtell us,thatApollo,beingfirst
should
takerefuge
in poverty,to guard
againstconsulted
at Delphi,gavethisanswer:
thelossof anestate;norremain in theun- Go,firstpropitiate
ihecountry's
chiefs
socialstate of celibacy,that he mayhave HidinAsopus'
lap,who,when
luurr'd,
neither friends nor children to lose; he should Fac'dthedecliningsun.
bearmedbyreason
against
allevents.But, Uponthis,Soloncrossed
theseabynight,
perhaps,
wehavebeentoodiffusein these
sen-andoffered
sacrifices
in Salamis,
to theheroes
timents. Periphemus
and Cichreus.Thentakingfive
WhentheAthenians, tiredoutwitha long lundredAthenianvolunteers, whohadob-
andtroublesomewaragainsttheMegarensians aineda decreethat,if theyconquered the
fortheisleof Salamis,madea law,thatno eland, thegovernment
of it shouldbeinvested
oneforthefuture,
under painofdeath,should,n them,hesailedwith a number of fishing
eitherbyspeech orwriting,proposethatthe vessels
andonegalleyof thirtyoarsforSala-
city should.
assertits claimto that island;nis,wherehecastanchor
Solonwas very uneasyat sodishonourablea ookstowardsEuboea.
at a pointwhich
decree,
andseeinggreatpartoftheyouthde- TheMegarensians thatwerein theplace,
sirous
to begin
thewaragain,beingrestrained
lavinghearda confused
reportof whathad
fromitonlybyfearofthelaw,hefeigned
him-lappened,betook themselves
in adisorderly
selfinsane;*
anda reportspread fromhis mannerto arms,andsenta shiptodiscover
* WheniheAthenians
weredelivered
fromtheir he enemy. As the shipapproached
too near,
fearsbytheJeathof Epaminondas, theybtganlo Solontookit, and,securingthe crew,put in
tquinderawayupon showsand playsIhe moneylliat
bad been assigned
for thepayof thearmyandnavy,nnaoity,butboldly andresolutelyspokeag^iiutit,
tnd atthesametimetheymade it deathforanyoneto dndbytheforceof hiseloquence
I rouehtthemt* "«"
propose
a reformation. In that case,Demosthenes
did reel it.
not,like Solon,
alUcktheirerror,undera preteuce
of * Koneworecapibutthelirk.
 62 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

their place some of the bravest of the Athe- the Greeks to arm for the honour of the god.
nians, with orders to make Ihe best of their At this motion it was that the Jlmphictyori*
wayto the city, as privatelyas possible. In declaredwar;as Aristotle,amongothers,testi-
tlif mean-time,
with tlic restof hismen,he at fies, in his bookconcerningthe ljythiaugames,
tacked the Megarensians by land; and while where he attributes that decree to Solon. He
thesewereengaged, thosefrom the ship took was not, however,appointedgeneralin thai
the city. A custom which obtained after- war, as Hermippusrelatesfrom Euanthesthe
wards, seemsto bearwitnessto the truth of Samian. For ^Kschincsthe orator says no
this account. For an Athenian ship, once a such thing; and we find in the records of Del-
year, passedsilently to Salamis,and the in- phi, that Alcmxon,not Solon,commanded
the
habitants coming down upon it with noise and Athenians on that occasion.
tumult, onemanin armourleapedashore,and The execrableproceedings
againstthe ao
ran shouting towards the promontory of Scira- complices of Cylon* had long occasioned
dium, to meet those that were advancing by great troubles in the Athenian etate. The
land. Near that place is a temple of Mars, conspirators had taken sanctuary in Minerva's
erected by Solon; for there it was that lie de- temple; but Megacles, then Archon, persuaued
ftated the; MI ^arcnsians, and dismissed,upon them to quit it, and stand trial, under the no
certain conditions, such as were not slam in tion tha,t \f they tied a thread to the shrme of
battle. the goddess,and kept hold of it, they would
However,the peopleof Megarapersisted
in still beunderher protection. But whenthey
their claim till both sides had severely felt the came over against the temple of the furies, the
calamities of war, and then they referred the thread broke of itself; upon which Megacles
alfuir to the decision of the Lacedaemonians. and his colleagues rushed upon them and
M.IIIV authors relate that Solon availed him- seizedthem, as if they had lost their privilege.
self of a passagein Homer's catalogue of ships, Such as were out of the temple were stoned;
which he alleged before the arbitrators, dex- those that fled to the altars were cut in pieces
terously inserting a line of his own; for to this there; and they only were spared who made
verse, application to the wives of the magistrates.
A| ii fromSalamis
twelve
ships
commands, From that time thosemagistrates
were called
heissaidto haveadded, execrable,
andbecame objects of thepublic
hatred. The remains of Cylon's faction after-
And ranks his Torreswith the Athenian power.*
wards recovered strength, and kept up the
ButtheAthenianslookuponthisas anidle quarrelwith the descendants
of Megacles.
story,
andtellus,thatSolonmade
it appear
to Thedisputewasgreater
thanever,andthetwo
the judges, that Philxus and Eurysaces, sons
of Ajax, being admitted by the Athenians to
the freedom of their city, gave up the island to containedin thetempleof Apollo. Adviceof thisbe-
them, and removed, the one to Brauron, and ing sentto the Jimpkiclyons, whowerethestalesgen-
the other to Mehte in Attica: likewise,that eralof Greece,
Solonadvised
thatthismatter
should
the tribe of the Philaidse,of which Pisistratus be universally resented. Accordingly, Clycthenci, ty-
rant of Sicyon, was sent commander in chief against
was, had its name from that Philceus. He theCirrhaeans
; Alcmxon
wasgeneral
of theAthcuian
brought another argument against the Mega- nuota; and Solonwent as counselloror assistant
to
rensians. from the manner of burying in Sala- Clysthcnes.When the Greek army had bcsugtd
mis,whichwasagreeable
to the customof Cirrhasome
time,without
anygreatappearance
of
Aihi-ns,
andnotto thatof Megara;for the success,Apollo
they should not was consulted,
be able who
to reduce answered,
the place, till that
the
Megarensians inter the dead with their faces wavesof ihe Cirrhaan seawashedtheterritoriesof
to the east, and the Athenians turn theirs to Delphi. This answerstruck thearmywith surprise,
the west. On the other hand, Hereas of Me- from which Solonextricatedthemby advisingClys-
garainsists,that theMegarensians
likewisethenes toconsecrate thewholeterritories of Cirrha
to the Delphic Apollo, whence it would Ibllow that the
turn the faces of the dead to the west; and, seamust wash the sacred coast. Pausanias(in P/io-
whatis more,that,like thepeople
of Salamis,cisU)
mentions
another
stratagem.,
v.liich
wa3
notwor-
they put three or four corpses in one tomb, thy of the justice of Solon. Cirrha, however,wai
whereasthe Athenianshavea separatetornb taken,andbecame
henceforth
theamtalof Delphi.
for each. But Solon'scausewasfartheras- * Therewas,for a longtimeafterthedemocracy
fisted by certain oracles of Apollo, in which took place,a strongpartyagainstit, whoItA nomea-
the island was called Ionian Salamis. This sures untried, in order, if possible, to restore their
matterwasdetermined
by fiveSpartans',
Cri- ancient
formofgovernment. Cylon, a manofquality,
and son-in-law to Theagenes,tyrant of Megara, re-
tolaides,Amompharetue,
Hypsechidas,
Anaxi-
laxandCleomenes. ;mcd atthoughts
atcd the thesudden change
of asking ofasa
that thefavour,
magistrates,
whichand
he
Solon acquire/! considerablehonour and apprehended tobedueto hisbirthright. He formed,
authorityin Athens by this affair; but he was therefore,
adesignto seizethe citadel,
whichheput
muchmorecelebrated
amongthe Greeksin in practice
intheforty-fifth
olympiad,
whenmany01
thecitizensweregoneto the Olympicgames.Mega
general,for negociating
succoursfor tho temple clcs,who was at that time chief archoD,with theothei
"t Delphi, againstthe insolent and injurious magistratesandthewholepower of Athens, iounedi
behaviour of the Cirrhajans,t and persuading alt I) besieged
theconspirators
there,andrcdueedthem
to such distress, that Cylon and his brother fled, and
left Ihe meaner sort to shift for themselves. Such at
* Tnin line could be no sufficient evidence; for there escapedthe sword, took refuge,as Plutarch relates,in
fire manypassages
in Hurntvr
*lnrh provelhatthc ships Minerva'stemple; and though they deserveddeath
jf A|nx were stationednear the Thcssalians. for conspiringagaimVthe government, yet, as the ma
t The inhabitantsof Cirrha, a town seatedin the gistratea put themto deathin breachof theprivilege01
Dayof Corinth, after havingby repealedincursionssanctuary,theybroughtuponIhemsclven theindlgna
wivrd theterritory of Delphi,besieged
the cily itself, tion of the superslilious
Athenians,
whodeemed sucha
fruinadcaire of making themselvesmastersof the riches breachagreater crime than treatoa.
 SOI ON. 63
parties
more exasperated,
whenSolon, whosetrouble thatplacewill givethem, theywould
authoritywasnowverygreat,andothersof tearit in pieceswith theirteeth,ratherthan
theprincipal
Athenians,
interposedandbyen-it shouldstand.Something similartotinsii
treaties
andarguments
persuadedthepersonsrelatedof Thales.Forheordered theMile-
calledexfarableto submitto justice anda fair siansto bury him in a certainrefuseandne-
trial, beforethreehundred
judgesselectedglectedplace,andforetoldat thesame
time,
fromthenobility.Myron,ofthePhylensian
thattheirmarket-place
v/ouldonedaystand
ward,carriedon the impeachment, andthey there. As for Epimemdcs,hewasheldinad-
werecondemned: asmanyaswerealivewere mirationat Athene;greathonours werepaid
driveninto exile,andthe bodiesof thedeadhim,andmanyvaluable presents
made:yethe
dugupandcastoutbeyondtheborders of At- wouldacceptof nothingbuta branchof the
tica. Ainiilstthesedisturbances,
the Megaren- sacredolive, which they gave him at his re-
sians,renewedthe war, tookNisxthefromthe quest; andwith that hedeparted.
Athenians,andrecoveredSalamisoncemore. When the troublesaboutCylon'saffairwere
Aboutthistimethecitywaslikewiseafflict-over,andthesacrilegious
persons
removed
in
ed with superstitious
fearsandstrangeappear-the mannerwe havementioned, the Athenian*
ances:andthe soothsayers declaredthat there relapsedinto their old disputesconcerningthe
were certain abominablecrimes which wanted government; for there were as many parties
expiation,pointedout by the entrails
of the among
themas thereweredifferenttractsof
victims. Uponthis they sentto Cretefor landin theircountry. The inhabitants
of the
Epimernilesthe Pfuestian,*who is reckoned mountainous
part were, it seems,for a de-
the seventhamongthe wiie men,by thosethat mocracy;thoseof the plains,for an oligarchy
j
do not admit Periander into the number. He and those of the sea coast contending for a
wasreputeda man of greatpiety, belovedby mixedkind of government,hinderedthe other
the gods,and skilled in mattersof religion, two from gaining their point. At the same
particularlyin whatrelatedto inspirationand time, the inequalitybetweenthe poorandthe
the sacredmysteries,thereforethe men of rich occasioned the greatestdiscord, andthe
thosedayscalled him the sonof the nymph state was in so dangerousa situation, that
Balte, and one of the Curetei revived. When there seemedto be no way to quell the sedi-
he arrived at Athens, he contracted a friend- tious, or to save it from ruin, but changing it
«hip with Solon, and privately gave him con- to a monarchy. So greatly were the poor in
siderableassistance,
preparingthe wayfor the debt to the rich, that they wereobligedeither
reception of his laws. For he taught the Athe- to pay them a sixth part of the produceof the
nians to be more frugal in their religious wor- land (whencethey were called Htctcmorii and
ship, and more moderate in their mourning, Thetes) or else to engagetheir personsto their
by intermixing certain sacrifices with the fu- creditors, who might seize them on failure of
neralsolemnities,
andabolishing
the crueland payment. Accordinglysomemade slavesof
barbarouscustomsthat had generallyprevail- them,andotherssoldthemto foreigners.Nay,
ed among the women before. What is of some parents were forced to sell their own
«till greater consequence,by expiations, lus- children (for no law forbadeit,) and to quit the
trations, and the erecting of templesand shrines city, to avoid the severe treatment of those
he hallowed and purified the city, and made usurers, but the greater number, and men ot
the people more observantof justice and more the most spirit, agreedto stand by each other,
inclined to union. and to bear such impositions no longer. They
When he had seen Munichia, and consider- determined to choosea trusty person for their
ed it some time, he is reported to have said to leader to deliver those who had failed in their
thoseabouthim,f How blind is man to futu- timeof payment,to dividethe landandto give
rity! if the Athenians could foresee what an entire new face to the commonwealth.
Then the most prudent of the Athenians cast
* This Epimenideswasa very extraordinary person.
DI«J. nus Laerlius tells us, that he was the inventor of their eyesupon Solon, as a man least obnox
the art of luslmtingor purifying houses,fields,and per- ious to either party, having neither been en
sons;which, if spokenof Greece,maybe true; But gagedin oppressionswith the rich, nor entan-
Moseshrid lonebeforetayghttheHebrews somethingof gled in necessitieswith the poor. Him, there-
thisnature.
(VideLevit.tvi.) Epimeaides
tooksomefore,theyentreated
ihecp that were all black, and others that were all to assistthepublicin this
white',
these
heledintotheAreopagus,
andturningexigency,
andto compose
thesedifferences
tht-rn
loose,
directed
certain
persons
tofollowthem,Ptianias
theLesbianasserts,
indeed,that Sc-
whoshouldmarkwheretheycouched,
andtheresacri- ion, to savethe state, dealt artfully with both
ficethemto thelocaldeity. This being done,altars parties,andprivately promisedthe poora di-
were erectediu all theseplaces, to perpetuate the visionof the lands,andthe rich a confirmation
Diemoryof this solemn expiation. There were, how-
ever, other ceremoniespractised for the purpose of of their securities. At first he was loath to
lustration,
of whichTzetzes,
in hispoetical
chronicle,takethe administrationuponhim,by reason ot
gnesaparticularaccount,
butwhicharetoo trilling the avariceof someandtheinsolenceof others,
to bementioned
here* but wa» however, chosen archon next after
t Thisprediction
wasfulfilled
270year«
after,whenPhilombrotus,
Antipater constrained the Athenians to admit n» gar-
andat thesametimearbitrator
this prophecy,Epimcn- andlawgiver;the rich accepting
risoninto thatplace. Besides of himreadily,
idesutteredanother
duringhis stayat Athens;for as oneof tliem,and the poor, as a goodand
hearing
thatthecitizens
were
alarmed
attheprogress
worthyman.Theytell ustoo,thati. icvingof
of thePersian
themselves power
easy, atsea,
for that theheadvised
Persians them
wouldtonotmake
for his,which
hehadletfallsome
timebeiore,
that
nany
years
attempt
anything
against
theGreeks,
andequalitycauses
no war,wasthenmuchre-
when theydid,theywould
receive
greater
lossthem-peated, andpleasedboththerichandthepoor;
telves
than
theywould beable
tobringupon
thestatesthelatterexpecting
to cometobalanrebytheu
UK;thoughttoJeitroj. Laert,in V\tuet Rtmcrt. numbersandby the measureof dividedland*,
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

andtheformerto preservean equalityat least, ty, making(ashesays)force and rigM eon

bv their dignityandpower. Thusbothparties spire. Henceit was,that havingthe quratiii*
beingm great hopes,the headsof themwere afterwardsput to him, Jf'hetherfie hadpro-
urgent with Solon to make himself king, and vided the best of laws for the Athenians, he
endeavoured
to persuadehim, that hemight answered,The bestthey werecapableof re-
with better assurancetake upon him the direc- ceiving. And as the modernsobserve,that the
tion of a city where he had the supremeau- Atheniansused to qualify the harshnessof
thuriiv. Nay, manyof the citizensthat leaned thingsbygivingthemsofterandpoliter names,
to neither party, seeingthe intendedchange calling whoresmistresses,tributes contribu-
difficult to be effectedby reasonandlaw,were tions, garrisonsguards, and prisonscastles;
not againstthe entrustingof the governmentso SolonDeems to be the first that distinguish-
to the handsof onewiseandjust man. Some, ed the cancellingof debtsby the nameof a
moreover,acquaintus that he receivedthia discharge.For thia wasthe first of his public
oraclefromApollo, acts,that debtsshouldbeforgiven,andthat no
S.i.i, seize
thehelm;
thereelingrewl
(piide:
"Withaidingpatriotsstemthe ragingtide.
man,forthefuture,should
takethebodyof
his debtor for security. Though Audrotion and
His frienJs, in particular told him it would ap- some others say, that it was not by the cancel-
peartliit hewanted courage,
if herejectedthe Vingof debts,butby moderating
the interest,
monarchy for fearof thenameof tyrant;asif thatthepoorwererelieved,
theythought them-
the sole and supreme power would not soon selvesso happyin it, that they gavethe nnme
become a lawfulsovereigntythroughthevir- of discharge
to this act of humanity,
aswell
f him that received
it. Thusformerlyasto theenlarging of measuresandthevalue
(saiiithey)tneEubctans
setupTynnondas,
andof money,
whichwentalongwithit. For he
i-'-lv the MilylcnxansPittacusfor their ordered
themime,whichbeforewentbutfor
prince.* Noneof thesethingsmovedSolonseventy-threedrachmas,
to gofor a hundred;
ironihispurpose;
andtheanswer
heissaidto sothat,33theypaidthesamein value,
but
have given his friends is this, Absolute mon- much less in weight, thosethat had great sumi
archyina fair field, but if hasno outlet. to pay werereheved,
whilesuchas received
Andin oneof hispoemshe
thusaddresses
themwerenolosers.
himselfto his friend Phocus: The greaterpartof writers,however,affirm,
If 1spar'd my country. that it was the abolition of pastsecurities that
If gilded violence and tyrannic jway was calif da discharge, and with these the po-
Couldnevercharmiri's thenceDObname accrues. ems of Solon agree. For in them he values
Still themild honorof my nameI boast, himself on having taken away the marks oj
Alidfindiriyempire
there. mortgagedland,* which beforewerealmost
Whenceit is evidentthat his reputationwas every wltere set up, and made free those
very great before he appearedin the character fields -whichbefore were bound: and not only
of a legislator. As for the ridicule he was so, but of such citizens as were seizable by
exposedto for rejecting kingly power, he has their creditors for debt, some,he tells us, he
dt.mbed it in the following verses: had brought back from other countries,
IVor wisdom'spalm,nor deep-laidpolicy where they had wandered so long that they
C.inSolonboast. For wheuits oobltstblessings had forgot the Jlttic dialect, and others he
Heaven
him.pourMluluhis Jap,
hespurn'dthemfrom hadsetat liberty, whohadexperienced
a cru-
el slavery at home.
\V>i( re was his senseand spirit, when enclosed
Hr iuund
thechoicest
prey,nordcign'd
todrawit? Thisaffair,indeed,broughtuponhim the
\V\r> lo command
fair Athensbut ovieday greatesttrouble he met with-, For when he un-
Wouldnothimself,
withallhisrace,have
fallen dertook the annulling of debts,andwascon-
Contented
onthe.morrow? sideringof a suitablespeech
and a proper
Thus he has introduced the multitude and method of introducing the business,he told
men of low minds,as discoursingabouthim. someof his mostintimatefriends,namely,Co-
But thoughherejectedabsolutepower,hepro- non, Chnia3,andHipponicus,thatheintended
ceededwith spirit enoughiu the administra-only to abolishthe debts,and not to meddle
tion; he did not makeany concessions in be- with the lands.Thesefriendsof his hastening
half of the powerful,nor, in the framingof his to maketheir advantageof the secret,before
lawsdid he indulgethe humourof his constit- the decreetook place,borrowedlargestunsof
uents. When the former establishment was the rich, ajid purchasedestateswith them. Af-
tolerable,heneitherappliedremedies, norused terwards,whenthe decreewaspublished, they
the incision-knife,lest heshouldput the whole kept their possessions without paying the
in disorder,and not have powerto settleor moneytheyhadtakenup; which broughtgreat
composeit afterwardsin the temperature he reflectionsuponSolon,as if he had not been
couldwish. He only madesuchalterations as imposeduponwith the rest, but were rather
he might bring the peopleto acquiesce in by an accomplicein the fraud. This charge,how-
perbuasion, or compelthem to by his authon- ever,wassoonremoved,by his beingthe first
to comply with tbe law, and remitting a debt
of five talents, which he had out at interest.
*ri'<«<:ust one of the seven wise nv-n of Greece,
mil' i.!in.«ilf
master
of Mitylene;
forwhichAlca;us,
Others,among
whomis Polyzluathe
Ilhodian,
vh" wii^of thesamelown, coo'emporary with I'ilta- say it was fifteen talents. But his friends went
ru-, rmd,asa poet,a friendtc ibcrly, tatiriitd him, by the name of Chreocopiasor debt-cutteri
»j III ,hdtheolhi-rtyranU. f.ttacusdisregarded
Ins ever after.
c.ii-'.res»nd having by his authority quellid the K-
I IIL-crti/eus, and ellabllihid peaceand har-
mon)among
them, quittedhispower, * TheAthenianshau a customof fixing up billeu%
he voluntarily
lay restored
hi* cuuutryto its liberty. to shewthat houses
or laud*wereluor^agetl.
 SOLON. 66
The methodhe took satisfiedneither the whichfor almostall offences
werecapital;even
poornortherich. Thelatterweredispleased thosethatwereconvicted of idleness
wereto
bythecancellingof their bonds;and thefor- sufferdeath,andsuchas stoleonlya few ap-
merat notfindingadivisionof lands;uponthis plesorpot-herbs,
wereto be punished in the
theyhadtucdtheirhopes, andtheycomplain-same manner assacrilegious
personsandmur-
edthathehadnot, like Lycurgus,madeall derers.Hencea saying of Demades,wholived
the citizensequalin estate. Lycurgus,how- long after,wasmuchadmired, thatJjracowrote
ever,being the eleventhfrom Hercules,and his lewsnot with ink but with blood. And
havingreignedmanyyearsin Lacedsmon,had he himselfbeingasked,Why he made death
acquiredgreat authority,interest,andfriends, thepunishmentfor inoit offences, answntd,
of whichhe knewverywell how to avail him- Small ones deserveit, and I can Jind no
self in setting up a new form of government. greater for the molt heinous.
Yet hewas obligedto have recourseto force In the neit place,Solontookanestimateof
ratherthan persuasion, andhad an eye struck tne estatesof the citizens;intendingto leave
out in the dispute,beforehecouldbringit to a the greatofficesin thehandsof the rich, but to
lastingsettlement,andestablishsuchan union givethe restof the peoplea sharein other d>
and equality,as left neither rich nor poorin partmentswhich they had not before. Such
the city. On the other hand,Solon'sestate as hada yearly incomeof five hundredmea-
wasbut moderate, not superiorto that of some suresin wet and dry goods,he placedin the
commoners, and,therefore,
heattemptednot to first rank, and called them Pentacosiom-
erect such a commonwealth as that of .Lycur- edimni:* The secondconsistedof those that
gus,consideringit as outof hispower:hepro- couldkeepa horse,or whoselands produced
ceededas far as he thought he could be sup- three hundred measures; these were of the
ported by the confidencethe peoplehad in his equestrian order, and called Hippodatclouu-
probity and wisdom. tes. And those of the third class, who had but
That he answerednot the expectationsof the two hundred measures,were called Zcugita:.
generality, but offended them by falling short, The rest were named Thctes, and not admitted
appearsfrom these versesof his, to any office: they had only a right to appear
Thoseeyeswithjoy oacesparkling
whentheyview'd andgive their votein the generalassemblyof
me, the people. This seemedat first but a slight
With cold,oblique
regard
behold
menow. privilege,butafterwardsshoweditself a matter
\nd a little after of great importance: for most causescame at
Yet who but Solon last to be decided by them; and in such mat-
Touldhavespokepeaceto their tumultuous
wares, ters as were under the cognizanceof the mag-
Andnothave
sunkbeneath
them? istrates there lay an appeal to the people.
But being soonsensibleof the utility of the de- Besides, he is said to have drawn up his laws
cree, they laid asidetheir complaints, offered a in an obscure and ambiguous manner, on pur-
oublic sacrifice, which they called seisactheia, pose to enlarge the authority of the popular
or the sacrifice of the disc/large, and constitut- tribunal. For as they could not adjust their
ed Solon lawgiver and superintendant of the difference by the letter of the law, they were
commonwealth; committing to him the regula- obliged to have recourse to living judges; I
tion not of a part only, but the whole,magis- meanthe whole bodyof citizens,who there-
tracies, assemblies,courts of judicature, and fore had all controversiesbrought before them,
senate; and leaving him to determine the and were in a manner superior to the laws. Of
qualification, number, and time of meeting for this equality he himself takes notice in these
them all, as well asto abrogate or continue the words,
formerconstitutions,
at hispleasure. Bymethepeople
heldtheirnative
rights
First then, he repealedthe laws of Draco,* TJninjur'd,unoppress'd-Thegreatrestrained
except those concerning murder, because of Fromlawlessviolence,
andthepoorfromrapine,
the severity of the punishmentsthey appointed, By me, their mutual shield.
* Draco was archon in the second,though somesay Desirous, yet farther to strengthenthe common
in thelastyearof thethirty-ninth
olympiad,
aboutpeople,he impowered
anymanwhatever
to
theyearbeforeChrist623. Thoughthenameof this enter an action for one that was injured. If a
great man occursfrequentlyin history, yet we no person was assaulted, or suffered damage or
where findsomuch astenlinestogether concerning
him and his institution*. He may be consideredas the
violence,
anotherthatwasableandwillingto
first legislatorof the Athenians; for the laws, or rath- do it, might prosecutethe offender. Thus the
erprecepts,
of Triptolemus
wereveryfew,viz.Hon- lawgiver wisely accustomedthe citizens,as
our yourparentt; worshipthe°ods;hurtnot animals; membersof one body to feel and to resent one
Draco wasthefirstof theGreeks
thatpunished idola- another'sinjuries. And we aretold of a say-
try with death; and he esteemedmurder so high a
crime, thattoimprint adeep abhorrence ofit intheingofhisagreeable tothislaw:being asked,
minds of men, he ordained that nroceas should be car- What city teasbestmodelled? heanswered,
riedoneven
against
inanimate
things,
if theyaccident-That, where thosewho are not injured are
ally caused,
thedeathof anyperson.Butbesides
murder
andadultery,whichdeserveddeath,he madea num- * ThePentacosiomeJimni
paida talentto thepublic
berof smalloficnces
capital;andthatbrought
almosttreasury;theHippodatelovnta,
asthewordsignifies,
all his lawsintodisuse. Theextravagant
severityof wereobligedto finda horse,andto serveascavalryin
them,like anedgetoo finelyground,hinderedhis ihewars;theZeugita
weresocalled,
asbeing
ol'amid-
(Aejmoi,as hecalledthem,fromstrikingdeep. Por- dle rank between the knightsand thoseof the lowest
phyry, (tieabstinent.)haspreserved
oneof themcon- order (for rowerswho havethemiddlebenchbelweeu
cerning
divineworship,
" It isaneverlasting
law in theThalamitesand
theThranitcs,
arecalled
Zeu'itx;)
Attica, thatthegodsareto beworshipped,
anathe he- and thoughthe Tlttia had barelyeacha vote"in Ihe
roe*also,according to thecustoms
of our ancestors,generalassemblies,
yetthat(asPlutarchobserves)
ap-
tnd in privateonlywitha properaddress,
firstfruits, peared
in timeto beagreatprivilege,
moitcauies
beinf
tfcdumiiallibauoni." brought
byappeal befure
thepeople.
 C6 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

no less ready to prosecute and punish in the areopagus,or by the ephetae

or ty tht
offenders than those who are. kings in the Prytar>£um, fur murder and
\\ lienthesepointswere adjusted,
he estab- robbery,or attemptingto usurp th* g-orenv-
lished the council of the arcopagus,*whicl ment, hadjled their country before this laia
v as to consistof such as had borne the office was made. This on the contrary shews that
of arc/ton,t and lumsclf wasoneof the num beforeSolon,waschiefmagistrateanddeliver
ber. But observingthat the people,now dis edhis laws,the councilof the areopaguswas
narked from their debts, grew insolent anc in being. For who could have been condemn-
11
HUB, he proceededto constituteanother ed in the areopagusbeforeSolon'stime, if he
founcil or senate,of four hundred,!a hundre; wasthe first that erectedit into a court of ju-
out of each tribe, by whom all affairs were to dicature? Unless, perhaps,there be someob-
be previouslyconsidered;and orderedthat no scurityor deficiencyin the text, andthemean-
matter, without their approbation,should be ing t^, that suchas have beenconvictedof
Linl before the general assembly. In the ineai crimes that are new cognizablebefore the are-
(11,11-
the high court of the arcopagus were to opagites, the ephetee,*zndprytanes, shall con-
be the inspectorsand guardiansof the laws tinue infamous,whilst othersarerestored.But
Thus he supposedthe commonwealth, securec tins I submit to the judgment of the reader.
bv two councils,as by two anchors,would be The mostpeculiarandsurprisingof hisother
lessliable to be shakenby tumults, and the laws,is that whichdeclaresthe man infamous
people would become more orderly and peace- who stands neuter in the time of sedition.f It
alilc. Most writers, as we have observed, seemshe would not have us be indifferent and
affirmthat the council of the areopaguswas unaffectedwith thefateof the public,Ti'henour
of Solon's appointing: and it seemsgreatly to own concerns are upon a safe bottom; nor
confirm their assertion,that Draco has made whenwe arein health,be insensible to thedis-
no mentionof the arco/>agi£cs, but in capital tempersandgriefsof ourcountry. He would
causesconstantly addresseshimself to the have us espousethe belter and juster cause,
tphets : yet the eighth law of Solon'sthir- andhazardeverytiling in defenceof it, rather
to-rith.table is setdown in thesevery words, thanwait in safetyto seewhichsidethe victory
H'liocver weredeclaredinfamousbeforeSo- will inclineto. That law, too,seemsquiteridic-
loifs archonship, let them be restored in ho- ulous and absurd, which permits a young heir-
nour, exceptsuchas having beencondemnedess,whosehusbandhappens
to be impotent,to
console herself with his nearest relations. Yet
* Thecourtof areopagui,
thoughsettledlongbefore some say, this law wasproperly levelled against
ha-1
lostmuchof its power
by Draco'spreferring
the those, who consciousof their own inability,
rphetx.In ancient times, andtill Solonbecame legis-matchwithheiresses forthesakeoftheportion,
lator,it consisted ofsuch persons aswere mostconspic-
uous 10 the state for their wealth, power, and probity;
andundercolourof lawdoviolence to nature.
butSolon made it a rulethatsuch onlyshould have a For whentheyknowthat suchheiresses may
icat in it ashadbornetheofficeof archon. This had make choice of others to grant their favours to,
the.effecthedesigned,it raisedthe reputationof the they will either let those matches alone, or if
(ircojt'igUes veryhigh,andrendered theirdecrees so theydomarryin thatmanner,
Ten.rdl'l'", that none contested or repined at diem
theymustBuffet
through a long courseol'ages. the shame of their avarice and dishonesty
; Altertheeitmctionol theraceof theMcdontidac,
It IB right that the heiressshouldnot hava
the Atheniansmadetheofficeof archonannual;and liberty to choose at large but only amongst
instead
of one,theycreated
nineaTchoiw.
Bythtlatter tier husband'srelations,that the child whick
expedient, theyprovided against thetoogreatpu\vtris bornmayat leastbelongto his kindred
of a single prr*ou, as by tnc former they took away
all apprehensionof the arckons setting up for sove- and family. Agreeable to this is the direc
reigns.In oneword,theyattained
nowwhattheyhad Lion,that the bride and bridegroomshould
longsought,themakingtheir supreme
magistrates
de- be shut up together and eat of the sarao
pendent
on thepeople.Thisremarkable
sera
of Ihe quince;{ and that the husbandof an heiress
completion
of theAtheniandemocracy was;according
to theMurmma-in thefirst yearof the invth. olym-
piad, beforeChrut 6c4. That thesemagistratesmight " The cphetitwere first appointedin the reignof
however retain sufficient authority and dignity, they
Dcmophon, thesonof Theseus,for thetrying of wilful
had high titles and great honoursannexedto their murders
the it first ofand casesof manslaughter.Theyconsisted
offices. The firot wasstyledby wayof eminence fifty Atheniansand as manyArgives;buy
crfAon, and the year was distinguished by his name. Dracodeluded the Argivcs, and ordered that it should
Thesecond wascalled Basiteus, thatisking;forthey )ecomposed offilly-one
Athenians,
whowereailtobe
chow toha\ethattitleconsidered as.
a secondaryone.':urped
This officer had the care of religion. The third liad
offiftyyearsofage.Healso
fi*cdtheirauthor-
thename
ofFolfmarch,
forwarwas
hisparticular
tyabove
thatofthearcopagites
; butSolon
brought
province. The other sii had the title of Thennotheta:, themunderthat court,and limitedtheir jurisdiction.
and-wereconsidered
astheguardians
of tlitir laws. f AulusGellius,
whohaspreserved
theverywordt
These archonscontinued till the time fff the emperor f this law, adds,that onewho sostoodneuter,should
Callienui. houldlosehishouses, his country,andestate,and be
| Thenumber of tribaswasincreased
byCalisthenes entoutanexile. Noct.Mtic. 1.ii. c.12.
t I. .1,nflerhehaddrivenout thePisiitratidx;and Plutarchin.anotherplace, condemns tl«»law,but
theuthissenate consistedof fivehundred,
fiftybeing jelliushighlycommends it, andassignsthisreason-
chosenout of eachtribe. Towardsthe closeof the Thewiseandjust, aswellas the enviousandwicked,
yearthepresident of eachtribegavein alistof candi-Vingobliged tochowesome side,matterswereeasily
dates, out of whomthesenators wereelected bylot. itcommodated; whereas
if thelatteronly,a»is gener-
The senators thenappointed theofficerscalledpry- ally the casewith oJiercilies,hadthemanagement
fi/7u*.Tlie/*n/(afies,
whilethesenateconsistedof 500, of factions,
theywould,for privatereasons,becontin-
were50innumber ; and,fortheavoidingof contusion, uallykeptup,tothegreathurt,if nottotheutterruin
ttn of thesepresided
aweek,duringwhichspace they f thestate.
wtrr calledjrrathri,and out of theman fpistidcsor JThe eatingof thequince,which wasnot peculiar
t waschosen, whoseofficeUuUd but oneday. to an Leircu aud her husband(for all new u/arned
 SOLON.

rtiouldapproachher at leastthreetimesin a consequence of disease

or poisons,by impris-
month. For, thoughtheymayhappen notto onmentor violence, or the pcrsunionsof a
havechildren,yet it is a markof honourand wife. For he considered inducements that
regardduefroma manto thechastityof his operatedagainstreason,as no better than
wife; it removes
manyuneasinesses, andpre- force;to be deceived
waswithhimthesame
texts differences
fromproceeding to anabso-thingasto becompelled; andhe lookedupon
lute breach. pleasureto beas greata perverteraspain.*
In all othermarriages,
lie ordered
thatno He regulated,
moreover,
thejourne/sof wo-
dowriesshould be given; the bride was to men,theirmourningandsacrifices,
andendeav-
bringwithheronlythreesuitsof clothes,
and ouredto keepthemclearof all disorderand
lome householdstuff of small value.* For he excess. They were not to go out ot town
did not choosethat marriagesshouldbe made with more than three habits; the provision!
with mercenaryor venal views, but would theycarriedwith them,werenotto exceedthe
have that unioncemented by the endearmentvalueof anobolus;their basketwas not to be
of children,and everyother instanceof love abovea cubithigh; andin the night theywere
"nd friendship. Nay Dionysiushimself,when not to travelbut in a carriage,witha torchbe-
his motherdesiredto be marriedto a young fore them. At funeralsthey were forbid to
Syracusian,told her, He had, indeed,by his tear themselves,tand no hired mournerwas
tyranny, brokethroughthe la^osof his coun- to utter lamentablenotes,or to act any thing
try, but he could iwt break those of nature, by else that tended to excite sorrow. They were
countenancingso disproportioneda match. not permitted to sacrificean ox on thoseoc-
And, surely, suchdisordersshould not betoler- casions; or to bury more than three garments
ated in any state,nor suchmatches,where with the body, or to visit any tombs besides
there is no equalityof years,or inducementsthoseof their own family,exceptat the timeof
of love, or probability that the end of mar- interment. Most of these things are likewise
riage will be answered. So that to an old man forbidden by our laws, with the addition of
who marriesa youngwoman,someprudent this circumatance,that those who offendin
magistrate or lawgiver might express himself such a manner, are fined by the censorsof the
in the words addressedto Philoctetcs: women, as giving way to weak passions and
Poorsoul!howfitart thouto marry! childishsorrow.
And if he found a young man in the houseof a As the city was filled with persons,who as-
richoldwoman, likea partridge,
growing
fat sembled
fromallparts,onaccount ofthegreat
in hisprivate
services,
hewouldremove him security
in whichpeople livedinAttica,Solon
to some youngvirginwhowanted ahusband. observing
this,andthatthecountrywithalwas
Butenough
of this. poorand barren,and that merchants,
who
ThatlawofSolon'iisalsojustlycommendedtrafficbysea,donotusetoimporttheirgoods
whichforbidsmen to speakill of thedead.wheretheycan havenothingin exchange,
Forpietyrequiresu^to considerthedeceased
turnedtheattention ofthecitizens tomanufac-
assacred;justicecallsuponustosparethosetures. For thispurpose hemade alaw,that
no son should be obligedto maintain his father.
that are not in being; and good policy to pre-
ventthe perpetrating of hatred. He forbadif he hadnot taughthim a trade.J As for
hispeoplealsotoreviletheliving,in a temple,Lycurgus,whosecitywasclearof strangers,
in a courtofjustice,
inthegreatassemoly ofthe and whosecountry,accordingto Euripides,
people,oratthepublicgames. Ke thatoffend-wassufficientfor twicethenumberof inhabi-
edin thisrespect,
wastopaythreedrachmas tants;where therewas, moreover, a multitude
to thepersons
injured,
andtwoto thepublic.of Helotes, whowerenotonlyto bekeptcon-
Neverto restrain
anger
is, indeed,
a proofof stantlyemployed, buttobehumbled andworn
out by servitude; it was right for him to set the
weaknessor want of breeding; and always to
guard against it very difficult, and to some citizens free from laborious and mechanic arts,
persons
impossible.
Now,whatisenjoined
by andto employ
themin arms,astheonlyartfit
law shouldbepracticable,
if thelegislator
de- for themto learnandexercise.ButSolon,
sires to punisha few to somegoodpurpose,rather adapting his laws to the state of hii
and not many to no purpose.
* He likewise ordained that adopted personsshould
His law concern.ng wills has likewise its
merit. For before his time the Athenians wwe makeno will, but assoonastheyhadchildrenlawfully
begotlen,they were at liberty to return into the fam-
not allowedto disposeof their estatesby will; ily whence
theywereadopted;
or if theyCi*itinucd
the houses and other substance of the deceased in it to their death, the estatesrevr-.-tcdto the relations
were to remain amonghis relations. But he of thepersons
whoadopted
them.Dcmostti.
in Oral.
permitted
anyonethathadnotchildren,
to Lejitin.
Demosthenes(in Timocr.) recites Solon's direc-
Ieav3 his possessions to whom he pleased; thus ions A3 to funerals as follows : u Let the dead bodieji
preferring the tie of friendship to that of kin-
dred, and choice to necessity, he gave every
man the full and free disposal of his own.
Yet he allowed not all sorts of legacies, but
those only that were not extorted by frenzy, the

peopleatei!) impliedthat their discourses ought to

bejilruaot to eachother,that fruit makingthe breath He thatwasthriceconvictedof idl
iweeL
* The bride br .,'ht with her an earthen pan called
ritroeeteon,whereinbarleywasparched; to signify
that ihe undertook the businessof cite house, and
Woulddoher parttow.irdsproridiiig fur the family.
68 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

country,than hiacountryto his laws,andper- that wheretherewasa public well, all withm
ceivingthat the soil of Attica, which hardly the distanceof four furlongs,shouldmakeuvt
rewarded the husbandman's labour, was far of it; but -wherethe distancewas greater, they
frombeingcapableof maintaininga lazy mul- were to providea well of their own. And it
titude, ordered that trades should be account- they dug ten fathomsdeepin their own ground,
ed honourable; that the council of the areop- and could find no water, they had liberty 13fill
agus should examine into every man's means a vessel of six gallons twice a day at their
of subsisting,and chastise the idle. neighbour's. Thus he thought it proper to as-
But that law was more rigid, which (as sist personsin real necessity, but not to en-
Heraclides of Pontus informs us) excused courage idleness. His regulationswith respect
bastards from relieving their fathers. Never- to the planting of treeswere also veryjudicious.
theless,the manthat disregardsso honourableHe that plantedany tree in his field, wasto
a state as marriage, does not take a womanfor place it at least five feet from his neighbour'!
the sakeof children,but merelyto indulgehis ground; and if it was a fig tree or anolive,
appetite. He has therefore his reward; and nine; for these extend their roots farther than
there remains no pretence for him to upbraid others, and their neighbourhood is prejudicial
those children, whose very birth he has made to some trees, not only as they take away the
a reproach to them. nourishment, but as their effluvia is noxious.
In truth his laws concerning women, in ge- He that would dig a pit or a ditch, was to dig
neral, appear very absurd. For he permitted it as far from another man's ground, as it was
any one to kill an adulterer taken in the fact;* deep; and if anyone would raise stocksof bees.
but if a man committed a rape upon a free wo- he was to place them, about three hundred
man, he was only to be fined a hundreddrach- feet from those already raisedby another.
mas; if he gained his purpose by persuasion, Of all the products of the earth, he allowed
twenty: but prostitutes were excepled, because none to be sold to strangers, but oil: and who-
they have their price. And he would not allow ever presumed to export any thing else, the
them to sell a daughter or sister, unless she arclion was solemnly to declare him accursed,
were taken in an act of dishonour before mar- or to pay himself a hundred drachmas into the
riage. But to punish the same fault sometimes public treasury. This law is in the first table.
in a severe and rigorous manner, and some- And therefore it is not absolutely improbable,
times lightly, and as it were in sport, with a what some affirm, that the exportation of figs
trivial fine, is not agreeable to reason: unless was formerly forbidden, and that the informer
the scarcityof moneyin Athens,at that time, againstthedelinquentswascalledasycophant.
made a. pecuniary mulct a heavy one. And He likewise enacted a law for reparation o(
indeed in the valuation of things for the sacri- damagereceived from beasts. A dogthat had
fice, a sheep and a medimnits of corn were bit a man was to be delivered up boundto a
reckoned each at a drachma only. To the log of four cubits long;* an agreeablecontriv-
victor in the Isthmean games, he appointed ance for security againstsuch an annual.
a reward of a hundred drachmas; and to the But the wisdom of the law concerning the
victor in the Olympian, five hundred.f He naturalizingof foreigners,is a little dubious;
that caught a he-wolf, was to have five drach- becauseit forbids the freedom of the city to be
mas; he that took a she-wolf, one: and the for- granted to any but such as are for ever exiled
mer sum (as Demetrius Phalereusasserts) was from thtir own country, or transplant them-
the valueof an ox, the latter of a sheep. Though selves to Athens with their own family, for the
the priceswhich hefixesin his sixteenthtable sakeof exercisingsomemanualtrade. This,
for selectvictims,wereprobablymuchhigher we aretold, hedid, not with a view to keep
than the common, yet they are small in com- strangers at a distance, but rather to invite
parisonof the present. The Atheniansof old themto Athens, upon the surehopeof being
were great enemies to wolves, becausetheir admitted to the privilege of citizens; and he
country wasbetterfor pasturethantillage;and imaginedthe settlementot thosemight been-
someeaytheir tribeshadnot their namesfrom tirely dependedupon, who had beendriven
the sonsof Ion, but from the differentoccupa- from their nativecountry,or hadquittedit by
tions they followed; the soldiersbeingcalled choice.
hapKtx, the artificers ergaedes;andof the That law is peculiarto Solon,which regu-
other two, the husbandmen teleontes:andthe lates the goingto entertainments madeat the
graziersa>gicores. publiccharge,by him calledparasititn.f For
As Attica wasnot suppliedwith waterfrom hedoesnot allow the samepersonto repairto
perennial rivers, lakes, or springs,} but chiefly
by wellsdugfor thatpurpose,
hemadea law, "Thislaw,and
sereral
others
ofSolon's,
weretaken
into the twelve tables. In the consulate of T. Homil-
* Noadulteress
wastoadorn
herself,
ortoassist
»t iusandC.Veturius,
in theyearof Rome393,
the
thepublicsacrifice!;
andincaseshedid,hegave lib- Romans sentdeputies to Athens,
totranscribe
hislawi,
ertyto anyoneto tearherclothes
off her back,
and andthose of theotherlawgivers of Greece,
io ordei
beatherintothebargain. Loformthereby a bodyof lawsfor Rome.
f At t)iesnme
timehe contracted
the rewardsbe- [a thefirstages thename of parasitewastener*-
Itoweduponwrestlers,esteeming
suchgratuities
use-bleandsacred, for it properlysignified
onethatwasa
lessandevendangerous;astheytendedto encouragemessmate
at the tableof sacrifices.There were in
idleurss,
by put nigmenuponwasting that timein Greece severalpersons
particularly
honoured withthis
exercises
whichoughtto beif entin providing
furtheir :itlc,muchlike thosewhomtheRomans called
trjii-
bailies.) lonev,a religious
orderinstitutedby iV'ima. Soloa
J Strabotelli \a there wasa springof freshwater ordainedthat everytribe shouldolfera sacrificeone*
near the Lycieum ; but the soil of Attica in general a month, and at the end of the sacrifice make a public
was dry. and the rners Jhwus and Endamus did not entertainment, at which all who were of that Ulfc<
huulii bt obliged to auitl by lurm.
 SOLON. 69
themoften,
andhe laysa penaltyuponsuchthem,
andcommending
others,
oradvising
him
is refused
to go wheninvited;lookingupon to makecertainadditions,
or retrenchment*
uic toriner as a mark of epicurism,and the But the greater part cameto desirea reason.
latterof contempt
of thepulilic. for thisor thatarticle,or a clearand precise
AJJhislawswereto continuein forcefor a explication of themeaning anddesign. Sen-
hundredyears,
andwere writtenuponwooden "iblethathe couldnotwellexcuse himself
tables
whichmightbeturnedroundin theob- fromcomplyingwiththeirdesires,
andthatif
longcases
that contained
them. Somesmall he indulgedtheir importunity,the doing it
remains
of themare preserved
in thePryta- mightgiveoffence,
hedetermined to withdraw
neunito thisday. They were calledcyrbes, from the difficulty,and to get lid at onceot
as Aristotle tells us; and Cratinus,the comic their cavils and exceptions. For, ashe him-
poet, thus speaksof them: self observes,
Bythegreatnames
of Solon
«ndof Draco, Notall thegreatest
enterprise
canplease.
Whose'cyrbes now but serveto boil cJUrpulse.
Some say,those
tables
wereproperly
calledUnder pretence,
therefore,
of traffic
hesetsail
eyries,
onwhichwere
written
therules
forre- foranother
country,
havingobtainedleaveof
ligiousritesand sacrifices,
and the othertheAthenians
fortenyears'
absence.
In that
axoncs. The senate,in a body,boundthem-timehehopedhislawswouldbecome
familiar
selves
by oathto establishthelawsof Solon; to them.
andthe thesmothctie,
or guardiansof the Hisfirstvoyagewasto Egypt,wherehe
laws,severally
tookanoathin a particular
abode
sometime,ashehimself
relates,
form, by the stone in the market-place, that On the Canopianshore, by Nile's deepn.oath.
for everylaw theybroke,eachwoulddedicate
a goldenstatueat Delphi of the sameweight There he conversed
uponpointsof philosoph5
with himsulf.* with Psenophisthe Heliopolitan, and Senchil
Observingthe irregularity of the months,! the Saite,the most learned of the Egyptian
and thatthe moonneither rose nor set at the priests;and having an accountfrom themof
sametime with the sun,as it often happenedthe Atlantic island*(as Plato informsus,) he
that in the 3ameday she overtookandpassedattemptedto describeit to the Greciansin a
by him, he orderedthatday to becalled hene poem. From Egypt hesailedto Cyprus,and
kai nea (the old and the new:) assigningthe
p»rt of it before the conjunction, to the old ashethoughtthemostsingularandremarkable. Di-
month, and the test to the beginningof the ogenes
Lacrtiuft,
andDemosthenes
havegivenus ac-
new. Heseems,
therefore,
to havebeenthe counts ofsome othersthatought nottobeforgotten.-
" Let not the guardian live in lite samehouse wilh the
first who understood that verse in Homer, mother of his wards. Let not the tuition of minors b«
which makes mention of a day wherein the committedto him whois nextafterthemin the inher-
old.month ended, arid t/ie new began.]. itance. Let notan engraverkeeptheimpression of a
The day followinghe calledthe newmoon. sealwhichhe hasengraved.
Let him thatputsout
Afterthetwentiethhecounted
notby adding,the eyeofaman whohasbutone,l<*cbothhisown.
If an archonis taken in liquor, let him be put to death.
but subtracting, to the thirtieth, according to Let him who refuses to maintain his Cither and moth
the decreasingphasesof the moon. er, be infamous ; and so let him that has consumed hil
When his Jaws took place,§Solon had his patrimony. Let him who refuses to goto war, flies,
visitors every day, finding fault with some of or behaves cowardly,bedebarredthe j.recinctsof the
/orum and placesof public worship. If a man sur-
prises his wife in adultery, and li>»-si\ilh hi r after
ward?, let him be deemed infamous. Lit him who
" GoldinSolon's
timewassoscarce inGreece,
that frequents
thehouses oflc\sd women, bedtbarred from
whentheSpartanswere orderedbytheoracle
togild speakingintheassemblies ofthepeople.Leta pander
thefaceofApollo'*
statue,
theyinquiredia vainfor bepursued, andputto death il taken.If anyman
goldalloverGreece,
andweredirectedbythepytho-stealin theday-time,let him becarriedto th'-' I' \ <Q
n>-"tobuysomeofCroesus
kingofLydia. officers;
if inthenight,it shallbelawfulto kill him
| Svilondiscovered
the fabeotss
of Thalts'smaiim, in theact,or lo woundhim in the nur^uil,and carry
thai themoonperformed herrevolutionin thirty days, him to the aforesaidofficers: if he stealscommon
andfoundthaithetruetimewastwenty-nine
daysand things,
lethimpaydouble,
andif theconvictor
thiukf
" half. Hedirected,therefore,thateachof thetwelve fit, beexposedvn chainsfivedays",if he is guilty of
monthsshouldbeaccounted twenty-nineor thirty days sacrilege,let him beputto death."
alternately. By this meansa lunaryearwasformed, * Platofinishedthis history from Solon'smemoirs,
of 354days;andto reconcile it to thesolaryear,he asmaybeseen in hisTIIHTII-.andCrilias. He pro-
ordereda monthof twenty-twodaysto beintercalatedtendsthat this Atlantis,an island>Hu:iU,Jin the At-
«ery two years,and at the end of the secondtwo lantic Ocean,was biggerthan Asia and Africa, and
years,hedirectedthata monthof twenty-threedays that,notwithstanding its vast e*t<ut.ii \va>rlr.nui<d
shouldbe intercalated.
He likewiseengaged
the in onedayandnight, Di»dorus
Sirulussays,(he
Atheniansto divide their monthsinto three parts, Carthaginians,\vhi3discoveredit, madeit deathibf
etylcdthe icijinn-.n*,middling,and ejirfin*; eachof anyoneto settlein il. Amidsta numberof conjec-
Uiescconsisted of ten days,whenthe Monthwasthirty turesconcerning il, oneof the rno-jjpi'.kil.lf is, thai
dayslong,andthelastof nine,whenit wasnine-and-in thosedaystheAfricanshadsomeknowledge of
twentydayslong;.IDspeaking of the twofirstparts, America.Anotheropinion,
worthmentioning,is,thai
theyreckoned accordingto theusualorderof numbers,the Mlnntidcs,or FortunateIslnnd.s«ir. whjl w«
riz. thefirst,!tc.dayof themoon beginning; thefirst, nowcalltheCanaries.Homer thusdescribes
them:
"econd,Sic.oflhe moonmiddling;but wilh respect
to
thelastpartofthemonth, they reckoned backwards, Stern
wintersmiles
onthatauspicious
clime;
that
the is,instead
moon ofthey
ending, saying
saidthe
thefirst,
second,
tenth, ninth,&c.
&c.day of Thefield,
of the ari-11'
ridwithunfading
prime.
"oon ending. This is a circumstancewhich should be Kr.imIhf blrak()olpnowindsjndim.nl Mow,
Uouldtheroundhail, or flaki ^M t'--TVsnow
ttnfullyattended
to. Butfromthebreezy
deep
thebless'd
inhaJe
t4 Orty.'S.
lir. 162.
riutareh has only mentionedlucb. of Solan's law*
Thefragrant
murmurs
of thewestern
gait.
JMj-U
70 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

ihere was honouredwith the best regardsof deathof a privateandmeanpersonto hit high
Philocyprus,one of the kings of that island, dignity and power. However,he askedhim
who ri-iu'rii-ilnvc-ra small city built by Demo- again,Whether,after Tellusheknewanother,
>fton the son of Theseus, near the nver Cla- floppier man in the world} Solon answered,
lius, in a strong situation indeed, but very in- Yes, Cleobis and Biton, famed for their bro-
different soil. As there was an agreeable plain therly affection, and dutiful behaviour to
below,Solon persuaded him to build a larger their mother; for the oxen not beingready,
and pleasantercity there,and to removethe theyput themselves in the harness,and drew
inhabitant:) of the other to it. He also assist- their mother to Juno's temple, trVo teas ex-
ed in laying out the whole, and building it in tremely happy in having such nans, and
the best manner for convenience and defence: moved forward amid.it the bless ngs of the
BOthat Philocyprus in a short time had it so people. Jtfter the sacrifice, they drank a
well peopledas to excitethe envyof the other cheerfulcupwith their frienils, and thenlaid
princes. And, therefore, though the former duirn to rest, but rose no morefar theydied
city » as called lAipcia, yet in honour of Solon, in the night without sorrow or pain, m Hit
he called the new one Soli. He himself speaks midst of so much glory. WM'. said Croesus,
of the building of this city, in his elegies, ad- now highly displeased, and do you not then
dressing himself to Philocyprus: rank us in the number of happy men! Solon,
Foryoubelong
theSolian
throne
decreed
! unwilling
eithertolljtterhim,ortoexasperate
FITyuua raceof prosperous
sons
succeed
! him more,replied,King ofLydia, as Godhat
If in thosescents,to her sojuslly (U-ar, given the Greeks a moderate proportion of
My handa bloomingcity htlp'd to r»:ir other things, so likewise he has favoured
May llir swt-et
voice
ofsmiling Viuusbless, themwith a democratic
spirit ttnda lit
And speedinehome will, liuiioursaiid successI
kind of wisdom, which has no taste fur the
As for his interviewwith Crcesus,
somepre- splendoursof royalty. Moreover,the vicissi-
temi to provr I'rom chronology, that it is ficti- tudes of life suffer us not to beelatcdby any
tious. But since the story is so famous, and present goodfortune, or to admire that felic-
so well attested, nay, (what is more,) so agree- ity which is liable to change. Futurity car-
ible to Solon's character, so worthy of his ries for every man many various and uncer-
Wisdomand magnanimity,I cannot prevail tain events in its bosom. He, therefore,
Withmyselfto rejectit for the sakeof certain whomheavenblesses
with success
to the last,
chronological tables, which thousandsare cor- is in our estimation the hapjty man. Hut the
recting to this day, without being able to bring happiness of him who still lives, and has the
them to any certainty. Solon,then, is said dangersof life to encounter,appearsto us no
tohavegoneto Sardisat the requestof Crovsus:betterthan that of a championbrfurethecom-
and when he came there, he was affectedmuch bat is determined, and while the croicn is un-
in the same manner as a person born in an in- certain. With these words, Solon departed,
land country, when he first goes to see the leaving Crcesuschagrined, but not instructed.
ocean: for as he takes every great river he At that time JEsop, the fabulist, was at the
comes to ("or the sea; so Solon, as he passed court or" Cra-sus, who had sent for him, nod
through the court, and saw many of the nobili- caressedhim not a little. He was concerned
ty richly dressed, and walking in great pomp at the unkind reception Solon met with, and
amidst a crowd of attendants and guards, took thereupongave him this advice: Jl man should
each of them for Cncsus. At last, when he either not conversewith kings at all, or say
waa conducted into the presence,he found the what is agreeable to them. To which Solon
king set off with whatr-ver can be imagined replied, .A'ay, but he should either not do it
curious and valuable, either in beauty of co- at all, or say what is useful to them.
lours, eleganceof golden ornaments,or splen- Though Crcesus at that time held our law-
dour of jewels: in orderthat the grandeurand giver in contempt;yet when he wasdefeated
variety of the scenemight be as striking as in his wars with Cyrus; when his city «aa
possible. Solon, standingover against the taken,himselfmadeprisoner,and laid bound
throne, was not at all surprised,nor did he uponthe pile in orderto beburned,in thepre-
pay those compliments that were expected; on sence of Cyrus and all the Persians, he cried
the contrary,it wasplainto all personsof dis- out as loud as he possiblycould,"Solon1 So-
cernmentthat he despisedsuchvain ostenta-lon! Solon!" Cyrus,surprisedat this, sentto
tion andlittlenessof pride. Cretans
thenorder- inquire of him, "What god or man it was
ed his treasuresto beopened,andhis magnifi- whomalonehethus invokedunderso greata
centapartments andfurnitureto beshewnhim; calamity?" Crasus answered,without tie
but tma was quite a needlesstrouble; for Solon least disguise, "He is one of the wise men
in one view of the king was ableto readhis of Greece,whom I sent for, not with a de-
character.\VhcnhehadseenaJl,andwascon- sign to hear his wisdom, or to learn what
ductedback,Croesus askedhim,If hehadever mightbe of serviceto me, but that he might
behelda happierman than he? Solonanswer- seeandextendthereputationof that glory,the
ed, He had, andthat thepersonwasone Tel- lossof whichI find a muchgreatermisfortune,
lus, a plain but worthy citizen of Athens, than the possession of it wasa blessing. Mj
who left valuable children behindhim; and exaltedstatewas only an exterioradvantage,
wlta, having beenabovethe want ofvcccssa- the happinessof opinion; but the reverse
ries all his life, diedgloriously fighting for plungesme into real sufferings,and endsin
his country. By this time he appearedto Cro:- misery irremediable. This was foreseen by
BUS to be a strangeuncouthkind of rustic,who that greatman,who, forming a conjectureol
did not measurehappinessby the quantity of the future from what he thensaw, advisedma
gold ind silver, but could prefer the life and to considerthe end of lilt, andnot to rely or
 SOLON. 71
grow
intolent
upon
uncertainties."
When thistheplaywas
done,
hecalled
to Thespis,
and
wastoldCyrus,whowasa muchwiserman askedhim,If ht wasnot ashamed
to tell »o
thanCra'sus,
finding
Solon's
maximconfirmedmanyliesbeforesogreatanassembly
? The«-
byanexamplebefore
him,henotonlysetCr<s-pisanswered,
It wasnogreatmatter,\f ht
BUSat liberty,buthonoured himwithhis pro- tpoke or citedsoin jest. To winchSolon
tectionaslongashe lived, 'i iius Solonhad replied,strikingtheground violentlywithhii
thegloryofsaving thelifeofoneofthesekings, staff,If weencourage, suchjesting as this,
andof instructingtheother. teeshallquicklyfind it in our contractsand
During hia absence, the Athenians were agreements.
muchdividedamongthemselves.
Lycurgua Soonafterthis,Piaistratus,
having
wounded
bein^at the headof the low country,*Mega- himselffor thepurpose, drovein thatcondition
cles the son of Alcmson, of the peoplethat into the market-place,andendeavoured to in-
lived nearthe sea-coast,
and Pisistratusof the flamethemindsof the people,bytelling them,
mountaineers; amongwhich last wasa multi- his enemies hadlaid in wait for him,andtreat-
tudeof labouring
people,whoseenmitywas edhimin thatmanner
onaccount
of hispatri-
chiefly levelled at the rich. Hence it was, that otism. Upon this, the multitude loudly ex-
thoughthecity did observe
Solon'slaws,yetall pressedtheir indignation:but Soloncameup,
expectedsomechange,and weredesirousof andthus accosted him: Sonof Hippocrates
anotherestablishment; not in hopesof an equal- you act Homer's Ulyssesbut very indifferent-
ity, but with a view to be gainersby the altera- ly ;for hewounded himself to deceivehis ene-
tion, and entirely to subduethose that differed mies, but you have done it to impose upon
from them. your countrymen. Notwithstanding this, the
While matters stood thus, Solon arrived at rabble were ready to take up arms for him, and
Athens, where he was received with great re- a general assemblyof the people being sum-
spec',andstill held in venerationby all; but moned,Aiiston madea motion,that a body-
by reasonof his great age hehad neither the guardof fifty clubmenshouldbeassigned
him.
strength nor spirit to act or speak in public as Solon stood up and opposed it with uiany
he haddone. He thereforeappliedin private arguments,
of the samekind with thosehe hai
to the headsof the factions, and endeavoured left us in his poema:
to appease and reconcile them. Pisistratus
teemed
to givehim greaterattention
thanthe Youhang
withrapture
onbu-boneyM
tongue*
est; for Pisistratushadan affableand engag-And again,
g manner. He was a liberal benefactorto the
jor;t and evento his enemies
he behaved Your art,topublic interest ever blind,
Your foi-like art still centresin yourelf.
"((nthgreat candour. He counterfeited so dex-
terously
thegoodqualitieswhichnaturehad Butwhenhesawthepoorbehave
in a riotoui
denied him, that he gained more credit than manner, and determined to gratify Pisistratua
the real possessors
of them,andstoodforemost at anyrate, while the rich out of fear declined
in the publicesteem
in pointof moderation
theopposition,
heretiredwiththisdeclaration,
and equity, in zeal for the presentgovernment, that he had shewn more wisdom than the for-
and aversionto all that endeavouredat a mer, in discerningwhat methodshouldhave
change. With theseartshe imposeduponthe beentakenj andmorecouragethan the latter,
people:but Solongoondiscovered
his real whodidnotwantunderstanding,
but spiritto
character, and was the first to discern his in- oppose the establishment of a tyrant. The
aidiousdesigns.Yet he did not absolutelypeoplehavingmadethe decree, did not cu-
breakwithhim,butendeavoured tosoftenhim riouslyinquire
intothenumberof guards which
andadvisehimbetter;declaringbothto him Pisistratua employed, but visiblyconnived at
indothers,thatif ambition
couldbutbebanish-hiskeeping asmanyashepleased, till heseized
edfromhissoul,andhecouldbecuredof his thecitadel. Whenthiswasdone,andthecity
desireof absolutepower,therewouldnotbea in greatconfusion, Mcgacles,withtherestof
manbetterdisposed, or a moreworthycitizen the Alcmzoaid*,immediately took to flight.
in Athens. But Solon,thoughhewasnowveryold, and
About thistime,Thespis
began tochange the hadnonetosecond him,appeared in public,
formof tragedy, andthenovelty of thethingandaddressed himselfto thecitizens,some-
attractedmanyspectators;for thiawasbeforetimesupbraiding themwiththeirpastindiscre-
anyprizewasproposed forthose thateicelledtionandcowardice,sometimes exhorting
and
inthisrespect.Solon, whowas alwaya willingencouraging
themto standupfortheirliberty.
to hearandto learn,andin hisoldagemoreThenit wasthathespokethosememorable
inclinedtoanythingthatmightdivertanden- words:It wouldhavebeencosier for them
tertain,
particularly
to musicandgoodfellow-torepress theadvances of tyranny,andpre-
ship,wentto seeThespis himselfexhibit,as ventits establishment:
butnowit teasestab-
thecustom of theancientpoets waa.Whenlished andgrowntosome height,
it wouldbe
* These three parlies into which the Athenianswere
moreglorious to demolishit. However,find-
dnidtd,viz.thei'ediaei, theParaJi,and
Diacrii,
have ingthattheirfeats
prevented
theirattention
to
been mentioned in this life before. whathe said,he returned
to hisownhouse,
f Bythepoor,weire nottounderstand
such
asask-andplacedhisweapons
at thestreetdoor,with
«d alms, fnr there wcrenone«uchin > tin -us. " In thosethosewords: I
havedoneall in my jioicer to
daj,," says Isocrates,
" therewasnocitizenthatdied defendmy country and its laws. This was
of want, ur begged in the streets,to the dishonour of
thecommunity." This wasovvingtothe lawsagainst his last public effort. Thoughsomeexhorted
idlenessand prodigality, and the care \vhich the arco- him to lly, hetooknonoticeof theiradvice,
GET
vgai
laok
that
every
man
should
hare
avisibk
live-which
butwasbecomposedenough
thusreproachestoAthtuim*:
the make verses,
il
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

If fearor follyhasyourrighbbetray'd, too much for him, and thereforedid not ft

Letnotthefaultonrighlcuus H<-avenbelaid. through
withit. Theseverses
arca proofthat
Yciu gavetlitniguards; youraised
yourtyrantshigh business
T'impose tlie luatyyoke Lhatdnwithc heaving sigh.
wasnotthehindrance:
Manyof hisfriends,
alarmed
at this,told I grow
inlearning
asI grow
inyean.
himthetyrantwouldcertainfyputhimtodeathAndagain,
for it, and asked linn, what he trusted to, that Wine, wit, andbeautyitill their charms
bestow,
he went suchimprudentlengths:heanswered, LightallDieshades
oflife,andcheerusaswego.
To old age. However, when Pisistratus had Plato, ambitious to cultivate and adorn the
fully eatablishedhimself,he madehis court to subjectof the Atlantic Iiland, as a delightful
Solon, and treated him with so much kindness spot in some fair field unoccupied, to which
and respect, that Solon became, as it were, his also he had some claim by his being related to
counsellor, and gave sanction to many of his Solon,* laid out magnificent courts and en-
proceedings.He observedthe greatestpart closures,and erecteda grandentranceto it,
of Solon's laws, shewing himself the example, such as no other story, fable, or poemever had.
and obliging his friends to follow it. Thus, But as he began it late, he ended his life be-
when he was accused of murder before the fore the work; so that the more the readerif
court of areopagus,he appearedin a modest delighted with the part that is written, the
manner to make his defence; but his accuser more regret he has to find it unfinished. A»
dropped the impeachment. He likewise added the temple of Jupiter Olympius in Athens is
other laws, one of which was, that persons the only one that hasnot the last handput to it,
maimed in the wars should be maintained at so the wisdom of Plato, amongst his many ex-
the public charge. Yet this, Heraclidcs tells cellent works, has left nothing imperfect but
us, was in pursuance of Solon's plan, who had the Atlantic Island.
decreed the same in the case of Thersippus. Heraclides Ponticus relates that Solon lived
But accordingto Theophrastus,
Pisistratus,not a considerabletime after Pisistratususurped
Solon, made the law against idleness, which the government; but according to Phaniaathe
produced at once greater industry in the coun- Ephesian, not quite two years. For Pisistratui
try, and tranquillity in the city. beganhis tyranny in the archonship of Comiai,
Solon, moreover,attempted, in verse, a large and Phanias tells us, Solon died in the archon-
description, or rather fabulous account of the ship of Hegestratus, the immediate successor
Atlantic Island,* which he had learned from to Comias. The story of his ashesf being
the wise men of Sais, and which particularly scattered about the isle of Salamis, appearg
concerned
theAthenians;
butby reason
of his absurd
and fabulous;andyet it is relatedby
age, not want of leisure, (as Plato would have several authors ol credit, and by Aristotle il
it,) he was apprehensive the work would be particular.

PUBLICOLA.
SUCH ie the character of Solon; and there- sitous. Hence it was natural to conclude,that
fore with him we will compare Pubhcola, so if the government should become republican,}
called by the Roman people, in acknowledg- his station in it would soon be one of the most
ment of hia merit; for his paternal name was eminent.
Valerius. He was descended from that an- When Tarquin the proud, who had made
cient Valerius,! who was the principal author his way to the throne by the violation of all
of the union between the Romans and the rights,§ divine and human, and then exercised
Sabmes. For he it was that most effectually his power as he acquired it, when, like an op-
persuadedthe two kings to cometo a con- pressorand a tyrant, he becameodiousand
ference, and to settle their differences. From insupportable to the people; they took occa-
this man our Valerius deriving his extraction, sion to revolt, from the unhappy fate of Lur
distinguishedhimself by his eloquenceand cretia, who killed herselfon accountof the
riches,]:evenwhile Romewasyet underkingly rapecommittedupon her by the son of Tar-
government. His eloquencehe employedquin.|| LuciusBrutus,meditatinga change of
with great proprietyand spirit in defenceof * Plato's mother was a descendant of the brother of
justice, and his riches in relieving the neces- Solon.
" This fable imported,that the peopleof Atlantis f It issaidby Diogenes
Laertius,that thiswasdone
havingmbduedall Lybia, anda greatpartof Europe, by hisown order. In thus disposingof his r. ju.un!,
threatened EgyptandGreece; but theAtheniansmak- either Solonhimself,or thosewho wrote his hisujry,
ing headagainsttheir viclorioui army, overthrew imitated the storyof Lycurgus,who left an eipreM
themin severalengagements, and confinedthemto order that his ashes
shouldbethrowninto thesea.
their own island. J Governments, as well as other things, pushedto
t The fir.t of his family, who settled at Rome, was excessive lengths, often change to the contrary ex-
Valerius Volcsus, a Sabine; or, as Fcstus and the treme.
fajft'i Capitolinicallhim, Velusus. § He madeuseof thebodyof his father-in-law,Ser-
{ Fluurch, by Ihij, wouldinsinuate,that arbitrary viusTullius, whomhehadmurdered,asa stepto tht
powerisnofriendto eloquence. Andundoubtedly the throne.
wantof liberty doesdepress thespirit, andrestrainthe || Livy tellsus,that shedesiredher fatherand hus-
forceof genius:whereas, in republicsaudlimitedmon- bandto meether at her own house. Wi'h her father
archiesg
full scopeis given,aswellasmanyoccasion!
Lucretius
camePubliusValerius,
auV^mrdsPuUi-
fcjlordtu, to the richest vein of oratory. C'.h. and with her husbaud Lucius (iui Brut--*
 PUBLICOLA. 73

government,
applied
toValerius
first,andwiththesincerity
of hisoath.Forambassador!
hapowerful assistance
expelled
thekingandcame fromTarquin
withletters
calculated
to
hisfamily.Indeed,
while
thepeople seemedgainthepeople,
andinstructions
totreatwith
inclinedtogiveonepersonthechiefcommand themin such
amanner asmightbemostlikely
andtosetupageneral insteadof aking,Vale'tocorrupt them; astheyweretotellthemfrom
nousacquiesced,andwillingly
yieldedthefirst thekingthathehadbidadieu to hishighno-
placeto Brutus,under
whose auspicesthere- tions,andwaswillingtolistentoverymoderate
publiccommenced. Butwhenit appearedthat conditions.Though theconsuls wereofopin-
theycouldnotbearthethought of beinggov-ion,thattheyshouldbeadmitted to confer
erned bya singleperson,whentheyseemed withthepeople,Valerius wouldnotsuffer it,
morereadyto obeya divided authority,
and butopposed it strongly,insisting
thatnopre-
indeed proposedanddemanded to havetwo textforinnovation should begiventheneedy
consuls
at theheadof the slate,thenheoffered multitude,who mightconsiderwarasa greatei
himself asa candidatefor that highoffice,to- grievancethan tyrannyitself.
getherwithBrutus,butlosthiselection.For, Afterthis,ambassatlois
cameto declare
that
contraryto Brutus'sdesire,
Tarquinius
Colla- hewouldgiveupall thoughts
of thekingdom,
tinus,thehusbandof Lucrctia,wasappointedandlaydownhisarms,if theywouldbutsend
hiscolleague.Not thathewasa moreworthy him histreasuresand othereffects,that hia
or ableman than Valerius;bill thosethathad familyandfriendsmightnot wanta subsistence
thechiefinterestin thestate,apprehensive
of in theirexile. Manypersons
inclinedto in-
the return of the Tarquins,who madegreat dulgehim in this, andCollatinuain particular
effortswithout,andendeavoured to softenthe agreedto it; but Brutus,*a manof great spirit
resentment of thecitizenswithin,weredesirousandquickresentment, ran into theforum, and
to becommanded
by themostimplacable
ene-calledhiscolleague
traitorfor beingdisposed
myof thathouse. to granttheenemymeans to carryonthewar,
"Valerius,
takingit ill thatit should
besup-andrecover
thecrown,
whenindeed
it would
posedhe would not do his utmostfor his betoo muchto grant thembreadin the place
country,because he hadreceivednoparticular wheretheymightretire to. The citizensbeing
injury from the tyrants, withdrew from the assembled on that occasion,CaiusMinutius, a
senate, foreboreto attendthej'brum,andwould private man,was the first who deliveredhis
not intermeddlein theleastwith publicaffairs. sentimentsto them,advisingBrutus, and ex-
So that manybeganto expresstheir fear and horting the Romans,to take care that the
concern,lest through resentmenthe should treasuresshouldfight for themagainstthe ty-
join the late royal family, and overturn the rants,ratherthan for the tyrantsagainstthem.
commonwealth, which,as yet, wasbut totter- The Romans,however,were of opinion,that
ing. Brutuswasnot withouthis suspicions of hile they obtainedthat libertyfor whichthey
someothers,andthereforedeterminedto bring beganthe war, they shouldnot reject the of-
the senatorsto their oathon a solemnday of feredpeacefor the sake of the treasures,but
sacrifice, which he appointed for that purpose. cast them out together with the tyrants.
Onthisoccasion,
Valeriuswentwithgreatalac- In the meantime,Tarquiniusmadebutsmall
rity into theforum, and was the first to make account of his effects; but the demand of them
oaththathewouldnevergiveupthe leastpoint, furnisheda pretencefor soundingthe people,
or hearkento any terms of agreementwith andfor preparinga sceneof treachery. This
Tarquin,but woulddefendthe Romanliberty wascarriedon by the ambassadors, underpre-
with his sword; whichaffordedgreatsatisfac-tenceof taking care of the effects,part of
tion to thesenate,and strengthenedthehands whichthey said they wereto sell,part to col-
of the consuls.* His actions soon confirmed lect, and the rest to send away. Thus they
gained time to corrupt two of the best families
in Rome, that of the Aquilii, in which were
and many otherRomans ofdistinction.
Tothem the threesenators,
and theVitellii,amongwhom
disclosed
in few wordsthewholematter,declaredher
notto outlivethe lossof herhonour,were two. All these, by the mother's side,
firmresolution
andconjured
themnotto letthecrimeof StilusTar- were nephewsto Collatinusthe consul. The
quinius
gounpunished. Thentheheroine, notwith- Vitellii were likewise allied to Brutus; for
itanding Iheir endeavours
to dissuadeher from it, the'r sister was his wife, and he had several
plunged adagger inherbreastWhile therestwerechildrenbyber;ftwo of whom,just arrivedat
nlleawith grief andconsternation,
Brutus,who, till
that time,hadfeignedhimselfan idiot,to preventhis
beingobnoxious pon- werf
to the tyrant,tookthe bloody slain, reigned so long a time in continual suc-
said,"I swear cession. By contracting, therefore, tiie reigns of these
iard, andshewingit to the assembly,
by this blood,whichwasonce»opure,anil whichno- kings,andthoseof Ihe kings of Alba,he placetlh»
thingbutthedetestable
villanyof Tari^uiu
couldhavebuildingof Rome,
notin theseventh,
butin thethirty
polluted,
thatI will pursueL. TVquiuiustheproud, eighthOlympiad.
nil wicked wife,andtheirchildren, withfireand " Dionysius ofHalicarnassus,
onthecontrary,sari,
"wurd ; norwillever suffer
anyofthatiainily,
orany theaffairwasdebated inthesenatewithgreatmod*
Other whatsoever,toreign atRome. Yegods 1I call ration;anilwhenit could
notbesettledthere,
wheth
youto witness thismyoath."At these words, he ertheyshould prefer honour
orprofit,
it wasrclVrred
presented thedagger to Collatings,
Lucretius,
Vale-tothepeople, who,totheirimmortal nraisc,carried
rius, aud the restof the
to lake the same oath. company; andengaged them it, by
a majority
of one vote
forhonour.
f DionysiusandLivy makementionof nomorethai
" Thus
ended
theregal
state
ofRome,
242
years,
ac-two;butPlutarch
agrees
withthose
whosaythai
cordingtothecommon computation,
alterthebuildingBrutus
hadmore,
andthatMarcus Brutus, whokilled
"f thecity,tintSirIsaac
newtonjiully
observes,
thai Caesar,
wasdescendedfromoneof llitin. Ciceroit
thisCanscarcebereconciled
tothecourse
ofnature,for amongthose
thatholdthelatler
opinion ; orelsehi
wemeet withnoinstance
inallhistory,
sincechronolo-pretended
tobeso,to makethecause andperson oV
(J wascertain,wheieiuseven
kings,mostof whom Brutusmurepopular.
74 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

yearsof maturity,and being of their kindred open the doors,and found the letters in th«
anil acquaintance,the \ itu.llndrew in, and ambassadors'
room. Whilst bewasthusem-
persuadedto engage in the conspiracy, insinu- ployed, the Aquilii ran home in great haste,
atiiiL.',that by this meansthey might marry into and engagedwith him at the door, endeavour-
tin- t.miily of the Tarquins,sharein their royal ingto forcethe lettersfromhim. But Valerius
prospects,and,at the sametime, be Bet free and his partyrepelledtheir attack,andtwist-
irom the yoku of a stupid and cruel father. ing their gownsabouttheir necks,aftermuch
For, his inflexibility in punishingcriminals, strugglingon both sides,draggedthem with
thi-s called cruelty; and the stupidity which great difficulty through the streets into the
he had useda long time as a cloakto shelter forum. Marcus Valeriushad the samesuc-
him from the bloody designs of the tyrants, cessat the royal palace,where he seizedother
h.nl prnr-urcdhim the nameof Brutus,* which letters,readyto be conveyedawayamongthe
he ri-1'usednot to be known by afterwards. goods,laid handson what servantsof the king's
The youths thus engaged,were brought to hecould find, and had them also into theJorum.
confer with the Aquilu; and all agreedto take When the consuls had put a stop to the tu-
a great and horrible oath, by drinking together mult, Vindicius was produced by order of Val-
of the blood,f and tasting the entrails of a man erius ; and the accusation being lodged, the
sacrificedfor that purpose. This ceremonyletters were read,which the traitors hadnot
was performedin the houseof the Aquilii ; the assuranceto contradict. A melancholy
and the room chosenfor it, (as it was natural stillness reigned among the rest; but a few,
to suppose)was dark and retired. But a slave, willing to favour Brutus, mentioned banish-
oamed Ymdicius, lurked there undiscovered; ment. The tearsof Collatinus, and the silence
not that he had placedhimself in that room of Valerius,gavesomehopesof mercy. But
by design; nor had he any suspicion of what Brutus called upon each of his sons by name,
wasgoingto betransacted:but happeningto and said, You, Titus, and you Valerius?
be there, and perceiving with what haste and why do you not make your defence against
concern they entered, he stopped short for fear the charge? After they had been thus ques-
of beingseen,and hid himself behinda chest; tioned three severaltimes,and madeno an-
yet so that he could see what was done, and swer, he turned to the lictors, and said, Fours
hear what was resolved upon. They came to a is the part that remains. The lictors imme-
resolution to kill the consuls; and having writ- diately laid hold on the youths, stripped them
ten lettersto signifyas muchto Tarquin, they of their garments,and, havingtied their handi
gavethemto the ambassadors, who then were behindthem,floggedthemseverelywith their
gueststo the Aquilii, and presentat the con- rods. And though others turned their eyei
spiracy. aside,unableto endurethe spectacle, yet it a
When the affair was over, they withdrew, said that Brutus neither looked anotherway,
and Vindicius,stealingfrom his lurking hole, norsuffered
pity in the leastto smoothhisstem
was not determined what to do, but disturbed and angry countenance;f regarding his sonsas
with doubts. He thought it shocking,as in- they sufferedwith a threateningaspect,till
deed it was,to accusethe sonsof the most they were extendedon the ground,andtheir
horrid crimes to their father Brutus, or the headscut off with the axe. Then hedeparted,
nephewsto their uncle Collations;and it did leavingthe restto hiscolleague. This wasan
not occur to him presentlythat any private actionwhich it is not easyto praiseor con-
Romanwasfit to be trustedwith so important demnwith propriety. For either the excesi
a secret. On the other hand,hewasso much of virtue raisedhis soul abovethe influenceof
tormented with the knowledge of such an the passions,or else the excessof resentment
abominable treason,that he coulddo anything depresse' it into insensibility. Neither the one
ratherthan concealit. At length,inducedby nor the other was natural,or suitableto the
the public spirit and humanityof Valerius,he humanfaculties,but waseitherdivineor brut-
bethoughthimself of applying to him, a man al. It is the moreequitable,however,thatour
easyof access,andwilling to be consultedby judgmentshouldgive its sanctionto theglory
the necessitous, whosehousewasalwaysopen, of this great man, than that our weakness
and who never refusedto hear the petitions shouldincline us to doubtof his virtue. For
even of the meanestof the people. the Romansdo not look uponit asso glorious
Accordingly,Vmdicius coming,anddiscov- a work, for Romulusto havebuilt the city,as
eringto himthewhole,in thepresence
of his for Brutusto havefounded
andestablished
the
orother Marcus and his wife; Valerius, aston- commonwealth.
ished and terrified at the plot, would not let After Brutus had left the tribunal, the
themango,butshuthimupin theroom,and thoughtof whatwasdoneinvolved
therestin
left his wife to watch the door. Then he or- astonishment, horror and silence But the
dered his brotherto surroundthe late king's easinessand forbearanceof Collatinusgive
palace,
to seizetheletters,if possible,
andto freshspiritsto theAquilii,theybegged
time
lecure the servants;while himself,with many to maketheir defence,and desiredthat their
clientsandfriendswhomhealwayshadabout * Thename
ofBrutus's
second
son
vras
notValeriuf|
him, and a numerous retinue of servants,went but Tiberius.
to the house of the Aquilii. As they were t Liiy givesa differentaccountof Brutuj's behlf
goneout, and no oneexpectedhim, he forced iour. Quuminteromnetcmpus
piiter,vuttv&<j\ie
et09
e/us, syectaculo csset, cmincnte aniino patrio intn
* Tarquin had put the father and brother of Brutos fntfilictt pana: nu'nu'/cnum. There could not be a more
to df-ath. slriki.ig spcclaclethan the countenanceof Bruliu, fol
f Theythoughtsucha horriblesacrifice
wouldoblige angersalmixedwith diijuity, and he couldnot cou
tTerymemberof the couipiniry'o inviolablesecrecy-cealthefaihcr, thoughlie supportedthe magistral*
Catilineput thesamem practice,iftemardf. Lit. lib. ii. cap.5.
 PUBLICOLA. 75

tlave
Vjndicius
might
berestored
tothem,
andproduct,
fortheservice
ofthegod.*A great
not remainwith their accusers.Theconsulquantityof different
sortsof thingsbeingthui
wasinclined
togranttheirrequest,
andthere-thrown
in together,
theywerenotearned
fav'
upon to dismisstheassembly; butValeriusbythecurrent,butonlytotheshallows
where
wouldneithersuffertheslaveto betakenfrom thefirst heaps
hadstopped.Findingno far-
among thecrowd, northepeople todismisstherpassage,every
thingsettled
there,
andthe
thetraitorsandwithdraw.At lasthe seizedwholewasboundstill fasterby theriver; for
the criminals
himself,andcalledfor Brutus,thatwashed
downto it a dealof mud,which
exclaiming
that Collatinus
actedmostunwor-not onlyaddedto the mass,
but servedas a
thily,in layinghiscolleagueunderthehardcement to it; andthecurrent,
farI'romdissolv-
necessityof puttinghisownsonsto death,and ing it, by itsgentlepressure
gaveit thegieat-
theninclining togratifythewomen byreleas- erfirmness. 'Thebulkandsolidity
ofthismas«
ingthebetrayers andenemiesoftheircountry.received continual additions,
mostofwhatwai
Collatinus,
uponthis,losingall patience,
com-broughtdownby theTiber settlingthere. It
manded Vindiciusto betakenaway;the hc- wasnowan islandsacred to religioususestf
tors madewaythroughthe crowd,seized the severaltemplesandporticoshavebeenbuilt
man,andcameto blowswithsuchasendeav-uponit, andit is calledin Latin, Inter duos
oured to rescue him. The friends of Vale- pontes,l the island between the two bridges.
rius stoodupontheir defence,and the people Somesay,however,that this did not happenat
cried out for Brutus. Brutus returned; and si- the dedication of Tarquin'fl field, but someagei
lencebeingmade,hesaid,It wasenough
for after,whenTarquinia,a vestal,gaveanother
himto givejudgmentuponhu ownsons;ai> adjacentfieldto thepublic;for whichshewai
for the rest, he left themto the sentenceof honoured
with greatprivileges,
particularlythat
the people,who werenowfree; and an;/ one of giving her testimonyin court, which -vaj
that choseit might pleadbeforethem. They refused to all other women; U.y likewise
didnot, however,
wait for pleadings,
but im- votedherlibertyto marry,but shedid notac-
mediatelyput it to the vote, with onevoice ceptit. This is the account,thoughseemingly
condemned themto die; andthe traitors were fabulous,which somegive of the matter.
beheaded.Collatinus,it seems,wassomewhat Tarquin despairingto re-ascendthe throne
euspectedbefore,on accountof his nearrela- by stratagem,appliedto the Tuscans,who
tion to the royal family;* andoneof his names gave him a kind reception,and preparedto
wasobnoxiousto the people,for theyabhorred conducthimbackwith agreatarmament.The
the verynameof Tarquin:butonthisoccasion consulsled the Romanforcesagainstthem;
be hadprovokedthembeyondexpression;and and the two armieswere drawn upin certain
thereforehe voluntarily resignedthe consul- consecrated parcelsof ground,the onecalled
ihip, and retired from the city. A new elec- the Arsian grove,the other the .^Esuvianmea-
tion consequently was held, andValeriusde- dow. When theycameto charge,Aruns,the
clared consulwith great honour,as a proper sonof TarquinandBrutusthe Romanconsul,§
markof gratitudefor his patrioticzeal. As he met eachother, not by accident,but design,
wasof opinionthat Vindicius shouldhavehis animatedby hatred and resentment,the one
"hareof the reward1, heprocureda decreeof againsta tyrant andenemyof his country,the
the peoplethat the freedomof the city should otherto revengehis banishment, they spurred
be givenhim, whichwasneverconferredon a their horsesto their encounter. As they en-
slave before, and that he should be enrolled in gaged rather with fury than conduct, they laid
what tribe he pleased,and give his suffrage themselves open,andfell by eachother'shand.
witli it. As for otherfreetlmen,Appius,want- The battle, whoseonsetwas so dreadful,had
ing to makehimself popular,procuredthema not a milder conclusion;the carnagewas pro-
right of voting, long after. The act of en- digious,andequalon both sides,till at length
franchising a slave is to this day called Vin- the armies were separatedby a storm.
dicta, (we aretold) from this Vindicius. Valerius was in great perplexity, 33 he
The next stepthat was taken,was to give knew not which side had the victory, and
"p the goodsof the Tarquinsto beplundered; found his men as muchdismayedat the sight
andtheir palaceandotherhouseswerelevelled of their own dead, as animatedby the loss
with the ground. The pleasantestpart of of the enemy. So great, indeed, was the
\he CampusJlfartius hadbeenin their posses-slaughter,that it could not be distinguished
lion, andthis wasnow consecrated to the god who hadthe advantage; andeacharmyhaving
Mars.f It happened to bethe timeof harvest, a nearview of thtir own loss,and only guess-
and the sheavesthen lay uponthe ground; but ing at that of the enemy, were inclined to think
as it was consecrated,they thought it not law- themselves vanquished,rather than victorious.
ful to threshthe corn,or to makeuseof it; Whennightcameon (sucha night as one
" great number of hands,therefore, took it up
" A field so kept, wasrcry proptrly adaptedto ftt
in baskets,and threw it into the river. The «cmce ofthegodof war,wholayswasteallbeforehim.
treeswerealsocutdownandthrownin after f Livysays
it wassecured
against
theforce
of th«
it, and the ground left entirely without fruit or currentby j^ttees.
J The Fabrician
bridgejoinedit to thecity onth«
" Lucius
Tarquiniui,
theson ofEgerius,
andnephew ».de
of thecapitol,
andtheCestian bridgeonthe>.d»
of Tarqu.ip.iui
Priscuswaj calledCollatinus,
from ortheJaniculine
gate.
CoLUlu, of which he was eovcrflor. Tartjuirrfus Su-
prrbui, aud Egerius the father of Collatinus, were first
"oufini.
t Plutarch should haye »aid re-consecrated. For
it wasdcvotrdto thatgod in the timeof Romulus,aj
appt.irs from liis laws. But the Tarquins had sacri- erected
in
hisstatue
inthecapitul,
where
themidstofthekingsofRome,
hewasplaced
witha naked
sword
legiously converted it to their own use. m hit hand.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

might imagineafterso bloodya day,)anaboth authorityto have their earsopen to truth u4

campswere bushedin silenceand repose,it good advice,rather than flattery. For when
is said that the grove shook,anda loud voice his friendsinformed him, that most people
proceeding from it declared,that the Tuscans thought hewas taking wrong steps,he made
kad lost one man more than tlie Romans. nodispute,nor expressed any resentment,
but
The voicewas undoubtedlydivine;* for im- hastilyassembled anumberof workmenwhilst
mediatelyupon that the Romansrecoveredil wasyet night,who demolishedhishouseen-
their spirits, and the field rang with acclama- tirely ; so that when the Romans in the morn-
tions: while the Tuscans, struck with fear ing assembled
to look upon it, theyadmired
and confusion, deserted their camp, and most and adored his magnanimity; but, at the same
of themdispersed.As for thosethat remain- time, weretroubledto seesogrand andmag-
ed, who were not quite five thousand,the nificent an edificeruined by the envyof the
Romanstook them prisoners,and plunderedcitizens, as they would have lamentedthe
the camp. When the dead were cumbered, death of a great man who had fallen as sud
therewere foundon the side of the Tuscans denly,and by the samecause. It gavethem
eleventhousandthree hundred,and on that pain, too, to seethe consul,who hadnowno
of the Romansasmanyexceptingone. This home,obligedto takeshelterin anotherman's
battle is said to have beenfought on the last house. For Valerius was entertainedby hi*
of February. Valerius was honouredwith a friends,till the people provideda piece of
triumph, and was the first consulthat made groundfor him,wherea lessstatelyhousewai
his entry in a chariot and four. The occa- built in the placewherethe templeof Victory
sion rendered the spectacle glorious and ven- now stands.*
erable, not invidious, and (as some would have Desirous to make his high office, aawell as
it) grievous to the Romans; for, if that had himself, rather agreeable than formidable to
been the case, the custom would not have the people, he ordered the axes to be taken
been so zealously kept up, nor would the am- away from the rods, and that, whenever he
bition to attain a triumph have lasted so many went to the great assembly, the rods should
tges. The peoplewere pleased, too, with the be avaled in respect to the citizens, as if the
honours paid by Valerius to the remains of his supreme power were lodged in t/iem.f A
colleague, his burying him with so much pomp, custom which the consuls observe to this
and pronouncing his funeral oration; which day. The people were not aware, that by
last the Romans so generally approved, or this he did not lessenhis own power (as they
rather were so much charmed with, that after- imagined,) but only by such an instance of
wards all the great and illustrious men among moderation obviated and cut off all occasion
them, upon their decease,had their encomium of envy; and gained as much authority to his
"torn persons of distinction.! This funeral person, as he seemed to take from his office;
orationwasmoreancientthan anyamongthe ibr they all submittedto him with pleasure,
Greeks; unless we allow what Anaximenes, and were so much charmed with his behaviour,
the orator, relates, that Solon was the author that they gave him the name of 1'ullicola, that
of this custom. is, the People's respectful friend. In this
But that which offendedand exasperatedthe both his former nameswere lost; and this we
people was this: Brutus, whom they consider- shall make use of in the sequel of his We.
ed as the father of liberty, would not rule Indeed, it was DOmore than his due; for he
alone,but took to himself a first anda secondpermittedall to suefor the consulship-!Yet,
colleague: yet this man (said they) grasps the before a colleague wag appointed him, as he
wliole authority, and is not the successorto knew not what might happen, and was appre-
the consulate of Hrutus, to which he has no hensive of some opposition from ignorance
right, but to the tyranny of Tarquin. To or envy, while he had the sole power he
ichat purpose is it in words to extol lirutus, made use of it to establish some of the mo*
and in deedsto imitate Tarquin, while he has useful and excellent regulations. In the fin
all the rods and axes carried before him place, he filled up the senate, which then wag
alone, and sets out from a housemore state- very thin; several of that august body having
ly than the royal palace tchichhe demolished'! been put to death by Taryuin before, and
It is true, Valerius did live in a housetoo lofty others fallen in the late battle. He is said to
and superb,on the Velian eminence,which have madeup the numberof a hundredand
commanded the forum and every thing that sixty-four. In the next place, he caused cer-
passed;and as the avenuesweredimcull, and tain laws to be enacted,which greatlyaug-
the ascent steep, when he came down from it mented the power of the people. The first
his appearance
wasverypompous,andresem-gaveliberty of appealfrom the consulsto the
bled the state of a king rather than that of a
consul. But he soon shewed of what conse- * Plutarch has it, where the temple called Ticui
Publlcus now stands. He had found in the historian!
quenceit 13for persons
in highstationsand vit* yota,whichin oldLatinsignifies victory;butas
he did not understand it, he substituted I'icut PvbU-
" II was said to be the void of the grid Put. cus,which here would haveno senseat all.
t Funeral orations were not in use among the t The aies too were still borne before tht coniuk
Greeks till (he battle of Marathon, which was suteeo lit u they were in the field.
yearsafterthedeathof Brutus. Theheroesthat feJl ( If Publicolagavethe plebeians,as well as tht
40gloriously
theredidindeed
welldeserve
sucheulo- patricians,
a rightto theconsulate,
thatright didn*t
^turns; and the Greciansnevergrantedthembut lo then take place. For Lucius Seitius wasthe first
thosethat wereslain fightingfor their country. In plebeian
who arrivedat that honour,manyugesafter
this respectthe customof the It..manswas more thetimeof which Plutarchspeaks;andthiscontinued
equitable;for theyhonouredwith thosepublicmarks but elevenyears; for in the twelfth, whichwas ln«
of regardinch is hadservedthen countryiu anyca- four hundredthyearof Rome,both theconsuls w«»
again patricians, t»i. vu. cau. 18.
 PUBLICOLA. 77
aeople-,
Ae second
made it death to enterto beappointed
hi«colleague.To himho
npon
themagistracy,
withoutthepeople'scon-gavethefasces,
(astheyarecalled)
togethei
sent;thethirdwasgreatlyin favour
ofthewiththeprecedency,astheolder
man;and
ooor,as,byexempting
them fromtaxes,*
it thismarkofrespect
to agehaseversince
promoted their attentionto manufactures.
continued. As Lucretius
dieda few day*
Evenhislawagainst disobedience
to thecon- after,another
election
washeld,andMarcus
"uls,wasnotlesspopular
thanthe rest:and,Horatius* appointed
in hisroomforthere-
IDeffect,it favouredthe commonalityrather mainingpart of the year.
thanthegreat;for thefinewasonlythevalue About that time,Tarquinmakingprepara
of five orenandtwo sheep.The valueof a lionsfor a second
waragainst
theRomans,a
iheepwastenoboli,ofanox,ahundred:!
the greatprodigy
issaidto have
happened.
Tb
Romansasyetnotmaking much useofmoney, princewhile yetuponthethrone, hadalmos
because
their wealthconsistedin abundance
of 6nished the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus,
cattle. To this daytheycall theirsubstance
when,eitherby thedirectionof anoracle,tor
pecuUa. frompecus,cattle,theirmostancientuponsomefancyof his own,he ordered the
coinahavingtheimpressionof anox,a sheep,artistsof Veil to makean earthern chariot,
or a hog; andtheir sonsbeingdistinguishedwhichwasto beplacedonthetopof it. Soon
with the namesof Suilli, Eubulci, Caprarii, after this he forfeited the crown. The Tus-
andPorcii, derivedfrom thenames
of such cans,however,
moulded
thechariot,andsetit
animals. in the furnace; but the case was very different
Thoughtheselawsof Publicola
werepopu-with it from that of otherclay in thefire,
lar andequitable;yet, amidstthis moderation,which condenses
and contractsupon theex-
thepunishment
heappointed,
inonecase,was halation
of themoisture,whereas
it enlarged
severe. For he made it lawful, without a itself and swelled, till it grew to such a size
form of trial, to kill any manthat shouldat- andhardness,that it waswith djfliculty they
temptto sethimselfup for king; andthe per- got it out,evenafter the furnacewas disman-
"on that took away his life, wasto standex- tled. The soothsayers beingof opinion,that
cused,if hecouldmakeproof of the intended this chariot betokenedpower and success to
crime. His reason for such a law, we pre- the persons with whom it should remain, the
sume,>'*9 this; thoughit is notpossiblethi-l he peopleof Veii determinednotto give it up to
who undertakes so great an enterprise should the .Romans; but, upon their demandingit, re-
escapeall notice; yet it ia veryprobablethat, turnedthis answer,That it belongedto Tar-
though suspected,he may accomplish his de- quin, not to those that had driven him from his
signs before he can be brought to answer fnr kingdom. It happened that a few daysafter,
it in a judicial way; and as the crime, if com- there was a chariot race at Veii, which was ob-
mitted, would prevent his being called to ac- servedas usual; except that, as the charioteer,
count for it, this law empoweredany one to who had won the prize and received the crown,
punishhim beforesuchcognizance
wastaken. wasgentlydriving out of the ring, the horses
His law concerning the treasury did him took fright from no visible cause, but, either
honour. It was necessarythat money should by some direction of the gods, or turn of for-
be raised for the war from the estates of the tune, ran a>vaywith their driver, at full speed,
citizens, but he determinedthat neithei him- towardsRome. It wasin vain that he pulled
self nor any of his friends should have the dis- the reins, or soothed them with words, he was
posalof it; nor wouldhe sufferit to be loaged obliged to give way to the career,andwas
in any privatehouse. He, therefore,appoint- whirled along,till theycame to the capital,
ed the temple of Saturn to be the treasury, where they flung him at the gatenow called
whichtheystill makeuseof for that purpose, Ratwnena. The Veientes,surprisedandter-
and impoweredthe people to choosetwo rified at thisincident,orderedthe artist to de-
young men as qu&stors or treasurers-l The liver up the chanot-t
first werePubliusVeturiusandMarcusMinu- Tarquin, the son of Demaratus,in his wars
tius; and a large sum was collected; for a with the Sabines, made a vow to bu.ld a tem-
hundredand tl.irty thousandpersonswere ple to Jupiter Capitolinus; which was per-
taxed, thoughthe orphansandwidowsstood formedby TarquinttK proud, sonor grandson
excused. to the former. He did not, however,conse-
These mattersthus regulated,he procured crateit, for it wasnot quite finished,whenhe
Lucretius,the fatherof the injuredLucrelia, was expelledfrom Rome.§ When the last
hand was put to it, andit had receivedevery
* Heexemptedartificers,
widows,andoldmen,
who suitableornament,Publicolawasambitiousof
kid nochildrento relievethem,from joying tribute.
j Before^
thefinewassuchthatthecommonalty
could " Horatius
FulvilW
not pay without absoluteruin.
\ The office of the quK'tors was to take care of the of ttemples.
It wasanusualthing to placechariotsonthe ton
publictreasure,for whichtheywereaccountable
when
theiryearwasout; to furnishthenecessary
sumsfor } A miracle
of thiskind,andnotlesseitraordinarj,
the serviceof the public ; and to receive ambassadors, is said to havehappened
in modernRome. When
attendthem,andprovide themwithlodgings andother poorSt.Michael's
churchwasin aruinous
condition,
necessaries. A general could not obtain the honours the horses
that wereemployed in drawingstunei
ofa triumph,
till hehadgiven
them
a faithful
account
through
thecity,unanimously
agreed
tocarrytheir
of the spoilshe had taken,and sworn to it. There loadsto St. Michael!
wereat firbttwoqu?estors
only,butv*htnthe Roman $This templewas200feetlong,and1&5andup-
empirewasconsiderably enlarged,their numberwas wardsbroad.Thefront wasadornedwith threerow»
increased.The officeof uuxitor, thoughoAendis- of columns,andthesideswith two. In thenavewcr«
charged
bypersons
whohadbeen
consuls,
wasthefirst threeiliriucs,oneof Jupiter,
another
ofJuno,uidUM
<Un to great employment* third of Minerva.
G
 PLUTARCH S LIVES.

the honourof dedicatinpit. This eicited the any privateman is supposeato be now pot
envy of someof the nobility, who could better sessedof in Rome, would not answer the ex-
brook Ins other honours;to whichindeed,in penseof the gilding of the presenttemple,
his legislativeandmilitary capacities,
hehada whichamountedto morethantwelvethousand
betterclaim; but, ashehadnoconcernin this, talents.* The pillars areof Pentelicmarble,
they did not think proper to grant it him, but and the thickness was in excellent proportion
encouraged andimportunedHoratiusto apply to their length,when we sawthem at Athens;
for it. In themeantime,Publicola'scommandbut whenthey werecut and polishedanewat
of the srmy necessarilyrequiredhis absence,Rome,theygainednot so muchin the polish,
and hig adversariestaking the opportunityto as theylost in the proportion;for their beauty
procureanorderfromthe peoplethat Horatius is injured by their appearingtoo slenderfof
should dedicate the temple, conducted him to their height. But after admiring the magnif-
the capitol. A point which they could not icenceof the capitol,if any onewasto go and
navegainedhadPublicolabeenpresent. Yet seea gallery,a hall, or bath,orthe apartment*
"ome say,the consulshavingcast lots for it,* of the women,in Domitian'spalace,whatis
the dedicationfell to Horatius,and the expe- saidby Epicharmusof a prodigal,
dition, againsthis inclination,to Publicola. Yourlavish'd
stores
speak
nottheliberal
mind,
But we tnayeasilyconjecturehow they stood Butthediicase
ofgiving;
disposed,
bytheproceedings
onthedayofdedi-hemightapplytoDomitian
in some
suchman-
cation.Thiswasthethirteenth ofSeptember, neras this: Neitherpietynor magnifcence
winch is about the full moon of the month
appearsin your expense; you have the disecue
Jllelagitnian,
whenprodigious
numbers
ofall of building;like Midasof old,youwould
ranksbeingassembled, andsilenceenjoined,turn everything to gold and marble. So
Horatius, aftertheotherceremonies,
tookhold muchfor thissubject.
of oneof thegate-posts(asthecustom is,) and Let usnowreturnto Tarquin. After that
wasgoingtopronounce theprayerof consecra-greatbattlein whichhelosthiseon,whowai
tion. ButMarcus,
thebrotherof Publicola,
killedin singlecombat
by Brutus,
hefledto
whohadstoodfor sometimeby thegates,Clusium, andbeggedassistance
ofLarasPor-
watching
hisopportunity,
criedout, Consul,sena,
thenthe mostpowerfulprince
inItaly,
your sonlies deadin thecamp. Thisgave anda manof greatworthandhonour.Por-
greatpainto allwhoheard
it; buttheconsul,sena
promised himsuccours^-
and,in thefirst
not in theleastdisconcerted,
made answer,place,
senttotheRomans,
commanding them
'Thencastcut thedeadwhereyouplease, I ad- to receiveTarquin. Upontheir refusal,he
mit of nomourningon this occasion; andso declared waragainstthem;andhavinginform-
proceeded to finishthededication.
The newsed themof the time when,and the place
ivasnottrue,butaninvention of Marcus,who where,hewouldmakehisassault, hemarched
Dopedby that means to hinderHoratiusfrom thitheraccordingly
with a greatarmy.Public-
completing
whathewasabout.Buthispres-ola,whowasthenabsent,
waschosen
consul
enceof mindis equallyadmirable,whetherhe thesecondtime,JandwithhimTitusLucre-
immediatelyperceivedthefalsity,or believedtius. Returning to Rome,anddesirous toout-
theaccountto betrue, withoutshewingany doPorsena in spirit,§hebuiltthetownofSig-
emotion. liuria,notwithstanding the enemy'sapproach;
The samefortuneattendedthe dedicationof andwhenhe had finishedthe wallsat a great
the second temple. The first, built by Tar-expense,he placed in it a colony of seven
quin, and dedicated
by Horatius,as wehave hundred
men,asif heheldhis adversary
very
related,wasafterwards destroyed by fire in cheap.Porsena, however, assaultedit in a
the civil wars.f Syllarebuiltit, butdidnot spirited
manner, droveout thegarrison, and
livetoconsecrateit; sothededication of this pursuedthe fugitivesso closethat he was
secondtemplefell to Catullus. It wasagainnearenteringRome alongwith them. But
destroyedin the trouble whichhappenedin Publicolamethim without the gates,andjoin-
the time of Vitellius; and a third was built by
Vespasian,who, with his usualgoodfortune, * 194,3501. sterling. In thiswe mayseethegre»l
put the last hand to it, but did not seeit de- distance
betweenthewealthof privatecitizens
in l
molished,as it wassoonafter; happierin this freecountry,andthatof the subjectsof anarbitrary
respect than Sylla, who died before his was monarch. In Trajan's time therewas nota private
man in Rome worth 200.000!.; whereas under ib*
dedicated.Vespasian
died beforehis was commonwealth,
^Emilius
Scaurus,
in hisxdileshir,
destroyed.For immediatelyafterhis decease,erected
atemporary
theatre
whichcostabove
500,0001.,
the capitoi was burned. The fourth, which MarcusCrassus
hadanestatein landof above
a millioi
now stands,was built and dedicatedby Do- ayear;L. Cornelius
Balbus
leftbywill,toevery
Komai
tnitian. Tarqninis saidto haveexpended citizen,twenty-five
sixteenshillings denarii,
of our which
; andamounts
money toabout
manyprivateme«
thirty thousand pounds' weight of silver upon among the Romans maintained from ten to twenty
the foundationsonly; but the greatestwealth thousand
slaves,
netsomuchforservice
asostentation.
No wonder then that the slaves once look up arms,
" Livy sayspositively,theycastlotsfar it. Plutarch andwentto warwith the Romancommonwealth.
seems lo havetakenthesequelof the story fromhim. f Besides thatPorsenawasv%
illing to assista distress-
in-, lib. ii. c. 8. ed king, he considered the Tarquius as his country-
| After Lhcfirst templewasdestroyed
in thewars men,for theywereof Tuscanextraction.
between
SyllaandMannsSyllarebuiltit with col- } It waswhenPublicola
wasconsulthethird b'm«
umnsofmarble,
whichhehadtakenoutof thetempleandhadfor hiscolleague
Horatius
Pulvillus,
thatFor
of Jupiter Olympiusat Athens,and transportedto senamarched againstRome.
Rome. But (as Plutarchobserves) hedid not liveto 6 Sigliuriawasnotbuilt at tins time, nor out of 01
consecrateit " andhewasheardto say,ashewasdying, tentalion,asPlutarchsay*;for it wasbuilt asa barriel
that hisleavingthattempleto bededicated
by another, againsttheLatinsandtheHernici.andnotin thethird
wastheonly unfortunate circumstanceof his lift. but in thesecondconsulship
cf Pubb'cota.
 PUBL1COLA. 79

Ingbattleby theriver,sustained
theenemy's altarthere,withfireuponit, wherethe king
attack,whopressed onwith numbers, till at wasabout tooffersacrifice,
Muciusthrus'.his
lastsinkingunderthewoundshehadgallantlyrighthandinto it;* andasthefleshwasburn-
received,he wascarried out of the battle.ing,hekeptlooking uponPorsena
withafirm
Lucretius,
hiscolleague,
havingthesamefate, andmenacing aspect,till the king,astonished
thecourageof theRomans drooped, andthey at hisfortitude,returnedhim his swordwith
retreated
intothecityfor security. Theene-hisownhand. He receivedit with hia left
my makinggoodthe pursuitto the woodenbandfromwhence wearetoldhehadthesur-
bridge,Romewasin greatdangerof being name of Scxvola,whichsignifies hft-handed;
taken;whenHoratioCodes,*and withhim andthusaddressed himselfto Porsena, "Your
two othersof the first rank,Hermimusand threatenings
I regarded
not,but am conquered
Sptuma
Lartiua,stopped
themat the bridge.byyourgenerosity,
andout of gratitude,will
Horatiushadthe surnameof Codesfrom his declare to you what no force should have
havinglostaneyein the wars: or, as somewill wrestedfrom me. There are threehundred
haveit, fromthe form of his nose,whichwas Romansthat have taken the sameresolution
so veryflat, that both his eyesas well as eye- with mine,who now walk aboutyour camp,
brows,seemedto be joined together;so that watchingtheir opportunity. It wasmy lot to
whenthe vulgarintendedto call him Cyclops, makethe first attempt,andI am not sorrythat
by a misnomer,
theycalledhim Coetcs,
which myswordwasdirected
by fortuneagainst
an-
name remained with him. This man,standing other, instead of a man of so much honour,
at the headof the bridge,defendedit against who,as such,shouldratherbea friend thanan
the enemy,till the Romansbroke it downbe- enemy to the Romans." Porsena believed
hindhim. Then he plungedinto the Tyber, this account,andwasmoreinclinedto hearken
armedas he was,andswamto the otherside, to terms,not so muchin my opinion,through
but was woundedin the hip with a Tuscan fear of threehundredassassins, as admiration
"pear. Publicola,struck with admirationof of the dignity of the Roman valour. All
his valour, immediately procured a decree, authors call this man Mucius Sca?vola,texcept
that everyRomanshould give him oneday's Athenodorus Sandon, who in a work addressed
provisions
;f and that heshouldhaveas much to Octavia,sister to Augustus,says he was
land as he himself could encircle with a plough named Posthumius.
in one day. Besides, they erected his statue Publicola, who did not look upon Porsena
in brassin the temple of Vulcan, with a. view aaso bitter an enemy to Rome, but that hede-
to console him by this honour for hjs wound, served to be taken into its friendship and alli-
and lamenessconsequentupon it. ance, was so far from refusing to refer the dis-
While Porsenalaid close siege to the city, pute with Tarquin to his decision, that he wa§
the Romanswere attacked with famine, and really desirous of it, and several times offered
anotherbodyof Tuscanslaid wastethe coun- to provethat Tarquin was the worst of men,
try. Publicola, who was now consul the third and justly deprived of the crown. When Tar-
time, was of opinion that no operations could quin roughly answered,that he would admit ot
be carried on againstPorsenabut defensiveno arbitrator, much less of Porsena,if he
ones. He marched out,t however, privately changed hid mind and forsook his alliance.
againstthoseTuscanswho hadcommitted such Porsenawasoffended,and beganto entertain
ravages,defeatedthem,and killed five thou- an ill opinionof him; beinglikewise solicited
sand. to it by his son Aruns,who usedall his inter-
Thestoryof Mucius§hasbeenthesubjectestfor theRomans,
he wasprevailed
uponto
of manypens,and is variouslyrelated:I shall put an end to the war on conditionthat they
give thataccountof it whichseems mostcredi- gaveup that part of Tuscanywhich theyhad
ble. Mucius was in all respectsa man of conquered,|togetherwith the prisoners,and
merit, but particularly distinguishedby his receivedtheir deserters.For the performance
valour. Havingsecretlyformeda schemeto of theseconditions,they gaveas hostages ten
take off Porsena,he madehis way into his youngmen and as many virgins,of the best
campin a Tuscandress, where he likewise familiesin Rome; amongwhom was Valeria
took care to speakthe Tuscan language. In the daughter of Publicola.
this disguiseheapproached the seatwherethe Upon the faith of this treaty,Porsenahaa
king sat with hia nobles;and as he did not ceasedfrom all actsof hostility,whenthe Ro-
certainlyknowPorsena, and thoughtit im- manvirginswentdown,to bathe,at a placa
properto ask,he drewhis swordandkilled wherethebankformingitself in a crescent,
the person that seemed most likely to be the embracesthe river in such a manner that there
king. Upon this he was seizedand examined. it is quite calm and undisturbed with waves.
Meantime,
astherehappened
tobeaportable
Aa no'guardwasnear,andtheysawnone
passingor repassing,they hada violentincli-
* He was son to a brother of Horatius the consul,
nationto swimover,notwithstandingthedepth
aod a descendant of that Horatiua who remained vic- andstrength
of thestream.Some
say,oneof
torious
inthegreat
combat
between
theHoratii
andthem,
named
Clrelia,
passed
it onhorseback,
Cuniihiin thereignof TullusHostilius. * Liyy says that Porsenathreatened
Muciuswith
f Probablyhehadthreehundred thousand contribu-thetorturebyfire,to makehim discover hiaaccom-
tors,foreventhewomen readilygavein theirquota. plices;whereupon Muciusthrusthis handiuloth«
| Theconsulsspread a reportwhichwassooncar- flame, tolei themece thathewasnottobeintimidated.
riedintotheTuscan camp bytheslaveswhodeserted,t Mucius wasrewardedwithalarge piece
ofcround
thatthenextdayallthecattlebrought thitherfrombelongingtothepublic.
thecountry,wouldbesentu>graze in theGelds
under } TheRomans wererequiredto reinstate
theVei-
" guard. This bail drew theenemyinto anambush. entes in the possession
of severvillages,
whichthey
) M uciui Cordot. hid takenfromthemin former cars.
 60 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

»nd encouraged
theothervirginsastheyswam. service.* All the doors in Greece,they tell
When they camesafeto Publicola,heneither us,wereformerlymadeto openso,whichthey
commended nor approved their exploit, but prove from those passagesin the comedies
"wasgrieved to think he should appearuneqo&l whereit is mentioned, that those that went out
to Porsena in point of honour, and that this knocked loud on the inside of the door first, to
daringenterpriseof the virgins shouldmake give warningto suchaspassedby or stoodbe-
the Romans suspected of unfair proceeding. fore them, lest the doors in opening shoulddash
He took them, therefore, and sent them back against them.
ttf Porsena. Tarquin having timely intelli- The year following Publicola was appointed
gence of this laid an ambuscade for them, and consul the fourth time, becausea confederacy
attacked their convoy. They defendedthem- between the Sabines and Latins threatenedi
"elves, though greatly inferior in number; and war; and, at the same time, the city was op-
Valeria, the daughter of Publicola, broke pressed with superstitious terrors, on account
through them as they were engaged,with three of the imperfect births, and general abortions
servants, who conducted her safe to Porsena's among the women. Publicola, having con
camp. As the skirmish was not yet decided,nor suited the Sibyl's books upon it,t ofltred sa-
the danger over, Aruns, the son of Porsena, crifice to Pluto, and renewed certain gamei
being informed of it, marched up with all that had formerly beeninstituted by the direc-
"peed,put the enemyto flight, and rescuedthe tion of the Delphicoracle. When he hadre-
Romans. When Porsenasawthe virginsre- vivedthe city with the pleasinghopethatth»
turned, he demanded which of them was she gods were appeased, he prepared to arm
thatproposedthe design,andsetthe example. againstthe menaces
of men; for thereappear-
When he understood that Gloria was the per- ed to be a formidable league and strong arma-
son, he treated her with great politeness, and ment against him Among the Sabines,Appius
commanding one of his own horses to be Clausus was a rran of an opulent fortune, and
broughtwith veryeleganttrappings,he made remarkablepersonalstrength;famed, more-
her a presentof it. Those that say,Clcclia over,for his virtues,and the forceof his elo-
was the only one that passedthe river on horse- quence. What is the fate of all great men, to
back, allege this as a proof. Others say no be persecuted by envy, was likewise his; and
such consequence can be drawn from it, and his opposing the war gave a handle to malig-
that it was nothing more than a mark of honour nity to insinuate that he wanted to strengthen
to her from the Tuscan king, for her bravery. the Roman power, in order the more easily tt
A.!\equestrian etatue of her stands in the Via enslave his own country. Perceiving that th«
sacra,* where it leads to Mount Palatine; yet populace gave a willing ear to these calumnies,
Bornewill have even this to be Valeria's statue, and that he was becomeobnoxiousto the abet-
not Clcelia's. tors of the war, he was apprehensiveof anim-
Porsena, thus reconciled to the Romans, peachment; but being powerfully supported
gave many proofs of his greatness of mind. by his friends and relations, he badehis ene-
Among the rest,,he ordered the Tuscans to mies defiance. This delayed the war: Publi-
carry off nothing but their arms, and to leave cola making it his businessnot only to get in-
their carnp full of provisions, and many other telligence of this sedition, but also to encour-
things of value, for the Romans. Hence it is, age and inflame it, sent proper persons to
that even in our times, whenever there is a Appiua, to tell him, "That he was sensibleha
Baleof goodsbelongingto the public,theyare wasa manof too muchgoodnessand integri-
cried firs! as the goods of Porsena, to eternize ty, to avenge himself of his countrymen, though
the memoryof his generosity.A brazenstatue, greatlyinjuredby them; but if he chose,for
of rude and antique workmanshipwas also his security,to comeover to the Komans,and
erected to his honour, near the senate-to get out of the way of his enemies,he
house.f should find such a reception, both in public
After this, the Sabines invading the Roman
territory, Marcus Valerius, brother to Publico-
la, and PosthumiusTubertus, were elected * Posthumius
hadhissharein thetriumph,aswell
consuls. As every important action was still asin theachievements.
tuiiductedby theadviceandassistance
of Pub- f Anunknown
woman
issaidto have
come
to Tar-
licola,Marcus
gained
twogreatbattles;
in the quinwith
of Cuma,nine
for volumes
which sheoforacles
written
demanded bytbeSi&yl
a veryconsiderable
second of which he killed thirteen thousand of
price. Tarquin refusingto purchasethem at her rate;
the enemy, without the loss of one Roman. sheturned three of yurn,and then askedthesame
For this he was not only rewarded with a tri- price for the remainingsix. Her proposalbeingre-
umph,but a housewasbuilt for hiirj at the jected withscorn, sheburned thrtcmore, and,not'
public expense,
on Mount Palatine.And withstanding,
quin, surprisedstill
at insistedonofher
the novelty first
the price.
thing, putTar-
the
whereas the doors of other houses at that time
booksinto the handsof the augurs to be examined,who
openedinwards,the streetdoor of that house advised
to purchase
thematanyrate. Accordingly
he
was made to open outwards, to shew by such did, and appointedtwo personsof distinction,styled
an honourabledistinction,that he wasalways £>iiumii'ri,
to beguardians
of them,wholock'dthem
ready
toreceive
anyproposals
forthe publicand
upinthere
avault under
they weretheteinplc
kept ofJupiter
till they Cupitolinus,
were burned with
the temple ifcwrlf. These officers, who«-cnuinbtr v*al
DionysiusHalicarnassus tellsus in expressterms, afterwardsincre-iised,
consulted
the Sybillincbook*by
thv in his time,thai is,in thereignof Augustus, there directionof thesenate,
whensomedangerous sedition
were no remainsof that statue,it havingbeencon- waslikely to breakout, whenthe Romanarmieshad
lur.i'-'J t'y lire, beendefeated,or when any of thoseprodigies appear-
7 'I'll*;senate-likewisesentanembassy to him, with ed vvlncli «t-rc thought fait]. They also presided
ft p, "v-u: <"!'a throle adornedwith ivory,A sceptre,a o\er tW -acrificesandshows,whichtheyappointed to
«ruwaof gold, anda Iriuaphtl robe. appeasethewrath of HeaveQ(
 SOLON AND PUBLICOLA COMPARED 31

andprivate,aswassuitableto hisvirtueand retreat,and Publicolaattackedthe enemy'*

thist camp. The Sabineswere every where worst-
the dignityof Rome.'' Appiusconsidered
proposal
withgreatattention,
andthenecessi-
edandputto therout. As the Romans
met
ty of his affairsprevailedwith him to accept not with the leastresistance, the slaughterwas
of it. He, therefore,persuadedhis friends, prodigious.It is clearthatthevain confidence
and they influencedmanyothers,so that five of the Sabincswasthe principalcauseof their
thousandmenof the most peaceable disposi-ruin. While one part thoughtthe other \vas
tion of anyamongthe Sabmes, with their fam- safe,they did not standupon their defence;
ilies, removedwith him to Rome. Publicola,thosein the campran towardsthe corpsthat
whowas preparedfor it, receivedthemin the wasplaced in ambuscade, while they, in their
mostiiiciiui)
III*-"*I
friendlyuuu
andjivaLMUiiun.
hospitableiiianiici
manner, ^aujiiiiiiru
admitted. turn,
mi*»jendeavoured
*,uui>avwUAvU
to
LUregain
ic^uiu the
ni«-.
VAMUJ**
camp. Tims
* "»"*"
themto thefreedom
of thecity,andgavethemI theyfell in witheachotherin greatdisorder,
two acresof Und a-pieceby the river Anio and in mutualwant of that assistance
which
To Appiushe gave twenty-fiveacres,and a neitherwasableto give. The Sabines would
seat in the senate. This laid the foundation have been entirely cut off, had not the city of
of his greatnessin the republic,and he uset Fidenaebeenso near,whichprovedan as}lum
the advantagewith so much prudence, as to to some, particularly those that fled when the
rise to the first rank in power and authority camp was taken. Such as did not take refuge
The Claudian family," descendedfrom him, is there were either destroyedor taken prisoners.
as illustriousas any in Rome. The Romans,thoughaccustomed
to ascribe
Though the disputes among the Sabincs every great event to the interposition of the
were decidedby this migration, the demagogues gods,pavetne credit of this victory solely to the
would not suffer them to rest; representing it general; and the first thing the soldiers \M re
as a matter of great disgrace, if Appius, now a heard to say, was, that Publicola had put the
deserter and an enemy, should be able to ob- enemy in their hanrie, lame, blind, arid almost
struct their taking vengeanceof the Romans, bound, for the slaughter. The people were
whea he could not prevent it by his presence. enriched with the plunder and sale of prison-
They advanced,
therefore,with a great army, ers. As for Publicola,he washonouredwith
and encampednear Fidena:. Having ordered a triumph, and having surrenderedthe admin-
two thousand men to lie in ambush in the istration to the succeeding consuls, he died
shrubby and hollow places before Rome, they soon after, thus finishing his life in circum-
appointed a few horse at daybreak to ravage stancesesteemedthe happiest and most glori-
the country up to the very gates,and then to ous that man can attain to.* The people,as if
retreat, uli they drew the enemy into the am- they had done nothing to requite his merit in
buscade. But Publicola, getting information his life-time, decreed,that his funeral should
that very day of these particulars from desert- be solemnized at the public charge ; and to
ers, preparedhimself accordingly, and madea make it more honourable,every one contribut-
dispositionof his forces. Posthumius Balbus, ed a piece of moneycalled quadrans. Besides,
his son-in-law, went out with three thousand the women, out of particular regard to his
men, as it began to grow dark, and having memory, continued the mourning for him a
taken possessionof the summits of the hills whole year. By an order of the citizens, his
underwhichthe Sabines had concealed them- jody was likewise interred within the city
selves,watchedhis opportunity.His colleague nearthe placecalled Velio, andall his familj
Lucretius,with the lightestandmostactiveof wereto havea burying-place there. At pres
the Romans,was appointed to attack the Sa- :nt, indeed, none of his descendantsare inter
binecavalry,astheyweredrivingoff thecattle, redin that ground: theyonly carrythe corpse
while himself, with the rest of the forces, took and set it down there, when one of the atten-
a large compass, and enclosed the enemy's dants puts a lighted torch under it, which he
rear. The morninghappenedto be veryfog- immediatelytakes back again. Thus they
gy, when Posthumius,at dawn, with loud claimby that act the right,but wavethe privi
ihouts, fell upon the ambuscadefrom the ege; for the bodyis takenaway,andinterred
heights, Lucretius charged the horse in their vithout the walls.

SOLON AND PUBLICOLA COMPARED.

THEREis somethingsingularin this paral- that Solon should proclaim before-hand
the
lel, and what has not occurred to us in any happinessof Publicola. For the definition of
other of the liveswe havewritten, that Publi- happiness
which SolongaveCroesus,
is more
cola should exemplify the maxims of Solon, and
* Hewaslh« mostvirtuouscitizen,oneof thegreat"
* Thereweretwo familiesof the CYaurfti
in Rome; cstgenerals,and the mostpopularconsulRometvtr
one patrician and the other plebeian. The first had had As he had takenmorecareto transmit hisvirtue!
the lurname of Pulcher, and the other of Mtmelliu. to posterity, than lo enrich them; andas,notwithstaud'
In courseof time, the patrician family produceding the frugalityof hi»life,andihegreatoffices
hehad
twenty-three
consuls, five dictatorsandsevencensors,borne,therewasnotfoundmoneyenoughin his huii^e
lad obtainedtwo triumphsand two ovations. The to defraythecharges of hu funeral,hewasburieda|
emperorTibcriui wasdescendedof Ihii family. the cijwose of the public.
82 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

applicableto Publicolathan to Tellus. It is magistrates,

and left an ippea to them
true, he pronouncesTellus happy, on account the sentence of othef courts, as thf Athenian
of his virtue, his valuablechildren, and glorious lawgiver had done. He did not, indeed, with
dealh; yet he mentions him not in his poems Solon, create a new senate,* but he almost
as eminently distinguished by his virtue, his doubled the number of that which he found in
children, or his employments. For Publicola, being.
in his life-time,attainedthe highestreputation His reasonfor appointingquaestors
or treat'
andauthorityamongRomans,by meansof his urers was,that if the consulwasa worthyman
virtues; and,after his death,his familywas he mighthaveleisureto attendto greater
af-
reckonedamong the most honourable; the fairs ; if unworthy,that he might not have
housesof the Publicola;,the Messalz,andVal- greater opportunitiesof injustice,when both
erii,* illustrious for the spaceof six hundred the governmentand treasurywere underhi*
vears,t still acknowledging him as the fountain direction.
of their honour. Tellus, like a brave man, Publicola'saversionto tyrantswasstronger
keepinghis post,andfightingtill the last, fell thanthat of Solon. For the lattermadeevery
by the enemy'shand; whereas, Publicola,af- attempt to set up arbitrarypowerpunishable
ter having slain his enemies(a muchhappier by law ; but the formermadeit deathwithout
circumstancethan to be slainby them,) after theformalityof trial. Solon,indeed,justlyand
seeinghis countryvictoriousthroughhis con- reasonably plumeshimselfuponrefusingabso-
duct as consuland as general,after triumphs lute power,when both the stateof affairsand
andall othermarksof honour,diedthat death the inclinationsof the peoplewouldhaveread-
which Solon had so passionately wishedfor, ily admittedit; andyet it wasno lessglorious
and declared so happy.} Solon again in his for Publicola, when, finding the consular au-
answerto Mimnermus,concerningthe period thority too despotic,he renderedit milderand
of humanlife, thusexclaims: more popular,ajd did not stretchit so far ai
he might have done. That this was the best
Letfriendship's faithful
heartattend mybier,
Heave the sadsigh,and drop the pitting tear!
method
ofgovttning,
Solon
seems
tohave
been
sensiblebefore,him, when he saysof a republic:
And Publicola had this felicity. For he was
lamented, not only by his friends and relations, The reignsnor strictly, nor toolooselyhold,
but by the whole city; thousands
attendedhis AndsafeU.ecarof slippery
poweryouguide*
funeral with tears, with regret, with the deep-
est sorrow; and the Roman matrons mourned But the aw lulling of debts was peculiar to So-
for him, as for the lossof a son,a brother,or a lon, and indeedwasthe mosteffectualwayto
common parent. support the liberty of the people. For laws
Anotherwishof Solon'sis thusexpressed: intendedto establishan equalitywouldbe of
no avail,while the poorwere deprivedof the
Theflowofriches,
though
desir'd,
Life's real goods,if well acquir'd,
benefitof thatequalitybytheirdebts.Where
Unjustly let me never gain, they seemed most to exercise their liberty, in
Lestvengeance
follow
intheirtrain. offices,
indebates,
andindeciding
causes,
there
they were most enslaved to the rich, and en-
And Publicola not only acquired, but employed tirely under their controul. AVhat is more
his riches honourably, for he was a generous considerable in this case is, that though the
benefactor to the poor : so that if Solon was cancelling of debts generallyproducesseditions,
the wisest,Publicolawasthe happiestof hu- Solon seasonablyapplied it as a strong,
man kind. What the former hadwishedfor thoughhazardousmedicine,to removethe se-
asthe greatestandmostdesirableof blessings,dition then existing. The measure,
too, lost
the latter actually possessed,and continued to its infamous and obnoxious nature, whenmade
enjoy. useof by a man of Solon's probity and character.
Thus Solon did honour to Publicola, and h? If we consider the whole administration of
to Solon in his turn. For he considered him each, Solon's was more illustrious at first. He
as the most excellent pattern that could le was an original, and followedno example;
proposed, in regulatinga democracy;and,like besides,by himself,without a colleague,he
him, laying asidethe pride of power,he ren- effectedmanygreat thingsfor the public ad
dered it gentle and acceptableto all. He vantage. But Publicola'sfortunewasmoret»
also made use of several of Solon's laws ; for be admired at last. For Solon lived to seehii
lie empoweredthe peopleto elect their own own establishment overturned; whereasthat
of Publicolapreservedthe statein goodorder
* Thatis,theotherValerii,viz.the Jtfortmi,the to the timeof the civil wars. And nowonder;
Corrmi, the Positi,theLavini, and theFlacci. since the former, as soon as he had enacted
t It appears fromthispassage thatPlutarch wrote hislaws,left theminscribedontablesof wood.
thift life about the beginuitie of Trajan's reign.
f Cicero thought this wish of Solon's unsuitableto without anyoneto supporttheir authority,and
"0 wise a man, and preferred to itthat of the poet En-
nius, who, pleasinghimself with the thought of an im- * By ?»Xi!,we apprehendthat Plutarch here Bather
mortalityonearthasa poet,desiredto die unlamenled.meansthesenate or councilof four Aunrfred,thaniht
Cicerorejoicedin thesameprospectasanorator. The councilof areopagvi.The/our hundredhadtheprior
passion
for immortalityis, indeed,a naturalone; but cognizance
of all that wasto comebeforethe people,
asthechief partof our happiness
consistsin theexer- andnothingcouldbeproposed to thegenera]
assembly
cise of the benevolentaflections, in giving and receiv- till digrsted by them; so that, as far as he was able,
ingsincere
testimonies
of regard,
the undoubted
ex- heprovided
against
athirstof arbitrarypowerinthe
pressions of that regard must soothe the pains of a rich, and adesirr of licentious freedomin the commons;
dying man,and comforthim with the reflection,that theareopagus
Icing a checkupouthe former,at UK
be hasuoi beenwantingill the offices
of humanity. senatewu a curb uponthelaiur.
 THEMISTOCLES. 83
departed
fromAthens,
whilstthelatterre-quired
spirit,resolution,
andopenforce,
he
mainingatRome,
andcontinuing
in themag-wasstillmoresuccessful
in negociation,
and
istracy,
thoroughly
established
andsecuredthe thegentleartsof persuasion;
lor byhisad-
commonwealth. dresshe gainedPorsena,whosepower wai
Solonwassensible
of theambitious
designsso formidable,
that he couldnot be quelled
of Pisistratus,
anddesirous
to prevent
their by dintof arms,andmade
liim a friendto
beingput in execution;but he miscarriedin Rome.
theattempt,
andsawatyrantsetup. Onthe Buthere,perhaps,
somewill object,that
other
hand,
Publicola
demolished
kingly
power,Solon
recovered
Salamis
whentheAthenians
when it had beenestablishedfor someages, hadgivenit up; whereasPublicolasurrender-
and wasat a formidableheight. He was edlandsthattheRomans
werein possession
of.
equalled
bySolon
in virtueandpatriotism,
but Ourjudgment
of actions,
however,
should
lie
hehadpowerandgoodfortuneto second
his formedaccording
to the respective
timesand
Tirtue.whichthe otherwanted. postures
of affairs. An ablepolitician,to man-
As to warlikeexploits,
thereii a considera-
ageall forthe best,varieshisconduct
as the
ble difference; for DaimachusPlatceensispresentoccasionrequires;oftenquitsa part,
6 >esnot evenattributethat enterpriseagainst to savethe whole; and by yieldingin small
the Megarensians to Solon,as we havedone; matters, secures considerableadvantages.
whereasPublicola,in manygreatbattles,per- Thus Publicola,by giving up what the Ro-
formedthe dutybothof ageneralanda private manshad latelyusurped,savedall that was
"oldier. really their own; and, at a time when they
Again: if we comparetheir conductin civil found it difficult to defendtheir city, gained
affairs,we shall find that Solon,only actinga for themthe possession of the besiegers'
camp.
part, as it were,andunderthe form of a ma- In effect,by referrii,£ his causeto the arbitra-
niac, went out to speakconcerningthe recovery tion of the enemy, he gained his point, and,
of Salamis. But Publicola, in the face of the with that, all the advantages he could have
greatest danger, rose up against Tarquin, de- proposed to himself by a victory. For Por-
tected the plot, preventedthe escapeof the senaput an end to the war, and left the Ro-
vile conspirator!!,
had them punished,andnot mansall the provisionshe had madefor car-
only excluded the tyrants from the city, but rying it on, induced by that impression of
cut up their hopes by the roots. If he was their virtue and honour, which he had received
thus vigorous in orosecutmg affairs that re- from Publicola.

THEMISTOCLES.

THE familyof Themistocles

wastooobscure
| lated to the houseof the Lycomedae;*
for
to raise him to distinction. He wasthe son Simonidesinformsus, that when a chapelof
of Neocles,an inferior citizen of Athens, of that family in the ward of Phyle,where the
the wardof Phrear,and the tribe of Leontis. mysteriesof Ceresusedto be celebrated,was
By his mother'sside,he is saidto havebeen burneddown by the barbarians,Themistoclea
illegitimate*
according
tothefollowingverses:rebuiltit, andadorned
it withpictures.
It appears, that, when a boy, he was full of
Though born in Thrace, Abrotonon my name,
Myson
enrols
meinthelist*offame, spiritandfire,quickof apprehension,
natural
ThegreatThemistoclea. ly inclined to bold attempts, and likely to
make a great statesman. His hours of leisure
let Phanias
writes,
thatthemother
of The-and
vacation
hespent
not,Jike
otherboys,
in
mistocles wasof Caria,not of Thrace,andidlenessandplay;buthewasalways invent
that hername wasnot Abrotonon but Eu- ingandcomposingdeclamations;thesubject*
terpe.Neanthes mentions
Halicarnassusas of whichwereeithertheimpeachment orde-
thecity to whichshebelonged.But bethat fenceof someof his schoolfellows:So that
asit may,whenall theillegitimate
youthas-hismaster would
oftensay," Boy, you will be
sembled at Cynosarges,
in thewrestlingring nothing
common orindifferent:
Youwilleither
dedicatedto Hercules, without the gates, bea blessing
or a curseto thecommunity.1'
which was appointed for that purpose,because
Hercules himself was not altogether of divine Asfor moralphilosophy,and the politearts,
he learnedthem but slowly, and with little
extraction,
butfound
Themistocles hadameans
mortal
to for hismother;
persuade some satisfaction;
butinstructions
inpolitical
know
of the young noblemen to go to Cjnosarges, ledge,
andtheadministration
of publicaffairs,
and take their exercise with him. This was he received with an attention above his
an ingeniouscontrivance to take away the dis- years; because theysuited
hisgenius.When,
therefore,he waslaughedat, longafter, in
tinction between the illegitimate or aliens, and companywhere free scopewas givento rail-
thelegimate,
whose
parents
werebothAthe-lery,bypersons
whopassed
asmore
accom-
nians.
It isplain,
however,
thathewasre-plished
inwhat
wascalled
genteel
breeding
" It w«* lawatAthens, thatevery citizen
whohad * T>ieLycomeJae werea Tamil;in Athens,
who
1 Cortifr.trlo hismothershould
bedeemed
abastard,(aciotJing
to Pausanias)
hadthecareof thesacrifices
thoughborn to wedlock,and shouldconsequently
be
incapableof inheriting hit father'* estate. of"TtdtoCeres; andin thatchap:]
\%Inch
Thesem
rebuilt,initiations
andothermysteries
werecelebrated.
84 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

be wasobligedto answerthemwith someas-1ployment,shewedhim someold galleynthai

perity: " 'Tia true I neverlearnedhowto tune lay wornout andneglectedon the sea shore,
a harp, or play upona lute, but I knowhow just as the populaceneglect their leaden,
to raise a small and inconsiderablecity to glory when they have no farther service for them.
and greatness." Themistocles had an early and violent in
Stesimbrotus,indeed,informsus,that The- clination for public business,and was so
mistoclesstudiednatural philosophy,both un- stronglysmittenwith the love of glory, with
der Anaxagorasand Mehssus; but in this he an ambition of the highest station, that he in-
errs againstchronology.* For when Pericles, volved himself in troublesome quarrels with
who was much younger than Themiatoclcs, personsof the first rank and influence in the
besiegedSarnos,Mehesusdefendedit, and state, particularlywith Ahstides the son of
Anaxagoraslived wilh Pericles. Those seem Lysimachus, who always opposedhim. Their
to deserve more attention who say, that The- enmity began early, but the cause, as Ariston
mistocleawas a follower of Mnesiphilusthe the philosopherrelates, was nothing more
Phrearian, who was neither orator nor natural than their regard for Ptesileus of Teos. After
philosopher, but a professor of what was then this, their disputes continued about public
called wisdom,twhich consistedin a know- affairs;andthe dissimilarityof their lives aqd
ledge of the arts of government, and the prac- mannersnaturally added to it. Aristides was
tical part of political prudence. This wasa of a mild temperand of great probity. Ha
sect formed upon the principles of Solon,{ managedthe concerns of government with in-
and descending in succession from him; but flexible justice not with a view to ingratiate
when the science of government came to be himself wilh the people, or to promote his own
mixed with forensic arts, and passedfrom ac- glory, but solely for the advantage and safety
tion to mere words, its professors,instead of 01' the state. He was, therefore, necessarily
sages were called sophists.§ Themistocles, obliged to oppose Themistocles, and to pre-
however, was conversant in public business, vent his promotion, because he frequently put
when he attendedthe lecturesof Mnesiphilus. the people upon unwarrantableenterprises)
In the first sallies of youth, he was irregu- and was ambitious of introducing great innova-
lar and unsteady; as he followed his own dis- tions. Indeed, Themistocles, was so carried
position, without an; moral restraints. He awaywith the love of glory, so immoderately
lived in extremes,an,, those extremeswere desirous
of distinguishinghimselfby somegreat
often of the worst kind.|| But he seemed to action, that, though he was very young whea
apologizefor this afterwards,when he observ- the battle of Marathonwas fought,andwhen
ed, that the wildest colts make the best horses, the generalship of Miltiades v»asevery where
tehen they come to be properly broke and extolled, yet even then he was observedto
managed. The stories, however, which some keep much alone, to be very pensive,to watch
tell us, of his father's disinheriting him, and his whole nights, and not to attend the usual en
mother's laying violent hands upon herself, be- tertainments:-When he was asked the reason
cause shecould not bear the thoughts of her by his friends, who wondered at the change,
son's infamy, seem to be quite fictitious. he said, The trophies of Miltiades would
Others, on the contrary, say, that his father, to not suffer him to sleep. While others imag-
dissuade him from accepting any public em- ined the defeat of the Persians at Marathon
had put an end to the war, he considered it
* Anatagoraswasborn in thefirst yearof the7th as the beginning of greater conflicts,-* and,
olympiad ; Tlnmi^tocle swonthebattleof Salami's the for the benefitof Greece,he wasalwayspre-
first year of the 75th olympiad; and Melissus defend-
edSamoa
apainst
Pericles
thelastyearof the64thparinghimselfand the Athenians
against
olympiad. 1 hemislocli.-s,therefore,could neither study those conflicts, because he foresaw them at a
under Anaxagoras, who was only twenty yearsold distance.f
"whenthat generalgainedthe battle of Salamis,nor And in the first place, whereas the Athe-
vet underMeliinu, who did not beginto flourishtill nians had used to share the revenue of the sil-
36 years after that battle.
f The first sageswere in reality great politicians, ver mines of Laurium among themselves, he
whogave
rulesandprecepts
for thegovernment
of alonehadthecourage
to makea motionto the
communities.Thaleswasthe firstwho carried his people, that they should divide them in that
"peculations
into physics. manner no longer, but build with them a num-
JDuring
thespace ofabout
ahundred orahundredberof galleys
tobeemployed
in thewaragainst
andtwentyyears. thejEginetse,
who thenmadea considerable
$TheSophistswereratherrhetoricians
thanphi-
losophers,
skilledin words,
butsuperficial
in know-figurein Greece,
andbymeansof theirnumer-
ledge,as DiogenesLaertiusinformsus. Protagoras,ous navy were masters of the sea. By sea-
whoflourishedaboutthe&4tholympiad,a little before sonably stirring up the resentment and emula-
the birthof PUto,wasthefirstwhohadtheappclla- tion of his countrymen
againsttheseisland
tioi of Sophist. But Socrates,who wasmorecon-
reriant inmorality than inpolitics,physics,orrhet-ers,J
hethemoreeasily
prevailed
withthem
oric, and who was desirousto improve the world rath-
er in practicethan in theory,modestly
took the name * He did not questionbut Darius wouldat length
of PhiloKfkos,i. e. o lovero/wisdom,andnotthat of percciTcthat theonly wayto deal wilh the Greeks.
Sophos,i. e. a m%eor wise mttn. was to attack them vigorously by sea,where theycould
(IIdometieus
says,that one morningThemistoclesmaketheleastopposition.
harnessed four nakedcourtezans in a chariot,and t Thetwoprincipal qualifications
of a general are,
made them draw him acrossthe Ccramicusin the sight a quick and comprehensiveview of what is to be don«
of all thepeople,whowerethereassembled ; andthat uponanypresent emergency, anda happy foresight ol
at a lime whentheAthenianswere perfectstrangers what is to come:Thcmistocles possessed
both tbet*
U-debauchery, eitherin wine or women. But if that qualifications
in a greatdegree.
rice was then so little known in Athens,how could ( Plutarch in this placefollowsHerodotus. Bui
therebefoundTourprostitutesimpudentenoughto be Thucvdidefis express, that Themistocles
availedhim-
tipoted in that manner ' Klf 01both thesearguments, theapprehensions
which
 THEMISTOCLES.

to provide
themselves
withships,
than
if h nothing
byit buttheimputation
ofvanity.
Ha
haddisplayed
theterrorsof Dariusandth exhibited
a tragedy,*too,athisownexpense,
Persians,
whowereatagreaterdistance,
am andgained theprizewithhistragedians,
ata
of whose
coming
theyhadnogreatapprehen timewhenthoseentertainmentswerepursued
EI.HIS.
Withthismoney a hundred galley withgreatavidity
andemulation.In memory
with threebanksof oarswerebuilt,whic of hissuccess, heputupthisinscription, The-
afterwards foughtagainstXerxes.Fromthi miitoclesthePhrcarianexhibited thetragedy,
stephe proceeded toothers,
in ordertodrav Phrynlchus composed
it,t Jldimantus presid-
the attentionof the Atheniansto maritim ed. This gainedhim popularity; and what
affairs,andto convince
them,that,thoughb; addedto it, washischarging hismemory with
landtheywerenotableto copewith thei thenames
of thecitizens;
sothathereadily
neighbours,yetwith a navalforcetheymigh calledeachby hisown. Hewasanimpartial
not only repelthe barbarians,but hold al judge,too,in thecausesthat werebroughtbe-
Greece'insubjection.Thus of goodlam forehim:andSimonides of Ceos,tmakjngan
forces,
asPlatosays,he made themmarinersunreasonable request
to himwhenarchon,he
andseamen,
andbroughtuponhimselfthe as answered,
Neither would you bea goodpoet^
persionof takingfrom his countrymenthe {fyoutransgresscd
therulesof harmony;nor
"pearandthe shield,andsending
themto the / agoodmagistrate,
iflgrantcdyourpetition
benchandthe oar. Stesimbrotus writes,that contrary to law. Anothertime he ralliedSw
Themistocles
effectedthis in spiteof the oppo- monidesfor his absurdity in abusingthe Co-
iition of Miltiades. Whether by this proceed- rinthians, who inhabited so elegant a city;
inghe corruptedthe simplicityof the Athenian and having his own picture draicn, whenhe
constitution, is a speculationnot proper to be had so ill favoured an aspect.
indulgedhere.But thatthe Greeksowedtheir At lengthhavingattainedto a great height
safety to thesenaval applications,and that of power andpopularity,his factionprevailed,
thoseshipsre-established
the city of Athens and he procuredthe banishmentof Aristidea
after it hadbeen destroyed(to omit other bywhat is calledthe Ostratism.\
proofs.)Xences
himselfida sufficient
witness. TheMedesnowpreparing
toinvade
Greece
For, after his defeatat sea,hewasno longer again, the Atheniansconsideredwho should
able to makehead againstthe Athenians, ie their general;andmany(we aretold) tliink-
though his land forces remained entire; and it ng the commissiondangerous,declined it. But
seemsto me, that he left Mardonius rather to Epicydes, the son of Euphemides, a man of
prevent a pursuit, than with any hope of his more eloquence than courage, and capable
bringing Greece into subjection. witha! of being bribed, solicited it, and was
Someauthors write, that Themistocles wag kcly to bechosen. Themistocles, fearing the
intent upon the acquisition of money, with a consequencewould be fataJto the public, if the
view to spend it profusely; and indeed, for choice fell upon Epic ides, prevailed uponhim
his frequent sacrifices, and the splendid man- >y pecuniary considerations to drop his pre-
ner in which heentertained strangers, he had ensions.
need of a large supply. Yet others, on the His behaviouris also commendedwith res-
contrary, accuselum of meannessand atten-
tion to trifles, and sayhe evensold presents " Tragedy
at thistimewasjust arrivedat perfee-
that were madehim for his table. Nay, when ion ; andsogrcal a tastehad *.Se
Athenianslor thii
he beggeda colt of Philides,who wasabreed- tiadof entertainment,
thatthe principalpersons
ia
erof horses,
andwasrefused,
hethreatenedbecommonwealth
couldnotoblige
themmorethan
hewouldsoon
makea Trojanhorse
of his yecoralions.
exhibitingthebest
Public tragedy
prizes with
were themost
appointed forelegant
those
hoitxe, enigmaticallyhinting, that he would hat excelled
in thisrespect;
andit wasmatterof
raise up troubles and impeachments against real emulationto gain them.
him fromsomeof his own family. f Phrynichus
wasthedisciple
of Thespis,
whowa*
In ambition,
however,
hehadnoequal.For stceir.ed
theinventor
oftragedy.
Hewasthefirstthat
whenhewasyetyoung,
andbutlittleknown,were
roughtfemale
AcUcon, actors upon
Alcestis, and the
the stage.Hischief
Daniadcs. playi
-£schylus
heprevailed
uponEpiclesof Hermione,
ap#r- fashiscontemporary.
former upon the lyre, much valued by the 1Simonides
celebrated
thebattles
of Marathon
and
Athenians,
to practice
at hishouse;
hopingby ialamisin hispoems; andwastheauthor of several
tlv.smeans
to drawa greatnumber of peoplewell
dcsknown.
andelegies:some
He was of which
much in the are still
favour ofextantand
Pausaniui
thither. And when hewent to the Olympic ing of Sparte, and of Hiero king of Sicily. Plato had
games,
he endeavoured
to equalor exceedohigh
anopinion
ofhismerit,
thathegave
himthe
Cimon,in the elegance
of his table,the splen- pith't ofDivine. Hediedin thefirstyearof the76th
dourof his pavilions,and otherexpenses
of lympiad,
at almost
ninetyyears
of age;sothathe
his train. Thesethings, however,were not was verynearfourscore
f Sollmis. whenhedescribed tnebatJc
agreeableto the Greeks. They lookedupon § It is not certain by whom the Ostracitmwasintro
themassuitable
to a youngmanof a noble uccd,
some
say,
byPimtrstui,
orrather
byhisson»
family; but when an obscurepersonset him- thers,by Clislhenes;
andothersmakeit asancient
self up so muchabovehis fortune,he gained s the limeof Theseus.Bythis,menwhobecame
owerfulto sucha degreeasto threatenthestatewith
anger,were banished
for tenyears:andtheywereto
theAthenian) wereunderof thereturnof thePer- uittheAthenian territories
intendays.
Themethod
lians,aswellasthewaragainsttheJEgiactx.Indeed fit wasthis: everycitizen
tooka piece
of a broken
becouldnotneglect sopowerful aninducementto )otorshell,onwhich hewrote theDame
oftheperson
"trengthen
themselves
atsea,since,
according
toPlato, e wouldhave banished. Thisdone,
themagistral*!
account*were dailybroughtof Iheformidablepre- ountedIheshells; and,if theyamounted toCOOO,
parations
of Darius;ajjd,uponhisdeath,
it appeared>rlcdthem:andthemanwhose namewasfouiK.on
thatXcncsinherited
all hi; father'srancour
againsthegreatest
number
of shells,
wa»at"course
eiilid foj
theGreek*. Uu.years.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

pectto theinterpreterwno camewith the king The Persianfleetcomingupto Aphsta,Bury.

of Persia's ambassadors,that were sent to de- biadeswas astonishedat suchan appearanceof
mand earth and water." By a decree of the ships, particularly when he was informed that
people, he put him to death, tor presuming to there were two hundred more sailing round
make useof the Greek languageto expressthe Sciathus. He, therefore, was desirous,without
demandsof the barbarians. To this we may loss of time, to draw nearer to Greece, and to
add, his proceedings in the affair of Arthmius keep closeto the Pcloponnesiancoast,where h«
theZehte;t who, at his motion, was declared might have an army occasionally to assist the
infamous, with his children and all his poster- fleet; for he considered the naval force of the
ity, for bringingPersiangoldinto Greece.But Persiansasinvincible.UponthistheEulxEang,
that which redoundedmost of all to his honour, apprehensive that the Greeks would forsake
was his putting an end to the Grecian wars, them, scut Pelagon to negociate privately with
reconciling the several states to each other, Themistocles, and to offer him a large sum of
and persuading them to lay asidetheir animos- money. He took the money, and gave it4 (as
ities during the war with Persia. In this he Herodotuswrites) to Eurybiades. Finding
is saidto havebeenmuchassistedby Chileus himself most opposedin his designsby Archi-
the Arcadian. teles, captain of the sacred galley,^ who had
As soon as he had taken the command upon not money to pay his men, and therefore in-
him, he endf avouredto persuadethe people to tended immediately to withdraw; he so incens-
quit the city, to embark on board their blups, ed his countrymen againsthim, that they went
and to iiifct the barbarians at as great a dis- in a tumultuous manner on board his ship,and
tince from Greeceas possible.But, manyop- took from him what he hadprovidedfor hi*
posing it, he marched at the head of a great supper. Architeles being much provokedat
army, together with the Lacedsmomans, to this insult, Themistocles sent him in a chest a
Tempe, intending to cover Thessaly, which quantity of provisions, and at the bottom of it
bad not as yet declared for the Persians. When a talent of silver, and desired him to refresh
he returned without effecting any thing, the himself that evening, and to sati3fy his crew
Thessahans having embraced the king's party, in the morning; otherwise, he would accuse
and all the country, as far asBo30tia,following him to the Athenians of having received» bribe
their example,the Athenians were more willing from the enemy. This particular is mention
to hearken to his proposal to fight the enemy ed by Phanias the Lesbian.
at sea, and sent him with a fleet to guard the Though the several engagements!with the
(traits of Artcmisium.} Persian fleet in the straits of Eubcea were
When the fleets of the severalstates were not decisive; yet they were of great advantage
joined, and the majoritywere of opinionthat to the Greeks,wholearnedby experience,
that
Eurybiades should have their chief command, neither the number of ships,nor the beautyand
»nd with his Lacedemonians begin the engage- splendourof their ornaments, nor the vaunting
ment; the Athenians, who had a greater num- shouts and songs of the barbarians,have any
ber of ships than all the rest united,§ thought it thing dreadful in them to men that know how
an indignity to part with the place of honour. to fight hand to hand, and are determined to
But Themisioclcs,perceivingthedangerof any behave gallantly. These things they were
disagreementat thit time, gaveup the com- taughtto despise,whentheycameto closeac-
mand to Eurybiades, and satisfied the Athe- tion and grappled with the foe. In this case
nians, by representingto them, that, if they Pindar'ssentiments
appearjust, whenhesayi
behaved like men in the war, the Grecians of the fight at Artemisium,
would voluntarilyyieldthemthe superiorityfor 'T wasthenthatAthensthefoundation
laid
thefuture. To him,therefore,
Greece
seems Of Liberty's
fairstructure.
to owe her preservation, and the Athenians, in
particular, the distinguished glory of surpass- Indeed, intrepid courage is the commence
ingtheirenemies
in valour,
andtheiralliesin mentof victory.
moderation.
* Accordingto Herodotus,theaffairwasthus.Thf
* This wasa demand
of submission.
But HerodotusEubceans,
nol bt-ing^hle to nr<vail with Eurybiadei
assures us,thatXerxes
diduotsendsuch anembassy toremainontheircoast till theycouldcarryofftneil
to theAthenians;theambassadors
of hisfatherDarius wivesandchildren^addressJ llnin-ihrj to Theuiis-
Were treatedwithgreatindignity
whentheymadetocles, andmade him a present of thirty
talents.He
that demand ; Tor the Athenians threw tookthemoney; andwith live talentsbribedEurybl-
them into a
ditch, and told them, There mis earth and water adf«. Then Aflianianthus the Corinthian, being the
fnoit'h. only commander
who insistedon weighinganchor,
Tln.mislocles went on board him, and tuld him in few
f Arthmius wasof Zele,a townin AsiaMinor,but words:"Adiamanthus, youshallnotabandonU for
"etfledat Athens.Hewasnotonlydeclared infamous I will giveyouagreaterpresent
for doingyourdut)
for bringingin Persian
gold,andendeavouring
to cor- thantheking of the Mcdes wouldsendyouforde
ruptwithit some of theprincipal
Athenians,
butban- scninctheallies." Whichheperformed bysending
ishedby soundof trumpet. I't'ie t^&Atft. Oral. cont. him three talentson board. Thus hedid whatthe
Ctuipnon. Eubceans
requested,
andsaved
twenty-two
talcnU
for
| At the same time that the Greeks thought of de- himself.
fendingthe passof Thermopylae
by land,theysenta
fleettohinder
thepassage
ofthePersian
navy
through f Thesacred
galley
wasthatwhichtheAtheniani
thestraitsof Eubaea,
whichfleetrendezvoused
at Ar- senteveryyearto Delos, withsacrifices
for Apollo;
and they pretend it was the same in which TheiettJ
UDiisium.
i';Herodotus
tellsusinthebeginning
ofhiseighthcarried
thetributetoCrete.
book,that the Atheniansfurnished127vessels,and { Theycameto three severalengagements within
thatthe wholecomplimentof therest of the Greeks threedays;in the lastof which,Clineas,thefatherof
amountedto no morethan 151; of which twentybe- Alcibiades,performedwonders. He had,at hisown
lungcdlikewise to theAthenian*
S the Chalcidiani.
whohadUotthemeipensc,
men.
fitteduutashipwhichcarried
twohufidrel
 THEMISTOCLES. 87

Artemisiumis a maritimeplaceof F/ubrea,alonecouldnot thinkof gw'\ngbattleto sopro-

to the north of Hestiaia. Over againstit lies digiousan army. To quit tl £ city, andembark
Olizon,hi the territory that formerlywassub- on boardtheir ships,wasthe onlyexpedientat
ject to Philocletes;where there is a small present;andthisthe generalitywere very un-
templeof Dianaof the East, in the ruidstof willing to hearkento, as they could neither
" grove The templeta encircledwith pillars haveany great ambitionfor victory, nor idea
of white stone,which,when nibbed with the of safety,when they had left the templesof
hand,hasboth thecolour andsmellof saffron. their godsandthe monuments of their ances-
On one of the pillars are inscribed the follow- tors.
ing verses: Themistocles,
perceivingthat he couldnot
When
onthese
scan
thesons
ofAthens
conquered
bytheforceof human
reason
prevail
ijuththe
Thevarious
powers
ofAsia;grateful
here multitude,*set hismachinery
to work,asa
Theyrear'd this templeto Diana. poet would do in a tragedy, and had recourse
There isaplacestJltobeseen upon thisshore: to prodigies andoracles. Theprodigy he
where thereis alarge heap ofsand, which, if availedhimself of,wasthedisappearing ofthe
duginto,shews towards thebottom ablackdragon ofMinerva, which atthattimequilted
dust like ashes,asif some fire had been there; the holy place; and the priests finding the
andthisissupposed tohave beenthatinwhichdailyofferings setbefore it untouched,gave it
thewrecks of theships,andthebodies oftheoutamong thepeople, at thesuggestion of
dead, were burned. Themistocles, thatthegoddess hadforsaken
Thenews ofwhathadhappened atThermo-thecity,andthatsheoffered to conduct them
pylae beingbrought to Artemisium,* when theto sea. Moreover, by way ofexplaining to
the people an oracle then ieceived,t he told
confederates were informed that Leonidas was
elain there, and Xerxes master of the passages them that, by wooden trails, there could not
byland,
theysailed
backto Greece;
andthepossibly
beany
thing
meant
butships;
andthat
Athenians,
elated
withtheirlatedistinguished
Apollo,nowcalling Salamisdiiww, notwretch-
valour,
brought
uptherear. AsThemistocles ed,andur\fortunate, asformerly, signifiedby
such an epithet, that it would be productive
sailed along the coasts, wherever he saw any
harboursorplaces
proper
fortheenemy's shipsof somegreatadvantage to Greece.Hii
toputinat,hetooksuch
stonesashehappened counselsprevailed,
andheproposed a decree,
tofind,orcaused
tobebroughtthitherforthat thatthecityshould
beleftto theprotection
of
purpose,
andsetthemupin theports
andMinerva,!
thetutelary
goddess
of theAthe-
watering places,
withthefollowing inscription
nians;thattheyoung menshould goonboard
engraved in large characters, and addressedto the ships; and that every one should pro-
thelonians."Let thelonians, if it bepossi-videas well as he possibly couldfor the
ble,come overtotheGreeks, fromwhomtheysafetyof the children, thewomen, andthe
tie descended, andwhonowrisktheirlivesslaves.
for theirliberty.If thisbeimpracticable, let Whenthisdecree wasmade, mostof the
them at least perplex the barbarians, and put Athenians removed their parents and wives to
themin disorder in timeof action."By this Tro;zene,§ wheretheywerereceived witha
hehoped eitherto bringthe lonians overto generoushospitality.TheTrrEzeiiians came
hisside,or to sowdiscord among them,
by to a resolution
to maintain thematthepublic
causing themto besuspected bythePersians. expense,forwhichpurpose theyallowed each
ThoughXerxeshadpassed through Dorisof themtwoobolia day;theypermitted the
downto Phocis, andwasburning anddestroy- children
togather fruitwherever theypleased,
ing the Phocian cities, yet the Greeks sent and providedfor their educationby paying
them no succours. And, notwithstanding all
theentreaties
theAthenians
coulduseto pre- * Heprevailed
soeffectually
atlast,
thattheAthen-
vailwiththeconfederates
to repairwiththem iansstoned
Cyriailus,
anorator,whovehemently
op-
into Boeotia,and cover the frontiers of Attica, posedhim, andurgedall thecommontopicsof loveto
as they had sent a fleet to Artemisium to serve theplaceof one'sbirth,and theaffectionto wivesand
thecommon
cause,
noonegaveearto tlieirre- helpless
infants.Thewomen
too,to shewhowfar
quest.All eyeswereturneduponPelopon-
theywere
should sufferfrom desiring
for them, that
stoned his the cause
wife. of Greece
nesus, and all were determined to collect their t This was the second oracle which the Atheniai
forces
withinthe Isthmus,
andtobuildawall deputies
received
from
Aristonice
priestess
ofApollo,
across
it fromseato sea.The Athenians
were Manywereof opinion,
that,by thewallsof wood
greatly incensed to see themselves thus be- which sheadvised
themto harerecourseto,wasmeant
trayed, and,at the sametime, dejectedand thecitadel, because
it waspalisaded;
butothers
though
discouragedat so generala defection. They itthecouldintendnothingbutships.The maintaineno.
former opinionurged againstsuchas supported
the latter, that the last line but one of the oracle was
" Thelastengagement
at Thermopylz,
wherein
directly
against
him,andthat,without
Questionit por-
Xerxes
forcedthepasses
of the mountains,
bythede- tended
thedestruction
of theAthenian
fleetnearSal*
featof theLacedaemonians,
Thespians,
andThebans,
mis. ThemUtoclcs
alleged
inanswer,
thatif thtora-
whohadbeenleft to guardthem,happened onthe cle hadintendedto foretellthe destructionof the
tamedaywiththebattleat Arlemisiuin
; andthenewsAthenians,it wouldnothavecalledit thedivineSala-
ofit wasbrought
toThemistoclesbyanAtheniancalledmis,buttheunhappy ; andthatwhereas theunfortu-
Abronichus. Though theaction atThermopylae had nateintheoracle
werestyledthesons of women,it
notanimmediate relation\oThemi»tocle»,yel U"would couldmeannoother
thanthePersians, whowere scan-
havetended more tothe glory of thatgeneral, if Plu-dalously
tarch h«d taken greater notice of it; since the advan-
effeminate.
Herodot.I. vii.c. 143,144.
tagegained
therebyXeries,opened
Greece
to him, } But howwasthiswhenhehadbeforetoldlit
aud renderedhim much more formidable. Ther- peoplethat Minervahadforsakes'Jit cit) ?
mopylae
n well knownto bea narrowpau in the $Thcseuj,
thegreatheroiu Athenian
historj win
"Muuiilauu near the Euripua. originally ol i'rtezenc.
88 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

their tutors. This order was procured by I in the public games,such ag rise up befon
Nicagoras. ! their turn, arechastised
for it?" "Ye«,"
As the treasuryof Athenswasthenbut low, answeredThcmistoclcs;"yet suchas are left
Aristotle informs us that the court ofJlreopa- behind never gain the crown " Eurybiades,
gTWdistributedto everymanwho took part in uponthis, lifting up his staff, as if he intend-
theexpedition
eightdrachmas;
whichwasthe edto strikehim,Thomistocles«aid,"Strike,
principalmeansof manningthe fleet. But if you please,
but hearme." The Laceds-
Clidemusascribesthis also to a stratagemof moniansadmiring his commandof temper,
Themistocles-,
lor, he tells us,tha";-whenthe badehim speakwhathe hadto say; andThe-
\thenians went down to the harbour of Piraeus, mistocles was leading him back to the subject,
theJEijiswaslostfromthestatue
ofMinerva;whenone of the officersthusinterrupted
and Tflemistocles, as he ransacked every him: "It ill becomesyou who have no city, to
thing, underpretenceof searchingfor it, found adviseus to quit our habitationsandabandon
large sumsof money hid amoug the baggage, our country." Themistocles retorted upon
whichhe appliedto the public use; andout of him thus: "Wretch that thou art, we havein-
it all necessaries
were providedfor the fleet. deedleft our walls and houses,not choosing,
The embarkationof the peopleof Athens for the sakeof thoseinanimatethings,to be-
wasa veryatFecLing scene. What pity! what comeslaves;yet we have still the most re
admiration of the firmness of those men, who, spectablecity of Greece in these two hundred
sendingtheir parentsand familiesto a distant ships,whicharehere ready to defendyou,if
place, unmovedwith the.r cries?their tears, you will give themleave. But if you forsake
or embraces, had the fortitude to leave the and betray us a secondtime, Greece shall soon
city,andcinli.ukfor Salamis
! What greatly findtheAthenians
possessed
of asfreea city,*
heightened the distress, was the number of and as valuable a country as that which they
citizenswhom they were forced to leave be- havequitted." ThesewordsstruckEurybiadei
hind, because of their extreme old age.* And with the apprehensionthat the Athenians might
"ome emotions of tenderness were due even fall off from him. We are told also, that as a
to the tame domestic animals, which, running certain Eretrian was attempting to speak,The-
to the shore, with lamentable how lings, ex- mistocles eaid, "What! have you, too, some-
pressedtheir affectionand regret for the per- thing to say aboutwar, who are like the fish
sons tbat had fed them. One of these,a dog that hasa sword, but no heart."
that belongedto Xanthippus,the father of While Tlitmistocles was thus maintaining
Pericles, unwilling to be left behind, is said to his arguments upon deck, some tell us an owl
haveleapt into the sea, andto haveswamby wasseenflying to the right of the fleet,! which
the side of the ship, till it reachedSalamis, cameand perchedupon the shrouds. This
where,quite spentwith toil, it diedimmedi- omen determinedthe confederates to accede
ately. And they shewus to this day, a place to his opinion,andto preparefor a seafight.
called Synos .S'ema,where they tell us that But no soonerdid the enemy'sfleet appearad-
dog was buried. vancingtowards the harbourof Phaleriusin
To thesegreat actionsof Theniistoclesmay Attico, and covering all the neighbouring
be added the following: He perceived that coasts,while Xerxes himself was seen march-
Aristideswasmuch regrettedby the people, ing his land forcesto the shore, than the
who wereapprehensivethat out of revengehe Greeks,struckwith the sightof suchprodigious
might join the Persians, and do great prejudice armaments, began to forget the counsel ot
to the causeof Greece; he therefore causeda Themistocles, and the Peloponnesians once
decree to be made, that all who had been more looked towards the Isthmus. Nay, they
banishedonly for a time, should have leave resolvedto set sail that very night, andsuch
to return, and by their counsel and valour as- orders were given to all the pilots. Themisto-
sist their fellow-citizensin the preservation
of cles,greatlyconcernedthat the Greekswere
their country. goingto give up the advantage
of their station
Eurybiades, by reason of the dignity of in the straits,J and to retire to their respective
Sparta,hadthe commandof the fleet; but, as countries,contrivedthat stratagemwhichwas
he was apprehensiveof the danger,the pro- put in executionby Sicinus.This Sicinuswas
posedto set sail for the Isthmus, and fix his of Persianextraction,anda captive,but much
station near the Peloponnesian army. The- attachedto Themistocles,andthe tutor of his
mistocles, however opposedit; andtbe account
we haveof theconference
on thatoccasion
istocles;
butPlutarch
relates
it withmore
probability
deservesto be mentioned. When Eurybiades of Eurybiades, who wascommander in chief.
said,t "Do not you know, Themistocles, that * The addressof Themisloclesis verymuchto b«
admired. If Eurybiadeswas really inducedby his
fearsto return to the Isthmus,theAthenianlook a
* IDthisdescription
wefindstrong
traces
ofPlutarch'aright methodto remove
thosefears,
, by suggesting
humanity and good nature. greater; for what other freecountry could he intimate
f It Joesnot appearthat Eurybiadeswantedcour- that the peopleof Athenswould acquire,but that.
age.After Xcrirs hadgainedthepassof Thermopylae,whendrivenfrom their own city, in their distress
and
it wasthe generalopinionof thechief officersof the despair,they mightseizethe stateof Sparta.
confederate
fleetassembled
in council,
(except
those
of t Theowlwassacredto Minerva,the proleclren
Athens) that their only resourcewas to build a strong of the Athenians.
wall acrossthe Isthmus, and to drfcnd Peloponncssus If the confederateshad quitted the Straits of Sala-
against the Persiais. Besides,the Lacedemonians, mi), where they could equal the Persians in the line
who weieimpartialjudgesof menandthings,gavethe of battle,suchof DieAtheniansaswerein lhat island,
palmof valourto Eurybiades,
andthat of prudenceto musthavebecome an easyprey to the enemy;andthe
Themistocles. Persianswould havefoundan openseaonthe Pclo-
4 Herodotussays,this conversation
passedbetweennonneeian coast,wheretheycould act with all thttiff
Adiamanthus,generalof theCorialhimis,andThem-j forceagaius'(heshipsof theallies.
 THEMISTOCLES. 89
children.Onthisoccasion
Themistocles
sent golden
ornaments.Theyweresaidto betha
lim privatelytothekingof Persia,
withorderssonsof Autarctus
andSandace,
sisterto Xeri-
lo tellhim,that the commander of fheAthe- es.Euphrantide,
thesoothsayer,
castinghiseye
nians,having espousedhis interest,
wasthe uponthem,andat thesametimeobserving
firstto informhimof theintended
flightof the thata brightflameblazed
outfromthevictims,*
Greeks; andthat heexhorted
himnottosufferwhilea sneezing washeardfromthe right.
themto escape;
butwhiletheywerein this tookThemistocles
by thehand,
andordered
confusion,and at a distancefromtheirland that the threeyouthsshouldbeconsecrated
forces,
to attackanddestroytheirwholearmy.and sacrificed to Bacchus
Omestcsrffor by
Xeriestookthisinformationkindly,suppos-thismeansthe Greeksmight beassured not
ing it to proceed from friendship, and immedi- only of safety, but victory.
ately gave orders to his officers, with two Themistocleswasastonished
at the strange-
hundredships,to surround
all thepassages,
nessandcrueltyof the order;butthemulti-
andto enclosethe islands,that noneof the tude,who, in great and pressingdifficulties,
Greeks
mightescape,
andthento followwith trustratherto absurdthanrationalmethods,
the restof the shipsat their leisure. Aristides, invokedthe god with onevoice, and leading
the sonof Lysimachus,wasthe first that per- the captivesto the altar,insisted upon their
ceiveHtlu'smotion of the enemy;andthough beingofferedup, asthe soothsayerhaddirect-
he was not in friendshipwith Themistocles,ed. This particularwe havefrom Phaniasthe
but hadbeenbanishedby his means,(as has Lesbian, a man not unversedin letters aad
been related,) he went to him, and told him philosophy.
theyweresurrounded
by the enemy.*The- As to thenumberof the Persianships,thft
mistocles,knowinghis probity, and charmed poetjEschylusspeaksof it, in his tragedyen-
with his comingto give this intelligence,ac- titled Persse,as a matterhe was weUassured
quainted him with the affair of Sicmus, and of:
entreated him to lend his assistanceto keep A thousand
ships(for wellI knowthennmbcr)
the Greeks in their station; and, as they had The Per&ian
flagobey'd: two hundredmore
a confidencein his honour,to persuade them Andseven,overspread
theseas.
to cometo an engagement in the straits. Aris- The Athenianshad only one hundredand
tidei approvedthe proceedings of Themisto- eightygalleys;eachcarriedeighteenmenthat
cles,andgoingto the other admiralsandcap- foughtupondeck,four of whomwerearchers,
tains, encouragedthem to engage. While they and the rest heavy armed.
hardlygavecreditto his report,a Tenian gaj- If Themistocleawas happy in choosinga
ley, commandedby Paratius,came overfrom place for action,he was no leesso in taking
the enemyto bring the same account; so that advantageof a proper time for it; for he would
indignation, added to necessity, eicited the not engage the enemy till that time of day
Greeks to their combat.f when a brisk wind usually arisesfrom the sea,
As soon as it was day, Xenes sat down on which occasionsa high surf in the channel.
an eminence to view the fleet and its order of This was no inconvenience to the Grecian
oattle. He placed himself, as Phanodemus vessels, which were low built and well com-
writes, abovethe temple of Hercules, where pacted; but a very great one to the Persian
the isle of Salamisis separated
fromAttica by ships,whichhadhigh eternsand lofty decks,
» narrow frith; but according to Acestodorus, and were heavy and unwieldv; for it caused
on the confinesof Megara,upona spotcalled themto veer in sucha manner,thattheir sides
Kerala, the hvrns. He was seated on a were exposedto the Greeks,who attacked
Jironeof gold,}andhadmanysecretaries about them furiously. During the whole dispute,
him, whosebusiness it wasto write down the great attention was given to the motionsof
particulars of the action. Themistocles, as it was believed he knew best
In the meantime, as Themistocleswassa- how to proceed. Ariamenes,the Persianad-
crificing on the deck of the admiral-galley,miral, a manof distinguishedhonour, andby
threecaptiveswerebroughtto him of uncom- far the bravestof the king's brothers,directed
monbeauty,elegantlyattired, andsetoff with his manoeuvres chiefly againsthim. His ship
was very tall, and from thence he threw darts
and shot forth arrows as from the walls of a
* Arislidcs\ta5not thenin theconfederate
fleet,bul
intheisltofJEgina,
fromwhence
hesailed
bj-night,castle.ButAmimas
theDecelean,
andSosi-
withgreathazard,through
theFeniandect,lu carry rles thePedian,whosailedin onebottom,bore
thisintelligence. down uponhim with theirprow,andbothghipa
t Thedifferent
conduct
of theSpartans
andthe meeting,
theywerefastened
together
bymeans
Athenians on
"uperior the thisoccasion,
seem*
laws ofto
accommodating shew
Solon how
were much
to the of theirbrazen
beaks;when
Ariamenes
board-
ftuslere
discipline
of Lycurgus.
indeed,
whilethe ingtheirgalley,theyreceivedhimwiththeir
institutions of the latter remained in force, the Lace-
demonians
werethe greatestoCall people, Bul lUat " A bright (lure wu alwaysconsidered
asa fortu-
wasimpossible.Theseverity of Lycurgus'slegislation
nateomen, whether
it werea rtal oneissuing
froman
naturallytendedtodcs'royit. Aforwasthii all. From altar,oraseeming
one,(whatwecallshell-tire,)from
the extnmes ol*abstemious hardships,
the next-up theheadof alivingperarni.Virgil mentions oneof
wasnot to a moderate enjoymentof life, bul to all the the taller sorl,whichappeared
abouttheheadof Jului
licentiousness
of the mosteffeminate
luxury. The laws andKloruj, anotherthat wasseenaboul(heheadof
of Lycurgus mademen of theSpartan
women ; whenSeriinsTulliuj. A sneering
onihe righl hand,too,
tliej werebruiuu,th«ymadewomen of Ihemtn. wasdmneda luckyomenbolhby theGreeksand
t This ihrone or seat,whether of gold or silver, or Lai ins.
both,wastakenandcarriedto Athens, whereit was t In Ihesame manner,Chios,
Tentuos,
andLesboi
CORttetaledin theUmpleof the Minerva, wilh the nflercdhuman sacrifices
lo Bacchus,
surnamed Omo
golden sabre«i Mardomus,
iu the buttle of FUtxa,
whichwasultcu .lur- dins. Bul this
Ihe Athenian*.
is thesole
nutauce
wekuuw of amon»
90 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

pikrs, and pushedhim into the sea. Artemi- Aristides*did not in the leastrelish his propo-
"ia* knewthe bodyamongst
othersthatwere sal,but answered
him to thispurpose:"Till
floating with the wreck, and carried it to now we have had to do with an enemyim-
Xerxes. mersedin luxury; but if we shut him up in
While the fight was thus raging, we are told Greece, and drive him to necessity, he who ii
a greatlight appeared,as from Elcusis; and masterof suchprodigiousforces,will no long-
loud soundsand voices were heard through all er sit under a golden canopy, and be a quiet
the plain of Thriasia to the sea,asof a great spectatorof the proceedings
of the war, but,
numberof people carrying the mystic «ymbols awaked by danger, attempting every thing,
of Bacchus in procession-! A cloud, too, andpresentevery where,he will conecthii
seemed to rise from among the crowd that past errors, and follow counsels better calcu-
made this noise, and to ascendby degrees,till lated for success. Instead, therefore, of break-
it fell uponthe galleys. Other phantoms
also, ing that bridge,we should,if possibleprovide
and apparitionsof armed men, they thought another,that he mayretire the sooneroutof
they saw, stretchingout their hands from Europe." "If that is the case,saidThemis-
JEgmabeforethe Grecianfleet. Thesethey tocles,"we mustall considerandcontrivehovf
conjecturedto bethe JEacidae,\to whom,be- to put him uponthe mostspeedyretreatoutof
fore the battle, they had addressedtheir pray- Greece."
ers for succour. This being resolved upon, he sent one of
The firstmantnattooka shipwasanAthe- theking'seunuchs,
whomhe foundamong
the
nian named Lycomede» captain of a galley, prisoners, Amaces by name, to acquaint him,
who cut down the ensigns from the enemy's "That the Greeks, since their victory at sea,
rhip, and consecrated
them to the laurelled weredeterminedto sail to the Hellespont,and
Apollo. As thePersianscouldcomeup in the destroythe bridge; but that Themistocles, in
Blrails but few at a time, and often put each care for the king's safety, advised him to hasten
other in confusion, the Greeks equalling them towards his own seas, and passover into Asia,
in the line, fought them till the evening, when while his friend endeavoured to find out pre-
they brokethementirely,and gainedthat sig- tencesof delay, to preventthe confederates
nal and complete victory, than which (as Simo- from pursuing him." Xerxes, terrified at the
nid^s says) no other naval achievement, either news, retired with the greatest precipitation.f
of the Greeks or barbarians, ever was more How prudent the managementof Themisto-
glorious. This success
wasowing to the val- cles andAristideswas,Mardoniusaffordeda
our, indeed, of all the confederates,but chiefly proof, when, with a small part of the king's
to the sagacity and conduct of Themisto- forces, he put the Greeks in extremedangerof
cles.§ losing all, in the battle of Platea.
After the battle, Xerxes, full of indignation Heredotus tells us, that, among the cities,
at his disappointment, attempted to join Sala- ..Dgina bore away the palm; but among the
mis to the continent, by a mole BO well se- commanders,Themistocles, in spite of envy,
cured, that his land forces might pass over it was universally allowed to have distinguished
into the island,andthat he mightshutup the himself most. For, when they cameto the
passentirely againstthe Greeks. At thesame Isthmus,and every officer took a billet from
time, Themistocles, to sound Aristides, pre- the altar,{ to inscribe upon it the names of
tended it was his own opinion that they should those that had done the best service, every one
sail to the Hellespont,and break down the put himselfin thefirst place,andThemistocle*
bridge of ships: "For so," says he, "we may in the second. The Lacedaemonians,having
take Asia, without stirring out of Europe." conductedhim to Sparta,adjudgedEurybiades
the prize of valour, and Themistocles that of
* Artemisia,queenof Halicarnassus^
distinguishedwisdom, honouring each with a crown of olive.
herself above all therestof the Persian forces,her They likewise presentedthe latter with the
ships being the lastthat fled ; which Xerxes observing,
cried out, that the men behavedlike women, and the handsomest chariot in the city, and order-
women
withthecourage
andintrepidity
ofmen.The ed threehundredof their youth to attend
Atheniansweresoincensed
againsther,thattheyoffer- him to the borders. At the next Olympic
eda rewardof Un thousanddrachmas to anyonethat games, too, we are told, that, as soon as The-
should
founded take
withheralive.
that Thisprincess
Artemisia must
who was thenot
becon-mistocles
wife of appeared
in the ring, the cham-
Mausolas,
kingofCaria. pionswereoverlooked
bythespectators,
who
t Herodotus says,these voiceswere heard, and this
vision neti, some days before the battle, while the " According to Herodotus, it was not Aristides, bat
Persian landforceswereravaging theterritoriesof Eurvbiades,
whomade thisreplyto Themistocles.
Attica. Dicaeus,
anAthenianexile,(whohoped there- t Xerxes,
havingleft Mardonius in Greece
withan
oy to procureamitigation
of hiscountry'slale,)was armyofthreehundredthousand men,marched with
hefirstthatobserved
thething,andcarriedanaccounttheresttowardsThrace, in orderto cross
theHelles-
of it to Xerxes. pont. Asno provisions
hadbeenprepared
beforehand,
} A vesselhad been sent to TEgina to implore the hisarmy underwentgreathardships duringthewhole
assistance of .Ecus and his descendants. jEcus was time of his march, which lastedfive-and-forty days.
The king, finding they were not in a condition to pur-
the sonof Jupiter, andhadbeenking of ./Egina. He suetheir routesoeipcditiouslyashedesired,advanced
was so remarkable for his justice, that his prayers, with a small retinue; but, when he arrived at the HeW
whilst he lived, arc said to haveprocured great advan-
tages
tntheGreeks
: and,afterhisdeath,
it was
be-lespont, hefound
the violence of thehis
bridge
storm*, ofwas
and boatsbroken
reduced todown by
the nfr-
lieved that he was appointed oneof the three judges in
theinfernal
regions. cessity
ofcrossing
overin a fishing
boat.Fromtb«
^ In this battle, which was one of the most memora- Hellespont
hecontinuedhis flight to Sardis.
ble we findin history,the Grecianslost forty ships, } The altar of Neptune. This solemnitywasde-
uid the Persians
Iwohundred,
betideagreatmanysigned
tomakethemcitetheirjudgment
imparualbj
nort that weretaken. as10thepresence
of thegods.
 THEMISTOCLES. 91

kepttheireyesuponhimall theday,and Afterthegreat

action*
wehave related,
hi»
pointed
himouttostrangers
withtheutmost nextenterprise,
wasto rebuild
andfortifythe
admiration
and applause.Thia incense
was cityof Athens.-Theopompus
tellsus,ht brib-
eitremely
grateful
tohim;and
heacknowledg-
^cTfIie"T.3cedaTnonian
Ephori,
thattheymight
edto hisfriends,thathethenreaped
thefruit notoppose
it; butmoathistorians
say,heover-
of his laboursfor Greece. reachedthem. He was sent, it seems,on pre-
Indeed,hewasnaturallyveryamhitious;
if tenceof anembassy to Sparta.The Spartans
wemayforma conclusionfromhismemorable complained, that the Athenianswerefortify-
actsandsayings. ingtheircity,andthegovernorof ^Egina,who
For, whenelectedadmiralby theAtheni-wascomeforthatpurpose, supported
theaccu-
ans,howouldnotdespatch
anybusiness,
wheth-sation.But Thcmistocles absolutely
deniedit,
er publicor private, singly, but put off all af- andchallengedthemto sendproperpersonsto
fairsto thedayhewasto embark,
thatInvmg Athens
to inspectthe walls; at oncegaining
a great deal to do, he mightappearwith the linn fur finishingthem,andcontrivingto have
greatestdignityandimportance. hostagesatAthensfor hisreturn. The eventan
One day,as hewaslooking upon the dead -urn il hisexpectation. FortheLacedacmoni
bodies cast up by the sea,andsawa number aiis, when assuredhow the fact stood,discern-
of chainsof gold andbraceletsuponthem,he bledtheir resentment, andlet him go with im-
passedby them,andturning to hisfriend,said, punity.
Take thesethingsfor yourself, for you are Aitrr this, hebuilt andfortified the Pirsus,
not Themistocles. (having observedthe conveuiency of that har-
To Antiphates,who had formerlytreated bour;) by which meanshe gavethe city every
him with disdain, but in his glory madehis maritimeaccommodation.In this respectlua
courtto him, he said, Young man tee arc politics were very differentfrom those of the
both come to our sensesat the same time, ancient kings of Athens. They, we are told,
thoughalittlctoo late. usedtheir endeavours
to drawthe attentionof
He used to say, " The Athenians paid him their subjects from the businessof navigation,
no honour or sincere respect; but when a that they might turn it entirely to the culture of
stormarose,ordangerappeared,
theyshelteredthe ground:and to this purposetheypublished
themselves under him, as under a. plane-tree, the table of the contention between Minerva
which, when the weather was fair again, they andNeptune for the patronageof Attica, when
would rob of its leavesand branches." the former, by producing an olive tree before
When one of Seriphus told him, " He was the judges, gained her cause. Themistoclei
not so much honoured for his own sake, but did not bring the Piraus into the city, as Aris-
for hiscountry's."" True," answeredThemis- tophanesthe comicpoetwould haveit; but he
tocles, " for neither should I have beengreatly joined the city by a line of communication to
distinguished if I had been of Seriphus, nor the Pirzus, and the land to the sea. This
you,if you hadbeenan Athenian." measurestrengthened the peopleagainstthe
Another officer, who thoughthehaddone nobility, andmadethembolderandmore un-
the state someservice, setting himself up tractable,as powercamewith wealthinto the
"gainst Themistocles, and venturing to com- handsof mastersof ships,mariners, and pilots.
pare his own exploits with his,he answeredHenceit was, that the oratoryin Pnyx, which
him with this fable :" There once happened a was built to front the sea, was afterwards
disputebetweenthe feast day, andthe day turnedby the thirty tyrantstowardsthe land:»
Hfter thefeast: Saysthe day after thefeast, I for they believeda maritime power inclinable
»m full of bustle and trouble, whereas, with to a democracy, whereas persons employed in
vou,folksenjoy,at their ease,everythingready agriculturewould be lessuneasyunderan oli-
provided.Yousayright,saysthe/eastday, but garchy.
if I had not beenbefore you, you wouldnot Themistocleshad somethingstill greaterin
have beenat all. So,had it not beenfor me, view for strengthening the Atheniansby sea.
then tohtre trmUdyou have been 71010?'* After the retreat of Xerxes when the Grecian
His sonbeingmasterof his mother,andby fleet was gone into the harbourof PagasJEto
her meansof him, he slid, laughing, " this winter, lie acquainted
the cvtuensin full as-
child is greater thanany man in Greece;for sembly,"That he hadhit upona designwhich
the Athenianscommandthe Greeks,I com- mightgreatlycontributelo thi-ir advantage,
but
mand the Athenians,his mothercommandsme, it was not lit to be communicated to their
and he commands his mother." whole body." The Atheniansorderedhim to
As he lovedto beparticular in everything, communicateit to Anstidcsonly,f and,if he
whenhe happenedto sell a farm, he ordered approvedof it, to put it in execution. The-
the crier to add, thatithadagoodneighbour. mistoclcs then informed him, ''That he had
Two citizens,courtinghis daughter,hepre- thoughtsof burningthe confederatefleet at
ferredthe worthymanto the rich one,andas- Pagasa:." Upon winch, Anstideswent and
aigned
this reason,
He hadrathersheshoulddeclaredto the peopie,"That theenterprise
have a man without money, than money which Thcmistoclesproposedwasindeedthe
without a man Such was the pointed man-
lier in whichheoftenexpressed
nimself.f Jih'.rather
leach
melltturto//&T«e,'tin;;
forloften
remember
a.huiI wouUnot, u»dL^nno*forget what
* There is the genuineAtlic salt in most of these I would.
retnrlsandobservations
of Thcir.isloclcs.
His wit ' The thirtytyrantswerecsl.ibli,l,rc]
atAtheniby
Itemsto ha\ebeeu
equalto his militaryandpoliticalLyrander,
403ytarsbtH.rcthe Clin=uaii aera,
and77
capacity. Yearsaftir iVieball It of Salamis.
t Cicero
has
preserved
another
ofhissaying*,
which t Howglorious tinstestimony
of thepublic
regard
Reserves
mentioning.
WhenSimonides offeredto loAnstidea,
froma people
thenjoi«, uid wiUutl
w
leechThemiatocleithe art of memory,be auvreied, virtuous.
92 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

most advantageousin the world, but at the Muse,crown'dwith glory, bearthis faithfulgtrua,
Far as the Grecian name extends.
"ame time, the most unjust." The Athenians,
thereforecommandedhim to lay aside all Timocreon is said to have beenbanishedby
thoughts
of it.* Themistocles,
for favouringthe Persians.
Aboutthistimethe Lacedscmonians
madea When,therefore,Themistocles
wasaccused
motion in the assemblyof the Jlmphictyont, of the sametraitorousinclinations,he wrote
to excludefrom that council all thosestates againsthim asfollows:
thathadnotjoinedin theconfederacy
against Timocreon'»
honour
totheMcdes
iasold,
the king of Persia. But Themistocles
wasap- Butyetnothisalone : Anotherfox
prehensive,that, if the Thessaliane,the Ar- Findsthesamefieldsto preyin.
gives,and Thebans,wereexpelled
fromthe As theAthenians,throughenvy,readilygave
council,the Lacedajroonians
would havea car to calumnies
againsthim,he wasofte»
greatmajorityof voices,andconsequently
pro- forcedto recounthis own services,whichren»
cure what decreesVliey pleased. He spoke deredhim Btiilmoreinsupportable;andwhen
therefore,
indefence ofthosestates,
andbroughttheyexpressedtheirdispleasure,
hesaid,rfrc
thedeputiesofffromthatdesign,byrepresent-youwearyof receivingbent/itsoftenfrom
ing, that thirty-one cities only had their share the sane hand?
of theburden
of thatwar,andthatthegreatest Anotheroffencehe gavethe people,was,
part of thesewere but of smallconsideration;hisbuildinga templeto Diana,underthename
thatconsequently
it wouldbebothunreasonableof Jlristobulc,or Dianaof thebestcounsel,
anddangerous
to exclude therestof Greece,intimatingthat hehadgiventhebestcouncil,
from the league,andleavethe council to be not only to Athens, but to all Greece. He
dictatedto by two or three great cities. By built this templenearhis own house,in the
this he becamevery obnoxious to the Lacedae-quarterof Melita, wherenow theexecutioner!
monians,who,for this reason,set up Cimon cast out thebodies,of thosethat havesuffered
againsthim as a rival in all affairsof state,and death, and where they throw the haltersand
usedall their interestfor his advancement. clothesof suchashavebeenstrangledor other-
He disobligedthe allies, also, by sailing wiseput to death. There was, even in our
round the islands,and extortingmoneyfrom times,a statueof Themistoclesin thistemple
them; as we mayconcludefrom the answer of DianaJlristobule, from whichit appeared
which Herodotustells us the Adrians gave that his aspectwasas heroicas his soul.
him to a demandof that sort. He told them, At last the Athenians,unableanylongerto
" He brought two gods alongwith him, Per- bear that high distinctionin whichhe stood,
ruaswnand Force." Tfiey replied,"They banished
himby the Ostracism;
andthiswas
hadalsotwo great godson theirside,Poverty nothing more than they had doneto others,
andDespair,whoforbadethemto satisfyhim." whosepowerwas becomea burdento them,
Timocreon, the Rhodian poet, writes with andwho hadrisenabovethe equalitywhicha
great bitternessagainst Themistocles, and commonwealth requires;for the Ostracism,or
chargeshim with betrayinghim, though his ten years'fconishmenf,wasnotsomuch intend-
friend andhost, for money,while, for the like edto punishthis or that great man,as to paci-
paltryconsideration,
heprocured
thereturnof fy andmitigate
thefury of envy,whodelightt
other exiles. So in theseverses: in the disgraceof superior characters,and
loses a part of her rancour by their fall.
Pausanias
youmaypraise,
andyouXantippus, In the time of his exile, whilehetookuphia
AndyouLeutychidas:Bui sureIhehero, abode at Argos,* the affair of Pausanias gave
Who bears the Athenian palm, is Aruddci. great advantageto the enemiesof Themistocles.
What is the false, the vain, Themistocles?
The very light is gruclg'd him by Latona, The person that accusedhim of treason,wa*
Whoforvilen<If betray'd
Tiuiocreon, Lcobotes,the sonof Alcmzon,of Agraule,and
His friendandhost; nor gavehim to behold the Spartansjoined in the impeachment. Pau-
His dearJalysus. For threetalentsmore saniasat first concealed his plot from Themis-
Hesail'd
WhatfatalandI-It
end himon
awaits Iheaman
foreign
that coast.
kills, tocles,thoughhewashJsfnend;butwhenh*)
That banishes,that setsthe villain up, saw him an exile, and full of indignation
To fill hi; glitteringstores
? Whiteostentation, againstthe Athenians,he venturedto commu-
Withvainairs,fainwould boast
thegenerous
hand, nicate his designsto him, shewing him the
And,at theIsthmus, spreadsapublicboard King of Persia's letters, andexcttmghim to
For crowds that ect, and cursehim at the banquet. vengeanceagainstthe Greeks, as an unjust and
Hut Timocreon gavea still looserrein to his * ThegreatPausanias,
whohadbeaten
thePersian!
abuseof Themistocles, after the condemnation in thebattleof Platza,and who, on manyoccasion!,
And banishment of that great man, in a poem had behavedwith great generosityas well as modera-
whichbegins
thus: tion,atlastdegenerated,
andfellintoa scandaloui
treaty with the Persians,in hopes,through their inte-
rest, to make himself sovereignof Greece. As soonai
* It ii hardlypossible
for themilitaryandpoliticalhehadconceived
these
strange
notions,
hefellintothe
tcnius of Themislocles
to savehim fromcontemptand manners, of the Persians,
aflectedall their luxury,and
detestation,
whenwearriveat this partof hisconduct. deridedtheplaincustoms of his country,of whichhe
-A seriousproposalto burn the confederate fleet!- had formerlybeensofond. The Ephoriwaitedsome
That fleet, whose united efforts had saved Greece time for clear proof of his treacherous designs,and
fromdestruction !-which hadfoughtunder his aus- whenthey had obtainedit, determined to imprison
piceswith suchirresistiblevalour!-That sacred fleet, him. Bui hefledinto thelemnleof MinervaChiki-
theminutestpartof which shouldhavebeenreligious- oicos,andtheybesieged him there. Theywalledup
ly preserved,or if consumed, consumed only on the all thegaUs.and his own motherlaid therirst stone.
aJtara,andin the serviceof the gods!-How diaboli- Whentheyhadalmoststarvedhim to death,theylaid
cal is thatpolicy,which, in its \*:u to powertramples handson him,and by Ihetime they hadgot him oat
w humanity,justice,andgratitude. of thetemple,Ucexpired.
 THEMISTOCLES.

"ngrateful people.Themistocles
rejected
the himtoactthe part,
thathemight haveasacred
"olicitations
of Pausanias,
andrefused
to have obligation
to allegeagainstgivinghimup to
theleastshare
in hiedesigns
; but hegaveno thosethatmightcometo demand
him.
information
ofwhathadpassed
between
them, At thattimeEpicrates,
theAcarnanian,
found
norletthesecrettranspire;
whetherhethoughtmeansto convey the wife and childrenof
hewoulddesistof himself,
orthathewouldbe Themistocles outof Athens,andsentthemto
discovered someotherway,ashehadembark-him5 for whichCimonafterwards condemned
ed in an absurdand extravagant enterprisehim andputhim to death.This accounta
withoutanyrationalhopes of success. givenby Stesimbrotus",yet I knownot how,
However, whenPausanias wasputto death,forgettingwhat he had asserted, or making
therewerefoundlettersandotherwritingsre- Themistoclesforgetit, he tellsus he sailed
lativeto the business,
-whichcaused
nosmall from thenceto Sicily,and demanded king
suspicionagainstThemistocles.TheL^ceda?-Hiero'sdaughterin marriage, promisingto
monians raiseda clamouragainsthim; and bringtheGreeksunderhis subjection;and
thoseof his fellow citizensthat envied him that, uponHiero's refusal,he passed
over into
insistedonthecharge.H« couldnot defendAsia. But this is not probable.For Theo-
himselfin person,but he answeredby letter phrastus,
in histreatiseonmonarchy,
relates,
theprincipalpartsof theaccusation.For,to that,whenHierosentliis race-horses
to the
obviatethe calumniesof his enemies1,
he ob- Olympic games,and set up a superbpavilion
servedto the Athenians,"That he who was there,Themistoclcsharanguedthe Greeks,to
bornto command,andincapableof servitude, persuade themto pull it down,and not to suf-
couldneversell himself,andGreecealongWjth fer tbe tyrant's horsesto run. Thucydides
him,to enemiesandbarbarians."The people, writesthat hewent by land to the jEgeansea,
however, listened to his accusers,and sentthem and embarked at Pydna; that none in the ship
with ordersto bringhim to his answerbefore knewhim,till he wasdrivenby stormto Naxos,
the states of Greece. Of this he had timely which was at that time bes:ogedby the Atheni-
notice,andpassedoverto the isle of Corcyra; ans; that, throughfear of beingtaken,he then
the inhabitantsof whichhad great obligations informedthe masterof the ship,andpilot, who
to him, for a difference between them and the he was; and that partly liy entreaties, part-
peopleof Corinthhadbeenreferredto his ar- ly by threateninghe would declare to the
bitration, and he had decided it by awarding Athenians, howeverfalsely, that they knew him
the Corinthians* to pay down twenty talents, from the first, and were bribed to take him into
andtheisleof Leucasto bein commonbetween their vessel,he obligW them to weigh anchor
the two parties, as a colony from both. From and Bail for Asia.
thence he fled to Epirus; and, finding himself The greatest part of his treasures was pri-
still pursued by the Athenians and Lacedaemo- vately sent after him to Asia by his friends.
nians, he tried a very hazardousand uncertain What was discovered and seized for the public
resource,in imploring the protection of Adme- use, Theopompus says, amounted to a hundred
tus, king of the Molossians. Admetus had talents; Theophrastus fourscore ; though he
made a request to the Athenians, which being was not worth three talents before his employ-
rejected with scorn by Themistocles in the ments in the government.*
time of his prosperity and influence in the state, When he was landed at Cuma, he under-
the king entertaineda deepresentmentagainst stood that a numberof people,particularly
him,andmadeno secretof his intentionto re- Ergotelesand Pythodorus,were watchingto
vengehimself,if ever the Athenianshouldfall take him. He was, indeed,a rich booty tc
into his power. However,while he wasthus thosethat were determinedto get moneybj
flyingfrom placeto place,he wasmoreafraid any meanswhatever;for the king of Persia
of therecentenvyof his countrymen, than of had offeredby proclamation two hundredtal-
the consequences of an old quarrelwith the ents for apprehendinghim.t He, therefore,
king ; aridthereforehewent and put himself retiredto .aigs, a little town of the JEolians,
in his hands,appearingbeforehim as a supj.it wherehewasknownto nobodybut IS'icogenes,
cant in a particular and extraordinary mannci1> nis host, who was a man of great wealth, and
He took the king'sson,whowasyet achild, m hadsomeinterestat the Persiancourt. In hia
his arms,and kneeleddownbeforethe house- househe wasconcealeda few days; and, one
holdpods. This mannerof offeringa petition, eveningafter supper,when the sacrificewas
the Molossianslook uponasthe mosteffectual, offered,Olbius,tutor to Nicogenes's
children,
and theonlyonethatcanhardlyberejected.criedout,asin a raptureof inspiration,
Somesaythe queen,whosenamewasPhthia, Counsel,0 night, and victory are thine.
suggestedthis method of supplication to The-
mistocles.Others,thatAdmetushimselftaught After this Themistocleswent to bed, and
dreamedhe saw a dragoncoiling round hi»
* The scholiastupon Thucydidej Ulls u», Ttemii-
Cocles
served
Diepeople
of Corcyra inanaffairofgreat- * Thisis totallyinconsistent
wiih thatsplendour
in
erimportance.Thestales of Greece wereinclinedwhich,according toPlutarch's
ownaccount, h«lived,
to makewar uponthatislandfor notjoiningin the before
hehadanypublicappointments.
leagueagainstXeries ; but Thcmistocles
represented, f The resentment
of i'eries is notat all to bewon-
that,if theywerein thatmanner to punishall th« dered at,since
Thcmisloclts
hadnotonlybeaten
him
cities(hathadnotacceded to iheleague, theirpro- in thebattle
ofSalamii,
but,whatwasmoredisgrace,
ceedings wouldbring greatercalamitiesuponGreeceful still,hadmade him a dupelo his designing per-
than it had suffered from the barbarians. suasions andrepresentations. In thelossof Tictory
t It wasnothingparticularfora suppliantto dohom- hehadsome
consolation,
ashewasnot himselfthe im-
"gelo thehouseholdgodsof thepersonto whomhe mediate cause
of it, but for hi»ridicilousreturnU
aada request;buttodoit withthe kiug'sionin bii Asia,hisanger could onlylalljponhimself andTot»
trial wu an evtraordinarv circumstance* utoclct.
H
94 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

body,and creepingup to his neck; which, as " Nobody must know that before the king hin>
"oon as it had touched his face, was turned stlf." So Phaniaswrites; and Eritosthene*,
into an eagle and covering him with its wings, in his treatise on riches, adds, that Themisto-
took him up and carried him to a distant place, cles was brought acquainted with Artaban.ua,
where a golden sceptre appearedto him, upon and recommendedto him by an Eretrian wo-
which he restedsecurely,and was delivered man,who belongedto that officer.
from all his fear and trouble. When he was introduced to the king, and,
In consequenceof this warning, he was sent after his prostration, stood silent, the king com
away by Nicogenes,who contrived this method mandedthe interpreter to ask him who he was.
for it. The barbarians in general, especially The interpreter accordingly put the question,
the Persians,are jealous of the womeneven to and he answered," The man that is now coma
madness; not only of their wives, but their to address himself to you, O king, is Themis-
slaves and concubines; for, beside the care tocles the Athenian; an exile persecutedby the
they take that they shall be seen by none but Greeks. The Persians have sufferedmuch by
their own family, they keep them like prisoners me, but it has been more than compensatedby
in their houses; and when they take a journey, my preventing your being pursued; when after
they are put in a carriage close covered on all I had delivered Greece and saved my own
sides. In such a carriage as this Themistocles country, I had it in my power to do you also a
was convoyed, the attendants being instructed service. My sentiments are suitable to my
to tell those they met, if they happened to be present misfortunes,and I come preparedeither
questioned,thatthey were carryinga Grecian to receiveyour favour,if you are reconciledto
lady from Ionia to a nobleman at court. me, or, if you retain any resentment, to disarm
Thucydides and Charon of Lampsacus,relate it by my submission. Reject not the testimony
that Xerxes was then dead, and that it was to my enemies have given to the services I have
his son* Artaxerxes that Themistocles address- done the Persians,and make use of the oppor-
ed himself. But Ephoras,Dinon, Clitarchus, tunity mymisfortunes
affordyou,ratherto shew
Heraclides, and several others, write that your generosity than to satisfy your revenge.
Xerxes himself was then upon the throne. The If you saveme, you save your suppliant; if you
opinionof Thucydidesseemsmost agreeabledestroyme,youdestroytheenemyof Greece."*
to chronology,
thoughthat is not perfectlywell In hopesot influencingthe king by anargu-
settled. Themistocles,
nowreadyfor the dan- mentdrawnfrom religion,Themistocles added
gerousexperiment,appliedfirst to Artabanus,f to this speechan accountof the visionhebad
a militaryofficer,and toft him," He wasa in Nicogencs's
house,
andanoracleofJupiter
Greek, who desired to have audience of the of Dodona, which ordered him to go to ont
king,aboutmattersof great importance,
which who borethe samenamewith the god; from
the king himself had much at heart." Artaba- which he concluded he was sent to him, since
nusanswered,
"The lawsof menaredifferent; bothwerecalled,andreallywere,greatkings.
someesteemonething honourable,andsome The king gave him no answer,thoughhe
another; but it becomesall men to honour and admired his courage and magnanimity; but,
observethe customsof their own country. with his friends, he felicitated himself upon
With you,the thing mostadmiredis saidto be this, as the most fortunateeventimaginable.
liberty andequality. We havemanyexcellent We arealso told, that he prayedto Jlrimanir
laws ; and we regard it as one of the most in- u«,t that his enemiesmight ever be soinfatuat-
dispensable, to honourthe king, and to adore ed as to drive from amongstthemtheir ablest
him as the imageof that deity who preservesmen;that he offeredsacrificeto the gods;and
and supportsthe universe. If, therefore,you immediatelyaftermadea great entertainment;
are willing to conformto ourcustoms,and to nay, that he was so affectedwith joy, that
prostratej'ourself beforethe king,you maybe when he retired to rest, in the midst of his
permittedto seehim andspeakto him. But if sleep,he called out three times,I haveThe-
you cannotbring yourself to this, you must mistoclesthe -Athenian.
acquaintJuni with your businessby a third As soonasit wasday,he calledtogetherhis
person. It would be an infringementof the friends,andorderedThemistocles to bebrought
customof his country,for the king to admit before him. The exile expectedno favour,
any one to audiencethat does not worship when he found that the guards,at the first
him." To this Themistoclesreplied," My hearingof his name,treatedhimwith rancour,
business,Artabanus,is to add to the king's andloadedhim with reproaches. Nay, when
Honourandpower;thereforeI will complywith the king had taken his seat,and a respectful
yourcustoms, sincethegodthat hasexaltedthe silenceensued, Roxanes,oneof his officers,
Persianswill haveit so; andby my meansthe as Themistoclespassedhim, whisperedhim
numberof the king's worshippers will be in- with a sigh,-/iA.'thousubtleserpentof Greece,
creased. So let this be no hindranceto my the king's goodgenius hasbroughttheehith-
communicating to the king whatI haveto say." er. However, when he had prostratedhim-
" But who," saidArtabanus, " shallwe sayyou self twice in the presence,the king saluted
are' for by your discourse you appearto beno him, andspoketo him graciously,telling him,
ordinary person." Themistoclcuanswered," He owedhim two hundredtalents;for,ashe
had delivered himself up, it was but just that
* Thrmistocles,therefore,arrived at the Persian he should receivethe reward offeredto any one
court in tht first year of the 79th Olympiad, 462 years
before the birth of Chris'.; for that was the first year * How extremely abject and contemptible is this pe
of Arlaxerits's reign. tition, wherein the suppliant founds every argument
f Son of that Arlahanus, captain of the guards,who in his favour upon his i-»ces.
ilew Xcrifs, and persuadedArtaieries to cut off his I The god of darkness,the supposedauthorof plague*
tl*kr hrothf r Darius. and calamities, was called Mftman or ^Irimanaa-
 THEMISTOCLES.

uiit should
bringhim. Hepromised
himmuch certainPisidians
to kil' him,whenhe should
more,
assured
himofhisprotection,
andorder-lodge
inacitycalled
Leontocephal
us,orLion'l
ed himto declarefreelywhatever
hehadto Head,nowdetermined
to put it in execution.
proposeconcerning
Greece.Themistocles
re- But,ashelaysleeping
onedayat noon,the
plied,"That a man'sdiscourse
waslikea mother ofthegods
issaidtohaveappeared
to
pieteof tapestry*which,whenspreadopen,him in a dream,andthusto haveaddressed
displays
its figures;butwhenit is foldedup, him: "Beware,ThemistocleB,
of the Lion's
theyarehiddenandlost; therefore hebeggedHead,lesttheLion crushyou. Forthiswarn-
time." The king,delightedwith the compar- ing I requireof youMnesiptolema for my "Br-
ison,badehim takewhattime hepleased;and yant." Themistocles awokein greatdisorder,
be desireda year: in which spacehe learned andwhenhe had devoutlyreturnedthanksto
the Persianlanguage,so as to beable to con- the goddess, left the high road,andtook an-
Tersewith the king withoutan interpreter. other way, to avoid the placeof danger. At
Suchasdid not belongto the court,believed night he took up his lodgingbeyondit; but as
that be entertainedtheir princeon the subject oneof the horsesthat hadcarriedhis tent had
of the Grecian affairs; but as there were thea fallen into a river, and his servantswere busied
manychangesin the ministry,he incurredthe in spreading the wet hangingsto dry, the Pusi
envyof the nobility, who suspectedthat he dians,who were advancingwith their swords
had presumedto speaktoo freelyof themto drawn, saw these hangingsindistinctly by
the king. The honoursthat were paid him moonlight,and taking them for the tent of
werefar superiorto thosethat otherstrangersThemistocles,expectedto find him reposing
hadexperienced; the king took him with him himselfwithin. They approached, therefore,
a hunting,conversedfamiliarlywith him in hig and lifted up the hangings;but the servants
palace, and introducedhim to the queen thathad the careof them,fell uponthem,and
mother,whohonoured himwith herconfidence.tookthem. The dangerthusavoided,Themis-
He likewisegaveordersfor his beinginstruct- tocles admiringthe goodness of the goddess
ed in the learning of the Jllagi. that appeared to him, built a temple in Mag
Demaratus,the Lacedemonian,who was nesia,which he dedicatedto CybeleDindy-
then at court,being orderedto aska favour, mene and appointedbis daughterMnesipto-
desired tbat be might be carried through Sar- lema priestessof it.
dis in royal state,f with a diadem upon his When he was come to Sardis, he divertea
head. But Mithropaustes, the king'a cousin- himself with looking upon the ornaments of
gennan, took him by the hand, and said, De- the temples; and among the great number of
maratus, this diadem does not carry brains offerings, he found in the temple of Cybele, a
along with it to cover; nor would you beJu- femalefigureof brasstwo cubits high, called
piter, though you should take hold of his Hydrophorus or the water bearer,which he
thunder. The king was highly displeased at himself, when surveyor of the aqueducts at
Demaratus for making this request, and seem- Athens, had causedto be made and dedicated
ed determined never to forgive him; yet, at out of the fines of suchas had stolen the water,
the desireof Themistocles,
he was persuadedor^divertedthe stream. Whetherit wasthat
to bereconciledto him. And in thefollowing hewasmovedat seeingthisstatuein a strange
reigns, when the affairs of Persia and Greece country, or that he was desirous to shew the
were more closely connected, as oft as the Athenians how much he was honoured,* and
kings requested a favour of any Grecian cap- what power he had ail over the king's domin-
tain, they are said to have promised him, in ions, he addressed himself to the governor of
express terms; That he should be a greater Lydia, and begged leave to send back the
man at their court than Themistocleshad statueto Athens. The barbarianimmediately
been. Nay, we are told, that Themistoclestook fire, andsaidhewould certainlyacquaint
himself,in the midst of his greatness,
and the the king what sort of a requesthe had made
extraordinary respectthat was paid him, seeing
his table most elegantly spread, turned to his yards of the east; and Myus or Myon aboundedin
children,andsaid, Children,tee should have protuions,
particularly
in fish. It wasusual
withthe
beenundone,had it not beenfor our undoing. easternmouarchs, msUadof pensions to their lavoor-
Most authors agree, that he had three cities ites, to assignthemcitiesand provinces. Evensuch
givenhim,for bread,wine,and meat,Mag- provinces
asthekingsretainedtherevenueof, were
nesia, Lampsacus, and Myus.J underparticulara&sigamenU;
Neanthes of oneprovincefurnishing
so much for wine, another for victuals, a third the
Cyzicus,and Phanias,add two more,Percote privypurse,anda fourthfor thewardrobe.Oneof
ind Palsscepsis, for his chamber and his ward- Ihc queenshadall Egypifor her clothing;andPlato
robe. tells us(1 Alcibiad.)that manyof the provinces
were
Somebusiness
relativeto Greecehavingappropriated
for thequeen's
wardrobe;
onefor hei
brought
himtothesea-coast,
aPersian,
named
girdle,
another
and each forher
province head
bore thedresj,
nameand soof
of that the
part ofresl
IhJ
Epixyes, governor of Upper Phrygia, who had dressit wasto furnish.
a design upon his life, and had long prepared * It i» not improbablethat this proceeded
from *
principle of vanity. The loveof admiration waj Ue
* In this he artfully conformedlo the figurative ruling passionof Themistocles,
and discoversitself
Banner
of speaking
in useamong
theeastern
nations. uniformly
through
hiswhole
conduct.Theremight,
f This was thehighestmarkof honourwhich the howeTer.beanotherreasunwhich Plutarchhasnot
Persian
kingscouldgive. Ahasucrus, thesanae
wiLh mentioned. Thtmistockswasaneiccllentmanager
Xcries.thefatherofthisArtaicru>,hadDotlongbe- in politicalreligion.-HehadlatelybceaemintiTll*
fore ordainedthat Mordecaishouldbehonouredin distinguished
by the favour of Cybele. He findsan
that manner. Athenianstatuein her temple.-T'hegoddess
consent*
JThe countryaboutMagnesiawas10fertile, that that heshouldsendit to Athens:andthe Athenians.
it broughtThemistocles a revenueof fifty latent*. out of respectto thegoddess,
mustof courseceue u
Lunp&acushad in its neighbourhoodthe noblestvine- persecutener favourite Themi»locle»,
 96 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

him. Themistocles,alarmedat this menace,horseman, but a manof no merit in other re-

applied to the governor'swomen, and, by spects. Neocles,his eldestson,diedwhena
money,prevailedupon them to pacify him. child, by the bite of a horse;andDiocleswas
After this, he behavedwith more prudence,adoptedby hisgrandfatherLysander. He had
sensiblehow much he had to fear from the several daughters, namely, Mnesiptolema,
envyof the Persians. Hence,hedidnot travel bya secondwife, who wasmarriedto Arcbep-
aboutAsia,as Theopompussays,but took up tolis, her hah"brother; Italia, whosehusband
hjs abodeat Magnesia;where loaded with was Panthide»of Chios; Sibaris,marriedto
valuable
presents,
and equallyhonoured
with Nicomedes
theAthenian;
andNichomache,
at
the Persiannobles,he longlived in greatse- Magnesia,to Phrasicles,the nephewof Tlie
curity; for the king, who was engagedin the mistocles,who, afterher father'sdeath,toona
affairsof the upper provinces,gave but little voyagefor that purpose,receivedher at the
attention to the concerns of Greece. handsof her brothers, and brought up her sis-
But whenEgyptrevolted,andwassupportedter Asia,the youngestof the children.
in that revoltby the Athenians,whenthe Gre- The Magnesianserecteda veryhandsome
cian fleet sailed as far as Cyprus and Celicia, monument to him, which still remains in the
and Cimon rode triumphant master of the seas, market-place No credit is to be given to An-
then the king of Persia applied himself to op- decides, who writes to his friends, that the
posethe Greeks,andto preventthe growthof Atheniansstolehis ashesout of the tomb,and
their power. He put hisforcesin motion,sent scatteredthem in the air; for it is an artifice
out his generals,anddispatchedmessengersto of his to exasperate the nobility againstthe
Themistoclesat Magnesia, to commandhim to people. Phylarchus,too, more like a writer
performhis promises,andexerthimselfagainst of tragedythan an historian,availinghimself
Greece. Did henot obeythe summons then? of what maybecalled a piece of machinery,
-No-neither resentment against the Athe- introduces Neocles and Demopolis as the sons
nians,nor the honoursand authorityin which of Themistocles,to make his story the more
he now flourished,could prevail uponturn to interestingandpathetic. But a verymoderate
take the directionof the expedition. Possibly degreeof sagacitymaydiscoverit to be a fic-
hemightdoubtthe eventof thewar, asGreece tion. Yet Dioflorus the geographer writes in
hadthen severalgreat generals:andCimonin his Treatiseof Sepulchres, but ratherby con-
particularwasdistinguished with extraordinary jecture thancertainknowledge,that, nearthe
success.Aboveall, regardfor hisownachieve- harbourof Piraus, from the promontoryof
ments,and the trophieshe hadgained,whose Alcimns,*the land makesan elbow,andwhen
gloryhewasunwillingto tarnish,determined
you have doubledit inwards,by the stil'
him (as the bestmethodhe could take) to put water thereis a vast foundation,uponwhich
suchan endto his life asbecamehis dignity.* standsthe tombof Themistocles,!in the form
Havine, therefore,sacrificedto the gods,as- of an altar. With him Plato,thecomicwriter
sembledhis friends,and takenhis last leave, is supposedto agreein the followinglines'
hedrankbulls'blood,tas is generally
report- Oftasthemerchant
speeds
thepassing
sai],
ed; or, as some relate it, he took a quick poi- Thy tomb,Themistocles,he stopsto nail:
son, and ended his days at Magnesia, having When hostileshipsin martialcombatmeet,
Lved sixty-fiveyears,most of which he had Thy shade
attending
hovers
o'erthefleet.
spentin civil ormilitaryemployments. When Varioushonours andprivileges
weregranted
the kingwasacquainted with the causeand bytheMagnesiansto thedescendants
ofThe-
mannerof hisdeath,he admiredhim more mistocles, whichcontinueddownto ourtimes;
thanever,andcontinued hisfavourandbountyfor theywereenjoyedby oneof hisname,an
to his friendsandrelations.} Athenian,with whom I had a particularac-
Themistocles
hadbyArchippe, thedaughterquaintance
andfriendship
in thehouse
of Am-
of Lysanderof Alopece,five sons,Neocles,moniusthephilosopher.
Diocles, Archeptolis, Polyeuctes, and Cleo-
phantus. The threelastsurvivedhim. Plato " Meurjiusrightlycorrects
it Mmta. Wefindno
takes notice of Cleophantus as an excellent placein Attica calledJllcimus,but a borough
named
AJimus there was, on the east of the Piraus.
* Thucydides,
whowascontemporary with The- f Thucydides
says,
that theboues
of Themistocles,
mistocles,
onlytays,Hediedof a distemper;
butsomebyhisowncommand,wereprivately
carried
backinto
reportthathepoisoned
himself,
seeing
tt impossible
Attica,
andburied
there.ButPausanias
agrees
with
toaccomplishwhatheliadpromisedthekin*, fhucyd.Theodorus, thattheAthenians,repenting
of theirill
dctBell.
Pelopon.1.i.
Whilst theyweresacrificing
usage
ofthisgreat
thebull,he causedthePiraus.
man,honoured himwithatomb in
thebloodto bereceivedin acup,anddrankit whibt It does notappear,
indeed,
thatThemistocles,
when
it waswarm,which(according to Pliny)is mortal, banished,
hadanydesigneitherto revenge
himselfon
because
it coagulates
orthickens
inaninstact. Athens,
orto takerefuge
inthecourtof thekingof
jgkf There
"eath is,mouropinion,
thanmmore
of Thcmisloclcs trueheroism
thedeathof Cato.inItis
the Persia.
or ratherTheGreeksthemselves
forced
theLacedaemonian?;
for, asbyhim
theirupon this,
intrigues
something
enthusiastically
great,whena mandeter-hiscountrymen
wereinduced
to banish
him,so,bytheir
mines
notto survive
hisliberty;butit is something
importunities
afterhewasbanished,
tewasnotsufler-
itill greater,
nhenherefuses
tosurvive
hishonour. edtoenjoyanyrefuge
in quiet.
 97

CAMILLUS.

AMONG
themanyremarkable
things
related
of wasappointed
ceiijor,
anofficeatthattimeof
Furiu»Camillas, themostextraordinary
seemsgreatdignity.* There is uponrecorda very
to be this, that thoughhe wasoftenin the laudable actof his,thattookplaceduringhis
highest commands, andperformedthegreatestoffice. As thewarshad mademanywidows,
actions,thoughhewasfive timeschosen dic- heobligedguchof the menas lived single,
tator,though hetriumphed fourtimes,andwas partlyby persuasion,andpartlybythreatening
styledthe second founderof Rome,yet be themwithfines,to marrythosewidows. An-
wasneveronceconsul. Perhaps wemaydis- otheract of his,whichindeed wasabsolutely
cover the reason in the state of the common- necessary,was, the causing the orphans, who
wealthat thattime: the peoplethenat variance beforewereexemptfromtaxes,to contributeto
with the senate,*refusedto electconsuls,and, the supplies;for thesewereverylarge,by rea-
insteadof themput the governmentinto the son of the continualwars. What wasthen
bandsof military tribunes. Though these mosturgentwas the siege of Veii, whosein-
acted,indeed,with consularpowerandauthor- habitantssomecall Venetani. This city was
ity, yet their administration
waslessgrievousthebarrierof Tuscany,
and,in thequantityof
to thepeople, because
theyweremoreinnum- herarmsandnumberof her military,not in-
ber. To have the direction of affairs entrusted ferior to Rome. Proud of her wealth, her
to sixpersona insteadof two, was someease elegance,andluxury, shehadmaintainedwith
andsatisfaction to a peoplethat couldnot bear the Romansmanylongandgallant disputes for
to bedictatedto by thenobility. Camillus,then glory and for power. But humbledby many
distinguishedby his achievements and at the signaldefeats,the Veienteshadthen bid adieu
height of glory,did not chooseto be consul to that ambition; they satisfiedthemselves
againstthe inclinationsof the people,though with buildingstrongandhighwalls,andfilling
the comitia, or assembliesin whichtheymight the city -withprovisions,arms,andall kindsof
have elected consuls, were several times held warlike stores; and so they waited for the ene-
in that period.In all his other commissions,my withoutfear. The siegewaslong, but ao
which were many and various, he so conducted less laborious and troublesome to the besiegers
himself, that if he was entrusted with the sole than to them. For the Romanshad long been
power,hesharedit with others,andif he had accustomed
to summercampaigns
only, andto
a colleague, the glory was his own. The au- winter at home; and then for the first time
thority seemedto be shared by reason of his their officers ordered them to construct forte,
great modesty in command,which gave no oc- to raise strong works about their camp, and to
casion to envy; and the glory was secured to passthe winter as well as summer in the ene-
him by his genius and capacity, in which he my's country.
was universally allowed to have no equal. The seventh year of the war was now al-
The Family of the Furiit was not very il- most passed, when the generals began to be
lustriousbeforehis time; he wasthe first that blamed;andasit wasthoughttheyshewednot
raisedit to distinction,when he servedunder sufficient vigour in the siege,f they were
Posthumius Tibertius,in the greatbattle with superseded,and others put in their room;
the Equi and Volsci. In that action, spurring
his horse before the ranks, he received a wound yet that was an office which the Romans never con-
in the thigh,when,insteadof retiring,he ferred
upon
a young
person
; and,
in (act,Camilla!
pluckedthe javelin out of the wound,engagedwasnotcensor
till theyearof Rome
353.
with the bravest of the enemy, and put them » Theauthorityof thecensors,
in the time of the
to flight.f For this, amongother honours,he republicwasveryextensive.
Theyhada powerto
expel senatorsthe house,to degradethe knighU,
and to disable the commonsfrom giving their votes in
« The old quarrel about the distribution of lands the assembliesof the people. But the emperors took
was revised,the peopleinsistingthat every citizen theofficeuponthemselves; andasmanyof themabused
shouldhaveanequalshare.Thesenate metfrequeBtly it, it lost its honour, and sometimes
the very title
to disconcertthe proposal;at last AppiusClaudius waslaid aside. As to whatPlutarchsay",that Camil-
lus, when censor, obliged many of the bachelors to
marry thewidowsof thosewho hadfallenin theWATS,
that was in pursuanceof one of the Dowersof his of
iu eiccuuon. A ne commons,inusaisappomrea,chose nee. Calibi.* esseprohilenlo.
military tribunes, instead of consuls, and sometimes
hadthemall plebeians.Lit'. 1.ir. c. 48. f Of thesix militarytribunesof thatvear,only two,
L. VirginiusandManius
Sergius,earned onthesiege
f Furivx-wasthe familyname. Camillus (ashas ofVeii. Sergius commandedtheattack,andVirgin-
beenalreadyobserved)wasanappellation
of children iuscovered thesiege.While thearmywasthusdi-
ofqualitywhoadminUteredin thetemple
of somegod. vided,the Falisci»ndCapenatesfell uponSergius,
OurCamillus
wasthefirstwhoretained
it asasur- and,at thesame time,thebesieged sallying
out,at-
name. tacked him on the other side. Tne Romansunder hit
command, thinking they had all the forcesof Heir um
} Thiswas
intheyear
ofRome
324,
when
Camillus
might beaboutfourteenor SAeen
todial-with,
began
tolose
yearsof age(for in
courage
andretire.Vir-
theyearof Rome389he wasnearfourscore),though ginius couldhavesaved hiscolleague's
troops,
butaj
the Roman youth did not useto bear arms soonerthan Scrgius
y,a»tooproudto sendto himfor succour,
he
resolved
Kven'een. And though Plutarch saysthat his gallant made notto givehimany. Theenemy, therefore,
a dreadfulslaughterof the Romansin their
behaviour
at thattimeprocured
himthecensorship,
lines.Lit. lib. v.c.8.
98 PLUTARCH'S

among whom was Camillas, then appointed taken, till the waters of the Alban lake, which
tribune the second time.* He was not, how- had now forsaken their bed, and found new
ever, at present concerned in the siege, for it passages,were turned back, or so diverted, al
fell to his lot to head the expeditionagainst to preventtheir mixingwith the sea."*
the Fahsci and Capenates,who, while the The senate,informedof this prediction,and
Romans were otherwise employed, committed deliberating upon it, were of opinion, it would
great depredationsin their country,and har- be bestto sendto Delphi to consultthe oracle.
assed them during the whole Tuscan war. They chose for this purpose three personsof
But Camillas, falling upon them, killed great honour and distinction, Lucinius Cossus,Va-
numbers,and shut up the rest within their lerius Potitus, and Fabius Ambustus;who,
walls. having had a prosperousvoyage,and consulted
During the heat of the war, a phenomenonApollo, returnedwith this among otheran-
appearedin the Alban lake, which might be swers,"That they had neglectedsomecere-
reckoned amongst the strangestprodigies; and, monies in the Latin feastB."t As to the water
as no common or natural causecould be as- of the Albanlake,they wereordered,if possi-
signed for it, it occasionedgreat consternation. ble, to shut it up in its ancient bed: or, if that
The summer was now declining, and the could not be effected, to dig canals and trench-
seasonby no meansrainy,nor remarkablefor es for it, till it lost itself on the land. Agreea-
south winds. Of the many springs, brooks, bly to thisdirection,the priestswereemployed
and lakes, which Italy aboundswith, some in offeringsacrifices,andthe peoplein labour,
were dritd up, and others but feebly resisted to turn the course of the water.f
the drought; the rivers always low in the sum- In the tenth year of the siege, the senatere-
mer, then ran with a veryslenderstream.But moved the other magistrates,and appointed
the Alban lake, which has its source within it- Camillus dictator, who made choice of Corne-
self, and dischargesno part of its water, being lius Scipio for his general of horse. In the first
quite surrounded with mountains, without any place he made vows to the gods, if they fa
cause, unless it was a supernatural one, began voured him with putting a glorious period to
to rise and swell in a most remarkable manner, the war, to celebrate the great circensian
increasing till it reached the sides, and at last, gamesto their honour,§ and to consecratethe
the very tops of the hills, all which happened temple of the goddess,whom the Romanscall
without any agitation of its waters. For the mother J\latuta. By her sacredriteswe
awhile it was the wonderof the shepherds
and maysupposethis lastto bethe goddess Leu-
herdsmen: but when the earth, which like a cothea. For they take a female slave into th«
mole, kept it from overflowing the country be- inner part of the t.emple,|| wherethey beat her,
low, was broken down with the quantity and and then drive her out; they carry their bro-
weight of water, then descending like a tor- ther's children in their arms instead of their
rent through the ploughed fields and other cul- own;1Tand they represent in the ceremonies
tivated grounds to the sea, it not only aston- of the sacrifice all that happenedto the nurse*
ished the Romans, but was thought by all Italy of Bacchus, and what Ino sufferedfor having
to portend some extraordinary event. It was savedthe son of Juno's rival.
the great subject of conversation in the camp After these vows, Camillus penetrated into
before Veii, so that it came at last to be known the country of the Falisci, and in a great battle
to the besieged. overthrew them and their auxiliaries the Cape-
As in the courseof long siegesthere is usual- nates. Then he turned to the siegeof Veii;
ly someconversationwith the enemy,it hap- andperceivingit would be both difficult and
penedthata Romansoldierformedanacquaint- dangerousto endeavour to take it by assault,
ance with one of the townsmen, a man versed he ordered mines to be dug, the soil about th6
in ancient traditions, and supposedto be more city being easyto work, and admitting of depth
than ordinarily skilled in divination. The Ro- enough for the works to be earned on unseen
man perceiving that he expressed great satis- by the enemy. As this succeededto his wish,
faction at the story of the lake, and thereupon he made an assault without, to call the enemy
laughedat the siege,told him, "This was not to the walls; and,in the meantime,othersof
the only wonder the times had produced, but his soldiers made their way through the mines,
other prodigiesstill strangerthan thishadhap- andsecretlypenetratedto Juno'stemplein the
penedto the Romans;whichheshouldbeglad citadel. This wasthe mostconsiderable tem-
to communicate to him, if by that meanshe ple in the city; and we are told, that at that
could provide for his own safety in the midst
of the public ruin." The manreadily heark- " The prophecy,
according
to Liry, (1.T.c. 15.)
ening
totheproposal,
cameouttohim,expect-
was this, VeilshaM nrver
run out of the lake of.lllia.
ketoken
tMalltAe
voter
">
ing to hear some secret, and the Roman con- \ Thesefeasts
wereinstitutedby TarquintheProud.
tinued the discourse,drawinghim forwardby TneRomans
presided
inthem', but all Vhepeople
of
degrees,till they were at some distance from Latiumwereto attendthem,and to partakeof a bull
the gates. Then he snatched him up in his thensacrificedto JupiterLatialia.
armsandby his superiorstrengthheldhim, | Thiswonderful worksubsists tothisday,andthe
till withtheassistance
of several
soldiers
from waters
of thelakeAlbanorunthrough it.
§ These were a kind of tournament in the grefct
the camp he was secured and carried before n'rrut.
the generals. The man reducedto this neces- || Leucothoe
orInowasjealous
ofoneof herfemale
sity, and knowing that destiny cannot be avoid slaves,who wasthe favouriteof her husband
Athamas.
ed,declared
thesecretor.icleaconcerning
his ITIDO wasaTeryunhappy mother; forshe hadseen
the city could never be her son Lcarchur slain by her husband, whereupoB
own country, "That she threw herself into the sea with her oilier SODMe-
licertes. But she was a more fortunate aunt, having
" Theyearof Rome
337. preserved
Bacchus
theionof hersister
Seme]*
 CAMILLUS.

instantiheTuscan
general
happenedtobesa-side,whichcouldnever
have
risenfrom«uch
crificing;
when
thesoothsayer,
uponinspection
small
andcontemptible
beginnings
tothnt height
of theentrails,
criedout, "The godspromiseof glory andempire, withouttheconstantas-
victoryto himthatshallfinishthissacrifice;"*sistance
of somegod,whofavoured themwilb
theRomans whowereunderground,hearingmanyconsiderable tokensof his presence.
whathe said,immediately removed thepave-Several miraclesof a similarnatureare also
ment,and cameout with loud shoutsand alleged;as, that imageshaveoftensweated;
clashingtheir arms,whichstrucktheenemythattheyhavebeenheardto groan;andthat
with such terror, that they fled,and left the sometimes
theyhaveturnedfromtheir votaries,
entrails,whichwerecarriedto Camillus. But andshuttheir eyes. Many suchaccountswe
perhaps this hasmoreof theair of fablethan havefromourancients;
andnota fewpersona
of history. of ourowntimeshavegivenuswonderful
rela-
The city thustakenby the Romans,sword tions, not unworthyof notice. But to give en-
in hand,while they were busyin plunderingit tire creditto them,or altogetherto disbelieve
andcarryinn off its immenseriches,Camillus them,is equallydangerous, on accountof hu-
beholdingl'roo»vhccitadel whatwasdone, at man weakness. We keepnot alwayswithin
first burst nuo tears, and when thoseabout the houndsof reason,nor are mastersof our
him beganto magnifyhis happiness, he lifted minds. Sometimeswe fall into vain super-
np his handstowards heaven,and uttered this stition, and sometimesinto an impious neglect
prayer,"Great Jupiter,andyc godsthat have of all religion. It U bestto becautious,and
the inspectionof our goodandevil actions,ye to avoidextremes."
know that the Romans not without jast cause, Whether it was that Camillas was elated
but in their own defence, and constrained by with his great exploit in taking a city that wai
necessity,
havemadewaragainst
thiscity,and therivalof Rome,afterit hadbeenbesieged
their enemiesits unjustinhabitants.If wemust tenyears,orthathe wasmisledby hisflatterers,
have some misfortune in lieu of this success,I he took upon him too much state for a magis-
entreat that it may fall, not upon Rome or the trate subject to the laws and usages of hi»
Romanarmy,but uponmyself:yet lay not, ye country; for his triumph wasconductedwith
gods,a heavyhand uponme!"t Havingpro- excessive pomp,andherode throughRomein
nounced thesewords, he turned to the right, as a chariot drawn by four white horses,which no
themannerof the Romansis afterprayerand generaleverdid beforeor after him. Indeed,
supplication,but fell in turning. His friends thissort of carriageis esteemedsacred,andis
that were by, expressed great uneasiness at appropriated to thekingand fatherof the gods.f
the accident, but he soon recovered himself The citizens, therefore, consideredthis unusual
from the fall, andtold them, " It wasonly a appearanceof grandeurasan inealtuponthem.
"mall inconvenienceafter greatsuccess,
agree- Besides,
theywereoffended at hisopposingthe
able to his prayer."t law by which the city was to be divided. For
After the city waspillaged,he determined.their tribuneshadproposed
thatthesenateand
pursuantto his vow, to removethis statueof peopleshouldbedividedinto twoequalparts;
Juno to Rome. The workmen were assembled one part to remain at Rome, and the other, aa
for the purpose,and he offered sacrifice to the the lot happenedto fall, to remove to the con-
goddess,
"Beseechingher to acceptof their queredcity, by which meanstheywould not
homage,andgraciouslyto take up her abode only havemoreroom,but by beingin posses-
amongthe godsof Rome." To which, it is sion of two considerable
cities,be betterable
said, the statue softly answered, "She was to defend their territories, and to watch over
willingandreadyto do it." ButLivy says,theirprosperity.Thepeople,whowerevery
Camillus,in offeringup his petition,touchednumerous,
andenrichedby thelateplunder,
the imageof the goddess,
andentreatedherto constantlyassembled
in theforum, andina tu-
go with them,andthatsomeof the slandersby multuousmannerdemandedto haveit put to
answered,"Sheconsented,and
wouldwillingly the vote. But thesenateandotherprincipal
followthem." Thosethatsupportanddefendcitizens considered
thisproposal
of thetribunes,
themiracle,havethefortune
of Romeontheir not so muchthedividingasthedestroying of
Rome,); and in their uneasinessapplied to Ca-
* Wordstpokenby persons
unconcerned
in their miUus.Camilluswasafraidto put it to thetrin.1
ifliirj,anduponaquite
different
subject,
wereidter-andtherefore
invented
demursandpretencesof
I:reted bythe
appencd heathens
tobe a&
anyway g°°^orbad
applicable om«ns,
totheir if they
case Anddelay,toprevent
thebillsbeing
offered
to the
theytookgreatpains
tofulii)theomen,
if theythoughtpeople;by whichheincurredtheir displeasure.
it fortunate; as wellasto evadeit, if it appearedun- But the greatest and most manifest causeof
lucky.
1 Livy; whoh»»givenusIbis prayer,hasnotquali- theirhatred
was,hisbehaviour
withrespect
to
fied it with that modification sounworthy of Camillus, the tenths of the spoils: and if the resentment
l»,- Iftaursv i>.«xi;«! x*xw .-|>.ewTi.<rsc»,
Tnay it &* tvith of the peoplewasnotin this casealtogether
axlittle detrimentat possibleto myself. On thecon- just, yet it had some show of reason. It seemi
trary,hesays,
ut earninvidiamlenirefuoprivatein- hemadea vow, as he marchedto Veil, thatif
commoiio,oumnminimoj/uili'co pojmti Romani lictrit.
Camillusprayed,that, if this success musthave an * Tbe fr«' Mr- AddisouKCOUto harehad thi«
equivalentin someensungnuj/br/un/, that misfor- passage of Pluf»rchin his eye,whenh>-deliveredhi*
tune mieihtfall upOtihimself,and the Jtomanpeople opinionconcerning thedoctrineof witches.
escapemtli aslittle detriment
aspossible. Thiswas t Helikewisecoloured his(acewithvermilion,
th»
greatandheroic.Plutarchhavingbutanimperfectcolourwith whichthestatues of thegodswerecom-
knowledge of the Roman language, probably mistook monly painted.
thesense. } Theyfeared Ihdt(wosuchcitiesvroulJ,
bydegrees,
\ Livy tclU ua. it wasconjectured
from the event, become
two different»UUs,-which,3ft,r ., dVslructiT*-
that thisfallof CamilJus
nation and banishment
wasapresage
of hiscondem-war witheachother,wouidat lergtl,fall a pnj te
their common enemies.
100 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

he tookthe city, hewouldConsecrate

thetenths intervening,put the management
of the dec
to Apollo. But when thi; city was taken, and tions in the hands of the patricians; and they
cameto bepillaged,
hewaseitherunwillingto nominated
Camillusa military tribune,*to-
interrupthis men,or in the hurry hadforgot getherwith fiveothers,asaffairsthenrequired
his vow, and so gave up the whole plunder to a general of considerable dignity, reputation,
them. Aflerhe had resignedhis dictatorship, and experience. When the people had cor
he laid the casebefore the senate:and the finnedthis nomination,Camillusmarchedhig
soothsayers declared,that the sacrificesan- forcesinto the countryof the Falisci, andlaid
nouncedthe angerof the gods,which oughtto siegeto Falerii, a city well fortified,andpro
be appeased by offeringsexpressiveof their videdin all respectsfor the war. He wassen-
gratitude for the favoursthey had received. sible it waslike to be no easyaffair, norsoon
The senatethen madea decree,that the plun- to bedespatched, and this wasonereasonfor
der should remain with the soldiers, (for they his engagingin it; for he was desirousto keep
knew not how to manage it otherwise;) but the citizens employed abroad, that they might
that each should produce, upon oath, the tenth not have leisure to sit down at homeand raise
of the value of what he had got. This was a tumults and seditions. This was, indeed, a
great hardshipuponthe soldiers; and those remedywhichtheRomansalwayshadrecourse
poorfellowscouldnot withoutforcebebrought to, like good physicians,to expel dangerous
to refund so large a portion of the fruit of their humours from the body politic.
labours,andto makegoodnot only whatthey The Falerians,trusting to the fortifications
had hardly earned, but now actually spent. with which they were surrounded, made so
Camillus,distressedwith their complaints,
for little accountof the siege,thatthe inhabitants,
want of a better excuse,madeuseof a very exceptthosewhoguardedthe walks, walked
absurdapology,by acknowledging he hadfor- the streetsin their commonhabits. The boys
gotten his vow. This theygreatlyresented,too went to school,and the mastertookthem
that, havingthen vowedthe tenthsof the ene- out to walk andexerciseaboutthe walls. For
my's goods,he should now exact the tenths of the Falerians, like the Greeks, chose to have
the citizens. However,theyall producedtheir their childrenbred at one public school,that
proportion,andit wasresolved,thata vaseof they mightbetimesbeaccustomed to thesame
massygoldshouldbe madeandsentto Delphi. discipline, and form themselvesto friendship
But as there was a scarcity of gold in the city, and society.
while the magistrateswere considering how to This schoolmaster,then, designing to betray
procure it, the Romanmatronsmet, andhav- the Faleriansby meansof their children,took
ing consulted among themselves, gave up their them every day out of the city to exercise,
goldenornaments, whichweighedeighttalents, keepingpretty closeto the wallsat first, and
as an offeringto the god. And the senate,in when their exercisewas over, led themin
honour of their piety, decreed that they should again. By degrees he took them out farther,
have funeral orations as well asthe men, which accustomingthem to divert themselvesfreely,
hadnot beenthe custombefore.* They then as if they hadnothingto fear. At last,hav-
sentthree of the chiefnobilityambassadors,in ing got them all together,he broughtthemto
a large ship well manned,andfitted out in a the Roman advancedguard, and delivered
manner becoming so solemn an occasion. them up to be carried to Camillus. When he
In this voyage,
theywereequallyendangeredcameinto his presence, he said,"He was the
by a storm anda calm,but escapedbeyondall schoolmaster
of Falerii, but preferringhis fa-
expectation, when on the brink of destruction. vour to the obligations of duty, he came to de-
For the wind slackening near the -Eolean liver up those children to him, and in themthe
islands, the galleys of the Lipareans gave them whole city." This action appeared very
chace as pirates. Upon their stretching out shocking to Camillus. and he said to thosethat
their hands for mercy, the Lipareans used no were by, " War (at best) is a savagething,
violence to their persons, but towed the ship and wades through a sea of violence and in-
into harbour,andthereexposedboththemand justice; yet evenwar itself hasits laws,which
their goodsto sale,havingfirst adjudgedthem men of honourwill not departfrom; nor do
to be lawful prize. With much difficulty, they so pursue victory, as to avail themselves
however, they were prevailed upon to release of acts of villainy and baseness. For a great
them, out of regardto the merit andauthority generalshouldonly rely on bis ownvirtue,and
of Timesitheus, the chief magistrate of the not upon the treachery of others." Then he
place; who,moreover,conveyed
themwith his orderedthe lictors to tear off the wretch'*
own vessels, and assisted in dedicating the clothes, to tie his hands behind him, and fur-
gift. For this, suitablehonourswerepaidhim nish the boyswith rodsandscourges,
to punish
"t Rome. the traitor, and whip him into the city. By
And nowthetribunesqf thepeopleattempt- this time the Falerianshad discoveredthe
ed to bring the law for removingpart of the schoolmaster's
treason;the city, as mightbe
citizensto Veii once more upon the carpet; expected,wasfull of lamentationsfor so great
but the war with the Falisci veryseasonablya loss,andthe principalinhabitants,both men
and women, crowded about the walls and the
" Thematrons
had
the
Talue
ofthecold
paid
them
: gatelikepersons
distracted.
Inthemidst
of
andit wasnoton thisoccasion,
butafterwards,
when this disorderthey espiedthe boyswhippingon
theycontributedtheir goldenornamenta
to makeup their master, naked and bound, and calling
thesumdemanded
bytheGauls,
thatfuneralorationsCamillustheir god,theirdeliverer,their father
Tftic £tant<rdthem. The privilegethey were now Not only the parents of those children, bul
favoured with, was leave to ride in rhariob al the
publicgamesandsacrifices, andin optt carriages,of a " Theyear of Rome361. Camilluswasthenmill
KM honourable sort, onotheroccaiioaa,in thestreets. tary tribunethethird time.
 CAMILLUS. 1U1

aUthecitizens
in general
werestruckwithad-about,
stretched
out hishandstowards th«
miration
at thespectacle,
andconceivedsuchCapitol,
andprayedto the1
gods,
" Thatif be
anaffectionfor thejusticeof Camillus,that wasdrivenoutwithoutanyfault of his own,
they immediately assembledin council,andandmerely bythemight
violence
orenvy ofthepeo-
"ent dnouties
to surrenderto himboth them-ple,the Romans quicklyrepentit, and
selves
undtheircity. express
toalltheworldtheirwantofCarnUlu*,
Camillus sent them to Rome : and when and their regret for his absence."
theywereintroducedto thesenate,theysaid, Whenhehadthus,likeAchilles,
utteredhis
"The Romans,
in preferringjusticeto con- imprecations
againsthiscountrymen,
he de
quest,
havetaught usto besatisfied
withsub-parted;
andleaving
hiscause undefended,he
mission
instead
of liberty. At thesametime,wascondemnedtopaya fineof fifteen
thou-
we declare we do not think ourselvesso much sand oses: which, reducedto Grecian money,
beneathyouin strength as inferiorin virtue." is one thousandfive hundreddrochmse:for
Thesenate referredthedisquisition
andsettlingtheas is a smallcointhat is thetenthpartof
of thearticlesof peaceto Camillus; whocon- a pieceof silver,whichforthatreasoniscalled
tentedhimselfwith takinga sumof moneyof denarius,andanswersto ourdrachma. There
the Falerians,andhavingenteredinto alliance is not a manin Romewho does not believe
with the wholenationof the Falisci,returned that theseimprecationsof Camillushad their
to Rome. effect; though the punishment of his country*
. But the soldiers,who expectedto havehad menfor their injustice,provedno waysagree-
the plunderingof Falerii, when they came able to him, but on the contrary matter of
backempty-handed, accusedCamillusto their jrief. Yet how great, how memorablewag
fellow-citizensas an enemyto the commons, that punishment!how remarkablydid ven-
andone that maliciouslyopposedthe interest jeance pursue the Romans! what danger,
of the poor. And when the tribunesagain destruction, anddisgrace, did thosetimesbring
proposedthe law for transplanting
part of the uponthe city! whetherit wasthe work of for
citizens to Veii,* and summonedthe people to tune, or whether it is the office of some deity,
give their votes,Camillusspokeveryfreely,or to seethatvirtueshall not beoppressed
by the
rather with much asperity againstit, appearing ungrateful with impunity.*
remarkably violent in his opposition to the The first token of the approachingcalamities
people;who thereforelosttheir bill, but har- wasthedeathof Julius the Censor.f For the
boured a strong resentment against Camillus. Romans have a particular veneration for the
Even the misfortune he had in his family, of censor, and look upon his office as sacred. A
losing one of bis sons, did not in the least secondtoken happeneda little before the exile
mitigate their rage; though, as a man of great of Camillus. Marcus Ceditius, a man of no
goodnessandtenderness
of heart,he was in- illustriousfamilyindeed,norof senatorialrank,
consolable for his loss, and shut himself up at but a person of great probity and virtue, in-
home, a close mourner with the women, at the formed the military tribunes of a matter which
same time that they were lodging an impeach- deserved great attention. As he was going
ment against him. the night before along what is called the New
His accuser was Lucius Apuleius, who Road, he said he was addressed in a loud
brought against him a charge of fraud with voice. Upon turning about he saw nobody,
respect to the Tuscan spoils ; and it was but heard these words in an accent more than
alleged that certain brassgates,a part of those human, " Go, Marcus Ceditius, and early in
epoils,were foundwith him. The peoplewere the moaning
acquaintthe magistrates,
thatthey
so much exasperated, that it was plain they must shortly expect the Gauls." But the tri-
would lay hold on any pretext to condemn bunes madea jest of the information, and soon
him. He, therefore, assembled his friends, after followed the disgrace of Camillus.
his colleagues,and fellow-soldiers,a great The Gauls are of Celtic origin,} and are
number in all, and beggedof them not to saidto haveleft their country,which was too
suffer him to be crushedby falseand unjust small to maintaintheir vast numbers,to go in
accusations,and exposedto the scorn of his searchof another. Theseemigrantsconsisted
enemies. When they hadconsultedtogether, of manythousands of youngandablewarriors,
and fully considered
the affair,the answerthey with a still greater number of women and
gave was, that they did not believe it in their children. Part of them took their route to-
power to preventthe sentence, but theywould wards the northern ocean,crossedthe Rhi-
willingly assisthim to pay the fine that might phxan mountains,and settled in the extreme
oe laid upon him. He could not, however, parts of Europe; and part establishedthem-
bearthe thoughtsof so greatan indignity,and
givingwayto his resentment,
determined
to " It wajthegoddess
Nemesis
whomtheheathens
quit the city as a voluntary exile. Having believed
to havetheoffice
of punishing
evil actions
ia
taken leave of his wife and children, he went thisworld,particularlyprideandingratitude.
in silence from his house to the gate of the t The Greek teit aj it now stands,insteadof tke>
city.f There he madea stand, and turning censor Julius,hasthemonthof July; but thathai
b«enowingto theerror of someignoranttranscriber.
* Thepatricians
carriedit against
thebill, onlyby Uponthe deathof CaiusJulius,thecensor, Marcui
a majorityof onetribe. And BOW
they were >owell Corneliuswasappointedto succeedhim: but as the
Sleased
ecreewith
was thepeople,
passed, thatthe
assigning
six Terynext
acres morning
of the ofa censorship
lands ofthe
whena.censor latter
proved
to dieunfortunate,
happened ever
in his office, afteT,
theynot
Veii,notonlyto everyfatherof afamily,buttoevery onlyforbore
naming
another
inhis place,butobliged
"inglepersonof freecondition. On the other hand. hiscolleague
too to quit hisdignity.
thepeople,
delighted
withthisliberality,allowed
the } Theancients
called
all theinhabitants
of thew«»t
fleeting
pfcon<ul.i
insteadofmilitarytribunes. andnorth,
ajfaraiScylbia,
byIhecommon,
name01
i Thiswasfouryearsafter thetaking of Falerii.
102 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

"elvei for a long time betweenthe Pyreneesputtinga stopto their operationsagainsttne

and the Alps, near the Senoncs,and Celto- town, cameto a conference But whenthey
riaaa.* But happeningto tasteof wine,which were asked what injury they had received
wasthen for the first time broughtout of Italy, fromthe Clusians,that theycameagainsttheir
they so much admired the liquor, and were so city, Brennus, king of the Gauls, smiled and
enchanted with this new pleasure, that they sai(J, " The injury the Clusians do us, is their
snatchedup their arms, and taking their pa- keepingto themselves
a largetract of ground,
rents along with them, marched to the Alps,t when they can only cultivate a small one, and
to seek that country which produced such ex- refusing to give up a part of it to us who are
cellent fruit, and, in comparison of which, they strangers, numerous,and poor. In the same
consideredall othersas barrenandungenial. manneryou Romanswereinjuredformerlyby
The man that first carried -wmoamongst the Albane,the Fidenates,and the Ardcates,
them, andexcitedthem to invadeItaly, is said and lately by the peopleof Veii andCapenx,
to have been Aruns, a Tuscan, a man of some and the greatest part of the Falisci and the
distinction,and not naturallydisposedto mis- Volsci. Upontheseyoumakewar; if theyre-
chief, but led to it by hie misfortunes. He was fuse to sharewith you their goods, you enslave
guardianto an orphannamedLucumo,tof the their persons,lay wastetheir country,andde-
greatestfortuneof the country,and mostcele- molishtheir cities. Nor are your proceedinga
brated for beauty. Aruns brought him up dishonourable or unjust; for you follow the
from a boy, and when grown up, he still most ancient of laws, which directs the weak to
continued at his house, upon a pretence of obey the strong, from the Creator even to the
enjoyinghis conversation.Meanwhilehehad irrational part of the creation,that aretaught
corruptedhis guardian'swife, or shehadcor- by natureto makeuseof .the advantagetheir
rupted him, and for a long time the criminal strength affords them againstthe feeble. Cease
commerce was carried on undiscovered. At then to express your compassionfor the Clu
length their passion becoming so violent, that sians, lest you teach the Gauls in their turn to
they could neither restrain nor conceal it, the coromisseratethose that have been oppressed
young man carried her olf, and attempted to by the Romans."
keep her openly. The husband endeavoured By this answer the Romansclearly perceived
to find his redress at law, but was disappointed that Brennus would come to no terms; and
by the superior interest and wealth of Lucumo. therefore they went into Clusium, where they
He therefore quitted his own country, and hav- encouragedand animated the inhabitants to a
ingheardof theenterprisingspirit of the Gauls, sallyagainstthebarbarians,eitherto maketrial
went to them, and conducted their armies into of the strength of the Clusians,or to shew their
Italy. own. The Clusians made the sally, and a sharp
In their first expedition they soon possessed conflict ensued near the walls, when Quuituj
themselvesof that country which stretches out Ambustus, one of the Fabii, spurred his horse
from the Alps to both seas. That this of old againstaGaul of extraordinarysizeandfigu'e,
belongedto the Tuscans, the namesthemselves who had advanceda goodway before the ranks.
ate a proof: for the sea which lies to the At first he was not known, becausethe en-
north is called theAdriatic froma Tuscancity counterwas hot, and his armourdazzledthe
namedAdria, andthat on theother sideto the eyesof the beholders;but whenhe hadover-
south is called the Tuscan sea. All that coun- come and killed the Gaul, and came to despoil
try is well planted with trees, has excellent him of his arms, Brennus knew him, and call-
pastures,and is well wateredwith rivers. It ed the godsto witness,"That againstall the
contained eighteen considerable cities, whose laws and usages of mankind which were es-
manufactures and trade procure them the gra- teemed the most sacredand inviolable, Ambus-
tifications of luxury. The Gauls expelled the tus came as an ambassador,but acted as an
Tuscans, and made themselvesmastersof enemy." He drew off his men directly,and
these cities; but this was done long before. bidding the Clusians farewell, led his army
The Gauls were now besieging Clusium, a towards Rome. But that he might not seem
city of Tuscany. The Clusiansappliedto the to rejoicethat suchanaffrontwasoffered,orto
Romans, entreating them to Bend ambassadors have wanted a pretext for hostilities, he.sentto
and letters to the barbarians. Accordingly demand the offender in order to punish him,
theysentthreeillustriouspersonsof the Fabian andin the meantime advancedbut slowly.
family,who hadbornethehighestemployments The herald being arrived, the senatewas
in thestate. The Gaulsreceivedthemcourte- assembled, andmanyspokeagainstthe Fabii,
ouslyon accountof the name of Rome,and particularlythe priests calledfecialcs, repre-
sented the action as an offence againstreligion,
* Thecountry
oftheSenonea
contained
Sens,
Aux- and adjuredthe senate
«rre, and Troycss as far up as Paris. Who the Ccltorii
to lay thewholeguilt
wereis is corrupted. and the expiationof it upon the personwho
isnot known: probablytheword 19
_t Livytellsus,Italywasknownto theGaulstwo alonewasto blame,andsoto avertthewrath
hundred yearsbefore,though
hedocs
notindeed men-of Heavenfromtherestof theRomans.These
tionthetloryof Aruns.Thenhegoes ontoinform,/ecialeswere
appointedbyNuma,themildest
us,that the migrationsof the Gaulsinto Italy and and justest of kings, conservators of peace,
othercountries,was occasionedby their numbersbe-
ingtoolarge
fortheiroldsettlements;
apdthattheaswellasjudges
to givesanction
to thejust
twobrothers
Beliovesus
andSigovesus
casting
lotsto causes
of war. Thesenatereferred
themat-
determine
whichwaytheyshouldsteertheir course,ter to the people, and the priests accused
Italy fell to Beliovcsus
andGermanyto Sigovesus. Fabius with the same ardour before them, but
t Lucnmo
man. was
He was notthe
Lord of namebutthetitle
a Lucumony. oftheyoung
Hctruria was such
wasthedisregard
theyexpressed
for their
divided
intoprincipalities
calledLucumoma, persons,
andsuchtheircontempt
cf religion,
 CAMILLCS. 103

thattheyconstituted
thatveryFabius
andhis Astothepoint,
whether
there
beanylucky
brethren
militarytribune.*.* orunlucky
days,*
andwhether
Heraclitus
was
As soonastheGaulswereinformed
of this, rightin blaming
Hesiod
fordistinguishing
them
they
were
greatly
enraged,
andwould
nolong-intofortunate
andunfortunate,
asnotknowing
er delaytheirinarch,but hastened
forwardthatthenatureofalldaysisthesamo,
wehave
with theutmostcelerity.Theirprodigious
considered
it in anotherplace.Baton thie
numbers,
theirglitteringarms,their fury and occasion
perhaps
it maynotbeamiss
to men-
impetuosity,
struckterror
wherever
theycame;
tionafewezamplei.
TheBoeotians,
onthe
thepeople
gaveuptheirlandsfor lost,not fifthof themonth
whichtheycallHiprpodro-
doubting
but the citieswouldsoonfollow:miusandthe-Athenians
Hecatomiiseon[July]
however,
whatwasbeyond
all expectation,
they gainedtwo signalvictories,
bothof whichre-
injured
noman's
property:
theyneither
pillagedstored
libertytoGreece;
theoneat Leuctra;
thefields,norinsultedthecities; andasthey theotherat Gcrsstua,
above
twohundred
years
passed
by,theycriedout," Theyweregoingbefore,!
whentheydefeated
Lattamyas
andthe
to Rome,theywereat warwiththe RomansThessalians.
Ontheotherhand,thePersians
only,andconsidered
allothers
astheirfriends."werebeaten
by theGreeksonthesixthof
Whilethebarbarians weregoingforwardin Boedromion [September] at Marathon,onthe
this impetuous manner,thetribunesled out third at Plataa,as alsoMycale,and on the
theirforcesto battle,in numbernot inferior)-twenty-sixth atArbeli. Aboutthe full moon
(for theyconsisted of forty thousand foot,) of the samemonth,theAthenians, underthe
but the greatestpartundisciplined, andsuch conduct of Chabrias,
werevictoriousin thesea-
as hadneverhandleda weapon before. Be- fightnearNaxos,andon thetwentieththey
sides,theypaidnoattention to religion,
havinggainedthe victoryof Salamis, as we have
neitherpropitiatedthe godsby sacrifice, nor mentioned in the treatiseconcerning days.
consulted thesoothsayers aswastheirdutyin The monthThargelicm [May] wasalsore-
time of danger,and beforean engagement. markably unfortunateto thebarbarians: for in
Anotherthingwhichoccasioned
no smallcon- that month Alexanderdefeatedthe king of
fusion,wasthenumber
of persons
joinedinthe Persia'sgenerals
neartheGranicus;and the
command; whereas
before,
theyhadappointedCarthaginianswere beatenby Timoleonin
for wars of lessconsideration
a single leader, Sicily on the twenty-fourthof the same;a day
whomtheycalldictator,sensible
of howgreatstill moreremarkable
(according
to Ephorus,
consequence
it is to goodorderandsuccess,
at Callisthenes,Demaster,and Phylarchus)for
a dangerous
crisis,to be actuated
as it were thetaking of Troy. On the contrary,the
with onesoul,andto havethe absolutecom- monthMetagitnion [August]whichthe Boeo-
mandinvestedin oneperson. Their ungrate-tians call Panemus,wasvery unluckyto the
ful treatmentof Camillus,too, was not the Greeks; for on the sevenththeywere beaten
leastunhappycircumstance; as it now appear-by Antipaterin the battleof Crannonand ut-
ed dangerous for the generalsto use their au- terly ruined,andbeforethat, theywere defeat-
thority without someflattering indulgenceto ed by Philip at Chsronea. And on that eame
the people. day,month,and year, the troopswhichunder
In this conditionthey marchedout of the Archidamus madeadescentuponItaly,werecut
city,andencamped aboutelevenmilesfrom it, to piecesby the barbarians. The Carthagini-
on the banksof the river Ailia, not far from its anshaveseta markuponthe twenty-second of
confluence with the Tiber. There the barba- that month, as a day that has always brought
rians came upon them, and as the Romans uponthemthegreatestcalamities.At thesame
engagedin a disorderlymanner,they were time I am not ignorant that about the time
shamefully beatenandput to flight. Their left of the celebrationof the mysteries,Thebes
wingwassoonpushedinto the river,andthere wasdemolishedby Alexander;andafter that,
destroyed. The right wing,-whichquittedthe on the sametwentiethof Boedromion [Sep-
field to avoidthe charge,and gainedthe hills, tember] a day sacredto the solemnitiesof
did notsuffer
somuch;manyof themescapingBacchus,
theAthenians
wereobliged
to receive
to Rome. The restthat survivedthe carnage, aMacedoniangarrison. On oneandthe same
whenthe enemyweresatiatedwith blood,stole day,theRomans,underthecommand of Cspio,
by night to Veii, concludingthat Rome was werestrippedof their campby the Cimbri, and
lost, andits inhabitantsput to the sword. afterwardsunderLucullus conqueredTigranes
This battlewasfoughtwhen the moonwas and the Armenians. King Attalus and Pom
at full, aboutthe summer
solstice,
the very pcythe Great,bothdiedon theirbirthdays
gameday that the slaughterof the Fabii hap-
pened long before,}:when three hundredof * Theancients
deemed
some
daysluckyandolhct
them were cut off by the Tuscans. The sec- unlucky,either from someoccultpowerwhich the)
ond misfortune,
however,
somucheffaced
the supposed tobeinnumbers, orfromthenature of thi
deities who presided over them, or elsefrom observa
memory of the first, that the day is still called tion of fortunate
or unfortunate
events
havingoftel
thedayo/Allia, fromtheriverof that name.happened
onparticular
days.
f The Thessalians
underthecommand
of LalUmyai
* The yearof Rome366; or (according
to somewerebeaten
bvtheBrcotiantnot
longbefore
thebatllj
Chronolfgers)365. of Thermopyue,and little morethan one hundred
years beforethe battle of Leuctra. There is also a»
t They were inferior in number; for the Gaulswere
twenty thousand; ami therefore the Romans, when error herein the nameof the place,probablyintto
theycameto action,wereobligedto eitendtheir wtogs duccdhaveby someblunderingtranscriber(for Plutarch
10u to make their centre verythin, which wai one mutt been well acquainted with the names of
reasonof their being soonbroken. placesin Baotia.) Insteadof Gerxstus,we should
readCeressus; the formerwas a promontoryin La
I The sixteenthc July. Ike Utier w«j a fort in Bosotia.
104 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

And I could giveaccountof manyotherswho Troy, broughtto that city and cauied to bt
on the samedayat different periodshave ex- worshipped;andthat afterthetakingof Troy,
periencedbothRoodandbadfortune. Be that .Eneas privately carried them off, and kept
as it may,the Romansmarkedthe dayof their themtill he settled in Italy. But thosethat
defeat at Allia as unfortunate; and as supersti- pretend to know most about these matters,say,
tious fearsgenerallyincreaseupon a misfor- thereare placedtheretwo casksof a moderate
tune, theynot only distinguished
that as such, size,the one open and empty,the other full
but the two next that follow it in every month and sealed up, but neither of them to be seen
throughoutthe year. by any but thoseholy virgins. Others,again,
If, after so decisivea battle, the Gaulshad think this is all a mistake,which arosefrom
Immediatelypursuedthe fugitives,therewould their putting most of their sacredutensilsin
have beennothing to hinder the entire destruc- two casks, and hiding them under ground in
tion of Romeandall that remainedin it; with the templeof Quirinus,andthatthe place,from
suchterror wasthe city struckat the return of thosecasks,ie still called Doliolo.
thosethat escapedfrom the battle, andsofill- They took,however,with them,the choicest
ed with confusion and distraction ! But the and most sacred things they had, and fled with
Gauls,not imaginingthe victoryto be so great themalongthe sideof the river; whereLucius
as it was,in the excessof their joy indulged Albinus,a plebian,among othersthat were
themselves in goodcheer,and sharedtheplun- makingtheir escape, wascarryinghis wifeand
der of the camp; by which meansnumbers childrenandsomeof his mostnecessary move-
that were for leaving the city had leisure to ablesin a wagon. But whenhesawtheves
escape,and thosethat remainedhad'time to tals in a helplessandwearycondition,carrying
recollectthemselves
andprepare
for theirde- in theirarmsthesacredsymbols
of thegods,
fence. For, quittingthe rest of the city, they he immediatelytook out his family andgoods,
retired to the Capitol,whichtheyfortifiedwith and put the virgins in the wagon,that they
strongrampartsand providedwell with arms. might maketheir escapeto someof the Gre-
But their first care was of their holy things, cian cities.* This piety of Albinus,and the
most of whichtheyconveyedinto the Capitol. venerationhe expressed for the godsat sodan-
As for the sacredfire, the vestal virgins took gerousa juncture,deserves to be recorded.
it up, togetherwith other holy relics, andfled As for the otherpriests,andthemostancient
awaywith it: though somewill haveit, that of the senatorsthat were of consulardignity,
theyhavenotthecharge
of anythingbutthat orhadbeenhonoured
withtriumphs,
theycould
ever-living fire which Numa appointedto be not bearto think of quittingthe city. They,
worshippedasthe principle of all things. It therefore,put on their holy vestmentsand
is indeedthe most activething in nature; and robes of state, and, in a form dictatedby
all generationeither is motion, or, at least, Fabius,the pontifex marimus, makingtheir
withmotion. Otherpartsof matter,whenthe vowsto the gods,tdevotedthemselves
for
heatfails, lie sluggishanddead,andcravethe their country: thus attired, they sat downin
forceof fire as an informingsoul;andwhentheirivorychairsin theforum£ prepared
for
that comes,theyacquiresomeactiveor passivethe worst extremity.
quality. Henceit wasthat Numa,a mancu- The third day after the battle,Brennua
riousin hisresearches
intonature,andonac- arrivedwith his army;and findingthe gates
countofhiswisdom supposedto haveconversed
of thecity opened,andthewholedestituteof
with the muses,consecrated
this fire, and or- guards,at first he had someapprehensions
of
deredit to beperpetually
keptup,asanimagea stratagem or ambuscade,
for be couldnot
of thateternalpowerwhichpreserves
andact- thinktheRomanshadsoentirelygiventhem-
uatesthe universe. Otherssay,that accordingselvesup to despair. But whenhe foundit to
to the usageof the Greeks,the fire is kept besoin reality,he enteredby the Collinegate,
everburningbeforetheholyplaces,asanem- andtookRome,a little morethanthreehun-
blemof purity; but that there areother things dredandsixty yearsafter its foundation
; if it
in the mostsecretpart of the temple,kept from is likely that any exactaccounthasbeenkept
the sightof all but thosevirginswhomthey of thosetimes,§
the confusion
of whichhas
call vestals: and the most currentopinionis, occasionedso much obscurityin thingsof a
that the palladium of Troy, which JEneas later date.
broughtinto Italy, is laid up there. Some uncertain rumours, however, of
Others say, the Samothracian gods are there
concealed,
whomDardanue,*
afterhehadbuilt " Albinus
conducted
themtoCaere,
acityofHetru-
ria, wheretheymetwith a farouritereception.The
vestalsremained& considerabletime at Caere,and there
* DarJanus,
whoflourished
in thetimeof Moses,performed
Ihcusualritesof religion;andhence
those
abouttheyearbeforeChrist1480,is saidto havebeen riteswerecalledCeremonia.
originallyof Arcadia,fromwhence hepassed to Samo- f The Romansbelieved,that, by thesevoluntary
thrace. Afterwards he married Batea or Arista the
consecrationsto the infernal gods, disorder and coufit*
daughterofTeuccr,kingofPhrygia.OftheSamo-sionwerebrought
thracian gods we hare already given an account; but
among theenemy.
mayaddhere, fromMacrobius,thattherfii magni, JThese ivory,or curule
chairs
wereused onlybf
whichDardanusbroughtfromSamothrace,werethe those whohadborne themosthonourableoffices,
ana
penatcs,
orhouseholdgods,
whichjEucasafterwards thepersonswhohada righttosit in themborealso
carried
intoItaly. Dionysiui
of Halicarnassus
says,ivorystaves.
nehadseenthepcnatetin an oldtempleat Rome. $ Livytellsus,thattheRomans
of thosetimes
did
They wereof antiqueworkmanship,
representing
two not much applythemselves
to writing, and that th«
youngmensilting,andholdingeacha lancein his commentaries
of thepontificcs,
andtheirothermonu-
Band,andhadfor their inscription/>maj, insLtadof ments,bothpublic and private,weredestroyed
whei
fmat. the city wasburned by the Gauls.
 CAMfLLUS. 109
Rome7!being
taken,
appeartohavesoon pass-to avoidthe Gauls,but,if an opportunity
edintoGreece.For Heraclidesof I'ontus,*shouldoffer,to attack and conquerthem.
wholivednotlongafterthesetimes,in his PerceivingthattheArdeans werenotdeficient
treatiseconcerning
tht soul,relatesthat an in numbers,
but in courageand discipline,
accountwasbroughtfromthe west,thatan whichwasowingto the inexperience andin
armyfromthecountry
of theHyperboreans^
activity
oftheirofficers,
heapplied
firstto th«
haj takena Greekcity calledRome,situatedyoungmen,andtold them,"They oughtnot
somewherenearthe Great Sea. But I do not to ascribethe defeatof the Romansto tha
wonderthat sucha fabulouswriter as Herac- valourof the Gauls,or to considerthe calami-
lidesshouldembellish
hisaccount
ofthetaking tiestheyhadsuffered in themidstof theirin-
of Homewiththepompous termsof Hyperbo-fatuation, asbroughtuponthemby menwho,
reansandtheGreatSea. It isveryclearthat in fact,couldnotclaimthemeritof thevicto-
Aristotlethephilosopher
hadheardthatRome ry, butastheworkof fortune.Thatit would
wastakenby theGauls;buthecallsits deliv- beglorious,
thoughtheyriskedsomethingbyit,
erer Lucius; whereasCamillaswasnot called to repela foreignand barbarous
enemy,whose
Lucius but Marcus. These authors had no end in conquering was, like fire, to destroy
betterauthoritythancommonreport. whatthey subdued:but that if they wouldas-
Brennus,thus in possession of Rome,set a sumea properspirit, he would give them an
itrong guardabout the Capitol,and himself opportunityto conquerwithout any hazardat
went down into the forum; where hewas all." When he found the youngmen were
struckwith amazement at the sightof somany pleasedwith bis discourse,he went next to
menseatedin greatstateandsilence,whoneith- themagistrates andsenateof Ardea;andhav-
er roseup at theapproach
of their enemies,nor ing persuadedthemalsoto adopt his scheme,
changedcountenanceor colour,but leaned he armedall that were of a properagefor it,
upon their staves,andsat looking uponeach and drew themup within the walls, that the
other without fear or concern. The Gauls as- enemy who were but at a small distance,might
tonishedat sosurprisinga spectacle,and re- nut knowwhat hewasabout.
garding them as superiorbeings,for a long The Gaulshavingscouredthe country,and
time were afraidto approachor touch them. loadedthemselveswith plunder, encamped
At last oneof themventuredto go nearMani- uponthe plains in a carelessand disorderly
us Papirius,and advancinghis hand, gently manner. Night foundthem intoxicatedwith
strokedhis beard,whichwasverylong: upon wine,and silencereigned in the camp. As
which, Papirius struck him on the headwith soon as Camillus was informed of this by hia
his staff, and wounded him. The barbarian spies, he led the Ardeans out; and having
then drew his sword and killed him. After passedthe intermediate space without noise,
this, the Gauls fell upon the rest and slew he reachedtheir camp about midnight. Then
them, and continuing their rage,dispatched all he ordered a loud shout to be set up, and the
that came in their way. Then for many days trumpets to soundon all sides, to cause the
together they pillaged the houses and carried greater confusion: but it was with difficulty
off the spoil; at last they set fiie to the city, they recovered themselves from their sleep
and demolishedwhat escapedthe flames,to andintoxication. A few,whomfearhadmade
expresstheir indignation against those in the sober, snatched up their arms to oppose
Capitol, who obeyed not their summons, but Camillus, and fell with their weaponsin their
madea vigorous defence, and greatly annoyed hands: but the greatest part of them, buried
the besiegersfrom the walls. This it was that in sleep and wine, were surprised unarmed,
provokedthem to destroy the whole city, and and easily dispatched. A small number, that
to dispatch all that fell into their hands, with- in the night escaped out of the camp, and
out sparingeither sei or age. wandered in the fields, were picked up next
As by the length of the siege provisions be- day by the cavalry, and put to the sword.
ganto fail the Gauls,theydividedtheir forces, The fameof this action, soonretching the
and part stayed with the king before that for- neighbouring cities, drew out many of their
tress, while part foraged the country, and laid ablest warriors. Particularly, such of the Ro
waste the towns and villages. Their success mans as had escapedfrom the battle of Allia
had inspired them with such confidence,that to Veii, lamented with themselvesin some such
they did not keep in a body,but carelesslymanneras this, "What a generalhasHeaven
wanderedaboutin differenttroopsandparties. takenfrom Rome in Camillus,to adorn the
It happened
that thelargestandbestdisciplined Ardeans with his exploits! while the city
corps went against Ardea, where Camillas, which produced and brought up so great a man
since his exile, lived in absolute retirement. is absolutely ruined. And we, for want of a
This great event,however,awakened
him into leader,sit idle within the walls of a strange
action,andhis mind wasemployedin contriv- city, andbetraythe libertiesof Italy. Come,
ing, not how to keep himself concealed and then, let us send to the Ardeans to demand
* He lived at that Tery time: for he was at first Pla-
our general,or elsetake our weaponsandgo
to's scholar, aud afterwards Aristotle's ; and Plato was to him: for he is no longer an exile, nor we
butforty-one
years
oldwhen
Rome
wastaken. citizens,
havingnocountrybutwhatis in pos.
tTlieancicuU
calledallDieinhabitants
of thenorth, sessionof an enemy."
Hyperioreanf, andtheMediterranean, theGreat Sea, Thismotionwasagreedto,and they sent
to dislinguishit from theEuxine. Notwithstandingto Camillus
that, Heraclideswasright in this: hemight bea very to entreathimto acceptof thi
command. But heanswered,
fabulous writer: so was Herodotus; aud «o were the he could not d\
ancient
historians
ofalmost
all countries:
andtherea- it, beforehe waslegallyappointedto it, by the
louisobviou'jtheybadlittlemorethantradition
to Romans in theCapitol. For helookedupor
unit I'r,ta. j them,whiletheywerein beingasthecommoi
 106 PLUTAPCH'S LIVES.

wealth, andwould readily obey their orders, enemyhave themselves shewnus a way to
but without themwould not be so officiousas reachthem,which we were ignorantof, and
to interpose.* haveprovedthat this rockis neitherinaccessi-
They admiredthe modestyandhonourof ble nor untroddenby humanfeet. What a
Camillus, but knew not how to send the pro- shamewould it be then, after having made a
posalto the Capitol. It seemedindeedimpos- beginning,not to finish; andto quit the place
sible for a messengerto passinto the citadel, as impregnable, when the Romans themselves
whilst the enemy were in possessionof the have taught us how to take it! Where it wai
city. However,a youngman,namedPontiug easyfor onemanto ascend,it cannotbediffi-
Cominius,not distinguished by his birth, but cult for many,one by one; nay,shouldmany
fond of glory, readilytook uponhim the com- attemptit together,they will find greatadvan-
mission. He carriednoletters to the citizens tagein assistingeachother. In the meantime,
in the Capitol, lest, if he should happen to be I intend great rewards and honoursfor sucha*
taken, the enemy should discover by them the shall distinguish themselveson this occasion."
intentions of Camillus. Having dressedhim- The Gauls readily embraced the king's pro-
self in mean attire, under which he concealed posal, and about midnight a number of them
«omepiecesof cork, be travelledall day with- together,beganto climb the rock in silence,
outfear, andapproached
the city asit grew which,thoughsteepandcraggy,
provedmore
dark. He could not pass the river by the practicable than they expected. The foremost,
bridge, because it was guarded by the Gauls; having gained the top, put themselvesin order,
ind, therefore, took his clothes, which were and were ready to take possessionof the wall,
neither many nor heavy, and boundthem about and to fall upon the guards, who were fast
his head; and having laid himself upon the asleep; for neither man nor dog perceived
pieces of cork, easily swam over and reached their coming. However, there were certain
the city. Then avoiding those quarters where, sacredgeese kept near Juno's temple,* and at
by the lights and noise, he concluded they kept other times plentifully fed; but at this time, as
watch, he went to the Carmental gate, where corn and the other provisions that remained
there was the greatest silence, and where the were scarce sufficient for the men, they were
hill of the Capitolisthe steepestandmostcrag- neglectedandin poorcondition. This animal
gy. Up this he got unperceived, by a way the is naturally quick of hearing,and soon alarmed
most difficult and dreadful, and advanced near at any noise; and as hunger kept them waking
the guards upon the walls. After he had hailed and uneasy, they immediately perceived the
them and told them his name, they received him coming of the Gauls, and running at themwith
with joy, and conductedhim to the magistrates. all the noise they could make, they awokeall
The senate was presently assembled,and he the guards. The barbarians now, perceiving
acquainted them with the victory of Camillus, they were discovered, advanced with loud
whichtheyhadnot heardof before,aswell as shoutsandgreat fury. The Romansin haste
with the proceedingsof the soldiers at Veii, and snatchedup such weapons as came to hand,
ixhorted them to confirm Camillus in the com- and acquitted themselves like men on this sud-
mand, as the citizens out of Rome would obey den emergency. First of all, Manhus, a man
none but him. Having heard his report and con- of consular dignity, remarkable for his strength
sulted together, they declared Camillus dicta- and extraordinary courage,engagedtwo Gauls
tor, and sent Pontius back the same way he at once; and asone of them was lifting up his
came, who was equally fortunate in his return; battle-axe, with his sword cut off his right
for he passedby the enemy undiscovered,and hand: at the same time he thrust the bossof
delivered to the Romans at Veii the decree of his shield in the face of the other; and dashed
the senate,which they received with pleasure. him down the precipice. Thus, standing upon
Camillus, at his arrival, found twenty thous- the rampart, with those that had come to hia
and of them in arms, to whom he added a assistance,and fought by his side, hedrove back
grea er number of the allies, and prepared to the rest of the Gauls that had got up, who were
attack the enemy. Thus was he appointed no great number, and who performed nothing
dictator the secondtime, and having put him- worthy of such an attempt. The Romanshav-
self ai the head of the Romans and confeder- ing thus escaped the danger that threatened
ates, He marched out againstthe Gauls. them, as soon as it was light, threw the officer
Meantime, someof the barbarians,employed that commanded the watch down the rock
in the siege, happening to passby the place amongst the enemy, and decreed Manlius a
where Fontius had made his way by night up reward for hia victory, which had more of ho-
to the Capitol, observed many traces of his nour in it than profit; for every man gave him
feet and hands,as he had worked himself up what he had for one day's allowance, which
the rock, torn off what grew there, and tumbled was half a pound of bread and a quartern of
down the mould. Of this they informed the the Greek cotyle.
king; who coming and viewing it, for the pres- After this, the Gauls began to lose courage:
ent said nothing; but in the evening he as- For provisions were scarce, and they could
sembled the lightest and most active of his not forage, for fear of Camillus.t Sickness,
men, who wt.'e the likeliest to climb any diffi- " Geesewere ever after had in honour at Rome,and
cult height, aud thus addressed them: The a flock of them always kept at the expenseof the pub-
ic. A goldenimageof a goosewaserectedin memory
* Livy say!,the 1^>an soldiersat Veii appliedto of them,and a g<joseevery year carried in triumph,
the remainsof thesenatein the Capitolfor leave,be- upona soft litter, finely adorned; while dogswere
foretheyoffered
Iheconmand
to Camillus.Somuch ield in abhorrence
bythe Romans,
whoeveryyear
regardhadthnsebmvcmm for theconstitution
of their mpaledoneof themupona branchof elder. Plin. &
couLtry,thoughRomethenlay iu ashes. Everypri- ?l\it. deFortuna Rom.
vateQUID
waiindeed
apatriot. t Camillus
being
muterofthecountry,
posted
strong
 CAMILLUS. 107

oo,prevailed
among
them,
whichtookitsrise without
hisconsent,
whowasdictator
andsols
fromtheheaps ofdeadbodies, andfromtheir magistrate;theyhad,therefore,actedwithout
encamping amidstthe rubbishof thehousesproperauthority:but theymightmaketheir
they hadburned)wheretherewas sucha proposals now he wascome,whomthelawi
quantityof ashes,
as,whenraisedby thewinds hadinvested with powereitherio pardonthe
or heated by the sun,by theirdry andacrid suppliant
orto punish theguilty,if properss>
qualitysocorruptedthe air,thateverybreathiafaction
wasnotmade."
of it waspernicious.But whataffectedthem At this,Brennus wasstill morehighlyin-
mostwas,the changeof climate;for they had censed,and a skirmishensued;swordswere
lived in countriesthat abounded with shades,drawn on bothsides,andthrustsexchanged in
and agreeablesheltersfromthe heat,andwere a confusedmanner,whichit is easyto conceive
now got into groundsthat were low andun- must be the case,amidstthe ruinsof house*
healthyin autumn. All this, togetherwith the and in narrow streets,where there was not
lengthandtediousncss of the siege,which had roomto drawupregularly.Brennus,however.
now lastedmorethan sii months,causedsuch soonrecollectedhimself,anddrewoffhis forces
desolationamongthem, and carried off such into the camp,with thelossof asmallnumber.
numbers,thatthe carcases lay unburied. In the night,he orderedthem to march, and
The besieged,however,were not in a much quit the city; andhavingretreatedabouteight
better condition. Famine, which now pressed miles from it, he encamped upon the Gabion
themhard,andtheirignorance of whatCamiUus road. Early in the morningCaroilluscaroeup
was doing,causedno smalldejection:for the with them,his armsdazzlingthe flight, andhia
barbariansguardedthe city with somuchcare, menfull of spirits and fire. A sharpengage-
that it wasimpossible
to sendany messengerment ensued,which lasteda long time: at
to him. Both sides being thus equally dis- length the Gauls were routed with great
couraged,
the advanced
guards,who werenear slaughter,and their camp taken. Some of
enoughto converse,firstbeganto talk of treating. those that fled were killed in the pursuit, but
As the motion was approved by thosethat had the greater part were cut in pieces by the peo-
the chief direction of affairs, Sulpitius, one of ple in the neighbouring towns and villages,
the military tribunes,went andconferredwith who fell uponthemas they weredispersed.*
Brennus; where it was agreedthat the Romans Thus was Rome strangely taken, and more
should pay a thousandpoundsweight of gold,* strangely recovered, after it had been seven
and that the Gauls uponthe receipt of it, should months in the possessionof the barbarians;
immediatelyquit the city and ita territories. for theyenteredjt a little after the Ides, the
When the conditions were sworn to, and the fifteenth of July, and were driven out aboutthe
gold was brought, the Gauls endearouring to Ides, the thirteenth of February following.
avail themselves of false weights, privately at Camillus returned in triumph, as became the
first, and afterwards openly, drew down their deliverer of his lost country, and the restorer of
own side of the balance. The Romansexpress- Rome. Those that had quitted the placebefore
ing their resentment,Brennus,in a contemptuous the siege, with their wives and children, now
and insulting manner, took off his sword, and followed his chariot; and they that had been
threwit, beltandall, into thescale: And when besiegedin the Capitol, andwerealmostper-
Sulpitiusaskedwhatthat meant,he answered, ishingwith hunger,metthe othersandembrac-
"What shouldit meanbut woe to the con- ed them, weepingfor joy at this unexpected
quered:"which becamea proverbialsaying. pleasure,which they almost considered as a
Someof the Romanswere highlyincensedat dream. The priestsand ministersof the god«
this,and talkedof returning with their gold, bringingbackwith themwhatholy thingsthey
and enduring the utmostextremitiesof the hadhid or conveyedawaywhen theyfled, af-
siege;but otherswere of opinion,that it was fordeda mostdesirablespectacleto the people;
betterto passby aemailinjury, sincethe indig- andtheygavethem the kindestwelcome,asif
nity lay not in payingmorethan wasdue, but the godsthemselves had returnedwith themto
in paying any thing at all; a disgraceonjy cos- Rome. Next, Camillus sacrificed to the gods,
sequent upon the necessity of the times. and purified the city, in a form dictated by the
While they were thus disputingwith the pontiffs. He rebuilt the formertemples,and
Gauls,Camillasarrivedat the gates;andbeing erecteda new one to *1ius Loquutius, the
informedof what hadpassed, orderedthemain speaker,or icarner, upoiithe very spotwhere
bodyof his armyto advanceslowlyandin good the voicefrom heavenannounced in the night
order, while he with a select band marched to Marcus Ceditius the coming of the barba-
hastilyup to the Romans,who all gaveplace, rians. There was,indeed,m smalldifficulty
and receivedthe dictator with respectandsi- in discoveringthe placeswher?the temples
lence. Thenhe tookthegoldout of the scales had stood, but it waseffectedby the zealof
and gave it to the lictors, and orderedthe Camillus,andthe industryof the p"ests.
Gaulstotakeawaythebalance
andtheweights, As it wasnecessary
to rebuildthe>'itywhich
andto begone;telling them,it wasthecustom wasentirely demolished,a heartiestdespon-
Of the Romans,to deliver their country with dencyseizedthe multitude,andthey jivtnttd
steel,not with gold. And whenBrennusex- pretextsof delay. They werein want of all
pressedhis indignation, and complained he had
great injustice done him by this infractionof * Thereisreason
to question
thetruthof Inoh ttt
the treaty, Camillus answered, " That it was partof this story. Plutarchcopiid it fromLh v But
never lawfully made: nor could it be valid Polybius
represents
theGauls
asactually
receiving
the
golafromtheRomans, andreturningin safetyto their
guard)on all the roads,andin effectbesieged
the be- own country; and this is confirmedby Justin,Sue-
liegert. tonius,and cvn by Livy himself,ID auo'heruarto.
* Tint i), forty-fire thousandpoundssterling. his hnuiry, I. 16.
105 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

necessarymaterials,and had more occasionplate to stay in. These words bring so

for reposeand refreshmentafter their suffer- seasonablyuttered,at a time whenthey wero
ings, than to labour and wear themselves oul, doubtful and anxious about the event, Lucre-
whentheir bodieswere weak, andtheir sub- tius gavethanksto thegods,andembraced the
"tancc wasgone. They had, therefore,a se- omen,while the restgladly assented.A won-
cret attachmentto Veil, a city whichremained derfulchange,at the sametime, took placein
entire, and was provided with every tiling. the mindsof the people,who exhortedanden-
This gave a handle to their demagoguesto ha- couragedeach other in the work, and they be-
rangue them, as usual, in a way agreeableto gan to build immediately, not in any order or
their inclinations,andmadethemlistento se- upona regularplan, but asinclinationor con-
ditiousspeeches againetCamillus:"As if, to veniencedirected. By reasonof this hurry
gratifyhis ambitionandthirst of glory,hewould the streetswerenarrowandintricate,andthe
deprive them of a city fit to receivethem, force housesbadly laid out;for they tell us both the
themto pitchtheir tentsamongrubbish,andre walls of the city and the streetswerebuilt
build aruin that waslike onegreatfuneralpile; within the compass
of a year.
in order that hemight net only becalled the cen- The personsappointedby Camillus to search
eral anddictatorof Rome,but thefounder^o for andmarkout the holyplaces,foundall in
insteadof Romulus, whose right heinvaded." confusion. As they were looking round the
Onthis account,the senate,afraidof anin- Palatium, they cameto the courtof Mars,
surrection, would not let Camillus lay down where the buildings, like the rest, were burned
the dictatorshipwithin the year,ashe desired,anddemolished
by the barbarians;but in re-
though no other personhad ever borneth.it movingthe rubbishandcleaningtheplace,they
high office more than six months. In the discovered under a great heap of ashes,the
meantime, they went about to consolethe peo- augural staff of Romulus. This staff is crooked
ple, to gain them by caresscaand kind persua- at one end, and called lituux. It is used in
sions. Onewhile they showed them the mon- marking out the severalquartersof the heavens,
uments and tombs of their ancestors; then in any process of divination by the flight of
they put them in mind of their temples and birds, which Romulus was much skilled in anj
holy places, which Romulus and Numa, and made great use of. When he was taken out
the other kings, had consecrated and left in of the world, the priestscarefully preservedthe
charge with them. Above all, amidst the staff from defilement, like other holy relics:
sacred and awful symbols, they took care to and this having escapedthe fire, when the rest
make them recollect the fresh hXimanhead," were consumed,they indulgeda pleasinghope,
which was found when the foundationsof the and considered it as a presage, that Rome
Capitol were dug, and which presignified that would last for ever."
the same place was destined to be the neadof Before they had finished the laborioustask
Italy. They urgcil the disgraceit would be to of building, a new vttj broke out. The JKqai,
extinguishagain tho sacredfire, which the ves- the Volsci, and the Latins, all at once invaded
tals had lighted since the war, and to quit the their territories, and the Tuscans laid siegeto
city; whether they were to seeit inhabited by Sutrium, a city in alliance with Rome. The
strangers, or a desolate wild for flocks to feed military tribunes, ,too, who commanded the
in. In this mo/ing manner the patricians army, being surrounded by the Latins ntar
remonstrated to the people both in public and Mount Marcius, and their camp in great
private:and v/erein theirturnmuchaffecteddanger,sentto Rometo desiresuccours;
on
by the distressof the multitude,who lamentedwhich occasionCamilluswas appointeddic-
their present indigence, and begged of them, tator the third time.
now they were collected like the remains of a Of this war there are two different accounts:
shipwreck, not to oblige them to patch up the I begin with the fabulous one. It is said, the
rums of a desolated city, when there was one Latins either seeking a pretence for war, or
entire and ready to receivethem. really inclined to renew their ancient affinity
Camillus, therefore, thought proper to take with the Romans, sent to demand of them a
the judgment of the senate in a body. And number of freeborn virgins in marriage. The
whenhe had exertedhis eloquence
in favour Romanswere in no smallperplexityasto the
of his native country, and others had done the course they should take. For, on the one
eame,he put it to the vote, beginningwith Lu- hand, they were afraid of war, as they were
cius Lucretius, whose right it wasto vote first, not yet re-established,nor had recoveredtheir
and who was to be followedby the rest in losses;and on the other,they suspected
that
their order. Silence was made; and as Lu- the Latins only wantedtheir daughtersfor hos-
cretiuswasabout to declarehimself, it hap- tages,though theycolouredttieir designwith
penedthat a centurion, who then commanded the specious name of marriage. While they
the day-guard,as he passedthe house,called were thus embarrassed,a femaleslave,named
with a loud voice to the ensign,to stop, and set
up his standard there, for that wmsthe best
* About this time, the tribunes of 'lie peopledetcr-
lined to impeachQ. Fabius, who had violated the law
"This prodigyhappenedin the reign ofTarquin of nations,andtherebyprovokedthj Gauls,andocca-
\heproud,whoundoubtedly
musthaveput the headsioned
theburningof Koine. Hiscrimebeingnoto
there on purpose;for, in diggingthe foundation,it rious,he wassummoned by C.Martins Rutilusbefore
wasfoundwarmand bleeding,asif ju5t severedfrom Lheassembly of the people,to answerfor bis conduct
UK body. Uponthis, the Rumaotsentto consultthe in theembassy.The rriniur.il hadreasonto fearthe
'I >.-'in soothsayers, who,aftervainlyendeavouring
to severest punishment;but his relationsgate out thai
,, ],i-''-^g*-
tu fnvuurtheirowncountry,acknow- liediedsuddenly;whichgenerallyhapptii-Jvtl" n the
(", L'-l 'liiiitln placewherethai headwasfoundwould accused personhadcourageenoughto preventhiscot
h. i!,. hi .id ol all Italy, llionyi. Hal. lib. iv. nftlioDjaudtheshame of a publiciiunishtueut.
 CAMILLAS. 109

Totula,,*
or,assomecallher,Philotia,
advised hadtheenemy onbothsides,
andresolving
to
themagistrates
tosendwithhersome of the waitforreintoi
cements
fromhome,aswella*
handsomest
and mostgenteelof the maid-ser-for the Tuscansuccours.
vants,dressed
likevirginsof goodfamilies, Camiilus,
perceiving
this,andfearing
it at
and leavethe restto her. The magistrates
theenemy
mightsurround
him,ashehad»ur
approvingtheexpedient,
chosea numberof rounded
them,hastenedto makeuseof the
femaleslaves
properfor herpurpose,
andsent presentopportunity.As the worksof the
themrichlyattiredto theLatincamp,which confederates
consisted
of wood,and thewind
wasnot far fromthe city. At night,whilethe usedto blow hard fromthe mountainsat sun
other slaves conveyed away the enemies' rising,he provideda greatquantityof combm-
"words, Tutulaor Philotisgotupinto a wild tible matter,and drewout his forcesat day
fig-treeof considerableheight,and havingbreak. Partof themhe orderedwith loud
spread a thickgarmentbehind,to conceal
her shouts andmissive weaponsto begintheattack
design
fromtheLatins,heldup a torchto- ontheopposite
side;whilehehimself,
atthe
tvards Rome, which was the signal agreed headof thosethat werechargedwith the fire,
upon between herandthemagistrates, who watched theproper minute,
onthatsideof the
"lone were in the secret. For this reason the works where the wind used to blow directly
loldiers sallied out in a tumultuous manner, When the sunwas risen the wind blew violent
calling uponeachother,andhastened by their ly; andthe attack being begunon the other
officers,who found it difficult to bring them side,he gavethe signalto his own party, who
Into any order. They madethemselves mas- poureda vastquantityof fiery dartsandother
ters,however,of theentrenchments, andasthe burningmatter info the enemy'sfortifications,
enemy,expecting nosuchattempt,wereasleep, As the flame sooncaught hold, and was fed;
theytook the camp,and put thegreatestpart by the palisadesand other timber, it spread
of themto the sword. This happened on the itself into all quarters; and the Latins not
ffones, the seventh of July, then called Quin- being provided with any means of extinguish-
tilis. And on that day they celebrate a feast ing it, the camp was almost full of fire,.and
in memory of this action. In the first place, they were reduced to a small spot of ground.
they sally in a crowding and disorderly man- At last they were forced to bear down upon
ner out of the city, pronouncing bii/ud the most that body who were posted before the camp
familiar and common names, as Caius, Mar- and ready to receive them sword in hand.
cus, Lucius, and the like; by which they imi- Consequentlyvery few of them escaped; and
tate the soldiers then calling upon each other those that remained in the camp were destroy-
in their hurry. Next, the maid-servantswalk ed by the flames, till the Romansextinguished
about, elegantly dressed, and jesting on all them for the sakeof the plunder.
they meet. They have also a kind of fight After this exploit, he left his son Lucius in
amongthemselves,to expressthe assistancethe campto guardtheprisonersand the booty,
theygavein the engagement with the Latins. while he himself penetratedinto the eocmy'i
Then they sit down to an entertainment,country. There he took the city of the JEqui
shadedwith branchesof the fig-tree: andthat andreducedthe Volsri, andthenled his army
dayis called Abuse Gapratina1,as somesup- to Sutiium,whosefatehewasnot yet apprised
pose,on accountof the wild fig-tree,from of, andwhichhehopedto relieveby fighting
which the maid-servant held out the torch; for the Tuscans who had sal down before it. But
the Romanscall that tree capr[ficus. Others the Sutrianshad already surrenderedtheir
referthe greatestpartof whatis saidanddone town, with the loss of e\eiy thing but the
on that occasion to that part of the story of clothes they had on: and in this condition he
Romuluswhen hedisappeared,and the dark- met them by the way, with their wives and
nessand tempest,or, as someimagine, an children,bewailingtheir misfortunes. Camil-
eclipsehappened.It wason the sameday, laswasextremely movedat sosada specta-
iit least,and thedaymightbe calledJVonx cle; and perceivingthat the Romanswept
Capratinx; for the Romanscall a goat Ca- with pity at the affectingev'-eatiesof the Su-
pra; andRomulusvanished outof sightwhile trians,hedeterminednotto deferhisrevenge,
hewasholdinganassemblyof thepeople atthe butto marchto Sutriumthat veryday;con-
Goat'sJ\tanh,aswehaverelatedin hislife. cludingthat menwhohadjust takenanopu-
The otheraccountthatis givenof thiswar, lentcity, wheretheyhadnotleft oneenemy,
andapprovedby mosthistorians,
is asfollows.andwhoejpectednonefromanyotherquar
Camiilus
beingappointed
dictatorthe third ter,wouldbefoundin disorder
andofftheir
time, andknowingthat the armyunderthe guard. Nor washemistakenin hisjudgment.
militarytribunes
wassurrounded
bytheLatins Henotonlypassed
throughthecountryundis-
and Volscians,was constrainedto makecovered,but approached the gatesand got
leviesamongsuchasagehadexempted from possession
of the walls beforetheywere
service.Withthese hefetched a largecom-aware.Indeedtherewagnoneto guard
passaboutMountMarcius, andunperceif ed them;for all wereengagedin festivity
and
bytheenemy postedhis armybehind them;dissipation.Nay,evenwhentheyperceived
,indbylightingmanyfiressignified
hisarrival.thattheenemyweremasters
ofthetown,they
TheRomans thatwerebesiegedintheircamp,weresoovercome bytheirindulgences,that
9eingencouraged bythis,resolved
to sallyout fewendeavoured to escape;theywereeither
andjoin battle. ButtheLatinsandVolsciansslain in their houses,or surrendered
them-
keptclose
withintheirworks,
drawing
alineof selves
to theconquerors.
Thusthecityof
circumvallatmn
withpalisades,
becausetheySutrium
beingtwicetaken
in onrdav,thenew
* IDthelife of P.ornulus
theii calledTutola. Ma- possessors
were expelled,and the" old one*
"robiiu rails her Tuicla. restored, by Camillua.
I
 110 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

By the triumph decreedhim on this occa- Camillus,who wasnow nominatedmilitary

sion,he gainedno lesscreditandhonourthan tribunethe sixth time, declinedthat honour
by the two former. For those of the citizens For, besides that he was of an advancedage,
that envied him, and were desirousto attribute he was apprehensiveof the effects of envyand
his successes
rather to fortune than to his of somechangeof fortune,after somuchglory
valour and conduct, were compelled, by these and success But the excuse he most insisted
last actions, to allow his great abilities and on in public, was, the state of his health, which
application. Among those that opposed him at that time was infirm. The people, how-
and detracted from his merit, the most con- ever, refusing to accept of that excuse,cried
siderable was Marcus Manlius, who was the out, " They did not desire him to fight either
first that repulsed the Gauls, when they at- on horsebackor on foot; they only wanted hii
tempted the Capitol by night, and on that counsel and his orders." Thus they forced
account was surnamed Capitolimu. He was him to take the office upon him, and together
ambitious to bethe greatestman in Rome, and with Lucius Furius Medullinus, one of hii
as he could not by fair meansoutstrip Camillus colleagues,to march immediately against the
in the race of honour, he took the common enemy.
road to absolute power by courting the popu- These were the neoole of Prsneste and the
lace, particularly those that were in debt. Volsci, who, with a considerable army, were
Some of the latter he defended,by pleading layingwastethecountryin alliancewithRome.
their causesagainsttheir creditors; and others Camillus, therefore, went and encampedover
he rescued, forcibly preventing their being against them, intending to prolong the war,
dealt with according to law. So that he soon that if there should be any necessityfor a bat-
got a numberof indigent personsabouthim, who tle, he might be sufficiently recovered to do his
became formidable to the patricians by their part. But as his colleague Lucius, too ambi-
insolent and riotous behaviour in theforum. tious of glory, was violently and indiscreetly
In this exigency they appointed Cornelius bent upon fighting, and inspired the other offi-
Cossus* dictator, who named Titus Quintius cers with the same ardour, he was afraid it
Capitolinus his general of horse; and by this might be thought that through envy hewithheld
suprememagistrateManliuswascommittedto from the youngofficersthe opportunityto dis-
prison: on which occasion the people went into tinguish themselves. For this reasonheagreed,
mourning; a thing never used but in time of though with great reluctance, that Lucius
great and public calamities. The senate,there- should draw out the forces, whilst he, on ac-
fore, afraid of an insurrection, ordered him to count of his sickness,*remained with a hand-
be released. But when set at liberty, instead ful of men in the camp. But when he perceived
of altering his conduct, he grew more insolent that Lucius, who engagedin a rash and precip-
and troublesome,and tiled the whole city with itate manner, was defeated, and the Romani
faction and sedition. At that time Camillus put to flight, he could not contain himself, but
was again created a military tribune, and Man- leaped from nis bed, and went with his retinue
lius taken and brought to his trial. But the to the gates of the camp. There he forcedhii
eight of the Capitol was a great disadvantageto way through the fugitives up to the pursuers,
thosethat carriedon the impeachment. The andmadesogooda stand,that thosewhohad
place where Manlius by night maintained the fled to the camp soon returned to the charge,
fight against the Gauls, was seen from the and others that were retreating rallied and
forum; and all that attended were movedwith placed themselves about him, exhorting each
compassion at his stretching out his hands other not to forsake their general. Thus the
towards that place, and begging them with enemy were stopped in the pursuit. Next day
tears to remember his achievements. The he marched out at the head of his army, en-
judges of course were greatly embarrassed, tirely routed the confederatesin a pitched bat-
and often adjourned the court, not choosing tle, and entering their camp along with them,
to acquit him after such clear proofs of his cut most of them in pieces.
crime, nor yet able to carry the laws into exe- After this, being informed that Satricum, a
cution in a place which continually reminded Roman colony, was taken by the Tuscans,and
the people of his services. Camillus, sensi- the inhabitants put to the sword, he sent home
ble of this, removed the tribunal without the the main bodyof his forces,which consistedof
gate,into thePetelineGrove,wheretherewas the heavy-armed,
andwith a selectbandof
no prospect of the Capitol. There the prosecu-
tor broughthis charge,
andtheremembrance
cuscd
ofaiming
atthesovereign
power.Hislatemay
of his former bravery gave way to the sense aerreasa warningto all ambitiuusmenwho wantU>
which his judgeshad of his presentcrimes. riseon theruinsof theircountry; for hecouldnot
^Idnlius,therefore
wascondemned,
carriedto escape
duced or find
above mercy
four withthe
hundred people,
plebeians,though hepro-
whosedebtshe
theCapitol,andthrownheadlong
fromtherock. tiadpaid; though heshewed thirtysuitsof armour,
Thus the same place was the monument both thespoilsof thirty enemies,
whomhehadslainin sin-
of his glory and his unfortunate end. The gle combat;thoughhe had receivedforty honorary
Romans,moreover,razed his house,andbuilt rewards,
among
whichweretwomuralanaeight
civic
thereatemple
tothegoddess
J\toneta.They crowns (C.Servilius,
of the number when
of citizens general
whose ofthe
lives he horse beine
had saved ;)
decreedlikewisethatfor thefutureno patri- andthough
hehadcrowned
allwiththepreservation
cian, should ever dwell in the Capitol.f of theCapitol. Soinconstant,however,is themulti-
tude, that Manlius was scarcedead,whcu his losswas
generally lamented,and a plague,which soonfollowed,
* Vide Lir. lib. vi. cap.2.
ascribed to the angerof Jupiteragainsttheauthorsof
f Lest the advantageoussituation of a fortress, that his death.
commrfaded the wholecity, shouldsuggestandfacili- * Livy says,heplacedhimselfonaneminence,with
tate thedtugu of enslavingit. For Manliuj waj oc- a COTJII
Jereserrs,to observe
the success
of thebuttle.
 CAMILLUS. Ill

light and spiiited youni; men, fell upon th As this wantof chiefmagistrates
wanlikely to
Tuscans that were in possessionof the cit) bring on still greater troubles, the senate ere
"omeof whom he put to Uie sword,aud th atedCamillusdictatorthe fourth time, against
rest were driven out'. tho consent of the people, and not even agree-
Returningto Rome with great spoils,h able to his own inclination.* For he was
gavea signalevidenceof the goodsenseof th unwillingto sethimeelfagainstthosepersons,
Romanpeople,who entertainedno fearso; who,havingbeenoftenled on by him to con-
accountof the ill health or age of a genera quest,could with great truth affirm, that he had
that wasnotdeficientin courageor experience moreconcernwith them in the military way,
but madechoiceof him, infirm and reluctan than with the patriciansin the civil; and at
ashe was,ratherthan of thoseyoungmentha the sametime wassensiblethat the envyof
wanted and solicited the command. Hence those very patricians induced them now to
was,that uponthe newsof the revolt of th promotehim to that highstation,thathemight
Tusculans,Camillas was ordered to marc] oppressthe peopleif he succeeded, or beruin-
against
them,andto takewithhimonlyoneo ed by themif hefailedin his attempt.He
his five colleagues. Though theyall desirec attempted,however,to obviate the present
and madeinterestfor the commission,
yet danger,andasheknewthedayonwhichtha
passing
the restby, he pitcheduponLuciu tribunesintended
to propose
theirlaw,hepub-
Furius, contrary to the generalexpectation lished a general muster,aiid summonedthe
for this wasthe manwho but just before people
fromtheforum intothefield,threaten-
againstthe opinionof Camillas,was so eage: ing to setheavyfines upon thosethat should
to engage,andlostthe battle. Yet, willing, i not obey. On the otherhand,the tribunesof
seems, to drawa veiloverhismisfortune,
am thepeople opposedhimwithmenaces, solemn-
towipeoffhisdisgrace,hewasgenerousenoughly protesting
theywouldfinehimfifty thousand
to givehimthepreference.* drachmas, if hedid not permitthe peopleto
When the Tusculans perceived that Camil put their bill to the vote. Whether it was that
lus was comingagainstthem, theyattemptec he wasafraid of a secondcondemnation
and
to correcttheir errorby artful management
banishment,
whichwouldbutill suithim,now
Theyfilled the fieldswith husbandmenand hewasgrownold and coveredwithglory,or
shepherds,
as in time of profoundpeace;they whetherhe thoughthecouldnot get the better
left theirgatesopen,andsenttheirchildrent of the people,whoseviolencewasequalto
schoolas before. The tradesmen
were found their power,for the presenthe retired to his
in their shopsemployedin their respectiveown house;and soonafter, underpretenceof
callings,
andthebettersortof citizens
walking sickness,
resignedthedictatorship.fThe sen-
in thepublicplaces
intheirusualdress.Mean ate appointed anotherdictator,who,having
whilethe magistrateswerebusilypassing to named for hisgeneralof horsethatveryStolo
andfro, to orderquartersfor the Romans;as who wasleaderof the sedition,suffereda law
if theyexpected
nodangerandwereconscious to bemade that wasextremelydisagreeable
to
of nofault. Thoughtheseartscouldnotalter the patricians.It providedthat no person
the opinion Camillas had of their revolt, yet whatsoever
shouldpossess
morethan fivehun-
theirrepentance
disposedhim to compassion.
dredacresof land. Stolohavingcarriedhis
Heorderedthem,therefore,
togoto thesenatepointwiththe people,
flourishedgreatlyfor a
of Romeandbegpardon : andwhentheyap- while: but not longafter,beingconvictedof
peared there as suppliants,he used his interest possessingmore than the limited number of
to procure
theirforgiveness,
anda grantof the acres,
hesuffered
thepenalties
ofhisownlaw.J
privileges
of Roman
citiienstbesides.
These Theroostdifficultpartof thedispute,
and
weretheprincipalactions
of hissixthtribune-thatwhichtheybegan'
with,namely,
concern-
ihip. ing the electionof consuls,remainedstill un-
Afterthis,LiciniusStoloraisedagreatse-settled,
andcontinued
to givethesenate
great
dition in the state; puttinghimselfat the head uneasiness
; when certain information was
of the people,who insistedthat of the two iroughtthat the Gaulsweremarchingagain
consulsoneshouldbea plebeian. Tribunesof Tromthe coastsof the Adriatic,with an im-
the peoplewereappointed,but the multitude mensearmytowardsRome. With this newg
wouldsuffer
noelection
of consols
to beheld4 ~amean accountof theusualeffectsof war,
.hecountrylaid waste,andsuchof the inhab-
* This choice of Camillas had a different motive from
whatPlutarchmentions. He knewthat Furius, who laughter to Servius
Sulpicius, apatrician,
andat thu
iniemilitarytribune,andthe younger
Bad felt the iil effectsof a precipilale conduct, would jtolo, a rich plebeian; it happened
to Licinius
De the first man to aroid such a conduct for the fu- that while the
ture. younger
sister
waspaying
a visittotheelder,
Sulpi-
:iuscame
home
fromtheForum,andhislictors,with
t He was only a Roman citizen, in the most exten- Jic suff of the fasces,
thunderedat thedoor. The
sive
havingsignification
a housein of thewords,
Rome, who
of giving hishad
votea
inrirht of
the Co- younger
si.'tcr
being
frightened
atthenoise,
theelder
mi tia, and of standing candidate for any office; and laughed
ather,as3person quiteignorant
ofhighlift-.
who, consequently was incorporated into one of Ihe Thuaffrontgreatly
afflicted
her;andherfather,to
tribes. The freemen iu the limes of the republic were
:omforther,bidhernotbeuneasy,
forsheshould
«om
excludedfrom dignities:audof the municipaltowns iceas
icrather
much
sister's.
state
atherown
house
ashad
surprised
and Romancolonies,which enjoyedthe ri^nt of citi- * Theyearof Rome388.
zenship, somehad, and somehad oot, the right of suf- THepretended tofindsomethingamissintheam-
frage and of promotion to officesin Rome.
J This confusion lasted five years; during which ices which weretaken when hewa."appointed.
the tribunes of the peopleprevented the Comit-iafrom
} It waseleven years after.PopiliusLsnas fined
being held, which were necessaryfor the election of imtenthousand stcUrres for beingpossessed
of "
thechiefmagistrates.It wasoccasioned
by a trifling lousand ncresof land,in conjunction
with hisson
"ocjdcnl. Fatius Ambiutui having married his eldest
;hom he
ii c. 16. hidemancipated forlhatpurpose.Lie. Ilk
112 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

tantsascouldnot takerefugein Romedis- campunfortified,

theyknewit wouldbetaken
persed about the mountains. The terror of with ease.
"this put a stop to the sedition; and the most This battle is said to have beenfought thir-
popularof thesenatorsunitingwith '.hepeople, teenyearsafterthe takingof Rome;" and,in
*itli onevoice createdCamillusdictator the consequence of this success,the Romanslaid
filth time. He wasnow veryold, wantinglit- aside,for the future,the dismalapprehension*
tle of fourscore;yet,seeing
thenecessity and theyhadentertainedof thebarbarians.They
danger of thetimes,liewaswillingto risk all hadimagined,
it seems,thattheformervictory
inconveniences;
and,without allegingany ex- they had gainedover the Gauls,wasowingto
cuse,immediatelytookuponhim thecommand,the sickness thatprevailedin theirarmy,andto
and made the levies. As he knew the chiel other unforeseenaccidents,rather than to then
force of the barbarianslay in their swords, own valour: andso greathadtheir terrorbeen
whichthey managed without art or skill, furi- formerly,that they hadmadea law, that the
ouslyrushingin, andaimingchieflyat thehead priestsshouldbeexempted from military ser-
and shoulders,he furnishedmost of hia men vice, exceptin caseqf an invasionfrom the
with helmets of well polished iron, that the Gauti.
swords might either break or glance aside; and This was the last of Camillus's martial ex-
round the borders of their shields he drew a ploits. For the taking of Velitra was a direct
plate of brass,becausethewoodof itself could consequence of thisvictory,andit surrendered
not resist the strokes. Besidethis, he taught without the leastresistance. But the greatest
them to avail themselvesof long pikes, by conflict he ever experienced in the state,still
pushingwith which they might prevent the remained; for the peoplewere harderto deal
effectof theenemy's
swords. with sincetheyreturned
victorious,
andthey
When the Gauls were arrived at the river insisted that one of the consuls should be
Anio with their army, encumberedwith the chosenout of their body,contraryto the pres-
vast bootythey had made,Camillusdrew o'lt ent constitution. The senateopposed them,
hisforces,andpostedthemupona hill of easy and would not suffer Camillus to resignthe
ascent,in whichwere manyhollows,sufficient dictatorship,thinkingtheycouldbetterdefend
to concealthe greatestpart of his men,while the rightsof the nobilityunderthe sanctionof
thosethat were in sight shouldseemthrough his supremeauthority. But one day,as Ca-
fear to have taken advantageof the higher milluswassitting in the forum, andemployed
grounds. And the moreto fix this opinionin in the distributionof justice,anofficersentby
the Gauls, he opposed not the depredations the tribunes of the people, ordered him to fol-
committedin his sight,but remainedquietlyin low him, andlaid his handuponhim,as if he
the cimp hehadfortified,while he hadbeheld would seizeand carry him away. Uponthis
part of themdispersed
in orderto plunder,and sucha noiseandtumult wasraisedin the as-
part indulgingthemselves,day and night, in sembly,as neverhad beenknown; thosethat
drinkingandrevelling. At last,hesentout the wereaboutCamillusthrustingthe plebeian of-
light-armedinfantry beforeday,to preventthe ficerdownfromthe tribunal,andthe populace
enemy's drawing up in a regular manner, and calling out to drag the dictator from his seat.
to harassthem by sudden skirmishing as they In this caseCamillus was much embarrassed;
issuedout of their trenches;andassoonas it he did not, however,resignthe dictatorship,
was light he led down the heavy-armed, and but led off the patriciansto the senate-house
put themin battlearrayuponthe plain,neither Before he enteredit', he turned towardsthe
few in numbernor disheartened, as the Gauls Capitol,andprayedto the godsto put a happy
«*ucct«d,but numerous and full of spirits. endto the presentdisturbances, solemnlyvow-
This wasthe first thing that shooktheir re- ing to build a templeto Concord,whenthe
lolution, for they consideredit as a disgraceto tumult should be over.
havi the Romansthe aggressors.Then the In the senatetherewasa diversityof opin-
light-armed,fallinguponthembeforetheycould ions and great debates. Mild and popular
get into order and rank themselves by com- counsels,however,prevailed,which allowed
panies,pressed
them so warmly,that they oneof theconsuls
to bea plebeian
.f When
wereobligedto comein greatconfusionto the the dictatorannounced this decreeto thepeo-
engagement.Last of all, Camillusleadingon ple, they receivedit with greatsatisfaction,aa
the heavy-armed, the Gauls with brandishedit wasnaturaltheyshould;theywereimmedi-
swordshastened to fight handto hand; but the ately reconciledto the senate,andconducted
Romansmeetingtheir strokeswith their pikes, Camillashomewith greatapplause.Neitdaj
and receiving them on that part that was
guarded
with iron,so turnedtheirswords, " Thisbattle
wasfought,
notthirteen,
buttwenty-
whichwerethin andsofttempered,
thatthey threeyean
t The after
people thetaking
having ofthis
gained Rome.
point,theconsulate
were soon bent almost double ; and their
wasrevived,and the military tribuneshiplaid aside
shields
werepiercedandweighed
downwith forever.Outatthesame
timethepatrieians
procured
the pikesthat stuckin them. They, therefore, thegreatprivilege
thata newofficer,calledprtrtor,
quittedtheir ownarms,andendeavouredto should
beappointed,
-whowastobealways
oneoftheii
seizethoseof theenemy,andto wresttheir body.Theconsuls
hadbeen generals
oftheRomaa
pikes
from
them.TheRomans
seeing
themarmies,
andat
astheywere thesame
often time
in the judges
field, ofcivil
it was affairs,
thought but
pronef
naked,nowbeganto makeuseof their swords, to separate thelatterbranch fromtheiroffice, and'an
and mule great carnageamongthe foremost propi-iate it to a judgewith the title of prefer,who
ranks. Meantimethe resttook to flight, and wasto benextin dignityto theconsuls.Aboutlh«
werescattered
alongthe plain;for Camillusyearof Rome
501,
another
pratorwasap|*MOled
to
had beforehand secured the heights; and as, decide the differences amongfnreignerj. Uponthe
taking ol Sicily and Sardinia, two more pritton were
n confidenceof victory, they hid left their created,
anj a*manymoreupontheconquest
of Spain
 PERICLES. 113

toepeople
assembled,
and
voted
that
the
tempie
tiusfromthecomn
onalty,
thedrstplebeian
whichCamilKts
hadvowedto Concord,
should,thateverattained
thuthonour.
on account
of thisgreatevent,
bebuiltona ThiswasthelastofCamillus's
transactions.
spotthatfronted
theforumandplace of as-Theyearfollowing, apestilence
visited
Rome,
sembly.
Tothose feasts
which arecalledfotinwhichcarried offa prodigiousnumberof the
they
added oneday more,so thatthe whole people,
most of themagistrates,
and Camilla*
wasto consist
of fourdays;andfor thepres-himself. His deathcouldnot bedeemedpre-
enttheyordained
thatthe wholepeople
of mature,
onaccount
ofhisgreatage,andU,e
Romeshouldsacrificewith garlands
ontheir officeshehadborne, yethewasmorelamented
heads.
Camillus
thenheldanassembly for the than all the rest of thecitizenswhodiedof
electionof consuls, when Marcus ./Emiliusthat distemper.
it* chosenout of the nobility, and Lucius Sei-

PERICLES.
Caesarhappenedto see somestrangersI ical employments,his industry in thoso things
atRomecarrying
youngdogsandmonkeys
in' is a proofof hisinattentionto noblerstudies.
thtir arms, and fondly caressing them, he No young man of noble birth, or liberal senti-
asked, " Whether the womenin their country ments, from seeing the Jupiter at Pisa, would
never boreany children?" thus reproving with desire to be Phidias, or from the sight of the
a properseveritythosewho lavishuponbrutes Junoat Argos,to be Polycletus;or Anacreon,
that natural tenderness which is due only to or Philemon, or Archilocus, though delimited
mankind. In the samemanner we must con- with their poems."' For though a work may
demn those who employ that curiosity and be agreeable,yet esteem of the author is not
love of knowledge which nature has implanted the necessaryconsequence. We may, there-
in the human soul, uponlow and worthlessob- fore, conclude, that things of this kind, which
jects, while they neglect such as are excellent excite not a strong emulation, nor produce
and useful. Our senses,indeed, by an effect any strong impulse or desire to imitate them,
almost mechanical, are passiveto the impres- are of little use to the beholders. But virtue
sion of outwardobjects,whetheragreeable
or has this peculiar property,that at the same
offensive: but the mind possessedof a self-di- time that we admire her conduct, we long to
rectingpower,may turn its attentionto what- copythe example. The gnodsof fortunewe
everit thinksproper. It should,therefore,be wishto enjoy,virtuewe desireto practice:the
employed in the mostusefulpursuits,not barely formerwe aregladto receivefromothers,the
in contemplation, but in suchcontemplation as latter we are ambitious that others should re-
maynourishits faculties. For 3.3that colour ceivefromus. The beautyof goodness hasan
la best suitedto the eye,whichby its beauty attractivepower; it kindles in us at oncean
and agreeableness at the sametime both re- activeprinciple; it formsour manners, andin-
freshesand strengthensthe sight, so the ap- fluencesourdesires,not only when represent-
plicationof the mind should be directedto ed in aliving example, but evenin an historical
thosesubjectswhich, throughthe channelof description.
pleasure,mayleadus to our properhappiness. For this reasonwe chose to proceedis
Sucharethe worksof virtue. The very de- writing the lives of great men,and havecom-
scriptionof theseinspiresus with emulation, posedthis tenth book,whichcontainsthe life
anda strongdesireto imitatethem; whereasin of Pericles,andthat of FabiusMaximus, who
otherthings, admirationdoesnot alwayslead carried on the war againstHannibal: men
us to imitatewhatwe admire;but, on the whoresembled
eachotherin manyvirtues,
contrary,whilewearecharmedwith the work, particularly in. justice and moderation,and
weoftendespise theworkman.Thusweare whoeffectually servedtheir respective
com ,
pleasedwithperfumesandpurple,»hile dyersmouwealtha, by patientlyenduringthe inju-
tnd perfumersappearto us in tiie light of rioustnd capricioustreatmenttheyreceived
meanmechanics. from their colleaguesandtheir countrymen
Antisthenes,*
therefore,-whenhe wastold Whetherwearerightin ourjudgment or not,
thatIsmenias,
playedexcellently
upontheflute, will beeasyto seevntheworkitself.
answeredproperlyenough,"Thenheisgood Pericleswasof thetnbeof Acamantis, and
fornothing else;otherwisehewouldnothaveoftnewardofCholargia. Hisfamilywasone
playedsowell." Suchalso\vasPhilip'ssay-of themostconsiderable inAthens,bothbythe
Digto hisson,when atacertain entertainment father
andmother's
side. HisfatherXanthip-
be sanginaveryagreeable andskillfulmanner,
"Are you not ashamedto sing so well?" It la
pus,whodefeated
thekingofPersia's
generals
enoughfor a princeto bestow a vacanthour " Thisseems
to besomewhat
inconsistent
withthat
uponhearingotherssing,and he doesthe respect andesteem, inwhichthenoble artsof poetry
Buses sufficient honour, if he attends the per- and sculpture wereheldin ancient Greece andRome,
and with that admiration which the nro6cien« i» those
formances of thosewhoexcelin theirarts. artiohnya obtainamong thepeople.Butthere waj
If a manapplieshimselfto servileor median- stilla kindof jealousy
betweenthe poets andphiloso-
phers, andourphilosophical
biographer shewspreuy,
clearlyby the Platonicparadeof thii introduction,
" Antisthtnes
wasadisciple
ofSocrates,andfouldtr iliil hewouldmagnifyIbelatlerat thecjpto»«of ih»
of the «eclof the Cjuics. former.
 114 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

at Mycale, married Agariste,the niece of Periclesalsoattendedthe lecture**f *eno of

Clisthenes,who expelledthe family of Pisis- Elea,* who,in natural philosophy,^ABAfoU
tratus, abolishedthe tyranny, enactedlaws, lower of Parmenides,andwho,bjr rijuh prac-
andestablished
a formof government
temperedtice in the an of disputing,h'id Uamcdto
in sucha mannerastendedto unanimityamong confoundand silenceall his opponents;asTi-
the people,and the safetyof the state. She mon,the Phlasian,declare!in theseverses,
dreamed
thatshewasdelivered
of a lion,and Have
younotheard
ofZcno's
nightypowers,
a few daysafter broughtforth Pericles. His Whocouldchange
sides,
yetcLivBging
triumphed
sdi]
person
in otherrespects
waswellturned,
but Inthetongue's
wars.
his headwasdisproportionally
long. For this But the philosopherwitH whomhe wasmost
reason almost all his statues have the head intimately acquainted, wbo gavehim that force
covered with a helmet, the statuaries choosing, and sublimity of sentimsBt superior to all the
I suppose, to hidethat defect.But theAtheni- demagogues, who,in short,formedhimto that
an poets,calledhim Schinocephalus, or onion- admirabledignityof manners, wasAnaxagorag
head,for the word schinoi is sometimes used the Clazomenian.Thi» washewhomthepeo-
instiad of scilla, a sea-onion. Cratinus,the ple of thosetimescMtdnous or intelligtnce,
comic writer, in his play called CMrones,has eitherin admirationof his greatunderstanding
this passage" and knowledge of the works of nature, or be-
causehe wasthe first who clearlyproved,that
faction received old Time to her embraces: the universe owed i\a formation neither to
Hence came atyrant-spawn,onearth
IB heaventhe head-compeller.
called
Pericles,chance
nornecessity,
1ut to a pureandunmixed
MIND,who separatedthe homogeneous parts
fromtheotherwithwh<chtheywereconfounded
And again,in his Nemesis, he thus addresses Charmedwith the companyof this philoso
him, pher,andinstructed
byhiminthesublimest
Come,
blessed
Jove,*
thehigh
and
mighty
head, sciences,
Pericles
acquired
notonlyaneleva-
Thefriend
of hospitality
! tionof sentiment,
anda loftiness
andpurityof
style, far removedfrom the low expressionof
And Teleclides says, .ne vulgar, but likewise a gravity of counte-
nance which relaxed not into laughter, a firm
Now,ina maze of thought, heruminates and eventone of voice,aneasydeportment,
On
Withstrange expedients,
its own while
weighl, s::>ks his
on hishead,
depressed
knees: and now anda decencyof dress,whichnovehemence
From the vast caverns of his brain burst forth of speaking ever put into disorder. These
Storms
andfiercethunders. things,andothersof the like nature,excited
admiration in all that siw him.
And Eupolis, in his Demi, askingnewsof all Such was his conduct,when a vile and
the greatorators,whomhe represented
as abandoned
fellow loided him a wholeday
ascendingfrom the shadesbelow,when Peri- with reproachesand abuse,he boreit with
cles comesup last, criesout, patienceand silence,andcontinuedin public
Heat!of the tribesthat hauntthosespacious
realms, for the despatch of seme urgent affairs. In the
Doeshe ascend ? evening he walked nlowly home,this impudent
Most writers agree,that the masterwho wretchfollowing, a id insultinghim all theway
taughthim musicwascalled Damon, the first with the mostsour ilouslanguage. Andasit
syllableof whosename,theytell us, is to he was dark when he cameto his ow^door, ha
pronouncedshort; but Aristotle informs us, orderedone of hiswrvantsto takea torchand
that he learned that art of Pythoclides. As for light the man homo. The poet Ion, however,
Damon, he seemsto have been a politician, says he was proud and supercilious in conver-
who underthepretenceof teachingmusic,con- sation, and that there was a great dealof
cealedhisgreat abilitiesfrom the vulgar: and vanity andconterrpt of others,mixedwith his
he attendedPericlesas his tutor andassistantdignityof manner:onthe otherhand,hehighly
;n politics,in the samemanneras a masterof extols the civility, complaisance,and polite-
the gymnasticart attends a youngman to fit nessof Cimon. But to takeno farthernotice
him for the ring. However, Damon's giving of Ion, who perhips would not have any great
lessonsuponthe harp was discovered to be a excellenceappear,without a mixtureof some-
mere pretext, and, as a busy politician and thing satirical,an it wasin the ancienttrage-
friend to tyranny, he was banishedby the dy ;f Zeno desiredthosethatcalledthe gravity
ostracism. Nor was he spared by the comic
poets. Oneof them,namedPlato introduces * ThisZenowasof Elea,a townof Italy,and»
a person
addressing
himthus, Phocian
colony;
andmust
becarefully
distinguished
from Zeno the founder of the sect of the Stoics.
The
Inform
me,Damon, 6rst,docs
ferae
say
true? Zeno herespoken
ofwasrespectable
forattempting
t»
Andwa«tthourealJy
Ptncles'iChiron1\ rid his»->untry
ofa tyrant.Thetyrant
tookhim,and
causedhim to be pounded (o death in a mortar. But
* Pericles (as Plutarch afterwards observes,) was his death accomplishedwhat he could not effectin hif
calledOlympiul,
orJupiter.Thepoethereaddresses
lifetime
: forhisfellow-citizens
weresomuchincensed
him under that character with the epithet i,|> » *,>.", at the dreadful manner of it, that they fell upon tht
whichsignifiesblessed,
but mayalsosignifyqreat- tyrantandstoned
him.Astohisarguments,
andthos»
hevded.In ourlanguagewe have
nowordwithsuch if hismaster Parmenides,
pretended
to besoinvinci
a double
meaning.
Justabove, heiscalled
Cephnle-ble,oneof themwastoprove therecanbenosuch
eeretei,
hetul-compellcr
(asif insheadwasanassem-thingasmotion, sinceathingcanneithermove intht
blage
ofmany heads,)
insteadofNephclegerctcs,
cloud-place where it is,norintheplace whereit isnot.Bu*
compeller,
acommon
epithetofJupiter. Ihis sophism iseasilyrefuted: formotion
isthepassing
f The word Chiron,againis ambiguous, of a thing or personinto a newpartof space.
and may
eithersignify,mist thoupreceptor
to Pericles?
or, t Tragedy
at firstwasonlya chorusin honourof
"u<l thouirmrt wickedtltunPericles? Bacchus.Persons
dressedlike satyrswere the per
 PERICLES. 115

of Perietes
prideandarrogance,
to beprouchedreaded
thebanofostracism,
ami,therefore,
thesameway;tellingthem,theveryactingof intermeddled
not with stateaffairs,but be
an excellent
partmightinsensibly
produce a havedwith greatcourage and intrepidityin
love andreal imitationof it the field. However, when Aristidcs was
Thesewerenottheonlyadvantages which dead,
Themistpcles
banished,
andCimonmuch
Periclesgainedbyconversing
with Anaxago-employed
in expeditions
at a distancefrom
ras. From him he learned to overcomethose Greece, Pericles engagedin the administra-
terrorswhich the variousphenomena
of the tion. He choserather to solicit the favour
heavens raise in those who know not their of the multitude and the poor,* than of the rich
causes,andwho entertaina tormentingtear of andthefew,contraryto hisnaturaldisposition,
the godsby reasonof that ignorance. Nor is which was far from inclining him to court
there any cute for it but the study of nature, popularity.
which,insteadof the frightful extravagancies It seemshe wasapprehensive of falling un
of superstition,
implantsin usasoberpiety,sup- der the suspicionof aiming at the supreme
portedby a rationalhope. power,andwas sensible,besides, that Cimon
We are told, there was brought to Pericles, was attached to the nobility, and extremely be-
from one of his farms, a ram's head with only loved by personsof the highesteminence; and,
onehorn; andLampothesoothsayer, observingtherefore,in orderto securehimself,and to
that the horn grew strongand firm out of the fijid resources
againstthe powerof Cimon,he
middle of the forehead,declared,that the two studiedto ingratiate himself with the common
partiesin the state,namely,thoseof Thucy people. At the sametime,heentirelychanged
didcs and Pericles, would unite, and invest his manner of living. He appeared not iu
the wholepowerin himwith whomthe prodigy the streets,exceptwhenhewent to the forum
was found: but Anaxagoras having dissected or the senatehouse. He declined the invita-
the head,shewedthatthe braindid not fill tUc tions of big friends,and all social entertain-
wholecavity,but hadcontracteditself into an mentsand recreations;insomuch,that in the /
oval form, and pointed directly to that part of whoic time of his administration, which was a
the skullwhencethe horntook its rise. This considerable
length,heneverwentto supwith
procuredAnaxagorasgreat honour with the any of his friends,but once,whichwasat the
spectators;and Lampowas no lesshonouredmarriageof his nephewEuryptolemus,andhe
for his prediction, when, soon after, upon the staid there only until the ceremony of libation
fall of Thucydides, the administration was put was ended. He considered that the freedom
entirely into the handsof Pericles. of entertainmentstakes away all distinction of
But, in my opinion, the philosopher and the olfice, and that dignrty is but little consistent
diviner may well enough be reconciled, and with familiarity. Real and solid virtue, in-
both be right; the one discovering the cause deed,the more it is seen, the more glorious it
and the other the end. It was the businessof appears; and there is nothing in a good man'i
the former to account for the appearance,and conduct, as a magistrate, so great in the eyeof
to considerhow it came about; and of the the public,as is the generalcourseof his be-
latter, to show why it was so formed, and naviour in private to his most intimate friends.
what it portended. Those who say, that when Pericles, however, took care not to make his
the causeis found out the prodigyceases,
do personcheapamongthe people,andappeared
not consider; that if they reject such signs as imong them only at proper intervals: Nor did
are preternatural, they must also deny that ie speak on all points that were debated be-
artificial signs are of any use; the clattering of "ore them, but reserved himself, like the Sala-
brassquoits,* the light of beacons,and the miniangalley,! (as Critolaussays)for greater
lhadow of a sun-dial,have all of them their occasions;despatchingbusinessof less con-
proper natural causes, and yet each has an- sequenceby other orators with whom he had
othersignification. But, perhaps,
this question anintimacy. Oneof these,we are told, was
might bemore properlydiscussedin another Sphialtes,who,accordingto Plato,overthrew
place. the power of the council of Areopagus,by
Pericles, in his youth, stood in great fear of
the people. For in his couni-.na.ncehe was
like Pisistratus the tyrant; and he perceived * The nopular party in Athenswere continually
lakingeflorU againstthosesmall remainsof power
the old menwere muchstruckby a fartherre- whichwereyetin thehands
of Llienubility. As Pe-
semblance in the sweetness of his voice, the riclescouldnotlead the partyof the nobles,because
volubility of his tongue,andthe roundness
of Cimon,bythedignityof his-birth, the lustreof hi»
hisperiods.Ashewas,moreover,
of anobleactions, andthe
self at their largeness
head, he hadofno
hisother
estate,hadplaced
resource him-
than to
familyand opulentfortune,and his friendscourtthepopulace. Andheflattered theirfavourite
werethe mostconsiderable
menin thestate, >assion inthemostagreeable
manner, bylessening
th«
>ov(trandprivileges
of thecourtof Areopagus,
which
formers^
andIheyoften
broke
outintothemostlicen-wasthechiefsupport of thenobility,
andindeed of
tiousraillery. Afterwardswhentragedytooka graver he whole state. Thusi tnc
the Dringmg
bringinc of almostall
turn,something
of the formerdrollerywasstill re- causes
be
ctore
fo-"--'-:1'
thetribunalof thepeople,
ll,t muUinly
tained,as in mat which we call tragi-comedy.In ngof g:raluilics,which were only anotherword lor
time,serious
characters
andevents
became
thesubjectbribes,
andthegiving
tliepeople
a lasleforeipensi
of tragedy,withoutthatmixture", bute\«n then,after ilcasures,caused
d the dowtifalof the Atheniancol
exhibitingthreeor four serious
tragedies,
thepoetsmonwealth;
thoughthe personal
abilitesof Pcricle*
usedto concludetheir contentionfor the prize,with a upportedit duringhislime.
"atirical one : of this sort is the Cyclops of E.uripidt.s,
«nd the only one remaining. t The Salaminiangalleywas a consecratedrcsucl
winch theAtheniansnevermadeUSP of hit oneiirfl-
* Theclattering
ofbrass quoitsorplates
wassome-irdinanoccasion..
Theylentit for instance,
for»
amrsamilitary
-i^-nal
:tiii"ii[f
theGrecians.
Among the general
whomtheywanted
to calliu account,
orwitb
Romans
it wasasignal
local!thewrestlers
tothoring. amnces
toApollo,ormneotherdiiiy.
116 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

giving the citizensa large and intemperateimmortal like the gods: For the gods them.
draught of liberty. On which account the selvesare not visible to us; but from th«
comicwritersspeakof the peopleof Athensas honoursthey receive,and the happiness they
of a horsewild andunmanagcd, enjoy, we concludethey are immortal; and
which listens to the rein* no more, such should those brave men be who die for
Butiri hismaddening
coursebear*
headlong
down their country."
Theverj friend:thatfeedhim. Thucydidea represent!the administration
of
Pericles, desirous to make his language a Periclesas favouringaristocracy,and tells us
proper
vehicle
forhissublime
sentiments,
and that,though
thegovernment
wascalled
demor
tospeak
inamanner
thatbecame
thedignitycratical,
it wasreally
in thehandsofonewho
had engrossedthe whole authority. Many
of his life, availed himself greatly of what he
had learned of Anaxagoras, adorning his elo- otherwriters likewiseinform us,that by him
quence with the rich colours of philosophy. the people were first indulged with a division
For, adding, (as the divine Plato expressesit) of lantia,were treatedat the public expense
the loftiness of imagination, and all-command- with theatrical diversions,andwere paid for
the most common services to the state. As
ing energy, with which philosophy supplied
him, to his native powers of genius, and this new indulgence from the government wag
making use of whatever he found to his pur- an impolitic custom,whichrenderedthe peo-
pose,
in thestudyof nature,
todignifytheart ple expensive andluxurious, anddestroyed
that frugality and love of labour which support-
of speaking,he far excelled all other orators.*
Hence he is said to have gained the surname ed them before, it is proper that we sfiould
of Oiympius;
though
some
willhave
it tohavetrace theeffect toits cause, bya retrospect
into the circumstancesof the republic.
been from the edifices with which he adorned
At first, as we have observed,to raise him-
the city; and others, from his high authority
both in peace and war. There appears, in- self to some sort of equality with Cimon, who
deed,
noabsurdity
insupposing
thatallthesewas thenattheheight ofglory,Pericles
made
his court to the people. And as Cimon washis
things might contribute to that glorious distinc-
tion. Yetthe strokes
of satire,bothserioussuperior in pointoffortune,
whichheemployed
in relieving the poor Athenians, in providing
and ludicrous, in the comedies of those times,
indicate that this title was given him chiefly on victuals every day for the necessitous, and
account of hiseloquence. Fortheytell usclothing theaged; andbesides this,levelled
that in his harangues,he thundered and light- his fenceswith the ground, that all might beat
ened, andthathistongue wasarmed with liberty to gather hisfruit;Pericles hadre-
thunder. Thucydides, thesonof Milesius, is course totheexpedient ofdividing thepublic
saidtohave givenapleasant account ofthetreasure; which scheme, asAristotle infomn
forceof hiseloquence. Thucydides wasa us,wasproposed tohimbyDemonides oflos*
greatandrespectable man,whofora longAccordingly, bysupplying thepeople with
timeopposed themeasures of Pericles: Andmoney forthepublic diversions,
attendancein^-CftUrts^
andfortheii
of judicature,! and by
when Archidamus, one of the kings of Lace-
(Jn.iiioii asked him, " Which was the best oilier pensionsand gratuities, he so inveigled
wrestler, Pericles, or he?" he answered, them, as to avail himself of their interest against
the council of the Areopagus,of which he had
" When I throw him, he says he was never no right to be a member, having never had the,
down, and he persuadesthe very spectatorsto
believe so." fortune to be chosen archon, Tliefmothetes,
Yet suchwasthe solicitudeof Pericleskingof thesacred
rites, orpolemarch.For
when hehadtospeak
inpublic,
that
healwayspersonswere ofoldappointed tothese offices
firstaddressed
a prayer
to thegods,f
" Thatbylot;and such ashad discharged them well,
and such only, were admitted as judges in the
not a word might unawaresescapehim unsuit-
ableto the occasion."
He left nothingin Areopagus.
Pericles,
therefore,
byhispopu-
writing butsome publicdecrees;
and onlyafewlarityraised apartyagainst thatcouncil,
and,
of his sayings are recorded. He used to say by means of Ephialtes, took from them the
(forinstance) that" TheisleofjEgina should cognizance ofmany
their jurisdiction. causes
He thathad
likewise been
caused under
Cimon
not be Buffered to remain an eye-sore to the
Piraus:" and that " He saw a war approach- to be banished by the Ostracism, as an enemy
ingfromPeloponnesus."
AndwhenSopho-
tothepeople,|
and afriend
totheLacedxmo-
cles, who went in joint command with him
uponan expeditionat sea,happenedto praise * loswasoneof the islescalledSporades.
in the
thebeauty
of a certainboy,hesaid," A gene-JJgean
ica,andcelebrated
for Ihetomb
of Homer.
ral,myfriend,
should
notonly
have
pure
hands,
But
l*>tf,somelearned
we should men
read are ofand
Oiti^v, opinion that
iostetd
that Demonides of
wai
but pure eyes." Stesimbrotus
produces
this notoftheisland
of Jos,
butof Oia,which
wasa bor-
passagefrom the oration wlu'chPericlespro- oughinAttica.
nounced in memory of those Athenians who f Therewereseveralcourtsof judicaturein Afnens,
fell in the Samianwar," Theyare becomecomposedof a certain number of thecitizens; who
sometimesreceived one oboluseach, for every cause
they tried ; and sometimesmenwho aimed at popular-
« Plalo observes,on the sameoccasion,that an ora- ity procured this fee to be increased.
tor as«* H-1-*
aphysician
oughtto haveageneralknow- ( His treasonagainstthe statewas pretendedtft
ledge of nature. consist in receiving presentsor other gratification!
f Quintilian>ays,lie prayed,that nota wordmight fromIhe Macedonians,
wherebyhe wasprevailedon
escape
liim disagreeable
to thepeople.Andthisis the to letsliptheopportunity
hehndto enlarge
UieAthe-
moreprobable accountof ihe matter,because (accor- nianconquests,
afterhe had takenthe gold minesof
HII.C'o Suidas)Pericleswrote down his pralioiube- Tlirace.-Cimonanswered that hehadprosecutedtho
forehepronounced themin public; and,iiideed,nas war to theutmostof his poweragainsttheTh.-acianl
the first who did so. and their other enemies; but that he had made B*
 PERICLES. 11
Bians;a manwhoin birthandfortunehadno hisinflexibleseverityin prosecuting
all thai
"uperior,
whobadgained
veryglorious
victo-invaded
therightsof thujnople,hisenemiet
riesowr the barbarians,
and filled thecity causedhimto betakenoff in a privateand
with money andotherspoils,aswe havere- treacherous
manner,byAnstodicus
ofTanagra
latedin hislife. Suchwasthe authorityof " Aboutthe sametimediedCimon,in the
Pericleswiththecommon people. expeditionto Cyprus.And the nobilityper-
The termof Cimon'sbanishment,
aait was ceiving that Pericleswas now arrived at a
by Ostracism,
waslimitedbylawto tenyears.heightof authority
whichsethimtarabove
the
Meantime,the Lacedemonians,
with a great other citize.js,were desirousof havingsome
army,
entered
theterritory
ofTanagra,
andthe person
tooppose
him,whomightbecapable
of
Atheniansimmediatelymarchingout againstgiving a checkto his power,andof preventing
them,Citnonreturned,and placedhimselfin his making himself absolute. Foe this pur-
therankswiththoseof histribe,intending
by posetheyset upThucydides,
of thewardof
his deedsto wipeoff the aspersion
of favouringAlopece,a manof greatprudence, andbrother
the Lacedaemonians, and to venturehis life in-lawto Cimon. He hadnot, indeed,Cimon's
with his countrymen;but,by a combination of talents for war, but was superiorto him in
the friendsof Pericles,he waarepulsed as an forensicand political abilities; and,by resid-
exile. This seemsto have been the causethat ing constantly in Athens, and opposingPcriclei
Pericles exerted himself in a particular man- in the general assembly,he soon brought the
ner in that battle, and exposedhis personto governmentto an equilibrium. For he did
the greatestdangers. All Cimon's friends, not suffer personsof superiorrank to be dis-
whom Pericles had accusedas accomplices in persed and confounded with the rest of the
his pretendedcrime,fell honourably that day people,becausein that casetheir digi\ity waa
together: And the Athenians,who were de- obscuredand lost; but collectedthem into a
featedupontheir own borders,andexpecteda separatebody,by whichmeanstheir authority
still sharperconflictin the summer,grievously was enhanced,and sufficientweight thrown
repentedof their treatmentof Cimon, and into their scale. There was,indeed,from the
longedfor his return. PeYicles,sensibleof beginning,akind of doubtfulseparation, which,
the people'sinclinations,did not hesitateto like the (lawsin a pieceof iron, indicatedthat
gratifythem,but himselfproposed a decreefor the aristocraticalparty,and that of the com-
calling Cimon, and at his return, a peacewas monalty, were not perfectly one, though they
agreed upon through his mediation. For the were not actually divided : but the ambition
Lacedemonians had a particular regard for of Pericles and Thucydides, and the contest
him, as well as aversion to Pericles and the between them bad so extraordinary an effect
other demagogues. But some authors write, upon the city, that it was quite broken in two,
that Pericles did not procure an order for Ci- and one part was called the people, and the
roon'e return, till they had entered into a priv- other the r.obility. For this reason Pericles,
ate compact, by means of Cimon's sister more than ever, gave the people the reins, and
Elpinice,thatCimonshouldhavethe commandendeavoured to ingratiatehimself with them,
abroad,and with two hundred galleys lay contrivingalwaysto havesomeshow,or play,
wastethe king of Persia'sdominions, and Per- or feast, or procession in the city, and to amuse
icles have the direction of affairs at home. it with the politest pleasures.
A story goes, that Elpinice, before this, had As another meansof employing their atten
softenedthe resentmentof Periclesagainst tion, he sent out sixty galleys every year,
Cimon, and procured her brother a milder manned for eight months, with a considerable
sentence
thanthatof death. Pericleswasone numberof the citizens, who were both paid
of thoseappointed by the peopleto managethe '"ortheir service and improved themselves as
impeachment;and when Elpinice addressedmariners. He likewise sent a colony of a
him as a suppliant, he smiled and said, "You thousandmen to the Chersonesus,five hundred
areold,Elpinice; muchtoo old to solicit in so to Naxos,two hundredandfifty to Andros,a
weightyan affair." However,he roseup but thousandinto the countryof the BisaltE in
once to speak, barely to acquit himself of hU Thrace, and others into Italy, who settled in
trust, and did not bear so hard upon Cimon as Sybaris,and changedits nameto Thurii. These
the restof his accusers.*Who then can give thingshedid, to clearthe city of a useless
mul-
credit to Idomeneus,whenhe saysthat Peri- titude,who werevery troublesome when they
clescausedtheoratorEpliialtes,his friend and hadnothing to do; to makeprovisionfor the
assistantin the administration,
to be assassin-most necessitous;and to keep the allies of
ated throughjealousyand envy of his great Athens in awe, by placing colonieslike so
character? 1 know not where he met with many garrisonsin thei- neighbourhood.
this calumny,which he ventswi& great bit- That whichwasthechiefdelightof theAthaO
ternessagainsta man,not indeed,in all res- niansand the wonderof strangers,andwhich l
pectsirreproachable,
but who certainlyhid aloneserves
fora proofthattheboasted
power
luch a greatnessof mind,and high senseof and opulenceof ancientGreeceis not an idle
honouraswasincompatible
withanactionso tale,wasthemagnificence
of thetemples
and
savageandinhuman. The truth of the matter, public edifices. Yet no part of the conduct
accordingto Aristotle,is,that Ephialtesbeing of Periclesmovedthe spleenof his enemiei
grown formidableto the nobles,on accountof morethanthis. In theiraccusations of him to
inroads into Macedonia, because he did not conceive thepeople,
theyinsisted,»
Thathehadbrought
that he was to act as a public enemy to mankind. the greatest disgrace upon the Athenian!
" YetCimuu wasfinedfiftylalenls,
or 9S87/.
10«.by removing
the publictreasuresof Greece
Itcrling,
andnarrowly
escapedacapital
sentence,hav-
from Dclos and takingthem into hw own
Ktgcslya uujurttyof threevole*to prevent
il. custody. That he had not left lumself even
118 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

the speciousapology,of having causedthe with whichI finishmine." For easeandspeet

moneyto be broughtto Athensfor its greater in thu executionseldomgive a work any last-
"ecurity, andto keepit from beingseizedby ing importanceor exquisitebeauty; while,on
the barbarians: That Greece must needscon- the other hand, the time which is expendedin
"ider it asthe highestinsult,andanact of open labour,is recoveredand repaidin theduration
tyranny,whenshesawthemoney
shehadbeenof theperformance.
Hencewehavethemora
obligedto contributetowardsthe war lavished reasonto wonderthat the structuresraisedby
by the Atheniansin gildingtheir city, andor- Periclesshouldbe built in sotliort a time,and
namentingit with statues,and templesthat yet built for ages:for as eachof th:m, assoon
cost a thousandtalents,*as a proudand vain as finished,hadthe venerableair of antiquity^
womandecksherselfout with jewels." Peri- so,now they are old, they havethe freshness
cles answeredthis chargeby observing,"That of a modernbuilding. A bloomis diffusedover
they were not obligedto give the allies any them,whichpreserves their aspectuntarnished
account of the sums they had received, since by time, as if they were animatedwith a spirit
they had kept the barbariansat a distance,and of perpetual youth and unfading elegance,i
effectually defended the allies, who had not Phidias was appointed by Pericles supenn
furnishedeither horses,ships,or men,but only tendantof all the public edifices,thoughthe
contributed money,which is no longer the Athenianshad then other eminentarchitects
property of the giver, but of the receiver, if he and excellent workmen. The Parthenon, or
performs ihe conditions on which it is receiv- temple of Pallas, whose dimensions had been
ed. That, as the statewas providedwith al! a hundredfeet square,*was rebuilt by Calli-
the necessariesof war, its superfluouswealth crates and Ictinus. Corocbusbeganthe temple
shouldbelaid out on suchworks as,whenex- of Initiation at Eleusis,but only lived to finish
ecuted, would be eternal monuments of its the lower rank of columns with their archi-
glory, and which, during their execution, would traves. Metagenes, of the ward of Xypete,
diffusea universalplenty; for asso manykinds addedthe rest of the entablature,andthe up-
of labour, and sucha variety of instruments per row of columns;andXenoclesof Cholar-
and materials were requisite to these under- gus built the domeon the top. The longwall,
takings,everyart wouldheexerted,everyhand the buildingof which Socratessayshe heard
employed, almost the whole of the city would Pericles proposeto the people, was undertaken
be in pay, and be at the same time both adorn- by Callicrates. Cratinus ridicules this work
ed and supported by itself." Indeed, such as as proceeding very slowly:
wereof a properageandstrength,
werewant- Stones
upon
stones
theorator
hadpil'd
ed for the wars,and well rewardedfor their \Vithswillingwords,
butwords
will buildnowallj.
services; and as for the mechanics and meaner
The Odeum, or music theatre, which was
sort of people, they went not without their
likewise built by the direction of Pencles, had
shareof the publicmoney,nor yet hadthey it
to support them in idleness. By the con- within it many rows of seats and of pillars;
structing of great edifices,which required many the roof was of a conic figure, after the model
arts,anda longtimetofinish
them,
theyhad(we aretold)ofthekingofPersia's pavilion.
Cratinus therefore, rallies him again in his play
equal pretensionsto be considered out of the called Thrattx:
treasury (though they stirred not out of the city)
with the mariners and soldiers,guards and gar- AsJove,anoniononhis headhe wean
risons. For the different materials,such as AsPericles,
a whole
orchestra
bears;
Afraid of broils and banishmentno more,
stone, brass, ivory, gold, ebony, and cypress, He tunes the shell he trembled at before!
furnished employment to carpenters, masons,
braziers,goldsmiths,painters,turners,andother Periclesat this time exertedall his interest
artificers; the conveyance of themby seaem- to havea decreemade,appointinga prizefor
ployed merchantsand sailors, and by land, the best performerin musicduringthe Pana-
wheelwrights, wagoners, carriers,rope-makers,thtnu'ti; and, as he was himself appointed
Jeather-cutters, paviers,andiron founders,and judgeanddistributerof the prizes,hegavethe
everyart had a numberof the lower people contendingartistsdirectionsin whatmanner to
rangedin propersubordinationto executeit proceed,whethertheir performance wasvocal,
like soldiersunderthe commandof a general. or on the flute or lyre. From thattimethe
Thus, by the exerciseof thesedifferenttrades, prizesin musicwere alwayscontended for in
the Odeum.
plenty was diffused among persons of every
rank and condition. Thus works were raised The vestibule of the citadel was furnislied
of an astonishingmagnitude,and inimitable in five yearsby Mnesiclesthe architect. A
beautyand perfection,everyarchitectstriving wonderfuleventthat happened whilethe work
to surpassthe magnificence of the designwith wasin hand,shewedthat the goddess wasnot
the elegance of theexecution;yet still the most averseto the work, but rather tookit into her
wonderfulcircumstance wastlie expeditionwith protection,and encouraged themto complete
which they were completed. Many edifices,it. One of the best and most active of tha
eath of whichseemsto haverequiredthe labour workmen,missinghis step,fell from the topto
of severalsuccessive ages,werefinishedduring the bottom,andwasbruisedin sucha manner,
the administrationof oneprosperous man. that his life wasdespairedof by the physicians.
It is said,that when Agatharcus the painter Pericleswas greatly concernedat this ac
valuedhimselfuponthe celerityandeasewith cident; but in the midst of his affliction
which he despatched his pieces; Zcuxis re-
* It was called HccatompcJon, becauseit had been
plied, " If I boast,it shall be of the slownessoriginal!) a hundred feel square. And having beri
" The ParCienon,or templeof Minerva,u said to burmd by the Persians,
it wasrebuiltby Pericles,an/
haic costa thousandLakuts. retainedthatnameafterit wasgrealjyenlarj;«l.
 PERICLES. 119

thegoddess
appearedto himin adream,andyours:onlylettheneivedificcobeinscrib
informed
himofa remedy,whichheapplied, edwithmy name,notthatof tlie people
of
andthereby
soon recoveredthepatient.In Athens."Whetherit wasthattheyadmired
memoryofthiscure,heplacedinthecitadel,
thegreatness
ofhisspirit,orwereambitioua
nearthealtar(whichissaidtohave been theretosharethegloryof suchmagniicent work*,
before)a brazen statueof theJllincrvaqf theycriedout," Thathemightspend asmucn
hetilth.Thegolden statue of thesame god-ashepleased of thepublictreasure,
without
dess,"wasthe workmanship of Phidias,
and sparingit m theleast."
hisname isinscribed
uponthepedestal (aswe Atlastthecontest came onbetweenhimand
havealreadyobserved). Through thefriend-Thucydides, whichofthemshouldbebanished
shipofPericleshe hadthedirection ofeverybytheostracism; Pericles
gainedthevictory,
thing,andall the artists
receivedhisorders.banished hisadversary,andentirely
defeated
For this the one wasenvied,andtheother his party. The opposition
now beingat an
slandered;and it wasintimated
thatPhidiasend,andunanimitytakingplaceamongst all
receivedinto his house ladies for Pericles, ranksof people,Periclesbecamesolemaster
whocamethitherunderpretence of seeing
his of Athens,
anditsdependencies. Therevenue,
works. The comicpoets,gettingholdofthis thearmyandnavy,theislands andthesea,a
story,represented
himasa perfectlibertine.mostextensiveterritory,peopled bybarbarians
Theyaccused himof anintriguewiththewife aswellasGreeks, fortifiedwiththeobedience
ofMenippus,
hisfriend,andlieutenant
in the ofsubject
nations,
thefriendship
ofkings,
and
urmy,andbecause Pyrilampes,anotherinti- allianceof princes,
wereallat hiscommand.
mateacquaintanceof his,hada collectionof Fromthistimehebecamea different man;
curious
birds,andparticularly
of peacocks, it hewasnolongersoobsequious to thehumour
wassupposed thathekept themonly for pres- of the populace,which is as wild and as change-
entsfor thosewomenwho grantedfavoursto ableas the winds. The multitudewerenot in-
Pericles.But what wonderis it, if menof a dulgedor courted;the government in fact was
satiricalturndailysacrifice
the characters
of notpopular;its looseand luxuriantharmony
thegreatto thatmalevolent Demon,theenvy wasconfinedto strictermeasures, andit as-
of the multitude,whenStesimbrotus
of Thasos sumedan aristocraticalor rather monarchical
hasdaredto lodgeagainst
Periclesthathorrid form. Hekeptthepublicgoodin hiseye,and
and groundlessaccusation
of corruptinghis pursuedthestraightpathof honour.For the
eon'swife? Sodifficult is it to come at truth in most part gently leading them by argument to
the walkof history,since,if the writerslive a sense
of whatwasright,andsometimes
forc-
after the eventsthey relate,they can bebut ing them to comply with what wasfor their
imperfectly
informedof facts,andif theydes-own advantage; in this respectimitatinga
cribethepersons andtransactions
of theirown goodphysician,who,in thevarious symptoms
times,theyaretemptedbyenvyanilhatred,of a longdisease, sometimes administersmedi-
or by interestandfriendship,to vitiateand cinestolerablyagreeable,and,at othertimes,
pervertthetruth. sharpandstrongones,whensuchaloneare
Theoratorsof Thucydides's partyraiseda capable of restoring
thepatient. He wasthe
clamouragainstPericles,assertingthat he manthathadtheartof controlling thosemany
wastedthepublictreasure,
andbroughttherev- disorderlypassionswhichnecessarily springup
enueto nothing.Pericles,in hisdefenceasked amongsta peoplepossessed
of soextensivea
thepeoplein full assembly,
"Whetherthey dominion.Thetwo engines
he workedwith
thought he had expended too much?" upon were hopeand fear; wich these, repressing
theiranswering in the affirmative,
"Thenbe their violence
whentheyweretooimpetuous,
it," saidhe, "chargedto my account,fn°t andsupporting their spiritswheninclinedto
languor,hemadeit appearthat rhetoric is (as
Plato dennedit) the art of ruling the minds
* Thisstatue
wasofgoldandivory.Fausanias
hasof men,andthat its principalprovincecon-
given us a description of it. The goddesswas repre-
sentedstanding,clothed in a tunic that reacheddown sists in moving the passionsand affections of
to the fool. On her tt%ia,or breast-plate,was Medu- the soul,which like so manystringsin a mu-
sa'sheadin ivory,andvictory. Shehelda spear
in sical instrument,require the touchof a mas-
herhand; andat herfeetlayabuckler,
andadragon,terly anddelicatehand. Nor werethe poweri
supposedtobeEricKthoaiiu. Thesphynx -was repre-of eloquence
Knted on the middle of her helmet, with a griffin on
alonesufficient,
but (asThucy-
eachside. This statuewasthirty-ninefeetSigh; Uic didesobserves) theoratorwasa manof probity
victory on the breast-plat* was about four cubits: and and unblemishedreputation. Money could
forty talentsof goldwereemployed
uponit. not bribe him; he was so much above the de-
f It appears
froma passage
in Thucydidei,
thatthe sire of it, that thoughhe addedgreatlyto the
publicstock of theAthenians amounted toninethou-opulence
of the state,whichhefoundnotin-
sand sevenhundred talents (or one million eight hun-
dred and seventy-fivethousandnine hundred and fifty considerable,and thoughhis powerexceeded
pounds
sterlingj)
ofwhich,
Pericles
hadlaidoutin thatofmany
kingsandtyrants,
some
ofwhom
those publicbuildingsthreethousand seven
hundredhavebequeathed to their posteritythe sove-
talents.11is natural,therefore,
to ask,howhecould reigntytheyhadobtained,yetheaddednot one
tellthepeople thatit should beat hisownexpense, drachmato hispaternal
estate.
especially
sincePlutarchtells usin thesequel,that he
had
notintheleast
improved
theestate
lefthim
byhis Thucydides,
indeed,
gives
thiscandid
account
father!Towhichthetrueanswer
probablyis,that of thepower
andauthority
of Pericles,
butthe
Pericles
waspolitician
enough
toknowthatthevanitycomicwritersatusehimin a mostmalignant
of theAthenians wouldneverlet themasjree thathe manner,givinghisfriendsthe nameof the neia
should inscribe Ihe »itw magnificentbuildings with his
name, in exclusionof their's; or he might venture to pisistratidtE,
and callinguponhimto swear
lay any thing, bring secureof a majority of votes to be that hewouldneverattemptto makehimself
fi>-.u
ashepleased. absolute,
sincehisauthoritywasalready
much
120 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

too greatandoverbearingin a freestate.Tele- By this time the Lacedemonians

beganto
elidessays,the Athenianshadgivenup to him expresssomejealousyof the Atheniangreat-
The tributesof thestate",the MatesIhenuelvei ness, and Pericles willing to advance it still
To bind, to loose; to buildandto destroy; higher, and to make the people more sensible
In ptace,in%v:ir,
to govern
; nay,to rule of their importance,and more inclinableto
Theirvery
fate,
like>ome
mperior
thing. greatattempts,
procured
anorder,
thatallthe
And this not only for a time,or duringthe Greeks,wheresoever theyresided,whetherin
primeand flowerof a shortadministration ; Europeor in Asia,whethertheircitieswere
but for forty yearstogetherhe heldthepre- smallor great,should senddeputies to Athens
eminence, amidstsuchmenasEphialtes, Leoc- to consultaboutrebuildingthe Greciantem-
rates,Myronides, Cimon,Tolmides, andThu- pleswhichthe barbarians had burned,and
eydides;andcontinued it no lesethin fifteen aboutproviding
thosesacrifices
ishichhadbeen
yearsafterthefall andbanishment of thelat- vowedduringthePersianwar,for thepreser-
ter. The powerof the magistrates,whichto vation of Greece; andlikewiseto enter into
themwasbutannual,all centeredin him,yet suchmeasures asmightsecurenavigation,
ind
siill hekepthimselfuntaintedbyavarice.Not maintain thepeace.
thathewasinattentive to hisfinances;buton Accordingly twentypersons,eachupwardi
thecontrary,neithernegligent of hispaternaloffifty yearsofage,weresentwiththisproposal
estate,nor yet willing to havemuchtrouble to the differentstatesof Greece. Five went
with it; as he hadnot muchtime to spare,he to the lonians and Doriansin Asia, and the
broughtthe management of it into such a islandersasfar as Lesbos,andRhodes;fiveto
methodaswasveryeasy,atthesame timethat thecitiesabovetheHellespont andin Thrace,
it wasexact. For he usedto turna wholeas far as Byzantium; five to the inhabitants:
year'sproduce intomoney
altogether,
andwith of Baotia, Phocis,and Peloponnesus, and
thisheboughtfromdayto dayall mannerof fromthence, by Locri alongtheadjoiningcon-
necessaries
at themarket. Thiswayofliving tinent,to Acarnania
andAmbracia.Therest
was not agreeableto his sonswhengrown up, were despatched
throughEubosa
to the Greekt
andtheallowancehemadethewomen,did
not that dweltuponMountOetra,andnearthe
appear
to thema generous
one:theycomplain-Maliacbay,to the Phithiotse,
theAchaeans*
edof a pittancedaily measured
out with scru- and Thessalians,inviting them to join in the
pulouseconomy, whichadmitted
of noneof councilandnewconfederacy for thepreserva-
thosesuperfluities
socommonin greathousestion of thepeace
of Greece.It tooknoeffect,
and wealthy families, and could not bear to however, nor did the cities sendtheir depu-
think of theexpenses
beingsonicelyadjustedties: the reasonof whichis saidto betheop-
to the income. position of the Lacedaemonians,!for the pro-
The personwho managed theseconcernsposalwasfirstrejectedin Peloponnesus. But
with BOmuchexactness wasa servantof his I waswillingto giveanaccount of it asa spe-
namedEvangelius,eitherremarkably fittedfor cimenof thegreatnessof the orator'sspirit,
thepurpose
by nature,orformedto it by Peri- andof his disposition
to formmagnificent de-
cles. Anaxagoras,indeedconsidered thesesigns.
lower attentionsas inconsistentwith his wis- His chief meritin war wasthe safetyof hit
di m. Followingthedictatesof enthusiasm, measures. Heneverwillinglyengaged in any
andwraptupin subVime inquiries,he quitteduncertainor verydangerous expedition, nor
hu house, andleft hislandsunfilledanddeso-hadanyambition to imitatethosegenerals who
late. But,in myopinion, thereisanessentialare admiredas greatmen,because theirrash
differencebetween a speculative and a prac- enterprises havebeenattended with success;
tical philosopher.The formeradvances his healwaystoldtheAthenians, "That asfaras
ideasinto the regionsof science withoutthe their fate depended uponhim,theyshould be
assistanceof anythingcorporeal or external;immortal."Perceiving thatTolmides, theson
thelatterendeavours to applyhisgreatquali- of Tolnraus,in confidence of hisformersuc-
ties to the useof mankind,andrichesaffordcessandmilitaryreputation, waspreparing to
himnotonlynecessary butexcellent assistance. invadeBceotiaat an unseasonable time,and
Thusit waswithPericles, whoby hiswealththat overandabovetheregulartroops, hehad
wasenabledto relievenumbers of thepoor persuaded thebravest andmostspirited of the
citizens.Nay,for wantof suchprudential re- Athenian
youth,to thenumber of a thousand,
gards,this veryAnaxagoras, wearetold,lay to govolunteers in thatexpedition,headdress-
neglected and unprovided for,insomuch that edhimin public,andtriedto diverthimfrom
thepooroldmanhadcovered uphishead, and it, makinguse,among theirest,of those well
wasgoingto starvehimself.*Butanaccountknownwords,"If youregardnottheopinion
of it beingbroughtto Pericles,he wasex- of Pericles, yetwaitat leastfor theadviceof
tremelymoved at it, ran immediately to him, time,whois thebestof all counsellors." This
expostulated,entreated;bewailingnot somuch
the fateof his friend as his own, if his admin- * By.ichaantwearesometimes
to understand
the
istration shouldloseso valuablea counsellor. Greeksin general,especially
in thewritingsof the
Anaxaporas,
uncoveringhis face, replied,poets;
andsometimes
theinhabitants
of a particular
"Ah,Pericles!
those
thathaveneed
ofalamp,the
district
inPeloponnessus:
meaning in this place. but
Weneitherof these
must here can be
understand
takecareto supplyit with oil." a peopleof Thcssaly, called *1chaans.
t It is no wonder that the Lacedaemoniansopposed
" It wu customary
amongtheancientsfor a person thisundertaking,
sincethegivingwayto it wouldhare
wno was determined to put an end to his life to cover been acknowledging the Athenians as mastersof all
uphishead
; whether
hedevoted
himselftodeathfor Greece.Indeed,
the Athenians
should
nothaveat
the serviceof his country,or beingwearyof hisbeing, temptedit, without ailorder or decree
of theAmphic-
bade the world adieu. tyonj.
 PERICLES. 121

vaying,
f&rthepresent,
gained
nogreatap-good
fortune,
they
talked
ofrecovering
Egypt,*
plause:
butwhen,a fewdaysafter,newswasandof attempting thecoast
of Persia.Many
brought,
thatTolmides
wasdefeated andkill- werelikewise
at thistimepossessed
withth«
ed at Coronea,* togetherwith manyof the unfortunatepassion
for Sicily,whichtheora-
bravestcitizens,
it procuredPericles
greatre torsof Alcibiades's
party afterwardsinflamed
epect
andlovefromthepeople,
whoconsider-
stillmore.Nay>
some
evendreamed
of He-
edit asa proof,not only of hissagacity,but truriaf and Carthage,and not withoutsome
of hisaffection
for hiscountrymen. ground of hope,as theyimagined, becauseof
Ofhismilitaryexpeditions,thatto theCher- thegreatextentof their dominions, and the
toncsusprocured himmosthonour,because it successfulcourseof theiraffairs.
provedverysalutary to theGreekswhodwelt But Ponclesrestrained thisimpetuosityof
(here. For he not onlystrengthened their thecitizens,andcurbedtheir extravagant de-
cities with the additionof a thousandable- sire of conquest;employingthe greatestpart
bodied Athenians, but raised fortificationsof their forces in strengtheningand securing
acrossthe Isthmusfromseato sea;thusguard' their presentacquisitions,and consideringit
ing againstthe incursionsof the Thracians as a matterof consequence to keepthe Lace-
who were spreadaboutthe Chersonesus, and dxmonianswithit bounds;whomhe therefore
puttinganendto thoselongandgrievouswars, opposed, a?on other occasions,soparticularly
Underwhichthat districthadsmarted,by rea- in the sacredwar. For when theLacedimo-
sonof the neighbourhood of thebarbarians,
as nians,by dint of arms,had restoredthe tem
wellasto therobberies
withwhichit hadbeenpieto thecitiiensof Delphi,whichhadbeen
infested by personswho lived uponthe bor- seizedby the Phocians,Pericles,immediately
ders,or wereinhabitantsof the country. But after the departureof the Lacedaemonians,
the cipedition most celebratedamongstran- marchedthither, and put it into the handsof
gers, was that by sea aroundPeloponnesus.the Phociansagain. And asthe Lacedaemo-
He set sail from Pegs in the territories of Me- nians had engraved on the forehead of the
garawith a hundredshipsof war,andnot on- brazenwolf the privilegewhich the peopleof
ly ravagedthe maritime cities, aa Tolmides Delphi had grantedthem of consultingthe
haddonebeforehim, but landedhis forcesand oraclefirst,} Periclescaused
the sameprivilege
penetrateda good way up the country. The ror the Athenians,to be inscribedonthe wolfs
terror of his arms drove the inhabitants into right side.
their walledtowns,all but the Sicyomans,
who The eventshewedthat he wasright in con-
made head against him at Memea, and were ining the Athenian forces to act within the
defeated in a pitched battle; in memory of jounds of Greece. For, in the first place, the
which victory he erected a trophy. From Eubccans revolted, and he led an army against
Achaia, a confederatestate, he took a number .hem. Soon after, news was brought that
of men into his galleys, and sailed to the oppo- \Iegara had commenced hostilities, and that
lite side of the continent; then passing by the the Lacedaemonianforces,under the command
mouth of the Achelous, he made a descent in of king Plistonax, were upon the borders of
Acarnania, shut up the CEnearts within their Attica. The enemyoffered him battle; hedid
walls, and having laid waste the country, re- not choose, howevcr, to risk an engagement
turnedhome. In the wholecourseof this af- with sonumerousandresolutean army. But
fair, heappearedterribleto his enemies,and as Plistonaxwas very young,and chiefly di-
to his countrymen an active and prudent com- rected by Cleandrides, a counsellor whom the
mander;for no miscarriagewas committed,Ephori had appointedhim on accountof hig
nor did evenany unfortunateaccidenthappen enderage,he attemptedto bribe that coun-
duringthe wholetime. sellor,and succeedingin it lo his wish, per-
Having sailed to Pontuswith a largeand suadedhim to draw off the Peloponnesiana
well equippedfleet, he procuredthe Grecian rom Attica. The soldiersdispersingandre-
citiesthere all the advantagesthey desired, iring to their respectivehomes,the Lacedae-
andtreatedthem with great regard. To the monianswere so highlyincensed,thattheylaid
barbarous nationsthat surroundedthem,and a heavyfine uponthe king, andas he was not
to their kings and princes,he made the po\ver
of Athens very respectable, by shewing with * For theAthenianshad beenmastersof E^ypt, as
what securityherfleetscouldsail, andthat she triven
e findout
in the secondbookof Thucydides. The)»ere
of it by Megabyzus, Artaxenes's lieuten-
was in effect mistress of the seas. He left the
people of Sinope thirteen ships under the com- ant, in the first y»:arot the eightieth olympiad, and it
was only iu the last year of tne eighty-Tint olympiad
mandof Lamachus,anda bodyof mento act hat Pericles
madethatsuccessful
expedition
about
against Timesileos their tyrant. And when the 'YloDtmnfsus;
thereforeit isnotstrangethattheAllie-
tyrant andhis party weredriven out, he caus- ians,nowin theheightofprosperity,
talkedof recov-
eda decree
to bemade,
thata colonyof six ering theirCooling
ill' I) lost. in a country
which
theyhadso
hundred
Athenianvolunteers
shouldbeplaced t Helruria leerns
oddlyjoined
withCarthage;
but
in Sinope, and put in possessionof those wemayconsider thatHetruriawasoni>ne sideof Si
housesand lands which had belongedto the cily,andCarthageonIheothir.TheAihinians, there-
tyrants. fore,afterth«vhaddtsourtdSicilyin tinir thoughts,
Hedidnot,however, givewayto thewild might think
rieson ofextending
theright andIf II their concur
; in the-aim"!,tothe
manm coun-
r asking
desiresof the citizens,nor wouldhe indulge 'yrrhus indulged his wild ambition Ui subdue Sicily
them, when, el-ted with their strength and July,andAfrica.
This wolf is said to have been consecratedaoJ
" This deftat happened
ID thesecond
yearof the ilac-dbythe sidenf thegr.at altar,onnrcasior
of "
ei^Vity-lhird
.'i\m|Had,
lourhundred
andforty-five
wolfskilling
aIhiifwhi hadrobbrd
li.eIcinplr,
aud
yc»rs
before
(heClm-iiaij
era,ajjduiortthautwtuty ending
theLMphiautlu
theplactvihtrtIreIre&ture
ft»rs beforethedtatli of Fericlei. lay.
122 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
able to pay it, he withdrew from Lacedzmon. courtezansin her house. .fEschinesinformi ni
As for Cleamlrides,who fledfromjustice,they that Lysiclcs, who was a grazier,*and of 4
condemned him to death. He was the father meanungenerous disposition,
by his intercourse
of Gylippus, who defeated the Athenians in with Aspasia, after the death of Pericles, be-
Sicily, and who seemed to have derived the came the most considerable man in Athena.
nee of avarice from him as an hereditary dis- And though Plato's Menexenus in the begin-
temper. He wasled by it into badpractices, ningis rather humorousthanserious,yet thu0
for whichhewasbanished with ignominyfrom muchof history we may gather from it, that
Sparta, as we haverelatedin the life of Ly- manyAtheniansresortedto her onaccountof
sander. her skill in the art of speaking.!
In the accounts for this campaign, Pericles I should not, however, think that the attach-
put downten talentslaid out for a necessarymentof Pericleswasof soverydelicatea kind.
use, and the peopleallowed it, without ex- For, thoughhiswife, who washisrelation,and
aminingthe matterclosely,or pryinginto the hadbeenfirst marriedto Hipponicus,
by whom
gecret.Accordingto somewriters,and among shehadCalliusthe rich,broughthim twosons,
the rest Theophrastusthe philosopher,Peri- Xanthippusand Paralus,yet theylived soill
cles sent ten talents every year to Sparta with together, that they parted by consent. Shewas
whichhe gainedall the magistracy,andkept marriedto another,and he took Aspasia, for
themfrom acts of hostility; not that he pur- whom he hadthe tenderestregard;insomuch,
thasedpeacewith the money,but only gained that he never went out upon business, or re-
time, that he might haveleisureto makepre- turned,withoutsalutingher. In thecomedies,
parationsto carry on the war afterwardswith sheis callsd the A*eu>Omphale,Deianira,
advantage. andJuiio. Cratinusplainly callshera pros-
Immediately after the retreat of the Lacede- titute,
monians,
heturnedhisarmsagainst
there- She
bore
thi«Juno,
thisJbpatia,
volters,andpassing
overinto Eubcea
withfifty Skill'dintheshameless
trade,
andevery
art
ships and 6ve thousand men, he reduced the Of wantonness.
cities. He expelled the Hippobotx, persons
distinguished by their opulence and authority He seemsalsoto havehada naturaleon by
among
theChalcidians;
andhaving
extermina
her; forheis introduced
after him thus,
byEupolis
inquiring
ted all the Hestiacans,he gave their city to a
colony of Athenians. The cause of this se- Still livestheoffspringof my dalliance
*
venty wastheir havingtakenanAthenianship, Pyronidesanswers,
and murdered the whole crew.
Soon after this, the Athenians and Laceds- He lives, and might haie borne the nameof husband
Did he not dream that every bosom(air,
monians having agreed upon a truce for thirty Is not a chasteone.
years, Pericles causeda decree to be madefor
an expedition against Samos. The pretence Suchwas the fameof Aspasia,that Cyroi,
hemade useof was,thatthe Samians,whenwhocontended with Artaxerxes
forthePer-
commanded toputanendto thewarwiththe siancrown,gavethename of Aspasia
to hii
Milesians,hadrefused
it. Butasheseemsto favourite concubine,whobeforewascalled
haveentered uponthiswarmerelytogratifyJllilto. Thiswoman wasbornin Phocis,and
Aspasia,
it maynotbeamisstoinquire
bywhatwasthedaughter of Hermotimus.WhenCy-
artorpower shecaptivated
thegreatest
states-ruswasslainin the battle,
shewascarried
to
man,andbrought evenphilosophers
tospeaktheking,andhadafterwards greatinfluence
of hersomuchto heradvantage. overhim. Theseparticulars
occurring
to my
It isagreed
thatshewasbybirthaMilesian,* memory asI wrotethis.life, I thought it would
and the daughter of Axiochus. She is report- be a needless affectation of gravity, if not an
edto have trodinthesteps ofThargelia,twhooffence against politeness,topaes themover in
wasdescended
fromthe ancientlonians,and silence.
to have reservedher intimacies for the great. I now return to the Samian war, which Pe-
This Thargelia,who to thecharmsof her per- ricles is much blamed for having promoted,in
sonadded a peculiar
politeness
andpoignant favourof theMilesians, at theinstigation
of
wit, hadmanyloversamong theGreeks,andAspasia. TheMilesians andSamians hadbeen
drewoverto the king of Persia's
interestall at warfor thecity of Priene,andtheSamiani
thatapproached
her:bywhose means,astheyhadtheadvantage, whentheAthenians inter-
were
persons
ofof
eminenceandauthority,sheposed,andordered themto laydown their
Bowed
theseeds theMedianfactionamongarms,andrefer thedecisionof thedispute
to
the Grecian states.
Some,indeed,say,that Periclesmade his * What the employmentswere to which this Lyii
court to Aspasiaonly on accountof herwis- leawas advanced,is no where recorded.
domandpoliticalabilities.Nay, evenSocrates t H is not to be imagined, that Aspasiaexcelledin
himself sometimes visited her along with his
friends; and her acquaintancetook their wives
with them to hear her discourse, though the
business that supported her was neither hon-
ourable nor decent, for she kept a number of
* Mil' turn,a city in Ionia,v»a»famousfor proouc-
ing person* ofeilraordinary abilities. gcsiionol Aspasia,whowasol Milctum; ?
1 This Thargelia,by her beauty,obtained the «ore- to hareaccompanied him in that eipeditii
ion,and I*
reijti'y of Thessaly. However,she cameto an un- havebuilt a templeto perpetuatethe men memoryol hit
timelyend; forshewa»murderedbv one«f her loverc. victory.
 PERICLES. 123

them;buttheSamians
refused
tocomply
with rant. Aristo
phanesissupposedtohavehiuted
this demand. Pericles,therefore,sailedwith at thesemarks,when hesays,
a fleet to Samos,and abolishedthe oligarchical The Samians arc a letteredrace.
form of government. He then took fifty of the As soon as Pericles was informed of the mis-
principal men,and the samenumberof chil- fortunethat had befallenhis army,he imme-
dren,ashostages,
andsentthemto Lemnos.
diately
returned
withsuccours,*
gaveMelissus
Eachof thesehostages, we are told,offeredbattle,routed'heenemy,
andblockedupthe
him a talentfor hia ransom
",aid thosethat townby buildinga wallaboutif, choosing
to
were desirous to prevent the settling of a de- owe the conquestof it rather to time and ex-
mocracy among them would have given him pense, thanto purchase it with the bloodof
Much more.* Pissuthnesthe Persian, who had his fellow-citizens. But when he found the
the iuterestof the Samiansat heart,likewise Atheniansmurmuredat the time spentin the
Knt himtenthousand
pieces
of gold,to pre-blockade,
andt^t it wasdifficultto restrain
vailuponhimto grantthemmorefavourablethemfromtheassault,
hedividedthearrnyinto
terms.Pericles,
however,wouldreceive
none eightparts,and orderedthemto drawlots.
of their presents,but treatedthe Samiansin That divisionwhich drew a white bean,were
the mannerhe hadresolvedon; andhavingto enjoythemselves ineaseandpleasure while
established
a popular
government intheisland,theothersfought. Henceit is said,thatthose
hereturned to Athens. whospendthedayin feasting andmerriment,
But theysoonrevoltedagain, havingrecov-callthata whiteday,fromthewhitebean.
eredtheir hostagesby someprivatemeasure Ephorusadds,that Periclesin this siege
of Pissuthnes,andmadenewpreparations for madeuseof batteringengines, the invenuon
war. Periclescoming with a fleetto reduceof whichhemuchadmired, it beingthena new
them once more, found themnot in a posture of one; and that he had Arttmon the engineer
negligence or despair, butdetermined
tend with him for the dominion
to con-along
of the sea. A
with him,who,onaccount
of hislame-
ness,was carried about in a litter, when his
sharp engagementensuednear the isle of Tra- presencewas required to direct the machine*,
gia, and Periclesgaineda gloriousvictory, andthence
hadthesurname
of Periphoretta.
havingwith forty-fourshipsdefeatedseventy, But Heraclidesof Pontusconfutesthis asser-
twentyof whichhadsoldiers
onboard. tion,bysome
verses
ofAnacreon,
inwhichmen-
Pursuinghisvictory,
hepossessedhimself
of tionismade ofArtemon Penphoretug.,
several
theharbourofSamos, andlaidsiege
tothecity. agesbeforetheSamian war,andthesetrans-
Theystillretained
courageenough tosallyout actionsof Pericles.And he tells us,this
andgivehimbattlebefore thewalls. SoonArtemon wasa person whogavehimselfupto
afteragreater
fleetcamefromAthens, andthe luxury,andwaswithalof atimidandeffemi-
Samians wereentirelyshutup: whereupon, natespirit;that he spentmostof histime
Pericles
tooksixtygalleys,
andsteeredforthe withindoors, andhada shieldof brass held
Mediterranean,withadesign, asis generallyoverhisheadbya couple ofslaves,
lestgome-
supposed,tomeet thePhoenician fleetthatwasthingshould
falluponhim.Moreover, that
coming lothereliefofSamos, andto engage if hehappened
tobenecessarilyobliged
togo
withit atagreat distancefromtheisland. abroad,
Slesimbrotus, indeed, says, he intended to
hewascarried
in alitter,which
hung
so low as almost to touch the ground, and
tailforCyprus,
whichisveryimprobable.
But therefore
wascalled
Periphoretus.
whatever
hisdesign was,heseems tohave Afterninemonths, theSamianssurrendered.
committed
anerror.For,assoon ashewasPericles razed
theirwalls,
seizedtheirships,
gone,Melissus, thesonof Ithagenes, a manandlaidaheavy fineuponthem; partofwhich
distinguished
commanderofas aphilosopher,
the andateither
Samians,despising thattime
the they
paid
downdirectly,
theresttheypromised
imall number of ships that was left, or else the at a settime, and gavehostagesfor the pay
inexperience of their officers, persuaded his ment. Duris the Samianmakes a melancholy
tale of it, accusing Pericles and the Athenians
countrymen toattack theAthenians. Accord- ofgreat cruelty,
ofwhich nomention is made
ingly, abattle was fought,
andtheSamians ob-byThucydides, Ephorus, orAristotle. "What
tained thevictory; fortheymade many prison-herelates concerningtheSamian officersand
ers,
fleet,destroyed the
cleared the greatest
seas,and partofthe
imported enemy's
whatever seamen, seems quite
fictitious:
hetellsus,that
Pericles causedthem to be brought into the
warlike
Aristotle
stores andprovisions theywanted.
writes, that Pericles himself had
market-place atMiletus,andtobebound to
posts there for ten days together, at the end
been beaten by the sameMelissus, in a former
sea-fight. of which heorderedthem,by that timein the
The Samiana returned upon the Athenian mostwretchedcondition,to bedispatchedwith
clubs, and refused their bodies the honour of
prisoners the insult they bad received, marked
their foreheads with the figure of an owl, as burial. Duris, indeed,in hjs Histories,often
the Athenians had branded them with goes beyond the limits of truth, even whennot
a Sa-
mxna, which is a kind of ship built low in the misledby anyinterestor passion;and there-
forepart, and wide and hollow in the sides. fore is morelikelyto hive exaggerated ths
This form makes it light and expeditious in ssJeringsof his country, to makethe Athe-
failing; and it was called Samsena, from its niansappearin an odioushgbt.f
beinginvented
in Samos
byPolycrates
thety- " Onhisreturn,
hereceived
areinforcement
offour.
scoreships,asThucididcsteUsus: or ninety,accord-
" PiMuthncs, the ion of Hyitaspes, WM joiernor of ing lo Diodorus.
Sard!*,
amiespoused Ihecause
oftheSamians
of course, } YetCicerotellsus,this Durij wasacarefulhis-
because
thr principal
person*
amongthemwerein the torian,Homom hutoriaMiftra. Thishistorumlitej
Persian
interest. in thetimes
of Flolemj
 !24 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Pericles,at his return to Athens, after the affordhis enemiesa pretenceto accusehint,
redactionof Samos,celebratedin a splendic sentanothersquadronto Corcyra,*whichdid
manner ihc obsequies of his countrymen who not arrive till the action was over.
fell in that war, and pronouncedhimself the The Corinthians,offendedat thistreatment,
funeral oration usual on suchoccasions. This complainedof it at Lacedacmon;and the Me-
gained him great applause; and, when he came garensians at the same time alleged, that the
down from the rostrum,the womenpaid their Athenianswouldnot sufferthemto cometo any
respectsto him,andpresentedhim with crowns mart or port of theirs, but drove ihem out,
4iid chaplets,like a championjust returnee therebyinfringingthe commonprivileges,and
notorious from the lists. Only Elpinice ad- breaking the oath they had taken before the
dressedhim in terms quite different: "Are generalassembly
of Greene. The peopleof
ihese actions, then, Pericles, worthy of crowns jEgina, too, privately acquaintedthe Lacede-
and garlands, which have deprived us of many monianswith many encroachmentsand injuries
brave citizens; not in a war with the Phoeni-donethemby the Athenians,whomtheydurst
ciansand Medes,suchas my brotherCimon not accuseopenly. And at thisveryjuncture,
waged, but in destroying a city united to us Potidaea,a Corinthian colony, but subject to
both in bloodand friendship?" Periclesonly the Athenians,beingbesiegedin consequence
smiled, and answered softly with this line of of its revolt, hastenedon the war.
Archilochus, However, as ambassadorswere sent to
Whylavishointments
onaheadlhat'igrey? Athens;andasArchidamus,king of the Lace-
Ion informs us,thathewashighlyelateddaemonians, endeavoured to givea healing
with this conquest, and scrupled not to say, turn to most of the articles in question, and to
"ThatAgamemnon spent tenyearsin reducing pacify theallies,probably noother pointwould
oneof thecitiesof thebarbarians,
whereas
he haveinvolvedtheAthenians
in war,if the)
hadtakentherichest
andmostpowerful
city couldhavebeenpersuaded
torescind
thede-
amongtheloin.insin ninemonths."Andin- creeagainsttheMegarensians,
andto bere-
deedhehadreason tobeproud ofthisachieve- conciled to them. Pericles, therefore,
in ex-
ment; forthewarwasreallyadangerous one,ertingall hisinterest to oppose thismeasure,
and the event uncertain; since, according to in retaining his enmity to the Megarensians,
Thucydides, suchwasthepowerof theSa-andworking upthepeople to thesame ran
mians,that theAthenians
werein imminentcour,wasthesoleauthorof thewar.
danger of losing the dominion of the sea. It is said, that when the ambassadorsfrom
Sometimeafterthis,whenthePelopon- Lacedasmoncameuponthis occasion tu
nesian
warwasready to breakout,PericlesAthens,!
Pericles
pretended
therewasa law
persuaded
thepeople
to sendsuccours
to the whichforbadthetakingdownanytableton
inhabitants
of Corcyra,
whowereatwarwith whicha decree of thepeople
waswritten.
the Corinthians;* which would be a means to " Then," said Polyarces, one of the ambas-
fix in their interest an island whosenaval sadors,"do not take it down,but turn the
forceswereconsiderable, andmightbe of othersideoutward; thereis nolawagainst
greatservice
in caseofa rupturewiththePe- that." Notwithstanding
thepleasantry
ofthis
loponnesians,
whichtheyhadall thereasonin answer,Pericles
relented
notintheleast.He
theworldto expect
wouldbesoon.Thesuc-seems, indeed,
tohavehadsome private
pique
cours
weredecreed accordingly,
andPericlesagainst theMegarensians,
though thepretext
sentLacedaemonius
to thesonof Cimonwith he availedhimselfof in publicwas,thatthey
ten ships only, as if he designed nothing more hadappliedto profaneusescertainparcels
of
thanto disgrace
hini.f A mutual
regard
andsacred
ground;
andthereupon
heprocured
t
friendship subsistedbetween Cimon's family
and the Spartans;
and he nowfurnished lus " Butthisfleet,whichconsisted
of twenty
ship*,
sonwithbut a few ships,andgavehim the prevented
asecond engagement,
for whichtheywen
charge of this affair against his inclination, in preparing.
order that, if nothing great or striking were ef- f The Lacedaemonianambassadors
demanded,in the
fected,Lacedxmoniusmightbe still the more arstplace,
theexpubion
of those
Athenians
whowere
suspectedof favouring the Spartans. Nay, by styledexecrable,
onaccountof theold business
of Cf-
all imaginablemethodshe endeavouredto onandhisassociates, because by hismother's
side,
hinder the advancementof that family, repre- Pericleswasallied to the familyof Meeocles;they
nextinsisted
thaithesiegeof Potidaea
senting the sons of Cimon, as by their very hirdly, that the inhabitants should
beraised;
of jEginashouldbeleft
names, not genuineAthenians,
butstrangers and free; andlastly,thatthedecree madeagainst
theMe-
aliens, oneof them beingcalled Lacedxmonius, ensians,
wherebythey were forbid the portsand
anotherThessalus,
and a third Eleus. They rketsof
Athens,
onpainofdeath,
should
berevoked,
seemto havebeenall the sonsof an Arcadian and theGrecian statessetat liberty,whowereunder
the dominion of Athens.
woman.
Pericles,
however,
finding
himself Pericles
represented
totheAthenians,
that
what-
greatlyblamedabouttheseten galleys,an aid evertheLacedaemonians
mightpretend,
thetrueground
by no meanssufficient to answerthe purposeof of their resentment
wasthe prosperity
of theAthenian
those that requestedit, but likely enoughto epublic:thai, nevertheless,
it mightbe proposed,
hat Ihe Athenianswould reversetheir decree against
VIegara,if the Lacedaemonians
would allow freeegress.
* Thiswar wascommenced aboutthelittle territory and regress,in their city, to the Athenians-ind theil
of Epidamnus,a city iu Macedonia, foundedby the allies; that theywouldleaveall thosestales-tee,wb«
Corcyriuui werefreeat the makingof thelastpeacewi'/i Sparta,
\ Thereseemsto be verylittle colourfor this hard >rovidrdthe Spartanswouldalsoleaveall itatesfree
Assertion.Thucyilidessays,that the Athenians did who wereundertheir dominion; andthatfuluredis-
not intend the Corcyrians any real assistance,but sent Hilesshould be submitted to arbitralion. Incase these
this HIII,illsquadronto lookon, while theCorinthians Hi r>shouldnotprevail,he advividIhcintu haurd I
lod Cure)rionbweokeDCQ audwastedeachother. war.
 PER1CLE*. 125
creefora ncraldto besenttoMegara
andordered
thistobedone
bytheaccusers.
Butth«
LacedxmoD
to laythischarge
against
theMe- excellence
of his work,and theenvyarising
garensians.
Thisdecree
wasdrawn
upina thence,
wasthething
thatruined
Phidias;
and
candid andconciliating
manner.But Anthe-it wasparticularly insisted
upon,thatin hi*
mocritus,theheraldsentwiththatcommis- representation
of thebattlewiththeAmazon*
iion,losing
hislife bytheway,through someuponMinerva's shield,hehadintroduced hi§
treachery(aswassupposed,)of theMagaren-owneffigiesasa baldoldmantakisigupa great
lions,Charinusprocureda decree,
thatanim- stonewith bothhands,* anda high-finished
placableandaneternal enmityshouldsubsist
picture
of Pericles
fightingwithanAmazon.
betweentheAthenians andthem;that if any The lastwascontrived withsomuchart,that
Megarensianshouldset foot onAttic ground,thehand,which,in liftingup thespear,partly
he shouldbe put to death;that to theoath covered theface,seemed to beintended
to con-
whichtheirgeneralsusedto take,thispartic- cealthelikeness,
whichyetwasverysinking
ular should be added,that they would twice onboth sides. Phidias,therefore,wasthrown
"-yearmakean inroadinto the territories
of intoprison,wherehe dieda naturaldeath
;f
Megara;and that Aothemocritus shouldbe though somesay,poisonwasgivenhimby hii
buried at the Thriasian gate, now called enemies,who were desirousof causingPeri-
Dipylus. clesto besuspected.
As for the accuserMenori|
The Megarensians, however,deny their be- hehadan immunity from taxes grantedhim,
ingconcerned
in the murderof Anthemocri-at the motionof Glycon,and the generals
tus,*and lay the war entirely at the doorof wereorderedto providefor his security.
Aspasia
andPericles;allegingin proofthose Aboutthis timeAspasia
wasprosecuted
for
well-known verseafrom the ^Jcftarncsisof impiety,by Hermippusa comicpoet,who like-
Aristophanes: wiseaccused her of receivinginto her bouse
ThegodofwinehadwithhisThyrma
smote women
abovethe conditionof slavesfor the
Some
youths,
whoin Ihcirmadness
«tole
fromMegara pleasureof Pericles.And Diopithesprocured
The prostitute$\m*eth.ia:in revenge a decree, that thosewho disputed the existence
Two female*, liberaloftheirsmiles,
From our jlspaaia't train.
werestolen of thegods,or introduced
newopinions
about
celestialappearances,
should be tried before
It is not, indeed, easy to discover what was an assemblyof the people. This charge was
the real originof thewar: but at the samelevelledfirst at Anaxagoras,
and throughhim
timeall agree,
it wasthefaultof Pericles
that at Pericles.Andasthepeople
admitted
it,
thedecree against
Megarawasnotannulled. anotherdecree wasproposed
byDracontides,
Somesay,hisfirmness
in thatcasewastheef- that Periclest>hould
givean account
of the
fectof hisprudence andmagnanimity,ashe public
moneybeforethePrytanes.andthat
considered thatdemand onlyasa trial,andthejudges
thought the least concessionwould be under-
should
taketheballots
fromtheal-
tar,! and try the causein the city. But Agnon
stoodasanacknowledgment
of weakness:
but caused
the last article to bedropped,
andin-
otherswill have it, thathistreating theLace-steadthereof,it wasvotedthatthe action
dsmonians withsolittleceremony, was owingshould belaidbefore
thefifteenhundred
judg
tohisobstinacy, andanambition to displayes,either
forpeculation,
and taking
ofbiribts}
hispower. orsimplyforcorruptpractices.
Buttjieworstcause of all,t assigned
forthe Aspasia wasacquitted,
though muchagainst
war,andwhich, notwithstanding, isconfirmed thetenorof thelaw,by means of Pericles,
by mosthistorians, isasfollows:Phidias the who(according
statuary had undertaken (as we have said) the
toJEschines) shed
manytear»
in his application for mercy for her. He did
Btatueof Minerva. The friendship and influ- not expect the same indulgence for Anaxago-
encehehadwithPericles
exposed
himtoenvy,ras^andtherefore
caused
himtoquitthecity,
andprocured
himmanyenemies,
whowillingandconducted
himpartof theway. Andas
tomake anexperimentuponhim,what judg-hehimself
wasbecome
obnoxious
tothepeo-
ment thepeople
self, persuaded might
Menon, pass
one ofonPericles
Phidias's him-pleupon
work- Phidias's
account,
andwasafraid
of
men, to place himself as a suppliantin the
forum, andtoentreat
theprotection
of there- * Theyinsisted
thatthose
modem
figures
imprtched
public while he lodgedan informationagainst thecreditof the ancienthistory,whichdid somuch
Phidias.The peoplegrantinghis request,and honourto Athens, andtheirfounderTheseus.
theaffaircomingtoa publictrial,theallegationeiile,he
\ Other*saythathewasbanished, andthatinhi*
madethe famousstatueof Jupiter at Olvmma.
of theft, which Menon broughtagainsthim, } In som«extraordinarycases,where the judgei
wasshewnto begroundless.For Phidias, by weretoproceed
withthegreatest
exactness
andsoleoi
the adviceof Pericles,had managed
the mat- ntty,theyweretotakebaJloUorbillets
fromthealiai;
ter from thefirst with so muchart,that the andtoinscribe
theirjudgment
uponthem;orrather
gold with whichthe statuewas overlaidcould to taketheblackandthewhilebean,\\hat Plutarch
easily be taken off and weighed; and Pericles means by trying the cause*H the city, is not easyto
determine, unlessby the city we are to understandtht
Ml assembly o/ the people. By the fifteenhundred
t Thucydideslakesnonotice ofthisherald
; andyet judges mentionedip Dienextsentence, is probably
it issocertain
thattheMtgarensians
werelooked
uponmeant
thecouTlofIfeliaa,ao
called
because
thejudgci
uthc autlmriofafter
themurder, thattheywere punished satin theopen
airoccasions,
exposedto thesun; f'»rthiscourt,
forit manyages : for onthataccount
theEmpe-onextraordinary consisted
of thatnumber.
rorAdrian denied themmany favoursandprivileges$Anawigoras heldtheunityof God.-that it ws»
whichhegranted to theothercitiesof Greece. oneall-wiseIntelligence
whichraisedthe beautifuJ
f Pericles,
whenhesawhisfriends prosecuted,
-wasstructure
of theworldoutof IheChaos.Andif sue)
Apprehensiveof a prosecution
himself,andthereforewasIheopinion of themaster,it wasnaturalfor lh»
Vastenedona rupture withthePeloponnesians,
toturn peopletoconclude,
thathisscholarPericles
wa
{hea'ttenlinn
of thepeople towar. theFolytheum oftheUUKI.
K
 126 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

being called in questionfor it, he urgedon Thus firm he remimed, notwithstandingtoe

the war, which asyet wasuncertain,andblew importunityof his friends,andthe threatsand
ap that flamewhich, till then,was stifledam accusationsof his enemies;notwithstanding
"uppresscd. By this means he hoped to obvi the many scoffs,and songs sung, to vilify hii
ate the accusationsthat threatened him, and to character as a general, and to represent hint
mitigate the rage of envy, because such wae as one who, in the most dastardly manner,be-
his dignity and power, that in all importan trayedhis countryto the enemy.Cleon,»too,
affairs,andin everygreat danger,the republic attackedhim with greatacrimony,makinguse
couldplaceits confidence in him alone.Thes< of the generalresentmentagainit Pericles,aj
aresaidto be the reasonswhich inducedhim a meansto increasehie own popularity,aj
to persuade the people not to grant the de Hermippus testifies in these verses:
mantis of the .Lacedaemonians;but what was
the real cause is quite uncertain.
The Lacedsmonians,
persuaded,
thatif Sleeps
Whilethen,thou
king
thundering ofSatyrs,
makesleeps
words war?the
spear,
whyboastthy
they could removePericles out of the way prowess,
they should be better able to managethe Athe- Yet shudderat thesoundof sharpened
swords,
nians, requiredthem to banish fill execrableSpiteof theflaming
Cleon
?
persons from among them: and Pericles (as
Thucydidcsinforms us) was by his mother's Pericles, however, regardednothing of (hit
side related to thosethat were pronouncedkind, but calmly andsilently boreall thisdis-
execrable, in the affair of Cylon. The suc- grace and virulence. And though hefitted out
cess,however,of this applicationprovedthe an hundredships,andsentthemagainstPelo-
reverse of what was expected by those that ponnesus,yet he did not sail with them, but
ordered it. Instead of rendering Pericles sus- chose to stay and watch over the city, and
pected,
or involving
himin trouble,it procureckeepthereinsof government
inhisownhands,
him the more confidence
andrespectfrom the until the PeJoponnesians
weregone. In order
people,whentheyperceived
thattheirenemiesto satisfythecommonpeople,whowerevery
both hated and dreaded him above all others uneasyon account of the war, he madea dis-
For the samereasonhe forewarnedthe Athe- tribution of money and lands; for having
nians, that if Archidamus, when he entered expelled the inhabitants of .Egina, he divided
Attica at the headof the Peloponnesians,and the islandby lot amongthe Athenians. Be-
ravagedthe rest of the country, should spare sides, the sufferingsof the enemy afforded
his estate, it must be owing either to the them someconsolation. The fleet sentagainst
rights of hospitality that subsistedbetween Peloponnesus
ravaged
a largetract of country,
them, or to a design to furnish his enemies and sacked the small towns and villages: and
with matter of slander; and therefore from that Pericles himself made a descent upon the
hour hegavehis lands and housesto the city territories of Megara,f which he laidwaste.
of Athens. The Lacedaemoniansand confed- Whence it appears,that though the Pelopon-
eratesaccordinglyinvadedAttica with a great nesiansgreatly distressedthe Atheniansby
army under the conduct of Archidamus; and land, yet, as they were equally distressedby
layingwasteall beforethem,proceeded
aafar sea,they could not havedrawn out the war
as Acharna?,*
wheretheyencamped, expecting to so greata length,but mustsoonhavegiven
that the Athenians would not La able to en- it up, (as Pericles foretold from the begin
dure themso near,but meetthemin the field ning,) had not somedivine power prevented
for the honour and safety of their country. the effect of humancounsels. A pestilence
But it appearedto Periclestoo hazardous to at that time broke out,J whichdestroyed
the
give battle to anarmyof sixty thousandmen flower of the youth and the strengthof
(for such was the number of the Peloponne- Athens. And not only their bodies,but their
sians and Boeotiansemployedin the first ex- very mindswere affected:for, aspersons de-
pedition,)andby that stepto risk no lessthan lirious with a fever set themselvesagainst
the preservation
of thecity itself. As to those a physicianor a father, so they raved against
that wereeagerfor anengagement, anduneasyPericles,and attemptedhis ruin; beingper-
at his slow proceedings,he endeavoured to suadedby his enemies,that the sicknesswas
bring them to reason by observing,"That occasionedby the multitude of out-dwellen
trees,whenlopped,
will soongrowagain;but flockinginto the city,and a numberof peo-
when menarecut oflF,the lossis not easilyre- plestuffedtogether,in the heightof summer
paired." n smallhuts and closecabins,wherethe)
In the meantime he took care to hold no were forced to live a lazy, inactive life, in-
assemblyof the people,lest he should be steadof breathingthe pure and open air to
forcedto act againsthis own opinion. But as which they had been accustomed. They
a goodpilot,whena stormarisesat sea,gives wouldneeds
haveit, that hewasthecause
of
bis directions, gets his tackle in order, and
then useshis art, regardless of the tears and
entreatiesof the sick and fearfulpassengers; * ThesameCleonthatAristophanessatirized.By
"o Pericles,when he had securedthe gates, iis harangues
andpoliticalintrigues,
he gothimself
andplaced theguards in everyquartertothe appointed
j Hedidgeneral.
notundertake
thisexpedition
untilautumn,
best advantage,followed the dictatesof his whentheLacedaemonians
wereretired.In thewinter
own understanding, unmovedby the clamours of Ihis yearIhe Athenianssolemnized
in an eitraordi
"nd cor.ipJaintsthat resoundedin his oars. narymanner
thefunerals
of suchasfirstdiedin '"e
war. Periclespronouncedthe oration on that occasion,
whichThucydideshaspreserved.
" Theboroughof AcharnE,waioulyfifteenhundred } Seethis plagueexcellentlydescribed by Thucydi
from ihc city. teS|who hadit himself. Lib. ii. prop.tuiL
 PERICLES. 127

iD lhi»,who,whenthe war began,admittedopenlyto abuse

hisfather. First, heexposed
within the wallssuchcrowds of peoplefrom andridiculedthecompany
hekeptin liiehouse,
thecountry,
andyetfoundnoemployment
for andtheconversations
hehuldwiththephilo-
them,but let themcontinuepenneduplike cat- sophers. He said,that Epitimiusthe Pbarsa-
tle to infectand destroy eachother, without lian havingundesignedly
killed a horsewith a
affording them the least relief or refreshment. javelin which he threw at the public games,
Desirous
to remedythiscalamity,andwithal his fatherspenta wholeday in disputingwith
in somedegreeto annoytheenemy,hemannedProtogonis,which mightbe properlydeemed
Bhundredandfifty ships,onwhichheembark- the causeof hiedeath,the javelin,or the man
ed greatnumbersof selecthorseandfoot, and that threwit, or the presidentof the games.
was preparingto set sail. The Athenians con- Stesimbrotus adds, that it was Xanthippus
ceivedgoodhopesof success,and the enemy whospreadthe vile reportconcerninghieown
no lessdreadedso greatanarmament. The wife andPericles,andthat the youngmanre-
whole fleet was in readiness,and Pericles on tained this implacablehatred againsthis father
boardhis own gallfey,whentherehappened an to his latest breath. He wascarried off by
eclipseof the sun. The suddendarkness was the plague. Pericleslost his sister too at
looked uponas an unfavourableomen,and that time, and the greatestpart of his re-
threw them into the greatestconsternation.lationsandfriendswho weremost capableof
Periclesobservingthat the pilot wasmuchas- assistinghim in thebusiness of the state.Not-
tonishedand perplexed,took his cloak, and withstandingthesemisfortunes, he lost not hi»
havingcoveredhis eyeswith it, askedhim,"If dignity of sentimentand greatnessof soul,
he foundany thingterrible in that, or consid- He neither wept, nor performedany funeral
eredit asa sadpresage."' Upon his answer-rites, nor washeseenat the grave of any of
ing in the negative,
hesaid," Whereis thedif- his nearestrelations,until the death of Para
ferenceothen,betweenthis andthe other,ex- lus,his last survivinglegitimateson. This at
cept that something bigger than my cloak last subduedhim. He attempted, indeed,then,
causes
theeclipse.'"But thisis aquestionwhich to keepup hisusualcalmbehaviourandseren-
ia discussedin the schoolsof philosophy. ity of mind; but, in putting the garland upon
In thisexpedition
Periclesperformed
nothing the headof the deceased,his firmnessforsook
worthy of so great an equipment. He laid him; he could not bearthe sadspectacle;he
siege to the sacred city of Epidaurus,* and broke out into loud lamentations, and shed a
at first with somerational hopesof success;torrentof tears; a passionwhichhehadnever
out the distemper which prevailed in his army before given way to.
6rokeall hismeasures;for it not only carried Athensmadea trial, in the courseof a year,
off his own men,but all that hadintercourseof the rest of her generalsandorators,and
with them. As this ill successset the Athe- findingnoneof sufficientweightandauthority
nians against him, he endeavouredto console for so important a charge, she once more turn-
(hem under their losses,and to animate them ed her eyes on Pericles, and invited him to
to new attempts. But it was not in his power take upon him the direction of affairsboth mil-
to mitigate their resentment, nor could theybe itary and civil. He had for some time shut
satisfied,until theyhadshewnthemselves mas- himselfupat hometo indulgehis sorrow,when
ters,by votingthat he shouldbe deprivedof Alcibiades,and his other friends persuaded
the command,and pay a fine, which by the him to make his appearance.The people
lowestaccount,wasfifteentalents;somemake makinganapologyfor their ungenerous treat-
it fifty. The personthat carriedon the prose-mentof him, he re-assumedthe reins of gov
cution againsthim, wasCleon,asIdomeneusernment,andbeingappointed general,hisfirst
tellsus; or, accordingto Theophrastus, Sim- stepwasto procurethe repealof the law con-
mias;or Lacratides,if we believeHeraclides cerning bastards,of which he himself had
of Pontus. beenthe author; for he was afraid tliat his
The publicferment,indeed,soonsubsided;nameandfamily would beextinct for wantof
the peoplequittingtheir resentmentwith that a successor.The historyof that law is asfol-
blow, asa beeleavesits stingin the wound: lows: Many years before, Pericles, in the
but his privateaffairswerein a miserablecon- height of his power,andhavingseverallegiti-
dition,for hehadlosta numberof hisrelations matesons(aswehavealreadyrelated,)caused
in the plague,anda misunderstanding hadpre- a law to bemade,thatnoneshouldbeaccount-
vailedfor sometimein hisfamily. Xanthip-edcitizens
of Athens,butthosewhoseparents
pus,theeldestofhislegitimate
sons,wasnatu- werebothAthenians.*Afterthis,thekingof
rallyprofuse,
and besideshadmarried ayoungEgyptmadethe Athenians a presentof forty
and expensive wife,daughterto Igander,
and thousandmedimniof wheat,andasthiswag
grand-daughterto Epylicus. He knewnot to bedividedamong thecitizens,
manypersona
howto brookhisfather's frugality,
whosup-wereproceeded against
as illegitimate
upon
pliedhimbutsparingly, and with a little at a thatlaw,whosebirthhad neverbeforebeen
time,andthereforesentto oneofhisfriends,calledin question,
and took up money in the name of Pericles.
andmanyweredisgraced
uponfalseaccusations.Near five thousandwere
When,themancameto demand
his money,cast,andsoldfor slaves
;t andfourteenthou-
Pericles not only refused to pay him, but even
prosecuted
him for thedemand.Xanthippus » According
toPlutarch'"
account,
atthebeginning
was so highly enraged at this, that he began of the life of Themislocles,
this law wasmadebefore
thetimeof Pericles. Pericleshowever,might put it
" Thi«Epidauruswasin Argeia.It wasconsecrated morestrictlyin ciecutionthanit badbeenbefore,
toEKutepiui:andPlutarchcallsit tarred,todistin- froma tpintof opposition
lo Cimoa, wlioit children
guishit fromanother
tonoof UieMinenamein La- wereonlyofthehalfblood.
»ouia- t The illegitimacydid not reducemen to a Haw
128 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

land anil forty appearedto be entitledto the als haveperformedthe like, you take no no-
privilege of citiiens.* Though it was unequit- tice of the greatest and most honourablepart
able and strange, tliat a law which had been of my character, that no Athenian,t/iroug/« my
put in execution with so much severity, should means, ever put on mourning."
berepealedby the manwho first proposedit; Pericles undoubtedlydeservedadmiration,
yet the Athenians,movedat the late misfor- not only for the candourandmoderationwhich
tunesin his family,by whichheseemed
to have he ever retained,amidstthe distractionsof
sufferedthe punishment of his arrogance and business and the rage of his enemies, but for
pride,andthinking heshouldbe treatedwith that noblesentimentwhich ledhim to think it
humanity,afterhe hadfelt the wrathof Heav- his most excellentattainment,never to have
en, permittedhim to enrol a natural sonin his given way to envyor anger,notwithstanding
own tribe, and to give him his own name. the greatness of his power, nor to havenour-
This is he who afterwardsdefeatedthe Pelo- ishedanimplacablehatredagainsthis greatest
ponnesians in a sea-fightat Arginusae,
andwas foe. In my opinion,this onething,I meanhie
put to death by the people, together with his mild and dispassionatebehaviour, his unblem-
colleague.! ished integrity and irreproachable conduct
About thia time Pericles was seized with during his whole administration, makes hii
the plague; but cot with such acute and con- appellation of Olympius, which would other-
tinuedsymptomsasit generallyshews.It was wise be vain andabsurd,no longerexception-
rathera lingeringdistemper,which, with fre- able; nay, gives it a propriety. Thus, we
quent intermissions,and by slow degrees,con- think the divine powers, as the authors of all
sumedhis body, and impairedthe vigour of good, and naturally incapable of producing
his mind. Theophrastus his a disquisition in evil, -worthy to rule and preside over the nni
his Ethics, whether men's characters may be verse. Not in the manner which the poolsre.
changed with their fortune, and the soul so af- late, who, while they endeavour to bewilder
fectedwith the disordersof the bodyasto lose usby their irrationalopinions,standconvicted
her virtue; andthere he relates,that Pericles of inconsistency,by their own writing. For
shewedto a friend, who cameto visit him in theyrepresenttheplacewhichthe godsinhabit,
his sickness,an amuletwhichthe womenhad as the regionof securityand the mostper
hungabouthis neck, intimating that he must feet tranquillity, unapproached by storms,and
be sick indeed, since he submitted to so ridic- unsullied with clouds, where a sweet seren-
ulousa pieceof superstition.f ity for ever reigns, and a pure setherdis-
When hewas at the point of death,hissur- plays itself without interruption;and these
viving friends and the principal citizens sitting they think mansionssuitable to a blessedand
abouthis bed,discoursed togetherconcerningimmortalnature. Yet, at the sametime,they
Uisextraordinaryvirtue, andthe great authori- representthe godsthemselves
asfull of angei,
ty he hadenjoyed,andenumerated his various malevolence,hatred,and other passions, un-
exploits, and the number of his victories; for, worthy even of a reasonable man. But this
Vi'hilehe was commanderin chief, he haderect- by the bye.
ed no less than nine trophies to the honour of The state of public affairs soon shewedthe
Athens. Thesethingstheytalkedof, suppos-want of Penclee,*andthe Atheniansopenly
ing that he attendednot to what they said, but expressedtheir regret for his loss. Even those,
that his senses were gone. He took notice, who, in his lifetime, could but ill brook his su
however,of everyword they had spoken,and perior power, as thinkingthemselves
eclipsed
thereupondelivered himself audibly as follows: by it, yet upona trial of other oratorsand dem-
" I am surprised,that while you dwell upon agogues,afterhe wasgone,soonacknowledg-
and extol theseactsof mine; thoughfortune ed that whereseveritywas required,no man
had her sharein them, and many other gener- was ever more moderate; or if mildness wa§
necessary,no man better kept up his dignity,
of servitude: it only placedthemm therankof stran- than Pericles. And his so much enviedautho-
gers.
* Asmall
number indeed,ata
timewhen
Athena
hadrity,towhichtheyhadgiventhenameofmon-
lared
tothinkofsending
outcolonies,
humbling
theirarchyandtyranny, thenappearedto have
neighbours,
subduing
foreigners,
andeven
of erecting
beenthebulwarkof the state. Somuchcor-
a universalmonarchy. ruption and such a rage of wickedness broke
t TheAthenians
hadappointed
teDcommanders
on out upon the commonwealth
after his doath,
that occasion. Aftertheyhadobtained thevictory,whichhe by properrestraints
they were tried, and eight of them were capitally con-
hadpalliated,-f
demned, of whom six that were on the spot were exe- and kept from dangerous and destructive ex-
cuted,andthisnatural
sonof Pericles
wasoneof them.tremities1.
Theonly crime laid to their charge,was,that they
kid not buriedthe dead. Xenophonin his Grecian assuch; but only that in his extremesickness
hehad
History,hasgivena largeaccountof this affair. It not resolutionenoughto refusewhathewasscnsiUt
happenedunder the archonship of Callias, the second would do him no good.
year of Ihe ninetythird olympiad,twenty-fouryears » Periclesdiedin thethird yearof thePeloponnesian
aAerthedeathof Pericles. Socratwthephilosopherwar, that is, in the last year of the eighty-seventh
was at that time one of the Prytanes, anil resolutely olympiad, and 438 yearsbefore the Christian era.
refusedto dohisoffice. And a little while after the f Periclesdid,indeed,palliatethe distempers
of th»
madness of the peopleturnedanotherway. commonwealth whileh«-lived, but (aswehaveobserv
\ It docsnot appear
bythis thathis understanding
edhclore}hesowed
theseeds
of them,by bribinglh«
wasweakened, sinceheknew thecharmto bea ridic- peoplewith their own money; with whichtheywer»
ulouspieceof superstition,
andshewedit to hit friend u mucbpleased
asif it hadbeenhis.
 129

FABIUS MAXIMUS.

SVCH werethememorableactions
of Pericles,hadpassed for heaviness
andinsensibility,
was
as far aswehavebeenableto collectthem; reallyan immoveable firmnessof soul. H«
utd nowwe proceed
to thelife of Fabiussawwhatanimportant
concern
theadminis-
Manmus. tration was,andin whatwarsthe republicwai
The first Fabiuswasthesonof Hercules,by frequentlyengaged,and, therefore,by exer-
oneofthenymphs,
according
tosome
authors;
ciseprepared
hisbody,
considering
itsstrength
or, as otherssay,by a womanof thecountry,asa naturalarmour;at thesametime,heim-
neartheriver Tyber. Fromhim cime the proved hispowersof persuasion,
astheengines
family
of theFabii,oneof themost
numerous
bywhichthepeople
aretobemoved,
adapting
and illustriousin Rome.* Yet someauthorsthem lo the mannerof his life. For in hi»
write, thatthe first foundersof thisfamilywere eloquencethere was nothing of affectation,
calledFodii,tonaccount of theircatchingwild no empty,plausible elegance,
but it wasfull
ieastsby means of pits; (of a pit is still in of thatgoodsense
whichwaspeculiarto him,
Latin ca'lled/otieo,
andtheword/odere signi-andhada sententious forceanddepth,saidto
fies to dig: but in time,two lettersbeinghaveresembled thatof Thucydides.Thereia
changed, theyhadthenameof Fabii. This an orationof his still extant,which he de-
familyproduced manyeminent men,themost liveredbeforethe people, on occasionof hi§
considerable
of whomwasRullus,\ bytheRo- son's funeral,who died after he had been
manssurnamed Majcimus,or the Great-,and consul.
'rom him the Fabius Maximus of whom we are Fabius Maximus was five times consul;*
writing,wasthe fourth in descent. and in his first consulshipwashonouredwith
This last had the surnameof Verrucosus,a triumph for the victory he gainedover the
*rom a smallwart on his upperlip. He was Ligurians;who, being defeatedby him in a
hkewjsecalled Ovicuia,^ from the mildnessset battle,with the lossof a greatnumberof
«ndgravityof hisbehaviour
whena boy. Nay, men,weredrivenbehindtheAlps,andkept
his composeddemeanour, and his silence,his fromsuchinroadsandravagesastheyhadu§ed
cautionin engagingin the diversionsof the to makein the neighbouringprovinces.
other boys,the slownessand difficulty with Someyearsafter, Hannibal,havinginvaded
whichhe took whatwas taughthim, together Italyf and gamedthe battle of Trebia, ad-
with the submissivemanner in which he com- vanced through Tuscany, laying waste the
plied with the proposalsof his comrades,country,and striking Romeitself with terror
broughthim underthe suspicion, of stupidity and astonishment.This desolationwas an-
and foolishness, with thosethat did not thor- nouncedby signsand prodigies,somefamiliar
oughlyknowhim. Yet a fewthere werewho to the Romans,asthat of thunder,for instance,
perceivedtbat his composedness wasowingto and othersquite strangeand unaccountable.
the solidity of hie parts, and who discernedFor it was said,that certain shieldssweated
withal a magnanimityandlion-like couragein blood, that bloodycom was cut at Annum,
his nature. In a shorttime, whenapplicationthat red-hotetonesfell from the air, that the
to businessdrew him out, it was obvious even Falerians saw the heavens open, and many
to the many,that hieseeminginactivity wasa billets fall,} uponone of which these word*
commandwhich he had of his passions,that
his cautiousness
was prudence,and that what * Fabius
wasconsulthe first timein the yearof
Rome 521; and the firth time in the tenth year of th*
secondFunic war, in the year of Rome 515.
* Themost
numerous,
for (hatfamilyaloneunder- t HerePlutarch
learesavoid
of fifteen
years.Itwaa
tookthewar ag&in&t
the Veientes,and Bentout three not, indeed,a remarkable
periodof thelife of Fabiut.
hundred andsixpersons
of theirownname, whowere Hannibal entered
Italyia theyearof Rome535. He
til slaininthatexpedition.
It waslikewiseoneofthe defeated
Scipio
in thebattleot Ticinus,before
hebeat
mostillustrious; for theFabii had bornethehighest beuipronius
in that of Trebia.
offices
in thestate,andtwo of themhadbeenseven \ Plutarch
misunderstood
Livy,andof theVwopro-
timesconsul. digieswhichhementions,
madebutone. Livysays,
f Pliny's
account
ofthematter
ismuch
moreproba-" AtFalerium
theskywasseen
toopen,
andinthe
ble,viz.thai theywerecalledFabii a Fabis.fromtheir voidspacea greatlight appeared.The lota at Prae-
"kill in raising
beans
; assereral
otherfamilies
of note ncsteshrunk
of their ownaccord,andoneof them
amongthe Romans weredenominatedfromother dropped down,whereon waswritten," tfarsbrundUh-
branches
of husbandry.Indeedtheir firstheroestilled etk IMS
svord." Liv. lib. xxii.-These lotawere bits
theground
withtheirownhands. of oak,handsomely
wrought,
withsome
ancient
char-
| ThisFabius Rulluswasfivetimesconsul, andacters inscribed
upon them.When anycame tocon
rained severalimportant
victories
overtheSamnitcs, suitthem,thecofler inwhichtheyw«rekeptwa»
Tuscans,andothernations.It wasnot,however,
fromopened, anda childhaving
firstshaken
them together.
thesegreatactionsthatheobtained thesurname of drewoutonefromtherest,-which containedtheao
Jtfori'mu*,
butfromhi* behaviourin thecensorship;swer to theQuerist's
demand. Asto theUs being
duringwhichhereduced thepopulace of Romeinto shrunk, whichLivymentions, andwhichwasconsid-
fourtribes,whobeforewere dispersedamong allthe eredasabadomen, nodoubtHiepriestshadtwosets,
tribesin general,
andbythatmeana hadververeat »amaller anda greater,whichtheyplayed upon the
power in t « assemblies.
These werecalled Trilntspeople's superstition
astheypleased. Ciwrrosays,
Vrlanaa. Liv.lib. is.cap.46. theywereverylittle regarded
in his time. Cit.'dt
$ Ovicul^ dignifies a little cAcep. JtimaOt, lib. U.
130 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

wereverylegible:Mars brandishethhis arms. of discoveringthe bodyof Flaminius,that hfl

But CaiusFluminiue,thenconsul,wasnot dis- might bury it with duehonour,as a tributet«
couragedby any of thesethings. He was,in- his bravery,but he couldnot find it. nor could
deed, naturally a man of much fire and ambi- any account be given what became of it.
tion, and, besides,was elated by former suc- When the Romanslost the battle of Trebia,
cesses, which he had met with contrary to neither the generals sent a true account of it,
all probability; for, against the sense of the nor the messenger represented it as it was
senate and his colleague, he had engagedwith both pretendedthe victory wasdoubtful. But
the Gauls and beaten them. Fabius likewise as to the last, as soonaathe prztor Pompomoi
paid but little regardto prodigies,*as too ab- was apprisedof it, he assembled
the people,
surd to be believed, notwithstanding the great and without disguising the matter in the least,
effecttheyhaduponthe multitude. But being made this declaration:"Romans! we have
informed how email the numbers of the enemy lost a great battle; our army is cut to pieces,
were, and of the want of money, he advised and Flaminius the consul is slain; think, there-
the Romans to have patience; not to give fore, what is to be donefor your safety." The
battle to a roan who led on an army hardened same commotion -which a furious wind causei
by many conflicts for this very purpose; but to in the ocean, did these words of the prator
send succoursto their allies, and to secure the produce in so vast a multitude. In the first
towns that were in their possession,until the consternation they could not fix upon any
vigour of the enemy expired of itself, like a thing: but at length, all agreed that affairs re-
flame for want of fuel. quired the direction of an absolute power,
He could not, however, prevail upon Flami- which they called the dictatorship, and that a
nius. That general declared he would never man should be pitched upon for it, who would
Buffer the war to approach Rome, nor like exercise it with steadiness and intrepidity.
Camillus of old, dispute within the walls who That such a man was Fabius Maiimus, who
should be the master of the city. He, there- had a spirit and dignity of mannersequal to BO
fore, ordered the tribunes to draw out the great a command, and, besides,was of an age
forces, and mounted his horse, but was thrown in which the vigour of the body is sufficient to
headlong off,t the horse, without any visible executethe purposesof the mind, and courage
cause,being seizedwith a fright and trembling. is tempered with prudence.
Yet he persistedin his resolution of marching Pursuant to these resolutions, Fabius was
out to meet Hannibal, and drew up his army chosen dictator,* and he appointed Lucius
near the lake called Thrasymenvis,t in Tus- Minucius his general of the horse-t But firrt
cany. he desired permission of the senate to make
While the armies were engaged,there hap- useof a horse when in the field. This wasfor-
pened an earthquake, which overturned whole bidden by an ancient law, either becausethey
cities, changed the course of .rivers, and tore placed their greatest strength in the infantry,
off the topsof mountains:yefl^notoneof the and thereforechosethat the commander
in
combatants was in the least sensible of that chief should be always posted amongthem; or
violent motion. Flaminius himself, having else because they would have the dictator,
greatly signalizedhis strength and valour, fell; whose power in all other respects was very
and with him the bravest of his troops; the great, and, indeed, arbitrary, in this case at
rest being routed, a great carnage ensued: least appear to be dependentupon the people.
full fifteen thousandwere slain, and as many In the next place, Fabius, willing to shew the
taken prisoners.§ Hannibal was very desirous high authority and grandeur of his office, in
order to make the people more tractable and
» If Fabitiiwasnotmoved
bythose
prodigies,
it was submissive
appeared
in publicwith twenty-four
not because
hedespisedthem,(ashis colleaguedid, lictors carrying the fasces before him; and
who,
according
to Livy,neither
feared
thegods
nor whenthe survivingconsulmet him,hesent
tookadvice
of men,)butbecause
hehoped,
byappeas-oneof his officersto orderhim to dismissnil
ing the angerof thegods,to rendertheprodigiesin-
euectual.
It wasnotFabius,
however,
butCn.Ser-lictors and the otherensignsof hisemploy-
viliusGeminus,
whowascolleague
to Flaminius. ment, andto join him as a privateman.
Then beginningwith anact of religion, which
t This fall from Vnshorse, -which was consideredas
an ill omen,wasfollowedby anotherasbad. When is the best of all beginnings, and assuringthe
theensignattemptedto pull his standardout of the people that their defeatswere not owing to the
ground inordertomarch, hehadnotstrength enough
to do it: But where is the wonder, saysCicero, to
cowardice
of thesoldiers,
butto thegeneral'*
have
ahorse
lakefright,
ortofindastandard-bearer
neglect
of thesacred
ritesandauspices,
he
feebly
endeavouring
to drawupthestandard,
whichexhortedthemto entertainno dreadof the
ke hadperhapspurposelystruckdeepintotheground? enemy, but by extraordinary honours to pro-
t Now thelake of Perujia. pitiate the gods. Not that he wanted to infus*
§Notwithstanding
thiscomplete
victory.
Hannibal
intothema spiritof superstition,
lost only fifteen hundred men ; for he fought the Ro-
but to con-
mansat great advantage,having drawn them into an firm their valour by piety, and to deliver them
ambuscade
between the hills of Cortonaand thelake from every other fear, by a senseof the Divin"
Thrasymenus.Livy andValeriusMaiimusmakethe protection. On that occasion he consulted
Dumberof prisoners only sii thousand; but Polybi us
fays,theyweremuchmorenumerous.Aboutten * A dictatorcouldnot beregularly
named
butby
thousandRomans,
most
of themwounded,
made
their the surviving
consul,
andSeiriliusWingwith th«
escape,
andtooktheirrouteto Rome,
where
fewof army,
thepeople
appointed
Fabius
bytheirown
author-
themarrived,the restdyingof their woundsbefore ity, with thetitle of prodictator.However,thegrati
theyreachedthecapital.Two mothersweresotrans- ludeof Romeallowedhis descendants to put dictator
ported with joy, one at the gate of the city, when she instead of prodiclator in the list of his titles.
"aw her sonunexpectedlyappear,and the other at t Accordingto PolybiusandLivy, hisnamewasnot
home,vthereahtffoundhersou,thattheybothexpired Lucius, but MarcusMinucius; nor was he pitcbW
ODtheipot. uponby Fabius,but by the people.
 FABIUS MAXIMUS. 131
leveralof those
mysterious
books of theSibyls,a furious
desireto cometo action,and a TUB
whichcontained mattersof greatuseto the confidence of success.Thusthesoldierswere
itate; andit issaid,thatsome
of theprophe-
brought
todespise
Fabius,
andby wayof de-
ciesfoundthere,perfectlyagreedwith the risionto callhimthepedagogue
of Hannibal,*
circumstances
of thosetimes: but it was not while theyextolledMinuciusasa great man,
lawfultodivulgethem. However, in full as- andonethatactedupto thedignityof Rome.
sembly, hevowedto the godsa uer sacrum,ThisledMinuciua to givea freerscopeto his
thatis, all the youngwhichthe nextspringarrogance andpride,andto ridiculethudictator
shouldproduce, on the mountains,
thefields,for encampingconstantlyuponthemountains,
the rivers,andmeadows of Italy, fromthegoats, "As if hedid it onpurposethat his menmight
the swine,the sheep,andthe cows. He like- more clearlybeholdItaly laid wastewith fire
wisevowedto exhibitthe greatgamesin hon- andsword." And he askedthe friendsof Fa-
our of the gods,and to expenduponthose bius," Whetherhe intendedto take his army
gamesthreehundredandthirty-threethousand'"*>into heaven, as hehadbid adieuto theworld
sesterces, three hundredandthirty-threeden- /elow,or whetherhewouldscreenhimselffrom
arii-, andonethird of a denarius; whichsum the enemywith cloudsandfogs?" When the
in our Greek moneyis eighty-threethousanddictator'sfriendsbroughthim an accountof
five hundredand eighty-threedrachmasand theseaspersions, and exhortedhim to wipa
two oltoli. What his reasonmight be for them off by risking a battle,"In that case,"
filing uponthat precisenumberis not easyto saidhe,"I shouldbeof a moredastardlyspirit
determine,unlessit were on accountof the thantheyrepresent me,if throughfearof insults
perfectionof thenumberthree,asbeingthefirst and reproaches, I shoulddepartfrommy own
of odd numbers,the first of plurals,and con- resolution. But to fearfor my countryis not
taining in itself the first differences,and the adisagreeable fear. That manis unworthyof
first elements of all numbers. such a command as this, who sinks under ca-
Fabius having taught the people to repose lumnies and slanders, and complies with the
themselveson acts of religion, madethem more humour of thosewhom he ought to govern, and
easyas to future events. For his own part, whosefollyandrashness
it is hisdutytorestrain."
be placedall his hopesof victoryin himself, After this, Hannibal made a disagreeable
believing that Heaven blesses men with suc- mistake. For intending to lead his army far-
cesson account of their virtue and prudence ; ther from Fabius, and to move into a part of
and therefore he watched the motions of Han- the country that would afford him forage, he
nibal,not with a designto givehim battle,but, orderedthe guides,immediatelyafter supper,
bylengthof time,towaste
hisspiritandvigour,to conducthimto the plainsof Casinum.f
and gradually to destroy him by means of his They taking the word wrong, by reason of his
superiority in men and money. To secure barbarous pronunciation of it, led his forcesto
himself against the enemy'shorse, he took care the bordersof Campania,near the town of Ca-
to encampabovethem on high and mountainous sahum,through which runs the river Lothro-
places. When they sat still, he did the same-, nus, which the Romans call Vulturnus. The
when they were in motion, he shewed himself adjacent country is surroundedwith mountains,
opon the heights, at such a distanceas not to except only a valley that stretches out to the
be obligedto fight againsthis inclination,and sea. Near the seathe groundis verymarshy,
yet near enough to keep them in perpetual and full of large banks of sand, by reason of
alarm, as if, amidst his arts to gain time, he the overflowing of the river. The seais there
intended every moment to give them battle. very rough and the coast almett impracticable.
Thesedilatoryproceedings
exposedhim to As soon as Hannibalwasenteredinto thii
contempt among the Romans in general, and valley, Fabius availing himself of his know
evenin hia own army. The enemytoo, ex- ledgeof the country,seizedthe narrowoutlet,
cepting Hannibal, thought him a man of no and placed in it a guard of four thousandmen.
spirit. He alone was sensibleof the keenness The main body of his army he posted to advan-
of Fabius,and of the mannerin whichhe in- tageonthesurrounding hills,andwith thelight-
tendedto carry on the war, and thereforewas estandmostactiveof his troops,fell uponthe
determined,if possible,either by stratagemor enemy'srear, andput their wholearmyin dis-
force, to bring him to battle, concluding that order, and killed about eight hundred of them.
otherwise the Carthaginians must be undone: Hannibal then wanted to get clear of «o dis-
sincetheycould not decidethe matterin the advantageous
a situation;and,in revenge
of the
field,wheretheyhadtheadvantage,
butmust mistake
the guideshadmade,andthedanger
gradually wear away and bereducedto nothing,
whenthedispute
wasonlywhoshouldbe su- " Fortheoffice
f f a pedagogue
of oldwas,
(astji«
perior in menandmoney. Henceit waathat name
implies)
toattendthechildren,
tocarrythta up
he exhaustedthe whole art of war, like a skil- anddown,andconductthemhomeagain.
ful wrestler,whowatches
everyopportunity
to t Hannibal
hadravaged
Samnium,
plundered
the
lay hold of his adversary. Sometimeshead- territoryof Benerentum, a Roman colony,andlaid
vancedandalarmedhimwith theapprehensions siegeto Tilesia,a cityat thefootof theApptnines.
of an attack; sometimesby marchingand coun- Butfindingthatneither the ravagingof tnr country,
termarching he led him from puce to place, nor even the taking of somecities could make Fabiuj
quithiseminences,
hoping to draw him from his plan of caution. er heresolvedtomake useofastrong-
bait,whichwa«to enterCampania, the finestcoun-
But ashewasfullypersuaded of its utility,he tryinItaly,andlayit waste underthedicfator'i
eyes,
kept immoveablyto his resolution. Minucius, hopingbythatmeans to brinehimto anaction.But
his generalof horse,gavehim,however, no instead
bythemistake
which Plutarchmentions,hisguide*.
of conducting
"mall trouble, by his unseasonablecourage and himintothenarrow himtotheplains ofCasinuro
InJ
passes
ofCasilinum,
whirhdjridet
beat,haranguing
thearmy,andfillingthemwith Saovaium
fromCampania.
138 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

they had broughthim into, he crucifiedthem The senate,

too,wnsoffended,
particularlywiia
all. But not knowing how to drive the enemy the terms he had settled with Hannibal for the
from the heights they were mastersof, and sen- ransolrnofprisoners . For it was agreedbetween
sible besidesof the terror and confusion that them, that the prisonersshould be exchanged,
reignedamongst
his men,whoconcluded
them- man for man,and that if either of them had
selves fallen into a snare,from which there was more than the other, he should release them
Boescaping,he hadrecourseto stratagem. for two hundredandfifty drachmas
eachman',*
The contrivance wag this. He caused two and uponthe whole accountthere remainedtwo
thousand oxen, which he had in his camp^to hundred and forty Romans uiiexchanged. The
have torches and dry bavins well fastened to senatedetermined not to pay this ransom,and
their horns. These, in the night, upon a sig- blamed Fabius aetaking a step that was against
nal given,wereto be lighted,and the o.xento the honourandinterestof thestate,in endeav-
be driven to the mountains, near the narrow ouring to recover men wnom cowardice had
passthat was guardedby the enemy. While betrayedinto the handsof the enemy.
those that had it in charge were thus employed, When Fabius was informed of the resent
he decamped,and inarched slowly forward. So ment of his fellow-citizens, he bore it with in-
long as tl.c fire wasmoderate,
andburnedonly vinciblepatience;but beingin wantof money,
the torchesand bavins,the oxenmovedsoftly and not choosingto deceiveHannibal,or to
on, as they were driven up the hills ; and the abandonhis countrymenin their distress,hesent
shepherdj andherdsmenontheadjacentheights his sonto Rome,with ordersto sell part of hi»
took themfor an armythat marchedin order estate,and bring him the moneyimmediately.
with lighted torches. But when their horns This was punctually performed by his son,and
were burnt to the roots, and the fire pierced to Fabius redeemed the prisoners, several of
the quick,terrifiedandmadwith pain,theyno whomafterwardsofferedto repayhim,but hi*
longerkept anycertain route, but run up the generositywould not permithim to acceptit-
hills, with their foreheadsand tails flaming. After this he was called to Rome by the
and setting every thing on fire that came in their priests,to assistat someof the solemnsacrifices,
way. The Romanswhoguardedthe passwere andthereforewasobligedto leavethearmyto
astonished;for they appearedto them like a Minucius; but he bothchargedhimasdictator,
great numberof men running up and down andusedmanyarguments andentreatieswith
withtorches,
whichscattered
fireoneveryside. himas a friend,not Vocometo anykindof
In their fears,of course,theyconcluded,that action. The pains he took were lost upon
theyshouldbeattackedandsurrounded by the Minucius,for he immediatelysoughtoccasion!
enemy;for whichreasontheyquittedthe pass, to fightthe enemy.And observingonedaythat
andfledto themainbodyin thecamp.Imme-Hannibal
hadsentoutgreatpartof hisarmyto
diatelyHannibal'slight-armedtroopstookpos- forage,heattackedthosethat wereleft behind,
session of the outlet, and the rest of his forces and drove them within their entrenchments,
inarchedsafelythrough,loaded
witharichbooty killing greatnumbers
of them,sothattheyeven
Fabiusdiscoveredthe stratagemthat eame fearedhe would storm their camp: andwhen
night, for someof the oxen, as they were the restof the Carthaginian
forceswerereturn-
scattered about, fell into his hands: but, for ed, he retreated without loss.f This succesi
fear of an ambushin thedark,he kept his men addedto his temerity,andincreased the ardour
all night underarmsin the camp. At breakof of his soldiers. The reportof it soonreached
day,he pursuedthe enemy,cameupwith their Rome,and the advantage was represented aa
rear, and attackedthem; severalskirmishesmuchgreaterthan it really was. WhenFabius
ensued in the difficult passesof the mountains, was informed of it, he said, he dreaded nothing
and Hannibal's army was put in somedisorder, more than the successof Mmucius. But the
until he detachedfrom his van a bodyof Spa- people,mightily elatedwith the news,ran to
niards, light and nimble men, who were accus- ihefontm; and their tribune Mitilius haran-
tomed to climb such heights. These falling gued them from the rostrum, highly extolling
uponthe heavy-armed Romans,cut off a con- Minucius, and accusingFabius now, not of
siderablenumberof them, andobligedFabius cowardiceandwant of spirit, but of treachery.
to retire. This broughtuponhim morecon- He endeavoured also to involvethe principal
tempt and calumnythan ever:tor having re- men in Rome in the samecrime, alleging,
nounced open force, as if he could subdue" That theyhadoriginallybroughtthewar upon
Hannibalby conductandforesight,heappear- Italy, for the destructionof thecommonpeople,
ed now in be worsted at his own weapons.andhadput thecommonwealth underthe abso-
Hannibal, to incensrthe Romansstill more lute direction of one man,who, by his slow
against him, when he came to his lands, order- proceedings,gave Hannibal opportunity to e»
ed them to be spared,and set a guard upon tablishhimselfin thecountry,andto drawfresh
them to preventthe.committingof the least forcesfrom Carthage,in orderto effecta total
injury tin n", wlult he was ravagingall the conquestof Italy "
country aruimdhim, and laying it wastewith Fabiusdisdained to makeanydefenceagainrt
fire. An accountof thesethingsbeingbrought theseallegationsof the tribune; he only de-
to Rome,heavycomplaintsweremadethere- claredthat "He would finishthe sacrificeand
upon. The tribunesallegedmanyarticlesof otherreligious rites as soon as possible,that
accusationagainsthim, beforethe people, * Livycallsthisargentipondo
Unaelselibrtu
in
chiefly at 'hu instigation of Metilius, who had flulitem; whence-welearntnat the Romanponio,01
no particular enmity to Fabius, but being JIIIIIM.J
weightof silver,wasequivalent
Grecian drachmas or a nu'na.
toonehundred
strongly in the interest of Mmucius, the gene- t Otherssay,tnat helost five thousandof his men,
fal of tlic Morse,
whose
thoughtby df pressing
relation he was,he andthattheenemies
Fabiusto raisehisfriend thana.thousand.
Iondidnotexceed
hit bynort
 FABIUS MAXIMUM 133

hemight return
tothearmy
and punish
Minu- Minuciusvaluedhimself
highlyupon
thin,
tiusforfighting
contrary
tohisorders."
Thisthatthepower
of thegreatest
a»dmeat
arbi-
occasioned
a greattumultamong
thepeople,traryofficein thestatewascontrolled
andre-
whowerealarmed
atthedanger
of Minucius.ducedforhissake.But Fabiusputhimin
Forit is in thedictator's
power
toimprison
mind,
"Thatit wasnotFabius
whom
hehad
andafflictcapital
punishment
withoutformof to contendwith, but Hannibal:that if he
trial:andtheythought
thatthewrathofFabiuswould,notwithstanding,
consider
hiscolleague
nowprovoked, though
hewasnaturally veryashi«rival,hemusttakecarelesthe-who had
mildandpatient,wouldproveheavyandim- sosuccessfully
carriedhis pointwiththepeo-
placable.
Butfearkeptthemallsilent,except
ple,should
one dayappeartohave
theirsafety
Metilius,
whoseperson,
astribune ofthepeo-andinterest
lessat heartthantheman,who
ple,could
notbetouched,
(forthetribunes
arehadbeen soill treated
bythem."Minuciua
theonlyofficers
ofstatethatretaintheirauthor-considering
this asthe effectof anold man's
ityaftertheappointing
ofadictator.)Metibuspique,
andtakingthetroopsthatfelltohislot,
entreated,insisted
that the people
should
not markedout a separate
campfor them.*Haa
giveupMmucius, tosuffer,perhaps,
whatMan-nibalwaswellinformed of allthathadpassed,
jjusTorquatuscaused
hisownsonto suffer,andwatched
hisopportunity
to takeadvantage
whom he beheadedwhen crowned with laurel of it.
for hisvictory;butthat theyshouldtakefrom Therewasahill betwixthimandtheenemy,
Fabiushispowerto playthetyrant,andleavenotdifficultto takepossession
of,whichyet
the direction of affairsto one who wasboth able would afford an army a very safe and commo-
imdwillingto savehiscountry. Thepeople,diouspost. The groundaboutit, at a dis-
thoughmuchaffected withthisspeech,
didnot tance,seemedquitelevel andplain,though
ventureto divest Fabius of the dictatorship, therewere in it severalditchesandhollows:
notwithstanding
theodiumhehadincurred,but andtherefore,thoughhe might privatelyhave
decreedthat Minucius should share the com- seized that post with ease, yet he left it as a
mandwithhim,andhaveequalauthorityin con- bait to draw the enemy to an engagement.
ductingthewar, a thing neverbeforepractisedBut as soon as he saw Minucius partedfrom
in Rome.Therewas,however,anotherinstance Fabius,he took an opportunityin the night to
of it soonafter uponthe unfortunate
actionof placea numberfof men in thoseditchesand
Canns: for MarcusJuniusthe dictatorbeing hollows: and early in the morninghe openly
then in the field,theycreatedanotherdictator, sentout a smallparty, as if designedto make
Fabius Buteo,to fill up the senate,manyof themselves mastersof the hill, but really to
whosememberswere slain in that battle. There draw Minucius to dispute it with them. The
wasthis difference,indeed,that Buteohad no event answeredhis expectation. For Minu-
soonerenrolledthe new senators,thanhe die- ciussentout his light-armedtroopsfirst, then
missedhis lictors andthe rest of his retinue, and the cavalry, and at last, when he saw Hanni-
mixedrrith the crowd, stoppingsometime in bal sendreinforcementsto his men uponthe
theforum abouthisownaffairsasaprivateman. hill, hemarchedout with all his forcesin ordelr
When the peoplehad thus investedMinu- of battle,and attackedwith great vigourthe
ciuswith a powerequalto thatof thedictator, Carthaginians,
who weremarkingout a camp
they thoughttheyshouldfind Fabiusextremely uponthe hill. The fortune of the day wai
humbledand dejected;but it soon appeareddoubtful,until Hannibal,perceivingthat the)
that they knew not the man. For he did not enemy had fallen into the snare, and that their
reckon their mistake any unhappinessto him; rear was opento the ambuscade,instantly gave
but as Diogenes,the philosopher,when one the signal. Hereupon,his men rushedout OB
said, "They deride you," answeredwell, "But all sides, and advancing with loud shouts, and
I am not derided;"accountingthoseonlyto be cutting in piecesthe hindmostranks,theyput
ridiculed,who feel the ridiculeandarediscom-the Romans in disorderandterror inexpressible.
posedat it; so Fabiusbore without emotion Even the spirit of Miaucius beganto shrink;
all that happenedto himself,hereinconfirming andhe looked first uponone officerandthen
that position in philosophy, which affirms that upon another, but not one of them durst stand
a wist and goodman cansuffer no disgrace. his ground;theyall betookthemselves to flight,
But hewasundernosmallconcernfor thepub- andthe flightitself provedfatal. For theNumi
lic, on accountof the unadvisedproceedingsdians,now victorious,gallopedroundthe plain,
of the people,who hadput it in the powerof andkilled thosewhomtheyfounddispersed.
a rash man to indulgehis indiscreetambition Fabiuswasnot ignorantof the dangerof his
for military distinction.And apprehensive
that countrymen. Foreseeingwhatwouldhappen,
Mmucius,infatuatedwith ambition,mighttake hekept his forcesunder arms, and took care
somefatalstep,heleft Romeveryprivately. to beinformedhowthe actionwenton: not
Upon his arrival at the camp,he foundthe did he trust to the reportsof others,but he
arrogance
of Minuciusgrownto sucha height, himself looked out from an eminencenot far
thatit wasnolongerto beendured.Fabius,fromhiscamp.Whenhesawthearmyof his
therefore,refusedto complywithhisdemandcolleague surroundedandbroken,and'thecry
of havingthearmyunderhisorders everyother reached
him,notlikethat of menstandingthe
day,and,insteadof that, dividedthe forcescharge, butof persons
flyingin greatdismay,}
withhim,choosing ratherto havethefullcom-hesmoteuponhisthigh,andwith a deepsigh
mand of a part, than the direction of the whole
by turns. He thereforetook the first and * Aboutfifteen
hundred
paces
fromFabiui.
fourthlegionshimself,leavingthesecond
and t Fivehundred
horse
andfivethousand
fix*. Poylt.
thirdtoMinucius;
andtheconfederate
forcesthigh
j Homer mentions thecustom ofsmitiugjpontht
in timeof trouble;andwelearnfromScrip!v«
werelikewiseequallydivided. Utttit waipractised
intheEaiU
784 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

"aid to his Mendsabouthim, ccYegods! how two victories: oneovertheenemyby yourval-

muchsoonerthanI expected, andyet later than our, the other over your collecgueby your
his indiscreetproceedings
required,hasMinu- prudenceandhumanity. By the formeryou
ciusruinedhimself." Then, havingcommand-savedus,by the latter youhaveinstructedus-
ed the standard-bearersto advance, and the and Hannibal's victory over us is not moredis-
whole army to follow, he addressed
themin gracefulthan yoursis honourableandsalutary
thesewords: "Now, my bravesoldiers,if any to us. I call you Father, not knowinga more
one has a regard for Marcus Minuciua, let him honourable name, and am more indebted to
eaerthimself;for he deserves
assistance
for his you thanto my realfather. To him I owemy
valour,andthe love he bearshis country. If, being,but to you tne preservation
of my life,
in his haste to drive out the enemy, he has and the lives of all these brave men." After
committedany error, this is not a time to find this, he threw himselfinto thearmsof Fabius,
fault with him." and the soldiers of each army embracedono
The first sight of Fabius frightened away another,with everyexpressionof tenderness,
the Numidiang, who were picking up strag- and with tears of joy.
glers in the field. Then he attacked those who Not long after this, Fabius laid down the dic-
were charging the Romans in the rear. Such tatorship, and consuls were created.* The first
ai made resistance he slew: but the greatest of these kept to the plan which Fabius hadlaid
part retreated to their own army, before the down. He took care not to come to a pitched
communicationwascut off, lest they should battlewith Hannibal,but sentsuccoursto the
themselves be surrounded in their turn. Han- allies of Rome, and prevented any revolt ID
nibal seeingthischangeof fortune,andfinding their cities.But whenTerentiusVarro,)aman
that Fabiuspushedon through the hottestof of obscurebirth, and remarkableonly for his
the battle, with a vigour abovehis years, to temerity and servilecomplaisance
to the peo-
comeup to Mmuciusuponthe hill, put anend ple, rose to the consulship,it soonappeared
to thedispute,
andhavingsounded
a retreat, thathisboldness
andinexperience
wouldbring
retired into his camp. The Romans, on their him to risk the very being of the commonwealth.
part, were not sorry when the action wasover. For he loudly insisted in the assembliesof the
Hannibal, as he was drawing off, is reported people,that the war stoodstill whilst it wai
to havesaid smartlyto thosethat wereby, underthe conductof the Fabii; but,for his
"Did not I oftentell you,that this cloudwould part, hewouldtakebut onedayto get sightof
one day burst upon us from the mountains,the enemy,andto beathim. With theseprom-
with all the fury of a storm?" iseshe so prevailedon the multitude,thathe
After the battle,Fabiushavingcollectedthe raisedgreaterforcesthan Romehadeverhad
"poils of suchCarthaginians as wereleft dead on foot before,in her most dangerous -wars)
uponthe field, returnedto hispost; nor did he for he mustered^no fewer than eighty-eight
let fall onehaughtyor angryword againsthis thousandmen. Hereupon,Fabius,andother
colleague. As for Minucius,havingcalledhis wiseand experiencedpersonsamongthe Ro-
men together, he thus expressedhimself: mansweregreatly alarmed;because theysaw
"Friends and fellow-soldiers! not to err at all no resource for the state, if such a numberof
in the management
of great affairs,is above their youthshouldbe cut off. They address-
thewisdom
of men:butit is thepartof a pru- edthemselves,
therefore,
to the otherconsul,
dentand goodman, to learn, from his errors Paulus JEmilius, a man of great experience
and miscarriages,
to correcthimselffor the fu- in war, but disagreeableto the people,andat
ture. For my part, I confess,thatthoughfor- the sametime afraidol them,for theyhadfor-
tunehasfrowneduponme a little, I havemuch merlyset a considerablefine uponhim. Fa-
to thank her for. For what I could not be bius, however, encouraged him to withstand
broughtto be sensibleof in so longa time,I the temerity of his colleague,telling him,
havelearnedin the smallcompassof one day, "That the disputehe had to supportfor his
thatI knownothowto command,
buthaveneedcountrywasnot somuchwith Hannibalas
to beunderthe directionof another;andfrom with Varro. The latter," said he, "will
thismomentI bidadieuto the ambitionof get- hastento an engagement,§
becausehe knows
ting the better of a man whom it is an honour * Accordingto Livy, Fabius,after the six months
to befoiled by. In all other respects,the dic- of hisdictatorship
werecspirtd,resigned
thearmy
tatorshallbeyourcommander;
butin thedue to thehaving
latter consuls
of mat
been year,Servilius
appointed and
in thk roomAttilius;
of the
Flaminius,
expressionsof gratitude to him, I will be your who was killed in battle. But Plutarch follows Fo
leaderstill, by beingthe first to shewanex- lybius,whosave,
thatasthe timefor the election
of
ampleof obedience andsubmission." newconsulsapproached,
theRomans named L. jEmil
He theo orderedthe ensigns to advancewith iiu Faulus
andTerentius
Varroconsuls,alUrwhich
theeagles,
andthetroopstofollow,himselfthe
\ dictators
resigned
Varro wajsthe sontheir
of a charge.
butcher, and had followed
marching
attheirheadto thecampof Fabius.hislather's
profession
inhisyouth
; but,growing
rich,
Being admitted,he went directly to his tent. hehadforsakenthatmeancalling;and,bythelavour
The wholearmywaitedwith impatience for the of thepeople,
procured bysupportingthemostturbu-
event. When Fabiuscameout, Minuciusfixed lentof theirtribunes, heobtained
thecousuUtc.
hiestandard
before
him,andwithaloudvoicefourJItlegions,
was usualforconsisting,
which theRomans in to muster
difficult every
times, year
each
"aluted him by the nameof Father; at the of fivethousand
Roman
footandthreehundred
horse,
same time his soldiers called those of Fabius anda battalionof Latinsequalto thatnumber,amount-
their Patrons: an appellation which freedmen edin the wholeto 42,400. But this year,insteadof
giveto thosethatenfranchise
them.Thesere- fourlegions,
theyraised
eight.
spects
being
paid,
andsilence
takingplace,
to $Thebest
prolong depeodance
the war, t-hat01Varrowas,
whoundoubtedly,
Hannibal, wasalready
Minucius thus addressed himself to the dicta- weakened,might wear himself out by degrees; aud,
tor: "You have this day, Fabius, obtained for Uittamettuoo, it vru Hw&ibaTtbusmtisto fight
 FAB1US MAXIMUS. 13d
noth'nownstrength; andtheformer, because nostrils
of the Romans, eo that theywere
he knowshisownweakness. But, believeobligedto turn awaytheirfacesandbreak
me,jEmilius,I deserve moreattention thantheirranks.Inthenextplace, histroops
were
Varro,withrespectto theaffairs
ofHannibal;drawnup in superior art. He placedthe
andI doassure you,thatif theRomans comeflowerof themin thewings, andthoseupon
tonobattlewithhimthisyear,hewill eitherwhomhe hadlessdcpendance in themain
be undone by his stayin Italy,or elsebe corps,whichwasconsiderably moreadvanced
obliged
toquitit. Evennow,whenheseems thanthewings.Thenhecommanded those
in
to bevictorious,
andto carryall beforehim, thewings,thatwhentheenemy hadchargedand
notoneofhisenemies hasquitted
theRomanvigorously pushedthatadvanced body,which
interest,
andnota third partof theforcesre- heknewwouldgiveway,andopena passage
mainswhichhebroughtfromhomewithhim." for themto theverycentre,andwhentheRo-
To this JEmilius is said to have answered,mansby this meansshouldbe far enoughen*
" My friend,whenI considermyselfonly,I gagedwithinthetwo wings,theyshouldboth
conclude it betterfor me to fall uponthe on therightandleft takethemin flank,and
weapons of theenemy,thanby thesentence endeavourto surroundthem.* Thiswasthe
of myowncountrymen.However, sincethe principal
cauee of thegreatcarnagethatfollow-
stateof publicaffairsis eo critical,I will ed. For theenemy pressinguponHannibal's
endeavour to approve
myselfa goodgeneral,front,whichgaveground,theformof hisarmy
andhadratherappear suchto you,thanto all waschanged intoa.half-moon; andtheofficers
whoopposeyou,andwho woulddraw me, of theselecttroopscaused the twopointsof
willing or unwilling, to their party." With the wingsto join behindthe Romans. Thus
Ihesesentiments .ZEmilius
beganhisoperations.theywereexposed to the attacksof the Cartha-
But Varro, havingbroughthis colleagueto ginians on all sides; an incredibleslaughter
agree*that theyshouldcommandalternately followed; nor did anyescapebut the few that
each his day,when his turn came,took post retreatedbeforethe mainbodywasenclosed.
over againstHannibal,on the banksof the It is alsosaid,that a strangeand fatal acci-
Aufidus,nearthe villageof Cannae.f As soon denthappened to the Romancavalry. For the
as it was light, hegave the signal for battle, horse which JBmilius rode having received
whichis a redmantlesetupoverthe general's somehurt, threw him; and thoseabout him
tent. The Carthaginianswere a little dis- alightingto assistanddefendthe consulon foot,
fleartenedat first, when theysawhow daring the restof the cavalryseeingthis, and taking
the consulwas,and that the armywasmore it for a signalfor them to do the same,all
thantwice their number.But Hannibalhaving quittedtheir horses,andchargedonfoot. At
orderedthemto arm,himself,with a fewothers, sightof this, Hannibalsaid,"This pleasesme
rodeup to an eminence, to take a view of the better than if they had beendeliveredto me
enemynow drawn up for battle. OneCisco boundhand and foot." But the particulars
that accompanied him, a manof his ownrank, maybe found at large in the historianswho
happeningto say" The numbersof the enemy havedescribedthis battle.
appearedto him surprising." Hannibal re- As to the consuls,Varroescaped with a few
plied with a seriouscountenance, " There is horseto Venutia;and 2Emilius,coveredwith
anotherthing whichhasescaped yourobserva-dartswhich stuckin his wounds,sat downin
tion, muchmoresurprisingthan that." Upon anguishanddespair,waiting for the enemyto
his askingwhatit was," It is," saidhe, " that despatchhim. His headandhis facewereso
amongsuch numbersnot one of them is named disfigured and stained with blood, that it was
Cisco." The whole company were diverted not easy to know him; even his friends and
with the humour of his observations:and as servantspassedby him without stopping. At
fceyreturnedto the camp,theytold the jest last, CorneliusLentulus,a youngmanof apa-
Jo those they met, so that the laugh became trician family, perceiving who he waa, dis-
universal. At sight of this the Carthaginiansmounted,andentreatedhim to takehis horse,
took courage,thinking it must proceedfrom andsavehimselffor the commonwealth, which
the great contempt in which their general held had then more occasion than ever for so good
the Romans,that he couldjest and laugh in a consul. But nothingcould prevailuponhim
the faceof danger. to acceptof the offer; and, notwithstanding
In this battleHannibalgavegreat proofsof the youngman'stears,heobligedhim to mount
generalship.In the first place,he took ad- his horseagain. Then rising up, and taking
vantageof the ground,to post his menwith him by the hand, "Tell Fabius Maximus,"
their backsto the wind, whichwasthenvery saidhe, "and, Lentulug, do you yourselfbe
violent and scorching, and drove from the witness, that Paulua -ZErmlms followed hU
dry plains, over the headsof the Carthaginians, directions to the last, and did not deviate in
cloudsof sand and dust into the eyes,and the least from the plan agreedupon between
* It waiafixed rulewiththeRomans, thatthecon-them,butwasfirstovercomeby Varro,and
suls,whentheywentuponthe tameservice,
shouldthenby Halmibal." Havingdespatched
Len-
nave thecommand
t Cannae,
ofthearmy byturns.
accordingto Livy, Appian,and Florus,
tulugwiththiscommission,
herushedamong
was only a poor villace, which afterwards becamefa- the enemy'sswords,
andwasslain.Fifty
mouson accountof the battle fought near it; but Po- thousandRomars are said to havefallen in
lybiua, who lived near the time of the tecond Punic this battle,t and four thousandto have been
war,styles Caiinsa city;andadds, thatit hadbeen »Fivehundred Numidiintpretended to desert
to
razed a yearagrees
beforethedefeat of theRoman army.theRomans
j butintheheal
ofthebattleturnedairainil
Silim JtaJicu! with Folybiiu. It wasafterwards them,andattackedthemin therear.
rebuilt;
The ruinsfor
ofPlinyranks
Canax it among
are still to be the
seencities
in Iheof Apula. t According
territory toLivy,therewerekilledof theRo
of Ban. mansonly forty thousand
foot,andtwo thousand
seve*
hundred
horse.Polybiui«ays,
thatseventy
thou»»4
136 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

takenprisoners, besidestonthousandthat were alone walked about the city with a ca>m
token afterthe battle in both the camps. andeasypace,with a firm countenance, a mild
After this great success,Hannibal'sfriends and graciousaddress,checkingtheir effemi-
advisedhim to pursuehis fortune,andto enter natelamentations, and preventingthemfrom
Romealongwitn the fugitives,assuringhim assembling in public to bewail their common
that in fivedayshe might supin the Capitol. distress. He causedthe senateto meet; he
It is not ensyto conjecturewhathis reasonwas encouraged the magistrates,
himself beingthe
for not takingthis step. Most probablysome soul of their body,for all waited his motion,
deity opposedit, and thereforeinspired him and were ready to obey his orders. He
with this hesitation and timidity. On this ac- placed a guard at the gates,to hinder suchof
countit wasthata Carthaginian,
namedBarca, the peopleas were inclined to fly, from quit-
said to him with someheat," Hannibal,you ting the city. He filed both the place and
know how to gain a victory, but not how to time for mourning,allowedthirty daysfor that
use it."* purpose in a man's own house,and no more
The brittle of Canns, however,madesuch for the city in general. And as the feastof
an alteration tn his affairs, that though before Ceres fell within that time, it was thought bet-
it hehadneittfertown,nor magazine,
norport ter entirelyto omitthesolemnity,
thanby the
in Italy, bat, \\ithout any regular supplies for small numbers a_ndthe melancholy looks of
the war, subsistedhis army by rapine, and for those that should attend it, to discover the
that purposemovedthem,like agreat bandof greatnessof their loss:* for the worshipmost
robbers, from place to place, yet then he be- acceptable to the gods is that which cornea
came master of the greatest part of Italy. Its from cheerful hearts. Indeed, whatever the
bestprovincesandtownsvoluntarilysubmittedaugurs ordered for propitiating the divine
to him, and Capua itself, the most respectable powers, and averting inauspicious omens,was
city after Rome, threw its weight into his carefully performed. For Fabius Pictor, the
Male. near relation of Fabius Maiimus, was sentto
In this case it appeared that great misfor- consult the oracle at Delphi; and of the two
tunes are not only, what Euripides calls them, vestalswho were then found guilty of a breach
a trial of the fidelity of a friend, but of the of their vow of chastity, one was burnedalive,
capacity and conduct of a general. For the according to custom, and the other died by her
proceedings
of Fabius,which beforethis battle own hand.
were deemed cold and timid, then appeared But what most deserves to be admired, is
to be directed by counsels more than human, the magnanimity and temper of the Roman!,
to be indeed the dictates of a divine wisdom, when the consul Varro returned after his de-
which penetratedinto futurity at such a dis- feat,! muchhumbledandverymelancholy,
as
tance, and foresaw what seemed incredible to one who had occasioned the greatestcalamity
the verypersonswho experienced it. In liim, anddisgraceimaginableto the republic. The
therefore, Rome places her last hope; his wholesenateandpeoplewentto welcomehim
judgmentis the temple,the altar,to whichshe at the gates;andwhensilencewascommand-
flies for refuge,believingthat to his prudence ed, the magistratesand principal senators,
it was chieflyowingthat shestill held up her amongstwhom was Fabius,commended him
head,and that her childrenwere not dispers- for not giving up the circumstances of the
ed, as whenshewaataken by the Gauls.stateaadesperate
afterBOgreata misfortune,
For he, who in times of apparent security, but returning to take upon him the administra-
ieemed to be deficient in confidence and reso- tion, and to make what advantage he could
lution, now,whenall abandoned
themselves
to for his countiy of the lawsandcitizens,asnot
Inexpressiblesorrow and helpless despair, beingutterly lost and ruined.
When they found that Hannibal, after the
were
killed.Theloss
oftheCarthaginians
didnotbattle,
instead ofmarching toRome,turned
to
amount
tosixthousand. anotherpart of Italy,theytookcourage,
and
WhentheCarthaginians
werestrippingthe dead,sent their armiesand generalsinto the field-
tmongothermovingobjects,theyfound,to their great The most eminent of these were FabiusMaii-
lurprise,a iVumidian
yetalive,lying underthedeadmusandClaudiusMarcellus,mendistinguished
bodyof a Roman,who had thrownhimselfheadlong
on hisenemy,andbeathim down;butbeingno longer by characters almost entirely opposite. Mar-
abletomake
useof hisweapons,
because
hehadlost cellus(aswehavementioned
in hislife,)wa«
hishands,
hadtornoffthenose
andearsoftheNumid- a manof a buoyantandanimatedvalour,ie
L'niwith his teeth,andin that fit of rag* expired. markably well skilled in the use of weapons,
* Zonarus tells us, that Hannibal himself afterwards
acknowledged
his mistakein not pursuingthat day's * This wasnot the realcauseof deferringthe festi-
success,and usedoften to cry out, 0 Cannae!Cannae! val, but that which Plutarch hints at just after, viz.
Buton theotherhand,it maybepleadedin defencebecause
it wasunlawful for personsin mourningto
of Hannibal, that the advantageshe had gained were celebrate it; and at that time there was not one ma-
chieflyowinglo his cavalry,who couldDotact in a Iron in Romewho wasnot in mourning. In fact,the
liege: That the inhabitantsof Romewereall bredup feastwasnot entirelyomitted, butkeptat soonasth<
to arms from their infancy; would use their utmost mourning was expired.
efforts in defenceof their wives, their children, and f Valerius Maximus tells us (lib. iii. c. 6.) that the
their domesticgods; and, when shelteredby walls and senateand peopleoflercd Varro the dictatorship, \*lncb
ramparis,wouldprobablybeinvincible: that theyhad he refused,and by his modestrefusalwipedoff, io
AS manygenerals as senators; that no one nation of some measure, the shame of his former behaviour.
taly hadyet declaredfor him, and hemightjudge il ThustheRomans,by treatingtheir commanders
with
"ecessarylo gain some of them before he attempted humanity, lessenedthe disgrace of their beingvan*
the capital: and lastly, that if he had attempted the
capital
first,
and without
success,
he
would
not
have
3uished
ordischarged;
while
been able Ui £<unany one nation or city.
the
Carthaginians
con* emnedtheir generals to cruel deathsupon their being
overcome,though it was often without their own C&ulU
 FABIUS MAXIM US.

andnaturally
enterprising;
suchanone,in andfromthattimethemanbehaved
withgreat
short,asHomercallslofty in heart,in couragefidelityandzealfortheservice.
Fabius
thought
force,inwardelighting.Sointrepid
ageneral it hard,that,whilethosewhobreed
dogsand
wagveryfit tobeopposedtoanenemy asdar-horses,softentheirstubborn
tempers,
andbring
ingishimself,torestore
thecourageandspir-downtheirfiercespirits
bycareandkindness,
tsof theRomans, bysomevigorous strokein ratherthanwithwhipsandchains,hewhohas
thefirstengagements. As for Fabius,hekept thecommand of menshouldnotendeavourto
fohisfirstsentiments,
andhoped, thatif heonly correcttheir errorsby gentleness
andgood
followed Hannibalclose,
withoutfightinghim, ness,but treatthemevenin a harsherand
he andhis armywouldwearthemselves out, moreviolentmannerthangardeners do the
andlosetheir warlike vigour,just asa wrestler wild fig-trees,wild pearsandolives,whosena-
does,
whokeeps
continually
inthering,andal- turetheysubdue
by cultivation,
andwhich,by
lows himsflf no repose, to recruit his strength that means, they bring to producevery agreea-
after excessivefatigues. Hence it was that the ble fruit.
Romans(asPosidoniustells us,)calledFabius Anothertime, someof his officersinformed
their s/jicW, andMarcellustheir stcord,and him, that oneof his soldiers,a nativeof Luca-
usedto say,that the steadinessand cautionof nia, oftenquittedhis post,and rambledout of
the one, mixedwith the vivacity andboldnessthe camp. Upon this report,he askedwhat
of the other,madea compoundverysalutaryto kind of a man he wasin other respects;and
Rome. Hannibal,therefore,often meeting theyall declaredit wasnot easyto find sogood
Marcellus,whosemotionswerelike thoseof a a soldier, doing him the justice to mentloa
torrent, found his forcesbrokenanddiminish- severalextraordinaryinstancesof his valour.
ed; and by Fabius, who movedwith a silent On inquiringinto the causeof this irregular-
but constantstream,he wasundermined and ity, he foundthat the man waspassionately in
insensiblyweakened. Such,at length,wasthe love,andthat, for the sakeof seeinga young
extremityhewasreduced
to,that hewastired woman,
heventured
outof thecamp,
andtoot
of fightingMarcellus, and afraid of Fabius. a long and dangerousjourney every night
And thesewerethe personshe hid generally HereuponFabius gaveorders to someof hia
to do with during the remainderof the war, men to find out the woman,andconveyhei
as prstors,consuls,or proconsuls:for eachof into his own tent, but took carethat the Lu-
themwas,five times consul. It is true, Mar- canianshouldnot know it. Then hesentfor
cellus, in his fifth consulate wasdrawn into his him, and taking him aside, spoke to him aa
mares, and killed by means of an ambuscade. follows: "I very well know, that you havelain
Hannibal often made the like attemptsupon manynightsout of the camp,in breachof the
Fabius, exerting all his arts andstratagems,Romandisciplineandlaws; at the sametime,
but withouteffect. Onceonly hedeceivedhim, I amnot ignorantof yourpastservices.In con-
and had nearly led him into a fatal error. He sideration of them, I forgive your present
forgedlettersto him,asfromtheprincipalin- crime;but, for thefuture,I will giveyouin
habitants
ofMetapontum,offeringto deliverup chargeto a personwhoshallbeanswerable
for
the city to him, and assuring him that those you." While the soldier stood much amaxed,
who had taken this resolution, only waited till Fabius produced the woman, and putting her
he appearedbefore it. Fabius giving credit to in his hands, thus expressedhimself: "This ia
theseletters, ordereda partyto beready,in- the personwho engages
for you, thatyou will
tending to march thither in the night; but find- remain in camp; and now we shall seewheth-
ing the auspices unpromising, he altered his er there was not some traitorous design which
design, and soon after discovered that the drew you out, and which you made the love of
letters were forged by an artifice of Hanni- this woman a cloak for." Such is the account
bal's, and that he was lying in ambush for him we have of this affair.
nearthe town. But thisperhapsmaybeascrib- By meansof anotherlove affair, Fabiusre-
edto the favourand protectionof the gods. coveredthe city of Tarentum,whichhad been
Fabius was persuaded that it was better to treacherously delivered up to Hannibal. A
keepthe cities from revolting, andto prevent youngman,a nativeof that place,who served
anycommotions amongthe allies,by affability under Fabius, had a sister there,who loved
andmiUness,thanto entertaineverysuspicion,him with great tenderness.This youthbeing
or to use severity against those whom he did informed, that 3. certain Bnitian, one of the of-
suspect. It is reported of him, that being in- ficers of the garrison which Hannibal had put
formed,that a certain Marcian in his army,* in Tarentum,entertaineda violentpassionfor
who was a roan not inferior in courageor fam- his sister, hoped to avail himself of this cir-
ily to any amongthe allies,solicited someof cumstanceto the advantageof the Romans.
lus mento desert^he didnot treathim harshly, Therefore, with the permissionof Fabius,he
but acknowledged that he had beentoo much returned to his sister at Tarentum, under colour
neglected;declaringat the sametime, that he of havingdeserted. Somedayspassed, during
wasnow perfectlysensiblehow muchhis offi- which the Brutian forbore his visits, for she
cershadbeento blamein distributinghonours supposed that herbrotherknewnothingof the
moreout of favourthan regardto merit: and amour. This obligedthe youngmanto come
that for the futurehe shouldtakeit ill if hedid to an explanation. "It has beencurrentlyre-
not apply to Aim whenhe hadany requestto ported," said he, " that you receiveaddresses
make. This wasfollowedwith a presentof a froma manof somedistinction. Pray, whoia
war horse, and with other marks of honour; he? If he is a man of honour and character.
* Liry tells this story of Marcellus, which Plutarch as they say he is, Mars, who confounds all
if rt applies
toFabiui. things,takesbutlittle thought
of whatcountry
 138 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

he maybe What necessity imposes is nodis- not appearthat the placewasbetrayedto him,
grace; but we mayrather think ourselvesfor- he orderedthe Brutiansto be put first to the
tunate,at a time whenjustice yields to force, sword. But he failed in his design;for th*
if that which force might compelus to, happens former suspicion still remained, and he incur
not to bedisagreeable
to our owninclinations." red, besides,the reproachof perfidyandinhu-
Thus encouraged,the youngwomansent for manity. Many of the Tarentinesalso were
the Brutian, and presentedhim to her brother. killed; thirty thousandof them were sold for
And as shebehaved
to him in a kinderand slaves;thearmyhadtheplunderof thetown,
morecomplying
mannerthroughherbrother'sand threethousandtalentswerebrought into
means,who wasvery indulgentto his passion,the publictreasury. Whilst everything was
it was not very difficult to prevail with the ransacked,andthe spoilswere heapedbefore
Brutian, who was deeply in love, and was Fabius,it is reportedthat the officerwho took
withal a mercenary,* to deliver up the town, the inventory, asked " What he would have
uponpromisesof greatrewardsfrom Fabius. themto do with the gods?"meaningthe stat-
This is the account which most historians ues and pictures: Fabius answered, " Let UB
give us; yet somesay, that the womanby leavethe Tarentinestheir angrygods."*How-
whomthe Brutian was gained,wasnot a Ta- ever, hecarried awaya colossusof Hercules,
rentine,but a Brutian;that shehadbeencon- whichhe afterwardsset upin the Capitol,and
cubineto Fabius;andthatwhenshefoundthe nearit anequestrian statueof himselfin brass.f
governorof Tarentum was her countryman Thushe shewedhimselfinferior to Marcellus,
and acquaintance, she told Fabius of it, and in his taste for the fine arts, and still more so
:lflding means, by approaching the walls, to in mercy and humanity. Marcellus in this res
make him a proposal,she drew him over to the pect had greatly the advantage, as we haveal
Roman interest. ready observedin his life.
During these transactions, Fabius, in order Hannibal had hastened to the relief of Ta-
to make a diversion, gave directions to the gar- rentum, and being within five miles of it, when
rison of Rhegiumto lay waste the Brutian it was taken, he scruplednot to saypublicly,
territories, and, if possible,to make themselves "The Romans, too, have their Hannibal; for
masters of Caulonia. These were a body of we have lost Tarentum in the samemanner
eight thousandmen, composedpartly of desert- that we gained it." And in private, he then
ers, andpartlyof the mostworthlessof that in- first acknowledgedto his friends, " Thathe
famous band brought by Marcellus out of Sici- had always thought it difficult, but now saw it
ly,! andthereforethe lossof them would not wasimpossible,with the forceshehad,to con-
be great, nor much lamented by the Romans. quer Italy."
Thesemenhethrewout asa baitfor Hannibal, Fabiusfor thiswashonouredwith atriumph,
tnd by sacrificing them hoped to draw him to more splendid than the former, having glori-
a distance from Tarentum. The design suc- ously maintained the field against Hannibal,
ceeded accordingly : for Hannibal marched and baffled all his schemeswith ease,just asan
with his forces to Caulonia, and Fabius in able wrestler disengageshimself from the arms
the meantimelaid siegeto Tarentum. The of hisantagonist,whosegraspnolongerretains
sixth day of the siege, the young man having the same vigour. For Hannibal's army wa»
settled the matter with the Brutian officer by now partly enervated with opulence and lux
means of his sister, and having well observed ury, and partly impaired and worn with contin
the place where he kept guard and promised ual action.
to let in the Romans,wentto Fabiusbynight, Marcus Livius, who commanded
in Taren-
and gave him an account of it. The consul tum, when it was betrayedto Hannibal, retired
movedto the appointed quarter, though not en- into the citadel, and held it till it was retaken
tirely dependinguponthe promise thai the town by the Romans. This officer beheld with pain
would be betrayed. There he himself sat still, the honours conferred upon Fabius, and one
but at the same time ordered an assault on day his envy and vanity drew from him this
everyother part, bothby seaandland. This expressionin the senate,"I, not Fabius,was
wasput in executionwith great noiseandtu- the causeof recoveringTarentum." "True,"
mult, which drew mostof the Tarentinesthat saidFabiuslaughing," for if you hadnot lost
way to assistthe garrison,andrepel the be- the town,I had neverrecoveredit."
siegers. Then the Brutiangiving Fabiusthe AmongotherhonourswhichtheRomans paid
signal, he scaled the walls, and got possession to Fabius, they elected his son consul.f When
of thetown. hehadentereduponhiaoffice,andwassettling
On this occasion,Fabius seemsto have in- some point relating to the war, the father,
dulgeda criminal ambition4 For that it might either onaccountof his ageandinfirmities,or
else to try his son, mounted his horse, to ride
" *v$fCTM
juiff-^o^op*
. Thishas
been
mistrans-
uptohim. Theyoung
consul
seeing
himata
lateda manof a mercenary
disposition.
Thewordsdistance,wouldnot sufferit, butsentoneof
onlyimportthathewasnotof Hannibal's
owntroops.the lictors to his father, with ordersfor himto
but of themercenaries.
Henceall government*
should dismount, and to come on foot to the consul,if
learnto beware howtheyentrust theirtowns
with hehadany occasion
to applyto him. The
garrisons
of hiredtroopsandstrangers. whole assembly were moved at this, and cast
\ These men were brought from Sicily, not by Mar-
cellus,
butbyhiscolleague
Lxvinus. their eyesuponFabius,bytheir silence
and
\ Livy docsnot say,that Fabiusgavesuchorders.
He only fays, " Therewere
manyBruttans
slain,either * Thegodswerein theattitude
of combatants;
and
through ignorance,or throughthe ancienthatred theyappearedto havefoughtagainstthe Tarentinej.
whichthe Romansborethem,or becausetheRomans f The work of Lysippus.
weredesirous
thatTarentum
should
seem
to betaken i Thesonwaselected
consul
four yearsbefore
th»
"word in baud,ratherthan betrayed
to them.*' (atliertookTareutum.
 FABIUS MAXIMUS. 139
theirlooks,
expressing
theirresentment
ofthepoint.*Butthepeople,
believing
thathisop
indignity
offered
toapersonofhischaracter.
position
toScipio
proceeded
either
fromenvy
Butheinstantly
alighted,
andranto hiason,ofhissuccess,
orfromasecret
fearthatif this
and embraced
him with great tenderness.
youngheroshould
perform
somesignalexploit,
"My son,"saidhe,"I applaudyoursenti-putanendto thewar,orevenremoveit out
ments
andyourbehaviour.Youknowwhata ofItaly,hisownslowproceedings
throughthe
people
youcommand, andhaveajustsense
of course
of somanyyears,
mightbeimputed to
thedignityof youroffice. Thiswastheway indolence
or timidity.
that we and our forefathers took to advance To me Fabius seemsat first to have opposed
Rometo her presentheightof glory,alwaysthemeasures
of Scipiofromanexcess
of cau-
considering
thehonourandinterestof ourcoun- tion and prudence,andto havereally thought
try before
thatof ourownfathers
andchildren."thedanger
attending
hisprojectgreat;but in
And indeed it is reported that the great the progressof the opposition,I think hewent
grand-fatherof our Fabius,*thoughhewasone too great lengths,misledby ambitionand a
of the greatestmenin Rome,whetherwe con- jealousyof Scipio's rising glory. For he ap-
siderhisreputation
orauthority,
thoughhehad pliedto Crassus,
thecolleague
of Scipio,and
beenfivetimes consul,andhadbeenhonouredendeavoured to persuade him not to yield that
with severalglorioustriumphson accountof provinceto Scipio,but if he thoughtit proper
his successin warsof the last importance,yet to conductthe war in that manner,to go him-
condescendedto serve as lieutenant to his son self against Carthage.} Nay, he even hindered
thenconsult in anexpeditionagainstthe Sam- the raising of moneyfor that expedition:so
nites: and while his son, in the triumph which that Scipio was obliged to find the supplies as
was decreedhim, drove into Rome in a chariot he could: and he effected it through his inter-
andfour,he with othersfollowedhim onhorse- est with the cities of Hetruria, which were
back. Thus, while he had authorityover his whollydevotedto him.} As for Crassus, he
son,consideredas a privateman,andwhile he stayedat home,partlyinducedto it by his dis
was both especiallyand reputedlythe most position,which was mild and peaceful,and
considerablememberof the commonwealth, yet partly by the care of religion, which was en
begloriedin showinghissubjectionto the laws trustedto him as high-priest.
and to the magistrate. Nor was this the only Fabius, therefore, took another method to
partof hischaracter
that deserves
to beadmired. traversethe design. He endeavoured
to pre-
When Fabius Maximus had the misfortune vent the young men who offered to go volun-
to lose his son,he bore that losswith great teersfrom giving in their names,and loudly
moderation, as becamea wise man and a good declared both in the senateandJorum, "That
father; andthe funeraloration,}which on oc- Scipio did not only himself avoid Hannibal,
casion of the deaths of illustrious men is usu- but intended to carry away with him the re-
ally pronouncedby some near kinsman,he mainingstrengthof Italy, persuading theyoung
deliveredhimself5 andhavingcommittedit to men to abandontheir parents,tneir wives,and
writing, madeit public. native city, whilst an unsubduedand potent
When Publius Cornelius Scipio, who was enemy was still at their doors." With these
lent proconsulinto Spain, had defeatedthe assertions
he so terrifiedthe people,that they
Carthaginiansin many battles, and driven allowed Scipio to takewith him only the le-
them out of that province ; and when he had, gions that were in Sicily, and three hundred of
moreover, reduced several towns and nations those men who had served him with so much
under the obedienceof Rome, on returning fidelity in Spain. In tms particular Fabius
loaded with spoil, he was received with great seemsto have followed the dictates of his own
acclamations and general joy. Being appoint- cautioustemper.
ed consul,andfindingthatthe peopleexpected After Scipiowas goneover into Africa, an
something greatand striking at his hands,he accountwassoonbroughtto Romeof his glo
considered it as an antiquated method and rious and wonderful achievements. This ac
worthy only of the inactivity of an old man, count wasfollowedby rich spoilswhich con-
to watchthe motionsof Hannibalin Italy; firmedit. ANumidiankingwastakenprisoner-,
andthereforedeterminedto removethe seatof two campswere burnedanddestroyed,andin
war fromthenceinto Africa, to fill the enemy's thema vastnumberof men,arms,andhorses;
country with his legions, to extend his ravages and the Carthaginians scot orders to Hannibal
far and wide, and to attempt Carthage itself. extraordinarythingshaveI known in that man,but
With this view he exerted all his talents to
nothing more admirable than the manner in which he
bringthepeopleintohisdesign. ButKabius,borethedeath
ofhisson,a person
of great
meritand
on this occasion,filled the city with alarms, as of consulardignity. His eulogiumis in our hands;
if the commonwealth
wasgoingto be brought andwhilewereadit, do we cot look downon the
into the most extremedanger by a rash and in- best of Vhephilosophers?'1
" Seethedebatesin thesenateonthat occasion,
in
discreet young man ; in short, he scrupled not Livy, ab. xxviii.
todoorgayanythinghethought
likelytodis- t ThisCrassus
could
notdo:forbeing
suadj his countrymen from embracing the Maximal,it wasnecessary
Pvntifei
that he shouldremainii
p-iposal. With the senatehe carriedhis Italy.
t Scipiowasempowered
to askof thealliesall thinci
* Fabius
Rullus. iccessary
for building
andequipping
anewfleet.Aud
t Fabius
Gurres,
whohad
been
defeated
bytheSam-themselves
nany
of the provincesanilciliavoluntarily
laied
tofurnishhimwithcorn,iron,timber,
cloth
"ites, and would havebeendegraded, had not hit fath-
er promised to attend him in his secondexpedition as forsails,
8tc.sothatinfortydays
afterthecutting
of
>is lieutenant. thetimber,hewas in a conditionU>set tail iviih *
Heetof thirty newgallejj,besides
thethirtyhehad
t Cicero,
in hi« treatise
onoldage,tneaks
in high before.Therewenlwithhim aboutseven thousand
rmj, both of > abi usand this oration ot his: " Many volunteers.
 140 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

to quit his fruitlesshopesin Italy, and return mangenerals,dictatorsandconsuls."The city

hometo defend
hisowncountry.Whilstevery wasalarmed
at thesedeclamations,
andthough
tonguewasapplauding
theseexploitsof Scipio, the war wasremovedinto Africa, the danger
Fabiusproposed
that his successor
shouldbe seemedto approachnearerRomethanever.
appointed,
withoutanyshadow
orreason
for it, However,
soonafter,Scipiodefeated
Han-
exceptwhat this well known maxim implies, nibalin a pitchedbattle,pulleddownthe pride
viz. " That it is dangerous
to trust affairs of of Carthageaud trod it underfoot. This af-
suchimportanceto the fortune of one man, fordedthe Romansa pleasurebeyondall their
because
it isnot likelythat howill bealwayshopes,
andrestored
a firmness
to theirempire,
successful." whichhadbeenshakenwith somanytempests.
By this he offended the people, who now But Fabius Maiimus did not live to the end of
consideredhim asa captiousandenviousman; the war,to hearof the overthrowof Hannibal,
or as one whosecourageand hopeswere lost or to see the prosperityof his countryre-es-
in the drega of years,and who, therefore, look- tablished: for about the time that Hannibal leA
eduponHannibalas moreformidable
thanhe Italy,hefellsickanddied. We areassured,
really was. Nay, even when Hannibal em- that Epaminondasdied so poor, that the The-
barked his army and quitted Italy, Fabius bans buried him at the publiccharge; for at
ceasednot to disturb the general joy and to his death nothing was found in his housebut
damp the spirits of Rome. For he took the an iron spit.* The expenseof Fabius'sfune
liberty to affirm, " That the commonwealth ral was not indeed defrayed out of the Roman
was now come to her last and worst trial; that treasury, but every citizen contributed a small
shehadthe mostreasonto dreadtheeffortsof piece of moneytowardsit; not that he died
Hannibal when he shouldarrive in Africa, without effects,but that theymight buryhim
and attack her sons under the walls of Car- as the father of the people: and that the hon-
thage ; that Scipio would have to do with an ours paid him at his death might be suitable to
armyyet warm with the bloodof somanyRo- the dignityof his life.

PERICLES AND FABIUS MAXIMUS COMPARED.

StrcH were the lives of these two persons, wildness and insolence of a city elated with
so illustrious and worthy of imitation both in success, and wanton with power, such at
their civil and military capacity. We shall first Athens was when Pericles held the reins of
comparetheir talents for war. And here it government. But then,undauntedlyto keep
strikes us at once, that Pericles came into to his first resolutions, and not to be discom-
power at a time whenthe Athenianswere at posedby the vast weight of misfortunes with
the height of prosperity,great in themselves,which Romewasthen oppressed, discoversin
andrespectable to their neighbours:BOthat in Fabius an admirablefirmnessand dignityof
the very strength of the republic,with only mind.
common success,he was secure from taking Against the taking of Samosby Pericles, we
any disgracefulstep. But as Fabiuscameto mayset the retakingof Tarentum by Fabius;
the helm,when Romeexperiencedthe worst and with Eubojawe may put in balancethe
andmostmortifyingturn of fortune,hehadnot towns of Campania. As for Capua,it was
to preservethewell establishedprosperityof a recoveredafterwardsby the consulsFurius
8ourishingstate,but to draw his countryfrom and Appius. Fabius,indeed,gainedbut one
an abyssof miseryand raise it to happiness.set battle, for whichhe had his first trumphj
Besides,the successesof Cimon,the victories whereasPericleserectednine trophiesfor as
of Myronides and Leocrates,and the many manyvictorieswonby landandsea. But none
greatachievements
of Tolmides,ratherfur- of thevictoriesof Periclescanbe compared
nished occasion to Pericles, during his admin- with that memorable rescue of Minucms, by
istration,to entertainthe city with feastsand which Fabius redeemedhim and his whole
games,
thanto makenewacquisitions,
or to armyfrom utterdestruction:
an actiontruly
defendthe old ones by arms. On the other great,andin whichyou find at oncethebright
hand,Fabiushad the frightful objectsbefore assemblage
of valour,of prudence,
andhuman-
his eyesof defeat,and disgraces,of Roman ity. Nor can Pericleson the otherhand,be
consuls
andgenerals
slain,of lakes,
fields,and saideverto havecommitted
suchanerroras
forests full of the dead carcasesof whole ar- that of Fabius, when he suffered himself to be
mies,andof riversflowingwith blooddown to imposedon by Hannibal'sstratagemof the
the very sea. In this tottering and decayedoxen; let his enemyslip in the night through
condition of the commonwealth he was to sup- those straits in which he had beenentangledby
port it by his counsels
andhisvigour,
andto accident,
andwherehecouldnotpossibly
have
keepit fromfalling into absoluteruin, to which
it wasbroughtso nearby the errorsof former * Xylander
is ofopinion,
thatthe wordO3i).i<r«0{
commanders. in this placedocsnot signifya apitbut a JH«*of m0'
It mayseem,indeed,a lessarduousper- ney;andheshews
froma passage
inthelifeofLysan-
formance
tomanage
thetempers
of a peopleform.
der,that
Butmoneyanciently
he did was made
not consider that in
theaITOD
pyramidical
money
humbledby calamities,and compelledby ne- was not in use at Thebes, aud Plutarch sari that thil
cessityto listento reason,than to restrainthe obeliicuiwu of iron.
 Orced hiswayout;andassoon asit wasday,)lighttheconduct
ofPericles,
inhisimplacable
"awhimself repulsedbythemanwho solately
[ persecution
ofCimonandThucydides,valua
was atiiiamercy. blemen, andfriends
to thearistocracy,
and
If it isthepartof agoodgeneral, notonlyyetbanished byhispractices
andintrigues.
tomake aproper
useofthepresent, butalso Besides, thepowerof Pericles
wasmucl
toformthebest judgment of things tocome,greater thanthatofFabius;andtherefore
be
it mustbeallowedthat Periclesbothforesawdid not sufferanymisfortune
to be brought
andforetold
whatsuccess
theAthenians
woulduponAthens
bythewrongmeasures
of other
haveinthewar,namely,
thattheywould
ruingenerals. Tolmides
onlyearned itagainst
him
themselves,
bygrasping
at toomuch.But it forattacking
theBoeotians,
andin doingit, he
wasentirely
against
theopinion
ofFabius,
thatwasdefeated andslain.All therestadhered
theRomans sentScipiointoAfrica,andyet tohisparty,andsubmitted
to hisopinion,
on
theywerevictorious
there;notbythe favouraccountof'hissuperior
authority,
whereasFa-
offortune,
butbythecourage andconductof bius,whose measuresweresalutary
andsafe,
theirgeneral.Sothat themisfortunesof his asfarastheydependeduponhimself,appears
countryborewitnessto the sagacity
of Peri- onlyto havefallenshort,by his inabilityto
cles;andfromthe glorious
success
of theRo- preventthe miscarriagesof others. For tha
mans,
it appeared
thatF.ibius
wasutterlymis-Romans
wouldnothavehadso many
misfor-
taken.And,indeed,it is an equalfault in a tunesto deplore,
if the powerof Fabiushad
commander in chief, to lose an advantage beenasgreatin Rome,asthat of Periclesin
throughdiffidence,as to fall into dangerfor Athens.
wantof foresight.
For it lathesamewantof As to their liberalityandpublicspirit,Peri-
judgmentand skill, that sometimesproducesclesshewedit in refusingthe sumsthat were
too muchconfidence, andsometimesleavestoo offeredhim, and Fabius in ransominghis sol-
little. Thus far concerning
their abilitiesin dierswithhisownmoney.This,indeed,
was
war. no great expense, beingonly aboutsistalents.*
Ajid if we considerthem in their political But it is not easyto saywhata treasurePen-
capacity,we shall find that the greatestfault clesmight have amassedfrom the allies,and
laid to the chargeof Pericles,was, that he from kings who madetheir court to him, on
causedthe Peloponnesian war, through oppo- accountof his great authority; yet no man evei
sition to the Laccdxmomans, which madehim kept himself more free from corruption.
unwilling to give up the leastpoint to them. I As for the temples,the public edifices,and
do not suppose, that FabiusMaxima'swould other works, with which Pericles adorned
have given up any point to the Carthaginians, Athens, all the structures of that kind in Rome
but that he wouldgenerously
haverun the last put together,until the times of the Caesars,
risk to maintain the dignity of Rome. deservednot to be compared with them, either
The mild and moderatebehaviour of Fabius in the greatness of the design, or the excel-
to Minucius. sets in a very disadvantageous
lenceof the execution.

ALCIBIADES.

THOSE thathavesearchedintothepedigreeof sufficientto say,that it retainediu charm

Alcibiadf-9,
say,that Eurysaces,the sonof through theseveral stagesof childhood,
youth,
Ajai, wasfounderof thefamily;aridthat,by andmanhood.For it \a notuniversally true,
nis mother'sside5he was descended from what-Euripides says,
Alcmaeon;for Dinemache, his mother, was The Tery autumn of a form oncefine
the daughter
of Megacles,who wasof that line. Retains
itsbeauties.
His fatherClinias gainedgreathonourin the
sea-fight of Artemisium, where he fought in a Yet this wasthe caseof Alcibiades,amongsl
galleyfittedoutat hisownexpense,
andafter- a fewothers,by reasonof Jusnaturalvigour
wardswas slainin the battle of Coroiuta,andhappyconstitution.
where
theBceotians
wontheday.Pericles
and Hehada lispingin hisspeech,
whichbe-
Ariphron, the sonsof Zanthippus, and near re- camehim, and gave a grace andpersuasive
lationsto Alcibiades,
werehis guardians.It turnto hisdiscourse.Aristophanes,
in those
Ussaid,(andnotwithoutreason)
thattheaffec-verseswhereinheridiculesTheoras,
takesno
tion and attachmentof Socratescontributed tice, that Alcibiadeslisped,for insteadof call-
muchtohisfame.ForNicias,Demosthenes,La-
inghim Corai, Raven,hecalledhim Co/or,
macbus, Phormio, Thrasybulus, Theramenes, Flatterer;fromwhence thepoettakes occa-
were illustrious persons, and hia contempora- siontoobserve,
that thetermin that lisping
ries,yetwedonotsomuchasknowthenamepronunciation,
too,wagveryapplicable
to him
of the mother of either of them; whereas we
knoweventhe nurseof Alcibiades,
that she " Probably
thisi>anerrorof thetranscribers.
Fo"
wa»of Lacedaemon,
andthat hernamewas Fabiujwastopavtwohundred andfiftydrachmas
for
Amycla; as well as that Zopyrus was his each
prisoner,
andheransomed
twohundred
andforty
Khool-master;
theonebeingrecorded
byAn- MTtn;whichwould stand himin sijty-one
MTtnhundredand fifty drachmas,
thousan*
that it more thai
ugthenes,and the other by Plato. Un talents; a very considerable
eipposeto Fabiuj
Asto thebeauty
of Alcibiades,
it maybe which
hecould
notanjwer
without
telling
hisc-itate.
 142 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

With thisagreesthe satiricaldescriptionwhich a stroke of his itick, in Sibyrtius'i place d

Archippusgivesof the son of Alcibiades: exercise. But, perhaps,we should not gat
Willi sauntering step, to imitate his fa her, entire credit to these things, which were pro.
TheTain
youthmoves;
hi*loose
robe
wildlyfloab fessedly
writtenby anenemy,
to defame
him.
He bendstheneck: he lispt. Many persons of rank made their court to
Alcibiades, but it is evident that they were
His manners were far from being uniform; nor charmed and attracted by the beauty of his
is it strange, that they varied according to the person. Socrates was the only one whosere-
many vicissitudes and wonderful turns of his gards were fixed upon the mind, and bore wit-
fortune. He was naturally a man of strong
passions; but his ruling passion was an ambi nessto the youngman's virtue andingenuity;
tion to contend and overcome. This appears the raysof which hecould distinguishthrough
from what is reined of his sayings when a boy his fine form. And fearing lestthe prideof
riches and high rank, and the crowd of flat-
When hard pressedin wrestling, to prevent his terers, both Athenians and strangers,should
being thrown, he bit the hands of his antago- corrupt him, he used his best endeavoursto
nist, who let go his hold, and said, "You bite,
Alcibiades, like a womau." "IVo," says he, prevent it, and took care that so hopeful a
"like a lion." plant should notloseitsfruitandperish inthe
very flower. If ever fortune so enclosedand
( IMCd.iy he was playing at dice with other
boys, in the street; and when it came to hU fortified a manwith whatare calledhergoods,
as to render him inaccessible to the incision-
turn to throw, a loaded wagon came up. At
first he called to the driver to stop, becausehe knife of philosophy,
and the Bearching-probe
of free advice, surely it was Alcibiades. From
was to throw in the way over which the wag- the first, he was surrounded with pleasures,
on was to pass. The rustic disregarding him
and driving on, the other boys broke away; but anda multitudeof admirers,determinedtosay
nothing but what they thought would please,
Alcibiades threw himself upon his face direct- and to keep him from all admonition and re-
ly before the wagon, and stretching himself proof; yet, by his native .penetration, he dis-
out,badethefellowdriveonif hepleased. tinguished
thevalueofSocrates,
andattached
Upon
his this,he
horses, was
while sostartled
those thatithe
that saw stopped
ran up to himself
to him,rejecting
therichandgreat,
him with terror. who sued for his regard.
With Socrates he soon entered into the
Intliecourse of hiseducation, hewillinglyclosest intimacy; andfinding thathedidnot,
tookthe
fused lessons
learning to of his
play other
upon themasters, butre-
flute, which liketherestoftheunmanly
he proper crew, want im-
favours, but that he studied to correct
looked upon asamean art,andunbecoming a theerrors ofhisheart, andtocure himof his
"gentleman "The use of the plectrum upon
the lyre," he would say; "has nothing in it that empty and foolisharrogance,
"disorders the features or form, but a man is Then hit crestfell, andall his pridewasgone.
hardly to be known by his mostintimate HedroopM
thecouquer'd
wing.
friendswhen be playsuponthe flute. Besides, In fact, he consideredthe disciplineof So
the lyre doesnot hinder the performerfrom cratesas a provisionfrom heavenfor the pre-
speakingor accompanyingit with a song; servationand benefitof youth. Thusdespis-
whereas,the flute so engagesthe mouth and ing himself, admiring his friend, adoringhia
the breath,thatit leavesnopossibilityof speak- wisdom,andreveringhis virtue, he insensibly
ing. Thereforelet the Thebanyouthpipe,who formedin his heart the imageof love,or rather
know not how to discourse;but we Athe- cameunderthe influenceof that power,who,
nians,accordingto the accountof our ances- asPlato says,secureshis votariesfrom vicious
"tors,haveMinervafor ourpatroness, andApol- love. It surprisedall the world to see him
lo for our protector;oneof whomthrewaway constantlysup with Socrates,take with him
the flute, andthe otherstrippedoff the man's the exerciseof wrestling, lodgein the same
"skinwho playeduponit."» Thus, partly by tent with him; while to his other admirershe
raillery, and partly by argument, Alcibiades was reservedand rough. Nay, to somehe
kept both himselfand othersfrom learningto Debaved with great insolence,to Anytus (for
j>lay upon the flute: for it soon becamethe nstance)the sonof Anthemion. Anytuswas
talk amongthe young men of condition,that veryfond of him, and happeningto makean
Alcibiadeswas right in holding that art in entertainmentfor somestrangers,he desired
abomination,and ridiculing those that prac- Alcibiadesto give him his company.Alci-
tisedit. Thus it lost its placein the number iiadeswould not accept of the invitation,but
Df liberal accomplishments, and was univer- laving drank deepwith someof his acquaint-
sally exploded. ance at his own house, he went thither to play
In the invective which Antipho wrote against some frolic. The frolic was this: He stoodat
Alcibiades,one story is, that whena boy,he he door of the room where the guestswere
ran away from his guardiansto one of his entertained,and seeingagreat numberof gold
friendsnamedDemocrates:andthat Ariphron andsilver cupsuponthe table, he orderednil
would have had proclamationmadefor him, servantsto takehalf of them, and carrythorn
hadnot Periclesdivertedhim from it, by say- o his own house;*and then,not vouchsafing
ing, "If he is dead, we shall only find him one so much as to enter into the room himself: as
day the soonerfor it; if he is safe,it will be ioonashe haddonethis, he wentaway. The
a reproachto him aslongashelives." Another
storv is, that he killed one o~ his servants with
* AthcnsEus
says,hedid not keepthemhimself,but
larinc taken them from this man, who wa->rich, he
* Marivu. ;avethemto Thrasybulus.who waspoor
 ALCIBIADES. 143

company
resented
theaffront,
andsaid,
hehadhiswayofliving,
gives
occasion
tobehe-ve
so.
behavedveryrudelyandinsolently
to AnytusThose whoendeavoured to corrupthim,at-
" Notatall,"saidAnytus,
" butrather
kindly tackedhimona stillweakerside,hisvanity
sincehehasleft ushalf,whenheknewit was andloveof distinction,
andled himinto vast
in hispower
totakethewhole." designs
andunseasonableprojects,persuading
Hebehaved inthesame
mannerto hisother him,thatassoonasheshould applyhimselfto
admirers,
exceptonlyone stranger.This the management of publicaffairs,
hewould
man(theytell us)wasbut in indifferentcir- notonlyeclipse
theothergenerals
andorators,
cumstances;
for whenhe had sold all, he but surpass evenPericleshimself,in pointof
couldmakeup nomorethanthe suraof one reputation, aswellasinterestwiththepowers
hundredstaters;* which he carried to Alci- of Greece. But as iron, when softenedby
biades,andbeegedof himto acceptit. Alci' the fire,iasoonhardened
again,andbrouglit
biadeswaspleasedat thething,and smiling,to a propertemperby cold water,so, when
invitedhimto supper.Aftera.kindreceptionAlcibiades wasenervated
by luxury,or swoln
andentertainment,
hegavehimthegoldagain,with pride,Socrates correctedand brought
but requiredhim to be presentthe nextday him to himselfby his discourses;
for fromthem
whenthepublicrevenues
wereto be offeredhe learned
thenumberof hisdefectsandthe
to farm, and to be sure and be the highest imperfectionof his virtue.
bidder. The man endeavouringto excuse When he waspasthis childhood,happening
himself,becausethe rent would be manyta- to go into a grammar-school, heaskedthe mas-
lents, Alcibiades, who had a private pique ter for a volumeof Homer;anduponhismaking
againstthe old farmers,threatenedto have answerthathehadnothingof Homer's,hegave
him beaten if he refused. Nest morning, hima boxonthe ear,andsoleft him. Another
therefore,
thestranger
appeared
in themarket-schoolmaster
tellinghimhe hadHomercor-
place,and offereda talentmore than the for- rectedby himself: "How!" said Alcibiades,
mer rent. The farmers,uneasyand angryat " and do you employyour lime in teaching
this, called uponhim to name his security, children to read?you who areableto correct
supposingthat he could cot find any. The Homer, mightseemto be fit to instructmen."
poor man was indeedmuch startled, and going One day, wanting to speak to Pericles, he
to retire with shame, when Alcibiades, who went to his house,and being told there that he
stood at some distance, cried out to the ma- was busied in considering how to give in his
gistrates,"Set down my name; he is my accountsto the people,and thereforenot at
friend, and I will be his security." When the leisure; he said, as he went away, "He had
old farmersof the revenueheard this, they were better consider how to avoid giving in any ac-
much perplexed; for their way was, with the count at all."
profits of the present year to pay the rent of Whilst he was yet a youth, he made the
the preceding;so that, seeingno other way campaignat Potidayi,where Socrateslodged
to extricate themselves out of the difficulty, in the same tent with him, and was his com-
they applied to the stranger in a humble strain, panion in every engagement. In the principal
andofferedhimmoney. But Alcibiadeswould battle,theyboth behavedwith greatgallantry;
not suffer him to take less than a talent, but Alcibiades at last falling down wounded,
which accordingly was paid. Having done Socrates advanced to defend him, which he
him this service,he told him he mightrelin- did effectually,in the sight of the wholearmy,
quish his bargain. saving both him and his arms. For this the
Though Socrateshad manyrivals, yet he Drizeof valourwascertainlydue to Socrates.
kept possessionof Alcibiades's heart by the yet the generalsinclined to give it to Alcibiades,
excellenceof his genius and the pathetic turn on account of his quality; and Socrates, will-
of his conversation,which often drew tears ing to encouragehis thirst aftertrue glory,was
fromhisyoungcompanion.And thoughsome- the first who gave his suffragefor him, and
timeshe gaveSocrates the slip, andwasdrawn Dressed them to adjudgehim the crown and
away by his flatterers, who exhausted all the ;he complete suit of armour. On the other
art of pleasurefor that purpose,yet the philo- land, at the battle of Delium, where the
sophertook careto hunt out his fugitive,who Athenianswere routed,* and Socrates,with
feared and respected none but him; the rest a few others, was retreating on foot, Alci-
he heldin greatcontempt. Hencethatsaying Diadesobservingit, did not passhim, but co-
of Cleanthes,Socratesgains Alcibiades by vered his retreat, and brought him safeoff,
the ear, andleavesto his rivalsother partsof though the enemypressedfuriously forward,
his body, with which he scornsto meddle. In ind killed great numbers of the Athenians.
fact, Alcibiades was very capable of being But this happeneda considerable time after.
led by the allurementsof pleasure;andwhat To Hippomcus,the fatherof Callias,a man
Tbucydides
saysconcerning
bis eicesses
in respectable
bothibr hisbirthandfortune,Al-
cibiadesone daygavea hoi on the ear; not
* The ttater wasa eoinwhichweighed
fourAttic ;hathe hadany quarrelwith him,or washeated
drachmas,
andwascither ofgoldorsitoer.Thesiher sypassion,
but purelybecause,
in a wanton
WMworth abouttwo shillingsand sixpencesterling. rolic,he hadagreed
withhiscompanions
to
Thestateriariaa, agoldcoin,wasworth twelveshil-
lingsandthree-pencehalf-penny:but theAttic staler do so. The wholecitybeingfull of thestory
of gold must be worth much more, if we reckon the
proportion
of goldtosilreronlyat tentoone,asit was Laches,
u introduced
byPlato,tellsus,thati<
then
: whereas
nowit isabout
sixteen
toone.Dacier,othershaddonetheirdutyasSocratesdidhis,the
then,isgreatlymistaken,
whenbe raysthettater here Athenians
wouldnothavebeendeflatedin the battle
mentioned
byPlutarch wasworthonlyfortyFrenchof Delium.Thatbattle
wasfoughttlwfirstyearof
<ol»;for Plutarchsayiexpressly,
"ere of gold.
thatthesettaiers of
hePotidaea.
eighty-ninth
olympiad,
eightyeanafierthet "'
144 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

of this ins^ncc, and everybody (as it was the noise flewaway. Upon this, thepeopleset
naturalto expect,)expressing
someresentment,up still louderacclamations,
andmanyof them
early next morningAlcibiadeswent to wait on assistedhim to recoverthe quail. The man
Hipponicus,knocked at the door, and was whodid catchit, andbring it to him,wasone
admitted. As soonas hecame into his pre- Antiochus,*a pilot, for whomeverafterhehad
sence,he strippedoff his garment,and pre- a particularregard.
sentingbis nakedbody,desiredhim to beat He had greatadvantages for introducing
and chastisehim ashe pleased.But insteadhimselfintothemanagement of publicaffairs,
of that,Hipponicuspardoned
him,and forgot fromhis birth,hisestate,
hispersonal valour,
all his resentment; nay, some time after, he and the number of his friends and relations:
even gave him hie daughter Hipparete in mar- but what he chose aboveall the rest to recom-
riage. Somesayit was not Hipponicus,but mendhimselfby to the peoplewasthecharmi
his son Callias,who gave Hippareteto Alci- of his eloquence. That hewasa fine speaker
biades,with ten talents to her portion; and the comic writers bear witness; andso does
that when shebroughthim a child he demand-the prince of orators,in his oration against
ed ten talentsmore,as if he hadtaken heron Midias,f where he saysthat Alcibiadeswaa
that condition. Thoughthiswasbut aground- the mosteloquentmanof his time. And if we
loss pretence,yet Callias, apprehensiveof believeTheophrastua, a curioussearcherinto
somebadconsequence from his artful contri- antiquity,and moreversedin historythanthe
vances,in a fully assemblyof the people,de- other philosopher*,Alcibiadeshada peculiar
clared,thatif heshouldhappen
to diewithout happiness
of invention,andreadiness
of ideas,
children,Alcibiadesshouldbehis heir. which eminentlydistinguishedhim. But as
Hipparetemade a prudent andaffectionatehis care wasemployednot only uponthe mat-
wife; but at last, growingveryuneasyat her ter but the expression,and he had not the
husband's associatingwith somanycourtezans,greatestfacility in the latter, heoftenhesitated
both strangersandAthenians,shequitted his in the midstof a speech,not hitting uponthe
house and went to her brother's. Alcibiades word he wanted, and stopped until it occurred
went on with his debaucheries,and gave him- to him.
self no pain about his wife; but it was neces- He was famed for his breed of horsesand
saryfor her, in order to a legal separation,to the numberof chariots. For no onebesidei
give in a bill of divorce to the archon, and to himself, whether private person or king, ever
appearpersonallywith it; for the sendingof it sentsevenchariotsat onetimeto the Olympic
by anotherhand would not do. When she games. The first, the second,andthe fourth
came to do this accordingto law, Alcibiades prizes,accordingto Thucydides,or thethird,
rushedin, caughther in his arms,and carried as Euripidesrelatesit, he boreawayat once,
herthroughthe market-place to his own house, which exceedseverything performedby the
no onepresumingto oppose him, orto takeher most ambitiousin that way. Euripidesthui
from him. From that time she remained with celebrates his success:
him until her death, which happened not long
after, when Alcibiadeswasuponhis voyageto GreatsonofClinias,I recordthyglory,
Ephesus.
Nordoes
theviolence
used,
in this First onthedusty
The threefold plain
prize to gain:
case, seemto be contrary to the laws, either of What heroboasts
thy praisein Grecianstory?
societyin general,or of that republicin parti- Twicefdoes
thetrumpet's
voiceproclaim
cular. For the law of Athens, in requiring her Aroundtheplausive
cirquethy hunour'dname:
who wantsto bedivorcedto appearpubliclyin Twiceonthvbrowwasseen
person,
probably
intended
to givethehusband TheThe peaceful
glorious clive's
palm green,
of easy
purchased
fame.$
an opportunity to meet with her and recover her.
Aicibiades had a dog of uncommon size and The emulation which several Grecian cities
beiuty, whichcosthimseventy mitUE,andyet expressed,
his tail, which was his principal ornament, he
in thepresents
theymade
him,gave
a still greaterlustre to his success.Ephesui
caused to be cut off. Some of his acquaintance
found great fault with his acting so strangely, to acknowledge,
that rtie way to rise to distinctloi
and told him, that all Athens rung with the among the Athenians, was, to study to excel the gene-
Btoryof his foolish treatmentof the dog: at ralsof their enemies,
repliedwith thissevere
ironyl
whichhe laughedand said," This is the very " No,no,Alcibiades; youronlystudyis howtosur-
"hingI wanted;for I wouldhavethe Athe- pass Midias
1 Alcib.
in theartof breeding
quails."
-Platoin
nians talk of this, lest they should find some-
thing
worse tosayofme." " The name oftheman who caught
thequail would
Thefirstthingthatmade
himpopular,
andwards
hardly
have been
entrusted mentioned,
him with thehadnotAlcibiadcs
command after
of the fleetis
introduced him into the administration, was his hit absence;whenlie took the opportunityto fight,
distributingof money,not by design,but acci- andwasbeaten.
dent. Seeing
onedaya greatcrowdofpeople f It appears
fromthatpassage
of Demosthenes,
lh»t
as he was walking along, he askedwhat it hespokeonlyfromcommon fame,andconsequently
meant; andbeinginformedtherewasa dona- thattherewaslittleof Alcibiadcs's theneitant. we
find someremains
of his oratoryin TKucydidei.
tive madeto the people,he distributedmoney } Alcibiadeswon thefirst, second, and third pnzei
too, as he went in amongst them. This meet- in person
j besides
whichhischaricuwontwice inh«
ing with great applause, he was BO much absence.
delighted,that he forgot a quail whichhe had $Antisthenes,
a discipleof Socrates,
writ", «»
Bnderhisrobe,*andthebird, frightened
with Chios
fedhishorses,
andCyzicus
provided
hisficlim!
Thepassage is remarkable, forwe karnfromit tntl
this wasdone,not onb/whenAlcibiadaswentlo Ihi
* It trasthe fashion
in those(Jays
to breedquails.Olympicgames, but in his warlikeeipeditioni.
tat
flato reporu,thatSocrates having
broughtAlcibiadeseven in hu travels." Whenever," sayshe," Afcl»-
 ALCIB1ADES. 145

provided
amagnificent
pavilion
forhim;Chiostheypulldown
andexpel
such
of thecitizens
wasat theexpense
of keeping
Inshorses
andas aredistinguished
bytheirdignity
andpow-
beasts
for sacrifice;andLesbos
foundhimin er, thereinconsulting
their envyratherthan
wuie and every thing necessary
for the most their fear.
elegant
publictable.Vet,amidst
thissuccess,Asit wasevident
that thissentence
was
he escaped
notwithout censure,
occasioned
levelled
against
oneof thethree,Phsax,Ni-
eitherby themaliceof hisenemies,
or by his cias, or Alcibiades,the lattertookcareto
own misconduct. It seemsthere was at unite the contendingparties,andleaguingwith
AthensoneBiomedee,a man of goodcharac- Nicias,causedthe ostracismto fall uponHy-
ter,anda friendof Alcibiudes,
whowasvery perbolus
himself.Somesay,it wasnotNicias,
desirousof winning a prize at the Olympic but Pha^ax,with whomAkibiadesjoinedin-
games;
andbeinginformedthat therewasa terest,andby whoseassistance
he expelled
chariotto besold,which belongedto the city their commonenemy,whenhe expected noth-
of Argos,where Alcibiadeshad a strong in- ing less. For no vile or infamouspersonhad
terest,he persuadedhim to buy it for him. ever undergonethat punishment. So Plato,
Accordingly,he did buy it, but kept it for the comicpoet,assuresus, thus speakingof
himself, leaving Diomedes to vent his rage, Hyperbolus:
and to call gods and men to bear witness of Well hail the caitiff carn'd his banishm»i\t,
the injustice. For this there seemsto have But not by ostracism; that sentencesacred
beenan actionbroughtagainsthim; andthere To dangerous
eminence.
is extant an oration concerning a chariot, writ-
tenby Isocrates,
in defence
ofAlcibiades,
Butwehaveelsewheregiven
amore fullac
then
ayouth;butthere
theplaintiff
isnamed
count
of whathistory
hasdelivered
down to
Tisias,
notDiomedes. usAlcibiades
concerning thismatter.*
was not less disturbed at the
Alcibiades was very young when he first
applied
himself
tothebusiness
oftherepublic,
greatesteem inwhich Niciaswasheldby the
andyethesoonshewed
himself
superior
totheenemies of Athens, thanattherespect which
otherorators.
Thepersons
capable
ofstand-
the Athenians themselves paid him. Therites
of hospitality had long subsisted between the
ing in some degree of competition with him,
werePha?a.x
thesonof Erasistratus,
andNi- familyof Alcibiades
andtheLacedemonians,
ciasthesonof Niceratus.The latterwasad- andhe hadtakenparticularcareof suchof
vanced
inyears,
andoneof thebestgenerals
them asweremade prisoners at Pylos; yet
whenthey found that it was chiefly by the means
of histime Theformerwasbuta^'outh,like
himself,
justbeginning
to makehisway;for ofNicias thattheyobtained
apeace
andrecov-
whichhehadtheadvantage
ofhighbirth;but eredthecaptives,
theirregards
centered
in
in other respects, as well asin the art of speak- him. It was a common observationamongthe
ing,wasinferiorto Alcibiades. He seemed Greeks, thatPericles hadengagedthemin a
fitterforsoliciting
andpersuading in private,war,andNiciashadsetthemfreefromit;
thanforstemming thetorrentof a publicde- nay,thepeace wasevencalledtheNician
bate;in short, hewasoneof thoseof whompeace.Alcibiades wasveryuneasy at this,
Eupous says,"True,hecantalk,andyethe and the
out ofenvyofNicias,
league.
determinedtobreak
's no speaker." There is extant an oration
against Alcibiades and Phacax, in which, Assoon, then,asheperceived
thatthepeo-
amongst otherthings,it isalleged
against Al- pleof Argos, bothfearedandhatedtheSpar-
cibiades,thatheused at histablemany ofthe tans,andconsequently wantedtogetclearof
goldandsilvervessels provided forthesacredall connection with them,heprivatelygave
them hopes of assistancefrom Athens; and
processions,as if they had beenhis own.
Therewagat AthensoneHyperbolus,of bothbyhisagentsandin person,he encour-
thewardof Perithois,whomThucydidea agedtheprincipal
citizens
nottoentertain
any
makesmention
ofasaverybadman,andwho fear,or to giveupanypoint,butto applyto
wasa constant
subject
of ridicule
forthecomicthe Athenians,
whowerealmost ready
to re-
writers. But he was unconcernedat the pent of the peacetheyhad made,andwoulil
worst
things
theycouldsayof him,andbeingsoon
seekoccasion
to break
it.
regardless
of honour,he wasalsoinsensible Butafterthe Lacedaemonians
hadentered
of shame. This, thoughreallyimpudenceand into alliance with the Bceotians,and had de-
folly, is by somepeoplecalled fortitude and livered Panactus to the Athenians, not with its
anoble
darmg.But,though
noonelikedhim,fortifications,
astheyought
to havedone,but
thepeople
nevertheless
madeuseof him,when quite dismantled,
he took the opportunity,
theywanted to strikeat persons
in authority.whiletheAthenianswereincensed
atthispra-
At hisinstigation,
theAthenianswerereadyceedjng, to inflamethemstillmore At the
to proceed
to thebanof ostracism,
by which sametime,heraiseda clamour
against
Nicias,
allegingthings whichhada faceof probabi]
travelled,Tourcities at the allies ministeredto ity; for he reproachedhim with havingneg-
iades
himashishandmaids.
Ephesus
furnished
himwith lected,-when
commandcr-in-chief,
to make
tents
assumptuous
asthose
ofthePersians;
Chiosfound thatf party prisonerswho were left by tae
provender Ibr his horses; Cyzicus supplied him with
victims anil provisions for his table ; and Lesboswith " In the lives of Aristides and Nicias.
wineandall otheraccessaries
for hi«household."<A.(Ur
theLacedaemonians
hadlostthefortofPyloi
Nonebuto^klentcitieswereableto answer
suchan in Mcsscnia,
theyleft,in theisleof Sphacteria,
which
expense:
Ibrat thetimewhenAlcibiades
wonthethree wasopposite
thatfort,agarrison ofthreehundred
and
prizesin personat the Olympicgames,afterhe had twenty men,besidesHelots,underthe command of
offereda verycostlysacrificeto Jupiter,heentertain- Epilades,thesonof Molobrus. TheAthenians
wjuld
td al a magnificent
repastlhalinnumerable
companyhavesentNicias,whilecommandcr-in-chief,
with
whichhadassistedat thegames. I fleetagainst
thatisland,
butheeicused
biuxelf.After
.46 PLUTARCH S LIVES

enemyin Sphacter.a,andwith releasing

them, and EUans,as allies to the Athenians. >o
when taken by others, to ingratiate himself with body commendedthe manner of this transac
the Lacedaemonians;he farther asserted,that tion, but the effect was very great, since it di
thoughNicias hadan interest with the Lace- videdandembroiledalmostall Peloponnesus,
daimonians,he would not make use of it to in one day lifted so many arms against the
preventtheir enteringinto theconfederacy
with Lacedxmoniansat Mantmea,andremoved
to
the Boeotiansand Corinthians: but that when so great a distance from Athens the sceneof
an alliance was offered to the Athenians by war; by which the Lacedsmonians, if victo-
any of the Grecianstates,he took careto pre- rious,couldgainno great advantage, whereas
venttheir acceptingit, if it were likely to give a miscarriage
wouldhaveriskedtheverybeing
umbrage to the Lacedaemonians. of their state.
Nicias wasgreatlydisconcerted; but at that Soonafter thisbattle at Matinea,*the prin-
very juncture it happenedthat ambassadors cipal officers!°ftne Argive armyattemptedto
fromLacedacmon arrivedwith moderatepro- abolishthe populargovernmentin Argos,and
posals,anddeclaredthat theyhadfull powers to take the administrationinto their own
to treat anddecideall differences
in anequita- hands. The Lacedemonian!espoused the
ble way. The senatewag satisfied, and next design, and assistedthem to carry it into exe-
day the people were to be convened: but Al- cution. But the peopletook up armsagain,and
cibiades, dreading the successof that audi- defeated their new masters; and Alcibiadea
ence, found meansto speak with the ambassa- coming to their aid, made the victory more
dors in the mean time; and thus he addressed complete. At the same time, he persuaded
them: "Men of Lacedsmon! what is it you them to extend their walls down to the sea,
are going to do? Are not you apprized that that they might always be in a condition to
the behaviour of the senate is always candid receive succours from the Athenians. From
and humane to those who apply to it, whereas Athens he sent them carpentersand masons,
the people are haughty, and expect great con- exerting himself greatly on this occasion,which
cessions? If you say that you are come with tended to increase his personal interest and
full powers, you will find them intractable and power, as well as that of hia country. He ad-
extravagant in their demands. Come, then, vised the people of Patrz, too, to join their
retract that imprudentdeclaration,and if you city to the seaby longwalls.^And somebody
desire to keep the Athenians within the bounds observing to the Patrensians,"That theAthe-
of reason, and not to have terms extorted from nians would one day swallow them up;"
you, which you cannotapprove,treat with " Possibly it may be so," said Alcibiades,
them as if you had not a discretionary com- " but they will begin with the feet, and do it
mission. I will use my best endeavoursin fa- by little and little, whereas the Lacedamo-
vour of the Lacedxmonians." He confirmed nians will begin with the head, and do it all
his promisewith an oath,andthusdrew them at once." He exhortedthe Atheniansto as-
over from Nicias to himself. In AJcibiades, sert the empire of the land, as well as of the
theynow placedanentireconfidence,
admiring sea;andwas ever puttingthe youngwarriors
both his understandingand addressin business, in mind, to show by their deedsthat they re-
and regardinghim as a very extraordinary man. memberedthe oath they had taken in the tem-
Next day the peopleassembled,
and the ple of Agraulos.J The oathis, thatthey will
ambassadorswere introduced. Alcibiades ask- consider wheat, barley, vine, and olives,asthe
ed them in an obliging manner, what their boundsof Attica; by which it is insinuated,
commissionwas, and they answered, that they that they should endeavour to possessthem-
did not come as plenipotentiaries.Then he selves of all lands that are cultivatedand
beganto raveandstorm,as if he hadreceivedfruitful.
an injury, not doneone; and calling them faith- But these, his great abilities in politics, his
less,prevaricating
men,who werecomeneith- eloquence,his reachof genius,andkeeonesi
er to do nor to say any thing honourable. of apprehension, were tarnished by his luxu
The senate was incensed; the people were
enraged; and Nicias, who was ignorant of
the deceitful contrivance of Alcibiades, was lengthin his fifth book; andby whichwelearnlh»l
filled with astonishmentandcontusionat this thetreaties of theancient Greeks werenolessperfeil
and explicit than ours. Their treaties were of aslittle
change. consequence too: forhowsoon wasthatbroken which
The proposalsof the ambassadors
thusre- theAthenians hadmade withtheLacedaemonians
jected, Alcibiadeswas declaredgeneral,and
soon engagedthe Argives,* the Mantineans, * Thatbattlewasfought nearlythreeyears afterthe
conclusionof the treaty with Argos.
wfcrdsCleon,in conjunctionwith Demosthenes, got f Thoseofficersavailedthemselves of theconsterna-
possession
of it, aftera longdispute,whereinseveraltion thepeopleof Argoswere in afterthe lossof the
of thegarrisonwere slain,and the rest madeprison- battle; andtheLacedaemonians
gladlysupportedthem,
ers,anusenttoAthens.Among
those
prisoners
were fromapersuasion
thatif thepopular
governmentwer
an hundredandtwentySpartan^whoby theassistanceabolished,
andanaristocracy(like that of Sparta)set
of Niciasgot released.The Lacedaemonians
after- upin Argos,theyshouldsoonbemasters there.
wards recovered the fort of Pylos: for Anytus, who
wassentwitha squadron
to support
it, Coding
the voted
t Apraulos. one
herself to ofthe
death fordaughtersofCecrops,
the benefit had de-
of her country i
wind directly against it, returned to Athens; upon
it hasbeensupposed,
therefore,that the oathwhich
whichIht people,
condemned according
himtodie to
; which their usual
sentence, custom,
however,
he theyoung
Athenians
took,
bound
them
todosomethin
by payinga vast sumof money,being Ihe of thatnature^if needshouldrequire; thdbgh,asgiven
commuted
firbivvlio
reversed
ajudgment
inthatmanner. by
tendPlutarch, it implies
the Athenian onlyanunjust
dominions to all resolution
lands that toel-
wen
" He concludeda Vaguewith theseslatesfor a hun- worth seizing. Demosthenesmentionsthe oa'h in hil
,lr-.| vea", whirh fhuc dides has iowrted at full oratiou Uc fills, legat. but doesnot explain it.
 ALCIBIADES. i47

rioualiving,his drinking,and debauches,

his niansasweremoreadvanced
in years,were
effeminacy
ofdress,
andhisinsolent
profusion.
much
displeased,
andconsidered
these
assightt
Heworeapurplerobewitha longtrain,when fit onlyfor a tyrant'scourt,andasinsultson
heappeared in public. Hecaused the planksthelawsof Athens.Nor wasit ill observed
of hisgalleyto becut away,thathemightlie by Archestratus,
"that Greececouldnot bear
thesofter,hisbednot beingplaceduponthe anotherAlcibiades."When Tinion,famed
boards,but hangingupon girths. And in the for hismisanthropy,sawAlcibiades,afterhav-
warshe worea shieldof gold, whichhadnone ing gained his point, conductedhome with
of the usual ensigns*of his country,but in great honourfrom the place of assembly,he
thei. stead,a Cupid bearing a thunderbolt. did not ehun him, as he did other men,but
The great men of Athens eaw his behaviour wentup to him, and,shakinghim by the hand,
with uneasiness and indignation, and even thus addressed him, "Go on, my brave boy,
dreadedthe consequence. They regardedhis and prosper; for your prosperity will bring on
foreignmanners,his profusion,and contempt the ruin of all this crowd." This occasioned
of the laws, as so many means to make him- several reflections; some laughed, some -rail
selfabsolute. AndAristophaneswell express-ed, and otherswere extremelymovedat the
eshow the bulk of the peoplewere disposedsaying. So variouswerethe judgmentsform
towardshim: edof Alcibiades,by reasonof theinconsistency
Theylove,theyhate,
butcannot
livewithout
him. of hischaracter.
Andagainhesatirizes
himstill moreseverely In thetimeof Pericles,*
theAthenians
had
bythefollowing
allusion: a desireafterSicily,andwhen hehadpaid the
last debt to nature, they attempted it; fre
Nurse
notalion'swhelp
withinyourwalls, quently,underpretenceof succouring
their
Buiif heisbrought
upthere,
soothe
thebrute. allies,sending
aidsofmenandmoney
to such
The truth is, his prodigious liberality; the of the Sicilians as were attacked by the Syra-
gameshe exhibited,and the other extraordi- cusans.This wasastepto greaterarmaments.
nary instancesof hismunificenceto thepeople, But Alcibiadesinflamedthis desireto an irre-
the glory of his ancestors,the beautyof his sistibledegree,andpersuadedthemnot to at-
person,andthe force of his eloquence,toge- tempt the island in part, andby little andlit-
ther with his heroic strength, his valour, and tle, but to send a powerful fleet entirely to sub-
experiencein war, so gainedupon the Athe- dueit. He inspiredthe peoplewith hopesof
nians,that they connivedat his errors, and greatthings,and indulgedhimself in expecta-
spoke of them with all imaginable tenderness, tions still more lofty: for he did not, like the
callingthemsalliesof youth,andgood-humour-rest, considerSicily as the end of his wishes,
ed frolics. SuchwerehisconfiningAgatharcusbut rather as anintroductionto the mightyex-
the painter,f until he had painted his house, peditions he had conceived. And whileNicias
and then dismissinghim with a handsomepres- was dissuading the people from the siege of
ent; his giving a box on the ear to Taureus, Syracuse, as a businesstoo difficult to succeed
who exhibitedgamesin oppositionto him,and in, Alcibiadeswas dreamingof Carthageand
viedwith him for the preference;andhistaking of Libya: and after thesewere gained,he
oneof the captiveMelian womenfor his mis- designed to grasp Italy andPeloponnesus,re-
tress, andbringingup a child he had by her. garding Sicily as little morethan a magazine
Thesewerewhattheycalledhis good-humour-for provisionsand warlike stores.
ed frolics. But surely we cannot bestow that The young men immediately entered into his
appellationuponthe slaughteringof all the schemes, and listenedwith great attentionto
malesin the isle of Melos,J who had arrived those -whounder the sanctionof age related
at yearsof puberty,
whichwasin consequence
wonders
concerning
the intendedexpeditions,
ofadecreethathepromoted.Again,whenAris- so that many of them sat whole daysin the
tophonhad paintedthe courtezan Nemeawith placesof exercise,drawing in the dust the
Alcibiadesin herarms,manyof the peopleea- figure of the island and plans of Libya and
gerly crowdedto seeit, but suchof the Athe- Carthage. However, we are informed,that
Socratesthe philosopher,andMr-ton the as-
trologer, were far from'expectingthat these
* Both
cities
andprivate
persons
had,ofold,theirwarswouldturnto theadvantage
mlsigns, devices, or arms. Those of Ihe Athenians
of Athens:
were commonly Minerva, the owl, or the olive. JVone
but peopleof figurewereallowedto btaranydevices
; 'Pericles,by his prudenceand authority,had re-
nor eventhey, until they had pert'unmu someaction to strained this eitravaganl ambition of the Athenians.
deserveLhetn;in the meanlime their shields
were Hediedthelastyearof Iheeighty-seventhOlympiad,
plainwhite, Alcibiades,
in hisdevice,
referred
to the inthethird yearof thePeloponnesian
war.Twoyear*
beautyof hispersonandhismarlialprowess.Mottos,afterthis,theAthenians sentsome
shipsto Rhecium,
too, wereused. Capaneus,
for instance,borea naked whichwerelogo from thenceto the succourof the'
manwith a torchin hishand; themottoIhis,I uUl Leontines.
whowereattacked bytheSyracusans.
The
bvrntkecity, Secmorein .£schylus'5
tragedyof the yearfollowing
theysenta still greaternumber
; and
Seivn Chiefs. two yearsafterthat, ll.ey fill, d out anotherfleetof a
\ ThispainterhadbeenfamiliarwithAlcibiadc»'»
greaterforcethantheformer
; butIheSicilians
haviue
mistress. putanendtotheirdivisions,
andby theadviceofHer
\ Theisleof Melos,
OTIC
of theCyclades,
andacol- mocrates (whosespeech Thucydides,in his fourth
onyof Lacedacmon,
wasattempted
bvAlcibiadei,
the book,
gives
HSat large,)
having;
sentbackthefleet,
last year of theninctcenlhOlympiad,and taken ihe theAthenianswere so enragedat their ceneralsfor
yearfollowing.TUucydidcs, whohasgivenusanac- nothavingconquered Sicily,thattheybanished two
countof thisslaughler
of theMelians,makesnomen-of them, PythodorujandSophocles,andlaida heavy
tionof thedecree.Probably hewaswillingto have hueuponEuryraedon. So infatuatidwereIhevbi
thecarnage thoughtthecflectofa sudden
transportin their prosperity,
thattheyimaeincd U,tm,tlvei;rre.
B<i soldiery, and not nf a cruel and cool resolution of "utiolc,
b t peoplet f Athens.
 148 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

the former,it shouldseem,influencedby some and benton someextravagance Indignatio*

propheticnoticeswith whichhe wasfavouredand fearmadethem take tins eventnot only
by the genius who attendedhim; and the latter for a bad omen, but for the consequenceof a
either by reasoningswhich led him to fear plot whichaimedat great matters; andthere-
what wasto come,or else by knowledgewith fore bothsenateandpeopleassembled several
whichhis art suppliedhim. Be that asit may, timeswithin a few days,andverystrictly er
Melon feigned himself mad, and taking a amincdeveryauspicious circumstance.
flamingtorch, atlempted to set his houseon In the meantime,the demagogue Aridrocles
fire. Others say, that he made useof no such produced some Athenian slaves, and certain
pretence,but burneddown bis housein the sojourners,who accusedAicibiadesand hit
night, and in the morning went and beggedof friends of defacing some other statues, and of
the peopleto excusehis son from that cam- mimickingthe sacredmysteries in oneof their
paign,thathe mightbe a comfortto him under drunkenrevels: on which occasion, theysaid,
his misfortune. By this artifice he imposec oneTheodorasrepresented the herald,Poly-
uponthem,andgainedhis point. tion the torch-bearer,andAicibiadesthe high-
Nicias was appointedone of the generals priest; his other companions attendingasper-
muchagainsthis inclination;for hewouldhave sons initiated, and therefore called Mysts.
declined the command,if it had been only on Such was the import of the deposition of Thes-
account of his having such a colleague. The salus the sonof Cimon, who accusedAicibiades
Athenians, however, thought the war would be of impiety towards the goddessesCeres and
Getter conducted, if they did not give free Proserpine. The people being much provoked
scope to the impetuosity of Aicibiades, but at Aicibiades, and Androcles, his bitterest ene-
tempered his boldness with the prudence of my, exasperating them still more, at first he
Nicias. For as to third general, Lamachus, was somewhat disconcerted. But when he
though well advancedin years,he did not seem perceived that the seamenand soldiers too, in-
to come at all short of Aicibiades in heat and tended for the Sicilian expedition, were on his
rashness. side, and heard a body of Argives and Man-
When they came to deliberate about the tineans, consisting of a thousandmen, declare
number of the troops, and the necessarypre- that they were willing to cross the seas,and
parations for the armament, Nicias again op- to run the risk of a foreign war for the sake
posedtheir measures,and endeavoured to pre- of Aicibiades, but that if any injury were done
vent the war. But Aicibiades replying to his to him, they would immediately march home
arguments, and carrying all before him, the again: then he recovered his spirits, and ap-
orator Demosthenes
proposeda decree,that pearedto defendhimself. It was now his
the generals should have the absolute direction enemies'turn to be discouraged, and to fear
of the war, and of all the preparations for it. that the people, on account of the needthey
Wh&' Ve people had given their assent,and had of him, would be favourable in their sen-
every thing was got ready for setting sail, un- tence. To obviate this inconvenience, they
lucky omens occurred, even on a festival that persuadedcertain orators, who were not repu-
w».scelebrated at that time. It was the feast ted to be his enemies,but hated him as hearti-
of Adonis;* the women walked in procession ly as the most professed ones, to move it to
with images,whichrepresentedthe dead car- the people,"That it was extremelyabsurd,
ried out to burial, acting the lamentations, and that a general who was invested with a discre-
singingthe mournfuldirgesusual on suchoc- tionarypower,andaveryimportantcommand,
casions. when the troops were collected, and the allieg
Add to this, the mutilating and disfiguring of all ready to sail, should lose time, while they
almost all the statuesof Mercury,t which hap- were casting lots for judges, and filling the
penedin one night, a circumstancewhicha- glasseswith water,to measureout the time
larmedeven those who had long despisedthings of his defence. In the name of the gods,let
of that nature. It wasimputedto the Corinth- him sail,and when the war is concluded, be
ians,of whomthe Syracusaiis werea colony; accountableto the laws,whichwill still bethe
and they were supoosedto have doneit, in same."
hopesthat such a prodigy mightinduce the Aicibiadeseasily saw their maliciousdrift,
Atheniansto desistfrom the war. But the peo- in wantingto put off the trial, and observed,
ple paidlittle regardto this insinuation,or to That it would be an intolerablehardship
the discourses of those who said that there was to leave such accusations and calumnies be-
no mannerof ill presagein what had happen- hind him, and he sentout with so important
ed, and that it wasnothingbut the wild frolic a commission,
while he wasin suspense
as to
of a parcelof youngfellows,flushedwith wine, disown fate. That he oughtto sufferdeath,
if he could not clear himself of the charge; but
" On the feast of Adonis all the cities put themselves if hocouldprovehis innocence,
justicerequired
mmourning;
colfins
were
exposed
attvcrydoor;thethatheshould
besetfreefromallfearoffalse
statues
of Venus
andAdonis
werebornein procession,
accusers,beforethey sent him againsttheir
with certain vesselsRiled with earth, in which they enemies." But he could not obtain that favour.
hadraised
corn,herbs,
andlettuce,andthesevesselsHe was indeedorderedto set sail;* whichhe
werecalled the gardensof Adonis. After the ceremony
was
over,
thegardens
were
thrown
intothesea
or accordingly
did,together
withhiscolleagues,
some
river. Thisfestival
wascelebrated
throughout
lavingnearlya hundredand forty galleyi
^11Greeceand Egypt,andamongtheJewstoo, when n his company, five thousand one hun-
theydegenerated
into idolatry,as welearnfromEze- dred heavy armed soldiers, and about a thous-
Icte/,
viu.14.*1nd bettoldj
there
Tammux, that is, Adonis.
satwomen
weeping
for and threehundredarchers,slingets,and
| The Athenian!had statuesof Mercury, »t the " The second
year of theeighty-firstOlympiad,
u
docn of lliur /10uses,madeof stnucsof acubical form. cventeenthof the Peloponnenaowar.
 ALCIBIADES. 149

ouiers
light-armed;
withsuitable
provisions
andprisoned
onthesame
account,
Andocides
con-
"tores. tractedanacquaintance
andfriendshipwidi one
Arriving
onthecoastof Italy,helandedat Timaeus:a mannotequalin rankto himself,
Rhegium.Therehegave hisopinionastothe butof uncommon
parts
andadaring spirit.He
mannerin whichthe war shouldbeconducted,advisedAndocides
to accusehimselfanda few
andwasopposedby Nicias:butasLamachusmore;because thedecreepromisedimpunity
to
agreed
withhim,hesailedto Sicily,andmadeanyonethatwouldconfess
andinform,whereas
himself master of Cataaa. This was all he the event of the trial was uncertain to all, and
performed,
beingsoonsentfor bytheAtheniansmuchto bedreaded
bysuchof themaswere
to takehis trial. At first,aswe haveobserved,personsof distinction. He represented
thit it
therewasnothingagainsthim but slight sus- wasbetterto savehialife by a falsity, thanto
picions,
andthedepositions
of slatesandper- suffer
aninfamous
deathasonereallyguiltyOi
sonswhosojourned
inAthens.Buthisenemiesthecrime;andthatwithrespecttothepublic,
took advantageof his absence, to bring new it would bean advantage
to giveup a fewper-
matterof impeachment, addingto the mutilat- sonsof dubiouscharacter,in order to rescua
ing of the statues,his sacrilegiousbehaviourmanygoodmen froman enragedpopulace.
with respectto the mysteries,and alleging Andocideswas prevailedupon by thesear-
that both these crimes flowod from the same guments of Timzus ; and informing against
source,"a conspiracyto changethe govern-himselfandsomeothers,enjoyedthe impunity
ment. All that were accused of being any promised by the decree; but all the rest whom
waysconcernedin it, theycommitted to prison he namedwere capitally punished,except a
unheard;and theyrepentedexceedingly, that few that fled. Nay, to procure the greater
theyhad not immediatelybroughtAlcibiadeacredit to his depositions, he accusedevenhia
to his trial, and got him condemned upon so own servants.
heavya charge. While this furylasted,every However,the fury of the peoplewasnot so
relation,everyfriendandacquaintance of his, satisfied,
but turningfromthe personswho had
wasveryseverelydealtwith by the people. disfiguredthe Herma, as if it had reposed a
Thucydideshas omittedthe namesof the while only to recoverits strength,itfelltotally
accusers, but others mention Dioclides and uponAlcibiades. At last theysent the Sala-
Teucer. So Phrynichus,the comic poet, minian galley to fetch him, artfully enough or-
dering their officer not to useviolence, or to
GoodHcrmw,pray,beware
a fall; norbreak lay holdof his person,but to behaveto him
Thymarble
nose,
lestsome
ialse
Dioclidei with civility, and to acquainthim with the
Once
more
hisshafts
infetal
poison
drench. peoples
orders,
thatheshould
goandtakebil
Mere.I will. Nore'eragain
shallthatinformer,trial, andclearhimselfbeforethem. For they
Teucer,
that(ailhlew
stranger,
boutbam.
me wereapprehensive
of cometumultandmutiny
Rewards
forperjury. inthearmy,
nowit wasin anenemy's
country,
Indeed, no clear or strong evidencewas given which Alcibiades,had he been so disposed,
by the informers. One of them being asked might haveraisedwith all the easein the world.
howhecould
distinguish
thefaces
of those
Indeed, thesoldiersexpressedgreat uneasiness
at his leaving them, and expected that the war
who disfigured the statues, answered,that he would be spun out to a great length by the dil-
discernedthem by the light of the moon; which
was aplain falsity,
forit was done atthetimeatory counsels of Nicias, when thespur\vae
of the moon's change. All personsof under- taken away. Lamachus,indeed, was bold and
standing
exclaimed
against
suchbaseness;
butbrave,
weight,but
by he was
reasonofwanting both
hia poverty. indignity
and
this detection did not in the least pacify the Alcibiades immediately embarked;* the con-
people; they went on with the same rage and
violence
withwhich
they
hadbegun,
taking
in- sequence of which
couldnot take was,that
Messena. the
There Athenians
werepersons
ibrmations,ami committing all to prison whose in the town ready to betray it, whom Alcibiadea
nameswere given in.
Among those that were then imprisoned, in perfectly knew, and as he apprised some that
were friends to the Syracusansof their inten-
order
tovhcir trial,wastheorator Andocides,
whom Hellanicus the historian reckons among
tion,theaffair
miscarried.
As soon as he arrived at Thurii, he went on
the descendantsof Ulysses. He was thought shore,
to be no friend to a popular government,but a search and concealinghimself there, eluded the
that was made after him. But some
favourerof oligarchy. What contributed not
a little to his being suspectedof having some person knowing him, and saying, " Will not
concern
in defacing
theHermx,was,thatthe you,then,trustyourcountry?" heanswered,
" As to any thing else I will trust her; but
great statue of Mercury, which was placed
near his house, being consecratedto that god with my life I wouldnot trust evenmymother,
lest sheshould mistake a black beanfor a whin
by the tribe called the JEgeis, was almost the
only one, among the most remarkable, which one."Afterwards,
beingtoldthattherepublic
had condemnedhim to die, hesaid " But I will
was left entire. Therefore, to this day it is make them find that I am alive."
called the Hermes of Andocides, and that title
universally prevails, though the inscription The information against him ran thus:
does not agree with it. " Thessalus,
the sonof Cimon,of the ward of
Lacias,
It happened,that amongthose who were im- accuseth
Alcibiades,
thesonof Clinias,
ofthewardof Scambonis,
ofsacrilegiously
of
* They
gare
oul,thathehadentered
intoaconspi-
fending
thegoddessesCeres
andProserpine,
racyto betraythecityof theLacedxmoniani,
andthat
hehadptrsu;«Jnl
theArgneitoundertake
something* Heprudently
embarked
in a renelof hisown
to theirprejudice. andnotIQtheSalaminiau
galley.
 150 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

6y counterfeitingtheir mysteries,and shewing When theysawhim closeshared,bathing ii

them to his companions
in his own housecoldwater,feedingon their coarsebread,ol
Wearingsucha robeas the high-priest
does eatingtheirblackbroth,theycouldhardlybe-
while he shewsthe holy things,he calledhim- lieve that sucha man hadever kept a cookin
selfhigh-priest,ashedid Polytiontorch-bearer,his house,seena perfumer,or worn a robeof
andTheodorasof the wardof Phygea,herald: Milesian purple. It seems,that amongsthis
andthe rest of his companionshe called per- other qualifications,
hehadthe very extraordi-
lons initiated,* and brethren of the secret: nary art of engagingthe affectionsof those with
hereinacting contraryto the rules and cere- whomhe conversed, by imitatingandadopting
monies establishedby the Eumolpidae,tthe their customsand way of living. Nay, he
heraldsandpriestsat Eleusis." As hedid not turned himselfinto all" mannerof formswith
appear, they condemned him, confiscated his more ease than the cameleon changes his co-
goods,and ordered all the priests and priestesses lour. It is not, we are told, in that animal's
to denouncean execration againsthim; which power to assumea white, but Alcibiades could
was denounced accordingly by all but Theno, adapt himself either to good or bad, and did
the daughterof Menon,priestessof the temple not find any thing whichhe attemptedimprac-
of Agraulos,who excusedherself, alleging, ticable. Thus, at Sparta,he was all for ex-
that shewas a priestessfor prayer, not for ercise, frugal in his diet, and severein his
execration. manners. In Asia he was as much for mirth
While thesedecreesand sentenceswere andpleasure,
luxuryandease.In Thrace,again,
passing against Alcibiades, he was at Argos; riding and drinking were his favourite amuse-
having quitted Thurii, which no longer afforded ments: and in the palace of Tissaphernes,the
him a safeasylum,to comeinto Peloponnesus.Persiangrandee, he outviedthe Persiansthem-
Still dreadinghis enemies,and giving up all selvesin pompand splendour. Not that he
hopesof beingrestoredto his country,he sent couldwith somucheasechangehis real man-
to Sparta to desire permission to live there ners, or approve in his heart the form which
underthe protectionof the public faith, prom- he assumed;but becausehe knewthat hisna-
ising to servethat state moreeffectually,now tive mannerswould be unacceptableto those
hewastheir friend,thanhe hadannoyedthem, whomhe happenedto bewith, he immediately
whilst their enemy. The Spartansgranting conformedto the waysand fashionsof what-
hima safeconduct,
andexpressing
thejj readi-ever placehe cameto. When he wasat
ness to receive him, he went thither with Lacedoemon, if you regardedonly his outside,
pleasure. One thing he sooneffected,which you would say as the proverbdoes,This it
was to procuresuccoursfor Syracusewithout not the son of Achilles,but Achilleshimself;
farther hesitationor delay,having persuadedthis man has surelybeen broueht up under
them to send Gylippus thither, to take upon the eye of Lycurgus: but then if you looked
him the directionof the war, andto crushthe more nearly into his dispositionand his ac-
Athenian power in Sicily. Another thing tions, you would exclaim,with Electrain the
which he persuadedthem to, was to declare poem,The sameweak teamanstill !* For
war against the Athenians,and to begin its while king Agis wasemployedin a distantex-
operationson the continent: and the third, pedition,he corruptedhis wife Timaeaso ef
which was the most important of all, was to fectually,that shewaswith child by him,and
get Deceleafortified; for this being in the did not pretendto denyit; andwhenshewas
neighbourhood of Athens, was productiveof deliveredof a eon,thoughin publicshecalled
great mischief to that common wealth.{ him Leotychidas,yet in her own houseshe
These measuresprocured Alcibiades the whisperedto her femalefriends and to her
publicapprobation
at Sparta,andhewasno servants,
that his true namewasAlcibiadee.
lessadmiredfor his mannerof living in private. To sucha degreewasthe womantransported
By conformingto their diet and other austeri- by her passion. And Alcibiadeshimself,in-
ties, he charmedand captivatedthe people. dulging his vein of mirth, usedto say," His
* The 3fi/s(<t,or personsinitiated, were to remain a motive was not to injure the king, or to satisfy
yearunder
probation,
during
whichtimetheywereto tis appetite,
but that his offspring
mightone
gono further than thevestibuleof the temple; after day sit on the throne of Lacedxinon.'' Agis
that term was expired they were called epopta, and had information of these matters from several
admitted toallthemysteries,
served for the priests only.
eicept
such
aswerere- lands,and he wasthe morereadyto give
t Eumolpuswasthefirstwho settledthesemysteriescredit to them, because they agreed with the
of Ceres,
forwhichreason
hisdescendants
hadthecare time. Terrified with an earthquake,he had
of themafter him; andwhenhisline failed,thosewho quitted his wife's chamber, to which he re-
iucceededin thefunctionwere,notwithstanding,
called turned not for the next ten months: at the
Eumolpidx. nd of which Leotychidasbeingborn,he
t Agis,kingof Sparta,
atthehead of averynume-declaredthechild wasnot his: andfor thii
rous army of Lacedaemonians,Corinthians, and other
nations of Peloponnesus,
invaded Attica, and,accord- reasonhe wasneversufferedto inheritthe
ing to the advicewhich Alcibiadeshad given,seizedcrown of Sparta.
andfortifiedDecelea,
whichstoodat anequal
distance After the miscarriageof the Atheniansin
from Athens andthefrontiers
ofBoeotia,
andbymeans
of which the Athenians were now deprived of the
Sicily,the peopleof Chios,of Lesbos,and
profits
ofthesilver
mines^oftherentsoftheir
lands,Cyzicum, senttotreat withtheSpartans about
andof thesuccours
of theirneighbours.
Butthegreat-quitting the interestsof Athens, and putting
est misfortunewhichhappened to theAthenians,from themselves under the protection of Sparta.
the beginningof t'ncwar to this time,wasthat which
befelthemthisyearin Sicily,wheretheynotonlylost * This is spoltcn
of Hermione,
in the Orestes
of
the conquesttheyaimedat, togetherwith the reputa- Euripides,uponher discoveringthe samevanityand
tion they hadsolongmaintained,but their fleet,their solicitudeabouther beauty,whenadvanced
in yean.
>-my,aodtheirgenerals. :hatshehadwhenshewasyoung.
 ALfJlBIADES 151
TheBiEOtians,
onJiisoccasion,
solicited
forthe whichhid revolted,
andotherstheyktpt to
Lesbians,
aud Pharnabazua
lor thepeopleof theirduty;andat seatheywereinsome
mea»-
Cyzicum;
butatthepersuasion
of Alcibiades,
ure ableto make
headagainst
theirenemies.
iuccourswere sentto thoseof Chiosbeforeall But theywereafraidof Tissaphtrnes,and the
ethers. He likewisepassed overinto Ionia, Phoenician
fleetof a hundred
and fifty ships,
andprevailedwith almostall that countryto whichweresaidtobecoming againstthem;fw
revolt,andattendingtheLacedaemonian gen-against
sucha forcetheycouldnothopeto de-
eralsin the executionof mostof their commis- fendthemselves.Alcibiadcs,apprisedof this,
sions,
hedidgreatprejudice
totheAthenians.privately
senta
messengerto
theprincipal
Athe-
But Agis,whowasalreadyhiaenemy,on niansat Samos, to givethemhopesthat he
accountof the injurydoneto his bed,could wouldprocurethemthefriendship of Tisraph-
not endurehisgloryandprosperity;for most ernes:notto recommend himself
to thepeople,
of thepresent
successeswereascribedto Alci- whomhecouldnottrust;buttoobligetheno-
biades. Thegreatandthe ambitious amongbility,if theywouldbutexerttheirsuperiority,
theSpartanswere,indeed,in general,
touchedrepress theinsolence
of thecommonalty, *nd,
withenvy,andhadinfluence enoughwiththe takingthegovernment intotheirown h«nds,
civil magistrates,to procure orders to be sent by that meanssavetheir country. .
to their friends in Ionia to kill him. But timely All the officersreadily embracedhis propos-
foreseeinghis danger,and cautionedby his al, exceptPhrynichus,who was of the ward
fears,in everystephetook, hestill servedthe of JJirades. He alonesuspected, what was
Lacedemonians, takingcareall the whilenot really the case,that it was a matter of very
to put himself in their power. Instead of little consequence to Alcibiadeswhetheran
that, he soughtthe protectionof Tissapher-oligarchyor democracyprevailedin Athens;
nes, one of the grandeesof Persia,or lieu- that it washis business to get himselfrecalled
tenants of the king. With this Persianhe by anymeanswhatever,andthat, therefore,by
Boonattained the highestcredit and authority: his invectives against the people, he wanted
for himselfa verysubtleandinsincereman,he only to insinuatehimselfinto the goodgraces
admired the art and keennessof Alcibiades. of the nobility. Upon these reasons proceeded
Indeed, by the elegance of his conversation the opposition of Phrynichus: but seeing hia
and the charmsof his politeness,everyman opiniondisregarded,
andthat Alcibiadeamust
was gained; all hearts were touched. Even certainly becomehis enemy, he gave secretin-
those that feared and envied him, were not in- telligence to Astyochus, the enemy's admiral,
sensible to pleasurein his company; and while of the double part which Alcibiades acted, ad-
they enjoyed it, their resentmentwagdisarmed. vising him to beware of his designs, and to
Tissaphernes,in all other cases,savagein his secure his person. But he knew not that while
temper, and the bitterest enemy that Greece he was betraying, he was himself betrayed
experiencedamongthe Persians, gave himself For Astyochus, wanting to make his court to
up, notwithstanding, to the flatteries of Alci- Tissaphernee,informed Alcibiadcs of the affair,
biades, insomuch that he even vied with, and who, he knew, had the ear of that grandee.
exceededhim in address. For all his gardens, Alcibiades immediately sent proper person!
that which excelledin beauty,whichwasre- to Samos,with an accusationagainst Phryni-
markablefor the salubrityof its streamsand chus; who,seeingno other resource,as every
the freshnessof its meadows,which was set body was against him, and expressed great
off with pavilionsroyallyadorned,and retire- indignationat hisbehaviour,attemptedto cure
mentsfinishedin the most eleganttaste, he oneevil with another anda grtatur. For he
distinguishedby the name of ALCIBIADES: sentto Astyochusto complainof his revealing
and everyonecontinuedto give it that appel- his secret,andto offerto deliverup lo him the
lation. wholeAthenianfleetand army. This treason
Rejecting,therefore,the interestsof Lace- of Phrynichus,however,did no injury to the
doErnon, andfearingthat peopleastreacherousAthenians,becauseit was again betrayedby
to him, he represented them and their king Astyochus;for he laid the wholematterbefore
Agis, in a disadvantageous light, to Tigsa- Alcibiades. Phrynichushad the sagacityto
phernes. He advisedhim not to assistthem foreseeand expectanotheraccusationfrom
effectually,nor absolutelyto ruin the Athe- Alcibiades,and, to be beforehandwith him,
nians, but to send his subsidiesto Sparta with he himself forwamed the Athenians, that the
a sparinghand: that so the two powersmight enemywouldendeavour
to surprisethem,and,
insensiblyweakenand consumeeach other, therefore,desiredthemto be upontheir guard,
ajd both at last be easilysubjected
to the to keepon boardtheir ships,andto fortify
king. Tissaphernes
readilyfollowedhis coun- their camp.
sels,ar.dit wasevidentto all theworldthat While the Atheniansweredoingthis,let-
heheldhimin thegreatest admirationandes- terscamefromAlcibiades
again,
advising
them
teem;whichmadehim equallyconsiderable to beware
of Phrvnichus,
whohadundertaken
withtheGreeks ofbothparties.TheAthe-to betray theirfleetto theenemy ; butthey
nians repented
of thesentencetheyhadpass-gavenocredittothese despatches,supposing
ed uponhim,because theyhadsuffered
for thatAlcibiades,
whoperfectly knewthepre-
it since:
andAlcibiades,
onhisside,wasun- parations
andintentionsof theenemy,abused
dersomefearandconcern,
lest,if theirrepub-that knowledge
to the raisingof sucha ca-
licwere
destroyed,
heshould
fallintothehands
lumnyagainst
Phrynichus.
Yetafienvaidi,
oftheLacedemonians,
whohated him. when
Phrynichus
wasstabbed
infullassembly
/1 thattnic,thewhole
strengthof theAthe-byoneofHermon's soldiers,
whokeptguard
nianslayat .Samoa. Withtheirshipssentout thatday,theAthenians,
takingcognizance
of
tromthence, theyrecovered
some 01thetownsthematter,afterhas
death,condemnedPhry-
192 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

nichus as guilty of treason, and ordered Her- Another great service performed by Alcibi-
manand his partyto becrownedfor despatch-ades,was,his undertakingthat the Phoenician
ing^traitor. fleet,whichtheLacedemonians
expected
from
The friendsof Alcibiadeswho now had a the king of Persia,shouldcitherjoin the Athe-
superiorinterest at Samoa,sent Pisanderto nians,or at leastnot act on theenemy'sside.
Athens, to changethe form of government, by In consequence of this promise,he setout a*
encouraging the nobility to assumeit, and to expeditiouslyaspossible; and prevailedupon
deprivethe peopleof their power and privi- Tissaphernesnot to forwardthe ships,which
leges,as the conditionuponwhich AJcibiadeswere alreadycomeas far as Aspendus, but to
would procure them the friendshipand alli- disappointanddeceivethe Lacedaemonians.-
anceof Tissaphernes.This wasthecolour Nevertheless, bothsides,andparticularlythe
of the pretencemadeuecof by thosewho Lacedaemonians, accused
AJcibiadesof hinder-
wantedto introduce
an oligarchy.But wheningthatfleetfromcomingto theiraid; forthey
thatbodywhichwerecalledtheJive thousand, supposedho had instructed the Persiansto
but in fact wereonly four hwtdred,* had got leavethe Greeksto destroyeachother. And,
the powerinto their hands,theypaidbut little indeed,it wasobviousenough,thatsuchaforce
attention to Alcibiades, and carried on the addedto either side, would entirelyhavede-
war but slowly : partly distrustingthe citizens prived the otherof the dominionof the sea.
who did not yet relish the newform of govern- After this the/our hundredweresoonquash-
ment, andpartly hoping that the Lacedzmo- ed,*the friendsof Alcibiadesvery readily as-
nians, who werealwaysinclinedto favouran sistingthosewho werefor a democracy.And
oligarchy, would not pressthem with their now the peoplein the city not only wishedfor
usualvigour. him, but commanded him to return ;f yet he
Suchof the commonaltyas wereat home, thoughtit not bestto returnwith emptyhands,
weresilent throughfear,thoughmuchagainst or withouthavingeffectedsomething worthyof
their will; for a numberof those who had open- note, but instead of being indebted to the com-
ly opposed
thefour hundred,wereput todeath. passionandfavourof the multitude,to distin-
But, whentheythatwereat Samoa werein- guishhis appearance
by hismerit. Parting,
formedof theaffair,theywerehighlyincensedtherefore,from Samos
with a few ships,he
at it, and inclined immediatelyto set sail for cruisedonthe seaof Cnidusandabouttheisle
the Pyraus. In the first place,however,they of Coos,wherehegot intelligencethatMinda-
sentfor Alcibiades,andhavingappointedhim rus the Spartanadmiral,-wassailedwith his
their general,orderedhim to leadthemagainst wholefleettowardsthe Hellespontto find out
the tyrants, and demolishboth themandtheir the Athenians. This madehim hastento the
power. On such an occasion,almost any assistance of the latter, andfortunatelyenough
otherman,suddenly exaltedby the favourof hearrivedwithhis eighteen
shipsat thevery
the multitude,wouldhavethoughthe must junctureof time,whenthetwo fleets,having
havecompliedwith all their humours,andnot engagednearAbydos,continuedthefightfrom
havecontradicted thosein anything,who,from morninguntil night,onesidehavingthe advan-
i fugitive anda banishedman,hadraisedhim tagein the right wing,andtheotherontheleft.
to be Commander-in-chief of sucha fleet and On the appearanceof his squadron,both
army. But hebehaved as becameagreat gen- sidesentertaineda falseopinionof the endof
eral, and preventedtheir plunginginto error his coming; for the Spartanswereencouraged
throughthe violenceof their rage. This care andthe Atheniansstruck with terror. But he
of his evidentlywasthe savingof the common soonhoistedthe Athenianflag on the admiral
wealth. For if theyhadsailedhome,as they galley, andboredowndirectly uponthe Pelo
promised, the enemywould have seized on ponnesians, who now hadthe advantage,and
Ioniaimmediately,
andhavegained theHelles-wereurgingthepursuit.His vigorous impres-
pontandtheislands
withoutstrikinga stroke: sionput themto flight, and followingthem
whiletheAthenians
wouldhavebeenengagedclose,hedrovethemashore, destroyingtheir
in a civil war, of whichAthensitself would ships, andkilling suchof the men as endeav-
havebeen the seat. All this was preventedoured to save themselvesby swimming:
chiefly by Alcibiades,who not only tried what though Pharnabazussuccouredthem all he
arguments would do with the armyin general, couldfrom the shore,andwith an armedforce
andinformedthemof their danger,but applied attemptedto savetheir vessels. The conclu-
to themoneby one,usingentreaties
to somesion was,that the Athenians,havingtaken
andforceto others; in which he wasassistedthirty of the enemy'sships,andrecoveredtheir
by the load haranguesof Thrasybulus,of the own, erecteda trophy.
wardof Stira,whoattended
himthroughthe Afterthis glorious success,Alcibiades,
am-
whole,andhadthe strongest
voiceof anyman bitiousto shewhimselfas soonaspossible
to
trnnngthe Athenians. Tissaphernes,preparedpresents and other
properacknowledgments
for hisfriendship
and
»It wasat first proposed,
thatonlythe dregsof hospitality,and then went to wait uponhim,
thepeopleshouldlosetheir authority,which was to
bevested
IDfivethousand
of themostwealthy,
who »Thesame
yearthattheyweresetup,whichwai
werefor thefutureto be reputed
the people.But thesecond
of theninety-second
Olympiad.
Thereader
whenPisander
andhis associates
foundthe strengthof mustcarefullydistinguishthis factionof fourhundred
theirparty,theycarried it thattheoldformofgovern-fromthesenate
of fourhundredestablished;
bySolon,
ment should bedis5olvcd,and thatfivePrytanes
shouldwhichthese
turnedout,thefewmonths
tlwj »«r«in
beelected; that thesefive shouldchoosea hundred; power.
that eachof the hundredshouldchoosethree; that t Thucydidesdocsnotspeakof thisarrivalof Aldb
thefour hundredthuselectedshouldbecomea senate iadrs,but probablyhe did notlive to havea clearac
withsupreme
power,andshould
consult
thefivethou- countof thisactionfor hediedthisyear.Xeuophoo,
laadonlywhenandoosuchmattersastheythoughtfit. whocontinuedhis history,mentions
it.
 ALCIBIADES. 153
witha princely
train. Buthewasnotwel Ontheotherhand, Alcibiades's
menwere
corned
in themannerheexpected:
forTissa so elated,and tookso muchuponthem,
phernes,
whofor sometimehadbeen
accuscc becausetheyhadalways
beenvictorious,
that
bytheLacedaemonians,
andwasapprehensive
theywouldnotvouchsafeevento mixwith
that thechargemightreachthe king'sear othertroopsthathadbeensometimes beaten.
thoughtthecomingof Alcibiades a verysea- It happened,
notlongbefore,that Thrasyllm
"onable incident,andtherefore
puthimunder having miscarried
inhisattemptuponEphesus,
arrest,andconfinedhimat Sardis,imaginingtheEphesianserected a trophyof brassin re-
thatinjuriousproceeding
wouldbea means to proachof the Athenians.*The soldiers
those
of
of
clear himself. Alcibiades, therefore, upbraided
^
Thirty
days after,
Alcibiades
having
bysome Thrasyllus
withthieaffair,
inaznifying
them-
means
or otherobtained
ahorse,escaped
from selves
andtheirgeneral,
anddisdaining
to join
his keepers,and fled to Clazomenae:
and, by the others,eitherin the placeof exerciseor in
way of revenge,he pretended that Tissa-thecamp. But soonafter,whenPharnabazus
phernesprivatelyset him at liberty. From witha strongbodyof horseandfootattacked
thence
hepassed to theplacewheretheAthe- the forcesof Thrasyllus,whowereravaging
nianswerestationed;andbeinginformed,that the countryaboutAbydos,Alcibiadesmarched
Mindarusand Pharnabazus weretogetherat to their assistance,routed the enemy and
Cyzicum,he shewedthetroopsthat it wastogetherwith Thrasyllus,
pursued
themuntil
necessaryfor them to fight both by sea and night. Then headmittedThrasyllusinto his
land,nay,evento fightwith stonewalls,if that company,andwith mutualcivilities ands.-itis-
should berequired,in orderto comeat their fiction theyreturned to the camp. Neit day
enemies;for, if the victorywerenot complete heerectedatrophy,andplundered the province
and universal,they could comeat no money. which was under Pharnabazus, without the
Then he embarkedthe forces,and sailedto least opposition. The pnestand priestesshe
Proconesus, where he orderedthem to take madeprisoners,amongthe rest, but soondis-
the lightervesselsinto the middleof the fleet, missed
themwithout ransom. From thencehe
andto havea particularcare that the enemy intendedto proceedand lay siegeto Chalce-
might not discover that he was coming against don, which had withdrawn its allegiance from
them. A great and suddenrain which hap the Athenians,and receiveda Lacedaemonian
penedto fall at that time,togetherwith dread- garrisonand governor; but being informed
ful thunderanddarkness,wasof greatservice that the Chalcedonians had collected their
in coveringhis operations. For not only the cattleandcom,andsentit all to the Bithynians,
enemywereignorantof hisdesign,but thevery their friends,he led his armyto the frontierof
Athenians, whom he had ordered in great haste the Bithynians, and sent a herald before him to
on board,did not presentlyperceivethat he summonthemto surrenderit. They, dreading
wasundersail. Soonafterthe weathercleared hisresentment, gaveup the booty,andentered
up, and the Peioponnesian shipswere seen into an alliancewith him.
ridingat anchorin the roadof Cyzicum. Lest, Afterwardshe returnedto the siegeof Chal-
therefore, the enemy should be alarmed at the cedon, and inclosed it with a wall, which
largenessof his fleet,and savethemselvesby reachedfrom geato sea. Pharnabazus
ad-
getting on shore, he directed many of the offi- vancedto raise the siege,and Hippocrates, the
cers to slacken sail and keep out of sight, while governor, sallied out with his whole force to
he shewedhimself with forty shipsonly, and attack the Athenians. But Alcibiadesdrew
challenged the Lacedaemoniansto the combat. up his army so as to engage them both at once,
The stratagem
hadits effect;for despisingthe and he defeated them both; Pharnabaius
smallnumberof galleyswhich theysaw,they retaking himself to flight, and Hippocrates
immediately weighed 'anchorand engaged; but »eingkilled, together with the greatest part of
therestof theAthenianshipscomingup during lis troops. This done, he sailed i^to the
the engagement, the Lacedaemonianswere Hellespont,to raise contributions in the towns
struck with terror and fled. Upon that Alcibi- upon the coast.
ades,with twentyof his best shipsbreaking In this voyagehe took Selybria:but in the
throughthemidstof them,hastened totheshore, action unnecessarily
exposedhin self to great
andhavingmadea descent,pursuedthosethat danger. The personswho promisedto sur-
fledfromtheships,andkilled greatnumbersof renderthe town to him, agreedto givehim a
them. He likewise defeatedMindarus and signal at midnightwith a lighted torch; but
Pharnabazus, who came to their succour. hey wereobligedto do it beforethe time, for
Mindarus made a brave resistanceand was ear of someone that wasin the secret,who
"lain, but Pharnabazus
savedhimselfby flight. suddenlyaltered his mind. The torchthere
The Atheniansremainedmastersof the field ore beingheldup beforethe armywasready,
and of the spoils, and took all the enemy's AJcibiades tookaboutthirty menwith him,and
ships. Havingalsopossessedthemselves of janto the walls,havingorderedthe rest to
Cyzicum,which wa»abandoned by Pharna- bllow as fast as possible.The gate was
oazus,anddeprivedof theassistanceof the ipenedto him,andtwentyoftheconspirators
Peloponnesians,whowerealmostall cutoff, ightlyarmed,joininghis smallcompany, he
theynut onlysecuredtheHellespont,
buten- advanced withgreatspirit,butsoonperceived
tirelyclearedtheseaof theLacedemonians. the Selybrians,
with their weaponsin theii
The letter alsowasintercepted,which, in the
laconicstyle,wasto givetheEp)ioria.naccount * Trophies
before hadbeen of wood,buttheEphe
of their misfortune. " Our glory is faded. lanscreeled
thisof bra»,toperpetuate theinfamy ol
heAthenians;
and it wasthii newandmc-li(yin|
MindarusissUin. Our soldiersare starving; ircumstancewilhwhich AHbiadti'a soldiersreproich
Andweknownot»vhat
steptotake" J thoic
ofThrasylluj.
Diodor.
lib.ziii.
154 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

hands, coming forward to attack him. As to left. About three hundred of the enemy, who
standand light promisedno sort of success,survived,weretakenprisoners.Not oneof the
and he, who to that hour had never beende- Byzantines, after the battle, was either put to
feated, dul nut chooseto fly, he ordereda deathor banished;for suchwerethe termson
trumpet to commandsilence, and proclamation which the town was given up, that the citizens
to be made, that the Selybrians should not, should be safein their personsand their goods.
under the pun of the Republic's high displea- Hence it was, that when Anaxilaua -was
sure, tcU;r up arms against the Athenians. tried at Lacedajmon for treason, he madea de-
Their inclination to the combatwas then imme- fencewhich reflected no disgrace upon hi« ptst
diately damped, partly from a supposition that behaviour: for he told them, "That not being
the whole Athenian army was within the walls, a Lacedaemonian,but a Byzantine; and seeing
and partly from the hopes they conceived of not Lacedxmon but Byzantium in danger;
coming to honourableterms. Whilst they were its communication with those that might have
talkiiij to;." tln-r of this order, the Athenian relieved it stopped; and the Peloponnesians
arny came up, and Alcibiadcs rightly conjec- and Bceotians eating up the provisions that
turing that the inclinations of the Selybrians were left, while the Byzantines, with their
were for peace,was afraid of giving the Thra- wives and children, were starving; be had not
cians an opportunity to plunder the town. betrayed the town to an enemy, but delivered
These last came down in great numbers to it from calamity and war: herein imitating the
serve under him as volunteers, from a particu- worthiest men amongthe Lacedaemonians, who
lar attachmentto his person; but, on this hadno otherrule of justiceandhonour,but by
occasion,hesentthemall out of the town; and all possiblemeansto servetheir country."
upon the submissionof the Selybrians, he saved The Lacedaemonianswere so much pleased
themfrombeingpillaged,demanding
only asum with this speech,that they acquittedhim,and
of money, and leaving a garrison in the place. all that were concerned with him.
Mean time, the other generals,who carried Alcibiades,by this time, desirousto seehis
on the siegeof Chalcedon,cameto an agree- nativecountry,and still moredesirousto be
ment with Pharnabazuson these conditions; seen by his countrymen,after so manyglorious
namely, that a sum of money should be paid victories, set sail with the Athenian fleet,
them by Pharnabazus;that the Chalcedonians adorned with many shields and other spoils of
should return to their allegianceto the republic the enemy; a great number of ships that he
of Athens; andthat no injury should bedone hadtakenmakingup the rear,andthe flagsof
to the province of which Pharnabazus was many more which he had destroyedbeing car-
governor, who undertook that the Athenian ried in triumph; for all of them together were
ambassadors should be conducted safe to the not fewer than two hundred. But as to what
king. Upon the return of Alcibiades, Pharna- is added, by Duris the Samian, who boastsof
bazusdesired, that he too would swear to the his being descendedfrom Alcibiades, that the
performance of the articles, but Alcibiades in- oars kept time to the flute of Chrysogonus,who
sisted that Pharnabazus should swear first. had been victorious in the Pythian gamesj
When the treaty was reciprocally confirmed that Callipides the tragedian, attired in his
with an oath, Alcibiades went against Byzan- buskins, magnificent robes,and other theatrical
tium, which had revolted, and drew a line of ornaments, gave orders to those who laboured
circumvallation about the city. While he was at the oars; and that the admiral galley entered
thus employed,Anaxilaus, Lycurgus, and some the harbour with a purple sail; as if the whole
others, secretly promisedto deliver up the hadbeena companywho had proceeded
from
place,oncondition
thathewouldkeepit from a debauch
to sucha frolic; theseare particu-
being plundered. Hereupon, he causedit to be lars not mentioned either by Theopompus,
reported,that certainweightyandunexpectedEphorus,or Xenophon. Nor is it probable,
affairs called him back to Ionia, and in the that at his return from exile, and after such
day-time he set sail with his whole fleet: but misfortunes as he had suffered,he would insult
returning at night, he himself disembarkedwith the Athenians in that manner. So far from it,
the land forces, and posting them under the that he approached the shore with some feat
walls, he commanded them not to make the and caution; nor did he venture to disembark,
leastnoise. At the sametime the shipsmade until, as he stoodupon the deck,he sawhis
for the harbour, and the crews pressingin with cousin Euryptolemus, with many others of his
loud shouts and great tumult, astonishedthe friends and relations, coming to receive and
Byzantines, who expected no such matter. invite him to land.
Thus an opportunity was given to those within When he was landed, the multitude that
the walls, who favoured the Athenians, to came out to meet him did not vouchsafe so
receive them in great security, while every much as to look upon the other generals,but
body's attention was engagedupon the harbour crowding up to him, hailed him with shoutsof
and the ships. joy, conducted him on the way, and such as
The affair passed not, however, without could approach him crowned him with gar-
blows. For the Peloponnesians,Boeotians,and lands; while those who could not come up so
Megarensians, who were at Byzantium, having close, viewed him at a distance, and the old
driven the ships'crews backto their vessels,and men pointed him out to the young. Many tears
perceiving that the Athenian land forces were were mixed with the public joy, and the me
got into the town, charged them too with great mory of past misfortuneswith the senseof their
Tigour. The dispute was sharp and the shock present success. For they concluded that they
great,but victorydeclaredfor Alcibiadesand shouldnot havemiscarriedin Sicily, or indeed
Theramencs. The former of these pencrals have failed in any of their expectations,if they
eoniiiiiin>l(-il the right wmj, and the latter the hid left the direction of affairs, and the com
 ALCIBIADES 155
maudof theforcea,
to Alcibiades;
sincenow,tifiedDecelea,whichcommandedtheroads to
hivingexertedhimself in behalf
of Athens, Eleusis,
thefeast
wasnotkeptwithitsusual
whenit hadalmost
lostitsdominionofthesea,pomp, because
theywereobligedto conduct
washardlyabletodefend itsownsuburbs,
and theprocessionby sea;thesacrifices,
thesa-
wasmoreoverharassedwithintestine
broils,he creddances,
andotherceremonies
whichhad
hadraisedit fromthat lowandruinouscondi-beenperformed
on theway,calledholy,while
tion,BOasnotonlyto restoreits maritime
theimage
of Bacchus
wascarriedin proces-
power,
buttorender
it victorious
every
wheresion,
beingonthataccount
necessarily
omit-
byland. ted. Alcibiades,
therefore,
judged
it would
Theactfor recalling
himfrombanishment heanactconducive to thehonorofthegods,
hadbeenpassed at themotionof Critias
the andtohisreputationwithmen,
torestore
those
sonof Callreschrus,*
as appears
fromhisele-ritesto theirduesolemnity,
byconductingthe
gies,in whichheputsAlcibiades
in mindof procession with hisarmy,andguarding it
binservice: againstthe enemy. By that means,either
If you
DOmore
inhapless
exile
mourn, king Agiswould behumbled, if hesufferedit
The praise is mine to passunmolested;or if he attackedthe con-
The peoplepresentlymeetingin full assem-voy, Alcibiadeswouldhavea fight to maintain
bly,Alcibiades
came inamong
them,andhav-inthecause
ofpietyandreligion,
forthemost
ingin apathetic
mannerbewailed
hismisfor-
venerable
of itsmysteries,
in thesight
ofhis
tunes,heverymodestly
complained
of their country;
andall hisfellow-citizens
wouldbe
treatment,
ascribing
all to hishardfortune,and witnesses
of hisvalour.
theinlluenceofsomeenvious demon.Hethen When he had determined uponthis, and
proceededto discourse
of thehopes
andde- communicated
hisdesign
tothe Eumotpidte
signs
of theirenemies,
againstwhomheusedandtheheralds,
heplaced
centinels
uponthe
his utmostendeavours
to animatethem. And eminences,
andsetout hia advanced
guardas
theyweresomuchpleased
withhisharanguesoon
asit waslight. Nexthetookthepriests,
thattheycrowned
himwithcrowns
of gold,thepersons
initiated,
andthosewhohadthe
andgavehimthe absolute command of their chargeof initiatingothers,andcoveringthem
forcesboth by seaandland. Theylikewisewithhisforces,ledthemonin greatorderand
madeadecree, thathisestateshouldberestor-profound silence;exhibiting in that marcha
edto him,andthattheEumolpidae andtheher- spectacle soaugustand venerable, that those
aldsshould takeofftheexecrationswhichthey whodid not envyhim declared he hadper
hadpronounced againsthim by orderof the formednotonlytheofficeof a general, butof
people.Whilst therestwereemployed in ex- a highpriest:nota manof theenemy daredto
piationsfor thispurpose,Theodorus, thehigh attackhim,andhe conducted the procession
priestsaiil, "For his part,he hadneverde- backin greatsafety;whichboth exaltedhim
nouncedany curseagainsthim,if he haddone in hisownthoughts,andgavethe soldierysuch
aoinjuryto thecommonwealth." anopinionof him,thattheyconsidered
them-
Amidst thisglory and prosperityof Alcibi- selvesas invinciblewhileunderhis command
tdes, somepeoplewere still uneasy,looking And hegamedsuchaninfluenceoverthe mean
uponthe time of his arrival asominous. For andindigentpartof thepeople,that theywere
on that very day waskept theplynteria,^ or passionatelydesirousto seehim investedwith
purifyingof the goddess Minerva. It wasthe absolutepower; insomuchthat someof them
twenty-fifth of May, when the praxiergidaeappliedto him in person,andexhortedhim, in
perform
those
ceremonies
whicharenotto be ordertoquash
themalignity
of envyat once,
revealed,disrobingthe imageandcoveringit to abolishthe privilegesof the people,andthe
up. Hence it is, that the Athenians,of all laws,andto quellthosebusyspiritswhowould
days,reckonthis the most unlucky,and take otherwisebethe ruin of the state; for then ha
the most carenot to do business
uponit. And might direct affairs and proceedto action,
it seemedthat the goddessdid not receive him without fear of groundlessimpeachments.
graciously,but rather with aversion,sinceshe What opinionhe himselfhadof this propo
hid her face from him. Notwithstandingall sal we know not; but this is certain,that the
this, every thing succeeded accordingto his principalcitizens vere BOapprehensive of his
wish; threehundredgalleysweremannedand aimingat arbitrarypower,thattheygot himto
readyto put uj seaagain: but a laudablezeal embarkas soonas possible;and the more to
detainedhim antil the celebrationof the mys- expeditethe matter,theyorderedamongothei
teries.Jfor ifter the Lacedaemonians hadfor- things,that he shouldhavethe choiceof hia
colleagues. Putting to sea,therefore,with a
* ThisCritii9wasuncle
toPlato's
mother,
andthe fleetof a hundredships,hesailedto the isle
tcusiethai h- introducesin his Dialogues.Though of Andros,where he fought anddefeated
tha
DOW the fri' id of Alcibiades,yet asthe:lust of power
d«.:troys
all ie»,when
oneofthethirtytyrants,
hebe- Andrians,
andsuchof theLacedaemonians
aa
cauiehis b ler enemy,and sendingto Lysander,as- assistedthem. But yet he did not attack the
"uiedhim_'JiatAthens
would
never
bequiet,orSpartacity, which gavehis enemiesthe first occasion
lafe, unlit llcrbiades wasdestroyed. Cr>'iaswas after-
wards tl-iia by Thrasybulu»,\vb.enhtdt.ivcrtd Athens for thecharge whichtheyafterwards brought
from th./. *yrajiny. against him. Indeed, if ever man was ruined
t Or.thati*ay,whenthestatue
of Minerva
wasby a highdistinction
of character,
it wasAl-
washed,
thetemples
wereencompassed
with a cord, cibiades.* For his continual successeshad
lo denoteUitl theywereshntup,aswascustomaryon
all ina-jspicw'M
days. Theycarrieddriedfigsin pro-
Kssion,bec/iK that wa»the first fruit winch was eaten to Eleusis
theitatueof Bacchus,
whomtheysupposed
to be the sonof Jupiter and Ceres.
after acorM.
{ The t*' a\ of Ceres and Proserpine continued " It wasnotaltogether
theuniversality
ofhisSUCCMI
that rendered Alcibiades
suspected,
whenhe came
linedays.
' "«,theinchdaythey
carried
n procession
shortof public
eiptolation.
Theduplx-ity
ofhi»
 166 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

procured
suchan opinionof hiscourage
and or wouldnot,liveanylongerin hisownCOM
capacity,
thatwhenafterwardshehappened
to try. The Atheniansgivingearto theseucco-
fail in what he undertook,it wassuspected
to sations,to shewtheirresentmentanddisliketo
befromwantof inclination,
andDOonewould him,appointed
newcommanders
oftheirforces.*
believeit wasfromwantof ability; theythought Alcibiadeswas no soonerinformedof it,
nothingtoo hardfor him,whenhepleasedto than,consulting
his own safety,he entirely
exerthimself. Theyhopedalsoto hearthat quittedtheAthenian
army. Andhavingcol-
Chios was taken, and all Ionia reduced,and lected a band of strangers,he madewar, on
grew impatientwhen every thing wasnot dis- his ownaccount,againstthoseThracianswho
patchedas suddenlyas they desired. They acknowledgedno king. The bootyhemode,
neverconsideredthe smallnessof his supplies, raisedhim great sums;and at the sametime
andthat, having to carry on the war against he defendedthe Grecianfrontier agamatthe
people who were furnished out of the treasury barbarians.
of agreat king,he wasoftenlaid underthe ne- Tydeus, Menander,and Adimantus,th«
cessityof leavinghis camp,to go in searchof new-made generals,beingnowat j£gos Pota-
moneyand provisionsfor his men. mos,t with all the shipswhich the Athenian!
Thisit wasthatgaverisetothelastaccusa-hadleft, usedto standoutearlyeverymorning
tion againsthim. Lysanderthe Lacedaemonian
and offer battle to Lysander, whosestation
admiral,out of themoneyhe receivedfrom wasatLampascus, andthento returnandpati
Cyrus,raisedthe wages
of eachmarinerfrom thedayina disorderly
andcareless manner,
it
threeoboli a-dayto four, whereasit was with if theydespised
their adversary. This seemed
difficultythat Alcibiades
paidhis menthree. toAlcibiades,
who wasin theneighbourhood,
The latter, therefore,went into Caria to raise a matter not to be passedover without notice
money,leavingthe fleetin chargewithAn- He thereforewentand told thegenerals,!
tiochus,"who \vasan experienced seaman,but "He thoughttheir stationby no meanssafein
rashand inconsiderate.Though he had ex- a placewherethere wasneithertownnor har-
pressordersfrom Alcibiadesto let no provoca- bour; that it was very inconvenientto have
tion from the enemybringhim to hazardanen- their provisionsand storesfrom sodistanta
gagement, yet, in his contemptof thoseorders, placeas Sestos;and extremelydangerous to
having taken sometroops on boardhis own let their seamengo ashore,and wanderabout
galley and one more, he stoodfor Ephesus, at their pleasure;whilst a fleet wasobserving
wherethe enemylay, andas he sailed by the them, whichwasunderthe ordersof oneman,
headsof their ships,insultedthemin the most and the strictestdisciplineimaginable. He,
;nsufferablemanner, both by words and ac- therefore,advisedthemto removetheir station
lions. Lysander sent out a.few ships to pur- to Sestos."
«uehim; but asthe wholeAthenianfleet came The generals,however,gaveno attentionto
up to assist Antiochus, he drew out the rest what he said; and Tydeus waseven so insolent
of his and gave battle, and gained a complete asto bid him begone,for that they, not he, were
victory. He slewAntiochushimself,took many now to give orders. Alcibiades,suspecting
ships and men, and erected a trophy. Upon that there was sometreachery in the case,re-
this disagreeable news,Alcibiadesreturned to tired, telling his acquaintance,
who conducted
Samos,from whencehe movedwiththe whole him out of the camp,that if he had not been
fleet, to offerLysanderbattle. But Lysander, insultedin such an insupportablemannerby
content with the advantagehe had gained, did the generals, he would in a few days have
not think properto acceptit. obliged the Lacedemonians, howeverunwil-
Among the enemieswhich Alcvbiadeshad ling, eitherto cometo anactionat sea,or else
in the army,Thrasybulus,the sonof Thrason, to quit their ships. This to someappeared a
beingthe most determined,quittedthe camp, vain boast; but to othersit seemed not at all
andwent to Athensto impeachhim. To in- improbable, sincehemight havebroughtdown
cense the people against him, he declared in a number of Thracian archers and cavalry, to
full assembly,
that Alcibiadeshad beenthe attackandharass
theLacedaemonians
camp.§
ruin of their affairs, and the meansof losing The event soon shewed that hejudged right
their ships, by his insolent and imprudent be- of the errors which the Athenians had com
haviour in command, and by leaving the direc- mitted. For Lysander falling upon them
tion of everything to personswhohadgot into whenthey leastexpectedit, eightgalleysonly
credit with him through the great merit of escaped,||along with Conon; the rest, not
drinkingdeepandcrackingseamen's
jokes; * Theyappointed
tengenerals.
Xenopti,
lib.i.
whilst he was securelytraversing the provinces f Plutarchpasses
overalmostthreeyears;oainely,
to raisemoney,indulginghis love of liquor, or thetwenty-fifth
ofthePeloponnesian
war; thetwenty-
abandoning
himselfto hispleasures
withthe siilh,inwhich
theAthenians
obtained
tlievictory
it
courtezans
ofIoniaandAbydos:
andthisata Arginusx,
on a slight andputsix
accusation oftheir
of theten generals
colleague todeath,
up-
Theramenes;
time whenthe enemywasstationedat a small andalmost
the wholetwenty-seven,
towards
theend
distance from his fleet. It was also objected of whichthe Athenians
sailedto .Ego Potamos,
where
to him,that he hadbuilt a castlein Thrace theyreceived
theblowthatisspoken
of inthisplace.
near
thecityof Bisanthe,
tobemade
use
ofas { The
officers
atDie
head
oftheGrecian
armies
u>4
aretreat
forhimself,
asif heeither
could
not,navy,
were
miraU, sometimes
because called
generals,
theycommonly sometimes
bothad
commanded bf
sea and land.
characterit obviousfrom the wholeaccountof his (j Whena fleetremained
sometimeat onepartuulltf
life. HepaidnotIheleast regard toveracityinpo- station,there
wasgenerally abody oflandforco,ui
Wir.A matters;and it is not (o \x wonderedif such partof themarinerstoo,encamped uponthe shore.
principles madehimcontinually obnoiiousto theau§- ||Therewasa ninthshipcalledParalus, which
picirmsofthepeople. escaped,andcarried thenews oftheirdefeat
toAthtD*
" This washewho caujht thequail for him. COUOQ himselfretired to Cyprus.
 ALCIBIADES. 157
mncbahortof twohundred,
weretakenandbiadce
deipatched;
whether
it wasthatthey
carried
away,
together
withthree
thousand
pris-dreaded
hi»great
capacity,
andenterprising
oner*, whowereafterwards puttodeath.And spirit,orwhetherit wasdonein complaisance
withina shorttimeafter,LysandertookAthensto kingAgis. Lysander thensentto Pharaa-
Ittelf,burned
theshipping, anddemolishedthe bazusto desire
himto putthisorderin exe-
longwalls. cution
; andheappointedhisbrotherMagacut
Alcibiades,
alarmedat this success
of the andhisuncleSusamithres,
to manage
theaf-
Lacedemonians, who were now masters both fair.
atteaandland,retired
intoBithynia.Thither Alcibiades at thattimeresided in asmall
heorderedmuchtreasureto besent,andtook villagein Phrygia,
havinghismistressTimin-
largesumswithhim,butstillleftmorebehinddrawithhim. Onenighthedreamed thathe
inthecastlewherehehadresided. In Bithyniawasattiredin hismistress's
habit,*andthatai
heoncemorelostgreatpartof hissubstance, sheheldhimin herarms,shedressedhishead,
beingstrippedby theThraciansthere;which andpaintedhisfacelike a woman's.Others
determined himto goto Artaxenes,and en- say,hedreamed thatMagicuscutoffhishead
treat his protection.He imagined that the andburnedhisbody;andwearetold, that it
king upontrial, wouldAndhim nolessser- wasbut a. little beforehisdeaththathehad
viceablethan Themistocleshadbeen,andhe this vision. Be that as it majf,thosethat were
dada betterpretence
to his patronage;
for he sentto assassinate
him,not oaringto enterhis
was not goingto solicit the Icing'said against house,surroundedit, and setit on fire. As
his countrymen, asThemistocles haddone,but soon as heperceivedit, hegot togetherlarge
for his country againstits worstenemies. He quantitiesof clothesand hangings,and threw
concluded that Pharnabazus was most likely them upon the fire to choke it; then having
to procure him a safeconduct,andtherefore wrappedhis robeabouthis left hand,andtak-
wentto himin Phrygia,wherehestayed
someing hia swordin hisright,hesalliedthrough
time, making his court, and receivingmarks the fire, andgot safeout beforethe stuffwhich
of respect. he had thrownuponit could catch the Same.
It was 3.grief to the Athenians to be depriv- At sight of him the barbariansdispersed,not
ed of their power and dominion, but when one of them daring to wait for him, or to en-
Lysander robbed them also of their liberty, counter him hand to hand; but standing at a
andput their city underthe authorityof thirty distance,they piercedhim with their dartsand
chiefs,they werestill moremiserablyafflicted. arrows. Thus fell Alcibiades. The barba-
Now their affairs were ruined, they perceived rians retiring after he was slain, Timandra
with regret the measures which would have wrappedthe body in her own robes,t and buried
saved them, and which they had neglected to it as decently and honourably as her circum-
niake use of; now they acknowledged thrir stanceswould allow.
blindness and errors, and looked upon their Timandra is said to have beenmother to the
tccondquarrelwith Alcibiadesasthe preatest famousLais, commonlycalledthe Corinthian,
of thoseerrors. They hadcasthim off with- thoughLais wasbroughta captive from Hyc-
out any offenceof his: their angerhad been car.-E,
a little town in Sicily.
groundeduponthe ill conductof his lieutenant Some writers, though they agreeas to the
in losinga fewships,andtheir ownconducthad mannerof Alcibiades'sdeath,yet differabout
been still worse, in deprivingthe common-the cause. They tell us, that catastrophe is
wealthof the mostexcellentandvaliantof all not to be imputedto Pharnabaius,or Lysan-
its genenJs. Yet amidsttheir presentmisery der, or the Lacedaemonians; but that Xlci-
therewasoneslightglimpseof hope,that while biadeshaving corrupteda youngwomanof a
Alcibiades
survived,
Athenacouldnotbeut- noblefamily,in that country,andkeeping
he»
terly undone. For he, who before wasnot in his house,her brothersincensedat tho in
content to lead an inactive, though peaceable jury, set fire in the night to the house in
life,in exile,\vouldnot now,if his own affairs whichhe lived, anduponhis breakingthrough
were upon any tolerablefooting, sit still and the flames,killed him in the mannerwe have.
see the insolenceof the Lacedaemonians, and related.^
the madnessof the thirty tyrants, without en-
deavouring at some remedy. Nor was it at all * AlcibiaJcshad dreamedthat Timandraattired
unnatural for the multitude to dream of such him ID her own habit.
relief,since
those
thirtychiefs
themselves
were t She
buried
himinatown
called
Melissa;
andw»
so solicitous
to inquireafter Alcibiades,
and learnfromAthenaus
(in ZJcipivoaap/i.}
iViat
themon-
gave so muchattentionto what he wasdoing umentremained
to histime,for hehimselfaawit*
and contriving. The emperorAdrian, in memoryof so great a mai)
At last, Critias representedto Lygander, caused
hisstatue
of Persian
marble
to besetuptherfe
thattheLacedemonians
couldnever
securely
on,andordered
ahulltobesacrificed
tohim
annually
enjoy(heempire
of Greece
till theAthenian
de- } Ephorus
thehistorian,
asheiscitedbyDiodorej
mocracywereabsolutelydestroyed. Andthough Siculus (lib.liv.) givesanaccount
of hisdeath,quit*
the Athenians seemed at present to bear an different fromthoserecitedby Plutarch.He says.
oligarchy with some patience, yet Alcibiades, thatAlcibiadesViavingdiscovered
the design
of Cyroj
if he lived, would not suffer them long to sub- theyounger to takeuparms,informed Pharnabazw
of it, anddesiredthat hemightcarrythenewsto the
mit to sucha kindof government.Lysander,king;butPharnabazus envyinghimthat honour,
however,could not beprevaileduponby these senta confidant
of hisown,andlookall themeritto
arguments, until he receivedprivateordershimself,Akibiadcs suspecting
thematter, wentto
xomthemagistrates
of Sparta,*
to getAlci- nor
Faphlagonia,
lettersof and sought
to to
credence theprocurefrom
king; which thegover-
Pharnaba
zusunderstanding,
hiredpeopleto murderhim. He
*II TheScytala
wuMattoV«j» wai(lain
in(hefortieth
year
ofbitage.
158 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS.

The family of theMarcii affordedRomemany in Rome, was driven from the thione, and
illustrious patricians. Of this housewasAn- after many battles,foughtwith tad success,
cua Martins, who wasgrandsonto Numaby was now venturingall upon the last throw.
his daughter;aswere alsoPubliusandQuin- Most of the peopleat Latium, andmanyothet
tus Marcius,who suppliedRome with plenty statesof Italy, werenow assistingandmarch-
of the bestwater. Censorinus,too, who was ing towards Rome,to re-establishhim, not
twiceappointedCensorby thepeopleof Rome, throughanyregardtheyhadfor Tarquin, but
and who procureda law that no manshould for fear andenvyof the Romans,whosegrow-
ever bear that office twice afterwards, had the ing greatnessthey were desirousto check. A
same pedigree. battle ensued, with various turns of fortune,
CaiusMarcius,of whomI now write, waa Marcius distinguished himselfthatdayin sight
brought up by his motherin her widowhood; of the dictator; for seeinga Romanpushed
and from him it appeared, that the loss of a down at a small distancefrom him, hehastened
father, though attended with other disadvan- to his help, and standing before him, he en-
tages, is no hindyince to a man's improving gagedhis adversaryand slew him. When the
in virtueandattainingto a distinguishedexcel- disputewasdecidedin favourof the Romans,
lence; thoughbadmen sometimes allegeit as thegeneralpresented
Marcius,amongthefirst,
an excusefor their corruptlives. On the other with an oaken crown.* This is the reward
hand, the sameMarcius becamewitness to the which their custom assigns to the man who
truth of that maxim,that if a generousand savesthe life of a citizen; either because
they
noblenaturebe not thoroughlyformedby dis- honouredthe oakfor thesakeof theArcadians,
cipline, it will shoot forth many bad qualities whom the oracle called acorn eaters; or be-
alongwith the good,asthe richestsoil, if not causean acornbranchis mosteasyto behad,
cultivated,producesthe rankestweeds. His bethe sceneof action where it will; or be-
undauntedcourageand firmnessof mind ex- causethey think it most suitableto take a
citedhim to many great actions,andcarried crown for him who is the mtansof savinga
him through them with honour. But, at the citizen,fromthe tree whichis sacredto Jupi-
sametime, the violenceof his passions,hie ter, the protectorof cities Besides,the oak
spirit of contention and excessive obstinacy, bears more and fairer fruit than any tree that
rendered him uniractable and disagreeablein grows wild, and is the strongest of those that
conversation. Sothatthoseverypersons who are cultivatedin plantations. It affordedthe
saw with admirationhis soul unshakenwith first agesboth foodanddrink,by its acornsand
pleasures,toils, and riches,andallowedhim honey; andsuppliedmenwith birdsandother
to be possessedof the virtues of temperance, creatures for dainties, as it produced the
justice, and fortitude,yet in the councilsand mieletoe,of whichbirdlimeis made.f
affairs of state, could not endure his imperious Castor and Pollux are said to haveappeared
temper, and that savagemanner, which was in that battle, and with their horsesdropping
too haughty for a republic. Indeed, there is sweat, to have been seensoon after in theyb-
no other advantage to be had from a liberal rum, announcing the victory near the fountain,
education,equalto thatof polishingandsoften- wherethe templenow stands. Hencealsoit
ing our nature by reasonand discipline;for is said,that the fifteenthof July,} beingthe
that producesan evennessof behaviour, and day on which that victory was gained,is conse-
banishesfrom our mannersall extremes.There crated to those sonsof Jupiter.
is this, however, to be said, that in those It generally happens,that when menof
times military abilities were deemedby the smallambitionarevery early distinguished
by
Romans the highestexcellence, insomuch that the voice of fame,their thirst of honour is soon
the term which they use for virtue in general, quenched and their desires satiated: whereas
wasappliedby themto valourin particular. deepandsolid mindsareimprovedandbright-
Marcius,for his part, hada morethan ordi- enedby marksof distinction,whichserve,asa
nary inclinationfor war, andthereforefrom a briskgale,to drive themforwardin thepursuit
child beganto handlehis weapons. As he
thought that artificial armsavail but little,
unless those with which nature has suppliedus thetwo hundredandfifty-eighthof Rome,fourhtm-
bewell improved,
andkeptreadyfor use,he dred
andninety-third
before
theChristian
Era.
so preparedhimselfby exercisefor everykind * Theciviccrownwasthefoundationofmanypr.T-
of combat,that while hislimbswereactiveand ilege-. He whohadonceobtained
it, hada right
nimbleenough
for pursuing,
suchwashisforce towear
it always.Whenhe.appeared
at thepublic
indweightin wrestling
andgrappling
with He
spectacles,
thenear
waaplaced senators
theirrose
up;toand
bencn dohim honour.-
his father, and
theenemy,
thatnonecouldeasilygetclearof grandfather,
bythefatntr'iBide,
were
entitled
tothe
him. Those, therefore, that had any contest sameprivileges. Here was an encouragement
to
with him for the prize of courageandvalour, merit,whichcostthe publicnothing,audyetv>ai
thoughtheyfailedof success,
flattered
them-productive
of many
great
effects.
selveswith imputingit to hisinvinciblestrength, f h doesnot anywhere appearthattheancient!
whichnothingcould resistor fatigue. madeule of the oak in ship-building:
howmuch
He made his first campaign when he was nobler an encomium might an English historian af
ford that tree than Plutarch has been able to give it!
very young,* when Tarquin who hadreigned
J By the greatdisorderof the Romancalendar.
th«
fifteenth of July then fell upon the twenty-fourth o<
" ID the first year of the KTenty-urst Olympiad, our October*
 CAIUS MARCIUS COR10LA.NUS. 159

ofglory.They
donotaomuch thinkthattheyarms
to givein theirnames,
nota mantook
baverece'ved
a reward,
as thattheyhaveanynoticeof it. Something
wasthento be
given
apledge,
which
wouldmake themblushdone; butthemagistrates
differed
in their
tofallshortof theexpectations
of thepublic,opinions.Somethought
thepoorshouldhave
ind thereforetheyendeavour
bytheiractionsalittleindulgence,
andthattheextreme
rigour
to exceed
them. Marciuehad a eoulof this of thelawoughtto besoftened.Others
de-
frame. Hewasalwaysendeavouringto excel claredabsolutely
againstthat proposal,
and
himself,
andmeditating someexploitwhichparticularly
Marcius.Notthathethought
the
mightsethimin a newlight,adding
achieve-
money a matter
of greatconsequence,
buthe
mentto achievement, and spoilsto spoils; consideredthisspecimenof thepeople'sinso-
therefore,
the lattergenerals,
underwhomhe lenceas an attemptto subvertthe laws,and
served,werealwaysstrivingto outdothefor- the forerunnerof fartherdisorders,
whichit
merin thehonours theypaidhim,andin the became a wisegovernment timelyto restrain
tokens of their esteem. The Romans at that and suppress.
"amewereengaged in severalwars,andfought The senate assembledseveraltimeswithin
manybattles,andtherewasnotonethatMar- thespace of a fewdays,anddebated thispoint;
tius returned from without some honorary but as theycameto noconclusion,on a sudden
trown,someennobling distinction.The end thecommonalty rose,oneandall,andencour-
whichothersproposed in theiractsof valouragingeachother,theyleft thecity,andwith-
wasglory. Buthepursued glorybecausethe drewto the hill nowcalledSacred, nearthe
acquisitionof it delightedhis mother. For river Anio, but without committing any vio
when shewaswitnessto the applausehe re- lence or other act of sedition. Only as they
ceived,whenshesawhim crowned,when she wentalong,theyloudly complained," That it
embracedhim with tears of joy, then it was wasnow a greatwhile sincethe rich haddriv
that he reckoned himself at the height of en themfrom their habitations; that Italy would
honourand felicity. Epaminondas (theytell any where supplythem with air and water,
us) had the samesentiments,and declaredit anda placeof burial; andthat Rome,if they
the chief happinessof his life, that his father stated in it, would affordthemno other privi-
and motherlived to seethe generalship heex- lege,unlessit were such,to bleedanddie in
ertedandthe victoryhewon at Leuctra. He fightingfor their wealthyoppressors."
had the satisfaction,indeed,to see both his The senatewasthen alarmed,and from the
parentsrejoicein hissuccess,
andpartakeof oldestmenof their bodyselected
the most
his goodfortune; but only the motherof JVIar-moderateandpopularto treatwith the people-
cius,Volumnia,wasliving,andthereforehold- At the headof themwasMencninsAgrippa,
Ing himself obligedto pay her alJ that duty who after muchentreaty addressed to them,
which would have belongedto his father, over and many arguments in defence of the senate,
and above what was due to herself, he thought concluded his discourse with this celebrated
he could neversufficientlyexpresshis tender- fable. " The membersof the human body
ness and respect. He even married in com- once mutinied against the belly, and accused
pliancewithherdesireandrequest,
andafter it of lyingidleanduseless,
whiletheywereall
his wife had bornehim children,still lived in labouringandtoiling to satisfyits appetites;but
the samehousewith his mother. the belly only laughedat their simplicity,who
A; the time when the reputation and interest knew not that, though it received all the nour
whichhis virtue had procuredhim in Rome, ishmentinto itself,it preparedanddistributed
wereverygreat,the senate,takingthe part of it againto all partsof the body. Just so,my
the richer sort of citizens, were at variance fellow-citizene, said he, standsthe casebetween
with the commonpeople,who were usedby the senateandyou. For their necessary coun
their creditorswith intolerablecruelty. Those sels,and acts of government,are productive
that badsomethingconsiderable werestripped of advantageto you all, anddistributetheir sa-
of their goods,whichwereeither detainedfor lutary influenceamongstthe whole people."
security,or sold; and thosethat had nothing After thistheywerereconciledto the senate,
were draggedinto prison, and there bound havingdemandedand obtainedthe privilege
with fetters,thoughtheir bodieswere full of of appointingfive men,*to defendtheir righta
wounds, and worn out with fighting for their on all occasions. These are called tribunes of
country. The last expeditionthey were en- the people. The first that were elected,were
gagedin waa againstthe Sabines,on which Junius Brutua,! and SiciniuBVellutus, the
occasion their rich creditors promised to treat leaders of the secession. When the breach
them with more lenity, and, in pursuance of a
decreeof the senate,M. Valeriusthe Consul, * Thetribune:wereat firit fivein number;but"
was guaranteeof that promise. But when they fewyears
after,fivemorewereadded. Before
thepeo.
had cheerfully undergonethe fatigues of that pie left theMonsSaccr,theypassed a law, by which
the person! of the tribunes were made sacred. Their
war,and were returnedvictorious,
and yet sole
function
waatointerpose
inallerierances
offered
foundthat theusurersmadethemno abate-theplebeiansbytheirsuperiors
Thuinterposing
vt»>
ment,andthatthe senatepretendedto remem-calledintercesfio,
andwasperformed
bystandi/ip-
u>
ber nothing of that agreement,but without any »nd pronouncingthe tingle -wordVeto .' forbid it.
Theyhadtheir seat*placedat thedoorol it* senate
fort of concern saw them dragged to prison, »nd wereneveradmittedinto it, but whenrte cvrjujj
andtheirgoods
seizeduponasformerly,then caJled
them
toasktheiropinion
upon
some
afliir th»t
theyfilled the city with tumult andsedition. concerned theinterestsofthepeople.
The enemy,apprised of theseintestinebroils, t Thenameof thistribunewasLuciusJunius;and
invaded
theRoman
territories,
andlaidthembecame
Lucius
Junius
Bruluj
wa»famed
fordelivering-
WMte with fire and sword. And when the hii country
fromthe tyrannicyokeof thekings,he
alsoassumedthe surnameof Brutus,whichexpoMti
coaaubj
calleduponsuchaswereableto bear himtoagreat
dealofridicule.
160 PLUTARCH'S LlVfcfc.
Wasthusmadeup,the plebeianssooncameto danger,whilethe consulandthe Romans
under
beenrolledassoldiers,
andreadilyobeyed
the hiscommand
were,perhaps,
engaged
withthe
ordersof the consulsrelativeto the war. An enemy." As therewerenot manythatlistened
for Marcius, thoughhe was far from beini to whathe said,heput himselfat the headof
pleasedat theadvantageswhichthe peoplehai suchas offeredto follow him, and took the
gained, as it was a lesseningof the authority route which he knew would lead him to the
of the patricians, and though he found a con- consul's army; sometimes pressing hi* small
siderable part of the nobility of his opinion, party to hastentheir march, and conjuring them
yet, he exhorted them not to be backward not to suffertheir ardour to cool, and sometimes
whereverthe interestof their countrywascon- beggingof the godsthat the battle might not
cerned,but to shewthemselves superiorto the beover beforehe arrived,but that he might
commonaltyratherin virtue than in power. havehis sharein the glorioustoilsanddangers
Corioli was the capital of the country of the of his countrymen.
Volscians, with whom the Romans were at It was customary with the Romans of that
war. And as it was besieged by the consul age, when they were drawn up in order of
Cominius, the rest of the Volscians were much battle, and ready to take up their shields and
alarmed ; and assembledto succour it, intend- gird their garments about them, to make a
ing to give the Romans battle under the walls, nuncupative will, naming each his heir, in the
and to attack them on both sides. But after presenceof three or four witnesses. While the
Cominiushaddividedhis forces,andwith part soldierswerethusemployed,
andthe enemyin
went to meet the Volscians without, who were sight, Marcius came up. Some were startled
marching against him, leaving Titus Lartius, at his first appearance,covered as he waswith
an illustrious Roman,with the other part, to bloodandsweat. But whenhe rancheerfully
carry on the siege, the inhabitants of Corioli up to the consul, took him by the hand, and
despised the body that were left, and sallied told him that Corioli was taken, the consul
out to fight them. The Romans at first were clasped him to his heart: and those who heard
obligedto give giounJ, and were driven to their the news of that success,and those who did
entrenchments. But Marcius, with a small but guessat it, were greatly animated,andwith
party, flew to their assistance,killed the fore- shouts demandedto be led on to the combat
most of the enemy, and stopping the rest in Marcius inquired of Cominius in what manner
their career, with a loud voice called the Ro- the enemy's army was drawn up, and where
mans back. For he was (what Cato wanted a their best troops were posted. Being answered,
soldier to be) not only dreadful for the thun- that the Antiates who were placed in the cen-
der of his arm, but of voice too, and had an tre, were supposedto be the bravest and most
aspect which struck his adversarieswith terror warlike, " I beg it of you, then," said Marcius,
and dismay. Many Romans then crowding " as a favour, that you will place me directly
about him, and being ready to secondhim, the opposite to them." And the consul, admiring
enemy retired in confusion. Nor was he sat- his spirit, readily granted his request.
isfied with making them retire; he pressed When the battlewasbegunwith the throw-
hard upontheir rear, and pursuedthemquite ingof spears,
Marciusadvanced beforetherest,
up to the gates. There he perceivedthat his and chargedthe centreof the Volscianswith
mendiscontinuedthe pursuit,by reasonof the somuchfury, that it wassoonbroken. Never.
shower of arrows which fell from the walls, theless, the wings attempted to surround him-,
and that none of them had any thoughts of and the consul, alarmed for him, sent to hit
rushing along with the fugitives into the city, assistancea select band which he had near hii
which was filled with warlike people, who own person. A sharp conflict then ensued
were all under arms: nevertheless,he exhort- about Marcius, and a great carnageTas quick*
ed andencouraged themto pressforward,cry- ly made; but the Romanspressedthe enemy
ing out, "That fortunehad openedthe gates with somuchvigourthattheyputthemto flight
rather to the victors than to the vanquished." And when they were going upon the pursuit,
But,asfewwerewilling to followhim,hebroke they beggedof Marcius,now almostweighed
Jiroughthe enemy,and pushedinto the town downwith woundsandfatigue,to retire to the
with the crowd,no one at first daring to op- camp. But he answered,"That it wasnot
posehim,or evento look him in theface. But for conquerors to betired," andso joinedthem
whenhecast hiseyesaround,andsawso small in prosecutingthe victory. The wholearmy
a numberwithin the walls, whoseservicehe of the Volscianewasdefeated, great number!
could makeueeof in thatdangerous enterprise, killed, andmanymadeprisoners.
and that friends and foes were mixed together, Next day, Marcius waiting upon the consul.
he summoned
all his force, and performedthe and the army being assembled,Cominiui
mostincredibleexploits,
whetheryouconsidermounted the rostrum;andhavingin thefirst
his heroicstrength,
hisamazing agility,or his placereturnedduethanksto thegodsfor such
boldanddaringspirit; for heoverpowered all extraordinarysuccess,
addressed himselft«
that werein hisway,forcingsometo seekre- Marcius.He began with a detailof hisgal-
fuge in the farthestcornersof the town, and lantactions,of whichhe hadhimselfbeenpart-
othersto giveout andthrowdown their arms; ly an eye-witness, andwhich had partly been
whichafforded
Lartiusanopportunity
to bring relatedto him by Lartius. Thenoutof the
in the rest of the Romansunmolested. rreatquantityof treasure,the manyhorsesand
Thecitythustaken,mostof thesoldiers fell prisoners
theyhadtaken,he orderedhim to
to plundering,
whichMarciushighlyresented;akea tenth,beforeanydistribution wasmads
cryingout," That it wasa shame for themto :otherest,besides
makinghima presentof a
runaboutafterplunder, or, underpretenceof ine horsewith nobletrappings,
ai a rewird
collectingthespoils,to getoutof thewayof "orhisvalour.
 CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS. 161
Thearmyreceived
thisspeech
with greaitoo,some
of theRomans
receive
theirnames
applause;
and
Marcius,
stepping
forward,
saidfromthecircumstances
oftheirbirth;asthat
* Thatheaccepted
of thehorse,andwashappyof Proculus,if bornwhentheirfathersarein
in theconsul's
approbation;
butasfortherest,a distant
country;andthatof Posthumus,
if
heconsideredit ratheras a pecuniary
rewaK bornaftertheirfather's death;andwhentwins
thanasa markof honour,and therefore de- comeintotheworld,andoneof themdiesat
siredto be excused,beingsatisfiedwith his the birth, the survivoris called fopiscut-
(ingleshareof thebooty.OnefaTour only Names arealsoappropriated
onaccountof
in particular,"
continued
be," I desire,
ancbodily
imperfections;
foramongst
themwefind
begI maybe indulgedlu. I lian; a frienc notonlySylla,thered,andJViger,theMack}
amongthe Volaciane, boundwith mein the but«venCaous, thebliiul, andClaudius,the
tacredritesof hospitality,
amia manof virtue lame; suchpersons,by this custom,being
and honour. He is now amongthe prisoners, wiselytaught,not to considerblindness,
or any
and fromeasyandopulentcircumstances,
re- otherboiljlymisfortune,
asa reproach
or dis-
ducedto servitude. Of the manymisfortunesgrace,but to answerto appellationsof that
underwhich he labours,I should be glad to kind as their proper names. But this point
rescuehim from one,which is that of being might have been insisted uponwith greater
sold as d slave." propriety in another place.
These words of Marcius were followed with When the war was over, the demagogues
(till louder acclamations; his conquering the stirred up another sedition. And as there was
temptationsof moneybeingmoreadmiredthan no new causeof disquietor injury done the
the valourhe nadexertedin battle. For even people,they made useof the mischiefswhich
thosewhobeforeregardedhis superior honours werethe necessaryconsequence of the former
with envyandjealousy,now thoughthim wor- troublesand dissensions, as a handleagainst
thy of greatthings because
he hadgreatlyde- the patricians. For the greatestpart of the
clined them,andweremore struck with that groundbeingleft uncultivatedandunsown,and
virtue which led him to despisesuch extraor- the war not permitting them to bring in bread-
dinary advantages,
thanwith the merit which corn from other countries,there was an ei-
claimed them. Indeed, the right useof riches treme scarcity in Rome.* The factious orator*
is more commendable than that of arms; and then seeingthat corn was not broughtto market,
not to desirethem at all, more glorious than to and that if the market could be supplied, the
usethemwell. commonaltyhadbut little moneyto buy with.
When the acclamations
were over,andthe slanderously
asserted,that the rich had caused
multitude silent again, Cominius subjoined, the famine out cf a spirit of revenge.
u You cannot,indeed,myfellow-eoldiera, force At this juncture there arrived ambassadors
thesegifts of yoursupona personsofirmly re- from the peopleof Velitrs, who ofleredto sur-
"olved to refusethem; let us then give him rendertheir city to the Romans,anddesiredto
whatit is not in his powerto decline,let us havea numberof new inhabitantsto replenish
passa votethat he be called CORIOLA.NUS, if it; a pestilentialdistemperhavingcommitted
his gallantbehaviourat Corioli hasnot already suchravagesthere,that scarcelythe tenthpart
bestowedthatnameuponhim." Hencecame of the inhabitantsremained.The sensiblepart
bis third nameof Coriolanus. By whichit ap- of the Romansthoughtthis pressingnecessity
pearsthat Camswas the propername; that of Velitrz a seasonable andadvantageous
thing
the secondname,Marcius, was that of the for Rome,as it would lessenthe scarcityof
family; andthat the third Romanappellative ^revisions. They hoped,moreover,that the
wasa peculiarnote of distinction,givenafter- seditionwouldsubside,if the city werepurged
wardson account of someparticular act of of the troublesomepart of the people,who
fortune,or signature,or virtueof him thatbore mostreadilytook fire at the harangues of their
it. Thus amongthe Greeksadditionalnames orators, and who were as dangerousto the
weregivento someonaccountof their achieve-state as so manysuperfluous and morbid hu-
ments,asSoter,thepreserver,andCallinicus, moursare to the body. Such as these,there-
the victorious; to others, for somethingre- rore,theconsulssingledout for the colony,and
markablein their persons,as Physcon,the jitcheduponothersto servein the war against
gore-bellied,and Gripui, the eagle^nosed ; or :heVolscians,contrivingit sothat employment
for their goodqualities,as Euergetcs,the be- abroadmightstill the intestinetumults,andbe-
nefactor,andPhiladelphia,the kind brother; ieving,that whenrich andpoor,plebeians and
or theirgoodfortune,asEvdxmon,thepros- patricians,
cameto beararmstogether
again,
perous, a namegivento the secondprince of :obe in the samecamp,andto meetthe same
thefamilyof theBatti. Severalprincesalso dangers,
theywouldbedisposed
to treateach
havehadsatiricalnames bestoweduponthem. otherwithmoregentleness
andcandour.
Antigonus(for instance)wascalledDoson,the But the restlesstribunes,SiciniusandBra-
manthat will giveto-morrow,andPtolemy us,opposed
both thesedesigns,
crying out,
wasstyledLamyras,thebuffoon. But appel- that the consulsdisguiseda most inhumanact
lationsof thislastsort wereusedwithgreaterundertheplausible
termof a colony;for inhu-
latitudeamong the Romans.Oneof the manit certainly wag,tothrowthepoorcitizeui
Metelliwasdistinguishedbythename ofDia- intoa devouring
dematus, because he went a long time with
gulf,bysending
themtoa
a bandage, which covered an ulcer he had in * The peoplewithdrewto the sacredmountIOOB
big forehead:and anotherthey called Celer, afterthe autumnal equinoi,andthe reconciliation
becausewith surprising celerity he entertained withthepatricians
didnottakeplace
untilthewinter
themwithafuneral
show
ofgladiators,
afewjolstice,
sothat
actors,who the
were geed-time
to buywas
»ent lost.
corn And the
in other Romaa
countriei.
daysafterhis father'sdeath. In our times, "*ere
r«ryluuucceisful.
162 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

placewhere the air wao infected,and where reasonin deliveringup the fort of Fyloi,* at
noisomecarcaseslay aboveground,wherealso vhe latter end of the Peloponnesian war: a
theywouldbeat thedisposal
of a strange
and timewhenthegolden
agereignedin the Ro-
cruel deity. And asif it were not sufficientto mancourtsin all its simplicity.
nestroysomeby famine,andexposeothersto When,therefore, Marciusshewedthewoundi
the plague, they involved them also into a andscarshe hadreceivedin the manyglorious
needless war, that no kind of calamitymight battleshe hadfought,for seventeen yearssuc-
be wantingto completethe ruin of the city, be- cessively,the peoplewere struck with reve-
causeit refusedto continuein slaveryto therich. rencefor his virtue, andagreedto choosehint
Thepeople,irritatedbythesespeeches,nei- consul. Butwhenthedayof electioncaine,
therobeyed
thesummons to beenlisted
for the andhe wasconducted
with greatpompinto
war,norcouldbebroughtto approve theorder theCampus Marciusbythesenatein a body,
to go and peopleVelitra. While the senate all the patriciansacting with more zeal and
were in doubt what step they should take, vigour than ever had been known on the like
Marcius,now not a little elatedby the honours occasion;thecommons thenalteredtheirminds,
he hadreceived,by the senseof hisown great and their kindnesswas turned into envyand
abilities,andby thedeference thatwaspaidhim indignation. The malignityof thesepassion*
by the principalpersonsin the state,stoodfore- wasfartherassistedby the fear theyentertain-
mostin oppositionto thetribunes. The colony, ed, that if a man so stronglyattachedto the
therefore, was sent out, heavy fines being set interests of the senate,and so much respected
uponsuchasrefused
togo. Butastheydeclar-by the nobility,shouldattainthe consulship,
edabsolutelyagainstservingin thewar,Marcius he might utterly deprive the peopleof their
musteredup his own clients,andas manyvol- liberty. Influencedby theseconsiderations,
unteersas he could procure,and with these they rejectedMarcius, and appointedother*
madean inroadinto the territoriesof the Jin- to that office. The senatetook this extremely
ttatts. There he found plenty of corn, and ill, considering it as an affront rather intended
a greatnumberof cattle andslaves,no part of againstthem than againstMarcius. As fot
which he reserved to himself, but led his troops Marcius, he resented that treatment highly, in
back to Rome, loadedwith the rich booty. dulginghis irasciblepassions npon a supposi
The restof the citizensthen repentingof their tion,that theyhavesomething
greatandexalted
obstinacy,
andenvying
thosewhohadgotsuch in them;andwantinga duemixtureof gravity
a quantityof provisions,lookeduponMarciua andmildness,whichare thechief politicalvir-
Withanevil eye,not beingableto endurethe tues,and the fruits of reasonand education.
increaseof his powerandhonour,whichthey He did not consider,that the man who ap-
consideredasrisingon the ruinsof the people. plieshimselfto publicbusiness,
andundertakes
Soonafter,' Marciusstoodfor theconsulship;to conversewith men,should,aboveall things,
on which occasion the commonalty began to avoid that overbearing austerity, which (as
relent, being sensiblewhat a shameit would Plato says)is always the companionof soli
be to reject andaffronta manof his familyand tude, and cultivate in his heart the patience
virtue, andthat tooafter hehaddoneso many whichsomepeoplesomuchderide. Marcius,
signal servicesto the public. It wasthe cus- then,beingplain andartless,but rigid andin-
tom for thosewho were candidatesfor such flexiblewithal, waspersuaded, that to vanquish
a high office to solicit and caressthe people oppositionwasthe highestattainmentof a gal
in theforum, and,at thosetimes,to becladin lant spirit. He neverdreamedthat suchob-
a loosegown without the tunic; whetherthat stinacyis rather the effectof the weakness and
humble dress was thought more suitable for effeminacyof adistemperedmind, which breaks
suppliants,or whetherit was for the conve- out in violent passions,
like so manytumours;
nienceof shewingtheir wounds,assomanyto- andthereforehe went awayin great disorder,
kensof valour. For it wasnot from any sus- andfull of rancouragainstthe people. Such
picionthe citizensthen hadof bribery,that of theyoungnobilityasweremostdistinguish-
theyrequiredthecandidatesto appearbeforeedbytheprideof birthandgreatness of spirit,
them ungirt, andwithout any closegarment, who had alwaysbeenwonderfullytakenwith
when theycameto beg their votes; sinceit Marcius,and then unluckilyhappenedto at-
wasmuchlaterthanthis,andindeed manyagestendhim,inflamedhisresentment,byexpress-
after,thatbuying
andsellingstolein,andmoneying theirowngrief andindignation.For he
cameto be a, meansof gainingan election. wastheir leaderin everyexpedition,andtheir
Then, corruptionreachingalso the tribunals instructorin the art of war: be it waswho in-
and the camps,armswere subduedby money, spiredthem with a truly virtuous emulation,
andthecommonwealth
waschanged
intoamo- andtaughtthemto rejoicein theirownsuccess,
narchy. It wasa shrewdsaying,whoeversaid without envyingthe exploitsof others.
it, " That themanwhofirstruinedtheRoman In themeantime,a greatquantity of bread-
people,waahe whofirstgavethemtreatsand corn was broughtto Rome,being oartly
gratuities."But this mischiefcreptsecretlyboughtupin Italy,and partlya presentfrom
andgradually in, anddid not ehewits facein Gelon,kingof Syracuse.The aspectof af-
Romefor a considerable
time. For we know fairs appearednow to be encouraging;andit
not wlio it was that first bribed its citizens or washoped, that the intestine broils would cease
its judges;but it is said,that in Athens,the with the scarcity. The senate
therefore,
be-
firstmanwhocorrupted a tribunal,wasAnytas,ing immediately assembled,the peoplestood
the son of Anthymion,when he wastried for in crowds without, waiting for tne issueof
* It was(henett year,beingthe thirj of thescTenty- * The translationof 1758,hasthenameof thistori
lecond
Olympiad,
Tour
hundred
andeighty-eight
yearswithaFrench
termination.
P>jle,
whichu i clear
j>roof
before the Chruliau ara. that the Greek vrai not couiuJted.
 CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS. 163
theirdeliberations.
Theyexpected
thatthe forhimto make
hisdefence.
Butaahespurn-
market-rates for thecorn that was boughtedthemessengers, theywentthemselves, at-
wouldbemoderate, andthat a distributionof tendedby theaediles, to bringhimby force,
thatwhichwasa gift wouldbemadegratis; andbegan to laybands onhim.Uponthis th«
for therewassomewho proposed, that the patriciansstoodup for him,droveoff thetri-
senate shoulddispose of it in that manner.bunes, and beatthe adiles;till nightcoming
ButAlarcius stoodup,andseverely censured on brokeoffthequarrel.Earlyneit morning,
thosethatspokein favourof thecommonalty, theconsuls observing thatthepeople,
nowex-
callingthemdemagogues and traitorsto the tremelyincensed, flockedfromallquarters
into
nobility. He said,"They nourished, to their theJorum: anddreadingwhatmightbethe
owngreatprejudice,the pernicious seeds of consequence to thecity,hastilyconvened the
boldness andpetulance,whichhadbeensownsenate, andmoved,"Thattheyshould consider
among thepopulace, whentheyshouldratherhow,with kindwordsandfavourable resolu-
havenippedthemin the bud, andnot haresuf- tions,they mightbring the commonsto tem-
feredthe plebeians
to strengthen
themselves
per; for that this wasnota time to display
"with the Uibunilial power. That the people their ambition,nor wouldit be prudentto pur-
were now becomeformidable,gainingwhat- sue disputesabout the point ot"honour at a
everpointtheypleased,
andnotdoinganyone criticalanddangerous
juncture,
whichrequired
thing againsttheir inclination",so that living in the greatestmoderationanddelicacyof con-
a sortof anarchy,they would no longerobey duct." Ag the majorityagreedto the motion
the consuls,nor acknowledgeany superiorsthey went out to confer with the people,and
but thosewhom they called their own magis- used their bestendeavoursto pacify them,
trates. That the senators whoadvisedthatdis- coollyrefutingcalummes,and modestly,though
tributions should be madein the manner of the not without some degree of sharpness, com-
Greeks,whosegovernmentwasentirelydemo- plainingof their behaviour.As to the priceof
cratical, were effectingthe ruin of the con- bread-cornandotherprovisions,theydeclared,
stitution, by encouraging the insolence of the there should be no difference between them.
rabble. For that theywouldnot supposethey Greatpart of the peoplewere movedwith
receivedsuchfavoursfor the campaignwhich this application,and it clearly appeared,by
they hadrefusedto make,or for thesecessions
theii candidattention,that theywere readyto
by which they had deserted their country, or close with it. Then the tribunes stood up and
for the calumnies
whichtheyhadcountenancedsaid,"That sincethe senateacted with such
against the senate: but, (continued he) they moderation, the people were not unwilling to
will think that we yield to them through fear, make concessionsin their turn; but they in
and grant them such indulgences by way of sisted that Marcius should come and answer
flattery; and as they will expect to find us al- to these articles: Whether hehad not stirred
ways so complaisant, there will be no end to up the senate to the confounding of all gov-
their disobedience,no period to their turbulent ernment, and to the destroying the people'*
andseditiouspractices.It would,therefore,be privileges'! Whether he had not refuted to
perfect madness to take such a step. Nay, if obey their summons ? Whether he had not
we are wise, we shall entirely abolish the tri- beaten and otherwise maltreated the xdilesin
ounes'office,* whichhasmadeciphersof the the Jorum: andby thesemeans(soJar at in
consuls, and divided the city in such a manner, him lay) levied war, and brought ike citizens
that it is DOlonger one, asformerly, but broken to sheath their swords in eachother's bosomst
into two parts,whichwill neverknit again,or These things they said with a design,either
ceaseto vex and harasseach other with all to humbleMarcius,by makinghim to submit
the evilsof discori "f to entreatthe people'sclemency,which wa»
Marcius,haranguing to this purpose,
inspired much againsthis haughty temper*,or, if he
the youngsenators and almostall the menof followedhis nativebent,to draw him to make
fortune with his own enthusiasm;and they the breachincurable. The latter they were
cried out that be was the only man in Home in hopesof, andthe nlfter becausethey knew
who bad a spirit above the meannessof flatte- the man well. He stood as if he would have
ry andsubmission:yet someof the agedsena- madehis defence,and the peoplewaited in
tors foresawtheconsequence,
andopposed his silencefor what he hadto say. But when,in-
measures. In fact, the issue was unfortunate. stead of the submissive languagethat was ex-
For the tribuneswho werepresent,whenthey pected,he beganwith an aggravating boldness,
sawthat Marcius would have a majority of and ratheraccusedthe commons, thandefend-
voices,ran out to the people,loudly calling ed himself; when with the tone of his voice
uponthem to standby their own magistratesandthe fiercenessof his looks, he expressed
and give their best assistance.An assemblyan intrepidity borderingupon insolenceana
thenwas held in a tumultuarymanner,in contempt,
theylostall patience;andSicinius,
whichthe speeches
of Marciuswere recited, the boldestof the tribunes,after a shortcon-
andthepleoeians
ia theirfuryhadthoughts
of sultationwith his colleagues,
pronounced
breakingin upon the senate. The tribunes openly,that the tribunescondemned Marcius
pointedout their rageagainstMarcius in par- to die. He then orderedthe a;dilts to take
ticular,by impeaching
him in form, andsent himimmediately
uptothetopof theTirpciaa
* The tribune)hadlatelyprocured
» lav, which rock, and throw him down the precipice,.
Badeit penaltointerrupt
themwhentheywerespeak-However, when they cameto lay hands on-
ing tothepeople. him, the actionappearedhorribletvea to
t PlutarchVasomittedthemoltaggravating
passage
inCoriolaniu't
speech,
wherein
heproposed
thehold-many
of theplebeians.
Thepatricians,
shoc*.-
ashigha»ever,to keep ed andastonished,
ing upthepriceof bread-corn ran with great outcries
thepeople
IBdependance
andsubjection. to hia assistance,and got Marcius in the-
164 PLJTAROH'S LIVES.

midstof them,someinterposing
to keepoff isficd,and immediately
lay asideall renal
the arrest,andothersstretchingout their hands ment.
in supplicationto the multitude: but no re- Marcius,then seeingthe senateperplexed
gard waspaid to wordsand entreatiesamidst betweentheir regardfor him and fear of the
eucli disorder and confusion, until the friends people, asked the tribunes, "What they ac-
and relations of the tribunes perceivingit cusedhim of, and uponwhatchargebewasto
would be impossible to carry off Marcius and be tried beforethe people?"Beingtold, "That
punishhim capitally,withoutfirst spillingmuch he would betried for treasonagainstthecom-
patrician blood, persuadedthem to alter the monwealth,in designingto sethimselfupas a
cruel and unprecedentedpart of the sentence; tyrant:"* "Let me go then, (said he,) to the
not to useviolencein the affair, or put him to people, and make my defence;I refuseno
death without form or trial, but to refer all form of trial, nor any kind of punishment,if
to the people'sdeterminationin full assembly. I be foundguilty. Only allegeno othercrime
Sicimus,then a little mollified, askedthe againstme,and do not imposeuponthe sen-
patricians "What theymeantby taking Mar- ate." The tribunes agreed to these condi-
cius out of the handsof the people,who were tions,andpromisedthat the causeshouldturn
resolved to punish him?" To which they re- upon this one point.
plied by another question,"What do you But the first thing theydid, after the people
meanby thus draggingone of the worthiest were assembled,
was to compelthemto give
men in Rome, without trial, to a barbarous their voices by tribes,! and not by centuries;
and illegal execution?" "If that be all, (said thus contriving that the meanest and most se-
Sicimus,)you shall no longerhavea pretence ditiouspart of the populace,andthosewhohad
for your quarrels and factious behaviour to the no regard to justice or honour, might out-vote
people: for they grant you what you desire; suchas hadbornearms, or were of somefor-
the manshall havehis trial. And asfor you, tune andcharacter. In the next place,they
Marcius, we cite you to appear the third passedby the chargeof his affectingthe sove-
market-day,and satisfy the citizensof your reignty,becausethey could not prove it, and,
innocence, if you can; for then by their suf- instead of it, repeated what Marcius some-
frages your affair will be decided." The par- time before had said in the senate, against
tricians were content with this compromise;loweringthe price of corn, andfor abolishing
and thinking themselves happy in carrying the tribunitial power. And they addedto the
Marcius off, theyretired. impeachmenta new article, namelyhis not
Meanwhile, before the third market-day, bringinginto the public treasurythe spoilshe
which was a considerable space, for the Ro- had taken in the country of the Antiates, but
mans hold their markets every ninth day, and dividing them among the soldiers.} This last
thence call them Nundinx, war broke out accusation is said to have discomposedMar-
with the Antiates,* which, becauseit waslike- cius more than all the rest; for it was what he
ly to be of somecontinuance,
gavethemhopes did not expect,andhe could not immediately
of evadingthe judgment,sincetherewouldbe think of an answerthat wouldsatisfythe com-
time for the peopleto becometractable, to monalty; the praiseshe bestoweduponthose
moderatetheir anger,or perhapslet it entirely who madethat campaignwith him, serving
evaporatein the businessof that expedition. only to raise an outcry againsthim from the
But they soon made peace with the Antiates, majority, who were not concernedin it. At
and returned: whereupon, the fears of the last, when they cameto vote, he was condemn-
eenate were renewed, and they often met to ed by a majority, of three tribes, and the pen
consider how things might be eo managed,alty to be inflicted upon him was perpetual
that they should neither give up Marcius, nor banishment.
leave room for the tribunes to throw the peo-
ple into new disorders. On this occasion,
AppiusClaudius,
whowasthe mostviolent * It was
never
known
thatany
person
whoaffected
adversarythe commonshad, declared,"That
the senate would betray and ruin themselves,
and absolutely destroy the constitution, if defence,
" it wasto savethesecitizens,thatI received
theyshouldoncesufferthe plebeians
to as- thewounds
yousee
: letthetribunes
shew,
if they
can,
sumea powerof suffrage againstthepatri-how such actions
lay toare
myconsistent
charge." withthetreacherouj
cians." £ut the oldest and most popular of the designsthey
| From the reign of Servius Tullius, the Toiceshad
senators!were of opinion,"That the people, beenalways
gathered
bycenturies.Theconsuls
were
instead of behaving with more harshnessand for keepinguptheancientcustom,
beingwellapprised
severity,wouldbecome
mild and gentle,if thattheycouldsave Coriolanus, if thevoices were
reckoned by centuries, of which the knights and Uit
that power were indulged them; since they wealthiest of the citizens made the majority, being
did notdespise
thesenate,butratherthoughtprill)'sure
ofninety-eight
outofahundred
andseventy-
themselvesdespisedby it; and the prerog- three.Buttheartfultribunes,
alleging
that^inanaflair
ative of judging would be such an honour relatingto the rightsof thepeople,
everycitizen'svoU
to them,that they would be perfectlysat- consent
oughttotohave itsdueweight, would notbyanymeant
let the voicesbe collected otherwisethan by
tribes.
" Advicewassuddenlybroughtto Rome, thatthe ) " This,"saidtheTribuneDeeius," is aplainproof
peopleof Antiumhadseizedandconfiscated
the ships of his evil designs:with thepublicmoneyhesecured
belongingto Cretan's
ambassadorsin theirreturnto tohimself creaturesandguards,andsupporter! of hii
Sicily, and had even imprisonedthe ambassador].intendedusurpation. Let him makeit appearthatht
Hereupontheytookuparmsto chastise the Antiates, had powerto disposeof this booty withoutviolating
but theysubmittedanu madesatisfaction. thelaws. Let hintanswerto this onearticle,without
f Valeriuswasat theheadof these.He insistedalso dazzl
ding uswith thesplendidshowof his crownsand,
It largeou thehorrible consequences
of a civil war. scari>, or usinganytther art to blindthr assembly."
 CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS. 166

Afterthesentence
w»spronounced,thepeo-For,puttinghimselfin suchdothcsandhabil-
pl«weremoreelated,
andwentoff in greaterimentso« were moatlikely to preventoil
transportsthantheyever did on accountof 3 beingknown, like Ulysses,
victory in the field; the senate,on the other He stoleintothehostiletown.
hand,
werein thegreatest
distress,
andre- It wasevening
whenheentered,
andthougn
pented that they had not run the last risk, manypeoplemet himin thestreets,not oneof
rather than suffer the people to possessthem- them knew him. He passedtherefore on to
selvesofsomuch power, anduseit insoinsolentthehouse ofTullus,where hegotin undiscov-
amanner. There wasDO need thentolookuponered,andhaving directly made uptothefire-
theirdress, or anyothermarkof distinction, place,*he seated himselfwithoutsaying a
toknowwhichwagaplebeian andwhich apa-word,covering hisfaceandremaining in a
trician;themanthatexulted, wasa plebeian: composed posture.Thepeople of thehouse
and theman
Marcius that
alone was
was dejected,
unmoved a patrician.
and unhumbled. were verymuch surprisedj yettheydidnotven-
ture to disturb him, for there was something
Stillloftyin hisportandfirmin hiscounte- of dignitybothin hisperson andhissilence;
nance, heappeared nottobesorryforhimself,buttheywentandrelated thestrange adven-
and to be the only one of the nobility that was ture to Tullus, who was then at supper. TuJ-
not. Thisairof fortitude
wasnot,however, lus,upon
this,rose
fromtable,
andcoming
to
the
effect
ofreason ormoderation,
butthe man Coriolanus,
asked him\Vhohe
was,and
upon
wasbuoyedup by angerandindignation.And what business he was come 1 Coriolanus, un-
this, thoughthe vulgarknowit not, hasits rise covering his face, pausedawhile, and then thug
from grief, which, when it catches flame, is addressedhim: "If thou dost not yet know me,
turned to anger, and then bids adieu to all fee- Tullus, but distrustest thine own eyes,I must of
bleness
anddejection.
Hence,
theangry
mannecessity
be mineownaccuser.
I amCniua
iscourageous,
justashewhohas afever ishot,Marcius,
themind beinguponthe stretchandin a violent
whohave
brought
somany
calamities)
His subsequent behaviour soon upon the Volscians, and bear the additional
agitation. nameof Coriolanus, which will not sufferme to
shewed that he was thus affected.For having
deny that imputation, were I disposed to it.
returned to his own house,and embraced his For all the labours and dangersI have under-
mother and his wife, who lamented their fate
with theweakness
of women,
heeihorted
gone,
lation,I haveno
which other reward
distinguishesJell
my bulthai
enmity appel-
to your
them to bear it with patience, and then has- nation, and which cannot indeedbe taken from
tened to one of the city gates,being conducted
bythepatricians
inabody.Thushequitted
me.Ofevery
thing
else
I amdeprived
bytha
Rome,
without
asking
or receiving
aught
at envyand outrage
ofthepeople,
ontheone hand,
andthe cowardiceandtreacheryof the magis-
any man's hand; and took with him only three
or four clients. He spent a few days in a sol- trates and thoseof mine own order, on the
itary manner at some of bis farms near the other. Thus driven out an exile, I am come a
suppliant to thy household gods; not for shel-
city,
suchagitated withasuggested;
as his anger thousanddifferentthoughts,
in which he did terand protection,forwhyshould I come hith-
er, if I were afraidof death?but for
not proposeany advantageto himself, but con- againstthose who have expelledme, which vengeance
sidered only how he might satisfy his revenge
against
theRomans.
At lasthedetermined
roethinks,I begin totake,byputting myself
into thy hands.If, therefore,thou art disposed
to spirit up a cruel war against them from
some neighbouring nation; and for this pur- to attack the enemy,comeon, braveTullus,
pose to apply first to the Volscians, whom he availthyselfof mymisfortunes;let mypersonal
knewto beyetstrongbothin menandmoney,distress be the common happinessof the Vols-
and whom he supposedto be rather exasperat- cians. You maybeassured, I shall fightmuch
ed and provoked to farther conflicts, than ab- betterfor youthanI havefoughtagainst you,
solutely subdued. becausetheywho know perfectlythe stateof
There was then a person at Antium, Tullus the enemy'saffairs,are muchmorecapableof
annoying them, than such asdo not know them.
Aufidiua,by name,*highlydistinguished among But if thou hastgivenup all thoughtsof war,I
the Volscians, by his wealth, his valour, and
noble birth. Marcius was very sensible,that neitherdesireto live,nor is it fit for theeto pre-
ofalltheRomans, himselfwastheman whomserve aperson
whoofoldhasbeen thineene-
Tullusmost hated.For,excited byambition my, andnowisnotable
service." todotheeanysortof
and emulation, ae young warriors usually are,
theyhadinseveral engagements encountered higTullus,delighted
hand,and with
" Rise," this
said address,
he, gavehim
" Marcius,
and
each other with menaces, and bold defiances,
and thus had added personal enmity to the take courage. The presentyouthusmakeof
hatred whichreigned between thetwonations. yourself is inestimable;andyoumayassure
Butnotwithstanding all this,considering
theyourself
ful."
that
Then he
theVolscians
entertained
willnotbeungrate-
him at his tablewith
great generosity of TuJlus, and knowing that
hewas more desirous thananyoftheVolscians great kindness;andthenextandthefollowing
ofanopportunity toreturn upon theRomans days theyconsulted together
about thewar.
part of the evils his country had suffered, he Rome wagthenin great confusion,
byreasoi
took a method which strongly confirms that
laying of the poet, Tullus
Attiui; andwiththeman anonymousMS.
8CT««.AuAKut,however, whichi> verynearth.
StemWrath,howstrong
tbj rw»y!though
life'sthe Bodleian
reading,
has»Latinsound,and
probably
wu
forfeit, what Plutarch meantto write.
Thypurpose
mustbegained. " The6re-place,
having
thedomestic
gods
in it.ira
esteemed
.acred
;,andtherefore
alllUppDanlarcsorU*
and Dionviiu of Hilic»rn»»«» oil him to it, u to anujlum.
166 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

of the animouilyof the nobilityagainstthe corn- Kgiousinstitutionsin generalareverywist. OM

Dionswhich was considerablyheightenedby that this in particularis highly conducivew
thelatecondemnation of Marcius. Many prod- the purposesof piety, namely,that when the
igies were also announced by private persons, magistrates or priests are employed in any sa-
as well asby the priestsand diviners, oneof cred ceremony,
a heraldgoes before,andpro-
which was as follows: Titua Latiiius,* a man claims aloud, Hoc age, i. e. be attentive to
of no high rank,but of greatmodestyandcan- this; herebycommanding
everybodyto regard
dour, not addicted to superstition, much less to the solemn acts of religion, and not to suffer
lain pretences to what is extraordinary, had any businessor avocation to intervene anddis-
this dream. Jupiter, he thought, appearedto turb them; us well knowing, that men'satten
him, andorderedhim to tell the senate, That tion, especiallyin what concernsthe worship
they had providedhim a very badand til-fa- of the gods,is seldomfixed, but by a sort of
voured leader of the dance in the sacred pro- violence and constraint.
cession. When he had seen this vision, he But it is not only in so important a casethat
said,he paidbut little regardto it at first. It the Romansbeginanewtheir sacrifices,their
was presenteda secondanda third time, and processions, and games:they do it for very
heneglectedit: whereuponhehadtheunhap-smallmatters. If oneof thehorses thatdraw
pinessto seehis sonsickenanddie, andhe thechariots calledTensx,in whichareplaced
himselfwassuddenlystruckin sucha manner, the imagesof the gods,happenedto stumble,
asto losetheuseof hislimbs. Theseparticu-or if thecharioteer
took thereinsin hisleft
lars he relatedin the senate-house,
beingcar- hands;thewholeprocession
wasto berepeated
ried on his couch for that purpose. And he had And in later agesthey have set about one sac-
no sooner made an end, than he perceived, as rifice thirty several times, on account of some
they tell ua, his strengthreturn,androseup defector inauspicious
appearance
in it. Such
and walked home without help. reverence have the Romans paid to the Su-
The senatewere much surprised,and made a preme Being.
strict inquiry into the affair; the result of which Meantime Marcius and Tullua held secret
was, that a certain householderhad delivered conferences with the principal Volscians, in
up one of his slaves,who hadbeenguilty of which they exhortedthem to beginthe war,
tome offence, to his other servants, with an or- while Rome was torn in pieces with factious
der to whip him throughthe market place, disputes;but a senseof honourrestrained
some
and then put him to death. While they were of them from breakingthe trur.e whichwas
executingthis order,andscourgingthe wretch, concludedfor two years. The Romans,how-
who writheu himself, through the violence of ever, furnished them with a pretence for it,
pain, into various postures,! the processionhaving,throughsomesuspicion
or falsesugges-
happened
to comeup.Manyof thepeople
that tion,caused
proclamation
to bemade
atoneof
composedit were fired with indignation,for the public showsor games,that all the Vols-
the sight was excessivelydisagreeableand ciansshouldquit the townbeforesunset.Some
shockingto humanity;yet nobodygavehimthe say, it wasa stratagemcontrivedby Marcius,
least assistance;only cursesand execrationswho suborneda personto go to the consuls,
were vented againstthe man who punishedandaccusethe Volsciansof a designto attack
with so much cruelty. For in thosetimes they the Romansduring the games,and to set fire to
treatedtheir slaveswith greatmoderation,and the city. This proclamationexasperated the
this wasnatural,because theyworkedandeven whole Volsciannation againstthe Romans:
ate with them. It wasdeemed a greatpunish-andTullus, greatlyaggravatingtheaffront,"at
ment for a slave who had committed a fault, to last persuaded them to send to Rome to de-
take up that pieceof woodwith which they mandthatthe landsandcitieswhichhadbeen
supportedthe thill of a wagon, and carry it takenfrom themin the war shouldberestored.
round the neighbourhood. For he that was thus The senatehaving heard what the ambassadors
exposedto the derision of the family and other had to say, answered with indignation, "that
inhabitants of the place, entirely lost his cred- the Volscians might be the first to take up
it, andwasstyledFwrcifer: the Romanscall- arms,but the Romanswould be the lastto lay
ing that piece of timber furea which the themdown." Hereupon,Tullus summoned a
Greeks call hypostates, that is, a supporter. general assemblyof his countrymen, whom he
When Latimus hadgiventhe Senatean ac- advisedto sendfor Marcius,andforgettingall
count of his dream, and they doubted who this past injuries, to rest satisfied that the service
ill-favoured andbadleaderof thedancemight he would do them, now their ally, would
be, the excessive severity of the punishment greatly exceed all the damagethey had recei?-
put someof themin mindof the slavewho was ed from him, while their enemy.
whipt through the market place, and after- Marcius accordinglywascalledin, andmade
wards put to death. All the priestsagreeingan oration to the people;who found thathe
that he mustbe the personmeant,his master knewhow to speak, as well asto fight, andthat
hada heavyfine laid uponhim,andthe proces- he excelledin capacityas well ascourage,and
sionandgameswere exhibitedanewin honour thereforethey joinedhim in commission with
of Jupiter. Henceit appears,thatNuma'sre- Tullus. As he wasafraid that the Volscians
would spendmuchtime in preparations,and
* Livy calls him Titus Atiniug.
f Accordingto Dionysiusof Halicarnassus,
themas- * "We alone,"saidhe,"of all thediflcrentcations
ter hadgivenordersthatthe ilaveshouldbepunished nowin Rome,arcnotthoughtworthyto secdiegame*.
|t theheadof the procession,to makethe ignominy We alone,like the profanest wretchesaiid oudawi
Wemore notorious:which wasa still greateraffront we drivenfrom a publicfestival. Go, and **U
the deityipwhosehonourtheprocession
waj led in all yourcitiesandvillages
thedistinguishing
milk
Uu Romanshate put upon m."
 CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS. 167
to loseafavourable
opportunity
foraction,he whichhetookbyassault;andbecausethey
left it to themagistrates
andotherprincipalmaderesistance,
soldtheinhabitants
asslaves,
personsinAntiumtoprovide
troopsandwhat-andplundered theirhouses.
At thesame time
everelsewasnecessary,
whilehe,without
mak-hetookparticular careof suchasvoluntarily
inganysetlevies,
tookanumber ofvolunteers,
came overtohim;against
andthat theymightnot
andwiththemoverranthe Romanterritoriessustainanydamage hiswill, he always,
beforeanybodyin Romecouldeipectit. encamped at thegreatest distance
hecould.
Therehemade somuch booty, thattheYol- andwouldnoteventouchupontheirlands, if
gciansfoundit difficult to carry it off, andcon- he couldavoidit.
sume it in thecamp.Butthegreatquantity Afterwards he tookBolte,whichis little
of provisionshecollected, andthedamage be orethantwelve milesfromRome, wherehe
didtheenemy, bycommitting suchspoils, wasputto theswordalmostall thatwereof age
theleastpartof theservice in this expedition.to beararms,andgotmuchplunder.Therest
The greatpointhehadin view,in thewholeof theVolscians, whowereleft asa safeguard
matter,wasto increase thepeople's suspicionsto the towns,hadnot patienceto remainat
of the nobility. For, whilehe ravaged the homeanylonger,but ranwith theirweapons
wholecountry,hewasveryattentive to sparein theirhandsto Marcius,declaringthatthey
the landsof the patricians, and to seethat knewnootherleaderorgeneral buthim. His
nothing shouldbecarried orTfromthem.Hence,nameandhisvalourwererenowned through
theill opinion
thetwoparties hadofeachother; Italy. All were astonished that one man'n
andconsequently thetroublesgrewgreater than changing sidescouldmakeso prodigious an
ever; the patriciansaccusing
the plebeiansof alterationin affairs.
unjustlydrivingoutcueof thebravest
menin Nevertheless, therewasnothingbutdisorder
Rome,andtheplebeians reproaching
themwith at Rome. The Romans refused
to fight,and
bringingMarciusuponthem,to indulgetheir passed
theirtimein cabals,
seditious
speeches,
revenge, andwithsittingsecurespectators
of andmutualcomplaints;
untilnewswasbrought
what otherssufferedby the war,while the war that Coriolanushad laid siegeto Lavinium,
itself wasa guardto their landsandsubsist-wheretheholysymbols
of the godsof theil
ence. Marcius having thus effectedhis purpose, fatherswere placed,and from whencethey
and inspiredthe Volscians
with courage,
not derivedtheiroriginal,that beingthefirstcity
onlyto meet,butevento despise theenemy,whichjEneasbuilt. A wonderful anduniver-
drew off his partywithout beingmolested. salchangeof opinionthenappearedamongthe
The Volscianforcesassembled
with greatpeople,and a verystrangeand absurdone
expeditionandalacrity: andtheyappearedso amongthe patricians. The peoplewere de-
considerable,that it was thought proper to sirousto annulthe sentenceagainstMarciu*,
leavepart to garrisontheir towns,-whilethe and to recal.him to Rome,but the senate
restmarchedagainstthe Romans. Coriolanusbeing assembled to deliberateon that point,
leavingit in theoptionof Tulluswhichcorpsfinallyrejectedthe proposition;eitheroutof
hewould command,Tullus observed,that as a perverse humourof opposingwhatevermeas-
his colleaguewasnot at all inferior to himself ure the peopleespoused,
or perhapsunwilling
in valour,and had hithertofoughtwith better that Coriolanusshould owe his return to the
auccess, he thoughtit most advisablefor him favourof the people;or elsehavingconceived
to leadthe armyinto the field, while himself someresentmentagainsthim for harassing
rtayedbehindto providefor the defenceof the anddistressingall the Romans,when he had
towns,andto supplythe troops,that madethe beeninjured only by a part, and for shewing
campaign, with everything necessary.* himselfan enemyto his country, in which he
Marcius,strengthened still more by this di- knewthe mostrespectable bodyhadbothsym-
visionof the command,marchedfirst against pathizedwith him, andsharedin his ill-treat-
Circeiijt a Roman colony; and as it surrender- ment: this resolution being announced to the
ed without resistance,he would not suffer it to commons,*it was not in their power to pro-
be plundered. After this he laid waste the ceedto vote, or to passa bill; for a previous
territories of the Latins, expectingthat the decreeof the senatewasnecessary.
Romanswould hazarda battlefor the Latins, At this news, Coriolanuswas still more
who were their allies, and by frequent messen- exasperated; so that quitting the siege of La-
gerscalleduponthemfor assistance.But the vinium,! he marchedwith great fury towards
commonsof Rome shewedno alacrityin the Rome,and encampedonly five milesfrom it,
affair, and the consuls, whoseoffice was almost at the Fossx Cluiligs. The sight of him caused
expired,were not willing to run such a risk,
great terror andconfusion,but for the present
andthereforerejectedtherequestofthe Latins.it appeasedthe sedition: for neithermagistrate
Marcius then turned his armsagainstToleri- nor senatordurst any longeropposethe peo-
um,Labici, Pedum,andBola,citiesof Latium, ple'sdesireto recalhim. When theysawthe
womenrunningup anddown the streets,and
" It wouldhavebeenveryimprudent
in Tullusto the supplicationsandtearsof the agedmenat
haveleftCoriolanus,
whohadbeenanenemy, andnow the altars of the gods,when all courageanu
mightpossibly
beonlyapretcaded
friend,at theheadspirit weregone,andsalutarycouncilswereno
of an army in the bowelsof his country, while he was
marching
atthehead
ofanother
against
Rome. * Perhaps
thesenate
now refused
tocomply
-with
f For the right terminations
of this,andothertowns thedemands of thepeople,either to clearthemselrei
toon after mentioned,<eeLify, book ii. c. 39. Plu- from the suspicion
of maintaininga correspondent*
tarchcallsthe townCircteum.His erroris much withCoriolanut,
or possibly
outof thatmagnanimity
greater,
whena little below
hewritesCloeliainsteadwhichmade
theRomansaverseto peace,
whenthtj
of Cluilia. Sometimes, too, the former translator were attendedwith bad successin war.
uakti a mistake
wherePlutarch
hadmade
none. } Helefta body
of troopstocouUoue
theblockad*
 168 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

more; then theyacknowledged that the people When the termwagexpired,andCoriolu*

were right in endeavouring
to bereconciledto returnedwith all his forces,theysenta second
Coriolanus, and that the senatewere under a embassy," To entreat him to lay aside his re-
great mistake, in beginningto indulge the sentment,to draw off the Volsciansfrom theii
passionsof angerand revengeat a time when territories,andthento proceedasshouldseem
they shoulj haverenouncedthem. All, there most conduciveto the advantageof both na-
fore,agreedto sendambassadorsto Coriolanus tions. For that the Romanswould not give
to offer him liberty to return, and to entrea up any thing through fear; but if he thought
him to put an end to the war. Those tha it reasonablethat the Volsciansshouldbe in-
went on the part of the senate,beingall eithei dulged in someparticular points,they would
relationsor friendsof Coriolanus,expecteda be duly consideredif they laid down their
the first interviewmuchkindnessfrom a man arms." Coriolanusreplied,"That asgeneral
who was thus connectedwith them. But i of the Volscians,he would give them no an-
happenedquite otherwise;for, beingconduct swer; but as one who was yet a citizen of
ed through the Volscian ranks, they found Rome, he would adviseand exhort them to
him seatedin council, with a number of greal entertain humble thoughts,and to comewithin
officers,andwith aninsufferable
appearance
ol three dayswith a ratificationof the just con-
pomp and severity. He badethem then de- ditionshe hadproposed. At thesametimehe
clare their business,which they did in a very assured them, that if their resolutions should
modest and humble manner, as became the be of a different nature, it would not be safe
stateof their affairs. for themto comeany moreinto his campwith
When they had madean end of speaking, empty words."
he answeredthemwith much bitternessand The senate,having receivedthe reportof
high resentment of the injuriesdonehim; and, theambassadors,consideredthecommonwealth
as generalof the Volscians,he insisted" Thai as ready to sink in the wavesof a dreadful
the Romans should restore all the cities and tempest, and therefore cast the last, the sacred
landswhichtheyhadtakenin theformerwars; anchor,as it is called. They orderedall the
andthat theyshouldgrant by decreethe free- priestsof the gods,the ministersandguardians
dom of the city to the Volscians,as they had of the mysteries,and all that, by the ancient
doneto the Latins; for that no lasting peace usageof their country,practiseddivinationby
could be madebetweenthe two nations,but the flight of birds,to go to Coriolanus, in then
upon these just and equal conditions." He robes,with the ensignswhichthey bearin the
gavethemthirty daysto considerof them; and dutiesof their office,and exert their utmost
having dismissedthe ambassadors, he imme- endeavours to persuadehim to desistfromthe
diately retiredfrom the Romanterritories. war, andthen to treat with his countrymen of
Severalamongthe Volscians,who for a rong articles of peace for the Volscians. When
time hadenviedhis reputation,and had been they came,he did, indeed,vouchsafe to admit
uneasyat the interesthe hadwith the people, theminto the camp,but shewedthemnoother
availed themselves of this circumstance to favour, nor gave them a milder answer than
calumniateandreproachhim. Tollus himself theothershadreceived;hebadethem,inshort,
wasof the number. Not that he hadreceived "either accept the former proposals,or pre-
any particularinjury from Coriolanus;but he parefor war."
was led awayby a passiontoo naturalto man. When the priestsreturned,the Romansre-
It gavehim painto find his ownglory obscured,solvedto keep close within the city, andto
and himself entirelyneglectedby the Volsci- defendthe walls; intendingonly to repulsethe
ans,who looked upon Coriolanusas their su- enemy,should he attack them, and placing
preme head, and thought that others might :heir chief hopeson the accidentsof timeand
well be satisfied with that portion of power "ortune: for theyknew of no resource within
andauthoritywhichhethoughtproperto allow themselves;the city was full of trouble and
them. Hence, secret hints were first given, :onfusion,terror, and unhappypresages.At
and in their private cabalshis enemiesex- ast, somethinghappenedsimilar to what is
pressed
their dissatisfaction,
givingthe nameoftenmentioned
by Homer,butwhichmenin
of treason to his retreat. For though he had jeneral are little inclined to believe. For
not betrayedtheir cities or armies,yet they when,on occasionof anygreatanduncommoi
eaid he had traitorouslygiven up time, by event,he says,
which these and all other things are both won Pallui inspired that counsel;
and lost. He had allowed thema respite of no
lessthanthirtydays,knowing
theiraffairs
to andagain,
be so embarrassed,that they wanted such a
spaceto re-establiihthem. Butsome
immortal
powerwhorale*lh«mod
Coriolanus,
however,did not spendthose Changed
theirreeorrei;
thirty daysidly. He harassed theenemy's
allies,* laid waste their lands, and took seven
andelsewhere,
great andpopularcities in that interval. The Thethought
ipontaneous
riling,
Romansdid not venture to send them any suc- Or by somegodinspired------
cours. They were as spiritless, and as little
disposed
In thewar, as if their bodieshadbeen They despisethe poet,as if, for the sakeof
relaxed*,<d benumbed
with thepalsy. absurdnotionsand incrediblefables,he en-
* By th' i he preventedthe alliesof the Roman*from deavoured
to takeawayour libertyof will. A
uiutinpJiem,
andguajded
agaioit
thecharge
of hingwhichHomerneverdreamed
of: for
treacher -?which
some
oftheVoUcianj
were
read/to vhateverhappens
in the ordinarycourse
of
Vringatamit him. things, and is the effect of reason and COB
 CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANt-S. 169
eideration,
heoften
ascribes
toourown
power;
andhonourable
testimony
toyourcountry,
that
as, though
shehasreceived
thegreatest
injuries
Myowngreatmind fromhim,yetshehasneitherdonenorresolv-
I then
consulted. eduponanythingagainst
youin her anger,
Andinanother
place, butrestores
yousafeintohi»hands,
though
perhaps
shemaynotobtain
anybetter
teimsto
Achilles
heard withgrief;andwiou thoLghU herselfonthataccount."
Perplexed his mighty mind. When Valeria hadthin spoken,the restof
Oncemore, the womenjoinedher request. Volumnia
- Buttheinr»in gavethemthisanswer:"Besides
the share
Tempted
Bellerophoo.
Thenobleyouth whichwehaveinthegeneral
calamity,
weare,
WithWudom'i
ihieldwasarm'd. myfriends,in particular,veryunhappy;
since
Marcius is lost to us, hia glory obscured,
and
And in extraordinaryandwonderful actions,
which require some supernatural impulse and
hisvirtue
gone;
since
webehold
himsurround-
enthusiasticmovement, he never introducesthe edby thearmsof theenemies
of hiscountry,
not as their prisoner, but their commander.
Deity as depriving man of freedomof will, but But it is still a greatermisfortuneto us, if our
la moving the will. He does not represent
the heavenly Power aa producing the resolu- countryis become soweakasto haveneedto re-
tion, but ideas which lead to the resolution. poseherhopesuponus. For I knownot wheth-
er he will haveany regardfor us, sinceheha»
The act, therefore, ia by no meansinvolunta- had none for his country, which he used to
ry, sinceoccasion isonlygiven to freeopera-
tions, and confidence and good hope arc »u-
prefer
tohismother,
tohiswife,and
children.
peradded. For either the Supreme Being Take us,however,and make what use of us
must beexcluded fromallcausality andinflu-youplease. Leadustohim. If wecando
ence upon our actions, or it must beconfessed nothingelse,we can expireat his feet in sup-
thatthisis theonly wayin whichheassists plicatingfortook
She then Rome."
the children and Virgilia with
men and co-operateswith them; since it is not her,* and went with the other matrons to the
to be supposed that he fashionsour corporeal Volsciancamp. The sightof themproduced,
organs or directs the motions of our handsand
feet to the purposes he designs,but that by even in the enemy, compassionand a reveren-
certain motives and ideas which he suggests, tial silence. Coriolanus, who then happened
he either excites the active powers of the will, to be seateduponthe tribunalwith his princi-
or elserestrains
them.* pal officers,
seeingthewomenapproach,
was
TheRoman
women
werethendispersed
in greatly agitated
he endeavoured and surprised.
to retain Nevertheless,
his wonted sternness
the several temples, but the greatestpart and and inexorable temper, though he perceived
the most illustrious of the matrons made their
supplications at the altar of Jupiter Capitoli- that hie wife was at the head of them. But,
nus. Among the last was ValehA, the sister of unable to resist the emotions of affection, he
could not suffer them to address him as he sat.
the great Publicola, a person who had done He descended from the tribunal and ran to
the Romans the most considerable services both
meet them. First he embraced his mother for
in peace and war. Publicola died some time
oefore,
aswehaverelated
in hislife; butVa-a considerable
time,andafterwards
hiswife
leria still lived in the greatestesteem; for her and children, neither refraining from tears nor
lifedidhonourto herhighbirth. Thiswo- any otherinstance
ofnatural tenderness.
When he had sufficiently indulged his pas-
man discerning by some divine impulse, what
wouldbethebestexpedient, roseandcalledsion,andperceived thathismother wanted to
upontheothermatrons toattendherto the speak, hecalledtheVolscian counsellors to
house of Volumnia,t themother of Coriolanus.him,andVolumnia expressed herselfto this
Whensheentered, andfound hersittingwith purpose:
"Yousee, myson,byourattireand
miserablelooks,andthereforeI maysparemy-
her daughter-in-law, and with the children of
Coriolanuson her lap, she approachedher self the trouble of declaring, to what condition
withherfemale companions, andspoke tothis yourbanishment hasreduced us. Thinkwith
effect:"We address ourselvestoyou,Volum-yourself whether we are not the mostun-
m'aandVirgilia, aswomen towomen, withouthappy of women, whenfortunehaschanged
any decree of the senate or order of the con- the spectaclethat should have been the most
suls. Butourgod,webelieve, lending amer-pleasing intheworld,intothemostdreadful;
ciful ear to our prayers, put it in our minds to whenVolumnia beholdsher son,andVirgiha
applyto you,andto entreatyou to do a thing her husband, encamped in a hostile manner
that will not only be salutary to us and the beforethe wallsof his nativecity. And what
othercitizens,but moregloriousfor you,if you to others is the greatest consolation under mis-
hearkentous,thanthereducing theirfathersfortuneandadversity,
I meanprayerto the
andhusbands frommortal
enmitytopeace andgods, tousis rendered
impracticable;
forwe
friendship,
wastothedaughters
of theSabines.cannotat thesametimebegvictoryfor our
Come, then,goalongwithus to Coriolanus; countryandyourpreservation,
Nit whatour
join your instances to ours; and give a true worstenemies
wouldimprecate
onusa curse.

* Plutarch represent* the Divine assistanceas a " Valeriafirstfareadvice of thisdesign

to thecon-
moralinfluence, prevailing(if it doesprevail)byra- ils,whoproposed it in Ihetenate,where,afterlong
tionalmotives.And the bestChristiandivinesde- oebates, it wasapproved of bythefathers.ThenVe-
"cribeit inIhesamemanner. turta,andthemost
illujtrioiu
oftheRoman matrons,
f Dionysiusof Halicarnassus
andLiry call hi* mo- in chanoUwhichtheconsuls hadorderedto becot
ther\ tturia,andhiswifeVolumnia. rcadvforthem,tooktheirwaytotheenemy'icamp-
170 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

must of necessitybe interwoven with our but ruinous to me.* I go, vanquishedby you
prayers. Your wife and children must either alone." Then, after a short conference with
lee their countryperish,or you. As to my his mother andwife in private,he tent them
own part,I will not live to see this war de- back to Rome, agreeably to their desire.
cided by fortune. If I cannotpersuadeyou Next morninghedrew off the Volscians,who
to prefer friendship and union, to enmity and had not all the same sentiments of what had
its ruinous consequences,and so to become a passed. Some blamed him; others, whose in-
benefactorto both sides,rather than the de- clinations were for peace, found no fault;
"tructionof one,you musttake this alongwith others again, thoughthey dislikedwhat was
you, andprepareto expectit, that you shall done,did not look upon Coriolanusas a bad
not advanceagainst your country, without man,but thoughthe wasexcusable in yielding
tramplinguponthe deadbodyof herthat bore to suchpowerfulsolicitations.However,none
you. For it docsnot becomeme to wait for presumedto contradicthis orders,thoughthey
that day, when my son shall be either led cap- followed him rather out of veneration for his
tive by his fellow-citizens, or triumph over virtue, than regard to his authority.
Rome. If, indeed, I desired you to save your The sense of the dreadful and dangerous
country by ruining the Yolscians, I confess circumstances which the Roman people had
the casewould be hard, and the choicediffi- beenin, by reasonof the war, neverappeared
cult: for it would neither be honourableto sostrongas whentheyweredeliveredfromit.
destroy your countrymen,nor just to betray For nosoonerdid theyperceivefromthewalls,
thosewho haveplacedtheir confidence in you. that the Volscianswere drawingoff, than all
But what do we desireof you,more than de- the templeswereopenedandfilled with per-
liverancefrom our own calamities?A deliv- sonscrownedwith garlands,and offeringsa-
erance which will be equally salutary to both crifice, as for some great victory. But in
parties," but most to the honour of the Vols- nothing was the public joy more evident than
cians, since it will appearthat their superiority in the affectionate regard and honour which
empowered them to grant us the greatest of both the senate and people paid the women,
blessings, peace and friendship, while they whom they both considered and declared the
themselvesreceive the same. If thesetake meansof their preservation. Nevertheless,
place, you will be acknowledgedto be the when the senatedecreedfthat whateverthey
principal cause of them; if they do not, you thought would contribute most to their glory
alone must expect to bear the blame from both and satisfaction, the consuls should take care
nations. And though the chance of war is un- to seeit done, they only desired that a temple
certain, yet it will be the certain event of this, might be built to the FORTUNEOFWOMEN, the
that if you conquer,you will bea destroying expenseof whichthey offeredto defraythem-
demonto your country; if you are beaten,it selves,requiring the commonwealth to beat
will be clear that, by indulgingyour resent- no other charge than that of sacrifices,and
ment, you have plunged your friends and ben- such a solemn service as was suitable to the
efactors in the greatest of misfortunes." majesty of the gods. The senate, though they
Coriolaiiuslistenedto his motherwhile she commended
their generosity,orderedthetem-
went on with her speech, without saying the ple and shrine to be erected at the public
least word to her; and Volumnia, seeing him charge$ but the women contributed their
stand a long time mute after she had left money notwithstanding, and with it provided
speaking, proceeded again in this manner: another image of the goddess,which the Ro-
"Why are you silent, my eon? Is it an honour mans report, when it was set up in the temple,
to yield every thing to anger and resentment, to have uttered these words, O WOMEN!MOST
and would it be a disgrace to yield to your mo- ACCEPTABLE TO THE CODSIS THISTOURPIODS
ther in so important a petition? Or does it be- GIFT.
come a great man to remember the injuries They fabulously report that this voice wai
done him, and would it not equally become a repeated twice, thus offering to our faith things
great and good man, with the highest regard that appear impossible. Indeed, we will not
and revurence, to keep in mind the benefits deny that images may have sweated,may have
he has received from his parents? Surely you, beencovered with tears, andemitted dropslike
of all men, should take care to be grateful, blood. For wood and stone often contract a
who have suffered so extremely by ingratitude. scurf and mouldiness, that produce moisture;
And yet, though you have already severely and they not only exhibit many different co-
punishedyour country, you have not made lours themselves,
but receivevarietyof tinc-
your mother the least return for her kindness. tures from the ambient air: at the same time
The most sacred ties both of nature and reli- there is no reasonwhy the Deity may not make
gion, without any other constraint, require that use of these signs to announcethings to come.
you shouldindulgeme in this just andreason-It is also verypossiblethata soundlike that of
able r«"iuest; but if words cannot prevail, this a sigh or a groan may proceed from a statue.
only resource is left." When she had said this, by the rupture or violent separation of someor
she threw herself at his feet, together with his
wife and children; upon which Coriolanus " He well foresaw, that the Volscianswould never
crying out,"O mother!what is it youhave forgivehimthefavour hedidtheirenemies.
done'"raisedher fromthe ground,andten- should
f 11was decreed
be engraventhat
on a anencomium
public ofthose
monument. matrons
derlypressingherhand,continued,"You have } It waserectedintheLatinway,about fourmikl
gaineda victory fortunate for your country, fromRome,
ontheplace
whereVeturia
hadovercome
the obstinacyof her son. Valeria, who had proposed
" Shebeffgeda trucefor a year,that In that lime sosuccessful
a deputation,
wasthefirst priestess
of thii
mea5urcs
might belakcufor sctUiuga solidandlasting temple,which was muchfrequentedby the
peace. women.
 CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS. 17]

Uieinterior parts: but that an articulatevoice had conferredupon them. For they would
»cd expression so clear, go full and perfect, never havethoughtthemselves injuredin not
"houidTallfroma thing inanimate,ia out of all conqueringRome,if theyhad not beennear
the boundsof possibility. For neitherthe soul takingit throughhismeans. The conspirators,
of man,norevenGod himself,can uUervocal therefore,judged it prudent not to wait any
sounds,andpronounce wordswithoutan orga- longer,or to try the multitude;andthe naldest
nized body and parts fitted for utterance. of their faction, crying out that a traitor ought
Wherever, then, history isserte euch things, not to be heard,or sufferedby the Yolscians
andbearsusdownwith the testimonyof many to act the tyrant, and refuseto lay down hi*
credible witnesses,we must concludethat some authority, rushed upon him in a body, and»
impression not unlike that of sense, influenced killed him on the epot; not one that was pre-
the imagination, and produced the belief of a sent lifting a hand to defend him. It was soon
real sensation;as in sleep we seemto hear evidentthat this wasnot donewith the general
what we hear not, and to seewhit we do not approbation; for they assembled from several
lee. As for those persons, who are possessed cities, to give his body an honourable burial,t
with such a strong sense of religion, that (hey and adorned his monument with arms and
cannot reject any thing of this kind, they found spoils, as became a distinguished warrior and
their faith on the wonderful and incomprehen- general.
sible power of God. For there is no manner When the Romans were informed of hi»
of resemblance between him and a human death, they shewed no sign either of favour or
being, either in his nature, his wisdom, his resentment. Only they permitted the women,
power, or his operations. If, therefore, he at their request, to go into mourning for ten
performs something which we cannot effect, months, as they used to do for a father, a son,
and executeswhat with us is impossible, there or a brother; this being the longest term for
is nothing in this contradictoryto reason; mourningallowedby Numa Pompilius,as we
since, though he far excels ua in every thing, have mentioned in his Life.
yet the dissimilitude and distance between him The Volscian affairssoon wantedthe abilities
andus, appearmostof all in the workswhich of Warcius.For, first of all, in a disputewhich
he hathwrought. But much knowledgeof theyhadwith the .3£qui,their friendsandallies,
things divine, as Heraclitus affirms, escapesus which of the two nations should give a general
through want of faith. to their armies, they proceeded to blows, and
When Coriolanus returned, after this expe- a number were killed and wounded; and after-
dition, to Antium, Tullus, who both hated and wards coming to a battle with the Romans,
feared him, resolved to assassinatehim imme- in which they were defeated, and Tullus,
diately; being persuaded, that if he missed together with the flower of their army, slain,
this, he shouldnot havesuchanotheropportu- theywere forcedto accept of very disgrace-
nity. First, therefore,he collectedand pre- ful conditionsof peace,by which they were
paredanumberof accomplices, andthencalled reducedto theobedienceof Rome,andobliged
uponCoriolanusto divesthimselfof his autho- to accept of such terms as the conqueror*
rity, and give an account of his conduct to the would allow them.
Volscians. Dreading the consequenceof being
reduced
toa privatestation,whileTullus,who to *death.
Dionysiiu
of Halicarnauuj
says,
theystoned
him
hadsogreataninterest
withhiscountrymen,( They
dressed
himin hisgeneral's
robes,
andlaid
wasia power,he madeanswer,that if the hiscorpse
ooamagnificent
bier,which
wascarried
by
ToJscians
required it, he would give up his suchyoungofficersaj weremostdistinguished
for
commission,
and not otherwise,sincehe had their martialexploit*.Beforehim wereborneth«
takenit at theircommon
request;butthathe spoils
hehadtaken fromtheenemy, thecrowns hehad
gained,and plans of the cities he had taken. In thij
wasready
to giveanaccount
ofhisbehaviour
order
hisbody
was
laidonthepile,while
several
vic-
even then, if the citizens of Antium would timswereslainin honourto hismemory."\Vhtnthe
haveit so. Hereupon,
theymetinfull assem-pile,
wasconsumed,
theygathered
uphisashes,
\vhich *
bly, and someof the oratorswho were pre- theyinterredon the spot,anderected
amagnificent
paredfor it, endeavoured
to exasperate
the monument there.Conolanus wasslaininthesecond
year of the seventy-third Olympiad, in the two hun-
populace
against
him. ButwhenCoriolanus
dredandsixty-sixth
yearofRome,
andeight
yean
stoodup, the violenceof the tumultabated,iflerhisfirstcampaign.
According
to thisaccount,
and he had liberty to speak;the bestpart of liediedin theflowerof hisage; butLivyinformsus,
the peopleof Antium,andthosethatweremost fromFabius, averyancient author,thathe livedtill
inclinedto peace,
appearing
readyto hearhim wont
hewas veryold: andthatinthedecline oflifehewaj
to say, that " A state of exile was always uncom-
with candour, and to passsentencewith equity. fortable, but more so to an old man than to another."
Tulluswasthenafraidthathewouldmakebut Wecannot,
however,
thinkthatConolanus
grewold
too good a defence: for he was an eloquent amongthe Volscians. Had he doneso, his eoun"cU
man,andthe formeradvantages
whichhe had wouldhaTepreserved
themfromruin; and,after
procured the nation, outweighed his present Tullus was slain, he would have restored their affairs
offence. Nay, the very impeachment was a and havegot Iheri admittedto the righu and privi-
legesof Roman citizen:, in the same manner u UN
clearproof of the greatness
of the benefitsbe I
 .72 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

ALCIBIADES AND CORIOLANUS COMPARED.

HAVINGnow given a detail of all the actions respectto Themistocles. He went in person
of thesetwo great men,that we thought worthy to those generals, who, he knew, were not his
to be known and remembered,
we mayper- friends, and shewedthem what stepsit wai
ceive at one glance that as to their military ex- proper for them to take. Whereas Coriolanus
ploits the balanceis nearlyeven. For both directedhisrevengeagainstthewholecommon-
gave extraordinaryproofsof courageas sol- wealth,thoughhehadnot beeninjuredby the
diers, and of prudenceand capacityas com- whole,but the bestandroostrespectable part
manders-in-chicf:though,perhaps,somemay both sufferedandsympathized with him. And
think Alcibiadesthe more completegeneral, afterwards,when the Romansendeavoured to
onaccount
of hismanysuccessful
expeditionsmakesatisfaction
for thatsinglegrievance
by
at sea as well as land. But this is common to many embassiesand much submission,he was
both, that when they had the command, and not in the least pacified or won; but shewed
fought in person,the affairsof their country himself determinedto prosecutea cruel war,
infallibly prospered, and as infallibly declined not in order to procure his return to his native
when they went over to the enemy. country,but to conquerandto ruinit. It may,
As to their behaviour in point of government, indeed, be granted, that there was this differ-
if the licentiousness of Alcibiades, and his ence in the case: Alcibiades returned to the
complianceswith the humourof the populace, Athenians,whenthe Spartans,
who bothfeared
were abhorredby the wiseand soberpart of and hatedhim, intendedto dispatchhim pn-
the Athenians;the proudandforbiddingman- vately. But it wasnot sohonourablein Cori-
ner of Coriolanus, and his excessiveattachment olanus to desert the Volscians, who had treat-
to the patricians,wereequallydetestedby the ed him with the utmost kindness,appointed
Romanpeople. In thisrespect,therefore,nei- him generalwith full authority,and reposed
ther of them is to be commended;thoughhe in him the highestconfidence:verydifferentin
that availshimself of populararts, and shews this respectfrom Alcibiades,who wasabused,
too much indulgence,is less blameablethan to their own purposes, rather than employed
he, who, to avoid the imputationof obsequi-andtrustedby the Lacedemonians;andwho,
ousness, treatsthe peoplewith severity. It is, afterhavingbeentossedaboutin their city and
indeed a disgrace to attain to power by flatter- their camp, was at last obliged to put himself
ing them;but ontheotherhand,to pursue
it in thehands
of Tissaphernes.
But, perhaps,
by acts of insolenceandoppression,
is not only he madehis court to the Persian*in orderto
shameful,but unjust. preventthe utter ruin of his country,to which
That Coriolanushad an openness and sim- he wasdesirousto return.
plicityof manners,
is a point beyond
dispute, Historyinformsus,thatAlcibiades
oftentook
whilst Alcibiadeswas crafty and dark in the bribes,which he lavishedagain with equal
proceedings
of hisadministration.
Thelatter discreditupon his viciouspleasures;
while
has been most blamed for the trick which he Coriolanus refused to receive even what the
put uponthe Lacedaemonian
ambassadors,
as generals
he servedunderwouldhive given
Thucydidestells us,andby which he renewed him with honour. Hencethe behaviour of the
the war. Yet this strokeof policy,thoughit latter wasthe more detestedby the peoplein
plungedAthensagainin war, rendered
the thedisputes
aboutdebts;sinceit wasnotwith
alliance with the Mantineansand Argives, a view to advantage, but out of contemptand
whichwasbroughtaboutby Alcibiades,much by way of insult, as theythought,that he bore
stronger andmore respectable.But was not so harduponthem.
Coriolanuschargeable with a falsitytoo, when, Antipater, in one of his epistles,wherehe
as Dionysiusinformsus,he stirredup the Ro- speaks of thedeathof Aristotlethe philosophr
mansagainst the Volscians,by loading the tells us, " That great man, besides his olner
latter with an infamouscalumny,when they extraordinarytalents,hadthe art of insinuat-
wentto seethe publicgames?The cause,inghimselfintotheaffections of thosehecon-
too,makesthisactionthemorecriminal:for versedwith." For wantof this talent,the
it wasnotbyambitionor a rivalspiritin poli- greatactionsandvirtuesof Coriolanuswere
tics that he wasinfluenced,asAlcibiadeswas; odiousevento thosewho receivedthe benefit
but hedid it to gratify his anger, a passion of them,and who, notwithstanding, couldnot
which, as Dion says,is ever ungrateful to its endurethat austerity, which, asPlatosays,ij
votaries. By this meanshe disturbed all the companionof solitude. But asAlcibiades.,
Italy, and in hie quarrelwith his country,de- on theotherhand,Jcnew howto treatthosewith
etroyedmanycities whichhadneverdonehim whomhe conversed with an engagingcivility,
any injury. Alcibiades,indeedwasthe author it is no wonder if the glory of his exploits
of manyevilsto theAthenians,
butwaseasily flourished
in thefavourandhonourable
regard
reconciled to them, when he found that they
repented.Nay,whenhewasdrivena second * Forheprerented Tissaphcrnes
fromassisting
the
timeintoexile,hecouldnotbearwithpatienceSpartans
withallIliaforces.
Thusheserved
theAthe-
the blunders
committedby thenewgenerals,
nor nians
andthePersians
at the sametime. Forit was
seewithindifference
thedangers
towhichtheyundoubtedlytheinterest
Uie two leading ofGreece
powersof thePersianstopreserve
in a conditionU»
were exposed: but observedthe sameconduct annoyeach other; aud, in the m«an time, to reap the
wluchAnstides is so highly extolled for with advantage
themselves.
 TIMOLEON. 173

cf mankind,
nincehisveryfaultshadsoroe-compassion
toa womanForthefavour
WM
timeatheirgiaceandelegance.Henceit was, invidious, andsofar frombeingengaging,
that,
that thoiigiihisconduct
wasoftenverypre- in fact,it savoured
of cruelty,andconsequently
judicialtoAthens,
yethewasfrequently
ap-wasunacceptable
to bothparties.He re-
pointed
commander-in-chief;
whileCoriolanus,
tiredwithout
being
wonbythesupplications
of
tfter manygreatachievements,
withthe bestthosehewasat warwith,andwithoutconsent
pretensions,
suedfor theconsulship,
andlost of thosefor whomheundertook it. Thecause
it. The formerdeservedto be hatedby his of all whichwas,theausterity
of hismanners,
countrymen, andwasnot; the latterwasnotbe- his arroganceandinflexibilityof mind,thingi
loved,thoughat the sametimehewasadmired.hatefulenoughto the peopleat all times;but,
We should, moreover, consider, that Co- when unitedwith ambition,savageand intol-
riolanus performedno considerableservices,erable. Personsof his temper,as if theyhad
while hecommanded the armiesof hiscountry, no needof honours,neglectto ingratiatethem-
thoughfor the enemyagainsthis countryhe selveswith the multitude,and yet are exces-
did; but that jllcibiades, both as a soldier sivelychagrinedwhenthose aredeniedthem.
andgeneral,did greatthingsfor theAthenians.It is true, neitherMetellus,nor Aristides,nor
When amongsthis fellow-citizens, AJcibiadesEpaminondas, werepliant to the people'shu-
wassuperiorto all the attemptsofhisenemies,mour,or couldsubmitto flatter them; but then
thoughtheir calumniesprevailedagainsthim theyhad a thoroughcontemptof everything
in his absence; whereas Coriolanus was con- that the people could either give or take away;
demnedby the Romans,thoughpresentto de- andwhentheywere banished, or on any other
fend himself; and at length, killed by the occasion,miscarriedin the suffrages,
or were
Volscians,againstall rights, indeed,whether condemnedin large fines, theynourishedno
humanor divine: nevertheless,heaffordedthem anger against their ungrateful countrymen, but
a colour for what they did, by granting that were satisfied with their repentance, and re-
peace to the entreaties of the women, which conciled to them at their request. And, surely,
be had refusedto the applicationof the am- he who is sparingin his assiduities
to the peo-
bassadors;by that meansleavingthe enmity ple, canbut with an ill gracethink of reveng-
betweenthe two nations,andthe groundsof ing any slight he may suffer:for extremere-
the war entire,andlosinga veryfavourableop- sentment,in caseof disappointment in a.pur-
portunity for the Volscians. For surely he suit of honour, must be the effect of an extreme
would not have drawn off the forces, without desireof it.
the consent of those that committed them to Alcibiades, for his part, readily acknow-
his conduct,if he hadsufficientlyregardedhis ledged,that he was charmedwith honours,
duty to them. andthathewasveryuneasyat beingneglected;
But if, without considering the Volscians in and therefore he endeavoured to recommend
theleast,heconsulted
hisresentment
onlyin himselfto thosehe hadto dowith, by every
stirring up the war, and put a period to it engaging art. But the pride of Coriolanuu
againwhen that was satisfied,he should not would not permit him to make his court to
have sparedhis country on his mother'sac- thosewho werecapableof conferringhonours
count,but havesparedher with it; for both uponhim; andat the sametimehis ambition
bismotherandwifemadea partof hisnativefilledhimwithregretandindignationwhenthey
city whichhe was besieging. But inhumanly passedhim by. This, then, is the blameable
to rejecttheapplication
andentreaties
of the partof hischaracter;all therestis greatand
ambassadors, and the petition of the priests, glorious. In point of temperanceand disre-
and then to consentto a retreatin favourof gardof riches, he is fit to be comparedwith
big mother, wasnot doinghonourto hismo- the most illustriousexamples
of integrityin
ther,but bringingdisgrace
uponhiscountry;Greece, and notwithAlcibiades,who,in this
lince,asif it wasnotworthyto besavedfor respect,
wasthemostprofligate of men,and
itsownsake,it appeared to be savedonlyin hadtheleastregardfor decency
andhonour.

TIMOLEON.

THEaffairs
oftheSyracusans,before
Timoleonwarshadmade partof it quitea desert,
and
wassent
intoSicily,wereinthisposture:
Dion,mostof thetowns
thatremained wereheldby
having
driven outDionysius thetyrant,
wasaconfused mixture
ofbarbarians andsoldiers,
"oonassassinated:
thosethatwith himhad who,havingno regularpay,wereready foi
beenthemeans
of deliveringSyracuse,
were everychange
of government.
dividedamong themselves;
and thecity,which Such being
thestateofthings,
Dionysius,
in
Only changed onetyrantforanother, wasop-thetenthyearafterhisexpulsion,
pressed with so many miseries, that it was
having
got
almostdesolate.*
Asfor therestof Sicily,the fleet,j>o«««<i
himself
of thecityof Syracuse,
and
heldit for Ihe space
of twoyears. Syracuse
andall
Sicily beingthusdividedinto partiesandfactionsDi-
* Upon
Dion's
death,his
murderer
Calllppuj
usurp-onysius
theyounger,
-whohadbeen
drivenfromIn.
ed thesupreme
inrta out, andpower; but
slainwith after
the (en
same months
dagger hewa.«
which he throne,
taking
advantage
ofthese
trouble,
assemble*
had plantedin the breastof his friend. Hipparinu.*,<ome foreign
troops;anuhaving
defeated Nysaeus.wh»
tte brotherof Dranyiius,arriving with a oumerout was then governorof Symciuc,reinstatedhimvlf in
on dominion*.
N
374 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

togethera bodyof foreigners,

droveout Ny- molcon,thesonof Timodcmus,
tf ;io as y«
"anis, then master of Syracuse,restoredhis own had no share in the businessof the common-
affairs,andre-established
himselfin his domin- wealth,andwasso far from hopingor wishing
ions. Thus he who had beenunaccountablyfor suchan appointment, that it seemedsome
"tripped by a smallbodyof menof the greatest god inspiredhim with the thought: with such
powerthatanytyrant everpossessed, still more indulgence
didfortuneimmediatelypromotehii
unaccountably, of a beggarly fugitive, became election, and so much did her favour afterward*
themasterof thosewhohadexpelled
him.All, signalize
hisactions,
andaddlustretohisvalour.
therefore,
whoremained in Syracuse,
became His parentage wasnobleonbothsides;for
"lavesto a tyrant, who, at the best,wasof an both his father Timodcmus,and hie mother
ungentle nature, and at that time exasperatedby Dcmanste, were of the best families in Co-
his misfortunesto a degreeof savageferocity. rinth. His love of his countrywas remark-
But the bestandmostconsiderable of the citi- able, and so was the mildnessof his disposi-
zenshavingretiredto Icetcs,princeof the Lc- tion,savingthat he borean extremehatredto
ontincs, put themselves under his protection, tyrants and wicked men. His natural abilities
andchosehim for their general. Not that he for war were sohappilytempered,that as an
wasbetterthan the mostavowedtyrants; but extraordinaryprudencewas seenin the enter-
they had no other resource:and they were prizesof his youngeryears,so an undaunted
willing to reposesomeconfidencein him, as couragedistinguishedhis declining age. He
beingof a Syracusanfamily,andhavinganar- hadan elderbrother,namedTimophancs, who
my ableto encounterthat of Dionysius. resembledhim in nothing;being rashandin-
In the mean time, the Carthaginians appear- discreet of himself, and utterly corrupted be-
ing beforeSicily with a great fleet, andbeing sides,by the passionfor sovereignty,infused
likely to avail themselves of the disordered into him by someof hisprofligateacquaintance,
state of the island, the Sicilians, struck with and certain foreign soldiers whom he had
terror, determinedto send an embassyinto alwaysabouthim. He appearedto be impet-
Greece, to beg assistanceof the Corinthians; uous in war, a^id to court danger, which gave
not only on account of their kindred to that his countrymen such an opinion of his courage
people,* and the many services they had re- and activity, that they frequently entrusted him
ceived from them on former occasions,but be- with the commandof the army. And in these
cause they knew that Corinth was always a matters Timolcon much assisted him, by en-
patroness
of liberty and an enemyto tyrants, tirely concealing,or at least extenuatinghii
and that shehad engagedin many considerable faults, and magnifying the good qualities which
wars, not from a motive of ambitiun or ava- nature had given him.
rice, but to maintain the freedom and inde- In the battle betweenthe Corinthians and the
pendence
of Greece. HereuponIcetes,whose troopsof Argos and Clcone, Timolcon hap-
intention in accepting the command was not penedto serve amongthe infantry, whenTimo-
so much to deliver Syracuse from its tyrants, phanes, who was at the head of the cavalry,
as to set up himself there in the samecapacity, was brought into extreme danger; for his horse
treated privately with the Carthaginians, while being wounded, threw him amidst the enemy.
in public he commended the design of the Sy- Hereupon, part of his companionswere fright-
racusans, and despatched ambassadorsalong ened, and presently dispersed; and the few
with tlieirs into Peloponnesus. Is'ot that he that remained, having to fight with numbers-,
wasdesirousof succoursfrom thence,but he with difficulty stoodtheir ground. Timoleon,
hoped that if the Corinthians, on account of seeing his brother in these circumstances,ran
the troublesof Greeceand their engagementsto his assistance,
and coveredhim as helay
at home,should,as it was likely enough,de- with his shield; and after having received
cline sendingany, he might the more easily abundance of darts, and manystrokesof tho
incline the balance to the side of the Cartha- sword upon his body and his armour, by great
ginians,and then make use of their alliance effortsrepulsedthe enemy,andsavedhim.
andtheir forces,eitheragainstthe Syracusans Some time after this, the Corinthians,ap>
or their presenttyrant. That such were his prchensivethat their city might be surprised
views,a little timediscovered. through sometreacheryof their allies, as it
When the ambassadors arrived, and their hadbeenbefore,resolvedto keeponfoot four
business
wasknown,the Corinthians,
alwayshundredmercenaries,
gavethe command
of
accustomedto give particularattentionto the themto Timophanes." But he, havingno re-
concernsof thecolonies,andespecially
thosegardto justiceor honour,soonenteredinto
of Syracuse,sinceby goodfortunetheyhad measures to subjectthe cityto nimself,and
nothingto mjlcstthemin their owncountry,havingputto deatha number of theprincipal
readilypasseda votethatthe succours
shouldinhabitantswithout form of trial, declared
be granted. The nextthing to beconsidered,himself absolute prince of it. Timoleon,
was,whoshouldbegeneral;whenthe magis-greatlyconcerned
at this, andaccounting
tho
tratesput in nominationsuchashadendeavour-treacherous
proceedings
of his brotherhisown
edto distinguish
themselves
in the state;but misfortune,
went to expostulate
with him,
oneof the plebeiansstoodup andproposed
Ti- andendeavoured
to persuadehim to renounce
this madnessand unfortunate ambition, and to
* TheSyracusans
wecacolony
from
Corinth,
found-bethinkhimselfhow to makehis fellow-
edby Arc'nias
theCorii111
ii n,inthesecond
yearof the citizenssomeamendsfor the crimeshe had
eleventh
Olympiad, seen hundredandthirty-threecommitted. But as he rejectedhis singlead-
years before
planted wiui
(lie Chr-M.i-i
wilh I'hoemciai
aera.Sicilyhad beenmonitionwithdisdain,hereturneda fewdayi
Phoenicia 9and other barbarous people,
u tlicGrecians
called
Uiem,
above
three
hundred
after,takingwith him a kinsman,
named
yeanbefore. to thewifeof Timophanei,
 TIMOLEON. 175

anda certain
soothsayer,
afriend
ofhie,whomkeenanappetite.Repentance
tarnishes
the
Thcopompus callsSatyrus,
butEphorusand bestactions;
whereas
thepurposes
thatare
TiruiEusmentionby thenameof Orthagoras. groundeduponknowledge and reasonnever
Thesethree,standing roundhim,earnestlyen- changeythoughtheymayhappen to bedisap-
treatedhimyetto listento reason andchangepointedofsuccess.Henceit wasthatPhocion
his mind. Timophanes at first laughedat of Athens,havingvigorously
opposed thepro-
them,andafterwards
gavewayto a violentceedings
of Leosthenes,*
which,
notwithstand-
passion:
uponwhich,Timoleon stepped
aside,ing,turnedout muchmorehappilythan he
and stoodweeping,with his facecovered,expected; whenhesawtheAthenians olfering
whiletheothertwo drewtheir swords,and sacrifice,and elatedwith their victory,told
despatched
him in a moment.* themhe wasglad of their success, but if it
The matterbeingsoongenerallyknown,the wasto do overagain, heshouldgive the same
principalandmostvaluable
partof theCorin-counsel. Still stronger
wastheanswer
which
thians extolled Timoleon's detestation of wick- Aristides the Locrian, one of Plato's intimate
edness,and that greatnessof soul, which, friends,gaveto Dionysiusthe elder,when he
notwithstanding the gentleness of his heartand demanded oneof his daughtersin marriage,/
his affectionto his relations,led him to prefer had rather seethe virgin in her grave, than
his country to his family,and justiceandhon- in the palaceof a tyrant. And whenDiony-
our to interest and advantage.While his sius soonafter put his sonto death,and then
brotherfoughtvaliantlyfor his country,he had insolentlyaskedhim, What he note thought
savedhim; andalainhim,whenhehadtreach- as to the disposalof his daughter1?-I am
erously enslaved it. Those who knew not sorry, said he, for what you have done; but
how to live in a democracy, and had been I am not sorry for what I have said. How-
used to make their court to men in power, ever, it is only a superior and highly accom-
pretendedindeed to rejoice at the tyrant's plishedvirtue that can attain suchheightsas
death; but at the sametime reviling Timoleon, these.
as guilty of a horribleand impiousdeed,they As for Timoleon'sextremedejectionin con-
created him great uneasiness.When he heard sequenceof the late fact, whether it proceeded
how heavily his mother bore it, and that she from regret of his brother's fate, or the rever-
uttered the most dreadful wishes and impreca- ence he bore his mother, it so shattered and
tions against him, he went to excuse it and to impaired his spirits, that for almost twenty
consoleher: but she could not endure the years he was concernedin DOimportant or
thought of seeing him, and ordered the doors public affair.
to beshutagainsthim. He then becameen- When, therefore,he was pitchedupon for
tirely a preyto sorrow,and attemptedto put general,and acceptedas suchby the suffrages
anendto his life by abstainingfromall manner of the people,Teleclides,a manof the greatest
of food. In theseunhappycircumstances his powerandreputationin Corinth,exhortedhim
friendsdid not abandonhim. They evenadd- in the executionof his commission:For, said
ed force to their entreaties, till they prevailed he,\f your conduct begood, tee shall consider
on him to live. He determined,
however,
to you asthedestroyerof a tyrant: if bad,as
live in solitude:and accordinglyhewithdrew the murdererof your brother.
from all public affairs,andfor someyearsdid While Timoleonwasassembling bis forces,
not so muchas approachthe city, but wander-and preparingto set sail, the Corinthiansre-
ed aboutthe mostgloomypartsof his grounds, ceivedletters from Icetes,which plainly dis-
andgavehimselfup to melancholy.Thus the coveredhis revolt and treachery. For his
judgment, if it borrows not from reason and ambassadorswere no sooner set out for Cc-
philosophysufficient strengthand steadinessrinth,than he openlyjoinedthe Carthaginians,
for action,is easilyunsettledanddepravedby andactedin concertwith them,in orderto ex-
anycasualcommendation
ordispraise,
andde- pel Dionysius
fromSyracuse,
andusurpthe
partsfrom its own purposes. For an action tyranny himself. Fearing,moreover,lest he
shouldnotonlybe justandlaudable
in itself, shouldlosehisopportunity,
bythespeedy
ar-
but the principlefrom whichit proceedsfirm rival of the army from Corinth,he wrote to
and immoveable,in order that our conduct the Corinthiansto acquaintthem," That there
mayhavethe sanctionof our own approbation.wasno occasionfor themto put themselves to
Otherwise,uponthe completionof any under- trouble and expense, or to exposethemselves
taking,we shall,throughour own weakness, to thedangers of a voyage
to Sicily; particu-
befilled with sorrowavidremorse, and the larlyastheCarthaginians wouldoppose them.
splendid ideasof honourandvirtue,that led andwerewatchingfor their shipswith a nu-
usto performit, will vanish;just astheglut- merous fleet; andthat indeed,
on accountof
ton is sooncloyedanddisgusted withthelus- the slowness of their motions,he had been
ciousviands
whichhehaddevoured
withtoo forcedto engage
those
veryCarthaginian*
to
assisthim againstthe tyrant.
* Diodornj.
inthecircumstances
of thisfact,differs If anyof theCorinthians
from Plutarch. He tells us, that Timoleon having
beforewerecold
killed his brother ia the market-place with his own andindifferent
astotheexpedition,uponthe
fund,a greattumultarose
among
thecitizens.
To reading
of theseletters,theywereoneandall
appease thistumult,anassembly was convened ; and,soincensed against loetes,
thattheyreadily
in':he
dors height
arrived,oftheirdebates,
demanding theS)nteusan
a general; ambassa-
whereupon they supplied
Timoleon withwhatever hewanted,
unanimously agreed to send Timoleon ; but first let and unitedtheir endeavoursto expeditehit
him know,that if hedischarged his duty therewell, sailing. Whenthefleetwasequipped, and
he thauld beconsideredasone who had killed a tyrant;
if not,u themurderer
of hit brother.Diodor.Sicui. ' SettheLift of Phocion.
itri. 1.10.
178 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

the priestesses
of Proserpinehad a dream, weredeterminedto preventtheir passage,
an4
wherein that goddess and her mother Ceres ready to repel force with forne.
appearedto them in a travelling garb, and told The Corinthians, then, as§oon as they arriv-
them, " That they intended to accompanyedat Rhegium,meetingwith thisembassy,
and
Fimoleon into Sicily." Hereupon the Corin- seeing the Carthaginians riding at anchor near
chiansequippeda secondgalley,which they them,werevexedat the insult: a generalindig-
called the galley of the goddesses. Timoleon nation was expressed against Icetes, and fear
himself wentto Delphi,whereheofferedsacri- for the Sicilians,whomtheyplainlysawleft at
fice to Apollo; and, upon his descendinginto a prize, to reward Icetes for his treachery, and
the placewhere the oracles were delivered, the Carthaginians
for assistingin settinghim up
was surprised with this wonderful occurrence: tyrant. And it seemedimpossible for them to
A. wreath, embroidered with crowns and get the better, either of the barbarians,who
images of victory, slipped down from among were watching them with double the number
the offeringsthat were hungup there,andfell of ships,or of the forcesof Icetes,whichthey
uponTimoleon'shead,so that Apollo seemedhadexpectedwouldhavejoinedthem,andput
to send him out crowned upon that enterprise. themselves under their command.
He had seven ships of Corinth, two of Cor- Timoleon, on this occasion,coming to an in
cyra, and a tenth fitted out by the Leucadians, terview with the ambassadorsand the Cartha-
with which he put to sea. It was in the night ginian commanders, mildly said, "He would
that he set sail, and with a prosperousgale he submit to their proposals," for what could he
was making his way, when on a sudden the gain by opposing them? " but he was desirous
heavens seemed to be rent asunder, and to that they would give them in publicly before
pour upon his ship a bright and spreading thepeopleof Rhegium,erehequittedthatplace,
flame, which soon formed itself into a torch, since it was a Grecian city, and commonfriend
euch as is used in the sacredmysteries;and to both parties. For that this tendedto his
having conductedthem throughtheir whole security,andtheythemselves wouldstandmore
course,broughtthemto thatquarterof Italy for firmly to their engagements,
if theytook that
which they designedto steer. The soothsayers people for witnessesto them."
declaredthat this appearanceperfectlyagreed This overturehe madeonly to amusethem,
with the dreamof the priestesses,
and that by intendingall the while to steala passage,
and
this light from heaven,the goddessesshewed the magistratesof Rhegiumenteredheartil-
themselves interested in the successof the ex- into his scheme: for they wished to seethe
pedition. ParticularlyasSicily wassacredto affairs of Sicily in Corinthian bands,and
Proserpine;it beingfabled that her rapehap- dreadedthe neighbourhood of the barbarians.
penedthere,andthat the island wasbestowedThey summoned, therefore,an assembly, and
on heras a nuptialgift. shutthe gates,lestthecitizensshouldgoabout
The fleet, thus encouraged with tokensof anyotherbusiness.Beingconvened, theymade
the divine favour,very soon crossedthe sea, long speeches, oneof themtaking upthe argu-
and madethe coast of Italy. But the news mentwhereanotherlaidit down,with noother
brought thither from Sicily much perplexed viewthanto gaintimefor theCorinthiangalleys
Timoleon, and disheartenedhis forces. For to get undersail; andthe Carthaginians were
IceteshavingbeatenDionysiusin a setbattle,* easilydetainedin the assembly, as havingno
andtakengreat part of Syracuse,hadby a line suspicion,becauseTimoleonwaspresent,and
of circumvallation,shut up the tyrant in the it was expectedeverymomentthat he would
citadelandthat part of the city whichis called standup andmakehis speech.But uponsecret
the island, and besiegedhim there. At the noticethatthe othergalleyshadput to sea,* and
sametimehe orderedthe Carthaginians to take his alone wasleft behind, by the help of the
carethat Timoleonshouldnot landin Sicily; Rhegians,who pressedcloseto the rostrum,
hoping,when the Corinthiansweredriven off, and concealedhim amongstthem,he slipped
without fartheropposition,to sharethe island throughthe crowd,got down to the shore,and
with his Dewallies. The Carthaginians,ac- hoistedsail with all speed.
cordingly,sentawaytwentyof their galleysto He soonarrived,with all hjsvessels at Tau-
Rhegium, in which were ambassadors from romeniumin Sicily, to whichhe hadbeenin-
Icetes to Timoleon, chargedwith proposalsvited sometimebefore,and wherehewasnow
<jaiteascaptiousashisproceedings themselves:kindly received,by Andromachus, lord of that
for they werenothing but speciousand artful city. This Andromachus wasfatherto Timsui
words,inventedto givea colour to his treach- the historian;andbeingmuchthebestof all the
erousdesigns.Theywereto makeanoffer, Sicilianprinces
ofhistime,hebothgoverned
hii
" That Timoleonmight, if he thoughtproper, own peopleagreeably to thelawsandprinciple*
go, andassistIceteswith hiscounsel,andshare of justice,andhadeveravowedhisaversionand
in his successes;but that he must sendback enmity to tyrants On this accounthe readily
his shipsand troopsto Corinth, sincethe war allowedTimoleon to makehiscity a placeof
wasalmostfinished,and the Carthaginians
arms,andpersuaded
hispeopleto co-operate
with the Corinthians with all their force, in re-
storing liberty to the whole island.
* Icttu, finding
hiuiwlfin'.rant
ofprovisionjjwith-The Carthaginians
at Rhegium,uponthe
"ewfromIhesiege
of Syracuse
towards
hisownbreaking
upoftheassembly,
seeing
thatTime-
leon was gone, were vexed to find thtrnselvei

' The Carthaginians betteredthat thedepartureof

thoseninegalleysfor Corinthhad beenagrtedonbe-
tweenthe officersof bothparties,and that the tenth
wu left behind to carry T unoleonto Icetu.
 T1MOLEON. 177
outwitted;
andit afforded
nosmalldiversion wild»tagreatpace,though theroadwaatery
totheRhegians,thatPhoenicians
shouldcorr,-rugged;
andtowards evening wasinformed that
plainof anythingeffected
byguilt. [cetca
hadjustreached thetown,andwasen-
Theydespatched, however, ore oi"theii campingbeforeit. At thesame timehisoffi-
galleys
withanambassador to Tsuiomeiiinm, cersmadetheforemost division
halt,to take
"whorepresented the affairit largeto Andro-somerefreshment, thattheymightbethemore
machus, insisting
withmuchinsolence »ndbar- vigorousin the ensuingengagement. This,
baricpride,that he shouldimmediately turn however,waaagainsttheopinionof Timoleon,
theCorinthians out of histowa; andat last whoentreated themto marchforwardasfast
"hewinghimhishandwiththepalmupwards,aspossible,andto attackthe enemybefore
andthenturning
it downagain,
toldhim,if he theywereputin order;
it being
probable,
now
didnotcomplywith thatcondition,
the Car-theywerejustcome offtheirmarch,
thatthey
thaginians
wouldoverturnhiscity just ashe wereemployed
in pitchingtheirtentsandpre-
had turned his hand. Andromachusonly paringtheir supper. He hadno soonergiven
smiled, and without making him any other this order, than he took his bucklerandput
answer,stretchedout his hand,first with one himself at the head of them, as leadingthem
sideup, andthenthe other, and badehim de- on to undoubtedvictory.
gonedirectly,if hedid not chooseto havehis Hismen,thusencouraged, followedhim very
Shipturned upsidedorcninthesamemanner. cheerfully,beingnow not quite thirty furlongs
tceteshearingthatTimoleonhadmadegood from Adranum.As soonastheycameup,they
his passage,waamuchalarmed,andsentfor a fell uponthe enemy,whowere in great confu-
greatnumberof theCarthaginian galleys.The sion,and readyto fly at their first approach.
Syracusang then beganto despairof a deliver- For this reason not many more than three
ance; for they sawthe Carthaginians mastershundredwerekilled, but twice as many were
of their habour,*Icetes possessedof the city, madeprisoners,andthe campwastaken.
and the citadel in the hands of Dionysius; Upon this the people of Adranum opened
whileTimoleon
heldonlyby a smallborderof theirgatesto Timoleon,
and joinedhisparty,
the skirtsof Sicily, the little town of Tauro- declaringwith terror and astonishment,that
menium,with a feeblehope,and an inconsid- duringthe battle,the sacreddoorsof the tem-
erableforce,having no morethan a thousandple openedof their own accord,the spearof
men,andprovisionsbarelysufficientfor them. their godwasseento shaketo the very point,
Nor had the Sicilian statesanyconfidencein andhis facedroppedwith sweat.Thesethings
him, plunged as they were in misfortunes, and did not foreshew that victory only, but the fu-
exasperated against all that pretended to lead ture successesto which this dispute was a for-
armiesto their succour, particularly on account tunate prelude. For several cities, by their
of the perfidyof CallippusandPharax. The ambassadors, immediatelyjoined in alliance
one wasan Athenian,andthe othera Lacedae-with Timoleon; and Mamercus,sovereignof
monian,and bothcamewith professions to do Catana,a warlike andwealthyprince,entered
great things for the liberty of Sicily, and for into the confederacy. But what was still more
demolishing the tyrants; yet the Sicilians soon material, Dionysius himself having bid adieu
found that the reign of former oppressorswas to hope, and unable to hold out much longer,
comparatively
agoldenage,andreckonedthose despising
Icetes,whowasBOshamefullybeaten,
far morehappywhodiedin servitudethansuch andadmiringthe braveryof Timoleon,offered
as lived to see so dismal a kind of freedom. to deliver up to him and the Corinthians both
Expecting, therefore, that this Corinthian de- himself and the citadel.
livererwould be no better than thosebefore Timoleonacceptedof this good fortune,so
him,and.thatthe deceitfulhandof art would superiorto nig hopes,and sentEuclides and
reach out to them the same bait of good hopes Telemachus, two Corinthian officers, into the
and fair promises, to draw them into subjection citadel, as he did four hundred men besides,
to a new master,theyall, exceptthe people not altogether,nor openly,for thatwasimpos-
of Adranum,suspectedthe designsof the Co- sible, becausethe enemy were upon their
rinthians,
anddeclinedtheirproposals;
Adra- guard,but by stealth,anda few at a time.
num wasa smallcity, consecrated
to the god This corpsthen took possession
of the citadel
Jldranus,\ who washeld in highveneration andthe tyrant's movcables,
with all that he
throughout
all Sicily. Its inhabitants
wereat hadprovided
for carryingonthewar,namely,
variancewith eachother; some calling in Icetes a good number of horses, all manner of en-
andtheCarthaginians,
andothersapplying
to gines,anda vastquantityofdarts.Theyfourd
Timoleon.Both generals strivingwhichshould also armsfor seventythousandmen whichhad
get there first, as fortune would have it, ar- beenlaid up of old, andtwo thousandsoldien
rived aboutthe sametime. But Iceteshad withDionysius,whomhe deliveredup with
five thousandmen with him,andTimoleonthestoreto Timoleon.Butthetyrantreserved
twelvehundredat themost,whomhedrewout hismoney to himself,andhayinggotonboaid
of Tauromenium,
whichwasforty-two
milesaship,he sailedwitha few of his friends,
anda half fromAdranum.The first day he withoutbeingperceived
byIcetea,andreached
made but a short march, and pitched his tents the camp of Timoleon.
in goodtime.Thenextdavhemarched
for- Thenit wasthat hefirstappeared
in the
humble
figureof a private
man,»
and,a»such,
* The Carthaginianihid a hundredandfilly men
of war, filly thousandToot,and three hundred charioti.
" Dionyiiuiwa»bornto abwlute power, vhereal
t This deity,by his insigniaafterwardsmentioned, most
"hould«eeo>to beMars. Hit templewa»guardedby had raxedothertyranU,Dionysii-jtheelder,forinitance,
" hundred dog*. thenuelreito it, and lome from a meal
condition.
178 PLUTARCH'S LIVE&.

ne wassentwith oneshipanda verymoderatetheir fathers,BOhe was anhamed of going to

"um of money,to Corinth; he that was born live in the mothercity, andcould pasthis days
in a splendidcourt, and educatedas heir to the much more to bis satisfaction with them."
mostabsolutemonarchythat everexisted.He Anothertime,whena certainstrangerderided
held it for ten years;* and for twelve more, him, at Corinth,in a very rude and scornful
from the time that Dion took up armsagainst manner,for having,in the meridianof his pow-
him, he was exercisedcontinually in wars, and er, taken pleasure in the discourseof philoso
troubles: insomuch that the mischiefs caused phers, and at last asked him, "What he had
by his tyrannywere abundantlyrecompensedgot by the wisdomof Plato?" "Do you think,"
uponhis own head in what he suffered. He said he, "that we have reapedno advantage
saw his sonsdie in their youth, his daughters from Plato, when we bear in this manner such
deflowered, and his sister, who was also his a change of fortune?" Aristoxenus the musi-
wife, exposedto the brutal lusts of his ene- cian, andsomeothers,havinginquired"What
mies,and then slaughteredwith her children, wasthe groundof his displeasure againstPla-
and thrown into the sea, as we have re- to?" He answered,"That absolutepower
lated moreparticularly in the Life of Dion. aboundedwith evils; but had this greatinfe-
When Dionysiusarrivedat Corinth, there licity aboveall the rest, that amongthe num-
wai hardly a man in Greece who was not de- ber of those who call themselves the friendi
sirous to see him and converse with him. of an arbitrary prince, there is not one who
Somehatingthe man,andrejoicingat his mis- will speakhis mind to him freely; andthatby
fortunes,camefor the pleasureof insultinghim suchfalsefriendshe hadbeen deprivedof the
in his present distress; others, whose senti- friendship of Plato."
ments, with respect to him, were somewhat Someone who had a mind to be arch, and
changed,andwho were touchedwith compas-to makemerry with Dionysius,shookhis robe
sion for his fate, plainly sawthe influenceof when he enteredhis apartment,as is usual
an invisibleand divinepower,displayedin the whenpersonsapproacha tyrant: and he re-
affairs of feeblemortals. For neithernature turningthe jest verywell, badehim "Do the
nor art produced, in those times, any thing so same when he went out, that he might not
remarkable
as that work of fortune,twhich carryoff some
of themoveables."
"hewedthe man who was lately sovereignof Oneday,overtheircups,Philip of Macedon,
Sicily, now holding conversation in a butcher's with a kind of eneer, introduced some dis-
"hop at Corinth, or sitting whole days in a per- course about the odes* and tragedies which
fumer's; or drinking the diluted wine of tav- Dionysius the elder left behind him, and pre-
erns; or squabbling in the streets with lewd tended to doubt how he could find leisure for
women; or directingfemalemusiciansin their such works. Dionysius answeredsmartly
"inging, and disputing with them seriously enough, "They were written in the time which
about the harmonyof certain airs that were you and I, andotherhappyfellows,spendover
sung in the theatre .J the bowl."
Somewere of opinion,that hefell into these Plato did not seeDionysiusin Corinth,for
unworthy amusements,as being naturally idle, he had now beendead some time. But Dio-
effeminate, and dissolute: but others thought genesof Sinope, when hefirst met him, address-
it was a stroke of policy, and that he rendered ed him as follows: "How little dost thou
himselfdespicableto preventhis beingfeared deserveto live!" Thus Dionysiusanswer-
by the Corinthians, contrary to his nature, af- ed, "It is kind in you to sympathize with
fecting that meannessand stupidity, lest they me in my misfortunes. "Dost thou think,
should imagine the changeof his circumstances then," said Diogenes, "that I have any pity
eat heavy upon him, and that he aimed at es- for thce, and that I am not rather vexedthat
tablishinghimself again. sucha slaveas thou art, andsofit to grow old
Nevertheless,somesayingsof his are onre- anddie, like thy father, on a tyrant'suneasy
cord, by which it should seem that he did not throne, should, instead of that, live with us
bearhis presentmisfortunesin an abject man- herein mirth and pleasure." Sothat whenI
ner. Whenhe arrived at Leucas,which wasa compare,with thesewordsof thephilosopher,
Corinthian colony as well as Syracuse, he
said,"He foundhimselfin a situationlike that
of young men who had beenguilty of some but* Dionysius the elder valued himself uponhis poetry,
hasbeen censuredas the worst poet in the world.
misdemeanor.For as they conversecheer- Philoxeaus, who was himself an excellent pott, at-
fully, notwithstanding, with their brothers, but temptedto undeceive
him in thefavourable
opinionhe
are abashed at the thought of coming before hadof his ownabilities,but wassentto the Quam'ej
for the liberty he took. However, the next day he
was restored lo favour, and Dionysiut repeatedto him
" Forhebeganhisreignin thefirstyearof thehun- someverses
he hadtakenextraordinary
painswith,
dredandthird Olympiad, threehundredandsixty expecting his approbation.
But the poet,instead
of
yearsbeforetheChristian aera.Diontookarms againstgiving
it, looked
round lotheguards,
andsaid tothem,
him in thefourth year of the hundredandfifth Olym- veryhumorously," Take me backlo Ihe Q,uanries."
piad; andhedelivered up the citadelto Timoleou,Notwithstanding
this,Dionysius
disputed
theprizeof
tnd wassentlo Corinth,in thefirst yearof thehun- poetryattheOlympicgames; buttherehewashissed,
dred and ninth. and the rich pavilion he had sent torn in pieces. He
\ Plutarchadd»nor art, to give us to understandhadheller success,
however,at Athens; for hegained
thatthetragicpoetshadnot represented
sosignal
a theprizeof poetryat thecelebrated
feastof Bacchus.
catastrophe,
evenin fable. Onthisoccasion
hewasiniuchraplures, lhalhedrank
( Some
writerstellus,thattheextreme
poverty
to to excess,
andthedebauch
threwhim intoviolent
whith hewasreduced,
obligedSimto opena schoolpains;to allaywhich,heaskedfora sonoralive,
aiui
it Corinth,whereheexercised
that tyrannyoverchil- his physicians
gavehim onetint bud him uleep, ml
irenwhichhecouldnolongerpractise
overmen. of whichhenever
awaked.
 TIMOLEON. 179

thedolefulexpressions
of Philistus,in which andcombining
thosethat havenomanner
of
he bewail*the fate of the daughtersof Lep- relation,but rather the greatestdissimilarity,
tines," "That fromthegreatandsplendid
en- makes
suchuseof them,thatthecloseof one
joyments of absolute
power,theywerereduc-processia alwaysthe beginning
of another
ed to a privateandhumble station," they ap- The Corinthiansrewarded
the manwith a pre-
pearto oneasthelamentation*
of a woman,
sentof tenminx, because
hishandhadco-
who regretsher perfumes,
her purpierobes,operated
withtheguardian
genius
ofTimoleon,
andgoldentrinkets. This accountof the say- andhe hadreservedthe satisfaction
for hispri
ingsof Diouyaius,
seems
to meneitherforeignvalewrongs
to thetimewhenfortuneavailed
from biography,nor without its utility to such herselfof it to savethe general This happy
readers
asarenotin a hurry,ortakenupwith escapehadeffectsbeyondthepresent,
for it
other concerns. inspiredtheCorinthianswith highexpectations
If the ill fortuneof Dionysiusappearedsur- of Timoleon,whentheysawthe Siciliansnow
prising,the success of Timoleonwas no less reverenceandguardhim, asa manwhoseper-
wonderful.For within fifty daysafterhis laud- sonwassacred,and who wascomeasminis-
ing in Sicily, he wasmasterof the citadelof ter of the gods,to avengeanddeliverthem.
Syracuse, and sentoff Dionysiusinto Pelopon- When Iceteshadfailed in this attempt,and
nesus. The Corinthians, encouragedwith these saw many of the Sicilians going over to Timo-
advantages,sent him a reinforcement of two leon, he blamed himself for making useof the
thousand foot and two hundred horse. These Carthaginiansin small numbersonly, and, avail-
got on their way asfar as Thurium; but find- ing himselfof their assistance,
asit were by
ing it impracticable to gain a passage from stealth, and as if he were ashamedof it, when
thence, becausethe sea was beset with a nu- they had such immense forces at hand. He
merous fleet of Carthaginians, they were forced sent, therefore, for Mago, their commander in
to stop there, and watch their opportunity. chief, and his whole fleet; who, with terrible
However, they employedtheir time in a very pomp,took possession of the harbourwith a
nobleundertaking.For the Thuhans,march- hundredandfifty ships,andlandedan armyof
ing out of their city to war againstthe Bru- sixty thousandmen, which encamped in tha
tians, left it in chargewith theseCorinthian city of Syracuse;insomuchthat every one
strangers,who defendedit with asmuch honour imagined the inundation of barbarians, which
and integrity as if it had been their own. had been announcedand expected of old, was
Meantime,Icetescarriedon thesiegeof the now comeuponSicily. For in the manywars
citadelwith great vigour,andblockedit upso which they hadwagedin that island,the Car-
close, that no provisionscould be got in for thaginianshadneverbefore beenableto take
the Corinthiangarrison.He providedalsotwo Syracuse;but Iceteathen receivingthem,and
strangersto assassinate Timoleon, and sent delivering up the city to them,the wholebe-
them privately to Adranum. That general, camea campof barbarians.
who neverkept any regularguardsabouthim, The Corinthians,who still held the citadel,
Jivedthenwith the Adraniteswithout any sort foundthemselvesin very dangerous anddiffi-
of precautionor suspicion,by reasonof his cult circumstances; for besidesthat they were
confidencein their tutelarygod. The assassinsin want of provisions,becausethe port was
being informedthat he wasgoingto offersa- guarded andblockedup,theywereemployedin
crifice,wentinto thetemplewith their poniards sharpandcontinualdisputesaboutthe walls,
under their clothes, and mixing with those that which were attacked with all manner of ma-
stoodroundthe altar, got nearerto him by lit- chinesand batteries,and for the defenceof
tle and little. They were just goingto give which they wereobligedto divide themselves.
eachotherthe signalto begin,whensomebodyTimoleon, however,found meansto relieve
struckoneof themonthebeadwithhissword, :hem, by sendinga supplyof cornfromCatana
andlaidhimat hisfeet.Neitherhethatstruck in smallfishingboatsar.dlittle skiffs,which
theblowkepthisstation, ssr t!iecompanionof watchedthe opportunity to maketheir way
thedeadman;the formerwith hisswordin throughtheenemy's fleet,whenit happenedto
hishand,fledto thetopof a highrock,andthe beseparatedby a storm. MagoandIcetesno
latterlaidholdonthe altar,entreatingTimo- soonersawthis, thantheyresolved to make
leonto sparehislife, onconditionthatbedis- themselves
mastersof Catana, fromwhichpro-
coveredthewholematter. Accordingly par- visionsweresentto thebesieged; andtaking
don waspromised him,andheconfessed that withthemthebestof their troops,theysailed
he andthe personwho lay dead,weresenton from Syracuse.Leo, theCorinthian,whocom-
purpose
to kill him. manded in the citadel,havingobserved,
from
Whilst he wasmaking
thisconfession,
the thetopof it, thatthoseof theenemy
whostay-
othermanwasbrought downfromtherock,edbehind, abatedtheirvigilance,
andkeptup
and loudlyprotestedthathewasguiltyof no an indifferentguard,suddenly fell uponthem
injustice,
forheonlytookrighteous
vengeance astheyweredispersed; andkillingsome, and
onthewretchwhohadmurdered hisfatherin puttingtherestto flight,gained thequarter
thecityofLeontium.fAnd,forthetruthof called iflc/iTodino,
whichwasmuch thestrong-
thisheappealed
toseveral
thatweretherepres-est,andhadsuffered theleastfromtheenemy;
ent,whoall attested
thesame,andcouldnot forSyracuse isanassemblage,asit were,of
butadmirethewonderfulmanagement of for- towns.*Finding plentyofprovisions andmo-
tune, which, moving one thing by another,
* There werefour: the Isle, or thecitadel,which
bringing together the most distant incidents, was betweenthe two poru; AchradMu, at a little di»-
* L^ptioes,
asmentioned
below,wastyrantof Ap- tancc fromthecitadel;Tyche,
socalledfromthetem-
potomi. pleof Fortune;andKtapola,or the newcity. To
f HistorycanhardlyaSbrda itroogerinstance
of thesesomeeminent authors
(andPlutarchis of tli*
tninterfering
Providence. number;
adda fifth,which
theycall£p.jwte.
180 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

ney there, he did not give up the acquisition, sport,at their vacanthours,anduponanyces-
nor return into the citadel,but stooduponhi* sationof arms. As they wereall Greeksand
defencein the Jlchradina, havingfortified it had no pretencefor any privateanimositya*
quite round,andjoinedit by newworksto the gainsteach other, they fought boldly when
citadel. Mago andIceteswerenow nearCat- theymet in battle, and in time of truce they
ana, when a horsemandespatched from Syra- mixedtogether,andconversed familiarly. Bu-
cuse,broughtthemtidingsthat the Jlchradina siedat oneof thesetimesin their commondi-
was taken, whichstruckthemwith suchsur- versionsof fishing,theyfell into discourse, and
prisethat theyreturnedin great hurry,having expressed their admirationof the convenience
neitbsr taken the placewhich they went a- of the sea, and the situationof the adjacent
gainst,norkeptthatwhichtheyhadbefore. places. Whereupon
one of the Corinthian
Perhapsprudenceandvalour haveas much soldiersthus addressed thosethat servedun-
right as fortuneto lay claimto thesesuccesses;der Icetes: "And can you who areGreeks
but the eventthat nextensued,is wholly to be readilyconsentto reducethis city, so spacious
ascribedto the favourof fortune. The corps in itself,and blessedwith somanyadvantages,
of Corinthiansthat wereat Thurium, dreading into the power of the barbarians,andto bring
the Carthaginian fleet, which, under the com- the Carthaginians, the most deceitful and
mandof Hanno, observedtheir motions,and bloodyof them all, into our neighbourhood;
finding at the sametime that the seafor many whenyou ought to wish that betweenthem
dayswasstormyand tempestuous, determinedandGreecethere weremany Sicilies; or can
to marchthroughthe country of the Brutians: you think that they have brought an armed
and partly by persuasion,partly by force, they force from the pillars of Hercules and the At-
made goodtheir passagethrough the territories lantic ocean, and braved the hazardsof war,
of the barbarians,
andcamedownto Rhegium3purely to erecta principalityfor Icetes; who,
the seastill continuing rough as before. if he had bad the prudence which becomesa
The Carthaginianadmiral,not expectingthe general,-would
neverhavedrivenout hisfound
Corinthians would venture out, thought it was ers, to call into his country the worst of hia
in vain to sit still; and having persuadedhim- enemies, when he might have obtained of the
self that he had invented one of the finest strat- Corinthians and Timoleon any proper degree
agemsin the world, orderedthe marinersto of honourandpower."
crownthemselves with garlands,andto dress The soldiersthatwerein paywith Icetes,re-
up the galleys,with Grecian and Phoenicianpeating their discourses
often in their camp,
bucklers, and thus equipped, he sailed to Sy- gave Mago, who had long wanteda pretenceto
racuse. When hecamenear the citadel, he hail- be gone, room to suspectthat he wasbetrayed.
ed it with loudhuzzasandexpressions
of tri- And thoughIcetesentreatedhim to stay,and
umph,declaringthat he was just come from remonstratedupon their great superiorityto
beating the Corinthian succours,whom he had the enemy, yet he weighed anchor and sailed
met with at sea,asthey were endeavouring at backto Africa, shamefullyandunaccountably
a passage. By this meanshe hopedto strike sufferingSicily to slip out of his hands.
terror into the besieged.While hewasacting Next day,Timoleondrew uphis armyin or-
this part, the Corinthiansgot down to Bhegi- der of battle before the place; but whenhe
um, and asthe coastwas clear,andthe wind, and his Corinthiansweretold thatMago wai
falling asit weremiraculously,
promisedsmooth fled, and saw the harbourempty,they could
water and a safevoyage, they immediately not forbearlaughingat his cowardice;andby
went aboard such barks and fishing boats as way of mockery, they causedproclamation t»
they could find, and passedover into Sicily bemadeaboutthe city, promisinga rewardto
with so much safety and in such a dead calm, any one that could give information where the
that theyeven drew the horsesby the reins, Carthaginianfleet was gone to hide itself.
swimming by the side of the vessels. Icetes, however, had still the spirit to stand a
When they were all landedandbad joined farther shock, and would not let go his hold,
Timoleon, he soon took Messana;* and from but vigorously defendedthose quarters of the
thencehe marchedin goodorderto Syracuse,city which he occupied,and whichappeared
dependingmore upon his goodfortune,than almostimpregnable. Timoleon,therefore, di-
his forces,for he hadnot abovefour thousandvided his forcesinto threeparts; andhimself
men with him. On the first newsof his ap- with oneof themmadehis attackby the river
proach, Mago was greatly perplexedanda- of Anapus,wherehe waslikely to meetwith
larmed,andhis suspicionswere increasedon the warmestreception; commanding the sec-
the followingoccasions. The marshesabout ond, which was under Isias the Corinthian,
Syracuse,!whichreceivea greatdeal of fresh to begintheir operations from the JlchradinOj
waterfrom the springs,andfromthe lakesand while DinarchusandDemaretus,who brought
rivers that dischargethemselves thereinto the the last reinforcementfrom Corinth, should
"ca, havesuchabundance of eels,that there is attemptthe Epipolse: so that severalimpres-
always plenty for those that chooseto fish for sions being made at the same time and on
them. The common soldiers of both aides every side, the soldiers of Icetes were over-
amusedthemselvespromiscuouslywith that poweredandput toflight. Now, that the citT
was taken by assault, and suddenly reduced,
; upon the flight of the enemy, we mayjustly
* Menana,in the ancientSicilianpronunciation
DowMestina. impute to the braveryof the troopsandthe
ability of their general; but that not one Co-
f There
isonemoraM
Inatis called
Lytimelia,
and rinthianwaseitherkilled or wounded,
the
anothercalledSyraco. From this last the city took fortune of Timoleon claims entirely to herself,
its name. Thesemorasses makethe air or Syracuse
Veryunwholesome. willing,aashe seems,
to maintaina disput*
 TIMOLEON. 181

withhisvalour,andthosewhoreadhisstory, Syracusans
andotherSiciliansto peoplethat
mayrather
admire
hishappy
success,
thanthe city,wheretheyshouldenjoytheirliberties
meritof hisactions.The fameof thisgreatandprivileges, andhavethe landsdividedby
achievement soonoverspreadnot only Sicily equallotsamong them." Thentheysenten-
and Italy, but in a few daysit resounded voys into Asiaandthe islands,wherethey
through
Greece
: sothatthecityof Corinth,weretold thegreatest
partof thefugitives
whichwasin somedoubtwhetherits fleetwas were dispersed,to exhortthem all to come
arrivedin Sicily,wasinformedby the sameto Corinth,wheretheyshouldbe provided
messengers,
that its forceshadmadegoodtheir with vessels,commanders,and a convoyat
passage
and were victorious.So well did the expenceof the Corinthians,
to conduct
their affairs prosper,and so muchlustre did themsafeto Syracuse. Their intentionsthug
fortuneaddto thegallantryof theirexploits,published,
theCorinthians
enjoyed
thejustest
bythespeedinessof theirexecution. praiseandthemostdistinguished
glory,hav-
Timoleon, thusmaster of the citadel, did ing delivereda Grecian city from tyrants,
notproceed
likeDion,orsparetheplaceforits savedit from thebarbarians,
andrestored
the
beautyandmagnificence ; butguardingagainst citizens to their country. But the persons
the suspicions which first slandered,andthen whometonthis occasionat Corinth,not being
destroyedthat great man,heorderedthe pub- a sufficientnumber desiredthat they might
lic crier to give notice, " That all the Syracu- takeothersalongwith themfrom Corinthand
sanswho were willing to havea hand in the therestof Greece,asnewcolonists; by which
work, shouldcomewith properinstruments to meanshavingmadeup their numberfull ten
destroythe bulwarksof tyranny." Hereupon thousand,they sailed to Syracuse. By this
they cameout one and all, consideringthat time great multitudes from Italy and Sicily
proclamationand that dayas the surestcom- hadflockedin to Timoleon; who,finding their
mencementof their liberty ; and they not only number, as Athanis reports, amount to sixty
demolished the citadel, but levelled with the thousand,freely divided the lands amongthem,
groundboth the palacesandthe monumentsbut soldthe housesfor a thousandtalents. By
of the tyrants. Havingsoonclearedthe place, this contrivancehe bothleft it in the powerof
he built a common hall there for the seat of ju- the ancient inhabitants to redeemtheir own,
dicature, at once to gratify the citizens, and and took occasionalso to raise a stock for the
to shew that a popular government should be community, who had been so poor in all re-
erected on the ruins of tyranny. spects, and so little able to furnish the sup-
The city thus taken was found comparatively plies for the war, that they had sold the very
destitute of inhabitants. Many had beenslain statues, after having formed a judicial pro-
in the wars and intestine broils, and many cessagainsteach,andpassedsentenceupon
more had fled from the rage of the tyrants.- them, as if they had beenso many criminals.
Nay, so little frequentedwas the market-place On this occasion, we are told, they spared
of Syracuse,that it producedgrassenoughfor onestatue,whenall the restwerecondemned,
the horsesto pasture upon, and for the grooms namely, that of Gelon, one of their ancient
to repose themselves by them. The other kings, in honour of the man, and for the sake
cities,excepta veryfew, were entire deserts, of the victory* which hegainedover the Car-
full of deer and wild boars, and such as had thaginians at Himera.
leisurefor it oftenhuntedthem in the suburbs Syracuse
beingthusrevived,andreplenished
and about the walls ; while none of those that with such a number of inhabitants who flocked
hadpossessed themselves of castlesaodstrong to it from all quarters,Timoleonwasdesirous
holdscouldbepersuaded to quit them,or come to bestowthe blessingof liberty on the other
downinto the city, for theylookedwith hatred cities also,and once for all to estirpatearbi-
andhorroruponthe tribunalsandotherscjts of trarygovernmentout of Sicily. For this pur-
government,as so manynurseriesof tyrants. pose,torching into the territoriesof the petty
Timoleon and the Syracusans,therefore, tyrants, he compelledIcetesto quit the inter-
thoughtproperto write to the Corinthians,to estsof Carthage,to agreeto demolishhis cas-
sendthema goodnumberfromGreeceto peo- tles, andto live amongthe Leontinesasa pri-
ple Syracuse,becausethe land must other- vateperson. Leptines, also,prince of Apol-
wiselie uncultivated,andbecause they expect- lonia and severalother little towns, finding
ed a moreformidablewar from Africa, being himselfin dangerof beingtaken,surrendered,
informedthatMage hadkilled himself,andthat andhadhis life granted him, but was sent to
the Carthaginians,provokedat his badconduct Corinth : for Timoleon looked upon it as a
in the expedition,hadcrucifiedbig body, and gloriousthing;,thatthe tyrantsof Sicily should
were collectinggreat forcesfor the invasion be forcedto live asexilesin the city whichhad
of Sicilytheensuing
summer. colonized
that island,andshouldbeseen,by
Theseletters of Timoleon beingdelivered, the Greeks,in suchan abjectcondition.
the Syracusanambassadors attendedat the After this, he returnedto Syracuse to settle
sametime, and beggedof the Corinthiansto the civil government,and establishthe most
taketheircityintotheirprotection,
andto be- importantand necessary
laws,f alongwith
come foundersof it anew. They did not,
" Hedefeated
however, hastilyseizethat advantage,or ap- three Hamilcar,
wholanded in Sicily,with
hundredthousand
men,in thesecondyearof th»
propriatethecityto themselves,
butfirstsent sevenly-fiAhOlympiad.
to thesacredgames andtheothergreatassem- t Among otherwiseinstitutions, heappointed a
blies of Greece,and causedproclamationto chiefmagistrate to bechosen yearly,whomtheSyra-
be madeby their heralds," That the Corin-cusans called
thusgiving the
him Anptupoltt
a kind of
of sacicd Jupiter
Olympius;
character. The first
thianshaving abolishedarbitarypowerin Sy- JmphipokUwasCommenes.Hincearosetin custom
racuse,
andexpelled
the tyrant,invitedall among
theSyraciuani
tocomplete
theirfear*byih«
 182 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Cephalus
andDinarchus,
lawgivers
sentfromtheNemean,
andit isbutlatelythattheplM
Corinth. In the meanwh!e, willing that the branchhastakenits place. The generalhat-
mercenariesshouldreapsomeadvantagefrom ing addressedhie armyas we have said,took
the enemy'scountry, and be kept from inac- a chaplet of parsley,and crowned himself
tion, he sent Dinarchus and Demaretua into with it first, and then his officers and the com-
the Carthaginian province. These drew seve- mon soldiers did the same. At that instant
ral cities from the Punicinterest,and not only the soothsayers
observingtwo eaglesflyingto-
lived in abundance themselves,but alsoraised wards them, one of which bore a serpent
money,from the plunder, for carryingon the whichhe hadpiercedthroughwith his talont,
war. While these matters were transacting, while the other advanced with a loud and ani-
theCarthaginians
arrivedat Lilybaeum,
with matingnoise,pointedthemout to thearmy,
seventythousandland forces, two hundred who all betookthemselves to prayerandinvo-
galleys, and a thousandother vessels,which cationof the gods.
carriedmachinesof war, chariots,vastquanti- The summerwasnow begun,and the end
ties of provisions,andall other stores;as if of the month Thargelion broughton thesol-
they werenow determinednot to carry on the stice; the river then sendingupa thick mist,
war by piecemeal,but to drive the Greeksen- the field was coveredwith it at first, so that
tirely out of Sicily. For their forcewassuffi- nothingin the enemy'scampwasdiscernible,
cient to effect this, even if the Sicilians had only an inarticulate and confusednoise which
been united, and much more so, harassed as reached the summit of the hill, shewedthat a
they were with mutual animosities. When great army lay at some distance. But when
the Carthaginians, therefore, found that the the Corinthians had reached the top, and laid
Sicilian territories were laid waste, they downtheir shieldsto take breath,the sunhad
marched, under the commandof Asdrubal raisedthe vapourshigher,so that the fogbeing
and Hamilcar, in greatfury, againstthe Co collected upon the summits, coveredthem
rmthians. only, while the places below were all visible.
Informationof thisbeingbroughtdirectly to The river Crimesusappearedclearly, andthe
Syracuse,the inhabitants were struck with enemywere seencrossingit, first with chariot*
"uch terror by that prodigiousarmament,that drawn by four horses,andformidablyprovided
scarcethree thousand,out of ten times that for thecombat;behindwhichtheremarched ten
number,took up arms andventuredto follow thousandmenwith whitebucklers.Thesethey
Timoleon. The mercenaries were in number conjecturedto be Carthaginians,
bythebright-
four thousand,andof themabout a thousand nessof theirarmour,andtheslowness andgood
gave -wayto their fears, when upon their orderin whichthey moved.They werefollow-
march, and turned back, crying out, " That ed by the troopsof othernations,whoadvanc-
Timoleon mustbe mador in his dotage,to go ed in a confusedandtumultuousmanner.
against an army of seventythousandmen, Timoleon observingthat the river put it in
with only five thousandfoot anda thousandhis powerto engagewith what numberof the
horse,and to draw his handful of men, too, enemyhe pleased,bade his men takenotice,
eight days'marchfrom Syracuse;
by which howthemainbodywasdividedbythestream,
meanstherecould be no refuge for thosethat part havingalreadygot overandpartpreparing
fled, nor burial for thosethat fell in battle." to passit; and orderedDemaretuswith the
Timoleon consideredit as an advantage,cavalry to attack the Carthaginians and put
that these cowards discovered themselves be- them in confusion, before they had time to
fore the engagement;and having encouragedrangethemselves
in orderof battle. Thenhe
therest,heled themhastilyto the banksof himselfdescending
into theplainwiththein-
the Crimesus,
wherehewastold the Carthagi- fantry,formedthe wingsout of otherSicilians,
niansweredrawntogether.Butashewasas- intevninglinga fewstrangers with them;but
cendinga hill, at thetopof whichtheenemy'sthe nativesof Syracuse
andthemostwarlike
camp,andall theirvastforceswouldbein of themercenaries
heplaced
about
himself
in
"ight,hemetsomemulesloaded
with parsley;the centre,andstoppeda while to seethe
and his men took it into their heads that it successof the horse. When he saw that they
wasa bad omen,because we usuallycrown couldnotcomeupto grapple withtheCartha-
the sepulchres
with parsley,
and thencethe ginians,by reasonof thechariots
that ran to
proverbwithrespect
toonethatis dangerously
andfro beforetheirarmy,andthat theywere
ill, Suckaen:hasneedofnothing
butpars- obliged
oftentowheelabout
to avoid
thedan-
ley. To deliverthemfrom this superstitiongerof havingtheir ranksbroken,andthento
andto removethepanic, Timoleonorderedrallyagainandreturnto thecharge, sometime*
thetroopsto halt,andmaking
a speech
suita-here,sometimesthere,
hetookhisbucklerand
ble to the occasion,observed
among othercalledtothefoottofollowhim,andbeofgood
things," Thatcrownswerebroughtthembe- courage,
withanaccent
thatseemed
morethan
forethevictory,andofferedthemselves
of human,
somuch
wasit above
hisusual
pitch;
theirownaccord."For theCorinthians,
from whetherit wasexalted
by hisardouranden-
allantiquity,
havinglookeduponawreathof thusiasm, or whether
(asmanywereof opi-
parsleyassacred,
crowned thevictorswithit nion)thevoice
of some
godwasjoinedtohis.
at theIslhmeangames:in Timoleon's
timeit Histroopsanswering
himwith a loud shout,
wasetillin useat those
games,
asit isnowat andpressing
himto leadthemonwithout
de-
lay,he sentordersto the cavalryto getbeyond
respectivegovernments
of thosemagistrates;which .he line of chariots, and take the enemy in
custom continued Jnthetime
it, in thereijjnof Augustus,
ofDiodorus
above
Siculus,
threehundred
lUatlank,whilehimself
years
thickening
hisfirstranks,
aftertheoffice
of Jlmpllipolul
vtisfirstintroduced.
soasto join bucklerto buckler,andcausing
D,odor.
SiftU.1.ivi. c. 12. the trumpet to sound,bore down upon the
 TIMOLEON. 183

CarthaginiansTheysustained thefirstshockship,andlenthousandbucklerf,wereexposed
withgreatspirit,forbeing
fortified
withbreast-toview. Astherewasbutasmallnumber to
plates
oi ironandhelmets of brasu,
andcover-collectthespoils
of suchamultitude,
andthey
ingthemselveswith largeshields,theycouldfoundsuchimmense riches,it wagthethird
easily
repelthespears andjavelins.Butwhendayafterthebattlebefore theycoulderectthe
thebusinesscameto a decision bythesword,trophy. With the first newsof thevictory,
whereart isno lessrequisite
thanstrength,
all Timoleonsentto Corinththe handsomest
on a suddenthere broke out dreadful thunders of the arms he had taken, desirousthat the
fromthe mountains,mingled with long trails world might admire and emulatehi» native
of lightning;
afterwhichtheblackcloudsde- city,whentheysawthefairesttemples
adorn-
scendingfromthe topsof the hills,fell uponthe ed, not with Greciarspoils,nor with the un-
two armiesin a stormof wind, rain andhail. pleaaingmonuments o/ kindredbloodanddo-
The tempestwason the backsof the Greeks, mesticruin, but with the spoilsof barbarians,
but beatuponthe facesof thebarbarians, andal- whichborethis honourable inscription,declar
mostblindedthemwith thestormyshowers and ing the justice as well as valourof the coo
thefire continuallystreamingfromthe clouds. rjuerors: "That the peopleof Corinth,and
Thesethingsvery muchdistressedthe bar- Timoleontheir general, havingdeliveredthe
barians,particularlysuchof themas werenot Greeks who dwelt in Sicily fromthe Cartha-
veterans. The greatest inconvenienceseems ginian yoke, made this offering, as a grateful
to have been the roaring of the thunder, and acknowledgement to the gods."
the clattering of the rain and hail upon their After this, Timoleon left the mercenariesto
arms, which hinderedthemfrom hearingthe lay wastethe Carthaginianprovince,and re-
orders of their officers. Besides, the Cartha- turned to Syracuse. By an edict published
giniansnot beinglight but heavy-armed,
as I there,he banishedfrom Sicily the thousand
"aid, the dirt was troublesometo them; and, a» hired soldiers, who deserted him before the,
the bosomsof their tunics were filled with wa- battle, and obliged them to quit Syracuse be-
ter, they werevery unwieldy in the combat, so fore the sun set. These wretches passedover
that the Greeks could overturn them with ease; into Italy, where they were treacherouslyslain
and when they were down, it was impossible by the Brutians. Such was the vengeance
for them, encumberedas they were with arms, which heaventook of their perfidiousnese.
to get outof the mire. For the river Crimesus, Nevertheless,
Mamercns,princeof Catana,
swolnpartly with the rains,andpartly having andIcetes,either movedwith envyat the suc-
its course slopped by the vast numbers that cessof Timoleon, or dreadinghim as animpla-
crossedit, had overflowed its banks. The ad- cable enemy who thought no faith was to be
jacent field, having many cavities and low kept with tyrants, entered into leaguewith the
placesin it, was filled with water whichset- Carthaginians, anddesiredthemto senda new
tleo. there,and the Carthaginians falling into army and general,if theywere not willing to
them,couldnot disengage themselves without lose Sicily entirely. Hereupon,Gisco came
extremedifficulty.In short,the stormcontinu- with a fleetof seventyships, and a body of
ing to beatuponthemwith greatviolence,and Greekswhom he had takeninto pay. The
the Greekshaving cut to piecesfour hundred Carthaginianshad not employedany Greeks
menwhocomposed theirfirst ranks,their whole before,but now they consideredthemas th«
body was put to flight. Great numbers were bravest and most invincible of men.
overtakenin the field, andput to the sword; On this occasion,the inhabitantsof Messe-
manytook the river, and justling with those na, rising with oneconsent,slewfour hundred
that were yet passingit, were carrieddown of the foreign soldiers,whomTimoleonhad
and drowned. The majorpart, who endeav-sentto their assistance; andwithin the depen-
oured to gainthe hills, were stoppedby the denciesof Carthage,the mercenaries,com-
light-armed
soldiers,
andslain.Among
tie ten manded
byEuthymus
theLeucaJian,
were
cut
thousand
thatwerekilled,it issaidtherewere off by an ambush
at a placecalledHieis."
three thousandnativesof Carthage;a heavy Hencethe goodfortuneof Timoleon became
loss to that city: for none of its citizens were still more famous: for these were some of the
superior to these, either in birth, fortune or men who with Philodemus of Phocis and Ono-
character,
nor havewe anyaccountthatso marchus,
hadbrokenintothetemple
of Apollo
manyCarthaginians everfell beforein onebat- at Delphi,andwerepartakerswith themiathe
tle; but as they mostlymadeuseof Lybians, sacrilege.f Shunnedas execrableon this ac-
Spaniards,
andNumidians,
in their wars,if count,they wanderedaboutPeloponnesus^
theylostavictory,
it wasattheexpense
ofthe where
Timoleon,
beingin greatwaatofmen,
blood of strangers.
The Greeks discovered by the spoils the Hifra: " Wedonotfindtherewasanyplace inSicilycallek
in all probability, therefore, it »hould be reai
quality of the killed. Those that stripped the Hieta; for Sltphanusde UrMi. mention!a cutle in
deadsetno valueuponbrassor iron, suchwas Sicilyof thatname.
the abundance
of silverandgold; for theypass- t The>acredwarcommenced
onthiaoccasion.
The
ed the river, and made themselves masters of havingcondemned
thepeopleof Phoci*
the camp and baggage. Many of the prisoners
were clandestinely sold by the soldiers, but
fivethousandweredeliveredin, uponthepublic
account,
andtwo hundredchariots
alsowere demuJ,
called
thepeople
together,
andadvised
then
taken. The tentof Timoleonaffordedthe most to«ei«thetreasures in thetemple of Delphi,to en*
beautifulandmagnificentspectacle.In it were t>lethemto hire force«to defendthemselves.Thit
broueht on a war that lajtedlii years,
piled all mannerof spoils, among which a of which mostof toe tacrilcpom persons in thecourse
peruhti
thousandbreast-platesof exquisiteworkman- ,ili<rjl.li. "
184 FLUTARCH'S LIVES.

look theminto pay. When they cameinto sarcasm againstthe Corinthians.He hadsaifl,
Sicily, they werevictoriousin all the battles it seems,
in a speechhemadeto the Leontmes,
where he commandedin person; but after the upon the Corinthians taking the field, " That
great strugglesof the war were over, being it wasno formidablematter,if the Corinthian
"ent uponservicewheresuccourswererequir- damesweregoneout to takethe air." Thus
ed, they perishedby little and little. Herein the generalityof menare moreapt to resentt
»vengingjusticeseemsto havebeenwilling to contemptuous word than an unjustaction,and
make useof the prosperity of Timoleon as an can bear any other injury better than disgrace.
apologyfor its delay, taking care,as it did, Everyhostiledeedis imputedto the necessity
that no harmmighthappen
to thegood,from of war, but satiricalandcensorious
expres-
the punishment
of the wicked; insomuchthat sionsareconsidered
as the effectsof hatredor
the favour of the gods, to that great man, was malignity.
ao lessdiscernedandadmiredin hisveryloss- When Timoleonwasreturned,the Syracn-
es than in his greatestsuccess. sans brought the wife and daughters of Icetes
Upon any of theselittle advantages,
thety- to a public trial, who,beingtherecondemned
rants took occasion to ridicule the Syracusans; to die, were executedaccordingly. This seems
at which they were highly incensed. Mamer- to be the mostexceptionablepart of Timoleon'i
cus, for instance, who valued himself on his conduct; for, if he had interposed, the women
poemsandtragedies,
talkedin a pompous
man- wouldnot havesuffered. But he appearsto
ner of the victory he had gained over the mer- have connived at it, and given them up to the
cenaries, and ordered this insolent inscription resentmentof the people, who were willing to
to beput uponthe shieldswhich hededicatedmakesomesatisfactionto the manesof Dion,
to the gods, who expelled Dionysius. For Icetes was th«
These
shields.*
withgoldandivorygay, manwho threwArete the wife of Dion, hit
To our plainbucklerslostthe day. sister Aristomache, and his son, who was yet
Afterwards,whenTimoleonwaslaying siege a child, alive into thesea;as we haverelated
to Calauna,Icetestooktheopportunityto make in the Life of Dion.*
an inroad into the territories of Syracuse, Timoleonthen marchedto Catanaagainst
where he met with considerable booty; and Mamercus,who waited for him in orderof
havingmade
greathavoc,
hemarched
backby battleuponthe banksof the Abolus.f Ma
Calauriaitself, in contemptof Timoleonand mercuswasdefeated,
andput to Sight,withthe
the «U>fHerWee he had with him. Tunoleon loss of abovetwo thousandmen, no small part
sufferedhim to pass,and then followedhim of whichconsistedof the Punicsuccours ten:
with his cavalryandlight-armedfoot. When by Gisco. Hereuponthe Carthaginians desired
Icetcs saw he was pursued,he crossedthe him to grant thempeace;whichhedid onthe
Damyrias,t and stoodin a postureto receive followingconditions:"That they shouldhold
theenemy
ontheotherside. What embold-only the landswithinthe Lycus;f thatthey
ened him to do this, wasthe difficulty of the shouldpermit all whodesiredit, to remove
out
passage,
andthe steepness of thebanksonboth of their province,with theirfamiliesandgoods,
sides. But a strange
dispute
of jealousyand andto settleat Syracuse;
andthattheyshould
honour,which aroseamongthe officersof Ti- renounceall friendshipand alliancewith the
moleon,awhiledelayed
thecombat:for there tyrants." Mamercus,
reduced
by thistreaty
wasnot onethat waswilling to go afteranoth- to despair,set sail for Italy, with an intentto
er, but everyman wantedto beforemostin the bringthe LucaniansagainstTimoleonandthe
attack; so that their fording waslikely to be Syracusans.But, insteadof that, the crews
very tumultuousand disorderlyby theirjust- tacking about with the galleys,andreturning
ling each other, and pressingto get before. to Sicily, deliveredup Catanato Timoleon;
To remedy
this,Timoleon
ordered
themtode- whichobligedMamercusto takerefugeat
cide the matterby lot, andthat each for this Messena,with Hippo, prince of that city.
purpose
shouldgivehimhisring. Hetookthe Timoleoncominguponthem,andinvesting
rings andshookthemin the skirt of his robe, the placeboth by seaandland, Hippogot on
and thefirst that cameup,happeningto havea board a ship, and attemptedto makehis es-
trophyfor theseal,theyoung officers
receivedcape,butwastakenbytheMessenians them-
it withjoy, andcryingout,thattheywouldnot selves;who exposed himin the theatre;and
wait for anyetherlot, madetheirwayasfast callingtheirchildrenoutof theschools,
asto
aspossiblethroughtheriver,andfelluponthe thefinestspectaclein the world,thepunish-
enemy,
who,unable
to sustain
theshock,
soonmentof a tyrant,theyfirstscourged
him,and
tookto flight,throwingawaytheirarms,and thenputhimto death.
leavinga thousandof their mendeaduponthe
"pot. * From this passage, and anotherbefore,it seems
as if the Life of Dion was written before this. And
A few days after this, Timoleon marched yet, in the Life of Dion, Plutarch speaksas if this was
Into theterritoryof the Leontines,
wherehe written
first. Fortherehesays,
Jiswehave
written
took Icetes alive; and his son Eupolemus, and in theLife of Timoleon. In oneof them,therefore,
Euthymus,his generalof horse,werebrought if notin both,thosereferences
musthavebeenmade
tohimbound
bythesoldiers.Icetesandhis bytheLibrarians, according tothedifferent
which theselives were placed.
order
in
"on were capitally punished, as tyrants and f Ptolemy and others call this river Jllalnu, JlabU.
traitors to their country. Nor did Euthymus or JUabon.It it nearHybla,between
Catana
and
End mercy, though remarkably brave and bold Syracuse.
in action, becausehe was accusedof a severe t Plutarchprobablytookthenameof thisriver ash«
found it in Diodorus; but other historians call it th<
* Theywereshieldsthat hadkeeutakenout of the Halycus. Indeed,t}ie Carthaginian!might possiblf
Umplc at Delphi. give it the orient;! aspirate ha, which tignifiw n«
f Or the Lyinyriai. morethanthe particlethe.
 "1IMOLEON. ISA

Uponthis,
Mamercu*surrenderedhimself
to phonians,
withallthenenreandstrength
one
Timoleon,
agreeing
totake
histrialatSyracuse,
inde
inthem,appeartobetoomuchlaboured,
encondition
thatTimoleon
himselfwouldnot andsmelltoomuchof thelamp;whereas
the
behisaccuser. Being conducted
toSyracuse,>aintings
of Nicomachus* andtheverses of
andbrought beforethepeople,
he attemptedCorner,besides theirotherexcellencies
and
to pronounce anorationwhichhehadcom-;races, seem to havebeenstruckoffwithrea-
posed longbefore forsuchanoccasion;but lineesandease:so if wecompare theex-
beingreceivedwithnoiseandclamour,
heper- doitsof Epamiflondaa and Agesilaus,per-
ceived thattheas«emblyweredeterminedto brmed withinfinite
painsanddifficulty,
with
shewhimnofavour. He,therefore,threwoff .hoseof Timoleon,which,gloriousas they
hisuppergarment, ranthroughthetheatre,were,hadagreatdealof freedom andease ill
anddashed his headviolentlyagainst
oneof them,whenwe considerthe casewell, we
the steps,with a designto kill himself;but shallconclude
thelatter,notto havebeenthe
did notsucceed according
to hiswish,for he workof fortuneindeed,buttheeffectsof for-
wastaken up alive,and sufferedthe punish- tunatevirtue.
ment of thieves and robbers. He himself, it is true, ascribed all his suc-
In this mannerdid Timoleonextirpatety- cessesto fortune. For when he wroteto bis
ranny,and puta periodto theirwars. He riendsat Corinth,or addressed
the Syracu-
foundthe wholeislandturnedalmostwild and sans,he oftensaid,he washighly indebtedto
savagewith its misfortunes,so that its very that goddess, when shewasresolvedto save
inhabitantscould hardly endure it, and yet Sicily, for doing it under his name. In his
he so civilizedit again,andrenderedit so de- lousehe built a chapel,and offeredsacrifices
sirable,that strangerscamelo settle in the !o CAonce,tanddedicatedthe houseitself to
country,from whichits own peoplehadlately Fortune; for the Syiacuaans had given him
fled; the greatcitiesof AgrigentumandGela, oneof the besthousesin the city, asa reward
whichaftertheAthenianwar hadbeensacked for his services,and providedhim, besides,
and left desolateby the Carthaginians, were a very elegantand agreeableretreat in the
now peopledagain; the former by Megellus country. In the countryit was that he spent
and Pheristusfrom Elea, and the latter by most of his time,with his wife and children,
Gorgusfrom the isleof Ceos,who also col- whom he had sentfor from Corinth: for he
lectedandbroughtwith him someof the old never returned home; he took no part in
citizens. Timoleonnot only assuredthemof the troublesof Greece,nor exposedhimself
his protection,and of peacefuldaysto settle to public envy, the rock which great gene-
in, after the tempests of such a war, but cor- rals commonly split upon in their insatiable
dially entered into their necessities,and sup- pursuits of honour and power; but he remain-
plied them with everything,so that he was ed in Sicily, enjoyingthe blessings
hehad es-
even beloved by them as if he had been their tablished; and of which the greatest of all was,
founder. Nay, to that degreedid he enjoy the to see so many cities and so many thousand*
affections of the Sicilians in general, that no of people happy through his means.
war seemed concluded, no laws enacted, no But since, according to the comparison of
lands divided, no political regulation made, Simonides, every republic must have some im-
in a proper manner, except it was revised and pudent slanderer,just as every lark must have
touchedby him: he was the master-buildera creston its head,so it wasat Syracuse;for
who put the last handto the work, and lie Timoleonwas attackedby two demagogueo,
stoweduponit a happyeleganceand perfec- LaphystiusandDemsnetus.The first of these
tion. Though at that time Greece ooasteda having demandedof him suretiesthat he would
number of great men, whose achievements answer to an indictment which was to be
were highlydistinguished,Timotheus(for in- broughtagainsthim, the peoplebeganto rise
stance)Agesilaus,Pelopidos,and Epaminon- declaringthey would not sufferhim to pro
das,thelastof whomTimoleonprincipallyvied ceed. But Timoleon stilled the tumult, by
with in the courseof glory, yet we maydis- representing,
" That hehadvoluntarilyunder-
cern in their actions a certain labour and goneso many laboursand dangers,on pur
straining, -which diminishes their lustre, an<3 posethat the meanest Syracusan might have
someof them have afforded room for censure, recourse, when he pleased, to the laws."
and beenfollowedwith repentance;whereasAnd when Dernaenetus,
in full assembly,
al-
there is not one action of Timoleon (if we ex- leged many articles against his behaviour in
cept the extremitieshe proceededto in the command,he did not vouchsafehim any an-
caseof hisbrother)
to whichwemaynot,with swer;heonlysaid," Hecouldnotsufficiently
Timzus, applythat passage
of Sophocles,
"What Femt*, or what Love, » Pliny tells ns, " Nicomachus painted with a swift
Placed thelair partsinthisharmonious
whole. aswellasa masterly hand;andthathispieces told
For, as the poetryof Antimachus*and the for asmuchas a townwasworth." Aristratus,the
tyrantof Sicyon,havingagreedwith him for a pictc
portraits of Dionyeius/fboth of them Colo- of workwhichseemed torequireaconsiderabletioie.
Nicomachus
did nol appeartill within a fewdaysof
* Antimachu)wasanepicpoet,whoflourished in thatonwhich hehadagreed to finish
it. Hereupon
the daysof Socrates
andPlato. He wrotea poemthetyranttalkedof punishing
him; butin Ihotefew
railed
theTkeliaid. Quintilian
(».i.) sayi,hehadi days hecompleted thethingin anadmirable manner
forceandsolidity,together
withanelevation of slyle andentirelytohissatisfaction.
»nd had the
second place
givenhim by the
grammar! t Whenthe ancients
ascribedany event lofortunt,
»n«,afterHomer; butashefailed in the passions, ii theydidnotmean
to denytheoperations
of theDeity
the disposition of hit fable, and in the easeand ele in it, but only to eicludeall humancontrivanceand
canceof manner,thoughhe wassecond,hewas(ar power.Andin events ascribedtotliance,
theymight
fromcoiningnearthefirst. possiblymeanto excludetheagencyofalj rationalbe-
\ Diouysiusvsata portraitpainter. Pii'n.MTT. 10 ings,whetherhumanor divine.
186 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

expresshis gratitudeto the gods,for granting that decreeof the peopleof Syracuse,
" Thai
his request,in permittinghim to see all the whenevertheyshouldbeat war with a foreign
Syracusansenjoy the liberty of sayingwhat nation,theywouldemploya Corinthiangene-
they thoughtfit." ral." Their methodof proceeding,too, in
Having then confessedlyperformed greater their assemblies,did honour to Timoleon. Foi
thingsthan any Grecianof his time, andbeen they decidedsmaller mattersby themselves,
the only man that realized those glorious but consulted him in the more difficult and im-
achievements,to which the orators of Greece portant cases. On these occasions he wat
were constantlyexhorting their countrymenconveyedin a litter throughthe market-place
in the generalassembliesof the states,fortune to the theatre; andwhen he was carriedin,
happily placedhim at a distancefrom the ca- the peoplesalutedhim with onevoice,ashe
lamitiesin which the mother-country was in- sat. He returned the civility; and having
volved, and kept his hands unstained with its pauseda while to give time for their acclama-
blood. He madehis courageand conduct ap- tions, took cognizanceof the affair, and deli-
pear in Ins dealings with the barbarians and vered his opinion. The assemblygave their
with tyrants, as well as his justice and mode- sanction to it, and then his servantscarried the
ration whereverthe Greeksor their friends litter backthroughthe theatre;andthepeople,
were concerned.Veryfew of his trophieshavingwaitedonhimout,withloudapplauses,
cost his fellow-citizens a tear, or put any of despatchedthe rest of the public businesswith-
them in mourning; and yet, in less than eight out him.
years, he delivered Sicily from its intestine With so much respect and kindness was the
miseries and distempers, and restored it to old age of Timoleon cherished, as that of a
the native inhabitants. common father! and at last he died of a slight
After so much prosperity, when he was illness co-operating with length of years.*
well advancedin years,his eyesbeganto fail Sometime beinggiventhe Syracusans
to pre-
him, and the defect increased so fast, that he pare for his funeral, and for the neighbouring
or.tirely lost his sight. Not that he had done inhabitants and strangers to assemble, the
any thing to occasion it, nor was it to be im- whole was conducted with great magnificence.
puted to the caprice of fortune," but it seems The bier, sumptuouslyadorned, was carried by
to have been owing to a family weakness and young men, selected by the people, over the
disorder, which operated together with the ground where the palace and castle of the ty-
course of time. For several of his relations rants stood, before they were demolished. It
are said to have lost their sight in the same was followed by many thousandsof men and
manner, having it gradually impaired by years. women,in the most pompoussolemnity, crown-
But Athanis tells us, notwithstanding, that ed with garlands and clothed in white. The
during the war with Hippo and Mamercus, lamentations and tears, mingled with the
and while he lay before Malta, a white speck praisesof the deceased,shewed that the hon-
appeared on his eye, which was a plain indi- our now paid him was not a matter of course,
cationthat blindnesswas comingon. How- or compliancewith a duty enjoined,but the
ever, this did not hinder him from continuing testimony of real sorrow and sincere affection.
the siege,and prosecutingthe war, until he At last the bierbeingplaceduponthe funeral
got the tyrants in his power. But, when he pile, Demetrius,who hadthe loudestvoiceof
was returned to Syracuse, he laid down the all their heralds, was directed to make procla-
command immediately, and excusedhimself to mation as follows: "The people of Syracuse
the peoplefrom any fartherservice,ashe had inter Timoleonthe Corinthian,the sonof Ti-
brought their affairs to a happy conclusion. modemus,at the expenseof two hundredmine:
It is not to be wondered, that he bore his they honour him, moreover, through all time
misfortune without repining; but it was really with annual games, to be celebrated with per-
admirable to observe the honour and respect formances in music, horse-racing, and wrest-
which the Syracusanspaid him when blind. ling; as the man who destroyed tyrants, sub-
They not only visited him constantly them- dued barbarians, re-peopledgreat cities which
selves,but brought all strangerswho spentsome lay desolate,and restored to the Sicilians their
time amongst them to his housein the town, or laws and privileges."
to that in the country, that they too might have The body was interred, and a monument
the pleasureof seeingthe delivererof Syra- erectedfor him in themarket-place,
whichthey
cuse. And it was their joy and their pride afterwards surroundedwith porticos and other
that he choseto epcnd his days with them, buildingssuitable to the purpose,and then
and despisedthe splendid receptionwhich madeit a place of exercisefor their youth,
Greecewas preparedto give him, on account underthe nameof Timoleontewn. Theycon-
of his great success. Among the many votes tinued to make use of the form of government
that were passed,and things that were done and the laws that he established, and this in-
In honourof him, oneof the moststriking was sured their happinessfor a long courseof
years.f
" Plutarch here hints at an opinion which was very * He died the last year of the hundred Mid lentU
prevalent
among
the Pagans,
that if anyperson
was Olympiad,
threehundred
andthirty-fireyearsbefore
signally favoured with success,there woulo somemis- the Christian sera.
fortunehappento counterbalance
it. This Ihcy im- t This prosperitywasinterrupted(boutthirty TMrs
putedto theenvyof somemalignantdemon. after,by theerueltiu of Agtthode*.
 1S7

PAULUS jEMILIUS

WHBV
I firstapplied
myself
tothewritingof generally
bleised
withsucce*.Andnotwitr*
theseLives,it wasfor thesakeof others,but standingtheill fortuneof LuciusPaulusal
I pursue
thatstudy
formyownsake;availingCanns, he shewedon tiiatoccasion
bothlui
myself
of history
asof a mirror,fromwhichI prudence
andhisvalour.Foi,wnen hecould
leamto adjustandregulate myownconduct.not dissuade his colleague
from fighting,he
Forit is like livingandconversing
withthesejoinedhimin thecombat, though muchagainst
illustrious
men,whenI invite,asit were,and liis will, butdid not partakewith himin his
receive them,oneafteranother,
undermyroof: flight:onthecontrary, whenhewhoplunged
when I considerhow great and wonderful them in the danger,desertedthe field,Paulua
they were, and select from their actionsthe stoodhis ground,and fell bravelyamidstthe
mostmemorable andglorious. enemy,with his swordin his hand.
Yegods! whatgreaterpleasure
? ThisPaulus hadadaughter named.Emilia,
WhatAappier roadto m'rtue
? whowasmarriedto ScipiotheGreat,anda son
Democritus hasaposition inhisphilosophy,*
called
Paulus,whose historyI amnowwriting.
utterlyfalseindeed,andleading to endless
su- At thetimehemade hisappearancein the
perstitions,
thattherearephantasms orimagesworld,Romeabounded in menwhowere
continuallyfloating
in theair,some propitious,
celebrated
fortheir-virtues
andotherexcellent
andsomeunlucky,
andadvises
usto pray,that accomplishments
f and even amongthese
«uch may strike upon our senses,33 are agree- jEmilius made a distinguished figure, without
ableto, andperfective
of,our nature,andnot pursuing thesame studies,
orsettingoutin the
suchas havea tendency to viceand error. same track,withtheyoungnobilityof thatage.
For my part,insteadof this, I fill my mind For he did not exercise
himselfin pleading
withthesublime imagesof thebestandgreat-causes; norcouldhestoopto salute, to solicit,
estmen,
byattention
tohistory
andbiography;
andcaress
thepeople,
which
was
themethod
andif I contract
anyblemish orill custom from that mostmentookwhoaimedat popularity.
othercompany whichI am unavoidably en- Not butthathehadtalentsfromnatureto ac-
gagedin, I correctandexpelthem,by calmly quithimselfwell in eitherof theserespects,
anddispasionately
turningmythoughts to thesebut he reckoned the honourthat flowsfrom
excellentexamples.For thesamepurpose, I valour,fromjustice,andprobity,preferable
to
nowputintoyourbands theIsjleof Timoleon,both;andin thesevirtuesbe soonsurpassed
theCorinthian, andthat of -55milius Paulus,all theyoungmenof histime.
menfamous notonlyfor theirvirtues,
buttheir The first of the greatofficesof statefot
success; insomuch thattheyhaveleft roomto whichhewasa candidate, wasthatof JEdile,
doubt,whether theirgreatachievements were andhe carriedit againsttwelvecompetitors,
not owingmoreto theirgoodfortunethantheir who,we aretold, were all afterwardsconsuls.
prudence. Andwhenhewasappointed
oneof theJiugurs,
Mostwritersagree,
thattheJEmilianfamily whomthe Romans
employin theinspection
wasoneof the mostancientamongthe Roman and care of divinationby the flight of birds,
nobility:andit is asserted,
thatthefounder
of andby prodigies
in theair,he studiedso at-
it, whoalso left it hia surname,
was Mamer- tentivelythe usagesof his country, and ac-
cusfthesonof Pythagoras
thephilosopher,}
quainted
himselfeoperfectly
withtheancient
who,for the peculiarcharmsandgracefulnessceremonies
of religion,that what beforewas
of hiselocution,
wascalled-3£milius;
such,at onlyconsideredas an honour,andsought
for
least,is the opinionof thosewhosaythat on accountof the authorityannexed
to it,t
NumawaseducatedunderPythagoras. appearedin his handsto be oneof the princi-
Thoseof this family that distinguished
pal arts. Thus,he confirmed
the definition
themselves^found their attachmentto virtue whichis givenby somephilosophers,
That re-
ligion is the scienceof worshipping the gods.
* Democritus
their imagein theheld,
that
ambient visible
air, objects
whichimageproduced
produced He didevery thingwithskillandapplication;
he laid aside all other concerns while he at-
a lecond, and the second a third still less than the for-
mer,andsoontill thelastproduced
ils counterpart
in tendedto this, andmadenot the leastomission
theeye. Thishesupposed theprocessof the actof or innovation,but disputedwith his colleagues
vision.Buthewentontowhatis infinitely
more
ab- aboutthe smallestarticle,and insisted,
surd. He maintained(hat thought wasformed, accor-
that
ding w those imagesstruck upon the imagination ; though the Deity might be supposedto be
thatofthese
there
were
some
toodandsome
evil;that merciful,
andwillingto overlook
someneglect,
the good produced virtuous thought! in us, and the
evil thecontrary. thoseJEnulii renownedfor their victoriesand tri-
f Secthelife of Numa. umphs.
| Heiscalled
Pythagoras
thephilosopher,
todisti "In thatperiod
wefindtheScmpronii,
theAlbinv.
guishhim froiu Pythagoras
the tamedwrestler. the FatalMuiuu, theMarcelli,theScipios,theF'jl.
$ FromLuciusjEmilius,whowasconsul
in theyear vn,Sulpilii,Ctthegi,Metelli,andothergreatsjidci-
of Rome two hundred and seventy,and overcamethe cellent men.
Volsrians,
toLuciusPaulus,
whowas father
toPaulus t Underpretence
thattheauspices
werefavouraNt
JSmilius,
andwhofellatCannae,
intheyearof Romeor otherwise,
the.«U?UT-Jhadit in theirpower
u
firehundred
andthirty-seven,
therewerenauyof promoteorputa stoptoanypublic
iflkirwhatever.
188 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

yet it wasdangerousfor the state to connive his friendsremonstrated,

andaskedhim, Wai
at andpassby suchthings. For no man ever shenot chattel Was shenot fair t Wasshe
began his attempts against government with not fruitful1! he held out his shoe, and said,
an enormous crime; and the relaxing in the If it not handsome! Is it not new? yet none
smallestmatters,breaksdownthefencesof knowswhere
it wringshim,buthethatwears
the greatest. it. Certain it is, that men usually repudiate
Nor washe lessexact in requiringand ob- their wives for great and visible faults; yet
servingthe Romanmilitary discipline. He did sometimes also a peevishness
of temperor in-
not studyto be popularin command,nor en- complianceof manners,small and frequent
deavour,like the generality,to makeonecom- distates,thoughnot discernedby the world,
missionthe foundationfor another,by humour- producethe mostincurableaversions in a mar-
ing and indulging the soldiery:* but as a priest ried life.*
instructsthe initiatedwith care in the sacred JEmilius,thusseparated
from Papiria,mar-
ceremonies,so he explained to those that were ried a secondwife, by whom he had also two
underhim the rules and customsof war; and sons. Thesehe broughtupin his ownhouse;
being inexorable,at the sametime, to those the sons of Papiria being adoptedinto the
that transgressed them, he re-established
his greatestandmostnoblefamiliesin Rome,the
countryin its formerglory. Indeed,with him, elderby FabiusMaximus,who wasfivetimes
thebeating
of anenemy
wasa matterof much consul,
andtheyounger
by hiscousin-gertnan,
lessaccount,than the bringingof his country- the son of ScipioAfricanus,whogavehim the
mento strict discipline;the oneseemingto be nameof Scipio. One of his daughterswas
the necessaryconsequenceof the other. married to the son of Cato, and the other to
During the war which the Romanswereen- jElius Tubero, a man of superiorintegrity,
B^ged iu with Antiochosthe Great,t in the andwho,of nil the Romans,knewbesthowto
east, and* in which their most experienced of- bear poverty. There was no less than sixteen
ficerswe:e employed,
anotherbrokeout in the of the .SSlianfamily and name,whohad only
west. There wasa generalrevolt in Spain;§ a small houseand one farm amongstthem;
and thither JEmilius was sent, not with six and in this house they all lived, with their
lictors only,like otherpraetors,but with twice wives and manychildren. Here dwelt the
the number, which seemed to raise his dig- daughter of .Emilius, who had beentwice con-
nity to an equality with the consular. He sul, and had triumphed twice, not ashamedof
beat the barbariansin two pitched battle9,|| herhusband's
poverty,but admiringthatvirtue
and killed thirty thousandof them: which suc- which kept him poor. Very different is the
cessappearsto have beenowing to his general- behaviour of brothers and other near relations
ship in choosinghis ground,andattackingthe in thesedays; who, if their possessions
benot
enemywhile theywere passinga river; for by separatedby extensivecountries,or at least
these means his army gained an easyvictory. rivers and bulwadts, are perpetually at vari-
He made himself master of two hundred and ance about them. So much instruction doet
fifty cities, which voluntarily opened their history suggestto the considerationof those
gates; and hairingestablishedpeacethrough- who are willing to profit by it.
out the provir ;e, and secured its allegiance, he When .ffimilius was created consul,! he
returned to Borne, not a drachma richer than
hewentout. Henever,indeed,wasdesirous * Theveryingenious
Dr.Robertson
menliora
thi»
to enrichhimself,but lived in a generous
man- frequency
of divorces
asoneof thenecessary
reasons
ner on his own estate, which was so far from for introducingtheChristianreligionat that period
beinglarge,that afterhisdeath,it washardly oftimewhenit waspublished
to theworld."Di-
iufficient
to answer
hiswife'sdowry. vorces,"
permittedsays
bothhe,
by"on veryslight
the Greek pretensions,
and Roman were
legislators.
His firstwifewasPapiria,the daughter
of Andthough
thepuremanners
of those
republics
re-
Papirius Maso, a man of consular dignity. strainedfor sometimethe operationof sucha perni-
After he had lived with her a long time >n ciousinstitution; thoughthevirtue of privatepersons
wedlockhe divorcedher, thoughshehad seldom abusedtheindulgence thatthelegislature
al-
lowed them, yet no sooner had the establishmentol
brought him very fine children; for she was arbitrary power and the progress of luiury vitiated
motherto the illustriousScipioandto Fabius thetaste of men,thanthefawwithregardto divorces
Maximus. History doesnot acquaintus with vrasfound tobeamongst
the-
worstcorruptions
Uiatpre-
the reasonof this separation;but with respect vailedin thatabandoned
age. Thefacilityof separa-
to divorcesin general,the accountwhicha tions
rendered
married
persons
careless
of practising
certain
Roman,
whoputaway
hiswife,gave
of orobtaining
easy those virtues
and delightful. The whichrender
education domestic
of their lift
children,
his own rase,seemsto be a just one. When astheparents
werenotmutually
endeared,
orinsepa-
rably connected,
wasgenerallydisregarded,
aseach
* TheRom"soldiers
were,at thesame
time,citi- parent
considered
it buta partial
care,whichmight
zens,
whohadvotes
forthegreatemployments,
both withequal justice
devolveontheother.Marriage,
civilandmilitary. insteadof restraining,
added to theviolence
of irregu-
lar d«ire,aodunderal«ij»ltitlebecwne theviUltand
t ThewarwithAnliochus theGreat,kingof Syria, mostshameless prostitution.Fromall these causes,
began about
theyearof Rome fivehundredandsuly- themarriage state
fellintodisreputationandcontempt,
ooe,twenty-fouryearsafterthebattleof Cannae. andit became necessaryto forcemenby penallaws
} The consul Glabrio, and after him the two Scipios; into a society, where they eipectednosecureor lasting
the elder of whom was content to serve as lieutenant happiness. Among the Romans,domesticcorruption
under his brother. L\v. 1.ixivii. grew of a sudden to an incredible height. And, per-
$ Spain
hadbeen
reduced
byScipio
Nasica. haps,
inthehistory
ofmankind,
wecanfindnoparallel
to the undisguisedimpurity and licentiousnessof that
|| Livy, mvii.57. speaksonly of one battle, in which age. It was in good time, therefore, &c. fltc."
Paulus ./Emilius forced Ihe entrenchment*of the Span-
iards, killed eighteenthousandof them,and made f It wasin theyear followingtrial he wentcurainjt
three hundred prisoners. the Ligurians.
 PAULUS 189
went
upon
anexpedition
against
theLiguriana,
The««aly,*
anddelivered
theGreeks
fromthe
Whosecountry liesatthefootoftheAlps,andMacedonian yoke;in short,theywhohadsub-
whoarealsocalledLigustines: a boldandduedHannibal, to whomno kingcouldbe
martial
people thatlearned theartof warof compared eitherforvalour or power,
thought
theRomans, by means of theirvicinity.For it anintolerable
thingtobeobligedtocontend
thoydweltin theextremitiesof Italy,border-withPerseus uponequal terms,asif hecould
inguponthatpartof theAlpswhichis washedbe anadversary ableto copewiththem,who
bytheTuscan sea,justopposite
toAfrica,andonlybrought intothefieldthepoorremains
of
weremixedwiththeGaulsandSpaniards, who hisfather'sroutedforces.In this,however,
inhibitedthe coast. At that time they had theRomans weredeceived;fortheyknew not
likewisesomestrengthat sea,andtheir cor- thatPhilipafterhisdefeat,
hadraisedamuch
"airsplunderedand destroyed the merchantmorenumerous andbetterdisciplined
army,
"hips8.8far asthe pillarsof Hercules. They thanhe hadbefore.It maynot beamissto ex-
badanarmyof fortythousand
mento receiveplainthis in a few words,beginning
at the
Emilias, who camewith but eightthousandat fountainhead. Antigonus,fthe moat power-
the most.He engaged them, however,though ful amongthe generalsandsuccessors
of Alex-
fivetimeshis number,routedthementirely,ander,havinggained
for himselfandhis de-
andshut themup within their walledtowns. scendants
the title of king, had a son named
When they were in thesecircumstances,he Demetrius,who wasfatherto Antigonug,sur-
offered them reasonable and moderate terms. named Gonatua. Gonatus had a son named
For the Romansdid not chooseutterlyto cut Demetrius, who,afterashortreign,lefta young
off the peopleof Liguria, whomtheyconsider-soncalled Philip. The Macedoniannobility,
ed asa bulwark againstthe Gauls,who were dreadingthe confusionoftenconsequent upon
always hoveringover Italy. The Ligurians, a minority,setupAntigonus, cousinto the de-
confidingin JEmilius,deliveredup their ships ceasedking, andgavehim his widow,the mo-
andtheir towns. He only razedthe fortifica- ther of Philip, to wife. At first they made
tions, and then delivered the cities to them him only regent and general, but afterward*.
again;buthecarriedoff their shipping,
leav-| findingthathewasa moderate
andpublicspir-
ing themnot a vesselbiggerthan thosewith ited man,they declaredhim king. He it was
three banksof oars; andhe set at liberty a thathadthe nameof Do$on,lbecausehewaa
numberof prisonerswhomtheyhadmadeboth alwayspromising,but never performedwhat
at seaand land, as well Romans asstrangers. he promised. After him, Philip mounted the
Suchwerethe memorable actionsof his first throne, and though yet but a youth, soon
consulship.After which he often expressedshewedhimaelfequalto the greatestof kings,
bis desireof beingappointed
againto thesame nothat it wasbelievedthat he would restore
higholBce,and even stood candidatefor it; the orownof Macedonto its ancientdignity,
but, meetingwith a repulse,he solicitedit no andbe the only man that could stopthe pro-
more. Instead of that, he applied himself to gress of the Roman power which was now ei-
Ihedischargeof his functionas augur, andto tendingitself over all the world. But being
theeducationof his sons,not only in sucharts beatenat Scotusaby Titus Flaminius,hiscour-
ashadbeentaughtin Rome,andthosethat he agesunkfor the present,andpromisingto re
hadlearned
himself,
butalsoin thegenteelcrceivesuchtermsas theRomansshould1111
artsof Greece. To thin purposehe not only pose,hewasgladto comeoff wilh a moderate-
entertained masters who could teach them fine. Bt.t recollecting himself afterwards, he
grammar,logic, and rhetoric, but sculpture could not brookthe dishonour. To reign by
also,andpainting,togetherwith suchaswere the courtesyof the Romans,appeared to him
"killed in breakingand teachinghorsesand more suitableto a slave, who minds nothing
dogs,andwereto instructthem in riding and but his pleasures,
than to a man,who hasany
hunting.Whennopublicaffairs
hinderedhim, dignityof sentiment,andtherefore
heturned
hehimselfalwaysattended
their studiesind histhoughts to war,butmadebjspreparation*
exercises.
In short,he waathe moetindulgent with great privacyandcautioa. For suffering
parentin Rome. the towns that werenear the greatroad*and
As to the public affairs, the Romanswere by thesea,to run to decay,andto becomehalf
theneng'aged
in a warwith Perseus,* kingof desolate, in orderthathemightbeheldin con-
theMacedonians,andtheyimputedit eitherto temptbytheenemy, hecollected a greatforce
theincapacity
or cowardiceof theirgenerals!in ilic higherprovinces; andfillingthe inland
thattheadvantagewason theenemy'sside. places,the towns,andcastles,with arms,
FortheywhohadforcedAntiochus theGreat money, andmen,fit for service,
withoutmaking
to quit the rest of Asi3,f driven him beyond any show of war, he hadhis troopsalwaysm
mountTaurus,confinedhim to Syria, and readiness for it, like so manywrestlerstrained
madehim think himselfhappyif hecouldpur- andexercisedin secret. For hehadin his ar-
chasehispeacewith fifteenthousandtalents;$
theywhohadlatelyvanquished
king Philipin * Thisservice
wasperformed
byQuiotus
Flaminji
who defeated
Philip in Thessaly,
killed eightthousa
" ThissecondMacedonia:!
viar wilh Perseusbegan of hismenuponthespot,tooklivethousand prisoners,
in theyearof ftomefivehcndred
a'»deighty-two,
a andalterhisvictory,
caused
proclamation
to beui&dt
hundred andsiity-nine
years beforeti.eChristianaera.bya herald,
attheUilinuan games,thatGreece wai
t Tho« generalweref, LiciuiusCrassus,afltr him free.
..Hoatilius
Malicious,
andlUtuQ.^.Marliusi'hilippus,
t_t , ' f ThisAritigonus
killedEnmenes,andtookBabyloa
whodragged Vhc warheavily
ouduringthethreeyearsfrum Seltucus; and wlien his sou Demetriushad uier-
»ftheirconsulship. j thrown
Ptolemy's
fleetatCyprus, he,theGritof «B
1 Seventeen
yearsbefore. Alexander'ssuccessors,
presumed
to wear :
\ Lirysays
twelve
thousand,
which
were
tobepaidand£u»uir.ed
thetitleofking.
intwelre
years,
bya thousand
talent!
ayear. t Doton
uj-uifiet
wiil{tec,
o
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

ienal armsfor thirty thousandmen,in his gar- to Italy, by the Lower Gaul, along the coait
risons, eight millions of measuresof wheat, and of the Adriatic.*
moneyin his coffersto defraythe chargeof When thisnewswag broughtto Rome,the
maintainingten thousandmercenariesfor ten peoplethought properto lay asideall regard
years to defend his country. But he had not to interest and solicitation in the choice of their
the satisfaction of putting these designsin exe- generals, and to call to the command a man
cution; for hediedof grief anda brokenheart, of understanding,
fit for the directionof great
on discovering that hehadunjustlyput Deme- affairs.Suchwas Paulus.Emilius, a manad-
trius, his more worthy son,to death,* in conse- vancedin years indeed(for he was aboutthree-
quenceof anaccusationpreferredby his other score,)but still in his full strength,andsur-
ion, Perseus. roundedwith youngsons,andsons-in-law, and
Perseus, who survived him, inherited to- a number of other considerable relations and
gether with the crown, his father'senmity to friends,who all persuaded
him to listento the
the Romans;but he wasnot equal to sucha people,that calledhim to the consulship.At
burden,onaccount
of the littleness
of hisca- first hereceivedthe offerof thecitizens
very
pacity andthe meanness
of his manners:ava- coldly, thoughthey went so far. as to court
rice being the principal of the many passions and even to entreat him; for he was now no
that reignedin hisdistempered
heart. It is longerambitious
of thathonour;butas they
evensaid,thathewasnot thesonof Philip, but daily attendedat his gate and loudly called
that the wife of that princetook him, assoon uponhim to makehis appearance
in the/orum,
as he wasborn, from his mother,who was a he wasat lengthprevailedupon. When he
aemstress of Argos, named Gnatbsnia, and put himself among the candidates,he looked
passedhim uponherhusbandasherown. And not like a manwho suedfor the consulship,
the chief reason of his compassing the death but aa one who brought successalong with
of his brother seemed to have been his fear him : and when, at the request of the citizens,
that the royal house,having a lawful heir, he wentdowninto the CampusJV/arfiu*,they
might prove him to besupposititious. But though all received him with so entire a confidence
he waeof suchan abjectand ungenerous
dis- andsuchi cordialregard;that upontheircre-
position, yet, elated with the prosperoussitu- ating him consul the second time, they would
ation of his affairs, he engagedin war with the not suffer the lots to be cast for the provinces,!
Romans, and maintained the conflict a long as usual, but voted him immediately the direc-
while, repulsing severalof their fleets and ar- tion of the war in Macedonia. It is said,that
mies, commandedby men of consular dignity, after the people had appointedhim command-
and even beating some of them. Publiua Li- er-in-chief against Perseus,and conductedhim
einius was the first that invaded Macedonia, home in a very splendid manner, he foundhit
and him he defeated in an engagementof the daughter Tertia, who was yet but a child, in
cavalry,! killed two thousand five hundred of tears. Upon this he took her in his arms,and
his best men, and took six hundred prisoners. asked her "Why she weptr" The girl, em-
He surprised the Roman fleet which lay at bracing and kissing him, said, "Know you not
anchor at Ormeum, took twenty of their store- then, lather, that Perseus is dead?" meaninga
ships, sunk the rest that were loaded with little dog of that name, which she had brought
wheat, and made himself master, besides, of up. To which JEmilms replied, " Tis a
four galleyswhich had each five benchesof lucky incident, child, I accept the omen."
oars. He foughtalsoanotherbattle, oywhich This particular is related by Cicero,in bi»
he drove back the consul Hostihus, who was Treatise on Divination.
attempting to enter his kingdom by Klinn.i; It was the custom for those that were ap
and when the same general was stealing in by pointed to the consulship, to make their ac
the wayof Thessaly,he presentedhimselfbe- knowledgments
to the peoplein an agreeable
fore him but the Roman did not choose to speech from the rostrum. ./Emilius having
«tand the encounter. And as if this war did assembledthe citizens on this occasion,told
not sufficientlyemployhim,or the Romansthem,"He had applied
for hisformerconsul-
alone were not anenemyrespectable enough, ship,because he wanteda command;but in
he went upon an expeditionagainstthe Dar- this, they had appliedto him, becausethej
danians, in which he cut in pieces ten thous- wanted a commander: and therefore, at prei
and of them,and broughtoffmuchbooty. At ent, hedid not hold himselfobligedto them.
thesametimeheprivatelysolicited
theGauls,If theycouldhavethewar betterdirected
by
who dwell near the Danube, and who are another,hewouldreadilyquit theemployment}
called Bastarnz. Thesewerea warlike peo- but if they placedtheir con6dencein him,be
ple,andstrongin cavalry. HetriedtheIllyr- expectedtheywould not interferewithhi*
ianstoo,hopingto bring themto join himby orders,
or propagate
idle reports,butprovide
meansof Gentius their king; and it wasre- in silencewhat wasnecessaryfor the war:
ported that the barbarianshad taken his for, if they wantedto commandtheir com-
money,underpromiseof makingan inroadm- manders,their expeditionswould be mor»

" Thii story it finely embellished

in Dr. Young'* * He praclised
alsowith Eumeneikinf of
tragedyof The Brothert. andcausedrepresentationsto be mad*to Antiochoi
t Livy hasgivenusadescription
of thisactionat kingof Syria,thatthe Romans
wereequally
encmit>
the end of his forty secondbook. Perseusoffered to all kings: but Cumenes
demandingfifteenhundrt*
aeaceto (hosehe had beatenuponas ea»yconditionstalents,a stopwasput to the negotiation.Thereef
%jif hehimselfhadbetuoverthrown,
buttheRomanstreating,
however,
withPerseus,
occasioned
anim«t»j
ttfuscd it: theyniadeit a rule, indeed,neverto make ratehatred betweentheRomans and theirold frieoo
peacewhenbeaten. The rule proveda wiseonefor Euinenes ; butthat hairedwasof noservicetoPerieufc
vial people,but canncv-r beuniversallyadopted. t Livy oyi thecontrary.
 PAULUS .&MILIUS. 191
thanever."It is noteasyto ex-tho enemy
pointed
outto himbetterthings.
press
howmuch reverence thisspeech
procur-for,besides
theirother
preparations,
theyhad
edhimfromthecitizens,
andwhathighexpec-a hundred
thousandmencollectedandready
tations
it produced
oftheevent.Theyrejoic-for theiruse:andyethehaving
to oppose
so
edthattheyhadpassedbythesmooth-tongued
considerable
a force,andanarmamentthat
candidates,
andmadechoiceofageneral
who wasmaintained ar suchanextraordinary
ex-
hadsomuchfreedom
of speech
andsuihdig- pense,
counted
hisgoldandsealed
hisbags,a»
nityofmanner.ThustheRomans
submitted,
much
afraid
totouch
themasif theyhadbe-
like servants,to reasonand virtue, in order longedto anotfier. And yet he was not de-
that theymightoneday rule, and becomescended
fromanyLydianorPhoenician
mer-
mastersof the world. chant, but allied to Alexander and Philip,
That Paulus-3Smilius,when hewent upon whosemaximit wasto procure empirewith
the Macedonian expedition,hada prosperousmoney,andnotmoneyby empire,andwho,by
yoyageandjourney,and arrivedwithspeedpursuing that maxim,conquered the world.
andsafetyin thecamp,I imputeto hisgoodFor it waaa common saying,"That it waf
fortune;but whenI considerhowthe warwas not Philip, but Philip's gold, that took tho
conducted,and see that the greatness of his citiesof Greece." As for Alexander,whenha
courage,the excellenceof his counsels,the went uponthe Indianexpedition,andsawth«s
attachmentof his friends,hispresence
of mind, Macedonians draggingafterthema heavyand
andhappiness in expedients
in timesof dan-unwieldyloadof Persian wealth,he firstset
ger, all contributed
to his success,I cannotfireto theroyalcarriages,
andthenpersuaded
placehis greatanddistinguished actionsto therestto do the sameto theirs,that they
anyaccount buthisown. Indeed, theavaricemightmoveforwardto thewar, lightandun-
of Perseusmay possiblybe lookeduponas a encumbered.WhereasPerseus,though he
fortunatecircumstance for JEmilius; sinceit and his childrenandhis kingdom,overflowed
blastedandruinedthe great preparations and with wealth,wouldnot purchasehis preserva-
elevatedhopesof the Macedonians, by a mean tion at the expenseof a small part of it, but
regardto money. For the BastarnEcameat was carried a wealthycaptiveto Rome, and
his request,with abodyof tenthousand horse," shewedthatpeoplewhatimmense sumshe had
eachof whichhad a foot soldier by his side, savedandlaid up for them.
and they all foughtfor hire; mentheywere Nay, he not only deceivedandsentaway
that knewnot how to till the ground,to feed the Gauls,butalsoimposed uponGentius,king
cattleor to navigateships,but whosesolepro- of the Illynans, whomhe prevailedwith to
fessionandemploymentwas to fight and to join him,in consideration of a subsidyof three
conquer. When thesepitchedtheir tents in hundredtalents. He went so far asto order
Medica,and mingledwith the king'sforces, the moneyto be countedbeforethat prince's
who beheldthemtall in their persons,ready envoys,andsufferedthemto put their sealupon
beyondexpression at their exercise,lofty and it. Gentius, thinking his demandswerean-
full of menacesagainst the enemy,the Mace- swered, in violation of all the laws of honoui
donianswere inspired with fresh courage,andjustice,seizedandimprisonedthe Roman
anj a strong opinion, that the Romans would ambassadorswho were at his court. Perseus
not beableto standagainstthesemercenaries,nowconcludedthat therewasno needof mo-
but be terrified both at their looks, and at their ney to draw his ally into the war, since he
strange and astonishingmotions. had unavoidably plunged himself into it, by an
After Perseushad filled his people with openinstanceof violence,andanact of hostil-
suchspirit* and hopes,the barbariansdemand- ity which would admit of no excuse,and there-
ed of him a thousandpiecesof gold for every fore he defraudedthe unhappyroan of the
officer; but the thoughts of parting with such three hundred talents, and without the least
a sum almost turned his brain, and in the concern beheld him, his wife and children, in
narrownessof his heart he refused it, and a short time after, draggedfrom their kingdom,
broke off the alliance; as if he had not been by the prater Lucius Anicus, who was sent at
tt war with the Romans, but a steward for the head of an army against Gentius.
them, who was to give an exact account of hie jEmilms, having to do with such an adver-
whole expensesto those whom he was acting sary as Perseus,despised,indeed, the man, yet
against. At the same limef the example of could not but admire his preparations and hii
strength. For he had four thousandhorse, and
" Livy(itir. 26.)haswelldescribed
thishorseman
near forty thousandfoot, who composed
the
"adhisfootsoldier. Henyi, "Therecame tenthou-phalanx:andbeingencamped
sandhorse, and as many foot, who kept pacewith the
bythesea-side,
bom, and when any of the cavalry were unhorsed, at the foot of Mount Olympus, in a place that
theymounted,
andwentintothe ranks." Theywere
the same people withthose
describedbyCaesar, in the theimprobability
first book of nis Commentaries,where he is giving an
lessen),
if -weconsider
thatPaulu
accountof Ariovijius's army. Ai soonas Perseushad j£milius appliedon this occasion
to the allies,espe-
intelligence
oftheapproach
oftheBaslarnz,
hesentcially
and if the
we Achcans, forthat
take in those what forces
acted on theycould
the Roman spirt,
fleet.
Aotigonusto congratulateClondicus thcrrking. Cloo- HLmihut,indeed,
just beforethebattle,expresses
hit
dicub made answer, that the Gauls could not march a
"tenfarther
without
money;
which
Perseus,
i&his apprehensions
bers; andit is from thehe
true that enemy'ssuperiority
had none ofnum-
to depend
upoa
avariceand ill policy, refusedto advance.
but theRomans,
whowerecomparatively
few. Ai for
t Weagreewith theeditorof theformerEnglishhii Grecianallies^hecouldnotplace muchconfident*
translation,
thattheoriginalhereit extremely
cor- in them,because it wastheirinterest
thatthekingdom
rupted,andverydifficultto berestored;andthat of Macedon shouldstand;and,in (act,wlicntha>
it seem*improbablethattheRomans shouldharean fell,severe
tribunals weresetupin Greece, andtha
aruy of a hundredthousand
mtn in Macedonia.But shadowof libery, whichremainedto it, wasfo»U
192 PLUTARCH'S L.TES.

was perfectly inaccessible,

and strengthenedBesides,thatdoctrineU refutedby thosewno,
on everyside with fortificationsof wood, he diggingdeepin the earth to underminetome
lay free from all apprehensionn, persuadedfortifications,orto searchfor metals,meetwith
that he should wear out the consul by protract- deep rivers, not collected by little and little,
ing the timeandexhausting histreasures.But whichwouldbethecase,if theywereproduced
.fliinilius,alwaysvigilantandattentive,weighed at the instantthe earth wasopened,but rush-
every expedientand methodof attack; and ing uponthemat oncein greatabundance. And
perceivingthat the soldiers,throughthe want it often happensuponthe breakingof a great
of discipline,in time past,wereimpatientof rock, that a quantityof waterissues out,which
delay, and ready to dictate to their general as suddenlyceases. Somuchfor springs.
thingsimpossible to be executed,he reproved .flimilius sat still for somedays,aud it ii
Ilium with great severity, ordering them not to said that there never were two great armiesso
intermeddle,or give attentionto any thingbut neareachother,that remained
soquiet. But,
their own persons and their arms, that they trying and considering every thing, he got in-
mieht bein readinessto usetheir swordsasbe- formationthat there was one way only, left
cameRomans,whentheir commander should unguarded,which lay throughPerrhaebia, by
givethemanopportunity.He orderedalsothe Pythium and Pctra; and conceivinggreater
sentinelsto keep watch without their pikes,* hopefrom the defenceless condition of the
that they mightguardthe betteragainstsleep, place,than fear from its ruggedanddifficult
when they weresensibletheyhadnothingto appearanceheorderedthe matterto becon-
defendthemselveswith againstthe enemy, sideredin counsel.
who might attack them in the night. Scipio, surnamed Nasica, son-in-law to
But his mencomplainedthe mostof wantof Scipio Africanus,who afterwardswasa lead-
water; for only a little, and that but indifferent, ing roan in the senate,was the first that offered
flowed, or rather came drop by drop, from some to head the troops in taking this circuit to
springs near the sea. In this extremity, iKmi- come at the enemy. And after him, Fabiui
lius, seeing Mount Olympus before him, very Maximus, the eldest son of JEmiliua, though
high and covered wilh trees, conjectured, from he was yet but a youth, expressedhis readmest
their verdure, that there must be springs in it to undertake the enterprise. 2Emihus, de-
which would discharge themselvesat the bot- lighted with this circumstance, gave them a
tom, and therefore caused geveral pits and detachment, not so large indeed,as Polybiui
wells to be dug at the foot of it. These were gives account of, but the number, that Nasica
soon filled with clear water, which ran into mentions in a short letter wherein he describes
themwith the greaterforce and rapidity, be- thisactionto a certainking. They hadthree
cause it had beenconfined before. thousandItalians, who were not Romans,and
Some, however, deny that there are any five thousandmen besides,who composedthe
hidden sourcesconstantly provided with water left wing. To these Nasica added a hundred
in the places from which it flows; nor will and twenty horse, and two hundred Thraciani
they allow the dischargeto be owingto the and Cretans intermixed, who wereof the
openingof a vein; but they will haveit, that troopsof Harpaius.
the wateris formedinstantaneously,from the With this detachmenthe beganto march
condensation of vapours,andthatby the cold- towardsthe sea,andencamped at Heracleum,*
nessandpressureof the eaith, a moist vapour as if he intendedto sail round,andcomeupon
is rendered fluid. For, aa the breasts of the enemy's camp behind; but when his sol-
womenarenot, like vesselsstoredwith milk, diershad supped,and nightcameon, he ex-
alwaysreadyto flow, buj prepareandchange plained to the officershis real design,and
the nutriment that is in them into milk; so the directed them to take a different route. Pur-
cold andspringyplacesof thegroundhavenot suingthis, withoutiossof time, he arrivedat
i quantityof waterhid within them,which, as Pythium, where he orderedhis mento take
fromreservoirsalwaysfull, can be sufficientto somerest. At this placeOlympus is tenfur-
supplylargestreamsand rivers; but by com- longsand ninety-sixfeet in height,aait is sig-
pressingandcondensing the vapoursand the nified in the inscriptionmadeby Xenagoras.
air, they convert theminto water. And such the sonof Eumelus,the manthatmeasured it.
placesbeingopened,affordthat elementfree- The geometricians, indeed,affirm,thatthere
ly, just as the breastsof womendo milk from is no mountainin the world morethantenfur-
their beingsuckled,by compressing andlique- longshigh,nor seaabovethatdepth,yet it ap-
fying the vapour; whereasthe earth that re- pearsthat Xenagorasdid not lakethe height
in.HUM idle andundugcannotproduceany wa- in a carelessmanner,but regularly,andwith
ter, becauseit wants that motion which alone proper instruments.
ia the true cause of it. Nasica passedthe night there. Perseus,
But thosethat teachthisdoctrine,giveocca- for his part, seeingJEmiUuslie quiet in oil
sionto the scepticalto observe,
thatby aparity camp,hadnot the leastthoughtof thedanger
of reasonthere is nobloodin animals,but that that threatenedhim; but a Cretandeserter
thewoundproduces
it, bya change
in thefleshwhoslippedfromScipioby theway,carae
and
andspirits,whichthatimpression
rendersfluid. informedhim of the circuit the Romans
were
taking in order to surprise him. This newt
" Livysayi,without
theirshield*;
thercaion
of puthimin greatconfusion,
yet hedidnotre-
Which wu Ihn, the Roman shields beine long, they
Knightresttheir headsuponthem,aud sleepstanding. * Theconsulgareout thaitheywereto goonboard
jF.milius, however, made one order in favour of tlie the flcel, which, under the command of Octaviusthe
IttldiersU|K)itguard; for heorderedU.MIIlobe reliev- praetor,lay uponthecoast,iu orderto wastethemar-
ed al own, whereasI* lure they used tu be upon duty itime parts of Maccdouia,and soto draw Perseus
fruf
til day. tiit camp.
 PAULUS 193

doveliis camp;he onlysentten thousand

theirdisposition
wasinsensibly
changed,
and
foreignmercenaries
andtwothousand Mace-hiswholearmyencampedwithout
noise.
donian*underMilo, with ordersto possess Whentheyhadsupped, andwerethinking
themselves
of theheights
withall possible
ex- of nothingbutgoingto rest,ona sudden
the
pedition.Polybius
relates
thatthe Romans
moon,whichwasthenatfull,andveryhigh,
fell uponthemwhiletheywereasleep,but beganto bedarkened, andafterchanging into
Na»ica tellsustherewasa sharpanddanger-variouscolours, wasat last totallyeclipsed.*
ousconflictfor the height;that he himself TheRomans, accordingtotheircustom, made
lulleda Thracianmercenary whoengaged him, a greatnoisebystrikinguponvessels of brass,
by piercinghimthroughthebreastwith his andhelduplightedfaggots andtorchesin the
spearjandthat the enemybeingrouted,and air,in orderto recalherlight; buttheMace-
Milo putto a shamefulflightwithouthisarms,donians didnosuchthing;horrorandastonish^
and in his undergarment only, he pursued mentseizedtheir whole camp,anda whisper
themwithout any sort of hazard,and led his passedamongthe multitude,that thisappear-
partydownintotheplain. Perseus,
terrifiedanceportended
thefall of the king. As for
at thisdisaster,anddisappointedin his hopes, ^miliue, he was not entirely unacquainted
deoempedand retired. Yet he was undera with this matter; he had heardof the ecliptic
necessityof stoppingbeforePydna,andrisking inequalitieswhich bringthe moon,at certain
a battle, if he did not chooseto divide his periods,underthe shadowof the earth, and
armyto garrisonhis towns,*and thereexpect darkenher, till shehaspassedthat quarterof
the enemy,who, whenonce enteredinto his obscurity, and receiveslight from the sun
country,could not bedrivenout withoutgreat again. Nevertheless,as he was wont to as-
"laughterandbloodshed. cribe mosteventsto the Deity, wasa religious
His friends represented to him, that his observerof sacrifices and of the art of divina-
army was still superiorin numbers,and that tion, he offeredup to the moonelevenheifers,
they would fightwith great resolutionin de- assoonas hesawherregainher formerlustre.
fence of their wives and children, and in sight At break of day, he also sacrificed oxen to
of their king, who wasa partner in their danger. Hercules, to the number of twenty, without
Encouraged by this representation, he fixed his any auspicious sign; but in the twenty-first
camp there; he preparedfor battle, viewed thedesiredtokensappeared, andheannounced
the country,andassignedeachofficerhis post, victory to his troops, provided they stood
as intending to meet the Romans when they upon the defensive/)- At the same time he
came off their march. The field where he en- vowed a hecatomb and solemngamesin honour
camped was fit for the phalanx, which re- of that god, and then commandedthe officer*
quired plain and even ground to act in; near to put the army in order of battle; staying,
it was a chain of little hills, proper for the however, till the sun should decline, and get
light-armed to retreat to, and to wheel about round to the west, lest, if they came to action
from the attack: and throughthe middle ran in themorning,it shoulddazzlethe eyesof hid
the rivers jEson and Leucua, which though soldiers; he sat down in the meantime in his
not verydeep, becauseit was the latter end tent, which vraaopen towardsthe field and
of summer,were likely to give the Romans the enemy'scamp.
some trouble. Some say, that towards evening he availed
.ZEmilius
havingjoined Ts'asica,
marchedin himselfof an artifice,to makethe enemybegin
good order against the enemy. But when he the fight. It seema he turned a horse loose
saw the dispositionand number of their forces, without a bridle, and sent out some Romans to
be wasastonished, andstoodstill to consider catch him,who wereattackedwhile theywere
what was properto be done. Hereuponthe pursuinghim, and so the engagementbegan.
jca.'ig officers,eagerfor the engagement,and Otherssay,thatthe Thracians,commanded by
particularlyNasica,flushedwith his successat one Alexander,attacked a Roman convoyj
Mount Olympus,pressedup to him, and that sevenhundredLiguriansmakingup to its
beggedof him to lead them forwardwithout assistance, a sharpskirmishensued;and that
delay. JEmilius only smiled and said," My largerreinforcements beingsentto bothparties,
friend,if I wasof your age,I shouldcertainly at lastthe mainbodieswereengaged../Emilms,
do so: but the manyvictoriesI have gained like a wise pilot, foreseeing,by the agitation
have made me observe the errors of the van-
quished,and forbid me to give battle imme- * Livytills us,thatSulpitius
Gallu»,oi«
of theRo-
diately after a march, to an army well drawn mantribunes,foretoldthiseclipse; first to the consul
np, andeverywayprepared. andthenwith his leaveto thearmy,whereby
that
Thenhe orderedthe foremostranks,who terrorwhicheclipses
werewonttobreed
in ignorant
were in sight of the enemy, to present a front, minds was entirely taken off, and the soldiers more
andmoredisposed to confidein officersof so great
asif theywerereadyto engage,
andtherear, wisdom,
andofsuch
general
knowledge-
in the meantime,
to markout a camp,and t Here
vie»«.iEmilius
availed
himself
ofaugury
throwupentrenchments; afterwhich,hemadetobringhistroops themorereadily
lo complyvfitli
the battalionswheeloff by degrees,beginning whatheknewwasmostprudent.Hewa«sensible o(
withthosenextthe soldiersat work,so that their eagerness
andimpetuosity,buthewassensible
at the sametimethat coolness
andcalmvalourwere
more necessarylo be eicrled against the Macedonian
* Hii b'«t friend)advised
himto garrisonhUitrong- ph&lani,which wasnot inferior in courageand dis-
utc
t citieswithhi* besttroops, andtolengthen outthe ciplinetotheRomans,and therefore
hetoldIntm.lhal
War, experience baring shewn that the Macedonians thegods enjoined
uponthemtostand upontoedefensive,
were better able to defend cities than the Romans were
if theydesired
to bevictorious.Another ! usei why
to laUe them; butthisopinion thekingrejected from -Emiliusdeferred the fight,was,asriutarchulls 111
thiscowardly
principle,
vhavperhaps
vlittown
hechosebecause themorning
sunwasfullin theeyes
ofhit
far bisresidence
might befirst bcsiegtd. soldiers.
194 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

of both armies, the violence of the impending that it was not out of cowardice, nor unilei
storm, cameout of his tent, passedthrough the pretence of offering sacrifice that he quitted
ranks, and encouragedhis men. In the mean- the field, but becausethe day before the fight.
time-, Nasica, who had rode up to the place he received a hurt on his leg, from the kick of
where the skirmish began, saw the whole of a horse; that when the battle came on, though
the enemy'* army advancing to the charge. very much indisposed, and dissuaded by hii
First of all marched the Thraciajis, whose friends, he commandedone of his horsesto be
very aspectstruck the beholderswith terror. brought,mountedhim, andcharged,withouta
They were men of a prodigious size; their breastplate, at the head of the phalanx; and
shields were white and glistering; their vests that, amidst the showerof missive weaponsof
wcro black, their legs armed with greaves: all kinds,he wasstruck with a javelinof iron,
and as they moved, their long pikes, heavy-shod not nullvl with the point, but it glanced in
with iron, shook on their right shoulders. such a manner upon his left side, that it not
Next came the mercenaries, variously armed, only rent his clothes, but gave him a bruise
according to the manner of their respective in the flesh, the mark of which remained a
countries:with theseweremixedthe Psonians. long time. This is what Posidomussaysin
In the third place moved forward the battalions defence of Perseus.
->fMacedon,the flower of its youth and the The Romans,whoengaged the phalanx,be-
liravestof its sons: their new purplevestsand ing unable to break it, Salius a Pelignian
gilded irms, made a splendid appearance.officer,snatchedthe ensignof hiscompany and
As these took their posts, the Chalchcspides threw it among the enemy. Hereupon, tha
moved out of the cimp; the fields gleamed Pelignians,rushingforward to recoverit, for
with the polished steel and the brazen shields the Italians looked upon it as a great crime
which they bore,andthe mountainsre-echoedand disgraceto abandontheir standard,a
to their cheers. In this ordertheyadvanced,dreadfulconflict and slaughteron both side*
and that with so much boldnessand speed, ensued. The Romansattemptingto cut the
that the first of their slain*fell only two fur- pikesof the Macedoniansasunderwith their
longsfrom the Romancamp. swords,to beat them backwith their shields,
As soonas the attackwasbegun,.ffimilius, or to put them by with their hands:but the
advancing to the first ranks, found that the Macedonians, holding them steady with both
foremost of the Macedonians had struck the hands, pierced their adversaries through their
beadsof their pikesinto the shieldsof the Ro- armour, for neither shield nor corslet was
mans,so that it wasimpossiblefor his men to proof againstthe pike." The Pelignian:,and
reach their adversaries with their swords. Marrucimans were thrown headlong down,
And when he saw the rest of the Macedonians who without any sort of discretion, or rather
take their bucklersfrom their shoulders,join with a brutal fury, hadexposedthemselves to
themclosetogether,andwith onemotionpre- wounds,and run upon certain death Tha
senttheir pikesagainsthis legions,the strength first line thuscut in pieces,thosethat werebe-
of sucha rampart,and the formidableappear-hind wereforcedto giveback,andthoughthey
ance of such a front struck him with terror and did not fly, yet they retreated towards Mount
amazement. He never,indeed, saw a more Olocrus. JEmiliusseeingthis, rent hisclothes,
dreadful spectacle,and he often mentionedas Posidoniustells us. He was reducedal-
afterwardsthe impressionit madeupon him. most to despair,to find that part of his mel
However, hetookcareto shewa pleasant
and had retired,and that the restdeclinedthe
cheerfulcountenance
to his men,and even combatwith a phalanxwhich,by reason of
rodeabout,
withouteitherhelmetorbreast-plate.the pikesthat defendedit on all sideslike a
But the king of Macedon,as Polybiustells rampart,
appeared impenetrable
andinvincible.
us, as soonas the engagement was begun,Butas theunevenness of thegroundandthe
gavewayto hisfears,andwithdrewinto the largeextentof the front wouldnot permit
town,underpretence of sacrificing
to Hercu-theirbucklers
to bejoinedthroughthewhole,
les; a godthatacceptsnotthetimidofferingshe observedseveralinterstices
andopenings
of cowards,norfavoursanyunjustvows. Ana in the Macedonianline; as it happens
in great
surelyit is notjust, that the manwhonever armies,
according
to thedifferent
effortsof the
shoots, shouldbearawaytheprize;thathe combatants, whoin onepartpress forward,
whodeserts hispost,shouldconquer; thathe andin another areforced
togiveback.Foi
whoisdespicably indolent,
shouldbesuccess- this reason,he divided
his troops,
withall
ful; orthata badmanshould behappy.But possible expedition,
intoplatoons,
whichh«
thegodattended totheprayers of jEmilius;ordered to throwthemselves intothevoid
for hebegged
for victoryandsuccess
with his spaces
of the enemy'sfront; andso,notto
"wordin liis hand,andfoughtwhileheim- engage withthewholeat once, butto make
ploredthedivineaid. YetonePosidonius,t many impressions
atthesame timein different
whosays helivedin thosetimes,
andwaspre-parts.These ordersbeinggivenbyjEmiliui
sentat thataction,
in thehistory
of Perseus,
totheofficers,
andbytheofficerstothesoldiers.
whichhe wrotein ecveral books, affirms,
theyimmediatelymade theirwaybetween the
pikes,wherevertherewasanopening:!which
* The light-armed.
\ This could not be Posidoniup of Apamea, who the * Thisshewstheadvantage whichthepikehworer
broad-sword:and the bayonetis still better,be-
wrote a continuation cf Fo!vti';?'£ history : for that
Posidoruus
wenttoRome Jurinc;
theconsulship
of cause
it rivesthesoldier
thefreeuseofhismusket,
_when
Alarrillus,
a hundred
andeighteen
yearsafterthiswithout ociogencumberedwitha Dike,
and
battle.Plutarch,
indeed,seems
tohave
taken
himfor screwed tothemusket,
supplies
theplace
ofapike.
ftcountfrfr.t,or awriterof DOaccount, whenhecalls f Onthefirst appearance
of this, Perseusshould
himonePjsitloniui, wlu>'till \u /if livedat tliuttime. have
charged
theRoman/
rtrj brulrlywithhishont,
 PAULUS

wasnosooner done,thansometooktheenemy But the generalhimselfwasoverwhelmed

in flank,wheretheywerequiteexposed,while with grief. For,of the twosonsihat served
othersfetcheda compass, and attackedthem underhim,theyoungest, whomhemostloved,
in therear;thuswasthephalanxsoonbroken,andwho,of all thebrothers, wasmosthappi-
and its strength,whichdepended uponone ly formedforvirtue,wasnotto befound.He
Dintedeffort,wasnomore. Whentheycamewasnaturallybrave andambitious of honour,
to fightmanwithman,andpartywith party,andwithalveryyoung,* heconcluded thathis
the Macedonians had only shortswordsto inexperience hadengaged himtoofar in the
strike the long shieldsof the Romans,that hottestof the battle,andthat he wascertainly
reachedfromheadto foot, andslight bucklers killed. The whole armywag sensibleof hia
to opposeto the Roman swords,which, by sorrowanddistress;andleavingtheir supper,
reasonof their weightandthe forcewith winch theyranoutwith torches,someto the general's
theyweremanaged,
piercedthroughall their tent,andsomeoutof thetrenches
to seekhim
armourto their bodies;so that theymaintain- amongthe first of the slain. A profoundmel-
ed theirgroundwithdifficulty,andin theend ancholyreignedin thecamp,whilethe field
wereentirelyrouted. resounded with the cries of thosethat called
It was here, however, that the greatest upon Scipio. For, so admirablyhad Nature
effortswere made on both sides; and here temperedhim, that he wasveryearly marked
Marcus,the son of Cato, and son-in-lawto out by the world, as a personbeyondthe rest
A^rinlius,after surprisingacts of valour,un- of the youth,likely to excelin the artsboth of
fortunatelylost his sword. As hewasa youth war andof civil government.
whohadreceivedall the advantages of educa- It wasnow very late, and he was almost
tion, and who owed to so illustriousa father givenup, when he returnedfrom the pursuit,
extraordinary instancesof virtue, he was per- with two or three friends, coveredwith the
«uadt;dthat he had betterdie thanleavesuch freshbloodof the foe, like a generousyour.g
i spoilin the handsof hisenemies. He,there- hound,carried too far by the charmsof the
fore,flew throughthe ranks,andwhereverhe chase. This ia that Scipio, who afterwards
happened to seeanyof his friendsor acquaint- destroyedCartbajjeand Numantia,and wa*
ance,he told themhis misfortune,andbeggedincomparably the liret, both in virtue andpow-
their assistance.A numberof brave young er, of the Koreansof his time. Thus fortune
men was thuscollected,who following their did not chooseat presentto make."Knuhus
leaderwith equalardour,soontraversedtheir pay for the favourshedid him, but deferredit
o»u army, and fell upon the Macedonians.to anotheropportunity;and thereforeheen-
After a sharpconflict anddreadful carnage,joyed this victory,with full satisfaction.
the enemywas dnven back, and the ground As for Perseus, hefled from Pydnato Pella,
beingleftvacant,
theRomans
sought
forthe withhiscavalry,
whichhadsuffered
no loss.
"word, which, with much difficulty, was found When the foot overtook them, they reproached
under a heapof arms and dead bodies. Tran- them as cowards and traitors, pulled them uff
sportedwith this success,
theychargedthose their horses,and woundedseveralof them;
that remainedunbroken,with still greater so that the king,dreadingtheconsequencesof
eagernessand shoutsof triumph. The three the tumult,turnedhishorseout of the common
thousand Macedonians, who were all select road, and lest he should be known, wrapped
men, kept their station, and maintained the up his purple robe, and put it before him; he
fijlht, but at last were entirely cut off. The rest also took off his diadem, and carried it in hia
fled; and terrible was the slaughter of those. hand, and that he might converse the more
The field and the sides of the hills were cover- conveniently with his friends, alighted from
ed with the dead,and the river Leucus, which his horse and led him. But they all slunk
the Romanscrossedthe dayafter the battle, awayfromhim by degrees;oneunderpretence
was even then mixed with blood. For it is of tying his shoe,another of watering his horse,
said that about twenty-five thousand were and a third of being thirsty himself: not that
killed on the Macedonian side; whereas the they were so much afraid of the enemy, as of
Romans,according to Posidonius,lost but one the cruelty of Perseus, who, exasperatedwith
hundred; Nasica says, orly fourscore.* his misfortunes, sought to lay the blame of
This great battle was soon decided, for it his miscarriage on any body but himself. He
beganat the ninth hour,f andvictorydeclared entered Pella in the night, where he killed
herself before the tenth. The remainder of with his poniard Euctes and Eudius, two of
the day was employedin the pursuit, which was his treasurers; who, when they waited upon
continuedfor the spaceof a hundredand him,hadfoundfault with someof his proceed-
twentyfurlongs,so that it wasfar in the night ings, and provokedhim by an unseasonable
whenthey returned. The servantswent with liberty of admonition. Hereupon,everybody
torchesto meettheir masters, and conductedforsookhim, exceptEvanderthe Cretan,Ax-
them with shouts of joy to their tents, which chcdamusthe -3itolian, and Neon the Boeotian"
they had illuminated, and adorned with crowns nor did any of his soldiers follow him but the
of ivy andlaurel.}; Cretans,
whowerenotattached
to hisperson,
and by that cleanshare given his infantry time to re- butto hismoney,
asbeesareto thehoney-
covertUaiiejves;butinstead
of this,Iheybaiily pro- of hiseipedition
intoIndia. Batthe Roman
cusVoni
videdfortheirownsafetybya precipitate
flight. ofadorniug thelenuofthevictors
withivy,theplant
* Utterlyimpossible
! if thecircumstances
of the of Bacchus,
mightarisefroma moresimple CHUS*
fightareconsidered
: butLivj'saccount
islost. Csesar,
inhisthirdbookof thecivilwars,
saysthat
f I. c. threein theaAernoon. in Pompey's
camp hefound thettnl of L'niuim tzi
j Thelaurel was sacred
toApollo,
andtheivyto some others
covered withivy: sosurehad.he-mad*
Bacchus.Bacchus, whois sometimes
supposed
to be llumselves
of thevictory.
the»ame
withHercules,
waia warrior,
andweread * Hewasthtoin hitse-enteeuth
year.
196 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

comb For he carried great treasu-c along daysafter it wagconfirmedbeyonddispute,*

with him, and sufferedthemto takeout of it they could not but admire the report wbjch
cupsand bowls,andother vesselsof gold and wasits harbinger,andthefiction whichturned
silver," to the valueof fifty talents. But when to truth.
he cameto Amphipolis,and from thence to In like mannerit is saidthat an accountof
Alepsus,t his fears a little abating,he sunk the battleof the Italiansnearthe river Sagara,
again into his old and inborn distemperof was carried into Peloponnesus the sameday
avarice;helamentedto hisfriends,that he had it was fought; and of the defeatot the Per-
inadvertentlygivenup to the Cretanssomeof siansat Mycale,with equalexpedition,to Pla-
thegoldplateof Alexander
theGreat,andhe iaea:andthatverysoonafterthebattlewhich
appliedto thosethat had it, and evenbeggedthe Romansgainedover the Tarquinsandthe
of them with tears, to return it him for the people of Latium, that fought under their ban-
value in money. Those that knew him well, ners, two young men of uncommon size ant"
easilydiscoveredthat hewasplaying the Cre- beauty,who were conjecturedto be Castor
tan with the Cretans;{ but suchas werepre- and Pollux,arrived at Romefrom the army.
vailed uponto give up the plate,lost all; for with the newsof it. The first mantheymet
he neverpaid the money. Thus he got thirty with, by the fountainin the market-place,
as
talents from his friends, which soon after were they were refreshing their horses,that foamed
to come into the hands of his enemies, and with sweat, expressed his surprise at their ac-
with these he sailed to Samothrace, where count of the victory; whereupon they are said
he took refuge at the altar of Castor and to have smiled, and to nave stroked his beard,
Pollux.§ which immediatelyturned from black to yel-
The Macedonians have always had the low. This circumstance gained credit to hii
character of being lovers of their kings;|| but report, and got him the surnameof JEnobor-
now, as if the chief bulwark of their constitution Ifus, or Yellow Beard.
was broken down, and all were fallen with it, AJ1these stories are confirmed by that which
theysubmittedto JKmilius,andin two dayshe happenedin our times. For when Lucius
was master of all Macedonia. This seems to Antonius rebelled against Domitian, Kome
give somecountenance to thosewho impute was much alarmed,and eipected a bloody
theseeventsto fortune. A prodigy,whichhap- war in Germany,but on a sudden, andol their
penedat Amphipolis,testifiedalsothefavourof own propermotion,the peopleraiseda n port,
the gods. The consulwas offeringsacrifice andspreadit overthe city, that Aiitoniunwa«
there, and the sacred ceremonieswere begun, vanquishedand slain, that his army was cut ID
when a flash of lightning fell upon the altar, pieces, and not one man escaped. Sucha run
and at once consumed and consecrated the had the news,and suchwas the credit given to
victim. But the share which fame had in this it, that many of the magistrates offered sacri-
iffair exceedsbotht'natprodigyandwhatthey ficeon the occasion. But whenthe authorof
lell us of his goodfortune. For, on the fourth it was sought after, they were referred from
flayafter Perseuswasbeatenat Pydna,as the oneto another,all their inquirieswereeluded,
peoplewereat llie equestriangamesin Kome, and at lastthe newswaslost in the immense
a report wassuddenlyspreadin the first seats crowd,as in a vast ocean. Thusthe report,
of the theatre, that .Kmi lius had gaineda great appearing to have no solid foundation, imme-
battle over Perseus,and overturned the king- diately vanished. But as Domitian wasmarch-
domof Macedon. The newswasmadepublic ing his forcesto chastisethe rebels,messen-
in a moment,the multitudeclappedtheirhands gers and letters met him on the road,which
and set up great acclamations,and it passedbroughtan accountof the victory. Thenthey
currentthat dayin thecity. Afterwards,when foundit waswon the samedaythe reportwai
it appearedthat it hadnogoodfoundation,the propagated,thoughthe field of battlewasmore
Btorydroppedfor the present;but whena few than twenty thousandfurlongsfrom Rome.
This is a fact which no one can be unacquaint-
* He was afraid to give it them, lest the Macedoni- ed with.
_js out
am o of spiteshould lakeall therest. But to return to the story of Perseus-
f A manuscriptcopyhasit Galcpsus, probably uponCneiusOctavius,who wasjoinedin command
theauthority ol Livy. with ^Emilius,camewith his fleet to Sam»
J It wasanancient proverb, TheCretans arealwaysthrace,where,out of reverence
liars. St. Paul has quoted it from Callimachus.
to thegods,fhe
$ He carriedwith himtwothousand
talents. " It wascon6rmedby thearrivalof Q. FabiusMai
|| When Perseuswas at Amphipolis, being afraid mini. .Kniiliii;, L. Lintulus, and Q.. Mtldlus, who
that the inhabitants would take him and deliver him had been senteiprcss by .£milius, and reachedRomt
op to the Kumans,
he cameoutwith Philip, the onl^ iln twentiethdayafter theaction.
child he had with him, and having mounted the tri- f The godsof Samothracewere dreadedby all nations.
bunal, begau to speak; but hii tears flowed so fast, The paganscarried their prejudicesso far in favourof
that, afterseveraltrials, he foundit impracticable
to thosepretendeddeities,that theywerestruckwith
proceed. Descendingagain from the tribunal,he spoke awe upon the bare mention of their names. Of all the
oaths that were in use among the ancient*, that by
thesegodswas deemedthe most sacredand inviolable.
Such as were found not to have observedthis oath,
were looked upon asthe curseof mankind, and persons
devotedto destruction. Diodorus (lib, v.) tells us that
thesegodswerealwayspresent,andneverfailedto as-
sist thosethat were initiated, and called u[-onthem in
I in .n-H"l llrti inn ul ILIUIIII-IICB,
null was ;l 111
r \\ aM-I5(Jr s- any sudden and unexpecteddanger; and that nono
patchtd in Snindhrace,by orderof Perseus,
whoWai everduly performedtheir ceremonies
without being
ftfraid that Evandcr would accusehim as the author if amply rewarded for their piety. No wonder, then,
that murden if the placet of refuge in tbis island « etc >rry highly
 PAULUS ^EMILIUS. 197

permitted
f erseus
to enjoytheprotection
of ments,
byshewing thyself,1mennadversary
theasylum,butwatched
thecoastsandguard-andunfitto copewithaRoman?Courage in
ed againsthisescape.Perseus, however,theunfortunateishighlyrevered,
evenbyan
(bundmeans privately
to engage
oneOrandes,enemy;andcowardice, thoughit meetswith
a Cretan,to takeh.'mandhistreasure
intohis success,
is heldin greatcontemptamong tho
vessel,and carry them off. He, like a true Romans."
Cretan,tookin thetreasure,andadvised Per- Notwithstanding
thissevere
rebuke,
he raw
seusto comein tlie night,with hiswifeand ed him up,gavehimhishand,nnddelivered
children,andnecessary attendantsto the port him into thecustodyof Tubrrn. Tb.cntaking
caller]Demetrium;but, beforethis, hehadset his sons,his sons-in-law;an.l iht p'.nc'oaloffi-
fail. Miserablewast'aeconditionof Perseus,cers, particularlythe youngersort, uv.k with
compelledas he wasto escapethrougha nar- him into his tent, he sata luiis time silent,to
row window, and to let himself down by the the astonishment of the wholecompany At
wall, with his wifeandchildren,whohadlittle last, he beganto speakof the vicissitudes of
experienced such fatigue and hardship',but fortune,andof humanaffairs. "Is 'I fit then,"
still more pitiablewere his groanswhen,ashe said he, "that a mortal shouldbe elatedby
wandered by the shore,one told him, that he prosperity, and plume himself upon the over-
had seen Orandesa goodway off at sea. By turning a city, or a kingdom? Shouldwe not
this timeit wasday,and,destituteof all other rather attendto the instructionsof fortune,
hope, he fled back to the wall. He was not, who, by such visible marks of her instability,
indeed,undiscovered,yet hereachedtheplace andof the weaknessof humanpower,teachei
of refuge,with his wife, beforethe Romans everyonethat goesto war, to expectfrom her
could take measuresto prevent it. His chil- nothing solid and permanent;' what time for
drenheput into the handsof Ion,whohadbeen confidencecan there be to man, whenin the
his favount*, but now was his betrayer; for he very instant of victory, he must necessarily
deliveredthemup to the Romans;and so by dreadthe powerof fortune, and the veryjoy
the strongest necessitywith winch nature can of successmust be mingled with anxiety, from
oe bound, obliged him, as beasts do, when a reflection on the course of unsparing fate,
their young are taken, to yield himself to those which humbles one man to-day, and to-mor.
«vhohad his children in their power. row another? when one short hour has been
He had the greatest confidence in Nasica, sufficient to overthrow the house of Alexan-
and for him he inquired; but as he was not der, who arrived at such a pitch of glory, and
there,hebewailedhis fate,andsensibleof the extendedhis empire over great part of the
necessity he lay under, he surrendered him- world; when you see princes that were lately
self to Octavius. Then it appearedmore plain at the head of immensearmies, receive their
than ever, that he laboured under a more des- provisionsfor the day from the handsof their
picable disease than avarice itself-I mean the enemies; shall you dare to flatter yourselves
fearof death; and this deprivedhim evenof that fortunehasfirmly settledyour prosperity,
pity, the only consolation of which fortune or that it is proof againstthe attacks of time?
does not rob the distressed. For when hede- shall you not rather my young friends, qut*
sired to be conducted to -Emihus,* the consul this elation of heart, and the vain raptures of
rosefrom his scat,and, accompanied with his victory, andhumbleyourselvesin the thought
friends,went to receivehim with tearsin his of whatmayhappenhereafter,in the expecta-
eyes,as a great man unhappily fallen, through tion that the gods will scud somemislbrtui.t to
the displeasureof the gods. But Perseusbe- counterbalance the present success?" /Kmi-
havedin the vilest manner; he boweddown lius, they tell us, havingsaida greatdealto
with his faceto the earth, he embracedthe this purpose,dismissed
the youngmm, si <<i»n-
Roman's knees; his expressionswere so mean ably chastisedwith this grave discourse, and
and his entreaties so abject, that ./Emilias restrained in their natural inclination to arro-
could not endure them; but regardinghim with gance.
an eyeof regretandindignation," Why doat When this was done, he put his army in
thou, wretched roan!" said he, "acquit fortune quarters, while he went to take a view of
of what mightseemher greatestcrime, by a Greece.This progresswasattendedbothwith
behaviourwhich makes it appearthat thou honourto himselfandadvantageto theGreeks;
deservesther frowns,and that thou art not for he redressedthe people'sgrievances,he
only now,buthastbeenlongunworthythe pro- reformedtheir civil government,and gave
tectionof that goddess?Why dostthou tar- them gratuities,to somewheat, andto otheri
nish my laurels, and detract from my achieve- oil, out of the royal stored; in which such vast
quantities are said to have beenfound, that the
rcvered. Besidesthetempleof Cgjtorand Pollux,to number of those that asked and received wa»
which Perseusfled, (litre was also a wood, es'eemed
to ttic holy rites too small to exhaustthe whole. Finding a
"uch,wherethosewhowereadmitted,
of(heCa/nn,
used
tomeet. greatsquarepedestal
of whitemarbleat Del-
* OcUnus.
assoon
ash: hadtriekingin hispower,phi, designed
for agoldenstatueof Perseus,
he
puthimonboard theadmiral galley,
addhaving em-ordered hisownto beput uponit;" alleging,
barked
fleet alsoalland
weighed hidtreasure
»loodfor that
wasleft,the
Amphipolia. An Roman
eiprcss that it wasbutjust,thattheconqueredshould
was despatchedfrom thenceto acquaint JEmi[ius with giveplaceto theconqueror.At Olympia, we
whathadhappened, who sentTubcro his son-in-law, are told, he utteredthat celebrated
saying
with several
persona
of distinction,
to meetPerseus.
"This Jupiter of Phidias,ia the ?ery Jupitef
Theconsulorderedsacrifice!to beimmediately
ofler- of Homer."
ed,and madethetamerejoicingsasif a new victory
hadbernobtained. The wholecampran out to see
theroyaJ
prisoner,
who,covered
witha mourning " Thiswa»
notouitesoconjistent
withhuhumilla
Ujil, walked
alonetothetentof JEimlius. Ungdiscourse
ODthevicissitudes
ol fortune.
 198 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
Upon the arrival or the ten commissioners*
which the Romanshadbestowedon them,*
fromRomefor settlingtheaffairsof Macedo-andto preserve
it by goodlawsand thehap-
nia, he declaredthe lands and cities of the piestharmony,he marchedinto Epirus. The
Macedonians
free,andordered
thattheyshouldsenate
hadmadea decree,that ihe so'.hi-ra
begoverned
by theirownlaws;onlyreservingwho hadfoughtunderh<inagainstPei»tuj
a tribute to the Romansof a hundredtalents, shouldhavethe spoil of the cities of E|-tmi
which waa not half what their king hadim- In order, therefore,that theymight fall t>|>un
posed. them unexpectedly,he sent lor ten «>('ihe
After this, he exhibitedvariousgamesand principalinhabitants of eachcity, andfixeda
spectacles, offeredsacrificesto the gods,and day for themto bring in whateversilvci and
made great entertainments; for all which he gold could be found in their houses and tem-
foundan abundantsupply in the treasuresof ples. With eachof thesehesenta centurion
the king. And he shewedso just a discern- and guard of soldiers,under pretenceor'
mentin the ordering,the placing,andsaluting searchingfor andreceivingthe preciousmetal,
of his guests,and in distinguishingwhat de- andas for this purposeonly. But when ti:-i
greeof civility was due to everyman's rank day came,theyrusheduponall theinhabitant;,
andquality that the Greekswere amazedat andbeganto seizeand plunder them. Thus
his knowledgeof mattersof mere politeness,in onehoura hundredand fifty thousand jier-
and that amidst his great actions, even trities sons were made slaves, and seventy cmrs
did not escapehis attention,but were con- sacked. Yet from thisgeneralruin andde»'j-
ductedwith thegreatest decorum.That which lation,eachsoldier hadno more than elcvra
affordedhim the highestsatisfactionwas,that, drachmasto his share. How shockingwu
notwithstanding the magnificenceand variety such a destructionfor the sakeof such ad-
of his preparations,
he himselfgavethe great- vantage!
est pleasureto thosehe entertained. And to jlJnnlius, havingexecutedthis commission,
those that expressed their admiration of his so contrary to his mildnessand humanity, went
management ontheseoccasions, hesaid,"That down to Oricum, where he embarkedhia
he requiredthe samegeniusto draw up an forcesand passedover into Italy. He sailed
army andto orderanentertainment;fthat the up the Tiber in the king's galley,whichhad
one mightbe most formidableto the enemy, sixteenranksof oars,and was richly adorned
and theother mostagreeable to the company." with armstaken from the enemy,and with
Among his other good qualities,his disin- cloth of scarlet and purple; and the banks
terestednessand magnanimitystood foremost of the river being coveredwith multitudes
in the esteemof the world. For he wouldnot that came to see the ship as it sailedslow-
somuchaslookupontheimmense
quantity
of ly againstthe stream,theKouiansin suuie
silver and goldthat was collectedout of the measure
anticipatedhis triumph.
royalpalaces,
butdelivered
it to thequ&tors, But thesoldiers,
who lookedwith longing
to be carriedinto the publictreasury. He re- eyes on the wealth of Perseus,when they
served
onlythe booksof theking'slibraryfor found their expectations
disappointed,
in-
his sons,who were menof letters;andin dis- dulgeda secret resentment,and were ill af-
tributing rewardsto thosethat haddistinguish-fectedto jKmilius. In publictheyallegedan-
ed themselvesin the battle, he gave a silver other cause. They said he had behavedin
cup of five pounds
weightto hia son-in-law,command
in a severe
andimperious
manner,
./Eliiu Tubero. This is that Tubero who,as andthereforetheydid not meethis wishes
for
wehavealreadymentioned,
wasone of the a triumph. ServiuaGalba,who hadserved
sixteen
relations
thatlivedtogether,
andwereunderEmilius,asa trjbune,
andwhohada
all supported
by onesmallfarm;andthispiecepersonal enmityto him,observing
this,pulled
of plate,acquiredby virtueandhonor,is af- off the mask,and declared
that no triumph
firmedto bethefirstthatwasin thefamilyof ought to be allowedhim. Having«pread
the Julians; neithertheynor their wives hav- amongthe soldieryseveralcalumniesagainst
ing,beforethis,eitherusedor wanted
anyves-the general,andsharpened the resentment
selsof silverorgold. whichtheyhadalreadyconceived, Galbare-
Afterhehadmade everyproperregulation,}quested
anotherday of the tribunesof the
takenhis leave of the Greeks,and exhorted people;becausethe remainingfour hours,he
the Macedonians
to rememberthe liberty said,werenotsufficientfor theintended
im-
* These ten legateswere all men of consulardignity.
peachment.But asthe tribunesorderedhim
Who carnelo assist..Emilius in settling a new form of to speakthen,if he had any thing to say,he
jOTtrnineut.
TlieMacedonians
were
notmuch
charm-
began
alongharangue
fullofinjurious
and
lalie
edwiththepromise
of liberty^
because
theycouldnot allegations,
andspunit outto theend of the
Well comprehend
what that liberty was. They saw clay. When it was dark, the tribunes ««"
eridtatcontradictions
ia thedecree,
which,though
it missed
the assembly. The soldicis,nowmuia
"poke of leaving them under their own laws, imposed
fnauy new ones, aid threatened more. What most
disturbed
them,
wasadivision
oftheirkingdom,
where- * Thisboasted
favour
of theRomans
tothepeoplt
by,asanation,theywereseparated
anddisjointed
from of Macedon, wascertainlynothingeitraordr'«'T.
eachother. Their countrybeingnowdividedintofourdistricts,it
f To these
twoparticulars,
of drawingupanarmy, wasdeclared unlawfulfor anypersonto intermarry,
and orderingan entertainment,
Henry the JVth of to carry onanytrade,to buyor sellanylandi.lu «:>y
Franceadded-themakinglore. onewho was not an inhabitantof his own dutricL
f At theclowof these proceedings,
Andronicus
the Theywe'c prohibited to importanlsalt; or to sell
£tolian, and Neo the Bteotian,because
they had al- anylimberfit for building shipsto Uie barbarian
n»
waysbeen friends
to 1'crseus,
andhadnotdeserted
him ii.i'n.. All Ihe nobility,andtheirchildren
exceeding
evennow,werecondemned,
andlost their heads. So the age of fifteen,were commanded
immediately
U
Unjust
amidst
all thespecious
appearances
of justice transport
themselves
intoItaly:andthclujfrenu
jKivver
weretheconquerors. lu Micedouwai restediu certainRouiau«en»Wi».
 PAUL US 199

insolent
thanever,thronged aboutGalba;and alteration in them,thatthetriumphwas»o»ed
animatingeachother,beforeit waslighttook to jEmiliusbyeverytribe.
theirstandin thecapitol,wherethetribunes The triumphU »aidto havebeenordered
hadorderedtheassembly to beheld. afterthismanner. In everytheatre,or asthej
As soonasdayappeared, it wasputto the callit, circus,whereequestriangames u»edto
rote,andthefirsttribegaveit against
thetri- beheld,intheforum, andotherpartsof the
umph. Whenthiswasunderstood bytherest city, which wereconvenient for seeingtha
of theassemblyandthesenate, thecommon-procession, the peopleerectedscaffolds,and
alty expressed
greatconcernat theinjury done onthe day of the triumphwereall drcssadin
to JEmiliaa,but their wordshadnoeffect:the white. The templeswere setopen,adorned
principalsenators insistedthat it waaaninsuf- with garlands,and smoking with incense.
ferableattempt,andencouraged eachother to Many lictors andotherofficerscompelledthe
repressthe boldandlicentiousspiritof the sol- disorderlycrowdto makeway, and openeda
diers,who wouldin time stick at no instanceclear passage. The triumphtook up three
of injusticeandviolence,*if something wasnot days. On the first, which wasscarcelysuffi-
doneto preventtheir deprivingPaulusJEmil- cient for theshow,wereexhibitedthe images,
ius of thehonoursof hisvictory. Theypushed,paintings, and colossal statues,takenfrom
therefore,throughthe crowd,and,comingup the enemy,and now carriedin two hundred
in a body,demanded that the tribuneswould andfifty chariots. Neit day, the richestand
put a stopto the suffrages,until they had de- mostbeautifulof the Macedonianarmswere
livered what they had to say to the people. brought up in a great number of wagons.
The poll beingstoppedaccordingly,andsi- Theseglitteringwith new furbishedbrassand
lence made,Marcus Servilius, a man of con- polished steel; and though they were piled
iular dignity, who had killed three and twenty with art and judgment, yet seemed to be
enemies in single combat, stood up, and spoke thrown together promiscuously; helmets being
as follows: placedupon shields,breastplatesupon greaves,
"I am now sensible, more than ever, how Cretan targets, Thracian bucklers,and quiver*
great a general Paulus JSmilius is, when with of arrowshuddled amongthe horses' bits, with
so mutinous and disorderly anarmy hehasper- the points of naked swords and long pikes ap-
formed such great and honourable achieve- pearing through on every side. AD these armi
ments: but I am surprisedat the inconsistency were tied together with such a just liberty,
of the Roman people, if after rejoicing in tri- that room was left for them to clatter as they
umphs over the Illyrians and Ligurians, they were drawn along, and the clank of them was
envy themselvesthe pleasureof seeingthe king so harsh and terrible, that they were not seen
ofMacedon brought alive, and all the glory of without dread, though among the spoils of the
Alexanderand Philip led captiveby the Roman conquered. After the carriages,loaded with
arms. For is it not a strangething for you, who arms, walked three thousand men, who car-
upon a slight rumour of the victory brought ried the silver money in seven hundred and
hither some time since, offered sacrifices, and fifty vessels,each of which contained three
madeyour requeststo the gods, that youmight talents, and was borne by four men. Othe-s
soonseethat accountverified; now the consul broughtbowls, horns, goblets, and cups all'of
18returned with a real victory, to rob the gods silver, disposedin such order as would make
of their due honour, and yourselvesof the sat- the best show, and valuable not only for their
isfaction, as if you were afraid to behold the size but the depth of the bassorelievo. On the
greatnessof the conquest, or were willing to third day, early in the morning, first' came
apare the king? though indeed, it would be up the trumpets, not with such airs as are used
much better to refusethe triumph out of mercy n a processionof solemn entry, but with such
to him, than envy to your general. But to such as the Romans sound when they animate their
excessis your malignity arrived, that a man troops to the charge. These were followed by
who never received a wound, a man shining in a hundred and twenty fat oxen, with their
delicacy, and fattened in the shade,dares dis- lorna gilded, and set off with ribbons and
courseabout the conduct of the war, and the garlands. The young men that led these
right to a triumph, to you who at the expenseof ."ictims, were girded with belts of curious
TOmuch blood have learnedhow to judge of the workmanship; and after them came the boys
valour or misbehaviourof your commanders." who carried the gold and silver vesselsfor the
At the sametime, baring his breast, he shew- sacrifice. Next went the personsthat carried
ed an incredible number of scars upon it, and :he gold coin* in vessels which held thret
then turninghisback,heuncovered
someparts talents each, like thosethat containedtbf
which it is reckoned indecentto expose;and silver, and -which were to the number of
addressing himself to Galba, he said, "Thou seventy-seven. Then followed those that bor»
laughestat this; butI glory in thesemarksbe- the consecrated
bowl,f of ten talentsweight
fore my fellow-citizens: for I got themby being
on horseback day and night in their service. " Accordingto Plularch'iaccount,therewereSQ50
But go on to collectthevotes;I will attend alenu
ofsilver
coin,
and231ofgoldcoin.According
thewholebusiness,
andmarkthose
cowardly
:oValerius
but Antias,
Livy thinks his it amounted
to
toosomewhat
computation small,aujmore;
VeW
uiidungrateful
men,whohadratherhavetheir UiusPaterculus
make it aloiojt
twiceasmuch.Tbe
ewninclinations
indulged
inwar,thanbeprop-account
whichPaltrculu*
gives
ofit isprobably
right,
erly commanded." This speechthey tell us, since the moneynow brought from Macedoniastt ihe
10bumbled the soldiery, and effected suchan Romans freefromall la«s forcuehundredandtwen-
ty-five years.
t Thisbowlweighed
an hundred
pounds:for the
" This wasladly verifiedin thetimei of the RomanlaJentweighed«ixiypouudi. It wascossecraled
U
emperor* Jufnten
 £00 PLUTARCH'S LIVKS.

whichTEniliuibailcaimrd
to bemado
of gold, whomfortunegivesan equalshareof good
and adornedwith preciousstones;andthose andevil. For /Emilius havingfour sons,two
that eiporedto view thi;cupaof Antigonusof of which, namely,Scipio and Fabius, were
Seleucus,andsuchas wereof tlie makeof the adoptedinto otherfamilies,as hasbeenmen-
famedartist,Sliericleg,togetherwith the golc tioned before,and *.woothersby his second
plale that had beenused at Perseus'stable wife, asyet but young,whom he broughtuf
Immediately after, was to be seenthe chariol in his own house;one of these died at four-
of that prince,with his armouruponit, andhis teen yearsof age,five daysbeforehis father's
diadem upon that, at a little distarcc his chil- triumph, and the other at twelve, three day)
dren were led captive, attended by a great after. There was not a man among the Ro-
numberof gove-nors,mastersandpreceptors,mansthat did not sympathise
with him in this
all in tears, who stretched out their handsby affliction. All were shockedat the cruelty of
way of supplication to the spectators, and fortune,* wh\> scrupled not to introduce such
taught the children to do the same. There deep distress into a house that was full of
were two sonsand one daughter,all so young, pleasure,of ji y, and festal sacrifices, and to
that they were not much affected with the mix the songsof victory and triumph with the
greatness
of their misfortunes. Thi? insensi-mournfuldlrge^of death.
bility of theirs made the changeof their con- jEmilius, however, rightly considering that
dition more pitiable; insomuchthat Peiseusmankindhaven ;ed of courageandfortitude,
passedon almostwithout notice;sofiled were not only againstiwordsandspears, butagainst
the eyes of the Romansupon the children everyattackof fortune,so temperedandqual-
from pity of their fate,that manyof themshed ified the presentemergencies, as to overbal-
tears, and none tastedthe joy of the triumph ance the evil by the good,and his private
without a mixtureof pain,till they weregone misfortunes by his publicprosperity;thatnoth-
by. Behindthechildrenandtheir tram walk- ing might appearto lessenthe importance, or
ed Perseushimself,clad all in black, and tarnishthegloryof thevictory. For, soonafter
wearing eandalsof the fashion of his country. the burial of the first of his sons, he made,ai
He hadthe appearanceof a manthat wasover- we said, his triumphalentry; and uponthe
whelmedwith terror, and whosereasonwas deathof the second,soonafterthe triumph,he
almoststaggeredwith the weightof his mis- assembledthe peopleof Rome,and madea
fortunes. He wasfollowedby agreatnumber speechto them, not like a manthat wanted
of friends and favourites, whose countenances consolation himself, but like one that could al-
wereoppressed
withsorrow,andwho,by fix- leviatethegriefwhichhis fellow-citizens
felt
ing their weepingeyes continually upon their for his misfortunes.
prince, testified to the spectators,that it was " Though I have never," said he, " feared
his lot whichtheylamented,
andthat they anythinghuman,yet amongthingsdivineI
were regardlessof their own. He hadsent, have alwayshad a dreadof fortune,asthe
indeed, to JEmilius, to desirethat hemight most faithlessand variableof beings;and
be excusedfrom beingled in triumph,andbe- borausein the courseof this war she pros-
ing made a public spectacle. But jEmilms pered every measureof mine, the rather did
despisinghis cowardiceandattachment
to life, I expect that some tempestwouldfollowno
by way of derision, it seems,sent by word. favourable a gale. For in one day I passed
" That it had been in his power to prevent the Ionian from Brundusium to Corcycra: from
it, and still was, if he were so disposed;" hint-
pig,that he shouldpreferdeathto disgrace.Achilles
toPriam,
inthebutIliad,which
it thus
Iran*
But hehadnot the courageto strike the blow, latedbyPope:
and the vigour of his mind being destroyed
by vain hopes,he becamea part of his own Two urnsby Jove'shigh thronehaveeverstood,
spoils. Next were carried fourhundredcor- Thesource
of evilone,audoneof good.
onetsof gold;whichthecitieshadsentJEmi- Fromthence
thecupofmortal
manhefills,
lius,alongwiththeirembassies,
ascompli- To
Blessing)
most,to
hethese,
toboth
mingles those
:distributes
the wretchills;
decreed
mentson his victory. Then camethe consul To U5lethebaduofmz'd,
13curs'dindeed.
himself, riding in a magnificent chariot; a Thehappiesttastenot happiness
sincere,
man, exclusiveof the pompof power,worthy ButAndthecordialdraught
is daah'd
withcare.
to be seen and admired, but his good mien Platohascensured it as an impiety to saythat GoJ
was now set off with a purple robe interwoven fivesevil. God IB not the author of evil. Moral
with gold, andhe helda branchof laurel in :vil is the resultof theabuse
of freeagency,
natu-
his right hand. The whole army likewise car- ral evil is the consequence
of the imperfectionof
ried boughsof laurel, and divided into bands matter:andthe Deitystandsjustifiedin hiscreating
andcompanies,
followedthegeneral's
chariot: >eings
liable
toboth,
because
natural
imperfection
waft
come
singing
satirical
songs
usual
onsuch
oc-necessary toaprogressive
to virtue,existence,
tion was necessary and virtuemoral
was imperfec-
ncccuarf
casions,
and somechanting
odesof victory, tohappiness.
However,
Homer's
allegory
seems
bor-
and the glorious exploits of JEmilius, who was rowedfrom theeasternmannerof speaking
; Thusif)
reveredandadmiredby all, andwhomnogood thePsalms,
In thehand
of theLordtherea acup,and
mancouldenvy. hepourelh
outof thelame;aifor thedrenthereof,
But,perhaps
there
issome
superior
Being,ill
TZV.the
8.ungodly
oftheearth
ihalldrink
than,Psal.
whose office jt is to cast a shade upon any
great and eminent prosperity, and eoto mingle of *Providence,
Ormoreproperly,thejustandrisibleinterposition
to punish in tome measurethat general
\he lot of humanhfe,thatit maynotbeperfectly lavocof thehuman
species
whichtheRoman
pride
free from calamity; but ihosc, as Homer andavaricehadsorecentlymadeluGreece,Forthough
pays,*maj thinkthemselves
mosthappyto >od isnottheauthorofthat
evil,it isnoimpeachmentof
lis goodness
'o suppose byparticularpunishment*
" Plutarchhererefersto a passage
m the speech
of le chastises
paiticulaxcrimes.
 PAl'LUS ^EMILIUS. 201

thence in fivedayiI reached Delphi, andga-Macedonia, themostacceptable to theRo-

eriftc-d10Apollo.In fivedaysmore1tookmanswas,thatfromthence hebrought to
uponmethecommand of thearmyin Mace-much money intothepublic treasury,
thatthe
donia;andassoonasI hadoffered theusualpeople hadnooccasion to payanytaxestill
sacrifices
forpurifyingit, 1proceededtoaction, thetimeof HiritiusandPansa, whowerecon-
andin thespace of fifteen daysfromthattime,sulsin the first warbetween Antonyand
putaglorious periodto thewar. Distrusting Czsar.^Emilius hadalsotheuncommon and
theficklegoddess
onaccount of sucha runof peculiar
happiness,
to behighlyhonoured and
lucceea,
andnowbeingsecureandfreefrom caressed bythepeople,at thesametimethat
til danger
with respectto theenemy,I was heremained attachedto the patrician
party,
most
apprehensive
of a change
of fortune
in anddidnothing
to ingratiate
himself
withthe
my passage
home;havingsucha.greatand commonalty,
but everactedin concertwith
victoriousarmy to conduct,togetherwith the men of the first rank, in mattersof govero
ipoilsandroyal prisoners.Nay,whenI ar- ment. Thisconduct
of hiswasafterwards
al-
rived safeamongmy countrymen, and beheld legedby wayof reproachagainstScipioAfri-
thecity full of joy, festivity,andgratitude,still canus,by Appius. Thesetwo, beingthenthe
I suspectedfortune,knowing that she grants mostconsiderable menin Rome,stoodfor the
usno greatfavourwithout somemixtureof un- censorship;the onehavingthe senateandno-
easiness or tributeof pain. Thusfull of anx- bility on his side,for the Appian family were
ious thoughtsof what might happento the alwaysin that interest,and the othernot only
commonwealth, my fearsdid not quit me,till great in himself, but ever greatly in favour
thiscalamityvisitedmy house,and 1 had my with the people. When, therefore, Appiut
two promisingsons,the only heirs I hadlea sawScipiocome into the Jorum attendedby
myself, to bury oneafteranother,on the very a crowdof meanpersons,and manywho had
dayssactedto triumph. Now therefore,I am beenslaves,but who were able to cabal,to
"ecure as to the greatestdanger,and [ trust influencethe multitude,andto carryall before
I am fully persuaded that fortune will con- them, either by solicitation or clamour, he
tinue kind and constant to us, since she has cried out, "O Paulus ^Emilius! groan, groan
taken sufficientusury for her favours of me from beneaththe earth,to think that u£miliu«
and mine; for the man who led the triumph is the crier and Lyciniua the rioter, conduct thy
asgreataninstanceof the weakness
of human sonto thecensorship!" It is no wonderif the
power as he that was led captive: there is only causeof Scipio was espousedby the people,
this difference, that the sons of Perseus, who since he was continually heaping favours upon
were vanquished, are alive; and those of them. But JEmilius, though he rangedhimself
jEmilius, who conquered, are no more." on the side of the nobility, was as much be-
Such was the generousspeechwhich JEmi- loved by the populace as the most insinuating
lius madeto the people,from a spirit of magna- of their demagogues. This appeared in their
nimity that was perfectly free from artifice. bestowing upon him, among others honours,
Though he pitied the fate of Perseus,and that of the censorship,which is the most sacred
w«swefi inclinedto servehim,yet all he of all offices,
andwhichhasgreatauthority
coulddo for him,wasto get him removedfrom annexedto it, as in other respects,so particu-
the commonprisonto a cleanerapartmentand larly in the powerof inquiringinto the morals
betterdiet. In that confinement,
accordingto of the citizens. For the censorscould expel
most writers, he starved himself to death. fromthe senateany memberthat acted in a
Butsome
saythemanner
of hisdeathwasvery mannerunworthyof his station,and enrola
etrangeand peculiar. The soldiers,theytell manof characterin. that body; andtheycould
us,whowerehis keepers,
beingon someac- disgraceoneof the equestrian
orderwho be-
countprovokedat him,and determinedto havedlicentiously,
bytaking awayhishorse.
wreak their malice,whenthey could find no They alsotook accountof the value of each
Othermeansof doingit, kept him from sleep, man'sestate,andregisteredthe numberof the
takingturnsto watch him, and usingsuchex- people. The numberof citizenswhichjKuii-
tremediligenceto keephimfromrest,thatat lius took, was three hundredthirty-seven
lasthewasquitewearied outanddied."Two thousand fourhundredandfifty-two. Hede-
of his sonsalsodied;and the third, namedclaredMarcus.SimiliueLepidusfirstsenator,
Alexander,
is saidtohavebeendistinguished
whohadalready
fourtimesarrived
atthatdig-
for hieartin turning,
andothersmallwork;and nity. He expelledonly threesenators,
who
havingperfectly learnedtospeakandwritethe weremenof no note;andwithequalmoder-
Roman language, hewasemployed bythema- ationbothheandhiscolleague MarciusPniU
gutratesa) a clerk,f in which capacity,he ippusbehavedin examining intotheconduct
"Uewedhimselfveryserviceable
andingenious.of the knights.
Of the acts of ^Emiliuswith regardto Havingsettledmanyimportant affairewhile
heborethis office,he fell vnloa distemper,
* This accountwe HSTCfrom Diodorua Siculus, ap. whichat first appearedverydangerous,
but in
Phot.Billtoth.Philipissaidto have
diedbefore
his timebecamelessthreatening,
thoughit still
fcther,buthow orwhere cannot becolltcted, because wastroublesomeanddifficulttobecured.By
thebookiof Livy,andof Diodorui
Sicului,whichthe advicethereforeof his physicians,
he
treatofthose times,arelust.
( Here was a remarkable instanceof (he pride of the
sailedto Veha,»
where he remaineda long
Roman Senate,to have the SOD of a vanquishedking timenear thesea,in a veryretiredandquiet
for their clerk: while IS'tcomedes,
the »onof Prusas,
king of Bithynia, was educatedby them with all imag-
* Plutarch herewritesEleainstead of Veh»' and
,
inablepomp
andgpltndour,
because
thefatherhadput call,it a townin Italy,to Ji.U,,g-
jbntl froin
thin uutltr Uie cue of the republic. Ul»l BUBt IB <Jrt«c«.
 202 PLUTARCH:S LIVES.

situation.In themeantime
theRomans
greatlyof gold,of ivory,or otherexpense
andparade,
regrettedhis absence,
and by frequentexcla- but in esteem,in love,in veneration,expressed
mations in thetheatres,
testified
theirextremenotonlyby hiscountrymen,but by hisvery
deeircto seehimagain. At last,a publicsa- enemies.For asmanyof theSpaniards,Le-
crifice comingon, whichnecessarilyrequired gurians,andMacedonians,* as happened lobe
his attendance,JEmilius seemingnow suffi- then at Rome,andwere youngandrobust,as
ciently recoveredreturnedto Rome,andoffer- sistedin carryinghi» bier; while the agedfol-
ed that sacrifice, with the assistanceof the lowedit, calling jEmiliustheir benefactor,
and
other priests,amidst a prodigious multitude of the preserver of their countries. For he not
people,who expressed
their joy for his return. only, at the time he conquered
them, gained
S'extdayhesacrificed
againto thegods
for thecharacter
of humanity,
butcontinued
tc
bis recovery. Having finishedtheserites, he do them services,and to take care of them,
returnedhomeandwent to bed: when he sud- as if theyhadbeenhis friendsand relation*.
denly fell into a delirium, in which he died The estate he left behind him scarce!;
the third day, having attained to every thing amounted to the sum of three hundred and
that is supposed
to contributeto the happinessseventythousanddenarii, of whichheappoint
of man. cd his sonsjoint heirs:but Scipio,the younger
His funeral was conductedwith wonderful son,who wasadoptedinto the opulenthouse
iolcmnity; the cordialregardof the publicdid of Afncanus,gave up his part to his brother.
honour to bis virtue, by the best and happiest Such is the account we have of the life and
obsequies.Thesedid not consistin the pomp characterof Paulus

TIMOLEON AND PAULUS jEMILIUS COMPARED

IF we considerthesetwo greatmen ashistory satiableavariceandrapacity,while hehadthi
has represented them, we shall find no striking command; and many writers give accountot
difference between them in the comparison. the misdemeanours and breach of article*
Both carried on wars with very respectablewhich Pharai the Spartan,and Callippusthe
enemies;the one with the Macedonians,the Athenian,wereguilty of, in hopesof gaining
other with the Carthaginians; and both with the sovereignty of Sicily. But what were these
extraordinary success. One of them conquered men, and on what power did they build such
Macedon,andcrushedthe houseof Antigonus, hopes?Pharai was a follower ol Dionysiui,
which hadflourishedin a successionof seven who wasalreadyexpelled,and Callippuswas
kings; the otherexpelledtyrannyoutof Sicily, an officerin the foreigntroops in the service
and restoredthat islandto its ancient liberty. of Dion. But Timoleon was sentto begen-
It maybein favourof JEmihus,laat he hadto eralof the Syracusans, at their earnestrequest)
do with Perseuswhen in his full strength, and he had not an army to provide, but found ooo
whenhehadbeatentheRomans;ant!Timoleon readyformed,which cheerfullyobeyedhis or-
with Dionysius, when reducedto very desper- ders; and yet he employed this power, for no
ate circumstances:
as, on the otherhand,it otherend,thanthedestruction
of theiroppres-
maybeobserved
to the advantage
of Timoleon, sivemasters.
that he subdued many tyrants, and defeated a Yet again,it was to be admired in ZEmilius,
great armyof Carthaginians,
with suchforces that, thoughhe subdued
soopulenta kingdom,
as he happened to pick up, who were not vet- tie did not add one drachma to his substance.
eranandexperienced troopslike thoseof -3Emi-He would not touch,nor even look uponthe
lius, but mercenaries
and undisciplinedmen, moneyhimself,thoughhe gave manyliberal
who hadbeenaccustomed to fight only at their gifts to others. I do not, however,blameTi-
own pleasure. For equalexploits,with une- moleonfor acceptingof a handsome houseand
qual meansand preparations,reflect the greater lands: for it is no disgrace to take something
glory on the general who performs them. out of so much, but to take nothing at all ii
Both paida strict regardto justice andin- better; andthat is the most consummate
vir-
tegrity in Uieir employments. JEmilius was tue which shews that it is above pecuniary
prepared from the lirst to behave so, by the considerations,even when it has the bestclaim
lawsand mannersof his country;butTimole- to them.
on's probity was owing entirely to himself. As some bodies are able to bear heat, and
A proofof this is, that in the timeof JEmihus otherscold,but thosearethe strongestwhich
good order universally prevailed among the
Romans, through a spirit of obedienceto their * Theseweresomeof theMacedonian
nobility,who
lawsand usages,
anda reverenceof their fel- werethenat Home.ValeriusMaximus
says,
it w*l
low-citizens;
whereas,
notoneof theGreciansons
likeaassist
second
in triumphtohis
supporting^Emilius, tohave
bier, which these
was per-
adorned
generalswhocommandedin Sicily,kepthim- withrepresentations
of hisconquest of theircountry.
"elf uncorrupted,exceptDion: andmanyen- Infact,it wasmorehonourable
thanthetriumphbe
ttrtained a jealousy that even he affected hadledup, because
this borewitnessto his humanity,
monarchy,anddreamedof settingup suchandtheotheronlytohisvalour.
a regalauthority
asthatin Lacedacmon.
Ti- ne:f AJlsaying
goodofhis,tonever
general hissonScipio,
£i'ves isworth
battle, but mentioft-
u'tun kt
rnxusinformsus,thatthe Syracusans
sent'$letltoif, eittier
trytheloutnecessity,orbyavcry/fr-
"way Gyhppui loaded wilr infra, y, for hii la- voura6J*
occasion.
 PELOPIDAS. 203

Kre
equally
fittoendure
either;
sothevigournotlethisreason
support
himagainst
hisgrief;
"nd firmness
of lliosemindsarelh<?greatestbut becoming
a preyto sorrowand remorse,
whichareneither elatedby prosperity,nor forthespaceof twentyyearshecouldnotso
broken
by adversity.
Andin thisreape.r.t,
much aslookupon
theplace
where
thepublic
./Emiliusappears
to havebeeneuperior;for, business
wastransacted,
much lesstakea part
in thegreatandseveremisfortune
of thelossin it. A manshould, indeed, be afraidand
of hissons,he keptup thesame dignityof ashamed of whatis reallyshameful;but to
carriageasin themidstof the happiest
suc-shrinkunder everyreflection
uponhischarac-
cess. ButTimoleon,whenhehadactedasa ter, though
it speaks
a delicacy
of temper,bat
patriotsbould,
withregard
to hisbrother,
did nothing
in it oftruegreatness
ofmind.

PELOPIDAS.

CATOthe elder,hearingsomebody cdmmenda not him who loseshis swordor spesr;thusin

manwho wasrashlyandindiscreetlydaringin structmgus, that the first care of every man,
war, madethisjust observation, thatthere was especiallyof everygovernorof a city, or com-
great difference bettceena due regard to manderof an army,shouldbe, to defendhim-
valour and a contemptof life. To this pur- self, and afterthat, heis to think of annoying
pose,there is a story of oneof the soldiersof the enemy. For if, accordingto the compari-
Antigonus,who was astonishinglybrave,but son made by Iphicrates,the light-armedre-
of an unhealthycomplexion,and bad habit of semble the hands,the cavalry the feet, the
body. The king askedhim the causeof his main bodyof infantrythe breast,andthe gen-
palenessandhe acknowledged that he had a eral the head; then that g?n*ral who surfers
privateinfirmity. He thereforegavehis physi- himself to be carried away by his impetuosi
ciansa strict charge,that if any remedycould ty, so as to exposehimself to needlesshaz
be found,they shouldapply it with the utmost ards,not only endangers his own life, but the
care. Thus the man was cured; bu« then he lives of his whole army, whose safety depends
no longer courted,nor risked his personas upon his. Callicratidas, therefore,though
before. Antigonus questioned him about it, otherwise a great man, did not answer the
and could not forbear to express his wonder at soothsayer well, who desired him not to ex-
the change. The soldier did not conceal the pose himself to danger,becausethe entrails of
real cause, "You, Sir," said he, "have made the victim threatenedhis life. "Sparta," saidhe,
me less bold, by delivering me from that mise- " is not bound up in one man." For in battle,
ry, which made my life of no account to me." he was indeed but one, when acting under the
From the same way of arguing it was, that a orders of another, whether at seaor land; but
certain Sybarite said of the Spartans, " It was when he had the command, he virtually com-
nov nndcrif theyventuredtheir livesfreelyin prehendedthe wholeforce in himself;so that
battle,sincedeathwas a deliveranceto them he was no longera singleperson,when such
from such a train of labours,andfrom such numbersmustperishwith him. Much better
wretcheddiet." It was naturalfor the Syba- wasthe sayingof old Antigonus,when he was
rites," who weredissolvedin luxuryandplea- goingto engagein a sea-fightnearthe isle of
sure,to think that they who despiseddeath, Andros. Somebody observedto him that the
did it not from a love of virtue and honour, enemy'sfleetwasmurh largerthan his: " For
but brcausethey werewearyof life. But in how manyshipsthen dost thou reckonme?"
fact,the Lacedaemonians thoughtit a pleasureHe representedthe importanceof the com-
eitherto live or to die, asvirtue andright rea- mandergreat,as in fact it is,whenheis a man
son directed; ai;dso thisepitaphtestifies: of experience
andvalcur; andthe first dutyof
Nor life, nor detth,(herdecm'dthe happierstate; such a one is to preserve him who preserves
But life Dial'sglorious,or a deaththat'sgreat. the whole.
For neither is the avoiding of death lo be On the sameaccountwe must allow that
found fault with, if a man is not dishonoura- Timotheus expressedhimself happily, when
Wy fond of life: nor is the meeting it with Chares shewed the Athenians the wounds he
C"uraee to be commended, if he is disgusted had received, when their general, and his
withlife. Henceit is, that Homerleadsout shieldpiercedwitha spear:" I, for mypart,"
the boldestand jravestof his warriorsto bat- said he, "was much ashamedwhen, at th«
tle alwayswell armed: and the Grecianlaw- siegeof Samos,a javelin fell nearme,as if I
giverspuniah
himwhothrowsawayhisshield,hadbehaved
toolikea youngman,andnota*
becamethe commander of so great an arma-
* TheSyWilu wm a colony
of Greets,
who»el- ment." For wherethe scaleof the whole ac-
IM inancient
times
on,theeuffofTarcnlum.
The tionturnsuponthegeneral's
riskinghis own
felicityof their situation,
their wealthandpower,
drew them into luxury, which was remarkable to a person,therehe is to standthe combat,andto
proverb, But onecannot things brave the greatestdanger,without regarding
credit theextravagant
whichAlhensui relatesof them. Their chief city, thosewhosay,that a goodgeneralshoulddie
whichat firstwascalledSybaris, from» riverof that of old age; or, at least,an old man: but whett
Dune,
wasafti,rwird«
named
Thurium,
orThurii. theadvantage
to bereapedfr.m hispersonal
204 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
bravery is but small, and all is lost in caseof a civil. For if we considerthe administrationcf
miscarriage,
no onethenexpectsthat thegene- Aristidci and Thernistoclcs,of Cunon anu
ral should be endangered,by exerting too much Pericles, of Nicias and Alcibiades, how much
of the soldier. the commonconcernwasinjured by their dii-
Thus muchI thoughtproperto premisebe- seiuion,their envyandjealousyof eachother-,
fore the livesof Pelopidas
andMarcellus,who and thencastour eyesupon the mutual kind
Were both great men, and both perishedby nessand esteemwhich PelopidasandEpami-
their rashness.Both wereexcellentsoldiers, nondasinviolablypreserved,we may justly
did honour to their country by the greatest call these colleaguesin civil government and
exploits,and hid the mostformidableadver- military command,
andnot thosewhosestudyit
saries to deal with; for the one defeated Han- was to get the better of each other rather than
nibal, until that time invincible, and the other of the enemy. The true causeof the difference
conquered the Laceda:monians, who were was the virtue of these Thebans, which led
mastersboth by seaandland; andyet at last them not to seek, in any of their measures,
they both threw away their lives, and spilt their own Vionour and wealth, the pursuit of
their blood without any sort of discretion, when which is always attended with envyand strife;
the timesmostrequiredsuchmenandsuch but beingbothinspiredfromthefirst witha
generals. From this resemblancebetween divineardourto raisetheircountryto thesum-
them,we havedrawn their parallel. mit of glory,for thispurposetheyavailedthem-
Pelopidas, the son of Hippoclus, was of an selves of the achievementsof each other, as if
illustriousfamily in Thebes,as was alsoEpa- theyhadbeentheir own.
minondas. Brought' up in affluence, and But many are of opinion, that their extraor-
comingin his youthto agreatestate,heapplied dinaryfriendshiptook its rise from the cam-
himself to relievesuchnecessitouspersonsas paignwhichtheymadeat Manlinea,*amongthe
deserved his bounty, to shew that he was succours which the Thebans had sent the La-
really master of his riches, not their slave. For cedzmonians, who as yet were their allies.
the greatest part of men, as Arislolle says, For, being placed together among the heavy-
either through covetousnessmake no use of armed infantry, and lighting with the Arcadi-
their wealth, or else abuseit through prodigal- ans, that wing of the Lacedaemoniansin which
ity; and these live perpetual slaves to their they were, gave way and was broken; where-
pleasures,as those do to care and toil. The upon Pelopidasand Epaminondaslocked their
Thebans with grateful hearts enjoyed the shields together, and repulsed all that attacked
liberality and munificence of Pelopidas. Epa- them, till at last Pelopidas, having received
minondas alone could not be persuaded to seven large wounds,fell upon a heapof friends
"hare in it. Pelopidas, however, partook in and enemies who lay dead together. Epami-
the poverty of his friend, glorying in a plain- nondas, though he thought there was no life
ness of dress and slenderness of diet, inde- left in him, yet stood forward to defend hi*
fatigablein labour,and plainand openin his bodyand his arms, and beingdeterminedt*
conduct in the highestposts, la short, he was die rather than leave his companion in the
like Capaneus
in Euripides, powerof his enemies,he engagedwith num-
Whose opulencewasgreat, bers at once. He was now in extreme
And ytt hisheartwasnotelated. danger, being wounded in the breast with a
He lookedupon it as a disgraceto expend spear,and in the arm with a sword,when
moreupon his own personthan the poorest AgesipoUs,king of the Lacedzroonia.es,
Theban. As for Epammondas,povertywas brought succoursfrom the other wing, and,
his inheritance,and consequently familiar to beyondall expectation,
deliveredthemboth.
him,but he madeit still more light andeasyby After this, the Spartans,in appearance,
philosophy,
andby the uniformsimplicityof treatedtheThebans
asfriends
andallies,tbut,
his life. in reality,they -werewispiciou*of theirspirit
Pelopidas
marriedintoa noblefamily,and andpower;particularly
theyhatedthe parr-
hadseveralchildren,but settingno greaterof Ismemas
andAndroclides,
in whichPelo-
valueuponmoneythan before,anddevotingall pidaswas,as attachedto liberty anda popu-
histimeto theconcerns
of thecommonwealth,
lar government.Therefore
Archias,
Leonti-
he impaired nil suostance.And when his das,and Philip, meninclinedto an oligarchy,
friendsadmonished
him,thatmoneywhichhe and rich withal, and ambitious,
persuaded
neglected was a eery necessary thing-: It is
necessary indeed, said he, for JVicodemus * We mustlakecarenot to confoundthis with the
there, pointing to a man that was both lame famousbattle at Mantinea, in which Enaminondu irai
»nd blind. slain. For that battlewasfoughtagainstthe Lacedae-
Epaminondas
andhewerebothequally
in- monians,andthisforthem.Theaction here spoken
of was probably about the third year of the ninety-
clined to every virtue, bul Pelopidas delighted eighthOlympiad.
morein theexercises of thebody,andEpami- f During thewhole Peloponnesian
war,Spartafound
nondas in the improvement of the mind; and a rery faithful ally in the Thrbans; and underth»
theonedivertedhimselfin thewrestling-ring countenance of Sparta, theThebans recovered
the
orin hunting,
whiletheotherspent
hishoursgovernment
ofBueolia,
ofwhich
they
hadbeen
de-
ofleisure
in hearing
orreading
something
in prived
onataccount
However, lengthoftheir
they defection
grew tothe
sopowerful Persians.
and head-
philosophy.Amoiijrthemanythingsthatre- strong,
thatwhenthepeace
of Antalcidu
came
tob«
flected glory upon both, there was nothing subscribed
to.theyrefused
to come
into it, andwer*
which men of sense so much admired as that with nosmalldifficultyoverawed
andforcedinto it by
itrictandinviolable
friendship
whichsubsist-
the
thatconfederates.
Welearn,
indeed,
thoughthe Laccdxmomans, from
at that P»lybiuj,
peace,
de-
ed betweenthem from first to last, in all the clared all the Grecian cities free, thev did not with-
high poatswhich they held both military and drawtheirgarrisons fromanyoneof them.
 PELOPIDAS. 20f»

Phoebidas,
theLacedaemonian,
whowasmarch- well as haranguedthem in a body ; urging
ingbyThebes witha bodyof troops,*to seize" That it wasbothdishonourable andimpious
thecastlecalledCadmea, to drivetheoppositeto leavetheirnativecityenslaved
andgarrison-
partyoutof thecity,andto put the adminis-ed by an enemy;and,meanly contented
with
trationintothehandsof the nobility,subjecttheirownlivesandsafety,to waitfor thede»
to theinspection
of theLacedemonians. Phce-creesof theAthenians, and to maketheir
bidaglistenedto the proposal, and comingcourtto the popularorators;but that they
upontheThebansunexpectedly, duringthe oughtto run everyhazardin so gloriousa
feast
of theThtsmopharia^
hemade
himselfcause,
imitating
thecourage
andpatriotism
of
masterof thecitadel,andseized
Ismenias,
and Thrasybulus; for asheadvanced fromThebea
carriedhimto Lacedasmon, wherehewasput to crushthetyrantsin Athens,so shouldthey
to death soon after. Pelopidas,Phe.renicus,marchfrom Athensto deliverThebes.
andAndroclides,
with manyothersthat fled, Thuspersuaded
to accepthisproposal,
they
were sentencedto banishment.But Epami- sent privately to their friendswho were left
nondisremained
uponthespot,beingdespised
behind
in Thebes,
to acquaint
themwiththeir
for hig philosophy,
asa manwhowouldnot in- resolution,which washighly approved of; and
termeddlewith affairs,and for his poverty,as Charon,a personof the first rank, offeredhis
a manof no power. house for their reception. Puilidaa found
Though the Lacedemonians tookthe com- meansto be appointedsecretaryto Aichiaa
mand of the army from Phcebidas, and fined and Philip, who were then Polemarchs} and
him in a hundredthousanddrachmas, yet they as for Epaminondas,he had taken pains all
kepta garrisonin the Cadmeanotwithstanding.alongto inspirethe youthwith sentimentsof
All the rest of Greecewas surprisedat this bravery. For hedesiredthemin the publicex-
absurdity of theirs, in punishing the actor and ercisesto try the Lacedemonians at wrestling,
yet authorizing the action. As for the The- and when he saw them elated with success,he
bans,who had lost their ancientform of gov- usedto tell them,by way of reproof," That
ernment, and were brought into subjection by they should rather be ashamedof their mean-
Archias and Leontidas, there was no room for nessof spirit in remaining subject to those to
them to hope to be delivered from the tyranny, whom, in strength,they were so much superior."
which wassupportedin sucha mannerby the A day beingfixed for putting their design*
power of the Spartans that it could not be in execution, it was agreed among the exiles,
pulled down, unless those Spartans could be that Pherenicus with the rest should stay at
deprived of their dominion both by sea and Thriasium, while a few of the youngest should
land. attempt to get entrance first into the city; and
Nevertheless,
Leontidas,havinggot intelli- that if thesehappenedto hesurprisedby tho
gence that the exiles were at Athens, and that enemy, the others should take care to provide
they were treated there with great regard by for their children and their parents. Pelopi-
the people, and no less respectedby the nobil- daswas the first that offered to be of thin party,
ity, formed secret designs against their lives. and then Melon, Democlidcs, and Theopom-
For this purposehe employed certain unknown pus, all men of noble blood, who were united
assassins,
whotookoff Androclides;but all the to eachother by the most faithful friendship,
rest escaped. Letters were also sent to the and who never had any contest hat which
Atheniansfrom Sparta, insisting that they shouldbe foremostin the race of giury and
should not harbour or encourage exiles, but valour. These adventurers, who were twelve
drive them out as personsdeclared by the con- in number, having embraced those that stayed
federates
to becommonenemies;but the Athe- behind, and sent a messengerbeforethem
nians,agreeableto their usual and natural to Charon,set out in their undergarments,
humanity,aswell as in gratitudeto the city of with dogs and hunting poles,that none who
Thebes,would not sufferthe leastinjury to be met them might have any suspicionof what
done to the exiles. For the Thebans had theywere about,andthat they might seemto
greatlyassistedin restoringthe democracyat be only huntersbeatingaboutfor game.
Athens, having made a decree that if any When their messengercame to Charon, and
AthenianshouldmarcharmedthroughBceotia acquaintedhim that they were on their way
against the tyrants, be should not meet with to Thebes, the nearapproach of dangerchanged
the least hindrance or molestation in that not his resolution: he behaved like a man of
country. honour, and madepreparations to receivethem,
Pelopidas,thoughhe wasoneof the young- Hipposthenidas, who was also in the secret,
est,{ applied to each exile in particular, as wasnot by any meansan ill man,but rather a
friend to his country and to the exiles; yet be
* Phoebio'as
wasmarching
againstOlynthus,
when wantedthat firmnesswhich the presentemer-
Leontidas or Lconliadea,one of the two polemarchs,
ketrayed to him the town and citadel of Tnebe». This gency and the hazardouspoint of execution re-
happenedintliethird
year
oftheninety-ninth
Olym- quired.Hegrewgiddy, asit were,at the
piad,threehundred
andseventy-four
yearsbefore
the thoughtof the greatdangertheywereaboutto
Christian
aera. plungein, andat last openedhis eyesenough
t The womenwere celebratingthis feast in the to see, that they were attempting to shake the
Cadmea. Lacedsmonian government, and to free thenr
j Xenophon,
in theaccount
whichhegnesof this selvesfrom that powerwithout any other de-
transaction,
doesnotsomuchasmention
Pelopidas.
pendence
thanthat of a fewindigentpersona
Ris silence inIbisrespectwas probablyowing tohis ind exiles.Hetherefore
partiality to bis hero Apesilaus,whoseglory lir rniflil
wentto his own
housewithout sayinga word and despatched
think would be erlip^d by thai of Ftlnpiri^s aii'S in:.
worthy
roll*;,£ii. Enaatitujftdu:
forofthelatter,too, <Jhe
of his friendsto Melonami Pdoptdas,to
hesneaks
*T>P
snarinelVi desire them to defer their enterprisefoi the
206 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

present,to return to Athens,andto wait till a he took his son,who wasyet a child, but of «
morefavourable opportunity
offered. beautyandstrength
beyondthoseof hisyean,
Chlidon,for that wasthe nameof theman outof thewomen'sapartment,
andputhimin
Rentuponthisbusiness, wenthomein all haste, the handsof PelopidaE, desiring," That if he
took his horseout of the stable,andcalledfor found him a traitor, he would treat that child
the bridle. His wife beingat a loss,and not as an enemy,and not spareits life." Many
ableto find it, saidshehad lent it 10a neigh- of them shed tears,when they saw the con-
bour. Upon this,wordsarose,andmutualre- cernand magnanimity of Charon: andall ex-
proaches followed; the woman venting bitter pressedtheir uneasinessat his thinking any of
imprecations,and wishing that the journey them so dastardlyand so much disconcerted
mightbe fatal,bothto him andthosethat sent with the presentdanger,as to be capableof
him. So that Chlidonhavingspentgreatpart suspectingor blaminghim in the least. They
of the day in the squabble,and looking upon bfgged of him, therefore,not to leavehis ton
what had happened as ominous, laid aside all with them, but to remove him out of the reach
thoughts of the journey, and went elsewhere. of what might possibly happen, to someplace
So near was this great and glorious undertak- where, safe from the tyrants, he might be
ing to being disconcerted at the very entrance. brought up to be an avengerof his country and
Pelopidas and his company, now in the dress his friends. But Charon refused to remove
of peasants,dividedand enteredthe town at him, " For what life," said he, " or what de-
differentquarters,whilst it waeyet day. And, liverancecould I wish himthat wouldbemore
asthecoldweather
wassettingin," therehap-gloriousthanhisfallinghonourably
with his
penedto beasharpwind andashowerof snow, fatherand somanyof his friends?" Then he
whichconcealedthemthe better; most people addressed
himself in a prayerto the gods,and
retiring into their houses,to avoid the inclem- having embraced and encouraged them all, he
ency of the weather. But those that were went out; endeavouringby the way to compose
concernedin the affair, receivedthemas they himself,to form his countenance,
and to as-
came, and conductedthem immediatelyto sumea tone of voicevery differentfrom the
Charon'shouse;the exilesandothersmaking real stateof his mind.
up the number of forty-eight. When he was come to the door of the house,
As fur the affairs of the tyrants, they stood Archias and Philidas went out to him and slid,
thus: Philidas, their secretary, knew (as we " What personsare these,Charon, who, as we
"aid) the whole design of the exiles, and omit- are informed, are lately come into the town,
ted nothing that might contribute to its success. and are concealed and countenancedby some
He had invited Archias and Philip some time of the citizens?" Charon was a little fluttered
before, to an entertainment at his house on at first, but soon recovering himself, he asked,
that day. and promised to introduce to them " Who these personsthey spoke of were, and
some women, in order that those who were to by whom harboured?" And finding that Ar-
attack them, might find them dissolved in wine chias had no clear account of the matter, con-
and pleasure. They had not yet drunk very cluded from thence that his information came
freely, when a report reachedthem, which, not from any personthat was privy to thede-
though not false, seemed uncertain and ob- sign, and therefore said, "Take care that you
scure,that the exiles were concealedsomewhere do not disturb yourselves with vain rumours.
in the city. And though Philidas endeavoured However, I will make the best inquiry I can;
to turn the discourse, Archiae sent an officer for, perhaps,nothing of this kind ought to be
to Charon, to command his immediate attend- disregarded." Philidas, who was by, com-
ance. By this time it was grown dark, and mendedhis prudence,andconductingArchias
Pelopidasand his companions were preparing in again,plied him st-ongly with liquor,and
for action,havingalreadyput on their breast- prolongedthe carousalby keepingup their ex-
platesand girt their swords,whensuddenlypectation
of thewomen.
there wasa knockingat the door; whereupon When Charonwasreturnedhome,hefound
one ran to it, and askedwhat the person'shis friendsprepared,not to conqueror to pre-
business was,and havinglearnedfromthe of- servetheir lives,but to sell themdear,and to
ficer that he was sent by the Polemarchsto fall gloriously. He told Pelopidasthe truth,
fetch Charon,he broughtin the newsin great but concealedit from tbe rest,pretendingthat
confusion. They were unanimousin their Archiashad discoursed with him aboutother
opinion, that the affair was discovered, and matters.*
that everymanof themwaslost,beforethey Thefirststormwasscarcely blownoverwhen
badperformed anythingwhichbecame their fortuneraiseda second.Fortherearrivedan
valour. Nevertheless,
theythoughtit properexpress fromAthens witha letterfromArchiai.
that Charonshouldobeythe order,and go highpriestthere,to Archiashisnamesake and
boldly to the tyrants. Charonwas a man of particular friend, not filled with vain and
greatintrepidityand couragein dangers
that groundless
surmises,
but containinga clear
threatenedonlyhimself,butthenhewasmuchnarrativeof the wholeaffair,as wasfound
affectedon accountof his friends,and afraid afterwards. The messenger
bemgadmittedto
that he shouldlie undersomesuspicion
of Archias,now almostintoxicated,
as he de-
treachery,if so many brave citizens should liveredthe letter, said,"The personwhosent
perish. Therefore,ashe wasreadyto depart,
* Thrre appearsno necessityfor this artifice; and,
indeed,Plutarch, in his treatise concerning iht gcniuf
" The Spartans seized on the Cadmea about the of Socrates,says,that Charon caine back to the little
middleofiummtr, in th?yearalreadymentioned,
and bandof patriotswith a pleasant
countenance,
andgavo
it was taken from them iu the beginning of winter, in iliem all an account of what had pauetl, without U>
Ou ursl jtar of the hundredth Olympiad. least disguise.
 PELOPIDAS 207

ftli, dcsiied
thatit might
bereadimmediately,
armourers
andsword-cutlers.
Epaminondaa*
for it containsbusiness
of greatimportance."andGorgidascameto their assistance,
wiui a
But Archiasreceivingit, said,smiling, Busi- considerablybodyof youngmenanda select
nessto-morrow. Then he put it under the numberof the old, whomtheyhad collected
bolster of his couch, and resumedthe conver- and armed.
sationwith PhiUdas. This saying,bu&iness The whole city was now in great terror.
to-morrow,passed
into a proverb,and con-andconfusion;
the houseswere filled with
tinuesso amongthe Greeksto this day. lights, and the streetswith men, runningif
A goodopportunity
nowofferingfor theex- andfro. The people,however,
did noi yet
ecutionof their purpose,the friendsof liberty assemble;but being astonishedat what .Sad
divided themselvesinto two bodies,and sallied happened,and knowing nothing with certainty,
out. Pelopidas
andDemoclidaswent againstthey waitedwith impatiencefor the day. It
Lcontidas and Hypates,* who were neigh- seems, therefore, to have been a great error
bours,andCharonandMelon againstArchias in the Spartanofficers,that theydid not imme-
and Philip. Charon and his companyput diatelysallyout andfall uponthem; for their
women's clothes over their armour, and wore garrison consistedof fifteen hundred men, and
thick wreathsof pine and poplar upontheir they werejoinedbesidesby manypeoplefrom
headsto shadow their faces. As soon as they the city But terrified at the shouts,the lights.
cameto the door of the room where the guests the hurry, and confusion that were on every
were,the companyshoutedand clappedtheir side,they contentedthemselves
with preserv-
hands, believing them to be the womenwhom ing the citadel.
theyhad so long expected. When the pre- As soonas it wasday,theexilesfromAttica
tendedwomen had looked round the room, and came in armed; the people complied with the
distinctly surveyedall the guests,they drew summonsto assemble;andEpaminondas
and
their swords; and making at Archias and Gorgidas presented to them Pelopidas and
Philip acrossthe table,theyshewedwho they his party,surroundedby the priests,who car-
were. A small part of the companywere per- ried garlands in their hands, and called upon
suadedby PhiUdasnot to intermeddle:the the citizensto exert themselves
for their gods
rest engaged in the combat, and stood up for and their country. Excited by this appear-
the Poltmarchs, but, being disordered -with ance, the whole assemblystood up, and re-
wine, were easily despatched. ceived them with great acclamations as their
Pelopidas and his party had a more difficult benefactorsand deliverers.
affair of it. They had to do with Leontidas, Pelopidas, then elected governor of Bceotia,
a soberand valiant man. They found the door together with Melon and Charon, immediately
made fast, for he was gone to bed, and they blocked up and attacked the citadel, hasten-
knockeda long time beforeany bodyheard. ing to drive out the Lacedemonians,andto
At last a servant perceived it, and came down recover the Cadmea^ before succours could
and removedthe bar; which he had no sooner arrive from Sparta. And, indeed, he was but
done,than they pushedopen the door, and a little beforehandwith them; for they had
rushing in, threw the man down, and ran to but just surrendered the place, and were re-
the beo-chamber.Leontidas,conjecturingby turninghome,accordingto capitulation,when
thenoiseand tramplingwhat the matterwas, they met Cleombrotusat Megara,marching
leapedfrom his bedandseizedhis sword;but towardsThebeswith a greatarmy. The Spar.
le forgotto put out the lamps,which,had he tanscalled to accountthe three Hannostea,
ione,it would have left themto fall foul on officerswho nadcommanded in the Cadinea,
jach otherin the dark. Beingtherefore,fully and signed the capitulation. Herrmppidaa
"iposedto view, hemet themat thedoor,and and Arcissuswere executedfor it, and the
ifith one stroke laid Cephisodorus,who was third, named Dysaoridas,was so severely
(hefirst manthat attemptedto enter,deadat fined, that he was forcedto quit Pelopon-
lus feet. He encountered Pelopidas next, and nesus.J
thenarrownessof the door, togetherwith the This action of Pe!opidas§was called by
iead bodyof Cephisodorus lying in the way, the Greeks,sister to that of Thrasybulus,on
madethe disputelong and doubtful. At last accountof their nearresemblance, not only in
Pelopidas prevailed, and having slam Leon-
lidas, he marched immediately with his little
band against Hypates. They got into his * Epaminondas
did notjoin themaooaer.
because
he
wa» afraid that too much innocent blood would Sc shed
bouse
in thesamemanner
astheydidintothe withtheguilty.
other: but he quickly perceivedthem, made t Asit isootprobable
Act theregaining
«ostronga
. his escape into a neighbour's house, whither placeshouldbe theworkof a day,or havebeeneffect-
theyfollowed,anddespatched
him. edwithsosmall
aforce
aiPelopidas
then
had,wemust
This affair being over, they joined Melon, have recourseto Diodorus
SiculusandXenophon,
who
tellus.thattheAthenian*,
and sent for the exiles they had left in Attica. after earlyonthenextmorning,
theseizing onthecity,senttheThebangenera]
They proclaimedliberty to all the Thebans/f fivethousand
footandtwothousand horse;andthat
andarmed suchascameoverto them,taking several otherbodies
of troopscame
in fromthe citiej
downthespoilsthatweresuspended
uponthe of Bceotia,tothenumber oflh«
about »tvrnthousand
more; that Pelopidas
besieged placein formwilto
porticoes,andthe armsout of the shopsof the them,andthat it heldoutseveral
days,andsurrender-
ed at lengthfor wantof provisions.DMdor.Sicui.
* Thesewerenot invitedto the entertainment,
be- lib. rv. Xenoph.1.v.
tauseArchias,
expecting
to meetawoman of treatdis- } It WMamaiimwiththeSpartans,
lo diesworain
tinction,
didnotchoosethatLtontidas shouldbethere.hand,in defence
of aplace
committed
U)theircare.
] Pelopidas
alsosentPhilidas
lo all thegaolsin the 5 M.Dacicrgivesaparallel
between
theconduct
of
ttty,torelease
those brave Thebans
whom
<b«tyran-thisaction,
andthatoftheprince of Monaco,
indri*.
uc 6pa-l»u«keptin fettcn. ing a Spanishgarrisonout uf iuj towu.
208 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

respect
of thegreatvirtuesof themen,andthe theysailedroundGreece,engaging
andre-
difficulties they had to combat, but the success ceiving such as were inclined to shake off the
withwhichfortunecrownedthem. For it is Spartan
yoke.
not easyto find anotherinstanceso remark- Meantimethe Thebans,by themselves,
fre-
able, of the few overcoming the many, and quently came to action with the Lacedzmo-
the weakthe strong,merelyby dint of courage niansin Boeotia,not in set battles,indeed,
and conduct, and procuring by these means, but in such as were of considerable service
suchgreatadvantages to their country,but the and improvementto them; for their spirits
changeof affairswhich followeduponthisac- were raised,their bodies inured to labour,
tionrenderedit still moreglorious.For the war and,by beingusedto theserencounters, they
whichhumbledthe prideof the Spartans,and gainedboth experienceand courage. Hence
deprived them of their empire both by seaand it was, that Antalcidas the Spartan said to
land, took its rise from that night, when Pclo- Agesilaus, when he returned from Boeotia
pidas, without taking town or castle, but ln/m^ wounded, Truly you are well paid for the in-
only one out of twelve who entered a private struction you have given the Thebans, and
house,loosenedand broke to pieces(if we for teachingthemtheart of war againsttheir
may expresstruth by a metaphor) the chains will. Though to speak properly, Agesilaus
of the Spartan government, until then esteem- was not their instructor, but those prudent
ed indissoluble. generals who made choice of fit opportunities
The Lacedemonianssoonentering Bceotiato let loosethe Thebans,like so manyyoung
with a powerful army, the Athenianswere hounds,upon the enemy; and whentheyhad
struckwith terror; andrenouncingtheir alli- tasted of victory, satisfiedwith the ardour
ancewith the Thebans,they took cognizance,theyhad shewn,brought themoff againsafe.
in a judicial way, of all that continued in the The chief honour of this was due to Pelopidas
interest of that people: some they put to death, For from the time of his being first chosenge-
some they banished, and upon others they laid neral, until his death, there was not a year
heavy fines. The Thebans being thus deserted that he was out of employment, but he was
by their allies,their affairsseemedto be in a constantlyeither captainof the sacredbind,
desperatesituation. But Pelopidasand Gorgi- or governor of Boeotia. And while he was
das, who then had the command in Boeotia, employed, the Lacedaemonianswere several
sought means to embroil the Athenians again times defeated by the Thebans, particularly at
with the Spartans; and they availed themselves Plats, and at Thespiae, where Pbosbidas,
of thisstratagem.There wasa Spartannamed who had surprisedthe Cadmea,waskilled;
Sphodrias, a man of great reputation as a sol- and at Tanagra, where Pelopidas beat a con
dier, but of no sound judgment, sanguine in siderable body, and slew, with his own hand,
his hopes, and indiscreet in his ambition. their general Panthoides.
This man was left with sometroops at Thespis, But these combats, though they served to
to receive and protect such of the Boeotians animate and encourage the victors, did not
as might come over to the Spartans. To quite dishearten the vanquished. For they
him Pelopidas privately sent a merchant in were not pitched battles, nor regular engage-
whom he could confide;* well provided with ments, but rather advantages gained of the
money, and with proposals that were more enemy, by well-timed skirmishes,in which the
likely to prevail than the money: "That it Thebans sometimes pursued, and sometimes
became him to undertake some noble enter- retreated.
prize-to surprise the Piraeus, for instance, But the battle of Tegyra, which was a sort
by falling suddenly upon the Athenians, who of prelude to that of Leuctra, lifted the charac-
were not providedto receivehim: for that ter of Pelopidasvery high; for none of the
nothing could be so agreeableto the Spartans other commanderscould lay claim to anyshare
as to be masters of Athens; and that the The- of the honour of the day, nor bad the enemy
bans, now incensedagainst the Athenians, and any pretext to cover the shameof their defeat.
consideringthemas traitors,would lendthem He kepta strict eyeuponthe city of Orcho-
no mannerof assistance." menus,*which had adoptedthe Spartanin-
Sphodrias,suffering himself at last to be terest,andreceivedtwo companies of foot for
persuaded,marchedinto Attica by night, and its defence,and watchedfor an opportunity
advanced as far as Eleusis.f Therethe hearts to makehimselfmasterof it. Beinginformed
of his soldiersbeganto fail, and finding his thatthe garrisonweregoneuponanexpedition
designdiscovered,he returned to Thespiae,into Locris, he hopedto take the town with
afterhehadthusbroughtuponthe Lacedaemo-ease,now it was destitute of soldiers,and
nians a long and dangerouswar. For upon therefore hastenedthither with the sacred
this the Atheniansreadily united with the band,anda smallpartyof horce. But finding,
Thebans; and having fitted out a large fleet, when he was near the town, that other troops
were comingfrom Spartato supplylie place
* This is moreprohibit thanwhatDiodorusSiculus of those that were marched out, he led his
ray?;namely, thatCleombrotus,withoutanyorder forcesback againby Tegyrae,alongthe sides
from the Eprtori, persuadedSphodrias to surprise the of the mountains,
whichwasthe only wayhe
Piraiu.
t Theyhopedto havereai-hed thePiraeus in the could pass:for all the flat countrywasover-
night,but found,whenthe dayappeared, that they flowedby theriver Melas,which,fromits very
weregotnofartherthanEleusis.
Sphodrias,
per- source,spreading
itself into marshes,and
ceiving that he was discovered, in his return, plun-
dered the Athenian territories. The Laced xmonians
recalled
Spbodrias,
andtheEphoriproceeded
against * Thiswasoneof thelargest
andttostconsiderabU
him; but Agcyilau?,influencedby his son,who was townsin Boeotia,
andilill garrisonedby theL»cedr-
a friend of the sonof Sphodriasbrought him off. moniaa*.
 PELOPIDAS. 209

navigable
piecesof water,madethe lower stoodtheir gtouno,und madesuchhavoc
roads
impracticable. amongthem,thattheyfledin greatconfusion.
A little be.ow thesemarshes,standsthe The pursuit waa not continuedvery far, for
templeof ApolloTegyretus,
whoseoracletheThebans
wereafraidof theOrchomenians
therehasnot beenlong silent. It flourishedwhowere nearthe placeof battle,andof the
mostin thePersianwars,while Ecliemteswas forcesjust arrivedfrom Lacedsmon. They
high-priest.Here theyreportthat Apollowas weresatisfiedwith beatingthem in fair com-
born; and at the foot of the neighbouringbat, and makingtheir retreat througha dis-
mountaincalled Delos, the Melas returns into persed and defeatedarmy.
its channel. Behindthe temple risetwo co- Having, therefore,erecteda trophy, and
pioussprings,whosewatersare admirablefor gatheredthe spoilsof the slain,theyreturned
their coolnessand agreeabletaste. The one homenot a little elated. For it seemsthat in
is called Palm, and the other Olive, to this all their formerwars,bothwith the Greeksand
day; so that Latona seemsto have beende- barbarians, the Lacedaemonianshadneverbeen
livered, not between two trees, tut two foun- beaten, the greater number by the less, nor
tains of that name. Ptoum too, is just by, even by equal numbers,
in a pitchedbattle.
from whence,it is said,a boar suddenlyrushed Thus their courage seemed irresistible, and
out and frighted her; and the stories of Python their renown so much intimidated their adver-
andTityus, the sceneof whichlieshere,agree saries,that theydid not care to hazardanen-
with their opinionwhosay,Apollowasbornin gagementwith them on equal terms. This
this place. The other proofsof this matterI battlefirst taughtthe Greeks,that it 13not the
omit. For tradition doesnot reckon this deity Eurotas, nor the space between Babyce and
amongthosewhowere bornmortal,andafter- Cnacion,whichaloneproducesbravewarriors,
wardswerechanged
into demi-gods;of which but whereverthe youthareashamedof what
number were Hercules and Bacchus, who by is base, resolute in a good cause, and more in-
their virtues were raised from a frail and per- clined to avoid disgrace than danger, there are
ishablebeingto immortality:but he is oneof the menwho areterrible to their enemies.
those eternal deities who were never born, if Gorgidas, as some say, first formed the sa-
we maygivecreditto thoseancientsagesthat credband, consistingof three hundredselect
havetreatedof thesehighpoints. men,whowere quarteredin the Cadmea, and
The Thebans then retreating from Orcho- maintainedand exercisedat the public expense
menustowards Tegyra?, the LacedzmoniansThey were calledthe city band,for citadelsin
whowere returningfrom Locrismet themon thosedayswerecalledcities.
the road. As soon as they were perceived to
be passingthe straits, one ran and told Pelo-
pidas,We.are fallen into the enemy'shands. But Gorgidas,by disposingthosethat be
Jlnd, why not they,saidhe,into ours? At the longedto this sacredbandhereand therein
Game time he orderedthe cavalryto advancethe first ranks, and coveringthe front of his
fromthe rearto the front, that they might be infantry with them,gavethembut little oppor-
ready for the attack; and the infantry, who tunity to distinguishthemselves,
or effectually
werebutthreehundred,*hedrew up in aclose to serve the commoncause;thus dividedas
body;hopingthat wherevertheycharged, they they were,andmixed with other troopsmore
wouldbreakthroughtheenemy,
thoughsupe-m numberand of inferior resolution. But
rior in numbers. when their valour appearedwith so much lustre
TheSpartans
hadtwobattalions.Ephorasat Tegyrse,
wheretheyfoughttogether,and
says,their battalionconsistedof five hundred closeto the personof their general,Pelopidas
men,butCallisthenes
makes
it sevenhundred,wouldneverpart themafterwards,
but kept
andPolybiusandotheri, nine hundred.Their themin a body,wd constantlychargedat the
Polemarchs, Gorgoleoaand Theopompus,ieadof themin the mostdangerous attack.For
pushedboldlyon againstthe Thebans. The ashorsesgo fasterwhenharnessed togetherin
shockbeganin thequarter-where the generalsa chariot,than theydo whendriven single,not
foughtin personon both sides,andwasvery because their united force more easily breaks
violentandfurious.The Spartancommanders,the air, but becausetheir spirits are raised
who attackedPelopidas,wereamongthe first higherby emulation; so he thoughtthe cour-
that were slain; and all thatwere near them ageof bravemen would be most irresistible,
beingeitherkilledor putto flight,the whole whentheywereactingtogetherandcontend-
armywassoterrified,thattheyopened a lane ingwitheachotherwhichshouldmostexcel.
for the Thebans,throughwhich theymight But whenthe Lacedemonians had made
havepassedsafely,and continuedtheir route peacewith the rest of the Greeks, and con-
if theyhadpleased.ButPelopidas
disdainingtinuedthewaragainstthe Thebans
only,and
to makehisescapeso,chargedthosewho yet when king Cleombrotus had entered their
country with ten thousandfoot and a thousand
* Thissmallbodywas,however, thevi-ryflowerof horse,theywere not only threatened with Ihe
the Theban army, and waddignified by the namesof commondangersof war,as before,but even
theaacrcdbattalionand the bandof lovers(asmen-
tionedbelow,)beingequallylamedfor their fidelityto with total extirpation;which spreadthe ut-
theTheban
state,
andaffection
foreach
other.Somemostterroroverall Bceotia.AsPelopidae,
on
fabulous
thingsarerelated
of them,fromwhichwe thisoccasion,wasdepartingfor the army,hii
c»n only infer, that they were & brave, resolute «tt of
youngmen,who had vowedperpetualfriendshipto wife,whofollowedhimto thedoor,besought
by thestrong- him, with tears,to takecareof himself,hean-
eachother,andhadboundthemselves,
esttics,
tostand
byone
another
tothelast
drop
oftheirswered,
My dear,private
persons
aretobead-
blood
; andworetherefore
thefittesttobeemployed
visedto takecareof themselves,
butpersons
m suchprivateanddangerous
expedition* in a public characterto take careof othert
 210 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
Whenhecameto the army,andfoundthe in sacrifice,
through
anill-timedtenderness
fo7
generalofficersdifferingin opinion,he wasthe his child, refusedif, the consequence
of which
first to closein withthatof Epaminondas,
who was.thathiseipeditionprovedunsuccessful.
proposed that they should give the enemy bat- Those that were of the contrary opinion,
tle. He wasnot, indeed,then oneof thosethat argued,thatsobarbarous
andunjustanoffering
commandedin chief, but he wascaptainof couldnotpossiblybeacceptable to anysuperior
the sacredband; andtheyhadthat confidencebeing; that no Typhont or giants,but the fa-
in him, whichwasdue to amanwho hadgiven therof godsandmen,governed theworld: that
mscountrysuchpledgesof his regardfor lib- it wasabsurdto supposethatthe godsdelighted
erty. in human sacrifices; and,that if any of them did,
The resolutionthustakento hazarda battle, they oughtto be disregarded
as impotentbe-
andthe two armiesin sight at Leuctra, Pelo- ings, sincesuch strangeand corrupt desirei
pidas had a dream which gave him no small could not exist but in weak and vicious minds.
.rouble. In that Geld lie the bodiesof the While the principal officerswere engaged
daughtersof Scedasue, who are calledLeuc- on this subject,and Pelopidaswasmoreper-
tridit from the place. For a rapehavingbeen plexedthan all the rest, on a suddena she-
committeduponthem by someSpartanswhom colt quitted the herd, and ran through the
theyhadhospitably
receivedinto theirhouse,camp;andwhenshecameto the placewhere
theyhad killed themselves, and were buried theywere assembled, she stoodstill. The of-
there. Upon this, their father went to Lace- ficers,for their part, only admiredhercolour,
dajmon,and demandedthat justice shouldbe which wasa shiningred, the stateliness of her
doneuponthe personswho hadcommittedso form, the vigour of her motions, and the
detestableand atrociousa crime; and,as he sprightliness of her neighings;but Theocritm
could not obtain it, he ventedbitter impreca- the diviner, understandingthe thing better,
tions against the Spartans,and then killed him- cried out to Pelopidas, "Here comes the vic-
self upon the tomb of his daughters. From tim, fortunate man that thou art! wait for no
that time many prophecies and oracles fore- other virgin, but sacrifice that which Heaven
warned the Spartansto bewareof the ven- hathsentthee." They then took the colt, and
geanceof Leuctra:thetrue intentof which ledherto thetombof thevirgins,where,
after
but few understood;for they werein doubtas the usualprayers,andthe ceremonyof crown-
to the place that was meant, there being a ing her, theyofferedher up with joy, not for-
little maratime town called Leuctrum, in La- getting to publish the vision of Pelopidas,and
conia, and another of the same name near the sacrifice required, to the whole army.
Megalopolis in Arcadia. Besides, that injury The day of battle being come, Epammondas
wasdone to the daughtersof Scedasuslong drew up the infantry of his left wing in an
before the battle of Leuctra. oblique form, that the right wing of the Spar
Pelopidas, then, as he slept in his tent, tans being obliged to divide from the other
thought he saw these young women weeping Greeks, he might fall with all his force upon
at their tombs,andloadingthe Spartanswith Cleombrotuswho commanded them,andbreak
imprecations,while their fatherordered him themwith the greaterease. But the enemjr,
to sacrificea red-hairedyoung virgin to the perceivinghis intention,beganto changetheir
damsels,if he desired to be victorious in the en- order of battle, and to extend their right wing
suing engagement.This order appearingto andwheel about,with a designto surround
him cruel and unjust, he rose and communica- Epaminondas. In the mean time, Pelopidas
ted it to the soothsayersand the generals. Some came briskly up with his band of three hun-
were of opinion, that it should not be neg- dred; and before Cleombrotuscould eitend,
lected or disobeyed,alleging, to the purposethe his wing as he desired, or reduce it to its for-
ancient stories ofMenoeceusthe son of Creon,* mer disposition, fell upon the Spartans,disor-
and Macaria the daughter of Hercules; and dered as they were with the imperfect move-
the more modern instances of Pherecydes the ment. And though the Spartans, who were
philosopher,who was put to death by the excellent mastersin the art of war, laboured
Lacedaemonians, andwhoseskin waspreserv- no point somuch as to keep their menfrom
edby their kings,pursuantto the directionof confusionandfromdispersing,
whentheir ranks
some oracle; of Leonidas, who, by order of happened to be broken; insomuch that the
the oracle too, sacrificed himself, as it were, private men were as able as the officers to
for the sake of Greece; and lastly, of the hu- knit again, and to make an united effort, wher-
man victims offered by Themistocles to Bac- ever any occasion of danger required: yet
chus-omestes,before the eeafight at Salamis: Epaminondas, then attacking their right wing
to all whichsacrificesthe ensuingsuccessgave only, without stoppingto contendwith the
a sanction. They observedalso,that Agesi- other troops,andPelopidasrushinguponthem
laus, setting sail from the same place that with incrediblespeedandbravery,broketheir
Agamemnon did, and against the same ene- resolution, and baffled their art. The conse-
mies,andseeing,
moreover,
at Aulius,thesamequence
was,sucha routandslaughter
as had
' visionof the goddessfdemandinghis daughter never beenknows before.* For this reason
that the hatred which the Lacedemonian* bore the
* Mea<EceuJ derated himself to death for the benefit
Th' bans,was owing to their not following Agcsilaui
of hit country ; as did also Macaria for the benefitof when he went to make war upon Persia, and to their
the Htruciidse. For an account of the formcrj see the hindering him from sacrificing his daughter at Aulu
PHonitsu, and for the latter, the Heroclida of Euri- when Diana demandedher; a compliancewith \\liicfl
pides. demand
wouldhateinsured
hissuccess;
such,
atleast,
t Xenophon, in the KTenth book of his Grecian his- His the doctrine of the heathentheology,
tory, acquaint* us, that Pelopidas, when he went upon
u embui} to theking of Persia,represented
to him, * The Thebanarmyconsisted,
at most,bat of ui
 PELOPIDAS. 211

Pelopidas,
whobadnoshare
inthechief
com-Greeks werecharmedwiththeirvalour,
and
mand,
butwasonlycaptain
of a small
band,admired theirgoodfortune;
buttheenvy
of
gained
asmuch
honourbythisday's
great
suc-theirfellow-citizens,
whichgrewuptogether
cess
as Epaininoudas,
whowasgovernor
of withtheirglory,prepared
forthema veryun-
Bocotia
andcommander of thewholearmy. kindand unsuitable reception.For at their
But soonafter,they wereappointed
joint returntheywerebothcapitallytried,for not
governors
ofBceotia,
andentered
Pelopon-
delivering
up theircharge,
according
tolaw,
nesustogether, wheretheycaused
several
cit- in thefirstmonthwhichtheycallBoiwation,
iesto revolt from the Lacedaemonians,
and butholding it fourmonths
longer;duringwhich
brought
overtotheTheban
interest
Ehs,Argos,
timetheyperformed
those
greatactions
in
all Arcadia,andgreatpartof 1-aconia itself. Messenia,
Arcadia,andLaconia.
Il wasnowthewintersolstice, andthelatter Pelopidas wastriedfirst,andthereforewsa
endof thelastmonthin theyear,sothatthey in mostdanger:however, theywerebothac-
eouldholdtheirofficebuta few dayslonger: quitted.Epaminondas boretheaccusation
and
for new governors wereto succeed on the attempts of malignitywithgreatpatience,for
firstdayof the nextmonth,andtheold onesheconsidered it asno smallinstanceof forti
to deliverup theirchargeunderpainof death.tudeandmagnanimity notto resentthe inju
Therestoftheircolleagues,afraidof thelaw, rieadoneby hisfellow-citizens:
butPelopidaa,
and dislikinga wintercampaign, were for who wasnaturallyof a warmertemper,and
marching homewithoutlossof time;but Pel- excitedbyhisfriendsto revenge himself,laid
opidas joiningwithEpaminondas tooppose it; holdonthisoccasion.
encouraged his fellow-citizens,
and led them Meneclidas, the orator,wasone of those
against Sparta. Havingpassed the Eurotas,whometuponthegreatenterprise in Charon's
theytookmanyof the Lacedemonian towns,house.Thismanfindinghimselfnotheldin
and ravagedall the countryto the verysea, the samehonourwith therestof the deliverera
with an armyof seventythousandGreeks,of of their country, and being a goodspeaker,
which the Thebana did not make the twelfth though of bad principles and malevolent dis-
part.Butthecharacter
of thosetwogreatmen,position,
indulged
hisnaturalturn,in accusing
without any publicorderor decree,madeall and calumniatinghis superiors;and this he
the allies follow with silentapprobationwher- continuedto do with respectto Epaminondaa
everthey led. For the first andsupreme law, and Pelopidas,
evenafterjudgmentwaspassed
that of nature,seems to direct thosethat have in their favour. He prevailedso far as to
needof protection,to takehim for their chief deprive Epaminondas of the governmentof
who is most ableto protectthem. And aspas- Bceotia,andmanageda party againsthim a
eengers,though, in fine weather,or in port, Jong time with success:but his insinuation!
they maybehaveinsolently,and bravethe pi- againstPelopidaawerenot listenedto by the
lots, yet, as soonas a stormarisesanddanger people,and thereforehe endeavoured to em-
appears, fix their eyeson them,andrely wholly broil him with Charon.It ia thecommoncon
on their skill; so the Argives,the Eleans,and solationof envy,whena man cannotmaintain
the Arcadians in the bent of their counsels the higher ground himself, to represent thosa
wereagainstthe Thebans,andcontendedwith he is excelledby, as inferior to someother*.
them for superiorityof command;but when Hence it was, that Meneclidaswasever ex-
the timeof actioncame,and dangerpressedtolling theactionsof Charonto the people,and
bard, they followed the Theban generals of lavishing encomiumsupon his expeditions and
their own accord,and submitted to their orders victories. Above all, he magnified his succea
In this expeditiontheyunited all Arcadia in a battle fought by the cavalryunderhi*
into one body,drove out the Spartanswho commandat Platsa, a little beforethe battle
had settled in Messema,andcalledhomeits of JLeuctra,andendeavoured to perpetuate
ths
ancient inhabitants;they likewise repeipled memoryof it by somepublic monument.
Ithome.And in their returnthroughCenchrea, The occasionhe took wasthis. Androcideg
theydefeatedthe Athenians,*who hadattack- of Cyzicumhadagreedwith the Thebansfor a
edthemin the straits, with a designto hinder pictureof someotherbattle, which piece he
their passage. worked at in the city of Thebes. But upon
After such achievements, all the other the revolt, and the war that ensued,he wai
thousandmen,whereas was,at least, obliged
thatof theenemy to quit thatcity, andleavethepainting,
which was almost finished, with the Thebans.
thrice that Dumber, reckoning the allies. But Epa-
minoodas trustedmustinhiscavalry, whereinhehad Meneclidasendeavoured to persuade the peo-
muchthe advantage, bothin their qualityandgoodple to hang up this piece in one of their
management.; the r«athe endeavouredto supplyby
the dispositionof his men,who were drawn upfifty temples,with an inscriptionsignifyingthat it
deep,whereas thr SparUui were but twelve. When was one of Charon's battles, in order to cast a
theThebans
hadgained
thevictory,
andkilledCleom-shade
uponthegloryofPelopidas
andEpami
brotus,the Spartans
renewedthe fightto recoverthe nondas. Certainly the proposal was vain and
king'sbody; andinthistheTheban general widelyabsurdto preferone singleengagement,*
chose Cogratify them, rather than to hazard the suc-
in
cessof a secondonset. The lilies of the Spartansbe- whichtherefell onlyGerandas,
a Spartan
of
theycameto it with an nonote,withfortyothers,
havedill in this bat'.lc,because to somanyandsuch
expectation
toconquerwithoutfighting
j asfortheimportantvictories.Pelopidas,
therefore,
op-
Thebans,
theyhadnoallies
atthistime.Thisbattleposed
thismotion,insisting
thatit was
contrary
was
fougnt
intheyear
before
Christ
371.Diod.
Sioti. to thelawsandusages
of theThebans,
to as-
1.iv.XenOfk.
H'Hiii.I.vi. cribethehonour
ofavictory
toanyoneman
in particular,
andthattheircountry
ought
to
"Xcnophon(peaksslightlyof Charon:heMM,
"The fxilei wentto thehouse
ota^^^roa."
 212 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

havethegloryof it entire. Asfor Chiron,he h» pattern; andperhaps

hewasattentiveto
wasliberal in his praisesof him through his thatgreat man'sactivityandhappyconductin
whole harangue, but heshewedthat Menecli- war,whichwasin truth the mostinconsidera-
daswasan enviousandmaliciousman:andhe ble part of his character:as for his temper-
often askedthe Thebans,if theyhadneverbe- ance,his justice, hie magnanimity,and mild"
fore doneany thing that wasgreat and excel- ness,which really constitutedKpaminondag
lent. Hereupon
a heavyfine waslaid uponthegreatman,Philip hadno share
of them,
Menaclidas;and, ashe wasnot ableto payit, eithernaturalor acquired.
he endeavoured
afterwardsto disturb and AfterthistheThessalians
complainingagain,
overturnthegovernment.SuchparticularsthatAlexanderof PherEdisturbed
theirpeace,
as these,thoughsmall,serveto giveaninsight andformeddesigns
upontheircities,Pelopidas
into the livesandcharactersof men. and lemeniaswere deputedto attendthem.
At that tune Alexander,*the tyrant of Buthaving
noexpectation
of a war,Pelopidas
Phere, makingopenwar againstseveralcities hadbroughtno troopswith him,andtherefore
of Thessaly,andentertaininga secretdesign the urgencyof the occasionobligedhim to
to bring the whole country into subjection, the make use of the Thessalian forces.
Thessahans sent ambassadorsto Thebes to At the same time there were fresh commo-
begthe favourof a generaland sometroops. tionsin Macedonia; for Ptolemyhad killed
PelopidasseeingEpaminondaa
engagedin thekingandassumed
thesovereignty.
Pelop-
settlingthe affairsof Peloponesus, offeredhim- idas,who wascalled in by thefriendsof the
self to commandin Thessaly,for he wasun- deceased,was desirous to undertakethe
willing that hismilitary talentsandskill should cause; but, havingno troopsof hisown, he
lie useless,and well satisfiedwithal, that hastilyraisedsomemercenaries, andmarched
wherever
Epammondas
was,therewasnoneed withthemimmediately
against
Ptolemy.Upon
of any other general. He thereforemarched their approach,Ptolemybribedthe mercena-
with his forcesinto Thessalywherehe soon ries,and broughtthemover to his side;yet
recoveredLarissa; and, as Alexandercarne dreadingthe very nameandreputationof Pe-
andmadesubmission, heendeavoured to soften lopidas,he went to pay his respectsto him ai
and humanizehim, and, insteadof a tyrant, to his superior,endeavoured to pacifyhim with
tenderhima just andgoodprince.But tmd- entreaties,
andsolemnly promised to keepthe
ing himincorrigible
andbrutal,and receivingkingdom
for thebrothers
of thedeadking,and
freshcomplaintsof his cruelty,his unbridled to regardthe enemiesandfriendsof the The-
lusts,and insatiableavarice,he thoughtit ne- bansas his own. For the performanceof
cessary to treat him with some severity; upon these conditions he delivered to him his son
which, hemadehis escapewith his guards. Philoxenusandfifty of his companions ashos
Having nowsecuredthe Thessalians against tages. ThesePelopidas sentto Thebes. But
the tyrant, andleft themin agoodunderstand-beingincensedat ttie treacheryof the merce-
ing among themselves,headvancedinto Mace- naries, and having intelligence that they had
donia.t Ptolemy had commenced hostilities lodged the best part of their effects,together
against Alexander king of that country, and with their wives and children, in Pharsalue,he
they both had sent for Pelopidas to be an arbi- thought by taking these he might sufficiently
trator of their differences, and an assistantto revengethe affront. Hereupon he assembled
him who shouldappearto be injured. Accord- someThcssaliantroops, and marchedagainst
ingly he went and decided their disputes, re- the town. He was no sooner arrived, than
calledsuchof the Macedoniansas hadbeen Alexander,the tyrant, appeared beforeit with
banished,andtakingPhilip, theking's brother, his army. Pelopidasconcludingthathe was
andthirty youngmen of the bestfamilies as come to make apologyfor his conduct,went
hostages,he brought them to Thebes; that he to him with Ismenias. Not that he was igno-
might shew the Greeks to what height the rant what an abandonedand sanguinaryman
Theban commonwealth was risen by the re- he had to deal with, but he imagined that the
putationof its arms, and the confidence
that dignityof Thebesandhis own character
would
was placed in its justice and probity.^ protect him from violence. The tyrant, how-
This wag that Philip who afterwardsmade ever, when he sawthemaloneandunarmed,
war upon Greeceto conquerand enslaveit. immediately seizedtheirpersons,
andpossessed
He was now a boy, and brought up at Thebes, himself of Pharsalus. This struck all his sub-
in the house of Pammenes. Hence he was jects with terror and astonishment: for they
believedto have proposedEpaminondas for werepersuaded, that, aftersucha flagrantact A
of injustice, he would sparenobody,but be- '
" Hehadlatelypoisoned
his unclePolyphron,
and have on all occasions,and to all personslike
Kt himself
uptyrant
inhisstead.
Polyphron,
indeed,a manthat haddesperately
thrownoff all
had killed his own brother Polydore,lhe father of Al-
exander.Allthese,
withJason,
whowas ofthesame
gardtohisownlifeandsafety.
family,
were usurpers
in Thessaly,
whichbeforewas WhentheThebans wereinformed
of thii
a freeitate. outrage,theywere filled with indignation,and
t Amyntas
II. leftthreelegitimate
children,
Alex-gaveordersto their armyto marchdirectly
ander,rcrdica-s,and
Philip,andonenatural
son,whoseinto Thessaly;but Epaminondas thenhappen-
namewasPioltrmy.Thislastmade waragainst
Alex- ingto lie undertheirdispleasure,*
theyappoint-
ander, ilew him treacherously, and reigned three ed other generals.
years.
} Aboutthis time, the causeof liberty waj in a
greatmeasure
(Wecrteu
in theoVher
Grecian
states. * Theyweredispleased
at him,because,
in i late
Thebeswasnow theonlycommonwealth
thatretained ujttle foughtwith die Lacedemonians
ncsrCorinth,
toy remains
of patriotism
indconcern
for theinjured hedid not,astheythought,
pursue
hisadvantage
U
Endoppressed. theutmost,
andputmore
of theenemy
totheiwoid.
 PELOPIDAS. 213

Ai for Peiopidas,the tyranttook him to hekeptAlexander in suspense,

andmanoged
Pherae,whereatfirsthedidnotdenyanyone himsoasneither to moderate
hisviolence and
accessto him,imaginingthat he wasgreatlypride,nor yet to increase
hisfiercenessand
humbledby his misfortune.But Peiopidas,cruelty. Forheknewhissavage disposition,
seeingthePheneansoverwhelmed withsorrow,andthelittle regardhepaidto reasonor jus-
badethem becomforted,because,now ven- tice; that he buried somepersonsalive,and
geance
wasreadyto fall uponthetyrant;and dressed
othersin theskinsof bears
andwild
sentto tell him, "That heactedvery absurdly boars,and then,by way of diversion,baited
in daily torturingandputtingto deathsomany themwith dogs,or despatched themwith darts:
of his innocentsubjects,andin the meantime thathaving summoned the peopleof Meliboea
"paring Aim, who,he mightknow, wasdeter- and Scotusa,towns in friendshipandalliance
mined to punishhim when once out of his with him, to meethim in full assembly, hesur-
hands." The tyrant, surprisedat his magnan-roundedthem with guards,and with all the
imity andunconcernmade answer, "Why is wantonness of cruelty put themto the sword;
Peiopidasin suchhasteto die?" Which being andthat he consecrated the spearwith which
reportedto Peiopidas,he replied, " It is that he slew bis uncle Polyphron, and having
thou, being more hated by the gods than crownedit with garlands,offeredsacrificeto
ever,mayestthe soonercometo a miserableit, as to a god, and gave it thenameof Ty-
end." chon. Yet upon seeing a tragedian act the
From that time Alexander allowed access Troades of Euripides, he went hastily out of
to nonebut his keepers.Thebe,however,the the theatre,and at the eametime senta mes-
daughter
of Jason,who waswife to the tyrant, sageto the actor,"Not to bediscouraged,
but
having an account from those keepers of his to exert all his skill in hip part; for it was not
noble and intrepid behaviour,hada desireto out of anydislikethat he went out,but hewas
see him, and to have some discourse with ashamedthat his citizens should see him, who
him. When she came into the prison, she never pitied those he put to death, weep at the
could not presentlydistinguishthe majestic sufferingsof HecubaandAndromache."
turn of his personamidst such an appearance This execrable tyrant was terrified at the
of distress;yet supposingfrom the disorder verynameandcharacterof Epaminondas,
of his hair, and the meannessof his attire and
provisions,
thatbewastreatedunworthily, JLnd
dropp'd
thecraven
itiag.
she wept.Pelopidua, whoknew nothisvis- He sent
itor, was much surprised; but when he under-
anembassy
in allhaste
tooffer
sa
tisfaction, but that general did not vouchsafeto
stood her quality, addressedher by her father's admit such a man into alliance with the The-
name, withwhom hehad been intimatelyac-bans; heonlygranted hima truceof thirty
quainted. Andupon hersaying, " I pityyourdays, andhaving recovered Peiopidas and Is-
wife," hereplied, ''AndI pityyou,who, wear-menias outof bishands,
ing no fetters, can endure Alexander." This again with his army.
hemarched back
affected hernearly; forshehated thecruelty Soon after1
thistheThebans
and insolence of the tyrant, who to his other ed that the Lacedaemonians
havingdiscover
and Athenian*
debaucheries added thatofabusing heryoung- had sentambassadors tothekingof Persia,
est brother.
frequent In consequence
interviews ofthis,
with Peiopidas, toandby todraw
whom himintoleague withthem,sent Peiop-
idas on their part; whose established reputa
she communicatedher sufferings,she conceiv- lion amply justified their choice. For he had
ed a still stronger resentment and aversion for no sooner entered the king's dominions, than
her husband. The Theban generals,who had ie was universally known and honoured: the
enteredThessaly without doing any thing, and "ame of his battles with the Lacedzmonians had
either through
returned with their incapacity
disgrace; the cityorof
ill fortune,
Thebes spread
itselfthrough
Asia;and,after
hisvic-
fined
each
ofthem
tenthousand
drachmas,
toryatLeuctra,
thereport
ofnew
successes
andgave
Epaminondas
thecommand
ofthecontinually
:o the mostfollowing, had extended
distant provinces. So his
thatrenown
when
army that was to act in Thessaly.
The reputation of the new general gave the ic arrived at the king's court, and appeared
Beforethe nobles and great officers that waited
Thessaliansfreshspirits,andoccasioned such there, he was the object of universal admira-
great insurrections among them, that the ty- tion; "This," said they, "is the man who de-
rant'saffairs seemedto be in a verydesperatejrived the Lacedemonians of the empire both
condition; so great was the terror that fell >f seaand land, and confined Sparta within the
upon hia officers and friends, BOforward were
>ounds
his subjects to revolt, and so universal was the which of TaygetusandEurotas; that Sparta,
a little before, under the conduct of
joy of the prospect of seeing him punished.
Epaminondas, however,preferredthesafety Agesilaus, made war againstthe great king,
and shook the realms of Susa and Ecbatana.
of Peiopidasto his own fame;andfearing,if
he carried matters to an extremity at first, that On the sameaccountArtaxerxesrejoicedto
ice Pelopidas, and loaded him with honours.
the tyrant might grow desperate, anddestroy But when he heard him converse in terms that
his prisoner,he protractedthe war. By (etch-
ing a compass, as if to finish his preparations,were strongerthan thoseof the Athenians,and
)lainorthanthoseof theSpartans,lie admired
Hereupon,theyremoved him fromthe government of lim still more; and, as kingsseldomconceal
and ecnthimalongwith their forcesasa pri- heir inclinations, he made no secretof his at-
BcEotia,
raU person. Suchactsofingratilude towardsgreat tachment to him, but let the other ambassadors
excellentmen arccommooin popuJarjrovern- seethe distinction in which he held him. It ii
ruethat of all the Greeks,he seemedto have
 214 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

doneAntnlcidas,the Spartan,the greatesthon- and taking with him, only three hundred
our,* whenhetook the garlandwhich hewore horse,consistingof Theban voluntecreand
at table from his head,dippedit in perfumes,strangers,heset out,contraryto the warnings
andsentit to him. Butthough
hedidnottreai of thesoothsayers,
andinclinations
of thepeo-
Pelopidaswith that familiarity, yet he made ple: for theyconsideredthe eclipseas a sign
him the richestandmostmagnificentpresents,fromheaven,the objectof whichmustbesome
and fully grantedhis demands;which werD, illustriouspersonage.But besides that Pelop-
" That all the Greeksshouldbefreeandinde- idaswasthe moreexasperated againstAlexan-
pendent;thatMessenes
shoiJdberepeopled;
der by reasonof the ill treatment
hehadre-
andthat the Thebansshouldbe reckonedthe ceived,hehoped,fromthe conversation hehad
king's hereditaryfriends." with Thebe, to find the tyrant's family em-
With this answerhe returned,but without broiledandin greatdisorder.The greatest in-
accepting any of the king's presents, except citement, however, was the honour of the
some tokens of his favour and regard: acircum- thing. He had a generous ambition to shew
"tance that reflected no small dishonour upon the Greeks, at a time when the Lacedaemo-
the other ambassadors. The Athenians con- nians were sending generals and other officers
demnedand executedTimagoras,and justly to Dionysius,the tyrant of Sicily, and the
too, if it was on account of the many presents Athenians were pensioners to Alexander, as
he received; for he accepted not only gold and their benefactor, to whom they had erecteda
"liver, but a magnificentbed,andservantsto statuein brass,that theThebansweretheonly
mate it, as if that wasanart whichthe Greeks peoplewho took the field in behalfof the op-
were not skilled in. He received also four-score pressed, and endeavoured to exterminate all
cows, and herdsmento take care of them, as il arbitrary and unjust government.
he wanted their milk for his health; and, al When hehad arrived at Pharsalus,he aseem.
last, he sufferedhimselfto becarriedin alitter bled his forces,and then marcheddirectlya-
as far as the sea-coast at the king's expense, gainst Alexander; who, knowing that Pelopi-
who paid four talents for his conveyance: but das had but few Thebans about him, and that
his receivingof presentsdoesnot seemto have he himself haddoublethe numberof Tbess*-
been the principal thing that incensedthe lian infantry, went to meet him as far asthe
Athenians. For whenEpicrates,the armour- templeof Thetes. Whenhewasinformedthat
bearer,acknowledged in full assembly,
that he the tyrant wasadvancingtowardshim with a
hadreceivedtheking's presents,andtalkedol great army, " So much the better," said he,
proposing a decree, that, instead of choosing "for we shall beat so many the more."
nine archonsevery year,nine of the poorest Near the placecalled Cynoscephalz, there
citizensshouldbesentambassadors to the king, are two steephills oppositeeachother,in the
that by his gifts they might beraisedto afflu- middleof the plain. Both sidesendeavoured to
ence, the people only laughedat the motion. get possession of thesehills with theirinfantry
What exasperated the Atheniansmost,was, In the meantime, Pelopidaswith his cavalry,
that the Thebanshadobtainedof the king all whichwasnumerous andexcellent,charged the
theyasked;theydid not considerhowmuchthe enemy'shorseand put themto the rout. But
characterof Pelopidasoutweighedthe addresswhile he was pursuingthem over the plain,
of their orators, with a man who ever paid Alexanderhadgainedthe hills, havinggot be-
particularattentionto military excellence. fore the Thessalianfoot, whichheattackedaa
This embassyprocuredPelopidasgreat ap- they were trying to force thosestrongheights,
plause,as well on accountof the re-peoplingkilling the foremost,and woundingmanyof
of Messene,as to the restoringof liberty to thosethat followed,sothattheytoiledwithout
the rest of Greece. effectingany thing. Pelopidas seeingthis,call-
Alexander,the Phersean, wasnow returned ed back his cavalry,andorderedthemto fall
to hisnaturaldisposition;hehaddestroyed sev- upon suchof the enemyas still kept their
eral cities of Thessaly,andput garrisonsinto groundon the plain; andtakinghis bucklerin
the towns of the PhthjoUe, the Achaeans,and his hand, he ran to join those that were engag-
the Magnesians. As soonas theseoppresseded on the hills. He soonmadehis wayto the
peoplehadlearnedthat Pelopidaswasreturn- front, and by his presenceinspired his sol-
ed, theysenttheirdeputies
to Thebes,
to beg dierswith suchvigourandalacrity,thatthe
the favourof someforces,and that he might enemythought they had quite differentmen
betheirgeneral.TheThebans
willinglygrant-todealwith. They"stood
twoorthreecharges;
ed their request,and an army was soon got but whentheyfoundthat the foot still press-
ready; but as the generalwason the point of ed forward, and saw the horsereturn from
marching,thesunbegan to beeclipsed,
andthe thepursuit,theygaveground,andretreated,
citywascovered withdarknessinthedaytime. but slowly,andstepby step. Pelopidas
thea
Pelopidas,seeingthe peoplein greatcon- takinga view,froman eminence, of theen-
sternation
at thisphenomenon, didnot think emy'swholearmy,whichdid notyettaketo
properto forcethe armyto move,whileun- flight,butwasfull of confusion anddisorder,
der suchterroranddismay, norto riskthestopped a whileto lookround for Alexan-
lives of seventhousandof his fellow-citizens.der. When he perceivedhim onthe righten-
Insteadof that,hewenthimselfintoThessaly,couraging and rallyingthe mercenaries,
h«
wasnn longermasterof himself;butsacri-
icingbothhissafetyandhisdutyasa genera1
* If Plutarch meansthe Spartanambassador,
he to his passion,he sprangforwarda greatway
diffen from Xeoophon, who says thai his name was
Luthiclcs. He likewiseI* Hi us that Timagoraswas Before
his troops,loudly calling for and thai
theperson
whom
thekingesteemed
utit toFclopidai.enging
the tyrant,whodidnot daretomeo»
 PELOPIDAS. 215
»1m
or to waitforbim,butfell backandhid ationuponthefuneral
of Dionysius;
which,
himselfin themidstof hisguards.The fore- >roperly
speaking,
wasnothingbut the pom-
Diogtranksof the mercenaries,
whocame>OUBcatastrophe
of thatbloody
tragedy,
hi*
handto hand,
werebrokenbyPelopidas,
and yranny.Alexander
theGreat,
too,uponthe
a numberof themslain;butothers,fighting leathof Hephaestion,
notonlyhadthemane»
at a distance,
piercedhis armourwith their of thehorses
andmulesshorn,butcaused
the
javelins.TheThesealians,
extremely
anxious>attlementsof thewallsto be takendown,
or him,randownthehill to hisassistance,
hattheverycitiesmightseemto mourn, by
butwhentheytame to the-place,theyfound osingtheirornaments,
andhaving theappear-
bimdeadupontheground.Bothhorse andanceof being shornandchastisedwithgrief.
footthenfallingupontheenemy's mainbody,Thesethingsbeingthe effectsof arbitrary
entirelyroutedthem,andkilled abovethree orders,executed
throughnecessity,
and at-
thousand.Thepursuitcontinued alongway, endedbothwithenvyof thoseforwhomthey
andthe fieldswere coveredwith the carcasesarc done,and hated of thosewho command
of the slain. :hem,are not proofsof esteemand respect,
Such of the Thebanaaswere presentwere >utof barbaricpomp,of luxury, andvanity,in
greatlyafflictedat the deathof Pelopidas,.hose
wholavishtheirwealthto suchvainand
calling him t/ieir fathtr, their saviour, and despicablepurposes. But that a man who
instructor in everything that wasgreat and was only one of the subjectsof a republic,
honourable. Nor is this to be wonderedat; dyingin a strangecountry,neither his wife,
since the Thessaliansand allies, after ex- children,or kinsmenpresent,without the re-
ceeding,by their public acts in his favour, quest or commandof any one, shouldbe at-
the greatesthonoursthat are usuallypaidto tended home, conductedto the grave, and
human virtue, testified their regard for him crownedby so manycities,and tribes,might
etill more sensiblyby the deepestsorrow. justly passfor an instanceof the most perfect
For it is said,that thosewho were in the ac- lappinees.For the observationof .HJIsop is.
tion, neither put off their amour, nor un- not true, that Death, is most unfortunate in
bridled their horses, nor bound up their \he time of prosperity; on the contrary, it
wounds,after they heardthat he was dead; is then most happy,sinceit securesto good
but, notwithstanding their heat and fatigue, men the glory of their ctriuow actions, and
repairedto the body,as if it still had life and outsthemabovethepower of fortune. The
sense,piled roundit the spoilsof the enemy, compliment,therefore, of the Spartan was
and cut off their horses' manesand their own much more rational, when embracing Diagoras,
hair.* Many of them, when they retired to after he and his sons and grandsons had all
their tents, neither kindled a fire nor took any conquered and been crowned at the Olym-
refreshment;but a melancholysilence pre- pic games,he said,Die, die note, Duigorus,
vailed throughout the camp, as if, instead of for thou canst not be a god. And yet, I think,
gainingso great and gloriousa victory, they if a man shouldput all the victoriesin the
had been worsted and enslavedby the tyrant Olympian and Pythian games together, he
When the newswas carried to the towns, would not pretendto comparethemwith any
the magistrates,young men, children, and one of the enterprizesof Pelopidas,which
priests, came out to meet the body, with tro- were many and all successful: so that after,
phies,crowns,andgoldenarmour; andwhen hehad flourishedthe greatestpart of his life
the time of his intermentwas come, someof in honour and renown, and had been ap-
the Thessalianswho werevenerablefor their pointedthe thirteenthtimegovernorof Bceotia,
age, went and beggedof the Thebansthat he diedin a great exploit,the consequence of
they might have the honourof burying him. which was the destructionof the tyrant, and
Oneof themexpressed himselfin theseterms: the restoringof its libertiesto Thessaly.
"What we requestof you, our goodallies, His death as it gave the allies great con-
will bean honourandconsolationto us under cern, so it brought them still greateradvan-
thisgreatmisfortune. It is not the living tages. For the Thebanswere no soonerin-
lopidas,whom the Theasaliansdesireto at- formedof it, than promptedby a desireof re-
tend;it is not to Pelopidassensibleof their venge,,theysentuponthatbusiness seventhou-
gratitude, that they would now pay the due sand foot and seven hundred horse; under the
honours; all we ask is the permissionto commandof Makites and Diogiton. These
wash, to adorn, and inter his dead body, findingAlexanderweakened, with his late de-
andif we obtainthis favour,we shall believt feat,andreducedto greatdifficulties,compelled
you are persuadedthat we think our sharein him to restorethe cities he hadtakenfromthe
the common calamitygreaterthanyours. You Thessaliang,to withdraw his garrisonsfrom
havelostonlya goodgeneral,
butweateso,theterritories
oftheMagnesians,
thePhthiota,
unhappy as to be deprivedbothof bim ant andAchsang, andto engage
by oathto sub-
of our liberty. For howshallwepresume to mit to theThebans,
andto keephisforcesin
ask you for another general, when we have readiness to execute their orders.
uofrestoredtoyouPelopidas?" Andhereit isproperto relatethepunish-
TheThebans granted
theirrequest.Am mentwhichthegodsinflicted uponhimsoon
"urelythereneverwasa moremagnificcn afterforhistreatment
of Pelopidas.He,at
funeral,
at leastin theopinionof those
who wehavealreadymentioned,
firsttaught
Thebe.
do notplacemagnificence
in ivory,gold,anc the tyrant'swife, not to dreadthe exterior
purple;
asPhiUstug
did,whodwells
inadroipomp
andsplendour
ofhispalace,
jhough
ahe
lived in the midstof guards,consistingof
* A customary
toVeo
of mourning
among
thean exilesfromothercountries.She,thercfoe,
HCBl* fearing
hisfalsehood
andhatinghiscruelty
216 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

agreed with her three brothers, Tisiphonus, hands, went into the chamber, and taking
Pytholaus,and Lycophron,to take him off; awaythe tyrant's sword, which hung at th«
and they put their designin executionafter headof his bed,shewedit themasa proofthat
this manner. The whole palacewa« full of he was fast asleep. The young men now
guards,who watchedall the night, exceptthe beingstruckwith terror, andnot daringto ad-
tyrant's bed chamber,which was an upper vance,she reproachedthem with cowardice,
room, and the door of the apartmentwas andsworein herrage,that shewould awake
guardedby a dog who waschainedthere,and Alexander,and tell him the whole. Shame
whowouldfly at everybodyexcepthismasterandfearhavingbroughtthemto themselves,
and mistress,and one slave that fed him. she led them in and placed them aboutthe
When thetime fixedfor the attemptwascome, bed, herselfholdingthe light. Oneof them
Thebe concealedher brothers,before it was caught him by the feet, and anotherby the
dark, in a room hard by. She went in alone, hair of his head, while the third stabbed him
asusual,to Alexander,who wasalreadyasleep, with hisponiard. Sucha deathwas,perhaps,
but presentlycameout again,andorderedthe too speedyfor so abominablea monster;but
slaveto take awaythe dog, becauseher hus- tf it be considered
that he wasthe first tyrant
bandchose to sleepwithout beingdisturbed: who was assassinated by his own wife, and
and that the stairs might not creak as the that his deadbodywasexposedto all kindsof
young men came up, she covered them with indignities, and spurnedand trodden underfoot
wool. Shethen fetchedup her brothers,and by his subjects,his punishment
will appearto
leadingthemat thedoorwithponiards
in their harebeenproportioned
to hiscrimes.

MARCELLUS.

MARCOS CLAUDIUS, whowasfire timesconsul, curule cedile,andthe prieststo thatof augvr

was the son of Marcus; and, accordingto This is a kind of sacerdotalfunctionto which
Posidonius,the first of his family that borethe the law assignsthe care of that divination
surname of Marcellus, that is, Martial. He which is taken from the flights of birds.
had, indeed, a great deal of military ex- *****
perience;
hismake
wasstrong,
hisarmalmost " '""""
irresistible,and he was naturallyinclined to After the first Carthaginianwar,«whichhad
war. But though impetuous and lofty in the lasted twenty-two years, Rome was soon en-
combat, on other occasionshe was modest and gaged in a new war with the Gauls. The
humane. He wasso far a lover of the Gre- Insubrians,a Celtic nation,who inhabitthat
cian learning and eloquence, as to honour and part of Italy which lies at the foot of the Alps,
admirethosethatexcelledin them,thoughhis thoughvery powerfulin themselves,calledin
employmentspreventedhis makingthat pro- the assistance
of the Gesatz,a.peopleof Gaul,
gress in them which he desired. For if Heaven who fight for pay on such occasions. It wasa
everdesignedthat any men, wonderfuland fortunatething for the Roman
people, that the Gallic war did not break out
in-war's
rudelistsshould
combat, at thesametimewiththePunic;andthatthe
From
youth
toag< Gauls,observing
anexactneutrality
allthat
as Homerexpresses it, certainlyit wasthe time,asif theyhadwaitedto takeupthecon-
principalRomansof thosetimes. In their queror,did not attackthe Romans till they
youththeyhadto contendwith the Cartha-werevictorious, andat leisure
to receive them.
giniansfor theislandof Sicily,in theirmiddle However,thiswarwasnota little alarming to
age with the Gauls for Italy itself, and, in " Plutarch is a little mistaken h«re in his chronolo-
their old age again with the Carthaginians and gy. ThefirstPunicwarlutedtwenty-four years,for
Hannibal. Thus, even in age, theyhad not it began
in theyearofRome
fourhundred
andeightv-
the common relaxation and repose, but were nine,and peacewasmadewith theCarthaginians
11
calledforth by their birth and their meritto theyearfivehundred
andtwelve.TheGauls
contin-
accept
ofmilitary
commands. ued
fourquiet
all
years that
after. time,
Thenand
theydid
notbegin
advanced tostirtill
toAriminumJ
As for Marcellus, there was no kind of but the Boii mutinyingagainsttheir leaders,
slewthe
fightingin whichhe wasnot admirably well kingsAlesandGalates; afterwhichtheGauJs fell
"killed-, but in single combat he excelled him- uponeachother,and cumberswere slain; theythat
self. He,therefore, neverrefuseda challenge,survivedreturnedhome.Fiveyears afterthis,the
orfailed
of killingthechallenger.
In Sicily,Gauls began
the division toprepare
which foranew
Flaminius had war,
made on account
of thr lands of
in
"eeinghis brotherOtaciliusin greatdanger,theFiccne,
taken
fromtheScnones
ofGallia
Cisalpini.
he coveredhim with his shield,slew those Thcjepreparations
were
carryingona longtime; au/
that attacked him, and saved his life. For it waseight yearsafter that division,beforethewar
thosethingshe receivedfrom the generalsbegan
in earnest
under
theirchiefs
Congolitanus
an4
crowns
andothermilitaryhonours,
whilebut Regulus
AnerO3stes,
when
were L. .£milius
consuls, Papus
in the five andC.
hundred andAtiliut
Vwen-
a youth; and his reputation increasing every ty-eighlhyearof Rome,andthethird year of theOM
day,the peopleappointedhim to the officeof hundred
andthirty-eighth
Olympiad*
Polyb*
L ii.
 MARCEJJLV8. 217
the Romans,
aswellonaccount
of thevicin- umph. As soonas the triumphwas over,
ityof theGauls
antheircharacter
of olda« bothheandhiscolleague
weredeposed,
and
warriors. They were,indeed,the enemyreduced
to the rank of privatecitizens.So
whom
theydreaded
most;fortheyhadmademuch
regard
hadtheRomans
forreligion;
re-
themselvesmasters
of Borne;andfromthat ferringall theiraffairs
to thegoodpleasure
of
time it hadbeenprovidedby law, that the thegods,and,in theirgreatest
prosperity,
not
priests
should
beexempted
frombearing
arms,suffering
anyneglect
of theformsof divina-
exceptit wereto defendthe cityagainstthe tion andothersacredusages;
for theywere
Gauls. fully persuaded,
that it wasamatterof greater
Thevastpreparations
theymadewerefar- importance
to the preservation
of theirstate
therpryfsof theirfears;(forit issaidthatso tohavetheirgenerals
obedient
to thegods,
manythousands
of Romans
wereneverseen
in thanevento havethemvictorious
in thefield.
armseither beforeor since)and so were the To this purpose,the followingstoryis re-
new and extraordinarysacrificeswhich they markable:-TiberiusSemproniue, who wasaa
offered. On other occasionsthey had not muchrespected for his valour and probity as
adoptedthe rites of barbarousandsavagena- anymanin Rome,while consul,namedScipio
tions, but their religious customshad been Nascia and Caius Marcius his successors.
agreeable to the mild andmercifulceremoniesWhen theyweregoneinto the provinceallot-
of the Greeks:yet on the appearance of this ted them,Scmpronius happening to meetwitb
war, they were forcedto complywith certain a bookwhichcontainedthe sacredregulation!
oraclesfoundin the booksof the Sibyls; and for the conductof war, found that therewas
thereupontheyburiedtwo Greeks,*a manand one particularwhich he never knew before
a woman,andlikewisetwo Gauls,oneof each It wasthis: "When the consulgoes to take
sex,alive in the beast-market A thing that the auspicesin a houseor tent, without the
gaverise to certain private and mysteriouscity, hired for that purpose,andis obligedby
rites, which still continue to be performed in some necessary business to return into the
the month of November. city before any sure sign appears to him, he
In the beginning of the war the Romans must not make use of that lodge again, but
sometimes
gainedgreatadvantages,
andsome- takeanother,andtherebeginhis observations
times were no less signally defeated; but there anew." Sempronius was ignorant of this,
was no decisive action, till the consulate of when he named those two consuls, for he had
Flaminius and Furius, who led a very power- twice made use of the same place: but when
ful army againstthe Insubnans. Then we are he perceived hi« error, he made the senateac-
told, the river which runs through the Picene, quainted with it. They, for their part, did not
was seen flowing with blood, and that three lightly pass over so small a defect, but wrote
moons appeared over the city of Ariminum. to the consulsaboutit; who left their provincea
But the priests who were to observethe flight and returned with all speedto Rome, where
of birds at the time of choosing consuls, af- they laid down their offices. This did not hap-
firmed that the election was faulty and inaus- pen till long after the affair of which we were
picious. The senatetherefore,immediatelyspeaking.*
sentlettersto the camp,to recal the consuls, But aboutthatverytime, two priestsof the
insistingthat they shouldreturn withoutloss bestfamiliesof Rome,CorneliusCethegus and
of time, and resigntheir office,andforbidding Quintus Sulpicius,we* degradedfrom the
them to act at all against the enemy in conse- priesthood; the former because he did not
quenceof their lateappointment. presentthe entrailsof the victim accordingto
Flaminushavingreceivedtheseletters,de- rule; andthe latter because, as he wassacri-
ferredopeningthem till he had engagedand ficing,the tuft of his cap,whichwassuch an
routedthe barbarians,andoverruntheir coun- oneas the Flamines wear,fell off. And be-
Iry.f Therefore, when he returned loaded causethe squeakingof a rat happenedto be
with spoils, the people did not go out to meet heard, at the moment that Minucms the dicta-
him; and becausehe did not directly obey tor appointedCaiusFlaminiushis generalof
theorderthatrecalled
him,buttreated
it with horse,the peopleobligedthemto quit their
contempt,he wasin dangerof losinghis tri- posts,andappointedothersin their stead.But
while they observed these small matters with
* TheyofferedIhe samesacrificeat the beginning suchexactness,
of the second Punic war. Liv. 1. iiii. 5. 7. theygavenot in to any sort of
f Flaminius
wunotentitled
to thissuccess
byhis superstition,!
for they neitherchangednor
conduct.He gavebattlewith a river behindhim, wentbeyondthe ancientceremonies.
vhercthere,
vrasnotroomforhis menVorallyor re- Flaminiusand his colleaguebeingdeposed
treat,
if theyhadbeen
broken. Butpossibly hemightfromthe consulship, themagistrates,called
makesucha dispositionof bis forces,to shewthem
thattheymusteitherconquer ordie;for heknewinterreges,f nominated Marcellusto thathigh
thathewasacting against
theintentions ofthesenate,office;who,whenhe entereduponit, took
»ndthatnothingbutsuccesscouldbringhimoff. In- CneiusCorneliusfor his colleague.Though
deed,
hewasnaturally
rashanddaring. the Gaulsare said to havebeendisposed
to a
It was the skill and management
of the legionary
tribunes which made amendsfor the consul's impru- reconciliation,
andthe senate
waspeaceably
dence. They distributed among the soldiers of the inclined,yet the peopleat the instigationof
firstline the pikesof theTriarii, to preventtheenemy
from makinguseof their swords;and whenthe first " Sixtyyearsafter.
ardourof the Gaulswaiover, theyorderedthe Ro- f This wordis hereusedin theliteral srnse.
mansto shorten their swords*
close withtheenemy. j Thesewereofficers, who,whentherewereno
to astoleavethemnoroomto lift uptheirarms,and legalmagistrates
in being,
wereappointedtoholdth«
lt*bthem, whichtheydidwithout runninganyhaz-comitvalorelectingnewones.Thetitleofinterrtga.
ard themselves,
theswords of theGaulshavingno whichwasgiventhemwhilethegoverningnl wasre-
points. gal,waicontinuedto themunderthecommonwealth
at PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
Marcellus,were for war. However,a peace and withtwo or threemoreblowshedespatch'
waaconcluded; which seemsto havebeenedhim. Hethen leapedfromhis horaeand
brokenby theGesatae, whohavingpassedthe disarmedhim,andliftinguphisspoilstoward*
Alps,withthirtythousandmen,prevailed
with heavenhesaid,"O JupiterFeretrius,whoob-
theInsubriansto jointhemwithmuchgreaterservestthedeedsof greatwarriorsand gen-
numbers. Elated with their strength, they erals in battle,I nowcall thee to witness,that
marchedimmediatelyto Acerra:,»a city on the I am the third Romanconsulandgeneralwho
banksof the Po. ThereViridomarus,king of have,with my own hands,slain a generaland
the GesaUc,took ten thousand men from the a king! To thee I consecrate the most eicel-
nain body, andwith this body laid wasteall lent spoils. Do thougrantus equalsuccess
in
the country about the river. the prosecution of this war. »
When Marcellus was informed of their When this prayer was ended,the Roman
march,he left his colleague beforeAcerra, cavalry encounteredboth the enemy'shorse
with all theheavy-armedinfantry,andthe third andfoot at the sametime, andgaineda victo-
part of the horse; and taking with him the ry; not only greatin itself, but peculiarin it*
rest of the cavalry, and about sii hundred of kind: for we have no account of such a hand-
the light-armedfoot, he set out and kept for- ful of cavalry beating such numbersbothof
ward,dayand night,till he cameup with the horseand foot, either beforeor since. Mar-
ten thousandGesatae nearClastidium,ta little cellushavingkilled the greatestpart of theen-
townof theGauls,whichhadverylatelysub-emy,and takentheir armsand baggage,
re-
mitted to the Romans. He hadnot time to turnedto hiscolleague,* whohadnosuchgood
g-,vehis troopsany rest or refreshment;for successagainstthe GaulsbeforeMilan, which
thebarbarians
immediately
perceived
hisap- is a greatandpopulous
city,andthemetropo-
proach,anddespisedhisattempt,ashe hadbut lis of that country. For this reasontheGauls
a handfulof infantry,and they madeno ac- defendedit, with suchspirit andresolutionthat
count of his cavalry. These, as well as a.11Scipio,insteadof besiegingit, seemedrather
Ihe otherGauls,beingskilledin fightingon besieged
himself.ButuponthereturnofMar-
horseback,thoughtthey hadthe advantagein cellus, the Gesatae, understandingthat their
this respect;and, besidestheygreatlyexceed-king wasslain,andhis armydefeated, drew08
ed Marcellus in numbers. They marched,their forces;and BOMilan was taken;! and
therefore,directly againsthim, their king at the Gauls surrendingthe rest of their cities,
their head,with greatimpetuosityanddreadful andreferringeverything to theequityof theRo-
menaces,as if sure of crushinghim at once. mans,obtainedreasonable conditionsof peace.
Marcellus, because his party wasbut small,to The senatedecreeda triumphto Marcellus
prevent its beingsurrounded,extendedthe only; and,whetherwe considerthe richspoili
wings of his cavalry, thinning and widening that weredisplayedin it, the prodigioussize
the line, till he presenteda front nearlyequal of the captives,or themagnificence
withwhich
to that of the enemy. He wasnowadvancingthe whole was conducted,it was one of the
to the charge,when his horse,terrified with most splendidthat was ever seen. But the
the shoutsof the Gauls,turnedshort,andfor- mostagreeable and mostuncommon spectacle
cibly carried him back. Marcellus fearing wasMarcellushimself,carryingthe armourof
that this, interpreted by superstition,should Viridomarus,whichhevowedto Jupiter. He
wuse some disorder in hjs troops, quickly turn- had cut the trunk of an oak in the form of a
;d his horseagaintowardsthe enemy,andthen trophy, which he adornedwith the spoilsof
paidhis adorationsto the sun;as if that move- that barbarian,placing everypart of hisarma
menthad beenmade,not by accident,but de- in handsome order. When the procession be
sign,for the Romansalwaysturn roundwhen gan to move, he mountedhis chariot,which
theyworshipthe gods. Upon the point of en- wasdrawnby four horses,and passed through
gaging, he vowed to Jupiter Feretrius the the city with the trophy on his shoulders,
choicest of the enemy's arms. In the mean- which was the nobles', ornament of the whole
time, the king of the Gauls spied him, and triumph. The army followed,clad in elegant
judgingby the ensignsof authoritythathewas armour,and singing odes composedfor that
the consul,he setspursto his horse,and ad- occasion,andother songsof triumph,in honor
vanceda considerablewaybeforetherest,bran- of Jupiterandtheir general.
dishinghisspear,and loudly challenginghim When he cameto the templeof JupiterFt-
to the combat. He was distinguishedfrom retriiLS,he set up andconsecrated the trophy,
the restof the Gaulsby his slature,as well as beingthe third and last general,who as yet
by his armour,which, beingset off with gold has beenso gloriouslydistinguished. The
andsilver, andthe most lively colours,shone first wasRomulus,after he had slainAcron,
like lightning. As Marcelluswasviewingthe king of the Casninenses; CorneliusCossut,
disposition of the enemy's forces, he cast his who slew Volumnius the Tuscan, was the sec-
eyes upon this rich suit of armour, andcon- ond;andthe thirdandlastwasMarcellus,who
cluding that in it his vow to Jupiter would be killed with his own handViridomarus, king of
accomplished, he rushed upon the Gaul, and the Gauls. The god to whom these spoilswere
piercedhis breast-plate
with his spear,which devoted,was Jupiter, surnamcdFeretrius,
stroke,togetherwith the weightand forceof (as somesay)fromtheGreekword Pheretron,
the consul'shorse,broughthim to the ground, whichsignifiesa car, for the trophywasborne
* TheRomans
werebcsieein^
Acerrse,
andthe " During
theabsence
ofMarcellus,
Acerne
hadbeen
Crauh wentto relieveit; butfindingthemselves
una- takenbvhis colleagueScipio,who fromthence had
bleto dothat,theypassed thePowith partof their marched*
lo investMediol&num, or Milan.
triny.andlaidurgetoClastidium lomake;idiversion. t Comum, also,
anothercityof great
impoilance,
lur.
Foh/b.I. fi. rendered.Thui allItaly,fromtheAlp§to belouai
t Livy placetthi>townin LiguriaMontana. tea,becameentirelyRoman.
 MARCELLUS. 219

onittcha carriage,
andtheGreeklanguage
at Hannibal's
soldiers,
elatedwiththeirvictory
that time wasmuch mixedwith the JLatin. grew careless,
and,sfagglmgfrom the campj
Otherssay,Jupiter
hadthatappellation,
be-roamed
about
thecountry;
whereMarcellut
cause
hestrikeswith lightning,for theJLatinfell uponthem,and cut off greatnumbers.
wordferiresignifies
to strike. Others
againAfterthis,bewentto thereliefofNaples
and
will haveit, thatit is onaccount
of thestrokesNola. The Neapolitans heconfirmedin the
whicharegivenin battle;for evennow,whenRoman interest,
towhichtheywerethemselves
theRomans chargeor pursueanenemy, they well inclined:butwhenhe enteredNola,he
encourage eachotherbycallingoul)feri,feri, foundgreatdivisionsthere,thesenate
of that
rtrike, strikethemdown. What theytake city beingunableto restrainthecomrr.onalty
from the.enemyin the field,they call by the "whoweie attachedto Hannibal. Theie was
generalnameof spoils,but thosewhicha a citizenin this placenamedBandjus,* well
Romangeneraltakesfromthegeneralof the born and celebrated for his valour:for he
enemy,they call opime spoils. It is indeed greatly distinguishedhimself in the battle of
laid, that NumaPompiliue,in his Commenta-Cannae, where,after killing a numberof Car-
ries,makesmentionof opimespoilsof thefirst, thaginians,he was at last foundupon a heap
cecond, andthird order: that he directedthe of deaJ bodies,coveredwith wounds. Han-
first to be consecrated
to Jupiter,thesecondnibal,admiring
hisbravery,
dismissed
himnot
to Mars, and the third to Quirmus;andthat only without ransom,but with handsome pres-
the personswho took the first shouldbe re- ents, honouringhim with his friendshipand
r-ardedwith three hundredascs,the second,admission to the rightsof hospitality. Bandius,
with two hundred,andthe third,onehundred. in gratitudefor thesefavours,heartilyespoused
But the mostreceivedopinionis, that thoseof the party of Hannibal,and by his authority
the first sort onlyshouldbehonouredwith the drew the peopleon to a revolt. Marcellus
nameof opime,which a generaltakes in a thoughtit wrongto put a manto death,who
pitched
battle,whenhe
killstheenemy's
generalhad gloriouslyfoughtthe battlesof Rome-
with his ownhand. But enoughof thismatter. Besides, the generalhadsoengaginga manner
The Romansthoughtthemselves so happy grafteduponhis nativehumanity,that hecould
in thegloriousperiodput to thiswar,that they hardlyfail of attractingthe regardsof a manol
made an offeringto Apollo at Delphi, of a a greatandgenerous spirit. Oneday,Bandiui
golden cup in testimonyof their gratitude: happeningto salutehim, Marcellusaskedwho
they also liberally sharedthe spoilswith the he 'vas; not that he was a strangerto his
confederate cities,and madea very handsomeperson,but that hemight havean opportunity
presentout of themto Hiero,king of Syracuse,to introducewhat he had to say. Beingtold
their friendandally. his namewasLucius Bandius,"What!" says
Some time after this, Hannibalhaving en- Marcellus,in seemingadmiration," thsi Ban-
tered Italy, Marcellus was sent with a fleet to dius who has been so much talkul of in Rome
Sicily. The war continuedto rage,and that for his gallantbehaviour
at Cannae,
whoindeed
unfortunateblow was receivedat Canns,by wasthe onlyroanthatdid not abandon the con-
whichmanythousands of Romansfell. The sul JEmilius,but receivedin hisown bodymost
few that escaped fled to Canusium; and it of the shafts that were aimed at him!" Ban-
was expected that Hannibal, who had thus de- dius eaying hewas the very person,and shesving
stroyed the strength of the Roman forces, some of his scars, " Why then," replied Mar-
would march directly to Rome. Hereupon, cellus," whenyou boreaboutyou suchmarks
Marcellus first sent fifteen hundred of his men of your regard for us, dirt not you come to ua
to guard the city, and aAerwards, by order of one of the first? Do we seem to you slow to
the senate, he went to Canuaium, drew out reward the virtut of a friend, who is honoured
the troops that had retired thither, and march- even by his enemies."' After this obliging dis-
ed at theirheadto keepthe countryfrombeing course,he embracedhim, and made him a
ravagedby the enemy. present of a war horse, and five hundred
The wars had by this time carried off" the drachmas in silver.
chiefof the Romannobility, andmostof their From this time Bandiuswasvery cordially
best officers. Still, indeed, there remained attached to Marcellus, and constantly informed
FabiusMaximus,a man highly respectedfor him of the proceedings
of the oppositeparty,
hisprobityandprudence;but hisextraordinarywho were very numerous,and who had re-
attentionto the avoidingof loss passedfor solved,whenthe Romansmarchedout against
want of spirit and incapacity for action. The the enemy, to plunder their biggage. Here-
Romans,therefore,consideringhim as a prop- uponMarcelJusdrew up his forcesin orderof
er person for the defensive, but not the offen- battle within the city, placed the baggagenear
sive part of war, had recourseto Marcellus; the gates,and publishedan edict, forbidding
and wisely tempering his boldnessand activity the inhabitants to appearuponthe wails. Han-
with the slowandcautiousconductof Fabius, nibal seeingno hostileappearance,
concluded
they sometimes appointed them consuls to- that every thing was in great disorder it th«
gether, and sometimes sent out the one in the city, and therefore he approachedit with little
qnality of Consul, and the other in that of Pro- precaution. At this moment Marcellus com
consul. Posidonius tells us, that Fabius was manded the gate that wae next him to bt
called the buckler, and Marcellus the sword: opened,and sallying out with the best of hit
butHannibalhimselfsaid,"He stoodin fearof cavalry,he chargedthe enemyin front. Soon
Fabiusashisschoolmaster,
and of Marcellusafterthe infantryrushedout at anothergate,
as his adversary:for he receivedhurt fromthe with loud shouts. And while Hannibal wa»
litter, andthe formerpreventedhis doinghurt dividinghis forces,to opposethesetwo partial
hinuelf." * Or
S20 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

* third gatewas opened,and the rest of the after the battle,»abovethree hundredhorse,
Romantroopsissuingout,attackedthe enemy Spaniards andNumidians,cameover to Mar
on another side, who were greatly disconcert' cellus. A misfortune which never before hap
ed at suchan unexpected
sally, andwho made pencd to Hannibal; for thoughhis army was
but a faint resistance against those with whom collected from several barbarous nations, dif-
they were first engaged,by reason of their ferentbothin their mannersandtheir language,
beingfallen uponby anotherbody. yet he had a long time preserveda perfect
Then it was that Hannibal'smen, struck unanimitythroughoutthewhole. This bodyof
with terror,andcoveredwith wounds,first gave horseevercontinuedfaithful to Marcellus,and
back before the Romans, and were driven to those that succeededhim in the command.!
their camp. Abovefive thousandof themare Marcellus,beingappointedconsulthe third
said to have been slain, whereas of the Ro- time, passedover into Sicily.} For Hannibal's
mansthere fell not more than five hundred. greatsuccess hadencouraged theCarthaginians
Livy doesnot, indeed,makethis defeatand againto supporttheir claimto that island:and
losson the Carthaginiansideto havebeenso they did it the rather, becausethe affairsof
considerable;he only affirmsthat Marcellus Syracusewere in some confusionuponthe
gainedgreathonourby thisbattle,andthat the deathof Hieronymus§its sovereign. On this
courageof the Romanswas "wonderfullyre- accountthe Romanshadalreadysentanarmy
storedafter all their misfortunes,who now no thitherunderthecommand of AppiusClaudius.||
longer believedthat they had to do with an The command devolvinguponMarcellus,he
enemythat was invincible,but onewho was wasno soonerarrived in Sicily, than a great
liable to suffer in his turn. number of Romans came to throw themselves
For this reason,thepeoplecalledMarcellus, at his feet,andrepresentto him their distress
thoughabsent,to fill the place of one of the Of thosethatfoughtagainstHannibalat Canm,
consuls* who was dead, and prevailed, against some escapedby flight, and others were taken
the senseof the magistrates, to have the elec- prisoners; the latter in such numbers, that it
tion put off till his return. Upon his arrival, was thoughtthe Romansmustwant men to
he was unanimously chosenconsul; but it hap- defend the walls of their capital. Yet that com
peningto thunderat that time, the augurssaw monwealthhadsomuchfirmnessandelevation
that the omenwas unfortunate;and,as they of mind, that thoughHannibal offeredto re-
did not chooseto declareit such,for fear of leasethe prisonersfor a very inconsiderable
the people,! Marcellus voluntarily laid down ransom,they refused it by a public act, and left
the office. Notwithstandingthis, he had the them to be put to deathor sold out of Italy.
commandof the army continuedto him in As for thosethat had savedthemselvesby
quality of Proconsul, and returned immediate- flight, they sent them into Sicily, with an order
ly to Nola,fromwhencehe madeexcursionsto not to setfooton Italian groundduringthewar
chastise those that had declared for the Car- with Hannibal. These came to Marcellus in a
thaginians. Hannibal made haste to their as- body, and falling on their knees, beggedwith
sistance, and offered him battle, which he loud lamentations and floods of tears, the fa-
declined. But somedaysafter, when he saw vour of beingadmitted againinto the army,
that Hannibal, no longer expecting a battle, promising to make it appear by their future
had sent out the greatest part of his army to
plunder the country, he attacked him vigour- * Livy makes them a thousand two hundred and
ously,
having
firstprovided
thefootwithlongseventy-two. Itisone
read in this place, therefore probable
thousand that
we
three hundred should
horse.
Bpears,suchas they use in sea-fights,which f Marcellus beatHannibal
athirdlimebeforeNola
they were taughtto hurl at the CarthaginiansandhadClaudius Nero,whowassentout to takea
at a distance,who, for their part, were not circuitandattacktheCarthaginians
in therear,come
skilledin the use of the javelin,and only upin time,thatdaywouldprobably
havemade
re-
fought
handtohand
withshort
swords.
For prisalsforsecond
J In the thelosssustained
year atCannzR.
of the hundredLto.
andI.*xiv. 17.
forty-first
this reasonall that attemptedto make head Olympiad,
thefivehundred
andthirty-ninthof Rome.
against the Romans,were obliged to give way, andtwo hundredandtwelveyearsbeforethebirth of
andfly in greatconfusion,leavingfivethousandChrist.
menslainuponthefieldjt besides
the lossof § Hieronymus
wasmurdered
byhisownsubjects
at
Leontium, the conspiratorshaving prevailed on Dino-
four elephantskilled, and two taken. What manes,one of his guards, to favour their attack. He
was of still greaterimportance,the third day wasthesonof Gelo,andthegrandson of Hiero. Hil
father Gelo died first, and afterwards his grandfather,
* This was Posthumius Albinus, who was cut off being ninety years old ; and Hieronymus, who wasnot
* 'Hi allhis army,bytheBoii, in a vastforest,calledby then fifteen,wasslainsomemonthsafter. Thesethree
the Gaulstheforestof Litana. It seemstheyhadcut deaths happened towardsthelatterendof theyeir ilia!
all the treesnearthe roadhewas to pass,in sucha preceded Marccllus'sthird consulate.
manner
that theymightbetumbleduponhil army [IAppius
Claudius,
whowassentintoSicily,inqual-
v>nli theleastmotion. ity of praetor,wastherebeforethe deathof Hitronj-
mus. That young prince, having a turn for raillery,
t Marcellus was a plebeian, as was alsohis colleague
SempraniiU)
andthepatricians,
unwilling
tosettwo onlylaughed attheRoman ambassadors: " 1willask
plebeians
Consuls
atthesametime,influencedtheyou," saidhe," butonequestion : Whowere coa-
augurs
topronounce
theelection
ofMarcellus
disa-q ucrors at Cannae, you or the Carthaginians? I am
told such surprising things of that battle, that I should
greeable
to thegods.Butthepeople wouldnothave
in the declarationof the augurs,had not begladto knowalfthcparticulars
acquiesced of it." Andagain,
Marccllus shewed himself on this occasion as zealous a " Let the Romansrestore all the gold, the corn, and
the other presents,that they drew from my grandfather,
republican as he was a great commander,and refused and consent that the river Himera be the common
that honour which had not the sanction of all his fel-
low-citizens. boundary between us,andI will renewtheancient
treaties wilh them." Some writers are of opinion, that
{ On the Romansidetherewasno*a thousandkill- the Romanpraetorwasnot entirelyunconcerned
in ft
ed. Liv. lib. «iii- c. 46. plotwhichwassousefulto hisrepublic.
 MARCELLUS. 221

behaviour,
thatthatdefeatwasowingtotheir mecha.iicg,
abranch
of knowledge
whichcame
misfortune,
andnottotheircowardice. Mar- afterwards
tobesomuchadmired,
wereEu
cellua,
moved withcompassion, wroteto the doxus
andArchytas,
whothusgaveavariety
"enate,
desiring
leaveto recruithiearmywith andanagreeable
turnto geometry,
andcon-
theseeiiles,asheshould
findoccasion.After firmedcertain
problemsbysensible
experiments
muchdeliberation,the senatesignifiedby a and theuseof instruments,
whichcouldnot
decree,
" Thatthecommonwealth
hadnoneedbedemonstrated
in thewayoftheorem.Thai
of the service of cowards: that Marcellus, problem, for example, of two mean propor-
however,mightemploythemif he pleased,but tional lines,which cannotbefoundout geoine
oncondition
that hedidnotbestowuponany trically,andyetare sonecessary
for thesolu
of themcrowns,or other honoraryrewards." tion of other questions, theysolvedmechani-
This decreegaveMarcellus someuneasiness, cally, by ths assistance
of certaininstrument*
andafterhe returned from the war in Sicily, called mesotabes, taken from conic sections.
he expostulated
with the senate,and com-ButwhenPlatoinveighed againstthem,with
plained,
" Thatfor all hisservices
theywouldgreatindignation,
as corrupting
anddebasing
not allow him to rescuefrom infamythoseun- the excellenceof geometry,by makingher
fortunate citizens." descend from incorporeal and intellectual to
His first care,after he arrivedin Sicily,was corporealandsensiblethings,andobligingher
to makereprisalsfor the injury receivedfrom to makeuse of matter,which requiresmuch
Hippocrates, the Syracusatigeneral,who, to manual labour, and is the object of servile
gratify the Carthaginians, and by their meanstrades; then mechanicswere separatedfrom
to set himself up tyrant, had attackedthe geometry,and beinga long time despisedby
Romans,andkilled greatnumbersof them,in the philosopher, were consideredas a branch
the district of I^eontium. Marcellus, there- of the military art.
fore, laid sic§eto that city, and took it by Be that as it may, Archimedesone day
itonn, but did no harmto the inhabitants;only assertedto king Hiero, whosekinsmanand
iuch deserters as he found there he ordered to friend he was, this proposition, that with a
be beaten with roda, and then put to death. given power he could move any given weight
Hippocratestook careto give the Syracusanswhatever}nay,it is said,fromthe confidence
the first notice of the taking of Leontium, as- he had in hia demonstration, he ventured to
suring them at the same time, that Marcellus affirm, that if there was another earth besides
badput to the owordall that wereableto bear this we inhabit,by goinginto that, he would
arms; and while they were under great con- move this wherever he pleased. Hiero, full of
sternation at this news, he camesuddenlyupon wonder, beggedof him to evince the truth of
the city, and madehimself master of it. Ins proposition, by moving some great weight
Hereupon Marcellus marchedwith his whole with a small power. In compliance with
army, and encampedbefore Syracuse. But which, Archimedescausedone of the kill's
before he attempted any thing against it, he galleys to be drawn on shorewith many lnoJs
sent ambassadorswith a true account of what and much labour; and having well miuaed
he had done at Leontium. As this information her, and put on board her usual loading, he
had no effectwith the Syracusans,
who were placedhimself at a distance,and without Any
entirely in the power of Hippocrates,* he pains, only moving with hie hand the end of a
madehis attacksboth by seaandland, Appius machine,whichconsistedof a varietyof ropea
Claudiuscommandingthe land forces,and him- and pulleys, he drew her to him in as smooth
self the fleet, which consistedof sixty galleys, and gentle a manner aa if she had bt«n under
of five banksof oars,full of all sortsof arms sail. The king, quite astonished
wb*n hesaw
and missive weapons. Besides these, he had the force of his art, prevailed with Archimedes
a prodigiousmachine,carried uponeight gal- to make for him all mannerof enginesand
leys fastenedtogether, with which he ap- machines whichcouldbe used,eitherfor attack
proachedthe walls,relying uponthe number or defence,in a siege. These, however,he
of hisbatteries,
andotherinstruments
of war, nevermadeuseof, the greatestpart of his
ts well as on his own great character. But reignbeingblessedwith irs&quilltty", but they
Archimedes despised al! this; andconfidedin were extremelyserviceableto the Syracuaans
the superiorityof his engines*thoughhe did on the presentoccasion,who with sucha num-
not think the inventingof themanobjectwor- berof machines,hadtheinventorto directthem.
thyof his serious
studies,but only reckoned WhentheRomans
attackedthem,both,by,
them among the amusements
of geometry.sea and land, they vvetestruck dumb with
Nor hadhe goneBOfar,but at the pressingterror,imagining
theycouldnotpossibly
resist
instances
of king Hiero, who entreatedhim to suchnumerous
forcesandeofuriousan assault
turnhisart fromabstracted
notions
to mattersBut Archimedes
soonbeganto playhis en-
of sense,and to make his reasoningsmore gines,andtheyshotagainsttheland force*all
intelligible to the generalityof mankind,ap- uorts of missiveweaponsand stonesof aa
plying their,to the usesof commonlife. enormoussize,with so incrediblea noiseand
The first that turnedtheir thoughts
to rapidity,
thatnothing
couldstand
before
them;
they overturnedand crushedwhatevercame
* Hleronymufl bnngassassinated, andthe common- in their way, and spread terrible disorder
wealth restored,Hippocrates andEpycider, Hannibal'sthroughoutthe ranks. Onthesidetowardsthe
tgeub, being ol ?>)r;icu»anextraction, hail the address
to get themsclvfj admitted into the number of praetors. seawereerectedvastmachines,puttingforthoa
hi consequence of which,theyfoundmraiisto embroil a sudden,over the walls,hugebeams with the
theSyracusanswithRome,111
sj-itcoftheopposition necessarytackle,which,strikingwitha prodi-
"finchofthepraters
aihailDiei iterciloftheircouu-giousforceontheenemy's galleys,sunkthem
rj atheart.
a
at once:whileothership)hoistedup at tht
 222 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

prowsby iron grapplesor hooks*like the theywereat name

distance,
jtber sliaAs
beaksof cranes,and set on end on the stem, shotat them,iu their retreat,from the larger
were plunged to the bottom of the sea: and machines, which made terrible havoc among
others again by ropes and grapples,were them,as well as greatlydamagedtheir ship-
drawn towards the shore, and after being ping,without any possibilityof their annoying
whirled about, and dashed against the rocks the Syracusansin their turn. For Archimedei
that projectedbelowthe walls, were broken hadplacedmostof his enginesundercovertof
to pieces,and the crews perished- Very often the walls; so that the Romans,being infinitely
a ship lifted high above the sea, suspendeddistressedby an invisible enemy,seemedto
and twirling in the air, presented a most tight againstthe gods.
dreadful spectacle. There it swung till the Marcellus, however, got off, and laughedat
men were thrown out by the violenceof the his own artillery-men,andengineers. "Why
motion,and then it split againstthe walls,or do not we leave off contending,"said be,
"unk, onthe engine'slettinggo itshold. As for " with thismathematical
Briareus,who,sitting
the machinewhichMarcellusbroughtforward on the shore,andactingas it were but in jest,
uponeight galleys,andwhichwascalledsam- hasshamefullybaffledour navalassault;and,
buca, on account of its likeness to the musical in striking us with such a multitude of bolts at
instrument of that name, whilst it was at a once, exceedseven the hundred-handedgianti
considerable distance from the walls, Archi- in the fable?" And, in truth, all the rest of
medesdischargeda stone of ten talents weight,! the Syracusanswere no more than the bodyin
and after that a second and a third, all which the batteries of Archimedes, while he himself
"Iriking upon it with an amazing noise and was the informing sou). All other weapon*
force, shattered and totally disjointed it. lay idle and unemployed; his were the only
MarceDus, in this distress,drew off his gal- offensive and defensive arms of the city. At
leysas fast as possible,and sentordersto the lastthe Romanswereso terrified,thatif they
land forces to retreat likewise. He then called saw but a rope or a suck put over the walls,
a council of war, in which it was resolved tu they cried out that Archimedes was levelling
come close to the walls, if it was po°-,ble, some machine at them, and turned their backi
next morning before day. For Archinvdes's and fled. Marcellus seeing this, gave up all
engines, they thought, being very strong, and thoughts of proceeding by assault,and leaving
intended to act at a considerable distance, the matter to time, turned the siege into i
would then discharge themselves over their blockade.
heads; and if they were pointed at them when Yet Archimedes had such a depth of under-
they were so near, they would have no effect. standiig, such a dignity of sentiment,and so
But for this Archimedes had long been pre- copious a fund of mathematical knowledge,
pared, having by him engines fitted to all dis- that, though in the invention of thesemachine*
tances, with suitable weapons and shorter he gained the reputation of a man endowed
beams. Besides, he had caused holes to be with divine, rather than human knowledge,yet
made in the walls, in which heplacedscorpions, he did not vouchsafeto leave any accountof
that did not carry far, but could be very fast them in writing. For he consideredall atten-
discharged; and by these the enemywas galled, tion to mtcfianics, and every art that ministers
without knowingwhencethe weaponcame. to common uses, as mean and sordid,and
When, therefore, the Romans were got placed his whole delight in those intellectual
close to the walls, undiscovered as they speculations, which, without any relation to
thought,'theywere welcomedwith a shower the necessities of life, havean intrinsicexcel-
of darts,andhugepiecesof rocks,whichfell as lencearisingfromtruth anddemonstration only.
it were perpendicularlyupon their heads;for Indeed,if mechanical knowledge is ?a!uab)efor
the enginesplayed from everyquarter of the the curiousframeandamazingpowerof those
walls. This obliged them to retire; and when machines which it produces,the other infinJlo-
* What
mostharassed
theRomans
wasa sortof lyexcelsonaccount
ofitsinvincible
force
and
crow\vith(woclaws,
fastened
toa toogchain,
whichconviction.And certainit is, thatabstruse
wasletdownbya kindof lever. Theweightof Ihe and profoundquestionsin geometry,areno
ironmadeit fall withgreatviolence,
anddroveit into where solved by a more simpleprocess
and
theplanks
of thegalleys.Thenthebesieged,
bya uponclearerprinciples,
thanin thewritings
of
greatweightof leadat the otherendof the lever,Archimedes. Someascribethisto theacute-
weighedit down,and consequently
raisedupthe iron
ofthecrowinproportion,
andwithit theprowofthenessof hisgenius,
andothers
to hisindefati-
gallrytowhich
it was
fastened,
sinking thepoopat gableindustry,
bywhichhemade things
that
thesame
timeinto thewater. After this, the crow cost a great deal of pains,appearunlaboured
lettinggoitsholdallonasudden, Iheprowofthegal- andeasy. In fact,it is almostimpossible
ley fen with such force into the sea, that the whole
for
Tes'rl was filled with water and sunk. a man, of himself, to find out the demonatratroi
t It isnoteasy
toconceive,
howIhemachines
form-ofhispropositions,
butassoon
ashehag
learn-
edbyArchimedes
couldthrowstones
of tenquintals
ed it from him,hewill think he couldhave
or talents,thatis,twelvehundredandfifty pounds'done it without assistance:eucha readyand
weijht, a( (lit shipsof Marcellus,whentheywereat easyway doeshe leadusto whathewantsto
a considerabledistance from the walls. The account
which
Polybius
gives
us,
ismuch
more
probable.
Heprove.
Wearenot,
therefore,
toreject
asin-
tays,
thatthestones
thatwere
thrown
bythebalista
credible,
whatisrelated
of him,thattiding
per-
maue
byArchimedes,
wereof theweight
of tenpounds.petuallycharmedby a domesticsyren,thatu,
Livyseemsto agreewithPolybius. Indeed, if we hisgeometry,heneglectedhismeatanddrink,
suppose
that
hundredandPlutarchdidnot
twenty-five mean
pounds, the
but talent
the of an
talent of and tookno careof hisperson;that hewii
Sicily, which somesayweighedtwenty-file pounds,oftencarried by force to the baths,andwhen
andothers
onlyten,hisaccount
comes
mor«
within there,hewouldmakemathematical
figures
IB
Iff 6ounci»
of probability. the ashes,and with n« finger drew lines upo»
 MARCELLUS. 223

hi»1>oxty,
wricnit was
anointed:
eomuch wasvidedbywallsfromtherestof thecity,one
hetransported
withintellectual
delight,
suchpart
of whichwas calledNeapolis,andtha
anenthusiast
in science.Andthoughhewas otherTyche.Theenterprise
thusprospering,
theauthor
ofmany curious
and
excellent
disco-Marcellus,
atdaybreak,
moved downfromthe
veries,
yetheissaidtohavedesired
hisfriendsHexapylumintothecity,wherehewascon-
onlyto place
onhistombstonea cylindercon-gratulated
byhisofficers
onthegreatevent.*
taining
a sphere,"
andtosetdownthepropor-Butit issaid,thathehimself,whenhesurvey-
tionwhichthecontainingsolidbearsto the edfromaneminence thatgreatandmagnifi-
contained.Suchwas Archimedes, who ex- centcity,shedmanytears,in pity of its im-
ertedall his skill to defendhimselfand the pending1
fate,reflectingintowhata scene of
townagainst
theRomans. misery
anddesolation
itsfairappearance
would
Duringthe siegeof Syracuse,
Marcellus
bechanged,
whenit cameto besacked and
wentagainst Megara,oneof themostancientplundered bythesoldiers.For thetroopsde-
citiesof Sicily,andtookit. Healsofellupon manded theplunder,and notone of the offi-
H.f Derates,ashewasentrenching himselfat cersdurstoppose it. Manyeveninsistedthat
AcrilliE,andkilledabove eightthousand of his thecity shouldbe burnedandlevelledwith
men.f Nay,he overranthegreatest partof theground;but to this Marcellusabsolutely
Sicily,broughtoverseveralcitieafrom the refusedhisconsent.It waswithreluctance
Carthaginian interest,and beat all that at- that he gaveup the effectsand the slaves;
tempted to facehimin thefield. and he strictly chargedthe soldiersnot to
Sometimeafter,whenhereturnedto Syra- touchanyfreemanor woman,not to kill or
cuse,hesurprised oneDamippus, a Spartan,as abuse, or makea slaveof anycitizenwhat-
hewaasailing out of the harbour;andthe Sy- ever.
tacusans
beingverydesirousto ransom
him, But thoughheactedwithsomuchmodera-
severalconferences were heldaboutit; in one tion, the city had hardermeasurethan he
of whichMarcellustook noticeof a towerbut wished,andamidstthe greatandgeneraljoy,
slightlyguarded,into whicha numberof men his soul sympathized with its sufferings,when
mightbeprivatelyconveyed,the wall that led he consideredthat.IDa few hoursthe prosper-
to it, beingeasyto be scaled. As they often ity of such a flourishingstate would be no
met to confer at the foot of this tower, he more. It is evensaid,that the plunderof Sy-
madea goodestimateof its height, and pro- racusewag as rich as that of Carthageafter
videdhimself with properscalingladders,and it.f For the rest of the city was soon be-
observingthat on the festival of Diana, the trayedto the Romans,andpillaged: only the
Syracusansdrank freely and gave a looseto royal treasurewaspreserved, and carried into
mirth, he not only possessed himself of the the publictreasuryat Rome.
tower, undiscovered,but before day light filled
the walls of that quarter with soldiers,and * Epipolswasentered
in thenight,andTychenext
forcibly enteredthe Hexapyluin. The Syracu- morning. Epipolz was encompassed
with the sam«
sans, as soonas they perceivedit, beganto wall as Orlygia,Achradina, Tyche,andNeapolis;
had iu own citadel, called Euryalum, on the top of a
move about in great confusion; but Marcellus steeprock;andwas,aswemaysay,a fifth city.
ordering all the trumpets to sound at once, t The siegeof Syracure lasted in the whole three
they were seizedwith consternation,
andbe- years;nosmallpartof whichpassed
afterMarcelluj
took themselveato flight, believing that the enteredTyche. As Plutarchhasrun soslightly over
wholecity waslost. However,the Achradina, thesubsequent
events,
it maynot be amissto givea
whichwasthe strongest,
themostextensive,summary detail
Epicydts, ofhad
who themfrom
his Livy.
headouarters'inthe farthest
and fairest part of it, waa not taken, being di- part of Ortygia, hearing that the Romans had seized
on Epipolaeaod Tyche, went to drive them from their
* Cicero,wheuhe wasquxstorin Sicily,discoveredposts: but findirvgmuch greater numbersthan h«
thismonument,
andshewed
it totheSyracusans,
who expected
gotintothetown,aftera slightskirmish,
he
incw not that it wasin being. He saystherewere retired. Marcellus,to destroythe city, tried gentle
versesinscribeduponit, expressing
thata cylinderand methodswith the inhabitants;bulthe Syracusans
re-
a sphere
hadbeen
put uponthetoinb;theproportionjectedhisproposals;
andiheirgeneral
appointed
theRo-
betweenwhichtwosolids,Archimedesfirst discovered.mandeserters
to guardAchradina,whichtheydid wiih
From the deathof this great mathematician,which extremecare,knowing,that if thetown were taken
felloutintheyearof Rome fivehundred
andfurty-two,bycomposition,theymustdie. Marcellus
thenturned
to thequxstorship of Cicero,whichwasin the year hisarmsagainstthe fortress
of Euryalum,
whichhe
of Rome, six hundredandseventy-eight,
a hundred1hoped to reduceina shorttimeby famine.Philode-
andtbirty-sii yearswereelapsed. Thoughtimehad {inus,who commanded there, kept him in play some
not quite obliteratedthecylinder and the sphere,it time,in hopeof succoursfrom Hippocratesand Hi-
badput an end to thelearningof Syracuse,onceso milco; but findinghimselfdisappointed, hesurrender-
respectablein therepublicof letters. edthe place,on conditionof beingallowedto march
f Himilcohadentered theport of Heraclea
witha outwithhismen,andjoinEpicidcs.Marcellus,now
numerous fleetsentfromCartilage,
andlandedtwenty masterof Euryalum,blockedup Achradinasoclose,
thousandfoot,threethousandhone,andtwelveele- thatit couldnot holdout longwithoutnewsuppl:e»
phant*.Hisforces wereDOsooner setashore,
than of menandprovisions.ButHippocratesandHimilco
le marched
against
Agrigentum,
which
heretook
fromsoon
arrived;andit wasresolved
thatHippocrates
the Romans,
with severalolhercitieslatelyreducedby shouldattacktheold campof theRomauswithouttho
Marcellus.Hereupon theSyracusan garrison,which walls,commandedbyCrispinus,whileEpicydes.'allied
wasyetentire,determined to tendout Hippocrates outuponMarcellus.Hippocrates wasvigorouslyre-
withten thousandfoot,andfiAcenhundredhorse,to pulsed byCrispinus,
whopursued him upto hisen-
join Himilco. Marcellus, alter havingmadea vaio trenchments,andEpicyde.'wasforcedto returninto
lUrmptuponAgrigentum, wasreturningto Syracuse.Achradinawithgreatloss,
anilnarrowlyescapedbeing
AshedrewnearAcrillae, heunexpectedlydiscovered takenprisoner
byMarcellus. Theunfortunate Sym-
Hippocrates
busyin fortifyinghiscamp,fell uponhim cu-ians
werenowin thegreatest distress
for wantof
b»
forehehadtimetodrawuphisarmy,
a&dcuteight provisions;
andtocomplete
theirmisery,
a plague
thouKud
ofthem
inpiecei. broke
outamong
them;
ofwhich
Himilco
HidHippo-
224 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

But whatmostof all afflictedMarcellus,was gara,and Syracusewere treatedharshly,tna

the unhappyfate of Archimedes;
who wag blame
of thatseverity
wasrathertobecharged
at that tune in his study, engagedin some onthe sufferersthemselves,
than ou thosewho
mnthematical researches',and his mind, as chastisedthem.
well as his eye, waeso intent upon his dia- I shall mentionone of the many instance*
gram, that he neither heardthe tumultuous of this greatman's moderation. There is in
noisi' of the Romans,nor perceivedthat the Sicily a town called Enguium,not large,in-
city was taken. A soldier suddenlyentered deed,but veryancient,andcelebratedfor the
his room,and orderedhim to follow him to appearance of the goddessescalled the .Mb-
Marcellus; andArchimedesrefusingto do it, thcra.* The temple is said to have licen
till he had finishedhis problem,and brought built by the Cretans,and they shew some
his demonstration to bear, the soldier, in a spearsand brazen helmets, inscribed with the
jiassion, drew his sword and killed him. namesof Meriones and Ulysses,who conse-
Others say, the soldier came up to him at first crated them to those goddesses. This town
with a drawn sword to kill him, and Archime- was strongly inclined to favour the Cartha-
despercr-ivinghivn,beggedhe would hold his ginians;but Ntcias, one of its pnncipal in-
handa moment,that he might not leave his habitants,endeavoured to persuadethemto
theoremimperfect;but the soldier,neitherre- go over to the Romans,declaringhis senti-
gardinghim nor his theorem,laid him deadat ments freely in their public assemblies,
and
his feet. A third account of the matter is, proving that his opposers consulted not their
that, as Archimedeswas carrying in a box true interests. These men, fearing his au-
sunn mathematicalinstrumentsto Marcellus, thority and the influenceof his character,
re-
as sundials,spheres,andquadrants,by which solvedto carry him off and put him in the
the eye might measure the magnitude of the hands of the Carthaginians. Nicias, ap-
Bun, some soldiers met him, and imagining prised of it, took measures
for his security,
that there was gold in the box, took away his without seeming to do so. He publicly gave
life for it. It is agreed,however, on all hands, out unbecoming speechesagainsttheMctheri,
that Marcellus was much concerned at his as if he disbelieved and made light of the re
death; that he turned away his face from ceived opinionconcerningthe presenceof
his murderer, as from an impious and ex- those goddesses there. Meantime, his ene-
ecrable person; and that having by enquiry mies rejoiced that he himself furnished them
found out his relations, he bestowedupon them with sufficient reasons for the worst they
many signal favours. could do to him. On the day which theyhad
Hitherto the Unmans had shewn other na- fixed for seizing him, there happened be an
tions their abilities to plan, andtheir courage assemblyof the people,andNiciaswasIEthe
to execute, but they had given them no proof midst of them, treating about some public
of their clemency, their humanity, or, in one business. But on a sudden he threw him-
word, of their political virtue. Marcellus self upon the ground, in the midst of hi*
eeemsto have been the first who made it ap- discourse, and, after, having laid there some
pear, to the Greeks,that the Romans had time without speaking,as if he had beenin
greater regard to equity than they. For such a trance, he lifted up his head, and turning
was his goodness to those thataddressed him, it round,beganto speakwith a feeble,tremb-
and so manybenefitsdidhe conferuponcities, ling voice, which he raisedby degrees:and
as well as private persons,that if Enna, Mc- when he saw the whole assemblystruck
dumb with horror, he threw of his mantle,tore
cratcfldied,with manythousandsmore. Hereupon, his vest in pieces, and rail half naked to one
Eomilcar
sailed
U>Carthage
again
furfresh
supplies;
of thedoorsof thetheatre,
cryingoutthat
andrelumedto Sicilywithalargefleet;buthearinghe was pursuedby the Mothers. From a
of thegreat preparation*of the Romansat sea,and scruple of religion no one durst touch or stop
probably fearing theevent ofabattle, heunexpectedly him; all, therefore,makingway,hereached
ttecred away. Epicydes, who was gone out to meet
Uiffi, was afraid to return into a city half taken, and oneof thecity gates,though
henolonger
used
»udtherefore
fledforrefuge
toAgrigentum.
TheSy-anywordoraction,
likeonethatwasheaven
racu&ansthenassassinated thegovernors lift byEpicy-struckanddistracted.His wife,whowasin
dcs,andproposed tosubmit toMarcellus. Forwhichthesecret,andassistedin thestratagem,
took
purpose llieysentdeputies, whoweregraciously re- herchildren,andwentandproscraled
ceived. But the garrison, which consisted of Unman
herself
deserters
andmercenaries,
raising
fresh
disturbances,
asa supplicant
before
thealtarofthegod-
killedtheofficers
appointed
byflic Syracu?ans,
anddesses.
Thenpretending
thatshewasgoing
cliu-fsixnewones
oftheirown. Among
these
wasa to seek her husband,
who was wandering
Spaniard
named
Meiicus,a manof greatintegrity.aboutin the fields,shemet with noopposition,
who,disapproving
ofthecruelties
ofhisparty,
deter-butgotsafeoutof thetown;andsobothof
mined
anceoftogiveup
which, thepretences
underplacetoMarccllus.Inpursu-
(f greatercarethan themescaped
toMarcellus
at Syracuse.
Th«
ordinary,
hedesired
thateach
governor
might
lia\epeople
of Enguium
added
many
other
insulti
«tesole
direction
inhisownquarter
; which
gave
himandmisdemeanours
to theirpastfaults,
Mai*
"n opportunity
to openthegateof Arethusa
to the celluscame,and hadthemloadedwith irons,
B .imaiigeneral.AndnowNfarcellus,being atlengthin orderto punishthem-
ButNiciasapproached
become master
oftheunfaithful
city,gave
sienal proofshim with tearsin his eyes,andkissinguil
of his cUmcncy and good-nature. He sufltntl the
lli inHIdiwrlers
toescape; forhewas unwilling
to hands andembracing hisknees,asked
pardon
ihedthebloodevenof traitors. No wonderthenif for all the citizens, andfor his enemiesfirit
he ((nine)the livesof the Syracusans
andtheir chil-
dren; ll.ou^ha»hetold lhem,thrserviceswhichgood
(ting llirfnhad rendered Rome were exceeded
bytheCiciro
" Theseare supposed tobeCybele,
mentionsa templeof Cybele
Juno,
and
Ctitt
intuit; Ih' } had ofllrid her in a I' « years.
 MARCELLUS. 225

Hereupon Marcellus,
relenting,
setthem
allat thegeneral
does
notridein atriumphal
chari-
liberty,
andsuffered
nothistroops
tocommit ot drawn
byfourhorses,
hein notcrowned
the Uastdisorder
in thecity; at the samewithlaurel,norhashetrumpetssounding
be-
timehe bestowedon Niciasa largetractof forehim,buthewalksin sandals, attended
landandmany richgifts. Theseparticularswiththemusic of many flutes,
andwearing a
welearnfromPosidonius thephilosopher. crownof myrtle,;his appearance, therefore,
Matcellus,*
afterthis,beingcalledhometo havingnothing
in it warlike,
is ratherpleasing
a war IQtheheartof Italy,carriedwith him thanformidable.This is to mea plainproof",
themoetvaluable
of thestatuesandpaintingsthat triumphsof old weredistinguished, not
in Syracuse,thattheymightembellish his bytheimportance of theachievement,butby
triumph,
andbeanornament to Rome.For themanner of itsperformance. Forthose that
before
thistime,thatcityneitherhadnorknew subdued theirenemies by fightingbattlesand
anycuriosities
of thiskind;beinga stranger spilling
much blood,entered withthatwarlike
to thecharms
of tasteandelegance.Full of anddreadful
pompof thegreater
triumph,
and,
arms taken from barbarousnations,and of as is customaryin the lustrationof an army,
bloodyspoils,andcrownedas shewaswith worecrownsof laurel,andadorned theirarm*
trophies andothermonuments of hertriumphs,withthesame. Butwhena general, -without
sheafforded nota cheerfulandpleasing spec-fighting,gainedhis point by treatyand the
tacle,fit for menbroughtupin easeandluxu- forceof persuasion, thelawdecreed him this
ry, butherlookwasawfulandsevere.And honour,calledOvation,whichhadmorethe
asEpaminondas callstheplainsof Breotiathe appearanceof a festivalthano_fwar. Forthe
orchestra, or stageof Mars, andXenophonfluteis an instrument usedin timeof peace;
saysEphesus wasthearsenalof war,so,in andthe myrtleis thetreeof Venus,who,of
in) r>inion,(to usetheexpression of Pindar,)all thedeities,is mostaverse to violenceand
one might then have styled Rome the temple war.
of frowningMARS. Now the termovationis not derived(as
ThusMarcelluswasmoreacceptable
to the mostauthorsthink) fromtheword evan,which
people,because
headorned
thecitywithcuri- is utteredin shoutsof joy, for theyhavethe
ositiesin the Greciantaste,whosevariety,as sameshoutsand songsin the other triumph;
well as elegance,was very agreeableto the but the Greekshavewrestedit to a word well
spectator.
Butthegravercitizens
preferred
knownin theirlanguage,
believing
thatthis
Fabius Maximus,who,when he took Taren- processionis intendedin some measurein
tum, broughtnothingof that kind away. The honourof Bacchus, whomtheycall Evius and
money,indeed,and other rich moveableshe Thriambus. The truth of the matteris this:
carriedoff, but he let the statuesand pictures it was customaryfor the generals,m the
remain,usingthis memorableexpression:Let greatertriumphs,to sacrificeanox; andin the
us leave the Tarentines their angry deities- lessa sheep,in Latin ovis, whencethe word
Theyblamedthe proceedings of Marcellus,in ovation. On this occasionit is worth our
the first place,as veryinvidiousfor Rome,be- while to observe,
how differentthe institutions
causehe had led not only men,but the very of the Spartan legislatorwere from thoseof
godsin triumph; and their next chargewas, the Roman, with respect to sacrifices. In
that he hadspoiled a peopleinured to agri- Sparta,the generalwho put a periodto a war
culture and war, wholly unacquaintedwith by policy or persuasion, sacrificeda bullock;
luxury and sloth, and, as Euripides saysof but he whosesuccess was owing to force of
Hercules, arms, offered only a cock. For though they
were a very warlike people, they thought it
Jn?ice
untaught,
butskill'dwhere
gloryled morehonourable,
andmoreworthyof a human
Toarduous
enterprise, being,
to succeed
byeloquence
andwisdom,
by furnishing them with an occasion of idle- than by courage and force. But this point I
nessand vain discourse;for they now began leave to be consideredby the reader.
When Marcellus was chosen consul the
to spendgreat part of the dayin disputing about
arts and artists. But notwithstanding such fourth time, the Syracusans,at the instigation
censures,this was the very thing that Marcel- of his enemies, came to Rome to accuse him,
lus valuedhimself upon,even to the Greeks and to complain to the senate, that he had
themselves, that he was the first who taught treated them in a cruel manner, and contrary
the Romans to esteem and to admire the ex- to the faith of treaties.* It happened that
quisite performances of Greece, which were Marcellus was at that time in the Capitol,
hithertounknown
to them. offeringsacrifice. The Syracusan
deputies
Finding,at his return,that his enemiesop- went immediately to the senate,who were vet
posed histriumph, andconsidering thatthesitting, andfalling ontheirknees, begged "of
war was not quite finished in Sicily, as well as them to heartheir complaints,andto do them
justice:but theotherconsul
repulsedthem
that 3. third triumphmightexposehim to the indignation, becauseMarcellus was not there with
envy of his fellow-citiiens, he so far yielded aa
to content himself with leading up the greater to defend himself.Marcellus, however, being
triumph on mount Alba, and entering Rome informed of it, camewithall possible expedi-
if ith the less. The lessis calledby the Greeks tion, and having seatedhimself in his chair of
(can, and by the Romans an ovation. In this
* TheSyracusans
werescarce arrivedatRome,be
foreIheconsuls
drewlot*for Ihcirprovinces,
andSi
* Marccllus,
before
heleftSicily,
gained
aconsidtr-
cilyfell(oMarcellus.
Thiswas
agreat
stroke
toIhe
trablc
jictoryoverEpicydetandHanuo ; heslewgrealbyracusan
bumbera,ana look many prisoners, betides cicht ele-
deputies,
andtheywould
nothave
dared
to
"hants. Lu'. lib. «T. 40. prosecutetheir charge, had not Marcellut Yoluaunli
I ottered to changethe provinces.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

"tale, first despatched

somepublic business
as After thie,MarcellusmarchedagainstHan-
consul. When that wasover,he camedown nibal. And thoughalmost all the other con
from hisscat,andwentasa privatepersonto sulsandgenerals,
afterthedefeatat Canas,
the placeappointed
for the accusedto makeavailedthemselves
of thesingleart of avoiding
their defencein, givingthe Syracusans
oppor- an engagement
with the Carthaginian,
andno*
tunityto makegoodtheir charge. But they oneof themdurstmeethimfairlyin thefield
weregreatlyconfounledto seethedignityand Marcellus tookquite a differentcourse. He
unconcernwith whichhe behaved ; and he wasof opinion,
thatinsteadof Hannibal's
being
who had beenirresistiblein arms,wasstill wornoutbylengthoftime,thestrength
ofItaly
moreawfulandterribleto beholdin his robe wouldbe insensibly
wastedbyhim; andthat
of purple. Nevertheless, encouraged by his the slow cautious maxims of Fabius were not
enemies,
they openedthe accusation
in a fit to curethemalady
of hiscountry;since,by
speech,
mingledwith lamentations,
the sumol pursuingthem,the flamesof war couldnot be
which was,"That thoughfriendsandalliesol extinguished,
until Italy wasconsumed:just as
Rome,theyhadsuffered
moredamage
from timorousphysicians
neglectto applystrong,
Marcellus,than someothergeneralshad per- thoughnecessary remedies,thinkingthedistem-
mitted to bedoneto a conquered enemy." To perwill abatewith the strengthof the patient.
this, Marcellus made answer,*" That, not- In the first place, he recoveredthe be«l
withstandingthemanyinstancesof their crimi- towns of the Samnites,which had revolted
nal behaviour to the Romans,theyhadsufferedIn them he found considerablemagazines of
nothingbut what it is impossibleto prevent, corn and a great quantity of money,bfisida
when a city is takenby storm; andthat Syra- makingthreethousandof Hannibal'smen,who
cuse was so taken, was entirely their own garrisoned them,prisoners. In thenextplace,
fault, becausehe had often summonedit to when Cneius Fulvius the proconsul,with
surrender,and they refusedto listen to him. eleven tribunes,was slain,and great part of
That, in short, theywere not forcedby their his armycut in pieces,by Hannibalin Apulia,
tyrants to commit hostilities, but they had Marcellus sent letters to Rome, to exhort the
themselves
set up tyrantsfor the sakeof going citizensto be of goodcourage,for he himself
to war." was on his march to drive Hannibal out of the
The reasonsof both sidesthus heard,the country. The readingof theseletters,Livy
Syracusans,accordingto the customin that tells us,was BOfar from removingtheir grief,
case, withdrew, and Marcellus went out with that it added terror to it, the Romans reckon-
them, leaving it to hie colleague to collect the ing the present danger as much greater than
votes. While he stood at the door of the sen- the past, as Marcellus was a greater man than
ate-house,! he was neither movedwith the fear Fulvius.
of the issueof the cause,nor with resentment Marcellusthen goingin questof Hannibal,
againstthe Syracusans, so as to changehis accordingto his promise,enteredLucania,and
usualdeportment,but with greatmildnessand found him encampedon inaccessible heighU
decorum he waited for the event. When the near the city of Numistro. Marcellus himself
causewas decided,and he was declaredto pitchedhis tents on the plain, and the next
havegainedit,J the Syracusans
fell at his feet, day, was the first to draw up his forces in
and besoughthim with tears to pardon not only order of battle. Hannibal declined not the
tho^e that were present, but to take compas- combat, but descended from the hills, and a
sion on the rest of their citizens, who would battle ensued,which was not decisive indeed,
ever acknowledge
with gratitudethe favour. but great and bloody: for thoughthe action
Marcellus, moved with their entreaties, not began at the third hour, it was with difficulty
only pardoned the deputies, but continued that night put a stop to it. Next morning, by
his protectionto the oilier Syracusans;and break of day, Marcellus againdrew up hit
the senate, approving the privileges he had army, and posting it among the dead bodies,
granted,confirmedto themtheir liberty, their challengedHannibalto disputeit with him for
laws, and the possessionsthat remained to the victory. But Hannibal choseto draw off;
them. For this reason, beside other signal and Marcellus, after he hadgathered the spoili
honours with which they distinguished Mar- of the enemy, and buried his own dead,march-
cellus,they madea law, that wheneverhe or ed in pursuit of him. Though the Carthagi-
anv of his descendants
enteredSicily, the Sy- nianhadmanysnaresfor him,heescaped them
racusansshouldweargarlands,andoffersacri- all; andhavingthe advantage,too, in all skir-
fices to the gods. mishes,his success was lookeduponwith ad-
miration. Therefore, when the time of the
* WhentheSyracusans
hadfinishedtheir accusa-
next election came oa^ the senatethough!
tions against Marcellus, his colleague,Laevinus,order-
properto call the other consulout of Sicily,
ed them to withdraw; but Marcellus desired they
mii'liistay
and
hear
hisdefence. rather
thandrawoffMarcellus,
whowasgrap-
f Whilethecause
wasdebating,
hewentto the plingwithHannibal.Whenhewasarrived,
Capitol,
totakethenames
of thenewlevies. theyorderedhim to declareQuintusFulviui
t The conduct of Marccllus, on the taking of Syra- dictator. For a DICTATOR is not named cither
cuse,wasnotentirelyapproved ofatRome.Some of by the peopleor the senate,butoneof the
the senators,remembering;the attachment which king
HUTOhad on alt occasionsshewn to their republic, consulsor praters, advancing into the assem-
etuldnothelpcondemning
theirgeneral
forgivingup bly, nameswhom he pleases. Hence some
thecity to beplunderedbyhisrapacious
soldiers.The think, the term Dictator comes from dicere,
Syracusans
werenotina condition
tomakegoodtheir whichin Latin signifiesto iiame: but otheri
party against an army of mercenaries; and therefore assert, that the Dictator is so called, because
were obliged, against their will, to yield to the times,
«/j'J
obey
theministers
ofHannibal
whocommanded
le refers
nothing
to plurality
of voices
in the
(bearmy. senate,
or to thesuffrages
of the people,
but
 MARCELLUS. 22T
fiveshisordersathisownpleasure.
Forthethoughmany were
dangcrousl)
wounded,
there
ordersof mijf.atrates,
whichtheGreekscall wasnota manwhodidnotfeelmorepain
diatagmata,theRomans callcdicta>
edicts.fromthewords of Marcellus,
thanhedid
The colleague*
of Marcelluswas disposedfromhis wounda.
toappointanother
persondictator,
andthathe Nextmorning, thescarletrobe,whichwa«
mightnotbeobligedto departfromhisowntheordinaryaignal
of battle,
washungoutbe-
opinion,
heleftRomebynight,andsailedback*
times;andthecompaniesthathadcomeoff
to Sicily.The people,therefore,namedwithdishonour,before
obtainedleave,
attheii
Quintus Fulviusdictator,andthesenatewrote earnest request,to be postedin theforemost
to Murcellustoconfirmthenomination, which line: afterwhichthetribuneadrewuptherest
hedidaccordingly. of the troopsin their properorder: When
MarcelJuswasappointed proconsulfor the thiswasreportedto Hannibal, he said,"Ye
yearfollowing:andhaving agreedwithFabiuagods, whatcanonedowith3.man,whois not
Maximusthe consul,by letters,thatFabiusaffected witheithergoodorbadfortune? Thui
should besiegeTarentum, while himself was is the only man who will neither give anytime
to watchthemotionsof Hannibal,andprevent to rest when he is victorious,nor take any
bis relievingthe place,be marchedafter him whenhe is beaten. We mustevenresolveto
with all diligence, and came up with him at fight with him for ever; since, whether pros-
Canusium. Ai.d as Hannibal shifted his camp perousor unsuccessful,a principle of honour
continually,to avoidcomingto a battle, Mar- leadshim on to new attemptsandfartherei-
cellus witched him closely, and took care to ertions of courage."
keephim in sight At last, comingup with Both armiesthen engaged,and Hannibal
him as hewasencamping,he so harassed
him seeingno advantage
gainedby either,ordered
with skirmishes,Vhathe drew him to an en- his elephants to be brought forward into the
gagement; but night soon came on, and parted first line, and to be pushedagainstthe Romans.
tho combatants. Neit morning early, he drew The shock causedgreat confusion at first in the
his army out of the entrenchments, and put Roman front; but, Flavius, a tribune, snatch-
them in order of battle; so that Hannibal, in ing an ensign staff from one of the companies,
great vexation, assembledthe Carthaginians, advanced, and with the point of it wounded
and beggedof them to exert themselvesmore the foremost elephant. The beast upon this
in that battle than ever they had done before. turned back and ran upon the second,the sec-
"For you see," said he "that we can neither ond upon the next that followed, and so on till
take breath, after BOmanyvictoriesalready theywereall put in great disorder.Marcellui
gained, nor enjoy the least leisure if we are observing this, orderedhis horseto fall furious-
victorious now, unless this man be driven ly upon the enemy, and taking advantage of
off" the confusion already made, to rout them en-
After this a battle ensued,in which Mar- tirely. Accordingly,they chargedwith ex-
cellus seemsto have miscarried by an unsea- traordinary vigour,' and drove the Carthagini-
sonable movement.^ For seeing his right ans to their entrenchments. The slaughter
wing hard pressed,he ordered one of the le- was dreadful; and the fall of the killed, and
gions to advanceto the front, to support them. the plunging of the wounded elephants,con-
This movement put the whole army in disor- tributed greatly to it. It is said that more than
der, anddecidedthe dayin favourof the ene- eightthousandCarthaginians
fell in thisbattle;
my; two thousandsevenhundred Romansbe- of the Romansnot abovethree thousandwere
ing slain upon the spot. Marcellus retreated slain, but almost all the rest were wounded.
into Inscamp,andhavingsummoned his troops This gaveHannibalopportunityto decampsi-
together, told them,"He saw the armsand lently in the night,andremoveto a great dis-
bodiesof Romansin abundance before him, tancefrom Marcellus,who,by reasonof tho
but not oneRoman." On their beggingpar- numberof his wounded,wasnot able to pur-
don, he said, "He would not forgivethem sue him, but retired by easymarches,into
while vanquished, but whentheycameto be Campania,and passedthe summerin the city
victorious he would; and that he would lead of Sinuessa,*to recover and refresh his sol-
theminto the field againthenextday,that the diers.
newsof the victory mightreachRomebefore Hannibal,thus disengaged from Marcellus,
that of their flight." Before he dismissedmade use of his troops,now at liberty, and
them,he gave orders that barley shouldbe securelyoverranthe country,burningandde-
measured out insteadof wheat,£to thosecom- stroyingall beforehim. This caveoccasionto
paniesthathadturnedtheir backs. His repri- unfavourablereportsof Marcellus at Rome;
mandmadesuchan impression on them,that andhis enemiesincitedPublius Bibulus,one
* Livinus, who was lh« colleague of Marcellus, of the tribunes of the people,a man of "-.olent
wanted to nameM. Valerius Messala, dictator.As temper,and a vehementspeaker,to accuM
be left Romeabruptly, andenjoined theprztorDot him in form. AccordinglyBibulusoften as-
toname Vulvius;thetribunes of thepeopletookuponsembledthe people;and endeavoured to per
them to do it, and the senategot the Domination con- euadethem to take the command
from him,
firmed by the consulMarcellus.
| Tht movementwas not unseasonable, but ill exe- and give it to another;"Since Marcellus,"
cuted. Livy »y», the right wing gaveway fasterthan said ne, "has only exchangeda few th'UsU
Iheyneeded tohare done, andtneeighteenth Iccion,withHannibal,
andthenleft thestage,
addu
whichwasordered toadvance fromrearto front,goneto thehotbaths
movedtoo slowly; this occasionedthe disorder.
to refresh
himself.'^
\ Thiswasa common punishment,litsiiksvahich, " Livysay»in Vtnusia,
-which
beingmuchBearer
heordered
thattheofficers
ul those
companies shouldCanusium,wasmoreconvenient
for thewounde*
men
continue all day lung with their stvordi drawn, and to retire to.
"llliuul theirgirdles.Ln\ 1.nvii. 13. t Therewerehot bathinearSinucssa,
but nont
223 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

When Marcelluswasapprised of thessprac- At last, the expiatorysacrificesbeingsiicb

tices againsthim, he luft his army in charge as the soothsayersapproved,he «''t out with
with his lieutenants,and went to Rome to hiscolleague,to prosecutethe war, and fixed
make his defence. On his arrival, he found his camp betweenBantia and Venusia. There
an impeachmentframedout of thosecalum- hetried everymethodto provokeHannibalto
nies.-And the day fixed for it beingcome,.a battle which he constantlydeclined. But
and the people assembled in the Flaminian the Carthaginian perceiving that the consuls
Circus, Bibulus ascendedthe tribune's seatand had ordered some troops to go and lay siegeto
set forth his charge. Marcellus's answer was the city of the Epizephirians,or western L.O-
plain and short: but many persons of distinc- crians,* he laid an ambuscadeon their way,
tion among the citizens exerted themselves under the hill of Petelia, and killed two thous-
greatly, and spoke with much freedom, ex- and five hundred of them. This added stingo
horting the people not to judge worse of Mar- to Marcellus's desire of an engagement,and
cellus than the enemyhimself had done, by fix- made him draw nearer to the enemy.
ing a mark of cowardice upon the only general Between the two armies was a hill, which
whom Hannibal ehur.ned,and used as much afforded a pretty strong post; it was covered
art and care to avoid fighting with, as he did to with thickets, and on both sides were hollows,
seek the combat with others. These remon- from whence issuedsprings and rivulets. The
strances had such an effect, that the accuser Romans were surprised that Hannilial, who
was totally disappointed in his expectations; came first to so advantageousa place, did not
for Marcellus was not only acquitted of the take possessionof it, but'ien it tor the enemy
charge,buta fifth timechosen
consul. He dl-, indeed,think it a goodplacefor a
As soon as he had entered upon his office, camp, but a better for an ambuscade,and to
he visited the cities of Tuscany, and by his that usehe chose to put it. He filled, there-
personal influence allayed a dangerouscom- fore, the thickets and hollows with a good
motion, that tended to a revolt. At his return, number of archers and spearmen, assuring
he was desirous to dedicate to HONOURand himself that the convenienceof the post would
VIRTUE,the temple which he had built out of draw the Romans to it. Nor was he mistaken
the Sicilian spoils, but was opposed by the in his conjecture. Presently nothing wastalk
priests, who would not consentthat two deities ed of in the Roman army, but the expediency
should be contained in one temple.* Taking of seizing this hill; and, as if they had been
this opposition ill, and considering it as omin- all generals, they set forth the many advas
ous, he begananother temple. tages they should have over the enemy, by en-
There were many other prodigies that gave camping, or, at least, raising a fortification
aim uneasiness. Some temples were struck upon it. Thus Marcellus was induced to go
with lightning; in that of Jupiter rats gnawed with a few horse to take a view of the hill;
Ihegold; it was even reported that an ox spoke, but, before he went, he offered sacrifice. In
ind that there was a child living which was the first victim that was slain, the diviner
Dornwith an elephant's head: and when the shewed him the liver without a head; in the
expiation of these prodigies was attempted, second, the Head was very plump and large,
there were no tokens of success.The ./2ug-ur«, and the other tokens appearing remarkably
therefore,kept him in Rome,notwithstandinggood,seemedsufficientto dispel the fearsof
bis impatience and eagernessto be gone. For the first; but the diviners declared, they were
never was man so passionatelydesirousof the more alarmedon that very account;for
any thing as he was of fighting a decisive bat- when favourable signs on a sudden follow
tle with Hannibal. It was his dream by night, threatening and inauspiciousones, the strange-
the subject of conversation all day with his nessof the alteration should rather besuspect-
friends and colleagues, and his sole request to ed. But as Pindar says,
the gods,that he might meet Hannibal fairly Nor fire,norwallsof triplebrass
in the field. Nay, 1 verily believe, he would Controlthe high behests
uf Fate.
have beengladto have had both armies sur- He thereforeset out to view the place,tak-
roundedwith a wall or entrenchment,andto ing with him his colleagueCnsomus,his son
have fought in that enclosure. Indeed,had Marcellus,who was a tribune,and only two
he not alreadyattainedto sucha heightof hundred
andtwentyhorse,among
whomthere
glory,hadhenot givensomanyproofsof hisIwasnotoneRoman;theywereall Tuscans,
equallingthe best generalsin prudenceand exceptforty Fregellaniins,of whosecourage
discretion,I shouldthink he gave way to a and fidelity he hadsufficientexperience.On
"anguineandextravagantambition,unsuitablethe summitof the hill, which,aswe saidbefore,
to his years; for he was abovesixty whenhe wascoveredwith treesandbushes, the enemy
entereduponhis fifth consulate. had placeda sentinel,who,without beingseen
nearVenusia.
Therefore,
if Marcellus
wentto the himself,
couldseeeverymovement
in theRo-
latur place,the satiricalstrokewanDotapplicable.mancamp. Thosethat lay in ambushhaving
Accordingly, Livy doesnot applyit: heonlymakesintelligencefrom him of what was doing,lay
Bibului
ters. say,
thatMarcellus
passed
thesummer
inquar-close,till Marcelluscameverynear,andthen
* They said^if the templeshouldbe struck with all at once rushed out, spread lliemsclvM
thunder
andlightning,
of anyother
prodigy
should
abouthim,let fly a showerof arrows,
and
happento it. that wantrd expiation,they shouldnot chargedhim with their swordsandspears.Some
know to which of the deities they ought to offer the
expiatorysacrifice. Marcellus,therefore,to satisfy * This wasnot a detachment
from the forcesof Iht
the priest, b*pan another temple, and the work was consuls,which they did not chooseto weakenwhen in
carriedonwith greatdiligence; b-Jlliedid notlive to thesightof suchanenemyasHannibal. It consisted
dedicate it. His son consecrated both the templet of troops drawn from Sicily, and from the garrison of
ibout four j tart-after. Tareutum.
 PELOPIDAS AND MARCELLUS COMPARED. 223
pursued
thefugitives,and
others
attacked
thosewho
were
about
him,Yousee
it t?impossible
thatstood theirground.Thelatterwerethe to do anythingagainstthewill of God.
Fregellanians;
for,theTuscanstaking
toflightHepunished theNumidians,indeed,buttook
at firstcharge,
theothers
closedtogetherina nofurthercareaboutcollecting andsending
bodyto defend theconsuls:
andtheycontin-theremains ofMarcellus,believing
thatsome
uedthetighttill Crispinus, wounded with deityhadordained that Marcellus, should
two arrows,turnedhiehorseto makehie es- diein eostrangea manner,andthat hisashes
cape,andMarcellus beingrunthrough be-should bedenied burial.Thisaccount of the
tweentheshoulderswith a lance,full downniatterwe havefromCornelius Nepos,and
dead. Thenthefew Fregellanians that re- ValeriusMaximus;butLivy» andAugustus
mained,leavingthebodyof Marcellus,car- Ca;sar affirm,that the urnwascarriedto his
riedoft"hisson,whowaswounded, andfled son,andthat hisremains were interredwith
with him to the camp. greatmagnificence.
la thisskirmish therewerenotmanymore Marcellus's publicdonations, besidesthose
thanforty menkilled; eighteen were taken hededicated at Rome,werea Gi/mncwtunj,
prisoners,
besidesfiveJitters. Crispinus
died whichhe built at Citanain Sicily,andseve-
of hiswounds a fewdaysafter.* Thiswasa ral statues andpaintings,broughtfrom Syra-
mostunparalleledmisfortune:theRomans lost cuse,whichhesetupin thetempleof the Co-
both the consuls in one action. biri in ijimothrace, and in that of Minerva at
Hannibalmadebut little accountof the rest, Lindus. In the latter of these,the following
but whenhe knewthatMarcellus waskilled, verses,as Poaidonius tells us,wereinscribed
he hastened
to the place,and, standingover on the pedestalof his statue:
the body i long time, surveyed its size and
mien:
hutwithout
speaking
oneinsulting
word, ThelightofRome, Marcellus
Forbirth,for deeds
herebehold,
ofarms,bylamecnroli'J.
or shewing the least sign of joy, which might Seventimes hiifoices graced the.martial plain,
havebeenexpected
at the fall of so dangerous1Andbyhisthundering
armwerethousands
slain.
and formidable an enemy. He stood, indeed,
awhile astonished
at the strangedeathof so The authorof this inscription adds to his
great a man;and at last taking his signet from five consulates the dignity ol proconsul, with
his finger,t he causedhis body to be magnifi- which he was twice honoured. His posterity
cently attired and burned, and the ashesto be continued in great splendour down to Marcel-
put in a silver urn, andthen placeda crownof lus,the sonof Caius Marcellus andOctavia
gold upon it, and sent it to his son. But cer- the sister of Augustus.f He died very young,
tain Numidians meeting those that carried the in the office of asdilc, soon after he had map
urn, attempted to take it from them, and as ried Julia, the emperor'sdaughter. Todohon-
the others stood upon their guard to defend it, our to his memory, Octavia dedicated to him
the asheswere scatteredin the struggle. When a library,{ and Augustus a theatre, and both
Hannibalwasinformedof it, he saidto those thesepublicworks borehis name

PELOPIDAS AND MARCELLUS COMPARED.

THESE
aretheparticulars
whichwe thoughtmilledgreatslaughter,
whereas
Epaminondat
worthreciting from history concerningMar- andPeiopidasneverspiltthe bloodof any man
cellusand Peiopidas;
betweenwhomtheretheyhadconquered,
norenslaved
anycity they
was a perfectresemblance in the gifts of na- had taken. And it is affirmed,that if they
ture, and in their lives and manners. For had been present, the Thebanswould not
theywerebothmenof heroicstrength,capa-havedeprived
theOrchomenians
of their lib-
ble of enduringthe greatest
fatigue,and in erty.
courage and magnanimity they were equal. As to their achievements, among those of
Thesoledifferenceis,thatMarcellus,inmost Marcellus therewasnonegreateror moreil
of the citieswhichhe took byassault,com- lustriousthanhis beatingsuchan army of
Gauls, both horse and foot, with a handful of
" Hedidnotdietill thelatterendof theyear,
hav-horseonly,ofwhichyouwill scarce
meetwith
ing named T. Maulius Torquatus, dictator, to hold another instance, and his slaying their prince
the couii/iVi. Somesayhe diedat Tarcnlum; others
iuCampania. with his own hand. Peiopidashopedto have
t Hannibalimagined
heshould havesome opportu-done something of the like nature, but mis-
nityor otherof making
meof lliis sealto hisadvan-carriedandlost his life in the attempt. How
tage. ButCriipinusdespatched messengers
to all the * Livy tells us that Hannibalburied the bodyof
neighbouring
cities,in llie interestof Rome,acquaint- Marcellus on the hill where he was shin.
ingthem
thatMarcdlus
waskilled,
andHannibal
mas- t Hisfamily
continued
afterhisdeath
anhundred
ter of his rine. Thisprecaution,
preserved Salapia, eighty-fiveyean; for hewasslainin Ihefir»l y<ar
I'DApulia. Nay, the inhabitantsturned the artifice and
Of IheCarthaginian uponhimself.For admitting,of the hundredandforty.third Olympiad, in the fiv»
hundredandforty-fifth yearof R.une,ai.rt two hun
noona letter sealedwilh that ring, sii hundredof drcd and sii yearsbeforethe Christianzra; atd
Hanriili.il',men,most
of themRomandeserters,into youngMarccllvis
diedin thesecond yearof thehull
thetown,theyonasudden pulledupthedraw-bridges,
dredand eighty-ninthOlympiad,andsevenhundred
cutinpiccea those
whohadentered,and,withashowerandthirtiethof Rome.
of dartsfrom the ramparts,drovebackthe rest Liv. { Accordingto Sui-tunius
and Dion,it wasnot Oc-
I xi.ii. c. 28
laviabut Augustmthat dtdicaltdthis library.
230 PLUTARCH'S LITES.

ever,the greatandgloriousbattlesof Leuctra entirelyhisown. For he alonetook Syracuse.

andTegyra maybe comparedwith theseex- he defeatedthe Gaulswithout his colleague;
ploitsof Marcellus. And, on the other hand, hemadeheadagainstHannibal,not only with-
thereis nothingofMarcellus'seffectedbystrat- out theassistance,
but againstthe remonstran-
agem and surprise,whichcan be set against ces,of the othergenerals;and, changingthe
the happymanagement of Pelopidas,at hisre- faceof war, he first taught the Romansto
turn from exile,in takingoff the Thebanty- meetthe enemyto a goodcountenance.
rants. Indeed,of all the enterpriseof the se- As "or their deaths,I praiseneitherthe one
cret handof art, that was the masterpiece. nor the other; but it i> with concern and in-
If it besaidthat Hannibalwasa formidable dignationthat I think of the strangecircum-
enemy to the Romans, the Lacedaemoniansstancesthat attendedthem. At the sametime
were certainlythe sameto the Thebans.And I admireHannibal,who foughtsucha number
yetit is agreedon all hands,that they were of battles as it would be a labourto reckon,
thoroughlybeatenby Pelopidas,at Leuctra withouteverreceivinga wound:andI greatly
andTegyra; whereas, accordingto Polybius, approvethe behaviourof Chrysantes,in the
Hannibalwasneveroncedefeatejby Marcel- Cyropxdia, who, havinghis swordlifted up
lus, but continued invincible till he had to do and ready to strike, upon hearing the trumpeu
with Scipio. However,we ratherbelievewith sound a retreat, calmly andmodestlyretired
Livy, Caesar,
andCornelius
Nepos,
among
the withoutgivingthestroke.Pelopidas,
however,
Latin historians, and with king Juba* among was somewhat excusable,becausehe was not
the Greeks, that Marcellus did sometimesbeat only warmed with the heat of battle, but incit-
Hannibal, and even put his troops to (light, ed by a generousdesire of revenge. And, as
though he pained no advantage of him suffi- Euripides says,
cient to turn the balanceconsiderably on his The first of chiefs is he who laurels gains,
side:so that one mighteventhink,thatthe Andbuys
them
notwithlife: thenextishe
Carthaginian then acted with the art of a wrest- "Whodies, but diesin Virtue's arms
ler, who sometimessuffershimself to bethrown.
In sucha man, dying is a free and voluntary
But what has beenvery justly admiredin Mar-
cellus
is,thatafter
such
great
armies
hadbeenact,
side nut
his a passive
submission
resentment, tofate.But,
the end Pelopidas be-
propos-
routed, so many generals slain, and the whole ed to himself in conquering, which was the
empire almost totally subverted, he found death of a tyrant, with reasonanimatedhim to
meansto inspire his troops with courageenough uncommon efforts; for it was not easyto find
to make headagainstthe enemy. He was the another causeso great and glorious wherein to
only man that, from a state of terror and dis- exert himself. But Marcellus without anyur-
may, in which they had long remained, raised gent occasion,without that enthusiasmwhich
the army to an eagernessfor battle, and infus- often pushesmen beyond the boundsof reason
ed into them such a spirit, that, far from tame- in time of danger, unadvisedly exposedhim-
ly
':"
thegiving
t!i upobstinacy.
greatest thevictory,
they
For disputed
those veryit men,
withself,anddiednotlikea general,
butlikea
who had been accustomedby a run of ill suc- spy; risking his five consulates, his three tri-
cess to think themselves happy if they could aumphs, his trophies and spoils of kings, against
company of Spaniardsand Numidians, who
escape Hannibal
Mnrccllus byflight,
to be ashamed of were
comingtaught
off withby hadbartered withtheCarthaginians fortheir
disadvantage,to blush at the very thought of lives and services. An accident so strange,
giving way, and to be sensibly affected, if they that those very adventurers could not forbear
grudging themselvessuch success,when they
gauiO'l
nutthevictory.
AsPelopidjs never lost a battle in which he found
thataman
themost
distinguished
ofall
the Romans for valour, as well as power and
commandedin person,and Marcellus won more fame,had fallen by their hands,amidst a scout-
than any Roman of his time, he who perform- ing party of Fregellanians.
ed so many exploits, and was so hard to con- Let not this, however, be deemedan acco
quer, may, perhaps,be put on a level with the sation against these great men, but rather a
other, who was never beaten. On the other complaint to them of the injury done them-
hand, it may be observed,that Marcellus took selves, by sacrificing all their other virtues to
Syracuse, whereas Pelopidas failed in his at- their intrepidity, and a free expostulation with
tempt uponSparta, yetI thinkeven to ap-them
forbeing
soprodigal
oftheirblood
asto
proachSparta,and to be the first that ever shed it for their own sakes, when it ought to
passedthe Eurotas in a hostile manner, was a have fallen only for their country, their fr.ends,
greater achievement than the conquest of Sici- and their allies.
ly; unlessit may besaid,that the honourof
thisexploit,
aswellasthatofLeuclra,
be-cause
Pelopidas
he waswasburied
slain, andbyhisfriends,
Marcellus by in whose
thoseen-
longsratherto Epaminondas
thantoPelopi-emiesthatslewhim. The'firstwasahappy
das, whereas the glory Marcellus gained was and desirable thing, but the other was greater
and more extraordinary; for gratitude in a
* This historianwasthe «onof Juba,king of Nu- friend, for benefitsreceived, is not equal to an
mir!ia,who,inthecivilwar,sided withFompty,and enemy'sadmiringthe virtuebywhichhesuf-
was ilainbyPrimusinsingle combat.Thesun,men-fers. In thefirstcase,thereis moreregard
tioned Inn-, was brought lu triumph by Caesarlo
to
Jloroe,
wherehewaa educated
inthelearning
oftLeisinterestthantomerit;inthelatter, realworth
Urecksand Romaui. the sole object of the honour paid.
 28)

ARISTIDES.

S,thetonofLysimachns,
wasofthe sonto Xenojhiliw,andthelatterhve.1
Jong
tribeof Antiochus,
andthewardof Alopeceafter,asappearsfromthecharaclers,
which
Of hisestate
wehavedifferent
accounts.
Somewerenot in usetill afterEuclid'stime,and
"ay,hewas,
alwaysverypoor,andthatheleft likewise
fromthenameofthepoetArchestra-
twodaughters
behind
him,whoremainedalongtus,whichisnotfoundin anyrecord
orauthor
timeunmarried,
onaccount
of theirpoverty*duringthe Persianwars;whereas
mentionis
But Demetriui the Phalereancontradictsthis oftenmadeof a poetof thatname,whobrought
general
opinion
in hisSocrates,
andsays
therehispieces
uponthestage
in thetimeof the
wasa farmat Phalera
whichwentbythenamePeloponncsian
war." But this argument of
olAristides,
andthattherehewasburied.And PanaHius
shouldnotbe admittedwithoutfar
to provethat therewasa competentestatein ther examination.
hisfamily,heproduces
threearguments.The And as for the Ostracism,
everymanthat
first is takenftom the officeof archon,fwhich wasdistinguishedby birth, reputation,or elo-
madetheyearbearhis name;andwhichfell quence, wasliableto sufferby it; sinceit fell
to him by lot; andfor this, nonetook their evenuponDamon,preceptor to Pericles, be-
chance but pych 38 had an income of the first cause he was looked upon as a man of superior
degree,consisting
of fivehundredmeasures of parts and policy. Besides,Idomeneustells
corn,wine,andoil, who,therefore,werecalled us, that Aristidescame to be Jlrchon, not by
Pentacosiomedimni. The secondargumentis lot, but by particular appointment of the peo-
foundedon the Ostracism,by which he was ple. And if he was Jlrchon after the battle
banished,andwhichwasneverinflictedon the of Plata?a,tas Demetriushimself writes,it is
meanersort, but only uponpersonsof quality, very probablethat, after suchgreat actions,
whosegrandeurandfamilypridemadethemob- and so much glory, his virtuemight gainhim
noxiousto the people. The third and lastis that office, which others obtained by their
drawnfrom theTripods,whichAristidesdedi- wealth. But it is plain that Demetriusla-
cated in the temple of Bacchus, on account of boured to take off the imputation of poverty,
his victory in the public games,and which are as if it were some great evil, not only from
still to be seen, with this inscription, " The Aristides, but from Socratestoo; who, he says,
tribe of Amiochus gained the victory, Aristides besidesa houseof his own, had seventy mijizf
defrayedthe charges,and Archestratus was the at interest in the hands of Chto.
author of the play." Aristides bad a particular friendship for
But this lastargument,thoughin appearanceClisthenes,who settled the popular govern-
the strongest of all, is really a very weak one. ment at Athens, after the expulsion of the
For Epaminondas, who, as everybodyknows, tyrants;§ yet he had, at the sametime, the
livedanddied poor,and Platothe philosopher,greatestvenerationfor Lycurgus, the Lace-
who was not rich, exhibited very splendid dsmonian, whom he considered as the most
ihows: the one was at the expenseof a con- excellent of lawgivers: and this Jedhim to be
certof flutesat Thebes,and the other of an a favourerof aristocracy,in which he was
entertainment of singinganddancing,perform- alwaysopposedby Themistocles,who listed
ed by boysat Athens,Dion havingfurnished in the partyof the commons. Some,indeed,
Plato with the money, and Pelopidassup- say,that, beingbroughtup togetherfromtheir
plied Epaminondas.For why should good infancy,when boys,they were alwaysat va-
menbe alwaysaverseto the presentsof their riance, not only in seriousmatters, but in
friends?While theythink it meanandungener-their verysportsanddiversions:and their tem-
ousto receiveanythingfor themselves,
to lay perswerediscovered
fromthefirst bythat op-
up, or to gratifyan avaricious
temper,they position.The one wasinsinuating, daring,
neednot refusesuchoffersas servethe pur- andartful; variable,and at the sametime im-
posesof honourandmagnificence,
withoutany petuousin his pursuits:the ciher wassolid
viewsofprofit. andsteady,
inflexibly
just,incapable
of using
Asto theTripods,
inscribed
withARISTIDES,
anyfalsehood,
flattery,
ordeceit,
evenatplay.
Panztius shewsplainly that Demetrius was
deceived
by thename. For, according
to the " It isverypossible
fora poet,
inhisownlift time,
registers, from the Persian to the end of the to havehis playsactedin thePeloponnesiauwar,andin
Peloponneeian war,therewereonly two of the the Persian
Plutarch
loo. And,therefore,theinscriptionwhich
mentions might belongto our Anstido.
nameof Aristideswho carriedthe prize in the t But Dernetriua was mistaken; for Arislidcs was
choralexhibitions,
andneither
of themwas never
Archon
afterthebattle
ofPJaliea,
which
was
Ihe eonof Lysimachus:
for the formerwas fought
inthesecond
yearof theievtut)fifthOlym-
piad. In thelist of Archons,thenameof Arislidesit
* And yet, according to a law of Solon'«the bride found in thefourthof theseventy-secondOlympiad, a
was t/i carry with her only three suits of clothes, and year or two after the battleof Marathon,and in the
" little
household stuff of small value. secondyearof theseventy-fourth Olympiad,lour yearj
before the battle of PlaUea.
t At Athenstheyreckonedtheir yeanby "Archotu, 1ButSocrates himself declares,
inhisapologytohii19
u the Romansdid theirsby Conouis.Oneof the nine mogej,that, considering his poverty,theycould not
DO
Archons,whoall had estates of the first degree,was n reason fine him more than one Mina.
forthispurpose
chosen
bylot outof there>t,andhis } These
tyrants
werethePisislratids,
llho W
tome
uucnbed
inthepublic
register*. omen
outabout
Hittiily-tilthOlympiad.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

ButAristnof Chios*
writes,
thattheirenmity,theeyes
of thepeople
in general
werefixedOB
whichafterwards cameto sucha height,took Aristides,
asthemanto whomthis greaten-
its risefromlove. comium wasmostapplicable.Indeed,hewa«
* " " " r capableof resisting
thesuggestions,
not only
" » » » " of favourandaffection,but of resentmentand
ThemistoclcB,who wa»an agreeablecom- enmitytoo, whereverjustice was concerned
panion,gainedmanyfriends,and becamere- For it is said,that whenhewascarryingon a
spectablein the strength of his popularity. prosecutionagainsthis enemy,and after he
Thuswhenhewastold,that"he wouldgovernhadbroughthischarge,
thejudgesweregoing
the Atheniansextremelywell, if he wouldbut to passsentence,without hearingthe person
do it without respectof persons,"he said, accused,he roseup to his assistance,
entreat-
" May I never sit on a tribunal where my ing that hemightbe heard,andhavgthe priv-
friends shall not find more favourfrom me ilegewhichthe laws allowed. Anothertime,
than strangers." when he himself sat judge between two pri-
Aristides, on the contrary, took a method of vate persons,and one of themobserved,"That
his own in conducting the administration. For his adversaryhad done many injuries to Aris-
he would neither consentto any injustice to tides." " Tell me not that," said he, " but
oblige his friends,nor yet disobligethem by what injury he has doneto thee; for it is thy
denying all they asked: and as he saw that cause I am judging, not my own.
many, depending on their interest and friends, AVhen appointed public treasurer, he made
were tempted to do unwarrantable things, he it appear, that not only those of his time, but
never endeavoured after that support, but the officers that preceded him, had applied a
declared,that a goodcitizenshouldplace his greatdeal of the public moneyto their own
whole strength and security in advising and use;and particularly Themistocles:
doingwhat is just andright. Nevertheless, as -Forhewithall hiswisdom,
Themistoclesmademanyrash anddangerous Could
ne'ercommand hishands.
motions,and endeavoured to breakhis mea- For this reason,when Aristides gavein his
sures in every step of government,he was accounts,Themistoclesraiseda strongparty
obliged to opposehim as much in his turn, againsthim, accusedhim of misapplyingthe
partly by way of self-defence, and partly to public money,and (accordingto Idomeneus)
lessenhis po\ver,whichdaily increased
through got him condemned.But the principal and
the favourof the people. For he thoughtit most respectable of the citizens,*incensedat
better that the commonwealthshould miss this treatmentof Aristides,interposedandpre-
someadvantages, than that Themistocles,by vailed,not only that he might beexcusedthe
gaininghis point, shouldcomeat last to carry fine, but chosenagain chief treasurer. He
all before him. Hence it was,that one day now pretendedthat his former proceedings
whenThemistoclesproposed something
advan-were too strict, and carrying a gentler hand
tageousto the public, Aristides opposedit over thosethat actedunderhim,sufferedthem
Btrenuously, andwith success;but as hewent to pilfer the publicmoney,without seeming to
out of the assembly,he could not forbearsay- find themout,or reckoningstrictly with them
ing, " The affairs of the Athenianscannot sothat,fatteningon the spoilsof their country,
prosper,exceptthey throw Themistoclesand they lavishedtheir praiseson Ajristides,and,
myself into the barathrum.)Jf Ajiother time, heartily espousinghis cause,beggedof the
when he intendedto proposea decreeto the peopleto continuehim in thesamedepartment.
people, he found it strongly disputed in the But when the Athenians were going to con-
council, but at last he prevailed: perceiving firm it to him by their suffrages,he gave them
its inconveniences,however, by the preceding this severe rebuke: "While I managed your
debates,he put a stopto it, just as the pre- financeswith all the fidelity of an honestman,
sident was going to put it to the question, in I was loaded with calumnies; and now when I
order to its being confirmed by the people. suffer them to be a prey to public robbers, I
Very oftenheofferedhis sentimentsby a third am becomea mightygood citizen: but I as-
person,lest, by the oppositionof Themisto- sure you, I am more ashamedof the present
cles to him, the public good shouldbe ob- honour,than I was of the former disgrace;
structed. and it is with indignation and concern that I
In the changesandfluctuationsof the gov- seeyou esteemit moremeritoriousto obligeill
ernment, his firmness was wonderful. Neither men,than to take propercare of the public
elated with honours, nor discomposedwith ill revenue." By thus speaking and discovering
success,he went on in a moderate and steady their frauds, he silenced those that recom-
manner, persuadedthat his country had a mendedhim with so muchnoise and bustle,
claim to his services, without the reward but at the same time received the truest and
either of honour or profit. Hence it was, mostvaluablepraisefrom the worthiestof the
that when those versesof .Eschylus concern- citizens.
ing Amphiarauswere repeatedon the stage, About this time Datis, who was sent by
Tobe,
andnottoseem,
isthisman's
maxim
; Darius,
under
thepretence
ofchastising
the
Hismindreposes
onitj proper
wisdom, Athenians
for burningSardis,
butin realityto
And wants no other praise,} subdue all Greece, arrived with his fleet at
Thebesby the serenCaptains." Theyare a dcserip
" Dacicr thinks it was rather Aristo of Ceoi, because,
ts a peripatetic,hewasmorelikely to write treatises tionof thegeniusand temperof Amphiaraus,which
of love than the other, who was a stoic. the courier, who bring? an account of the enemy'sat
f The barathrumwasa Tcrydeeppit, into which tacks,andof thecharacters
of the commanders,
givej
condemnedpersonswere thrown headlong. to Eteocles.
} Theseversesarc to be foundin the " Siegeof * Thecourtof Areopagus
interposed
in his bd alt
 ARISTIDES. 233
Maiathon, a.^dbegan to ravage the neigh-edabout, andrichgarments andotherbooty
bouring country.Amongthe generals to in abundance
wefefound inthetentsandahipi
whom theAthenians gavethemanagement of whichtheyhadtaken, yetheneitherhadan
oilswar,Militiades
wasfirstindignity,
andthe inclination
totouchanythinghimself,norper-
nextto him,in reputationandauthority,
wasmittedothers to doit. But,notwithstanding
Anslides In a councilof warthat wasthen hiscare,someenriched themselves
unknown
held,Miltiadesvotedforgivingtheenemyto him:among whomwas.Callias,thetorch-
battle,*andAristidesseconding him, addedbearer.*Oneof thebarbarians happening to
no little weightto his scale. The generalsmeethim in a privateplace,and probably
commanded by turns,eachhisday;butwhentakinghimfor a king,on account of hislong
it cameto Aristides's turn, he gaveup his hairandthefilletwhichhewore,tprostrated
righttoMiltiadcs;thusshewing hiscolleagues himselfbeforehim; andtaking him by the
thatit wasno disgrace to followthedirectionshand,shewedhim a greatquantityof gold
of thewise,but that,on the contrary, it an- thatwashid in a well. ButCallias.not less
sweredseveralhonourable andsalutarypur- cruelthanunjust,tookawaythegold,andthen
poses. By this means,he laid the spirit of killed the manthat hadgivenhim information
contention,andbringingthemto agreein, nnd of it, lestheshouldmentionthe thingto others.
follow the best opjnion,he strengthened the Hence, they tell us, it was, that the comic
handsof Miltiades,who now hadthe absolute writerscalled his family Laccopluti, i. c. en-
andundividedcommand;theothergenerals no richedby the well, jestinguponthe placefrom
longerinsistingon their days,but entirelysub- whencetheir founderdrew his wealth.
mitting to his orders.f The year following,Aristideswasappointed
In thisbattle,themainbodyof theAthenianto the officeof ittrchon,whichgavehisname
armywaspressedthe hardest,^because there, to that year; though,accordingto Demetrius
for a long time, the barbariansmade their the Phalerean,he wasnot archontill afterthe
greatesteffortsagainstthe tribesLeontis and battleof Plataja,a little beforehis death. But
Antiochis; and Themi?toc)esand Aristides, in the public registerswe find not any of the
who belongedto thosetribes, exertingthem- nameof Aristidesin the list of archons,after
selves,at the headof them, with all the spirit Xanthippides, in whosearchonship Mardonius
of emulation,behavedwith so much vigour, wasbeatenat Plataea;whereashis nameis on
that the enemywere put to flight, anddriven recordimmediately afterPhanippus,}whowas
back to their ships. But the Greeks perceiving archon the sameyear that the battle wasgained
that the barbarians, instead of sailing to the at Marathon
isles, to return to Asia, were driven in, by the Of all the virtues of Aristides, the people
wind and currents, towards Attica,§ and fear- were most struck with his justice, becausethe
ing that Athens, unprovided for its defence, public utility was the most promoted by it.
might become an easy prey to them, marched Thus he, though a poor man and a commoner,
home with nine tribes, and used such expedi- gained the royal and divine title of the Just,
tion, that lliey reachedthe city in one day.|| which lungs and tyrants have never been fond
Aristides was left at Marathon with his own of. It has been their ambition to be styled
tribe, to guard the prisonersand the spoils; and Poliorceti, takers of cities; Cerauni, thicn-
he did not disappoint the public opinion; for dcrbolts; JVicanors, conquerors. Nay, some
though there was much gold and silver scatter- have chosento be called Eagles and Vultures,
preferring the fame of power to that of virtue.
* According
toHerodotus
(I.vi.c.109.)?
thegene-Whereas
theDeityhimself,
rals were very much divided in their opinions; some
towhom
theywant
were for fighting, other* nol; Miltiade.-iobservingthis, to be compared, is distinguished by three
addressedhimselfto Callimachus
of Aphiduae,
whoi\a" things, immortality, power, and virtue; and
PoleniJirch,
andwhosepowerwasequal to that of all of these,virtue is the most excellent and di-
theother
generals.
Calliinachus,
whosevoice
wasde- vine. For space
and theelements
are ever-
cisive, accordingto the Athenian laws,joined directly
withMiiliadts,
anddeclared
forgiving
battle
imme-
lasting;
earthquakes,
lightning,
storms,
and
diately.Possibly,
Aristides
mighthave
some
share
in torrents,havean amazing
power;but as for
bringingCalliffiarhusto this resolution. justice, nothing participates of that, without
\ Yel hevioulil notfight until his own properday reasoningand thinking on God. Arid whereas
of command
cameabout,for ftarthatthrough
anyla'- menentertainthreedifferent sentimentswith
tent sparks of jealousy and envy, any of the generals
"hotlld
belednottodotheirduty. respect
to thegode,
namely,
admiration,
fear,
} TheAthenians
andPlaUeans
fought
withsuch
ob- and esteem,
it should
seemthat theyadmire
"tjnate valour on the right and left, that the uarbari-
answere forced to fly on both sides. The Persians " Torch-bearers,styledin Greekdcduchi,wereper-
andSacx,however,perceiving that theAtheniancen- sonsdedicated
lo the serviceof Vhegods,andadmitted
tre wasweak,chargedwith suchforce,thattheybroke evento the mostsacredmysteries.Pausanias speaks
through it: this, thoseon the right and left perceived, of it as a great happinessto a woman, that she hid
Outdid not.<ii. injii to succourit, till theyhadput to seenher brother,her husband,and herson,succev
flight both the vvirigsof the Persian army ; then bend- sively enjoy this office.
ing thepoints*jf thewingstowardslu*-irovvncentre, "t BntlipriestsandkingsworefiHeUor diadems. It
theyenclosed
thehithertovictorious
Persians,
audcut is wellknown,
thatin ancient
times,those
twodigni-
themin pieces. ties were generallyvestedin the sameperson; and
$ It wasreported
inthose
times,
thattheAlcmacnidae
suchnations
asabolished
thekinglyoflice,keptthe
encouraged
tin Persians
tomake
asecond
attempt,
by IHl,of kingforaperson
whominijttred
in theprin-
holding up, as they approachedthe shore, a shield for cipal functionsof the priesthood.
" signal.
However,it wasthePersiau
fleetthatrndeav- { Fromthe registers it appears, thatPhannippuj
ouredto doublethecapeof Juniuin,with a \irw to wasarchonin the third yearof 11,e seventy-second
"urprise
theeityof Athensbeforethearmycouldre- Olympiad. It was,
therefore,iu thisyearthatthebat-
Urn, llerodot. I. vi. c. 101,&c. tle ol .Marathon
wasfought,fourhuudrvt aud uinttj
0 From Maraluou to Athensis about forty miles. years beforethe birth of Christ.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

andthinkthemhappyby reason
of theirfree- the shells,it is reportedthat an illiterate
dom from deathandcorruption;that theyfear burghercameto Aristides,whom he took for
anddread them, becauseof their power and someordinaryperson,andgivinghim hisshell,
sovereignty;and that they love, honour,and desiredhim to write Aristidesupon it. The
reverencethemfor their justice. Yet, though good man,surprisedat the adventure,asked
affected these three different ways, they desire him, " Whether Aristides had ever injured
Onlytlje two first propertiesof the Deity: im- him?" " No," saidhe, " nor do I even know
mortality, whichour naturewill not admitof, him; but it vexesmeto hearhim everywhere
and power, which dependschiefly uponfortune; called the Just." Aristides made no answer,
while they foolishly neglect virtue, the only but took the shell,andhavingwritten his own
divine quality in their power; not considering name upon it, returned it to the man. When
that it is justicealone,whichmakesthe life of he quitted Athens,he lifted up his handsto-
thosethat flourishmostin prosperityandhigh wardsheaven,and agreeably to his character,
stations, heavenly and divine, while injustice made a prayer, very different from that of
rendersit grovellingandbrutal. Achilles;namely," That the peopleof Athens
Anstides at first wag loved and respectedfor might never see the day, which should foroa
his surname of the Just, and afterwards envied them to remember Aristides."
as much; the latter, chiefly by the management Three years after, when Xerres wag passing
of Themistocles, who gave it out among the through Thessaly and Bceotia,by long marches,
people, that Aristides had abolishedthe courts to Attica, the Athenians reversed this decree,
of judicature, by drawing the arbitration of all and by a public ordinance recalled all the ex-
Causesto himself, and so was insensiblygain- iles. The principal inducement was their fear
ing sovereignpower, though without guards of Aristides;for theywere apprehensive
that
and the other ensignsof it. The people, ele- he would join the enemy, corrupt great part of
vated with the late victory, thought themselves the citizens, and draw them over to the inter-
capable of every thing, and the highestrespect ests of the barbarians. But they little knew
little enough for them. Uneasy therefore at the man. Before this ordinance of theirs, he
finding that any on« citizen rose to suchextra- had beenexciting and encouragingthe Greeks
Ordinary honour and distinction, they assem- to defend their liberty; and after it, when
bled at Athene from all the towns in Attica, Themistocles was appointed to the command
and banished Aristides by the Ostracism; dis- of the Athenian forces, he assisted him both
guising their envy of his character under the with his person and counsel; not disdaining to
specious pretence of guarding againsttyranny. raise his worst enemyto the highest pitch of
For the Ostracism wasnot a punishment for glory, for the public good. For when Eury-
crimes and misdemeanours,but was very de- biades,the commander-in-chief, had resolved
centlycalled ahumblingandlessening
of some to quit Salamis,*and beforehecould put his
excessive influence and power. In reality, it purpose into execution, the enemy's fleet,
wasa mild gratificationof envy; for by this takingadvantage
of the night, hadsurrounded
means,whoeverwas offendedat the growing the islands,and in a manner blockedup the
greatnessof another, dischargedhis spleen,not straits, without any one perceiving that the con-
in any thing cruel or inhuman, but only in federateswere so hemmedin. Aristides sailed
Voting a ten years' banishment. But when it the same night from jEgina, and passedwith
once began to fall upon mean and profligate the utmost danger through the Persian fleet.
persons, it was for ever after entirely laid As soon as he reached the tent of Themisto-
aside; Hyperbolus being the last that was ex- cles, he desired to speak with him in private,
iled by it. and then addressedhim in theseterms. " You
The reasonof its turning upon sucha wretch and I, Themistocles, if we are wise, shall now
was this. Alcibiades and Nicias, who were bid adieu to our vain and childish disputes,and
personsof the greatestinterestin Athens,had enter upona noblerandmoresalutaryconten-
each his party; but perceiving that the people tion, striving which of us shall contribute most
were going to proceed to the Ostracism, and to the preservation of Greece; you, in doing
that one of them was likely to suffer by it, they the duty of a general, and I, in assistingyou
consulted together,and joining interests,caused with my service and advice. I find that you
it to fall upon Hyperbolus. Hereupon the peo- alone have hit upon the best measures,in ad
ple, full of indignationat finding this kind of visingto comeimmediatelyto an engagement
punishment dishonouredand turned into ridi- in the straits. And thoughthe allies oppose
cule, abolished it entirely. your design, the enemy promote it. For the
The Ostracism (to give a summary account seaon all sides is covered with their ships,so
of it) was conducted in the following manner. that the Greeks, whether they will or not,
Every citizen took a piece of a broken pot, or must come to action, and acquit themselves
a shell, on which he wrote the nameof the per- like men, there being no room left for flight."
son he wanted to have banished,and carried it Themistocles answered, "I could have wish
to a part of the market-placethat was enclosed ed, Anstides, that you had not been before-
with woodenrails. The magistratesthen count- hand with me in this noble emulation; but I
ed the numberof the shells: and if it amounted will endeavour to outdo this happy begin-
not to six thousand, the Ostracism stood for no-
thing: if it did, theysortedthe shells,and the * Eurybiades wasfor(landingawayfor thegulfof
personwhosenamewasfoundon the greatest Corinth, thathe mightbenearthe Inndarmy. But
Thfinistucles clearly saw, that in the slraiu of S»la
number, was declared an exile for ten years,
but with permission to enjoy his estate. misIht) could fight the Persianfleet,vihirh wasso
vastlysuperiorin nuinbfn, with muchgrt-altradvan-
At the time that Aristideswasbanished,
tageilmiin(hegulfof Corinth,
wluretherewaiu
when the people were inscribing the names oil
 ARJSTIDES. 23*
ofyoursbymyfutureactions."
At theperson, Theriistocles
wasusinghisbesten-
««me
timeheacquainted
himwiththestrata-
deavours
tocftesuade
themfromit. Xerxe«,
gemhehaflcontrived
toensnare
thebarbari-
terrified
atthisnews,
madeallpossible
haste
ans,*
and then
desired
himtogoandmake it totheHellespont;
leaving
Mardoniusbehind
»pp«n.r
toEuripUles,
thatthere
couldbenohimwiththeland forces,
consisting
ofthree
rafctyfor themwithoutventuring
a sea-fight
hundred
thousand
of hisbesttroops.
llivre;forheknewthatAristides
hadmuch Inthestrength
ofsuchanarmyMardomus
greater influence
overhimthanhe. In thewasveryformidable;
andthefearsof tho
council ofwar,assembled
onthisoccasion,
Greeks
wereheightened
byhismenacing
let-
Clcocritus
theCorinthian
saidtoThemistocles, ters,whichwerein thisstyle:"Atsea,inyour
"'Youradviceis not agreeable
to Aristides,wooden towers,youhavedefeated landmen,
"inceheis herepresent,
andsaysnothing." unpractised
at theoar;buttherearestillthe
" Youaremistaken," saidAristides,
" for I wideplainsofThessaly andthefieldsof Ba=o-
should
nothavebeen silent,hadnotthecoun-tia,where bothhorse andfootmayfighttothe
sel of Themistoclea
beenthe mosteligible.bestadvantage."
To theAthenians
hewrote
AndI nowholdmypeace, notoutof regardin particular, beingauthorizedbythekingto
to theman,butbecause I approve hissenti-assure themthattheircityshould berebuilt,
ments."This,therefore,
waswhattheGreci-largesumsbestowed uponthem, andthesov-
anofficers
fijedupon. ereignty
of Greeceputin theirhands,
if they
Aristidesthen perceiving
that the little wouldtakenofarthersharein thewar."
islandof Psyttalia,
whichliesin thestraits Assoon astheLacedaemonians hadintelli
overagainstSalamis,
wasfull of theenemy'sgenceof theseproposals,
theyweregreatly
troops,put on boardthe smalltransports
a alarmed,andsentambassadorsto Athens,to
numberof thebravestandmostresoluteof his entreatthe peopleto send their wives and
countrymen,
and madea descentuponthe childrento Sparta,fandto acceptfromthem
island; wherehe attackedthe barbarians
with whatwasnecessary
for the supportof sucha9
suchfury,thattheywereall cutin pieces,
ex- werein years;for theAthenians,
havinglost
ceptsomeof the principal
persons whowere boththeircityandtheircountry,werecertain-
madeprisoners.Among thelatterwerethree ly ingreatdistress.Yetwhentheyhadheard
eonsof Sandauce,
the king's sister,whomhe what the ambassadors
had to say, they gave
lent immediatelyto Themistocles;and it is themsuchananswer,by thedirectionof Aris-
said,thatby thedirectionof Euphrantides
the tides,as can neverbe sufficiently
admired.
diviner,in pursuance of someoracle,they They said," They couldeasilyforgivetheir
were all sacrificedto Bacchus Omestes. After enemies for thinking that every thing was to
this,Aristidesplaceda strongguardroundthe be purchasedwith silver and gold, because
island,to take notice of such as weredriver. theyhadno ideaof any thing moreexcellent:
ashorethere,that so none«of his friendsmight but theycould not help beingdispleasedthat
perish,nor any of the enemyescape. For the Lacedemonians should regardonly their
aboutPsyttaliathe battleragedthe most,tand presentpovertyanddistress,and, forgetfulof
the greatest efforts were made,as appearstheir virtueand magnanimity,call uponthem
i"iom the trophy erected there. to fight for Greece for the paltry consideration
When the battlewasover,Themistocles, by of a supplyof provisions.'' Aristides having
way of soundingAristides,said," That great drawnup his answerin the form of a decree,
thingswere alreadydone,but greaterstill re- and called all the ambassadors
to an audience
mained; for they might conquerAsia in Eu- in full assembly, badethoseof Spartatell the
rope,by makingall the sail theycould to the Lacedaimonians, That the people of Athens
Hellespont,to breakdown the bridge." But would not take all the gold either aboveor
Aristidcseiclaimedagainstthe proposal,and undergroundfor the liberties of Greece.
badehim think no moreof it, but rathercon- As for thoseof Mardonius,he pointedto the
siderand inquirewhatwould be the speediestsun,andtold them, " As longas this luminary
methodof drivingthe Persiansout of Greece, shines,BOlongwill the Athenianscarryonwar
lest,findinghimselfshutupwith suchimmensewith the Persiansfor their country,whichha«
forces,and no way left to escape,necessitybeenlaid waste,and for their temples,which
might bring him to fight with the mostdespe-havebeenprofanedandburned." He likewise
rate courage. Hereupon, Themistocles sent procured an order, that the priests should sol-
to Xerxesthe secondtime, by the eunuchAr- emnly execrateall that shoulddare to pro-
naces,one of the prisoners,^to acquainthim pose an embassyto the Medes,or talk of
privately,that the Greekswere strongly in- desertingthe allianceof Greece.
clined to make the best of their way to the When Mardoniushad enteredAttica the
Hellespont to destroy thebridgewhichhehad secondtime,the Athenians retiredagainto
left there;but that,in orderto savehis royal Salamis.AndAristides,who on that occa
sion went ambassador
to Sparta,complained
" The itratagemwasto «endone lo acquaintthe
enemythatthe Greekswere going to quit the straits
of Salamis.and, therefore, if the Persians were desi- * He madetheseproposalsby Alexander,king of
rous
tocrush
them
atonce,
they
must
fallupon
themMaccdon,
who
delivered
them
inaset
speech.
Immediately
before
theydispersed. i Theydid not propose
to the Athenians
to send
( The battle of Salamiswas fought in the year be- their wivesandchildrento Sparla,hutonlyofferedto
fore Christ 480.
maintainthemduring thewar. Theycbvrvtd, that
^ Thisexpedient
answered
twopurposes.
Byit he theoriginalquarrelwasbetween
the Persians
and
druicthekingof Persia
outof Eurupe; andin ap- Atheaiftui:
thattheAthenians wt-nalways wontto
pearanceconferred
anobligation
uponhim,whichbeIhcforemost inthecauseuf libirly; andthatthere
mightberememberedto theadvantage
of Themisio-*as norcuooto believe
tin- V,manswouldobserr*
»Jts,when
hecauietohareoccasion
forit. anytermswiththepeople theyhated.
 236 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
to the I-«acec]a:monians
of their delayandneg a little. For the heroes
to whomh<wasrom
lect in abandoning
Athensoncemoreto the mandtd to sacrifice,
weretheancestors
of the
barbarians;andpressed
themto hasten
to thi Plateaus,
andthecaveof thenymphsSphra-
succour of that part of Greece which was no gitides, in one of the summitsof mount Cithz-
yet fallen into theenemy'shands. The Epho ron,oppositethe quarterwherethe sunsetain
ri gavehim the hearing,"but seemedattentive the summer;and it is said,in that cavethere
to nothing but niirlh anddiversion,for Jt was was formerlyan oracle,by which many who
the festivalof Hyacinlhus.f At night, how dwelt in thosepartswere inspired,andthere-
ever,theyselected fivethousandSpartans,with forecalledNympholepti. Onthe otherhand,
ordersto tak»eachsevenhelotswith him, anc to havethe promiseof victoryonly on condi-
to march before morning, unknown to the tion of fighting in their own country, on the
Athenians. When Aristidcs came to make his plain of the Elcusinian Ceres, was calling the
remonstrancesagain,they smiled and told him Athenians back to Attica, and removing the
" That he did but trifle or dream, since their seat of war.
army was at that time as far as Orestium, on In the meantime, Arimnestus, general of the
their march against the foreigners;" for so the Plateaus, dreamt that Jupiter the Preserver
Lacedaemonians called the barbarians. Aris- asked him " What the Greeks had determined
tides told them, "It was not a time to jest, or to do."' To which he answered,"To-morrow
to put their stratagems in practice upon their they will decamp and march to Eleusis, to
friends, but on their enemies." This is the fight the barbariansthere, agreeableto the
accountIdomeneus givesof the matter; but,in oracle." The god replied, "they quite mis-
Aristides's decree, Cimon, Xanthippus,anc take its meaning:for the place intendedby
Myronides,are said to have gone upon the the oracleis in the environsof Platsa; andif
embassy, and not Aristides. theyseekfor it, theywill find it." The matter
Aristides,however,was appointedto com being so clearly revealedto Arimnestus,as
mand the Athenians in the battle that was ex- soon as he awoke he sent for the oldest and
pected,and marchedwith eight thousandfoot mostexperienced
of hiscountrymen;andhav-
to Platrea. There Pausanias, who was com- ing advised with them, and made the best in
maiider-in-chiaf of all the confederates,joined quiry, he found that near Husix, at the foot of
him with the Spartans, and the other Grecian mount Cithaeron,there was an ancient temple
troops arrived daily in great numbers. The called the temple of the Eleusiman Ceres and
Persianarmy,whichwasencampedalongthe of Proserpine. He immediatelyconducted
river Asopas, occupied an immense tract of Aristides to the place, which appeared to l»e
ground: and they had fortified a spot ten fur- very commodious for drawing up an army of
longs square, for their baggage and other foot, that was deficient in cavalry-,becausethe
;hings of value. bottom of mount Citharron extending as far as
In the Grecianarmytherewas a divinerof the temple,madethe extremitiesof the field
Elis, namedTisamenus,| who foretold certain on that side inaccessibleto the horse. In that
victory to Pausanias,and the Greeks in gene place was also the chapel of the hero Andrc-
ral, if theydid not attackthe enemy,hut stood crates,quite coveredwith thick bushesand
only upon the defensive. And Aristides, hav- trees. And that nothing might be wanting to
ing sentto Delphi,to inquireof the oracle,re- fulfil the oracle,andconfirmthe hopesof vie
ceived this ansiver: " The Athenians shall be tory, the PJatsans resolved, at the motion o/
victorious, if they address their prayers to Ju- Arimnestus, to remove their boundaries be
piter, to Juno of Cithxron, to Pan, and to the tween their country and Attica, and, for the
nymphs Sphragitid«?s;§if they sacrifice to the sakeof Greece, to make a grant of those lands
heroes, Andrbcrates, Leucon, Pisander, De- to the Athenians, that, according to the oracle,
mocrates,Hypsion, Action, and Polyidius; they mightfight in their own territories. Thu
and if they fight only in their own country,on »enerosityof the Platasansgainedthem so
the plain of the Eleusiman Ceres and of Pro- much renown, that many years after, when AI
serpine." This oracle perplexedAristides not exander had conquered Asia, he ordered the
waifs of Platan to be rebuilt, and proclaim
* Theyputofftheiranswer
fromtimeto lime,until lion to be madeby a herald at the Olympic
theyhadgainedtendays;in whichlimetheyfinishedgames. "That the king grantedthe Plataeans
the wall acrossthe Isthmus,
whichsecuredthem :hisfavour,on accountof their virtueandger-
against
thebarbarians. erosity,in givinguptheirlandsto theGreeks
f Among
theSpartans,
thefeast
ofHyacinthus
last-'in thePersian
war,andotherwise
behaving
edthreedays.Thefirstandlastweredaysof mourn-ivith the greatestvigourandspirit."
ing for Hyarinthus'sdeath,but thesecondwasa day When the confederatescame to have their
ofrejoicing,
celebrated
withallmanner
of diversions.
severalpostsassigned
them,therewasa great
I Theoracleharing
promised
Tisamcnus
fivegreatdispute
between
theTegeta: andtheAthenians:
victories
; theLacedemonians
weredesirous
ofhaving:heTegeUEinsisting,
that,astheLacedaemon-
himfor theirdiviner,buthedemanded
lobeadmitted answerepostedin the right wing,the left be-
" citizenof Sparta,
whichwasrefused
at first. How- ongedto them,and, in supportof their claim,
ever upon tht-approach of thePersians, heobtained
that privilege both for hinrnlf and his brother Hegias.
settingforththegallantactions
of theirances
Thiswould
scarrt
lyhave
Wenworth
mentioning,
hadnation
ors.As theAthenians expressedgreat
indig-
at this, Aristidessteppedforwardand
not nosetwo been the only strangers that were ever
made
citizens
of Sparta. said," 1'hattime will not permitusto contest
vith the TegeUe the renown of their ancestors
$Th» r ymnbsol'mounl Cithacronwere calledSphra-
gitidei, w iicn probably had its name from the silence andtheir personal
bravery:but to the Spartan*
ob*erv"J
l. it bythepersons
whowentthithertobe andto therestof theGreeks
wemaysay,Ui».
i filencebeingdescribed
byteolingthelipi. hepostneithergivesvalournor takesit axrav
 ARISTIDES. 237

sodwhatever
port you assignus,wewill en, and seeingthe campof theMegarenoitrn
deavourto do honourto it, and take careto darkenedwith theshowerof dartsandarroive^
reflectDOdisgraceuponour formerachieve-andthattheywereforcedto contractthem-
ments.Forwearenotcomehitherto quarrelselves withina narrowcompass,
wasit a LOOJ
withourallies,butto fight our enemies;
not whatto resolve
on;forheknewthathisheavy-
to makeencomiums
upon our forefathers,
but armedSpartanswere not fit to act againstca-
to approve
our owncourage
in the causeof vaJry. Heendeavoured,
therefore,
to awakea
Greece. And the battlewill soon shewwhat the emulationof the generalsand other offi-
ralue our country shouldset on everystate, cers that were about him, that they mighl
everygeneral,and private man." After this makeit a point of honourvoluntarily to un-
speech,the council of war declaredin favour dertakethe defenceandsuccourof the Mega-
of the Athenians,andgavethemthe commandrensians But they all declined it, except
of ihe left wing. Aristides,who madean offerof his Athenians,
While the fate of Greece was in suspense, and gave immediate orders to Olympiodorus,
the affairs of the Athenians were in a very one of the most active of his officers, to ad-
dangerous
posture.For thoseof the bestfam- vancewith his select bandof threehundred
ilies and fortunes, being reduced by the war, men and somearchers intermixed. They were
and seeingtheir authority in the state and their all ready in a moment, and ran to attack the
distinction gone with their wealth, and others barbarians. Maeistius, genera! of the Persian
rising to honoursandemployments,
assembledhorse,a.mandistinguished
for his strengthand
orivately in a houseat Platasa, and conspired graceful mien, no sooner saw them advancing,
to abolish the democracy; and, if that did not than he spurred his horse against them. The
succeed,to ruin all Greece, and to betray it Athenians received him with great firmness,
to the barbarians. When Aristides got intel- and a sharp conflict ensued; for they consid-
ligence of the conspiracy thus entered into in ered this as a specimen of the successof the
the camp, and found that numbers were cor- whole battle. At last Masistius's horse was
rupted,he wasgreatly alarmedat its happen-woundedwith an arrow,and threwhis rider,
ing at such a crisis, and unresolved at first how who could not recover himself becauseof the
to proceed.At lengthhe determined
neitherweightof his armour,nor yet be easilyslain
to leave the matter uninquired into, nor yet to by the Athenians that strove which should do
sift it thoroughly,becausehe knew not how it first, because
not onlyhis bodyandhishead,
far the contagion had spread, and thought it but his legs and arms, were covered with
advisableto sacrificejustice,in somedegree, platesof gold,brass,andiron. But the vizor
to the publicgood,by forbearingto prosecuteof his helmet leaving part of his face open,
manythat wereguilty. He, therefore,caused oneof them pierced him in the eye with the
eight personsonly to be apprehended, andof staffof his spear,andsodispatched him. The
thoseeight no morethantwo, who weremost Persiansthen left the bodyandfled.
guilty, to be proceededagainst; ^schines The importanceof this achievement appear-
of Lampra, and Agesiasof AcharnE: and ed to the Greeks,not by the numberof their
eventhey made their escapeduringthe pros- enemieslying deaduponthe field,for thatwai
ecution. As for the rest he discharged
them: 3ut small,but by the mourningof the barba
and gavethem,and all that were concernedrians, who, in their grief for Masistius,cut
in the plot, opportunity to recover their spir- off their hair, and the manes of their horses
its andchangetheir sentiments,asthey might andmules,andfilled all the plain with their
imaginethat nothing was made out against criesandgroans,as havinglost the man that
them: but he admonished them at the same was next to Mardoniusin courageand au-
time, "That the battle wasthe great tribunal, thority.
where they might clear themselvesof the After this engagement with the Persiancav-
charge,
andshewtheyhadneverfollowedany alry, both sidesforeborethe combata long
counselsbut such aswere just and useful to time; for the diviners,from the entrailsof the
their country. victims,equally assuredthe Persiansandthe
After this,* Mardoniusto makea trial of Greeksof victory, if they stoodupon the de-
the Greeks,orderedhis cavalry,in which he fensive,and threateneda total defeatto the
wasstrongestto skirmishwith them. The aggressors. Butat lengthMardonius, seeing
Greekswereallencampedat thefootofmountbut a few days'provisionleft, and that the
CitbiEron,
in strongandstonyplaces;exceptGrecianforcesincreased daily by the arrival
theMegarensians,
whoto thenumberof threeof freshtroops,grewuneasy at thedelay,and,
thousand,
werepostedon the plain,andby resolved to passthe Asopusnext morningby,
thismeans
suffered
muchby theenemy's horse,breakof day,andfall upontheGreeks, whom.
whocharged themon everyside. Unableto hehopedto find unprepared.For this pur-
etand against such superior numbers,they pose,hegavehisordersovernight. But at mid
despatched a messenger
to Pausanias,
for as- nighta manon horseback
softlyapproached.
»ista.nce.Pausanias,
hearingtheir request,theGreciancamp,and,addressinghimselfto,
the sentinels, bade them call Aristides the
* The bailie of Plalza was fought in the year before Athenian general to him. Aristides came im-
Christ479,theyearafterthaiof SaJamis.
Herodolusmediately,and the unknownpersonsaid,"I
wasthenaboutnineor Unyearsold,andhadhis ac- am Alexander,king of Macedon,who,for the
counU from personslhal were present in the bailie. friendship
I bearto you,haveexposedmyself
' Aud he iiifurms us, that the circumslancehere related
by Plularch, happenedbefore the Greeks Icfl ll.cir to thegreatest
dangers,toprevent
yourfighting
tamp al Erylhrje, in order lo encamp round to Pla- under the disadvantage
of a surprise. For
taa,andbefore
thecontest betweentheTegetffi
and Mardoniuswill give you battle to-morrow;
theAthenians.
Lib.ii. 29,30,Sic. notthatheisinducedtoit byanywell-ground-
238 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

cd hopeor prospect of success,

but by the our part, continued
they,we havethesame
scarcityof provisions;
for thesoothsayers,
by weapons andstrength of body,togetherwith
their ominoussacrificesandill-bodingoracles, additionalspirits from our victories; andwe
endeavoured to diverthim fromit; but neces-do not, like them,fight for a tract of landor a
sity forceshim eitherto hazarda battle,or to single city, but for the trophiesof Marathon
"it still, andseehiswholearmyperishthrough andSalamis,that the peopleof Athens, and
want." Alexander,havingthus openedhim- not Miltiadesandfortune,mayhavethe glow
self to Anstides, desired him to take notice of them."
and avail himself of the intelligence, but not to While they were thus encouraging each
communicate it to any other person;* Anstides other, they hastened to their new post. But
howeverthoughtit wrong to concealit from the Thebansbeinginformedof it by deserters
Pausanias,
who was commander-in-chief: but sent and acquaintedMardonius,who, eithei
he promisednot to mentionthe thing to any out of fear of the Athenians,or from an am-
one besides,until after the battle; and assured bition to try his strength with the Lacedzmo-
nim at the sametime, that if the Greeksproved nians, immediately moved the Persiansto his
victorious, the whole army should be acquaint- right wing, and the Greeks that were of hi»
ed with this kindness,and glorious, daring con- party to the left, opposite to the Athenians.
duct of Alexander. This changein the dispositionof the enemy's
The king of Macedon, having dispatched army being known, Pausanias made another
this affair, returned, and Aristides went im- movement, and passedto the right; which
mediately to the tent of Pausanias,and laid the Mardonius perceiving, retu-ried to the left, and
whole before him; whereupon the other offi- so still faced the Lacedaemonians. Thus the
cers were sent for, and ordered to put the day passedwithout any action at all. In the
troops under arms, and have them ready for evening the Grecians held a council of war, in
battle. At the same time, according to Hero- which they determined to decamp, and take
dotus, Pausaniasinformed Aristidcs of his de- possessionof a place more commodious for
sign to alter the disposition of the army, by water, becausethe springsof their presentcamp
removing the Athenian?) from the left wing to were disturbedand spoiled by the enemy'shorse.
the right, and setting them to opposethe Per- When night was ccme,* and the officersbe-
sians: againstwhom they would act with more gan to march at the head of their troopsto the
bravery, becausethey had made proof of their place marked out for a new camp, the soldiers
manner of fighting; and with greater assurance followed unwillingly, and could not without
of success,becausethey had alreadysucceeded. great difficulty be kept together; for they were
As for the left wing, which would have to do no sooner out of their first entrenchments,than
with those Greeks that had embraced the Me- many of them madeoff to the city of Platara,and,
dian interest, he intended to command there either dispersing there, or pitching their tent*
himself-t The other Athenian officersthought without any regard to discipline, were in the
Pausanias carried it with a partial and high utmost confusion. It happened that the Lace-
hand, in moving them up and down, like so daemoniansalone were left behind, thougb
many helots, at his pleasure, to face the bold- againsttheir will. For Amompharetus, an in
est of the enemy's troops, while he left the rest trepid man,who hadlong beeneager to engage,
of the confederatesin their posts. But Aristi- and uneasyto see the battle so often put off
des told them, they were under a great mis- and delayed, plainly called this decampmenta
take. "You contended," said he, "a few days disgraceful flight, anddeclared, "He would not
ago with the Tegetz for the command of the quit his post, but remain there with his troops,
left wing, and valued yourselves upon the pre- and stand it out against Mardonius." And
ference; and now, when the Spartans volun- when Pausanias represented to him, that this
tarily offer you the right wing, whioh is in ef- measurewastakenin pursuance of the counsel
fect givingupto youthe command of thewhole anddetermination of the confederates,hetook
army, you areneitherpleased with the honour, upa largestonewith bothhis hands,andthrow-
nor sensible of the advantage, of not being ing it at Pausanias'sfeet, said, "This is my bal
obliged to fight against your countrymen and lot for a battle; and I despise the timid coun
those who have the same origin with you, but selsand resolvesof others." Pausaniaswasat
againstbarbarians,your naturalenemies." a losswhatto do, but at'last sentto theAthe
These words had such an effect upon the nians, who by this time were advancing, and
Athenians,that theyreadily agreedto change desiredthemto halt a little, thattheymightaU
postswith theSpartans,andnothingwasheard proceedin a body:at the sametimehemarch-
among them but mutualexhortationsto act ed with the restof the troopstowardsPlauea,
with bravery. They observed,"That the ene- hopingby that meansto draw Amompharetiu
my brought neither better arms nor bolder after him.
heartsthan they had at Marathon,but came By this time it was day, andMardonius,1}
with the samebows, the sameembroideredwho was not ignorantthat the Greekshad
vests and profusion of gold, the same effemi-
natebodies,andthe sameunmanlysouls. For * Onthisoccasion,
Mardonius
didnotfail to msul
Artabazus, reproaching him with his cowardly pru
dence,and the falie notion he had conceivedof tht,
* Accordingto HerodoliV,Alcianderhad eicepted Lacedaemonians,
who,as he pretended,
uevtrfledbe
Pausaniasout of this char^: of secrrcy; and this is fore the enemy.
mostprobable,
because
Pausasias
wascouunandcr-in-f Having
passed
theAsopus,
hecameupwith the
enief. Lacedaemonians
and Tegela:,who were separatedfrom
f Herodotussaysthe contrary;namefy,that all the the bodyof the army. In the numberof fifty-three
Athenianofficerswere ambitiousof that post,but did thousand.Pausanias,findinghimselfthusattackedby
not think properto proposeit for fearof disobliging the wholePersianarmy,despatched a messengerto
HieSpartans. acquaint
theAthenians,
whobid takenanother
reute
 ARISTIDES 239

quittedtheircamp,put his armyin orderof the Spart»nphalanx

all at oncehadtheap
battle, andboredownuponthe Spartans;the pearanceof somenerce animal,erectinghi*
barbariansletting up suchshouts,andclank- bristles,and preparingto exert his strength
ing theirarmsin sucha manner,
asif theyex- Thebarbarians thensawclearlythattheybad
pectedto haveonlytheplundering
of fugitives to do with menwho werereadyto spillthe
andnot * battle. And, indeed,it V.MS
like to lastdropof their blood: and,therefore,cover-
havebei'n so. For though Pausamas, upon ing themselves with their targets,shottheir»t-
teeingthismotionof Mardonius,stopped,anc rowsagainstthe Lacedaemonians. The Lace-
ordered every one to his post, yet, either con- demonians movingforward in a close,compact
fusedwith hiaresentmentagainstAmompha-body,fell uponthe Persians,andforcingtheir
retus.or with thesuddenattackof thePersians targetsfrom them,directedtheir pikesagainsi
lie forgot to give his troops the word: and for their faces and breasts, and brought many of
that reasonthey neitherengagedreadily, nor themto the ground.However,whentheywere
in a body, but continuedscatteredin smali down, they continuedto give proofsof their
parties,evenafter the fight wasbegun. strengthand courage;for theylaid holdonthe
Pausanias in the meantimeofferedsacrifice piken with their nakedhandsandbrokethem,
outseeingnoauspicious token,he commandedand then springingup, betookthemselves to
the Lacedaemonians to lay downtheir shields theirswordsandbattle-axes,andwrestingaway
at their feet, andto standstill, andattendbis their enemies'shieldsandgrapplingclosewith
orders,withoutopposing the enemy.After this them,madea long andobstinateresistance.
heofferedothersacrifices,the Persiancavalry The Atheniansall thiswhile stoodstill, ex-
still advancing. They were now within bow- pectingthe Lacedemonians;but when the
shot,andsomeof the Spartanswerewounded: noiseof the battlereached them,andanofficer,
among
whomwasCallicrates,
a manthat for aswearetold,despatched
byPausanias,
gave
size and beautyexceededthe whole army. theman accountthat the engagement
wasbe-
Thisbravesoldierbeingshotwith anarrow,gun, theyhastenedto his assistance;
andas
andreadyto expire,
said,"He didnotlamenttheywerecrossing
theplaintowards theplace
bisdeath,because he cameout resolvedto wherethenoisewasheard,the Greekswho
shedhis bloodfor Greece;buthewassorry sidedwith theenemy,pushedagainstthem.
to die without havingonce drawnhis sword As soonas Aristidessawthem,he advanced a
againstthe enemy. considerable
waybeforehistroops,andcalling
If theterrorof thissituation
wasgreat,the outto themwithall hiaforce,conjuredthem
steadinessandpatienceof theSpartans was by thegodsof Greece, "To renounce thisim-
wonderful:for theymadeno defence againstpiouswar, andnotoppose theAthenians who
theenemy's charge,but waitingthetimeof wererunningto thesuccour of thosethatwere
Heavenandtheir general,sufferedthemselvesnow the first to hazardtheir livesfor thesafe-
to be wounded and slain in their ranks.
ty of Greece." But finding that, instead of
Some
say,that,asPausantas
wassacrificinghearkening
to him,theyapproached
in a hos-
andpraying
ata littledistance
fromthelines,tile manner,
hequitted
hisdesign
ofgoing
to
certainLydianscomingsuddenly uponhim, assisttheLacedaemonians,
andjoinedbattle
seizedand scattered
the sacred
utensils,
and withtheseGreeks,
who wereaboutfivethou-
thatPausanias
andthose
about
him,having
no sandin number.Butthegreatest
partsoon
weapons, drove them away with rods and jave way and retreated, especially when they
scourges. Andtheywillhave it tobeinimita-heard
thatthebarbarians wereputtoflight.
tionofthisassault
oftheLydians, thattheycel-Thesharpest
partofthisactionissaidtohave
ebrate afestival
atSparta, now,inwhichboysoeen
are scourgedround the altar, and which con-
withtheThebans; among whom thefirst
n quality and power, having embraced the
cludes
withamarchcalledtheLydianmarch.Medianinterest,
bytheirauthority
carried
out
Pausanias,
extremely
afflicted
atthese
circum-thecommonpeopleagainst
theirinclination.
stances,
whilethepriestoffered
sacrifice
upon Thebattle,thusdivided
intoUvoparts,the
sacrifice,turningtowardsthetempleof Juno, Lacedemonians
first brokeandroutedthe Per-
andwithtears
trickling
fromhiseyes,
andup-sians;
andMardonius*
himself
wasslain
bya
liftedhands, prayed tothatgoddess, thepro-Spartan named Arimncslus,t whobrokehis
tectress of Cithzron, andtotheothertutelarskullwith a stone, astheoracle of Amphia-
deitiesof thePlateaus, " Thatif thefateshad raushad foretoldhim. For Mardonius had
not decreed that theGrecians should conquer, sent
a Lydiantoconsultthisoracle,
and,atthe
they might at least be permitted to sell their sametime, a Carian to thecaveof Tropho-
lives dear;andshew theenemy bytheirdeedsmus4ThepriestofTrophonius
that they had brave men and experienced sol-
answeredthe
diers to deal with." Carian
in hisownlanguage:
buttheLydian,as
The very moment that Pausaniaswas utter- e sleptinthetemple
ofAmphiaraus,§
thought
ingthisprayer,
thetokens
somuch
desired
ap- * M»aoni\iB,
mounted
onawhite
horse,
signalized
pearedin the victim, andthedivinersannounc-himself
greatly,
and,at thehead of athousand
cWn
ed him victory. Orders were immediatelymen,killedagreatnumber of theenemy;but.Trhen
giventhewholearmyto cometo action,and hefell,thewhole
Persian
armywas
easily
routed.
t In somecopies
heidcalledDiamntstus.Arimorstus
with the danger he was in. The Athenians immedi- wasgeneral of the PlaLians.
ately
pu themselves
ontheirmarch
to succour
their } Thecave
of Trophonius
wasm\r thecityof La-
distressed
allies;butwere
attacked,
andto theirgreat badiain Bteotia,
above Delphi.Mwdomus hadsent
regret,
preventedbythose
Greekswhosidedwiththe a consult, notonlythisoracle,
butalmost
alltheother
Persians.
Thebattle
being
thusfoughtintwodifferent
oracles
inthecountry,
sorestless
anduneasy
washe
places,ihe Spartans
werethefirstwho brokr intothe abouttheeventof thewar.
centre
ofthePersian
army,and,afteramost
obstinate$Amphjaraus,
in hislifetime,
hadbeen
acrestin.
resistance,
putthem
toflight. Tprei«r
of dreams
andtherefore,
afUrhudeath.
240 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Hesawa minister of the god approachhim, This victory went near to be the ruin si
whocommanded him to begone,anduponhis Greece.For the Atheniansunwilling to allow
refusal,threw a great stone at his head, so the Spartansthe honourof the day,or to con
that he believedhimself killed by the blow. sentthat they shoulderectthe trophy, would
Such is the account we have of that affair. have referred it to the decision of the sword,
The barbarians, flying beforethe Spartans, hadnot Anstidestakengreatpainsto explain
were pursuedto their campwhich they had the matter and pacifythe other generals,par
fortified with woodenwalls. And soon after ticularly LeocratesandMyronides,and per"
the AtheniansroutedtheThebans,killing three suadingthem to leaveit to the judgmentof
Hundredpersonsof the first distinctionon the the Greeks. A councilwascalledaccordingly,
"pot. Just asthe Thebansbeganto giveway, in which Theogitongave it as his opinion,
news was brought that the barbarianswere "That those two statesshould give up the
"hut up and besieged in their woodenfortifi- palm to a third, if they desiredto preventa
cation; the Athenians,therefore,sufferingthe civil war." Then Cleocritus,the Corinthian,
Greeks to escape, hastened to assist in the rose up, and it was expected he would set
eiege; and finding that the Lacedaemonians,forth the pretensionsof Corinthto theprizeof
unskilledin the storming of walls, madebut valour, as the city next in dignity to Sparta
a elow progress,they attackedand took the and Athens; but they were most agreeably
camp,* with a prodigious slaughter of the ene- surprised when they found that he spoke in
my. For it is said that out of three hundred behalf of the Plataeans,and proposed, "That,
.housand men, only forty thousand escaped all disputes laid aside, the palm should be ad-
with Artabazusrf whereasof those that fought judged to them, since neither of the contend-
in the cause of Greece, no more were slain ing parties could be jealous of them." Aris-
than one thousand three hundred and sixty ; tides was the first to give up the point for the
among whom were fifty-two Athenians, all, ac- Athenians, and then Pausanias did the same
cording to Clidemus, of the tribe of Aiantis, for the Lacedaemonians.*
which greatly distinguished itself in that ac- The confederates thus reconciled, eighty
tion. And therefore, by order of the Delphic talents were set apart for the Platajans, with
oracle, the Aiantids offered a yearly sacrifice which they built a temple, and erected a statue
of thanksgiving for the victory to the nymphs to Minerva; adorning the temple with paint-
Sphragitides, having the expensedefrayedout ings, which to this day retain their original
of the treasury. The Lacedaemonianslost beauty and lustre. Both the Lacedaemonians
ninety-one, and the Tegetsesixteen. But it is and Athenians erected trophies separately; and
"urpnsing; that Herodotus should say that these sending to consult the oracle at Delphi, about
were the only Greeks that engagedthe barba- the sacrifice they were to offer, they were di-
rians, and that no other were concerned in the rected by Apollo, "To build an altar to Jupi
action. For both the number of the slain and ter the deliverer, but not to offer any sacrifice
the monuments,shew that it was the common upon it till they had extinguishedall the fire in
achievement of the confederates;and the altar the country (because it had been polluted by
erected on that occasion would not have had the barbarians,) and supplied themselves with
the following inscription, if only three states pure fire from the common altar at Delphi."
had engaged, and the rest sat still- Hereupon the Grecian generals went all over
the country, and causedthe fires to be put out;
The Greeks,their countryfreed,(lie Persians
slain, and Euchidas, a Platsan, undertaking to fetch
Haverear'dthisaltarontheglorious
field, fire, with all imaginable
speed,from the altai
To freedom's patron, Jove.
of the god, went to Delpni, sprinkled and pu
nfied himself there with water, put a crown of
This battle was fought on the fourth of Boe- laurel on his head, took fire from the altar,
dromion [.Septemier] according to the Athe- and then hastened back to Plataea, where he
nian way of reckoning; but, according to the arrived before sunset,thus performing a jour
Boeotian computation, on the twenty-fourth of ney of a thousandfurlongs in one day. But,
the month Panemus. And on that day there having salutedhis fellow-citizens,and delivered
is slili a general assembly of the Greeks at the fire, he fell down on the spot andpresently
Plataca,
andthePlataeans
sacrifice
toJupiterexpired.
ThePlatasans
carried
himtothetern
the deliverer, for the victory. JN'oris this dif- pie of Diana, surnamed Eucleia, and buried
ference of days in the Grecian months to he him there, putting this short inscription on hj
wondered at, since even now, whenthe science tomb:
of astronomy is so much improved, the months
begin and end differently in different places. Herelies.EucAi'dai,who wentto Delphi,andret'jre«4
the sameday.
give his oracles by dreams: for which purpose, those
thatconsulted
himslept
inhistemple,
ontheskinol AsforEucleia,
thegenerality
believe
hert»
a ram,whichtheyhadsacrificed
to him. be Diana,andcall herby that name:butsome
* Thespoilwasimmense,consisting
of vastsumsol sayshewasdaughterto Hercules,and Myrto
money,of goldandsilvercups,
vessels,
tables,brace-the daughterof Menoeceus,andsister of Pit
S:ls, rich beds,and all sorts of furniture. They gave
the UntilofalltoPausaniai. roclus;
andthatdyinga virgin,shenaddiva*
f Artabazus, who, from Maraouius's imprudent con- honourspaid her by the BoiotiaanandLeo
duct, had but too well foreseen the misfortune that
Deftlhim,afterhavingdistinguishedhimselfin the * A»to individuals, whentheycame10determine
engagement, madea timelyretreatwith the forty whichhadbehaved with mostcourage, theyall gart
thousand menhecommanded, arrivedsafeat Byzan-Judgment in favourof Aristodcmus,
whowastheonly
tium, andfromthencepassedoverinto Asia. Beside onethat hadsavedhimselfat Thermopylae, Midnow
these,onlythreethousand
menescaped.-Herodot. 1. wipedofftheblemish of hit formerconduct
byaglo-
ta. c. 31-69. rioui death.
 AKISTIDES. 241
Brians.For in themarket-place
of everycity other,that beingelatedwith theirvictories,ft
of theirs,
shehasa statue
andanaltar,wKerewould
bedifficult
toforcethemtodepart
from
persona
ofboth
sexes
thatarebetrothed
offertheirpurpose;
andtherefore
hecaused
a de-
sacrifice
before
marriage. creeto bemade,
thatallthecitizens
should
In thefirst generalassemblyof theGreekshavea sharein theadministration,
andthatthe
"fter thisvictory,Aristidesproposeda decree,Archonsshouldbe chosenout of the whole
" That deputiesfrom all the states of Greece body of them.
"houldmeetannually at Plataea,to sacrifice
to Themistocles
havingonedaydeclared to the
Jupiterthedeliverer,andthateveryfifthyear generalassembly that he had thoughtof an
theyshouldcelebratethe gamesof liberty: expedient whichwasverysalutary to Athens,*
that a generallevyshouldbe madethroughbutoughtto bekeptsecret, hewasordered to
Greeceof tenthousand foot,a thousandhorse,communicate
it to Aristidesonly,andabideby
and a hundredships,for the war againstthe his judgmentof it Accordinglyhe told him,
barbarians:and that the Plataeans should be his projectwasto burnthe whole fleetof the
eiempt, being set apartfor the serviceof the confederates; by which meansthe Athenians
god,to propitiatehim in behalfof Greece,and wouldberaisedto thesovereignty of all Greece.
consequentlytheir personsto be esteemed sa- Aristides then returned to the assembly,and
cred." acquaintedtheAthenians,"That nothingcould
These articlespassinginto a law, the Pla- bemoreadvantageous thanthe projectof The-
teans undertookto celebratethe anniversarymistocles,nor any thing more unjujt." And
of those that were slain and buried in that uponhis report of the matter, they commanded
place,andthey continueit to this day. The Themistoclesto give over all thoughtsof it.
ceremonyis as follows: On the sixteenthday Such regardhad that peoplefor justice, and
of Maimacterion, [JWuem&er] which with the so much confidence in the integrity of Aristidea-
Bosotiansis the month JUalcomenius, the pro- Some time after thisf he was joined in com-
cession begins at break of day, preceded by a mission with Citnon, and sent against the bar-
trumpet which soundsthe signal of battle. barians;where,observingthat Pausaniasand
Then follow several chariots full of garlands the other Spartan generals behaved with ex-
and branchesof myrtle, and next to the char- cessive haughtiness,he chose a quite different
iota is led a black bull. Then come some manner, shewing much mildness ana conde-
young men that are free-born, carrying vessels scensionin his whole conversation and address,
full of wine and milk, for the libations,and andprevailingwith Cimonto behavewith equal
cruets of oil and perfumed essences: no slave goodness and affability to the whole league.
beingallowed to have any sharein this cere- Thus he insensiblydrew the chief command
' roony, sacred to the memory of men that died from the Lacedemonians, not by force of arms,
for liberty. The processioncloseswith the horses,or ships,but by his gentleandobliging
Archon of Platsa, who at other times is not deportment. For the justice of Aristidea, and
allowed either to touch iron, or to wearany the candourof Cimon,havingmadethe Athe-
garmentsbut a white one; but that day he is niansveryagreeableto the confederates, their
clothedwith a purple robe, and girt with a regardwasincreasedby thecontrasttheyfound
sword: andcarrying in his handa water-pot, in Pausanias's avariceandseverityof manners.
takenout of the public hall, he walksthrough For he neverspoketo the officersof the allies
the midstof the city to the tombs. Then he but with sharpness and anger,and he ordered
takeswater in the pot out of a fountain,and, manyof their men to be flogged,or to stand
with his ownhands,washesthe little pillars of all day with an iron anchoron their shoulders.
the monuments,* andrubsthemwith essences.He would not suffer any of them to provide
Afterthis he kills the bull upona pile of wood; themselves with forage,or strawto lie on, or
andhavingmadehis supplications to the terres- to go to the springsfor water,beforethe Spar-
trial Jupiter,t andto Mercury,he invitesthose tans were supplied;but placed his servants
bravemenwhofell in thecauseof Greece,
to there with rods,to drive awaythosethat
the funeralbanquet,andthe streamsof blood. shouldattempt it. And when Aristides was
Lastof all hefills a bowlwithwine,andpour-goingto remonstrate
with himuponit, heknit
ing it out, he says, " I presentthis bowl to the his brows,and,telling him, " He was not at
men who died for the liberties of Greece." leisure," refused to hear him.
Such is the ceremonystill observedby the From that time the sea-captains
and land-
Platxans. officersof the Greeks,particularlythoseof
WhentheAthenians
werereturnedhome,Chios,Samos, and Lesbos,pressed Aristides
Aristides,observing
that theyusedtheir utmost to take uponhim the commandof the confed-
endeavoursto makethe governmententirely erate forces, and lo receive them into his
democratical,
considered,
ononeside,thatthe protection,
sincetheyhadlongdesiredto be
people
deserved
someattention
andrespect,on deliveredfromthe Spartanyoke,andto act
account of their gallant behaviour; and, on the under the orders of the Athenians. He an-
swered," That hesawthenecessity
andjus-
" It appears
it waj from
customary anepigram
to place ofCallimachus,
little pillars thatticeof whattheyproposed,
uponthe monu- butthatthepro-
ments,-whichihe friendsof the deceased perfumedposaloughtfirstto beconfirmed
by someact,
withcMences,and crowned withdowers. " whichwouldmakeit impossible
for thetroops
f Tticterrestrial
Jupiter isPluto,who,aswellas to departfromtheir resolution."Hereupon,
(he celestial,
hadhisMercury, or elseborrowedthe Uhadesof Samos, and Antagoras of Chios,
messengerof the gods of his brother. To be sure,
ttcre mightas well betwo Mercuriesu two Jupi- « Thi« was.beforetheb»Uleof Flitaa, at the time
Itrs; buttheconducting
ofsoulsto theshades
below,whenXeneswaaput to flight,anddrivenbackinto
u reckoned part of the office of that Mercury who Asia.
"rajU upon the J upiter of the skies. ) Eight yearsafter.
242 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

conspiringtogether,went boldly andattacked " That is indeeda necessary

qualification;but
Paiisanias's
galleyat the headof the fleet. thereis another
Teryexcellent
one,andhighly
Paiisanias,
upon this insolence,cried out in a becominga general,and that is, to haveclean
menacing tone, " He would soon shew those hands."
fellows they had not offered this insult to hig When Aristides had settled the articles of
"hip, but to their own countries." But they alliance,he called upon the confederatesto
told him, " The beet thing he could do was to confirm them with an oath; which he himself
retire, and thank fortunefor fighting for him took on the part of the Athenians;and,at tha
at Plataea;for thatnothingbut the regrfrdthey sametime that he utteredthe execrationon
had for that great action restrained the Greeks those who should break the articles, he iXiiew
from wreaking their just vengeance on him." red-hot piecesof iron into the sea.* However,
The conclusion was, that they quitted the when the urgency of affairs afterwards re-
Spartan banners,and ranged themselvesunder quired the Athenians to govern Greece with a
those of the Athenians. stricter hand than those conditions justified, he
On this occasion, the magnanimity of the advised them to let the consequences of the
Spartan people appeared with great lustre. perjury rest with him, and pursue the path
For as soon as they perceived their generals which expediency pointed out.f Upon the
were spoiled with too much power, they sent whole, Theophrastus says, that in all his own
no more, but voluntarily gave up their preten- private concerns, and in those of his fellow-
sionsto the chief'command;choosingrather citizens,he wasinflexiblyjust; but in affairsof
to cultivatein their citizensa principleof mo- state,hedid manythingsaccordingto theexi-
desty and tenaciousnessof the laws and cus- gency of the case, to eerve his country, which
tomsof their country,than to possess
the sov- seemedoftento haveneedof the assistance
of
ereign command of Greece. injustice. And he relates, that when it was
While the Lacedaemonians had the com- debated in council, whether the treasure de-
mand, the Greeks paid a certain tax towards posited at Deloa should be brought to Athens,
the war; and now, being desirous that every as the Samians had advised,though contrary
eity might be more equally rated, they begged to treaties, on its coming to his turn to speak,
the favour of the Athenians that Aristides might he said, "It was not jnst, but it was expedient."
take it upon him, and gave him instructions to This must be said, notwithstanding, that
inspect their lands and revenues, in order to though he extended the dominions of Athens
proportion the burden of each to its ability. over so many people, he himself still continued
AJistides,
investedwith thisauthority,which, poor,andesteemed
his povertyno lessa glory
in a manner, made him master of all Greece, than all the laurels he had won. The follow
did notabuseit. For thoughhewentout poor, ing is a clear proof of it. Calliasthe torch-
he returned poorer,having settledthe quotas bearer,who was his near relation,was pro
of the severalstates,not only justly and dis- secutedin a capital cause by hig enemies.
interestedly, but with so much tendernessand When they had alleged what they had against
humanity,that his assessment
was agreeablehim, which was nothing very flagrant, they
-id convenient to all. And aa the ancients launched out into something foreign to their
praisedthe times of Saturn,so the allies of own charge, and thus addressed
the judges'
Athens blessedthe settlementsof Aristides, " You know Aristides,the son of Lysima
callingit the happyfortune of Greece:a com- chus, who is justly the admiration of all
plimentwhichsoonafterappeared
still more Greece.Whenyouseewith what a garbhe
just, when this taxation was twice or three appearsin public, in what manner do you
timesashigh. For thatof Aristidesamountedthink he mustlive at home? Must not hewho
only to four hundredand sixty talents; and shivershere with cold for want of clothing,
Pericles increased it almost one third: for be almost famished there, and destitute of all
Thucydideswrites,that at the beginningof the necessaries?yet this is the man,whom Cal-
war, the Atheniansreceivedfromtheir allies lias, his cousin-german, andthe richestmanin
six hundred talents; and after the death of Athens, absolutely neglects, and leaves, with
Pericles, those that had the administration in his wife and children, in such wretchedness;
their handsraised it by little and little to the though he has often made use of him, and
sum of thirteen hundred talents. Not that the availed himself of his interest with you."
war grew moreexpensive, either by its length Calliasperceivingthat this point affectedand
or want of success,but becausethey had ac- exasperated his judges more than any thing
customedthe peopleto receivedistributionsof else,called for Aristidesto testifybeforethe
moneyfor the public spectacles
and otherpur- court,that he hadmanytimesofferedhim con-
poses,and had made them fond of erecting siderablesums,and stronglypressedhim to
magnificentstatuesandtemples. acceptthem,but he hadalwaysrefusedthem,
The great and illustrious characterwhich in such terms aathese: " It better becomes
Aristides acquired by the equity of this taxa-
tion, piquedThemistocles;
andheendeavoured " Asmuch31to say,
asthe6rein these
pieces
ofiron
to turn thepraisebestowed
uponhiminto is extinguished
tinct who break in amoment,
this covenant.somay
theirdays
be«
ridicule,by saying,"It wasnotthopraiseof a t Thus
even
thejust,theuprightArisliiles
made
>
man, but of a money-chest, to keep treasure distinctionbetween
hisprivateandpoliticalconscience.
without diminution." By this he took but a A distinctionwhich hasno mannerof fouudationin
feeble revengefor the freedomof Aristides. truthor reason,
andwhichin theendwill beproduc-
For one day Themistocles happening to say, tive of ruin rather than advantage; asall ll t>seuationi
wit] find who avail themselvesof injustice to serve a
" that helookeduponit asthe principalex- present
occasion.
Forsomuch
reputation
issomuch
cellence of a general to know and foresee the power;andstates,aswell as priva'e pcnous,an r»
designs of the enemy;" Aristides answered, speclftbleonly iu their character.
 ARISTJDES. 243
Aristidestoglory
in hiapoverty,
thanCallaisupon
receiving
*entence,killedhimselfinthe
in hisriches;
forweseeeverydaymanypeo-judgment-hall,
at the footof the tribunal.
plemake * good
a?wellasabaduse
ofriches,Nordotheyforget
tliebanishment
ofArutides,
butit is hardto findonethatbears
povertyhuttheysaynotonewordof hiscondemna-
with a noblespirit; andtheyonlyare ashamedtion.
of it, whoarepooragainst
theirwill." When Besides,
hismonument
isstillto beseenat
Arisudes
hadgivenin hisevidence,
therewag Phalereum, andis saidto havebeenerected
nota manin thecourtwhodid not leaveit at thepubliccharge,
because
hedid not leave
withaninclination
rather
tobepoorwithhim,enough todefray
theexpenses of hisfuneral.
thanrichwith Callais.This particular
we Theyinformustoo,thatthecityprovided
for
havefrom.flSschines,
thediscipleof Socrates.
themarriageof hisdaughters,
andthateachof
And Plato,amongall that were accounted them had three thousand drochmxto her
greatand illustriousmenin Athens,judgedportionoutof thetreasury:andto hiesonLy-
nonebutAhstidesworthyof realesteem.As simachus thepeople of Athensgavea hundred
for Themistocles,Cimon, and Pericles,they ntirue of silver, and a plantationof as many
filled the city with magnificentbuildings,with acresof land, with a pensionof four drachmas
wealth,andthe vain superfluitiesof life; but a day;* the wholebeingconfirmedto him by a
virtue was the only object that Aristideahad decreedrawn up by Alcibiades. Callistheaes
in view in tho whole course of hia administra- adds, that Lysimachus at his death leaving a
tion. daughter named Polycrite, the people ordered
We have extraordinaryinstancesof the her the samesubsistence
witn thosethat had
candour with which he behavedtowards The- conqueredat the Olympic games. Demetrius
mistocles. For though he was his constant the Phalerean, Hieronymus of Rhodes, Aris-
enemyin all affairsof government,and the toxenusthe musician,and Aristotle himself,
meansof his banishment,yet whenThemisto- (if the treatise concerningnobility is to be
cles was accusedof capital crimes against the reckoned among his genuine works,) relate
state, and he had an opportunity to pay him in that Myrto, a grand-daughterof Aristides, was
kind, he indulgednot the least revenge;but marriedto Socratesthe philosopher,
who had
while Alcmson, Cimon, and many others, were another wife at the same time, but took her,
accusing him and driving him into eiile, Aris- becauseshe was in extreme want, and remain-
tides alone neither did nor said any thing to his ed a widow on account of her poverty. But
disadvantage;for, as he had not envied his this is sufficientlyconfutedby PanaUms,
in hia
prosperity, so now he did not rejoice in his life of that philosopher.
misfortunes. The same Demetrius, in his account of So-
As to the death of Aristides,somesay it crates,tells us, he rememberedone Lysima-
happenedin Pontus,whither he had sailed chus, grandsonto Aristides,who plied con-
about somebusiness of ths state; otherssay stantlynearthe the templeof Bacchus,having
he died at Athens,full of days,honouredand certaintablesby whichhe interpreteddreams
admiredby his fellow-citizens:but Craterus for a livelihood:andthat he himself procured
the Macedoniangivesus anotheraccountof adecree,by whichhis motherandhisaunt had
thedeathof thisgreatman. He tellsus,that threeobolia dayeachallowedfor their eub-
afterthebanishmentof Themistocles,
the in- sistance.Hefurtheracquaints
us,thatwhen
solenceof the people gave encouragementto a afterwards he undertook to reform the Athe-
numberof villainousinformers,who,attacking nianlaws,he orderedeach of thosewomena
thegreatestand best men,renderedthemob- drachmaa day. Nor is it to bewonderedat
noxiousto the populace,
now muchelatedthat this peopletookso muchcareof those
withprosperity
andpower. Aristideshimself that lived with him at Athens,when,having
wasnotspared,
butonachargebrought againstheardthat a grand-daughter of Amtogiton
him by Diophantusof Amphitrope,was con- lived in meancircumstances
in Lernnos,and
demned fortakinga bribeof thelonians,
at the continuedunmarried by reason
of herpoverty,
timehe leviedthe tax. Headds,that beingtheysentfor her to Athens,andmarriedher
nnableto payhisfine,whichwasfifty minx, to a manof a considerable family,givingher
besailedto somepartof Ionia,andtheredied. for a portionanestatein the boroughof Po-
ButCraterus givesusnowrittenproofof this tamos.Thatcity,evenin ourdays,continues
assertion,
nor doeshe allegeanyregisterof to givesomanyproofsof herbenevolence and
courtordecreeof thepeople, thoughonother humanity, that sheis deservedly
admiredand
occasionshe is full of such proofs,and con- applauded
by all the world.
stantly cites his author. The other historians,
withoutexception, whohavegivenusaccounts * Though thi>mayseem noeitraordinary
matter to
of the unjust behaviourof the people of Athens us, beingonlyabouthalf-a-crown
of our money,yetID
to theirgenerals, amongmanyotherinstances those daysit was.For anambassador wasallowed
onlytwodrachmsaday,aj appears fromtheJlcor-
dwell upon the banishmentof Themistocles,nentetof Aristophanei. The poet,indeed,speaksof
theimprisonment
ofMiltiades,
thefineimposedonesenttothekingof Persia,
u whose
cc^t asuo
apouPericles,and the deathof Paches,who, bassador
waaprettyIUKto beenriched.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

CATO THE CENSOR.

IT iasaidthat MarcusCatowasbornat Tus- honourto be gainedin that department

was
culum, of which place his family originally not his principalview. His ambitionwasmil
was, andthat beforehewasconcernedin civil itary glory; andwhenyet but a youth,he had
or military affairs,he lived upon an estate fought in so manybattlesthat hi» breastwas
which his fatherleft him nearthe countryof full of scars. He himselftellsus,he madehis
the Sabines.Thoughhis ancestors were reck- first campaignat seventeenyearsof age,when
onedto hivebeenpersons
of nonote,yet Ca-Hannibal,
in theheightof his prosperity,
wag
to himself boastsof his fatheras a braveman laying Italy wastewith fire and sword. In
andan excellentsoldier,and assures
uathat battlehestoodfirm,hada sureand executing
his grandfatherCatoreceivedseveralmilitary hand,a fierce countenance,and spoketo his
rewards,andthat havinghadfivehorseskilled enemyin athreateninganddreadfulaccent;for
underhim, he badthe valueof thempaidhim herightlyjudged,andendeavoured to convince
out of the treasury,asan acknowledgment of others,that such a kind of behaviouroften
his gallant behaviour. As the Romansalways strikesan adversarywith greaterterror than
gave the appellationof new men,* to those the eword itself. He alwaysmarchedon foot
who,havingno honours
transmitted
to them andcarriedhisown arms,followedonly by
fromtheir ancestors,
beganto distinguish them- oneservantwho carried his provisions. And
selves,theymentionedCatoby thesamestyle: it is said,he neverwas angry or found fault
but he used to say he was indeednew with with that servant,whateverhe setbeforehim;
respectto officesanddignities,but with regard but whenhewasat leisurefrommilitary duty,
to services and virtues of his ancestors,he was would easeand assist him in dressing it. Ail
very ancient. the time hewasin the army,hedrank nothing
His third name,at first, was not Cato, but but water,exceptthat whenalmost burnedup
Priscus. It wasafterwardschangedto that of with thirst hewould askfor a little vinegar,or
Cato on accountof his greatwisdom; for the whenhefoundhis strengthandspiritsexhaust-
Roman's call wise men Catos. He had red ed he would take a little wine.
hair andgreyeyes,asthis epigramill-naturedly Neat his country-^eatwas a cottage,which
enough declares: formerly belonged to Manius Curius,» who
"With eyesso grey, and hair so red, was thrice honouredwith a triumph. Catooften
Withtuskssosharp
andkeen. walkedthither,andreflectingonthe smallness
Thou'Hfright theshadeswhenthouart dead, of the farm and the meannessof the dwelling,
Andhell wou't let thceID. used to think of the peculiar virtues of Denta-
Inured tolabourandtemperance
andbroughttus,who,though hewasthegreatest manin
op,asit were,in camps,
hehadanexcellent
Rome, hadsubdued themostwarlike nations,
and driven Pyrrhus out of Italy, cultivated this
constitution with respect to strength as well as
health. And he consideredeloquenceas a val- little spot of ground with his own hands, and
after three triumphs lived in this cottage.
uable contingent, an instrument ofgreat things, Here the ambassadors of the Samnites found
not only useful but necessary,for every man
who does not choose to live obscure and inac- him in the chimney-corner dressing turnips,
tive; for which reason he exercised and im- and offered him a large present of gold; but
proved that talent in the neighbouring boroughs he absolutely refused it, and gave them this
andvillages,
byundertaking
thecauses
ofsuchanswer:
,/2manwhocanbesatisfied
with
asapplied
tohim;sothathewassoon
allowed
such,
a supper
hasnoneed<tfgold:andI
tobeanablepleader, andafterwards
a goodthinkit mareglorious to conquertheovmert
orato*. of it, thanto haveit myself. Full of these
Fromthistime,all thatconversed
withhim thoughts Catoreturned home, andtakinga
discovered
in himsuchagravityof behaviour,
viewof hisownestate, hisservants,
andman
euch adignity anddepth ofsentiment, asqual-nerofliving,added tohisownlabour, andre-
ified him for the greatest affairs in the most trenched his unnecessaryexpenses.
respectable government intheworld.Forhe WhenFabius Maximua tookthecityof
wasnotonlyGO disinterested astoplead with-Tarentum, Cato, whowasthenveryyoung,1)
outfeeorreward, butit appeared thattheserved under
to lodge withhim. Happening
a Pythagoreanatphilosopher
thattirue
" Thejusimaginum
wasannexed
tothegreatofficesnamed Nearchus,he desired to hear some
of state, and nonehad their statuesor pictures but such
ashad bornethoseoffices.Therefore,hewho hadthe * ManiusCuriusDentatustriumphedtwicein his
picturesof hisancestors, wascallednoble,hewhohad first consulate,in the four hundredand sixty-third
only his own, was called a new man; and he who had yearof Rome,firstovertheSamnites,andafterwards
neithertheonenortheother,wascalled
\giwlle. So overtheSabines.Andeightyearsafterthat,in nil
"aysAsconius. But it doesnot appearthat a snan third con»ulatt,he triumphedover Pyrrhus. After
trim had borneagreat office, the consulatefor instance, this, he led up the leu triumph, called Ovation, tot
ivasignoblebecause hehadn6t hisstatueor picture; hisvictoryovertheLucanians.
for he inightnot choose
it. Calohimselfdid notchoose t FabiusMaximustookTarentumin his fifth crm
It: hit reason, we suppose,was, becamehe had none sulate, in the year of Rome 54-4. Cato was then twen
of hit ancestors',
I houghhewas pleatedto assignan- ly-threcyearsold; but hehadmadehis firstcampaign
other. under the same Ftbiui, five years before.
 CATO THE CENSOR. 248

of hisdoctrine,and learningfrom him the took theliberty to remonstrate;

observing,
game maximawhich Plato advances,That "That the expense
itself wasnot the greatest
pleasure
is thegreatest
incentiveto evil:that evil,buttheconsequence
ofthatexpense,
since
thegreatest
burden
andcalamity
to thesoulit corrupted
theancient
simplicity
of thesol-
is tht body,from whichshecannotdisengage diery,whowhentheyhadmoremoneythan
her>ic{f,
butby sucha teiseuseof reasonas was'necessary for theirsubsistence,
weresure
shallweanand separateherfrom all cor- to bestowit uponluxury and riot." Scipio
porealpassions:he became still moreatach-anuwered, "hehadnoneedof a veryexactand
edto frugality andtemperance.Yet it is said frugaltreasurer,
because heintended
tospread
that helearnedGreekvery late, andwascon- all his sailsin the oceanof war, andbecause
"iderably
advanced
in yearswhenhebeganto hiscountryexpected fromhimanaccount of
readthnGrecianwriters,among
whomheim- services
performed, not of moneyexpended."
provedhis eloquence,somewhatby Thucy- Uponthis Cato left Sicily,andreturnedto
didee,but by Demosthenes very greatly. Jn- Rome,where,togetherwith Fabius,heloudly
deedhis own writings aresufficientlyadornedcomplainedto thesenateof "Scipio'simmense
with preceptsand examplesborrowedfrom profusion,andof his passinghis time, like a
theGreek,andamong
hismaxims
andsenten-boy,inwrestling-rings
andtheatres,
asif hehad
ceswe JinJmany that are literally translated not beensent out to makewar, but to exhibit
from the sameoriginals. gamesand shows." In consequence of this,
At that time there flourished at Rome a no- tribunes were sent to examine into the affair,
blemanof great power and eminence,called with orders,if the accusationprovedtrue, to
ValeriusFlaccus,whosepenetrationenabledbringScipiobackto Rome. Scipiorepresented
him to distinguisha risinggeniusand virtuous to them,"That success
depended
entirelyupon
disposition, and whose benevolence inclined the greatness of the preparations," and made
him to encourage
andconductit in the pathof themsensible,
"That thoughhespenthis hour*
glory. This noblemanhid an estatecontiguous of leisure in a cheerful manner with his friends,
to Cato's, where he often heard his servants his liberal way of living had not causedhim to
speak of his neighbour's laborious and temper- neglect any great or important business."
ate mannerof life. They told him that he used With this defencethe commissionerswere sat
to go early in the morning to the little towns isfied, and he set sail for Africa.
in the neighbourhood,and defend the causesof As for Cato, he continued to gain so much
Euch as applied to him; that from thence he influence and authority by his eloquence, that
would return to his farm, where, in a coarse he was commonly called the Roman Demos-
frock, if it was winter, and naked, if it was thenes; but he was still more celebrated for
summer, he would labour with his domestics, his manner of living. His excellence as a
and afterwards sit down with them, and eat speaker awakened a general emulation among
the same kind of bread, and drink of the same the youth to distinguish themselves the same
wine. They related also many other instances way, and to surpasseach other: but few were
of his condescensionand moderation, and men- willing to imitate him in the ancient custom
tioned several of his short sayings that were of tilling the field with their own hands, in eat-
full of wit and goodsense. Valerius,charm- ing a dinnerpreparedwithout fire, anda spare
ed with his character, sent him an invitation frugal supper; few, like him, could be satisfied
to dinner. From that time, by frequentcon- with a plain dressanda poorcottage,or think
versation,he found in him so much sweetness k more honourable not to want the superflui-
of temperand readywit, that he consideredties of life, than to possessthem. For the
him asan excellentplant,which wantedonly commonwealth now no longer retained its
cultivation,and deservedto beremovedto a primitivepurity andintegrity,by reasonof the
bettersoil. He thereforepersuaded him to go vastextentof its dominions;the manydiffer-
to Rome,andapplyhimself to affairsof state. ent affairsunderits management, and the in-
There his pleadingssoon procured him finite numberof peoplethatweresubjectto its
friendsandadmirers;the interestof Valerius, command,had introduceda great variety of
too,greatlyassistedhis rise to preferment;so customsand modesof living. Justly, there-
thathewasfirstmadea tribuneof the soldiers, fore, was Cato entitledto admiration,when
andafterwardsqusstor. And havinggained the other citizenswere frightenedat labour,
great reputation and honour in those employ- and enervated by pleasure, and he alone was
ments,he wasjoined with Valeriushimselfin unconquered by either,not only while young
the highestdignities,beinghis colleagueboth andambitious,but when old andgrey-haired,
ai consul and as censor. after his consulship and triumph; like a brave
Amongall the ancientsenators,he attached wrestler,who afterhe hascomeoff conqueror,
himself chiefly to Fabius Maximus, not so observes the commonrules,and continueshis
much on account of the great power andhonour exercisesto the last.
he had acquired, as for the sake of his life and He himself tells us that he never wore a
manners, which Cato considered as the best garment thit cost him more than a hundred
modelto formhimselfupon. So that hemade drachmae^
that evenwhenprator or consulhe
noscrupleof differingwith the greatScipio,drankthe samewinewith his slaves;that a
who, though at that time but a young man, yet dinner never cost him from the market above
actuated
by a spiritof emulation,
wastheper- thirty uses,andthathewasthusfrugalfor the
sonwho mostopposed the powerof Fabius.eakeof his country,that hemightbe ableto
Forbeing
sentquaestor
withScipio
to thewajrendure
theharder
services
in war. He addi,
in Africa,andperceiving
thatheindulged
him- that havinggot, amongsomegoodahe wa«
eelf,as usual,in an unboundedexpense,
and heirto, a pieceof Babylontapestry,
hesoldit
lavished thepublicmoney uponthetroops,he immediately;that the wallsof his country-
 246 FLUIARCH'S LIVES.
houseswere neitherplasterednor white-wash-part,I wouldnot sell even an old ox thathal
ed; that he nevergave morefor a slavethan labouredfor me; muchless wouldI remove,
fifteen hundreddrachmas,as not requiringin for the sakeof a little money,a mangrownold
his servant? delicateshapesandfine faces,but in my service,from his usual place anddiet;
strengthandabilityto labour,that theymight for to him, poor man! it would be as bad aa
be fit to be employedin his stablesabouthis banishment;sincehecould beof no moreuse
cattle, or such like business;and these he to the buyerthan he was to the seller. But
thought properto sell againwhen theygrew Cato,as if he took apridein thesethings,tells
old,* that he mighthaveno uselesspersonsto us,that, whenconsul,he left his war-horsein
maintain.In a word,hethoughtnothingcheap Spain, to savethe public the chargeof hia
that was superfluous; that whata manhasno freight. Whethersuchthingsas thesearein-
needof is dearevenat a.penny; and that it stancesof greatness or littlenessof soul, let
it muchbetterto havefieldswherethe plough the readerjudgefor himself.
goes, or cattle feed, than fine gardensand He was,however,a manof wonderfultem-
walksthatrequiremuchwateringandsweeping.perance. For, when generalof the army,he
Someimputedthesethingsto a narrownesstook no morefrom the public,for himselland
of spirit, while otherssupposedthat he betook thoseabouthim, thanthree Attic tnedimniof
himselfto this contractedmannerof living, in wheata month; andlessthana medimnusand
orderto correct,by his example,the growing a half of barleyfor his horses. And whenho
luxuryof the age. For my part, I cannotbut was governorof Sardinia,though his prede-
charge his using his servantslike so many cessorshad but the provinceto a verygreat
beasts
of burden,andturningthemoff,or sell- expense
for pavilions,beddingand apparel,
ing them,whengrownold, to the accountof andstill more by the numberof friendsand
a mean and ungenerous spirit, which thinks servantstheyhadaboutthem,andby thegreat
that the soletie betweenman and man is in- and sumptuousentertainments they gave,he,
terestor necessity. But goodnessmovesin a on the contrary,wasasremarkablefor hisfru-
largerspherethan justice: the obligationsof gality. Indeed,he put the public to nomanner
law and equity reach only to mankind,but of charge. Insteadof making use of a car-
kindnessand beneficence should be extended riage,he walkedfrom onetown to another,at-
to creatures of every epecies; and these still tended only by one officer, who carried his
flow from the breast of a well-natured man, as robe and a vesselfor libations. But if in these
streams that issue from the living fountain. A things he appearedplain and easyto those who
goodman will take care of bis horses.and wereunderhis command,hepreserved a grav-
dogs,not only whilethey areyoung,but when ity andseverityin everything else. For he
old and past service. Thus the people of was inexorable in whatever related to public
Athens, when they had finishedthe temple justice,and inflexiblyrigid in the execution
calledHecatompedon, setat liberty the beasts of his orders;so that the Romangovernment
of burdenthat hadbeen chiefly employedin had never before appearedto that people
that work, sufferingthemto pastureat large, either BOawfulor soamiable,*
free from any furtherservice. It is said,that This contrastwas found,not only in his
one of these afterwards came of its own ac- mannersbut in his style, which was elegant,
cord to work, and putting itself at the headof facetious, and familiar, and at the same time
the labouringcattle, marchedbeforethem to grave,nervous,and sententious.Thus Plato
the citadel.-This pleasedthepeople,andthey tells us, "the outsideof Socrates
wasthat of a
madea decree that it should be kept at the aatyr and buffoon, but his soul was all virtue,
public charge as long as it lived. The graves and from within him came such dwine and pa-
of Cimon's mares,with which he thrice con- thetic things as pierced the heart, and drew
' quered at the Olympic games, are still to be tears from the hearers." And as the same
seen near his own tomb. Many have shewn may justly be affirmedof Cato, I cannot com-
particular marks of regard in burying the dogs prehend their meaning, who compare his lan-
which they have cherished and been fond of; guage to that of Lysias. I leavethis, however,
and amongthe rest, Xanthippusof old, whose to bedecidedby thosewho ire morecapable
dog swam by the side of his galleyto Sala- thanmyself of judgingof the severalsortsof
mis, when the Athenians were forced to aban- styles used among the Romans: and being per
don their city, was afterwards buried by his suaded that a man's disposition may be discov
masteruponi promontory,which, to this day, eredmuchbetterby his speech
thanbyhis looks
is calledthe dog'sgrave. We certainlyought (thoughsomeareof adifferentopinion,)I shall
not to treat living creatures like shoes or set down some of Cato's remarkable sayings.
householdgoods,which, whenworn out with Onedaywhen the Romansclamouiedvio-
use, we throw away; and, were it only to lently and unseasonably for a distributionof
leam benevolence to humankind, we should corn,to dissuadethem from it he thus began
be merciful to other creatures. For my own his address;It is a difficult task,my fellow-
citizens, to speakto the belly,because it hath
* Calosays,
in etpress
terms," A master
of afamily no ears. Another time, complainingof the
ihouldsellhisold.inn,andall thehorned cattlethat luxuryof theRomans,hesaid,It was<thard
"reofwool,
their adelicate
theirframe
very;pelts
allhis sheep
; he that
should are
Bell not
his hardy,
old wag- matterto savethat cityfrom ruin where
a
ons,andhisoldinstruments of husbandry; heshouldJishwassoldfor morethan anox. Onan-
"ell such of his slavesaswere old and infirm, and every
thin? elsethat isold or useless.A masterof a family * His only amusement
waslo heartheinstructions
ihouldloTtlo leVl.
nottobuy." Whalafinecontrastofthepoetknnius,under
-whom
helearned
theGr«k
thereis between
the spirit of this old stoic,and that sciences.Hebanished
usurersfromhisprovince,and
»f lh« liberal-minded, the benevolentPlutarch ! reduced the interest upon loans almost to nothing.
 CATO THE CENSOR. 247
outeroccasion,hesaid,TheRomanpeople were smiled,andsaid,Theyhadsentan embassy
likesheep, for asthosecanscarce bebroughtwhichhad neitherfeet, headnor heart.
to stir singly,butall in a bodyreadily
foliate WhenScipioapplied to him,attherequest of
theirleaders,just suchareyc.Themenwhose Polybius,
in behalfof theAchaean exiles,"and
counsel you wouldnot take03individuals,thematterwasmuchcanvassed in thesenate,
leadyouwith easein a crowd. Speaking of somespeakingfor their beingrestored,and
thepower
ofwomen,
hesaid.Jlllme.nnatu.tal-
someagainst
it, Catoroseup,andsaid,Jls
if
ly governthewomen,
wegovernall men,and wehadnothingelteto do,wesithereall day
our wivesgovernus.Butthismightbetakendebatingwhethera few poor old Greeks
fromthe Apophthegms
of Themistoclea.For, shouldbeburiedbyour grave-diggers
or those
his soadirectingin moatthingsthroughhis of their owncountry. Thesenate
thende-
mother,he said, The Athenians,govern the creedthat the exilesshouldreturn home;and
Greeks,
/ governtheAthenians,
you, wife, Polybius,
some daysafter,endeavoured
to pro-
govern
me,andyourion governs
you:let him cureanother
meetingof thatrespectable
body,
thenusethat powerwith moderation,which, to restorethoseexilesto their former honour*
childas he is, sets him aboveall the Greeks. in Achaia. Uponthisaffairhe soundedCato,
Anotherof Cato'ssayingswas, That the Ro- who answeredsmiling, This was just as \f
man peopleJixed the value, not only of the Ulyssesshouldhavewantedto enter the Cy
severalkinds of colours,but qf the arts and clop's caveagainfor a hat and a belt which
sciences.For, addedhe, asthe dyersdyethat he had left behind. It wag a sayingof his,
sort of purple whichis mostagreeable to you, That wise menlearn morefrom fools, than
so our youthonly study andstrive to excelin fools from the wise; for the wise avoidthe
such things as you esteemand commend.error offooU, whilefools donotprofit by the
Exhortingthe peopleto virtue,hesaid,If it is examplesof the wise. Anotherof his sayings
ty virtueand temperance that you are becomewas, Thatlie liked a youngman that blushed,
great, changenotfor the worst; but \f by in- more than onethat turned pale: and that he
temperanceand tn'ce,changefor the better; did not like a soldierwhomovedhis handsin
for you (Wealready great enoughby such marching,and hisfeet in fighting, and who
meansas these. Of suchas wereperpetuallysnoredlouderin bedthan heshoutedin bat-
solicitingfor greatoffices,he said, Like men. tle. Jestingupona veryfat man,he said, Qf
who knew not their way, they wanted lictors what service to his country can such a body
always to conduct them. He found fault with lie, which is nothing but belly? When an epi
the peoplefor oftenchoosingthesamepersonacure desiredto beadmittedinto his friendship,
consuls; You either, said be, think the consul- he said, He could not live with a man whose
ate of little worth, or that thereare but few palate had quickersensationsthan his heart.
worthy of the consulate. Concerningoneof He usedto say, The soul of a lover lived in
his enemieswho Jeda very profligate and infa- the body of another: And that in all his life
mous life, be said, His mother takes it for a he never repented but qf three things: the
curse and not a prayer, when any one wish- first was, that he had trusted a woman with
es this son may survive her. Pointing to a a secret, the second, that he had gone by sea,
man who had sold a paternal estate near the when he might have gone by land; and the
sea-side, he pretended to admire him, as one third, that he had passed one day without
that was stronger than the seaitself; For, said having a will by him.f To an old debauchee,
he, what the sea could not have swallowed he said, Old age has deformities enough of
without difficulty, this man has taken down its own: do not add to it the deformity qf
with all the ease imaginable. When king vice, A tribune of the people, who had the
Eumenes*came to Rome, the senatereceived character of a poisoner, proposing a bad law,
him withextraordinaryrespect,andthe great andtaking greatpainsto haveit passed,Cato
menstrove which should do him the most hon- said to him, liming man, / fcnou>not which w
our, but Cato visibly neglected and shunned most dangerous, to drink what you mis, or
him. Upon which somebodysaid, Why doyou- to enact what you propose. Being scurhlout
shun Eumenes,whois sogooda man,and so ly treatedby a manwho ledadissoluteandin
great afriend to theRomans? ThatmayKe, famouslife, hesaid,It is upon very unequal
answeredCato,'6ui/ look upon a king as a. terms that I contendwith you: for you,are
creature that feeds upon human fleshy and of accustomedto be spokenHI of, and can speak
all the kings that havebeensomuchcriedup, it with pleasure;but with meit is unusual to
IJind not one to be compared with an Epa* hear it, and disagreeableto speakit. Such was
minondas,a Pericles,a Themistocles:
a JWa- the mannerof his reparteesandshortsayings.
nius Curius, or with Hamilcar, surnamed Being appointedconsul along with his friend
Barcas. He used to say, that his enemiesTaleriusFlaccus,the government of that part
hatedhim, because
he neglectedhis own con- of Spainwhichthe Romanscall citerior, hitft
cerns, and rose before day to mind those of
thepublic. But that hehadrather his good * TheAchaean],
in thefirstyearof [hehundred
and
actionsshouldgo unrewarded,
thanhisbad fiftj-lhivd
Olympiad, entered intomeasures fordeliv-
eringup their countryto theking of Persia;tut, be-
onesunpunished; and that hepardoned every ing dncownd. a thousandof themwere seized,ana
body'sfaults
soonerthanhisown. The Ro- compelled
toliveeiilesinItaly.There
theycontinued
manshaving sect three ambassadorsto the seventeen
years;afterwhichaboutthreehundred,
king of Bythinia,of whomone hadthe gout, whowtrestilllining,Ttertrestored
byadecree
of th«
anotherhadhisskull trepanned,
andthethird senate,
lybim, which waj
who was particularly
one made
of the number. inlaxour
of Po
was reckoned little better than a fool, Cato
t This hagbeenmisunderstood
by all thetranslator!
* Eumenes
wentloRomein theyearof Rome
8I5. whohave
agreed
inrendering
it, " thathehadpawed
y»tova thenthirty-nineyeanold. onedayidly."
 148 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

er, fell to his Iot.» While he was subduing But Catohearingof his march,took fivecom-
Borneof the nationsthereby arms,andwin- paniesof foot, and five hundredhorse,asa
ning othersby kindness,a greatarmy of bar- convoyto attenduponScipio,andas he went
barians fell upon him, and he was in dangerof to meet him, defeated the Lacetanians, and
being driven out in dishonour. On this occa- took among them six hundred Roman desert-
sion he sent to desiresuccoursof his neigh- ers,whomhe causedto beput to death. And
bours the Celtiberians,who demandedtwo uponScipio'sexpressing hisdispleasure
at this,
hundred talents for that service. All the offi- he answeredironically, Rome would be great
cers of his army thought it intolerable, that the indeed, if men of birth would not yield the
Romans should be obliged to purchaseassist- palm of virtue to the commonalty, and if
ance of the barbarians: but Cato said, It is no plebeians, like himself, would contend for
tuch great hardship; for if we conquer, we excellence with men of birth and quality.
shall pay them at the enemy's expense; and Besides, as the senate had decreed, that noth
if we are conquered, there tcill be nobody ing should be altered which Cato had ordered
either to pay, or make the demand. He gain- and established, the post which Scipio had
ed the battle, and every thing afterwards sue made so much interest for, rather tarnishedhis
ceeded to his wish. Polybius tells us, that own glory than that of Cato; for he continued
the walls of all the Spanish towns on this side inactive during that government.
the river Bztis wererazedby his command
in In the meantime, Catowashonoured
with a
one day,f notwithstanding the towns were nu- triumph. But he did not act afterwards like
merous,andtheir inhabitantsbrave;Catohim- thosewhoseambitionis only for fame, and
self says, he took more cities than he spent not for virtue, and who having reached the
days in Spain: nor is it a vain boast; for they highesthonours, borne the office of consul,and
were actually no fewer than four hundred. led up triumphs, withdraw from public busi-
Though this campaignaffordedthe soldiers ness,andgaveup the rest of their daysto ease
great booty, he gave each of them a pound and pleasure. On the contrary, like thosewho
weight of silver besides,saying It IPOSbetter are just entered upon business,and thirst for
that many of the Romans should return with honour and renown, he exerted himself as if
filter in their pockets, than a few with gold. he was beginning his race anew, his services
And for his own part, he assuresus, that of all being always ready both for his friends in par
that was taken in the war, nothing came to ticular, and for the citizens in general, either at
bis share but what he eat and drank. JVot the bar, or in the field. For he went with the
that I blame, says he, those that seek their Consul Tiberius Semproniusto Thrace and the
own advantagein thesethings; but I had Danube,*as his lieutenant. And, as a le-
rather contend for valour with the brave, gionary Tribune, he attended Manius Aciliua
than for wealth with the rich, or in rapa- Glabrio into Greece, in the war againstAnti-
tiousness with the covetous. ochus the Great; who, next to Hannibal, was
And henot only kepthimselfclear of extor- the most formidableenemythe Romansever
tion, but all that were immediatelyunderhis had. For havingrecoveredalmost all the
direction. He had five servants with him in provinces of Asia, which Seleucus Nicanor
this expedition, one of whom named Paccus, had possessed,and reduced many warlike na-
hadpurchased threeboysthat wereamongthe tionsof barbarians, he wasso muchelatedas
prisoners:but when heknew that his master to think the Romansthe only match for him
wasinformedof it, unableto bearthe thoughts in the field. Accordinglyhe crossedthe sea
of cominginto his presence, he hangedhim- with a powerful army, colouring his design
self. Upon which Catosoldthe boys,andput with the specious pretenceof restoringliberty
the moneyinto the public treasury. to the Greeks,of which,however,they stood
While he was settlingtheaffairsof Spain, in no need; for being lately deliveredby the
Scipio the Great who was his enemy, and favourof the Romansfrom the yoke of Philip
wantedto breakthe courseof his success, and andthe Macedonians, theywere free already
havethe finishingof the war himself,managedandweregovernedby their own Jaws.
mattersso as to get himselfappointedhis suc- At his approach,all Greece wasin grea
cessor.After whichhemadeall possiblehaste commotion,andunresolved how to act; being
to take the commandof the army from him. corruptedwith the splendidhopesinfusedby
the orators whom Antiochus had gained Aci
* At Cato'i troopsconsisted,
for the mostpart,of lius, therefore, sent ambassadorsto the sev
raw soldiers, hetookgreatpainsto discipline them,eralstates;TitusFlaminius
considering that they had to deal with the Spaniards,
appeased
thedis-
who,intheirwars
withtheRomans
andCarthagini-
turbances,
andkeptmostof theGreeks
in
ans,hadlearned
themilitary
art,andwerenaturallytheRomaninterest,withoutusinganyviolent
bravearidcourageous.Beforehe cameto action,he means, as I have related in his life; and Cato
lentawayhisfleet,thathUsoldiers
mightplace
alltheir confirmedthe peopleof Corinth, as well as
hopesintheirvalour.Withthesame view,when he thoseof Patrae
andJEgium
in theirduty.He
camenear the enemy,he took a compass,and posted
his armybehindthem m theplain; sothat the Span- also madea considerable stay at Athens;and
iardswerebetween him andhis camp. it is said,there is still extanta speechof his,
f Asthedreadof hisuameprocuredhimgreatre- whichhe deliveredto the Atheniansin Greek,
ipectin all theprovinces
beyond
theIberus,
hewrote expressinghis admirationof the virtueof their
the
eralsame day
fortifiedprivate
towns,letters
tothem
ordering thecommanders ofwith-
to demolish sev-ancestors,
andhissatisfaction
in beholding
the
outilclay
their
fortifications;
andassuring
them
thatbeauty
andgrandeur
of theircity. Butthis
Bewouldpardon
none
butsuch
asreadily
complied
account
is nottrue,forhespoketo thembyan
with his crders. Every one of the commanders,be-
lieving the orders to be sent only to himself, immedi-
ately beat dcvra their walls and towers. Liv. \. mir. " The year after his Consulship,and the secondTM
c. 15. of the hundred and forty-siith Olympiad.
 CATO THE CENSOR. 249

interpreter.
Not that he wasignorantof camp,andtheadvanced
guard at thefootof
Greek;butchosetoadhere
to thecustoms
of therock. Cato,therefore,
made a halt,and
hiscountry,
andlaugh
at thosewhoadmired sentto acquaint
theFirmians
thathewanted
nolhingbutwhatwasGreek. He, therefore,to speakwith themin private.* Thesewere
ridiculed Posthumius
Albanus,who hadwrit- troopswhosefidelity and couragehe hadei-
ten a historyin that language,
andmadean perienced on the mostdangerous occasions
apology for the improprieties
of expression,Theyhastened intohispresence,
whenhethu»
"aying,Heoughtto bepardoned, \f hewrote addressed
them:" I wantto takeoneof the
it bycommand qf the-Amphictyons.Weare enemy alive,to learnof himwhotheyarethat
assuredthatthe Atheniansadmiredthe strength composethis advanceguard,and how many
and conciseness of his language;for what he in number; and to be informed-whatis the
deliveredin few words, the interpreterwas disposition andorderof their wholearmy,and
obligedto makeuseof manyto explain; inso what preparationstheyhavemadeto receive
muchthat he left themin the opinion,that the us; but the businessrequiresthe speedand
expressionsof the Greeksflowed only from impetuosityof lions,who rush into a herdof
the lips, while those of the Romans camefrom timorous beasts."
the heart.4 When Cato had donespeaking,theFirmians,
Antiochus having blocked up the narrow without further preparation,poureddown tho
pass of Thermopylaewith his troops, anc mountain,surprisedthe advancedguard, dis-
added walls and entrenchmentsto the natura persedthem, took one armed man, and brought
fortificationsof the place,sat downthere un- him to Cato. The prisonerinformedhim, that
concerned,thinking the war could not touch themain bodyof the armywasencamped witn
him. And, indeed,the Romansdespaired of the king in the narrowpass,and that the de-
forcing the pass. But Cato, recollectingthe tachmentwhich guardedthe heightsconsisted
circuit the Persianshad taken on a like occa- of six hundred select JEtolians. Cato, despis-
sion^ set out in the night with a proper de- ing these troops, as well on account of their
tachment. small number, as their negligence, drew hia
When they had advanceda considerablesword,and rushed upon them with all the
height, the guide, who was one of the prison- alarm of voices and trumpets. The jEto-
ers, missed his way, and wandering about lians no sooner saw him descend from tha
among impracticable places and precipices, mountains, then they fled to the main body
threw the soldiers into inexpressibledread and and put the whole in the utmost confusion.
despair. Cato seeing the danger, ordered his At the same time Manius forced the en-
forces to halt, while he, with one Lucius trenchments of Antiochus below, and poured
Manlius, who was dexterous in climbing the into the passwith his army. Antiochus him-
steep mountains,!went forward with great self beingwoundedin the monthwith a stone,
difficulty and at the hazard of his life, at mid- and having some of his teeth struck out, the
night, without any moon; scrambling among anguish obliged him to turn his horse and re-
wild olivetreesandsteeprockathat still more tire. After his retreat,no part of his army
impededhis view, and addeddarknessto the could standthe shock of the Romans;and
obscurity. At lasttheyhit upona path which thoughthere appearedno hopesof escaping
seemedto lead down to the enemy's camp. by flight, by reason of the straitness of the
Tnere they set up marks upon someof the road,the deepmarsheson oneaideandrocky
most conspicuousrocks on the top of the precipiceson the other, yet they crowded
mountainCalhdromus;andreturningthe same alongthroughthosenarrowpassages, andpush-
way,took the whole partywith them; whom ing eachother down,perishedmiserably,out
theyconducted by the directionof the marks, of fear of beingdestroyed
by the Romans.
andso regainedthe little path; whore they Cato, who was never sparingin his own
madea properdispositionof the troops. They jraises,and thoughtboastinga naturalatten-
had marchedbut a little farther, when the dant on great actions,is very pompousin his
path failed them,and theysawnothingbefore account of this exploit. He says, "That
them but a precipice,which distressedthem :hosewho saw him chargingthe enemy,rout-
still 'nore;for theycouldnot yet perceivethat ng and pursuingthem, declared,that Cato
theywerenearthe enemy. owed less to the people of Rome, than the
Thedaynowbeganto appear,whenoneof jeopleof Romeowedto Cato;andthat the
themthoughthe heardthe soundof human Consul
Maniuflhimself,cominghotfromthe
roices, and a little after they saw the Grecian ight, took him in his arms as he too came
jantingfrom the action,andembracinghim a
ong time, cried out, in a transport of joy,
that neither he nor the whole Romanpeople
could sufficiently reward Cato's merit."
Immediatelyafter the battle, the Consul
renthim with an accountof it to Rome,that
>emight be the first to carry the newsof his
>wn achievements. With a. favourable wind
banana, fetching; a compass round the mountain? o~ he sailed to Brundusium; from thence he
br-ways,
cameupon
himbehind,
andcuthispartyI'D "cached
Tarentumin one day: and having
pieces. ravelledfour daysmore,he arrivedat Rome
t Themountains
totheeast
oftheStraits
of Ther- hefifthdayafterhelanded,
andwasthefirst
hatbroughtthenewsof thevictory. His ar
ival filled the city with sacrificesand other
" Firmimawaia,Romiucolony in Pirtoe.
250 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

testimonies
of joy, and gavethe peopleBOtable,or in thecompany hekept. But,con-
highanopinionof themselves,
that theynow vincedthat in theseprivatescenesof life "
(relieved there could be no boundsto their em- man's real character was much more distin-
pire or their power. guishablethanin his publicandpolitical trans-
Thesearethe mostremarkableof Cato'sac- actions,they appointedtwo magistrates,tho
tions; and, with respectto civil affairs,he ap- oneout of the patricians,andthe other out of
pearsto havethoughtthe impeaching of offend- the plebeians,to inspect,to correct, and to
ers,and bringingthem to justice,a thing that chastisesuchaa theyfound giving in to dissi-
well deservedhisattention. For heprosecutedpation and licentiousness,and desertingthe
several,andencouraged andassistedothersin ancient and establishedmanner of living.
carryingon their prosecutions.Thus heset Thesegreatofficerstheycalled Censors:and
upPetiliusagainstScipiotheGreat; but secure they had power to deprivea Romanknight
in the dignityof his family, andhis owngreat- of his horse,or to expel a senatorthat led a
nessof mind,Scipiotreatedtheaccusation with viciousanddisorderlylife. They likewisetook
the utmost contempt. Cato, perceiving he an estimate of each citizen's estate, and en-
wouldnot becapitallycondemned,
droppedthe rolledthemaccordingto their pedigree,
quality,
prosecution; but with some others who assisted and condition.
him in the cause,impeached
his brotherLucius This office hasseveralother greatpreroga-
Scipio, who was sentencedlo pay a fine which tives annexed to it: and therefore when Cato
his circumstances could not answer,so thathe solicitedit, the principalsenators
opposed him.
wasin dangerof imprisonment; andit wasnot The motiveto this oppositionwith someof the
without great difficulty and appealingto the Patricians was envy: for they imaginedit
Tribunes,that he wasdismissed. would be a disgraceto the nobility, if persons
We have also an account of a young man of a mean and obscure origin were elevated
who had procureda verdict againstan enemy to the highesthonourin the state;with others
of his father who was lately deid, and had him it was fear",for, consciousthat, their lives were
stigmatized. Cato met him as he waspassing vicious,and that they had departedfrom the
throughthe^brum,andtakinghim by thehand, ancient simplicity of manners,they dreaded
addressedhim in thesewords: "It is thuswe the austerityof Cato; becausethey believed
are to sacrifice to the manes of our parents, he would be stern and inexorable m his office.
not with the bloodof goatsandlambs,but with Havingconsultedandpreparedtheir measures,
the tearsandcondemnation of their enemies." they put up sevencandidatesin oppositionto
Cato, however, did not escapetheseattacks; Cato: and imagined that the people wantedto
but when in the businessof the state he gave be governed by an easy hand, they soothed
the least handle, was certainly prosecuted,and them with hopesof a mild Censorship. Cato,
sometimesin danger of being condemned. For on the contrary, without condescendingto the
it is said that near fifty impeachments
were leastflatteryor complaisance,
in his speeches
broughtagainsthim, andthe last,whenhewas from the rostrum,professedhis resolutionto
eighty-six
yearsof age:onwhichoccasion
he punisheveryinstanceof vice; andloudlyde-
made useof that memorableexpression:"It claringthat the city wantedgreatreformation,
is hard that I wlio have lived with men of conjured the people, if they were wise, to
one generation,should be obliged to make choose,not the mildest,but the severestphy
my defence to those of another." Nor was this sician. He told them that he was one of that
the end of his contests at the bar; for, four character, and, among the patricians, Valerius
years after, at the ageof ninety,* he impeached Flaccus was another; and that, with him the
Serviliua Galba: so that, like Nestor, he lived his colleague, and him only, he could hope to
three generations,and, like him, was always in render good service to the commonwealth, by
action. In short, after having constantly op- effectually cutting off, like another hydra, the
posedScipioin mattersof government,
he spreading
luxuryand effeminacy
of thetimes.
lived until the time of young Scipio, his adopt- He added, that he saw others pressing into
ed grandson, and son of Paulus TEmilius, who the Censorship, in order to exercise that office
conquered Perseus and the Macedonians. in a bad manner, because they were afraid of
Ten years after his Consulship, Cato stood such as would discharge it faithfully.
for the office of Censor, which was the highest The Roman people, on this occasion,shewed
dignity in the republic. For, besidethe other themselves
truly great,andworthy of the best
power and authority that attended this office, of leaders; for, far from dreading the severity
it gave the magistrate a right of inquiry into of this inflexible man, they rejected those
the lives and manners of the citizens. The smoothercandidates that seemedready to con-
Romansdid not think it properthat any one sult their pleasurein everytiling, and chose
should be left to follow his own inclinations Valerius Flaccus with Cato; attending to the
without inspectionor controul,either in mar- latter, not as a man that solicitedthe officeof
nage, in the procreationof children, in his Censor,but asone-who,alreadypossessed of it,
gaveout his ordersby virtue of his authority.
" Plutarch
hereisnotconsistent
withhimself.To- The ftrst thing Calo did, was to namenil
wards thebeginning of hislife,hesays thaiCato wasfriendandcolleague
but seventeen years old at the lime of Hannibal's suc-
LuciusValerius
Flaccus
cessin ItUy : and at the conclusion,he tills us that chief of the senate, and to expel many others
Calo
died
justatthebeginning
ofthethirdPunic
war.thehouse;
particularly
LuciusQuintius,
who
But Hannibalcameinto Italy in theyearof Rome534; had been Consul seven years before, and, what
lu<lIhethirdPunicwarbrokeoutseventy
year*after, was at\ll a greater honour, was brother to
ill theyear
tltion, Catoof Rome
couldnot604.According
bemore to thisi:ompu-
thaneighty-sevenyears Titus Flaminius,*
whooverthrew
kingPhilip
old when hedied; and thu accountis confirmedby * Polybius,Livy,andCicero,makethe furoaoieof
Cicero this family r'laminiuj.
 CATO THE CENSOR. 261

Ulents. They likewise opposedhim very

muchin his building,at the publiccharge,a
HeexpelledalsoManilas,anothersenator,hall belowthe senate-house
by the/oruni,
n-horn
thegeneral
opinionhadmarked out for whichhefinishednotwithstanding,
andcal'ed
Consul, becausehe had given his wife a kiss the Portion hall.
n the day-time,in the sight of his daughter. The people,however,appearto have been
'Tor hisown part,"he said,"his wifenever highlypleased
withhisbehaviour
in hisoffice.
smbraced
him but when it thundereddread- For whentheyerectedhis statuein the temple
fully,"adding,bywayof joke,"That hewas of Health,theymadeno mention on thepe-
happywhenJupiterpleased to thunder." destal,
of hisvictoriesandhistriumph,
butthe
He wascensuredashavingmerelyindulged inscriptionwas to this effect: "In honourof
bis envy,whenhe degradedLucius, who was Catothe Censor,who,whenthe Romancom-
brother to Scipio the Great, and had been monwealthwas degenerating into licentious-
honouredwith a triumph;for hetook fromhim ness,by gooddisciplineandwiseinstitutions
his horse; and it was believed that he did it restored it."
to insultthe memoryof ScipioAfricanus.But Beforethis, he laughedat thosewho were
there was another thing that renderedhim fond of s'Jvhhonours,and said,"They were
more generally obnoxious, and that was the not aware that they plumed themselves upon
reformationhe introducedin point of luxury. the workmanshipof founders,statuaries,and
It was impossible for him to begin his attack painters, while the Romans bore about a more
uponit openly, because
the wholebodyof the gloriousimageof him in their hearts." And
people was infected, and therefore he took an to those that expressed their wonder, that
indirect method. He causedan estimate to be while many persons of little note had their
taken of all apparel,carriages,female orna- statues,Catohadnone,he said,He hadmuch
ments, furniture, and utensils; and whatever rather it slundd bt asked, why he had not a
exceeded fifteen hundred drachmaein value, statue, than tchy he had one. In short, he
he rated at ten times as much, and imposed a was of opinion, that a good citizen should not
tax according to that valuation. For every even accept of his due praise, unlessit tended
thousandaseshe madethem pay three; that to the advantageof the community. Yet of
finding themselves burdened with the tax, all men he was the most forward to commend
while the modest and frugal, with equal sub- himself: for he tells us, that those who were
stance, paid much less to the public, they guilty of misdemeanors, and afterwards re-
might be induced to retrench their appearance. proved for them, used to say, "They were ex-
This procured him many enemies, not only cusable; they were not Catos:" and that such
among those who, rather than part with their as imitated some of his actions, but did it awk-
luxury, submitted to the tax, but among those wardly, were called lejl-haiided Catos. He
who lessened the expense of their figure, to adds, "That the senate, in difficult and dan-
ivoid it. For the generality of mankind think gerous times, used to cast their eyesupon him,
that prohibition to shew their wealth is the as passengersin ships do upon the pilot m a
samething as taking it away, and that opu- storui:" and "That when he happened to be
lenceis seen in the superfluities,not in the absent,theyfrequentlyput off the considera-
necessaries
of life. And this (we are told) was tion of mattersof importance/5 These par-
what surprised Aristo the pilosopher; for he ticulars, indeed, are confirmed by other wri-
could not comprehend why those that are pos- ters; for his life, his eloquence,and his age,
sessed of superfluities should be accounted gave him great authority in Rome.
happy,ratherthan such as aboundin what is He was a goodfather, a goodhusband,and
necessaryand useful. But Scopasthe Thesea- an excellent economist. And as he did not
)ian,when one of his friends askedhim for think the careof his family a meanandtrifling
something that could be of little use to him, thing,which requiredonly a superficialatten-
andgave him that as a reasonwhy he should tion, it may be of use to give someaccount
granthis request,madeanswer,"It is in these of his conductin that respect.
uselessand superfluous thingsthat I am rich He chosehis wiferather for her family than
andhappy." Thus the desire of wealth,far her fortune; persuaded, that though both the
frombeinga naturalpassion,is a foreignand rich and the high-bornhave their pride, yet
adventitiousone,arisingfrom vulgar opinion. womenof good familiesare moreashamedof
Cato paid no regard to these complaints, any base and unworthy action, and more obe-
bat becamestill more severeand rigid. He dient to their husbandsin every thing that ia
cutoff the pipesby which people conveyedgood and honourable. He used to say,that
water from the public fountains into their they who beat their wives or children, laid
housesand gardens,and demolishedall the their sacrilegioushandson the most sacred
buildingsthat projectedout into the streets. thingsin the world; and that he preferredthe
He loweredthe price of public works, and characterof a goodhusbandto that of a great
fannedout the public revenuesat the highest senator. And he admirednothing more in
rate they could bear. By these things he Socratesthan his living in an easyand quiet
broughtuponhimselfthehatredof vastnum- manner with an ill-tempered wifeandstupid
bersof people:so that Titus Flaminiusand.children.Whenhehada sonborn,nobusiness,
btspartyattackedhim,andprevailedwiththe however urgent,exceptit relatedlo thepublic,
"enateto annulthe contractshe hadmadefor couldhinderhim from beingpresentwhile his
repairing the temples and public buildings, as wife washedand swaddledthe infant. For she
detrimental
to the state. Nor did theystop suckledit herself;nay,sheoften gavetho
here,butincitedtheboldest
of theTribunesbreast
to thesonsof herservants,
to mspu«
U>accusehim to the people,andfine him two themwith a bi otherlyregardfor bet ov»n.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

As soonaa thedawnof understandingap- wife,andif anyof themwasaskedwhathit

peared,Cato took uponhim the officeof masterwasdoing,healwaysanswered
he did
ichoolmaster to hie son, though he had a slave not know. For it wae a rule with Cato to
itmed Chilo, who was a good grammarian,havehis slaveseither employedin the housp
uid taughtseveralother children. But hetells or asleep,and he liked thosebest that slept
os, he did not choosethat his son should be the mostkindly, believingthat theywere bet-
reprimanded by a slave, or pulled by the ears, ter tempered thin others that had not so much
if he happenedto be slowin learning; or that of that refreshment,
andfitter for any kind of
he should be indebted to so mean a person for business. And as he knew that elavee will
his education. He was,therefore,himself his stick at nothing to gratify their passionfor
preceptor
in grammar,
in law,and in thene- women,
heallowedthemto havethecompany
cessaryexercises.For he taughthim not only of his femaleslaves,upon paying a certain
howto throwa dart,to fighthandto hand,and price;but undera strict prohibitionof ap
to ride, but to box, to endure heat and cold, preaching any other women.
andto swim the most rapidrivers. He farther When hewas a young soldier,and as yel
acquaints us, that he wrote histories for him in low circumstances, he never found fault
with his own hand,in largecharacters,that, with any thing that wasservedupto his table,
without stirring out of his father'shouse,he but thoughtit a shameto quarrel with a ser-
mightgain a knowledgeof the great actions vant on accountof his palate.Yet afterwards,
of the ancientRomansand of the customsof when he wae possessed of an easyfortune,
hiscountry. He wasas carefulnot to utter andmadeentertainments
for his principalof-
an indecentword beforehis son,as he would ficers, as soon as dinner was over,he never
havebeenin the presenceof the vestalvirgins; failedto correctwith leathernthongssuchof
nor did he ever bathe with him. A regardto his slavesas had not givendueattendance, o*
decencyin this respectwas, indeed,at that had suffered any thing to bespoiled. He con-
time generalamongthe Romans. For even trived meansto raisequarrelsamonghis ser-
sons-in-lawavoidedbathingwith their fathers- vants,andto keepthemat variance,ever sus-
in-law, not choosingto appearnaked before pecting and fearing some bad consequence
them; but afterwards the Greeks taught them from their unanimity. And,
not to be so scrupulousin uncoveringthem- When any of themwere guilty of a capital
selves,andtheyin theirturn taughtthe Greeks crime, hegave them a formal trial, and put
to bathenakedevenbeforethe women them to deathin the presenceof their fellow
While Cato was taking such excellent mea- servants. As his thirst after wealth increased,
suresfor forming his eonto virtue, he found andhe foundthat agriculturewasratheramus-
him naturallyductile both in geniusandincli- ing than profitable,he turned his thoughtsto
natioc; but as his body was too weak to un- surer dependencies, and employed his money
dergomuchhardship,his fatherwasobligedto in purchasingponds,hot-baths,placesproper
relax the severity of his discipline, and to in- for fullers, and estatesin good condition, hav-
dulge him a little in point of diet. Yet, with ing pasture ground and wood-lands. From
this constitution, he was an excellent soldier, these he had a great'revenue, such a one, he
and particularly distinguished himself under used to say, as Jupiter himself could not dis-
Paulus JEinihiis in the battle against Perseus. appoint him of.
On this occasion, his sword happening to be He practised usury upon ships in the most
struck from his hand, the moisture of which blameablemanner. His method was to insist,
prevented him from grasping it firmly, heturn- that those whom he furnished with money,
ed to some of his companions with great con- should take a great number into partnership.
eern, and begged their assistancein recovering When there were full fifty of them, and as
it. He then rushed with them into the midst many ships,he demandedone sharefor himself,
of the enemy, and having, with extraordinary which he managed by Quintio, his freedman,
efforts, cleared the place where the sword was who sailed and trafficked along with them.
lost, he found it, with much difficulty, under Thus, though his gain was great, he did
heaps of arms, and dead bodies of friends, as not risk his capital, but only a small part
well as enemies,piled upon each other. Pau- of it.
hus ^Emilius admired this gallant action of the He likewise lent money to suchof his slaves
young man; and there is a letter still extant, as chose it; and they employed it in purchas-
written by Cato to his son, in which he ex- ing boyswho were afterwardsinstructedand
tremely commends his high sense of honour fitted for service at Cato's expense; and being
expressed
in the recoveryof that sword. The sold at the year's end by auction, Catotook
young man afterwards married Tertia, daugh- several of them himself, at the price of the
ter to Paulius ^milus, and sister to young highestbidder, deductingit out of what he
Scipio; the honour of which alliance was as had lent. To incline his son to the sameecon-
muchowing to his own as to his father'smerit. omy, he told him, That to diminish his sub-
Thus Cato'scare in the educationof his sou stancewas not thepart of a man, but of a
answered
theendproposed. widowwoman. Yet he carriedonthething
He had many slaves which he purchased to extravagance,when he hazarded this asser-
among the captives taken in war, always tion, That the man truly wonderful and
choosing the youngest and such as were most godlike, and Jit to be registered in the listf
capableof instruction, like whelps or colts of glory, washe,l/y whoseaccountsit should
that may be trained at pleasure. None of at last appearthat hehad more than doubled
these slaves ever went into any other man's what he had received from his ancestors
houseexceptthey were sent by Cato or hie When Catowasvery far advanced
in years
 CATO THE CENSOR. 253

re arrivedal Rome,twoambassadors
from causes
there." Andto dissuade
hissonfrom
Athens,"
CarneadestheAcademic, andDio-thosestudies,
hetoldhiminaloudertonethan
fenes
theStoic. Theyweresenttobegoffa couldbeeipected
froma manol hisage,and
fine of five hundredtaltnts which had been as it were,in an oracularand propheticway
imposed ontheAthenians, for contumacy, by ThatwhentheRomans camethoroughlyto
theSicyomans, at the suit of the peopleof imbibetheGrecianliterature,theywouldlose
Oropuu.tUponthearrivalof thesephiloso-theempireof theworld. Buttimehasshewn
pher*,suchof theRoman youthashada taste thevanityof thatinvidiousassertion;
for Roma
for learning
wentto waiton them,andheardwasneverat a higherpitchof greatness, than
themwith wonderand delight. Aboveall, whenshewasmostperfectin the Grecian
theywerecharmed withthegracefulmannerserudition, andmostattentiveto all manner of
of Carneades,the force of whose eloquence, learning *
beinggreat,andhisreputation
equalto hiselo- NorwasCatoanenemy to theGrecian
phi-
quencehaddrawnanaudience of themostcon- losophers
only,butlookeduponthephysicians
siderable andthe politestpersonsin Rome;and alsowith a suspicious eye. He had heard,it
the soundof his fame,like a mightywind,had seems,of the answerwhichHippocratesgave
filledthe wholecity. The reportran,thatthere the king of Persia,whenhe sentfor him, and
wascomefrom Greecea manof astonishingofferedhim a rewardof manytalents," I will
powers,
whoseeloquence,
morethanhuman,nevermakeuseof my art in favourof barba-
was able to soften and disarm the fiercest pas- rians who are enemies to the Greeks." Thi»
sions,and who had made so strong an impres- he had said was an oath which all the physi-
lion uponthe youth,that, forgettingall other cianshad taken,and thereforehe advisedhie
pleasuresand diversions,theywere quite pos- son to bewareof themall. He added,that he
aessedwith an enthusiasticlove of philosophy.himselfhadwritten a little treatise,in which
The Romans were delighted to find it so; ho had set down his method of cure,f and the
nor could they without uncommonpleasure regimenhe prescribed,
whenany of his family
behold their sons thus fondly receive the fell sick; that he never recommendedfasting,
Grecian literature, and follow these wonderful but allowed them herbs, with duck, pigeon, or
men. But Cato, from the beginning, was hare: such kind of diet being light and suitable
alarmed at it. He no sooner perceived this for sick people, having no other inconvenience
passionfor the Grecian learningprevail,but but its makingthemdream;andthatwith these
he was afraid that the youth would turn their remediesand this regimen, he preserved him
ambition that way, and prefer the glory of self and his family. But his self-sulticifncy in
eloquence to that of deeds of arms. But this respect went not unpunished: for he lost
when he found that the reputation of these both his wife and son. He himself, indeed,
philosophers rose still higher, anil their first by his strong make and good habit of body,
speecheswere translated into Latin, by Caius lasted long; so that even in old age he fre-
Acilius, a senator of great distinction, who had quently indulged his inclination for the sex,
earnestly begged the favour of interpreting and at an unseasonabletime of life married a
them,he hadno longerpatience,but resolvedyoung woman. Jt wason the following pre-
to dismiss these philosophers upon some de- tence.
cent and speciouspretence. After the death of his wife, he married hit
He went, therefore to the senate, and com- sonto the daughter of Paulus ./Ernilius, the sis-
plainedof the magistratesfor detaining so ter of Scipio; anc continueda widower, but
long suchambassadors as those,who could hada young femaleslave thatcameprivately
persuade the peopleto whatevertheypleased,to his bed. It couldnot, however,be long a
" You ought,"said he, " to determinetheir secretin a smallhouse,with a daughter-in-law
affairas speedilyas possible,that returningto in it; andoneday asthe favouriteslavepassed
theirschoolstheymayhold forth to the Gre- by with a haughtyandflauntingair, to go to the
cian youth, and that our young men may again Censor's chamber, young Cato gave htr a se-
give attention to the laws and the magis- vere look, aridturned his back upontier, but
trates." Not that Cato was induced to this by said not a word. The old man was soon in-
any particular pique to Carneades,which some formed of this circumstance, and finding that
luppogeto havebeenthe case,but by his aver- thiskind of commerce
displeased
hissonandhia
«ionto philosophy,and his makingit a point daughter-in-law,he did not expostulatewith
to shewhis contemptof the polite studies them,nor taketheleastnotice. Next morning
andlearningof the Greeks. Nay, hescrupled he went to the forum, accordingto custom,
not to affirm, " That Socrates himself was a with his friends abuut him; and as he went
prating, seditious fellow, who used his utmost along, Vie called aloud to one Salnnius, who
endeavoursto tyrannize over his country, by had beenhis secretary, and now was one of his
abolishingits customs,and drawing the people
over to opinions contrary to the laws." And, * Romehad iodceda veryritemire empirein the
to ridiculethe slow methods
of Isocrates's
Augustan age; but,atthesame lime,sheloslherao-
cienl constitution and her liberty. Not that Die learn-
teaching,he said, "His scholarsgrew old m ingol'theRomans contributed
to thatId's,but Iheir
learningtheir art, as if theyintended to ex- irreligion.tlitir luiury,andcorruptiou,
occa* tunediu
erciseit in the shadesbelow, and to plead t Catowas9wnrsequackthanDr.Hill. Hi, med-
ical receipt*,which maybefoundin his irraii,c of
* AulusGclliusmentions
athirdambassador,
Crj'to-country
afla/rs,
areeither
verysimple
oris\try danger-
hui theFeripiitetic. ous;andfaslinjr,
whichheeiploded, bcllerthan
f TheAthenians
hadplundered
thecityof Oropus.tlirmall. Duck,pigeon,
amihare,vthicli,if wema»
Upon complaint made by theinhabitants, theaffairbelievePlutarch,
lit gate
hissicliprmiltasaliglildiet
wsu referred to thedetermination of theSiryonians, arccertainly
thestrongest
mil the Athenians,not appearing to jmlify themselves, of foodandIheirinakiug
andmw>' iiittigfitiblc
liindi
Were until lut hundred ukuU. iliemdream wajn prool
 254 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

tram, and askedhim, " Whetherhe had pro- his income,labour andparsimony; but ash«
Tideda husbandfor his daughter." Upon his grew old, he regardedit only by wayof thcorj
answering," That he had not, nor should, andamusement.He wroteabookconcerning
without consultinghis bestfriend;" Catosaid, countryaffairs,*in which,amongother things,
"Why then,I havefound out a veryfit hus- he givesrulesfor makingcakesandpn-wving
band for her, if she can bear with the disparity fruit; for hewas desirousto be thought curioui
of agif: for in other respectshe is unexcep-and particularin everything. He kepta bet-
tionable,but heis veryold." Saloniusreply- ter table in the countrythan in the town; for
ing, " That he left the disposal of her entirely he always invited some of his acquaintancein
to him, for she wasunder his protection,and the neighbourhood
to sup with him. With
had no dependence but upon his bounty;" these he passedthe time in cheerful conversa-
Cato said, without further ceremony, " Then I tion, making himself agreeablenot only to
will be your son-in-law." The man at first thoseof his own age,but to the young;for he
wasastonished at the proposal,as mayeasily had a thoroughknowledgeof the world,and
DPimagined;believingCatopast the time of hadeitherseenhimself,or heardfromothers,&
life for marrying, and knowing himself far be- variety of things that were curious and enter-
neath an alliance with a family that had been taining. He looked upon the table as one of
honoured with the consulate and a triumph. the best means of forming friendships: and at
But ivhenhe saivthat Catowasin earnest,he his,the conversationgenerallyturneduponthe
embracedthe offerwith joy, andthe marriage praisesof great and excellentmenamongthe
contract was signed as Boon as they came to Romans; as for the bad and the unworthy, no
the forum. mention was made of them, for he would not
While they were busied in preparing for the allow in his company one word, either goodor
Duptials, young Cato, taking his relations with bad, to be said of such kind of men.
binij went and asked his father, " What of- The last service he is said to have donethe
fence he had committed, that he was going to public was the destruction of Carthage. The
put a mother-in-lawuponhim?" Catoimme- youngerScipioindeedgavethefinishingstroke
diatelyanswered,"Ask not sucha question,to that work, but it wasundertakenchieflyby
my son; for, instead of being offended,I have the advice and at the instancesof Cato. The
reasonto praiteyour wholeconduct:I am only occasionof the war wasthis. The Carthagi-
desirousof havingmoresuchsons,andleaving niansandMassinissa, king of Numidia,being
more such citizens to my country." But this at war with each other, Cato was sent into
answeris saidto havebeengivenlong before, Africa to inquire into the causes
of the quar-
by Pisistratus the Athenian tyrant who, when rel. Massinissa from the first had beena fhend
be had sons by a former wife already grown to the Romans, and the Carthaginians were
wp, married a second,Timonassa of Argos, by admitted into their alliance after the great over-
whom he is said to have had two sons more, throw they received from Scipio the elder, but
Jophon and ThessaJus. upon terms which deprived them of great part
By this wife Cato had a son, whom he called of their dominions, and imposed a heavy trib-
Salonius after bis mother's father. As for his ute.f When Cato arrived at Carthage, he
«]dest son Cato, he died in his pretorship. found that city not in the exhaustedand hum-
His father often makes mention of him in his ble condition which the Romans imagined,
writings as a brave and worthy man. He bore but full of men fit to bear arms, abounding in
this loss with the moderation of a philosopher, money, in arms, in warlike stores, and not a
applyinghimself with his usualactivity to af- little elatedin the thoughtof its beingso well
fairs of state. For he did not, like Lucius provided. He concluded, therefore, that it
Lucullus afterwards, and Metellus Pius, think was now time for the Romans to endeavourto
agean exemptionfromthe serviceof the pub- settle the pointsin disputebetweentheNumi-
lic, but consideredthat service as his indispen- dians and Carthage; and that, if they did not
"abU?duty; nor yet did he act as Scipio Afri- soon make themselves masters of that city,
cajius had done, who finding himself attacked which was their old enemy, and retained
And opposedby envyin his courseof glory, strong resentmentsof the usageshe bad
quitted the administration,and spent the re- lately received,and which had not only re-
mainder of his days in retirement and inaction. covered herself after her losses,but was pro-
But, as one told Dionysius, that the most hon- digiously increased in wealth and power, they
ourabledeathwasto die in possession
of sove- would soon be exposedto all their former
reign power,so Cato esteemedthat the most dangers. For this reasonhe returnedin all
honourableold age,whichwasspentin serving hasteto Rome,wherehe informedthe senate,
the commonwealth. The amusements in which " That the defeats and other misfortunes
be passedhis leisure hours,were the writing which had happenedto the Carthaginian*,
«f booksandtilling the ground: and thisis the hadnot BOmuchdrainedthemof their forces,
reasonof our having so manytreatiseson va- as cured themof their folly; and that,in all
rioussubjects,andhistories,of hiscomposing.*probability, instead of a weaker, they ha-
In hisyounger
daysheapplied
himself
to made
thema moreskilfulandwarlike
enemy;
agriculture, with a view to profit; for he used » This ii theonly work of his thaireaiainjend'rt;
fo say,hehadonlytwowaysof increasing
oftherestwehateonlyfrariucnls.
t"Sci[>io
Africanus
obliged
IheCarthag-manj,
at the
* Besidesa hundred and fifty orations,and more, conclusion of the secondPunicwar,to del,verupiheir
that heleft behindhim,hewrotea treatiseof military fleetto theRomans, yieldloMassinissapa'tof
Syphal'l
liueipliiil, and booksof unliyurtiei; in Iwo of thesehe dominions, and pay the Romanj ten Uion«uid talents.
t".. I>o( Ihe foundation
of thecitiesof Italy : theother This peacewasmadein Uiethird yearof thehundred
fivr containedthe Rouiauhistory,particularlya nar- andforty-fourthOlympiad,two hundredyeanWort
rative of the first and iccoutl Tunic war. the Chrul -an era.
 ARISTIDES AND CATO COMPARED.
thattheirwarwiththeNumidians
wasonlya an enemyto bedespised
by them. On the
prelude
to futurecombatswiththeRomans; otherhand,
Catothought it dangerous,
while
andthatthelatepeace wasamerename,for thepeople
werethusinebriated
andgiddywith
theyconsidered
it onlyasasuspension
ofarms,power, tosuffer
acity,whichhadalways
been
whichtheywerewillingto availthemselves
of, great,andwhichwasnowgrownsoberand
till theyhada.favourable
opportunity
to renewwisethroughits misfortunes,
to Hewatching
the war." everyadvantage
againstthem. It appeared
to
It is said,that at the conclusion
of his him,therefore,
the wisestcourse,
to haveall
ipeechheshookthelapof hisgown,andpur- outward dangers removed fromthe common-
poselydropped someLibiaafigs;andwhenhe wealth,that it mightbe at leisureto guard
found the senatorsadmired them for their size againstinternal corruption.
and beauty,he told them, " That the country Thus Cato, they tell us, occasionedthe
wheretheygrewwasbutthreedays'sailfrom third andlastwar againsttheCarthaginians.
Rome. But whatis a strongerinstanceof his But as soon as it beganhedied, havingfirst
enmityto Carthage,
henevergavehisopinionprophesied
of thepersonthat shouldput an
in the senateuponanyother point whatever,endto it; whowasthena youngman,andhad
withoutaddingthesewords,"And my opinion onlya tribune'scommandin the army,butwau
is, thatCarthageshouldhedestroyed."Scipio, givingextraordinaryproofsof his conductand
Eurnamed Nasica,madeit a point to maintain valour. The news of these exploits being
the contrary,and concludedall hie speechesbroughtto Rome,Catocried out,
thus, "And my opinion is, that Carthageshould
be left standing." It is very likely that this Heii thesoulof council;
greatman,perceiving
that the peoplewere Therestareshadows
Tain.
come to such a pitch of insolence,as to be led
by it into the greatestexcesses
(sothat in the This Scipiosoonconfirmedby his actions
prideof prosperitytheycouldnot berestrained Cato left oneson by his secondwife, who,
by the senate,but by their overgrownpower as we havealreadyobserved,was surnamed
were able to draw the government what way Salonius,and a grandsonby the son of his first
they pleased,)thoughtit bestthat Carthagewife, who died beforehim. Saloniugdied in
should remainto keep them in awe, and to his pratorship,leavinga son namedMarcus,
moderate their presumption. For he saw that who came to be consul, and was grandfather*
the Carthaginians were not strong enough to to Cato the Philosopher, the best and most il-
conquer the Romans and yet too respectable lustrious man of his ume-

ARISTIDES AND CATO COMPARED.

HAVOIO thusgivena detail of the mostmemo- people,and servilityin courtingtheir favour,

rableactionsof thesegreat men,if we com- for the Romans,elatedwith their power and
pare the whole life of the one with that of the importance, loved to humble those who stood
other, it will not be easy to discern the dif- for the great offices of state. And it was not
ferencebetweenthem,the eye beingattracted the samething to be rivalled by a Themisto-
by somanystrikingresemblances.But if we cles,whowasneitherdistinguished by birth nor
examine the several parts of their lives dis- fortune (for he is said not to have been worth
tinctly, a» we do a poem or a picture, we morethan three,or, at the most,five talents,
«hallfind, in the first place,this commonto whenhe first appliedhimselfto publicaffairs,)
themboth,that they roseto highstationsand as to haveto contestwith a ScipioAfricanus,
great honour in their respectivecommon-a ServiusGalba, or a Quintius Flaminius,
wealths,not by the helpof familyconnections,without any other assistance
or supportbut a
but merelyby their own virtue and abilities. tongueaccustomed to speakwith freedomin
It is true,that whenAristidesraisedhimself, the causeof justice.
Athens
wasnot in her grandeur,
and thede- Besides,
Aristides
wasonlyoneamongten,
magogues
andchiefmagistrates
he hadto deal that commandedat Marathon and Platsea;
with were men of moderate and nearly equal whereas Cato was chosenone of the two con-
fortunes.Forestates
of thehighest
classwere suls,froma number
of competitors,
andoneof
thenonlyfive hundred
medimni:of thoseof thetwocensors, thoughopposed
byseven
can
thesecondorder,whowereknights,threehun- didates,who were someof the greatestand
dred; and of those of the third order, who most illustrious men in Rome.
werecalledZeugitae,two hundred. But Cato, It should be observed,too, that Aristidci
froma littlevillageanda countrylife, launch-wasneverprincipalin anyaction; for Mil
ed intothe Romangovernment,
as intoa tiadeshadthechiefhonour
of thevictory
at
boundlessicean, at a time when it was not Marathon: Themistoclesof that at Salamis
conducted by theCurii,theFabncii,andHos- andthepalmof theimportantdayat Platra
tilii, norreceivedfor its magistrates
and ora- asHerodotus
tellsus,wasadjudged
to Pausa'
torsmenof narrowcircumstances whoworkednias. Nay, eventhesecondplacewasdis
with their own hands,from the plough and the
ipade,but wasaccustomed to regardgreatnessthe* This is a mistakein Plutarch; for SaloniuiWM
grandfather, aoJ M»rciu the father or C»u>of
"f family, opulence,distnbutKV «nong the Utka.
256 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

puted wilh Aristides by Sophancs,Aminias, injustice. The sameis well representedby

Callimachus, and Cynaiginis, wlio greatly dis- Homer*
tinguished themselveson tliat occasion.
On the other hand, Cato not only stood first The culture of the field, which fills the store*
In courage and conduct, during his own con- With happy harvests; and domesticcares,
Which rear the smiling progeny, no charms
sulate, and in the war with Spain; but when he Could boastfor me; -'twasmine, to sail
acted at Thermopylae
only as a tribune,under Thegallantship,losound
thetrumpof war,
the auspicesof another, he gained the glory of To point the polish'dspear,andhurl the quivering
the victory; for he it was that unlocked the lance.
passfur the Romansto rush uponAntiochus,
and that broughtthe war uponthe backof By whichthe poetintimates,
that thosewho
the king,whomindedonly whatwasbeforeneglecttheir own affairs,generallysupport
him. Thatvictory,whichwasmanifestlythe themselvesby violenceand injustice. For
work of Cato, droveAsia out of Greece,and whatthe physicians
sayof oil, that used out-
opened
thepassage
for Scipioto thatcontinentwardlyit is beneficial,
but pernicious
when
afterwards. taken inwardly, is not applicable to the just
Bothof themwereequallyvictorious inwar, man;noris it true,thatheis usefelto others,
butAristidesmiscarried in theadministration,andunprofitable tohimselfandhisfamily.The
beingbanished and oppressed by the faction politicsof Aristidesseem,therefore, to have
of Thcmistocles:whilstCato,thoughhe had beendefective in this respect,
if it istrue(a«
for antagonists
almost all thegreatest
andmost mostwritersassert)that he left not enough
powerfulmenin Rome,whokeptcontending eitherfor the portions of hisdaughters, orfor
with him evenin his old age,like a skilful theexpenses of hisfuneral.
wrestler,alwaysheldhis footing. Oftenim- Thus Cato'sfamilyproducedpratorsand
peached beforethepeople,andoftentheman-consuls to thefourthgeneration; forhisgrand-
agerof animpeachment, hegenerally
succeed- sonsandtheirchildren borethehighest offices:
edin hisprosecutionof others,andwasneverwhereas, though Aristides wasoneof thegreat-
condemned himself;securein that bulwarkof est men in Greece,yet the most distressing
life, the defensive
andoffensivearmourof elo- poverty prevailing among his descendants,
quence;andto this,muchmorejustlythanto someof themwereforcedto get theirbread
fortune,or hisguardian
genius,
wemayascribeby shewing trioksof sleightof hand,ortelling
hismaintaining hisdignityunblemished
to the fortunes,andothers,to receivepublicalms,
last. and not one of them entertained a sentiment
For Antipater bestowed the same enco-
miumuponAristotlethephilosopher,
in what worthyof theirillustriousancestor.
hewroteconcerninghimafterhisdeath,that, It is true,this pointis liableto somedis-
amonghisotherqualities,
hehadtheveryex- pute;for poverty is notdishonourable
in itself,
traordinary
one,of persuading
peopleto what- butonlywhenit is theeffectof idleness, in
everhepleased. temperance,prodigality, andfolly. Andwhen,
That the art of governing cities and com- on the contrary, it is associatedwith all the
monwealths is thechiefexcellence of man,ad- virtues,
in thesober,theindustrious, the just,
mitsnotof adoubt;andit is generally agreed,and valiantstatesman, it speaks a greatand
that theart of governing a familyis no small elevatedmind. For an attentionto little
ingredientin that excellence.For a city, thingsrendersit impossible to do anything
whichis onlya collectionof families, cannotthatis great;norcanheprovide for thewants
oeprosperous in thewhole,unlessthefamiliesof others,whoseownarenumerous andcrav-
that compose it beflourishing
andprosperous. ing. Thegreatandnecessary provision for a
AndLycurgus, whenhebanished goldandsil- statesman is,notriches,buta contented mind,
veroutof Sparta, andgavethecitizensinsteadwhichrequiring nosuperfluities
foritself,leave*
of it, moneymadeof iron, that had beena manat full libertyto servethe common-
cpoiled by the fire, did not design to excuse wealth. God is absolutelyexempt from wants;
them from attending to economy, but only to and the virtuous man, in proportion as he re-
preventluxury,whichisatumour andinflam-duces
hiswants,
approaches nearer
totheDi-
mationcaused
byriches;thateveryonemight vineperfection.For asa bodywell builtfor
havethegreaterplentyof thenecessaries
and health
needs
nothingexquisite,
eitherin food
conveniences
of life. By this establishment
or clothing,soa rationalwayof living,anda
of his, it appears,that he saw farther than any well governedfamily, demanda very moderate
otherlegislator; sincehewassensible that support.Ourpossessions, indeed, should be
everysociety hasmoreto apprehend fromits proportioned totheusewemake of them;he
needy members, thanfromtherich. For this thatamasses a greatdeal,andusesbutlittle,
reason, Cato was no less attentive to the man- is far from being satisfied and happy in hii
agement of hisdomestic concerns thantothat abundance; forif, whileheissolicitousto in-
of publicaffairs:andhenotonlyincreased hie creaseit, hehasnodesire ofthose things
which
ownestate, butbecame a guideto others in wealth canprocure, heis foolish;if hedoes
economy andagriculture, concerning whichhe desire them, andyetoutof meanness of spirit
collected many useful rules. will not allow himselfin their
enjoyment, he
But Aristides, by his indigence, brought a is miser.ible.
disgrace uponjusticeitself,asif it werethe I would fainaskCatohimself thisquestion,
ruin and impoverishment of families, and a " If riches are to be enjoyed, why, when pos-
quality
thatiaprofitable
toanyonerather
thansessed
of a great
deal,
didheplume
himself
theowner.Hcsiod,
however,
hassaidagooduponbeing
sj»isfied witha little."1If it bea
commendablething, as indeed it is, to be con-
deal to exhort us both to justice and economy,
and uivciglw against idleness as the source of " OJy*. L. IT.
 PH1LOPGEMEN. 25,

lentedwithcoarsebre"d,andsuchwineasouri praiiioghimself,not so completein virtue as

servantsand labouringpeopledrink, and not themodestman,whodocsnot evenwantothers
to covetpurpleandelegantlyplasteredhouses,to praisehim. For modestyie a very proper
then Aristides,Epaminondas,ManiusCurius, ingredientin the mild andengagingmanner
andCaiusFabricius were perfectlyright, in necessary for a statesman;
on the otherhand,
neglecting
to acquire
whattheydidnotthink hewhodemands
anyextraordinary
respect
is
properto use. For it wasbynomeans
neces-difficultto please,
andliableto envy. Cato
saryfor a manwho, like Cato,could makea was-verysubjectto thisfault, andAnstidcsen-
deliciousmeal on turnips, andloved to boil tirely free from it. For Arigtides,by co-ope-
themhimself,while his wile bakedthe bread, rating with his enemyThemistoclesin his
to talk somuchabouta farthing,andto write greatestactions,andbeingas it were a guard
hy whatmeansa manmightsoonest grow rich. to him whilehe hadthecommand, restoredthe
Indeed, simplicity and frugality are then only affairs of Athens: whereas Cato, by counter-
greatthings,
whentheyfreethemindfromthe actingScipio,
hadwellnighWasted
andruined
desireof superfluities
andtheanxitiesof care. that expeditionof his againstCarthage,which
Hence it wasthat Aristides, in the trial of Cal- brought down Hannibal, who, till then was in-
lias, said, It was Jit for none to be ashamed vincible. And he continued to raise suspicions
qf poverty, but those that were poor against against him, and to persecutehim with calum-
their wills; and that they who, like him, were nies,till at last he drove him out of Rome, and
poor out of choice, might £/ory in it- For it got his brother stigmatized with the shameful
is ridiculous to suppose that the poverty of crime of embezzling the public money.
Ariftides was to be imputed to sloth, since he As for temperance, which Cato always ex
might, without being guilty of the least base- tolled as the greatest of virtues, Aristides pre-
ness, have raised himself to opulence, by the served it in its utmost purity and perfection;
spoil of one barbarian, or the plunder of one while Cato by marrying so much beneaih him-
tent. But enough of this. self, and at an unseasonabletime of life, stood
As to military achievements, those of Cato justly impeachedin that respect. For it vvaa
addedbut little to the Roman empire, which by no meansdecent at his great age, to bring
"wasalready very great, whereasthe battles of home to his son and daughter-in-law, a young
Marathon, Salamia,and Plalsa, the most glo- wife, the daughter of his secretary,a man who
rious and important actions of the Greeks, are received wages of the public. Whether ha
numbered amongthoseof Aristides.Arid sure- did it merely to gratify his appetite,or to re-
ly Antiochusis not worthy to be mentionedvengethe affront whichhis son put upon his
with Xerjcea,nor the demolishing of the walls favourite slave, both the cause and the thing
of the Spanishtowns, with the destruction of were dishonourable. And the reason which
10 many thousandsof barbarians both by sea hegave to his son wasironical and groundless-
andland. On thesegreat occasions
Aristides For if he wasdesirousof havingmorechildren
was inferior to nonein real service, but he left like him, he should have looked out before for
the gloryand(helaurels,ashedid the wealth; somewomenof family,andnot haveput offthe
to otherswhohadmoreneedof them,becausethoughtsof marryingagain,till his commerce
he wasabovethem. with so meana creaturewasdiscovered;and
I donot blameCatofor perpetuallyboasting whenit wasdiscovered, heoughtto havecho-
andgiving himself the preferenceto others, sen for his father-in-law,not the man who
thoughin oneof his peiceshe says,It is ab- would most readily accepthis proposals,but
surd for a man either to commend or deprc- one whose alliance would have done him the
tiate Mmse(f; but I ttuuk the man who IB often most honour.

PHILOPCEMEN.
AT
am! Mantmea
T,"»»r therewas
Tiimo/i aman of great
r*<,a»T,i\e-T* whn qualitv
h«.,nn \Achilles waseducated
by PhcEnix,
andformed
andpo named Cassandcr,*who, being nlm fromhis infancy to generoussentiments
obligedby a reverse of fortune, to quit his own and royal virtues.
country,wentandsettledat Megalopolis. He But when he was past the yearsof child-
wasinducedto fix there,chieflyby the friend- hood, Ecdemusand Demophanes*
had the
ihip whichsubsisted
between
him and Crau-principalcareofhim.TheywerebothMega-
»is,tthe fatherof Philopo?mcn,
whowasin all lopolitans,who havinglearnedthe academic
respectsan extraordinaryman. While his philosophyof Arcesilaus,tapplied it, above
friendlived,hehadall that hecouldwish,and all the menof their time, to actionand affairs
beingdesirous,afterhisdeath,to makesomeof state. Theydelivered theircountryfrom
returnfor his hospitality
he educated
hisor- tyranny,byprovidingpersons
privatelyto take
phanson,in thesamemanneras HomergaysoffAnstodemus: theywereassisting
to Ararua
in drivingout Neocleg,
thetyrantof Sicyon;
* Pau>«nia«caTU Kim Cleander ; and some manu-
"cripu of Plutarch'agree with him. So it it alsom * In Fausanias,
their nameiire Ecdilm andMega-
tit Iran. Uh.INorGuarini. lophanes.
t Craugjs
in Paiuanias
; in theinscription
of Aita- f Arresilaus
w» founder
of themiddle
Academy,
toeof Philoptemcn
at Tegeat; aadin aa anciented- amimadesomealleraliouin the doctrinewhich had
uction of epigram*. oouintd.
258 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

and, at the requestof the peopleof Cyrene, muchsleepandfull meals,statedtimesof e*

whosegovernment wasin greatdisorder,they rcise and rest, everylittle departure from
"ailed thither,settledit on the foundationof iis rulesbeingveryprejudicialto him: where-
goodlaws, andthoroughlyregulatedthe com- asthe soldiershouldbepreparedfor the most
monwealth. But amongall their great ac- rregularchanges of living, andshouldchiefly
tions, they valued themselvesmost on the edu- endeavour to bring himself to bear the want
cationof Philopoemen,
ashavingrendered
him, of food andsleep,withoutdifficulty. Philo.
by theprinciples
of philosophy,
a common
ben- posmen
hearing
this,notonlyavoided
andde-
efit to Greece. And indeed,as he camethe rided the exerciseof wrestling himself, but
last of so many excellent generals, Greece afterwards when he came to be general, to
loved him extremely,as the child of herold the utmost of his powerexplodedthe whole
age, and,ashis reputationincreased,enlargedart, by everymarkof disgraceandexpression
his power. For whichreason,a certain Ro- of contempt;satisfiedthat it renderedper-
man rails him the last qftlte Greeks, meaning sons, who were the most fit for war, quite
that Greece had not produced one great man, useless, and unable to fight on necessaryoc-
or one that was worthy of her, after him. casions.
His visage was not very homely,* as some When his governors and preceptors had
Imagined it to have been; for we seehis statue quitted their charge, he engagedin those pri-
still remaining at Delphi. As for the mistake vate incursions into Laconia, which the city
of his hostessat Megara, it is said to be owing of Megalopolis madefor the sakeof booty; and
to his easinessof behaviour, and the simplicity in these he was sure to be the first to march
of his garb. She having word brought that the out, and the last to return.
general of theAchsans wascomingto her house, His leisure he spent either in the chase,
was in great care and hurry to provide his sup- which increased both hia strengthand activity,
per, her husband happening to be out of the or in the tillage of the field. For he had a
way. In the mean time Philopo?mencame, handsomeestate twenty furlongs from the city,
and as his habit was ordinary, she took him to which he went every day after dinner, or
for one of his own servants,or for a harbinger, after supper; and, at night, he threw himself
and desired him to assisther in the businessof uponan ordinary mattress, and slept as oneof
the kitchen. He presently threw off his cloak, the labourers. Early in the morning he rose
and began to cleave some wood; when the and went to work along with his vine-dressers
master of the housereturning, and seeing him or ploughmen; after which he returned to the
to employed, said, "What is the meaning of town, and employed his time about the public
this, Philopcemen?" He replied in broad Doric, affairswith his friends and with themagistrates.
" I am paying the fine of mydeformity." Titus What he gained in the wars he laid out upon
Flaminius, rallying him one day uponhis make, horsesor arms,or in the redeemingof captives,
said, "What fine handsand legs you have! but but he endeavouredto improve his own estate
then you have no belly:" and he was indeed the justest way in the world, by agriculture I
very slender in the waist. But this raillery mean.* Nor did he apply himself to it in a
might rather be referred to the condition of cursory manner, but in full conviction that the
his fortune: for he had good soldiers, both surest way not to touch what belongsto other*
horse and foot, but very often wanted money is to take care of one'sown.
to pay them. These stories are subjectsof He spentsometimeinhearingthediscourses
disputations in the schools. and studying the writings of philosophers; but
As to his manners,we find that hiapursuits selectedsuch as he thoughtmight assisthis
of honour were too much attendedwith rough- progress in virtue. Among the poetical inv
nessand passion. Epaminondaswas the per- ages in Homer, he attended to those which
son whom he proposedfor his pattern; and he seemedto excite and encouragevalour: andas
succeeded in imitating his activity, shrewd- to other authors, he was most conversantin
ness, and contempt of riches; but his choleric, the Tactics of Evangelus,t and in the Histo-
contentioushumourpreventedhis attainingto ry of Alexander;beingpersuaded that learn-
the mildness,the gravity,andcandourof that ing oughtto conduceto action,andnot becon-
great man in political disputes;so that he sidered as mere pastimeand a useless fund
seemed rather fit for war than for the civil ad- for talk. In the study of Tactics he neglected
ministration. Indeed, from a child he was those plans and diagramsthat are drawn upon
fond of every thing in the military way,and paper,and exemplifiedthe rulesin the field;
readily enteredinto the exerciseswhichtend consideringwith himselfashetravelled,and
edto that purpose,thoseof ridingfor instance,pointingout to thoseabouthim,the difficulties
andhandlingof arms. As he seemed
weli of steepor brokenground;andhowtheranks
formed for wrestlingtoo, his friendsandgov- of an army mustbe extendedor closed,ac.
ernors advised him to improve himself in that
art; which gave him occasionto ask, whether "Columellasap, agricultureis aeit akin (o philos-
lhat might be consistent with his proficiency ophy. It does,indeed,afford a personwho is capable
asa soldier?They told him thetruth: that ofspeculation^
anopportunity
ofmeditating
onnature;
fhe habitof bodyand mannerof life, the diet andsuchmeditations
enlarge
themind.
andexercise,of a soldieranda wrestler,were f This authoris mentionedby Arrian,whoalso
entirelydifferent:thatthewrestler
musthave wrote Aor
treatise discourse
onTactics.
Erangelus, as well asHe observes,
those that
of several the
other
writers on that subject, were becomeof little useifl
his time, becausethey had omitted several things 01
* Pamariiajatsuretat,(hatthat,
hit viuge wu homely. sulncii-Dtly
knownintheirdays,
which,
however,
tbel
but at thesamelime declares, in pointofsizeaud wantedexplication. This mayserveas a cautioLI*
strength, uo man in Pejopoouejusexceededhim. future writers, on thii and such like mbjecto*
 PHJLOPCEMEN. 2M>

cordingto the difference*

madeby riven, withtheMegalopolitans,
fallinguponthat-ighl-
ditches,anddefiles. armedcorpshimself,at the first encounterput
He seems, indeed,to haveset rathertoo themin confusion,
andsoonafterroutedthem
freata valueonmilitaryknowledge;embrac-withgreatslaughter.Desirousyetfurtherto
ing waraathemostextensiveexerciseof vir- encourage
Antigonus's
troops,andquicklyto
tue, and despisingthosethat were not versedpenetrateinto the enemy'sarmy, which was
in it, aspersonsentirelyuseless. now in somedisorder,he quitted his horse,
He was now thirty yearsold, when Cleo- andadvancing on foot, in his horseman's
coat
menes,*king of the Lacedaemonians,
surprised of mail and other heavy accoutrements, upon
Megalopolisin the night, and having forced roughunevenground,that wasfu'l of springs
the guards, entered and seized the market- and bogs, he was making his way w ith extreme
place. Philopremen
ran to succourthe inhab- difficulty,whenhe hadbothhis thighsstruck
itants, but was not able to drive out the enemy, through with a javelin, so that the point came
though he fought with the most determined through on the other side, and the wound wai
anddesperate valour. He prevailed,however, great, thoughnot mortal. At first he stood
so far asto give the peopleopportunityto steal still as if he had beenshackled,not knowing
out of the town, by maintaining the combat what method to take. For the thong in the
with the pursuers,and drawing Cleomenesmiddleof the javelin renderedit difficult to be
upon himself, so that he retired the last with drawn out; nor would any about him venture
difficulty, and after prodigious efforts: being to do it. At the same time the fight being at
wounded, and having his horse killed under the hottest, and likely to be soon over,honour
him. When they had gainedMessene, Cleo- andindignation pushedhim on to take his share
menes made them an offer of their city with in it; and therefore, by moving his legs this
their lands and goods. Philopcemen perceiv- way and that, he broke the staff, and then or-
ing they were glad to accept the proposal,and dered the piecesto be pulled out. Thus set free,
in haste to return, strongly opposedit, repre- he ran, sword in hand,through the first ranks,to
sentingto themin a set speech,that Cleomenes charge the enemy; at the same time animating
did not wantto restorethemtheir city, but to the troops,andfiring themwith emulation.
be masterof the citizens, in order that he might Antigonus having gained the victory, to try
be more secure of keeping the place: that he his Macedonian officers, demanded of them,
could not sit still longto watch empty houses"Why they hadbroughton the cavalrybefore
and walla for the very solitude would force him he gave them the signal?" By way of apology,
away. By this argument he turned the Mega- they said, "They were obliged, against their
lopohtans from their purpose, but at the same will, to come to action, becausea young man
time furnished Cleomenes with a pretence to of Megalopolis had begunthe attack too soon."
plunder the town and demolish the greatest "That youngman," replied Antigonus, smiling,
part of it, and to march offloaded with booty. "has performed the office of an experienced
Soon after Antigonus came down to assist general."
the Achacans
againstCleomenes;and finding This actionaswe mayeasilyimagine,lifted
that he had possessedhimself of the heightsof Plnlopcemeninto great reputation, so that An-
Sellasia, and blocked up the passages,Anti- tigonus was very desirousof having his service
gonus drew up his army near him, with a res- in the wars,and offeredhim a considerablecom*
olution to force him from bis post. Philopoe- mandwith great appointments; but hedeclined
men, with his citizens, was placed among the it, becausehe knew he would not bear to be un-
cavalry, supported by the Illyrian foot, a nu- der the direction of another. Not choosinghow-
merous and gallant body of men, who closed ever to lie idle, and hearing there was a war in
that extremity. They hadordersto wait qui- Crete,hesailedthitherto exercise
andimprove
etly, until, from the other wing, where the his military talents. When he had servedthere
king fought in person, they should see a red a good while, along with a set of brave men,
robe lilted up upon the point of a spear. The who were not only versed in all the stratagems
Achsans kept their ground, as they were di- of war, but temperatebesides,and strict in their
rected: but the Illyrian officers with their corps manner of living, he returned with so much re-
attempted to breakin upontheLacedemonians.nownto the Achxans,that they immediately
Euclidas,the brotherof Cleomenes, seeingthis appointedhim generalof horse.He foundthat
openingmadein the enemy'sarmy,immediate-thecavalrymadeuseof smallandmeanhorses,
ly ordered,a party of his light-armedinfantry which theypickedup astheycouldwhenthey
to wheel about and attack the rear of the lllyr- were called to a campaign; that many of them
idns,thusseparatedfrom the horse. This be- shunned thewars,andsentothersin their stead;
ing put in execution,andthe Illyrians, haras- and that shamefulignoranceof service,with
sedandbroken,Philopcemen perceivedthat it its consequence,timidity, prevailed among
would be no difficult matter to drive off that them all. The former generals had connived
light-armed party, and that the occasion called at this, because,it being a degree of honour
for it. First he mentionedthe thing to the amongthe Achscans
to serveon horseback,
the
king's officers, but they rejected the hint, aii^J cavalry had great power in the commonwealth
consideredhim as no belter than a madman, and considerable influence in the distribution
his reputationbeingnot yet respectable
enough of rewardsandpunishments.
But Philopcemen
to justify sucha movement.He, therefore,wouldnotyieldtosuchconsiderations, orgrant
" Clcomeoesmade himself mailer of Megalopolis themtheleastindulgence.
Insteadof that,he
in thesecond
fearof(hehundred
andthirty-ninth
applied
totheseveral
towns,andto eachof
Olympiad,
whichwasthe twohundredandtwenty-the youngmenin particular,rousingthem to
firstbefore
theChruliiu
xra. a sense
ofhonour,
punishing
wherenecessity
260 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
requited,andpractising
themin exercise,
re- muchshorterthantheMacedonian
pil:cs; for
»iews,andmock-battles,
inplaces
of thegreat-whichreason
theyansweredtheendin fight-
est resort. By thesemeansin a little timehe ing at a distance,but wereof little usein close
broughtthemto surprisingstrengthand spirit; battle. As for the orderof battle, they had
and,whatisof mostconsequence,
indiscipline;notbeenaccustomed to drawup in a spiral
Tendered
themsolightandquick,thatall their form,*butin thesquarebattalion,
whichhav-
evolutionsandmovements, whetherperformeding neither a front of pikes,nor shields,fit
separatelyor together,were executedwith so to lock together,like that of theMacedonians,
muchreadinessandaddress, that their motion was easilypenetratedandbroken Philopo>
waslike that of onebodyactuatedby an inter- menalteredboth; persuading theminsteadof
nal voluntary principle. In the great battle the bucklerandlance,to take the shieldand
"whichfoey fought with the .Etolians and pike; Voarm their heads,bodies,thighs,and
Eleansnearthe river Larissus,*Demophantus,legs; and, insteadof a light and desultory
generalofthe Eleanhorse,advanced beforethe mannerof fighting,to adopta closeand firm
fines,at fullspeed
against
PhiloptEmen.
Phi- one. Afterhehadbrought
theyouthtowear
lopoemen,
preventinghis blow,with a pushwith completearmour,andon that accountto con-
hisspearbroughthim deadto the ground.The sider themselvesas invincible, his next step
enemy seeing Demophantus fall, immediately was to reform them with respectto luxury and
fled. And now Philopcemen was universally love of expense. He could not, indeed, en-
celebratedas not inferior to the youngin per- tirely cure themof the distemperwith which
sonalvalour,nor to the old in prudence,andas theyhadlong beeninfected,the vanityof ap
equallywell qualifiedbothto fightand to com- pearance,for theyhad vied with each other
mand. in fine clothes,in purple carpets,and in the
Aratus was, indeed, the first who raised the rich service of their tables. But he beganwith
commonwealth of the Acha;an8to dignity and diverting their love of show from superfluous
power. For, whereas,beforethey were in a thingsto thosethat were usefulandhonoura-
low condition,dispersed
in unconnected
cities, ble, andsoonprevailedwith themto retrench
he united them in one body, and gave them a tlmi daily expenseupon their persons,and to
moderatecivil government worthy of Greece. give in to a magnificence in their arms ajid
And as it happensin running waters, that when the whole equipageof war. The shopsthere-
a few small bodies stop, others stick to them, fore were seenstrewed with plate broken in
and one part strengthening another, the whole pieces, while breast-plates were gilt with the
becomesone firm and solid mass,so it was with gold, and shields and bridles studded with the
Greece. At a time when she was weak and silver. On the parade the young men were
easily broken, dispersedasshe was in a variety managing horses, or exercising their arms.
nf cities, which stood each upon its own bot- The women were seen adorning helmets and
tom, the Achajansfirst united themselves, and crests with various colours, or embroidering
then drawing some of the neighbouring cities military vests both for the cavalry and infan-
to them by assistingthem to expel their tyrants, try. The very sight of these things inflamed
while others voluntarily joined them for the their courage, and called forth their vigour,
Bakeof that unanimity which they beheld in so madethem venturous, and ready to face any
well-constituted a government; they conceived danger. For much expensein other things that
tiie great design of forming Peloponnesus into attract our eyes,temptsto luxury, andtoo often
one community. It is true, that while Aratus produceseffeminacy; the feasting ofthe senses
lived, they attended the motions of the Mace- relaxing the vigour of the mind; but in this
donians, and marietheir court first to Ptolemy, instanceit strengthensand improves it. Thus
and after to Antigonus and Philip, who all had Homer representsAchilles, at the sight of his
a great share in the affairs of Greece. But new armour, exulting with joy,f and burning
when Philopcemen had taken upon him the with impatience to use it. When Philopoe-
administration, the Achseans, finding them- men had persuadedthe youth thus to arm and
selves respectableenoughto oppose their adorn themselves,
he musteredand trained
strongest adversaries,ceasedto call in foreign them continually, and they entered with pride
protectors. As for Aratus,not beingsofit for andpleasureinto his exercise.For theywere
conflicts in the field, he managedmost of his greatly delighted with the new form of the
affairsby address,
by moderation,and by the battalion,whichwassocemented thatit seem-
friendshipshehadformedwith foreignprinces, ed impossibleto break it. And their arms
as we have related in his life. But Philopoe- becameeasyand light in the wearing, because
men, being a great warrior, vigorous and bold, they were charmed with their richness and
and successful withal in the first battles that beauty, and they longedfor nothing more than
he fought, raised the ambition of the Achacans to use them againstthe enemy, and to try them
togetherwith their power; for underhim they in a real encounter.
tvere used to conquer.
In the lirst place,hecorrectedthe errorsof * TheMacedonian
phalanx
occasionally
altered
lhel«
theAchceans
in drawing
uptheirforcesandin formfromthesquare lo thespiralororbicular, ao»
themake
of theirarms.Forhithertotheyhad sometimes
tothat
f Shedrops the ofthe
radiantcuncusoron
burden wedge.
Ihe ground ;
madeuse of bucklerswhich were easyto Clang thestrongarms, andringtheshores around,
manageon account of their smallness,but too Backshrinkthe Myrmidons
wfth deadsurprise,
narrowto coverthebody,andlances
thatwere Andfrom thebroad effulgence turntheir
Unmoved,the hero kindles at the show,
eyes.
And feels with rage divine his bosomglow;
» Thl» battlewasfoughtthefourth yearof thehun- Fromhis fierceeyeballs
living flamesexpire,
dred and forty-second Olympiad, when PhiloptEmen Aud flash incessant,like a streamof fire.
VII ui Ins lortj -fuurih year. Pope,a. b. xtu
 P1IILOPCKMEN. 261

At thattime the Achxanswere at war with bestorderand attire, to passin reviewbefore

Machamdas, thetyrantof Laccdjemon,
who, theGreeks,and to makeall themovements
with a powerfularmy,waswatchinghis op- whichtheart of warteaches,
with theutmost
portunityto subdueall Peloponnesus.As vigourandagility. Afterthis heenteredthe
toon as newswas broughtthat he wasfallen theatre,while the musicianswere contending
upontheMantincans,
Philoprcmen
tookthe fortheprize. Hewasattended
bytheyouthin
field, and marchedagainsthim. They drew their militarycloaksandscarletvests. These
up their armiesnearMantinea,eachhavinga youngmenwereall well made,of thesameage
good numberof mercenariesin pay, beside andstature,andthoughtheyshewedgreatre-
the whole force of their respective cities. The spect for their general, yet they seemednot a
engagement beingbegun,Machanidas with his little elatedthemselves with the manyglorious
foreign troopsattackedand put to flight the battlestheyhad fought. In the momentthat
"pearmenandthe Tarentines,who wereplaced theyentered,Pyladesthemusicianhappened to
in the Ach.tan front; but afterwards,instead besingingto his lyre the Persx of Timotheus,*.
of falling upon that part of the army who stood and was pronouncing this verse which begins,
their ground,and breakingthem,he went Thepalm
of libertyforGreece
1won,
upon the pursuit of the fugitives,* and when
he shouldhaveendeavoured
to rout the main whenthe people,struckwith thegrandeurof the
bodyof theAchxans, left hisown uncovered.
poetry,sungbya voiceequallyexcellent,from
Philopojmen,afterso indifferent
a beginning,everypartof thetheatreturnedtheireyes
upon
madelight of themisfortune,andrepresented
PhilopoMnen, andwelcomed himwiththeloud-
it asnogreatmatter,thoughthedayseemedestplaudits.Theycaughtin ideatheancient
to be lost. But when he sawwhat an error dignityof Greece,and in their presentconfi-
the enemy committed, in quittingtheirfoot, dence aspired
totheloftyspiritof formertime*.
andgoinguponthepursuit,bywhichtheyleft As younghorses requiretheir accustomed
him a goodopening, he did nottry to stop riders,andarewild andunrulywhenmounted
them in their careerafterthe fugitives,but by strangers,
EOit waswith the Achsang.
suffer them to passby. When the pursuers When their forces were under any other com-
weregot at a greatdistance,
heroshcdupon mander,
oneverygreatemergency,
theygrew
the Lacedarnonian infantry, now left unsup- discontentedand looked about for Philop<£men
portedby theirrightwing. Stretching,there-and if (:e did but makehisappearance, they
fore,to theleft, hetook themin flank,desti-weresoonsatisfied againandfitted for action
tute astheywereof a genera!, andfar from bythe confidence whichtheyplacedin him;
expecting to cometo blows;for theythoughtwell knowingthat he wasthe only general
Machamdas absolutely
sureof victory,when whomtheirenemies durstnotlookin theface,
iheysawhimuponthepursuit. andthattheywerereadyto trembleathisvery
After he hadroutedtiiis infantry with great name.
"laughter(forit is saidthatfourthousand
La- Philip,kingof Macedon,
thinkinghecould
cedaemonians wereleft deaduponthe spot,) easilybringtheAchxans
underhimagain,if
he marchedagainst Machanidas,who wag Philoposmenwas out of the way, privately
now returningwith his mercenaries
from the sentsomepersonsto Argosto assassinate
him.
pursuit. Therewasa broadanddeepditch Butthis treachery
wastimelydiscovered,
and
betweenhim, whereboth strove a while, the broughtuponPhilipthehatredandcontemptof
oneto get overandfly, theotherto hinderall theGreeks.TheBffotianswerebesieging
him. Theirappearance wasnot like thatof Megara,andhopedto besoonmastersof the
a combatbetweentwogenerals,but betweenplace,whena report,thoughnota true one,
two wild beasts(or rather betweena hunter beingspreadamongthem, that Philopo;men
anda wildbeast,)whomnecessity reducesto wasapproaching to thereliefof thebesieged,
fight. Philopamenwas the great hunter.theyleft their scaling-ladders alreadyplanted
The tyrant'shorsebeingstrongandspirited,againstthewalls,and took to flight. Nabis,
and violentlyspurredon bothsides,venturedwhowastyrantof Lacedaemon afterMachani-
to leapinto the ditch; and wasraisinghis das,had takenMesseneby surprise.And
fore feetin orderto gaintheoppositebank, Philopcemen, whowasout of command, en-
whenSirnmiasand Polysnus,who alwaysdeavoured to persuadeLysippus, thengeneral
foughtbythe sideof Philopcemen, bothrode of theAchzans, to succour theMessenians:
upandlevelledtheirspears againstMachani-butnot prevailing with him,because he said,
das. But Philoptemen prevented them;and theenemy waswithin,andtheplaceirrecover-
perceiving that thehorse,with hisheadhigh ablylost,hewenthimself;takingwithhimhis
reared,coveredthe tyrant's body,he turned own citizens,who waited neitherfor form of
bio owna little, and pushing hisspearat him law nor commission, but followedhim upon
withall his force,tumbledliim intotheditch. thisnaturalprinciple,
thathewhoexcels should
The Achxans,ia admiration of this exploitalwayscommand.Whenhe wasgot pretty
andof hidconduct in thewholeaction,setup near,Nabiswasinformed of it; andnotdaring
bisstatuein brass at Delphi,in theattitudein to wait,thoughhisarmylayquartered in the
whichhekilledthetyrant. town,stoleoutat another
gatewithhistroops,
It is reported, that at the Nemean games,a andmarched
off precipitately,thinkinghimself
littleafterhehadgainedthebattleof Manti- happyif hecouldescape.Hedid indeede§-
nes,Philopoemen, thenchosengenerala se- cape,butMessene wasrescued.
cond turn:,and at leisure on accountof that Thus far everything isgreatin thecharacter
(realfestival,
firstcaused
thisphalanx,
in the »TinH>lheui
was
aDithyrambic
poet,
who flourish
ed aboutthe ninety-fillh Olympiad,three hun<lr*tt
*Polybiu.,l.xi. andninetyeijnt ye»ri beforetheChristianzr».
262 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

of Philopo?incn.Butasforhisgoinija secondhiscountrymen shouldhaveanyshareof the

lime intoCrete,at !he requestof theGorty- advantages
of thesea,Jestof goodsoldiers(aa
niang,whowereengaged in war,andwantedPlatoexpresses it) theyshouldbecome licen
him for general,it hasbeenblamed,either as tiousanddissolutesailors;and thereforechose
an act of cowardice,in desertinghis own to return from Asiaand the isles,without af-
country whenshewasdistressedby Nabis,or fectinganything. But Philopa-mcn beingper-
as an unseasonable ambition to shew himself suaded tliat his sl>il! in the land service would
to strangers. And it is true, the Megalopoli- insurehis successat sea,found,to hie cost,
tanswere thensohardprebsed,thattheywere how much experiencecontributesto victory,
obligedto shutthemselves upwithin theirwalls, andhowmuchpracticeaddsin all thingsto our
andtu sowcornin their verystreets;theenemy powers. For he wasnot only worstedin the
having laid waste their land, and encampedsea-fightfor wantof skill; but havingfitted up
almost at their gates. Philopo?men,therefore, an old ship which had been a famous vessel
by entering into the service of the Cretans at forty years before, and manned it with his
sucha time,andtakinga command beyondsea, townsmen,it provedso leakythat they were
furnishedhis enemieswith a pretenceto ac- in dangerof being lost. Finding that, after
cuse him of baselyflying from the war at home. this, the enemy despisedhim at a man who dis
Yet it is said,that as the Achsanshadcho- claimedall pretensions'
at sea,and that they
sen other generals, Philopo?men,being unem- hnd insolently laid siegeto Gythium, he set sal
ployed,bestowedhis leisureupon the Gorty- again;andas theydid not expecthim,but v>ere
nians, and took a commandamongthem at dispersedwithout anyprecaution,by reasonof
their request. For he hadanextremeaversion their late victory,helandedin thenight,burned
to idleness, and was desirous,above all things, their camp, and killed a great number of them.
to keephis talents,as a soldierandgeneral,in A fewdaysafter,ashewasmarchingthrough
constant practice. This was clear from v>hat a difficult pass, Nabis came suddenly upon
he said of Ptolemy. Some were commending him. The Achseans were in great terror,
that prince for daily studyingthe art of war, thinkingit impossible
to escapeout of so dan-
and improving his strength by martial exercise; gerous a passage,which the enemy had already
" Who," said he, " can praise a prince of his seized. But Philopojmen, making a little halt,
age, that is always preparing, and never per- and seeing, at once, the nature of the ground,
forms?" shewed that skill in drawing up an army is
The Megalopolitans,highly incensedat his the capitalpoint in the art of war. For alter-
absence, and looking upon it as a desertion, ing a little the disposition of his forces, and
were inclined to passan outlawry against him. adapting it to the present occasion, without
But theAchrans preventedthem by sending am bustlehe easilydisengaged (hemfrom the
their general"Anstsnetusto Megalopolis,who, difficulty; and then falling upon the enemy,
thoughhedifferedwith Philopcpmen aboutmat- put thementirelyto the rout. When hesaw
tersof government,,would not sufferhim to be that theyfled not to the town, but dispersed
declared an outlaw. Philopcemen,finding him- themselves about the country; as the ground
self neglected by his citizens, drew off from was woody and uneven, and on account of
themseveralof theneighbouring boroughs, and the brooksand ditches impracticablefor the
instructedthem to allege that theywere not horse,he did not go upon the pursuit,but en-
comprisedin their taxations,nor originallyof campedbeforethe evening. Concluding,how-
their dependencies. But assistingthem to ever,that the fugitiveswould return as soon
maintainthispretext,helessenedthe authority as it grew dark, and draw up in a straggling
of Megalopolisin the generalassembly of the mannerto thecity, heplacedin ambush, by the
Achaeans. But these things happened some brooks and hills that surrounded it, many par-
time after. ties of the Achseans with their swords in their
Whilst he commandedthe Gortyniansin hands. By this meansthe greatestpart of the
Crete,he did not, like a Peloponnesian or Ar- troopsof Nabiswere cut of: for not returning
cadian,makewar in anopengenerousmanner, in a body,but as the chanceof flight had dis-
but adoptingthe Cretancustoms,and using persedthem,theyfell into their enemies' hand,
their artificesandsleights,their stratagemsand andwerecaughtlike so manybirds,ere they
ambushes,against themselves,he soon shewed could enter the town.
that their deviceswere like the short-sighted Philopo;menbeingreceivedon this account
schemes of children,whencomparedwith the with greathonourandapplause in all thethea-
ongreachof an experienced general. tresof Greece,it gave someumbrageto Fla-
Having greatlydistinguished
himself by minius,a mannaturallyambitious.For,asa
these means,and performedmanyexploits in Romanconsul,he thoughthimselfentitledto
thatcountry,hereturned
to Peloponnesus
with muchgreatermarksof distinction
amongthe
honour.HerehefoundPhilipbeaten byT. Q. Achiansthana manof Arcadia,andthat,a)
Flaminius,and Nabisengagedin war both a publicbenefactor,
he wasinfinitelyabove
with the KomansandAchzans. He was im- him : havingby one proclamation
set free all
mediately
chosen generalof theAchaians;but thatpartof Greecewhichhadbeenenslaved
venturing
to actat sea,hefell underthesameliy Philip andthe Macedonians.
After this,
misfortunewith Kpaminondas; he sawthe Flaminius madepeacewithNabis;andNabia
greatideis that hadbeenformedof hiscourage wasassassinated
by the .Ktolians. Hereupon
and conductvanishin consequence
of hisjJJ Spartabeingin greatconfusion,
Philopirmen
iucccssin a navalengagement.
Somesay, arizingtheopportunity, cameuponit withhn
indeed,
that Epaminondaswasunwillingthat army,and,partlyby forceandpartlyby per-
(uasion,broughtthat city to join in the Arhsraa
* Pnlybiui
andLivycallhimAriiUcnoj. league.-Tile
gaining
overa(ily ol such
dig
 PHILOPCEMEN.

nltv
" andpower
madehimperfectly
adored
I tellsus;or, according
to Aristocratcs,
three
k_ji -indeed,
amongthe Achaeans.
And, j-_j 0-.-.4-
Spartahundred
WntftAvaJI
*nfl fifty.
and AAv He H» demolished
*1pmr\li«Vipil
their walls,
%sal
«.
was
anacquisition
ofvast
importance
toAchain,
tookfromthem
greatpartoftheirterritory,
ofwhichsheisnowbecome amember. It wasandadded
it to thatofMegalopolis.
All who
alsoagrateful
service
to theprincipal
Lace-hadbeenmade freeof Sparta
bythetyrants
demonians,
whohoped nowto havehimfor hedisfranchised,andcarried
intoAchaia;ex-
theguardianof theirliberty.Forwhich
rea-ceptthreethousand
whorefused to quitthe
son,hivingsoldthehouse andgoodsofNabis,place,
andthosehesoldforslaves.Byway
byapublicdecree,theygave themoney,
whichof insult,
asit were,
uponSparta,withthe
amounted
to a hundred
andtwentytalents,to money
arisingthence
hebuilt a porticoin Me-
Phi!opa?men,
anddeterminedtosendit byper-galopolis.
Pursuing
hisvengeance against
that
sonsdeputed
fromtheirbody. unhappy
people, who hadalreadysuffered
Onthisoccasionit appeared
howclearhis morethantheydeserved,headded onecruel
integrity
was,thathenotonlyeeemed,buticas andmostunjust
thingtofill upthemeasure
of
a virtuous
man. For notoneof theSpartansit; hedestroyed
theirconstitution.He abol-
choseto speak
to a person
of hischaracter
ishedthediscipline
of Lycurgus,
compelled
abouta present;
butafraid
of theoffice,
theythemto givetheirchildrenand youthan
all excusedthemselves,
andputit uponTimo- Acli.ian education,
insteadof that of their
aus,to whomhewashoundbytherightsof owncountry,beingpersuaded thattheirspirit
hospitality.Timolauswentto Megalopolis,couldneverl^phumbledwhiletheyadhered to
and wasentertainedat Philoprcmen's house; the institutionsof their great lawgiver. Thus
but when he observedthe gravityof his dis- broughtby the weight of their calamitiesto
course,thesimplicityof hisdiet,and hisin- havethesinewsof iheircity cut byPhilopoe-
tegrityof manners,
quiteimpregnable to the men,theygrewtameandsubmissive. Some
attacks and deceitsof money,he said not a time after,indeed,uponapplicationto the Ro-
word aboutthe present,but havingassignedmans,theyshookoff theAchaean customs,and
anothercausefor his coming,returnedhome. re-established their ancientones,as far as it
He wassent a secondtime, but could not men- could be done, after so much misery and cor-
tion the money. In a third visit he broughtit ruption.
out with muchdifficulty,anddeclaredthe be- Whenthe Romanswerecarryingon thewar
nevolenceof Sparta to him. Philoprcmenwith Antiochusin Greece,Philopcemen wasin
heard with pleasurewhat he had to say,but a privatestation. And when he saw Antio-
immediatelywenthimselfto the peopleof La- chussit still at Chelcia,andspendhis time in
cedsmon,andadvisedthemnot to try to tempt youthful love anda marriageunsuitableto his
goodmenwith money,whowerealreadytheir years,while the Syriansroamedfrom townto
friends,andof whosevirtuestheymightfreely town without disciplineand without officers,
avail themselves;hut to buy and corrupt ill andmindednothingbut their pleasures, he re-
men,who opposed their measuresin council, pinedextremelythat he wasnot then general
that, thussilenced,they might give them less of the Acha;ans,and scruplednot to declare,
trouble;it beingmuchbetterto stopthe mouths thatheenviedthe Romanstheir victory: "Fo(
of their enemiesthan of their friends. Such had I beenin command,"said he, "I would
wasPhilopcemen's contemptof money. ha-vecut them all in piecesin the taverns."
Some time after, Diophanes, being general After Antiochus was overcome, the Romans
of the Achaeans,and hearing that the Lacedae- pressedstill harder upon Greece, and hemmed
monianshadthoughtsof withdrawingfromthe in the Achsanswith their power: the orators
league,determined to chastisethem.* Mean- too inclined to their interest. Under the au-
while they prepared for war, and raised great spicesof Heaven,their strength prevailed over
commotionsin Peloponnesus.Pbiloposmenall; andthe point wasat hand,wherefortune,
tried to appeaseDiophanesand keep him quiet: who had long veered, was to stand still. In
representingto him, "That while Antiochus thesecircumstances,
Philopoemen,
like a good
and the Romanswere contending in the heart pilot, struggledwith the times. Sometimeshe
of Greece, with two such powerful armies, an was forced to give way a little and yield to the
Achaeangeneral should turn his attention to times, but on most occasions maintaining the
them; and, instead of lighting up a war at conflict, he endeavouredto draw all that were
nome, should overlook and pass by some real considerable either for their eloquence or
injuries." When he found that Diophanes did riches, to the side of liberty. Aristcenetusthe
not hearkento him,but marchedalongwith Megalopolitan,
whohadgreatinterestamong
Flaminiusinto Laconia,and that theytook theAchsans,
butalwayscourtedtheRomans,
their routetowardsSparta,he did a thing that declaredit in council as his opinion,"That
cannotbe vindicatedby law andstrict justice, theyought not to beopposed or disobligedin
but which discoversa great and noble daring. any thing. Philopremenheard him with silent
He got into the town himself, and, though but indignation; and, at last, when he could refrain
a private
man,shutthegates
against
anAchaean
nolonger,saidto him,"Andwhy,in suchhaste,
general and a Roman consul; healed the di- "wretched man, to see an end of Greece !"
visionsamongthe Lacedaemonians,
andbrought Manius,*the Romanconsul,after the defeat
thembackto theleague. of Antiochus,
movedtheAchiansto permit
Yet, afterwards,
whenhe wag generalhim- the Lacedaemonian
exilesto return,andTitus
self, uponsomenew subjectof complaintseconded
himinhisapplication;
butPhilopo>
againstthat people,he restoredtheir exiles, men opposedit, not out of any ill will to the
andput eightycitizensto death,as Polybiusexiles,butbecause hewaswillingtheyshould
* The same year, Caius Lin'us, with the Roman beindebted
for thatbenefit
to himself'and
the
tttt defeated
that of Antiochui,nearEpheiiu. * Maniui Aciiiui Glabrio.
264 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Achxans,
andnotto thefavour
ofTitusandtheenemy,
thinking
himdead,
began
to tuni
theRomans.Forthenextyear,whenhewas him,in orderto striphimof hisarms. Bat
generalhimself, herestoredthem. Thushis findingthatheraisedhisheadandopenedhi«
gallantspirit,ledhimto contend
withthepre- eyes,theygatheredthick abouthim,bound
vailingpowers. his handsbehindhis back,andledhim off with
Hewaselectedgenera)
of theAchaeane,
the suchunworthy
treatment
andgrossabuse,
at)
eighthtime,whenseventy
yearsof age; and Philopcemen
couldneverhavesupposed
he
now hehopednot only to passthe yearof his shouldcometo suffer,evenfromDinocrates.
magistracy withoutwar,but theremainder of TheMessenians elatedat thenews,
flocked
his life in quiet. For astheforceof distem-to thegates.Butwhenthey«awPhilopo;men
persabateswith the strengthof the body,so in draggedalongin a mannerBOunworthyof the
the statesof Greecethe spiritof contentiongloryof his achievements
andtrophies,most
failed«ith theirpower. Someavengingdeity, of themweretouched with pityand compas-
however,threwhimdownat last,like onewho, sionfor his misfortune. They shedtears,and
with matchlessspeed,runs over the race, and contemned all human greatnessas a faithless
stumblesat the goal. It seems,that being in support,as vanity,and nothing. Their tears,
companywhere a certain generalwas men- by little and little, turned to kind words,and
tioned as an extraordinary man, Philopo;men they began to say, they ought to remember
said,"There wasnogreataccountto bemade hisformerbenefits,andthe libertyhe hadpro-
of a man who sufferedhimself to be taken curedthemby expellingthe tyrant Nahis. A
alive." A few daysafter this, Dinocratesthe few there were,indeed,who,to gratify Dino-
Messenian,who was particularlyon ill terms crates,talked of putting Philopo?mento tor-
with Philopccmen,and,indeed,not upongood ture and to death,as a dangerousand impla-
oneswith anyone, by reasonof his profligate cableenemy,and the more to be dreadedby
andwickedlife, foundmeansto drawMesseneDinocrates,if he escapedafter being made
off fromthe league;and it wasalsosaid that prisoner,andtreatedwith suchindignity. At
he wasgoingto seizea placecalled Colonis.* last they put him in a dungeoncalled the
Philopremen wasthenat Argos,sickof a fever; Treasury,*which had neither air nor light
but uponthis newshe pushedto Megalopolis, fromwithout,andwhich havingno doorswa»
and reachedit in one day, though it was at the closed with a great stone. In this dungeon
distance
of fourhundredfurlongs.Fromthence theyshuthim up with the stone,and placeda
he presently drew out a bodj of horse, con- guard around it.
sistingof the nobility, but all youngmen,who Meanwhile,theAchsancavalryrecollecting
from affection to his person and ambition for themselvesafter their flight, found that Philo-
glory, followed him asvolunteers. With these poemenwas not with them, and probably might
he marched towards Messene, and meeting have lost his life. They made a stand, and
Dinocrates on Evander'shill,f he attacked and called him with loud cries, blamine each other
put him to flight. But five hundredmen,who for makinga base and shamefulescape,by
guardedthe flat country,suddenlycomingup, abandoning their general,who hadbeenprodi-
the others, who were routed, seeing them, ral- gal of his own life in order to savetheirs. By
lied againaboutthe hills. Hereupon,Philo- muchsearchand inquiry about the country,
poemen, afraidof beingsurrounded,
anddesiroustheygot intelligencethat hewastakenprison-
of savinghis young cavalry,retreatedupon er, andcarriedthe heavynewsto the statesof
roughanddifficultground,while hewasin the Achaia;who,consideringit as the greatestof
rear, often turning upon the enemy,and en- losses,resolvedto sendanembassy to demand
deavouring to drawthementirelyuponhimself. him of the Messenians;andin the meantime
Yet none of them dared to encounter him ; preparedfor war.
theyonly shoutedandrodeabouthim at adis- While the Achaeans
were taking theseres-
tance. As he often faced about, and left his olutions, Dinocrates, who most of all dreaded
mainbody,on accountof his youngmen,each time, as the thing most likely to savePhilo-
of whomhewassolicitousto put outof danger, ptEmen,determinedto be before-hand with
at last he found himself alone amidst a number the league. Therefore, when night was come
of theenemy Eventhentheydurstnot at- andthemultitude
retired,heopened
thedun-
tack him handto hand,but, hurlingtheir darts geon,and sent in one of his servantswith a
at a distance,theydrove him uponsteepand doseof poison,and ordersnot to leavehim
craggyplaces,
wherehe couldscarcely
maketill he had takenit. Philopcemen
waslaid
his horsego, thoughhe spurredhim continual- down in his cloak, but not asleep;vexation
ly. Hewasstill activethroughexercise,
and andresentment
kepthimawake; Whenhe
for that reasonhisagewasno hindrance
to his sawthe light anda manstandingby him with
escape;but beingweakened bysickness,
and a cupof poison,
beraisedhimselfup,aswell
extremely
fatiguedwithhisjourney,hishorseas hisweaknesswouldpermit,and,receiving
threwhim,nowheavyandencumbered, upon thecup,askedhim," Whetherhe hadheard
the stones. His head was woundedwith the any thing of hia cavalry, and particularly of
fall, andhelaya longtimespeechless,
sothat Lycortas?"The executioner
answering
that
theyalmostall escaped, he noddedhis Headiu
* Thereis nosuchplacrknownasColona.Liry sign of satisfaction;and looking kindlyupon
(lib. 39.)callsit Corone; andPlutarchprobablywrote him said, "Thou bringest good tidings, and we
Corona, or Coronis. Strabo mentionsthe latter aaa are not in all respects unhappy." Without
placein lite neighbourhood of Mcssene. uttering another word, or breathing the least
f Erandcr's "till 19likewise unknown. Polybius,and
ttfi- r him Pausanias,mentionsa hill railed Evan (which " The public treasure was kept there ; and it w»
nameit probablyhadfromthecriesof Che
Bacchanal*)shutup with an immense
itone, moreiito it b) anen-
cot far from Mt strut. gine. Lit', lib. mil.
 TITUS QUINCTIUS FLAMINJlJS
ligh, hedrankoff the poison,andlay downnorthejoy of a victory. The people
of the
again. He wasalreadybroughtso low that townsandvillageson their way, flocked out,
be couldnot makemuchstrugglewith the fa- as if it hadbeento meethim returningIroma
tal dose,andit despatched
him presently. gloriouscampaign, touchedthe urn with great
Tbn newsof his deathfilled all Achaiawith respect,andconductedit to Megalopolis.The
piief andlamentation.All the youthimme-old men,thewomen,
andchildren,whojoined
diatelyrepairedwith the deputiesof the sev- the procession,raisedsuch a bitter laments.
eralcitiesto Megalopolis,wheretheyresolved,tion, that it spreadthroughthe army, andwai
without loss of time, to take their revenge.re-echoed by the city,which,besides
her grief
For this purpose,havingchosenLycorlas* for Philopcemen, bemoaned her own calamity,
for their general,they enteredMessene,and as in him she thoughtshelost the chief rank
ravagedthe country,till the Messenianswith andinfluenceamongthe Achxans.
oneconsentopenedtheir gatesand received His interment wassuitable to his dignity,
them. Diaucratcspreventedtheir revengeby and the Mcssenianprisonerswere stonedto
killing himself: and those who voted for hav- death at his tomb.-Many statueswere set up,
ing Philopoccmen
put to death,followedh.<iandmanyhonoursdecreedhim by theGrecian
example. But such as were for having him put cities. But when Greece was involved in the
to the torture,were takenbyLycortas,and dreadful
n.itfortunes
of Corinth,a certainRo-
reservedfor morepainful punishments. manattemptedto get themall pulled down,*
When they had burned his remains, they put accusing him in form, as if he had been alive,
the ashesin an urn, and returned not in a dis- of implacable enmity to the Romans. When
orderlyand promiscuous
manner,but uniting lie hadfinishedthe impeachment,
andPolybim
a kind of triumphal march with the funeral so- had answeredhis calumnies,neither Mummiua
lemnity. First came the foot with crowns of nor his lieutenants would suifer the Inonumenu
victory on their heads,and tears in their eyes; of so illustrious a man to bedefaced, though he
and attended by their captive enemies in fet- had opposedboth Flaniimus and Glabnonota
ters. Polyljius, the general's son, with the little. For they made a proper distinction be-
principal Achxans about him, carried the urn, tween virtue and interest, between honour and
which was adornedwith ribbons and garlands, advantage; well concluding, that rewards and
«o that it was hardly visible. The march was grateful acknowledgmentsare always due froa
closed by the cavalry completely armed and personsobliged to their benefactors,and hon-
superbly mounted; they neither expressedin our and respect from men of merit to each
their looks the melancholy of such a mourning other. So much concerning Philopcsmen.

TITUS QUINCTIUS FLAMINIUS.

THE personwhom we put in parallel with hadconferreda favour; and consideringthem
PbilopcEmen, is Titus QuinctiusFlaminius.f ashis greatesttreasure,he was alwaysready
Thosewho are desirousof beingacquaintedto protect and to promotethem. iVaturally
with his countenanceandfigure,needbut look covetousof honourandfame,andnot choosing
uponthe statuein braes,which is erectedat to let othershaveany sharein hie great and
Hi*1.H'with a Greek inscription upon it, oppo- good actions, he took more pleasure in those
site the Circus Moximiu, near the great statue whom he could assist,than in those who could
of Apollo, which was broughtfrom Carthage.give him assistance;looking uponthe former
As to his disposition he was quick both to re- as persons who afforded room for the eimioa
sentan injury, and to do a service. But his of virtue, andthe latter as his rivals in glory.
resentmentwasnot in all respectslike his af- From his youthhewastrainedupto thepro-
fection,for he punishedlightly, andsoonfor- fessionof arma. For Romehavingthenmany
got the offence;but his attachmentsandser- importantwarsuponher hand.-,her youthbe-
viceswere lasting and complete. For the per- took themselves by times to arms, and had
lons whomhe had obligedhe ever retained early opportunitiesto qualify themselvesto
I kind regard;as if, insteadof receiving,they command.Flaminiusservedlike the rest,and
was first a legionary tribune, under the consul
* Thiswasin Hiesecond
y«»rof th« hundred
and Marcellusyfin the war with Hannibal. Mar-
fcrty-tiiMl' Olympiad. Lycortas was father to Polyb-
cellusfell into an ambuscade
liu the historian, who was in Hit action, and might be and was slain;
llien about twenty yearsof age. after whichFlaniiniuswasappointedgovernor
\ Itought
tobt-written
Flumininus,
notFlarr.inita.
ofTareutum,
newly
retaken,aud
ofthecountry
Polrbiut, Livv, and all the other historians, wrile il
Flainininut. Indeed,theFlaininii werea verydiffer- * This happened
thirly-serenyearsafterhisdeath
entfamilyfromthe Flamininii. The formerwere thatin,thesecond yearof thehundred andforty-eighth
patricians,
thelaUtrplebeians. CaiujFlaminma, who Olympiad, onehundred andlorly-fivcyears
beforethe
wu<vlxl in Ihe Lille at the Ixkc of Thrasj menus, Christian zra.
vmxof theplebeianfamily.Besides,some manuscripts,t Hewasappointed a tribuneattheageof twenty
for instance
theVulcob, ait A-JOD,
andonethatDacier,n the fourthyearof the hundred andfortT-KConj
consulted,
haveit Klaminirus, whichwouldbesuffi-Olympiad.Consequently, he wasbornin (hefirs'
cientauthoritytocorrectit, Builhatwouldoccasion yearotthehundred andthirty-eighth
Olympiad which
"omtinconvenience, because Plutarchhascalledhim «asIheyearof Rome 526.Li.y tdl, us,fhatht WJa
Flamjniusin otherplaces,aswrit ashere,in hislife; thirty-three years
ofage,whenheproclaimed liberii
tod, indeed,severalmodern writers havedoneIhesaioe. lu ilreece.
266 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

about
it. In thiscommission hegrewno lessyet in full vigourandspirits,andtheglory<?
famous ft r hisadministration
ofjusticethanfor :hefield,fromthosetroops,
who,underScipio,
hismilitaryskill, for whichreason hewasap- lad subdued Asdrubalin Spain,andHannibal
poirted chiefdirectorof the two coloniesthat in Africa, hecrossed
the sea,andgot safeinto
were sent to the cities of IVarnia and Cossa. Epirus. There he found Publius encamped
This inspiredhim with such lofty thoughts, overagainstPhilip, who hadbeena long timo
that, overlookingthe ordinary previoussteps defendingthe fordsof the river Apsusandthe
by whichyoungmenascend, I meanthe offices adjoining straits; and that Publius had not
of tribune,praetor,
andaidile,heaimeddirect- beenable to effectany thing by reasonof the
ly at the consulship. Supported by those col- natural strength of the place.
onists, he presented himself as a candidate. Titus having taken the commandof the arm»,
But the tribunes Fulvius and Manlius opposed and sent Pubhus home, set himself to consider
him, insisting that it was a strange and un- the nature of the country. Its natural fortifica-
heard-of thing, for a man so young, who was tions are equal to those ef Tempe, but it is not
not yet initiated in the first mysteries of gov- like Tempe in the beauty of the woods and
ernment, to intrude, in contempt of the laws, groves, and the verdure of valleys and delicious
into Hie highest office of the state. The sen- meads. To the right and left there is a chain
ate referred the affair to the suffragesof the of lofty mountains, between which there is a
people;and the peopleelectedhim consul, deepandlong channel. Down this runsthe
thoughhe was not yet thirty yearsold, with river Apsus,like the Peneus,bothin itsappear-
Scxtus JKlius. The lots beingcast for the anceandrapidity. It coversthefootof the hilli
provinces, the war with Philip and the Mace- on each side, so that there is left only a narrow
doniansfell to Flamimus; and this happenedcraggypath,cut out c.oseDythe stream,which
very fortunately for the Roman people; as that is not easyfor an army to pass at any time,
department required a general who did not and, when guarded, is not passableat all.
want to do every thing by force and violence, There were some, therefore, who advised
but rather by gentlenessand persuasion. For Fianv.n.jo to take a compassthrough Dassare-
Macedonia furnished Philip with a sufficient tis alongthe Lycus, which was an easypassage.
number of men for his wars, but Greece was But he was afraid that if he removed too tar
flis principal dependence for a war of any from the sea into a country that was barren
length. Sheit was that suppliedhim with money and little cultivated, while Philip avoided a bat-
andprovisions,with strongholdsandplacesof tle he mightcometo want provisions,andbe
retreat, and, in a word, with all the materials constrained, like the general before him, to re-
of war. So that if she could not be disengaged treat to the sea, without effecting any thing.
from Philip, the war with him could not be de- This determined him to make his way up the
cided by single battle. Besides, the Greeks mountains sword in hand, and to force a pas-
as yet had but little acquaintancewith the Ro- sage. But Philip's army being possessedof the
mans: it was now first to be established by heights, showered down their darts and arrowi
tie intercourse of business: and, therefore, upon the Romansfrom every quarter. Several
.hey would not so soon have embraced a for- sharp contests ensued, in which many were
eign authority, instead of that they had been killed and wounded on both sides, but none
ao long accustomed to, if the Roman general that were likely to be decisive.
had not beena man of great good nature, who In the mean time, some shepherdsof those
was more readyto avail himself of treaty than mountains came to the consul with a discovery
i>f the sword, who had a persuasive manner of a winding way, neglected by the enem#, by
where he applied, and was affable and easy of which they promised to bring his army to the
accesswhen applied to, and who had a constant top in three daysat the farthest. And to con-
andinvariableregardto justice. But this will firm the truth of what they had said, they
betterappearfrom hisactionsthemselves. broughtCharopsthe sonof Machatus,prince
Titus findingthat SulpitiusandPublius,*his of the Epirots; who was a friend to the Ro-
predecessors in command,had not entered mans,and privately assistedthemout of fe;ir
Macedoniatill late in the season,
andthendid of Philip. As Flamimuscouldconfidein him,
not prosecute the war with vigour, but spent he sent away a tribune with four thousandfont
their time in skirmishingto gainsomeparticu- and threehundredhorse. The shepherds in
lar postor pass,to interceptsomeprovisions,bondsledthe way. In the daytime theylay
determinednot to act like them. They had still in the hollows of the woods,and in the
"wasted the yearof their consulatein the en- night theymarched;for the moonwasthenat
joyment of their new honours,andin the ad full. Flaminiushavingdetached this party,let
ministrationof domesticaffairs,and towards his mainbodyreelthe threedays,andonlyhad
the close of the year they repairedto their someslightskirmisheswith the enemyto take
province;by whichartifice theygot their com- up their attentiou.But the day that heeipect-
mand continued another year, being the first ed those who had taken the circuit to appe.ir
yearin characterof consul,andthe secondof uponthe heights,hedrew outhis forcesearly,
proconsul. But Titus, ambitious to distinguish both the heavy and light-armed, and dividing
h.aconsulshipby someimportant expedition, them into three parts, himself led the van;
left the honoursand prerogativeshe had in marchinghis menalongthe narrowestpathby
Rome; andhavingrequested thesenateto per- the side of the river. The Macedonians
galled
mit his brother Lucius to command the naval him with their darts; but he maintained the
forces,and selectedthree thousandmen, as combatnotwithstandingthe disadvantage
of
*Pubhus,
Sulpitius
Galba
was
consul
twoyears
bc-ground;
andtheother
twoparties
fought
with
fcrr. PuMiusVillniH Tapnuluqwasconsulthe year all the spirit of emulation, and clung V the
Atr SulpitiuHaadhcil beforeFUuniulUf. rocks with astonislung ardour.
 TITOS QUINCTItS FLAMINIUS 267
In themeantimethesunarose,
andasmokeoncondition
thathelefttheGrecian*
free,&nd
appeared
atadistance,
notverystrong,
butlike withdrew
hisgarrisons
fromtheircitiee.And
ine mist of thehills. Beingon the backof the as he refusedthoseterme,it wasobvious,
even
enemy, theydidnotobserve
it, forit came
from to the partisans
of Philip,that the Roman*
thetroopswhohadreachedthetop. Amidst the werenotcometo fightagainsttheGreeks;but
fatiu'ic of the engagement,
the Romanswere for GreeceagainsttheMacedonians.
in doubtwhether
it wasa signal
ornot,butthey The restof Greeceacceding
voluntarily
to
inclined to believe it the tiling they wished. the confederacy,
the ConsulenteredBtroti-
Andwhentheysawit increase,
soasto darkenbutin a peaceable
manner,
andthechiefoftl/s
the air, andto mounthigherandhigher,they Thebanscameto meet him. They were ji-
were well assured that it came from the fires clined to the Macedonian interest on accc-nt
"whichtheir friendshadlighted. Hereuponthey of Barchyllas,but theyhonouredanilrespected
"et up loudshouts,andchargingtheenemywith Flaminius,and were willing to preservethe
greatervigour,pushedtheminto themostcrng- friendshipof both. Flaminius recei»«dthem
gy places.The shoutswerere-echoed by those with greatgoodness, embraced
them,andwent
behind at the top of the mountain. And now oo slowly with them, asking various questions
the Macedonians fled with the utmost precipi- and entertaining them with discourse,on pui*
tation. Yet there were not abovetwo thousand pose to give his soldiers time to come up. Thus
slain, the pursuit beingimpededby the diffi- advancing
insensiblyto the gatesof Thebes,he
culty of the ascent. The Romans,however, enteredthe city with them. They did not in-
pillagedthecamp,seizedthe moneyandslaves, deed quite relish the thing, but they were
and becameabsolutemasters of the pass. afraid to forbid him, as he came so well at-
Theythentraversed
all Epirus,butwithsuch tended.Then,asif hehadbeennowaysmas-
order anddiscipline,that thoughthey wereat ter of the town, heendeavoured by persuasion
a greatdistancefrom their shipsand the sea, to bringit to declare fur the Romans;king
and had not the usual monthly allowance of Attalus seconding him, and using all his rhet-
corn, or convenienceof markets yet they spared oric to the Thebans. But that prince, it seems,
the country,whichat the sametimeaboundedin his eagerness
to serveFlaminius, exerting
in every thing. For Flaminius was informed himself more than his age could bear, was
that Philip, in his passage or rather flight seized, as he was speaking, with a giddinessor
throughThessaly,hadcompelledthepeopleto rheum,whichmadehim swoonaway. A few
quit their habitations, and retire to the moun- days after, his fleet conveyed him into Asia,
tains, had burned the towns, and had given as and he died there. As for the Ba-otiacs, they
plunderto his menwhatwastoo heavyor cum- tookpart with the Romans.
bersometo be carried off; and so had in a man- As Philip sent an embassyto Rome, Fla-
ner yielded up the country to the Romans. minius also sent his agentsto procure a decree
The Consul, therefore,madea point of it to pre- of the senate, prolonging his commissionif the
»iil with his men to spare il as their own, to war continued, orelse empowering him to make
march through it as land already cededto them. peace. For his ambition made him apprehen-
The event soon shewed the benefit of this sive, that if a successor were sent, he should
goodorder. For assoon as they entered Thes- be robbed of all the hono;;r of the war. His
saly, all its cities declared for them; and the friends managedmatters eo well for him, that
Greeks within Thermopylaelonged for the pro- Pi.ilip failed in his app!:cation, and the com-
tection of Flaminius, and gave up their hearts mand tv?s continued to Flaminius. Having
to him. The Achsans renounced their alli- received the decree, he was greatly elevated in,
ance with Philip, and by a solemn decree re- his hopes,and marchedimmediately into Thes-
solved to tzke part with the Romansagainst saly to carry on the war against Philip. His
him. And though the jEtolians, who at that army consistedof more than twenty-six thous-
time were strongly attached to the Romans, and men, of whom the jj£lolians furnished six
madethe Opuntiansan offer to garrison and de- thousandfoot, and three hundred horse. Phil-
fendtheir city, theyrefusedit; andhavingsent ip's forceswerenot inferior in number. They
for Flammius, put themselvesin his hands. marchedagainst each other, and arrived near
It is reported of Pyrrhus, when from au em- Scotusa; where they proposed to decide the
inence he had first a prospect of the disposition affair with the sword. The vicinity of two
of the Roman army, that he said " I seenoth- such armies had not the usual effect, *.ostrike
ing barbarian-like
in the ranksof thesebarba- the officerswith a mutualawe;onthe contrary,
rians." Indeed, all who once saw Flanumus, it increased their courage and ard'ii.7; ihe Ro-
spoke of him in the same terms. They had mans being ambitious to conquer the Macedo-
h"Mrd the Macedonians representhim as the nians, whose valour and power Alexander had
fiercecommander
of a hostof barbarians,
who renderedsofamous,andtheMacedonians
liop-
wascometoruicanddestroy,
andto reduceall iiiL',il'theycouldbeattheRomans,
whomthey
to slavery; and, when afterwardstheymet a lookeduponas a morerespectable enemythan
youngmanof a mild aspect,who spokevery the Persians,to raisetheglory of Philipabove
goodGreek, and wasa loverof true honour, that of Alexander. Flarnmiustherefore,ex-
theywereextremelytakenwith him, and ex- horted his men to behavewith the greatest
citedthe kind regardsof their cities to him, as courageandgallantry,as theyhadto contend
to a generalwho would leadthemto liberty. with braveadversaries in so gloriousa theatre
After this, Philip seeminginclined to treat, 38 Greece. On the other side,Philip, in or-
Flaminiuscameto aninterviewwith hirn,* and der to address his army,ascended aji eminence
offeredhim peaceand friendship
withRome withouthiscamp,
whichhappened
tobe.1bury-
ing place,either not knowingit to beso,or ID
" SeeFolybiiui,
Bookivii. thehurrynotattendmg
to it. Therehebegan
 268 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

an oration,suchasis usualbeforeabattle;bul endeavoured

to prepossessthe Greeksthatthe
vhe omenof a sepulchrespreadinga dismal factwasreallyso. This reportgot suchground,
melancholyamongthe troops,hestopped,aud that the poet«and others, in the versesthat
put off the action till another day. were composedand sung on this occasion,put
Next morning at day-break,after a rainy thembeforethe Romans. The versis mostin
night,the cloudsturning into a mist, darken- voguewerethe following:
ed theplain;andasthedaycame on,a foggy Stranger ! unwept,unhonour'd
thick air descending from the hills, covered Seethriceten thousand
withacrave,
bodiesof thebrave!
all the ground between the two camps. Those, The fiercejKtolians,audtheLatianpower,
therefore,that weresentout on bothsides,to LedbyFlaminius,
ruledthevengeful
hoar:
seize posts or to make discoveries, soon meet- Emathia's scourge,beneathwhosestroke they bled,
And swifter than the roe, the mighty Philip fled.
ing unawares,engagedat the Cyiwscephalai,
whicharesharptopsof hills standingopposite Alcsus wrote this epigram in ridicule of
each other, and so called from their resem- Philip, and purposely misrepresentedthe num-
blance to the headsof dogs. The successof ber of the slain. The epigram was indeed in
these skirmishes was various, by reason of the every body's mouth, but Flaminius was much
unevennessof the ground,the sameparties morehurt by it than Philip: for the latter par-
Bometimes
(lying andsometimespursuing,and odiedAlcxus, asfollows:
re-inforcements
weresentonbothsides,
asthey Stranger!
unleaved,
unhonour'd
e'eowithbark,
found their men hard pressedand giving way; Secthis sadtree,thegibbetof Alcaeus.'
till at length, the day clearing up, the action Flaminius, who was ambitious of the praise
became general. Philip,whowas intherightof Greece,
wing, advanced from the rising ground with his
wasnotalittleprovoked
atthis
and therefore managedevery thing afterwards
whole phalanxagainst the Romans, who could by himself, paying very little regard to the
not, even the bravest of them, stand the shock
.lEtolians. They in their turn indulged their
of the united shields and the projectedspears.* resentment; and, when Flaminius had admit-
But the Macedonian left wing being separated, ted proposals for an accommodation, and re-
and intersected by the hills,t Flamiuius ob- ceived an embassyfor that purposefrom Philip,
serving that, and having no hopes011the siJe the ./Etchans exclaimed in all the cities of
where his troops gave way, hastenedto the Greece, that he sold the peaceto the Mace
other,
and
account of there charged
the inequality theenemy,
and where,
roughness on donian,
of the atatimewhenhemight
have
puta
country, they could not keep in the close form final period to the war, and have destroyed
that empire which first enslavedthe Grecians.
ofaphaliiix, norlinetheirranks toanygreatThese
depth, but were forced to fight man to man, in
speeches,
though
groundless,
greatly
heavy and unwieldy armour. For the Mace- perplexed the allies; but Philip coming in per-
son to treat, and submitting himself and his
donian
phalanx
islikein animal
ofenormous
kingdom
tothediscretion
of Flaminius
and
strength,
whileit keeps
in onebody,andpre-theRomans,
serves its union of locked shields; but when
removed
allsuspicion.
Thus Flaminius put an end to the war. He
that is broken, each particular soldier loses of restored Philip his kingdom, but obliged him
his force, as well because of the form of his to quit all claims to Greece: he fined him a
armour, as becausethe strength of each con- thousand talents; took away all his ships ex-
sists rather in his being a part of the whole, cept ten; and sent Demetrius, one of his sons
than in hissingle
person.Whenthesewerehostage
routed, some gave chase to the fugitives; oth-
toRome.In thispacification
hemade
ers took those Macedonians in flank who were a happy use of the present, and wisely pro-
vided for the time to come. For Hannibal,
still fighting: the slaughter was great, and the the Carthaginian, an inveterate enemy to the
winglatelyvictorious, soonbroke in sucha Komans,
manner, that they threw down their arms and
andnowanexile,
being
atthecourt
of Antiochus,* exhorted him to meet fortune,
fled. There were no lessthan eight thousand who opened her arms to him; and Antio-
slain,
oners.and about
That five
Philip thousand
himself weretaken
escaped, pris-chus
waschief- himself,seeing hispower veryconsider-
able, and that his exploits had already gain-
ly owing tothej'Etoljans, whotookto plun-ed himthetitleof theGreat,
dering the camp, while the Romanswere busied
began now
to think of universal monarchy, and particu-
in thepursuit,
sothatattheirreturntherewaslarlyof settinghimself
against
theRomans.
nothing
leftforthem.
This from the first occasioned quarrels and
HadnotFlaminius,
therefore,
in hisgreat
wisdom foreseenthis, and made peace.f An-
mutual reproaches. But afterwards Fiaminius tiochus might have joined Philip in the war
was hurt much more sensibly, when the JEto- with Greece, and those two kings, then the
lians ascribedthe victory to themselves,^
and most powerful in the world, have made a
* Thepikeofthefifthman
inthefileprojected
be-common
cause
ofit; whichwouldhave
called
yondthe front. Therewas,therefore,
anamazingRomeagainto as greatconflictsand dangers
llrengtt. in the phalani,while it stoodfirm. But il
hadits inconveniences. Il couldnot act at all, eiccpl * This is a mistake. Hannibaldid not cometo the
in a levelaudclearfield. Polyb.Lib.ivii. sub.fin. courtof Antiochustill the yearafter Flaminiuthad
t Plutarchmakes nomentionof theelephants, which, iroclaimedliberty to Greeceat the Isthmiangames;
according to Livy andPoljbius,wereveryserviceable "ato and ValeriusFlaccus,who were then consul*,
to Flamiuius. aiiug ictit an embassyto Carthageto complainof him.
( Polybius informs us, that the Macedonians,in tlie
first encounter,had the advantage,
and brat the Ho- f Polybiustells us.Flaminiuswasiuducedto coin
mausfromthelopsof Hiemomiiaiustheyhadmined. eludea pmceupontne intelligencehe hadreceived,
Aud he affirms,that in all probability the Romansthat AtiliochuswasmarchingtowardsGreece,with i
Wouldhavebeenput to flight,had Lhcynot beensup- powerfularmy; and he wasafraid Philip might la
forttii by ilit jEluliau caralrj-. iold oa that advantageto continue the war.
 TITUS QU1NCTIUS FLAMINIUS. 269
Mshehadexperienced
iathewarwithHanni-1blyrisen,
andthecrowdrushing
towardshim
bal.ButFlarainius),
bythusputtinganinter-
j hadnotavoidedthem,
andgotunder
covers,
mediate
spaceofpeace
betweenthetwowars,'hemusthave beensurrounded,
and,in all
andfinishing
theonebeforetheother
began, probability,
suffocated
bysucha multitude.
cutoffatoncethelasthopeof Philip,andthe Whentheyhadalmost
spentthemselves
in
firstof Antiochua. acclamations
abouthiapavilion,andnightwa»
The tencommissioners
nowsentby thesen-nowcome,theyretired;andwhatever friend*
ate to assistFlaminius advisedhim to settlic or fellow-cilixensthey happenedto see,they
restof Greece
free,buttokeep
garrisona
in the embraced
andcaressed
again,
andthenwent
citiesof Corinth,Chalcis,and Pemetrias,
to andconcluded theeveningtogetherin feasting
secure them,in caseof a warwithAntiochus.andmerriment.There,no doubt,redoubling
Butthe^Eloliang, alwayssevereintheiraccu-theirjoy, theybeganto recollect
andtalk of
sations,andnowmoresothanever,endeavour- thestateof Greece:they observed, "That
edto excitea spirit of insurrection
in the notwithstanding
themanygreatwarsshehad
cities,callinguponFlaminius
to knockoffthe beenengaged
inforliberty,shehadnevergam-
shackles of Greece;forsoPhilipused
totermeda moresecure oragreeable enjoymentof
thosecities.TheyaskedtheGreeks,
"if they it, thannowwhenothershad foughtfor her;
didnotfindtheirchainverycomfortable,
now thatgloriousand importantprizenowhardly
it wasmore polished,thoughheavierthan be- costingthem a dropof blood,or a tear. That,
fore; andif theydid notconsiderFlaminiusas of human excellencies,valour and prudence
the greatest of benefactors,for unfettering werebut rarelymet with, but that justice was
their feet, and bindingthem by the neck." still moreuncommon.That suchgeneralsaj
Flaminius,afflictedat theseclamours,begged Agesilaus,Lysander, Nicias,and Alcibiadea,
of the councilof deputiesandat lastprevailed knew not how to managea war, and to gain
with them,to deliverthosecitiesfrom thegar- victoriesboth by seaandland; but they knew
risons,in orderthat his favourto the Grecians not how to apply their success
to generous
and
might beperfectandentire. noblepurposes. So that if oneexceptedthe
They were then celebratingthe Isthmian battlesof Marathon,of Salami*,Platira,and
games,andan innumerable company wasseat- Thermopylae,and the actionsof C'inionupon
edto seethe exercises. For Greecewasnow the Euryniedon,and nearCyprus,Greecehad
enjoying full peace after a length of wars; and, fought to no other purposethan to bring the
big with the expectations
of liberty, hadgiven yoke upon herself, all the trophies she had
in to these festivities on that occasion. Silence erected, were monumentsof herdishonour, and
being commandedby sound of trumpet,a at last her affairs were ruined by the unjust
herald went forth and made proclamation,ambitionof her chiefs. But thosestrangers,
"That the Roman senate, and Titus Quinctius who had scarce a spark of any thing Grecian
Flaminius, the general and proconsul,having left,* who scarce retained a faint tradition of
vanquished
king Philip andthe Macedonians,their ancientdescentfrom us, from whomthe
took of all impositions, and withdrew all gar- least inclination, or even word in our behalf,
risons from Greece, and restored liberty, and could not have been expected; these stranger*
their own laws and privileges, to the Corin- have run the greatest risks, and submitted to
thians, Locrians, Phocians, Eubo?ans,Achas- the greatest labours, to deliver Greece from
ans, Phthista1,Magnesians, Thessahans, and her cruel and tyrannic masters, and to crowa
Perrhzhians." lier «ith liberty again."
At first the proclamationwas not generally These were the reflections the Grecian*
or distinctly heard, but a confused murmur ran made, and the actions of Flaminiua justified
through the theatre; somewondering,some them, beingquite agreeableto his proclama
questioning,and others calling upon the herald tion. For he immediately dispatched l.rntului
to repeatwhat he had said. Silence being into Asia,to setthe liargyllianstrie, andTitil
againcommanded, the heraldraisedhis voice, liusf into Thrace,to draw Philip'sgarrisonsou
to as to be hearddistinctly by the wholeas- of the towns and adjacentislamls. Publiui
sembly. The shoutwhich theygave,in the Yillius setsail in orderto treatwith Antiochui
transportof joy, wasso prodigious,thatit was aboutthe freedomof the Greciansundermm
heardas far as the sea. The peopleleft their And Flaminius himself went to Chalcis,and
"eats; there was no farther regard paid to ilie sailed from thence to Magnesia, where he re-
diversions;all hastenedto embraceand ad- movedthe garrisons,and put the government
dressthe preserverand protector of Greece. againin the handsof the people.
The hyperbolicalaccounts that have often At Argos, beingappointeddirector of th«
beengivenof the effect of loud shouts,were Nemeangames,he settledthe whole orderol
ferified on that occasion. For the crows, themin themostagreeable manner,andonth»t
whenthen happened to be flyingover their occasion
caused
libertyto beprocLaimed
again
beads,
fell intothetheatre. Thebreakingof by thecrier. And as he passed throughthe
the air seemsto havebeenthe cause. For the othercities, hestronglyrecommended
to them
tour.dof manyunitedvoicesbeingviolentlyanadherence to law,a strictcourse
of justice,
itrong,thepartsof theair areseparated
byit, andddmesiic
peace andunanimity.Heheal
anda void \» left, which affords the birds no ed their divisions;he restoredtheir exiles
support.Or perhaps
the forceof the soundIn short,he tooknot morepleasure
in the
itrikes the birds line an arrow, andkills them
in an instant. Or possibly,a circular motion " Aocnrdingto Dionytiusof Halicarnassus, Horn*
ii causedin the air, as a whirpoolis produced wasstockedwith inhabitauuat first,chieflyfromIhoM
in the seaby the agitationsof a storm. Grecian colonid whichhad
before ihe time of Romulus.
Killedintin-
souUi
of Italy
If Flaminiua, as soon as he saw the assem-
t PolybimandLity call himLuciut SlrrUnnu
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

conquestof the Macedonians, than in recon- a manwho on all occasionshad disttguiihed

ciling the Greeksto eachother; and their lib- himselfamongthe Greeks,and in that war
erty innv appearedthe leastof the benefitshe particularlyhad given wonderfulproofsbolli
hadconferred
uponthem. of courageandconduct;insomuch
that the
It is said, that when Lycurgus,the orator Achsanggloriedin him as muchas in FJami
had deliveredXenocratcsthe philosopher, out nius,andpaidhim the samerespectin their
of the handsof the tax-gatherers who were theatres. This greatly hurt Flaminius; ha
hurrying him to prison for the tax paid by could not hearthat anArcadian,who hadonly
"trangera,and had prosecutedthem for their commanded in someinconsiderable
warsupon
insolence;Xcnocrates,afterwardsmeetingthe the confinesof his own country, shouldba
children of Lycurgus, said to them, "Children, held in equal admiration with a Roman con-
I havemadea noblereturn to your father for sul, who hadfoughtfor all Greece.FJaminius,
the servicehe did me; for all the world praise however,did not want apologiesfor his con-
him for it." But the returnswhich attended duct: for he said,"He put an endto the war,
Flaminius and the Romans,for their benefi- becausehesawhe couldnot destroythe tyrant
cenceto the Greeks,terminatednot in praiseswithout involvingall the Spartansin the mean
only, but justly procured them the confidence time in great calamities.'"
of all mankind,and added greatly to their The Achzansdecreed Flaminiusmanyhon
cower. For now a varietyof peoplenot only ours,but noneseemedequal to his service!,
acceptedthe governorsset over them by Rome, unless it were one present, which pleasedhim
out even sent for them, and beggedto be under aboveall the rest. It was this: The Romans
their government.And not only cities and who hadthe misfortuneto be taken prisoners
commonwealths,but kings, when injuredby in the warwith Hannibal,weresoldfor slaves,
other kings, had recourseto their protection. and dispersedin variousplaces. Twelve hun-
So that the divine assistancetoo perhapsco- dred of them were now in Greece. That sad
operating,in a shorttime the wholeworld be- reverseof fortunemadethemalwaysunhappy,
came subject to them. Flaminius also valued but now (as might be expected) they were
himself most upon the liberty he had bestowed still more so, when they met their sons, their
on Greece. For having dedicated some silver brothers, or their acquaintance, and saw them
bucklers together with his own shield, at Del- free while they were slaves, and conqueror!
phi, heput uponthemthefollowinginscription: while theywerecaptives. Flaminiusdid not
pretend to take them from their masters,
YeSpartan twin!,whotamedtheroaming
steed, though his heart sympathizedwith their dis
Yfr I'riei/ds,)"/"patronsof eachgloriousdeed, tress. But the Achaeansredeemedthem at the
Behold Flamimus,of .(Eneas' line.
Prcjtnts
lliisoffering
alyourawful
shrine. rateof fivemina?
aman,andhaving
collected
Yesons
of love,yourgenerous
paths
hetrod, them together,madeFlaminius a presentof
Andsnatch'dfromGreeceeachlittle tyrant'srod. them, just as he was going on board; so that
he set sail with great satisfaction, having found
He offered also to Apollo a golden crown, with a glorious recompensefor his glorious services,
these verses mcribed on it: a return suitable to a man of such humane
sentiments and such a Jover of his country.
SeegratefulTitushomage
par This indeedmadethe most illustrious part of
To tnee,
theglorious godofJay;
Seehim with gold thy locks adorn,
histriumph.For thesepoormengottheir
Thy locks which shea th' ambrosialmorn. headsshaved, and wore the cap of liberty, aa
Ogranthimfame, andevery giftdivine,
Who led the warriorsof jEncas'line.
thecustom of slaves isupon theirmanumission,
and in this habit they followed the chariot of
Flaminius. But to add to the splendour of the
The Grecians have had the noble gift of show, there were the Grecian helmets, the
liberty twice conferred upon them in the city Macedonian targets and spears,and the other
of Corinth; by Flammiusthen,and by Nero spoilscarriedin greatpompbeforehim. And
in our times. It was granted both times the quantity of money was not small; for, ai
during the celebration of the Isthmian games. Itanus relates it, there were carried in this tri-
Flaminius had it proclaimed by a herald; but umph three thousand sevenhundred and thir-
Nero himself declared the Grecians free and teen pounds of unwrought gold, forty-three
at liberty to begovernedby their own laws,in thousandtwo hundredandseventyof silver,
an oration which he made from the rostrum in fourteen thousand five hundred and fourteen
the public assembly This happened long piecesof coined gold called Philippics; besides
after* which, Philip oweda thousandtalents. But the
Flaminius next undertook a very just and Romanswereafterwardsprevailed upon,chiefly
honourable war againstNabis, the wicked and
abandoned tyrant of Lacedaemon; but in this * Livy touches upon this reason; but at the same
casehe disappointed
the hopesof Greece.timehementions
others,
more
to thehonour
of thii
For, though he might have taken him prisoner, greatman. Winter wasDOW coiningon,andthesiege
he would not; but struck up a leaguewith him, of Spartamight havelasteda considerable
time. The
andleft Sparta
unworthily
in bondage!
wheth-enemy's
country
wassocihaujited,
thatit could
not
er it wasthathefeared,
if thewarwasdrawnsupplyhim
convoys with
from anyprovisions,
anditBesides,
other quarter. was difficult
Villiustoget
wai
outto anylength,a successor
wouldbe sent returned
fromthecourtof Antiochus,
andbrought
him from Rome, who would rob him of the advicethat thepeacewith that princewasnot to be
glory of it; or whether in his passion for fame depended
upon. In fact, hehail alreadyenteredEu-
hewasjealous
ofthereputation
ofPhiloposmen:
ropewilha fleel
andarmy more numeroustlia*before.
And what forces had they to opposehim, in caseof a
rupture, if Flaminius continued to employ his bi the
" Two hundredand inly-three years. "ieje of Sparta; Liv. imv. 33,34.
 TITUS QUINCTRJSFLAMINIUS. 271
oythemediation
of Flaminius,
to remitthiswith,was
daughter
toCleoptolemus,
and
avir-
debt;Philip
wasdeclared
theirally,andhisginof incomparable
beauty.Thismatch
"on,whohadbeenwiththemasa hostage, broughttheChalcidians
entirely
intotheking's
lenthome. interest,
andtheysuffered
himto makeuseof
Afterthis,Antiochuspassed
overintoGreecetheircityasaplaceof arms.Afterthebaltle
witha greatfleetsnda powerful army, and hefledwithgreat
precipitation
toChalcis,and
solicited
thestates
to joinhim. TheAltohans,takingwithhimhisyoungwife,histreasures,
whohadbeenalongtimeill nnected to the andhisfriends,
sailedfromthence to Asia.
Romans, tookhispart, andsuggested
thispre-AndnowManius in hisindignationinarched
tenceforthewar,thathecameto bringthe directlyagainst Chalcis,Flaminiusfollowed,
Grecians
liberty. The Grecians
hadno want andendeavoured
to appease
hisresentment.
of it, for theywerefreealready;
but,ashe At lasthesucceeded,byhisassiduities
with
hadno oetter cause
to assign,
theyinstructed
himandthemostrespectable Romanswho
himto coverhisattempt withthatsplendid werelikelyto havean influence
uponhim.
pretext. TheChalcidians,
thussavedfromdestruction,
The Romans, fearing,
onthisaccount,
a re- consecratedthemostbeautifulandthenoblest
volt in Greece,
aswellasthestrength
of Anti- of theirpublicedifices
to TitusFlaminius;and
ochus,sentthe ConsulManiusAcilius to com- suchinscriptionsas theseare to beseenupon
mandin thewar,butappointed
Flaminiushis themto thisday:" Thepeople
dedicated
this
lieutenant,*for the sakeof his influencein Gymnasiumto Titus andHercules:the peo-
Greece. His appearance
thereimmediately
ple consecrate
theDelphinium
to Titus and
confirmedsuch as were yet friends,in their Apollo." Nay, what is more, even in our
fidelity,andprevented
thosewhowerewaver-daysa priestof Titusis formallyelectedand
ingfromanentiredefection.Thiswaseffect-declared;
andonoccasions of sacrifice
to him
edby the respecttheyborehim; for it operated whenthe libationsare over,theysinga hymn,
]ike a potentremedyat the beginning
of a thegreatest
partof which,fromthelengthof
disease. There werefew, indeed,soentirely it, I omit, andonly give the conclusion:
gained and corrupted by the -Ktulians, that his While Rome's protecting power we prove,
interestdid not prevailwith them;yet even Herfaithadore,
hervirtues
love,
these,thoughnewasmuchexasperated
against Still,asourstrains
to heaven
aspire,
them at present,he savedafter the battle. For LcLRomeandTiius wakethe lyre'.
Antiochus,beingdefeatedat Thermopylae,
and To these
ourcrateful
altarsblaze,
forcedto fly, immediately
embarked
for Asia. AndourlongPaeans
pourimmortal
praue.
Upon this, the ConsulManius went against The rest of the Greciansconferredupon
comeof the JKtuli.tns,and besiegedtheir him all duehonours;andwhat realizedthus*
towns, abandoningothers to Philip. Thus honours,andaddedto their lustre, wasthe ex-
greatravages
werecommitted
bytheMacedo-traordinary
affectionof the people,
whichhe
niansamongtheDolopians
andMagnesians
on hadgainedby hislenityandmoderation.For
onehand,and amongtheAthamaniansand if hehappened
to be at variance
withanyone
Aperantians on the other; and Manius him- upon account of business,or about a point of
self,havingsackedthecity of Heraclea,be- honour,
as,for instance,
withPhilopcemen,and
siegedNaupactus,thenin thehandsof the with Diophanes generalof the Achzans,he
^Etolians.ButFlaminius,beingtouchedwith nevergaveiato malignity,
orcarriedhisresent-
compassion
for Greece,
wentfromPelopon-
mentintoaction,butlet it eipirein words,
ncssusto the Consulby water. He beganin suchexpostulations
asthefreedom of public
wivhremonstrating,
thattheConsul,though he debates
mayseemto justify. Indeed,noman
hadwonthevictoryhimself,suffered
Philipto everfoundhimvindictive,butheoftendisco-
reapthefruitsof it; andthatwhile,to gratifyvereda hastiness
andpassionate
turn. Set-
his resentment,
he spenthis timeaboutone tingthisaside,hewasthemostagreeable
man
town,theMacedonians
weresubduing
wholein the world,anda pleasantry
mixedwith
provincesandkingdoms.The besieged hap-strongsensedistinguishedhis conversation.
penedtoseeFlaminius,calledto himfromthe Thus,to diverttheAchaeans fromtheir pur-
walls,stretched
out their hands,and beggedposeof conquering
theislandof Zacynthus,
he
hisinterposition.
Hegave
themnoanswer,
toldthem,
"It was
asdangerous
forthem
top_ut
butturned
round
andwept,andthenimmedi-theirheads
outcf Peloponnesus,
asit wasfor
ately withdrew. Afterwards, however, he the tortoiseto trusthieout of his shell." In the
discoursed
withManiusso effectually,
thathe firstconference
whichPhilipandhehadabout
appeasedhis anger, and procured the .3ito- peace, Philip liking occasion to say, " Titus,
liansa truce,and time to fienddeputiesto youcomewitha numerous
retinue,whereas
I
Rome, topetition
forfavourable
terms. come quitealone:"Flimimus answered.
"No
Buthehadmuch greater
difficulties
tocom-wonder if youcome alone,
foryouhavekilled
oat,whenhe appliedto Maniusin behalfof all yourfriends
andrelations."Dinocrates
the
theChalcidians.TheConsul washighlyin- Messeman being
in companyat Rome,drank
censedat them,on accountof themarriage untilhewasintoxicated, andthenputon a
which Antiochus
celebrated
among
them,evenwoman's
habit,
anddanced
in thatdisguise.
ifterthewarwasbegun:
a marriage
everyNextdayheapplied
toFlaminius,
andbegged
wayunsuitable
aswell asunseasonable;
for hisassistance
in a design
whichhehadcon-
newasfar advanced
in years,and thebride ceived,to withdraw
Mesene
fromtheAchaean
reryyoung.Theperson
hethusfell in loveleague.Flaminius
answered,"
I willconsider
of if, but I am surprisedthat you, who con-
" According
to Livy, it wasnotTitus,but Lurrus ceivesuch greatdesigns,can sing and danca
<J.uinctiuj,
who wai appointedlieutenuuto Clabrio. at a caroiuaJ.» And whfin the ambassadorsof
272 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Antiochusrepresentedto the Acha^ans,

how our uponhimself; and they both went into
numerous the king's forces were, and, to make the assemblyin the form of suppliants, and
them appearstill more so, reckoned them up besoughtthe peoplewith tears,that Cato might
by all their different names, " I suppedonce," be obligedto assignhis reasonfor fixing such
"aid Flaminius,"with a friend; anduponmy a markof disgraceuponso illustriousa family,
complaining of the great numberof dishes, and The requestappearedreasonable. Cato with-
expressing my wonder how he could furnish out the least hesitation came out, and standing
his table with such a vast variety; be not un- up with his colleague, interrogated Titus,
easyabout that, said my friend, for it is all hog'e whether he knew any thing of that feast. Titus
flesh, and the difference is only in the dressing answering in the negative, Cato related the
andthe sauce. In like manner,I sayto you, affair, andcalleduponLucius to declareupon
my Aclizan friend, be not astonished at the oath, whether it was not true. As Luciui
number of Antiochus's forces,at these pikcmen, made no reply, the people determined the note
these halberdiers and cuirassiers; for they are of infamy to be just, and conductedCato home
all Syrians, only distinguished by the trifling with great honour, from the tribunal.
arms they bear." Titus, greatly concernedat his brother's mil-
After these great actions in Greece, and the fortune, leaguedwith the inveterate enemiesof
conclusionof the war with Antiochus,Flami- Cato, and gaininga majority in the senate,
nius was created Censor. This is the chief dig- quashed and annulled all the contracts, leases,
nity in the state, and the crown, as it were, of all and bargainswhich Cato had made, relating to
its honours. He had for colleague the son of the public revenues; and stirred up many and
Marcellus, who had been five times Consul. violent prosecutionsagainst him. But I know
Thry expelled four senators who were men of not whether he acted well, or agreeablyto good
no great note: and they admitted as citizens policy, in thus becoming a mortal enemy to a
all who offered, provided that their parents man who had only done what becamea lawful
were free. But they were forced to this by magistrate and a good citizen, for the sakeof
Terentius Culeo. a tribune of the people, who one who was a relation indeed, but an unwor-
in opposition to the nobility, procured suchor- thy one, and who had met with the punishment
ders from the commons. Two of the greatest he deserved. Some time after, however, the
and mostpowerfulmenof thosetimes,Scipio peoplebeingassembled
in the theatresto see
Africanus and Marcus Cato, were then at va- the shows, and the senateseated,according to
riance with each other. Flaminius appointed custom, in the most honourable place, Luciui
the former of these president of the senate,as was observedto go in a humble and dejected
the first and best man in the commonwealth; manner, and sit down upon one of the lowest
and with the latter he entirely broke, on the benches. The people could not bear to see
following unhappyoccasion. Titus had a bro- this, but called out to him to go up higher, and
ther named Lucius Quinctius Flaminius, unlike ceasednot until he went to the Consularbench,
him in all respects, but quite abandonedin his who maderoom for him. The native ambition
pleasures,and regardlessof decorum. This of Flaminiuswas applauded,while it found
Lucius had a favourite boy whom he carried sufficient matter to employ itself upon in the
with him, even when he commanded armies wars we have given account of. And his serv-
and governedprovinces. One day, as they ing in the armyas a Tribune,afterhehadbeen
were drinking, the boy, making his court to Consul, was regardedwith a favourable eye,
Lucius,said," I loveyouso tenderly,that pre- though no onerequiredit of him. But when
ferring your satisfactionto my own, I left a he wasarrivedat anagethatexcused him from
showof gladiators, to cometo you,thoughI have all employments,hewasblamedfor indulging
never seena man killed." Lucius, delighted a violentpassionfor fame,and a youthfulim-
*ith the flattery,madeanswer,"If that beall, petuosityin that inactive seasonof life. To
you neednot be in the last uneasy, for I shall someexcessof this kind seemsto havebeen
goonsatisfyyour longing." He immediatelyowinghis behaviour with respectto Hannibal,*
ordereda convictto be broughtfrom the pris- at which the world was muchoffended. For
on, and having sent for one of his lictors, Hannibal havingfled his country,took refuge
commandedhim to strike off the man's head, first at the court of Antiochus. But Antiochus,
in the roomwheretheywerecarousing. Vale- afterhe had lost the battleof Phrygia,gladly
rius Antiaswrites,that thiswasdoneto gratify acceptingconditionsof peace,Hannibal wai
a mistress. And Livy relates, from Cato's again forced to fly; and, after wandering
writings,that a Gaulishdeserterbeing at the throughmany countries,at length settled in
door with his wife and children, Lucius took Bithynia, and put himself under the protection
him into the banqueting-room, andkilled him of Prusias. The Romansknewthis perfectly
with his own hand; but it is probable,that well, but theytook nonoticeof it, considering
Cato said this to aggravateihe charge. For him now asa manenfeebledby age,andover-
that the personkilled wasnot a deserter,but a thrownby fortune. But Flaminius,beingneat
prisoner, and a condemned one too, appears
from many writers, and particularly from af *age,Flaminius was no more than forty-four ytari of
\vhcn lit weut ambasssadorto rrusias. ft wu
Cicero, in his treatise on Old Age, where he not, therefore, an unseasonable
desireof a publicchar-
introducesCatohimselfgiving thataccountof acter,or extravagant
paasicn
for fame,whichwas
the matter. blamedin him on this occasion,but an unworthy per-
Uponthis account,Cato,whenhewasCen- secution
of agreat,though
unfortunate
man.Wearc
lor, anil srt himselfto removeall obnoxious
inclined,
tions fromhowever, tothink,
the senate thathe
for what hedid
had:secret
for itinstruc-
is not
personsfrom the senate,expelledLucius, probable thatamanof hismildandhuoiane disposi-
though he was of Consular dignity. His bro- tion, wouldchoose to hunt downanold juhappfwar*
Uier thought this proceeding reflected dishon- rior: andPlutarchcoutirwsthisopmiiu ajlerwirdi»
 TITUS QU1NCTIUS FLAMIN1US 273
bythesenate
uponan embassy
to Prusias
aslie hadembraced
himat theconference
aboutother matters,and seeingHamnb.il at whichhe hadwith him beforethe battle, BO,
Juscourt,couldnotendurethat heshouldbe alter it, whenhe settledthe conditionsof
tuffered to live. And though Prussiasused peace,he offerednot the leastaffrontor insult
much intercession and entreaty in behalf of a to his misfortunes.
manwhocameto him as a suppliant,andlivec It is reportedthattheymetagainat Ephesug,
with him underthe sanctionof hospitality,he andHannibal,as theywalkedtogether,taking
could not prevail. the upper hand, Africanus suffered it, and
It seemstherewasan ancientoracle,which walkedon without the least concern. After-
thusprophesiedconcerningtheendof Hannibal wardsthey fell into conversationabout great
Libyssan
earth
sh&U
hide
thebones
ofHannibal.
generals,
and Hannibal asserted thatAlexander
was the greatest general the world had f:ver
He thereforethoughtof nothingbut ending seen,that Pyrrhus wasthe second,and him-
bisdaysat Carthage,
andbeingburiedin Li- selfthethird. Scipiosmiledat thio,andsaid,
bya. But in Bithyma there is a sandyplace "But what rank wouldyou have placedyour-
near the sea,which has a smallvillage in it self in, if I had not conqueredyou?" " O,
calledLibyssa. In this neighbourhood
Han Scipio!" said he," then I would not have
niballived. But havingalwaysbeenapprized placedmyselfthe third, but the first."
of the timidity of Prusias,anddistrustinghim The generalityadmiringthis moderationof
on that account,
anddreadingwithalthe at- Scipio,foundthegreaterfaultwith Flammius
temptsof the Romans,
hehadsometimebe- for taking the spoilsof an enemy,whom
fore orderedseveralsubterraneous
passages
to anothermanhadslain. There weresome,in-
bedugunderhishouse;whichwerecontinueddeed,whoapplauded thething,andobserved,
a,greatwayunderground,andterminated in "That whileHanniballived,theymusthave
several differentplaces,
butwereall indiscern-lookeduponhimasa fire, whichwantedonly
ible without. As soon as he was informed of to be blown into a flame. That when he was
the orders whichFlaminiushadgiven,he at- in thevigourof hisage,it ^vasnot his bodily
tempted to makehisescape bythosepassages; strength or hisrighthandwhichwassodread-
butfindingtheking'sguards at theoutlets,he ful to the Romans, but his capacityandex-
resolved to kill himself. Somesay,hewound perience, togetherwithhisinnaterancourand
his cloak about his neck, and ordered his ser- hatred to their name. And that these are not
vantto put his kneesuponhisback,andpull alteredby age;for the nativedisposition
still
with all hisforce,andnot to leavetwisting till overrulesthe manners; whereasfortune, far
be hadquitestrangledhim. Otherstell us, "romremaining
thesame,
changes continually,
that,like Themistocles
andMidas,he drank andby newhopesinvitesthoseto newenter-
bull's blood. But Livy writes, that having ariseswho were ever at war with us in their
poison
in readiness,
hemixedit for a draught; hearts."
Andthesubsequent
events
contributed
andtakingthecupin hishand," Let usdeliv-stillmore
tothejustification
ofFlaminius.
For,
ertheRomans,"saidhe," fromtheircares
andin thefirstplace,
Aristonicus,
thesonofaharp-
anxieties,
sincetheythink it too tediousand er'sdaughter,
on thestrength
of his beingre-
dangerous
to waitfor thedeathof a poorhated futedthenaturalsonof Eumenes, filled all
old man. Yet shall not Titus gain a conquest Asia with tumult and rebellion: and in the
wonlienvying,orsuitable
to thegenerous
pro- nextplace,Mithridates,
aftersuchstrokesas
ceedings
of hisancestors,
whosentto caution IBhadmetwithfromSyllaandFimbria,and
Pyrrhus,
though
avictorious
enemy,
against
the soterrible
a destruction
among
histroops
and
poison
thatwasprepared
for him." officers,
roseupstronger
thaneveragainst
Lu-
ThusHannibal
issaidtohave died. Whencullus,bothby seaandland. Indeed,Hanni-
thenewswasbroughtto the senate,
manyin >alwasneverbroughtsolow as CaiusMarius
thataugust
body
werehighly displeased.Fla- iadbeen.For Hannibal enjoyedthefriend-
miuiusappeared
tooofficious
andcruelin his shipof a king,fromwhomhereceivedliberal
precautions,
to procurethedeathof Hannibal,supplies,
andwithwhoseofficers,
bothin the
now tarned by his misfortunes, like a bird that navy and army, he had important connections;
throughagehadlosthistail andfeathers,
and whereasMariusv/asa wanderer inAfrica,and
Bufferedto live so. Andashehadnoorders breedto beghisbread.ButtheRomans, who
to puthimto death,it wasplainthathedidit iadlaughed
at hisfall, soonafter,bledin their
outof apassion
of fame,
andto bementioned
ownstreets,under
binrodsandaxes,andpros-
in aftertimes
asthedestroyerof Hannibal."ratedthemselves
beforehim. Sotrueit is,
Onthisoccasiontheyrecollected
andadmiredhatthere\Bnothingeithergreator little at
morethanever,the humaneandgenerousbe- his moment,which is sure to hold so in the
haviourof ScipioAfricanus;for whenhehad daysto come;andthatthechanges wehave
vanquished HannibalinAfrica,at a timewhen o experience only terminatewith our lives.
hewasextremely formidable,anddeemed in- r^orthis reason,sometell us,that Flaminiut
rincible,heneitherinsisted
onhisbanishment, did not do this of himself,butthat he wa«
oordemanded
himof bisfellow-citizens;
but, joined
in commission
withLuciusScipio,
and
thatthesolepurpose
of theirembassy
wasto
" Ifofthis
thing wasreally
apolitical themotive
tendency ofFlaminiu',
entered andno- procurethedeathof Hannibal.As we have
into thisdastardly
destruction of that great general, it would hardly be 10accountafter this, of any political or mill
.possible
for allthe
virtues,
allthetriumphsofthe taryactofFlaminius, andonlyknow thathe
Romans,
to redeemhimfromtheinfamyolio base
an died in his bed,it is timeto cometo the com-
ictioa. larisoa.
874 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

FLAMINIUS AND PHILOPCEMEN COMPARED.

IF we considerthe extensivebenefitswhich owing to miperioT excellence. He had to dc
Greecereceivedfrom Flaminius,we shall find with two of the mostwarlike nation?among
that neither Philopccmen,
nor other Grecians the Greeks; the Crerans,who were the moat
more illustrious than PhiloptDnien, will stand artful, and the Lacedaemonians,who were the
the comparisonwith him. For the Greeksal- mostvaliant; and yet hemasteredthe former
ways fought againstGreeks; but Flaminius, by policy, and the latter by courage. Addto
who was not of Greece,foughtagainstthat this, that Flaminiushad his menreadyarmed
country. And at a time when Phalopcemen, anddisciplinedto his hand: whereasPnilopce-
unable to defend hie fellow-citizens, who were men had the armour of his to alter, and to
engagedin a dangerous
war, passedover into new-modeltheir discipline. Sothat thething*
Crete, Flaminius, having vanquishedPhilip in which contribute most to victory were the
the heart of Greece,set cities andwhole na- inventionof the one,while the otheronlyprac-
tionsfree. If we examineinto their battles,it tised what was alreadyin use. Accordingly
will appear,that Philopoemen, while he com- Philopremen'spersonal exploits were many
mandedthe Achaean forces,killed moreGreeks, and great; but we find nothing of that kind
than Flaminius,in asserting the Greciancause, remarkablein Flaminius. On the contrary,
killed Macedonians. a certain .Etolian said, by way of raillery,
As to their failings,ambitionwas the fault " Whilst I ran,with mydrawnsword,to charge
of Flaminius, and obstinacythat of Philopce- the Macedonians, who stood firm and con-
Dien. The former was passionateand the lat- tinued fighting, Titus was standing still, with
ter implacable. Flaminius left Philip in his his handslifted up towardsheaven,andpray-
royal dignity, and pardonedthe jEtohans; ing."
whereas Philopcemen,in his resentmentagainst It is true, all the acts of Flaminius were
his country,robbedher of severalof herde- glorious,while he wasgeneral,andduringhia
pendencies.Besides,Flaminiuswasalwaysa lieutenancytoo: but Philopoemen shewedhim-
firm friend to those whom he had once served; self no less serviceable and active among the
but Philopcemenwas ever ready to destroy the Achzans, when in a private capacity, than
merit of his former kindnesses,only to indulge when he had the command. For, when com-
his anger. For he had beena great benefac-mander-in-chief,
hedroveNabisout of the city
tor to the Lacedaemonians;
yet aftewardshe of Messene,and restoredthe inhabitantsto
demolished their walls, and ravaged their their liberty; but he was only in a private sta-
country: and in the end entirelychangedand tion when he shutthe gatesof Spartaagainst
Overturnedtheir constitution. Nay, heseems the generalDiophanes,andagainstFlaminius,
to have sacrificed his life to his passion and and by that meanssaved the Lacedaemonians.
perverseness,by too hastily and unseasonably Indeed, nature had given him such talents for
invading Messenia; instead of taking, like command, that he knew not only how to gov-
J'laminius, every precaution for his own secur- ern according to the laws, but how to govern
ity and that of his troops. the laws themselves,when the public good re-
But Philopoemen'smilitary knowledgeand quiredit; not waitingfor the formalityof the
experiencewere perfectedby his manywars people'sappointinghim,but ratheremploying
and victories. And, whereas Flaminius decid- them, when the occasion demanded it. For
ed his disputewith Philip in two eng.-.gements; he was persuaded,that, not he whom the peo-
Philopoemen,
by conqueringin an incredible ple elect,but he who thinks best for the peo-
number of battles,left fortune no room to ple, is the true general.
question his skill. There was undoubtedly something great and
Flaminius,moreover,availedhimself of the generousin the clemencyand humanityof
power of a great and flourishing commonwealth, Flaminius towards the Grecians; but there
and raised himself by its strength; but Philo- was something still greater and more generous
poemendistinguished himself at a time when in the resolution which Philopoemenshewed in
his country was on the decline. So that the maintaining the liberties of Greece against the
successof the one is to be ascribed solely to Romans. For it is a much easiermatter to be
himself, and that of the other to all the Ro- liberal to the weak, than to opposeand to sup-
Btuu. The onehadgoodtroopsto command; port a disputewith the strong. Since,there-
*od Ihe other made those so which he com- fore, after all our inquiry into the character!
manded. And though the great actions of of these two great men, the superiority is not
Philopcemen,being performedagainst Gre- obvious,perhapswe shallnot greatlyerr, if we
cians,do not prove him a fortunateman,yet give the Grecianthe palm of generalship and
xheyprovehim a braveman. For, where all military skill, and the Romanthat of justice
other thingsare equal,great successmust be andhumanity.
 275

PYRRHUS.

ISOME historians
write>
thatPhotonwasthe blo. Forthecur/ent
being
swelled
bythelate
Bretkingafterthedeluge
whoreignedoverrair.s,
wasveryhighandboisterous,
anddark
theThresprotians
andMolossians,
andthatlie nessadded
to thehorror. Theynowdespair-
wasoneof thosewho camewith Pelasgusinto ed of getting the child and his nursesover,
Epirus. Others say,thatDeucalion andPyr withoutsomeotherassistance; whenperceiv-
rha,aftertheyhad built thetempleof Dodo-ingsomeof theinhabitantsoftheplaceontho
na,*settledamongtheMolossians.In after otherside,theybeggedof themto assisttheir
timesNeoptolemus,t thesonofAchilles,taking passage,
andheldup Pyrrhustowardsthem.
bispeople withhim,possessed himselfof the Butthoughtheycalledoutloudandentreated
country,and left a succession
of kingsafter earnestly,
thestreamran sorapidlyandmade
him, called Pyrrhidee; for in his infancyhe sucha roaring, that they could not be he.ird.
wascalledPyrihus; andhe gavethat nameto Sometime wasspent,while they werecrying
oneof his legitimatesonswhom he had by out on oneside,andlisteningto no purpose on
Lanassathe daughterof Cleodcssonof Hyl- the other. At last one of Pyrrhus'scompany
lus. From that timeAchilleshaddivinehon- thoughtof peelingoff a pieceof oak bark,and
oursin Epirus,beingstyledthereAspetos(i. e. of expressingupon it, with the tongue of a
the Inimitable.) After these first kings, those buckle, the necessities and fortunes of the
that followedbecameentirely barbarous,and child. Accordinglyheput this in execution)
both their powerand their actions sunk into and having rolled the piece of bark abouta
the utmost obscurity. Tharrytas is the first stone,which wae madeuse of to give force
whomhistory mentionsas remarkablefor pol- to the motion, hethrew it on the otherside.
ishing andimprovinghis cities with Grecian Somesay,he boundit fast to a javelin, and
customs,{with lettersandgoodlaws. Alcetas dartedit over. When the peopleon the other
was the son of Tharrytas, Arybas of AJcetae; side had read it, and saw there was not a mo-
and of ArybasandTroias his queenwashorn mentto lose,theycut down trees,andmadea
JEacides. He married Phthia, the daughter of raft of them, and crossedthe river upon it. It
MenontheThessalian,
who acquiredgreatrep- happened
that the first man who reachedthe
utation in the Lamian war, and, next to Leos- bank, was named Achilles. He took Pyrrhus
theoes, was the most considerable of the con- in his arms, and conveyedhim over, while his
federates.By Phthia,JEacides
hadtwo daugh- companions
performedthe sameservicefor hia
ters named Deidamia and Troias, and a son followers.
named Pyrrhus. Pyrrhus and his train, having thus got safe
But the Molossians, rising againstjEacides, over, and escaped the pursuers, continued
deposedhim, and brought in the sons of Neop- .their route, till they arrived at the court of
tolemus.§ On this occasion the friends of Glaucias king of Illyria. They found the king
2Eacideswere taken and slain: only Andro- sitting in his palace with the queen hi« consort,*
clides and Angelus escapedwith his infant son, and laid the child at his feet in the posture of
though he was much sought after by his ene- a suppliant. The king, who stood in fear of
mies; and carried him off with his nursesand a Cassander,the enemyof jEacides, remained a
few necessary
attendants. This tram render- long time silent, consideringwhat part he
ed their flight difficult and elow, so that they should act. While Pyrrhus, of his own accord
were soonovertaken. In this extremity they creeping closer to him, took hold of his robe,
put the child in the handsof Androcleon, Hip- and raising himself up to his knees, by this ac-
pias, and Neander, three active young men tion first excited a smile, and afterwards com-
whom they could depend upon, and ordered passion; for he thought he saw a petitioner
them to make the best of their way to Me- before him begging his protection .vith tears.
garae,a town in Macedonia; while they them- Some say, it was not Glauctas, biit the allot
selves,partly by entreaty,andpartly by force, of the domesticgodswhich he Approached,
"topped the course of the pursuers till even- and that he raised himself up by rmbracmg it;
ing; when,having with much difficulty got from whichit appearedto Glauc'usthatHeav-
clear of them, they hastened to join those who en interested itself in the mfant'i. favour. For
carried the young prince. At sun-setthey this reason he put him immediatelyin the
thoughtthemselvesnear the summitof their hands of thequeen,andorderedherto bringhim
hopes,but they met with a suddendisappoint- upwith his ownchildren.Hisenemiesdemand-
ment. When theycameto the river thatruns inghim soonafter, andCassander offeringtwo
by the town,it lookedroughanddreadful;hundred
talentstohavehimdelivered
up,Glau-
»nd upon trial, they found it absolutely unforda- cins refused to do it; and when he came to b«
twelveyearsold, conducted
him into Epirusat
"f Probablyit wnonlya druidical kindoftemple. theheadof anarmy,andplacedhimuponthe
BetweenDeucalion'sflood and the times of Ncop- throne.
tokuius, there wai a spaceof about Ihrce hundred aud
fortyyears. Pyrrhushadanairof majesty
ratherterrible
} Justindocsnot ascribethecivilizingof theMolos-
rians
toTharryta.1,
butpolished
toArybastheson
ofAlcetasI., * Justin callsthisprincess
Berna. andsays shewa«
whohadhimselfbeen andI.UII.JM/..
.1b) Ins of thefamilyof theJKarnJit
; «|iirh mii-tha\ebeen
education
atAllivn*. thenajonof llicir seeking
refuge
lor l',mnu m thai
{ Tliis IVcoptokuius
wasthe brotherof Arybaj. court.
276 PLUTJlRCH'S LIVES.

thanaugust.Insteadof teethin his upperjaw to an agreement

with him, andassociated
him
hehadonecontinued
bone,
marked
withsmall in thekingdom.
But in process
of time ther«
lines resemblingthedivisionsof a rowof teeth. were somewhoprivatelysoweddissentioDand
It wasbelievedthat he curedthe swelling of jealousiesbetweenthorn. Pyrrhus's chief
the spleen,by sacrificinga white cock, and quarrelwith Neoptolemusis saidto havetaken
with his right foot gently pressing the part af- its rise as follows: It had beena custom for
fected,the patientslying upuntheir backsfor the kings of Kpirus to hold an assemblyat
that purpose. There wasnoperson,however Passaron, a placein the provinceof the Moloi-
pooror mean,refusedthis relief,if requested.sians; where,after sacrificingto Jupiter tht
He receivedno reward,exceptthe cock for warrior, mutualoathswere takenby themand
Bdcri6ce,and this present wasvery agreeableto their subjects. The kings were sworn to gov-
him. It 19alsoeuid,that the great toe of that ern accordingto law*,andthe people,to <te-
foot had a divine virtue in it; for, after his fend the crown according to law. Both the
death, when the rest of hie body was consum- kings met on this occasion,attended by their
ed, that toe was found entire and untouched by friends, and after the ceremony,great present!
the flames. But this account belongs not to were made on all aides. Gelon, who was very
the period we are upon. cordially attached to Neoptolemus, among the
When lie was about seventeenyears of age, rest, paid his respects to Pyrrhus, and made
and seemedto be quite establishedin his king- him a present of two yoke of oxen.* Myrtilus,
dom, he happenedto be called out of his own one of this prince's cupbearers,beggedthemol
territories, to attend the nuptials of one of him; but Pyrrhus refused him, and gave them
Glaucias's sons, with whom he had been edu- to another. Gelon perceiving that Myrtilui
cated. On this occasion the Molossians, re- took the disappointment extremely ill, invited
volting again,drove out his friends, pillaged his him to sup with him. After eupperhe solicited
treasures,and put themselvesonce more under him to embrace the interest of Neoptolemug,
Neoptolemus. Pyrrhua having thus lost the and to poison Pyrrhus. Myrtilus seemedto
crown, and being in want of every thing, appli- listen to his suggestionswith satisfaction,but
ed himself to Demetrius, the sonof Antigonus, discovered the whole to his toaster. Then, by
who had married hia sister Deidamia. That his order, he introduced to Gelon, the chief
princess, when very young, had beenpromised cupbearer Alexicrates, as a personwho wa»
to Alexander the sonof Roxana (by Alexander willing to enter into the conspiracy; for Pyrr-
the Great;) but that family being unfortunately hus was desirous to have more than one wit-
cut off, she was given, when she came to be nessto soblack an enterprise. Gelon beingthin
marriageable,
to jiemetrius. In the greatbat- deceived,
Neoptolcmua
wasdeceivedwithhim;
tle of Ipsus, where all the kings of the earth and, thinking the affair in great forwardness,
were engaged,*Pyrrhus accompaniedDemet- could not contain himself, but in the excessof
rius; and, though but young, bore down all be- his joy mentioned it to his friends. One even-
fore him, and highly distinguished himself ing, in particular, being at supper with his sis-
among the combatants. Nor did he forsake ter Cadmia, he discovered the whole design,
Demetrius, when unsuccessful, but kept for thinking nobodyelse within hearing. And in-
him those cities of Greece with which he was deed there was none in the room but Phaena-
entrusted: and when the treaty was concluded rete the wife of Samon, chief keeper of Neop-
with Ptolemy, he went to Egypt as a hostage. tolemus's cattle: and she lay upon a couch
There, both in hunting and other exercises,he with her face turned towards the wall, and
gave Ptolemy proofs of hia strength and inde- aeemedto be asleep. She heard, however, the
fatigable abilities. Observing that among Pto- whole without being suspected,and went the
lemy's wives, Berenice was she who had the next day to Antigone the wife of Pyrrhus, and
greatestpower, and was most eminent for vir- related to her all that shehad heard Neoptole-
tue and understanding, he attached himself mus say to hie sister. This was immediately
most to her. For he had a particular art of laid before Pyrrhus, who took no notice of
making his court to the great, while he over- it for the present. But, on occasion of a
looked those that were below him. And as in solemn sacrifice, he invited Neoptolemus to
bis whole conduct ha paid great attention to supper, and took that opportunity to kill him.
decency, temperance,and prudence, Antigone, For he was well assured that all the leading
who was daughter to Berenice by her first hus- men in Epirus were strongly attached to him,
bandPhilip, wasgiven him, in preferenceto andwantedhim to removeNeoplolemusout
many other young princes. of the way: that, no longer satisfiedwith a small
On this accounthewasheldin greaterhon- shareof the kingdom,hemightpossess
himself
our than ever: and Antigone proving aneicel- of the whole: and by following his genius, riie
Itnt wife, procured him men and money, which to great attempts. And, as they had now a
enabledhim to recoverhis kingdomof Epirus. strongsuspicion
besides,
thatNeoptolemus
wai
At his arrival there, his subjects received him practisingagainsthim, they thought this wasthe
with open arms; for Neoptolemuswas become time to prevent him by giving him the fatal blow.
obnoxiousto the people,by reasonof his arbi- In acknowledgment
of theobligationshehad
trary andtyrannical government. Nevertheless, to Berenice and Ptolemy, he named his son by
Pyrrhus,apprehending
thatNeoptolcmua might AntigonePtolemy,and called the city which
haverecourseto someof theother kings,came hebuilt in the Chersonese
of Epirus,Berenicii.
From this time he began to conceive many
gteat designs,but his first hopes lajd hold of
* He saysall theking*of the earthwere engaged,
becauseL) sirr.nchus,
Seleucun,Plulemj, Cas«anJtr,
Antigonus,andDemetrius, weretberr in |>«rsou.
This * Tini presentwasrl iracttruticil of thesimplicity
battle wasfoughtaboutOncehundredyearsbefore of aucieultimu.
Christ.
 PYRRHUS. 277

ill that A-as

nearhome:and he founda plau-them. Afterwhichheleft Pantanrhus
among
siblepretence
toconcern
himself
in theaffairsthemwithaconsiderable
force,
andwenthim-
of Macedonia.Antipater,the eldestsonof selftoseekPyrrhus.Pyrrhus,
assoonashewas
Cass.inder,
hadkilledhismotherTliessaloniea,
apprisedof hisdesign,
wentto meethim; but
»ndexpelled
hisbrother
Alexander.
Alexander
taking
awrongroute,
theyinadvertently
passed
sentto Demetrius
forsuccour,
andimplored
eachother.Demetrius
entered
Kpirus,and
likewisetheassistance
of Pyrrhus.Demetriuscommilledgreatravages;
andPyrrhus,falling
havingmanyaffairsuponhishands, couldnot in withPcntauchus,
gavehimbattle.Thedis-
presentlycomply:but Pyrrhuscameandde- putewaswarmandobstinate onbothsides,es-
mandedasthe rewardof his services,the city peciallywherethegenerals
fought.For Pantau-
of Nymphaea,"
and all themaritime
coastof chus,whoin dexterity,courage,
andstrength]
Macedonia,togetherwith Ambracia,Acarna- stoodforemostamongtheollicersol'Demetrius,
nia, and Amphilocio,whichweresomeof the andwithal wasa manof a high andambitious
countries
that didnotoriginallybelong
to the spirit,challenged
Pyrrhusto thecombat.And
kingdomof Macedon. The youngprince Pyrrhus, whowasbehind
noneoftheprincesof
agreeingto the conditions,Pyrrhuspossessedhistimein valourandrenown,andwhowasde-
himselfof thesecountries,and securedthem, sirousto appropriateto himselfthe honoursof
with his garrisons: after which, he went on Achilles,ratherby his sword thanby kindred,
conquering the restfor Alexander,anddriving advanced throughthefirst linesagainstPantau-
Antipaterbeforehim. chus. They beganwith the javelin; andthen
King Lysimachuswas well inclinedto give comingto the sword,exhausted all that art or
Antipater assistance,but he wasso muchen- strength couldsupply. Pyrrhusreceivedone
gagedwith his own affairs,that he could not wound,andgavehis adversary two, onein the
find timefor it. Recollecting,however,that thigh, and the other in the neck; by whichhe
Pyrrhuswould refusenothingto hig friend overpoweredhim, and brought him to the
Ptolemy,heforgedlettersin Ptolemy'sname, ground; but couldnot kill him outright, be-
enjoininghim to evacuateMacedonia,andto causehe wasrescuedby his friends. The Ep
be satisfied with three hundred talents from irots, elated with their prince's victory, and ad
Antipater. But Pyrrhusno sooneropenedthe miring his valour,brokeinto anddispersed
the
letters than he perceived the forgery. Forin- Macedonian phalanx, and pursuing the fugi-
itead of the customarysalutation,Thefather tives, killed greatnumbersof them, andtook
to his son, greeting, they began with King five thousand prisoners.
Ftolemyto king Pyrrlius^greeting.He in- Thisbattledidnotsomuchexcitetheresent-
reighed against Lysimachus for the fraud, but ment and hatred of the Macedonians against
listened,
notwithstanding,
to proposals
of peace; Pyrrhusfor whatthey suffered,as it inspired
and the three princes met to offer sacrifices on them with an esteem of his abilities and admi-
the occasion,and to swear upon the altar to the ration of his valour. This furnished subject of
articles. A boar, a bull, and a ram being led discourseto all those who were witnesses of
upas victims,the ram droppeddown deadof his exploits,orwereengaged
againstlum in the
himself. The rest of the company laughed at action. For he recalled to their minds the coun-
the accident; but Theodotus the diviner advis- tenance, the swiftness,and motion of Alexan-
ed Pyrrhus not to swear; declaring that the der the Great; in Pyrrhus they thought they
Deity prcsignified
thedeathof oneof thekings; sawtheveryimageof hisforceandimpetuosity
uponwhich he refused to ratify the peace. And while the other kings represented that
Alexander'saffairswerethusadvantageouslyheroonly in their purplerobes,in the number
settled;!nevertheless
Demetriuscame. But it of guards,the bendof the neck, andthe lofty
soonappearedthat he came now unrequested, manner of speaking, the king of Epirus repre-
and that his presenceexcited rather fear than sented him in deeds of arms and personal
gratitude.Whenthey hadbeena few daysto- achievements.
And of his great skill .n order-
gether,in mutual distrust, they laid snaresfor ing and drawing up an army, we have proofsin
eachother; but Demetrius finding the first op- the writing he left behind him. It is also said,
portunity, was beforehandwith Alexander, that Antigonusbeingasked, "Who wasthe
killedhim,andgot himselfproclaimedking of greatestgeneral?"answered,"Pyrrhus would
Macedon. be, if he lived to be old." Antigonus,indeed,
He had for a long time had subjectsof com- spokeonly of the generals of his time: but Han-
plaintagainstPyrrhusj on accountof the in- nibal said that, of all the world hadever be-
roadswhich he had made into Thessaly. Be- held, the first in genius and skill was Pyrrhus,
sides,
thatambitionto extendtheir dominions, Scipiothe second, andhimselfthe third: aswe
whichis a distemper
naturalto kings,renderedhavewritten in the life of Scipio.* This was
theirneighbourhoodmutuallyalarming.These the only science he appliedhimselfto; thiswas
jealousiesincreasedafter the deathof Deida- the subjectof histhoughtsandconversation; for
mia. At last,eachhavingpossessed himselfof he consideredit as a royal study,andlooked
partof Macedonia,andhaving one object in uponother arts as meretrifling amusements.
»iew,
thegaining
of thewhole,thisproduced
of And it is reportedthat whenfie wagasked,
course,newcausesof contention. Demetrius "Whether hethoughtPythonor Cffiphisias tho
marchedagainstthe JEtoliansand reduced bestmusician?""Polysperchon,"saidhe,'is the
general;'intimatingthat thiswasthe only point
* DacierthinksAppolonia
mightbecalledJVym-whichit becamea kingto enquireinto orknow.
phxa,fromA'ymphxum,acelebrated
rockin its neigh-
bourhood.PalmeriuiwouldreadTymphza,that be- In the intercourse of life he was mild and not
ingthename
ofa towninthinepaiU. Therewa*a easilyprovoked,
butardentand<|iiK-k
to r.-|,ay
city calledNynlplisum, in theTauricaChersouesus,
but thai could nut be meant here. " This is differently related in the lifeaf Fbminiiu
\ Alexander was murdered soonafter. There, it is saidthatHannibalplacedAleiandtr firrt.
Fyrrhus second,and himself the third.
 278 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

< kindness. For this reason he was greatly af retreat, for the Macedonians liarassedhis rear
flictcd at the death of jEropus. "His friend," all the way.
he said, "had only paidthe tribute to nature Demetrius,thoughhehaddrivenout Pyrrb.ua
but he blamed and reproached hirvaelf for put- with so much ease,was far from slighting and
ting o(This acknowledgments
till, by thesede- despisinghim afterwards.But as hemeditated
lays, he had lost the opportunity of"making any great things, and had determined to attempt
return. For those that owe money, canpay it the recovery of his paternal kingdom, with an
to the heirs ot"the deceased,but when a roturn army of a hundredthousandmen, and five hun-
of kindness is no*,madeto a peraon in his life- dred sail of ships, he thought it not prudent
time, it grieves the heart that hasany goodness either to embroil himself with Pyrrhus, or to
and honour in it." When some advisedhim to leave behind him so dangerous a neighbour
banish a certain ill tongued Ambracian, who And as he waa not at leisure to continue the
abused him behind his back. "Let the fellow war with him, he concluded a peacethat he
stay here," said he, "and speak against me to might turn his arms with more security against
a few, rather than ramhle about, and give me the other kings.* The designs of Demetrius
a bad character to all the world." And some were soon discovered by this peace,and by the
young men having taken great liberties with greatnessof his preparations. The kings were
his characterin their cups,and being after- alarmed,and sent ambassadors
to Pyrrhus,
wards brought to answer for it, heasked them, with letters, expressingtheir astonishment,that
"Whether they really hid said such things?" he neglected his opportunity to make war upon
"We did, Sir," answered one of them, "and Demetrius. They representedwith how much
should have said a great deal more, if we had ease he might drive him out of Macedonia,
hadmorewine."-Upon whichhelaughedand thus engagedas hewasin manytroublesome
dismissed them. enterprises; instead of which, he waited till
Alter the death of Antigone, he married sev- Demetrius had dispatched all his other affairs,
eral wives for the purposesof interest aodpow- and was grown so muchmore powerful as to be
er: namely the daughter of Autoleon, king of able to bring the war to his own doors; and to
the Psonians; Bircenna, the daughter of Bar- put him under the necessityof fighting for the
dylli-i, king of the Illynans; and Lanassa, the altars of Ins gods, and the sepulchres of his an-
daughter of Agathoclea of Syracuse, who cestors in Molos>siaitself: and this too, when
brought him in dowry the isle of Corcyra, he hadjust been deprived by Demetrius of the
which her fatherhadtaken. By Antigonehe isle of Corcyra,togetherwith hiawife. For
had a sonnamedPtolemy;by Lanassahehad Lanassahavingher complaintsagainstPyr.
Alexander; and by Bircenna, his youngestson rhus, for paying more attention to his other
Helenus. All these princeshad naturally a turn wives, though barbarians,than to her, had re-
for war, and he quickened their martial ardour tired to Corcyra; and wanting to marry anoth-
by giving thema suitableeducationfrom their er king,invitedDemetriusto receiveher hand,
infancy. For it is said,whenhewasaskedby knowing him to be moreinclinedto marriage
one of them, who was yet a child, "To which than any of the neighbouring princes. Accord-
of themhe wouldleavehis kingdom.'"he said, ingly he sailedto the island,marriedLumassa,
"to him who has the sharpestsword." This d left agarrisonin the city.
was very hke that tragicallegacyof (£dipus The kings,at the sametimethattheywrote
to his sons, these letters to Pyrrhus, took the field them
The sword's keen point the inheritance shall part.* selves to harass Demetrius, who delayed his
AfterthebattlePyrrhus
returnedhomedis-expedition, andcontinued his preparations
tinguished
withglory,andstillmoreelevated
Ptolemy puttoseawithagreatfleet,anddrew
off many of the Grecian cities. Lvsimachua
in his sentiments. The Epirots having given
him on this occasion the name of Eagle, he entered the upper Macedonia from Thrace,
said, "If 1 am an eagle, you have made me and ravagedthe country. And Pyrrhus taking
one;forit isupon
yourarms,
upon
yourwings,
uparmsat thesame
time,marched
against
thatI haverisensohigh." Eeroea,expecting
thatDemetrius would goto
meet Lysimachus, and leave the lower Mace-
Soon after, having intelligence that Deme-
trius lay dangerously ill, he suddenly entered donia unguarded: which fell out accordingly.
The night before he set out, he dreamedthat
Macedonia,! intending only an inroad to pillage
Alexander the Great called him, and that when
the country. But he was very near seizing the tie came to him, he fouad him sick in bed, but
whole, and taking the kingdom without a blow. was received with many obliging expressions
For he pushed forward as far as Edessa,with-
out meeting with any resistance; on the con- of friendship,anda promiseof suddenassist-
ance. Pyrrhus said, "How can you sir, who
trary, many of the inhabitants repaired to his are sick, be able to assist me."1 Alexandei
camp, and joined him. The danger awaked
l>metrius,and madehim act abovehis strength. answered, " I will do it with my name:" and,
His friends,too,andofficersquickly assembledat the sametime,hemounteda Nisxauhorse,f
a good body of troops, and moved forward and seemedto lead the way.
Pyrrhus, greatly encouragedby this vision,
with great spirit and vigour againstPyrrhus. advanced with the utmost expedition; and
But ashe cameonly with a designto plunder,
he did not standto receivethem. He lost laving traversed
the intermediate
countries.
however a considerable number of men in his

» Seleucus,
Ptolemy,andLysimachus.
" FhenisKBEuripides, Ter. 68.
t Nisset wasa province nearthe Caspianse
t In the third yearof Ihc hundredanatwenty-third Hrabolellsus,was(amous
for ili breedof horses.Thi
Olympiad,two hundredaud eightyfouryearsbefore linf* of Persiauted to providethtmsclm Cher*,--
'""hritt. Strata, lib. n.
 PYRRIIUS. 279
c»mpbeforeBercea and look it. Therehe moreprobitywhentheyprofessedly mikewar
filedhis headquarters, andreduced theother thatwhentheysanctifya shorttruceandces^
citiesbyhis generals.WhenDemetrius re- sationof mutualinjuries,with the riameaif
ceivedintelligence ol this, and perceived,justiceandfriendship.Pyrrhnswasa proof
moreover, aspiritof mutinyamong theMace-of this. Foropposing Demetrius again,when
donian?in hiscamp,hewasafraidto proceedhis affairsbeganto bea little re-established,
farther,lest,when theycamein sightof a Ma- and checkinghis power,whichseemedto be
cedonianprince,andone of an illustriouscha- recovering,as if it were from a great illness
racter too, they should revolt to him. He, he marchedto the assistance of the Grecians^
therefore,
turnedback,andled themagainstandwentin personto Athens. Heascended
Pyrrhus, who wasa stranger,and the object into the citadel,and sacrificedto the goddess;
of their hatred. Upon his encampingnear after which he camedown into the city the
BeroDa,manyinhabitantsof (hat place mixed sameday, and thus addressedthe people:
with his soldiers,and highly extolledPyrrhua. " I think myselfhappyin this testimonyof the
They represented him as a man invinciblein kind regardof the Athenians,andof the con-
arms,of uncommon magnanimity, andonewho fidencetheyput in me; I advisethem, how-
treatedthosewhofell into his handswith great ever,as they tendertheir safety, neverto ad-
gentleness
and humanity.Therewere also mitanother
kingwi^m theirwalls,butto shut
some
of Pyrrhus's
emissaries,
who,pretending
theirgates
against
a" thatshalldesire
it."*
themselves Macedonians, observed to Deme- Soon after this he concluded a peacewith
trius's inen, that then was the time to get free Demetrius: and yet Demetrius was no sooner
fromhis cruel yoke, andto embracethe inter- passedinto Asia, than Pyrrhus,at the instiga-
est of Pyrrhuswho was a popularman,and tion of Lysimachus, drew off Thessalyfromits
who loveda soldier. After this, the greatest allegiance,
andattackedhisgarrisonsinGreece.
partof thearmywasin a ferment,andtheycast He found,indeed,the Macedonians bettersub-
their eyesaroundfor Pyrrhus. It happenedjects in timeof war than in peace,besides that
that he was then without his helmet; but re- he himself was more fit for action than repose.
collecting, himself, he soon put it on again, and At last Demetrius being entirely defeated in
was immediately known by his lofty plume and Syria, Lysimachus, who had nothing to feat
his crest of goat's horns.* Many of the Mace- from that quarter, nor any other affairs to en-
doniansnow ran to him, and begged him to give pagehim, immediately turned his forcesagainst
them the word; while others crownedthem- Pyrrhus,wholay in quartersat Edessa. Upon
selves with branchesof oik, becausethey saw his arrival he fell upon one of the king's con
them worn by his men. Some had even the voys, and took it, by which he greatly distressed
confidenceto tell Demetrius, that the most pru- his troops for want of provisions. Besidesthis,
dent part he could take would be to withdraw he corrupted the principal Macedonians by hn
lad lay down the government. As he found letters and emissaries, reproaching them for
the motions of the army agreeableto this sort choosing for their sovereign a stranger, whose
of discourse,he was terrified and madeoff pri- ancestorshad always beensubject to the Mace-
vately, disguised in a mean cloak and a com- donians, while they expelled the friends and
mon Macedonion hat. Pyrrhus, upon this be- companions of Alexander. As the majority
came master of the camp without striking a listened to these suggestions,Pyrrhus, fearing
blow, and was proclaimed king of Macedonia. the event, withdrew with his Epirots and auxili-
L/ysimachusmadehis appearancesoon after, ary forces, and so lost Macedonia in the game
and, pretendingthat he had contributed equally manner he hadgained it. Kings, therefore have
to the flight of Demetrius, demandedhis share no reason to blame the people for changing for
of the kingdom. Pyrrhus, as he thought him- interest, since in that they do but imitate their
self not sufficiently establishedamong the Ma- masters who are patterns of treachery and per-
cedonians,but rather in a dubious situation ndiousness,and who think that man most capa
Acceptedthe proposal; and they divided the ble of serving them, who pays the least regard
citiesand"provinces
betweenthem. This par- to honesty.
tition seemedto be of service for the present, When Pyrrhus had thus retired into Epirus,
andprevented
their goingdirectly to war; but and left Macedonia,he had a fair occasion
eoonafter, they found it the beginning of per- given him by fortune to enjoy himself in quiet
petual complaints and quarrels, instead of a and to govern his own kingdom in peace. But
perfectreconciliation. For how is it possible hewaspersuaded,
that neitherto annoyothers
that they whoseambition is not to be termina- nor to be annoyed by them, was a life unsufler-
ted by seasand mountainsand uninhabitableably languishingand tedious. Like Achilles,
deserts,whosethirst of dominionis not to be he couldnot endureinaction;
confinedby the boundsthat part Europeand Hepinedindullrepose '. hisheartindignant
Asia,should,when so near each other, and Bade thescenechangeto war,tov»ou»d»,»nj death.
joinedin onelot, sitdowncontented,
andab- His anxietyfor freshemployment
wasrelieved
"tain frommutualinjuries? Undoubtedlythey as follows; The Romanswere then at war
are always at war in their hearts, having the with the Tarentines. The latter were not able
"eedsof perfidyand envy there. As for the to supportthedispute,andyet the boldandtur-
namesof Peaceand War, they apply them bulent harangues of their leadingmen would
occasionally,
likemoney to theiruse,notto the notsufferthemto putanendto it. Theyre-
purposes
of justice. Andtheyact withmuch solved,therefore,to call in Pyrrhua,and put
their forcesunderhiscommand;therebeingno
* Aletanderthe Greatisrepresented
on hi* medals
wasthesymbolother
withsucha crest. The goat,indeed, prince who hadthenso muchleisure,o»
was so able a general. The oldest and most
of the kingdomof Macedon.The ProphetDaniel
meiit assuch. Theoriginal of that symbolmaybe * The Atheniansfollowedhit advireud drofe OBI
foundiu Ju»Ucu DcmeUiu»'»garn&on.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

sensibleof the citizensopposedthis measure,power, and importanceno manknows better

but wereoverborneby the noiseandviolence than you." Cineas,after a short pause,con-
of themultitude;
andwhentheysawthis,they tinued," But afterwe haveconqueredItaly,
no longerattendedtheassemblies.
Butthere what shall we do next, sir.'" Pyrrhusnot
was a worthy mannamedMelon, who,on the yet perceivinghie drift, replied, '"'There is
daythat the decreewasto be ratified,afterthe Sicily verynear, and stretchesout her arms
peoplehadtakentheir seats,cameinto the as- to receiveus, a fruitful and populousisland,
semblywithanair of intoxication,
having,
like andeasyto be taken. For Agathocles
was
personsin that condition,a witheredgarland no soonergone,than factionand anarchypre-
uponhis head,atorchin his hand,andawoman vailed among her cities, and everything u
playing on the flute beforehim. As no deco- kept in confusionay her turbulent dema-
rum canwell beobserved by a crowdof people gogues." " What yuu say, my prince," said
ina freestate,some
clapped
theirhands,
othersCineas," is veryprooable
; butis the taking
laughed,but nobodypretendedto stop him. of Sicily to concludeourexpeditions?"" Far
On the contrary,they called uponthe woman from it," answeredPyrrhus," for if Heaven
to play,and him to comeforwardandsing. grantsussuccess
in this,thatsuccess
shallonly
Silencebeingmade,he said," Men of Taren- bethe preludeto greaterthings. Who catifor-
tum, ye do extremelywell to sufferthosewho bearLibya and Carthage,then within reach?
havea mind to it, to play(Bidbe merry,while whichAgathocles,evenwhenhe fled in aclan-
they may: and, if you are wise,you will all destinemannerfromSyracuse,andcrossed the
now enjoythe sameliberty: for you musthave seawith a fewshipsonly,hadalmostmadehim-
other business and other kind of life, when self master of. And when we have made
Pyrrhusonceentersyour city." This addresssuch conquestswho can pretend to say, that
madea great impression upon the Tarentines, any of our enemies, who arenow so insolent,
anda whisperof assentran throughtheassem-will think of resistingus?" "To be sure,"
bly. But somefearing that they should be said Cineas, "they wiil not; for it is clear
deliveredup to the Romans,if peacewere that so muchpowerwill enableyou to recover
made,reproachedthe peoplewith so tamely Macedonia,and to establishyourself uncon
Bufferingthemselves to be madea jest of, and testedsovereign of Greece.But whenwe have
insultedby a drunkard;andthenturning upon conquered all, what arewe to dothen?""Why
Melon, theythrust him out. The decreethus then,my friend," saidPyrrhus,laughing," we
being confirmed,they sent ambassadors to will takeour ease,and drink and be merry."
Epirus,not only in thenameof theTarentines Cineas,having broughthim thus far, replied,
but of the otherGreeksin Italy, with presents "And whathindersusfromdrinkingandInking
to Pyrrhus,andordersto tell him, "Thai they our ease now, when we have alreadythose
wanteda generalof ability andcharacter. As thingsin our hands,at whichwe propose to ar-
for troops, he would find a large supply of rive through seasof blood, through infinite toils
them uponthe spot, from the Lucanians,the anddangers,through innumerablecalamities,
Messapians, the Samnites, and Tarenlmes, lo which we must both causeand suffer?"
the amount of Iwenty thousandhorse, and This discourse
of CineasgavePyrrhuspain,
threehundred
andfifty thousand
foot." Thesebut produced
no reformation.He sawthe
promises not only elevated Pyrrhus, but raised certain happiness which ne gave up, but was
in the Epirots a strong inclination to the war. not able to forego the hopes that flattered his
There was then at the court of Pyrrhus, a desires. In the first place, therefore, he sent
Thessalian named Cineas, a man of sound Cineas to Tarentum with three thousandfoot;
"ense, and who having been a disciple of De- from whence there arrived, soon after, a great
mosthenes,
was the only orator of his time numberof galleys,transports,andflat-bottom-
that presented his hearerswith a lively image ed boats, on board of which he put twenty
of the force and spirit of that great master. elephants,three thousandhorse,twenly ihou-
This man had devoted himself to Pyrrhus, and sand foot, two thousand archers, and five hun-
in all the embassieshe was employed in, con- dred slingers. When all was ready, he set
firmedthat sayingof Euripides, sail; but as soonashe wasgot into the midat
of the Ionian sea, he was attacked by a vio-
Thegatesthatsteelexclude,
enter.
resistless
eloquence
shall lent wind at north,whichwasunusualat that
season. The storm raged terribly, but by the
This made Pyrrhussay, "That Cineashad skill and extraordinaryefforts of his pilots
gainedhim more cities by his address,than andmariners,his shipmadethe Italianshore,
he had won by his arms;" and he continued with infinite labour and beyondall expecta-
to heaphonours
andemployments uponhim. tion. The rest of the fleet couldnot hold
Cineasnow seeingPyrrhusintentuponhis theircourse,butweredispersed far andwide.
preparationsfor Italy, took an opportunity, Someof the shipswerequite beatenoff from
whenhesawhim at leisure,to draw him into the coastof Italy, anddriven into the Libyan
the following conversation : " The Romans and Sicilian sea: others, not being able to
havethe reputationof beingexcellentsoldiers, doublethe capeof Japygia,were overtaken
tnd have the commandof manywarlike na- by the night; and a great and boisteroussea
tions; if it pleaseHeaventhat we conquer drivingthemupona difficult and rockyshore,
them, what use, sir, shall we make of our they were all in the utmostdistress. The
victory?" " Cineas,"repliedthe king, "your king's ship, indeed,by its sizeand strength,
questionanswersitself. When the Romans resistedthe forceof the waves,while the wind
areonce subdued,there is no town, whether blew from the sea; but that comingabout,and
Greek or barbarian,in all the country,lhal blowingdirectlyfromthe shore,the ship,asshe
will dare oppose us; but we shall immediately stood with her head against il, was in djngei
e mastersof all Italy, whose greatness.
| of openingby the shocksal-ereceived. Ana
 PYRRHtS. 281

jettobedmen offagain
intoa tempestuous
it." Henowbecamesolicitous
fortheevent,
"ea,whilethewindcontinually
shiftedfromanddetermining
to wait(or theallies,seta
point
topoint,
seemedthemost dreadful
caseguardupon
theriver,
toopposetheRomans,
if
of all. In this extremity,Pyrrhuathrew him- theyshouldendeavour
to passit. The Romans,
selfoverboard,
andwasimmediately
followedontheirpart,hastening
to prevent
thecoming
bf his friends and guards,who strove which upof thoseforceswhichhehadresolvedto wait
"houldgivehim the bestassistance.
Butthe for,attempted
thepassage.
Theinfantrytook
darkness
of the night, and the roaringandre- to the fords,andthe cavalrygot over wherever
sistance
ofthewaves
whichbeatupontheshore,theycould:sothattheGreeks
wereafraidof be
andweredrivenbackwith equalviolence,ren- ingsurrounded,
andretreated
totheirmainbody.
dered
it estreinely
difficulttosavehim.At last, Pyrrhus, greatlyconcerned
at tins,ordered
bydaybreak,thewindbeingconsiderably
fallen, hisfoot-officers
to drawuptheforces, andto
with muchtroublehegot ashore,greatlyweak- standto their arms; while he advancedwith
enedin body,but with a strengthandfirmnessthe horse,who wereaboutthree thousand,in
of mindwhichbravelycombattedthe distress. hopesof finding the Humansyet bubiedin th«
At the sametime, the Messapians, on whose passage, and dispersedwithout any order.-
coasthewascast,ran downto give himall the But when he saw a great numberof shield*
succourin theirpower.Theyalsometwithsome glittering abovethe water,and the horsepre-
otherof his vesselsthat had weatheredthe storm, servingtheir ranks as they passed,he closed nil
in which were a small number of horse, not own ranks and began the attack. Beside his
quite-two thousandfoot, and two elephants.beingdistinguished
by the beautyandlustreof
With thesePyrrhusmarchedto Tarentum. his arms,whichwereof verycuriousfabric,he
When Cineas was informed of this, he drew performed jets of valour worthy the great repu-
out his forces,and went to meet him. Pyrrhus, tation he had acquired. For, though he ex-
uponhis arrival at Tarentum,did not choose posedhis personin the hottestof the engage-
to have recourse to compulsion at first, nor to ment, and charged with the greatest vigour,
do any thing against the inclination of the in- he was never in the least disturbed, nor lost Ins
habitants, till his ships were safe arrived, and presenceof mind; but gavehis orders as coolly
the greatestpart of his forces collected. But, as if he had beenout of the action, and moved
after this, seeing the Tarentines, so far from to this side or that, as occasion required, to
bein^in a conditionto defendothers,that they supporthis men wherehesaw themnuuutaia-
would not even defend themselves,except they ing an unequal fight.
were driven to it by necessity; and that they Leonatus of Macedon observed an Italian
sat still at home, and spent their time about horseman very intent upon Pyrrhua, changing
the baths,or in feasting and idle talk, as es- his post as he did, and regulating all his mo-
pectingthat he would fight for them; he shut tions by his. Whereupon,he rode up, and
up the placesof exerciseand the walks, where said to him, " Do you see,s>ir, that barbarian
they used,as they sauntered along, to conduct upon the black horsewith white feet; lie seems
thewar with words. He also put a stop to to meditatesome great and dreadful design.
their unseasonableentertainments,revels,and He keepsyou in his eye; full of fire andspirit;
diversions. Insteadof these,he called them lie singlesyou out; andtakesno noticeof any
to arms,and,in his mustersand reviews,was bodyelse. Therefore,beonyour guardagainst
severeand inexorable;so that Dianyof them him." Pyrrhusanswered,"It is impossible,
quittedthe place; for, beingunaccustomed to Leonatus,to avoid our destiny. But neither
beundercommand,they called that a slavery this nor anyother Italian shallhavemuchsatis-
whichwasnot a life of pleasure. faction in engagingwith me." While they
Henowreceived
intelligence
thatLi-vinus, wereyetspeaking,
theItalianlevelled
hisspear,
the Romanconsul, wascomingagainsthim, and spurredhis horse againstPyrrhus. He
with a great army, and ravagingLucania by missedthe king, but ran his horsethrough,as
the way. And thoughthe confederates were Leonatusdid the Italian'sthe samemoment,so
not ctirneup, yet lookinguponit as a disgrace that both horsesfell togciher. Pyrrhus was
to sit still, and see the enemyapproachstill carriedoff by his friends,* hogatheredround
nearer,hetookthe field with the troopshehad. him, andkilled the Italian who fought to the
But first he senta heraldto the Romans,with verylast. This Dravemanhad the command
proposals, beforetheycame to extremities,to of a troop of horse;Ferentuin uas the place
terminatetheir differencesamicablywith the of his birth, and his nameOplacus.
Greeksin Italy) by takinghim for the mediator This madePyrrhusmorecautious.And now
andumpire. Loivinus answered," That the seeinghis cavalrygive ground,he senthis in-
Romansneither acceptedPyrrhusas a media- fantry ordersto advance,andformedthem as
tor,norfeared
himasanenemy."Whereupon,
suonastheycameup. Thengivinghisrobe
hemarched
forward,
andencamped
uponthe andhisarms
toMcgacles,
oneofhisfriends,
h«
plainbetween
thecitiesof Pandosia and He- disguised
himselfin his,andproceededto the
raclea:andhavingnotice that the .Romans charge.TheRomans received
lumwithgreat
werenear, and lay on the other side of the rirmness,andthe success
of the battleremain-
riverSins,he rodeup to theriver to takea edlongundecided.Ii IBeven6aid,that each
viewof them. Whenhe sawtheorderof armywasbroken, andgavewaystvtntimes,
theirtroops,
theappointment
of theirwatches,
andralliedasoften.Hechanged hisarm!very
andtheregularity
oftheirwholeencampment,
seasonably,
forthatsavedhislife; butat the
hewasstruckwithadmiration,
andsaidto a sametime,it hadnearly
ruined liisaffairs,
and
friend
whowas
by," Megacles,
thedisposition
losthimthevictory.
Manyaimed
atMegacles-
ofthese
barbarians
hasnothing
ofthebarbarian
buttheman whofirstwounded
himand
broughi
ill it; weshallseewhether
there.gt
will answerhimtotheground,
wasnamed
Deious
282 PLUTABCH'S LIVES

ous s!ezedhishelmetandhis robe,androdeup Some,indeed,seemed inclinedto peace,urging

to Lrevinus,shewing(hespoils,andcryingout that they had alreadylost a great battle,and
that hehadslain Pyrrhus. The spoilshaving hadstill a greaterto expect,sincePyrrhuswas
passedfrom rank to rank, as it were in triumph, joined by several nations in Italy. There wag
the Romanarmyshoutedfor joy, while that of then an illustriousRoman,AppiusClaudiusby
the Greeka was struck with grief and conster- name, who, on accountof his great age and the
nation. This held till Pyrrhus, apprized of what loss of his sight, had declinedall attendanceto
had happened,rodeabout the army uncovered, public business. But when he heard of the em-
stretching out his hand to his soldiers, and giv- bassyfrom Pyrrhus, and the report prevailed
ing them to knowhim by his voice. At lastthe thatthe senatewasgoingto vote for thepeace,
Romans were worsted, chiefly by means of the he could not contain himself, but ordered his
elephants. For the horses, before they came servants to take him up, and carry him in hit
near them, were frightened, and ran back with chair through the forum to the senate-house.
their riders; and Pyrrhus commandinghis Thes- When he was brought to the door, his sonsand
Ealian cavalry to fall upon them while in this sons-in-law received him, and led him into the
disorder, they were routed with great slaughter. senate. A respectful silence was observedby
Dionvsiuswrites, that near fifteen thousand thewholebodyonhisappearance;
andhedeliv-
Romans fell in this battle; but Hieronymus ered his sentiments in the following terms:-
makes the number only seven thousand. On " Hitherto, I have regarded my blindnessas a
Pyrrhus'sside,Dionysiussays,therewerethir- misfortune,but now,Romans,
I wishI hadbeen
teen thousand killed; Hieronymus not quite as deaf aeI am blind. For then I should not have
four thousand. Among these,however,were heardof yourshamefulcounsels
anddecrees,
so
ho most valuable of his friends and officers, ruinous to the glory of Rome. Where now are
whose services he had made grea^use of, and your speechesso much echoed about the world,
in whomhe hadplacedthe highestconfidence.that if Alexanderthe GreathadcomeintoItaly
Pyrrhus immediately entered the Roman when we were young,and jour fathers mthevig
camp,which he founddeserted. He gainedover our of their age, he would not now be celebra
many cities which had been in alliance with ted as invincible, but either by his flight or his
Rome, and laid wastethe territories of others. fall, would have addedto the glory of Rome?
Nay, he advanced to within thirty-seven miles You now shew the vanity and folly of that boast,
of Rome itself. The Lucanians and the Sam- while you dread the Chaoniansand Molossians,
nites joined him alter the battle, and were re- who were ever a prey to the Macedonians,and
proved for their delay; but it was plain that he tremble at the name of Pyrrhus, who hasall his
*vas greatly elevated and delighted with having life been paying his court to one of the guards
defeated so powerful an army of Romans, with of that Alexander. At present he wandersabout
the assistanceof the Tarentmes only. Italy, not so much to succour the Greeks here,
The Romans, on this occasion,did not take as to avoid his enemiesat home; and hepromis-
the commandfrom La;vinus, though Caius Fa- es to procure us the empire of this country with
briciusis reportedto havesaid," That the Ro- thoseforceswhichcouldnotenablehim to keep
mansivere not overcomeby the Epirots, but a small part of Macedonia. Do not expect,
Lsvinua by Pyrrhus:" intimating tliat the de- then,to get rid of him,by enteringinto alliance
feat wasowingto the inferiorityof thegeneral, with him. That stepwill only opena doorto
not of his troops. Then raising new levies, manyinvaders.For who is therethat will not
filling up their legions, and talking in a lofty despiseyou, and think you an easy conquest,
and menacingtone aboutthe war, theystruck if Pyrrhusnot only escapes
unpunished
for hi*
Pyrrhuswithamazement.
Hethoughtproper,insolence,
butgainstheTarentines
andSaro-
therefore,to sendan embassyto them first, mtes,as a rewardfor insultingthe Romans."
to try whetherthey were disposedto peace; Appius had no soonerdonespeaking,thin
beingsatisfiedthat to take the city and make they voted unanimously
for the war, and dis-
an absolute conquest, was an undertaking of missedCineas with this answer, " That when
too muchdifficulty to be effectedby such an Pyrrhus had quitted Italy, they would enter
army as his was at that time; whereas,if he upona treaty of friendshipand alliancewith
could bringthem to terms of accommodation,him, if he desiredit: but while he continued
and concludea peacewith them, it would be therein a hostilemanner,theywouldprosecute
very gloriousfor him aftersucha victory. the war againsthim withall their force,though
Cineas,who wassentwith thiscommission,he shouldhavedefeateda thousandLsevmus's
appliedto the greatmen, and sent them and It is said,that Cineas,while hewas upon
theirwivespresents
in hismaster's
name.But thisbusiness,
tookgreatpainsto observe
the
theyall refusedthem; the womenas well as mannersof the Romans,and to examineinto
the mendeclaring," That whenRomehad thenatureof theirgovernment. Andwhenhe
publiclyratifieda treatywith the king,they had learnedwhat he desired,by conversing
shouldthenontheirpartsbereadyto givehim withtheirgreatmen,hemadea faithfulreport
everymarkof their friendship and respect."of all to Pyrrhus;and told him,among the
Andthough Cineas madeaveryengaging speechrest, " That thesenateappeared to himan
to thesenate, andusedmanyarguments to in- assembly of kings;and asto thepeople,
they
ducethemto closewithhim,yettheylentnot weresonumerous, that hewasa"raidhehadto
a willingearto hispropositions,
notwithstand- dowith a Lerna?an hydra." For theConsul
ing that Pyrrhusofferedto restorewithoutran- hadalreadyan armyon foot, twice aslargeas
somtheprisoners
hehadmade
in thebattle,and theformer,and hadleft multitudes
behind
in
promised
toassist
themintheconquest
ofItaly, Rome,
ofa proper
ageforenlisting,
andsuffi-
desiringnothing in return but their friendship cient to form manysucharmies.
for himself,and securityfor theTarentines. After this.Fabnciuscameambassador
to
 PYRRHUS. 293
Pyrrrais
totreatabouttheransom
andexchange
leagueinto
thesame
sentiments,
of prisoners.
Fabricius,
asCineas
informedtoPyrrhus
without
losing
amoment's
time,
to
Fvrrhus,
washighly
valued
bytheRomans
tor caution
himagainst
thetreason.
Theletter
bis probity and martial abilities, but he was ran thus:
extremely poor. Pyrrhusreceivedhim with " CaiueFabriciusandQuintusEmilias,con-
particular
distinction,
andprivately
offered
him suls,to king Pyrrhus,health.
gold; notfor anybasepurpose;buthebeggeO
Ijinitoaccept
of it as a pledgeof friendship" It appears
thatyoujudgeveryill bothof
andhospitality.
Fabricius refusingthepres-yourfriends
andenemies. For youwill find
ent,Pyrrbuspressed himnofarther; but the by thisletterwhichwassentto us,thatyouare
neit day,wantingto surprisehim,andknow- atwarwithmenof virtueandhonour,andtrust
ingthathehadnever
seen
anelephant,
heor- knaves
andvillains.Noris it outofkindness
dered the biggesthe had, to be armedand that we giveyou this information;but we do it,
placedbehinda curtainin the roomwhere lest yourdeathshouldbringa disgraceupon
theywereto be in conference.Accordinglyus,andweshouldseem to haveputa periodto
this wasdone,andupona signgiven,the cur- the war by treachery,whenwe couldnot do it
taindrawn; andthe elephantraisingIns trunk by valour."
over the headof Fabricius,madea horrid and Pyrrhushavingreadthe letter, anddetected
frightfulnoise. Fabriciusturnedaboutwith- the treason,
punished
the physician;and,to
out beingin the leastdiscomposed,
andsaidto shewhisgratitudeto Fabriciusandthe Romans,
Pyrrhussmiling,"Neitheryour goldyester-hedelivered
upthe prisoners
withoutransom,
day,noryourbeastto-day,hasmadeanyim- andsentCineaa againtonegociate
a peace.
The
pression
uponme." Romans,
unwilling
toreceive
afavour
froman
In the eveningthe conversationat table enemy,or a rewardfor not consentingto anill
turned upon many subjects,but chieHyupon thing,did indeedreceivethe prisonersat hia
Greeceand the Grecian philosophers. This led hands,but sent him an equal number of Taren-
Cineasto mention Epicurus,* and to give some tines and Sammies. As to peaceand friend-
accountof the opinionsof his sectconcerningship,they would not hearany proposalsabout
the godsandcivil government. He said,they it, till Pyrrhusshouldhavelaid down hisarms,
placedthechiefhappiness
of manin pleasure,drawnhisforcesoutof Italy,andreturnedto
and avoidedall concern in the administration of EpioiB in the same ships in which he came.
affairsas the baneof a happy life; and that they His affairs now requiring another battle, he
attributed to the Deity neither benevolencenor assembledhis army, and marched and attacked
anger,but maintainedthat, far removedfrom the RomansnearAsculum. The groundwaa
the careof humanaffairs,he passedhistime in very rough'anduneven,and marshyalso to-
ease and inactivity, and was totally immersed wards the river, so that it was extremely in-
in pleasure. While he wasyet speaking,Fa- convenientfor the cavalry,andquite prevented
briciuscried out,"O heavens!may Pyrrhus the elephantsfrom acting with the infantry.
and the Samnites adopt these opinions as long For this reason he had a great number of men
as theyareat war with the Romans T' Pyrr- killed and wounded,and might havebr-enen-
husadmiringthe noblesentiments and princi- tirely defeated,hadnot night put an endto the
plesof Fabricius,wasmoredesirousthanever battle. Next day, contriving, by an act of
of establishing
a friendshipwith Rome,instead generalship,to engageupon even ground,
of continuingthe war. And takingFabiicius wherehis elephantsmight comeat the enemy,
aside,hepressedhim to mediatea peace,and heseizedin time that difficult postwherethey
thengoandsettleat hiscourt, whereheshould fought the day before. Then he planted a
behis mostintimatecompanion, andthe chief numberof archersandslingersamonghis ele-
of his generals. Fabriciusansweredin a low phants;thickenedhis otherranks; andmoved
voice,"That, sir, would be no advantageto forwardin goodorder,thoughwith great force
you. for thosewho now honourand admire andimpetuosityagainstthe Romans.
you,shouldtheyoncehaveexperienceof me, The Romans,who had not now the advan-
wouldratherchooseto begovernedby methan tage of groundfor attackingand retreatingas
you." Suchwastlie characterof Fabricius. they pleased,were obligedto fight upon the
Pyrrhus,far from beingoffendedat this an- plain man to man. They hastenedto break
iwer, or takingit like a tyrant,madehis friends the enemy'sinfantry,beforethe elephantscame
acquainted with the magnanimity of Fabricius, up, and made prodigiousefforts with their
andentrustedthe prisoners to him only,oncon- swordsagainstthe pikes; not regardingthem*
ditionthatif thesenate
didnotagreetoa peace,selvesor thewoundstheyreceived,
but only
theyshouldbesentback,ackertheyhadembrac-lookingwheretheymightstrikeandslay. Af-
edtheir relations,andcelebrated
theSaturnalia. ter a longdispute,however,the Romanswere
After this, Fabricius beingconsul,!an un- forcedto give way; which theydid first where
knownpersoncameto hiscamp,witha letter Pyrrhusfoughtin person;for theycouldnot
fromtheking'sphysician,
whoofferedto take resistthe fury of his attack. Indeed,it waj
off Pyrrhusby poison,and so end the war the forceandweightof the elephants which
without any further hazard to the Romans, put themquiteto the route The Romanval-
providedthat theygavehim a propercompen-our beingof no useagainstthosefiercecrea-
tationforhisservices.Fabricius
detested
the tures,thetroops
thought
it wisertogiveway,
nan'svillainy, and,havingbroughthis eol- aa to an overwhelming
torrentor an earth-
*Epicurus
was
then
living.
Tliedoctrines
ofthatquake,
thantofallin a fruitless
opposition,
whentheycouldgainno advantage,though
ihllusdphfr were greatlyin voguein Rome,just be-
Wetheruinof Ihecommonwiillh. they sufferedthe greatestextremities. And
r Tvtohundred
andKvenly-ieven
yeanbefore
ChriiStheyhadnotfar to fly beforetheygainedtheif
284 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

camp. Hieronymussaysthe Romanslost six them beforehim, and ruinedtheir province

thousandmen in the action,and Pyrrhus,Eryxwasthestrongest
cityin thoseparts,and
accordingto the accountin hiaown Commen-the bestprovidedwith men for its defence;yet
taries,lostthreethousandfivehundred.Never- he resolvedto take it by storm. As soonai
theless,Dionysiusdoesnot tell us, that there his armywas in readinessto give the assault,
were two battles at Asculum,nor that it was hearmedhimselfat all points; and,advancing
clearthat the Romansweredefeated;but that towardsthe walls, madea vowto Herculesof
the actionhsted till sunset,andthen the com- gamesand sacrificesin acknowledgment of
batants parted unwillingly, Pyrrhua being the victory, if in that day's action he should
wounded
in the armwith a javelin,and the distingush
himselfbeforetheGreek*in Sicily,
Samniteshaving plunderedhis baggage;and in a mannerthat becamehisgreatdescentand
that the numberof the slam,countingthe loss his fortunes. Then heorderedthe signalto be
on both sides,amountedto abovefifteenthou- givenby soundof trumpet; andhavingdriven
sand men. When they had all quitted the field, the barharians from the walls with his missive
and Pyrrhuswascongratulated
on the victory, weapons,he plantedthe scaling-ladders,
and
he said, "Such another victory and we are un- was himself the first that moun'.cti.
done." For hehadlostgreatpart of the forces There ne wasattackedby a crowd of ene-
which hp brought with him, and all his friends mies,some of whom he drove back, others he
and officers,except a very small number. He pusheddown from the wall on both sides: but
hadnoothersto sendfor, to supplytheir place, the greatestpart he slewwith the sword,so
and he found his confederates
herevery cold that therewasquite a rampartof deadbodies
and spiritless. Whereas the Romansfilled up around him. In the mean time he himself re-
their legions with ease and despatch, from an ceived not the least harm, but appearedto hii
inexhaustiblefountainwhichthevhadat home; enemiesin the awful characterof somesupe-
andtheir defeatswereso far from discouragingrior being; shewingon this occasion,
that Ho-
them,that indignationgavethemfreshstrength mer spokewith judgementand knowledge,
andardourfor the war. when he represented valourasthe only virtue
Amidstthesedifficulties,new hopes,as vain whichdiscoversa divineenergy,andthoseen-
as the former, offered themselves to Pyrrhus, thusiastic transports which raise a man above
and enterpriseswhich distractedhim in the himself. When the city wastaken,he offered
choice. On oneside,ambassadors camefrom a magnificentsacrificeto Hercules,andeibib-
Sicily, who proposedto put Syracuse,Agrigen- ited a varietvof showsandgames.
tum,andthe city of the Leontinesin his hands, Of all the barharians,thoseaboveMessena,
and desired him to drive the Carthaginians who were called Mamertines, gave the Greeks
out of the island,and to free il from tyrants; the most trouble,and had subjectedmanyof
and on the other side news was brought him them to tribute. They were a numerous and
fromGreece,that PtolemyCeraunua wasslain warlikepeople,andthencehadthe appellation
in battleby the Gauls,andthat this would be of Mamertines,which in the Latin tonguesig-
a seasonablejuncture for him to offer himself nifies martial. But Pyrrhus seizedthe collect-
to the Macedonians who wanted a king." On ors of the tribute, and put them to death; and
thisoccasionhecomplainedgreatlyof fortune, havingdefeatedthe Mamertinesin a setbattle,
for offering him two such glorious opportunities he destroyed many of their strong holds.
of action at once: and, atllicted to think that The Carthaginians were now inclined to
in embracing the one he must necessarilygive pe^ce, and offered him both money and ships,
up the other, he was a long time perplexed and on condition that he granted them his friend-
doubtful which to fix upon. At last the expe- ship. But, having farther prospects, he made
dition to Sicily appearing to him the more im- answer, that there was only one way to peace
portantby reasonof its nearness
to Africa, he andfriendship,
whichwas,for theCarthaginians
determined to go thither, and immediately des- to evacuate Sicily, and make the Libyan sea
patchedCineasbefoiehim, accordingto custom, the boundary between them and the Greeks.
to treat with the cities in his behalf. He placed, Elated with prosperity and his presentstrength,
however, a strong garrison in Tarentum, not- he thought of nothing hut pursuing the nopes
withstanding the remonstrancesof the people; which first drew him into Sicily.
who insisted that he should either fulfil the pur- His first object now was Africa. He had
posehe camefor, by stayingto assistthemef- vesselsenoughfor his purpose,but he wanted
fectuallyin the Romanwar,or, if he would be mariners. And in the collectingof them he
gone, to leave their city as he found it. But was far from proceeding with lenity and mode-
he gave them a severeanswer, ordered them ration: on the contrary he carried it to the
to he quiet and wait his time, and so set sail. cities with a high hand and with great rigour,
When he arrived in Sicily, he found eveiy seconding hiii orders for a supply with force,
thing disposed agreeably to his h<)pes. The and severely chastising those who disobeyed
cities readily put themselves in his hands: and them. This wan not the conduct which he hid
whereverforcewas necessary,
nothingat first observedat fir it; for then hewasgraciousand
made any considerable resistance to his arms. affable to an eitreme, placed an entire confi-
But with thirty thousand
foot, two thousandfive dencein the people,and avoidedgiving them
hundredhorse,andtwo hundredsail of ships, the leastuneasiness.By thesemeanshe had
he advanced against the Carthaginians, drove gained their ho'.rts. Bui now turning from a
popular prince into a tyrant, his austerity
* Ptolemy
Ccraunui
wasstainIhreeyearsbefore,
drewuponhimtheimputation
during the coniulthip of Lxvinus. After him, (he
bothof ingrati-
Macedonians had several kiri^-s in quick succession. tude and perfidiousness. Necessity, however,
AH,therefore,
thaitheletters
couldimport,
mustbe,obligedthemto furnishhimwithwhathede-
Dialthr Macedonians
MouldpreferPyrrbu*to Anli- manded,thoughthey were little disposedto
jonm,who.il present
wa>m posseiiiua. it. But whatchieflyalienatedtheir affc;'^-"-
 PYRRHUS. 28fi

wasnis behaviourto ThononandSostratus,Thentakingwithhrmthebesttroopsthat he

two persons
of thegreatest
authorityin Syra-foundthere,headvanced
immediately
against
cuse. Thesewere the men who first invited the Romans,who were encamped
in the coun-
him into Sicily, who upon his arrival immedi- try of the Samnitea.
atelyput theircity in hishands,
andwhohad Theaffairsof theSamnitee wererunto rurn,
beenthe principalinstruments of the great andtheirspiritssunk,because
theyhadbeen
thingshe haddonein the island. Yet his sus- beatenin severalbattlesby the Romans.There
picionswouldneitherlet him takethemwith remained
alsoin theirheartssomeresentment
aim, nor leave thembehindhim. Sostratus,againstPyrrhus,onaccountof hisleavingthem
tookthe alarmand fled. WhereuponThonon to go to Sicily, sothat few of themrepairedto
wasseizedby Pyrrhua,who allegedthat hewas his standard. The forcesthat he had,ho di-
an accomplicewith Sostratus,andput him to videdinto two bodies,oneof whichhe detach-
death.Then his affairsranto ruin, not gradual- ed into Lucania, to keepone of the consuls*
ly and by little and little, but all at once. And employed, and hinder him from assisting his
the violent hatred which the cities conceived colleague: with the other corps he marched
for him led some of them to join the Carthagin- in person against the other consul Manius Cu
ians, and others the Mamertines. While he rius, who lay safely entrenched near the city
thussawnothingaroundhim but cabals,sedi- of Beneventum,anddeclinedfighting,aswell
tions,andinsurrections,
hereceivedlettersfrom in expectationof the succoursfrom Lucania,
the Samnitcs and Tarentines, who being (juite as on account of his being deterred from action,
driven out of the field, and with difficulty de- by the augurs and soothsayers.
fending themselveswithin their walls, begged Pyrrhus hastening to attack him before he
his assistance This afforded a handsome pre- could be joined by his colleague, took the
tencefor hisdeparture,withoutits beingcalled choicestof his troopsand the most warlikeof
a flight andan absolutegiving up his affairsin his elephants,andpushedforwardin the night
Sicily. But the truth was,thatnolongerbeing to surprisehis camp. But as be had a long
able to ho!d the island,he quitted it like a circuit to take, andthe roads were entangled
shatteredship, and threw himself again into with trees and bushes,his lights failed, and
Italy. It is reported,that, ashe sailedaway, numbersof his menlost their way. Thus the
helookedbackupontheisle,andsaidto those night escaped.At daybreakhewasdiscovered
abouthim, "What a field we leavethe Car- by the enemydescendingfrom the heights,
thaginiansandRomansto exercisetheir arms whichcausedno small disorderin their camp.
in.'" andhisconjecturewassoonafter verified. Manius, however,finding the sacrificesaus-
The barbariansrose againsthim as he set picious,and the time pressing,issuedout of
tail; andbeingattackedby the Carthaginianshis trenches,attackedthe vanguardof theene-
on his passage,he lostmanyof his ships:with my, and put them to flight. This spreada
the remainderhe gained the Italian shore. consternationthrough their whole army, so
The Mamertines,to the numberof ten thou- that manyof them werekilled, and someof
sand,hadgot thither beforehim; and,though the elephantstaken. On the other hand, tho
theywereafraid to come to a pitchedbattle, successled Manius to try a pitched baUle.
yet theyattackedandharassedhim in the dif- Engaging,therefore,in the openfield,one of
ficultpasses,
andputhiswholearmyin disor-hiswingsdefeated
that of theenemy's;
butthe
der. He lost two elephants,
and a considera-other was bornedown by the elephants,and
blepartof hisrearwascut ia pieces. Buthe drivenbacktothetrenches.In thisexigency he
immediately pushedfromthe vanto theiras- calledforthosetroops
thatwereleftto guardthe
sistance,and risked his person in the boldest camp, who were all fresh men and well armed.
manner,againstmen trainedby long practice These,as they descendedfrom their advan-
to war,whofoughtwitha spiritof resentment.
tageous
situation,piercedthe elephants
with
In this disputehe receiveda wound in the their javelins, and forced them to turn their
head,whichforcedhimto retirea little outof backs;andthosecreaturesrushingupontheir
the battle,and animatedthe enemystill own battalions, threw theminto thegreatest
more. One of them, therefore,who was confusion anddisorder.This putthevictory
distinguished
bothby his sizeand arms,ad- in thehandsof the Romans,and empireto-.
vanced beforethelines,andwitha loudvoice getherwiththevictory. For,by the courage
calleduponhimto comeforthif he wasalive. exerted and the greatactionsperformedthia
Pyrrhus,incensedat this, returnedwith his day,they acquireda loftinessof sentiment,
guardsandwitha visageso fiercewith anger andenlargement of power,withthereputation
andsobesmeared withblood,thatit wasdread-of beinginvincible,whichsoongainedthemall
ful to look upon,madehis waythroughhis bat- Italy, andSicily a little after.
talions,
notwithstanding
theirremonstrances.
ThusPyrrhus
fell fromhishopesof Italy
Thusrushinguponthebarbarian,he
preventedand Sicily, after he had wasted
six yearsin
his blow,and gavehim such a strokeon the theseexpeditions. It is true he wasnot suc-
head
withhissword,
that,withthestrength
cessful;
butamidst
all hisdefeats
hepreserv-
of hisarm,andthe excellent
temperof the edhiscourageunconquerable,
andwasrepu-
weapon,hecleaved
himquitedown,
andinone tedtoexcel,
in military
experience
andperson
moment
thepartsfell asunder.The achieve-al prowess,
all the princes
of histime. But
mentstopped
the course
of thebarbarians,
whathe gained
by hisachievements,
helost
who
were
struck
withadmiration
andamaze-
byvainhopes;
hisdesire
ofsomething
absent,
mentatPyrrhus, asatasuperior
being.He neversuffered
himeffectually
to persevere
in
made therestof hismarch,
therefore,
withoutapresent
pursuit.Henceit was,thatAtigo-
disturbance,
andarrivedat Tarentum with nuscompared
himto agamester,
whomake*
twenty
thousand
footandthreethousand
horse. * AuliuComcuui
LcntuJui.
U
 286 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

manygoodthrowsat dice,but knowsnot how request Clconymuswasof the blood roymi

to make the best of his game. but as he seemedto beof a violent temper and
He returnedto Epirus with eight thousandinclined to arbitrary power, he was neither
foot, and five hundredhorse; but not having lovednor trustedby the Spartans,andArew
funds to maintain them, he sought for a war was appointed to the throne. Thi» was an old
which mightanswerthat end. And beingjoin- complaintwhich behadagainstthe citizensin
edby a bodyof Gauls,he threwhimselfinto general.Butto thiswemustadd,that when.
Macedonia,where Antigonusthe son of De- advancedin yearshe had married a young
metriusreignedat that time. His designwas womanof greatbeauty,namedChelidonis,who
onlyto pillageandcarryoffbooty:buthavingwasof theroyalfamily,anddaughter
to Le-
takenmanycitizens,anddrawnover two Ihou- otychides. Chelidonisentertaininga violent
land of Antigonus'a men, he enlarged his passion for Acrotatus the son of Areus, who
views,and marchedagainstthe king. Com- was both youngand handsome, renderedthe
ing up with him in a narrowpass,he put his matchnot only uneasybut disgracefulto Cle-
whole armyin disorder. The Gauls,howev- onymuswho wasmiserablyin love; for there
er, who composedAntigonus'srear, being a wasnot a man in Sparta who did not know
numerousbody, made a gallant resistance.how muchhewasdespisedby his wife. These
The dispute was sharp, but at last most of domestic misfortunes, added to his public ones,
themwere cut in pieces;andthey whohadthe provokedhim to applyto Pyrrhus,whomarch-
charge of the elephants,being surrounded, de- ed to»Sparta with twenty-five thousand foot,
livered up both themselves and the beasts. two thousandhorse, and twenty-four elephants.
After so great an advantage, Pyrrhus, follow- These great preparations made it evident at
ing his fortune rather than any rational plan, one view, that Pyrrhus did come to gain Spar-
pushedagainstthe Macedonianphalanx,now ta for Cleonymus,but Peloponnesus for him-
struckwith terror and confusionat their loss. self. He made,indeed,very differentprofes-
And perceiving that they refused to engage sions to the Lacedaemonians,who sent an em-
with him, he stretched out his hand to their bassyto him at Megalopolis: for he told them
commanders and other officers, at the same that he was only come to set free the cities
time calling themall by their names;by which which were in subjectionto Antigonus;and,
means he drew over the enemy's infantry. what is more extraordinary, that he fully in-
Antigonus, therefore,was forced to fly; he tended,if nothing happened,to hinder it, to
persuaded,however,some of the maratime sendhis youngersonsto Sparta,for a Lacedae-
towns to remain under his government. monian education, that they might, in this re-
Amidst so many instances of success,Pyr- spect, have the advantage of ail other kings
rhus, concluding that his exploit against the and princes.
Gauls was far the most glorious, consecrated With these pretenceshe amused those that
the most splendid and valuable of the spoils in came to meet him on his march; but as soon
the templeof MinervaItonis,with this inscrip- as heset foot in Laconia,hebeganto plunder
tion : and ravage it. And upon the ambassadorsrep-
resenting that he commenced hostilities with-
Thesespoils,that Fyrrhus,ODthe martialplain,
Snatch'd
fromthevanquiah'd Gaul,{toman Fallas,out a previous declaration
of war, he said,
He consecrates to thcc-If fromhis throne "And do we not know that you Spartansnever
Antigonus,deserted, fled,andruin declare beforehand what measures you are
Pursued
theswordof Pyrrhui,-'tis nowonder- going to take?" to whicha Spartan,named
From.Eacushesprung. Mandricidas,who was in company,madean-
After the battle he soon recovered the cities. swer in this laconic dialect, "If thou art a god,
When he had made himself master of JEga?, thou wilt do us no harm, because we have
among other hardshipsput upon the inhabit- donethee none; if thou art a man, perhaps
ants, he left amongthema garrisondraughted we mayfind a bettermanthan thee."
from those Gauls who ecrved under him. The In the mean time he moved towards Lace-
Gaule of all men are the most covetous of dsmon, and was advised by Cleonymusto give
money;andthey werenosoonerputin pos- theassault
immediately
uponhisarnval. But
sessionqf the town than they brokeopen,the Pyrrhus,as we aretold, fearingthat his sol-
tombs of the kings who were buried there, diers woula plunderthe city if theytook it by
plundered
thetreasures,
andinsolently
scatter-night,put him off,and said,theywouldpro-
ed their bones. Pyrrhuspassedthe matter ceedto the assaultthe nextday. For heknew
very slightlyover;whetherit wasthat the therewerebut fewmenwithin the city,and
affairs he hadupon his handsobliged him to thoseunprepared,
by reasonof his suddenap-
putoff the inquiry,or whetherhe wasafraid proach;and.that Areastheking wasabsent,
of the Gauls,anddid not dareto punishthem. beinggoneto Creteto succourthe Gortynians.
The connivance,however,wasmuchcensuredThe contemptibleidea which Pyrrhus con-
by theMacedonians. ceivedof its weakness
andwantof men,was
His interest wasnot well established
among the principal thing that savedthe city. For
them,nor hadhe anygoodprospectof its secu- supposingthat he shouldnot find the leastre-
rity, whenhebeganto entertain
newvisionarysistance, he orderedhistentsto be pitched,
hopes:and,in ridiculeof Antigonus,
hesaid, andsat quietlydown;whilethe helotsand
"He wondered at hisimpudence,in notlayingfriendsof Cleonymus busiedthemselves in
asidethepurple,andtakingthehabitof a pri- adorningandpreparinghis house,
in expecta-
vateperson." tionthat Pyrrhuswouldsupwith himther«
About this time, Cleonymuothe Spartan that evening.
cameto entreathim that he would march to Nightbeingcome,theLacedaemonians
resolv-
Lacedxmon,
andhe lent a willingear to hie ed,in thefirst place,to sendoff theirwomen
 PYRRHUS. 287

10Crete,buttheystrongly
opposed
it: andAT- rhusfoughtin person.Manyof theSpartans
ehidamiaenteringthe senatewith a swordin distinguishedthemselvesin the action, and
berhiad, complainedof the meanopinionthey amongthe rest, Pbilliusmadea gloriousstand.
ente-tiioedof thewomen,if theyimaginedthey He slewnumbersthat endeavoured to forcea
wo,/ ^ survivethe destructionof Sparta. In passage, andwhenhe found himself readyto
the next place, they determinedto draw a faint with the manywoundshe hadreceived,
trench parallel to the enemy'scamp and at hegaveup his postto oneof the officer*that
each end of it to gink wagons into the ground was near him, and retired to die in the midst
asdeep as the navesof the wheels, that so be- of his own party, that the enemymight not get
ing firmly fixed, they might stop the course of his body in their power.
the elephants. As soonas the work was begun, Night parted the combatants and Pyrrhus,
both matrons and maids came andjoined them, as he lay in his tent had this dream: he thought
th» former with their robes tucked up, and the he dated lightning upon Lacedcmon, which
latter in their under garments only, to assist aet all the city on fire, and that the sight filled
the older sort of men. They advisedthose him withjoy. The transportawakinghim, he
that were intended for the fight, to repose ordered his officers to put their men under
themselves, and in the mean time they under- arms: and to some of his friends he related his
took to finish the third part of the trench, which vision, from which he assured himself that he
they effected before morning. This trench was should take the city by storm. The thing was
in breadthsix cubits,in depthfour,andeight receivedwith admirationanda generalassent;
hundredfeet long, accordingto Phylarchus.but it did not pleaseLysimachus. He said,
Hieronymua makes it less. that as no foot is to tread on places that are
At daybreaktheenemywasin motion,where- struck by lightning, so the deity by this might
upon the womenarmedthe youth,with their presignifyto Pyrrhus,that the city should re-
ownhands,andgavethemthe trenchin charge, main inaccessible to him. Pyrrhusanswered,
exhortingthem to guard it well, and repre- "These visionsmayserveas amusementsfor
senting,"How delightfulit would be to con- the vulgar, but there is not any thing in the
querin the view of their country,or how glo- world more uncertainand obscure. While,
rious to expire in the armsof their mothers then, you have your weaponsin your hands,
and their wives, when they had met their remember,my friends,
deathsas became Spartans." As for Chelido- " The best of omensis the causeof Pyrrhiu."*
nis, she retired into her own apartment with a
rope abouther neck, determinedto endher So saying,he arose,and, as soon as it waa
days by it, ratherthan fall into the hands of light, renewedthe attack. The Lacedemo-
Oleonymus, if the city wastaken. niansstoodupontheir defencewith an alacrity
Pyrrhusnow pressedforwardwith his infan- andspirit abovetheir strength,andthe women
try againstthe Spartans,whowaitedfor him attended,supplyingthem with arms, giving
undera rampartof shields. But, besidesthat bread and drink to such as wanted it, and
the ditch was scarcepassable, he foundthat takingcareof the wounded.The Macedonians
there was no firm footing on the sides of it for then attempted to fill up the ditch, bringing
his soldiers, because of the loosenessof the great quantities of materials, and throwing
freshearth.HissonPtolemy
seeing
this,fetch-themuponthearmsand bodies
of thedead!
eda compassaboutthe trenchwith two thou- The Lacedemonians, on their part, redoubled
sandGaulsanda selectbodyof Chaonians,and their effortsagainstthem. But all on a sudden
endeavoured
to opena passageon the quarter Pyrrhus appearedon that sideof the trench,
of the wagons. But these were so deep fixed where the wagons had been planted to stop
and close locked, that they not only obstructed the passage, advancing at full speedtowards
their passage,but made it difficult for the the city. The soldierswho hadthe chargeof
Spartansto comeupandmakeaclosedefence, that post cried out, andthe womenfled with
The Gaulswerenow beginningto dragout the loudshrieksand wailings. In the meantime
wheels, and draw the wagons into the river, Pyrrhus was pushing on, and overthrowing all
when youngAcrotatusperceivingthe danger, that opposedhim. But his horsereceiveda
traversed the city with three hundred men,and wound in the belly from a Cretan arrow, ran
by the advantageof somehollow ways sur- away, and, plunging in the pains of death,
roundedPtolemy,not beingseentill he began threw him uponsteepandslipperyground.A«
the attackupon his rear. Ptolemy was now his friends pressedtowardshim in great con-
forcedto faceaboutand standuponthe defen- fusion,the Spartanscomeboldly up, andmak-
sive. In the confusion many of his soldiers run- ing good use of their arrows, drove them all
ning foul uponeachother, either tumbledinto back. HereuponPyrrhusput anentirestopto
the ditch, or fell underthe wagons. At last, the action,thinking the Spartanswouldabate
after a long dispute and great effusion of blood, their vigour, now they were almost all wound-
they were entirely routed. The old men and ed, and such great numbers killed. But the
the womensawthisexploitof Acrotatus:andas fortune of Sparta,whethershe wassatisfied
be returned through the city to his post, cover- with the trial she had of the unassistedvalour
ed withblood,boldandelatedwithhisvictory, of hersons,orwhether shewaswillingtoshew
heappearedto theSpartanwomentaller and her powerto retrievethemostdesperate cir-
moregracefulthanever,andtheycouldnot cumstances, justas thehopes of theSpartans
helpenvyingChelidomsgucha lover. Nay, were beginning to expire,broughtto theirre-
someof the old menfollowedandcriedout, lief, fromCorinth,Aminius,thePhocean, one
"Go, Acrotatus,and enjoyChelidonis; and of Antigonus'sofficers,
with anarmyof stria-
may your offspring be worthy of Sparta!"
Thedispute
wasmore
obstinate
where
Pyr- *P»rody
of«line
inHwtoe'.
"pteeh,
ILxii.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

gera;and theyhadno soonerenteredthe town, a terrible havoc of thosebrave Lacedemo-

butAreustheirkingarrivedfrom Cretewith nianswhoendeavoured
toprotectthebodyof
two thousandmen more. The womennow Evalcus. The greatlosswhichSpartasuffer-
retiredimmediately
to theirhouses,
thinkingit edwasnowowingpurelyto theill-timedam-
needlessto concernthemselves any farther in bition of her leaders;for the war WAS
at an
the war: the old mentoo, who, notwithstand-endbeforethe engagement.
ing their age, had beenforcedto beararms, Pyrrhus,havingthussacrificedto the manea
were dismissed, and the new supplies put in of his son, and celebrated a kind of funeral
their place. gamesfor him, found that he had vented much
Thesetwo reinforcements to Sparta served of his grief in the fury of the combat,and
only to animatethe courageof Pyrrhus,and marchedmore composed to Argos. Finding
makehim more ambitiousto take the town. that Antigonuskeptthehighgroundsadjoining
Finding, however,that hecouldeffectnothing, to the plain, he encamped nearthe town of
after a scriesof lossesand ill successhe quit- Nauplia. Neil day hesenta heraldto Anti-
ted the siege, and began to collect booty from gonus, wifh a challenge in abusive terms to
the country, intending to passthe winter there. come down into the field, and fight with him
But fate is unavoidable. There happenedat for the kingdom. Antigonus said, "Time if
that time a strong contention at Argos, be- the weapon that I use, as much as the swordj
tween the partiesof AristeasandAristippus; and if Pyrrhusis wearyof his life, there are
and as Aristippus appeared to have a con- many ways to end it." To both the kings
nection with Antigonus, Aristeas, to prevent there came ambassadorsfrom Argos, entreat-
him, called in Pyrrhus. Pyrrhus, whosehopes ing them to retire, and so prevent that city
grew as fast as they were cut off, who, if he from being subjected to either, which had a
met with success,only consideredit as a step friendship for them both. Antigonus agreed
to greater things, and if with disappointment, to the overture, and sent his sonto the Argivei
endeavoured to compensate it by some new as a hostage. Pyrrhus at the same time prom-
advantage, would neither let his victories nor ised to retire, but sending no hostage, he wai
losses put a period to his disturbing both the much suspected.
world and himself. He beganhis march, there- Amidst these transactions, Pyrrhus was
fore, immediately for Argos. Areus, by fre- alarmed with a great and tremendous prodigy.
quent ambushes, and by possessinghimself For the headsof the sacrifice-oxen, when sev-
of the difficult passes,cut off many of the ered from the bodies, were seen to thrust out
Gauls and Molossians who brought up his their tongues, and lick up their own gore.
rear. In the sacrifice which Pyrrhus had of- And in Argos the priestess of Apollo Lyceus
fered, the liver was found without a head, and ran about the streets, crying out that she saw
the diviner had thence forewarned him that the city full of dead carcassesand blood, and
he was in dangerof losing somepersonthat aneaglejoining in the fight, and then imme-
was dear to him. But in the hurry and dis- diately vanishing.
order of this unexpected attack, he forgot the In the dead of night Pyrrhus approachedthe
menace from the victim, and ordered his son walls, and finding the gate called Diamperes
Ptolemy, with some of his guards, to the as- opened to him by Aristeas, he was not dis-
sistance of the rear, while he himself pushed covered till his Gauls had entered and seized
on, and disengaged his mam body from those the market-place. But the gate not being high
dangerouspassages. In the mean time Ptol- enough to receive the elephants, they were
emy met with a very warm reception; for he forced to take off their towers; and having
was engagedby a select party of Lacedaemo- afterwards put them on again in the dark, it
nians, under the command of Evalcus. In the could not be done without noise and loss of
neat of action, a Cretan of Aptera, named time, by which means they were discovered.
OrcEsus,a man of remarkable strength and The Argives ran into the citadel called Jlspisf
swiftness, came up with the young prince, as and other places of defence, and sentto call in
he was fighting with great gallantry, and with Antigonus. But he only advancedtowards the
a blow on the side laid him dead on the spot. walls to watch his opportunity for action, and
As soon as he fell, his party turned their backs contented himself with sending in some of his
and fled. The Lacedaemonianspursuedthem, principal officersand his sonwith considerable
and in the ardour of victory, insensibly ad- succours.
vancing into the open plain, got at a great dis- At the same time Arcua arrived in the town
tance from their infantry. Pyrrhus, who by with a thousand Cretans, and the most active
this time had heardof the death of his son, of his Spartans.All thesetroopsbeingjoined,
andwasgreatly afflictedat it, drew out his fell at onceuponthe Gauls,and put themin
Molossianhorse,and chargingat the headof great disorder. Pyrrhusenteredat a place
them, satiated himself with the blood of the
Lacedemonians. He alwaysindeedappeared " Therewa«anannual
feaitat Argos,inhonour
of
great and invincible in arms, but now, in point Juno,calledHpaia,Junonia, and also Hecatombia,
of courageandforce, he outdidall his former fromthehecatomb ofoxenthenoffered. Among other
exploits. Havingfoundout Evalcus,hespur- games, this prizewas proposed for the youth. In a
place of considerable strength, above the theatre a
red his horse againsthim: but Evalcus inclin- brazen buckler was nailed to the wall, and they wert
ing a little on one side,aimeda stroke at him to try theirstrength
inplucking
it off. Thevictorwa»
which had like to have cut off his bridle hand. crownedwith a myrtlegarland,andhad the buckler
It happened,
however,onlyto cut thereins, [in Greek .4ipt>]for hispains.Hence thename of
the fort. Not only the youth of Argos, but stranger*
and Pyrrhusseizingthe favourablemoment, were admitted to the contest: asappearsfrom Pinda»i .
ranhimthrough
withhisspear.
Thenspring-For,speaking
ofDiagoras
ofRhodes,
hesays,
ing from Inshone,hefoughtonfoot, andmade TheArgfvt buckler
kntv him. Olymp.
Ode7
 PYRRHUS 289
tailedOylardbii*
withgreatnoise
andloudtown,
onenamed
Nicon, striving
totikeup
"houte,
which
wereechoed
bytheGauls;buthismaster
whowasfallen
offwounded,rushed
he thoughttheirshouts
wereneither full nor againstthepartythatwasretreating:andover-
pold,butratherexpressive
of terroranddis* turned bothfriendsandenemies promiscuously,
tress. He therefore
advancedin greathaste,till hefoundthe body. Thenhe tookit up
pushing forwardhis cavalry,thoughtheywithhistrunk,andcarrying it onhistwoteeth,
inarchedin danger,by reasonof thedrainsreturnedin greatfury,andtroddownall be-
andsewers
of whichthecity wasfull. Be-forehim Whentheywerethuspressed
and
sides,in thisnocturnal
war,it wasimpossible
crowdedtogether,not a mancoulddo any
either to see what wasdone, or to hear the thing singly,but the wholemultitude,like one
ordersthat weregiven. The soldierswere closecompacted body,rolled this wayand
scattered
about,and losttheirwayamongthe that all together.Theyexchanged but few
narrowstreets;norcouldtheofficersrally them blows with the enemyeither in front or rear,
in that darkness,amidst euch a variety of and the greatestharm they did wasto them-
noises,and in such strait passages;so that selves. For if any man drew his sword or
both sidescontinuedwithout doing anything, levelledhis pike, he could not recoverthe one
andwaitedfor daylight. or put upthe other; thenext person,therefore,
At the first dawn Pyrrhuswasconcernedto whoeverhe happenedto be, was necessarily
lee the Aspisfull of armedmen; but his con- wounded,and thus manyof them fell by the
cern was changedinto consternation,when handsof eachother.
amongthemanyfiguresin the market-place he Pyrrhus, seeingthe tempestrolling about
behelda wolf anda bull in brass,representedhim, took off the plume with whichhis helmet
in act to fight. For herecalledan old oracle was distinguished,and gave it to one of his
whichhad foretold, " That it washis destiny friends. Then trustingto the goodness of his
to die when he should seea wolf encountering horse, he rode in amongst the enemywho were
a bull." The Argivessay,thesefigureswere harassinghis rear; and it happenedthat ha
erectedin memoryof an accidentwhich hap- waswoundedthroughthe breast-plate with a
penedamongthemlongbefore. They tell us, javelin. The woundwas rather slight than,
that when Danausfirst enteredtheir country, dangerous, but he turnedagainstthe manwho
as hepassedthroughthe districtof Thyreatis, gave it, who wasan Argive man of no note,
by the way of Pyramiawhich leads to Argos, the sonof a poor old woman. This woman,
he saw a wolf fightingwith a bull. Danaus amongothers,looking uponthe fightfrom the
imagined that the wolf represented him, for roof of a house,beheld her son thug engaged.
being a stranger, he came to attack the natives, Seized with terror at the sight, she took up a
asthe wolf did the bull. He thereforestayed large tile with both hands,and threw it at
to seethe issue of the fight, and the wolf prov- Pyrrhus. The tile fell upon his head, and
ing victorious, he offered his devotions to notwithstanding his helmet, crushed the lower
Apollo Lyceus, and then assaulted and took vertebrx of his neck. Darkness,in a moment,
the town; Gelanor, who was then king, being covered hie eyes, his hands let go the reins,
deposed by a faction. Such is the history of and he fell from his horse by the tomb of
those figures. Liicymnius.* The crowd that was about him
Pyrrhus, quite dispirited at the sight, and
perceiving at the same time that nothing suc- * There is somethingstrikingly contemptible in the
ceeded
according
to hishopes,
thoughtit best fateofthisferocious warrior.-Whatreflectionsmay
it notaffordto Ihoscscourges
of mankind,who,to ei
to retreat. Fearing that the gates were too tend their power and gratify their pride, tear out the
narrow,hesentordersto his son Helenus,vitalsof human
society!-How
unfortunate
thatthey
whowas left with the main bodywithout the donotrecollect
theirownpersonal
-insigniticwice,
and
town, to demolish part of the wall, and assist consider,while theyare disturbingthe peaceof tht
the retreat,if the enemytried to obstructit. earth,thattheyarebeings whoman oldwoman may
But the personwhom he sent,mistakingthe kill with a stone!-It is impossible here to forget the
obscurefate of Charles the Twelfth, or the following
orderin the hurry and tumult,and delivering verses lhaldeKribeil:
it quite
ina contrary
sense,
theyoung
princeOnwhat
foundation
stands
thewarrior's
pride,
enteredthegates
withtherestof theelephants
Howjusthishopes,
letSwedish
Charles
decide;
, andthe bestof his troops,andmarchedto as- A frameofadamant,
asoulof fire,
sist his father. Pyrrhus was now retiring; No dangersfright him, andno labourstire;
andwhile the market-placeaffordedroomboth O'erlove,o'erfear,eitends
hiswidedomain,
to retreat
andfight,heoftenfaced
about
and Unconquer'd lord
No joysto him ofpleasure
pacific and
sceptres ofpaia;
yield,
repulsedtheassailants.
Butwhenfromthat Warsounds thetrump, herushes tothefield.
broadplacehe cameto crowdinto the narrow Behold
surrounding
kingstheirpower
cumoine,
street leading to the gate, he fell in with those Andonecapitulate,andoneresign.
who were advancing to his assistance. It was Peace courtshishand, butspreads
hercharms
inTtin,
in vain to call out to them to fall back: there "Think nothinggain'd,"he cries,"till nought
w
mftioj
were
butfewthatcould
hear
him;andsuch
asOnMoscow's
walls,
tillGothic
standard]
fly,
lid hear,andweremostdisposed
to obeyhis Andallbeminebeneath
thepolar
sky."
orders,were pushedback by thosewho came Themarchbtgiasin militarystate,
pouringin behind.Besides, thelargest
of the Andnations
on hiseye
suspendedwait.
elephantswas fallen in the gate-wayon his Sternfamine
guard's
thesolitary
coast,
And winter baricadesthe realm of froit:
side,andlyingthereandbraying
in ahorribleHecomes-not
wantand
coldhiscourse
delay-
manner,
hestopped
thosewhowouldhavegot Hid«,blushing
Glory,
hidePultowa's
day!
SUL And amongthe elephantsalreadyin the Thevanquish
d heroleaves
hisbroken
bands
And shewshis miseriesto distant lands.
" Cylarabis
wajaplace
ofexercise
nearoneoftheCondemn'd
aneedy
luppliaut
towait,
filw ofArjos.Paatan. WhileUdiuinterpose,
andslave*
debate.
 290 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

didnotknowhim,butoneZopyrus,
whoservedbarbarous
wretch.Thenputtinghii robebe-
under Antigonus,and two or three others fore his eye«,he wept in remembrance of the
comingup, knewhim anddraggedhim into a fateof his grandfather Antigonus,*andthat of
porchthat wasat band,just an he waa begin- his fatherDemetrius,two instancesin his own
ningto recoverfromthe blow. Zopyrushad house
of themutability
of fortune. As forthe
drawn his Illyrian bladeto cut off his head, headandbodyof Pyrrhus,heorderedthem to
when Pyrrhusopenedhis eyes,and gave him be laid in magnificentattireon the funer;1pile
BOfiercea look,that hewasstruckwith terror. andburned.After this, Alcyoneus,havingmet
His handstrembled,andbetweenhis desireto with Helenuain greatdistressandameangarb,
give the stroke,and the confusionhe wasin, addressedhim in acourteous manner,andcon-
he missedhis neck, but woundedhim in the ductedhim to his father,who thus expressed
mouth and chin, so that it was a long time himselfon the occasion:" In this,my son,yon
before he could separate the head from the have acted much better than before; but still
body. you are deficient; for you should havetaken off
By this timethe thing wasgenerallyknown, that meanhabit,whichis a greaterdisgraceto
.»nd Alcyoneus, the son of Antigonus, came us who are victorious, than it is to the van
hastily up, and askedfor the head,as if he quished."
wantedonly to look uponit. But assoonashe Then he paid his respectsto Helenusin a
hadgot it, he rodeoff with it to his father,and veryobligingmanner,and senthim to Ephirus
cast it at his feet, as be was sitting with his with a proper equipage. He gave also the
friends. Antigonus,looking uponthe head,and samekind receptionto the friendsof Pyrrhuj,
knowingit, thrusthis sonfromhim; andstruck afterhe hadmadehimselfmatter of his whole
hioi with his staff, callinghim an impiousand campandarmy.

CAIUS MARIUS.

WE know no third name of Caius Marius, As to the figure of Marius, we have seen at
»ny more than we do of Quinctus Sertorious, Ravenna in Gaul his statue in marble, which
who held Spain so long, or of Lucius Mummius, perfectly expressedall that has been said of
who took Corinth. For the surnameof Jlchai- his sternnessand austerity of behaviour. For
ciit^Mummiusgainedbyhisconquest,
asScipio beingnaturallyrobustand warlike,and more
did that of Jlfricanus, and Metellus that of acquainted with the discipline of the camp than
Macedonicus. Posidoniusavails himself chiefly the city, he was fierce and untractable when in
<x this argument to confute those who hold the authority. It is said that he neither learned to
third to bethe Romanpropername,Camillus; readGreek,nor would makeuseof that lan-
for instance, Marcellus, Cato: for in that case, guage on any serious occasion, thinking it
those who had only two names, would have ridiculous to bestow time on learning the lan-
had no proper name at all. But he did not guage of a conqueredpeople. And when, after
consider,that by this reasoning,herobbedthe his secondtriumph,at thededicationof a tem-
.womenof their names;for no womanbears ple, he exhibitedshowsto the peoplein the
the first, which Posidonius supposedthe proper
nameamongthe Romans.Of the othernames, posterity
of .'Eacus
werecalled£acidz,sotheJulian
onewascommon
to thewholefamily,as the family hadthatname fromlulusor Ascanius. But
there were severalother things which gave rite to the
Pompeii, Manlii, Cornelii, in the samemanner Nomen, as animals,places,andaccidents; for instance,
ASwithus,theHeraclidxandPelopidre;
and Porcius,
Ovilius,
&c.
the other was a surname given them from The Cognomen
wasoriginally intendedto distin
somethingremarkablein their dispositions,guishtheseveral branches of afamily.It wasassumed
from DOcertain cause, but generally from somepar
their actions, or the form of their bodies, as ticular occurrence. It became,however, hereditary
Macrinus, Torquatus, Sylla, which are like except it happenedto be changedfor a mart honoura
Mnemon,Grypus,
and Callinicus,
amongthe bleappellation,
asMacedonicus,
Africanus.
Butit
Greeks. But the diversity of customs in this shouldbewellremarked,
that, undertheemperors,
the
respect,leavesmuchroom for fartherinquiry." Cognomen
wasoftenused
asa propername,
andbro-
therswere distinguishedby it, as Titus FlariusVet-
ButdidnotChance
atlength
hererrormend? pasianus,
andTitus FlaviusSabinus.
As to women, they had anciently their Prenomefu
Did no subverted empire mark his end? as well as the men, such as Caia, Lucia, &c. But af-
Did rival monarch! give the fatal wound ?
Orhostile
millions
press
himtotheground? terwards,
they
seldom
used
anyother
besides
thefamily
Hitfallwas
destined
toabarren
strand, name, asJulia,
were two sisters TuUia, and
in a house, the
the like. Where
distinguishing there
appeuV
A petty fortress, and a dubious hand.
tionswere major and minor; if a greaterDumber,
He left thenameat which the worldgrew pale,
Topointamoral,
oradorn
a tale! Johnson.Prima,
With Sccunda, Tertia,
respectto 8tc.
Ihemenwho hadonly two names,
* The Romanshad usuallythreenames,the Pra- a family might beso meanasnot to have(rainedth*
nomen,the Nomen,andIhe Cognomen. Cognomen;or theremight be to few of the family,
ThePranamen,asAulus,Cams,Decimus,wasthe that there wasno occasionfor it to distinguishthf
properor distinguishingnamebetweenbrothers,du- branches.
ring thetimeof therepublic. " Antigonusthe Finl waskilled at the battle of
Theffomenwasthefamilyname,
answering
to the Ipsus,
andDemetrius
theFirstlongkeptaprisoner
by
Grecianpatronymic!. For, u amongtheGreeks,the hii lon-
 CALUS MARIUS. 291

Grecianmanner,
hebarelyenteredthetheatrerejectit, andto citeManutto giveaccount
of
»nJsat down,andthenroseupanddepartedhis conduct.Sucha decreebeing made.
immediately.Therefore,
asPlatousedtosay Marius,whenheenteredthe senate,shewed
to Xenocntes the philosopher,who had a not the embarrassment
of a young man ad-
moroseandunpolished
manner," GoodXeno- vancedto office, without having lirst distin-
crates,
sacrifice
to theGraces;"soif anyone guished
himself,but assuming
beforehand
the
could havepersuaded Marius to pay his court elevationwhich his futureactionswereto give
to the Grecian Muses and Graces,he had him, he threatenedto sendCotta to prison,
neverbroughthis nobleachievements, both in if hedid not revokethe decree. Cotta turn-
war and peace,to so shockinga conclusion; ing to Metellus,and askinghis opinion,Me-
hehad neverbeenled, by unseasonable
am- teflusroseup andvotedwith theconsul.-
bitionandinsatiableavarice,to split uponthe Hereupon Marius called in a lictor, and
rocks of a savageand cruel old age. But orderedhim to take Metellus into custody.
this will soon appear from his actions them- Metellus appealedto the other tribunes, but as
selves. not oneof them lent him anyassistance,the
His parentswere obscureandindigentpeo- senategave way, and repealedtheir decree-
ple, who supported themselves by labour; his Marius, highly distinguished by this victory,
father's name was the same with his; his went immediately from the senateto theforwn,
mother was called Fulcinia. It was late be- and had his law confirmed by the people.
fore he cameto Rome, or had anytasteof the From this time he passedfor a man of in
"e&nementsof the city. In the mean time he flexible resolution, not to be influenced by fear
lived at Cirraeatum,* a village in the territory or respect of persons, and consequently one
of Arpinum: and his mannerof Jiving there that would provea bold defenderof the peo-
was perfectlyrustic, if comparedwith the ple's privilegesagainstthe senate. But this
leganceof polished life; but at the same time opinion was soon altered by his taking quite a
Jt-wastemperate, and much resembled that of different part.-For a law being proposed con
the ancientRomans. cerningthe distributionof corn,hestrenuously
He made his first campaignagainst the opposedthe plebeians,and carried it against
CcltiberianSjtwhen ScipioAfricanusbesiegedthem. By whichactionhegainedequalesteem
Numantia. It did not escapehis generalhow from both parties,as a personincapableof
far he was above the other young soldiers in serving either, against the jniblic advantage
courage;nor how easilyhe cameinto the re- WheiTKiBtriSunesfiipwasexpired,he stood
formation in point of diet, which Scipio intro- candidate for the office of chief idile. For
duced into the army; before almost ruined by there are two offices of atdilei; the one called
luxury and pleasure. It is said also, that he curulis, from the chair with crooked feet, in
encountered and killed an enemy in the sight which the magistrate sits while he dispatches
of his general; who therefore distinguished business;the oilier, of a degreemuch inferior,
him with many marks of honour and respect, is called the plebeian z <ii(c. The more honour-
one of which was the inviting him to his table. able aediles are first chosen, and then the
One evening the conversationhappenedto peopleproceedthe sameday to the electionof
turn uponthe great commandersthen in being, the other. When Marius found he could not
gome person :n the company, either out of carry the first, he dropped his pretension!
complaisanceto Scipio, or becanse he really there, and immediately applied for the second.
wanted to be informed, asked, " Where the But as this proceeding of his betrayed a dis-
Romans shouldfind suchanothergeneralwhen agreeableand importunateobstinacy,he mii- -
he wasgone."'uponwhich Scipio,puttinghis carriedin that also. Vet thoughhe wastwice
handon the shoulderof Marius, who sat next baffledin his applicationin one day (which
him, said,"Here, perhaps." So happywas never happenedto any man but himself,)he
the geniusof both thosegreat men,that the was not at all discouraged.For, not long
one, while but a youth, gave tokens of his after, he stood for the prstorship,Snd was
futureabilities,and the other from thosebe- near being rejectedagain. He was, indeed,
ginningscoulddiscoverthelongseriesof glory returnedlast of all, and then wasaccusedof
which was to follow. bribery. What contributed most to the suspi-
This sayingof Scipio's,we are told, raised cion, was, a servantof CassiusSabacobeing
the hopes of Marius, like a divine oracle, and seen between the rails, among the electors;
wasthe chief thingthat animatedhim to apply for Sabacowasan intimatefriend of Marius.
himself to affairs of state. By the assist- He was summoned, therefore,by the judges;
anceof Czcilius Metellus,on whosehousehe and, being interrogatedupon the point, he
had an hereditarydependence, he was chosen said, " That the heat havingmade him very
» tribune of the people4 In this office he thirsty, he askedfor cold water; uponwhich
proposeda law for regulatingthe mannerof his servantbroughthim a cup, andwithdrew
Toting, which tended to lessenthe authority of as goon as he had drank." Sabaco was ex-
the patriciansin mattersof judicature. Cotta pelled the senateby the neit censors,*andit
theconsul,therefore,
persuaded
the senate
to wasthoughthedeserved
thatmarkof infamy,
as having been guilty either of falsehood or
* Acorruption
of Ccrnetum.Plinytellsuj, thein-
habitants
of Cernehimwerecalled
Jnorvzni, undoubt- intemperance.Caius Herenniuswas also
edlyfromM'ATIUS their townsman,
wViohaddistin- cited as a witness againstMarius-, but he
guishedhimselfIB90extraordinary
a manner.Plin. alleged,that it wasnot customaryfor patrorn
lib.Hi.c.5. (so the Romans
call protectors)to give evi-
\ In thethird yearof Ihe hundredandliily-nrit dence against their clients, and that the law
Olympiad, one hundred and thirty-three years before
thebirthof Christ. " Probably
hehadoneof hij ilarcj tovotearaon?
I Onehundred and lerenteen ytan before Chriit. the freemen.
 292 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

excusedthem from that obligation. The prudence

andforesight,
andcontesting
it
judges were going to admit the plea, when the common soldiers in abstemiousnessand
Mariushimselfopposed
it, and told Heren- labour,
heentirelygained
theiraffections.For
nius,that when he was first createda magis- it is no small consolationto any onewho is
trate, he ceasedto behis client. But thiswas obligedto work, to seeanothervoluntarilytake
not altogethertrue. For it is not everyoffice a sharein his labour;sinceit seemsto takeoff
that freesclients and their posterityfrom the the constraint. There is not, indeed,a more
service due to their patrons, but only those agreeablespectacleto a Romansoldier,than
magistraciesto which the law gives a curule that of his generaleatingthe samedry bread
chair. Marius, however,duringthe first days whichhe eats,or lying on an ordinarybed,or
of trial, found that mattersran againsthim, assistinghis menin drawinga trenchor throw-
his judgesbeingveryunfavourable; yet, at last, ing upa bulwark. For the soldierdoesnot so
the votes proved equal, and he was acquitted much admire those officers who let him share
in their honour or their money, as those who
Li jus j,,,r-t.ir-,!ii|>
hf ilid nutilingto riis~ will partake
with himin labourordanger;
and
him to distinction. But, at the expiration of he is more attached to one that will assisthim
this office,the Farther Spainfalling to his lot, in his work, than to onewho will indulgehim
he is said to have cleared it of robbers. That in idleness.
provinceasyet was uncivilized andsavagein By thesestepsMarius gainedthe heartsof
its manners,and the Spaniardsthoughtthere the soldiers;his glory, his influence,his re-
wasnothingdishonourablein robbery. At his putation,spreadthroughAfrica, and'ertended
return to Rome, he was desirous to have his even to Rome: the men under his command
chare in the administration,but had neither wrote to their friends at home,that the only
riches nor eloquenceto recommendhim; though means of putting an end to the war in those
these were the instruments by which the great parts, would be to elect Marius consul. This
men of thosetimesgovernedthe people His occasionedno small anxietyto Metellus,but
nigh spirit, however, his indefatigable industry, what distressed him most was the affair of Tur-
andplain mannerof living, recommended
him pilius. This man andhis familyhadlongbeen
f o effectually to the commonalty, that he gained retainers to that of Metellus, and he attended
offices, and by offices power: so that he was him in that war in the character of master of
thoughtworthy the allianceof the Cxsars,and the artificers, but being,throughhis interest,
marriedJulia of that illustriousfamily. Cssar, appointedgovernorof the largetown of Vaca,
who afterwards raised himself to such emi- his humanity to the inhabitants and the unsus-
nence,was her nephew;and on accountof pecting opennessof his conduct,gave them
his relation to Marius, shewedhimself very an opportunityof deliveringup the place to
solicitousfor his honour,as we haverelatedin Jugurtha.* Turpilius, however, sufferedno
uis life. t injury in his person; for the inhabitants, ha»
Marius, along with his temperance,was ing prevailed upon Jugurtha to spare him,
possessedof great fortitude in enduring pain. dismissed him in safety. On this account ha
There was an extraordinary proof of this, in was accusedof betraying the place. Marius,
his bearing an operation in surgery. Having who wasone ofthe council of war, was not only
both his legs full of wens, and being troubled severe upon him himself, but stirred up most
at the deformity, he determined to put him- of the other judges; so that it was carried
self in the hands of a surgeon. He would not against the opinion of Metellus, and much
be bound,but stretchedout oneof his legsto againsthis will he passedsentenceof death
the knift; and without motion or groan, bore upon him. A little after, the accusation ap
the inexpressible pain of the operation in silence peared a false one; and all the other officers
and with a settled countenance. But when sympathized with Metellus, who was over-
the sur^on was going to begin with the other whelmed with sorrow while Marius, far from
leg, he would not suffer him, saying, " I see dissembling his joy, declared the thing wag
th' i-urr is i,nl iv ...rlli tin' ji.ini."' his doing, and was not ashamed to acknow-
All.Mil this Inn. l.'.i i.ilms Mrtrlliis llir Ccill- ledgein all companies,
e' That he hadlodged
sul,* beingappointedto the chief command in an avengingfury in the breastof Metellus,
the war against Jugurlha, took Marius vvith who would not fail to punish him for having put
him into Africa as one of his lieutenants. to death the hereditary friend of his family."
Marius, now finding an opportunity for great They now became open enemies; and one
actions and glorious toils, took no care, like day when Marius was by, we are told, that
nis colleagues,to contributeto the reputation Metellus said by way of insult, " You think
of Metcllus, or to direct his views to his ser- then, my good friend, to leave us, and go
vice; but concluding that he was called to the home, to solicit the consulship: would you
lieutenancy,not by Metellus but by Fortune, not be contentedto stay and be consulwith
who hadopenedhim an easywayanda noble this son of mine?" The son of Metellas
theatre for great achievements,exerted all wasthen very young. Notwithstandingthis,
jlis powers. That war presentingmanycriti- Marius still kept applying for leaveto bo
cal occasions,he neither declined the most gone, and Metellus found out new pre-
difficult service, nor thought the most servile tences for delay. At last, when there want-
beneathhim. Thus surpassinghis equalsin ed only twelvedaysto the election,hedismiss-
ed him. Marius had a long journey from the
* Q. CsEcilius
Metellus
wasconsul
withM. Juniui campto Utica, but he dispatchedit in two
Silanus,the fourthyear oftheouehundredandsixty-
KventhOlympiad,a hundredand sevenyearsbefore
the birth of Christ. In this expedition,he acquired ' Theyput the Romangarrisonto the sword,spsr
thesurname of Numidicus. ing Donebut Turpilius.
 CAIUS MARIUS. 293

days
me?
anight.At hi«arrival
onthecoastwhen
hebecame
a fugitive
anda wanderer,
heofferedsacrificebeforeheembarked; and andwasreduced tothenecessity
of applyingto
ihe divineris saidto havetold him, " That Bocchusas his lastresource,
that princere-
Heaven
announces
success
superior
to all his ceived
himratherasa suppliant
thanashis
nopes.Elevatedwiththispromise,
hesetsailson-in-law.When hehadhiminhishands he
»nd,having
afairwind,crossed
theseain four proceeded
in publicto intercede
withMarius
days.Thepeople immediately
expressed
theirin hisbehalf,
allegingin hisletters,
thathe
inclination
(orhim; andbeingintroduced by wouldnevergivemm up,but defendhim to
oneof their tribunes,he broughtmanyfalse the last. At thesametimein privateintend-
chargesagainst Metellus,in orderto securethe ing to betrayhim,he sentfor LuciusSylla,
consulshipfor himself;promising at the samewho wasquzstorto Marius,and had done
timeeitherto kill Jugurthaorto takehimalive. Bocchus manyservicesduringthewar.When
Hewaselected withgreatapplause, andim- Syllawascometo him,confiding in hishon-
mediately beganhis levies;in whichhe ob- our,the barbarian beganto repent, and often
"ervedneitherlaw nor custom;for he enlisted changedhis mind,deliberatingfor somedays
manyneedypersons,
andevenslaves* The whether heshoulddeliverupJugurtha orretain
generals
thatwerebeforehim,hadnotadmit- Syllatoo. At last,adheringto thetreachery
ted suchas these,but entrustedonly personshe hadfirst conceived,he put Jugurtha,alive,
of propertywitharmsaswith otherhonours,~~
intothehandsof Sylla.
Hence the first seeds of
considering that property as a pledge to the that violent and^
publicfor their behaviour. Nor was this the implacablequarrel, which almost ruined the
onlyobnoxious
thing in Marius. His bold Romanempire. For many,out of envyto
speeches,accompanied with insolenceand ill Mariua,weie willing to attribute this success
manners, gavethe patriciansgreatuneasiness.to Sylla only; and Sylla himselfcauseda seal
For hescruplednot to say," That he hadtak- to be made,which representedBocchusde-
enthe consulateasa preyfrom the effeminacylivering up Jugurthato him. This seal he
of the high-bornand the rich, and that he alwayswore,and constantlysealedhis letters
boastedto the peopleof his own wounds,not with it, by whichhe highly provokedMarius,
the imagesof others,or monumentsof the who was naturally ambitious,and could not
dead." He took frequent occasion, too, to endure a rival in glory. Sylla was instigated
mentionBestiaandAlbinus,generalswho had to this by the enemiesof Marius,who ascribed
beenmostlyunfortunatein Africa, as men of thebeginningandthemostconsiderable actions
illustrious families, but unfit for war, and con- of the war to Metellus, and the last and finish-
sequently unsuccessfulthroughwantof capaci- ing stroketo Sylla: that so the peoplemight
ty. Tlren hewouldaskthepeople," Whether no longeradmireandremainattachedto Ma-
theydid not think that the ancestorsof those rius,asthe mostaccomplished of commanders.
menwouldhavewishedrather to leavea pos- The danger,however,that approached Italy
terity like him; sincetheythemselves did not from the west,soondispersedall the envy,the
rise to glory by their high birth, but by their hatred,and the calumnies,which had been
virtueandgreatactions. Thesethingshesaid raised againstMariua. The peoplenow in
not out of merevanity andarroganceor need- want of an experiencedcommander,and
lesslyto embroilhimselfwith the nobility; but searchingfor an ablepilot to sit at the helm,
he sawthe peopletook pleasurein seeingthe that the commonwealth might bearup against
senate insulted, and that they measured the so dreadful a storm, found that no one of an
greatnessof a man'smind by the insolenceof opulent or noble family would standfor the
his language;andthereforeto gratify them,he consulship;andthereforetheyelectedMarias,"
sparednot the greatest men in the state. though absent. They had no sooner received
Upon his arrival in Africa, Metellus was the newsthatJugurthawastaken,than report*
quite overcome with grief and resentment, to were spread of an invasion from the Teutones
think that when he had in a manner finished and the Cimbri. And though the account of
the war, and there remained nothing to take but the number and strength of their armies seem-
the personof Jugurtha,Marius, who hadrais- e<?at first incredible,it afterwardsappeared
ed himselfmerelyby his ingratitudetowards short of the truth. For three thousandwel'-
him, shouldcometo snatchawayboth his vic- armedwarriorswere uponthe march,and the
tory and triumph. Unable,therefore,to bear womenand children, whom they had along
the sight of him, he retired, and left his lieu- with them, were said to be much more nume-
tenant Rutilius to deliver up the forces to rous. This vast multitude wanted lands on
Marius. But before the end of the war the which they might subsist,and cities wherein
divinevengeanceovertookMarius. For Sylla to settle; asthey had heardthe Celts, before
robbedhim of the glory of hiaexploits,as he them,had expelledtheTuscans,andpossessed
haddoneMetellus. I shall brieflyrelatehere themselves of the best part of Italy.f As for
the mannerof that transaction,havingalready these,who nowhoveredlike a cloud overGaul
givena moreparticularaccountof it in the andItaly,it wasnot knownwhotheywere,J
_Lfeof Sylla. orwhence
theycame,
onaccount
of theemail
5occhu9,
kingoftheupper
Numidia,
was * One
hundred
and
two
years
before
Christ.
father-in-law
toJugurtha.
Hegavehim,how- f Inthereign
ofTarquiniuj
Priscus.
ever,verylittle assistance
in thewar,pretending J TheCimbriweredescendedfromtheancient
Go-
that he detestedhis perfidiousness,while he menu*,or Celtcs;Cimri or Cimbribeingonly a
reallydreaded
theincrease
of hiepower. But harsher
pronunciation
ofGomerai.
Theywerein»U
probability
themostancientpeople
of Germany.
They
* Florusdoesnot sayhe enlisted
slave?,
but capitegavetheir nameto theCimbricaChersonesus,
which
cauoi,suchashavingnoestates,
hadonlytheirDameswas» kindof peninsulaeittndingfromthemoulhof
altered
intheregisters. theElbeintothenorthwi. Tt«ywere
all suppose^
204 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

commerce which they had with the rest of the had destroyed Rome, and laid waste a?
world, and the length of way they had marched. Italy.
It was conjectured, indeed, from the largeness The Romans,alarmed from all quarterswith
of their stature, and the bluenessof their eyes, this news, called Harms to the command, and
aswell as becausethe Germanscall banditti elected him a secondtime consul. It was,
cimbri, that they were some of those German indeed, unconstitutional for any one to be
nationswho dwell by live NorthernSea, chosenwhowasabsent,or who hadnot waited
Some assert, that the country of the Celts the regular time between a first and second
is of suchvast extent, that it stretchesfrom consulship;but the peopleoverruledall that
the Western ocean and most northern climes, was said against him. They considered,that
to the lake Maiotis eastward, and that part of this was not the first instance in which the
Scythia which borders upon Pontus: that law had givenway to the public utility; nor
therethe two nationsmingle,andthenceissue; wasthe presentQIMW^OD lessurgentthanthat,
not all at once,nor at all seasons,
but in the when,contrarytylaw* tney madeScipiocon-
spring of every year: that, by means of these sul; for then they were not anxious for the
annualsupplies,theyhad graduallyopenedsafetyof theirowncity,but onlydesirous
of
themselveiaway overthe greatestpart of the destroyingCarthage. Thesereasonsprevail-
European continent; and that, though they are ing, Marius returned with his army from Afri-
distinguished by different names according to ca, and entering upon his consulship on the
their tribes, yet their whole body is compre- first of January,whichthe Romansreckonthe
hended under the general name of Celto- beginningof their year,led uphis triumphthe
Scythi. sameday. Jugurtha,now a captive,was a
Others say, they were a small part of the spectacle as agreeable to the Romans, as it
Cimmerians,
well knownto theancientGreeks; was beyondtheir expectation;no one having
and that this small part quitting their native ever imagined that the war could he brought
"oil, or being expelled by the Scythians on ac- to a period while he was alive: so various was
count of some sedition, passedfrom the Palus the character of that man, that he knew how
Ma'dtis into Asia, under the conduct of Lyg- to accommodatehimself to all sorts of fortune,
damis their chief. But that the greater and andthroughall his subtletythere rana vein of
more warlike part dwelt in the extremities of courage and spirit. It is said, that when he
the earth near the Northern sea. These in- was led before the car of the conqueror, he
habit a country so dark and woody that the sun lost his senses. After die triumph he was
is seldomseen, by reason of the many high and thrown into prison, where, whilst they were in
ipreading trees, which reach inward as far as haste to strip him, some tore bis robe off his
the Hercynian forest. They are under that back, and others catching eagerly at his pen-
part of the heavens,where the elevation of the dants, pulled off the tips of his ears with them.
pole is such, that by reason of the declination When he was thrust down naked into the dun-
of the parallels, it makes almost a vertical geon, all wild and confused, he said with a
point to the inhabitants; and their day and franticsmile, " Heavens'.
howcold is this bath
night are of such a length, that they serve to of yours!" There struggling for six days, with
divide the year into two equal parts; which extreme hunger, and to the last hour labouring
gave occasion to the fiction of Homer concern- for the preservation of life, he came to suchan
ing the infernal regions. end as his crimes deserved. There were car-
Hence, therefore, these barbarians, who ried (we are told) in this triumph, three thou-
came into Italy, first issued; being anciently sand and seven pounds of gold, five thousand
called Cimmeni, afterwards Cimbri; and the seven hundred and seventy-five of silver bul-
appellation was not at all from their manners. lion, and of silver coin seventeenthousandand
But these things rest rather on conjecture than twenty-eight drachmas.
historical certainty. Most historians, however, After the solemnity was over, Marina as-
agree, that their numbers,insteadof being less, sembled the senate in the Capitol, where,
were rather greater than we have related. As either through inadvertency or gross insolence,
to their courage, their spirit, and the force and he entered in his triumphal rohe: but soon per-
"vivacitywith whichthey madean impression,ceivingthat the senatewasoffended,hewenl
we may compare them to a devouring flame. and put on bis ordinary habit, and then return-
Nothing could resist their impetuosity; all ed to las place.
that camein their way, were troddendown, When be set out with the army,be trained
or driven before them like cattle. Many re- his soldiers to labour while upon the road, ac-
spectable armies and generals* employed customing them to long and tedious marches,
by the Romans to guard the Trans-alpineand compellingevery man to carry his own
Gaul, were shamefullyrouted; andthe feeble baggage,and provide his own victuals. So
resistancethey madeto the first effortsof the thatafterwardslaboriouspeople,whoexecuted
barbarians,wasthe chiefthing that drew them readily andwithout murmuringwhateverthey
towards Rome. For, havingbeatenall they were ordered,were called JUarius's mulct.
met, and loaded themselveswith plunder, Some,indeed,give another reason,for toil
theydetermined
to settleDOwhere,till they proverbial
saying.Theysay,thatwhenScipio
besieged Numantia, he chose to inspect, not
the fiiur with the Cimmerianithat inhabitedthe only the armsand horses,but the verymulei
countries aboutthe PalusMsolia: whichit highly and wagons,that all might bo in readmesi
probable, both from the likenessof their names,and
fromthedt*e»
mlaiiU
ofGomer
havipg
spread
them-(Jscipio
waselected
consul
before
hewasthirty
"elveaoverall that northerntract yearsold, though the commonage requiredin th«
* CasaiusLongiuus,AurcUut,Scaurus,Czpio, and candidateswas forty-two, indeed,the people<i>»
f . -ilklllj. pen>ed with it in other ''niUuicei bciidei ll.u.
 CAIUS MARIUS. J>ft>

andgoodorder;on whichoccasion Marius The barbarians dividingthemselves

intotwo
broughtforthhishorsein finecondition,
and bodies,
it fell to thelotof theCimbrito march
his muletoo in belter case,and strongerand theupperway throughNoricumagainstCatu-
gentlerthanthoseof others.Thegenera),
lus,andtoforcethatpass;
whiletheTeutonci
muchpleased
withMarius's
beasts,
oftenmadeandAmbrones
tookthe roadthroughLiguria
mention of them; and hence those,who,by alongthe sea-coaat, in orderto reachMarius.
wayof raillery,praisedadrudgingpatientman, The Cimbri spentsometime in preparingfor
calledhim Marius's mule. their march: but the Tcutones and Ambrone*
On this occasion,it was a very fortunate setout immediately,andpushedforwardwith
circumstancefor Marios, that the barbarians, great expedition; so that they soon traversed
turningtheir courselike a refluxof the tide, the intermediatecountry,andpresentedto the
first invadedSpain. For this gave him time viewof the Romansan incrediblenumber of
to strengthenhis menby exercise,andto raise enemies, terrible in their aspect,and in their
and confirm their courage; and what was still voice and shouts of war different from all other
of greaterimportance,to shewthemwhathe men- They spreadthemselvesover a vast
himself waa. His severe behaviour, and in- extent of ground near Marius, and when they
flexibilityin punishing,when it had once ac- hadencamped,
they challenged
him to battle.
customedthem to rnind their conduct and be The consul, for his part, regardedthem not,
obedient,appearedboth just and salutary. but kept his soldierswithin the trenches,re-
When they were a little usedto his hot and buking the vanity andrashnessof thosewho
.violentspirit, to the harsh tone of his voice, wantedto be in action,and calling themtrai
andthe fiercenessof his countenance,they no tors to their country. He told them, "Their am-
longerconsideredhim asterribleto themselvesbition shouldnot now befor triumphsand tro-
but to the enemy. Above all, the soldiers were phies, but to dispel the dreadful storm that hung
charmedwith his integrity in judging; and this over them, and to saveItaly from destruction."
contributed not a little to procure Marius a These things he said privately to his chief offi-
third consulate. Besides,the barbarians were cers and men of the first tank. As for the com-
expected in thespring,andthe peoplewerenot mon soldiers,he made them mount guard by
willing to meetthemunderany othergeneral. turnsuponthe ramparts,to accustomthemto
They did not, however,comeso soonasthey bearthe dreadfullooksof the enemy,and to
ware looked for, and the year expired without hear their savagevoices without fear, as well
hisgettinga sight of them. The time of a new as to make themacquaintedwith their arras,
election coming on, and his colleague being and their way of using them. By these means,
dead,Marius left the command of the army to what at first was terrible, by being often looked
ManiasAquiUus,and went himself to Rome. upon,wouldin time becomeunanecting. For
Severalpersonsof great merit stoodfor the he concluded,
that with regardto objectsof ter-
consulate; but Lucius Saturninus, a tribute ror, novelty adds many unreal circumstances,
who led the people,being gained by Marius, in and that things really dreadful lose their effect
all his speeches
exhortedthemto choosehim by familiarity. Indeed,the daily sight of the
consul. Marius, for his part, desired to beex- barbarians not only lessened the fears of the
cused,
pretendingthathe did not want the of- soldiers,but themenacingbehaviourandintol-
fice: whereuponSaturninus called him a traitor erable vanity of the enemy, provoked their re-
to his country, who deserted the command in sentment, and inflamed their courage. For
suchtime of danger. It wasnot difficult to per- they not only plundered and ruiaed the adja-
ceivethatMarius dissembled,andthat the tri- centcountry,but advancedto thevery trenches
buneacteda bunglingpart, underhim; yet the with the greatestinsolenceandcontempt.
people considering that the present junctura Marius at last was told, that the soldien
requiredboth his capacityand goodfortune, ventedtheir grief in suchcomplaintsas these:
createdhim consula fourthtime, andappoint- "What effeminacyhas Marius discoveredin
edLutatius Catulushis colleague,a manmuch us,that he thus keepsus locked up,like so
esteemedby the patricians^and not unaccepta- many women, and restrains us from fighting?
ble to the commons. Come on; let us with the spirit of freemen,
Marius, beinginformedof the enemy'sap- ask him if he waits for othersto fight for the
proach, passedthe Alps with the utmost expe- liberties of Home, and intends to make use of
dition;andhavingmarkedout his campby the vis only as the vilest labourers,in digging
river Rhone,fortified it, andbroughtinto it a trenchesin carryingout loadsof dirt, andturn-
largesupplyof provisions:thatthe want of ne- ing the courseof rivers? It is for suchnoble
cessariesmight never compelhim to fight at a works as these, no doubt, that he exercisesua
disadvantage.
But asthe carr^e of provisions in suchpainful labours;and, when they are
by seawas tediousand very ex^".nsive,he found done, he will return and shew his fellow-citi-
a way to make it easyand very expeditious.zensthe gloriousfruits of the continuationof
The mouthof the Rhonewasat that time hispower. It is true,CarboandCffipiowere
chokedupwith mud andsand,whichthe beat- beatenby the enemy: but doestheir ill success
ingof theseahadlodged
there;sothat it was terrify him?SurelyCarboand Caepio
were
verydangerous,
if not impracticable,
for vesselsgeneralsas muchinferior to Marius in valour
"f burdento enterit. Marius,therefore,
set andrenown,as we are superiorto thearmy
hisarmy,nowquiteat leisure,to workthere; theyled. Belterit weretobeinaction,though
andhavingcaused a cutto bemade capable
of wesuffered fromit like them,thanto ait still
receiving large ships, he turned a great part and seethe destruction of our allies."
of theriverintoit; thusdrawingit toa coast, Marius;delightedwiththese
speeches,
talked
"wherethe opening to the seais easyandse- to themin a soothing
way. Hetoldthem,"It
cure, Tluscut(till retains IUBname wasnot-from anydistrustof themthat h»
 296 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

tat still, but that, by orderof certain oracles solvedto marchforward,concludingthat they
he waitedboth for the time and place whicl raightpassthe Alpsin full security.They pack-
were to ensurehim the victory." For he hac eduptheir baggage, therefore,andmarchedby
with him a Syrian woman,namedMartha theRomancamp.Then it wasthatthe immen-
"whowassaidto havethegift of prophecy.Sh( sity of their numbersappearedin the clearest
wascarriedaboutin a litter with greatrespec light from the length of their train, and the
and solemnity,and the sacrificeshe offeree time theytook up in passing;for it is said,that
were all by her direction. She had formerly though they moved on without intermission,
applied to the senate in this character, anc they were six days in going by Marina's camp.
made an offer of predicting for them future Indeed, they went very near it, and askedthe
events, but they refused to hear her. Then Romans by way of insult, "Whether they had
she betook herself to the women, and gavethem any commandsto their wives, lor they should
a specimenof her art. She addressedherself be shortly with them?" As soon as the barba-
particularly to the wife of Marius, at whose rians had all passedby, and were in full march,
feet she happened to sit, when there was a Marius likewise decamped,and followed; al-
combat of gladiators, and fortunately enough ways taking care to keep near them, and choos-
told her which of them would prove victorious ing strong placesat some small distanceforhii
Marius's wife sent her to her husband,who re- camp, which he also fortified, in order that he
ceived her with the utmost veneration, and pro- might pass the nights in safety. Thus they
vided for her the litter in which shewas gen- moved on till they came to Aqus Sextiae,from
erally carried. When she went to sacrifice, whence there is but a short march to the Alps.
"he wore a purple robe, lined with the same, There Marius prepared for battle; having
and buttoned up, and held in her hand a spear pitched upon a place for his camp, which wa«
adorned with ribbands and garlands. When unexceptionable in point of strength, but af-
they saw this pompous scene, many doubted forded little water. By this circumstance,they
whether Marius was really persuadedof her tell us, he wanted to excite the soldiers to ac-
prophetic abilities, or only pretended to be so, tion; and when many of them complainedof
and acted a part, while he shewed the woman thirst, he pointed to a river which ran closeby
in this form. the enemy'scamp, and told them, "That thence
But what Alexander at Myndos relates con- they must purchase water with their blood."
cerning the vultures really deservesadmiration. "Why then," said they, "do you not lead ui
Two of them, it seems,always appeared,and thither immediately, before our blood is quite
followed the army, before any great success, parched up?" To which he answered in a
being well known by their brazen collars. The softer tone, "I will lead you thither, but first
soldiers, when they took them, had put these let us fortify our camp."
collars upon them, and then let them go. From The soldiers obeyed, though with some re-
this time they knew, and in a manner saluted luctance. But the servants of the army, being
the soldiers; and the soldiers, whenever these in great want of water, both for themselvesand
appearedupon their march, rejoiced in the as- their cattle, ran in crowds to the stream, some
suranceof performing somethingextraordinary. with pick-axes, some with hatchets, and others
About this time, there happened many prod- with swords and javelins, along with their
igies, most of them of the usual kind. But pitchers; for they were resolvedto have water,
news was brought from Ameria and Tuder- though they were obliged to fight for it
tum, cities in Italy, that one night there were These at first were encountered by a small
Been in the sky spearsand shields of fire, now iarty of the enemy, when somehaving bathed,
waving about, and then clashing against each were engagedat dinner, and others were still
other, in imitation of the postures and motions lathing. For there the country aboundsin hot
of men fighting; and that, one party giving way, wells. This gavethe Romans an opportunity
and the other advancing, at last they all disap- of cutting off a number of them, while they
peared in the west. Much about this time too, were indulging themselves in those delicioui
there arrived from Pessinus, Batabaces,priest jaths, and charmed with the sweetnessof the
of the mother of the gods,with an account that jlace. The cry of those brought othersto their
the goddesshad declared from her sanctuary, assistance,so that it was now difficult for Ma-
"That the Romans would soon obtain a great rius to restrain the impetuosity of his soldiers,
and glorious victory." The senatehad given who were in pain for their servants. Besiden,
credit 1o his report, and decreed the goddess :he Ambrones, to the number of thirty thou-
a templeonaccountof the victory. But when sand,who were the besttroopstheenemyhad,
Batabaceswent out to make the samedeclara- and who had already defeated Manlius and
tion to the people,AulusPompeius,
oneof the spio, were drawn out, and stoodto their
tribunes, prevented him, calling him an impos- arms. Though they had overcharged them-
tor, anddriving him in an ignominiousmanner selveswith eating,yet the winetheyhaddrank
from the rostrum. What followed, indeed, lad given themfreshspirits; andtheyadvanc-
wasthe thing which contributedmost to the ed, not in a wild anddisorderlymanner,or
credit of the prediction,for Aulus had scarce with a confusedand inarticulate noise:but
dissolved
the assembly,
and reached his own >eating
theirarmsat regularintervals,
andall
house,whenhewasseizedwith a violentfe- ceeping
timewiththetune,theycameoncry-
»er,of which he died within a week. This ng out, Jlmbrones!Jlmbrones'. This they
was a fact universally known. did, cither to encourage each other, or to ter-
Marius still keepingclose,the Teutonesat- "ifythe enemywith their name.The Ligurisni
tempted to force his entrenchments; but being vere the first of the Italians that movedagainit
rer.eivedwith a showerof darts from the camp, hem: and when they heard the enemy cry
by whichtheylosta numberof men,theyre- Ambrones,
theyechoed
backtheword,which
 CAIUS MARIUS. 297

wasindeed theirownancientname.Thusthe patched his officers

throughthewholearmy,
"houtwasoftenreturned fromonearmytothe withordersthattheyshould standstillandwait
otherbeforetheycharged, and theofficers
on for the enemy.Whenthe barbarians were
both sidesjoiningin it, and strivingwhich withinreach,theRomans wereto throwtheir
shouldpronounce the wordloudest, addedby javelins,thencometo swordin hand;and
this meansto the courageandimpetuosityof pressing
uponthemwith their shields,pushed
theirtroops. themwithall their force. For he knewthe
The Ambrones wereobligedto passthe river, placewasso slippery, that the enemy'sblows
andthis broketheir order-,sothat, beforethey could have no great weight, nor could they
could form again,the Ligurians chargedthe preserveany closeorder, where the declivity
foremostof them, and thusbeganthe battle. of the groundcontinuallychanged their poise
The Romans came to support the Ligurians, At the same time that he gave these directions,
lad pouringdownfromthe higherground,hewasthefirs*thatsettheexample.For he
pressed
theenemyso hard,that theysoonput wasinferiorto nonein personal
agility,andin
themin disorder. Many of themjustling each resolution he far exceededthem all.
other on the banks of the river, were slain The Romans by their firmness and united
there,andthe river itself wasfilled with dead charge,kept the barbarians
fromascendingthe
bodies.Those who were got safeover not dar- hill, and by little and little forced them down
ingto makehead,werecutoffbytheRomans,into theplain. Theretheforemost
battalion*
astheyfledto theircampandcarriages.
There werebeginningto formagain,whenthe ut-
the womenmeetingthem with awordsand mostconfusiondiscovereditself in the rear.
axes,andsettingup a horrid and hideouscry, For Marcellus,who hadwatchedhis opportu-
fell uponthe fugitives,as well asthe pursuers, nity, as soonas he found,by the noise,whicb
the former as traitors, and the latter as ene- reached the hills where he lay, that the battle
mies.Mingling with the combatants,
theylaid was begun,with great impetuosityand loud
bold on the Koman shields,catchedat their shoutsfell uponthe enemy'srear, anddestroy-
swordswith their naked hands, and obstinate- ed a considerable number of them. The hind-
ly sufferedthemselvesto behackedin pieces. most being pushedupon those before, the
Thusthe battleis saidto have'beenfoughton whole army wassoonput in disorder. Thug
the banks of the river rather by accident than attacked both in front and rear, they could not
anydesignof the general. standthedoubleshock,but forsooktheir ranks,
The Romanyafterhavingdestroyed somany andfled.* The Romanspursuing,eitherkill-
of the Ambrones, retired as it grew dark; but ed or tookprisonersabovea hundredthousand,
thecamp
didnotresound
withsonjsof victory, andhavingmadethemselves
masters
of their
la might have beenexpecteduponsuchsuc- tents,carriagesandbaggage, votedasmanyof
cess.Therewereno entertainments, no mirth themas werenot plundered,a presentto Ma-
in their tents,nor, what is the mostagreeablerius. This indeedwas a noble recompense,
circumstance to the soldierafter victory, any yet it wasthoughtvery inadequate
to the gen-
Bound andrefreshing sleep.The nightwaspass- eralshiphe hadshewnin that great and immi-
edin the greatestdreadand perplexity. The nent danger.f
campwaswithouttrenchor rampart. There Otherhistoriansgive a differentaccount,
emained
yet manymyriadsof the barbarians
bothof thedisposition
of thespoils,and the
nnconquered;and suchof the Ambrones as es- number of the slain. From these writers w«
caped,mixingwith them, a cry was heardall learn,that the Massilianswalledin their vine-
night,notlike thesighsandgroansof men,but yards with the bonesthey foundin the field:
likethehowlingandbellowingof wild beasts.andthattherainwhichfellthewinterfollowing,
As this proceeded fromsuchan innumerable soakingin theiiioistureof theputrifiedbodies,
host,theneighbouring mountainsandthehol- thegrounl<vas so enriched by it, that it pro-
lowbanks of theriver returned
thesound,and docedthenextseason aprodigious crop.Thus
thehorriddinfilledthewholeplains.The Ro- theopinionof Archilochusis confirmed, that
mansfelt the impressions
of terror, andMa- fields are fattened with blood. It is observ-
riushimselfwasfilledwithastonishment
at the ed indeed,that extraordinary
rainsgenerally
apprehension
of a tumultuous night-engage-fall after great battles; whether it be, that
ment.However, thebarbarians didnotattack somedeitychoosesto washandpurify the
Ihem,eitherthat nightor nextday,butspentearthwithwaterfromabove,or whetherthe
thetimeinconsulting
howtodispose
anddrawbloodandcorruption,
bythemoistandheavy
themselves
upto thebestadvantage. vapours
theyemit, thickenthe air, whichis
In themeantime Marius observingthe slop- liable to bealtered by the smallestcause.
inghillsandwoody
hollows
thathungoverthe AfterthebattleMariua
selected
fromamong
enemy's camp,
dispatched
Claudius
Marcellusthearmsandotherspoils,
suchaswereelegant
withthreethousand
men,to lie in ambushandentire,and likely to makethe greatest
there
till thefightwasbegun,
andthentofall show
in histriumph.
Theresthepiledtogeth-
uportheenemy's
rear. Therestof histroopser, andofferedthemasa splendid
sacrifice
to
heordered tosa?andgoto restin goodtime.the gods.The armystoodroundthe pile
Next morning as soon as it was light he drew
npbeforethe camp, andcommanded
the cav- * This victorywasirainedthe(woodyearof th«
alryto marchintotheplain.TheTeutones
see-hundredandliity-nimhOlympiad.
Before
Christ,
ingthis,couldnotcontain themselves
norstay onehundred.
till all the Romans were come down into the t Andyet,theredocsnotappear
anythingreryei
traordinaryin thegrneralshipof Manuson this occa
plain,wheretheymightfightthemuponequal "inn. Theignorance
andrashness
of thebarbarians
terms,but arming hastilythroughthirst of ven- dideverythingin hisfavour. TheTeulones lostthe
geance,advancedup to the hill. Marm dis- bailie,
hills. asHaul*)-lostit at Kalkirk,byMlttnftiug lit
298 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

crownedwith laur:!; andhimselfarrayedin his hissoldiersshouldnot seemto fly, but to fol-

purplerobe, and girt after the mannerof the low their general.
Romans, took a lighted torch. Ho hadjust lift- The barbarians now assaulted and took the
ed it up with both handstowards heavenand fortress on the other side of the Athesis: but ad-
was going to set fire to the piles,whensome miringthebraveryof the garrison,whohadbe-
friendswereseengallopingtowardshim. Great havedin a mannersuitableto the glory of
silenceandexpectationfollowed. When they Rome,theydismissedthemuponcertaincon-
were comenear, theyleapedfromtheir horses, ditions,havingfirst madethemswearto them
andsalutedMariusconsulthe fifth time,deliv- upona brazenbull. In the battlethat followed,
ering him lettersto the samepurpose. This this bull was taken amongthe spoils,andis
addedgreatjoy to the solemnity,whichthesol- saidto havebeencarriedto Catulus'shouse,as
diersexpressed by acclamations and by clank- the first fruits of the victory. The countryat
ing their arms;andwhile the officerswerepre- present being without defence,the Cimbri
sentingMariuswithnewcrownsof laurel,he spread
themselves
overit, andcommitted
great
set fire to the pile, and finished the sacrifice. depredations.
But whateverit is, that will not permit usto Hereupon
Mariuswascalledhome.Whenbe
enjoy any great prosperity pure and unmixed. arrived, every one expected that he would tri-
but chequers human life with a variety of good umph, and the senatereadily passeda decreefor
andevil; whetherit befortuneor somechas- thatpurpose.However,hedeclinedit; whether
tising deity; or necessityand the nature of it wasthat hewasunwillingto deprivehismen,
things; a fewdaysafter thisjoyful solemnity, who hadsharedin the danger,of their part of
the sad newswasbrought to Mariusof what the honour,or that to encourage the peoplein
hadbefallenhis colleagueCatulus. An event, the presentextremity,hechoseto intrust the
which, like a cloud in £Tfernldstof a calm, glory of his formerachievementswith the for
brought fresh alarms upon Rome, and threat- tune of Rome, in order to have it restoredto
ened her with another tempest Catulus, who him with interest upon his next success. Hav-
had the Cimbri to oppose,cameto a resolu- ing madean oration suitableto the time, he
tion to give up the defenceof the heightslest wentto join Catulus,who wasmuchencourag-
he shouldweakenhimself by beingobligedto ed by his coming. He thensentfor his army
divide his force into many parts. He there- out of Gaul; and when it was arrived, he cross-
foredescended
quicklyfromtheAlps into Italy, edthe Po, with a designto keepthe barbarians
andpostedhis armybehindtheriver Athesis;* frompenetratinginto the interior partsof Italy
where he blocked up the fords with strong for- But they deferred the combat, on pretencethat
tifications on both sides, and threw a bridge they expectedthe Teutones, and that theywon-
over it; that so he might be in a condition to dered at their delay; either being really ignorant
succour the garrisons beyond it, if the barba- of their fate, or choosingto seemso. For they
rians should make their way through the nar- punishedthose who brought them that account
row passesof the mountains, and attempt to with stripes; and sent to ask Marius for lands
"form them The barbariansheld their enemies and cities, sufficient both for them and their
in such contempt, and came on with BOmuch brethren. When Marius inquired of the ambas-
insolence, that, rather to show their strength sadorswho their brethren were, they told him
and courage, than out of any necessity, they the Teutones. The assemblylaughed, and ME-
exposedthemselvesnaked to the showersof riusrepliedin a tauntingmanner,"Do nottrou-
enow;and,havingpushedthroughthe ice and bleyourselves aboutyourbrethren;fortheyhave
deep drifts of snow to the tops of the moun- land enough,which we havealready giventhem,
tains, they put their broad shields under them, and they shall have it for ever." The ambassa-
andso slid down in spiteof the broken rocks dors perceivingthe irony,answeredin sharp
andvast slipperydescents. and scurrilousterms,assuringhim, "That the
Whentheyhadencamped nearthe river,and Cimbri would chastisehim immediately,and
taken a view of the channel,they determined to the Teutones when they came." "And theyars
fill it up. Then they tore up theneighbouringnot far off," saidMarius, "it will be very un-
hills, like the giants of old; they pulled up kind, therefore,in you to go awaywithoutsa-
treesby the roots; theybrokeoff massyrocks, luting your brethren." At the sametime be
and rolled in hugeheapsof earth. Thesewere orderedthe kingsof theTeutonesto bebrought
to dam up the current. Other bulky materials,out, loadedastheywerewith chains:for they
besidesthese, were thrown in, to forceaway hadbeentakenby the Sequani,as theywere
the bridge, which being carried down the endeavouring to escape over the Alps.
ptrcamwith greatviolence,beatagainstthe As soonastheambassadors hadacquainted
timber,andshookthefoundation.
At thesight theCimbriwithwhathadpassed,
theymarched
of thistheRomansoldierswerestruckwith directlyagainstMarius,whoat thattimelay
terror, andgreat partof themquittedthecamp still, and keptwithin his trenches.It is report-
anddrew back. Onthis occasionCatulus,like ed that on this occasionhe contriveda new
an ableandexcellentgeneral, shewedthat he formfor the javelins. Till then theyusedto
preferredthegloryof hiacountryto hisown. fastentheshaftto theironheadwithtwoiron
Forwhei hefoundthathecouldnotpersuadepins. ButMariusnowlettingoneof themre-
hismento keeptheirpost,andthat theywere mainasit was,hadtheothertakenout,anda
desertingit in a verydastardly
manner,heor- weakwooden peg put in its place. By this
deredhisstandard to betakenup,andrunningcontrivanceheintended, thatwhenthejavelin
to the foremcstof the fugitives,
ledthemon stuckin theenemy's shield,it should
notstand
himself;choosingratherthatthedisgrace
should right out; but that, the woodenpeg breaking
fail uponhimthanuponhiscountry,andthat andtheironpin bending,
theshaftof thewe«
ponshouldbedraggedupontheground, while
" NowtheAdig» the point stuck lastin the shield.
 CAIUS MARIUS. 299
fJoiorU,
kingof theCimb-i,camenowwith enemy
; andhavingpassed
by their army,
small'
party
ofhorse
totheRomancamp,
andwandered aboutwithhistroops
alongtimein
challenged
Mariusto appoint
the timeandthefield. In themean
time,thegoodfortune
p'ace
where
theyshould
meetanddecide
it by of Catulus
directed
theenemyto him,andit
arms,to whomthe countryshouldbelong.washis legions(in whichSyllatells us he
Mariusanswered, "That the Romans never fought)to whoseJotthe chief conflictfell-
consultedtheir enemieswhento fight; how- The heatof theweather, andthe sunwhich
e/er,hewouldindulgetheCimbriinthispoint." shone
full in thefacesof theCimbri,foughtfor
Accordinglytheyagreedto fightthethirdday theRomans.Thosebarbarians, beingbredin
&j\er,andthattheplainof Vercellsshouldbe shadyand frozencountries, couldbearthe
thefield of battle,whichwasfit for the Roman severestcold, but werenot proofagainstheat.
cavalryto actin, andconvenient
for thebar- Theirbodiessoonrandownwithsweat;they
bariansto displaytheir numbers. drew their breath with difficulty, and wer*
Bothpartieskept their day,and drewup forcedto holdtheirshields
to shade
theirfaces
their forcesover againsteachother. Catulus Indeedthis battle was fought not long after
badunderhis commandtwentythousandand the summersolstice,and the Romanskeep a
three hundred men: Marius had thirty-two festival for it on the third day of the calendsof
thousand. The latter were drawn up in the August, then called Sextilis. The dust too,
two wings,and Catuluawas in the centre. which hid the enemy,helpedto encourage the
Sylla,who waspresentin the battle, givesus Romans. For as they could haveno distinct
this account; and it is reported, that Marius view of the vast numbers of their antagonists,
"nadethis disposition,in hopesof breakingthe theyran to thecharge,andwere cometo close
Cimbrian battalions with the wings only, and engagementbefore the sight of suchmultitudes
securingto himselfandhis soldiersthe honour couldgive themanyimpressions of terror. Be-
of the victory, beforeCatulus could have an sides,the Romanswereso strengthened by la-
opportunity to comeup to the charge;it being bourand exercise,that not one of them was
usual,in a largefront, for thewingsto advanceobservedto sweator beout of breath,notwith-
beforethe main body. This is confirmedby standingthe suffocatingheatand the violence
the defence which Catulua made of his own of the encounter. So Catulus himself is sav<lto
behaviour,in which he insisted much on the have written, in commendation of his soldiers.
malignant designs of Marius against him. The greatest and best part of the enemy's
The Cirobrian infantry marched out of their troops were cut to pieces upon the spot; those
trenches without noise, and formed so as to who fought in the front fastened themselvesto-
have their flanks equal to their front; each gether, by long cords run through their belts,'
side of the square extending to thirty furlongs. to prevent their ranks from being broken. The
Their cavalry, to the numberof fifteen thousand, Romansdrove back the fugitives to their camp,
issuedforth in great splendour. Their helmets where they found the most shocking spectacle.
representedthe headsand open jaws of strange The women standing in mourning by their
and frightful wild beasts: on these were fixed carriages, killed those that fled; some their
highplumes,which madethe men appeartaller. husbands, some their brothers, others their
Their breast-plates
wereof polishediron, and fathers. They strangledtheir little children
their shields were white and glittering. Each with their own hands, and threw them under
man had two-edgeddarts to fight with at a the wheelsandhorses'feet. Last of all, they
distance,andwhen theycame handto hand, killed themselves.They tell us of onethat
theyusedbroadand heavyswords. In this wasseenslungfrom the top of a wagon,with
engagementthey did not fall directly upon the a child hanging at each heel The men, fot
front of theRomans,but wheelingto theright, want of trees, tied themselvesby the neck,
theyendeavoured bylittle and little to enclose someto the hornsof the oxen,othersto their
the enemybetweenthem and their infantry, legs, and then pricked them on; that by the
who were postedon the left. The Roman startingof the beaststheymight be strangled
generals perceivedtheir artful design,but were or torn to pieces. But thoughthey were eo
not ableto restraintheir own men. Onehap- industriousto destroythemselves,abovesixty
penedto cry out,that the enemyfled,andthey thousandwere takenprisoners,and the killed
all setoff uponthepursuit. In the meantime, were saidto havebeentwice that number.
the barbarianfootcameonlike a vastsea. Ma- Marius'ssoldiersplunderedthe baggage;
but
lius havingpurified,lifted his handstowards the otherspoils,with the ensignsandtrumpets,
heaven,andvoweda hecatomb to the gode;and they tell ug, were brought to the camp of
Catulus,in thesameposture,promisedto con- Catulus;andhe availedhimselfchieflyof this,
secrate a temple to the fortune of that day. as a proof that the victory belonged to him. A
AsMariussacrificed on thisoccasion,
it is said, hotdispute,
it seems,
arosebetweenhistroopt
that the entrailswereno soonershewnhim, andthose of Marius,whichhadthebestclaim;
thanhe criedout with a loudvoice,"The and the ambassadors from Parma,whohap-
victory is mine." pened to be there, were chosen arbitrators.
However, when the battle was joined, an Catulus'ssoldiersled themto the field of battle
accident
happened,
which,as Syllawrites,*to seethedead,
andclearly
proved
thatthey
appearedto be intendedby Heavento humble werekilled by their javelins,becauseCatulus
Marius. A prodigiousdust, it seems,arose, had taken care to have the shaftsinscribed
whichhid both armies. Marius movingfirst with his name. Nevertheless,the whole
to thecharge,had themisfortune
to missthe honourof thedaywasascribed
to Marius,on
* It isa misfortune,
thatCatullus'!Historyof his * This waj an absurd
contrivance
to keeptheir
onsuUhip,
and a greater,that Sylla'i commentaries,ranlo. But theyintendedalaoto haveboundtheir
arc lost. prisoner! wilh the cord* after the battle.
 300 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

accountof his formervictory, andhis present andveracity,butparticularlyprejudiced

against
authority. Nay, suchwasthe applauseof the Marius, tells usheobtainedhis sisthconsulate
populace,that they called him the third found- by large sumswhich he distributed among tha
tr of Rome, ashaving rescuedher from a danger tribes, and having thrown out Metellus by dint
not lessdreadfulthanthat from the Gauls. In of money,prevailedwith themto electValeriuj
their rejoicingsat home with their wivesand Flaccus,ratherhieservantthan his colleague.
children, at supperthey offered libations to The peoplehad never before bestowedso
Marius alongwith the gods,and would have manyconsulates on any one man, exceptVa-
given him alone the honour of both triumphs. lerius Corvinus.* And there was this great
He declinedthis indeed,and triumphedwith difference,that betweenthe first andsixthcon-
Catulus, being desirousto shew his moderation sulate of Corvinus there was an interval of
after suchextraordinaryinstancesof success.forty-five years; whereasMarius, after hii
Or, perhaps,he wasafraidof someoppositionfirst, wascarriedthroughfive morewithoutin-
from Catulus'ssoldiers,who miyht not have terruption,by onetide of fortune.
suffered him to triumph, if he had deprived In the last of these he exposed himself to
their generalof his shareof the honour. much hatred,by abettingSaturninusin all his
In thismannerhis fifth consulatewaspassed.crimes; particularlyin his murderof Nonius,
And now he aspiredto a sixth,wilh morear- whomhe slewbecausehe washis competitor
dour thanany manhad evershewnfor hi,
hiu+forthetribuneship.Saturninus,
beingappoint-
first. He courtedthepeople,andendeavoureded tribuneof the people,proposed an Agrarian
to ingratiatehimselfwith the meanestof them law, in whichtherewasa clauseexpressly pro-
by such servile condescensions, as were not viding,"That thesenateshouldcomeandswear
only unsuitableto his dignity,but evencontrary in full assembly,
to confirmwhateverthepeople
to his disposition;assumingan air of gentle- shoulddecree,and not opposethem in any
nessandcomplaisance, for whichnaturenever thing." Marius in the senatepretended to de-
meanthim. It is said,that in civil affairsand clare againstthis clause,assertingthat, " He
the tumultuous proceedings of the populace, would never take such an oath, and that he be-
his ambition had given him an uncommonlieved no wise man would. For, supposing
timidity. That intrepidfirmnesswhichhedis- the law not a badone, it would be a disgrace
coveredin Battleforesookhim in the assembliesto the senateto becompelledto give sanction
of the people,andthe leastbreathof praiseor to a thing,which they should be broughtto
dislike disconcertedhim in his address. Yet only by choiceor persuasion."
we are told, that when he had granted the These,however,werenothisrealsentiments;
freedomof the city to a thousandCamerians,but hewaslayingfor Metellus an unavoidable
who haddistinguishedthemselves by their be- snare. As to himself,hereckonedthata great
naviour in the wars, and his proceedingwas part of virtue and prudenceconsistedin dis-
found fault with as contraryto law, he said, simulation,thereforehemadebutsmallaccount
" The law spoke too softly to be heard amidst of his declaration in the senate. At the same
the din of arms." However,the noisethathe time, knowingMetellusto beamanofimmove-
dreaded,and that robbedhim of his presenceable firmness, who, with Pindar, esteemed
of mind, wasthat of popularassemblies.In Truth the spring of heroicvirtue, he hoped,
war he easilyobtainedthe highestrank, be- by refusingthe oathhimself,to draw himin to
cause they could not do without him; but in refuse it too; which would infallibly exposehim
the administrationhe wassometimes
in danger to the implacableresentmentof the people.
of losing the honours he solicited. In these Tie event answered his expectation. Upon
cases he had recourse to the partiality of the Melellus's declaring that he would not take the
multitude; and hadno scrupleof makinghis oath,the senatew-asdismissed. A few days
honesty subservientto his ambition. after, Saturninus summoned the fathers to ap-
By thesemeanshe madehimselfobnoxiouspear in the Jorum, and swearto that article,
to all thepatricians.Buthewasmostafraid and Mariusmadehis appearance
among
the
of Metellus,whomhe hadtreatedwith ingrati- rest. A profoundsilenceensued,and all eyei
tude. Besides,Metellus was a man who, tere fixeduponhim, whenbiddingadieuto the
from a spirit of true virtue, was naturallyan finethingshebadsaidin the senate,hetold the
enemy to those who endeavoured to gain the audience, " That he was not so opinionated aa
populace by evil arts, and directed all their to pretend absolutely to prejudge a matter of
measuresto pleasethem. Marius, therefore, suchimportance,and thereforehe wouldtake
was very desirous to get him out of the way. the oath, and keep the law too, provided it waa
For this purposehe associatedwith Glaucias a law." This provisohe added,merelyto give
and Saturninus, two of the most daring and a colour,to his impudence, and was sworn im-
turbulentmenin Rome, who hadthe indigent mediately.!
and seditious part of the people at their com- * Valerius Corrinus was elected consul, when he was
mand. By their assistancehe got several laws only twenty-three yearsof age, in the year of Rome
enacted;and having plantedmanyof his sol- fourhundred andsix; andhewasappointed Consul
diers in the assemblies,
his factionprevailed, thesixthtimeiu the yearof Romefourhundred
and
and Metellus was overborne. fifty-two.
Rutilius,*
in otherrespects
a manof creditoffthe
ThusMarius
Roman made thefirst
constitution, step
which towards
happenedthe
not ruin
long
after. If the senate were to swrar to confirm what-
* P. Rutilius Rufus was Consul the year before the ever the people should decree,whether good or bad,
Kcond consulshipof Marius. He wrote his own life they ceasedto have a weight in the scale,and the gov-
0 Latin, and 3 Ruimin lii.itory in Greek. Cicero men- ernment becamea democracy. And as the peoplegrew
tion* him, on several occasions,as a man of honour so corrupt as to take the highest price that wasoffered
ind probity. He waseiiled six or sevenyearsafler them, absolutepowermust beadvancedwith hastj
the siith consulshipof Marius. SyUawould hare re- strides. Indeed, a nation whicli has no principle of
tailed biio, Lut he refused to rcturu. public virtue left, if Dotfit tc be governedbj anj olh«r
 CAIUS MARIUS. 301

Thepeople charmed wilhhis compliance,

wereall putto thesword.*Hewasnowbe-
expressed
theirsense
of it in loudacclama-
come
equally
odious
bothto thenobility
and
tion!; whilethepatricians
wereabashed,
andthecommons, so thatwhenthetimefor th«
held his double-dealing
in the highestdetesta- electionof Censors
cameon, contraryto e*
bon. Intimidatedby the people,theytook pectation, hedeclined offering
himselfandper-
theoath,however,in theirorder,till it camemittedothersof lessnoteto bechosen.But
to Metcllus. ButMetellus,thoughhisfriendsthoughit washisfearof a repulse that made
exhorted
andentreated himto beconformable, himsit still,hegaveit anothercolour;pretend-
andnotexpose himselftothosedreadful penal-ing hedidnot choose tomakehimselfobnox-
tieswhichSaturninius
hadprovidedfor suchas iousto the peopJe,
by a severeinspectioninto
refused,shrunk not from the dignity of hig reso- their lives andnianu£i£~
lution,nor took the oath. That greatman n edictwasnowproposed
for therecalof
tbodeby hisprinciples;he wasreadyto suffer Metellus. Mariusopposed it with all his pow-
the greatestcalamities,rather thando a dis- er; but finding his endeavoursfruitless, he
honourablething; andashe quittedtheforum, gaveup the point, and the peoplepassedthe
heiiaid to those abouthim," To do an til action bill with pleasure. Unable to bear the sight
is base;to do a goodone,whichinvolvesyou of Metellus,he contrivedto takea voyageto
in nodanger,is nothingmore than common: Cappadocia ajidGalatia,underpretenceof of-
butit is the property.ofagoodman,to do great feringsomesacrificeswhichhe had vowedto
andgoodtilings, thoughhe risks every thing the motherof the gods. But he hadanother
by it." reasonwhich was not known to the people.
Saturninusihen causeda decreeto be made, Incapable of making any figure in peace, and
that the conerIs should declare Metellus a per- unversedin political knowledge, he saw that
soninterdicte 1 the useof fire and water, whom all his greatnessarose from war, and that in a
DOmanshoulpadmitintohishouse.Andthe stateofinactionits lustrebegan
to fade. He,
meanestof the people, adhering to that party, therefore, studiedto raise new commotions. If
were ready e en to assassinatehim. The no- he could but stir up the Asiatic kings, and
bility nowanxiousfor Metellus,rangedthem- particularlyMithridates,who seemedmostin-
selveson his side; but he would suffer no se- clined to quarrel, hehopedsoon to beappointed
dition on hi account. Instead of that, be general againsthim, and to have an opportunity
adopteda wise measure,which wasto leave to fill the city with new triumphs,aswell asto
the city. " Flor," saidhe " either matterswill enrichhis ownhousewith thespoilsof Pontua
take a better turn, and the people repent and and the wealth of its monarch. For this rea-
recal me; oj if they remain the same, it will son, though Mithridates treated him in the po-
bebest to be.at a distance from Rome:" what litest and most respectful manner, he was not
regard and V'hat honours were paid Metellus in the least mollified, but addressedhim in the
during his banishment, and how he lived at following terms -"Mithridates, your buisness
Rhodesin tte study of philosophy, it will be is, either to render yourself more powerful than
more convenient to mention in his life. the Romans, or to submit quietly to their com "
Marius was so highly obliged to Saturninus mands," The king was quite amazed. He had
for thislastpieceof service,that he wasforced oftenheardof the libertyof speechthat pre-
to connive at him, though he now ran out vailed among the Romans, but that was the
into every act of insolence and outrage. He first time he experiencedit.
did not considerthat he was giving the reins to At his return to Rome, hebuilt a housenear
a destroyingfury, who was making his way in theybrumj either for the convenienceof those
blood to absolute power and the subversion of who wanted to -wait on him, which wa» the
the state. All this while Mariuswasdesirous reasonhe assigned;or becausehe hopedto
to keepfair with the nobility,andat the same havea greaterconcourse
of peopleat his gates
time to retain the good graces of the people; In this, however, he was mistaken. He hac1
andthis lednim to acta part,thanwhichnoth- not thosegracesof conversation,
thatengaging
ing can be conceivedmore ungenerousand de- address, which others were masters of; and
ceitful. Onenightsomeof thefirst menin the therefore,like a mere implementof war,he
state cameto his house,and pressedhim to wasneglectedin time of peace. He wasnot
declare against Saturninus: but at that very so much concerned at the preference given to,
time he let in Saturninus at another door un- others, but that which Sylla had gained, afflict-
knownto them. Then pretendinga disorder ed him exceedingly;becausehe wasrisingby,
in his bowels, he went from one party to the meansof the envy which the patricians bore
other: and this trick he played several times him, and his first step to the administration
over,still exasperating
bothagainsteachother. was,a quarrelwith him. But whenBocchus,
At lastthe senateandthe equestrianorderrose king of Numidia,now declaredan,ally of the
in a body,andexpressed their indignation in Romans,erectedin the Capitol s.omefigures
luch strongterms,that he wasobligedto send of Victory adornedwith trophies,and placed
a partyof soldiers
into the/brum,to suppressbythema setof golden
statues,
whichrepre-
the sedition. Saturninus, Glaucias, and the sented him delivering Jugurthi into the handa
tctt of the cabal, fled into the Capitol. There of Sylla, Marius was almost distracted. He
theywerebesieged,
andat lastforcedto yield considered
thisasanactbywhichSyllawant-
for wantof water,the pipesbeingcut off. edto robhimof thegloryof hisachievements,
When
theycouldholdoutnolonger,
theycall- andprepared
todemolish
these
monuments
by
ed for Marius,andsurrendered
themselves
to force. Sylla,onbispartasstrenuously
oppo
him upon the public faith. He Uie-1every art ged him.
to save them, but nothing would avail; they
>oteenercamedowninto\heforum,lhauthey " Tinpeople
despatched
theiririthclubjanditont%
\v
 802 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

This sedition was just upon the point of infirmitiesof age,wenteverydayintothe Cam-
flamingout, whenthe war of the allies inter- pus Martins; wherehe took the mostrobust
vened,*and put a stopto it. The most war- exercises alongwith the youngmen,andshew
like and mostpopulousnationsof Italy con- ed himselfnimblein his arms, andactiveon
spired againstRome, andwere not far from horseback,though his years had now made
subvertingthe empire. Their strengthcon- him heavyandcorpulent.Somewerepleased
sisted not only in the weaponsandvalour of with thesethings,andwentto seethe spirithe
their soldiers,but in the courageandcapacity exertedin the exercises. But the moresensi-
of their generals,whowerenot inferiorto those ble sort of people,whenthey beheldit, could
DC-Rome. not help pitying the avarice and ambition of a
This war, so remarkablefor the numberof man,who, thoughraisedfrompovertyto opu-
battlesandthe variety of fortunethat attended lence,andfromthemeanest
conditionto great-
it, addedasmuchto the reputationof Sylla,as ness,knewnot how to setboundsto his good
it diminishedthat of Mahus. The latter now fortune. It shockedthem to think, (hat this
seemed slow in his attacks, as well as dilatory man, instead of being happy in the admiration
in his resolutions:whetherit were,that age hehad gained,and enjoying his presentpos-
had quenched his martial heat and vigour (for sessionsin peace, as if he were in want of all
he wasnow abovesixty-fiveyearsold) orthat, things,wasgoing,at so greatanage,andafter
as he himselfsaid,his nervesbeingweak,and so manyhonoursandtriumphs,to Cappadocia
his body unwieldy,he underwentthe fatigues andthe Euxinesea,to fight, withArchelausand
of war, which werein fact abovehis strength, Neoptolemus, the lieutenantsof Mithridates.
merely upona point of honour. However,he As for the reasonthat Mariusassigned for thii
beat the enemyin a great battle, whereinhe step,namely,that he wantedhimselfto train
killed at leastsix thousand
of them,andthrough uphis sonto war, it wasperfectlytrifling.
the wholehe took careto givethemno advan- The commonwealthhad been sickly for
tage over him. Nay, he suffered them to draw some time, and now her disorder came to a
a lineabouthim,to ridicule,andchallengehim crisis. Marius hadfounda fit instrumentfor
to the combat,without beingin the leastcon- her ruin in the audacityof Sulpitius; a man
cerned at it. It was reported, that when Pom- who in other respects admired and imitated
pediusSilo, an officerof the greatesteminenceSaturninius,but considered him as too timid
and authority among the allies, said to him, and dilatory in his proceedings.Determined
"If you are a great general, Marius, come to commit no such error, he got six hundred
down andfightus:" he answered,"If you are menof the equestrianorderabouthim, ashis
^JB.
greatgeneral,Silo, makemecomedownand guard,whomhecalledhis Jinti-senate.
I 6ght." Another time, when the enemy gave One day while the Consulswere holding an
I the Romansa good opportunityof attacking assemblyof the people,*Sulpitiuscameupon
I them,andtheywere afraidto embraceit; after themwith his assassins.The Consulsimme-
I bothpartieswere retired,he calledhis soldiers diately fled, but he siezedthe son of one of
together,and madethis short speechto them them,and killed him on thespot. Sylla (the
-"I know not whichto call the greatestcow- other Consul)waspursued,but escapedinto
ards,the enemyor you; for neitherdarethey the houseof Marius,whichnobodythoughtof;
face your backs, nor you theirs." At last, pre- and when the pursuerswere goneby, it is said
tendingto be incapacitated for the service,by that Mariushimselflet him out at a backgate,
his infirmities,he laid downthe command. from whencehe got safeto the camp. But
"Yet when the war with the confederates Sylla, in his Commentaries,denies that he fled
drew to an end,andseveralapplicationswere to the houseof Marius. He writes, that he
made, through the popular orators, for the was taken thither to debate about certain
commandagainstMithridates,the tribuneSul- edicts, whichtheywantedhim to passagainst
pitius,a boldanddaringman,contraryto all hiswill; thathe wassurrounded with drawn
expectation,broughtforthMarius,andnomi-swords, andcarriedforciblytothathouse:and
natedhim Proconsulandgeneralin the Mithri- that at lasthe wasremovedfrom thenceto the
daticwar. The people,uponthis, weredi- forum, wherehewascompelled to revokethe
vided,someaccepting Marius,whileothersorderof vocation,fwhichhadbeenissuedby
calledfor Sylla,andbadeMariusgo to the himandhiscolleague.
warm bathsof Baiaefor cure,since,by his Sulpitius,now carryingall beforehim,de-
own confession,he was quite worn out with creed the commandof the army to Marius;
ageanddefluxions.It seems, Mariushada andMarius,preparing for hismarch,senttwo
line "ciliaat Misenum,moreluxuriously
and tribunesto Sylla,with ordersthat heshould
effeminately furnishedthan becamea man deliverup the armyto them. But Sylla,in-
who had been at the head of so many armies, stead of resigninghis charge,animatedhis
andhaddirected somanycampaigns.Corne-troopsto revenge, andledthem,tothenumber
lia is saidto haveboughtthis housefor sev-of thirtythousandfootandfivethousand
horse,
enty-fivethousand drachmas;yetnolongtime directlyagainstRome. As for the tribune*
alter, LuciusLucullusgavefor it five hun- whomMariushadsentto demand thearmyot
dredthousand two hundred:to sucha height Sylla,theyfell uponthem,andcut themin
did expense and luxury rise in the course of a
fqw years. " SyllaandPompeiiuRufuswereConsuls.It wii
the son of the latter that was alain.
Marius, however, affecting to shake off the t Ifthat order hadnot beenrevoked,nopublicbu»
" Thii wasalso calledthe Martian war. It broke nesscouldhavebeendone; consequently, Mariuscould
out IDthelit hundredandmty leccmdyearof Rome notharebeenappointedo thecommand againstMilh-
Vule Ftor. 1. m. c. 16. ridatcj.
 LYSANDER. 309
thearmyat Samos
too,hequitted
it, andwith-abjectattendance
at thedoors
of barbarians,
drewto Chersonesus. Thisbattle,thoughnot whobadindeed
a greatdealof gold,butnoth-
considerable
in itself,wasmadesobythemis- ing elseto boastof. Necessity, however,
fortunesof Alcibiades. forcedhim into Lydia; wherehe wentdirectly
Lysander
nowinvitedtoEphesus theboldestto thepalaceof Cyrus,andbadetheporter*
andmostenterprisinginhabitants
of theGreek tell him,thatCallicratidas,
theSpartan
admi-
citiesin Asia,and sowedamongthemthe ral, desiredto (peakto him. " Stranger,"
seedsof those aristocratical forms of govern-
ment which afterwards took place. He en-
couraged them to enter into associations,and
to turntheirthoughtstopolitics,uponpromiseheretill he hasdone." But whenhe found
thatwhenAthens wasoncesubdued, thepopu-that thesepeopleconsidered
himas a rustic,
lar governmentin theircitiestooshould
bedis- andonlylaughedat him,hewentaway. He
solved,andthe administrationvestedin them. camea secondtime, andcouldnot gainadmit-
His actions gave them a confidence in his pro- tance. And now he could bear it no longer,
mise. For those who were alreadyattached but returnedto Ephesus,ventingexecrations
to him byfriendshipor the rightsof hospitality, againstthosewho first cringed to the barba-
be advanced to the highest honours and em- rians, and taught them to be insolent on ac-
ployments;
notscrupling
to join withthemin countof theirwealth. At the sametimeho
anyact of fraud or oppression,
to satisfytheir irotested,that as soonas he was got back to
avarice and ambition. So that every one en- iparta, he would use his utmost endeavoursto
deavoured to ingratiatehimselfwith Lysander; reconcilethe Greciansamongthemselves, and
to him theypaid their court; theyfixed their to makethemformidableto the barbarians,in-
heartsuponhim; persuadedthat nothingwas steadof their poorlypetitioningthose people
too greatfor themto expect,while he hadthe for assistanceagainsteach other. But this
management of affairs. Hence it was, that Callicratidas,who had sentimentseo worthy
from the first they lookedwith an ill eye on of a Spartan,andwho,in point of justice,mag-
Callicratidas, who succeededhim in the com- nanimity, and valour, was equal to the best of
mand of the fleet: and though they afterwards the Greeks, fell soon after in a sea fight at
found him the best and most upright of men, Arginuss, where he lost the day.
theywerenot satisfiedwith his conduct,which Affairs beingnow in a decliningcondition,
theythoughthadtoo muchof the Doric* plain- the confederates sentan embassyto Sparta,to
nessand sincerity. It is true, they admired desirethat the commandof the navymightbe
the virtue of Callicratidas, as they would the restored to Lysander, promising to support the
beautyof somehero'sstatue;but they wanted causewith muchgreatervigour,if he had the
the countenance,
the indulgence,andsupport directionof it. Cyrus,too, madethe samere-
they had experienced in Lysander, insomuch quisition. But as the law forbade the same
that when he left them, they were quite de- personto be chosenadmiraltwice,andyet the
jected, and melted into tears. Lacedaemonianswere willing to oblige their
Indeedhe took everymethodhe couldthink allies,theyvesteda nominalcommandin one
of to strengthentheir aversion to Callicratidas. Aracus, while Lysander, who was called lieu-
He even sent back to Sardis the remainder of tenant, had the power. His arrival was very
the money which Cyrus had given him for the agreeableto those who had, or wanted to have,
supplyof the fleet, andbadehiasuccessor
go the chiefauthorityin the Asiatic cities: for he
and ask for it, as he had done, or contrive had long given them hopes,that the democracy
someother meansfor the maintenance of his would be abolished, and the government de-
forces. And when hewag uponthe point of volveentirely uponthem.
sailing, he made this declaration, "I deliver As for those who loved an open and gener-
to you a fleet that is mistress of the seas." ousproceeding,when they comparedLysander
CiUicratidas, willing to shew the insolence and and Call'cratidas, the former appearedonly a
vanityof his boast,said, " Why do not you man of craft and subtlety,who directedhie
then take Samoson the left, and sail round to operations by a set of artful expedients, and
Miletus,anddeliverthe fleetto me there?for measured
the valueof justiceby the advantage
we neednot be afraid of passingby our enemies it brought: who, in short, thought interest the
in that island if we are mastersof the seas." thing of superior excellence, and that nature
Lysandermade only this superficialanswer, had made no difference betweentruth and
"You have the commandof the ships,and falsehood,but eitherwas recommended by it*
not I;" and immediatelysetsail for Pelopon- use. When he was told, it did not become
Desus. the descendantsof Herculesto adoptsuchart
Calhcratidaswas left in great difficulties. ful expedients,
he turnedit off with a jest, and
For hehad not broughtmoneyfromhomewith said, "Where the lion's skin falls short, it
him, nor did he chooseto raise contributions must be eked out with the fox's."
from the cities, which were already distressed. There was a remarkable instance of thi«
The only wayleft, therefore,wasto go, asLy- subtlety in his behaviourat Miletus. His
sanderhaddone,and begit of the king's lieu- friendsand otherswith whomhe had con-
tenants.Andnoonewasmoreunfitfor such nexionsthere,who hadpromisedto ajiplish
an office, than a man of his free and great the populargovernment,
and to drive out all
spirit, who thoughtany lossthat Greciansthatfavoured
it, hadchanged
theirminds,and
might sustainfrom Grecians,preferableto an reconciledthemselves
to their adversaries.Iii
* Dacier
refers
thistotheDorian
music.
Butthepublichepretended
torejoice
attheevent,
and
hada simplicityiij them,u well asthe to cementthe union; but in privatehe loaded
Doric manners
them with reproaches,and excited them to
910 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

attacktnecommons.However,whenheknew suadedthe peopleto make a decreethat the

the tumult was begun, he entered the city in prisonersof war should have their right thumb
haste,andrunningup to the leadersof the se- cut off, that theymightbe disabledfromhand-
dition, gave them a severe reprimand,and ling a pike, but still beserviceableat the oars.
threatened
to punishthemin an exemplaryFor the present
theyall wentto rest,in
manner. At the same time, he desiredthe hopesof comingto an action next clay. But
people to be perfectlyeasy,and to fear no Lyeanderhadanotherdesign. He command
fartherdisturbance
whilehewasthere. In all ed the seamen
andpilotsto goon board,as
which he actedonly like an artful dissembler,if he intendedto fight at breakof day. These
to hinderthe headsof the plebeianpartyfrom were to wait in silencefor orders,the land
quitting the city, and to make sure of their forceswereto formonthe shore,andwatchthe
beingput to the sword there. Accordingly signal. At sunrisethe Atheniansdrew up in
therewasnot a manthat trustedto his honour, a line directlybeforethe Lacedemonians, and
who did not losehis life. gavethe challenge. Lysander,thoughhe had
There is a saying,too, of Lysander's,re- mannedhis shipsovernight, and stoodfacing
corded by Androclides, which shews the little the enemy, did not accept of it. On the con-
regard he had for oaths: " Children," he said, trary, he sent orders by his pinnacesto those
" were to be cheated with cockalls, and men ships that were in the van, not to stir, but to
with oaths." In this he followed the example keep the line without making the least motion.
of Polycrates of Samoa; though it ill became a In the evening, when the Athenians retired,
general of an army to imitate a tyrant, and he would not suffer one man to land, till two
was unworthy of a Lacedaemonianto hold the or three galleys which he had sent to look out,
gods in a more contemptible light than evenhis returned with an account that the enemywere
enemies. For he who overreachesby a false disembarked. Next morning they rangedthem-
oath, declares that he fears his enemy, but selves in the same manner, and the like was
despiseshis God. practised a day or two longer. This madethe
Cyrus, having sent for Lyeander to Sardis, Athenians very confident; they consideredtheir
presented him with great sums, and promised adversariesas a dastardly set of men, who durst
more. Nay, to shew how high he wae in his not quit their station.
favour, he went so far as to assure him, that, Meanwhile, Alcibiades, who lived in a cas-
if his father would give him nothing, he would tle of his own in the Chersonesus,rode to the
supplyhim out of hisown fortune;andif every Atheniancamp,and representedto the gene
thing elsefailed,he would meltdown the very rals two materialerrorstheyhad commmitted
throne on which he sat when he administered The first was, that they had stationed theii
justice, and which was all of massygold and ships near a dangerous and naked shore: the
silver. And when he went to attend his father other, that they were go far from Sestos, from
in Media, he assigned him the tribute of the whence they were forced to fetch all their pro-
towns, and put the care of his whole province visions. He told them, it was their business
in his hands. At parting he embraced, and to sail to the port of Sestos, without loss of
entreated him not to engage the Athenians at time; where they would be at a greater dis-
sea before his return, because he intended to tance from the enemy, who were watching
bring with him a great fleet out of Phoenicia their opportunity with an anny commandedby
and Cilicia. one man, and so well disciplined, that they
After the departure of the prince, Lysandcr would execute his orders uponthe least signal.
did not choose to fight the enemy, who were These were the lessons he gave them, but
not inferior to him in foroe, nor yet to lie idle they did not regard him. Nay, Tydeus said,
with such a number of ships, and therefore he with an air of contempt, " You are not general
cruisedabout and reducedsomeislands. JEgina now, but we." Alcibiades even suspectedsome
and Salamis he pillaged; and from thence sail- treachery, and therefore withdrew.
ed to Attica, where he waited on Agis, who On the fifth day, when the Athenians had
was come down from Decclea to the coast, to offered battle, they returned, as usual, in a
shew his land forces what a powerful navy careless and disdainful manner. Upon this,
there was, which gave them the command of Lysander detached some galleys to observe
the seas in a manner they could not have ex- them; and ordered the officers, as soon as they
pected. Lysander,however,seeingthe Athe- sawthe Athenianslanded,to sail backas fast
nians in chaseof him, steeredanotherway as possible;and when theywere comehalf
back through the islands to Asia. As he way, to lift up a brazenshield at the headof
foundthe Hellespontunguarded,he attacked eachship,as a signalfor him to advance.He
LampsacuBby sea, while Thorax made an as- then sailed through all the line, and gave in-
saultuponit by land; in consequence
of which structionsto the captainsandpilotsto haveall
the city was taken, and the plunder given to their men in good order, as well mariners as
the troops. In the meantime theAtheniansoldiers;and,when the signalwasgiven,
fleet,which consisted
of a hundredand twenty to pushforwardwith the utmostvigouragains*
ships, had advanced to Eleue, a city in the the enemy. As soon, therefore, as the sig
Chersonosus.There gettingintelligencethat nal appeared, the trumpet soundedin the ad
Lampsatuswas lost, they sailedimmediately miral galley,the-shipsbeganto moveon, and
to Sestos; where they took in provisions, and the land forces hastened along the shore to
then proceeded
to .EgoePotamos. They were stiie the promontory. The spacebetween
now just oppositethe enemy,who still lay at the two continentsin that placeis fifteenfur-
anchor near Lampsacus. The Athenians were longs, which was soon overshot by the dili-
under the command of several officers, among genceand spirits of the rowers. Conon, the
whom Philocle*wasone; the tamewho per- Athenian general,was the first that descried
 LYSANDER. 311
themfromland,andhastened
to gethismenry fire,thatgooutthemoment
theyarekin
on board. Sensible
of theimpending
danger died;nor yet a quantityof ail burstingout
"omehecommanded, someheentreated,
am fromsomecompression, andtakingfirein the
others
he forced
intotheships.Butall his upper
region;
butthattheyarereallyheavenly
"endeavours
were in vain. His men,not in bodies,which,fromsomerelaxation
of thera-
theleastexpecting
a surprise,
weredispersec
pidityof theirmotion,
or by someirregular
upanddown,somein themarket-place, someconcussion,
areloosened,andfall,notsomuch
in thefield;somewereasleepin their tents uponthehabitablepart of theglobe,as into
andsomepreparing tnc><
dinner. All thiswas theocean,
whichis thereason that their sub-
owing to the inexperience of their command- stance is seMomseen.
ers,whichhadmade themquite regardless
of Damachus,*however,in histreatiseconcern-
whatmighthappen.Theshouts andthenoiseing religion,confirms
theopinionof Anaxago
of theenemyrushingon to theattack were ras. He relates,
thatfor seventy-five
daysto-
now heard,when Cononfled with eight ships, gether,before that stonefell, there was seen
andescapedto Evagoras, king of Cyprus.in theheavens a largebodyof fire,like anin-
ThePcloponnesians
fell uponthe rest, took flamedcloud,notfixedtooneplace,butcarried
thosethatwereempty,anddisabled
theothers,thiswayandthat witha brokenandirregular.
as the Athenianswereembarking. Their sol- motion; andthat by its violent agitation,sev-
diers, coming unarmedand in a straggling eral fiery fragmentswereforcedfromit, which
mannerto defendthe ships,perishedin the at- wereimpelledin variousdirections,anddarted
tempt,and those that fled were slain by that with the celerity and brightnessof so many
part of the enemywhichhad landed. Lysan- falling stars. After this body was fallen in
dertook threethousandprisoners,and seized the Chersonesus, andthe inhabitants,recovered
the wholefleet,exceptthe sacredgalleycalled from their terror, assembled to see it, they
Peralus, and those that escapedwith Conon. could find no inflammable matter, or the least
Whenhe hadfastened the captive galleysto sign of fire, but a real etone,which, though
hisown, andplunderedthe camp,he returned large, was nothing to the size of that fiery
to Lampsacus,accompaniedwith the flutes globetheyhadseenin the sky, but appeared
andsongsof triumph. This great action cost only as a bit crumbledfrom it. It is plainthat
him but little blood; in onehourheput anend Damachusmust have very indulgentreaders,
to a longandtediouswar,* whichhadbeendi- if this accountof his gainscredit. If it is a
versifiedbeyondall othersby an incredible true one, it absolutelyrefutes thosewho say,
variety of events. This cruel war, which had that this stone was nothing but a rock rent by
occasioned
so manybattles,appearedin such a tempestfrom the top of a mountain;which
different forms, produced such vicissitudesof after being borne for some time in the air by a
fortune, and destroyed more generals than all whirlwind, settled in the first place where the
the wars of Greece put together, was termin- violence of that abated. Perhaps, at last, thii
ated by the conduct and capacity of one man. phenomenon,which continued so many days,
Some,therefore,esteemed
it the effectof a di- wasa real globeof fire; and whenthat globe
vire interposition. There were those who came to disperse and draw towards extinction,
said,that the stars of Castor and Pollux ap- it might causesucha changein the air, and
pearedon each side of the helm of Lysander's produce such a violent whirlwind, as tore the
»hip, when he first set out against the Athe- stone from its native bed, and dashedit on the
nians. Others thought that a stone which, ac- plain. But these are discussions that belong
cording to the commonopinion, fell from :o writingsof anothernature.
heaven,wasanomenof thisoverthrow.It fell When the three thousandAthenianprison
at -32gos Potamos, and was of a prodigious ers were condemnedby the council to die, Ly
"ize. The people of the Chersonesnshold it sandercalled Philocles, one of the generals,and
in greatveneration,and shewit to this day.f askedhim what punishmenthe thought he
It is saidthatAnaxagoras hadforetold,that one deserved,who hadgivenhis citizenssuchcruel
of thosebodieswhich arefixedto the vault of advice with respect to the Greeks. Philo
heavenwould one day be loosenedby some cles, undismayed by his misfortunes,
made an-
"hock or convulsionof thewholemachine,and swer,"Do not start a question,wherethere
fall to the earth. For he taughtthat the stars is no judge to decide it; but now you are a
ate not now in the placeswhere they were conqueror,proceedas you would have been
originally formed; that being of a stony sub- Droceeded with, had you been conquered."
fianceandheavy,the light theygive is causedAfter this he bathed,anddressedhimself in a
only by the reflection and refraction of the rich robe,and thenled his countrymento exe
ether; and that they are carried along, and cution, being the first, accordingto Theo-
kept in their Dibits,by the rapidmotionof the ihrastus,who offeredhisneckto the axe.
heavens,whichfromthe beginning, whenthe Lysandernextvisitedthe maratime towns,
coldponderous bodies
wereseparated fromthe and orderedall the Athenianshefound,upon
rest,hindeiedthemfromfalling. Jainof deathto repairto Athena Hisdesign
But thereis another
andmoreprobable opin-was,that the crowdshe droveinto thecity
ion, whichholds,that falling starsare not mightsoonoccasion a famine,andsoprevent
emanationsor detached partsof theelementa-hetroubleof a longsiege, whichmust have
>«enthe case,if provisions
hadbeenplentiful.
* Thiswarhadlasted
twenty-jtvcn
years. Wherever he came,he abolishedthe demo-
f This victory was gainedthe fourth year ot the
ninety-third
Olymyiad,
fourhundred
andthree
years " NotDamachuj,
butDiaroachui
of Plataea,
avery
kefore
thebirthof Christ.Andit is pretendedthat abulom
writer,andignorant
of themathematics:
in
Anaiagorn
haddelivered hiaprediction lixtv-twowhich,
aswellashistory,
hepretended
togreat
know
fearibefore
thebattle. fUn. xj, 58. edge.Strak.lib. i.
 312 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

eralic, and other forms of government, and set aible. The real decreeof the ephori ran thus:
Up a Lacedaemoniangovernor,called Harmos- "The Lacedaemonianshave come to theseres-
tes, assistedby ten Archons,who were to be olutions:You shallpull down the Pirsui and
drawnfromthesocieties he established.These the longwalls; quit all the cities you are pot-
changeshe madeaa he sailed about at his sessed of, and keepwithin the boundsof At-
'eisure,not only in the enemy'scities,but in tica. On these conditions you shall hare
thoseof his allies,andby thismeansin a man- peace,providedyou pay what is reasonable,
ner engrossedto himself the principality of all and restorethe exiles.* As for the number of
Greece. For in appointinggovernorshe had shipsyou are to keep,you must complywitk
no regard to family or opulence,but chose the orderswe shallgiveyou."
themfrom amonghis ownfriends,or out of the The Athenians submittedto thisdecree,upon
brotherhoods he had erected, and invested the advice of Theramenes,the son of Ancon.f
themwith full power of life and death. He Onthisoccasion,we aretold, Cleomencs, one
even assistedin person,at executions,and of the young orators, thus addressedhim:
droveout all that opposedhia friendsandfa- "Dare you go contraryto the sentiments of
vourites.Thus he gave the Greeksa very in- Themistocles, by deliveringup thosewallato
differentspecimenof the Lacedzmoniangov- the Lacedsemonians, whichhebuilt in defiance
ernment.Therefore,Theoppmpus,* the comic of them?" Therameneaanswered,"Young
writer, wasunder a great mistake,when he man,I do not in the leastcounteractthe inten-
compared the Lacedaemoniansto vintners, who tion of Themistocles; for he built the walls for
at first gaveGreecea delightfuldraughtof lib- the preservation
of the citizens,andwe for the
erty, but afterwardsdashedthe wine with vin- samepurposedemolishthem. If walls only
egar. The draughtfrom the beginningwas couldmakea city happyand secure,Sparta,
disagreeable andbitter; for Lysandernot only whichhasnone,wouldbethe unhappiest in the
took the administration out of the hands of the world."
people,but composed his oligarchiesof the After Lysander had taken from the Athe-
boldestandmostfactiousof the citizens. niansall their shipsexcepttwelve, and their
When he had dispatchedthis business,fortificationswere deliveredup to him,heen-
whichdid not takeup any long time, he sent tered the city on the sixteenthof the month
messengersto Lacedaemon,with an account Munychion (April); the very day they had
that he waa returning with two hundred ships. overthrown the barbariansin the naval fight at
He went, however,to Attica, wherehejoined Salamis. He presentlyset himself to change
the kings Agio and Pausanias,in expectation their form of government: and finding that the
of the immediate surrender of Athens. But people resented his proposal, he toW them,
findingthat the Atheniansmadeavigorousde- "That they had violated the termsof their
fence, hecrossedover again to Asia. There he capitulation; for their walls were still standing,
made the samealteration in the government of after the time fixed for the demolishing of them
cities, and set up his decemvirate, after having was passed; and that, since they had broken
lacrificed in each city a number of people, and the first articles, they must expect new onei
forcedothersto quit their country. As for the from the council." Somesay, he really did
Samians,the expelledthemall, anddelivered propose,in the councilof the allies,to reduce
their towns to the personswhom they had the Atheniansto slavery;and that Erianthus,
banished.And when hehad taken Sestosout a Thebanofficer,gaveit as his opinion, that
of the handsof the Athenians, he drove out the the city should be levelled with the ground, and
Sestians too, and divided both the city and the spot on which it stood turned to pasturage.
territory among his pilots and boatswains. Afterwards,however,when the generalof-
This wasthe first stepof his which the Lace- ficersmet at an entertainment, a musicianof
dsmoniansdisapproved: they annulledwhat Phocishappened to beginachorusin the Elec-
he haddone,andrestoredthe Sestians to their tra of Euripides,the first lines of which, are
country. But in other respects the Grecians these:-
werewell satisfied
with Lysauder's
conduct. Unhappy
daughter
ofthegreatAtrides,
They saw with pleasurethe JEgineta?recover- Thy straw-crown'd
palaceI approach.
ingtheircity,of whichtheyhadlongbeendis- The wholecompany
weregreatlymovedat
possessed,andthe Melians and Scionsansre- this incident, and could not help reflecting,
established by him, while the Athenianswere howbarbarouaa thing it wouldbe to razethat
drivenout, andgaveup their claims. noblecity, whichhad producedsomanygreat
By this time, he wasinformedthat Athens andillustriousmen. Lysander,however,find-
wasgreatlydistressed with famine;uponwhich ing the Atheniansentirelyin his power, col-
he sailedto the Pirzua, andobligedthe city to lectedthe musiciansin the city, and having
surrenderat discretion. The Lacedaemonians joined to them the band belongingto the
say,that Lysander wrote an accountof it to camp,pulleddown the walls,andburnedthe
the ephoriin thesewords,"Athensis taken;" ships, to the Bound of their instruments;
to which they returnedthis answer,"If it ia whilethe confederates, crownedwith flowers,
taken,that is sufficient."But this wasonly aij danced,andhailedtheday as the first of their
Invention
to makethematterlookmoreplau- liberty.
Immediatelyafterthis, hechangedthe form
* Muretusshewsjfroma passage in Theodorua Me-
toebltcs,that we shouldreadhere T/teopomjnathe " The Lacedaemonians knew that if the Athenian
li'tor.un, insteadof Thcopompia the comicwriter. exileswererestored,theywouldbefriendsandparti-
f Thesethingsdid not happenin theorder theyare sansof theirs; and if they were not restored,they
here related. Samoawas uot taken till a considerable should hare a pretext for distressiug the Athene""
time after the long walls of Athens were demolished. when they pleased.
Zenoph, Hellen. j. f Or AgnOD*
 LYSANDER. 313
oftheir
government,appointing
thirtyarc
lionsalltheancient
money wa§of thiskind,and
inthecity,andteninthePirams,
and placingconsisted
either
ofpiecesof ironor brans,
agarrisonin thecitade),
thecommand of whichfromtheirformwere
called obeli*,*,
whichhegave toa Spartan,
namedCallibius. whence wehave stillaquantity
ofsmall
money
ThisCallibius,
onsome occasion
orother,lift- calledoboli,sixof whichmakeadrachma
or
eduphisstafftostrike
Autolycus,
awrestler handful,thatbeing asmuchasthehandcan
whomXenophonbaamentionedin hia Syrrv-contain.
potiaci;uponwhich
Autolycus
seized
himby Themotion forsending
outthemoney wa«
thelegs,
andthrewhimupontheground.Ly- opposed
by Lysandert
party,andtheypro-
under,
instead
ofresenting
this,toldCallibius,
cured
adecree,
thatit should
beconsidered
as
bywayof reprimand,
"He knewnottheythepublic treasure,
thatit should
beacapital
werefreemen,
whomhehadto govern."The crimeto convertanyof it to privateuses,ai
thirtytyrants,
however,
in complaisance
to if Lycurgua
hadbeen
afraidofthemoney,
and
Callibius,
soonafterputAutolycus
to death. notof theavarice
it produces.
Andavarice
waa
Lysander,*
whenhehadsettled
these
affairs,notsomuchprevented
byforbidding
theuse
gaile'd
to Thrace.f As for the moneythat re- of moneyin the occasionsof private persons,
mained
in his coffers,the crownsand other as it wasencouraged
by allowingit in the
presents,
whichweremany
andveryconsider-
public;for thatadded
dignityto its use,and
able,asmaywellbeimagined,
sincehispowerexcitedstrongdesires
for its acquisition.In-
wasso extensive,and he was in a manner deed,it wasnot to be imagined,that while it
masterof all Greece,
he sentthemto Lace- wasvaluedin publicit wouldbedespised in
dzmonby Gylippus, whohadthe chiefcom- private,or thatwhattheyfoundso advantage-
mandin Sicily. Gylippus,
theytellus,openedousto thestateshouldbe lookeduponof no
thebagsatthebottom, andtooka considerable
concernto themselves.On thecontrary,it is
sumout of each,and then sewedthem up i.ilain,that customsdependingupon national
again;buthewasnotawarethatin everybag institutions,
muchsoonereffectthe livesand
therewasa notewhich gave accountof the mannersof individuals,than the errors and
eum it contained. As soon as he arrived at vices of individuals corrupt a whole nation.
Spartahehid the moneyhehadtakenout,un- For, when the wholeis distempered,the parts
derthe tiles of his houae,and then delivered must be affectedtoo; but when the disorder
the bagsto the ephori,with the sealstj.'tire. subsistsonly in someparticularparts,it may
They openedthem,and countedthe money, becorrectedandremediedby thosethat have
but found that the sumsdiffered from the bills. not yet received the infection. So that these
At thistheywerenot a little embarrassed,till magistrates, while theyset guards,I meanlaw
&servantof Gylippustold themenigmatically, and fear of punishment,at the doors of the
a greatnumberof owls roostedin the Cerami- citizens,to hinderthe entranceof money,did
cus.|" Most of the coin then bore the im- not keep their minds untaintedwith the love
pressionof anowl, in respectto theAthenians. of it; they ratherinspiredthat love,by exhib-
Gylippus,having sullied his former great iting wealth as a great and amiable thing
andgloriousactions by BObaseandunworthy But we havecensuredthis conductof theirsin
a deed, quitted Lacedsmon. On this occa- another place.
sion,in particular, the wisest among the Spar- Lysander, out of the spoils he had taken,
tans observedthe influence of money, which erected at Delphi his own statue, and those of
could corrupt not only the meanest but the his officers, in brass: be also dedicated in gold
mostrespectable
citizens,and thereforewere the stars of Castorand Pollux, which disap-
very warm in their reflections upon Lysander peared* before the battle of Leuctra. The
for introducing
it. They insisted,too,that the jalley made of gold and ivory,t which Cyrus
ep/iori should send out all the silver and gold, sent in congratulation of his victory, and
asevilsdestructivein the proportiontheywere whichwastwo cubitslong, was placedin the
alluring. treasury of the Bracides and the Acanthians
In pursuanceof this, a councilwascalled, Alexandridesof Delphi writes,^that Lysander
and a decreeproposedby Sciraphidas,as depositedthere a talent of silver, fifty-two
Theopompuswrites,or, accordingto Ephorus, minx, and eleven staters: but this is not
by Phlogidas,
"That nocom,whetherof gold agreeable
to the accounts
of his povertywe
or silver,shouldbeadmitted into Sparta,but havefromall historians.
thattheyshouldusethemoney
that hadlong ThoughLysander hadnowattained to great-
obtained."This moneywasof iron, dippeder powerthananyGrecianbeforehim,yetthe
in vinegar,while it was red hot, to makeit pride and loftinessof hia heart eiceededit
brittleandunmalleable,so that it mightnot For hewasthefirstof theGrecians,according
beappliedto anyotheruse. Besides, it was to Duris,to whomaltarswereerectedbysev-
heavy,anddifficultof carriage,and a great eralcities,andsacrifices
offered,
asto a god.§
quantityof Hwasof butlittle value. Perhaps
" They were ttolen. Plutarch mentions it u an
* Xenophon
says,
hewentnowagainst
Samos. omen
ol thedreadful
lossthe Spartam
wereto luffer
t Plularchshouldhavementionedin this placethe in that battle.
conquest
of the isleof Thasos,
andin whata cruel t SoArutobuIuj.the
Jewish
prince,
presented
Pom-
manner
Lysander,
contrary
lo hiasolemn
promise,
peyw!lha golden
vineyard
orgarden,
valued
at fire
massacred suchof lh« inhabitants ashadbeenin the hundred
laltnts. Thairineyardwasconsecrated ia
interest
of Athens.Thisis related byPolyznus.Bui thetempleof JupilerOlympiiu,
a»thij galleywasa'
W Plularch tells us afterwards that he behavedin this
Delphi.
manner
lo theMilesians,
perhaps
Ihesloryisthesame, J ThisAleiandrides,
orratherAnaiandridei.wroti
»ndthere
may beamistakeonlyinthenames. anaccount
ICeramicuBwasthenameof a placein Athens. It Delphi.
of ihcoffering,
stolen
fromthetemple
at
Ukevfiie
signifies
thetilingofahouse. 6What ioccDR themeaanenofhumannature
«ua
814 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

To Lysandcr two hymns were first eung,one this respect, with the resentmentsand avaric*
of which beganthus- of all his friends. Hence it was, that the
Tothefamed
leader
oftheGrecian
bands, saying
of Eteocles,
the Lacedaemonian
wai
FromSparta's
ampleplum'.singlopaean
'. reckoned a goodone,"That Greececould
not beartwo Lysanders." Theophrastus, in-
Nay,theSamiana
decreed
thatthefeaatwhich deed,tellsus,that Archistratus"
had saidthe
theyhadused
tocelebrate
in honourof Juno,samethingof Alcibiades.But insolence,
should
becalled(hefeastof Lyeander.He luxury,
andvanity,
werethemostdisagreeable
alwayskepttheSpartan
poetChieriluain hia part of his character;whereasLysander's
retinue,* that he might be ready to add lustre powerwas attended
with cruelty and savage-
to hisactionsby thepowerof Terse.And nessof manners,
thatrendered
it insupport-
when Antilochus had written some stanzas in able.
his praise, he was so delighted that he gave There were manycomplaintsagainsthim,
him hia hat full of silver. Antimachus of
whichthe Lacedaemonians
paid no regardto-
Colophon,andNiceratusof .ZEraclea, compos-However,when Pharnabazus sent ambassa-
ed eacha panegyric that borehisname,and dorsto Sparta,to represent
theinjuryhe had
contested
in formfor theprize. He adjudgedreceived,
fromthedepredations committed in
thecrownto Niceratus,at whichAntimachusthisprovince,the ephoriwere incensed, and
wassomuchoffended that he suppressed
his putThorax,oneof hisfriendsandcolleagues,
poem. Plato, who was then very young,to death,havingfoundsilverin his possession
anda greatadmirerof Antimachus's poetry,contraryto the latelaw. Theylikewiseor-
addressedhim whileunderthis chagrin,and deredLysanderhomeby their scytale,the
told him, by way of consolation, " That the nature and use of which was this: Whenever
ignorantare sufferersby theirignorance, as themagistrates
sentoutanadmiralor a gene-
the blindare by theirwantof sight." Aris- ral,theyprepared two roundpiecesof wood
tonous,the lyrist,whohadsixtimeswonthe with so muchexactness, that theywereper-
prizeat thePythiangames, to payhiscourtto fectly equal both in lengthand thickness
Lysander,promised him,that if hewasonce Oneof thesetheykeptthemselves, theother
morevictorious, hewoulddeclare himselfLy- wasdeliveredto the officerthenemployed
Sander's retainer,
or evenhisslave. Thesepiecesof woodwere calledscytalae.
Lysander's ambitionwasa burdenonlyto When they had any secretand important
the great,and to personsof equal rank with ordersto conveyto him, theytook a longnar-
himself. But that arrogance and violencerow scrollof parchment,and rolledit about
whichgrewintohistemper alongwithhisam- theirownstaff,onefold closeto another,and
bition,fromthe flatterieswithwhichhe was thenwrotetheir business on it. This done,
besieged, hada moreextensiveinfluence.He theytookoffthescrollandsentit to thegene-
setnomoderate bounds eitherto hisfavouror ral. As soonas he received
it, heappliedit
resentment. Governments unlimitedand un- to his staff,whichbeingjust like that of the
examined,werethe rewardsof any friendshipmagistrates, all the folds fell in with onean-
or hospitalityhe hadexperienced,
andthe sole other,exactlyas theydid at the writing; and
punishmentthat could appease his angerwas though,before,the characterswereso broker
the death of his enemy; nor was there any anddisjointedthat nothingcould be madeof
way to escape. them, they now becameplain and legible. The
Therewasan instance
of this at Miletus. parchment,
aswell asthestaff,is calledscy
He wasafraidthat the leadersof the plebeiantale, asthe thing measured
bearsthe nameot
party there would secure themselves by flight; the measure.
thereforeto draw themfrom their retreats,he Lysander,who wasthen in the Hellespont,
took an oath,not to do anyof them the least was muchalarmed at the scytale. Pharna
injury. Theytrustedhim,andmadetheirap- bazusbeingthe personwhoseimpeachment
pearance;but he immediatelydeliveredthem he mostdreaded,he hastened to an interview
to the oppositeparty, and they were put to with him, in hopesof beingabreto compose
death,to the numberof eighthundred.In- theirdifferences.Whentheymet,hedesired
finite were the crueltieshe exercisedin every him to sendanotheraccountto the magistrates,
city, againstthosewho weresuspectedof any signifyingthat he neither had nor madeany
inclination to popular government. For he complaint. He wasnot aware(asthe proverb
not only consulted his own passions,and has it) that" he was playingthe Cretanwith
gratifiedhis own revenge,but co-operated, in a Cretan.1' Pharnabazus promisedto comply
with his request, and wrote a letter in his
offerto oneof their own species!nay, to onewho, presence agreeable to his directions, but had
having
noregardto honouror virtue,scarce
deserved
contrivedto have anotherby him to a quite
the nameof a man! The Samians worshippedhim, contrary effect. When the letter was to be
u the Indians do the devil, that he might do them no
morehurt;thatafteronedreadful
sacrifice
tohiscru- sealed,hepalmed that uponhimwhichhehad
elty,hemightseek
nomore. writtenprivately,
andwhichexactlyresembled
* Therewere three poet* of this name,but their it. Lysander, upon his arrival at Lacedaemon,
worksarealllost. Thefirst,whowasof Samos,
sung went,accordingto custom,to the senate-house,
thevictoryof theAthenians
overXerxes.HPflour- anddeliveredPharnabazus's letter to the ma-
ished about the seventy-fifth Olympiad. The second
was
thisChcerilus
of Sparta,
whoflourished
about
gistrates;
assuring
himselfthatthe heaviest
seventy
years
afterthefirst. Thethird washe who chargewas removed. For he knewthe La-
attendedAleianJer the Great,aboveseventyyears cedaemonianspaid a particular attention to
afterthetimeof Lysander's
Choarilus. Pharnabazus, because,of all the king's lieu-
f According to others, he was of Claros. He was tenants,he haddonethemthegreatestservirei
reckoned next to Homer in heroic poetry. But tome
thought him too pompousand verbose. * It should be read Ajiheslrtta*
 LYSANDER. 315
In thewar. Whenthe ephorihadreadthe putewith him abouttheir boundaries,
and
letter,theyshewed
it to Lysander.He now thought
theirpleabetterthanthatof theLa
foundto hiscost," thatothershaveartbesidescedsemonians
heshewed
themhis sword,and
Ulysses,
andin greatconfusion
leftthesenatesaid," Hethatismaster
ofthis,canbestplead
hcuie. about boundaries."
A fewdaysafter,he appliedto the magis- Whena citizenof Megaratreatedhimwith
trates,andtoldthem,hewasobligedto goto greatfreedom,in a certainconversation,
he
the templeof JupiterAmmon,andofferthe said," My friend,thosewordsof thineshould
sacrificeshehadvowedbeforehisbattles.Some not comebut fromstrongwallsandbulwarks."
lay, that whenhewasbesiegingthe city of the WhentheBoeotians hesitated
uponsomepro-
Aphyt&ans in Thrace,Ammonactuallyap- positions
hemade them,heasked them,"Whe-
peared
to himin a dream,and ordered
himto therheshouldtrail or pushhis pikesamongst
raise the siege: that he complied with that or- them?"
der,and badethe Aphytmnssacrificeto Am- The Corinthianshavingdeserted the league,
mon;andfor the samereason,now hastenedhe advancedup to their walls; but the Lace-
to pay his devotionsto that deity in Libya daemonians,
he found,werevery loth to begin
But it wasgenerally believed that he only used the assault. A hare just then happening to
thedeity asa pretext,andthat thetrue reason start out of the trenches,he took occasionto
of his retiring was the fear of the ephori, and say, "Arsjnot you ashamedto dread those ene-
his aversion to subjection. He chose rather mies, who are so idle, that the very hares sit
to wander in foreign countries, than to be con- in quiet under their walls?"
trolledat home. His haughtyspirit was like When king Agis paid the last tribute to
that of a horse, which has long rangedthe pas- nature, he left behind him a brother named
turesat liberty, and returns with reluctance to Agesilaus, and a reputed son named Leotychi-
the stall, and to his former burden. As for the das. Lysander, who had regarded Agesilaus
reasonwhich Ephorus assignsfor this voyage, with an extraordinary affection, persuadedhim
I shall mention it by and by. to lay claim to the crown, as a genuine descen-
With much difficulty, he got leave of the dant of Hercules; whereas, Leotychidas was
ephorito depart,andtook his voyage. While suspected
to be the sonof Alcibiadcs,and the
he wasuponit, the kings consideredthat it was fruit of a private commerce which he had with
by meansof the associations
he had formed, Timsa, the wife of Agis, during his exile in
.hat he held the cities in subjection, and was Sparta. Agis, they tell us, from his computa-
in effect master of all Greece. They resolved, tion of the time, concluded that the child was
Jierefore,to drive out his friends, and re-es- not his, and therefore took no notice of Leo-
tablish the popular governments. This occa- tychidas, but rather openly disavowed him
tioned new commotions. First of all, the Athe- through the whole courseof his life. However,
nians, from the castle of Phyle," attacked the when he fell sick, and was carried to Hersa,*
thirty tyrants, and defeatedthem. Immediate- he was prevailed upon by the entreaties of the
ly uponthis, Lysander returned, and persuaded youth himself, and of his friends, before he
the Lacedaemoniansto support the oligarchies, died, to declare, before many witnesses, that
and to chastisethe people; in consequenceof Leotychidas was his lawful son. At the same
which,theyremitteda hundredtalentsto the time, he desiredall personspresentto testify
tyrants,to enablethem to carry on the war, these his last words to the Lacedemonians,
andappointed Lysanderhimselftheir general. andthen immediatelyexpired.
Buttheenvywithwhichthekingswereactu- Accordingly,
theygavetheir testimonyin
ated,andtheir fear thathe would takeAthens "avourof Leotychidas. As for Agesilaus,he
a secondtime,led themto determine,thatone wasa man of uncommon merit, andsupported
of themshouldattendthe expedition.Accord- residesby the interest of Lysander; but his
ingly,Pausamas
marchedinto Attica,in ap- affairswerenearbeingruinedbyDiophites,
a
pearanceto supportthe thirty tyrants against amousinterpreterof oracles,who appliedthin
the people,but in realityto put an endto the prophecyto hislameness-
war,lestLysander,by his interestin Athens,
shouldbecomemaster of it again. This he Beware,proudSparta^
lesta maimed
empire^
easily
effected.
Byreconciling
theAthenians Thy boastedstrength impair; forotherwoe*
Than thou behold'st await thee-borne away
amongthemselves,andcomposingthetumults, By the strong tide of war.
heclippedthe wingsof LysandeHsambition.
Yet,astheAthenians
revolted
soonafter,Pau- Many believed this interpretation, and were
saniaswas blamed for taking the curb of the turning to Leotychidas. But Lysander ob
oligarchyout of the mouthof the people,and served,that Diophiteshad mistakenthe sense
lettingthemgrowboldandinsolentagain.On of theoracle;for that the deitydid notgive
thecontrary,it addedto the reputationof Ly- limself anyconcernabouttheir beinggoverned
sander:he wasnow consideredas a man who jy a lame king, but meant that thoir govern-
tooknot his measureseither throughfavourer mentwouldbelame,if spuriouspersonsshould
ostentation, but in all his operations, how se-
veresoever,kept a strict andsteadyeye upon * Xenophon (1- "-Hells us Oat Agis fell nick at He-
theinterestsof Sparta. raa,he acityof Arcadia, onhiswayfromDelphi, and
indeed,hada ferocityin his ex- thatt Thewas carried to Sparta and died there.
Lysander, oracleconsidrred thetwokiugsof Sparta as
pressionsaswellasactions, whichconfoundedtstwolegs, thesupports ofiUfreedom ; which
infact
hisadversaries. WhentheArgiveshada dis- heywere, bybeing a check upon eachother.The
l,acedzmonianswere thereforeicmonist.cd to bewar«
" A castle
aboveAthens,strongly
situated.Xeno-of a lamegovernment, of having theirrepublic con
Jhon often
mentionit inthesecond
bookofhisGre-verted intoa monarchy , which,indeed, proved
their.
nu History. ruin at last.-Vide Justin.1.ti.
 316 PLLTARCH'b LIVES.

wearthe crown amongst the raceof Hercules. an explanationwith him, and their discourse
Thus, partly by his address,and partly by his was very laconic:-"Truly, Agesilaus,you
interest,he prevailedupon them to give the knowverywell howtotreaduponyourfriends."
preferenceto Agesilaus,and he wasdeclared " Yes," saidhe, " whentheywantto begreat-
king. er thanmyself. It is but fit that thosewho are
Lysanderimmediatelypressedhim to carry willing to advance my powershouldshareit."
Ji<-war into Asia, encouraginghim with the " Perhaps,"said Lysander, " this is rather
nopeof destroyingthe Persianmonarchy,and whatyou say,thanwhatI did. I begof you,
becominghimselfthe greatestof mankind.He however,for the sakeof strangerswho have
likewisesentinstructionsto hisfriendsin Asia, their eyesupon us, that you will put me in
to petitionthe Lacedxmoniansto giveAgesi- somepost, where I maybe least obnoxious,
laus the conduct of the war against the barba- and most useful to you."
rians. They compliedwith his order,andsent Agreeably
to this request,
the lieutenancy
of
ambassadorsto Lacedaemonfor that purpose. the Hellespont was granted him; and though
% Indeed,this command,which Lysanderpro- he still retainedhis resentment againstAgesi-
curedAgesilaus, seemsto havebeenan honour laus,he did not neglecthis duty. He found
equalto the crownitself. But ambitiousspirits, Spithridatcs,*a Persian remarkablefor hii
thoughin other respectsnot unfit for affairsof valour,andwith an armyat his command, a..
state,arehinderedfrom manygreataclionsby variancewith Pharnabazus, andpersuaded him
the envythey beartheir fellow-candidates for to revolt to Agesilaus. This wasthe onlyser-
fame. For thustheymakethosetheiradver-vicehe wasemployed
upon:and whenthis
Earies,who would otherwisehavebeen their commission
wasexpired,he returnedto Spar-
assistantsin the course of glory. ta in great disgrace, highly incensed against
Agesilaustook Lysander with him, made Agesilaus, andmoredispleased thanever with
him oneof histhirty counsellors, andgavehim the wholeframeof government.He resolved,
the first rank in his friendship.But whenthey therefore,now,withoutanyfartherlossof time,
cameinto Asia,Agesilausfound,that the peo- to bring aboutthe changehe had long medi-
ple, being unacquainted with him, seldomap- tated in the constitution.
plied to him, and were very short in their When the Heraclidas mixed with the Dori
addresses;whereas,Lysander, whom they had ans, and settled in Peloponnesus,there was a
long known, had them always at his gates, or large and flourishing tnbe of them at Sparta.
in histrain; someattending
outof friendship,Thewhole,however,
werenotentitledto the
and others out of fear. Just as it happens in regal succession,but only two families, the
tragedies,that a principal actor represents
a EurytionidzandtheAgidx, whilethe rest had
messengeror a servant, and is admired in that no share in the administration, on account of
character, while he who bears the diadem and their high birth. For as to t|)e common re
sceptre is hardly listened to when he speaks; wards of virtue, they were open to all men of
to in this case, the counsellor engrossedall the distinguished merit. Lysander, who was of
honour, and the king had the title of comman- this lineage, no sooner saw himself exalted by
der, without the power. his great actions, and supported with friends
IJoubtless, this unseasonableambition of and power, but he became uneasyto think
Lysander deserved correction, and he was to that a city which owed its grandeur to him,
be made to know that the second place only should be ruled by others no better descend-
belonged to him. But entirely to cast off a ed than himself. Hence he entertained a de-
friend and benefactor, and, from a jealousy of sign to alter the settlement which confined
honour, to expose him to scorn, was a step the succession to two families only, and to
unworthy the character of Agesilaus. He be- lay it open to ill the Heraclidac. Some say,
gan with taking businessout of his hands, and his intention was to extend this high honout
making it a point not to employ him on any not only to all the Heraclids, but to all the
occasion where he might distinguish himself. citizens of Sparta; that it might not so much
In the next place, those for whom Lysander belong to the posterity of Hercules, as to
interested himself, were sure to miscarry, and those who resembled Hercules in that virtue
to meetwith lessindulgence
than othersof the whichnumbered him with the gods.He hoped,
meaneststation. Thus the king graduallyun- too, that when the crown was settled in this
dermined his power. manner, no Spartan would have better preten-
When Lysander found that he failed in all sions than himself.
his applications,andthathis kindness
wasonly At first, he preparedto draw the citizens
a hinderance to his friends, he desired them into his scheme,and committed to memory au
to forbear their addressesto him, and to wait oration written by Cleon of Halicarnassusfor
only upon the king, or the present dispensers that purpose. But he soon saw that so great
of his favours. In consequenceof this, they and difficult a reformation required bolder
gavehim no farthertroubleaboutbusiness, but and more extraordinarymethodsto bring it
still continuedtheir attentions,andjoinedhim to bear. And as, in tragedy,machineryis
in the public walks andother placesof resort. madeuse of, where more natural meanswill
This gaveAgesilausmore painthan ever;and not do, so heresolvedto strikethepeoplewith
his envy and jealousycontinually increased; oraclesand prophecies;well knowing that
insomuch,that while he gave commandsand the eloquence of Cleonwouldavail but little,
governments to commonsoldiers,heappointedunlesshe first subduedtheir mindswith di-
Lysander his carver. Then, to insult the vine sanctions and tho terrors of superstition.
[onians, he bade them " go and maketheir * SoXenophon calls
him,notMithritlatr?,
thecom-
court to his carver." mon reading;in Plutarch. Indeed, somem-
Hereupon, Lyeander determined to come to haveil SpiUiricUltiin thelife of Agciilaiu.
 LYSANDER. 317
"phorustollsus,hefirstattempted
to corrup faneflthe sacrifice*
Agesilaua
wasoffering
at
the priestess
of Delphi,andafterwards
thos Aulus;andthatAndroclidcs andAmphithcus,
"f Dodonaby means of onePhereclcs;am beingcorrupted withPersianmoney,*
attack-
naving no successin either application, h ed the Phocians,andlaid waste their coun-
wenthimselfto theoracleof Ammon, andol try, in orderto draw uponthe Lacedemo-
feredthepriestlargesumsof gold. Theyto> niansthe Grecianwar. Ontheotherhand,
rejectedIns offerswith indignation,
andsen theywhomakeLysander,the authorof the
deputiesto Spartato accusehim of thatcrime war inform us, he washighlydispleased, that
When theseLibyansfoundhe wasacquitted the Thebansonly, of all the confederates,
they took their leave of the Spartansin this shouldclaimthe tenth of the Athenianspoils,
manner-" We will passbetter judgments. taken at Decelea,and complainof his send-
when you cometo live amongusin Lybya/ ing the moneyto Sparta. But what hemost
It seemsthere waaan ancientprophecy,tha resentedwas, their putting the Atheniansin
the Laced.fmonians would sometime orothei a wayof deliveringthemselves from the thir-
settle in Africa. This whole schemeof Ly ty tyrants, whom he had set up. The Lace-
Bander'swas of no ordinary texture, nor took da;monians, to strengthen the hands of other.
j)s risefromaccidentalcircumstances,
but wa tyrantsand make them moreformidable,ha4
laid deep, and conducted with uncommon arl decreed, that if any Athenian lied out of ths
and address: so that it may be compared to a city, he should be apprehended,wherever hej
mathematical demonstration, in which, front was found, and obliged to return; and that
some principles first assumed,the conclusion whoever opposed the taking such fugitives
is deduced through a variety of abstruse and should be treated as enemies to Sparta." Ths
intricatesteps. \Ve shall, therefore,explain Thebanson that occasiongaveout ortiars,that
it at large, taking Ephorus, who was both an deserve to be enrolled with the actions of Her-
historian and philosopher, for our guide. cules and Bacchus. They caused proclama-
There was a woman in Pontus who gave it tion to be made, "That every houseand city
out that she was pregnant by Apollo. Many should be open to such Athenians as desired
rejected her assertion, and many believed it. protection. That whoever refused assistance
So that when she was delivered of a son, sev- to a fugitive that was seized should be fined a
eralpersons of the greatesteminencetookpar- :alent; and that if any oneshouldcarry armd
ticularcareof his education,andfor somerea- hroughBoeotiaagainstthe Atheniantyrants,
eon or other gave him the name of Silcnus he should not meet with the least molesta.-
Lysander took this miraculous birth for a foun- :ion. Nor were their actions unsuitable to
dation,
andraisedall hisbuilding
uponit. He thesedecrees
so humane,and so worthyof
madechoice of such assistants, as might bring Grecians. When Thrasybulus and his com-
thestoryinto roputilion,and put it beyondpanyseizedthecastleof Phyle,andlaidthe
luspicion. Then he got anotherstory propa- plan of their other operations,it was from
gatedat Delphi,andspreadat Sparta,"That Thebes they set out; and the Tin.bansnot
certainancientoracleswerekeptin thepri- onlysuppliedthemwitharmsandmoney,but
vateregisters
of thepriests,whichit wasnot gavethema kindreception
andeveryencour-
lawfultotouch,
ortolookupon,
till in someagement.
These
werethegrounds
ofLysan-
futureagea personshouldarise,who could 1Vs resentment
againstthem.
clearlyprovehimselfthe sonof Apollo,and He wasnaturallyproneto anger,andthe
hewastointerpret
andpublishthoseoracles."melancholy
that grewuponhimwithyean
Thewaythusprepared, Silenus
wasto makemade himstillmoreso. He therefore
impor-
hisappearance,
as the sonof Apollo,and "unedtheephoritosendhimagainst
theThe-
demandtheoracles.Thepriests,whowere >ans.Accordingly he wasemployed,and
incombination,
wereto inquire
intoeveryar- narched
outattheheadofoneaimy,andPau-
ticle,andexamine
himstrictlyasto hisbirth. ;aniaswassoonsentafterhimwithanother.
Atlasttheywereto pretendto be convinced Pausamastooka circuitbymount
Cithxron,
"f hisdivine
parentage,
andtoshew himthe oenterBceotia, andLysander wentthrough
books.Silenusthenwasto readin publicall ""hocU
withaveryconsiderable
forcetomeet
thoseprophecies,
particularlythat for which im. The city of Orchomenus
wassurren-
the whole designwas set on foot, namely,
"That it would be more for the honour and in- * Besidesthis affair of the sacrifice, the Lacedxmo-
ianswereoffended
terestof Sparta to set asidethe presentrace In- at theThebans, fortheirclaiming
tenths of the In asure taken at Decelea; as wtlj a*
of kings, and chooseothers out of the best and or refusingU>ett*nd themin their expeditionagajuit
mostworthyof menin the commonwealth."
heFiravus,anddissuading
theCorinthians
fromjoin-
But whenSilenuswasgrownup,andcameto Tiginthatenterprise,
ludeed,
theThebansbegan to
undertakehis part, Lysander had the morti- c jealous
of thegrowingpowerof theLaccdxmoni
fication
toseehispiecemiscarry
bythecow- veight
us^and did
had not
been wantInsee
inthe
considerable theAthenians,
balance whose
of power
ardiceof one of the actors, whoseheart failed ntirely ruined. Jfenoj.A. Gr. Hist. I. iii.
himjustasthethingwasgoingto beputin f These
were
nottheonlypersons
W'ho
hadtaken
execution.However, nothingof thiswasdis- KcPersianmoney.Tithrausles, alarmed
atthepro-
coveredwhile Lysanderlived. gressAgesilaus
wasmakingin Asia,suitTimocratet
He diedbeforeAgesilausreturnedfromAsia, theRhodianwithfiftytalents
tobedistributed
among
theleadingmenin thestalesof Greece.Thoseo?
"fier hehadengagedhis country,or rather in- CorinthandArgoshadtheirshare
aswella«theThe-
volved
allGreece,
in theBoeotian
war. It is bans.lu consequence
ofthis,theThebans
persuaded
indeedrelatedvariously,somelayingthe blame theLocrians
to pillage
a tractof landthatnasin di§
uponhim, someuponthe Thebans,andothers milt btlwtcnIhe thncinns andthe Thibaus.The
uponboth. Those who chargethe Thehans Phociani made reprisals.TheThfbans supportedtlie
Withit saytheyoverturned thealtar,andpro- Locrians;whereupon
Spartans,
and the war
(heI'hociaiu
became
applied
general.
to Lh»
A
 318 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

deredto him, ashe wasuponhis march, and arms; that, if they conquered,they should
he took Lcbadia by storm,and plunderedit. bring it off, and bury it with honour,andif
From thencehe sentlettersto Pausanias, to they wereworsted,theyshouldfall gloriously
desirehim lo removefrom Platsa, andjoin upon the samespot with their commander,"
him at Haliartus; for he intendedto be there Notwithstandingtheserepresentationsof the
himself by breaKof day. But the messengerveterans,Pausanias saw it would beverydif-
was taken by a Theban reconnoitring party, ficult to beat the Thebans now flushed with
and the letters were carried to Thebes. Here- victory; and that even if he should have the
upon, the Thebansentrustedtheir city with a advantage,he could hardly without a truce
bodyof Athenianauxiliaries,and marchedout carry off the bodywhichlay so nearthe walls.
themselvesabout midnight for Haliartus. They He therefore sent a herald who settled the con-
reachedthetown a little beforeLysander,and ditions,andthen retired with his army. Ai
entered it with part of their forces. Lysan- soonas they weregot out of the confinesof
der at first thoughtproperto encampuponan Bojotia,they interredLysanderin the territo-
eminence, and wait for Pausanias. But when ries of the Penopjeans, which was the first
the day began to decline, he grew impatient, ground belonging to their friends and confede-
and ordered the Lacedaemoniansand confed- rates. His monumentstill remains, by the road
eratesto arms. Thenheledouthistroopsin fromDelphito Chaeronea.
WhiletheLac?
a direct line along the high road up to the dxmomans had their quarters there, it is re-
"walls. The Thebanswho remainedwithout, portedthat a certainPhocian,who wasgiving
taking the city on the left, fell upon his rear, an account of the action to a friend of his that
at the fountain called Cissusa.* was not in it, said, "The enemy fell upon
It is fabledthatthe nursesof Bacchuswash- them,just after Lysanderhadpassed
theHop-
ed him in this fountainimmediatelyafterhis lites. While the man stoodwondering at the
birth. The wateris, indeed,of a bright and account,a Spartan,a friend of LysandeHs,
ehtning colour like (vine, and a most agreea- asked Ihe Phocion what lie meant by Hop-
ble taste. Not far off grow the Cretan cane.sf lites,* for he could make nothing of it. "I
of whichjaveJinsare made;by whichthe Har- mean," said he, "the placewherethe enemy
hartians would prove that Rhadamanthusdwelt cut down our first ranks. The river that runs
there. Besides, they shew his tomb, which by the town is called Hoplites." The Spar-
they call Alea. The monument of Alcmena tan, when he heard this, burst out into tears,
too is near that place; and nothing, they say, and cried out, "How inevitable is fate!" It
can be more probable than that she was buried seems,Lysander had receivedan oracle, couch-
there, because she married Rhadamanthus alter ed in these terms-
Amphitryon's death.
The otherThebans,whohad enteredthe FlyfromHoplites andtheearth-born
dragon,
That stings thte in the rear.-
city, drew up with the Haliartians, and stood
"till for hometime. But whentheysawLy- Somesaythe Hoplitesdoesnotrunby Hali-
eander withhisvanguard approachingthewalls, artus,but is a brooknear Coronea,
which
theyrushed outat thegatesand killed him, mixeswiththe riverPhilarus,andrunsalong
witha divinerbyhisside,andsome fewmore; to thatcily. It wasformerlycalledHopljas,
for thegreatest partretiredasfastaspossiblebutis nowknownby thenameof Isomantus.
to the main body. The Thebanspursuedtheir The Haliartian who killed Lysander was
advantage,and pressedupon them with so namedNeochorus,and he bore a dragonin
muchardour,that theyweresoonputto the hisshield,whichit wassupposed,
the oracle
rout, and fled to the hills. Their lossamount- referred to.
edlo a thousand,
and that of theThebansto They tell us too, that thecityof Thebe*,
threehundred.The latterlost their livesby duringthePeloponnesian
war, hadan oracle
chasingthe enemyinto craggyand dangerousfrom the IsmenianApollo, which foretoldthe
ascents. These three hundredhadbeenac- battleat Delium,fandthis at Haliartus,though
cusedof favouringthe Laccdsemonians;
and thelatterdidnothappentill thirtyyearsaftel
being determined to wipe off that stain, they the other. The oracle runs thus:-
pursued them with a rashness which proved
fata) to themselves. Beware
theconfines
of Ihewolf; norspread
Pausanias
received
thenewsofthismisfor- Thysnares
forfoxes
ontheOrchaiian
hills.
tune, as he was uponhis marchfrom Platia The country about Deliuro he callsthe con-
to Thespiz,andhecontinuedhis routein good fines,becauseBceotiathere bordersuponAt-
order to Haliartus. Thrasybuluslikewise tica: andby the Orchaiianhill is meantthat
broughtuphisAthenians
thitherfromThebes.in particular
calledJllopeciislonthatsideof
Fausanias wanteda truce,thathe might article HeliconwhichlookstowardsHaliartus.
fcr the dead:but the older Spartanscouldnot After the deathof Lysander, the Spartant
think of it without indignation. They wentto so muchresentedthe wholebehaviourof Pau-
him, and declared,''That they would never
recoverthe bodyof Lysanderby truce,but by also* Hoplites, though thenameof thatrifer lignifiw
a aeaiT/ iirmcd soldier.
* Tlit name of thisfountain
shouldprobablybecor- \ The battleof Delium,in whichthe Athenianl
rectedfromFausanias andStrabu,and read TUpfiasawere defeatedby the Thebans,wasfoughtthe first
or T<t]i>u>sa. yearof (heeigbly-ninlh Olympiad,lourhundred and
\ Strabo tellsusHaliartuswasdestroyed bytheRo- twenty-two years before Christ;andthatof Haliartul
mans,in thewar with Perseus. He also mentionsa full twenty-nineyearsafter. But it is commonfor
lal - near it, which producescanesor reeds,not for historiansto makeuseof a round number,eicepta
shaftsor javelins,butfor pipesor flutes.Plutarch,too, caseswheregreatprecisionu required.
"JiulJi'io the latter UK in tlie life of iivljji. ) That is,/oi Ml
 CIMON. 337
wspect
totheAthenians,
contribute
notalittle overthemthe moatiruel andunjustof
to mark their characters. Sylla, though they tyrants.
borearmsagainsthimfor Mithridates,
afterhe Perhaps, weshallnotbewideof thetruth,
hadtakentheircity,indulged
themwith their if weconclude
that in the life of Syllathere
libertyandtheprivilege
of theirownlaws:are moregreatactions, andin LysandeHs
Lysatdcr shewednosortof compassion
fora fewerfaults;if weassign
to theGrecian
the
people
oflatesoglorious
andpowerful,
butprize
of temperance
andprudence,
andtothe
abolished
the populargovernment,
and set Romanthat of valourandcapacity
for war.

CIMON.

PtRtpOLTiS
the diviner,* who conductedking Damon,for his part,committeddepredation*
Ophelias
and hissubjects
fromThessaly
into in theadjacent
country,andgreatlyharassed
Bceotia,
left a family that flourishedfor many the city. The Chsroneansendeavouredto
years. The greatestpart of that familydwelt decoyhim by frequent messages
and decrees
in Chsronea,where they first establishedin his favour: and when they had got him
themselves,after the expulsionof the barba- amongthemagain,theyappointedhim master
rians. But as they were of a gallant and mar- of the wrestling-ring; but soon took opportu-
tial turn, andneverspiredthemselvesin time nity to despatchhim ashe wasanointinghim-
of action,theyfell in the warswith the Medes self in the bagnio. Our fathers tells us,that
and the Gauls. There remained only a young for a long time certain spectres appeared on
orphannamedDamon,and sumamedPeripol- that spot, and sad groanswere heard; for
tas. Da.ro.oain beautyof personanddignity which reasonthe doors of the bagnio were
of mindfar exceededall of his age,but he was walled up. And to this very day thosewho
of a harshand morosetemper,unpolishedby live in that neighbourhood
imaginethat they
education. see.strange sights, and are alarmed with dole-
He wasnow in the dawnof youth,when a ful voices. Thereare someremains,however,
Roman officer, who wintered with his com- of Damon's family, who live mostly in the
panyin Chaeronea,
conceiveda criminal pas- townof Stirisin Phocis. Thesearecalled,ac-
sion for him; and, aahe found solicitations and cording to the ./Eolic dialect, i#s/ioJomeru>i,
vesentsof no avail, he was preparingto use that is, Sooty-faced,onaccountof their ances-
force. It seems,he despised our city, whose tor having smeared his face with soot, when
affairswere then in a bad situation, and whose he went about the assassination.
tnullness and poverty rendered it an object of The people of Orchomenus, who wera
no importance. As Damon dreaded some vio- neighbours to the Chxroneans, having some
lence, and withal was highly provoked at the prejudice against them, hired a Roman infor-
past attempts,he formed a design against the mer to accuse the city of the murder of those
officer's life, and drew some of his comrades who fell by the handsof Damon, and his asso-
into the scheme. The number was but small, ciates, and to prosecute it as if it had been an
that the matter might be more private; in fact individual. The cause came before the gover-
.hey were no more than sixteen. One night nor of Macedonia, for the Romans had not yet
theydaubedtheir facesover with soot, after sent pratora into Greece; and the persona
theyhaddrankthemselvesup to a pitch of ele- employedto pleadfor the city appealedto the
vation,and next morning fell upon the Roman testimony of Lucullus. Upon this the gover-
ashewassacrificingin the market-place.The norwrote to Lucullua,who gavea true account
momentthey had killed him, and a number of of the affair, and by that meansdelivered Ch»-
thosethatwere abouthim, theyfled out of the roneafromutter ruin.
city. All was now in confusion. The senate Our forefathers, in gratitude for their pre-
of ChEroneamet, and condemned the assas- servation, erected a marble statue to Lucullus
«ins to death, in order to excusethemselves to in the market-place, close by that of Bacchus
the Romans. But as the magistratessupped And though manyagesare since elapsed,we
together according to custom, Damon and his are of opinion that the obligation extends even
accomplices returned in the evening,broke to us. We are persuaded, too, that a repre-
into the townhall, killed everymanof them, sentationof the bodyis not comparable to that
and then madeoff again. of the mind and the manners, and therefore in
It happened
that Lucius Lucullus, who was this work of lives compared,shall insert hi*
going upon some expedition, marchedthat We shall, however, always adhere to the
way. He stopped to make an inquiry into the truth; and Lucullus will think himself suffi
affair,whichwasquiterecent,andfoundthat cientlyrepaidby ourperpetuating
thememory
the city was so far from being accessaryto of his actions. He cannotwant, in return for
the death of the Romanofficer, that it was his true testimony,a falseandfictitiousaccount
* considerable suffereritself. He therefore of himself. When a painter has to draw v
withdrewI'j; garrison,and tookthe soldiersfineandelegantform,whichhappens
to have
withhim. somelittleblemish,
wedonotwanthimentirely
to passover that blemish,nor yet to mark it
* FluUrchhereintroduces
anobscure
anddirty itory, with exactness.The one wouldspoil the
fatthetakeoftalking
oftheflue ofhii nativity. beautyof thepicture,andtheotherdestroy
tu«
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

likeness.Soin ourpresent
work,sinceit is a generosity
andsincerity
in his behaviour,
»erydifficult,or ratherimpossible, to findany whichshewed thecomposition
of hisBOO!to
life whatever withoutits spotsanderrors,we beratherof thePeloponnesian
kind. Like th»
must setthegoodqualities in full light,with Hercules
ofEuripides,
hewas
all the likeness of truth. But we consider the
Rough
faults and stainsthat proceedeither from some andunbred,
butgreatongreatoccasion!.
suddenpassion,or from political necessity,And thereforewe maywell addthat article to
ratherasdefects
of virtuethansignsof a bad theaccount
Stcsimbrotus
hasgivenusof him-
heart; and for that reasonwe shall castthem In his youth, he wai accused of a criminal
a little into shade,in reverenceto human commercewith hissisterElpinice.* There are
nature,whichproducesno specimen of virtue otherinstances,
indeed,mentioned of Elpuuce'*
absolutelypureandperfect. irregularconduct,particularlywith respectto
When we lookedout for oneto put in com- Potygnotusthepainter. Henceit was,we are
parisonwith Cimon,Lucullusseemedthe pro- told, that when hepaintedtheTrojan women,
perestperson. They were both of a warlike in the porticothen calledPlenanaction,\ but
turn, andbothdistinguishedthemselves against now Poclnle, he drew Elpinicu's facein the
thebarbarians.Theyweremild in their ad- character
of Laodice. Potygnotus,
however,
ministration,'they reconciledthe contendingwas not a painter by profession,nor did be
factionsin their country. They both gained receivewagesfor his work in the portico,but
greatvictories,and erectedglorioustrophies. paintedwithout reward,to recommendhimself
No Grecian carried his arms to more distant to his countrymen. So the historians write, a*
countriesthanCimon,or RomanthanLucullus well as the poet Melanthiusin theseverses-
Hercules
andBacchus
onlyexceeded
them;un- Thetemplet
ofthegods,
lesswe addthe expeditionsof Perseusagainst Thefanes
ofheroes,
andCecropian
hall*
the ./Ethiopians, Medes, and Armenians, and His liberal handadorn'd.
thatofJason against
Colchis. Butthescenes Itistrue,there
aresome
whoassert
thatElpinice
of these lastactions arelaidinsuch veryan-didnotliveinaprivate
cient times, that we have some doubt whether
commerce
withCimon,
but that she was publicly married to him, her
the truth could reachus. This also they havein poverty preventing her from getting a husband
common,
thattheylefttheirwars
unfinished;
suitable
toherbirth.Afterwards
they both pulled their enemiesdown, but neith-
Callias,
a
rich Athenian, falling in love with her, madea
er of them gave them their death's blow. The proposal to pay the government her father's
principal mark, however, of likeness in their fine, if she would give him her hand, which
characters, is their affability and gentlenessof condition she agreedto, and with her brother's
deportment in doing the honoursof their houses, consent, became his wife. Still it must be
and the magnificenceand splendourwith which acknowledged that Cimon had his attachments
theyfurnishedtheir tables. Perhaps,thereare to the sen. Witness his mistresses Asteria of
some
otherresemblances
whichwepass
over,Salamis
andoneMenstra,
onwhose
account
that
itself. may
easily
becollected fromtheirhistory thepoetMelanthius jestsuponhimin his
elegies. And though he was legally married
Ciraon was(liesonofMiltiades andHegesi- toIsodice,thedaughterof Euryptolemus, the
pyla. Thatladywas aThracian, anddaughter
to king Olorus, as it stands recorded in the
sonofMegacles, yethewastoouxorious while
she lived, and at her death he was inconsola-
poems
ofArcheiaus
andMelanthius,
writtenin
So that Thucydides the ble, if we may judge from the elegiesthat were
honour of Cirnon. addressedto him by way of comfort and con-
historianwashis
called Olorus; relation,
a name that for
hadhisfather
been longwas
in dolence.
Panaetius,
thephilosopher,
think?
Archeiaus the physician was author of those
the family, and he had gold minesin Thrace. elegies, and from the times in which he flour-
Thucydidesis said,too, to havebeenkilled in ished,the conjectureseemsnot improbable.
Scapte Hyle,*
aplace inthatcountry.Hisre- Therestof Cimon's
mains, however, were brought into Attica, and
conduct
wasgreat
and
admirable. In courage he was not inferior to
his monumentis shewn amongthose of Cimon's Miltiades, nor in prudenceto Themistocles,and
family, near the tomb of Elpinice, sister of he was confessedlyan honesterman than either
Cimon. But Thucydides was of the ward of of them. He could not be said to come short
Alimus,andMiltiadesof thatof Lacias. Mil- of them in abilities for war; and even while he
tiades wascondemned to paya fineof fifty was young andwithout military
experience,it
talents,for which he was thrown into prison is surprising
howmuch he exceeded
by the government,and there he died. He politicalvirtue. When Themistocles,
them in
upontho
lefthissonCimon veryyoung, andhisdaughter invasion
of theMedes, advised
thepeople to
Elpinice wasnotyetmarriageable. quittheircityandterritory,
andretiretothe
Cimon, at first,wasa person ofnoreputa-
tion, but censured as a disorderly and riotous
straits
of Salamis,to try theirfortunes
in a
"naval combat, the generality were astonished
young man. He was even compared to his at the rashnessof the enterprise. But Cimon,
grandfather Cimon,
called Coalemos who,
(that forhisstupidity,
is, Ideot.) waswithagayair,ledthewaywithhisfriends
Stesimbrotus throughthe Ceramicusto the citadel,carrying
theThasian,
he had whowashis
no knowledge of contemporary, says,
music, or any other abridle
IDhishand
todedicate
tothegoddess.
accomplishment
whichwasin vogueamongthe * Some sayElpinice
wasonlyhalf sisterto Cimon,
Greeks,andthat he hadnot the leastspa-kof andthatas»ueh
he married
her; Ibclawsc/ -ilhenj
the Attic wit or eloquence; but that there was Dotforbiddinghimto marry one that wassisteronly
by the father'sside. CorneliusNeposexpresslyu
Hylf signifiesa wood full of trenches. Stt- firms it.
(de urb J dull it Scaptesule. t Diogenes,
Suidas,andothcn,calli* FeuiaaactioB,
 CIMON. 339

Thii wa§to shewthatAthenshadnoneedof The allies,highlyincensed

at thisinfamoiu
cavalry,
butof marine
forces,
onthepresentaction,
joinedCimon
tobesiege
himin Byzan-
occasion.
Afterhehadconsecrated
thebridle, tium. Buthefoundmeans to escape
thence;
andtakendowna shieldfromthe wall, he andashewasstill haunted
bythespectre,
heii
paidbisdevotionsto the goddess,andthensaidto have applied toa templeatHeraclea,"
Wentdownto the sea; by which meanshe in- wherethe manei of the deadwereconsulted.
spired
numberswithcourage to embark.Be-Thereheinvoked thespiritof Cleonice,t
and
tides,as thepoetIoninformsus,he wasnot entreated
herpardon.Sheappeared,
andtold
unhandsome
in his person,but tall andmajes- him, "He would soon be deliveredfrom all
tic,andhadanabundance
of hair whichcurledhis troubles,after his returnto Sparta;"in
uponhisshoulders.Hedistinguished
himself whichit seemshis deathwasenigmatically
in so extraordinary
a mannerin the battle,that foretold4 These particularswe havefrom
hegainednot onlythe praise,but the heartsof manyhistorians.
his countrymen;insomuchthat manyjoined All the confederates hadnow putthemselves
his train,andexhortedhim to think of designsunderthe conduct of Cimon, and he sailed
and actions worthy of those at Marathon. with them to Thrace, upon intelligence that
Whenhe appliedfor a sharein the adminis-someof the mosthonourableof the Persians,
tration,the peoplereceivedhim with pleasure.andof the king's relations,hadseizedthe city
By this timethey werewearyof Themistocles,of Kiun upon the river Strymon,and greatly
and as they knew Cimon'sengagingand hu- harassedthe Greeksin that neighbourhood.
manebehaviourto their wholebody,conse- Cimon engagedand defeated the Persian
quentupon his naturalmildnessandcandour, forces, and then shut them up in the town.
theypromotedhim to the highesthonoursand Alter this, he dislodgedthe Thraciansabove
officesin the state. Aristides, the son of Ly- the Strymon, who had usedto supply the town
eunacnus,contributed not a little to his ad- with provisions, and kept so strict a guard
vancement. He saw the goodnessof his dis- over the country, that no convoyscould escape
position,andsethim up asa rival againstthe him. By thismeans,the placewasreducedto
keenness anddaringspirit of Themistocles. suchextremity,that Butesthe king's general,
When the Medes were driven out of Greece, in absolute despair, set fire to it, and so per-
Cimon was elected admiral. The Athenians ished there, with his friends and all his sub-
had not now the chief command at sea, but stance.
actedunder the orders of Pausaniasthe Lace- In consequenceof this, Cimon became mas-
dzmonian. The first thing Cimon did, was to ter of the town, but there was no advantageto
equiphis countrymenin a morecommodiousbe reapedfrom it worth mentioning,because
dinner, and to make them much better sea- the barbarianshad destroyed all by lire. The
men than the rest. And as Pausaniasbegan country about it, however, was very beautiful
to treat with the barbarians, and write letters and fertile, and that he settled with the Athe-
to the king; about betraying the fleet to them, nians. For this reason the people of Athena
in consequenceof which he treated the allies permitted him to erect there three marble
in a rough and haughty style, and foolishly Hermx, which had the following inscription*:
gave in to many unnecessaryand oppressive
tcts of authority;Cimon,ontheotherhand, Where
Strymon,
withhisBikerwavej,
The lofty towers of Eioti laves,
listened to the complaints of the injured with The haplessMede, with famine press'd,
10 much gentlenessand humanity, that he in- The forceof Grecianarmsconfessed.
iensibly gainedthe commandof Greece, not by Let him who,bornin distantdays,
arms, but by his kind and obliging manners. Beholdsthese monumentsof praise-
Fortthegreatest
partof theallies,no longer These
forms
thatvalour's
glorysave-
ableto bearthe severityandprideof Pausanias, AndseehowAthens
crowns
thebrave,
put themselvesunder the direction of Cimon For honourfeelthe patriotsigh,
and Afistides. At the same time they wrote to And for his country learn to die.
the ephori, to desire them to recal Pausanias, Afar to Phrygia'sfatedlands,
by whomSpartawas so dishonoured,
and all WhenMnestheus leads
hisAtticbandl,
Greeceso muchdiscomposed. Behold!hebears
in Homerstill
It is related, that when Pausaniaawas at The palm of military skill,
In every age, on everycoast,
Byzantium,
hecasthis eyesupona.youngvirgin 'Tit thui theiotaof Athens
boast!
namedCleonice, of a noble family there, and
insistedonhavingherfor a mistress.Thepa- ThoughCimon's namedoesnotappear in any
rents,intimidatedby hispower,wereunderthe of theseinscriptions,yet his contemporaries
hardnecessity of givingup their daughter.consideredthemasthe highestpitchof hon-
The youngwomanbeggedthat the light might our. For neitherThemistoclesnor Miltiade»
betakenout of his apartment,that shemight were favouredwith any thing of that kind.
goto hisbedin secrecyandsilence.When she Nay, when the latter askedonly for a crown
enteredhe wasasleep,
and sheunfortunately
of olive,Sochares
of thewardofDecelea
stood
"tumbled upon the candlestick, and threw it
down. The noisewakedhimsuddenly, and * Heraclea wasa place nearOlympia. Tausaniu
te, in hisconfusion,
thinkingit wasanenemyapplied
to thenecromancers therecallidPsychagogi,
comingto assassinatehim,unsheathed whoseofficeit wasto callupdeparted
spirits.
a dagger f Thuswe 6ndthat it wasa customin the Paganu
lhat layby him, andplungedit into thevirgin's "wellis in the Hebrewtheology,to conjureup the
leart. After this he could never rest. Her spirits of the dead, and that the witch of Endor warn.
mageappearedto him every night, and with a not theonly witch in theworld.
Menacing
tone repeatedthis heroicverse- t TheLicedxmomans
having
resolved
to seize
him,
hefledfor refugeto a templecf Minerva,calledChoi-
Goto(hefatewhich
prideandluitprepare! eiouali.There
they>hutnunupaudstarred
him.
340 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Dpin themiastof theassembly,

andspokeofficers
hadentered
thetheatre,
andmade
the
againstit, in termsthat werenotcandid,in- duelibations
to thegodwhopresided
overthe
deed,but agreeableto the people. He said, games,the archonwould not suffer themto
"Miltiades, whenyoushallfight the barbariansretire,but obligedthemto sit downandselect
alone, ami conqueralone, then askto have ten judgesuponoath, one out of each tribe.
honourspaidyou alone." Whatwasit then Thedignityof thejudgescaused
anextraordi-
that inducedthem to give the preferenceso nary emulationamongthe actors. Sophocle*
greatlyto thisactionof Cimon?Wasit not gainedthe prize;at whichjEschylus
wasBO
that, underthe othergenerals,they foughtfor much grievedanddisconcerted, that he could
their livesandexistenceas a people,butunder not bearto stay muchlongerin Athens,but in
him they were able to distresstheir enemies,angerretiredto Sicily, wherehedied,andwas
by carrying war into the countries where they buried near Gela.
had established themselves,and by colonizing Ion tells us,that whenhe was very young,
Eiun andAmphipolis?They planteda colony, andlatelycomefrom Chiosto Athens,hesup-
too in the isle of Sycros,*whichwasreduced pedat Laomedon's,withCimon. After supper,
by Cimon on the occasion I am going to men- when the libations were over, Cimon was de-
tion. The Dolopes, who then held it, paid no sired to sing, and he did it so agreeably, that
attention to agriculture. They had so long the company preferred him in point of polite
been addicted to piracy, that at last they spared ness,to Themistocles. For he, on a like occa-
not even the merchants and strangers who sion, said, "He had not learned to sing or play
came into their ports, but in that of Ctesium upon the harp; but be knew how to raise a
plundered some Thessalians who came to traf- small city to wealth and greatness." The con-
fic with them, andput themin prison. These versationafterwardsturneduponthe actionsof
prisoners,however,found meansto escape,Cimon,andeachof the guests dweltuponsuch
and wentand lodgedan impeachment against as appearedto him the mostconsiderable:
he,
the place before the Amphictyones, who com- for his part, mentioned only this, which helook-
manded the whole island to make restitution. ed upon as the most artful expedient he had
Those who had no concern in the robbery were made use of. A great number of barbarian!
unwilling to pay any thing, and, insteadof were made prisonersin Sestosandat Byzan-
that, called uponthe personswho committed tium; andthe allies desiredCimonto makea
it, andhadthe goodsin their hands,to make divisionof the booty. Cimonplacedtheprison-
satisfaction. But, thesepirates,apprehensiveers, quite nakedon one side,andall their or-
of the consequence, sent to invite Cimon to namentson the other. The allies complained,
come with his ships and take the town, which the shareswere not equal; whereupon he bade
they promisedto deliver up to him. In pur- them take which part they pleased,assuring
suanceof this, Cimontook the island,expel- them that the Athenianswould be satisfied
led the Dolopes,and clearedthe .ZEgiansea with whattheyleft. Herophytus,the Samian,
of corsairs. advised them to make choice of the Persian
This done, he recollected that their ancient spoils, and of course the Persian captives fell
heroTheseus,the son of jEgeus, hadretired to the shareof theAthenians.For the present,
from Athensto Scyros,andwasthere treach- Cimonwasridiculedin privatefor the division
erouslykilled by king I^ycomedes, who enter- he hadmade; because the allieshadchainsof
tained some suspicionof him. Andas there gold, rich collars and bracelets,androbesof
wasanoraclewhichhadenjoinedthe Atheniansscarlet and purple to shew, while the Athe-
to bringbackhis remains,!andto honourhim nianshadnothingbut a parcelof nakedslaves,
as a derm-god,Cimonsethimselfto searchfor and those very unfit for labour. But a little
his tomb. This wasno easyundertaking,for after, the friendsandrelationsof the pinners
the peopleof Scyroshadall along refusedto camedown from PhrygiaandLydia, andgave
declare where he lay, or to sufferany search large sums for their ransom. Sothat Cimon
for his bones. At last, with muchpainsaud with the moneypurchased four months'provi-
inquiry, he discovered the repository,andput sionsfor his ships,andsenta quantityof gold
his remains,set off with all imaginablemag- besidesto the Atheniantreasury.
nificence,on boardhis own galley,andcarried Cimonby this time hadacquireda greatfor-
them to the ancient seat of that hero, almost tune; and what he had gained gloriously in the
four hundredyearsafter he hadleft it.} war from the enemy,he laid out with asmuch
Nothingcouldgivethe peoplemorepleasure reputation upon his fellow citizena. He or
than this event. To commemorate it, theyin- deredthe fencesof his fieldsandgardens to be
stitutedgames,in whichthe tragic poetswere throwndown,thatstrangers, aswell ashis own
to try their skill; and the dispute was very countrymen,might freelypartakeof his fruit.
remarkable. Sophocles,then a young man, He hada supperprovided at his houseevery
broughthis first pieceuponthetheatre;and day,in whichthedisheswereplain,butsuffi-
Aphepsion,the archon,perceivingthat the au- cient for a multitudeof guests. Everypoor
diencewerenot unprejudiced,did not appoint citizen repairedto it at pleasure,andhadhil
the judges by lot in the usual manner. The diet without care or trouble; by which meant
methodhe took wasthis: when Cimonandhis he wasenabledto giveproperattentionto pub-
lic affairs. Aristotle, indeed, says, this supper
aboutthebeginningof the seTenty-was not provided for all the citizens in gen-
" This happened
"eventh
Olympiad. eral, but only for thoseof his owntribe,whick
f Thisoracle wasdelivered to themfouryeanbe-wasthat of Lacia.*
fore; in the Grstyearof theseventy-siithOlympiad.
| Plulari-hcouldnotmake amistakeoffourhundred * Cimon's
wardbeingafterwards
called
Oeneis,
it
years. We art ptrsuadeii,
therefore,
that hewrote mustbereconciled withthisplace
iromStephanas,
who
tijjit hundred. telli \B,thtLociodav>ereaptopltoftl>i
wardOf"'
 CIMON. 341

Y\T)<
n hewalkedout, heusedto havea ret- askedhim, "Whether he should chooset»
inuecf youngmenwellclothed,
andif hehap-havehimhismercenary
or hisfriend?" "My
penedtomeet anagedcitizen
in amean drees, friend,
undoubtedly,"saidthebarbarian."Go
beorderedsomeoneof themto changeclothes then," said Cimon, " and take thesethingi
with him. This wasgreatandnoble. But be- back with you; for if I be your friend, your
tide this,the sameattendantscarriedwith them moneywill be minewheneverI haveoccasion
a quantityof money,andwhenthey met in the for it."
market-place
with anynecessitous
personof Aboutthis time,theallies,thoughtheypaid
tolerableappearance,
they took care to slip their contributions,beganto scruplethe fur-
tomepiecesintohishandasprivately
aspossi-nishingof shipsandmen. They wantedto
ble. Cratinus,the comic writer, seemsto bid adieuto the troublesof war, and to till
have referred to these circumstances in one of the ground in quiet and tranquility, particu-
hispieces
entitledArchilocbi. larly asthebarbarians
keptat home,andgave
them no disturbance The other Atnenian gen-
E«n I| Metrobiui,thougha scrivener,hoptd erals took every method to compel them to
Topass Acheerful andasleekoldage,
Ana live to iny last hour at Cimon's table ;
make good their quota, and by prosecutions
Cimoo'. the best and noblestof the Greeks ! and fines rendered the Athenian government
Whose
wide-spread
bounty
viedwiththatofHearen
! oppressive
andinvidious.But Cimontooka
But,ah! he'sgonebefore
me! different coursewhen he had the command.
He used no compulsion to any Grecian; he
Gorgiasthe Leontinegavehim this character,took moneyandshipsunmannedof suchasdid
"He got richesto usethem,andusedthemso not chooseto servein person;and thussuffer-
as to be honoured on their account." And ed them to be led by the charms of easeto do-
Critias,oneof the thirty tyrants,in his Elegies mestic employment,to husbandryandmanu-
thusexpressesthe utmostextentof his wishes: factures:so that, of a warlike people,they be-
The
wealth
ofScopas'*
heirs,
thesoul
ofCimon,came,
through
aninglorious
attachment
tolux-
Andthefamed
trophies
ofAgesilaus. uryandpleasure,
quiteunfit for any thing in
the military department. On the other hand,
Lichis, the Lacedemonian,we know, gained he made all the Atheniansin their turnsserve
a greatname
among
theGreeks,
by nothingonboardhisships,
andkeptthemin continual
but entertaining strangers who cameto seethe exercise. By these means he extended tho
public exercisesof the Spartan youth. But Athenian dominion over the allies, who were
the magnificenceof Cimon exceededeven the all the while paying him for it. The Athe-
ancienthospitality and bounty of the Athenians. nians were always upon one expedition or oth
They indeed taught the Greeks to sow bread- er; had their weaponsfor ever in their hands,
corn,
to availthemselves
of theuseofwells,and
were
trained
uptoevery
fatigue
ofservice;
andof thebenefit
of fire: in thesethingsthey henceit wasthat theallieslearned
to fearand
justly glory. But Cimon's housewas a kind of flatter them, and instead of being their fellow-
commonhall for all the people; the first fruits soldiers as formerly, insensibly becametheir
of hislandsweretheirs',whatever theseasons
producedof excellent and agreeable,they free-
tributaries
andsubjects.
Add to this, that no man humbled the pride
ly gathered;nor were strangers in the least de- and
barred from them: so that he in some measure arrogance of the great king more than
Cimon. Not satisfied with driving him out of
revived thecommunity of goods, whichpre-Greece, hepursued
hisfootsteps, andwithout
vailed in the reign of Saturn, and which the suffering him to take breath, ravagedand laid
poets tellsomuch of.Those who malevolently
ascribedthis liberality of his to a desire of flat-
waste
somepartofhisdominions, anddrew
over others to the Grecian league; insomuch
tering or courting the people, were refuted by that in all Asia,fromIonia to Pamphylia,there
the rest of his conduct, in which he favoured was not a Persian standard to be seen. As
the nobility, and inclined to the constitution soon as he was informed that the king's fleets
and custom of Lacedaemon. When Themisto-
and armies lay upon the Pamphylian coast, he
cles wantedto raisethe powerandprivileges wanted to intimidate them in such a manner
ofthecommons toohigh, hejoined Aristidesto thattheyshould
nevermoreventure
beyond
oppose him.Inlikemanner heopposed Ephi-theChelidoman
isles.Forthispurpose
heset
altes,who, to ingratiate himself withthepeo-sailfromCnidus
ple, attempted to abolish the court of Areopa-
andTnopium withafleet
of
pus. He saw all personsconcerned in the ad- two hundredgalleys,which Themistocleshad,
ministration, except Aristides and Ephialtes, in their first construction, made light and fit to
oillagingthe public,yet he kept his own hands turn with the utmost agility. Cimon widened
clean, and in all his speechesand actions con- them, and joined a platform to the deck of
each, that there might in time of action be
tinuedto the last perfectly disinterested. One room for a greater number of combatants.
instanceof this they give us in his behaviour to When he arrived at Vhasehs,which was in-
Rhcesaces, a barbarian who had revolted from
the king of Persia, and was come to Athens habited by Greeks, but would neither receive
with great treasures. This man finding himself his fleet, nor revolt from the king, he ravaged
their territories, and advanced to assault their
harassed by informersthere,appliedto Cimon
for his protection; and, to gain his favour, walls.Hereupon, theChians whowereamong
placedtwo cups,the onefull of gold, and the his forces,havingof old had a friendship
other of silver darics in his antechamber. Ci- for the peopleof Phaselis,
on onesideendeav
mon, casting his eye upon them, smiled, and oured to pacify Cimon, and on the other ad-
dressed
themselves
to thetownsmen,
by letters
* Scopa*, in thelife fastenedto arrows, whichthey shotover the
a rich Theisaliau,is mentioned
walla. At lengththeyreconciled
thetwopar-
 342 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

ties; the conditionswere, that the Phase- that hecameinto that famouspeace,which
lites shouldpay downten talents,andshould limitedhim to the distanceof a day'sjourney,*
follow Cimon'sstandard againstthebarbarians.on horseback, from the Greciansea; and by
Ephorus says,Tithraustescommanded the which he engaged that noneof his galleysor
king's fleet, and Pherendates hialand forces; othershipsof war shouldevercomewithin the
bat CaUtethenes will haveit, that AriomandeaCyaneanandChelidonian isles. Callisthenei,
thesonot'Gobryas wasattheheadofthePer- indeed,deniesthat the kingagreed to these
sians. He tells us farther,thathelayat an- conditions;butheallowsthat hissubsequent
chor in the river Eurymedon,anddid not yet behaviourwas equivalentto such an agree-
choose
to cometo an engagementwith the ment. For hisfears,
consequent
uponthede-
Greeks,because
heexpecteda reinforcementfeat,madehimretiresofarfromGreece,that
of eightyPhoenician shipsfrom Cyprus. On Pericles with fifty ships,and Ephialteswith
the otherhand,Cimonwantedto preventthat no morethan thirty, sailedbeyondthe Cheli-
junction,andthereforesailedwith a resolutiondonianrocks without meetingwith any fleet
to compelthe Persiansto fight, if theydeclin- of the barbarians.However,in thecollection
edit. To avoid it, they pushedup the river. of Atheniandecreesmadeby Craterus,there
But when Cimon came up, they attempted to is a copy of the articles of this peace, which
make headagainst him with six hundred ships, are in substancethe same as we have related
according to Phanodemus, or, as Ephorus them. We are told also, that the Athenians
writes, with three hundred and fifty. They per- built an altar to Peace on thU occasion, and
formed, however, nothing worthy of sucha fleet, that they paid particular honours to Callias
but presentlymadefor land. The foremostgot who negociatedthe treaty. So much was
on shore, and escaped the army which was raised from the sale of the spoils, that besides
drawn up hard by. The Greeks laid hold on what was reserved for other occasions, the
the rest, and handled them very roughly, as people had money enough to build the wall on
well as their ships. A certain proof that the the south side of the citadel. Nay, suchwas
Persian fleet was very numerous,is, that though the treasure this expedition afforded, that by
many in all probability got away, and many it were laid the foundation of the long walla
others were destroyed, yet the Athenians took called Legs; they were not finished indeed
no less than two hundred vessels. till some time after. And as the place where
The barbarian land forces advanced close they were to be erected was marshy and full
to the sea: but it appearedto Cimon an ar- of water, Cimon at his own expensehad the
duous undertaking to make good his landing by bottom securedby ramming down large stones
dint of sword, and with his troops, who were and binding them with gravel. He too, first
fatigued with the late action, to engage those adorned the city with those elegant and noble
that were quite fresh and many times their num- places for exercise and disputation, which a
ber. Notwithstanding this, he saw the courage little after came to be so much admired. He
and spiritsof his menelevatedwith their late plantedtheybrumwithplanetrees:andwhere-
victory, andthat they wereverydesirousto be as the academybeforewasa dry andunsightl}
led against the enemy. He therefore disem- plat, he brought water to it, and sheltered it
barked his heavy-armed infantry, yet warm with groves, so that it abounded with clean al-
from the action. They rushed forward with leys and shady walks.
loud shouts, and the Persians stood and re- By this time the Persiansrefusedto evacuata
ceived them with a good countenance. A the Chersonesus;and, instead of that, called
sharp conflict ensued,in which the bravestand down the Thracians to their assistance. Cimon
most distinguished among the Athenians were set out againstthem from Athens with a very
slain. At last with much difficulty the barba- few galleys, and as they looked upon him with
rians were put to the rout: many were killed, contempt on that account, he attacked them,
andmanyothersweretaken,togetherwith their andwith fourshipsonly,tookthirteenof theirs.
pavilions,full of all mannerof rich spoil. Thus he expelled the Persians,andbeatthe
Thus Cimon, like an excellent champion,won Thracians too; by which successhe reduced
two prizesin one day, and by thesetwo ac- the whole Chersonesus
to the obedienceof
tions outdid the victory of Salamis at sea, and Athena. After this, he defeatedat seathe Tha
of Plataeaat land. He added, however, anew sians, who had revolted from the Athenians,
trophy to his victories.Upon intelligencethat took three-and-thirtyof their ships,andstorm-
the eightyPhoenician galleys,which were not ed their town. The gold mineswhichwere
in the battle, were arrived at Hydrus,* he in the neighbouring continent he securedto his
"teered that way as fast as possible. They countrymen, together with the whole Thasian
bad not received any certain account of the territories.
forces to whose assistance they were going; From thence there was an easy opening to
and as this suspensemuch intimidated them, invade Macedonia, and possibly to conquer
they were easilydefeated,with the lossof all greatpart of it; andas heneglectedthe oppor
their ships and most of their men. tunity, it was thought to be owing to the pres-
These events so humbled the king of Persia, ents which king Alexander made him. Hi*
enemies, therefore, impeached him for it, and
* As no such placeasHydrua is to be found, Lubinus
thinks
weshouldreadSydra,
whichwas a maritime
brought himto histrial. In hisdefence, he
townofCilicia.Dacier
proposes
lo readHydrusiathus addressed hisjudges-"Ihaveno con
nexion with rich lonians or Thessalians, whoa?
other generals have applied to, in hopesof re-
ceiving compliments and treasuresfrom them.
wo-o vcory. n as, a e wen gusc
ID a Persian dress,which 'lust be with » new to take
alle*. * Four hundred furlonji.
 CIMON. 343

Myattachment
istotheMacedonians,*
whose daughter
to Euryptolemug,
thesonof Me-
frugalityand sobrietyI honourand imitate; gacles.
things
preferablewithmetoallthewealth in TheSpartans contributed
notalittletothe
theworld. I loveindeedto enrichmycountrypromotion of Cimon. Beingdeclared
enemies
"t theexpense
ofitsenemies."
Stesimbrotus,
to Themistocles,
theymuchratherchose
to
who mentionsthis trial, saysElpinice waited adhereto Cimon,thoughbut a youngman,at
on Periclesat his own house,to entreatthat the headof affairsin Athens. The Athenians
bewouldbehave withsomelenityto herbro- tooatfirstsawthiswithpleasure,
because they
ther:for Pericleswasthemostvehement ac- reaped greatadvantagefromtheregardwhich
cuserhe had. At present,he only said, theSpartans hadfor Cimon. Whentheybe-
"Youareold,Elpinice,muchtooold to trans-ganto take the leadamongthe allies,and
act«uchbusinessasthis. However, whenthe weregainingthechiefdirectionof ail thebusi-
causecameon, he was favourableenoughto nessof the league, it wasno uneasiness
to
Cimon,
androseuponlyonceto speakduringthemto seethe honourandesteemhe waa
thewholeimpeachment,
andthenhedidit in heldin. IndeedCimonwas the manthey
a slight manner. Cimonthereforewashon- pitcheduponfor transactingthat business, on
ourablyacquitted. accountof his humanebehaviourto the allies,
As to the rest of his administration,
he op- andhis interestwith the Lacedaemonians.
But
posedand restrained
the peoplewhowere whentheywere become
greatandpowerfuJ,
invading the province of the nobility, and it gavethem pain to seeCimon still adoring
wantedto appropriatethe directionof every the Spartans. For hewasalwaysmagnifying
thingto themselves.But when he wasgone that peopleat their expense;andparticularly,
out upona new expedition,they broke out as Stesimbrotustells us, when he had any
again,and overturning the constitutionand fault to find with them, he usedto say, "The
mostsacredcustomsof their country,at the Lacedaemonians would not havedoneso." On
instigationof Ephialtes,they took from the this accounthis countrymenbeganto envyand
councilof Areopagus thosecauses that usedto to hate him.
comebeforeit, and left it the cognizance of Theyhad,however,a still heaviercomplaint
butveryfew. Thus, by bringing all matters againsthim,which took its rise asfollows: la
beforethemselves,they madethe governmentthe fourth yearof the reignof Archidamusthe
a perfectdemocracy. And thistheydid with sonof Zeuxidamus, therehappenedthe great-
the concurrenceof Pericles, who by this time est earthquake at Sparta that ever was heard
wasgrown very powerful,and hadespousedof. The groundin manypartsof Laconiawai
theirparty. It waswith greatindignationthat cleft asunder;Mount Taygetusfelt the shock,
Cimon found, at his return, the dignity of that and its ridges were torn off; the whole city
high court insulted; and he set himself to re- was dismantled, except five houses. The
atore its jurisdiction, and to revive such an young men and boys were exercising in the
aristocracy
as had obtainedunderClisthenes.portico, andit is said that a little before the
Upon this, his adversaries raised a great cla- earthquake a hare crossed the place, upon
mour,andexasperated
the peopleagainsthim, which the youngmen,naked and anointedae
not forgetting those stories about his eister, they were, ran out in sport after it. The
and his own attachment to the Lacedemo- building fell upon the boys that remained, and
nians. Hence thoseversesof Eupolis about destroyedthemaltogether. Their monument
Cimon:- is still called,fromthat event,Sismatia.
He's
notavillain,
butadebauchee, Archidamus,
amidst
thepresent
danger,
per*
Whose
careless
heartis !ostonwineandwomen. ceived anotherthat was likely to ensue,and,
Thetimehasbeen,heilept in Lacedzmon. as he saw the people busy in endeavouringto
AndJeftpoorEJpiuice
herealone. savetheir mostvaluablemoveables,
he ordered
Butif withallhisnegligence
andloveofwine,thetrumpets
to givethealarm,
asif some
ene-
be took so manycities,and gainedso many my werereadyto fall uponthem,thattheymight
victories,
it is plainthatif hehadbeena soberrepairto himimmediately
with theirweapona
roanand attentive to business,none of the in their hands. This was the only thing which
Greeks,
eitherbeforeor afterhim,couldhave at this crisissavedSparta. For the Helots
exceeded
himin greatandglorious actions. flocked
togetheronall sidesfromthefields
to
Fromhisfirstsetting
outin life,hehadan despatchsuchashadescaped theearthquakes
attachment
totheLacedaemonians. Accordingbutfindingthemarmed andingoodorder,they
toStesimbrotus,
hecalledoneof thetwinshe returned totheirvillages,
anddeclared open
badby a Clitonianwoman, Lacedaemomus, war.Atthesame timetheypersuadedsome of
andtheotherEleus;and Periclesoftentook theirneighbours,
among
whomweretheMea-
occasion
to reproachthemwith theirmeansenians, to jointhemagainstSparta.
descent
by themother's side. But Diodorus In thisgreatdistress
the Lacedaemonians
thegeographerwrites,
thathehadboththesesentPericlidas to Athens,
to begforsuccours.
eons,
anda thirdnamedThessalus,byIsodiceAristophanes,*
in hiscomic
way,says,"There
wasanextraordinary
contrast
between
hispale
in generalhaveLacedzmolians; faceand his red robe,as hesata suppliantat
* Themanuscript!
"Adthatidprobably
thetruereading.
ForCioonis thealtars,
andasked
usfortroops."Ephialtea
wellknown
to have
hada strong;
attachment
tothat stronglyopposed
andprotested
against
giving
people.Besides,
the Macedonians
werenota soberany assistance
to re-establish
a city whichwas
people. As to whatsomeobject,that it isstrangehe rival to their own,insistingthat theyought
"fSouJd
makeDOmentionof the Macedonians, whenhe
WM accusedof being bribed by them ; the anjwer ii ratherto sufferthe prideof Spartato betrodden
ruy,wearenotcertain
thatPlutarch
has
girenustil underfoot. Cimon,
however,
as CritioH
tells
Cimou's
defence. " LjmtraU,1.U4C.
 344 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

n§,preferred
thereliefof Sparta
to theenlarge-wouldcomeagainstthemfromPeloponnesM
mentof the Athenianpower,and persuadec thenextspring. Henceit was,thattheyre-
the peopleto marchwitha greatarmyto ite calledCimonfrombanishment, and Penclei
aid. Ion mentionsthewordswhichhadthe himselfwasthefirstto propose it. With so
most effect upon them: he desiredthem, it muchcandourweredifferences
managed
then,
leems, "Not to sufferGreeceto be maimed so moderatethe resentmentsof men,and »o
nortodeprivetheirowncityofitscompanion.'easilylaid down,wherethe publicgoodre-
When hereturnedfromassisting theLace- quiredit! Ambition
itself,thestrongest
of all
daemonians, he marchedwith his armythrough passions,yielded to the interestsand neces-
Corinth. Lachartuscomplained in highterms sities of the country!
of his bringingin his troopswithoutpermission Cimon,soonafter his return,put an endto
of the citizens: "For," said he, "when we the war, and reconciled the two cities. After
knock at another man's door, we do not enter the peace was made, he saw the Athenian!
without leave from the master." "But you, couldnot sit downquietly,but still wantedto
Lachartus,"answeredCimon,"did not knock bein motion,andto aggrandize themselves by
at the gates of Cleone and Megara, but broke new expeditions. To prevent their exciting
them in pieces, and forced your way in, upon further troubles in Greece,and giving a handle
this principle, that nothing should be shut for intestine wars, and heavy complaints of
againstthe strong." With this boldnessand the allies againstAthens,on accountof their
propriety too did he speak to the Corinthian, formidable fleets traversing the seasabout the
and then pursued his march. islands and around Peloponnesus,he fitted out
After this, the Spartans called in the Athe- a fleet of two hundred sail, to carry war into
nians a secondtime againstthe Messeniansand Egypt and Cyprus.* This he thought would
Helots in Ithome.* But when they were ar- answer two intentions; it would accustomthe
rived, they were more afraid of their spirit of Athenians to conflicts with the barbarians,and
enterprise than of the enemy, and therefore,of it would improve their substancein an honour-
all their allies,sent them only back again,as able manner,by bringing the rich spoilsof
persons suspected of some dishonourable de- their natural enemiesinto Greece
sign. They returned full of resentment, of When all was now ready, and the army on
Course,t and now openly declared themselves the point of embarking, Cimon had this dream.
against the partisans of the Lacedaemonians, An angry bitch seemedto bayat him, and some-
and particularly against Cimon. In conse- thing betweenbarking and a human voice, to
quence of this, upon a slight pretence, they utter these words: Comeon; I andmy whelpl
banished him for ten years, which is the term with pleasure shall receive thee. Though the
the ostracism extendsto. dream was hard to interpret, Astyphilus the
In the mean time, the Lacedaemonians,in Posidonian, a great diviner, and friend of
their return from an expedition in which they Cimon's, told him it signified his death. He
had delivered Delphi from the Phocians, en- argued thus: a dog is an enemy to the man he
campedat Tengara. The Athenianscameto barks at; and no one can give his enemy
give thembattle. Onthis occasionCimonap- greaterpleasurethan by his death. The mix-
pearedin arms amongthoseof his own tribe, ture of the voice pointed out that the enemy
which was that of Oeneis,to fight for his coun- was a Mede, for the armies of the Medes are
try againstthe Lacedaemonians.
When the composed
of Greeks and barbarians. After
council of five hundred heard of it, they were this dream, he had another sign in sacrificing
afraid that his enemies would raise a clamour to Bacchus. When the priest had killed the
againsthim, as if he wasonly cometo throw victim, a swarm of antstook up the clotted
things into confusion, and to bring the Lacedae-
monians into Athens, and therefore forbadethe " The historyof thefirst expeditionis thii. Wliile
generalsto receivehim. Cimon,upon this re- 3imonwasemployed
in hisenterprise
against
Cyprus,
tired,afterhehaddesiredEuthippus
theAna- [naru5,
kingof Libya,having
brought
thegreatest
phlystian,
andtherest
ofhisfriends,
whowereinpart
theofLower Egypt
Athenians torevolt
to assisthim tofromAruxerxcs,
complete called
his conquest,
mostcensuredas partisansof Sparta,to eiert Hereupon,
the Athenians
quittedCyprus,
andsailed
themselves gloriously againstthe enemy, and nto Egypt. They madethemselves
mastersof the
by their behaviourto wipe off the aspersion.Nile,and,attacking
Memphis,
seized
twoof theout-
Thesebravemen,in numberabouta hun-works, andattempted thethird,called theu-tute
\calL
But the expedition proved very unfortunate. Artax-
dred, took Cimon's armour (as a sacredpledge) erxessentMcgabyzuswith a powerful army into EgypU
into the midstof their little band,formedthem- Hedefeated the rebels,
andtheLibyans
theirassoci-
selvesinto a closebody,andfoughttill theyall ates,
drovethe GreeksfromMemphis,shutthemup
fell with the greatestardourimaginable. The n theislandof Prospitis
eighteen
months,
andatlast
forcedthemto surrender. Theyalmostall perished
Atheniansregrettedthemeiceedingly,andre- 'n that war, which lasted six years. Inarm, in vio-
pented of the unjust censures they had fixed ation of the public feilh, was crucified.
uponthem. Their resentment
againstCimon, The second
expedition
wasundertaken
a fewyean
too, soon abated, partly from the remembrance after, and wasnot moresuccessful.The Atheniani
of his pastservices,
and partlyfromthediffi- went
against
Cyprus
withtwohundred
gallrys.
While
cultiestheylayunder
at thepresent
juncture..lirywere
besieging
Citium
there,
AmyrLcus
theSaiU
Theywere
beaten
inthegreat
battle
fought
at appliedtoofthem
um sixty his forsuccours
galleys. insay
Some Egypt, and
he went Cimon sent
with them
Tanagra, and they expectedanother army limself;others,
thathecontinued
before
Citium.But
nothing of moment wastransacted at this time to the
" TheSpartans
were
notikilled
insieges. jrejudice
enth yearofoftheFenians
Darius inEgypt.
ZVothus, However,
Amyrtxus issuedin the
from
t The Athenian*, in resentmentof this affront, broke *he fens, and, being joined by all the Egyptians, drore
Uie alliancewith Sparta,andjoined in confederacythe Persians
out of the kingdom,and became
king of
with UK ArgiTca. TAucyd 1. i. i ie whol" cov..try. Thucyd. 1.a. DM, Sic. 1.n.
 LUCULLUS. 345

bloodliy little andlittle, andlaid it upon According

toroostauthors,
hediedanatural
Cimon'sgreattoe. This theydid fur somedeathduringthesiegeof Citiuro;butsome
say
timewithoutanyone'stakingnoticeof it: at hediedof a woundhereceived
in anengage-
last Cimon himself observedit, and at the same ment with the barbarians.
jaBla.nl
thesoothsayer
cameandshewedhim The last advicehe gavetho«j abouthim
the liver withouta bead. was,to sail awayimmediately,andto conceal
The expedition,however,could not now be his death. Accordingly,beforethe enemyor
putoff, andthereforehe set sail. He sent their alliesknewthe real stateof the case,
sixtyof hisgalleysagainstEgypt,and with theyreturnedin safetybythe generalship of
the restmadefor the Asiatic coast,where he Cimon,exercised,as Pbanodemus
says,thirty
defeatedthe king's fleet, consisting of Phoeni- days after his death.
cianandCilicianships,madehimselfmasterof After he was gone,therewas not oneGre-
thecities in that circuit, andwatchedhis op- cian generalwho did any thing considerable
portunityto penetrateinto Egypt. Everything againstthe barbarians. The leadingoratori
was great in the designshe formed. He werelittle betterthan incendiaries, whosetthe
thoughtof nothing less than overturningthe Greeksoneagainstanother,andinvolvedthem
«,.olePersianempire;andthe rather,becausein intestinewars: nor was there any healing
hr was informed that Themistocles was in hand to interpose. Thus the king's affairs had
greatreputationandpowerwith the barbarians,time to recoverthemselves,
and inexpressible
andhadpromisedthe king to takethe conduct ruin wasbrought uponthe powersof Greece.
of the Grecian war, whenever he entered upon Long after this, indeed, Agesilaus carried his
it. But Themistocles, they tell us, in despair arms into Asia, and renewed the war awhile
of managingit to any advantage,and of getting against the king's lieutenants on the coast: but
the better of the good fortune and valour of he was so soon recalled by the seditions and
Cimon,fell by his own hand. tumults which broke out a fresh in Greece,
When Cimon had formed these great pro- that he could do nothing extraordinary. The
jects as a first step towards them, he cast Persian tax-gathererswere then left amidst
anchorbefore Cyprus. From thence he sent the cities in alliance and friendship with the
persons
in whomhe could confidewith a pri- Greeks; whereas,while Cimon had the com-
vate questionto the oracle of Jupiter Ammon; mand, not a single collector was seen, nor so
for their errand was entirely unknown. Nor much as a horseman appearedwithin four hun-
did the deity return them any answer, but dred furlongs from the sea-coast.
immediatelyupon their arrival ordered them to That his remains were brought to Attica,
return, " BecauseCimon,"said he, " is already his monument there is a sufficient proof, for it
with me." The messengersupon this, took still bears the title of Cimonia. Nevertheless
the road to the sea,and when they reachedthe the people of Citium have a tomb of Cimon,
Grecian camp, which was then on the coasts which they hold in great veneration, as Nausi-
of Egypt, they found that Cimon was dead. crates the orator informs us; the gods having
They then inquired what day he died, and ordered them in a certain famine not to disre-
comparing it with the time the oracle was gard his manes, but to honour and worship
delivered,they perceivedthat hia departure him as a superiorbeing. Suchwas this Gre-
wasenigmatically pointed at in the expression, cian general.
" That he was already with the gods."

LUCULLUS.

THE grandfatherof Lucullus was a man of The causewasarguedwith so much vetie

consulardignity;Metellus,surnamedNumidi- mence,that they cameto blows,and several
cus,washis uncleby his mother'sside. His were wounded,and somekilled; in the end,
fatherwasfoundguilty of embezzling the pub- however,Serviliuswasacquitted. But though
lic money,and his mother,Cacilia, had but Lucullus losthis cause,he hadgreatcommand
an indifferentreputationfor chastity. As for both of the Greek and Latin tongues;inso-
Lucullushimself,while he was but a youth, much that Sylla dedicatedhis Commentarie*
beforehesolicitedanypubliccharge,or at- Vohim,asa personwhocouldreducetheacU
temptedto gain a sharein the administration,andincidentsto much better order,and com-
hemadehis first appearance
in impeaching posea moreagreeable historyof them,than
Servilius
theaugur,whohadbeenhis father'shimself. For hiseloquence
wasnotonlyoc-
accuser.As hehadcaughtServiliusin somecasional,
or exertedwhennecessity calledfor
tct of injusticein the executionof his office, it, like that of othe: sratorswho beat about
all the world commended the prosecution,and in theftman,
talkedof it as an indication of extraordinary
tpirit. Indeed,wheretherewasno injuryto Assports
thevaulting
tunny
Inthemain,
revenge,
theRomans
considered
thebusiness
butwhentheyareoutofit,
of impeachments
as a generous
pursuit,and
they choseto have their young men fasten Art dry, inelegant,and dead-
nponcriminals,like so manywell bredhounds He hadappliedhimself to the sciencescalled
Doon
theirprey. liberal,andwasdeep
inthestudyofhumanity
346 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

fromhisyouth;andin hisagehewithdrawthekingin person.Ptolemy,*

whowasba
from public labours,of whichhe had had a a youth,receivedhim with all demonstration
greatshare,
to repose
himselfin thebosomof ofrespect,
andevenlodged
andprovided
him
philosophy,
andto enjoythespeculations
shea tablein hisownpalace;
anhonourwhich
suggested;
biddinga timelyadieuto ambitionhadnot beengrantedbeforeto anyforeign
after his differencewith Pompey. To what commander.Nor wasthe allowancefor hi»
we havesaidof his ingenuityand skill in expenses thesamewhichothershad,but four
languages, the followingstorymaybeadded.timesas much. Lucullus,however, tookno
While hewasbut a youth,ashewasjesting morethanwasabsolutely necessary, andre-
onedaywithHortensiua theorator,andSisennafusedtheking'spresents, thoughhewasoffered
thehistorian,heundertook to writea shorthis- nolessthanthevalueof eightytalents. It it
tory of the Marsi,eitherin Greekor Latin said,heneither visitedMemphis,noranyother
verse,asthelot shouldfall. Theytookhimat ofthecelebrated wonders of Egypt;thinkingit
his word,and,accordingto the lot, it wasto be ratherthe businessof a personwho hastime,
in Greek. That historyof his is still extant. andonlytravelsfor pleasures,than of him who
Amongthe manyproofsof his affectionfor hadleft his generalengaged in a siege,anden-
his brother Marcus,the Romansspeakmost campedbeforethe enemy'sfortifications.
of the first. Though hewasmucholderthan Ptolemyrefusedto enter into alliancewith
Marcus,lie wouldnotacceptanyofficewithout Sylla for fear of bringingwar upon himself,
him, but waitedhis time. This wasso agree- but hegaveLucullusa convoyto escorthimto
able to the people,that in his absencethey Cyprus,embracedhim at parting,and respect-
createdhim a;dilealongwith his brother. fully offeredhim a rich emeraldset in gold
Though he wasbut a striplingat the time Lucullusat first declinedit, but uponthe king's
of the Marsianwar, there appearedmanyin- shewinghim his own pictureengravedon it,
stances of his courage and understanding. he was afraid to refuse it, lest he should be
But Sylla's attachmentto him wasprincipally thoughtto goawaywith hostileintentions,and
owingto his constancy
andmildness. On this in consequence havesomefatal schemeform-
account he made use of his services,from first ed against him at eea.
to last, in his mostimportantaffairs. Amongst In his return hecollecteda numberof ships
other things,he gavehim the directionof the from the maritimetowns,exceptingthosethat
mint. It was he who coined most of Sylla's had given shelterand protectionto pirates,
moneyin Peloponnesus, duringtheMithndalic andwith this fleet he passedover to Cyprus.
war. From him it wascalled Lucullia; and There hefound that the enemy'sshipslay in
it continuedto be chieflyin usefor the occa- wait for him under somepoint of land; and
sionsof the army,for the goodneso of it made thereforehe laid up his fleet,andwrote to the
it passwiih ease. cities to provide him quarters and all necessa-
Sometime after this, Sylla engagedin the ries,as if he intendedto passthe winterthere.
siegeof Athens;andthoughhe wasvictorious But assoonasthe windserved,he immediately
by land, the superiority of the enemy at sea launched again, and proceededon his voyage,
straitened him for provisions. For this reason lowering his sails in the day-time, and hoisting
he despatchedLucullus into Egypt and Libya, them againwhen it grew dark; by which strata-
to procure him a supply of ships. It was then gem he got safe to Rhodes. There he got a
the depthof winter; yet hescruplednotto sail freshsupplyof ships,andfoundmeansto per-
with three small Greek brigantinesand as many suade the people of Cos and Cnidus to quit
small Rhodian galleys, which were to meet Mithridates, and join him against the Samians.
strong seas,and a number of the enemy'sships With his own forces hedrove the king's troops
which kept watch on all sides, because their out of Chios; took Epigonus, the Colophonian
strength lay there. In spite of this opposition tyrant prisoner, and set the people free.
he reachedCrete, and brought it over to Sylla's At this time Mithridates was forced to aban-
interest. don Pergamus, and had retired to Pitana. AM
From thencehe passedto Cyrene, where he Fimbria shut him up by land, be cast his eyei
delivered the people from the tyrants and civil upon the sea,and in despair of facing in the
wars with which they had been harassed,and field that bold and victorious officer, collected
re-established their constitution. In this he his ships from all quarters. Fimbria saw this,
availed himself of a sayingof Plato, who, when but was sensible of his want of naval strength,
he was desired to give them a body of laws, and therefore sent to entreat Lucullus to come
and to settle their government upon rational with his fleet, and assist him in taking a king,
principles, gave them this oracular answer: who was the most warlike and virulent enemy
"It is very difficult to give laws to so prosperous the Romanshad. " Let not Mithridates," said
a people." In fact,nothingis harderto govern he, " the gloriousprizewhich hasbeensougM
than man when Fortune smiles, nor any thing in so many labours and conflicts, escape; as
more tractable than he when calamity lays her he is fallen into the handsof the Romans,and
handsuponhim. Henceit wasthat Lucullus is alreadyin their net. When he is taken,
foundthe Cyreniansso pliant andsubmissivewho will havea greatersharein the honour
to his regulations. than he who stops his flight, and catcheshim
From Cyrenehe sailed to Egypt, but was as hegoes? If I shuthim up by land, andyoa
attackedby pirateson his way, and lost most
of the vessels he had collected. He himself
escaped,
andenteredthe port of Alexandrialetes
* Palmerius takc« IhisforPtolemy Auletes; butAu
was not king till the year beforeChrist silty-fiTe.
in a magnificent manner, being conducted in Il must, therefore, ha»e been Ptoltmy LathyruB. For
bythewholeEgyptianfleet,setoff to thebest Syllaconcluded
thepeace
withMithndatti
intheye*r
advantage,
as it usedto be when it attendedbefor*Chriiteighty-two.
 LUCULLUS. 84?
dothelime bysea,
theplanwill be all our whichtheythought
hehadabandoned,
hefell
own. What valuewill Romethenlet upon uponthem,tookmostof themprisoners,
and
theactions
of Syllaat Orchomenus
andCnre-killedfive hundred
whostoodupontheir de-
ronea,
though
nowsomuch
extolled?" fence.Herehegotsixthousand
slaves,
and
Therewasnothing:
absurdin theproposal.animmense
quantity
of otherspoil.
Everybodysaw,
thatif Lucullus,
whowasat Hehadnohandin thevarious andunspeak-
nogreat
distance,
hadbroughtuphisfleet,and ableevilswhichSyllaandMariusbrought
blocked
uptheharbour,thewarwouldhaveuponItaly;forbythefavour ofProvidence,
he
beenat anend,and theywouldall havebeen wasengaged in theaffairsof Asia. Yet none
delivered
frominfinitecalamities.Butwhetherof Sylla'sfriendshadgreaterinterestwithhim.
it wasthathepreferred hisfidelity,as Sylla's Sylla,aswehavesaid,outof particular
regard
lieutenant,to his own interestand that of the dedicatedhis Commentaries
to him; andpass-
public;whether
heabhorred
Fimbria,asa vil- ing Pompey
by,in hislastwill constituted
him
lain, whoseambitionhadlately ledhim to mur- guardianto his son. This seemsto havefirst
derhisgeneralandhisfriend;or whether,
by occasioned
thosedifferences
andthatjealousy
tomeoverrulinginfluenceof fortune,hereserv- whichsubsistedbetweenPompeyandLucul-
edMithridatesfor his own antagonist,he abso- lus, bothyoungmen,andfull of ardourin the
lutelyrejectedthe proposal. He sufferedhim pursuitof glory.
to get out of the harbour,andto laughat Fim- A little after the death of Sylla, Lucullus
bria's land forces. was chosen consul along with Marcus Cotta,
After this, he had the honour of beating the about the hundred and seventy-sixth Olympiad.
king'sfleettwice. The first time wasat Lec- At this time,manyproposed to renewthe war
tum, a promontoryof Troas; the secondat with Mithridates,andCottahimselfsaid,"The
Tenedos, wherehesawNeoptolemus at anchor fire wasnot extinguished,
it only sleptin em-
with a more considerable force. Upon this, bers." Lucullus, therefore, was much con-
Lucullus advancedbefore the rest of the ships, cerned at having the Cisalpine Gaul allotted
in a Rhodiangalley of five banks of oars, com- as his province, which promised him no op-
manded
byDemagoras,
a manveryfaithfulto portunityto distinguish
himself. Butthehon-
theRomans,and experienced
in naval affairs. our Pompeyhad acquired in Spain gavehim
Neoptolemusmet him with great fury, and or- most trouble; becausethat general's superior
deredthe master of his ship to strike against reputation, he clearly saw, after the Spanish
that of Lucullus. But Demagoras, fearing the war was ended, would entitle him to the com-
weightof the admiral's galley and the shock of mand against Mithridates. Hence it was, that
its brazenbeak,thoughtit dangerous
to meet whenPompeyappliedfor money,andinformed
him a-head. He therefore tacked about, and the government, that if he was not supplied,
received
himastern,in whichplacehereceived hemustleaveSpain and Sertorius,and bring
no great damage,becausethe stroke was upon his forces back to Italy, Lucullus readily ex-
thelowerpartsof the ship,which wereunder erted himselfto procure the supplies,and to
water. In the meantime,the rest of his fleet preventhis returning upon any pretext what
comingup, Lucullus orderedhis own shipto ever during his consulship. He knew that
tack again,fell upon the enemy,and, after everymeasureat homewould be underPom-
manygallant actions,put them to flight, and pey'sdirection,if he camewith suchan army.
pursuedNeoptolemus for sometime. For, at this very time, the tribune Cethegus,
This done, he went to meet Sylla, who was who had the lead, because he consulted no-
goingto cross the seafrom the Chersonesus.thing but the humourof the people,was at
Here he securedthe passage, and helpedto enmity with Lucullus, OBaccountof his de-
transporthis army. When the peace was testing that tribune's life, polluted as it wag
agreed
upon,'Mithridates
sailedinto theEui- with infamousamours,
insolence,
and every
ine sea,and Sylla laid a fine uponAsia of speciesof profligacy. Against this man he
twentythousandtalents. Lucullus wascom- declaredopenwar. LuciusQumtius,another
missioned to collect the tax, and to coin the tribune, wanted to annul the acts of Sylla,
money; and it was someconsolationto the andto disorderthe wholefaceof affairs,which
cities,amidstthe severityof Sylla,that Lucul- wasnow tolerablycomposed. But Lucullus,
lus actednot only with the utmostjustice,but Syprivate representations and public remon-
with all the lenity that so difficult and odious strances,drew him from his purpose,and
a chargewould admitof. restrainedhis ambition. Thus, in the most
As theMityleniana
hadopenlyrevolted,he johteandsalutary
wayimaginable,
hedestroy-
wantedto bring them to acknowledgetheir ed the seedsof a very dangerous
disease.
fault,andpaya moderate
finefor havingjoined Aboutthis time, newswasbroughtof the
Mamie'sparty. But, led by their ill genius, deathof Octavlus,governorof Cilicia. There
theycontinued
obstinate.Uponthishewent weremanycompetitors for that province,and
"gainstthemwith his fleet,beatthem in a theyall paidtheircourtto Cethegus, as the
great battle, and shut them up within their Dersonmost likely to procure it for them.
walla. Somedaysafter he had begunthe Lucullussetnogreatvalueuponthatgovern-
iiege,hehadrecourse
to thisstratagem.
In ment;but,as it wasnearCappadocia,
he
opendayhesetsailtowards
Elea,butreturnedconcluded,
if he couldobtainit, that the
privately
atnight,andlayclose,
nearthecity. Romans
wouldnot thinkof employing
any
The Mityltniansthensallyingout in a bold othergeneralagainstMithridates.For this
anddisorderlymannerto plunderhis camp,reason,he exertedall his art to securetha
in the year of Rome provinceto himself. At last, he wasneceisi
" Thii peacewai concluded
lii hundred
andiiity-nine,eightyyearibefore
the ;ated,againstthe bentof his disposition,
to
de,ihof five in to a measurewhich was deemedwdi-
548 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

rectand illiberal,but veryconducive

to bis that worethem. Insteadof this,he armed
purpose them with swords in the Roman fashion, and
Therewasa womanthenin Rome,namedwithlargeandheavyshields;andhiscavalry
Praecia,
famedfor beauty
andenchanting
wit; he provided
with horses,ratherwell-trained
but in other respects,
nobetterthana common than gaily accoutred. His mfan.rv consisted
prostitute.By applying
herinterestwiththoaeof a hundredand twentythousand,
and his
whofrequented herhouseandwerefondof her cavalryof sixteenthousand,besidesarmed
company,to serveher friends in the adminis- chariotsto the numberoi a nundrcd.His navy
tration,and in otheraffairs,sheaddedto her wasnotequipped,asbefore,withgildedpavil-
otheraccomplishments thereputation
of being ions,baths,anddeliciousapartments
for the
a usefulfriend anda womanof business.This women,but with all mannerof weapons,of-
exalted
hernota little. Butwhenshehadcap- fensiveanddefensive,
and-money
to paythe
tivatpd Cethegus, who was then in the height troops.
of hisglory,andcarriedall beforehim in Rome, In thisrespectableformheinvadedBithynia,
the whole powerfell into her hands. Nothing where the cities receivedhim with pleasure;
was done without the favour of Cethegus; nor and not only that country, but all Asia returned
by Cethegus, without the consent of Pracia. to its former distempered inclinations, by rea-
To her Lucullus applied, by presents and the son of the intolerable evils that the Roman
most insinuatingcompliment*;nor could any usurersand tax-gatherershad broughtupon
thing have been more acceptable to a vain them. These Lucullus afterwards drove away,
and pompous woman, than to seehe/self flat- like so many harpies, which robbed the poor
tered and courted by such a man as Lucullus. inhabitants of their food. At present, he was
The consequencewas, that Cethegus immedi- satisfied with reprimanding them, and bringing
ately espousedhis cause, and solicited for him them to exercisetheir office with more modera-
the province of Cilicia. When he had gained tion; by which means, he kept the Asiatics
this, he had no farther need either of Pracia from revolting, when their inclination lay almost
or Cethegus. All came into his interest, and, universally that way.
with one voice, gave him the command in the While Lucullus was employed in these mat-
Mithridatic war. He indeed could not but be ters, Cotta, thinking he had found his oppor-
considered as the fittest person for that charge, tunity, prepared to give Mithridates battle.
becausePompey was engagedwith Sertonus, And as he had accountsfrom many hands,that
and Metellus had given up his pretensions, on Lucullus was coming up, and was already en
account of his great age; and these were the camped in Phrygia, he did every thing to ex-
anly persons who could stand in competition peditethe engagement,in order to prevent Lu-
for it with Lucullus. However, his colleague cullus from having any share in the triumph,
Cotta, by much application, prevailed upon the which he believed was now all his own. He
senate to send him with a fleet to guard the was defeated, however, both by sea and land,
nropontis, and to protect Bithynia. with the loss of sixty ships and all their crews,
Lucullus, with a legionnow leviedin Italy, as well as four thousandland forces; after
passedover into Asia,wherehe foundthe rest which,he wasshutup in Chalcedon, and had
of the troopsthat were to composehis army. no resourceexceptin the aasislanceof Lucul-
Thesehadall beenlongentirelycorruptedby lus. Lucullus was advised,notwithstanding,
luxury and avarice; and that part of them to takeno notice of Cotta,but to marchfor-
called Fimbrians was more untractablethan ward into the kingdomof Mithridates,which
the rest, on account of their having beenunder he would find in a defencelessstate. On this
no command. At the instigation of Fimbria, occasion, the soldiers were loudest in their
they hadkilled Flaccus,who was consuland complaints Theyrepresented that Cotta had,
their generaltoo, and had betrayedFimbria by his rashcounsels,not only ruined himself
himself to Sylla; and they were still mutinous and his own men, but done them too great pre-
and lawless men, though,in other respects,judice; since, had it not beenfor his error,
brave,hardy,andexperienced soldiers. Nev- theymight haveconquered without loss. But
ertheless, Lucullus, in a little time, subdued Lucullus, in a set speech upon this subject
the seditiousspirit of thesemen,andcorrected told them," He hadratherdeliveroneRoman
the faults of the rest: so that now they first out of the enemy's hand, than take all the ene-
founda real commander,
whereas,beforethey my had." And when Archelaus,who formerly
had beenbrought to serve by indulgence and had commanded the king's forces in Bozolia,
everypromiseof pleasure. but now was comeover to the Romans,and
The affairsof the enemywere in this pos- foughtfor them,asserted," That if Lucullus
ture. Mithridates, like a sophistical warrior, would but once make his appearancein Pon-
had formerly met the Romansin a vain and tus, all would immediatelyfall beforehim;'Jhe
ostentatious manner, with forces that were said, " He would not act in a more cowaidly
Bhewyand pompousindeed,but of little use. mannerthan hunters,nor passthe wild beasts
Baffledanddisgracedin his attempt,he grew by, andgo to their empty dens." He hadno
wiser, and,therefore,in this secondwar, he soonerutteredthesewords,than he marched
provided troops that were capable of real ser- against Mithridates with thirty thouiand fast,
vice. He retrenched that mixed multitude of and two thousand five hundred horse.
nations, and those bravadoes that were issued When he got sight of the enemy, he was
from his campin a barbarousvariety of lan- astonishedat their numbers,and determined
puii'ji', together with the rich arms adorned to avoid a battle and gain time. But Manui,*
with gold and precious stones, which he now a Roman officer, whom Sertorius had sent to
considered rather as the spoils of the con-
queror, than ae adding any vigour to the men * Appiancalk him Variiu.
 LUCULLUS. 349
Mithridates
outof Spainwithsometroops,TheCyzicenians
wereprepared
tocombat
tb*
advanced
to meetLucullus,andgavehimthe greatestdifficulties,
and to sufferthe lastci
chillenge.Lucullus accepted it, andput trcmities
in theRoman
cause:buttheyknet
hisarmyin orderof battle.Thesignal wasnotwhere Lucullus
was,andweremuch com
juslready
tobegiven, when, withoutanyvis-cerned
thattheycould
getnoaccourt
ofhim
iblealteration,
therewasa sudden
explosion
Thoughhis campwasvisibleenough,
Vh«
in the air, and a large luminousbody was enemyhadthe art to imposeuponthem
seento fall between thetwo armies:itsform Pointingto theRomans
who wereposted
or
waslike thatof a largetun,andits colourthe heights,
"Do youseethatarmy?"said
that of moltensilver. Both sideswere so they: "(hoseare the Armenians andMedea,
affectedwiththephenomenon, that theypart- whomTigranes hassentasa reinforcementto
edwithoutstrikinga blow. This prodigyis Mithridates."Surrounded with suchan im-
saidto havehappened in Phrygiaat a place mensenumberof enemies, as theythought,
calledOtryae. andhavingno hopeof relief butfromthear-
Lucullus,concludingthatno humansupplies rival of Lucullus, they were in the utmost
couldbe sufficient to maintain so many myriads consternation.
asMithridateshad,for any lengthof time, When Demonax, whomArchelausfound
especially
in presence of an enemy,
orderedmeansto sendinto the town,*broughtthem
oneof theprisonersto bebroughtbefore
him. newsthat Luculluswasarrived,at firstthey
Thefirst questionhe put to him was,how couldhardlybelieveit, imagining
hecameonly
manytherewerein hismess, andthesecond,withafeignedstory,to encouragethemto bear
whatprovisionshe hadleft in his tent. When upin their presentdistress.However,thesame
he had this man's answer,he commandedmomenta boy made his appearance, who had
him to withdraw; and then examineda sec- beena prisoneramongthe enemy,andbadjust
ond and a third in like manner. The next made his escape. Upon their asking him where
thingwasto compare
thequantityof provis-Lucullnswas,helaughed,
thinkingthemonly
ions which Mithridates had laid in, with the in jest; but when he saw they were in earnest,
numberof soldiershe had to support; by he pointedwith his fingerto the Romancamp.
whichhefoundthat in threeor four daysthey This suflicientlyrevivedtheir droopingspirits.
would be in want of bread-corn. This con- In the lake Dascylitis, near Cyzicus, there
firmedhim in his designof gainingtime; and werevesselsof a considerable size. Lucullus
he causedgreat plenty of provisionsto be hauled up the largestof them,put it upona
broughtinto his own camp,that in the midst carriage,and drew it down to the sea. Then
of abundancehe might watch the enemy's heput on boardit asmanysoMiersas it coulo.
distress. contain, and ordered them to get into Cyzicus,
Notwithstandingthis, Mithridates formed which theyeffectedin the night.
a designagainstthe Cyzicenians,who were It seemstoo that Heaven,delightedwith the
beatenin the late battlenearChalcedon,*and valourof the Cyzicenians, supportedthemwith
hadlost three thousandmen and ten ships. severalremarkable signs. The feastof Proser
To deceiveLucullus,he decamped soonafter pine wascome,when they wereto sacrificea
supper,one dark tempestuousnight; and black heifer to her; andasthey hadno living
marchedwith so much expeditionthat at animalof that kind, they madeoneof paste,f
break of day he got before the town, and and wereapproachingthe altar with it. The
postedhimself upon mount Adrastia.f As victim, bred for that purpose,pasturedwith
soonas Lucullus perceivedhe was gone,he the rest of their cattle on the other side of
followedhis steps: and without falling una- the frith. On that very day she parted from
waresuponthe enemyin the obscurityof the the herd,swamalone to the town, and pre-
night,ashe mighteasilyhavedone,he reach- sentedherself beforethe altar. TbS same
ed the place of his destination, and sat down goddess appeared to Aristogoras, the public
at a village called Thraceia, the most com- secretary, m a dream, and said, "Go and
modious
situationimaginable
for guardingtell yourfellow-citizens
to takecourage,
for I
theroadsand cutting off the enemy's con- shall bring the African piper againstthe
Toys. trumpeter of Pontus."
He wasnow so sure of his aim that he con- While the Cizycenians were wondering at
cealed it no longer from his men; but when this oracular expression in the morning, a
theyhadentrenchedthemselves, andreturned strongwind blew, and the sea was in the ut-
fromtheir labour,called them together,and mostagitation. The king's machineserected
told themwith greattriumph, "In a fewdays againstthe walls,the wonderful work of Ni
ne wouldgain them a victory which should conidustheThessahan,by the noiseandcrack-
cot cost onedrop of blood." ing first announced what was to come. Thea
Mithridateshadplantedhistroopsin tendiffer- a south wind incrediblyviolent arose; andin
ent postsaboutthe city, andwith his vessels the short spaceof an hour broke all the en
blockedup the frith which partsit fromthe ginestopiecesanddestroyed
thewooden towef
continent,!
sothatit wasinvested on all sides.whichwasa hundredcubitshigh. It is more-
* \lone -with CotU.
t Socalled by * By the assistance
fromatemplein thecityconsecrated of bl»dder«,be iwam into tb«
Adristus
lothegoddess
Nemesis, whofromthence
had town. Fiona,1.iii.
thenameofAdraslia. t ThePythagoreans,
whothought
it unlawful tokill
1Strabo
say«,Cyzicus liesuponthe Proponlis,
and anyanimal,seemlo havebeenthi first amon-» thi
" anisbndjoinedto Ihecontinent bytwobridges ; Greekswhooffered
th«figures
of animals in piste,
"earwhichisa cilyof the samename,wilhtwoHar-myrrh, orsomeothercomposition.
The poorer tort
bours,
rapablcof containing
atraJi. I. in
Iwo hundred
Tends of Egyptiansaresaid to hate donethesamefromu
other principle.
 350 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

overrelated, thatMinervawasseenby manyhisgenerals togetoff withthearm/in thebelt

at Iliumin tlieirsleep,all covered
withsweatmanner
theycould. Luculluscoming upwith
and with part of her veil rent; and that she themat the river Granicus,killed full twenty
«aid,shewasjust come from assistingthe thousand,
and madea prodigious
numberof
- peopleof Cyzicus. Nay,theyshewedat Ilium prisoners. It is saidthat in this campaigntb.8
a pillar whichbad aninscription to that pur- enemylost nearthreehundredthousandmen,
pose. reckoning the servants of the army as well
As long as Mithridates waa deceived by his as the soldiers.
officers,
and keptin ignoranceof thefamine Lucullus immediately
enteredCyzicum,
that prevailedin thecamp,he lamentedhis wherehewasreceived
witheverytestimony
miscarriagein the siege. But whenhecame of joy and respect. After which he wentto
to besensible
of theextremity
to whichhissol- theHellespont,
to collectshipsto makeup"
diers were reduced,andthat theywere forced fleet. On this occasion
he touchedat Troas,
to eatevenhumanflesh,*all hisambition
and andslepttherein thetempleof Venus.The
spiritof contention
diedaway. He foundLu- goddess,
he dreamed, stoodby him,and ad-
cullus did not make war in a theatrical, osten- dressedhim as follows:
tatious manner, but aimed his blows at his very
heart, and left nothing unattempted to deprive Dostthouthen sleep, greatmonarch of thewood*?
him of provisions. He therefore seized his The fawua are rustling near thee.
opportunity while the Romans were attacking
a certain fort, to send off almost all his cavalry Upon this he rose and calling his friends to-
and his beasts of burden, as well as (he least gether tvhile it was yet dark, related to them
usefulpart of his infantry,into Bithynia. the vision. He had hardly made an end,
When Ldicullua was apprised of their de- when messengersarrived from Ilium, with an
parture,he retired during the night into his account that theyhad seen off the Grecian
camp. Next morning there was a violent harbour* thirteen of the king's large galleys
storm; neverthelesshe beganthe pursuit with steering towards Lemnos. He went in pur-
ten cohorts of foot, besides his cavalry. All suit of them without losing a moment, took
the way he was greatly incommoded by the them, and killed their admiral Isidorus.
enow, and the cold was so piercing that When this was done, he madeall the sail he
several of his soldiers sunk under it, and were could after some others which were before.
forcedto stop. With the rest he overtookthe These lay at anchor by the island; and as
enemyat the river Rhyndacus,andmadesuch soonas the officersperceivedhis approach,
havocamongthem,that the womenof Apol- theyhauledthe shipsashore,andfightingfrom
lonia cameout to plunderthe convoysandto the decks,galled the Romans exceedingly
strip the slain. The Romanshadnochanceto surroundthem;
The slain, as may well be imagined, were nor could their galleys, which were by the
very numerous, and Lucullus made fifteen waves kept in continual motion, make any im
thousand prisoners; besides which, he took pression uponthose of the enemy, which were
BIXthousand horses and an infinite number of on firm ground, and stood immoveable. At
beasts of burden. And he madeit his business last, having with much difficulty found a land-
to lead them all by the enemy's camp. ing place, he put some of his troops on shore,
I cannot helpwonderingat Sallnst'ssaying, who takingthemin the rear, killed a number
that this was the first time that the Romans of them, and forced the rest to cut their cables
saw a camel.f How could he think that those and stand out at sea. In the confusion the
whoformerlyunderScipioconqueredAntiochus vesselsdashedone against another,or fell
and latelydefeatedArchelausat Orchomenusuponthe beaksof thoseof Lucullus. The
and Chieronea,should be unacquaintedwith destructionconsequentlywasgreat. Marina,
that animal? the general Bent by Sertorius, was among
Mithridates now resolved upon a speedy the prisoners. He hadbut oneeye: andLu-
flight; andto amuseLucullus with employ- cullus,when he first set sail, had givenbis
ment m anotherquarter,he sent his admiral men a strict charge not to kill any person
Aristonicusto the Grecian sea. But just as with one eye; in order that he might bo
he wasonthe point of sailing,hewasbetrayed reservedfor a death of greater torture and
to Lucullus, togetherwith ten thousandpieces disgrace.
of gold, which he took with him to corrupt After this, he hastenedto pursueMithri-
ior.ie part of the Romanforces. After this, dates himself, whom he hoped to find in
Mithridates
madehis escapeby sea,andleft Bithynia blocked up by Voconius. He
had sent this officer before with a fleet to
* T*ncreissomethingextremelyimprobable in this. Nicomedia, to prevent the king's escape. But
It doesnotappearthat Milhridaleswassototallyblock- Voconius had loitered in Samothrace,about
edupbyLucullitt. asto reduce himtothisextremity;
kml evenhad that beeothe case,it would certainly have
gettinghimselfinitiatedinthemysteries!
and
been more eligible lo haverisked a batlle, lhan to have
"ubmitted to the dreadful alternative here mentioned. * Plutarch meansthe harbour where Uie Grecian!
But whereforeeat humanflesh,when afterwardswe landedwhentheyweregoingto thesiegeof Troy.
»reexpressly toldthattheyhadbeasts tosend away? t Themysteries
oftheCabiri.Theworship
oflhe»
There is,tothebestof ourknowledge andbelief,as gods
wasprobably
brought
fromPhoenicia;
forcotot
little foundationin history for thispractice,asthereisID the languageof that countrysignifiespowerful.
ill nature.
Theywerereverenced as the mosttremendous of su-
t l.ivy expressly
tells us,(litre werecamelsin Anti- perior l>eings;the moreso, becauseof the mysteries
ochus's army. " Before the cavalry were placed, the and awful solemu^ti:sof their worship. Sometia»t
chariotsarmedwithtcylhcs,andcamelsof that speciespretended to giveusanaccountof their names,
though
tilled dromedaries." LH-.lib. ixxvii. c. 40 tlit7 wereluckedupio die profoundest secrecv.
 LUCULLUS. 361

celebrated
trsuvn.i. MViindates in the mean desertslie behindhim? Is not Causacus,
with
timehadgot out,andwasmakinggreat efforts all its immensetrain of mountainsat hand,
to reach Pontusbefore Lucullus couldcome sufficient to hide him and numberlessother
t» stophim. But a violenttentpeat
overtookkingswhowishto avoida battle? It is buta
him,by whichmanyof hisvessels weredash-fewdays'journeyfromthecountryof theCa-
edto piecesandmanysunk.The wholeshorebin* intoArmenia,whereTigranes,king of
wascoveredwith the wreck which the sea kings, is seated,surroundedwith that power
threwup for severaldays. As for the king whichhaswrested
Asiafrom the Parthians,
himself,the ship in which he sailed was so which carries Grecian coloniesinto Media,
large,
thatthepilotscouldnotmakelandwith subdues
SyriaandPalestine,
cutsoff the Se
it amidstsucha terrible agitationof the waves, leucidxand carriestheir wivesanddaughters
and it wasby this time readyto founderwith into captivity. This princeis nearlyallied to
the waterit hadtaken in. He thereforegot Mithridates; he is his son-in-law. Do yon,
into a shallop belongingto somepirates,and think he will disregardhim, whenhecomesai
trustinghis life to their hands,beyondall hope, a suppliant,andnot take up armsin his cause?
wanbroughtsafeto Heraclea,in Pontus,after why will you then be in suchhasteto drive
havingpassedthrough the mostunspeakableMithridatesout of his dominions,andrisk the
dangers. bringing
Tigranesuponus,whohaslongwanted
Jn this war, Lucullus behaved to the senate a pretence for it? And surely he cannot find
of Romewith an honestpride, which had its a more specious
one,than that of succouring
a
luccess.They haddecreedhimthreethousandfather-in-law,and a king reducedto suchex-
talents to enable him to fit out a fleet. But he treme necessity. What need is there then for
acquainted
themby letters,
thathehadnoneedusto ripenthisaffair,andto teachMithndates
of money,and boastedthat, without so much what he may not know, who arethe confed-
expense
andsuch
mighty
preparations,
hewoulderates
heistoseekagainst
us;orto drivehim,
driveMithridatesout of the seawith the ships againsthis inclinationand his notionsof hon-
theallieswouldgive him. And heperformed our, into the armsof Tigranes? Is it not bet-
his promiseby the assistanceof a superior ter to give him time to makepreparationsand
power.For thetempest
whichruinedthePon- regainstrength
in hisown territories,thatwe
tic fleet,is saidto havebeenraisedby the re- mayhaveto meet the Colchians,the Tibare-
sentment of Dianaof Priapus,for their plun- niansandCappadocians, whomwe haveoften
deringhertempleandbeatingdownherstatue. beaten,ratherthan the unknownforcesof the
Luculluswasnow advisedby manyof his of- Medesand the Armenians?"
ficersto let the war sleepawhile;but, without Agreeablyto thesesentiments Lucullusspent
regarding their opinion,he penetratedinto the a great dealof time beforeAmisus,proceeding
kingdomof Pontus, by way of Bithynia and very slowly in the siege. After the wmtei
Galatia.At first hefoundprovisionssoscarce, was passed,he left that charge to Murena,
that he was forced to have thirty thousandandmarchedagainstMithridates,who wasen-
Gaulsfollow him with each a measure*of wheat camped on the plains of the Cabiri, with a res-
uponhis shoulders. But as he proceeded fur- olution to wait for the Romansthere. His
therin hit march,and boredown all opposi- armyconsistedof forty thousandfoot and four
tion,hecameto suchplenty, that an ox was thousandhorse,which hehad lately collected;
eoldfor onedrachma,and a slave for four. and in thesehe placedthe greatestconfidence.
The rest of the booty wasso little regarded, Nay, he passed the river Lycus, andgavethe
that some left it behind them, and others de- Romans the challenge to meet him in the field.
stroyedit; for, amidstsuchabundance,they In consequence of this, the cavalryengaged,
couldnot find a purchaser. Havingin the ex- andthe Romanswere put to the rout. Pom-
cursions of their cavalry, laid waste all the ponius, a man of some dignity, was wounded
countryas far as Themiscyra and about the andtaken. Thoughmuchindisposedwith his
river Thermadon, they complainedthat Lucul- wounds, he was brought before Muhridates,
lus took all the towns by capitulation, instead who asked him, "Whether, if he saved his
of storm,andgavenot up one to the soldiers life, he would becomehis friend?" "On con-
for plunder. "Now," said they, " you leave dition you will be reconciledto the Romans,"
Amisus,a rich and flourishing city, which saidhe, "I will! but if not,I mustremainyour
might be easily taken, if you would assault it enemy." The king, struck with admiration of
rigorously;anddrag usafter Mithridatesinto his patriotism,did him noinjury.
the wastesof Tibarene and Chaldsa." Lucullus was apprehensiveof farther danger
Lucullus,however,not thinkingtheywould on the plain,on accountof the enemy'ssupe-
break out into that ragewhich afterwardsap- riority in horse,andyet hewas loath to take
peared, neglected their remonstrances. He to the mountains, which were at a considerable
took more painsto excusehimself to those who distance, as well as woody, and difficult of as-
blamedhiaslowprogress,and his losingtime cent. While he was in this perplexity,some
in reducing towns and villages of little conse- Greeks happened to be taken, who had hid
quence,while Mithridateewasagaingathering themselvesin a cave. Artemidorus,the eldest
power. "This is the very thing," said he, of them, undertookto conducthim to a post
" thatI wantandaimat in all myoperations,
wherehemightencamp
in theutmost
security,
lhat Mithridatesmayget strength,andcollect
anarmyrespectable
enough
to makehimstand " Hence
it appeara,
aswellaifromapasvige
inSlra-
in engagement, and not continueto fly before bo,thattherewasa districtontheborders
of Phrygia
Is. l)o you not seewhatvast and boundlesscalled Cabiri. Indeed,
thewonhipof thostjj.nls'haJ
prevailedin severalpartsof Asia,andtheyarc-uppu»d
to havehad homagepad themat Rome,uudtr lh«
* Medjmnuj. title of D,vi PoUt.
352 PLUTARCH'S LIVES
tnd wheretherestooda castlewhichcom-a propertimeto seeLucullus,because after
mandedtheplainof theCabiri. Lucullusgave longwatching
andfatigue,hewasnowtaking
creditto liia report,andbeganhismarchin the somerest." Olthacusdid not takethisdenial;
night,afterhe had caused a numberof fires but said," I mustenter,whether
youwill or
to be lightedin hisold camp. Havinggot not,for I havegreatandnecessary businessto
rifely through the narrow passes,he gained lay beforehim." Menedemus,
incensedat hit
theheights,
andinthemorning
appeared
aboveinsolence,
answered,
"Nothingismoreneces-
the enemy's heads,in a situation where he sarythan the preservationof Lucullus," and
might fight with advantage, when he chose it, thrust him back with both hands. Ollhacus
andmightnotbecompelled
to it, if hehada fearinghisdesignwasdiscovered,
withdrew
oiindtosit still. privatelyfromthe camp,tookhorse,andre-
At presentneitherLucullusnorMithridates turned to Mithridateswithout effectingany
was inclinedto risk a battle: but someof the thing. Thus the crisis, in other matters,ai
king's soldiershappeningto pursuea deer, a well as in medicine,eithersavesor destroys.
party of Romanswentout to interceptthem. After this, Sornatiuswas'sentout with ten
This broughton a sharp skirmish, numberscohorts to escorta convoy. Mithridatesde-
continuallycomingupon eachside. Atlength tachedagainsthim one of bis officersnamed
the king's troopshadthe advantage. Menander. An engagement ensued,and the
The Romansbeholdingfrom the campthe barbarians wereroutedwith greatloss. Anoth-
flight of their fellow-soldiers,
weregreatlydis- er time, Lucullus despatchedAdrian with a
turbed,andran to Lucullus, to entreathim to considerablecorps,to protect the party em-
lead themout; and give the signalfor battle. ployed in collectingprovisionsand supplying
Put he,willing to shewthemof how muchim- his camp. Mithridates did not let him pa»s
portance, in all dangerousconflicts, the presence unnoticed, but sent Menemachus and Myron
of anablegeneralis, orderedthemto standstill; againstthem with a strong body of cavalry
and descendinginto the plainhimself, seizedandanotherof infantry. All thesecombatants,
the toremostof the fugitives,and commandedexcept two, the Romansput to the sword.
them to face about. They obeyed, and the rest Mithridates dissembled his loss, pretending it
rallying with them, they easily put the enemyto was small, and entirely owing to the miecon
flight, and pursuedthem to their entrenchments. duct of thecommandingofficers. But when Ad-
Lucullus, at his return, inflictedon the fugi- rian passedby his cainp in great pomp,with
tives the usual punishment. He made them many wagons loaded with provisions and rich
strip to their vests, take off their girdles, and spoils in his train, the king's spirits began to
then dig a trench twelve feet long; the rest of droop, and the most distressingterror fell upon
the troops all the while standing and looking on. his army. They determined, therefore to quit
In the army of Mithridates there was a l)ar- that post.
danan grandee namedOlthacus. The Darda- The nobility about the king began to send
rians are some of those barbarouspeople who off their baggage with all the privacy they
live near the lake Msotis. Olthacus was a could, but would not suffer others to do the
man fit for every warlike attempt that required same. The soldiers finding themselvesjostred
strength and courage, and in counsel and con- and thrust back in the gateways,were so much
trivanceinferiorto none. Besides
theseaccom- provokedat that treatment, that they turned
plishments,hewasaffable,easy,andagreeableuponthem,fell to plunderingthe baggage, and
in the commerceof the world. He wasalways killed severalof them. Dorylaus,oneof the
involvedin somedispute,or jealousyat least, generals,lost his life for nothingbut a purple
of the other great men of his country, who, robe'which he had on. Hermaeus,a priest,
like him, aimedat thechief authorityin it: and was troddenunder foot at the gale. Mithri-
to bring Mithridates into his interest, he un- dates himself, without any attendant or groom
dertookthe daringenterpriseof killing Lucul- to assisthim, got out of the camp amidstthe
lus. Milhridates commendedhis design, and crowd. Of all his royal stud there was not
publiclygavehim someaffronts,to afford him one horseleft him; but at last Ptolemythe
a pretence for resentment. Olthacus laid hold eunuch, seeing him carried along with the
on it, and rode off to Lucullus, who received torrent, and happening to be on horseback,
him with pleasure. For his reputation was dismounted, and gave him his. The Romans
well knownin the camp; and,upontrial, the pressedhard upon him, and indeedcameup
Romangeneralfoundhispresenceof mindand time enoughto have taken him. He wasin
his addressso extraordinary,that he took him fact almost in their hands:but their avarice
to his table and his council-board. saved him. The prey, which had been pur-
When the Dardarian thoughthehadfound sued through numberlessconflicts and dan-
liis opportunity,heorderedhiaservantsto have gers,escaped,andthe victoriousLuculluswas
his horsereadywithout the camp.It wasnow robbedof the rewardof his toils. The horse
mid-day,and the soldierswere sitting in the which the king rode was almostovertaken,
sun or otherwisereposingthemselves, whenhe when a mule loadedwith gold,camebetwee»
went to the general'spavilion; expectingthat him and his pursuers,cither by accident,or
nonewould pretendto hinder Ihcadmission of by the king's contrivance. The soldiersim
a man who was intimate with Lucullus, and mediately began to rifle the load, and cameK
who said he had businessof importanceto blowsaboutthe contents;whichgaveMithn
communicate.And he hadcertainlyentered, dates time to get off. Nor wasthisthe onlj
if sleep, which has beenthe ruin of many disadvantageLucullus experienced
from theii
other generals,had not savedLucullus. Menc- avarice. Callistratus, the king's secretary,wai
(iemus,oneof his chamberlains,was then in taken, and the Romangeneralhad ordered
waning, and he told Olthacus, '" This was not ' him to be brought before him; but those who
 LUCCJLLUS. 353

nadthechargeof it, perceiving

hehadfivehun-reduced thelessArmenia,
withthetownsant!
dredcrownsin hisgirdle,despatched himfor castles.ThenhesentAppiusto Tigranca,
to
themoney. Yet to suchmenaathesehegave demandMithridates; andin the meantimerq
nptheplunder of theenemy's camp. turnedtoAmisua, whichhistroops werestill
After this, he took Cabiri, and manyother besieging.The lengthof the siegewasowing
places
of strength, in whichhefoundmuchto Callimachus, whocommanded in thetown,
treasure. He likewise found in their prisons and was an able engineer, skilled in every art
many
Greeks,
andseveral
of theking'sownre- of attackanddefence.By this he gavethe
lations,
confined;and,astheyhadlongthought Romansmuch trouble,for which he suffere'
themselvesin themost desperatecircumstances, afterwards. Lucullus availed himself of a
thelibertywhichthey gainedby the favourof stratagem,
againstwhich hehad not guarded.
Lucullus,appearedto themnot so mucha de- He madea suddenassaultat the time who
liverance,as a resurrection and new life. One Callimachus used to draw off his men for re-
of theking'ssisters,namedNyssa,very hap- freshment. Thus hemadehimself masterof
pilyfor her,wasof the number. The other some
partofthewall;uponwhich,Callimachus
sistersand wives of Mithridates, who seemed either envying the Romans the plunder of the
placed
moreremote
fromdanger,
andat a dia place,or witha viewto facilitatehisownes-
tance from war, all perished miserably: he cape, set fire to the town, and quitted it. For
§entthe eunuch Bacchidesto Phernacia, with no one paid any attention to those who fleci
ordersto seethem put to death. by sea. The flames spread with great ra-
Among the rest were two of hia aistera, pidity aroundthe walls, and the soldierspre-
Roxana and Statira, who were about the age pared themselves to pillage the houses. Lu-
of forty,andstill virgins;andtwo of his wives, cullus, in commiserationof a fine city thus
bothibmans,Berniceof Chios,and Monime sinkinginto ruin, endeavoured to assistit from
of Miletus. The latter was much celebrated without, and ordered his troops to extinguish
among the Greeks.Thoughthe king hadtried the fire. But they paid no regard to him
everyexpedient
to bringher to listento a law- theywent on collecting the spoilsand clash-
lesspassion,
andmadeher a presentof fifteen ing their arms,till hewasforcedto give upthe
thousandcrowns at one time, she rejected all plunder to them, in hopes of saving the city
his solicitationstill he agreedto marriage,sent from the flames. It happened,however, quite
her a diadem,and declared her queen. Before otherwise. In rummaging every corner, with
the last sad message,she had passedher time torches in their hands,they set fire to many of
very unhappily, and looked with grief and the housesthemselves. So that when Lucullus
indignationon that beauty, which, instead of a entered the town next morning, he said to his
husband,hadprocured her an imperious master, friends, with tears in his eyes, " I have often
and, insteadof the domestic comforts of mar- admired the good fortune of Syll.i, but never
riage, a guard of barbarians. Banished far so much as I do this day. He desired to save
fromGreece, shehad lost the real blessingsof Athens, and succeeded. I wish to imitate him
life, and whereshe hopedfor happiness,found on this occasion; but, instead of that, the gods
nothingbut a dream. tiaveclassed me with Mummius."*
When Bacchidescame and informed those Nevertheless, he endeavouredto restore the
princessestheymustdie, but thattheywere at jlace, as far as its unhappycircumstances
libertyto choosethe death most easyand would permit. A shower,which, providen-
agreeableto them, Monime snatched the dia- tially, fell about the time it was taken, extin-
demfrom her head,and applied it to her neck, "uished the fire, and saved many of the build-
that it might do the fatal office. But it broke, ngs; and, during his stay, he rebuilt most
andthe princesssaid,"O cursedband! wouldst of those that were destroyed. Such of the
thounot at leastserveme on this occasion?" nhabitantsas hadfled,he receivedwith pleas-
Then spittinguponit, shethrew it from her, ure, and addedto them a draught of other
and stretchedout her neck to Bacchides. Greekswho were willing to settle there. At
Bernicetookpoison,andas hermother,who he sametime, he ijave them a territory of a
waspresent,beggeda share of it, she granted lundred and twenty furlongs.
herrequest. They both drank of it; and its The city wasa colonyof Athenians,planted
forceoperatedsufficientlyupon the weaker here at a time when their powerwas at the
body:but Bernice,not having takena proper height; and they were mastersof the sea.
quantity, was long a-dying. Bacchides,there- Hence it was, that those who fled from the
fore,strangledher. Roxana,one of the un- tyranny of Aristion, retired to Amisus,and
marriedsisters,after having ventedthe most wereadmittedto the privilegeof citizens;for-
bitterimprecations
and reproaches
againsttunatelyenough
gaining
abroad
whattheylost
Mithridates,took poison. Statira, however, at home. The remainderof them Lucullus
diedwithoutoneunkindor ungenerous
word. nowclothedin an honourable
manner,gava
Sherathercommended her brother,whenhe each two hundreddrachmas,and sent then*
musthavehis anxietiesabouthis own life, for back into their own country. Tyrannic, the
not forgettingthem, but providingthat they grammarian^was of the number. Murena
mightdiefreeandundishonoured. Theseevents beggedhim of Lucullus, and afterwardsen-
wereverydisagreeable to the nativegoodnessfranchisedhim; in whichheactedungenerous-
ind humanityof Lucullus. ly by his superiorofficerspresent. Lucullus
Hecontinued his pursuitof Mithridatesas wouldnot havebeenwilling that a manso
far asTalaura;where,havinglearnedthathe honoured f«.rhislearning,
shouldbefirstcon-
wasfled four days before into Armenia, to sideredas a slave,andthen setfree The -eal
Tigranes,heturnedbackagain. He subdued,
However,the ChaldxansandTibarenians,and " ThedeitrortrofCorinth.
354 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

libertyhewasbornto, mustbe takenaway TKerehe had ordersto waitfor Tigranea,

beforehe couldhavethis seeming freedom.whowasthen employed in reducingsome
But this wasnot the onlyinstancein which citiesof Phoenicia;
and he foundmeans to
Murenaactedwithlessgenerositythanbecamebringoverto theRoman interestmanyprincei
an officerof his rank. who submittedto the Armeniansout of pure
Lucullusthenturnedtowardsthecitiesof necessity.AmongthesewasZarbienus, king
Asia,thathemightbestow thetimewhichwas of Gordyene.A numberof the cities,too,
notemployed in war,onthepromotionof law whichTigranes hadconquered, privatelysent
andjustice. Thesehad longlost theirinflu- deputies
to Clodius;
andhepromised themall
encem thatprovince,whichwasoverwhelmed thesuccourLuculluscouldgivehim,butde-
with unspeakable
misfortunes. It wasdeso- sired they would makeno immediateresist-
latedandenslaved bythefarmers
of therev- ance. The Armeniangovernment was, in-
enue,andby usurers.The poorinhabitantsdeed,aninsupportable burdento theGreeks;
wereforcedto sellthemostbeautifuloftheir particularly,
the king'spride,Jhrougha long
consanddaughters, the ornaments
and offer-course of prosperity,
wasbecome soenormous,
ings in their temples,their paintings,and the that he thoughtwhateveris greatand admira-
etatues
of theirgods. The lastresource
was, ble in the eyesof the world, wasnot only
to servetheir creditorsas slaves. Their suf- in his power, but even madefor him. For
ferings,prior to this, were morecruel and in- thoughhis prospectsat first were small and
HUpportable; prisons,racks,tortures,exposurescontemptible,he had subduedmanynations,
to the burning sun in summer, and in winter to and humbled the Parthian power more thaa
the extremity of cold, amidst ice or mire; inso- any prince before him. He had colonizedMe-
much,that servitudeseemeda happydeliver- sopotamiawith Greeks,whom he draughted
anceanda sceneof peace. Lucullus, finding in greatnumbersout of Cilicia and Cappado-
the cities in such dreadful distress,soon res- cia. He had drawn the scenite* Arabian*
cued the oppressed from all their burdens. from their wanderingwayof life, andplaced
In the first place,he orderedthe creditors them nearerto Armenia,that he might avail
not to take above one in the hundred for a himself of their mercantile abilities. He had
month'sinterest:* in the next place,he abol- manykingsat his court in the capacityof ser-
ished all interest that exceeded the principal: vants, and four in particular ae mace-bearers,
the third and most important regulation was, or footmen, who, whenever he rode on horse-
that the creditor should not take above a back, ran before him in short jerkins; and,
fourth part of the debtor's income. And if when he sat to give audience, stood by wjth
any one took interest upon interest, he was their hands clasped together; which last cir-
to lose all. By these means, in less than cumstance seemsa mark of the lowest slavery,
four years,all the debtswere paid, and the a tokenthat they had not only resignedtheir
estates restored free to the proprietors. The liberty, but that they were prepared rather to
public fine which Sylla had laid upon Asia, suffer than to act.
was twenty thousand talents. It had been Appius, not in the least disconcerted at all
paidtwice;andyet the merciless
collectors,thispomp,plainlysetforthhiscommission,
at
by usury upon usury, now brought it to a hun- his first audience, " That he was come to de-
dred and twenty thousandtalents. mand Mithridates, whom Lucullus claimed
These men, pretending they had been un- for his triumph; otherwise, he must declare
justly treated, raised a clamour in Rome, war againstTigranes." Whatevereffortsthe
against Lucullus, and hired a number of pop- prince made to receive the messagewith an
ular orators to speak against him. They had, easy countenance and a kind smile, it waa
indeed, a considerable interest; becausemany visible to all that he was affected with the
personswho hada sharein the administration,youngman'sbold address. This was,indeed,
were their debtors. Lucullus, on the other the first free speechthat hehadheardfor five-
hand, was beloved, not only by the nations and-twenty years; for so long he had been a
which had experienced his good offices; the king, or rather a tyrant. However, the answer
heartsof the other provinceswere his, and hegaveAppiuswas,"That hewouldnotdeliver
they longedfor a governorwho hadmadesuch up Mithridates; andif the Romansbeganthe
numbers happy. war, he was able to defend himself." He was
AppiusClodius,who wassentambassador to displeased with Lucullus for givinghim,in his
Tigranesby Lucullus, andwho washis wife's letter, barelythe title of king, andnot thatof
brother,atfirst fell into the handsof guidesthat king of kings; and, therefore,in his answert
weresubjectsto Milhridates.Thesemenmade he wouldnot addresshim as Imptrator. This
him take an unnecessary circuit of manydays' did not hinder him from sendingmagnificent
journey in the uppercountries;but at last an presentsto Appius; and, when he found he
enfranchised servantof his,a Syrianby nation, did not acceptthem, he sentmore. At last,
discoveredtu him the imposition,and shewedAppius,that hemight not seemto rejectthem
him the right road. He then badeadieuto out of any particularpique, took a cup, and
his barbarianguides,and in a few dayspass- sentbackall the rest. Then he returnedwith
ed the Euphrates, and reached Antioch of the utmost expedition to his general.
Daphne.
+ Beforethis, Tigraneshadnot deignedto ad-
* This wastoe legal interestamnns;
the Romans.village,aboutforty furlonrsfrom it, consecrated
to tht
Whencewe maylearn the comparator scarcityof nymphof that name,ana adornedvilh rrovet of_»
moneyin thosetimes. largeextent, seTcralof them probablyof laurel;il
t Amongseveralcitiesof lhal name,this was the themidstof which stoodthetempleof ApolloandDi
principal. It wascalled,however,by way of distinc- ana. The groveand templewerea sanctuary.
tion the Antiochof Daphne.Daphnewu a beautiful " Probably10calledfrom their U'TU>£ m tenth
 LUCULLUS. 355

Bit Mithridatesintohispresence,norto speaktheiword,andaftersettingfire to the place,

to a princewhowasso nearlyalliedto him endeavoured to escapein thenight. ButLu-
andwhohad latelylo§t so greata kingdomcullusdiscovering theirintention,enteringtho
Hehadsenthimina contemptuous manner to town,and havingkilled eight thousand of
remote marshes anda sicklyair,wherehewas them whowere left behind,restoredtheir
keptlike a prisoner.But nowhecalledhim effectsto theold inhabitants,
andexertedhim-
to courtwith greatmarksof honourandregard selfgreatlyin savingthe city from the flamee.
In a privateconference they exculpatedthem- His particularinducementwas the following
selvesat the expenseof their friends. Metro- dream. He dreamedthat a personstoodby
dorus the Scepsianwas of the number; an him, and said, " Go forward, Lucullus; for
ablespeaker,and a man of extensiveerudi- Autolycusis comingto meetyou." When he
tion, who had beenin such high favour, that awaked, he could form no conjectureabout
he was styled the king's father. It seems,the significationof the dream. However,he
when he went ambassadorfrom Mithridates took the city the same day, and in pursuing
to the Armeniancourt, to beg assistanceagainst the Cilicians to their ships, he saw a statue
the Romans, Tigranes said, " What would lying on the shore, which they had not been
you,Metrodorus,
advisemeto in this case?"ableto getonboard. The workwasoneof
Whether it was that he had the interest of the masterpiecesof Sthenis; and he was told
Tigranesin view,or whetherhe wantedto see that it wasthe statueof Autolycus,the founder
Mithridates absolutely ruined, he answered, of Sinope. This Autolycus is said to have
"As an ambassador,I should exhort you to it; been the son of Deimachus, and one of those
but, as your counsellor I should advise you Thessalians who assistedHercules in the war
againstit." Tigranesdiscovered
thisto Mith- against the Arnazons.* In his voyageback
ridates,not imagining he would resent it in the along with Demoleon and Phlogis his ship
manner he did. The unfortunate prince im- struck on a rock of the Chersouesus, called
mediatelyput Metrodorus to death; and Ti- Pedahon, and he lost it. He and his friends,
granesgreatlyrepentedthe stephe hadtaken, howeversavedtheir livesand their arms,and
though he was not absolutely the causeof that went to Sinope, which they took from the Sy-
minister'sdeath,but only addedstingsto the rians. The Syrianswho then held it, we are
hatred Mithridates had long entertained for told were so called, becausethey were the de-
him. This appearedwhen his private memo- scendantsof Syrus the sonof Apollo and Sinope
randums
weretaken,in whichMetrodoruswas thedaughterof Asopus. WhenLucullus heard
found among those marked out for the axe. this, he recollected the observation of Sylla in
Tigranesburied him honourably, and spared no iis Commentaries, " That nothing more de-
expensein his funeral, though he had beenthe serves our belief and attention than what is
causeof his death. signified to us in dreams."
Amphicrates, the orator, likewise died at After news was brought that Mithridatei
thatcourt,if we maybe allowedto recordhis and Tigranes were on the point of entering
namefor thesakeof Athens. He is saidto LycaomaandCiliciawithail their forces,
in
have beenbanished his country, and to have order to seize Asia before him, he could not
retiredto Seleuciauponthe Tigris, wherethe iclp thinkingit strangethat the Armeniandid
inhabitantsdesiredhim to opena schoolof not makeuseof Mithjidales whenin hisglory,
rhetoric;but he answeredin the most con- norjoin the armiesof Pontuswhile theywere
temptuous manner,andwith all the vanity of n their full strength;but sufferedthemto be
a sophist," That a platecould not containa >rokenand destroyed;and now at last with
dolphin." From thencehe wentto the court cold hopesof successbeganthe war, or rather
of Cleopatra,the daughterof Mithridates,and threw himselfdown headlongwith thosewho
wifeof Tigranes,wherehesoonmadehimself couldstandno longer.
to obnoxious,that he wasforbiddenall inter- Amidstthesetransactions, Machares,the son
coursewiththe Greeks;uponwhichhestarved of Mithridates, who was masterof the Bos-
himselfto death. Cleopatra
bestowed
upon porus,sentLucuUusa coronetof goldof a
him too a magnificentfuneral,andhis tombis housandcrowns'value,andbeggedto be num-
neara placecalled Sapha. >eredamongthe friendsand allies of Rome.
Lucullus,havingestablished peaceandgood Lucullus,now concludingthat the first war
lawsin Asia,did not neglectwhat mightbe wasfinished,left Sornatius
with a corpsof
conducive
to elegance
andpleasure;but,during six thousandmen, to settle the affairs of
hisstayat Ephesus,
entertained
the Grecianthatprovince;andwith twelvethousand
foot
citieswith shows,triumphal feasts,and trials and lessthan three thousandhorse,marched
of skillbetween
wrestlers andgladiators. The to meetanotherwar. It seemed amazingte-
pities,
inreturn,instituted
a feastto hishonour,merityto go with a handfulof menagainst
so
whichtheycalledLucullia; andtherealaffec-manywarlikenations,so manymyriadsof
tionthatinspired
themwiththethought
wascavalry,
andsucha vastcountry,
intersected
moreagreeable
thanthehonouritself. with deeprivers,andbarricaded
with nioun-
When Appius was returned,and had ac- ains for evercoveredwith snow. Of course
quaintedhim that it was necessary
to go to lis soldiers,who were not otherwiseunder
warwithTigranes, hewentbackto Pontus,the bestdiscipline,
nowfollowedwithgreat
and puthimself atthehead of histroops.His reluctance,
first operationwas to lay siegeto Sinope,or
andwerereadyto mutiny.On
rather to a corps of Cilicians who had thrown
themselves * Slrabotellsm, Autolycas
into the town on the part of Mith- lauls, wasoneof theArg»-
who, after his voyageto Colchis,settledat
ridates. These, upon the approachof Lucul- Sinope, and had diriDe honourspaid him after hit
iu, put a great numberof the inhabitant*to death.Strut.I, xii.
356 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

the other hand,the oopa.\roratorsclamoured Part of the Romanforceswerepitcmngtheir

againstInm in Roiiie, representingthat he tents,andthe restwereupontne marchwhen
teviedw.ir afterwar; not trut the publicutility their scoutsbroughtintelligencethat the bar-
required it, but that he might always keep the barians were at hand. He had therefore hia
command,
and continue
in arms,andthat he apprehensions,
thatif theyattacked
himbefore
might accumulateriches at the risk of the com- his troops were all assembledand formed, they
monwealth. These, at last succeededin their might be put in disorder. The measurehe took
design, which was to recal Lucullus. was to stay and intrench himself: meantime
At present hereached the Euphrates by long he sent his lieutenant Sextilius with sixteen
marches. He foundit swolnandover-flowinghundredhorse,andnot manymore infantry,
by reasonof the late rains,andwasapprehen-including both the light and the heary-armed,
siveheshouldfind muchdelayanddifficulty in with orderswhen he approachedthe enemy
collecting boats and making a bridge of them. to stop and amusethem, till he should be in-
But in the eveningthe flood beganto subside,formedthat the entrenchments
were finished.
and lessenedin such a mannerin the night, Sextiliuswaswilling to obeyhis orders,but
that next morning the river appearedmuch Mithrobarzanes cameuponhim so boldly,that
within the channel.The peopleof the country he was (breedto fight. Mithrobarzanesbe-
seeing little islands in its bed, which had sel- haved with great bravery, but fell in the action.
dom been visible, and the streambreaking Then his troopstook to flight, andwere most
gently about them, consideredLucullus as of them cut in pieces.
something more than mortal. For they saw After this, Tigranes left Tigranocerta, tne
the great river put on a mild and obliging air to great city which he had built, and retired to
him, and afford him a quick and easypassage. mount Taurus, where he intended to collect
He availed himself of the opportunity, and all his forces. But Lucullus not giving him
passedit with his army. An auspiciousomen much time for preparation, sent Murena to
appeared immediately after. A number of harassand cut off the parties on one side, ai
heifers,sacredto the PersianDiana,the god- fast as theycameup; on the other side,Sex-
desswhom the inhabitants of those parts par- tilius advanced against a large corps of Ara
ticularly worship, pastured on the other side. bians,which was going to join the king. Sextilius
These heifers are used only in the way of came upon the Arabians as they were encamp-
sacrifice; at other times they range at large, ing, and killed the greatestpart of them. Mu-
marked with the figure of a torch, as a token rena following the steps of Tigranes, took his
of their designation: and it was difficult to opportunity to attack him, as he was leading a
take them when they were wanted. But now great army along a rugged and narrow defile.
the army had no sooner crossedthe river, than The king himself fled, abandoningall his bag-
oneof themwent andstoodby a rock which gage. Many of the Armenianswereput to the
's deemedsacred to the goddess,and hanging sword, and greater numbers made prisoners.
down her head in the manner of those that Lucullus, after this success,marched against
are bound, offered herself to Lucullus as a Tigranocerta, and invested it with his army
victim. He sacrificed also a bull to the Eu- There were in that city many Greeks who had
phrates,on accountof his safepassage. been transplantedout of Cilicia, and many
He st-iyed there that whole day to refreshhis barbarianswhose fortunes had been no better
army. The next day he inarched through So- than that of the Greeks, Adiabenians, Assy-
phene, without doing the least injury to those rians, Gordyenians, and Cappadocians,whose
whosubmitted
andreceived
histroopsina pro- citiesTigraneshaddemolished,
andthen re-
per manner. Nay, when his men wanted to moved the inhabitants, and compelled them to
stopand takea fort that was supposedto be settlein thathehadbuilt. The placewasfull
full of treasure, he pointed to mount Taurus of treasure and rich ornaments; every private
whichappearedat a distance,andsaid," Yon- personas well asgrandee,to maketheir court
der is the fort you are to take; as for these to the king, striving which should contribute
things, they will of course belong to the con- most to its embellishment. For this reason
queror." Then, pushinghis march, he crossed Lucullus carried on the siegewith great vigour,
the Tigris, and entered Armenia. in the opinion that Tigranes would, contrary
As Tigraoes ordered the first man who to his belter judgment, be provoked to give him
brought him an account of the enemy's arrival, battle. And he was not mistaken. Mithri-
to losehis head for his reward,no oneafter- dates,by messengers andletters,dissuaded
the
wardspresumedto mentionit. He remained king muchfromhazarding a battle,andadvised
in ignorance,though the hostile fire already him to cut off the Roman convoyswith his
touched him; and with pleasureheard his cavalry. Taxilestoo, whocameonthe partof
flatterers say, " Lucullus would be a great Mithridatesto co-operatewith Tigranes,eu
general, if he waited for Tigranes at Ephesus, treated him to avoid meeting the Roman arm
anddid not quit Asia at the sight of his vast whichhe assuredhim wereinvincible.
armies." Thus it is not everyman that can At first the king heardhim with patience.
oear much wine, nor can an ordinarymind But when the ArmeniansandGordyenians ar
beargreatprosperitywithoutstaggering. The rived with all their forces;whenthe kingsof
first of his friends who ventured to tell him the the Medes and Adiabenians had brought in
truth, was Mithrobarzanes; and he was but their armies; when numbers of Arabians came
ill rewardedfor the libertyhe hadtaken. He fromthe coastsof the Babyloniansea,*Alba-
was sent againstLucullus with three thousand nians from the Caspian, and Iberians from the
hone and a more respectablebody of foot, neighbourhood
of the Albanians;besidea can-
with ordersto takethe Romangeneralalive,
but to tread the rest under nig feet. * The Fenian Quit
 LUCULLUS. 367

lidrrablebodygained by presents
andpersua-on the eastsideof the'river. But theliver,
lioo, fromthosenations
abouttheAraxcsthat whereit is most,forclable,
makes a bendto the
livewithoutregalgovernment; then nothingwest. As Lucullusmarched hastilydownto
wasexpressed
at the king's table or council- that quarter,Tigranesthoughthe wasretreat-
board,but sanguine
hopes
andbarbarian
me- ing. Uponthis,hecalledto Taxiles,andsaid
naces. Taxileswasin dangerof his life for with a scornfulsmile, " Seestthou not these
attempting
tooppose
theresolution
to givebat- invincibleRomanlegionstaking to flight?"
tle, and Mithridatcs himself was ascusedof Taxiles answered,
" I wish from mysoul, my
envying
theglorious
success
thatwouldattendlord,that yourgoodgenius
mayworka mira-
hisson-in-law. cle in your favour; but theselegionsdo not
Tigranes,therefore,wouldnot wait for him, usetheir bestaccoutrements in a meremarch.
lestheshouldsharewith him thehonourof the They do not wear their polishedshields,nor
victory; but advancedimmediately with all his take their bright helmets out of their cases,as
forces;and is said to have expressedto his youseetheyhavenow done. All thissplendid
friends some uneasiness,"That he should appearance indicatestheir intentionto fight,
haveto do only with Lucullus,andnot try his and to advanceagainsttheir enemiesas fast
strength at once with all the generals of as possible."
Rome." Indeed, these boasts of the king do While Taxiles was yet speaking, they saw
not appearentirely frantic and destitute of rea- the eagle of the foremost legion make a motion
son, while he was surveying so many nations to the right by order of Lucullus, and the co-
and princesunder his standard, such astonish- horts proceed in good order to passthe river.
ing numbersof heavy-armed
infantry,and so Then Tigraneswith muchdifficultyawaked
manymyriads of cavalry. He had twenty thou- from his intoxication, and exclaimed two or
sandarchersand slingers,and fifty-five thousand three times, "Are these men coming against
horse, of which seventeenthousandwere clad us?" After this, he drew out his forces in a
in steel,accordingto theaccountLucullussent hasty and disorderlymanner;takinghimself
to the senate. His infantry,divided into compa- the command of the main body, and giving the
nies and battalions,consisted of a hundred and left wing to the king of the Adiabeians, and
fifty thousandmen; and there were thirty-five the right to the king of the Medes. Before
thousandpioneersand other labourers to make this right wing were placed most of the cav
goodthe roads, to prepare bridges, to cleanse airy that were armed in steel.
the course of rivers, to provide wood, and to As Lucullus was going to pass the river,
answer all the occasions of the army. These some of his officers admonished him to beware
weredrawn up behind, to give it a greater ap- of that day, which had been an inauspicious,
pearance
of strengthandnumbers. or, (as they calledit) a blackoneto the Ro-
When he had passed mount Taurus and mans. For on that day Cipio's army wasde-
ipread his troops upon the plain, he could see feated by the Cimbri. Lucullus returned that
the Roman army besiegingTigranocerta. The memorable answer, " I will make this day an
mixed multitude of barbariansin the city, like- auspicious one for Rome." It was the sixth
wisesaw him, and in a menacingmanner point- of October.
ed to their king's armies from the walls. Having thus spoken,and withal exhorted his
Lucullus, before the battle, held a council men to exert themselves, he advancedat the
of war. Some advised him to quit the siege, headof them, againstthe enemy. He was armra
andmeetTigraneswith all hieforces; others with a breastplateof steel formed in scales,
wereof opinion,that heshouldcontinuethe whichcasta surprisinglustre; andthe robehe
siege, and not leave so many enemies behind wore over it was adornedwith fringe. He drew
him. He told them that neither,separately,hissword immediately,to shewhis troopsthe
gavegoodcounsel,but both togetherdid. He necessityof cominghatfdto hand,with anen-
therefore
dividedhis forces,
andleft Murenaemywhowereaccustomed
to fightatadistance;
beforethe placewith six thousandmen; while and by the vigourof their chargenot to leave
he, with the restof his infantry,consistingof them room to exercisetheir missiveweapons.
twenty-fourcohorts,whichcontainednot more Observingthat the enemy'sheavy-armed caval-
thantenthousandcombatants, with all hiscav- ry, uponwhich theyplacedtheir chiefdepend
alry, andabouta thousandslingersandarch- ance,wascoveredby a hill that wasplainand
ers,marched
against
Tiojranes. evenatthetop,andwhich,withanextentofonly
Heencamped ona largeplainwitha river fourfurlongs,
wasnotverydifficultto ascend,
before
him;wherehisarmyappearing
nomore hedespatched hisThracianandGaulish horse,
thana handful,affordedmuchmatter of mirth with ordersto takethem in Hank,andto strike
to the flatterersof the king. Someridiculed at nothingbut the shaftsof their pikes. Their
thediminutive
appearance;
others'
bywayof wholestrength,
indeed,
consists
in thepike,
jest, castlots for the spoil. And therewasnot andtheyhave no otherweapon,eitheroften
oneof thegenerals
andprinces,
whodid not siveor defensive,
thattheycanuse,by reason
comeand desireto be employedalone upon of their heavyandunwieldyarmour,in which
thatservice,while Tigranesneededonly to theyarc, asit were,immured.
"it still andlook on. The king, too, thinking Meanwhilehebeganto climbthe hill with
hemustshewhimselffacetious
on theocca-twocompanies
of infantry,andthe soldiers
sion,
made
use
of thatcelebrated
expression,
followed
himwithgreat
readiness,
whenthey
"That if they came as ambassadors,
there sawhim, encumberedashe was with his ar-
weretoomanyof them;if assoldiers,
toofew." mour,thefirstto labouronfootuptheascent.
Thustheypassed
thefirstdajin raillery. Whenhehadreached thesummit, hestood on
Nextmorning
atbreakofdayLucullus drewthemostconspicuouspartofit, andcriedout,
outbiaarmyThecamp ofthebarbarians wai " Thevictory
is ours,niyfellow-soldiers,
tb«
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Tictoryis ours!" At the sametimeheadvancedfoundhim in the mostdestituteanddeplorable

againstthe heavy-armed cavalry,and ordered condition,he did not offerhim the leastinsult
hismennotto makeanyuseof theirjavelins,Instead
of that,hedismounted,
andbewailed
but to cometo closeaction,andto aim their with him their commonmisfortunes:gavehim
blowsat their enemies'legs
andthighs,in which his own royalequipage,
andheldup to him a
partsalonetheywerenotarmed. Therewas prospect
of bettersuccess.
Theybeganto levy
no need, however, to put this in execution; for, other forces.
insteadof standingto receivethe Romans, In Tigranocerta,the Greekshad mutinied
they setup a cry of fear, andmostdespicablyagainstthe barbarians, andwantedto deliver
ln-ilwithout strikinga stroke. In their flight, up the city to Lucullus. Accordinglyhegave
they and their horses, heavy with armour, ran the assault, and took it. After he had secured
back upon their own infantry, and put them the royal treasures,hegaveup the plunderot
in confusion:insomuchthat all thosemyriads the town to his soldiers,andtheyfoundthere,
were routed, without standing to receive one besidesother rich booty, eight thousandtalcnti
wound,or spillingonedrop of blood. Multi- in coinedmoney. Lucullusaddedeighthun-
tudes, however, were slain in their flight, or dred drachmasto each man's share.
rather in their attempt to fly; their ranks being Being informed that there were found in the
eothickanddeep,tliat theyentangled
andim- towna number
of suchartistsasarerequisite
peded each other. in theatrical exhibitions, whom Tigranes had
Tigranes rodeoff one of the first, with a few collected from all parts, for opening the thea-
attendants; and seeing his son taking his share tre he had built, he made use of them in the
in bis misfortune, he took the diadem from his games and other public diversions 1/1honour
head, gave it him with tears, and desired him of his victory.
to savehimself in the best manner he could by He sent back the Greeks to their own coun
taking some other road. The young prince did tries, and furnished them with necessariesfor
not venture to wear it, but put it in the hands that purpose. He likewise permitted the bar-
of one of his most faithful servants, who hap- barianswho had beencompelledto settle there,
pened afterwards to be taken and brought to to return to their respective abodes. Thus it
Lucullus: by this meansthe royal diadem of happenedthat, by the dispersion of the people
Tigranes addedto the honoursof the spoil. It of one city, many cities recoveredtheir former
ia said that of the foot there fell above a hun- inhabitants. For which reason Lucullus wa«
dred thousund, and of the horse very few es- reverencedby them as a patron and founder.
caped; whereas the Romans had but five kill- He succeeded also in his other undertakings
ed, and a hundred wounded. Antiochus the agreeablyto his merit; being more desirousof
philosopher,' in his treatise concerning the the praise of justice and humanity, than of that
Gods, speaking of this action says, the sun which arises from military achievements. For
never beheld such another. Strabo,f another in those the army claims no small part, and
philosopher, in his historical Commentaries, fortune a greater; whereasthe other are proofs
informs us that the Romans were ashamed, of a gentle disposition and subdued mind, and
and ridiculedeachother,tor havingemployedby them Lucullus broughtthe barbarians to
weaponsagainstsuchvile slaves. And Livy submitwithoutthe sword. The kings of the
tells us, the Romans,with suchinferior num- Arabscameoverto him, andput their posses-
bers, never engaged such a multitude as this. sions in his power; the whole nation of So-
The victorsdid not,indeed,makeupthe twen- phanefollowedtheir example;andthe Gordy-
tieth part of the vanquished.The mostable eniansweresowell inclinedto servehim, that
Andexperiencedcommanders amongthe Ro- theywere willing to quit their habitationsand
manspaidthe highest.compliments to thegen- follow him with their wivesandchildren.The
eralshipof Lucullus; principally becausehe causewasthis.
haddefeated twoof thegreatestandmostpow- Zarbienus,king of Gordyene, unable,as hai
erful kings in the world, by methodsentirely been said,to supportthe tyrannyof Tigranes,
different: the one by an expeditious andthe appliedprivatelythroughAppiusto Lucullus,
other by a slow process. He ruined Mithri- and desiredto be admittedasan ally. Thil
dates,whenin the heightof his power,by pro- applicationbeing discovered,he was put to
tracting the war,andTigranesby the celerity death with his wife and children,beforethe
of his movements. Indeed,amongall the gen- Romansentered Armenia.Lucullus,however,
eralsin the world,there havebeenveryfewin- did not forget it, but, as he passed through
stances
of anyone'savailinghimselfof delayGordyene,
took care that Zarbienus
should
for execution,or of expeditionfor security. havea magnificentfuneral, and adornedthe
Hence it was, that Mithridates madeno pilewith goldstuffsandroyalvestments found
hasteto come to action,or to join Triganes; amongthe spoilsof Tigranes. The Roman
imaginingthat Lucullus wouldproceedwith generalhimself set fire to it, and, together,
bis usual caution and slowness. But as soon with the friends and relations of the deceased,
as he meta few Armenianson the road,with offeredtheaccustomed
libations:declaringhim
thegreatest
marksofconsternation
uponthem,hisfriend,andan ally to theRoman people.
heformedsomeconjecture
of what had hap-He caused a monument to be erected
to his
pened; and whenmanymorecameup naked memoryat a considerableexpense;for there
and wounOed,he was too well assuredof the was found in the treasury of that prince a great
loss,and inquiredfor Tigranea.Thoughhe quantity of goldandsilver; therewereoffound
also in his store-houses three millions me-

" Antioebaiof Ewalon. Cicerowaihl« disciple. dimni of wheat. This wasa sufficient provision
for his soldiers; and Lucullus waa much ad-
f Strabo,Ihc geographer ond hijtorian, wa>alsoa mired for making the war maintain itself, and
phllotoplier of lie Sloic form.
 LUCULLUS. 359

cairying
it on vithouttakingonedrachma
out afterAntiochus
wassubdued
TjytheRomans,
of thepublicreasury. addressed
himselfto Artanas
kingof Armenia.
About this time therecamean embassy
While he wasat that prince'scourt,beside
fromthekingof Parthiato solicithisI'nend-instructing
himinotherimportant
matters, he
"hipandalliance.Lucullusreceivedthepro-pointed outtohimaplacewhich,
though it then
posalwith pleasure,
andsentambassadors in layneglected,
afforded
thehappiest
situation
histurn; who,whentheywereat that prince'simaginable
for a city. He gavehimtheplan
court,discovered
that he wasunresolved
what of one,andexhortedhimto put it in execution.
partto act,andthathe wasprivately
treatingThe king,charmedwith the motion,desired
withTigranes
for Mesopotamia,
asa rewardhimto Ukethedirection
ofthework;andin a
for the Huccourswith which he should furnish short time there was seena large aud beautiful
him. As soonas Luculluswassensible
of this, city, which borethat prince's name,and wa«
be determinedto let Tigranes and Mithndates declared the metropolis of Armenia.
alone,as adversaries alreadytired out, andto When Lucullusadvanced to lay siegeto this
try his strengthwith the Parthian,by entering place,the patienceof Tigranesfailedhim. He
his territories. He thought it would be glorious, marched in quest of the Romans, and the
if in one expedition, during the tide of good fourth day encampedover against them, being
fortune, like an able wrestler he would throw separated from themonly by the river Arsamas,
three princes successively, and traverse the which they must necessarilypassin their march
dominionsof threeof the mostpowerfulkings to Artaxata. Lucullus havingsacrificedto the
underthe sun,perpetuallyvictorious. gods,in full persuasionthat the victory was
For this reason he sent orders to Sornatius his own, passed over in order of battle with
and his other officers in Pontus, to bring their twelve cohorts in front. The rest were placed
forcesto him, as he intended to begin his march in the rear to prevent their being surrounded
for Parthia from Gordyene. These officers by the enemy. For their motions were watched
bad already found their soldiers refractory and by a large select body of cavalry, covered by
obstinate,
but now they saw them absolutely someflyingsquadrons
of Mardianarchersand
mutinous, and not to be wrought upon by any Iberian spear-men,in whose courage and skill
method of persuasionor of force. On the con- Tigranes, of all his foreign troops, placed the
trary,theyloudlydeclaredthey would noteven highestconfidence.Their behaviour,
however,
stay there, but would go and leave Pontus did not distinguishthem. They exchanged
a
itself unguarded. When an account of this few blows with the Roman horse, but did not
behaviour was brought to Lucullus, it cor- wait the chargeof the infantry. They dispersed
ruptedthe troopshe hadwith him: and they andfled,andtheRomancavalry pursuedthem
were very ready to receive these impressions, in the different routes they had taken.
loaded as they were with wealth, enervated Tigranes now seeinghis advantagc,advanced
with luxury, and panting after repose. Upon with his own cavalry. Lucullus was a little
hearing,therefore,of the boldtermsin which intimidatedat their numbers,andthe splendour
the othershad expressedthemselves,they said of their appearance. He therefore called his
they acted like men, and set an example wor- cavalry off from the pursuit; anil in the mean
thy of imitation; "And surely," continued time was the foremostto advanceagainstthe
they,"our servicesentitle us to a discharge, nobility, who, with the flower of the army,
that we may return to our own country, and were about the king's person. But they fled at
enjoyourselves
in securityandquiet." the sightof him without striking a blow. Of
These speeches, and worse than these, the three kings that were then in the action,
comingto the ears of Lucullus, he gave up all the flight of Mithridates seemsto have beenthe
thoughtsof his Parthianexpedition,and mostdisgraceful,
for hedid notstandthevery
marchedoncemoreagainstTigranes. It was shoutsof the Romans. The pursuitcontinued
nowtheheightof summer,andyet whenhe thewholenight,untilwearied
withthecarnage,
hadgainedthe summitof mountTaurus,he andsatisfied
withtheprisoners,
andthebooty
«awwith regret the corn only green;BOback- theymade,the Romansdrew off. Livy lelia
wardarethe seasons in those parts,by reason us,thatin the formerbattlethereweregreater
of thecoldthat prevailsthere.* He descended,numberskilled and taken prisoners: but in
however,into the plain, and beat the Arme- this, personsof higherquality.
nians who venturedto face him, in two or Lucullus,elevated with his success,
resolved
threeskirmishes. Then he plunderedthe vil- to penetratethe upper country,and to finish
lagesat pleasure,and,by taking the convoys the destructionof thisbarbarianprince. It wag
designedfor Tigranes,broughtthat wantupon now the autumnalequinox, and he metwith
the enemy,which he haddreadedhimself. stormshe did not expect. The snowfell al-
He omittedno meastirawhichmightbring mostconstantly,andwhentheskywasclear.
themto a decisivebattle; hedrewa lineof thefrostwassointense,
that byreasonof the
circumvallation
about their camp;he laid extreme coldthehorses
couldhardlydrinkof
wastetheir countrybeforetheir eyes; but they the rivers; nor could they passthembut with
hadbeentoo oftendefeatedto think of risking the utmost difficulty,becausethe ice broke
»nengagement. Hethereforemarched
againstandcutthesinewsof theirlegs. Besides,
tha
Artaxata thecapital ofTigranes,
where
hehad greatest
partoftheirmarch wasthroughclose
left his wivesandchildren;concludinghe andwoody roads,
wherethetroops weredaily
would notsuffer it to betaken,
without
at- wetwiththesnowthatlodged upon thetrees;
tempting itsrelief. andtheyUd onlydamp placeswhereintopast
It is said that Hannibal, the Carthaginian, the night.
* Thi«particular
ii confirmed
bymodern
traveller), Theyhadnot,therefore,
followedLucullua
They
tellusthemow
liesthere
tillAugiut. many
days
before
theybegan
toherefractory
 360 PLUTARCH S LIVES.

At firsttheyhartrecourse
to entreaties,
and never
oncusuffered
histroopstoenteranyOre-
icnt their tribunesto intercede for them. cian city, or any otherin alliancewilh Home.
Afterwardsthey met in a more tumultuous While the soldierswereof themselves thus
manner,and their murmurswere heard all ill-disposed, they were madestill moremuti-
over the campby night; and this, perhaps,is nousby thedemagogues at home;who,througb
thesurest
tokenof a mutiny. Luculluatried envyto Lucullus,accused
himof protracting
what everymilder measurecould do; heex- the war from a love of commandand of the
hortedthemonly to compose themselves a lit- richesit procuredhim. He had almostthe
tJelonger,until theyhaddestroyedthe Arme- entire direction(theysaid) of Cilicia, Asia,
nian Carthage,huilt by Hannibal,the greatest Bithynia,Paphlagonia,Galatia,Pontus.Arme-
enemyto the Romanname. But, findinghis nia, and all the provincesasfar asthe Phasis:
eloquence
ineffectual,
he marchedback,and andnowhewaspillagingtheroyalpalaces of
passed
theridgeof mountTaurusanother
way. Tigranes,
as if he hadbeensentto strip,not
He camedown into Mygdonia,an openand to subduekings. So LuciusQumtius,oneof
fertile country,wherestandsa greatand pop- the tribunes,is saidto haveexpressed
himself;
ulous city, which the barbarianscalled Nisi- the same who was principally concerned in
bis, and the Greeks Antioch of Mygdonia.* procuring a decree that Lucullus should have
Gouras, brother to Tigranes, had the title of a successor sent him, and that most of hii
governor, on account of his dignity; but the troops should have their discharge.
commanderin fact wagCallimachus,
who,by To thesemisfortuneswas addedanother,
his great abilities as an engineer, had given which absolutely ruined the affairsof Lucullui.
Lucullus so much trouble at Amisus. Publius Claudius, a man of the utmost inso-
Lucullua,havinginvestedthe place,availed lenceandeffrontery,was brotherto his wife,
himself of all the arts that are used in a siege, who was so abandoneda woman, that it wa§
and pressed the place with so much vigour believed she had a criminal commerce with
that he carried it sword in hand. Gouras sur- him. He now bore arms under Lucullus, and
renderedhimself, and hetreated him with great imagined he had not the post he deserved;for
humanity. He would not,however,listen to Cal- he wanted the first; and on account of his dis-
limachus, though he offered to discover to him orderly life, many were put before him. Find-
a vast quantity of hidden treasure; but put him ing this, he practised with the Fimbrian troops,
in fetters, in order that he might suffer capital and endeavouredto set themagainst LucuJlug,
punishment
for settingfire to the city of Ami- byflatteringspeeches
andinsinuations,to
which
sus, and by that means depriving him of the they were neither unaccustomednor unwilling
honour of shewing his clemencyto the Greeks. to attend. For these were the men whom
Hitherto one might say,fortune had foliowed Fimbria had formerly persuaded to kill the
Lucullus, and fought for him. But from this consulFlaccus, and to appoint him their gen-
time the gales of her favour fell; he could do eral. Still retaining such inclinations, they re-
nothing but with infinite difficulty, and struck ceivedClodiuswith pleasure,andcalledhim the
upon every rock in his way. He behaved, soldier's friend. He did, indeed, pretend to
indeed, with all the valour and persevering be concerned at their sufferings,and used to
spirit of a good general,but his actions had no gay,-"Shall there no period be put to their
longer their wonted glory and favourable ac- wars and toils; shall they go on fighting one
ceptance with the world. Nay, tossed as he nation after another, and wear out their lives
was on the waves of fruitless contention, he in wandering over the world? And what is the
was in danger of losing the glory he had al- reward of so many laborious expeditions?
ready acquired. For great part of his mis- what, but to guard the wagons and camels of
fortunes he might blame himself, because,in Lucullus,loaded with cupsof gold and precious
the first place, he would never study to oblige stones? Whereas Pompey's soldiers, already
the common soldiers, but looked upon every discharged,sit down with their wives and
compliance with their inclinations as the source children upon fertile estates,and in agreeable
of his disgrace and the destruction of his au- towns; not for having driven Mithridates ,ind
thority. What was of still greater conse- Tigranesinto inaccessible deserts,anddestroy-
quence,hecouldnot behavein aneas,y,
affable ing the royal cities in Asia,but for fighting
manner to those who were upon a footing with with fugitives in Spain and slavesin Italy. If
him in point of rank and birth, but treated wemust for everhaveourswordsin ourhands,
them with haughtiness,and consideredhimself let us reserve all our hearts, and what remain!
au greatly their superior.-These blemishesof our limbs, for a general who thinks the
Lucullus had amidst many perfections. He wealth of his men his greatest ornament."
T/astall, well made,graceful,eloquent,and ThesecomplaintsagainstLuculluscorrupt-
had abilities for the administration as well as ed his soldiers in such a manner, that they
for the field. would neither follow him againstTigranes,nor
Sallusttellsus, the soldierswereill-affected yetagainstMithridates,who fromArmeniahad
to Uim from the beginning of the war, because thrown himself into Pontus, and was beginning
he made them keep the field two winters suc- to recover his authority there. They pretended
cessively,the one before Cizycumand the it wasimpracticableto march in winter,ano
other before Amisus. The rest of the winters therefore loitered in Gordyene, expecting
were very disagreeable to them; theyeither Pompeyor someother generalwould comea*
passedthemin hostilitiesagainstsomeenemy; successor to Lucullus. But whenintelligence
or, i-.'they happened
to be amongfriends,they was brought that Mithridates had defeated
weri obliged to live in tents. For Lucullus Fabius, and was marching against Sornatius
" It was called Antioch, because,in its delicious and Triarius, they were ashamed of their in-
w>IUandpleasing
situation,
it resembled
theAntiochaction,andtold Lucullushemightleadthem
"I Dapliut. whereverhe pleased.
 LUCULLUS.

1 riariusbeinginformedof theapproacho: foundthe matterstill morein*ilious. La-

Ijucullus,wasambitious, beforehearrived,t cullushad no longerthe powereitherof re-
»eizethe victorywhichhe thoughtperfect! warding orpunishing.
Pompey sufferednoman
secure;in consequence of whichhehazardetto waituponhimabout anybusiness whatever,
andlosta greatbattle. It is saidthat abou or to payany regardto theregulations he
seventhousand Romanswere killed,amonghad madein concurrence with the ten com-
whomwerea hundred andfiftycenturions,
am missioners.Heforbadeit by express andpub-
twenty-fourtribunes.Mithridateslikewisetook lic orders; and his influencewas great,on
theircamp.Lucullusarriveda fewdaysafter account
of hiscoming
witha morerespectable
fortunately enough for Triarius, whom he con army.
cealedfrom the soldiers,who wantedto wreak Vet their friendsthoughtit properthatthey
theirvengeance
uponhim. shouldcometo aninterview;
andaccordingly
As Milhridates avoidedanactionwith they did so in a villageof Galatia. They ad-
cullus, and choseto wait for Tigranes,who dressedeachother with much politeness, and
was coming with a great army, Lucullus, in with mutual complimcntson their great success.
orderto preventtheir junction, determinedto Lucullus wasthe olderman,but Pompeyhad
goin questof Tigranesoncemore. But ashe superiordignity,for hehadcommanded in more
was uponhis march, the Fimbriansmutinied wars,arid had been honouredwith two tri-
and deserted his standard, alleging that they umphs. Each had the forces carried before
were discharged by an express decree,andno lira, adornedwith a laurel on accountof their
longerobligedto serveunderLucullus, when respectivevictories;but asPompeyhadtravel-
those provinceswere consignedto another. ed a longway throughdry andparchedcoun-
Lucullus,on this occasion,submittedto many ries,thelaurelsabouthisyiisccswerewithered.
thingsbeneath hisdignity. He appliedto thepri- The lictors that preceded
Lucullus observing
vatemenoneby one,goingroundto their tents this, freely gavethema sufficientquantityof
with a supplicating
aspectandwith tearsin his their fresh and greenones: whichPompey's
eyes; nay, he condescendedto lake someof 'nends considered as an auspicious circum-
them by the hand. But they rejectedall his stance. And, in fact, the greatactionsof Lu-
advances,and throwing down their empty cullusdid casta lustre over this expeditionof
purses before him, bade him go and fight the ;"ompey.
enemyhimself,since he wasthe only person This interviewhowever,hadnogoodeffect,
that knew how to make his advantage of it. hey parted with greater rancour in their hearts
However, as the other soldiers interposed, han they entertained at their meeting. Pom-
the Fimbrianswere prevaileduponto stayall >eyannulledthe actsof Lucullus; andtaking
the summer,oncondition that if no enemy faced he rest of his troops from him, left him only
them in the field, during that time, they should ixteen hundred men for his triumph; and even
be at liberty to retire. Lucullus was obliged hese followed him with reluctance. So ill
either to accept this proposal, or to abandon [ualified, or so unfortunate, was Lucullus, with
the country, or to leave it an easy prey to the cspect to the first and greatestrequisite in a
barbarians. He kept the troops together, there- jeneral, g.iining the hearts ofliis soldiers Had
fore, without pretending to exercise any act of his beenaddedto his many other great and ad-
power upon them, or to lead them out to bat- mirable talents, his courage, his vigilance, hia
tle; thinking it all he could expect, if they rudence and justice, the Roman empire would
would but remain upon the spot. At the same lot have been terminated, on the side of Asia,
time he looked on, while Tigranes was ravag- >y the Euphrates, but by the Hyrcanian sea
ing Cappadocia,and Mithridatea was growing nd the extremities of the earth. For Tigranes
itrong and insolent again; though he had ac- iad already conquered the other nations; and
quainted the senateby letter that he v.as abso- tie power of the Parthians was neither eo
lutelyconquered,anddeputieswere come to real nor so unitedin itself,duringthis expe-
settle the affairsof Pontus,as a provinceen- ition of Lucullus, as it wasafterwardsin the
tirely reduced. These deputies on their arri- ime of Crassus. On the contrary, they were
val, found that he was not even master of him- weakened by intestine wars and by hostilities
self, but exposedto every instanceof insult nth theirneighbours,
insomuchthattheywere
and contemptfrom his own soldiers. Nay, ot ableto repelthe insultsof the Armenians.
they treatedtheir generalwith suchwanton n my opinion,indeed,the advantageswhich
mockery, as, when the summer was passed,to s country reaped from Lucullus were not
arm, and challenge the enemy who were now quivalcnt to the calamities which he occasion-
retired into quarters. They shouted as in the d others to bring upon it. The trophies of
charge,madepassesin the air, andthen left irmenia,just in the neighbourhoodof Parthia,
the camp,callingLucullusto witnessthatthey lie palms of TigranocertaandNisibis,with
hadstaidthe time they promisedhim. 11their vast wealth carried in triumph to
Pompeywroteto theotherlegionsto attend Jome, and the captivediademof Tigranes
him.For,throughhisinterestwiththepeople, domingtheshow,drew Crassus
into Asia;
andthe flatteringinsinuationsof the orators, as if its barbarous
inhabitantshadbeena sure
hewasalreadyappointed generalagainstMith- ana easy prey.-However, when he met tha
ridatesandTigranes. To the senate,indeed, Parthian arrows,he soonfoundthat the suc-
andall thebestof theRomans,
Lucullusap- cessof Luculluswasowingto hisowncourag*
pearedto have very hard treatment,since a and capacity,and not to the folly andeffemi
person was sent to succeedhim, not so much nacy of the enemy.
in the war, as in histriumph:and he was Uponhisreturnto Rome,Lucullusfound
robbedratherof the prizeof honourthanof his brotherMarcusimpeached
byMemmius,
*hecommand.
Those
thatwereuponthespotfor thepractices
hehadgivenintoduringhli
362 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

quirslorship,by order of Sylla.-And when the distemperedmeasuresof Marius; who.

Marcuswasacquitted,Memmiusturnedagainst afterhis victoriesover the Cimbri,andall hii
Lucullus himself;allegingthat hehadconvert- gloriousacmevements, was not content with
ed a greatdealof the bootyto his ownprivate the admirationof his countrymen, but froman
use,and hadwilfully protractedthe war. By insatiablethirstof power,contended, in the de-
thesemeanshe endeavoured to exasperatethe cline of life, with the ambitionof youngmen,
peopleagainsthim, andto prevailwith them fallinginto dreadfulcrimes,andinto sufferings
to refusehim his triumph. Lucullus wasin still more dreadful. "How muchhappier,"
great danger of losing it; but at this crisis, the said they, " would it have beenfor Cicero if
Brutandgreatestmenin Romemixedwith the he hadretiredafterthe affairof Cataline;and
tribes, and after much canvassingand the most for Scipio, if he had furled his sails, when he
engagingapplication,with greatdifficulty pro- hadaddedNumantiato Carthage.For thereis
curedhim the triumph. a periodwhenwe shouldbid adieuto political
Its glory did not consist, like that of others, contests; these, as well as those of wrestlers,
In the lengthof the procession,
or in the aston- beingabsurd,whenthe strengthandvigourof
ishing pomp and quantity of spoils, but in ex- life is gone."
hibiting the enemy'sarms, the ensignsand other On the other hand, Crassusand Pompeyridi-
warlikeequipageof the kings. With thesehe culedLucullusfor givinginto a life of pleasure
had adornedthe CircusFlaminius,andthey and expense;thinking it full as unseasonable
made a very agreeable andrespectableshow. at his timeof life to plungeinto luxury,as to
In the processiontherewere a few of the heavy- direct the administration, or lead armies into
armrd cavalry, and ten chariots armed with the field. Indeed, the life of Lucullus doei
scythes. These were followed by sixty gran- look like the ancient comedy,* where first we
dees,either friendsor lieutenantsof the kings. seegreat actions,both political andmilitary,
After them were drawn a hundred and ten gal- and afterwards feasts,debauches,(I had almost
leyswith brazenbeaks.The nextobjectswere said masquerades,) racesby torch-light,and
a statueof Mithridatesin massygold, full six everykind of frivolousamusement.For among
feet high, and his shieldset with preciousstones. frivolous amusements,I cannot but reckon his
Then came up twenty exhibitionsof silver ves- sumptuous villas, walks and baths, and still
sels, and two-and-thirtymore of gold cups, more so, the paintings, statues,and other
arms, and gold coin. All these things were works of art, which he collected at an im-
borne by men. These were followed by eight mense expense; idly squandering away upon
mules which carried beds of gold, and fifty-six them the vast fortune which he had amassed
more loadedwith silver bullion. After these in the wars.f Insomuch, that even now, when
came a hundredand sevenother mules, bearing luxury hasmade so much greater advances,the
silver coin to the amount of nearly two millions gardensof Lucullus are numbered with those
seven hundred thousanddrachmas. The pro- of kings, and the most magnificent even of
cession was closed with the registers of the those. When Tubero, the Stoic, beheld hii
moneywithwhichhehadfurnishedPompeyfor workson the eea-coast,
nearNaples,the hilU
the war with the pirates, what he had remitted he had evacuated for vaults and cellars, the
the quaestorsfor the public treasury, and the reservoirs he had formed about his houses,to
distribution he had made a^nongthe soldiersat receive the seafor the feeding of his fish, and
the rate of nine hundred and fifty drachmas his edifices in the sea itself; the philosopher
each man.-The triumph concluded with a called him Xerxes in a gown.f Beside these,
magnificent entertainment provided for the he had the most superb pleasure-housesin the
wholecity andtheadjacentvillages. country near Tusculum,adornedwith grand
He now divorced Clodia for her infamousin- galleries and open saloons, as well for th«
trigues, and married Servilia the sisterof Cato, prospect as for walks. Pompey, on a visit
but this secondmatch was not more fortunate there, blamed Lucullus for having made the
than the first. Servilia wanted no stain which villa commodiousonly for the summer,andab-
Clidia had, exceptthat of a commercewith solutely uninhabitablein the winter. Lucul-
her brothers. In other respectsshe was equal- lus answeredwith a smile, "What then do you
ly profligateand abominable.He forcedhim- think I havenot so muchsenseas the cranes
self, however,to endureheralongtime,out of and storks,whichchange
their habitations
with
reverence to Cato, but at last repudiated her the seasons.'"
too. A prator, who wanted to exhibit magnificent
The senate had conceived great hopes of games, applied to Lucullus for some purple
Lucullus, that he would prove a counterpoise robes for the chorus in his tragedy; and he
to the tyranny of Pompey, and a protector of told him, he would inquire whether he could
the whole patrician order; the rather because
he had acquired so much honour and authority * Theancientsatiricalor comicnieceswerepartif
by his greatactions. Hegaveupthecause,tragical,
andparlly
comical.TheCyclops
of Euripi
however,
andquitted
allpretensions
tothead-dcsistheonlypiece
oflliatkindwhich
isciUni.
ministration: whether it was that he saw the f Plutarch'sphilosophyseems a little toosevere
OB
constitution in too sickly and declining a con- this occasion, for it is uot easy to seehow public for-
tunesof this kindcan be moreproperlylaid out tliaa
dition to be corrected;or whether,as others intheencouragement of thearts.It is tobeobserved.
wilJ have it, that being satiated with public however,
thatIhf immense weaJlhLucujlutrcscFtca
honours,and having gone through manyla- to himself in In..Asiaticeipedition,
in somemeasure
bours and conflicts which had not the most for- justifiesthecomplaints
of his armyonthatsubject.
| This refers to the hills Lucullus boredfor the com-
tunate issue, he chose to retire to a life of ease pltLiou of his vaults, or for the adtniuiou of water.
and indulgence.And they commendthis Xcrxea
Iradbored
through
N*iunlAlbo*,andmade
a
changein his conduct,as much better than passage
uadefit forbu shipi.
 LUCULLUS. 363

fomifh him or not. Next dayhe askedhow I " Nothing could be more agreeable;" and
many
hewanted.Thepraetor
answered,
"A I pressed
themtocometo hishouse." Thea
hundredwould be sufficient:" Upon which, we will wait on you," said Cicero, " this
Lucullussaid," He mighthavetwicethatnum- evening,onconditionyou give us nothingbut
berif hepleased."The poetHoracemakeswhatis providea
foryourself."Lucullusmaue
this remarkon the occasion, somedifficulty of acceptingthe condition,and
desiredthem to put off their favourtill an-
Poor is the house, where plenty has not itorei
Thai inissthe master'* eye otherday. Buttheyinsisted
it shouldbethat
very evening,and would not sufferhim to
His daily repasts were like those of a man speakto his servants,lest he should ordor
suddenlygrown rich; pompous,not only in someadditionto the supper. Only,at his re-
the beds,which were covered with purple quest,theyallowedhim to tell oneof themin
carpets, the side-boardsof plate set with pre- their presence," He should sup that evening
ciousstones,and all the entertainmentwinch in the Apollo;" which was the nameof one
musicians and comedians could furnish; but of his most magnificent rooms. The persons
in the vast variety and exquisite dressing of invited had no notion of his stratagem; but, it
the provisions. These things excited the ad- seems,each of his dining-rooms had its par-
miration of men of unenlarged minds. Poin- ticular allowance for provisions, and service of
pey, therefore,was highly applaudedfor the plate,as well as other furniture. So that the
answer he gave his physician in a fit of sick- servants, hearing what room he would sup in,
ness. The physician had ordered him to eat knew very well what expensethey were to go
a thrush, and his servants told him, " That to, and what side-boardand carpets they were
as it was summer, there were no thrushes to use. The stated charge of an entertainment
to be found, except in the menageriesof Lu- in the Apollo was fifty thousand drachmas,
cullus." Bui he would not suffer them to ap- and the whole sum was laid out that evening.
ply for them there; and said to his physician, Pompey, of course, when he saw so vast and
"Must Pompey then have died, if Lucullus expensive a provision, was surprised at the ex-
had not been an epicure?" At the same time, pedition with which it was prepared. In this
he bade them provide him something which respect, Lucullus used his riches with all the
was to be had without difficulty. disregard one might expect to be shewn to so
Cato, though he was a friend as well as a many captives and barbarians.
relation to Lucullus, was so much displeased But the great expensehe incurred in collect-
with the luxury in which he lived, that when ing books,deservesa seriousapprobation. The
a young man made a long and unseasonable number of volumes was great, and they were
speechin the house about frugality and tem- written in elegant hands; yet the use he made
perance, Cato rose up and said, " Will you of them was more honourable than the acqui-
never have done? Do you, who have the sition. His libraries were opento all: theGreeki
wealth of Crassus,and live like Lucullus, pre- repaired at pleasure to the galleries and porti
tend to speaklike Cato?" But some,though cos, as to the retreat of the Muses, and there
they allow that there was such a rebuke, say spent whole days in conversation on matters
it came from another person. of learning; delighted to retire to such a scene
That Lucullus was not only delighted with from businessand from care. Lucullus him-
this way of living, but even piquedhimsitlf self oftenjoined these learnedmen in their
upon it, appearsfrom several of his remarkable walks, and conferred with them; and when he
sayings. He entertained, for a considerable was applied to about the affaire of their coun-
time,someGreekswho hadtravelledto Rome, try, heeavethemhis assistance
andadvice. So
till rememberingthe simplicity of diet in their that his housewas in fact an asylum and senate-
own country, they were ashamed to wait on house to all the Greeks that visited Rome.
him anylonger,anddesiredto be excusedon He had >.venerationfor philosophyin gen
accountof the daily expensethey brought upon eral, and there was no sect which he abso
him. He smiled, and said," It is true, my lutclv rejfcjted. But his principalandoriginal
Grecianfriends,somepart of this provisionis attachment wasto the Academy;not thatwhich
for you,but the greatestpart is for Lucullus." is called the new, thoughthat flourishedand
Anothertime, whenhe happened to supalone, was supportedby Philo, who walked in the
andsaw but one table and a very moderatesteps of Carneades;hut the old Academy,
provision, he called the servant who had the whose doctrines were then taught by Antiochus
care of these matters, ard expressedhis dis- of Ascalon, a man of the most persuasive
satisfaction.The servant sa'.d,he thought, powers. Lucullus soughthis friendshipwith
as nobodywas invited, his master would not great avidity; and having prevailed with him
Want an expensiveg'ipper. " What!" said he, to give him his company, set him to opposethe
" didstthou not kn >wthat this eveningLu- disciplesof Philo. Cicerowasof the number.
cullus supswith Lucullus?" As this was the and wrote an ingenious book against the old
subject of much conversation in Rome, Cicero Academy, in which he makesLucullus defend
and Pompeyaddressedhim one day in the the principaldoctrinein dispute,namely,that
Jorum, whenhe appeared
to be perfectlydis- thereis sucha thingascertainknowledge,
and
engaged.Cicerowasoneof his mostintimate himselfmaintainsthe contrary. The book is
friends,and thoughhe had somedifferenceentitledLUCULLUS.
They were,indeed,as
with Pompeyaboutthe commandof the army, we have observed, sincerefriends,and acted
yet they usedto see eachother,and converse uponthe sameprinciplein the administration
freelyandfamiliarly. Cicero,afterthecom- For Lucullushadnotentirelyabandoned
th»
monsalutations,
askedhim,"Whetherhewas concerns of government;
heonlygaveupthe
»»leisure to see company?" He answered,point as to the first influenceand direction.
3G4 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Thecontest
forthat,hesaw,mightbeattendedreceived,
shewed
plainly,thathewaskilledbj
not only with dangeranddisgrace,and there- theperaonswho suborned
him.
fore he soon left it to Crassusand Cato. When This event made Lucullus still more unwil
he had refusedto takethe lead,thosewho lingtointerfere
in theconcerns
of government,
lookeduponthepowerof Pompey witha sus-andwhenCicerowasbanished, andCatosent
piciouseye,pitcheduponCrassusandCatoto to Cyprus,he quittedthementirely- It is said,
support
thepatricianinterests.Lucullus,not- that his understandinggradually
failed,and
withstanding,
gavehisattendance inthejbrum, that beforehisdeath,it wasabsolutelygone
"""henthe businessof his friends requiredit; CorneliusNepos,indeed,assertsthatthis fail
tnd hedidthesamein thesenate-house,
when ureof hisintellectswasnotowingto sicknest
therewasanyambitious design
of Pompey
to or old age,but to a potmngivenhim by an
combat He got Pompey'sorders annulled, enfranchised slaveof his,namedCallisthencs.
which he had madeafter the conquestof the Nor did Callisthenesgive him it as a poison,
two kings; and,with the assistance of Calo, but as a love potion. Howevi;r, insteadof
threw out his bill for a distributionof lands conciliatinghis master'sregardsto him, it de-
amonghis veterans. prived him of his senses;so that, during the
This threw Pompeyinto the armsof Cras- last yearsof his life, his brotherhad the care
lus and Caesar,or rather, he conspired with of his estate.
them against the commonwealth; and having Nevertheless, when he died, he was as much
filled the city with soldiers,drove Cato and regrettedby the people,as if he haddeparted
Lucullus out of the forum, and got his acts in that heightof glory to which his merit in
established by force. war and in the administration had raised him.
As theseproceedingswere highly resentedThey crowdedto the procession;andthe body
by all who hadthe interestof their countryat beingcarried into the forum by someyoung
heart, Pompey's party instructed one Vectius men of the first quality, they insisted it should
to act a part; and gave it out that they had de- be buried in the campus martius, as that of
tectedhim in a designagainstPompey'slife. Sylla hadbeen. As thiswasa motionentirely
When Vectius was examined in the senate,he unexpected, and the preparations for the fune-
said,it wasat the instigationof others; but in ral there couldnot easilybemade,hisbrother,
the assemblyof the peoplehe affirmed,Lu- with much entreaty,prevailedwith them to
culluswasthe manwho put him uponit. No havethe obsequies performedonthe Tusculan
one gave credit to the assertion; and a few estate, where every thing was provided for
days after, it was very evident that the wretch that purpose. Nor did he long survive him.
was subornedto accusean innocent man, when As he had followed him close in the course of
bis dead body was thrown out of the prison. years and honours, so he was not far behind
Pompey's party said, he had laid violent hands him in his journey to the grave; to which ha
upon himself; hut the marks of the cord that bore the character of the best and most affec-
had strangled him, and of the blows he had tionate of brothers.

CIMON AND LUCULLUS COMPARED.

WE cannot but think the exit of Lucullus hap- templation, furnish the most suitable retreat
py, as he did not live to seethat changein the for a manin years,who hasbid adieuto mili-
constitution which fate was preparing for his tary and political pursuits. But to propose
Country in the civil wars. Though the com- pleasure as the end of great achievements,
monwealth was in a sickly state, yet he left it and, after long expeditions and commands,to
free. In this respect, the case of Cimon was lead up the dance of Venus, and riot in her
particularlysimilar. For he diedwhile Greece smiles,was so far from beingworthy of the
was at the height of her prosperity, and before famed Academy, and a follower of the sage
she was involved in those troubles which Xenocrates, that it rather became a disciple of
provedso fatalto her. It is true,there is this Epicurus. This is the more surprising,be-
difference: Cimon died in his camp, in the cause Cimon seemsto have spent his youth in
office of general, not like a man, who, fa- luxury and dissipation, and Lucullus in letteri
tigued with war, and avoiding its conflicts, and sobriety. It is certainly anotherthing,
soughtthe reward of his military laboursand notwithstanding, to changefor the better; and
of the laurels he had won, in the delicacies of happier is the nature in which vices gradually
the table and the joys of wine. In this view, die, and virtue flourishes.
Plato was right in the censure of the followers They were equally wealthy, but did not
of Orpheus,*who had placed the rewardsof apply their richesto the samepurposes.For
futurity, provided for the good, in everlasting we cannot compare the palace at Naples and
intoxication. No doubt, case, tranquillity, the Belvideresamidstthe water, which Lu-
literary researches,and the pleasures of con- cullus erected with the barbarianspoils, to the
south wall of the citadel, which Cimon built
* Thepassage
licrealluded
lo, isinthestoond
book with the treasurehe broughtfrom the wari.
»f Plalo'sRepublic. Plalocensures not Orpheus,but
}lus2us and liis sun, for trachmg thin dnctrme. Mu- Nor can the sumptuous table of Lucullui,
ixus and his sou Eumolpui were, however, disciples which savoured too much of Eastern magnifi-
of Orjiliciu. cencebe put in competitionwith the openand
 CIMON AND LtCULLUS COMPARED 366
oenevolent
tableof Cimon.Theone,at a mod-rantofthegrievances
of hiso-iny,whichended
eratecharge, dailynourished greatnumbersn soincurable anaversion or unwillingto
of poor; the other,at a vastexpense,
pleased "edress
them.
theappetites of afewof therichandthevo- Thishehasin common withCimon,
thatbe
luptuous. Perhaps, indeed, someallowance wasimpeached byhiscountrymen.
TheAthe-
mustbemadefor the difference of the time. nians,it is true,wentfarther;theybaninhtr
We knownot,whetherCimon,if hehadlived Cimonby the ostracism, th t theymightnot
to be old,andretiredfrom theconcerns of as Platoexpresses it, hearhisvoicefoi ten
warandof the state,mightnot have given 'ears. Indeed,theproceedings of thearisto-
intoa morepompous andluxuriouswayof liv- :raticalpartyare seldomacceptable to the
ing: for he naturallylovedwine andcompany, >cople;for while theyare oMigedto usesome
wasa promoter
of publicfeastsand games,violencefor thecorrectionof whatis amiss,
andremarkable, aawe haveobserved, for his heir measuresresembleth.: bandagesof sur-
inclinationfor the sex. But glorious enter- geons,whichare uneasyat i1e sametime that
prisesandgreatactions,beingattended
with heyreducethe dislocationBut in this ree-
pleasures
of another
kind,leavenoleisurefor >ectperhaps
wemayexculpate boththeone
inferior gratifications;nay, they banishthem andthe other.
fromthe thoughtsof personsof great abilities Luculluscarriedhis armsmuchthe farthest.
for the field and the cabinet. And if Lucullus He was the first who led a Roman army over
badfinishedhis daysin high commands
and Mount Taurus, and passedthe Tigris. He
amidst the conflicts of war, I am persuaded took and burned the royal cities of Asia, Ti-
the most envious caviller could have found rranocerta, Cabira, Sinope, Nisibis, in the
nothingto reproachhim with. So muchwith light of their respectivekings. On the north
tenpectto their wayof living. it- penetratedas far as the Phasis,on the east
As to their military character,it is certain .o Media, and on the south to the Red Sea,
theywere able commanders both at sea and the favourandassistance of the princesof
land. But as the champions, who in oneday Arabia. He overthrewthe armiesof the two
gainedthe garlandnot only in wrestlingbut in great kings, and would certainlyhave taken
the Pancration," are not simply called victors, .hem, had they not fled, like savages,into dis-
but by the customof the games,thejlowers of tant solitudes and inaccessible woods. A cer-
the victory; so Cimon, having crowned Greece tain proof of the advantage Lucullus had in
with two victoriesgainedin one day,the one this respect,is, that the Persians,
as if theyhad
at land, the other a naval one, deserve some suffered nothing from Cimon, soon made head
preference
in the list of generals. againstthe Greeks,andcut in piecesa great
Lucullus was indebted to his country for his army of theirs in Egypt; whereasTigrjnes and
power,andCimonpromotedthe powerof his Mithridatescouldaffectnothingafterthe blow
country. The one found Rome commanding they had received from Lucullus. Mithridates,
the allies, and under her auspices extended enfeebled by the conflicts he had undergone,
her conquests; the other found Athens obey- did not once venture to face Pompey in the
ing insteadof commanding,and yet gained her field: insteadof that, he lied to the Bosphorus,
the chief authority among her allies, as well as and there put a period to his life. As for Ti-
conqueredher enemies. The Persians he de- jranes, he delivered himself, naked and unarm-
feated,and drove them out of the sea, and he ed, to Pompey, look his diadem from his head,
persuadedthe Lacedaemoniansvoluntarily to and laid it at his feet; in which he compliment-
surrenderthe command. ed Pompey, not with what was his own, but
If it be the greatestwork of a generalto with what belongedto the laurelsof LucuLlua.
bring his men to obey him from a principle of The poor prince, by the joy with which he re-
affection,
we shall find Lucullus greatlydefi- ceivedthe ensignsof royalty again,confessed
cient in this respect. He was despisedby his that he had absolutely lost them. However, he
own troops, whereas Cimon commanded the must be deemedthe greater general, as well aa
veneration,not only of his own soldiers,but of the greater champion, who delivers las adversa-
all the allies. The former was desertedby ry, weakandbreathless, to the nextcombatant.
his own,and the latter was courtedby stran- Besides, Cimonfoundthe king ofPersja ex-
gers. The one setout with a fine army, and tremelyweakened, and the pride of his peo-
returnedalone,abandoned by that army; the plehumbled,by thelossesanddefeatstheyhad
otherwentout with troopssubjectto the orders experiencedfrom Themistocles,Pausanias,
theyshouldreceivefrom anothergeneral,and and Leotychidas;and their handscould not
at his returntheywereat the headof the whole makemuchresistance, when their heartswere
league. Thus he gainedthree of the most gone. But Lucullus met Tigranesfreshand
difficultpointsimaginable,peacewith the ene- unfoiled,elated andexultingm the battlesh»
my, the lead among the allies, and a good un- had fought and the victories he had won Nor
derstanding
withSparta. is the numberof the enemy'stroopswhich
Theybothattemptedto conquer
greatking- Cimondefeated,in the leastto becompared
doms,and to subdueall Asia, but their pur- to that of thosewhogavebattleto Lucullus.
poses
wereunsuccessful.Cimon'scoursewas In short, whenwe weighall the advantages
"toppedbyfortune;he diedwith hiscommis-of eachof thesegreatmen,it is hardt.osayto
«ionin hishand,
andin theheight
of hispros-whichsidethebalance
inclines.Heaven
ap-
perity. Lucullus,on theotherhand,cannotpearsto havefavoured both;directingtheone
possiblybe excused,as to the lossof hisau- to whatheshoulddo,andwainingthe other
thority,sincehe musteitherhavebeenip whatheshouldavoid. Sothat thegodsbore
vThePancratioo
consisted
of boxine
andvrreitliD?witnessof their virtue,and regardedthem ai
personsin whomtherewassomethingdivioe.
AA
 3G6 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

NICIAS.

WE havepitcheduponCrassus, as a propera sophist;andwhenthatspiritof contest at*

penonto beputinparallel
withNicias;andthe temptsthingsinimitable,it is perfectly
absurd.
mirtbrtunes
whichbcfcltheonein Parthia,
with Since,therefore,
it is impossible to pissover
those which overtook the other in Sicily. But in eilence those actions of Nicias which Thu-
"wehaveanapology
to maketo the readeron cydidesand Philistushave recorded;espe
an-.theraccount. As we arenowundertaking dally suchaaindicatehis mannersanddispo-
a 'nstory, whereThucydidesin the pathetic sition, which often lay concealedunder the
La* evenoutdone
himself,
and in energyand weightof hismisfortunes;
we shallgiveaa
variety of compositionia perfectlyinimitable; abstractfrom themof what appearsmost ne-
w»hopenoonewill suspect
wehavethe am- cessary,
lest weshouldbe accused
of negli-
biMonof Timajus,who flattered himself he genceor indolence. As for othermattersnot
could exceedthe power of Thucydides,and generallyknown, which are found scattered
m^ke Philistus*passfor aninelegantandordi- in historiansor in ancientinscriptionsandde-
nary writer. Under the influenceof that de- crees,we shall collect them with care; not to
ception,Timxns plungesinto the midstof the gratifya useless curiosity,but by drawingfrom
tattles bothat eeaand land,and speeches
in themthetruelinesof thisgeneral's
character,
which thosehistoriansshinethe most. How- to servethe purposesof real instruction.
ever,he soonappears, The first thing I shall mentionrelating to
Nutlikea footman
bytheLydian
car, him, is the observation
of Aristotle: That
three of the most worthy men in Athens, who
"a Pindarexpresses it, but a shallow
puerilehada paternal
regardandfriendship
forthe
writerft or, to usethe wordsof the poet people, wereNiciasthe sonof Niceratus,
Diphilus, Thucydides
thesonof Milesias,
andThera-
Aheavyanimal,
Ca»ed in Sicilian lard
menesthe son of Agnon. The last, indeed,
was not so remarkable in this respect as the
Sometimeshefalls into the dreamsof Xenar- othertwo. For he hadbeenreproached with
chus:Jaswherehesays,"He couldnot butcon- his birth, asa strangercomefrom the Isle of
sider it asa badomen for the Athenians,that Ceos;andfrom his want of firmness,or rather
they had a generalwith a namederivedfrom versatility,in mattersof government,he wai
victory,§ who disapprovedthe exhibition." As called the Buskin.*
also, " That by the mutilationof the Hermae, Thucydideswasthe oldestof the three;and
thegodspresigmfied thattheyshouldsuffermost whenPericlesacteda flatteringpart to the peo-
in theSyracusajnwar fromHermocrates the son ple, heoftenopposedhim in behalfof the no-
of Hcrmon."|| And again, " It is probable bility. ThoughNiciaswasmuchthe younger
that Hercules assisted the Syracusans, be- man, he gamed some reputation while Peri-
cause Proserpinedelivered up Cerberusto cleslived, insomuchthat he wasseveraltimei
him; and that he was offendedat the Athe- his colleaguein the war, and oftencommand-
nians for supporting the jEgesteans,who were ed alone. But when Pericles died, he waa
descendedfrom the Trojans, his mortal ene- soon advanced to the head of the administra-
mies,whosecity he hadsacked,in revengefor tion, particularlyby the influenceof the rich
the injurieshe hadreceivedfrom Laomedon." and great,who hopedhe would prove a bar-
He madethesefineobservations with the same rier against the daring insolenceof Cleon.
discernmentwhichput him uponfindingfault He had,however,the goodwishesof the peo-
with the languageof Philistus,and censuringple, andtheycontributedtheir shareto hisad-
the writings of Plato and Aristotle. vancement.
For my part, I cannotbut think, all emula- It is true,Cleonhad a considerable
interest,
tion and jealousyabout expression,betraya which he gainedby makinghis court to the
littlenessof mind, andIBthe characteristicof old men,and by his frequentdonationsto the
poor citizens. Yet even many of those whom
* Philistus
wassoablea writer,thatCicerocall* he studiedto oblige, seeinghis avariceand
him theyounger
t TiuiaMis Thucydides.
mighthavehis vanity; and,if he hoped effrontery,
cameover to Nicias. For the
-toexcel
Thucydides,
hecertainly
had.YetCicrrogravity
of Niciashadnothing
austere
ormo-
cod Diodorus
speakorhim asa veryablehistorian.rosein it, but wasmixedwith a reverence
for
Longiuusreconcilesthe censureand the praise. He the people in which fear seemedto be preva-
"ays,sometimes youfindhiminthegrand andsublime.
But, blind to his own defects,he is much inclined to
lent,andconsequently
wasveryagreeable
to
censureothers, and is so fond of thinking out of the them. Indeed, he was naturally timid and
common
road,
thatheoftensinluintotheutmost
pu- cold-hearted;
but this defectwasconcealed
erility. by the long course of successwith which for-
I Xcnarchug,
thePeripatetic,
wasmaster
toStrabo; tunefavouredhis expeditions. And his timid-
and Xenarchus, the comic poet, wasauthor of several
ity in the assemblies
of the people,and dread
piecesof humour : but we know no historian of that
Dame. of personswho madea trade of impeachments,
6Thatis,Nicias.Nicesignifies
victorii. wasa popularthing. It contributednot t
jj Lonirinus quotes this passageas an example of the
frigid style, and of thosepuerilities he had condemned * The form of the buskin was such, that it might bt
in Time uj worn indifferentlyoneitherleg.
 NICIAS. 367
littletogain
himtheregardsofthemultitude,
heleftinDelos
asamonument
ofhiabenefac-
whoareafraidof thosethatdespise
them,and tion. As for thepalm-tree,
it wasbrokenby
love topromotethose
thatfearthem,
becausethewinds,andthefragment
fallingupon
a
in general,thegreatest honourtheycanhopegreatstatue,*
whichthepeopleof Nazos had
to obtain,is notto bedespised
by thegreat. setup,demolished
it.
AsPericles keptthereinsof government
in It isobvious
thatmost
of these
tilingswere
hishands,b^mcansof realvirtue,andby the donefor osteatation, andwitha viewto popu-
forceof hiseloquence,
hehadnoneedto hold larity. Nevertheless, wemaycollectfromthe
outfalsecolours,
or to useany artificewith restof his life andconduct,
thatreligionhad
thepeople.Niciaswasdeficient
in thosetheprincipalshare
in thesededications,
and
greatendowments,
but hadsuperior
riches;thatpopularity
wasbuta secondary motive
andheapplied
themto thepurposes
of popu-Forhecertainlywasremarkable
forhisfearof
larity. On theotherhand,hecouldnot,like thegods,and,asThucydidesobserves, hewa«
Cleon,divert and draw the peopleby an piousto a degree of superstition.!It '9relat-
easymanner andthesalliesof buffoonery;
and edin theDialoguesof Pasiphon,
that hesac-
thereforeheamusedthemwith the choruses
of rificedeveryday, andthat he hada diviner in
tragedy,
with gymnasticexercises,
and suchhishouse,
who,inappearance,
inquired
thesuc-
like exhibitions,which far exceeded,
in point cessof the public affairs,but in reality was
of magnificenceand elegance,all that went muchoftenerconsultedabouthisown,particu-
beforehim, and those of his own times too. larly as to the successof his silverminesin
Twoof hisofferings
to thegodsareto beseentheboroughofLaurium; whichin generalaf
atthisday;theone,a statueof Pallasdedicat-fordeda largerevenue,
but werenotworked
edin the citadel, which has lost part of its without danger. He maintainedthere a mul
gilding;theother,a smallchapelin thetem- titudeof slaves;and the greatestpartof his
pleof Bacchus, underthe tripods,whichare fortuneconsisted in silver. Sothat he had
commonly offeredup by thosewho gamthe manyretainers, whoaskedfavours, and were
prizein tragedy.Indeed,Niciaswasalreadynotsentawayempty. For he gavenotonly
victoriousin thoseexhibitions. It is said,that to thosewho deservedhis bounty,but to such
in a chorusof that kind, one of his slavesap- asmight beableto do him harm; andbadmen
peared
in thecharacter
of Bacchus.Theslave foundresources
in his fears,aswell as good
wasof an uncommonsizeandbeauty,but had menin his liberality. The comic poetsbea*
notarrivedat maturity;andthe people
were witness
towhatI haveadvanced.Teleclides
BOcharmedwith him, thnt they gavehim long introduceda trading informer speakingthus:
plaudits. At last,Niciasrose up and said."Chariclcswouldnot give onemina to pre-
'"'Heshouldthink it an act of impietyto re- ventmydeclaringthat hewasthe first fruita
tain a personin servitude,who seemedby the of his mother'samours;but Nicias,the sonof
publicvoiceto be consecrated
to a god;"and Niceratus,
gaveme four. Why he did it, I
beenfranchised
him uponthe spot. shali not say, thoughI knowit perfectlywell.
Hisregulations
with respectto Delos,arc For Niciasis my friend,a verywiseman be-
itill spoken
of,asworthyof thedeitywhopre- sides,in my opinion."Eupolis,in hisMarcia,
sidesthere. Beforehis time,the choirswhich brings another informer uponthe stage,who
the citiessent to sing the praisesof Apollo,* meetswith somepoor ignorantman,and thus
landedin a disorderlymanner,becausethe in- addresses him:
habitantsof the island usedto run up to the "Informer. How long is it since you sa«?
ship,andpressthemto singbeforethey were Nicias?
disembarked; sothatthey wereforcedto strike "Poor Man. I never sawhim beforethis
up,as theywere putting on their robesand moment,whenhe stood in the marketplace.
garlands. But whenNiciaa had the conduct "Informer. Take notice, my friends,the
of thisceremony, knownby the nameof Theo- man confesses he has seen Nicias. And for
ria, he landed first in the Isle of Rhenia with what purposecould he see him, but to sell him
the choir,the victims,and all the other neces- his vote? Nicias, therefore, is plainly taken
sarypreparations.He hadtakencareto have in the fact.
a bridgeconstructedbefore he left Athens, "Poet. Ah, fools! do you think you can
which shouldreach from that isle to Delos, ever persuadethe world that so gooda nuut
andwhichwasmagnificentlygilded,andadorn- asNicias wastakenin mal-practices?"
edwith garlands,rich stuns,andtapestry. In Cleon,in Aristophanes, saysin a menacing
the night hethrew his bridgeoverthechannel, tone, "1 will out-bawlthe orators,andmake
whichwasnot large; and at breakof day he Nicias tremble.''^ And Phrynichus glances
inarchedover it at the headof the procession,at his excessivetimidity, when, speakingof
withhischoirrichly habitedand singinghymns anotherperson,he says,"I know him to be
to the god. After the sacrifices,the games, an honestman and a good citizen,onewho
andthe banquets
wereover,heconsecrated
a doesnotwalkthestreets
withadowncast
look,
palm-treeof brassto Apollo,andlikewiseafield like Nicias."
which he had purchasedfor ten thousand With this fear of informersupon him, lie
drachmas.The Delianswereto lay out the in- would not sup or discoursewith any of the
come
in sacrificing
andfeasting,
andat thesamecitizens,or comeinto any of those'parties
time to jray for Apollo's blessing upon the
founder. This is inscribedon a pillar, which * A statuewhichthe Naiianshaddedicated
lo
* Therewasa selectbandof musicannuallysentby Apollo. The pedestal
moderntravellers. hasbeendiscovered
by tome
the principalcities of Greece. The procession
was f Thucyd,lib. vii.
caJ/eJ
Theoria,
andit waslooked
upon
asanhonour- } Thisis in theEquities
of Aristophanes,
«r. 357
able
conunijtioa
tohavethemanagement
of it* It u notCleon,tut Agoracrituj,
whospeak*.
368 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

whichmakethetimepisssoagreeably.
When defeated by theCbalcideana
in Thrace,Cat
hewasarchon,he usedto stayin courttill hadesand Xenophonhad the command
night, being always the first that came,and Demosthenes
was general,whenthey nv.scar
the last that wentaway. Whenhe had no ricdin -Kioha;andwhentheylosta thousand
public businessupon his hands,he shut\i\m- menat Dehum,they were underthe conduc4
"elf upat home,andwasextremelydifficult of of Hippocrates. As for the plague,it wa»
access. And if any personscameto the gate, commonlythoughtto be occasioned by Peri-
hisfriendswentand beggedthemto excusecles,who,K>drawthe burghers
out of the
Nicias, becausehe had some affairs under wayof the war,shutthemupin the city,where
consideration
which wereof great importancethey contractedthe sickness
by the changeof
to the state. situation arid diet
The personwho assistedhim mostin acting None of thesemisfortunes wereimputedto
this farce,andgaininghim the reputationof a Nicias: on tiie contrary,he took Cythera,an
man for ever intent upon business,was one islandwell situatedfor annoyingLaconia,and
Hiero, who was broughtup in his house,had at that time inhabitedbyLacedaemonians. He
a liberaleducation,anda tastefor musicgiven recoveredmanyplacesin Thracewhichhad
him there. He passedhimselffor the sonof revoltedfrom the Athenians. He shutup the
Dionysius, surnamed Chalcus, some of whose Megarensians within their walls, and reduced
poems are still extant, and who having con- the island of Minoa. From thence he made
ducteda colonyinto Italy, foundedthe city of anexcursionsoonafter, andgot possession of
Thurii. This Hiero transactedall the private tin- port of Nisaea. He likewise madea des-
business of IS'icias with the diviners; and cent upon the territones of Corinth, beat the
whenever he came among the people, he used troops of that state in a pitched battle, and
to Veil them, "What a laborious and miserable killed great numbers of them. Lycophron,
life Nicias led for their sakes. He cannot go their general, was among the slain.
to the bath," said he, "or the table, but some He happened to leave there the bodies of
affair of state solicits his attention: and he two of his men, who were missed in carrying
neglects his own concerns to take care of the otf the dead. But as soon as he knew it, he
public. He can scarce find time for repose slopped li>s course, and sent a herald to the
till the other citizens have had their first sleep. enemy,to ask leave to take away those bodies.
Amidst these cares and labours his health de- This he did, though there was a law and cus-
clines daily, and his temper is so broken that tom subsisting,by which those who desire a
his friends no longer approach him wifh pleas- treaty for carrying off the dead, give up the
urn; but he loses them too, after having spent victory, and are not at liberty to erect a trophy.
his fortune in your service. Meanwhile other And indeed,those who are so far mastersof the
statesmengain friends, and grow rich in their field, that the enemy cannot bury their dead
employments,and are sleek and merry in the without permission, appear to be conquerors,
Bteerageof government." becauseno man would ask that as a favour
In fact, the life of IS'icias was a life of so which he could command. Nicias, however,
muchcare,that he might have justly applied choserather to lose his laurels than to leave
to himself that expression of Agamemnon, two of hiscountrymenunburied.*
In vain thr glare of pompproclaims me master, After he had ravagedthe coastof Laconia,
I'm strvaul of the people and defeatedthe Lacedaemonianswho attempt.
ed to opposehim, hetook the fortressof Thy-
Nicias perceivedthat the commonsavailed rza,f then heldby the ..Egmetae, madethegar-
themselvesof the servicesof thosewho were rison prisoner*,and carried them to Athens.
distinguished for their eloquenceor capacity; Demostheneshaving fortified Pylos,). the Pelo-
but that they were always jealous and on their ponnesiansbesieged it both by sea and land.
guard againsttheir great abilities, and that they A battle ensued,in which they were worsted,
endeavoured to humble them, and to obstruct and about four hundred Spartans threw them,
their progressin glory. This appearedin the selves into the isle of Sphactena. The taking
condemnation of Pericles, the banishment of of them seemed,and indeed,was an important
Damon,the suspicions
theyentertainedof An- objectto the Athenians.But the siegewasdif-
tipho the Rhamnusian, but above all in the ficult, becausethere wasno water to behad up-
despairof Paches,who had taken Lesbos, on thespot,andit wastroublesome and expen-
andwho beingcalled to givean accountof his siveto get convovsthither;in summertheywere
conduct, drew his sword and killed himself in obliged to take a long circuit, and in winter it
open covirt.
Warned
bythese
examples,
heendeavoured
* Theburying
ofIhedead
was
aduty
ofgreat
im-
toavoid
suchexpeditions
ashethought
longportance
ghoslof anin Iheheathen
unburied world.
ptrson The
nol beine fable
allowed ofpan
lo the
anddifficult;andwhenhedid takethecom-IheSly«.iswellknown.About eightyears alteriht
mand, he made it his businessto proceed upon dcalhof Nicias,the Athenianspul sii of Ihcir gene
a sureplan. Forthisreason hewasgenerallyralstouVilh.fornolinterring itiosev>Ulien thatwer«
"uccessful:yet he ascribedhis successto fur- ttlamin thebattleofArginusae.
tune,
andtookrefuge
under
thewings
of thatthef Thyr:ea
lerritory was afort
of the situated
Argives. It between
belongedLaconia
of rightand
to
divinity; contentinghimselfwith a smallertheLacedaemonians,
butIheygave
it lotheJ^gmelz,
portion of honour, lest envy should rob him of who hadbeencipelledIheir country.
the whole. t The Peloponnesians
and their allieshad tnltrtd
The event shewed the prudence of his con- Attica under the conduct of Agis, the son of Archid*
duct. For,though theAthenians received mas, andgeneral,
Athenian ravaged thecountry.
made a diversionDemosthenes, lh»
by stiiing and
tnanygreat blowsin thoselimes,noneof them I..niitin- rylos. This broughtAgisbacklo thed«-
could be imputed to Nicias. When they were lenceof liis owucountry* Tttucyd,1.IT.
 NJCIAS. 369

«ra> absolute'^impracticable. They were " 1st Athenian. I had rather itay at home,
Diuchperplexedibout the affair, andrepented andtill the ground.
Iheir refusingthe termsof peacewhichthe " 2dAthenian.Andwhohinders
thee?
Lacedaemonians
hid offeredby their ambassa- " 1stAthenian. You hinderme. And yet,
dors. I am willing to paya thousand
drachmas
to be
Jt was t'1rough CJeonthat the embassydid fit used taking the commission.
nottakeelect; he opposed
the peace,because "2d Athenian. Let ussee. Your thousand
Nicias wis for it. Cleon was his mortal ene- drachmas, with those of Nicias, will make two
my,and iceing him countenance
the Lacedz- thousand.We will excuseyou."
tnoniaQH, persuadedthe people to reject their Nicias, in this affair, was not only unjust to
propi-s.tions by a formal decree. But when himself, but to the state. He suffered Cleon.
they IOJIK!that the siegewas drawn out to a by this meansto gain such an ascendantas led
great length,and that there was almost a famine him to a degreeof pride and effrontery that was
in their camp, they expressedtheir resentment insupportable. Many evils were thus brought
againstCleon. Cleon, for his part, laid the upon the commonwealth,of which Nicias him-
blame
uponNiciai; alleging,
thatif theenemyselfhad hisfull share.We cannotbutcon
escaped,it must be through his slow and timid aiderit as one great corruption, that Cleon now
operations;" HadI been thegeneral," saidhe, banished
alldecorumfromthegeneral assem-
" they could not have held out so long." The bly. It was he who, in his speeches, first
Athenians readiiy answered, " Whydonotyou brokeout intoviolentexclamations, threw
gonow againsttheseSpartans?" And Nicias back his robes, smote upon his thigh, and ran
roseupanddoclared,
" He wouldfreelygive from oneendof therostrumto the other.
upto himthr commandin theaffairof Pylos;Thissoonintroduced
sucha licentiousness
and
bade himta>ewhat forces hepleased; and,disregard
insteadof sh-.--»inghis couragein words, where
todecency
among
those
whodirected
the affairs of state, that it threw the whole
there wasno danger,go and perlorm some ac- government into confusion.
tions
worthytheattention
ofhiscountry." atAt thistimethere
sprungupanother
orator
Cleon,disconcerted
with the unexpected Athens.ThiswasAlcibiades.Hedid not
offer, deol'ned it at first. But when he found prove so totally corrupt as Cleon. As it is
the Athenians insisted upon it, and that Nicias
said of the land of Egypt, that, on account of
took hisadvantage
him, hii toraise
pride was hurt, andahe
clamour against
was incensed itsextreme
fertility,
tosuch,
'i.degree,
thathenotonlyundertookThere
plenty
sows
thefields
withherbs
salubrious,
the eipedition,but declared," He would in Butscatters
many
a baneful
weedbetween
;
twenty dayseither put the enemyto the sword,
or brjg themalive to Athens." So in Alcibiadesthere were very different
Thi peoplelaughedat his declaration,*in- qualities,but all in extremes;and theseex-
rteaUof givingit anycredit. Indeed,theyhad tremes openeda door to many innovations.
long beenaccustomedto divert themselvesSothatwhenNiciasgot clear of Cleon,hehad
with the salliesof his vanity. One day, for no time to establishany lastingtranquillity in
instance,whena generalassemblywasto be Athens;but assoonas hehadgotthingsinto a
held,theyhadsatwaitingfor him a longtime. safetrack, the ambition of Alcibiadescame
At last he came, when their patiencewas upon him like a torrent, and borehim back
almost spent, with a garland on his head, and into the storms of war.
desiredthemtoadjourn untilthedayfollowing: It happened thus. The persons whomost
" For,to-day," sayshe," I amnot at leisure;opposed thepeace of Greece,were,Cleonand
I havestrangers to entertain,andI havesacri-Brasidas.Warhelpedto hidethevicesof the
ficedto thegods." TheAthenians onlylaugh-former,andto shewthegoodqualitiesof the
ed,andimmediately roseupanddismissed the latter. Cleonfoundopportunity for actsof
assembly. njusticeand oppression, and Brasidasfor
Cleon,however, wasso muchfavouredby greatand gloriousactions.But after (hey
fortunein this commission that he acquittedbothfellin thebattlenearAmphipolis, Niciaa
himselfbetterthananyonesinceDemosthenes. appliedto the Lacedaemonians on onehand,
He returnedwithin the time he hadfixed, whohadbeenfor some timedesirousof peace,
afterhehadmadeall the Spartans whodid andto theAthenians on the other,now no
not fall in battle,deliverup their arms;and longerso warmin the pursuits of war. In
brought themprisoners to Athens. fact,bothpartiesweretiredof hostilities,
and
Thisreflected nosmalldisgrace uponNicias.readyto let their weapons dropout of their
It wasconsidered
assomething
worsethanhands.Nicias,
therefore,
usedhisendeavours
throwingawayhis shield,meanly
to quit his to reconcile
them,andindeed to deliverall the
command,andtogivehisenemyanopportunityGreeks fromthe calamities
theyhadsuffered,
of distinguishing
himselfby his abdication.tobringthemtotaste
thesweets
ofrepose,and
Hence Aristophanes
ridicules
himin hiscome-to re-establish
alongandlastingreignofhap-
dycalledTheBirds. " Byheaven, thisisno piness.He immediatelyfoundtherich,the
timefor usto slumber,
or to imitatethe lazy aged,and all thatwereemployed
in thecul-
operations
of Nicias."Andin hispieceenti-tureof theground,
disposed
topeace;
andby
tledTheHusbandman, heintroduces twoaddressing himself
totherest,
and
expostulating
Athenians
discoursing
thus:- with themrespectively,
hesoonabated
their
ardour for war.
" Thewisersort hopedeitherto hare the plcuore
of teeingtheLoccdBmonuni
broughtprisoners
to Hisnextstepwasto givetheSpartans
hopeg
Athens,or elseof gettingrid ol the importunatepre- of an accommodation,and to exhort them to
tensions
of Cltou. propose
suchmeasures
asmighteffectit. Thcj
 370 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

readilyconfidedin him,because theyknewth> look uponthe Lacedaemonians with so r>bng-

goodness of his heart; of which there wasa ing an eye as before,becausethey thought
late instancein his humanetreatmentof their themselvesinjuredby the alliancewhichtheir
countrymen who, were taken prisonersat Py new friends had entered into with the Boeo-
ios, andwho found their chainsgreatlylight tians, and becausethey had not delivered
enedby hisgoodoffices. up PanactusandAmphipolisin the condition
They had already agreedto a suspensionol they found them. He therefore dwelt upon
arms for one year; during which time, the; these points, and endeavouredto inflame the
often met, and enjoyed again the pleasures of people's resentment. Besides, he persuaded,
ease and security, the company of strangers and at last prevailed upon the republic of AT-
as well as nearer friends, and expressedtheir gos to send an embassyfor the purposeof ne-
mutual wishes for the continuance of a We un- gociating a treaty with the Athenians.
disturbed with the horrors of war. It was with When the Lacedaemonianshad intelligence
great delight they beard the chorus in such of this, they sent ambassadors to Athens, with
strains as this: full powers to settle all mattters in dispute.
Arachne freely now has leave These plenipotentiaries were introduced to
Her websaround my spear lo weave. the senate, and their proposals seemed per-
fectly just and reasonable.Alcibiades,upon
Theyrecollected
withpleasure
thesaying,this,fearing
theywouldgainthepeople
by
" Thatin timeofpeace
menareawakednol the sameovertures,circumvented
themby
by thesoundof thetrumpet,butthecrowingperfidious oathsand asseverations;
" Prom-
of thecock." Theyexecrated thosewhosaid, isinghe wouldsecurethe successof their
it wasdecreedby fatethatthewarshouldlast commission,if theywouldnotdeclarethat
threetimesnineyears;* and this freeinter theycamewithfull powers;
andassuring
them,
courseleadingthemto canvass
everypoint,they that no othermethodwould be so effectual."
at lastsigned
thepeace
.f Theygavecreditto hisinsinuations,
andwent
It was now the general opinion, that they over from Nicias to him.
wereat theendof all theirtroubles.Nothing Uponintroducing themto thepeople,the
wastalkedof butNicias. He,theysaid,was firstquestionheaskedthemwas," Whether
a manbeloved of thegods,who,in recom-theycamewith full powers?"Theydenied
penceof his piety,had thoughtproperthat it, astheywereinstructed.ThenAlcibiade*
thegreatest
andmostdesirable of all blessingsbeyond
all their expectations,
changing
sides,
should bear his name. It is certain,theyas- called the senateto bear witnessto their
cribedthepeace to Nicias,astheydidthewar formerdeclarations, anddesiredthe people,
to Pericles.And,indeed, theonewouldplunge" Not to givetheleastcreditor attentionto
them,uponslightpretences intonumberlessca- suchmanifestprevaricators,
who,uponthe
lamities,
andtheotherpersuaded themto bury samepoint,asserted onethingoneday,and
thegreatestof injuriesin oblivion,andto unite another
thing thenext. Theirconfusion
was
againas friends. It is thereforecalledthe nespressible, as maywell beimagined, and
fTiceanpeace
to thisveryday. Vicias
wasstruckdumb
withgriefandaston-
It wasagreedin thearticlesthatbothpar- shment.The people,of course, sentimme-
tiesshouldrestorethetownsandtheprisonersdiatelyfor thedeputies of Argos,to conclude
theyhadtaken;andit wasto bedetermined thetreatywith them. But at that verymo-
by lot whichof themshoulddo it first; but, ment,therehappened a slightshockof an
accordingtoTheophrastus,Niciassecured the earthquake,which,favourably
forNicias,broke
lot by dint of money, so that the Lacedaemo- up the assembly.
nianswereforcedto leadtheway. Asthe Nextdaytheyassembled
Corinthians and Boeotianswere displeased at
again;
andNicias,
>yexerting all his powers, with much difficulty
theseproceedings,
andendeavoured, bysowing >revailed
uponthemnotto putthelasthandto
jealousies
between thecontracting powers,to heleague withArgos;but,insteadof that,to
renewthewar,Niciaspersuaded theAthenianssendhimto Spa.ru,* \vhere,heassured them,
andLacedemonians to confirmthepeace, and all wouldbe well. Whenhe arrivedthere,
to support
eachothjer
bya league offensive
and lewastreatedwithgreatrespect,
asa manof
defensive. This he expected, would intimidate lonour, and one who had shewn that republic
thosewhowereinclinedto fly off. freatfriendship;however, as the partythat
Duringthesetransactions, Alcibiadesatfirst ladfavouredtheBoeotians wasthestrongest,
madeit his business privatelyto opposethe lecouldeffectnothing/)-He returned, there-
peace.For he wasnaturallydisinclinedto ore,notonlywithdisrepute anddisgrace,but
inaction,andwas,moreover, offended at the wasapprehensive of worseconsequencesfrom
Lacedaemonians, on accountof their attach-theAthenians,whoweregreatly chagrined
and
mentto Nicias,and their neglectanddisre- irovoked, that,at hispersuasion,
theyhadset
gardof him. But whenhefoundthisprivate reesomanyprisoners, and prisoners
of such
opposition ineffectual,
hetookanother method.distinction.For thosebroughtfromPylus,
In a little time,hesawtheAthenians did not wereof thefirstfamiliesin Sparta,andhad
connections with the greatestpersonagesthere.
* "I remember,"
says
Thuc"ydidei,
"thatthrough-
Notwithstanding
this,theydid not express
out the whole war, manymentionedit was to lastthree
times nine years. And if we rcckou the first ten yean their resentment in any act of severity; they
ofthewar,thetruce
veryshort
andill observed
that inlyelected
Alcibiades
general,andtookthe
followed it, the treaties ill eiecuted, and the war that
was renewedthereupon, we bhall find the oracle fully * There were others joined in commissionwith him.
justifiedby theevent." Thucyd.\. v. f IV'iciasinsistedthat the Spartans
shouldrriumnu
t Peace for fifty yearswasagreeduponand signed heiralliancewith theBoeotians, because
theyhadnol
(beyearfollowing: but it wastoonbrokenagain. acceded lo thepeace.
 NICIAS. 371

Manlineana
and Eleans,
whohadquittedthe largian,a relationof thetyrant,wasthe first.
Lacedaemonian
interest,intoleaguewith them From thiseventit appearshow intricate arc
alongwith the Argivea. Theythen senta thewaysof Fortune,
howijcomprchensiuleto
marauding
partyto Pylos,fromthence
to makehumanreason.HadNiciasruntheriskof the
excursions
intoLacoma.Thusthewarbrokeostracism, hewouldeitherhaveexpelled
Alci-
out afresh. biades,and lived afterwardsin his nativecity
As the quarrelbetweenNicias and Alcibia- in full security;or if it hadbeencarriedagainst
desrose daily to a greater height,the ostra- him,andhehadbeenforcedto retire,hewould
cismwasproposed. To this the peoplehave have avoidedthe impendingstrokeof misery,
recourseat certainperiods,andby it they ex andpreservedthe reputationof a wiseanaex-
pelfor tenyearsanyonewhois suspected
for periencedgeneral.I amnot ignorant,that
hisauthority,or enviedfor his wealth. Both Theophrastussays,Hyperboluswasbanished
partieswere greatlyalarmedat the danger,not in the contestbetween}'ha.>ax
and Alcibiades,
doubting that it would faJl to the lot of one of and not in that with Nicias. But most histo-
them. The Athenians detestedthe life andman- rians give it as aboverelated.
ners of Alcibiadcs, and at the same time they About this time the JEgesteansand Leon-
dreadedhis enterprising spirit; as we have re- tines sent an ambassy,to desire the Athenians
lated more at large in his life. As for Nicias, to undertake the Sicilian expedition. Nicias
his riches exposedhim to envy, and the rather, opposed it, but was overruled by the address
becausethere was nothing social or popular in and ambition of Alcibiades. Indeed, Alcibia-
his mannerof living; on the contrary,his re- des had previouslygained the assemblyby
cluse turn seemedowing to an inclination for Ins discourses, and corrupted the people to
oligarchy, and perfectly in a foreign taste. Be-
such a degree with vain hopes,that the young
sides,he had combattcd their opinions, and by men in their places of exercise, and the old
making them pursue their own interest against men in the shops and other places where they
their inclination, was of course become ob- conversed,drew plans of Sicily, and exhibited
noxious. In one word, the whole was a dis- the nature of its seas, with all its ports and
pute between the young who wanted war, and bearings on the side next Africa. For they
the old who were lovers of peace. The former did not consider Sicily as the reward of their
endeavouredto make the ostracism fall upon operations, but only as a place of arms; from
Nicias, and the latter on Alcibiades: whence they were to go upon the conquest of
But in seditions bad men rise to honour. Carthage; nay, of all Africa, and to make them-
selves mastersof the seaswithin the pillars of
The Athenians being divided into two factions, Hercules.
the subtlestand most profligateof wretches While theywereso intent uponthis expedi-
gainedground. Such wasHyperbolusof the tion, Nicias hadnot manyon his side; either
ward of Penthois; a man whose boldnesswas among the commons or nobility, to oppose it.
not owing to any well groundedinfluence, but For the rich, fearing it might be thought they
whose influencewas owing to his boldness;and were afraid to serve in person, or to be at the
who disgracedthe city by the credit he had ac- expense of fitting out men of war, eat silent,
quired. contrary to their better judgment. iVicias,
This wretch had no apprehensionsof banish- lowever, opposed it indefatigably, nor did he
ment by the honorable suffrage of the ostra- ;ive up his point after the decree was passed
cism, becausehe knew himself fitter for a gib- or the war, and he was elected general along
bet. Hoping, however, that if one of these with Alcibiades and Lamachus, and his name
^reat men were banished, he should be able to irst in the suffrages. In the first assemblythat
make headagainstthe other, he dissemblednot was held after that, he rose to dissuadethem,
his joy at this spirit of party, but strove to ex- and to protest against their proceedings. In
asperatethe people against both. Nicias and conclusion, he attacked Alcibiades, for plung-
Alcibiades taking notice of his malice, came to ng the state in a dangerousand foreign war,
a private interview, in which they agreed to merely with a view to his own emolument and
unitetheir interests;andby that meansavoid- "ame.But his arguments
hadno effect. They
ed the ostracism themselves,and turned it upon thought a man of his experience the fitter to
Hyperbolus. conductthis enterprise;andthat nothingcould
At first the people were pleased, and laugh- contribute more to its success,than to unite hig
ed at the strange turn things had taken; but aution with the fiery spirit of Alcibiades, and
uponrecollection,it gavethemgreatuneasinessthe boldnessof Lamachus. Therefore,they
to think that the ostracism was dishonored by were still more confirmed in their choice. Be-
its falling upon a person unworthy of it. They sides, Demostratus, who of all the orators
Werepersuaded
therewasa dignityin thatpun- took most pains to encouragethe peopleto
ishment; or rather, that to such men as Tbu- that war, rose and said, be would soon cut off
cydidesand Aristides it was a punishment;all the excuses
of Nicias; and immediatelyhe
Whereas
to Hyperbolusit wasanhonourwhich proposedandcarriedanorder,thatthegene-
hemightbeproudof, sincehisprofligacy
had ralsshouldhavea discretionary
powerto lay
puthimonthesame
listwiththegreatest
pa- plans
andputihemin execution,
bothathome
triots. Hence Plato, the comic poet, thus speaks and abroad.
of him, " Nodoubthiscrimesdeserved
chas- It is said,indeed,that thepriestsstrongly
tisement, but a very different chastisementfrom opposed the expedition. But Alcibiades had
that which he received. The shell was not otherdivinersto setagainstthem;andhegave
designedfor suchwretchesas he." it out, that certain ancientoraclespromised
In fact, no one afterwardswasbanished
by the Atheniansgreatglory in Sicily. The en
it. He wanthe last, andHipparchusthe Cho- voys,too, who weresentto consultthe oracle
 872 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

of JupiterAmmon,returnedwith an answerof higpost,so as to departfromhis opinion

importingthatthe Athenianswouldtakeall the Nevertheless,
whenhecouldneitherdiverttlie
Syracusans. peoplefrom their purpose,nor by all his ef
If any of the citizens knew of bad presages, forts get himself excusedfrom taking the com
theytookcaretoconccalthem,lesttheyshould mand,but wasplaced,asit were by violence,
seemto pronounceany thing inauspiciousof at the headof a great army; it wasthen no
an enterprisewhichtheir countrymenhad too time for cautionandtimid delay. He should
much at heart. Nor would any warnings have not then have looked back from his ship like a
availed,whenthey werenot movedat the most child; or, by a multitudeof protestationsthat
clear and obvious signs. Such was the mutila- his better counsels were overruled, have dis-
tion of the Hernne," whose heads were all heartenedhis colleagues,and abated the ardour
"truck off in one night, except that which was of his troops, which alone could give him a
called the Mercury of Andocides, and which chance of success.He should have immediate-
had heenconsecrated by the tribe of Egis, be- ly attacked the enemy with the utmost vigour,
fore the door of the person just named. Such and made Fortune blush at the calamities she
also was the pollution of the altar of the was preparing.
twelve gods. A mangot astrideuponit, and But hieconductwasvery different. When
there emasculatedhimself with a stone. In the Lamachus proposed to make a descent close
temple of Delphi there was a golden statue of by Syracuse,* and to give battle under tho
Pallas, which the Athenians had erected upon walls; and Alcibiades was of opinion, they
a palm-tree of brass,in commemoration of the should first reduce the cities that owned the
victory over the Medes. The crows came and authority of Syracuse, and then march against
beaked it for several days, and pecked off the the principal enemy: Nicias opposed both. He
golden fruit of the tree. gave it for coasting along Sicily without any
The Athenians, however, said, these were act of hostility, and shewing what an armament
only fictions propagatedat Delphi at the insti- they had. Then he was for returning to
gation of the Syracusans. A certain oracle Athens, after having left a small reinforcement
ordered them to fetch a priestess of Minerva with the^gesteans, as a taste of the Athenian
from Clazomenae;
and when she came,they strength.Thusheintercepted
all theirschemes,
found her name was Hcsychia, by which the and broke down their spirits.
Deity seemedto exhort them to continue in The Athenians, soon after this, called Alci-
quiet. Melon the astrologer, whether he was biades home to take his trial; and Nicias re-
struck with these signs, or whether by the eye mained, joined indeedwith anotherin commia
of human reason he discovered the impending sion, but first in authority. There was now no
danger (for he had a command in the army,) end of his delays. He either made an idle pa-
feigned himself mad, and set fire to his house. rade of sailing along the coast, or else sat etill
Others say, he used no pretence to madness, deliberating; until the spirit of confidence
but having burned down his housein the night, which buoyedup his own troops was evaporat-
addressedhimself next morning to the assem- ed and gone, as well as the consternation with
bly in a forlorn condition, and desired the citi- which the enemy were seized at the first sight
zens, in compisjion for his misfortune, to ex- of his armament.
cusehis son,whowasto havegoneout captain It is true,beforethedepartureof Alcibiades,
of a galleyto Sicily. they had sailed towardsSyracusewith sixty
The geniusof Socrates,ton this occasion,galleys,fifty of which theydrew up in line of
warned that wise man by the usual tokens, battlebeforethe harbour;the other ten they
thatthe expeditionwouldprovefatalto Athens. sentin to reconnoitrethe place. These ad-
He mentioned this to severalof his friends and vanced to the foot of the walls, and, by procla-
acquaintance,andthe warningwascommonly mation,invitedthe Leontinesto returnto their
talked of. Many were likewise greatly dis- old habitations.-)-At the same time they
couragedon accountof the time which the happened to lake oneof the enemy'svessels,
fleet happenedto be sent out. The women with the registerson board, in which all th&
were then celebratingthe feastsof Adonis, Syracusanswere set down accordingto theii
during which there were to be seen in every tribes. They usedto be kept at somedistance
quarter of the city imagesof the deadand fromthe city in the templeof JupiterOlympue,
funeralprocessions;the womenaccompanyingbut were then sentfor to beexamined, in order
them with dismal lamentations. So that those to the forming a list of persons able to bear
who took any accountof omens,were full of arms. When theseregisterswerebroughtto
concernfor the fateof their countrymen.They the Atheniangenerals,andsucha prodigious
trembled to think that an armament fitted at number of names was displayed, the diviners
"o vastan expense,andwhichmadesoglorious were greatlyconcernedat the accident;think-
ic appearance,would soon lose its conse- in" the prophecy,that the Atheniansshould
quence. takeall the Syracusans,
might possiblyin this
AB for Nicias,he shewedhimselfa wiseand haveits entire accomplishment
on anotheroc-
worthy man,in opposingthe expeditionwhile casion,whenCalippuathe Athenian,alter he
it was under consideration; and in not suffer-
ing himself, after it wasresolvedupon,to be * Vid. Tkucyd. 1.?i.
dazzledby vain hopes,or by the eminence thatf They ordered proclamationto bemade braherald,
the Athenians were come to restore tuc Leonlinea
to their country, in virtue of the relation and alliance
" The Hcrmt, or statuesof Mercury, were square betweenthem. In consequence of which, such of the
fig
gures,placedby the Atheniansat thegate*of their Leontinesaswerein Syracuse,had nothingto dobut
templesandat thedoorsof their houtci. to repairto theAthenians,who wouldtake care U
f lii Tlieog. conduct them.
 NIC1AS. 373

badkilledDion,madehimselfmaster of Sy- tion,wheretheenemy couldleastannoyhim

racuse. bythat in whichtheirchiefstrengthconsist-
WhenAlcibiades
quittedSicilywithasmall ed,andwhere hecouldeasily
exertthestrength
retinue,the whole powerdevolveduponNi- in whichhe wassuperior.
cias. Lamachus,indeed,wasa manof great The Syracusans, at their returnfromCa-
courageand honour,and he freely cxpos-tana,drew up beforethe walls,and Niciaf
edhimselfin timeof action;but hiscircum-immediatelyattackedandbeatthem. They
stancesweresomean,thatwhenever hegave did not,however,loseanygreatnumberof
in hisaccountsof a campaign,
he charged a men,because their cavalrystopped theAthe-
emailsumfur clothesandsandals. Nicias,on nians in the pursuit. As Nicias had broken
the contrary, besideshis other advantages,downall thebridgesthat wereuponthe river,
derivedgreat authority from his eminence both he gave Hermocrates opportunity to encour-
asto wealthandname. We aretold, that on age the Syracusans,
by observing,"That it
another occasion,when the Athenian generals was ridiculous in Nicias to contrive means to
metin a councilof war, Nicias desiredSopho- preventfighting: asif fightingwasnot thebusi-
clesthe poet,to give his opinionfirst, becausenesshe came about." Their consternation,
hewas the oldest man. "It is true," said indeed,was so great, that, insteadof the fi£
Sophocles,"I am older in respectof years; teen generalsthey had, they chosethree
but youare olderin respectof service." In others,and the peoplepromised,uponoath,
the same manner he now brought Lamachus to indulge them with a power of acting at dis-
to act under his orders,though he was the cretion.
ablergeneral; and his proceedingswere for ever The temple of Jupiter Olympius was near
timid and dilatory. At first he made the cir- the camp, and the Athenians were desirousto
cuit of the island with his ships at a great dis- tak" it, because of the quantity of its rich
tancefrom the enemy; which served only to offerings in gold and silver. But Nicias in-
raise their spirits. His first operation was, to dustriously put off the attack, and suffered a
lay siege to the little town of Hybla; and not Syracusangarrison to enter it; persuadedthat
lucceedingin that affair,heexposedhimselfto the plunderhis troopsmight get there would
the utmost contempt. Afterwards he retired be of no service to the public, and that he
to Catana,without any other exploit than that should bear all the blame of the sacrilege.
of ruining Hyccara, a small place subject to The news of the victory soon spread over
the barbarians. Lais the courtesan, who was the whole island, but Nicias made not the
then a girl, is said to have been sold among least improvement of it. He soon retired to
the prisoners,and carried from thence to Pe- Naxos,* and wintered there: keeping an army
loponnesus. on foot at a great expense,and effecting but
Towards the end of the summer,he was in- little; for only a few Sicilians came over to
formed, the Syracusanswere come to that de- him. The Syracusansrecovered their spirit*
greeof confidence,that they designedto attack again so as to make another excursion to Ca-
him. Nay, some of their cavalry rode up to tana, in which they ravaged the country, and
his trenches,and asked his troops in great de- burned the Athenian camp. Meanwhile all
rision, "Whether they were not rather come the world censured Nicias, and said, that by
to settle in Catana themselves, than to settle his long deliberations, delays, and extreme
the Leontines in their old habitations?" caution, he lost the time for action. When
Nicias, now, at last, with much difficulty hedid act, there wasnothingto be blamedin
determined to sail for Syracuse. In orderto the mannerof it: for he wasas bold andvig-
land his forces,and encampthem without orous in executingas he was timid anddila-
running any risk, he sent a person to Catana tory in forming a resolution.
beforehim, who, under pretenceof being a When he had once determinedto return
deserter,should tell the Syracusans,
that if with his forcesto Syracuse,he conductedall
theywantedto surprisethe enemy'scamp,in his movements with so much prudence,expe-
a defenceless state,andmakethemselvesmas- dition,and safety,that hehadgainedthe pen-
tersof their armsandbaggage,they hadnoth- insula of Thapsos,disembarked his men,and
ingto dobutto marchto Catana
withall their gotpossession
of Epipolap,
beforethe enemy
forces,on a day that he mentioned. For the knewof his approach. He beat,on this occa-
Athenians,he said,passed the greatestpart of sion,someinfantry that were sentto succour
theirtimewithin the walls: andsuchof the thefort, andmadethreehundredprisoners;
inhabitantsas were friends to the Syracusanshe likewise routed their cavalry,which waa
had deteimined,upontheir approach,to shut thoughtinvincible.
in the enemy,and to bnm their fleet. At the But whatmostastonished the Sicilians,and
nine tiim: he assuredthem, their partisansappearedincredibleto the Greeks,was,that in
werevery numerous,and waitedwith impa- a short spaceof time he enclosedSyracuse
tiencefor their arrival.* with a wall, a city not lessthan Athens,and
Thiswasthebestactof generalship
Nicias muchmoredifficultto besurrounded
by such
performed in Sicily. Having drawn by this a work, by reason of the unevennessof the
means
the enemy's
forceout of Syracuse,
so ground,thevicinityof thesea,andtheadjoin-
that it was left almost without defence,he ing marshes. Add to this, that it wasalmost
Bailed
thitherfromCatana, madehimscrfmas-effectedby a manwhosehealthwasby no
tersof their ports,and encampedin a situa- meansequalto suchan undertaking,
for ho
* Nicias knew he could not make a descent from was afflictedwith the stone, andrf it wasnot
bii ihipp near Syracuse,becausethe inhabitant* were entirely finished,we must impute it to that
circumstance.
preparedfur >lui; nor could he go by land, for want
" A city between
Syracuse
andCatanA.
874 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

I cannot,indeed,but admirethe attentionof | thecity was about to capitulate. Hence It

the generaland the invinciblecourageof the wasthathe took no accountof the approach
soldiers,in effectingwhat they did, in this as of Gylippus,nor placedany regularguardto
well asin otherinstances.Euripides,aftertheir preventhis comingashore;sothat, screened
defeatanddeath,wrotethis epitaphfor them: by this utter negligence, Gylippuslandedwith
safety. It was at a great distance from Syra-
Eight trophies Ihcse from SyracuseobUin'd,
Ereyetthegods
were
partial. cuse,andhefoundmeans
to collecta con-
siderablearmy. But the Syracusana weroto
And in fact we find that the Atheniansgained far fromknowingor expectinghis arrival,that
not only eight, but several more victories of they had assembled that very day to consider
the Syracusans,till the gods or fortune declar- of articles of capitulation; nay, some were
ed againstthem, at a time when they were ar- for coming to terms that moment, before the
rived at the highest pitch of power. Nicias city was absolutelyenclosed. For there was
forced himselfbeyondwhat his healthwould but a smallpartof the wall unfinished,
andall
allow, to attend most of the actions in person; but necessarymaterials were upon the spot.
but when his distemper was very violent, he At this critical and dangerousinstant, Gon-
wasobligedto keephis bedin the camp,with gylusarrivedfrom Corinthwith one galleyof
a few servantsto wait upon him. three banks of oars. The whole town wasin
Meantime, Lamachus, who was now com- motion, as might naturally be expected. He
mander-in-chicf, came to an engagementwith told them, Gylippus would soon come, with
the Syracusans,who were drawing a croaj several other ships, to their succour. They
wall from the city, to hinder the Athenians could not give entire credit to Gongylus; but
from finishing theirs. The Athenians generally while they were weighing the matter, a mes-
havingthe advantage,
wentin too disorderlya sengerarrivedfrom Gylippus,with ordersthat
manner upon the pursuit; and it happened one they should march out to join him. Immedi-
day that L,amachus was left almost alone to ately upon this, they recoveredtheir spirits, and
receive the enemy's cavalry. Calibrates, an armed. Gylippus soon arrived and put his
officer remarkable for hisstrength and courage, troops in order of battle. As Nicias was
advanced before them, and gave Lamachus drawing up against him, Gylippus reeled his
the challenge; which hedid not decline. La- arms,and sent a herald with an offer of safe
machusreceivedthe firat wound,whichproved conductto the Athenians,if they would quit
mortal,but he returnedit upon his adversary,Sicily. Nicias did not deign to give him any
andtheyfell both together. The Syracusansanswer. But someof the soldiersaskedhim,
remainedmastersof the bodyand arms of by way of ridicule, "Whether the Syracusant
I.amachus, carried them off, and without los- were become so strong by the arrival of one
ing a moment,marchedto the Atheniancamp, I.acedzmoniancloak and staff,as to despise
whereNicias lay without anyguardsto defend the Athenianswhohad latelyknockedoff the
him. Roused,however,by necessity andthe fettersof three hundredSpartans
andreleased
sight of his danger,he ordered thoseabout them,thoughall ablermen,and betterhaired
him to set fire to the materials before the in- than Gylippus?"
trenchmentswhichwere providedfor the ma- Tiniamssays,the Sicilianssetnogreatvalue
chines,andto the machines themselves.This uponGylippus. For in a little time theydis-
put a stopto the Syracusans,
andsavedNicias, coveredhis sordidavariceandmeanness; and,
togetherwith the Atheniancampand baggage.at his first appearance, they laughedat his
For assoon as they beheldthe flamesrising cloakandheadof hair. Yet the samehistorian
in vastcolumns,betweenthe campand them, relates,that as soonasGylippusshewedhim-
they retired. self,the Siciliansgatheredabouthim,as birds
Nicias now remainedsole commander, but do about an owl, and were ready to follow
he hadreasonto form the mostsanguine hopes him whereverhe pleased. And the latter ac-
of success.The cities declaredfor him,and counthasmoretruth in it thanthe former. In
shipsladenwith provisionscamedaily to his the staffandcloakthey beheldthe symbolsof
camp; his affairsbeingin so gooda train that the Spartandignity, and thereforerepairedto
the Siciliansstrovewhichshouldfirst e.ipresethem. Thucydidesalsotells us,thatGylippus
their attachment.The Syracusans themselves,wasthe only manwho savedSicily; aud Phy-
despairing
of holdingout muchlonger,beganlistus,a citizenof Syracuse,
andan eye-wit-
to talk of proposalsfor an accommodation.nessto thosetransactions,
doesthe same.
Gylippus,whowascomingfromLacedzmon In the first engagement
theAthenians
had
to their succour,being informed of the wall the advantage,
andkilled someof the Syracu-
with which theywereenclosed,
andtheex- sans. Gongylus
of Corinthfell at thesame
tremitiestheywere reducedto, continuedhis time. But the nextday,Gylippusshewedthem
voyage,
not with a view to Sicily,whichhe of whatconsequence experiencein a general
gaveup for lost,but,if possible,
to savethe is; withthe verysamearmsand horses, and
Greekcitiesin Italy. For therenownof the onthesame ppot,by onlyalteringhisorderof
Athenia/.7"'as ROWveryextensive;it wasre- battle," he heatthe Athenians,anddrovethem
portedthattheycarriedall beforethem,and to their camp. Thentakingthestonesand
that they hada generalwhoseprudence as othermaterialswhichthey had broughtfor
well as goodfortune,renderedhim invincible. their wall, he continuedthe crosswall of the
Nicias, himself, contrary to his nature, was " He had the addressto imputethe latedefeatto
suddenlyelated by his presentstrength and himself,
andto assure
his menthattheirbthaviour
success; the more so, because he was per- was irreproachable. He said, that by ranging (hem
the day beforebetweenwalU, where their cavalry and
suaded,
uponprivateintelligence
fromSyra-archers
haduolroomtoact,hehadprevented
theft
cuse,aswell asmore public application,that couqucrlDf.
 NICIAS 375

Syracusans,
and cut throughtheirsin such wouldbeutterlylost,if theyshewed
anyfear
a manner,
thatif theygained
a victory,they of theSyracusan
fleet. Thustheyoverruled
could makeno advantage
of it. Nicias and gave battle. But they were soon
Encouraged
by thissuccess,
theSyracusans
defeated
bya stratagem
of Ariston,theCorin-
mannedseveralvessels;andbeatingaboutthe thian, who was a most excellent seaman.*
countrywiththeircavalry
andallies,theymadeTheir left wing,as Thucydides relates,was
manyprisoners. Gylippusapplied tothetownsentirelyrouted,
andtheylostgreatnumbers of
in person,
andtheyreadilylistened to himand their men. This lossthrewNiciasintothe
lenthimalltheassistancein theirpower. So greatest consternation.
He reflected
uponthe
thatNicias,relapsing
intohisformerfearsand checks he hadmetwithwhilehehadthesole
despondence,
at the sightof sucha changeof command,
andthathehadnowmiscarriedagain
affairs,appliedto the Atheniansby letter, throughtheobstinacy
of hiscolleagues.
either to send anotherarmy, or to recal that While he was indulgingthesereflections,
whichhe had; andat the sametimehedesired Demosthenes appearedbeforethe fort with a
themby all meansto dismisshim fromthe com- very gallantandformidablefleet. He hadsev-
mand, on account of his infirmities. enty-three galleys,! on board of which were
The Athenianshaddesignedsometimebe- five thousandheavy-armed soldiers,andarch-
fore to sendanotherarmyinto Sicily; but the ers, spearmen,and slingers,to the numberof
envy which the first success
of Nicias hadex- threethousand. Their armour glittered, the
cited, had made them put it off upon several streamers waved, and the prows of the shipi
pretences. Now, however,theyhastenedthe wereadornedwith a variety of rich paintings.
succours.They likewisecameto a resolution, He advancedwith loud cheersand martial
that Demosthenesshould go in the spring with music, and the whole was conducted in a the-
a respectablefleet; and that Eurymedon," with- atrical manner to strike terror into the enemy.
out waiting till winterwasover,shouldcarry The Syracusans werereadyto fall into des-
moneyto pay the troops, andacquaintNicias pairagain. They sawno endortruceto their
thatthepeople
hadpitched
uponEuthydemus
miseries;
their laboursandconflicts
wereall
andMenander,officerswho then servedunder to beginanew,andthey had beenprodigalof
him, to assisthim in his charge. their blood to no purpose. Nicias, however,
Meantime,Nicias was suddenlyattacked hadnot long to rejoiceat the arrivalof suchan
both by seaand land. At first, part of his army. At the first interview, Demosthenes
fleet wasworsted;but in the end he proved wanted him to attack the enemy,that they
victorious and sunk many of the enemy's ships. might take Syracuseby an immediate and de-
He couldnot, however,succourhis troopsby cisive stroke,and return againwith glory tt
land, as the exigenceof the caserequired. Athens. Nicias,astonished
at his heatandpre-
Gylippusmadea suddenattackuponthe fort cipitation,desiredhimto adoptno rashor des-
of Plemmyrium,andlook it; by which means peratemeasures.He assuredhim,delaywould
he becamemasterof the naval storesof the make against the enemy, since they were
Athenians, and a great quantity of treasure, already in want of money, and their allies
which had been lodged there. Most of the would soon quit both them and their cause.
garrisonwas eitherkilled or taken prisoners. Consequently whentheybeganto feelthehard
But, what was still a greaterblow to Nicias, handof necessity,they would apply to him
by the loss of this place, he lost the conve- again,andsurrenderuponterms,asthey were
nience of his convoys. For, while he had goingto do before. In fact, Nicias hada pri-
Plemtnyrium,the communication wassafeand vateunderstanding with severalpersons
in Sy-
easy;but when that was taken, his supplies racuse,whoadvisedhim to wait with patience,
could not reach him without the utmost diffi- because the inhabitants were tired out with the
culty, becausehis transports could not pass war, and weary of Gylippus; and when their
without fighting the enemy'sships,whichlay necessities
should becomea little more press-
at anchorunder the fort. ing, they would give up the dispute.
Besides, the Syracusansthought their fleet As Nicias mentioned these things in an enig-
was beaten,not by anysuperiorstrengththey matical manner,and did not chooseto speak
had to combat,but by their goingin, a disor- out, it gave occasionto the othergenerals,to
derlymanneruponthe pursuit. They therefore accusehim of timidity. "He is comingupon
fitted out a mostrespectable
fleet, in orderfor us," saidthey, " with his old delays,dilatory,
anotheraction.Nicias,however,didnotchoose slow, over cautious counsels,by which the
at present,to try the issueof another naval vigour and ardour of his troopswere lost.
fight, but declared it very absurd, when a large When he should have led them on immedi-
reinforcementof shipsand freshtroopswere ately, he waitedtill their spirit wasgone,and
hasteningto him underthe conductof Demos-the enemybeganto look uponthemwith con-
thenes,
to hazard
a battlewitha forcesomuchtempt." The otherofficers,
therefore,
listen-
inferior and so ill provided. ed to Demosthenes, and Nicias at last was
On the other hand,Menanderand Euthyde- forcedto give up the point.
inus, who were appointed to a temporary share
in the command,were led by their ambition * Aristonadvised thecaptainsof thegalleys
to hiTt
and jealousy of Demosthenes and Nicias, to refreshments readyfor theirmenon the»hore,wbill
Itrike some extraordinary stroke, in order to theAthenians
imagined theywent into thetown foi
them. TheAthenians,thusdeceived,
landedandwent
bebeforehandwiththeone, andtooutdo thetodinnerlikewix.
Inthemean time,theSyracusans
mostshiningactionsof the other. Their pre- havingmadeaneipedilious
meal,re-embarked,
and
tencewasthe glory of Athens,whichtheysaid attacked
theAthenian
ships
whentherewaiscarce
any
body to defendthem.
f DiodorusSicului makesthemthre«hundredin<
* Eurymedon went with ten giUeyi.
 376 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Uponthis,Demosthenesputhimself
atthe| by thehands of theenemy thanthoseofhi*
headof thelandforces,
andattackedEpipols
j fellow-citizens."
In thisrespecthe greatly
in thenight. Ashecame upontheguards
by| differed
fromLeo,of Byzantium, whoafler-
BMrprisc,
hekilledmanyof them,and routedwardssaidto hiscountrymen, " I hadrather
those who stoodupontheir defence. Not die with you than for you." Niciasadded,
content
withthisadvantage,
heproceeded
ti "Thatif it should
appear
necessary
toencamp
he cameto the quarterwherethe Boeotianin anotherplace,theymightconsider
of it at
were posted. Those closedtheir ranks, am their leisure."
firstcharged
theAthenians,
advancingwithlev Demosthenes urgedthe matterno farther,
elledpikes,andwithall the alarmof voices becausehisformercounsels
hadprovedunfor-
by whichmeans theyrepulsedthem,andkillec tunate. And he wasmorewillingto submit,
a considerablenumber. Terror and confu becausehe saw otherspersuaded
that it was
sionspreadthrough therestof thearmy.They thedependanceNiciashadonhiscorrespond-
who Btill kept their ground,andwerevicto encein thetownwhichmade himsostrongly
nuns, were encountered by those that fled; an oppose their return to Athens. But as fresh
they who weremarchingdownfrom Epipol forcescameto the assistance
of the Syracu-
to support the foremost bands, were put in sans, and the sickness prevailed more and
disorder by the fugitives; for they fell fou more in (he Athenian camp, Nicias himself
of oneanother,andtook their friendsfor ene alteredhis opinion,andorderedthe troopsto
mies. The confusion, indeed was inexpressi be ready to embark.
ble, occasionedby their fears,the uncertainty Every thing accordinglywas preparedfor
of their movements,and the impossibilityof embarkation,andthe enemypaidno attention
discerning objects as they could have wished to these movements, becausethey did not ex-
in a night which vvasneither quite dark nor pectthem. But in the nighttherehappened
an
sufficiently clear : the moon being near her eclipse of the moon, at which Nicias and all
setting, and the little light shegaverenderec the rest werestruckwith a great panic;either
uselessby the shadeof so manybodiesanc through ignoranceor superstition.As for an
weaponsmovingto andfro. Hencetheappre- eclipseof the sun,which happens at the con-
hensionsof meetingwith an enemymadethe junction, eventhe commonpeoplehad some
Athenians suspecttheir friends, and threw ideaof its beingcausedby the interpositionof
them into the utmostperplexityanddistress. the moon; but they could not easilyform a
They happened,too, to havethe moon upon conception,by the interpositionof what body
their backs,which castingtheir shadowsbe- the moon when at the full, should suddenly
fore them, tmth hid the numberof their men lose her light, and assumesuch a varietyof
and the glitteringof their arms; whereasthe colours. They lookeduponit, therefore,asa
reflectionfrom the shieldsof the enemy,made strangeand preternaturalphenomenon, a sign
themappearmorenumerous, andbetterarmed [>y whichthe godsannouncedsomegreatca-
than they really were. At last, they turned lamity.
their backs,and were entirely routed. The Anaxagoras,was the first, who, with any
enemypressedhard upon them on all sides, clearness
andcertaintyshewedin whatmanner
and killed great numbers. Many others met he moon was illuminated and overshadowed.
Jheir death in the weapons of their friends. But he was an author of no antiquity,* nor
Not a few fell headlong from the rocks or was his treatise much known, it was confined
walls. The restweredispersed aboutthefields, o a few hands,andcommunicated with cau-
wherethey werepickedup the next morning tion and under the sealof secresy. For the
6y the cavalry, and put to the sword. The >eoplehadan aversionto naturalphilosophers
Athenians lost two thousand men in this ac- md those who were then called JWeteoroleschse
tion; and veryfew returnedwith their armsto inquirers into thenature of meteors)suppoa
the head quarters. ng that they injured the divine power and prov
This was a severe blow to Nicias, though dence, by ascribing things to insensatecauses
it was what he expected;and he inveighed unintelligentpowers,andinevitablenecessity
againstthe rashproceedingsof Demosthenes.Protagoraswas forced to fly on accountol
That generaldefendedhimself as well as he such a system;and Anaxagoraswas thrown
could, but at the sametime, gave it as his into prison,from whencePericleswith great
opinion, that they should embarkandreturn difficulty got him delivered. Even Socrates,t
homeas fastas possible. "We cannothope," who meddlednot with physics,losthis life for
"aM he, "either for another army,or to con- philosophy. At last, the glory of PJaJoen-
querwith the forceswe have. Nay, supposinglightenedthe world,andhisdoctrinewasgene
we had the advantage, we oughtto relinquish rally received,both on accountof his life, and
a lituation, which is well known at all times his subjectingthe necessityof naturalcauses
to be unhealthyfor the troops,andwhichnow to a morepowerfulanddivineprinciple.Thus
we find still more fatal from the seasonof the he removed all suspicion of impiety from such
year." It was, indeed,the beginningof au- researches,and broughtthe studyof mathe-
tumn: numbers were sick, and the whole army
wasdispirited. * He wascontemporary
with Pel-idea,
andwith
Nevertheless,
Niciascouldnotbearto hear Nicizstoo', forhediedthefir«tyearof theeighty-
of returning
home;notthathewasafraidof eighth
year of Olympiad, andNicias
the ninety-first. waskilledthefourth
any opposition from the Syracusans, but he
dreadedthe Atheniantribunalsand unfair im- f Socrates
tellsus,in his apology,
thathehadbeta
accusedof a criminal curiosity, in prying into tht
peachmentsthere. He therefore replied "That heavensand into the abyssesof llie earth. However,
there wasno greatand visibledangerat pres- hecouldnotbesaidto losehislifefor hisphilosophy
ent, mid if there were, he would rather die BO
muchai Corhistheology.
 N1C1AS. 377
maticsinto fashion.Henceit wasthat his Thenthegreatsea-fight began;remarkable
friendDion,thoughthemoonwaseclipsedat not onlyfor thevigourthatwasexertedbut
thetimeof hisgoingfromZacynthus againstfor itscausing
asgreata varietyof passion
and
Dionysius,
wasnotintheleastdisconcerted,
but agitationinthespectators
asinthecombatants
pursued
hisvoyage,
andexpelled
thetyrant. themselves.
For thosewholooked
on from
It wasa greatunhappiness
to Nicias,thathe the shorecoulddiscerneverydifferentand
hadnotwithhimthenanablediviner. Stil- unexpected turn it took. The Athenianssuf-
bides,whomheemployed on suchoccasions, ferednotmoreharmfromtheenemy thanthey
and who used to lessen the influence of his su- did from their own order of battle and the na-
perstition,
diedalittlebefore.Supposing
the tureoftheirarmament.
Theirships
wereall
eclipse
a prodigy,it couldnot,asPliilochoruscrowdedtogether,and were heavyand un-
observes,
be inauspicious
to thosewho wanted wieldybesides,while thoseof the enemywere
to fly,butonthecontrary,
veryfavourable;
for so light and nimble,that theycouldeasily
whateveris transactedwith fear, seeksthe changetheir situation,andattackthe Atheniani
shades of darkness;light is the worst enemy. on all sides. Add to this,that the Syracusans
Besides, on other occasions,
as Auticlides*re- were providedwith a vast quantityof stone§
Iiarks, in his Commentaries, there were only which seldomfailed of their effect wherever
three days that people refrained from business discharged: and the Athenians had nothing to
afteraneclipseof eithersunor moon;whereasopposeto thembut dartsandarrows,the flight
Nicias wanted to stay another entire revolution of which was so diverted by the motion of the
of the moon,as if he could not seeher as bright ship, that few of them could reach their mark.
as fvfi, Jie moment she passed the shadow The enemy was put upon thia expedient by
causedby the interposition of the earth. Anston the Corinthian, who, after he had given
He quitted, however, almost every other great proofs of his courage and ability, fell the
care, and sat still observing his sacrifices, till moment that victory was declaring for the Sy-
the enemycame upon him, and invested his racusans.
walls and intrenchments with their land forces, After this dreadful defeat and loss, there was
as well as circled the harbour with their fleet. no possibility of escapingby sea. At the same
Not only the men from the ships, but the very time the Athenians saw it was extremely diffi-
boysfrom fishing-boats and small barks, chal- cult to savethemselves by land. In this des-
lenged the Athenians to come out, and offered pair they neither opposedthe enemy who were
them every kind of insult. One of these boys, seizing their vessels close to the shore, nor
named Heraclides, who was of one of the best demandedtheir dead. They thought it not so
families in Syracuse, advancing too far, was deplorable a circumstance to leave the dead
pursuedby an Athenianvessel,andvery near without burial, as to abandonthe sick and
beingtaken. His uncle Pollichus,seeinghis wounded. And thoughtheyhadgreatmiseries
danger,madeup with ten galleyswhich were beforetheir eyes,theylooked upontheir own
underhis command;and others,in fear for caseasstill moreunhappy,sincetheyhadmany
Pollichus,advanced
to supporthim. A sharp calamitiesto undergo,andwere to meet the
conflict ensued,in which the Syracnsanswere same fate at last.
victorious,andEurymedonandnumbersmore They did, however,design to begin their
werekilled. marchin the night. Gylippussawthe Syra-
The Atheniansnot brookinganyfartherde- cusansemployedin sacrificesto the gods,and
lay, with greatindignation,called upontheir in entertainingtheir friendson accountof the
generals to lead them off by land. For the victory, and the feast of Hercules; and he
Syracusans,immediatelyafter the victory, knew that neither entreatynor force would
blockedup the harbour. Nicias,however,prevailwiththemto leavethejoysof festivity,
wouldnot agreeto it; thinkingit a cruel thing andopposethe enemy'sflight. But* Hermo-
to abandonso manyshipsof burdenandnear cratesfound out a method to imposeupon
two hundredgalleys. He thereforeembarkedNicias. He sent personsin whom he could
hisbestinfantry,anda selectnumberof arch- confide,
whowereto pretendthai theycame
ersand spearmen,and mannedwith them a from the old correspondents of that general
hundredand ten galleys,as far as his rowers within the town; and that their business was
would supplyhim. The rest of his troops he to desirehim not to marchin the night,because
drew up on the shore; abandoninghis great the Syracusans had laid severalambushes for
campandhis walls which reachedto the tem- him, andseizedall the passes.The stratagem
pleof Hercules.TheSyracusans hadnotfor haditseffect. Niciassatstill,in thesimplicity
a longtimeofferedtheusualsacrifices
to that of hisheart,fearinghe shouldreallyfall into
deity,butnowboththepriestsandgenerals
theenemy's
snares.In themorning
theenemy
wentto observe
thesolemnity. got out beforehim. Then indeedtheydid
Theirtroopswereembarked;
andthe in- seizeall thedifficultpasses;
theythrewup
spectors
of the entrailspromisedtheSyracu-wo.ks againstthe fords, brokedown the
sansa glorious
victory,provideotheydid not bridges,
andplanted
theircavalrywherever
the
begintheattack,but onlyrepelledforcewith groundwasopenandeven;so that theAthe-
force. ForHercules, theysaid,wasvictorious
nianscould
notmoveonestepwithout fighting.
oa)yin standing uponthedefensive,
andwait- These poormenlaycloseall .hatdayand
ing tobe
cusans setattacked.
out. Thusinstructed,
theSyra-thenightfollowing,
andthenbegan theirmarch
" This should probably be read Anticlidci: for he
' Hermocratcs
wassensible
of whatimportance
il
fwrni lo be the rame person whom Plutarch haj men- wasto preventNiciasfrom retiring by land. With
an army of for[y thousandmen,which he had stil
tioned
in thelife ofAlexander,
andin hi] isisHudSicily,
left,heand
mifht have
fortiBed hi.iutlfin tomepartat
renewedthe war
378 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

with tears and loud lamentations;as if they all theway, and,whentheycamelo the bankf
hadbeengoingto quit theirnativecountry,not of the river, pushedthemin. Nay, some,im-
thatof theenemy. They were,indeed,in great patient to quenchtheir burningthirst, volun-
wantof provisions,andit wasa miserablecir- tarilyplungedinto thestream. Then followed
cumstance to leave their sick and wounded a most cruel sceneof blood and slaughter; the
"fiends and comradesbehindthem; yet they poor wretchesbeingmassacred as they were
ookedupontheir presentmisfortunes as small drinking. At last, Nicias threw himself at
in comparisonof thosetheyhadto expect. the feetof Gylippus,andsaid," Gylippus,you
But amongthe variousspectacles of misery, should shew some compassionamidst your
there was not one more pitiable than Nicias victory. I asknothing for myself. What U
himself: oppressedas he was with sickness,life to a man,whosemisfortunes areevenpro-
and unworthily reduced to hard diet and a verbial? But, with respectto the other Athe-
scantyprovision,whenhis infirmitiesrequired nians,methinksyou shouldrememberthat tha
a liberal supply. Yet in spite of his ill health, chanceof war is uncertain, and with what hu-
he acted and endured many things which the manity and moderation they treated you, when
most robust underwent not without difficulty. they were victorious."
All this while his troops could not but observe, Gyhjtpus was somewhataffected both at tha
it was not for his own sake,or any attachment sight of Nicias, and at his speech. He knew
to life, he submitted to such labours, but that the good offices he had done the Lacedemo-
he seemed still to cherish hope on their ac- nians at the last treaty of peace; and he was
count. When sorrowand fearbroughtothers sensibleit would contributegreatlyto his hon-
to tears and complaints, if Nicias ever dropped our, if he could take two of the enemy's gene-
a tear among the rest, it was plain he did it rals prisoners. Therefore, raising Nicias from,
from a rejection on the miserable and dis- the ground, he bade him take courage; and
graceful issue of the war, which he hoped to gave orders that the other Athenians should
have finished with great honour and success. have quarter. But as the order was slowly
Nor was it only the sight of his present misery communicated,the number of those that were
that moved them, but when they recollected saved was greatly inferior to that of the slain;
Ihe speechesand warnings by which he en- though the soldiers spared several unknown to
deavouredto dissuadethe people from the ex- their officers.
pedition,theycould not but think his lot much When the Syracusans
hadcollected all the
more unhappy than he deserved. All their prisoners they could find into one body, they
hopes, too, of assistancefrom Heaven aban- dressedsome of the tallest and straightest trees
doned them, when they observed that so reli- that grew by the river, as trophies, with the
gious a man as Nicias, one who had thought arms they had taken from the enemy. After
no expensetoo great in the service of the gods, which they marched homeward, with garland*
had no better fortune than the meanest and on their heads,and with their horses adorned
most profligate person in the army. in the most splendidmanner; having first shorn
Notwithstanding all these difficulties, he those of the Athenians. Thus the) entered tin
still endeavoured,by the tone of his voice, by city, as it were in triumph, after the happyter-
iis looks, and every expression of kindness to mination of the sharpestdispute that ever sub-
Ihe soldiers, to shew himself superior to his sisted between Grecians, and one of the most
nisfortunes. Nay, through a march of eight complete victories the sun ever beheld, gained
lays, though attacked and harassedall the way by a glorious and perseveringexertion of firm-
fcy the enemy, he preserved his own division nessand valour.
"f the armytolerablyentire; till Demosthenes A generalassembly
of the peopleof Syra-
was taken prisoner, and the troops he had the cuse and of its allies was then held, in which
conduct of were surrounded, after a brave re- Eurycles* the orator proposeda decree, "That,
aistance, at a small place called Polyzelium. in the first place, the day they took Nicias
Demosthenesthen drew his sword and stabbed should be observed as a festival, with the title
himself, but as the enemy came immediately of Jlsinaria, from the river where that great
upon him and seized him, he had not time to event took place, and that it should be entirely
give himself the finishing stroke. employed in sacrificesto the gods." This was
Some Syracusansrode up to Nicias with the twenty-seventh day of the month Cameut,
this news, and he senta few of his own cavalry called by the Athenians Jlletagitnion.^ "As
to know the certainty. Finding, from their to the prisoners, he proposed,that the Athenian
account, that Demosthenesand his party were servantsand all the allies should be sold for
really prisoners, he begged to treat with Gy- slaves; that such of the Athenians as were
bppus, and offered hostagesfor paying the Sy- freemen, and the Sicilians their partisans,
racusans the whole charge of the war, on con- should be confined to the quarries; and that
dition they would suffer the Athenians to quit the generals should be put to death." As the
Sicily. The Syracusansrejected the proposals Syracusans accepted the bill, Hennocrates
with every mark of insolence and outrage, and rose up and said, "It was a more glorious
fell againupon a wretchedman,who was in thing to makea good useof a victorythan to
want of all mannerof necessaries.* gainoie." But his motionraiseda greatfer-
He defendedhimself, however, all that night, ment in the assembly. Gylippus expressing
and continued his march the next day to the * DiodorusSiculuscalUhim Diocles.
river Asmarus. The enemygalled his troops f Though
it is noteasy,
aswehave
observed
ina Co*
mer note, to bring the Grecian monthsto accordwith
* But werethesebrare peoplelo blame?Wasit not ouri, yet we agreein this placewith Dacier,thaiSep-
Datura! for them lo use every meansin their power to tember is probably meant, or part of it; btcaiue Pin-
barattsand weakenan enemy,who had ambitiouslylarch hadsaidabove,thatthe sickue&s
hadsetio with
"ousidertd tb-ir cciuilrj u a propcrtv* autumn.
 MARCUS CRASSUS. 379

hii desireto havethe Athenian generals,that wasthe musewhom the Sicilianswere mo«i
hemightcarrythemprisoner?
to Lacedsmon
inlovewith. Fromevery
stranger
lhallanded
theSvracusans,nowgrowninsolentwiththeir in theirisland,theygleanedeverysmallspeci-
good"fortune,loadedhim with reproaches menor portionof his works,andcommuni-
Indeed,theycouldnot well bearhis severitycatedit with pleasureto eachother. It ii
ind Lacedzmonian rigourin command, while saidthat on this occasion
a numberof \the-
thewarlasted. Besides,asTitnius observes,nians,upontheir returnhome,wentto Euri-
theyhad discovered in him an avariceanc pides,andthankedhimin themostrespectful
meanness,
which was a diseasehe inherited mannerfor their obligationsto his pen; some
fromhisfatherCleandrides,
whowasbanishedhavingbeenenfranchised
for teachingtheir
for takingof bribes. The son,out of the thou- masterstvhat theyremembered
of his poems,
»andtalentswhich Lysander sent by him to andothershavinggot refreshments whenthey
Sparta,
purloinedthirty,andhid themunderwere wanderingaboutalter the battle,for
the tiles of his house. Being delectedin it, singinga few of his verses. Nor is this to ba
he fled his country with the utmostdisgrace; wonderedat, sincethey tell us, that when*
as we have related more at large in the life of ship from Caunus, which happened to be pur-
L/ygander. sued by pirates,wasgoing to take shelterin
Timaeusdoesnot agreewith Philistusand one of their ports,the Siciliansat first refused
Thucydides,that Demosthenesand Nicias to admit her; uponaskingthe crew whether
were stoned to death by the Syracusans. In- they knew any of the verses of Euripides, and
ttead of that, he tells us, that Hermocrales Deinganswered in the affirmative, they receiv-
»ent one of his people to acquaint those two ed both them and their vessel.
jeneralswith what was passing in the as- The Athenians,we are told, did not give
tembly,and the messengersbeing admitted by credit to the first news of this misfortune; the
Ihe guards before the court was dismissed,the nersonwho brought it not appearing to deserve
unhappy men despatched themselves. Their .heir notice. It seems,a stranger who landed
bodieswere thrown without the gates,and Jay n the Piraeus,as he sat to be shavedID a bar-
there exposedto the view of all thosewho ter's shop, spokeof it as an event already
wanted to enjoy the spectacle. I am informed mown to the Athenians. The barber no
that a shield, said to be that of Nicias, is sooner heard it, but, before the stranger could
"hewn to this day in one of the temples at Sy- communicate it to any other person, he ran
racuse;the exteriortexture of which is gold nto the city; andapplyingto the magistrates,
Ind purple, and executed with surprising art. nformed them of the news in open court.
As to the other Athenians, the greatest part Trouble and dismay seized all that heard it.
perishedin the quarriesto which they were The magistratesimmediatelysummoned an
confined,by diseasesand bad diet; for they assembly, andintroducedthe informant.There
were allowed only a pint of barleya day,and ie was interrogated,of whom he hadthe in-
half a pint of water. Many of thosewhowere elligence;and, ashe could give no clear and
concealedby the soldiers,or escapedby pass- )ertment answer, he was consideredas a
ing as servants,were sold for slaves,and stig- brger of falsenewsanda public incendiary.*
matizedwith the figure of a horse upontheir n this light he was fastenedto the wheel,
foreheads. Severalof these, however,sub- wherehe borethe torturefor sometime, till at
mitted to their fate with pationce; and the ength some credible personsarrived, who
modestyand decency with which they behaved rave a distinct account of the whole disaster.
weresuch,that theywere either soon releas- iVith so muchdifficultydidthe misfortunesof
ed, or treatedin their servitudewith greatres- Viciaefind creditamongthe Athenians,
though
pectby their masters. ie hadoftenforewarnedthemthat thej wotlj
Sometherewerewhoowedtheir preserva-;ertainly
happen.
tion to .Luripides. Of aJJthe Grecians,his

MARCUS CRASSUS.
MARCUS
CRASSCS,
whose father had borne on trial. It seemsthe vestal had a beautiful
theofficeofcensor,
andbeenhonoured witha country-house,
whichCrassus
wanting tobare
triumph,
wasbrought upin asmallhouse with atanunder-price,
paidhiscourtto thelady
histwobrothers.Thesemarriedwhiletheir withgreatassiduity,
andthencefellunderthat
parents
wereliving,andtheyallateatthesamesuspicion.
His judges,
knowing thatavarice
table. This,wemaysuppose, contributed
not wasat thebottomof all, acquittedhimof the
a littleto renderhim soberand moderatein chargeof corrupting thevestal:and henever
hisdiet.Uponthedeathof oneof hisbrothers,let herresttill shehadsoldhimherhouse.
hetookthewidow
andchildren
intohishouse. TheRomans
say,Crassus
hadonlythaton»
Withrespect
towomen,therewasnotamanviceof avarice,
whichcasta shade
upontin
in Romemoreregular
in hisconduct;
though,* Casauboo
wouldinfer
from
hence,thattheAlhe
whensomewhat
advanced
in years,he wasmans
hailalawforpunishir/r
theforgt
rj offalse
Drw».
suspected of a criminalcommerce with oneof Butthisperson waspunished,not90much asa forger
the vestal virgins namedLicinia. Ljcinia was of falsenews, asapublicincendiary,
who,bvnoting
impeached by onePlotinus,butacouitted groundless terroM
up- their enemies. in the people,
aidedand abttui
880 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
many virtues. He appeared,
indeed,to have latedwhatsucha monsteras war will devour,
bul onebadquality,because
it wassomuch Norconsequently
canit lie determined
what
itronger andmorepowerfulthan the rest,that fortuneissufficientfor its demands. Very dif-
it quiteobscured
them. Hialoveof money
is ferentin thisrespect
were the sentiments
of
"very evident from the size of his estuie, and Crassus from those of Mariua. "When the
his mannerof raising it. At first it dm not latter hadmadea distributionof lands among
exceed three hundred talents. But, during hi» soldiers at the rate of fourteen acres a man,
his public employments, after he hadconse- andfoundtheywantedmore,he said,"I hope
cratedthe tenth of his substanceto Hercules, no Romanwill ever think that portionof land
giver, an entertainment to the people, and a too little which is sufficient to maintain him."
supplyof breadcorn to each citizen for three It must be acknowledged
that Craesus
be-
months,he found,uponanexactcomputation, havedin a generousmannerto strangers;hit
that he was master of seven thousandone housewasalwaysopento them. To whichwe
hundred talents. The greatest part of this for- may add, that he used to lend money to hit
tune, if we may declare the truth, to his ex- friends without interest. Nevertheless his rig-
treme disgrace, was gleaned from war and our in demandinghis moneythe very day it was
from fires-,for he madea traffic of the public due,oftenmadehis appearingfavoura greater
calamities. When Sylla hadtakenRome,and inconvenience
thanthe payingof interestwould
goldthe estatesof thosewhom he hadput to havebeen. As to his invitations,theywere
death,which he both reputed and called the mostof themto the commonalty;and though
spoils of his enemies, he was desirous to in- there was a simplicity in the provision, yet at
volve all personsof consequence
in his crime, the same time there was a neatness
and un
and he found in Crassus a man who refused ceremonious welcome, which made it more
no kind of gift or purchase. agreeablethan more expensivetables.
Crassusobserved,
also,how liable the city As to his studies,hecultivatedoratory,most
was to fires, and how frequently houses fell particularly that of the bar, which had its su
down; which misfortuneswere owing to the perior utility. And though he might not be
weight of the buildings, andt their standing so reckoned equal, upon the whole, to the first-
close together.* In consequence of this, he rate speakers, yet by his care and application,
provided himself with slaves who were carpen- he exceededthose whom nature had favoured
lers and masons,and went on collecting them more. For there was not a cause, however
till he had upwards of five hundred. Then he unimportant, to which he did not come pre-
made it his business to buy housesthat were pared. Besides, when Pompey, Caesar,and
on fire, and others that joined upon them; and Cicero, refused to speak, he ot'ten rose and
he commonlyhad them at a low price, by finishedthe argumentin favourof the defend-
reason of the fears and distress the owners ant. This attention of his to assist any unfor-
were in about the event. Hence, in time, he tunate citizen, was a very popular thing; and
became master of a great part of Rome. But his obliging manner in his common address
though he had so many workmen, he built no had an equal charm. There was not a Ro-
more for himself than one house in which he man, however mean and insignificant, whom
toved. For heused to say, "That thosewho he did not salute,or whosesalutationhedid
love building will soon ruin themselves, and not return by name.
need no other enemies." His knowledge of history is also said to have
Though he had several silver mines, and been extensive,and he was not without a taste
landsof greatvalue,as well as labourerswho of Aristotle'sphilosophy. In the latter branch
turnedthem to the bestadvantage, yet it may he wasassistedby a philosophernamedAlex-
be truly asserted,that the revenuehe drew ander;4 a man who gave the most glonoua
from thesewas nothingin comparison of that proofsof hisdisinterestedandmild disposition,
producedby his slaves. Such a numberhad duringhis acquaintance with Crassus. For it
he of them, and all useful in life, readers, is not easyto say,whetherhis poverty was
amanuenses,
book-keepers,
stewards,and greaterwhenhe entered,
or whenhelefthis
cooks. He usedto attendto their education, house. He wasthe only friend that Crassus
andoftengavethemlessonshimself;esteemingwould take with him into the country; on
it a principalpartof the business of a masterwhichoccasions he wouldlendhim a cloak
to inspectandtakecareof hisservants, whom for thejourney,butdemand it againwhenhe
heconsidered thelivinginstruments of econo-returnedto Rome. The patience of thatman
my. Jn this he wascertainlyright, if he is truly admirable, particularly if we consider
thought, ashe oftensaid,that othermattersthatthephilosophy he professed didnotlook
shouldbe managed by servants,but theser- uponpovertyasa thingindifferent.!Butthis
vantsby the master. Indeed,economists,so wasa latercircumstancein thelifeof Crassus.
far astheyregardonlyinanimate things,serve Whenthefactionof CinnaandMariuspre-
onlythelow purposes of gain: butwherethey vailed,it soon appeared that they werenot
regardhumanbeings,they rise higher,and returningfor any benefitto their country,
forma considerable branchof politics. He butfortheruinanddestruction of thenobility.
waswrong,
however,
in saying,
thatno manPartof themtheyhadalreadycaught
and
ought to be esteemedrich, who could not with
bisown revenuemaintainan army. For as * Xylander
conjectures
thismight
beAlexander
tin
Archidamus observes,it never can be calcu- Milesian,who iscalledPolyliistorandCornelius;and
who it said to have flourished in the times of Sj Ha.

* The street*werenarrowandcrooked, andthe f AristoUe's,

aswellasDate'spliilusoplij,
reckoned
>i uses
chieflyof wood,
aftertheGaulihadburned
the richesamoug
realblessings,
andluukuduponthemUS
til* conducive
to virtue.
 MARCUS CRASSDS. 381
puttodeath;
brother
among
whom
ofCrassus.
were
Crassus
thefather
himself,
andthere;
and
whowagtoVibius,
they
servedtocarry
andtobringanswers
hismessage
back.Fencs-
thena *eryyoung
man,escaped
thepresent
tella,s;iys,"
hesawoneofthemwhenshewas
dangeiBut,ashesawthetyrants
hadtheirveryold,andoftenheard
hertellthestory
hunters beating about for him on all sides, he with pleasure,
tookthreefriendsandtenservants
withhim, Crassus
spenteightmonths
in this privacy,
andfledwithsurprising
expedition
intoSpain;at theendofwhich
hereceived
intelligence
wherehehadattended hisfatherduring
his thatCmna wasdead.Thenheimmediately
pratorship,
andgained
himself
friends.
There,made hisappearance,
andnumbersrepaired
to
loo, he foundthemindsof menfull of terror, him; outof whichheselected
a corpsof two
ind all trembling
atthecruellyof Marius,
as thousand
fivehundred
men. With thesehe
if he hadbeenactuallypresent;therefore,he visitedthecities;andmosthistorians
agree
that
did not ventureto applyto anyof hisfriendshepillagedonecalledMalacca.But others
inpublic:Instead
of that,hewentintoafarmtell us,heabsolutely
denied
it, anddisclaimed
whichVibiubPacianus hadcontiguous
to the thethingin the faceof thosewhospreadthe
seaandhid himselfin a spacious
cavethere. report. After this, he collectedvessels,
and
From thencehe sent one of his servantsto passedover into Africa, to join Metellus Pius,
"puniiVibius;for hisprovisions
already
beganan officerof greatreputation,
whohadraised
to fail. Vibius, delightedto hearthat he had considerable
forces.He did not,however,stay
escaped,
inquiredthenumber
of people
hehad longthere. Uponsomedifference
with Me-
with him,andthe placeof his retreat. He did tellus, he appliedhimself to Sylla, who re-
Dotwait on him in person,but sentimmediate-ceived him with pleasure,and ranked him
ly for the stewardof that farm,and ordered amonghis principalfriends.
him to dressa suppereveryday,carry it to the WhenSylla wasreturnedto Italy, he chose
footof the rock, andthenretire in silence.He to keepthe youngmenhehadabouthim"in ex-
chargedhim not to be curiousin examiningercise,and sent them upon various commis-
into the affair,underpainof death;andprom- sions. Crassushe despatched to levy troops
isedhim his freedom,if heprovedfaithful in amongtheMarsi; and,ashispassage lay through
his commission. the enemy's country,, he demandedguards of
The caveis at a smalldistancefromthe ssa. Sylla. "I give thee for guards,"said he in an
The surroundingrocks which form it, admit angrytone, "I give theefor guards,thy father,
only a slightandagreeable breathof air. A thy brother,thy friends,thy relations,whohave
little beyondthe entrance,it is astonishinglybeenunjustly and abominablysacrificed,and
loftj, and the compassof it is so great, that it whose causeI am going to revengeupou their
has severallarge caverns, like a suit of rooms, murderers."
one within another. It is not destitute either Crassus, roused and inflamed with these
of water or light. A spring of excellent water words, passedboldly through the midst of the
flowsfromthe rock; andtherearesmall natu- enemy;raiseda considerable
army,andshew-
ral apertures,where the rocks approach each ed his attachment, as well as exerted his cour-
other at top, through which day-light is admit- age, in all Sylla's conflicts. Hence, we are
ted. By reasonof the thickness of the rock, told, came his first competition and dispute
the interior air too is pure and clear; the foggy with Pompey for the palm of honour. Pou>
and moist part of it being carriedawaywith pey was the youngerman,andhadthis greal
the stream. disadvantagebesides,that his father was more
Crassus,in this asylum,had his provisions hatedthanany manin Rome. Yet his geniui
broughteverydayby the steward,whoneither broke forth with such lustre on theseocca-
sawnor knew him or his people,though,hu sions,that Sylla treatedhim with morerespect
was seen by them, becausethey knew his than he generallyshewedmucholdermen,of
time, and watchedfor his coming. And he eventhoseof his own rank. For he usedIn
broughtnot only what was sufficientfor use, rise up at his approach,anduncoverms head,
but delicacies,
too, for pleasure. For Vibius andsalutehimas Imperator.
had determinedto treat his friend with all Crassuswas not a little piquedat these
imaginable
kindness.He reflected
thatsomethings,though
therewasno reason
for hispre-
regardshould be hadto his time of life, and tensions.He hadnot thecapacityof Pompey;
as he was very young, that he should have besides his innate blemishes, his avarice and
someparticularindulgencieson that account. meanness,robbedhis actionsof all their grace
To supply hia necessities
only, he thought, anddignity. Foe instance,when he took tha
lookedmorelike constraint
than friendship.city of Tuder,in Umbria,be wassupposed
Therefore,one day he tookwith him two to haveappropriated thegreatestpart of the
handsomemaid-servants,
andwalkedtowardsplunder to insownuse,andit wasrepresented
the sea. When they cameto the cave, he in that light to Sylla. It is true in the bat-
"hewedthemthe entrance,andbid themgo tle foughtnearRome,whichwasthegreatest
boldlyin,fortheyhadnothing
to fear. Cras-andmostdecisive
of all, Syllawasworsted,
lus, seeingthem, -wasafraid his retreatwas his troopsrepulsed,anda numberof themkill-
discovered,and beganto examinewho they ed. Meantime,Crassus, whocommanded the
were,andwhattheywanted.Theyansweredrightwing,wasvictorious,
andhavingpursued
as theywereinstructed,
"That theyweretheenemy
till night,seutto inform
Syllaof
cometo seektheir masterwho lay concealed
there." Upon which, he perceived,it was
" FenesMla
only a piece of gallantry in Vibius, who studied if ry wroteM«ralbook»of annals.Hemighl
well liave seenone of theie slates when siic wu
todivert
him. Hereceivedthedamsels,
there-old; forhedidnotdieliilthesiilhyear
ofthercir»
fore,andkept
BB
themall thetimehestayed ofTiberiiu,
nor uuli]
be wu teventyyean
ofage.
 8*12 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

big success,and to demandrefreshments

for because
hecouldnot satisfythem,Crasroew«J
his men. kind enough to deliver him from the embar-
But in the time of the proscriptions
andcon rassment,by givingsecurityfor eighthundred
fiscalioris, he lost all the credit he had gained; and thirty talents.
Lu.yiiiL'
greatestate-sat
anundtr-price,andoften Rome was ut this time dividedinto three
begging such as he hadcast his eye upon. Nay, purties, at the head of which were Pompey,
in the country of the Brutians,he is saidto Cssar,andCrassus. For, asto Cato,his rep-
have proscribed onemanwithout Sylla'sorder, utation was greaterthan his power,and hii
merelyto seizehis fortune. Upon this, Sylla virtuemoreadmiredthan followed. The pru-
gavehim up, and neverafter employedhim in dent and steadypan of the city, were for
any publicaffair. Pompey;the violentandthe enterprising
gave
Though Crassuswas an exquisiteflatterer into the prospectsof Ca:sar;Crassussteered
himself, yet no man was more easily caught by a middle course, and availed himself of both.
flatterytljaj)he. And whatwasveryparticular, Crassus,
indeed,oftenchanged
sides,andneith-
though he was one of the most covetousmen in er was a firm friend, nor an implacableenemy.
the world, no man was more averseto, or more On the contrary he frequently gave up either
severeagainst,suchas resembled him." But his attachmentsor resentmentsindifferently
it gavehim still morepainto seePompeyso when his interest requiredit: insomuchthat
successfulin all his employments, to seehim in a short spaceof time, he would appear
honouredwith a triumph, and salutedby the eitherin supportor oppositionto the sameper-
citizenswith the title of the Great. Oneday sonsand laws. He hid someinfluence found-
he happenedto be told "Pompey the Great ed in love,andsomein fear; but fear wasthe
wascoming;" uponwhichhe answered\vith a woreserviceable principle of the two. An in-
acorul'ulsmile, "How big is he?" stanceof the latter we havein Licinius, who
As hedespaired of risingto anequalitywith was very troublesome to the magistratesand
him in war, he betookhimself to the adminis- leadingoratorsof his time. When he wag
tration) and by payinghis court, by defendingasked, why he did not attackCrassusamong
the impeached,by lendingmoney,andby as- the rest, he answered, "He wearswispsupon
sisting and canvassingfor personawho stood his horns."* Sothe Romansusedto servea
for olliccs,hegainedanauthorityandinfluence vicious bull, for a warningto all personathat
equalto tint which Pompeyacquiredby his passedhim.
military achievements.There wassomething When the gladiatorstookup annaandrav-
remarkablypeculiarin their case. The name aged Italy, their insurrectionwascommonly
and interestof Pompeywere muchgreaterin called the war of Spartacus. Its origin wai
Rome,whenhe wasabsenttanddistinguishingthis: One LentulusBatiatuskeptat Capuaa
himself in the field. When present,Crassusnumberof gladiators,thegreatestpartof which
often carriedhis pointagainsthim. This must wereGaulsand Thracians;mennot reduced
be imputed to the stateandgrandeurthat he to that employmentfor any crimesthey had
affected:he seldomshewedhimselfin public, committed,but forceduponit by the injustice
or appearedin the assemblies of the people; of their master. Two hundredof them,there-
andlie very rarelyserved
thosewhomadeap- fore,agreed
tomaketheirescape.
Thoughthe
plicationto him;imagining
by that means
he plotwasdiscovered,
threescore
andeighteen
should lave his interest entire whenhe wanted of them, by their extreme vigilance, were be-
it himself. Crassus,on the contrary,had his forehandwith their master,andsalliedout of
serviceseverreadyfor thosewhowantedthem; town, havingfirst seizedall thelongknivesand
he constantly made his appearance;he was spitsin a cook'sshop. On the roadthey met
easyof access;his life was spentin businesssomewagonscarryinga quantityof gladiators'
and goodoffices;so that his openandobliging armsto anotherplace. Thesetheyseized,and
mannergot the betterof Pompey's
distancearmedthemselves
withthem. Thentheyre-
and state. tired to a place of strength, and made choice
As to dignityof person,powersof persuasion,of three leaders-! The first was Spartacus,
andengagingturnof countenance,
wearetold whoseextractionwasfromoneof thoseThra-
theywere thesame.Buttheemulationwith cianhordescalledNomades.This manhat
"which Crassuswas actuated never carried him not only a dignity of mind, a strength of body,
on to hatredandmalignity. It is true,he was but a discernmentand civility superiorto hii
concernedto see PompeyandCaesar held in fortune. In short, he was moreof a Greek
greaterhonour,buthedid notaddrancourand thana barbarian, in hismanner.
malevolenceto his ambition; thoughCzsar, It is said,that whenhe wasfirst broughtto
whenhe wastakenby pirates,in Asia,and Rometo besold,a serpent wasseentwisted
strictlyconfined,
criedout, "O Crassus,what abouthisfaceasheslept. His wife,whowai
pleasurewill it givethee to hearthat I am of thesametribe,havingthegift of divination,
taken'." However, they were afterwards upon and being a retainer besides to the orgiesof
e footingof friendship;and whenCaesarwas Bacchus,said,it wasa signthatbewouldrise
.goingto setoutfor hiscommandin Spain,and to something
verygreatandformidable,
there-
bin creditors were ready to seize his equipage, sult of which would be happy.J This woman
still lived with him, and was the companion
" tt w«3observed
bythe lateingenious
Mr. Shen-of his flight.
Itonr, that a coicomb will be the lint to find out and
exposea coicomb. Men of the samevirtues love each This passedinto a proverb.
other lor the sake of those virtues; but sympa'hy iu Spartacus,Chrisus, and jEnomaus. Thij w»r b»-
rice or folly has generally a contrary effect. gan in the year of Rome 660; beforeChrist 71.
f This wasnoi peculiarto Pompey:it wasthecase ( His endwashappyfor a gladiator.He diedfight-
" f Mar iu &nd many others. Jig gallantly at the head of hii troops.
 MARCUS CRASSVS. 883
Thefugitivesfirstdistinguished
themselves
cus,withhi* forces,
whichwereveryconsider
OTdefeating
a parly sentagainstthemfrom able. Spartacus met him fairlyin thefield,
Capua;whosearmstheyseizedandworewith beathislieutenants,andstrippedthemof their
freat satisfaction;
throwingawaythoseof baggage.
Hethencontinued
hisroutetowards
gladiators,
as dishonourable
and barbarous.theAlps,but wasopposedby Cassius, who
Clodiusthepraetor*
wasthensentagainst
them commanded in that part of Gaulwhichlay
fromRome,with a body of threethousandaboutthePo,and cameagainsthim at the
men;andhebesieged themonthehill where headof tenthousand men. A battleensued,
theywereposted.Therewasbutoneascent,in whichCaiuswasdefeated, with greatloss,
whichwasvery narrow andrugged,andthere andsavedhimself not withoutdifficulty.
i-: placeda sufficientguard. The restwasall No soonerwerethe senateinformedof these
I craggyprecipice,but coveredw:th wild vines. miserableproceedings,
than they expressed
the
Thefugitivescut off suchof the branchesas greatestindignationagainstthe consuls,and
night beof mostservice,andformedtheminto gaveordersthat theyshouldbesuperseded in
t ladderof sufficientstrength,and so longas the command. Crassuswas the personthey
lo reachthe plain beneath. By the help of pitcheduponas a successor, andmanyof the
iis laddertheyall got down safe,exceptone. nobility servedunder him, as voJunteers, as
Thisman remainedaboveonly to let down well on accountofhispoliticalinfluenceasfrom,
\heir arms; and when he had donethat, he personalregard. He wentandpostedhimself
Descended after them. in the Picene, in order to intercept Spartacus,
The Romans knowing nothing of this ma- who was to march that way. At the same
iceuvre,the gladiators came upon their rear, time he sent his lieutenant Mummius round
ind attacked them so suddenly, that they fled with two legions; giving him strict orders only
m great consternation, and left their camp to to follow the enemy, and by no means to haz-
iheenemy. Spartacus
wastherejoinedby the ard either battleor skirmish. Mummius,how-
herdsmenand shepherdsof the country, men of ever, upon the first promising occasion,engag-
rreat vigour, and remarkably swift of foot. ed Spartacus,and was entirely routed. Num-
some of ^thesehe clad iu heavy armour, and bers fell upon the field of battle, and many
Ihe rest servedasreconnoitringparties,and others threw away their arms,and fled for
fcrothe* purposesof the light-armed. their lives.
The next general sent against these gladia- Crassusgave Mummius a severe reprimand,
jors was Publius Vannus. They first routed and new armed his men, but insisted withal
«B lieutenant Furius, who engagedthem with that they should find security for their keeping
I detachmentof two thousandmen. After this those arms they were now entrusted with,
iparticus watched the motions of Cossmius, The first five hundred, who had shewn the
whowas appointed assistantand chief counsel- greatest marks of cowardice, he divided into
lor to Varinus,andwasnow marchingagainst fifty parts,andput onein eachdecade to death,
lim with a considerableforce. His vigilance to whoselot it mighthappento fall; thusre-
was such, that he was very near taking Cos- viving an ancient custom of military punish-
linius in the hath at Salens; and though he ment which had been long disused. Indeed,
did escapewith much difficulty, Spartacusthis kind of punishmentis the greatestmark
seizedhis baggage. Then he pursued his of infamy,andbeingput in executionin sight
steps,and took his camp, having first killed of the whole army, is attendedwith manyaw-
greatnumbersof the Romans. Cossiniusful andaffecting
circumstances.
himselfwasamongthe slain. His subsequent After thuschastisinghis men,he led them
operations were equally decisive. He beat against the enemy. But Spartacus turned
Varinusin severalengagements, and took his back and retired through Lucania to the sea.
lictors, andthe veryhorsehe rode. The rebelhappeningto find a numberof ves-
By thistime he was becomegreatand for- sels in harbourbelongingto the Cilician pi-
midable.Nevertheless his viewsweremoder- rates,resolvedto makeanattemptuponSicily;
ate: lie had too much understandingto hope where,at the headof two thousandmen,he
the conquestof the Romans: and therefore thoughthe could easily re-kindlethe Servile
led his armyto the Alps,with an intentionto war, which had but lately beensmothered,"
crossthem, and then dismiss his troops, that and which wanted little fuel to make it flame
theymightretire to their respectivecountries, out again. Accordingly the pirates entered
someto Thraceandsometo Gaul. But they, into agreementwith him; but they hadno
relying upon their numbers,and elatedwith soonertaken his moneythan they broke their
success,would not listento his proposal. In- engagement, and sailed anotherway. Spar-
stead of that, they laid Italy waste as they tacus, thus deceived, left the sea, and entrench-
traversed it. ed himself in the peninsula of Rhegium.
It wasno longerthe indignity anddisgrace When Crassuscameup, he observedthat
of thisrevolt that afflicted the senate;it was the nature of the place suggestedwhatmea-
fear anddanger:andthey now employedboth sureshe shouldtake; in consequence of which
the consuls in this war, as one of the most he determined to build a wall across the isth-
difficult and importanttheyeverhad upon mus. This,he knew,wouldat oncekeephn
theirhands.Gelius,oneof theconsuls,hav- soldiers
fromidleness,
andcut offtheenemy's
ingsurprisedti bodyof Germanswhowereso supplies.Thework wasgreatanddifficult:
rashandself-opinionated
asto separate
from nevertheless
hefinished
it beyond
all expecta-
thetroopsofSpartacus,
defeated
thementirely tion,in a shorttime; drawinga trenchfrom
tod put them to the sword. Lenlulus, the
othercousul,endeavoured
to surroundSparta-
* It wu but nineteen
year)before,
thati p«rio4
* Clodiiu Olaber. wu put lo be Servilewar in Sicily.
 384 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

§eato sea three hundredfurlongs in length, proaching;and of the manyspeeches to the

fifteen feetin breadth,and as manyin depth; peopleon occasionof the ensuingelection,in
he built a wall also aboveit of considerablewhichit wasasserted, that this laurel bevng-
heightandstrength. ed to him,andthat, assoonas he madehisap-
Spartacus
at first madea jestof theunder-pearance,
hewould,by somedecisivestroke,
taking. But when his plunder beganto fail, put anendto the war.
Andhe wantedto go farther, hesawthe wall Crassus,therefore,hastenedto give that
before him, and at the sametime was conscious stroke himself, and, with the game view, en-
ihat the peninsula
wasexhausted.He watched campedverynearthe enemy. Onedaywhen
his opportunity,however,in a snowyandtem- he hadorderedhis soldiersto dig a trench,the
pestuousnight, to fill up thetrenchwithearth, gladiatorsattackedthemastheywereat work.
wood and other materials-,and so passedit Numberscameup continuallyon bothsidesto
with a third part of his army. Crassusnow supportthe combatants;andat last Sparlacua
beganto fear,that Spartacus,in the spirit of seeingwhat the case necessarilyrequired,
enterprise,would marchimmediatelyto Rome. drew out hia wholearmy. When theybrought
But when he observed that a number of the him his horse, he drew his sword and killed
enemyuponsomedifferenceorother,separatedhim,sayingat the sametime, "If I provevic-
and encamped upon the Lucaman lake, he re- torious, I shall have horsesat command; if I am
covered his spirits. The water of this lake is defeated, I shall have no need of this." His
said to changein sucha manner,assometimesaim wasto find Crassus,andhe madehis way
to be sweet and fresh, and at other times so through showers of darts and heaps of the
salt, that it is impossibleto drink it. Crassus slain. He did not, indeed, reach him, but he
fell upon this party, and drove them from the killed with his own hand two centurions who
lake, but could not do any great elocution, or ventured to engage him. At last, those that
continue the pursuit far, because Spartacua seconded him tied. He, however, still stood
made his appearance,and rallied the fugitives. his ground, and though surrounded by num-
Crassus now repented of having written to bers, fought with great gallantry, till he was
the senate, that it was necessary to recal cut in pieces.
Lucullus from Thrace, and Pompey from Crassus, on this occasion,availedhimself of
Spain; and hastenedto finish the war himself every circumstance with which fortune favour-
For he was sensible that the general who ed him; he performed every act of generalship;
should come to his assistance,would rob him he exposed his person in the boldest manner;
of all the honour. He resolved, therefore, in yet he was only wreathing a laurel for the
the first place, to attack the troops which had brows of Pompey. Pompey met, it seems,
revolted, and formed a separate body, under those who escaped out of the field, and pat
the command of two officers named Cannicius them to the sword. In consequenceof which
and Custus. With this view, he sent a corps he wrote to the senate, "That Crassus had,
of six thousand men before to seize an emi- indeed, beatenthe fugitive gladiators in a pitch-
nencewhich he thought would be of service to ed battle; but that it was he who had cut up
him, but ordered them to conduct their enter- the war by the roots."
prise with all imaginable secrecy. They ob- Pompey, on his return to Rome, triumphed
served his directions; and to conceal their in a magnificent manner for his conquestufSer-
march the better, coveredtheir helmets and the torius and Spam. As for Crassus,he did not
rest of their arms. Two women, however, pretend to ask for the greater triumph; and
who were sacrificing before the enemy's camp, even the less, which is led up on foot, under
discovered them; and they would probably the name of an ovation, seemedto have no pro-
have met their fate, had not Crassusadvanced priety or decorum in the conquest of fugitive
immediately, and given the enemybattle. This slaves. In what respects this differs from the
was the most obstinate action in the whole other, and whence the term oration is derived,
war. Twelve thousand three hundred of the we have considered in the Life of Marcellus.
enemy were killed, of which number there Pompey was immediately called to the con-
were only two found wounded in the back; the sulship; and though Crassus had interest
rest died in their ranks, after the bravest exer- enough of his own to encourage him to hope
tions of valour. for the same honour, yet he scrupled not to
Spartacus,after this defeat,retired towards solicit his goodoffices. Pompeyreceived'ha
the mountainsof Petelia; andQuintus,oneof applicationwith pleasure;for hewasdesi0115
Crassus's olficers, and Scropha the quaestor, by all meansto have Crassus under an obliga-
marched after to harass his rear. But, Spar- tion to him. He, therefore, readily espoused
tacus facing about, the Romansfled in the most his cause; and, at last, when he made his
dastardly manner,and with great difficulty speechto the people,said,"he wasas much
carried off the qusestor,who was wounded.indebtedto them for the colleaguethey had
This success was the rum of Spartacus. It given him as for their favour to himself."
gavethe fugitivessuchspirits,that they would However, the same good understanding
did
no longer decline a decisive action, or be obe- not long continue; they differed about almost
dient to their officers; but as they wereupon everyarticlethat camebeforethem: andthose
the road, addressed them with their swords in disputes and altercations prevented their doing
their hands, and insisted on marching back any thing considerableduring their whole con-
through Lucama with the utmost expedition, sulship. The most remarkable thing was, that
to meet the Romans, and face Crissus in the Crassus offered a great sacrifice to Hercu'es_
field. entertained the people at ten thousand tables,
This wasthe very thing that Crassusdesir- and gave then a supply of bread-cornfoi
od. He was informed that Pompeywagap- threemonths.
 MARCUS CRA8SUS. 385

Whentheyheldoneof thelast assemblies

for him:-hencehisattachment to Cicerowa«
beforetheyquittedtheir charge,a Romansogreat,that whenthebill for hisbanishment
knight,named
OnatiusAurelus,whohadspent wasproposed,hewentintomourning, andper-
most of hia time in a retired manner in the suadedthe rest of the Roman youth to do the
country,and was a man of no great note, same. At last, he even prevailedwith fan
mountedtke rostrum,and gavethe peoplean fatherto bereconciledto him.
accountof a visionthat hadappearedto him. About thia time, Ca;sarreturned from hit
"Jupiter," said he, "appeared to me in a government, to solicitthe consulship.Finding
dream,andcommanded me to inform you in Crassusand Pompeyagain at variance,he
this public manner,that you arenot to suffer would not applyto either in particular,lesthe
the consulsto lay downtheir officebeforethey should makethe other his enemy; nor could
ire reconciled."He had no soonerendedhe hopeto succeed
withoutthe assistance
of
nis speechthan the peopleinsistedthat they oneof them. In this dilemmahe determined,
ihould be reconciled.-Pompey stood without if possible, to effect a good understandingonce
making any motion towards it, but Crassus more between them. For which purpose he
went and offered him hia hand. " I am not represented," That, by levelling their artillery
ashamed,my fellow-citizens," said he, " nor do against each other, they raised tht Ciceros,
I think it beneath me, to make the first ad- the Catuli, and the Catos; who would be
vancesto Pompey, whom you distinguish with nothing, if they were once real friends, and
the nameof Great, while he was but a beard- took care to act in concert. If that were the
lessyouth, and whom you honouredwith a tri- case," said he, " with your united interes'ta
umph before he was a senator." and counsels you might carry all before you."
These were the only memorable things in These representationshad their effect; and,
the consulateof Crassus. As for his censor- by joining himself to the league, he formed
ihip, it passedwithout any thing worth men- that invincible triumvirate which ruined the
tioning." He made no inquisition into the senate and people of Rome. Not that either
lives and manners of the senators; he did not Crasausor Pompey gained any advantagefrom
review the equestrian order, or number the their union; but Cssar, by the help of both,
people. Lutacius Catulus, one of the best climbedto the highestpinnacleof power. Au
natured men in the world, was his colleague; earnest of this he had, in his being unanimously
tnd it is said, that when Crassus wanted to elected consul. And as he acquitted himself
adopta violent and unjust measure,I mean the in his office with great honour, they procured
makingof Egypt tributary to Rome, Catulua him the command of armies, and decreed him
itrongly opposedit; and hence arose that dif- the province of Gaul, where he was established,
ference,
in consequence
of whichtheyresigned as in an impregnablecastle. For, they im-
their charge. agined if they did but secure to him the pro-
When the great conspiracy of Catiline, vince that was fallen to hia lot, they might
which brought the commonwealth to the verge share the rest between them at their leisure.
of destruction, broke out, Crassus was sus- It was the immoderate love of power which
pected of having some concern in it. Nay, led Pompey into this error. And Crassus to
there was one who named him among the con- his old disease of avarice now added a new
spirators; but no one gave credit td his in- one. The achievements, the victories, and
formation.f It is true, Cicero, in one of his triumphs of Czsar, raised in Crassus a passion
orations, openly accuses both Crassus and for the same; and he could not be content to
Caesarof that crime. But that oration did not be beneathhim in this respect, though he wag
appearin publictill both thosegreatmenwere so much superior in others. He therefore
dead. On theother hand,the sameCicero,in neverlet himselfrest,till he metan inglonoui
the oration he delivered relating to his consul- fate, and involved hia country in the most
ship,expresslysays, that Crassus came to him dreadful calamities.
one night, and put a letter in his hands,which On CEesaHscoming from Gaul to the city of
shewed
the realityof the plot into which thjey Lucca, numberswent to wait upon him, and
were then inquiring. Be that as it may, it is among the rest Crassusand Pompey. These,
certain that Crassus after this conceived a in their private conferences,agreedwith him
mortal hatred for Cicero, and would have to carry matters with a higher hand, and to
shewn it in some act of violence, had not his make themselvesabsolute in Rome. For this
son PubliuK prevented it. Publius was a man purposeCfEsar was to remain at the head of
of letters,andeloquence
hada particularcharm his army, and the other two chiefsto divide
the rest of the provinces and armies between
* Hewascensorsixyearsaflerhiaconsulship,
sixty- them. There was no way, however,to carry
three yearsbefore the birth of Christ.
f Sallustsaysotherwise. He tells us, it did appear their scheme into execution, without suing for
incredible to some,but others believed it. . Yet, not another consulship; in which Cssar was to
thinkingit advisable
to exasperate
a manof somuch assistby writing to his friends,and by sending
power,theyjoined hisretainers,and thosewho owed a number of hia soldiers to vote in the election.
Dim money, in crying it was a calumny, and in saying
the senateought to exculpatehim; which, accordingly, When Crassua and Pompey returned to
theydid. Some
were
ofopinion,
andCnusua
himselfRome,their designs
wereverymuchauspect-
unongtherest,theinformer
wassuborned
byCicero.cd: and the generaldiscoursewas, that the
Butv*hatend coukl Cicerohavein accusing
a manof late interview boded no good to the common-
hisconsequence,
unlessit weretoalarmthesenate and wealth. Hereupon,Marcellinua and Domi-
peoplethe more with a senseof their danger? And
whatcould Crassusproposeto himself,in entering tius* askedPompeyin full senate," Whether
into a plot to buru a city in which nil property wu to
* Domitiui JEnobarbuj.
386 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

he intendedto solicit the consulship?" To penetrateto the Hadrians, the Indians,th>

which he answered," PerhapsI may-per- easternocean,andin his hopeshe hadalready
hapsnot." And upontheir interrogatinghim swallowedup the east.
a secondtime, he said, " If I solicit it, I shall In the law relating to the governmentof
"olicit it for men of honour, and not for men Crassus,no mention was madeof a war in it»
of a meaner principle." As this answer ap- neighbourhood; but all the world knew ( r.ie-
pearedto have too much of haughtiness and sushadan eyeto it. And Caesar, in the letter
contempt,Crassusexpressed himselfwith more he wrote to him from Gaul, commended his
moderation,*' If it be for the public good,I design,andencouraged him to attackthe Par.
shall solicit it-if not, I shall forbear." thians. But when he was going to set out,
By this someother candidates,and among Ateius,oneof the tribunes,threatenedto stop
the restDomilius,wereemboldened to appear; him, and numbersjoined the tribune'sparty.
but as soon as Crassus and Pompey declared They could not without indignation think of hii
themselves,
the restdroppedtheir pretensions.goingto beginhostilitiesagainsta peoplewho
Only Uomitius was exhorted and encouraged had done them no injury, and were in fact
by his friend and kinsman Cato, "Not to aban- their allies. Crassus, alarmed at this, desired
don his prospects, but to stand boldly up for Pompey to conduct him out of Rome. He knew
the liberties of his country. As for Pompey the dignity of Pompey, and the veneration the
and Crassus, he said, they wanted not the con- populace had for him: and on this occasion,
sulship, but absolutepower; nor was it so much though many were preparedto withstand Cras-
their aim to be chief magistrates at home, as eus, and to raise a clamour against him, yet
to seize the provinces, and to divide the ar- when they saw Pompey marching before him
miesbetweenthem." withanopenandgaycountenance,
theydropped
Cato having thus expressedhis real senti- their resentment, and made way in silence.
ments, drew Domitius almost forcibly into the Ateius, however, advancedto meet him. In
forum, and numbers joined them there. For the first place, by the authority of his office
they were greatly surprised at this step of he commanded him to stop, and protested
Crassusand Pompey. "Why do they demand," against his enterprise. Then he ordered one
sajd they, "a secondconsulship? Why together? of his officersto seize him. But the other tri-
Why not with others? Have we not many per- bunes interposing, the officer let Crassus go.
sons of merit sufficient to entitle them to be Ateius now ran before to the gate, and placed
colleagues with either Crassusor Pompey?" there a censer with fire in it. At the approach
Pompey's party, alarmed at these speeches, of Crassus, he sprinkled incense upon it, of-
threw off the mask, and adopted the most vio- fered libations, and uttered the most horrid
lent measures. Among other outrages, they imprecations, invoking at the same time cer-
waylaidDomitiusas hewasgoingto the place tain dreadfulandstrangegods. The Romans
of election before day, accompanied by hie say, these mysterious and ancient imprecations
friends; killed the torch-bearer, and wounded have such power,* that the object of them
many of his tram, Cato among the rest Then never escapestheir effect; nay, they add, that
theyshutthemail uptogether
till Crassus
and the personwhousesthemis sureto be un
Pompeywereelected. happyso that they areseldomused,andnever
A little after this, they confined Domitius to but upon a great occasion. Ateius was much
his house,by planting armedmen about it, blamedfor his rashzeal. It wasfor his coun-
drove Cato out of the forum, and killed seve- try's sake that he was an adversaryto Crassus,
ral who maderesistance. Having thus cleared and yet it was his country he had laid under
the way, theycontinuedCaesarin his govern- that dreadfulcurse.
ment for five yearsmore,and got Syria and Crassus, pursuinghisjourney,cameto Brun-
both the Spamsfor their own provinces. Upon dusium; and though the winter storms made
castinglots,Syriafell to Crassus,
andtheSpams the voyagedangerous, he put to sea,and lost
to Pompey. a numberof vesselsin his passage. As soon
The allotment was not disagreeableto the as he had collected the rest of his troops, he
multitude. They choseto have Pompeynot continuedhis route by land through Galatia
far fromRome; andPompey,who passionatelyThere he paid his respectsto Deiotarus,who,
loved hiswife, wasverygladof theopportunity thoughan old man,was building a new city
to spendmostof his time there. As for Cras- Crassuslaughed,and said, " You begin to
"us, assoonas it appearedthat Syria was his build at the twelfth hour of the day!" The
lot, he discoveredthe greatestjoy, and con- king laughedin his turn, andanswered, " You
sideredit as the principalhappiness
of his life; do not setout veryearlyin the morningagainst
insomuchthat even before strangersand the the Parthians!" Crassus,indeed, was then
populace
hecouldhardlyrestrain
histransports.abovesixtyyearsof age,fandhelookedoiuch
To hisintimatefriendsheopenedhimselfmore olderthan he was.
freely, expressing
the mostsanguinehopesand Upon his arrival in Syria,his affairepVos-
indulgingin vain elevationsof heart,unsuita- pered at first accordingto his expectation.
ble to his ageand disposition:
for in generalHe threwa bridgeoverthe Euphrates
with
he wasfar from beingpompousor inclinedto ease,and his army passedover it without
vanity. Butnowextravagantly
elatedandcor- opposition.Manycitiesin Mesopotamia
vol-
ruptedby his flatteringprospects,
he consider- untarily receivedhim; and one only stoo*
ed not Syria and the Parthians as the termina-
tion of his goodfortune-,but intendedto make * Dira Jctcstatio
the expeditionof Lucullug againstTigranes, IS'ulUexpiaturviccimi.-Jforu**.
ind of PompeyagainstMithndates,appear f Cnssat
Kt outupon
thisexpedition
inth. fewOl
Onlythe sportsof children. His designwasto Rome
tiUU.
 MARCUS CRASSUS. 337

"ponitsdefence.
Theprince
whogoverned
IUponwhich,
Vagises,
theoldest
oftheamba*
it wasnamed Apollonius.The Romanshav-sadors, laughed: and turningupthe palmof
ing lostabouta hundred
menbeforeit, Cras-his hand,replied," Crassus,
here will hair
lus marchedzgainstit with all his forces,took grow beforethou wilt seeSeluucia."
it byassault,
plundered
it of everythingval- Theambassadors
thenreturned
totheirking
uable,andsoldthe inhabitantsfor slaves.The Orodes,*and told him he must preparefor
Greekscalledthatcity Zenodotia.*Crassus,war. Meantime, someRomans escaped
with
upontakingit, suffered
hisarmyto salutehim difficultyfrom the citiestheygarrisoned
in
Imperator;a thingwhichreflectedno small Mesopotamia, and broughta ver) alarming
disgraceuponhim: it shewed themeanness of account of theenemy.Theysaid," theyhad
hisspirit,andhisdespair
of effecting
anything beeneye-witnessesto theirimmense
numbers,
considerable, when he valued himselt upon andto their dreadfulmannerof fightingwhen
luch a trifling acquisition. theyattackedthe towns." And, asit is usual
After he had garrisoned the townsthat had for fear to magnifyits object,theyadded," It
submitted,with seven thousandfoot and a is impossibleeither to escapethemwhenthey
thousandhorse,he returnedinto Syriato win- pursue,or to takethemwhen theyfly. They
ter. There he wasjoined by his son,whom havea new andstrangesortof arrows,which
Caesar
had sentto him from Gaul,adornedareswifterthanlightning,
andreach
theirmark
with military honours,and at the headof a beforetheycan see you are discharged;nor
thousand selecthorse. are they lessfatal in their effectsthanswift in
Amongthe manyerrorswhichCrassus com- their course. The offensivearmsof their cav-
mitted in this war, the first, and none of the alry piercethrougheverything, andthe defen-
least,was his returning so soon into Syria. sive arms are so well tempered,that nothing
He oughtto havegoneforward and strength- can piercethem."
enedhimselfwith the accession of Babylonand The Romansoldierswere struck with this
Seleucia, cities alwaysat enmitywith the Par- account,and their couragebeganto droop.
thians: insteadof which, he gavethe enemy They had imaginedthat the Parthianswere
abundant timeto preparethemselves.Besides, not differentfromthe Armeniansand Cappa-
bisoccupations in Syriaweregreatlycensured,docians,whomLucullus hadbeatenanddriven
havingmoreof the trader in themthan of the beforehim till he wasweary; andconsequent-
general. Insteadof examininginto the arms ly thatthe hardestpartof the expeditionwould
of his soldiers,keepingthem in exercise,and be the length of the way, and the troubleof
improvingtheir strengthandactivity by proper pursuingmen who would never stand an en-
rewards, he was inquiring into the revenues gagement. But now they found they had war
of the cities, and weighing the treasuresin the and danger to look in the face, whicn they had
templeof the goddessof Hierapolis.f And not thoughtof: insomuchthat severalo( the
though he fixed the quotas of troops which the principal officers were of opinion that Crassus
itatesandprincipalitieswere to furnish,helet ought to stop, and call a council to consider
themoff againfor a sumof money;which ex- whethernew measures oughtnot to betaken.
posedhim to the contemptof thosewhomhe Of this numberwasCassiusthe quzstor. Be-
excused. sides, the soothsayerswhispered that the sacri-
The first sign of his future fortune came from fices were not accepted by the gods, and tho
this very goddess,whom somecall Venus, some signs appearedalways inauspicious to the gen-
Juno,othersNature, or that great principle eral. However,he paidno attentionto them,
whichproduces all thingsout of moisture,and nor to any but thosewho were for hastening
instructsmankindin the knowledgeof every his march.
thingthat is good. As they weregoingout of He wasthe moreconfirmedin his intention!
the temple, young Crassus stumbled and fell by the arrival of Artavasdes,t king of Armenia
it the gate, and his father fell upon him. That prince came with six thousand horse,
He wasnow drawinghis troopsout of win- whichhe saidwere only his bodyguard. He
ter-quarters, when ambassadorscame from promised Crassus ten thousand more, armed
Arsaces, and addressed him in this short at all points, and thirty thousand foot, all to be
ipeech: "If this army was sent against the maintained at his own expense. At the same
Parthiansby the Roman people,that people time, headvisedhim to enter Partlua by way
hasnothing to expect but perpetualwar and of Armenia,"By that means,"said he, "you
enmity irreconcilable. But if Crassus,against will not only have plenty of provisions, which
the inclinations of his country (which they were I shall take care to supply you with; but your
informed was the case,) to gratify his own march will be safe, as it will lie along a chain
"varice, has undertaken this war, and invaded of mountains, and a country almost impractica
one of the Parthian provinces, Arsaces will ble for cavalry, in which the Parthian strength
"ct with more moderation. He will take com- consists." Crassus received his tender of
passion on Crassus'aage, and let the Romans service and his noble offer of succours but
go, thoughin fact heconsidersthemrather as coldly; and said,"He should marchthrough
in prison than in garrison." To this Crassus
made no return but a rnodomontade; he said, * Here the king of Farthia is called Orodes,who
"He would give them his answer at Seleucia." beforewascalledArsaces.Arsaceswas probably&
namecommonto the kingsof that country, and Orodes
" Zenodotia,in theprovinceof Osrhoeje. thepropernameof this prince. He was the sonof
t Abouttwentymilesfromthe Euphrates,therewas Phraates
thesecond,and madehis wayto the crown
I city,Itoownb)the
several
namesof
Bamlivce,
Edessa,throughthe bloodof his elderbrotherMithridatej.
audHierapolis. By theSyriansit wascalledMagog. For this, hedeservedly diedthe samekind of death.
The goddess Alai-galiswas worshippedthere with t In the text, he is herecalledArtabases j but, at
greatdcvHion. Lucian mentionsher templeas the PlutarchcallshimArtavasdcs ever}'whcrt afterward*.
licheit lu theworld. wethoughtit properto put it sohere.
 388 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

Mesopotamia,
wherehe hid left a numberof how muchAriamneswasindejted to that get*
braveRomans. UponthistheArmenianbade eral's favour, and that in consequencehe
him adieu, and returned to his own country. passedfor a well-wisher to the Romans. But
As Crassus was passing the Euphrates at now, gained by the Parthian officers, he con-
Zeugma,he metwith dreadfulburstsof thun- certedwith thema schemeto diaw Crassuj
der, and lightningsflamedin the faceof his from the river andthe highergrounds,into an
troops. At the sametime, the black clouds immenseplain, wherehemight easilybe sur
emitteda hurricane,mingledwith fire, which rounded. For the enemythoughtof nothing
broke down and destroyedgreat part of his less than fighting a pitched battle with the
bridge. The placewhich he hadmarkedout Romans.
for a camp,was also twice struckwith light- This barbarian,then,addressing himselfto
ning. Oneof the general'swar horses,richly Crassus, at first launchedout into the praise*
caparisoned, runningawaywith his rider, leap- of Pompeyas his benefactor,for he was a
ed into the river,andwasseenno more. And volubleandartfulspeaker. Then heexpressed
it is said when the foremost eagle was moved, his admiration of so fine an army, but withal
in orderfor a march,it turnedbackof its own took occasionto blameCrassusfor his delays,
accord. Besides these ill tokens, it happened and the time he spent in preparing; as if
that when the soldiers had their provisionsdis- weapons,and not rather active handsand feet,
tributed,after they hadcrossedthe river, they were requiredagainsta people,who had long
were first served with lentils and salt, which been determined to retire with their most val-
are reckonedominous,and commonlyplaced uable effects,and with their families and
uponthe monuments of the dead. In a speechfriends,to the ScythiansandHyrcanians." Of
of Crassusto the army,an expression escapedsupposeyou have to fight," said he, "you
him, which struck them all with horror. He ought to hasten to the encounter, before the
said " He had broken down the bridge, that not king recover his spirits, and collect all hu
one of them might return." And when he forces. At presenthe hasonly sentout Sure-
ought,uponperceivingthe improprietyof the na and Sillacesto amuseyou,and to prevent
expression,to haverecalledor explainedit to your pursuitof himself. For his part, hewill
the intimidatedtroops,hisobstinacywouldnot take carenot to appearin the field.
permithim. To whichwe mayadd,that in This storywasfalsein everycircumstance.
the sacrificeofferedfor the lustration of the For Orodeshad divided his army into two
army, the aruspexhaving put the entrails in parts; with oneof which hewasravagingAr-
his hands,he let themfall. All that attended menia, to wreak his vengeanceupon Arta-
the ceremonywerestruck with astonishment;vasdes;Surenawas left with the other, to
but he only saidwith a smile," Seewhatit is makeheadagainstthe Romans. Not that the
to beold! My sword,however,shall not slip king (assomewill haveit) hadany contempt
out of my handsin this manner." for the Romans,for Crassus,oneof the most
Immediatelyafter this, he beganhis march powerfulmenRomehadproduced, wasnotan
along the side of the Euphrates,with seven antagonistwhomhe shoulddespise,andthink
legions,nearfour thousandhorse,and almost it a fairer field of honourto goand fight with
asmanyof the light-armed. He had notgone Artavasdes, and lay wasteArmenia. On tha
far before some of his scoutsreturned, and told contrary, it is highly probable, it was his ap-
him, theyhadnot foundsomuchasonemanin prehension of dangerwhichmadehim keepat
their excursion,but that therewere manyves- a distanceandwatchtherisingevent; in order
tigesof cavalry,who appearedto havefled as to whichhe sent Surenabeforehim. to make
if theyhadbeenpursued. trial of the enemy'sstrength,and to amuse
Crassusnow beganto bemore sanguinein themwith hisstratagems.For Surenawasno
his hopes,andthe soldiersto hold the enemy ordinary person; but in fortune,family, and
in contempt,upona supposition that theydurst honour,thefirst afterthe king; andin pointof
not stand an encounter. Nevertheless,Cassius courage and capacity, as well as in size a»
addressed himself to the general again, and beauty, superior to the Parthians of his time.
advisedhim, " To securehis troopsin some If hewentonlyuponanexcursionintothe coun-
fortified town, till he should have someac- try, he had a thousandcamels to carry his
count of the enemythat might be dependedbaggage, and two hundredcarnagesfor hu
upon. If he did not choosethat, he desired concubines.He wasattendedby a thousand
him to keep along the river till he reached heavy-armedhorse, and many more of the
Seleucia:for by this meanshe would be con- light-armedrodebeforehim. Indeed,his vas-
stantlysuppliedwith provisionsfrom the ves- salsand slavesmadeupa bodyof cavalrylittle
selsthatwould follow his camp; andthe river lessthan ten thousand. He hadthe heredita-
preventinghis being surrounded,he would ry privilege in his family to put the diadem
alwayshaveit in his powerto fightuponequal uponthe king's headwhen he wascrowned.
terms." When Orodes was driven from the throne, he
While Crassuswasweighingthesecounselsrestoredhim; and it washe who conquered
with much deliberation, there arrived an Arab- for him the great city of Seleucia, being the
ian chief named Ariamnes.* This artful and first to scale the wall, and beating off the ene-
perfidiousman was the principal instrument my with his own hand. Though hewasthen
of all the calamitieswhichfortunewasprepar- not tinrtyyearsold, hisdiscernment wasstrong,
ing for the ruin of Crassus. Someof his of- andhiscouncilesteemed the best. Thesewere
ficers,who had servedunder Pompey,knew the talents by which he overthrewCrassug,
who laid himself open to his arts, first by a too
* Afniiji .111.1
DionCuiiuicallbunAcbiriuorAg- sanguine
confidence,
aud afterwardsby his
km* fears and depressionunder misfortunes.
 MARCUS CRASSUS. 389
When Crassushad listenedto the lure of marchthe more,makingthe foot keepupwith
Anamnes,
andlefttheriverto march
intothe*,hecavalry.
Meantime
theremains
ofare-
plain,thetraitorledhimawaythatwassmoothconnoitring
partyreturned,
withanaccount
andeasyat first;butaftera whileit became
thattheircomradeswerekilled\>ythePar-
extremelydifficult,
byreason
ofthedeepsandsthians,andthattheyhadescaped withgreat
Lawhichhe hadto wade,andthesightof a difficulty. At thesame
tunetheyassured
him,
vast desertwithout woodor water, whichaf- that the enemywas advancingwith very nu
fordedno prospect
of repose,
or hopeof re- merous
forces,
andin thehighest
spirits.
freshment. So that his troopswerereadyto This intelligencespread
greatdismayamong
giveout, notonlythroughthirst andthediffi- thetroops,andCrassus
wasthemostterrified
culty of the march,but throughthecomfortlessof all. In his confusion,hehad scarceunder-
andmelancholyviewbeforethemof a country standingenoughabouthim to draw his army
wherethere wasneithertree nor streamto be properly. At first, agreeably to the opinionol
seen,no hill to shelter them, no greenherb Cassius,he 'extendedthe front of his infantry
growing,but the billowsof animmenseseaof so as to occupya greatspaceof ground,to pre-
"andsurroundingthe wholearmy. vent their beingsurrounded,and distributed
These thingsgavethemsufficientreasonto the cavalryin the wings. But soon altering
wjspcctthey were betrayed;but whenthe en- his mind, he drew up the legionsin a close
voysof Artavasdes arrived,there wasno room square,and madea front everyway,eachfront
to doubt it. That prince informedCrassus,consistingof twelvecohorts;everycohorthad
"That Orodes had invaded his kingdom with a its troop of horse allotted it, that no part might
greatarmy,so thatnow hecouldsendthe Ro- remain unsupportedby the cavalry, but that
mansno succours. Therefore, he advised them the whole might advancewith equal security
to march towards Armenia, where with their to the charge. One of the wings was given to
united forces,they might give Orodesbattle. Cassius,the other to young Crassus,andthe
If Crassus did not relish this advice, he con- genert! placed himself in the centre.
jured him at leastneverto encampupon any In this order they movedforward,till they
groundfavourableto the cavalry,but to keep cameto a river calledBalissus,which in itself
close to the mountains." Crassus,in his resent- was not considerable, but the sight of it gave
ment and infatuation would send no answerin pleasure to the soldiers, as well on accountof
writing; he only said, "He was not at leisure their heat and thirst, as the fatigues of a march
now to think of the Armenians, but by and by through a dry and sandy desert. Most of the
he would come and chastisetheir king for his officers were of opinion that they ought to pasa
perfidiousness."Cassiuswasextremely chagrin- the night there, and after having got the beatin-
ed,but would not makeany more remonstrances telligence they could of the numberof the ene-
to the general, who was alreadyoffendedat the my and their order, advance against him at
liberty he had taken. He applied, however, to break of day. But Crassus, carried away by
the barbarianin private, in such terms as these, the eagerness of his son, and of the cavalry
"0 thou vilest of impostors, what malevolent about him, who called upon him to lead them
dzmonhasbroughtttieeamongstus?" By what to the charge,commanded
those who wanted
potions, by what enchantments, hast thou pre- refreshment to take it as they stood in their
vaileduponCrassusto pourhis armyinto this ranks. Beforetheyhad all done,he beganhis
vast, this amazingdesert; a march more fit for march, not leisurely and with proper pauses,
aNumidianrobberthan for a Romangeneral"f" as is necessaryin goingto battle, but with a
The barbarian,who had ar' enoughto adapt quick and continuedpace till they came in
himselfto all occasions,humbledhimselfto sightof the enemy,who appearedneither so
Cassius,and encouraged him to hold out and numerousnor so formidableas they had ex
have patienceonly a little longer. As for the pected. For Surena had concealed his main
soldiers,he rodeaboutthe ranksundera pre- forcebehindthe advancedguarJ, and, to pre-
tenceof fortifyingthemagainsttheirfatigues,venttheirbeingdiscovered
by theglitteringof
and made use of several taunting expressions their armour, he had ordered them to cover it
to them, " What," said he, "do you imagine with their coats or with skins.
that you are marchingthrough Campania? When both armieswere nearenoughto en-
Do youexpectthefountains,
thestreams,
the gage,andthe generals
hadgiventhe signal,
shades,the baths, and housesof refreshment the field resounded with a horrid din and
you meetwith there? And will you neverre- dreadfulbellowing. For the Parthiansdonot
member that you are traversing the barren con- excite their men to action with cornets and
fines of the ArabiansandAssyrians?" Thus trumpets,but with certainhollow instrument*
the traitor admonished,or ratherinsultedthe coveredwithleather,andsurrounded
with brasi
Romans,
andgotoffat lastbefore
hisimposturebells,whichtheybeatcontinually.
Thesound,
wasdiscovered.Nor wasthis withoutthe gen- is deepand dismal, somethingbetweenthe
eral'sknowledge;
heevenpersuaded
himthen, howlingof wild beastsand thecrashingof
that hewasgoinguponsome
scheme
to put thunder;andit wasfromsage
reflection
they
the enemyin disorder. had adoptedit, havingobservedthat of all the
It is said,that Crassuson that day did not senses,that of hearingsoonestdisturbs the
appear
in a purple
robe,suchastheRomanmind,agitates thepassions,
andunhingeatha
generalsusedto wear,butin a black one; and understanding.
whenheperceivedhismistake,
he wentand WhiletheRomans weretrembling
at the
changed
it. Someof thestandards,
too,werehorridnoise,
theParthians
suddenly
uncovered
10rootedin theground,thattheycouldnotbe their arms,and appeared
like battalionsof
moved withoutthegreatest
efforts.Crassusfire,with thegleam
of theirbreastplates
and
"nly laughedat theomen,andhastenedbit theirhelmetsof Margian
steelpolished
to thi
 890 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

greati-stperfection. Their cavalrytoo, com- cameagainstthemin suchgoodorder, which

pletelyarmedin brassandsteel,sheda lustre somesaywa«the case;or whetherthey want
no Jessstriking. At the headof themappeareded to draw youngCrasausas far as theypossi-
Surena,tall andwell made;but his feminine bly could from bis father,turned their back*
beautydidnot promisesuchcourageashewas andfled.* The young man cried out, T/iej/
possessed
of. For he was dressedin the fashion dare not stand us, and followed at full speed.
of the JVIeJes,with his facepainted,and his Sodid Censorinus andMegabacchusjtthe lat-
hair curled andequallyparted;while the rest ter, a man notedfor his strengthandcourage,
of the Parthianewore their hair in great dis- andthe former,a personof senatorialdignity,
order, like the Scythians, to make themselves and an excellent orator. Both were intimate
look moreterrible. friends of young Crassus,and nearly of liii
At first, the barbarians intended to have age.
charged ivith their pikes, and opened a way The cavalry kept on, and such was the alac-
through their foremost ranks; but when they rity and spirit of hope with which the infantry
saw the depth of the Roman battalions, the were inspired; that they were not left behind;
closeness
of their order,and the firmnessof tor they imaginedthey wereonly pursuinga
their standing they drew back, and, under the conqueredenemy. But they had not gonefar
appearance of breaking their ranks and dis- before they found how much they were de-
persing, wheeled about and surrounded the ceived. The pretended fugitives faced about,
Romans. At that instant Crassusordered his and many others joining them, advancedto the
archers and light infantry to begin the charge encounter. The Romans, upon this, madea
But they had not gone far before they were sa- stand, supposing the enemy would come to
luted with a shower of arrows, which came close quarters with them, becausetheir num-
with suchforceand did so muchexecution,as berwasbut small. The Parthians,however,
drove them back upon the battalions. This only formeda line of their heavy-armed
cav-
was the beginning of disorder and consterna- alry oppositetheir adversaries,and then order
tion amongthe heavy-armed,when they beheld ed their irregulars to gallop round, and beat
the force and strength of the arrows, against up the sand and dust in such a manner, that
which no armour was proof, and whose keen- the Romans could scarce either see or speak
ness nothing could resist. The Parthians now for the clouds of it. Besides, the latter were
separated,and began to exercisetheir artillery drawn up in so email a compass and pressed
upon the Romanson all sides at a considerable so close upon each other, that they were a
distance; not needing to take an exact aim, by very fair mark for the enemy. Their death,
reason of the closenessand depth of thesquare too, was lingering. They rolled about in ago-
in which their adversaries were drawn up nies of pain, with the arrows sticking in themj
Their bows were large and strong, yet capable and before they died, endeavouredto pull out
of bending till the arrows were drawn to the the barbed points which were entangled with-
head; the force they went with was conse in their veins and sinews: an effort that served.
quentlyvery great,andthe woundstheygave, only to enlargetheir woundsandaddto theii
mortal. torture.
The Romans were now in a dreadful situa- Many died in this miserable manner, an<
tion. If they stood still, they were pierced those who survived were not fit for action.
through; if they advanced, they could make When PubliusJ desired them to attack the
no reprisals,and yet were sureto meettheir heavy-armed
cavalry,they shewedhim their
fate. For the Parthians shoot as they tiy; li.i/;<JsBailed to their shields, and their feet
and this they do with dexterity inferior only fastened to the ground, so that they could
to the Scythians. It is, indeed, an excellent neither fight nor fly. He therefore encouraged
expedient, becausethey sire themselvesby re- his cavalry, and advanced with great vigour to
tiring, and, by fighting all the while, escape the charge. But the dispute was by no meaui
the disgrace of flight. upon an equality, either in respect of attack or
While the Romans had any hopesthat the defence. For his men hid only weak and short
Parthians would spendall their arrows and quit lavelma to attack the Parthian cuirasses,which
the combat, or else advancehandto hand, they were made either of raw hides or steel; while
bore their distresses with patience. But as the enemy's strong pikes could easily make an
soon as it was perceived, that behind the ene- impression upon the naked or light-armed
my there was a number of camels loadedwith Hauls. These were the troops in which h«
arrows, from whence the first ranks, after they ulaccd his chief confidence, and indeed he
emptiedtheir quivers,were supplied,Crassus,worked wonderswith them. They laid hold
"eemg no end to his sufferings, was greatly on the pikes of the barbarians, and grappling
distressed. The stephe took, wasto sendor- with thempulled themfrom their horses,and
ders to hU son to get up with the enemy, and threw them on the ground, where Aey could
charge them, if possible, before he was quite
"urrounded; for it was principally against him
that one wing of the Parthian cavalry directed * It wa.<their common method,notto standa pitched
their efforts, in hopesof taking him in the rear. >attlewilh troops that Here in any degreetheir match*
Uponthis,theyoung
mantookthirteen
hun- mew
nretreatingandadvancing,
the advantage as
had in Ihe occasion required,
swifliiesaof they
their hones,
dred horse, of which those he had from Caesar andin theexcellence
of their arthcr».
made a thousand, five hundred archers, and f Jt is noteasyto fay whatRemanDameMe^abac-
eight cohorts of infantry, which were next at huscould be Ihe corruption of. Xylandertellsus
hand,andwheeled
abouttocometo thecharge.hefuund
ioanoldtranslation,
Cnei.
PUnctaProb-
However,
the Parthians,
whether
it wasthat ablythattranslator
manuscript. might
have
theauthority
ofaim*
they were afraidto meeta detachment
that } Young
Crajsui,
 MARCUS CRASSUS. 391
scarce
stir,byrea«on
oftheweight
of theirnotformanyrational
scheme. Ontheone
ownarmour. Manyofthemeven
quitted
theirhand,hewasafraid
of sacrificing
thewhole
ownhorses,
andgettingunderthoseof the army,
andontheother,anxiousforthepreser-
Parthisns,
wounded
themin thebell)1;uponvationof hisson;butat lasthe resolved
to
whichthe horses,mad with pain,plungedand marchto his assistance.
threwtheirriders,
andtreading themunder Meantime the enemy advancedwithloud
footalong
withtheenemy,atlastfelldowndeadshouts andsongsof victory,
whichmade them
uponboth. Whatwenthardest againstthe appear moreterrible;andall thedrumsbel-
Gaulswasheatandthirst, for theyhadnot lowingagainin theearsof theRomans, gave
beenaccustomed to either. And theylost themnotice ofanotherengagement. ThePar-
mostof theirhorsesby advancing furiouslythianscomingforward withtheheadof Pub-
against
theenemy's
pikes. liuson a spear,demanded,
in the mostcon
Theyhadnownoresourcebut to retireto temptuous manner,whetherthey knewthe
theirinfantry,
andto carryoffyoung
Crassus, familyandparentsoftheyoungman. "For,"
whowasmuchwounded. Buthappeningto saidthey,"it isnotpossible
thatsobrave
and
icea hill ofsand
bytheway,theyretired
toit; gallanta youthshouldbethesonof Crassus,
andhavingplacedtheir horses
in themiddle,thegreatest
dastard
andthemeanest
wretchin
theylockedtheir shieldstogetherall around, the world."
imaginingthat wouldprovethe bestdefence Thisspectacle brokethe spiritsof theRo-
against thebarbarians.
It happened,
however,mansmorethanall the calamities theybad
quiteotherwise.Whiletheywereuponplain metwith. Insteadof excitingthemto revenge,
ground,theforemost rank afforded
someshel-asmight havebeenexpected, it produceda
ter to thosebehind;but uponan eminence, horrorand tremour,which ran throughthe
the unevenness of the groundshewedone wholearmy. Nevertheless, Crassus, on this
aboveanother,and thosebehindhigherthan melancholyoccasion,behaved with greater
thosebefore,so that therewasno chancefor magnanimitythan he had ever shewnbefore.
anyof themto escape; theyfell promiscuous- He marchedup and down the ranks and
ly,lamenting theiringlorious
fate,andtheim- cried,"Romans, thislossismine.Thefortunes
possibility
of exertingthemselves to the last. andgloryof Romestandsafeandundimimsh-
Young Crassushad with him two Greeks, edin you. If you haveany pity for me, who
namedHieronymusandNicomachus, who had am bereavedof the best of sons, shewit in
settledin that country in the town of Carrie. your resentmentagainstthe enemy. Put aa
Theseadvisedhim to retire with them,andto end to their triumph; avengetheir cruelty.
makehis escapeto Ischnx,a city whichhad Be not astonishedat this loss; they must al-
adoptedthe Romaninterests,and was at no wayshavesomethingto suffer who aspireto
greatdistance.But he answered, "There was great things. Lucullus did not pull down Ti-
no death,howeverdreadful,the fear of which granes,nor Scipio Antiochus,without some
couldmake him leave so many brave men expenseof blood. Our ancestors lost a thou-
dyingfor his sake." At the sametime he de- sand ships before they reduced Sicily, and
siredthem to savethemselves,andthen embrac- many great officersand generals in Italy; but no
ed and dismissed them. As his own handwas previous loss prevented their subduing the con-
transfixed with an arrow, and he could not use querors. For it was not by her good fortune,
it, he offeredhis side to his armour-bearer, and but by the perseverance and fortitude with
ordered him to strike the blow. Censorinus which shecombated adversity, that Rome hat
is said to have died in the same manner. As risen to her present height of power."
for Megabacchus, he despatchedhimselfwith Crassus, thoughhe thusendeavoured to ani-
hisown band,and the otherprincipalofficers matehis troops,did not find manyto listento
followedhis example. The rest fell by the him with pleasure. He wassensibletheir de-
Parthianpikes,afterthey had defendedthem- pressionstill continued,whenheorderedthem
selvesgallantlyto the last. The enemydid to shoutfor the battle; for their shoutwas
not make above five hundred prisoners. feeble, languid, and unequal, while that of the
When they had cut off the head of young barbarianswas bold and strong. When the
Crassus,
theymarchedwith it to his father, attackbegan,the light-armedcavalry taking
whoseaffairs were in this posture. After he the Romansin flank, galled them with their
hadorderedhis son to chargethe Parthians, arrows;while the heavy-armed,
chargingthem
news was brought him that they fled with in front with their pikes, drove them into a
great precipitation, and that the Romans pur- narrow space. Some,indeed, to avoid a more
suedthemwith equalvivacity. He perceivedpainfuldeath from the arrows,advancedwith
also,that on his side the enemy'soperationsthe resolutionof despair,but did not much
were comparativelyfeeble: for the greatest execution. All the advantagethey hadwas,
part of them were then gone after his son. that they were speedily despatchedby tha
Hereuponhe recoveredhis spirits in somede- large wounds they receivedfrom the broad
gree,andthrewhisforcesbackto somehigh-headsof theenemy's
strongpikes,whichthey
er ground,expecting
everymomenthisson'spushedwith suchviolence,that theyoften
return from the pursuit. pierced through two men at once.*
Publiushadsentseveralmessengers
to in- Thefightcontinued
in this manner
all day,
formhimofhisdanger;
butthefirsthadfallenandwhenthebarbarians
came
toretire,they
in withthebarbarians,and
werecut in pieces;said,"TheywouldgiveCrassus
onenight to
andthe last having escapedwith great diffi- bewailhis son; if hedid not in the meantime
culty, told him his sonwaslost, if he hadnot
large and immediate succours. Crassus was * ThereIt nothing incredible in this,forit it fre
sodistractedby differentpassions thathe could quently don»bythe Tartars,in thetamemodeof 6sht
ing, at thu day.
 392 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

consider
better,and ratherchooseto go nn< suethem;butat breakof daytheyfell upon
surrender
himselfto Arsaces,thanbecarried.' those
that wereleft intl.ecamp,
anddespatch-
Then they sat down near the Romanarmy edthem,to the numberof four thousand. The
and passedthe nightin great satisfaction,
hop cavalryalsopicked up manyotherswho were
mpto finishthe affairthe nextday, stragglinguponthe plain. Oneof the Roman
It wasa melancholyand dreadfulnight to officers,
namedVarguntinus,whohadwandered
IheRomans.Theytook nocareto burythe in thenightfromthemainbodywithfourco-
dead,nor any notice of the wounded,man; horts,wasfound next morningpostedupona
of whom were expiring in great agonies hill. The barbarians surrounded their little
Everyman hadhis own fateto deplore. Tha corps,andkilled themall, excepttwentymen.
fate appearedinevitable,whether they re Thesemade their way through the enemy,
rnainedwheretheywere,or threw themselveiswordin hand,who let them pass,andthey
in the night into that boundless plain. The; arrived safeat Carrs.
found a great objection,too, againstretiring A rumourwasnow broughtto Surena,that
in thewounded;who would retardtheir flight Crassus, with the bestof hisofficersandtroops,
if theyattemptedto carrythemoff, andalarm hadescaped, and that those who had retired
the enemywith their cries,if they were left into Carra?,wereonly a mixedmultitude,not
behind. worth his notice. He was afraid,therefore,
AB for Crassus,though they believedhim that he had lost the fruits of his victory; but
the causeof all their miseries,they wantet not beingabsolutelycertain,he wantedbetter
him to makehis appearance andspeakto them information,in orderto determinewhetherhe
But he hadcoveredhis head,chosendarkness should besiege Carrse,or pursue Crassui
forhia companion,andstretchedhimselfupon whereverhemighthavefled. For thispurpose
the ground. A sadexampleto the vulgar of he despatched an interpreterto the walls,who
the instability of fortune; andto men of deeper was to call Crassus or Cassius in Latin, and
thought, of the effects of rashnessand ill-plac- tell them that Surena demandeda conference.
ed ambition. Not contentedwith beingthe As soonas the business
of the interpreterwas
first and greatest amongmany millions of men, made known to Crassus, he accepted the pro-
hehadconsidered
himself in a meanlight, be posal. And not long alter, certain Arabians
cause there were two above him. arrived from the samequarter, who knew Cras-
Octavius,one of his lieutenants,andCas- susand Cassiuswell, having beenin tht Ro
"ius, endeavouredto raisehim from the ground mancampbeforethe battle. TheseseeingCas-
and consolehim, but found that hegavehim- siusupon the walls, told him, "Surenawas
self entirely up to despair. They then, by ready to conclude a peacewith them, on con-
their own authority,summoned
the centurions dition they wouldbe uponterms of friendship
and other officers lo a council of war, in which with the king his master, and give up Mesopo-
it was resolved they should retire. Accord- tamia; for he thought this more advantageous
ingly they began to do so without sound of to both than coming to extremities." Cassius
trumpet, and silently enough at first. But when embracedthe overture, and demandedthat the
the sick and wounded perceived they were time and place might be fixed for an interview
going to be deserted, their doleful cries and aetweenSurena and Crassua; which the Ara-
lamentations filled the whole army with con- biansundertook for, and then rode off.
fusion and disorder. Still greater terror seiz- Surena, delighted to find that the Romans
ed themastheyproceeded,
the foremosttroops were in a placewheretheymight bebesieged,
imagining that those behind were enemies. led his Parthians against him the next day.
They often missed their way, often stopped to These barbarianstreated them with great in-
put themselves in some order, or to take some science, and told them, if they wanted either
of the wounded off the beasts of burden, and >eaceor truce, they might deliver up Crassus
put others on. By thesethingsthey lost a andCasaiusbound. The Romans,greatlyaf-
great deal of time; insomuch,that Ignatius Uctedat findingthemselves so imposedupon,
only, whomadethe bestof his waywith three told Crassushe must give up his distantand
hundredhorse,arrived at Carrteabout mid- vain hopesof succourfromthe Armenians,and
night. He salutedthe guardsin Latin, and resolveuponflight. This resolutionoughtto
when he perceivedthey heardhim, he bade lavebeenconcealedfrom all the inhabitants ot
them go and tell Coponius,who commanded3arra;till themomentit wasput in execution.
there,that Crassushad fought a great battle But Crassusrevealedit to Andromachus,one
with the Parthians. Then, withoutexplaining f the most perfidiousamongstthem,whomhe
himself farther,or acquaintingthem who he ko chosefor his guide. From thistraitorthe
was,he madeolT asfast as possibleto Zeug- Parthians learnedevery stepthat wastaken.
ma; by which meansbe savedhimselfandhis As it wasnot their custom,nor consequently
troop;but,at thesametime,wasmuchblam-verypracticable
for themto fightin thenight,
ed for desertinghis general. andit wasin the night that Crassusmarched
However,Crassus
foundbis advantage
in out, Andromachus
contrivedthat theymight
the hint givento Coponiua. That officercon- not befar behind. With this view he artfully
sidering that the hurry and confusionwith edlheRomanssometimes oneway,sometimes
which the message was delivered,betokenedanother,and at last entangledthem among
no.good,
ordered
hismento arm;andassoondeepmarshes
and ditches,
whereit wasdiffi-
as he wasapprisedthat Crassuswagmarching cult to geteither forwardor backward.There
that way,hewentout to meethim,andcon- wereseveralwhoconjectured
fromthis shift-
ductedhis armyinto the town. ngandturning, that Andromachus hadsome
Though the Parthiansin the night perceiv- 11design,andthereforerefusedto follow him
edthellight of theRomans,
theydjdnotpur- anyfarther. As for Cassius,
he returned
to
 MARCUS CRASSUS: 39S

Came;andwhenhisguides,who wereAra At firsthehadrecourse tocntrtaties,

andre-
Diana,
advised
him to waittill the mooDhac presented,
thatif theywouldbutholdoutthe
passed the Scorpion,heanswered, " I am more remainderof the day,theymight in the night
afraid of the Sagittary."" Then makingthe gainthe mountains androcks,whichwould be
bestof his way,he got into Assyriawith five inaccessible
to cavalry. At the sametime he
hundredhorse. Othersfindingfaithful guides pointed to the way, and beggedthem not to
reachedthe mountainsof Sinnaca,andwere foregothe hopesof safetywhentheyhadit so
perfectlysecure,before it waslight. These near. But when he found theyreceivedhis
about five thousandin number, were under the addresswith anger, and clashing their arms in
conductof Octavius,a man of greatmerit anc a menacing
manner,he wasterrified,andbegan
honour. to go; only turning round a moment to epeak
Meantime, day overtook Crassus, while these few words, "You, Octavius, and you,
through the treachery of Andromachus, he was Petronins, and all you Roman officers thai ara
wanderingon bogs and other impracticablepresent,are witnessesof the necessity I am
ground. He hadwith him only four cohorts under to take this step,and conscious of the
of infantry,a verysmallnumberof horse,and dishonour andviolence1suffer. But whenyou
five lictors. At length he regainedthe road aresafe,praytell the world thatI wasdeceived
with much labour and difficulty: but by this by the enemy, and not that I was abandoued
time the enemy was coming up. Ho was not by my countrymen."
abovetwelvefurlongsbehindthecorpsunder However,
Octavius
andPetronius
wouldnot
Octavius. However, as he could not join him, stay behind; they descendedthe hill with htm,
all he could do was to retire to a hill, not so His lictors too would have followed, but he
secureagainstcavalryas Sinnaca,but situated sent them back The first personsthat met
under those mountains, and connected with him, on the part of the barbarians, were two
them by a long ridgewhich ran through the Greeksof the half breed. They dismounted
plain. Octavius,therefore,couldseethe dan- and made Crassusa low reverence,and ad-
ger Crassuswas in, and he immediately ran dressing him in Greek, desired he would send
down with a small band to his assistance. some of his people to see that Surena and his
Upon this, the rest, reproachingthemselvescompany cameunarmed,andwithoutany wea-
for stayingbehind,descendedfromthe heights, ponsconcealedaboutthem. Crassusanswer-
and falling upon the Parthians,drove them ed, " That if his life had beenof any account
from the hill. Then theytook Crassusin the wuh him,he should not havetrusted himself
midst of them, and fencing him with their in their hands." Nevertheless, he sent two
shields,boldly declared,that no Parthian ar- brothersof the nameof Rosciusbeforehim,to
row should touchtheir general,while any of inquire uponwhat footing,and how manyof
them were left alive. each side were to meet. Surena detained those
Surena now perceiving that the Parthians messengers,and advanced in person with his
were less vigorous in their attacks, and that principal officers on horseback. " What is
if night came on, and the Romansgained the this," said he, " I behold? A Roman general
mountains, they would be entirely out of his on foot, when we are on horseback?" Then
reach, formed a stratagem to get Crassusinto *ieordered a horse to be brought for him. But
his hands. He dismissedsome of his prisoners Crassus answered, " There was no error on
after they had heard the conversation of the ither side, since each came to treat after the
Parthian soldiers, who had been instructed to manner of his country." " Then," said Sure-
"ay, that the king did not want perpetual war na, " from this momentthere shall be peace
"with ihe Romans, but had rather renew the and an alliance between Oroiles and the Ro-
friendshipand alliance by his generoustreat' mans;but the treaty mustbe signeduponthe
ment of Crassus. After this manoeuvre, the banksof the Euphrates;for you Komausre-
barbarianswithdrew from the combat, and memberyour agreements very ill." Then he
Surena, with a few of his principal officers, offered him his hand; and when Crassuswould
advancinggentlyto the hill, whereheunstrung lavesentfor a horse,hetold him, " There was
his bow,andotteringhis hand,invited Crassusno need;the king wouldsupplyhim with one."
to an agreement. He said, " the king had At the sametime a horsewas broughtwith
hithertocontraryto his inclinations,given "urmtureof gold, and the equerrieshaving
proofs of his power, but now he would with mounted, Crassus began to drive him forward.
pleasureshewhis moderationand clemency, Dctaviusthenlaid holdon the bridle; in which
in coming
to termswiththe Romans,
andsuf- ie wasfoMowed
by Patromus,
a legionary
tri-
fering themto departin peace." )une. Afterwardsthe restof theRomanswho
Thetroops
received
thisproposal
of Surenaattended,
endeavoured
to stopthehorse,
and
with jov. But Crassus,
whoseerrorshadall to drawoff thosewhopressed
uponCrassus
on
been
owingto theParthian
treachery
andde- each
side. A scuffle
andtumult
ensued,
which
ceit, and thoughtthis suddenchangein their ;nded in blows. ThereuponOctaviusdrew
behaviour
a verysuspicious
circumstance,
did lis sword,
andkilledoneoftheParthian
grooms;
notaccept
theoverture,
butstooddeliberating.
andanother coming behind,Octavius
despatch-
Hereupon,the soldiersraiseda great outcry, ed him. Petronius,who ha3 no arms to de-
andbade
himgodown.Thentheyproceeded
endhim,received
astroke
onhisbreast-plate
to insults and reproaches,
telling him, " He but leapedfromhis horseimwounded. Cras-
wasverywilling to expose
themto theweaponssuswaskilled by a ParlhiannamedPomaiz-
of theParthians,
butdidnotdare
tomeetthem tires:*though
somesayanother
despatched
himself,whentheyhadlaiddowntheirarms, inn,andPoma.xiEthres
cut off his headand
and wanted only a friendly conference." and iu
" All idioe to the Parthian archer*.
 S94 PLUTARCH'S

right hand. Indeed, all thesecircumstance During thesetransactions,Orodeswas re>

must berather from conjecturethan knowledge conciled to Artavasdesthe Armenian, and baa
J'or part of thosewho attendedwere slaini: agreedto a marriagebetweenthat prince'ssis-
attemptingto defendCrassus, and the resthai ter and his son Pacorus. On this occasion
run up the hill on the first alarm. theyfreelywentto eachothers'entertainments,
After this, the Parthianswentandaddress in which manyof the Greek tragedieswere
ed themselves to the troops at the top. The^ presented. For Orodes was not unversed in
told them, Crassushad met with the rewart the Grecian literature; and Artavasdes\ud
his injusticedeserved;but, as for them, Sure written tragedieshimself,as well as oration*
na desired they would cemc down boldly, fo and histories, some of which are still extant
they hadnothing to fear. Upon this promise In oneof theseentertainments,
while theywere
some went down and surrendered themselves yet at table, the headof Crassuswas brought
Others attempted to get off ia the night; bu to the door. Jason, a tragedian of the city of
very few of those escaped. The rest wen Tralles, was rehearsing the Baccha: of Euri-
hunted by the Arabians, and either taken o pides, and the tragical adventuresof Pcntheus
put to the sword. It is said,that in alf there andAgave. All the companywereexpressing
were twenty thousand killed, and ten thousan their admiration of the pieces, when Sillaces
made prisoners. entering the apartment prostrated himself be-
Surena sent the headand hand to Orodes in fore the king, and laid the head of Crassusat
Armenia; notwithstanding which he ordere( his feet. The Parthians welcomed it with ac-
his messengersto (jive it out at Seleucia, tha clamations of joy, and the attendants, by the
he was bringing Crassus alive. Pursuant to king's order, placed Sillaces at the table.
this report, he prepared a kind of mock pro Hereupon, Jason gave one of the actors the
cession,which, by way of ridicule,he callcc habit of Pentheus,in which he hadappeared,
triumph. Caius Pacianus, who of all the pri- and putting on that of Agave, with the frantic
Eoncrs, most resembled Crassus, was dressec air and all the enthusiasmof a Bacchanal,sung
in a rich robe in the Parthian fashion, and in that part, where Agave presents the headof
structcdto answerto the nameof Crassusanc Pentheusuponher thyrsus,fancyingit to ba
title of general. Thus accoutred, he marchec that of a young lion-
on horseback at the head of the Romans. Be-
Well are our toils repaid : On yonder mountain
fore him marchedthe trumpetsand lictors Wepierced
thelordlysavage.
mounted upon camels. Upon the rods were
suspended
emptypurses,
and,on the axes,Findingthecompany
ejtremely
delighted,
b»
headsof theRomansnewlycut off. Behindwenton-
came the Seleucian courtesans with music, The Chorusasks,"Who gavethe gloriousblow!"
singingscurrilousand farcicalsongsuponthe Jjgaveanswers,
"Mine,miceistheprize."
effeminacyandcowardiceof Crassus. PomaxEthres, who wassitting at the table
Thesethingswereto amuse thepopulace.uponhearing thisstartedup,and wouldhave
Butafterthefarcewasover,SurenaassembledtakentheheadfromJason,insistingthat that
thesenateof Seleucia,
andproduced theob- lartbelongedtohim,andnottotheactor.The
scenebooksof Aristides,calledJWelesiacs.
iing,highlydiverted,madePomajsethres the
Nor wasthiaagroundlessinventionto blacken presents
usualon suchoccasions,
andrewarded
theRomans.Forthebooksbeingreallyfound (asonwitha talent. Theexpedition of Cras-
in the baggage of Rustius,*gaveSurenaan suswasa realtragedy, andsuchwastheexor-
excellentopportunityto saymanysharpand dium,*orfarceafterit.
satiricalthingsof the Romans,who,evenin However, theDivineJustice
punishedOrodes
ihe timeof war,couldnot refrainfromsuch or his cruelty,and Surenafor his perjury.
libidinousactionsandabominablebooks. Orodes,
envyingtheglorySurenahadacquired,
This sceneput theSeleucians in mindof ml himto deathsoonafter. Andthat prince,
the wise remarkof ^sop. They sawSurena lavinglost his son Pacorusin a battlewith the
hadputtheMilesianobscenities in theforepart iomans,fell intoa languishingdisorder
which
of thewallet,andbehindtheybeheld a Par- urnedto a dropsy.His second sonPhraatei
thian Sybaris,twitha longtrain of carriagesooktheopportunity to givehimaconite.But
full of harlots;insomuch
that hisarmyresem-'.ndiugthepoison worked onlyuponthewatery
bled the serpents called syctalse. Fierce and Tumour, and was carrying off the diseasewith
formidable in itshead,
it presented
nothingbut t, hetooka shorter
method,
andstrangled
him
pikes,artillery,andwarhorses;whilethetail withhisownhauds.f
ridiculously enoughexhibited prostitutes, musi-
cal instruments,and nights spent in singing * Eiordium,in its originalsense,
signified
theun-
and riot with those women. Ruetius undoubt- availingof the plot,Ihecatastrophe
of a tragedy;end
edly was to blame; but it was an impudent : retained
thatsense
amonjtheGreeks,out when
thing in theParthians
to censuretheJWUesi-ie Romans begantoacttheirlightsatirical
pieces (of
hich they had always been very fond) after their
acs,whenmanyof theArsacidswho611ed the ragcdies, theyappliedthetermtothose pieces.
thronewere sonsof Milesian or Ionian cour- t Therehavebeenmoreeiecrable
characters,
but
tesans. icre i* not, perhaps, in the history of mankind, one
lore contemptible than that uf Crassus. His ruling
* OneoftheBodleian manuMripti haiit ROKIUI. assion wasthemostsordidlustof wealth, andthe
f Sybarn wasa towo-in Lucuut, lamoiu for it* 1m- whole of his conduct, political, popular,aud military,
Irj »uJrlkum.ucy. "a«subservient to tins, if at anytimeb<gave into
 395

\
NICIA8 AND CRASSUS COMPARED.
OKI ol thi firstthingsthatoccursinthiscom-to a smallpart of whatCrassus
expendedat
parisonis, that Niciasgainedhiswealthin a once,in entertaining
somanymyriadsof men,
lessexceptionable mannerthanCrassus.The and supplying themwith breadafterwards.
irorking of minos,indeed,doesnot seemvery But it would be very strangeto me,if there
suitableto a manof Nicias's character,where shouldbeany one who doesnot perceivethat
the personsemployedarc commonlymalefac- this viceis nothing but an inequalityandin-
torsor barbarians,someof which work in fet- consistency
of character;particularlywhenhe
ters, till thedumpsandunwholesome air putan Bees
men layingout that moneyin an honoura-
end to their being.-But it is comparatively an ble manner, which they have got dishonour-
honourablepursuit, when put in parallelwith ably. So muchwith regardto their riches.
gettingan estateby the confiscations
of Sylla, If weconsidertheir behaviourin the admin
or by buyinghousesin the midstof fires. Yet istration,we shallnot find in Nicias any in-
Crassusdealt as openly in thesethingsashe stanceof cunning,injustice,violence, or ef
did in agricultureandusury. As to the other frontery. On the contrary,he sufferedAlci-
matters which he was censuredfor, and which biades to imposeupon him, and he was modest
he denied, namely, his making money of his or rather timid in his applications to the peo-
vote in the senate,his extorting it from the ple. Whereas Crassus, in turning from hij
allies, his overreachingsilly women by flattery, friends to his enemies, and back again if his
and his undertakingthe defenceof ill men; interestrequiredit, is justly accusedof an il
nothing like these things was ever imputed by liberal duplicity. Nor could he deny that he
Slander herself to Nicias. As to his wasting used violence to attain the consulship, wheu he
his money upon those who made a trade of hired ruffians to lay their hands upon Cato and
impeachments
to preventtheir doing him any Domilins. In the assembly
that washeldfor
harm, it was a circumstance which exposed the allotment of the provinces, many weri
him to ridicule; and unworthy, perhaps, of the wounded, and four citizens killed. Nay, C.J»-
characters of Pericles and Aristicles; but neces- sus himself struck a senator, named Luciui
"ary for him, who had a timidity in his nature. Annalms, who opposed his measures,upon Vhe
It was a thing which Lycurgus the orator af- face with his fist (a circumstance which es-
terwards made a merit of to the people: when caped us in his Life,) and drove him out of the
censured for having bought off one of these Jorum covered with blood.
trading informers,"I rejoice," said he, "that But if Crassus
wastoo violentandtyrannical
after being so long employed in the adminis- in his proceedings, Nicias was as much too
tration, I am discovered to have given money, timid. His poltroonery and mean submission
and not taken it." to the most abandonedpersonsin the stale de
As to their expenses,Nicias appearsto have serve the greatest reproach. Besides, Craseui
beenmorepublic spiritedin his. His offerings shewedsomemagnanimityanddignity of sen-
to the gods, and the gamesand tragedieswith timent, in contending, not with such wretches
whichlie entertainedthe people,were somany as Cleon and Hyperbolus,but with the glory
proofsof nobleandgenerous sentiments.It is of Czsar andthe three triumphsof Pompey.
true, all that Nicias laid out in this manner, In fact, he maintained the dispute well with
and, indeed, his whole estate, amounted only them for power, and in the high honour of the
censorship he was even t>2yoiidPompey. For
public munificence,
"peciesof commerce.it was wilhtreating
By thus himnothe
more than
people, a hewhowantstostandat thehelm,shouldnot
he
was laying out Ms moneyin the purchaseof provinces. consider what may expose him to envy, but
WhenSyriafellto hislot,thetransports
hediscover-whatis great andglorious,and mayby its lus-
edsprung
notfromthegreatambition of carryingthe tre, forceenvyto sneakbehind. But if security
RoAan eagles overtheeast:theywerenothing moreandrepose
than lh» joy of a miser, when lie sttr-nblcsupon a hid-
aretobeconsulted
above
allthings;
den treasure. Dazzled with the prospectof barbarian if you are afraid of Alcibiades upon the ros-
cold,
hegrasped
witheagerness
acommand
forwhichtriem,oftheLacedxmonians
atPylos,
andof
hehadnoadequate capacity. Wefindhimembar-Perdiceas in Thrace,then, surely,Nicias.
lassedbytheslightest difficulties
in hismilitarynpe- Athensis wide enoughto afford you a corner
ratiotii;
aud,whenhisobstinacy wouldpermithim, to retire to, whereyou mayweaveyourself
Uking his measuresfrom the adviceof his lieutenants.
We look with indignation on the Roman squadrons the soft crown of tranquility, as some of the
"landing,
byhisdispositions,
asamarkforthePar-philosophers
express
it. TheloveNiuias
had
thianarchers,
andincapable
of actingeither
onthe for peacewas,indeed,a divineattachment,
offensive
or defensive.The Romanscuuldnotbeigno- and his endeavours,during his whole idniims-
rant of the Parthian methodof attacking and retreat-
ing, when they had before spent so much time in Ar- tration,to putanendto thewar,wereworthy
menia. The fame of their cavalry could not be un- of theGrecianhumanity.This aloneplaces
known in a country where it was so much dreaded. him in sohonourable
a light,that Crassus
could
it was,
therefore,
tl.efirstbusiness
oftheRoman
gen-nothavebeencompared
with him,thoughhe
eral to avoidthosecountrieswhich might give them had made the Caspiansea or the Indian occia
toy advantage in theequestrian action.Buithehot theboundary
"cent of eastern treasure madehim a dupe evrn to the
of theJRorhan
empire.
policy
ofthebarharians,
andtoarrifc
atthisthe
near-tains
Nevertheless,inaof
commonwealth whichre-
"tt way he sa any sentiments
**edthe lives of thirty thousandRo- virtue, he who hasth«
Muu. leadshouldnot give place for a momentM
396 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

personsof no principle; he should intrust no Nevertheless,

in this respect,it is easierto
charge with those who want capacity, nor commend Nicias than to blame Crassus. The
placeany confidencein thosewho want hon- capacityandskill of the formeras a general
our. And Nicias certainlydid this in raising kept him from beingdrawn away with the
Cleonto the command of thearmy,a manwho vain hopesof hiscountrymen, andhedeclared,
had nothing to recommend him but his impu- fromthe first,that Sicilycould not be conquer-
dence and his bawling in the rostrum. On the ed: the latter called out the Romans,to the
other hand,I do not commendCrassusfor ad- Parthianwar,asan easyundertaking. In this
vancingto action,in the war with Spartacus,he found himselfsadlydeceived;yet his aim
with more expedition than prudence; though was great. While Caesarwas subduing the
his ambition had this excuse,that he wasafraid west, the Gauls, the Germans, and Britain, he
Pompey would come and snatch his laurels attempted to penetratethe Indian oceanon th«
from him, as Mummiushad done from Me- east, and to conquerall Asia; things whig)
tellus at Corinth. But the conductof Nicias Pompeyand Lucullus would haveeffectedif
was very absurd and mean-spirited. He would they had been able. But though they were
not give up to his enemy the honour and trust both engaged in the same designs,and mad*
of commandi;r-in-chief while he could execute the same attempts with Crassus,their charac-
that charge with ease, and had good hopes of ters stood unimpcached both as to moderation
success; but as soon as he saw it attended and probity. It" Crassus was opposedby one
with great danger, he was willing to secure of the tribunes in his Parthian eijycdiUon,
himself,though he exposedthe public by it. Pompeywasopposedby the senatewhenbe
It was not thus Themistocles behaved in the got Asia for his province. And when Caesar
Persianwar. To preventthe advancement
of hadrouted three hundredthousandGermans,
a roan to the command who had neither capa- Cato voted that he should be given up to that
city nor principle,which he knew musthave injuredpeople,to atonefor the violationof the
beenthe ruin of his country,heprevailedwith peace. But the Romanpeople,payingno re-
him by a sum of money to give up his preten- gard to Cato, ordered a thanksgiving to the
sions. And Cato stood for the tribuneship, gods, for fifteen days, and thought themselves
when he saw it would involve him in the happy in the advantage gamed. Io what rap-
greatesttroubleanddanger. On the contrary, turesthen would theyhavebeen,and for how
Nicias was willing enough to be general, when many days would they have offered sacrifices,
hf <«donly to go againstMinoa, Cythera,or if Crassuscould have sent them an account
the |/i>orMelians; but if there was occasion to from Babylon, that he was victorious; and if n«
fight with the Lacedaemonians,
he put off his had proceededfrom thencethrough Media,
armour, and intrusted the ships, the men, the Persia, Hyrcania, Susa, and Bactria, and re-
Warlike stores, in short the entire direction of duced them to the form of Roman provinces.
a war which required the most consummate For, according to Euripides, if justice must be
prudenceandexperience, to the ignoranceand violated,and men cannotsit downquiet and
rashnessof Clcon, in which he was not only contentedwith their presentpossessions, it
Unjustto himself and his own honour,but to should not be for taking the small town of
the welfare and safetyof his country. This Scandia,or razingsucha castleasMende;nor
madethe Athenianssendhim afterwards,con- yet for goingin chaseof the fugitiveEgioitas,
trary to his inclination,againstSyracuse.They who, like birds,haveretired to another coun-
thoughtit wasnot a convictionof the improba-try: the price of injustice shouldbe high: so
bility of success,but a regardto his own ease sacreda thing as right shouldnot be invaded
anda wantof spirit, which madehim willing for a trifling consideration, for that would be
to deprivethemof the conquestof Sicily. treatingit with contemptindeed. In fact,they
There is, however,this great proof of his who commendAlexander'sexpedition, and
Integrity,thatthoughhewasperpetuallyagainst decry that of Crassus,judge of actions only
war, and always declined the command, yet by the event.
theyfailednotto appointhimtoit astheablest As to their militaryperformances,
several
and best general they iiad. But Crassus,of Nicias'sarevery considerable. He g.imed
though he was for ever aiming at such a manybattles,andwas very neartakingSyra-
charge,never gainedone except in the war cuse. Nor were all his miscarriages so many
with the gladiators; and that only becauseerrors; but theywere to be imputedpartlyto
Pompey,Metellus, and both the Lucullus's his ill health,and partly to the envy of hit
were absent. This is the more remarkable,countrymenat home. On the other hand,
becauseCrassuswas arrived at a highdegree Crassuscommittedso many errors,that For-
of authorityand power. But, it seems,
his tunehadno opportunity
to shewhim anyfa-
bestfriendsthoughthim(asthecomicpoetex- vour; wherefore
weneednotsomuchwonder,
presses
it) that the Parthian power got the betterof his
incapacity, as that his incapacity prevailed over
In «11trades akill'd, ticept the trade of war.
the good fortune of Rome.
However,thisknowledgeof his talentsavailed As oneof thempaidthe greatestattentionto
theRomansbut little; his ambitionneverlet divination,
andtheotherentirelydisregarded
themrest,till theyassignedhim a province.it, andyet bothperished
alike,it is hardto
The AtheniansemployedNicias against his saywhetherthe observation of omensis asalu-
inclination; and it wasagainstthe inclination tarythingor not. Nevertheless,
toerr ontheside
of the Romans that Crassus led them out. of religion, out of regard to ancient and receiv-
Crassusinvolved his country in misfortunes;ed opinions,is a more pardonablething than
butthe misfortunes
of Niciaswereowingto to err throughobstinacy
andpresumption.
Jiu country. Crasaus,howeverwasnot so reproachabla
 SERTORIUS. 397

In hiseiii. He did notsurrender

himself,or Whereas
Nicias,froma meanand unmanly
tubnut to be bound,nor was he deludedwith fondness
for life, put himself in the enemy'*
rain hopes;
butin yieldingto the instances
of hands,
by whichmeans
hecameto a baser
and
his friends he met his fate, and fell a victim to more dishonorableend.
the perfidyand injustice of the barbarians.

SERTORIUS.

IT Isnot at all astonishingthat Fortune, in nus, Hannibal, and Sertorius,whoseli(e we

the variety of her motionsthrougha courseof are now going to write. A manwhosecon-
numberless ages,happens oftento hit uponthe duct, with respect to women,waspreferable
samepoint, and to produceeventsperfectly to that of Philip, who wasmorefaithful to his
similar. For, if the number of events be infi- friends than Antigonus, and more humane to
nite, Fortune mayeasilyfurnishherself with his enemiesthanHannibal;but, thoughhewa«
parallelsin suchabundance of matter;if their inferior to none of them in capacity,he fell
numberbe limited, theremustnecessarily bea shortof themall in success.Fortune,indeed,
return of the same occurrences, when the was ever more cruel to him than his most in-
wholeis run through. veterateand avowedenemies;yet he shewed
Some there are who take a pleasure in col- himself a match for Metellus in experience, for
lecting those accidentsand adventuresthey Pompeyin nobledaring,for Sylla in his victo-
have met with in history or conversation, ries, nay, for the whole Roman people in pow-
which have such a characteristical likeness, as er; and was all the while an exile and a so
to appearthe effectsof reasonand foresight journeramongbarbarians-
For example,there weretwo eminentpersons The Greciangeneralwho,"we think, most
of the name of Attis,* the one a Syrian, the resembleshim, is Eumencs of Cardia.* Both
other an Arcadian,whowere both killed by a of themexcelledin point of generalship,
in all
boar. There were two Acteons, one of which the art of stratagem, as well as courage. Both
was torn in pieces by his dogs, and the other by were banished their own countries, and com-
his lovers.f Of the two Scipios, one conquer- manded armies in others. And both had to
ed Carthage, and the other demolished it. contend with Fortune, who persecutedthem so
Troy was taken three times; the first time by violently, that at last they wtre assassinated
Hercules,on accountof Laomedon'shorses; through the treachery of thoseverypersons
the secondtime by Agamemnon, through means whom they had often led to victory.
of the woodenhorsejf the third by Charide- QuintusSertoriuswasof a respectable
family
mus, a horse happening to stand in the way, in the town ot'Nursia, and country of the Sa-
and hindering the Trojans from shutting the bines Having lost his father when a child, he
gatesso quickly as they should have done. hada liberaleducationgiven him by his mo-
There are two cities that bear the namesof the ther, whom on that account he always loved,
most odoriferous plants, /os§ and Smyrna, with the greatesttenderness. Her name was
Violet andMyrrh, andHomeris said to have Rhea. He wassufficientlyqualified to speak
beenbom in the one, and to have died in the in a court of justice; and by his abilities that
other. To theseinstanceswe mayadd,that way gainedsomeinterest,when but a youth,
someof the generals who have been the great- in Rome itself. But his greater talents for the
eat warriors, and have exerted their capacity camp, and his successas a soldier, turned his
for stratagemin the most successful manner, ambition into that channel.
havehadbut oneeye; I meanPhilip Antigo- He madehis first campaignunder Cspio,f
when the Cimbri and Teutones broke into
" Pausanias, in his Achaics, mentions oneAttis,or Gaul. The Romansfoughta battle,in which
Attes, the son ot'Calaus the Phrygian, who introduced their behaviour
wasbut indifferent,and thej
the worship of the mother of the gods among the Ly-
dians. He was himself under a natural incapacity of were put to the route. On this occasion Ser-
having children,and,therefore, hemightpossibly be toriouslost his horse,and receivedmany
thefirstwhoproposed thatallthepriestsof thatgod-wounds himself,yet beswamtheriverRhone,
dess shouldbeeunuchs.Pausanias adds,thatJupiter, armedashewaswith hisbreastplateandshield,
displeasedat hisbeingsogreata favourite withher, in spiteof theviolenceof thetorrent. Such
lent a boar, which ravagedthe fields and slew Attis,
w well as many of the Lvdiaus. We know nothing of was his strength of body, and so much had he
myotherAttis. improved
thatstrength
byexercise.
f Acteon,the sonof Ansteacus,wastornin pieces The sameenemy cameon a secondtime,
by hisowndogs;andActeon, thesonof Melissus, by with suchprodigiousnumbers,andsuchdread-
the Bacchiadx. See the Scholiast upon Apollonius,
Book iv. ful menaces,
thatit wasdifficultto prevailwith
{ Theseare all woodeninstancesof eventsbeing un-
der the guidance of an intelligent being. Nay, they * In the Thracian Chcrsonesus.
aresuchpuerilitiesasTimxushimselfscarce
evergave fin the printed leit it is Scipio; but two manu-
into. scriptsgiveus Crjiio. And ii certainlyviasQ. Ser-
§Some suppose los to havebeenan islandrather viliusCsepio.,
who,with theconsulCu.Mallus,waj
thana town. Butif it wasanisland,theremightbe defeated by theCimbri.in thefjurlli 5far of thehun-
t UJV.Dn\ it of the same name,whichv*aioftta the dred»nd»ntyeighthOlympiad, ahundred andthre«
<ut it <v» O'"k yeirs before the Christian era.
Cc
 398 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

a Romanto kenphispost,or to obeyhisgen-out. This,however, healwaysgloriedin. H«

eral. Marius hadthenthe command, and saidothersdid not alwayscarry aboutwith
Sertoriusofferedhis services
to go asa spy, Ihemthehonourablebadges
oftheirvalour,bat
andbring him anaccountof the enemy. For sometimeslaid asidetheir chains,their tnm-
thispurposehetooka Gaulishhabit,andhav- cheOIW,
andcoronets;
whilehehadperpetually
inglearnedasmuchof thelanguage as might theevidences
of his braveryabouthim, and
sufficefor commonaddress,he mingled with thosewho sawhis misfortune,
at tne sametime
thebarbarians.Whenhehadseenandheardbeheldhiscourage.The people,
too,treated
enoughto let himinto the measuresthey were him with thehighestrespect.When heentered
taking, he returnedto Marius, who honouredthe theatre,theyreceivedhim with the loudert
him with the establishedrewardsof valour; plauditsandacclamations, anhonorwhichoffi-
and, during that whole war, he gave such cersdistinguishedfor their age and achieve-
proofs of his courageandcapacity,as raised mentsdid not easilyobtain.
him to distinction, and perfectly gainedhim the Yet when he stood for the office of tribune
confidence
of hisgeneral. of the people,helost it throughthe opposition
After the war with the Cimbri and Teu- of Sylla's faction; which was the chief cause
tones,he wassentas a legionarytribune, un- of his perpetualenmityagainstSylla. When
der Didius, into Spain,andtookup his winter Marius was overpoweredby Sylla, and fled
quartersin Castulo,*a city of the Celtiberians for his life, andSylla wasgoneto carryon the
The soldiers,living in greatplenty,behaved in war againstMithridates, Octavius,oneof the
an insolent anddisorderlymanner,andcom- consuls,remained in Sylla'a interest; but
monlydrankto intoxication. The barbarians,Cinna, the other consul,whose temperwaa
ieeing this, held them in contempt; and one restless and seditious, endeavoured to revive
night having got assistancefrom their neigh- the sinking faction of Marius. Sertorius join-
boursthe Gyriso?nians,t
theyenteredthe housesed the latter; the ratherbecausehe perceived
where they were quartered, and put them to that Octavius did not act with vigour, and that
the sword. Sertorius, with a few more, having he distrusted the friends of Marius.
found meansto escape,salliedoutandcollect- Sometimeafter, agreatbattlewasfoughtby
ed all that he had got out of the hands of the the consuls in the forum, in which Octaviua
barbarians. Then he marched round the town, was victorious, and Cinna and Sertorius hav-
and finding the gate open at which the Gy- ing lost not muchlessthan ten thousandmen,
riscenians had been privately admitted, he en- were forced to fly. But, as there was a number
tered; but took care not to committhe same of troopsscatteredup anddown in Italy, they
error they had done. He placed a guard there, gained them by promises, and with that ad-
made himself master of all the quarters of the dition found themselves able to make head
town, and slew all the inhabitants who were againstOctavius again. At the sametime Ma-
able to bear arms. After this execution,he rius arrivedfrom Africa, andofferedto range
ordered his soldiers to lay asidetheir own arms himself under the bannersof Cinna, asa private
and clothes, and take those of the barbarians, man under the consul. The officers were of
and to follow him in that form to the city of opinion that they ought to receive him; only
the Gyriscpriians. The people, deceived by Sertorius opposed it. Whether it was that he
the suits of armour and habits, they were ac- thought Cinna would not pay so much atten-
quainted with, opened their gales and sallied tion to him, when he had a man of so much
forth, in expectationof meetingtheir friends greater name,as a general,in his army; or
and fellow-citiiens in all the joy of success. whether he feared, the cruelty of Mariui
The consequence of which was, that the would throw all their affairs into confusion
greatestpartof themwere cut in piecesat the again;as he indulgedhis resentments
without
gates; the rest surrendered,
andwere soldas any regardto justice or moderationwhenever
"laves. he had the advantage. He remonstrated,
By this manoeuvre,
the nameof Sertorius that aathey werealreadysuperiorto the ene-
becamefamousin Spain;anduponhis return my,theyhadnot muchleft to do; but if theyad-
to Rome, he vtfis appointed qusstor in the Ci- mitted Marius among them, he would rob them
salpineGaul. That appointmentwas a very of all the honourand the power at the same
"easonable one: for the Marian war soon time, for he could not endure an associatein
breaking out, and Sertorius being employed to command, and was treacherous in every thing
levy troopsandto providearms,he proceededwherehis own interestwas concerned.
in that commissionwith suchexpeditionand Cinnaanswered, that the sentiments
of Scr-
activity, that, while effeminacyandsupmenesstoriuswere perfectly right, but that he was
were spreadingamongthe rest of the Koman ashamed, andknew not how to rejectMariui,
youth;hewasconsideredasa manof spirit and whenhe had invitedhim to take a part in the
enterprize. direction of affairs. Sertorius replied, " I
Nor did his martial intrepidityabate,when imaginedthat Marius hadcomeof hisown ac-
he arrivedat the degreeof general. Hii per- cord into Italy, andpointedout to youwhatin
sonalexploitswere still great, and he faced that casewas most expedientfor you to do;
danger in the most fearless manner; in conse- but as he came uponyour invitation, you should
quenceof whichhe hadoneof his eyeastruck not have deliberated*a momentwhetherhe
was to be admitted or not. You shoulil have
* A townof NewCastile,
onthe confines
of Anda receivedhimimmediately.True honourleavei
liuia. no room for doubt and hesitation."
»TheGyriscEnians
beinga people
whomvreknow Cinnathen sentfor Marius; andthe forcei
Delimit: of, 'I has been conjectured that we should
readOritwfWi
TlicOrisian»
were
of thatdistrict.being
divided
intothreeparts,eachof these
BeeCelleriui. * Qui delibtroatdeKiterunL-Tacit.
 SERTORIUS- 398

ttreegreat
officers
hadacommand.
Whenthe without
thewalls,
andhesetthemtheexam
warwasover,CinnaandMariusgaveinto pie. Hedidnot,however, placehiswholede-
everykindofinsolence
andcruelty.Sertorious
pendanceupontheattachment of the barba
"loneneither
putanymantodeath to gluthis rians.Whatever Romans hadsettledthere,
ownrevenge,norcommitted
anyotheroutrage;andwerefit to beorarms,heincorporated
with
on thecontrary,
he reproached
Mariuswith histroops:heprovided suchavarietyof war-
bissavage proceedings,andapplyingto Cinnalikemachines,
andbuiltsucha number
ofshipg,
in private,prevailed
withhimto makea moreaskeptthecitiesin awe:andthoughhis ad-
moderate useof his power. At last,findingdresswasmildandgentlein peace,
hemade
that the slaves,whomMarius hadadmittedhis himselfformidableby his preparations
for war.
fellow-soldiers,
and afterwardsemployed as ,Assoonashe wasinformedthatSyllahad
theguardsof histyranny,*werea strongand madehimselfmasterof Rome,andthat the
numerousbody; andthat partly by order or factionof Mariueand Carbowasentirelysup-
permission
ofMarius;partlybytheirnativefe- pressed,
heconcluded
thatanarmywouldsoon
rocity,theyproceeded to the greatesteicesses, besentagainsthim under the conduct of an
killing their masters,abusingtheir mistresses,ablegeneral. For this reasonhe sentJulius
and violatingtheir children;heconcluded,that Salinator,with six thousandfoot, to block up
theseoutrageswere insupportable,and shot the passes of the Pyrenees. In a little time
them all with arrows in their camp, though Caius Annius arrived on the part of Sylla; and
their number was not less than four thousand. seeing it impossible to dislodge Salinator, he
After the death of Marius, the assassination sat down at the foot of the mountain, not
of Cinna that followed it, and the appoint- knowing how to proceed. While he was in
mentof youngMarius,to the consulship, con- this perplexity,one Calpurnius,sumamedLe-
trary to the will of Sertoriusand the laws of narius,assassinated Salinator, andhis troop*
Rome, Carbo, Scipio,andNorbanuscarried thereuponquitting the Pyrenees,Anniuapiss-
on the war againstSylla, now returnedto Ita- ed them, easilyrepulsingwith his great army
ly, but without any success. For sometimesthe few thatopposedhim. Sertorius,not being
the officers behavedin a mean and dastardly in a condition to give him battle, retired with
manner,andsometimes
the troopsdesertedin three thousandmento New Carthage;where
large bodies. In this case Sertorius began to he embarked, and crossed over to Africa.
think his presenceof DO importance, as he The Maurusian coast was the land he touched
gaw their affairs under a miserable direction, upon; and his men going uponshore there to
andthat personsof the least understandingwater, andnot being on their guard,the bar-
had most power. He was the more confirmed barians fell upon them, and killed a consider-
in his opinion, when Sylla, encamped near able number; so that he was forced to make
Scipio,and,amusinghim with caresses,
under backfor Spain. He foundthecoastsguarded,
pretenceof anapproachingpeace,wasall the andthat it wasimpracticableto makedescent
while corrupting his troops. Sertorius adver- there; but having met with some vessels of
tisedScipioof it severaltimes, andtold him Cilicianpirates,he persuaded
themto join him,
what the event would be, but he never listened and made his landing good in the isle of
to him. Pitiusa,* forcinghis way throughthe guards
Then giving up Rome for lost, he retired which Annius had placed there.
with the utmostexpeditioninto Spain; hoping SoonafterAnniusmadehis appearance
with
if he could get the government there into his a numerous fleet, on board of which were five
bands,
to be ableto affordprotectionto such thousand
men. Sertorious
ventured
to engage
of hisfriendsas mightbebeatenin Italy. He him; thoughhis vesselsweresmall, and made
metwithdreadfulstormson hisway, andwhen rather for swift sailingthan strength. But a
he cameto the mountainsadjoiningto Spain, violentwest-windspringing up, raisedsucha
the barbariansinsistedthat he shouldpaytoll, storm, that the greatest part of Sertorius's
and purchasehis passage over them. Those ships,beingtoo light to bearupagainstit, were
thatattendedhim were fired with indignation, driven uponthe rocky shore. Sertoriushim-
andthought
it aninsufferable
thing for a Ro- self wasprevented
by the stormfrommaking
manproconsulto pay toll to such a crew of his wayat sea, and by the enemyfrom land-
barbarians.
But hemadelightof theseeminging;sothathewastossedaboutbythewaves
disgrace,
andsaid,"Time wasthe thing he for tendaystogether,
andat lastescaped
with
purchased, than which nothing in the world great difficulty.
couldbemore preciousto a man engagedin At lengththe wind abated,and he ran. in
greatattempts."He thereforesatisfiedthe amongsomescattered islandsin thatquarter.
demands of themountaineers,andpassed
over Therehe landed;butfindingtheywerewith-
into Spainwithoutloosinga moment. out water,he put to seaagain,crossed the
Hefound the countryverypopulous, andStraitsof Gades, andkeeping to theright.
aboundingin youth fit for war,but at the same landed a little abovethe mouth of the river
timethepeople, oppressed bytheavariceandBaetis,whichrunning througha largetrackto
rapacityofformer governors,
wereill disposed
dischargeitselfin theAtlanticOcean, givea
towardsanyRoman governmentwhatever. To name toallthatpartof Spainthrough which it
remove thisaversion,hetriedtogainthebet-passes.fTherehefound somemariners lately
tersortbybisaffableandobliging
manner, andarrivedfromtheAtlantic Islands.!These are
thepopulace by loweringthe tales. Buthis two in number, separatedonlyby a narrow
excusing
themfromproviding
quarters
for the channel,andareat the distance
of fourhun-
soldiers was the most agreeable measure. For
* Now Ivica.
he orderedhis men to passthe winter in tents
" Th«Bardiaeani. |I Hatica,
now
The Cmariei.
400 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

dredleagues*
fromthe Africancoast. They hereby Hercules.
Theseparticular!wemen
»recalledthe Fortunate Islands. Rain sel- tion for the sakeof Juba,the bestof all roya.
dom falls there, and when it does, it falls mod- historians; for he issaid to have beenadescend-
erately: but they generallyhavesoft breezes,ant of Sophaxand Diodorus, the BODand
which scatter such rich dews, that the soil is grandson of Hercules.
not only goodfor sowingand planting,but Sertoriushavingthusclearedthe field, did
spontaneouslyproducesthe most excellent no sort of harmto those who surrendered
fruits, and thosein suchabundance,that the themselves or placeda confidence
in him. He
inhabitants have nothingmoreto do than to restoredthem their possessions andcities, and
indulge themselves in the enjoymentof ease. put the governmentin theirhandsagain;taking
The air is always pleasantand salubrious,nothing for himselfbut whatthey voluntarily
through the happy temperature of the seasons, offered him.
and their insensible transition into each other. As hewas deliberating which way be should
For the north and east winds which blow from next turn his arms, the Lusitaniana sent am-
our continent, in the immense track they have bassadorsto invite him to take the command
to pass, are dissipatedand lost: while the sea among them. For they wanted a general of
winds, that is, the south and the west, bring his reputation and experience, to support them
with them from the ocean slight and gentle againstthe terror of the Roman eagles;and he
showers,but oftener only a refreshing moisture, was the only one on whose character and
which imperceptibly scatters plenty on their firmness they could properly depend. Indeed,
plains. So that it is generally believed even he is said to have been proof against the im-
amongthe barbarians,
that theseare the Ely- pressions
both of pleasureandfear;intrepidin
sian Fields, andthe seatsof the blessed,which time of danger, and not too much elated with
Homer has described in the charms of verse.f more prosperousfortune; in any great and sud-
Sertorius hearing these wonders, conceived den attempt as daring as any general of his
a strong desire to fix himself in those islands, time, and where art and contrivance, as well
where he might live in perfect tranquillity, at a as despatch,was necessaryfor seizing a passor
distance from the evils of tyranny and war. securing a strong hold, one of the greatest
The Cilicians,who wantedneitherpeacenor mastersof stratagemin the world; nobleand
repose, but riches and spoils, no sooner per- generous in rewarding great actions and in
ceived this, than they bore away for Africa, to punishing offences very moderate.
restore Ascalis the son of Iphtha to the throne It is true his treatment of the Spanish hos-
of Mauritania. Sertorius, far from givjng him- tages in the latter part of his life, which bore
self up to despair, resolved to go and assist such strong marks of cruelty and revenge,
the people who were at war with Ascalis, in seems to argue that the clemency he shewed
order to open to his troops another prospect in before, was not a real virtue in him, but only
this new employment, and to prevent their a pretendedone, taken up to suit his occasions.
relinquishing him for want of support. His I think indeed, that the virtue which is sincere.
arrival was very acceptable to the Moors, and and foundedupon reason, can never be so con-
he soon beat Ascalis in a pitched battle; after quered by any stroke whatever, asto give place
which he beseiged him in the place to which to the opposite. Yet dispositionsnaturally ha
he retired. mane and good, by great and undeservedca,
Hereupon, Sylla interposed, and sent Pac- lamities may possiblybe soureda little, and the
cianus with a considerable force to the assist- man may change with his fortune. This, I am
ance of Ascalis. Sertorius meeting him in the persuaded, was the case of Sertorius; when
field, defeated and killed him; and having in- fortune forsook him, his dispositionwas sharp-
corporated his troops with his own, assaulted ened by disappointment, and he becamesevere
and took the city of Tingis,f whither Ascalis to those who injured or betrayed him.
and his brothers had fled for refuge. The Af- At present having accepted the invitation to
ricans tell us the body of Antreus lies there; Lusitanin, he took his voyagefrom Africa thith-
and Sertorius, not giving credit to what the er. Upon his arrival he was invested with
barbarians related of his gigantic size, opened full authority as general, and levied forces,
his tomb for satisfaction. But how great was with which he reduced the neighbouring pro-
his surprise, when (according to the account vinces. Numbers voluntarily came ovf.r to
we have of it) he beheld a body sixty cubits him, on account of his reputation for clemency
long. He immediately offered sacrifices, and as well as the vigour of his proceedings. And
closed up the tomb; which addedgreatly to the to theseadvantageshe addedartifices to amus»
respectandreputationit had before. and gain the people.
The people of Tmgis relate, that after the That of the hind was none of the least.*
deathof Antaius, Hercules took his widow Spanus,a countrymanwholived in thoseparti
Tinga to his bed, and had by her a son named happening to fall in with a hind which had
Sophax, who reigned over that country, and newly yeaned, and which was flying from the
foundeda city to which he gavehis mother's hunters,failed in his attemptto take her; oui,
name. They add, that Diodorus,the son of charmedwith theuncommon colourof thef iwn,
Sophax, subdued many African nations with which was a perfect white, he pursuedand tonk
an army of Greeks, which he raisedout of the it. By good fortune Sertorius had his catop in
colonies of Olbians and Myceneans settled that neighbourhood; and whatever wash-ought
" In theoriginalten thousand
furlongs. of himtakenin hunting,or of the production!
f OJyas.
iv. of :he field, he receivedwith pleasure,
andre-
j la the(tit Ttnstne.Sfrabo
(ellsus,thebarba-turnedthecivilitywithinterest.Thecountry-
rians call it Tinga, that Arttmidorus cives it the name
if LITIJJU, aud Eratosthenesthat of Ltxus. * Serlorius had learned thesearta ol Muiu.
 SERTORIUS. 401

manwentandoffered himthe fawn. He re- and,yet wouldnotcometo a pitchedbattle,

ceivedthis presentlike the rest,andat first andwho,bythelightness andinactivityof the
tooknoextraordinary noticeof it. Butin time Spanish troops,turnedhimselfinto all man-
it becamesotractableandfondof him,thatit nerof forms. He wassufficiently skilled,in-
wouldcomewhenhecalled,followhimwher-deed,in setbattles, andhecommanded a firm
everhe went,and learnedto bearthehurry heavy-armed infantry,whichknewhowto re
andtumultof thecamp. By little andlittle, pulseand beardownany thing that would
be broughtthe peopleto believetherewas makeheadagainstthem,but hadnoexperi-
something sacredandmysterious in theaffair: encein climbingmountains,or capacityto via
givingit out that the fawnwasa gift from in flying,and pursuingmenas swiftas the
Diana,andthatit discovered to himmanyim- wind. Nor couldhistroopsbearhunger, eat
portantsecrets. For he knew the naturalany thing undressed, or lie upontheground
powerof superstition over the mindsof the withouttents,like thoseof Sertorius.Beside*
barbarians.In pursuance of hisscheme, whenMetelluswasnowadvanced inyears,andafter
the enemywas makinga privateirruptioninto his manycampaigns and long service,hadbe-
the country under his command,or persuad-gunto indulgehimselfin a moredelicateway
ing somecity to revolt, he pretended
the lawn of living; whereasSertoriuswasin the vigour
bad appearedto him in a dream,andwarned of his age, full of spirits, and had brought
him to havehis forces ready. And if he had strengthandactivity to the greatestperfection
intelligenceof somevictorygainedby his of- by exerciseand abstemiousness. He never
ficers,he used to concealthe messenger, and indulgedin wine, even when hehad nothing
producethe fawncrownedwith flowersfor its elseto do; andhe hadaccustomed himself to
good tidings; biddingthe peoplerejoiceand bear labourand fatigue,to makelong march-
sacrifice to the gods, on account of eomenews es, and pass many successivenights without
they would soonhear. sleep, though supportedall the while with
By this inventionhemadethemaotractable meanandslenderdiet. By bestowinghis lei-
that they obeyedhis ordersin everythingwith- sureon huntingand traversingall the country
out hesitation, no longerconsidering themselves for game, had gained such a knowledge of the
asundertheconduct
of & stranger,
buttheim- impracticable
aswell asopenpartsof it, that
mediatedirectionof Heaven. And the aston- whenhe wantedto fly, he foundno mannerof
ishing increase of his power, far beyond all difficulty in it, and if he had occasion to pur-
they could rationally expect, confirmed them sue or surround the enemy, he could execute
in that persuasion. For, with two thousandsix it with ease.
hundred men, whom he called Romans (though Hence, it was that Metellus, in being pre-
among them there were sevenhundred Afri- vented from coming to any regular action, suA
cans, who came over with him) and an addi- fered all the inconveniencesof a defeat; and
tion of four thousand light-armed Liuitaniana Sertoriua gained as much by flying as he could
and sevenhundredhorse,he carried on the have doneby conqueringandpursuing. For
war against four Roman generals, who had a he cut his adversary off from water, and pre-
hundredand twenty thousandfoot, six thou- ventedhis foraging. If the Romansbeganto
"aud horse, two thousandarchers and slmgers, march, he was on the wing to harassthem;
and cities without number under their com- and if they sat still, he galled them in such a.
mand;thoughat first hehadtwentycitiesonly. manner,that they were forced to quit their
Nevertheless,
with so trilling a force,andsuch post. If they investeda town, he was soon
"mall beginnings,
hesubdued severalgreat na- upon them, and by cutting off their convoys,
tions, and took many cities. Of the generals as it were, besieged the besiegers: insomuch,
that opposedhim, he beatCotta.at seain the thatthey beganto give upthe point,andto call
straits over against Mellana; he defeated Phi- uponMetellus to accept the challenge that Ser
dius*who hadthe chief commandin Baeltica,toriua hadgiven, insistingthat generalshould
and killed four thousandRomansupon the fight with general, andRomanwith Roman;
banksof the Bstis. By his qusstor he beat and when he declinedit, they ridiculedand
JJomitiusand Lucius Manlius, proconsulof abusedhim. Metellus only laughedat them,
the other Spain;he likewiseslewThorania9,t and he did perfectlyright; for, as Theophras-
*ne of the officerssentagainsthim by Mctel- tus says,"A generalshoulddie like a general,
lus, together with his whole army. Nay, Me- and not like a common soldier."
tellushimself, a generalof as greatreputation He found that the Langobrite were very
as any the Komans then had, was entangled serviceable to Sertorius, arid perceived, at the
by him in suchdifficulties,andreducedto such sametime, that he mightsoonbringthemto
extremities,that he wasforcedto call in Lu- surrenderfor want of water; for they hadbut
cius Lol'lius, from Gallia Narbonensis,to his one well in the city, andan enemymightim-
assistance,and Pompeythe Great was sent mediatelymakehimself masterof the springe
with anotherarmy from Rome with the ut- in the suburbs,and underthe walls. He,
most expedition. For Metcllus knew not thereforeadvanced againstthe town; but con-
what measures
to takeagainstso daringan cludinghealiouldtakeit withintwodays,he
enemy,who wascontinually
harassinghim, orderedhistroopsto takeonly fivedayspro-
visions with them. But Sertoriua gave the
" Xylanderhasit Di&ut, whichit agreeable
to some people speedy assistance. He got two thou-
manubcrtpts; Cruseriut,upon conjectureonly,readssandskins,andfilledthemwithwater,prom
it.iu/miu*. Frienshem,in hisSupplement to Livy, isinga goodrewardfor the careof eachves-
(ic. 28.) call»this generalPurfidius; andhemightdo
it upon the authority of some ancient manuscript of sel or skin. A numberof Spaniards andMoor*
Pluurch. offeredtheir serviceon this occasion;andhav-
t Florujhatit Thariui ingselected
thestrongest
andswiftestof them,
 402 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

hesentthemalongthemountains
withorders,thewallsof atown,andtheenemywerepress.
whenthey delivered
thesevessels,
to takeall ingharduponhim,theSpaniards,
to saveSet-
Uselesspersons out of the town, that the water torius, exposed themselves without any pre-
mightbe fully sufficientfor the restduringthe caution. They passedhim upontheir shoul-
whole courseof the siege. ders, from one to another,till hehad gained
When Metellus was informedof this ma- the walls,andwhentheir generalwassecure,
noeuvre, he was greatly concerned at it; and then they dispersed,and fled for their own lives.
as his provisionsbeganto fail, he sent out Nor washe belovedby the Spanishsoldiers
Aquilius with six thousandmen to collect fresh only, but by those which came from Italy too.
supplies. Sertoriuswho hadearly intelligence When PerpennaVento,who wasof the same
of it, laid an ambush for Aquilius, and upon hie party with Sertorius, came into Spain with a
return,three thousandmen,who wereplaced greatquantityof money,anda respectable
array,
in the shady channel of a brook for the pur- intending to proceed in his operations against
pose, rose up and attacked him in the rear. At Metellus upon his own bottom; the troops dig-
the same time Sertorius himself charged him in liked the scheme,and nothing was talked of in
front, killed a considerablenumber of his party, the camp but Sertorius. This gave great un-
and took the rest prisoners. Aquilius got back easinessto Perpenna, who was much elated
to Metellus, but with the loss both of his horse with his high birth and opulent fortune. Nor
and his arms; whereuponMeteJlusretired did the matterstophere. Upon their having
with disgrace, greatly insulted and ridiculed by intelligence that Pompey had passedthe Pyre-
the Spaniards. nees, the soldiers took up their armsand stand
This successprocured Sertorius the admira- ards, and loudly called upon Perpennato lead
tion and esteem of the Spaniards; but what them to Sertorius; threatening if he would not
charmed them still more was, that he armed comply, to leave him, and go to a general vcho
them in the Roman manner, taught them to knew how to saveboth himself and those un-
keep their ranks, and to obey the word of com- der his command. So that Perpenna was forc-
mand; so that, instead of exerting their strength ed to yield, and he went and joined Sertoriuf
in a savageand disorderly manner, and behav- with fifty-three cohorts.*
ing like a multitude of banditti, he polished Sertorius now found himself at the headof
them into regular forces. Another agreeable a great army; for, besidesthe junction of Per-
circumstance was, that he furuished them with penna, all the countries within the Iberus had
abundance
of goldandsilver to gild their hel- adoptedhis interest, and troops were daily
mets, and enrich their shields; and that he flocking in on all sides. But it gave him pain
taught them to wear embroidered vests, and to seethem behavewith the disorder and fero-
magnificent coats; nor did he give them sup- city of barbarians; to find them calling upon
plies only for these purposes, but he set them him to give the signal to charge, and impatient
the example.* The finishingstroke was,his of the leastdelay. He tried what mild repre-
collecting from the various nations, the chil- sentations would do, and they had no effect
dren of the nobility into the great city of Osca,f They still continued obstinate and clamorous,
and his furnishing them with mastersto instruct often demanding the combat in a very unsea-
them in the Grecian and Roman literature. sonable manner. At last he permitted them
This had the appearanceonly of an education. to engagein their own way, in consequenceof
to preparethem to be admittedcitizensof whichthey would suffer greatloss,thoughhe
Rome, and to fit them for important commis- designedto prevent their being entirely defeat-
sions; but, in fact, the children were so many ed. These checks, he hoped,would make then
hostages. Meanwhile the parents were de- more willing to be under discipline.
lighted to see their sons in pownsbordered The eventansweredhis expectation. They
with purple, and walking in great state to the fought and were beaten; but making up with
schools, without any expense to them. For succours,he rallied the fugitives, and conduct-
Sertorius took the whole upon himself, often ed them safe into the camp. His next step
examiningbesides,
into the improvementsthey was to rousethem up out of their despond-
made,anddistributingproperrewardsto those ence. For which purpose,a few daysafter,
of most merit, among which were the golden he assembledall big forces, and produced two
ornamentsfurling down from the neck, called horses before them; the one old and feeble,
by the Romans,bulltK. the other large and strong, and remarkable
It wasthenthe customin Spain,for the band besidesfor a fine flowing tail. By the poor
which fought near the general's person, when weak horse stood a robust able-bodied man,
he fell to die with him. This manner of de- and by the strong horse stood a little man of a
voting themselvesto death, the barbarianscall very contemptible appearance. Upon a signal
" Libation.J The othergeneralshadbut a few given, the strongman beganto pull anddrag
of these guards or knights companions; where- about the weak horseby the tail, as if hewould
as Sertoriuswas attendedby manymyriads, pull it off; and the little man to pluck off
who had laid themselves under that obligation. the hairs of the great horse's tail, one by one.
It is said, that when he was once defeated near The former tugged and toiled a long time to
the great diversion of the spectators, and at
" Alexander hadtaken(hesamemethod,beforehim. last was forced to give up the point; the latter,
imongllic Pirsiaru.For heordered
thirty thousandwithout anydifficulty,soonstrippedthe great
Per»ianboysto be taughtGreek,andtrainedin the horse's tail of all its hair.f Then Sertorius
Macedonian manner. rose up and said, "You see, my friendsand
+ A city in Hispania Tarraconensis.
j IDGauljthepersons wholaid themselves
under
thii obligation, wtrt called SoltLini. Cat. de Bell. * A cohort is the tenth part of a legion.
Gall.1.iS. f Horace
allude*
to thai,J.ii. Ep.1.
 SERTORIUS 403
fellow-soldiers,
howmuch
greater
a'etheeffectsandasthesungotuphigher,
theCtecia*
blew
ofperseverance,
thauthose
offorce,
andthatagain,
and,byitsviolence,
covered
all the
therearemanythingsinvincible
in theircol- hill withdust.Meantime,
thesoldiers
stirred
lective
capacity
andin a stateofunion,whichuptheheapfromtheverybottom, andcrum-
maygradually
beovercome,
when
theyareoncebledalltheclay,andsome
gallopped
upand
"eparatcd.In short,perseveranceis irresisti-down,to raise
thelightearth,andthickenthe
ble. Bythismeans, Umc attacksariddestroys clouds
ofdustin thewind,which carried
them
thestrongest
things uponearth.Time,I say,intothedwellings of theCharacitani;their
whois(hebestfriend andallytothosethathaveentrances directlyfacingit. As theywere
thediscernmentto useit properly,andwatch caves,and,of course, hadno otheraperture,
theopportunitiesit presents,andthe worsttheeyesof theinhabitants weresoonfilled,
enemy tothosewhowill berushing intoactionandtheycouldscarce breatheforthesuffo-
whenit doesnot call them." By suchsym- catingdustwhichtheydrewin with the air.
bolsasthese,Sertoriousappliedto thesensesIn thesewretched
circumstances,
theyheldout
of the barbarians,andinstructedthemto wait two days; thoughwith greatdifficulty,andthe
for properjuncturesand occasions. third day surrendered
themselves to Sertorius,
Buthiscontrivance
withrespect
totheChar- at discretion;who,by reducing
them,did not
icitaai gainedhim as muchadmirationas any gain suchan accessionof strengthas of hon-
of his military performances
whatever. The our. For an honourit wasto subduethoseby
Characitaniare seatedbeyondtheriver Tagus. policy, whomhis armscouldnot reach.
Theyhaveneithercitiesnorvillages,
butdwell While he carriedon thewar againstMe-
upona largeandlofty hill, in densandcaverns tellusonly,his success in generalwasimputed
of the rocks,the mouthsof whichareall to the to the old ageand inactivity of his adversary,
north. The soil of all the countryaboutis a who hadto contendwith a bold youngman,
clay, so very light and crumbly,that it yields at the headof troopsso light, that they might
to the pressureof the foot, is reducedto pow- passrather for a maraudingparty, than a reg-
derby the leasttouch,andfliesaboutlike ashesular army. But when Pompeyhadpassedthe
or unslackedlime. The barbarians,whenever Pyrenees, andSertorioustookpostagainsthim,
theyare apprehensive of an attack, retire to everyart of generalshipon both sideswasex-
thesecaveswith their booty,and look upon hausted;and yet, even then it appeared, that,
themselves asin aplaceperfectlyimpregnable.in point both of attack and defence, Serto-
It happenedthat Sertorius,retiring to some riuahadthe advantage.In this case,the fame
distancefrom Metellus,encampedunderthis of Sertoriusgreatly increased,and extended
bill; and the savageinhabitantsimagininghe itself as far as Rome,wherehe wasconsidered
retired only becausehe was beaten,offered the ablestgeneralof his time. Indeed,the
him severalinsults. Sertorius,eitherprovoked honourPompeyhadacquiredwasveryconsid-
at suchtreatment,or willing to shewthemhe erable,andthe actionshe had performedun-
was not flyingfrom an enemy, mountedhis der Sylla, set him in a very respectable light,
horsethe next day,and went to reconnoiterinsomuch,that Sylla hadgivenhim the appel
the place. As he could see no part in which lation of the Great, and he was distinguished
it wasacccessible, he almostdespaired of tak- with a triumph, even before he wrote man.
ing it, and could only vent his anger in vain This made many of the cities, which were
menaces. At last he observed, that the wind under the command of Sertorius, cast their
blew the dust in great quantitiestowardsthe eyesuponPompey,and inclinedthemto open
mouths of the caves, which, as I said before, their gates to him. But they returned to their
are all to the north. The north wind, which old attachment, upon the unexpected success
some call Cojcios,* 'prevails most in those that attended Sertorius at Lauron.*
parts; taking its rise from the marshy grounds, Sertorius was besiegingthat place, and Pom-
and the mountains covered with snow. And, pey marched with his whole army to its relief.
as it was then the height of summer, it was re- There was a hill at some distance from the
markably strong, having fresh supplies from walls, from which the city might be greatly
the meltingof the ice on the northernpeaks; annoyed. Sertoriushastenedto seizeit, and
10 that it blew a most agreeable gale, which, Pompey to prevent him: but the former gained
in the day-time,refreshedboth thesesavagesthe post Pompey,however,sat down by it,
and their flocks. with great satisfaction, thinking he had been
Sertorius reflecting upon what he saw, and fortunate enough to cut Sertorius off from the
beinginformedby the neighbouringSpaniards town; andhesenta message
to the Lauronitea,
that these were the usual appearances,ordered " That they might be perfectly easy, and sit
bis soldiersto collect vast quantitiesof that quietly upon their walls, while they saw him
dry andcrumblyearth,so as to raisea mount besiegeSertorius." But when that genera]
pf it overagainstthe hill. The barbarians,
wasinformedof it, heonlylaughed,
and said,
imagininghe intended to storm their strong " I will teach that scholar of Sylla" (so in
holdsfrom that mount,laughedat his proceed-ridicule he called Pompey,)"that a general
ings. The soldierswent on with their work ought to look behind him, ratherthan before
till night, and then he led them back into the him." At the same time, he shewed the be
camp. Nextmorning,at breakof day,a gen- sieged
a bodyof sixthousand
footin thecamp
tle breeze
sprungup,f whichmovedthelight- whichhehadquittedin orderto seize
thehill,
tit part of the heap,anddispersedit like smoke, and whichhad beenleft there on purposeto
take Pompey in the rear, when he should come
* Media inter Aquilonem et Eiortum jEquinoctia-
fcm. PUn. 1. ii. c. 47. to attackSertoriusin theposthenowoccupied.
t Warrant et in Pouto Czcian in tt trthere nubei.
Ik. * A city of Hither Spain,fire league*
fromValencia.
404 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Pompey,
notdiscovering
this manoeuvre
till gaiety:" If the old woman,"saidhe, "had
it wastoo late,didnot dareto beginthe attack, not beenhere,I would have floggedthe boy
lost he should be surrounded. And yet, he was well, and senthim back to Rome."
ashamedto leave the Lauronitcs in suchex- He was,notwithstanding,
muchafflictedfor
treme danger. The consequencewas, that he the loss of his hind. For she was an excellent
wasobligedto sit still and see the town lost. enginein the management of the barbarian*,
The people,in despairof assistance, surcnder- who now wantedencouragement more than
ed to Sertorius,wlio waspleasedto sparethe ever. By goodfortune,someof his soldiers,as
inhabitants,and let themgo free; but he laid theywerestrollingonenightaboutthecountry,
their cities in ashes.This wasnot doneout of met with her, and knowingher by the colour,
anger,or a spirit of cruelty (for he seemsto broughtherto him. Sertorius,happyto find her
haveindulgedhisresentment lessthananyother again,promisedthe soldierslargesums,oncon
general whatever,) but to put the admirers of dition they would not mention the affair. He
Pompeyto the blush;while it wassaidamong carefullyconcealedthe hind; and a few days
the barbarians,
thatthoughhewasat hand,and after, appearedin public,with acheerfulcoun-
almost warmed himself at the flame, he suffer- tenance, to transact business,telling the barba-
ed his alliesto perish. rianofficersthathehadsomeextraordinary
hap-
It is true, Sertorius received many checks in pinessannouncedto him from heavenin a dream.
the courseof the war; but it wasnot wherehe Then hemountedthe tribunal,for thedespatch
acted in person; for he ever continued invinci- of such affairs as might come before him. At
ble; it was through his lieutenants. And such that instant the hind, being let loose near the
was his mannerof rectifyingthe mistakes,that placeby thosewho hadthe chargeof her,and
he met with more applausethan his adversaries seeing Sertorius, ran up with great joy, leaped
in themidstof theirsuccess.Instances
of which uponthe tribunal,laid her headuponhis lap,
we havein the battle of Sucro with Pompey, and and licked his right hand, in a manner to which
In that of Tuttia* with Pompey and Metellus. she had long been trained. Sertorius returned
As to the battle of Sucro, we are told it was her caresseswith all the tokens of a sincere
fought the sooner, because Pompey hastened affection, even to the shedding of tears. The
it, to preventMetellus fromhavinga sharein assembly
at first lookedonwith silentastonish-
the victor)'. This was the very thing Sertorius ment: but afterwards they testified their regard
wanted, to try his strength with Pompey, before for Sertorius with the loudest plaudits and ac-
Metellus joined him. Sertorius came up and clamations, as a personof a superior nature,be-
engaged him in the evening. This he did out loved by thegods. With these impressions,they
of choice, in the persuasionthat the enemy, not conducted him to his pavilion, and resumedaU
beingacquaintedwith the country,wouldfind the hopesand spiritswith whichhecouldhave
darkness a hindrance to them, whether they wished to inspire them.
should have occasionto fly or to pursue. When He watched the enemy so close in the plains
they came to charge, he found that he had not of Saguntum, that they were in great want of
to do with Pompey, as he could have wished, provisions; and as they were determinedat last
but that Af'ranius commandedthe enemy's left to go out to forage and collect necessaries,this
wing, opposite to ftim, who was at the head unavoidably brought on a battle. Great acts of
of his own right wing. However, as soon as valour were performed onboth sides.Memmius,
ha understoodthat the left gave way to the vig- the best officerPompey had, fell in the hottest of
orous impressions of Pompey, he put his right the fight. Sertorius carried all before him, and
under the direction of other officers, and has- through heapsof the slain madehis way towards
tened to support that which had the disadvan- Metellus, who madegreat efforts to opposehim,
tage. By rallying the fugitives, and encourag- and fought with a vigour abovehis years, but at
ing those who kept their ground, he forced last was borne down with the stroke of a spear.
Pompey to fly in great confusion, who before All the Romans, who saw or heard of this disas-
was pursuing: nay, that general was in the ter, resolved not to abandon their general,and,
greatestdanger;he waswounded,and got off fromanimpulseof shameaswell asanger,they
with difficulty. For the Africans,who fought turneduponthe enemy,andshelteredMetellus
under the bannersof Sertorius, having taken with their shields, till others carried him off in
Pompey'shorse,adornedwith gold and other safety. Then theychargedthe Spaniards
with
rich furniture, left the pursuit, to quarrel about great fury, and routed them in their turn.
dividingthe spoil. In the meantime,when Ser- As victory hadnow changed
sides,Sertorius,
torius was flown from his right wing to succour to secure a safe retreat for his troops, as well
the other in distress,Aframus overthrew all be- as convenient time for raising fresh forces,
fore him, andcloselypursuedthe fugitives,en- hadthe art to retire into acity stronglysituated
tered their campwith them,which he pillaged upona mountain. He repairedthe walls,and
till it wasdark; he knewnothing of Pompey'sbarricadedthe gates,as though he thoughtof
defeat, and was unableto keep the soldiers from nothing less than standing a siege. The enemy,
plundering, if he had desired it. At this instant, however, were deceivedby appearances.They
Sertorius returns with the laurels he had won, invested the place, and, in the imagination that
falls upon the troops of Afranius, which were they should make themselves masters of it
scattered up and down the camp, and destroys without difficulty, took no care to pursue the
great numbers of them. Next morning he arm- fugitive barbarians,or to prevent the new levies
ed, and took the field again; but perceiving which the officers of Sertorius were making.
vhat Metellus was at hand, he drew off and de- These officers he had sent to the towns under
camped. He did it, however, with an air of his command, with instructions, when they had
* Grzviu*Ciinjfctiirca,
thatweshould
readTvria, assembled
a sufficient
number,
to senda mes-
the Turius beinga river whichfall* into theSucro. senger to acquaint him with it.
 SERTORIUS. 405

Uponthereceipt
of suchintelligence,
he mitted
toreturn
in thecapacity
ofa private
talliedout,andhaving
made hiswaythroughman. Hesaidhehadrather bethemeanest
Iheenemy without
much trouble,
hejoinedhis citizen
in Rome, thananexilewiththecom-
new-raisedtroops,
andreturned withthatad- mand ofalltheother
countries
intheworld.
ditionalstrength.He nowcutofftheRoman Thisloveofhiscountryis saidlo havebeen
convoysbothbyseaandland:at land,bylay- in somemeasure
owingto theattachment ho
ingambushesorhemmirg themin, and,bythe hadto hismother.Hisfatherdiedin hisin-
rapidity
ofhismotions,
meetingthemineveryfancy,andhehadhiseducation whollyfrom
quarter:at sea,byguarding thecoattwithhis her;consequently hisaffections
centered
inher.
light piratical
vessels.In consequenceof this, His Spanish
friendswantedto constitute
him
the Romanswereobligedto separate.Metel- supremegovernor;but havinginformationat
lus retired into Gaul, and Pompeywentand that time of the death of his mother,hegave
tookuphiswinterquarters
in theterritories
of himselfupto the mostalarminggrief. For
the Vacceians,wherehewasgreatlydistressedsevenwholedaysheneithergavethe word,nor
for want of money,insomuchthat heinformed wouldbe seenby any of his friends. At last
the senate,heshouldsoonleavethe country,if his generals,andotherswho wereupona foot-
theydid not supplyhim;for hehadalreadysac- ing with him in point of rank, besethis tent,
rificed his own fortune in the defence of Italy. and insisted that he should rise from the ground
Indeed,thecommondiscourse was,thatSerto- andmakehis appearance, to speakto the sol-
rius would be in Italy beforePompey. So far diers,andto take the directionof their affairs,
had hiacapacityprevailedover the most dis- whichwere then asprosperous ashecouldde-
tinguished and the ablest generals in Rome. sire. Hence many imagined, that he was
The opinionwhichMetellushadof him,and naturallyof a pacificturn, anda lover of tran-
the dread of his abilities, was evident from a quillity, but he was brought againsthis inclina-
proclamationthenpublished;in whichMetel- tion, by somemeansor other, to take upon
ius offereda rewardof a hundredtalentsof him the command;and thatwhenhe washard
"ilver, and twenty thousand acres of land, to pressedby his enemies,and had no other shel-
any Roman who should take him; and if that ter but that of war to fly to, he had recourse
Romanwasan exile,he promisedheshouldbe to it merelyin the way of self-defence.
restored to his country. Thus he plainly dis- We cannot have greater proofs of his mag-
covered his despair of conquering his enemy, nanimity than those that appear in his treaty
by the price which he set uponhim. When he with Mithridates. That prince, recovering
once happenedto defeat him in a pitched bat- from the fall given him by Sylla, entered the
tle, he was so elated with the advantage, and lists again, and renewed his pretensions to
thought the event so fortunate, that he suffered Asia. By this time the fame of Sertorius had
himself to be saluted as Imperator; and the extended itself into all parts of the world.
cities received him with sacrifices and every The merchantswho traded to the west, carried
testimony of gratitude to the gods at their al- back news of his achievements,like commodi-
tars. Nay, it is said, he received crowns of ties from a distant country, and filled Pontua
victory,xthat he made most magnificent enter- with his renown. Hereupon Mithridates de-
tainmentsonthe occasion,
andworea triumph- terminedto sendan embassy
to him; induced
al robe. Yictories, in effigy, descendedin ma- to it by the vain speechesof his flatterers, who
chines,with trophiesof gold andgarlandsin comparedSertoriusto Hannibal,and Mithri-
their hands; and choirs of boys and virgins dates to Pyrrhus, and insisted that the Romans
sungsongsin his praise.Thesecircumstanceswouldnever be able to bear up againsttwo
weje extremelyridiculous,if he expressed BOsuchpowersand two personsof suchgeniua
E_chjoy andsuchsuperabundant vanity,while andabilities,whenattackedby themin differ-
he calledSertoriusa fugitive from Sylbj and ent quarters;the onebeingthe most excellent
the poorremain'sof Carbo'sfaction. of generals,andthe otherthe greatestof kings
On the otherhand,the magnanimityof Ser- In pursuanceof this scheme,Mithridatea
toriusappearedin every stephetook. The sent ambassadors into Spain,with letters to
patricians,who had been obligedto fly from Sertorius,andproposalsto be madein confer-
Rome,andtakerefugewith him,hecalleda ence;the purportof whichwasthattheking
senate. Out of them he appointedquasstorswould supply him with moneyandshipsfor
andlieutenants,andin everything proceededthe war, on conditionthat he confirmedhie
according to the lawsof his country.What was claimto Asia,which he hadlately given up to
of still greater moment,thoughhe nade war the Romansin the treaty with Sylla.
only with the arms,the money,and the men Sertoriusassembled his council,which he
of Spain,he did not suffer the Spaniardsto calledthe.Senate. They were unanimous in
Vavetheleastshareinanydepartment of gov- theiropinions
that he shouldacceptthecon-
frnment,evenin wordsor titles. He gave ditions,andthinkhimselfhappyinthem;since
themRomangenerals andgovernors; to make theywereonlyaskedanemptynameandtitle
it appear
thatthe libertyof Romewashis to things whichit wasnotin theirpowerto
greatobject,
andthathe did notwantto set give,andthe king in returnwouldsupply
up the Spaniards
againstthe Romans. In fact, themwith what they mostwanted. But Ser-
hewasa trueloverofhiscountry, andhispas-toriuswould bynomeans agree toit. Hesaid,
sionto berestoredto it, wasoneof thefirst hehadnoobjectionto that prince's having
in hisheart. Yet,in hisgreatest
misfortunes, BythiniaandCappadocia,
countriesaccustom-
henever departed fromhisdignity.Onthe edtokinglygovernment, andnotbelonging to
otherhand,whenhewasvictorious, hewouldtheRomans byanyjusttitle; butastoapro-
makeanofferto Metellusor Pompey,
to lay vinceto whichtheRomans
hadanundeniabla
down
hisarms,
oncondition
hemight
beper-claim;aprovince
whichtheyhadbeen
do.
406 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

privedof by Mithridates,whichheafterwardstheyreconciled,
andinflamedtherisingipint
lost toFimbria,and at last hadquittedupon of disobedience;
insomuchthat Sertorius,
de-
the peacewith Sylla, he could neverconsent partingfrom his formerclemencyandmodera-
that he shouldbeput in possession
of it again. tion, behaved
with greatinjusticeandoutrage
"Rome," said he, "ought to have her power to the childrenof the Spaniards in Osca,put
extendedby my victories,and it is not my ting someto death,andsellingotherslor slaves.
right to riseto powerat her expense. A man The conspiracydaily gatheredstrength,and
"whonasanydignityof sentiment,shouldcon- amongthe rest,Perpennadrew in Manhus,*
quer with honour,andnot useanybasemeans who hada considerable commandin thearmy.
even to save his life." " " " * *
Mithridateswasperfectlyastonished
at this He andhis partisansthenpreparedlettersfor
answer,and thus communicated his surprise Sertorius,whichimportedthat a victory wai
to his fnends: "What orders would Sertorius gained by one of his great officers, and great
give us, when seated in the senate-houseat numbers of the enemy slain. Sertorius offer-
Rome,if now, driven ashe is to the coastsof ed sacrificefor the goodtidings; and Perpen-
the Atlantic ocean, he prescribes bounds to na gave him, and his own friends who were
our empire,and threatensus with war if we by, andwho were all privy to the design,an
make any attempt upon Asia?" The treaty, invitation to supper, which, with much en-
however,went on, andwas swornto. Mith- treaty,he prevaileduponhim fo accept.
ridates was to have Cappadocia and Bithynia, The entertainments at which Sertorius was
and Sertoriusto supply him with a general present,hadbeenalways attendedwith great
and some troops; the king, on the other hand, order and decorum; for he could not beareith-
was to furnish Sertorius with three thousand er to seeor hear the least indecency, and he
talents, and forty ships of war. had ever accustomedthe guests to divert them-
The general whom Sertorius sent into Asia, selves in an innocent and irreproachable man-
was asenatorwho had takenrefugewith him, ner. But in the midst of the entertainment,
named Marcus Marius. When Mithridates, the conspirators began to seek occasion to
by his assistance,had taken some cities in quarrel, giving into the most dissolute dis-
Asia, he permitted that officer to enter them course, and pretending drunkenness as the
with his rods and axes, and voluntarily took cause of their ribaldry. All this was doneto
the secondplaceas one of his train. Marius provokehim. However,either vexedat theii
declared some of those cities free, and excused obscenities and design, or guessingat their de-
others from imposts and taxes, telling them signs by the manner of their drawling them
they were indebted for these favours to Serto- out, he changedhis posture, and threw himself
rius. So that Asia, which laboured again un- back upon his couch, as though he neither
der the exaction of the Roman tax-gatherers, heard nor regarded them. Then Perpenna
and the oppressions and insults of the garri- took a cup of wine, and as he was drinking,
sons, had once more a prospect of some hap- purposely let it fall out of his hands. The
pier modeof government. noiseit madebeinga signalfor themto fall on,
But in Spain,the senatorsabout Serlorius, Antony,who sat next to Sertorius,gavehim
whn looked upon themselves as on a footing a stroke with his sword. Sertorius turned,
with him, no sooner saw themselvesas a andstroveto get up; but Antony throwing
match for the enemy, than they bade adieu to himself upon his breast, held both his hands;
fear, and gave into a foolish jealousy and envy so that not being able in the least to defend
of their general. At the head of these was himself, the rest of the conspirators despatch-
Perpenna, who, elatedwith the vanity of birth, ed him with many wounds.
aspiredto the command,and scruplednot to Upon the first news of his death,most ot
address his partisans in private with such the Spaniards abandoned Perpenna, and by
speeches
as these: "What evil daemon
posses-their deputies,surrendered
themselves
to Pom
ses us, and leads us from bad to worse? We, pey and Metellus. Perpenna attempted some
who would not stay at home and submit to the thing with those that remained; but though he
orders of Sylla, who is master both of sea had the use of all that Sertorius had prepared,
and land, what are we to come to? Did we he made so ill a figure, that it was evident he
not come here for liberty? Yet here we are knew no more how to command than how to
voluntaryslaves. Guardsto the exiled Ser- obey. He gavePompeybattle, andwassoon
torius. We suffer ourselves to be amused routed and taken prisoner. Nor in this last
with the title of a senate; a title despisedand distress did he hehave as became a general.
ridiculed by all the world. O noblesenators,He hadthe papersof Sertoriusin his posses-
who submit to the most mortifying tasks and sion, and he offered Pompey the sight of origi-
labours,as much as the meanest Spaniardsnal letters from men of consulardignity,and
and Lusitanians!" the greatest interest in Rome, by which the'
Numberswereattackedwith theseandsuch invited Sertoriusinto Italy, in consequence
of
like discourses; and though they did not open- the desire of numbers, who wanted a change
ly revolt, becausethey dreaded the power of in the present state of affairs, and a new ad-
Sertorius, yet they took private methods to ministration.
ruin his affairs, by treating the barbarians ill, Pompey, however, behavednot like a young
inflicting heavy punishments,and collecting man,but with all the marks of a solid and
exorbitant
subsidies,
asif by hisorder. Henceimproved
understanding,
andby his prudence
the cities began to waver in their allegiance, delivered Rome from a tram of dreadful feari
andto raisedisturbances;
andthepersons* Dacier
thinks
weshould
read
Afantus,
bywhich
sent to compose
thosedisturbances
by mild hemeans
Jtfomui
vin&miiu,
whogaveSerlorius
Ihi
+n< gentlemethods,mademore enemiesthan firstblow.
 EUMJSNES. 407

andn«wcommotions.
He collectedall thosebrought
VoPompey,
andbyhimordered
to th«
letters,
andtheotherpapers of Sertorius,
andblock,andothers,
whofledintoAfrica,shotby
burned them,without
eitherreadingthemhim-theMoors.Noneescaped butAufidiua,
the
self,orsuffering
anyotherperson todoit. As rival of Manlius.Whether it wasthat be
forPetpenna,heputhimtodeath immediate-couldnotbefound, or theythoughthimnot
ly,lestheshouldmentionthenames of thoseworththeseeking,
helivedtooldagein avil-
whowrote theletters,
andthence newseditions lageof thebarbarians,
wretchedlypoor,and
andtroublesshouldarise. Perpenna'saccom-universallydespised.
plices met the same fate: some of them being

EUMENES.

Drmis the historianwrites,that Eumenesthe Tet it must beacknowledged, he was oltea

Cardianwasthe son of a poorwagonerin the in disgracewith Alexander,andonceor twice
Chersonesus, and yet that he had a liberal in dangertoo, on accountof Hephaestion.la
educationboth asto learningandthe exercisesthe first place, Hephaestion
gave a musician
then in vogue.* He saysthat while he was namedEvius, the quarterswhich the servants
buta lad,Philiphappening
to be in Cardia,of Eumenes
hadtakenupforhim. Uponthis,
went to spendan hourof leisurein seeinghow Eumeneswent in great wrath to Alexander
the young men acquitted themselves in the with Mentor,* and cried, " The best method
pancrationj andtheboysin wrestling.Among theycouldtake, wasto throwawaytheir arms,
these Eum«nessucceededso well, and shewed and learn to play upon the flute, or turn trage-
so muchactivity and address, that Philip was dians." Alexanderat first entered into his
pleasedwith him, andtook him into his train. quarrel,andsharplyrebukedHephaestion; but
But othersassert,with a greater appearancehe soon changedhis mind, and turned the
of probability, that Philip preferredhim on weightof hisdispleasure
uponEumenes;think*
account of the ties of friendship and hospitality ing he had behaved with more disrespect to
there were between him and the father of him than resentment against Hephaestion.
Eumenes. Again; when Alexander wanted to send out
After the deathof Philip, he maintainedthe Nearchuswith a fleet to explorethe coastsof
reputationof beingequalto anyof Alexander'sthe ocean,he found his treasurylow, and
officersin capacity,and in the honourwith askedhis friends for a supply. Among the
which he discharged his commissions; and rest he applied to Eumenes for three hundred
thoughhehad only the title of principalsecre- talents,who offeredhim only a hundred,and
tary, he was looked upon in as honourable a assured him, at the gametime, he should find
light as the king's most intimate friends and it difficult to collect that sum by his stewards.
counsellors; insomuch that he had the sole Alexander refused the offer, but did not re-
direction of an Indian expedition, and upon monstrate or complain. However, he ordered
the death of Hephaestion,when Perdiccas had his servants privately to set fire to Eumenes's
the postof that favourite,he succeededPer- tent, that he might be forced to carry out his
diccas. Therefore,when Neoptolemus,who money,andbe openlyconvictedof the falsity.
bad been the principal armour-bearer,took It happenedthat the tent was entirely con-
uponhim to say,after the deathof Alexander,sumed,and Alexanderwas sorry on account
" That he had bornethe shieldand spearof of the lossof his papers. There wasgoldand
that monarch, and that Eumenes had only fol- silver found melted, to the amount of more
lowed with his eschtoir," the Macedoniansthana thousandtalents,yet eventhenthe king
only laughedat his vanity; knowing that, be- took noneof it. And havingwritten to all his
lides other marks of honour, Alexanderhad grandees andlieutenantsto sendhim copiesof
thoughtEumenesnot unworthy his alliance. the despatches that were lost, upon their ar-
For Barsine,the daughterof Artabazus,who rival he put them again under the care of
was the first lady Alexander took to his bed in Eumenes.
Asia,andwhobroughthima sonnamedHer- Sometimeafter,anotherdisputehappened
cules,had two sisters; one of which, called betweenhim and Hephaestion,
on accountof
Apama,he gave to Ptolemy; and the other, somepresentfrom the king to oneof them.
calledalsoBarsine,he gaveto Eumenes, at Muchsevere andabusive language passed be-
thetimewhenhe wai selectingPersianladiestweenthem,yetAlexander, for the present,
aswivesfor hisftiends.J did notlook uponEumenes with lessregard.
But, Hephaestion
dyingsoonafter,the king,
* There
werepublicschools,
where
children
of all in hisunspeakable
afflictionfor that loss,ei-
conditions
weretaught
without
distinction. pressed
his resentment
againstall whohe
f The pancration (as we have already obserred)
wasa composition
of wrestlingandboiing. inconveniences
ontheother.heitkettd eightyvirgin*
outof themosthonourable
familiesin Persia,
andper-
\ Alexander
hadmarried
Statira,
theeldest
daugh-suaded
hisprincipal
friends
andofficers
tomarry(hem.
ter of Darius,andriven theyoungest,
namedTrypelis. * Mentor wasbrotherto Memnon.whosewidow
to Hephxstipn.Thiswasa measure
wellcalculatedBarnne
wasAlexander's
mistress.He wasbrother-
forestablishinghimandhisposterity
onthePersian>n-law
toArUbazus;
andthesecond Bartine,
nhon
-hroii.
; butit wasobooiioiuto theMacedonians. Eumenes
married,
Kerns to havebeen
daughter
U
therefore,to support
it onouthud, andto obvrateMemnon,
andMentor's
sister.
 408 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

thoughtenvied that favouritewhile he lived in his temper,and followed everyimpulseof

or rejoicedat hisdeath. Eumcneswasoneof a precipitateambition,he withdrewfrom hint
thosewhom he most suspectedof suchsenti in the night with all his equipage,which con-
ments, and he often mentioned the differences sisted of three hundred horse, two hundred of
andthe severelanguage
thosedifferenceshat his domestics
well armed,andall his treasure,
produced. Eumenes, however, being an artfu amounting to five thousandtalents. With lhi»
man,and happyat expedients,
madethe very he fled to Perdiccas;and as he acquainted
lerson through whom he had lost the king's that general with the secret designsof Leona-
'avour,the meansof regainingit. He secondei tus, he wasimmediatelytaken into a highde-
the zeal and application of Alexander to ccle gree of favour, and admitted to a share in hi§
brate the memory of Hephsstion. He sug- councils. In a little time, too, Perdiccas in
gested such instances of veneration as he person conductedhim into Cappadocia,with a
thought might do much honour to the deceased great army; took Ariarathes prisoner, subdued
and contributed largely and freely, out of his all the country, and established Eumenes in
own purse,towards the expensesof his funeral that government: in consequence of which
Upon the death of Alexander, a great quar- Eumenes put the cities under the direction of
rel broke out between the phalanx and the hio friends, placed guards and garrisons with
late king's friends and generals. Eumenes, in proper officers at their head, and appointed
nis heart, sided with the phalanx, but in ap- judges and superintendants of the revenue;
pearance stood neuter, as a person perfectly Perdiccas leaving the entire disposition of
indifferent j saying, it did not become him, those things to him. After this he departed
who was a stranger, to interfere in the disputes with Perdiccas; choosingto give him that tes-
of the Macedonians. And when the other timony of respect, and not thinking it consis-
great officers retired from Babylon, he stayed tent with his interest to be absent from hii
there, endeavouringto appeasethat body of in- court. But Perdiccas, satisfied that he could
fantry, and to disposethem to a reconciliation. himself executethe designs he was meditating,
After these troubles were passed,and the and perceiving that the provinceslie had left
generals met to consult about dividing the behind required an able and faithful guardian,
provinces and armies among them, the coun sent back Eumeneswhen he had reachedCili-
tries assignedEumenes, were Cappadocia and cia. The pretence was, that he might attend
Paphlagonia.,and the coast of the seaof Pontus to the concerns of his own government; but
as far asTrapezus. These countries were not the real intention, that he should securethe
then subject to the Macedonians,for Ariarathes adjoining province of Armenia, which was dis-
was king of them; but Leonatus and Antigonus turbed by the practices of Neoptolemus.
were to go with a great armyand put Eumenes Neoptolemuswas a man of sanguinepursuits,
in possession. Antigonus, now elated with and unbounded vanity. Eumenes, however,
power, and despising all the world, gave no endeavoured to keep him to his duty, by sooth-
attention to the letters of Perdiccas. But ing applications. And as he saw the Mace-
Leonatus marched down from the upper pro- donian infantry were become extremely inso-
vinces into Phrygia, and promised to undertake lent and audacious, he applied himself to
the expedition for Eumenes. Immediately after raising a body of cavalry which might be a
this, Hecatsus, a petty tyrant in Cardia, ap- counterpoiseagainst them. For this purpose
plied to Leonatus,anddesiredhim ratherto go ie remittedthe taxes,andgaveother immuni-
to the relief of Antipater and the Macedonians, :ies to those of his province who were gooa
who were besieged in Lamia.* Leonatus, lorsemen. He also bought a great number of
being inclined to go, called Eumenes, and at- lorses, and distributed them among such of
temptedto reconcilehim to Hecateus. They lis courtiersas he placed the greatestconfi-
had long had a suspicion of each other on ac- dence in; exciting them by honours and re-
count of a family differencein point of politics; wards, and training them to strength and skill
in consequence of which Eumenes had once >y a variety of exercises. The Macedonian*
accusedHecatsus of setting himself up tyrant upon this were differently affected, somewith
in Cardia, and had entreated Alexander to re- astonishment, and others with joy, to seea
store that peopleto their liberty. He now bodyof cavalrycollected,to the numberof six
desired to be excused taking a share in the thousandthree hundred, and trained in so short
Crecian expedition,alleging he was afraid a spaceof time.
Antipater, who had longhatedhim, to gratify About that time Craterus and Antipater,
himself as well as HecatEus, would make some laving reduced Greece, passedinto Asia, to
attemptuponhis life. Upon which,Leonatus, overthrowthe power of Perdiccas;andncwi
placing an entire confidencein him, openedwas brought that their first intentionwasto
to him all his heart. He told him the assisting enter Cappadocia. Perdiccas himself was en-
Antipater wasnothingbut a pretext,and that ;agedin war with Ptolemy; he thereforeap-
he designed,as soonas helandedin Greece, >ointedEumenescommander-in-chief of the
to asserthis claim to Macedonia. At the same brces in Armenia and Cappadocia; and wrote
time he shewedhim letters from Cleopatra,t o Alcetas and Neoptolemusto obey the
in which she invited him to Pella, and pro- ordersof that general,whom he had invested
mised to give him her hand. with discretionary powers. Alcetas plainly
Whether Eumeneswasreally afraidof An- efusedto submitto that injunction; alleging
tipater, or whetherhe despaired
of any service hat the Macedonianswould be ashamed to
from Leonatus,who was extremelyobstinate ight Antipater; and as for Craterus,their af
ection for him was such that they would re.
" A city of Thessaly. eive him with open arms. On the other
t The tiller of Alexander. land, it was visible that Neoptolemus wat
 EUMENES. 409
formingsometreacherous
scheme
againsnianhorse.Thenighthedesigned
todecamp,
Eumenes;
for whencalledupon,he refuse hefell intoa soundsleep,andhada veryex-
tc joinhim,and,instead
of that,prepared
t traordinary
dream.He thoughthe sawtwo
givehimbattle. Alexanders
prepared
to try their strength
This wasthe first occasionon whichEu againsteachother,andeachat theheadof a
menesreapedthefruits of his foresightan phalanx.Minervacameto supporttheone
timelypreparations.
For,though
hisinfantr andCeres
theother.A sharp
conflict
ensued,
werebeaten,withhiscavalryheputNeoptole in which theAlexander
assisted
by Minerva
BUSto flight, and took his baggage.Am wasdefeated, and Cerescrownedthevictor
whilethe phalanxweredispersed uponthi witha wreathof corn He immediate!)
con-
pursuit,
hefell uponthemin suchgoodorde cluded
thatthedreamwasin hisfavour,
be-
with hishorse,that theywereforcedto la causehehadto fightfor a countrywhichwas
downtheirarms,andtakeanoathto servehim mostof it in tillage,andwhichhadthenso ex-
Neoptolemus
collectedsomeof thefugitives cellenta crop,well advanced
towardsthe
andretiredwith themto CraterusandAntipa sickle,thatthe wholefaceof it hadthe appear
ter. They had alreadysent ambassadors t< anceof a profoundpeace. He wasthe more
Eumenes,
todesirehimto adopttheirinteresticonfirmed
in his opinion,whenhe foundthe
in rewardof which, they wouldconfirmto him enemy'sword wasJWinervaand JHezander:
the provinceshe had, and give him others and in oppositionto it he gave Ceresand
with an additionalnumberof troops:in whicl Alexander. At the sametime, heorderedhis
casehewouldfind Antipaterafriendinsteadof mento crownthemselves, and to cover their
an enemy,andcontinuein friendshipwith Cra arms,with earsof corn. He wasseveraltime*
terusinsteadof turning his armsagainsthim uponthe point of declaringto his principalof-
Eumenesmade answerto theseproposals ficersandcaptainswhat adversarythey hadto
"That havinglongbeenon a footingof enmity contendwith; thinking it a hazardous under-
with Antipater,he did not chooseto be his takingto keepto himselfasecretso important,
frienJ, at a time whenhe sawhim treatinghis andperhaps,
necessary for themto know.-Yet
friendsas so manyenemies. As for Craterus, heabodeby his first resolution,andtrustedhis
he was ready to reconcilehim to Perdiccas,ownheartonlywith thedangerthatmightensue.
andto compromise mattersbetweenthemupon When he cameto give battle,he wouldnot
just andreasonableterms. But if he shoulc set any Macedonianto engageCraterns,but
begin hostilities, he should support his injured appointed to that charge two bodies of foreign
friend while hehadan hourto live, andrather lorse,commanded
by Pharnabazus
the sonof
sacrifice life itself than his honour." Artabazus, and Phoenix of Tenedos. They
When this answerwas reported to Antipater lad orders to advanceon the first sight of the
and Craterus, they took some time to deliber- enemy, and come to close fighting, without
ate upon the measures they should pursue. giving them time to retire; and if they attempt-
Meanwhile Neoptolemus arriving, gave them ed to speak or send any herald, they were not
an accountof the battle he had lost, and re- .0 regard it. For he had strong apprehensions
questedassistanceof them both, but particular- hat the Macedonians would go over to Cra-
ly of Craterus. He said, "The Macedonians :erus, if they happened to know him. Eu-
had so extraordinary an attachment to him, that mcnes himself, with a troop of three hundred
if theysawbut his hat,or heardoneaccentof lelect horse,went and postedhimself in the
his tongue, they would immediately run to him "ight wing, where he should have to act against
with their swords in their hands." Indeed, the Veoptolemus. When they had passeda little
reputation of Craterus was very great among lill that separated the two armies, and came
them, and, after the death of Alexander, most n view, they charged with such impetuosity
of themwishedto be under his command. hat Craterus was extremely surprised,and
They remembered the risks he hadrun of em- :xpressedhis resentment in strong terms
broilinghimselfwith Alexanderfor their sakes; gainstNeoptolemus,
who he thought,hadde-
how he hadcombattedthe inclinationsfor Per- eivedhim with a pretencethat the Macedo-
sian fashionswhich insensibly grew upon him, ians would change sides. However, he ei-
and supported the customs of his country lorted his officers to behave like brave men,
against the insults of barbaric pomp and nd stood forward to the encounter. In the
luxury. irat shock,whichwasvery violent,the spears
Cratcrusnow sent Antipater into Cilicia, veresoonbroke,andtheywerethen to decide
and taking a considerable part of the forces aedispute with the sword.
himself, marched along with Neoptolemus The behaviour of Craterus did no dishonour
against Eumenes. If Eumenes foresaw his o Alexander. He killed numbers with his own
coming,andwas preparedfor it, we mayim- iand,andoverthrewmanyotherswho assailod
pute it to the vigilance necessaryin a general; im in front. But at last he received a sida
WBseenothingin that of superiorgenius.But ilow from a Thracian, which broughthim to
when,besideshis concealingfromthe enemy lieground. Many passedover him without
what they ought not to discover,he brought nowinghim: but Gorgias,oneof Eumenes's
his own troopsto action,withoutknowingwho fficerstook noticeophim; andbeingwell ac-
was their adversary,and madethem serve uaintedwith his personleapedfromhis horse
against
Craterus,withoutfindingout that he ndguarded
thebody. It wasthen,however,
wastheofficertheyhadto contendwith; in oolate; he wasat thelastextremity,
and in
this we seecharacteristicalproofsof general- le agoniesof death.
ship. For he propagateda report,that Ne In themeantime,
Neoptolemus engagedEu-
optolemus,assisted
by Pigris,wasadvancing icnes.-The mostviolenthatredhad long
again
withsomeCappadocian
andPaphlago-ubsisted
between
them,andthisdayadded
 410 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

stingsto it. They knewnot oneanotherin the of the king'sgoodsand chattels stated eithe*
two first encounters, but in the third they did; on one side or the other."
ind then they rushed forward impetuously Eumenesintendedto give battle upontho
with swordsdrawn, and loud shouts. The plainsof Lydia near Sardis,both becausehe
shock their horsesmet with was so violent, wasstrongin cavalry,andbecausehewasam-
that it resembledthat of two galleys. The bitiousto shew Cleopatrawhat a respectable
fierceantagonists
quitted the bridles,andlaid forcehehad. However,at the requestof that
boldon eachother; eachendeavouring to tear princess,who wasafraidto giveAntipaterany
off the helmet or the breast-plateof his enemy. cause of complaint, he marched to the Upper
While their hands were thus engaged, their Phrygia, and wintered in Cetem. There Al-
horses went from under them; and as they fell cetas, Polemon, and Docimus, contended with
to the ground without quitting their hold, they him for the command; upon which he said,
wrestled for the advantage. Neoptolemus was "This makes goodthe observation, Every one
beginning to rise first, when Eumenes wounded thinks of advancing himself, but no one thinki
him in the ham, and by that means got upon of the danger that may accrue to the public
his feet before him. Neoptolemus being wound- weal."
ed in one knee, supportedhimself uponthe He hadpromisedto payhisarmywithinthree
other, and fought with great courage under- days, and as he had not moneyto do it, he sold
neath, but was not able to reach his adversary them all the farms and castles in the country,
a mortal blow. At last, receivinga woundin togetherwith the peopleandcattle thai were
the neck,hegrew faint, andstretchedhimself uponthem. Every captainof a Macedonian
upon the ground. Eumenes, with all the ea- company, or officer who had a commandin the
gernessof inveterate hatred, hastenedto strip foreign troops, received battering enginesfrom
him of his arms, and loading him with re- Eumenes; and when he had taken the castle,
proaches,did not observethat his sword was he dividedhis spoilsamonghis company,ac-
still in his hand; so that Neoptolemus wound- cording to the arrears due to each particulai
ed him under the cuirass, where it touches man. This restored him the affections of the
upon the groin. However, as the stroke was soldiers; insomuch, that when papers were
but feeble,the apprehensions
it gavehim were foundin his camp,dispersedby the enemy,in
greaterthan the real hurt. which their generalspromiseda hundredtal-
When he had despoiled his adversary, weak ents and great honours to the man who should
as he was with the wounds he had received in kill Eumenes,the Macedonians were highly
his legs and arms, he mounted his horse and incensed, and gave order that from that time
made up to his left wing, which he supposed he should have a body guard of a thousandof-
might still be engagedwith the enemy. There, ficermen always about him, who should keep
beinginformedof the fate of Crateros,he has- watch by turns, and be in waiting day and
tened to him; and finding his breath and senses night. There was not a man who refused that
not quite gone, he alightedfrom his horse, wept charge; and they were glad to receive from
over him, and gavehim his hand. One while he Eumenes the marks of honour which those
vented his execrations upon Neoptolemus, and who were called the king's friends used to re-
another while he lamented his own ill fortune, ceive from the handsof royalty. For he too
andthe cruel necessity
hewasunderof coming wasempoweredto distributepurple hats and
to extremities with his most intimate friend, rich robes, which were consideredas the prin-
and either giving or receiving the fatal blow. cipal gifts the kings of Macedon had to bestow.
Eumeneswon this battle aboutten daysafter Prosperity gives some appearanceof higher
the former. And it raised him to a high rank sentiments even to personsof meanspirit, and
of honour, because it brought him the palm we see somethingof grandeur and importance
both of capacity and courage, but at the same about them in the elevation where Fortune
time it exposed him to the envy and hatred has placed them. But he who is inspired by
both of his allies and his enemies. It seemed real fortitude and magnanimity, will shew it
hard to them, that a stranger, a foreign adven- most by the dignity of his behaviour under
turer, should have destroyedone of the greatest losses, and in the most adverse fortune. So
and most illustrious of the Macedonians with did Eumenes. When he had lost a battle to
the arms of those very Macedonians. Had the Antigonus in the territory of the Orcynians
news of the death of Craterus been brought in Cappadocia, through the treachery of one
tooncr to Perdiccas, none but he would have of his officers, though he was forced to fly
iwayed the Macedonian sceptre. But he was himself, he did not suffer the traitor to escape
slain in a mutiny in Egypt, two days before the enemy, but took him and hanged him upon
the newsarrived. The Macedonians were so the spot. In his flight he tooka differentway
muchexasperated againstEumenesuponthe from the pursuers,andprivatelyturned round
late eventthat they immediatelydecreedhis in guch a manner,as to regain the field of
death. AntigonusandAntipaterwere to take battle. There he encamped,in order to
the direction of the war which was to carry bury the dead, whom he collected, and burn
that decree into execution. Meantime Eu. ed with the door posts of the neighbouring
menes went to the king's horses which were villages. The bodies of the officers and com-
pasturing upon mount Ida, and took such as mon soldiers were burned upon separate
he had occasionfor, but gave the keepersa piles; and when he had raisedgreat monu
dischargefor them. When Antipaterwasap- mentsof earthover them, he decamped So
prized of it, he laughed, and said, "He could that Antigonus coming that way afterwards
Dot enough admire the caution of Eumenes, was astonished at his firmness and intre-
who must certainly expect to see the account pidity.
 EUMENES. 411

Anothertimo he fell in with the baggageof foreinsistedthatAntigonusshouldsendhosta

Antigonua,andcouldhaveeasilyhavetakenit, ges,if hewanted to treatwithhim in person.
togetherwith manypersonsof freecondition,AndwhenAntigonus wantedhimto makehis
a greatnumberof slaves,andall the wealth application
to himfirst,asthegreaterman,he
whichhadbeenamasedin so manywars,and said " While I am masterof mysword,I shall
theplunderof somanycountries.Buthewas neverthinkanymangreater
thanmyself.
At last
afraidthat his men, when possessed of such Antigonussent his nephewPtolemyinto the
richesand spoils,wouldthink themselvestoo fort asa hostage,andthen Eumenescameout
heavyfor flight, andbe too effeminateto bear to him. They embracedwith great tokens
me hardships of long wanderingfrom placeto of cordiality, havingformerly been intimate
place:and yet time, he knew, washis princi- friendsandcompanions.
palresourcefor gettingclearof Antigonus.On In the conference, whichlasteda considera-
the other hand, he was sensible it would beex- ble time, Eumenes madeno mention of securi
tremelydifficultto keepthe Macedonians
from ty for his own life, or of an amnestyfor what
flying upon the spoil, whenit was so much was passed. Instead of that, he insistedon
within reach. He therefore ordered them to having the government of his provinces cofirm-
refresh themselves, and feed their horses, be- ed to him, and considerablerewards for his ser-
fore they attacked the enemy. In the mean vices besides;insomuch that all who attended
time he privatelysenta messenger
to Menan- on this occasion,admired his firmness,and
der, who escortedthe baggage,to acquaint wereastonished
at his greatness
of mind.
him, " That Eumenes, in consideration of the During the interview, numbers of the Ma-
friendship which had subsistedbetween them, cedonians ran to see Eumenes; for, after the
advisedhim to providefor his safety,and to deathof Craterus,no manwasso muchtalked
retire asfast as possiblefromthe plain, where of in the army ashe. But Antigonus,fearing
he might easily be surrounded, to the foot of they should offer him some violence, called to
the neighbouringmountainwherethe cavalry them to keep at a distance;andwhen they
couldnot act,noranytroopsfall uponhis rear." still kept crowdingin, orderedthemto bedriv-
Menandersoonperceivedhisdanger,andre- enoff with stones. At lasthetook him in his
tired. After which, Eumenessent out his scouts arms, and keeping off the multitude with his
in the presenceof all the soldiers,andcom- guards with somedifficultygot him safeagain
mandedthe latterto armandbridletheir horses, into the castle.
in orderfor the attack. The scoutsbrought As the treaty endedin nothing,Antigonus
backan account that Menanderhad gaineda drewa line of circumvallationroundtheplace,
situationwherehe couldnot be taken. Here- andhavingleft a sufficientnumberof troopsto
upon Eumenespretendedgreatconcern,and carry on the siege,he retired. The fort was
drewoff his forces. We aretold,thatupon abundantly
provided
withcorn,water,andsalt,
the reportMenandermadeof thisaffairto An- but in wantof everythingelserequisitefor the
tigonus,the Macedonians launchedout in the table.Yet with this meanprovisionhefurnish-
praisesof Eumenes,andbeganto regardhim ed a cheerful entertainmentfor his friends,
with an eyeof kindness,for actingsogenerous whomheinvitedin their turns; for he tookcare
a part, when it wasin his power to haveen- to seasonhis provisionswith agreeabledis-
slavedtheir childrenand dishonoured
their course
andtheutmostcordiality.His appear-
wives. The answerAntigonusgavethemwas ancewasindeedvery engaging. His counte-
this: " Think not, my goodfriends,it wasfor nancehadnothingof a ferociousor war-worn
yoursakes
helet themgo;it wasfor hisown. turn,butwassmooth
andelegant;andthepro-
Hedidnot choose to havesomanyshacklesportionof hislimbswassoexcellent
thatthey
upon him, whenhedesignedto fly." mightseemto have come from the chisel of
Afterthis,Eumenes beingforcedto wanderthestatuary.Andthoughhewasnotveryelo-
andflyfromplaceto place,spoketo manyof quent,he hada soft and persuasive
way of
hissoldiers
to leavehim;eitheroutofcarefor speaking,
aswemayconcludefromhisepistles.
their safely,or becausehe did not chooseto He observed,that the greatestinconveni-
havea bodyof men afterhim, who were too enceto the garrisonwasthe narrownessof the
few to stand a battle, and too many to fly in space in which they were confined, enclosedas
privacy. And whenhe retired to the castleof it was with smallhouses,andthe whole of it
Nora,*onthe confines
of Lycaonia
and Cap- notmorethantwo furlongsin circuit;sothat
padocia,
withonlyfivehundredhorseandtwo they wereforcedto taketheir foodwithout
hundredfoot, there againhe gave all suchof exercise,andtheir horsesto do the same. To
hisfriendsfreeleaveto departasdid not like remove thelanguorwhich is theconsequence
theinconveniences of theplaceandthemean-of that want,as well as to prepare themfor
lets of diet,f and dismissed themwithgreat flight,if occasionshouldoffer,heassigned a
marksof kindness. roomfourteen cubitslong,thelargest
in all the
In a little timeAntigonus cameup, andbe- fort,for themento walkin; andgavethemor-
foreheformed that siege,invitedhimto acon- dersgraduallyto mendtneirpace. As for the
ference. Eumenesanswered, " Antigonushorses,hetiedthemto the roofof thestable
had manyfriendsand generalsto take his withstronghalters.Thenheraised theirheads
place,
in caseofaccidents
to himself;
but the andfore-parts
witha pulley,till theycould
troops
hehadthecareofhadnonetocom-scarcetouchtheground withtheirfore-feet,
mandortoprotect
them
after
him."Hethere-but,atthesametime,theystoodfirmupon
their hind-feet. In this posturethe grooms
" It wasonlytwohundred
andfiftypaces
in cir- pliedthemwiththewhipandthevoice;and
cumference. thehorses,
thusirritated,bounded
furiouslyon
t A hundred
lefthimuponthuoffer. their hind-feet,or strainedto set their fore-
 412 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

feet on the ground;by which effortstheir commanded

theJlrgyraspides,
haddirections
whole bodywasexercised,till they were out to supporthim.
of breathandin a foam. After this exercise, Theseofficers,in appearance,gaveEume-
which wasno bad oneeitherfor speedor nesa kindreception, butit wasnotdifficultto
strength,they had their barleygiventhem discoverthe envyand jealousy they had in
boiled,thattheymight soonerdespatch, and theirhearts,andhowmuchtheydisdained to
betterdigestit. act underhim. Their envyhe endeavored to
As the siegewasdrawnout to a considera-remove,by not taking the money, which he
ble length, Antigonus received information ol told them he did not want. To remove th«jr
the deathof Antipater in Macedonia,and ol obstinacyandambitionfor the first place,was
the troublesthat prevailedthere th oughthe not so easyan affair; for, thoughthey knew
animositiesbetweenCassanderand Polyper- not how to command,they wereresolved not
cInHI. He now badeadieu to all infenor proa to obey. In this casehe called in the assist-
pects, and grasped the whole empiie in his ance of superstition. He said, Alexander had
schemes: in consequenceof which he wanted appearedto him in a dream, and shewed him
to make Eurnenes his friend, and bring him to a pavilion with royal furniture, and a throne in
co-operate in the execution of his plan. For the middle of it; after which, that prince de
thispurposehe sentto him Hieronymus,*with clared," If theywouldholdtheir councils,and
proposals of peace, on condition he took the despatch business there, he would be with
oath that wasofferedto him. Eumenesmade them, andprospereverymeasureand action,
a correction in the oath, and left it to the Ma- which commencedunder his auspices."*
cedoniansbefore he placeto judge which form He easily persuadedAntigenes and Teuta
wasthe mostreasonable.Indeed,Antigonus, musto believehe hadthis vision. They were
to save appearances, bad slightly mentioned not willing to wait uponhim, nor did bechoose
the royal family in the beginning,andall the to dishonourhis commission by goingto them.
rest ran in his own name. Eumenes, therefore, They prepared, therefore, a royal pavilion, and
put Olympias and the princess of the blood a throne in it, which they called the throne
first; and he proposedto engagehimself by of Alexander; and thither they repaired,to
oath of fealty not to Antigonus onJy, but to consult upon the most important affairs.
Olympias,andthe princessherchildren. This From thencethey marchedto the higher
appearing to the Macedoniansmuch more con- provinces, and, upon the way, were joined by
sistent with justice than the other, they per- Peucestas, a friend of Eumenes, and other
mitted Eumenes to take it, and then raisedthe governors of provinces. Thus the Macedo-
siege. They likewise sent this oath to Anti- nians were greatly strengthened, both in point
gonus,requiring him to take it on the other part. of numbers, and in the most magnificent pro-
Meantime Eumenes restored to the Cappa- vision of all the requisites of war. But power
docians all the hostageshe had in Nora, and and affluence had rendered these governors
in return they furnished him with horses,beasts so (intractable in society, and so dissolute in
of burden, and tents. He also collected great their way of living, since the deatli of Alex-
part of his soldiers who had dispersedthem- ander, and they came together with a spirit of
selves after his defeat, and were straggling despotism so nursed by barbaric pride, that
ibout the country. By this meanshe assem- they soon becameobnoxiousto each other, and
bled near a thousand horse,f with which he no sort of harmony could subsist between
marched off as fast as possible; rightly judging them. Besides, they flattered the Macedonians
he had much to fearfrom Antigonus. For that without any regard to decorum, and supplied
general not only ordered him to be besieged them with money in such a manner, for their
again, and shut up with a circular wall, but, in entertainments and sacrifices, that, in a little
his letters,expressedgreat resentmentagainst time, their camplookedlike a placeof public
the Macedonians for admittingthe correction receptionfor everysceneof intemperance,and
of the oath. those veterans were to be courted for military
While Eumenes was flying from place to appointments, as the people are for their votes
plate, he received letters from Macedonia, in in a republic.
which the peopledeclaredtheir apprehensions Eurntnes soon perceivedthat the new ar-
of the growing power of Antigonus; and rived grandees despised each other, but were
others from Olympias, wherein sheinvited him afraid of him, and watched an opportunity to
to come and take upon him the tuition and kill him. He therefore pretended he was in
careof Alexander'sson,whoselife sheconceiv- wantof money,and borrowedlargesumsof
ed to be m danger. At the sametime Poly- thosethat hatedhim most.f in order that they
cerchonand king Philip sent him ordersto might place some confidencein him, or at
carry on the war against Anligonus with the least might give up their designs upon his life,
forcesin Cappadocia. They empowered him out of regardto the moneylent him. Thus he
also to take five hundredtalenU out of the foundguardsfor himself,in the opulenceof
royal treasure at Quinda,f for the re-establish-
ment of his own affairs, and as much more as
" In consequence
of this, accordingto Diodonu,
he shouldjudgenecessary
for the purposesof Eumenei proposed
to takea sumout of the treasury
thewar. Antigenes
andTcutamustoo, who sufficient
formaking
a throne
of gold; to place
upon
that throne the diadem, the sceptre, and crown, and
* Hieronvmuswasof Cardia,and thereforea coun- all theotherensigns
of royaltybelonging
to thatprince
trymanof Eumcnes. He wrote the history of those that everymorninga sacrificeshould beoflercdhim
princes who divided Alexander':*dominionsamong by all theofficers;andthatall ordersshouldbeissued
them, and ol' their successors. iu his name. A stroke of policy suitable to the gemui
f Diudorus Siculus aaystwo thousand. of Eumeues.
J ID i .11,>- f Four hundred thousandcrowns.
 EUMENES. 418
Others',
and)though
menin general
seekto ingthelittercarried
aboutfromonewingto
"avetheirlivesbygiving,he providedfor bis theother,helaughed
outaloud,ashismanner
lafetybyreceiving. was,
andsaid
tohisfriends,
"Yonlitteristhe
Whilenodanger
wasnear,theMacedonians
thingthatpitches
thebattleagainst
us." After
tookbribes
of allwhowanted
tocorrupt
them,this,heimmediately
retreated
tohisentrench-
uid, like a kind of guards, daily attended the ments."
gates
ofthose
thataffected
thecommand. But The Macedonians had hardlyrecovered
whenAntigonuscameand encamped over themselves
fromtheirfears,before
theybegan
against
them;
andaffairs
calledfora realgen-tobehave
againin a disorderly
andmutinom
eral,Eumenes wasappliedto, notonlybythe manner
to theirofficers,
andspreadthemselves
toldierg,buttheverygrandees whohadtaken overalmostall theprovinces of Gabene
for
BO.
muchstateuponthemin time of peaceand winter quarters;insomuchthat the first were
pleasure,
freelygaveplaceto him,aadtook atthedistance
of a thousand
furlongs
fromthe
thepostassigned
them withoutmurmuring.last. Antigonusbeinginformedof this cir-
Indeed,when Antigonusattemptedto passthe cumstance, movedbackagaiustthem,without
river Pasitigris,not one of the other officers losinga moment'stime. He took a rugged
who were appointedto guardit, got anyintel- road,that affordedno water, becauseit was
ligenceof his motions: Eurnenesalone was thfe shortest; hoping, if he fell upon them
tt handto opposehim; andhe did it soeffect- while thusdispersed, that it would be impot-
Daily,that he tilled the channelwith deadbo- siblefor their officersto assemble them.
dies,andmadefour thousandprisoners. However,as scon as lie had enteredthat
The behaviour of the Macedonians, when desolate country, his troops were attacked
Eumeneshappened to besick, still more par- with suchviolent winds,andseverefrosts,that
ticularly shewed,that they thoughtothersfit it wasdifficult for themto proceed;andthey
to direct in magnificent entertainments, and found it necessary to light many fires. For
the solemnities of peace, but that he was the this reason their march could not be conceal-
only person among them fit to lead an army. ed. The barbarians,who inhabited the mouH'
For Peuccstashaving feastedthem in a sump- tains that overlooked the desert, wondering
tuous manner in Persia, and given each man a what sucha number of fires cuuld mean, sent
theep for sacrifice, hoped to be indulged with
the command. A few days after, as they were
marchingagainstthe enemy,Eumeneswasso * Therearesomeparticulars
in Diodoriu,which
dangerously ill, that he was forced to be car- deserve
to beinsertedhere. Afterthetwo armieswere
ried in a litter, at some distance from the separated, without coiningto action,they encamped
ranks,lesthisrest,whichwasveryprecarious,
about
threefurlongs1
distance
fromeach
other;and
should
bedisturbed
withthenoise.Theyhadmuch
Antigonus,
soon
exhaustedfinding thecountry
that it would be verywhere
difficulthe
forlay00
him
notgonefir, beforetheenemysuddenly
madelosubsist,
sentdeputies
totheconfederate
army,toso-
their appearance,for they had passedthe in- licit them,especially
the governors
of provinces,and
termediateh.ll, and were now descendinginto the old Macedoniancorps,to desertEumtnts,aad to
theplain. Thelustreof theirgoldenarmour'joinhim;which,
atthistime,theyrejected
withthe
glittering
in thesun,as theymarched
downed,
highestindignation.
Eumenes After
came into thethedeputies
assembly, were
and dismiss-
delivered
thehill,theelephants
withthetowersoutheir himself
inthefollowing
fable
: " A lionouce,
falling
backs,andthe purplevestswhichthe cavalry in lovewithayoung
uaznsel,demanded
herinmarriage
usedto wear when they were advancing to the of her father. The fathermadeanswer,
lh;it helooked
combat, struck the troops that wer<>to oppose on such an alliance asa great honour to his family, but
them with such surprise that the front halted, stoodin fearof hisclawsandteeth,lest,uponanytri-
fling dispute that might happenbetweenthem after mar-
andcalled
outforEumenes;
declaring
thatthey riage,
hemight
exercise
them
alittletoohastily
upou
IMJ
would not move a step farther, if he had not daughter.To removethisobjection,theamorous
lion
the direction of them. At the same time caused both his nails and teeth to be drnv.ii immedi*
they grounded their arms, exhorting each alely;whereupon,
thefathertooka cudgel,
andsoon
othertostop,andinsisted
thattheir officersgot ridofhisenemy." " This,"continued he," ii
the very thing aimed at by Anligonuj, whois liberal m
should
nothazard
anengagement
withoutEu- promises,
till hehas
made
himself
master
ofyourforces,
menes. andthenbewareof his teethandpaws." A few dayi
Eumenesno sooner heard this, than he ad- afterthis, Eumenes,
havingintelligence
thatAntigooui
vanced
withtheutmostexpedition,
hasteningintended todecamp inthenight, nrr.suiUy guessed that
his design was to seek quarters cf refreshment for hit
with the slaves that carried the litter. He like-
armyin the rich dislrictof Gzbeuc. To preventthii,
wiseopenedthecurtains,
andstretched
outhis and, atthesametime,togaina passage
intothatcoun-
hand,intokenof hisjoy. Onthe firstsight try,heinstructed
some soldiers
toprelrndthatthey
of the general of their heart, the troops salut- weredeserters,
and sentthem intothe campof Anti-
ed him in the Macedonianlanguage,
clanked gonus,
wheretheyreported,
thatEumenes
intended
to
their arms, and, with loud shouts, challenged attackhim in his trenchesthat verynight. But,whil*
Antigonus's troops were under arms, Kumenesmarch-
theenemy
to advance,
thinking
themselves
in- edforGabene,
which,
atlength,
Autigonus
suspected
;
vinciblewhile hewasat their head. and,having
givenproperordersto hisfoot,marched
Aotigonushavinglearnedfrom someprison- immediately
afterhimwithhiscavalry.Earlymthe
ers,that Eumenes
wasso extremely
ill, that morning,
fromthetopofa hill,hediscerned
Eumenei
he was forced to be carried in 3 litter, con- with/hi!armybelow; andEumenei,
uponsightof the
cluded he should find no great difficulty in cavalry,concluding
thatthewholearmyof Antigonut
wasat hand,facedabout,
anddisposed
his troopsin
beating the othv generals; and, therefore, orderto battle. ThusEumenei
wasdeceived
in hii
hastenedto the attack. But when he came to turn: anil »ssoonasAntigonus's
infantrycameup, 4
reconnoitre
theenemy's
army,andsawinwhat eharp
action
followed,
in whichthevictoryseemed
excellent order it was drawn up, he stood still won and loit severaltimes. At last,however Anti-
couushad"nbly theworst,beingforced to withdraw,
sometime,
DD
in silentadmiration.
At last,spy-bylong
marchei,
intoMedia.
DM.S.c.
lib.iTiii.UI
 414 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Bornepersonsupon dromedaries to Peucestas, mate the Greeks and the barbarians. On the
Withan accountof them. other hand,the Phalanx and the Argyrcu-
Peucestas,
distractedwith terror at this news, pides badehim be of goodcourage,assuring
prepared
for flight,intending
to takewithhim himthattheenemywouldnot standtheen-
suchtroops as he could collect on the way. counter. For they were veteranswho had
But Eumenes
soondispelledtheir fearsand served
underPhilip and Alexander,
andlike
Uneasiness,
by promisingBOto impedethe ene so manychampions
of the ring, hadneverhad
my'smarch,that theywouldarrivethreedays a fall to thatday. Many of themweresev-
laterth.intheywereexpected.Findingthat entyyearsof age,and nonelessthansilly.
they listenedto him,he sentordersto the offi- Sothat whentheychargedthe troopsof Anti-
cersto draw all the troopsfrom the quarters, gonus,they cried out, "Villains', you fight
andassemble
themwith speed.At thesameagainst
yourfathers!"Thentheyfell furiously
time hetook his horse,andwent with his col- uponhis infantryandsoonrouted them. In-
leaguesto seek out a lofty piece of ground, deed, none of the battalions could stand the
which mightattract the Mention of the troops shock,andthe mostof themwerecut in piecei
inarchingbelow. Having found onethat an upon the spot. But though Antigonushad
BWI.TI
<1hispurpose,
hemeasured
it, andcaus-suchbad success
in thisquarter,hiscavalry
ed a numberof fires to be lighted at proper were victorious,through the weak and das-
intervals,so as to resemblea camp. tardly behaviourof Peucestas,
andtookall tha
When Antigonus beheld those fires uponthe baggnge. Antigonus was a man, ivbo had in
heights,
hewasin theutmost
distress.For he excellent
presence
of mindonthemosttrying
thoughtthe enemywereapprisedof his inten- occasions, andherethe place andthe occasioa
tion sometime before,andwerecometo meet befriendedhim. It wasa plainopencountry,
him. Not choosing,therefore,with forcesso the soil neither deep nor hard,but like the
harassedand fatiguedwith their march,to be sea-shore, coveredwith a fine dry sand,which
obligedto fighttroopsthatwere perfectlyfresh the tramplingof somanymenandhorses, dur-
andhadwinteredin agreeable quarters,heleft ing the action,reducedto a smallwhite dust,
the shortroad,and led his men throughthe that, like a cloudof lime,darkenedtheair,and
townsandvillages;giving themabundanttime interceptedthe prospect;so that it waseasy
to refresh themselves.But when he found for Antigonusto takethe baggage unperceived.
that no parties came out to gall him in his After the battle was over, Teutamus sent
inarch,whichis usualwhenan enemyis near, someof his corpsto Antigonus,to desirehim
and wasinformed,by the neighbouringinhab- to restorethe baggage. He told them,he
itants,that theyhad seenno troopswhatever,would not only return the Jlrgyraspidestheir
nor any thing but fires uponthe hills, heper- baggage,but treat them,in all other respects,
ceivedthat F.umencs hadoutdonehim in point with thegreatestkindness,providedtheywould
of generalship;andthis incensedhim somuch put Eumenes in hishands. The ^rgyraspidti
that he advanced with a resolution to try his came into that abominablemeasure,and agreed
strength in a pitched battle. to deliver up that brave man alive to his ene-
Meantimethe greatestpart of the forcesre- mies. In pursuance
of this scheme,they ap-
pairing to fiumenes,in admirationof his ca- proachedhim unsuspected,andplantedthem-
pacity,desiredhim to takethe solecommand.selvesabouthim. Somelamentedthe lossof
Upon this Antigenesand Teutamus, who were their baggage,some desired him to assumethe
at the head of the Jlrgyraspides, were so ex- spirit of victory,which he had gained; others
asperated with envy, that they formed a plot accusedthe rest of their commanders. Thus
againsthis life: andhavingdrawn into it most watching their opportunity,they fell upon
of the grandees and generals, they consulted him, took away his sword, and bound bis
upona propertimeand methodto takehim off. handsbehindhim with his own girdJe.
They all agreedto makeuseof him in the en- Nicanor wassent by Antigonusto receive
suing battle,andto assassinate
him immediate-him. But, as they led him throughthe midst
ly after. But Eudamus,master of the ele- of the Macedonians, he desiredfirst to speat
phants, and Phojdimus,privately informed to them; not for any requesthe hadto make,
Eumenesof their resolutions;not out of any but uponmattersof great importanceto them.
kindness or benevolent regard, but because Silence being made,he ascended an eminence,
they wereafraidof losingthemoneytheyhad andstretching out his hands,boundai they
lent him. He commendedthem for the hon- were,he said: "What trophy, ye vilest of all
our with which they behaved,and retired to the Macedonians!what trophycould Anti-
his tent. There he told his friends,"That he genushave wishedto raise,like this which
lived amonga herdof savagebeasts,"and im- you areraising,by deliveringup yourgeneral
mediatelymadehis will. After whichhedes- bound? Was it not baseenoughto acknow-
troytd ail his papers,lest, after his death, ledgeyourselvesbeaten,merely for thesako
chargesand impeachments shouldrise against of your baggage,as if victory dwelt among
the persons who wrote them, in consequence your goods and chattels, and not upon the
of thesecretsdiscovered
there. He then con- points of your swords; but you must also
sidered, whether he should put the enemy in send your general as a rantom for that bag-
the way of gaining the victory,or take his gage.'' For my part, though thus led, I
flight throughMedia andArmeniainto Cappa- am not conquered;I have beatenthe enemy,
docia; but he could not fii upon anything andam ruined by my fellow-soldiers. But 1
vthilr-his friendsstayedwith him. After re- conjure you by the godof armies,*and ihe
volvingvariousexpedients in his mind,which awful deitieswho presideover oaths,to kill
was now almost as changeable as his fortune,
b* drew uf>the forcesandendeavoured
to ani- * JupiUr.
 SERTORIUS AND EUMENES COMPARED. 415

meherewithyourownhands.If mylife be1bringhim necessaryrefreshments.Thus he

takenbyanother,
thedeedwill bestill yours.spentsomeconsiderable
timein deliberating
NorwillAntigonus
complain,
if youtakethehowtodispose
ofhim,anjsometimes
listened
workoutof hishands;for hewantsnot £u- to theapplications, andpromises of Nearche*
menesalive, but Eumenes dead. If you theCretan,aridhisownsonDemetrius, who
choosenutto be theimmediate instruments,made it a pointto savehim. Butall theother
loosebut oneof myhands,and that shalldo officersinsisted
thatheshouldbeputto death,
mybusiness.If youwill nottrustmewitha andurgedAntigonus to givedirections
for it
eword,throw me, boundas I am, to wild One d:iy, we are told, Eumenesaskedhis
beasts. If you complywith this lastrequest, keeper,Onomarchus, " Why Antigonus,now
I acquityou of all guilt with respectto me, he had got his enemyinto his power,did not
anddeclare
you havebehaved
to yourgeneraleitherimmediately
dispatch
him,orgenerously
like the best and honestestof men." release him?" Onomarchua answered, in a
The rest of the troops received this speech contemptuous manner, " That in the battle,
with sighsand tears, and every expressionandnot now,he shouldhavebeenso readyto
of sorrow; but the Jlrgyra&pidts cried out, meet death." To which Eumenesreplied,
" Lead him on, andattendnot to his trifling. "By heavens,I wasso! Ask thosewho ven-
For it is no suchgreat matter,if anexecrabletured to engageme if I was not. I do not
Chersonesian, who has harassedthe Mace- know that I met with a better man than my-
donians with infinite wars, have cause to la- self."-" Well," said Onomarchus, " now you
ment his fate; as it would be, if the bestof havefounda bettermanthan yourself,whydo
Alexander's and Philip's soldiers should be you not patiently wait his time?"
deprived of the fruit of their labours, and have When Antigonus had resolved upon his
their bread to beg in their old age. And have death, he gave orders that he should have no
not our wives already passedthree nights with kind of food. By this means, in two or three
our enemies?" Sosayingtheydrovehim for- daystime, hebeganto drawnearhis end: and
ward. then Antigonua, being obliged to decamp upon
Antigonus, fearing some bad consequence some suddenemergency,sent in an executioner
from the crowd (for there was not a man left to dispatch him. The body he delivered to his
Lahis camp), sent out ten of his best elephants, friends, allowing them to burn it honourably
anda corpsof spearmen,
whowereMedesand and to collect the ashesinto a silver urn, in
Parthians, to keep them off. He could not order to their being sent to his wife and chil-
bear to have Eumenes brought into his pre- dren.
sence, because of the former friendly con- Thus died Eumenes: and divine justice did
nexions there had been between them. And not go far to seek instruments of vengeance
when those who took charge of him, asked, against the officers* and soldiers who had be-
in what manner he would havehim kept? He trayed him. Antigonus himself, detesting the
said," So asyou would keepan elephantor a Jlrgyraspidesasimpiouaandsavagewretches,
lion." Nevertheless he soonfelt some impres- ordered Ibyrtius, governor of Araceosia,f un-
sionsof pity, andorderedthemto takeoff his der whose directionshe put them, to take
heavychains,and allow him a servantwho everymethodto destroythem; so that not one
hadbeenaccustomed to wait upon him. He of themmiphtreturn to Macedonia,or sethia
likewisepermittedsuchof his friendsas de- eyesuponthe Greciansea.
tircd it, to passwhole days with him, and to

SERTORIUS AND EUMENES COMPARED.

THESEare the most remarkableparticulars had been subject to Rome; the other was a
which history hasgiven us concerning Eumenes Chersonesian, and commanded the Macedo-
and Sertorius. And now to come to the com- nians, who had conquered the whole world.
parison. We observe first, that though they It should be consideredtoo, that Sertorious the
werebothstrangers,
aliens,andexiles,they moreeasilymadehisway,because
hewasa
had,to the endof their days,the command
of senator,andhad led armiesbefore; but Eu-
manywarlikenations,
andgreatand respect-menes,withthe disreputation
of havingbeen
able armies. Sertorius,indeed,has this ad- only a secretary, raised himself to the first
.antage,that his fellow-warriorsever freely military employments. Nor had Eumenes
gaveupthecommand
to himonaccount
of his only fewer advantages,
but greaterimpedi-
superiormerit; whereasmanydisputedthe post mentaalsoin the road to honour. Numbers
ofhonour
withEumenes,
andit washisactionsopposed
himopenly,
andasmanyformed
pri
only that obtainedit for him. The officersof vatedesignsagainsthis life: whereasno man
Sertorius
wereambitious
to havehimat their ever opposed
Sertoriusin public,andit wa»
ncad; butthosewhoactedunderEumenes
never had recourse to him, till experience had
nottill towards
thelast,thatafewnfhisparty
shewed them their own incapacity, and the ne- * Antigines, commander-in-chief
of Ihe Silver
cessity
of employing
another. SA.cMs,
was,byorder
of Aniieonus,
pinin a roftin,
andbun-d
The one was a Roman, and commandedthe of Ihe enemies alive.Eudamui,
Cilbanus,
andmanyolhe.
of Eumcnei,experienced
a like lilt.
Spaniards
andLusitamans,whofor manyyears t A provinceof Parlhia,nearBaclnaaa.
416 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

enteredupona privatescheme
to destroyhim. citizen Hence,the one voluntarilyengaged
Tnc dangers
of Sertorius
weregenerally
over in war,for thesakeof gainingthechiefcom-
whenhehadgaineda victory; andthe dangersmand; the other involuntarilytook the com-
of Eumenesgrew out of his very victories, mand, becausehe could not live in peace-
amongthosewho enviedhis success. Eumenes,therefore,in his passionfor the
Their militaryperformances wereequaland camp,preferredambitionto safety; Sertoriui
"imilar, but their dispositionswere very dif- wasan ablewarrior,but employedhis talentg
ferent. Eumeiieslovedwar,andhada native only for the safetyof his person. The onewag
spirit of contention;Sertoriuslovedpeaceand not apprizedof his impendingfate; tbo other
tranquillity. The former mighthavelived in expected his everymoment. The onehadthe
greatsecurityandhonour,if he wouldnot have candidpraiseof confidence in his friends;the
stood in the way of the great; but he rather other incurred the censureof weakness;for he
chose to tread for ever in the uneasypaths of would have fled,* but could not. The death
power,though he had to fight everystep he of Sertoriusdid no dishonourto bis life; he
took; the latter would gladly have withdrawn sufferedthat from his fellow-soldiers which the
from the tumult of public affairs; but was enemy could not have effected. Kumeneg
forcedto continuethewar,to defendhimself couldnotavoidhischains,yet aftertheindig-
against his restless persecutors. For Anligo- nity of chains,t he wanted to live; so that he
nus would have taken pleasure in employing could neither escape death, nor meet it as he
Eumenes,if he would havegiven up the dis- ought to have done; but, by having recourse
pute for superiority,andbeencontentwith the to mean applicationsand entreaties,put his
stationnextto his; whereasPompeywouldnot mind in the powerof the man who wasonjjf
grant Sertoriushis requestto live a private masterof his body.

AGESILAUS.

ARCHroAMtrs,'the son of Xeuxidemus,after conquered or bornedown,yet he wasequally

having governedthe Lacedemonianswith a remarkablefor his gentleness,where it w«g
very respectable
character,left behindhim two necessaryto obey. At the sametime, it ap-
eons;the one namedAgis, whom he hadof peared,that his obediencewas not owing to
Lampito,t a woman of an illustrious family; fear, but to the principle of honour, and that
the other much younger, named Agesilaus, throughout his whole conduct he dreadeddig-
whom he had by Eupolia, the daughter of Me- grace more than toil.
lisippidas. As the crown, by law, was to de- He waslameof oneleg: but that defect,dur-
ecendto Agis,Agesilaushadnothingto expect ing his youth, wascoveredby the agreeable
but a privatestation,andthereforehada com- turn of the rest of his person;and the easy
mon Lacedaemonianeducation; which, though and cheerful manner in which he bore it and
hard in respectof diet, and full of laborious his being the first to rally himself upon it,
exercises,was well calculatedto teach the alwaysmadeit the less regarded. Nay, that
youth obedience.Hence,Simonidesis saidto defect made his spirit of enterprisemore re-
havecalledthat famedcity, the man-subduing markable;for he never declinedon that ac
Sparta,becauseit was the principal tendency countanyundertaking,howeverdifficultor ia-
of her discipline to make the Mtizens obedient bonoua.
and submissiveto the laws; and shetrained her We have no portrait or statue of him. He
youth as the colt is trained to the manege.would not suffer any to be madewhile he
The law does not lay the young princes who lived, and at his death he utterly forbade it.
are educatedfor the throne under the same ne- We are only told, that he was a little man,and
cessity.But Agesilaus
wassingularin this, that he hadnot a commanding
aspect.But
that beforehe cameto govern,he hadlearned a.perpetualvivacityandcheerfulness, attended
to obey. Henceit wasthat he accommodated with a talent for raillery, whichwasexpressed
himself with a better grace to his subjects without any severity either of voice or look,
than any other of the kings; havingaddedto made him more agreeable,even in age, than
his princelyulenta and inclinationsa humane the young andthe handsome.Theophrastui
mannerandpopularcivility. tells us,the Ephori finedArchidamus
for mar-
While he was yet in one ol* the classes or rying a little woman. " She will bring us," said
societiesof boys,Lysander had that honour- they, " a race of pigmies,insteadof kings."
«b)e attachment to him which the Spartans During the reign of Agis, AJcibiades,upon
distinguish with the name of love. He was his quitting Sicily, camean exile to Lacedxmon.
charmrd with his ingenuous modesty. For,
thoughhe hada spirit above his companions, * Uponnotice
of theintention
of hii encmiea
tode-
an ambition to excel, which made him unwill- stroy him after the battle, he deliberated whether b*
ing to sit down without the prize, and a should
giveupthevictoryto Anbgouiu,
orretireinU
vigour and impetuosity
which couldnot be Cappadocia.
f This does not appear from Plutarch's account01
* ArchidamusH. him. He only desiredAntigoutiseitherto (pvt imme-
f Lain|>ii".nr Lampido,was sister10Arch'dajnus, diateordersfur hi* ciccutiou or to showhisgeoerof
bj die lall.tr » side. Vid. Ptut. ity lu releuiug him.
 AGESILAUS. 417
And he had not beentherelong,beforehe among
them;by whichmeans
the inheritance
wassuspected
of a criminal
commerce
with procured
himrespect
andhonour,
instead
of
Timsc, the wife of Agis. Agis would not ac- envyandaversion.
knowledge
the child whichshehadfor his, Xenophon
tellsus,that by obedience
to the
but said it wasthe sonof Alcibiadea. Duria lawsof his country,Agesilausgainedso much
informsus,thatthequeenwasnotdispleasedpower,that his will wasnotdisputed.The
at thesupposition,
andthatsheusedtowhispercasewasthis,theprincipalauthority
wasthen
to her women,the child shouldbe called Al- in the handsof the Ephori and the senate
cibiades,
notLeotychidas.He adds,thatAl- The Ephoriwereannual
magistrates,
andthe
cibiadeshimself scruplednot to say,"He did senatorshad their office for life. They were
not approachTimia to gratify his appetite, both appointedas a barrieragainstthe power
butfromanambition to givekingsto Sparta."of thekings,aswehaveobserved in thelife of
However,he wasobligedto fly fromSparta,Lycurgus. The kings,therefore, hadanold
lestAgisshouldrevengetheinjury. Andthat andhereditary antipathy
tothem,andperpetual
princelookinguponLeotychidas withan eye disputessubsistedbetween them. ButLysan-
of suspicion,
did nottakenoticeof himas a der tooka differentcourse.He gaveupall
ion. Yet, in his last sickness,Leotychidas thoughtsof oppositionandcontention,andpaid
prevailed
uponhimby histearsandentreaties,hiscourtto themon everyoccasion;
taking
to acknowledge
him as suchbeforemanywit- care in all his enterprizes,to set out under
nesses. their auspices.If he was called, he went faster
Notwithstandingthispublicdeclaration,
Agis than usual:if he wasuponhis throne,admin-
wasno soonerdead,than Lysandcr,who had isteringjustice,he roseup when the Ephori
ranquishedthe Atheniansat sea,andhadgreat approached:if any oneof themwasadmitted
powerandinterestin Sparta,advancedAgesi-a memberof the senate,
hesenthima robe
iausto thethrone;allegingthat Leotychidas
andanox,*asmarksof honour.Thus,while
wasa bastard,andconsequently hadno right he seemed to beaddingto the dignity andim-
to it. Indeed the generalityof the citizens, portanceof their body, he was privatelyin-
knowing the virtuesof Agesilaus,andthat he creasinghis ownstrength,andtheauthorityof
bad been educatedwith them in all the severi- the crown, through their support and attach-
ty of the Spartan discipline, joined with pleas- ment.
ure in the scheme. In his conduct with respect to the other citi-
There wasthen at Sparta,adiviner,named zens,he behaved
betteras an enemythan as a
Diopithes, well versedin ancient prophecies, friend. If he was severe to his enemies,he wa«
andsupposed anableinterpreterof everything not unjustly so; his friendshe countenanced
relatingto thegods. This maninsisted,it was evenin their unjustpursuits.If hisenemies
per-
contrary to the divine will, that a lame man formed any thing extraordinary, he was asham-
shouldsit on the throneof Sparta;andon the ed not to take honourablenotice of it; hi*
daythe point wasto be decided,he publicly friends he could not correct when they did
read this oracle- amiss. On the contrary, it was his pleasure to
Beware,
proud
Sparta,
lestamaimed
empire* support
them,
andgothesame
lengths
theydidj
Thy boasted
strengthimpair; for otherwoes for he tHoughtno service dishonourable which
Thanthou beholdst,awail thee-borneaway he did in the way of friendship. Nay, if his ad-
By the strange tide of war versaries fell into any misfortune, he was tho
first to sympathize with them,and readyto givo
Lysanderobservingupon this, that if the them his assistance,if they desired it. By tbeso
Spartanswere solicitousto actliterally accord- meanshe gained the hearts of all his people.
ingtotheoracle, theyought tobeware ofLeo- TheEphori saw this,and, intheirfearofhis
tychidas; forthatheaven didnotconsider itas increasing power,imposed afineupon him;al-
amatter ofimportance, if thekinghappened leging thisasareason, thatwhereas the cit
to have alame foot;thethingtobeguarded izens ought tobein common, heappropriated
against was theadmission ofaperson whowasthem
not a genuine descendant of Hercules: for that
tohimself. Asthewriters upon physici
say, that if war and discord were banished the
would make
laus added, theNeptune
that kingdom itself
had lame.
borne Agesi-
witness to universe, theheavenly bodies would stoptheir
course, and all generation and motion would
the bastardy of Leotychidas, in throwing Agiscease, byreason ofthatperfect harmony; sothe
out of his bed by an earthquake;f ten months great Lawgiver infused a spirit of ambition and
after which, andmore, Leotychidas was born;contention intotheSpartan constitution,
asan
though
ing that Agis
time.didnot cohabit withTimaea dur-incentive tovirtue,andwished always tosee
some difference and dispute among the good
Bythese ways andmeans, Agesilaus gained andvirtuous. Hethought thatgeneral com
thediadem, andatthesame timewasputin plaisance, whichleadsmentoyieldto the
possession oftheprivate estate ofAgis;Leoty-nextproposal, without exploringeach other's
chidas
macy. being rejected
Observing, onaccount
however, thatof his
his illegiti-intentions,
relations andwithout debating ontheconse-
quences, was an inert principle, and deserved
by themother'sside,thoughmenof merit,were not the nameof harmony.fSomeimaginethat
»erypoor,
hegave
a moiety
of theestate
hewould
nothave
made
Agamemnon
rejoicej
" Thetwolegs
of theSpartan
constitution
werethe * Emblems ofmagistracyandpatriotism.
twokings,
winch,
therefore,
mustbeinamaimed and t Uponthesame principle,
weneednotbegreatlf
ruined
stale
when
oneofthemwasgone.In fact,the alarmed
at parlydisputes
in ourowunation.Th«y
rontequenceproducednot a just and goodmonarch, will notexpire but witli liberlv. And suchftrmtttU
»uta tyrant. are oftennecessaryto throw off viciuui humours.
t S« Xenophon,
Grecian
Hist,bookiii. 1Odyssey,
lib. via.
418 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Homersawthis, andwhenUlyssesandAchil- of Bceoiia. And the officersnot on17gave

les contended in suchopprohious terms, if he him suchnotice, but threw the thighsof the
hai. not expected thatsomegreatbenefitwould victim from the aliar. Agesilauswas highly
arise to their affairsin general,fromthis par- offendedat this treatment,aad departedin
ticular quarrel among the great. This point, great wrath with the Thebans. Nor could he
however, cannot be agreedto, without someex- conceive any hopes of successafter such an
ccplion; for violentdissensions
arepernicious omen;enthe contrary,heconcludedhis oper-
to a state,andproductiveof the greatestdan- ations would be incomplete,and his expedi-
gers. tion not answerthe intention.
Agesilaushad not long beenseatedon the When hecameto Ephesus,the powerand
throne before accountswere brought from Asia, interest of Lysander appearedin a very obnox
that the king of Persia was preparing a great ious light. The gates of that minister were
fleet to dispossessthe Lacedemonians of their continually crowded, and all applications were
dominionof the sea. Lysanderwasverydesi- madeto him; asif Agesilaushadonly thename
rous to be sent again into Asia, that he might and badgesof command, to save the forms of
supporthis friendswhomhe left governors
and law, andLysanderhadin fact the power,and
masters of the cities, and many of whom, hav- all business were to pass through his hands
ing abused their authority to the purposesof Indeed, none of the generals who were sent to
violence and injustice, were banishedor put to Asia, ever had greater sway, or were more
death by the people. He therefore persuaded dreadedthan he; none ever servedtheir friends
AgesiJausto enter Asia with his forces, and more effectually, or humbled their enemies§o
fix the seat of war at the greatest distance much. Thesewerethingsfreshin everyone's
fron Greece, before the Persian could have memory; and when they compared also the
finished his preparations. At the same time plain, the mild, and popular behaviour of Ages-
be instructed his friends in Asia to send depu- ilaus, with the stern, the short, and authorita-
ties to Lacedamon, to desire Agesilaus might tive manner of Lysander, they submitted to
be appointed to that command. the latter entirely, and attended to him alone.
Agesilaus received their proposalsin full as- The other Spartansfirst expressedtheir re-
eemblyof the people, and agreed to undertake sentment, because that attention to Lysander
the war, on condition they would give him made them appearrather as his ministers,than
hirty Spartans for his officersand counsellors, as counsellors to the king. Afterwards Age-
a select corps of two thousandnewly enfran- silaus, himself, was piqued at it. For though
chised Helots, and six thousandof the allies. he had no envy in his nature; or jealousy of
All this was readily decreed, through the in- honours paid to merit, yet he was ambitious
fluence of Lysander, and Agesilaus sent out of glory, and firm in asserting his claim to it.
with the thirty Spartans. Lysander was soon Besides, he was apprehensivethat if any great
at the headof the council, not only on account action were performed, it would be imputed
of his reputation and power, but the friendship to Lysander, on account of the superior light
of Agesilaus,who thoughtthe procuringhim in whichhe hadstill beenconsidered.
this commanda greaterthing than the raising The methodhe tookto obviateit wasthis.
him to the throne. His first step was, to opposethe counselsof
While his forceswereassembling at Geras- Lysander, and to pursuemeasuresdifferent
tus,he went with hisfriendsto Aulis; andpass- from those,for which he was most earnest
ing the night there, hedreamedthat a person Another step wasto rejectthe petitionsof all
addressedhim in this manner: "You are sensi- who appearedto apply to him through the in-
ble that, sinceAgamemnon, nonehasbeenap- terestof that minister. In matterstoo, which
pointedcaptain-general-ofall Greece,but your- were broughtbeforethe king in a judicialway,
self, the king of Sparta;andyou arethe only thoseagainstwhomLysanderexertedhimself
personwhohavearrivedat thathonour. Since, were sure to gain their cause;andthey for
therefore,you commandthe samepeople,and whomhe appeared,could scarceescapewith-
go againstthe sameenemieswith him,as well out a fine. As thesethingshappened not cas-
as take your departurefrom the sameplace, ually, but constantlyandof setpurpose,Ly-
you ought to propitiatethe goddess with the sanderperceivedthe cause,and concealedit
same sacrifice;which he offeredherebefore not fromhis friends. He told them,it wason
he sailed." his account they were disgraced, and desired
Ape?ilausat first thoughtof the sacrificeof them to pay their court to the king, andto
' -^higenia,whom her fatherofferedin obedi- thosewho hid greaterinterestwith him than
ence to the soothsayers.This circumstance,himself. Theseproceedings seemed invidious,
however, dill not give him any pain. In the and intended to depreciatethe king: Agesi-
morning he related the vision to his friends, laus, therefore,to mortifyhim still more,ap-
and told them he would honourthe goddesspointed him his carver: andwe aretold, he
with whata superiorBeingmightreasonably
saidbeforea largecompany;
"Now let them
besupposed
to takepleasurein, andnot imitate go andpaytheir courtto my carver."
the savage
ignorance
of hispredecessor.
In Lysander,unableto bearthis lastinstance
consequence of which, he crowned a hind of contempt,said,"Agesilaus,you know very
with flowers,and deliveredher to her own well how to lessenyour friends." Agesilaus
soothsayer,
with ordersthat heshouldperform answered," I know very well who want to
theceremony,
andnottheperson
appointed
to be greaterthan myself." "But, perhaps,"
that officeby the Bccotians. The first magis- said Lysander,"that has ratherbeensorep
trates of BoDOtiaincensedat this innovation, resentedto you, than attempted by me. Place
senttheir officersto insistthatAgesilaus
should me, however,where I mayserveyou, with-
not sacrificecontraryto the lawsand customsout giving you the least umbrage." Upon
 AGESILAUS. 419

thisAecsilaus
appointedhimhislieutenantin excuseda dastardly
richmantheservice."*
theIldfespont,
wherehepersuaded Spithri Onedayheordered hiscommissariestosell
dates,a Persian,
in the provinceof Pharnatheprisoners,butto stripthemfirst. Their
b.izus,to comeoverto the Greeks, with a clothes
found
many purchasers;
butasto the
considerable
treasure,
andtwo hundred
horse prisonersthemselves,
their skinsbeingsoft
Vet heretainedhisresentment,
andnourish andwhite,by reason
of their havingli\cd so
ing the remembrance
of the affrontheha( much
withindoors,
thespectators
onlylaughed
received,considered how he mightdepriveat them,thinkingtheywouldbeof noservice
thetwofamiliesof theprivilegeof givingkings asslaves.Whereupon Agesilaus, who stood
to Sparta,* andopenthewayto that highsta byat theauction, saidto his troops,"These
tiontoall thecitizens.Andit seems hewoulc are the persons whomyou fightwith;" and
haveraised greatcommotions in pursuitof his thenpointingto the rich spoils,"Thosetire
-evenge,if he hadnot beenkilled in this ex- the thingsye fight for."
peditionintoBceotia.Thusambitious spirits, Whenthe season calledhim into thefield
whentheygobeyondcertainbounds, domuch again,hegaveit outthatLydiawashisobject.
moreharmthangoodto thecommunity.For In this he did notdeceiveTisaphernes; that
if Lysander wasto blame,as in facthewas, generaldeceived
himself.For,givingnoticed
in indulging
anunreasonable
avidityof honour,to the declarations
of Agesilaus,because he
Agesilaus mighthaveknownothermethods to had beenimposed uponby thembefore,he
correct the fault of a man of his character and concluded he would now enter Caria, a country
epirit. But under the influenceof the same notconvenientfor cavalry,in whichhisstrength
passion,the one knew not how to pay proper did not lie. Agesilaus,ashe had proposed,
respectto his general,
nor theotherhow to wentandsatdownontheplainsof Sardis,
and
bearthe imperfections of his friend. Tisapherneswas forced to march thither in
At first Tisapherneswasafraidof Agesilaus, jreat haste with succours. The Persian,a*
and undertookby treaty,that the king would tie advanced with his cavalry,cut off a number
leave the Greciancities to be governedby of the Greekswhowerescatteredup anddown
their own laws; but afterwardsthinking his 'or plunder. Agesilaus,however,considered
strengthsufficientlyincreased,hedeclaredwar. that the enemy'sinfantry could not yet be
This wasaneventveryagreeable to Agesilaus. comeup; whereashe hadall his forcesabout
He hopedgreat thingsfrom this expedition;f lim; andthereforeresolvedto give battle im-
and he considered it as a circumstance which mediately. Pursuant to this resolution, he
would reflect dishonour upon himself, that mixedhis light-armedfoot with the horse,and
Xenophon could conduct ten thousandGreeks ordered them to advanceswiftly to the charge,
from the heart of Asia to the sea,and beat the while he was bringing up the heavy-armed
king of Persia whenever his forces thought roops, which would not be far behind. The
proper to engage him; if he, at the head of the Barbarianswere soon put to flight; the Greeks
Lacedemonians, who were masters both at sea ursued them, took their camp, and killed
and land, could not distinguish himself before real numbers.
theGreeksbysomegreatandmemorable
stroke. In consequence
of this success,they could
To revenge, therefore, the perjury of Tisa- tillage the king's country in full security; and
phernrs hy an artifice which justice recom- lad all the satisfaction to seeTisaphernes, a
mendedhe pretended immediately to march man of abandonedcharacter, and one of the
into Cana; and when the barbarian had drawn jreatest enemies to their name and nation,
hisforcesto ttoatquarter, he turnedshortand jroperlypunished. For the king immediately
enteredPhrygia. There hetook manycities; :ent Tithrauftes againsthim, who cut off his
and madehimself masterof immensetreasures; lead. At the same time he desired Agesilaus,
by whichheshewedhis friends,that to violate o granthimpeace,promisinghim largesums,t
a treaty is to despisethe gods; whilst to deceive in condition that he would evacuate his do-
an enemyis not only just but glorious, and the ninions. Agesilaus answered, "His country
way to add profit to pleasure; but, as he was was the sole arbitress of peace. For his own
inferiorin cavalry,andthe liver of the victim >art,he ratherchoseto enrichhis soldiersthan
appearedwithout a head, heretired to Ephesus, nmself; and the great honour among tha
to raisethat sort of troops which he wanted. Greekswas,to carryhomespoils,andnot pre-
The methodhe took wasto insist that every ents from their enemies." Nevertheless,to
manof substance, if hedid not choseto serve gratifyTithraustes,for destroying
Tisaphernes,
in person,should provide a horse and a man.
Many acceptedthe alternative; and, instead * ThenMenelaus
hii Podargns brings,
of a parcel of indifferent combatants, such as Andthefamed
courserof thekingoTkings;
'Whomrich Echepolus (morerich thanbrave)
the rich would have made, he soon got a nu- To 'scapeHiewarsto Apummnongave
merousand respectable
cavalry. For those (.Silhe
hername),
athome
toendhisdays,
who did not chooseto serveat all, or not to Base
wealthpreferring
to eternal
praise.
serve as horse, hired others who wantedneither Pope,IL iiiij.
ThusSciplo,when he went to Africa, orderedth»
couragenorinclination. In thishe professedlySicilians
eitherto attendhim,or togiie himhorses or
imitatedAgamemnon, who, for a goodmare, ~ien.
t He promisedalso to restorethe Greekcities ia
" The Eurytionidae and the Agidz. Asiato theirliberty,oncondition
thattheypaidthe
stablished tribute; andhe hoped'vht saiJ)thai thu
f He l}ld t>ie Persian ambassadors,"He was much
ondcscension
obligedto their roasterfortheilep hehad taken,since jeace, wouldpersuade Agesilaus to acceptthe
and to return home ; the rather btcausc Tisu-
bj theviolationofhisoath,
Diicti-j1'ersia,
hehadmade
andfrieudsto Greece."
thegods
ene-Jhcrnes,
whowas guilty
shedashedeterred.
ofthefirstbreach,
wa.pu»-
420 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

thecommon
enemy
oftheGreeks,
hedecamped OnedayMegabates
approached
to.salaic
andretiredinto Phrygia,takingthirty talentsof him, andAgesilausdeclined that markof hie
lhat viceroyto defraythe chargesof his march. affection. The youth,afterthis, wasmoredis-
As he wasupon the road, he receivedthe tant in his addresses.Then Agesilauswas
teytale from the magistrates of Lacedaemon, sorry for the repulsehehadgiven him, and
whichinvested
himwiththecommand
of the pretended
to wonderwhyMegabates
keptat
navy as well as the army; an honourwhich sucha distance.His friendstold him,hemust
that city nevergrantedto any onebut himself. blamehimselffor rejectinghis formerapplica-
He was,indeed,(as Theopompus somewheretion. "He wouldstill," said they,be gladto
"ays,)confessedly the greatestand mostillus- pay his mostobligingrespects
to you but take
triousmanof his time; yet he placed his dig- careyoudo not rejectthemagain." Agesilaui
nity ratherin his virtuethanhis power. Not- wassilentsometime,andwhenhehadconsid-
withstanding, there was this flaw in his char- ered the thing, he said, "Do not mention it to
acter, whenhe hadthe conduct of the navy him. For this secondvictory over myself
givenhim, he committedthat chargeto Pisan- givesme morepleasurethan I shouldhavein
der, whentherewere other officersof greater turningall I look uponto gold." This resolu-
ageand abilitiesat hand. Pisanderwas his tion of his held while Megabateswas with
wife's brother, and, in compliment to her, he him; but he was so much affected at his de-
respectedtiiat alliancemorethan the public parture,that it is hard to.say how he would
good. havebehaved,if he hadfoundhim again.
He took up his own quarters in the province After this, Pharnabazus desired a confer-
of Pharnabazus, where he not only lived in encewith him; andApollophanes
of Cyzicus,
plenty, but raised considerablesubsidies.- at whosehousetheyhad both beenentertain-
From thence he proceeded to Paphlagoma, ed, procured an interview. Agesilaus came
anddrew Cotys,the king of thatcountry,into first to the placeappointed,with his friends,
his interest,who hadbeensometimesdesirousandsatdownuponthelonggrassundera shade,
of such a connection, on account of the vir- to wait for Pharnabazus. When the Persian
tue and honour which marked his character. grandeecame, his servants spread soft skint
Spithridates, who was the first person of con- and beautiful piecesof tapestry for him; but
sequence that came over from Pharnabazus, upon seeingAgeailausso seated,he was asham
accompanied Agesilaus in all his expeditions, ed to make use of them, and placed himself
and took a share in all his dangers. This carelesslyupon the grass in the same manner,
Spit'aridateshad a son, a handsomeyouth, for though his robes were delicate, and of the
whom Agcsilaus had a particular regard, and finest colours.
a beautiful daughter in the flower of her age, After mutual salutations, Pharaabazusopen-
whom he married to Cotys. Cotys gave him ed the conference; and he had just cause of
a thousand horse, and two thousand men complaint against the Lacedaemonians,after
drawn from his light-armed troops, and with the services he had donethem in the Athenian
these he returned to Phrygia. war, and their lute ravages in his country
Agesilaus committed great ravages in that Agesilaus saw the Spartans were at a loss for
province;but Pharnabazus
did not wait to op- an answer,andkept their eyesfixeduponthe
pose him, or trust his own garrisons. Instead ground; for they knew that Pharnabazuswas
of that, he took his mostvaluablethingswith injured. However,the Spartangeneralfound
him, andmovedfromplaceto place;to avoid an answer,whichwas asfollows: "While we
a battle. Sjnthndades,however, watchedhim were friends to the king of Persia^we treated
go narrowly, that, with the assistanceof He- him and his in a friendly manner: now we are
rippidas*tlie Spartan,at last he madehim- enemies,
youcan expect nothingfrom us but
self master of Ins camp and all his treasures. hostilities. Therefore, while you, Pharnaba-
Herippidasmadeit his business to examinezus, chooseto be a vassalto the king, we
what part of the baggagewas secreted,and wound him throughyour sides. Only be a
compelledthe barbariansto restore it; he friendand ally to the Greeks, and shakeofl
lookedindeedwith a keeneyeinto everything. thatvassalage,andfromthat momentyou have
This provokedSpithridatesto sucha degree, a right to considerthesebattalions,thesearms
that he immediatelymarchedoff with the andships,in short,all that we areor have,as
Paphlagonians to Sardis. guardians of your possessions
andyour liberty;
There was nothing in the whole war that without which nothing is great or desirable
touched Agt-silausmore nearly than this. Be- among men."*
tides the painit gavehim to think he hadlost Pharnabazus thenexplainedhimselfin these
Spithridates, anda considerable bodyof men terms: "If the king sendsanotherlieutenant
with him, he wasashamedof a markof ava- in myroom, 1will be for you; but while he
rice andilliberal meanness,fromwhichhe had continuesmein the government, I will, to the
everstudiedto keepboth himselfandhis coun- best of my power,repelforcewith force,and
try. These were causesof uneasiness that makereprisalsuponyou for him." Agesilaus,
might bepublicly acknowledged; but he had charmedwith this reply,took his hand,and
a private, anda more sensibleone,in his at- rising up with him said: "Heavengrantthat,
tachmentto the eon of Spithridatca;though with suchsentiments as these,you maybeoui
while hewas with him, hehad madea point friend and not ourenemy!"
to combat that attachment.
" He added," However,if we continueat war,'
will, for thefuture,avoidyour territoriesasmuchM
" Herippldaa was at th« head of the new council of pewbit, andratherforageand raisecontributionsU
frirly, sentto Aj«ilaui the second
yearof thewar. »nvotherprotiiice." Xen. Grec.War, b. IT.
 AGESILAUS 42]
Ag Pharnabazus
andhiscompany
werego- transforming
themselves
into anothershape,
Ingaway,
hisson,\vliowasbehind,
ranupto Manythought
thatlineof Tirootheui
applica-
Agesilaus,and said,with a smile," Sir, I bleonthisoccasion-
enterwith you into the ritesof hospitality:" ManIt thegod;andGreece
reveres
notgoU.
at the same time, he gave him a javelin which
hehadin hishand.Agesilaus receivedit; All Asiawasnowready to revolt fromtho
and,delighted
withhielooksandkindregards,P. ^ans.Agesilans brought thecities under
looked
aboutforsomething handsometogiveexcellent regulations,
andsettled theirpolice,
ayouthof hisprincely
appearancein return.without
putting todeath orbanishing asingle
Hissecretary
Adfeushappeningtohaveahorsesubject.Afterwhich, heresolved to change
withmagnificent
furniture
justby,heordered the seatof war,andto remove it fromthe
Grecian sea to the heart of Persia; that tht
it to be taken off and given to the young man;
nordidheforgethimafterwards.In processkingmighthave tofightforEcbatanaandSusa.
of time,this Persian
wasdrivenfromhis instead ofsittingathisease there,
to bribethe
home, byhisbrothers,
andforced
to takere- orators,
andhirethe. statesofGreecetodestroy
fagfin Peloponnesus.Agesilaus
thentookeach other.Butamidst theseschemesofhis,
himintohisprotection,
andservedhimonall EpicydidastheSpartan came toacquaint
him,
occasions.The Persianhada favouritein the that Spartawasinvolvedin a Grecianwar,and
wrestling
ringatAthena,
whowantedto be thattheEplwrihadsenthimordersto come
introduced
at theOlympic
games;
butashe home anddefendhisowncountry.
waspastthe properage,theydid not chooseto Unhappy
Greeks
! barbarians
toeachother!
admithim.* In this case,the Persianapplied
toAgesilaus,
who,willing
tooblige
himinthisWhat
which better
incited name
them can wegive
to conspire that
and envy,
combine
as well as other things, procured the young
mantheadmission
hedesired,
though
notwith-fortheirmutual
destruction,
at a timewhea
outmuch difficulty. Fortunehadtaken themupon herwings, and
Agesilaus,indeed, in other respects,was was carrying them against the barbarians; and
strictlyandinflexibly
just;butwhere aman's yetthey
clippedherwings withtheir
own hand*,
friends are concerned, he thought a rigid re- and broughtthe war hometo themselves,which
gard tojustice
amere pretence.-There isstill washappily removed intoaforeigncountry.*
eitanta shortletterof histo Hydreiusthe I cannot, indeed, agree withUemaratus of Co-
Carian,
whichisaproofofwhatwehavesaid.rinth,whenhesays, those Greeks fellshortof
"If Niciasis innocent,acquithim:if heis great happiness, whodidnotlivetosee
der seated on the throne of Darius.
Alexan-
But I think
not innocent, acquit him on my account: how-
ever,besureto acquithim." theGreeks
hadjustcausefortears,
whenthey
Such wasthegeneral character
ofAgesilaus
considered
thattheyleftthattoAlexander
and
asa friend. Therewere,indeed,
timeswhenthe Macedonians,
whichmighthavebeenef-
hisattachments gavewayto theexigencies of fectedbythegenerals whomtheyslewin the
state.Once being obliged
todecamp inahurry,fields ofLeuctra,Coronea, Corinth andArcadia.
he wasleavinga favouritesick behindhim. However,of all the actionsof Agesilaua,
Thefavourite calledafterhim,andearnestly thereisnonewhichhadgreater propriety,
or
entrentedhimtocomeback;uponwhich,he was laws
aand
stronger instance
justice to the
ofpublic,
hisobedience
than
tothe
his im-
turned and said, " How little consistent are
loveandprudence!" Thisparticular wehavemediate returnto Sparta.Hannibal, though
fromHieronymus thephilosopher. hisaffairswereina desperate
condition,
andho
Agesilaus
had beennow two yearsat the wasalmostbeatenout of Italy,madea diffi-
headof thearmy,andwasbecome thegen-cultyofobeying thesummons of hiscountry-
eral subject of discourse in the upper prov- men to go and defend them in a war at home.
inces.Hiswisdom, hisdisinterestedness,
his AndAlexander made ajestof theinformation
moderation, was the theme they dwelt upon he received, that Agis had fought a battle with
withpleasure.Whenever
hemadeanexcur-Antipater: He said," It seems,
myfriends,
sion,helodgedin the templesmost renowned that while we were conquering Darius here,
forsanctity;
andwhereas,
onmany
occasions,
therewasacombat
ofmicein Arcadia."
How
we do not choosethatmenshouldseewhatwe happythen was Spartain the respectwhich
areabout,
he wasdesirous
to havethegodsAgesilaus
paidher,andinhisreverence
forthe
inspectors
and witnesses
of his conduct.- laws! No soonerwasthe scytala brought
Amongso manythousands of soldiersas he him,thoughin themidstof hispowerandgood
bad,therewasscarceone whohada worsefortune,thanhe resigned andabandonedlug
or harder bed than he. He was so fortified flourishingprospects,
sailedhome,andleft his
againstheatandcold,that nonewassowell greatwork unfinished.Suchwasthe regret
preparedas himselffor whatever
seasons
the hisfriendsaswellashisallieshadfor thelost
climate should produce.
TheGreeks
inAsianeversawa moreagree- * Thatcorruption,
whichbrought
thestates
of
ablespectaclethanwhen-lhe
PersiangovernorsGreeceto lake Persian
gold,uniluublrdly
deserrej
ind generals,
whohadbeeninsufferably
elatedcensure.
Yetwemusttalce
leave
toobserve,
thatth«
with power,and rolled in richesand luiury, divisions
andjcafousies whichreignedin Greece,wei«
the support of its liberties, and that Persia was noil
humbly submitting and paying their court to a conqueredtill nothing but the shadowsof thoseliber-
manin a coarsecloak,and,upononelaconictiesremained.
Werethere,
Indeed,
a number
oflittle
word,conformingto his sentiments,or rather independent
states,
whichmade
justicethe constant
rule of their conductto eachother,andwhichwould
be alwaysreadyto unite upo»anyalarmfroma for-
ASometimes
who boys
aftera certainhad
age,ashare
were in these
excluded exhibitions,
theliiti. midable enemy,
violtte for ever.theymightpreservetheirlibcrucs
IB
 422 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

of him, tint it was a strong confutation of the cium; and he valued himself the more upon it
Baying of DeiruostratuHthe Phaeacian," That because,with so small a number of his owi
theLacedemonians
excelled
inpublic,andthe training,hehadbeatenpeoplewhoreckoned
Atheniansin privatecharacters."For. though their's the bestcavalryin Greece. Here Di-
he hadgreatmerit as a king anda general,yet phridas,oneof the Kplicri, met him,andgave
still he was a more desirable friend and an him orders to enter licrotia immediately' And
agreeablecompanion. thoughhis intentionwasto do it afterward*,
As the Persianmoneyhadthe impression of whenhe hadstrengthened his armywith some
an archer, he said, " HP was driven out of reinforcements,he thoughtit waa not right
Asia by ten thousandof the king's archers."* to disobeythe magistrates. He, th«r<-fure,
For the orators of Athens and Thebes having said to those about him, " Now conn s the
beenbribed with so many piecesof money, had day, for which we were railed out of AMU."
excited their couutrymento take up armsagainst At the sametime, he sent for two cohorts from
Sparta. the army near Crrinth. And the Lacuduumo-
When he had crossed the Hellespont, he nians did him the honour to cause prutUrnaliOb
inarched through Thrace without asking leave to be made at home, that such of the youth as
of any of the t/arbariaiis. lie oniy desired to were inclined to go and assist the king might
know of each people, " Whether they would give in their names. All the young men in
have him pass as a friend or as an enemy?" Sparta presented themselveslor that service;
All the rest received him with tokens of friend- but the magistrates selected only fifty of the
ship, and shewed him all the civilities in their ablest, and sent them.
power on his way; but the Trallians,t of Agesilaus, having passedthe straits of The*
whom Xerses is said to have bought a passage, mopyla;, and traversed Phocis, which was in
demanded of Ageeilaus a hundred talents of friendship with the Spartans, entered Bet-olio,
silver, and as many women. He answered and encamped upon the plains of Chxronea.
the messengerironically, " Why did not they He had scarce intrenched himself, vtlitn there
then come to receive them?" At the same happened an eclipse of the sun.* At the same
time, he marched forward, and finding them time, he received an account lhat Pjsandcr wa«
drawn up to opposehim, he gave them battle, defeated at sea, and killed, by Pharnabazus
and routed them with great slaughter. and Conon. He was much afflicted with hia
He sent some of his people to put the same own loss, as well as that of the pulilic.-Yet,
question to tin- king of Macedon, who answered, Inst his army, which was going to give battle,
" I will considerof it." " .Let him consider," should be discouraged at the news, he ordered
iaid he, u in the mean time we inarch." The his messengersto give out that Pisander was
king; surprised and awed by his spirit, desired victorious. Nay, he appearedin public with a
him to passas a friend. chaplet of (lowers, returned solemnthanks for
The Thessalianswere confederateswith the the pretended success,and sent portions of the
enemiesof Sparta, and therefore he laid waste sacrifice to his friends.
their territories. To the cities of Lanssa, in- When he came up to Coronea,t and was in
deed, he offeredhis friendship, by his ambassa- view of the enemy, he drew up his army. The
dors, Pcnocles and Scytha: but the prnplr left wing he gave to the Orehomenians,and
seizedthem and put them in prison. His troops took the right himself. The Thebans, also,
so resentedthis affront, that they would have putting themselves in order of battle, placed
had him go and lay seige to the place. Agesi- themselveson the right, and the Argivcs on the
laus, however was of another mind. He said, left. Xenophon says, that this was the most
" He w»ul J not lose one of his ambassadorsfor furious battle in his time; and hecertainly was
gainingall Thessaly;" and he afterwards found able to judge, for he fought in it for Agcsilaus,
meansto recover them by treaty Nor are we \\iih \\hom he returned from Asia.
to wonder that Agesilaus took this step, since, The first charge was neither violent nor
upon news being brought him that a great bat- lasting; the Thebans soon routed the Urcho-
tle had beenfought near Corinth, in which menians, and Agesilaus the Argives. But
many brave men were suddenly taken off, but when both parties were informed that their
that the lossof the Spartanswas small in com- left wings were broken and ready fur flight,
parison of that of the enemy, he was not ele- both hastened to their relief. At this instant,
vated in the least. On the contrary, he said, Agesilaus might have secured to himself the
with a deepsigh, " Unhappy Greece! why hast victory, without any risk, if he would have
thou destroyed so many brave men with thy suffered the Thebans to pass, and then have
own hands, who, had they lived, might have charged them in the rear 4 but borne along
conquered all the barbariansin the world?" with his fury, and an ambition to display his
However, as the Pharsilians attacked and valour, he attacked them in front, in the con
harassedhim in his march, he engaged them fidence of beuting them upon equal terms
with five hundred horse, and put them to flight. They received him, however, with equal vivi-
He was so muchpleasedwith this success,
that he erecteda trophyundermountNartha- 1This eclipwhappened
on the twenty-ninth
of
August, in the third j tar of the ninety-sixth Olympiad,
thrue hundred and Uluety-two jears beforethr Chrii
* Tithraustcs sentTimocratesof Rhodej'nto Greece tian aera.
with fifly taliuls,which hf distributedat Thebes,Ar- f In theprintedtext it is Corcnca,nr>rhaveVfcany
go>,andCorinth;but,according
to Xcuophon,
Ath- variousreading.But mid''.iDletlly
Cfurroiica,
upon
ens had no -h.u. in that distribution. the Cephisis,wasthe place where(lie b;itlle was fought;
f Brsiilt ll» Tralliansin Lydia,Ihcrewasa people andwemustnotconfoundit wilh thebailieof Coronet
of thatnam<_- in Illyncum. upontherunfineB
of Thrace in Thessaly,foughtfifty-threeyi arshtlure.
and Macedonia.So at kast, accordingto Dacier, ! .\iii.ipiiun rivesanotherluru to the matter; Cat
Theopompus (ao.Steph.)Ustiuei. with himAgetilaniwaj n«Ter\vroug.
 AGES1LAUS. 423

city, andgreatefforts
wereexertedin all assures
us,thathisdaughter's
carriage
wasnot
quarters,especially
whereAgesilaus
andhis in theleastricherthanthoseof otheryoung
fifty Spartans
wereengaged.It wasa happyladies. Thesecarriages,
calledcanathra,and
circumstance
thathehailthosevolunteers,and madeuseof by the virginsin their solemnpro-
they couldnot havecomemoreseasonably. cessions,
werea kindof wooden chaises,made
, For Iheyfoughtwiththemostdetermined val- in theformof griffins,or goat stags. Xciio-
our,andexposed their persons
to thegreatestphonhasnotgivenusthe name of thisdaugh-
dangersin hisdefence;yettheycouldnotpre- ter of Agesilaus:
and Diciarchusis greatly
vent his being wounded. He was pierced dissatisfied, that neitherhernameis preserved,
throughhis armourin manyplaceswith spears nor that of the motherof Eparninondas.But
andswords;and though they formed a ring we find by someLaceda-monian inscriptions,
about him, it was with difficulty theybrought that the wife of Agesilauswas called Cleora,
him off alive, after havingkilled numbersof andhis daughtersApolia and Prolyta.* We
tbe enemy,and left not a few of their own see also at Lacedxmon the spearhe fought
bodydeadon the spot. At last,findingit im- with, whichdiffersnot fromothers.
practicableto break the Theban front, they As he observedthat many of the citizens
were obligedto have recourseto a mana-uvrevaluedthemselvesupon breedinghorsesfor
which at first theyscorned.They openedtheir the Olympic games ne persuadedhis sister
ranks,'andlet the Thebanspass;after which, Cynisca,to makean attemptthat way, andto
observingthat they marchedin a disorderly try her fortune in the chariot-racein person.
manner,theymadeupagain,and tookthemin This hedid, to shewthe Greeksthat a victory
flank and rear. They could not, however, of that kind did not dependupon any extraor-
break them. The Thebans retreated to Heli- dinary spirit or abilities, but only upon riches
con,valuingthemselves muchuponthe battle, andexpense.
becausetheir part of the armywasa full match Xenophon,sofamedfor wisdom,spentmuch
for the Lacedaemonians. of his time with him, and he treated him with
Agesilaus,though he wasmuchweakenedgreat respect. He also desiredhim to send
by his wounds,would not retire to his tent, till for his sons,that they might have the benefit
ne hadbeencarriedthroughall his battalions, of a Spartaneducation,by which they would
and had seen the dead borne off upon their gain the best knowledge in the world, the
arms. Meantimehe wasinformed,that a part knowinghow to commandandhow to obey.
of the enemyhad taken refugein the temple After thedeathof Lysander,hefoundout a
of the Itonian Minerva, and he gaveorders that conspiracy, which that general had formed
they should be dismissedin safety. Before againsthim immediatelyafter his returnfrom
this temple stood a trophy, which the Bu:o- Asia. And he was inclined to shew the public
tians had formerly erected, when, under the what kind of man Lysander really was, by ei-
conduct of Sparton, they had defeated the posing an oration found among his papers,
Athenians, and killed their general Tolmides." which had been composedfor him by Cluon of
Early nextmorning,Agesilaus,willing to try Halicarnassus,
andwasto havebeendelivered
whetherthe Thebanswouldrenewthe combat, by him to the people,in order to facilitatethe
commandedhis men to wear garlands, and the innovations he was meditating in the constitu-
music to play, while he reared and adorned a tion. But one of the senators having the pe-
trophyin tokenof victory. At the sametime, rusal of it, andfinding it a veryplausiblecom-
the enemyappliedto him for leave to carry position,advisedhim "not to dig Lysanderout
off their dead: which circumstance confirmed of his grave, but rather to bury the oration
the victory to him. He, therefore, granted with him." The adviceappearedreasonable,
thema truce for that purpose,andthencaused andhe suppressed the paper.
himself to be carried to Delphi, where they As for the personswhoopposedthe measure!
were celebratingthe Pythiangames. There most,he madeno open reprisalsupon them;
he ordereda solemnprocessionin honourof but he foundmeansto employthemas gener-
the god,andconsecrated to him the tenthof als or governors.When investedwith power,
the spoilshehadtaken in Asia. The offering they soonshewedwhat unworthy and avari-
amounted to a hundred talents. cious men they were, and in consequencewere
Upon his return to Sparta,he wasgreatly calledto accountfor their proceedings.Then
belovedby the citizens,whoadmiredthe pecu- he usedto assistthemin their distress,and la-
liar temperanceof bis life. For he did not, bourto get themacquitted;by whichhe made
like other generals, come changed from a for- them friends and partisans insteadof adversa
eign country,nor, in fondness
for the fashions ries; so that at last he had no oppositionto
he had seenthere,disdainthoseof his own. contendwith. For his royal colleagueAgesi-
On the contrary,he shewed
as muchattach-polis,tbeingthe sonof anexile,veryyoung,
mentto the Spartancustomsasthosewho had and of a mild and modestdisposition,inter-
Beverpassed
the Eurotas.He changed
not ferednotmuchin the affairsof government,
his repasts,his baths,the equipageof his wife, Agesilauscontrived to make him yet more
the ornamentsof his armour,or the furniture tractable. Two kings, when they were at
of his house. He even let his doorsremain, Sparta,eat at the sametable. Agesilausknew
which were so old that they seemedto be that Agesipohs wasopento the impressions
of
those
setupbyAristodemus.-f
Xenophou
alsoloveaswellashimself,
andtherefore
constantly
turned the conversationupon someamiable
" In thebatlleof Coronea. Agesilaus's
palace,
if setupbyAristcdemus,
hadthen
f Ariitodemut,the sonof Hercules,and founderof stoodsevenhundredandeightyears.
the royal familyof Sjmrla,nourishedelevenhundred * Eujiotiaand Proauga. Cod.Vulcob,
fearsbeforethe Cbristiar «era;so that the gateiof f Agesipohswu the tooof Pausaniat.
 424 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

youngpersons. He evenassistedhim in his he tookthe templeof Juno: and as he 8too4

viewsthat way, andbroughthim at lastto 61 lookinguponthe soldierswho were carrying
uponthe samefavouritewith himself. For at off the prisonersand the spoils,ambassadors
Spartathereis nothing criminal in theseat- camefrom Thebeswith proposalsof peace.
tachments;on the contrary(as we have ob- He hadeverhatedthat city; andnow thinking
"ervedin the life of Lycurgus,)such love is it necessary to expresshis contemptfor it, ho
productiveof thegreatestmodestyandhonour, pretendednot to seethe ambassadors, nor to
andits characteristicis anambitionto improve hear their address,though they were before
the objectin virtue. him. Heaven,however,avengedthe affront.
Agesilaus,thus powerfulin Sparta,had the Beforethey weregone,newswasbroughthim,
addressto get Teleutias, his brother by the thata battalionof Spartanswas cut in piece*
mother's side, appointed admiral. After which, by Iphicrates. This was one of the greatest
he inarched against Corinth" with his land losses his country had sustained for a long
forces, and took the long walls; Teleulias as- time: and besidesbeing deprived of a number
tisted his operations by sea. The Argives, of brave men, (here was this mortification, that
who were then in possessionof Corinth, were their heavy-armedsoldiers were beaten by the
celebrating the Isthmian Games: and Agesilaus light-armed, and Lacedaemoniansby merce-
coining upon them as they were engagedin the naries.
sacrifice, drove them away, and seized upon Agesilaus immediately marched to their as-
all that they had preparedfor the festival. The sistance; but finding it too late, he returnedto
Corinthian exiles who attended him, desired the temple of Juno, and acquaintedthe Boeotian
him to undertakethe exhibition,aa president; ambassadors
that he was readyto give them
but not chooEing
that, heorderedthemto pro- audience. Glad of the opportunityto return
ceed with the solemnity, and stayed to guard the insult, they came, but made no mention of
them. But when he was gone, the Argives the peace. They only desired a safe conduct
celebrated the games over again; and some to Corinth. Agesilaus provoked at the de-
who had gained the prize before, had the same mand, answered,"If you are desirous to ico
goodfortunea secondtime; otherswho were your friends in the elevationof success,to-
victorious then, were now in the list of the morrow you shall do it with all the security you
vanquished. Lysandertook the opportunity candesire." Accordingly,the nextday he laid
to remarkhow great the cowardiceof the Ar- waste the territories of Corinth, and taking
givesmust be, who,while they reckonedthe them with him, advancedto the very walls.
presidencyat those gamesso honourablea Thus havingshewnthe ambassadors, that the
privilege,did not dare to risk a battlefor it. Corinthiansdid not dare to opposehim, ha
He was, indeed, of opinion, that a moderate dismissedthem: then he collected such of hif
regard for this son of diversionswas best, and countrymen as had escapedin the late action,
applied himself to embellishthe choirs and and marchedto Lacedzmon; taking cara
public exercisesof his own country. When everydayto movebeforeit waslight, andto
be was in Sparta, he honoured them with his encamp after it was dark, to prevent the in-
presence,andsupportedthemwith great zeal sultsof the Arcadians,to whoseaversionand
and spirit, never missingany of the exercisesenvyhe wasno stranger.
of the youngmenor the virgins. As for olhpr After this, to gratify the Achzans,*he led
entertainments, somuchadmiredby the world, his forces,alongwith theirs, into Acarnania,
.he seemednot even to know them. where he madean immensebooty, and defeated
One day Callipedes,who had acquired great the Acamanians in a pitched battle. The
reputationamongthe Greeksas a tragedian, Achaeans
desiredhim to staytill winter, in or-
and was universally caressed,approached and der to prevent the enemy from sowing theii
paidhisrespects
to him; afterwhichhemixed lands. Buthesaid,"The stepheshouldtake
with a pompousair in his train, expectinghe wouldbethe very reverse;for they would be
would take some honourable notice of him. more afraid of war, when they had their fieldi
At last he said, "Do not you know me, Sir?" covered with com." The event justified his
The king casting his eyes uponhim, answered opinion. Next year, as soon as an army ap
elightly,"Are you not Callipedesthe stage- pearedupon their borders,they made peacf
player.'"Anothertime,beingaskedto goto withtheAchians.
hear a man who mimicked the nightingale to When Conon and Pharnabazus, with tee
great perfection,he refused,andsaid,"I have Persianfleet, hadmadethemselvesmastersof
beardIhe nightingaleherself." the sea,they ravagedthe coastsof Laconia;
Menecrates the physician, having succeeded and the walls of Athens were rebuilt with tha
in somedesperatecases,got the surnameof money which Pharnabazussupplied. Tha
Jupiter. And he was so vain of the appella- Lacedaemonians
then thoughtproperto con-
tion, that he made use of it in a letter to the clude a peace with the Persians,and sent An-
king. "MenecratesJupiter to king Agesilaus, talcidasto make their proposalsto Tinbazue,
health." His answerbeganthus: "King Age- Antalcidas,onthis occasion, actedan infamous
siiaus to Menecrates, his senses." part to the Greeks in Asia; and delivered up
While he wasin the territoriesof Corinth, thosecities to the king of Persia,for whos«
" Thereweretwo expeditions of Agesilausagainst * TheAchxanswerem possession
of Calydon,
which
Corinth; Plutarch in this place confoundsthem; beforehadbelonged
to the JEtuhans.The Acarnaui
whereasXenophon,in his fourth book, has distineuish- ans,now assisted by the Athenians and Boeotians,at
td them very clrarly. The enterprise in which Te- tempted to make themselvesmastersof it. But tht
leutiasassisteddid not succeed;for Iphicrates,the Achxansappliedto the Lacedxmouians
for succour*,
Atheniangeneral,keptCorinthanditsterritoriesfrom whoemployedAgesilausin that business.A'cn.Gr,
feeling the effects of Agcsilaui's resenimtut. Hut. book iv.
 AGESILAUS. 425

libertyAgesilaus
hadfougnt. No partof the Thebanadministration
in thehands
ofArcniai
dnnonour,indeed,fell uponAgesilaus.Ant.il- andLeontidas,who had betrayedtne citadel
eidas v.ashis enemy, and he hastenedthe to Phoebidas. Henceit wasnaturalto suspect
peace
by all themeanshe coulddevise,be- thatthoughPhcebidas
wastheinstrument,
the
causehe knewthe war contributedto the re- designwas formedby Agesilaus,
andthe sub-
putationand powerof the man he hated.sequent
proceedings
confirmed
it beyond
con-
Nevertheless, whenAgesilauswas told, " the tradiction. For when the Athenianshadet
Lacedaemonians were turningMedes,"hesaid pelledthe garrison,*andrestoredtheThebana
" No; theMedeaareturningLacedimodians." to their liberty, he declaredwar againstthe
And as someof the Greekswereunwilling to latter for puttingto deathArchiasand.Leonti-
be comprehended in the treaty,he forcedthem das, whom he called Polemarchs,but who
to acceptthe king'sterms,by threateningthem in fact were tyrants. Cleombrotus,t
who upon
with war.* the death of Agesipolissucceededto the throne,
His view in this was to weaken the The- was sent with an army into BoL'utia.For Age-
bans; for it was one of the conditions that the Bilaus,who was now forty years above the age
cities of Btrotia should be free and indepen- of puberty, and consequently excused from
dent. The subsequent events made the mat- service by law, was very willing to decline this
ter very clear. When Phoebidas,in the most commission. Indeed, as he had lately made
unjustifiable manner, had seized the citadel of war upon the Phliasians in favour of exiles, he
Cadmea in time of full peace, the Greeks in was ashamednow to appear in arms against
generalexpressed
their indignation,andmany the Thebansfor tyrants.
of the Spartansdid the same, particularly There was then a Lacedaemonian
named
those who were at variance with Agesilaus. Sphodrias, of the party that opposedAgesilaus,
These asked him in an angry tone. " By whose lately appointed governor of Thespiae. He
orders Phcebidashad done so unjust a thing.'" wanted neither courage nor ambition ; but he
hoping to bring the blameupon them. He wasgovernedrather by sanguinehopesthan
scrupled not to say, in behalf of Phoebidas, good senseand prudence. This man, fond of
" You should examine the tendency of the ac- a great name, and reflecting how Phcebidas
tion; consider whether it is advantageousto had distinguished himself in the lists of fame
Sparta. If its nature is such, it was glorious by his Theban enterprise, was persuaded it
to do it without any orders." Yet in his dis- would be a much greater and more glorious
course he was always magnifying justice, and performance,if without any directions from his
giving her the first rank among the virtues. superiors,he could seize upon the Piraeus,and
" Unsupported,
by justice,"said he, " valour deprivethe Atheniansof the empireof the sea,
ia good for nothing;! and if all men were just, by a suddenattack at land.
there would be no needof valour." If anyone, It is said, that this was a train laid for him
in the course of conversation happenedto say, by Pelopidas and Gelon, first magistrates in
u Suchis the pleasureof the greatking ;" he Bceotia.f Theysentpersonsto him, who pre-
would answer, " How is he greater than I, if tended to be much in the Spartan interest, and
he is not more just?" which implies a maxim who by magnifying him as the only man fit for
indisputablyright, that justice is the royal in- suchan exploit,workeduphis ambitiontill he
strumentby whichwe areto take the differ- undertooka thing equallyunjust and detesta-
ent proportions of human excellence. ble with the affair of the Cadmea,but conduct-
After the peacewas concluded, the king of ed with less valour, and attended with lesssuc-
Persia sent him a letter, whose purport was, cess. He hoped to have reached the Piraeus
to proposea privatefriendship,and the rites in the night, but daylight overtookhim upon
of hospitalitybetweenthem; but he declined the plainsof Thriasia. And we aretold, that
it. He said," The publicfriendshipwassuf- somelight appearingto the soldiersto stream
ficient; and while that lasted, there wasno from the templesof Eleusis,theywere struck
needof a privateone." with a religioushorror. Sphodrias himselflost
Yet he did not regulatehis conductbythese his spirit of adventure,when he found hia
honourablesentiments:on the contrary, he marchcould no longerbeconcealed;andhav-
wasoften carried away by his ambition and ing collectedsometrifling booty, he returned
resentment. Particularlyin thisaffair of the with disgraceto Thespis.
Thebans,he not only screened Phoebidasfrom Hereupon,the Athenianssent deputiesto
punishment,
but persuaded theSpartan
com- Sparta,to complainof Sphodrias;
but they
monwealth
to join in his crime,by holdingfoundthe magistrates
hadproceeded against
the Cadmeafor themselves,and putting the him without their complaints, and that he was
" The king of Persia'sterms were : That the Greek
alreadyundera capitalprosecution. He had
cities in Asia, with the islands of Clazomtnaeand Cy- not daredto appearandtake his trial; for he
dreaded
prus, should " in.nn to him; that all the other states, therageof hiscountrymen, whowere
"nailandgreat,should beleft freeexcepting ouly ashamed of hisconductto theAthenians, and
I/emnos, Imbros,andScyros, whichhaviug brcnfromwhowerewillingto resenttheinjuryas done
time immemorial subject to the Athenians, should re-
main so ; and that such as refused to embrace the to themselves, ratherthanhaveit thoughtthat
peace,should becompelledto admit it by force of arms. theyhadjoinedinsoflagrant
anactofinjustice.
Xen.Hellen.lib.T.
This peaceof Antalcidaswas made in the year be-
^'^", Xm-Grec-
Hist-'" T-w''"ceit appears
th»t
fcre Christ 387. theCadmeawasrecovered
bytheAthenian
forces.
Lleombrotus
wasthe youngest
sonof Fauianiaj
f Thisisnottheonlyinstance,
inwhichwefindit was andbrother
to Agesipolis.
" maximamong theLacedaemonians,
thata manought } They fearedtheLacedxtnonians
weretoostrone
tobestrictly
justinhisprivate
capacity,
butthathe lorthem,
and,therefore,
pu'gphodrias
uponthisact
naytakewhatlatitudehepleases
in apublic
OIK,pro >fh.anhtyagainst
the Athtaiam,u, orderto draw
Tidedhiscouutxvisa gainerby v theminto thequarrel.
 426 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Sphodriashad a son named Cleonymus; well for teachingthemto fight, whentheyhad

youngandhamlsotne, anda particularfavourite neither inclinationnor sullicieiit skill for it."
of Archidamus,the son of Agesilaus. Archi- It is certain the Thebanswere at this time
damus,as it is naturalto suppose, sharedin all muchmoreformidablein the field than they
the uneasiness of the youngmanfor his father; hadever been;after havingbeentrained and
but IIRknewnot howto appearopenly in hie exercisedin so many warswith the Lacedje-
behalf, becauseSphodrias had been a strong moniaris. For the same reason their ancient
adversaryto Agesilaus.However,as Cleony- sage,Lycurgus,in oneof his threeordinance!
musappliedto him, andentreatedhim with calledllliatrx, forbadthemto go to war with
manytearsto intercedewith Agesilausas,the the sameenemyoften; namely,to preventthe
personwhomtheyhad most reasonto dread, enemyfrom learningtheir art.
he undertook the commission. Three or four The allies of Sparta likewise complained ol
days passed, during which he was restrained Agesilaus, " That it was not in any public
by a reverentialawefrom speakingof themat- quarrel,but from an obstinatespirit of privile
ter to his father: but he followed him up and resentment,* that he sought to destroy the
downin silence.At last, whenthe day of trial Thebans.For their part, theysaid,theywere
was at hand, he summonedup courageenough wearing themselvesout, without any occasion,
to say, Cleonymus was a suppliant to him for by going in such numbersupon this or that ex-
his father. .Agesilaus,knowing the attachment pedition every year, at the will of a handful oi
of his son to that youth, did not lay any in- Lacedaemonians." Hereupon, Agesilaus, de-
junctions upon him against it. For Cleony- sirous to shew them that the number of their
mus. from his infancy, had given hopesthat he warriors was not so great, ordered all the
would one day rank with the worthiest men in allies to sit down promiscuously on one aide,
Sparta. Yet he did not give him room to ex- and all the Lacedaemonianson the other. This
pect any great favour in this case: he only said, done, the crier summoned the trades to stand
"He would consider what would be the con- up one after another; the potters first, and then
sistent and honourable part for him to act." the braziers, the carpenters, the masons, in
Archidamus, therefore, ashamedof the inef- short all the mechanics. Almost all the allieg
ficacy of his interposition,discontinuedhis roseup to answerin onebranchof business
or
visits to Cleonymus, though before he used to other, but not one of the Lacedaemonians;for
call upon him many times in a day. Hence the they were forbidden to learn or exerciseany
friendsof Sphodriasgaveup the point for lost; manualart. Then Agesilaussmiledandsaid,
till an intimate acquaintance of Agesilaus, " You sec, my friends, we send more warrion
named Etymocles, in a conversation which into the field than you."
passed between them, discovered the senti- When he was come as far as Megara, upon
ments of that prince, He told them, "He his return from Thebes,as he wasgoingup to
highly disapproved that attempt of Sphodrias, the senate-housein the ciladel,t he was seized
yet he looked upon him as a brave man, and with spasmsand anacute pain in his right leg.
was sensible that Sparta had occasion for such It swelled immediately, the vesselswere dis-
solilirrs as he." This was the way, indeed, in tended with blood, and there appearedall the
which Agesilaus constantly spoke of the cause, signs of a violent inflammation. A Syracusan
in order to oblige his son. By this Cleonymus physician opened a vein below the ancle; upon
immediately perceuved with how much zeal which the pain abated, but the blood came so
Archidamus had servedhim; and the friends of fast, that it was not stopped without great dif-
Sphodrias appearedwith more courage in his ficulty, nor till he fainted away, and his life
behalf. Agesilaus was certainly a most affec- was in danger. He was carried to Lacednmon
tionate father. It is said, when his children in a weak condition, and continued a long tune
were small, he would join in their sports; and incapable of service.
a friend happening to find him one day riding In the meantime the Spartans met with sev-
amongthem upon a stick, he desired him " not eral checks both by sea and land. The most
to mention it till he was a father himself." considerable loss was at Leuctra,t which
Sphodrias was acquitted; upon which the was the first pitched battle the Thebans gain-
Athenians prepared for war. This drew the ed against them. Before the last mentioned
censuresof the world upon Agesilaus, who, to action, all parties were disposedto peace,and
gratify an absurdand childish inclination of his the states of Greece sent their deputies to
eon, obstructed the course of justice, and Lacedzmon to treat of it. Among these wa
brought his country under the reproachof such Kpammondas, who was celebrated for his
flagrantoffencesagainstthe Greeks. As he eruditionandphilosophy,but had asyetgiven
found his colleague Cleombrotus* disinclined
to continue the war with the Thebana,he * Thisprivateresentment
andenmity,whichAge-
dropped the excuse the law furnished him silausentertainedagainstthe Thebans,wentnearto
with, thoughhe had madeuseof it before,and bringruinbothuponhimself
andhiscountry.
marched
himselfinto Boeotia.The Thebans t Xenophon
(Htllan.
337,12
Ed.St.)says",
itwuii
he wa>going from the templeof Venus to the senale-
mfferedmuchfrom his operations,and he felt house.
thesamefromtheirsin histurn. Sothat An- 4Some
jnanuscriptf
haveit Tegyra;
buthereisno
talcirlasoneday seeinghim comeofTwoundcd,necessity
to alterthereceivedreading; though Palmer
thusaddressedhim: " The Thebanspay you insistsso much upon it. For that of Leuctra wascer-
tainly the first pitched battle in which the Thebaol
* Xfoophonsay«,HieEphori thoughtAgcsilaui,ai defeatedtheAthenians; andtheyeffected
it at thenr*(
" moreerpcriencedgeneral,would conduct(he war career Besides, it appearsfromXcnuplion,(Htlljn.
kKtr than CleojnbrotUI.To«v t, hasnothingto do 349,25.)Iliac Agesilaus
wasnot thenrecovered of tb<
ID the Utt. "icluicu mentioned in the text.
 AGESILAUS. 427

noproofs
of hiscapacity
forcommanding
ar- ful CleonymUB,
thesonof Sphodrias,
wasof
mies. Hesawthe otherdeputies
wereawedthenumber:
hewasstruckdownthreeseveral
bythepresence
of Agesilaus,
andhewasthe times,as hewasfightingin defenceof his
onlyonewhopreserved
a properdignity
and prince,
androseup asoften;andatlastwai
freedom, hothin his manner andhisproposi-killedwithhisswordin hishand.*
tions, lie madea speech in favour,notonly AftertheLacedaemonians hadreceived this
of theThebans, butof Greecein general;in unexpected Wow,and the Thenanswere
whichheshewed thatwartended toaggrandize
crownedwith moreglorioussuccess than
Sparta,at theexpenseof theotherstates;and Greekshad everboasted, in a battlewith
insisted
thatthepeace
should
befounded
uponGreeks,
thespiritanddignity
of thevanquish-
justiceandequality;because
thenonlyit would edwas,notwithstanding, moreto be admired
belasting,whenall were put uponaaequaland applauded than that of the conquerors.
footing. And,indeed,if, as Xenophon says,"Menof
Agesilausperceiving
thattheGreekslistenedmerit,in theirconvivialconversations,
let fall
to himwithwonder andgreatattention,askedsomeexpressions thatdeserve to beremarked
him, "Whether he thoughtit just andequita- and preserved, certainlythe noble behaviour
ble that the cities,of Bocotiashouldbedeclar- and the expressionsof such persons,when
edfreeandindependent?"Epammondas, with struggling with adversity,claim our notice
greatreadinessand spirit, answeredhim with muchmore." When the Spartansreceived
anotherquestion,"Do youthink it reasonablethe newsof the overthrowat Leuctra, it hap-
that all the cities of Laconiashouldbedeclar- penedthat they were celebratinga fc-stiva.1,
ed independent?"Agesilaus.incensedat this and the city was full of strangers;for the
answer,started up, and insisteduponhis de- troopsof youngmenandmaidenswereat their
clarmirperemptorily,"Whether he agreedto exercisesin the theatre. The Ephori, though
a perfect independencefor Bo;otia?' and thi-y immediatelyperceivedthat thor affairs
Epaminondas repliedasbefore,"On condition were ruined,andthat they hadlostthe empire
you put Laconia in the samestate." Ages- of Greece,wouldnot sufferthe sportsto break
ilaus, now exasperatedto the last degree,and off, nor any of the ceremonies or decorationi
glad c/a pretence againstthe Thebans, struck of the festival to be omitted; but having sent
their nameout of the treaty,anddeclaredwar the namesof the killed to their respective
againstthemuponthe spot. After the rest of families,theystayed to seethe exercises,
the
the deputieshad signed such points as they dances,andall other parts of the exhibition
could settle amicably, he dismissed them; concluded.!
leaving others of more difficult nature to be Next morning, the names of the killed, and
decided by the sword of those who survived the battle, being perfect-
Aa Cleombrotus had then an army in Pho- ly ascertained, the fathers and other relations
cis, the Eplwri sent him orders to march of the dead, appearedin public, and embraced
against the Thebans. At the same time they each other with a cheerful air and a generous
ient their commissariesto assemblethe allies, pride; while the relations of the survivors shut
who were ill inclined to the war, and consid- themselves up, as in tune of mourning. And
ered it asa great burden uponthem, though they if any one was forced to go out upon business,
durst not contradict or oppose the Laceda:- he shewed all the tokens of sorrow and hu-
monians. Many inauspicioussigns and prodi- miliation, both in his speechand countenance
gies appeared,as we have observedin the life The difference was still more remarkable
of Euarninondas;and Prolheus"the Spartan amongthe matrons. They who expectedto
opposed the war to the utmost of his power. see their sons alive from the battle, wcm
But Agcsilaus could not be driven from his melancholy and silent, whereas those who had
purpose.Heprevailed
tohavehostilities
com- * Epamioondas
placed
hisbest
troops
in onewing,
menced
; inhopes,
thatwhiletherestofGreeceandthose
heleast
depended
OD intheother.
Thefur-
wasin a stateof freedom,andin alliancewith in*r hecommandedin person ; to the latterhegave
Sparta,and the Thebansonly excepted,he directions, that whentheyfoundtheenemy's charg*
shouldhavean excellentopportunityto chas- tooheavy, theyshouldretirek-isurely,$oasto expose
tise them. That the war was undertaken to to them -Asloping front. Cleombrotusand Archidamtis
advancedto the charge with grt-at vigour ; but, as thry
gratifyhisresentment,
ratherthanuponration- resssed
ontheTheban
wingwhichretired,
thfygave
almotives, appears
fromhence: thetreatywas paininondas
anopportunity
ofcharging
thrmbothin
concluded at Lacedrcmon on the fifteenth of flank and front; which he did with so much bravery,
June, and the Lacedasmonianswere defeated that the Spartansbeganto give wav,especially
after
at Leuctra on the fifth of JuJy: which was Cleombrotus was slam, whose dead body, however,
they recovered. At length, they were totally defeated.
only twenty daysafter. A thousandcitizens of chiefly by the skill and conduct of the The ban general.
I^acedaemon
were killed there,amongwhom Fourthousand
Spartan*
werekilled onthe.tieldof
were their king Cleombrotus and the flower of battle; whereas
the Thcbansdid not loseabovethree
their army, who fell by his side. The beauti- hundred.
Suchwasthefatalbattleof Leuctra,
where-
in theSpartans losttheir superiorityin Greece,which
they had held Dear five hundred \ears.
" ProthtDiproposed
rhattheSpartans
shoulddisband t Butwherewasthemeritof all this? What could
their army,according
to their engagement;thatall suchaconduct have for itssupport
buteitherinsensi-
thestatesshould
carrytheircontributions
to thetem- bilityor affectation?If theyfoundanyreason to re-
ple of Apollo, to beemployed
only in makingwarup- joicein thegloriousdeaths
oftheir friendsandfi-lloir-
onsuchatshould
oppose
thelibertyof thecities.This, citizeni,certainly
theruinof thestalewasanobject
hesaid,«ouldgivethecause
thesanction
of Heaven,sufficiently
serious
to callthem fromtnepursuits ot
audIliestates
ofGreece
would
atalltimes
beready
to fe«tmty! But,Quos
Jupiter rail jierJere
primIt
erabarkinit. ButtheSpartans
onlylaughed
atthis men/an/:Theinfatuation
of ambition andjeilouiy
advice
; for,as Xenophon
adds," It looked
ai if the drewuponthemtheTheban
war,andit seemed
to
rods were already urging »o the Lacedaemoniansto last uponthem,evenwhentheyhadfelt iU fatal coo,
their ruin." sequence!.
 428 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

an account that their eonswere »lain, repaired fore. But now a new sceneof hostihtiei ap-
immediatelyto the templesto return thanks, peared;the confederates advanced withoutre-
andvisitedeachother with all the marksof sistance, layingall wastewith tire andaworo_
joy andelevation. as far as the Eurotas,and the very suburbsof
The people, who were now desertedby Sparta. For, as Theopompusinforms us.
their allies,and expectedthat Epaminondaa,Agesilaus wouldnot sufferthe Lacedemonian!
in the prideof victory, would enter Pelopon- to engagewith suchan impetuoustorrentof
nesus,calledto mindtheoracle,whichtheyap- war. He contentedhimselfwith placing hut
pliedagainto the lameness of Agesilaus.The best infantry in the middle of the city, and
icruplestheyhadon this occasion,discouragedother importantposts; andborethe menacef
them extremely, and they were afraid the di- and insultaof the Thebans,who called him out
vine displeasurehad brought upon themthe by name,as the firebrandwhichhadlightedup
latecalamityfor expellinga soundmanfrom thewar,andbadehimfightfor hiscountry,
up-
the throne, and preferring a lame one, in spite on which he had brought so many misfortune)
of the extraordinary warnings Heaven had Agesilauswas equally disturbedat the tumult
given them against it. Nevertheless, in regard anddisorder within the city, the outcriesof the
of his virtue, his authority,and renown,they oldmen,who movedbackwardsandforwards,
looked upon him as the only man who could expressingtheir gr.ef and indignation, and tha
retrieve their affairs; for, besides marching wild behaviour of the women, who were tet-
them under his banners as their prince and rified, even to madne*', at the shoutsof th*
general, they applied to him in every internal enemy, and the flames which ascendedaround
disorder of the commonwealth. At present them. He was in pain, too, for his reputation.
they were at a loss what to do with those who Sparta was a great and powerful state at his ac-
had fled from the battle. The Lacedaemo- cession,and he now saw her glory wither, and
nians call such persons tresantas* In this his own boastscome to nothing. It seems,he
casethey did not cnooseto set such marks of had often said, "No Spartan woman ever saw
disgrace upon them as the laws directed, be- the enemy's camp." In like manner, when
cause they were so numerous and powerful, an Athenian disputed with Antalcidas, on the
that there was reason to apprehend it might subject of valour, and eaid, "We have often
occasion an insurrection: for suchpersons are driven you from the banks of the Cephisus,"
not only excluded all offices, but it is infamous Antalcidas answered, "But we never drove
to intermarry with them. Any man who you from the banks of the Eurotas." Near
meets them is at liberty to strike them. They akin to this, was the repartee of a Spartan of
are obliged to appearin a forlorn manner, and less note, to a man of Argos, who said,"Many
in a vile habit, with patches of divers colours; of you sleep on the plains of Argos." Thi
and to wear their beards half shavedand half Spartan answered,"But not one of you sieepi
unsh.ived. To put so rigid a law as this in exe- on the plains of Lacedaemon."
cution, at a lime when the offenderswere so Somesay, Antalcidas was then one of the
numerous, and when the commonwealth had Epfiori, and that he conveyed Juschildren to
so much occasion for soldiers, was both im- Cythera, in fear that Sparta would be taken.
politic and dangerous. As the enemy preparedto passthe Eurotas, in
In this perplexity they had recourse to order to attack the town itself, Agesilaus re-
Ages"aus, and invested him with new powers linquished the other posts,and drew up all his
of legislation. But he, without making any forces on an eminence in the middle of the
addition, retrenchment, or change, went into city. It happened that the river was much
the assembly and told the Lacedaemonians, swoln with the snow which had fallen in great
"The laws should sleep that day, and resume quantities, and the cold was more troublesome
their authority the day following, and retain to the Thebansthan the rapidity of the current;
it forever." By this means he preserved to yet Epaminondas forded it at the head of his
the state its laws entire, as well as the obnox- infantry. As he was passing it, somebody
ious persons from infamy. Then, in order to pointed him out to Agesilaus; who, after hav-
raise the youth out of the depressionand mel- ing viewed him for sometime, only let fall thii
ancholy under which they laboured, he enter- expression, "O adventurous man!" All the
ed Arcadia at the headof them. He avoided ambition of Epaminondas was to come to an
a battle, indeed, with great care, but he took engagement in the city, and to erect a trophy
a little town of the Mantmeans, and ravaged there; but finding ho could not draw down
the flat country. This restored Sparta to her Agesilaus from the heights, he decamped,and
spirits in some degree,and gave her reason to laid waste the country.
bone that shewas not absolutely lost. There had long been a disaffectedparty in
Soon after this, Epaminondas and his allies Lacedaemon,and now about two hundredof
entered Laconia. His infantry amounted to that party leaguedtogether, and seizedupona
forty thousand men, exclusive of the light- strong post, called the Issorimn, in which
armed, and those wh5, without arms, followed stood the temple of Diana. The Lacedaemo
only for plunder. For, if the whole were n;ans wanted to have the place stormedimme-
reckoned, there were not fewer than seventy diately: but Agesilaus, apprehensiveof an in-
thousandthat pouredinto that country. FuJJ surrectionin their favour,tookhis cloakand
aix hundredyearswere elapsedsincethe first one servantwith him, and told them aloud,
establishment of the Dorians in Lacedxinnn, 'That they had mistaken their orders." "I did
andthis wasthe first time in all that long pe- not orderyou," saidhe,"to lake posthere,nor
riod, they had seen an enemy in their territo- all in any one place, but some there, (pointing
tico; none ever dared to set foot in them be- to another place,) andsome in other quarters."
" That ii, vertotugoverned
by tktvr feart. , When they heard this they were happyin think-
 AGESILAUS. 429

bigtheirdesign
wasnotdiscovered;
andtheyreceived
thetidings
ofvictory
overjoyed.
Even
"ameoutandwenttoseveral
postsashedirect-whenthat greatbattlewasfoughtat Manti
edthem. At thesametimehelodgedanothernea,whichThucydides hassowelldescribed,
corps in the/ssorium,
andtookabout
fifteentheEphoripresentedtheperson
whobrought
of themutineers,
andputthemtodeath
in the himthefirstnews
of theirsuccess
withnoth-
night. ingbuta messof meatfromthepublictable
Soonafterthis he discovered another,and But now,whenanaccount of thisbattlewas
muchgreaterconspiracy of Spartans,whomet brought, andArchidamusapproached thetown,
privatelyin a house belonging
to oneof them, they were not ableto containthemselves.
to considerof meansto change theformof First, his fatheradvanced
to meethim with
government. It wasdangerouseithertobring tearsof joy, andafterhim themagistrates.
Diemto a trialin a timeof somuchtrouble, or Multitudesof old menand of womenflock
to let their cabalspasswithoutnotice. Age- edtotheriver,stretchingouttheirhands, and
silaus,therefore,havingconsultedwith the blessing thegods,asif Spartahadwashed off
Ephori,putthemto deathwithouttheformal-her late unworthystains,andseenherglory
ity of a trial, thoughno Spartanhadeversuf- stream out afresh. Till that hour the men
fered in that manner before. were so much ashamedof the loss they had
Ag manyof the neighbouring
burghers,and sustained,that, it is said,theycould not even
of the Helots who were enlisted, slunk away carry it with an. unembarrassedcountenance
from the town, and desertedto the enemy,and to the women.
this greatlydiscouraged
his forces,heordered WhenEpaminondas
re-established
Messene,
hisservants
to goearlyin themorning
to their andtheancientinhabitants
returned
to it from
quarters,and where they found any hadde- all quarters,the Spartanshadnot courageto
serted,to hide their arms,that their numbers opposehim in the field. But it gave them
mightnot beknown. great concern,and theycould not look upon
Historiansdonot agreeasto the time when Agesilauswithout angerwhentheyconsidered
the Thebansquitted Laconia. Somesaythe that in his reigntheyhad lost a countryfull as
winter soon forcedthem to retire; the Arcadians extensiveas Laconia, and superior in fertility
being impatientof a campaignat thatseason,to all theprovinces of Greece;a countrywhose
andfallingoff ina verydisorderlymanner:oth- revenuestheyhadlong calledtheir own. For
ers affirm, that the Thebansstaid full three this reason,Agesilausrejectedthepeacewhich
months:in whichtime they laid wastealmost the Thebansofferedhim; not choosing formal-
all the country. Theopompus writes, that at ly to give up to themwhat theywere in fact
the very juncture the governors of Breotia had possessedof. But while he was contending
sent them orders to return, there camea Spar- for what he could not recover, he was near
tan, named Phrixus, on the part of Ageeilaus, losing Sparta itself, through the superior gen-
and gave them ten talents to leave Laconia. eralship of his adversary. The Mantineani
Sothat,according
tohim, theynot only execut- had separatedagainfrom their alliance with
ed all that they intended, but had money from Thebes, and called in the Lacedemonians to
the enemyto defray the expensesof their return. their assistance. Eparoinonvlas being apprix-
For my part I cannotconceive how Theopom- ed that Agesilauswas upon his march to Man-
puscame to be acquaintedwith this particular, tinea, decampedfrom Tegea in the night, un-
whichother historiansknewnothingof. known to the Mantineans,and took a differ-
It is universallyagreed,however,that Ages- ent roadto Lacedzmonfrom that Agesilaug
ilaus savedSparta by controlling his native pas- was upon; so that nothing was more likely
sions of obstinacy and ambition, and pursuing than that he would have come upon the city
no measuresbut what were safe. He could not, in this defenceless state, and have taken it
indeed,afterthe late blow, restoreher to her with ease. But Euthynus,of Thespme,at
formergloryandpower.As healthybodies,long Callisthenesrelates it, or some Cretan,ac
accustomed to a strict and regular diet, often cording to Xenophon, informed Agesilaus of
find onedeviationfrom that regimenfatal, so the design,who senta horsemanto alarm the
one miscarriage brought that flourishing state city, and not long after entered it himself.
todecay.Nor is to bewondered
at. Theircon- In a little time the Thebanspassedthe Eu->
etitution was admirably formed for peace, for rotas, and attacked the town, Agesilaus de«
virtue, and harmony; but when they wanted to fended it with a vigour abovehis years. He
add to their dominions, by force of arms, and saw that this was not the time (as it had been)
to make acquisitions which Lycurgus thought for safe and cautious measures,but rather for
unnecessaryto their happiness,they split upon the boldest and most desperateefforts; inso-
that rock he had warned them to avoid. much that the means in which he had never
Agesilausnowdeclinedthe service,on ac- before placed any confidence,or madethe
countof his greatage. But his son,Archida- leastuseof, stavedoff the presentdangerand
mu»,having receivedsomesuccoursfrom Di- snatchedthe town out of the handsof Epami-
onysius,the Sicilian tyrant,foughtthe Arca- nondas. He erecteda trophyuponthe occa-
dians, and gained that which is called the fear- sion, and shewed the children and the women
lessbattle; for he killed great numbersof the how gloriouslythe Spartansrewarded their
enemy, withoutlosinga manhimself. countryfor theireducation.Archid."
musgrcat-
Nothingcouldafforda greaterproofof the ly distinguishedhimselfthatday,both byhis
weakness of Spartathanthisvictory. Beforecourageand agility,flyingthroughthe bye-
it hadbeensocommon andsonaturala thing lanes,to meettheenemy wheretheypressed
for Spartans
to conquer,
thatonsuchoccasionsthehardest, andeverywhererepulsingthem
they ofcred no greater sacrifice than a cock: with his little band.
thecombatants
werenotelated,
northosewho But Isadui the sonof Phrebidas,
wagU»e
Ei
 430 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

mostextraordinaryandstriking spectacle,not a rebel againstthe king hii master. Had he,

onlyto hiscountrymen,
butto theenemy.He now he wasupwards
of eighty,andhisbody
was tall and beautifulin his person,andjust full of woundsandscars,accepted
againof th«j
growingfroma boyinto a man,whichis the appointment
of captain-general,
to fightforthe
timethe humanflower huethe greatestcharm libertiesof Greece,his ambition, at that tima
He waswithout eitherarmsor clothes,nakec of day,would not havebeenentirely unexcep-
andnewlyanointedwithoil, only hehada spear tionable. For evenhonourablepursuits must
in one hand,anda swordin theother. In this have their times and seasons to give thema
conditionhe rushedout of his house,andhav- propriety; and the avoidingof all extremesi*
ing madehis way throughthe combatants, he the characteristicwhichdistinguishes honoura-
dealthisdeadlyblowsamongthe enemy'sranks, blepursuitsfromdishonourable. But Agcsilaus
striking down every man he engagedwith. Vet was not moved by this consideration,nor did he
he receivednot one wound himself; whether think any public serviceunworthyof him; he
it was that Heaven preservedhim in regard to thought it much more unbecomingto lead an
his valour, or whether he appeared to his ad- inactive life at home, and to sit down and wait
versaries as somethingmore than human. It is till death should strike his blow. He therefore
aaid,the Ephorl honouredhim with a chaplet raiseda bodyof mercenaries,andfitted out a
for the great thingshehadperformed,but at fleet, with the money which Tachoshadsent
the sametime, finedhim a thousanddrachmashim, and then setsail; takingwith him thirty
for daringto appearwithout his armour. Spartansfor his counsellors,asformerly.
Somedaysafter this, therewasanotherbat- Upon his arrival in Egypt, all the greatoffi-
tle beforeMantinea.Epaminondas, afterhaving cersof the kingdomcameimmediatelyto pay
routed the first battalions, was very eager in the their court to him. Indeed, the name and
pursuit; when a Spartan,named Anticrales, characterof Agesilaushadraisedgreatexpec-
turned short, and gave him a wound with a tations in the Egyptians in general, and they
spear, according to Dioscorides, or, as others crowded to the shore to get a sight of him.
say, with a sword.* And, indeed, the descend- But when they beheld no pomp or grandeurof
ants of Anticrates are to this day called ma- appearance,and saw only a little old man, and
ch&riones, swordsmen, in Laccda;mun. This in as mean attire, seated on the grass by the
actionappearedso great, and wasso accepts sea-side,they could not help regardingthe
ble to the Spartans,on accountof their fear of thing in a ridiculouslight, andobserving,tint
Kpaminondas, that they decreedgreathonours this was the very thing representedin the
and rewards to Anticrates, and an exemption fable,* "The mountain had brought forth a
from taxesto his posterity;oneof which,nam- mouse." They were still more surprisedat
ed Gallic rates,! "ow enjoys that privilege. his want of politeness, when they brought hid
After tins battle, and the death of Epami- such presentsas were commonly madeto stran-
nondas, the Greeks concluded a peace. But gers of distinction, and he took only the flour,
Agesilaus, under pretence that the Messenians the veal, and the geese,and refused the pas-
were not a state, insisted that they should not ties, the sweatmeats,and perfumes; and when
be comprehended in the treaty. AH the rest, they pressed him to accept them, he said,
however, admitted them to take the oath, as " They might carry themto the Helots." The-
oneof the states; and the Lacedaemonianswith- ophrastus tells us, he was pleased with the
drew, intending to continue the war, in hopes papyrus, on account of its thin and pliant tex-
of recovering Messenia. Agesilaus could not, ture, which made it very proper for chapleta;
therefore, be consideredbut as violent and ob- and, when he left Egypt, he askedthe king for
stinate in his temper, and insatiably fond of some of it.
hostilities, since he took every method to ob- Tachos was preparingfor the war; andAges-
struct the general peace, and to protract the ilaus uponjoining him, was greatly disappoint-
war; though at the same time, through want of ed to find he had not the command of all the
money, he was forced to borrow of his friends, forces given him, but only that of the merce-
and to demand unreasonablesubsidies of the naries. Chabnas, the Athenian, was admiral:
people. This was at a time, too, when ha had Tachos, however, reservedto himself the chief
the fairest opportunity to extricate himself from direction, both at seaand land. This was the
all his distresses. Besides, after he had let iirst disagreeable circumstance that occurred
iJip the power, which never before wasat such '.oAgesil.ius; and others soon followed. The
a height, lost so many cities, and seen his vanity and insolence of the Egyptian gavehim
country deprived of the superiority both at sea ;reat pain, but he was forced to bear them.
and land, should he have wrangled about the fie consented to sail with him against the
properly and the revenuesof Messene? Phoenicians;and, contrary to his dignity »nd
He still lost more reputationby takinga nature,submittedto thebarbarian,till hecould
commandunderTachos,the ^Egyptianchief. find an opportunityto shakeoff hisyoke. That
It was not thought suitable to one of the great- opportunity soon presented itself. Nectanibis,
est characters in Greece, a man who had filled cousin to Tachos, who commandedpart of the
the whole world with his renown,to hire out brces, revolted,and wasproclaimedking bj
his person,to give his nameandhis interest he Egyptians.
for a pecuniaryconsideration,
andto actascap- In consequence of this, Nectanabissentam-
tain of a band of mercenaries, for a barbarian, lassadors to Agesilaus, to entreat his assist
ance. He made the same application to Cha
" DiodorusSiculusattributesthis actionto Gnllus- irias, and promised them both great rewards
Uie SOD ofXenonhon, who, he eays, was killed imme-
diately aftrr. But Ftularch's account, it teems, was
bettergrounded. " Alhenaeus
makes
Tachos
saythis,andAeeiiUui
f tf ear fivehundredyean after. uiivter, " You will findmea lion by and bj'."
 AGESILACJS. 431
Tachos wasapprisedoftheseproceedings,
and persons to sound Agesilaus.
This alarmed
beggedofthemnottoabandon him. ChabriasNeclanabia: andwhenAgesilaus
advisedhim
listenedto hisrequest,
andendeavoured
also togivebattleimmediately,
andnotto protract
to appease theresentmentof Agesilaus,
and thewarwithmenwhohadseen noservice,but
keephimto thecause he hadembarkedin. who,bytheadvantageofnumbers,mightdraw
Agesilaus answered," Asfor you,Chabrias,
a lineof circumvallation
abouthistrenches,
youcamehitherasa volunteer, and,therefore,and preventhim in most of his operations;
mayactasyouthinkproper;butI wassentby thenhis fearsand suspicions increased,and
mycountry, upontheapplication of theEgyp- puthimuponthe expedient of retiringintoa
tians,fora general.It wouldnotthenberight largeandwellfortifiedtown. Agesilaus could
to commence hostilities
againstthepeople,to notwelldigestthisinstanceof distrust;
yethe
whomI wassentasanassistant, except Spartawasashamed tochange sidesagain,andat last
shouldgiveme suchorders." At the samereturnwithouteffecting anything. Hethere-
time he sent someof his officershome,with fore followed his standard,and entered the
instructions to accuse Tachos, and to defend town with him.
the causeof Nectanabis. The two rival kings However, when the enemycame up, and
alsoappliedto the Lacedaemonians; the oneas aeganto opentheir trenches,in orderto en-
in ancientfriend andally,andthe otherasone closehim, the Egyptian,afraidof a siege,was
who had a greater regard for Sparta, and inclined to come immediatelyto an engage-
would give hermore "valuableproofsof his at- ment; and the Greekswerp of his opinion,
tachment jecause there was no great quantity of provi-
The Lacedsmonians gavethe Egyptiande- sionsin the place. But Agesilausopposedit;
puties the hearing, and this public answer, and the Egyptians,on that account,looked
" That they shouldleavethe businessto the upon him in a worse light than before,not
care of Agesilaus. But their privateinstruc- scruplingto call him a traitor to their king.
tions to him were, " to do what shouldappear Thesecensures he nowborewith patience,be-
most advantageous to Sparta." Agesilaushad causehe waswaitinga favourablemomentfor
no soonerreceivedthis order, than he with- puttingin executiona designhe hadformed.
drew with hia mercenaries,and went over to The design was this. The enemy, as we
Nectanabis;coveringthis strangeandscandal- haveobserved,were drawinga deeptrench
ousproceedingwith the pretenceof actingin round the walls, with an intent to shut up
the best mannerfor his country:* when that Nectanabis. When theyhadproceeded sofar
slight veil is taken off, its right nameis treach- in the work that the two ends were almost
ery, andbasedesertion. It is true, the Lace- readyto meet,as soonas night cameon, Age-
daemonians,by placing a regard to the advan- silaus ordered the Greeks to arm, and then
tage of their country, in the first rank of wentto the Egyptian,andsaid, " Now is the
honour and virtue, left themselvesno criterion time, young man, for you to save yourself,
of justice, but the aggrandizementof Sparta. which I did not choose to speak of sooner,
Tachos, thus abandonedby the mercenaries, lest it should bedivulged and lost. The enemy
took to flight. But, at the same time, there with their own hands have worked out your
rose up in Mendes another competitor, to dis- security, by labouring so long upon the trench,
pute the crown with Nectanabis; and that that the part which is finished will prevent our
competitor advanced with a hundred thousand suffering by their numbers,and the spacewhich
men, whom he had soon assembled. Ne.cta- is left puts it in our power to fight them upon
nabis, to encourageAgesilaus, represented to equal terms. Come on then; now shew your
him, that though the numbersof the enemy courage;sally out ilong with us,with the ut-
were great, they were only a mixed multitude, most vigour, and save both yourself and your
andmanyof themmechanics,
who were to be army. The enemywill not dareto standus
despisedfor their utter ignorance of war. " It in front, and our flinka are secured by the
is not their numbers," said Agesilaus, " that I trench." Nectanabis now, admiring his capa-
fear,but that ignoranceandinexperience,
you city, put himself in the middleof the Greeks,
mention,whichrenderthemincapable of being and,advancingto the charge,easilyroutedall
practised upon by art or stratagem: for those that opposed him.
can only be exercised with successupon such Agesilaus having thus gained the prince's
as, having skill enough to suspect the designs confidence, availed himself once more of the
of their enemy, form schemesto countermine same stratagem, as a wrestler sometimes uses
him, and, in the meantime,are caughtby new the samesleighttwice in oneday. By some-
contrivances.But he who hasneitherexpec- timespretendingto fly, and sometimes facing
tation nor suspicionof that sort, giveshis ad- about,he drew the enemy'swholearmyinto a
versary no more opportunity than hewho stands narrow place, enclosedwith two ditches that
(till givesto a wrestler." werevery deep,andfull of water. When he
Soon after the adventurerof Mendessent sawthemthus entangled,he advancedto Uie
charge,with a front equal to theirs,and se-
* Xenophon hassucceededwellenoughin defending
Agesilaus,with respectto his undertakingtheeipe- curedby thenatureof thegroundagainstbeing
djtioDs
intoEgypt.Herepresent*
himpleased
with surrounded.
The consequence
was,that they
the hopesof makingTachossomereturn for hit many madebutlittle resistance;
numbers
werekilled,
"ervices
to theLacedaemonians;
of restoring,
through andthe rest fled,andwereentirely put to the
hit means,the Greek itiesin Asia to their liberty, rout.
ind of r-veugingthe ill officesdonethe Spartansby
the king of Persia. But it was in vain fur that histo- The Egyptian,thussuccessfulin his affairs,
rian to attemptto eiculnatehim, with respectto hii and firmly established
in his kingdom,had a
desertingTachojithicnPlutarchjuitly treat*asan gratefulsenseof the servicesof Agesilaus,
and
Actof treachery. pressedhim lo spendthe winter with him
 432 PLUTAhCH'S LIVES-

Butlie hastened
hisreturnto Sparta,on ac- uponat Commander-in-chief,
and,as it were
countof thewarshehaduponher handsat kingof Greece, till thebattleof Leuctra.
home;for heknewthatherfinances
werelow, It wasthe custom of theSpartansto bury
though,at the sametime, she found it neces-personsof ordinaryrank in the place wher«
laryto employa bodyof mercenaries.
Nec- theyexpired,whentheyhappened to die in a
tanabisdismissed
himwithgreatmarksof hon-foreign
country,buttocarrythecorpsesof theii
our, and, besidesother presents,furnished biro kings home. And as the attendants of Agegi-
withtwo hundred
andthirty talentsof silver, laushad nothoneyto preserve
thebody,they
for the expenses
of the Grecianwar. But, as embalmed
it with meltedwax,and so convey
it was winter, he met with a storm which drove ed it to Laccdi-mon. His son Archidamua
him upon a desertshorein Africa, called the succeeded
to the crown,which descended in
Hiven ofJ\fenclaus; andtherehedied,at the his family to Agis, the fifth from Ageeilaua.
age of eighty-four yeara; of which he had reign- This Agis, the third of that name, was assas-
ed forty-one in Lacedjcmon. Above thirty sinatedby Leonidas,for attemptingto restart
yearsof thattimehemadethegreatest
figure,theancientdiscipline
of Sparta.
both as to reputationand power,beinglooked

POMPEY.

THEpeople
of Romeappear,
fromthefirst,to der,andhe did not retuseit; othersapplied
have been affected towards Pompey, much in it to him by way of ridicule. And Lucius
thesame
manner
asPrometheus,
inJEschylus,
Philippus,*
a manof consular
dignity,ashe
was towards Hercules, when after that hero was one day pleading for him, said, " It was
had delivered him from his chains, he says, no wonder if Philip was a lover of Alexander."
The sire I hated, but the son I lore.* We are told that Flora, the courtesan, took
a pleasure,in her old age,in speakingof the
ForneverdidtheRomans entertain
a strongercommerce she had with Pompey;and she
andmorerancorous hatredforanygeneralthan usedto say,shecouldneverquitbisembrace*
for Strabo,the fatherof Pompey.While he withoutgivinghima bite.Sheadded, thatGe-
lived,indeed,
theywereafraid
of hisabilitiesminius,
oneof Pompey's
acquaintance,
hada
asa soldier,
for he hadgreattalentsfor war; passionfor her, and gaveher muchtrouble
but upon his death,which happened by a with his eolicitations.
At last,shetold him
strokeof lightning, theydragged
his corpseshecouldnotconsent
onaccount of Pompey
from thebier,onthewayto thefuneralpile, Uponwhich he appliedto Pompeyfor his
andtreated it withthegreatest
indignity.On permission,
andhegave it him,butnever
ap-
theotherhand,nomaneverexperienced from proached herafterwards,thoughheseemed to
the sameRomans an attachment moreearly retaina regardfor her. Sheborethelossof
begun,moredisinterested in all thestages of him,not withthe siightuneasiness of a pros-
his prosperity,
or moreconstantandfaithful titute, butwaslongsickthroughsorrowand
in thedeclineof hisfortune,thanPompey. regret. It is saidthatFlorawaseocelebrated
The solecauseof their aversionto the for herbeauty andfinebloomthatwhenCsci-
fatherwashis insatiable avarice;but there liusMetellusadorned thetemple of Castorand
weremanycauses of theiraffection fortheson; Polluxwithstatues andpaintings, hegaveher
histemperatewayof living,hisapplication to picturea placeamong them.
martialexercises,hiseloquentandpersuasive Demetrius, oneof Pompey's freedmen, who
address,hisstricthonourandfidelity,andthe had greatinterestwith him, andwho died
easinessof accessto him uponall occasions; worthfourthousand talents,hada wifeof ir-
for nomanwaseverlessimportunate in askingresistiblebeauty. Pompeyon that account,
favours,
or moregracious in conferring them.behaved to her with lesspoliteness thanwas
Whenhegave,it waswithoutarrogance; and naturalto him,that hemightnotappear to be
whenhereceived, it waswithdignity. caughtbyhercharms.Butthoughhetookhis
In his youth he had a very engagingcounte- measureswith so much care and caution in this
nance,whichspokefor him beforeheopenedrespect,
hecouldnotescape
thecensure
of his
his lips. Yet that graceof aspectwasnot un- enemies,who accusedhim of a commerce
attendedwithdignity,andamidsthisyouthfulwith marriedwomen, and saidhe oftenne-
bloomtherewasa venerable andprincelyair. glected, orgaveuppointsessentialto thepub-
Hishairnaturallycurleda little before;
which, lic, to gratifyhismistresses.
togetherwith theshiningmoisture andquick As to the simplicityof his diet,thereisa
turnof hiseye,produced a strongerlikenessremarkable sayingof hisuponrecord.In a
of Alexanderthe Greatthanthat whichap- greatillness,whenhis appetitewaaalmost
pearedin the statuesof that prince. So that gone, the physicianordered him a thrush. His
someseriously
gavehimthenameof Alexan-servants,
uponinquiry,feundtherewasDor
* Of the tragedyof PrometheusReleased,from
which thisline is taken,wehaveonly somefragments * LuciusMarcusPhilippug,oneof thegreatestora-
remaining.Jupiterhadchained
Prometheus
to the torsof histime. He wasfalher-iD-law
to Augustus)
rocks of Caucasus,and Hercules, the son of Jupiter, having married his mother Attii. Horace sptaks of
releawdbun- liim, fib. i. c|i. 7.
 POMPEY- 4S3

oneto behadfor money,for the seasonwas btokeout in the old marriageacclamationof

past. They were informed,however,that of Talasio.
Luculliuhadthemall theyearin hismenage- Theoriginof thetermis saidto havebeen
ries.Thisbeing
reported
to Pompey,
hesaid,this. Whentheprincipal
Romans
seized
the
"Does Potnpey's
lite dependuponthe luiury of daughtersof the Sabioeswho were cometo
Lucullus?" Then, without any regardto the see the gamestheywerecelebratingto entrap
physician,
heate something
that waseasyto them,someherdsmen
andshepherds
laid hold
be had. But this happenedat a latter period of a virgin remarkablytall andhandsome;
and,
in life. lest she should be taken from them, as they
While hewasveryyoung,andservedunder carriedheroff, theycriedall the waytheywent
his father,whowascarryingon thewar against Talasio. Talasiuswasa youngman,univer-
Cinna,*oneLuciusTerenliuswashiscomrade,sallybelovedand admired-,thereforeall who
andtheysleptin the sametent. This Teren- heardthem,delightedwith the intention,join-
tius. gainedby Cmna'smoney, undertookto ed in the cry, and accompanied them with
assassinate Pompey,while othersset fire to plaudits. They tell us, the marriageof Tala-
the general'stent. Pompeygotinformationof sius proved fortunate,and thenceall bride-
this whenhe wasat supper,andit did not put grooms,by wayof mirth, werewelcomedwith
him in the least confusion. He drank more that acclamation. This is the most probable
freely, and caressedTerenlius more than usu- account I can find of the term.*
al; but when they were to have gone to rest, Pompey in a little time married Antistia;
he stole out of the tent, and went and planted and afterwards repaired to Cinna's camp. But
a guardabouthis father. This done,he wait- finding someunjust chargeslaid againsthim
ed quietly for the event. Terentius, as soon there, he took the first private opportunity to
as he thoughtPompeywas asleep,drew his withdraw. As he was no whereto be found,
sword, and stabbed the coverlets of the bed a rumour prevailed in the army, that Cinna
in manyplaces,imaginingthat hewasin it. hadput the youngmanto death;uponwhich,
Immediately after this, there was a great numbers who hated Cinna, and could no longer
mutiny in the camp. The soldiers who hated bear with his cruelties, attacked his quarters.
their general, were determined to go over to He fled for his life; and being overtaken by
the enemy, and beganto strike their tents and one of the inferior officers, who pursuedhim
take up their arms. The general dreading the with a drawn sword, he fell upon his knees,
tumult, did not dare to make his appearance. and offeredhim his ring, which was of no small
But Pompey was every where; he beggedof value. The officer answered,with great fe-
them with teara to stay,and at last threw him- rocity, "I am not come to sign a contract, but
self upon his face in the gateway. There he to punish an impious and lawless tyrant," and
lay weeping, and bidding them if they would then killed him upon the spot.
go out, treaduponhim. Uponthis, theywere Such was the end of Cinna; after whom
ashamedto proceed,and all, except eight hun- Carbo, a tyrant still more savage, took the
dred, returnedand reconciledthemselvesto reins of government. It wasnot long, how-
their general. ever, before Sylla returned to Italy, to the
After the death of Strabo, a charge was laid jreat satisfactionof most of the Romans, who,
that he had converted the public money to his in their presentunhappy circumstances,thought
own use, and Pompey, as his heir, was obliged the changeof their master no small advantage.
to answerit. Upon inquiry, he found that To sucha desperatestatehad their calamities
Alexander, one of the enfranchisedslaves,had brought them, that no longer hopingfor liberty,
secreted most of the money; and he look care they sought only the most tolerable servitude.
to inform the magistrates of the particulars. At that time Pompey was in the Picenc,
He was accused,however, himself, of having whither he had retired, partly because he had
takensomehunting-nets
andbooksout of the landsthere,but moie on accountof an old at
spoils of Asculum; and, it is true, his father tachment which the cities in that district had
gave them to him when he took the place; but to his family. As he observed that the best
he lost them at the return of Cinna to Rome, and most considerable of the citizens left their
when that general's creatures broke into and houses,and took refuge in Sylla's camp asin a
pillaged his house. In this affair he maintained port, he resolved to do the same. At the same
the combat well with his adversary at the bar, time he thought it did not become him to go
and shewed an acutenessand firmness above like a fugitive who wanted protection, but
his years; which gained him so much applause rather in a respectablemanner at the head of
that Antistius, the prstor, who had the hearing an army. He therefore tried what levies he
of the cause,conceivedan affectionfor him, could make in the Picene,f and the people
andofferedhim his daughterin marriage.The readily repairedto his standard;rejectingthe
proposal,accordingly,wasmadeto his friends. applications
of Carbo. On thisoccasion,one
Pompeyaccepted it; andthe treaty wascon- Vindius happeningto say, "Pompey is just
cludedprivately. The people,howeverhad comefromunderthehands of thepedagogue,
somenotionof thethingfromthepainswhich andall ona suddenis become a demagogue
Antistiustookfor Pompey;andat last,when amongyou,"theyweresoprovoked,thatthey
he pronounced
the sentence
in the nameof all fell uponhim andcut him in pieces.
the judges,
by whichPompeywasacquitted, Thus Pompey, at the ageof twenty-three
themultitude,
asit were,upona signalgiven, withoutacommission
fromanysuperiorauthor
''
ID the year of Rome666. And as Pompeywas ity,erected
himself
intoageneral;
andhaving
born
inthetime
year
withCi«ro,
*IT.
inth<year
of placed
histribunal
inthemost
public
partof
Rome 647, he muit, in thu war with Cinna, have been * See more of this in the life of Romuliu.
nineteen ycari old t Now the March of Ancoua.
 434 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

the greatcity of Auximum,by a formaldecre as thatin the first interview. He usedto rat
commanded
theVenlidii,two brothers
who upanduncover
hishead,
whenever
Pompej
opposed
himin behalfof Carbo,to departth cameto him;whichhewasrarelyobserved
to
city. He enlistedsoldiers;he appointedtri do for anyother,thoughhe hada numberof
bunes,centurions, and other officers,according persons of distinction about him.
to the establishedcustom. He did the samein Pompey was not elated with these honours
"11the neighbouringcities; for the partisans On the contrary,when Sylla wanted to send
of Carbo retired and gave placeto him, and the him into Gaul, whereMetullus had done noth-
rest were glad to range themselves under hi ing worthy of the forces under his directions,
banners. So that in a little time they raisei he said, " It was not right to take the com-
chreccompletelegions,and furnishedhimself mandfroma manwho washis superiorbothin
with provisions, beasts of burden, carriages age and character; but if Metellus should de-
in short, with the whole apparatus of war. sire his assistancein the conduct of the war, it
In this form be moved towards Sylla, not by was at his service." Metellus accepted the
hasty marches, nor as if he wanted to concea proposal,and wrote to him to come; whereupon
himself; for he stopped by the way to harass he entered Gaul, and not only signalized his
rhe enemy, and attempted to draw off from own valour and capacity, but excited once
Carbo all the parts of Italy through which he more the spirit of adventure in Metellus, which
passed. At last, three generals of the opposite was almost extinguishedwith age: just as brass
party, Carinna, Coelius and Brutus, came in a state of fusion is said to melt a cold plate
against him all at once, not in front, or in one sooner than fire itself. But as it is not usual,
body,but they hemmedhim in with their three whena championhasdistinguished himself in
armies,in hopesto demolishhim entirely. the lists, andgainedthe prizein all the games,
Pompey,far frombeingtern6ed,assembledto recordor to takeany noticeof the perform-
ill his forces,andchargedthe armyof Brutus ancesof his youngeryears; so the actionsof
at the head of his cavalry. The Gaulish horse Pompey, in this period, though extraordinary
on the enemy's side sustainedthe first shock; in themselves,yet being eclipsed by the num-
But Pompeyattackedtheforemostof them,who ber andimportanceof his later expeditions,I
was a man of prodigious strength, and brought shall forbear to mention, lest, by dwelling upon
him down with a pushof his spear. The rest his first essays,
I shouldnot leavemyselfroom
immediately fled and threw the infantry into for those greater and more critical events
such disorder that the whole was soon put to which mark his character and turn of mind.
flight. This produced so great a quarrel among After Sylla had made himself master of Ita-
the three generals,that they parted and took sep ly, and was declared dictator, he rewarded his
arate routes. In consequenceof which the cities, principal officers with riches and honours;
concluding that the fearsof the enemyhad made making them liberal grants of whatever they
them part, adopted the interest of Pompey. appliedfor. But he was most struck with the
Not long after, Scipio the consul advanced excellent qualities of Pompey, and was per-
to engagehim. But before the infantry were suadedthat he owed more to his servicesthan
near enough to discharge their lances, Scipio's those of any other man. He thereforeresolved,
soldiers saluted those of Pompey, and came if possible to take him into his alliance; and,
over to them. Scipio, therefore, was forced to as his wife Metella was perfectly of his opin-
fly. At last Carbo sent a large body of cavalry ion, they persuadedPompey to divorce Antis-
against Pompey, near the river Arsis. He gave tia, and to marry lEmilia, the daughter-in-law
them so warm a reception, that they were soon of Sylla, whom Metella had by Scaurus,and who
broken, and in the pursuit drove them upon was at that time pregnant by another marriage.
impracticable ground; so that finding it im- Nothing could be more tyrannical than this
possible to escape,they surrenderedthemselves new contract. It was suitable, indeed, to the
with their arms and horses. .imesof Sylla, but it ill becamethe character
Sylla had not yet been informed of these of Pompey to take JEimlm, pregnant as she
transactions; but upon the first news of Pom- vas, from another, and bring her into hi*
pey's being engagedwith so many adversaries, louse, and at the same time to repudiate An-
and such respectablegenerals, he dreaded the istia, distressed as she must be for a father
consequence,and marched with all expedition whom she had lately lost, on account of this
to his assistance. Pompey, having intelligence cruel husband. For Anlistius was killed in the
of his approach, ordered his officersto seethat enate-house,becauseit was thought his regard
the troops were armed and drawn up in such or Pompey had attached him to the causeof
a manneras to makethe handsomest
andmost Sylla. And her mother,uponthis divorce,laid
gallant appearance
beforethe Commander-in-riolent handsupon herself. This was an ad-
chief, t or he expected great honours from litional scene of misery in that tragical mar-
him, and he obtained greater. Sylla no sooner iage; as was also the fate of JEmiha in Pom-
saw Pompey advancing to meet him, with an ley's house, who died there in childbed.
army in excellent condition, both as to age and Soon after this, Sylla received an account
aizeof the men,and the spirits which success hat Perpennahad made himself masterof
hadgiven them, than he alighted;and upon "iicily, where he affordedan asylum to the
being saluted of course by Pompey as impera- arty which opposed the reigning powers.
tor, he returned his salutation with the same Carbo was hovering with a fleet about that
title: though no one imagined that he would sland; Domitius had entered Africa; and
havehonoreda youngman,not yet admitted manyotherpersonsof great distinction, who
into the senate,with a title for which he was lad escapedthe fury of the proscriptionsby
contending with the Scipios and the Marii. flight, had taken refuge there. Pompey was
The restof his behaviourwas as respectable eat againstthem with a considerable
armi
 POMPEY. 436

roent. Ho soonforcedPerpennato quit the camea tyrant. Pompey soonfinished Inspre-

island;andhavingrecovered
thecities,which parationsfor thisexpedition;andleavingthe
hadbeenmuchharassed by the armiesthat command in Sicilyto Memmius, his sister's
were therebeforehis, he behavedto them all husband,he setsailwith a hundredandtwenty
wilh greathumanity, exceptthe Mamertines, armedvessels,andeighthundredstoreships,
whowereseated in Messina.Thatpeople had ladenwith provisions,
arms,money,and ma-
refusedto appearbeforehis tribunal,andto chinesof war. Partof hisfleetlandedat Utics'
acknowledge hisjurisdiction,
allegingthatthey andpartatCarthage:immediately afterwhich,
stoodexcused byan ancient privilegegrantedseven thousandoftheenemy cameoverto him,
to themby the Romans.He answered,"Will andhe hadbroughtwith him six legionscom-
you never have done with citing laws and plete.
privilegesto menwho wear swords?"His Onhisarrival,hemetwitha whimsicalad-
behaviour,too, to Carbo, in his misfortunes,venture. Someof his soldiers,it seems,found
appeared
inhuman.For,if it wasnecessary,
a treasure,
andshared
considerable
sums.The
as, perhaps,it was, to put him to death,he thing getting air, the restof the troopg con-
shouldhavedoneit immediately,
andthenit cludedthattheplacewasfull of money,
which
would have beenthe work of him that gave the Carthaginians had hid there in sometime
ordersfor it. But, insteadof that, hecaused of public distress. Pompey,there-lure,could
a Roman,who had heenhonouredwith three makeno use of themfor severaldays,as they
consulships, to>bebroughtin chainsbeforehis weresearching for treasures;andhehadnothing
tribunal,where he satin judgmenton him, to to do but walk aboutand amusehimself with
the regret of all the spectators,and ordered thesightof somanythousands diggingandturn-
him to be led off to execution. When they 111 uptheground.At last,theygaveupthepoint,
werecarryinghim off, andhebeheldthe sword and badehim lead themwhereverhe pleased,
drawn,he was so muchdisorderedat it, that for theyweresufficientlypunished for theirfolly.
he wasforcedto bega moment'srespite,and Domitiusadvanced to meethim, andput his
a privateplacefor the necessities
of nature. troopsin orderof battle. There happened to
Caius Oppius,* the friend of Cssar, writes, be a channel between them,craggy and difficult
that Pompey likewise treated Quintus Valerius to pass. In the morning it began, moreover,
with inhumanity.-For, knowinghim to be a to rain, andthewind blewviolent!)';insomuch,
man of letters, and that few were to be com- that Domitius, not imagining there would be
pared to him in point of knowledge, he took any action that day, ordered his army to retire.
him (he says) aside,and afterhe hadwalked But Pompeylooked uponthis as his opportu
with him till he had satisfiedhimself upon nity, and he passedthe defile with the utmost
leveral points of learning, commandedhis ser- expedition. The enemy stood upon their de-
vants to take him to the block. But we must fence, but it was in a disorderly and tumultu-
be very cautioushow we give credit to Oppius, ous manner, and the resistance they madewas
when he speaksof the friends and enemies of neither general nor uniform. Besides,the wind
CiEsar. Pompey, indeed, was under the neces- and rain beat in their faces. The storm in-
iity of punishingthe principalenemiesof Sylla, commodedthe Romanstoo; for they could
particularly -when they were taken publicly. not well distinguish each other. Nay, Pom-
But othershe sufferedto escape,andevenas- pey himselfwas in dangerof beingkilled by
sisted some in getting off. a soldier, who asked him the word, and receiv-
He had resolved to chastisethe Himereans ed not a speedyanswer.-At length, however,
for attemptingto supporthis enemies,
whenthe he routedthe enemywith great slaughter;not
orator Sthennis told him, " He would act un- above three thousand of them escaping out of
justly, if he passedby the person that was twenty thousand. The soldiersthen saluted
guilty, andpunishedthe innocent." Pompey Pompeyimperator, but he said he would not
askedhim, "Who was the guilty person?" acceptthattitle while the enemy'scampstood
andheanswered," I amthe man. I persuadeduntouched;therefore,if they choseto confer
my friends, and compelled my enemies, to take such an honour upon him, they must first make
the measuresthey did." Pompey,delighted themselves mastersof the intrenchinents.
with his frank confessionand noble spirit, At that instant they advancedwith great
forgavehim first, andafterwardsall the people fury againstthem. Pompeyfoughtwithout his
of Himera. Being informed that his soldiers helmet, for fear of such an accident as he had
committed great disorders in their excursions, just escaped. The camp was taken, and Do-
he sealedup their swords,and if any of them mitius slain; in consequenceof whichmostof
brokethe seal,he took careto havethempun- the cities immediatelysubmitted,and the rest
ished. were taken by assault. He took Jarbas,one
While he wasmakingtheseandother regu- of the confederates of Domitius,prisoner,aad
lationsin Sicily,he receiveda decreeof the bestowed
hiscrownonHiempsal.Advancing
senate;and lettersfrom Sylla,in whichhewas with the sametide of fortune,and while his
commanded
to crossoverto Africaandto carry armyhadall thespiritsinspired
by success,
he
on the war with the utmost vigour, againstDo- entered Numidia, in which he continued hia
mitius, who hadassembled a muchmore pow- marchfor severaldays,and subduedall that
erful army thanthat whichMarius carriednot camein his way. Thus he revivedthe terror
long beforefromAfricato Italy, whenhemade of the Romanname,whichthe barbarians had
himselfmaster
of Rome,andof a.fugitivebe- begunto disregard.Nay, he chosenot to
leavethe savagebeastsin the desertswithout
* The ramewho wrole an accountof theSpanish givingthema specimen
jrar. Hewasalsoabiographer
; buthisworksof iK.it of the Romanvalour
andsuccess.Accordingly
kind are lost. He ww meanenoughto wrile a Irea- hespenta fewdays
IIM.toihowthatCaeiario
was notthesonofCaesar.in huntinglionsandelephants.The whole
 436 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

lime lie passedin Africa, they tell us, was not had beenadmitted into the senateon
above forty days; in which he defeatedthe of their opulentfortunes.
enemy,reduced thewholecountry,andbrought When Pompeyarrived at Rome,he de-
the affairsof its kings underproper regula- mandeda triumph, in which he was opposed
tions, thoughhe wasonly in his twenty-fourth by Sylla. The latteralleged," That thelawi
year. did not allow that honourto any personwho
" Uponhis returnto Utica, hereceivedletters wasnot eitherconsuliorpraUor."* Henceit
from Sylla, in which he wasorderedto send wasthat the first Scipio, when he returned
home the rest of his army, and to wait there victorious from greater wars and conflicts with
withonelegiononly for a successor.
This gave the Carthaginians in Spain,did not demanda
him a greatdealof uneasiness,
whichhe kept triumph; for hewasneitherconsulnorpraitor."
to himself,but the armyexpressed
their indig- He added," That if Pompey,who wasyet lit
nation aloud; insomuchthat when he entreated tie better than a beardlessyouth, and who was
them to return to Italy, they launched out into not of ageto beadmitted into the senate,should
abusive terms against Sylla, and declared they enter the city in triumph, it would bring an
would never abandonPompcy, or suffer him to odium both upon the dictator's power, and
trust a tyrant. At first he endeavoured to those honoursof his friend." These arguments
pacify them with mild representations: and Sylla insisted on, to shew him he would not
when he found thosehad no effect, he descend- allow of his triumph, and that, in casehe per-
ed from the tribunal, and retired to his tent in sisted, he would chastisehis obstinacy.
tears. However, they went and took him Pompey, not in the least intimidated, bade
thence, and placed him again upon the tribu- him consider, " That more worshipped tho
nal, where they spent great part of the day; rising than the setting sun;" intimating that
they insisting that he should stay and keep the his power was increasing, and Sylla's upon
command, and he in persuading them to obey the decline. Sylla did not well hear what hn
Sylla's orders, and to form no new faction. said, but perceiving by the looks and gestures
At last, seeing no end of their clamours and of the companythat they were struck with th«
importunity, he assured them, with an oath, expression, he asked what it was. When he
" That he would kill himself, if they attempted was told it he admired the spirit of Pompey,
to force him." And even this hardly brought and cried, "Let him triumph! Let him tri-
them to desist. umph!"
The first news that Sylla heard of was, that As Pompeyperceived a strong spirit of envy
Pompey had revolted; upon which he said to and jealousy on this occasion,it is said, that to
his friends, " Then it is my fate to have to con- mortify those who gave into it the more, he
tend with boys in my old age." This he said, resolved to have his chariot drawn by fou?
because Marius, who was very young, had elephants; for he had brought a number from
brought him into so much trouble and danger. Africa, which he had taken from the kings of
But whrn he received true information of the that country. But finding the gate too narrow,
affair, and observedthat all the people flocked he gave up that design,and contented himself
out to receive him, and to conduct him home with horses.
with marks of great regard, he resolvedto ex- His soldiers, not having obtained all they
ceed them in his regards, if possible. He, expected, were inclined to disturb the procea-
therefore, hastenedto meet him, and embrac- sion; but he took no pains to satisfy them: he
ing him in the most affectionate manner, sa- said, " He had rather give up his triumph than
luted him aloud by the surnameof Magnus, or submit to flatter them." Whereupon Servi-
the Great: at the same time he ordered all hus, one of the most considerable men in
about him to give him the sameappellation.Rome,and onewho had beenmostvigorous
Otherssay, it was given him by the whole in opposingthe triumph, declared," He now
army in Africa, but did not generallyobtain foundPompeyreally the Great,andworthyof
till it was authorized by Sylla. It is certain, he a triumph."
wasthelastto takeit himself,
andhedidnot Thereis nodoubtth"athe mightthenhave
make useof it till a long time after, when he been easily admitted a senator, if he had de-
was sent into Spain with the dignityof pro- sired it; but his ambitionwas to pursuehon-
consulagainstSertorius. Then he beganto our in a moreuncommon track. It wouldhave
write himself in his letters and in all his been nothing strange, if Pompey had beena
edicts, Pompey the Great: for the world was senator before the age fixed for it; but it was a
accustomed to the name,andit wasDOlonger very extraordinary
instanceof honourto lead
invidious. In this respectwe mayjustly ad- up a triumphbeforehewasa senator. Andit
mire the wisdom of the ancient Romans, who contributed not a little to gain him the affec-
iestowedon their great mensuchhonourabletionsof the multitude;thepeopleweredelight-
namesandtitles, not only for militaryachieve-ed to seehim,after his triumph,classwith the
ments, but tor the great qualities andarts which equestrian order.
adorncivil life. Thusthe peoplegavethesur- Sylla wasnot without uneasiness at finding
nameof J\I<u:imiisto Valerius,*for reconciling him advanceso fast in reputationand power,
them to the senate after a violent dissension,
and to Fabius Kullus for expelling some per- his reducingthe populaceof Romeinto four tribes,
who beforewere dispersedamongall the tribes, aod,
"onsdescended
of enfranchised
slaves,twho bythatmeans,
hadtoomuch
influence
in election*
and other public affairs. These were called rrt6u*ur-
" This was Marcus Valerius, the brother of Vale- uz. Liv. ix. 46.
rius Publicola,who wasdictator. Livy (Lib. ixii.) tells us, the senaterefusedL.
f It was nut Ins expelling the detcendantsof enfran- Cornelius Lentulus a triumph, for the same reason,
chisedslavesthe senate,
nor yet his gloriousvictories, thoughtheythoughthisachievements
worthyof that
which procured Fabius the surnameof Maiiraui; but lonour.
 POMPEY. 431

yethecouldnotthinkof preventing
it, til! andwroteothe'letters,containing
heavy
witha highhand,
andentirely
against
hiswill chargesagainst
him. Thiswasthefatherof
Pompey raised
Lepidus*
to theconsulship,
b thatBrutus,
whotogether withCassius,
slew
assisting
himwithall hisinterestintheelec Caesar.
Butthesondidnotresemble thefather,
tion. ThenSylla,seeinghimconducted hom<eitherin waror inhisdeath,as appearsfrom
bythepeople,
through
theforum,thusaddressthelifewehavegiven ofhim.Lepidus, being
ed him:"I see,youngman,youareproudol soondrivenout of Italy, fled into Sardinia,
yourvictory.Andundoubtedly
it wasagrea where hediedofgrief,notin consequence of
andextraordinary
thing,byyourmanagement
o the ruin of his affairs,butof meeting
with a
thepeople,to obtainfor Lepidustheworstman billet (aswe aretold,) by which hediscover-
in Home,the returnbeforeCatulus,oneof the ed that his wife haddishonoured hisbed.
worthiestandthebest.Butawakel chargeyou At that time, Sertorius,anofficer "verydif-
andbe uponyour guard. For you have now ferent from Lepidus, was in possessionof
madeyour adversaries strongerthanyourself." Spain,andnot a little formidableto Rome it-
The displeasureSylla entertainedin his self; all the remainsof the civil wars being
beartagainstPompeyappeared mostplainlyby collectedin him,just as in a dangerous diseaso
his will. He left considerablelegaciesto his all the vicious humoursflew to a distempered
friends, and appointedthem guardiansto his part.He hadalreadydefeatedseveralgenerals
son,but heneveroncementioned Pompey.The of lessdistinction, and he wasthen engaged
latter, notwithstanding, bore this with great with Metellus Pius, a man of great character
temper and moderation;and when Lepidus in general, and particularly in war; but age
and others opposed his being buried in the seemedto have abated that vigour which is ne-
CampusMartins, andhis havingthe honours cessaryfor seizingandmakingthe bestadvan-
rf a public funeral,heinterposed,andby his tageof critical occasions.On the other hand,
presencenot only secured, but did honourto nothingcouldexceedthe ardourandexpedition
the procession. withwhichSertoriussnatchedthoseopportuni-
Sylla's predictions
wereveriedsoonafterhis tiesfrom him. He cameon in the mostdaring
death. Lepiduswantedto usurpthe authority manner,and morelike a captainof a banditti
of a dictator; and his proceedingswere not in- han a commander of regular forces; annoying1
direct, or veiled with speciouspretences. He vith ambuscades,and other unforeseenalarms,
immediatelytook up arms,andassembled the a championwho proceededby the common,
disaffected
remainsof the factionswhichSylla rules, andwhoseskill lay in the management
could not entirely suppress. As for his col- of heavy-armed forces.
leagueCatulus,the uncorruptedpart of the At this juncture, Pompey,havingan army
Senateandpeoplewere attachedto him, and without employment,endeavoured to prevail
in point of prudenceandjustice,therewasnot with the senateto sendhim to the assistance
a man in Rome who hiid a greater character; of Metellus. Meantime, Catulus ordered him
but he was more ableto direct the civil gov- odisbandhis forces;but hefoundvariouspre-
ernment than the operationsof war. This encesfor remainingin arms in the neigh-
crisis,therefore,calledfor Pompey,andhedid >ourhoodof Rome,till at last, uponthe mc-
not deliberatewhich sidehe shouldtake. He lon of Lucius Philippus, he obtained the
joinedthe honestparty,andwasdeclaredgen- :ommandhe wanted. On this occasion,we
eral againstLepidus,who by this timehad re- re told, oneof the senators,somewhatsur-
ducedgreat part of Italy, and was master of irisedat the motion,askedhim wh" madeit,
CisalpineGaul,whereBrutusactedfor him vhetherhismeaning
wasto sendoutPompey
with a considerable
force. pro consule]as the representative of a con-
When Pompey took the field, he easily ul? " No," answeredhe, "but [pro con*u-
madehis way in other parts,but he lay a long ifeus] asthe representative
of both consuls;"
time beforeMutina, which was defendedby ntimatingby this the incapacityof the consuls
Brutus. Meanwhile Lepidus advancedby that year.
hastymarchesto Rome,andsittingdownbe- WhenPompey arrivedin Spain,newhopes
foreit, demandeda second
consulship.
The wereexcited,asis usualupontheappearance
inhabitantsweregreatlyalarmedat his num- f a new generalof reputation;andsuchof
bers;buttheirfearsweredissipated
by a let- ie Spanish
nationaswerenotveryfirmlyat-
ter fromPompey, in which heassuredthem, achedto Sertorius,beganto changetheir
he hadterminatedthe war without striking a pinions,andto go over to the Romans. Ser-
blow. For Brutus,whetherhe betrayedhis onusthenexpressed
himselfin a veryinsolent
army,or theybetrayed
him,surrendered
him- nd contemptuousmannerwith respectto
selfto Pompey;and having a partyof horse 'ompey; he said, " He shouldwant no other
givenhim asan escort,retiredto a little town weaponsthana rod andferula to chastisethe
uponthe Po. Pompey,however,sentGemi- oy with, were it not that he fearedthe old
niusthenextdayto despatch
him;which voman;"
meaning
MeteUus.But,in fact,it
broughtnosmallstainuponhischaracter.
Im- wasPompey he wasafraidof, anilon his ao
mediately
afterBrutuscameover to him, he ounthecarriedon hisoperations
with much
badinformed
thesenate
by letter,it wasa reatercaution.For Metellusgaveintoa
measure
thatgeneral
hadvoluntarilyadopted, ourseof luxuryandpleasure,
whichno one
mdyetonthemorrow
heputhimto death,ouldhave
expected,
and
changed
thes'mphc-
tyof a soldier's
life for a life of pompand
* Marcus
Emilias
Lepidus,
who,byPorapey't
in- arade.HencePompey
gainedadditional
terest,
wasdeclared
consul
withQ,.LutatiuiCatului, onorand interest;for he cultivatedplain-
intheyear
of Rome
675. essandfrugalitymorethanever,thoughhe
438 PLUTARCH'S

hadnot,in thatrespect,muchto correctin him- fortune in supportof the war, appliedto the
"elf, beingnaturally eobcrand regular in his senatefor moneyto pay the troops,declaring
desires. he wouldreturnwith his armyto Italy, if they
The war appeared in many formi; but no- did not send it to him. Lucullus, who wa»
thing touchedPompeyso nearlyas the lossof then consul,thoughhewasuponill termswith
Lauron, which Sertoriustook beforehis eyes. Pompey,took care to furnish him with the
Pompeythoughthe hadblockedup1heenemy, moneyas soonas possible;because he wanted
andspokeof it in highterms, when suddenly to beemployedhimselfin the Mithridatic war,
hefoundhimself surrounded,andbeingafraid andhewasafraidto give Pompeya pretext to
to move, had the mortification to see the city leave Sertorius, and to solicit the command
laid in ashes in his presence. However, in an against Mithridates, which was a more hon-
tngagmentnearValencia,hedefeatedHeren- ourable,andyet appeared
a lessdifficult com
mus and Perpenna, officers of considerable mission.
lank, who had takenpart with Sertorius,and MeantimeSertorinswasassassinated
by hit
acted as hie lieutenants, and killed above ten own officers;* and Perpenna, who was at the
thousandof their men. headof the conspirators,
undertookto supply
Elated with this advantage,
he hastenedto his place.He had,indeed,the sametroops,the
attack Sertorius, that Metellus might have no same magazines and supplies, but he had not
aharein the victory. He foundhim nearthe the sameunderstanding
to makea properuse
river Sucro,andtheyengagednearthecloseof of them. Pompeyimmediatelytook the field,
day. Both were afraid Metellus should come and having intelligence that Perpenna was
up; Pompey wanting to fight alone, and Serto- greatly embarrassed as to the measures he
rius to have but one general to fight with. The should take, he threw out ten cohorts as a bait
issue of the battle was doubtful; one wing in for him, with orders to spread themselvesover
each army being victorious. But of the two the plain. When he found it took, and that
generals Sertorius gained the greatest honour, Perpenna was busied in the pursuit of that
for he routedthe battalionsthat opposedhim. handfulof men, he suddenlymadehis appear-
As for Pompey,hewasattackedon horsebackancewith the mainbody,attackedthe enemy,
bv one of the enemy's infantry, a man of un- and routed him entirely. Most of the officersfell
commonsize. While they werecloseengagedin the battle; Perpennahimselfwastakenpri-
with their swords,the strokes happenedto soner,andbroughtto Pompey,whocommand-
light on each other'shand,but with different ed him to beput to death.Nevertheless,
Pom-
success; Pompey receivedonly a slight wound, pey is not to be accusedof ingratitude, nor are
and he lopped off the other's hand. Numbers we to supposehim (as some will have it) for-
then fell upon Pompey, for his troops in that getful of the services he had received from that
quarter were already broken; but he escaped officer in Sicily. On the contrary, he acted with
beyondall expectation,by quitting his horse, a wisdomanddignity of mindthat provedvery
with gold trappingsandother valuablefurni- salutaryto the public.Perpennahavinggot the
ture, to the barbarians, who quarrelled and papers of Sertorius into his hands,shewedlet-
came to blows about dividing the spoil. ters by which some of the most powerful men
Next morning, at break of day, both drew in Rome, who were desirousto raise new com-
up again, to give the finishing stroke to the motions, and overturn the establishment, had
victory, to which both laid claim. But, upon invited Sertorius into Italy. But Pompey fear-
Metellus coming up, Sertorius retired, and his ing those letters might excite greater wars than
army dispersed. Nothing was more common that he was then finishing, put Perpenna to
than for his forcesto dispersein that manner, death,andburnedthe paperswithout reading
and afterwards to knit again; so that Sertorius them. He stayed just long enough in Spam
was often seen wandering alone, and as often to composethe troubles, and to remove such
advancing again at the head of a hundred and uneasinessesas might tend to break the peacej
fifty thousandmen,like a torrent swelledwith after which hemarchedback to Italy, where
sudden rains. he arrived, as fortune would have it, when the
After the battle Pompey went to wait on Servile war was at the height.
Metellus; and upon approachinghim, he order- Crassus, who had the command in that war,
ed his lictors to lower the fasces, by way of upon the arrival of Pompey,who, he feared,
compliment to Metellus, as tus superior. But might snatch the laurels out of his hand, re-
Metellus would not suffer it: and, indeed, in all solved to come to battle, however hazardous
respects he behaved to Pompey with great po- it might prove. He succeeded and killed
liteness, taking nothing uponhim on account of twelve thousandthree hundred of the enemy.
his consular dignity, or his being the older man, Yet fortune, in some sort, interweaved this
except to give the word, when they encamped with the honours of Pompey; for he killed
together. And very often they had separate five thousand of the slaves, whom he fell in
camps; for the enemy, by his artful and various with as they fled after the battle. Immediately
measures,
bymakinghisappearance
at different upon this, to be beforehand
with Crassus,
he
places almost at the sameinstant, and by draw- wrote to the senate," That Crassushad beaten
ing them from one action to another, obliged the gladiators in a pitched battle, but that it
themto divide. He cut off their provisions,he washe who hadcut up the war by the roots."
laid wastethe country,he madehimselfmaster The Romanstook pleasurein speaking01
of the sea;the consequence of whichwas,that this, one amonganother,on accountof their
theywereboth forcedto quit their own provin-
ces,andgo Intothoseof othersfor supplies. " It wasthreeyears
aflertheconsulate
of Lucullui,
Pompey, having exhaustedmost of his own that Sertoriuswasatsaisiuated.
 POMPEY. 439

regardforPompey;
whichwassuch,
thatno people.Forliehadrestored
them thetribu
partofthesuccess
in Spain,
against
Sertorius,
nitialpower,
andhadsuffered
a lawto be
wasascribed
bya manof them,
either
in jest made,
thatjudges
shouldagain
beappointed
orYet
earnest,
to
these
anybutand
honours
Pompey. out
thishighveneration
oftheequestrian
mostagreeable
order
spectacle
" However, the
of all to thepeople
fortheman,weremixedwithsomefearsandwasPompey himself,
whenhe wentto claim
jealousies
thathewouldnotdisband hisarmy,hisexemption
fromserving
in the wars.I*.
but,treading
in thesteps
of Sylla,raisehim-wasthecustomforaRoman knight,whenhe
selfby the swordto sovereignpower,andhadserved thetimeorderedby law,to lead
maintainhimselfin it, as Sylla had done.*his horseinto the forum, beforethe two
Hence,thenumberof thosethat wentoutof magistrates calledcensors;andafterhiving
fearto meethim,andcongratulate himonhis givenan accountof the generalsand other
return,wasequalto that of thosewhowent officersunderwhomhe had madehis cam-
out of love. But when he had removedthis paigns,and of his own actionsin them, to
suspicion,
by declaringthat hewoulddismissdemandhis discharge.On theseoccasions
histroopsimmediatelyafterthetriumph,there theyreceivedpropermarksof honour
or dis-
remainedonly one more subject for enviousgrace,accordingto their behaviour.
tongues;
whichwas,thathe paidmoreatten- GelliusandLentuluswerethencensors,
and
tion to the commonsthan to the senate;and had takentheir seatsin a mannerthat became
whereas
Sylla haddestroyed
theauthorityof theirdignity,to reviewthe wholeequestrian
the tribunes,hewasdeterminedto re-establishorder,when Pompeywas seenat a distance
it, in orderto gaintheaffections
of thepeople.with all the badgesof his office,asconsul,
This wastrue: for there neverwasany thing leadinghis horseby the bridle. As soonashe
they had so much set their heartsupon,or wasnearenoughto be observedby the cen-
longedfor soextravagantly,
asto seethe tribu- sors,he orderedhis lictors to makean open-
nitialpowerputintotheirhands
again.Sothat ing,and advanced,
with his horsein hand,to
Pompeylookeduponit asapeculiarhappiness,the foot of the tribunal. The people were
thathehadanopportunity
to bringthataffair struckwithadmiration,
anda profound
silence
about; knowing,that if anyoneshouldbe be- took place; at the sametime a joy, mingled
fore-handwith him in this design,he should with reverence, wasvisiblein thecountenances
neverfind any meansof makingso agreeableof the censors. The senior censor then ad-
a return for the kind regardsof the people. dressedhim as follows: "Pompey.the Great,
A secondtriumph waa decreedhim,t to- I demandof you,whetheryou haveservedall
gether with the consulship. But thesewere the campaignrequiredby law?" He answer-
not consideredas the most extraordinaryin- ed,with a loud voice,"I haveservedthemallj
stancesof his power. The strongestproof of andall under myself,as general." The peo-
his greatnesswas,that Crassus,the richest, ple were so charmedwith this answer,that
the mosteloquent,andmostpowerfulman in there was no end of their acclamations.At
the administration, who usedto look downup- last, the censorsroseup, andconductedPom-
on Pompey and all the world, did not venture pey to his house,to indulge the multitude, who
to kolicit the consulshipwithout first asking followedhim with the loudestplaudits.
Pompey'sleave. Pompey, who had long wish- When the end of the consulshipapproached,
edforanopportunity
to layanobligation
upon andhisdifference
with Crassus
wasincreasing
him, receivedthe applicationwith pleasure,daily, CaiusAurelius,f a manwho wasof the
and madegreat interest with the people in his equestrian order, but had never intermeddled
behalf;declaringhe shouldtake their giving with stateaffairs,one day, when the people
him Crassusfor a colleagueas kindly as their were met in full assembly,ascended
the ros-
favour to himself. tra, and said, "Jupiter had appearedto him in
Yet whenthey were elected consuls,they a dream,andcommandedhim to acquaintthe
disagreed in every thing, and were embroiled consuls,that they must take care to be recon
in all their measures. Crassus had most in- ciled before they laid down their office." Pom-
terestwith the senate,and Pompeywith the pey stoodstill and held his peace;but Cras-
sus went and gave him his hand, and saluted
* Cicero,in his epistlesto AUicus.says,Fompeyhim in a friendly manner. At the same time
madebut little secretof thisunjustifiable
ambition.he addressedthe peopleas follows: "I think,
The passages are remarkable. mirandum enim t'n my fellow-citizens, there is nothing dishonour-
modumCneiusnosterSyllaniregnisimiUudinemcon- able or mean in making the first advancesto
eupivU:Etiuc <ro» >"'"'"*',iiifiil \tle unyuamminus06-
Pompey,whom you scruplednot to dignify
tcuretulit. Li\>.vii. ep.9. "Our friend Pompeyis
with the nameof the Great, whenhe wasyet
wonderfullydesirousof obtaininga powerlike tliat of
Sylla; 1tell youno morethanwhatI know,for ht but a beardless
youth,andfor whomyou.voted
makesno secretof it." Andagain,HocturpeCneius two triumphs before he was a senator." Thus
noster biennioantecogitavit; ita Syliatulit animusreconciled,
theylaiddowntheconsulship.
tjus, et proscriptunt- Ibid. ep. 10. " Pompeyhas Crassus continuedhisformermanner
oflife,
beenformingthis infamous designfor thesetwo years
pasl; »o alrongly is ht benl upon imitating Sylla, and but Pompeynow seldomchoseto plead the
proscribing
likehim." Hence
weacehowhappy
it causes
of thosethat appliedto him, andby
wasfor Rome,
thatin thecivil wars,Caesar,
anduot degreeshe left the bar. Indeed,he seldom
Pompey,
proved
theconqueror. appeared
in public,and whenhe did,it was
t Hetriumphed
towards
theendoftheyearof Romealwayswith a greattrain of friendsandattend-
182,andatthesame timewasdeclared consulforthe * L. Aurelius Cottacarried
thatpointwhenhewa»
yearensuing.Thiswasa peculiar honour, to gainpraetor;andPlutanhsay«
again,becavstCaius
Orac
the consulate
without first bearing
the subordinatechushad conveyedthatprivilege
tothekoighu fifty
office!;bMhis two triumphs, andhi»greatservices,yearsbefore.
icuml that deviationfrom thecommonrules. t OraliusAureliiu.
 410 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
ants; sothat it wasnot easyeitherto speakthoseof Neptune in the Isthmus,at Tsnarut
to himor seehim,butin themidstof a crowd.andinCalauria, thoseofApolloat Actiumand
He tookpleasure in having
a numberof retain-in theisleof Leucas, thoseof Junoat Samoa,
ersabouthim,because hethought
it gavehim Argos,andthepromontory of Lacinium."
an air of greatnessand majesty,and he was They likewise offeredstrange sacrifices;
persuaded that dignityshouldbekeptfrombe- thoseof OJympus
I mean,fandtheycelebrat-
ingsoiledby thefamiliarity,
andindeed
bythe edcertainsecret
mysteries,
amongwhichthose
verytouchof the many. For thosewhoare of Mithracontinue tothisday,Jbeingoriginal-
raisedto greatness
by arms,andknownothow ly instituted
bythem. Theynotonlyinsulted
to descendagainto the equalityrequiredin a the Romansat sea, but infestedthe great
republic, are very liable to fall into contempt roads, and plundered the villas near the coast:
when they resume the robe of peace. The they carried off Sextilius and Bellinus, two
soldier is desirous to preservethe rank in the prxtors, in their purple robes, with all their
forum whichhe hadin the field; andhewho servantsandlictors. They seizedthedaugh-
cannot distinguish himself in the field, thinks ter of Antony, a man who had been honoured
it intolerable to give place in the administra- with a triumph, as she was going to her coun
tion too. When, therefore,the latterhasgot try house,and he wa§ forcedto pay a large
the man who shonein campsand triumphs into ransom for her.
the assembliesat home,and finds him attempt- But the most contemptuouscircumstanceof
ing to maintain the same pre-eminencethere, all was, that when they had taken a prisoner,
of course he endeavours to humble him; and he cried out that he was a Roman, and
whereas, if the warrior pretends not to take told them his name, they pretended to be
the lead in domestic councils, he is readily al- struck with terror, smote their thighs, and fell
lowedthe palmof military glory. This soon upon their kneesto ask him pardon. The
appearedfrom the subsequentevents. poor man;seeingthem thus humble themselves
The power of the pirates had its foundation before him, thought them in earnest,and said
in Cilicia. Their progresswas the more dan- he would forgive them; for somewere so offi-
gerous, becauseat first it was little taken no- cious as to put on his shoes,and others to help
tice of. In the Mithridatic war they assumed him on with his gown, that his quality might
new confidence and courage, on account of no more be mistaken. When they had carried
some services they had renderedthe king. Af- on this farce,and enjoyed it for sometime, they
ter this, the Romans being engaged in civil let a ladder down into the sea, and badehim
warsat the verygatesof their capital,the sea go in peace; and if he refusedto do it, they
was left unguarded, and the pirates by de- pushedhim off the deck, and drowned him.
grees attempted higher things; they not only Their power extended over the whole Tus-
attacked ships,hut islandsand maritime towns. can sea,so that the Romansfound their trade
Many persons,distinguished for their wealth, and navigation entirely cut off. The conse-
their birth, and their capacity,embarkedwith quenceof whichwas,that their marketswere
them, and assisted in their depredations, asif not supplied,and they had reasonto apprehend
their employment had been worthy the ambi- a famine. This, at last, put them upon send-
tion of men of honour. They had in ing Pompey to clear the sea of pirates. Ga-
variousplacesarsenals, ports, andwatch-tow-binius,oneof Pompey'sintimatefriends,pro-
ers,all strongly fortified. Their fleetswere posedthe decree,§which createdhim not ad-
not onlyextremelywell manned, suppliedwith miral,but monarch,and investedhim with
skilful pilots, and fitted for their businessby absolute power. The decree gave him the
their lightness and celerity; but there was a empire of the seaas far as the pillars of Her-
paradeof vanity about them more mortifying cules,and of the land for four hundredfur-
than their strength, in gilded sterns, purple longs from the coasts. There were few parts
canopies,and plated oars; as if theytook a of the Romanempirewhich this commission
pride andtriumphedin their villany. Music did not takein; andthe mostconsiderable
of
resoundedand drunken revels were exhibited the barbarousnationsand most poiverfu' kings,
on every coast. Here generalswere made weremoreovercomprehended in it! Besides
prisoners;therethe citiesthepirateshadtaken this, hewas empoweredto chooseout of the
were payingtheir ransom; all to the great senators fifteen lieutenants,to act underhim,
disgraceof the Romanpower. The number in suchdistricts,andwith suchauthorityashe
of their galleysamountedto a thousand,and shouldappoint. He was to take from the
the citiestheyweremastersof to four hundred. qusstors, and other public receivers,what
Temples, which had stood inviolably sacred
till that time,they plundered. They ruined * Theprintedtextgiresus theerroneous
readibg
the temple of Apollo at Claros, that, where he of Lucamum,but two manuscripts
giveusLacinium.
wasworshipped,
underthetitle ofDidymsus,*Livyoftenmentions
JunoLacinia.
tnat of the Cabinin Samothrace,
thatof Ceresf t NotonmountOlympus,
butin thecityofOlym-
at Hermione, that of jEsculapius at Epidaurus, pus,nearPhaselis
in Pamphylia,whichwasoneof the
receptaclesof the pirates. What sort of sacrificesthey
* Socalled
fromDidyme,
in the territories
of Mi- usedto offerthereis notknown.
letus. t According toHerodotus,the Persians
worshipped
t Pausanias
(m Laconic,)
tellsus theLacedaemoni- Venusunderthe name of Mithres,or Mithra;out
ans worship Ceres under thename of Chthanin: and thesunisworshipped
inthatcountry.
(in Corin/fluic.)he givesus thereasonof her having
fhat name. " The Argives say, that Chthonia, the § This law was madein the year of Rome686. The
daughterof Colontas,havingbeensavedout of a con- crafty tribune, when he proposedit, did not name
flagrationby Ceres,and conveyed
to Hermione,built Fompey. Pompey wasnow in the thirty-ninth veil
t, templeto that goddess,
whowasworshippedtbtre of his age.His friendGabinius,asappeals fromCtef
tader the name ofChlhooia." ro, was a man of infamouscharacter.
 POMPEY. 441

money
he pleased,
andequipa fleetof two divided
thewhole
Mediterranean
intothirteen
hundredsail. Thenumberof marineforces parts,apponting a lieutenant
foreach,andas-
of mariners
androwers,wereleft entirelyto signinghima squadron.By thusstationing
hi* discretion. his fleetsin all quarters,heenclosed
the pirates
Whenthisdecree
wasreadin theassemblyas it werein a net, look greatnumbersof
thepeople
received
it withinconceivableplea them,andbroughtthemintoharbour.Suchof
lure. Themostrespectablepartof thesenatetheirvessels
ashaddispersedandmadeoffin
"aw, indeed,that suchanabsoluteandunlimit time, or couldescapethe general chase,re-
edpowerwasaboveenvy,buttheyconsiderec tired toCilicia,like somanybeesintoa hive.
it asa realobjectof fear.They,therefore, all, Againstthesehe proposed to gohimselfwith
exceptCaesar, opposed itspassinginto a law sixtyof hisbest galleys;butfirst heresolved
He wasfor it, not out of regardfor Pompey to clear the Tuscansea,andthe coastsof Af-
but to insinuatehimself into the goodgraces rica,Sardinia,Corsica,andSicily, of all pirat-
of the people,which he hadlong beencourt- ical adventurers;which he effectedin forty
ing. The rest were very severein their ex- days,by his own indefatigable
endeavours and
pressions
against
Pompey:
andoneof thecon- thoseof his lieutenants.But,asthe consul
tula venturingto Bay,*"If he imitatesRomu- Pigowas indulging his malignityat home,in
lus,he will not escapehis fate," wasin danger wastinghis storesanddischarginghis seamen,
of beingpulledin piecesby the populace. he sent his fleet round to Brundusium,and
It is true, when Catulua rose up to speak went himself by land through Tuscany to Rome.
against the law, out of reverence for his per- As soon as the people were informed of hia
sonthey listenedto him with great attention. approach,
theywent in crowdsto receivehim,
After he had freely given Pompey the honour in the same manner as they had done a few
that was his due, and said much in his praise, daysbefore, to conduct him on his way. Their
he advisedthemto sparehim andnot to ex- extraordinary
joy wasowingto the speedwith
pose such a man to BOmanjfcdangers; "for which he had executed his commission, eo far
where will you find another," said he, "if you beyond all expectation, and to the superabun-
lose him?" They answered with one voice, dant plenty which reigned in the markets.
'Tfourself." Finding his arguments had no For this reason Piso was in danger of being
effect, he retired. Then Roscius mounted the deposed from the consulship, and Gabiniua
rostrum, but not a man would give ear to him. lad a decree ready drawn up for that purpose;
However he made signs to them with his fin- mt Pompey would not suffer him to propose
gers, that they should not appoint Pompey t. On the contrary, his speechto the people
»lone, but give him a colleague. Incensed at was full of candour and moderation; and when
the proposal, they set up such a shout, that a le had provided such things as he wanted, he
crow, which was flying over the Jorum, was went to Brundusium, and put to sea again.
"tunnedwith the force of it and fell down Thoughhe was straightenedfor time, andin
among the crowd. Hence we may conclude, lis haste sailed by many cities without calling,
that when birds fall on such occasions, it is fet he stopped at Athens. He entered the
not becausethe air is so dividedwiththe shock own andsacrificedto the gods;afterwhich he
asto leave avacuum but ratherbecausethe addressed the people,andthen preparedto re-
soundstrikes them like a blow, when it as- embark immediately. As he went out of tho
cendswith such force, and producesso vio- gate he observedtwo inscriptions,eachcom
lent an agitation. >risedin one line.
The assembly
broke up that day, without
coming to any resolution. When the day That within the gate was-
camethat they wereto give their suffrages, Butknowthyselfaman,andbeagod.
Pompey
retiredintothecountry;
and,onre- Thatwithout-
ceivinginformation that the decreewas passed,
he returned to the city by night, to prevent the We wish'd,we saw; weloved,andweadored.
envy whichthemultitudes of people
to meet him would have excited.
coming Some
Next morn-
of thepirates,
whoyettraversed
the
ieas,made their submission; and as he treated
ing
and at break
attended oftheday,hemade
sacrifice. his
After appearance,
which he hemin ahumane
manner,
whenhehadthem
md their ships in his power, others entertained
summonedan assembly, and obtained a grant lopes of mercy, and avoiding the other officers
of almost .is much more as the first decree
surrenderedthemselvesto Pompey,together
had
given
him.Hewaaempowered
tofitout viththeirwivesandchildren.
He spared
fivehundred
galleys,
andtoraise
anarmyofa hemall; andit wasprincipally
bytheirmeans
hundredandtwentythousand
foot,andfive hathefound
outandtookanumber whowere
thousand
horse.Twenty-four
senators
were;uiltyofunpardonable
crimes,
andtherefore
selected,
whohadallbeengenerals
or prxtors, ladconcealed
themselves.
and were appointed his lieutenants; and he
hadtwo quaestors givenhim. As the price of >er,Still, however,thereremainedagreat num
andindeedthe mostpowerfulpart of these
provisionsfell immediately,the peoplewere corsairs, whosenttheirfamilies,
treasures,and
greatly pleased,and it gave them occasion to sL. useless
§ay, "The very name of Pompey had termi- hands,into castles,and fortified
nated the war." ownsuponMountTaurus.Thentheymanned
However, in pursuance of his charge, he heirships,andwaitedfor Pompeyat Cora-
cesium,in Cilicia. A battleensued,
andthe
* The consuls in Ihii year were Calpurniuj Piso, )iratesweredefeated;afterwhichtheyretired
mi Acilius Glabrio, intothefort. Buttheyhadnotbeen
longbe-
442 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

itemed
beforetheycapitulated,and
surrendered
butlike afranticyouthcarriedawayby anet
theiiinHves,
togetherwiththecitiesandislands travagantpassionfor fame, when he mad*
whichtheyhadconquered
and fortified,and signsto histroopsnotto touchHector.
whith by their works, as well as situation, were Lett tome strong arm ilinuld match the gloriou pro*
almost impregnable. Thus the war was fin- Before Pellidei.-
ished, and the v>hole force of the pirates de-
ftroycd, within three months at the farthest. But Pompeyfoughtfor the common enemiei
Besidesthe othervessels, Pompeytook of mankind, in orderto deprivea pra;tor;who
ninetyshipswithbeaksof brass;andthepris- waslabouringto destroythem,of thehonours
onersamounted to twentythousand.He did of a triumph.Metellus, however, pursued his
not chooseto put themto death, and at the operations till he tookthe pirates,andput them
eametimehethoughtit wrongto sufferthemto all to death. As for Octavius,he exposed
disperse,becausethey werenot only numerous, him in the camp as an object of contempt,
but warlikeandnecessitous,
andthereforewould and loadedhim with reproaches,afterwhich
probablyknit againandgivefuturetrouble.hedismissed
him.
He reflected,that man by nature is neithera When newswasbroughtto Rome,that the
Ravage noran unsocialcreature;andwhen he war with the pirateswas finished,and that
becomesso it is by vices contrary to nature; Pompeywas bestowinghis leisure uponvisit-
yeleventhenhemaybehumanized
bychang-
ingthecities,
Manilius,
oneof thetribunes
of
ing his placeof abode,andaccustoming
him to the people,proposed
a decree,whichgavehim
a new manner of life: as beaststhat are natu- all the provinces and forces under the com-
rally wildput off their fierceness,
whenthey mandof Lucullus,addinglikewiseBithyma,
are kept in a domesticway. For this reason whichwasthen governedby Glabrio. It di-
he determinedto removethe piratesto agreat rectedhim to carry onthe war againstMithri-
distancefrom the sea,andbringthem to taste datesandTigranes;for which purposehewas
thesweets
of civil life, bylivingin cities,and alsoto retainhisnavalcommand.Thiswas
by the cultureof the ground. He placedsome subjectingat oncethe whole Roman empire
of themin thelittle townsof Cilicia, whichwere to oneman. For, the provinces which the for-
almostdesolate, andwhich receivedthemwith mer decreedid not givehim, Phrygia,Lycao-
pleasure,because at thesametimehegavethem nia, Galatia, Cappadocia, Cilicia, the Upper
anadditionalproportionof lands.HerepairedColchis,
andArmenia,weregrantedby this,
thecityol'Soli/ whichhadlatelybeendisman-together
withalltheforces,
whichunderLucul-
tledanddeprivedof itsinhabitants
by Tigranes, lus,haddefeatedMithridatesandTigranes.
kingof Armenia,
andpeopled
it witha number By thislaw,Luculluswasdeprived
of the
of these corsairs. The remainder which was a honours he had dearly earned, and had a per-
considerable
body,heplantedin Dyma,a city sonto succeed
himin histriumph,ratherthan
of Achaia, which, thoughit had a large and in the war; but that was not the thing which
fruitfu. territory, wasin want of inhabitants.affectedthe Patriciansmost. They wereper-
Suchas lookeduponPompeywith envy suaded, indeed,thatLuculluswastreatedwith
foundfaultwiththeseproceedings;buthiscon- injusticeand ingratitude;
butit wasa much
ductwithrespectto Metelluein Cretewasnot morepainfulcircumstance, to thinkof apower
agreeable
to hisbestfriends.Thiswasa re- in thehands of Pompey, whichtheycouldcall
lation of that Melellus who commanded in nothing but a tyranny.* They therefore ex-
conjunctionwithPompey in Spain,andhehad hortedand encouraged eachotherto oppose
beensentintoCretesome timebeforePompeythelaw,andmaintain theirliberty. Yetwhen
wasemployed in this war. For Cretewas thetimecame,their fearof the peoplepre-
the second nurseryof piratesafter Cilicia. vailed,andnoonespokeon the occasion but
Metellusbaddestroyed manynestsof them Catulus. Heurgedmanyarguments againit
there,andthe remainder, whowerebeseiged thebill; andwhenhefoundtheyhadnoeffect
by mmat thistime, addressed themselvesto uponthe commons, he addressed himselfto
Pompey assuppliants,andinvitedhimintothe thesenators, andcalleduponthemmanytimes
island,asincludedin hiscommission,andfall- fromtherostrum," To seeksomemountain,
ingwithinthedistance he hada rightto carry astheirancestors
haddone,somerockwhither
his arms from the sea. He listenedto their they might fly for the preservation
of liberty."
application,
andby letterenjoinedMetellusto We are told, however,that the bill was
takenofurtherstepsinthewar. At thesamepassed by all thetribes,fandalmostthesame
timeheorderedthecitiesof Cretenottoobey universal
authority, conferred
uponPompey in
Metellus,
butLucius
Octavius,
oneof hisownhiaabsence,
whichSylladidnot gainbutby
lieutenants,whom he sentto take thecommand.
Octavius went in among the beseiged, and
foughton their side;a circumstance
which * "We have
thengotat last,"saidthey," a«ote-
rendered
Pompey
notonlyodious,
butridicu-services
reign ; the republic
of Lucullus,isthechanged
honourinto amonarchy
of Glabrio ; the
ana Mar-
lous. For whatcouldbemoreabsurd
thanto ciU3,
twozealous
andworthy
senators,
aretobesacri-
§utfer himself to be so blinded by his envy and ficedto the promotionof Fompey. SyllaneTercaned
"ealousy of Metellus aato lend hia nameand nil tyrannysofar."
authority
to acrewof profligate
wretches,
to Cicero
f Two great
and men
Caesar. spoke
The infavour
former ofat(be
aimed law,
the namely,
consulate^
be used as a kind of amulet to defend them.
which Pompey's party could more easilyprocure him,
Achilles was not thought to behavelike a man, thanthat of Catulusandthesenate.As for Cjesar,he
was delighted to seethe peopleinsensibly losethat re
publican spirit and lore of liberty, which might one day
" He exiled It after hii own nameFompciopolii. obstruct the vastdesignshe bad already foimcd.
 POMPEY. 443

tnegword,
andbycarrying
warintothebowel*disparage
theconductofLucullan,
andto rep-
ofhi»country.WhenPompey received
the regent
hisactions
in adespicable
light. "Th-s
letterswhichnotifiedhishighpromotion, and battlesofLucullus,"hesaid,"wereonlymock
nisfriends,whohappened to beby,congratu-battles,andhe hadfoughtwith nothingbut
latedhim on the occasion, heis saidto have theshadows of kings;butthatit wasleft for
knit hisbrows,smotehisthigh,andexpressed htm to contendwith real strengthandwell
himselfasif hewasalreadyoverburdened and disciplined
armies;sinceMithridates hadbe-
weariedby the weightof power:*"Alas! is takenhimselfto swords andshields,andknew
thereno end of ray conflicts?How much howto makeproperuseof hiscavalry."
betterwouldit havebeento be oneof the un- On the otherhand, Lucullusdefended him
distinguished
many,than to be perpetuallyen- self by observing,"That it wasnothingnow
gagedin war? Shall I never be ableto fly to Pompeyto 6ght with phantomsand sha-
fromenvyto a rural retreat, to domestichap- dowsof war; for like a dastardlybird, he had
piness,andconjugalendearments?"Evenhis beenaccustomed to preyuponthosewhomhe
friendswereunableto bearthe dissimulationhadnot killed, andto tear thepoorremainsof
of thisspeech.They knewtheflameof his a dyingopposition.Thushe hadarrogated
nati»eambitionandlustof powerwasblown to himselftheconquestof Sertorius,
of Lepi-
upto a greaterheightby thedifference
hehad dua,andSpartacus,
whichoriginallybelonged
with Lucullus, and that he rejoiced the more to Metellus, to Catulus, and Crassus. Conse-
in the presentpreference,
on thataccount. quently,he did not wonderthat he wascome
His actions soon unmasked the man. He to claim the honour of finishing the wars of Ar-
causedpublic notice to be givenin all places meniaandPontus,afterhe had thrusthimself
within his commission, that the Roman troops into the triumph over the fugitive slaves."
were to repair to him, aswell as the kings and In a little time Lucullus departed for Rome;
princestheirallies. Whereverhe went, hean- and Pompey,having securedthe sea from
nulled the acts of Lucullus, remitting the fines Phoeniciato the Bosphorus, marched in quest
he had imposed,and taking away the rewards of Mithridates, who had an army of thirty
he had given. In short, he omitted no means thousandfoot and two thousandhorse,but durst
to shew the partisans of that general that all not etand an engagement. That prince was in
his authority was gone. possessionof a strong and secure post upon
Lucullus, of course,complainedof this treat- a mountain, which he quitted upon Pompey'a
ment; and their common friendswere of opin- approach, because it was destitute of water.
ion, that it would be best for them to come to Pompey encamped in the same place; and
an interview; accordingly they met in Galatia. conjecturing, from the nature of the plants and
AB they had both given distinguished proofs of the crevices in the mountain, that springs
military merit, the lictors had entwined the might be found, he ordered a number of wells
rods of each with laurel. Lucullus had march- to be dug, and the camp was in a short time
ed through a country full of flourishing groves, plentifully suppliedwith water.* He was not
but Pompey'srout was dry and barren, without a little surprised that this did not occur to
the ornamentor advantageof woods. His Mithridatesduringthe whole lime of Jusen-
laurels, therefore, were parched and withered; campment there.
whichthe servantsof Lucullusno soonerob- After this Pompeyfollowedhim to his new
served, than they freely supplied them with camp, anddrew a line of circumvallation round
frr-sh
ones,andcrowned
hisjfasces
withthem.him. Mithridatesstooda siegeof forty-five
This seemed tobeanomenthatPompeywould days, after whichhe foundmeansto stealoff
bearawaythe honoursandrewardsof Lucul- with his best troops, having first killed all
lus'avictories. Lucullus hadbeenconsulbe- the sick, and suchas could beof no service.
forePompey,
andwastheolderman;butPom-Pompey
overtook
himneartheEuphrates,
and
pey'stwo triumphsgavehim the advantage in encampedover againsthim; but fearing he
pointof dignity. mightpassthe river unperceived, hedrew out
Their interviewhadat first the faceof great his troopsat midnight. At that time Mithn-
politenessandcivility. Theybeganwith mu- datesis said to havehad a dreamprefigura-
tualcompliments andcongratulations:but they tive of whatwasto befalhim. He thoughthe
toon lost sight evenof candourandmodera-wasuponthe Ponticsea,sailingwith a favour-
tion; theyproceeded to abusive
language; Pom- able wind, andin sightof the Bosphorus;so
pey reproachingLucullus with avarice,and that he felicitatedhis friendsin the ship,like a
LuculJusaccusing
Pompeyof an insatiablemanperfectlysafe,and alreadyin harbour.
lust of power; insomuch,that their friends But suddenlyhe beheldhimself in the most
foundit difficultto preventviolence.After destitutecondition,
swingingupona pieceof
thin,Lucullusgavehis friendsandfollowerswreck. While he wasin all the agitation
landsin Galatia,as a conquered
country,and which this dreamproduced,his friendsawak-
made
otherconsiderablegrants.ButPompey,ed him, andtold him that Pompeywagal
whoencampedat a littledistance
fromhim, hand.He wasnowundera necessity
of fight-
declared
hewouldnotsuffer
hisorders
to be ingforhiscamp,
andhisgenerals
drewupthe
earnedinto execution,andseduced
all his sol forceswith all possibleexpedition.
diers,exceptsixteenhundred,
who,heknew, Pompev seeing
themprepared, wasloathto
were6t>mutinousthattheywouldbeasun- risk a battlein thedark. Hethoughtit suffi-
lerviceable
tohimastheyhadbeenill-affectedcientto surround
them,soas to prevent
then
to their old general. Nay, he scruplednot to flight: andwhatinclinedhim still moreto wait
" Ii it pOKJble
to readthis, withoutrecollecting
the * Paulu.JEmi\iuihaddoneth«»»m«.
Ihinglonebe.
imilar character of oar Richard the third? fore, in the Macedonianw&r.
 444 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
for daylight, wasthe consideration
that h suringhim thatnomanwaseverseenonhorW'
troopswere muchoetterthanthe enemy'i backin a Romancamp. Tigranesobeyed,
However,the oldestof hisofficers
entreate andeventookoffhissword,andgaveit them.
Himto proceedimmediatelyto the attack, an As soonashecamebeforePompey,be pulled
at lastprevailed.
It wasnotindeedverydark off his diadem,
andattempted
to layit at hia
for the moon,though nearher setting,gav feet. What wasstill worse,he was goingto
light enoughto distinguishobjects.But it was prostratehimself,andembracehis knees.But
a greatdisadvantage
to theking'stroops,tha Pompey
preventing
it, took him by thehand,
the moonwasso low, andonthe backsof th and placedhim on one sideof him, andIna
Romans;becausesheprojectedtheir shadow sonon the other. Thenaddressing himselfto
BOfar beforethem,that the enemycouldform the father,he said,"As to what you hadlost
no just estimate of the distances, but thinkin before, you lost it to L,ucullus. It was he
them at hand,threwtheirjavelinsbeforethe who took from you Syria, Phoenicia, Cilicia,
coulddo the leastexecution. Galatia,andSophene. But what youkepttill
The Romans,perceivingtheir mistake, ac my time, I will restoreyou,on conditionyou
vajiced to the charge with all the alarm o pay the Romansa fine of six thousandtalents
voices. The enemy were in such a consterna for the injury you have done them. Your son
tion, that they made not the least stand, anc I will make king of Sophene."
in their flight, vastnumberswereslain. The Tigranes thoughthimselfso happyin these
lost aboveten thousandmen, and their cam] terms,andin finding that the Romanssaluted
was taken. As for Mithridates, he brok< him king, that in the joy of his heartheprom-
throughthe Romanswith eighthundredhorse ised every private soldierhalf a mina, every
in the beginningof the engagement. Tha centurionten minas, and everytribunea tal-
corps, however, did not follow him far befon ent. But bis son was little pleasedat the de-
theydispersed,andleft him with only threeo termination
; andwhenhewasinviledto sapper,
his people;oneof which washis concubine he said, "He had no need of suchhonours
Hypsicratia, a woman of such a masculineanc from Pompey; for he could find another Ro-
daring spirit, that the king used to call her man." Upon this, he was bound, and reserv-
Hypsicrates. She then rodea Persianhorse ed in chainsfor the triumph. Not longafter,
and was dressedin a man's habit, of the fashion Phraates, king of Parthia, sent to demandthe
of that nation. She complained not in the youngprince, as his son-in-law, and to propose
leastof the lengthof the march; andbesides that the Euphratesshould be the boundary
that fatigue, she waited on the king, and took between him and the Roman empire. Pom-
care of his horse, till they reachedthe caslJeo pey answered, " That Tigranes was certain-
Inora,* where the king's treasure, and his most ly nearer to his father than his father-in-law;
valuablemoveablesweredeposited. Mithri- and as for the boundary,justiceshoulddirect
dates took out thence many rich robes, anc it."
bestowed them on those who repaired to him When he had dispatched this affair, he left
after their flight. He furnished each of his Afranms to take care of Armenia, and march-
friends, too, with a quantity of poison, that ed himself to the countries borderingon Mount
none of them, against their will, might come Dausacus,through which he must necessarily
alive into the enemy's hands. jass in searchof Mithridates. The Albanians
From Inora, his design was to go to Ti- and Iberians are the principal nationsin those
granes, in Armenia. But Tigranes had given )arts. The Iberian territories touch upon the
up the cause, and set a price of no less than a Vloschianmountains and the kingdom of Pon-
hundred talents upon his head. He therefore, ua; the Albanians stretch more to the east,
changed his route, and having passedthe head and extend to the Caspiansea. The Albanians
of the Euphrates, directed his flight through it first granted Pompey a passage:but aswin-
Colchis. er overtook him in their dominions, they took
In the meantime, Pompey entered Armenia, he opportunity of the Saturnalia, which the
upon the invitation of young Tigranes, who lomans observereligiously, to assembletheir
had revolted from his father, and was gone to brces to the number of forty thousand men,
meet the Roman general at the river Araxes. with a resolution to attack them; and for that
This river takes its rise near the source of the mrpose passedthe Cyrnus." The Cyrnus rises
Euphrates,but bendsits courseeastward,and n the Iberian mountains,anabeingjoinedin
emptiesitself into the Caspiansea. Pompey ts courseby the Araxesfrom Armenia,it dis-
and young Tigranes,in their march,received chargesitself, by twelve mouths,into the Ca«-
the homageof the citiesthroughwhichthey Diansea. Somesay,the Araxesdoesnot run
passed. As for Tigranes the father, he had nto it,f but hasa separatechani?«l,and emp
been lately defeated by Lucullus; and now, ies itself near it into the samesea.
being informedthat Pompeywas of a mild Pompey sufferedthem to passthe river,
and humanedisposition,he receiveda Ro- houghit was in his power to havehindered
mangarrisoninto his capital; and taking his t; andwhenthey wereall got over,heattack-
friends and relationswith him, went to sur- d androuted them,andkilled greatnumbers
renderhimself.As he rodeup to the intrcnch- m the spot. Their kingssentambassadorsto
menls,two of Pompey'slictors came andor- iegfor mercy; upon which Pompeyforgave
deredhim to dismount,and enter on foot; as- im the violencehe had offered,andentered
nto alliance with him. This done, he march-

* It seems
froma passage
in Strabo,(B. Til.) that, " SlraboandPlinycall this river Cyna,andsoFIu-
instead of /nora, we should read Sinoria: for that ,rch probably wrote it.
wasODC
or themanyfortresses
Mithridatei had built f This is Strabo'iopinion,in which he isfollowed
between (he greater and the leu Armenia Cmodern geographers.
 POMPEY. 445
«dagainst
theIberians,
who were equally
nu-Medes, anddismissed
themwithletters
exprei
merous
andmorewarlike,
andwhowereveryliveof hisregard.Meantimethekingof Par
desirous
tosignalize
theirzeal
forMithridites,
thiahadenteredGordyene,andwas doingin
byrepulsing
Pompey.
TheIberians
wereneverfinitedamage to thesubjectsof Tigranei.
"ubjcct
totheMedesor
Persians:
they
escapedAgainsthimPompey sentAframus,
whoput
eventheMacedonian
yoke,because
Alexander
himtotherout,andpursued
himasf»rastha
"wasobliged10leavefiyrcinia.in haste. Pora- provinceof Arbelis.
pey,
however,
battle,
defeated
inwhich
this
people
hekillednoless
too,
inagreat Among allthe
thanninethou-werebrought
concubines
before
ofMithridates
Pompey,
thaf
hetouched
no\
land,andtookabove tenthousandprisoners.one,but sentthemto theirparentsor bus-
After this,he threwhimselfinto Colchis;bands;
for mostof themwereeitherdaughters
andServiliuscameandjoinedhimat themouthor wivesof thegreatofficers
andprincipal
per-
of thePhasis,withthefleetappointed
toguardsonsof thekingdom. ButStratomce,whowai
theEuxinesea. The pursuitof Mithndatesthefirst favourite,andhadthecareof a fort
wasattendedwith greatdifficulties:for hehad wherethebestpart of the king's treasurewai
concealed
himselfamongthe nations
settledlodged,
wasthedaughter
ofa pooroldmusician.
about the Bosphorusand the Palus Mxotis. Shesungoneeveningto Mithridatesat anen-
Besides,
newswasbrought
Pompey
thattheAl- tertainment,
andhewassomuchpleased
with
banians
hadrevolted,andtakenuparmsagain. her that he tookher to his bedthat night,and
Thedesireof revenge
determined
himto march senttheold manhomein noverygoodhumour,
back, and chastise them. But it wag with in- becausehe had taken his daughter without
finite trouble and dangerthat he passedthe condescending to speakonekind wordto him.
Cyrnusagain,the barbarianshavingfencedit But whenhe wakednext morning,he sawta-
on their sidewithpallisades
all alongthebanks. blescoveredwith vesselsof gold andsilver, a
And whenhewasover,he hada largecountry greatretinueof eunuchsandpages,who offer-
to traverse,whichaffordedno water. This last ed himthechoiceof rich robes,andbeforehis
difficulty he providedagainst,by filling ten gatea horsewith such magnificentfurniture,
thousandbottles;and pursuinghis march, he as is providedfor thosewho are called the,
foundthe enemydrawnupon the banksof the king'sfriends. All this he thoughtnothingbut
river Abas,' to the number of sixty thousand an insult and burlesqueupon him, and therefore
foot, andtwelvethousandhorse,but manyof preparedfor flight; but the servantsstopped
them ill-armed,and providedwith nothingof him,andassuredhim that the king had given
the defensivekind but skins of beasts. him the house of a rich nobleman lately de-
They were commandedby the king's brother, ceased,and that what he saw was only the first
named Cosis; who, at the beginningof the bat- fruits-a small earnestof the fortune he intend-
tle, singled out Pompey, and, rushing in upon ed him. At last he sufferedhimself to be per-
him, struck his javelin into the joints of his suaded that the scene was not visionary; be
breastplate. Pompey in return, run him through put on the purple, and mountedthe horse, and,
with his spearand laid him dead on the spot. as he rode through the city, cried out "All thia
It is said that the Amazons came to the assis- is mine." The inhabitants, of course, laughed
tance of the barbarians from the mountains at him; and he told them, " They should not
near the river Thermodon, and fought in this be surprisedat this behaviour of his, but rather
battle. The Romans, among the plunder of wonder that he did not throw stones at them,"
thefield,did, indeed,meetwith bucklersin Fromsuch
aglorious
source
sprang
Stroionice.
theformofahalf-moon, andsuch buskins as Shesurrendered to Pompey thecastle, and
the Amazonswore; buttherewasnot the body madehim many magnificentpresents;
howev-
of a womanfoundamongthe dead. Theyin- er, he took nothing but what might be an or-
habitthatpartof MountCausacus whichnament tothesolemnitiesof religion,
andadd
stretches
towardstheHyrcanian sea, andare luatreto histriumph.Theresthedesired she
not next
neighbours to theAlbanians;f for
Gels andLeges lie between;but theymeet
wouldkeep for herown enjoyment. In like
that people, and spend two months with them manner, when the king of Iberia sent him a
every year on the banks of the Thermodon: bed-stead, a table,anda throne, all of massy
gold, and begged of him to accept them as a
afterwhich they retire to their own country, markof his regard,hebadethequ;estorsapply
wheretheylive without thecompanyof men. them to the purposesof the public revenue.
After this action,Pompeydesigned to make In the castleof Caenon
hiewayto the Caspiansea,andmarchby its papers of Mithridates; andhehefound the privaW
read them with
coastsinto Hyrcama; but he found the number
some pleasure, because they discovered that
of»enomu» serpents sotroublesome,thathe prince's
realcharacter.
Fromthese
memoirs)
wasforcedto return, when threedays'march it appeared,that be had takenoff manyper-
"jaorewould havecarriedhim asfar ashepro-
posed. The next route he took was into Arme- sons by poison, among whom were hii own
nia the Less, where he gave audience to am- son Ariarathesand Alcaeuaof Sardis. Hit
bassadors and pique
fromthekingsof theElymseansf againstthe latter took its rise merely
from his havingbetterhorsesfor the racethan
" Thisrivertakes iUriseinthemountains ofAlba-he. Therewerealsointerpretations, bothof
Bit, and(alls into the CaspianSea. PtolemyctUi it hisowndreamsandthoseof hiswives;and
"VttXHUff
t The Albanianforces,accordingto Slrabo,were thelascivious letter*whichhadpassed between
numerous, but ill-disciplined. Their offensire wea- him andMonime.Theophanes pretendsttj
ponsweredarts and arrows,and their defensivearmour
was made of the skin! of beasU. lionsthreeprovincesbelonging
to them, G»biin«.
} Strabo(Lib. ivi.) placesthe Elynwaasin thai Messabalice, andCorbiane.Headds, thattheyweH
p»rtof Assyria wLichborders uponSledia, lad DMB- PUW, ful
enough to refuse
submission
tothekingW
FF
 446 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

lay, that therewasfoundamongthosepapers Roman province,becauseit had no lawftil

" memorial composedby Rutiliua,* exhorting king.* He reduced Judsa, and toi k its king
Mithridatestomassacre
all the Romans
in Asia. Arietobulusprisoner. He foundedgomecities,
But mostpeoplebelievethis wasa malicious andsetothersfree;punishingthe tyranUwho
invention of Theophanes, to blacken Rutiliua, had enslavedthem. But most of his time wai
whomprobablyhehated,because
hewasa per- spentin administeringjustice,andin deciding
fect contrast to him; or it might be inventedby the disputesbetweencities and princes. Where
J*ompey, whosefatherwasrepresented io Ru- hecouldnot gohimself,he senthisfriends;the
tulius'sHistoriesasoneof the worstof men. Armeniansand Parthians,for instance,hav-
From CznonPompeymarchedto Anmus; ing referredthe difference theyhadaboutsome
where his infatuating ambition put him upon territory, to his decision, he sent three arbi-
very obnoxious measures. He had censured trators to settle the affair. His reputation ai
Lucullus much for disposingof provinces at a to power was great, and it was equally res-
time when the war was alive, and for bestow- pectableas to virtue and moderation. Thit
ing other considerablegifts and honours, which was the thing which palliated most of big
conquerors use to grant after their wars were faults, and those of his ministers. He knew
absolutely terminated. And yet when Mithn- not how to restrain or punish the offencesof
dates was master of the Boaphorus,and had those he employed, but he gave so gracioui a
assembleda very respectable army again,the reception to those who came to complain of
gamePompey did the very thing he had cen- them, that they went away not ill satisfiedwith
Bured.-As if he had finished the whole, he dis- all they had suffered from their avarice and
posedof governments,and distributed other re- oppression.
wardsamonghisfriends.Onthatoccasion
many His first favourite was Demetriushis en-
princes and generals,and among them twelve franchisedslave; a young man, who, in other
barbariankings,appeared
before him; andto respects,
did not wantunderstanding,
Lut who
gratify those princes, whenhe wrote to the king made an insolent use of his good fortune.
of Parthia, he refused to give him the title of They tell usthis story of him. Cato thephiloso-
King of kings, by which he was usually ad- pher, then a young man, but alreadycelebrated
drewed. for his virtue and greatnessof mind, went to
He was passionately desirous to recover see Antioch, when Pompey was not there.
Syria,andpassingfromthencethroughArabia, Accordingto custom,he travelledonfoot, but
to penetrate to the Red sea, that he might go his friends accompanied him on horseback.
on conquering every way to the ocean which When he approachedthe city, he saw a great
lurrounds the world. In Africa he was the numberof people before the gates,all in white,
first whose conquests extended to the Great and on the way a troop of young men ranged
Sea; in Spam he stretched the Romandomin- on one side, and of boys on the other. Thii
ionsto the Atlantic; andin his late pursuitof gavethe philosopher
pain; for hethoughtit a
the Albanians,he wantedbut little of reaching complimentintendedhim, which he did not
the Hyrcaniansei. In order,therefore,to take want. However,heorderedhis friend*to alight
the Red Sea,too, into the circle of hie wars, he and walk with him. As soon as they were near
beganhis march;therather,because he sawit enoughto bespokenwith, the masterof the
difficult to hunt outMithridateswith a regular ceremonies,
with a crownon his head,and a
force, and that he was much harder to deal staff of office in his hand, came up and asked
with in his flight than in battle. For this rea- them,"Where they had left Demetrius,and
"on, hesaid, "He wouldleavehim a stronger whenhemightbe expected?"Cafe'scompan
enemythan the Romansto cope with, which ionslaughed,but Catosaidonly, "Alas, poor
was famine." In pursuance of this intention, city!" and so passedon.
he ordereda numberof shipsto cruiseabout Indeed,othersmightthe better endurethe
andpreventany vesselsfromenteringtheBos- insolenceof Demetrius,because Pompeybore
phoruswith provisions;andthat deathshould with it himself. Very often, when Pompey
be the punishmenttor such aswere taken in was waiting to receivecompany,Demetriu*
the aXempt. seated himself in a disrespectful manner at
As hewasuponhis marchwiththe bestpart table,with his cap of liberty pulledover his
of his army,he foundthe bodiesof thoseRo- ears. Beforehis return to Italy he hadpur-
mans,whofell intheunfortunate
battlebetweenchasedthe pleasantestvillas'aboutRome,with
Triariusf and Mithridates, still uninterred. He magnificent apartments for entertaining bu
gavetheman honourable
burial; andthe omis- friends;andsomeof the mostelegantaqdex-
Eionof it seemsto have contributed not a lit- pensive gardens were known by his Amr.
tle to the aversionthe armyhadfor Lucullus. Yet Pompeyhimselfwas satisfiedwith »in
Proceeding
in theexecution
of his plan,he differenthouse
till thethird triumph.After-
subduedthe Arabiansabout mountAmanus, wards he built that beautifuland celebrated
by his lieutenantAfranius,anddescended
him- theatrein Rome; and as an appendage to it,
self into Syria; which bo convertedinto a built himselfa housemuchhandsomer thanthe
former,but not ostentatiously
great;forhewho
" P. RutiliusRufui wu coiuulin theyrar of Rome
648. Ciceio girci him a greatcharacter. He wa» "Pompeylook thetempleof Jerusalem, killing B*
afterwardsbanished into Asia,andwhenSyllaretailed [essthan*twelvethousand
Jew*in theaction. He en-
him, herefusedto return. Hewrotea Romanhistory tered the templecontraryto their law,but had th«
u Greek,whichAppranmadegreatlite of. moderationDotto touch anyof the holyuteofilf,or
f Triariui wasdefeatedby MithridatesthreeTears :hc treasurebelongingto it. AristoboluspretenUd
beforePompey's marchinto Syria. He had twenty- lim with a goldenvine,valuedat fivehundredtalenU,
ibreetribunrs,anda hundredtad &l\j ceulurioiukul- whichhe afterward*cojuccrztcd ut U»etempi*)of Jt-
"d in that bailie; andhiscampww taken. >iUrCapitoliaiK,
 POMPEY. 447

cametobemaster
of it afterhim,athisfiraten- helookeduponandadmired
themagnificence
trance
wassurprised,
andasked" Wherewasof hii habit,andthesizeandbeauty
of hit
the roomin whichPompey
theGreatusedto arms.The scabbard
oftht sword,whichcost
"up.'"Such
is theaccount
wehaveof thesefourhundred
talents,
wasstolenby onePub-
matters. hus,whosoldit to Ariarathes.And Caius,
ThekingofArabiaPetraahadhitherto con- thefoster-brother
of Mithridales,
tookthedia-
sideredtheRomansin no formidable light, dem,whichwasof mostexquisite workman-
buthe wasreallyafraidof Pompey, andsent ship,andgaveit privatelyto Faustus, theson
lettersto acquainthimthat hewasreadyto of Sylla, whohadbegged it of him. This
obeyhiscommands. Pompey,to try thesin- escapedthe knowledge of Pompey, butPhar-
cerityof hieprofessions,
marchedagainst Pe- naces,discoveringit afterwards,
punishedthe
tra. Many blamed this expedition, looking personsguilty of the theft.
uponit as nobetterthana pretextto beex- Pompey
having
thoroughly
settledtheaffairs
cusedpursuing Mithridates,againstwhomthey of Asia,proceeded in his returnto Romewith
would havehad him turn, as againstthe an- morepompandsolemnity. When he arrived
cientenemyof Rome;andan enemywho,ac- at Mitylene,he declaredit a free city, for the
cordingto all accounts,hadso far recoveredsake of Theophanes,who was born there.
his strengthas to proposemarchingthrough He waspresentat the anniversary exercises
of
ScythiaandPacoma into Italy. On the other the poets,whosesolesubjectthatyearwasthe
band,Pompeywasof opinionthatit wasmuch actions of Pompey. And he wasso much
easierto ruin him when at the headof an army, pleasedwith their theatre, that he took a plan
than to take him in his flight, and therefore of it, with a design to build one like it at
would not amuse himself with a fruitless pur- Rome, but greater and more noble. When
suit, but rather chose to wait for a new he came to Rhodes, he attended the declama-
emergency,
and,in the meantime,to turn his tionsof all the Sophists,and presentedeach
armsto another quarter. of them with a talent. Posidoniuscommitted
Fortune soon resolved the doubt He had the discourse to writing, which he made be-
advanced near Petra, and encamped for that fore him against the position of Hermagoras,
day, and was taking some exercise on horse- another professor of rhetoric concerning In-
back without the trenches, when messengers vention in general.* He behaved with equal
arrived from Pontus; and it was plain they munificence to the philosophers at Athens,
brought goodnews, becausethe points of their and gave the people fifty talents for the repair
spearswere crownedwith laurel. The sol- of their city.
diers seeingthis, gathered aboutPompey, who He hoped to return to Italy the greatest and
was inclinedto finish his exercisebeforehe happiestof men, and that his family would
openedthe packet; but they were so earnest meet his affection with equal ardour. But the
in their entreaties,that they prevailedupon deity whosecare is alwaysto mix somepor-
him to alight and take it. He enteredthe tion of evil with the highestandmostsplendid
campwith it in his hand;andas therewasno favoursof fortune, had beenlong preparing
tribunalready, andthe soldierswere too im- him a sad welcomein his house. Mucia,f in
patient to raise oneof turf, which was the hiaabsence, haddishonoured his bed. While
commonmethod,theypileda numberofpack- hewasat a distance,hedisregarded the report,
laddlesone uponanother,uponwhichPom- but uponhisapproachto Italy, anda morema-
pey mounted, and gavethem this information: ture examination into the affair, he sent her
" Milhndatesis dead. He killed himselfupon a divorce withoutassigninghis reasons
either
the revolt of his son Pharnaces. And Pharna- then or afterwards. The true reason is to be
ceshasseiiedall that belonged
to his father; found in Cicero'sepistles.
which hedeclares
the Romans."
hehasdonefor himself
and Peopletalkedvariously
at Romeconcerning
, Pompey's intentions. Many disturbed them-
At this newsIhe army,asmight beexpect- selvesat the thoughtthat hewouldmarchwith
ed,pavea looseto theirjoy, which theyex- hisarmyimmediatelyto Rome,andmakehim-
pressedin sacrificesto the gods, and in recip- self sole and absolute master there. Crasjiw
rocal entertainments,as if ten thousandof took his children andmoney, and withdrew;
their enemies
hadbeenslain in Mithridates.whetherit wasthathe hadsomereal appre-
Pompeyhavingthusbroughtthecampaignand hensions,or rather that he choseto counte-
thewholewarto a conclusion
so Wappy,
anil nance
thecalumny,
andaddforcetotheslingot
so far beyond his hopes,immediately quitted
Arabia,traversedthe provincesbetweenthat * Hermagoraa
waiforreducing
invention
under
tw«
and Galalia with great rapidity, and soon ar- generalheads,the reason of Ihe process,
andtheat&te
rived at Amisus. There he found many pre- of theQuestion;whichlimitation Cicerodisapproved
tent* from Pharnaces, and severalcorpses of as much as hii mailer Poiidoniu*. Vide Cicero, d<
loveul. Rhetor. Lib. i.
the royal family,amongwhichwasthat of ThisPotidonius
whowat-of
Apamea,
n nottob«
Mithridates. The face of that prince could confounded
withPoiidomu:
ofAleiaudna.
thediicipl*
Cot be easily known, becausethe embalmers of Zeno.
had Dottaken oat the brain, and by the corrap- t Muciawaslitter to Metellu.Ctler, andto M«tel
tiou of that, the features were disfigured. lus Ncpoi. Shewai debauched by Caerar;Torwhich
Vet some that were curious r«a»n,whenPompey
to examine it dis- married Cztar'l daughter,
all
theworldblurted
himforturningoffa wifeby whom
tinguished
it by thescars. Asfor Pompey,
he hehadthreechildren,
to espouse
thedaughter
ofa
wouldnot seethe body,but to propitiatethe manwhomhehadoften,withaligh,called hi§JEei,
avenging
deity,*sentit to Smope.However,
thus.Mucia'»
disloyally
must have
been
very
public
sinceCicero,
iuoneol hii letucrito Alticui,»ji lha
"* Nemeiii. divorceol Muci» me<uwith generalapprobation
"
Lib. i. ep. 12.
448 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

envy;thelatterseems
themoreprobable.But peyhadbroughtinto thepublic treasury,i»
Pompeyhadnosoonersetfootin Italy, thanhe money,andin goldand silvervessels,to the
calledan assembly
of his soldiers,and,aftera valueof twentythousandtalents,besideswhat
kindandsuitable
address,
ordered
themtodis- hehaddistributed
among
thesoldiers,
of whom
persein their respectivecities,andattend to he that receivedleast had fifteen hundred
their own affairstill his triumph, on which drachmasto his share. The captiveswho
occasion they were to repair to him again. walked in the procession (not to mention the
As soon as it was known that hia troops chiefsof the pirates)were the sonof Tigranci,
were disbanded,an astonishingchangeap- kingof Armenia,togetherwith his wife and
pearedin the faceof things.The citiesseeing daughter;Zosima,the wife of Tigraneshim-
Pompeythe Great unarmed,andattendedby a self; Arislobulus,king of Judea;the sisterof
few friends, as if he was returning only from a Mithridates, with her five sons; and some
commontour, pouredout their inhabitantsaf- Scythianwomen. The hostages of the Alba-
ter him, who conducted
him to Romewith the niansand Iberians, and of the king of Com-
sincerest pleasure, and with a much greater magcnc also appeared in the train: and as
forcethanthatwhichhe haddismissed;
sothat many trophieswere exhibitedas Pompeyhad
therewouldhavebeenno needof thearmy,if gainedvictories,eitherin personorby hislieu-
he had formedany designsagainstthe state. tenants, the number of which was not small.
As the law did not permit him to enter the But the most honourablecircumstance,and
city before his triumph, he desired the senate what no other Roman could boast,wasthat his
to deferthe electionof consuls
on his account, third triumphwasoverthe third quarterof the
that he might by his presencesupport the in- world, after his former triumphs had beenover
terest of Piso. But Cato opposedit, and the the other two. Others beforehim had beenhon-
motion miscarried. Pompey, admiring the lib- oured with three triumphs, but his first tri-
erty andfirmnesswith whichCatomaintainedumphwasoverAfrica,his secondoverEurope,
the rights and customs of his country, at a and his third over Asia; so that the three
time when no other man would appearso open- seemedto declare him conqueror of the world.
ly for them,determinedto gain him if possi- Those who desireto makethe parallelbe-
ble; andas Cato hadtwo nieces,he offered tweenhim andAlexanderagreein all respect*,
to marrythe one, and askedthe other for his tell us he wasat thistimenot quite thirty-four,
eon. Cato, however,suspected the bait, and whereas,in fact,he was entering upon hii
lookeduponthe proposedallianceas a means fortieth year.* Happyit hadbeenfor him, if he
intended to corrupt his integrity. He there- had ended his days, while he was blessedwith
fore refusedit, to the greatregret of his wife Alexander's goodfortune! Throughoutthe rest
andsister,who couldnot but bedispleased at of his life, everyinstanceof successbroughtita
his rejectingsuchadvances from Pompeythe proportionof envy,andeverymiscarriage was
Great. MeantimePompeybeingdesirousto irretrievable. For the authoritywhich hehad
get the consulshipfrom Afranius, distributed gainedby his merithe employedfor othersin
moneyfor that purposeamongthe tribes, and a waynot veryhonourable; andhis reputation
the voters went to receive it in Pompey's own consequentlysinking, as they grew in strength,
gardens. The thing wasso publicthat Pom- he wasinsensiblyruinedby the weightof hia
pey wasmuchcensuredfor makingthat office own power. As it happensin a seige,every
venal, which he had obtained by his great ac- strong work that is taken addsto the beseiger'g
tions, and openinga way to the highesthon- force; so Czsar,whenraisedby the influence
our in the stateto thosewho hadmoney,but of Pompey,turnedthat power,which enabled
wantedmerit. Cato then observedto the la- him to trampleuponhis country,uponPom-
dies of his family, that they must all have peyhimself. It happened
in this manner.
shared in this disgrace; if they had accepted Lucullus, who had been treated so unwor-
Pompey'salliance;uponwhich theyacknow- thily by Pompeyin Asia, 'uponhis return to
ledgedhe wasa betterjudgethantheyof hon- Romemet with the mosthonourablereception
our and propriety. from the senate; and they gave him still greater
The triumph was eogreat, that though it was marks of their esteem after the arrival of Pom-
divided into twodays,the tune was far from pey; endeavouring to awakehis ambition,and
beingsufficientfor displayingwhat was pre- prevailwith him to attemptthe leadin the ad-
paredto be carried in procession;the"rere- ministration. But his spirit andactivepowers
mainedstill enoughto adornanothertriumph. wereby this timeon thedecline;he hadgiven
At the headof the shewappeared the titles of himself up to the pleasuresof easeand the
the conquerednations;Pontus,Armenia,Cap- enjoyments of wealth. However,heboreup
padocia,Paphlagouia,
Media, Colchis,the against
Pompey
withsomevigourat first,and
Iberians,the Albanians,Syria, Cilicia, Meso- got his actsconfirmedwhichhis adversary had
potamia,Phoenicia,Palestine,Judea,Arabia, annulled; having a majority in the senate
the piratessubduedboth by seaandland. In throughthe assistance of Cato.
thosecountries,it was mentionedthat there Pompey,thusworstedin the senate, hadre-
were not lessthan a thousand castles,andnear courseto the trilunes of the peopleandto the
runehundredcities taken; eight hundredgal- young plebeians. Clodius,the most daring
leys taken from the pirates; andthirty-nine andprofligateof themall, receivedhim with
desolatecities repeopled. On the faceof the openarms,but at thesametimesubjected him
tablets it appearedbesides,that whereasthe to all the humoursof the populace.He made
revenuesof the Uoman empire before these
conquests amounted but to fifty millions of ID"the
II shouldbeforty-siilhye»r. Pompey
beginning
wa§born
of the monthof August,ID the year
drachmas,by thenewacquisitions
theywere of Romt647,andhit triumph
wasintheMine
m<uu\
advanced
tocighly-tive
millions:
andthatPom- intheyearol'Rome692.
 POMPE1. 449

Mndangle after
himin theforumina man-soobnoxious; andhisfriendscouldonlysay,
ner far beneath
hiadignity,andinsisteduponby -way of apology,
that it wasanexpression
hissupportingeverybillthatheproposed,andwhich hadescapedhim.Butit appeared by
everyspeech thathemade, to flatterandin- the subsequent
events,
thathewasthenen-
gratiate himself
withthepeople. And,asif tirelyatCssar'sdevotion. Forwithin
a few
tin' connectionwith him hadbeenanhonourdays,to thesurprise of all theworld,hemar-
insteadof a disgrace,hedemanded
still higherried Julia,Cigar'sdaughter, who had been
wages;
thatPompcy
should
giveupCicero,promised
toCaepio,
andwasuponthepointof
who hadeverbeenhisfastfriend,and of the beingmarriedto him. To appease
theresent-
greatest
useto himin theadministration.
And mentof Ca:pio, hegavehimhisowndaughter,
thesewageshe obtained.For whenCicerowhohadbeenbeforecontracted to Faustua,
cameto bein danger,andrequested
Pompey's thesonof Sylla;and Caesar
marriedCalpur
assistance,
he refusedto seehim, andshutting nia, the daughterof Pieo.
hispatesagainstthosethatcameto intercede Pompeythenfilled the city withsoldiers,
for him,went out at a backdoor. Cicero, andcarriedeverything with openforce. Upon,
therefore,dreadingthe issueof thetrial, de- Bibulustheconsul's
makinghisappearance in
partedprivatelyfromRome. theforum togetherwith LucullusandCato
At this timeCaesar,returningfromhispro- thesoldiers suddenly
fell uponhim,andbroke
vince," undertookan affair, which renderedhisfasces. Nay, one of them hadthe impu-
himverypopularat present,
andin its conse-dence to empty
a basket
of dunguponthehead
quencesgainedhimpower,butproved a greatof Bibulus;andtwo tribunesof the people,
prejudiceto Pompeyand to thewholecom-whoaccompanied him,werewounded.The
monwealth. He was then solicitinghis first forum thusclearedof all opposition,the law
consulship,
andCrassus
andPompey
beingat passed
for thedivision
of lands. Thepeople,
variance,he perceivedthat if he shouldjoin caughtby this bait,becametameandtractable
the one, the other would be his enemyof in all respects, andwithoutquestioningtheex-
course;he thereforeset himself to reconcile pediencyof anyof their measures,
silentlygave
them. A thing which seemedhonourablein their suffrages to whateverwasproposed.The
itself,andcalculated
for the publicgood;but actsof Pompey,
whichLucullushadcontested,
the intention wasinsidious,thoughdeeplaid were confirmed;and the two Gauls on this
andcoveredwith the mostrefinedpolicy. For andthe otherside the Alps andIllyria, were
while the power of the statewas divided,it allottedto Caesar for fiveyears,with four com
keptit in an equilibrium, as the burdenof a pletelegions. At the sametimePiso,Caesar's
shipproperlydistributed,keepsit frominclin- father-in-law,and Gabinius,one of the most
ing to onesidemore than another,but when abandoned flatterersof Pompey,werepitched
the powercameto be all collectedinto one uponfor consulsfor the ensuingyear.
part, having nothingto counterbalance it, it Bibulus,finding mattersthus carried,shut
overset and destroyed the commonwealth. himself up in his house,and for the eight fol-
Henceit was,that whensomewereobservinglowing months remainedinattentiveto the
thatthe constitutionwas ruinedby thediffer- functionsof hisoffice;*contentinghimselfwith
ence which happenedafterwardsbetween publishingmanifestos full of bitter invectiveg
CaesarandPompey,Cato said," You are un- againstPompeyandCaesar.Cato,on thisoc-
der a great mistake: it was not their late dis- casion, as if inspired with a spirit of prophecy,
agreement,but their former union and connec- announcedin full senate the catamites which
tion which gave the constitution the first and would befal the commonwealth and Pompey
greatestblow." himself. Lucullus, for his part, gave wp all
To this union Caesar
owed his consulship.thoughtsof stateaffairs,andbetookhimstlf to
And he was no soonerappointedthan he began repose, as if age had disqualified him for the
to makehis courtto the indigent part of the concernsof government.Upon which Pom-
people,by proposinglaws for sendingout colo- pey observed," That it was more unseasonable
nies, and for the distribution of lands; by for an old man to give himself up to luxury
whichhedescended from the dignityof a con- than to beara publicemployment." Yet, not-
sul, and in some sort took upon him the office withstanding this observation, he soon suffered
of a tribune. His colleagueBibulusopposedhimself to be effeminatedby the love of a
him, and Cato prepared to support Bibulus in young woman; he gave up his time to her; he
themost strenuousmanner; when Cssar placed "pent the day with her in his villas and gar-
Pompey by him upon the tribunal, and asked dens, to the entire neglect of public affairs;
him, before the whole assembly," Whether he insomuch that Clodius the tribune began to
ipprovedhis lawe?" and upon his answeringdespisehim, and to engagein the boldestde-
in the affirmative, he put this farther question, signs againsthim. For after he had banished
"Then if anyone shall with violenceoppose Cicero,andsent Cato to Cyprus,underpre-
theselaws,will you cometo the assistanceof tenceof givinghimthe command in thatisland;
the people?"Pompeyanswered, " I will cer- whenCaesar wasgoneuponhisexpeditioninto
tainly come;andagainstthosethatthreatento Gaul, and the tribune found the peopleen
take the sword, I will bring both sword and tirely devoted to him, becausehe flatteredtheir
buckler." inclinationsin all the measures
he took,he
Pompeytil] thatdayhadneversaidanything attemptedto annul someof Pompey'aordi-
nances; he took his prisonerTigranesfrom
" It wasnotatthetimeofCicero'i
going
intoeiile, him, kepthim in his owncustody,
andira
thatCaesar
returnedfromhiiprovince
inSpain,which * Hence thewiuofRome, instead
ofsaying,
such
hehadgoverned withthetilleof praetor,
but(wo aIhiughappened
intheconsuUhip
of Caisar
andBib-
Tearsbefore.
Czsar returned
in theyearof
193,andCiceroquittedRomeiu theyear695.
Rome ulus,
said
Cxsar.
it happened
in the
coniulshif
ofJulius
an!
«60 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

peached gomeof his friends,in orderto try in Clodius,on the other hand,alleged,"Thai
them the strengthof Pompey'sinterest. At the law wasnot madeon accountof the real
last, when Pompeyappearedagainstone of scarcityof provisions,but that an artificial
these prosecutions, Clodius, having a crew of scarcity was causedfor the sake of procuring
profligateandinsolentwretchesabouthim,as- the law, andthat Pompey,by a new commis-
cendedan eminence,and put the following sion,mightbringhis powerto life again,which
questions, " Who is the licentious lord of was sunk,as it were, in a deliquium." Others
Rome? Who is the man that seeksfor a man?* say, it was the contrivance of the consul
Who scratcheshis headwith one finger?"! Spinther,to procurePompeya superiorem
And his creatures, like a chorus instructed in ployment, that he might himself be sentto re-
their part, upon his shaking his gown, an- establishPtolemyin his kingdom.'
sweredaloudto everyquestion,PompeyJ However,the tribuneCanidiusbroughthim
These thingsgavePompeyuneasiness, be- a bill, the purportof whichwas,that Pompey
causeit wasa new thing to him to be spokenshouldbesentwithoutan army,andwithonly
ill of, and he was entirely unexperienced
in two lictors, to reconcilethe Alexandrians
to
that sort of war. That which afflicted him their king. Pompey did not appeardispleased
most,waghis perceivingthat the senatewere at the bill; but the senatethrewit out,under
pleasedto seehim the objectof reproach,and the honourable pretenceof not hazardinghii
punished for his desertion of Cicero. But person. Nevertheless, paperswere foundscat-
whenpartiesran so highthat they cameto teredin theforum and beforethe senate-
blows in the forum, and several were wound- house,importing that Ptolemy himself desired
ed on bothsides,and one of the servantsof that Pompeymightbeemployedto act for him
Clodiuswas observedto creepin amongthe insteadof Pinther. Timagenes pretends, that
crowd,towardsPompey,with a drawnsword Ptolemyleft Egypt withoutany necessity, at
lii his hand, he was furnished with an excuse the persuasionof Theophanes, who was de-
'or not attendingthe public assemblies.Be- sirousto give Pompeynew occasions
to enrich
tides,he wasreallyafraidto standtheimpu-himself,
andthehonour
of newcommands.
But
oence of Oodius, and all the torrent of abuse the basenessof Theophanes does not so much
that mightbeexpected fromhim,andthereforesupportthis story, as the disposition of Pom-
madehis appearance no more during his tri- pey discreditsit; for therewasnothingsomean
buneship,but consulted in private with his andilliberal in his ambition.
friendshow to disarmthe dangerof the senate The wholecare of providingand importing
andthe valuablepart of the citizens. Culleo corn beingcommittedto Pompey,he senthis
advisedhim to repudiateJulia,andto exchangedeputiesand agents into variousparts, and
the friendshipof Caesarfor thatof the senate; wentin personinto Sicily, Sardinia,andAfri-
but he wouldnot hearkento the proposal.
ca,wherehecollected
greatquantities.
When
Othersproposed
that he shouldrecal Cicero, hewasuponthepointof re-embarking,
a violent
whowasnotonly an avowed enemyto Clo- windsprung up,andthe mariners made a dif
dius,but thefavouriteto the senate;andhe facultyof puttingto sea;but hewasthefirst
agreed to thatoverture.Accordingly,
with a to goonboard,andheordered themto weigh
strongbodyof hisretainers,heconducted Ci- anchor,withthesedecisivewords, " It isneces-
cero'sbrotherintotheforum, whowasto ap- sarytogo;isit notnecessary tolive?"His suc-
plyto thepeople inhisbehalf,
andaftera scuf-cesswasanswerable to hisspiritandintrepid-
fle,in whichseveralwerewounded, andsomeity. Hefilledthemarkets withcorn,andcov-
slain,heoverpowered Clodius,
andobtaineda eredtheseawithhisships;insomuch thatthe
decreefor the restoration of Cicero. Immediate- overplus afforded a supply to foreigners, and
ly uponhisreturn,theoratorreconciled
thesen-fromRome,asfroma fountain,
plentyflowed
ate to Pompey,andby effectuallyrecommend-overthe world.
ingthelawwhichwasto intrusthimwiththe In the meantime the warsin Gaullifted
careof supplying Romewithcom,§he madeCzsarto thefirst sphereof greatness. The
Pompey oncemoremaster of theRomanem- scene of actionwasat a greatdistancefrom
pire, bothby seaandland. For by this law Rome,andhe seemed to bewhollyengaged
the ports,themarkets,thedisposal
of provis-with theBelgz, the Suevi,andtheBritons;
ions,in a word,the wholebusiness of the buthisgeniusall the whilewasprivatelyat
merchant
andthe husbandman,
werebroughtworkamong
thepeople
of Rome,
andhewai
underhiajurisdiction. undermining
terests.
Pompey in hismostessential
His war with the barbarians
in-
was not
his principalobject. He exercisedhis army,
* Tie <ty<if
i>Tn sivfga.ZITII»*vSf*wasa pro- indeed,in thoseexpeditions,
as hewouldhave
verbial expressionbrought from Athens to Rome. It
donehis own body,in hunting and otherdi-
was taken originally from .flEsop'sseekingan honest
manwithalantern
atnoonday
; and,bydegrees,
it versions
of thefield;bywhichhe prepared
came
tosignify
thelossofmanhood,
orthemanly
cha-themfor higherconflicts,andrendered
them
racter,whichlossPompey wasallowedto havesus-not only formidablebut invincible.
tainedin theembraces of Julia.
f Una tialperc digito was likewise a proverbial ex-
The gold and silver,and other rich ipoill
pression for a Roman petit mat/re. which he took from the enemy in great abun-
{ Plutarch doesnot here keep exactly to the order of
time. This happenedin the year of Rome 677, as ap-
pearsfromDio,(Bookxxxii.) thatis,twoyearsafter " Plolemy Auletes,
the sonof Ptolemy Lathymi,
whatheh goingto mention
concerning thattribune'shatedbyhissubjects,
andforced to fly,applied
to tht
"larebeingtakenwithasword. consulSpinther,
whowastohatetheprovince of Ci
<)ThelawalsogatePompey proconsularauthoritylicia,to re-establish
him in biskingdom.Z>io.uoi
for fiveyetrs,bothtu andoutof Italy. D\o. lib. xxxix. supra.
 POMPEY. 461

dance,hesentto Rome;andby distributingcorrupted with money,declared

Antiusand
themfreelyamong the aediles,
prxlors,con- Vatiniua
praetors.
Then,in pursuance
of their
ials,andtheirwives,hegaineda greatparty agreementwith Cisar,theyputTreboniua;
Consequentlywhenhe passed the Alps am oneof thetribunes,
onproposing
a decree,by
winteredat Lucca, amongthe crowd of men whichthe government
of the Gaulswagcon-
andwomen,
whohastened
topaytheirrespectstinuedfor fiveyearsmoreto Cajsar;
Syria,and
to him, thereweretwohundredsenators,Pom thecommand
againstthe Parlhians,
weregivea
peyandCrassusofthenumber;
andtherewere to Crassus;
andPompeywastohaveallAfrica,
DOfewerthanahundredandtwentyproconsuls
andboththeSpains,
withfourlegions,
twoof
andprztors,whose
fasces wereto beseenal whichhe lent to Czsar,at his request,for the
the gates of Caesar.He madeit his businessin war in Gaul.
generalto give themhopesof greatthings, Crassus,
upontheexpiration
of hisconsul-
and his money wasat their devotion;but he ship,repairedto his province. Pompey,re-
enteredinto a treaty with CrassusandPom- mainingat Rome,openedhis theatre;and,to
pey,by whichit wasagreedthat they should makethededicationmoremagnificent, exhibit.
applyfor theconsulship,
andthatCaesarshould ed a variety of gymnasticgames,entertain-
as:ist them, by sending a great number of his ments of music, and battles with wild beasts,
soldiers to vote at the election. As soonas they in which were killed five hundred lions; hut the
werechosen,theywereto sharethe provinces.battleof elephantsaffordedthe mostastonish-
and take the commandof armies, according to ing spectacle.* These things gained him the
their pleasure, only confirming Cesar in the love and admiration of the public; but he in-
possession
of whathe had,for fiveyearsmore. curredtheir displeasure
again, by leaving hu
As goonas this treaty got air, the principal provinces and armies entirely to his fnendi
persons in Rome were highly offended at it. and lieutenants, and roving about Italy with
Marcelhnus, then consul, planted himself his wife from one villa to another. Whether
amidst the people, and asked Pompey and it was his passionfor her, or hers for him, that
Crassus," Whether they intended to stand for kept him so much with her, is uncertain. For
the consulship."' Pompey spoke first, and the latter has beensupposedto be the caseand
Raid,*" Perhaps he might, perhapshe might nothing was more talked of than the fondness
not." Crassusansweredwith moremodera-of thatyoungwomanfor her husband,though
tion, " He should do what might appearmost at that age his person could hardly be any
expedient for the commonwealth." As, Mar- Treat object of desire. But the charm of hit
cellinus continued the discourse againstPom- fidelity was tha cause, together with his con-
pey, and seemedto bear hard upon him, Pom- versation, which, notwithstanding his natural
pey said," Where is the honourof that man, ;ravity, wasparticularlyagreeable
to the wo-
who hasneither gratitude nor respectfor him men, if we may allow the courtesanFlora
who made him an orator, who rescued him to be a sufficient evidence. This strong at-
from want, and raised him to affluence?" tachment of Julia appearedon occasionof an
Others declined soliciting the consulship,electionof axliles.The peoplecameto blows,
but Lucius Domitiuswaspersuaded and en- andsomewerekilled so nearPompeythat he
couragedby Cato not to give it up. " For the was covered with blood, and forced to change
dispute," he told him, " was not for the con- lis clothes. There was a great crowd and tu-
sulship, but in defence of liberty, against ty- mult about his door, when his servants went
rants." Pompeyand his adherentssaw the lome with thebloodyrobe;andJulia, whowai
vigourwith whichCatoacted,andthat all the withchild, happeningto seeit, faintedaway
senatewas on his side. Consequentlythey and waswith difficulty recovered. However,
were afraidthat,so supported, hemight bring suchwasher terror and the agitationof her
overthe uncorrupted part of the people.They spirits,that shemiscarried. Alter this, those
resolved,
thereforenot to suffer Domitius to who complained mostof Pompey'sconnection
enter theforum, and sent a party of men well with Caesarcould not find fault with his love
armed:whokilled Melitus, the torch-bearer,of Julia. She was pregnant, afterwards,and
andput the rest to ftignt. Cato retired the iroughthim a daughter,but unfortunately died
last,andnot till after hehadreceiveda wound n childbed;nor did the child longsurviveher.
in his right elbowin defendingDomitius. Pompeywaspreparingto bury herneara seat
Thus they obtainedthe consulshipby vio- of hisat Alba, but the peopleseizedthe corpse,
lence,andthe restof their measures were not andinterredit in the CampusMartiug. Thii
conducted with moremoderation.For, in the hey did moreout of regardto the youngwo
first place,when the peoplewere going to man,thaneither to Pompeyor Ca?sar; yet in
chooseCato praetor,at the instant their suf- the honourstheydid her remains,their attach-
frageswereto betaken,Pompeydismissed the mentto Caesar, thoughat a distance,had a
assembly,
pretending
hehadseenaninauspi-greatershare,thananyrespectfor Pompey,
ciousflight of birds.t Afterwardsthe tribes, who wason the spot.
* Dio makes him return an answer more suitable to Immediatelyafter Julia'sdeath,the people
his character-" It ii not on account of the virtuous
and the good that 1desireany sharein the magistracy, should makeany observations
in the heavenswhile th«
butthatI maybeabletorestrain
theill-disposed
and )eople
wereassembled.
the seditious." ' Dio lay), the elephantsfoughtwith armedmen.
f Thiswasmakingi eligionmerelyanengineof state, Therewere no lessthaneighteenof them; and he
andit oftenproveda veryconvenient onefor the pur- idds,that someof themseemed to appeal,
with piteous
poses of ambition. Clodius,thoughotherwiseoneof 'rits, to thepeople ; who.in compassion, savedtheir
the vilesttribunesthateverexisted,wasveryright in ivei. If wemaybelievehisi, 22oathhadbeentaken
attempting to puta stop1} that means
i>fdismis9.;ng
an beforetheyleft Africa,that no injury shouldbedon*
assembly.He preferreda bill that no magistratethem.
 452 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

of Romewerein greatagitation,andthere Thesame

anarchy
andconfusion
afterwardl
was nothingin their speechesand actions took place again, andnumoersbeganto talk
whichdidnottendto a rupture.Thealliance,moreboldlyof settingup a dictator. Cato,
which rather covered than restrained the am- now fearing he should be overborne, wai of
bition of the two great competitors
for power, opinion that it were better to give Pompey
wasnowno more. To addto the misfortune,some office whoseauthoritywas limited by
newswasbroughtsoonafter thatCrassuswas law, than to intrusthim with absolutepower
slain by the Parthians;and in him another Bibulus,though Pompey'sdeclaredenemy
great obstacleto a civil war was removed.Out moved in full senate,that he shouldbe appoint-
of fear of him,they hadboth keptsomemeas-ed soleconsul." For, by thatmeans,"saidhe,
ures with each other. But when fortune had " the commonwealth will either recover from
carried off the champion who could take up the her disorder,or, if shemust serve,will servea
conqueror,we maysaywith the comic poet, manof the greatestmerit." The wholehouse
-High spirit of emprise was surprised at the motion; and when Cato
Elateseachchief; theyoil their brawnylimbs, rose up, it was expectedhe would opposeit.
And dip their handsin dust. A profound silence ensued, and he said, " He
Solittle ableis fortuneto fill the capacitiesshould never have been the first to propqte
of the humanmind;whensucha weightof suchan expedient, butasit wasproposedby
power,andextentof command, couldnot sa- another,
hethought
it advisable
to embrace
it:
lisfy theambition
of twomen.Theyhadheardfor hethoughtanykindof government
better
and read that the godshad dividedthe uni- thananarchy,and knewno manfitter to rule
verseinto threeshares," andeachwascontent than Pompey,in a time of so muchtrouble.''
with that which fell to his lot, andyet these The senatecameinto his opinion,anda de-
mencouldnot think the Romanempire suffi- creewasissued,that Pompeyshouldbe ap-
cient for two of them. pointedsoleconsul,andthat if heshouldhave
Yet Pompey,in an address to the peopleat needof a colleague,bemightchooseonehim-
that time, told them," He hadreceivedevery self, providedit werenot beforetheexpiration
commissionthey had honouredhim with soon- of two months.
er than he expected himself; and laid it down Pompey being declared sole consul by the
sooner than was expected by the world." And, Interrex, Sulpitius made his compliments to
indeed,the dismissionof his troops always Cato,acknowledged
himselfmuchindebtedto
bore witness to the truth of that assertion. But his support, and desired his assistanceand ad-
now, being persuaded that Caesarwould not vice in the cabinet, as to the measuresto be
disband his army, heendeavoredto fortify him- pursuedin his administration. Cato madean-
self againsthim by great employmentsat home; swer, " That Pompeywas not under the least
and this without attempting any other inno- obligation to him; for what he had said waa
vation. For he would not appear to distrust not out of regard to him, but to his country. If
him; on the contrary, he rather affectedto des- you apply to me," continued he, " I shall give
pise him. However, when he saw the great you my advice in private; if not, I shall in-
offices of state not disposedof agreeablyto his form you of my sentiments in public," Such
desire, but that the people were influenced, was Cato, and the sameon all occasions.
and his adversaries preferred for money, he Po.-npeythen went into the city, and marri-
thought it would best serve his cause to suffer ed Cornelia, the daughter of Metullus Scipio.*
anarchy to prevail. In consequence of the She was not a virgin, but a widow, having
reigning disorders, a dictator was much talked beenmarried, when very young, to Publius the
of. Lucilius, oneof the tribunes, was the first son of Crassus,who was lately killed in the
who venturedto proposeit in formto the peo- Carthianexpedition. This womanhadmany
ple, andhe exhortedthemto choosePompey charmsbesidesherbeauty.Shewaswell vers-
dictator. Catoopposedit so effectuallythat ed in polite literature: she played uponthe
the tribune wasin dangerof being deposed.lyre, and understoodgeometry;andshehad
Many of Pompey'sfriendsthenstoodupin de- madeconsiderableimprovements by the pre-
fenceof the purity of his intentions,and de- ceptsof philosophy. What is more,she had
clared, he neither askednor wishedfor the nothing of that petulanceand affectation
dictatorship. Cato, uponthis, paidthe highest whichstudiesareapt to producein womenof
complimentsto Pompey,andentreatedhim to herage. And her father'sfamily and reputa-
assittin the supportof orderandof theconsti- tion wereunexceptionable.
tution. Pompeycould not but accedeto such Many, however,were displeased with this
a proposal,and Domitiusand Messalawere match, on account of the disproportionof
electedconsuls:f years;theythoughtCorneliawouldhavebeen
more suitable to his son than to him. Those
* Flutarrhalludes
heretoa passage
in thefifteenththat were capableof deeperreflectionthought
bookof the/had,whereNeptunesays(oIris, theconcernsof the commonwealth neglected,
" Assign
*d bylot, otiptriple rule we know; which in a distressful casehad chosenhim for
Infernal Pluto sways the shadesbelow;
O'er Ihewideclouds,ando'er th«starry plain,
EtluTialJoveextends
hishighdomain: ing,among theheadsof factions;
andthosewhore
Mycourtbeneath thehoarywavesI keep, :eived
it, employed
forceandviolenceinfavourofthoM
Andhushtheroarings of thesacred
f en." person!whopaidthem; sothatscarce anyoffice
waa
Pope. Disposed of,butwhathadbeendisputedwiththesword,
f In theyearof Rome700. Suchcorruption now mdcoitthelivesofmanycitizens.
prevailed amongthe Romans, that candidatesfor the
run.lt officesbroughttheir moneyopenlyto Iheplace * The sonof ScipioNa»ica,but adoptediato tk*
of election,wheretheydiltrttnited it, without bluih- familyof theMclcUi.
 POMPEY. 463
It* ohysician,andconfided in himalone.It thecommand in Gaul;onlyhe thoughtit
jr^rvedthemto seehimcrowned with gar-reasonable
thatheshould bepermitted,
though
lands, andofferingsacrifice
amidst thefestivi-absent,
to standforthe consulship*Cato,
tiesof marriage, whenheoughtto havecon-opposed thiswithall hisforce,andinsisted,
sidered hisconsulship asa publiccalamity, " ThatCssarshould laydownhisarms,and
sinceit would never havebeen givenhimin a returnasa privateman,if hehadanyfavour
manner socontrary tothelaws,hadhiscoun-toaskofhiscountry."AndasPompey didnot
try been in aprosperoussituation. labour
thepoint,buteasilyacquiesced,
it was
Hisfirststepwasto bringthosetoaccount suspected
thathehadnorealfriendship for
whogained offices
andemployments bybri- Cisar. Thisappeared moreclearly,when
beryandcorruption, andhe made lawsby hesentforthetwolegions whichhehadlent
which theproceedings in theirtrialsweretobe him,underpretence of wanting
themfor the
regulated.In otherrespects hebehaved with Parthian
war. Caesar,thoughhe well knew
greatdignityandhonour;andrestored secu-for whatpurposethelegionsweredemanded,
rity,order,andtranquillity,to thecourtsof sentthemhomeladenwithrichpresents.
judicature,
by presiding
therein person with Afterthis, Pompey hada dangerousillneS
a bandof soldiers. But whenScipio,his at Naples,fromwhichhowever, herecovered,
father-in-law,cameto be impeached,
he sent Praxagorasthen advisedthe Neapolitanstc
for thethreehundredand eixtyjudgesto his offersacrificesto thegods,in gratitudefor his
hoase, anddesiredtheirassistance.
The ac- recovery.The neighbouring citiesfollowed
cuser,seeing
Scipio
conductedoutoftheforum their example; andthe humourspreading it-
to hishouse,bythejudgesthemselves, drop-selfoverItaly,therewasnota townor village
pedtheprosecution.Thisagainexposed Pom- whichdid not solemnize the occasion with
peyto censure;
buthewascensured still more,festivals.No placecouldaffordroomfor the
when after havingmadea law againstenco- crowdsthat camein from all quartersto meet
miums on personsaccused,he broke it him- him; the high roads,the villages, the ports
aelf, by appearingfor Plancus,andattempting werefilled with sacrifices
and entertainments.
to embellishhis character. Cato, who hap- Many receivedhim with garlandson their
penedto be one of the judges,stoppedhis headsandtorchesin their hands,and,as they
ears-,declaring," It was not right for him to conductedhim on his way, strewed it with
hear suchembellishments, contraryto law." flowers. His returning with such pompaf-
Cato,therefore,wasobjectedto andsetaside forded a gloriousspectacle;but it is said to
beforesentencewas passed. Plancus,how- have beenone of the principal causesof the
ever,wascondemned by the other judges,to civil war. For the joy he conceivedon this
the greatconfusionof Pompey." occasion,addedto the highopinionhe hadof
A fewdaysafter, Hypsaeus, a.manof consu- his achievements,intoxicatedhim sofar, that,
lar dignity, being under a criminal prosecution, bidding adieu to the caution and prudence
watched Pompey going from the bath to sup- which had put his good fortune and the glory
per, and embracedhis knees in the most sup- of his actionsupon a sure footing, he gave into
pliant manner. But Pompey passedwith dis- the most extravagant presumption, and even
dain, and all the answer he gave him was, contempt of Caesar; insomuch, that he de-
" That his importunitiesservedonly to spoil clared," He hadno needof arms,nor any ex-
his supper.'' This partial and unequal behav- traordinary preparations against him, since he
iour was justly the object of reproach. But could pull him down with much more ease
all the rest of his conduct merited praise, and than he had set him up."
he had the happinessto re-establishgood order Besides, when Appius returned from Gaul
in the commonwealth. He took his father-in- with the legions which had beenlent to Caesar,
lawfor hiscolleague
the remaining
five months. heendeavoured to disparage
the actionsof that
His governments were continuedto him for general,and to representhim in a meanlight.
four yearsmore,and he wasalloweda thous- " Pompey," he said, " knew not his own
andtalentsa yearfor thesubsistence andpay strengthand the influenceof his name,if he
of his troops. soughtany other defenceagainstCaesar, upon
Caesar'sfriends laid hold on this occasion to whom his own forces would turn, as eoonas
represent, that some consideration should be they saw the former; such was their hatred of
hadof himtoo,andhismanygreatandlaborious the one,andtheir affectionfor the other."
servicesfor his country. They said, he cer- Pompeywassomuchelatedat this account,
tainly deservedeither anotherconsulship,or and his confidencemade him so extremely
to havethe term of his commission
prolonged; negligent,that he laughedat thosewho seem-
that he mightkeepthe command in the prov- ed to fearthe war. And whentheysaid,that
inces he had conquered, and enjoy, undis- if Caesarshould advancein a hostile manner to
turbed,the honourshe hadwon,and that no Rome,theydid not seewhat forcestheyhad
successor
mightrob him of the fruit of his to opposehim,he badethem,with an open
laboursor the glory of his actions. A dispute and smilingcountenance, give themselves no
arisingupon the affair,Pompey,as if inclined pain: "For, if in Italy," said he, "I do but
to fence
against
theodium towhichCaesarmight stampupontheground,anarmywill appear."
be exposedby this demand,
said,he had let- Meantime Caesar
wasexertinghimselfgreat-
tersfromCaesar,inwhichhedeclaredhimself ly. He wasat no greatdistance
fromItaly,
willing to accepta successor,
and to give up and not only senthis soldiersto vote in ths
* Therewasa lawagainstanyabsentperson'sbciri
* Cicero,
whomanaged
theimpeachment,
wasmuchadmitted
a candidate;
butPompey
hadadded
>claue
delighted
withIhesuccess
ofhi>eloquence;
aiappearswhichempowered
the publicto except
anyman>"»
fromhis epistleto Miriui, lib. rii. ep.3. I namefrom personalattendance.
454 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

elections,but byprivatepecuniaryapplications,levywhat newonei you please." 'Lentulun,

corruptedman) of the magistrates.Paulus oneof the consulselectfor the next year,said
the consulwasof the number,and he hadfif- the same. But when Pompeycameto make
teenhundredtalents"for changingsides. So the new levies,someabsolutelyrefusedto en-
were also Curio, one of the tribunesof the list; otherspavein their namesin small num-
people,for whomhepaidoff animmense debt, bersandwith no spirit; andthe greatestpart
"nd Mark Antony,who, out of friendshipfor criedout," A peace!A peace!" For Antony,
Curio,hadstoodengaged with him for the debt. notwithstanding
the injunctionsof the senate
It is said, that when one of Czsar'g officers, to the contrary, had read a letter of Caesar'sto
who stoodbeforethe senate-house,
waitingthe the people,well calculated
to gainthem. He
issue of the debates,was informed, that they proposed,that both Pompey and he should re-
would not give Caesara longer term in his signtheir governments
anddismisstheir forces,
command, he laid his hand upon his sword, and then come and give an account of their
and said, " But this shall give it." conduct to the people.
Indeedall the actionsand preparations
of Lentulus,who by thistimehadenteredupon
his general tended that way; though Curio's his office, wcuiu not assemblethe senate; for
demands, in behalf of Caesar,seemed more Cicero, who was now returned from his govern-
plausible. He proposed, that either Pompey ment in Cilicia, endeavouredto bring about a
should likewise beobliged to dismiss his forces, reconciliation. He proposed,that Citsar should
or Czsar suffered to keep his. " If they are give up Gaul and disband the greatestpart of
both reduced to a private station," said he, his army, and keeping only two legions and
" they will agree upon reasonable terms; or, the province of Illyncum, wait for another
if eachretainshis respectivepower,theywill consulship. As Pompeyreceivedthis propo-
be satisfied. But he who weakens the one, sal very ill, Caesar'sfriends were persuadedto
without doing the same by the other, must agree, that he should only keep one of those
double that force which he fears will subvert two legions. But Lentulus was againstit, and
the government."! Calo cried out, " That Pompey wascommuting
Hereupon, Marcellus the consulcalled Caeaar a seconderror, in suffering himself to be so im-
a public robber, and insisted that he should be posedupon;" the reconciliation, therefore, did
declared an enemy to the state, if he did not not take effect.
lay down his arms. However, Curio, together At the same time news was brought, that
with Anthony and Pisco,prevailed that a farther Caesarhad seized Arminium, a considerable
inquiry should be made into the sense of the city in Italy, and that he was marchingdirectly
senate. He first proposed, that such as were towards Rome with all his forces. The last
of opinion, " That Cssar should disband his circumstance, indeed, was not true. He ad-
army, and Pompey keep his," should drnw to vanced with only three hundred horse and five
one side of the house, and there appeareda thousand foot; the rest of his forces were on
majority for that motion. Then he proposed, the other side of the Alps, and be would not
that the number of those should be taken, wait for them, choosing rather to put his
whose sense it was, " That both should lay adversariesin confusion by a sudden and un-
down their arms, and neither remain in com- expected attack, than to fight them when tet-
mand;" upon which question,Pompeyhad ter prepared. When he cameto the river
only twenty-two, and Curio all the reot.f Rubicon, which was the boundary of his pro-
Curio, proud of his victory, ran in transports of vince, he stood silent a long time, weighing
joy to theassemblyof thepeople,whoreceivedwith himself the greatness of his enterprise.
him with the loudestplaudits, and crowned At last, like onewho plungesdown from the
him with flowers. Pompeywasnot presentat top of a precipiceinto a gulf of immensedepth,
the debate in the house; for the commander of he silenced his reason,and shut his eyesagainst
an army is not allowed to enter the city. But the danger; and crying out, in the Greek lan-
Marcellus rose up and said, " I will no longer guage " The die is cast," he marchedover with
sit to hear the matter canvassed; but, as I see his army.
ten legions have already passed the Alps, I Upon the first report of this at Rome, the
will send a man to oppose them in behalf of city was in greater disorder and astonishment
my country." than hadever beenknown. The senateand
Uponthis,the city wentinto mourning,asin the magistrates
ran immediatelyto Pompey.
« timeof public calamity. Marcelluswalked Tullus* askedhim, what forceshe hadready
through the forum., followed by the senate, for war; and as he hesitatedin his answer
andwhen hewasin sightof Pompeywithout and only said at last, in a tone of no grea
the gate, he said, " Pompey, I charge you to assurance," That hehad the two legions lately
assistyour country; for which purposeyou sent him back by Caesar, and that out of the
shall make use of the troopsyou have, and newlevieshebelievedhe shouldshortlybeable
to mane up a bodyof thirty thousandmen;"
" 310,6851.
.tcrling. With thii money
hebuilt the Tullus exclaimed,"O Pompey!youhavede-
stately
zi<uȣica,thatafterwards borehisname.
f Cornelius Scipio, one of Pompey's friends remon-
ceivedus;" andgaveit as his opinion,that
strated,
that,
inthepresent
case,
agreat
difference
ambassadors
should
immediately
bedespatched
wasto bemade
between
theproconsul
of Spain
and to Caesar.ThenoneFavonius,
a manother-
the proconsulof Gaul,sincetne termof tbr former wise of no ill character, but who, by an in-
wasnotexpired,whereasthatof the latterwas. solent brutality, affected to imitate the nobl*
JDio,ontheri.ulr.irv,
affirms
that,upon
thisques-freedom
tion, the senatewere almost unanimousfor Pompey;
of Cato,badePompey
" Stampupon
only two Toting for Caesar,TU. Marcus Caeciliiu and
Curio. " Lueitu Volcaliui Tuliui.
 POMPEY. 455
tneground,andcallforththearmies
hehad CniEUd, intoSyrius,toprovideships
of war
promised." Hehadwellsecuredthegates ofthecity,and
Pompey borethisill-timed
reproach
with planted
thelightest
of hisslingers
andarcheri
greatmildness;
andwhenCatoputhimin uponthe walls;andhaving nowordered the
mind of thewarnings hehadgivenhimasto Brundusians to keepwithindoors,hecaused a
Cssar,fromthefirst,he said"Cato, indeed,number of trenches
to becut,andsharpetakes
nadspoken morelike a prophet,andhe had to bedrivenintothem,andthencovered with
actedmorelikea friend." Catothenadvisedearth,in all thestreets, except
two,whichled
thatPompey shouldnotonlybeappointedgen-downto thesea. In threedaysall hisother
eral, butinvestedwitha discretionary
power:troopswereembarked withoutinterruption;
adding that " thosewho weretheauthors of andthenhesuddenly gavethesignalto those
greatevilsknewbesthowto curethem." So whoguardedthe walls; in consequence of
saying,he set outfor hisprovinceof Sicily, which,theyran swiftlydownto theharbour,
andtheothergreatofficers departed
fortheirs.and got on board. Thushavinghis whole
Almostall Italy wasnowinmotion,andno- complement, hosetsail;andcrossed the sea
thing couldbe moreperplexed
than the whole to Dyrrhachium.
faceof things. Thosewholivedoutof Rome WhenCaesar
cameandsawthe wallsleft
fledto it from all quarters,andthosewholived destituteof defence;"he concludedthat Pom-
in it abandonedit as fast. These saw, that pey had taken to flight, and in his eagernessto
in sucha tempestuous anddisorderlystateof pursue,would certainly have fallenuponthe
affairs,the well disposed
part of thecity want- sharpstakesin the trenches,hadnoltheT'run-
ed strength,and that the ill disposedwere dusiansinformedhim of them. He thenavoid-
so refractorythat theycould,not be manageded the streets,and took a.circuit roundthe
by the magistrates.The terrorsof the peo- town, by whichhe discovered that all the ves-
ple could not be removed,andno onewould sels were set out, excepttwo that had not
sufferPompeyto lay a planof actionfor him- manysoldiersaboard.
self. Accordingto the passionwherewitheach This manoeuvre of PompeyWascommonly
was actuated, whether fear, sorrow, or doubt, reckoned among the greatest acts of general-
they endeavoured
to inspirehimwith thesame; ship. Cxsar,howevercould nothelpwonder-
insomuch that he adopteddifferent measures ing, that his adversarywho was in possession
the same day. He could gain no certain in- of a fortified town, and expected his forces
telligence of the enemy's motions, because, from Spain, and at the sametime was master
every man brought him the report hehappened of the sea,shouldgive up Italy in such a man-
to take up, and waa angry if it did not meet ner. Cicero,f too, blamed him for imitating
with credit. the conduct of Themistocles, rather than that
Pompey, at last, causedit to be declared,by of Pericles, when the posture of his affairs
an edict in form, that the commonwealth was more resembled the circumstances of the lat-
in danger, and no peaceto be expected. After ter. On the other hand,the stepswhich Cxsar
which, he signified that he should look upon took, shewed he was afraid of having the war
thosewho remainedin the city asthe partisansdrawnout to any length; for havingtakenNu-
of Cesar; and then quitted it in the dusk of Tierius,} a friend of Pompey's, he had sent
the evening. The consulsalsofled, without nimto Brundusium,
with offersof comingto an
offering the sacrifices which their customsre- accommodation upon reasonableterms. But
quired before a war. However, in this great Vumerius, instead of returning with an answer
extremity, Pompeycould not but beconsidered cailed away with Pompey.
as happyin the affectionsof his countrymen. Caesar thusmadehimselfmasterof all Italy
Though manyblamedthe war, therewasnot n sixtydays,withoutthe leastbloodshed, and
a manwhohatedthe general. Nay, the num- IBwould have beengladto havegone imme-
ber of thosewho followedhim, out of attach- diatelyin pursuitof Pompey. But ashe was
ment to his person,wasgreaterthanthat of in wantof shipping,he gaveup that designfor
the adventurers
in the causeof liberty. the present,andmarchedto Spain,with anin-
A few days after, Czsar arrived at Rome. tent to gain the forcesthere.
Whenhewasin possession
of thecity,hebe- In themeantime
Pompey
assembled
a great
bavedwith greatmoderationin manyrespects,army; andat seahewasaltogetherinvincible.
andcomposed, in a goodmeasure, the minds For hehad fivehundredshipsof war, andthe
of its remaininginhabitants. Only whenMc- numberof hislighter vessels wasstill greater.
tellus, oneof the tribunesof the people,for- As for his land forces,he hadseventhousand
badehim to touchthe moneyin thepublic horse,
theflowerof RomeandItaly,§ all men
t-easury,hethreatenedhim withdeath,adding
*n expression more terrible than the threat it-
self, " That it waseasierfor him to do it than " Catrar
Wie^d theplace ninedays,
duringwhich
to sayit." Metellasbeingthusfrightenedoff, henotonlyinvested it onIhelaudlide,butundertook
CaMiar took whatsumshewanted, and then toshutupbefore
theport
byattoccodo ofhisowninvention.
went in pursuit of Pompey; hasteningto drive However, theworkcouldbecompleted,
pey madehii escape.
Pom
him out of Italy, before his forces could arrive t Ep. to Alticus, vii. 11.
from Spain.
t CzsarcallshimCn.Xugiui. Hewa,Master
Pompey, who was masterof Brundusium,rompey's of
Board of Works.
andhada sufficient
number
of transports,
de- } Caesar,
onIhecontrary,
lays,
thatthisbody
ofhori*
lired the consulsto embarkwithout lossof wasalmost entirely
composed
of strangers."There
time, and sent them beforehim with thirty were>u hundred Galaliaus,
fivehundredCappado-
cohortsto Dyrrhachium.Butthesame time cians,
asmanyThracians,
twohundred Macedonians,
ne sent his father-in-law, Scipio, and his son fivehundred
Gauls,
orGermans eighthundred raise,/
outof hu own estates,
or outof hisown retinue;>'and
 456 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
of family,fortune,
andcourage.His infantry own. After this, he pissedtheAlpsagain.
thoughnumerous,
wasa mixture or raw, un and marchedthrough Italy to Brundusium,
disciplined soldiers; he therefore exercisec where he arrived at the time of the winter
them duringhis stay at Bercea,wherehe was solstice.Therehe crossed the sea,andlanded
by no meansidle, but wentthroughall the ex- at Oricum;from whencehedispatched Vibul
ercisesof a soldier,as if he hadbeenin the lius,* oneof Pompey'sfriends, whomhe had
flowerof his age. It inspiredh« troopswith brought prisonerthither, with proposalsot
new courage,when they saw Pompeythe a conference betweenhim andPompey," in
Great,at the ageof fifty-eight,going through which they shouldagreeto disbandtheir ar-
thewholemilitary discipline,in heavyarmour, mieswithin threedays,renewtheir friendship,
on foot; andthenmountinghis horse,drawing confirmit with solemnoaths,andthenbothre-
his sword with ease when at full speed,and as turn to Italy."
dexterouslysheathingit again. As to the jav- Pompeytookthisoverturefor anothersnare,
elin, he threw it not only with great exact- and therefore drew down in haste to the sea,
ness,but with suchforcethat fewof theyoung andsecuredall the fortsandplacesof strength
men could dart it to a greaterdistance. for land forces, as well as all the ports and
Many kings and princesrepaired to his camp, other commodiousstations for shipping; sothat
and the numberof Romanofficers
whohad therewasnot a wind that blew,whichdid
commanded armies was so great, that it was not bring him either provisions, or troops, or
sufficient to make up a complete senate. La- money. On the other hand, Cassarwas re-
bienus,* who had been honouredwith Caesar's duced to such straits, both by sea and land,
friendship, and served under him in Gaul, now that he was under the necessityof seeking a
joinedPompey. Even Brutus,the sonof that battle.-Accordingly, he attackedPompey's
Brutuswho waskilled by him not very fairly entrenchments,
and badehim defiancedaily.
in the CisaJpineGaul, a man of spirit, who had In most of these attacks and skirmisheshe
aeverspokento Pompeybefore,becausehe hadthe advantage;but oneday wasin danger
consideredhim asthe murdererof his father, of losinghis wholearmy. P.ompey
foughtwith
now ranged himself under his banners,as the so much valour, that he put Caesar'swhole de
defender of the liberties of his country. Cice- tachment to flight, after having killed two
ro, too, thoughhehadwrittenandadvisedoth- thousandmen uponthe spot; but was either
erwise, wasashamednot to appearin the num- unable or afraid to pursue his blow, and enter
ber of thosewho hazardedtheir lives for Rome. their camp with them. Caesareaidto his friends
Tidius Sextius, though extremely old, and on the occasion, " This day the victory had
maimedof oneleg, repaired,amongthe rest, beenthe enemy's,had their generalknown
to his standardin Macedonia; and though oth- how to conquer.^
ers only laughed at the poor appearancehe Pompey's troops, elated with this success,
made, Pompey, no sooner cast his eyesupon were in great hasteto come to a decisivebattle,
him, than he rose up, and ran to meet him; Nay, Pompey himself seemedto give into their
consideringit as a great proof of the justice of opinions, by writing to the kings,the generals,
his cause, that, in spite of age and weakness, and cities, in his interest, in the style of a con-
persons should come and seek danger with queror. Yet, all this while, he dreadedthe issue
him, rather than stay at home in safety. of a general action, believing it much better, by
But after Pompey had assembledhis senate, 'ength of time, by famine and fatigue, to tire
and at the motion of Cato, a decree was made, out men who had beenever invincible in arms,
" That no Roman should be killed except in and long accustomedto conquer when thej
battle, nor any city that was subject to the Ro- ?oughttogether, Besides, he knew the infir
mans be plundered," Pompey's party gained mitiesof age had madethem unfit for the other
grounddaily. Thosewholivedat toogreata operations
of war,for longmarches
andcoun-
distance, or were too weak to take a share in ter-marches,for digging trenches and building
the war, interested themselvesin the causeas brts, and that, therefore, they wishedfor no-
much as they were able, and with words at thing so much as a battle. Pompey, with all
least, contended for it; looking upon those as .hese arguments, found it no easy matter to
enemiesboth to the godsandmen,who did teephis armyquiet.
not wish that Pompey might conquer.
Not but that Caesarmadea mercifuluseof t In the printedteit it is Jubius;butoneof lh*
his victories. He had lately made himself manuscripts
givesus 1'ilwUius,which is thename
he
masterof Pompey'sforcesin Spain,andthough lasin CiEsar's
Commin.lib. iii. VibulliusKufui
it wasnotwithouta battle,he dismissed
the travelled
nightandday,without
allowing
himself
any
officers,
andincorporated
thetroops
withhis rese,(illhe
received reached
advice Pompey's
of Caesar's camp,
arrival; who
but had
was no notyet
sooner
nformed of the taking of Oricum and Apollonia, than
soof therest,whomheparticularlymentions, andteils heimmediately
decamped,andby longmarchesreach-
usto whatcountriestheybelonged. edOricumbeforeCaesar.
* It eeemcd very strange,saysDio, that Labienus f Yet it maybe obserred,in defenceof Pompey,
should abandonCaesar,who had loadedhim with hon- .hat, as his troops were raw and inexperienced,it wai
ours,andgivenhim thecommand
of all the forceson notamissto try themin manyskirmishes
andlight at-
the ot'ner sideof Ihc Alps, while he was at Rome. But tacks, before he hazarded a general engagement
with
he gives this reasonfor it: " Labienua, elatedwith bis an army of veterans. Many instancesof that kind
immensewealth, and proud of his preferments,forgot might be produced from the conduct of the ablestgen-
himself
tosuchadegree
asto assume
acharacter
very erals. Andwearcpersuaded,
thatif Pompey
hadat-
unbecominga person in his circumstances. He was empted to force Cesar's camp, he would have been
crenforputtinghitn&elf
uponanequality
withCxsar. cpubed
with lossanddisgrace.Pompey's
greateit
who thereupongrew cool towardshim,and treated rror seems to havebeen,his sufferinghimselfto b«
tun with loaiercMrre, whichLai/ienturesented,
and iroughlto 4nactionat Ja>(br the importunityol hit
went over to Pompey. ' mcersand soldiers.
 POMPEY.

Afterthislastengagement,
Cxsarwai in And LuciusAfranius,
wholosttheforcesin
iuchwantof provisions,
thathewasforced
to Spain,andwasaccused of havingbetrayed
decamp,amihetookhiswaythrough Atha-them intotheenemy's
hand,nowwhen hesaw
maniii
intoThessaly.Thisadded
somuch to Pompey avoida battle,said,"He wassur
thehighopinion
Pompey's
soldiers
h»dof prised
thathisaccusers
should
make
anydiffi-
themselves,
thatit wasimpossible
tokeepit cultyof fighting
thatmerchant
(astheycalled
withinbounds. They cried out with one him)whotraffickedforprovinces."
Toice,
"Caesarisfled." Somecalled
uponthe These andmanyotherlike sallies
of ridi-
generalto pursue:someto passoverinto cule,hadsuchaneffectuponPompey, who
July. Otherssenttheirfriends
andservantswasambitious of being
spokenwellof bythe
to Rome,to engagehouses neartheforum, world,andhad too muchdeference for the
for theconvenience
of solicitingthegreatoffi- opinions
of his friends,that he gaveup hii
cesof state. And not a few wentof their own betterjudgment,to followthem in the
ownaccord to Cornelia,
whohadbeenprivate-careerof theirfalsehopesandprospects.
A
ly lodged
in Lesbos,
to congratulate
heruponthingwhichwouldhavebeenunpardonable in
the conclusion
of the war. thepilot or masterof a ship,mt.chmorein the
Onthis greatemergency,
a councilof war commander-in-chief
of so manynations,
and
wascalled; in which Aframusgaveit ashis such numerousarmies. He had often com-
opinion,"That theyoughtimmediately to re- mended
thephysician
whogivesnoindulgence
gainItaly, for that wasthegreatprizeaimedto thewhimsical
longings
of his patients,
and
at in the war. Sicily, Sardinia,Corsica,Spain, yet he humouredthe sickly cravingsof hia
andboththe Gauls,wouldsoonsubmitto those army,andwasafraidto givethempain,though
who were mastersthere. What should affect necessaryfor the preservation of their life and
Pompeystill more was,that his nativecoun- being. For who can saythat armywasin a
try, just by, stretchedout herhandsto him as soundand healthy state, when someof the
a suppliant; and it could not be consistentofficerswentaboutthe campcanvassingfor the
with his honour to let her remain under such officesof consul and prator; and others, name-
indignities,and in so disgracefula vassalagely, Spinther,Domitius, andScipio, were en-
to the slaves and flatterers of tyrants." But gaged in quarrels and cabals about Cx-ear's
Pompeythoughtit would neither befor his high-priesthood,
asif their adversaryhadbeen
reputation,to fly a secondtime from Cssar, only a Tigranes,a king of Armenia,or a prince
andagainto be pursued,when fortuneput il of the Nabalhzans;and not that Caesar, and
in his power to pursue;nor agreeable to the that army,whohadstormeda thousandcities,
lawsof piety, to leavehis father-in-law
Scipio, subduedabovethree hundrednations,gained
and many other personsof consular dignity, in numberlessbattles of the Germans and Gauls,
GreeceandThessaly,apreyto Caesar,
with all taken a million of prisoners,and killed as
their treasures and forces. As for Rome, he many fairly in the field? Notwithstanding all
ehoultl take the best care of her, by fixing the this, they continued loud and tumultuous hi
sceneof war at the greatestdistance from her; their demandsof a battle, and when they came
that, without feelingits calamities,or perhapsto the plains of Pharsalia,forced Pompeyto
hearing the report of them, she might quietly call a council of war. Labienus, who had
wait for the conqueror. the commandof the cavalry,roseup first, and
This opinion prevailing, he set out in pur- took an oath, "That he would not return from
suit of Ciesar,with a resolutionnot to hazard the battle,till hehadput the enemyto flight.'
a battle, but to keep near enough to hold him, All the other officers swore the same.
as it were,besieged,
andto wear him out with The nightfollowing,Pompeyhadthisdream
famine. This he thoughtthe bestmethodhe He thought," heenteredhis own theatre,and
could take; and a report was, moreover, wasreceivedwith loud plaudits;after which,
broughthim,of its beingwhisperedamongthe headornedthe templeof Venusthe I'ictorioui
equestrianorder," That as soon as they had with manyspoils." This vision, on oneside,
taken off Caasar,they could do nothing better encouraged him, and on the other alarmed
than take off him too." Somesay, this was him. He was afraid that CoBsar,
who wasa
the reasonwny hedid not employCato in any descendantof Venus,would be aggrandized
"ervice of importance, but, upon his march at his expense. Besides, a panic* fear ran
against Czsar, sent him to the sea-coast,to through the camp, the noise of which awaken-
take care of the baggage,
lest, after he had ed him. And aboutthe morningwatch,over
destroyed
Ciesar,Catoshouldsoonobligehim Caesar's
camp,whereeverythingwasperfect-
to laydownhiscommission. ly quiet,theresuddenly
appeared
a greatlight,
While he thus softly followed the enemy's from which a stream of fire issuedin the form
"teps,a complaint
wasraised
against
him,and of a torch, and fell uponthat of Pompey.
urged withmuch clamour, thathewasnotex- Cajsar himself
saye,
hesawit ashewasgoing
ercisinghis generalship uponCxsar,but upon his rounds.
thesenate andthewholecommonwealth, in Caesarwaspreparing,
at breakof day,to
order thathe might forever keep the command
in his hands, and have thosefor his guards and
march
to Scotusa;f
hissoldiers
werestriking
"ervants, who had a right to govern the world. " Panicfearswereaocalled, fromtheterrorwhich
Domitius jEnobarbus, to increasethe odium, the godPan is .aid to havestruckthe enemiw
Greece,with, al the batile of Marathon
of
always calledhimAgamemnon, or kingof t Scotusa was
acityofThes.aly.Cxsar »u per
kings. Favoniuspiquedhim no lesswith a suaded
thatPom|.ey
wouldnot cometo aclion,and.
jest,thanotherswith their unseasonable
se- therefore,
chose
tomarch
in search
of provisions,
u
verity;he wentaboutcrying,"My friends,weI asloharass
Iheenemy
withfrequent
movement*
wethalleatnofigsin Tusculum
thisyear."menti,
i 7"?!1, *" 0PP°r""»'y,
lo lalj upou them. ">»me
ofthose
ino,.
4fi8 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

theirtents,andtheservants, andbeasts of
burden, were already in motion, when his
WhileCaesar
wasthusemployed,
Pompey
took a view on horsebackof the order uf both
scoutsbroughtintelligence,that theyhadseen armies;andfindingthat the enemykept their
armshandedaboutin the enemy'scamp,and rankswith the utmostexactness, andquietly-
perceiveda noiseand bustle,which indicated waitedfor the signalof battle, whilehis own
an approachingbattle. After these, others men,for wantof experience, werefluctuating
cameandassured him,thatthe firstrankswere and unsteady,he wasafraid they would b«
drawn up. broken upon the first onset. He therefore
Upon this Caesarsaid, "The long-wishedcommandedthe vanguardto standfirm in
day is come,on which we shall fight with men, their ranks,* and in that close order to receive
and not with want and famine." Then he the enemy's charge. Caesarcondemned this
immediatelyorderedthe red mantleto beput measure, asnot only tendingto lessenthe vig-
up beforehis pavilion,which,amongthe Ro- our of the blows,which is alwaysgreatestin
mans,is the signalof a battle. The soldiersthe assailants,but also to dampthe fire and
BOsooner beheld it, than they left their tent* spirit of the men; whereasthose who acKaoca
as ;hey were, and ran to armswith loud shouts, with impetuosity, and animate eachother with
and every expression of joy. And when the shouts, are filled with an enthusiastic valour
officers beganto put them in order of baitle, and superior ardour.
each man fell into his proper rank as quietly, Cesar's army consistedof twenty-two thous-
and with as muchskill andease,asa chorus andmen;and Pompey'swassomething
more
in a tragedy. than twice that number. When the signal
Pompey* placed himself in his right wing was given on both sides, and the trumpet*
over against Antony, and his father-in-law, soundeda charge, each common man attended
Scipio, in the centre, opposite Domitiua Cal- only to his own concern. But someof the
vinus. His left wing wascommanded
by Lu- principalRomansandGreeks,who onlystood
cius Domitius, and supported by the cavalry; and looked on, when the dreadful momentof
for theywere almost all rangedon that side; actionapproached,
couldnot helpconsidering
in order to break in upon Caesar,and cut off to what the avarice and ambition of two men
the tenth legion, which was accounted the had brought the Roman empire. The same
bravest in his army, and in which he used to arms on both sides,the troops marshalledin
fight in person. Cxsar, seeing the enemy's the samemanner, the samestandards; in short,
left wing so well guarded with horse,and fear- the strength and flower of one and the same
ing the excellence of their armour, sent for a city turned upon itself! What could be a
detachmentof BIX cohorts from the body of stronger proof of the blindness and infatua-
reserve,and placed them behind the tenth le- tion of human nature, when carried away by
gion, with orders not to stir before the attack, its passions? Had they beenwilling to enjoy
Je»tthey should be discovered by the enemy; the fruits of their labours in peace and tran-
but when the enemy's cavalry had charged,to quillity, the greatestand best pirt of the world
make up through the foremostranks,and then was their own. Or, if they must have indulg-
not to discharge their javelins at a distance, as ed their thirst of victories and triumphs, the
brave men generally do in their eagernessto Parthians and Germans were yet to be sub-
come to sword in hand, but to reserve them dued; Scythia and India yet remained; togeth-
till they came to close fighting, and push them er with a very plausible colour for their lust
upwardsinto the eyesandfacesof the enemy. of newacquisitions,
the pretenceof civilizing
" For those fair youngdancers," said he," will barbarians. And what Scythian horse, what
neverstandthe steel aimedat their eyes,but Parthianarrows,whatIndiantreasures,could
will fly to savetheir handsome
faces." haveresistedseventythousandRomans,led
" It i>lomewhat
surprising,
thattheaccount
whichonbyPompey
andCaesar,
withwhose
names
Caesar
himself
hasleftusof thi>memorable
battle,thosenations
hadlongbeenacquainted?
Into
"houldmeetwith contradiction. Vet s< it is; Plu- such a variety of wild and savagecountries
tarchdifferswidelyfromhim, andAppiaufromboth. had these two generalscarried their victorious
According
toCaeiar
(Bell.Civil,lib. in.),Pompey
was arms! Whereasnow they stoodthreatening
otitheleft,withthetwolegions
turnedhim at thebeginning
whichCaesar
}iadre-each
of thewar. Scipio,Epm-
other
withdestruction;
notsparing
even
pey's
father-in-law,
wasinthecentre,
withthelegions
theirownglory,though
to it theysacrificed
hehadbroughtfromSyria,andthe^reinforcemeota their country, but prepared,one of them,to
Motbyseveral kingsandstates of Asia. TheCicilianlosethe reputationof beinginvincible,which
legion,andsome cohorts whichhadserved in Spain,hitherto they had both maintained. Sothat
were lu the right, under the commandof Afranius. As
Pompey'sright wine was covered by the Enineus, he the alliancewhich they had contractedby
"trengtriened
theleftwithth«tcrcnthousand
horse,
Pompey's
marriage
to Julia,wasfromthe
34wellaswiththestingers
andarchers.The whole first only an artful expedient;andher charms
army,consisting
of forty-fivethousand
men,wasdrawn were to form a self-interested compact,in-
op inthreelines,withv<rylittlespaces between them. steadof beingthe pledgeof a sincerefriend-
In conformity to this disposition, Caesar'sarmy was
drawn
upin thefollowing
order:
thetenthlegion,
ship.
which
hadonalloccasions
signalized
itself
above
the Theplainof Pharsalia
wasnowcovered
rest,wasplaced in the right wing,andtheninth with men,and horses,andarms; andthe srg
IDtheleft; but u the latterhadbeenconsiderablynal of battle being given on both sides,the
weakened
in theactionat Dyrrachium,the eighthle- first on Cesar's side who advanced to ths
gion was placedso near it, as to be ableto support and
reiuforce it upon occasion. The rest of C<esar'»fbr«l
filed up the spacesbetween the two wings. Mark
Antonycommanded Iheleft wing,Syllathe right,and * VideCxi. uhl supra.
CneiutDomitiusCalvusthe m?jnbody. Asfor Caesar, This, however,muslbe saidin «CUKfor Pompey
bepostedhimselfon theright, overagaiDi!Pompey, thatgenerals
of greatfameandexperience
haresome-
tut be might hate him alwaysin light. timesdone as he did.
 POMPEY. 459

durgewaiCaiut
Crastinus,*
whocommanded
O'er
hisbroad
Andglaring back
round his
by moony
tardy shield
steps hethrew.
withdrew.-Pop*,
" corpsof a hundredandtwentymen,andwaa
determined to make good his promise to his In this condition he entered his tent, where
general.He wasthe first manCaisarsaw hesatdown,audutterednot a word till at
whenhewentout of >the trenchesin the morn- last,uponfindingthat someof the enemyen-
ing; and upon Caesar's asking him what he tered the camp with the fugitives,he »aid,
thoughtof the battle, he stretchedout his " What! into my camptoo!" After thisshort
hand,andansweredin a cheerfultone, " You exclamation,he roseup,anddressinghimself
will gain a gloriousvictory,andI shall hnve in a mannersuitableto his fortune,privately
your praisethiaday,eitheraliveor dead." In withdrew.* All the other legionsfled, and
pursuance of this promise,he advancedthe a greatslaughter wasmadein thecamp,of the
foremost, and many following to support him, servants and others who had the care of the
he chargedinto themidstof the enemy.They tents. But AsimusPollio, who thenfoughton
§oontook to their swords, and numbers were Caesar'sside, assuresus, that of the regular
alain; but as Crastinus was making his way troops there were not abovesix thousand men
forward, and culling down all before him, one killed.t
of Pompey'smenstoodto receivehim, and Upon the taking of the camp,therewasa
pushedhis swordin at his mouthwith such spectaclewhichshewed,in strongcolors, the
force, that it went through the nape of his vanityand folly of Pompey'e
troops. All the
neck. Crastinus thus killed, the fight was tents were crowned with myrtle; the beda
maintainedwith equal advantageon both sides. were strewed with flowers; the tables covered
Pompeydid not immediatelylead on his with cups, and bowlsof wine set out. In
right wmg,but oftendirected his eyesto the short,everything hadthe appearance of pre-
left, andlost timein waitingto seewhat exe- parationstor feastsand sacrifices,ratherthan
cutionhis cavalrywoulddo there.Meanwhile for men going out to battle. To sucha de-
theyhadextendedtheir squadronto surroundgreehadtheir vain hopescorruptedthem,and
Cajsar,and preparedto drive the few horse with sucha senselessconfidencethey took
he had placedin front, back upon the foot. the field!
At that instantCssar gavethe signal:upon When Pompeyhadgot at a little distance
which hie cavalryretreateda little; and the fromthe camp,he quittedhis horse. He had
six cohorts,whichconsisted of threethousandveryfew peopleabouthim; and,ashesaw he
men,and had beenplacedbehindthe tenth was not pursued,he went softlyon, wrapped
legion,advanced to surroundPompey'scaval- up in such thoughtsas we maysuposea. man
ry; andcomingcloseup to them, raisedthe to have,who had been used for thirty-four
points of their javelins, as they had been yearsto couquerandcarry all beforehim,and
taught,andaimedthemat the face.Their ad- now in hisold agefirst cometo know whatit
versaries,who were not experienced in any wasto bedefeatedandto fly. We mayeasily
kind of fighting,andhadnot the leastprevious conjecture«hat his thoughtsmustbe, whenin
idea of this, could not parry or endurethe oneshort hour hehad lost the glory and the
blowsupontheir faces,butturnedtheir backs, powerwhich hadbeengrowingup amidstBO
or covered their eyes with their hands, and many wars and conflicts, and he who wai
loon fled with greatdishonour.Cxsar'smen, latelyguardedwith sucharmiesof horseaud
tooknocareto pursue
them,butturnedtheir foot,andsuchgreatandpowerfulfleets,waa
forceuponthe enemy'sinfantry,particularlyreduced
to somean
andcontemptible
anequip-
upon that wing, which, now stripped of its age, that his enemies, who were in search of
horse,lay opento the attackon all sides.The him,could not knowhim.
"il cohorts,therefore,took themin flank, Hepassed by Larissa, andcameto Tempe,
whilethetenthlegioncharged themin front; where,burningwith thirst,he threwhimself
andthey,whohadhopedto surround theene-uponhisface,anddrankoutof theriver;after
my, and now, instead of that, saw themselves
surrounded, madebut a short resistance, and * Caesartells us that the cohortsappointed to defend
then took to a precipitate flight. the camp, made a vigorous resistance;but being at
By thegreatdustthatwasraised,Pompeylength
overpowered,
fledtoa neighbouring
mountain,
conjebtured the fate of his cavalry; and it is wherehe rttulvedto investthem. Bui be£prehehad
hardto say what passedin his mind at that finished
hislines,wantof waterobliged
themtoaban-
moment.Heappeared
likea manmoonstruck
donthatpost,andretiredtowards
Darissa.
CaEsaf
»nddistracted;
andwithoutconsidering
thai pursued thefugitives,
of the fourth Rgion, at
as the
the head offour
authors legions,
of the (not
Universal
hewasPompey
theGreat,or speaking
to any History
erroneously
say,)
and,arttrtil miles'
march,
one,he quittedthe ranks, and retired stepby came
up with them. But they,notdaringto engage
etcp towards his camp. A scenewhich cannot troopsflushedwith victory,fledfor refugeto a niyh
be betterpaintedthanin theseversesof hill, thefootof which
waswatered
bya littleriv:r.
Homer :t - ThoughCxsar'smenwere quite sjunl, andreadyto
faint with the excessiveheat and the fatigue of the
Bui partial Jove, espousingHector's part, whole day, yet, by his obliging manner, he prevailed
upon them to cut off the convenienceof the waler from
Shot heaven-bredhorror through the Grecian heart ;
Confused,unoerv'd in Hector's presencegrown, the enemy by a trench. Hereupon, the unfortunate
he stood with terrors not his own. fugitivescameto acanitulation,
threwdowntheir arms,
and implored the cutncncy of the conqueror. This
thet ail did, eicrpl somesenators,who, as it was now
* So Cesarcalls him. His namein Plutarch is night,escaped
in the dark. Vide Cnur, Bel. lib. iii.
Craitiania, in Appian Croiti'nu*. tfO.
* ID the eleventhbookof the Iliad, where he ii speak- f Czsar says,that in all there were 6ftcen Ihoniud
ing of theflight of Ajaz beforeHector killed, andtwenty-fourthoinnd takenprisoner*
 160 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

which,he passedthroughthe valley,andwent ble andspeechless.

At .ast,cominglo herself
down to the sea-coast. There he spent the she perceivedthere was no time to be loBt io
remainder
of the night in a poor fisherman'stearsandlamentations,
andthereforehastened
csbin. Next morning, about break of day, he through the town to the sea. Pompey ran to
went on board a small river-boat, taking with meet her, and received her to his firms as she
him such of his companyas were freemen. wasjust goingto fall. While shehung upon
The slaveshe dismissed,biddingthemgo to his neck,shethusaddressed him: " I see,my
Caesar, andfear nothing. dearhusband,
your presentunhappycondition
Aa he wascoastingalong, he sawa shipof is the effectof my ill fortune,and not your's.
burdenjustreadyto sail; the masterof which Alas! howare youreducedto onepoorvessel,
was Peticius,a Romancitizen, who, though who,beforeyour marriagewith Cornelia,tra-
not acquaintedwith Pompey,knew him by versedthisseawith fivehundredgalleys!Why
eight. It happened, that this man, the night do you cometo seeme,and not rather leave
before,dreamedhesawPompeycomeandtalk me to my evil destiny,who haveloadedyou
to him,not in the figurehehadformerlyknown too with sucha weight of calamities! How
him, but in meanand mqlancholycircumstan-happy had it been for me to have died be-
ces. He wasgivingthe passengers an account fore I heardthat Publius,my first husband
of his dream,aspersons, whohavea greatdeal was killed by the Parthians!How wise,had
of time upon their hands,love to discourseI followedhim to the grave,as I once in-
aboutsuch matters;when, on a sudden,one tended! What have I lived for since,but to
of the mariners told him, he saw a little boat bring misfortunes upon Pompey the Great?"*
rowingupto himfromtheland,andthecrew Such,weare assured, wasthe speechof
makingsigns,by shakingtheir garments
and Cornelia;and Pompeyanswered,
" Till this
stretchingout their hands.Upon this, Peticius moment,Cornelia,you have experiencedno-
stoodup,andcoulddistinguish
Pompey
amongthing but the smilesof fortune;andit was
them, in the same form as he had seenhim in she who deceived you, because she stayed
his dream. Then beating his headfor sorrow, with me longer than she commonly does with
heordered
theseamen to let downtheship'sherfavourites.But,fatedasweare,wemust
boat,andheldout hishandto Pompey to in- bearthis reverse,
andmakeanothertrial of
vitehimaboard;
for byhisdress he perceivedher. For it is no moreimprobable,
thatwe
his changeof fortune. Therefore, without mayemergefrom this poorcondition,andrise
waiting for any further application,hetook to great things again, than it was that we
him up, and such of his companionsas he should fall from great thingsinto this pool
condition."
thought proper, and then hoisted sail. The per-
eonsPompeytook with him,were the two Corneliathensentto thecityfor hermost
Lentuh and Favonius; and a little after, valuablemoveables
and her servants. The
theysawking Deiotarusbeckoning
to them people
of Mitylenecameto paytheirrespecti
with great earnestness
from the shore,and to Pompey,and to invite him to their city-
tookhim uplikewise.The master
of theship But he refused
to go,andbadethemsurren-
provided
themthebeetsupper he could,and derthemselvesto theconquerorwithoutfear;
when it was almost ready, Pompey, for want " For Csesar,"he told them, " had great clem-
of a servant,
wasgoingto washhimself,hut ency." After this,he turnedto Cratippus
Favonius seeing
it, stepped
up,andbothwash-thephilosopher,
whowascomefromthetown
ed andanointedhim. All the time hewason to see him, andbeganto complaina little of
board,he continuedto wait upon him in all Providence,andexpress somedoubtsconcern-
the officesof a servant,evento the washingof ing it. Cratippus made someconcessions,
hisfeetand providinghis supper;insomuch,and,turningthediscourse,
encouragedhimto
thatonewhosawtheunaffected simplicity
and hopebetterthings;thathemightnotgivehim
sincereattachment
withwhich Favonius per- pain,by anunseasonableopposition
to hisar-
formedtheseoffices,
criedout, gument;elsehe might haveanswered his
objections against Providence, by shewing,
Thegenerous
To every mindadds
act,and uoiluug dignityit,
misbecomes thatthestate,andindeed
theconstitution,
waa
in such disorder, that it was necessary it
Pompey,in the courseof his voyage,sailed shouldbe changedinto a monarchy, Or this
by Amphipolis,and from thencesteeredfor onequestionwould havesilencedhim, " How
Mitylcne, to take up Cornelia, and his son. As do we know, Pompey, that, if you had con-
Boonas he reachedthe island,he senta mes- quered,you would have madea betteruseof
senger to the town with news far different your good fortune than Cssar?" But we must
from what Cornelia expected. For, by the leave the determinations of Heaven to iU su
flattering accounts which many officious per- perior wisdom.
Bonshad given her, she understood that the As soon aa bis wife and his friends were
dispute was decidedat Dyrrhachium, and that
nothingbut the pursuitof Caesar
remainedto * Cornelia
i«represented
by Lucan,
too,asimputing
be attended to. The messenger,finding her the misfortunes
of Pompeyto her alliancewith him;
possessed
with suchhopes, hadnotpowerto andit seems,
fromonepartofherspeech
onthisocca-
maketheusualsalutations,
butexpressing
the sion,
thatsheshould
havebeen given
toCzsar.
greatness
of Pompey'smisfortunes
byhistears OulinaroThalamos
invbiCaesaris
issem!
ratherthan words,only told her, " She must If therewereanythingm this,it mighthavebeen1
make
haste,
if shehada mindtoseePompey
material
causeofthequarrel
between
Czsar
and
Pom-
withoneshiponly,and
thatnothisown." pey, asthelatter,
strengthened bymeans
himself ofthis
with the alliauce,
Crassian must hare
interest- for
At this news Cornelia threw herself upon Cornelia
wastherelictof FublituCnuus,theionof
(heground,whereshelay a longtime insensi- MarcusCrassuj,
 POMPEY. 461
flnbarked,
hosetsail,
andcontinued
hiscourse tiononlypreventedhismarching totheEa-
without
touching
atanyport,except
forwaterphiiteo;butit issomedoubtwithus,whether
»ndpiuvisions,
tillhecame
to Atlalia,
a cityit wasnotrather hisfatethanhisopinion,
«f Pamphylia.
There
hewasjoined
bysomewhich
directed
hissteps
another
way.
Cilicinn
galleys;
andbeside
picking
upanum- When it wasdetermined
thattheyshould
Der
ofsoldiers,
hefound
inalittletime,
sixtyseek
forrefuge
inEgypt,
hesetsailfropCy-
senators
about
him. Whenhewasinformed
pruswithCornelia,
maSeleucian
galley.I he
Jiathisfleetwasstill entire,
andthatCatorestaccompanied
him,some
inships
ofwar,
wasgonetoAfrica witha considerable
bodyandsomeinmerchantmen:
andth«ymadea
ofmenwhich
hehadcollected
aftertheirflight,safe
voyage.
Beinginformed
thatPtolemy
wa»
belamented
to hisfriends
hisgreaterror,in withhisarmyat Pelusium,
wherehewasen-
suffering
himself
tobeforced
intoa.nengage-
gaged
inwarwithhissister,
heproceeded
thith-
mentat land,andmakingno useofthoseer,and
sentamessengerbefore
himtonotify
forces,in whichhe wasconfessedly
stronger;hisarrival,andto entreat
theking'sprotection.
noreventakingcaretofightnearhisfleet,that, Ptolemy wasveryyoung, andPhotimis,his
in case
of hismeeting witha checkatland,primeminister, called
a council
of hisablest
hemighthavebeensupplied fromseawith officers; thoughtheir advicehadno more
anotherarmy,capableof making head againstweight thanhewaspleased to allowit. He
theenemy.Indeed, wefindnogreater mis-orderedeach,however, to givehis opinion.
takein Pompey'swhole conduct,noramoreButwhocan,withoutindignation, conatder,
remarkableinstance of Caesar's
generalship, thatthefateof Pompey theGreatwasto he
thanin removing
thescene
of actionto suchdetermined
by Photinus,
aneunuch;
by Theoc
" aistancefrom the navalforces. dotus, a man of Chios, who was hired to
However, asit wasnecessary
to undertake teachthe princerhetoric;
andby.Achillas,i\a
something with thesmallmeans hjehadleft, Egyptian?For amongthe king'schamber
be sentto somecities,andsailedto otherslainsandtutors,thesehadthe greatest influ-
himself,to raisemoney,
andto get a supplyenceoverhim,andwere thepersons hemost
of menfor hisships. Butknowingtheextra-consulted.Pompey layat anchor
at somedis-
ordinarycelerity of the enemy'smotions,he tancefrom the place, waitingthe determina-
wasafraid he mightbe beforehand with him, tion of thisrespectable
board;whilehethought
andseizeall thathewaspreparing.
Hethere-it beneath
himto beindebted
to Casarfor his
fore,beganto think of retiringto someasylum, safety. The council were divided in their
andproposed thematterin council.Theycould opmons;someadvisingthe princeto giVehim
not think of any provincein the Romanem- an honourablereception;and othersto send
pire that wouldafforda saferetreat;andwhen him an order to depart. But Theodotus,
they casttheir eyeson the foreignkingdoms,to display his eloquence,insisted tli.it both
PompeymentionedParthiaas the mostlikely "werewrong. " If you receivehim," said he.
to receive and protect them in their present you will have Caasarfor your enemy, and
weak condition, and afterwards to send them Pompey for your master. If you order him
back with a force sufficient to retrieve their off, Pompey may one day revenge the affront,
affairs.Otherswereof opinion,it waspro- and Cassurresent your not having put him in
perto applyto Africa, andto Juba in particu- his hands:the bestmethod,therefore,is to
lar. But Theophanes
of Lesbosobserved
it send
forhim,andputhimto death.Bythis
was madnessto leave Egypt, which v/as dis- meansyou will do Cssar a favour, and have
tant but threedays'sail. Besides,Ptolemy,* nothing to fear from Pompey." He added,
whowasgrowing
towards
manhood,
hadpar- with a smile,," Dead men do not bite."
ticularobligationsto Pompeyon his father's This advicebeingapprovedof, the execu-
account;audshouldhego then,and put hin- tion of it wascommittedto Achillas. In con-
self in the handsof the Parthians,the most sequenceof which,he took with him Septi-
perfidious
people
in theworld?Herepresent-mius,whohadformerly beenoneof Pompey's
ed whata wrongmeasure it wouldbe, if, officers,andSalvius,whohadalsoactedun-
rather than trust to the clemencyof a noble der him as a centurion,with threeor four as-
Roman,
whowashisfather-in-law,
andbecon- sistants,
andmadeupto Pompey's
ship,where
tentedwith the secondplaceof eminence,
he his principal friends andofficershad assem-
wouldventurehispersonwith Arsaces,tby bled,to seehowtheaffairwenton. AVhen
whomevenCrassus wouldnotbetakenalive. theyperceived
therewasnothingmagnificent
Headded,thatit would beextremely
absurdin their reception,norsuitableto the hopes
to carrya youngwomanof thefamilyof Scipio whichTheophaneshadconceived,but that a
among barbarians,who thought power con- few menonly, in a fishing-boat,
cameto waiJ
sistedin thedisplayof insolence audoutrage;uponthem,suchwantof respectappeared a
andwhere,if sheescaped unviolated,it would suspicious circumstance;and they advise*
be believedshedid not, after shehad been Pompey,while he was out of the reach of
withdosewhowere capableof treatinghtr missive weapons, to getoutto themainsea.
with indignity. It is said,thislastconsidera- Meantime, theboatapproaching,Septimius
spokefirst,addressingPompey,in Latin,by
* Thii wai Ptolemy
Dionysim, thesonof Ptolemythe title of Jmperator. Then Achillas salu-
Anletei,whodiedin the yes-of Rome704,which ted him in Greek, and desiredhim to com*
wu the vcsr btfure lh« battle of Fharsaba. He WM
'n hii fourteenth year. intotheboat,because
thewater
wasveryshal
t From this pasnageit appeiri, that Ar««es wm the lowtowards
theshore,
andagalleymustBtrik*
eosunonname of tKe kings of Parthia. For it wai not uponthesands.At thesame
timetheysa*
theproper of thekin?thenuponthethronenor several
Dame of the king'sshipsgettingready,and
*f him who wu at war with Crauui.
Go theshore
covered
withtroops,
sothatif thej
462 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

wouldhave-handedtheir minds,it wasthen fishing-boat;

which,thoughnot .'arge,would
too late; besides,
their distrustwould have makea sufficient
pile for a poornakedbody
furnishedthe assassins
with a pretencefor that wasnot quiteentire.
theirinjustice.He, therefore,
embraced
Cor- Whilehewascollecting
thepeiccsof plank
nelia, who lamentedhissadexit beforeit hap- and puttingthem together,an old Roman,
pened;andorderedtwo centurions,oneof his whohadmadesomeof his first campaigns un-
enfranchisedslavesnamedPhilip, and a ser- der Pompey,came up and said to Philip,
vantcalled Scenes,loget into the boat before " Who areyou that arepreparingthe funeral
him. When Achillas had hold of hie hand, of Pompeythe Great?' Philip answerei1, "I
andhe aas goingto stepiu himself,he turned am his freedman." " But you shall not," said
to hiswtfn andsou,andrepeatedthat verseof theold Roman,"hive this honourentirely to
Sophocles, yourself.As a work of pietyoffersitself,let me
have a sharein it; that I may not absolutely
Suk'st thuu a tyrant's door? then ferewell freedom?
Thorjghyjfe as air before repent my having passedso many years in a
foreign country; but, to compensatemany mil-
These were the last words he spoke to them. fortunes,may have the consolationof doing
As therewasa considerable distance
be- someof thelast honours*to thegreatest
gen-
tweenthegalleyandtheshore,andheobserv-eralRomeeverproduced."In this manner
edthat nota manin theboatshewed himthe wasthefuneralof Pompey conducted.
leastcivility, or evenspoketo him,helooked NextdayLuciusLentulus,whoknewno-
at Septimius, andsaid,"Mcthinks,I remem-thingof whathadpassed, becausehewasupon
ber youto havebeenmy fellow-soldier:" but his voyagefrom Cyprus,arriveduponthe
he answered onlywith a nod,withouttestify-Egyptianshore,andashewascoasting along,
inganyregardor friendship.A profound si- sawthefuneralpile,and Philipwhomhedid
lenceagaintakingplace,Pompey tookout a notyetknow,standing by it. Uponwhichhe
paper,in which he had written a speechin said to himself," Who has finishedhis days,
Greek,thathedesigned to makelo Ptolemy,and is goingto leavehisremainsuponJus
andamused himselfwithreadingit. shore!"addingafter a short pause,with a
Whentheyapproached theshore,Cornelia,sigh,"Ah! Pompey theGreat!perhapsthou
wilh her friendsin the galley, watchedthe mayestbe the man." Lentulussoonafterwent
eventwith greatanxiety. She wasa little onshore,andwastakenandslain.
encouraged,whenshesawa numberof the Suchwastheendof Pompey theGreat.As
king's greatofficerscomingdownto thestrand, for Caesar,
he arrivednot long after in Egypt,
in all appearance
to receiveher husband and whichhefoundin greatdisorder.Whenthey
dohimhonour.Butthemoment Pompey was cameto presentthehead,he turnedfromit,
takingholdof Philip'shand,to raisehimwith andthepersonthat broughtit, as a sightot
more ease, Septimiuscamebehind,and run horror. He receivedthe seal,but it waswith
him throughthe body;aflerwhichSulviusand tears. The devicewasa lionholdingasword.
Achillasalso drew their swords. PompeyThe twoassassins, Achillasand Photinus,
he
tookhis robein bothhandsandcoveredhis putto death;andthe king, beingdefeated in
face;and withoutsayingor doingthe least battle,perished
intheriver. Theodotus,the
thing unworthyof him, submittedto his fate: rhetorician,escaped the vengeance of Caesar,
only utteringa groan, while they despatchedby leavingEgypt; but he wanderedabout, a
him with many blows. He was then just miserablefugitive,andwashatedwhereverhe
fifiy-nine yearsold, for he was killed the day went. At last, Marcus Brutus, who killed
after his birth-day.* Caesar,found the wretch, in his provinceof
Cornelia,andher friendsin the galleys,upon Asia,andput him to death,afterhavingmade
seeinghim murdered,gavea shriekthat was him sufferthe most exquisitetortures. The
heardto theshore,andweighedanchorimme- ashesof Pompeywere carried to Cornelia,
diately. Their flight was assistedby a brisk who buriedthem in his landsnearAlba.f
.gale, as they got out more to sea; so that the
Egyptians
gaveup theirdesignof pursuing* Oftouching
andwrapping
upthebody.
them.Themurderers
havingcutoffPompey's t Pompey
has,inallappearance,
andinallconside-
head, threw the body out of the boat naked, rationsof his character,had lessjusticedonehimby
and left it exposedto all who were desiroushistorians
thananyothermanof his lime. Hispop-
of sucha sight. Philipstayed
till theircurios-ularhumanity,
dence,(which hismililary
and
he sometimes political
skill,
unfortunately hispru-
gave up,)
ity wassatisfied,andthenwashedthe body hisnatural bravery
andgenerosity, hiaconjugal vir-
with sea-water,andwrapped it in oneof his tues,which(though
sometimes
impeached)
werebolk
own garments, becausehe had nothing else at naturally and morallygreat; his cause,which waj
hand. The nextthing was to look out for certainly, in itsoriginal
all these circumstances interests,
enlilled thelocause
him of Rome;
a more disUn-
"woodfor the funeral-pile;andcastinghis eyes guifthedand morerespectable characterthananyof
overtheshore,hespiedtheold remains
of a hishistorians
have
thought
proper
toafford
him.One
circumstance,
indeed,rendersthe accounts
Dial Ihe
" Somedivines,
inraying
that
Pompey
never
pros-writers,
whorose
after
theestablished
monarchy,
have
pered
afterhepresumed
toenter
templeat Jerusalem,
thesanctuary
in thegiven
ofhisopposition,
intimatethat his misfortunes
perfectly
prejudice
r«oBriltab)«
whichappear*
lo U>»
against
him, or rather,to
-wcrr:owingto thatprofanation
; butweforbear, wilh thereluctance
whichIhtj hareshewnlo thatpraiM
riui.ir.li.tocommcnl
ontheprovidential
determina-
which
theyseemed
tohave
fellthathedeserved:
Whei
tions
oftheSupreme
Being.
Indeed,
hefell»sacrifice
tnecommonwealth
was
nomore,
andthesupporters
of
to asvileasetof people
ashehadbeforeinsulted
; for, hu inleresl hadfallenwilh it. thenhistoryitself,not
theJewseicepled, therewasnot uponearthamore of lo menlionpoetry,deparledfrom itsproperprivilege
despicable
tians.
cruelEgyp- imperial power. and evenPlutarch madea sacrifice to
raceof menthanIhi coward))', impartiality,
 463

AGESILAUS AND POMPEF COMPARED.

SCCHis the accountwe hadto giveof the whowasneitherspurious
normaimed,
hadnc«
Jivesof thesetwo greatmen; and, in drawing Lysander been industriousenoughto render
uptheparallel,
weshallpreviously
takeashort theoracleobscure
for thesakeof Agesilaus.
surveyof the differencein their characters. As to their politicaltalents,thereneve,was
In thefirst place,Pompeyroseto power,and a finer measurethanthat of Agesilaus, wnen,
establishedhis reputation,by just and lauda- in the distressof the Spartanshow to proceed
blemeans;partly by the strength
of hisown against
thefugitives
afterthebattleof Leuctra,
genius,
andpartlyby his services
to Sylls,in hedecreedthatthelawsshouldbe silentfor
freeingItaly from variousattemptsof despot-thatday. We havenothingof Pompey'a that
ism. WhereasAgesilaoscameto thethroneby can possiblybe comparedto it. On the con-
methodsequally immoral and irreligious;for trary, he thoughthimselfexemptedfrom ob-
it was by accusingLeotychidasof bastardy,servingthe laws he had made,and that hia
whomhis brotherhadacknowledged ashis le- transgressingthemshewedhis friendshis su-
gitimateson,andbyeluding
theoraclerelativeperiorpower:whereas
Agesilaus,
whenunder
to a lameking.* a necessity
of contraveningthe laws,to savea
In the next place,Pompeypaidall dueres- numberof citizens,found out an expedient
pectto Sylladuringhislife, andtookcareto whichsavedboththelawsandthecriminals.
see his remains honourably interred, notwith- I must also reckon among his political virtues,
standingthe oppositionit metwithfrom Lepi- hisinimitablebehaviouruponthe receiptof the
dus; andafterwardshegave his daughterto scytale,whichorderedhim to leaveAsiaic the
Fauslus,the sonof Sylla. On the otherhand, height of his success. For he did not, like
Agesilausshook off i>ysanderupona slight Pompey,servethe commonwealth only in af-
pretence,andtreatedhim with greatindignity. fairswhich contributedto his own greatness;
Vet the servicesPompeyreceivedfromSylla thegoodof his country was his great object,
were not greater than those he had rendered and, with a view to that, he renounced such
him; whereasAgesilauswasappointedking of powerandsomuchglory asno manhadeither
Sparta by Lysander'smeans,and afterwardsbefore or after him, exceptAlexander the
captain-general
of Greece. Great.
In the third place, Pompey'soffencesagainst If we view them in another light, and con-
the lawsandthe constitutionwereprincipally sidertheir military performances;
the trophies
»wmg to his alliances, to his supporting either which Pompey erected were so numerous,the
Cxsar or Scipio (whose daughter he had mar- armies he led so powerful, and the pitched
ried) in their unjust demands. Agesilaus not battles he won so extraordinary, that I suppose
only gratified the passionof his son, by sparing Xenophon himself would not compare the vic-
the life of Sphodrias, whose death ouglit to tories of Agesilaus with them; though that
bave atoned for the injuries he had done the historian, on accountof his other excellencies,
Athenians: but he likewise screenedPhcebi- has been indulged, the peculiar privilege of
dae, who was guilty of an egregiousinfraction saying what he pleased of his hero.
of the league with the Thebans, and it was There was a difference too, I think, in their
visiblyfor the sake of his crimethat he took behaviourto their enemies,in point of equity
him into his protection. In short, whatever and moderation. Agesilaus wasbent uponen-
troubles Pompey brought upon the Romans, slaving Thebes, and destroyed Messene; the
either through ignorance or a timorous com- former the city from which hia family sprung,
plaisance
for his friends,Agesilausbroughtas the latter Sparta'ssister colony;* andin the
great distressesupon the Spartans,through a attempt he was near ruining Sparta,itself. On
spirit of obstinacy and resentment; for such the other hand, Pompey, after he had conquer-
was the spirit that kindled the Boeotianwar. ed the pirates, bestowedcities on such as were
If, whenwe are mentioningtheir faults,we willing to changetheir way of life; and when
maytakenoticeof their fortune,the Romans he mighthaveled Tigranes,king of Armenia,
could haveno previous idea of that of Pompey; captive at the wheels of his chariot, he rather
but the Lacedaemonianswere sufficiently fore- choseto make him an ally; on which occasion
warnedof the dangerof a lamereign, andyet he madeuse of that memorableexpression,
Agesilaus
would not sufferthemto avail them- " I preferthe glory that will last for ever, to
selves of that warning.^ Nay, supposing Le- that of a day."
otychidasa merestranger,andasmucha bas- But if the pre-eminence
in military virtueis
tard as he was; yet the family of Eurytion to be decided by such actions and counsels at
couldeasilyhavesuppliedSpartawith a king aremost characteristical
of the greatandwise
commander, we shall find that the Lacedsmo
* SeetheLift ofAgesilaus. nian leavesthe Romanfar behind. In the first
f It istrue,thelatterpartof Agesilaus's reignwasplace,he neverabandonedhiscity,thoughit
unfortunate, butthemisfortunes wereowing to his wasbesieged
malice against the Thebans,autl to his fighting (con-
by seventy
thousandmen,while
trary to Lite laws of Lycurgus) the sameenemysofre- hehadbut a handful
of mento oppose them
quently, that he taught them to beat him at last.
Nevertheless,
theoracle,
aswehaveobserved in a * For Herculeswasbornat Thebes,andMesten*
Cirtncr
note,
probably
meant
thelameness
oftheking-"was
»colony
oftheHerac)idie,as
wellusSparta.
Th«
dom,in havingbut onekinginstead
of two,anduui LatinandFrenchtranslations
have
mistaken
theMUM
thelameness
of theking. of tbis pauage.
 464 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

with, andthoselatelydefeated
in thebattleof foughtfor thecity of Rome:and not, after
Lieuctra. But Pompey,*uponCaisar'sad- callinghisflighta manoeuvre of Themistocles,
vancingwith fivethousandthreehundredmen to look uponthe delayinga battlein Thessaly
only, and taking one little town in Italy, left as a dishonour.For thegodshadnot appoint-
Rome in a panic;either meanlyyieldingto so ed the fieldsof Pharsalia
as the listgin which
trifling a force,or failing in his intelligenceof he wasto contendfor the empire of Rome,
their realnumbers. In his flight hecarriedoff norwashesummoned by a heraldto makehis
his own wifeandchildren,bu! he Jeftthoseof appearance there,or otherwiseforfeitthe paJra
the other citizens in a defencelessstate; when to another. There were innumerable plaini
heought either to havestayedandconqueredandcities; nay, his commandof the sealeft
for his country, or to have accepted such con- the whole earth to his choice, had he been de-
ditionsastheconqueror
mightimpose,whowas terminedto imitate Maximus,Marius, or Lu-
both his fellow-citizen and his relation. A lit- cullus, or Agesilaus himself.
tle while before, he thought it insupportable Agesilaus certainly had no less tumults to
to prolongthe termof his commission,
and to encounterin Sparta,when the Thebanschal-
grant him another consulship; and now he suf- lengedhim to come out and fight for his domin-
fered him to take possessionof the city, and to ions: nor were the calumnies and (landers he
tell Metellus," That heconsidered him andall metwith in Egypt from the madness of the
the other inhabitants,as his prisoners. king lessgrating,whenhe advisedthat prince
If it is the principal businessof a general to to lie still for a time. Yet by pursuing the
know how to bring the enemy to a battle when sagemeasures he had first fixed upon, be not
he is stronger,and how to avoid beingcom- only savedthe Egyptians in spiteof them-
pelledto one when he is weaker, Agesilauaselves,butkeptSpartafromsinkingintheearth-
understood that rule perfectly well, and, by quakethat threatenedher; nay, heerected there
observing it, continued always invincible. But the besttrophy imaginableagainstthe Thcbans;
Pompey could never take Ciesarata disadvan- for by keeping the Spartans from their ruin,
tage; on the contrary, he suffered Czsar to which they were so obstinately bent upon, he
take advantage of him, by being brought to put it in their power to conquer afterward
hazardall in an action at land. The conse- Henceit wasthatAgesilauswaspraisedby the
quence of which was, that Cicsar becamemas- persons whom he had saved by violence; and
ter of his treasures, his provisions and the sea Pompey, who committed an error in complai-
itself, when he might have preservedthem all, sance to it. Somesay, indeed, that he wasde
bad heknownhow to avoida battle. ceivedby his father-in-lawScipio,who,want-
As for the apology that is madefor Pompey ing to convert to his own usethe treasureshe
in this case,it reflects the greatestdishonour had brought from Asia, had concealedthem for
upon a general of his experience. If a young that purpose, and hastened the action, under
officer had been so much dispirited and dis- the pretencethat the supplieswould soon fail.
turbed by the tumults and clamours among his But, supposingthat true, a general should not
troops, as to depart from his belter judgment, have sufferedhimself to be so easily deceived,
it would have been pardonable. But for Pom- nor, in consequenceof being so deceived,have
pey the Great, whose camp the Romanscalled hazardedthe loss of all. Such are the princi-
their country, and whose tent their senate, pal strokes that mark their military characters.
while they gave the nameof"rebelsand traitors As to their voyages to Egypt, the one fled
to thosewho stayedand actedaspranorsand thither out of necessity;
the other,withoutany
consulsin Rome; for Pompey,who hadnever necessityor sufficientcause,listedhimselfin
been known to serve as a private soldier, but the service of a barbarous prince, to raise a
had made all his campaigns with the greatest fund for carrying on the war with the Greeks.
reputation as general; for such a one to be So that if we accuse the Egyptians for their
forced,by the scoffsof f'avoniusandDomitiua, behaviourto Pompey, the Egyptians blame
andthe fear of beingcalled Agamemnon, to Agesilausas much for his behaviourto them.
risk the fate of the whole empire, and of liber- The one was betrayed by those in whom he
ty, uponthe castof asingledie-who canbear put his trust; the other wasguilty of a breach
it? II'lie dreadedonly present infamy, he ought of trust, in deserting those whom he went M
to have made a stand at first, and to have support, and going over to their enemies

ALEXANDER.

IN this volumewe shall give the livesof Alex- threwPompey;and,as the quantity of mato
ander the Great, and of Cajuar, who over- rials was so great, we shall only premise, that
we hope for indulgence though we do not
" Herei<another
epregious
instance
of PluUirch'sgive the actionsin full detail andwith a scru-
prejudiceagainstthecharacterof Pompey. It iscer- pulous exactness,but rather in a short sum-
tain thathelell DotRometill hewaswellconvinced
mary; sincewe arenot writingHistories,but
of theimpossibility
ofmaintaining
it apiinat
thearmsLives. No; is it alwaysin themostdistin-
of Cxsar. For hewasnot onlycuminsagainstit with
«forremuch morepowerful thanis herementioned, guishedachievements
that men'svirtuesor
buthehadrendered cTen a siege
uunicessary, bya i vicesmaybebestdiscerned;butoftenanac-
"rcTiouidittribulictiof hii goldamongst
thecitucui.[ tion of small note,a shortsaying,or a jest,
 ALEXANDER. 465

"halld itinguish
aperson's
realcharacter
moreChiron,
of Megalopolis,
to consult
theoracle
thant) ; greatest
sieges
orthemostimportant
atDelphi;andwearetold,Apollo
command-
battlesTherefore,
aspainters
intheirportraitsed him to sacrifice
to JupiterAmmon, andto
labourhelikeness
in theface,andparticularlypayhishomage principallyto that god. It is
aboutleeyes,
in whichthepeculiar
turnof alsosaid,helostoneof hiseyes,
whichwas
mindi ostappears,
andrunovertherestwith that heapplied
to thechinkof thedoor,when
a mor<careless
hand;sowemustbepermittedhe sawthe godin hiswife'sembraces in the
to stri e offthe featuresof the soul,in orderto formof a serpent. Accordingto Eratosllien.es,
five a eallikeness
of thesegreatmen,and Olympias,
whensheconducted
Alexander
oo
leave >othersthe circumstantial
detail of their his wayin his first expedition,privately dis-
laboui and achievements. covered to him the secret of his birth, and ex-
It i allowedascertain,thatAlexander
wae hortedhimto behave withadignitysuitableto
a den'ndintot'HrrculesTby Caranus,"
andof hisdivineextraction.Othersaffirm,thatshe
JEac\i by Neoptolemus. His fatherPhilipis absolutely
rejected
it asanimpiousfiction,and
said >havebeeninitiated, whenveryyoung, usedto say, "Will Alexanderneverleaveem-
alony Uli Olympias,in the mysteries
at Sam- broilingme with Juno:"
othrace:andhavingconceived
anaffection
for Alexander*wasbornon thesixthof Heca-
her,heobtained
herin marriage
of herbrothertombcEont
[July],whichtheMacedonians
call
Arymbas,to whom he applied, because she Lous, the sameday that the templeof Diana
wasleft an orphan.The nightbeforethe con- at Ephcsuswasburned; uponwhichHegesias
lummationof the marriage, shedreamed,that the Magnesian,has uttereda conceit frigid
a thunder-boltfell uponher belly, whichkin- enoughto haveextinguished the flames. " It
dled a greatfire, andthat theflameextendedis no wonder," said he, " that the templeof
itself far andwidebeforeit disappeared.And Diana was burned, v/henshe wasat a dis-
Bornetime after the marriage,Philipdreamedtance,employed in bringingAlexanderinto the
that he sealedup the queen'swombwith a world." All the Jllctgiwhowerethenat Ephc-
seal, the impression of whichhe thoughtwas sus, looked upon the fire asa signwhichbe-
a lion. Most of the interpretersbelievedthe tokeneda muchgreater misfortune:they ran
dream announced some reason to doubt the about the town, beating their faces, and cry-
honourof Olympias,andthat Philip oughtto ing, " That theday hadbroughtforth thegreat
look more closelyto her conduct. But Aris- scourgeanddestroyerof Asia."
tauder,of Themesus,
said,it only denoted
that Philip hadjust takenthe city of Potidza,}
the queenwaspregnant;for a sealis neverput and three messengers arrived the sameday
upon any thing that is empty: and that the with extraordinarytidings. The first inform-
child would prove a boy, of a bold and lion- ed him, that Parmenio had gained a great
like courage. A serpent was also seen lying battle against the Illyrians; the second,that
by Olympias as sheslept; which is said to have his race-horsehad won the prize at the Olym-
cooled Philip's affectionsfor her more than any pic games, and the third, that Olympias was
thing, insomuchthat he seldomrepaired to her brought to bed of Alexander. His joy on that
bedafterwards;whetherit wasthat he feared occasionwas great,asmightnaturallybe ex-
someenchantmentfrom her, or abstainedfrom pected; and the soothsayersincreased it, by as-
ner embraces becausehe thought them taken suring him, that his son who was born in the
np by some superior being. midst of three victories, must of courseprove
Some, indeed, relate the affair in another invincible.
manner. They tell us, that the women of this The statuesof Alexander, that roost resem-
country were, of old, extremely fond of the bled him, were those of Lysippus, who alone
ceremoniesof Orpheus,and the orgies of Bac- had his permission to represent him in mar-
chus; and that they were called Clodoncs and ble. The turn of his head,which leaneda lit-
JUimallones,
because
in manythingstheyimi- tle to oneside, andthe quickness
of his eye,
tated the Edonian and Thracian womenabout in which many of his friends and successors
Mount Hacmus; from whom the Greek word most affected to imitate him, were best hit off
threscuein seemsto be derived, which signifies by that artist. Apellcs painted him in the
the exercise of extravagant and superstitious character of Jupiter, armed with thunder, but
observances. Olympias being remarkably am- did not succeedas to his complexion. He over-
bitious of these inspirations, and desirousof charged the colouring, and madehis skin too
giving the enthusiastic solemnities a more brown; whereas he wasfair, with a tinge of red
strange and horrid appearance, introduced a
numberof largetame serpents,which, often * In thefirstjearof tht hundred
and««thOlynv-
creeping out of the ivy and the mystic fans, piad,beforeChrist354.
and entwining about the thyrsuses and gar- t JElian(Var. Hist. 1.ii. c.25.)saysexpressly, that
landsof the women, struck the spectatorswith Alexander wasbornanddiedon thesixthdayof the
terror. monthThargelion. But supposing Plutarchright in
placinghis birth in themonthHecatomboeon, yet not
Philip, however, upon this appearance,sent that month,butBcedromion thenanswered to theMa-
cedonianmonthLous: asappears clearlyfroma letter
of Philip's, still preservedID the Orations of Demos-
" Caranus,
made himselfthe sixteenth
muter in descent
of Macedonia int""n
we Herculfs,
year be- thenes,(inOral,deCorona.) In aftertimes,indeed,
fore Christ 794; and Ale-iander the Great was the the monthLousanswered to Hecatomboeon. which,
without doubt, was the causeof Plutarch's mistake.
twenty-second
in descent
fromCaranus;
sothatfrom } Thisisanother
mistake.Potidaca
wastakentwo
Herculesto Alexandertherewerethirty-eight
gene-years before, viz.inthethirdyearoftheonehundred
rations.Thedescent byhismother's sideisnotso andthirdOlympiad ; forwhich wehweagainIht»n
clear,
therebeingmany degreeswanting
in it. It is thorityofDemosthenes, whowasPhilip's contempo-
sufficient
to know,that Olympiaswasthedaughter of rary(in Oral. Cont.Leptincn?
) as
wellas
of Diodorui
Ncoptolemus,andsisterto Arymbas. Siculus,I. xri.
 466 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

in his faceanduponhis broast. We read in traordinaryleft for you and me to do." Ai

the memoirsof Aristoxenus,thata mostagree- neitherpleasure nor richc*,bat valourandglo-
ablescentproceededfromhis skin, and that ry werehis greatobjects,he thought, that in
his breath anil whole bodywere so fragrant, proportionas the dominionshe wasto receiva
that theyperfumedhisundergarments. The from hiafather grew greater,therewould be
causeof this mightpossiblybehis hoi temper- lessroomfor himto distinguishhimself.Every
ament. For, as Theophrastus conjectures, it new acquisition of territory he considered asa
is the concoction of moisture by heat which diminution of his scene of action; for he dif
producessweet odours
; and henceit is that not desireto inherit a kingdom that would
those countries which are driest, and most bring him opulence, luxury and pleasure; but
parchedwith heat producespicesof the best onethat wouldaffordhim wars,conflicts and
kind, andin the greatestquantity; the sunex- all the exerciseof great ambition.
haling from the surface of bodiesthat moisture He had a number of tutors and preceptors.
whichis theinstrumentof corruption.It seems Leonidas,a relation of the queen's,
andaman
to li.-ivc been the same heat of constitution of great severity of manners, was at the head
which made Alexander so much inclined to of them. He did not like the nameof precep-
drink, andso subjectto passion. tor, thoughthe employmentwasimportantand
His continencesheweditself at an early honourable;and, indeed,his dignityand alli-
period; for,thoughhewasvigorous,
or ratheranceto theroyalfamilygavehimthetitle of
violentin his otherpursuits,he wasnot easily the prince'sgovernor. He who hadboththe
moved by the pleasuresof the body, andif nameandbusiness of preceptor,wasLysima-
he tastedthem,it was with greatmoderation.chus,the Acarnaman;a manwho hadneither
But there was somethingsuperlativelygreat merit nor politeness,nor any thing to recom-
and sublime in his ambition,far abovehis mend him, but his calling himself Ph<rni.ij
years. It was not all sorts of honour that he Alexander, Achilles; and Philip, Peleus. This
courted,nor did he seekit in everytrack,like procuredhim someattention,andthe second
his fatherPhilip, who was as proudof his elo- placeaboutthe prince'sperson.
quenceas anysophistcouldbe, and who had When Philomcus,the Thessalian,offered
the vanity to recordhis victoriesin the Olym- the horsenamedBucephalusin saleto Philip,
pic chariot-racein the impression of his coins. at theprice of thirteentalents,*the king,with
Alexander,on the other hand, whenhe was the princeandmanyothers,wentinto thefield
asked by some of the people about him, to seesometrial madeof him. The horseap-
"Whether he would not run in the Olympic pearedextremelyvicious andunmanageable,
race?" (for he was swift of foot), answered, and was so far from suffering himself to be
" Yes, if I hadkingsfor my antagonists. " It mounted,that he wouldnot bearto bespoken
appearsthat he had a perfectaversionto the to, but turned fiercely uponall the grooms
whole exerciseof wrestling.* For, thoughhe Philip wasdispleased at their bringinghim so
exhibitedmany other sortsof gamesandpub- wild and ungovernable a horse,andbadethem
lic diversions,in whichheproposedprizes for take him away. But Alexander,who hadob-
tragic poets,for musicianswho practisedupon servedhim well, said "What a horsearethey
the flute and lyre, and for rhapsodiststoo, losing,for want of skill andspirit to manage
thoughheentertained the peoplewith the hunt- him!" Philip at first took no notice of this}
ing of all mannerof wild beasts,andwith fenc- but,upontheprince'softenrepeatingthe same
ing or fighting with the staff,yet he gaveno expression,and shewinggreatuneasiness, he
encouragement to boxingor to the Pancra- said," Youngman,you find faultwith your el*
dels, as if you knew more than they, or could
Ambassadors from Persia happeningto ar- managethe horsebetter." " And I certainly
rive in the absenceof his father Philip, and could," answered
the prince. " If you should
Alexanderreceiving;
themin his stead,gained not beable to ride him, 'what forfeiture will
upon them greatlyby his politenessandsolid you submitto for your rashness?"I will pay
sense. He askedthemno childish or trifling theprice of the horse."
question,
but inquiredthedistances
of places, Uponthis all thecompany
laughed,
butthe
andthe roadsthrough the upperprovincesof king and prince agreeingas to the forfeiture,
Asia; he desiredto be informedof the charac- Alexanderran to the horse, and layinghold
ter of their king, in what mannerhe behavedon the bridle, turned him to the sun; for he
to his enemies,and in whatthe strengthand hadobserved,it seems,thatthe shadowwhicn
power of Persiaconsisted. The ambassadors fell beforethe horse,andcontinuallymovedas
"were
struckwithadmiration,
andlookeduponhemoved,greatlydisturbed
him. While hi*
the celebratedshrewdness
of Philip as nothing fierceness
andfury lasted,he keptspeakingto
in comparison
of theloftyandenterprising
ge- him softlyandstrokinghim; afterwhichhe
niusof hisson. Accordingly,
whenevernewsgentlylet fall hismantle,leapedlightlyupon
wasbroughtthatPhilip,hadtakensomestronghisback,and got hisseatverysafe. Then,
town, or won some great battle, the young
man, instead of appearing delighted with it, * That is,25181.
15«.sterling. This will appeara
uaed to say to his companions," My father moderate
price,compared
wiUiwhatwefindin Varro-
will goonconquering,
till therebenothing
ex- (de ReRmlic. 1.iii.c.2.)viz.thatQ.Axiu», asena-
tor, gave four hundred thousand sestercesfor an IM ;
and still more moderatewhen compared with (he ac-
" PhilopcemtD, like him had an aversion for wresl- count of Tarernier. that some horsesju Arabia wtr«
linj, because all Iheexercises
whichfit a manto excel valuedat a hundredthousandcrowns.
IDit makehim unfit for war. Pliny, in his NaturalHistory,say, the priceof Bo
f If it beaskedhow thii ihewi that Alexanderdid cephalus wassixteentalents-Sedecum talfntajeronl
"nt lovewrestling,the answeris,thePancratiumwai ex PhiloruciFhartM gregemptum. Nat. Hist, lib,
(mixture of boxingandwrestling. iiu cap.42.
 ALEXANDER. 467
Without pullingthereinstooli.-vrd,
or usingmuch lessteachit others: it serves
onlytore
either whiporspur, hesethima-going. As freshthememories of those whohave been
loon as he perceivedhis uneasiness
abated,taughtby a master.
andthathewanted onlytorun,heputhimin It appears alsoto me, thatit wasbyAm-
" fullgallop,
andpushed himonboth withthetotleratherthananyother person,
thatAlex-
voice andspur. ander wasassisted inthestudy ofphysic,for
Philip
and allhiscourt
wereingreatdistress
henotonlyloved thetheory, Imtthepractice
for himat first,anda profoundsilencetooktoo,asis clearfromhisepistles, wherewe
place.Butwhentheprince hadturned himfindthatheprescribed to hisfriendsmedi-
and broughthim straightback,theyall re- cinesanda properrtgimen.
ceivedhimwithloudacclamations,
excepthis Helovedpolitelearningtoo,andhisnatural
father,whoweptfor joy, and,kissing
him,thirstofknowledgemade hima manofexten-
gaid," Seekanother
kingdom, myson,that sivereading.TheIliad,hethought,aswella«
maybeworthyofthyabilities;
forMacedonia called,
a portable
treasureof militaryknow-
is too small"forthee." Perceivingthat he ledge;andhe had a copycorrectedbyAris-
didnoteasilysubmit
to authority,
because
he totle,whichiscalledthecasket
copy.*One-
wouldnotbeforcedtoanything,butthathe sicntusinformsus,thatheused
tolayit under
mightbeledto hisdutybythegentler
hand
of hispillowwith hissword.As hecouldnot
reason,he took the methodof persuasion
find manyotherbooksin theupperprovinces
rather than of command. He saw that his of Asia, he wrote to Harpalusfor a supply-|
educationwasa matterof too greatimpor-whosenthimtheworksof Philistus, mostof
tanceto betrustedto the ordinarymasters
in the tragediesof Euripides,Sophocles,
and
music;andthecommon circleof sciences;
and jEschylus,
andtheDithyrambicsof Telestusf
that his genius(to usetheeipressionof Sopho- and Philoxcnus.
cles)required Aristotlewasthe manhe admiredin his
youngeryears,and, ashe saidhimself,he had
The rudder'sguidance andthecurb'srestraint. no less affection for him than for his own
He therefore sent for Aristotle, the most cele- father: "From the one he derived the blessing
brated and learned of all the philosophers; of life, from the other the blessing of a good
and the reward he gave him for forming his life." But afterwards he looked upon him
son was not only honourable, but remarkable with an eye of suspicion. He never, indeed,
for its propriety. He hadformerlydismantleddid the philosopherany harm; but the testi-
the city of Stagira, where that philosopher was moniesof his regard being neither so extraor-
born, and now he re-built it, and re-established dinary nor so endearing as before, he discov-
the inhabitants,who had either fled or been ered somethingof a coldness. However,his
reducedto slavery.* He alsoprepareda lawn, love of philosophy,which he waseither born
calledMieza,for their studiesandliterarycon- with, or at leastconceivedat an early period,
versations;wheretheystill shewus Aristotle's neverquittedhis soul;asappears fromthe hon-
stone-seats,
andshadywalks. ours he paid Anaxarchus,tne fifty talents he
Alexandergainedfrom him not only moral sent Xenocrates,J and his attentionsto Dan-
and political knowledge, but was also instruct- damis and Calanus.
edm thosemoresecretandprofoundbranches When Philip went upon his expedition
of sciences,
whichtheycall acroamatic
and againstByzantium,
Alexander
wasonlysu-
epoptic,andwhich theydid not communicateteen yearsof age, yet he was left regentof
to everycommonscholar.! For whenAlexan- Macedoniaandkeeperof the seal. The Me-
derwasinAsia,andreceived information
that dari§rebellingduringhisregency,heattacked
Aristotlehadpublished somebooks,in which andoverthrew them,tooktheircity, expelled
thosepointswerediscussed, hewrotehim a thebarbarians, plantedtherea colonyof peo-
letter in behalfof philosophy,
in whichhe ple collectedfromvariousparts,and gaveit
blamed thecoursehehadtaken. Thefollow- thenameof Alexandropolis. He foughtinthe
ing is a copyof it: battle of Chzroneaagainstthe Greeks,and u
" Alexander to Aristotle, prosperity. You said to have been the first man that broke the
did wrongin publishingthe acroamaticparts sacredbandof Thebans. In our times anold
of science.}:
In whatshallwe differfrom * Hekept
it inarichcasket,
found
among thespoiU
others,
if thesublimer
knowledgewhichwe ofDarius.
Acorrect copy
ofthisedition,
revised
by
gained from you, be made common to all the Aristotle,Callisthenes,
andAnaiarchus,waspublished
world? For my part, I had ratherexcel the afterthedeathof Alexander." Darius,"saidAlex-
bulkof mankindin thesuperior
partsof learn-ander,
I, who"have
usedtokeep
no timehis
to ointments
inthis
willcasket;
anointmyself, but
convert
it
ing than in the extent of power and dominion. to a nobler use."
Farewell." t Ttlestuswas
apoetofiome
rcputalion,
andamon-
Aristotle,in complimentto this ambitionof ument
waserectedto hismemory
byArisiatustheSv-
bis, and by wayof excusefor himself,made rioniantyrant. Frotogenes
wassentfor to paintth"i»
answer,
" thatthosepointswerepublished
and monument,and
ofnot
wa«in danger thearriving
tyrant'swithinthelimited
displeasure time
; but the ce-
not published." In fact, his book of meta- lerity andexcellence
of hisexecution
savedhim. Phi-
physicsis writtenin sucha manner,
that no loxenus
washisscholar.
Philistus
wasauhistorian
one can learn that branchof sciencefrom it, oftencitedbyPlutarch.
" Pliny theelderandValeriusMaximustell us,tkat t Th* philosopher
lookbutasmallpartof thismo
StagirawasrebuiltbyAlexander,andthis whenAris- ncy.andsent(herestback; telhngthe giverhehad
totle was very old. more occasion
maintain. for it, because
he had more peopleto
t The scholarsin generalwere instructedonly in §We knowofnosuchpeople
astheModari;buta
theexotericdoctrines.
Vid. Jl\d. Getl.lib.xx.cap.5 people
called
Maedi
there
wasin Thrace,
who,asLir»
1 Doctrinesuught by privatecommunication, and tells ui (1.«yi.), usedto makeinroadsinto Mace-
delivered v\va vote. donia.
 4&S PLUTARCH' LIVES.

oakwasshewnnearthe Ccphisus, calledJllex- But Philipnosoonerhadintelligenceof it, thea

ander'soak, becausehistent hadbeenpitched hewentto Alexander's apartment, takingalong
underit; anda pieceof groundat nogreatdis- with him Philotas,the son of I'armenio,one
tance,in which the Macedonianshad buried of his most intimate friendsand companions,
theii dead. and, in his presence,
reproachedhim with hii
1 his early display of great talents made degeneracy andmeanness of spirit, in thinking
Philip very fond of his eon, so that it was with of being son-in-law to a man of Caria. one of
pleasure he heard the Macedonians call Alex- the slaves of a barbarian king. At the same
anderIcing, and him only general. But the timehewroteto theCorinthians,*insistingthat
troubles which his new marriage and his they should send Thessalus to him in chains.
amourscausedin his family,and the bicker- Harp.-ilus
andNiarchus,PhrygiusandPtolemy,
ings amongthe womendividing the whole someof theothercompanions of the prince,he
kingdom into parties, involved him in many banished. But Alexander afterwards recalled
quarrels with his son; all which were height- them, and treated them with great distinction
ened by Glympias, who, being a woman of a Some time after the Carian negotiation,
jealous and vindictive temper, inspired Alex- Pausaniasbeing abusedby order of Attalus and
ander with unfavourable sentiments of his Cleopatra, and not having justice donehim for
father. The misunderstanding broke out into the outrage, killed Philip who refused that jus-
a flame on the following occasion: Philip fell tice. Olympiae was thought to have been
in love with a young lady named Cleopatra, at principally concerned in inciting the young
an unseasonabletime of life, and married her. man to that act of revenge; but Alexander did
When they were celebrating the nuptials, her not escape uncensured. It is said that when
uncle Atulus, intoxicated with liquor, desired Pausaniasapplied to him, after having beenso
the Macedonians to entreat the gods that this dishonoured, and lamented his misfortune,
marriage of Philip and Cleopatra might pro- Alexander by way of answer, repeatedthat line
duce a lawful heir to the crown. Alexander, in the tragedy of Medea,f
provokedat this, said," What then,dostthou Thebridallather,bridegroom,
andthebride.
takemefor a bastard!"andat thesametime It mustbe acknowledged,
however,that ha
hethrewhisc pathishead.Hereupon
Philipcaused
diligent
search
tobemade
aftertheper-
roseup anddrewhissword;but, fortunatelysonsconcerned
in theassassination,
andtook
for them both, his passion arid the wine he had care to have them punished; and he expressed
drankmadehim stumble, andhefell. Alex- hisindignation at Olympias'scruel treatment
ander,takuiganinsolent advantageof thiscir- of Cleopatra in hisabsence.
cumstance, said,"Men of Macedon, seethere Hewasonlytwentyyearsoldwhenhesuc-
the man who waspreparing to passfrom ceeded to thecrown,andhe foundtheking-
EuropeintoAsia!heis notableto passfrom domtornin piecesby dangerous partiesand
onetableto anotherwithoutfalling." After implacable animosities.Thebarbarous nations,
thisinsult,hecarriedoff Olympias,andplacedeventhosethat bordered uponMacedonia,
herin Epirus. Illyricumwasthecountryhe couldnot brooksubjection, andtheylonged
pitcheduponfor hisownretreat. for their naturalkings. Philip hadsubdued
In the meantime, Demaratus, whohaden- Greeceby hisvictorious arms,butnothaving
gagements of hospitality
withtheroyalfamily hadtimeto accustom herto the yoke,hehad
of Macedon,andwho,on that account,could thrownmattersinto confusion,ratherthan pro-
speak his mind freely, cameto pay Philip a duced any firm settlement,and he left the
visit. After the Erstcivilities,Philip askedwholein a tumultuousstate. Theyoung kinga
him"What sortof agreement subsistedamongMacedonian counsellors, alarmed at thetrou-
theGreeks?"Demaratus answered, " There bleswhichthreatened him,advised himto giie
is, doubtless,
muchproprietyin yourinquiringupGreece entirely,or at leastto makenoat-
after the harmony of Greece, who have rilled tempts upon it with the sword; and to recal
your own housewith so muchdiscordanddis- the waveringbarbariansin a mild mannerto
order." This reproofbroughtPhilipto him- theirduty,byapplying healingmeasures to tie
self,andthroughuie mediation of Demaratus, beginning of the revolt. Alexander, on the
heprevailed withAlexander to return. contrary,wasof opinion, thattheonlywayto
But anothereventsoondisturbed their re- security,
anda thorough establishment of his
pose. Pexodorus, the Persiangovernorin affairs,wasto proceed withspiritandmagna-
Caria,beingdesirous to draw Philip into a nimity. For hewaspersuaded, that if heap-
league,offensiveanddefensive, by meansof peared to abateof hisdignityintheleastarticle,
an alliancebetweentheirfamilies,offeredhis lewouldbeuniversally insulted.Hetherefore
eldestdaughterin marriageto Aridzus,the quietedthecommotions, andputa stopto the
sonof Philip,andsentAristocritusintoMace- isingwarsamong thebarbarians,by marching
doniato treataboutit. Alexander's friends viththeutmost expedition asfarastheDanube,
and hismothernowinfusednotionsinto him wherehe foughta greatbattlewith Syrmus,
again,thoughperfectlygroundless,that,byso tingof theTnballi,anddefeated hun.
noble a match,and the support consequentupon
it, Philipdesigned
thecrownfor Aridzus. " Theisalus,
uponhisreturnfromAlia,masthave
Alexander,in the uneasiness
thesesuspicionsretiredtoCorinth;for the Corinthian*
hadnothing
gave him, sent one Thessatus,a player, into to doin Caria.
Caria,to desirethe grandeeto passbyAridseus, f Thepersons
meant
inthetragedy
were
Ja»on,Creu-
who wasof spurious
birth, and deficientin sa,andCreon;
andin Alexander's
application
of it,
point
of understanding,
andtotakethelawfulPhilipisthe
lui the bridegroom,
father. Cleopatra
thebriile,
andAt-
heirtothecrownintohisalliance. Pexodorus Cleopatra,
theniece
of Attalui,isbyArriaucalled
wasinfinite!' morepleasedwith this proposal.Eurrdice.1.ii. c.14.
 ALEXANDER. 469

Som* time after this, havingintelligence As for the Athenians,

he forgavethem;
that the Thebanshadrevolted,andthatthe thoughtheyexpressed u'rcatconcernat the
Athenians hadadoptedthe samesentiments, misfortune
of Thebes.For,thoughtheywere
he resolvedto shewthemhewasnolongera uponthepointof celebrating the feastof the
boy,and advanced immediatelythroughthe greatmysteries,theyomittedit onaccount of
passof Thermopylae.
" Demosthenes,"
saidthemourning
thattookplace,andreceived
he," calledmea boy,whileI wasin Illyricum,suchof the Thebansasescaped
thegeneral
andamongthe Triballi, anda striplingwhen wreck,with all imaginable
kindness,into their
in Thessaly;but I will shewhim beforethe city. But whetherhisfury, like thatof a lion,
walls of Athens that I am a man." was satiated with blood, or whether he had a
When he made his appearancebefore mindto effacea mostcruel and barbarous ac-
Thebes,he waswilling to give the inhabitantstion by an act of clemency,he not only over-
timeto changetheir sentiments. He onlyde- looked the complaintshe hadagainstthem,
mandedPha-nixand Prothytes,the first pro- but desiredthemto look well to their affairs,
moters of the revolt, and proclaimed an am- becauseif any thing happenedto him; Athena
nesty to all the rest, But the Thebans, in would give law to Greece.
their turn, demanded that he should deliver It is said the calamities he brought uponthe
up to them Philotasand Antipater,andinvit- Thebans,gavehim uneasiness
longafter, and
ed, by sound of trumpet, all men to join them on that account, he treated many others with
who choseto assist, in recoveringthe liberty of less rigour. It is certain he imputed the mur-
Greece. Alexander then gave the reins to the der of Chtus, which he committed in his wine,
Macedonians,and the war began with great and the Macedonians'dastardly refusalto pro-
fury. The Thebans,who had the combatto ceedin the Indian expedition,throughwhich
maintain against forces vastly superior in num- his wars and his glory were left imperfect, to
ber, behaved with a courage and ardour far the anger of Bacchus,the avenger of Thebes.
above their strength. But when the Mace- And there was not a Theban who survivedthe
donian garrison fell down from Cadmea,and fatal overthrow, that was denied any favour he
charged them in the rear, they were surround- requestedof him. Thus much concerning the
ed on all sides,and most of them cut in pieces. Theban war.
The city was taken, plundered, and levelled A general assembly of the Greeks being
with the ground. held at the Isthmus of Corinth, they came to
Alexander expected that the rest of Greece, a. resolution to send their quotas with Alexan-
astonished and intimidated by so dreadful a der against the Persians, and he was unani-
punishment of the Thebans, would submit in mously elected captain-general. Many states-
silence. Yet he found a more plausible pre- men and philosophers came to congratulate
tence for his severity; giving out that his late him on the occasion;and he hoped that Dioge-
proceedingswere intended to gratify his allies, nes of Sinope, who then lived at Corinth,
being adopted in pursuance of complaints would be of the number. Finding, however,
madeagainstThebesby the peopleof Phocis that lie madebut little accountof Alexander,
and Plata^a. He exempted the priests,all that and that he preferred the enjoyment of his
theMacedonians wereboundto by the tiesof leisurein a partof thesuburbscalledCranium,
hospitality,the posterityof Pindar,and such ic went to see him. Diogeneshappenedto
as hadopposed the revolt: the resthesoldfor be Ivingin the sun; andat the approachof so
slaves,to the numberof thirty thousand.There manypeople,heraisedhimselfupa little, and
were abovesix thousandkilled in the battle. fixedhis eyesupon Alexander. The king ad-
The calamitieswhich that wretchedcity dressedhim in an obligingmanner,and asked
suffered,were various and horrible. A party him, " If there was any thing he could serve
of Thraciansdemolishedthe houseof Timo- him in?" " Only standa little out of my sun-
clea,a womanof quality and honour. The shine," said Diogenes. Alexander,we are
soldierscarriedoff the booty;andthe captain, told,wasstruckwith such surpriseat finding
afterhavingviolatedthe lady,askedher wheth- himselfso little regarded,
andsawsomething
er shehadnot somegoldandsilverconcealed.so great in that carelessness, that, while his
Shesaidshehad; and taking him aloneinto courtierswereridiculing the philosopher as a
the garden,shewedhim a well, into which, monster,he said, " If I were not Alexander,
shetold him,she had thrown everything of I shouldwishto be Diogenes."
value, when the city was taken. The officer He chose to consult the oracle about tha
stoopeddown to examine the well; upon eventof the war, and for that purposewent
whichshepushedhim in, andthendispatchedto Delphi. He happenedto arrive there
himwithstones.The Thracians,
coming up, ononeof the dayscalledinauspicious,upon
seized
andboundher hands,
and carriedher which the .»w permittedno manto put
beforeAlexander,
whoimmediatelyperceivedhisquestion.At firsthesentto theprophet
byherlookandgait,andthefearless
manner
ess,toentreat
hertodoheroffice;butfinding
in whichshefollowedthat savage
crew,that sherefused
to comply,andalleged
thelawin
shewasawoman of qualityandsuperior
sen-herexcuse,
hewenthimself,
anddrewherby
timents.Thekingdemanded whoshewas?forceintothetemple.Then,asif conquered
Sheanswered,
" I amthesisterof Thfiagenes.
by hisviolence,
shesaid," My son,thouart
who,in capacity
of general,
fought
Philipfor invincible."Alexander,
hearingthis,said,
theliberty of Greece,and fell in thebattle " He wanted
nootheranswer,
for hehadtho
of Chironea." Alexander,admiringher an- veryoraclehe desired."
swera.idtheboldactionshehadperformed,Whenhewason thepointof setting out
commanded herto besetat libertyandher uponhisexpedition,
hehadmanysignsfrom
children
withher. thedivine
powers.
Amongtherest,thnatatu*
470 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
of Orpheus
in Libethra,*which wasof cy- time. For thekingsof Macetionusednever
press wood, was in a profuse sweat for several to march out to war » the month Daisiut,
days. Thegenerality
apprehended
this to be Alexander
curedthemof this pieceof super
an ill presage;but Aristanderbadethem dis- stition,by orderingthat monthto becalledthe
miss their fears.-"It signified,"he said,"that second Jlrtemisius. And when Parmenioob-
Alexanderwould perform actions so worthy jectedto his attemptingapassage
so late in the
to be celebrated,that they would cost the day,hesaid," The Hellespontwouldbluah,if
poets and musiciansmuch labour and sweat." after having passedit, he should be afraid of
As to the number of his troops, those that the Granicug." At the same time he threw
put it at the least,say he carriedover thirty himselfinto the streamwith thirteentroopsof
thousand foot and five thousand horse; and horse; and as he advanced in the face of the
Ihey who put it at the most,tell us hisarmy enemy'sarrows,in spite of the steepbanks,
consistedof thirty-fourthousandfoot andfour whichwerelinedwith cavalrywell armed,and
thousandhorse. The moneyprovidedfor their the rapidityof the river,whichoftenborehim
subsistenceand pay, according to Aristobulus, down or covered him with its waves, his mo-
was only seventy talents; Dunus says, he had tions seemed rather the effects of rnadncsi
no more than would maintain them one month; than sound sense. He held on, however, till,
but Onesicntusalfirms,that he borrowedtwo by great and surprisingefforts,he gainedthe
hundred talents for that purpose. oppositebanks, which the inud made extreme-
However,thoughhis provisionwasso small, ly slippery and dangerous.-Whenhe was
he chose,at his embarkation, to enquireinto there,he wasforcedto standanengagement
the circumstancesof his friends; and to one with the enemy,hand in hand,andwith great
he gave a farm, to anothera village; to this the confusion on his part, because they attacked
revenue of a borough, and to that of a post. his men as fast as they came over, before he
Whenin this mannerhehaddisposed
of almost hadtime to formthem. For the Persiantroops
all the estatesof the crown, Perdiccas asked, charging with loud shouts, and with horse
him," What hehadreserved
for himself!"The againsthorse,madegood useof their spears,
king answered, "Hope." "Well," replied and, when those were broken, of their swords.
Perdiccas, " we who sharein your labours will Numbers pressed hard on Alexander, he-
also take part in your hopes." In consequence causehe was easy to be distinguished,both by
of which, he refused the estate allotted him, his buckler, and by his crest, on each side of
and some others of the king's friends did the which was a large and beautifuj plume of
eaine. As for those who accepted his offers, white feathers. His cuirass was pierced by a
or applied to him for favours, he servedthem javelin at the joint; but he escaped unhurt.
with equal pleasure; and by these meansmost After this, Rhcesacesand Spithridates, two of-
of his Macedonian revenues were distributed ficers of great distinction, attacked him at
and gone. Such was the spirit and disposition once. He avoided Spithridates with great ad-
with which he passedthe Hellespont. dress, and received Rhcesaceswith such a
As soon as he landed, he went up to Ilium, stroke of his spear upon his breastplate,that
where he sacrificed to Minerva, and offered it broke it in pieces. Then he drew his sword
libations to the heroes. He also anointed the to dispatchhim, but hiRadversary still main-
pillar upon Achilles's tomb with oil, and ran tained the combat. Meantime, Spithridatea
round it with his friends, naked, according to came up on one side of him, and raising him-
the custom that obtains; after which he put a self up on his horse,gave him a blow with hia
crown upon it, declaring, "He thought that battle-axe, winch cut off his crest with one
hero extremely happy,in having found a failli- side of the plume. Nay, the force of it was
ful friend while he lived, and after his death, such, that the helmet could hardly resist it;
an excellent herald to set forth his praise." As it even penetrated to his hair. Spithridatea
he went aboutthe city to look uponthe curi- wasgoingto repeathis stroke,whenthe cele-
osities, he was asked, whether he chose to see brated Glims prevented him, by running him
Paris's lyre? " I set but little value," said he, through the body with a spear. At the same
"upon the lyre of Paris; but it would give me time Alexander brought Kha-saces to the
pleasureto secthat of Achilles,to whichhe groundwith his sword.
sung the glorious actions of the brave."f While the cavalry were fighting with so
Jo the meantime, Danus'sgeneralshad as- much fury, the Macedonianphalanxpassed
sembleda great army, and taken post uponthe the river, and then the infantry likewise en-
banks of the Gramcus; so that Alexander was gaged. The enemy made no great or long re-
under the necessityof fighting there, to open sistancc, but soon turned their backsand fled,
the gates of Asia. Many of his officers were all but the Grecian mercenaries,who, making
apprehensiveof the depth of the river, and the a stand upon an eminence,desired Alexander
roughandunevenbanksontheother side;and to give his word of honourthat they inould
somethoughta proper regardshouldbepaid bespared. But that prince,influencedrather
to a traditionaryusage with respectto the by his passionthan his reason,instead"
of giv-
ingthemquarter,advanced to attackthem,and
was so warmly received, that he had his horse
killed under him. It was not, however, the
uouni neuron, prooaoiy so denominated uy urpneus. famous Bucephalus. In this dispute he had
t '(in-,alludeslo thaipassage
m theninthbookof moreof his meii JciDed
and woundedthan in
beIliad . all the rest of the battle; for here they had tc
do with experienced
soldiers,who foughtwith
a courageheightened with despair.
The barbarians,we are told, lost in thu
 ALEXANDER. 47*

tattle tw ;nty thousandfootandtwo thousand He had stayedtometime at Phaselis;and

6ve hundredhorse;*whereasAlexanderhad havingfound in the market-placea statueol
Do morethan thirty-fourmen killed,f nineof Theodectes,who was of that place,but then
which werethe infantry.To dohonourto their dead, he went out oneeveningwhenhehad
memory,
heerected
a statuetoeachof themin drankfreelyat supper,in masquerade,
and
brass,the workmanship of Lysippus.Andthat coveredthe statuewith garlands.Thus, in an
the Greeksmighthavetheir sharein the glory hourof festivity,he paidan agreeable
compli-
of the day,he sent them presentsout of the mentto the memoryof a manwith whomh«
spoil: to the Atheniansin particular he sent had formerlyhad a connection,by mcausof
three hundred bucklers. Upon the rest of the Aristotle and philosophy.
"polls hnput ihis pompous
inscription,WON
BY After this he subdued
suchof the Piaidiam
ALEXAN1IER THE SONOF PHILIP,ANDTHE as hadrevolted,andconquered Phrygia.Upon
GREEKS(EXCEPTINGTHE LACED.-EMONIANS,) taking Gordium, which is said to have been
or THE BARBARIANS
IN ASIA. The greatest the seat of the ancient Midis, he found the fa,
part of the plate, the purple furniture, and mouschariot,fastenedwithcords,madeof the
other things of that kind which he took from bark of the cornel-tree, and was informed of a
the Persians, he sent to his mother. tradition, firmly believedamongthe barbarians,
This battle made a great and immediate " That the Kates haddecreedthe empire of the
change in the face of Alexander's affairs; inso- world to the man who should untie the knot."
much that Sardis, the principal ornament of Most historians say that it wastwisted so many
the Persian empire on the maritime side,made private ways, and the ends soartfully concealed
its submission. All the other cities followed within, that Alexander, finding he could not
its example,except Halicarnassus andMile- untie it, cut it asunderwith his sword,andso
tus; thesehe took by storm, and subduedall mademanyendsinsteadof two. But Ansto-
the adjacentcountry. After this he remained bulus affirms, that heeasily untied it, by taking
Eometime in suspenseasto the coursehe should out the pin which fastened the yoke to the
take. One while he was for going with great beam, and then drawing out the yoke itself.
expedition, to risk all upon the fate of one bat- His next acquisitionswere in Paphlagomaand
tle with Dariun; another while he was for first Cappadocia; and there news was brought him
reducing all the maritime provinces; that when of the death of Memnon,* who was the most
he had exercisedand strengthened himself by respectableofficer Darius had in the maritime
those intermediate actions and acquisitions, he parts of his kingdom, and likely to have given
might then march against that prince. the invader most trouble. This confirmed him
There is a spring in Lycia, near the city of in his resolution of marching into the upper
the Xanthians, which, they tell us, at that time provinces of Asia.
turned its courseof its own accord, and, over- By this time Darius had taken his departure
flowing its banks, threw up a plate of brass, from Susa, full of confidence in his numbers,
upon which were engraved certain ancient for his army consistedof no less than six hun-
characters,signifying" That the Persianem- dred thousandcombatants;and greatly en-
pire would one day come to a period and be
destroyedby the Greeks."Encouragedby this city of Phaselis,"
say*he,tl between
LyciaandPam-
prophecy, he hastenedto reduce all the coast, phylia,thereisa passage
bythesea-side,
throughwhich
as far as PhoeniceJand Cilicia. His march Alexandermarchedhis army. This passage is Ttry
throughPamphylia
hasafforded
matterto manyClimax,
narrow,andliesbetweentheshore
andthemountain
whichoverlooks
the Pamjihjliansea.It isdry
historians for pompous description, as if it at low water, so that travellers pass through it with
wasbythe interpositionof Heaventhatthe sea safety
; butwhentheseais high,it is overflowed.
It
retired before Alexander, which at other times wasthen thewinter season,
and Alexander,who de-
ran there with so strong a current, that the peudedmuch uponhis goodfortune,wasresolved to
breaker-rocksat the foot of the mountain very set out, without staying till the floods were abated,
so that his men were forced to march up to the middle
seldomwere left bare. Menander, in his plea- in water.'1 Strab. lib. xiv.
santway,refersto this pretendedmiraclein Josephus referstothispassage ofAletander,togain
one of his comedies. th« morecredit,amongtht Gvetln and Romans, to
HowlikegreatAlexander!doI seek the passage
oftheIsraelitesthrough theRed$ta.
* Upon the death of Meinnou, who had begunwith
A friend ? Spontaneoushe presentshimself.
Have1to marchwhereseasindignant
roll/ greatsuccess
toreduce
the Greekinlands,
andw.non
Thesearetires,
andthere1march. the pointor invading
Euboja,Dariuswasat a losi
whomto employ. While he wasin this suspense,
But Alexander
himself,
in hisFpistles,
makesCharidemus,
anAthenian,
whohadserved
withgreat
no miracleof it;§ he only says, "He march- reputation
underPhilipof Macedon, butwasnowvery
edfrom Phafelis,by the waycalled Climax." jealous
for thePersianinterest,attempted
to setthe
king andhis ministersright. " While you,Sir," said
* Somemanuscripts mention only ten thousandfoot he to Darius, " are safe,the empire can never be in
filled, whichistheuumberwehavein Diodorus(505). greatdanger. Let me, therefore,eihort youneverto
Arrian (p. 45.)makesthenumberof horsekilled only eipoacyour person,but to makechoiceof someable
ft thousand. general
to marchagainst
yourenemy.Onehundred
t Airran (47.)nyt, therewereabouttwentyfiveof thousand menwill bemorethan suflicient,provideda
the king'sfriend* killed; andof persons
of lessnote, third of thembemercenaries,
to Cmnptlhim to aban-
liily horseand thirty foot. C. Curtiusinformsus, donthis enterprise; andif youwill honourmewith
it was only the twenty-five Jriendswho hadstaiues. thecommand, 1 will beaccountable
for the successof
Theywereerected at Dia,a cityof Macedonia,from whatI advise."Dariuswasready to accede to the
whenceQ. Metellus removedthem long afltt, and «ar- proposal;butIte Feniangrandtes, through envy, ac-
ried them to Rome. cusedCharidemus of a treasonabledesign,andtflected
} 1 hisPlicenice,
asPalcrmius ha*observed,wasa hisruin. Dariusrepented in a fewdayj,butit wai
districtofLyciaorPamphylia. thentoolate. Thatablecounsellor aid general wu
$Thereislikewise a passage in Slrabowhichfully condemned andexecuted. Uiod.Sic.1.jvii. O Curt,
proves that there was no miracle iu it:- " Near the lib. in.
 172 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

couraged besidesby a dream, which the Magi and recovered»o well that he was able to shew
had inteipreted rather in the manner they himself to the Macedonians,whosedistress
thoughtwould pleasehim than with a regard did not abatetill he camepersonallybefore
to probability. He dreamed " That he saw them.
the Macedonianphalanxall on fire, andthat There wasin the armyof Darius, a Mace
Alexander,
in thedresswhichhe,Darius,had donian
fugitive,
named
Amyntas,
whoknewper-
formerly worn, when one of the king's couriers, fectly well the disposition of Alexander. This
acted as his servant; after whichAlexander man,perceivingthatDariuspreparedto march
went into the templeoPBelus,and theresud- through (he straits in questof Alexander,
denly disappeared." By this Heaven seemsto begged of him to remain where he was, an/
have signified, that prosperityand honour takethe advantageof receivinganenemy,so
would attendtheMacedonians; and thatAlex- much inferior to him in number,uponlarge
ander would become master of Asia, like Da- and spaciousplains. Darius answered, " He
rius beforehim, who,of a simplecourier,be- wasafraidin thatcasetheenemywouldfly with-
came a king; but that he would nevertheless out coming to an action, and Alexanderescape
soon die, and leave his glory behind him. him." " If that is all your fear," replied the
Darius was still more encouragedby Alex- Macedonian, " let it give you no farther unea-
ander's long stay in Cilicia, which he looked siness; for he will come to seek you, and is
uponas the effectof his fear. But the real alreadyon his march." However,his repre-
cause of his stay was sickness,which some at- sentations had no effect: Darius set out for
tribute to his great fatigues,andothersto his Cilicia; and Alexanderwasmaking for Syria
bathing in the river Cyduus, whose water is in quest of him; but happeningto miss each
extremely cold. His physiciansdurst not give other in the night, they both turned back;
him any medicines,becausethey thought them- Alexander rejoicing in bis good fortune, and
selves not so certain of the cure, as of the dan- hastening to meet Darius in the straits; while
ger they must incur in the application; for they Darius endeavouredto disengagehimself, and
feared the Macedonians, if they did not suc- recover his former camp. For, by this time, he
ceed, would suspectthem of somebad practice. was sensibleof his error in throwing himself
Philip, the Acarnanian, sawhow desperatethe into ground, hemmedin by the seaon one side,
king's casewas, as well asthe rest; but, beside and the mountainson the other, and intersect-
the confidence he had in his friendship, he ed by the river Pinarus; so that it was imprac-
thought it the highest ingratitude, when his ticable for cavalry, and his infantry could only
master was in so much danger, not to risk act in small and broken parties, whilej at the
lomething with him, in exhausting all his art sametime, this situation was extremely conve-
for his relief. He therefore attempted the nient for the enemy's inferior numbers.
cure, and found no difficulty in persuading the Thus fortune befriendedAlexander as to the
king to wait with patiencetill bis medicinewas scene of action, but theskilful dispositionof his
prepared, or to take it when ready;so desirous forces contributed still more to his gaining the
was he of a speedyrecovery, in order to pro- victory. As his army was very small in com-
secute the war. parisonof that of Darius, he took care to draw
In the meantime,Parmenio sent him a letter it up so as to prevent its being surrounded, by
from the camp, advising him " To beware of stretching out his right wing farther than the
Philip, whom," hesaid," Darius had prevailed enemy's left. In that wing he acted in person,
upon, by presents of infinite value, and the pro- and, fighting in the foremost ranks, put the
mise of his daughter in marriage, to take him barbarians to flight. He was wounded, how-
off by poison." As soon as Alexander had read ever, in the thigh, and, according to Chares,by
the letter, he put it under his pillow, without Darius, who engagedhim hand to hand. But
shewing it to any of his friends. The time Alexander, in the accounthe gaveAntipater of
appointed being come, Philip, with the king's the battle, does not mention who it was that
friends, entered the chamber, having the cup ivounded him. He only says, he received a
which contained the medicine in his hand. The wound in his thigh by a sword, and that no
king receivedit freely,without the leastmarks dangerous
consequences
followedit.
of suspicion, and at the same time put the let- The victory was a very signal one; for he
ter in his hunds. It was a striking situation, killed above a hundred and ten thousand of
and more interesting than any scenein a trage- the enemy." Nothing was wanting to com-
dy; theonereadingwhile the otherwasdrink- plete it but the taking of Darius; and that
ing. They lookeduponeachother,but with a prince escapednarrowly,havinggot the start
very different air. The king, with an open of his pursuer only by four or five furlongs.
and unembarrassedcountenance,expressedhis Alexander took his chariot and his bow, and
regard for Philip, and the confidence he had in returned with them to his Macedonians. He
his nonuur; Philip's looks shewed his indigna- found them loading themselveswith the plun-
tion at the calumny. One while he lifted up der of the enemy's camp, which was rich and
his eyes and hands to heaven, protesting his various; though Darius, to make "liis troops
fidelity; another while he threw himself down fitter for action, had left most of the baggage
by the bedside, entreating his master to be of in Damascus. The Macedonians had reserved
good courage and trust to his care. for their master,the tent of Darius, in which he
The medicine, indeed, was so strong, and found officers of the household magnificently
orerpuwered his spirits in such a manner, that clothed, rich furniture, and great quantities of
at first he was speechless, and discovered gold and silver.
"carccanysign of senseor life. But afterwards As soon as 'he had put off his armour, he
be wassoonrelievedby this faithfulphysician,*
* >u three Jays' lime. * Diodoruj sayi a I undred anil thirty thousand.

I
 ALEXANDER. 478

weptlo thebath,sayingto thoseabouthim lives,though

theyweretall andbeautiful,
Alei-
"Ixit usgoandrefresh
ourselves,
afterthefa andertookno farthernoticeof themthanto
tieuea of the field, in the ba(h of Darius.' say, by way of jest, " What eye-soresthese
" Nay,rather,"saidoneof hisfriends," inth< Persianwomenare!" He founda counter-
bathof Alexander;for the goodsof thecon charmin the beautyof self-government
and
quered
are,andshallbecalled,
theconquersobriety;
and,in thestrength
of that,passed
or's." \Vher. he had taken a view of the basons them by, as so many statues.
vials,boxes,andother vasescuriouslywrought Philoxenus,whocommanded
hisforcesupon
ingold,smelled
thefragrantodours
ofessences
thecoast,acquainted
himby letter,that there
and seenthe splendid furniture of spaciouswas one Theodorus,a Tarentine, with him,
apartments,
heturnedto hisfriends,
andsaid whohadtwo beautiful
boysto sell,anddesired
" This, then,it seems,it wasto bea king!"* to know whetherhechoseto buythem. Alex-
As he wassitting downto table,an account anderwas so much incensedat this applica-
was brought him, that among the prisonerstion, that he askedhis friendsseveraltimes,
were the motherandwife of Darius, and two " What baseinclinationsPhiloxenushad ever
unmarrieddaughters;andthat uponseeinghis seenin him, that he durstmake him so infa-
chariotandbow, theybrokeout into great la- mousa proposal?"in his answerto the letter,
mentations, concluding that he was dead. which wasextremelysevereupon Philoxenug
Alexander,after somepause,duringwhichhe he orderedhim to dismissTheodorusand his
was rather commiseratingtheir misfortunes,vile merchandisetogether.He likewise repri-
than rejoicingin his own success,sentLeona- mandedyoungAgnon,for offeringto purchase
tus to assurethem," That Darius was not dead; Crobylus for him, whose beauty was famousin
that theyhadnothingto fear from Alexander, Corinth. Being informed,that two Macedo-
for his disputewith Dariuswasonly for em- nians,namedDamonandTirnotheus,hadcor-
pire; andthattheyshould
findthemselves
pro- ruptedthe wivesof someof hismercenaries,
Tided for in the same manner as when Darius who served under Parmenio, he ordered that
wasin his greatestprosperity."If this messageofficer to enquireinto the affair, and if they
to the captiveprincesses
wasgraciousandhu- werefoundguilty, to put them to death,asno
mane,his actionswerestill moreso. He al- betterthan savages bent on the destructionof
lowed them to do the funeral honoursto what iijrnan kind. In the same letter, speaking of
Persianstheypleased, andfor that purpose
fur- us own conduct,he expresses
himselfin these
nishedthemout of the spoilswith robes,and terms: "For my part, I have neither seen,
all the other decorationsthat werecustomary.nor desiredto see,the wife of Dariusj so far
They hadasmanydomestics, andwereserved, "romthat,I havenot sufferedanymanto speak
in all respects,in as honourablea manneras of her beautybeforeme." He usedto say,
before; indeed, their appointments weregreat- " That sleep and the commerce with the set
er But there wasanother part of his beha- werethe thingsthat madehim most sensible
viour to them still more noble and princely. of his mortality" For he consideredboth
Though they were now captives, he consider- wearinessand pleasure as the natural effect*
edthat theywere ladies,not onlyof highrank, of our weakness.
but of greatmodestyandvirtue,andtookcare He wasalso very temperatein eating. Of
that theyshouldnot hearan indecent
word, histherearemanyprooi's;andwehavea re-
nor havethe leastcauseto suspectany danger markableone in whathe said to Ada, whom
to their honour. Nay, as if theyhadbeenin a le calledhis mother,and had madequeenof
holy temple,or asylumof virgins,rather than 7aria.fc Ada, to expressher affectionatere-
in anenemy'scamp,theylived unseenandun- ;ards, senthim every daya numberof eicel-
approached, in the mostsacredprivacy. ent dishesand a handsomedessert;and at
It is said, the wife of Darius was one ofthe ast she sent him some of her best cooks and
most beautiful women, as Darius was one of bakers. But he said, " He had no need of
the tallestand handsomest
men in the world, hem; for he had beensupplied with better
and that their daughtersmuch resembledthem. cooks by his tutor Leonidas; a march before
But Alexander,no doubt,thoughtit moreglo- lay to dresshis dinner, and a light dinner to
rious and worthy of a king to conquer himself repare his supper." He added,that" the same
than to subdue his enemies,and therefore nev- -.eonidasusedto examinethe chestsand wanl-
er approachedone of them. Indeed, his con- obes in which his bedding and clothes weie
tinencewassue.i,thatheknew not anywoman >ut,lest somethingof luxury and superfluity
beforehis marriage,exceptBarsine,who be- houldbeintroducedthereby his mother."
came a widow by the death of her husband Nor was he so much addicted to wine as he
Memnon,andwastakenprisonernearDamas- vas thoughtto be. It was supposed
so,be-
cus. She was very well versed in the Greek causehe passeda great deal of his time at ta-
literature,a womanofthe mostagreeabletem- >le;but that wasspentrather in talking than
per, and of royal extraction; for her father drinking; everycupintroducingsomelongdis
Artabazus
wasgrandson
to a kingof Pf-sia.f course.Besides,he nevermadetheselong
According te 'Vnstobulus,it was Parmemo that meals but when he had abundanceof leisuie
put Alexander uponthis connection with so ac-
complished a woman, whose beauty was her
* Thisprinceis,afterthedeathof hcreldeit brother
leastperfection. As for theother femalecap- Vlausolus, andhisconsortArtemisia,whodiedwithout
hildreu,succeeded to the throne,with her brothrr
lidreus, to whomihe had beenmarntd. Hidre'U
*Asifhehadsaid,
"Could
akingplace
hishappiness
)inKbefore
her,Peiodoru.,
herthirdbrother,
de-
IDjucnenjoyments asthese?"
CorAlexander
wunot, hrm.ed her,and,
after
hisueaih,
hisiwo-in-law
Oron
till longafterthis,corrupted
bythePersian,
luiury. i-s»ei/,ed
thecrown.DulAlriander rcilored
t«r I*
t Rontua kiuguf Persia'»
daughter. Uiepoueiiioa
of herduiniuioni.
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

upon his handi. When business called, he It appearedto Alexander a matter of great
wasnot to be detainedby wine,or sleep,or importance,betorehewentfarther,to gainthe
pleasure,or honourablelove,or the mosten- maritimepowers.Uponapplication,the kingi
tertaining spectacle, though the motions of of Cyprus and Phoeniciamadetheir submission:
othergeneralshavebeenretardedby someof only Tyre held out. He besiegedthat city
thesethings. His life sufficientlyconfirmsthis sevenmonths,duringwhich time he erected
assertion; for, though very short, he performed vast mounts of earth, plied it with his engines,
ID it the innumerable great actions. and invested it on the side next the seawith
On his days of leisure, as soon as he was two hundredgalleys. He had a dream in which
risen he sacrificedto the gods; after which he he saw Hercules offering him his hand from
took his dinnersilling. The restof the dayhe the wall, andinvitinghim to enter.And manj
"pent in hunting, or deciding the differences of the Tyrians dreamed,*" That Apollo de-
among his troops, or in reading and writing. clared he would go over to Alexander,because
If he was upon a march which did not require he was displeasedwith thdr behaviour in the
haste, he would exercise himself in shooting town." Hereupon, the Tyrians, as if the god
and darting the javelin, or in mounting and had been a deserter taken in the fact, loaded
alighting from a chariot at full speed. Some- his statue with chains, and nailed the feet to
times also he diverted himself with fowling the pedestal; not scrupling to call him anJtiex-
and fox-hunting, as we find by his journals. andrist. In another dream Alexander thought
On his return to his quarters, when he went he saw a satyr playing before him at somedis-
to be refreshedwith the bath and with oil, he tance; and when he advanced to take him the
inquired of the stewardsof his kitchen, wheth- savageeluded his grasp. However, at last, af-
er they had prepared every thing in a hand- ter much coaxing and taking many circuits
Bomemanner for supper. It was not till late in round him, he prevailed with him to surrender
the evening, and when night was come on, himself. 7'he interpreters, plausibly enough,
that he took this meal, and then he cat in a re- divided the Greek term for satyr into two, Sa
cumbent posture. He was very attentive to Tyros, which signifies Tyre is thine.. They
his guests at table, that they might be served still shew us a fountain, near wlr.ch Alexander
equally, and none neglected. His entertain- is said to have seen that vision.
ments, as we have already observed, lasted About the middle of the siege he made an
many hours; but they were lengthened out excursion against the Arabians, who dwelt
"ather by conversation than drinking. His con- about Antilibanus. There he ran a great risk
versation, in many respects, was more agreea- of his life, on account of his preceptorLysi-
ole than that of most princes, for he was not machus, who insisted on attendinghimj being,
deficient in the graces of society. His only as he alleged, neither older nor less valian
/ault was his retaining so much of the soldier* than Phomix. But when they cameto the hills,
as to indulge a troublesome vanity. He would and quitted their horses,to march up on foo
jiot only boast of his own actions, but suffered the rest of the party got far before AJexand
himself to be cajoled by flatterers to an amaz- and Lysimachus. Night came on, and, as the
ing degree. These wretcheswere an intolera- enemywasat no great distance,the king would
ble burden to the rest of the company,who did not leavehis preceptor bornedown with fatigue
chooseto contend with them in adulation, nor and the weight of years. Therefore, while he
vetto appearbehindthemin their opinionof wasencouraging and helpinghim forward,he
their king's achievements. was insensiblyseparatedfrom his troops,and
As to delicacies,he hadsolittle regardfor had a dark andverycold night to passin an
hem, that when the choicestfruit and fish exposedanddismalsituation. In thisperplex
werebroughthim from distant countriesand ity, he observed at adistanoea numberof scat
seas,hewouldsendsometo eachof hisfriends, teredfireswhich the enemyhad lighted; ana
andhe very oftenleft nonefor himself. Yet dependingupon his swiftnessandactivity,at
there wasalways a magnificence at his table, well as accustomed to extricatethe Macedo-
and the expenserose with his fortune,till it niansout of everydifficulty,by takinga share
came to ten thousanddrachmas for one enter- in the labour and danger, he ran to the neit
tainment. There it stood; and hedid not suf- fire. After having killed two of the barbarians
fer those that invited him to exceedthat sum. that sat watching it, heseizeda lighted brand,
After the battle of Issus be sent to Damas- and hastened with it to his parly, who soon
cus,and seizedthe moneyand equipages
of kindleda great fire. The sight of thisso in
the Persians, together with their wives and timidated the enemy that many of them fled,
children. On that occasion the Thessalian and those who ventured to attack him were re-
cavalryenrichedthemselves most. Theyhad, pulsedwith considerable loss. By this means
indeedgreatly distinguishedthemselves in the he passedthe night in safety,accordingto the
action, andthey werefavouredwith this com- accountwe havefrom Chares.
mission,that they mighthavethe bestsharein As for the siege,it was broughtto a termi-
the spoil. Not but the restof the armyfound nation in this manner. Alexanderhad per-
sufficient booty; and the Macedonians having
ance tasted the treasures and the luxury of the
barbarians, hunted for the Persian wealth with » Oneof theTyriansdreamed,
hesawApolloflying
all the ardourof houndsuponscent. fromthecity. Uponhisreporting
thisto thepeople
theywouldnavestonedhim,suppo5ing
that hedid it
to intimidate them. He wa» obliged, therefore, to
" The ancienU,in their comicpieces,user*always takerefugein the templeof Hercules. Dutthe mag-
to pul the rodomontadesin the character of a soldier. istrates, upon mature ckliheratici, rc«nlved to fit on«
At present,thearmyhaveas little vanity35any«t of endof a pold chainto the sUtucof ipoUo,and the
peoplewhatever. otherto the altarof Herculct. Dtvior. Snc,lib. ni t
 ALEXANDER. 475
mltteil
hismainbodyto repose themselves,
hisownname,bytheadvice
o hisarchitecU
"flerthelongandseverefatigues
theyhad
un-hehadmarked outapiece
ofground,
anawas
dergone,andordered only
some smallparties
preparing
tolaythefoundation;
butawonder-
tokeep theTynans in play.In themean- fuldream
made himfixuponanothersitua-
time,Aristandcr,
hisprincipal
soothsayer,
of-tion.Hethought aperson
withgreyhair,
and
feredsacrifices,
andoneday,upon inspecting
averyvenerable
aspect,
approached
him,and
theentrails
of the victim, heboldlyasserted
repeated
thefollowinglines:
amongthoseabouthim that the city would Higho'era gulfy seatheParthian
isle
certainly
betakenthatmonth.Asit happen- FronUthc
deeproarofdisemboguing
Nilf.
Pope.
ed then to be last day of the month his asser-
tion wasreceivedwith ridiculeand scorn.Alexander,
uponthis,immediately
lefthisbed,
Thekingperceived
hewasdisconcerted,
andandwenttoPharos,
whichatthattimewasan
making
it a pointto bringtheprophecies
of island
lyingalittleabove
theCanobic
mouth
of
hisministers
tocompletion, gaveorders that theNile,butnowisjoinedtothecontinent by
thedayshouldnot becalledthethirtieth,but a causeway.Henosooner casthiseyesupon
thetwenty-eighth
of themonth.At thesametheplace, thanheperceived thecornmodious-
timehecalledouthisforces
bysound oftrum-ness of thesituation.It isa tongueof laud.
pet,andmade amuchmorevigorous assault notunlikeanisthmus, whose breadthis pro-
thanheat first intended. The attackwasvio- portionable
to its length. Ononesideit hasa
lent,andthosewhowere left behindin the greatlake,and on theotherthe sea,which
camp,
quitted
it to havea share
in it, andto there
forms
acapacious
harbour.
Thisledhim
supporttheir fellow-soldiers;
insomuchthat to declare,
that"Homer,amonghis otherad-
theTyrianswereforcedto give out, andthe mirablequalifications,
wasanexcellent
archi-
citywastaken
thatveryday. tect,"andheordered a city to be planned
From thencehe marchedinto Syria,and suitable
to theground,
anditsappendant conve-
laidseige
toGaza,
thecapital
of thatcountry.niences.Forwantof chalk, theymade useof
Whilehe wasemployed there,a bird,as it flour,whichanswered
wellenough upona black
flewby,let falla clodof earthuponhisshoul-soil,andtheydrewa line withit aboutthe
der,andthengoingtoperchonthecross-cords semicircularbay.The armsof thissemicircle
with whichtheyturnedtheengines,wasen- wereterminated by straightlines,sothatthe
tangled
andtaken. Theeventanswered Aris- wholewasin theformof a Macedonian cloak.
tandcr's
ir.terpreta.tion
of this sign:Alexander Whilethe kingwasenjoying thedesign,on
waswoundedin the shoulder,buthe took the a suddenan infinitenumberof largebirdsof
city. Hesentmostof its spoilsto Olympiasvarious
kinds,rose,like a blackcloud,outot
andCleopatra,and othersof his friends. His the river andthe lake, and, lighting uponthe
tutor, Leonidas was not forgotten;and the place,ate up all the flour that was usedin
present
hemadehimhadsomething
particularmarking
outthelines.Alexander
wasdisturb-
in it. It consisted of five hundred talents ed at the omen: but the diviners encouraged
weight of frankincense,*and a hundredof him to proceed,by assuringhim it wasa sign
myrrh,andwassentupontherecollection of the that the city he was going to build would be
hopeshehadconceivedwhena boy. It seems blessed with suchplentyasto furnishasupplyto
Leonidasone day hadobservedAlexanderat thosethat shouldrepairto it fromothernations.
a sacrificethrowingincenseinto the fire by The executionof the plan he left to his
handfuls;upon which he said, "Alexander, architects,andwentto visit the templeof Ju-
when youhaveconquered the country where piter Ammon. It was a long and laborious
spicesgrow, youmaybe thusliberal of your journey;*andbesidesthe fatigue, there were
incense; but, in the meantime,usewhatyou two greatdangersattendingit. The onewas.
have more sparingly." He, therefore,wrote that their watermightfail, in a desertof many
thus-" I havesentyoufrankincense andmyrrh days'journey which affordedno supply;ana
in abundance,thatyou maybe no longera the other, that they might be surprisedby a
churl to the gods." violent south wind amidst the wastesof sand,
A casket being one day brought him, which as it happenedlong before to the army of Cam-
appearedone of the most curiousand valuable byscs. The wind raised the sand, and rolled
things among the treasures and the whole it in such waves,that itdevouredfull fifty thous-
equipageof Darius, he asked his friends what and men. These difficulties were considered
they thought most worthy to be put in it? and represented to Alexander;but it wasnot
Different things were proposed,but he said, easyto divert him from any of his purposes.
" The Iliad most deservedsuch a case."- Fortunehadsupportedhim in sucha manner,
This particularis mentionedby severalwri- that his resolutionswere becomeinvincibly
ters of credit. And »f what the Alexandrians strong; and his courage inspired him with
gayuponthefaithof Heraclides,
betrue,Ho- " Astohismolives
in thisjourney,
historians
disa-
merwasnobadauxiliary,or useless
counsellor, gree. Arrian(I. iii. c.3.) tellsus,he lookit in imi-
in the course of the war. They tell us, that tationof Peritusand Hercules,theformerof which
when Alexanderhad conqueredEgypt, and hadconsulted
thatoracle,wlun hewasdespatched
determined
to build therea greatcity, which against
theGorgons; and thelatter
twice,
viz.when
ht wentinto-Libyaagainul
Antaeus,
andwhenhemarch
was to bepeopled with Greeks,and called after ed into EgyptagainstBusiris. Now, asPerseus and
Herculesgavethemiclni out lo bethesonsof theOre
* Thecommon Attictalentin TroyweightwascianJupiler,
soAlexander
hadamindlolakeJupiltf
S6U>.
1107.
ITjrr. Thii talentconsisted
of60mfrur;Ammon forhisfather.
MaiimusTyrius(SermIIY)
butIherewasanother AUictalent,
bysome saidtocon- informius,thathewentlo discover thefountainsof
lilt of 80,brother!of100mine.Thcmimtwasllor. thePS He; andJustin.(I.ij. c.11.)saystheintention
of
"tint. I6gr.ThetalentofAJeiandriawa»104(4.
IMu*. thisTISIIwasloclearunhismother's character.anato
"Her. gethinuwlf
thereputation
ofadirineorijia.
47V5 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

"uch spirit of adventure, that he thought it ever, what he wrote to the Alhtnians concern-
not enoughto be victoriousin the field,but he ingSamoa." It wasnotI whogaveyouthatl're<J
mustconquerboth timeandplace. andfamouscity, but your thenLord, whowai
The livi.-ieassistancewhichAlexanderex- calledmy father,"meaningPhilip*
peTienctfl,
in his march,met with more credit Yet long after ihis, whenhe was wounded
than the oraclesdeliveredat the end at it; with an arrow,andexperiencedgreat tortura
though those ordinary assistances, in some from it he said, " My friends, tins is blood,
measure, confirmed the oracles. In the first and not the ichor
placeJupiter,sentsucha copious andconstant " Which
blest
immortalsshed."
rain, as not only delivered them from all fear
of suffering by thirst,but, by moistening the Onedayit happened to thunderin sucha
eand,andmaking it firmto thefoot,made the dreadfulmanner,that it astonishedall that
air clear,and fit for respiration.In thenext heardit; uponwhich,Anaxarchus thesophist,
placewhentheyfoundthemarkswhichwere beingin company with him,said," Souof
to serveforguidestotravellers removeo 01de- Jupiter,couldyou do BO?"Alexander an-
faced,and in consequence wandered up and swered, witha smile," I donotchoose to be
down without any certain route,a flock of soterrible to my friendsanyou would have
crows made their appearance, and directed me,who despisemy entertainments, because
themin theway. Whentheymarched brisk-youseefishserved
up, and not theheads of
ly on,thecrowsflewwithequalalacrity;when Persiangrandees."It seemsthe king had
they laggedbehind,or hailed,thecrowsalso madeHephaestion
a present
of somesmallfish.
stopped. What is still stranger,CallisthenesandAnaxarchus
observingit, said, "Why did
avers,thatatnight,whentheyhappened
to be henotrathersendyoutheheadsof princes.''^
gonewrong,thesebirdscalledthemby their intimating,
howtrulydespicable
thoseglitter
croaking,andput them right again. ing thingsarewhichconquerers
pursuewithso
Whenhehadpassed
the desert,andwas muchdanger
andfatigue;since,afterall,their
arrivedat the place,the minister of Ammon enjoymentsare littJe or nothing superior to
receivedhimwithsalutations
fromthegod,as thoseof othermen. It appears,then from
froma father.Andwhenheinquired,"Wheth- whathasbeensaid,thatAlexander neitherbe-
er any of theassassins
of his fatherhad es- lieved,norwaselatedwith, thenotionof his
capedhim?"thepriestdesiredhe wouldnot divinity,butthathe only madeuseof it asa
eipress himself in that manner, " for his father means to bring others into subjection.
wasnot a mortal," Then heasked," Whether At his return from Egypt to Phoenicia,
he
all the murderers
of Philipwere punished;honoured
thegodswith sacrifices
andsolemn
andwhetherit wasgiventheproponentto be processions;
on which occasion the people
the conquerer of the world?" Jupiter answer- were entertained with music and dancing, and
ed," Thathegrantedhimthat highdistinc-tragedies werepresented in the greatest per-
tion; and tiiat thedeathof Philip wassuffi-fection,notonlyinrespectof themagnificence
cientlyavenged."UponthisAlexander madeof thescenery,butthespiritof emulation in
hisacknowledgments to thegodbyrich offer-thosewho exhibitedthem. In Athensper-
ings,andloaded the priestswith presents
of sonsarechosen bylot outof thetribesto con-
greatvalue. This is theaccount mosthisto-ductthoseexhibitions; but in this casethe
riansgiveus of theaffairof the oracJe;but princesof Cyprusviedwith eachotherwith
Alexander himself,in the letter hewroteto incredible
ardour;particularlyNicocreon king
hie mother on that occasion,only says, " He ofSalamis, and Pasicrates, king of Soli. They
receivedcertainprivateanswers
fromtheora- chose themostcelebrated actorsthat could
cle,whichhewouldcommunicate to her,and befound;Pasicrates riskedthe victoryupon
heronly,at hisreturn." Athenodorus, andNicocreonuponThessalus.
Somesay,Ammon's prophetbeingdesirousAlexanderinterestedhimselfparticularlyin
to address
himin anobligingmannerin Greek,behalfof thelatter;but did not discover hit
intendedto say,OPate/ion,which signifies,attachment, till Athenodoruswasdeclaredvic-
My Son;but in his barbarouspronunciation,tor byall thesuffrages.Then,asheleft the
made thewordendwithans, instead of ann, theatre,he said," I commend thejudgesfor
andsosaid,Opaidios,whichsignifies,OSon whattheyhavedone;butI wouldhavegiven
qf Jupiter. Alexander
(theyadd)wasde- halfmykingdom
rather
thanhave
seen
Thes-
lightedwiththemistake
in thepronunciation,
salusconquered."
andfrom thatmistakewaspropogateda re- However, whenAnthenodorus
wasfinedby
port,thatJupiterhimself
hadcalled
himhisson.theAthenians
fornotmakinghisappearance
He went to hear Psammo,an Egyptian phi- * He knew the Athenians w«re sunk into such mean-
losopher, and the saying of his that pleased ness,that they would readily admit his pretensionstt>
him most was, " Thatall menaregoverned by divinity.Soafterwards theydeified Demetrius.
God, for in everything that which rules and f Diogenes
Imputes
thissaying
ofAnaiarchus
tothe
governs isdivine." But Alexander's own maxim aversion
hehad for Nicocreon,tyrantof SaJamis.
Ac-
wasmore agreeable
to sound philosophy:he cording
tohim,Alexander
having
onedayinvited
Anax-
said," Godisthecommon
fatherof men,but archus todinner,
tainment? "It is askedhimhow heliked
excellent,''replied hisenter-
the guest," it
more particularly of the goodand the virtuous." wants but one dish, and that a delicious one, the head
When among the barbanons,indeed, he af- of B tyrant." Not the headsof the Solrapit,or gov-
fecteda lofty port, suchasmight suit a man ernor*of provinces,
asit is inPlutarch.If thephilos-
perfectly
convinced
of his divineoriginal;hut opher reallymeant thehead of Nicocreon, hepaid
dear for his sayingafterwards ; for after the death of
it was in a small degree, and with great cau- Alexander, he was forced, by contrary winds upon the
tion, that he assumed
any thing uf divinity coast
ofCyprus,
where
thetyrant
seized
him,andput
among the Greeks. Wo must except, how- him to death.
 ALEXANDER. 477

"n theirstage
atthefeasts
ofBacchus,
anden ourest
thelightof Mithra,andtherighthand
treated Alexanderto write to themin his fa of the king,is not the deathof Statirathe least
Tour;though
herefused
to comply
withthatre- of hermisfortunes
I haveto lament?Did not
quest,
hepaidhisfineforhim.Another actor shesuffer
more dreadful
thingswhileshelived.*
named Lycon,a nativeof Scarphia,
perform And,amidst all ourcalamities,
wouldnot our
ingwithgre.itapplause
beforeAleiander,
dei disgracehavebeenless,hadwemetwitha
terouslyinserted
in oneof thespeeches
of the morerigorousandsavage
enemy ? For what
comedy, a versein whichheaskedhimforten engagement in the compass
of virtuecould
talents.Alexanderlaughedandgavehimthem bringa youngmanto dosuchhonourto the
It was about this time that he receiveda let wife of his enemy?"
ter fromDarius,in whichtheprincepropos While the kingwasyet speaking,
Tireus
ed, on conditionof a pacificationand future humbledhis face to the earth,andentreated
friendship, to pay him ten thousand talents in him not to make use of expressionsso unwor-
ransomof the prisoners,to cedeto him all the thy of himself,so injuriousto Alexander,and
countrieson this sidethe Euphrates,andto so dishonourableto the memoryof hisdeceas
give him his daughterin marriage. Uponhis ed wife andsister; nor to deprivehimselfof
communicating theseproposalsto his friends the greatestof consolationsin his misfortune,
Parmenio said, " If I were Alexander, I wouk the reflecting that he was not defeated but by
acceptthem." " Sowould I," saidAlexander,' a personsuperiorto humannature. He as-
"if I were Parmenio." The answerhe gave sured him, that Aleiander was more to be ad-
Darius was, " That if he would come to him, mired for the decency of his behaviour to the
he should find the best of treatment; if not, he Persian women, than for the valour heexerted
must go and seekhim." againstthe men. At the same time, be con-
In consequenceof this declaration he began firmed all that he had said with the most awful
his march; but he repented that he had set out oaths, and expatiated still more on the regu-
so soon, "lion he receivedinformation that the larity of Alexander's conduct, and on his dig
wife of Darius was dead. That princessdied nity of mind.
in childbed; and the concern of Alexander was Then Darius returned to his friends; and
great, becausehe lost an opportunity of exer- lifting up his handsto heaven, he said, " Ye
cising his clemency. All he could do was to jods, who are the guardiansof our birth, and
return and bury her with the utmost magnifi- the protectors of kingdoms, grant that I may
cence. One of the eunuchsof the bed-cham- re-establishthe fortunes of Persia, and leave
ber, named Tireus, who was taken prisoner them in the glory I found them; that victory
along with the princesses, at this time made may put it in my power to return Alexander
his escapeout of the camp,and rodeoff to Da- the favours, which my dearest pledgesexpe-
rius, with news of the queen'sdeath. rienced from him in my fall! but if the time
Darius smoteupon his head,and shed a tor- determined by fate and the divine wrath, or
rent of tears. After which he cried out, " Ah! jrought by the vicissitude of things, is now
cruel destiny of the Persians! Was the wife come, and the glory of the Persians must fall,
and sister of the king, not only to be taken cap- may none but Alexander sit on the throne of
tive, but after her deathto bedeprivedof the Cyrus!" In thismannerwere thingsconduct-
obsequiesdue to her high rank!" The eunuch ed, and such were the speechesuttered on this
answered," As to her obsequies,O king, and occasion,accordingto the tenorof history.
ill the honoursthe queen had a right to claim, Alexander having subdued all on this side
thereis noreasonto blamethe evil geniusof heEuphrates,
beganhis marchagainstDarius,
the Persians. For neither my mistress, Stati- who hadtaken the field with a million of men.
ra, during her life, or your royal mother, or during this march, one of his friends men-
children,missedany of the advantages
of their ioned to him, as a matter that mightdivert
formerfortune, exceptthe beholdingthe light lim, that the servantsof the armyhaddivided
of your countenance,which the great Oromas- hemselvesinto two bands, and that each had
desf will againcauseto shinewith as much hosenachief, oneof whichtheycalled Alex-
lustre as before. Sofar from beingdeprived ander,andthe other Darius. They beganto
of anyof thesolemnitiesofa funeral,the queen kirmish with clods, and afterwards,fought
was honoured with the tears of her very ene- with their fists; and, at last heated with a
mies. For Alexander is as mild in the use of lesire of victory, many of them cameto stones
hisvictories,
asheis terriblein battle." andsticks,insomuch
thattheycouldhardlybe
On hearingthis, Dariuswasgreatlymoved, larted. The king, upon this report ordered
andstrangesuspicionstook possessionof his he two chiefsto fight in singlecombat,and
soul. He took the eunuchinto the most pri- armed Alexanderwith his own hands,while
vate apartment of his pavilion, and said, " If ""hilotasdid the same for Darius. The whole
thoudostnotrevoltto theMacedonians,
asthe armystoodand lookedon, considering
the
fortuneof Persiahas done,but still acknow-eventof thiscombat,as a presage
of the issue
ledges!
in me thy lord; tell me,asthouhon-of the war. The twochampions
foughtwith
great fury; but he who bore the name of Alex-
ander, provedvictorious. He was rewarded
* Longinui
takes
notice
ofthisasaninstance,
thatit with a present
ii natural fur men of genius,evenin their commondis-
of twelvevillages,
andallowed
course, to let fall somethinggreat and sublime. o wear a Persianrobe,as Eratosthenes
tells
he story.
f Oromasdcswas worshippedby the Persiansas the
Author of all Good ; and Jtrimanitu deemed the Au- ThegreatbattlewithDarius
wasnotfought
thorof Evil; agreeably
to the principlesfromwhich at Arbela,*asmosthistorians
will haveit, but
they were believedto spring, Light and Darkness. The
Persian wr itcrs call them Vert/an and Jlbriman,
HH
" But01Gaugunela
waioulya Tillage,
andArbeU,
 478 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

at Gaugamela, which,in thePersiantongue,apartment, andstanding bythebed,calledhim

u saidto signifythe house of the camel
f BOtwo orthreetimesbyname.Whenheawaked,
called,because oneoftheancient kingshavingthatofficera«kedhim," Whyhe sleptlike a
escaped hisenemies by the ewiftnesiof his manthathadalreadyconquered, andnotrath-
camel,placed herthere,andappointed therev- er like onewho hadthe greatestbattlethe
»nueof certainvillagesfor hermaintenance. worldeverheardofto fight?"Alexanderemil-
In themonthof September therehappened ed at thequestion,
andsaid," In what light
aneclipseof the moon,taboutthebeginningcanyoulookuponus butasconquerors, when
of the festival of the great mysteriesat Athens. we have not now to traverse desolatecoun-
The eleventh
nightafterthateclipse,thetwo triesin pursuitof Darius,and he nolonger
armiesbeingin viewof eachother,Dariusdeclines the combat?"It wasnot,however,
kept his men underarms,andtooka general only beforethe battle,but in the faceof dan-
reviewof histroopsby torch-light.Meantimeger,thatAlexander
shewed
hisintrepidity
and
Alexandersufferedhis Macedonians
to repose excellentjudgment. For the battlewassome
themselves, and with hissoothsayerAristan-timedoubtful. Theleft wing,commandedby
der,performed someprivate
ceremonies beforeParmenio,
wasalmostbrokenbythe impetu-
histent,andofferedsacrifices
to FEAR-!The ositywithwhichtheBactrian cavalry
charged;
oldestof hisfriends,andParmenio in particu-andMazsushad,moreover, detached
a party
lar, when they beheld the plain between Ni- of horse, with orders to wheel round and at-
phatesand the Gordaean Mountains,all illu- tack the corpsthat wasleft to guardtheMace-
mined with the torchesof the barbarians,and donianbaggage. Parmenio,greatlydisturbed
heard the tumultaryandappallingnoisefrom at thesecircumstances, sentmessengers to ac-
their camp,like the bellowingsof animmensequaint Alexander,that his camp andbaggage
tea, were astonishedat their numbers,and would betakenif he did not immediatelydes-
observedamongthemselves how arduousan patcha strongreinforcement fromthe frontto
enterpriseit would be to meetsucha torrent tho rear:the momentthataccountwasbrought
of war in open day. They waiteduponthe him, he was givinghis right wing, which he
king, therefore,when he hadfinishedthe sa- commanded in person,the signal to charge
crifice,andadvised
himto attacktheenemy
in He stopped,
however,to tell themessenger,
the night, when darknesswould hide what " Parmeniomusthave lost his senses, andin
wasmostdreadfulin thecombat.Upon which his disordermust have forgot, that the con-
he gavethemthat celebrated
answer,
I will querors
arealways
masters
ofall thatbelonged
not steal a victory. to the enemy; and the conqueredneednot give
It is true, this answerhasbeenthoughtby themselves any concernabouttheir treasure*
some,to savourof the vanity of a youngman, or prisoners,norhaveany thingto thinkof, but
who deridedthe mostobviousdanger;yetoth- how to sell their livesdear,anddie in the bed
ers have thought it not only weH calculated of honour.
to encouragehis troops at the time, but politic As soon as he had returned Parmenio this
enoughin respectto the future; because,if answer,he put on his helmet; for in other
Darius had happened to be beaten,it left him pointshe cameready armedout of his tent
no handle to proceedto anothertrial, under He hadashortcoatofthe Sicilianfashion,girt
pretencethat night anddarknesshadbeenhis closeabouthim, and over that a breast-plate
adversaries,as he had before laid the blame of linen strongly quilted, which was found
upon the mountains,the narrow passes, and amongthe spoils,at the battleof Issus.His
the sea. For, in sucha vastempire,it could helmet,the workmanship of Theophilus,wai
never be the want of armsor menthat would of iron, but sowell polished,that it shonelike
bring Darius to give up the dispute;but the the brightestsilver. To this wasfitteda gorget
ruin of his hopesand spirits, in consequence of the same metal set with precious stones.
of the lossof a battle, wherehe hadtheadvan- His sword,the weaponhe generallyusedin
tageof numbersandof daylight. battle, wasa presentfrom the king of the Ci-
When his friendswere gone,Alexanderre- tieans,and couldnot beexcelledfor lightness
tired to restin his tent, andhe is saidto have or for temper. But the belt, whichhe wore
slept that night muchsounderthanusual;inso- in all engagements, wasmoresuperbthanthe
much,thatwhenhisofficerscameto attendhim restof his armour. It was given him by the
the nextday,theycould not but expresstheir Rhodiansas a mark of their respect,andold
surpriseat it, whiletheywereobligedthem-Heliconhadexerted
allhisart in it. In draw-
»elvesto give out ordersto the troopsto take ing up his armyandgiving orders,as well ai
their morningrefreshment. After this, asthe exercisingandreviewingit, hesparedBuceph-
occasionwas urgent, Parmenioenteredhis aluson accountof his age, androde another
horse; but he constantly charged upon him;
" considerable
town,stoodnearit, the Macedoniansand he had no sooner mounted him than the
chow
todistinguish
thebattle
bythename
of(helalier.signal
wasalways
given.
* Darius,
Ihesonof Hj'staspcs,
crossed
thedeserts Thespeech
hemadeto theThessalians
and
offSr
jiliMIuponlhatcamel.
Astronomers assure us, thiseclipse of the moon
theotherGreeks,
wasof some
length
onthis
occasion. When he found that they, » their
happened the twentieth of September, according to
theJulian
calendar;
and,therefore,
thebattle
ofAr- turn,stroveto addto hisconfidence,
andcall
belawasfoughtthefirstof October. ed out to him to leadthemagainstthe barba-
} Fear wasnot wilhout her altars; Theseussacri- rians, he shifted his javelin to his left hand:
ficed toher,aswehaveseen inhislife; andPlutarchandstretchinghis right handtowardsheaven,
tells us, in the life of Agis and Cleomenes,that the
LaceJxmonians built a temple to /Var, whom they according to Callisthenes, he entreated the
honoured,
notasa pernicious
daemon,
buta*thebondjods" to defend
andinvigorate
theGreeks,
if
tf all good
gOTernmeot bewasreally the sonof Jupiter."
 ALEXANDER. 479
AAsunder
thesoothsayer
whorodebyhii theMacedonians,
andcaughv
noldof their
»dein awhiterobe,
andwitha crownofgoldhorses'
legsastheylayupontheground.
upon
hi*head,
thenpointed
outaneagle
flying Darius
hadnowthemo*t
dreadful
danger*
over
him,anddirecting
niscourse
against
thebefore
hiseyes.Hisownforces,
thatwere
evenly.
TheBight of thissoanimated
theplaced
inthefront
todefend
him,
weredriven
troop*,thataftermutual exhortation
to br»-backupon him;thewheels
ofhischariotwere,
Tery, thecavalrychargedatfull speed,andmoreover,entangledamongthedead bodies,
theplialatixrushed
onTikeatorrent."Before sothatit wasalmost impossibletoturnit;
the'firstrantswerewellengagfed,thebarba-andthehorses,
plungingamong heaps of the
riansgave way,andAlexander pressedhards'ain,boundedupanddown, andnolonger
upon thefugitives,
in order
to penetrateintoobeyedthehands ofthecharioteer. In this
the midstof thehost,whereDariusactedin extremityhequittedthechariotandhisarms,
person. Forhebeheldhimatadistance,
overandfled,astheytellus,upon amare which
theforemost
ranks,
amidst
hisroyalsquadron.
hadnewlyfoaled.But,in all probability,
he
Besides
thathewasmounted
upona Joftycha-hadnotescaped
so,if Pannenio
hadnotagain
riot,Dariuswaseasilydistinguished
by his sentsome horsemen to desire
Alexanderto
sizeandbeauty.A numerous bodyof selectcometo hisassistance,
becausegreatpartof
cavalry
stoodin close
orderabout
thechariot,theenemy'sforces
stillstood
theirground,
and
andseemed weUpreparedtoreceive
theene-kepta goodcountenance. Uponthewhole
my. But Alexander'sapproach
appearedso Parmenio isaccusedofwantof spiritandac-
terrible,as hedrovethefugitivesuponthosetivityin that battle;whetherit wasthat age
whostill maintained theirground,that they haddamped hiscourage;orwhether, asCal-
»ere seizedwith consternation,
andthegreat- listhenestells us,he lookeduponAlexander1;
estpartof themdispersed. A fewof thebest powerandthepompous behaviour
heassumed
and bravest of them,indeed,mettheir deathwith an invidiouseye,andconsidered
it as
before
theking's
chariot,
andfallingin heapsaninsupportable
burden.*Alexander,
though
oneuponanother,
strove
tostopthepursuit;vexed at beingsostopped
in hiscareer,
did
for in theverypangsof deaththeyclungto notacquaint
thetroopsabouthimwiththepur-
port of the message; but under pretence of
being weary of such a carnage,and of its grow-
" Plutarch,
a>a writeroflives,notofhistories,
doesing dark,sounded
a retreat. However,as he
notpretendto giveanexactdescription of battlei. But
asmany of our readers, we believe, will be glad to see wasriding up to that part of his armywhich
pomeof the more remarkable in detail, we shaJlgive had been represented in danger, he was in-
Arrran'saccountof this. formed that the enemy were totally defeated
Alexander'sright wing chargedfirst uponthe Scy- and put to flight.
thianhorse,
who,as theywerewellarmedandvery The battlehavingsuchan issue,the Persian
robust,behaved
at the beginningvrry well, andmade
ftvigorous
resistance.
Thatthismight
answer
moreempire
appeared
to beentirely
destroyed,
and
effectually,
thechariots
placed
id theleftwingboreAlexander
wasacknowledged
kingof all Asia.
downat the sametimeupontheMacedonians.Their The first thing he did was to make his ac-
appearance
wasveryterrible,andthreatened
entire knowledgmentsto the gods by magnificent
destruction; butAlexander's light-armed troops,by sacrifices;
their darts, arrows, and stones, killed many of the
andthento hisfriends,by richgifts
drivc«, and more of the horses,so that few reached of houses,estates, and governments. As ha
the Macedonian
line; whichopening,
asAlexander
was particularlyambitiousof recommending
haddirected,theyonly passed
through,andwerethen himself to the Greeks, he signified by letter,
eithertaken,
ordisabled
byhisbodies
of reserve.
The that all tyranniesshouldbeabolished,
andthat
horse continued
decisive still
happened engaged
there, ; and,foot,
the Persian before any
near thing
the leu theyshouldbe governed
by their ownlaws,
wing, began hopesof fallingupontheflank under the auspicesof freedom. To the Platae-
to m1ve?in
oftheMacedonian
rightwing,or of penetrating
sofar ansin particularhewrote,that theircity should
asto divideit from113
centre. Alexander,
perceiving be rebuilt, becausetheir ancestors had made
this,tentAratas
withacorpstocharge
them,
andpre- a presentof their territory to the Greeks,in
vent theirintended manoeuvre. In themean time,orderthattheymightfightthecause
prosecutingbis first design,he broke their cavalry in
of liberty
theleftwing,
andentirely
routed
it. Hethen
charged
upontheirownlands.Hesentalsoapartof
theFenian
footin flank,
andtheymade
butafeeblethespoilsto theCrotonians
inItaly,in honour
resistance.
Darius,perceiving
this, gaveup all for of the spirit and courageof their countryman
lost,andBed.Vide.irrian,1.in. c.13,seq.ubi Phaylus,ta champion
plura.
of the wrestling-ring,
Diodorus ascribes the success, which for a time at- who in the war with the Medes, when the rest
tendedthe Persian troops, entirely to the conduct and of the Greeks in Itaiy sent no assistanceto the
valourof Darius. It unfortunately
happened,
that Greekstheir brethren,fitted out a shipat his
Alexander,attackinghis guards,threw a dartat Da- own expense,and repaired to Salamis, to take
rius,which,
oteer, though
who sat at hisitfeet,
missed him,
dead; struck
and, the
as he chari-a
fell for- sharein thecommon
danger.Sucha pleas
wards, someof the guards raised a loud cry, whence ure did Alexandertake in everyinstanceof
(hose
behind
them
conjectured
thatthekingwasslain,virtue,andGO
faithfula guardian
washeof the
andthereupon
fled. This obligedDariusto follow honourof all greatactions!
their example,who, knowing the route he took could
notbediscovered,
onaccount
of thedustandconfusion, * Thetruth seems
tobe,thatPanneniohad
toomuch
"wheeled
about,andgotbehindthePersianarmy,ana concern
forAlexander.Philipof Macedon
confessed
continued
hisflightthatway.whileAlexander
pur- Parmenioto betheonlygeneral
heknew:and.onthis
suedrightforwards. Dioci.
Sic.1.ivii. occasion,
heprobably considered,thatif thewingun-
Justintellsus,thatwhenthose aboutDarius advised
derhiscommand hadbeen beaten, thatcorps of Per-
himtobreak down thebridgeoftheCydnus, toretardsianswouldhave been abletokeep thefield,andthe
theenemy's pursuit,heanswered, " I will nevernur- fugitives
rallying,andjoiningit there,wouldhave been
tnasesafety
andsof tomyself,
my subjectsatattheby
must expense ofsomany
this means thou-a respectable
be lost" forct,whichmighthaveregained the
Just.1.n. e.14. } laHerodotus, PhoyUiu. 3c«I viii.47.
480 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

He j«/«rsed all the provinceof Babylon, adorntheroyalpalacesandwalkswith Grecian

which immediatelymadeits submission; and treesandplants;and he succeeded in every
in the districtof Ecbatanabe wasparticularly thing exceptivy. After all his attemptsto
"truck with a gulf of fire,whichstreamed
con- propagate thatplant,it died;for it lovesa cold
tinually, as froman inexhaustiblesource. He soil,andthereforeit couldnotbearthetemper
admired alsoa floodof naphtha,not far from of thatmould.Suchdigressions
asthesethe
thegulf,whichflowedin suchabundance that nicestreaders
mayendure,
provided
theyare
it formed a lake. The naphtha in many res- not too long.
pects resembles
the bitumen,but it is much Alexanderhaving madehimselfmatter,of
moreinflammable.
Beforeanyfiretouches
it, Su»a,
foundin theking'spalace
fortythousand
it catcheslight from a flameat somedistance,talentsin coinedmoney,*andthe royal furni-
andoftenkindlesall theintermediate air. The ture and other richeswere of inexpressible
barbarians, to shewthe king its forceand the value. Amongotherthings,therewaspurple
eubtiltyof its nature,scatteredsomedropsof of Hermione, worth five thousandtalents,!
it in the streetwhichled to bis lodgings;and which,thoughit had beenlaid up a hundred
standing at one end, they applied their torches and ninety years,retained its first freshnessand
to someof the first drops; for it wasnight. beanty. The reasonthey assignfor this is,
The flame communicated itself swifter than that the purplewool was combedwith honey,
thought, and the street was instantaneouly all and the white with white oil. And we are as-
on fire. sured,thatspecimens
of the samekind andage
There was one Athenophanes,an Athenian, are still to be seen in all their pristine lustre.
who, amongothers, waited on Alexander when Dinon informs us, that the kings of Persia used
he bathed, and anointed him with oil. This to have water fetched from the Nile and the
man had the greatest successin his attempts Danube, and put among their treasures,as a
to divert him: andoneday a boy,namedSte- proof of the extent of their dominions,and
phen, happeningto attendat the bath, who was their being mastersof the world.
homely in his person, but an excellent singer, The entrance in Persia was difficult, on
Athenophanea said to the king, " Shall we account of the roughnessof the country in that
make an experiment of the naphtha upon Ste- part, and becausethe passeswere guardedby
phen? If it takes fire upon him, and doeanot the bravest of the Persians; for Darius had
presently die out, we must allow its force to be taken refuge there. But a man who spoke
extraordinary indeed." The boy readily con- both Greek and Persian, having a Lycian to
tented to undergo the trial; but as soon as he his father, and a Persian womanto his mother,
"wasanointed with it, his whole body broke out offered himself as a guide to Alexander, and
into a flame,and Alexander was extremely con- shewed him how he might enter by taking a
cerned at his danger. Nothing could have circuit. This was the person the priestessof
prevented his being entirely consumedby it, if Apollo had in view, when, upon Alexander's
there had not been people at hand with many consulting her at a very early period of life,
vessels of water for the service of the bath. sheforetold, " That a Lycian should conduct
As it was, they found it difficult to extinguish him into Persia." Those that first fell into his
the fire, and the poorboy felt the bad effects handstherewereslaughtered
in vastnumbers.
of it as long as be lived. He tells us, he ordered that no quarter should
Those, therefore,who desire to reconcile be given,becausehe thoughtsuchanexample,
the fable with truth, are not unsupportedby would beof serviceto higaffairs. It is said,
probability,when theysay, it was this drug hefoundas muchgoldandsilvercointhere as
with which Medea anointed the crown and veil hedid at Susa,and that there was sucha quan-
sowell knownuponthestage* For the flame tity of othertreasuresandrich moveables that
did not comefromthe crown or veil, nor did it loadedten thousandpair of malesand five
they take fire of themselves;but upon the thousand camels.f
approach
of fire theyBoonattractedit, and At Persepolis
hecasthiseyesupona great
kindledimperceptibly.The emanations of fire statueof Xerxes,whichhadbeenthrownfrom
at somedistancehave no other effectupon its pedestalby the crowdthat suddenlyrushed
mostbodies,thanmerelyto givethemlight and in, and lay neglectedon the ground. Upon
heat; but in thosewhich aredry and porous, this be stopped,andaddressedit asif it had
or saturated
with oily particles,
theycollect beenalive-" Shallwe leaveyou,"saidhe,
themselvesinto a point, and immediately prey " in this condition, on account of the war you
uponthemattersowell filledtoreceive them.madeuponGreece, or rearyouagain,forthe
Still thereremains
a difficultyasto thegener-sakeof yourmagnanimity
andothervirtues.*1
ation of this naphtha; whetherit derivesits After he hadstooda longtime considering
in
inflammable qualityfrom "»*»»*» *f, silence whichheshoulddo,hepassed by and
or ratherfromtheunctuous andsulphureous left it as it was. To givehistroopstimeto
natureof the soil. For in the provinceof refresh themselves,hestayed
therefourmonths,
Babylonthegroundis of so fierya qualitythat for it waswinter.
the grainsof barleyoftenleapup andare Thefirsttimehesatdownonthethrone
of
thrown out, as if the violent heat gave a pulsa-
tion to the earth. And in the hot months the * Q..Curtiui, who magnifies
everytiling, Mysfi%
peopleare obligedto sleepupon skins filled thousand.
with water. Harpalus, whom Alexander left t Or ETCthousandtalentsweight. Daeiercall) it
governorof the country,wasambitiousto somany
hundred
weight;andtheeastern
talent
was
nearly
thatweight.Plinytellsus.thatapoundof the
" Hocdclibutis
ultadonupellicem double-dipped
Tyrianpurple, inthetimeof Aujustui.
Serncnte
fugit Alitc. Horact. wassoldfor a hundredcrown*.
| Someuiju£ here if wanuog in the original ( Diodorus tl)i thrtc thousand.
 ALEXANDER. 481

thekingsof Persia,
undera golden
canopywithagolden
cup." Thekinganswered,
with
Damaratus
theCorinthian,
whohadthesamea smile,"An emptyone,I suppose;
butI will
friendship
andaffection for Alexander ash giveyouonefullof goodwine;andhere,my
hadentertained
forhisfatherPhilip,issaidto boy,I drinkto you." Oneday,asaMace-
haveweptlike an oldman,whileheuttercidonian of meancircumstances
wasdrivinga
thisexclamation,
" Whata pleasure
havethosemule,ladenwith theking'smoney,
themnle
Greeksmissed,
whodiedwithoutseeing
Alex tired;themanthentooktheburden uponhi*
anderseatedon the throneof Darius!" own shoulders,
and carried it till hetottered
Whenhe wason the point of marchingunderit, andwasreadyto giveout. Alexan-
against Darius,hemadea greatentertainmenderhappeningto seehim,andbeinginformed
for hisfriends,at whichtheydrankto a de whatit was,said," Hold on,friend,therest
greeof intoxication; andthe womenhadtheir of the way, and carry it to your own tent:
lharein it, for theycamein masquerade
to for it is yours." Indeed,he wasgenerally
seektheir lovers. The mostcelebratedamong moreoffendedat thosewho refusedhis pres-
thesewomenwas Thais, a native of Attica ents,than at thosewho askedfavoursof him.
andmistressto Ptolemy,afterwardskingof Hencehewroteto Pbocion," That hecould
Egypt. Whenshehad gainedAlexander's nolongernumberhimamong bisfriends,
if be
attentionby her flatteryandhumorous
vein, rejectedthe marksof his regard." Hehad
sheaddressed him over hercupsin a manner given nothingto Serapion,one of the youths
agreeableto the spirit of her country,but far that playedwith him at ball, becauseheask-
above
a person
of herstamp." I have
under-ednothing.Oneday,whentheywereattheir
gone greatfatigues,"saidshe," in wandering diversion,Serapiontookcarealwaysto throw
about Asia; but this day hasbrought me a the ball to others of the party: upon which
compensation, by putting it in my power to Alexandersaid," Why doyou not giveit me?"
insult the proud courts of the Persiankings. " Becauseyou did not ask for it," said the
Ah! how muchgreaterpleasurewouldit beto youth. The reparteepleasedthe king much;
finish the carousalwith burningthe palacesof he laughed,and immediatelymadehim very
Xerxes,who laid Athensin ashes,andset fire valuablepresents. One Proteas,a man of
to it myselfin the sightof Alexander!*Then humour,and a jester by profession, had hap-
shall it he said in times to come, that the penedto offendhim. His friendsinterceded
women of his train have more signally aveng- for him, and he sued for pardon with tears;
ed the cause of Greece upon the Persians, which at last the king granted. " If you do
than all that the generals before him could do really pardon me," returned the wag, " I hope
by seaor land." you will give me at least some substantial
This speech was received with the loudest proof of it." And he condescendedto do it
plaudits and most tumultuary acclamations. in a present of five talents.
All the company strove to persuadethe king With what a free hand he showered his gifti
to comply with the proposal. At last, yielding upon his friends, and those who attended on
to their instances,he leaped from his geat,and, his person,' appearsfrom one of the letters of
with his garland on his head, and a flambeau Dlympias. " You do well, said she, " in serv-
)n his hand, led the way. The rest followed ng your friends, and it is right to act nobly;
with shouts of joy, and dancing aa they went, )ut by making them all equal to kings, in pro-
spread themselves round the palace. The portion as you put it in their power to make
Macedonians,who got intelligenceof this "riends,youdepriveyourselfof that privilege."
frolic, ran up with lighted torches, and joined Jlympias often wrote to him ia that manner;
(hemwith great pleasure. For theyconclud- >uthe keptall her letters secret,exceptone,
ed,from his destroyingthe royalpalace,that which Hephsestion
happenedto cast his eye
the king's thoughts were turned towards home, upon, when he went, according to custom, to
and that he did not design to fix his seatamong read over the king's shoulder; he did not hin-
the barbarians.Suchis the accountmostwri- der him from readingon; only, when hehad
ters give us of the motives of this transaction. done, he took his signet from his finger and
There are not, however, wanting those who as- >ut it to his mouth.f
sert,that it wasin consequence of cool reflec- The son of Mazasus,
who wasthe principal
tion. But all agreethat the kingsoonrepented, avouriteof Darius,wasalreadygovernorof a
and ordered the fire to be extinguished. irovi nee, and the conqueroradded to it another
As he was naturally munificent, that incli- governmentstill more considerable. But the
nation increased with his extraordinary acqui- roung man declined it in a handsomemanner,
sitions; and he had also a graciousmanner, and said, " Sir, we had but one Darius,and
whichis the only thing that gives bountyan now you make many Alexanders." He be-
irresistible charm. To givea few instances: stowedon Parmeniothe houseof Bagaos,ia
Ariston, who commandedthe Paxmians, hav- which were found such goodsas weretaken
ing killed one of the enemy and cut off his it Susa, to the value of a thousand talents.
head,laid it at Alexander's
feet, and said, rlewroteto Antipaterto acquainthim,that
" Amongus,Sir,sucha present is rewardedtherewasa design formedagainst
hislife,and
orderedhim to keep guardsaboutbam. Ai
' Thesedomes
werenot rearedsolelyfor regalmag- "orhismother,
hemadehermanymagnificent
nificence
and
security,
buttoaidtheappetites
ofpower " Heprobably
means
in particular
thefiftyyoonr
andluiury,andto secrete
theroyalpleasure!
from Jenbrought
himbyAmynUi,
whowere
of thenria
those
thattoiledto gratifythem. Thus,asthii noble ipalfamilies
inMacedonia. Theiroffice
wasto wait
structure
waspossibly raised,not onlyfor vanitybut inhimattable,toattend
withhorses
whenV wentto
forriot;so,
A striking probably,
ofby
instance vanity
the inflamedby
of riot,
insignificancy it fell.
human la- fight
orhunt,
namDcr andtokeep
door. guard
dayananightathjf
iouri, andthedepravity
of human
nature. t To enjoinhimlilence.
 482 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
presents;
but he wouldnot Bufferher busy " Butnow,"sayshe," let meknowhowyon
genius
to exertitself in stateaffairs,
or in the do,andwhether
anyofyourcompany
deserted
leastto controul
theproceedings
of governyou,thatI may
punish
them
if such
there
were."
mcnt. Shecomplained of thisasa hardship,When Hephacstion happened to be absent
and heboreher ill humourwith greatmild- uponbusiness, heacquainted himin oneof hi*
ness. Antipateroncewrotehima longletter letters,thatastheyweredivertingthemselves
full of heavycomplaints
against her;andwhen with huntingthe ichneumon,* Craterushad
hehadreadit, hesaid,"Antipaterknowsnot themisfortune to be run throughthethigh*
that one tear of a mother can blot out a thous- with Perdioca's lance. When Peucestasre-
andsuchcomplaints." coveredof a dangerous
illness,he wrote a let
He found
thathisgreatofficers
setnoboundster with hisown handto Alexippus
thephy-
to their luxury, that they weremostextrava-sician,to thankhim for his care. During the
gantly delicatein their diet, and profusein sicknessof Craterus,the king hada dream,in
other respects;insomuchthat Agnonof Tecs consequence of whichhe offeredsacrificesfor
wore silver nails in his shoes;Leonatuehad his recovery,andorderedhim to do the same.
manycamelloadsof earthbroughtfromEgypt Upon Pausanias the physician'sdesignto give
to rub himself with when he went to the Craterusa doseof hellebore,he wroteto him,
wrestling-ring;Philotashad hunting-nets that expressinghis greatanxietyaboutit, andde-
wouldenclosethespaceof ahundredfurlongs; siring him to be particularlycautionsin the
moremadeuseof rich essences than oil after useof that medicine. He imprisonedEphial-
bathing,and hadtheir groomsof the bath,as tesandCissus,who broughthim the first newi
well aschamberlains whoexcelledin bed-mak-of the flight andtreasonable practicesof Har
ing. This degeneracyhe reprovedwith all palus,supposing their informationfalse. Upon
the temperof a philosopher.He told them, his sendinghome the invalidsand the super-
" It wasvery strangeto him,that, afterhaving annuated,Eurylochus,the Agzan, got him
undergoneso manygloriousconflicts,theydid selfenrolled^mongthe former. Soonafter,it
not remember thatthosewhocomefromlabour wasdiscovered thathehadno infirmityof body;
andexercise,alwayssleepmoresweetlythan andhe confessed it wasthe love of Telesippa,
the inactiveand effeminate;and that in com- whowasgoingto return home,that put him
paringthe Persian mannerswith the Mace- uponthat expedientto follow her. Alexander
donian,theydid not perceivethat nothingwas inquiredwho the womanwas, andbeingin-
moreservilethanthe loveof pleasure, or more formedthat thougha courtesan,shewasnot
princely than a life of toil. How will that a slave,he said, "Eurylochus,I am willing
man,"continuedhe, " take care of his own to assistyou in this affair; but asthe woman
horse,or furbishhis lanceandhelmet,whose is free-bom,you must see if we can prevail
handsare too delicateto wait on hisown dear uponher by presents andcourtship."
person? Know you not thatthe end of con- It is surprising,that he had time or inclina
quest is, not to do what the conquered have tion to write letters about such unimportant
done, but somethinggreatly superior?" After affairs of his friends, as to give orders for dili
this, he constantlytook the exerciseof war or gentsearchto bemade in Cilicia for Seleu-
hunting, and exposed himself to danger and cas's runaway slave; to commend Peucestas
fatigue with less precaution than ever; so that for having seized Nicon, a slave that belonged
a Lacedemonian ambassador,who attended to Craterus; and to direct Megabyzus,if pos-
him one day, when he killed a fierce lion, said, sible, to draw another slave from nis asylum,
" Alexander, you have disputed the prize of and take him, but not touch him while he re-
royalty gloriously with the lion." Craterus mained in the temple.
got this hunting-piecerepresentedin bronze, It is, said,thatin the first yearsof his reign,
andconsecratedit in the templeat Delphi. whencapitalcauseswerebroughtbeforehim,
There were the lion, the dogs, the king fight- he used to stop one of his ears with his band,
ing with the lion, and Craterusmakingup to while the plaintiff wasopeningthe indictment,
the king'sassistance.Someof thesestatuesthat hemightreserveit perfectlyunprejudiced
were the workmanship of Lysippus, and othera for hearing the defendant. But the many false
of Leochares. informations which were afterwards lodged,
Thus Alexander hazardedhis person,by andwhich, by meansof sometrue circum-
way of exercise for himself, and example to stances,were so represented as to give an air
others. But his friends,in theprideof wealth, of truthto the whole,brokehis temper. Par-
were so devoted to luxury and ease that they
considered long marches and campaigns as a
burden, and by degrees came to murmur and of *aThe Egyptianrepealledichneumon, is ofShe
size
cat, with Tery rough hair, spottedwith white,
fpeak ill of the king At first he bore their yellow,andash-colour;
itsnoselike thatof a hor,
censures with great moderation, and used to with whichit dies up the earth. It hasshoit black
"ay, " There was somethingnoblein hearing legs,andataillike a foi. It livtsonlizards,
serpents,
himself
ill spoken
ofwhilehewas
doing
well."*snails,chameleons^
by its natural &c.
instinctofandisofgreat
hunting senrice
outand inEgypt,
breaking
the
Indeed, in the least of the good offices he did egg§of thecrocodile,andtherebypreventingtoogreat
his friends, there were great marksof affection an increase
of that destructirecreature. Thenatural-
and respect. We will give an instanceor two istsalsosay,that it is so greedyafterthe crocoduVf
ot it. He to wrotePeucestas,
who hadbeen liver,that,rolliueitselfupin mud.it slipsdownhii
beatbyabearinhunting,
tocomplain,
thathe its
throat,
waywhilehesleeps
out again. with
Dtod. hismouth
Sic. open,
p. 32,78. and
gnawi
PUn. 1.ni
oad given an account of the accident, by let- c. 24,25.
.ers, to othersof his friends,and not to him. The Egyptians
worshipped
the ichneumon
forde-
* Voltairesayssomewhere,
thatit isa noblething to stroyingthecrocodiles.Theyworshipped thecroco-
"aakeingrates. He seemsto beindebtedfor theKB- dile too, probablyas the Indian!do the deril, thai it
Uintut to Alexander. might do them DOhurt.
 ALEXANDER. 483
Scularlyincaseofaspersionsonhisownchar-punished his parricidein this manner.He
acter,hisreasonforsookhim,andhebecamecaused two straighttreesto bebent,andone
extremely andinflexibly
severe,as preferringof hislegsto bemadefastto each;tlirn suffer-
hisreputation
to lifeandempire. ingthetreesto returntotheirformerposture,
Whenhemarched against
Dariusagain,he higbodywastornasunder by theviolenceof
expected another battle. But upon intelligence the recoil.*
thatBessus
hadseizedthepersonofthatprince, As for the bodyof Datius,he orderedit
ne dismissedthe Thessalians,
andsentthem should haveall thehonours of a royalfuneral,
home,aflerhehadgiventhema gratuityof two andsentit embalmedto hismother.Oxathres,
thousand
talents,overandabovetheirpay.The that prince'sbrother,headmittedinto the num-
pursuit was long and laborious, for he rode ber of his friends.
three thousandthree bundled furlongs in His next movementwas into Hyrcama,
elevendays." ABtheyoftensufferedmorefor whichheenteredwith the flowerof his army
want of water than by fatigue,many of the There he took a view of the Caspiansea,
cavalrywere unableto hold out. While they whichappeared to him not lessthantheEuxine,
were uponthe march,someMacedonians had but its waterwasof a sweetertaste.He could
filled their bottlesat a river,andwerebringing get no certain informationin what mannerit
the waterupon mules. Thesepeople,seeing was formed,but he conjecturedthat it came
Alexandergreatlydistressed with thirst (for it from an outletof the PalusMaeotis.Yet the
wasin the heatof the day,)immediatelyfilled ancientnaturalistswere not ignorant of its
a helmetwith water, and presentedit to him. origin: for, manyyearsbeforeAlexander'sex-
He askedthemto whomtheywerecarryingit? pedition,theywrote, that there are four seas
andthey said," Their sons:but if our prince which stretch from the main oceaninto the
does but live, we shall get other children, if we continent, the farthest north of which is the
lose them." Upon this, he took the helmet in H)>ican ran or the Caspian.f The barbarian*
his hands;but looking round, and seeingall the here fell suddenlyupon a party who were lead-
horsemen bendingtheir heads,and fixing their ing his horse Bucephalus,and took him. Thi»
eyesupon the water, he returnedit without provokedhim eo much, that he senta herald
drinking. However, he praised the people that to threaten them, their wives and children,
offered it, and said, " If I alone drink, these with utter extermination, if they did not restore
good men will be dispirited."! The cavalry, him the horse. But, upon their bringing him
who were witnessesto this act of temperance back, and surrendering to him their cities, he
and magnanimity, cried out, "Let us march! treated them with great clemency, and paid a
We are neither weary nor thirsty, nor shall considerablesum, by way of ransom to those
we even think ourselves mortal, while under that took the horse.
the conduct of sucha king." At the same time From thencehe marchedinto Parthia; where,
they put spurs lo their horses. finding no employment for his armshe first put
They all had the same affectionto the cause, on the robesof the barbarian kings; whether it
but only sixty were able to keep up with him tili was that he conformeda little to their customs,
he reached the enemy'scamp. There they rode because he knew how much a similarity of
over the gold and silver that lay scattered manners tends to reconcile and gain men's
about, and passing by a number of carriages hearts; or whether it was by way of ex-
full of womenandchildren,whichwerein mo- periment,to seeif the Macedonians
might be
tion, but without charioteers, they hastenedto brought to payhim the greater deference,by ac-
the leading squadrons,not doubting that they customing them insensibly to the new barbaric
should find Darius among them. At last, after attire and port which he assumed. However,
muchsearch,theyfoundhim extendedon his hethoughtthe Medianhabitmadetoo stiff and
chariot, and pierced with many darts. Though exotic an appearance, and theiefore took not
he was near his last moments,he had strength the long breeches,or the sweepingtrain, or the
to askfor somethingto quenchhis thirst. A tiara; but adoptingsomethingbetweenthe
Macedonian, named Polystratus, brought him Median and Persian mode, contrived vest
come cold water, and when he had drank, he mentsless pompousthan the former, and more
said, " Friend, this fills up the measureof my majestic than the latter. At first he used this
misfortunes,to think I am not ableto reward dressonly beforethe barbarians,or his partic-
thee for this act of kindness. But Alexander ular friends within doors; but in time he came
will not let theego without arecompense;
and to wear it whenheappearedin public,andsat
the godswill reward Alexanderfor his hu- for the despatch of business.This wasa mor-
manityto my mother,to my wife,andchildren. tifying sightto the Macedonians; yet, asthey
Tell himI gavehim myhand,for I gaveit thee admired his other virtues, they thoughthe
in his stead." So saying, he took the handof might be sufferedto please himself a little, and
Polystratus,andimmediatelyexpired. When enjoyhis vanity.Someindulgence seemed due
Alexandercameup, he shewedhieconcernfor to a prince,who, besidehis other hardships,
that event by the strongest expressions,and had lately been wounded in the leg with an
covered the body with his own robe. arrow, which shattered the bone in such a
Bessus
afterwards
fell intohishands,
andhe manner,that splintersweretakenout; who,
* Ai this wasno morethanforty mil?) a day.our * Q. Curtiustells us,Aletanderdelivereduptheas-
£Tewmarketheroeswould havebeat Alexander hollow. sassinto Oxalhres, Ihe brother of Darius; in conse-
It is nothing,whencompared
to CharlettheTwelfth'* quence
of which,he hftdhi» no*eandearscut off,and
marchfromBenderthroughGermany,nothingto the waslistenedlo across,wherehewasdespatched with
expedition of Hannibal along the African coast. darts and arrows.
t Lucanhasembellishedthisstoryfor Cato,andhas \ Thisisanerror whichPlinytoohasfollowed.The
pouiblyintroducedit merelyuponimitation. CaspianseahasDOcommunication with theocean.
 484 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

anothertime, hadsuch a violentblow froma of his affairs. The barbariansplacedgreater

stoneuponthenapeof his neck,that analarm- confidence in him on accountof that t-lliance,
ing darknesscoveredhis eyes,andcontinuet and his chastitygainedtheir affection;it de-
for sometime; andyet continuedto exposehis lightedthemto think, he would not approach
personwithouttheleastprecaution.On the the only womanhe everpassionately
loved
thecontrary,whenhehadpassed
theOrexartes without the sanctionof marriage.
which he supposedto be the Tanais, he no Hephzstion and Crateros were his two fa-
only attackedthe Scythiansand routedthem vourites.The formerpraised the Persianfash-
but pursuedthema hundredfurlongs,in spite ions,anddressedSBhe did; the latter adhered
of whathe sufferedat that time froma flux. to the customs of his own country. He there-
There the queenof the Amazonscameto fore employedHephxstionin his transactions
visit him,asChtarchus,Polycritus,Onesicritus with the barbariansandCraterusto signifyhis
Antigencs, Ister, and many other historians, pleasure to the Greeksand Macedonians.The
report. But Aristobulus,Charesof TheangeJa,one hadmoreof lug love,andthe other more
Ptolemy,Anticlidee,PhilotheTheban,Philip, of his esteem. He waspersuaded indeed,and
who wasalsoof Theangela,as well asHeca- he oftensaid, " Hephststion loved Alexander,
taeusof Eretria,Philipof Chalcis,andDurisol andCraterusthe king." Hencearoseprivate
Samoa,treat the story as a fiction. And indeed animosities, which did not fail to break out
Alexander himself seems to support their upon occasion. One day, in India, they drew
opinion. For in one of his letters to Antipater, their swords, and came to blows. The friends
to whom he gave an exact detail of ail that of each were joining in the quarrel, when
passed,hesays,the king of Scythiaofferedhim Alexanderinterposed. He told Hephiftion
his daughter in marriage,but he makes not the publicly, " He was a fool and a madman,not
least mention of the Amazon. IVay, when to be sensible, that without his master'sfavour
Onesicntus, many yearsafter, read to Lysima- he would be nothing." He gave Craterus also
chus, then king, the fourth book oi his history, a severe reprimand in private; and after hav-
in which this story was introduced, he smiled ing brought them together again, and recon-
and said, " Where was I at that time?" But ciled them, he swore by Jupiter Ainmon,
whether we give credit to this particular, or and all the other gods, " That he loved them
not, is a matter that will neither add to nor more than all the men in the world; but, if
lessenour opinion of Alexander. he perceived them at varianceagain, he would
As he was afraid that many of the Macedo- put them both to death, or him at least, who
nians might dislike the remaining fatiguesof beganthe quarrel." This is said to have had
the expedition, he left the greatest part of his such an effect upon them, that they never ex-
army in quarters, and entered Hyrcania with a pressedany dislike to eachother, even in jest,
select body of twenty thousandfoot and three afterwards.
thousandhorse. The purport of his speech Among the Macedonians, Philotas,the son
uponthe occasionwasthis: "Hitherto the bar- of Parmenio,hadgreaterauthority;for hewas
barianshaveseenus only asin adream.If you not only valiant andindefatigable in thefield,
shouldthink of returning,after havinggiven but afterAlexander,no man loved his friend
Asia the alarm only, they will fall uponyou more, or had a greaterspirit of generosity.
with contemptasunenterprising andeffeminate.We are told, that a friend of his one day
Nevertheless, suchasdesireto departhavemy requesteda sum of money,and he ordered
consentfor it: but, at the sametime, I call the it to be given him. The stewardsaid, he
godsto witness,that they deserttheir king iad it not to give. "What," saysPhilotas,
when he is conqueringthe world for the Ma- " hastthounot plate,or someother moveable."'
cedonians, and leave him to the kinder and However, he affectedan ostentationof wealth,
more faithful attachment
of thosefew friends anda magnificence
in his dressandtable,that
that will follow his fortune." This is almost was abovethe condition of a subject. Besides,
word for word the samewith what he wrote to the loftiness of his port was altogether ex-
Antipater; and he adds," That he had no travagant; not temperedwith any natural
sooner done speaking,than they cried, he ;races,but formalanduncouth,it exposed him
might leadthem to whatpart of the world he Dothto hatred and suspicion;insomuchthat
pleased."Thus hetriedthedispositionof these Parmenio oneday saidto him, " My son, be
bravemen;andtherewasnodifficultyin bring- ess." He had long beenrepresentedin an
ing the whole bodyinto their sentiments:they nvidiouslight to Alexander.When Damascus,
followedof course. with all its riches,wastaken,uponthe defeat
After this he accommodated himseJfmore of Darius in Cilicia, amongthe numberof
than ever to the mannersof the Asiatics,and captivesthatwere broughtto the camp,ther*
at the sametimepersuaded themto adoptsome wasa beautifulyoungwoman,calledAntigone,
of theMacedonianfashions;for, bya mixturea nativeof Pydna,whofell to the shareof
of both,hethoughta unionmightbepromotedPhilotas. Like a youngsoldierwith a fa-
muchbetterthanby force,and hisauthorityvouritemistress,in hiscupshe indulged his
maintained when he was at a distance.For the vanity, and let many indiscreet things escape
samereasonheelectedthirty thousand
boys,him; attributingall thegreatactionsof the
andgavethemmastersto instruct themin the war to himself and to his father. Ae for
Grecian literature, aswell as to train themto Alexander,he calledhim a boy,who by their
armsin the Macedonianmanner. meansenjoyedthe title of a conqueror. The
As for his marriagewith Roxana,it wasen- womantold thesethingsin confidence to one
tirely the effectof love. He sawher at an en- of her acquaintances,and he (asis common)
tertainment,andfoundhercharmsirresistible. mentionedthem to another. At last, thej
ft'or wad(tic matchunsuitable
to thesituationcameto theearof Craterus,
whotookthewo
 ALEXANDER.

manprivately
beforeAlexander.When the weakness,
embarkin so greatandhazardoni
kinghadheardthe wholefromher own mouth, anenterprise?"
be ordered
herto go asusualto Philotas,but Aftertheexecution of Philotas,
heimmedi
to makeher reportto himof all thathesaid. atelysentordersinto Media,that Parmenio
Philotas,
ignorant
of thesnares
thatwerelaid should
beputtodeath;
amanwhohadashare
for him,conversed
withthewoman withoutthe in mostor Philip'sconquests,and whowas
leastreserve,
andeitherin his resentmentor theprincipal,if not theonlyone,of theold
prideutteredmanyunbecoming
thingsagainstcounsellors,who put Alexanderuponhis expe-
Alexander.That prince,thoughhehadsuffi-ditionintoAsia. Ofthreesonswhomhetook
cientproofagainstPhilotas,keptthematter overwithhim,hehadseentwoslainin battle,
orivate,anddiscovered no tokenaof aversion; and with the third he fell a sacrificehimself
whetherit wasthat heconfidedin Parmenio'sTheseproceedings madeAlexanderterribleto
attachment to him,or whetherhe wasafraidof his friends,particularlyto Antipater. That re-
the powerandinterestof the family. gent,therefore,sentprivatelyto the .SUoliana,
About this time,aMacedonian, namedLim- andenteredinto leaguewith them. They had
nus,*a nativeof Chalxstra,conspiredagainst something to fear fromAlexander,as well as
Alexander'slife, andcommunicated his design he, for they hadsackedthe city of the OEni-
to oneNicomachus,a youththat he was fond ades;and whenthe king wasinformedof it,
of; desiring him to take a part in the enter- he said, " The childrenof the CEniades need
prise. Nicomachus,insteadof embracingthe not revengetheir cause,I will punishthe JEto-
proposal, informed his brother Balinusf of the lians myself."
plot, who wentimmediatelyto Philotas, and Soonafter thishappened
the affairof Clitusj
desired him to introduce them to Alexander; which, however simply related, is much more
assuringhim it wasuponbusiness
of greatim- shockingthanthe executionof Philotas. Yet,
portance. Whatever might be his reason (for if we reflect on the occasionand circumstance*
it is not known), Philotas refused them admit- of the thing, we shall conclude it was a misfor-
tance, on pretence that Alexander had other tune, rather than a deliberate act, and that Alex-
great engagements then uponhis hands.They ander'sunhappypassionandintoxicationonly
appliedagain,andmet with a denial. By this furnishedthe evil geniusof Clitus with the
time, theyentertainedsomesuspicionof Phi- meansof accomplishing hisdestruction.It hap-
Iotas, and addressed themselvesto Metron, penedin thefollowingmanner.The king had
who introducedthemto the king immediately.someGrecianfruit broughthim fromonboard
They informedhim first of the conspiracyof a vessel,andashegreatlyadmireditsfreshness
Limnus, and then hinted to him their suspi- andbeauty,hedesiredClitusto seeit, andpar
cionsof Philotas,on accountof his rejecting take of it. It happenedthat Clitns wasoffer
two severalapplications. ing sacrificethatday;but heleft it to waitupon
Alexanderwasincensedat this negligence;the king. Three of the sheepon whichthe
andwhenhefound that the personwho was libation was alreadypoured, followed him.
sentto arrestLimnus, hadkilled him} becauseThe king informedof that accident,consulted
he stooduponhis defenceandrefusedto be his soothsayers, Aristander and Cleomantis,
taken, it disturbedhim still more,to think he the Spartan,upon it; and theyassuredhim it
badlostthe meansof discoveringhis accom-wasa very badomen. He, therefore,ordered
plices. His resentmentagainstPhilotasgave the victimsto be immediatelyofferedfor the
opportunityto those who hadlonghatedthat healthof Clitus; the rather because threedaya
officer to avow their dislike, andto declare, beforehe had a strangeand alarmingdream,
howmuchthe king wasto blamein suffering in which Clitus appearedin mouuiing,sitting
himself to be so easily imposedupon as to by the deadsonsof Parmenio. However,be-
think that Limnus, an insignificantChalzs- fore the sacrificewagfinished,Clitua went to
trean,durstengageof his own accord,in such supwith the king, who thatday hadbeenpay-
a bold design. " No doubt," saidthey, " he ing his homageto CastorandPollux.
wasthe agent,or rather the instrument,of After theywerewarmedwith drinking,some-
somesuperiorhand;andthe king shouldtrace bodybeganto sing the versesof onePranicus,
out the sourceof the conspiracyamongthose or, asotherswill haveit, of Pierio, written in
who have the most interest in having it con- ridicule of the Macedonian officers who bad
cealed." lately beenbeatenby the barbarians. The
Ashebegan
tolistentothese
discourses,
andolderpartof thecompany
weregreatly
offend-
to give wayto his suspicions,
it brought innu- ed at it, andcondemned
both the poet andthe
merable accusations
againstPhilotas,someof singer;but Alexander, andthoseabouthim,
themverygroundless.He wasapprehended listenedwith pleasure,
and badehim goon.
andputto thetorture,in presenceof thegreat Clitus,whoby thistimehaddranktoomuch,
officersof the court. Alexander
had placedandwasnaturallyroughand froward,could
himselfbehind thetapestryto heartheexami-not beartheir behaviour.Hesaid," It wag
nation; andwhenhe foundthatPhilotasbe- not well doneto makea jest,andthatamong
moanedhimselfin sucha lamentablemanner, barbarians
andenemies,
of Macedoniansthat
andhadrecourseto suchmeansupplications were muchbetter menthan the laughers,
to Hephaestion,
he is reported
to haveeaid, though
theyhadmetwitha misfortune."
Alex-
" O Philotas,
durstthon,withallthisunmanly
ander
made
answer,
" ThatClituswasplead-
ing his own cause,when he gavecowardice
* It should,unoubtedlv,
bereadDymnut,u Q, Cur- the soft name of misfortune." Then Clitus
tiui andDiodorus
haveiL startedup, andsaid," Yet it wasthiscoward-
f Q. CurUiucallshimCtkaUnut, ice that savedyou, son of Jupiteras you are,
I Otherauthorisayhekilledhiouelf. when you wasturningyour backto the swotl
486 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

of Spithridates.
It isby thebloodof theMace- nowandthena groan. His friends,a/armed
doniansandthesewounds,thatyouaregrown at thismelancholy silence,
forcedthemselves
BO great,thatyoudisdain toacknowledgePhilip intotheroom,andattemptedto console
him
for your father, and will needspassyourself But he would listento noneof them,except
for the sonof JupiterAuimon. Aristander,whoput him in mind of his dream
Irritated at thisinsolence,
Alexanderreplied, and the ill omen of the sheep,and assured
" It is in thisvillanous
mannerthoutalkestof him,thatthewholewasby thedecree
offate
me in all companies, andstirrestuptheMace- As heseemeda little comforted,Callisthenes,
doniansto mutiny; but dostthou think to en- the philosopher,Aristotle'snearrelation, and
joy it long?" "And whatdo we enjoy now?" Anaxarchus,the Abderite,were called in.*
.aid Clitus, " what rewardhavewe for all our Callisthenes
beganin a softandtendermanner,
toils? Do we not envythosewho did not live endeavouring to relievehim without searching
to seeMacedonians bleedunderMedianrods, the wound. But Anaxarchus, who hada par-
or sue to Persiansfor accessto their king?; ticular walk in philosophy, and looked upon
While Clitus wentonin thisrashmanner,and his fellow-labourersin sciencewith contempt,
the king retorted upon him with equal bitter- cried out, on entering the room, "Is this Alex-
ness, the old men interposed, and endeavoured ander upon whom the whole world have their
to allay the flame. Meantime Alexander turn- eyes? Can it be he who lies extendedon the
ed to Xenodochus,the Cardian,andArtemius, ground, crying like a slave,in fear of the law
the Colophonian,
andsaid," Do notthe Greeks and the tonguesof men, to whomheshould
appear to you among the Macedonians like himself be a law, and the measureof right and
demi-gods among so many wild beasts?" Cli- wrong? What did he conquer for but to rule
tus, far from giving up the dispute, called upon and to command, not servilely to submit to the
Alexander, " To speakout what he had to say, vain opinions of men? Know you not," con
or not to invite freemen to his table, who tinued he, that " Jupiter is represented with
would declare their sentiments without re- Themis and Justice by his side, to shew, that
serve. But perhaps," continued he, " it were whatever is done by supremepower is right?"
better IB pass your life with barbarians and By this, and other discoursesof the same kind,
slaves, who will worship your Persian girdle he alleviated the king's grief, indeed, but made
and while robe without scruple." him, withal, more haughty and unjust. At the
Alexander, no longer able to restrain his an- same time he insinuated himself into his favour
ger, threw an apple at his face, and then look- in so extraordinary a manner, that he could no
ed about for his sword. But Aristophanes," one longer bear the conversation of Callisthenes,
of his guards, had taken it away in time, and who, before was not very agreeable, on ac
the company gathered about him, and entreat- count of his austerity.
ed him to he quiet. Their remonstrances,how- One day a dispute had arisen at table about
ever, were vain. He broke from them, and the seasonsand the temperatureof the climate.
called out, in the Macedonian language,for his Callisthenes held with thosewho asserted,that
guards, which was the signal for a great tu- the country they were then in was much cold-
mult. At the same time he ordered the trum- er, and the winters more severethan in Greece.
peter to sound,and struck him with his fist, Anaxarchus
maintained
the contrarywith great
uponhisdiscovering
anunwillingness
to obey.obstinacy. Upon which Callisthenes
said,
This man wasafterwardsheldin greatesteem, "You must needsacknowledge,my friend,
becausehe preventedthe whole army from that this is much the colder: for there you
beingalarmed. wentin winter in onecloak,and hereyoucan.
As Clitus would not make the least submis- not sit at table without three housing cover-
sion, his friendswith much ado, forcedhim lets one over another. This stroke wentto
out of the room. But he soon returned by the heartof Anaxarchus.
anotherdoor, repeating,in a boldand disres- Callistheneswasdisagreeable to all theoth-
pectfultone,thoseversesfromtheAndromacheer sophistsandflatterersat court; themoreso
of Euripides: becausehe wasfollowedby the youngmenon
Arethese
yourcustoms
? Isit thusthatGreece account
of his eloquence,
andnolessaccept-
Rewardsher combatants!!Shallonemanclaim able to the old for his regular, grave, self-
The trophies won by thousands? satisfied course of life. All which confirms
Then Alexandersnatcheda spearfrom one what wassaidto be the causeof his goingto
of his guards,and meeting Clitus ashe was Alexander,namely,an ambitionto bringhis
putting by the curtain, ran him throughthe fellow-citizensback,andto re-people the place
body. He fell immediatelyto the ground,and of his nativity.f His greatreputationnaturally
with a dismalgroanexpired. exposedhim to envy; andhe gavesomeroom
Alexander'sragesubsidedin a moment;he for calumny himself, by often refusingthe
cameto himself; andseeinghis friendsstand- king's invitations, and whenhe did go to his
ing in silent astonishment by him, he hastily
drewthespearoutof thedeadbody,andwas " Callisthenes wasofthecityof Olynthus, andhad
applying it to his own throat, when his guards beenrrcommendedto Alexanderby Aristotle,whose
"eizedhishands, andcarriedhimby forceinto relation hewas.Hehadtwomuch ofthespiritoflib-
bischamber.
He passed
thatnightandthe erty toinstance.
in this befitforacourt. He
Aristotle didnotshow
forewarned it,however,
him, that if he
mextday in anguishinexpressible;and when wenton totreatthekincwiththefreedom whichhis
he hadwastedhimselfwith tearsandlamenta- spiritprompted,it wouldonedaybefataltohim.
tions, he lay in speechless
grief, utteringonly f Olynthuswasoneof
thecitiesdestroyed
byPhilip;
whether Alexander permitted (he philosopher to re-
establish it is uncertain ; but Cicero informs us, that,
1 *^.CurtiusandArrian callhim Aristonus. in his time,it wasa flourishingplace. VideOr. ui
This is the speechof Feleuato Menclatu. »n Verrem.
 ALEXANDER. 487
entertainments,
hy sittingsolemn
andsilent;guests
didthesame
in theirorder,
except
Cal-
whichshowedthathecouldneithercommend, listhenes.
Whenit cameto histurn,hedrank,
corwassatisfied
with whatpassed;insomuchandthenapproachedto givethe kinga kiss,
thatAlexander
saidtohimoneday, whobeingengaged
in somediscourse
with
I hate the sage, Hephaestion,
happened
notto mindhim,But
Who
reaps
nofruit*
vlwisdom
tohimself. Demetrius, surnamed Phidon,cried
out." Re-
ceivenot his kiss;for he alonehasnot adored
Oncewhenhewasat thekingstablewitha you." UponwhichAlexander
refused
it, and
largecompany,and the cup cameto him, he Callisthenes
said aloud, " Then I return one
wasdesiredto pronounce
an eulogium
upon kissthepoorer."
theMacedonians
extempore,
whichhedidwith A coldness,of course,ensued;but many
somucheloquence,thattheguests,
beside
their otherthingscontributedto hisfall. In the
plaudits,
roseup andcoveredhimwith their firstplace,Hepbzstion's
reportwasbelieved,
garlands. Upon this, Alexander,said, in the that Callisthenes
hadpromisedto adorethe
wordsof Euripides, king,andbrokehisword. In thenextplace,
Whengreatthetheme,'tiseasyto excel. LysimachusandAgnonattackedhim andsaid,
" But shewus now, continuedhe," the power " The sopUistwentaboutwith as much pride
of yourrhetoric,
in speaking
against
theMa-as if hehaddemolished
a tyranny,
andthe
cedonians,
thattheymayseetheirfaults,and youngmenfollowedhim,astheonly freeman
amend." among so manythousands." These things,
Then the oratortookthe otherside,and uponthediscovery ofHermolaus'splotagainst
spokewithequalfluency against
theencroach- Alexander, givean ait of probability
to what
mentsandotherfaultsof theMacedonians, as wasallegedagainstCallisthenes. His ene-
wellasagainst
thedivisionsamong theGreeks,miessaid,Hermolaus inquiredof him," By
whichheshewed to bethe only causeof the whatmeans hemightbecome themostfamous
greatincreaseof Philip'spowerj concludingman in theworld?"and that be answered,
withthesewords, " By killingthemostfamous."They farther
Amidst sedition's
waves, asserted, thatby way of encouraginghim to
Theworstofmortal]mayemerge
to honour. the attempt,hebadehim" not beafraidof the
Bythishedfewupon'
himselftheimplacable
golden
bed,butremember
hehadtodowitha
hatredof theMacedonians,
andAlexander manwhohadsuffered
bothbysickness
andby
said," Hegavenot,in thiscase,a specimen
of wounds."
hiseloquence,
butof hismalevolence." NeitherHermolaus,
however,
noranyof his
Hermippus assures
us,thatStroibus,aper-accomplices,made anymentionofCallisthenea
sonemployed by Callisthenes
toreadtohim, amidst theextremities
oftorture.Nay,Alex-
gavethis accountof thematterto Aristotle. anderhimself,
in theaccounthe immediately
He adds,that Callisthenes,
perceiving the gaveoftheplottoCraterusAttalus,
andAlce-
king'saversion
to him,repeated
thisversetwo tas,writes," Thatthe youngmen,whenput
orthreetimesat parting: to thetorture,declared,
it wasentirelytheir
own enterprise,andthat no manbesides,waa
Fatroclus,
thysuperior
isnomore. arivyto it." Yet afterwards,
in a letterto
It was not, therefore,without reason,that Antipater,heaffirms,that Callisthenes was as
Aristotlesaidof Callisthenes,"His eloquence,juilty asthe rest. " The Macedonians,"says
indeed,is great,but hewantscommonsense." le, "have stonedthe youngmento death.As
He not only refused,with all thefirmnessof a "orthe sophist,I will punishhim myself,and
philosopher,to pay his respects to Alexander hose that sent him too: nor shall the towni
by prostration,but stoodforth singly,andut- :hatharbouredthe conspiratorsescape." In
tered in public many grievanceswhich the best which he plainly discovers his aversion to
and oldest of the Macedonians durst not re- Aristotle, by whom Callisthenes was brought
flect uponbut in secret,thoughthey were as up as a relation; for he was the sonof Hero,
much displeasedat them as he. By prevent- Vristotle's niece. His death is variously re-
ing the prostration,he savedthe Greeks,in- ated. Somesay, Alexanderorderedhimto be
deed, from a great dishonour, and Alexander langed; others, that he fell sick and died in
froma greater;
butberuinedhimself;because
chains:andChareswrites,that he waskept
his manner was such, that he seemed rather seven months in prison; in order to be tried in
desirousto compel than to persuade. "all council in the presenceof Aristotle; but
Chares of Mitylene tells us, that Alexander, :hat he died of excessive corpulency and the
at one of his entertainments, after he had ousy disease,at the time that Alexander was
drank, reached the cup to one of his friends. wounded by the Malli Oxydracz in India-
That friend had no soonerreceived it than he This happened, however, at a later period
lose up, andturning towardsthe hearth,*where than that we aie upon.
stoodthe domesticgods,to drink, he worship- In themeantime,Demaratusthe
Corinthian,
ped, and then kissed Alexander. This done, though far advancedin years,was ambitiousof
hetook his plai e againstthe table. All the joing to seeAlexander. Accordinglyhetook
;hevoyage,and whenhebeheldhim, he said,
* Dacier
isofopinion,
that,bythisaction,
theflat-"The Greeks
fell shortof a greatpleasure,
tererwanted
to insinuate,
thatAlexander
oughtto be who did not live to seeAlexanderupon the
reckonedamongthedomestic
gods. But,as the king hrone of Darius." But he did not live tc en-
"at in that part of the room where the Penates were,
we rather think it was a vile excuse to the man's own oy the king's friendship. He sickenedand
for this act of religiousworship,becauseliedsoonafter. The king,however;perfoimed
conscience
theirposition
made it dubious,
whether
it wu intendedlis obsequies
in themostmagnificent
manner:
forAlcxauderor for them. andthearmythrewupfor him a monumentof
468 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

earthof greatextent,andfourscore
cubiu high. to shewthatcourage
cantriumphoverfortune,
His ashes
werecarriedto thesea-shore
in a andmagnanimity
overforce:he thoughtno-
chariot and four, with the richest ornaments. thing invincible to the brave, or impregnable
When Aleianderwasuponthe pointof set- to the bold. Pursuantto this opinion, whe*
ting out for India,he sawhis troopswereso hebeseiged Sisimethres*upona rockextreme-
ladenwith spoilsthat theywereunfit to march. ly steepand apparently
inaccessible,
andsaw
Therefore,early in the morningthathe wasto his mengreatlydiscouraged at the enterprise,
takehisdeparture,
afterthecarriages
wereas- heasked
Oxyartes,"
Whether
Sisimethres
were
"embted,he first setfire to his iwn baggagea manof spirit?" Andbeinganswered, " That
and that of his friends;andthen gave orders he wastimorousanddastardly,"heslid, " You
that the restshouldbeservedin the sameman- informme the rockmaybetaken,sincethere
lier. The resolution appeared more difficult is no strength in its defender." In fact, he
to take than it was to execute. Few were found means to intimidate Sisimelhres, and
displeased at it, and numbersreceived it with made himself masterof the fort.
acclammations
of joy. They freelygavepart In the seigeof anotherfort, situatedin a
of their equipageto such aswere in need, and place equally steep, among the young Mace-
burned and destroyed whatever was superflu- donians that were to give the assault, there
ous. This greatly encouraged and fortified was one called Alexander; and the king took
Alexander in his design. Besides,by this time occasionto sayto him, "You must behavegal-
be was become inflexibly severe in punishing lantly, my friend, to do justice to your name."
offences. Menander, though one of his friends, He was informed afterwards that the young
he put to death, for refusing to stay in a for- man fell as he was distinguishing himself in a
tress he had given him the charge of; and one glorious manner, and he laid it much to heart.
of the barbarians, named Ofodates, he shot When he sat down beforeNysa,f the Mace
deadwith an arrow, for the crime of rebellion. donians madesome difficulty of advancingto
About this time a sheep yeaned a lamb the attack, on accountof the depth of the river
with the perfect form and colour of a tiara that washed its walls, till Alexander said,
upon its head, on each side of which were " What a wretch am I, that I did not leam to
testicles. Looking upon the prodigy with hor- swim," and was going to ford it with a shield
ror, he employed the Chaldeans,who attended in his hand. After the first assault,while the
him for suchpurposes,
to purifyhim by their troopswere refreshingthemselves,
ambassa-
expiations. He told his friends, on this occa- dors came with an offer to capitulate; and
sion, " That he was more troubled on their along with them deputies from some other
account than his own; for he was afraid that places. They were surprised to see him in
after his death fortune would throw the empire armour without any pomp or ceremony; and
into the hands of some obscure and weak their astonishment increased when he bade
man." A betteromen,however,soondissipa- theoldestof the ambassadors,
namedAcupbis,
ted his fears. A Macedonian, named Proxe- take the sofa that was brought for himself.
nns,who hadthe charge of the king's equip- Acuphisstruckwith a benignityof reception
age,oaopening*
theground
bytheriverOxus,sofar beyond
hishopes,
askedfcvhat
theymust
in orderto pitchhis masterstent,discovereda do to beadmittedinto hisfriendship?Alexan-
springof a grossoily liquor; whichafterthe der answered,"It mustbeon conditionthat
surfacewastakenoff,cameperfectlyclear,and theyappointyou their governor,andsendme
neither in taste,nor smell differedfrom real a hundredof their bestmen for hostages."
oil, nor wasinferiorto it in smoothness and Acuphissmiledat this, and said," 1should
brightness, though there were noohves in that govern better if you would take the worst, in-
country. It is said, indeed, that the water of steadof the best."
the Oxusis of BOunctuousa quality, that it It is saidthedominions
of Taxiles,in India,}
makes the skins of those who bathe in it were as large as Egypt: they affordedexcellent
emootliandshining.f pasturagetoo, andwere the mostfertile in all
It appears,from a letter of Alexander'sto respects. As hewasa manof greatprudence,
Antipater,that he was greatlydelightedwith he waited on Aleiander,and after the first
this incident,andreckonedit one of the hap- compliments, thusaddressed him: " What oc-
piestpresages the godshadaffordedhim. The casionis therefor wars betweenyou andme,
soothsayerssaid,it betokened,thatthe expe- if you arenotcometo takefromus our water
dition would provea gloriousone, but at the andothernecessaries of life; the only things
"ame time laboriousand difficult,becausethatreasonable
menwill takeup armsfor?
Heavenhasgivenmenoil to refresh themaf- Asto goldandsilver,andotherpossessions,
if
ter their labours. Accordingly,he met with I am richerthan you, I am willing to oblige
great dangersin the battlesthathe fought;and you with part; if I am poorer,I havenoob1
receivedvery considerable
wounds.Buthis jectionto sharing
in yourbounty." Charmed
armysuffered
mostby wantof necessaries
and withhisfrankness,Alexander
tookhishand,
by theclimate.For hispart,hewasambitiousandanswered,
" Thinkyou,then,withallthis
* Strabo
(lib.ii.) ascribe!
thelamepropertiei
tothe
poundDear theriverOchiu. Indeed, theOchus and * Thi»strong holdwassituated
inBactriana.
St*ab»
theOitu unitetheir stream!, andflowtogetherinto says,
it wasfifteen
furlongshigh,asmany
in compass,
theCaspian tea. andthatthe topWis a fertile plain, capable
of main-
f Pliny telli us,that thesurfaceof theseriven wa» tainingfirehundred. It wasID BactrianathatAlex-
" commence of salt, and that the waters flowed under andermarried Rovana,the daughter of Oirariei.
it asundera crustof ice.Thetail continence
heim- f Arriancallsit Nyssa
: soindeed
doutheVulcob.
pute*
tothedtfluiions
fromtheneighbouring
moun-MS. Thathistorian
places
it Dear
Mount
Merie,
uu*
tain!,buthesaysnothing
of the uacluoui
qualityof adds, thatit wasbuiltbyDionysiusorBacchiu.Hence
theiewaten,mentioned
by Plutarch.Nat.Hut. lib. it hadthenameofDionysiopolis.
It it nowcalled
Nerg
fall, } Betweenthe Jndiu and the HydiupM.
 ALEXANDER. 431

Civility,
toescape
without
aconflict?Youare theircavalry,
heshould
begreatly
their«upe-
muchdeceived,
if you do. I will disputeit rior,andthat if theymade
a movement
with
withyoutothelast;butit shalloein favourstheirinfantry, hiswouldcome uptimeenough
and benefits;for I will not Lave you exceedto receivethem. Nor did he judge amiss.
me in generosity." Therefore, afterhavingTheenemy detached
againsthima thousand
received
greatpresents fromhim,and madehorseandsixtyarmed chariots,
andhedefei:
greater,
hesaidtohimoneevening, " I drinkedthemwithease.Thechariots hetook,and
to you,Taxiles,andassureasyoupledge me, killed four hundredof thecavalryuponthe
youshallhavea thousand
talents."Hisfriends"pot. By this,Porusunderstood
thatAlexan-
wereoffended at his givingawaysuchimmenseder himselfhadpassedthe river,andtherefore
sums,but it mademanyof the barbarianslook brought uphis whole army, exceptwhat ap-
uponhim with a kindereye. pearednecessaryto keepthe restof theMace-
The most warlike of the Indiana Deedto doniansfrom making goodtheir passage.Alex-
fightfor pay. Uponthis invasiontheydefend-ander,consideringthe forceof the elephants,
edthe citiesthat hired themwith greatrigour, and the enemy'ssuperiornumbers,did not
and Alexandersufferedby them not a little. chooseto engagethemin front, but attacked
To oneof the citieshe grantedan honourablethe left wing himself,while Ccenus, according
capitulation,and yet seizedthe mercenaries,to his orders,fell uponthe right. Both wings
as they were upon their marchhomewards,beingbroken,retired to the elephantsin the
and put them all to the sword. This is the centre,and rallied there. The combatth«n
only blot in his military conduct;all his other wasof a moremixedkind; but maintainedwith
proceedings wereagreeable to thelawsof war, suchobstinacy,thatit wasnot decidedtill the
andworthyof a king.* eighth hour of the day. This descriptionof
The philosophers gavehim no lesstrouble the battlewe havefromtheconquerorhimself,
than the mercenaries,by endeavouringto fix a in one of his epistles.
mark of infamy uponthoseprincesthat declared Most historians agree, that Porua was four
for him, and by exciting the free nations to cubits and a palm high, and that though the
take up arms; for which reason he hanged elephant he rode was one of the largest, hii
manyof them. stature and bulk were such,that he appeared
As to his war with Porus, we have an ac- but proportionably mounted. This elephant,
count of it in his own letters. According to during the whole battle, gave extraordinary
them, the river Hydaspeswas betweenthe two proofs of his sagacity and care of the king's
armies, and Porus drew up his elephants on person. As long as that prince was able to
the banks oppositethe enemy "withvheir heads fight, he defendedhim with great courage,and
towards the stream, to guard it. Alexander repulsed all assailants;and when he perceived
causeda great noise and bustle to be made him ready to sink under the multitude of darts
every day in his camp, that the barbarians, and the wounds with which he was covered,
being accustomed to it, might not be so ready to prevent his falling off, he .kneeleddown in
to take the alarm. This done, be took the the softest manner, and with his proboscis
advantage of a dark and stormy night, with gently drew every dart out of his body.
part of his infantry, and a select body of cav- When Porus was taken prisoner, Alexander"
airy, to gain a little island in the river, at some asked him, " How he desired to be treated?"
distance from the Indians When he was He answered, "Like a king." "And have
there, he and his troops were attacked with a you nothingelse to request?"replied Alexander,
most violent wind and rain, accompaniedwith " No," said he; " every thing is comprehended
dreadful thunder and lightning. But, notwith- in the word king." Alexander not only re*
standingthishurricane,in whichhe sawseveral storedhim his own dominionsimmediately,
of his men perish by the lightning, he advanced which he was to govern as his lieutenant, but
from the island to the oppositebank. The addedveryextensiveterritories to them; for
Hydaspes, swelled\vith the nun,by its violence havingsubdued
a freecountry,whichcontain-
and rapidity piade a breach on that side,which ed fifteen nations, five thousand considerable
received water enough to form a bay, so that cities,* and villages in proportion, he bestowed
when he came to land, he found the bank ex- it on Porus. Another country, three times ai
tremely slippery, and the ground broken and large, he gaveto Philip, one of his friends, who
undermined by the current. On this occasion was also to act there as his lieutenant.
he is said to haveutteredthat celebrated
say- In thebattlewithPorus,Bucephalus
received
ing, " Will you believe, my Athenian friends, several wounds,of which he died some time
whatdangersI undergo,to haveyouthe heralds after. This is the accountmost writers give
of my fame?" The last particularwe have us: but Onesicritussays,he died of age and
from Onesicritus;but Alexanderhimselfonly fatigue,for hewasthirty yearsold. Alexander
jays, they quitted their boats, and, armed as shewed as much regret as if he had lost a
theywere,wadedup the breach breasthigh; faithful friend andcompanion.He esteemed
andthatwhentheywerelanded,headvanced
him,indeed,as such;andbuilt a. city near
with the horsetwentyfurlongsbeforethe foot, the Hydaspes,in the place where he was
concluding
thatif theenemy
attacked
himwith buried,whichhecalled,afterhim,Bucephalia.
* It wasjustandlawful,it seems,
to go about * Some
transcriber
seems
toha»e
giyenusthenum-
harassinganddestroying
thosenationsthat had never berof inhabitantsin onecity for the numberof cities.
Offended him,anduponwhichhehadnoclaim,exceptAvrian'B account isthis: " Hetookthirty-seven
cities,
thatavowed by the northern barbarians,
whenthey theleastofwhichcontained 6vethousandinhabitants,
entered Italy, namely, that the weak must submit to and severalof them aboreten thousand. He took also
thestrong ! Indeed,those barbarians
weremuchhon- a greatnumber of villages,
not lesspopulous
thanthe
Mtermen,Tortheyhadanotheranda belterplea;they cities, and ga»ethe government
of the country O
vent to seek bread. Porui."
490 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

He ia alsoreported
to havebuilt a city,and the moetwarlikepeoplein India. He had
called it Peritas, in memory of a dog of that driven some of them from the wal. with his
name,whichhe hadbroughtup andwasvery missiveweapons,andwas the first man that
fondof. This particular,
Sotiosays,he had ascended
it. But presently
afterhe wasup,
from Potamoof Lesbos. thescalingladderbroke. Findinghimselfand
The combatwith Porusabatedthe spirit of his smallcompany muchgalledby thedartsof
the Macedonians,and madethem resolveto the barbariansfrombelow,hepoisedhimself,
proceedno fartherin India. It waswith diffi- andleapeddow.ninto the midstof the enemy.
culty theyhaddefeatedanenemywhobrought By goodfortunehefell uponhis feet; andthe
only twenty thousand foot and two thousand barbarianswere so astonishedat the flashing of
horseinto the field; andthereforetheyopposedhis armsas he camedown,that theythought
Alexander with greatfirmnesswhenheinsisted they beheldlightning, or somesupernatural
that theyshouldpasstheGanges,* which,they splendourissuingfrom his body. At first,
were informed, was thirty-two furlongs in therefore,theydrewbackanddispersed. But
breadth, and in depth a hundred fathom. The when they had recollected themselves,and saw
opposite shore, too, was coveredwith numbers him attended only by two of his guards, they
of squadrons,battalions, and elephants. For attacked him hand to hand, and woundedhim
the kings of the Gandaritesand Prasians were through his armour with their swords and
said to bewaitingfor themthere,with eighty spears,notwithstanding
the valourwith which
thousand horse, two hundred thousand foot, he fought. One of them standing farther off,
eight thousand chariots, and BIXthousandele- drew an arrow with suchstrength, that it made
phantstrainedto war. Nor is this numberat its way through his cuirass,and enteredthe
all magnified: for Androcottus, who reigned ribs under the breast. Its force was so great,
not long after, made Seleucusa present of five that he gave back and was brought upon his
hundredelephantsat onetime,} andwith an knees,andthe barbarianranupwith his drawn
armyof six hundredthousandmentraversedscimitarto despatchhim. Peucestas andLim-
India, and conqueredthe whole. nsus* placed themselves before him, but one
Alexander's grief and indignation at this re- was woundedand the other killed. Peucestas,
fusal were such, that at first he shut himself who survived,wasstill making someresistance,
up in his tent, andlay prostrateonthe ground, whenAlexanderrecovered
himselfandlaidthe
declaring, " He did not thank the Macedonians barbarianat his feet The king, however, re-
in the least for whit they had done, if they ceivednew wounds,and at last had sucha blow
would not passthe Ganges;for heconsideredfrom a bludgeonupon his neck,that hewas
i retreat no other than an acknowledgmentforcedto supporthimselfby the wall, andthere
that he was overcome." His friendsomitted stoodwith his faceto the enemy. The Mace-
nothing that might comfort him; and at last donians,whoby thistime hadgot in, gathered
their remonstrances, together with the cries about him, and carried him off to his tent.
and tears of the soldiers, who were suppliants His senseswere gone,and il was the current
at his door, melted him, and prevailed on him report in the army that he was dead. When
to return. However,he first contrivedmany theyhad, with great difficulty,sawedoff the
vain and sophisticalthingsto servethe pur- shaft,whichwasof wood,andwith equaltrou-
posesof fame; amongwhichwerearmsmuch blehadtakenoff thecuirass,theyproceeded to
bigger than bis men could use,and higher man- extract the head, which was three fingers
gers, and heavier bits than his horsesrequired, broad, and four long, and stuck fast in the bone.
left scattered up and down. He built also He fainted under the operation, and was very
great altars, for which the Prasians still re- near expiring; but when the head was got out,
tain much veneration, and their kings cross he came to himself. Yet, after the dangerwas
the Gangeseveryyear to offersacrificesin the over,he continuedweak,anda longtimecon-
Grecian manner upon them. Androcottus,finedhimselfto a regulardiet,attendingsolely
who wasthen veryyoung,hada sightof Alex- to the cure of his wound. The Macedonians
ander, andhe is reportedto haveoften said could not bearto be solong deprivedof tlie
afterwards, " That Alexander was within a lit- sight of their king; they assembledin a tumul-
tle of making himself master of all the country; tuous manner about his tent. When he per-
with suchhatredandcontemptwas the reign- ceivedthis, heput on his robe,and madehis
ing princelookedupon,on accountof his pro- appearance; but assoonashehadsacrificedto
fligacyof manners,andmeanness of birth." the gods,he retiredagain. As he wason his
Alexander,in his marchfromthence,formed wayto the placeof his destination,thoughcar-
a designto see the ocean;for which purposeried in a litter by the waterside,hesubdueda
hecauseda numberof row-boatsand rafts to large track of land, and many respectable
be constructed, and, upon them, fell down the cities.
riversat his leisure. Nor wasthisnavigation In the courseof this expedition,he tookten
unattended with hostilities. He madeseveral of the Gymnosophistsfi who had beenprinci-
descentsby the way, and attacked the adjacent
cities, which were all forced to submit to his " Q. Curlius calls him Timout.
t Thephilosophers,
victorious arms. However, he was very near were socalledfromthrir going
naked,
divided into two sects,the Brachmani and the
beingcut in piecesby theMalli, whoarecalled Gcrmani.TheBrachmani
weremostesteemed,
be-
causethere wasa consistencyin thtir principles. Apu-
" The Gangesis the largest of all the rivers in the leius tells us, that not only the scholars,but the younger
threecomment;,the Indui the second,
the Nile the pupilswereassembled
aboutdinner time,ana exam-
third, and the Danubethe fourth. ined what good they had done that day; and such a*
t Dacicrsays/ite (Aousand,
butdocsnotmentionhis couldnot point out someact of humanity,or useful
Authority. Perhapsit wasonly a slip in thewriting, pursuitthattheyhadbeenengaged
in, werenotallow
thep-inting. ed any dinner.
 ALEXANDER 491

pallyconcerned
ininstigating
Sabbas torevolt,ofgenius, buttohave livedwithtoopassive
a
and had broughtnumberless othertroublesregardto the laws."
upon thethe
Macedonians.As these ten were Others say, Dandamis enteredintonodie-
reckoned moatacuteand-concisein their coursewith the messenger,
but only asked,
answers,
heputthemostdifficultquestions
to " WhyAlexander
hadtakensolonga jour
themthatcouldbethoughtof,andat thesameney?"Asto Calanus, it is certain
Taxilespre-
timedeclared, he wouldput thefirstpersonvailedwithhimto goto Alexander.His true
thatanswered wrongto death,andafterhim namewasSphines; butbecause he addressed
all therest. Theoldestmanamong themwas themwiththewordCale,whichistheIndian
to bethejudge. formofsalutation,
theGreeks callhimCalanug.
He demandedof the first, " Which were This philosopher,
we aretold,presented
Alex
mostnumerous,the livingorthedead?" He anderwitha goodimageof this empire.Ho
answered," Theliving; for thedeadnolon- laida dryandshrivelled
hidebeforehim,and
gerexist."* firsttrodupontheedgesof it. Thishedidall
Thesecond wasasked, " Whethertheearthround;andashetrod on one side,it started
or the eea.
producedthe largestanimals?"He uponthe other.At lasthe fixedhisfeetonthe
answered, " The earth;for theseais part of it." middle,andthen it lay still. By thisemblem
The third, " Which is the craftiest of all heshewedhim, that he shouldfix his residence,
animals?"" That," saidhe, "with whichman andplanthis principalforcein the heartof his
is not yet acquainted."f empire,andnot wanderto the extremities.
The fourth," What washis reasonfor per- Alexander spent seven monthsin falling
suadingSabbasto revolt?" " Because,"said down the rivers to the ocean. When hear-
he," I wished
himeitherto livewithhonour,rivedthere,heembarked,
andsailedto anisl-
or to die as a coward deserves." and which he called Scilloustis,* but others
The fifth had this questionput to him, call it Psiltoucis. There helanded,andsacri-
« Which do you think oldest,the day or the ficedto thegods. He likewiseconsidered the
night?" He answered,"The day, by one natureof the seaandof the coast,asfar as it
day." As the king appearedsurprisedat this wasaccessible.And after having besought
solution,the philosopher
told him, " AbstruseHeaven," That no man might everreachbe-
questionsmusthaveabstruse answers." yond the boundsof his expedition,"he pre-
Then addressing himselfto the sixth,bede- paredto setout on hiswayback. He appoint-
manded," What arethe bestmeansfor a man ed Neaichus admiral,and Onesicrituschief
to makehimselfloved?" He answered, "If pilot, andorderedhis licet to sail round,keep-
possessed of great power,do not makeyour- ing India onthe right. With the rest of hii
te!f feared." forces he returned by land, through the coun-
The seventh was asked, " How a man try of the Orites; in which he was reduced to
might becomea god?" He answered," By such extremities,and lost such numbersof
doing what is impossiblefor man to do." men, that he did not bring back from India
The eighth, " Which is strongest, life or abovea fourth part of the army he entered it
death?" " Life," said he; " becauseit bears with, which was no less than a hundred and
BOmany evils." twenty thousand foot, and fifteen thousand
The last question that he put was, " How horse. Violent distempers,ill diet, and exces
longis it goodfor a manto live?" " As long," siveheats, destroyedmultitudes; but famine
eaidthe philosopher, " as hedoesnot prefer madestill greaterravages. For it wasa bar-
deathto life." ren and uncultivated country; the natives lived
Then turning to the judge, he ordered him miserably, having nothing to subsiston but a
to give sentence. The old man said, " In my few bad sheep, which used to feed on the fish
opinionthey haveall answeredone worse than thrown up by the sea; consequentlythey were
another." " If this is thy judgment," said poor, and their flesh of a bad flavour.
Alexander," thou shall die first." " No," re- With much difficulty he traversed this coun-
pliedthe philosopher,
"not exceptyou choosetry in sixtydays,andthen arrivedin Gedrosia.
to break your word: for youdeclared the man There he found provisions in abundance;for
that answeredworst should first suffer." besidesthat the land is fertile in itself, the
The king loadedthem with presents,and neighbouringprincesandgrandeessupplied
dismissedthem. After which he sent Onesi- him. After he had given his army some time
critus, a disciple of Diogenes,to the other In- to refreshthemselves,he marchedin Carmania
diangages who were of most reputation,and for sevendaysin a kind of Bacchanalian
pro-
lived a retired life, to desirethem to come cession. His chariot,whichwasverymagnifi
to him. Onesicritus tells us, Calanus treat- cent, was drawn by eight horses. Upon it
ed him with great insolenceand harshness,wasplaceda lofty platform,whereheandhis
bidding him to strip himself naked, if he principal friends revelled day and night. This
desired
to hearanyof hisdoctrine;"You should carriagewas followed by manyothers,some
nothearmeonanyothercondition,"
saidhe, covered
withrichtapestry
andpaperhangings,
"though you came from Jupiter himself." and others shadedwith branchesof treesfresh
Dandamisbehavedwith more civility; and gatheredand flourishing. In thesewerethe
whenOnesicritus
hadgivenhimanaccount
of restof theking'sfriends
andgenerals,
crown-
Pythagoras,
Socrates,and Diogenes,he said, ed with flowers,andexhiliratedwith wine.
"They appearedto him to have beenmen In this whole companythere was not to
beseena buckler,
a helmet,orspear;but,in-
* Theydid nol holdthemortality,but lh« trammi-
grttiou of the soul.
t Thu wein ppose * Arriancallsit CilutU. Heretheyfir»tobserved
to mealmanhimself,ai notbeing Ihe
acquainted with himself. ebbingandflowing of thetea,whichsurprised
Ifacm
492 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

"leadof them,cups,flagons,and goblets.of them,wearetold,madeit a ruleto return

Theeethesoldiers
di/jpedin h«gevessels
of butseldom; andOchug neverdid;hebanished
trine,anddrankto eachother,someasthey himselfto savehismoney.Havingf' undthe
Inarchedalong,andothersseatedat tables,tombof Cyrusbrokenopen, heputtl-eauthor
Whichwereplaced at properdistances
onthe of that sacrilege
to death,thougha nativeof
way. The whole country resoundedwith Pella,anda personof somedistinction. Hi»
flutes,clarionets, and songs,and with the namewagPolymachus.After he badreadthe
dancesandriotousfrolics of the women.This epitaph,whichwas in the Persianlanguage,
disorderly and dissolute march was closedwith he ordered it to be inscribedalso in Greek. It
a very immodest figure, and with all the licen- was as follows: O MAN! WHOSOEVER THOU
tiousribaldryof the Bacchanals,
as if Bacchus ART,ANDWHENSOEVERTHODCOMEST, (FOR
himselfhadbeen presentto carry onthe de- COME I KNOWTHOUWILT,)I AMCYRUS,
THg
bauch. POUNDER OPTHEPERSIANEMPIRE,
ENVYMB
When Alexander arrived at the royal palace NOT THE UTTLE EARTH THAT COVERSMT
of Gedrosia,he gave his armytime to refresh BODY.Alexanderwasmuchaffectedat these
themselvesagain,and entertainedthem with words,whichplacedbeforehim in so stronga
featsandpublic spectacles.At one of these light the uncertaintyand vicissitude of things.
in which the chorusesdisputedthe prize of It washerethat Calanus,afterhavingbeen
dancing,heappearedinflamedwith wine. His disordered a little while with the cholic,desir-
favourite
Bagoashappening
to winit, crossededto havehis funeralpile erected.Heap-
the theatrein his habitof ceremony,andseat- proached it onhorseback, offereduphisprayert
ed himselfby the king. The Macedoniansto Heaven, pouredthe libationsupon him
expressed their satisfaction
w:th loudplaudits, self, cut off part of his hair,' and threwit on
andcalled out to the king to kiss himj with the fire; and, beforehe ascended the pile,took
which at lasthe complied. leave of the Macedonians,desiring themto
Nearchus
joinedhtmagainhere,andhewasspendtheday.n jollity anddriaki,,gwiththe
so much delighted with the account of his voy- king; "For I shall see him," said he, "in a
age, that he formed a design to sail in person little time at Babylon." So sayinghestretched
from the Euphrateswith a great fleet,circle himselfuponthe pile, andcoveredhimselfup.
the coastof Arabiaand Africa, andenterthe Nor did he moveat the approach rf theflames,
Mediterranean by the Pillarsof Hercules.For but remainedin the sameposturetill he had
this purpose,he constructed, at Thapsacua,a finished his sacrifice, according to the custom
numberof vesselsof all sorts, andcollected of the sagesof his country. Manyfearsaf-
mariners and pilots. But the report of the ter, another Indian did the same before Au
difficulties he had met with in his Indian ex- gustus Caesarat Athens, whose tomb is shewn
pedition, particularly in his attack of the Malli, to this day, and called the Indian's tomb.
his great loss of men in the country of the Alexander, as soon as he retired from the
Orites, and the supposition he would neverre- funeral pile, invited his friends and officers to
turn alive from the voyagehe now meditated, supper,and, to give life to the carousal, prom-
excited hia new subjects to revolt, and put his ised that the man who drank most should be
generals and governors of provinces upon dis- crownedfor his victory. Promacbusdrank four
playingtheir injustice,insolence,andavarice. measures
of wine,t andcarriedoff the crown,
In short,the wholeempireivasin commotion, whichwaswortha talent,but survivedit only
andripe for rebellion. Olympiasand Cleo- threedays. The restof the guests,as Chares
patra, leaguingagainstAntipaler, hadseizedtells us,drank to sucha deirree,
that forty-one
his hereditary dominions, and divided them of them lost their lives, the weather coming
betweenthem. Olympiastook Epirus, and uponthemextremelycold duringtheir intoxi-
Cleopatra, Macedonia. The tidings of which cation.
beingbroughtto Alexander,he said,"His mo- When he arrived at Susa,he marriedhis
ther had considered right; for the Macedo- friends to Persian ladies. He set themthe ex-
nianswould never bear to be governedby a ample,by takingStatira the daughterof Da-
woman." rius, to wife, and then distributed among hii
In consequence of this unsettledstate of principalofficersthe virginsof highestquality.
things,he sent Nearchusagainto sea,having As for thoseMacedonians who had already
determinedto carry the warinto the maritime marriedin Persia,he madeageneralentertain
provinces.Meantimehemarchedin personto mentin commemoration of their nuptials.It is
chastisehis lie utenantsfor their misdemeanours. said,that no less than nine thousandguestssat
Oxyartes,oneof the sonsof Abuhtes,hekilled down,andyet hepresented
eachwith a golden
withhisown hand,by a strokeof his javelin.cupfor performing
thelibation. Everything
Abilitieshadlaidin no provisions
for him; he elsewasconducted with the utmost
magnifi-
hadonly collected three thousandtalentsin cence;he evenpaid off all their debts; inn.
money. Upon his presentingthis, Alexander muchthat the wholeexpense amounted to m"'.<
badehim offer it to his horses;and,as they thousandeight hundredandseventytalents
did nottouchit, he said,"Of whatusewill AnolEcer,
whohadbutoneeye,named
An
this provisionnow be to me?"andimmediate-tigenes,put himself uponthe list of debtors,
ly orderedAbulitesto be takeninto custody. andproduceda personwhodeclared hewasso
The first thing hedid after heenteredPer- muchin his books. Alexanderpaidthe mon-
sia,wasto givethismoney
to thematrons,
ac- ey; butafterwards
discovering
thefraud,in hii
cording
to the ancientcustom
of thekings, 1A»»ome
ofthehairused
tobecutfrom
thefort-
who, upon their return from any excursion to head of victims.
their Persiandominions,
usedto give every f About
fourteen
quarts.Thechina
was
liz
woman a piece of gold. For this reason,several uine-tcothi.
 ALEXANDER. 493
anger
forbade
himthecout,and
tookaway
hisfrom
Greece,
werevery
serviceable
tohim.But
commission.There wasno fault to be found unfortunately
Hephaestion
fell sick of a feverin
with himasa soldier. He haddistinguished
themidstof thisfestivity.Asa youngmanand
himself
in hisyouthunder
Philip,atthesiegea soldier,
hecouldnotbeartobekepttostrict
ofPerinthua,
wherehewaswounded in theeyediet;andtaking
theopportunity
todinewhenhis
witha dartshotfromoneof theengines;
and physician
Glaucus
wasgoneto thetheatre,ho
yethewould neither suffer
it tobe taken
out, atearoasted
fowl,anddrankaflagon
of wina
norquittin1Acid,till hehadrepulsedtheene-madeascoldas possible;in consequence
ot
my,andforced themto retireintothetown.which hegrewworse,
anddiedafewdaysafter.
Thepoorwretch couldnotbearthedisgrace Alexander's gnefonthisoccasion
exceeded
hehadnowbroughtuponhimself;hisgriefand allbounds.He immediatelyorderedthehorses
despair
wassogreatthat it wasapprehended and mulesto beshorn,thattheymighthave
hewouldputanendto hisownlife. To pre- theirshareinthemourning, andwiththesame
ventsucha catastrophe,
thekingforgavehim, viewpulleddownthebattlements oftheneigh-
andorderedhimto keepthemoney. bouring
cities.Thepoorphysicianhecrucified.
Thethirtythousandboys,whomheleftunder Heforbade thefluteandall othermusicin hii
propermasters,
werenowgrownsomuch, and campfor a longtime. Thiscontinued till ho
madesohandsome anappearance; and,what receivedanoracle fromJupiterAmmon, which
wasof moreimportance, hadgainedsuchan enjoinedhim to revereHephacstian, andsa-
activity and address
in their exercises,
that he crifice to him as a demi-god. After this he
was greatly delightedwith them. But it was soughtto relieve his sorrowby hunting, or
matterof uneasinessto theMacedonians; they ratherby war; for his gameweremen. In thit
wereapprehensive thattheking wouldhaveless expeditionheconquered the Cussaeans,
andput
regardfor them. Therefore,whenhegavethe all that werecometo the yearsof pubertyto
invalids their route to the sea,in order to their the sword. This he called a sacrifice to the
return,the wholearmyconsidered
it asaninju- manesof Hepha:stion!
riousandoppressivemeasure:" He hasavailed He designedto Sayout ten thousandtalent*
himself,"said they, " beyondall reason,of their upon his tomb and the monumentalornaments,
services, andnow he sendsthem back with dis- and that the workmanship, as well as design,
grace,andturnsthemuponthe handsof their shouldexceedthe expense, greatasit was.He
countryind their parents,in a very different thereforedesiredto have Stasicratesfor hia
condition from that in which he received them. architect, whose genius promised a happy
Why doeshe not dismissus all! Why does he boldnessand grandeur in every thing that he
not reckon all theMacedoniansincapableof ser- planned. This was the man who had told him,
vice, now be hasgot this bodyof youngdancers? some time before,that Mount Athos in Thrace
J-ethim go with themand conquer the world." was most capable of being cut into a human
Alexander, incensedat this mutinous behav- figure; and that, if he had but his orders, he
iour, loaded them with reproaches; and order- would convert it into a statuefor him, the most
ing them off, took Persiansfor his guards, and lasting and conspicuousin the world; a statue
filled up other offices with them. When they which should have a city with ten thousand
saw their king with these new attendants, and inhabitants in his left hand, and a river that
themselves rejected and spurned with dishon- flowed to the seawith a strong current in its
our, they were greatly humblad. They lament- right. He did not, however, embracethat pro-
ed their fate to each other, and were almost posal,though at that time he busied himself
frantic with jealousyandanger. At last, com- with his architectsin contrivingandlayingout
ing to themselves, they repairedto the king's evenmoreabsurdandexpensive designs.
tent, withoutarms,in onethin garmentonlv; As he was advancingtowards Babylon,
andwithtearsandlamentationsdelivered them- \earchus,whowasreturnedfrom his expedi-
selvesup to his vengeance; desiringhe would tion on the ocean,andcameupthe Euphrates,
treatthemasungratefulmendeserved. declared,he had been applied to by some
He wasBoftened with their complaints,but Chaldeans, who werestronglyof opinionthat
wouldnot appearto hearkento them. They Alexandershouldnot enter Babylon. But h»
itood two days and nights, bemoaning them- slighted the warning and continued his march,
selvesin this manner,andcallingfor their dear Upon hisapproachto the walls,he sawagre«:
master. The third day he came out to them: number of crows fighting, some of which fell
and when he sawtheir forlorn condition,he down deadat his feet. Soonafter this, being
wept a longtime. After a gentle rebuke for nformed,that Apollodorus,
governorof Baby-
theirmisbehaviour,
he condescended
to con- lon,hadsacrificed,
inorderto consultthegodg
versewith themin a freemanner;andsuchas concerninghim, he sent for Pythagoras,the
wereunfitfor service,
hesentoverwithmag-diviner;and,ashedid notdenythefact,asked
nificentpresents.At thesamelime,hesigni- lim how theentrailsof thevictim appeared.
fied his pleasureto Antipater,that at all pub- Pythagoras
answered,
the liver waswithouta
lic diversionsthey shouldhavethe mosthon- bead. " A terrible presage,indeed!" said;
ourableseatsin thetheatres,and
wearchapletsAlexander.Helet Pythagoras gowithimpu-
of flowersthere;andthatthechildrenof thosenity:butbythistimehewassorryhehadnot
whohadlosttheirlivesin hisservice, shouldlistenedtoNearchus. Helivedmostly in huj
havetheir fathers'spay continuedto them. pavilion without the walls, anddivertedhim.
WhenhecametoEcbatana in Media,and selfwithsailing upanddowntheEuphrates.
haddespatched
themosturgent
affairs,heem- Fortherehadhappened
several
otherill omens
ployed
himself
againinthecelebration
ofgameithatmuch disturbed
him. Oneof thelargesj
andotherpublic
solemnities;
for whichpur- andhandsomest
lionsthatwerekeptin Baby
jmsethreeI thousand
l
artificers,latelyarrived Ion,wasattacked
andkickedto deathby an
494 PLUTARCH'S UVES.
MS.Onedayhestripped
fortherefreshment
edmind,
andfillsit withfearandfolly
ofoil,andtoplayat ball:afterthediversionwas entirely
Alexanders case.However,opot
wasover,theyoungmenwhoplayed withhim, the receiptof gome>racles concerning
He-
goingto fetchhisclothes,
beheldamansittingphxstion, fromthegodhe commonly con
in profoundsilenceon histhrone,
dressedin suited,
hegave a.truceto hissorrows,and
em-
theroyalrobes,withthediadem
uponhishead.ployed
himselfin festivesacrifices
andenter
They demanded
who hewas,andit wasa long tainrnents.
timebeforehewouldanswer. At last,coming Oneday,afterhehadgivenNearchus
tohimself,
hesaid,
"MynameisDionysius, andsumptuous treat,hewent,accordingtocustom
I ama nativeof Messene. Upona criminaltorefresh himself inthebath,in order
toretir
processagainstme, I left the pjace,andem- to rest. But in the meantimeMedius came
barkedforBabylon.ThereI have beenkept indinvited himtotakepartin acarousal,and
a longtimein chains.But thisdaythegod tiecouldnotdenyhim. Therehe drankal'
Serapis appearedto me,andbrokemychains;thatnightandthenextday,till at lasthefound
afterwhichheconducted mehither,andor- a fevercominguponhim.It didnot,however
deredmeto putonthisrobeanddiadem, and seizehimas hewasdrinkingthecupof Her
sit herein silence." cules,nordidhefindasudden painin hisback,
After the man had thus explainedhimself, as if it hadbeenpiercedwith a spear. These
Alexander,by the adviceof his soothsayers,are circumstancesinventedby writers, who
puthimto death.Buttheanguish
of hismind thought
thecatastrophe
of sonobJe
a tragedy
increased;on onehand,healmostdespairedof shouldbesomething affectingandextraordina-
the succoursof Heaven,andon the otherdis- ry. AristobuJus
tells us,thatin the rageof hit
trusted his friends. He was most afraid of fever, and the violence of his thirst, he took a
Antipater and his eons; one of which, named draught of wine, which threw him into a fren-
lolaua,* was his cup-bearer; the other, named zy, and that he died the thirtieth of the month
Cassander,waslately arrived from Macedonia; Daesius (June.)
and happeningto seesomebaibarians prostrate But in his journals the account of his sick-
themselves before the king, like a man accus- nessis as follows: " On the eighteenth of the
tomed only to the Grecian manners, and a month Daesius, finding the fever upon him, he
stranger to such a sight, he burst out into a lay in his bath room. The next day, after he
loud Jaugh. Alexander, enragedat the affront, hadbathed, he removedinto his own chamber,
seized him by the hair, and with both hands and played many hours with Medius at dice.
dashedhis bead against the wall. Cassander In the eveninghe bathed again, and after hav-
afterwardsattemptedto vindicate his father ing sacrificedto the gods,heate his supper.In
against his accusers; which greatly irritated the night the fever returned. The twentieth
the king. "What is this talk of thine?" saidhe. tie also bathed, and, after the customarysacri-
" Dost thou think that men who had suffered fice, sat in the bath-room, and diverted himself
no injury, would come so far to bring a fiilse with hearing Nearchus tell the story of hia
charge?" " Their coming so far," replied voyage, and all that was most observablewith
Cassander,
" is anargumentthat thechargeis respectto the ocean. The twenty-firstwaa
false, becausethey are at a distancefrom those spent in the samemanner. The fever increas-
who are able to contradict them." At this ed, and he had a very badnight. The twenty-
Alexander smiled, and said, " These are some second,the fever was violent. He ordered hia
of Aristotle's sophisms,which make equally bedto be removed,and placedby the great
for eithersideof the question.But beassuredbath. There he talked to his generalsabout
I will makeyou repentit, if thesemenhave the vacanciesin his army, anddesiredthey
hadthe leastinjusticedonethem." might befilled up with experiencedofficer!.
This, andother menaces,left sucha terror The twenty-fourth,he wasmuch worse. He
uponCassander, andmade so lasting an im- choose,however,to be earnedto assistat the
pression
uponhismind,thatmanyyearsafter, sacrifice.He likewisegaveorders,
thatthe
when king of Macedon,and mast?/ of all principalofficersof the armyshouldwait with-
Greece,as he waswalking aboutat Delphi, in the court, and the otherskeep watch all
and taki/ig a view of the statues,the sudden night without. The twenty-fifth,he wasre-
eightof thatof Alexander
issaidtohavestruck moved
to hispalace,
on theothersideof the
him with such horror, that he trembledall river, wherehe slepta little, but the feverdid
over,andit waswithdifficultyherecovered
of not abate; and whenhisgenerals
entered
thegiddinessit caused
in hisbrain. theroomhe wasspeechless.He continued
When Alexanderhadoncegivenhimselfup so the day following. The Macedonians,
to superstition,
his mindwasso preyeduponby this time,thinkinghe wasdead,tameto
by vamfearsandanxieties,
that heturnedthe the gateswith greatclamor,andthreatened
leastincidentwhichwasanythingstrangeand the greatofficersin sucha manner,that they
outof theway,intoa s.gnora prodigy.The wereforcedto admitthem,andsufferthema]'
court swarmedwith sacrifices,purifiers,and to passunarmedby thebed-side.The twenty
prognostications;
theywereaJ!to beseenexer- seventh,
PythonandSeleucus
weresenttothe
cisingtheir talentsthere. So true it is, that templeof Serapis,to inquire whether they
thoughthedisbeliefof religion,andcontemptshouldcarryAlexander thither,andthe deity
of thingsdivine,is a greatevil,yetsuperstition
orderedthattheyshouldnotlemovehim.The
is a greater.For as water gainsupon low twenty-eighth, in theevening,
hedied."These
grounds, sosuperstition prevailsovera deject particulars
are takenalmostword for word
from hisdiary.
" ArrianandCurtiuicallhimlollot.Plutarch
calls Therewaeno suspicion
of poisonat the
him Ju/ojbelow. time of hii death; but six years afwr (we are
 CAESAR. 495

told)Olympias,
uponsomeinformation,
puta signof anytaint,but continued
freshand
number of people to death, and ordered the clear.
remains
of lolas,whowassupposed
to have Roxanawasnowpregnant,
and,therefore,
givenhimthedraught,
to bedugoutof the hadgreatattention
paidherbytheMacedo-
grave.Those
whosayAristotle
advised
An-nians.Butbeing
extremely
jealous
ofStatira,
tipaterto sucha horriddeed,andfurnishedshelaid a snarefor her bya forgedletter,as
oimwiththepoisonhesenttoBabylon, allegefromAlexander;andhaving,by this means,
oneAgnothemis as their author,whois pre- got herunderher power,shesacrificed
both
tendedto havehadtheinformation fromking herandhersister,andthrewtheirbodies into
Antigonus.Theyadd,that the poisonwasa a well,whichshefilled up with earth. Per-
water of a cold and deadlyquality,* which diccaswasher accomplice
in this murder.In-
distilsfroma rockin theterritoryof Nonacris;deed,
he hadnowtheprincipalpower,which
andthat theyreceiveit as they woulddo so he exercised in thenameof Aridsus,whomhe
manydew-drops, andkeepit in anass'shoof; treatedrather asa screenthan as a king.
its extremecoldnessandacrimonybeingsuch, Aridsus wasthe sonof Philip, by a courte-
that it makesits waythroughall othervessels.san namedPhilinna, a womanof low birth.
The generalityhowever,look uponthe story His deficiencyin understanding was the con-
of the poisonas a merefable; and theyhave sequence of a distemper,in which neitherna-
thisstrongargument in theirfavour,thatthough, ture nor accidenthadanyshare.For it is said,
on accountof the disputes whichthegreat offi- there wassomethingamiableandgreat in him
cerswereengaged
in for manydays,thebody whena boy;'whichOlympias
perceiving,
gave
lay unembalmed
in a. sultry place,it hadno him potionsthat disturbedhis brain,*

JULIUS C^SAR.

WHEN Sylla had made himself master of he fell sick, and on that account was forced lo
Rome,theendeavoured to bringCzsar to re- be carriedin a litter. The soldiersemployed
pudiate Cornelia,daughterto Cinna,one of by Sylla to searchthoseparts, and drag the
the late tyrants;andfindinghecouldnot effect proscribedpersons fromtheirretreats,onenight
it, either
byhopes
orfears,|
heconfiscated
her fellin withhim;butCornelius,
whocommand-
dowry. Indeed,Caesar, asa relationto Marius, ed there,was prevailedon, by a bribeof two
wasnaturallyan enemyto Sylla. Old Marius talentsto let him go.
had marriedJulia, Cssar's aunt, and, there- He then hastenedto sea,and sailedto Bi-
fore,youngMarius,thesonhe hadby her,was tbynia, where he soughtprotectionof Nico-
Cajsar'scousin-german.At first, Sylla, amidst medesthe king. His stay,however,with him
the vastnumberof proscriptionsthat engagedwasnot long. He re-embarked, andwastaken
his attention,overlookedthis enemy;but Cae-nearthe islandof Pharmacusa, by pirates,who
sar,not contentwith escaping
so,presented
weremasters
of that sea,and blockedupall
himselfto the people,as a candidatefor the the passages
with a numberof galleysand
priesthood,§
thoughhe wasnot yet cometo othervessels.Theyaskedhim onlytwenty
yearsof maturity.Syllaexerted
hisinfluencetalentsfor his ransom.He laughedat theii
againsthim, andhemiscarried. The dictator demand,
as the consequence
of their not know-
afterwards
thoughtof havinghim takenoff, inghim,andpromised
themfifty talents. To
andwhensomesaid,therewasnoneedto put raisethe money,hedespatched hispeopleto
eucha,boyto death,he answered,
" their saga- differentcities,andin the meantime remained
citywassmall,if theydid notin thatboysee withonlyonefriendandtwoattendants
among
manyMariua's." theseCilicians, who consideredmurder as a
This sayingbeingreportedto Caesar,
he trifle. Cssar,however,held themin great
concealedhimselfa long time, wanderingup contempt, and used to send, wheneverhe
and downin the countryof the Sabines.wentto sleep,andorderthemto keepsilence
Amidsthismovements
fromhouseto house,Thushelivedamong themthirty-eight
days,as
* Hence it wu called
tneStygian
water.Nonacrii * Portraitsof the sameperson, takenat different
wasacity ofArcadia. periodsof life,thoughtheydiflergreatlyfromeach
t Some imaginethatthebeginning
of thislifeialoit; other,retaina resemblance uponthe whole.And
but if theylook backto theintroductionto thelife of soit is in generalwith the charactersof men. But
Alexander,thatnotion
will vanish. Alexanderseetna
tobeanexception ; for nothingcan
} CxsarwourQ ootmake suchasacrifice
to thedic- admitof greater
dissimilarity
thanthatwhichentered
tatorasPisohaddone,who,at hiscommand,divorcedintohisdispositionat different
times,andin different
hiswifeAnnia.Pompey, too,Torthesake of Sylla'scircumstances.He wa»brave and pusillanimous,
alliance,
repudiated
Anlislia. mercifulandcruel,modest
andvain,abstemious
(uid
QCsesarhadthepriesthood
before Syllawasdicta-luxurious,rational
andsuperstitious,
politeandover-
tor. IDtheseventeenth
yearof hisage,hebrokehis bearing,politicandimprudent.Nor werethese
engagementtoConsutia,
though shewasof aconsular changes
casualortemporal;
thestyleofhischaracter
andopulentfamily,
andmarried Cornelia,
thedaugh-underwent a totalrevolution,
andhepassed from
terof Cinna,bywhoseinterest,
andthatof Marius,virtueto vicein a regular
andprogreuive manner
hewascreated FlamenDiata,or Priest of Jupiter.Munificenceandprideweretheonlycharacteristics
8yUa, when absolute master ofRome, insisted
OD his thatnever
divorcing Cornelia, and, upon his refilial deprivedhim
forsook
him.If there
were
any
viceof
of that office. Suetan, in Julio. whichhe wasincapable,
it wu avarice; if anyvirtue.
it washumility,
 496 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

If theyhad beenhis guards,rather than hie plete orator,who had bestowedall his time
keepers. Perfectlyfearlessand secure, he uponsuchstudies."
joinedin their diversions,
and tookhis ex- Uponhia returnto Rome,he impeached
ercisesamongthem. He wrote poemsand Dolabellafor misdemeanours ID his govern
Orations,
and rehearsed
themto thesepirates; ment,andmanycitiesof Greecesupportedthe
and when they expressedno admiration,he chargeby their evidence. Dolabellawasac-
calledthemdunces
andbarbarians.Nay,he quitted. Casar,however,
in acknowledgment
often threatened to crucify them. They were of the readiness Greece had shewn to serve
delightedwith thesefreedoms,whichtheyim- him, assistedherin herprosecution of Pubiiua
puted to hiafrank andfacetiousvein. But as Antoniusfor corruptionThe cause wasbrought
soonas the moneywasbroughtfrom Miletus, beforeMarcusLucullus,prstor of Macedonia;
and he had recoveredhis liberty, he mannedandCaesar pleadedit in so powerfula manner,
somevesselsin the port of Miletus," in order thatthe defendantwasforcedto appealto the
to attackthesecorsairs. He found themstill tribunesof the people;alleging,thathewasnot
lying at anchor by the island, took most of upon equal terms with the Greeksin Greece.
them, together wiQi the money, and imprisoned The eloquence he shewed at Rome in de-
them at Pergamus. After which, he applied fending personsimpeached, gained him a con-
to Junius who then commanded in Asia, be- siderableinterest, and his engagingaddressand
cause to him, as prator, it belongedto punish conversation carried the hearts of the people.
them. Juniushavinganeye uponthe money, For hehada condescension
not to beexpected
whichwasa considerable
sum,demurred
aboutfromsoyounga man. At thesame
time,the
the matter; and Cisar, perceiving his inten- freedom of his table and the magnificenceof
tion, returned to Pergamus, and crucified all his expensegradually increasedhis power, and
the prisoners, as he had often threatened to brought him into the administration. Those
do at Pharmacusa,when they took him to be who envied him, imagined that his resources
in jest would soon fail, and therefore, at first, made
When the power of Sylla came to be upon light of his popularity, considerableas it was.
the decline, Caesar'sfriends pressed him to But when it was grown to sucha height that it
return to Rome. But first hewent to Rhodes, was scarce possibleto demolish it, and had a
to study under Apollonius, the son of Molo,f plain tendency to the ruin of the constitution,
who taught rhetoric there with great reputation, they fuund out, when it was too late, that no
and ivas a man of irreproachable manners. beginningsof things, hotvever small, are to be
Cicero also was one of his scholars. Cssar is neglected ; because continuance makes them
said to have had happy talents from nature for great; and the very contempt they are held in
a public speaker, and he did not want an am- gives them opportunity to gain that strength
bition to cultivate them; so that undoubtedly which cannot be resisted.
he was the second orator in Rome; and he Cicero seemsto be the first who suspected
might have been the first, had he not rather something formidable from the flattering calm
chosen the pre-eminence in arms. Thus he of CoEsar's political conduct, and saIFdeep and
neverroseto that pitch of eloquence
to which dangerousdesignsunderthe smilesof his be-
his power would havebroughthim, beingen- nignity. " I perceive,"saidthe orator, " an
gagedin those wars and political intrigues inclinationfor tyrannyin all he projectsand
which at last gainedthe empire. Hence it executes;but on the other hand,whenI see
was, that afterwards in his Jlnticato, which he him adjusting his hair with so much exactness,
wrotein answerto a bookof Cicero's,he de- andscratchinghis headwith onefinger,I can
sired his readers" Not to expectin the per- hardlythink that sucha mancanconceiveso
formanceof a military manthe styleof a com- vast and fatal a designas the destructionof
the Roman commonwealth." This, however,
* Dacierreads
Jtfetos,
whichwasoneof theCyclades,
wasanobservation
madeat a muchlater period
but
t Itdoci
notmention
should hisauthority.
be ^pallanita Molo, not Apollooiut
the thanthat weareupon.
SODof Molo. According to Suetonius, Cxsar had The first proof he had of the affection of the
studiedunderhimat Ror*, beforethisadventure
of peoplewaswhen he obtaineda tribuneshipin
(hepirates. Thusfar DacierandRuauld; andother the army before his competitor Caius Popilius.
critics saythe same. Yet Strabo(1.xiv. p. 655,660, The secondwas more remarkable; it was on
661.)
tellsus,MoloandApollonius weretwodifferent
men. He affirms, that they were both natives of Ala-
occasion
of hispronouncing
fromtherostrum
banda,
acityofCaria;
thatthey
were
both
scholars
ol thefuneral
oration
of hisauntJulia,thewife
Menacles theAlabandian;andthattheybothprofess-of Marius, in whichhe failednot to dojustice
edthesame art at Rhodes,
thoughMolowentthither to her virtue. At the samelime he had the
laterthanApollonius.Cicero,
likewise,
seemstodis- hardinessto producethe imagesof Marius,
tinguish them, callingtheoneMolo? andtheotherwhichhadnotbeenseenbefore
duringSylla's
Apollonius the Alabandian,especiallyin his first book
DeOroiore,
where
heintroduces
M.Antonius
speak-
administration;
Mariusandall hisadherents
ingof himthus:" ForthisOdethingI always
liked havingbeendeclaredenemiesto the state.
Apolloniusthe Alabandian
; thoughhetaughtfor mo- Upon this some began to raise a clamour
ney,hedidnotsuffer
any,whomnethought
incapable
againstCaesar;
but theywere soonsilencedby
of making a figureasorators, tolosetheirtimeandthe acclamations
andplauditsof the people,
labour with him, but sentthem home, eihorting them
toapply
themselves
tothatartforwhich
theywere,expressing
theiradmiration
of hiscourage
in
in hisopinion,
btatqualified." bringingthe honoursof Marius againto light,
To solvethisdifficulty,
we arewillingto suppose,
after so longa suppression,
and raisingthem,
with Ruauld,that ihereweretwo Molo'i colempora-as it were, from the shadesbelow.
rics : forthetestimonies of Suetonius, (inCaesare, c. It hadlongbeenthe customin Rome,for
4.) and of Quiutilian, (Imlitut. 1.lii. c. 6.) that Caesar
and Cicero were pupil* to Apollonius Molo, can never the aged women to have funeral panegyrics,
beoverruled. but not the young. C.Tsarfirst brokethrough
 CJ5SAR. 497

it, by pronouncingonefor hiaownwife, wh< In hisspeechagainst

himwasthismemorable
diedin herprime.Thiscontributed to fixhim expression,
" Youno longerattackthe com-
in theaffections
of thepeople;theysympathizmonwealth by mines,but by openbattery."
cd withhim,andconsidered himasa manol Caesar, however,defended hiscausesowell
greatgoodnature, andonewhohadthesoda (hatthesenate gaveit for him;andhisadmir
dutiesat heart. ers, still moreelated,desiredhim to keepup
After the funeralof his wife, hewentou a spiritof enterprise,
for hemightgainevery
I praetor,
* quatstor intoSpain
with"AntistiusVeterthethingwith theconsent of thepeople,
and
whom he honouredall hia life after easilybecomethe first man in Rome.
and whenhecameto the praetor
himself,hi Amidstthesetransactions, diedMetellus,
acknowledged
thefavourbytakingVotersson theprincipal
pontiff. Theofficewassolicited
for his quaestor.When that commissionwas byIsauricusandCatulus,two of the mostillus-
expired,he took Pompeiato his third wife triousmenin Rome,andof the greatestinter-
havinga daughter
by hisfirstwifeCorneliaestin thesenate.
Nevertheless,
Caesar
didnot
whombe afterwardsmarried to Pompeythe give place to them, but presented himselfto
Great. the peopleas a candidate. The pretensions
Many people,who observed his prodigiou andprospects of thecompetitors seemed almost
expense,thoughthewaspurchasing ashortan< equal, andCatulus,more uneasythanthe oth-
transienthonourvery dear,but, in fact,hewas ersunderthe uncertaintyof success, onaccount
gainingthe greatestthingshe could aspireto of his superiordignity, sentprivatelyto Caesar,
at a small price. He is saidto havebeena andofferedhim largesums,on conditionthat
thousandthree hundred talents in debt before hewould desistfrom his high pursuit. But he
he got any public employment.When hehad answered, " He wouldratherborrowstill larger
the superintendence of the AppianRoad, he sumsto carryhis election."
laid out a greatdealof his own money; and When the day of election came, Caesar'b
when aedile,he not only exhibited three hun- mother attendinghim to the door, with her eyes
dredandtwentypair of gladiators,but in the bathedin tears, he embracedher and said,
other diversionsof the theatre, in the proces- " My dear mother, you will seeme this day
sions and public tables, he far outshone the either chief pontiff or an exile." There never
most ambitious that had gone before him. was any thing more strongly contested; the suf-
These things attached the people to him so 'rages,however, gave it for Caesar.The senate,
strongly that every one soughtfor new honours and others of the principal citizens, were great-
andemployments,to recompensehis generosity. y alarmed at this success;they apprehended
There were two factions in the state, that of that he would now push the people into all
Sylla, which was the strongest; and that of manner of licentiousnessand misrule. There-
Marius, which was in a broken and low condi- "ore, Piso and Catulus blamed Cicero much for
tion. Caesar'sstudy was to raise and revive the sparingCaesar,when Cataline'sconspiracygave
latter. In pursuanceof whichintention,when lim an opportunityto take him off. Catiline,
his exhibitions, as sdile, were in the highest whose intention was not so much to make al-
reputation, he causednew imagesof Marius to :erationsin the constitution, as entirely to sub-
be privately made, together with a representa- vert it, and throw all into confusion, uponsome
tion of hiavictoriesadornedwith trophies,and slight suspicions
appearing
againsthim, quitted
one night placed them in the capitol. Next ilome before the whole was unravelled; but
morning these figureswere seenglistering with le left behind him Lentulus and Cethegus to
gold, of the most exquisite workmanship, and conduct the conspiracy within the city
bearing inscriptions which declared them the Whether Caesarprivately encouraged and
achievements of Marius againstthe Cimbri. iupportedthem, is uncertain; what is univer-
The spectatorswereastonishedat the boldness ally agreedupon,is this; The guilt of those
of the manwho erectedthem; nor wasit diffi- wo conspiratorsclearlyappearing,Cicero,as
cult to knowwho he was. The reportspread consul,took the senseof the senators asto the
with the utmost rapidity, and the whole city as- mnishmentthat should be inflicted upon them;
sembledto see them. Someexclaimed,that ,ndtheyall gaveit for death, till it came to
Caesarplainly affectedthe tyranny,by openly Caesar's
turn, who,in a studiedspeechrepre-
producingthosehonourswhichthe lawshad ented,"That it seemedneitheragreeable to
condemned to darknessandoblivion.This, they ustice,nor to the customsof their country,to
eaid,wasdoneto makea trial of the people, :>utmen of their birth and dignity to death,
whom he had prepared by his caresses,wheth- without anopen trial, except in case of extreme
ertheywouldsufferthemselves
to beentirely necessity.
Butthat theyshouldratherbekept
caughtby his venalbenefactions,
and let him n prison,in anyof the citiesof Italy thatCicero
playuponthemandmakewhatinnovations
he might pitchupon,till Cataline
wassubdued)
pleased. On the otherhand,the partizansof and then the senatemighttakecognizance
of
Marius encouraging
eachother,ran to the he crimesof eachconspirator
in fullpeace,
capitol in vast numbers, and made it echo and at their leisure."
withtheirplaudits.Someof themevenwept As thereappeared something
humanein this
for joy at thesightof Marius'scountenance.
ipinion,andit waspowerfully
enforced
by the
Theybestowed
thehighestencomiums
upon rator,those
whogave
theirvoices
afterwards,
Caesar,and declaredhe wasthe only relation ,ndevenmanywho haddeclaredfor the other
worthy of that greatman. ideof the question,cameinto it. But Cato
The senate
wasassembled
ontheoccasion,ndCatuluscarriedit for death. Cato,in a
tnd LutatiusCatulus,
a manof thegreatesteverespeechagainst
theopinion
of Caesar,
reputation
in Rome, roseandaccused
Caesar.cruplednotto declare
hissuspicions
of him;
* SeeVeil.Piltrculm,ii. 43. nd this with other arguments,lad somuch
498 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

weightthatthetwoconspirators
weredeliver-oneof themit is kept),goesout, andnot a
ed to the executioner. Nay, as Caesarwas maleis left in jt. The wife, now havingthe
goingout of the senatehouse,severalof the houseto herself,decorates it in a properman-
youngmen who guardedCicero'sperson,ran ner; the mysteriesare performedin the night;
uponhim with their drawnswords;but weare and the whole is spentin music and play.
told that Curio coveredhim with his gown, Pompeia,this year, wasthe directressof the
and so carriedhimoff; andthatCicerohim- feast,Clodius,
whowasyeta beardless
youth,
self, whenthe youngmenlookedat him for a thoughthe mightpassin women'sapparel,un
nod of consent,refusedit, eitherout of fearof discovered,andhavingtakenthe garbandin
the people,or because
he thoughtthekilling strumcnts
of a female
musician,
perfectlyre
himunjustandunlawful. If this wastrue,I Bcmbledone.Hefoundthedooropen,
anawa«
knownot why Cicerodid not mentionit in the safelyintroducedby a maidservantwhoknew
history of his consulship. He was blamed, the affair. She ran beforeto tell Pompeia;
however,afterwards,for not availinghimself andasshestayeda considerable time, Clodiue
of so good an opportunity as he then had, and durst not remain where she left him, but wan
for beinginfluencedby his fearsof the people, dering about the greathouse,endeavoured
to
who were indeedstrongly attached to Caesar: avoid the lights. At last Aurelia's woman fell
for, a few daysafter, when Caesarenteredthe in with him, and supposingshe spoketo a
senate,and endeavoured to clear himselfof woman,challengedhim to play. Uponhis re-
the suspicions he lay under, his defence was fusing it, she drew him into the midst of the
received with indignation and loud reproach- room, and asked him who he was, and whence
es; and as they sat longer than usual, the peo- he came? He said he waited for Abra, Pom-
ple besetthe houseandwith violent outcries peia'smaid,for that washername. His voice
demandedCaesar,absolutelyinsisting on his immediatelydetectedhim: Aurelia'swoman
beingdismissed. ran up to the lightsandthe company,crying
Cato, therefore, fearing an insurrection of out she had found a man in the house. The
the indigent populace,who were foremostin thing struckthemall with terror andastonish-
all seditions,and who had fixedtheir hopes ment. Aurelia put a stopto the ceremonies,
upon Casar, persuaded the senateto ordera and covered up the symbolsof their myste-
distributionof bread-cornamongthem every rious worship. She orderedthe doors to be
month, which added five million five hundred made fast, and with lighted torches hunted up
thousand drachmas to the yearly expense of and down for the man. At length Clodius waa
the state.* This expedientcertainlyobviated foundlurking in the chamberof the maid-ser-
the presentdanger,by seasonablyreducingthe vant who had introducedhim. The women
power of Caesar,who was now prator elect, knew him, and turned him out of the house;
andmoreformidableon that account. after which, they went home immediately,
Caesar'spraetorship
was not productiveof though it was yet night, and informedtheir
any trouble to the commonwealth, but that husbandsof what had happened.
year there happeneda disagreeable
eventin Next morningthe reportof the sacrilegious
his own family. Therewasa youngpatrician, attemptspreadthroughall Rome,andnothing
named Publius Clodius, of great fortune and was talked of but that Clodius ought to make
distinguished eloquence,but at the same time satisfaction with his life to the family he bad
one of the foremost among the vicious and the offended, as well as to the city andto the gods.
profligate. This man entertained a passionfor One of the tribunes impeachedhim of impiety;
Pompeia, Caesar'swife, nor did she discounte- and the principal senators strengthened the
nance it. But the women's apartment was so charge, by accusing him, to his face, of many
narrow!)' observed, and all the steps of Pom- villainous debaucheries,and amongthe rest, of
peia so much attended to by Aurelia, Caesar's incest with his own sister, the wife of Lucullua.
mother, who was a woman of great virtue and On the other hand, the people exerted them-
prudence, that it was difficult and hazardous selves with equal vigour in his defence, and
for them to have an interview. the great influence the fear of them had upon
Among the goddessesthe Romans worship, his judges was of much service to his cause.
there is one they call Bona Dea, the good god- Caesar immediately divorced Pompeia; yet,
dess,as the Greekshaveonethey call Gyn&- whencalledas an evidenceonthe trial, hede-
cea, the patroness of the women. The Phry clared he knew nothing of what was alleged
gians claim her as the mother of their king Mi against Clodius. As this declaration appeared
das; the Romanssay, shewas a Dryad, and somewhatstrange, the accuserdemanded, why,
wife of Faunusjandthe Greeksassureus,she if that wasthe case,he haddivorcedhis wife:
is that motherof Bacchus,whosenameis not " Because,"saidhe, " I wouldhavethe chas-
to be uttered. For this reason,the women, tity of my wife clearevenof suspicion."Some
when theykeepher festival,covertheir tents say Caesar'sevidencewas accordingto his
with vinebranches; and,accordingto thefable, conscience;others,that he gave it to oblige
t sacreddragonlies at the feet of the goddess.the people, who were set upon savingClo-
No manis allowedto bepresent,nor even to dius. Be that as it might, Clodiuscameoff
be in the house,at the celebrationof her or- clear; mostof the judges havingconfounded
gies. Many of the ceremoniesthe womenthen the letters upon the tablets,that theymight
performby themselves aresaidto be like those neither exposethemselves to the resentment
in the feasts of Orpheus. of the plebeians,if they condemnedhim, nor
When the anniversaryof the festivalconies, lose their credit with the patricians,if they
the consul or prastor (for it is at the houseof acquitted him.
" Butthisdistribution
didDO!
continue
long.496 The government
of Spainwas allotted
 C^SAR. 499
Cesar
afterbisprsetorship.*
Buthiscircum-
towork
upon
anexpedient
which
deceived
all
atancc-3
wereBOindifferent,
andhiacreditors
theworldexcept
Cato.It wasthereconciling
soclamorous
andtroublesome
whenhewaspre-ofPompey andCrassus,
twoof themostpow-
paring
forhisdeparture,
thathewasforced
to erfulmeninRome.Bymaking them Iriends,
apply
toCrassus,
therichest
roaninRome,
whoCzsar secured
theinterest
of bothtohimself,
stood
in needof Cesar's
warmth andvigourto andwhileheseemed to beonlydoing anoffice
keepupthebalanceagainst
Pompey. Crassus,of humanity,
hewasundermining theconsti-
therefore,
tookuponhimto answer themosttution.Forit wasnot,whatmost people
ima-
inexorable
of hiscreditors,
andengaged for gine,thedisagreementbetween Caesarand
eighthundredandthirtytalents;
whichpro-Pompey that producedthe civil wars,but
curedhimlibertyto setoutfor hisprovince. rathertheirunion:theyfirstcombined
to rum
It issaid,thatwhenhecametc a littletown, theauthorityof thesenate,
andwhenthatwas
in passingthe Alps,hisfriends,
by wayof effected,
theyparted
lo pursueeachhisown
mirth,took occasion
to say,"Cantherehere designs.Cato,who oftenprophesied
what
beanydilutesforoffices,anycontentions
for wouldbe theconsequence,
wasthrnlooked
precedency,orsuchenvyandambitionaswe uponasa troublesome and overbusy man;af-
eeeamong the great?" To whichCzsaran- terwards hewasesteemed a wise,thoughnot
swered,with great seriousness,
"I assureyou, a fortunatecounsellor..
I had ratherbe the first manhere,thanthe MeantimeCaesar walkedto the placeof
secondman in Rome." electionbetweenCrassusand Pompey;and,
In like mannerwe aretold, that when he underthe auspicesof their friendship,wasde-
wasin Spain,hebestowed someleisurehoursclaredconsul,withdistinguished
honour,hav-
onreading
partof thehistoryof Alexander,
and ingCalpurmus Bibulusgivenhimfor hiscol-
wasso muchaffectedwith it, that be satpen- league. He had no soonerentereduponhia
sive a longtime,andat lastburstout into tears. officethanhe proposed
Jawsnot so suitableto
As his friendswerewonderingwhat mightbe a consulas to a seditioustribune; I meanthe
the reason,he said,"Do you think I havenot bills for a divisionof lands anda distribution
sufficientcausefor concern,when Alexander of corn, which were entirely calculated to
at my agereignedover so many conqueredpleasethe plebeians.As the virtuousandpat-
countries,andI havenot onegloriousachieve-riotic part of the senateopposed them, hewas
ment to boast?" furnished with the pretext he had long wanted:
From this principleit was,thatimmediatelyhe protestedwith great warmth, " That they
uponhis arrivalin Spainheappliedto businessthrew him into the armsof the peopleagainst
with great diligence, and having addedten his will, andthat the rigorousand disgraceful
new-raisedcohortsto the twenty he receivedoppositionof the senate,laid him underthe
there,hemarched
against
theCallxciansand disagreeable
necessityof seekingprotection
Lusitama.'is,defeatedthem,andpenetratedto from the commons."Accordinglyhe immedi-
the ocean,reducingnationsby the way that ately appliedto them.
hadnotfelt the Romanyoke. His conductin Crassusplantedhimselfon onesideof him,
peacewasnot inferior to that in the war; he and Pompeyon the other. He demandedof
restored harmony among the cities, and re- themaloud," whether they approved his laws?"
moved the occasionsof quarrel between debt- and, as they answeredin the affirmative, he de-
ors and creditors. For he ordered that the sired their assistanceagaint those who threat-
creditor should have two-thirds of the debtor's ened to oppose them with the sword. They
income,and the debtor the remainingthird, declaredtheywould assisthim; and Pompey
till the whole was paid. By these means he added, "Against those who come with the
left theprovincewith great reputation,though sword,I will bring both swordand buckler."
hehad filled his own coffers, and enriched his This expression gave the patricians great pain:
soldierswith booty,who, upononeof his vic- it appearednot only unworthyof his character,
tories, salutedhim Imperator. the respect the senate had for him, and the
At his return be found himself under a trou- reverence due to them, but even desperate and
blesomedilemma:thosethat solicit a triumph frantic. The people,however,were pleased
being obliged to remain without the walls, and with it.
luch assue for the consulship,to maketheir Cssarwaswilling to availhimselfstill further
personal appearancein Rome. As these were of Pompey's interest. His daughter Julia wa»
things that he could not reconcile, and his ar- betrothed to Servilius Cavpio, but, notwith-
rival happenedat the time of the election of standing that engagement,he gave her to Pom-
consuls,he applied to the senatefor peimis- pey; andtold Serviliushe shouldhavePom-
sionto standcandidate,
though
absent,
andof- pey'sdaughter,
whosehandwasnot properly
fer his service by his friends. Catostrongly at liberty, for she was promisedto Faustus
opposed his request,insistingon the prohibi- the sonof Sylla.-Soon after this, Czsar mar-
tion by law; and when he sawnumbersinflu- ried Calpurnia,the daughterof Piso,andpro-
encedby Caesar,he attemptedto preventhis curedthe consulship for Piso for the year en-
success
by gaining
time; with whichviewhe suing. MeanwhileCato exclaimed
loudly
spun out the debate till it was too late to con- against these proceedings, and called both
cludeuponanythingthat day. Caesar
then godsandmento witness
howinsupportable
it
determinedto give up the triumph,and solicit was,that thefirst dignitiesof the stateshould
the consulship. beprostitutedby marriages, andthat this traf-
As soonashehadentered
thecity, hewent fic of women
shouldgamthemwhatgovern-
of theFarther Spainonly ernmentsandforcesthey pleased.
* H vta»Witgovernment
(batfelllo hi*Tot. Thisprovince
comprehended
Lu- As for Bibulus,Caesar's
colleague,
whenb*
fitauia
andfixtica:thatis,Portugal
andAndajurii. foundhisoppositionto theirnewlawsentirely
J>UO PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

^successful,andthathialife,aswell asCato's, Such, moreover,was the affectionof nia

wasoftenendangered in the publicassemblies,soldiers,and their attachmentto his person,
he >huthimselfupin his ownhouseduringthe thatthey who underother commanders wera
remainder of the year. nothing above the common rate of men, be-
Immediatelyafter this marriage,Pompey cameinvinciblewhereCaeaar's glory wascon-
filled the forum with armedmen,andgot the cerned,and met the most dreadfuldanger*
lawsenactedwhichCa_>sar hadproposed
mere- with a couragethat nothingcould resist. To
ly to ingratiate himself with the people. At give three or four instances:
the sametime the government of Gaul,bothon Acilius, in a sea-fightnearMarseilles,after
this andthe other side the Alps,was decreed he hadboardedone of the enemy'sships,had
lo Cxsar for five years; to whichwaa added his right handcut off with a sword,yethe still
Illyricum, with four legions. As Catospoke heldhis bucklerin his left, and pushedit in
againsttheseregulations,Caesarorderedhim the enemy'sfaces,till hedefeatedthem, and
to be taken into custody, imagining he would took the vessel.
appealto the tribunes. But whenheeawhim CassiusScaeva,
in the battleof Dyrrhachium,
going to prison without speakingone word, and after hehad an eye shot out with an arrow, hi§
observedthat it not onlygavethenobilitygreat shoulderwoundedwith onejavelin,his thigh
uneasiness, but that the people, out of rever- run through with another, and had received a
encefor Cato'svirtue, followedhim in melan- hundredand thirty dartsuponhis shield,"call-
choly silence,hewhisperedoneof thetribunes edout to the enemy,asif he would surrender
to takehim out of the actors' hands. himself. Upon this, two of them cameup to
Very few of the body of senators followed him, and he gave one of them such a stroke
Caesaron this occasionto the house. The uponthe shoulder
with thesword,thatthe arm
greatest part, offended at suchacts of tyranny, dropped off; the other he wounded in the face,
had withdrawn. Considius, one of the oldest and madehim retire. His comradesthen came
senators that attended, taking occasion to ob- up to his assistance,and he saved his life.
serve," That it was the soldiers and naked In Britain, some of the vanguard happened
swords that kept the rest from assembling," to be entangled in a deep morass, and were
Caesar
said," Why doesnot fear keep you at thereattackedby the enemy,whena private
hometoo?" Considiusreplied,"Old ageis my soldier,in the sight of Caesar,
threw himself
defence; the small remains of my life deserves into the midst of the assailants,and, after pro-
not much care or precaution." digious exertions of valour, beat off the bar-
The most disgracefulstep, however,that barians,and rescuedthe men. After which,
Caesar
took in his wholeconsulship,was the the soldier, with much difficulty, partly by
getting Clodius elected tribune of the people; swimming, partly by wading, passedthe mo-
the same who had attempted to dishonour his rass, but in the passagelost his shield. Caesar,
oed, and had profaned the mysterious rites of and those about him, astonishedat the action,
ihe Good Goddess. He pitched upon him to ran to meet him with acclamations of joy; but
ruin Cicero; nor would he set out for his gov- the soldier, in great distress, threw himself at
ernment beforehe hadembroiled them, and pro- Caesar'sfeet, and, with tears in his eyes, beg-
cured Cicero's banishment. For history informs ged pardonfor the lossof his shield.
us, that all these transactionsprecededhis wars In Africa, Scipiohaving taken one of Caesar's
in Gaul. The wars he conducted there, and ships, on board of which was Granius Petro-
the many glorious campaignsin which he re- nius, lately appointed quaestor,put the rest to
duced that country, represent him as another the sword, but told the quaestor," He gave him
man: we begin, as it were, with a new life, his life." Petronius answered," It is not the
and have to follow nim in a quite different custom of Caesar'ssoldiers to take, but to give
track. As a warrior and a general,we behold quarter," and immediately plunged his swoid
him not in the least inferior to the greatest and in his breast.
most admired commandersthe world ever pro- This courage,and this great ambition, were
duced. For whether we compare him with cultivated and cherished,in the first place, by
the Fabii, the Sc'.pios,and Metelli, with the the generousmanner in which Caesarrewarded
generals of his own time, or those who flour- his troops, and the honours which he paid
ished a little before him, with Sylla, Marius, them: for his whole conduct shewed that bo
the two Luculli, or with Pompeyhimself, did not accumulaterichesin the courseof his
whose fame in every military excellencereach- wars, to minister to luxury, or to serve any
ed the skies, Caesar'sachievementsbear away pleasures of his own; but that he laid them up
the palm. Onehe surpassed
in the difficulty in a commonbank,asprizesto beobtainedby
of the sceneof action, another in the extent of distinguished valour, and that he considered
tne countries he subdued; this, in the number himself no farther rich than as he was in a con-
and strength of the enemieshe overcame, that, dition to do justice to the merit of his soldiers
in the savagemannersandtreacherousdispo- Anotherthing that contributedto makethem
sition of the peoplehe humanized; one in mild- invincible was their seeing Caesaralways take
ness and clemency to his prisoners,another, in his sharein danger, and never desire any ef
bounty and munificenceto histroops; and all, in cmption from labour and fatigue.
the numberof battles that he won, and enemies
that hekilled For in lessthanten years'war " Czsar(Bell.Civ.1.iii.) says,thisbravesoldier
in Gaul,hetookeighthundredcitiesbyassault, receivedtwohundred andthirtydartsuponhidshield
conqueredthree hundrednations,and fought and adds,thatherewarded hisbraverywithtwohun-
dred thouiaod sesterces,and promoted him from the
pitched battles at different times with three
.millions of men, one million of which he cut etghUi rank to the first. He likewise orderedthe sot-
diers of that cohort double pay, beside olhir milit&r*
in pieces, and made another million prisoners. rewards.
 CAESAR. 601
Ai for hisexposing
hisperson
to danger,lieutenant,
Labienus,
against
the Tigurini,
theywerenotsurprised
at it, because
theywhorouted
them
near
theriverArar." But
knew,iis passion
forglory,buttheywereas-theHelvetianssuddenly
attacked
Cssar,
ashe
tonished
athispatience
undertoil,sofarin all wasonthemarch
toaconfederate
town.f He
appearance
above
hisbodily
powers.
Forhe gained,
astrong
postforhistroops,
notwith-
wasof a slendermake,fair, of a delicate
con- standing
thesurprise;
andwhenhehaddrawn
stitution,andsubjecttoviolentheadaches and themup,hishorsewasbroughthim. Upon
epileptic
fits. He hadthe firstattackof the whichhesaid," WhenI have
wonthebattle
fallingsickness
at Corduba.He didnot,how- I shallwantmyhorsefor thepursuit;at pre-
ever,makethesedisordersa pretencefor in- sent,let us marchasweareagainst
theene-
dulginghimself. On thecontrary,hesoughtmy."Accordingly hecharged
themwithgreat
in war a remedy for his infirmities, endeavour- vigour on foot.J
ing to strengthen
his constitutionby long It costhima longandsevere conflicttodrive
marches,bysimplediet,byseldomcoming un- theirarmyout of thefield;buthefoundthe
der covert. Thus hecontendedwith his dis- greatestdifficulty whenhe cameto their ram
temper,andfortified himselfagainstits attacks. part of carriages;for not only the men made
When he slept, it was commonlyupona a most obstinatestand there, but the very
march, either in a chariotor a litter, that rest womenandchildren foughttill theywere cut
might benohinderanceto business. In the day- in pieces;insomuchthat the battledid not end
time he visited the castles, cities, and fortified before midnight.
camps,with a servant at his side,whom he To thisgreat actionheaddeda still greater
employed,on suchoccasions,to write for him, He collectedthe barbarianswho hadescaped
and with a soldier behind, who carried his out of the battle, to the number of a hundred
eword. By thesemeanshe travelled so fast, thousand,and upwards,and obligedthem to
andwith so little interruption,as to reachthe settlein thecountrytheyhad relinquished,
and
Rhone in eight days after his first setting out to rebuild the cities they had burned. This he
for those parts from Rome. did, in fear that if the country were left with-
He was a good horsemanin his early years, out inhabitants, the Germans would pass tl.a
and brought that exerciseto such perfection by Rhine, and seize it.
practice,that be couldsit a horseat full speed His secondwar wasin defenceof the Gauls
with his handsbehind him. In tt'J expedition against the Germans,§ though he had before
he also accustomedhimself to dictate letters as honoured their king Ariovistus with the title of
he rode on horseback,and found sufficient em- an ally of Rome. They proved insupportable
ployment for two secretaries at once, or, ac- neighboursto those he had subdued,and it waa
oording to Oppius, for mote. It is also said, easyto see, that instead of being satisfied with
that Caesarwasthefirst who contrivedto com- their presentacquisitions,if opportunityof-
municatehis thoughtsby letter to his friends feredthey wouldextend their conquestsover
who were in the samecity with him, when all Gaul. He found, however,his officers,
any urgentaffair requiredit, andthe multitude particularlythoseof the youngnobility, afraid
of businessor greatextentof the city did not of this expedition;for they had enteredinto
admitof an interview. Caesar'sservice only in the hopesof living
Of his indifference
with respectto diet they luxuriously and making their fortunes. He
giveusthisremarkable
proofs: Happening to therefore
calledthemtogether,
andtoldthem,
supwithValerius
Leo,a friendof hisat Milan, beforethe wholearmy," That theywereat
therewassweetointmentpoureduponthe as- liberty to retire, andneedednot hazardtheir
paragus,instead
of oil. Cxsarateof it freely, personsagainsttheir inclinations,
sincethey
notwithstanding,
and afterwards rebuked his weresounmanly andspiritless.For hispart,
friends
for expressingtheirdislikeof it. " It he wouldmarchwith the tenth legiononly
wasenough,"saidhe," to forbeareating,if against thesebarbarians: for theywereneither
it wasdisagreeable
to you. He who findsfault bettermen thanthe Cimbrians,nor washea
withanyrusticity,is himselfa rustic." worsegeneralthanMarius." Uponthis, the
Onedayashewasuponanexcursion, a vio- tenth legiondeputedsomeof theircorpsto
lentstormforcedhimto seek, shelterina poor thankhim. The otherlegionslaidthewhole
man's hut, where there was only one room,
andthat scarcebig enoughfor a man to sleep * Cssarsay»himself,that heleft Labienusto guard
in Turning, therefore, to his triends, he said, the worlu lie had raised from the lake of Genera to
" Honours
for the great,andnecessaries
for mount
Jura,andthathemarched
IDperson,
atthe
theinfirm,"andimmediately
gaveuptheroom head
ofthreelegions,
toattacktheTigurini,in their
to Oppius,while himself andthe rest of the passage
overtheArar,nowthe
Saone,
audkilledgreat
companysleptundera shedat the door. numbers
of them.
His first expedition in Gaul was against the 1 Bibractt,now Autun.
Helvetiansand theTigurini; who, after having } Hesentbackhishorse,andtherestfollowed
ha
burned twelve of their own towns and four example.This hedid to preventall hopesof a retreat
hundred villages,
putthemselves undermarch,as well
share in at
all to
theshow histroops
danger. Vide that
Bell. hewould
Gall. lib. i.take
hit
in order to penetrate into Italy, through that
partof Gaulwhichwassubject totheRomans, §The
vistus, .Edui
king implored
of the hiswho,
Germans, protection
taking against Ario-
advantage of
as the Cimbri and Teutones would have done the differences
whichhadlongsubsisted
betweenthem
beforethem.Nor werethesenewadventurers andtheAr?erni,hadjoinedthelatter,made himself
inferior to the other in courage;and in num- master
of greatpartof thecountry
of theScnuani.
and
bers theywereequal;beingin all threehun- obliged thejEduito givehimtheirchildren a>hos-
dredthousand,
of whicha hundred
andninetytages.
ArvermThe jEduiwere
of Auvcrgue; the
and people
the ofAutun;
Sequani th»
of Franco*
thousandwere fighting men. Caesarseat his Comle. Cat. Bell Gall, Ub. i.
602 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Vlamcupoutheirofficers,andallfollowedhim of sixtyil,,,usanJ;
rind fell U|mnCaesar,as hi
with greatspirit andalacrity. Aftera marchwasfortifyinghiscamp,andhadnut llie lea«t
of severaldays,theyencamped within two lotionof suchan attack.* They first routed
hundredfurlongsof the enemy. lis cavalry,andthen surroundedthe twelfth
Caesar
sarrivalbroketheconfidence
of Ario- aridseventh
legions,
andkilledallthe officer!.
vistus. Instead of expecting that the Romans Had not Caesarsnatcheda buckler from one of
wouldcomeandattackhim, he hadsuppos-tiismen,forcedhisway throughthe combat-
ed they would not dareto standthe Ger- antsbeforehim,andrusheduponthe barba-
manswhentheywentin questof them. He rians;or hadnotthe tenthlegion,seeinghii
wasmuch surprised,therefore,at this bold danger,
ranfromtheheightswheretheywere
attemptof Caesar,and, what waa worse, posted, andmoved downtheenemy'sranks,in
he saw hia own troops were disheartened.all probabilitynot oneRomanwouldhavesur-
They were dispiritedstill moreby the prophe- vived the battle. But thoughencouraged by
ciesof their matrons,who hadthe careof di- this boldact of Caesar,theyfoughtwith a spirit
vining,andusedto doit by the eddiesof rivers, above their strength,they were not ableto
the windings, the murmurs, or other noisemade make the Nervii turn their backs.Those brave
by the streiim. On this occasion,they charged menmaintainedtheir ground,andwerehewed
the army not to give battle before the new to piecesuponthe spot. It is saidthat out of
moon appeared. sixty thousand not above five hundred were
Caesarhaving got information of these mat- saved, and out of four hundred Nervian sena-
ters, and seeingthe Germans lie close in their tors not above three.
camp,thoughtit better to engagethemwhile Upon the news of this great victory, the
thus dejected, than to sit still and wait their senateof Rome decreed that sacrifices should
time. For this reasonhe attackedtheir en- offered,and all mannerof festivitieskept
trenchments and the hills upon which they were up, for fifteen daystogether, which wasa longer
posted, which provoked them to such a degree lerm of rejoicing than had ever been known
that they descended
in great fury to the plain. before. Indeed, the danger anpearedvery
They fought,andwereentirely routed. Caesarjreat, on accountof somanynationsrising at
pursued them to the Rhine, which was three once; and as Caesarwas the man who sur-
hundredfurlongsfromthe field of battle,cov- mountedit, the affectionthe peoplehadfor him
ering all the way with dead bodies and spoils. made the rejoicing more brilliant. After ho
Ariovistus reached the river time enough to had settled the affairs of Gaul, on the other side
get over with a few troops.The numberof kil- the Alps, he crossed
themagain,andwintered
led issaid to have amounted to eighty thousand. near the Po, in order to maintain his interest
After he had thus terminated the war, he in Rome; where the candidates for the great
left his armyin winter quartersin the country officesof stateweresuppliedwith moneyout
in the Sequani, and repaired to Gaul, on this of his funds to corrupt the people, and after
side the Po, which was part of his province, in they had carried their election, did every thing
order to have an eye upon the transactions in to extend his power. Nay, the greatestand
Rome. For the river Rubicon parts the rest most illustrious personageswent tq pay their
of Italy from Cisalpine Gaul. During his stay court to him at Lucca, among whom were
there he carried on a variety of state intrigues. Pompey, Crassus, Appius governor of Sardi-
Great numberscame from Rome to pay their nia and Nepos, pro-consul in Spain. So that
respectsto him, and he sent them all away sat- there were a hundred and twenty lictors at-
isfied; some laden with presents, and others tending their masters, and above two hundred
happy in hope. In the samemanner through- senators honoured him with their assiduities.
out all his wars, without Pompey's observing After they had fixed upon a plan of business,
"t, he was conquering his enemiesby the arms they parted. Pompey and Crassuswere to be
of the Romancitizens,andgainingthe citizens consulsthe year ensuing,and, to get Caesar's
by the moneyof his enemies.
As soonas he had intelligencethat the * Asthisattackwasunexpected,
Cxsarhad,in a
Belgae,who were the most powerfulpeoplein manner, every thing to do at the samein&tant. The
Gaul, and whose territories made up a third bannerwasto becreeled,thechargesounded.
Ihesol-
partof thewholecountry,hadrevoltedand diersatadistance
recalled,
thearmydrawnup,and
assembled
a greatarmy,bemarched
to that the signal
to place, given.Illhisthis
exhorting surprise,
men heran
to remember from
their place
former
quarterwith incredibleexpedition. He found valour, and, having drawn them up in the best manner
them ravagingthe landsof thoseGauls who hecould,caused thesignalto begiven.Thelegion
were allies of Rome, defeatingthe main body, ariesmadea vigourousresistance
; but, as the enemy
which madebut a feebleresistance,
andkilled seemed
determined
eitherto conquer
ordie,thesuc-
suchnumbers,
thatlakesandrivers
werefilled cesswas different
the ninth andtheindifferent
tenth places.
legions Intheleft
did wonders, wing,
drovethe
withthedead,andbridges
wereformed
of their Atrebales
intoa neighbouring
river,andmade
a great
bodies. Such of the insurgentsas dwelt upon slaughterof them. In anotherplace,the ejghtband
the seacoast, surrendered without opposition eleventhlegionsrepulsedthe Vermandui,anddrove
From thencehe led his armyagainstthe them
before
them.Butintherightwing,theseventh
Nervii,"wholiveamong
thickwoods.After and twelfth
entirely legions
suffered
surrounded extremely.
by the Nervii, all theTheywere
cenluriom
theyhadsecured
theirfamiliesandmostvalua-ofthefourth
cohort
being
slainandmost
oftheother
ble goods, in the best manner they could, in officerswounded. In this extremity,Caesar
snatched
the heart of a 1-rgeforest,at a great distance a bucklerfromoneof Oieprivatemen,puthimself
at
fromtheenemy,theymarched,
to thenumberthe
twohead ofwhich
legionshisbroken wing,
he had leftand,
being
joined
U>guard bythe
Ihe baggage,
* Their countryis now calledHainault andCam- fell uponthe Nervii, alreadyfatigued,with freshvig-
trail. our, and madea dreadful havoc of them.
 CAESAR 603

government
prolonged
forfiveyears
more,
with rapid,
thatit carried
downwithit trunks
of
"upplies
outofthetreasuryforhisoccasions.
trees,
andother timber,
which
much shocked
Thelastparticular
appeared
extremely
absurdandweakened
thepillars
of hisbridge.3ut
to all menof sense.They who received
so hedrovegreatpilesof woodintothebottom
muchof Cajsar'nmoney,persuaded
thesenateof theriver abovethe bridge,bothto resist
to givehimmoney, asif hewasin wantof it; theimpression
of suchbodies,andto break
orrather,theyinsisted
it should
bedone,and theforceof thetorrent.By thesemeanshe
everyhonestmansighedinwardlywhilehe exhibited a spectacle
astonishing
to thought,
"ufferedthedecreeto pass.Cato,indeed,
was soimmense a bridgefinishedin tendays.Hig
absent,havingbeensentwitha commission to armypassed over it withoutopposition,the
Cyprusonpurpose thathemightbeoutof the SueviandtheSicambri, the mostwarlikena-
ws,y. But Favonius,who trod in Cato'stionsin Germany, havingretiredintotheheart
steps,vigorously
opposed thosemeasures;
and of their forests,andconcealed themselves
in
whenhe foundthat his oppositionavailedno- cavitiesoverhungwith wood. He (aid waste
thing,he left the house,and appliedto the theenemy'scountrywith fire, andconfirmed
people,exclaimingagainstsuch perniciousthebetterdisposedGermans in theinterestof
counsels. No one,however,attendedto him; Rome;*after which he returned into Gaul,
somebeingoverawedby PompeyandCrassus,having spentno more than eighteendaysin
and others influenced by regard for Cssar, in Germany.
whosesmilealonethey lived and all their But his exhibitioninto Britaindiscovered
hopesflourished. the most daring spirit of enterprise. For he
Caisar,at his return to his armyin Gaul, wasthe first who enteredthe westernocean
found anotherfurious war lighted up in the with a fleet, and embarkinghis troopson the
country; the UsipetesandtheTeuchteri,*two Atlantic,carriedwar into an islandwhosevery
great German nations, having crowed the existencewasdoubted. Somewriters hadre-
Rhine to make conquests. The account of the presented it so incredibly large, that other*.
affair with them we shall take from Caesar's contested its being, and considered both the
own Commentaries. These barbarians gent name and the thing as a fiction. Yet Ca:sat
deputiesto him to proposea suspension
of attemptedto conquerit, andto extendthe Ro-
arms, which was granted them. Nevertheless man empire beyond the bounds of the habita-
they attacked him as he was making an escur- ble world. He sailed hither twice from the
aion. With only eight hundred horse, how- opposite coast in Gaul, and fought many bat
ever, who were not prepared for an engage- ties, by which the Britons suffered more than
ment, he beat their cavalry, which consistedof the Romans gained; for there was nothing
five thousand. Next day they sent other de- worth taking from a people who were so poor,
puties to apologiie for what had happened, and lived in so much wretchedness."{" He did
but without any other intention than that of not, however, terminate the war in the manner
deceiving him again. These agentsof theirs he ctmld have wished: he only received hosta-
hedetained,andmarchedimmediatelyagainst gesof the kings,andappointedthe tributethe
them;thinking it absurdto standuponhonour islandwasto pay,and then returnedto Gaul.
with suchperfidious men, who had not scrupled There he received letters, which were going
to violate the truce. Yet Canusiuswrites, to begentoverto him,andby whichhis friends
that when the senatewere voting a public in Romeinformedhim, that his daughter,the
thanksgiving andprocessionson accountof the wife of Pompey,had lately died in childbed.
victory, Cato proposedthat Caesarshouldbe This was a great affliction both to Pompey
deliveredup to the barbarians,to expiatethat and Ccesar. Their friends, too, -werevery
breachof faith, and make the divine vengeance sensiblyconceraed to see that alliance dissolv
fall uponits authorratherthan uponRome. edwhich kept up the peaceand harmonyof
Of the barbariansthathadpassed the Rhine, the state,otherwisein a very unsettledcondi-
there werefour hundredthousandkilled. The tion. For the child survivedthe motheronly
few whoescaped, repassed the river,andwere a few days. The peopletook the body of
shelteredby a peopleof Germanycalled Si- Julia andcarried it, notwithstanding the pro-
cambri. Cavsarlaid hold on this pretence hibition of the tribunes,to the CampusJVfar
againstthat people, but his true motive was an tins, where it was interred.
avidity of fame,to be the first Romanthat As Cxsar's army was now very large,f he
ever crossed the Rhine in a hostile manner. was forced to divide it for the convenience of
In pursuance of his design, he threw a bridge winter-quarters; after which he took the road
over it, thoughit wasremarkablywide in that to Italy, accordingto custom. But hehadnot
place,and at the sametime so roughand beenlonggone,beforetheGaulsrisingagain,
" The peopleof the March and of Weitphajja, and traversed the country with considerablearmies
(how of Minuter and Clerei.
This Ttar happenedunder the consulshipof Crassus " The Ubii, thepeopleof Cologne.
andPompey,which wasin theyearof Rome693. But t It doesnot appearthat therewaj muchcorn in
therewereseversintermediate
transactions,
of great Britainin Caesar's
time;for the inhabitants,
he says
importance,which Plutarchhag omitted,viz. The livedchieflyonmilk andfle»h.Lacteet earnevtvunt'.
reduction of the Aduaticj by Cae*ar; of seven other
nationgby P. Crassus,the eon of the triumvir ; offers { Thii armyconsisted
of eightlegions;
and,asthero
wasalmost a famine
in thecountry,theconsequence
of submission fromseveral nationsbeyond theRhine ; of excessive
drought,Caesar
wasobliged
to separata
the attempt
todurus, andupon Galba,
his brave inUitand
defence winter-quarters
victory ; the atOc- hutroops
severe fortheirbetter
subsistence.
Hewu, Ihere.
chutisement of the Vcneti, who had revolted; and the fore,underthenecessity of6iingthequarters at such
complete reduction of Aquitaine. These particulars a distance,
whichwouldotherwise havebeenimpoli-
arecontained in p?j"t of the secondand the whole third tic. He tellsus,(lib.v.)thatall the legions,
eicepl
book of the War in Gaul. one,whichwasin aquietcountry, wereposted nitluij
the compasscf a hundred toilet.
604 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

foil upontheRomanquarters
with greatfury, forcesinto severalparts,andgiventhemtB
andinsultedtheir entrenchments.The most chargeto his lieutenants,had the countryat
numerous and the strongest body of the in- commandas far as the Arar. His intention
surgentswas that underAmbiorii, who at- wasto raiseall GaulagainstCaesar, nowwhen
tackedCotta and Titurius in their camp,and his enemies
were risingagainsthim at Rome.
cut them off with their whole party. After But hadhestayeda little longertill Caesar
wa§
which he went andbesieged the legionunder actuallyengagedin the civil war, the terrors
the command of Q. Cicero, with sixty thousand of the Gauls would not have been less dread-
men; and though the spirit of those brave Ro- ful to Italy now, than thoseof the Cimbri were
mans made a resistance above their strength, formerly.
theywereverynearbeingtaken,for theywere Cajgar,who knew perfectlyhow to avail
all wounded. himselfof everyadvantage
in war,particularly
Cssar, who was at a great distance, at last of time, was no sooner informed of this grest
getting intelligenceof their danger,returned defection,thanhesetout to chastise
itsauthori:
with all expedition; and,having collecteda andby the swiftnessof his march,in spiteof
body of men, which did not exceed seven all the difficulties of a severewinter, he shewed
thousand,hastenedto the relief of Cicero. the barbarians
that his troopscouldneitherbe
The Gauls,who were not ignorantof his mo- conquerednor resisted. For wherea courier
tions, raised the siegeand went to meet him; could scarce have been supposedto come in
for they despisedthe smallnessof his force, many days,Cesar was seen with his whole
andwereconfidentof victory. Caesar, to de- army,ravaging the country,destroyingthe cas-
ceivethem,madea feint as if hefled, till he tles, stormingthe cities,andreceivingthesub-
came to a placeconvenientfor a smallarmy missionof suchas repented. Thus he went
to engage a great one, and there he fortified on, till the Edui* also revolted, who had styled
his camp. He gave his men strict orders not themselves brothers to the Romans, and bad
to fight, but to throw up a strongrampart,and been treatedwith particular regard. Their
to barricade their gates in the securest man- joining the insurgents spread uneasinessand
ner; contriving by all these manoeuvresto in- dismay throughout Caesar'sarmy. He there-
crease the enemy's contempt of him. It suc- fore, decampedin all haste,and traversedthe
ceededas hewished; the Gaulscameupwith country of the Lingones,f in order to come
great insolence and disorder to attack his into that of the Sequani,Jwho were fast friends,
trenches.Then Caesar, makingasuddensally, andnearerto Italy than the rest of the Gauls.
defeatedand destroyedthe greatestpart of The enemyfollowedhimthitherin prodigious
them. This successlaid the spirit of revoltin numbers,andsurrounded him. Cssar,without
thoseparts:andforfarthersecurityheremainedbeingin the least disconcerted, sustainedthe
all the winterin Gaul, visitingall the quarters, conflict,andafter a long andbloodyaction,in
and keepinga sharpeye upon every motion whichthe Germanswere particularlyservice-
towards war. Besides,he receiveda rein- ableto him, gavethema total defeat. But he
forcementof threelegionsin the roomof those seemsto havereceivedsomecheckat first,for
he hadlost; two of which were lent him by the Arverni still shew a swordsuspended in
Pompey,and one lately raisedin Cisalpine oneof their temples,which they declarewas
Gaul. taken from Czsar. His friends pointed it out
After this,*the s^edsof hostilities,which to him afterwards,but he only laughed;and
hadlongbeforebeenprivatelyscatteredin the whentheywere for havingit takendown,he
moredistantpartsof thecountry,bythechiefswouldnot sufferit, because
he considered
it
of the more warlike nations,shotup into one asa thing consecrated
to the gods.
of the greatestand mostdangerous warsthat Most of thosewhoescaped out of the battle,
waseverseen in Gaul; whetherwe consider retired into Alesia§with their king. Cssar
the numberof troopsandstoreof arms,the immediately
invested
the town,thoughit ap-
treasuresamassed
for the war,or the strength pearedimpregnable,as well on accountof the
of the townsand fastnesses
theyoccupied.heightof the wallsas the numberof troops
Besides, it was then the most severeseasonof there was to defend it. During the siege he
the year; the riverswerecoveredwith ice,the found himself exposed to a dangerfrom with-
forestswith snow,andthe fieldsoverflowed in out, which makesimaginationgiddyto think
gucha mannerthat they looked like somany on. All the bravestmen in Gaulassembled
ponds;the roadslay concealed in snow;or in from everyquarter,andcamearmedto the re-
floodsdisembogued by the lakes and rivers. lief of the place,to the numberof threehun-
Sothatit seemed impossible
for Caesarto march, dredthousand; and there were not lessthan
or to pursue
anyotheroperations
against
them.seventy
thousand
combatants
withinthewalls.
Manynationshadenteredintotheleague;Thus shutup betweentwo armies,he was
the principalof which werethe Arvernif and forcedto drawtwo linesof circumvallation,
the
Carnutes.jThe chiefdirectionof thewar interioroneagainst
thetown,andthatwithout
was given to Vercingetorix,whosefatherthe againstthe troopsthat cameto its succour;
Gaulshadputto death,for attempting
atmon- for,couldthetwoarmieshavejoined,hehad
archy. Vercingetorix, having divided his beenabsolutely
lost. This dangerous
action
" Plutarchpasses
over thewholesiith bookof Cz- at Alesia contributed to Cssar's renown on
tu'r Commentaries,
ashehaddonethethird. Many many accounts. Indeed,he exerteda more
considerable
events
happened beIwern
thevictorylast adventurous
courageand greater generalship
mentioned,
andtheaflairwiihVercingetorii;
»uch as
thedefeat
of theTreviri,Cresar's
second
passageover * Thepeopleof Aulun,Lyons,Macon,Chaloniupoo
the Rhine,andthe pursuitof Ambiorii. Soanc,andNevers.
f The peopleof Auvergne,particularly tho«t of t Thedistrict of Langrcs.
CkrmontandSt.Flcur. j Thedistrictof Besancon.
} Thepeople
of ChartreiandOrleani. \ Czsarcall*it Alcua,sonAli«e,nearFUriguy.
 CJ&SAR.

thanonanyotheroccasionButwhatseems Pompey, in all hisdiscourse,

pretended
to
»eryastonishing,
is, thathecouldengageand decline
thehonour ofa dictatorship,
though
at
conquer
somanymyriads without,andkeepthesame timeevery stephetookwasdirected
the actiona secretto thetroopsin thetown." thatway. Cato,understandinghisdrift, per-
It is still morewonderfulthat the Romans,suidedthesenate to declarehimsoleconsul;
whowere left beforethe walls,shouldnot that,satisfiedwitha kindof monarchy more
knowit, till thevictorywasannounced by the agreeable
to law,hemightnotadoptanyvio
cries of the men in Alesiaand the lamenta- lent measures
to makehimselfdictator. The
tionsof the women, who sawthe Romanson senatenot only agreedto this, but continuedto
eachsideof thetownbringingto their campa himhisgovernmentsof SpainandAfrica,the
"umberof shieldsadorned
withgoldandsilver, administration
of whichhe committed to nig
helo>etsstainedwith blood,drinking vessels, lieutenants;keeping armies-there,for whose
and tents of the Gaulish fashion. Thus did maintenancehe was allowed a thousandtalents
this vastmultitudevanishanddisappearlike a a year out of the publictreasury.
phantom, or dream,the greatestpart being Uponthis, Cssarapplied,by his friends,
killedonthespot. for anotherconsulship,
andfor the continu-
The besieged, afterhavinggivenboth them- anceof his commissionin Gaul,answerable to
selvesandCaesarmuchtrouble,at last surren- that of Pompey.As Pompeywasat first silent,
dered. Their general, Vercingelorii, armed MarcellusandLentulus,who batedCaesar on
himself and equippedhis horse in the most otheraccounts, opposedit with greatviolence,
magnificent manner,andthensalliedout at the omittingnothing,whetherright or wrong,that
gate. After he had takensomecircuitsabout mightreflectdishonouruponhim. For theydis-
Caesarashesatuponthe tribunal,he dismount-franchisedthe inhabitantsof Novocomumin
ed,put off his armour,and placedhimself at Gaul, whichhadlately beenerectedinto acO'
Cassar'sfeet, wherehe remainedin profound lony by Caesar; and Marcellus, then consul,
silence,till Cisar ordereda guardto takehim causedone of their senators,who was come
away, andkeephim for his triumph. with somecomplaintsto Rome,to be beaten
Cassarhad beensome time resolved to ruin with rods, and telling him, " The marks on hi«
Pompey,andPompoyto destroyCaesar.For backwere so manyadditional proofsthat he
Crassus,who alonecould havetaken up the wasnot a Romancitizen," bade him go shew
conqueror, being killed in the Parthian war, them to Cxsar
there remainednothingfor Cssarto do, to But aftertheconsulship
of Marcellus,Czsar
make himself the greatest of mankind, but to opened the treasures he had amassed in Gaul,
annihilatehim that wasso; nor for Pompeyto to all thatwereconcerned
in theadministration,
prevent it, but to take off the man he feared. and satisfied their utmost wishes; he paid off
It is true, it wasnolongtime thatPompeyhad the vastdebtsof Curiothe tribune;hepresent
entertained any fear of him; he had rather ed the consul Paulus with fifteen hundred tal
looker! upon him with contempt, imagining he ents, which he employed in building the cele
could as easily pull him down as he had set him arated public hall near the forum, in the place
up: whereas Cssar, from the first, designing wherethat of Fulvius had stood. Pompey, now
to ruin his rivals, had retired at a distance, alarmedat the increaseof Caesar's faction, open-
like a champion, for exercise. By long ser- y exerted his own interest, and that of his
vice, and great achievements in the wars of "riends,to procure an order for a successorto
Gaul, he had so improved his army, and his Caesarin Gaul. He also sent to demand the
own reputation too, that he was considered as troops he had lent him, for his warsin that coun
on a footing with Pompey; and he found pre- try, and Caesarreturned them with a gratuity of
tences for carrying his enterprise into execu- two hundred and fifty drachmasto each man.
tion, in the times of the misgovernment at Those who conducted these troops back,
Rome. Thesewerepartly furnishedby Pom- spreadreports amongthe peoplewhich were
pey himself: and indeed all ranks of men were neither favourable nor fair with respect to
so corrupted that tables were publicly set out, Cassar,and which ruined Pompey with vain
uponwhich the candidatesfor offices were pro- hopes. They asserted that Pompey had the
fessedlyready to pay the peoplethe priceof heartsof all Caesar'sarmy, and that if envy
their votes; and the people came not only to and a corrupt administration hindered him from
give their voices for the man who had bought gaining what hedesired at Rome, the forces in
them,but with all mannerof offensiveweapons Gaul were at his service, and would declare
to fight for him. Hence it often happened for him immediately upon their entering Italy;
thatthey did not part without polluting the so obnonouswas Caesarbecome,by hurrying
tribunalwith bloodand murder, and the city themperpetuallyfromoneexpeditionlo anoth-
was a perpetual scene of anarchy. In this dis- er, and by the suspicions they had of his aim
mal situation of things, in these storms of ing at absolutepower.
epidemic madness,wise men thought it would Pompey was so much elated with these as
be happyif they endedin nothingworsethan surances
that he neglectedto levytroops,as if
monarchy.
Nay,therewerem»nywhoscrupledhehadnothingto fear,andopposed
hisenemy
not to declare publicly, that monarchy was the only with speechesand decrees, which Cisir
onlycurefor thedesperate
disordersof thestate, madeno accountof. Nay, we are toid, tnat a
andthatthe physicianoughtto bepitchedupon, centurionwhomCa»sar hadsentto Rome,wait-
who would apply that remedy with the gentlest ing at the door of the senate-housefor the re-
hand:by whichtheyhintedat Pompey. sult of the deliberations,
and being informed
that the senatewouldnot give Cassar a longer
" Czjarsays,
that thoicin the townhadailittioct term in his commission,laid his handuponh'f
liewof thebattle. sword,andsaid."But tinsshall give it."
006 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
Indeed.Cesar'srequisitions
had a greatap- rest of his forceswereleft on the othersideol
pearance
of justiceandhonour. He proposedthe Alps, andhe haxlsentthemordersto join
to lay downhis arms,on conditionPompeyhim. Buthesawthe beginning
of hisenter
would do the same,and that they should both, prise, and the attack he meditated did not re-
as private citizens, leave it to their country to quire any great numbers: his enemies were
rewardtheir services:for to deprivehim of his ratherto bestruck with consternationby the
commissionand troops, and continuePom- boldnessandexpeditionwith which he began
pey's,wasto giveabsolutepowerto theone, hisoperations;
for an unexpected
movement
to whichthe other wasunjustlyaccused
of as- would bemorelikely to makean impression
piring. Curio,who madethesepropositionsto uponthemthen,than greatpreparations
after-
the people in behalf of Caesar,was received wards. He, therefore, ordered hia lieutenant*
with the loudestpkudits: andthere weresome andotherofficersto taketheir swords,without
who eventhrew chaplctBof flowersuponhim, any otherarmour,and makethemselvesmas-
as they would upon a champion victorious in ter of Ariminum, a great city in Gaul, but to
the ring. take all possible care that no blood should be
Antony, one of the tribunes of the people, ehedor disturbance raised. Hortensius wasat
then produced a letter from Cxsar to the same the head of this party. As for himself, he
purport, and caused it to be read, notwith- spent the day at a public show of gladiators;
standing the opposition it met with from the and a little before evening bathed, and then
consuls. Hereupon, Scipio, Pompey'efather- went into the apartment, where he entertained
in-law, proposedin the senate, that if Caesar company. When it was growing dark, he left
did not lay down his arms by such a day, he the company, after having desired them to
should be declared an enemyto the state; and make merry till his return, which they would
the consuls putting it to the question, " Wheth- not have long to wait for. To some of his
er Pompey should dismiss his forces?" and friends he had given previous notice to follow
again, " Whether Cxsar should disband his?" him, not altogether, but by different ways.
few of the members were for the first, and al- Then taking a hired carriage, he set out a dif-
most all for the second.* After which Antony ferent way from that which led to Ariminum,
put the question, " Whether both should lay and turned into that road afterwards.
down their commissions?" and all with one When he arrived at the banks of the Rubi-
voice answered in the affirmative. But the con, which divides Cisalpine Gaul from the
violent rage of Scipio, and the clamours of the rest of Italy, his reflections became more in-
consul Lentulus, who cried out, that " Not teresting in proportion as the dangergrew near.
decreesbut armsshouldbeemployedagainsta Staggered
by the greatness
of his attempt,he
public robber," made the senatebreak up; and stopped to weigh within himself its inconve-
on account of the unhappy disscntions, all niences; and, as he stood revolving in silence
ranks of people put on black, as in a time of the arguments on both sides, he many times
public mourning. changedhis opinion. After which,he deliber-
Snoriafterthis, other letters arrived from ated uponit with suchof his friendsas were
Cx»*rwith moremoderate
proposals.
Heof- by,amongwhomwasAsiniusPollio;enumer-
feredto abandonall the rest, provided they atingthe calamitieswhichthe passage of thut
would continueto him the governmentof Cis- river wouldbringuponthe world, andthe re-
alpineGaulandIllyricum, with Uvolegions,till flectionsthatmightbemadeuponit by posteri-
hecouldapplyfor a second
consulship.And ty. At last,uponsome
sudden
impulse,
bidding
Cicero,who waslately returnedfrom Cilicia, adieuto his reasonings, andplunginginto the
and very desirousof effectinga reconciliation,abyssof futurity, in the wordsof thosewho
usedall possible
meansto softenPompey.Pom- embark in doubtful and arduousenterprises,
peyagreed
to ail but the articleof thetwo hecriedout," Thedieiscast!"andimmedi-
legions;andCiceroendeavoured
to accommo-atelypassedtheriver. Hetravelledsofastthe
datethematter,bypersuading
Caesar's
friendsrestof theway,thathereachedAriminum be-
to be satisfiedwith the two provincesand six fore day-light,and tookit. It is saidthat, the
thousand soldiersonly. Pompeywasonthe precedingnight he had a most abominable
pointof acceptingthecompromise, whenLen- dream;hethoughthelaywithhismother.
tullus the consul,rejectingit with disdain, Afterthetakingof Ariminum,
asif warhad
treatedAntonyandCuriowithgreatindignity,opened wideitsgatesbothby seaand land,
and drove themoutof the senate-house. Thus and Cxsar, by going beyond the bounds of his
hefurnished Cssarwiththemostplausible ar- province, hadinfringedthelawsofhiscountry;
gument imaginable,andhefailednotto makenot individuals were seen,asonotherocca-
useof it to exasperate histroops,by shewingsions,wandering in distractionaboutItaly,
thempersons of distinction,and magistrates,
butwholecitiesbroken up,andseeking refuge
obligedto fly in hiredcarriages, and in the by flight. Mostof theturnuJtuous tideflowed
habitof slaves;!fortheirfearshadmadethem into Rome,andit wassofilledwith thehasty
leaveRomein thatdisguise. confluxof thecirclingpeople, thatamidst the
iaesarhad not then with him above three violent agitation it would hardly either obey
hundred horse and five thousand foot. The the magistrate, or listen to the voice of reason,
but was in the utmost danger of falling by ita
* Dio says,therewasnotamanfor thefirstques-own violence;for the whole was a prey to
tion, wherras,the wholehousewas for the second,contrary passionsand the most violent convul-
exceptCaelius
andCurio. Nor i- this to bewonderedsions. Those who favoured these disorders
at; Pompey was theu at the gates of Rome with bis
army. were not satisfied with enjoying them in pri-
t CauiuiLouginiM
wentwiththemn thesame
Jit- vate,butreproachedthe otherparty,amidst
(lUMi theirfearsandsorrows
andinsulted
themwith
 CJ2SAR.

Menaces
of whatwasto come;whichiathe ButthoughCiEsarpardoned
him, wid gave
necessary
consequence
of suchtroubles
in a himhishand,
he soonrevolted,
andrepaired
greatcity. againto Pompey.
Pompey himself,
whowasalready confound- The newsof thistransaction beingbrought
edat theturnthingshadtaken,wasstill moreto Rome,gavegreatreliefto themindsof the
disturbedbya varietyof censures
on hiscon-people,andmanywho had fled cameback
duct. Someeaidhejustlysufferedfor exaltingagain.In themeantimeCassar,havingadded
Caesaragainst
himselfandhiscountry;others,to hisown armythe troopsof Domitius,and
for permittingLentulusto overrulehim, when all othersthatPompeyhadleft in garrison,was
Caesar
departed
fromhisfirstdemands,
andof- strong
enough
tomarchagainst
Pompey
him
feredequitabletermsof peace-Favoniuswent self. The latter, however,did not wait fcr
gofar as to bid him "Stampwith higfoot;" al- him; but retired to Brundusium, from whence
ludingto a vauntingspeechhe had madein he sentthe consulswith part of the forcesto
the senate,in which he badethem take no Dyrrhachium,and a little after, uponthe ap-
preparationsfor the war; for, as soonashe proachof Ca;sar,sailedthither himself,as we
inarchedout of Rome,if hedid but stampwith haverelatedat largein his life. Ca:sarwould
his foot, he should fill Italy with his legions. have followed him immediately, but he wanted
Pompey,however,at that time wasnot in- ships. He thereforereturnedto Romewith
ferior in numbersto Cffisar,but his partisans the glory of havingreducedItaly in sixty days
would not suffer him to proceed according to without spilling a drop of blood.
his own opinion. By falsereportsandground- Findingthe city in a moresettledcondition
lessterrors,as if the enemywasat the gates, thanhe expected,andmanysenatorsthere,he
and had carried all before him, they forced him addressedthem in a mild and gracious manner,
alongwith the generaltorrent. He hadit de- anddesiredthemto senddeputiesto Pompey,
creed,therefore,that thingswerein a tumultu- to offer honourableterms of peace. But not
ousstate,andnothingto be expectedbut hos- oneof themwould take upon him the com-
tilities; and then left Rome, having first order- mission: whether it was that they were afraid
ed the senate,and everyman to follow him, of Pompey,whomtheyhaddeserted,
or wheth-
who preferred his country and liberty to the er they thought Caesar not in earnest in the
rod of a tyrant. The consulstoo fled with him, proposal, and that he only made it to save ap-
without offering the sacrifices which custom pearances. As Metellus the tribune opposed
required before they took their departure from his taking money out of the public treasury,
Rome. Most of the senators snatched up and alleged some laws against it, Caesarsaid,
those things in their housesthat were nett at " Arms and laws do not flourish together. If
hand, as if the whole was not their own, and you are not pleaeed at what I am about, you
joined in the flight. Nay, there were some have nothing to do but to withdraw: indeed,
who before were well affected to Caesar,that war will not bear much liberty of speech.
in the present terror changedsides,and suffer- When I say this, I am departing from my own
ed themselves without necessity to be carried right: for you and all, whom I have found ex-
away by the torrent. What a miserable spec- citing a spirit of faction against me, are at my
tacle was the city then! In so dreadful a tem- disposal." Saying this, he approached the
pest, like a ship abandonedby its pilots, toss- doors of the treasury, and as the keys were
ed about at all adventures,and at the mercy not produced, he sent for workmen to break
of the winds and seas. But though flight was them open. Metellus opposedhim again, and
so unpromising an alternative, such was the some praised his firmness; but Cssar, raising
lovethe Romanshad for Pompey,that they his voice, threatenedto put him to death,if
consideredthe place he retired to astheir coun- he gave him any farther trouble. " And, young
try, and Rome as the camp of Cajsar. For even man," said he, " you are not ignorant that this
Labienus,one of Caesar'sprincipal friends, is harderfor meto saythanto do." Metellus,
who,in qualityof hislieutenant,hadservedun- terrifiedwith his menace,retired, and after-
derhimwith thegreatestalacrityin thewarsof wardsCaesar was easily and readilysupplied
Gaul,now went over to Pompey. Neverthe- with everything necessary for the war.
lessCaesarsent him his moneyand his equi- His first movementwas to Spain, from
page. whence he was resolved to drive Afranius
After this, Caesar
infestedCorfinum,where and Varro, Pompey'slieutenants,and after
Domitius,with thirty cohorts,comnandedfor having made himself masterof their troopg
Pompey. Domitius*in despairon ereda ser- and provinces,to marchagainstPompey,with-
vantof his,who washis physiciar,to givehim out leaving any enemybehindhim. In the
poison. He took the draught prepared for course of this expedition, his life was often in
him,asa suremeans
of death;sutsoonafter dangerfromambuscades,
andhisarmyhadto
hearingof Csesar's
extraordinaryclemencyto combat with famine; yet he continuedhis
hisprisoners,
he lamented his own caseand operationsagainstthe enemy,eitherby pur-
thehastyresolution
hehadtaken.Uponwhich suit,o,-offeringthembattle,or forminglines
the physicianremovedhis fears,by assuringof circumvallationabout them,till he forced
him that what he had drunk wasa sleeping their camp,andaddedtheir troopsto his own.
potion,not a deadlyone. This gavehim such The officersmadetheir escape,
and retiredto
ipirits, that he rose up andwent to Ca:sar.Pompey
Uponhis return to Rome,his father-in-law
* Lucius Domitius JEnobarbus was nominated to
toccecil Csesar,pursuant to the decreeof the senate,in Piso pressed himto senddeputies
to Pompej
to treat of an accommodation; but Isauncui
thegovern
melit of TransalpineGaul; but he impru-
beforehe left to makehiscourtto Caesar,
dentlyshuthim.-tlfup IDCoruuium opposed it. The
Italy, senatedeclaredhim dictator, and while he
608 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

heldthatoffice,he recalledtheexiles;here- theriverAniasforthesea,wheretheentrance

storedto their honoursthe childrenof thoseis generally
easy,
becausetheland-wind,
rising
who had sufferedunder Sylla; and relieved in the morning,usedto beat off the wavesol
debtors by cancelling part of the usury. These, the sea and smooth the mouth of Die river
anda fewmore,werehisactsduringhisdic- But unluckilythat night a strongsea-wind
tatorship,whichhe laiddownin elevendays.sprungup,whichoverpowered that fromthe
After this,he causedhimselfto be declaredland;sothat by the rageof the seaandthe
consulwith ScrviliusIsauricus,andthenwent counteraction
of the stream,the river became
to prosecutethe war. He marchedBOfast to extremelyrough; the wavesdashedagainst
Brundusium,
thatall histroopscouldnotkeep eachotherwitha tumultuous
noise,andform-
up with him. However, he embarkedwith edsuch dangerouseddies,that the pilot des-
only six hundredselecthorseandfive legions.pairedof makinggoodhis passage,
andorder
It wasat thetime of the wintersolstice,
the edthemariners
toturnback. Caesar,
perceiv
beginningof January, which answersto the ing this, rose up, andshewinghimself to the
Athenianmonth,Poseideon,that he set sail. pilot, who was greatly astonished
at tne sight
He crossedthe Ionian,madehimself master of him,said," Go forward,myfriend,andfear
of Oricum and Apollonia, and sent back" his nothing; thou earnest Cajsarand his fortune."
shipsto Brundusiumto bring over the forces The marinersthen forgot the storm,andply-
that were left behind. But thosetroops,ei- ing theiroars with the utmostvigourandalac-
haustedwith fatigue, and tired out with the rity, endeavouredto overcomethe resistance
multitude of enemiesthey had to engagewith, of the waves. But such was their violence at
broke out into complaints against Caesar,as the mouth of the river, and the water flowed
theywereupontheir marchtotheport."Whith- so fast into the vessel,that Caiuarat last,
er will tins man lead us," said they, " and though with great reluctajice, permitted the
where will be the end of our labours? Will he pilot to turn back. Upon his return to hii
harassus fur ever,asif we hadlimbsof stone, camp,thesoldiersmethim in crowds,pouring
or bodies of iron? But iron itself yields to out their complaints, and expressingthe great-
repeated blows; our very shieldsand cuirasses est concern that he did not assure himself of
call out Tor rest. Will not Caesarlearn from conquering with them only, but, in distrust of
our wounds that we are mortal, that we have their support, gave himself so much uneasi-
the same feeJmgs,and are liable to the same nessand exposed his person to so much dan-
impressionswith other men? The godsthem- ger on account of the absent.
selves cannot force the seasons,or clear the Soon after, Antony arrived from Brundusium
winter seas of storms and tempests. And it with the troops.* Ceesarthen, in the highest
is in this seasonthat he would exposeus, as if spirits, offeredbattle to Pompey, who was en-
be was flying from his enemies,rather than camped in an advantageousmanner, and abun-
pursuing them." dantly supplied with provisions both from sea
Amidst such discourse as this, they moved and land; whereas Caesarat first had nogreat
on slowly to Brundusium Bat when they plenty, and afterwards was in extreme want
arrived there, and found that Caesarwas gone, The soldiers, however, found great relief from
they changed their language,and reproached a rootf in the adjoining fields, which they pre
themselves as traitors to their general. They pared in milk. Sometimes they made it into
vented their anger upon their officers, too, for bread, and going up to the enemy's advanced
not hastening their march. And sitting upon guards, threw it among them, and declared,
the cliffs, they kept their eyes upon the sea "That as long as the earth producedsuch
towardsEpirua,to see if they could discover roots, they would certainly besiegePom
the transports that were to fetch them. pey."
Meantime Ca?sir,not having a sufficient Pompeywould not suffereithersuchbread
forceat Apolloniato make headagainstth" to be produced, or suchspeechesto be report-
enemy,andseeingthe troopsat Brundusiumed in his camp; for his men werealreadydis-
delayedto join him, to relieve himself from couraged,andreadyto shudderat the thought
the anxietyandperplexityhewasin, undertook of the impenetrablehardness
of Caesar's
troops,
a mostastonishingenterprise.Thoughthe sea who could bear as much as so many wild
wascoveredwith the enemy'sfleets,heresolv- beasts.There were frequentskirmishesabout
ed to embarkin a vesselof twelveoars,with- Pompey'sintrenchmcnls,J andCxsar hadthe
out aci)u;imting any person with his intention,
andsail to Brundusium.f In the night, there- * AntonyandCalenus
embarlied
onboard
theTeucli
fore,he took the habitof a slave,and throw- whichhadescaped
Bibulus,
eighthundred
horseand
ing himselfinto the vessellike a manof no fourlegions,
thatis,threeoldones,
ai"tonethathad
account,
sattherein silence.Theyfelldotvnsent
been newly
back raised;
the shipsand
for when they
the rest of wen landed,
the forces. Antony
f This rootwascalledClara. Someof Czsar's«oV
" He sent them back under the conduct of Calenus. diers, who had served in Sardinia, had there learned
That officer, losing the opportunity of the wind, fell to makebread of it.
ii. >\iiti Bibulus,who took thirty of his ships,and JCaesar
observed
an old camp,which hehadoccu
burned
thinj all, tngelhcrwiththeirpilotsandmari- piedin theplacewhere
Pompey
wasenclosed,
andaf
ners, in order to intimidate the rest. terwards abandoned. Upon his quilting it, Fompe)
f Most historiansblamethis asa rashaction; and hadtakenpossession of it, andleft a legionto guardK
Caesar him«tlf,in bis Commentaries, make]no men- This post Ca?sar attemptedlo reduce,and it wasIB
tionof this, or of anotherlessdangerous
attempt,which this attemptthat he sufferedto much loss. He Ion
is relatedby Suetonius.While he wasmakingwar ninehundredandsilly foot,fr.f hundredhorse,araone
in GauJ, upon rtjyicc that the Gauls had surrounded whom were several Roman linicI'Ls, fire tribunes, ano
hisarmvin his absence, hedressedhimselflike a na- thirty-two centurions. We mentioned just now thai
tiveof tlic country,andin that disguise passedthrough Fompeywasenclosed, as in facthe wason theland
tfie eutuij-* sentinel*aocltroopsto hit own.camp. fide,by a lineof circumrallaLioad'aun by ' £*ar
 CAESAR. 009

advantage
in themall, except
one,in whichmoney
andprovisions,
sothatit seemed
a*if
hispartywas
forced
toflywith«uch
precipi-
hemust
shortly
fallofhimself.
tationthathewasindanger of havinghiscamp ThesewerePompey's reasons for declining
taken. Pompey beaded the attackin person,a battle;butnota man,exceptCato,wasof
and nota mancouldalandbeforehim. He his opinion; andhe, only,becausehe wai
drovethemupontheirownlinesin theutmostwillingto sparethebloodof hiscountrymen.
confusion,and filled their trencheswith the for whenhesawthebodiesof theenemy, wh«
dead. fell in the late action,to the numberof a thou
Caesarran to meet them, and would have sand,lie deadupon the field, he coveredhi»
ralliedthefugitives,but it wasnot in hispower. face,and retired,weeping. All the rest cen-
Helaidheldontheensignstaves
to stopthem,suredPompey
for not decidingtheaffairim-
and some.eft them in his hands,and others mediatelywith the sword,calling him JlgOr
threw them upon the ground,insomuchthat niemnon,and King qf kings, as if hewasun-
no lessthan thirty-two standards
were taken. willing to bedeprivedof the monarchyhe wa»
Caesarhimselfwasverynearlosinghis life; for in possession
of, anddelightedto seeso many
havinglaid holdof a tall andstrongman,to generals
waitinghis orders,andattendingto
stophimandmakehimfaceabout,thesoldierpaytheir court. Favonius, who affected
to
in his terror andconfusionlifted up his sword imitate Cato'sbold mannerof speaking,but
to strike him; but Cesar'sarmour-bearer pre- carried it muchtoo far, lamentedthat Pom-
ventedit by a blow whichcut off his arm. pey'swantingto keepthe kingly state he had
Caesarsaw his affairsthat day in so bad a got wouldpreventtheir eatingfigs thatyearatw
posture,
thatafterPompey,
eitherthroughtoo Tusculum.And Afranius,latelycomefrom
muchcaution,or the capriceof fortune,instead Spain, where he had succeeded so ill in bil
of giving the finishingstroketo so greatan ac- command,that hewasaccusedof havingbeen
tion, stoppedas soonas he had shut up the bribed to betrayhis army, asked Pompey,
enemywithin their intrenchments, andsound-" Why he did not fight that merchantwho
ed a retreat, he saidto his friendsashe with- traffickedin provinces?"
drew, " This day victorywould havedeclared Piquedat thesereproaches, Pompey,against
for the enemy,if theyhadhad a generalwho his own judgment,marchedafter Caesar, who
knew how to conquer." He soughtreposein proceeded on his route with great difficulty}
bis tent, but it proved the most melancholy for,on accountof his late loss,all lookedupon
night of his life; for he gavehimselfupto end- him with contempt,andrefusedto supplyhim
less reflections on his own misconduct in the with provisions- However, upon his taking
war. He consideredhow wrong it was, when Gomphi,* a town in Thessaly, his troops not
the wide countries and rich cities of Macedo- only found sufficient refreshment,but recovered
nia and Thessalywerebefore him, to confine surprisinglyof the distemper: for, drinking
himself to so narrow a scene of action, and sit plentifully of the wine they found there, and
«till by the sea,while the enemy'sfleets had afterwardsmarchingon in a Bacchanalian
the superiority, and in a place wherehe suffered manner, the new turn their blood took threw
the inconveniencesof a siegefrom want of pro- off the disorder, and gave them another habit
visions,rather than besiegethe enemyby hie of body.
arms. Thus agitated and distressedby the When the two armieswere encamped oppo-
perplexitiesanddifficultiesof his situation,he site each other on the plains of Pharsalia,
resolvedto decamp,andmarchagainstScipio Pompeyreturnedto hin old opinion; in which
in Macedonia;concluding, that he should he wasconfirmedby someunluckyomens,and
either draw Pompey after him, and force him an alarming dream. He dreamed that the
to fight where he could not receive supplies,as people of Rome received him in the theatre
he had done, from the sea; or else that he with loud plaudits, and that he adorned the
shouldeasilycrushScipio,if hefoundhim un- chapelof VenusJVicephora, fromwhomCzsar
supported. derived his pedigree. But if Pompeywas
Pompey'stroopsand officerswere greatly alarmed,those about him were so absurdly
elatedat thisretreatof Caesar;
they consideredsanguinein their expectationsof victory, that
it asa flight andan acknowledgment that he Domitiua, Spinther, and Scipio, quarrelled
was beaten, and therefore wanted to pursue. about Caesar'spontificate; and numbers sent
But Pompey himself was unwilling to hazard to Rome, to engage houses convenient for
a battle of such consequence.He waswell consulsand prators, msK.ngthemselvessure
providedwith everything requis:.'efor waiting of beingsoonraisedto those highofficesafter
the advantages
of time, and for that reasonthewar. Butthecavalrytestifiedthegreatest
chose,
by protracting
thewar,to wearoutthe impatience for a battle;so proudwerethey
little vigour the enemybad left. The most of their fine arms, of the conditionof their
valuableof Czsar'stroopshad,indeed,an horses,
andthebeauty
andvigourof theirper-.
experienceandcourage which wereirresistible sons:besides,
theywere muchmorenumeroui
in the field; but agehad madethem unfit for than Csaar's, being seven thousandto one
longmirches,
forthrowing
upintrenchments,
thousand.
Norwerethenumbers
of infantry
for attacking
walls,andpassing
wholenightsequal;for Pompey
hadforty-five
thousand,
and
nnaerarms. They were too unwieldyto en- Cssaronly twenty-twothousand.
duremuchfatigue,andtheirinclination
for Caesar
calledhissoldiers
together,
andtold
labour lessenedwith their strength. Besides
there was said to be a contagiousdistemper
among them, which arose from their strange
and bad diet : and what was a still more
'"nportant circumstance, Cxsar wanted both
Kt
 010 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
them,
" ThatComiticius
waswelladvanced
on were
nearenough
toberoacncil
bythejaveiu>
his way with two more legions,and that be Cssar blamedthis conduct. Hf said
had fifteencohortaunderthe command
of wasnotaware
whatweighttlieswiftandtiurci
Calenus,
in the environs
of Mcgaraand advance
tothefirstcharge
gives
toevery
blow,
Athens." He then askedthem," Whethernorhowthecourage
of eachsoldieris inflamed
they chose to wait for those troops, or to risk by the rapid motion of the whole.*
a battlewithoutthem?"Theyansweredaloud, Hewasnowgoingto put histroopsin mo-
"Let usnotwait; butdoyoufind outsometion, whenhe sawa trustyandexperienced
stratagem to bringtheenemy,
assoonaspossi-centurionencouraging
hismento distinguish
ble, to an action." themselves
thatday. Casarcalledhim by hi*
He beganwith offeringsacrifices
of purifi- name,andsaid," Whatcheer,CaiusCras-
cationfor his army,anduponopeningthe first Binus?t How, think you, do we stand?"
victim,the soothsayercriedout, " You will " Caesar,"saidtheveteran,in a boldaccent,
fight within threedays." Caesarthen askedandstretchingouthis hand," the victoryii
him, if thereappearedin theentrailsanyau- ours. It will bea glorious
one;andthisday
spiciouspresage? He answered, " It is you I shall haveyour praiseeitheralive or dead."
who can bestresolvethat question. The gods So saying,he ran in uponthe enemy,at the
announcea great changeand revolution in head of hia company,which consistedof a
affairs. If youarehappy
at present,thealter- hundredandtwentymen. He didgreatexe-
ationwill be for theworse;if otherwise,
ex- cutionamongthefirstranks,andwaspressing
feel betterfortune." The night beforethe bat- on with equalfierceness,
whenoneof his an-
tle, as he walked the roundsabout midnight, tagonistspushedhis swordwith suchforcein
thereappeared
a luminous
phenomenon
in the hismouth,thatthepointcameoutat thenape
air, like a torch, which, as it passedover his of his neck.
camp, flamedout with great brightness,and While theinfantrywerethuswarmlyengaged
seemedto fall in that of Pompey. And, in the in the centre,the cavalryadvancedfrom Pom-
morning, when the guardswere relieved,a pey's left wing with great confidence, andex-'
tumult wasobservedin the enemy'scamp,not tended their squadrons,to surround Caesar's
unlike a panic terror. Cssar, however,so right wing. But beforetheycould beginthe
little expectedanactionthat day, that he had attack,}the sixcohortswhichCxsarbadplaced
orderedhia troopato decamp,and marchto behindcameup boldlyto receivethem. They
Scotusa.* did not,accordingto custom,attemptto annoy
But as they were striking their tents, his the enemywith their javelinsat a distance,nor
scoutsrodeup, andtold him, the enemywere strike at the legs and thighswhentheycame
coming down to give him battle. Happy in the nearer, but aimed at the eyes, and wounded
news, he madehis prayersto the gods,and themin the face,agreeablyto the ordersthey
then drew up his army, which he divided into had received. For Cesar hoped that these
three bodies. Domitius Calvinus was to com- young cavaliers who had not beenused to wars
mand the centre, Antonythe left wing, and andwounds,andwho set a greatvalue upon
himselfthe right, wherehe intendedto charge their beauty,would avoid,aboveall things,a
at the headof the tenth legion. Struck with strokein that part, andimmediatelygiveway,
the number and magnificent appearanceof the as well on account of the present danger as
enemy's cavalry, who vcereposted over against the future deformity. The event answered his
him, he ordered six cohorts privately to advance expectation. They could not bear the spears
, from the rear. These he placed behind the pointed against their faces, or the steel gleam-
right wing, and gave them instructions what to ing upon their eyes, but turned away their
do when the enemy's horse came to charge.f faces, and covered them with their hands
Pompey'sdispositionwasthis: He command-This causedsuchconfusion,that at Jastthej
ed the right wing himself, Domitius the left, fled in the most infamous manner, and ruined
and his father-in-law, Scipio, the main body. the whole cause. For the cohorts which had
The whole weight of the cavalry was in tlic been beaten off surrounded their infantry, and
left wing; for theydesignedto surroundthe chargingthemin the rear, aawell asin front,
right of the enemy,and to makea successfulsooncut themto pieces.
effort where Clear fought in person; thinking Pompey, when from the other wing he sav»
that no bodyof foot could bedeepenoughto his cavalryput to the rout, wasno longerhint'
bear such a shock, but they must necessarily self, nor did he remember that he was Pom-
be brokenin piecesuponthe first impression. pey the Great; but like a mandeprivedof hii
When the signal was ready to be given, sensesby somesuperiorpower,or struckwith
Pompeyorderedhis infantryto standin close consternation at his defeatas the consequence
order, and wait the enemy'sattack, till they of the divine decree,he retired to his camp
without speaking a word, and sat down jo his
* Caesar
hoped,by his frequentdecampings,
to pro- tent to wait the issue. At last, after his wrote
vide betur l«r hia troops, and, perhaps,gain a favour- army was broken and dispersed,and the enemy
able opportunity of fighting. haugot uponhis ramparts,andwere engaged
11 '.i'-.ir and Appianagree,that Pompeypostedhim-
self in his left wing, not in the right. It is alsohighly
probable that ATranius,not Lucius Domitius jEnobar- * Cxsar was BOconfident of success,tha' be ordered
Dus, commanded Pompey's right wing.-Caesar does his intrenchments to be filled up, assuring his troop)
not,indeed,
expressly
saywhocommanded
there,buthe theywouldbemaster
oftheenemy's
camp
before
nigr}
"ays, " On (he right vra* posted (he legion of Cilicia, f Plutarch, in the Life of Poinpcy,caZJs
him Crai
with the cohorU brought by Afranius out of Spain, sVanus. Cxsar calls him Orortt'nuj.
whichFompeyeslccmrJ theflowerof hisarny." See i Cesarsays,
theydidengage theirrightwing,and
<brantes
ontoelifeof Pompey. obliged
hiscavalry
to giveground.fieUTCivil,fib.in
 CVESAtt. 611

wi\hthetroops
appointed
todefend
them,he sightwithgreatabhorrence.
Thesignetof
seemedto cometo himself,and cried out, thatgeneral
wasthe only thinghe took,and
"What! intomycamptoo?" Withoututter- ontakingit hewept.As oftenasanyof Pom-
ingonewordmore, he laidasidetheensignspey's
friends
andcompanions
weretakenby
of hisdignityasgeneral,
andtakinga habitPtolemy,wandering
about
thecountry,
and
thatmightfavour
hisflight,hemadehisescapewrought
to Cffisar,
heloaded
themwithfavours
privately.
Whatmisfortunes
befelhimafter-andtookthemintohisownservice.
Hewrote
wards,howheputhimselfin thehands of the :ohis friendsat Rome," That thechiefen-
Egyptians,
andwasassassinatedbythetraitors, ioymenthe hadof hisvictorywas,in saving
we haverelatedat largein his life. :very dayone or other of his fellow-citizens
When Ca;sarenteredthe camp,andsaw whohadbornearmsagainst him."
what numbers of the enemylaid dead,and As for hisEgyptianwar,someassert,thatit
thosetheywerethendespatching, hesaidwith wasundertaken withoutnecessity,
and that
a sigh," This theywouldhave;to this cruel lis passion
for Cleopatra
engagedhim in a
necessity
theyreducedme: for hadCaesar
dis- quarrel which provedboth prejudicialto his
missed
histroops,aftersomany
greatandsuc- reputation
anddangerous
to hisperson.Others
cessfulwars,hewouldhavebeencondemned as accusethe king's ministers,particularlythe
a criminal." AsiniusPollio tells us, Cassareunuch Photinus,who hadthe greatestinflu-
spokethosewordsin Latin, andthatheafter- enceat court, andwho,havingtakenoff Pom-
wardsexpressed the senseof them in Greek. jey and removedCleopatra,privately medi-
He adds, that most of those who were killed ated an attempt against Caesar. Hence it 19
at the takingof thecampwereslaves,andthat said,that Caesar
beganto passthe night in en-
there fell not in the battle above six thousand .ertainmentsamong his friends, for the greater
soldiers.* Cssar incorporatedwith his own security of his person. The behaviour,in-
legions most of the infantry that were taken deed,of this eunuch in public, all he said and
prisoners,andpardonedmanypersonsof dis- did with respectto Cssar,wasintolerablyin-
tinction. Brutus, who afterwards killed him, solent and invidious. The corn he supplied
was of the number. It is said, that when hedid lia soldiers with was old and musty, and he
Dotmakehisappearance afterthebattle, Caesartold them," They oughtto besatisfiedwith it,
wasvery uneasy,andthat uponhis presentingsincethey lived at other people'scoat." He
himself,unhurt,he expressedgreat joy. causedonly woodenandearthenvesselsto be
Amongthe manysignsthat announcedthis servedup at the king's table,on pretencethat
victory, that at Tralles was the most rcmark- Cisar had taken all the gold and silver ones
»b)e. There was a statue of Cassarin the tem- for debt. For the father of the reigning prince
pleof Victory,andthoughthe groundaboutit owed Caesarseventeenmillion five hundred
wasnaturallyhard,andpavedwith hardstone thousanddrachmas, Ca;sarhad formerly re-
besides,it is said that a palmtree sprungup mitted to his childrenthe rest, but thoughtfit
"t the pedestalof the statue.At Padua,Caius to demandthe ten millions at this time, for
Cornelius,a countrymanand acquaintance of the maintenanceof his army. Photinus,in-
Livy, and a celebrateddiviner, was observing Blead of paying the money, advised him to go
the flight of birdsthe day the battleof Phar- and finish the great affairshe had upon his
salia was fought. By this observation,accord- hands, after which he should have his money
ing to Livy's account, he first discerned the with thanks. But Caesartold him, " He had "
timeof action,andsaidto thosethat wereby, no needof Egyptiancounsellors,"andprivate-
"The great affair now draws to a decision; ly sentfor Cleopatraout of the country.
the twogeneralsare engaged."Then hemade This princess,takingonly onefriend,Apol-
anotherobservation, andthe signsappeared so lodorus,the Sicilian,with her,got into a small
clear to him, thathe leapedupin the mosten- boat,andin the dusk of the eveningmadefor
thusiasticmanner,andcriedout," Caesar, thou the palace. As she saw it difficult to enterit
art the conqueror." As the companystoodin undiscovered, sherolledherselfup in a carpet
greatastonishment, he took the sacredfillet Apollodorustied her up at full length,like a
fromhis head,and swore," He would never baleof goods,andcarried her in at the gates
put it on againtill the event had put his art to Caesar.This stratagemof hers,whichwas
beyondquestion." Livy affirms this for a a strongproof of herwit and ingenuity,is said
truth. to have first openedher the way to Caesar's
Cajsargrantedthe wholenationof Thessaly heart; andthe conquestadvancedso fast,by
their liberty, for the sakeof the victoryhehad the charmsof her conversation,that he took
gainedthere, and then went in pursuit of uponhim to reconcileher brotherto her, and
Pompey. He bestowedthesameprivilege on insistedthat sheshouldreign with him.
the Cnidians, in compliment to Theopompus, An entertainment wasgiven on account cf
to whomwe are indebtedfor a collectionof thisreconciliation,andall metto rejoiceon.the
fables,andhe discharged the inhabitants
of theoccasion;
whena servantof Caesar's,
who
Asiafroma thirdpartof theirimposts. washisbarber,
a timorous
andsuspicious
man,
Uponhisarrivalat Alexandria,
hefoundledbyhisnatural
caution
toinquire
intoevery
Pompey assassinated,
and when Theodotus thing, and to listen every where about the
presentedtheheadto him,heturnedfromthe palace,foundthat Achillasthegeneral, and
Photinusthe eunuch,were plottingagainst
* Crwirtayt,therefellabout
fifteen
thousand
ofthe Caesar's
life. Caesar,
beinginformedof their
enemy,andthathetookabove twenty-Tour
thouiauc
prisoner*;andthatonhisside,thelotsamounted
onlj
design,
planted
bisguards
about
thehalland
to abouttwo hundredpi-iratewldieri, andthirty ceo/- killedPhotinus.But Achillas
escaped
to the
huiooi. army, and involvedCaesarin a very difficult
 612 PLUTARCH'S LIVLS.

"nd dangerous war; for, with a few troops,hi he did not punishhis troops,who,in a tumult,
bad to makeheadagainsta great city and a hadkilled Cosconius andGalba,menof Pr»-
powerfularmy. tonandignity, in anyseverermannerthan by
The first difficultyhemetwith* wasthe wan calling themcitizens,*insteadof fellow-sol-
4f water,the Egyptianshavingstoppedup th diers. Nay, hegaveeachof thema thousand
aqueductsthat suppliedhis quarter.f Th drachmas notwithstanding,and assignedthem
secondwas,the loss of his ships in harbour large portionsof land in Italy. Other com-
which he was forced to burn himself, to pro plaints againsthim arosefrom the madnessof
venttheir falling into theenemy'shands;when Dolabella,the avariceof Amintius,the drunk-
the flamesunfortunatelyspreadingfrom th< ennessof Antony,andthe insolenceof Corni
dock to the palace, burned the great Alexan ficius,f who, having got possessionof Pom
drian library. The thirdj was in the sea-fighi pey's house, pulled it down, and rebuilt it, be-
near the isle of Pharos, when, seeing his men cause he thought it not large enough for him.
bard pressed, he leaped from the mole into a These things were very disagreeableto the
little skiff, logo to their assistance.
The Egyp Romans.Cssarknewit, anddisapproved
sucb
tians making up on all sides,he threw himself behaviour, but was obliged, through political
into the sea, and with much difficulty reachec views, to make use of such ministers.
nis galleys by swimming.§ Having several val- Cato and Scipio, after the battle of Pharsa-
uablepapers,whichhe was not willing either lia, hadescapedintoAfrica, wheretheyraised
to lose or to wet, it is said he held them above a respectablearmy with the assistanceof King
water with one hand, and swamwith the other Juba. Casar now resolved to carry war into
The skiff sunk soon after he left it. At last their quarters, and in order to it, first crossed
the king joining the insurgents, Caesarattack- over to Sicily, though it was about the time of
ed and defeated him. Great numbers of the the winter solstice. To prevent his officers
Egyptianswereslain,andthe king was heard from entertainingany hopesof havingthe ex-
of no more. This gaveCaesaropportunityto peditiondelayed,he pitched his own tent al-
establishCleopatraqueenof Egypt. Soonaf- mostwithin thewashof the sea;anda favour
ter she had a son by him, whom the Alexan- able wind springing up, he re-embarked with
drians called Cisario. three thousandfoot and a small body of horse.f
He then departed for Syria, and from thence After he had landed them safely and privately
marched into Asia Minor, where he had intel- on the African coast, he set sail again in quest
ligence that Domitius, whom he had left gov of the remaining part of his troops, whose
ernor, was defeatedby Pharnacea,son of Mith- numbers were more considerable, and for
ridates, and forcedto fly out of Pontuswith whomhe wasundergreatconcern. He found
the few troopsthat he hadleft; andthat Phar- them,however,on their way at sea,andcon-
naces, pursuing his advantagewith great ar- ducted them all to his African camp.
dour, had made himself master of Bithynia He was there informed, that the enemy had
and Cappadocia,
andwasattemptingArmenia ^reat dependence
on an ancientoracle,the
the Less, having stirred up all the kings and nurport of which was, " That the race of
tetrarchsof Asia againstthe Romans. Cssar Scipiowould be alwaysvictoriousin Africa."
immediately marched against him with three And, as he happened to have in his army one
legions,anddefeatedhim in a greatbattlenear of the family of Africanus,namedScipio Sal-
Zela, whichdeprivedhim of the kingdomof ution, thoughin otherrespectsa contemptible
Pontug,aswell as ruinedhis wholearmy. In fellow,either in ridiculeof Scipio,theenemy's
the account he gave Amintius, one of his ;eneral,or to turn the oracleonhis side,in all
friendsin Rome,of the rapidity anddespatch ingagements hegave this Sallutionthe com-
with whichhe gainedhis victory, hemadeuse mand,as if he hadbeenreally general.There
only of three words,"I came,I saw,I con- werefrequentoccasionsof this kind; for be
quered." Their havingall the sameform and rvasoftenforcedto fight for provisions,having
terminationin the Romanlanguage addsgrace neithera sufficiencyof breadfor his men, nor
to their conciseness. brage for his horses. He was obliged to give
After this extraordinary
successhe returned lis horsesthe verysea-weed,only washingout
to Italy, andarrivedat Rome,as the year of he salt, and mixing a little grasswith it to
his seconddictatorship,anofficethat hadnever make it go down. The thing that laid him
beenannualbefore,wason the point of expir- under a necessityof having recourseto this
ing. He wasdeclaredconsulfor the yearen- expedient wasthenumberof Numidiancavalry,
suing. But it was a blot in his character that
" Bntby thisappellation
theywerecashiered.
It wai
* He wasin greatdangerbefore,whenattackedin the tenth legionwhich had mutiniedat Capua,and
the palaceby Achillas,whohad madehimselfmaster afterwardsmarchedwith great insolenceto Rome,
of Alexandria. Caes.Bell. Lib. iii. subfinem. ?£sarreadilygarethemthedischarge theydemanded.
f They also contrived to raise the sea-water, by en- which so humbled them, that they beggedto be taken
girts, andpourit intoCaesar's
reservoirs
andcisterns; againintohis service; andhedid notadmitof it with
but Cxsar orderedwells to bedug,and,in a night's >utmuch seeming reluctance,nor till aftermuchen
time got a sufficient quantity of fresh water. Vide Cffis. reaty.
Bell. Alex. t It tra»Antony,not Corni/iciuj,who got the for
} Firs', therewasa generalnavalengagement;
after eitureof Pompcy'shouse,asappearsfromthe life of
Which,
Caesar
attacked
theisland,and,lastof all, the knlony,
andCicero'ssecond
Philippic.Therefore,
mole. It was in the lastattack, he was under the dif- here :s, probably,a transposition in this place, owing
ficulty mentioned by Plutarch. o thecarelessness
of sometranscriber.
§ Hii firstintentionwasto gaintheadmiralgalley; } Heembarkedsixlegionsandtwo thousand
horse;
out, finding it very hard pressed,he made for the olh- ul the number mentioned by Plutarch was all that ke
«n. And it was fortunate for him that he did; for anded with at first, many of the ships hating bcea
hu own jallef tooa went to the bottom, by a storm.
 CJESAR.

"ho were extremely

well mounted,
and by of givingtheethylife." Nevertheless,
bythe
swiftand sudden
impressions
commanded
the book whichhewroteagainstCatoafternil
wholecoast. death,it doesnot seemasif he hadanyinten-
Onedaywhen
Caesar's
cavalry
hadnothingtionsoffavour
to himbefore.Forhowcanit
elseto do, theydivertedthemselves
withan be thoughthe wouldhavesparedtheliving
African,whodanced,andplayedupontheflute enemy,whenhepouredsomuchvenom after-
with greatperfection.They hadleft their wardsuponhisgrave?Yet,fromhisclemen-
horsesto the careof boys,andsatattendingto cy to Cicero,to Brutus, and otherswithout
the entertainmentwith greatdelight,whenthe number,whohadbornearmsagainsthim,it is
enemy,cominguponthemat once,killed part, conjectured,that the book was not written
andenteredthecampwith others,who fled withaspiritof rancour",
but of politicalambi-
with greatprecipitation. Had not Cssarhim- tion; for it wascomposedon suchanoccasion.
self, and AsiniusPollio cometo their assist- Cicero,hadwritten an encomiumuponCato,
ance,andstopped
theirflight,thewarwould andhegavethename
of Catoto thebook. It
have been at an end that hour. In another was highly esteemedby many of the Romans,
engagementthe enemyhad the advantageas might beexpected,as well from the supe-
again; on which occasionit was that Caesarrior eloquenceof the authoras the dignityol
took an ensign,who wasrunningaway,by the the subject. Caesar waspiquedat the success
neck, andmakinghim faceabout,said,"Look of a work, which, in praisinga manwho had
on this side for the enemy." killed himself to avoid falling into his hands,he
Scipio, flushed with these successful
pre- thoughtinsinuatedsomethingto the disadvan-
ludes,wasdesirousto cometo a decisiveac- tage of his character. He thereforewrotean
tion. Therefore, leavingAfranius and Juba in answer to it, which he calleu *iuticato, and
their respective
camps,whichwereat nogreat which containeda variety of chargesagainst
distance he went in person to the camp above that great man. Both books have still their
the lake, in the neighbourhood of Thapsus, to friends, as a regard to the memory of Caesaror
raise a fortification for a place of arms and an of Cato predominates.
occasional retreat. While Scipio was con- Caesar,after his return from Africa to Rome,
structinghis wallsandramparts,Caesar,
with spokein high termsof his victoryto the peo-
incredibledespatch,madehis way througha ple. He told them,he hadsubdueda country
couutry almost impractible, by reasonof its so extensive, that it would bring yearly into
woods and difficult passes,and coming sudden- the public storestwo hundred thousand Attic*
ly upon him, attacked one part of his army in measuresof wheat, and three millions of pound*
the rear, another in the front, and put the of oil. After this, he led up his several tri-
whole to flight. Then making the best useof umphsover Egypt, Pontus, and Africa. In the
his opportunity, and of the favour of fortune, title of the latter, mention was not made of
with one tide of successhe took the camp of Scipio, but of Juba only. Juba, the son of that
Afranius,anddestroyed thatof the Numidians; prince,then very young, walked in the pro-
Juba,their king, beinggladto savehimselfby cession. It proved a happy captivity for
flight. Thus, in a small part of one day, he him; for of a barbarous and unlettered Numi-
madehimself master of three camps,and killed dian, he becamea historian worthy to be num-
fifty thousandof the enemy,with the lossonly beredamongthe mostlearnedof Greece.The
of fifty men. triumphwasfollowedby largedonationsto the
Suchis the accountsomegiveus of the ac- soldiers,andfeastsandpublicdiversionsfor the
tion; otherssay,that as Caesar
wasdrawingup people. He entertainedthem at twenty-two
his armyandgiving his orders,hehadan at- thousandtables, and presentedthem with a
tack of his old distemper;andthat uponits numerousshowof gladiatorsand naval fights,
approach,beforeit had overpoweredandde- in honourof his daughterJulia, who hadbeen
prived him of his senses, as he felt the first long dead.
agitations,hedirectedhis peopleto carryhim When theseexhibitionswere over,f an ac-
to a neighbouring lower, where he lay in quiet
till the fie wasover. * Medimiii.Seethetableof weights
andmeasure!.
Manypersonsof consularandpraetorian
dig- f Ruauldtakes
notice
of threegreatmistakes
in thil
nityescaped
outof thebattle, Some
of them, passage.
The6rstis.where it issaid
thatCaesartook
a census
of thepeople.Suetoniusdoesnot mentionit,
being afterwardstaken, despatchedthemselves, andAugustushimself,in theMarmoraAncyrana,
says,
anda numberwereput to deathby Caesar.
thatinhissixthconsulate,
thatis.intheyear
ofRome
Having a strong desire to take Cato alive, the 725,he numbered
the people,
which hadnotbeendone
conquererhastenedto Utica,* whichCatohad for forty-twoyearsbefore.The second
is,that,be-
the charge of, and for that reason was not in fore the civil war broke out betweenCzsar and Poro-
thebattle.But bythewayhewasinformed
pey,thethan
no more number ofhundred
three thepeople
andin Rome
twenty amounted
thousand; to
for
that hehadkilledhimself,andhisuneasiness
longbefore
it wasmuch
greater,
andhadcontinued
at the news was very visible. As his officers uponthe increase.The last is, whereit is asserted
were wonderingwhat might be the causeof that,in lessthanthreeyears,those threehundredand
that uneasiness he cried out, " Cato,I envy twentythousand werereduced, bythatwar,to ahun-
dredand fifty thousand; thefalsityof whichassertion
theethy death,sincethouenviedstme theglory is eridentfromthis,thata little whileafter,Caesar
madea draughtof eightythousand,
lo be tent to for-
" BeforeCzsarleft Utica,heg»Te
ordersfor the eigncolonies.But whatis still stranger,eighteen
rebuilding
of Carthage,
ashedid,soon
afterhiareturn years
after,Augustus
tookanaccount of the people,
to Italy, for the rebuildingof Corinth; to that Ihese andfoundthenumberamountlo fourmillion*andsix
twocitiesweredestroyed in thesameyear,andin the ty-three thousand,as Suetonius aiiures ui. From "
tameyearrailedout of their ruins,in whichtheyhad passage in thewmeauthor,(Life of Cicsar,ctap. JT)
kin abouta hundredyears. Two yearsaAer, they thex miiUkei of Plutarchtook their rue
were both re-peopledwith Roman ealaniu.
 614 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

count was takenof thecitizens, who,from probableenough, becausein otherrespect*,

threehundredandtwentythousand, werere- afterthecivil warswerebrought toanend,hi*
ducedto a hundredandfifty thousand.So conduct wasirreproachable.
It seemsanif there
fatala calamitywasthecivil war, andsucha wasnothingunreasonable in theirordering a
Dumber of the peopledid it takeoff, to say templeto bebuiltto CLEMENCY, in gratitude
nothingof themisfortunes
it broughtuponthe for themercytheyhadexperienced in Caesar
rest of Italy, and all the provincesof the For henotonlypardoned mostof thosewhohad
empire. appearedagainsthim in the field,but on some
This businessdone,hewaselectedconsulofthemhebestowed honours andpreferment!;
thofourthtime;andthe first thing he under-on BrutusandCassius
for instance;
for they
tookwasto inarchintoSpainagainst thesonswerebothpraetors.
Thestatues of Pompey had
of Pompey,who,thoughyoung,hadassembledbeenthrowndown,buthedidnot sufferthemto
a numerousarmv, andsheweda couragewor- lie in that posture;heerectedthemagain. On
thy the command
theyhadundertaken.
The whichoccasion
Cicerosaid," ThatCaesar,
by
great battle which put a periodto that war rearing Pompey'sstatues,hadestablished
his
was fought under the walls of Munda. Ci-sar own."
at first saw his men so hard pressed,and His friendspressedhim to havea guard,and
making so feeble a resistance,that he ran manyofferedto servein that capacity,buthe
through the ranks, amidst the swordsand wouldnot sufferit. For, he said," It wasbet-
epears,crying, " Are you not ashamedto de- ter to die once,than to live alwaysin fear of
liver your generalinto the handsof boys?" death."He esteemed theaffectionof the people
The great and vigorouseffortsthis reproach the mosthonourableandthe safestguard,and
producedat last madethe enemyturn their thereforeendeavoured to gain themby feasts
backs,and there were morethanthirty thou- anddistributionsof corn,as hedid the soldiers,
sandof themslain,whereasCaesar lostonly a by placingthem in agreeablecolonies. The
thousand,but thoseweresomeof the bestmen mostnotedplacesthat hecolonizedwereCar-
he had. As heretiredafter the battle,he told thageandCorinth; of which it is remarkable,
his friends, " He hadoftenfoughtfor victory, that as theywerebothtakenanddemolished at
but that wasthe first time hehadfoughtfor bis the sametime, so they were at the sametime
life." restored.
He won this battle on the day of the Li- The nobilityhegainedby promisingthem
con
Jieralia,whichwasthe sameday that Pompey sulatesandpnctorships,or, if theywereengag-
theGreatmarched
out,fouryearsbefore.
The ed,by givingthemotherplacesof honour
and
youngerof Pompey'ssonsmadehis escape;profit.To all he openedthe prospects of hope;
the other was taken by Didius, a few days for hewasdesirousto reignovera willing peo-
after, who brought his head to Caesar. ple. For this reasonhe was so studiousto ob-
This was the last of his wars; and his tri- lige, thatwhenFabiusMaximusdiedsuddenly
omph on account of it gave the Romans more towards the closeof his consulship,he appoint-
pain than any other step he had taken. He did ed Caninus Rebiliuo* consulfor the day that re-
not now mount the car for having conquered mained. Numbers went to pay their respectsto
foreign generals or barbarian kings, but for him, according to custom, and to conduct him
ruining the children, and destroying the race to the senate-house;on which occasion Cicero
of one of the greatest men Rome had ever said, " Let us make haste and pay our compli-
produced,thoughheprovedat lastunfortunate.mentsto theconsul,beforehisofficeis expired."
All the world condemnedhis triumphing in the Caesarhad such talents for great attempts,
calamities of his country, and rejoicing in and so vast an ambition, that the many actions
things which nothing could excuse, either be- he had performed by no meansinduced him to
fore the gods or men, but extreme necessity. sit down and enjoy the glory he had acquired;
And it was the more obvious to condemnit, they rather whetted his appetite for other con
because,before this, he had never sent any quests,producednew designsequally great, to-
messengeror letter to acquaint the public with gether with equal confidence of success,and
any victory he had gained in the civil wars, inspired him with a passion for fresh renown,
but was rather ashamed of such advantages. as if he had exhaustedall the pleasuresof the
The Romans, however bowing to hia power, old. This passion was nothing but a jealousy
and submittingto the bridle,becausetheysaw of himself,a contestwith himself(as eageras
no other respitefrom intestinewarsandmise- if it had beenwith anotherman)to makehis
ries, but the takingone man for their master, future achievements
outshinethe past. In this
created him dictator for life. This was a com- spirit he had formed a design and was making
plete tyranny;for to absolutepowertheyadded preparationsfor war against the Parthiana.
perpetuity. Afterhe hadsubduedthem,he intendedto tra-
Cicero was the first who proposed that the verse Hyrcania, and marchingalongby the
"enate should confer great honours uponCaesar. Caspian Sea and Mount Caucasus,to enter
but honourswithin the measureof humanity. Scythia;to carry his conquering armsthrough
Thosewho followedcontended with eachother the countries adjoining to Germany, and
whichshouldmakehim the most extraordina throughGermanyitself; andthen to returnby
ry compliments,and by the absurdityandex- Gaulto Rome; thusfinishingthe circleof the
travaganceof their decrees,renderedhim Romanempire,aswell asextendingits bounds
odious sjid insupportableevento personsof to the oceanon everyside.
candour.His enemiesaresupposed to vie with During the preparations for thisexpedition,
hn flatterers
in these
sacrifices,
thattheymight he attempted
to dig throughtheIsthmus
of
have the better pretence, and the more cause,
to lift up their handi against him. Tins U OlacrobiiucaJUhimRttilut.
 C.ESAR. 515
Corinth,andcommitted thecareof thatworksomeextravaganthonours,the consuls and
to Anieiuis.He designedalsoto conveythe praetors,
attended
bythewholebodyof patri-
Tiberby adeep channeldirectlyfromRomecians,wentto informhimof whattheyhad
to Circiz,andsointotheseanearTarracina,dons. Whentheycame,he did not riseto
forDieconvenienceaswellassecurityofmer-receivethem,butkepthisseat,
asif theyhad
chants
whotradedto Rome. Anotherpublic beenpersons
in a private
station,andhisan-
" That there wa»
spiritedwork that he meditated,wasto drain swer to their address,
was,
all the marshes
by Nomcntum
andSetia,by moreneedto retrenchhis honours
thanto en-
Whichgroundenoughwouldbe gainedfrom largethem." This haughtiness
gavepainnot
thewatertoemploy
many
thousands
ofhandsonlyto thesenate,
butthepeople,
whothought
jo tillage. Heproposed
furtherto raisebanksthecontempt
of that bodyreflected
dishonour
ontheshore
nearest
Rome,
toprevent
theseaupon
thewhole
commonwealth;
forallwhocould
frombreakingin upontheland; to clearthe decently
withdraw,wentoffgreatlydejected.
Ostianshoreof its secretanddangerousob- Perceivingthefalsestephe hadtaken,he
structions,andto buildharboursfit to receive retiredimmediatelyto his ownhouse;andlay-
the many vesselsthat camein there. These ing his neck bare,told his friends," He wai
thingsweredesigned,butdid not takeeffect. readyfor the first handthat wouldstrike." He
He completed,however,the regulationof then bethoughthimselfof alleginghis distem-
the calendar,and corrected the erroneouscom- per as an excuse; and asserted,that those who
putationof time, agreeablyto a planwhichhe are underits influence,are apt to find their
had ingeniouslycontrived,andwhichprovedof facultiesfail them,whentheyspeakstanding;
the greatest utility. For it was not only in an- a trembling and giddinesscoming upon them,
cient times that the Romanmonths so ill agreed which bereavesthem of their senses. This,
with the revolutionof the year,that the festi- however,was not really the case; for it is
vals and days of sacrifice, by little and little, said, he was desirousto rise to the senate; but
fell back into seasonsquite opposite to those CorneliusBalbus, one of his friends, or rather
of their institution; but even in the time of flatterers, held him, and had servility enough
Cssar, when the solar year was made use of, to say, " Will you not remember that you are
the generality lived in perfect ignoranceof the Caesar,and suffer them to pay their court to
matter; and the priests,who were the only you as their superior?"
personsthat knew any thing about it, used to These discontents were greatly increasedby
add, all at once, and when nobodyexpectedit, the indignity with which he treated the tri-
an intercalarymonth,called JUercidonttw,of bunesof thepeople.In the Isiipercalia,which,
which Numawasthe inventor. That remedy, accordingto mostwriters,is anancientpasto-
however,provedmuchtoo weak,andwasfar ral feast,andwhichanswersin manyrespects
from operating extensively enough, to correct to the Lycsca amongst the Arcadians, young
the great miscomputationsof time; as we have men of noble families, and indeed many of the
observed in that prince's life. magistrates, run about the streets naked, and,
Caesar,
havingproposedthe questionto the by wayof diversion,strike all theymeetwith
most able philosophers and mathematicians, leathernthongswith the hair uponthem. Num.
published,uponprinciplesalreadyverified, a bers of womenof the first qualityput them
new and more eiact regulation, which the Ro- selves in their way, and present their handsfor
mansstill go by, andby thatmeansarenearer stripes,(asscholarsdoto a master,)beingper-
thetruth thanothernationswith respectto the suadedthat the pregnantgainaneasydelivery
difference between the sun's revolution and by it, and that the barren are enabled to con-
that of the twelve months. Yet this useful in- ceive. Cssar wore a triumphal robe that day,
ventionfurnishedmatterof ridicule to the en- andseatedhimself in a goldenchair uponthe
vious,andto thosewho could butill brookhis rostra, to seethe ceremony.
power. For Cicero,(if I mistakenot,) when Antony ran amongthe rest, in compliance
someone happenedto say, " Lyra will riseto- with the rules of the festival, for he was con-
morrow," answered, " Undoubtedly; there is sul. When he came into the forum, and the
an edictfor it:" as if the calendarwasforced crowd hadmadewayfor him, he approached
uponthem, as well asotherthings. Caesar,
andofferedhim a diademwreathedwith
But theprincipalthingthatexited thepublic laurel. Upon this someplauditswereheard,
hatred,andat last caused
his death,washie butveryfeeble,because
theyproceeded
only
passionfor the title of king. It was the first frompersonsplacedthereon purpose. Cssar
thing that gaveoffenceto the multitude,andit refusedit, andthen the plauditswereloudand
affordedhis inveterateenemies a veryplausible general. Antony presentedit oncemore,and
plea. Thosewhowantedtof-rocure
himthat fewapplauded hisofficiousness;
butwhenCse-
honour,gaveit outamongthepeople,
that it aarrejectedit again,theapplauseagainwai
appearedfromthe Sibylinebooks," The Ro- general. Czsar, undeceivedby his second
mans could never conquer the Parthians, ex- trial, rose up, and ordered the diadem to b«
cepttheywent to war underthe conductof a consecrated
in the capitol.
king." And one day, when Cssar returned A few dayaafter, his statueswere seen
fromAlbato Rome,some
of hisretainers
ven- adorned
withroyaldiadems;
andFlaviusand
tured to salutehim by that title. ObservingMarullus,two of the tribunes,wentand tore
thatthepeople
weretroubled
at thisstrange
themoff.Theyalsofound
outthepersona
who
compliment,
heputonanairofresentment
and first saluted Czsarking,andcommittedthem
"aid, "He wasnotcalledking, butCa;sar."to prison. Thepeoplefollowedwithcheerful
Uponthis,adeep
silence
ensued,
andhepass-acclamations,
andcalledthemBriituses,
be-
edonin nogoodhumour. causeBrutuswasthemanwho expelledthe
Another
timethesenate
having
decreed
him kings,andputthegovernment
in thehands
o/
016 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

thesenate andpeople.Caesar,
highlyincensedWhatiastill moreextraordinary,
manyreport,
at their behaviour,
deposed
thetribunes;and that a certainsoothsayer
forewarned
himofa
by wayof reprimandto them, aswell asinsult greatdangerwhichthreatenedhim on the ides
to thepeople,
calledthemseveral
timesBrutes of March, andthatwhentheday wascome,
and CumsKans. as he wasgoingto the senatehouse,he called
Uponthis,manyappliedto MarcusBrutus, to the soothsayer,
andsaid,laughing," The
who,by the father's side, wassupposedto be idesof Marcharecome;"to whichhe answer-
" descendant
of thatancient Brutus,andwhoseedsoftly," Yes;buttheyarenotgone."
motherwasof theillustrioushouseof theSer- Theevening before,
hesuppedwithMarcus
villi. He wasalsonephewand son-in-lawto Lepidus,and signed,accordingto custom,a
Cato. No man was moreinclinedthan he to numberof letters,ashe satat table. While he
lift his handagainstmonarchy, but hewaswith- was so employed,there arosea question.
held by the honoursandfavourshehadreceiv- " What kind of death was the best?"and
ed from Czsar,who had not only givenhim Ctcsaransweringbeforethem all, cried out,
his life after the defeatof Pompeyat Pharsa- " A suddenone." The samenight,ashe waa
La, andpardonedmanyof his friendsat his re- in bedwith his wife, the doorsandwindowsof
quest but continuedto honourhim with his the room flew openat once. Disturbedboth
confidence. That very yearhe hadprocured with the noiseandthe light, he observed, by
him the most honourablepraetorship, and he moonshine, Calpurniain a deepsleep;uttering
had namedhim for the consulship four years broken words and inarticulate groans. She
after, in preference to Cassius, who was his dreamed that she was weeping over him, as
competitor. On which occasionCaesaris sheheldhim, murdered,in her arms. Others
reported to have said, " Cassius assigns the say, she dreamedthat the* pinnacle was fallen,
strongest reasons, bull cannot refuseBrutus." which, as Livy tells us, the senatehad ordered
Some impeached Brutus,after the conspira- to be erectedupon Czsar'shouse,by wayof
cy was formed; but, insteadof listeningto ornamentanddistinction; andthat it waathe
them, he laid his hand on his body, and said, fall of it which she lamented and wept for. Be
"Brutus will wait for this skin:" intimating, that as it may, the next morningsheconjured
that though the virtue of Brutus rendered him Cssar not to go out that day, if he could possi
worthy of empire, he would not be guilty of bly avoid it, but to adjourn the senate; and, if
any ingratitudeor baseness
to obtainit. Those, he had no regardto herdreams,to have re-
however, who were desirousof a change,kept course to some other speciesof divination, or
their eyesupon him only, or principallyat to sacrifices,for informationas to his fate.
least; and as they durst not speak out plain, This gave him some suspicion and alarm; for
they put billetsnight afternight in the tribunal he hadneverknownbefore,in Calpurnia,any
and seat which he used as prxtor, mostly in thing of the weaknessor superstition of her
those terms: "Thou sleepest, Brutus;" or, sex, though she was now so much affected.
" Thou art not Brutus." He therefore offered a number of sacrifices,
Cassiusperceivinghis friend's ambitiona and,asthe divinersfoundnosuspicioustokens
little stimulatedby thesepapers,beganto ply in any of them,he sentAntonyto dismissthe
him closer than before, and spur him on to the senate. In the meantime,Decius Brulus,f sur-
girat enterprise;for he had a particularen- namedAlbinus,camein. He wasa personin
mity againstCssar, for the reasonswhichwe whomCaesarplaced suchconfidencethat he
have mentionedin the life of Brutus. Cssar, hadappointedhim his secondheir, yet he waa
too, hadsomesuspicionof him, andheeven engaged in theconspiracywith theotherBrutus
saidoneday to his friends, " What think you andCassius. This man,fearingthat if Caesar
of Cassius?I do not like his pale looks." adjournedthe senateto anotherday the affair
Another time, when Antony and Dolabella mightbediscovered, laughedat the diviners,
were accused of somedesignsagainsthis per- andtold Czsar hewould be highly to blame,
sonandgovernment,he said, " I haveno ap- if, by sucha slight, he gavethe senatean oc-
prehensions
from thosefat andsleekmen",I casionof complaint
againsthim. " For they
rather fear the pale andleanones;" meaning were met," he said," at his summons,and
CassiusandBrutus. camepreparedwith one voiceto honourhim
It seems,from this instance,that fate is not with the title of king in the provinces,andto
BOsecret as it is inevitable; for we aretold, grant that he shouldwear the diademboth by
there were strong signsand presages of the seaandlandeverywhereout of Italy. But if
deathof Cassar.As to the lights in the hea- any onego andtell them,nowtheyhavetaken
vens,the strangenoisesheardin variousquar- their places,theymustgo homeagain,andre-
tersby night,and the appearance
of solitary turn whenCalpurniahappens
to havebetter
birds in the forum, perhapsthey deservenot dreams,what roomwill yourenemieshaveto
our notice in so greatan eventas this. But launch out againstyou! Or who will hear
Borneattention should begiven to Strabothe your friendswhentheyattemptto shew, tha.
philosopher.Accordingto him, therewere thisis notanopenservitude
ontheonehand,
eeenin the air menof fire encounteringeach and tyranny on the other? If you are ab-
other; sucha flameappeared to issuefrom the solutelypersuaded that thisis an unluckyday,
handof a soldier'sservant,that all the specta- it is certainly better to go yourself,and tell
tor! thoughtit mustbe burned,yet, when it * Thepinnaclewasanornament usually
placed
upon
was over, he found no harm, and one of the the topof their temples,
and wascommonly
adorned
victimswhich Caesar
offered,wasfound with- withsome
statues
of theirgods,figure!of victory,
01
outa heart. The latterwascertainlya most othersymbolical
f Plutarch, device.
findinga D prefixedto Brutal, tookit
alarmingprodigy;for, accordingto the rulesof fur .Dectu*; but his name was Dccvmu* Brutuit Set
nature,AOcreature
canexistwithouta heart. Appian
andSuetooius.
 CJESAR, 517

Them
youhavestrong
reasons
forputting
off theneckwithhissword,
but thewoundwas
business
till anothertime." So saying,he not dangerous;
forin thebeginningof so tre-
tookCiusar br thehand,andledhimout. mendous an enterprisehe wasprobablyin
He wasnotgonefar fromthedoor,whena somedisorder.Caesar therefore
turnedupon
slave,
whobelongedto some otherperson,
at- himandlaidholdof hissword.At thesame
temptedtogetuptospeak to him,butfindingtimetheybothcriedout,theonein Latin,
it impossible,
byreasonofthecrowdthatwas"Villain! Casca! whatdostthoumean."'and
abouthim,he madehisway into thehouse,theotherin Greek,
to hisbrother," Brother>
andputtinghimself into the handsof Calpur- help!"
nia,desiredherto keephimsafetill Caesar's Aftersucha beginning,
thosewhoknewno-
return,becausebe hadmattersof greatim- thingof theconspiracy
wereseizedwithcon-
portance
tocommunicate. sternation
andhorror,
insomuch
thattheydurst
Artemidorus
the Cnidian,who,by teachingneitherfly or assist,nor evenuttera word.
theGreekeloquence, became acquainted
with All theconspirators
nowdrew their swords,
someof Brutus'sfriends,andhadgotintelli- andsurroundedhim in sucha manner, that
genceof mostof thetransactions,
approached whatever
wayhe turned,hesawnothingbut
Cesar with a paper, explainingwhat he had steelgleamingin,his face,andmetnothingbut
to discover Observing
that he gavethepa- wounds.Like somesavage
beastattacked
by
pers,as fastashe receivedthem,to his officers, the hunters,he foundeveryhandlifted against
he got up as closeas possible,andsaid,''Cae- him, for theyall agreedto havea sharein the
sar, read this to yourself,and quickly: for it sacrificeanda taste of his blood. Therefore
containsmattersof greatconsequence, andof Brutushimselfgavehim a strokein the groin.
the last concernto you." He took it andat- Somesay,he opposed the rest, and continued
temptedseveraltimes to readit, but wasal- strugglingandcryingout,till he perceivedthe
ways preventedby one applicationor other. swordof Brutus; then hedrew his robeover
He thereforekeptthat paper;andthat only in his face,and yielded to his fate. Either by-
bis hand,whenhe enteredthe house. Some accident,or pushedthither bythe conspirators,
say,it wasdeliveredto him by anotherman,* he expiredonthe pedestalof Pompey'sstatue,
Artemidorusbeingkeptfrom approaching him anddyed it with his blood; so that Pompey
all the wayby the crowd. seemed to presideoverthe work of vengeance,
These things might, indeed, fall out by to treadhis enemyunderhis feet,andto enjoy
chance;but as in the place wherethe senate his agonies. Thoseagoniesweregreat,for he
wasthatday assembled, andwhichprovedthe receivednolessthanthreeandtwentywounds.
scene of that tragedy, there was a statue of And many of the conspirators wounded each
Pompey,and it wasan edificewhich Pompey other,as theywereaimingtheir blowsat him.
had consecratedfor an ornamentto his theatre, Caesarthus despatched,Brutus advanced to
nothing cm be clearer than that some deity speak to the senate,and to assign his reason*
conducted the whole business,and directed the for what he had done, but they could not bear
execution of it to that very spot. Even Cas- to hear him; they fled out of the house,and
sius himself, though inclined to the doctrines filled the people with inexpressible horror and
of Epicurus, turned his eye to the statue of dismay. Some shut up their houses; others
Pompey, and secretly invoked his aid, before left their shops and counters. All were in
the great attempt. The arduous occasion, it motion; one was running to seethe spectacle;
seems,overruled his former sentiments, and another running back. Antony and Lepidus,
laid them open to all the influence of enthu- Czsar's principal friends, withdrew, and hid
siasm. Antony,who was a faithful friend to themselvesin other people'shouses.Mean-
Czsar,anda manof greatstrength,washeldin time Brutus and his confederates,yet warm
discourse
without,by BrutusAlbinus,who had from the slaughter,inarchedin a bodywith
contrived a long story to detain him. their bloody swords in their hands, from the
When Csesar
enteredthe house,the senate senate-house
to the Capitol,not like menthat
rose to do him honour. Someof Brutus's ac- fled, but with an air of gaiety and confidence,
complices came up behind his chair, and others calling the people to liberty, and stopping to
beforeit, pretendingto intercede,alongwith talk with every man of consequence whom
Metilliusf Cimberfor the recal of his brother they met. There were somewho evenjoined
from exile. They continued their instances them, and mingled with their train; desirous
till he cameto his seat. When hewasseated of appearingto havehada sharein the action,
he gavethema positivedenial; and as they and hopingfor onein the glory. Of this num-
continuedtheir importunitieswith an air of ber were CaiusOctaviusand Lentulus Spin-
Compulsion, he grew angry. Cimber,^then, thcr, who afterwardspaiddearfor theirvan:ty;
with both hands,pulledhis gown off his neck, beingput to death by AntonyandyoungCz-
"whichwas the signal for the attack. Casca sar. So that they gainednot eventhehonour
gavehimthefirst blow. It wasa strokeupon for whichtheylosttheirlives;for nobody
be-
lievedthat theyhadanypart in the enterprise
* ByCaiusTrebonius.
SoPlutarch
say«,
in [he andtheywerepunished,
notfor thedeed,but
Life of Brutus; Appiansaysthe same;and Cicero, for the will.
loo,inhissecond Philippic.
f Kctilhvs is plainly a corruption. Suetonius calls
NextdayBrutus,
andtherestof thecon-
him t'.n.Aer TulUus. In Appian, he ii named jint,l,ui spiratorscamedownfromthe Capitol,and
addressedthe people,who mended to theii
Cimlier, and there 14a oiecal which bears that name;
butthatmedal
10believed
to bespurious.Some
call discoursewithout expressing
either dislikeor
himUetellius
Cimber
; aidothers
suppose
weshouldapprobation
of whatwasdons. Butby their
read
M.Tullius
Cimber. silence
it appeared
thattheypitiedCzsar,
at
t Hereintiieoriginal
it isMeuliui
again. thesameUracthattheyreveredBrutus TJ»«
518 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
senatepassed a generalamnesty; and,to re- nightsafterCaesar's death,and thentlUap
concileall parties,theydecreed Caesar divine peared.To whichwemayaddthefadingol
honours,andconfirmed all theactsof hisdic- thesun'slustre; for his orb lookedpaleaL
tatorship;while on Brutusandhis friendsthey thatyear; he rosenot with a sparklingradi
bestowed governments, and such honours as ance, nor had the heat he afforded its usual
weresuitable:sothat it wasgenerallyimagin- strength. The air of course,was dark and
edthecommonwealth
wasfirmly established
heavy,for wantof that vigorousheat which
again,andall broughtinto the bestorder. clears and rarifiesit; and the fruits were so
But when,upontheopeningof Cesar'swill, crudeand unconcocted. that theypinedawajr
tt wasfoundthat he hadleft everyRomanciti- anddecayed,throughthe dullness of the at-
sen a considerable
legacy,andtheybeheldthe mosphere.
body,as it wascarriedthroughthe%/brum, all We havea proof still morestriking thatthe
mangledwith wounds,the multitudecouldno assassination of Caesar was displeasing to the
longerbe kept within bounds. They stopped gods,in the phantomthat appeared to Brutus.
the procession,and tearing up the benches,The storyof it is this: Brutuswasonthepoint
with the doorsandtables,heapedtheminto a of transportinghis armyfrom Abydosto tho
pile, and burnedthe corpsethere. Then opposite
continent;
andthenightbefore,
helay
snatchingflaming brandsfrom the pile, some in his tent, awake,accordingto custom,andin
ran to burn the houses of the assassins,while deep thought about what might be the evento
othersrangedthe city, to find the conspiratorethe war; for it wasnatural for him to watcL
themselves,
andtear themin pieces;but they great part of the night,and no generalever
hadtakensuchcareto securethemselves that requiredso little sleep. With all his senses
they coold not meet with one of them. about him, he heard a noise at the door of his
OneCinna,a friendof Cxsar's,hada strange tent, andlookingtowardsthe light,whichwas
dreamthe precedingnight. He dreamed(as now burnedvery low, he sawa terribleap
they tell us) that Casarinvitedhim to supper, pearancein the humanform,but of prodigious
and,uponhis refusalto go, caughthim by the statureand the mosthideousaspect. At first
hand,anddrew him after him, in spiteof all hewasstruckwith astonishment; but whenhe
the resistancehe couldmake. Hearing,how- sawit neitherdid nor spokeany thing to him,
ever,that the bodyof Caesar wasto beburned but stoodin silenceby his bed, heaskedit,
hi thefonnn, he went to assistin doinghim " Who it was?" The spectreanswered, "I
the last honours,though hehad a fever upon am thy evil genius,Brutus; thou shall seeme
him, the consequence of his uneasiness
about at Philippi." Brutus answeredboldly, "I'll
hisdream.Onhiscoming
up,oneof thepopu-meettheethere;"andthespectre
immediately
lace asked, " Who that was?" add having vanished.
learnedhis name,told it to his nextneighbour. Sometimeafter,heengaged AntonyandOc-
A reportimmediatelyspreadthroughthewhole taviusCaesar at Philippi, andthe first day wa-
fcompany,that it was one of Cssar'smurder- victorious,carryingall beforehim where he
ers;and,indeed,oneof the conspirators
was foughtin person,
and evenpillagingCaesar's
namedCinna. Themultitude, takingthisfor camp. The night before
hewasto fightthe
theman,felluponhim,andtorehimto piecessecondbattle,the samespectreappeared to
uponthespot. Brutusand Cassius wereso him again,but spoken<4a word. Brutus,
terrified at this rage of the populace,that,a however,understoodthat his last hour waa
few daysafter,theyleftthecity. An accountnear,andcourteddanger
withall theviolence
of their subsequentactions,sufferings,and of despair. Yet he did not fall in the action;
death,maybefoundinthelifeof Brutus. butseeing all waslost,heretiredto thetopof
Caesardiedat the age of fifty-six,anddid a rock,wherehe presented his nakedsword
notsurvivePompey abovefouryears.His ob- to hisbreast,anda friend,astheytell us,as-
ject wassovereign
powerandauthority, which sistingthethrust,hedieduponthespot.*
he pursuedthrough innumerable dangers, and son, vie added a star to the head of his statue,couit-
by prodigiouseffortshe gainedit at last. But cratcdsoon
afterin theforujn."-Fragm.
*rfu£.Cat.
hereapedno other fruit fromit than anempty ap.Plin.1.ii. c.25.
andinvidioustitle. It is truethe DivinePow- * Whatever Plutarch's
motivemayharebeen, it if
er, which conductedhim through life, attended certain that hehasgivenusa veryinadequateandim-
perfectideaof thecharacterof Caesar.
Thelifehehii
him afterhis deathashisavenger,pursued
and writtenis a confused
jumbleof facts,snatched
from
hunted out the assassinsover seaand land, and differenthistorians,withoutorder,consistency,
regu-
restednot till there wasnot a manleft, either larityoraccuracy.Hehasleftusnoneof those
finer
of those
whodipped
theirbands
in hisblood,andminuter
serves, traits,
distinguish which,
and asheelsewhere
characterise justly
the manmore ob-
thai
or of those who gave their sanction to the deed. his mostpopularand splendidoperations.He has
The most remarkable of natural events rela- written the life of Caesar
like a manunderrestraint
tive to this affair was, that Cassius,after he hasskimmedoverhis actions,and shewna manifest
hadlostthebattleof Philippi,killed himself satisfactionwhenhecoulddrawtheattention of th«
reader to other characters and circumstances,however
with the same dagger which he had made use
ofagainst
Caesar;
andthemostsignal
phe-iinnsignificant,
orhow
the narrative often
of other soever
lives. repeated
Yet, frombjhimself,
the litUe
nomenon
in the heavens
wasthatof a great lighthehasafforded
us,andfromthebetter
acconnti
icomet,*which shone very bright for seven of otherhistorians,
wemayeasily
discover,
IhatCxiar
wasa manof greatanddistinguished virtues. Hadht
* A cometmadeiu appearance
in the north, while beenasablein his political,as hewasin hismilitary
wewerecelebrating
thegames
in honourof Caesar,
capacity;
hadhebeencapable
of hiding,or evenof
andshonebright for (evendays. It aroieabout the managing that openness of mind,which wasthe con-
eleventh
hour of theday,andwasseenby all nations. nateattendantof his liberality andambition,the la*
tt wascommonly
believed
tobeasignthatthesoulof prevailing
passion
wouldnothave
blindedhimsofar
Ccnr wasadmittedamongthe ji/da; for which rca- as'to put soearlyaperiodto hisraceof glory.
 519

PHOCION.

Df.MATES
theorator,
bystudying
inhiswholeis witha state,
in anyseries
of ill-conducted
administration
to please
theMacedonians
and andunprosperous
measures;
suchis thefeeble
AiHipater,
hadgreat
authority
inAthens. Whenandrelaxed conditionofitsnerves,thatit can-
nefoundhimself by thatcomplaisanceoftennotbeartheleastalarm;thevoiceof truth,
obliged
to propose
lawsandmake speechesin- "whichbringsits faultsto its remembrance,
jurious
to thedignityandvirtueof hiscoun-givesit inexpressible
pain,though not only
try, he used to say," He wasexcusable,
be- salutary,but necessary; and it will not be
causehe cameto thehelmwhenthe common-heard,exceptits harshnessis modified. It is
wealthwasnomorethan a wreck." This as- a difficulttask to governsuchapeople; for if
sertion,whichin himwasunwarrantable,
was themanwhotellsthemthetruthfallsthefirst
trueenough whenappliedto theadministra-sacrifice,
hewhoflattersthem,at lastperishes
tion of Phocion. Demades
wasthe veryman with them.
whowreckedhis country. Hepursued such Themathematicians say,the sundoesnot
a viciousplanboth in hisprivateandpublic movein thesamedirectionwiththeheavens,
conduct,thatAntipaterscruplednotto sayof noryet in a directionquiteopposite;butcir-
him,whenhewasgrownold, " Thathewas culatingwitha gentleand almostinsensible
likea sacrificed
beast,
all consumedexcept
his obliquity,givesthewholesystem sucha tern
tongueandhispaunch."*But the virtueof perature astendsto its preservation. Soin a
Phocion founda strongandpowerfuladversa-system of government, if a statesman
is deter
ry in thetimes,anditsglorywasobscured
in minedto describe
a straight
line,andin all
the gloomyperiodof Greece'smisfortunes.
thingsto goagainst
theinclinations
of thepeo-
For Virtue is not so weakas Sophocles
would ple, suchrigourmustmake his administration
makeher,nor is thesentimentjust whichhe odious;and, on the otherhand,if he suf-
putsin themouthol oneof thepersonsof his fers himselfto be carriedalongwith their
drama, mosterroneous motions,thegovernment will
--The firmest mind will fail soon be in a tottering and ruinous state. The
latter is the more common error of the two.
Beneathmisfortune's stroke, and, ituon'd, depart
Fromitssage
planof action,
j But the politics which keep a middle course,
sometimes slackening the reins, and some-
All theadvantage thatFortune cantrulybe timeskeeping
a tighterhand,indulging
the
affirmed togain in her combats withthegood
and virtuous is, the bringing upon them un-
peoplein onepointto gainanother
thatig
more important, are the only measures that
just reproach and censure, insteadof the hon- are formedupon rational principles: for a well-
oarandesteemwhichare their due,and by timedcondescension
and moderate
treatment
thatmeans
lessening
theconfidence
theworldwill bringmento concur
in manyuseful
wouldhavein theirvirtue. schemes,
whichtheycould
notbebrought into
It isimagined,
indeed,thatwhenaffairs
pros-bydespotism
andviolence.It mustbe ac-
per,thepeople,elatedwiththeirstrength
and knowledged,
thatthismedium
isdifficulttohit
success,
behave withgreater
insolence
togoodUpon, because
it requires
amixture
ofdignity
ministers;
butit istheveryreverse.
Misfor-withgentleness;butwhenthejusttempera-
tunes
alwayssour theirtemper;
!beleast
thingtureis gained,it presents
thehappiest
and
willthendisturb them; theytaki»6re attrifles;mostperfect
and they are impatient at the least severity of
harmony
thatcanbeconceived.
expression. He who reprovw their faults, It is by this sublime harmonythe Supreme
Being governs the world; for nature is not
seems
toreproach
them
withtheirmisfortunes,
dragged
intoobedience
tohiscommands,
and
andeveryboldandfreeaddress isconsideredthoughhisinfluence
isirresistible,
it is rational
asaninsult. As honeymakes a wounded or andmild.
ulceratedmember smart,soit oftenhappens,The effects
that a remonstrance, though pregnant with
of austerity
wereseenin the
truth and sense, hurts and irritates the dis- younger Cato. There was nothing engaging
or popular in his behaviour; he never studiedto
tressed,
if itisnotgentle
andmildintheappli-oblige
thepeople,
andtherefore
cation. Hence Homer often expresses such theadministration
hisweight
in
things aaare pleasant, by the word menoikcs, " He acted as if hewas notgreat. Cicerosays,
had lived in the common-
which signifies what ig symphonious to tht
mind, what soothes its weakness, and bears wealth of Plato, not in the dregsof Romulus,
and by that meansfell short of the consulate.""
notharduponitsinclinations.
Inflamed
eyesHiscaseappears
tometohave beenthesame
love
to dwellupondarkbrown colours
andwiththatoffruitwhich comesoutofseason:
avoid
suchai artbrightandglaring.Soit people
lookupon it withpleasure
andadmira-
tion, but theymake no useof it. Thus the
" Thetonerue tndthepaonchwere notburned with old-fashioned
therestof (tievirtiin. Thepaunchusedlo bestuffed
virtueof Cato,makingits ap-
»ndsertedupal table,andtnetongue wasburnedon « Thepassage herereferred to is in the6rstepistle
thealtar,at theendof theentertainment, in honour r Cicero'ssecond bookof Atlicus. But we findno-
of Mercury,tnd hadlibations poureduponit. Of thingthereof therepulse Catometwithin his anpVS
thii thtre »re manyeiatnplesin Horaer'iOdyssey. cationfor theconsulship.
t Soptwc.Antig. ]. 569 and 576. T'lat repulse, indeed,
di«
nothappen till eightyeariafterthedateofthatepisUt.
 620 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

pearanceamidst the luxury and corruption he went alwaysbarefooted,and without his

which time had introduced,hadall the splen- uppergarmenttoo,except it happenedto be
dourof reputationwhichsucha phenomenonintolerablycold; andthenhis soldiersusedto
could claim, but it did not answerthe exigen-laugh,andsay" It is a signof a sharp winter;
cies of the state; it was disproportioned to the Phocion haagot his clothepon."
times, and too ponderousand unwieldy for use He wag one of the most humane and best
Indeed, his circumstanceswere not altogether tempered men in the world, and yet he had so
like thoseof Phocion,who camenot into the iJl-naturcdandforbiddingalook,thatstranger*
administrationtill the state was sinking;1 were afraid to addresshim without company
whereasCatobadonly to savethe shipbeatinj Therefore,when Chares,the orator,observed
about in the storm. At the same time we mus to the Athenians what terrible brows Phocioo
allow thathehadnot the principaldirectionof had, and they could not help makingthem-
her; he sat not at the helm; he could do no selves merry, he said, " This brow of mine
more than help to handthe sailsand the tackle never gave one of you an hour of sorrow; bat
Yet he maintained a noble conflict with For- the laughter of these sneerers has cost their
tune, who having determined to ruin the com- country many a tear." In like manner, though
monwealth, effected it by a variety of hands, the measures he proposed were happyones,
but with great difficulty, by slow steps and and his counselsof the most salutary kind, yet
gradual advances. So near was Rome being be used no flowers of rhetoric; his speeches
saved by Cato and Cato's virtue! With it we were concise, commanding, and severe. For,
would compare that of Phocion: not in a gen- as Zeno says, that a philosopher should never
eral manner, so as to say they were both per- let a word come out of his mouth that is not
sons of integrity and able statesmen; for there strongly tinctured with sense; so Phocion's
is a difference between valour and valour, for oratory contained the most sensein the feweit
instance, between that of AJcibiadesand that words. And it seems that Poiyeuctus, the
of Epaminondas; the prudence of Themisto- Sphettian, had this view when he said,"De-
cles and that of Aristides were not the same; mostheneswas the better orator, and Phocion
justice was of one kind in Numa, and in Agesi- the more persuasive speaker." His speeches
Jausof another:but the virtuesof Phocionand wereto be estimatedlike coins, not for the
Cato were the same in the most minute par- size, but for the intrinsic value. Agreeablyto
ticular; their impression,form, andcolour,are which, we are told, that one day when the
perfectly similar. Thus their severity of man- theatre was full of people, Phocion was ob-
ners was equally tempered with humanity, and servedbehindthe sceneswrappedupin thought,
their valour with caution; they had the same when one of his friends took occasion to say,
Eolicitude for others, and disregard for them " What ! at your meditations, Phocion .""
selves: the same abhorrence of every thing " Yes," said he, " I am consideringwhether I
baseand dishonourable, and the samefirm at- cannot shorten what I have to say to the Athe-
tachment to justice on all occasions:so that it nians." And Demosthenes,who despisedthe
requires a very delicate expression,like the otherorators, when Phociongot up, usedto
finely discriminatedsoundsof the organ,f to say to his friends softly, " Here comesthe
mark the difference in their characters. pruner of my periods." But perhapsthis is to
It is universallyagreed,that Catowasof an beascribedto the excellence
of his character
illustriouspedigree,whichwe shallgive some sincea word or a nod from a personrevered
account of in his life; and we conjecture, that for his virtue is of more weight than the most
Phocion's was not mean or obscure; for had elaborate speechesof other men.
he beenthe son of a turner, it would certainly In his youth he servedunder Chabrias, then
havebeen mentionedby Glaucippus, the son commanderof the Athenianarmies; and, as
of Hyperides,amonga thousandotherthings, tie paid him all properattention, he gained
in the treatisewhich hewrote on purposeto muchmilitary knowledgeby him. In some
disparagehim. Nor, if his birth hadbeenso degreetoo he helpedto correctthe temperof
low, wouldhe havehadso goodan education, Chabrias,which was impetuousand uneven-
or such a liberal mind and manners. It is cer- For that general, though at other times scarce
tain that, whenvery young,he was in tuition anything could movehim, in time of action
with Plato,andafterwardswith Xenocrates in was violent, and exposedhis personwith s.
the Academy;andfrom the veryfirst, he dis- boldness ungoverncd by discretion. At lastit
tinguishedhimselfby his strongapplicationto cost him his life, when he madeit a point to
the most valuable studies. Duns tells us, get in before the othergalleysto the isleof
the Atheniansnever sawhim either laughor Chios,andattemptedto makegoodhislanding
Cry,or makeuseof a public bath, or put his bydint of sword. Phocion,whoseprudence
handfromunderhiscloak, whenhe wasdress- wasequalto his courage,animatedhim when
ed to appearin public. If he madean excur- hewastoo slowin hisoperations, andendeav
sioninto the country,or marchedout to war, curedto bringhim to act coollywhenhe wu
unseasonably violent. This gainedhim the
* Our author meant, that uncommon and extraor- affection of Chabrias, who wasa man of can-
dinaryeffort*were morenecessary to savethe poor dour and probity; and he assignedhim com*
remains
ofa wreck,
thantokeep
aship,yetwhole
and missions
andenterprises
of greatimportance,
entire, fromsinking. which raisedhim to the notice of the Greeks.
t Theorganherementioned
wasprobably
thatin- Particularly in the sea-fightoff Naxos,Pho-
rented bythe
placedin Ctcsibius,
templewho, according
at to
of Zephvrus, Alhenaeus,
a cionbeingappointed
Alexandria, to headthe squadron
on
tube,which,collectingair by (heappulsivemotionof the left, where the action was hottest, bad
watt
r.emitted
musical
sounds,
either
bytheirstrength
a fineopportunity
todistinguish
himself,
and
fcdipledUi war, or by their lightnessto fesUtilv. ie made such use of it that victory
 PHOCION.

ieclared Torthe Athenians;andasthiswasthe shouldsetsucha valueon Phocion,whogen

firstvictory
theyhadgained
atsea,
in adisputeerallyopposed
theirinclinations,and
never
said
with Greece,sincethetakingof their city, or did anythingwith a viewto recommend
theyexpressedthehighest
regardfor Chabrias,himself.For,asprinces divertthemselvesat
and beganto considerPhocion
asa person in their mealswith buffoonsandjesters,so the
whomtheyshouldonedayfind an ablecom-Athenians attendedto thepoliteandagreeable
mander. This battlewaswon duringthecele- addressof their oratorsby way of entertain
bration of the great mysteries; and Chabhas, mentonly; but when the questionwasconcern
in commemoration
of it, annually
treatedthe ingsoimportant
a business
asthecommand
of
Athenianswith wine on the sixteenthdayof their forces,theyreturnedto soberandserioui
September. thinking,andselected
thewisestcitizen,and
Sometimeafterthis, ChabriassentPhocioB the man of the severestmanners,who had
lo the islands, to demand their contributions, combatedtheir capricious humoursand desire*
and offeredhim a guardof twentysail. But the most. This hescruplednot to avow; for
Phocionsaid, " If you sendme againstene- oneday,whenanoraclefromDelphiwasread
mies,sucha fleet is too small; if to friends, in the assembly,
importing," That the restof
one ship is sufficient. He therefore went in his the Athenians were unanimous in their opm
own galley, and by addressinghimself to the ions, and that there was only one man who
cities andmagistratesin an openandhumane dissented
from them,"Phocionsteppedup,and
manner, he succeededgowell as to return with told them, " They need not give themselves
a number of ships which the allies fitted out, any trouble in inquiring for this refractory citi-
andat the sametimeputtheir respective
quotas zen,for he was the man who liked not any
of money on board. thing they did." And another time in a public
Phocion not only honoured and paid his debate, when his opinion happened to be re-
court to Chabriasas long as he lived, but, after ceivedwith universalapplause,he turned to hia
his death, continued his attentions to all that friends, and said, " Have I inadvertently let
belonged to him. With his son Cteeippus he some bad thing slip from me?"
took peculiar care to form him to virtue; and The Athenians were one day making a col-
though he found him very stupid and untracta- lection, to defray the charge of a public sacri-
ble, yet he still laboured to correct his errors, fice, and numbersgave liberally. Phocion wa*
as well as to conceal them. Once, indeed, his importuned to contribute among the rest: but
patience failed him. In one of his expeditions he badethem apply to the rich. " I should be
the young man was so troublesomewith un- ashamed,"said he, " to give you any thing, and
seasonablequestions,and attempts to give ad- not to pay this man what I owe him;" pointing
vice, as if he knew how to direct the opera- to the usurer Callicles. And as they continued
tions better than the general, that at last he very clamorousand teasing, he told them this
cried out, " O Chabrias, Chabrias! what a re- tale: "A cowardly fellow once resolved to
turn do I maketheefor thy favours,in bear- make a campaign;but when he was set out,
ing with the impertinencies of thy son.'" the ravens began to croak, and he laid down
He observed,that those who took upon them his arms and stopped. When the first alarm
the management of public affairs,made two wasa little over,he marchedagain. The ra-
departments of them,thecivil andthemilitary, vensrenewedtheir croaking,aadthenhemade
whichtheysharedas it wereby lot. Pursuant a full stop, and said, You may croak your
to this division,Eubulus,Aristophon,Demos- heartsout if you please,but you shall not taste
thenes,Lycurgus,and Hyperides,addressedmy carcass."
thepeoplefromthe rostrum,and proposed TheAthenians onceinsisted
onhis leading
newedicts;whileDiophites,
Menestheua,
Le- themagainsttheenemy,andwhenherefused,
osthenes,
andChares, raised
themselves
bythe theytoldhimnothingcouldbemoredastardly
honoursandemployments
of the camp. But andspiritlessthanhis behaviour. He answer-
Phocionchoseratherto movein thewalkof ed, " You can neithermakemevaliant,nor
Pericles,
Aristides,and Solon,whoexcelledcanI makeyoucowards: however,
weknow
not only as orators, but as generals:for he oneanothervery well."
thoughttheir fame more complete; each of Publicaffairshappening
to bein a dangerous
thesegreatmen(to usethewordsof Archi- situation,
thepeopleweregreatlyexasperated
lochus)appearing
justly to claim againsthim, anddemanded an immediateac-
The palms of Mart, and laurels of the muse: count of his conduct. Upon which, he only
said, " My good friends, first get out of your
wd he knew that the tutelar goddessof Athens difficulties."
wasequallythepatroness
of artsandarms. Duringa war,however,
theyweregenerally
Formeduponthesemodels,peaceandtran- humbleandsubmissive, andit wasnot till after
quillitywerethe greatobjectshehadalwaysin peacewas made,that theybeganto talk in a
view; yet he was engaged in more wars than vaunting manner, and to find faull with their
anyperson,either of his own, or of the pre- general. As they wereone time telling Pho-
cedingtimes. Not that he courted,or even cion,hehadrobbed themof thevictorywhich
applied for the command; buthe did not de- wasintheirhands,hesaid," It ishappy
foryou
clineit whencalledto that honourby his thatyouhavea general whoknows you;other-
countrymen. It is certain,he was electedwiseyouwouldhavebeenruinedlongago."
generalnolessthanfiveandfortytimes,with- Havingadifference withtheBoeotians,
which
out once attendingto the election; being theyrefused tosettlebytreaty,andproposed
to
alwaysappointed in hisabsence,
at thefree decide
bythesword,
Phocion said," Good
peo-
motionof his countrymen.Men of shallowple,keepto themetliod
in whichyouhavetoo
understandingweresurprised
thatthepeopleadvantage:andthatistalking,
notfighting
"
622 PLUTAHG'H'S LIVES.

Oneday,determined
nottofollowhisadvice,to thepurposes
of pride,envy,anger,or r«
theyrefusedto give him the hearing. But he venge,did not makea manequallyobnoxioui
Raid,"Thoughyoucanmakemeact againstmy As to Phocion,he never exertedhimself
judgment,you shaJJ nevermakeme speakBO." againstany man in his private capacity,o,
Demosthenes,
oneof theoratorsof thead- considered
him as an enemy,but hewai in
verse party, happening to say, " The Athenians flexiblysevereagainsteverymanwho opposed
will certainly kill thee, Phocion, some time or his motions and designs for the public good.
other:" heanswered," They maykill me, if His behaviour,in other respects,was liberal,
they are mad; but it will be you, if they are in benevolent, and humane; the unfortunate he
their senses." was always ready to assist, and he pleaded
When Polyeuetas, the Sphettian, advised even for hia enemy, if he happened to be in
the Athenians to make war upon Philip, the danger. His friends, one day, finding fault
weather being hot, and th£ orator a corpulent with him for appearing in behalf of a man
man, he ran himself out of breath,and per- whoseconductdid not deserveit; he said,
spired so violently, that he was forced to take " The good have no need of an advocate."
several draughts of cold water, before hecould Aristogiton, the informer, being condemned.
finish his speech. Phocion, seeing him in such and committed to prison, begged the favour of
a condition, thus addressedthe assembly,- Phocionto goandspeakto him,andheheark-
" You havegreat reasonto passan edict for enedto his application. His friendsdissuaded
the war, uponthis man's recommendation. For him from it, but he said, " Let me alone,good
what are you not to expect from him, when people. Where can one rather wish to speak,
loadedwith asuit of armourhemarches
against to Aristogitonthan in a prison.'"
the enemy, if in delivering to you (peaceable When the Athenians sent out their fleets
folks) a speechwhich he had composedat his under any other commander, the maritime
leisure,he is readyto besuffocated." townsand islandsin alliancewith that people,
Lycurgus, the orator, one day said many dis- looked upon every suchcommander as an ene-
paraging things of him in the general assem- my: they strengthenedtheir walls, shut up their
bly, and, among the rest, observed,that when harbours, and conveyed the cattle, the slaves,
Alexander demandedten of their orators, Pho- the women and children, out of the country
cion gave it as his opinion; that they should be into the cities. But when Phocion had the
delivered to him. " It is true," said Phocion, command,the same people went out to meet
-" I have giventhe peopleof Athensmuch him in their own ships,with chapletson their
good counsel, but they do not follow it." headsand every expression of joy, and in that
There was then in Athens one Archibiades, manner conducted them into their cities.
whogot the nameof Laconistes,by lettinghis Philip endeavoured
privatelyto get footing
beard grow long, in the Lacedemonian man- in Euboea,and for that purpose sent in forces
ner, wearing a thread-bare cloak, and keeping from Macedon, as wcli as practised upon the
a very grave countenance. Phocion finding towns by means of the petty princes. Here-
one of his assertionsmuch contradicted in the upon, Plutarch of Eretria called in the Athe-
assembly,
called uponthis man to supportthe nians,andentreatedthemto rescuethe island
truth and rectitude of what he had said. Ar- out of the hands of the Macedonians; in conse-
cbibiades,however,rangedhimselfonthepeo- quenceof whichtheysentPhocionat first with
ple'sside,andadvisedwhat he thoughtagree- a small body of troops, expectingthat the
ableto them. Then Phocion,taking him by Euboeans would immediatelyriseandjoin him.
the beard,said," What is all this heapof hair But when he came,be foundnothing among
for? Cut it, cut it off." them but treasonabledesigns and disaffection
Aristogiton,a public informer,paradedwith to their own country,for they werecorrupted
his pretendedvalour before the people,and by Philip'smoney. For this reason,he seized
pressedthem muchto declarewar. But when an eminenceseparatedfrom the plains of
the lists came to be made out, of those that Tamyns by a deep defile, and in that post he
wereto serve,this swaggererhadgot his leg securedthe bestof his troops. As for the dis
boundup, and a crutch underhis arm. Pho- orderly,the talkative,andcowardlypartof the
cion, ashe satuponthebusiness,seeinghim at soldiers,if theyattemptedto desertand steal
somedistancein this form, called out to his out of the camp,he orderedthe officersto let
secretary,to put downAristogiton" a cripple themgo. " For," saidhe, " if they stayhere,
and a coward." such is their want of discipline that, insteadof
All thesesayingshavesomethingso severe being serviceable,theywill be prejudicialin
in them that it seemsstrangethat a man of time of action; and, as theywill beconscioui
such austereand unpopularmannersshould to themselves of flyingfrom their colours,we
eveiget the surname of the Good. It is indeed shall not havesomuchnoiseandcalumnyfrom
difficult, but I believe,not impossible,for the themin Athens."
lamemanto bebothroughandgentle,
assome Upontheapproach
of theenemy,
heordered
wines are both sweet and sour: and on the his men to stand to their arms, but not attempt
other hand,somemen who havea great ap- any thing till he had madean end of his sac-
pearance
of gentleness
in their temper,are rifice:and,whether
it wasthat hewanted
to
very harshandvexatiousto thosewho haveto gain time, or couldnot easilyfind the auspi-
do withthem. In thiscase,thesayingof Hy- cioustokens,
or wasdesirous
of drawing
the
pendesto the peopleof Athensdeservesno- enemynearerto him, he was long aboutit.
tice: " Examinenot whetherI amsevereupon MeanwhilePlutarch,imaginingthat thisdelay
vou,but whetherI am sofor myownsake." wasowingto hisfearandirresolution,
charged
As if it wereavariceonly thatmakesa minister at the head of the mercenaries;and the
odiousto the people,and the abuseof power cavalryseeinghim in motion, could wait no
 PHOCION. 523
longer,butadvanced againsttheenemy, though to thesuccessor
of thealliesupontheHe!
in a scatteredand disorderly manner, as they lespont.
happened toissueoutofthecamp.Thefirst Thiscontributed mote thananythingtothe
linebeing
soonbroken,alltherestdispersed,saving
of Byzantium. Phocion's
reputation
andPlutarch
himself
fled.A detachment from wasalreadygreat:besides,
Cleon,
a manof
theenemythenattackedtheentrenchments, eminence
in Byzantium,
whohadformerly
been
andendeavoured
to make a breach in them,well acquainted
with himat the academy,
supposing
thatthefateofthedaywas
decided.
pledged
hishonor
to thecityin hisbehalf.
Butat that instantPhocionhad finishedhis The Byzantians
wouldthennolongerlet him
sacrifices,
and the Athenianssallyingoutof encampwithout,but openingtheir gatesre-
thecamp,
fellupontheassailants,
routed
them,ceived
himintotheircity,andmixed
familiar-
andcutmost01"themin pieces inthetrenches.ly withtheAthenians;
who,charmed withthi»
Phocionthengavethemainbodydirections to confidence,werenotonlyeasywithrespect to
keeptheirgroundin orderto receiveandcover provisions,
andregularin theirbehaviour,
but
suchasweredispersed
in thefirst attack,while exertedthemselveswith great spirit in every
he,witha selectparty,wentandcharged the action. By thesemeans Philipwasforcedto
enemy.A sharpconflictensued, both sides retirefromtheHellespont, andhesuffered not
behavingwith greatspirit and intrepidity.a little in hismilitaryreputation;for till then
AmongtheAthenians, Thallusthesonof Ci- hehadbeendeemed invincible.Phocion took
neas,andGlaucusthe sonof Polymedes, who someof his ships,andrecoveredseveralcities
foughtnearthe general'sperson,distinguishedwhich he had garrisoned;and making de-
themselvesthe most. Cleophanes,too, did scentsin variousparts of his territories,he
greatservicein the action; for he ralliedthe harassed
andravagedthe flat country. But at
cavalry,and broughtthemup again,by calling last, happeningto be woundedby a party that
afterthem,andinsistingthat theyshouldcome madeheadagainsthim,he weighedanchorand
to the assistanceof their general, who was in returned home.
danger. They returned, therefore, to the Sometime afterthis, the Megarensians ap-
charge;andby the assistance whichtheygave pliedto him privatelyfor assistance;
andas he
the infantry,securedthe victory. wasafraid the matter would get air, and the
Phocion, after the battle, drove Plutarch out Boeotianswould prevent him, he assembledthe
of Eretria, andmadehimself masterof Zare- peopleearly in the morning,and gave them
tra, a fort, advantageously
situatedwhere the anaccountof the application. They had no
islanddrawsto a point,and the neck of land soonergiven their sanction to the proposal,
is defended on each side by the sea. He did than he ordered the trumpets to soundas a sig-
not choose, in pursuanceof his victory, to take nal for them to arm; after which he marched
the Greeks prisoners, lest the Athenians, in- immediately to Megara, where he was receiv-
fluencedby their orators, should, in the first ed with great joy. The first thing he did was
motions of resentment,pass some unequitable to fortify Nisaea,and to build two good walls
sentenceupon them. between the city and the port; by which means
After this great success, he sailed back to tne town had a safecommunication with the
Athens. The allies soon found the want of sea,and having now little to fear from the en-
his goodnessand justice, and the Athenians emy on the landside, was securedin the Athe-
saw his capacity and courage in a clear light. nian interest.
For Molossus,whosucceeded him, conducted The Atheniansbeingnow clearly in a state
thewar soill as to fall himselfinto the enemy's of hostility with Philip, the conductof the
hands. Philip, now rising in his designsand war was committedto other generalsin the
hopes,marched to the Hellespont with all his absenceof Phocion. But on his return from
forces,in order to seizeat onceon the Cher- the islands,he represented
to the people,that
"onesus, PerinlhusandByzantium. as Philip waspeaceablydisposed, and appre-
The Atheniansdeterminingto sendsuccours lensiveof the issueof the war,it wasbestto
to thatquarter,the oratorsprevaileduponthem accept the conditionshe had offered. And
to give that commission to Chares. Accord- whenoneof thosepublic barretera,who spend
ingly hesailedto thoseparts,but did nothing their wholetime in the court of Heliaca,and
worthyof sucha forceas hewas intrustedmakeit theirbusiness to formimpeachments,
with. The citieswouldnot receivehisfleet opposed him,andsaid," Dare you Phocion,
into theirharbours;
but,suspectedby all, he jretendto dissuade
the Athenians fromwar,
beatabout,raisingcontributions wherehe nowtheswordis drawn?1' "Yes" saidhe,"I
coulduponthe allies,and,at thesametime, dare;thoughI knowthou wouldest be in my
was despisedby the enemy. The orators, now Dowerin time of war, and I shall be thine in
takingthe other side,exasperatedthe people :imeof peace." Demosthenes, however,car-
to sucra degree,that they repentedof having ried it againsthim for war; whichhe advised
lent anysuccoursto theByzantians.Then :heAthenians to makeat the greatestdis-
Phocionroseup,andtoldthem," Theyshould tancethey could from Attica. This gave
notbeangryat thesuspicions
of theallies,but Phocionoccasion
to say," My goodfriend,
attheirowngenerals,
whodeservednotto :onsider
notsomuch whereweshallfight,at
haveanyconfidence
placed
in them. Foron low we shallconquer.For victoryis the
theiraccount,"
saidhe," youarelookedupon onlythingthatcankeepthewarat a distance:
withaneyeof jealousybytheverypeople
who If wearebeaten, everydanger
will sooobeat
cannot be saved without your assistance." our gates."
Thisargument
hadsuchaneffect
onthemthat TheAtheniansdidlosetheday:afterwhich
theychanged
their mindsagain,andbadethemostfactious
andtroublesomepartof the
phocion
gohimself
withanother
armament
citizen*
drew
Charidemus
to thehustings,
and
624 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

insistedthat he snouldhavethe command.withoutweeping

for Athenstoo. The belt
This alarmed the real well-wishersto their measure, then,wecantakeis to intercedewith
country BOmuch,thatthey calledin the mem- the conquerorfor both,and by no meansto
bersof theAreopagus to their assistance;
andit think of fighting."
wasnot withoutmanytearsandthe mostearnest The first decree drawnup in consequence of
entreaties,
thattheypretailedupontheassemblythesedeliberations, Alexanderis saidto have
to put their concerns in the handsof Phocion. rejected, and to have turned his back upon the
He was of opinion,that the other proposalsdeputies:but the secondhe received,because
of Philip should be readily accepted, because it was brought by Phocion, who, as his old
they seemed to be dictated by humanity; but counsellors informed him, stood high in (he
when Demades moved that Athens should be esteemof his father Philip. He, therefore, not
comprehendedin the generalpeace,and, as only gave him a favourableaudience,and
one of the states of Greece, should have the granted his request, but even listened to hit
sametermswiththeothescities,Phocion
said, counsel.
Phocion
advised
him," If tranquility
" It ought not to beagreed to, till it was known was his object, to put an end to his wars; it
what conditionsPhilip required." The times glory, to leavethe Greeksin quiet,andturn
were againsthim, however,and he wasover his armsagainstthe barbarians."In the course
ruled. And when he saw the Athenians re- of their conference he mademany observation*
peatedafterwards,becausethey found them- so agreeableto Alexander'sdispositionand
§elvesobligedto furnishPhilip bothwith ships sentiments,that his resentmentagainstthe
of war, and cavalry, he said, " This was the Athenians was perfectly appeased,and he wai
thing I feared;andmy oppositionwasfounded pleasedto say, " The peopleof Athensmust
uponit. But sinceyou havesignedthe treaty, bevery attentiveto the affairsof Greece;for,
you mustbearits inconveniences withoutmur- if any thing happens to me,the supremedirec-
muringor despondence; remembering thatyour tion will devolveupon them." With Phocion
ancestorssometimes gave law to their neigh- in particular, he enteredinto obligationsof
bours,andsometimeswereforced to submit, friendshipandhospitality,anddid him greater
but did both with honour; andby that means honoursthan most of his own courtierswere
saved themselvesand all Greece." indulged with. Nay, Duria tells us, that after
When the newsof Philip'sdeathwasbrought that princewasrisento superiorgreatness, by
to Athens,hewould not suffer any sacrificesthe conquestof Darius,andhad left out the
or rejoicingsto be made on that account. word chairtin, the common form of salutation
" Nothing," said he, " could shew greater in his addressto others,he still retainedit in
meanness of spirit than expressions
of joy on writing to Phocion,andto nobodybesides, ex-
the deathof an enemy.What greatreason,in- ceptAntipater. Charesasserts the same.
deed,is therefor it, whenthearmyyoufought As to his munificence
to Phocion,
all agree
with at Cheronaea
is lessened
onlyby oneman." that he senthim ahundredtalents. Whenthe
Demosthenesgave into invectives against moneywasbroughtto Athens,Phocionasked
Alexander,when he was marching against the personsemployedin that commission,
Thebes;theill policyof whichPhocion
easily " Why,amongall the citizens
of Athens,he
perceived,
andsaid, shouldbe singledout astheobjectof such
bounty?" "Because," said they, " Alexander
" What bootsthegodlikegiantto proroke,
Whose
armmay
sinkusatasingle
stroke
?"* looksuponyouastheonlyhonest
andgood
Pope,OdyM.
9. man." " Then," saidPhocion" let him per-
" When you seesuch a dreadful fire near you, mit me always to retain that character, as well
would you plungeAthena into it? For my part, as really to be that man." The envoys then
I willnotsurferyoutoruinyourselves,
thoughwenthome withhim,andwhentheysawthe
yourinclinationsliethatway;andto prevent
frugality
thatreigned
there,
hiswifebaking
every stepof thatkindistheendI proposedbread,
himselfdrawing
water,
andafterward!
intakingthecommand." washing
hisownfeet,
theyurged
himthemore
When Alexander haddestroyed
Thebes,he toreceive
thepresent.Theytoldhim," It
"enttotheAthenians,
anddemanded
thatthey jave themrealuneasiness, andwasindeed an
intolerable thing, that the friend of so great a
ehould deliver up to him Demosthenes,Lycur-
gus,Hyperides,
andChandemus. Thewholeprince should livein such awretched manner."
assemblycasttheireyesuponPhocion, andAtthatinstant a pooroldmanhappening to
called
uponhimoften byname.Atlasthe pass by,in
" amean
Whether garment,
they Phocion
thought asked
worse of the
him
roseup;andplacinghimby oneof hisfriends,envoys,
whohadthegreatest sharein hisconfidence thanofthatman?" Astheybegged ofhimnot
andaffection,
heexpressedhimselfasfollows: to
thatmake
mansuch
livesaupon
comparison, he
less than I rejoined,
do, and is"con-
Yet
" The personswhom Alexander demandshave tented. In one word, it will be to no purpose
brought the commonwealth into such miserable
circumstances, that if he demanded even my for me to have so much money, if I do not use
friendNicocles,
I should
votefor delivering
it; andif I was toliveuptoit, I should bring
both myself, and the king, your master, under
bun up. For my own part, I should think it the the censure of the Athenians." Thus the money
greatest happiness to die for you all. At the was carried back from Athens and, the whole
same tune, I am not without compassion for
the poor Thf;bans who have taken refuge here; transaction was a good lessonto the Greeks,
That the man who did not want such a sumof
but it isenough for Greece to weep for Thebes, money masricher than he who could bestowit.
* These
wordsareaddressed
to Ulyssei,byhis
com- Displeasedat the refusal of his present,
p*f.-mn*,
to restrain hmifromprovoking thegiant,Alexander
wroteto Phocion,
" Thathecould
Polyphemus,after they were escapedout of his cafe,
andnutouboard
theirship. notnumber
those
among
hisYet
friends
not receive bis favours."
whowould
Phocion even
 PHOC10N 625

thin wouldnot takethe money.However,inclination

to luxury,hecarriedhimto Laca-
h« desired the king to setat libertyEche- dzmon,andputhimamongthe youngmenwho
cratides
thesophist,
andAthenodorus theIbc werebrought up in all the rigourof thean-
riao,asalsoDemaratusandSparto,twoRho- cientdiscipline.This gavetheAthenians no
diaas,whoweretakenup for certaincrimes,little offence,
becauseit shewedin whatcon-
»nd ktpt in custodyat Sardig. Alexandertemptheheldthemanners andcustoms of his
grantedhis requestimmediately;andafter- owncountry. Demadas, oneday,saidto him,
wards,whenhesentCraterusinto Macedonia, " Why do not we,Phocion,persuade
the peo-
ordered
himto givePhocion
hischoiceof'one ple toadopttheSpartan
formof government?
of thesefour cities in Asia,Cios,Gergithus, If you chooseit, I will proposea decreefor it,
BIylwsa,or Elsea.At the sametimenewas and support
it inthebestmannerI amable."
to assurehim,that the king would be much "Yes, indeed,"said Phocion,"it would be-
moredisobligedif he refusedhis secondoffer. comeyou much,with all thoseperfumes about
But Phocion was not to be prevailedupon, you,and thatpride of dress,to launchout in
andAlexanderdiedsoonafter. praise of Lycorgus and the Lacedzmonian
Phocion'a house is shewn to this day in the frugality."
boroughof Melita, adornedwith someplates Alexanderwroteto theAtheniansfor a sup-
af copper,
butotherwise
plainandhomely. plyof ships,and the oratorsopposing
it, the
Of his first wife we haveno account,except senateaskedPhocionhis opinion. " I amof
thatshewassisterto Cephisodotus the statuary. opinion," said he, " that you should either
The other was a matron, no less celebrated have the sharpest sword, or keep upon good
among the Athenians for her modesty, pru- term, with those who have."
dence,and simplicity of manners, than Pho- Pytheasthe orator,when he first beganto
cianhimselfwasfor his probity. It happenedspeakin public,had a torrent of wordsand
oneday, when somenew tragedianswereto themostconsummate assurance.Uponwhich
act before a full audience, one of the players, Phocion said, " Is it for thee to prate so who
who was to personatethe queen, demandeda art but a novice amongstus?"
suitable mask (and attire,) togetherwith a When Harpaulushadtraitorouslycarriedoff
large train of attendants, richly dressed; and, Alexander's treasuresfrom Babylon, and came
as all thesethingswere not grantedhim, he with themfromAsiato Attica,a numberof the
was out of humour, and refused to make his mercenaryorators flocked to him, in hopesof
appearance; by which meansthe whole busi- sharing in the spoil. He gave these lomo
ness of the theatre was at a stand. But Me- small taste of his wealth, but to Phocion he
lanthius, who was at the charge of the exhibi- sent no less than aevenhundred talents; assur-
tion, pushed him in, and said, " Thou seest ing him, at the same time, that he might com-
the wife of Phocion appear in public with one mand his whole fortune, if he would take him
maid-servantonly, and dost thou come here to into his protection. But his messengersfound
"hew thy pride, and to spoil our womenf As a disagreeablereception: Phocion told them
Melantliius
spoke
loudenough
to beheard,
the that " Harpalusshouldrepentit, if he con-
audiencereceived whit he hadsaid with a ihim- tinued thus to corrupt the city." And the
der of applause. When this secondwife of Pho- traitor, dejected at his disappointment, stopped
cion entertained in her housean Ionian lady, his hand. A few days after, a general assem-
one of her friends, the lady shewed her her bly being held on this affair, he found that the
braceletsand necklaces,which had all the mag- men who had taken his money, in order to ex-
nificence
that goldandjewelscouldgivethem. culpatethemselves,
accusedhimto the people,
Uponwhichthe goodmatronsaid,"Phocionis while Phocion,who would acceptof nothing,
my ornament,who is now called the twentieth was inclined to serve him, as far as might be
time to the commandof the Athenian armies." consistent with the public good. Harpalus,
The son of Phocion was ambitious of trying therefore, paid his court to him again, and
his skill in the gamesof thepetnaCierue,'
and took everymethodto thake his integrity,but
his fatherpermittedhim to makethe trial, on he foundthe fortresson all sidesimpregnable.
condition that it was in the foot-races; not that Afterwards he applied to Charicles, Phocion'g
he set any value upon the victory, but he did son-in-law, and his successwith him gave just
it that the preparations and previous exercise causeof offence; for all the world saw how
might be of service to him; for the young man intimate he was with him, and that all his bu
wasof a disorderly turn, and addicted to drink- sinesswent through his hands. Upon the death
ing. Phocus, (that was his name) gained the of his mistress Pythionice, who had brought
victory, and a number of his acquaintancedesir- him a daughter, he even employed Clundi-s
ed to celebrate it by entertainments at their to get a superb monument built for htr, and
houses; but that favour waa granted only to for that purpose furnisticd him with vast sums.
one. When Phocion cameto the house,he This commission,dishonourable
enoughin it
saw every thing prepared in the most extrava- self, became more so by the manner in which
gant manner, and, among the rest, that wine he acquitted himself of it. For the monument
mingledwith spiceswaaprovidedfor washing is still to be seenat Hcrrnos,on the roadbe-
thefeet of the guests.He therefore
called tweenAthensandElcusis,andthereappears
hissonto him,andsaid,"Phocus,
whydoyou nothing
in it answerable
tothecharge
ofthirty
sufferyour friends thus to sully the honour of talents, which was the account that Charicleg
vourvictory?'1)- broughtin." After the deathof Harpaliis,
In orderto correctin hisBonentirelythat Charicles
andPhocion tookhisdaughter
under
* Setthelifeof Tlicscui. * YetPausanias
says,
it wasoneof the complclest
t Th« victory wasgainedby meansof abstemiotu-andmostcuriousperformances
of all theanciilit worki
aejiandlaborious
tier cite,to whichsuchindulgencein Grrece.According
lo him,it ttoudou tin other
*erc quite contrary. lide of the rivtr Cephuui.
Li
626 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
theirguardianship,
andeducated
herwithgreatif Phocion
waselected
general,
he would
be
care. At last,Charicles
wascalledto accountfor puttinganendto it, instructed
a roanthat
by thepublicfor themoneyhehadreceived of waslittleknown,to makea motionin theas-
Harpalus;
andhedesired
Phocion
to supportsembly,
importing,
" Tnat,as an oldfriend
himwithhisinterest,andto appear
withhim andschool-fellow
of Phocion,he desired
the
inthecourt. ButPhocion answered,
"I madepeopleto sparehim,and preservehimforthe
you my eon-in-lawonly for just andhonoura- mostpressingoccasions,
because
therewasnot
ble purposes." anothermanintheirdominions
to becompared
The first person that brought the newsof to him." At the sametime he wasto recom-
AJexander's deathwasAsclepiadcsthe sonof mendAntiphilusfor the command.The Athe-
Hipparchus. Demadcsdesiredthe peopleto niansembracingthe proposal,Phocionstood
give no credit to it: " For," said he, " if Alex- up and told them, " He never was that man's
anderweredead,the wholeworld wouldsmell school-fellow,nor had he any acquaintance
the carcass." And Phocion,seeingthe Athe- with him, but from this moment," said he,
nianselated,andinclined to raise new com- turning to him, I shall numbertheeamongst
motions, endeavoured to keep them quiet. my best friends, since thou hast advised what
Many of the orators, however,ascended the is mostagreeable to me."
rostrum,and assuredthe people,that the ti- The Athenianswere strongly inclined to
dingsof Asclepiades,weretrue; "Well then," prosecutethe war with the Boeotians;and
said Pnocion,"if Alexander is deadto-day, Phocionat first as stronglyopposed
to it. Hii
hewill besoto-morrow,
andthedayfollowing;friendsrepresented
to him,thatthisviolentop-
sothat we maydeliberateon that eventat our positionof his wouldprovokethemto put him
leisure,and takeourmeasures
with safety."to death. " They maydoit, if theyplease,"
When Leosthenes,by his intrigues,hadin- said he; " It will beunjustly,if I advisethem
vo'ved Athens in the Lamian war, andsaw for the best;but justly,if I shouldprevaricate."
how much Phocion was displeasedat it, he However,when hesawthat they were not to
askedhim in a scoffingmanner,"What good be persuaded, and that theycontinuedto be-
he haddonehis country,duringthe manyyears siegehim with clamour,he orderedaheraldto
that he wasgeneral?" "And dostthou think makeproclamation," That all the Athenians,
it nothing,then," saidPhocion," for the Athe- whowerenot morethan sixty yearsabovethe
nians to be buried in the sepulchres of their age of puberty, should take five days' pro-
ancestors?" As Leosthenes continued to ha- visions, and follow him immediately from the
rangue the people in the most arrogant andpom- assemblyto the field."
pous manner, Phocion said, "Young man, your This raiseda great tumult, and the old men.
speechesare like cypresstrees, large and lofty, began to exclaim againstthe order and to walk
but without fruit." Hyperides rose up and said, off. Upon which Phocion said, " Does this
" Tell us, then, what will be the propectime for disturb you, when I, who am fourscore years
the Athenians to goto war." Phocion answered, old, shall be al the headof you?" That short
" I do not think it advisable till the young men remonstrancehad its effect; it madethem quiet
keep within the bounds of order and propriety, and tractable. When Micion marcheda con-
the rich become liberal in their contributions, siderable corps of Macedonians and mercena-
and the orators forbear robbing the public." ries to Rhamnus, and ravaged the sea-coast
Most peopleadmipedthe forces raised by andthe adjacentcountry, Phocionadvanced
Leosthenes;andwhenthey askedPhocionhis againsthim with abodyof Athenians.Onthia
opinionof them, he said, " I like themvery occasiona numberof themwereveryimperti-
well for a short race,* but I dread the conse- nent in pretending to dictate or advise him how-
quenceof along one. The supplies,theships, to proceed. One counselledhim to secure
the soldiers, are all very good; but they are the suchan eminence, another to send his cavalry
laut we can produce." The eventjustified his to sucha post,anda third pointedout a place
observation. Leosthenes at first gained great fora camp. " Heavens!" said Phocion, " how
reputationby his achievements;
for hedefeat- manygenerals
we have,andhow fewsoldiers!"
edthe BoMtjznsin a pitchedbattle,anddrove When hehaddrawn up his army,oneofthe
Aiitipaterinto Lamia. On this occasion
the infantryadvanced
beforetheranks;butwhen
Athenians,borneuponthe tide of hope,spent he sawan enemysteppingout to meethim,his
their time in mutual entertainmentsand in sac- heart failed him, and he drew back to his post.
rifices to the gods. Many of them thought, WhereuponPbocionsaid, " Youngman,are
too, they hud a fine opportunityto play upon not you ashamed
to desertyour stationtwice
Pnocio/i,andaskedhim, " Whetherhe should in one day; that in which I had placedyou,
cot have wished to have done such great andthat in which you had placedyourself?"
thingb?"" CertainlyI should,"saidPhocion;Thenhe immediately
attackedthe enemy,
" but still I shouldadvisenot to haveattempt- routedthem,andkilled greatnumbers,
among
ed them." And when letters and messengerswhomwas their general,Micion. The con-
fromthearmycameoneafteranother, withan federate
armyof theGreeks in Thessaly
like-
accountof farthersuccess,
he said,a When wise defeatedAntipaterin a greatbattle,
"hallwehavedoneconquering?" thoughLeonatusand the Macedonians from
Leosthenes diedsoonafter; and theparty Asiahadjoinedhim. In this actionAntiphi
whichwasfor continuingthewar,fearingthat luscommandedthefoot,andMenontheThes
salian horse; Leonatus v.* among the slain
" Or rather, " I think theymayrun verywell from Soon after this Craterus passedover from
lUrting-posttotheextremity ofthecourse: but1know Asia with a numerousarmy,andanotherbattle
not how they will hold it back again." The Grccki wasfoughtin which the Greekswereworsted.
had two sort* of races; the itodium. in which they
ranonlyrightouttothegoal;andtherfo/itfria,
ia Theloss,
indeed,
wasnotgreat;anditofwai
vbtchtheyranrightoutandthenback
again. rwmg to the disobediencethe
 PHOCION. 52/

loldien, whohadyoungofficersf<atdidnot Phocion's discourse,

however, he gaveatten-
eiert a properauthority.But this,joined to tion; and answered,
thathe shouldgrantthe
thepracticeofAntipateruponthecities,madeAthenians peace
andconsider themaahisfriend*
theGreeks deserttheleague,and shamefullyonthefollowing conditions:"In thefirstplace,"
betraythe libertyof theircountry. As Anti- saidhe, " theymustdeliverupto meDemos-
patermarcheddirectlytowads Athens,De- thenes andHyperi.les.In thenextplace,they
mosthenes andHyperides fledout of thecity. mustputtheirgovernment ontheancient foot-
As for Dcmades,hehadnot beenable, in any ing, whennonebut the rich wereadvancedto
degree,to answerthe finesthat had beenlaid the great officesof state. A third article is,
upon him; for he had been amercedseven that they mustreceivea garrisoninto Muni-
times for proposingedicts contraryto law. chia; anda fourth,that theymustpay the ex-
He had also beendeclaredinfamous,andin- pensesof the war." All the newdeputies,ex-
capableof speakingin the assembly.But now, cept Xenocrates,thoughtthemselves happyin
findinghimselfat full liberty; hemovedfor an theseconditions.That philosopher said,"An
orderthat ambassadors shouldbe sentto An- tipaterdealsfavourablywith us,if heconsiders
tipater, with full powersto treat of peace. The us as his slaves; but hardly, if he looks upon
people,alarmedat their presentsituation,call- us aafreemen." Phocion beggedfor a remis-
ed for Phocion,declaringthat hewastheonly sion of the articleof the garrison; and Anti-
man theycould trust. Upon which,he said, pateris saidto haveanswered," Phocion,we
" If you hadfollowedthe counselI gaveyou, will grant thee everything,exceptwhatwould
we should not have had now to deliberate on be the ruin of both us and thee." Others say,
suchan affair." Thus the decreepassed,and that Antipater askedPhocion," Whether, if
Phocionwasdespatched to Antipater,whothen he excusedthe Atheniansas to the garrison,
lay with his armyin Cadmea,*andwas pre- he would undertakefor their observingthe
paring to enter Attica. other articles, and raising no new commotions?"
His first requisition was, that Antipater Aa Phocion hesitated at this question, Calli
would finishthe treatybeforehe left the camp medon,surnamed
Carabua,a violentman,and
in which ne then lay Craterus said, it was an enemy to popular government, started up
an unreasonabledemand, that they should re- and said, "Antipater, why do you suffer this
main there to be troublesome to their friends man to amuseyou? If he should give you his
and allies, when they might subsist at the ex- word, would you depend upon it, and not abide
pense of their enemies: But Antipater took by your first resolutions.'"
him by the hand, and eaid, " Let us indulge Thus the Athenians were obliged to receive
Phocion so far." As to the conditions, he in- a Macedonian garrison, which was command-
sisted that the Athenians should leave them to ed by Menyllus, a man of great moderation,
him, as he had done at Lamia, to their general and the friend of Phocion. But that precau-
Leosthenes. tion appeared
l» bedictatedby a wantonvan-
Phocion went and reported this preliminary ity; rather an abuseof power to the purpose*
to the Athenians, which they agreed to out of of insolence,than a measurenecessaryfor the
necessity; and then returned to Thebes, with conqueror's T.flairs. It was more severely felt
other ambassadors;the principal of whom vvas by the Atnemsns, on account of the time the
Xenocrates the philosopher. For the virtue garrison entered; which was the twentieth of
and reputation ot the latter were so great and the month of September,* when they were
illusr'oufl. that the Atheniansthoughtthere celebratingthe great mysteries,and the very
couii;oe nothingin humannature,soinsolent, day thatthey carried the god Bacchusin pro-
sava6-.andferocious,asnot to feel someim- cessionfrom the city to Eleusis. The disturb-
pressions of respectandreverenceat the sight ancesthey sawin the ceremonies gave many
of him. It happened, however,otherwisewith of the peopleoccasionto reflect on thediffer-
Antipater,throughhis extremebrutality and ence of the divinedispensations with respect
antinathy to virtue; for he -mbraced the rest to Athens in the.present and in ancient times.
with ?reatcordiality,but wouldnot evenspeak " Formerly," said they, " mysticvisionswere
to Xenocrates;which gave him occasionto seen,andvoices,heard,to the greathappiness
"ay, " Antipater doe* veil in being ashamed of the republic, and the terror and astonish-
before me, and mt ^my, of his injurious de- ment of our enemies. But now, during the
cignsagainst Athens." same ceremonies, the gods look without con-
Xenocrates
afterwardsattemptedto speak, cern upon the severestmisfortunesthat can
but Antipater, in great anger, interrupted him, happen to Greece, and suffer the holiest, and
and would not suffer him to proceed.f To what was once the most agreeabletime in the
year, to be profaned, and rendered the date ot
" Daeier, without any necessity,supposesthat Plu-
tarch usesthe word Cadmeafor Boeoiia. In a poetical our greatest calamities.
way,it is,indeed,
capable
of being
understood
so;but A few daysbefore,the Athenians
had re-
It is plainfromwhatfollows,that Antipaterthen lay ceived an oracle from Dodona, which warned
atThebes,
andprobably
in theCadmea
or citadel. them to securethe promontoriesof Diana
t Yet he had behaved to him with great kindness
when he was scat to ransom the prisoner*. AntipaLcr, againststrangers. And aboutthis time, upon
onthatoccasion,
tookthefirstopportunity
toinvitewashing
theeacred
filletswithwhichtheybino
mmtosupper,
andXenocrates
answered,
in thosethe mysticbeds,insteadof the livelypurple
versesof Homer which Ulyssesaddressed
to Circe, they used to have, they changed to a faint dead
who
pressed
himtopartake
of thedelicacies
thehad colour. Whataddedto thewonderwas,thai
provided:-
111fits it me, whose friends are sunk to beasts,
To quaffthybowls,andHotin thyfeasts, Anlipaterwasso charmed
withthehappyapplic*
Mewouldst Ihouplease
?Forthemthycaresemploy,tionof these
verses,
thathereleased
all theprisoner*
And them to me restore, and me '^Joy. * Boedromion.
$28 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

all thelinenbelonging
toprivatepersons,
which siderable
sumof money.Buthesaid," Neith
waswashedin the samewater,retainedits er is Menyllusa greater
man, thanAlexander.
formerlustre. Andasaprieatwaswashinga norhaveI greater reasonto receivea present
pig inthatpartof theportcalledCantharua,nowthan1 hadthen." Thegovernor pressed
a large fish seizedthe hinderparts, and de- him to take it at leastfor hieson Phocus;but
vouredthemas far as the belly; by which the he answered," If Phocusbecomessober,bu
gods plainly announced, that they would lose father's estatewill be sufficient for him; and
the lowerpartsof thecity neit the sea,and if hecontinues
dissolute,
nothingwill be so."
keep the upper. He gaveAntipatera moresevereanswer,when
The garrisoncommanded
by Menyllus,did he wantedhim to do something
inconsistent
no sort of injury to the citizens. But the num- with hieprobity. "Antipater," saidhe, " can
ber excluded, by another article of the treaty, not have me both for a friend and a flatterer."
on accountof their poverty,from a sharein And Antipater himself usedto Bay," I have
the government, was upwards of twelve thou- two friends in Athens, Phocion and Demades:
sand. Suchof theseas remainedin Athens, it is impossibleeither to persuadethe oneto
appearedto be in a stateof miseryand dis- any thing, or to satisfy the other." Indeed,
grace; and such as migrated to a city and lands Phocion had his poverty to shew as a proof of
in Thrace, assigned
themby Antipater,looked his virtue; for, thoughhe BOoftencommanded
upon themselvesas no better than a conquered the Athenian armies, and was honoured with
peopletransportedinto a foreigncountry. the friendshipof so manykings,he grewold in
The deathof Demosthenes in Calauna,and indigence;whereasDemadesparaded with his
thatof Hyperidesat Cleonae,of whichwe have wealth,even in instancesthat were contrary
given an account in another place, made the to law: for there was a Jaw at Athens that no
AtheniansrememberAlexander and Philip foreignershouldappearin the chorusses upon
"witha regretwhichseemedalmostinspiredby the stage, under the penalty of a thousand
affection.* The casewasthe samewith them drachmas,to be paid by the personwho gave
now, as it was with the countrymanafterwards the entertainment. Yet Demades, in his ex-
upon the death of Antigonus. Those who kill- hibition, produced none but foreigners; and he
ed that prince,and reignedin his stead,were paidthethousand
drachmas
fineforeach,though
"o oppressive and tyrannical, that a Phrygian their number was a hundred. And when his
peasant, who was digging the ground, being son Demea was married, he said, " When I
asked what he was seeking, said, with a sigh, married your mother, the next neighbourhardly
" I am seeking for Antigonus." Many of the knew it; but kings and princes contribute to
Atheniansexpressed
equalconcern,now,when the expenseof your nuptials.
they rememberedthe great and generousturn The Athenians were continually importuning
of mind in thosekings,and how easilytheir Phocionto persuade
Antipaterto withdrawthe
aiger wasappeased:whereasAntipater,who garrison;but whetherit wasthat he despaired
endeavoured to conceal his power under the of success,or rather becausehe perceived that
maskof a private man, a meanhabit,and a the peopleweremoresoberandsubmissive to
plain diet, wasinfinitelymorerigorousto those government,
underfearof thatrod, healways
underhis command}and,in fact, an oppressordeclinedthe commission.The only thing that
andatyrant. Yet, at the requestof Phocion, heaskedand obtainedof Antipaterwas,that
he recalled many persons from exile: and to the money which the Athenians were to pay
suchas hedid not chooseto restoreto their for the chargesof the war, shouldnot bein-
own country, granted a commodioussituation; sisted on immediately, but a longer term grant-
for, insteadof beingforcedto reside,like other ed. The Athenians,findingthatPhocionwould
exiles,beyondthe Ceraunianmountains,and not meddlewith the affairof the garriaon,ap-
the promontoryof Tsnarus,he sufferedthem plied to Demades, who readilyundertookit
to remainin Greece,andsettlein Peloponne-In consequence of this, he andhis son took a
sus. Of this numberwas Agnonides,the in- journey to Macedonia. It should seem,his
former. evil geniusled him thither; for he arrivedjust
In Borneother instances, he governedwith at the time when Antipaterwasin his last ill-
equity. He directedthe policeof Athensin a ness;andwhenCassander, now absolutemas-
just and candidmanner;raisingthemodestter of everything,had intercepted
a letter
and the good to the principal employments;written by Demadesto Antigonusin Asia,in
and excludingthe uneasyand the seditious vitinghim to comeover and seizeGreeceand
fromall offices;sothat havingnoopportunityMacedonia,
"which," he said,"hung only
to excite troubles, the spirit of faction died uponan old rotten stalls;" so he contemptu-
away; andhe taughtthem, by little andlittle, ouslycalledAntipater. Cassander no sooner
to love the country,and apply themselves to sawhim, than he orderedhimto bearrested;
agriculture. Observing, oneday, that Xenoc- andfirst he killed his son beforehis eyes,and
ratespaida tax as a stranger,he offeredto sonear,thatthe bloodspouteduponhim,and
makehima present of hisfreedom
; buthe re- filledhisbosom;
then,afterhavingreproached
fused it, and assignedthis reason:-" I will him with his ingratitudeandperfidioueness,
h«
never be a member of that government, to pre- slew him likewise.
venttheestablishment
of whichI actedin a Antipater,a little beforehisdeath,hadap-
publiccharacter." pointedPolyperchon general,
andgivenCas-
MenylluswaspleasedtoofferPhociona con- sandcrthe commandof a thousandmen. But
Cassander,far from beingsatisfiedwith such
" The cruel diipoition of Antipater,-who had insist-
ed uponDemosthenes andHvptridesbeinggivenup an appointment, hastenedto seizethe supreme
tohisrevenge,
madethecouduct
ofPhilip
andAlei-power,
andimmediately
sentNicanor
to tak«
tbtlrrcotijamtm-Jr
amiable. thecommand
oljthegarrison
fromMeujllus,and
 PHOCION. 529

to iecureMunychia
beforethenewsof hisfa to any of thosethings. Nay, whenPhilo-
Iher'sdeath
gotabroad.Thisschemewascar medes, of theboroughof Lampra,gotanedict
tiedintoexecution;
and,afewdaysafter,the made,
thatall theAthenians
should
takeup
Atheniansbeinginformedof thedeathof An- arms,andobeytheordersof Phocion, hetook
tipater,accused
Phocion of beingprivyto that nocaretoact in pursuance
of it, till Nicanor
event,andconcealing it out of friendship to hadbroughthistroopsout of Munychia,and
Nicauor. Phocion, however, gavehimselfno carriedhistrenches roundthePirxus. Then,
painaboutit; on the contrary,he conversed PhocionwouldhaveledtheAthenians against
familiarly with Nicanor;and,by hisassiduities,him; but by this time, they werebecomema-
not onjy renderedhim kind and obligingto tinous,andlookeduponhim with contempt.
the Athenians,but inspiredhim with anambi At this juncturearrived Alexander,the son
tion to distinguishhimselfby exhibitinggamesof Polyperchon,with an army,underpretence
andshowsto the people of assistingthe city againstNicanor; but, in
MeantimePolyperchon, to whomthecareof reality, to avail himselfof his fatal divisions,
the king's personwascommitted,*in orderto and to seizeit, if possible,for himself. For
countermineCassander,wrote letters to the the exileswho enteredthe townwith him, the
Athenians,importing, " That the king restor- foreigners,andsuchcitizensas had beenstig-
ed them their ancientform of government;" matizedas infamous,with other meanpeople,
accordingto which,all the peoplehada right resortedto him, and altogethermade up a
to publicemployments.This wasa snarehe strangedisorderlyassembly, by whosesuffrages
laid for Phocion. For, beingdesirousof mak- the commandwas taken from Phocion,aiid
ing himselfmasterof Athens(assoonappear-other generals appointed. Had not Alexander
ed from bis actions,) he was sensible that be been seen alone near the walls in conference
could not effect anything while Phocion was in with Nicanor, and by repeated interviews,
the way. He saw,too,thathisexpulsionwould given the Athenianscauseof suspicion,the
be no difficult task, when all who had been city could not have escaped the danger it wa»
excluded from a share in the administration in. Immediately the orator Agnonides singled
were restored; and the orators and public out Phocion, and accused him of treason;
informers were once more masters of the tri- which so much alarmed Callimedon and Peri-
bunals. cles,* that they fled out of the city. Phocion,
As theseletters raised great commotionswith suchof his friendsas didnot forsakehim,
amongthe people, Nicanor was desiredto repairedto Polyperchon.Solonof Plata;, and
epeakf to them on that subject in the Piraeus; Dinarchua of Corinth, who passed for the
and,for that purposeenteredtheir assembly,friendsandconfidantsof Polyperchon,out of
trustinghis personwith Phocion. Dercyllus, regardto Phocion,desiredto be of the party.
who commanded for the king in the adjacent But Dinarchusfallingill by the way,theywere
country,laid a schemeto seizehim; but Nica- obligedto stop manydaysat Elatea. In the
nor getting timely information of bis design, mean lime, Archestratus proposed a decree,
guardedagainstit, and soonshewedthat he and Agnonidesgot it passed,that deputies
wouldwreak bis vengeance on the city. Pho- should be sentto Polyperchon,with an accu-
cion then wasblamedfor letting him gowhen sationagainstPhocion.
he had him in his hands;but he answered, The two partiescameup to Polyperconat
" He could confidein Nicanor'spromises,and the sametime, ashe wasdponhis marchwith
"aw no reasonto suspect him of any ill design." the king,f near Pharuges, a town of Phocis,
" However," said he, " be the issue what it sitruated at the foot of Mount Acroriam, now
may,I hadratherbefoundsufferingthandoing calledGalate. There Polyperchon placedthe
whatis unjust." ;ing undera goldencanopy,and his friendson
This answerof his, if we examineit with eachside of him; and,beforehe proceeded to
respectto himselfonly, will appearto be en- any otherbusiness, gaveordersthat Dinarchua
tirely the resultof fortitudeand honour; but, shouldbe put to the torture, and afterwards
whenwe considerthat he hazardedthe safety despatched.This done,he gavethe Athenians
of his country,and,what is more,that he was audience. But, as they filled the placewith
general and first magistrate, I know not wheth- noise and tumult, interrupting each other with
er he did not violate a stronger and more re- mutual accusations to the council, Agnonides
spectable obligation. It is m vain to allege Dressedforward and said, " Put us all in one
that Phocionwas afraidof involvingAthens cage,andsendus backto Athens,to give ac
in * war; andfor that reasonwould not seize countof our conductthere." The king laugh-
the personof Nicanor; andthat he only urged ed at the proposal;but the Macedonianswho
tile obligationsof justice andgoodfaith, that attendedon that occasion,and the strangers
Nicanor,by agratefulsense
of euchbehaviour,whoweredrawnthitherby curiosity,
werede-
night be prevaileduponto bequiet, andthink sirous of hearing the cause; and therefore
of no injuriousattempt againstthe Athenians. madesignsto thedeputiesto arguethe matter
For the truth is, hehad suchconfidence
in there. Howeverit wasfar frombeingcon-
Nicanor,that whenhnhad accounts broughtductedwithimpartiality.
Polyperchon
oftenio-
him from several handsof hia designs upon the
Piraus,
of hisordering
a bodyof mercenaries
" Pericla
here
looks
likeinerroneous
reading.
\(-
to Salamis,
andof hisbribing
some
of theinhab- erwards
wefind,notPericlet,
butCharities,
men-
itants of the Pirx'us, he would give no credit tionedalongwith Callimedon.Charities was Pho-
cion'i son-in-law.
* TheionofAlexander,
whowasyetveryyoung. t ThiswasAridzus,
thenatural
sonof Philip.After
i Nicanorkn«v»that Polyperchon's
proposallo re- someof Alexander1! general!hadraisedhim to the
ttorethedemocracywasmerelya snare,andbewanted hronefor their own purposes, he took the nameof
IDmakethe Atheniannujiblc of it. Philip, andreignedt\t yearsand" fewtnoutlu.
 630 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

terrupted
Phocion,
whoat lastwassoprovok beforeexecution;
andinsisted,thatthe rack
ed, tnat he struck his staff upon the ground andits managers
shouldbe sentfor immediate-
and wouldspeakno more. Hegemonsaid ly. ButAgnonides,
observing
that Clitusvra»
Polyperchonhimself couldbearwitnessto hi displeased at that proposal,andlooking upon
affectionateregard for the people; and tha it himselfas a barbarousanddetestablething,
generalanswered," Do you comehere t said," WhenwetakethatvillainCallimedon,
slandermebeforetheking?" Uponthis th< let usputhimto thetorture;but, indeed,ray
king started up, and was going to run Hegemon fellow-citizens, I cannot consentthat Phocion
throughwith his spear;but Polyperchonpre- shouldhavesuchhard measure." Upon this,
ventedhim; andthe council broke up inline oneof thebetterdisposedAthenianscried out,
diately. "Thou art certainly right; for if we torture
The guards then surrounded Phocion am Phocion, what must we do to thee?" There
his party, except a few, who,beingat some was,however,hardly one negativewhenthe
distance,
muffled
themselves
up,andfled.Clitus sentence
of deathwasproposed;
allthepeople
carried the prisonerslo Athens,undercolou gavetheir voicesstanding;andsomeof them
of havingthemtried there,but,in reality, onli evencrownedthemselves
with flowers,asif it
to have them put to death, as persons already had been a matter of festivity. With Phocion
condemned.The mannerof conductingthe there were Nicocles, Thudippus, Hegemon,
thing madeit a moremelancholyscene. The andPythocles. As for Demetriusthe Phale
prisonerswere carried in carts through the rean, Callimedon,Charicles,andsomeothers,
Ceramicusto the theatre, where Clitus shut who wereabsent,the samesentence waspast-
them up till the Jlrchons had assembled the ed upon them.
people. From this assemblyneither slaves, After the assemblywasdismissed,the con-
nor foreigners,norpersonsstigmatized
asinfa- victs were sent to prison The embraces
of
mous, were excluded; the tribunal and the their friends and relations melted them into
theatrewereopento all. Then the king's let- tears; and they all went on bewailingtheir
ter was read; the purport of which was " That fate, except Phocion. His countenance was
he hadfound the prisonersguilty of treason the sameas whenthe peoplesent him out to
but that he left it to the Athenians, as free- command their armies; andthe beholderscould
men, who were to be governed by their own not but admire his invincible firmnessand mag-
laws, to pass sentence upon them." nanimity. Someof his enemies,indeed, reviled
At the same time Clitus presented them to him as he went along; and one of them even
the people. The best of the citizens, when spit in his face: upon which, he turned to the
they saw Phocion, appeared greatly dejected, magistrates, and said, " Will nobodycorrect
and, covering their faces with their mantles, this fellow's rudeness?" Thudippus, when he
began to weep. One, however, had the cour- saw the executioner pounding the hemlock,
age to say, " Since the king leaves the deter- beganto lament what hard fortune it was for
mination of so important a matter to the peo him to suffer unjustly on Phocion's account.
sage," dost
pie, it wouldbe properto commandall slaves " What then!" saidthe venerable
andstrangersto depart." But the populace,thou not think it an hononrto die with Pho-
instead of agreeing to that motion, cried out, cion?" One of his friends askinghim whether
' It would bemuch more proper to stoneall le hadanycommands to his son; " Yes," said
the favourersof oligarchy, all the enemiesof le, " by all means,tell him fromme,to forget
the people," After which, no one attempted the ill treatmentI have hadfrom the Athe-
to offerany thing in behalfof Phocion.It was nians." And when Nicocles,the mostfaithful
with muchdifficulty that he obtainedpermis- of his friends, beggedthat he wouldlet him
sion to speak. At last, silencebeingmade,he drink the poisonbeforehim; " This," saidhe,
Said," Do you designto take away my life Nicocles, is a hard request;and the thing
justly or unjustly?" Someof themanswering,must give me great uneasiness;but since I
"Justly;" hesaid,"How canyou knowwheth- lave obligedyouin everyinstancethroughlife,
er it will bejustly, if you do nothearmefirst?" '.will dothe samein this."
As he did not find them inclinable in the least When they came all to drink, the quantity
to hearhim, he advancedsomepacesforward, >rovednot sufficient;andthe executioner re-
andsaid, " Citizensof Athens,I acknowledge usedto preparemore, excepthe hadtwelve
I havedoneyou injustice;andfor my faults in drachmaspaidhim, whichwasthe price of a
the administration,adjudgemyself guilty of ull draught.As this occasioned
a troublesome
death;*but why will youput thesemento delay,Phocioncalledoneof his friends,and
death,whohaveneverinjuredyou?"Thepop- said," Sinceonecannotdie on freecostat
ulacomadeanswer," Becausetheyarefriends Athens,give the man his money," This exe
to you." Upon which he drew back,-and cutionwasonthe nineteenth dayof JlprH,*
resigned
himselfquietlyto hisfate. whentherewasa procession of horsemenia
Agnunidesthenreadthedecreehehadpre- lonourof Jupiter. As the cavalcade passed
pared;accordingto which,thepeoplewereto >y, sometookoff their chaplets fromtheir
declareby their suffrageswhetherthe pris- leads;othersshedtears,astheylookedatthe
onersappearedto beguiltyor not;andif they msondoors;all who hadnotheartsentirely
appeared
so,theyweretosuffer
death.When avage,
or werenotcorrupted
by rageand
the decreewasread,somecalledfor an addi- jnvy, lookeduponit asa most impiousthing,
tionalclause
for puttingPhocion
to thetorturenot to havereprieved
themat leastfor that
ay,andso to havekeptthe city unpollutedon
" Jt mi the customfor the personaccusedto lay the festival.
"ome penalty onhimself.Phocion
thinking it mightbea means
choosesthehighest,However,
to reconciletheAtheni-
the enemies
of Phocion,
asif
ans to hit frienJi; but it had not that effect " llunycnan.
 CATO THE YOUNGER. 531

"omethinghadbeenwantingto their triumph, virtuesof justice and sobrietj, they had lost.
gotanorderthat hisbodyshouldnotbe suf- Thepeopleerectedhisstatuein brass,and
feredto remainwithin the boundsof Attica; buried his remainsat the public expense.
nor thatany Athenianshouldfurnish fire for Agnonides,his principal accuser,they put to
the funeralpile. Thereforeno friend durst death,in consequence of a decreefor that pur-
touchit; but oneConopion,who livedby such pose. Epicurut and Demophilus,the other
services,for a sum of money, carried the two, fled from Athens;but afterwardsfell into
corpseout of the territoriesof Eleusis,andgot the handsof Phocion's son,whopunished them
fire for the burningof it in thoseof Megara.A astheydeserved.This sonof hiswas,in other
womanof Megara;who happened to assistat respects,a worthlessman. He was in love
me ceremonywith,hermaid-servants, raiseda with agirl who waain a stateof servitude,and
cenotaphuponthe spot,andperformed thecus- belongedto a traderin suchmatters;andhap-
tomary libations. The bones shegathered up pening one day to hear Theodorug the atheist
carefullyinto her lap, carriedthemby night to maintainthisargumentin the Lyceum,"That
her own house, and interred them under the if it is no shameto ransom a friend, it is no
hearth. At the same time she thus addressed shame to redeem a mistress," the discourse
the domesticgods: " Ye guardiansof this place, was so flattering to his passion, that he
to you I commit the remainsof this good man. went immediately and released his female
Do you restorethem to the sepulchreof his friend.*
ancestors,
whenthe Atheniansshall oncemore The proceedings
againstPhocionput the
listen to the dictates of wisdom." Greeks in mind of those againstSocrates.The
The time was not long before the situation treatment of both was equally unjust, and the
of their affairs taught them how vigilant a ma- calamities thence entailed upon Athens were
gistrate, and how excellent a guardian of the perfectly similar.t

CATO THE YOUNGER.

THE family of Catohadits first lustreanddi»- wasbut rarely that his countenance
was soft-
tinction from his great grandfather,Catothe enedto a smile. He wasnot quickly or easily
Censor," a man whose virtue, as we have ob- moved to anger; but it was difficult to appease
servedin his Life, ranked him with persons his resentment, when once excited.
of the greatest reputation and authority in His apprehension was slow, and his leam
Rome. The Utican Cato, of whom we are ing came with difficulty; but what he had once
now speaking, was left an orphan, together learned he long retained. It is, indeed, a
with his brother Cajpio, and his sister Porcia. common casefor personsof quick partsto have
He had also another sister called Servilia, but weak memories, but what is gamed with labour
shewas only sister by the mother's side.f The and application is always retained the longest:
orphanswere brought up in the bouseof Livius for every hard-gained acquisition of science ia
Drusus,their mother's brother, who at that time a kind of annealing upon the mind. The in-
had great influence in the administration; to flexibility of his disposition seemsalso to have
which he waa entitled by his eloquence, his retarded hia progress in learning; for to learn
wisdom, and dignity of mind: excellencies that is to submit to a new impression; and those
put him on an equalitywith the bestof the Ro- submitthe moateasily-whohavethe leastpow-
mans. er of resistance. Thus young men are more
Cato, we are told, from his infancy discov- persuasible than the old, and the sick than
ered in his voice, his look, and his very diver- such as are well; and, in general, assent ii
sions, a firmness and solidity, which neither most easily gained from those who are least
passionnor any thing else could move. He able to find doubts and difficulties. Yet Cato
pursuedeveryobject he had in view with a is said to havebeen very obedientto his pre-
vigour far above his years, and a resolution ceptor, and to have donewhatever he was com-
that nothing could resist. Those who were manded;only he would always inquire the
inclinedto flatter were sureto meetwith a se- reason,and askwhy sucha thing was enjoin
vererepulse,and to thosewho attemptedto ed. Indeed,his preceptorSarpedon(for that
intimidate him,hewaastill moreuntractable. washisname) wasa manof engagingmanners,
Scarce anythingcouldmakehimlaugh, andit violence.
whochoseratherto governbyreason thanby
* Cato(he Cenior,at a very l»teperiodof life,
mar-
ried Salonia, daughter of his own steward. There nu
While Catowas
yet a child,
the Italianal
t family,however, from the secondmatch,which flour- lies demandedto be admitted citizens of Rome.
ished when that which came from the first was extinct.
f ServiliawasDothis only«islerbythe mother's " It appears,
fromthe ancient
comedy,thatit wu
tide; therewerethreeof them;one,the motherof nouncommon thingfor theyouugmenof Athens to
Brutus,whokilledCaesar:
another,
marriedtoLucul-taketheirmistresses
outofsuch
lbop«;
and,afterthn
lui; anda thirdtoJuniujSilanui.Ccpio,
too,washadreleased
them fromservitude,
tomarry
them.
ftiibrother
bythemother's
tide. t Socrates
wa» putlodeath
eighty-two
yearsbefor*
632 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Popedius Silo,a manof greatnameas a sol- SyllaandthefatherofCato,indu.edhimsome

dier, and powerfulamonghi» people,hada timesto sendfor theyoungman andhisbra
friendshipwith Drusus,andlodgeda longtime ther Cspio, andto Ulk familiarly with them,
in hi§ houseduring this application. As he a favour,which,by reasonof his Jignity, ha
wasfamiliarwith Ihecluldren,hesaid to them conferredon very few. Sarpedouthinking
one day, " Come, my good children, desire such an intercourse a great advantage to hn
your uncle to assist us in our solicitation for scholar, both in point of honour and safety,
the freedom. Cxpio smiled,and readilygave oftentook Catoto payhis respectsto the dic-
his promise; but Cato made no answer. And tator. Sylla's bouseat that time looked like
as he was observedto look with a fixed and nothing but a place of execution; such were
iinkim' eve upon the strangers, Popedius con- the numbersof peopletortured and put to death
tinued, And you, my little man, what do you there. Cato, who was now in his fourteenth
eay? Will not you give your guests your inter- year, seeing the headsof many illustrious per-
est with your uncle,as well as your brother?" sonages
carriedout, andobservingthattheby-
Catostill refusingto answer,andappearingby slanderssighedin secret at thesescenes of
bis silence and his looks inclined to deny the blood, asked his preceptor, " Why somebody
request, Popedius took him to the window and did not kill that man?" " Because," said he,
threatened,if he would not promise,to throw " they fear him more than they bale him."
him out. This he did in a harsh tone, and at " Why then," said Cato, " do not you give me
thesametime gavehim severalshakes,
asif a sword,that I maykill him,anddelivermy
be was going to let him fall. But as the child country from slavery."' When Sarpedonheard
bore this a long time without any marks of such a speechfrom the boy, and saw with what
concern or fear, Popedius set him down, and a stern and angry look he uttered it, he wag
said softly to his friends, " This child is the greatly alarmed, and watched him narrowly
glory of Italy. I verily believe,if he were a afterwards,
to preventhisattemptingsomerash
man, that we should not get one vote among action.
the people." When he was but a child, he was askedone
Anothertime, whena relationinvitedyoung day," Whom he lovedmost?"andhe answer
Cato, with other children, to celebratehis ed, " His brother." The person who put the
birth-day,most of the children went to play question,then askedhim " Whom he loved
togetherin a cornerof the house. Their play next?" and again he said "His brother:"
was to mimic a court of justice," where some " Whom in the third place?"andstill it waa
were accused in form, and afterwards carried " His brother:" and so on till he put no more
to prison. Oneof them, a beautifulboy,being questions
to him aboutit. This affectionin-
condemned, and shutup by a biggerboy, who creasedwith his years,insomuchthat whenhe
actedas olficer,in oneof the apartments,
call- wastwenty yearsold, if hesupped,if hewent
ed out to Cato; who,assoonashe understoodout into the counlry, if he appeared in the
what the matter was, ran to the door, and, forum, Cajpiomustbewith him.But hewould
pushing
awaythosewhostoodthereasguardsnot makeuseof perfumes
asCzpiodid; in-
andattemptedto opposehim, carried off the deed,the whole courseof his life wasstrict
child, and wenthomein greatanger; mostof andaustere:so that when Czpio waa some-
the childrenmarchingoil with him. timescommended for his temperanceand so-
Thesethingsgainedhim greatreputation,of briety, he would say," I may have someclaim
which the followingis an extraordinary in- to thesevirtues,whencompared with other,
stance:whenSyllachose to exhibita tourna-men;butwhenI compare myselfwithCato,I
ment of hioys,whichgoesby the nameof seema mereSippius."Sippiuswasthenamt
Troy,\ and is considered
as a sacred exhibi-of aperson remarkably
effeminate
andluxurious.
tion,he selectedtwo bandsof younggentle- AfterCatohad takenuponhim thepriest-
men,andassigned themtwo captains, oneof hoodof Apollo,hechanged his dwelling,and
whichtheyreadilyaccepted,onaccount of his took his shareof the paternalestate,
which
beingthe sonof Metella,the wifeof Sylla; amounted to a hundredand twentytalents.
but theother, namedSextus, thoughhe was Butthoughhisfortunewassoconsiderable, his
nephew
toPompey
theGreat,
theyabsolutely
manner
of livingwasmorefrugal
andsimple
rejected,
andwouldnotgooutto exercise
under thanever. Heformeda particular
connexion
him. Syllathenaskingthem,"Whom they withAntipaterof Tyre,theStoicplulosopher:
wouldhave?"theyunanimouslycried" Cato;" andthe knowledge
he wasthe moststudious
andSextus
himself
readily
yielded
thehonour
of acquiring,
was themoral
andthepolitical
to him,asa uoyof superior
parts. He wascarriedto everyvirtue with an im-
Thefriendship
which
hadsubsisted
between
pulselike inspiration;
buthisgreatesl
attach-
ment was to justice, and justice of that se-
* Children's plays are often taken from what is most vere and inflexible kind which is not to be
familiar to them, lu other countries, they are com-
monly
formed
upon
trilling
subjects;
buttheRoman
wrought upon
cultivatedalsobyfavour
that orcompassion.'
which is fit He
eloquence for
children acted trials IB the cuurLsof justice, the com-
mand
of armies,
triumphal
processions,
and,inlater popular
assemblies;
for asin a greatcitythere
times,thestateof emperors.Suetonius
tellsus,that shouldbean extraordinarysupplyfor war,so
Nerocommanded
hisson-in-law,
Rusinus
CrispiDUl,
in the politicalphilosophy
the son of Popaca,a child, to be thrown into the sea,
he thoughtthere
he wassaidto delight in playsof thelast-men- shouldbe a provision for troublesometimes.
because
tionedkind. Yet he did not declaimbefore company,not
f The inventionof thisgameis generallyascribedto
JUcanius.It wascelebrated
in tne publicci'rcuc,
by * Cicero,
in hisorationfor Murena,
gi«s usafine
companies of boys,who werefurnishedwith armssuit- satireuponthosemaximsof theStoicswhichCatomade
ableto their strength.They weretaken,for the most therule of his life, and which, as he obserrei,well
fr** gut of the noblestfamiliesin Rome, onlyfit to nourishwithin the portico.
 CATO TllE YOUNGER. 533
gotobear
theeierciiej
of otheryoung
men.buthedidit bywayof learning
tobeashamed
^ndwhenoneof hisfriend*said," Cato,the of nothingbut whatwasreallyshameful,
and
worldfinckfault with yoursilence:"he an- notto regardwhatdepended
onlyon theesti-
"wered," No matter,so longasit doesnot find mationof the world.
"aultwithmylife. I shallbegin
tospeak
when Agreatestate
fallingtohimbythedeath
of
havethingsto saythatdeserveto beknown."a cousin-germanof thesamename, heturned
In thepublichill calledthePortion,which it intomoney,
to theamountof a hundredtal-
wasbuiltbyoldCatoinhiscensorship, thetri- ents;andwhenanyof hisfriendswantedto
ouncsof the peopleusedto hold their court. borrowa sum,helent it themwithoutinterest.
And,astherewasa pillarwhichincommoded
If he couldnototherwise
supplythem,hesuf
their benches,
they resolvedeither to remove feredevenhisown landandslavesto bemort
it to a distance, or to take it entirely away. gaged for them to the treasury.
This wasthe first thingthat drewCato to the He knew no womanbeforehis marriage,
rostra, andeventhenit wasagainsthis inclina- andwhenhethoughthimselfof aproperageto
tion. However,he opposed the designeffect- enterinto thatstate,heseta treatyonfootwith
ually, andgavean admirablespecimen, both Lepida,whohadbeforebeencontractedloMe-
of his eloquenceand spirit. For there was tellus Scipio,but, uponScipio'sbreakingthe
nothingof youthfulsalliesor finicalaffectationengagement, wasthenat liberty. However,be-
in his oratory; all was rough, sensible,and fore the marriagecould takeplace,Scipio re-
strong. Nevertheless, amidst the short and pented; and by the assiduityof bis management
solid turn of the sentencesthere was a grace and address, succeeded with the lady. Pro-
that engagedthe ear; and with the gravity vokedat thisill treatment,Cato wasdesirous
which mightbe expectedfrom his manners,to go to law for redress; and, as his friends
there was something of humour and raillery overruled him in that respect, youthful resent-
intermixed,which had an agreeableeffect. ment put him upon writing some iambics
His voice wasloud enough to beheard by such againstScipio, which had all the keennessof Ai-
a multitude of people, and his strength was chilochus, without hisobscenity and scurrility.
such,thathe oftenspokea wholeday without After this, he marriedAtilia thedaughterof
beingtired. Soranus,who wasthe first, but not the only
After he had gained his cause, he returned woman he ever knew. In this respect La:lius,
to his former studiesandsilence. To strengthen the friend of Scipio Africanua, was happier
his constitution, he usedthe most laborious ex- than he;* for in the course of a long life he had
ercise. He accustomed himself to go bare- only one wife, and no intercousewith any other
beadedin the hottest and coldest weather, and woman.
travelled on foot at all seasons of the year. In the servile warf (I mean that with Spar
His friends, who travelled with him, madeuse tacus) Gellms was general; and Cato servedin
of horses,and he joined sometimesone, some- it as a volunteer, for the sake of his brother
times another, for conversation, as he went Caepio,who was tribune: but he could not dis-
along- In time of sickness,his patienceand tinguishhis vivacityandcourageas hewished,
abstinencewere extraordinary. If he happen- becausethe war was ill conducted. However,
ed to have a fever, he spent the whole day amidst the effeminacy and luxury which then
alone,sufferingno personto approachhimtill prevailedin the army,he paidso muchregard
hefounda sensiblechangefor the better. to discipline, and,whenoccasionserved,be-
At entertainments they threw the dicefor havedwith so much spirit andvalouras welj
the choiceof the messes;and if Catolost the as coolness andcapacity,that heappearednot
first choice, his friends usedto offer it to him; in the least inferior to Cato the Censor. Gel-
but healwaysrefusedit; " Venus"* said he, lias madehim an offerof the bestmilitary re-
" forbids." At first he usedto rise from table wards and honours; but he would not accept 01
afterhavingdrank once;but in processof time allow of them; " For," saidhe, " I havedone
hecameto lovedrinking,andwouldsometimesnothingthat deserves suchnotice."
spendthe whole night over the bottle. His Thesethingsmadehim passfor a manof a
friendsexcusedhim by saying," That thebusi- strangeand singularturn. Besides,when a,
nessof the state employedhim all day, and law wasmade,that no manwho solicitedany
left himnotime for conversation,
andtherefore officeshouldtakenomenclatorswith him,he
be spenthis eveningsin discoursewith the wasthe only one that obeyedit; for whenb«
philosophers" And, whenoneMemmiussaid appliedfor a tribunescommission in the army,
in cooipany," That Cato spentwholenights he hadpreviouslymadehimself masterof the
in drinking;" Cicero retorted," But you cannot namesof all the citizens. Yet for this he was,
»aythat he spendswhole daysat play." envied,evenby thosewho praisedhim. The
Cato saw that a great reformation waswant- more they considered the excellence of
ing in the mannersandcustoms
of hiscountry, his conduct,the more pain it gave themto
and for that reason he determined to go con- think how hard it was to imitate.
trary to the corrupt fashionswhich then ob- With a tribune's, commission he was eent
tained.Heobserved (for instance)that the into Macedonia,
whereRubriustheprator
richestand mostlivelypurplewasthething commanded. His wife,\ipon hisdeparture,
most worn, and therefore he went in black. was in great distress, and we are told that
Nay,heoftenappeared
in publicafterdinnerManatius, a friendof Cato's,in orderto com-
bare-footed
andwithouthisgown. Not that fort her, said,"Take courage, Atilia; I will
beaffected
tobetalked
offorthat
singularity;
*Plutarch
leemitouiloconnexion,
hare
ipokentofeelingly
of
thehgpineworthe
conjugal longcontinue*
* Themost
favourable
cast
uponthedicewaicalledwithoneaffectionate
wife,fromhisownexperience
Twui. Horace
alludei
toit,OdeTii.lib.2. t SeventF-oae
jt«r»before4he
Chrutiao
era
 634 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

eakecare of your husband." " By all means," While he waswith the armyin Macedonia,
answeredCato. At the endof the first day's he hadnoticeby letter that his brotherCaepio
march, after they had supped, he said, " Come was fallen sick at JEn\u in Thrace. The sea
Munatius,that you maythe better pcrforn wasextremely
rough,andnolargevessel
tobe
your promiseto Atilla, you shall not leaveme had. He ventured,however,to sail fromThe«-
eitherdayornight."In consequence
of which salonicain a smallpassage-boat,
with two
A'.-orderedtwo bedsin hisown tent, andmade friends and three servants,and having very
a pleasantimprovementuponthe matter; for narrowlyescapeddrowning,arrived at ^Enm
as Munatiusalwaysslept by him, it wasno just after Czpio expired. On this occasion
be that took care of Cato,but Catothat took Catoshewedthesensibilityof a brother,rather
care of him. than the fortitude of a philosopher. He wept,
Catohadwith him fifteenslaves,two freed- he groaned,he embracedthe deadbody; and,
men, and four of his friends. These rode on besides these and other tokens of the greatest
horseback,and he always went on foot; yet he sorrow, he spent vast sums upon his funeral.
keptup with themand conversed
with themby The spicesandrichrobesthatwereburnedwith
turns. When hejoined the army, which con- him wereveryexpensive,
andheerecteda mon-
sistedof several legions, Rubriusgave him the ument for him of Thasian marble in theforum
commandof one. In thispost hethoughtit no- at .Sinus,whichcostnolessthantight talents.
thing greatorextraordinaryto be distinguished Somecondemned thesethingsaslittle agree-
by hisown virtueonly; it wasbis ambitionto ableto the modestyandsimplicitywhichCato
makeall the troops that were underhis care professedin general:but theydidnot perceive,
like himself. With this view he lessenedno- that with all his firmness and inflexibility to
thingof thatauthoritywhichmightinspirefear, the solicitationsof pleasure,of terror, andim-
but he calledin the supportof reasonto its as- portunity,he had greattendernessandsensi-
sistance. By instruction and persuasion,as bility in his nature. Many cities and princes
well as by rewardsandpunishments, heformed sentpresentsof great value,to do honourto
themso well, that it was hardto say whether the obsequies,but he would not acceptany
histroopsweremorepeaceable
or morewar- thingin money.All that he wouldreceive
like, morevaliant or more just. They were wasspicesand stuffs,and those too only on
dreadful to their enemies,and courteousto conditionof payingfor them.
their allies;afraidto dodishonourable
things, Hewasleft co-heirwith Caepio's
daughter,
andambitious of honestpraise. to hisestate;
butwhentheycameto divideit,
Hence,thoughhonour and fame were not he would not chargeany part of the funeral
Cato'sobjects,
theyflowedin uponhim;he expenses
to heraccount. Yet,thoughheacted
washeldin universal
esteem,
andhadentirelyso honourably
in that affair,andcontinued
ia
the heartsof hissoldiers.For whateverhecom- the same upright path, there was one»who
manded othersto do,hewasthefirstto dohim- scrupled
not to write,thathe passed
hisbro-
self. In hisdress,hismannerof living, and ther'sashes
througha seive,in searchof the
marching, he resembled theprivatesoldiergoldthatmightbemelted down.Surely that
morethantheofficer; andatthesame time,in writerthought himself above beingcalledto
virtue,in dignity
of mind,andstrength of elo-account forhispen,asn'eJlasforhissword!
quence, hefarexceeded allthathadthename Upontheexpiration ofhiscommission, Cato
ofgenerals. Bythese means heinsensibly
gain-washonoured at hisdeparture, notonlywith
edtheaffections ofhistroops. And,indeed, vir- thecommon goodwishes for hishealthand
tue doesnot attract imitation,exceptthe per- ^raisesof his conduct, but with tears and the
sonwhogives thepattern iabelovedaswellas noataffectionate embraces; thesolJierBspread
esteemed.
Those
whopraise
good
menwith-:heir
garments
inhisway,
andkissed
hishand:
outlovingthem,onlypaya respect to their nstancesof esteem
whichfewgenerals
met
name,butdonotsincerely admire
theirvirtue,withfromtheRomansin those
times.
norhaveanyinclination
tofollow
their
example.Butbefore hereturnedtoRome,toapply
At thattimetherelivedat Pergamusastoic ora sharein theadministration,
heresolved
philosopher, named Athenodorus, and sur- o visit Asia, and see with his own eyesthe
named
CordyJio,
in greatreputation
forhis manners,
customs,
andstrength
of every
pro-
knowledge.
Hewasnowgrown old,andhadvince.At thesame
timehe waswillingto
longresisted
theapplications
of princes
andoblige
Deiotarus
kingof Galatia,
who,onac-
othergreatmen,whowantedto drawhimto countoftheengagement
ofhospitality
thathe
theircourts,
andoffered
himtheirfriendship
ladentered
intowithhisfather,
hadgiven
him
andveryconsiderable
appointments.
Catoa verypressing
His manner ofinvitation.
travelling was this. Early in
thence concluded that it would be in vain to
write, or send any messengerto him; and, as ,hemorninghe senthis bakerandhis cook to
the laws gave him leave of absence for two theplacewhereheintended to lodgethenext
months,
hesailed
toAsia, andapplied
tohimnight.Theseentered
thetown inaverymod-
inperson,
inconfidence
thathisaccomplish-
estandcivilmanner,
and if theyfoundthere
ments
wouldcarryhispointwithhim.Ac-nofriend
oracquaintance
ofCato orhisfam-
cordingly,
byhisarguments
andthecharms
of ly,theytookuplodgings
forhim,andpre-
laredhis supper,at an inn, without givinganf
his conversation,he drew him from his pur- jne the leasttrouble. If therehappened to be
pose,and broughthim with him to the camp;
ashappy
andasproud
of thissuccess
asif he no inn,theyapplied to themagistrates for
hadmade
amorevaluable
capture,orperform- [uarters,andwere alwayssatisfied withthose
edamore
glorious
exploit,
thanthose
ofPom-ievcd
ssigned
to them. Tery
be Cato's often
servants, they were not
but entirely be
dier»
peyandLucullus, whowere thensubduingthe
provinces and kingdoms of the east. * Juljuf Caesarin bii "dn&ento.
 CATO THE YOUNGER. 534

garden,
oecanse
theycame
notto themagis-hethought
himself
under
some
resttamt
in his
tratesin a clamorous
andthreatening
manner;proceedings
whilehestayed,
readilydismissed
insomuchthat their masterarrivedbeforethey him. However,amongst
all the Romansthat
couldprocurelodgings.It wasworsestill returned
to Rome,
to Catoonlyherecommend-
whenCatohimselfmadehis appearance,
for edhiswifeandchildren,whoindeed werehis
the townsmen seeing him sit down on the lug- relations.
gagewithoutspeaking
a word,tookhim for a His famenowgoingbeforehim,the citie*
man of a meanand dastardlyspirit. Some- in his waystrove which shoulddo him most
times,however,hewouldsendfor themagis-honour,by invitations,entertainments,
and
trates, and say, " Wretches,why do you not everyother mark of regard. On theseocca-
learna properhospitality?Youwill notfind sions,Catousedto desirehis friendsto look
all that apply to you Catos. Do not then by well to him, lesthe shouldmakegoodthe say-
your ill treatmentgive thoseoccasionto exert ing of Curio. Curio, who was one of his
their authority,who only want a pretenceto particular friends and companions,but dis-
take fromyou by violencewhat you give with approvedhis austerity, askedhim one day,
10 much reluctance." " Whether he was inclined to visit Asia when
In Syria,we aretold, he metwith a humor- his time of service was expired?" Cato an-
ous adventure. When he came to Antioch, swered, " Yes, by all means." Upon which
he sawa number of peoplerangedin good Curio said," It IBwell; you will return a little
order without the gates. On one side the way more practicable:" using an expressive Latin
stoodthe youngmen in their mantles,and on word to that purpose.
the other the boysin their bestattire. Some Deiotarus, king of Galatia, being far ad-
wore white robes, and had crowns on their vanced in years, sent for Cato, with a design to
beads; these were the priests and the magis- recommendhis children, and all his family, to
trates. Cato imagining that this magnificent his protection. As soonas he came,he offered
receptionwasintendedto dohim honour,began him a variety of valuablepresents,and urged
to be angry with his servants, who were sent him strongly to accept them; which importunity
before, for not preventing such a compliment. so much displeasedhim, that though he came
Nevertheless, he desired his friends to alight, in the evening, he stayed only that night, and
and walked with them towards these Antio- went away at the third hour the next morning
chians. When they were near enough to be After he had gone a day's journey, he found at
"poken to, the master of the ceremonies, an Pessinus a greater number of presents, with
elderly man, with a staff and a crown in his letters entreating him to receive them; "or if
hand,addressedhimself first to Cato, and with- you will not accept them," said Deiotarus, " at
out so much as saluting him, asked "How far least permit your friends to take them, who de-
Demetrius was behind; and when he might be serve some reward for their services, and yet
eipected." Demetrius was Pompey's freed- cannot expect it out of your own estate." Cato,
man; and, as the eyes of all the world were however, would give them no such permis-
then fixed upon Pompey, they paid more res- sion, though he observed that some of his
pect to this favourite of his than he had any friends cast a longing eye that way, and were
right to claim. Cato's friends were seized visibly chagrined. " Corruption," said he,
with sucha fit of laughter that they could not " will never want a pretence. But you shall
recover themselvesas they passedthrough the be sure to share with me whatever I can get
crowd. Cato himself, in someconfusion, cried with justice and honour." He therefore sent
out, "Alas', poor city," and said not a word Deiotarus his presents back.
more. Afterwards,however,he usedalways When he was takingship for Brundusium,
to laugh when he told the story. his friends advised him to put Czpio's remains
But Pompeytook careto preventthe peo- on board anothervessel;* but he declared,
ple of Asia from making any more mistakes of " He would sooner part with his life than with
thiskind for wantof knowingCato. For Cato. them;" andso he setsail. It is said,the ship
when he cameto Ephesus,going to pay his he was in happenedto be in great danger,
respectsto Pompey,as his superiorin point of thoughall the resthad a tolerablepassage.
age and dignity, and as the commander of such After his return to Rome, he spent his lime
great armies; Pompey, seeing him at some either in conversation with Athenodorus at
distance,did not wait to receive him sitting, home, or in the fofuin in the service of his
but roseup to meethim,andgavehim his hand friends. Though he wasof a proper agef to
with great cordiality. He said much, too, in offer himself for the quEstorship, he would not
commendationof his virtue while he was pres- solicit it till he had qualified himself for that
ent,and spokemore freely in his praisewhen office,by studyingall the laws relating to it,
he wasgone. Every one, after this, paid by makinginquiriesof suchas wereexpe-
great attention to Cato,and he was admired riencedin it; andthusgaininga thoroughknow
for whatbeforehadexposedhim to contempt: ledgeof its whole intentionandprocess. Im-
for they could now see that his sedateand mediatelyupon his entering onit, he madea
subduedconduct was the effect of hie greatness great reformation among the secretaries and
of mind. Besides,
it wasvisiblethatPompey'sother officersof the treasury.The public
behaviourto himwasthe consequence rather papers,
andtherulesof court,werewhatthey
of respect than love: and that, though he ex-
pressed
hisadmiration
of himwhenpresent,
he * Froma superstition
whichcommonly
obtained.
wasgladwhen he wasgone. For the other theyimagined thata deadbody onboarda'shipwouM
youngRomans that came to seehim, he press- raisea storm.Plutarch, by usingthewordhufpentt
ed much to stay and spendsometime with him. justbelow,
shews that hedidnot giteintothatsupet
To Catohe gaveno luch invitation;but, asif ititioujnotion,though
t Twenty-four
tooaptto dothosethings.
or twenty-fire
yearsof age.
636 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

werewell versedin; andasyoungqnsstor*hadgivenupas desperateHis predecessor!

were continuallycoming into the direction, had often, throughinterest or persuasion,
ac-
whowereignorant
of thelawsandrecords,
the ceptedfalsebills,and pretended
order*of
under officerstook uponthem not only to in- senate;but nothingof that kind escapedCato.
struct,buttodictatetothem-,
andwere,in fact, Therewasoneorderin particular,whichhe
quaestors themselves.Cato correctedthis suspectedto be forged,and thoughit bad
abuse.He appliedhimselfwithgreatvigour manywitnesses to supportit, he wouldnot
to the business, and had not only the name allow it till the consuls came and declared it
and honour, but thoroughly understoodall that upon oath.
belongedto that department. Consequently There wasa numberof assassins employed
he madeuseof thesecretaries
onlyasservants, in the last proscription,to whom Sylla had
whichthey really were; sometimes
correcting giventwelvethousanddrachmasfor eachhead
wilful abuses,and sometimes
the mistakestheybroughthim. Thesewerelooked
uponby
which theymadethrough ignorance. As the all the world as the most execrablevillains;
"censein whichtheyhadlived hadmadethem yet no manhadventuredto takevengence on
refractory,andtheyhopedto securethemselvesthem. Cato,however,summoned all whohad
by flattering the other quaestors, they boldly receivedthe public moneyfor suchunjustser-
withstoodCato. He thereforedismissedthe vices,and madethem refund;inveighing,at
principal of them,whomhe haddetectedin a the sametime, with equal reasonandseverity
fraud in the divisionof anestate. Againstan- againsttheir impiousand abominable deeds.
other he lodgedanindictmentfor forgery. His These wretches,thus disgraced,and, as it
defencewas undertakenby Lutatius Catulus, were,prejudged,were afterwardsindictedfor
then censor;a man whoseauthoritywas not murderbeforethe judges,who punishedthem
only supportedby his highoffice,but still more astheydeserved. All ranksof peoplerejoiced
by his reputation;for, in justiceandregularity at theseexecutions;theythoughttheysawthe
of life, he had distinguished himself above all tyranny rooted out with these men, and Sylla
the Romansof his time. He wasalsoafriend himself capitallypunishedin the deathof nil
and favourerof Cato,onaccountof his upright ministers.
conduct;yet he opposedhim in this cause. The peoplewere alsodelightedwith his in-
Perceivinghe hadnot right on his side,he had defatigablediligence;for he alwayscameto
recourse to entreaties ; but Cato would not the treasurybefore his colleagues, and was the
"ufier him to proceed in that manner; and, ae last that left it. There was no assemblyof the
be did not desist, took occasion to say, " It people, or meeting of the senate, which he did
would bea great disgracefor you, Catulus, who not attend, in order to keep a watchful eye
are censor and inspector of our lives and man- upon all partial remissionsof ones and duties
ners, to be turned out of court by my lictors." and all unreasonable grants. Thus, having
Catulus gave him a look, as if he intended to cleared the exchequerof informers and all suck
make answer; however,he did not speak: vermin,andfilled it with treasure,he shewed
either through anger or shame, he went off si- that it is possible for a government to be rich
lent, andgreatlydisconcerted. Nevertheless,without oppressingthe subject. At first this
the man was not condemned. As the number conduct of his was very obnoxious to his col-
of voices agtinst him exceeded those for him leagues,but in time it came to be agreeable-
by one only, Catulusdesiredthe assistanceof because, by refusingto give awayanyof the
Marcus JLolliua,Cato's colleague,who was public money,or to make any partial deter-
preventedby sickness,fromattendingthe trial; mination, he stoodthe rage of disappointed
but, uponhis application,wagbroughtin a lit- avaricefor themall; and,to the importunityof
ter into court, and gavethe determiningvoice solicitationthey wouldanswer,thattheycould
in favour of the defendant. Yet Cato would do nothing without the consent of Calo.
not restorehim to his employment, or payhim The lastday of his officehe wasconducted
hiestipend; for he considered the partial suf- home by almost the whole bodyof citizens.
frageof Lollius as a thing of noaccount. But, by the way, he wasinformedthat some
The secretariesthus humbled and subdued, of the principal men in Rome, who had grea*
he took the directionof the public papersand influenceuponMarcellus,were besieging
him
financesinto his own hand. By thesemeans, in the treasury,andpressinghim to makeout
in a little timehe renderedthe treasurymore an orderfor sumswhich they pretendedto be
respectable
thanthesenate
itself; andit was dueto them. Marcellus,
fromhischildhood,
commonlythought as well as said, that Cato was a friend of Cato's, and a goodqusstor
badgiventhequaestorehip
all thedignityof the whilehe actedwithhim; but,whenheacted
consulate. For, havingmadeit his business to alone,he wastoo muchinfluencedby personal
find out all the debtsof longstandingdueto regardsfor petitioners,and by a naturalin-
the public, andwhat the publicwas indebted clination to oblige. Cato, therefore,imme
to private persons,he settled theseaffairsin diately turned back, and finding Marcellui
sucha mannerthat the commonwealth could alreadyprevaileduponto makeout theorder,
DOlongereither do or sufferany injury in that he calledfor the registers,anderasedit; Mar-
respect; strictly demandingand insistingon cellus all the while standingby in silence.
the payment of whateverwasowing to the Not contentwith this,hetookhimoutof th«
state;andat thesametime,readilyandfreely treasury,
andledhimto hisownhouse.Mar-
satisfyingall who had claimsupon it. This cellus,however,did not complain,eitherthen,
naturallygainedhim reverenceamongthe or afterwards,
butcontinued
thesame
friend-
people,when they saw manyobligedto pay, shipandintimacywith him to the last.
who hopednever to have beencalled to ac- After the time of his quaestorshipwasel
coint; andmanvreceivingdebtswhichthey pired,Catokepta watchfuleyeuponthetreat-
 CATO THE YOUNGER. 537

017 He hadhisservants
theredailyminut-hooksandphilosophers
withhim,andeelou»
ingdowntheproceedings;
andhespentmuchforLucania,wherehehadlands,
andanagree-
timehimselfm perusing the publicaccounts,ablecountryretreat.By thewayhemetwith
fromthetimeof Syllato hisown;a copy01 a numberof horses,carnages, and servants,
whichnehadpurchased for fivetalents. whichhe foundbelongedto MetellusNepos,
Whenever thesenate
wassummoned to meet.whowasgoingtoRometoapplyforthetribune-
bewasthefirstto givehisattendance, andthe ship, Thisputhim to a stand:heremained
last to withdraw;and oftentimes, whilethe sometimein deepthought,andthen gavehif
testwereslowlyassembling hewouldsitdown people ordersto turnback. To hisfriends,
and read, holding his gown beforehis book who were surprisedat this conduct," Know
nor would he ever be out of town when a ye not," saidhe, " thatMetellus is formidable
housewascalled. Pompeyfindingthat, in al evenin his stupidity? But remember, that he
his unwarrantableattempts,he must find a now followsthe counselso( Pompey;thatthe
severe
andinexorable
opponent
in Cato,when state lies prostratebeforehim; andthathe
hehada point of that kind to carry, threw in will fall uponandcrushit with the forceof»
his wayeither thecauseof somefriendto plead, thunderbolt. Is this thena time for the pur
or arbitration, or other businessto attend to. suit of rural amusements? Let us rescue our
But Catosoonperceivedthe snare,andreject- liberties,or die in their defence!" Upon the
ed all the applications of hisfriends;declaring, remonstrance of his friends, however, he pro-
that, when the senate was to eit, he would ceededto his farm; and after a short stay there,
neverundertakeany other business. For his returnedto the city. He arrivedin the evea-
attention to the concerns of government was ing, and early next morning went to \\iejbrumf
not like that of some others, guided by the as a candidate for the tribuneship, in opposition
viewsof honouror profit, nor left to chanceor to Metellus; for to oppose,is thenatureof that
humour;but he thought a good citizenought to office; and its power is chiefly negative: inso-
be as solicitous about t/ie public, as a bet it much, that the dissent of a single voice is suf-
about her hive. For this reason he desired his ficient to disannul a measure in which the
friends, and others with whom he had connec- whole assemblybesideshas concurred.
tions in the provinces, to give him an account Cato was at first attended only by a small
of the edicts, the important decisions, and all number of his friends; but, when his intentions
the principal businesstransacted there. were made known, he was immediately sur-
He made a point of it to opposeClodius the rounded by men of honour and virtue, thereat
seditious demagogue, who was always pro- of hie acquaintance,who gave him the strong
posingsomedangerous
law, or somechangein est encouragement,
andsolicitedhim to apply
the constitution, or accusing the priests and for the tribuneship, not as it might imply a fa-
vestalsto the people. Fabia Terentia, sister vour conferredon himself, but asit would be an
to Cicero's wife, and one of the vestals, was honour and an advantageto his feUow-ciuiens:
impeachedamong the rest, and in danger of observing, at the same time, that though it had
being condemned. But Cato defended the been f.equently in his power to obtain this
causeof theseinjuredpeopleso well, that Clo- officewithout the troubleof opposition;yet he
diuswasforcedto withdrawin greatconfusion, now steppedforth, regardless,not only of that
and leave the city. When Cicero came to trouble, but even of personal danger, when the
thank him for this service, he said, " You must liberties of his country were at stake. Such
thankyour country,whoseutility is the spring wasthe zeal andeagerness
of the peoplethat
that guides all my actions." pressed around him, that it was with the ut-
His reputationcame to be so great that a mostdifficulty he madehis way to theJorum.
certainorator,in a causewhereonly onewit- Being appointed tribune, with Metellus
nesswasproduced,saidto the judges, "One amongstthe rest, he observedthat great cor-
man'sevidenceis not sufficientto go by, not ruption had.orept into the consularelections.
evenif it wasCato's."It grew, indeed,into a On this suljj--ethe gavea severechargeto the
kind of proverb,whenpeoplewere speakingof people,wh.uh he concluded,by affipmingon
strange and incredible tilings, to say, " I would oath,that hewould prosecuteevery one that
not believesucha thing,thoughit were affirm- should offendin that way. He took care,
ed by Cato." liowever, that Silanus,"who had married big
A manprofusein his expenses,and in all sister Servilia, should be excepted. But
respectsof a worthlesscharacter,taking upon againstMurena, who,by meansof briberj, had
him onedayto speakin the senatein praiseof carried the consulshipat the sametime with
temperance andsobriety,Amnxusroseup and Silanus,he laid an information. By the laws
laid, " Who can endureto hear a man who of Rome, the personaccused haspower to set
eatsanddrinkslike Crassus,
andbuildslike a guarduponhim who lays theinformation,
Lucullus,
pretendto talk herelike Cato?"thathemayhavenoopportunity of suppoiting
Henceothers,whowere dissoluteand aban-a falseaccusation
by privatemachinations
be-
doned
in theirlives,butpreserved
a gravityrbrehistrial. Whentheperson
thatwasap-
and austerity in their discourse, came by way
of ridicule to be called Vatos. * From this passage,it should seemthat PlutarcU
His friends advised him to offer himself for supposedCatoto be capable
of sacrificinglo faniilj
connections.
Butthefaultliesralherin thehistorian,
thetribuneship;
buthethought
it wasnotyet hanmthetribune.
For,isit tobesupposed
thaithe
time. He said," He looked uponan officeof rigidvirtueof Caloshould
descend
lo Ihemost
obnoi-
suchpower and authority as a violent medicine,
whichoughtnot to be usedexceptin casesof
great necessity. As, at that time, he had no
public buBiueas
to engagehim, he took his equences
to thestate.
838 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

pointedMursnas officeronthisoccasion,
ob- a humane
conduct;
of intimidating
the senate,
servedthe liberalandcandidconductof Cato; by the samemeans,evenin a casewherehe
that hesought
onlyto supporthis informationhadto fearfor himself,and wherein
hemight
by fair andopenevidence;hewassostruck thinkhimselfhappyif he couldbe exempted
withtheexcellence
anddignityofhischaracter,fromeveryimputationandsuspicion of guilt:
thathewouldfrequentlywaituponhimin the he,whohadopenlyanddaringlyattempted to
fvrum, or at his house,and, after inquiring rescuefrom justice the enemiesof the state,
whetherhe shouldproceedthat day in the bu- and shewn, that so far from havinganycom
sinessof the information,if Catoansweredin passionfor his country,whenon the brink of
the negative,he madeno scrupleof leaving destruction,he couldevenpity and plead for
Vim. When the trial cameon, Cicero,who the wretches, the unnaturalwretches,
that med-
wasthen consul,and Murxna's advocate,by itated its ruin, and grieve that their pun-
way of playinguponCato,threwout many ishment
shouldprevent
theirdesign.This,it
pleasant things againstthe stoics, and their par- is said, is the only oration of Cato that is ex-
adoxical philosophy. This occasionedno small tant. Cicero had selecteda number of the swift-
mirth amongstthejudges; uponwhich Cato est writers,whomhehad taughtthe art of ab-
only observedwith a smile,to thosewhostood breviatingwordsbycharacters,andhadplaced
nexthim, that Romehadindeeda mostlaugh- ed themin different partsofthe senate-house.
able consul.Murxna actedavery prudentpart Before his consulate,they had noshort-hand
with regardto Cato; for, thoughacquittedof writers. Cato carried his point; and it was
the charge he had brought againsthim, he decreed,agreeablyto his opinionthat thecon-
nevertheless consulted him on all occasionsof spirators should suffer capital punishment.
importance during his consulship, respected As it is our intention to exhibit an accurate
him for his senseandvirtue, andmadeuseof pictureofthe mind and mannersof Cato, the
his counselsin the administration of govern- least circumstancethat may contribute to mark
ment. For Cato, on the bench, was the most them should not escapeour notice. While he
rigid dispenserof justice; though,in private was warmlycontestinghis point with Caesar,
fociety,he wasaffableandhumane. andthe eyesof the whole senatewere upon
Before he was appointed tribune in the con- the disputants, it is said that a billet was
sulship of Cicero, he supported the supreme brought in and delivered to Csesar. Cato im-
magistrate in a very seasonablemanner, by mediately suspected, and charged him with
many excellent measuresduring the turbulent some traitorous design; and it was moved in
timesof Catiline.It is well knownthat thisman the senate,that the billet shouldbereadpub-
meditated nothing less than a total subversion licly. Czsar delivered it to Cato, who stood
of the Roman state; and that, by the spirited near him; and the latter had no sooner cast his
counsels and conduct of Cicero, he was obliged eye upon it than he perceived it to be the hand
to fly from Rome without effecting his purpose. of his own sister Servilia, who waspassionate-
But Lentulus, Cethegus, and the rest of the ly in love with Ca;sar,by whom she had been
conspirators, after reproaching Catiline for his debauched. He therefore threw it back to
timidity, and the feeblenessof his enterprises, Czsar, saying, " Take it, you sot," and went
resolved to distinguish themselvesat least more on with his discourse. Cato was always unfor-
effectually. Their schemewas nothing lessthan tunate amongst the women. This Servilia
to burn the city, and destroy the empire, by the was infamous for her commerce with Caesarj
revolt of the colonies and foreign wars. Upon and his other sister, Servilia, was in still worse
the discovery of this conspiracy, Cicero, as we repute; for, though married to Lucullus, one
have observedin his life, called a council; and of the first men in Rome, by whom she also
the first that spoke was Silanus. He gaveit as had a son, shewas divorced for her insufferable
his opinion, that the conspiratorsshouldbe irregularkies. But what wasmost distressing
punishedwith the utmostrigour.This opinion to Cato was,that the conductof his own wife
wasadoptedby the resttill it cameto Cssar. Atilia, wasby no meansunexceptionable; and
This eloquentman,consistentwith whoseam- that,afterhavingbroughthim two children,he
bitious principlesit was rather to encouragewasobligedto part with her.
than to suppress any threateninginnovations, Upon his divorcefrom Atilia, he married
urged,in his usualpersuasive manner,the pro- Martia, the daughterof Philip, a womanof
priety of allowingthe accused the privilegeof goodcharacter;but this part ofCato'slife,like
trial; and that the conspiratorsshouldonly be the plots in the drama,is involvedand intri-
takeninto custody. The senate,who were cate. Thraseas,uponthe authorityof Muna-
underapprehensions from the people,thought tius, Cato'sparticularfriend,who lived under
it prudentto comeinto this measure;andeven the sameroof with him, gives us this account
Silanusretracted,anddeclaredhe thoughtof ofthe matter. Amongstthe friends and fol-
nothingmore than imprisonment,that being lowersof Cato,somemadea moreopenpro-
the most rigorous punishmenta citizen of fession of their sentimentsthanothers.Amongst
Rome could suffer. these was Quintus Hortensius, a man of great
This change of sentimentsin those who dignityand politeness.Not contentedmerely
spokefirstwasfollowedby the rest, whoall withthefriendship
of Catohewasdesirous
of
gave into milder measures. But Cato, who a familyalliance with him; and for this pur-
wasof a contraryopinion,defendedthatopin- pose,he scruplednot to requestthat hia
ion with thegreatestvehemence, eloquence,daughterPortia,whowasalreadymarriedto
andenergy. He reproach -d Silanusfor hie Bibulus,
bywhomshehadtwochildren, migh
pusillanimity
in changinghisresolution.He belentto him,asa fruitfulsoilforthepurpose
attackedCssar,andcharged himwitha secretof propagation.The thing itself,he owned,
design
ofsubverting
thegovernment,
underthe wasuncommon,
butbynomeans
unnatural
or
plausible
appearance
r ('mitigating
speeches
and improper.For why shoulda womanin the
 CATO THE YOUNGER. 539
flowerof her age,eithercontinueuseless,
till ligatemadman, who had no otheraim thaJi
"he is pastchillibearing,or overburdenher thatof generaldestruction
andconfusion.The
husband withtoolargea family? The mutual virtueof Catotheylookeduponasa kind of
useof wmncn, headded,in virtuousfamilies,enthusiasm,whichwouldeverleadhimto arm
wouldnot onlyincrease a virtuousoffbpring,in thecauseof justiceandthelaws.
butstrengthen andextend theconnexions
of Whenthepeoplecametovoteforthisedict,
society.Moreover, if Bibulus
shouldbeun- number
ofaliens,
gladiators
andslaves,armed
willingwhollytogiveuphiswife,sheshouldbyMetellus,
appeared
in theforum. Hewas
berestoredaftershehaddonehim the honour alsofollowedby severalof the commons,
who
of anallianceto Catobyherpregnancy. Cato wanledtointroduce Pompey,in hopes of a rev-
answered, thathehadthe greatestregardfor olution; andhishands werestrengthened by
thefriendshipof Hortensius,buthecouldnot the pratorialpowerof Caesar.Calo,on the
thinkof hisapplication
for another
man'swife. otherhand,had the principalcitizenson hi»
Hortensius, however,wouldnot giveup the side;buttheywererathersharersin the in-
pointhere; butwhenhecouldnotobtainOslo's jury,thanauxiliaries
in theremoval of it. The
daughter,he applied for his wife, saying,that dangerto which he was exposedwas now so
"he wasyet a youngwoman,andCato'sfamily greal lhat his family was under Ihe utmost
alreadylargeenough. He could not possibly concern. The greatestpart of his friendsand
makethis requestupona supposition that Calo relationscameto his housein theevening,and
hadnoregardfor hiswife; forshewasat that passed
thenightwithouteithereatingorsleep-
verytimepregnant. Notwithstanding, the lat- ing. His wife and sistersbewailedtheir mis-
ter, when he observedthe violent inclination fortuneswith tears,while hehimselfpassedthe
Hortensiushadto beallied to him,did not ab- eveningwith the utmostconfidenceand tran-
»olutelyrefusehim ; but said it wasnecessaryquillity, encouraging the restto imitatehis ex-
to consultMartia's father,Philip, onthe occa- ample. He suppedandwent to rest as usual:
sion. Philip, therefore,wasappliedto, andhis andslepteoundlytill he waswakedby his col-
daughter
wasespoused
toHortensius
inthepre- league
MinutiusThermus. He wentto the
senceand with the consentof Cato. These cir- forum, accompaniedby few, but met by many,
cumstances arenot relatedin the properorder who advisedhim to take careof his person.
of time; but, speakingof Cato's connection When hesawtheleropleof Castorsurrounded
with the women,I wasled to mentionthem. by armedmen,the stepsoccupiedby gladiators,
When the conspiratorswere executed,and and Metellus himself seated on an emi-
Caesar, who,onaccountof his calumniesin the nence with Czsar, turning to his friends,
senate,was obligedto throw himself on the " Which," saidhe, "is mostcontemptible,the
people,hadinfuseda spiritof insurrectioninto savagedisposition,or the cowardice,of him
theworstandlowestof the citizens,Cato, he- who brings suchan armyagainsta manwho
ingapprehensive of the consequences,engagedis nakedand unarmed!" Upon this, he pro-
the senateto appease the multitude by a free ceededto the place with Thermus. Those
gift of corn- This costtwelvehundredandfifty that occupiedthe stepsfell backto makeway
talentsa year; but it hadthe desiredeffect.* for him; but would sufferno oneelseto pass
Metellus,uponenteringon his officeas tri- Munatius only, with somedifficulty, he drew
bune,hadseveralseditiousmeetings,andpub- alongwith him; and, as soonas he entered,
lishedan edict,that Pompeyshould bringhis he took hieseatbetweenCssarandMelellus,
troopsinto Italy, underthe pretext of saving that he might, by that means,preventtheir
thecity from the attemptsof Cataline. Such discourse. This embarrassed themnol a lit-
wasthe pretence;but his real designwas to tle; andwhat addedto their perplexity,was
giveupthestateintothehands
of Pompey. the countenance
and approbation
that Catc
Upon the meetingof the senate,Cato,in- metwith from all the honestmen that were
stead
of treatingMetelluswithhisusualasper-present,
who,whiletheyadmired
hisfirm and
ity, expostulatedwith great mildness, and had steady spiril, so strongly marked in his aspect,
evenrecourseto entreaty,intimating, at the :ncouragedhim to perseverein the causeof
sametime,thathis familyhadeverstoodin the iberty, and mutuallyagreedlo supporthim.
interestof the nobility Metellus,who imputed Metellue, enragedat this, proposedto read
Cato'smildnessto his fears,wasthe more in- :he edict. Catoput in his negative;andthat
solentonthat accountand mostaudaciouslyhavingno effect,hewrested
il outof hishand.
asserted
that he would carry his purposeinto Melellusthenattemptedto speakit from mem-
execution, whether the senate would or not. ory; but Thermus prevented him by putting
The voicii)the air, the attitudeof Cato, were his handuponhis mouth. When hefoundthis
changedin a moment; and,with all the force neffectual,andperceivedthai the peoplewere
of eloquence,
he declared,
"That while he jone overto the opposite
party,he ordered
wasliving, Pompeyshouldneverenterarmed his armedmen to makea not, and ihrow the
into the city." The senateneither approved whole into confusion. Upon this the people
of the conductof Cato, or of Metellus. The dispersed, and Catowasleft alone,exposedto
.altertheyconsideredas a desperate and prof- a storm of sticks and stones. But. Muraina,
though the former had so lately an information
* This
u almost
one-third
morethanthegum
saidagainst
him,wouldnotdesert
him. Hede-
lo havebeeneipendcdin the samedistributionin the fended him with his gown from the danger to
Lifeof Cxsar;andeven
thereit is incredibly
large.whichhewasexposed;
entreated
the mobto
But,whatever
mightbe theexpense,
thepolicywas desislfrom their violence,and at lengthcar
bad
i fornothing
soeffectually
weakens
thehands
of ried him off in his armsinto the trinpleof
government,
as thismethod
of bribingthe populace,Castor. When Metellus found the benches
andtiming them u injudiciousoursci do froward
children. deserted,
andtheadversary
put to the pjute.he
640 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

imagined
he hadgainedhis point,andagaingreatest
obstacle
to hisdesigns,
heeentfor hii
very modestlyproceeded to confirmthe edict. friendMunatius,andcommissioned him to de-
The adversary,however,quickly rallied,and mandtwo of Gate'sniecesin marriage;the
advancedwith shoutsof the greatestcourage elderfor himself,andthe youngerfur his son.
and confidence.Metellus'a party, supposingSomesaythat theywerenot Cato'snieces,but
that, by somemeans,theyhad got arms,was his daughters. Bethat aait may,whenMuna-
thrown into confusion,andimmediatelytook tius openedhis commissionto Cato, in ths
to flight. Upon the dispersionof these,Cato presenceof his wife and sisters,the women
cameforward,and,by his encouragement and were not a little delightedwith the splendour
applause,establisheda considerableparty of the alliance. But Cato, without a mo-
againstMetellus. The senate,too, votedthat ment'shesitation,answered," Go, Munatiui;
Cato should,at all events,be supported;and go, andtell Pompey,that Cato is not to be
that an edict, sopregnantwith everythingthat caught in a femalesnare. Tell him, at the
was pernicious to order and good government, same time, that I am sensible of the honourhe
and had even a tendency to civil war, should does me; and whilst he continues to act as he
beopposedwith the utmostrigour. ought to do, I shall hare that friendshipfor
Metellus still maintainedhisresolution;but him which is superiorto affinity; but I will
rindinghis friends intimidated by the uncon- nevergive hostages, againstmycountry,to the
queredspirit of Cato, he camesuddenlyinto glory of Pompey." The women,asit is natu-
the open court, assembled the people, said ral to suppose,were chagrined:and even the
everything that he thoughtmightrenderCato friendsof Catoblamedthe severityof his an-
odious to them; and declared,that he would swer. But Pompeysoonaftergavehimanop-
have nothing to do with the arbitraryprinci- portunity of vindicating his conduct,by open
ples of that man, or his conspiracyagainst briberyin aconsularelection." Youseenow,"
Pompey,whosedisgraceRomemightoneday said Cato to the women," what would have
havesevereoccasionto repent. beentheconsequence of my alliancewith Pom-
Upon this he immediatelyset off for Asia to pey. I shouldhavehad mysharein all the as-
carry an accountof thesemattersto Pompey. persionsthatare thrownuponhim." And they
And Cato, by ridding the commonwealth of owned that he hadactedright. However,if
tins troublesometribune, and crushing,as it one ought to judgefrom the event,it is clear
were, in him, the growingpowerof Pompey, that Catodid wrongin rejectingtheallianceof
obtained the highest reputation. But what Pompey. By sufferingit to devolveto Caesar,
made him still more popular was his prevailing the united power of those two great men went
on the senate to desist from their purposeof nearto overturn the Roman empire. The com-
voting Metellus infamous, and divesting him of monwealth it effectually destroyed. But this
the magistracy. His humanity and moderation would never have been the case,had not Cato,
in not insulting a vanquishedenemy, were ad- to whom the slighter faults of Pompey were
mired by the people in general; whilst men of obnoxious, sufferedhim, by thus strengthening
political sagacity could see that he thought it his hands, to commit greater crimes. These
prudent not to provoke Pompey too much. consequences,however, were only impending
Soonafterwards,
Lucullus returnedfromthe at the periodunderour review. When Lu-
war, which being concluded by Pompey, gave cullus had a disputewith Pompey, concerning
that general, in some measure, the laurels; and their institutions in Pontus (for each wantedto
beingrendered
obnoxious
to the people,through confirm his own,) asthe formerwasevidently
the impeachment of Caius Memmius, who op- injured, he had the support of Cato; while
posedhim more from a view of making his Pompey,his junior in the senatein orderto
court to Pompey than any personal hatred, he increase his popularity, proposed the Agrarian
was in danger of losing his triumphs. Cato, law in favour of the army. Cato opposedit,
however,partly becauseLucullus wasallied andit was rejected; in consequence
of which
to him by marrying his daughter Servilia, and Pompey attached himself to Clodius, the most
partly because
he thoughtthe proceedings
un- violentandfactionsof the tribunes;andranch
fair, opposedMemmius, and by that meansex- about the same time contracted his alliance
posed himself to greatobloquy. But though with Cssar.,to whichCato, in somemeasure
diveeted of his thbumtial office, as of a tyran- led the way. The thing was thus. Caesar,on
nical authority, he had full credit enoughto his return fromSpain,wasat oncea candidate
banishMemmiusfromthe courtsandfrom the for the consulship,and demandeda triumph.
lists. Lucullus, therefore, having obtained his But as the laws of Rome required that those
triumph, attached himself to Cato, asto the who suefor the suprememagistracy shouldsue
strongestbulwark againstthe powerof Pom- in person,and thosewho triumphshouldbe
ocy. When that greatmanreturnedfrom the without the walls; he petitionedthe senate
war, confidentof his interest at Rome,from that he might beallowedto suefor theconsul-
the magnificent
reception
heeverywheremet shipby proxy. Thesenate,
in general,
agreed
with, he scruplednot to senda requisitionto to obligeCa?sar;andwhen Cato,the onlyone
the senate,that theywould deferthe election that opposedit, found this to be the case,as
of consulstill his arrival,that hemightsupport soon as it came to his turn, he spokethe
Piio. Whilst they were in doubt aboutthe whole day long,and thus preventedthe doir.g
matter, Cato, not becausehe was underany of any business.Caesar, therefore,gaveupthe
concernaboutdeferringthe election, but that affairof the triumph,enteredthe city, andap-
he might intercept the hopesandattemptsof pliedat oncefor theconsulship andtheinterest
Pompey, remonstratedagainstthe measure,of Pompey. As soon as he was appoirted
and carriedit in thenegative.Pompey
was consul,hemarriedJulia;andastheyhadboth
not a little disturbed at this; and concluding, entered into a league against the common-
that, if Cato werehis enemy,he would be the wealth,one proposedthe law for the dislribu-
 CATO THE YOUNGER. 641
lionot landsamongst,
thepoor,andtheotheiings. Thesenate, withheavy
hearts,
andall
"econded theproposal.Lucullus
andCicerothevirtuous partof thepeople,
followed
Cato,
in conjunction
withBibulus,
theotherconsulwithsilentindignationCaesarwasnotinat
opposed
it. ButCatoin particular,
whosus-tentive
tothepublic
djcontent
thattnispro-
pected
thepernicious
consequencesofCxsar's
ceedingoccasioned;
butambitiously
expecting
connection
withPompey,
wasstrenuous
againstsome
concessions
onthepartof Cato,hepro-
tnemotion;andsaidit wasnotthedistributionceeded
to conduct
himto prison.At length,
of lands that ha feared so much as the re- however,when he found these expectations
wards
whichth»cajolera
of thepeople
mightvain,unable
anylonger
to support
theshame
expectfromtheir favours. to whichthisconduct
exposedhim,heinstruct
In thisnotonlythesenate agreed
withhim, edoneof thetribunes
to rescue
him fromhis
butmany
of thepeople
too,whowerereason-
officers.
Thepeople,
notwithstanding,
brought
ablyoffended
by theunconstitutional
conductintohisinterestby thesepublicdistributions,
of Caesar.For whateverthe maddestandthe voted him the provinceof Illyricum and all
mostviolentof thetribunes
proposedfor the Gaul,together withfourlegions,
for thespaco
pleasure
of themob,Ca:sar,to payan abjectof five years;thoughCi-toforetoldthem,at
court to them, ratifiedby the consularauthori- the sametime, that they *ere votinga tyrant
ty. When he foundhis motion,therefore,like- into the citadel of Rome. They moreover
ly to beoverruled,
hispartyhadrecourse
to vi- createdClodius,
contraryto the laws(for he
olence,peltedBibulusthe consulwith dirt, and wasof the patrician order,)a tribune of the
broke the rods of his lictors. At length,when people,becausetheyknew he would,in every
darts beganto be thrown, and many were respect,accedeto their wisheswith regardto
wounded,the restof the senatefled as fast as the banishmentof Cicero. CalpurmusPiso,
possibleout of the forum. Cato wasthe last the fatherof Caesar'swife, and Aulius Gabi-
that left it; and, as hewalkedslowly along,he mus,*a bosomfriend of Pompey's,as we are
frequently
lookedback,andexecrated
thewick- toldby thosewhoknewhimbest,theycreated
ednessandmadness of the people.The Agra- consuls.
rian law, therefore,wasnot only passed,but Yet, though they had everything in their
theyobligedthe wholesenateto take an oath hands,andhadgainedone part of the people
that they would confirm and supportit; and by favourandthe otherby fear,still theywere
those that should refusewere sentencedto pay afraid of Cato. They remembered the pains it
a heavyfine. Necessitybroughtmostof them cost themto overbear him, andthat the violent
into the measure;for they rememberedthe and compulsivemeasures they hadrecourseto
exampleof Metellus,*who was banishedfor did thembut little honour. Clodius,too, saw
refusingto comply,in a similar instance,with that he could not distressCicero while sup-
the people. Cato wassolicitedby the tearsof portedby Cato; yet this washis great object,
the femalepart of his family,andtheentreaties ind, uponhis enteringon his tribunitial office,
of his friends,to yield andtake the oath; but be had an interview with Cato; when,after
what principallyinducedhim was the remon- payinghim the complimentof beingthe most
strancesandexpostulations of Cicero; who rep- honestman in Rome,he proposed to him, asa
resentedto him, that there might not be so testimonyof his sincerity,the governmentof
muchvirtue as he imaginedin oneman's dis- Cyprus, an appointmentwhich he said had
sentingfrom a decreethat was establishedby seensolicitedby many. Catoanswered, that,
the rest of the senate:that to exposehimself ar from being a favour, it was a treacherous
to certaindanger,withouteventhe possibility schemeand a disgrace;upon which Clodiits
of producingany good effect,was perfect in- lercely replied," If it is not your pleasure10
sanity; and, what was still worse, to leave the jo, it is mine that you shall go." And saying
commonwealth, for which he had undergonethis, he went immediatelyto the senate,and
so manytoils, to the mercy of innovatorsand procureda decreefor Cato'sexpedition Yjt
usurpers,wouldlook as if he wereweary, at le neithersuppliedhim with a vessel,a soldier,
last, of his patriotic labours. Cato,he added, or a servant,two secretariesexcepted,one of
mightdo withoutRome; but Romecould not whom was a notoriousthief, andthe other a
do without Cato: his friends could not do with- cliect of his own. Besides, as if the charge of
out him; himself could not dispensewith his Cyprus,andthe oppositionof Ptolemy weae
assistance and support, while the audaciousnot a sufficienttask for him, he orderedhim,
Clodius,by meansof his tribunitial authority, ikewiseto restorethe Byzantineexiles. But
wasformingthe most dangerous machinations lis viewin all this wasto keepCato aslongas.
againsthim. By these,and the like remon- aossibleout of Rome.
strances,solicitedat home,andin theforum, Cato,thusobligedto go,exhortedCicero,who
Cato,it is said,was with difficulty prevailed was at the sametime closely huntedby Clo-
onlo takethe oath;and that,hisfriendFa- dius,by nomeansto involvehiscountryin a
voniusexcepted,
hewasthelastthat tookit. civil war,butto yieldto the necessity
of the
Elated with this success,Caesarproposed 'imes.
anotheract for distributing almostthe whole By meansof hie friend Canidius,whom he
provinceof Campaniaamongstthe poor. Cato sentbeforehim to Cyprus,hehegociatedwith
aloneopposedit. AndthoughCzsardraggedPtolemyin sucha manner,that he yielded
him from the bench,and conveyedhim to withoutcomingto blows;for Catogavehimto
prison,heomittednot, nevertheless,
to speakunderstand,
thatheshouldnotliveina pooror
as he passedin defenceof liberty, to enlarge
upon the consequencesof the act, and to ex- * Plularch
Joes
notmean
lorepresent
tlili friendship
hortthecitizens l any favourable
to puta stopto suchproceed-was light. The chiraclerof Oabiuiiu
despicable
in everyre»ptct,ar appear*from C»c*
* MeteLJusNumidiciu 'o'« oratiun for Sexu'uj.
MM
642 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

"bjeetcondition,
butthatheshould
beappoint-market. Nor wouldhe trust to thecommon
edhighpriestto thePaphian
Venus.» While customs of sale-factors,
auctioneers,
bidders,
thiswasncgociating,
Catostopped
at Rhodes,oreven hisownfriends; Buthadprivate con-
atonce waiting
forPtolemy's
answer,andmak-ferences withthepurchasers,
in whichheurged
ingpreparations
forthereduction
oftheisland.themto bidhigher,
sothatevery thingwentoff
In the meantime Piolemy,
kingof Egypt,at thegreatestrate.By thismeans begave
whohadleftAlexandria uponsomequarreloffence to many ofhisfriends,
andalmost im-
with hissubjects,
wasonhiswayto Rome,in placably
affronted
hisparticularfriendMuna-
ordertosolicithisre-establishment
fromCxsartius. Ca>sar,
too,in hisorationagainst
him,
andPompey, by means of theRomanarms.availedhimself
ofthiscircumstance,
andtreat-
Being
informed
thatCato
wasat Rhodes,
he edhimvery
severely.
Munatius,
however,
telli
sentto him,in hopes
thathe wouldwaitupon usthaithismisunderstanding
wasnotsomuch
him. Whenhismessenger
arrived,
Cato,whooccasioned
byCato's
distrust,
asbyhisneglect
thenhappened to havetakenphysic,
told him, of him,andbyhis ownjealousyof Canidius:
that if Ptolemywantedto seehim,hemight for Munatiuswrotememoirs of Cato,which
comehimself.
Whenhecame,
CatoneitherThraseas
haschieflyfollowed.He tellsus,
went forwardto meethim, nor didhe so much that he was amongstthe lastthat arrivedat
asrise fromhis seat,but salutedhim as he Cyprus,andby thatmeans
foundnothingbut
would do a common person,and carelesslythe refuse of the lodgings;that he went to
badehimsitdown. Ptolemy
wassomewhat
Cato's
apartments,
andwasrefused
admittance,
hurt by it at first,andsurprised
to meetwith because
Catowasprivatelyconcerting
some-
sucha superciliousseverityof mannersin a thing with Canidius;andthatwhen hemodest
man of Cato's meandressand appearance.ly complainedof this conduct,he receiveda
However,when he enteredinto conversationsevereanswerfrom Cato; <vhoobserved, with
withhimconcerning
hisaffairs,
whenheheardTheophrastus,
thatloomuutilovewasfrequent-
his free and norvouseloquence,
he was easily ly the occasion
of hatred;andthat he,because
reconciledto him. Cato,it seems,blamedhis of the strengthof his attachmentto him, was
impoliticapplication
to Rome;represented
lo angryat theslightest
inattention.Hetoldhim,
him the happinesshe hadleft, and that he was at the same time, that he madeuse of Canidius
aboutto exposehimselfto toils, the plagues
of as a necessary
agent,andbecausehehadmore
attendance,
and,whatwasstill worse,to the confidence
in him than in the rest, having
tvarice of the Romanchiefs,whichthe whole found him honest,though he had beenthere
kingdom of Egypt, converted into money, from the first, and had opportunitiesof being
Couldnotsatisfy.He advisedhim to returnwith otherwise. This conversation,
which he had
insfleet,andbereconciled
to hispeople,
offer-in privatewithCato,thelatter,heinformsus,
ing him at the sametime his attendanceand relatedto Canidius;and when this cameto)
mediation;and Piolemy, restoredby his rep- his knowledge,he would neither attend a;
i esentations,
is it were,from insanityto reason, Cato'sentertainments,
nor,thoughcalledupon.
admiredthe discretionand sincerityof Cato, assistat hiscouncils. Catothreatened to pun
and determinedto follow his advice. His ish him for disobedience, and,as is usual,to
friends,nevertheless, broughthim backto his takea pledgefrom him;* MunatiuspaidDOre-
formermeasures; but he was no soonerat the gardto it, but sailedfor Rome, and long re-
doorof oneof the magistrates of Romethan he tainedhis resentment.Upon Cato'sreturn,by
repentedof his folly, and blamed himself for meansof Marcia, who at that time lived with
rejectingthe virtuouscounselsof Cato,as for her husband,he and Munatius were both in-
disobeyingthe oracleof a god. vitedto supwith Barca. Cato,who camein
Ptolemy of Cyprus, as Cato's good stars after the restof the companyhadtakentheir
would haveit, look himselfoff by poison. As places,askedwherehe shouldtakehis place?
he wassaidto haveleft a full treasury,Cato Barcaanswered, wherehe pleased. " Then,"
beingdeterminedto go himself to Byzantium, saidhe, " I will takemy place by Munatius."
Benthis nephewBrutusto Cyprus,becausehe He thereforetook his place next him, but he
hadnot sufficientconfidencein Canidius:when shewedhim no othermarksof friendshipduring
the exiles were reconciled to the rest of the supper; afterwards however, at the request of
citizens,andall thingsquiet in Byzantium,he Marcia, Cato wrote to him, that he shouldbe
proceeded
to Cyprus.Herehefoundtheroyal gladto seehim. He therefore
waitedonhim
furniture very magnificentin the articles of at his own house,and beingentertainedby
vessels,tables,jewels, and purple, all which Marcia till the rest of the morning visitors
were to be convertedinto ready money. In weregone,Catocamein and embracedhim
the management of this affair he wasvery ex- with great kindness. We have dwelt upon
act, attended at the sales,took the accounts these little circumstancesthe longer, as, in our
tumself,and broughteveryarticle to the best opinion, they contribute,no lessthan more
public and important actions, towardsthe cVai
* Thisappointment
seems
to bebutapoorerchanf
e delineationof mannersandcharacters.
fora kingdom; butwhen it IBremembered, that,in Catoin hisexpedition
the Pagan theology, the priest* of the gods were not
hadacquirednear
inferior
in dignity toprinco, andthatmost ofthemseventhousandtalents
of silver,andbeing
wereof rojalfamilies;whenit iseontiderc-d
IDwhat undersomeapprehensions on accountof the
highreputationthePaphian
Venus stoodamongst
the lengthof his voyage,he providedanumberof
tncienls, and what a lucrative as well as honourable
office that of her priest must have been, occasionedby
theofferings
of theprodigious
concourse
of people
who * Whena magistrate refusedainmmoni lo thesen
cameannuallylo paytheir devotions
a( her temple; it ate or public council,the penaltyww to lake samt
will bethoughtthatPtolemymade
nobadbargainfor piece
of furnitureoutof hishouse,
andto keep it til1
ku little iilaud. k« thouli attend. Tbii they called fignora captrt.
 CATO THE YOUNGER. 643
wouldholdtwo talr-ntsandfive a tribunenot legallyappoinled,
couldnotbe
hundreddrachmasa-picce.To eachof thesevalid;thatClodius, thoughhewasof a patri-
hetieda longcord,at theendof whichwas cianfamily,hadnotbeenchosen tribunecon-
fastened
a largepieceof cork,sothat if an; traryto law,because hehadpreviously been
misfortuneshould
happen to theshipthatcon- enrolledin the orderof plebeians
by an act
tained
them, thesebuoysmightmarkthespotpassed forthatpurpose; andthat,if he had
wheretheylay. Thewholetreasure, however.actedunjustlyinhisoffice, hewasliabletoper
excepta verylittle, wasconveyedwithsafety sonalimpeachments, whileat thesametime
Yethistwo booksof accounts, whichhekept theofficeitself retainedits properforceand
veryaccurate, were bothlost; one by ship-authority." This occasioned a quarrelfor
wreckwithhis freedman Philargyrus
andthe sometimebetweenCiceroandCato,butaf-
other by fire at Corcyra;for the sailors, on terwardstheywerereconciled.
accountof the coldnessof the weather,kept Csesar,uponhis returnout of Gaul,wasmet
firesin the tentsby night, and thus the mis- by PompeyandCrassus,andit wasagreedthat
fortunehappened.This troubledCato,though the twolastshouldagainstandfor the consul-
Ptolemy's servants, whom he had brought ship, that Caesarshould retain his government
over with him, were sufficient vouchersfor five yearslonger,andthatthe best provinces,
his conduct, against enemies and informers. revenues, and troops should be secured to
For he did not intendtheseaccountsmerely themselves. This wasnothinglessthana di
as a proof of his honesty,but to recommendvisionof empire,and a plot againstthe liber-
the samekind of accuracyand-industry to ties of the commonwealth.This dangerous
others. junctiondeterredmany men of distinguished
As soon as his arrival with the fleet was rank and integrity from their designof offer-
notified in Rome the magistrates, the priests, ing themselves candidatesfor the consulship.
the whole senate,and multitudesof the peo- Calo,however,prevailedonLucius Domitius,
ple, went down to the river to meet him, and who married his sister, not to give up the
coveredboth its banks,so that his reception point,nor to resign his pretensions:for that
was something like a triumph. Yet there was the contest was not then for the consulship,
an ill-timed haughtinessin his conduct; for, but for the liberties of Rome. The soberpart
thoughthe consulsandpraetors
cameto wait of the citizensagreed,loo, that the consular
upon him, he did not so much as attempt to power should not be sufferedto grow so enor-
makethe shorewhere they were,but rowed mousby the union of Crassusand Pompey;
carelesslyalongin a royal six-oaredgalley, but that, at all events,they wereto be separ-
anddidnot landtill hecameinto port with his ated,and Domitiusencouraged andsupported
wholefleet. The people,however,werestruck in the competition. They assuredhim, at the
with admirationat the vast quantityof money sametime, that he would havethe voices of
that was carried along the streets,and the manyof the people:wrhowereat presentonly
senate, in full assembly, bestowed the high- silent through fear. Pompey's party, appre-
eat encomiums upon him, and voted him a hensiveof this, lay in wait for Domitius, as he
pratorshipextraordinary;*andthe right of at- went beforeday,by torchlight,into the Cam-
tendingat the public showsin a pratexta, or pus JWartius. The torchbearerwas killed
purple-borderedgown. But these honours he at the first stroke; the rest were wounded and
thought proper to decline. At the same time led, Cato and Domitius alone excepted; for
he petitioned that they would grant his free- Cato, though he had received a wound in the
dom to Nicias,an officer of Ptolemy's in fa- arm,still kept Domitiuson the spot,and con-
vourof whosediligence and fidelity be gave jured him not to desertthe causeof liberty
hisown testimony. Philip, the fatherof Mar- while he hadlife, but to opposeto the utmost
cia,wasconsulat that time, andhis colleague theseenemiesof their country, who shewed
respectedCato no less for his virtue than what usetheyintendedto makeof that power
Philipmightfor his alliance,so that he hadin whichtheysoughtby suchexecrablemeans.
somemeasurethe whole consular interest in Domitius, however, unable to stand the
his hands. When Cicero returnedfrom that shock,retired,and Pompeyand Crassus were
exileto which hehad beensentenced by Clo- electedconsuls. Yet Cato gave up nothing
dius,his influencewas considerable,and he "orlost, but soliciteda pratorshipfor himself,
scruplednot,in theabsenceof Clodius,to pull :hathe might from thence,as from a kind of
downanddestroythe tribunitial edictswhich "ort,militate againstthe consuls,andnot con-
the latter hadput up in the Capitol. Upon ;endwitv, them in the capacityof a private
thisthe senatewasassembled, andCicero,up- cituen. The consuls,apprehensive that the
onthe accusationof Clodius, made his defence, jratorial power of Cato would not be inferior
by allegingthat Clodius hadnot beenlegally evento the consularauthority, suddenlyas-
appointedtribune,andthat, of course, every sembleda smallsenate,andobtainedadecree,
actof his office was null andvoid. Cato in- :hatthosewho were elected praetorsshould
terruptedhim, andsaid," That hewasindeed immediatelyenter upontheir office,* without
sensible
thatthewholeadministration
of Clo- waitingtheusualtimeto standthecharge,if
dius hadbeenwickedandabsurd;but that if any such chargeshould be broughtagainst
everyact of his office were to be annulled, them, of bribery and corruption. By thuj
allthathehaddonein Cypruswouldstandfor means
theybroughtintheirowncreatures
and
nothing,because
hiscommission,issuingfrom dependants,
presidedat the election,andgav«
* Catowajthen but thirty-eight yeariof age,and,
consequently,
tooyoungto beprielor in tht ordinary * Therewasalwaysa limeallottedbetweennommi
way,in whicha personcould notenteron 4ial office ion andpoueggion
; thatif anyunduemeans
had l<e«
till hevraiforty. made
useof in thecaurau,
it mightbediscovered.
644 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

moneyto the populace.Yet still the virtue ol confidence,

hedidnotthenconsiderthatheWM
Catocouldnottotallyloseitsweight. There takingCaesar uponhis shoulders;
butwhenbe
werestill thosewhohadhonesty enough to be beganto findhisweight,
andcouldneithersup-
ashamed of sellinghisinterest,and wisdomportit nor shakehimoff,theywouldbothfall
enough to think that it would be of service to together, and crush the commonwealthin their
thestateto electhim,evenat the publicex- fall; andthenhe should
find,toolate,thatthe
pense.Hetherefore wasnominated pratorby counselsof Catowerenolesssalutary
for him-
thevotesof thefirst-called
tribe;butPompeyselfthanintrinsically
just.YetPompey, though
scandalouslypretendingthat he heardit thun- he oftenheardthesethings,in the confidence
der, broke up the assembly;
for it is not com- of his fortuneand his power, despisedthem,
mon for the Romansto do anybusiness if it andfeared no reversefromthe part of Crcsar
thunders. Afterwards, by meansof bribery, Catowasthe followingyearappointed pra-
and by the exclusion of the virtuous part of the tor; but he can hardly be said to have contrib-
citizensfromtheassembly,
theyprocured
Va- utedsomuchto thedignityof thathighoffice
tinius to oe returned pranor instead of Cato. by the rectitude of his conduct, as to have der-
Thoseelectors,it is said,whovotedfromsuch ogatedfrom it by the meanness
of hisdress;
iniquitous motives, like so many culprits, im- for he would often go to the praetorialbench
mediately ran away. To the rest that assem- without his robe or his shoes, and sit in judg
bled and expressedtheir indignation, Cato was merit, even in capital cases, on some of the
empowered by one of the tribunes to address first personagesin Rome. Some will have it,
himself in a speech; in the course of which he that he passedsentence when he had drani
foretold, as if inspired by some divine influ- after dinner, but that is not true. He was re-
ence, all those evils that then threatened the solved to extirpate that extreme corruption
commonwealth; and stirred up the people which then prevailed amongst the people in
against Pompey and Crassus, who, in the con- elections of every kind; and, in order to effect
sciousnessof their guilty intentions, feared the this, he moved that a law should be passedin
controul of the pratorial power of Cato. In the senate,for every candidate, though no in-
his return homehe was followedby a greater formationshouldbesaid,to declareuponoath
multitude than all that had been appointed in what manner he obtained his election. This
proctorsunited. gave offence to the candidates,and to the more
When Cams Trebonius moved for the dis- mercenary part of the people. So that, as Cato
tribution of the consularprovinces,and pro- wasgoingin the morningto the tribunal,he
posed giving Spainand Africa to one of the was so much insultedandpeltedwith stones
consuls,and Syria andEgyptto the other,to- by the mob,that the wholecourt fled,andhe
getherwith fleetsandarmies,andanunlimited with difficultyescaped
into the rostrum.There
powerof makingwar andextendingdominion, he stood,andhis tirm andsteadyaspectsoon
the rest of the senate,thinking opposition vain, hushedthe clamours and disordersof the pop-
forbore to speak against the motion. Cato, ulace; so that when he spoke upon the sub-
however, before it was put to the vote, as- ject, he was heard with a general silence.*
cended the rostrum, in order to speak, but he The senatepublicly testified their approbation
was limited to the spaceof two hours;and of hiaconduct;but he answered, that no com-
whenhe hadspentthis time in repetitions,in- plimentcouldbe paid to themat leastfor de-
structions,andpredictions,andwasproceedingsertingthe prEtor, anddecliningto assisthim
in his discourse,
the lictor took him downfrom when in manifestdanger. This measuredis-
the rostrum. Yet still, when belowamongst tressedthe candidatesconsiderably;for, on
the people,hepersistedto speak in behalfof the onehand;theywereafraidof givingbribes,
liberty;andthepeople
readilyattended
tohim, andontheother,theywere apprehensive
of
andjoined in his indignation,till the consul's losingtheir election, if it shouldbe doneby
beadleagainlaidholdof him,andturnedhim theiropponents.Theythought
it best,there-
out of the forum. He attempted,notwith- fore, jointly to depositfive hundredsestertia
standing,
to returnto his place,and excitedeachfthento canvass
in a fairandlegalman-
the peopleto assisthim; which,beingdone ner, andif any oneshouldbeconvicted of
morethanonce,Trebonius,in a violentrage,bribery,heshouldforfeithis deposit.Cato
orderedhimto prison. Thitherhe wasfol- wasappointed guarantee of this agreement,
lowedby die populace,to whomheaddressed andthe money wasto belodged in hishand;
himself as he went, till, at last, Trebonius,
through fear, dismissed him. Thus Cato was * This circumstancein Calo's life affordsagoodcoor
rescued
thatday.Butafterwards,
thepeople
ment
sameon thethe
time, followingpassage
laboured inVirgil,
dignity and,
and weight atthai
of the
beingpartly overawed, andpartlycorrupted,verse,-
the consular party prevented Aquilius, one of
thetribunes, by force of arms,from coming -Pietategravcm
ctmentis
siforterirumqurm,
out of the senate-house into the assembly, conveys
a very strongandjust ideaof Cato.
wounded many, killed some, and thrust Cato,
who said it thundered, out of the forum; so Ac veluti magnoin populocumsscpe cooriae»i
that the law waspassed
by compulsion. This Seditio,
axvitijucanitntJ
ignobilc
rulguJ
j
Jamquefacesct saxavolant; furor armaminislrat,
rendered Pompey so obnoxious, that the peo- Turn, pietategravemet mentissi fortevirum quell
ple weregoingto pull downhis statues,
but Conspexcrc,
silent,
arreclisque
auribus
adstant:
were preventedby Cato. Afterwards, when Ilk rtgit dictis,animos
etptcloramulceL
the law was proposedfor the allotment of Fi'rg.£n. 1.
Caesar's
provinces,Cato addressing
himself f Cicero
ipeakf
ofthisagreement
iaoatnthitcpn
particularlyto Pompey, told him with great tks to Atticui.
 CATO THE .YOUNGER. 640
batforthisheacceptedof sureties.Whenthe andimitatorof Cato,as Apollocorus Phale-
dayof election
came,Catostoodnextto the reus*is saidto havebeenof Socrates, whose
tribunewhopresided,andasheexamined the discourses he wastransported with evento
votes,one of the depositingcandidatesap- madness or intoxication.ThisFavonius stood
pearedto havemadeuseof somefraud. He for theofficeofxdile, and apparently lost it;
thereforeorderedhimto paythemoneyto the butCato,uponexamining thevotes,
andfinding
rest. But,after complimentingthe integritythemall to bewrittenin the samehand,ap-
of Cato,theyremittedthefine,andsaidthat pealed against thefraudand thetribunesset
theguiltwasa sufficientpunishment.Cato, asidetheelection.Favonius, therefore,was
however renderedhimselfobnoxious to many elected,in thedischargeof theseveraloffices
by thisconduct,whoseemeddispleased thathe of his magistracy, he hadthe assistance of Ca-
affectedboth the legislativeand judicial pow- to, particularlyin the theatricalentertainments
ers. Indeed,there is hardlyany authorityso that weregiven to the people. In theseCato
muchexposedto envyasthe latter, andhardly gaveanotherspecimen of his economy,for he
any virtue so obnoxiousas that of justice, did not allow the playersandmusicians crowns
owing to the popularweightandinfluencethat of gold, but of wild olive,suchastheyuse in
it alwayscarriesalongwith it. For thoughhe the Olympic games. Instead of expensive
who administers justice in a virtuousmanner, presents,he gave the Greeksbeetsand let-
maynot be respected as a manof valour,nor tuces,andradishesand parsley;and the Ro-
admiredas a manof parts,yet his integrity is mans he presentedwith juga of wine, pork,
always productiveof love and confidence.figs, cucumbers, and faggotsof wood. Some
Valour producesfear, and parts create suspic- ridiculed the meannessof his presents, while
ion; they aredistinctions,moreover,whichare othersweredelightedwith this relaxationfrom
rather given than acquired. One arises from the usual severity of his manners. And Fa
a natural acuteness,the other from a natural vonius, who appeared only as a common per-
firmnessof mind. However,as justice is a sonamongstthe spectators,and hadgiven up
virtueso easilypracticableandobtainable,
the the management
of the wholeto Cato,declar-
opposite vice is proportionably odious. ed the same to the people, and publicly ap-
Thus Cato becameobnoxiousto the chiefs plaudedhis conduct,exhortinghim to reward
of Romein general. But Pompeyin partic- merit of everykind. Curio, the colleagueof
ular, whose glory was to rise out of the ruins Favonius, exhibited, at the same time, in the
of his power, laboured with unwearied assidu- other theatre, a very magnificententertainment :
ity to procureimpeachments
againsthim. The but the peopleleft him, and were much more
incendiary Clodius, who had again entered ths entertained with seeing Favonius act the pri-
lists of Pompey,accusedCatoof embezzling
a vatecitizen,and Cato master of the ceremo-
quantity of the Cyprian treasure, and of raising nies. It is probable, however, that he took
an oppositionto Pompey,becausethe latter this upon him only to shewthe folly of trou-
hadrefusedto acceptof his daughterin mar- blesomeandexpensive preparationsin matters
riage. Cato, on the other hand, maintained, of mere amusement,and that the benevolence
that, thoughhe was not so muchas supplied and good humoursuitableto such occasions
with a horse,or a soldier,by the government,would havebettereffect.
yet he had brought more treasure to the com- When Scipio, Hypsaeus,and Milo, were
monwealthfrom Cyprus, than Pompeyhad candidates for the consulship,and, besidethe
donefromsomanywarsandtriumphsoverthe usualinfamouspracticesof briberyandcorrup-
harassedworld. He asserted, that he never tion, hadrecourseto violenceandmurderand
evenwishedfor the alliance of Pompey,not civil war,it wasproposedthat Pompeyshould
becausehethoughthim unworthy,but becausebe appointedprotector of the election. But
of thedifference
of their politicalprinciples.Catoopposed
this,andsaidthatthelawsshould
" For my own part," said he, " I rejectedthe not derive their security from Pompey, but
provinceofferedme as an appendageto my that Pompeyshouldowe his to the laws.
prstorship; but for Pompey, he arrogated However, when the consular power had
someprovincesto himself,and somehe be- beenlong suspended, and the forum was in
stowed on his friends. Nay, he has now, somemeasurebesieged by three armies,Cato,
without evensoliciting your consent,accom- that things might not cometo the worst, re-
modatedCesar in Gaul with six thousandcomended to the senateto conferthat power
soldiers. Suchforces,armaments, andhorses, on Pompeyas a favour,with which his own
arenow, it seemsat the disposalof private influencewould otherwiseinvesthim; and by
men: and Pompeyretains the title of com- that meansmakea lessevil the remedyfor a
manderand general, while he delegatesto greater. Bibulus, therefore,an agent of Ca-
othersthe legionsand the provinces;andcon- to's,movedin the senatethat Pompeyshould
tinueswithin the wallato presideat elections, be createdsole consul; adding,that his ad-
the arbiter of the mob,and the fabricatorof ministrationwould either be of the greatest
sedition. From thisconducthis principlesare serviceto the state, or that, at least, if the
obviousHe holdsit but onestepfromanarchy commonwealth must have a master,it would
to absolutepower."* Thus Cato maintained havethe satisfactionof beingunder the aus-
AIBparty againstPompey. pices of the greatestman in Rome. Cato,
MarcusFavoniuswas theintimatefriend contraryto everyones's
expectation,
seconded
* Thismaxim
hasbeenverified
inalmost
everystate. wentto the throne
of Carthage,
involved
ina
Whenambitious
menaimedatabsolutepower,their cloud.
ir«tmeasure
wastoimpede
then-gular
movement*
of * See
Plato's
Phzdo.and
thebeginning
oftheSym-
theconstitutional
government,
by throwingall ito tum. This Apollodorus
wassuruamed
-Afantcuf,
toafmion,thattheymightascendto monarchy,as fromhispassionate
enthusiasm.
046 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

the motion,intimatingthat anygovernment tad himselfderived

greatadvantagesfromthe
waspreferable to anarchy,andthat Pompeyauthority of Cato. On this account,hewu
promised fair for a constitutional
administracensured
as ungrateful:
thoughCatowasnot
tion,andfor thepreservation of thecity. offended:
"For whatwonder," saidhe,"is it,
Pompey, beingthuselectedconsul,invited thatwhata manesteems thegreatestbappineu
Catoto hiehouseinthesuburbs. Hereceivedheshouldnotgiveup to another."'He pro-
him with the greatest caresses and acknow-curedanactin thesenate, that no candidate
ledgments,and entreatedhim to assistin his shouldcanvass by meansof others. This ex-
administration,and to presideat his councils. asperated
the people;becauseit cut off at once
Catoanswered,
that he hadneitherformerlythemeans
of cultivating
favour,
andconveying
opposedPompeyout of private enmity, nor bribes; andtherebyrenderedthe lowerorder
supportedhim of late out of personalfavour; of citizenspoorand insignificant. It was in
but thatthe welfareof the state had beenhis somemeasure owingto this actthathe lostthe
motivein both: that,in private,hewouldas consulship;
for he consultedhis dignitytoo
sisthimwithhiscounselwhenever heshouldmuchto canvassin a popular
manner himself,
be called upon; but that, in public, he should and his friends could not then do it for him.
speakhis sentiments,
whetherthey might be A repulse,in this case,is for sometime
in Pompey's favour or not. And he did not attended with shame and sorrow both to the
fail to do as he had said. For, soonafter, candidateand his friends; but Cato was so
when Pompeyproposedseverepunishmentslittle affectedby it, that heanointedhimselfto
andpenaltiesagainstthosewho hadbeenguil- play at ball, andwalkedas usualafter dinner
ty of bribery,Catogaveit as his opinion,that with hisfriendsin iheforum, withouthis shoes
the pastshouldbe overlooked,and the future or his tunic. Cicero,sensiblehowmuchRome
only advertedto: for that if he shouldscruti- wantedsucha consul,at once blamedhis in-
nize into formeroffencesof that kind, it would dolence,with regardto courtingthe peopleon
be difficult to say where it would end; and this occasion,andhis inattentionto futuresuc-
shouldhe establishpenal laws,ex postfacto, cess:whereas,he had twice appliedfor the
it would behardthat thosewho wereconvict- praetorship.Cato answered, that his ill suc-
ed of former offences,should suffer for the cessin the latter casewas not owingto the
breachof thoselaws whichwere then not in aversionof the people,but to the corruptand
being. Afterwards,too, when impeachmentscompulsivemeasuresused amongstthem;
were broughtagainstseveralpersonsof rank, whilst in an applicationfor the consulship no
and some of Pompey's friends amongst the such measurescould be used; and he was sen-
rest, Calo, whenhe observedthat Pompey sible,therefore,that thecitizenswereoffended
Touredthe latter, reprovedhim with greatfree- by thosemanners,whichit did not becomea
dom,and urged him to the dischargeof his wisemaneitherto changefor their sakes,or,
duty. Pompeyhad enacted,that encomiumsby repeatinghis application,to expose himself
should no longer be spoken in favour of the to the same ill success.
prisoner at the bar; and yet, he gave into the Caesarhad, at this time, obtained many dan-
court a written encomiumon MunatiusPlan- gerousvictoriesover warlikenations;andhad
cus,*when he wasupon his trial; but Cato, fallen uponthe Germans,
thoughat peacewith
when he observed this, as he was one of the the Romans, and slain three hundred thousand
judges,stoppedhis ears,andforbadethe apol- of them. Manyof the citizens,on this occa-
ogy to be read. Plancus,uponthis, objectedsion, voted a public thanksgiving;but Cato
to Cato's being one of the judges; yet he was was of a different opinion, and said, " That
condemnednotwithstanding. Indeed, Cato Caesar shouldbegivenup to the nationshehad
gavethe criminalsin generalno smallperplex- injured, that his conduct might not bring a
ity; for theywereequallyafraidof havinghim curseupon the city; yet the gods,"he said,
for their judge,andof objectingto him; as in " ought to be thanked,notwithstanding,that
the latter case, it was generally understood the soldiers had not suffered for the madness
that they were unwilling to rely on their inno- and wickedness of their general, but that they
cence,andby the samemeanswerecondemn-hadin mercysparedthe state." Caesar, upon
ed. Nay, to objectto the judgmentof Cato, this, sentlettersto the senate,full of invectives
becamea commonhandleof accusationand againstCato. When they were read, Cato
reproach. rose with great calmness,and in a speech,so
Caesar, at the sametime that he wasprose- regularthat it seemed premeditated,
said,that,
cutingthe war in Gaul,wascultivatinghis in- with regardto the letters, as they contained
terest in the city, by all that friendshipand nothingbut a little of Caesar's
buffoonery,they
mu nficence could effect. Pompey saw this, deservednot to be answered; and then, laying
andwaked,as from a dream,to the warningsopenthe wholeplan of Caesar's conduct,more
of Cato: yet he remainedindolent; and Cato, like a friend,who knewhis bosomcounsels,
whoperceivedthe political necessityof oppos-than an enemy,he shewedthe senatethat it
ing Caesar,determined himself to stand for the was not the Britons or the Gauls they had to
consulship,that he might therebyoblige him fear, but Caesar
himself. This alarmedthem
either to Jaydown his armsor discoverhis de- so much,that Cesar'sfriendswere sorrythey
ligns. Cato's competitorswere both menof had producedthe letters that occasioned it.
credit; but Sulpicius,fwho was oneof them, Nothing, however,was then resolvedupon:
onlyit wasdebatedconcerningthe proprietyof
* Munaliua Plancus,who, in the Greek, is, by mis-
take, called Flaccus, was then tribune of the people.
He wasaccusedby Cicero,and defeatedby Fompej, ServiusSujpiciusRuftu. The latter, accordingto
but unanimously
condemned. in, waschosenfor his knowledge
of the laws,ui
f Thecompetitor!wer M. ClaudiusMarcelluiand thefarmerfar hii eloquence.
 CATO THE YOUNGER. 647

Appointing
a successor
to Csrsar;
andwhenHowever,
assoon
ashehadremarried
Marcia,
Cesar'sfriendsrequired,tliat, in casethereof, lie gaveher the chargeof his family,andfol-
Pompey too should relinquish his army, and lowed Pompey.
giveuphisprovinces:
" Now,"criedCato,"is Fromthattime,it is saidthatheneithercut
comingto passth.^dvcn thatI foretold.* It i» his hair, nor shavedhis beard,nor wore a gar-
obvious,thai Caesarwill haverecourseto arms; land; but was uniformin his dress,as in hi»
andthat the powerwhichhe has obtainedby anguish for his country. On which sido
deceivingthe people,he will make useof to soevervictory might for a while decree,he
enslavethem." However,Catohadbut little changednot onthataccounthis habits. Being
influenceout of the senate,for the peoplewere appointed to the governmentof Sicily, he
Dent on aggrandizingCzesir; and even the passedover to Syracuse;andfindingthat Asi-
.enate,while convincedby the argumentsof nius Pollio wasarrivedat Messeniawithade
Cato, wasafraid of the people. tachmentfromthe enemy,hesentto him to de-
When the news was brought that Caesarhad mand the reasonof his coming; but Pollio only
taken Arminium, and was advancing with his answered his question by another, and de-
army towards Rome, the people in general,and mandedof Cato to know the causeof the revo-
even Pompey, cast their eyes upon Cato, as on lutions. When he was informed that Pompey
the only person who had foreseenthe original had evacuated Italy, and was encamped at
designsof Caesar. " Had ye then," said Cato, Dyrrhachium. " How mysterious," said he,
"attended to my counsels,you would neither " are the ways of Providence.' When Pompey
now have feared the power of one man, nor neither acted upon the principles of wisdom
would it havebeen in one man that you should nor of justice, he was invincible; but now that
haveplacedyour hopes." Pompeyanswered,he wouldsavethe libertiesof his country,hi3
that " Cato had indeed been a belter prophet, good fortune seems to have forsaken him.
but that he had himself acted a more friendly Asinius, he said, he could easily drive out of
part." And Cato then advised the senate to Sicily; but aagreater supplieswere at hand, he
put every thing into the hands of Pompey. was unwilling to involve the island in war.
"For the authors of great evils," he said, He therefore advised the Syracusansto consult
"know best how to remove them." As Pom- their safety by joining the stronger party; and
peyperceived that his forces were insufficient, soon after set sail. When he came to Pom-
and even the few that he had by no means pey, his constant sentiments were, that the war
hearty in his cause, he thought proper to leave should be procrastinated in hopesof peace; for
the cily. Cato, being determined to follow that, if they came to blows, which party soever
him, sent his youngest son to Munatius, who might be successful,the event would be deci-
was in the country of the Brutii, and took the sive againstthe liberties of the state. He also
eldestalong with him. As his family, and par- prevailed on Pompey, and the council of war,
ticularly his daughters,wanted a proper super- that neither any city subject to the Romans
intendant,he took Marcia again,who was then should be sacked, nor any Human killed, ex-
a rich widow; for Hortensius was dead, and cept in the field of battle. By this he gained
had left her his whole estate. This circum- great glory,andbroughtovermany,by his hu-
stance gave Caesaroccasion to reproach Cato manity, to the interest of Pompey.
with his avarice, and to call him the merce- When he went into Asia for the purposeof
nary husband. " For why," said he, " did he raising men and ships, he took with him hia
part with her, if he had occasion for her him- sister Servilia, and a little boy that she had by
self:1 And, if he had not occasion for her, why Lucullus; for, since the death of her husband,
did he take her again? The reason is obvious. she had lived with him; and this circumstance
It was the wealth of Hortensius. He lent the of putting herself under the eye of Cato, and of
youngman his wife, that he might make her a following him through the severe discipline of
rich widow." But, in answer to this, one need camps, greatly recovered her reputation: yet
only quote that passageof Euripides, Caesardid not fail to censSreCato even on her
account.
Call Hercules a coward!
Though Pompey's officers in Asia did not
For it would be equally absurdto reproach think that theyhadmuchneedof Cato'sassist-
Cato with covetousnessas it would be to ance,yet hebroughtover the Rhodiansto theii
chaigeHerculeswithwantof courage.Wheth- interest; and there leaving his sister Servilia
er the conduct
of Catowasaltogether
unex-andherson,hejoinedPompey's
forces,
which
ceptionablein this affair is anotherquestion. werenowon a respectable footing,both by sea
andland. It wasonthisoccasionthatPompey
"But wasnotthisveryimpoliticin Cato?"Wasit discovered his final views. At first, heintend-
notavain sacrifice
tohisambition
of prophecy?Caesar
could notlongremainunacquainted with whathad ed to have given Cato the supremenaval com-
pawed inthescnale : andCato's
observation,onthis mand; andhehadthennofewerthanfivehun-
occasion, -was
notmuchmorediscreet thanit wouldbe dredmenof war, besides aninfinite numberof
to tellamadman, whohadaflambeau in hishand,
that open galleysand tenders. Reflecting,how-
he intendedto burn a house. Cato, in ouropinioD. with ever, or reminded by his friends, that Cato'«
all his virtue, contributed no les.ito the destruction of
thecommonwealth
thanCassar
himself.Wherefore
greatprinciplewason all occasions
to rescue
didheidlyeiasperate
thatambitious
man,byobject-
thecommonwealth
fromthegovernment
of an
ingagainst
a publicthanksgiving
for hisvictories?
individual;and that,if invested
with so con
Therewasa prejudicein that partof Calo'sconduct, siderable a power himself, the moment Ca;sar
which had
It is more butthe
than shadowof
probable, virtue
that tosupport
it was out ofit. Nay,
spite to should
bevanquished,
hewould
obligePompey
Caesar,that Cato pave the whole consular power to too to lay down his arms, and submit to the
Pompey.
Itmust
oeremembered,
thatCccsar
had
de-laws;hechanged
hisintentione,
though
hehad
kaucned
Cato's
sitter. alretdy mentionedthemto Cato,andgavetb«
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

commandof thefleettoBibulus. Thezealof country,tookuponhim the command.He

Cato,however,
wasnotabated bythisconduct,firstmadefor Cyrcne,
andwasreceivedbytho
Whentheywereontheeveof battleat Dyr people, thoughtheyhadbeforeshuttheirgate*
rhachium, Pornpey himself addressedand en- against Labicnus. Here he understood that
couragedthearmy,andorderedhisofficers to Scipio,Pompey's father-in-law,
wasentertain-
dothesame. Their addresses, notwithstand- edby Juba;andthatAppiusVarus,to whom
ing,werecoldlyreceived.ButwhenCatorose Pompey hadgiventhe governmentof Africa,
and spoke,upontheprinciples of philosophy,hadjoinedthemwithhisforces.Cato,there-
concerningliberty,virtue,death,and glory: fore,resolved
to marchto themby land,asit
when,by his impassioned action,he shewedwasnowwinter. Hehadgottogether a great
that he felt what he spoke,and that his elo- manyasses
to carry water;andfurnishedhim-
quencetookits glowingcolours fromhissoul; self alsowithcattleandothervictuallingpro-
whenheconcluded with aninvocation to the visions,
aawellaswitha number of carriages.
gods,as witnessesof theireffortsfor thepre- Hehadlikewise in histrainsome
of thepeople
servationof their country;-the plauditsof the called Psylli,* who obviatethe bad effectsof
armyrent the skies,andthe generalsmarchedthe bite of serpents,by suckingout thepoison;
on in full confidence
of victory. They fought, and deprivethe serpentsthemselves of their
and were victorious; though Caesar'sgood ferocityby their charms. During a continued
geniusavailedhim of the frigid cautionand marchfor sevendays,hewasalwaysforemost,
diffidence of Pompey, and rendered the victory though he made use of neither horse nor char-
incomplete. But these things have beenmen- iot. Even after the unfortunate battle of Phar-
tionedin the life of Pompey.Amid thegeneral salia,he ate sitting,f intendingit as an addi-
joy that followed this success,Cato alone tional token of mourning,that be never lay
mournedoverhis country,and bewailedthat downexceptto sleep.
fatal and cruel ambitionwhich coveredthe By the endof winterhereachedtheplaceof
teld with bodiesof citizensfallenby the hands his designation
in Libya, with an armyof near
of eachother. When Pompey,in pursuitof ten thousandmen. The affairsof Scipioand
Czsar, proceededto Thessaly,and left in Varuswerein a badsituation,by reasonof the
Dyrrhachium a large quantity of arms and misunderstanding and distractionwhich pre-
treasure, together with some friends and rela- vailed between them, and which led them to
tions, he gave the whole in charge to Cato, with pay their court with great servility to Juba,
the commandof fifteen cohortsonly; for still whosewealthandpowerrenderedhimintoler-
he was afraid of his republican principles. If ably arrogant. For when he first gave Cato
he shouldbevanquished,
indeed,he knewCato audience,hetookhis placebetweenScipioand
would be faithful to him; but if he should be Cato. But Cato took up his chair and removed
victor, he knew, at the same time, that he would it to the other side of Scipio; thus giving him
not permit him to reap the reward of conquest the most honourable place, though he was hi«
in the sweetsof absolutepower. Cato,how- enemy,and hadpublisheda libel againsthim.
ever,hadthesatisfaction
of beingattended
by Cato'sadversaries
havenot paidproperre-
manyillustrious personsin Dyrrhachium. gard to his spirit on this occasion,but they
After the fatal overthrow at Pharsalia, Cato have been readyenough to blamehim for put-
determined, in casoof Pompey's death, to con- ting Philostratus in the middle, when he was
duct the peopleunderhis chargeto Italy, and walkingwith him onedayin Sicily,thoughhe
then to retire into exile, far from the cognizance did it entirely out of regard to philosophy. In
of thepowerof thotyrant;butif Pompey
sur- rThese
people
were
80called
fromtheirkingPsyl-
vived, he wasresolvedto keephis little forces [us,whose
tombwasin theregionof theSyrtes.Var-
togetherfor him. With this design,hepassedrotellsus,Ihat,to trythelegitimacy
of theirchildren,
into Corcyra,wherethe fleetwasstationed:and
:hey sufierthemto bebittenbyavenomous serpent;
if they survive the wound, they concludethat they
and would there have resigned his command to are not spurious. Crates Pergamenussays,there were
(/icero, becausetie-hadbeenconsulandhim- a peopleof this kmd at Faros, on the Hellespont,call-
self only prator. But Cicerodeclinedit, and edOphiogenes,whose touchalonewasa curefor the
"et sail for Italy. Pompey the Younger re- biteof a serpent.Celsusobserves,
that the Psyllisuck
lented this defection,andwasaboutto lay vio- out thepoison
fromthewound,
not byanysuperior
lent handson Ciceroand someothers,but skill
to door
it.quality,
Somebut because
writers havethey
havecourage
asserted, enough
that thePsylli
Catopreventedhimby privateexpostulation;
have, aninnate qualityin theirconstitution,
thatis
andthussavedthe livesboth of Ciceroandthe poisonous
to serpents;
andthatthesmellof it throws
rest. them into a profound sleep. Pliny maintains, that
Cato,upona supposition
thatPompey
the and
every man
that has
those inhimself
creatures anatural
will poison
shun the forsaliva,
human serpents;
as
Great would make his escapeinto Egypt or they would boiling water. The fasting saliva,in par-
Libya, preparedto follow him, togetherwith ticular, if it comeswithin their mouths, kills them im-
his little force, after having first given, to such mediately. If, therefore,we maybelievethat thehu-
as choseit, the liberty of stayingbehind. As mansaliva
isanantidoUto thepoison
of aserpent,
we
soon as he had reachedthe Africancoast,he shallhavenooccasion to believe,
atthesametime,
that
metwithSextus,
Pompey's
younger
son,whothe
thisPsylli
kind, were endowed
but that theirwith
any
succeu peculiar
in thesequalities
of
operations
acquainted him with the death of his father. arose, aa Celsus says, Ex audacia usa confirmula,
This greatly afflicted the little band; but as However,they madea considerable trade of it; and
Pompeywas no more, they unanimouslyre- weareassured, thattheyhavebeenknowntoimpor*
"olved to have no other leaderthan Cato. theAfricanserpents
intoItaly,andothercountries,
t»
Cato,
outofcompassion
tothehonest
menthatincrease their gain.
ons into Sicily, Pliny
but they says,
would they
not livebrought
in that scorpi
island
bad put their confidencein him, and because f Theconsul
Varrodidthesame
afterthebattleof
he would not leave them destitute in a foreign Canna. It wasa ceremony
of mourning
 CATO THE YOUNGER. 549
thumanner hehumbled Juba,whohadconsid-fromthecrueltyandinhumanity ofScipio,who
eredScipio andVarusas little morethan alreadythrew out insolentmenaces agamrt
his lieutenants;andhetookcare alsoto recon- manyof the Romans,"
cilethemto eachother. Thethingcameto passsooner thanhe e«-
Thewholearmythendesiredhim to take pected. Aboutmidnighta personarrivedfrom
thecommand uponhim;andScipioandVarus the army,whence he hadbeenthreedaysin
readily
offered
to resignit: buthesaid," He coming,
withnews
thata greatbattlehadbeen
wouldnot transgress
the laws, for the sakeof foughtat Thaspus;that all waslost; that Cffisar
whichhe waswagingwarwiththe manwho wasmasterof boththecamps;andthatScipio
trampled
uponthem;nor, whenhewasonly andJubawerefledwith a few troops,which
proprietor,take the commandfrom a procon- hadescapedthe generalslaughter.
sul." For Scipiohadbeenappointed
procon- Onthe receiptof suchtidings,thepeople
o(
cul; andhis nameinspiredthe generalitywith Utica, as mightbeexpectedamidst the appre-
hopes
of success;
for theythoughta Scipio hensions
of nightandwar,wereintheutmoat
could not be beaten in Africa. distraction, and could scarce keep themselvti
ScipiobeingestablishedCommander-in-chief, within the walls. But Cato making his ap
to gratify Juba, was inclined to put all the pearanceamongthecitizens,whowererunning
inhabitants of Utica to the sword, and to raze up and down the streets with great confusion
the city as a placeengagedin the interest of andclamour,encouraged
themin thebestman-
Caesar. But Cato would not suffer it: he in- ner he could. To remove the violence of ter-
veighed
loudlyin councilagainstthat design, ror and astonishment,
he told them the case
invokingHeavenandearth to opposeif, and, might not besobadas it wasrepresented, the
with muchdifficulty, rescuedthat peopleout misfortunebeing probablyexaggeratedby re-
of the hands of cruelly. After which, partly port; and thus he calmed the present tumult.
on their application,and partly at the request As soon as it was light, he summoned
to the
of Scipio,he agreedto takethe commandof templeof Jupiterthe three hundredwhomhe
the town, that it might neither willingly nor made use of as a council. These were the
unwillinglyfall into the handsof Caesar. In- Romanswho traffickedthere in merchandise
deed,it wasa placeveryconvenientandadvan- andexchangeof money; andto themheadded
tageousto thosewho were mastersof it; and all the senators,and their sons. While they
Cato added much to its strength, as well as were assembling, he entered the house with
convenience. For he brought into it a vast great composure and firmness of look, as ii
quintity of bread-corn,repaired the walls, nothingextraordinaryhad happened;
andread
erectedtowers,and fortified it with ditches and a book which he had in his hand. This con-
ramparts.Then he armedall the youth of tainedan accountof the stores,the corn,the
Utica, and posted them in the trenches under arms, and other implements of war, and the
his eye: as for the rest of the inhabitants, he musters.
kept them close within the walls; but, at the When they were met, he opened the matter
sametime, took great care that they should suf- by commendingthe three hundred, for the ex-
fer no injury of anykind from the Romans. And traordinary alacnty and fidelity they had shewn
by the supplyof arms,of money, and provisions, in serving the public cause with their purses,
which he sent in great quantities to the camp, their persons, and their counsels; and exhort-
Uticacameto be consideredas the principal ing themnot to entertaindifferentviews,or to
magazine. endeavourto savethemselvesby flight;" for,"
The advicehe hadbeforegivento Pompey, continuedhe, " if you keepin a body,Cssar
nenow gave to Scipio, " Not to risk a battle will not hold you in such contempt, '^you con-
with an able and experienced warrior, but to tinue the war; and you will be more likely to
takethe advantageof time, which most effect- be spared, if you have recourse to submission.
uallyblaststhe growthof tyranny." Scipio, I desireyou will considerthe point thorough-
however,in his rashness,despised thesecoun- ly, andwhat resolutionsoeveryou maytake,I
sels,andonceeven scruplednot to reproach will not blameyou. If you areinclined logo
Catowith cowardice;asking, " Whether he with the streamof fortune, I shall imputethe
couldnot be satisfiedwith sitting still himself changeto thenecessityof the times.If you bear
withinthe wallsand bars,unlesshe hindered up againsttheir threateningaspect,and con-
othersfromtakingboldermeasures uponocca-. tinue to facedangerin the causeof liberty, I
riou?"Catowroteback," Thathewasready will beyourfellow-soldier,
aswellascaptain,
to crossover into Italy with the horseand foot till our country has experienced the last issues
whichhe had broughtinto Africa,and,bv ofherfate:ourcountry,whichis notin Utica,
bringingCssar uponhimself,to drawhim from or Adrymettutn,but Rome;andshe,in hervast
his designagainstScipio." But Scipio only resources,has often recoveredherself from
ridiculed the proposal;and it wasplain that greaterfallsthan this. Many resources
wecer-
Catonowrepented
hisgivingupto himthe tainlyhaveat present;
andtheprincipal
is,
command,since he saw that Scipio would take that we have to contend with a man whose oc-
norationalscheme
for the conductof the war; casionsobligehim to attendto variousobjects
andthatif heshould,beyond all expectation,Spain is goneover to youngPompey,and
tucceed,
hewouldbehave withnokindof mod- Rome,as yet unaccustomed to theyoke,ia
eration
tothecitizens.It wasthereforeCato's readyto spurnit fromher,andto rvseon any
judgment,
andheoftendeclared
it tohisfriends,prospect
of change.Norisdangerto bede-
- That,byreason
of theincapacityandrash-clined.In thisyoumaytakeyourenemy foi
nessof the generals,he could hopeno good a pattern,who is prodigalof his blood in the
endofthewar;andthat,even
if victory
shouldmostiniquitouscause;
whereas,
if yousucceed,
declare
forthem,andCfEsarbedestroyed,
for youwill liveextremely
happly;
if youmiscarry
rt, he would not stay at Rome, but fly the uncertaintiesof war will be terminated
C50 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

with a gloriousdeath. However,deliberatekeepata distancefromUtica,because

thethree
amongyourselves as to thestepsyou shouldhundred
werenotto bedepended upon.
take,first entreating
Heavento prosperyour In the meantimea considerable bodyat
determinations in a mannerworthythecour- cavalry,whohadescapedoutof thebattle,ap-
ageandzealyouhavealready shown." proachedUtica,anddespatched
threemento
This speechof Cato'sinspired somewith Cato,thoughtheycouldcometo no unanimous
confidence,
andevenwith hope;andthe gen- resolution.For somewerefor joiningJuba,
erality wereso muchaffectedwith his intrepid, someCato, and otherswere afraid to enter
bisgenerous,
and humane
turn of mind,that Utica. This accountbeingbroughtto Cato,
they almost forgot their presentdanger;and he orderedMarcus Rubriusto attendto the
lookinguponhimastheonlygeneral
that was business
of thethreehundred,
and quietlyto >
invincible,andsuperiorto all fortune, " They takedownthe namesof suchasofferedto set
desiredhimtomakewhatusehethought
prop- freetheirslaves,
withoutpretending
to usethe
er of their fortunesandtheir arms; for that it least compulsion. Then he went out of the
wasbetterto dieunderhisbanner
thanto save town,takingthesenators
withhim,to a con-
their livesat the expense
of betrayingso much ferencewith the principalofficersof the caval-
virtue." One of the council observed the ex- ry. He entreated their officers not to aban-
pediency of a decreefor enfranchisingthe don so manyRoman senators;nor to choose
slaves,and manycommended
the motion:Juba,ratherthanCato,for their general;but
Cato, however,said," He wouldnot do that, to join, andmutuallycontributeto eachother's
becauseit wasneitherjust nor lawful; but such safety by entering the city, which wasim-
astheir masterswouldvoluntarily
discharge,pregnable
in point of strength,andhadpro-
he wouldreceive,providedtheywereof proper visionsand everything necessary
for defence
age to bear arms." This many promised to for many years. The senators secondedthis
do; andCatowithdrew, after havingordered applicationwith prayersand tears. The of-
lists to be madeout of all that shouldoffer. ficers went to consult the troopsundertheir
A little afterthis, letters werebroughthim command;and Cato, with the senators,set
from Juba and Scipio. Juba, who lay with a down upon one of the mounds to wait their
small corps concealed in the mountains, desir- answer.
edto knowCato'sintentions;proposing to wait At that momentRubriuscameup in great
for him if he left Utica,or to assisthim if he fury, inveighing againstthe three hundred,
choseto standa siege. Scipio also lay at who, he said, behavedin a very disorderly
anchor under a promontory near Utica, ex- manner, and were raising commotions in the
pectingan answeron the sameaccount. city. Upon this, manyof the senators
thought
Catothoughtitadvisableto keepthemessen-their conditiondesperate,and gaveinto the
ger till he should know the final determination utmost expressionsof grief. But Cato endeav-
of the threehundred.All of the patricianorder ouredto encouragethem, andrequested
the
with great readiness enfranchised and armed three hundred to have patience,
their slaves;but as for the three hundred, who Nor was there any thing moderate in the
dealt in traffic andloansof moneyat highin- proposalsof the cavalry. The answerfrom
terest, and whose slaves were a considerable them was " That they had no desireto be in
part of their fortune, the impressionwhich the pay of Juba; nor did they fear Cresar,
Cato'sspeechhadmadeuponthemdidnot last while theyshouldhaveCatofor their general;
long. As some bodies easily receive heat,and but to be shut up with Uticans, Phoenicians,
as easilygrow cold againwhen the fire is re- who wouldchangewith the wind, was a cir-
moved,sothe sightof Cato warmedandliber- cumstance whichtheycould not bearto think
alized these traders; but when they came to of; for," said they, " if they are quiet now, yet
considerthe matter among themselves,the whenCaesar
arrives, theywill betray us and
dread of Caesarsoon put to flight their rever- conspire our destruction. Whoever, therefore,
ence for Cato, and for virtue. For thus they desiresus to range under his banners there,
talked-" What are we, and what is the man must first expel the Uticans, or put them to
whose orders we refuse to receive? Is it not the sword, and then call us into a place clear
Caesarinto whose handsthe whole powerof the of enemiesand barbarians." These proposals
Romanempireis fallen? And surely noneof appearedto Cato extremelybarbarousand
usis a Scipio,a Pompey,or a Cato. Shall we, savage:however,he mildly answered," That
at a time when their fears make all men en- he would talk with the three hundred about
tertain sentiments beneaththeir dignity-shall them." Then, entering the city again, he
we, in Utica, fightfor the libertyof Romewith appliedto that set of men,whonownolonger,
a man againstwhom Cato and Pompeythe out of reverenceto him, dissembled or pal-
Great durstnot makea standin Italy? Shall liated their designs. They openly expressed
we enfranchiseour slavesto opposeCaesar,their resentmentthat any citizensshouldpre-
who have no more liberty ourselves than that sume to lead them againstCaisar, with whom
conquereris pleasedto leaveus?Ah! wretches all contestwas beyondtheir powerand theii
that we arc! Let us at last know ourselvesand hopes. Nay, some went so far as to say,
senddeputiesto intercedewith himfor mercy." " That thesenatorsoughtto bedetainedin the
This was the languageof the most moderate town till Caesar came." Catolet thispassaa
amongthe threehundred:but the greatestpart if he heardit not; and,indeed,hewasa little
of themlay in wait for thepatricians,thinking, deaf.
if theycould seizeuponthem,theyshouldmore But being informedthat the cavalrywere
easilymaketheir peacewith Caesar.Catosus- marching off, he was afraid that the three
pected
thechange,butmadenoremonstrances hundred wouldlake somedesperate
stepwith
against
it; heonlywroteto ScipioandJuba,to respectto thesenators;
andhetherefore
went
 CATO THE YOUNGER. £51

in pursuitof themwith his friends.As he taviuB*

approached
theplacewithtwolegions;
foundtheyweregotundermarch,herodeafter and,assoonashehad encamped, sentto de-
them. It'was with pleasurethey sawhim ap- sire Catoto settlewith him the business
of th«
proach;andthey exhortedhim to go with command.Catogavethemessenger no an
them,and savehis lifewiththeirs. On this swer,butturningto his friends,said," Need
occasion,it is saidthat Catoshedtears,while we wonderthat our causehas not prospered,
he interceded with extendedhands in behalf when we retain our ambition on the very brink
of the senators. He even turned the heads of of ruin?"
someof their horses,andlaid hold of their ar- In the meantime,havingintelligencethatthe
mour,till he prevailed with him to stay, at cavalry at their departure,were taking the
least, that day, to secure the retreat of tho goods of the Uticans as a lawful prize, he has-
tenators. tenedup to them,and snatchedthe plunder
When he came back with them, and had out of the handsof the foremost: upon which
committed
the chargeof the gatesto some,and they all threw down what theyhadgot, and
the citadel to others, the three hundred were retired in silence, dejected and ashamed. He
under great apprehensions of being punished then assembled the Uticans, and applied to
for their inconstancy, and sent to beg of Cato, them in behalf of the three hundred, desiring
by all means, to come and speak to them. But them not to exasperate Caesaragainst those
the senatorswould not suffer him to go. They Romans, but to act in concert with them, and
said they would never let their guardian and consult each other's safety. After which he
deliverer come into the hands of such perfid- returned to the sea-side to look upon the em-
ious and traitorous men. It was now, indeed, barkation; and such of his friends and ac-
that Cato's virtue appearedto all ranks of men quaintancesas he could persuadeto go, he em-
in Utica in the clearest light, and commanded braced and dismissed,with great marks of af-
the highest love and admiration. Nothing fection. His son was not willing to go with the
could be more evident than that the most per- rest, and he thought it was not right to insist
fect integrity was the guide of his actions. He on his leaving a father he was so fond of.
had long resolved to put an end to his being, There was one Statyllius,t a young man, who
aod yet he submitted to inexpressible labours, affected a firmness of resolution above his
cares,and conflicts,for others; that, afterhe years,and, in all respects,studiedto appear
had securedtheir lives, he might relinquish his like Cato, superior to passion. As this young
own. For his intentions in that respect were man's enmity to Cssar was well known,.Cato
obviousenough,though he endeavouredto desiredhim by all meansto takeshipwith tha
concealthem. rest; and when he found him bent upon stay-
Therefore, after having satisfiedthe senators ing, he turned to Apollonides the Stoic, and
as well as hecould, he went alone to wait upon Demetrius the Peripatetic, and said, " It ia
the three hundred. " They thanked him for your business to reduce this man's extrava-
the favour, and entreatedhim to trust them and gance of mind, and to make him seewhat it
makeuseof their services;but as they were for his good." He now dismissedall except
not Catos,nor had Cato's dignity of mind, they such as had businessof importance with him;
hopedhe would pity their weakness. They anduponthesehe spentthat night and great
toldhim theyhadresolvedto senddeputiesto part of the day following.
Caesar,to intercedefirst and principally for Lucius Czsar,a relationof the conqueror,
Cato. If that request should not be granted, who intended to intercede for the three hun-
theywouldhaveno obligationto him for any dred,desiredCatoto assisthim in composing
favourto themselves;but as long as theyhad a suitablespeech. "And for you," said he,
breath,would fight for Cato." Cato made his I shall think it an honour to becomethe most
acknowledgments
for their regard,andadvised humblesuppliant,andevento throw myselfat
themto sendimmediatelyto intercedefor them- his feet." Cato, however,would not sufferit:
ielves. "For me," said he, "intercede not. " If I choseto beindebted,"saidhe " to Cssar
It is for theconquered
to turnsuppliants,
and for my life, I oughtto go in person,
andwith-
for thosewho havedonean injury to begpar- out any mediator;but I will not have anyob-
don. For my part, I havebeen unconqueredligation to a tyrant in a business by which he
throughlife, andsuperiorin the thingsI wish- subvertsthe laws. And he docs subvertthe
edtobe; for injustice andhonourI am Caesar'slaws, by saving,as a master,thoseover whom
superior. Caesar is the vanquished,the falling he hagno right of authority. Nevertheless,
we
man,beingnowclearly convictedof thosede- will consider,if you please,how to makeyour
signsagainst
hiscountrywhich he had long application
mosteffectual
in behalfof thethree
denied." hundred."
Afterhehad thus spokento the threehun- After hehad spentsome time with Lucius
dred,he left them; and being informedthat Caesar
upon this affair, he recommendedliia
Czsar was alreadyon hig march to Utica, son and friends to his protection,conducted
" Strange!"
saidhe," it seems
he takesusfor hima little onhisway,andthentookhisleave,
men." He then went to the senators,and de- and retired to his own house. His son and the
lired themto hastentheir flight while the cav- restof his friends being assembled
there, he
alryremained.
Helikewiseshutall thegates,discoursed
withthema considerable
time;and,
exceptthat whichleadsto the sea; appointed amongother things,chargedthe youngmanto
thipsfor thosewhowereto depart;provided
forgoodorderin the town;redressedgriev- " The gamewho commandedPompey'sfleet
ances;composed
disturbances,and furnished t Thisbrave
youn£
Roman
wasthesame
who,after
Viebattle of Philippi, went through the enemy, to in
allwhowanted
withthenecessary
provisionsquire into the condition of Brutus's camp, and wai
"orthe -voyage.About this time Marcus Oc- slain in bit return by Cxtar's soldiers.
 662 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

take no share in the administration. " For the in a louder tone demandedhis sword. At hut
"tate of affairs," said he, " is such, that it is he struck one of them such a blow on the
impossiblefor youto fill anyofficein a manner mouththathchurt his ownhand;z.ndgrowing
worthyof Cato;andto doit otherwise
would moreangry,andraisinghisvoicestill higher,
beunworthyof yourself." hecried," I ambetrayed
anddelivered naked
In theeveninghewentto thebath; where,to myenemy bymysonandmyservants." His
bethinking
himself
of Statyllius,
hecalled
oui sonthenranin withhisfriends,
andtenderly
aloud to Apollonides,andsaid, " Have you embracinghim,had recourseto tearsand en-
takendowntheprideof that youngman?and treaties.But Catoroseup,and,witha stern
is hegonewithoutbiddingusfarewell?""No, and awful look, thus expressed
himself:-
indeed," answeredthe philosopher," we have " When andwheredid I shewany signsof
takena greatdeal of pains with him; but he distraction,that nobodyoffersto dissuademe
continuesasloftyandresolute asever;hesays fromanypurpose thatI mayseem
to bewrong
he will stay,and certainlyfollow your con- in, butI mustbe hindered
frompursuing
my
duct." Catothensmiled,andsaid," Thatwill resolutions,thusdisarmed? Andyou,young
soonbeseen." man,why do not you bind your father?bind
After bathing,he went to supper^with a his handsbehindbis back, that whenCaesar
largecompany,at which he sat, as hehadal- comes,hemayfind me utterlyincapableof re-
waysdonesince the battle of Pharsalia;for, sistance?As to a sword,I have no needof it
(as we observedabove)he never now lay to despatchmyself; for if I do but hold my
downexceptto sleep. All his friends,andthe breath awhile, or dash my head againstthe
magistratesof Utica, suppedwith him. After wall, it will answerthe purposeaswell."
supper,the wine wasseasoned with muchwit Upon his speakingin thismanner,theyoung
and learning; and manyquestionsin philoso- manwent out of the chamberweeping,ana
phywere proposed anddiscussed.In the course with him all the rest, except Demetriosand
of the conversation,
theycameto the paradoxesApollonides. To these philosophershe ad-
of the stoics (for so their maxims are common- dressedhimself in a milder tone.-"Are you
ly called,) and to thia in particular, " That the also determined to make a man of my agelite
good man only is free, and all bad men are whether he will or no? And do you sit here
"laves."* The Peripatetic,in pursuance
of his in silenceto watchme? Or doyou bringany
principles, took up the argumentagainstit. aigumentsto prove, that now Cato has no
Upan which Cato attacked him with great hopesfrom any otherquarters,it is nodishon-
warmth, and in a louder and more vehement our to beg mercy of his enemy? Why do not
accent than usual, carried on a most spirited you begin a lecture to inform me better, that,
discourseto a considerablelength. From the dismissing
theopinionsin whichyouandI have
tenor of it, the whole companyperceivedhe lived, we may,throughCaesar's means,grow
bad determined to put an end to his being, to wiser, and so have a still greater obligation to
extricatehimself from the hard conditionson him? As yet I have determined nothing with
whichhe wasto holdit. respectto myself;but I oughtto haveit in my
As he found a deepandmelancholy silence powerto put my purposein execution,whenI
the consequence of hisdiscourse,heendeavour-haveformedit. And, indeed,I shall,in some
ed to recoverthe spirits of his guests,and to measure,consultwith you,for I shallproceed
removetheir suspicions,by talkingof their pres- in my deliberationsuponthe principlesof your
ent affairs,andexpressing his fearsbothfor his philosophy. Be satisfiedthen,andgotell my
friendsandpartisanswhowereupontheir voy- son,if persuasion will not do, not to havere-
age; andfor thosewho hadto maketheir way courseto constraint."
throughdrydeserts,
and a barbarous
country. Theymadeno answer,
but wentout; the
After the entertainmentwas over,he took tearsfalling from their eyesastheywithdrew.
his usual eveningwalk with his friends and The swordwas sent in by a little boy. He
gavetheofficersof the guards
suchordersas drewandexamined
it, and findingthe point
the occasionrequired,andthen retired to his and the edgegood, " Now," said he, " I am
chamber.The extraordinaryardourwith which master of myself." Then laying down the
he embracedhis son and his friendsat this sword,he took up the book again,and,it is
parting,
recalled
all theirsuspicions.
Helay said,heperused
thewhole
twice."After»hicb,
down and beganto readPlato's book on the he sleptso soundthat he washeardby those
immortalityofthesoul:butbeforehehadgone whowerein waitingwithout.Aboutmidnight
throughwithit, helookedup,andtooknotice hecalledfor two of his freedmen,
CJeanthe*
that hisswordwasnot at theheadof hisbed, thephysician,
andButas,whomhe generally
whereit usedto hang;for his sonhadtaken employed aboutpublicbusiness.The latter
it awaywhilehe wasat supper.He,there-heKent
totheport,toseewhether
alltheRo-
fore,calledhis servantandaskedhim, who manshadputoffto sea,andbringhimword.
badtakenawayhis eword?As the servant In themeantime heordered
thephysician
to
madenoanswer, hereturned
to hisbook;and, dresshis hand,whichwasinflamed
by the
after a while,without any appearance
of haste blow hehadgivenhis servant This wassome
or hurry,asif it wasonlybyaccident
thathe consolation
to thewholehouse,
fornowthey
calledfor the sword,he orderedhimto bring thought hehaddropped his designagainst
his
it The servantstill delayedto bringit, and life. Soonafterthis Butasreturned,
andin-
hehadpatience till hehadreadout hisbook: formedhimthat theywereall got off except
butthenhecalled
hisservants
onebyone,and Crassus,
whohadbeendetained
bysome
buii-
" Thif wasnotthesentiment
»f thestoicionly,but * Yet this verydialogue
condemns
suicidsin tht
of Sotrmtes. strongest terns.
 AGIS. 653

ness,
butthatheintended
toembark
verysoon,'I thathimself,
w to hisfriendsandhi«sonlived
thoughthe wind blew hard,and the seawag therewithout any appearance
of fear or ap-
tempestuous. Cato,at this news,sighedin prehension.Uponthese circumstances be
pityofhisfriends
atsea,andsentButas again,couldformnoprobableconjecture.However,
that if anyof themhappened to haveput asit wasa greatpoint withhimto getCato
back,andshouldbe in wantof anything,he intohishands,headvanced to theplacewith
mightacquainthimwith it. hisarmywith all possible
expedition.And
By this time the birds beganto sing,and whenhehad intelligenceof Gate'sdeath,he
Catofell againinto a little slumber. Butas,at is reportedto haveutteredthis shortsentence,
his return,told him, all was quiet in the har- " Cato, I envy thee thy death, since thou
bour; upon which Cato orderedhim to shut couldstenvyme the glory of savingthy life."
thedoor,havingfirst stretchedhimselfon the Indeed,if Catohaddeignedto owe his life to
bed,asif hedesignedto sleepout the restof Ci'sar, he would not so muchhave tarnish-
the night. But after Butaswasgone,hedrew ed his own honouras have addedto that of
his sword, and stabbed himself under the the conqueror. What might have been the
breast. However, he could not strike hard event is uncertain; but, in all probability
enoughonaccountof the inflammationin his ('ivsur would have inclined to the merciful
hand,andthereforedid not presentlyexpire, side.
but in the struggle with death fell from the bed, Cato died at the age of forty-eight. Hi*
and threw down a little geometrical table that son suffered nothing from Cxsar; but, it is
stoodby said, he was rather immoral, and that he was
The noisealarming the servants, they cried censuredfor his conduct with respect to wo-
out,andhis son and his friendsimmediatelymen. In Cappadociahe lodgedat the house
enteredthe room. They found him weltering of Marphadates, one of the royal family, who
in his blood,and his bowels fallen out; and at had a very handsome wife; and as he staid
the sametime he was alive and looked upon there a longer time than decency could war-
them. They were struck with inexpressible rant, such jokes as these were passedupon
horror. The physician approachedto examine him:-" Cato goes the morrow after the thir-
the wound,and finding the bowels uninjured, tieth day of the month "-" Porciusand Mar-
heputthemup,andbeganto sewupthewound. phadatesare two friends who have but one
But as soon as Cato came a little to himself, soul;" for the wife of Marphadates was named
he thrust away the physician, tore open the Pacyche, which signifies soul.-" Cato is a
wound,plucked out his own bowels, and im- ?reat and generousman,and has a royal soul."
mediatelyexpired. Nevertheless, he wiped off all aspersions by
In lesstime than one would think all the his death; for, fighting at Philippi against Oc-
family couldbe informed of this sad,event,the tavius Cssar and Antony, in the causeof liber-
threehundredwere at the door; and a little ty, after his party gave way, he disdained
after, al) the people of Utica thronged about to fly. Instead of slipping out of the action,
it, with one voice calling him " their benefac- he challenged the enemy to try their strength
for, their saviour, the only free and unconquer- with Cato! he animated such of his troops as
edman." This theydid, though,at the same badstoodtheir ground,and fell acknowledg
time, they had intelligence that Czsar was ap- ed by his adversariesas a prodigy of valour.
proaching.Neither fear, nor the flatteryof Cato'sdaughterwasmuchmoreadmiredfor
the conqueror,nor the factious disputesthat her virtues. She was not inferior to her fa-
prevailedamongthemselves,could divert them ther either in prudence or in fortitude; for be-
fromdoing honour to Cato. They adorned ing marriedto Brutus,who killed Cssar,she
thebodyin a magnificentmanner,and,after a wastrustedwith the secretof the conspiracy,
splendid procession,buried it near the sea; and put a period to her life in a manner wor-
wherenow stands bis statue, with a sword in thy of her birth and of her virtue, as we have
the right hand. related in the life of Brutus,
Thisgreatbusiness
over,theybeganto take As for Statyllius,who promisedto imitate
measures
for saving themselvesand their city. the pattern of Cato, he would have despatched
Ciesar
hadbeeninformed
bypersons
whowent aimselfsoonafterhim,but wasprevented
by
lo surrenderthemselves, that Cato remained the philosophers. He approved himself after
in Utica,withoutanythoughtsof flight; that he wardsto Brutusa faithful andableofficer,and
"rovidedfor the escapeof others,indeed,but fell in the battleof Pbilippi.

AGIS.

ITisnotwithoutappearance
of probabilityallthedifferent
varietyof passions,
theypro-
thatsome thinkthefableof Iiion designedto ducenothingpureandgenuine;thewholeis.
represent thefate of ambitiousmen. Ixion sueieof a preposterous kind. Theshepherd*
tooka cloudinstead of Junoto his armsand in Sophocles sayof theirflocks,
theCentaurs werethe offspringof theirem-
brace'tlie ambitiousembracehonour,which -TheseareouraubjecU, yetwe»erTe
them,
Aud listen lo ihtir mutt command.
isonlytne jmageof vjrtue; and; governedby
different
impulses,
actuated
byemulation
andThesame
maybetrulyaffirmed
ofthose
great
554 PLLTARCH'S LIVES.

statesmenwho governaccordingto the capri- Spartankings,Agiaand Clcomenr*,who were

cious and violent inclinationsof the people. not behindhimin popularity. Like theOrac-
Theybecome
slaves,
to gamthenameof mag.chi,theystroveto enlarge
theprivileges
of the
istratcsandrulers. As in a ship thoseat the people,andby restoringthe just and glorioui
oarcanseewhatis beforethembetterthanthe institutions
whichhad longfallenintodisuw
pilot, andyet are oftenlookingbackto him for theybecameequally obnoxiousto the great,
orders;so theywho taketheir measures
of whocouldnotthinkof partingwiththesupe-
administrationonly with a view to popularap- riority which richesgavethem,andto which
plause, are called governors indeed, but, jo they had long beenaccustomed. These Spar-
fact, are no merethan slavesof the people. tanswere not, indeed,brothers;but their ac-
The complete,the honeststatesman hasno tions were of the samekindredandcomplex-
farther regard to the public opinion than as the ion; the source of which was this: -
confidenceit gainshim facilitateshis designs, When the love of moneymadeits wayinto
and crowns them with success. An ambitious Sparta,and brought avarice and meannessin
young man maybe allowed,indeed,to value iU train on the onehand,on the other,profu
himselfuponhis greatandgoodactions,andto sioo,effeminacy,and luxury, that statesoon
expect his portion of fame. For virtues, as deviated from its original virtue, and sank into
Theophrastus says, when they first begin to contempt till the reign of Agis and Leonidas.
grow in persons of that age and disposition, Agis was of the family of Eurytion, the son of
are cherished and strengthened by praise, and Eudamidas, the sixth in descent from Agesi-
afterwards increase in proportion as the love laus, distinguished by his expedition into Asia,
of glory increases. But an immoderate pas- and for his eminence in Greece. Agesilaus
sion for fame, in all affairs, is dangerous,and was succeeded by his son Archidamus, who
in political matters destructive: for, joined to was slain by the Messapiansat Mandomum in
great authority, this passiondrives all that are Italy.* Agis was the eldest son of Archida-
possessed
with it into folly andmadness,
while mus,and beingslainat MegaJopolis
byAntipa-
they no longer think that glorious which is ter, and leaving no issue,was succeededby his
good, but account whatever is glorious to be brother Eudamidas. He was succeeded by
also good and honest. Therefore, as Phocion another Archidamus, his son, and that prince
said to Antipater, when he desired something by another Eudamidas, his son likewise, and
of him inconsistent with justice, " You cannot the father of that Agis of whom we are now
havePhocion for your friend andflatterer too;" speaking. Leonidas, the son of Cleonymui,
this, or somethinglike it, should be said to the was of another branch of the family of the
multitude; " You cannot have the same man Agiads, the eighth in descent from that Pau-
both for your governor and your slave:" for saniaswho conquered Mardonius at Plataea
that would be no more than exemplifying the Pausaniaswas succeededby his sonPlistonax,
fable of the servant. The tail, it seems,one and he by another Pausanias, who being ban-
day, quarrelled with the head, and, instead of ished to Tegea, left his kingdom to his eldest
beingforcedalwaysto follow, insistedthat it sonAgesipolis. He, dyingwithout issue,was
shouldleadin its turn. Accordingly,the tail succeededby his brother Cleombrotus, who
undertookthe charge,and, as it movedfor- left two sons,AgesipolisandCleomenesAge-
ward at all adventures,it tore itself in a terri- sipolis,aftera shortreign,died without issue,
ble manner: and the head, which was thus andCleomenes,who succeededhim in the
obliged,againstnature,to follow a guidethat kingdom,afterburying his eldest son Acro-
could neither see nor hear,sufferedlikewise tatus,left surviving anotherson Cleonymus,
in its turn. We seemanyunderthesamepre- who,however,did not succeedto the king-
dicament,whoseobjectis popularityin all the dom,whichfell to Areusthe sonof Acrotatus,
steps of their administration. Attached en- and grandson"of Cleomenes. Areus being slain
tirely to the capriciousmultitude,theyproduce at Corinth, the crown descendedto his son
suchdisordersas theycan neitherredressnor Acrotatus,who wasdefeatedand killed in the
restrain. battle of Megalopolis, by the tyrant Aristo-
Theseobservations
on popularityweresug- demus. He left,his wife pregnant;andasthe
gestedto us by considering
the effectsof it childproved
to bea son,Leonidas,
thesonof
in the misfortunes of TiberiusandCaiusGrac- Cleonymus, took the guardianship
of him; and
chus. In point of disposition,of education, his chargedying in his minority,the crown
and political principles, none could exceed fell to him. This princewasnot agreeable to
them; yet they were ruined,not so muchby his people. For, thoughthe corruptionwas
an immoderate loveof gloryasby a fearof dis- general,andtheyall grewdaily moreandmore
grace,which,in its origin,wasnot wrong.depraved,
yetLeonidas
wasmoreremarkable
They hadbeenso muchobligedto the people than the restfor hisdeviationfromthecustomi
for their favour,that theywere ashamed
to be of his ancestors.He hadlongbeenconversant
behind-handwith them in inarKsof attention. in the courtsof theAsiaticprinces,particularly
On thecontrary,bythe most acceptableser- in thatof Seleucus,
andhehadtheindiscretion
vices,theyalwaysstudied
to outdothehonoursto introducethe pompof thosecourtsintos.
paidthem;andbeingstill morehonoured on Grecian state,and intoa kingdomwhere
the
accountof thoseservices,
the affectionbetween lawswerethe rules 01"government.
themandthepeoplebecame
at lastsoviolent, Agisfar exceeded
notonlyhim,but almost
that it forced theminto a situationwhereinit all the kings who reignedbeforehimsincethe
was in vain to say, " Since we are wrong, it * Weknowof DOsuchplaceastfandonivm. Prob-
wouldbea shameto persist." In thecourseablywenhould
readMandvrium,
whichU acityof
of the history theseobservations
occur. Japrgia.mentioned
by Ihegeographers.
CeUoni*
With these two Romans let us comparetwo page903.
 AGIS. 555

greatAgesilaus,in goodness
ofdisposition
and astheywouldhave
changed AeirapparelBut
dignityof mind. For, thoughbroughtupin mostof theoldmen,beingfargonein corrup-
thegreatestaffluence,
andinalltheindulgence
tion,wereasmuchafraidof thename ofLy-
that mightbeexpected
fromfemaletuition, curgusasa fugitiveslave,whenbroughtback,
underbis motherAgesistrata,and his grand- is of thatof his master.They inveighed,
there-
motherArcbidamia,who werethe richestper- fore,againstAgisfor lamentingthepresentstate
ions in Lacedamonia,yet beforehe reached of things, and desiringto restorethe ancient
the age of twenty, he declaredwar against dignityof Sparta. On the other hand,Lysan-
pleasure;
and,to prevent
anyvanity
whichthe der,thesonofLibya,Mandroclidas
thesonof
beautyof his personmighthavesuggested,
he Ecphanes,and Agesilaus,not only cameinto
discardedall unnecessaryornamentand ei- hisgloriousdesigns,
but co-operated
with them.
pense,
andconstantly
appeared
in a plainLa- Lysander
hadgreatreputation
andauthority
cedaemonian
cloak. In his diet, his bathing, amongthe Spartans. No man understood
the
and in all his exercises, he kept close to the interests of Greece better than Mandroclidas,
Spartansimplicity, and he often usedto say and with his shrewdness
andcapacityhe had
that the crown was no farther an object of de- a proper mixture of spirit. As for Agesilaus,
gire to him, than agit might enablehim to res- he was uncle to the king, and a man of great
tore the laws and ancient discipline .of his eloquence, but at the same time effeminateand
country. avaricious. However,he wasanimatedto this
The first symptoms of corruption and dis- enterprise by his son Hippomedon, who had
temperin their commonwealth
appeared
at the distinguished
himself in many wars,and wag
.irne when the Spartans had entirely destroyed respectableon accountof the attachment of the
the Athenian empire, and began to bring gold Spartan youth to his person. It must be ac-
and silver into Lacedjemon. Nevertheless, knowledged, indeed, that the thing which really
the Agrarianlaw established
by Lycurgusstill persuadedAgesilausto embarkin the design
lubsisting, and the lots of land descendingun- was the greatnessof his debts,which he hoped
diminishedfrom father to son, order and equal- would be cleared off by a change in the con.
ity in somemeasure
remained,which prevent- stitution.
ed othererrorsfrom beingfatal. But Epitadeus, As soon as Agis had gained him, he endeav-
a man of great authority in Sparta, though at oured, with his assistance,to bring hie own
the same time factious and ill-natured, being mother into the scheme. She was sister to
appointed
oneof theephori,andhavinga quar- Agesilaus,and by her extensiveconnexions,
rel with his son, procured a law that all men her wealth, and the number of people who
shouldhave liberty to alienate* their estatesin owed her money, hadgreat influence in Sparta,
their lifetime, or to leave them to whom they and a considerableshare in the managementof
pleasedat their death. It was to indulge his public affairs. Upon the first intimation of the
privateresentment,that this man proposedthe thing, she was quite astonishedat it, and dis-
decree,which othersacceptedandconfirmed suadedthe young man as much as possible,
from a motive of avarice, and thus the best in- from measureswhich shelooked upon as neith-
stitutionin the world wasabrogated.Men of er practicablenor salutary. But Agesilaus
fortunenowextendedtheirlandedestateswith- shewedher that they mighteasilybe brought
out bounds, not scruplingto excludethe right to bear, and that they would prove of the
heirs;andpropertyquickly cominginto a few greatestutility to thestate.The youngprince,
bands,the n:st of the people were poor and too, entreatedhis mother to sacrifice her wealth
miserable. The latter foundno time or oppor- to the advancementof his glory,andto indulge
tunity for liberal arts and exercises,being his laudableambition. " It is impossible,"said
obligedto drudgein meanandmechanicem- he, " for me ever to vie with other kingsin
ployments for their bread,and consequentlypoint of opulence. The domesticsof an Asi-
lookingwithenvyandhatredon the rich. There atic grandee,nay, the servantsof the stewards
remainednot above seven hundred of the old of Ptolemy and Seleucus were richer than all
Spartan families,of which, perhaps,onehun- the Spartankingsput together. But if by so-
dredhadestatesin land. The restof the city briety, by simplicityof provisionfor the body,
wasfilled with an insignificantrabblewithout and by greatness of mind,I cando something
propertyor honour,whohad neitherheartnor which shall far exceedall their pomp andlux-
ipirit to defendtheir country againstwars ury, I meanthe makingan equalpartitionof
abroad,andwho werealwayswatchinganop- property amongall the citizens,I shall really
portunityfor changesandrevolutionsat home. becomea greatking, andhaveall the honour
For thesereasonsAgts thought it a noble that suchactionsdemand."
undertaking, asin fact it was,to bringthe citi- This addresschangedthe opinionsof the
len<againto an equality, and by that means women.-They enteredinto the youngman's
to replenishSpartawith respectable inhabit- gloriousviews;theycaughttheflameof virtue,
ants. For this purpose
hesounded
theincli- aeit were,by inspiration,
and,in theirturn,
nationsof his subjects The youngmenlis- hastenedAgis to put his schemein execu-
tenedto him witha readiness
far beyondhis ex- tion. They sentfor their friends,andrecora
pectation:
theyadopted the causeof virtue mended the affairto them;and theydidthe
withhim,and,for thesakeof liberty,changedsameto theothermatrons;for theyknewthai
theirmannerof living,withaslittle objectionthe Lacedemonians alwayshearkento their
wives, and that the womenare permittedto
* ItMMgood
policy
inthekingsof England
andFrance
to procurelawsempoweringthe nobility to alienate intermeddlemore with public businessthan
to reducetheir power; themenarewiththedomestic.This,indeed,
Intir eihjir.t,j^,), by thatmeans,
forthenobility,
in those
times,werenobetterthanso wasthe principal obstructionto Agis's enter-
n»aypettytyraoU. prise. Great partof the wealthof Spa-towaj
05G PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

BOWin the handsof the women; consequentlydaughterof Priam,who diedat thatplace,and

they opposedthe reformation,not only becausemighlhavethe nameof Pasiphm,fromheran
they knew they must forfeit those gratifica- swering the questionsof all that consulted he>.
tions in whichtheir deviationfromtheseverer But Phylarchussays,she wasno other than
paths of sobriety had brought themto place Daphne,the daughterof Amyclas,who flying
their happiness; but becausethey saw they from the solicitationsof Apollo, wasturned
must also lose that honourandpowerwhich into a laurel, andafterwardshonouredby that
follow property.- They thereforeapplied to deity with the gift of prophecy.-Be this as it
Leonidas the other king, and desired him, as may, it was affirmed that her oracle had com-
the olderman,to put a stopto the projectsof manded
all theSpartans
to returnto theequality
Agis. whichthelawsofLycurgus
originally
enjoined.
Leonidaswasinclinedto servethe rich; but Last of all, king Agis enteredthe assembly,
ashe fearedthe people,who weredesirousof and, after a short speech,declared,that he
the change,hedid not opposeit openly. Pri- would contributelargelyto the institution he
vately,however,
hestroveto blastthe design,recommended.
Hewouldfirstgiveup to the
by applyingto the magistrates, andinvidiously communityhis own greatestate,consistingof
represented," That Agis offeredthe poor a ftrableand pastureland, and of six hundred
sharein the estatesof the rich, as the price of talentsin money: then his mother,andgrand*
absolutepower; and that the distribution of mother,all his relationsandfriends,whowere
lands,andcancellingof debts,wereonly meansthe richest personsin Sparta,would follow
to purchaseguardsfor himself,not citizensfor his example.
Sparta." The peoplewere astonished at the magnifi-
Agis, however, having interest to get Lysan- cence of the young man's proposal, and rejoic-
derelectedoneof the epftori,took the oppor- ed that now,after the spaceof three hundred
tunity to proposehis rhetra to the senate; ac- years, they had at last found a king worthy of
cording to which, " Debtors were to be releas- Sparta. Upon this, Leonidas beganopenly and
ed from their obligations;and lands to bedi- vigorouslyto opposethe new regulations.He
vided in the following manner:- those that lay consideredthat he should be obliged to do the
between the valley of Pelleneand mount Tay- same with his colleague, without finding the
getus, as far as Malea and Sellasia,were to be same acknowledgementsfrom the people; that
distributedin four thousandfive hundredequal all would be equally underthe necessityof
lots; fifteenthousandlots wereto be madeof givingup their fortunes,andthat he who first
the remaining territory, which should be shared set the example would alone reap the honour
among the neighbouring inhabitants who were He therefore demanded of Agis, " Whether
able to bear arms: as to what lay within the he thoughtLycurgus a just and goodman?"
limits first mentioned,Spartanswereto have Agis answeringin the affirmative,Leomda«
tho preference;but if their numberfell short, thuswent on:-" But didLycurguseverorder
it sl.ouldbemadeupout of strangers who were just debts to be cancelled,or bestowthe
unexceptionable in point of person,condition, freedomof Spartauponstrangers?Did he not
and education. These were to be divided into rather think his commonwealth could not be
fifteen companies,some of four hundred, some in a salutary state, except strangerswere en-
of twohundred,who were to eat together,and tirely excluded?" Agis replied, " He did not
keepto the diet anddisciplineenjoinedby the wonderthat Leonidas,who was educatedin
laws of Lycurgus." a foreigncountry,andhad childrenby an in-
The decreethusproposed in the senate,and termarriagewith a Persianfamily, should be
the members differingin their opinionsuponit, ignorantthat Lycurgus,in banishingmoney,
Lysandersummoned anassemblyof thepeo-banished
bothdebtsandusuryfromLaceda>
ple; andhe,withMandroclidas
andAgesilaus,mon.As for strangers,
heexcluded
onlythose
in their discourseto the citizens, entreatedwho were not likely to conform to his institu-
themnotto sufferthefewto insultthemany,tions,or fit to classwithhispeople.Forhe
or to seewith unconcernthemajestyof Sparta did not dislike themmerelyas strangers;his
troddenunderfoot. They desiredthemto re- exceptionswere to their mannersandcustoms,
collect the ancient oracleswhich bade them and he was afraid that, by mixing with his
bewareof the love of money,as a vicethe Spartans, theywouldinfectthemwith their
most ruinousto Sparta;as well as)the late luxury,effeminacy,
andavarice.Terpander,
answerfromthe templeof Pasiphz,whichgave Thales, andPherecydes,were strangers,ye'
themthe samewarning. - For Pasiphz hada because theirpoetryandphilosophymovedin
templeandoracleat Thalamiae.*Somesay concertwith the maximsof Lycurgus,they
thisPasipha?
wasoneof thedaughters of Atlas, wereheldin greathonourat Sparta.Even
who hadby Jupiter,a sonnamedAmmon.youcommend Ecprepes,who,whenhe was
Otherssupposeher to be Cassandra,f the oneof the ephori,retrenched
thetwostrings
whichPhrynis,themusician,
hadaddedtothe
* Those
whoconsulted
thisoracle
laydowntosleepsevenof the harp;you commend thosewho
IDthetempleandihegoddess
revealed
to themthe did the same by Timotheus;*andyet you
object of tlieii irii|uirks m a dream. Ci'c.de Div. I. 1.
f Fausanias would incline one to think that tVis was
theifocMcss
Jno." On
"ndThalamite."
sayshe,"the road
isthe between
temple Octylui
ofIno.It it so
covered
; butitwith
seen garlands
issaid and
tobeof fillets,
that
brass." itisnot
tobe
thecuslnrn
ofthose
whoconsult
hertosleep
inthetem- * Timotheus
theMilesian,a
celebrated
Dithyrambie
ple,andwhattinywantto knowis revealed
tothempoet andmusician. Headded
even
a twelfth
string
to
ina dream.Inthecourtof thetemplearetwostal- theharp,for which
hewasseverely
punishedbythe
of bras*,
ODC ofPankia,
fit ought , sagtSpartans,whoconcluded
thatluiuryof win"
meotherof thesun. Thatwhichis in thetempleis wouldeffeminate
thepeople*
 AGIS. 657

complain
ofourintention
tobanish
superfluity,
whentheirsentiments
arethesame,
theep/wrt
oride,andluxuryfrom Sparta. Do you think haveno right to interpose."
that in retrenchingthe swellingand super- The kings,prevaileduponby thisargument,
numerary
graces
of musictheyhadnofarther entered
theplace
ofassembly
withtheirfriends,
view,andthat theywere not afraidthe eicess wheretheyremoved theeplurrifromtheir seats,
and disorderwould reachthe livesand man- and placedothers in their room. Agesilaus
nersof thepeople,anddestroythe harmonyof wasoneof thesenewmagistrates.They then
the state?" armed a great numberof the youth, and re-
From thistime the commonpeoplefollowed leasedmanyout of prison;upon whichthen1
Agis. But the rich entreatedLconidasnot to adversaries
werestruck with terror, expecting
giveuptheircause;andtheyexerted
theirin- that manyliveswouldbe lost; however
they
terest so effectually with the senate, whose put not one wan to the sword: on the con-
chiefpowerlay in previouslydeterminingwhat trary, Agis understanding
that Agesilausde-
laws should be proposed to the people, that signed to kill Leonidas in his flight to Tegea^
theycarriedit againstthe rhetra by a majority andhad plantedassassins
for that purposeon
of one. Lysander, however, being yet in of- the way, generouslysent a party of men whom
fice, resolvedto prosecuteLeonidasuponan hecould dependupon,to escorthim, andthey
ancient law, which forbids every descendant conducted him safely to Tegea.
of Hercules to have children by a woman that Thus the businesswent on with all the suc-
is a stranger, and makes it capital for a Spar- cessthey could desire, and they had no farther
tan to settle in a foreign country. He instruct- opposition to encounter. But this excellent
ed others to allege these things against Leoni- regulation, so worthy of Lacedsmon, miscar-
das,while he, with his colleagues,watched for ried through the failure of one of its pretended
a signfrom heaven. It wasthecustomfor the advocates, the vile diseaseof avarice,in Age-
ephorieveryninth year,on a clear star-light silaus. He was possessed of a large and fine
night,whentherewas no moon,to sit down, estatein land, but at the sametime deeplyin
ind in silenceobserve the heavens. If a star debt; and as he was neither able to pay hi»
happened to shootfrom one part of themto debts,nor willing to part with his land,he re-
another,they pronouncedthe kings guilty of presentedto Agis,that if both his intentions
some crime against the gods, and suspended were carried into execution at the same time,
themtill theywerere-established
by an oracle it would probablyraise great commotionsin
fromDelphior Olympia. Lysander,affirming Sparta,but if he first obligedthe rich by the
that the sign had appeared to him, summoned cancelling of debts, they would afterwards
Leonidas to his trial, and produced witnesses quietly and readily consent to the distribution
to provethat hehadtwo childrenby anAsiatic of lands. Agesilausdrew Lysandertoo into
woman, whom one of Seleucus's lieutenants the same snare. An order, therefore, waa
had given him to wife; but that, on her con- issued for bringing in all bonds (the Lacedae-
ceiving a mortal aversion to him, he returned monians call them claria,) and they were piled
homeagainsthis will, and filled up the vacancy together in the market-place, and burned.
in the throne of Sparta. During this suit, he When the fire began to burn, the usurers and
persuadedCleombrolas, son-in-law to Leoni- other creditors walked off in great distress
das,and a prince of the blood, to lay claim to But Agesilaus, in a scoffing way, said, " H«
the crown. Leonidas, greatly terrified, fled to never saw a brighter or more glorious flame."
the altar of Minerva in the Chalcixcus,* as a The common people demandedthat the dig
tuppliant;andhisdaughter,leavingCleombro- tnbutionof landsshould also bemadeimme-
tus, joined him in the intercession. He was diately, and the kings gave orders for it; but
resummonedto the court of judicature; and as Agesilaus found out some pretenceor other for
be did not appear, he was deposed, and the delay, till it was time for Agis to lake the field
kingdomadjudgedto Cleombrotus. in behalf of the Achsans, who were allies of
Soon after this revolution, LysandeHs time the Spartans, and had applied to them for sue
expired,and he quitted his office. The ephori cours. For they expected that the -flCtolians
of the ensuingyear listened lo the supplication would take the route through the territory of
of Leonidas, and consented to restore him. Megara, and enter Peloponnesus. Aratus, gen-
They likewise begana prosecution againstLy- eral of the Achsans, assembledan army to pre-
"anderand JNI.indroclidasfor the cancelling of vent it, and wrote to the ephoi"i for assistance
debts and distribution of lands, which those They immediately sent Agis upon that ser-
magistratesagreedto contrary to law. In tins vice; and that prince went out with the highest
dangerthey persuadedthe two kings to unite hopes, on account of the spirit of his men and
theirinterest,andto despisethe machinationstheir attachment to his person. They were
of the epnoi'i. " These magistrates," said they, most of them young men in very different cir-
"have no power but what they derive from cumstances,who being now releasedfrom their
"ome differencebetween the kings. In such a debts, and expecting a division of lands if th»f
ease they have a right to support with their returned from the war, strove to recommeno,
"offragethe prince whosemeasuresare salu- themselvesas much as possibleto Agis. It
tary, againstthe other who consultsnot the wasa mostagreeablespectacle
to the cities,to
public good; but when the kings are unani- seethem march through Peloponnesuswithout
mous,nothing can overrule their determina- committing the least violence, and with such
tion!. To resistthemis to fightagainstthe discipline
that theywerescarce
heardasthey
laws. For, as we said,they can only decide passed. The Greeks said one to another
between
thekingsin caseof disagreement;
" Withwhatexcellent
orderanddecency
rn'Mt
the armiesunderAgesilaus,
Lysandcr,or Ag«
* Minerva
hid i temple
it SparU,
entirelyof brail, ailausof old, ha»emoved,when we find suck
N N
658 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
exactobedience,sjchre\erence intheseSpar-idaawasmostincensed;andtherefore
passing
tansto a generalwhois,perhaps theyoungestAgisby,he wentwith a partyof soldiers
to
manin the wholearmy." Indeed, thisyoungseizeCleombrotus,
whomhe reproar.aed, in
prince'ssimplicityof diet,hisloveof labour,termsof resentment,
with conspiringagainst
*nilhisAffecting
hoshoweitherin hisdrossor him,though honoured
withhisalliance,
depriv-
Armsabove aprivatesoldier,madeall thecom ing himof the crown,and banishinghimhii
jnon people,as he passed,
look uponhim with country.
pleaeuroandadmiration:huthisnewregula- Cleombrotus hadnothingto say,but satin
tionsat LacedEinon
displeasedthe rich,and thedeepest
distress
andsilence,Chelonis,
the
theywereafraidthat he mightraisecommo-daughter of Leonidas,
hadlookeduponthein-
tionseverywhereamongthe commonalty,
and jury doneherfatherasdoneto herself- whea
putthemuponfollowingtheexample. Cleombrotus
robbed
himof thecrown,sheleft
After Agiahadjoined Aratusat Corinth, in him,to consoleher father in his misfortune.
thedeliberations
aboutmeeting
andfighting
the Whilehewasinthesanctuary,
shestayed
with
enemyhesheweda propercourageandspirit, him, andwhenheretired sheattendedhim in
withoutanyenthusiastic
or irrationalflights.hisflight,sympathizing
withhissorrow,and
He gave it as his opinion, " Thai theyshould full of resentmentagainstCleombrotus. But
give battle,and not sufferthe war to enter the whenthe fortunesof her father changed,
she
gatesof Peloponnesus.
Hewoulddo,how- changed too. Shejoinedherhusband
asa sup-
ever,whatAratuathoughtmosteipedient,
be- pliant,andwasfoundsittingbyhimwithgreat
causehe was the older man,and generalof marksof tenderness;
andhertwo children,one
theAchxans,
whomhecamenotto dictateto, oneachside,at herfeet. Thewholecompany
but to assistin the war." were muchstruckat the sight, andtheycould
It mustbeacknowledged thatBato" of Sinope not refrain from tears when they considered
relatesit in anothermanner. He says,Aratus her goodnessof heart and such superiorin-
was for fighting, and Agis declined it. But stances of affection.
Bato had never met with whatAratuswrites Chelonisthenpointingto hermourninghabit
by way of apology for himself upon this point. and dishevelled hair, thus addressedLeomdai.
That general tells us, " That as the husband-" It was not, my dear father, compassion for
men had almost finished their harvest, he Cleombrotuswhich put me in this habit and
thoughtit betterto let the enemypass,thanto gaveme thislook of misery. My sorrowstook
hazardby a battlethe lossof the wholecoun- their datewith your misfortunes
andyour ban-
try." Therefore,whenAratusdeterminednot ishment,and haveever sinceremained my fa-
to fight, anddismissedhis allies with compli- miliar companions.Now youhaveconquered
ments on their readinessto servehim, Agis, your enemies,and areagain king of Sparta,
who hadgainedgreat honourby his behaviour,shouldI still retain theseensignsof affliction,
marched back to Sparta, where, by this time, or assume festival and roval ornamentswhile
internal troubles and changes demanded his the husband of my youth, whom you gave me,
presence. falls a victim to your vengeance. If his own
Agesilaus,still one of the tplwri, and deliver- submission,if the tearsof his wife and children
ed from the pressureof debts which had weigh- cannot propitiate you, he must suffer a severer
ed down hia spirits, scrupled no act of injustice punishment for his offencesthan you require:-
that might bring money into his coffers. He he must see his beloved wife die before him:
even added to the year a thirteenth month, for how can I live and support the sight of my
though the proper period for that intercalation own sex, after both my husbandand my father
was not come, and insisted on the people's have refused to hearken to my supplication-
paying supernumerary taxes for that month. when it appears that, both as a wife and a
Being afraid, however, of revengefrom those daughter, I am born to be miserable with my
he had injured, and seeing himself hated by all family? If this poor man had any plausible
the world, he thought it necessaryto maintain reasonsfor what he did, I obviated them all by
a guard, which always attended him to the forsaking him to follow you. But you furnish
senate-house. As to the kings, he expressed him with a sufficient apology for his misbe-
an utter contempt for one of them, and the haviour, by shewing that a crown is so greit
respecthe paid the other he would have un- anddesirableanobject,that a son-in-lawmust
derstood to be, rather on account of his being be slain, and a daughter utterly disregarded,
his kinsman, than his wearing the crown. Be- where that is in the question."
lides, he propagateda report,that he should Chelonis,after this supplication,restedher
DCone of the ephori the year following. His cheek on her husband'shead, and with an eye
enemies,therefore,determinedto hazardan dim and languidwith sorrowlookedroundon
immediate attempt against him, and openly the spectators. Leonidas consulted hisfrieodi
broughtbackLeomdasfromTegea,andplaced upon the point, and then commanded Cleom-
him on the throne. The peoplesawit with brotusto riseandgo into exile; but hedesired
pleasure;for they wereangryat findingthem- Chelonisto stay,andnot leavesoaffectionate
telves deceivedwith respectto the promisedafather,whohadbeenkindenoughto granther
distribution of lands. Agesilaushad hardly her husband's life Chelonis,however, would
etcapedtheirfury, hadnot his sonHippomedon,not be persuaded.When her husbandwa»
who washeldin greatesteemby the wholecity risenfrom the ground,sheput onechildin hii
on accountof his vaiour,intercededfor his life. arms,and took the other herself,and after
The kings both took sanctuary;Agia in havingpaidduehomage at the altarwherethey
CbaJcuecus, andCleombrottuin the templeof had taken sanctuary, she wentwith him into
eptuno. It wasagainstthe latterthat Leon- banishment.So that, had not CleombrotLS
beencorruptedwith the loveof falseglory,he
Hi wrotethehntorj of Penis. must have thoughtexile,with sucha
 AGIS. 559
>greater
happiness
thana kingdom
withoutnottouch
him,andthelery mercenaries
de.
her. clined it, for theythoughtit impiousto lay vio-
After CleoTibrotus wasthus expelled, the lent handsona king. Demochares, seeing
ephoriremoved, and othersputin theirplace, this,loaded
themwithreproaches,
andthreat-
Leonidaslaid a scheme to get Agis into hia enedto punishthem. At the sametimeb*
power.At first,hedesired
himtoleavehis laidholdonAgishimself,
andthrust
himinto
sanctuary,and resume his share in the govern- the dungeon.
ment;" Forthepeople,"
hesaid," thought
he By thistimeit wasgenerally
knownthatAgit
mightwell be pardoned,as a youngman am- wastakeninto custodyandtherewasa great
bitiousof honour:andthe rather,because they, concourse of peopleat the prison gites with
M well ashe, hadbeendeceivedby the craft lanternsand torches. Among the numoers
of Agesilaus." But when hefound that Agis who resented these proceedingswere the
luspected him, andchoseto slaywherehewas, motherandgrandmotherof Agis, crying out
he threwoff the maskof kindness.Amphares, andbeggingthat the king might be heardand
Demochares,and Arcestlaus,used to give judgedby the peoplein full assembly. But
Agis their company,for theywerehis intimate this, insteadof procuring him a respite,has-
friends. They likewise conductedhim from tened his execution;for they were afraid he
the temple to the bath, and, after he had would be rescuedin the night, if the tumult
bathed, brought him back to the sanctuary. should increase.
Amphareshadlatelyborroweda great dealof As Agiswasgoingto execution,heperceived
plateandother rich furniture of Agesislrata,oneof theofficerslamentinghisfatewith tears;
andhehopedthat if hecoulddestroythe king uponwhich,he said,"My friend,dry upyour
andtheprincesses of his family,he mightkeep tears;for, as I sufferinnocently,I am in a bet-
thosegoodsas his own. On this accountheis ter conditionthan thosewhocondemnme con-
laid to have first listened to the suggestionsof trary to law and justice." So saying, he cheer-
Leonidas, and to have endeavouredto bring fully offered his neck to the executioner.
the cphori, his colleagues, to do the same. Amphares then going to the gate, Agesistrata
As Agis spent the rest of his time in the threw herself at his feet, on account of their
temple,andonlywent^
outto thebath,theyre- longintimacyandfriendship.He raisedher
eolvedto makeuseof that opportunity.There- fromthe ground,and told her, " No farther
fore, one day on his return, they met him with violence should be offered her son, nor should
a greatappearance
of friendship,as theycon- henow have any hard treatment." He told
ductedhim on his way, conversed With much her, too, she might go in and seeher son, if
freedomand gaiety, which his youth and their she pleased. She desired that her mother
intimacy with him seemed to warrant. But might be admitted with her, and Amphares as-
when they came to the turning of a street sured her, there would be no objection. When
which led to the prison, Amphares, by virtue he had let them in, he commanded the gates
of his office,arrested him, "I take you, Agis," to be locked again, and Archidamia to be first
tavdhe, " into custody, ia order to your giving introduced. She v»aavery old, and had lived
accountto the cphori of your administration." in great honour and esteem among the Spar-
At the sametime, Demochares, who wasa tall tans. After she wag put to death, he ordered
strong man, wrapped his cloak about his head, Agesistrata to walk in. She did GO,and be-
anddraggedhim off. The rest, asthey had pre- held her son extended on the ground, and her
viouslyconcertedthe thing, pushedhim on be- motherhangingby the neck. Sheassistedthe
hind,andno onecomingto his rescueor as- officersin takingArchidamiadown,placedthe
sistance,he was committed to prison. body by that of Agis, and wrapped it decently
Leonidas presently came with a strong band up. Then embracing her sonand kissing him,
of mercenaries, to securethe prisonwithout: shesaid," My son, thy toogreat moderation,
andthe ephori enteredit, with suchsenators lenity, and humanity, have ruinedboth thee
aswereof their party. They began,asin a andus " Amphares, who from the door saw
judicialprocess,with demandingwhat hehad and heard all that passed,went up in great
to say in defenceof his proceedings;and as fury to Agesistrata,
andsaid," If youapproved
theyoungprinceonly laughedat their dissim- your son'sactions,you shall alsohave his re-
ulation, Ampharestold him, "They would ward." Sheroseup to meetherfate,andsaid,
soonmakehim weepfor presumption." An- with a sigh for her country, " May all this be
other of the ephori, seemedinclinedto put for the goodof Sparta!"
himin a wayof excusing
himselfand getting Whentheseevents
werereported
in thecity,
off,askedhim, " WhetherLysanderandAges- and the three corpsescarriedout, the terror
ilaushadnot forcedhimintothemeasures he thesadsceneinspiredwasnot so great but
took'" ButAgisanswered, " I wasforcedby that the people
openlyexpressed
their grief
BOman; it was my attachment to the institu- and indignation, and their hatred of Leomdi'«
tions of Lycurgus,and my desireto imitate andAmphares. For theywerepersuaded
that
him,whichmademeadopthis form of gov- therehadnot beensucha train of villamoui
ernment."Then the samemagistratedemand-andimpiousactionsat Sparta,since the Do-
ed," Whetherhe repentedof what he had riansfirstinhabited
Peloponnesus.
The mi
done?"and his answerwas, " I shall never jesty of thekingsof Spartahad beenhe-Idii
repentof sogloriousa design,thoughI see suchveneration
evenby theirenemies,
thai
death
before
myeyes."
Upon
thistheypassed
theyhadscrupled
to strike
themwhen
they
sentence of deathuponhim, andcommanded hadopportunity
for it in battle.Henceit was,
tie officers
to carryhimintothedecade,
which thatin themanyactions between theLacedae-
isasmallapartment
in theprisonwheretheymonians andotherGreeks,
tneformerhad
strangle
malefactors.
But the officers
durstlostonlytheirkingCleombrotus,
whofellbya
660 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

javelinatthebattleof Leuctraa little beforesuffered

onlyfor engaging
in anenterprise
that
the time of Philip of Macedon. As for Theo- was truly glorious and worthy of Sparta;
nompus,who, as the Mcsseniansaffirm, was thoughhe wasof anageat whichevenerrors
slainby Arislomcnes, the Lacedaemoniansdeny areconsidered as pardonable.His friendshad
It, andsayhe was only wounded. That, in- morereasonto complainof him than his ene-
deed, is a matter of somedispute: but it is mies,for savingLeonidas,andtrustinghis a*
certain that Agis wasthe first king of Lace- sociates
in theundesigning
generosityundgood
dxinon put to death by the tphori: and that he nessof his heart.

CLEOMENES.

AFTERAgis wasput to death, Leonidasin- It is saidtoo,that Cleomenes

wasinstructs*
tendedthesamefatefor his brotherArchida-in philosophy,
at a veryearlyperiodof life,by
mus; but that princesavedhimselfby a timely Sphaerus the Borysthenile,*whocameto Lace-
retreat. However,his wifeAgiatis, who was dasmon,andtaughtthe youth with greatdili-
newly broughtto bed,wasforcedby thetyrant genceandsuccess.Sphaerus was oneof the
from herown house,andgivento hissonCleo- principal disciplesof Zeno the Citean,fand
menes. Cleomeneswas not quite come to it seemsthat he admiredthat strength of ge-
yearsof maturity, but his fatherwasnot wil- nius he foundin Cleomeucs,and addedfresh
ling that anyother man shouldhavethe lady; incentivesto his love of glory. We are in-
for shewasdaughterto Gylippus,andheiress formed,that whenLeonidasof old wasasked,
to his greatestate;and in beauty,as well as " Whathe thoughtof the poetryof TyrtaEus?"
happinessof temperand conduct,superiorto he said," I think it well calculatedto excite
all the women of Greece. She left nothing the courageof our youth; for the enthusiasm
unattempted, to prevent her being forced into with which it inspires them makes them fear
this match,but foundall hereffortsineffectual. no dangerin battle." Sothe stoic philosophy^
Therefore, when shewas marriedto Cleo- mayput persons of greatandfiery spiritsupon
menes,shemadehim a good and affectionateenterprisesthat are too desperate;but, in
wife, thoughshehatedhis father. Cloemenesthoseof a grave andmild disposition,it will
waspassionately fondof herfrom the first, and produceall the good effectsfor which it wa»
bis attachmentto his wife made him sympa-designed.
thise wjth her on the mournful remembrance When Leonidas died, and Cleomenescame
of Agis. He would often ask her for the his- to the crown, he observed that all ranks of
tory of that unfortunate prince, and listen with men were utterly corrupted. The rich had an
great attention to her account of his senti- eye only to private profit and pleasure, and
ment* and designs. utterly neglected the public interest. The
Cleomenes was ambitious of glory, and had common people,on account of the meanness
a na-tivegreatnessof mind. Nature had, more- of their circumstances,had no spirit for war, or
over, disposedhim to temperanceand simplici- ambition to instruct their children in the Spar-
ty of manners, as much as Agis; but he had tan exercises. Cleomeneshimself had only the
not his calmnessand moderation. His spirit nameof king, while the power was in the hands
had an ardour in it; and there was an impetu- of the ephori. He, therefore, soon began to
osity in his pursuits of honour, or whatever ap- think of changing the present posture of affairs.
pearedto himunderthatcharacter.He thought He hada friend calledXenares,unitedto him
it mostgloriousto reignovera willing people; by suchan affectionas the Spartanscalledin-
"but, at the same time, he thought it not inglo- spiration. Him he first sounded;inquiring of
rious to subdue their reluctances, and bring him what kind of prince Agis was; by what
them against their inclinations into what was steps, and with what asssociates,he came into
goodandsalutary. the way hetook. Xenaresat first consented
He waa not satisfiedwith the prevailing man- readily enough to satisfy his curiosity, and gave
ners and customs of Sparta. He sawthat ease him an exact narrative of the proceedings.But
and pleasurewere the great objectswith the peo- when he found that Cleomenesinterested him-
ple; thatthekingpaidbutlittle regardto pub-selfdeeplyin theaffair,andtooksuchanen-
lic concerns,andif nobodygavehim any dis- thusiasticpleasurein the newschemes of Agis,
turbance,choseto spendhis timein theenjoy- as to desireto bearthemagainandagain,he
mentsof affluenceandluxury;that individuals,
entirely actuatedby self-interest,paid no at- * ThisSphaerus
wasbomtowardtheendof thereign
tentionto thebusiness
ofthestate,anyfartherofPlotemy Philadelphia*,
andflourishedunderthaiof
thantheycouldturn it to theirownemolu-E of uergctcs.
Diocenes
hit works, Lzrtius
which were has given usHe
considerable. acalalogut
wastbt
ment. And what rendered
the prospect
still scholar
of Zeno,
andafterwards
ofCleanlhui.
more melancholy,it appeareddangerousto t Hewassocalled lo distinguish
himfromZeno of
make any mentionof training the youth to Elea,acilyof Laconia,
whoflourishedjboultwonun,
"trong exercisesand strict temperance, to per- dred yearsafterthedra'Jiof ZenoIht Citiean.CitiuB
of which Ihe tlder Zeno was a native, was a town ii
severing fortitude and universal equality, since Cyprus.
the proposing of these things cost Agis his j Fromitstendency to inspirea contempt of death
life. anda beliefiu theagencyol Providence.
 CLEOMENES. 561

hisdistempered
inclinations,
andat machue.Cleomenes
met him at Palantium,
Ust entirelyleft his company. However,he andofferedhim battle. But Aratus,intimidat-
did not acquaintany one with the causeof ed by this instanceof the youngpiince's soint
their misunderstanding;bul only said," Cleo- dissuadedthe generalfrom engaging,anu re-
menes knew very well." As Xenares so treated. This retreat exposed Aratus to re-
itronglyopposed the king'sprojecthe thought proachamongthe Acheane,andto scornand
othersmustbeaslittle disposedto comeinto contempt among the Spartans,whosearmy
it; andthereforeheconcerted the wholematter consistednot of more thanfive thousandmen.
by himself. In the persuasionthat he could Cleomenes,elevatedwith his success, began
moreeasilyeffecthis intendedchangein time to talk in a highertoneamongthe people,and
of war than of peace,he embroiledhis country badethemrememberan expression11oneof
with theAchaeaus, who had indeedgiven suf- their ancientkings,who said, " The Lacedae-
ficient occasionof complaint; for Aratus, who monians seldom inquired the number of their
was the leading man among them, had laid it enemies, but the place where they could be
down as a principle, from the beginning of his found."
administration,to reduce all Peloponnesus to After this, he went to the assistance of the
one body This was the end he had in view Eleans, against whom the Ach.Tns had now
in his numerousexpeditions, and in all the pro- turned their arms. He attacked the latter at
ceedingsof government, during the many years Lyczcum, as they were upon, the retreat, and
he held the reins in Achaia. And, indeed, he put them entirely to the rout; not only spread-
was of opinion, that this was the only way to ing terror through their whole army, but killing
securePeloponnesusagainst its enemies with- great numbers, and making many prisoners. It
out. He had succeededwith roost of the states was even reported among the Greeks, that
of that peninsula; the Lacedaemoniansand Aratus was of the number of the slam. Aratus,
Eleans, and such of the Arcadians as were in availing himself in the best manner of the op-
the Lacedemonian interest, were all that stood portunity, with the troops that attended him in
out. Upon the death of Leonidas, he com- his flight, matched immediately to Mantmea,
menced hostilities against the Arcadians, par- and coming upon it by surprise, took it, and se-
ticularly thosewho bordered uponthe Achaeans; cured it for the Achaeans.
by this meansdesigning to try how the Lace- The Lacedaemonians,greatly dispirited at
daemonians stood inclined. As for Cleomenes, this loss, opposed Cleomenesin his inclination
hedespisedhim as a young man without expe- for war. He therefore bethought himself of
rience. calling Archidamus, the brother of Agis, from
The ephori, however, sent Cleomenes to Messene, to whom, in the other family, the
seizeAthenaeum*near Belbina. This place is crown belonged;for he imaginedthat the power
one of the keys of Laconia, and was then in of the ephori would not be so formidable when
disputebetweenthe Spartans andMegalopoli- the kingly government, according to the Spar-
Uns. Cleomenesaccordingly took it and for- tan constitution, was complete, and had its
tified it. Aratus made no remonstrance, but proper weight in the scale.The party that had
marchedby night to surprise Tegea and Or- put Agia to death perceiving this, and dreading
cbomenus.However, the personswho had vengeancefrom Archidamus,if he should be
promisedto betray those places to him found establishedon the throne, took this method to
their hearts fail tl,em when they came to the prevent it. They joined in inviting him to
point; and he retired, undiscovered as he come privately to Sparta, and evenassistedhim
thought. Upon this, Cleomeneawrote to him, in his return; but they assassinatedhim imme-
in a familiar way, desiring to know, " Whether diately after. Whether it was against the con-
he marchedtrie night before." Aratus answered, sent of Cleomenes, as Phylarchus thinks, or
" That, understandinghis design to fortify Bel- whether his friends persuadedhim to abandon
bina,the intent ofhig last motion was to pre- that unhappy prince, we cannot take upon us
sentthatmeasure." Cleomenes
humourously to say. The greatest part of the blame,
replied, "I am satisfied with the account of however, fell upon those friends who, if he
your march; but should be glad to know where gave his consent, were supposedto haveteased
thosetorchesand ladders were marching." him into it.
Aratuscould not help laughingat thejest; By this time he was resolvedto carry his
and he askedwhatkind of man this young intendedchangesinto immediateexecution,
princewas? Democrates,a Lacedaemonianand thereforehe bribedthe ephori to permit
enle, answered, " If you design doing any him to renewthe war. He gainedalso many
thing againstthe Spartans,you must do it othersby the assistance of his motherCratcsi-
quickly,before the spursof this cockrel be clea, who liberally supplied him with money,
grown. andjoinedin his schemesof glory. Nay, it if
Cleomenes,
witha fewhorseandthreehun- said,that,though
disinclinedto marry'again,
dredfoot, was now postedin Arcadia. The for her son's sakeshe accepteda man who
epftori, apprehensiveof a war, commandedhad great interest and authority amongthe
him home;and he obeyed. But finding that, people
in consequence of this retreat, Aratus had Oneof his first operationswas, the goingto
takenCaphys, they orderedhim to take the eeixeLeuctra, whichis a placewithin the de-
fieldagain. Cleomenesmade himselfmaster pendenciesof Megalopolis. The Achsans
of Methydrium,and ravagedthe territoriesof hastenedto its relief, underthe Commandof
Argos. Whereuponthe Achaeansmarched Aratus; and a battle was fought under the
tgamst him with twenty thousand foot and a walls, in which part of the Lacedaemonian
thousand
horse,underthecommand
of Aruto- armywasbeaten. ButAratusstopping
thepur-
* A Umple
of Muem. suitat a defilewhichwagin the way,Lyn»
662 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

das,' theMcgalopoIitan,offendedat the order, hadbeeneducated

with Cleomones,
andwnom
encouragedthe cavalry under bis commandto the Spartans calls Samothracians. These
pursuetheadvantagetheyhadgained;bywhich wereat thehead of a smallparty. WhileEu-
meanshe entangledthem among vineyards,ryclidaswasholdingtheephoriin discourse,
ditches,andotherinclosurcs,
wheretheywere theothersran uponthemwith their drawn
forcedto breaktheirranks,andfellintogreat swords.Thsywereall slain but Agesilaus,
disorder. Cleomenes,seeinghis opportunity, andhe wasthen thoughtto have sharedthe
commanded the TarentinesandCretansto fall samefate;for he wasthe first manthatfell; but
uponthem;andLysiadas,after greatexcr- in a little timeheconveyed himselfsilentlyout
ons of valour,wasdefeated
andslain. The of theroom,and creptintoa little budding,
T_!>cedtcmonians,
thusencouraged,returned
to whichwasthetemple of FEAR.This temple
theactionwithshoutsof joy, androutedthe wasgenerally shutup,butthenhappened tobe
whole Achaean army. After a considerableopen. Whenhewasgotin, he immediately
carnage, a truce was granted the survivors, barred the door. The other '"our were des-
and they were permittedto bury their dead; patchedoutright ; and so were above tea
but Cleomenes ordered the body of Lysiadas more who came to their assistance. Those
to be broughtto him. He clothedit in robes who remainedquiet receivedno harm;nor
of purple,andputa crownuponitshead;and, wereany hindered from departing
the city.
in this attire,hesentit to thegatesof Mega-Nay,Agesilaus
himselfwasspared,whenhe
lopolis.ThiswasthatLysiadas whorestoredcamethenextdayoutof thetemple.
libertyto thecityin whichhewasanabsolute TheLacedaemonians havenotonlytemples
prince,and unitedit to theAchzanleague. dedicated to FEAR,but also to DEATH, to
Cleomenes,greatlyelatedwith this victory, LAUGHTER, and many of the passions.Nor
thought,if matterswereonceentirelyat hisdis- do they pay homageto Fear, as one of the
posalin Sparta,theAchseanswouldno longernoxiousanddestroying demons, buttheycon-
beableto standbeforehim. For thisreasonEiderit asthebestcement of society.
Henceit
heendeavoured to convince
his father-in-law,
wasthat the ephori,(as Aristotletellsus,)
Megistoiius.
thattheyokeof theephorioughtwhenthey enteredupontheir office,caused
to be broken,and an equaldivisionof pro- proclamationto be made,that the people
perty to bemade;by meansof whichequality, shouldshavethe upperlip, andbeobedientto
Sparta would resumeher ancientvalour,and the laws,that theymightnot be underthe ne-
oncemoreriseto theempire
of Greece.
Meg- cessityof havingrecourseto severity.Asfor
istonuscomplied,
andthe kingthentooktwo theshaving of theupperlip,in myopinion,
all
or threeother friendsinto the scheme. the designof that injunction is, to teachthe
About that time, one of the ephori had a youthobedience to thesmallestmatters And
surprising dream, as he slept in the temple of it seemsto me, that the ancients did not think
Pasiphs.He thought,that, in the court where that valourconsists
in the exemption
fromfear;
theephoriusedto sit for thedespatch
of busi-butonthecontrary,in the fearof reproach,
ness,four chairswere taken away,andonly andthe dreadof infamy:for thosewhostand
one left. And as he was wonderingat the mostin fearof thelaw act with thegreatestin-
change,
hehearda voicefromthesanctuary,trepidityagainst
theenemy;andtheywhoare
whichsaid " This is best for Sparta." The mosttenderof their reputationlook with the
magistraterelated this visionof his to Cleo- leastconcernuponotherdangers. Therefore,
menes,who at first wasgreatlydisconcerted,oneof the poetssaidwell,
thinking that somesuspicionhadled him to
soundhisintentions.But whenhefoundthat Ingenuous
shame
resides
withfear.
there was no fiction in the case he was the Hence Homer mikes Helen say to her father
more confirmed
in hispurpose;andtakingwith in-law,Priamus,
Jnmsuchof thecitizensas hethoughtmost Before
thypresence,
father,
I appear,
likely to opposeit, he marchedagainstHenEa With conscious
shame
aodreverential
fear.
and Alssa, two cities belonging to the Achaean Pope.
league,
andtookthem. Alterthis,helaidin And,in another
place,he says,
the Grecian
a storeof provisionsat Orchomenus,
andthen troops
besiegedMantmea.At last he so harassed
the
Lacedaemonians
by a varietyof longmarches, Withfearandsilence
ontheirchiefs
attend
that mostof themdesiredto beleft in Arcadia; For reverence,
in vulgarminds, is generally
and he returnedto Spartawiththe mercenariesthe concomitantof fear. And, therefore,the
only. By the wayhe communicatedhia de- Lacedaemonians placed the temple of FEAB
sign to such of themas he believedmost at- nearthe hall wherethe ephoriusedto eat,to
tachedto his interest,and advanced
slowly, shewthattheirauthoritywasnearlyequalto
tli.it he might comeupon the ephori as they the regal.
"wereat supper. Next dayCleomenes
proscribed
eightyof the
Whenheapproached
thetown,hesentEu- citizens,
whomhethought
it necessary
toexpel;
ryclidas beforehim, to the hall wherethose andhe removedall theseatsof the ephoriex-
magistrates
usedto sup,uponpretence
of his ceptone,in whichhedesigned
to sit himself,
being chargedwith somemessage
relative to to hear causesand despatchother businesi.
the army. He wasaccompanied
by Thencion Then he assembled the people,in orderto ex-
andPhxbia)andtwo otheryoungmenwho plainand defendwhat he had done. His
speechwasto thiseffect:" The administration
Inthetut it it LyKadai.
ButPolybius
callihimwasputby Lycurgus
intothehands
"f the
; andsodoes
Plutarch
iuanother
place. kings,andthesenate
andSparta
wasgoverned
 CLEOMENES. 563

by tlicn i .>rigtim«!,
withoutan/ occasion
for otherfriends,
followedhisexample.Therest
othern^gistratesBut,astheMesseman
warof thecitiiena
didthesame-,
amithentheland
* is drawnoutto agreatlength,andthekings,wasdivided. He evenassigned
lotsfor each
hiving the armiesto commandhadnot leisure of the personswhomhe haddriveninto exile .
to attendto thedecisionof causes
at home,anddeclared
thattheyshouldall be recalled
theypitcheduponsomeof their friendsto be whentranquility had once more takenplace.
leftastheirdeputies
forthatpurpose
underthe Havingfilledupthenumber
of citizensoutof
title of cphori or inspectors. At first they the bestof the inhabitantsof the neighbouring
behaved assubstitutes
andservants
to the kings; countries,he raiseda body of four thousand
but,by littleandlittle, theygotthepowerinto foot,whomhe taughtto usethetwo-handed
their own hands,and insensiblyerectedtheir pike insteadof the javelin, and to hold then
office into an independentmagistracy.* A shieldsby a handle,and not by a ring aabe
proof of this is a customwhich has obtained fore. Then he appliedhimself to the educa
till this time, that whenthe ephorisentfor the tion of the youth,andformedthemwith all tho
king, he refused to hearken to the first and strictnessof the Lacedaemoniandiscipline: in
lecond message,and did not attend them till the course of which he was much assistedby
they sent a third. Asteropus was the first of Sphairis. Their schools of exerciseand their
the cplwri who raised their office to that refectories, were soon brought into that good
height of authority many agesafter their crea- order which they had of old; some being re-
tion. While they kept within the boundsof ducedto it by compulsion,but the greatestpart
moderation, it was better to endurethan to re- coming voluntarily into that noble training pe-
move them; but when, by their usurpations, culiar to Sparta. However, to prevent any of-
they destroyedthe ancient form of government; fence that might be taken at the nameof mon-
when they deposed some kings, put others to archy, he made his brother Euclidas hia part-
death without any form of trial, and threatened ner in the throne; and this was the only time
those princes who desire to seethe divine con- that the Spartans hid two kings of the same
stitution of their country in its original lustre, family.
they becameabsolutely insupportable. Had it He observedthat the Achxans, and Aratus,
beenpossible, without the sheddingof blood, the principal men amongthem, were persuaded
to have exterminated those pests which they that the late change had brought the Spartan
had introduced into Laccdx'mon; such as lux- affairs into a doubtful and unsettled state; and
ury, superfluous expense, debts, usury, and that he would not quit the city while it was in
those more ancient evils, poverty and riches, I such a ferment. He therefore thought it would
should then have thought myself the htppiest have both its honour and utility to show the
of kings. In curing the distempers of my enemy how readily his troops would obey him.
country, I should have been considered as the In consequenceof which he entered the Alega-
physician whose lenient hand heals without lopolitan territories, where hespreaddesolation
giving pain. But for what necessityhas obliged and made a very considerable booty. In one
me to do I have the authority of Lycurgus, of his last marches he seizeda company of co-
who, though neither king nor magistrate; but medianswho were on the road from Messene;
only a private man, took upon him to act as a upon which, he built a stage in the enemy's
king,t and appearedpublicly in arms. The country; proposed
a prizeof forty mime to the
consequenceof which \vas, that Chanlaus, the best performer, and spent one day in seeing
reigning prince, in great consternation, fled to them. Not that he set any great value on such
the altar. But being a mild and patriotic king, diversions, but he did it by way of insult upon
hesoonenteredinto the designsof Lycurgus, the enemy,to shewhis superiorityby thismark
and acceptedhis new form of government.of contempt.For, amongthe Grecianandroy-
Thereforethe proceedings of Lycurgusarean al armies,his wasthe only onewhich hadnot
evidencethat it is next to impossibleto new a trainof players,
jugglers,singers,anddancers,
modela constitutionwithout the terror of an of both sexes.No intemperance or buffoonery,
armedforce. For myown part,I haveapplied no publicshowsor feasts,except on the late
thatremedywith great moderation;only rid- occasion,were ever seen in his camp. The
dingmyselfof such/isopposedthetrue inter- youngmen passedthe greatestpart of theit
est of Lacedimon. Among the rest, I shall time in the exercises,and the t\d men in teach-
make a distribution of all the lands, and clear ing them. The hours of leisure were amused
the peopleof theirdebts.Amongthe strangers,with cheerfuldiscourse,which had all the
I shallselectsomeof the bestand ablest,that smartness
of Laconic repartee. This kind of
theymaybe admitted citizensof Sparta,and amusementhad those advantageswhich we
protect her with their arms; and that we may have mentioned in the life of Lycurgus.
oo longer seeLaconia a prey to the JEtohajis The king himself was the bestteacher. Plain
»ndIllyriansfor wantof a sufficientnumberof andsimplein his equipageand diet, assuming
inhabitants
concerned
for its defence." nomannerof pompabovea common
citizen,
When hehadtlnishedhis speech,hewasthe he set a gloriousexampleof sobriety. Thi«
first to surrenderhis ownestateinto the public wasnosmalladvantage
to his affairein Greece.
Itock. His father-in-law Mcgistonus, and his When the Greeks addressed themselves to
other kings, they did not so much admire theii
* Whenthe authorityof the kingswasgrowntoo
Enormous,Theoporripusfound it necessaryto curb it wealth and magnificence, as execrate theif
bytheinstitution
oftheep/wm.Buttheywerenotaa prideandspiritof ostentation,
their difficulty
Cknmcnei says; theywere,in their firstestablishment,of access, and harshnessof behavjour to all
JUiuiiteri lo the kings. who had business at their courts. But when
t Lycurgus never assumednor aspired to regal au-
thority : andCleomenes meutioiu
thisuul> to'eke off they applied toCleomenes, whonutonlybore
the odium from himself. the title, but had all the great qualitiesof a
064 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

king,theysaw^o purpleor robesof etate,

no challenged
the Achacans,
and indeedforced
rich carriages,no gauntletsof pagesor door- them to battle,in which he entirely defeated
keepersto be run. Nor hadtheytheir answer, them, killed great numbersU|jou the spot,
»fler greatdifficulties,from the mouthof sec andtookmanyprisoners. Langowashis next
retaries;but they foundhim in an ordinaryobject,from whichhe expelledan Ach;&an
habit,readyto meet them and offerthem his garrison,andthen put the town into the Kindt
nand. He received them with a cheerful coun- of the Eleans.
tenance, arid entered into their businesswith When the Achsan affairswere in this ruin-
the utmosteaseandfreedom. This engagingousstate,Aralus,whousedto be generalevery
mannergainedtheir hearts;andthey declared otheryear,refusedthe command,
thoughthey
he was tlie only worthy descendant
of Her pressedhim stronglyto acceptit. But cer-
cules. tainly it was wrong, when such a storm wa»
His commonsupperwasshortandtruly La raging,to quit the helm, andleave the direc-
conic. There were only couches for three tion to another. The first demands of Cleo-
people; but whenhe entertainedambassadors
menesappearedto the Achsan deputiesmod-
or strangers,
two morecouches
wereadded,erateenough;
afterwards
heinsisted
onhaving
andthe table was a little better furnishedby the commandhimself. In other matters,ha
the servants.Not that anycuriousdessertwas said, he shouldnot differ with them, for he
added;only the disheswere larger, and the wouldrestorethem both their prisonersand
winemoregenerous:for he blamedoneof his their lands.The Achxansagreedto a pacifi-
friendsfor settingnothingbeforestrangers but cationon theseconditions,and invited Clco-
the coarsecake and black broth whichthey menesto Lerna, wherea generalassembly of
ate in their common refectories. " When we their etate was lobe held. But Cleomenes has-
havestrangersto entertain,"hesaid," we need teninghismarchtoo much,heatedhimself,and
not besuchveryexactI,acedamionians." After thenvery imprudentlydrank cold water; the
supper,a three-leggedstand wis broughtin, consequence of whichwas,that hethrewupa
uponwhichwere placeda brassbowl full of greatquantityof blood,andlost the useof hi»
wine, two silver pots that held about a pint and speech. He therefore sent the Achxans the
a halfa-piece,
andafewcupsofthesame
metal. mostrespectable
of theprisoners,
andputting
Such of the guestsas were inclined to drink, off the meeting, retired to Lacedremon.
made use of these vessels,for the cup was not This ruined the affairs of Greece. Had it
presseduponanymanagainsthis will. There not beenfor this, shemighthaverecovered
out
wasno musicor otherextrinsicamusement;
of herpresentdistress,
andhavemaintained
nor was any such thing wanted. He enter- herselfagainsttheinsolenceandrapaciousness
tained his company very agreeably with his of the Macedonians. Aratus either feared or
own conversation;
sometimes askingquestions,distrustedCleomenes,or enviedhis unexpect-
andsometimestelling stories. His seriousdis- ed success.He thoughtit intolerablethat a
coursewas perfectly free from moroseness;youngman,newlysprungup, shouldrob him
and his mirth from petulance and rusticity. at once of the honour and power which he had
The arts whichotherprincesusedof drawing beenin possession
of for threeandthirty years,
men to their purpose by bribery and corrup- and come into a government which had been
tion he looked upon as both iniquitous and growing so long under his auspices. For this
impolitic. But to engage and fix people in his reason, he first tried what his interest and pow-
interest by the charms of conversation, with- ersof persuasionwould do to keepthe Achaeans
out fraud or guile, appearedto him an honour- from closing with Cleomenes; but they were
ablemethod,and worthy of a king. For he preventedfrom attendingto him, by their ad-
thoughtthis the truedifferencebetweena hire- mirationof the greatspirit of Cleomenes,and
ling and a friend; that the oneis gainedby their opinionthat the demands of theSpartans
money,andthe otherby anobligingbehaviour.were not unreasonable, who only desiredto
The Mantineans were the first who applied bring Peloponnesusback to its ancient model.
for his assistance. They admitted him into Aratus then undertook a thing which would
their city in the night,andhavingwith his help not havebecomeany man in Greece,but in
expelledthe Achian garrison,put themselveshim was particularlydishonourable, and un-
underhis protection. He re-established their worthy of *11his formerconduct,both in tha
>awsand ancient form of government, and re- cabinet ana the field.- He called Antigonus in-
tired the same day to Tegea. From thencehe to Greece and filled Peloponnesuswith Mace-
fetched a compassthrough Arcadia, and march- donians, though in his youth he had expelled
ed down to Phcrffi in Achaia; intending by this them, and rescnedthe citadel of Corinth out of
movement either to bring the Achsans to a their hands. He was even an enemy to all
battle, or makethem look upon Aratus in a kings,and wasequallyhatedby them.Antigo-
mean light, for giving up the country, as it nusin particular,he loadedwith a thousand
were,to his destroyingsword. reproaches,asappears fromthewritingshehat
Hyperbateswasindeedgeneralat that time, left behindhim.* He boaststhat he haden-
bnt Aratus had all the authority. The Achaans countered and overcome innumerable difficul-
"Mcmbled their forces, and encamped,at Dy- ties in order to deliver Athens from a Macedo-
meae*near Hecatombceum; upon which Cle- nian garrison; and yet he brought those
omenesmarchedup to them, though it was very Macedonians,armedasthey were,into
thoughta rash stepfor him to take post be- his own country,into his own house,and
tween Dymea?,which belonged to the enemy, even into the women's apartment. At the
and the Acha:an camp. However, he boldly same time he could not bear that a Spartan
" Aratuswrotea historyof theAchxans,andof hil
* Folj-biiu call] it Dvmx, own conduct.
 CLEOM£N7ES. 5b0
kinq 4 .'.<"«
cndantof Hercules, whowantedomenes enteredAchuia,wherehe firsttoob
onlyto restoretheancient
polityof hiscountry, Hellene
by surprise,
anddislodgedtheAchaian
to correctits brokenharmony,and bring it garrison.Afterwards hemadeh'.mself
master
backto thesoberDorictonewhichLycurgusof Pheneum andPentcleum.As theAchian*
tad givenit;* hecouldnotbearthatsucha wereapprehensive
of a revoltatCorinthand
princeshouldbedeclared
general
of theSicy- Sicyon,theysenta bodyof cavalryand some
onians and Tricczans.f While he avoided mercenaries
from Argos to guardagainstany
thecoarse
cakeandshortcloak,and,whathe measures
tendingthatway,and wentthem-
thoughtthe greatestgrievancein the whole selvesto celebratethe Nemeangamesat Ar-
systemof CleomcncB,
theabolishing of richesgos. Uponthis, Cleomenes hoping,what
andthe makingpovertya moresupportable reallyprovedthe case,that,if hecouldcome
thing,he madeAchaiatruckleto thediademsuddenly uponthecity,whileit wasfilledw.th
und purple of Macedonians,and of Asiatic multitudesassembledto partakeof the diver-
grandees.To shun the appearance of sub- sions,he shouldthrowall into thegreatestcon-
missionto Cleonicnes,heofferedsacri6cesto fusion, marchedup to the walls by night, and
thedivinity of Antigonus,and, with a garland seized the quartercalledAspis,whichlay above
on his head,sungpagans in honourof a rotten the theatre,notwithstandingits difficultyof ac-
Macedonian. Thesethingswe saynot in accu- cess. This struckthem with suchterror, that
lation of Aratus (for in manyrespectshewas not a man thoughtof makingany resistance;
i greatmanandworthy of Greece;)we mean they agreedto receivea garrison,andgave
onlyto pointout with compassion the weaknesstwenty of the citizens as hostagesfor their
of humannature,which,in dispositionsthebest acting as allies to Sparta,andfollowingthe
formedto virtue, can produceno excellencestandardof Cleomenes as their general.
without some taint of imperfection. This action added greatly to the fame and
When the Achsansassembled againat Ar- authorityof that prince.For the ancientkings
gos,and Cleomenescamedown from Tegea of Sparta,withall their endeavours, couldnever
to meet them, the Greeks entertainedgreat fix Argos in their interest; and Pyrrhus, one
hopes of peace. But Aratus,who hadalready of the ablestgeneralsin the world, thoughhe
settledthe principal points with Antigonus, forcedhis wayinto the town, couldnot holdit,
fearingthat Cleomenes; either by his obliging but lost his life in the attempt,andhadgreat
mannerof treating,or by force,wouldgainall part of his army cut in pieces. Hence the
hewantedof the people,proposed," That he dispatchandkeennessof Cleomenes were the
shouldlake threehundredhostages for the se- moreadmired:andtheywho beforehadlaugh
curityof his person,andenterthe town alone; edat him for declaringhe wouldtread in the
or, if he did not approveof that proposal, stepsof SolonandLycurgus; in the cancelling
shouldcometo the place of exercisewithout of debts,andin anequaldivisionof property,
thewalls,calledCyllarabium^andtreat there werenow fully persuaded that he wasthe sole
at the head of his army." Cleomenes rernon- causeof all the change in the spirit and suc-
itrated,that theseproceedings were very un- cess of the Spartans. In both respectsthey
just. He said, " They shouldhavemadehim "wereso contemptiblebefore,andso little able
theseproposals at first, andnot now,when he to heip themselves,
that the jEtolians madean
wascome to their gates,distrust and shut him inroad into Laconia, and carried off fifty thou-
out." He therefore wrote the Achsans a let- sand slaves. On which occasion, one of the
ter on this subject,almost filled with com- old Spartanssaid " the enemyhaddonethem
plaintsof Aratus; and the applications
of Ara- a kindness,in taking sucha heavychargeoff
tus to the people were little more than invec- their hands." Yet they had no sooner return-
tives againstthe king of Sparta. The cor.se- ed to their primitive customs and discipline,
quenceof this was, that the latter quickly than, as if Lycurgushimselfhadrestoredhis
retired, and sent a herald to declare war polity, and invigoratedit with his presence,
againstthe Acheeans.This herald, accord- they had given the most extraordinary in-
ing to Aiatus, was sent not to Argos,but to stancesof valour and obedience to their ma-
JEgium,§in orderthat the Achaeans might be gistrate,in raising Spartato its ancipjitsuperi-
entirely unprepared. There was at this time ority in Greece, and recovering Peloponnesus
great commotions among the members of the Cleonaj and Phlius* came in the sametide of
AduMii league;and manytowns were ready successwith Argos, Aratuswasthen making
tofalloff;forthecommon
people
hopedforan an inquisitionat Corinthinto theconduct
of
equaldistributionof lands,andto havetheir suchas werereportedto be in the Lacedsmo-
dehtscancelled;while the bettersort in gen- nian interest. But whenthe newsof their late
eral were displeased at Aratus, and some of losses reached him, and he found that the city
themhighlyprovokedat his bringingthe Mace- was falling off to Cleomenes,and wantedto
donians
into Peloponnesus. get rid of the Acha?ans,he was not a little
Encouraged by thesemisunderstandings,Clc- alarmed. In this confusionhecould think ot
no better expedient than that of calling the
* Themusic,
like thearchitecture,
of the Dorians,citizensto council, and,in the meantime,he
Wuremarkable
foritssimplicity. stoleaway
to thegate. A horse
being
ready
t Thisnrobably
should
beTritseans.
Trileae
wasfor himthere,hemounted
andfledto Sicyon
I cityof Phocis,andcomprehended in theleague;but
Tricca,whichwasin Thessaly,couldhardlybeso. The Corinthianswere in suchhasteto pay
1 From Cyllarbus, the son of Sthenelus.
their complimentsto Cleomenes,
that, Aratus
$ This wasa maritimetownof Achaia,on theCo- tells us, theykilled or spoiledall their horses.
rinthianBay. The intentionof Cleomeues
was,to He acquaintsus also,that Cleomeneshighly
lake il by surprist, before the inhabitants could have
uUlligence
of thewar. * Towns
between
ArgosandCorinth
 666 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
blamedtheJ/eople
of Corinthfor suffering
him partyof Achiansfrom Sicyon,attacked
the
to escape. Nevertheless, he mMs, that Megi citadel.
"tonuscameto himonthepartof thatprince, Cleomenes gettingintelligence of thisabout
andoffered to givehimlargesumsif hewould thesecond watchof thenight,sentCorMegis-
deliverupthecitadelof Corinth,wherehehad tonus,and,inanangry tone,orderedhimtothe
an Acha?an garrison.He answered, " That reliefofArgos:for it washewhohadprincipal-
affairsdid not thendepend uponhim,buthe ly undertaken
for theobedience oftheArgives.
mustbegoverned by theircircumstances."
So and,by thatmeans, prevented
theexpulsion of
Aratushimselfwrites. suchas wen suspected.Havingdespatched
Cleomenes, in hismarchfromArgos,addedMegistonus
uponthisbusiness,
the Spartan
the Trcrzenians,
theEpidaurians,
andHermi- princewatched
themotions
of Antigonus,
and
onians,to the numberof his friendsandallies, endeavouredto dispelthe fearsof the Corin-
andthen went to Corinth,anddrew a line of thiansassuringthemit wasnogreatthingthat
circumvallationabout the citadel, which the hadhappened at Argos,but onlyaninconsider-
Achzansrefusedto surrender. However, he able tumult. Megistonusgot into Argos,and
sentfor the friendsandstewards of Aratus,and was slamin a skirmish there; the garnsoa
orderedthemto take careof his houseandef- werehardpressed,andmessenger after mes-
fects in that city. He likewisesentagainto sengersentto Cleomenes.Upon thishe was
that general by Tritymallus, the Messcman,afraid that the enemy, after they hadmade
and proposedthat the citadelshouldbegarri- themselves mastersof Argos, wouldblockup
sonedhalf with Achxansandhalf with Lace- the passages againsthim, andthengo andrav-
demonians,offeringat thesametime, to double age Laconia at their pleasure,and besiege
the pension he had from Ptolemy, king of Sparta itself, which was left without defence.
Egypt. As Aratus,insteadof acceptingthese He thereforedecamped
from Corinth,the con-
conditions, sent his son and other hostagesto sequenceof which was the loss of that town;
Antigonus,andpersuaded the Achaeansto give for Antigonusimmediately
enteredit, andplaced
ordersthat the citadelof Corinthshouldbeput a garrisonthere. In the meantime, Cleomenes,
into the handsof that prince, Cleomenes im- having collected his forces which were scatter-
mediatelyravaged the territoriesof Sicyon,and edin their march,attemptedto scalethe walls
in pursuance of a decreeof the Corinthians,of Argos; but failing in that enterprise,he
"eized on the wholeestateof Aratus. After brokeopenthe vaultsunderthe quartercalled
Antiponushad passedGerania*with a great Aspis,gamedan entrancethat way,andjoined
army, Cleomenesthought it more advisableto his garrison, which still held out against the
fortify the Onaeanmountains! than the Isthmus, Achseans. After this he took some other quar
andby the advantage of hispostto tire out the ters of the city by assault;andorderingthe
Macedonians,rather than hazard a pitched Cretan archersto ply their bows,clearedthe
battle with a veteranphalanx. Antigonuswas streetsof the enemy. But when hesawAnti
greatly perplexedat this plan of operations.gonusdescendingwith his infantry fromthe
For he hadneitherlaid in a sufficientquantity heightsinto the plain,andhis cavalryalready
of provisions, nor could he easily force the pouring into the city, he thought it impossible
passby which CJeomenes
hadsatdown. He to maintainhis post. He hadnow no other
attempted one night indeed, to get into Pelo- resource but to collect all his mtn, and retire
ponnesus by the port of Lachxum,J but was along the walls, which he accordingly did with-
repulsed with loss. out loss. Thus, after achieving the greatest
Cleomenes was much encouragedwith this things in a short space of time, and making
success,and his troops went to their evening's himself master of almost all Peloponnesusin
refreshments with pleasure. Antigonus, on the one campaign, he lost all in less time than he
other hand, was extremely dispirited: for be gained it; some cities immediately withdraw-
saw himself in so troublesomea situation that ing from his alliance, and others surrendering
it was scarcely possible to find any resources themselvesnot long after to Antigonus.
which were not extremely difficult. At last he Such was the ill successof this expedition.
determined to move to the promontory of He- And what was no less a misfortune, as he was
rseum, and from thence to transport his troops marching home messengersfrom Lacedsmon,
to Sicyon; but that requireda greatdeal of methim m the eveningnear Tegea,and in-
time and very considerablepreparations. How- formed him of the death of his wife. His af
ever,the eveningafter, someof the friendsof fection and esteemfor Agiatis was so great
Aratus arrived from Argos by sea,being sent to that, amidst the current of his happiest suc-
acquainthim that the Argiveswererevolting cess,hecould not stay fromher a wholecam-
from Cleomenes,and purposedto invite him paign,but oftenrepairedto Sparta. No won-
to that city. Aristotle was the authorof the der, then, that a young man,deprivedof so
defection; and he had found no great difficulty beautiful and virtuous a wife, was extremely
in persuading
the peopleinto it, because
Cleo- affectedwith her loss. Yet his sorrowdidnot
meneshadnot cancelledtheir debts,as hehad debasethe dignity of his mind. He spokein
given themroom to hope. Upon this Aratus, the sameapcent,he preserved the samedresi
with fifteen hundred men whom he had from and look; he gave his orders to his officers,ana
Antigonus, sailed to Epidaurus. But Aristotle, provided for the security of Tegea.
jiot waitingfor him, assembledthe townsmen, Next morninghe enteredLaccdaimon;and
and, with the assistance of Timoxenusanda after paying a propertributeto grief at horn*
* A mountain
betwctnMegariiandCorinth. with his motherand his children,he applied
f This rangeof mountainsettendsfromthe Sciro- himself to the concernsof state. Ptolemy, king
ftun rocks,
fctron.
ontheroadtoAttica,asUr asmount
Slrab. 1. vii.
Ci- of Egypt,agreed
to furnish
himwithsuccours,
One of the harbours at Corinth. jut it was on condition that he scat him hii
 CLEOMENES. 667
motherandchildrendahostages.This cir- two companies of Lacedaemonians,
to seize
cumstance he knewnothowto communicate that partof thewall whichwasbetwrenIhe
to hismother;amiheoftenattempted to men-twotowers,andwhichheunderstood to bethe
tionit to her,butcouldnotgoforward. She leastguarded.Hefollowedwith the restof
beganto suspect that therewassomethinghisarmyatthecommon pace.Panteus,
finding
whichhewasafraidto opento her,and she notonlythatquarterbutgreatpartof thewaJl
uked his friendswhat it mightbe. At lasthe withoutdefence,
pulledit downin someplaces,
"ventured
to tell her; uponwhichshelaughedundermined it inothers,andputall thesenti-
Terypleasantly,andsaid,"Was thisthething nelsto thesword. Whilehewasthusemploy-
which you havo so longhesitatedto express?ed, Cleomenes
cameup, andenteredthe city
Whydo notyouimmediately
putus onboardwith his forces,beforethe Megalopolitani
" ship, and send this carcase of mine where knew of his approach
youthinkit maybeof mostuseto Sparta,be- Theywereco sooner
apprised
of themisfor-
fore age.rendersit goodfor nothing,andsinks tune which hadbefallenthem,thanthe great
it into thegrave?" estpart left the city, taking their moneyand
When everythingwaspreparedfor the voy- most valuable effects with them. The rest
«ge,ihey went by landto Tsenarus;the army madea stand,and thoughtheycould not dia-
conducting themto thatport. Cratesiclea
being lodgethe enemy,yettheir resistance gavetheir
on the point of taking ship,took Cleomenesfellow-citizensopportunityto escape. There
aloneinto the templeof Neptune,where,see- remainednot abovea thousandmen in the
ing him in great emotionand concern,she town, all the rest having retired to Messene,
threw her arms about him, and said, " King of with their wives and children, before there wa»
Sparta,take care that, when we go out, no one any possibility of pursuing them. A consider-
perceiveus weeping,or doingany thing un- able part even of thosewho had armed and
worthy that glorious place. This alone is in fought in defence of the city got off, and very
our power; the event is in the handsof God." few were taken prisoners. Of this number
After she had given him this advice, and com- were Lysandridas and Thearidas, two persons
posed her countenance, she went on board, of great name and authority, in Megalopolis.
with her little grandson
in herarms,andorder- As they were such respectablemen,the sol-
ed the pilot to put to sea as soon as possible. diers carried them before Cleomenes. Lysan-
Upon her arrival in Egypt, she understood dridas no sooner saw Cleomenes, than he thai
that Ptolemy had received ambassadorsfrom addressed him : " Now," said he in a loud
Antigonus, and seemed to listen to his propo- voice, becauseit was at a distance, " now, king
lale; and, on the other hand, shewas informed of Sparta, you have an opportunity to do an
that Cleomenes,though invited by the Achsans action much more glorious and princely than.
to a pacification, was afraid, on her account, the late one, and to acquire immortal honour."
to put an end to the war, without Ptolemy's Cleomenes, guessingat his aim, made answer,
consent. In this difficulty she wrote to her " You would not have me restore you the
eon, to desire him, " to do what he thought town?" " That is the very thing," said Lysan
most advantageousand honourable for Sparta, dridas, "1 would propose: I advise you, by
and not,for the sakeof an old womananda all means,not to destroyso fine a city, but to
child,to live alwaysin fear of Ptolemy." So fill it with firm friendsand faithful allies, by
great was the behaviour of Cratesiclea under restoring the Megalopolitans to their country,
adversefortune. nnd becomingthe saviourof so considerable
a
After Antigonus had taken Tegea, and plun- people." Cleomenes pausedawhile, and then
deredOrchomanus andMantinea,Cleomenes,replied, "This is hardto believe;but be it as
now shut up within the boundsof Laconia, it will, let glory with us hive always greater
enfranchised suchof the helots as could pay weightthan interest." In consequence of this
fiveAttic minx for their liberty. By this ex- determination,hesentthetwo mento Messene,
pedient he raised fifty talents; and having, with a herald in his own name,to make the
moreover,armed and trained, in the Macedo- Megalopolitans an offer of their town, on con-
nian manner,two thousandof thosehelots, dition thatthey would renouncethe Achacans,
whomhedesigned to opposeto theLeucaspides anddeclarethemselveshis friendsand allies.
of Antigonug,he engagedin a greatand unex- Though Cleomenesmadeso graciousand
pectedenterprise. Megalopoliswas at that humane a proposal,Philopoemen would not
time as great and powerful a city as Sparta. suffer the Megalopolitans to accept it, or to
It was supported,besides,by the Achx-ansquit the Achian league,*but assuringthem
»ndAntigonus,whosetroopslay on eachside that the king of Sparta,insteadof inclining to
of it. Indeed,the Megalopolitanswere the restorethemtheir city, wantedto get the citi-
foremostand mosteagerof all the Achsansin zenstoo into his power,he forcedThearidai
their applicationto Antigonus. This city, and Lysandndasto leave Messene. This ii
however,Cleomenes resolvedto surprise;for that PhilopoEtnen who afterwardswasthe lead-
whichpurposeheorderedhis men to takefive ing man amongthe Achzans,and (as we have
days'provisions,andled themto Sellasia.asif related in his life) oneof the most illustrious
he designedan inroad into the territoriesof personages amongthe Greeks.
Argos.Butheturnedshort,andenteredthose Uponthis news,Cleomenes, who hitherto
of Megalopolis;ond,afterhavingrefreshed
his hadkeptthehouses andgoods of theMegalo-
troopsat RhoHium, hemarched, byHelicon," politauswithsuchcarethatnottheleastthing
directlyto theolject hehadin view. When wasembezzled, wasenraged to sucha degree
hewasnearit, aesentPanteusbeforewith that heplundered thewhole,sentthestatues
* Lubinu!thinksU oughtto bereadHe\ij»OD,
there * Pol)binsbestowsgreatandjust encomiumonlbj»
beingnosuchplaceai Heliconin Arcadia. conductof (he MegaJopolilant,
1. 1)
668 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

and pictures
to Sparta,
andlevelledthegreat sacrifice
underthewallsof the temple,whicl
eet andbestpartsof the city with the ground. wasfastshutup, heledhis troopsoff to Phlius.
After Uiishernarcnedhomeagain,beingunder In his marchfrom thencehedislodgedthegar-
some apprehensions that Antigonusand the rison of Ologuntum,and then proceeded by
Achae.ifls
would comeuponhim. T hey,how- Orchomenus;by whichmeanshe not only in
ever,made
nomotiontowards
it, for theywere spiredthis people
withfreshcourage,
butcama
then holding a council at jKgium. Aratus to be considered by the enemyas a mostable
mountedthe rostrum on that occasion,where general,anda mancapableof the greatestun-
he wept a long time, with his robe beforehis dertakings:for, with the strengthof the single
face. They were all greatly surprised, and city to opposethe whole power of the Mace-
desiredhim to speak. At last he said,"Me- doniansandPeloponnesiana,andall the treaa
galopolisis destroyedby Cleomenes." The urcsof the king; andnot only to keepLaconia
Achaean« were astonished at so great and sud untouched, but to carry devastation into the
den a strode, and the council immediately broke enemy's country, were indications of no com-
up. Antigtinus madegreat efforts to go to the mon genius and spirit.
relief of the place;but,as histroopsassembled He who first called moneythe finews of
"lowly from their winter quarters, he ordered business seemsprincipally to have had respect
them to remain where they were, and marched to that of war. And Demades, when the
to Argoswith the forceshe hadwith him. Athenianscalled uponhim to equiptheir navy
This madethe secondenterpriseof Cleo- and get it out, thoughtheir treasurywasvery
menes appear rash and desperate: but Poly- low, told them, " They must think of baking
bius,* on the contrary, informs us, that it was bread, before they thought of an embarkation.*
conducted with great prudence and foresight It is also said that the old Archidamus, at the
For knowing(as he tells us) that theMacedo- beginningof the Peloponnesian
war, whenthe
nians were dispersed in winter quarters, and allies desired that the quota of each should be
that Antigonus lay in Argoa with only his determined, made answer, that, " war cannot
friends and a few mercenaries about him, he be kept at a set diet." And in this case we
entered the territories of that city; in the per- may justly Bay,that as wrestlers, strengthened
suasion that either the shameof suffering such by long exercise, do at last tire out those who
an inroad would provoke Antigonus to battle, have equal skill and agility, but not the exer-
and exposehim to a defeat, or that if he de- cise; so Antigonus coming to the war with vast
clined the combat, it would bring him into dis- funds, in process of time tired out and over-
repute with the Argives. The event justified came Cleomenes,who could but in a very slen-
his expectation. When the peopleof Argos der mannerpayhiamercenaries,
and givehit
saw their country laid waste, every thing that Spartans bread.
was valuabledestroyed or carried off, they ran In all other respectsthe times favouredCleo-
in great displeasureto the king's gates,and be- menes,Antigonus being drawn homeby the bad
sieged them with clamour, bidding him either posture of his affairs: for in his absence the
go out andfight,or elsegive placeto his supe- barbarians
invadedandravaged
all Macedonia.
riors. Antigonus, however, like a wise and The Illyrians in particular, descendingwith a
able general,thoughtthe censures of strangersgreatarmyfromthe north,harassed the Mace-
no disgrace,in comparisonof his quitting a doniansso muchthat theywereforcedto send
placeof security,andrashlyhazarding a battle, for Antigonus. Had the letters beenbrought
and thereforehe abodeby his first resolutions.a little beforethe battle, that generalwould
Cleomenes, in the meantime,
marchedupto the have immediatelydeparted,and bidden the
verywalls, insultedhis enemies,and,beforehe Achaeans a long farewell. But fortune,who
retired,spreaddesolationat his pleasure. lovesto make the greatestaffaireturn upon
Soon after his return, he was informed that someminute circumstance, shewedon this oc-
Antigonuswascometo Tegea,with a designto casionof whatconsequence a momentof time
enter Laconia on that side. Upon this emer- may be.* As soon as the battle of Salla-
gency,heput his troopsundermarchanother siaf was <bught,and Cleomenes had lost his
way,andappeared
againbefore
Argosbybreakarmyand his city, messengers
cameto call
of day,ravagingall theadjacentfields. He did Antigonushome. This was a great aggrava
not now cut downthe corn with scythesand tion of the Spartanking's misfortunes.Had
sickles,aspeopleusuallydo,butbeatit downhe heldoff andavoided
an actiononlya day
with woodeninstruments
in the formof scymi- or two longer,he would havebeenunderno
tars,asif thisdestruction
wasonlyanamuse-necessity
of fighting;and after the Mace-
ment to his soldiers in their march. Yet when donians were gone,he might have made peace
they would have set fire to Cyilarabis,the with the Achsans on what conditions he
schoolof exercise,he preventedit; reflecting pleased. But such,as we said,washis want
thattheruinof Megalopolis
waadictated
rather * Plutarch
hadthisreflection
fromPolybius.
by passionthen by reason. f Polybius hasgirena particularaccount
of thiff
Antigonusimmediatelyreturnedto Argos, battle. Antigonus
hadtwenty-eight thousand
foot
havingtakencareto placeguardsin all the andtwelve
consisted hundred
only horse.
of twenty Thearm)
; butofCleomenel
thousand it wasadvan-
passesof the mountains. But Cleomenes, as tageouslyposted. He wasencamped
on two moun
if he heldhim and hisoperations
in the ut- tains,which
werealmost
inaccessible,
andseparated
most contempt, sent heralds to demand the only by a narrowdefile. Thesehehadfortifiedwith
keysof Juno'stemple,that he mightsacrifice strongramparts
andadeepfosse
; sothatAnllgonut
to thegoddess.Afterhehadpleased
himself after recounoiliog hissituation,
didDO! thinkpropel
lo attack him, but encampedat a small distanceon the
with this insult on his enemy, and offered his plain. At length,for wantof moneyand provisions,
Cleomeneswas forced to cometo action,and wa* bcat-
i, lib. ii. «j. Pol. lib. 11.
 CLEOMENES.

of money
thathehadnoresource
butthesword;ed his elbowagainst
a pillar,and liis head
and, therefore,as Polybiusinforms us, with uponit; armedas he was;andhavingresteda
twentythousandmenwasforced to challenge fewmoments, while heconsideredwhatcourse
thirty thousand. to take,herepairedloGythiumwith hisfrienda.
He shewedhimself anexcellentgeneralin Therethey wenton boardvesselsprovidedfor
the wholecourse of the action; his Spartansthatpurpose,andimmediatelyput out to sea.
behavedwith great spirit, andhis mercenaries Upon the arrival of Antigonus,Spartasur-
foughtnot ill. His defeat was owing to the rendered. His behaviourto the inhabitants
"uperior advantagethe Macedonianshad in wasmild and humane,and not unsuitableto
their armour,and to the weight and impetu- the dignity of their republic;for he offered
osity of their phalanx. them no kind of insult but restored to them
Phylarchus,indeed, assuresus, it wasthe their lawsandpolity; and after havingsacri-
treacheryof oneof his officersthat ruinedthe ficedto the gods, retired the third day. He
affairs of Cleomenes. Antigonus had ordered was informed, indeed, that Macedonia was in-
the Illyrians and Acarnanians secretly to fetch volved in a dangerouswar; and that the bar-
a compass,
and surroundthat wing whichwas barianswereravagingthe country. Beside*,
commandedby Euclydas, the brother of Cleo- he was in a deep consumption, and had a con
inenes while he was marshalling the rest of his tinual defluxion upon the lungs. However, he
ormy. Cleomenes,taking a view from an emi- bore up under his affliction, and wrestled with
nenceof Insadversary's
disposition,could not domesticwars,until a greatvictory over,and
perceive where the Jllyrians and Acarnanians carnageof the barbarians,made him die more
were posted, and began to fear they were de- glorious. Phylarchus tells us (and it is not at
signedfor some such manoeuvre.He therefore all improbable) that he burst a vesselin his
called Damotecles, whose business it was to lungs with shouting in the battle: though it
guardagainstany surprise,andorderedhim to passedin the schools,that in eiprcssinghia
reconnoitre the enemy's rear with particular joy after the victory, and crying out, " O glo-
care,andformthe bestconjecturehecould of riousday!" he broughtup a greatquantityof
the movements they intended. Damotecles, blood, and fell into a fever, of which he died
who is said lo be bribed hy Antigonous, assur- Thus much concerning Antigonus.
edhim that" he hadnothingto fear from that From the isle of Cythea,whereClcomene*
quarter, for all was safe in the rear; nor was first touched, he sailed to another island called
there any thing more to be done but to bear JEgialia. There he had formed a design to
down upon the front." Cleomenes, satisfied passover to Cyrene, when one of his friends,
with this report, attacked Antigonus. The namedTherycion,a manof high andintrepid
Spartanschargedwith so much vigour,that spirit on all occasions,and onewho alway*
they made the Macedonianphalanx give indulgedhimself in a lofty and haughtyturn
ground,and eagerlypursuedtheir advantageof expression,came privately to Cleomenes,
for aboutfivefurlongs. The king then seeing andthusaddressed him: " We havelost, my
Euchdasin the other wing quite surrounded,prince, the most glorious death,which we
"topped,and cried out, " Thou art lost, my might have found in the battle; thoughthe
dearbrother,thou art lost! in spite of all thy world had heard us boast that Antigonua
valour! but great is thy exampleto our Spar- shouldneverconquer the king of Spartatill
tan youth, and the songs of our matrons shall he had slain him. Yet there is another exit
for everrecordthee!"* still offeredus by glory andvirtue. Whither
Euclidas,andthe winghe commanded, thus then are we BOabsurdly sailing? Flying a
beingslain, the victorsfell upon Cleomenes,deaththat is near,and seekingonethat is re-
who,seeinghis men in great confusion,and mote. If it is not dishonourablefor the de-
unable to maintain the fight, provided as well scendants of Hercules to serve the successor!
ashe couldfor his own safety. It is saidthat of Philip andAlexander,why do not we save
greatnumbersof the mercenaries were killed; ourselvesa long voyage,by making our sub-
andthat of six thousand
Lacedsmonians
no missionto Anligonus,
who,in all probability,
morethantwo hundredwere saved. as much excels Ptolemyasthe Macedoniani
WhenhereachedSpartaheadvisedthe citi- dothe Egyptians? But if we do not choose
lens to receiveAntigonus. " For my part," to begovernedby a man who beat us in the
(aidhe, " I am willing eitherto live or to die, field, why do we take onewhoneverconquer-
astheoneor theothermaybe mostfor the in- ed us,for our master? Is it that we mayshew
terestof mycountry."Seeing
thewomen
run ourinferiorityto two,instead
of one.byflying
to meetthe few brave men whohad escapedbefore Antigonus, and then going to flatter
withhim, helpto takeoff theirarmour,and Ptolemy?ShallwesaythatyougointoEgypt
presentthem with wine, he retired into his for the sakeof your mother? It will be agio
ownhouse. After the deathof his wife, he rious and happy thing truly for her to shew
badtakenintohis house a youngwomanwho Ptolemy's wivesherson,fromakingbecomes
wasa nativeof Megalopolis, and freeborn,captiveandan exile. No! whileweareyet
andfellintohishandsat thesackof theplace.masters
of ourswords, andarcyetin sightof
Sheapproached him,according
to custom,with Laconia,let us deliverourselves
from this
* tenderof her serviceson his return fromthe miserablefortune,andmakeour excuse
for out
field. Butthoughboth thirstyandweary,he pastbehaviour
to thosebravemenwhofellfor
wouldneitherdrink norsitdown; lieonly lean' Sparta at Sellasia. Or shall we rather sit
* Heactedlike a bra\esoldier, but nota skilful down in Egypt, andenquirewhom Antigonua
officer.Instead of pouring uponthe enemy fromthe hasleft governorof Lacedcemon?"
Aright*, andretiringas fie foundiVcoineimnt,he Thus Therycion spoke, and Cleomenesmad«
itnnd "till, auJ suffered the Macedonians to cut off his
Mtont, this answer: " Dost thou think, then, wretch
 670 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
thai thou an. dost thou think, by running into admitted Cleomenes to a consultation in hii
the armsof death,than which nothingia more cabinet;the subjectof which was,whetherhe
easyto find,to shewthy courageandfortitude? shoulddestroyhisbrother. All the rest voted
And dostthou not considerthat this Rightis for it, but Cleomenea
opposed it strongly. He
moredastardly
thanthe former? Bettermen said," The king,if it werepossible,
should
thanwe havegivenwayto their enemies, being havemorebrothers,for thegreatersecurityof
eitheroversetby fortune,or oppressed
by num- the crown, andthe better management of af
bers. But hewho givesout eitherfor fearof faire." And whenSosibius, the king's princi-
labourandpain,orof theopinionsandtongues pal favourite,replied, " That the mercenariei
of men, falls a victim to his owncowardice. couldnot bedependedon while Magaswa»
A voluntarydeathoughtto beanaction,not a alive,Cleomenesdesiredthemto give them-
etreatfrom action. For it is an ungenerousselvesno pain about that: "for." said he,
thing cither to live or to die to ourselves. All " above three thousandof the mercenariesare
that thy expedientcouldpossiblydo, wouldbe Peloponnesians, who, upon a nod from me,
only the extricatingus from our presentmis will bereadywith their arms." Hence,Ptole-
fortunes,withoutansweringany purpose either my, for the present,looked upon Cleomenes
of honouror utility. But J think neitherthou not only as a fastfriend,but a man of power;
nor I oughtto give upall hopesfor our coun- buthis weakness afterwardsincreasinghis ti-
try. If those hopesshoulddesertus,death, midity,as is commonwith peopleof little un-
whenwe seekfor him, wiil not be hardto derstanding, he beganto placehis securityin
find." Therycionmadeno reply; but the first jealousyandsuspicion.His ministerswereof
opportunity he had to leaveCleomenes,he the samestamp,and they consideredCleo-
"walkeddown to the shoreand stabbedhim- menesas an objectof fear,on accountof hii
lelf. interestwith the mercenaries;insomuchthat
Cleomenes left jEgialia, andsailed to Afri- manywereheardto say," That hewasa lioa
;a, wherehe was receivedby the king's offi- amonga flock of sheep." Such,indeed,he
cers,andconducted to Alexandria. When he seemedto be in court,where,with a silentse-
wasfirst introducedto Ptolemy,"that prince verity of aspect,heobserved all that passed.
>ehavedto him with sufficient kindness and In these circumstances,he made no more
^umanity;bul when,uponfurthertrial of him, applicationsfor ships or troops. But being
ic found what strength of understanding he informed that Antigonus was dead; that the
Uad, and that his laconic and simple way of Achaeanswere engaged in war with the jEto-
conversingwas mixedwith a vein of wit and lians; andthat affairs called strongly for hit
pleasantry:when he sawthat he did not, in presence,in the troublesand distractionsthat
toy instance whatever,dishonourhis royal thenreignedin Peloponnesus, he desiredonljr
birth, or crouch to fortune, he began to take a conveyancethither for himself and hisfnenda.
more pleasurein his discoursethan in the Yet no man listenedto him. The king, who
meansacrificesof complaisance
and flattery. spenthistime in all kindsof Bacchanalian
rev-
He greatly repented, too, and blushedat the els with women, could not possibly hear him.
thoughtof having neglectedsucha man,and Sosibius,the prime minister,thought Cleo-
given him up to Antigonus,who,by conquer- meneamustprovea formidableanddangerous
ing him, had acquired so much power and glo- man, if he were kept in Egypt against hii
ry. He, therefore, encouraged him now with will; and that it was not safe to dismiss him,
every mark of attention and respect,and prom- becauseof his bold and enterprisingspirit; and
ised to send him back to Greece with a fleet becausehe had been an eye-witnessto the dis-
and a supply of money, to re-establish him temperedstate of the kingdom; for it wasnot
in his kingdom. His present appointments in the power of money to mollify him. Aa
amounted to four-and-twenty talents by the the 01 Apis, though revelling, to all appear-
year. Out of this he maintained himself and ance, in every dehght that he can desire, yet
his friends in a sober and frugal manner, and longs after the liberty which nature gave him,
bestowed the rest in offices of humanity to wants to bound over the fields and pasturesat
such Greeks as had left their country and re- his pleasure,and discoversa manifest uneasi
tired into Egypt. nessunder the hands of the priest who feedg
But old Ptolemy died before lie could put him; so Cleomenescould not be satisfied with
his intentions in favour of Cleomenesinto ex- a soft and effeminate life; but, like Achilles
ecution; and the court soon becoming a scene
of debauchery,
where womenhad the sway, Consuming
cares
layheavy
onhismind:
the businessof Cleomeneswas neglected. For IDhis blackthoughtsrevengeandslaughter
roll,
the kingf was so much corruptedwith wine Andscenes
of bloodrisedreadful
in hissoul.
andwomen,
that inhismoresober
andserious Popt,
hours hewould attend to nothing but the cele-
brationof mysteries,andthe beatinga drum Whilehisaffairswerein thisposture, Nica
with hisroyal handsaboutthepalace;while gorastneMessenian, a man whoconcealed
the great affairsof state were left to his themostrancorous hairedof Cleomenesun-
mistressAgathoclea, and her mother,and derthe pretence of friendship,
cameto Alex-
Oenanthes theinfamous ministerto hispleas-andria. It seems hehadformerlysoldhima
ures. It appears,however, that at firstsome handsome pieceofground;andtheking,either
usewasmadeof Cleomenes; for Ptolemy, be- throughwantof money orhiscontinual
engage-
ing afraidof hisbrotherMagaa, who,throughmentin war,had neglected to payhimfor it.
bismother's interest,
etoodwellwiththearmy, Cleomenes, whohappened to bewalkingupon
the quay,sawthis Nicagorasjust landingfrom
" Ptolemy
Eurgetci. * Ptolemy
Philopater. » merchantman, and salutinghim with greal
 CLEOME1NES. 671

kindness,
asked" Whatbusiness hadbroughtmenes wasU r»erefeased;andas it wasthe
himto Egypt."' Nicagoras
returned thecom-customof thekingsof Egyptto sendthoseto
plimentwithequalappearance of friendship,whomtheydesigned to extendsuchgracea
andanswered;" I ambringingsomefinewar- supper,and other tokensof friendship,
the
horsesfor the king." Cleomenes
laughed,and friehdsof Cleomenes
madeampleprovisionfor
"aid," I couldratherhavewished
thatyouhad thepurpose,andsentit to the gate. By this
brought himsome femalemusicians
andpathics;stratagem
thekeepers
weredeceived; for they
for thesearethe cattle that the kingat present imaginedthat the wholewassentby the king.
likes best."Nicaijora8,at that time, only smil- Cleomenes then offeredsacrifice,with a chap-
ed; but a few daysafterhe put Cleomenesin let of flowerson his head,and afterwardssat
mindof the field he hadsold him, anddesired down with his friendsto the banquet,taking
he might now be paid; pretendingthat he care that the keepersshouldhave large por-
wouldnot havegiven him any troubleaboutit tionsto regalethem. It is said,that hesetabout
if liehadnot foundconsiderable lossin thedis- his enterprisesoonerthan heintended,because
posalof his merchandise."Cleomenes assuredhefound that oneof his servantswho wasin
inn, "That he had nothingleft of what the the secrethad beenout all night with his mis-
kingsof Ejiypt had given him;" uponwhich tress. Fearing, therefore,a discoverymight
Nicagoras, in his disappointment, acquainted be made about mid-day, while the intoxication
Sosibiuswith the joke uponthe king. Sosibius of the preceding night still kept the guards fast
received the information with pleasure; but, asleep, he put on his military tunic, having
beingdesirousto havesomethingagainstCleo- first openedthe seamof the left shoulder,and
jnenes that would exasperate Ptolemy still rushed out, sword in hand, accompanied by hia
more, he persuadedNicagoras to leave a letter, friends, who were thirteen in number, and ac-
»asertingthat, " If the Spartan prince had re- coutred in the same manner.
ceived a supply of ships and men from the One of them, namedHippotas, though lame,
king of Egypt's bounty, Ire would have made at first was enabled, by the spirit of enterprise,
use of them in seizing Cyrcne for himself." to keep pace with them; but afterwards per
Nicagorus accordingly left the letter, and set ceiving that they went slower on his account,
tail. Four days after, Sosibius carried it to he desired them to kill him, and not rum the
Ptolemy, as if just come to his hands; whole schemeby waiting for a man who could
tnd having worked up the young prince to re- do them no service. By good fortune rhey
»enge, it was resolved that Cleomenesshould found an Alexandrian leading a horse in the
have a large apartment assigned him, and be street; they took it, and set Hippotas upon it,
servedthere as formerly, but not sufferedto go and then moved swiftly through the streets,all
out. the way inviting the people to liberty. They
This was a great affliction to Cleomenes;and had just spirit enough left to praise and admire
the following accident made his prospects still the bold attempt of Cleomenes, but not a man
more miserable. Ptolemy, the son of Chryser- of them ventured to follow or assist him.
mus, who was an intimate friend of the king's Ptolemy, the sonof Chrysermus, happening
badall along behaved to Cleomeneswith great to come out of the palace, three of them fell
civility; they seemedto like each other's com- upon him, and despatched him. Another
pany, andwere uponsome terms of confidence. Ptolemy, who was governor of the city, ad
Cleomenes,in this distress, desiredthe son of vanced to meet them in his chariot; they at-
Chrysermus
to come and speakto him. He tacked anddispersedhis officersandguards;
came and talked to him plausibly enough, en- and, dragging him out of his chariot, put him
deavouringto dispelhis suspicionsand to apol- to the sword. Then they marchedto the cita-
ogizefor theking. But as he wasgoingout of del, with a designto breakopenthe prisonand
the apartment, without observing that Cleome- join the prisoners,who were no small number,
nesfollowedhimto the door,he gavethe keep- to their party; but the keepershadprevented
ers a severereprimand, " for looking so care- them by strongly barricading the gates. Cleo-
esslyaftera wild beast,who,if he escaped,
in menes,thus disappointedagain, roamed up
all probability could betaken no more." Cleo- and down the city; and he found that not &
jnenea
havingheardthis, retiredbeforePtolemy singleman wouldjoin him, but that all avoid-
perceivedhim, and acquainted his friends with ed him as they would avoid infection.
it. Upon this, they all dismissed their former He therefore stopped, and said to his friendi,
hopes,and taking the measureswhich anger " It is no wonder that women govern a people
dictated,
theyresolvedto revengethemselves of whofly fromliberty;" adding." That he hoped
Ptolemy'sinjuriousandinsolentbehaviour,and they wouldall die in a mannerthat would re-
then die as becameSpartans, instead of wait- flect no dishonour upon him, or on their own
ing longfor theirdoomin confinement,
like vic- achievements."Hippotasdesiredone of th«
tims fatted for the altar. For they thought it young men to despatch him, and was the first
in insufferable
thing that Cleomenes,
after he that fell. Afterwards each of them, without
haddisdained
to cometotermswithAntigonus,fearordelay,felluponhisown sword,except
a brave warrior, and a man of action, should sit Panteus, who was the first man that scaled't>e
eipecting
hisfatefroma princewho assumed wallsof Megalopolis,
whenit wastakenly
thecharacter
of a priestof Cybele;andwho, surprise.He wasin theflowerofhisage;re-
afterhe hadlaid asidehis drum, andwastired markablefor his beauty,andof a happierturn
of his dance,would find anotherkind of sport than the rest of the youthfor the Spartandi«i-
in puttinghimto death. disciplme;whichperfections
hadgivenhim a
After theyhadtakentheir resolution,Ptole- great sharein the king's regard; and he now
my happening
to goto Canopustheypropa-gavehimorders
nottodespatch
himself,till he
gateda report that, by the king's order, Cleo- sawhisprinceandall the teatbreathless
oa tht,
672 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
ground.Pantcus
triedoneafteranother
with no otherfavourthanthatshemightdiebe-
hisdagger,
astheylay,lestsomeoneshouldforeherchildren.But whentheycameto
happen to beleft withlife in him. On prick- theplaceof execution,
the childrensutfcred
ing Cieomenes in thefoot,heperceiveda con- beforehereyes,andthenCratesiclea
wasdis-
tortion in his face. He thereforekissedhim, patched,who,in thisextremedistress,uttered
andsatdownby himtill thebreathwasoutof on)/ thesewords," O my children!whither
bis body;andthenembracing
the corpse,slew are yougone?"
himselfuponit. The wife of Panteus,whowas tall and
Thusfell Cieomenes,
afterhehadbeensix- strong,girtherrobeabout
her,and,ina silent
teenyearsking of Sparta,andshewedhimself and composed manner,paidthe last officesto
in all respectsthe greatman. When the re- each womanthat lay dead, winding up the
port of his deathhadspreadoverthecity, Cra- bodiesas well as her presentcircumstances
tesiclea,thougha womanof superiorfortitude, would admit. Last of all, shepreparedher-
eunkunder the weight of the calamity; she selffor the poniard,by letting down her robe
embraced thechildren
of Cieomenes,
andwept abouther,andadjusting it in sucha manner
as
overthem. The eldestofthem,disengaging to neednoassistance
afterdeath;thencalling
himselffromherarms,got unsuspected
to the theexecutioner
to dohisoffice,andpermitting
top of the house,andthrewhimselfdownhead- no other personto approachher, shefell likea
long. The child was not killed, but much heroine. In deathsheretainedall the decorum
hurt; and,whentheytookhimup,he loudly shehad preserved in life; and the decency
expressedhisgrief andindignation
that they whichhadbeensosacredwith this excellent
would not sufferhim to destroyhimself. womanstill remainedabouther. Thus, in this
Ptolemy wasno sooner informedof these bloodytragedy,whereinthe womencontended
thingsthanheordered
thebodyof Cieomenes
to thelastfor the prizeof couragewith the
10 beflayed,andnailedto a cross,andhischil- men,Lacedsmonshewedthatif is impossible
den to beput to death,togetherwith his mo- for fortune to conquervirtue.
ther,andHiewomen
hercompanions.
Amongst A fewdaysafter,thesoldierswhowatched
these was the wife of Panteus,a woman of the bodyof Cieomenes on the cross*saw a
great beauty,and a most majesticpresence.greatsnakewindingabout his head,andcov-
They hadoeen but lately married,,nd their eringall his face, sothat no bird of preydurst
misfortunesovertook them amidst the first touchit. This struckthe king with supersti-
transports of love. When her husband went tious terrors, and made way for the women to
with Cieomenes from Sparta,shewasdesiroustry a variety of expiations;for Ptolemy was
of accompanying him; but was preventedby now persuaded that hehadcaused the deathof
her parents, who kept her in closecustody. a personwho wasa favouriteof Heaven,and
But soonalter sheprovidedherselfahorseand something morethanmortal.The Alexandrians
a little money, and, making her escapeby crowdedto the place,andcalledCieomenes a
night, rodeat lull speedtoTmarus, andthere hero, a sonof the gods,till the philosophers
embarkedon boarda ship boundfor Egypt. put a stopto their devotions,by assuringthem
She was brought safe to Panteus,and she that, as deadoxenbreedbees,fhorseswasps,
cheerfully shared with him in all the inconve- and beetles rise out of the putrefaction of
niencesthey foundin a foreigncountry.When asses;so human carcases,
when someof the
the soldiers came to take out Cratesiclea to moisture of the marrow is evaporated, and it
execution,sheled her by the hand,assistingin comesto a thickerconsistence,
produceser
bearingher robe,anddesiredher to exertall pents. The ancients,knowingthis doctrine,
the courage she was mistress of; though she appropriated the serpent, rather than any othei
Wasfar frombeingafraidof death,anddesired animal,to heroes.

TIBERIUS AND CAIUS GRACCHUS.

TIBERIUS GRACCHUS.

II ivrwo thuspresentedyou with the history great man, thoughhe hadnot beenuponany
ql AgisandCieomenes, wehavetwo Romanstermsof friendshipwithhim,butratheralways
lo comparewiththem;andnolessdreadfula at variance.It issaidthathe oncecaughta
ic«neof calamitiesto open in thelivesof pairof serpents
uponhis bed,and that the
Tiberius and CaiusCracchus.They were the soothsayers,afterthey hadconsidered the pro-
sons of Tiberius Gracchus;who, thoughhe digy, advisedhim neitherto kill them both,
wasoncehonouredwith the censorship,twice nor le'.thembothgo. If hekilled the maleser-
with the consulate, and led up two triumphs,
vet derivedstill greaterdignityfrom his vir- " Thatthefriends
ofthedeceased
might
notlakell
tues.*Hence,afterthedeath
of thatScipioawaybynipht.
Malron. Thus
Nile* ijui wefind
crucra inPelronius's
aucnakat,nequisEphesian
aasejnd-
whoconquered Hannibal,he wasthoughttwttmcorpora ttctrakei'et:Andthuswefind inanau-
worthy to marryCornelia,the daughterof that thorityweshallnot mentionat thesame
timewith
" Cicero, iu his first bookdc Divinationc,passesPetnmfns.
tnchighes!
cuoomiums
onhisvirlnc
andwisdom.
He t Thiswas
thercccircd
opinion
ofantiquitv,
a>w«
wugrauilsjii
toPublius
Semproniuj. Cod
in Varru,
kc.he.
 TIBERIUS GRACCHUS. 573

sot,theytold him hisdeathwouldbethecon- his voice abovethe regularpitch, give into

quence;if the female,that of Cornelia. Ti- abusiveexpressions,
and disorder the whole
iriua, who loved his wife, and thought it more frame of Ins oration. To guard against these
.liable for him to die first, who wag much excesses, heorderedhis servantLicinius, who
derthan his wife,killed themale,andsetthe waaa sensibleman,to standwith a pitchpipe*
maleat liberty. Not long after this, he died, behind him when he spokein. public, and
tving Cornelia with no fewer than twelve whenever he found him straining his voice or
lildren.* breakingout into anger,to give him a softer
The careof thehouseandthe childrennow key; upon which, his violenceboth of tone
itirelydevolvedupon Cornelia; and shebe- and passionimmediatelyabated,and he wa»
ivedwilh such sobriety, so much parental af- easily recalled to a propriety of address.
ction and greatness of mind, that Tiberius Such -was the difference between the two
emednot to havejudgedill, in choosingto brothers. But in the valour they exerted
e for so valuable a woman. For though againsttheir enemies,in the justice they did
lolemy, king of Egypt; paid his addressesto their fellow-citizens, in attention to their duty
:r, and offered her a share in his throne, she as magistrates, and in self-government with
fusedhim. During her widowhood,ahelost respectto pleasure,theywere perfectlyalike.
I her children except three, one daughter,who Tiberius wasnine years older than his brother;
la married to Scipio the younger, aiid two consequently their political operations took
ns, Tiberius and Caius, whose lives we are place in different periods. This was a great
iw writing. Cornelia brought them up with disadvantage, and indeed the principal thing
much care, that though they were without that prevented their success. Had they flour-
ipute of the noblest family, and had the hap- ished together, and acted in concert, such an
estgeniusanddispositionof all the Roman unionwouldhaveaddedgreatlyto their force,
mth, yet education was allowed to have con- and perhaps might have rendered it irresisti
butedmoreto their perfectionsthan nature. ble. We must,therefore,speakof eachsepar
Aa in the statuesand pictures of Castor and ately; and we shall begin with the eldest.
jlluj, though there is a resemblancebetween Tiberius, ashe grew towards manhood,gain
e brothers,yet there is alsoa differencein edso extraordinarya reputation,that he was
e makeof him who delightedin the ccstus, admittedinto the collegeof the augurs,rather
d in the other whose province was horse- on account of his virtue than his high birth
inship: so while these young men strongly Of the excellence of his character the follow-
sembied
eachotherin point of valour,of ingis alsoa proof:AppiusClaudius,
whohad
mperance,of liberality, of eloquence,of beenhonouredboth with the consulateand
eatnessof mind, there appearedin their ac- censorship; whose merit had raised him to the
m andpoliticalconductnosmall dissimilar- rank of presidentof the senate,and who in
f. It maynot beamissto explainthe difler- senseandspirit wassuperiorto all the Roman*
ice,beforewe proceedfurther. of Inslime, suppingone eveningwith the aw
In the firstplace,Tiberius hada mildnessin gwrsat a publicentertainment, addressedhim,
&look;anda composure in his wholebchav- self to Tiberius with great kindness,zsidoffer
ur: Caiusasmuchvehemence andfire. So ed him hisdaughterin marriage. Tiberiusac
at, whentliey spokein public, Tiberiushad ceptcdthe proposalwith pleasure;andthe con
greatmodestyof action;and shiftednot his tract beingagreedupon,Appius,whenhe went
ace: whereasCaius was the first of the Ro- home, had no sooner entered the house, than
ans that, in addressingthe people,moved he called out aloud to his wife, and said,
DIDoneend of the rostra to the other,and " Antistia, I have contracted our daughlet
rewhis gownoffhis shoulders. So it is re- Claudia." Antistia much surprised,answered,
tcdof Cleonof Athensthat he was the first "Why, so suddenly? What need of such
aior who threw back his robe and smoteupon haste, unless Tiberius Gracchus be the maq
i thigh. The oratoryof Caiuswasstrongly you have pitched upon?" I am not igoorant
ipassioncd, andcalculated to exciteterror: that someftellthe samestory of Tiberius, the
at of Tiberiuswaa of a more gentle kind, father of the Gracchi,and Scipio Africanus;
id pity was the emotion that it raised. but most historians give it in the manner we
The languageof Tiberius waa chasteand have mentioned;and Polybius,in particular,
aborate:[hat of Caius splendid and persua- tells us that, after the death of Africanus, Cor
re. So,in their mannerof living, Tiberius nelia's relationsgave her to Tiberius, in pre
is plain andfrugal: Caius, when compared to ferencc to all competitors; which is a proof
heryoungRomans,
temperate
andsober;but, that her fatherleft her unengaged.
comparisonwith his brother, a friend to lux- The Tiberius of wVim we are writing served
y. Henoe,Drusasobjectedto him, that he in Africa underthe younger*Scipio,who had
id boughtDelphic tables,t of silver only, but married his sister; and, as he lived in the same
iry exquisiteworkmanship,at the rate of tent with the general,he becameimmediately
'elvehundredandfifty drachmasa pound. attentiveto his geniusandpowers,whichwere
Their temperswere no lessdifferentthan daily productiveof such actionsas mightani-
eirlanguage.Tiberiuswasmild andgentle: matea young man to virtue, and attracthis
iius, high spirited and uncontrolled;inso- imitation. With these advantagesTihenus
uch,that in speakinghe wouldoften be car- soonexcelledall of his age,both in point of
id awayby the violenceof his passion,exalt discipline and valour. At a siegeof one of
* Cicerorelates this slory in hi» first book de Divi-
lione, from the memoirsof Caius Gracchus, the suo Cicero, in hit third book de Oratore, call* tU*
Tiberius. "mall ivory pipe. Etnn-ntola Jututu.
| Tbete,wi suppose,
wtrt a kind of tripods. AmongstHICKwu Livj, lib. »x>iii c. 37
Oo
 574 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

the enemy'stowns,hewasthe first that scaled with them,wherethe first thing they did WM
the walls,asFanniusrelates," who,accordingto provide a little collation, and to beg he
to hisownaccount,
mounted
it with him,and wouldpartake
of it. Afterwards
theyreturn-
hada sharein the honour. In short,Tiberius, ed him his books,anddesiredhe would take
while he staidwith the army, wasgreatlybe whateverelsehechoseamongthe spoils. He
loved,andasmuchregretted
whenheleft it. accepted,
however,
of nothingbutsome
frank-
After this expedition he was appointed incense,to beusedin the public sacrifices, and
quicstor,andit fell to his lot to attendthe con- at his departurebe embraced
themwith great
aul Caius Mancinus in the Numantian war.f cordiality.
Mancinus did not want courage;but he was On his return to Rome,he found that tha
oneof the most unfortunategeneralsthe Ro- wholebusiness of thepeacewasconsideredin
mansever h.id. Yet, amidsta train of severe an obnoxiousanddishonourable
light. In thil
accidents and desperate circumstances,Tibe- danger, the relations and friends of the soldiers
rius distinguishedhimself the more,not only he hid broughtoff, whomadea very consider-
by hiscourageandcapacity,but, whatdid him ablepart of the people,joinedto supportTibe-
greater honour, by his respectful behaviour to rius; imputing all the disgrace of what was
bis general,whosemisfortuneshad madehim done to the general,and insistingthat the
forgeteventhe authority that he bore. For, qu<estor
hadsavedso manycitizens. The gen-
afterhavinglost severalimportant
battles,he eralityof thecitizens,
however,
couldnotsuf-
attemptedto decampin the night:the Numan- fer the peace to stand, and they demanded
tians, perceiving this movement, seized the that, in this case, the example of their ances-
camp, and falling upon the fugitives, made torsshould be followed. For whentheir gen-
great havocof the rear. Not satisfiedwith eralsthoughtthemselves happy in gettingout
this, they surroundedthe whole army, and of the handsof the Samniles,by agreeingto
drove the Romans upon impracticable ground, such a league, they delivered them naked to
where there was no possibility of escape. Man- the enemy.* The qu?estorstoo, and the tri-
cinus,nowdespairing
of makinghis waysword bunes,andall that hada.sharein concluding
in hand, sent a herald to beg a truce and con- the peace,they sent back in the same condi-
ditions of peace. The Namantia/is, however, tion, and turned entirely upon them the breach
would trust no man but Tiberius, and they in- of the treaty and of the oath that should have
listed on his being sent to treat. This they confirmed it.
did, not only ou: of regard to the young man On this occasion the people shewedtheir af-
who hadsogreat a characterin the army,but fection for Tiberiusin a remarkablemanner;
to the memory of his father, who had formerly for they decreedthat the consul should bede
made war in Spain, and after having subdued livered up to the Numantians, naked and in
severalnations, granted the Numantians a chains; but that all the rest shouldbe spared
peace, which through his interest was con- for the sake of Tiberius. Scipio, who had
firmed at Rome, and observed with good faith, then great authority and interest in Rome.
Tiberius was accordingly sent; and, in his ne- seemsto have contributed to the procuring of
gociation,he thoughtproper to complywith this decree.He wasblamed,notwithstanding,
some articles, by which means he gained for not saving Mancinus, nor using his besten-
others, and made a peace that undoubtedly deavours to get the peace with the Numan-
laved twenty thousandRoman citizens,be- tians ratified, which would not have been
"ides slavesandother retainersto the army. grantedat all, had it not beenon accountof
But whatever was left in the camp the Nu- us friend and relation Tiberius. Great part
mantianstookaslegalplunder.Amongtherest of these complaints,indeed, seemsto ha/a
theycarried off the booksand paperswhich arisenfrom the ambitionandexcessive zealof
containedthe accountsof Tibenus'squjetor- Tiberius'sfriends,andthesophistshehadabout
elup. As it was a matter of importanceto him; and the difference between him and
him to recoverthem, thoughthe Romanarmy Scipio wasfar from terminatingin irreconcile-
wasalreadyundermarch,hereturnedwith a ableenmity. Nay, I am persuaded thatTibe-
few friends to Numantia. Having called out rius would never have fallen into those misfor-
the magistrates
of theplace,hedesiredthemto tunes that ruined him, had Scipio beenat
restore him his books, that his enemiesmight home, to assist him in his political conduct.
not haveanopportunity
to accuse
him,whenHe wasengaged
in warwithNumantia,
when
they sawhe had lost the meansof defendingTiberius venturedto proposehis new Jaws
himself. The NumantiansweremuchpleasedIt wason this occasion:-
that the accidenthadgiventhemanopportuni- AVheuthe Romansin their warsmadean)
ty to obligehim, andthey invitedhim to enter acquisitionsof lands from their neighbours,
their city. As iia~wasdeliberatingonthis cir- they usedformerlyto sell part, to addpart to
cumstance, they drew nearer, and takinghim the public demesnes, andto distributethe rent
by the hand,earnostlyentreatedhim no longer amongthe necessitous citizens;only reserving
to look upon them as enemies,but to rank a smallrent to be paidinto the treasury. But
themamonghis friends,andplacea confidencewhen the rich beganto carry it with a high
in themas such. Tiberius thoughtit bestto handoverthe-poor,and to excludethemen-
comply,both for the sike of hisbooks,andfor tirely, if theydid act pay exorbitantrents,a
fearof offending
themby theappearance of lawwasmade thatnomanshould bepossessed
distrust. Accordingly
hewent intothe town of more than five hundred acres of land.This
statute for awhile restrained the avarice of the
* This Fnnnltu was author of a history, and certain
tonal*whichwere
abridged
by Bruttn. * Thiswasaboutonehundredandeighty-two
y'»n
\ Hewasconsul
withEiniliusLepidus,
in theyear >eforc.Thegenerals
sentbackweretheconsul*
V"
«( Rome 616. Uriiu Cahinus and Foslhumius Albiniu.
 TIBERIUS GRACCHUS. 675
rich,andhelped
thepoor,who,byvirtue
of ;t, weretoberelieved.Butthough
thereforma
remained upontheir landsat the old rents.lion wasconducted
withsomuchtendernert-
But afterwards
theirwealthyneighbours took thc people
weresatisfied:
theywerewillingW
their farmsfrom them,andheld themin other overlookwhat waspassed,on conditionthat
names;
though,in time,theyscrupled
not to theymightguardagainst
futureusurpation.
claimthemin their own. The poorthus ex- On the otherhand,personsof greatproperty
pelled,
neither
gavein theirnames
readilyto opposed
thelawoutof avarice,
andthelaw-
the levies, nor attendedto the educationof giver out of a spirit of resentment
and malig-
their children. The consequence was,a want nity; endeavouringto prejudicethe people
of freemenall over Italy, for it wasfilled with againstthe design,as if Tiberiusintendedby
(lavesandbarbarians, who,afterthe poorRo- the Agrarian law to throw all into disorder,
mancitizensweredispossessed,
cultivatedthe and subvertthe constitution.But their at-
ground
for therich. CaiusLzlius, thefriend temptswerevain. For,in thisjust andglo-
of Scipio,attemptedto correct this disorder; rious cause,Tiberius exerted an eloquence
butfindinga formidable
oppositionfromper- which mighthaveadorneda worsesubject,
sonsin power,andfearingthe mattercouldnot andwhich nothing could resist. How great
bedecided
withoutthesword,he gaveit up. washe,whenthepeopleweregathered
about
This gainedhim the nameof Lslius theteise.* the rostrum, andhe pleadedfor the poorin
But Tiberiuswasno soonerappointedtribune suchlanguageasthis: "The wild beastsof
of thepeople,
thanheembarked in thesameItaly havetheir cavesto retireto; but the
enterprise.He wasputuponit, according
to bravemeawhospill theirbloodin hercause
mostauthors,byDiophanes
the rhetorician,and havenothingleft but air and light. Without
Blossiusthephilosopher; theformerof whom houses, withoutany settledhabitations, they
wasa Mityleniaoexile,thelattera nativeof wanderfromplaceto placewith their wives
Curozin Italy,anda particularfriendof An- and children;andtheirgenerals dobut mock
tipaterof Tarsus,with whomhebecame ac- them,when,at theheadof theirarmies,they
quainted at Rome,andwhodid himthehon- exhorttheirmento fightfor their sepulchres
ourto address someof bisphilosophical wri- anddomestic gods:for,amongsuchnumbers,
tingsto him. perhapsthereis nota Romanwhohasanaltar
Some blame hismotherCornelia, whousedthat belonged to hiaancestors, or a sepulchre
to reproach hersons,thatshewasstill called in whichtheirashes rest.The privatesoldiers
themother-in-law of Scipio,nottheniolherof fightanddieto advance thewealthandluxu-
theGracchi.Otherssay,Tiberiustookthis ry of thegreat;andthey are calledmasters
rashstepfroma jealousyof SpuriusPosthu-of the world,whiletheyhavenot a foot of
niius,whowasof thesameagewith him,and ground in their possession."
hk rivalin oratory. It seems, whenhe re- Suchspeeches as this, deliveredby a man
turnedfromthewars,hefoundPosthumias so of suchspirit,andflowingfroma heartreally
muchbefore himin point of reputation and interested in thecause,filledthe peoplewith
interestwith thepeople,that to recoverhis anenthusiastic fury;andnoneof hisadversa-
ground,he undertookthis hazardous affair, riesdurstpretendto answerhim. Forbear-
whichsoeffectually drewthepopular attentioning,therefore, thewarof words,theyaddress-
uponhim.ButhisbrotherCaiuswrites,thatas edthemselves to MarcusOctavius, oneof the
Tiberiuswaspassing throughTuscanyonhis tribunes, a graveand modest youngman,and
waytoNumantia, andfoundthecountryalmostanintimate acquaintance of Tiberius. Outof
depopulated, therebeingscarceanyhusband-reverence for his friend,hedeclinedthetask
menorshepherds, exceptslavesfromforeign at first; but upona numberof applications
aid barbarous nations, hethenfirstformedthe frommen of thefirstrank, hewasprevailed
projectwhichplunged theminto somanymis- uponto oppose Tiberius,andprevent thepass-
fortunes.
It iscertain,
however
thatthepeopleingof thelaw:for thetribunes'
powerchiefly
inflamed
hisspiritof enterprise
andambition,liesin thenegative
voice,andif one of them
byputting
upwritingsontheporticoes,
walls,stands
out,therestcaneffect
nothing.
andmonuments,in whichtheybeggedof him Incensedbythisbehaviour,
Tiberiusdropped
torestore
theirshareofthepubliclandstothe hismoderate
bill,andproposed
anothermore
poor. agreeable
to thecommonalty,
andmoresevere
Yet he did not framethe law without con- againstthe usurpers. For by this they were
inlting someof the Romans that were most commanded immediately to quit the land*
distinguished
fortheir virtueandauthority.whichtheyheldcontrary
to formerlaws.On
Among these
wereCrassus theChiefpontiff,thissubject
thereweredailydisputes
between
MutiusScsvola
thelawyer, whoat thattime himandOctaviusonthe rostra;yetnotone
was also
consul,andAppius Claudius,father-abusiveordisparaging wordis saidto have
in-lawto Tiberius. There neverwasa milder escapedeitherof themin all the heatof speak-
againstso much,injusticeand op- ing. Indeed, an ingenuousdispositionand
lawmade
pression.
Fortheywhodeservedto have
beenliberaleducation
will prevent
orrestrain
the
punished
fortheirinfringement
ontherights
of sallies
of passion,
notonlyduring
thefreeen-
thecommunity,
and fined
forholding
thelandsjoyment ofthebottle, batintheardour ofcon-
contrary
tolaw,wereto havea consideration
tentionaboutpoints of a superior
nature.
forgiving
uptheirgroundless
claims,
andre- to Tiberius,observing thatOctaviuswas liable
sufferby the bill, as havingmore landthan
Itoring the estatesto such of the citizens as
* PJuta.-ch seems here to have followed some mis- the lawscould warrant,desiredhim to give ur
Ukenauthority. It was not this circumstance, hisopposition,and offered,at the sametime,
but to
theabilemiou
«euof hiahie, thatgaveLaliuj the indemnifyhim outof hisown fortune,though
Dameof mil. that wasnot great. A« thisproposaltvaeuo«
676 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

accepted,Tiberius forbadeall other magis- orderit so. As Octaviusrejectedthis proposal

tratesto exercisetheirfunctions,till the Agra- too, Tiberiustold him plainiy,that ho would
rian law waa passed. He likewise put his put the questionto thepeopleconcerninghim,
own seal uponthe doorsof the templeof Sat- if upon fartherconsiderationhe did not alter
urn, that the quxstorsmight neitherbringnay hismind.
Jinig into the treasury, nor take any thing out. Upon this he dismissed the assembly. Nexf
And he threatenedto fine euchof the prxtors day he convokedit again; andwhen he had
as should attempt to disobey his command. mounted the rostra, he made another trial to
This strucksucha terror that all departmentsbringOctaviusto compliance.But findinghim
of government were at a stand. Persona of inflexible, he proposeda decree for depriving
great propertyput themselves
into mourning, him of the tribuneship,andimmediatelyputit
and appearedin public with all the circum- to the vote. When, of the five and thirty tnbe«,
stances that they thought might excite compas- seventeenhad given their voices for it, and there
sion. Not satisfiedwith this, they conspired wantedonlyonemoreto makeOctaviusa pri-
the death of Tiberius, and suborned assassins vate man, Tiberius ordered them to slop, and
to destroy him: for which reason he appeared once more applied to his colleague. He em-
with a tuck, such as is used by robbers, which braced him with great tendernessin the sight
the Romanscall a dolon.* of the people, and with the most pressingin
When the day appointed came, and Tibe- stances besought him, neither to bring suchi
rius wassummoning the peopleto give their markof infamyuponhimself,nor exposehim
suffrages,
a partyof the peopleof propertycar- to the disreputation
of beingpromoterof such
ried off the ballotting vessels,t which occa- severeand violent measures. It was not with-
sioned great confusion. Tiberius, however, out emotionthat Octaviusis saidto have lis-
seemedstrongenoughto carry his point by tenedto thoseentreaties.His eyeswerefilled
force, andhis partizanswerepreparingto have with tears, and he stooda long time silent.
recourseto it, whenManliusandFulvms,men But when he looked towardsthe persons of
of consulardignity, fell at Tiberius's feel, property,who wereassembled in abody,shame
oathedhis handswith tears,andconjuredhim And fear of losing himself in their opinion
not to put his purposeinto execution.He now broughthim backto his resolutionto run all
perceivedhowdreadfulthe consequences
of risks,and,witha noblefirmness,
hebade
Ti
Disattempt might be, and his reverencefor beriusdo hispleasure.The bill, therefore,wai
thosetwo greatmen had its effectuponhim: passed;andTiberiusorderedone of hisfrecd-
;ie thereforeaskedthemwhat they wouldhave mento pull downOctaviusfromthe tribunal,
lini do. They said,they were not capableof for he employedhis own freedmenaslictors.
"Jvismg him in so important an affair, and This ignominiousmannerof expulsionmade
earnestlyentreatedhim to refer it to the sen- the caseof Octaviusmorepitiable. The peo-
ate. The senateassembled to deliberateupon ple, notwithstanding,fell uponhim;but by the
it, but the influenceof the people of fortune assistanceof thoseof the landedinterest,who
onthat bodywassuch,thatthedebates
endedcameto hisdefence, andkeptoff themob,he
in nothing. escapedwith his life. However,a faithful
Tiberiusthen adopteda measurethat was servantof his, who stoodbeforehim to wara
neitherjust normoderate.Heresolved
tore- offthe danger,
had hiseyeslorn out. This
moveOctaviusfrom the tribuneship,because,violencewasmuchagainstthe will of Tiberius,
there w,isno othermeansto gethialaw passed.who nosoonersawthe tumult rising,thanhe
He addressed him indeedin public first, in a hasteneddown to appeaseit.
mild and friendly manner}andtakinghim by The Agrarianlaw thea wasconfirmed,ari
the hand,conjured him to gratify the people, threecommissioners appointedto takea sur
who askednothingthat wasunjust,andwould vey of the lands,and seethem properlydis-
only receivea smallrecompence for the great tributed. Tiberius was oneof the three;hii
laboursand dangersthey had experienced father-in-law,Appius Claudius,another;and
But Octaviusabsolutely
refusedto comply.hisbrother,
CaiusGracchus,
thethird.Thelat-
Tiberius then declared, " That as it was not ter was then making the campaignunder Scipio
possible
for twomagistrates
of equalauthority,at Numantia.Tiberiushavingcarriedthese
whentheydifferedin suchcapitalpoints,to go pointswithoutopposition,
nextfilled up the
through the remainderof their officewithout vacanttribune'sseat;into which he did not
comingto hostilities,he sawno other remedy put a man of any note,but Mutius,oneof hid
butthedeposing
of them."Hetherefore
de- ownclients.These
proceedings
exasperated
sired OcUviusto take the senseof the people thepatricians
extremely,
andastheydreaded
the
first withrespectto him;assuring himthathe increase of hispower,theytookeveryoppor-
wouldimmediately returnto a privatestation,tunityto insult himin thesenate.Whenhe
if the suffrages
of his fellow-citizensshould desired,for instance,whatwasnothingmore
* We find this word usedby Virgil. than customary, a tent at the public charge,
Pibmanu,
sacvosque
g(runt
inbella
dolonefl. forhisusein dividing
thelands,
theyrefused
JEn.lit. 664. him one, though suchthingshad beenoften
Thedolon
wasaitafl*thathada poniard
concealed
grantedon muchlessimportantoccasions.
wiilmit,andhaditsname from dolust
deceit.
f The original signifiesan urn. The Romansriftd
And,atthemotion
of Publius
Nasica,
hetaq
Iwo sorts ofvrsscls
which
theyused in balloting. Theonlynineoboli
awas
day
allowed
forhisexpenses.
first\\.r<(ipen
vessels
called
<i-./</,
ori ,'./.-/',»,
which Nasica,
indeed, become
hisavowedenemy,
eoiiUinidIhe ballotsbefore
theyweredistributed
to for he had a greatestatein the publiclands,
the(H.'inlc
; theothers,withnarrow
necks,werecall- andwasof courseunwillingto h«strippedofit.
ed
TheliteHtf,
laii>r ami
wereinto
Ihe these
vesselsthepeople
which are cast
heretheir
said ballots.
to have At thesametimethepeople
weremoreand
t*r,uearned *ff. moreenraged.
Oneof Tiberius's
friend1-
bip»
 TIBERIUS GRACCHUS. 677

pemng
to diesuddenly,
andmalignantspotsyourcolleagues?
Andif hecametomyassiat-
appearing
uponthebody,
theyloudlydeclarec
ance,wouldyouinyouranger
deprive
himot
thatthemanwaspoisoned.Theyasaeniblec hisoffice?" It ia said,that this questionso
"t hisfuneral,tookthebierupontheir shoul-puzzledTiberius,that withall hisreadinessof
ders,andcarriedit to thepile. Therethey speech andproprietyof assurance, hemadeno
were confirmed in their suspicions; for the manner of answer.
corpse
burst,andemittedsucha quantityof He therefore dismissed
theassemblyfor the
corruptedhumours,
that it put out the fire. present.He perceived,
however,
thatthestep
Thoughmorefire was brought,still the wood hebadtakenin deposing a tribunehadoffend-
"wouldnot burntill it was removedto another ed not only the patricians,but the peopletoo;
place;and it waswith muchdifficultyat last for by sucha precedent
he appeared
to have
thatthebodywasconsumed.Hence,Tiberius robbedthat highofficeof its dignity, whichtill
tookoccasion to incensethe commonaltystill then hadbeenpreservedin great securityand
moreagainsttheother party. He put himself honour. In consequence of this reflection,he
in mourning;he led his children into the fo- calledthe commonstogetheragain,and made
rum,andrecommended themandtheir mother a speechto them, from which it maynot be
to the protectionof the people,as givingup amissto give an extractby way of specimenot
bisown life for lost. the power and strength of his eloquence.
About this time died Attalus» Philopalor, " The personof a tribune,I acknowledge,
a
and Eudemusof Pergamus, brought his will to sacredand inviolable, becausehe is consecrat-
Rome,by whichit appeared,that he hadleft ed to the people,andtakestheir interestunder
the Romanpeoplehis heirs. Tiberius, endeav- his protection. But when he deserts those in-
ouringto avail himselfof this incidentimme- terests,andbecomesan oppressorof the peo-
diatelyproposeda law, " That all the ready ple,whenhe retrenchestheir privileges,and
moneythe king hadleft shouldbe distributed takesawaytheir libertyof voting,by thoseacts
amongthe citizens,to enablethemto provide lie depriveshimself;for heno longerkeepsto
workingtools, andproceedin the cultivation the intentionof his employment.Otherwise,if
of their newly assignedlandg. As to the cities, a tnbune should demolish the capitol,and burn
too, in the territories of Attalus, the senate, he the docksand naval stores,his personcould not
n.id, had not a right to dispose of them, but be touched. A man who should do suchthinga
the people,and he would refer the business as those might still be a tribune, though a vile
entirelyto their judgment. one; bul he whodiminishesthe privilegesof
This embroiled him still more with the sen- the people ceasesto be a tribune of the peo-
ate; and one of their body, of the name of ple. Does it not shock you to think that a tri-
Pompey, stood up and said, " He was next buneshould be able to imprison a consul, and
neighbourto Tiberius, and by that means had the people not have it in their power to deprive
opportunity to know that Kudemus the Perga- a tribune of his authority, when he uses it
mcnian had brought him a royal diadem and againstthose who gave it? For the tribunes, at
purple robe for his use when, he wag king of well as the consuls, are elected by the people.
Rome." Quintus Metellus said another severe Kingly governments seems to comprehend all
thing againsthim. " During the censorship of authority in itself, and kings are consecrated
your father, whenever he returned home after with the most awful ceremonies; yet the citi-
iupper,f the citizens put out their lights, that zens expelled Tarquin whenhis administration
they might not appear to indulge themselves >ecameiniquitous; and, for the offence of one
at unseasonable hours; but you, at a late hour, man, the ancient government, under whose aus-
havesomeof the meanestand most audacious >icesRomewaserected,wasentirelyabolish-
of the people about you with torches in their ed. What is there in Rome so sacred and
bands." And Titus Annius,a manof ni char- enerableas the vestal virgins who keepthe
acter in point of morals, but an acute dispu- >erpetualfire? Yet if any of them transgresses)
tant, and remarkable for the subtlety both of he rules of her order, she is buried alive. For
bis questions
andanswers,oneday challenged heywho areguilty of impiety againstthe god«
Tiberiusandofferedto prove him guilty of a osethat sacredcharacterwhichtheyhadonly
great offencein deposing one of his colleagues, "or the sake of the gods. So a tribune who in-
whosepersonby tl.e lawswas sacredand in- uresthe peoplecan be no longer sacredand
violable. This propositionraiseda tumult in nviolableon the people'saccount. He des-
theaudience, andTiberius immediatelywent roys the power in which alonehis strength
out andcalledan assemblyof the people,de- ay. If it is just for him to be investedwith the
signingto accuseAnnius of the indignity he ribunitial authority by a majorityof tribes,is
hid offered
him.Anniusappeared;
andknow- t notmorejustfor himto bedeposed
by the
nig himself greatly infenorboth in eloquence iuffrages of them all? What is more sacredand
tnd reputation,
he hadrecourseto his old art, nviolablethan the offeringsin the templesof
andbeggedleaveonlyto ask him a questionhegods?yetnonepretends
tohinderthe
peo-
beforethebusiness
cameon. Tiberiuscon- >le from makinguseof them,or removing
sented,andsilencebeingmade,Annius said, hemwhereverthey please.And, indeed,that
"Would you fix a markof disgraceand infa- he tribune'soffice is not inviolable or unre-
niy upon me, if I should appeal to one of movable, appearsfrom hence, that severalhave
voluntarily laid it down,or beendischarged
"Thiswii AttaintHI.. th«tanof EuaenctII. and at their own request." The«ewere the hcad«
BtraUmice,
andthe last king of Perramui. He wu of Tiberius's defence.
not,however, mi-named Pkilofatorbut Pkilometor, His friends,however,being sensibleof the
andto it standsin themanuscriptof St. Germain.
f Probably
fromthepublic
hallwhere
hetupped
menaces
ofhisenemies,
andthecombination
withhucolleague. o destroyhim, were of opinionthat he ought
678 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

to makeinterestto £et the tribuneshipcontin- At first,indeed,therewas a mostpromising

uedto him anotheryear. For thispurposehe appearance.When the assemblysaw him at
thoughtof other laws,to seccurethecommon-a distance,theyexpressed theirjoy in the loud-
alty on las side; that for shorteningthe time estacclamations;
on his approachtheyreceiv-
of military service,andthatfor gruntinganap- ed himwith the utmostcordiality, andformed
pealfromthejudgesto thepeople.Thebench i circleabouthim to keepall strangers
off.
of judges at that time consisted of senators Vlutiuu then beganto call over the tribes, in
only, but he ordered an equal numberof order to business;but nothingcould bedone
knights and senators;thoughit mustbe con- in the usualform,by reasonof the disturbance
fessed,that his taking every possiblemethod nadeby the populace,whowere still pressing
to reduce the power of the patricians savoured "brward. Meantime Fulvius* Flacchus,! sen-
more of obstinacy and resentment, than of a ator, got upon an eminence, and, knowing he
regardfor justice andthe public good. couldnot be heard,madea signwith his hand
When the daycamefor it to be put to the that he had somethingto say to Tiberiusin
vote, whether theselaws should be ratified, private. Tiberiua having orderedthe people
Tiberius and his party, perceivingthat their lo make way, Flacchus with muchdifficulty
adversarieswere the strongest,(for all the peo- got to him, and informed him, " That thoseof
ple did not attend,) spun out the time in alter- the landed interest had applied to the consul,
cations with the other tribunes; and at last he while the senate was sitting, and, asthey could
adjourned the assembly to the day following. not bring that magistrate into their views,they
In the meantime he entered the forum with all tiad resolved to despatchTibenus themselves,
the ensignsof distress, and, with tears in his and for that purposehad armed a numberof
eyes, humbly applied to the citizens, assuring their friends and slaves.
them, " He was afraid that his enemieswould Tiberius no sooner communicatedthis intel
demolish his house,and take his life before the ligence to those about him, than they tucked
next morning." This affected them so much, up their gowns, seizedthe halberts with which
that numberserected tents before his door, and the sergeantskept off the crowd, broke them,
guarded him all night. and took the pieces to ward against any as-
At daybreak the person who had the care of sault that might be made. Such as were at a
the chickens which they usein augury, brought distance, much surprisedat this incident, asked
them and set meat before them; but they would what the reason might be; and Tiberius find-
Done of them come out of their pen,except ing theycouldnot hearhim, touchedhis head
one, though the man shook it very much; and with his hand, to signify the danger he was in.
that one would not eat;» it only raised up its His adversaries,seeing this, ran to the senate,
left wing, and stretched out its leg, and then and informed them that Tiberius demandedthe
went in again. This put Tiberius in mind of a diadem; alleging that gesture as a proof of it.
former ill omen. He had a helmet that he wore This raised a great commotion. Nasica
in battle, finely ornamented, and remarkably called upon the consul to defend the common-
magnificent;two serpentsthat hadcreptinto wealth, and destroythe tyrant. The consul
it privately,laid their eggs andhatchedin it. mildly answered,"That hewouldnot beginto
Such a badpresage madehim moreafraid of useviolence,nor would heput anycitizen to
the late one. Yet he netout for the Capitol deathwho wasnot legally condemned; but, if
as soonashe understoodthat the peoplewere Tiberiusshouldcither persuadeor force the
assembled there. But in goingout of hishouse peopleto decreeany thing contraryto thecon-
he stumbleduponthe threshold,and struckit stitution,hewouldtakecareto annulit," Upon
with so muchviolencethat the nailof hisgreat whichNasicastarted,up,andsaid," Sincethe
toe wasbroken,andthe bloodflowedfromthe consulgivesuphiscountry,let all whochoose
v Giind. When hehadgot a little on hisway, to supportthe laws follow me." Sosaying,
he sawon his left handtwo ravensfightingon hecoveredhis headwith the skirt of his robe,
thetopof a house,andthoughhewasattend-and then advanced to the capitol. Those
ed,onaccount,of hisdignity,bygreatnumberswho followedhim, wrapped eachhisgown
of people,a stone,whichoneof theravensabouthishandandmadetheirwaythrough the
threw down,fell closeto his foot. This stag- crowd. Indeed,on accountof their superior
gered (heboldest
of Inspartisans. ButBlos-quality,theymetwithno resistance;onthe
ciusfof Cumae,
oneof hietrain,said,"It would contrary,thepeopletrampled
ononeanother
beaninsupportable
disgrace, if Tiberius, the togetoutoftheirway. Theirattendants
had
sonof Gracchus,
grandson
of ScipioAfricanusbroughtclubsandbludgeons
withthemfrom
andprotector of thepeople ofRome, shouldhome, andthepatricians themselvesseized
Ihe
forfeatofa raven disappoint
thatpeople
whenfeetof thebenches, whichthepopulace had
theyculledhimto theirassistance. Hisene-broken in theflight. Thusarmed, theymade
mies,heassured him,would notbesatisfiet towards
Tiberius, knocking down suchasstood
with laughing at thisfalsestep;theywouldbefore him. These beingkilledordispersed,
represent himto thecommons asalreadytak- Tiberius
likewisefled. Oneof hiscnemiei
ingalltheinsolence ofa tyrantuponhim." laidholdon hisgown;but heletit go,and
At thesame timeseveral messengers
from continued hisflightin hisundergarment.H«
hist'ririnlsin theCapitolcame anddesiredhim happened, however, to stumbleandfallupon
to make haste, for(theytoldhim)everythingsomeof the killed. Ashe wasrecovering
wentthereaccording tohiswish. himself,PubliusSatmeius, oneof hiscol-
"Wini,thecliickeni
ategreed/ly,
theythought
ita leagues,
cameupopenly,
and struck
himonthe
lieuof good lurtuiie. headwiththefootof a stool.Thesecondblow
" lu ttteprintedteztit is Blastus;
butoneofthe wasgivenhimbyLuciusRufus, whoafterwtrdi
nuiUM riptl givei ui Blauiun, and all the trauilatori
havefollowedit. " Not FUviuj, u it ii in theprintedteit
 TIBERIUS GRACCHUS 579

ralliedhimselfuponit as a gloriousexploit that prince's

affairsentirelyruined,helaidvio
Abovethree hundredmore lust their livesby lent handson himself.
clubsandstones,but not a man by the sword The senate,now desirousto reconcilethe
This is said to have beenthe first sedition in people to these acts of theirs, no longer op-
Rome, sincethe expulsionof the kings, in posedthe Agrarian law; and they permitted
which the blood of any citizen was shed. All them to elect another commissioner, in the
the rest, though neither small in themselves,room of Tiberius, for dividing the lands. In
norabout mattersof little consequence, were consequenceof which, they chosePubliu*
appeased by mutual concessions ; the senate Crassus,a relation of the Gracchi; for Caius
givingupsomethingon one side, for fear of Gracchushad marriedhis daughterLicinia.
the people,and the people,on the other,out CorneliusNepos,indeed,says,it wasnot the
of respectfor the senate. Had Tiberiusbeen daughterof Crassus, but of that Brutuswho
moderatelydealt with, it is probable that he was honouredwith a triumph for his conquests
would have compromised matters in a much in Lusitama; but most historians give it for the
easierway; and certainly he might have been former.
reduced,without their depriving him of his life; Nevertheless,the peoplewere still much con-
for hehadnot abovethreuthousandmenaboui cernedat the lossof Tiberius,andit wasplain
him. But it seems,the conspiracy was formed that they only waited for an opportunity of re-
against him, rathei to satisfy the resentment venge. Nasica was now threatened with an
and malignity of the rich, than for the reasons impeachment. The senate, therefore, dread-
tLeyheldout to the public. A strongproof of ing theconsequence,
senthim into Asia,though
this we have in their cruel and abominable there was no need of him there. For the peo-
treatmentof his dead body. For notwithstand- ple, whenever they met him, did not suppress
ingtheentreaties of his brother,theywouldnot their resentmentin the least: on the contrary,
permithim to takeawaythe corpse,and bury with all the violencethathatredcouldsuggest,
it in the night,but threwit into the river with theycalled him anexecrablewretch,a tyrant
the other carcases. Nor was this all: they who had defiled the holiest and most awful
banishedsome of his friends without form of temple in Rome with the blood of a magis-
trial, and took others and put them to death. trate, whose person ought to have been sacred
Among the latter was Diophanes the rhetori- and inviolable.
cian. One Caius Billius they shut up in a cask For this reason Nasica privately quitted
withvipersandother serpents,andleft him to Italy, thoughby his office he wasobligedto
perishin that cruel manner. As for Blossius attendthe principalsacrifices,
for hewaschief
of Cams,hewascarried beforethe Consuls, pontiff. Thus hewandered from placeto place
and being interrogated about the late proceed- in a foreign country, and after a while died at
ings, he declared, that he had never failed Pergamus. Nor is it to be wondered that the
to eiecute whatever Tiberius commanded.* people had so unconquerable an aversion to
« What then," said Nasica, " if Tiberius had Is'abica,since Scipio Africanus himself, who
ordered thee to burn the Capitol, wouldst thou seemsto have been one of the greatest favour-
have done it? At first he turned it off, and ites of the Romans, as well as to have had
laid, " Tiberius would never have given him great right to their affection, was near forfeit-
suchan order." But when a number repeated ing all the kind regards of the people, because
the samequestion several times, he said, " In when the news of Tibenus's death wasbrought
that caseI shouldhave thoughtit extremely to Numantia, he expressedhimself in that
right; for Tiberius would never have laid such verse of Homer.
acommand
uponme,if it hadnotbeenfor the Soperish
allthatinsuch
crimes
engage
!*
advantage of thepeople of Rome."He es-Afterwards
caped, however, with his life, and afterwards
CaiusandFulviusasked
him,in
an assemblyof the people, what he thought of
repairedto Anstonicus,fin Asia; but finding the death of Tiberius, and by his answer he
jave them to understand that he was far from
" Laeli u«,in the treatisewritten by Cicero under that
name,
gives
adifferent
account
ofthematter." Blos-approving
of hisproceedings.
Everalterthis,
aius," he says, "after the murder of Tiberius, came the commons interrupted him when he spoke
to Mm,whilsthe wasin conference
with theconsulsin public, though they had offered him no such
Popilivre
Lacnas
andPublivis
Rupilius,andtarm-slUaffront befoie; and on the other hand, he
begged
forapardon,
alleging,
inhisdefence,
thalaucn
scrupled
not to treatthemwith verysevere
wad his veneration for Tiberius, he could nol refuse
to doanythinghedesired." " If, then," saidLaelius^language. But these things we have related at
<(hehadorderedyoutosetfiretotheCapitol, wouldlargein thelifeofScipio.
TOUhavedoneit?" "' That." replied Blossius" he
wouldneverhaveorderedme; but.('he had,1should Jyarms,and madehimselfmasterof severaltown*.
bmve obevdhim." Blossiusdoesnot, uponthis occa- The RomanssentCrassus the Consulagainsthim the
sion,apjirartohavebeenunderajudicialeiaminatioo, secondyearafterthedeathof Tiberius. Crasius was
U Plutarch representshim. defeatedandtakenbyArislonicus.The yearfollow-
| Aristonicuswasa bastardbrotherof Attalus; and ing,Aristonicuswasdefeatedin his tuiu, and taker
beinghighly offendedathimforbequeathing hisking- prisoner byPerp»nua.
lornto theRomans,attemptedto get possession
of it * In Minerva'sspeechto Jupiter. Od/u. lib. i.
680 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

CAIUS GRACCHUS.

WHETHER it wai that CaiuB Gracchus was respectful and obliging behaviourto the gewml.
afraidc I'his enemies,
or wantedto makethem In temperance,
in simplicityof diet, andlore
more obnoxious to the people, at first he left of labour, he excelled even the veterans.
the forum, and kept closein his own home; There followeda severeand sickly winter
like one who was either sensiblehow much his in Sardinia, and the general demanded of the
family was reduced, or who intended to make cities clothing for his men. But they sent a
public business
no morehisobject. Insomuchdeputationto Rometo solicit an exemption
that some scrupled not to affirm that he disap- from this burden. The senatelistened to their
proved and even detested his brother'sadminis- request, and ordered the general to take some
tration. He was, indeed, as ycl very young, other method. As he could not think of with-
not being so old as Tiberius by nine years; drawing his demands, and the soldiers suf-
and Tiberius at his death was not quite thirty. fered much in the meantime, Caius appliedto
However, in n short time it appearedthat he the towns in person, and prevailed with them
had an aversion, not only to idlenessand effemi- to send the Romans a voluntary supply of
nacy, but to intemperance and avarice. And clothing. News of this being brought to
he improvedhis powersof oratory, as if he Rome,andthe wholelookinglike a preludeto
consideredthem as the wings on which he must future attempts at popularity, the senatewere
rise to the greatofficesof state. These cir- greatlydisturbedat it. Anotherinstance
they
cumstancesshewed that he would not long con- gave of their jealousy was in the ill reception
tinue inactive. which the ambassadorsof Micipsa found, who
In the defence of one of his friends named came to acquaint them, that the king their
Vettius, he exerted so much eloquence, that master, out of regard to Caius Gracchus, had
the peoplewere charmedbeyondexpression,senttheir general,in Sardinia,a largequantity
and borneawaywith all the transportsof en- of corn. The ambassadors
wereturnedout of
thusiasm. On this occasion he shewed that the house ; and the senate proceededto make
other orators were no more than children in a decree that the private men in Sardinia
comparison.The nobilityhadall their former shouldbe relieved;but that Orestesshouldre-
apprehensions renewed,andtheybeganto take main,in orderthat he mightkeephis qusstor
measures amongthemselves to preventthe ad- with him. An accountof this beingbrought
vancementof Caiusto the tnbunitial power. to Caius,hisangerovercame himso far that ha
It happened to fall to his lot to attendOres- embarked; andas hemadehis appearance in
tes,* the consul in Sardinia in capacityof Romewhen none expectedhim, hewas not
qusstor. This gavehis enemies greatpleas-only censuredbybisenemies, but thepeople
ure. Caius,however, wasnotuneasy onthe in generalthoughtit singularthatthequxstor
event:for hewasof a militaryturn,and had shouldreturnbefore hisgeneral.Aninforma
as goodtalentsfor thecampas for the bar. tionwaslaid againsthimbefore thecensors
Besides,he wasundersomeapprehension andheobtained permission to speakfor him-
abouttakinga sharein theadministration,
or self; whichhe did so effectually that the
of appearing
upontherostra,andat thesamewholecourtchanged theiropinions,andwere
time he knew that he could not resist the im- persuadedthat he was very much injured. Foi
portunities
of thepeopleor hisfriends.For hetold them," He hadservedtwelvecam-
thesereasonshethoughthimselfhappyin the paigns,whereashewasnot obligedto serve
opportunity
ofgoing
abroad. morethanten; andthatin capacity
of quaes
It is a commonopinion,thatof hisownac- tor, hehadattendedhisgeneralthreeyears,"
cordhebecame a violentdemagogue, andthat thoughthe lawsdid notrequirehim to doit
he was muchmorestudiousthan Tiberius to more than one." He added," That hewa«
makehimselfpopular. But that is not the theonlymanwhowentoutwitha full purse,
truth. Onthecontrary,it seems
to havebeenandreturnedwithanemptyone;whileothers
rathernecessity
thanchoicethat broughthim afterhavingdrankthe winetheycarriedout,
uponthepublicstage.ForCicero theoratorbrought backthevessels
filledwithgoldand
relates,thatwhenCaiusavoidedallofficesin silver."
tin:state,andhadtakena resolutionto live After this, theybroughtothercharge»
quiet,hisbrother
appeared
to himin a dream,against him. Theyaccused himof promoting
andthusaddressedhim," Whyhngcrest thou,disaffection
among theallies,
andofbeing
con-
CdiuB?There is no alternative.The fates cerned in theconspiracy of Fregellc,f
which
was detected about that time. He cleared
have decreed us both the same pursuit of life,
andthesame
death,
in vindicating
therights
of himself,
however,
ofallsuspicion
; andhaving
thepeople." fullyprovedhisinnocence,
offered
himself
In Sardinia,
Caiusgave
a noble
specimen to thepeopleasa candidateforthetn
ofeveryvirtue,
distinguishing
himself
greatlybuneship.Thepatricians
united
theirforces
among theotheryoungRomans,
notonlyin to oppose
him; butsuch
a numberof people
his operations against the enemy, and in acts " Great part of thii ipeech ii preservedby Auluj
of justice to such as submitted, but in his Gellius; but there Cains says he hail been quaestor
only two years. Biennium enim fui in provincia.
Aul. Cell. I. iii. <"" IS.
* Lucius Aurelius Orestes was consul with Emilius
f This place was destroyed bv Lucius Opimius tbt
Ixpidus, in theyearof Rome627. SothatCaiiu wmt
"uestcr
lutoSardinia
attheageof27. priclur,
ill theyiarof Hume
629.
 CAIUS GRACCHUS. 581

camein (tornall parUof Italy to supporthi* putthyselfon a footingwithCornela? Hart

election,thatmanyof themcouldnot getlodg- thou broughtchildrenas she hastlone? Yet
ing, andthe CampusMartius not beingUrge all Romeknowsthatshehasiived longerthan
enoughto containthem,gavetheir voice*from thou hastwithout any commercewith men."
the tops of houses. Such was the keenness of his language: and
All thatthenobility couldgainof the people, manyexpressions
equallyseveremightbecol-
»nd all the mortification that Cams had, was lected out of hu writings.
this: insteadof beingreturnedfirst, as he had Amongthe lawswhichhe procured,to in
flatteredhimselfhe shouldbe, he wasreturn- creasethe authorityof the people,andlessen
edthefourth. But whenhe hadenteredupon that of the senate,onerelatedto colonizing,
his office,hesoonbecamethe leadingtribune, anddividingthe public landsamongthe poor.
partly by meansof his eloquence, in which he Another was in favour of the army, who were
wasgreatlysuperiorto the rest,andpartly on now to beclothedat the publiccharge,with-
accountof themisfortunes of his family,which out diminutionof their pay,and nonewereto
gavehim an opportunityto bewail the cruel servetill theywere full seventeen yearsold.
file of his brother. For whateversubject he A third \v»sfor thebenefitof theItalian alltei,
beganupoir, before he had done, he led the who wereto havethe sameright of voting at
peoplebackto that idea,andat the sametime electionsas the citizensof Rome. By a.fourth
put themin mindof the differentbehaviourof the marketswereregulated,andthe poorena-
their ancestors." Your forefathers,"said he, bledto buy bread-cornat a cheaperrate. A
"declaredwar againstthe K.ilisci; in order to fifth relatedto the courtsof judicature,andin-
revengethe causeof Genucius,oneof the tri- deed,contributedmore than anything to re-
bunes,to whomthat peoplehad givenscurri- trenchthe powerof the senate:for, beforethis,
louslanguage;and theythoughtcapital pun- senatorsonly werejudgesin all causes, andon
ishmentlittle enoughfor CamsVeturius, be- that accounttheir bodywasformidablebothto
causehe alonedid notbreakwayfor a tribune the equestrian orderandto the people.But now
who waspassingthroughthejbrum. But you he addedthreehundredknights to the three
sufferedTiberiusto be despatched with blud- hundredsenators,and decreedthat a.judicial
geonsbeforeyour eyes, andhis dead bodyto authorityshouldbeequally investedin the six
bedraggedfrom the Capitol throughthe mid- hundred.*In offeringthis bill, he exertedhim-
dleof thecity, in orderto bethrownintothe self greatlyin all respects,
buttherewasone
river. Such of his friends, too, as fell into thing very remarkable:whereasthe orators
f their hands,wereput to deathwithout formof beforehim, in all addresses
to the people,stood
Uial. Yet, by the custom of our country, if with their faces towards the senate-houseand
any personundera prosecutionfor a capital the comitiwn, he then for the first time, turn-
crime did not appear,an officerwas sent to ed the other way, that is to say, towardsthe
his door in the morning,to summonhim by Jorum, andcontinuedto speakin that position
"oundof trumpet,andthe judgeswouldnever ever after. Thus by a smallalterationin the
passsentence beforeso public a citation. So postureof his body,he indicatedsomething
tenderwereour ancestorsin anymatterwhere very great,and,as it were,turnedthe govern-
the life of a citizen wasconcerned." ment from an aristocracyinto a democratic
Havingprepared
thepeople
bysuchspeeches
form:for, by thisaction,heintimated,
thatall
is this (for hievoicewasstrongenoughto be oratorsoughtto addressthemselves
to the peo-
beardbysogreata multitude)heproposed
two ple,andnotto thesenate.
laws. Onewas," Thatif thepeople deposed As thepeople notonlyratifiedthis law,but
anymagistrate,
heshould fromthattimebein- empowered
himto selectthethreehundred out
capable
of bearingaoypublicoffice:" theother, of the equestrianorder for judges, he found
"That if anymagistrate shouldbanish a citi- himselfin a mannerpossessed of sovereign
tenwithouta legaltrial, thepeopleshouldbe power. Eventhesenate in theirdeliberations
authorizedto takecognizance of thatoffence."werewilling to listento his advice;and ha
Thefirstof theselawsplainlyreferred to Mar- nevergavethemanythat wasnot suitableto
cusOctavius, whomTiberiushaddeprived of theirdignity.Thatwiseandmoderate decree,
thetribuneship; and the second to Popilius,for instance,wasof hissuggesting,concerning
whoin his pranorship,
hadbanished
the friends the corn which Fabius, when proprxtor in
of Tiberius. In consequence
of the latter, Spain,sentfrom that country. Caiusper-
Popilius,afraid to standa trial, fled out of suadedthe senateto sell the corn,andsendthe
Italy. Theotherbill Caiusdropped,
to oblige, money
to theSpanish
states;and at thesame
M hesaid,InsmotherCornelia,whointerpos- iiroe to censureFabius for renderingthe Ro-
ed in behalfof Octavius.The peoplewere mangovernment
odiousand insupportable
to
perfectlysatisfied;for theyhonouredCornelia, the peopleof that country. This gainedhim
sotonlyonaccount of herchildren,butof her greatrespect
andfavourin theprovinces.
father. Theyafterwardserecteda statueto He procuredotherdecrees for sendingout
herwiththisinscription: colonies,
for making
roads,
andfor building
CORNELIA
THEMOTHER
OFTHEGRACCHI.
publicgranaries.In all thesematters
he wai
appointed supreme director, and yet was far
Thereareseveralextraordinary
expressions
of CaiusGracchushandeddown to us con- * The aulhoritietof all antiquity
areagainst
Plu
cerning his mother. To one of her enemieshe UrchJDthisarticle. Caiusdid notassociate
(lie kui^liti
Mid,"Darestthoupretendto reflecton Cor- andthesenators
inthejudicial
power;
bulvested
lh»^
nelia,themother
of Tiberius?"Andasthat the
power in(heknights
consulship only, andthey
of Serf iliuiCxpio, fur tmulttyrd
Uic -«rmcrelit six
til
penonhadspenthisyouthinaninfamous
man- teen
orseventeen
years,t'llleius,Asconim
A| r.i»a
Mr, he said, "With what front canst ihou Lnv, andCicerohiuutlf nj&cicntlyprove:thu.
 982 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
fromthinkingsomuchbusiness a fatigue.On therewasonenamedLiviusDrusus;a man
thecontrary,heapplied
to the wholewithas whoin birthandeducation
wasnotbehind any
muchactivity,anddespatchedit withasmuch of theRomans,
andwhoin pointof eloquence
ease,as if therehadbeenonlyonethingfor andwealthmightviewith the greatest and
him to attendto; insomuchthat theywho both mostpowerfulmenof his time. To hiui the
hated
andfearedtheman,werestruckwithhis nobilityapplied;exhortinghimto sethimself
amazing
industry,andthecelerityof hisoper-up againstCaius,andjoin themin opposing
ations. The peoplewere charmedto seehim him; not in the wayof force, or in any thing
followedby suchnumbersof architects,arti- that mightoffendthe commons,but in direct
ficers,ambassadors,
magistrates,
military men, ing all his measures
to pleasethem,aridgrant-
andmenof letters. Thesewereall kindlyre- ing them thingswhichit wouldhavebeenan
ceived; yet amidst his civilities he preserveda honour to refuse at the hazard of their utmost
dignity, addressing each according to hie ca- resentment.
pacity and station; by whichhe shewedhow Drusus agreedto list in the serviceof the
unjust the censuresof thosepeoplewerewho senate,andto applyall the powerof hisoffice
representedhim as a violentandoverbearingto their views. He thereforeproposed lawg
roan. For he hadevena more popularman- whichhadnothingin themeitherhonourable or
ner in conversation andin businessthan in his advantageous to thecommunity.His soleview
addresses fromthe rostrum. was to outdo Caiusin flatteringandpleasing
The work that he tookmostpainswith, was the multitude,and for this purposehe coo-
that of the public roads;in whichhe paida tendedwith him like a comedianuponastage.
regardto beautyas well as use. They were Thusthe senateplainlydiscovered, that it wai
drawn in a straightline throughthe country, not somuchthe measures of Caius,asthe man,
andeither pavedwith hewnstone,or madeof they were offendedwith, andthat they were
a bindingsand,broughtthitherfor thatpurpose.resolvedto take every methodto humbleor
When he met with dells,or other deepholes destroyhim. For whenhe procureda decree
made by land-floods,heeither filled themup for sendingout two coloniesonly,whichwere
with rubbish,or laid bridgesoverthem; sothat to consistof someof the most deservingciti-
Deinglevelled andbroughtto a perfectparal- zens,.'theyaccusedhim of ingratiatinghimself
lel on bothsides,they affordeda regular and by unduemethodswith the plebeians:but
elegant prospect through the whole. Besides, when Drusus sent out twelve, and selected
be dividedall the roadinto miles,of neareight three hundredof the meanestof the people
furlongs each, and set up pillars of stone to for each, they patronized the whole scheme,
mark the divisions. He likewise erected other When Caius divided the public lands among
stones at proper distanceson each side of the the poor citizens, on condition that they should
way, to assisttravellers,whorodewithoutser- pay a small rent into the treasury,they in-
vants,to mounttheir horses. veighedagainsthim asa flattererof the popu-
The people extolled his performances,and lace; but Drusus had their praisefor discharg-
there was no instanceof their affection that he ing the lands even of that acknowledgment.
might not have expected. In one of his Caiusprocuredthe Latins the privilegeof vot-
speeches he told them, "There wasonething ing as citizensof Rome, andthe patricians,
in particular, which he shouldesteemas a wereoffended;Drusus,on the contrary,was
greaterfavourthanall the rest,if theyindulged supportedby themin a Jawfor exemptingthe
him in it, and if theydeniedit, he wouldnot Latin soldiersfrom beingflogged,thoughupon
complain." By this it was imaginedthat he service,for any misdemeanour.Meantime,
meant the consulship;and the commonsex- Drususasserted,in all his speeches, that the
pected that he woulddesireto be consuland senate,in their greatregardfor the commons,
tribune at the same time. When the day of jut him upon proposingsuch advantageousde-
electionof consulscame,and all werewaiting :rees. This was the only goodthing in his
with anxietyto seewhatdeclarationhe would manoeuvres; for by thesearts the peoplebe-
make, he conductedCaiusFannius into the camebetter affectedto the senate. Before,
CampusJilartius, andjoinedwith his friends theyhadsuspected and haled the leadersof
in the canvass. This greatlyinclinedthe scale that body; but Drusus appeasedthfcirresent-
on Fannius'sside,andhewasimmediatelycre- ment,andremovedtheir aversion,by assuring
ated consul. Caius too, without the leastappli- them, that the patricians were the tirst movers
cation, or evendeclaringhimselfa candidate,of all thesepopularlaws.
merelythroughthezealandaffectionof the Whatcontributed mostto satisfythepeople
people,
wasappointed
tribunethesecondtime. asto thesincerityof hisregard,
andthepurity
Finding,however,that the senate
avowedof hisintentions,was,that Drusus,in all his
their aversionto him, andthat the regardsof edicts,appearednot to havethe leastview to
Fanniusgrewcold,he thoughtof new laws,his owninterest;for he employed othersas
whichmightsecure the peoplein hisinterest.commissioners for plantingthenewcolonies;
Suchwerethoseforsending colonies toTaren- andif therewasanaffairof money, hewould
tumandCapua,andfor grantingthe Latins have no concernwith it himself;whereas,
all therightsandprivileges
of citizensof Rome Caiuschose to preside in thegreatest
andmost
The senate nowapprehending thathispowerimportant mattersof thatkind, llubrius,one
wouldsoonbecomeentirelyuncontrollable, of hiscolleagues,havingprocured anorderfor
tooka newanduiihearj-of method todrawthe rebuilding andcolonizing Carthage,
whichhad
people
fromhim,bygratifying
themineverybeen
destroyed
byScipio,
it fell tothelotof
Ihing,howevercontraryto thetrueinterestsCaiusto executethatcommission,andin pur-
of rtic state suancethereofhe sailedto Africa. Drusui
Amongthe colleaguesof CaiusGracchus,tookadvantage of his absenceto gainmori
 CAIITS GRACCHUS.

ground»ponhim,andto establish
himselfin forwn: in whichhehada viewto popularity,
tiie tuvuurof the people. To lay an infortna- for manyof the meanestand indigentof the
tion againstFulvius he thoughtwould bevery commonaltydwelt there. After this he pro-
conduciveto this end. posedthe rest of hislaws,in orderto their be
Fulvius wasaparticularfriendof Caius,and ing ratifiedby the suffrages of the people. A«
his assistant
in the distributionof the lands. At the populacecame to him fromall quarters,
the sametime he was a factiousman, and the senatepersuadedthe consul Fanniusto
knownto beuponill termswith the senate.command
ail personsto departthecity who
Others,besides
the patricians,suspected
himof were not Romansby birth. Uponthis strange
railing commotions among the allies, and of and unusual proclamation, that none of the al-
prival .-lyexciting the Italians to a revolt. These lies or friends of the republic should remain in
things, indeed, were said without evidence or Rome, or, though citizens, be permitted to
proof; but Fulviushimselfgavestrengthto the vote, Caius,in his turn, publishedarticlesof
report by his unpeaceableand unsalutary con- impeachment against tiie consul, and at the
duct. Cams, as his acquaintance,came in for sametime declared he would protect the allies,
his shareof the dislike, and this was oneof if they wouldstay. He did not, however,per-
the principal things that brought on his ruin. form his promise. On the contrary, he suffer-
Besides,when Scipio African us died, without ed the consul's lictors to take away a person
»ny previous sickness,and (as we have observ- before his eyes, who was connected with him
ed in his life) there appearedmarks of violence by the ties of hospitality, without giving him
upon his body, most people laid it to the charge the least assistance: whether it was "that he
of Fulvius who was his avowedenemy,and fearedto shewhow muchhis strengthwaadi-
had that very day abused him from the ros- minished, or whether (as he alleged) he did
trum. Nor was Caius himself unsuspected. not chooseto give his enemiesoccasion to have
Yet so execrablea crime as this, committed recourseto the sword, who only soughta pre-
againstthe first and greatest man in Rome, tence for it.
escapedwith impunity; nay, it was not even He happened, moreover, to be at variance
inqnred into ; for the people prevented any with his colleagues. The reason was thie.
cognizance
of it from beingtaken, out of fear there wasa showof gladiatorsto be exhibited
for Caius, lest upon a strict inquisition he to the people in the forum, and most of the
ihould be found accessaryto the murder. But magistrates had causedscaffolds to be erected
this happenedsome time before. aro-jnd the place, in order to let them out for
While Caiuswas employedin Africa, in hire. Caiusinsistedthatthey shouldbe taken
the re-establishment
of Carthage,the nameof down,that the poor might seethe exhibition,
which he changed to Junonia,* he was inter- without paying for it. As none of the proprie-
rupted by severalinauspiciousomens. The torsregardedhis orders,he waitedtill the night
"taff of the first standard was broken, between preceding the show, and then went with his
the violent efforts of the wind to tear it away, own workmen, and demolished the scaffolds.
andthoseof the ensignto hold it. Another Next day the populacesaw the place quite
ctorm of wind blew the sacrificesfrom the clear of them,andof coursethey admiredhim
altars,andborethembeyondtheboundsmark- as a manof superiorspirit. But his colleagues
edout for the city; and the wolvescameand were greatly offendedat his violent temper
"eizedthe marVs themselves,and carried them and measures. This seems to have been the
to a greatdistance. Caius,however,brought causeof his miscarriagein his applicationfor
every thing under good regulationsin the a third tribuneship;for, it seems,he hada ma-
"pace of seventydays,and then returnedto jority of voices,but his colleagues are saidto
Rome,wherehe understoodthat Fulvius was haveprocureda fraudulentand unjustreturn.
hardpressedby Drusus,andaffairsdemandedBe thatas it may, (for it wasa matterof some
his presence. For Lucius Opimius,t who was doubt,) it \e certain that he did not bear his
of the patricianparty, and very powerfulin disappointmentwith patience: but when he
the senate,hadlately beenunsuccessful in his saw his adversarieslaugh,he told themwith
applicationfor the consulship,throughthe op- too muchinsolence,"Their laugh wasof the
Cilion
nowof
hisCaius,and
interest his
was support
greatly otFannius;
strengthened,Sardonic*
muchtheirkind,forwere
actions theydidnotperceive
eclipsedby his." how
andit wasthoughthewould bechosenthefol- After Opimius was electedconsul,he pre-
lowing year. It was expected,too, that the paredto repeal many of Caius'slaws,andto
consulship
wouldenablehim to ruin Caius,annulhisestablishmentat Carthage,on pur-
whose
interestwasalreadyuponthedecline.poseto provokehim to someact of violence,
Indeed,by this time the peoplewere cloyed andto gainan opportunityto destroyhim. He
with indulgence;becausethere were many bore this treatmentfor sometime; but after-
besides
Caiuswho flatteredthem in all the wards,at theinstigation
of hisfriends,andof
measuresof administration,
anil the senateFulviusinparticular,
hebegan to raiseanoppo-
(awthemdoit withpleasure. "It was
noteasy
tos«thepropriety
ofthiseiprei-
At hisreturnheremoved
his lodgings
from sion,asil isused
here.TheSardonic
laughwasan
thePalatineMounttothe neighbourhood
of the involuntary
distension
of the muscles
of the mouth
occasioned bya poisonous
plant;andpersonsthatdied
"Quam Junofertur lerris magiaomnibusunam of this poisonhad a smile on their countenances.
Foslhubita
coluiuesamo. Pir;il. Henceil cametosignify
forced
or affectedlaughter;
fin theprintedn-nit n Hoitilius,butil ihouldbe butwhythelaughterof Gracchus',
opponents should
Ppimi'u*. for liewasconsultheyearfollowing with becalledforced
orSardonic,
because
theydidnotper-
<i-Kvvbm \I-A\iniu»,
\\hichvitas vht yearof Romeceivehissuperiority, it does
notapotar.It might
631.Pin'^rH, hiouelfcalli
himO/nmna alittleafter.moreproperly havebeencalled
affected,
if theydid
H.)i/ii(u>,
If'T'l'irt, mustbea falsereading;
and,in- perceive
it. Indeed,
if everyspecies
of unreasonable
deed,Ode
of liie oiaauscriniigivei us Opi'rm'u*
here. laughingmaybecalltd.Sardonicit will uoititt.
 684 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
utiononce
more
agains*
theconsul.
Some
say,theyshould
bethemortdastardly
of being!
if
bis motheron thisoc'ssionenteredinto the theyabandoned
sucha manto hisenemiei,
re-
intriguesof theparlyandhavingprivatelypaired to hishousetoguardhim,andpassed
takensome strangers
intopay,senttheminto thenightbeforehisdoor.Thistheydidin a
Home in thedisguise
of reapers;
andtheyas- verydifferentmannerfromthepeople
whoat-
"ert that these things are enigmatically hinted tended Fulvius on the sameoccasion. TheeB
atinherletterstoherson.Butothers
say,Cor passed
theirlimein noiseandriot, in carousing
neliawasmuchdispleased
at thesemeasures. and emptythreats;Fulviushimself beingthe
WhenthedaycameunwhichOpimiuswas firstmanthatwasintoxicated,
andgivinginto
to get those lawsrepealed,both partiesearly manyexpressions
andactionsunsuitableto hit
in themorningposted themselves in theCapi-years. But thoseaboutCaiusweresilent,ai
tol; andaftertheconsulhadsacrificed, Quin- ina timeofpubliccalamity;
and,withathought-
tusAntyllius,oneof hislictort, whowascar- ful regardto whatwasyet to come,theykept
rying out the entrailsof the victims,said to watch andtook restby turns.
Fulviusand
hisfriends,"Standoff,yefactious Futviussleptsosound
afterhiswine,thatit
citizens,andmakewayfor honestmen." Some waswith difficultytheyawokehim at breakof
add,that, alongwith this scurrilouslanguage,day. Then heand his companyarmedthem
he stretchedhis nakedarm towardsthemin a selveswith the Gallic spoils which he had
formthatexpressed
theutmost contempt. They broughtoff in his consulship,
uponhis con-
immediately
killedAntylliustvith longstyles,queringthatpeople;andthusaccoutredthey
"aid to havebeenmadefor sucha purpose. sallied out, with loud menaces,to seizethe
The people
weremuchchagrined
at thisact Aventine
hill. Asfor Caius,hewouldnotarm,
of violence. As for the two chiefs,theymade but went out in his gown,as if he had been
verydifferent
reflections
upontheevent.Caius goinguponbusiness
in theyorum;onlyhehad
wasconcernedat it, and reproached his parti- a smalldaggerunderit.
lans with havinggiventheir enemiesthe han- At the gate,his wife threwherselfat hisfeet,
dle theylonghadwanted. Opimiusrejoicedat andtakinghold of him with onehand,andof
the opportunity,andeicited the peopleto re- her sonwith the other,shethusexpressed her-
venge. But for the presentthey wereparted self:-"You do not now leave me, my dear
by a heavyrain. Caius,as formerly, to go to the rostra, in ca-
At an earlyhournext day,the consulassem-pacityof tribune or lawgiver, nor do I send
bled the senate,andwhile he was addressingyou out to a gloriouswar, where,if the com
them within, othersexposedthe corpseof An- mon lot fell to your share,my distressmight
tyllius naked on a bier without, and, as it had at least have the consolation of honour. You
been previouslyconcerted,carried it through exposeyourselfto the murderersof Tiberiue,
the forum to the senate-house,making loud unarmed,indeed,asa manshouldgo, whohad
acclamationsall the way. Opimiusknew the rather sufferthan commitany violence;but it
whole farce; but pretendedto be much sur- is throwingawayyour life without anyadvan-
prised. The senatewent out, and planting tageto the community. Faction reigns;out-
themselves about the corpse, expressedtheir rage and the sword are the only measuresof
grief and indignation, as if some dreadful mis- justice. Had your brother fallen beforeNuman-
fortune had befallen them. This scene, how- tia, the truce would have restored us his body;
ever, eicited only hatred and detestationin the nut now perhapsI shall have to go a suppliant
breastsof the people, who could not but re- to some river or the sea, to be shewn where
member that the nobility had killed Tiberiue vour remains may be found. For what confi-
Gracchus in the Capitol, though a tribune, and dencecan we have either in the laws or in the
thrownhis bodyinto the river; andyet now, ;odsafterthe assassination
of Tiberius?"
when Antyllius, a vile serjeant, who possibly When Licinia had poured out these lamen-
did not deserve quite so severe a punishment, .ations Caius disengagedhimself as quietly as
but by his impertinencehad brought it upon le couldfrom herarms,andwalkedonwith his
himself-when such a hireling lay exposedin Viends in deep silence. She catched at hii
iheforum, the senateof Romestoodweeping ;own; but in the attemptfell to the ground,
abouthim, andthenattendedthe wretchto his and lay a long time speechless.At last her
funeral;with no otherviewthanto procurethe servantsseeingher in that condition,look her
death of the only lemainmgprotectorof the up, and carriedher to her brotherCrassus.
people. Fulvius,whenall the party was assembled,
On thei/ return to the house, they charged istened to the advice of Caius, and sent lui
Opimiusthe consul,by a forma)decree,to take younger son into the forum, equippedlike
everypossiblemethodfor the preservationof an herald.* He wasa youth of mostengag-
the commonwealth, andthe destructionof the ngappearance, andhe approached with great
tyrants. He thereforeorderedthe patricians modesty,and tears in his eyes, to propose
to arms,andeachof theknightsto attendwith termsof accommodation
to theconsulandthe
two servantswell armed the next morning. senate.Many weredisposedto hearkento the
Fulvius,on theotherhand,prepared
himself,proposal:
but Opimiussaid,"The criminal*
and drew together» crowdof people. uughtnot to treat by heralds,but comein per-
Caius,ashereturned
fromtheforum, stoodsonto maketheirsubmission
to thesenate,
and
a blip time looking upon his lather's statue, surrenderthemselves
to justice, before they
andafterhavinggivenventto his sorrowin interceded
for mercy." At thesametime,he
lome sighsand tears,retired without uttering oadethe youngman return with an account
a word. Manyof theplebeians,
whosawthis, " Literally,
with»caduceu»,or
herald't
wendit *a
vere moved with compassion; and, declaring hand.
 CAIUS GRACCHUS.

lh»ttheseconditions
werecanpliedwith,or andfilledthecavitywithniohenlead.Thows
notreturnat all. whobroughtin theheadof Fulvius,beingper-
Cams was ofopinion
thattheyshould
goandsonsofnonote,nadnoreward at all.
endeavour to reconcilethemselves
to the sen- The bodiesof Caiusand Futvius, and the
ate. But as noneof the rest accededlo that restof the slain,whowereno fewerthanthrea
opinion, Fulvius
senthissonagain withpropo-thousand,werethrown intotheriver. Tiiei*
sitionsmuch thesame.Opimius, whowasin goodswereconfiscated andsold,andtheir
liasieto beginhostilities,
immediately
tookthe wivesforbidden
to gointomourning.Licinia
young manintocustody, andinarchedagainstwas,moreover,
deprived of herdowry.The
J'ulviuswitha numerous
bodyof infantry,and mostsavage
crueltywasexercised
uponthe
" comoanvof Cretanarchers. The lattergall- youngersonof Fulvius, who hadneverborne
ed their adversaries
much,andputthemin such arms againstthem,nor appearedamongttit
confusionthat they took to flight. Fulviushid combatants,
but wasimprisonedwhenbecame
himselfin anold neglected
bath,wherehewas withproposalsof peace,andputto deathafter
joonfoundandputto thesword,togetherwith thebattle.But neitherthis,norany otherin-
biseldestson. Caiuswagnot seento h'.'t his stanceof despotism,so sensiblytouchedthe
handin thefray. Onthecontrary,heexpress-
people,asOpirmus's
building
a templeto COM*
edthe greatestuneasiness at their comingto CORD. For by thatheappeared to claimhonour
«uch extremities,and retired into the temple for what he haddone,andin somesort to tri-
of Diana. There he would have dispatchedumphin the destructionof so many citizens.
himself,but was hinderedby Pompomusand Somebody, therefore,in the night, wrote thil
Licinius, the most faithful of his friends,who line underthe inscriptionon the temple:
took away his poniard, and persuaded him to Madness
andDiscordrear thefaneof Concord.
try the alternativeof flight. On this occasion Opimiuswas the first consulwho usurped
beu saidto havekneeleddown,andwith up- the powerof a dictator,and condemned three
lifted handsto haveprayedto the deity of that thousandcitizens,without any formof justice,
temple,"That the people
of Rome,for their besideCaiusGracchus
andFulviusFlaccus;
ingratitudeandbasedesertionof him, might thoughone of them had beenhonouredwith
beslavesfor ever." Indeed,most of them,on the consulshipand a triumph, and the other,
promiseof impunityby proclamation,openly both in,virtue and-«ou,Ution,wassuperior to
went over to the other party. all the men of hi ..me.
The enemypursuedCaiuswithgreateager- Opimiuswasvile enoughto sufferhimselfto
ness,and cameup with him at the wooden becorruptedwith money. Going afterwards
bridge. His two friends biddinghim go for- ambassador to JugurthatheNumidian,hetook
ward,plantedthemselves beforeit, andsuffer- a bribe; and beingcalled to accountfor it at
ed nomanto passtill they were overpoweredhisreturn, in a judicial way,he hadthe mortifi-
andslain. Oneof his servants,namedPhilo- cationto grow old with that infamyuponhim.
crates,accompanied Caius in his flight. All At the same time he was hated and execrated
encouraged him to makethe best of his way, by the commons,who throughhis meanshad
is theydo a runner in the lists, but not one beenreducedto anabjectcondition. In a little
assistedhim, or offeredhim a horse,thoughhe time thosecommonsshewedhow deeply they
desiredit, for theysawthe enemynow almost regretted the Gracchi. They erected their
uponhim.* He got, however,a little before statuesin oneof the mostpublic parts of the
them,into a grovesacredto the furies^ and city; theyconsecratedthe placeswhere thej
thereclosedthe scene;Philocratesfirst dis- were killed, andofferedto themall first-fruit*
patchedhim, and afterwardshimself. Some, accordingto the season of theyear. Nay, many
indeed,eay,that theyboth camealive into the offereddaily sacrifices,andpaidtheir devotion*
enemy'shands,and that the slave clung so there us in the templesof gods.
closeto hismasterthat theycouldnot cometo Corneliais reportedto haveborneall these
theonetill theyhad cut the other in pieces. misfortuneswith a noblemagnanimity,andto
Wearetold also,that aftera person,
whosehavesaidof theconsecrated
places
in particn
nameis not mentioned,hadcut oil'the headof Jar,whereher sonslosttheir lives. " That they
Caius,
andwasbearing
awayhis prize,Septi- weremonuments
worthyof them." Shetook
mulemsjjoneof Opimius'st'riends,took it from up her residenceat Misenum,andmadenoal
turn:for at the beginningof the action, the terationin her mannerof living. As shehad
weightin goldhad beenofferedby proclama- manyfriends,her table was alwaysopen for
tioneilherfor hishead,or for thatof Fulvius. thepurposes
of hospitality.Greeks
andother
Septimuleiuscarriedit to Opimiusuponthe menof lettersshehadalways withher,andall
point of a pike; and whenput in the scale,it the kingsin alliancewith Romeexpressed
their
wasfoundto weighseventeen
poundseight regardby sending
her presents,
and receiving
ounces: for Septimuleiug had added fraud to the like civilities in return. She made herself
buothervillanies;
hehadtaken
outthebrain,veryagreeable
to her guests
by acquainting
* AureliuaVictor mention*two of Caius'sfriends, them with many particulars of her father Afn-
who
flopped
thepursuit
nftheenemy;
Pomnoniui,
at canus,
andofhismanner
of living. Butwhat
thePortuTrtfcmina,iiid Lstoruu,it theroiu SuA-they mostadmiredin her was, that she could
twMtf. recount their actions and sufferings, as if she
t Timgrove
WAS
called
Lucus
Fttnruf,
andwas
nearspokeof hersonswithouta sighora tear,and
U« Pom
called Sutlieiia.
FLimin The
-Fun'na/ij, goddess
and had
annual a highpriest
sacrilicts. Vero hadbeengivinga narrative of someancient
de Ling.1.v. heroes. Some,therefore,imagined th.it age
! PlinyandValerius
Maiirou!lay,hevru aninti- andthe greatness of her misfortuneshad ue-
Mt* acquamlanct
of Grwchiu'i. pnved herof tier uudernaminigandsensibility
 PLUTARCH'S LIVES

Butthosewhowereofthatopinion
seemratheritselfagainst
distress;
andthatthoughin tne
tohavewantedunderstanding
themselves;
sincepursuitof rectitude
Fortunemayoftendefeat
theyknewnothowmucha noblemindmay,thepurposes of VIRTUE,yetVIRTUE,
in bear-
bya liberaleducation,
be enabledtosupportingaffliction,
canneverloseherprerogative

AGIS AND CLEOMENES

COMPARED WITH

TIBERIUS AND CAIUS GRACCHUS.

TFTISwe havegiventhe historyof thesegreat Hydra'sheads;"andthereforethey introduced

men severally,andit remainsthat we take a a changethat mightremoveall the distempers
viewof them in comparison
witheachother. of theconstitution
atonce. Perhaps
we may
Thosewho hatedthe Gracchi,andendeavour-expressourselveswith more propriety,if we
ed the mostto disparage them,neverdurstde- say,that, by removingthe changesthat had
ny, that of all the Romansof their time, nature caused all their misfortunes,they brought
haddisposedthem most happilyto virtue, or Spartabackto its first principles.
that this dispositionwascultivatedby the most Possiblyit maynot beamissto add,thatthe
excellent education. But nature appears to measuresthe Gracchi adopted were offensive
had donestill morefor Agis and Cleomenes;to the greatestmenin Romejf whereas,
all that
for thoughtheynot only wantedtheadvantagesAgis meditated,and Cleomenesbrought to
of education, but were trained to suchmanners bear, had the best and most respectableauthor
and customsas had corrupted many before ities to supportit, I meanthe sanctioneither
them, yet they becameexamplesof temperance of Lycurgus or Apollo.
aiid sobriety. What is still more considerable, by the po-
Besides, the Gracchi lived at a time when litical measuresof the Gracchi, Rome made
Rome wasin her greatestglory; a time that not the leastacquisitionof power or territory;
was distinguished by a virtuous emulation; and whereas, through those of Cleomenes,Greece
of coursethey must have had a natural aversion saw the Spartansin a little time become ma«
to give up the inheritance of virtue which they ters of Peloponnesus,and contendingfor supe-
had received from their ancestors. Whereas riority with the most powerful princes of that
Agis and Cleomenes had parents of very dif- age; and this without any other view than to
ferent principles, and found their country in deliver Greece from the incursionsof the Illyr-
I very diseased and unhappy slate; and yet ians and Gauls, and put her once more under
.hese things did not in the least abatetheir ar- the protection of the race of Hercules.
dour in the pursuitsof honour. The differentmannerof the deathsof these
We have a strong proof of the disinterested great men appearsalso to me to point out a
views of the Gracchi, and their aversion to av- difference in their characters. The Gracchi
arice, in their keeping themselves clear of all fought with their fellow-citizens, and being de-
iniquitous practicesin the whole courseof feated,perishedin their flight. Agis,on the
their administration. But Agis might even have other hand, fell almost a voluntary sacrifice,
resentedi(, if any onehadcommended him for rather thanthat any Spartanshould lose his
not touchingthe propertyof others, sincehe life on his account. Cleomenes, wheninsulted
distributedhis wholesubstance amongthe citi- andoppressed,had recourseto vengeance; and,
zensof Sparta,which,besidesotherconsidera-ascircumstances did not favourhim,hadcour-
ble articles,consistedof sii hundredtalentsin ageenoughto give himselfthe fatal blow.
money. What a crimethen must unjustgain If we view themin anotherlight, Agisnever
haveappearedto him, who thoughtit nothing distinguished himselfas a general;for hewas
lessthan avariceto possess more than others, killed before he had an opportunityof that
thoughby thefairesttiller" kind:andwiththemanygreatandglorious
vic-
If we considerthem with respect to the toriesof Cleomenes we maycomparethemem-
hardinessof their enterprises,
andthe new reg- orableexploitof Tiberius,in beingthe first to
ulationstheywantedto establish,
weshallfind scalethe
wallsofCarthage,
andhissaving
twen
the twoGrecians
greatlysuperior.Oneof the ty thousand
Romans, whohadnootherhopeol
two Romansapplied himself principally to life, by the peacewhichhe happilyconcluded
makingroadsandcolonizingtowns. The bold- withthe Numantians.As for Cams,therewere
estattemptof Tiberiuswasthe distributionmanyinstances
of hismilitarytalentsbothin
of thepubliclands;andCaiusdidnothingmore theNumantian
war,andin Sardinia.Sothat
extraordinarythanthe joining anequalnumber * In thefourthbookofthecommonwealth.
of the equestrianorderin commissionwith the t Plularch seems
to censureIheAgrarianlawM ta
three hundredpatricianjudges. irrationalone,andas the invention
of theGracchi.
Thealterations
whichAgisandCleomencs
But,infact,therewa»
aoAgrarian
Jaw
among
thein-
brought
intothesystem
oftheircommonwealth
fctitutions
ofLycurgus;
of suchaand
6rstpromoters lawthe
Gracchi
among were
Dot
IheRomans.the
Spu-
were of a different nature. They saw a small rius Cassius ottered a bill of the same kind above tw»
andpartial amendment
wasnobetter,asPlato hundred
yearsbefore,whichDrored
equally
lilal la
expresses it, than the cutting oif one of the him.
 DEMOSTHENES. 687
In* Iwobrothers wouldprobably onedayhaveatepin enfranchising all the slaves;and,in
beenrankedwiththegreatestgenerals amongreality,he reignedalone,though,to saveap-
theRomans, hadtheynotcometo anuntimelypearances, hetookinhisbrotherEuclid" asa
death. partnerin thethrone,whowasnotof theother
Asto theirpoliticalabilities,Agisseemsto familythatclaimeda rightto giveoneof tho
h»vewantedfirmness and dispatch.Hosuf- kingsto Sparta.Archidamus, whowasof that
feredhimselfto beimposed uponbyAgesilaus, family,and hadasmuchright to thethrone,
andperformednot his promiseto the citizens he persuaded to returnfromMessene.In con-
of making a distribution of lands. He was, sequence of this he was assassinated; and,at
indeed,extremelyyoung;and,on that account, CJeomenes made no inquiryinto the murder,
bada timidity whichpreventedthe completion it is probablethat he was justly censuredae
of thoseschemes that hadso much raisedthe the causeof it. Whereas,JLycurgus, whom
expectation of the public. Cleomenes, on the hepretendedto takeas his pattern,freelysur-
contrary,took,too boldandtoo violenta meth- renderedto his nephewChanlausthekingdom
odto eifectuatethe changeshe had resolvedcommittedto his charge;andthathe mightnot
on in the policeof Sparta. It was an act of beblamed in case of his untimelydeath,he
injusticeto put the ep/iori to death,whomhe went abroadand wandered a long lime in for-
migliteither havebroughtover to his party by eigncountries;nor did he return till Charilaua
force, becausehe was superior in arms, or else had a, son to succeed him in the throne. It M
have banished,as he did many others. For, true, Greece had not produced any other man
to have recourse to the knife, except in cases who can be compared to Lvcurgus.
of extremenecessity,indicates neither the We haveshewn that Cleomenes,in the
goodphysician nor the able statesman,but un- course of his government, brought in greater
tkilfulness in both. Besides, in politics, that innovations, and committed more violent acta
ignoranceis always attended with injustice and of injustice. And those that are inclined to
cruelty. But neither of the Gracchi beganthe censure the personsof whom we are writing,
civil w<r, or dipped his hands in the biood of represent Cleomenes as, from the first, of a
bis countrymen. Caiua, we are told, even tyran-nical disposition and a lover of war. The
when attacked, did not repel force with force; Gracchi they accuseof immoderate ambition,
and, though nonebehavedwith greater courage malignity itself not being able to find any
and vigour than he in other wars, none was so flaw in them. At the same time they acknowr
slow to lift up his hand againsta fellow-citiien. ledge that those tribunes might possibly ba
He went out unarmed to a scene of fury and carried beyond the dictates of their native dis-
"edition; when the fight began, he retired; position by anger, and the heat of contention,
and, throughthe whole, appearedmore solicit- which, like so many hurricanes, drove them at
ous to avoid the doing of harm than the re- last upon some extremes in their administra-
ceiving it. The flight, therefore, of the Grac- tion. What could be more just or meritorious
chi must not be considered as an act of cow- than their first design, to which they would
ardice, but patriotic discretion. For they were have adhered, had not the rich and great, by
under a necessity either of taking the method the violent methods they took to abrogate their
they did, or of righting in their own defence law, involved them both in those fatal quarrels;
if they stayed. the one to defend himself, and the other to re-
The strongest charge against Tiberius is, venge his brother, who was taken orf without
that he deposed his colleague, and sued for a any form of law and justice.
second
tnbuneship. Caiuswasblamedfor the From these observations,you may easily
deathof Antyllius; but againstall reason and perceive the difference between.lhem; and, U
justice; for the fact was committed without you required me to characterize each of them
his approbation,and he looked uponit as a singly, I shouldsaythat the palm of virtue be-
most unhappycircumstance. On the other longsto Tiberius; young Agis had the fewest
band,Cleomenes, not to mentionanymorehis faults; andCaius,in point of courageandspirit
destroying
theephori,tookan unconstitutionalof enterprize waslittle inferior to Cleomenei.

DEMOSTHEN7ES.
WHOEVER
it was,my Sossius,that wrote the is not itself great,and.Egina, whichan Athe-
encomium upon Alcibiades for his victory in nian " wanted
to havetakenaway,asan eye-
thechariot-race
attheOlympic games;wheth-soretothePyixus,"should givebirthtogood
erEuripides
(whichis thecommon opinion,)poetsandplayers,*
andiiotbeableto produce
orsome other,he asserts,
that "Thefirstre- a manwhomightattainthevirtues
of justice,
quisite
tohappiness is,thata manbebornin ofcontentment,
andof magnanimity. Indeed,
I famous
city." But, as to real happiness,
thosearts,whichare to gainthe masterof
whichconsistsprincipally
in the disposition
themconsiderable profitorhonour,
mayprob-
andhabitof themind,for my partI thinkit ablynot flourishin meanandinsignificant
would
make nodifference,
though amanshouldtowns.But virtue,like a s.rongandhardy
bebornin an inconsiderable town,or of a plant,will takerootin anyplace
where
it can
Bother who had no advantages
either of size
or beauty;for it \e ridiculous
to suppose
that " ThepoetSimonidei
wu of Ceoi;andPulojth«
Julia,a smalltown in the isle of Ceo>,which Mtorwu of JSjina.
6b8 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
lind an ingenuousnature and a mind that hasI other in their fortunes For I thin'* it is tm
no aversionto labourand discipline. There-I possibleto find two ot ier orators who raised
fore,if oursentiments
or conduct
fallshortof themselves
fromobscurebeginnings
to such
thepointtheyoughtto reach,wemustnotim- authorityandpower;whobothopposedkingt
pute it to the obscurityof the placewhere we andtyrants; who both lost their daughters;
wereborn,butto ourlittle selves. were banished
their country,and returned
Thesereflections,however,extendnot to an with honour; wereforced to fly again; wero
author who would write a history of events takenby their enemies, andat last expiredthe
whichhappenedin a foreigncountry,andcan- samehour with the libertiesof their country.
not be comeat in his own. As he hasmate- So that, if nature and fortune,like two artifi-
rials to collectfrom a varietyof booksdispers- cers,were to descenduponthe scene,anddis*
ed in differentlibraries,hisfirst care shouldbe puteabouttheir work, it wouldbe difficultto
to takeup his residencein somepopulous town decide whether the former had produceda
which hasan ambition for literature. There greaterresemblancein their dispositions, or
he will meet with many curious and valuable the latter in the circumstances of their lives.
books; and the particularsthat arewantingin We shallbeginwith the more ancient.
writers,hemay,uponinquiry,besupplied
with Demosthenes,
the fatherof Demosthenes),
by thosewho havelaid themup in the faithful wasoneof the principal citizens of Athens.
repositoryof memory. This will preventhis Thcopompus tells us,hewascalledthetword-
work from being defectivein any material cutler, becausehe employeda great number
point. As to myself, I live in a little town, of slavesin thatbusiness.As to what^schinei
and I chooseto live there,lest it should be- the orator relatesconcerninghis mother.*that
comestill leers. When I was in Rome,and shewasthe daughterof oneGylon,f whowa»
other par.sof Italy, I hadnot leisureto study forcedto fly for treasonagainstthe common-
the Latin tongue,on accountof the public wealth,andof abarbarianwoman,we cannot
commissionswith which I was charged,and takeuponusto saywhetherit wasdictatedbjr
the numberof peoplethat cameto be instruct- truth, or by falsehood and malignity. He bad
ed by me in philosophy. It was not, therefore, a large fortune left him by his father, who died
till a late period in life, that I beganto read when he was only sevenyearsof age; the
the Romanauthors. The processmay seem whole beingestimatedat little less thanfif-
strange; and yet it is very true. I did not teen talents. Hut he wasgreatly wrongedby
so muchgain the knowledgeof thingsby the his guardians,who convertedpart to theirown
word?,as wurds by the knowledgeI badof use,andsufferedpart to lie neglected. Naj',
things. I shall only add,that, to attainsuch they werevile enoughto defraudhis tutorsof
a skill in the language as to be master of the their salaries. This was the chief reason that
beauty and fluency of its expressions,with its he had not those advantagesof education to
figures,its harmony,and all the other graces whichhis quality entitled him. His mother
of its structure, would indeed be an elegant did not choosethat he should be put to hard
and agreeableaccomplishment. But the prac- and laborious exercises, on account of the
tice and pains it requires are more than I have weaknessand delicacy of his frame; and his
a time for, and I must leave the ambitionto preceptors,beingill paid,did not presshim to
excel in that walk to younger men. attend them. Indeed, from the first, he wag
In this book,which is the fifth of our par- of a slenderand sickly habit, insomuchthat
allels, we intend to give the lives of Demos- the boysare said to have given him the con-
thenesand Cicero,andfrom their actionsand temptuousnameof Batalua\ for his natural
politicalconduct,we shall collect and com- defects. Somesay,Batuluswasaneffeminate
pare their mannersand dispositions;but, for musician,whomAntiphanes
ridiculedin oneof
the reason already assigned,we shall not pre- tiis farces; others, that he was a poet whose
tend to examine their orations, or to determine verses were of the most wanton and licentious
which of them was the more agreeablespeak- kind. The Athenians, too, at that time, seem
er; for, as Ion says, to havecalled a part of the body Batolut,
which decency forbids us to name. We are
What't th«gaydolphinwhenhe quitsthewives, told, that Demostheneshad likewise the name
Andbounds
upontheshore
? of JlTgaa,either on accountof the savage
and
morose turn of his behaviour; for there is a
Czcilius,*a writerat alltimesmuchtoopre- sortof aserpentwhichsome
of thepoets
call
"umptuous,paidlittle regardto thatmaxim
of Jlrgos;\orelsefortheseverity
ofhisexpreo
the poet's, when he so boldly attempted a com- sions, which often gave las hearers pain; for
parisonbetween
Demosthenes
andCicero.therewasapoetnamed
Jlrgos,whose
versea
But perhapsthe precept, Know thyse\f, would
not be considered as divine, if every man
"tould
easilyreduce
it to practice. * Inhisoration
against
Ctesiphon.
It seems to me that Demosthenes and Cicero f Gvlon was accusedof betraying to the enemyI
were originally formed by nature in the same town in PontuscalledNymphajum; uponwhich,h«
fled into Scythia,wherehe marrieda nativeof tho
mould, so great is the resemblance in their country, and had two daughtersby her; one of whoa
disposition. The same ambition, the same w*smarriedto Philocares,andthe other,namedCle-
love of liberty, appears in their whole admin- obiilc, to Demosthenes.Her fortunewasfifty mi'ntf
istration,and the sametimidity amidst wars andofthismarriagecame Demc>slhcues
theorator.
mid dangers.Nor did they lessresembleeach \ Hesychius trives
adifferent
explanation
totheword
ottdu*', but Plutarch must be allowed, though Da
" Cxciliuswasa celebratedrhetorician,who lived cier will not hereallowhim, to understand thesent*
hi the tnnr of Augustus. He wrote a IreaLisetu tli*- of theGreekwordas wellasHtsychius.
vublime,whichis mentionedby Longiuuj (Hippocrates,too,mentions
a serpentof that uaoM.
 DEMOSTHENES.

wereverykeenandsatiri:al. But enough

of hieguardians
to account
al law, and wrote
thisarticle. orations
against
them. As they foundman/
His ambitionto speakin public is saidto methodsof chicaneand delay, he had great
have taken its rise on this occasion. The opportunity,asThucydidessays,to exercise
orator Callistratuswas to plead in the cause his talent for the bar.* It was not without
whichthe city of Oropus*haddepending; and muchpainsandsomerisk that he gainedhit
the expectation of the publicwasgreatlyraised cause;and,at last, it was but a very small
both by the powersof the orator,which were part of his patrimonythat he could recover
then in the highestrepute,andby the impor- By thismeans,however,he acquireda proper
tance of the trial. Demosthenes Hearing the assuranceand some experience; and having
governors
andtutors agreeamong themselvestasted the honourand powerthat go in the
to attend the trial, with much importunity pre- train of eloquence,he attempted to speak in
vailed on his master to take him to hear the the public debates, and take a share in the
pleadings.The masterhavingsomeacquaint- administration.As it is saidof Laomedonthe
ancewith the officers who opened the court, Orchomenian, that, by the advice of hia phy-
got his young pupil a seat where he could hear sicians, in some disorder of the spleen, he
the orators without being seen. Callistratus applied himself to running, and continued it
had great success, and his abilities were ex- constantly a great length of way, till he had
tremely adrmrud. Demostheneswas fired with gained such excellent health and breath, that
a spirit of emulation. When he saw with he tried for the crown at the public ganvcs,
what distinction the orator was conducted and distinguished himself in the long course:
home, and complimented by the people, he so it happened to Demosthenes, that he L'at
was struck still more with the power of that appeared at the bar for the recovery of hi»
commandingeloquence which could carry all own fortune, which bad been so much embez-
before it. From this time, therefore, he bade zl«d ; and having acquired in that cause a
adieu to the other studies and exercises in persuasive and powerful manner of speaking
which boysare engaged,and applied himself he contested the crown, as I may call it,
with great assiduity to declaiming, in hopesof with the other orators before the general «-
being one day numbered among the orators. scnibly.
ItKEiis
wasthe manhe madeuseof as his pre- However,in his first addressto the people,
ceptorin eloquence,though Isocrates then he was laughedat and interruptedby their
taught it 5 whether it was that the loss of his clamours ; for the violence ot'his manner tfortvt
father incapacitatedhim to pay the euroof ten him into a confusion of periods, and a disuiT-
mirWEjtwhich was that rhetorician's usual Uon of his argument. Besides he had a weak-
price, or whether he preferred the keen and nessand a stammeringin his voice, and a w»2t
lubtle mannerof Is.tus, as more fit for public of breath, winch caused such a distraction in
use. his discourse, that it was dirlicult for the audi-
Herrpippussays he met with an account in ence to understand him. At last, upon his
certainanonymous
memoirsthatDemosthenesquitting the assembly,Eunoinusthe Tbria-
likewise studied under Plato,| and received sian, a man now extremely old, found him
great assistancefrom him in preparing to speak wandering in a dejected condition in the Pi-
in public. He adds, that Ctesibius used to rzus, and took upon him to set him right.
"ay,that "Demosthenes
wasprivatelysupplied " You," saidlie, " havea mannerof speaking
by Callias the Syracusan, and some others, very like that of Penclcs; and yet you lose
wilh the systemsof rhetoric taught by Isocrates yourself out of mere timidity and cowardice
and Alcidamus, and made his advantage of You neither bear up against the tumults of a
them. popular assembly,nor prepareyour boay bj
When his minority was expired, he called exercise for the labour of the rosiruui, but
suffer your parts to wither away in negligence
and indolence.9
" Oropus-wasa town on the banks of Iht Euripuj,
onthefrontiers
ofAllica.TheThebans,
though
Ihey Anolhertime,
wearetold,whenhisspeeches
badbeeo
relieved
in theirdistress
byChabrias
andthe had beenill received,andhe «as goinghome
Athenians, forgultheir services,
andluok Oropusfrom with Ins headcovered, and in the greatest dii-
thtm. Cliabrlas vrassuspectedof Vrcachrry, and Cai- tress, Sat^rus the player, »ho was an acquaint-
listratus,the orator, wasretained to pleadagainsthim.
ance of his, followed andwent in with him:
Demosthenes
emotionsthis in his oration against Phi-
dias.At thetimeof thistrial,hewasaboutsuden. Demosthenes lamentedtu him, u That, though
t This couldnotbethe reason,if what is recorded he was the most laborious of all the orators,
fa the life of U%usbe true, that hewasreUitutdas and had almost sacrificed his health to that
tutortoDemosthenes,
t This atthe
isconfirmed
by price
Cicero10ofahundred
hisBrutus. mi>ue.
Lccti- application,
yet hecould gamno favourwitb,
lotine Plojancm ttudiose, uwJiviuc eliam Demostte- the people; but drunken seameu and other un-
*" JcUur:
ft/yuc
ijjijmret
tx ^enere
elgrtiTlcMufe
L-er-letteredpersonswereheard,and kept the
"oruro. Again,in his bookHe Oratore: QuoJidem rostrum, while he was entirely disregarded.**f
4eDemosthene exixtimitripotcst,cujtuex epistol-u" You say true," answeredSatyrus;" but I
mtettigiHat quam/reyuensfuefit Plaionis auditor. will soonprovidea remedy,if you will repeat
It u potablethat Cicero,in this place,alludesto lhal
letterof Demosthrnes,
addressed to Hcrricliodorai,in
whichhethusspeaks of Plato'sphilosophy. u Since * He lost hisfather at theare of seven,and heWAI
you havet:poii»ed Ihe doctrine of Plain, which is so ten years in the hands of guardians. He therefore be
duiaol from avarice,from artifice, and violence; a g*n to j)U;\'l in his eighuenlh)'fcar,which,as it wal
doctrinewhoseobjrctis the perfectionof goodness and ouly in nil own privateaffairs,MMnot forbiddenby
)udice! Immortalgods! whenoncea manhasadopt- thelaws.
edtin'sdoctrine,is it possiblehe should deviatefrom t This was the privilegeof all democraticstale*.
touth.or entertainone iclliib or ungeuerouiicuti- Somethink, tViatby searneD hemeans Demadei,
ncQl?" prufcuiua wu that of a mariner
PP
 690 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
to mesonic speechin Euripides or Sophocles." poured against the Athenians like a torrent?
Whnn Demosthenes had done, Satyruspro- And when Lamachusthe Myrrhenian* pro-
nouncedthe samespeech;andhe did it with nouncedat the Olympicgamesan encomium
sucliproprietyof action,andso muchin char- whichhe hadwrittenuponPhilipandAlexan-
acter, that it appeared to the orator quite a der, and in which he had assertedmany severe
differentpassage.He now understood
sowell andreproachful
thingsagainsttheThebansand
how much grace and dignity action adds to the Qlynthiann, how could Demosthenes rise up
best oration, that he thought it a small matter and prove, by a ready reduction of facts, the
to premeditate and compose, though with the many benefits for which Greece was indebted
utmost care, if the pronunciation aad propri- to the Thebansand Chalsidians, and the many
ety of gesture were not attended to. Upon evils that the flatterersof the Macedonians had
this he built himself a subterraneousstudy, broughtupon their country? This, too, wrought
which remained to our times. Thither he re- such a change in the minds of the great au.
pairedevery dayto formhis action andexer- dience,that the sophist,his antagonist,appre-
cise his voice; and he would often stay there hending a tumult, stole out of the assembly.
for two or three months together, shaving one Upon the whole, it appearsthat Demosthenes
side of his head, that, if he should happento be did not take Pericles entirely for his model.
ever so desirous of going abroad, the shameof He only adoptedhis action and delivery, and
appearing in that condition might keep him in. his prudent resolution not to make a practice
When he did go out upon a visit, or received of speaking from a sudden impulse,or on any
one, he would take something that passed in occasion that might present itself; being per-
conversation, some businessor fact that was suaded,that it was to that conducthe owed his
reporled to him, for a subject to exercise him- greatness. Yet, while he choce not often to
self upon. As soon as he had parted from his trust the successof his powers to fortune, he
friends, he went to his study, where he repeat- did not absolutelyneglect the reputation which
ed the matter in order as it passed, together may be acquired by speakingon a suddenocca-
with the arguments for and againstit. The sion. And, if we believe Eratosthenes, De-
substance of the speecheswhich he heard he metrius the Phalerean, and the comic poets,
committed to memory, and afterwards reduced there was a greater spirit and boldnessin hia
them to regular sentencesand periods,* medi- unpremeditated orations than in those he had
tating a variety of corrections and new forms committed to writing. Eratosthenes, saysthat,
of expression,both for what others had said to in his extemporaneous harangues, he often
him, and he bad addressedto them. Hence, it spoke as from a supernaturalimpulse; and De-
was concluded that he was not a man of much metrius tells us, that, in nn addressto the peo-
genius; and that all his eloquence was the ple, like a man inspired, he once uttered this
effect of labour. A strong proof of this seemed oath in verse,
to be, that he was seldom heard to speak any By earth,byall her fountains,
streams,
andfloods.
thingextempore,
andthoughthepeopleoften Oneof thecomicwriterscallshim Rhopoptr-
called uponhim by name,as hesat in the as- perethrasj andanother,ridiculinghisfrequent
sembly,to speakto the point debated,he useof theantithesis,
says," Ashetook,sohe
would not do it unless he came prepared. For retook." For Demosthenesaffected to usethat
this, manyof theoratoraridiculedhim; and expression.
Possibly,Antiphanes played
upon
Pythcas,in particular,told him," That all thatpassage
in theorationconcerningthe isle
hisarguments smelledof thelamp." Demos-ofHalonesus, in whichDemosthenes advised
thenes retortedsharplyuponhim," Yea,in- theAthenians, " notto take,butto retakeit
deed,butyourlampandmine,myfriend,aie fromPhilip.}"
notconscious to Hiesamelabours."To othei-s It wasagreed,however, on all hands,
that
he did not pretend to deny his previous appli- Demades excelled all the orators when he
cation,buttoldthem," He neitherwrotethe trustedto natureonly; andthat his sudden
whole of his orations,.nor spoke without first
committing part to writing." He farther affirm- the life of Demosthenes. The fate of his country, in
ed, " That this shewed him a goodmember of a great measure,dependedon his eloquence. After
a democratic slate; for the coming prepared to Plalaewaslost,andPhilip threatened to marchagainst
the rostrumwasa markof respectfor the peo- Athens,
theAthenians
applied
for succours
to theBoe-
ple. Whereas,
to beregardless
of whatthe otians.
When
theleague
wasestablished,
andthe
people
might
thinkofa man's
address,
shew-
troops
to assembled
the council of atChceronea,
Beeotia, Philip
the chief ofsent
ambassad
whom was Py-
ed hisinclinationfor oligarchy,andthathehad thon,oneof the ablestoratorsof his time. When
rather gain his point by forcethan by persua-he hadinveighedwith all the powersof eloquence
sion." Another prooftheygive us of his want againsttheAtheniansandtheircause, Demosthenes.
of confidence
onanysudden
occasion,
is,that answered
He was sohim,and
elevated carried
wilh thisthe point
viclory, in their
that favour.
he mentions
whenhehappened
to be put into disorder
by it inoneof hisorations,
inalmost
thesame
terms
that
the tumultuary behaviour of the people, De- Plutarchhasusedhere.
madesoften rose up to support him in an ex- * If we supposethis Lamachus
to havebeenof Atti
temporeaddress,but he neverdid the samefor ca,the teil shouldbealteredfromilyrrhenianto
Demades. Mifrrhinusian; forMyrrhinus wasa borough of Atti
ca. But there wasa town called Myrrhine in JEolia,
Wherefore, then, it may be said, did JEs- and another in Lemnos,and probablyLamachuswai
chines call him an orator of the most admirable oneof these.
assurance.''How could he stand up alone and t -J haberdasher of smallwares,or something
likeit,
refutePythontheByzantian,f
whoseeloquence JThere is anexpression
somethinglikewhat Plu-
tarchhaj ouoted,aboutthebeginning
of thatoration,
* Ciorrodidthesame,
aswefind in his cpistlec
to Libanius
suspetU
thewhole
of thatorationtobespu-
Atticus. These arguments he calls Tficsei pofitic<t. rious ; but thi't raillery of (he poet on Dttootlheact
j Thjj was oneof the mostglorious circumstancesin Ktua to prove that it was of his hand.
 DEMOSTHENES. 591

effusionsweresuperiorto the labouredspeech-so manyrobberies,when we have thievesof

esof Demosthenes.Arlsto of Chiosgivesus brass,andwalls only of clay." Thoughmore
the followingaccountof the opinionof Theo- of his sayingsmightbeproduced,we shall paes
phrastus concerningtheseorators.Beingasked them over,and go on to seekthe restof hi*
in what light he looked upon Demosthenes as manners and character in his actions and po-
an orator, he said, " I think him worthy of litical conduct.
Athens:" what of Demades, "I think him He tells us himself, that he entered upon
aboveit." The samephilosopherrelates of publicbusiness in thetimeof the Phocianwar,*
Polyeuctusthe Sphettian,who wasoneof the andthe samemaybecollectedfromhis 1'lulip-
principalpersonsin the Athenian administra-pics. For someof the last of themwerede-
tion at that time, that hecalled " Demosthenes livered after that war was finished; and the
thegreatestorator,and Phocionthe mostpow- formerrelateto the immediatetransactions
of
erful speaker;" because the latter comprised it. It appearsalso, that he was two and thirty
a greatdealof sensein a few words. To the yearsold when he was preparinghis oration
samepurpose,we are told, that DemosthenesagainstMidias; and yet, at that time, he had
himself, whenever Phocion got up to oppose attained no name or power in the administra-
him, used to eayto his friends, " Here comes tion. This indeed, seemslo be the reasonof hi*
the pruning-hook of my periods." It is uncer- dropping the prosecution for a sum of money.
tain, indeed, whether Demosthenes referred For,
to Phocion's manner of speaking, or to his life no prayer,nomovingart
and character. The latter might be the case, E'er bent that fierce, inexorable heart. Pope.
becausehe knew that a word or a nod from a He was vindictive in his nature, and impla-
man of superior character, is more regarded cable in his resentments. He saw it a difficult
than the long discoursesof another. thing, and out of the reach of his interest, to
As for his personal defects, Demetrius the pull down a man so well supported on all side*
Phalereangives us an account of the remedies as Midias, by wealth and friends; and therefore
he appliedto them; andhe sayshehadit from helistenedto theapplicationin his behalf.Had
Demosthenes in his old age. The hesitation heseenany hopesor possibilityof crushinghis
and stammeringof his tongue he corrected by enemy, I cannot think that three thousand
practising
to speakwith pebblesin his mouth; drachmascouldhavedisarmedhis anger.
and he strengthened his voice by running or He had a glorious subject for his political
walking up hill, and pronouncing some passage ambition, to defend the causeof Greece against
in an oration or poem, during the difficulty of Philip. He defended it like a champion wor-
breath which, that caused. He had, moreover, thy of such a charge, and soongained great re-
a looking-glassin his house, before which he putation both for eloquence and for the bold
usedto declaim and adjust all his motions. truths which he spoke. He was admired in.
It is said that a man came to him one day, Greece and courted by the king of Persia. Nay,
and desired him to be his advocate against a Philip himself had a much higher opinion of
personfrom whom he had suffered by assault. him than the other orators; and his enemies
"Not you, indeed," said Demosthenes, "you acknowledged tint they had to contend with a
havesuffered no such thing." "What!" said great man. For ^Eschines and Hyperides, in
the man,raising his voice," haveI not received their very accusations, give him such a char-
thoseblows."' "Ay, now," replied Demosthe- acter.
nes, " you do speak like a personthat hasbeen I wonder, therefore, how Theopompus could
injured." So much, in his opinion, do the tone say that he was a man of BOsteadiness,who was
of voice and the action contribute to gain the never long pleasedeither with the samepersona
ipeaker credit in what he affirms. or things. For, on the contrary, it appears,that
His actionpleasedthe commonaltymuch; he abodeby the party andthe measures
which
but peopleof taste (among whom was Deme- he first adopted; and was so far from quitting
trius the Phalerean) thought there was some- them during his life, that he forfeited his life
thing in it low, inelegant, and unmanly. Her- rather than he would forsake them. Demadeg,
mippus acquaintsus, that JEsiun being asked to excuse the inconsistency of his public char-
his opinion of the ancient oralors and those of acter, used to say, " I may have assertedthings
thattime,said," Whoeverhasheard the ora- contrarylo my formersentiments,
but not any
tors of former times, must admire the decorum thing contrary to the true interest of the com-
and dignity with which they spoke. Yet when monwealth." Melanopus, who was of the oppo
we readthe orations of Demosthenes,we must site party to Callistratus, often sufferedhimself
allow they have more art in the composition, to be bought off, and then said, by way of apol-
andgreaterforce." It is needless to mention, ogyto the people," It is true, the man is my
that,in his written orations,there was some- enemy,but the public good is an overruling
thing extremely cuttinc; and severe; but, in his consideration." And Nicodemus VhcMesscm-
suddenrepartees,there was also something of an, who first appearedstrong in the interest of
ttumour.* When Demadessaid," Demosthe- Cassander,and
afterwardsin thatof Demetrius,
nesto me! a sow to Minerva!" our orator made said, " He did not contradict himself, for it was
answer,
" This Minerva wasfound the other alwaysthebestwayto listento thestrong." But
dayplayingthe whorein Colyttus." When a we havenothingof that kind to allegeagainst
rascal, surnamed ChalcusJ attempted to jest Demosthenes. He was never a time-server
uponhis late studiesand long watchings,he eitherin his word oractions.Thekeyof politics
"aid," I know my lamp offendsthee. But you which he first touched,he kept to without va-
Deednot wonder, my countryman, that we have riation.
* Longinuswill not allowliim theleastexcellence
in * In the onehundredand sixth olympiad,fuehuo
attersof hunouror plevanlry. Cap.xxriii. dredandthirly-threeyearsbeforethe Christianacn,
t Thatit Brat*. Demoitheneiwai Iheu in hi* Iwealy-ieTeulh
jc»r.
692 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Panartius, thephilosopher, asserts,

thatmostweapons outof thesame«hopto fightonean
of hisorations arewrittenuponthisprinciple,other.Hewrotesomepublicorations (brother*
thatvirtueis to be chosen for her own sake,before
hehadanyconcern intheadministralion
only; that, for instance,of the crotrn, that himself,namely,ihoseagainstAndrotion,Ti-
againstAristocrates, thatj'or theimmunities,mocrates, andArislocrates.
Forit appears
that
and the Philippics. In all theseorations,he hewasonlytwenty-seven
or twenty-eightyeart
does not exhort his countrymen to that which of age when he publishedthose ovations. That
is most agreeableor easy,or advantageous;but againstAristogiton, and that for the immunt-
points out honour and propriety as the first ob- ties, he delivered himself at the request,as he
jects, and leaves the safely of the state as a says, of Ctesippus the sonof Chabnas; thougk
matter of inferior consideration. So that, if, be- others tell us, it was because he paid his ad-
sides that noble ambition which animated his dressesto the young man's mother. He did
measures,and the generousturn of his address- not, however, marry her; for his wife was a
es to the people, he had been blessed with the woman of Samos,as Demetrius the Magnesias
courage that war demands,and had kept his informs us, in his account of persons of tb«
hands clean of bribes, he would not have been samename. It is uncertainwhether that againC
numbered with such orators as Mirocles, Poly- ./Eschines^or betraying his trust as Jimbas
euctus and Hyperides, but havedeservedto be sador,* was ever spoken; though Idomenen/
placedin a higherspherewith Cimon,Thucy- affirmsthat .£schineswas acquittedonly b)
dides, and Pericles. thirty votes. This seeme not to be true, al
Amongthosewho took the reignsof govern- least so far as maybe conjecturedfrom both
mentvitverhim, Phocion,though not of the their orationsconcerningthe croirn. Foi nei-
party in most esteem,(1 meanthat which seem- ther of them expresslymentions it as a cause
ed to favour the Macedonians), yet, on account that ever came to trial. But this is a point
of his probityandvalour,did not appearat all whichwe shall leavefor othersto decide.
inferior to Ephialtes, Anstides, and Cimon. Demoslhenes,through ihe whole course of
But Demosthenes
hadneitherthe couragelhat his political conduct,left noneof the actionj
could be trusted in the field, nor was he (as of the king of Macedon undisparaged. Even
Demetrius eipressesil) sufficientlyfortified in time of peace,helaid holdon everyoppor-
againstthe impressionsof money. Though tunity to raise suspicionsagainsthim among
h».boreup againstthe assaultsof corruption the Athenians,and to excitetheir resentment.
from Philip andihe Macedonians,yet he was HencePhilip lookeduponhim as a personof
taken by the gold of Susa and Ecbatana. So the greatest importance in Athens; and when
that he wasmuch better qualifiedto recom- he went with nine otherdeputiesto the court
mend, than to imitate the virtues of our ances- of thai prince, after having given them all au-
tors. It mustbe acknowledged, however,that dience,heanswered thespeechof Demosthene«
he excelledall the oratorsof his time, except wilh greatercare than the rest. As to other
Phocion, in his life and conversation. And we marks of honour and respect, Demosthenes
find in his orations,that he told the peoplethe hadnot anequalsharein them;theywerebe-
boldesttruths,that he opposedtheir inclina- stowedprincipallyuponjEschinesandPhilo-
tions,and correctedtheir errorswith thegreat- crates. They, therefore,were large in the
est spirit andfreedom. Theopompus also ac- praiseof Philip on all occasions;and they
quaintsus,that, when the Athenianswerefor insisted,in particular,on his eloquence,his
havinghim manager of a certainimpeachment,beauty,and even his beingable to drink a
and insisteduponit in a tumultuarymanner, great quantityof liquor. Demosthenes, who
he wouldnot comply,butroseupand sail), couldnot bearto hearhim praised,turned
"My friends,I will beyourcounselior
whether"thesethingsoffastrifles. " Thefirst,"hesaid,
you will or no; but a false accuserI will noi was the property of a sophist, the secondof
be, howmuchsoeveryou maywishit." His>a woman,and the third of a sponge;andnot
behaviourin the caseof Antiphowasof the oneof themcoulddo anycredit to a king."
aristocraticcast.» The peoplehad acquitted Afterwards,it appearedthat nothingwasto
him in the generalassembly;and yet, he car- be expectedbut war; for, on the one hanil,
tied him beforethe areopagus;where,without Philip knew not how to sit down in tranquil-
regarding
theoffenceit mightgivethepeople,lity; and,ontheother,Demosthenes inflamed
heprovedthathehadpromised Philiplo bum theAthenians.In thiscase,thefirststepthe
thearsenal;
uponwhich,hewascondemned by oratortookwasto put thepeople uponsend-
thecouncil,andputto death.He likewiseac- inganarmament to Eubcea,
whichwasbrought
cusedthe priestessTheorisof severalmisde- underthe yokeof Philip by its petty tyrants.
meanours;and,amongthe rest,of herteaching Accordinglyhedrew up anedict,in pursuance
theslav«s
manyartsof imposition.
Suchcrimes,of whichtheypassedoverto that peninsula,
beinsisted,werecapital;andshewasdeliver-anddroveoul theMacedonians.Hissecond
ed over to the executioner. operationwas the sendingsuccourslo the
Demosthenes is saidto havewritten theora- Byzantians
and Perinlhians,with whomPhilip
tionof Apollodorus,
by whichhe carriedhis wasat war. Hepersuaded
thepeople
todrop
cause
against
thegeneral
Timotheus,
in anac-their resentment,
to forgetthefaultswhici
tionof debttothepublictreasury;asalsothoseboththosenationshadcommittedin thecon
othersagainst Phormio
andStephanus; which federate
war,andto senda bodyof troopsto
wasMjust exception againsthis character. For
hecomposed
theoration
whichPhormio
hadmany
* Incapita)
thisoration,
crimesDemosthenes
committedin accused
^schines
theembassy of
onwhich
pronouncedagainst Apollodorus. This, there- he«a>ftnt tuublige1'liilip to swearto thearticlesol
fore, was like furnishing two enemieswilh ptacc. Both dial oraUou,and the lunftr
" Ace bii oration de Corona. ues, are still exUuL
 DEMOSTHENES. 593

their assistance.
Theydid go,and it savedworkingarevolution,
anddrawing
theliberties
them from ruin. After this, he wentambas-of Greeceto a periodat that time,opposedand
sador to the elatesof Greece; and, by his baffledall the measuresthat could betaken.
animating
address,
broughtthemalmostall to The deitydiscovered
manytokens
of theap-
joinin theleague
against
Philip. Besides
the proaching
event.Among
therest,thepneatest
troopsof the severalcities,they took an army of Apollo delivereddreadfuloracles;andan
of mercenaries,to the numberof fifteenthou- old prophecyfromthe Sybillmebookswasthen
sand foot and two thousandhorse into pay, and much repeated.-
readily contributed lo the charge. Theophras- Far fromThermodou'ibanlu,when,stainMwith
tus tells us, that, when the allies desired their blood,
contributionsmight be settled,Crobylusthe Bceotia
trembles
o'erthecrimson
flood,
orator answered, " That war could not be On eaglepinions let me pierce the sky,
And (teeLncvanqui»h'd weep, the VI..I.T die !
brought to any set diet."
The eyesof all Greece were now upon these This Thermodon, they say, is a small river
movements; and all were solicitous for the in our country near Charronea,which tails into
event. The cities of Eubcea, the Achaeans,the Cephisus. At present we know no river of
the Corinthians, the Megarensians,the Leuca- that name; but we conjecture that the Hasmon,
dians, the Corcyraans, had each severally en- which runs by the temple of Hercules, where
againstthe Macedonians.the Greeks encamped, might then be called
gagedfor themselves
Tetthegreatest
workremained
for Demos-
Thermodon;
blood and theand
thebattle
bodies of thehaving
slain, filledit with
it might, on
thenesto do; which was to bring the Thebans
over to the league. Their country bordered that account, change its appellalion. Durius,
upon .Attica;theyhada greatarmy onfoot,indeed, says,
thaiThermodon was notariver,
and we'6 then reckoned the best soldiers in but that some of the soldiers, as they were
Greece.But theyhadrecent
obligations
to pitching theirtents,andopejiing thetrenches,
found a.small statue, with an inscription, which
Philip in the Phocianwar, and thereforeit
wasnoteasytodrawthem fromhim;especially signified,
that the personrepresented was
whentheyconsideredthe frequent quarrelsand Thermodon holding a wounded Amazon in his
acts
ofhostility
in which theirvicinity
toAthensarms.Headds, thattherewasanotheroracle
engaged
them. onthesubject,
time.- muchtaken
notice
of at that
Meantime Philip, elated with his successat
Arophissa,
surprisedElatea,and possessedWait -Fell
thpu the birdofharrest
plenlcou« prey,which the sword
himself of Phocis. The Athenians were struck
Will give thte ou Thermotlon.
with astonishment,and not one of them durst
mount the rostrum: no one knew what advice But it is hard to say what truth there is in
these accounts.
to give; but a melancholy silence reigned in As to Demosthenes,he is said to have had
the city. In this distress Demosthenesalone
itood forth, and proposed, that application such confidence in the Grecian arms, and to
should be made to the Thebans. He likewise have beenso much elated with the courageand
animated
thepeople
in hisusualmanner,
and spiritof so manybravemencallingforthe
inspiredthemwithfreshhopes; in conse-enemy, thathewould notsufferthem toregard
quence ofwhichhewassentambassador lo any
he
oraclesorthe
suspected
prophecies. He
prophetess
toldofthem,
herself
that
Ptiilip-
Thebes,someothers being joined in commis-
sionwithhim.Philiploo,on hispart,asplzing.HeputtheThebans inmind ofEpa-
Mary.isinforms
us,sentAmyntus andClear-minondas, andtheAthenians of Pericles, how
chus,twoMacedonians, Doachus theThessa- theyreckoned such thingsasmere preteits of
lian,andThrasidaeus
the"
Elean,toanswer the cowardice,
reason had and pursued
dictaied. thefar
Thus plan whichIheir
Demosthenes
Athenian deputies. The Thebans were not
ignorant
whatwaytheirtrueinterestpointed;acquitted himself likea manof spiritandhon-
buteachuf themhadthe evilsof war beforeour. But in thebattle,heperformed nothing
hiseyes;fortheirPhocian
wounds werestill worlhy of the glorious things hehad spoken.
He quitted his posl; he threw away his arms;
freshuponthem. However, the powers of the he fled in the most infamous manner; and was
oralor, asTheopompus tells us, rekindled their
courage
andambition
so effectually
thatall notashamed,
asPytheas
says,
to beliethein-
otherobjects weredisregarded.Theylostscription, which hehadputupon hisshieldin
lightoffear,of caution,
ofeverypriorattach-golden characters, TOGOOD FORTPKE.
ment,and,through theforce
ofhiseloquence, Immediately afterthevictory, Philip, inthe
elation of his heart, committed a thousand ex-
fell with enthusiastic transports into the path
ofhonour. cesses.Hedrankto intoxication,
anddanced
Sopowerful,
indeed,
were
theefforts
oftheover thedead, making akindof song ofthe
first part of the decree which Demosthenes
orator, that Philip immediately sent ambassa- had procured,and beatingtime to it.-Demos-
don to Athensto apply for peace. Greece
recoveredher spirits, whilst she stood waiting thenes the Pseanean, son of Demosthenes,
for the event; and not only the Athenian gen- has decreed. But when he came to be sober
erals,butthegovernors ofBceotia,
were readyagain,
he hadand considered
lalely thedangers
beensurrounded, he wilh which
trembled to
to execute the commands of Demosthenes.
All the assemblies,as well those of Thebes as think of the prodigiousfarce and power of that
those
of Athens,
wereunder
hisdireclion:
he orator, whohadobliged himtoputtwlhempire
and life on the cast of a day, on a few hours of
wasequally beloved, equally powerful, in both that day *
places;and,asTheopompusshows,it wasno
Inorc
than hismerilclaimed. Buithesuperior* Demand Uie nraur,
eonlributtd
tobring him la
Bowerof fortune, which seems to have been the ngrv useol ou r«uou, whenhe told him with
594 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Tliu fameof Demosthenes

reachedthePcr- the hands of another,
pot to keeptheir joy
"iancourt;andthe kingwrotelettersto his withinanybounds,
butto insultthedead,aud
lieutenants,
commandingthemto supplyhim singtriumphal songs,
asif theyhadperformed
with money,and lo attend to him morethan someextraordinary
actof valour.
to anyoiliermanin Greece;because hebest I commend Demosthenes,indeed,for leay-
knewhowto vnakca diversion in hisfavour,ingthetearsandotherinstances
of mourning,
by raisingfrothtroubles,
and findingemploy-whichhisdomesticmisfortunes
mightclaim,to
ment for the Macedonianarms nearerhome. the women,andgoingaboutsuchactionsashe
ThisAlexander
afterwards
discovered
by the thought
conducive
tothewelfare
ofhiscountry;
letters of Demostheneswhich he found at Sar- for I think a man of suchfirmness and other
dis; andthepapers
of thePersian
governors
ex- abilitiesasa statesman
oughtto have,should
pressingthesumswhichhadbeengivenhim. alwayshavethecommon concernin view,and
When the Greeks had lost this great battle, look upon his private accidentsor businessas
thoseof thecontrary
factionattacked
Demos-considerations
muchinferiorto thepublic. In
thenes, and brought a variety of public accusa- consequenceof which, he will be much more
tions againsthim. The people,however,not carefulto maintainhis dignitythanactorswho
only acquittedhim, but treatedhim with the personate kingsandtyrants;andyet these,we
Bamerespectas before,andcalled him to the see,neither laughnor weep accordingto the
helmagain,asa personwhomtheyknewto be dictatesof their own passions,but astheyare
a well-wisher to his country. So that, when directed by the subject of the drama. It la
the bonesof those who fell at Chzronea were universally acknowledged that we are not to
brought home to be interred, they pitched upon abandon the unhappy to their sorrows,but to
Demosthenes
to make the funeral oration. endeavour
to consolethembyrationaldiscourse,
They were, therefore,so far from bearing their or by turning their attention to more agreeable
misfortune in a mean and ungenerousmanner, objects; in the samemanneras we desirethose
as Theopompus,in a tragical strain, represents who have weak eyesto turn them from bright
it; that by the great honour they did the coun- and dazzling colours, to green, or others of a
sellor, they shewed they did not repent of softer kind. And what better consolationcan
having followed his advice. there be under domestic afflictions, than to at-
Demosthenesaccordingly made the oration. temper and alleviate them with the public suc-
But, after this, he'did not prefix his own name cess; eo that, by such a mixture, the bad may
to his edicts, becausehe consideredfortune as be corrected by the good. These reflection*
inauspicious to him; but sometimesthat of one we thought proper to make, becausewe have
friend, sometimes that of another, till he re- observed that this discourse of j£schines haa
covered his spirits upon the death of Philip: weakenedthe minds of many persons,and put
for that prince did not long survive his victory them upon indulging all the effeminacy of
at Chceronea,and his fate seemed to be pre- sorrow.
signifiedin the last of the versesabovequoted. Demosthenes
now solicited the statesof
And seethe vanquish'd weep, the victor die! Greece again,and they enteredonce more into
the league. The Thebans, being furnished
Demosthenes hadsecretintelligenceof the with armsby Demosthenes, attackedthe gar-
deathof Philip; andin orderto prepossessthe risonin their citadel,andkilled greatnumbers;
peoplewith hopesof somegood successto andthe Athenianspreparedto join themin the
come, he entered the assemblywith a gay war. Demosthenes mounted the rostrum
countenance,
pretendinghehad seena vision almosteveryday;andhewroteto the king of
"which announcedsomethinggreat for Athens. Persia's lieutenants in Asia, to invite them to
Soonafter,messengers
camewith anaccountcommence
hostilities
fromthatquarteragainst
of Philip's death. The Athenians immediately Alexander, whom he called a boy, a second
offered sacrifices of acknowledgment to the Margites.*
godsfor sohappyan event,andvotedacrown But whenAlexanderhad settledthe affairs
for Pausanias,
whokilled him. Demosthenes,of his own country,andmarchedinto BcEotia
on this occasion,made his appearancein mag- with all his forces,the pride of the Athenians
nificent attire,andwith a garlandonhis head, was humbled,and the spirit of Demosthenes
thoughit was only the seventhday after his diedaway. They deserted the Thebans;and
daughter'sdeath,as JEschinestells us, who, that unhappy peoplehadto standthe wholefury
on thataccount,reproaches himasanunnatural of the war by themselves;in consequenceof
father. But hemusthimself havebeenof an which they lost their city. The Athenians
ungenerous and effeminate disposition, if he were in great trouble and confusion: and they
considered tears and lamentations as marks of could think of no better measure than the send-
a kind andaffectionate
parent,andcondemneding Demosthenes,
and someothers,ambassa-
the man who bore such a loss with moderation. dors to Alexander. But Demosthenes, dread-
At the sametime, I do not pretendto say ing the angerof that monarch,turnedbackat
the Athenians were right in crowning them- Mount Cithajron, and relinquished his com-
lelves with flowers, or in sacrificing, upon the mission. Alexander immediately sentdeputies
death of a prince who had behavedto them to Athens,who (accordingto Idomeneus
and
with so much gentlenessam/ humanity in their Duris) demandedthat they would deliver up
misfortunes : for it was a meanness, below ten of their orators. But the greatest part,
contempt, to honour him in his life, and admit and those the most reputable of the histerians,
him a citizen; andyet, after he wasfallen by say, that he demanded
only theseeight,Dc-
suchdistinguished
magnanimity," That fortunehad
plattedlumin thecharacter
of Agamemnon,
buttliat * Homerwrotea satireagainst
thi«Margites,
wb»
he chote to play the part of Thenitei." appearslo havebeena very contemptiblecharacter,
 DEMOSTHENES. 595
mosthenes,
Polyeuclus,
Ephialtes,Lycurgus,scious
to himselfof havingfalsifiedhistrurt,
Myroclea,
Damon,
Calisthenes,
andCharide-
to minister
to hispleasures,
andbecause
he
mus. Onthisoccasion, Demosthenes address-dreaded hismaster, whonowwasbecome ter
edthepeople in the fableof the sheep,who ribleto hisbestfriends.As heapplied to the
weretogiveuptheirdogsto thewolves, beforepeople of Athens for shelter,
anddesiredpro-
theywouldgrantthempeace:bywhichhein- tectionfor hisshipsandtreasures, mostof the
linuated,that he and theotheroratorswere oratorshadaneyeuponthegold,andsupport-
theguards of thepeople,asthedogswereof edhisapplication withalltheirinterest.De-
theflocks;andthat Alexander wasthe greatmosthenes at firstadvisedthemto orderHar-
wolf theyhadto treatwith. And again:" As palusoff immediately,and to beparticularly
we secmerchantscarryingabouta smallsam- carefulnot to involve the city in war again,
ple in a dish, by which they sell large quanti- without any just or necessarycause.
tiesof wheat:soyou,in us,withoutknowing Yeta fewdaysafter,whentheyweretaking
it, deliver up the whole body of citizens." anaccountof the treasure,Harpalueperceiv-
Theseparticularswe havefromAristobuluaof ing that Demosthenes wasmuch pleased with
Cassandna. one of the king's cups, and stood admiring the
The Atheniansdeliberateduponthe point workmanship
andfashion,desiredhim to take
in full assembly",and Demadesseeing them in it in, his har.d, and feel the weight of the gold.
great perplexity,offered to go alone to the Demosthenes
being surprisedat the weight,
king of Macedon, and intercede for the ora- and asking Harpalus how much it might bring,
tors, on condition that eachof them would give he smiled, and said, " It will bring you twenty
him five talents; whether it was that he de- talents." And as soon as it was night, he sent
pended
uponthefriendship
thatprincehadfor him the cupwith that sum. Fur Hcrpalus
ram, or whether he hoped to find him, like a knew well enough how to distinguish a man's
.'jor.,satiated with blood, he succeeded,how- passion for gold, by his pleasure at the sight
ever, in his application for the orators, and re- and the keen looks he cast upon it. Demos-
conciled Alexander to the city. thenescould not resist the temptation: it made
When Alexander returned to Macedon, the all the impressionupon him that was expected;
reputation of Demades, and the other orators he receivedthe money, like a garrison, into his
of his party, greatly increased; and that of house,and went over to the interest of Harpa-
Demosthenesgradually declined. It is true, lus. Next day he came into the assemblywith
be raisedhis heada little when Agis, king of a quantity of wool and bandagesabout his neck;
Sparta took the field, but it soon fell again; and when the people called upon him to get up
for the Athenians refused to join him. Agis and speak, he madesigns that he had lost hi8
was killed in battle, and the Lacedaemonians voice. Upon which some that were by said,
entirely routed. it was no common hoarsenessthat he got
About this time,* the affair concerning the in the night; it was a hoarsenessoccasionedby
crown, came again upon the carpet, The in- swallowing gold and silver." Afterwards, when
formation was first laid under the archonship all the people were apprized of his taking the
of Chsrondas; and the cause was not deter- bribe, and he wanted to speak in his own de-
mined till ten years after,f under Aristophon. fence, they would not suffer him, but raised
It was the most celebrated causethat ever was a clamour, and expressedtheir indignation. At
pleaded,as well on account of the reputation the same time, somebodyor other stood up and
of the orators,as the generousbehaviour of the said sneeringly, " Will you not listen to the
judges: for, though the prosecutorsof Demos- man with the cup?"* The Athenians then im-
theneswerethenin great power,as beingen- mediatelysent Harpalusoff; and fearingthey
tirely in the Macedonianinterest,the judges might becalledto accountfor the moneywith
wouldnot give their voicesagainsthim; but, which the oratorshad beencorrupted,they
on the contrary, acquitted him so honourably made a strict inquiry after it, and searchedall
that .Eschines had not a Ifth part of the suf- their houses, except that of Callicles the son
frages^JEschmes immediately quittedAthens, of Arcnides,whomthey spared,as Theopom-
andspentthe restof his daysin teachingrhet- pussays,becausehe was newlyma.ried,and
oric at Rhodes and in Ionia. his bride was in his house.
It wasnot longafterthisthatHarpaluscame At the sametime Demosthenes, seemingly
fromAsia to Athens§ He had fled from the with a designto prove his innocence,moved
serviceof Alexander,bothbecause hewascon- for an orderthat the affair should be brought
beforethe court of Areopagus,andall persons
* Demosthenesrebuiltthewallsof Athena
athisown punishedwho shouldbefoundguilty of taking
expense;forwhichthepeople, atthemotionofCtesi- bribes.la consequence of which,he appeared
phon, decreed
himacrownof gold. Thisexcited the beforethat court, andwasoneof the first that
envyandjealousyof jEschmes,whothereuponbrought wereconvicted. Beingsentenced
thatfamousimpeachment againstDemosthenes,
which to paya fine
occasioned
his inimitableorationdeCorona. of fifty talents, and to be imprisonedtill it was
f Plutarchmustbemistaken
here. It doesnotap- paid, the disgraceof his conviction,and the
pear,upontbeeiactest
calculation,
toharebeenmore weaknessof his constitution,whichcouldnot
thaneight yean. bearcloseconfinement,
determined
himtofly;
1This was a very ignominious circumstance; for if
the accuserhad nol a fifth part of the suffrages,he was andthishedid,undiscovered
bysome,andas-
fined a thousand drachma*.
§ Harpalushad thechargeof Alexander'streasure properto marchoff, with 5000talentsand 6000me».
in Babylon, and, flattering himself that Viewould never into Attica.
returnfrom his ludian expedition,he gaveinto all " This alludesto a customof the ancientsat their
Banner
of crimes
andexcesses.
At last,when
hefound feasts;
wherein
it wasusual
for thecuplo pas,from
that Alejande-wasreallyreturning,ainj that hetook handlo hand; andtheperson
who heldit ViU«» ion*
" Mvcreaccount 01suchpeopleai bumclf,be thought to whichtherestga" attention.
 696 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
"iitedbyothers.It iasaid,thatwhenhewasenters butforcuring thesick;sotheAthenian*
notfarfromthecity,heperceived someof his never appear butforremedying somedisorder."
lateadversaries
following," andendeavoured Thepeople ofAthensweresomuch pleased
to hidehimself.But theycalledto himby withthisrepartee, thattheyimmediately
voted
name; and when they came nearer, desired for the recal of Demosthenes. U was Damon
himto takesomenecessarysuppliesofmoney,thePsanean, cousin-germantoDemosthenes,
whichtheyhadbroughtwiththemfor thatpur- whodrewupthedecree.A galleywassent
pose. They assuredhim, they had no other to fetch him from jEgina; andwhenhe came
designin following:andexhorted
him to take upfromthePirauato Athena,
thewholebody
courage.But Demosthenes gave into more of thecitizens
wentto meetandcongratulate
violent expressionsof grief than ever, and said, him on his return; insomuch that there was
" What comfortcan I have,whenI leaveen- neithera magistrate nor priedleft in thetown.
emiesin this city moregenerous than it seemsDemetriusof Magnesiaacquaints us,that De-
possibleto find friendsin anyother?" He bore mostheneslifted up his handstowardsheaven
hisexilein a veryweakand effeminate
man-in thanks
forthathappy
day. " Happier,"
said
ner. For the most part, he resided in .3£gina he, " is my return than that of Alcibiades. It
or Tr<j;zei\e;where,wheneverhe looked to- wasthroughcompassion that theAthenians
re-
wardsAttica, the tearsfell from his eyes. In storedhim,but me theyhave recalledfrom a
his expressionsthere was nothing of a rational motive of kindness."
firmness; nothing answerableto the bold things The fine, however, still remained due: for
he had saidand donein hia administration.
theycouldnotextend
theirgraceso fir as to
When heleft Athens,we are told, helifted up repeal his sentence. But they found out a
his hands towardsthe citadel,and said," u methodto evadetheTaw,while theyseemed to
Minerva! goddessof those towers, whence is comply with it. It was the custom, in the
it that thou, dehghtest in three such monsters sacrifices to Jupiter the preserver, to pay the
as an owl, a dragon, and the people?" The persons who preparedand adorned the altars.
youngmenwhoresorted
to himfor instructionTheytherefore
appointed
Demosthenes
to this
he advisedby no meansto meddlewith affairs charge;and orderedthat he shouldhavefifty
of state. He told them, "That, if two roads talents for his trouble, which was the sum hia
had beenshewn him at first, the one leadingto fine amounted to.
the rostrum and the businessof the assembly, But he did not long enjoy his return to his
ind the other to certain destruction; and he country. The affairs of Greece soon went to
could have foreseenthe evils that awaited him ruin. They lost the battle of Crano in the
\n the political walk, the fears, the envy,the monthof August,*a Macedoniangarrisonen-
calumny, and contention; he would have tered Munychia in September,!andDemos-
chosen that road which led to immediate thenes lost his life in October.}
death." It happenedin the following manner. When
During the exile of Demosthenes,
Alexan- newswasbroughtthat AntipaterandCralerus
der died.f The Greek cities once more com- were coming to Athens, Demosthenes and
bining uponthat event,Leosthenes performedthoseof his partyhastened to get out privately
greattilings; and,amongthe rest,drew a line beforetheir arrival. Hereupon,the people,at
of circumvallationaroundAntipater,whomhe the motion of Demades,condemned them to
had shut up in Lamia. Pytheasthe orator, death. As theyfled differentways,Antipater
with CallimedonandCarabus,leftAthens,and, sentacompanyof soldiersabuutthecountryto
going over to Antipater, accompaniedhis seizethem. Archias,surnamed Ptiugadotht-
friendsand ambassadors in their applicationsrasa the eftie hunter,wastheir captain. It 13
to the Greeks,andin persuadingthem not to saidhe wasa nativeof Thurium,andhadbeen
desertthe Macedoniancause,nor listento the sometimea tragedian;theyadd,that Polusof
Athenians. Onlhe other hand, Demosthenes .5£gina,who excelled all the actors of his time,
joinedtheAthenian deputies,
andexerted
him- washis scholar.HermippusreckonsArchias
selfgreatlywith themin exhortingthestatesamongthedisciples
of Lacntustherhetorician;
to fall withunitedeffortsuponthe Macedo-andDemetrius sayshespentsometimeat the
nians,anddrive themout of Greece.Phi- schoolof Anaximenes. ThisArchias,
however,
larchustells us, that, in one of the cities of drew Hyperides the orator, Anstonicusof
Arcadia,
Pytheas
andDemosthenes spokewith Marathon, andHimeraeus,
thebrotherof De-
greatacrimony;
theonein pleading for the metriusthePhalerean
outof thetemple of
Macedonians,
and the otherfor the Greeks.JEacusin JEgina,
wheretheyhadtakenre-
Pytheas
is reported
to havesaid," Assomefuge,andsentthemto Antipater at Cleona.
"icknessis alwayssupposed to bein thehouseTheretheywereexecuted; andHyperidesia
into whichoss'smilk ia brought;so the city saidto havefirsthadhistongue
cutout.
whichanAthenianembassy everentersmust Archiasbeinginformedthat Demosthenes
necessarilybe in a sick anddecaying condi-hadtakensanctuary in thetemple
of Neptune
tion." Demosthenes turnedthe comparison at Calauria,
heandhisThracian soldiers
pass-
against
him,by saying,
" Asass's
milkneveredoverto it in rowboats.Assoonashewai
landed,he wentto the orator,and endeavour-
" It it recorded by Phocius,that JEschines,when he
ed to persuade
him to quit the temple,and go
left Athene, was followed in like manner, and assisted
with him to Antipater; assuringhim that he
byDtmoslheufs;
and that,
whenheofferedhimcon-hadnohardmeasure to expect.Butit hap
solations
hemadethesameans\ver.Flularrli,like- penedthat Demostheneshadseena strings
wise,mentions
thiscircumstance
in thelivesof theten visionthe night before. He thoughtthat he
orators.
) Olymp.cxiv. Demosthenes
wasthen in his fifty-
tighth year. * MetagiUuon. \ Botdromj'on,1 Pyinepsion.
 DEMOSTHENES. 697

«rm«contending
withArchias,
whichcouldplay diedonthesixteenth
of October,
whichis tha
thetragedian
thebest;that he succeededin mostmournfuldayin the ceremonies
of the
bis action; hadthe audienceon Ins side,and Ttiesmophoria* The womenkeep it with
wouldcertainlyhaveobtainedthe prize,had fastingia thetemple
of Certs.
DotArchias outdonehim in the dresses and It wasnot longbeforethe peopleof Athenj
decorations
of the theatre. Therefore,when paidhvmthe honours
that weredueto him,by
Archiashadaddressed himwithgreatappear-erectingIns statuein brass,and decreeing
anceofhumanity, hefixedhiseyesonhim,and lh.it Hieeldestof his familyshould
be main-
laid,withoutrisingfrom his seat,"Neither tainedin thePrytaneum,M. thepubliccharge.
youractionmoved me formerly,nordoyour Thiscelebrated inscription
wasput uponthe
promises
moveme now." Archiasthenbeganpedestalof his statue:
to threatenhim; upon which he said, "Before, Divinein speech,
in judgment,too,divine,
you acteda part; now you speakas from the Hadvaluur's
wreath.
DeuUMthenei,
beenIhine,
Macedonian
tripod. Only wait awhiletill I FairGreece hadstillherfreedom'* ensignborne,
And held the icourge of Macedonin scorn.'
havesent my last orders to my family." So
faying,heretiredinto the inner partof the For noregardis to be paidto thosewhosay
temple:and,takingsomepaper, asif hemeantthat Demosthenes himselfutteredtheselines
to write,heputthe pen in hismouth,andbit in Calauria,
just beforehetookthepoisonf.
it a considerable
time, as he asedto dowhen " A little beforeI visited Athens,the follow-
thoughtfulabouthiscomposition:afterwhich, ingadventure is said to havehappened.A
becovered hisheadandputit in a recliningsoldierbeingsummoned to appearbeforethe
posture.Thesoldiers whostoodat the door, commanding officeruponsomemisdemeanour,
apprehending that he tookthesemethods to putthelittle goldhehadintothehandsof the
putoff thefatal stroke,laughedat him,and statueof Demosthenes, whichwerein some
calledhima coward.Archiasthenapproach- measure clenched.A smallplane-tree grew
inghim,desiredhimto rise,and beganto re- by it, and manyleaves,either accidentally
peatthepromises of makinghis peacewith lodgedthereby the winds,or purposely so
Antipatcr,Demosthenes, who by this time placedbythesoldier,coveredthegolda con-
felt theoperation
of the poisonhehadtaken siderable time. Whenhereturned andfound
tUonguponhim,uncovered hisface,andlook- hismoneyentire,the fameof this accident
inguponArchias, "Now," saidhe," youmay wasspread abroad,andmanyof thewitsof
id thepart of Creon* in the play as soon asyou Athens strove which could write the best copy
please,
andcastoutthiscarcase
of mineun- of verses
tovindicate
Demosthenes
fromthe
buried. For my part, O graciousNeptune! I chargeof corruption.
quitthy templewith my breathwithinme. As for Demades,
he did not longenjoythe
But Antipaterandthe Macedonians
wouldnot newhonourshehadacquired.The Being,who
have scrupledto profaneit withmurder."By tookit in chargeto revenge
Demosthenes, led
thistimehecouldscarcelystand,andthere-himintoMacedonia, wherehe justlyperished
foredesiredthemto support him. But,in at- bvthehandsof thosewhornhehadbiselyflat-
temptingto walkout,hefell by thealtar,and tered. They had hatedhim for sometime;
expired with a groan. but at list they caught him in a fact which
Aristo sayshe suckedthe poison from a prn, could neither be excusednor pardoned. Let-
u we have related it. One Poppus,whose ters of his were intercepted,in whichhe ei-
memoirswere recoveredby Hermippus,re- hortedPerdiccasto seizeMacedonia,andde-
ports,
that,whenhe fell by the altar,thereliver Greece, which,he said," hungonlyby
wasfoundonhispaperthebeginning of a let- anoldrottenstalk,"meaning
Antipater.Din-
ter,"Demosthenes to Antipater,"andnothing archus,the Corinthian,accusinghim of this
more. He adds,that peoplebeing surprisedtreason,Cassander was so much provoked,
that he died so quickly,the Thracianswho that he stabbedhis son in his arms,and after
Itood at the door assured them that he took wards gave orders for his execution. Thus,
thepoison
in hishandout of a pieceof cloth, by themostdreadfulmisfortunes,
helearned
and put it to his mouth. To them it had the that traitors a/u?aysJlrsl Jill themselves: a
appearanceof gold. Upon inquiry madeby truth whichDemosthenes
had often told him
Archia,a youngmaid who servedDemosthe-before,but hewould neverbelieveit. Such,
nes,said,hehadlongworethatpieceof cloth mySossius,
is thelifeof Demosthenes,
which
bywayof amulet. Eratosthenes tells us,that we havecompiledin thebestmannerwecould,
hekeptthe poisonin the hollow of a bracelet from booksandfrom tradition.
buttonwhichhe wore upon his arm. Many * This was an annual frntjval in honour of Ceres. It
othershavewritten upon the subject;but it
" not necessaryto give all their different ac- beganthe fourtei-ulhof October,and endedtheeigh-
teenth. The third dayof thefestivalwasa day of
counts.Weshallonlyadd,thatDemochans,
fasting
andmortification;
andthislathedaylintPlu-
» senant of Demosthenes,asserts,that he did tarchspeaksof.
Dotthinkhiedeathowingto poison,
butto the t Thisinscription,
sofarfromdoingDemosthenei
favour
of thegods,and a happyprovidence, honour,
is ihegreatest
disgrace
thaitheAthenian*
whichsnatchedhim from the crueltyof the couldhave
fastened
uponhismemory.It rej>roachei
Macedonians
bya speedj
andeasy
death.He country
himwith aweakness,
WAS which,
al stake, was when
such Ihesafety
a deplorable of hit
want of
"Alluding
to thatpassac«
in theAntigone
of ?o- virtue
andmanhood
asnoDirtsct uleulcould\um«
pniclc,where
Creon
forbidithebodyof Polynicei
to for.
be bin-ted.
(98 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

CICERO.

THEaccountwehaveofHenlia,themother
of posses«.
Hehadboththecapacity »nr]incli-
Cicero,
is,thatherfamilywasnoble,*
andher nation
tolearnallthearts',
norwasihcieany
character
excellent.
Of hisfather
thereis branch
ofscience
thatbedespised;
yethewai
nothingsaidbut in extremes.For someaffirm most inclinedto poetry; and thereis still ex-
that hewasthesonof a fuller,!andeducatedtant a poem,entitledPontius Glaucus,*
in that trade,whileothersdeducehisorigin whichwaswrittenby him,whena i,oy,in te-
from Attius Tullus,J a prince who governedtrameterverse. In processof time vtheoha
theVolsciwith greatreputation.Bethatas hadstudiedthis art,withgreaterapplication,
it may,I thinkthefirstof thefamilywhobore hewaslookeduponasthebestpoet,aswell
thename of Ciceromusthavebeenanextra- asthegreatest orator,in Rome. His reputa-
ordinary man;andfor thatreason hisposteritytionfor oratorystill remains,
notwithstanding
did not reject the appellation,but rathertook the considerable
changesthathavesincebeen
to it with pleasure,thoughit was a common madein the language;but,as manyingeniom
subjectof ridicule:for theLatinscalla vetch poetshaveappeared
sincehistime,hispoetry
eicer,andhe hada flat excrescence on the top haslostits credit, andis now nc-gJtcled.t
of his nosein resemblance of a vetch,from When hehadfinishedthosestudiesthrough
which he got that surnamc.§ As for the Cicero which boyscommonlypass,he attendedthe
of whomwe are writing, his friends advisedlecturesof Philp the academician, whom,of
him, on his first applicationto businessand all the scholarsof Chtomachus, the Humans
Eohcitingone of the great officesof state,to mostadmiredfor his eloquence, andluvedfor
lay asideor changethat name. But he an- his conduct. At the sametime he madegreat
sweredwith greatspirit, "That hewould en- improvement in theknowledgeof the law,un-
deavour to make the nameof Cicero more derMuciusScivola, an eminentlawyer,and
gloriousthanthatof the Scauriandthe Catuli." presidentof the senate. He likewise got a
When quiEstorin Sicily, heconsecrated in one tastefor military knowledgeunder Sylla,m
of the templesa vaseor someother offering the Marsian war.J But afterwards,finding
in silver,uporwhichheinscribed
histwofirst the commonwealth
engagedin civil wars,
namesMarciu Tullius, and, punningupon whichwere likelyto end in nothingbut abso-
the third, orderedthe artificer to engravea lute monarchy,he withdrew to a philosophic
vetch. Suchis theaccountwe haveofhis name. andcontemplativelife, conversingwith men
He wasbornon the third of January,|)the of letters from Greece,and makingfarther
day on which the magistratesnow sacrifice and advancesin science. This method of life he
pay their devotions for the health of the em- pursuedtill Sylla had made himself master,
peror; and it is said that his mother was de- and there appeared to be some established
livered of him without pain. It is also report- government again.
ed, that a spectre appearedto his nurse, and About this time Sylla ordered the f state of
foretold, that the child she had the happiness one of the citizens to be sold by auction, in
to attend would one day prove a great benefit consequenceof his being killed as a person
to the whole commonwealthof Rome. These proscribed; when it was struck off to Chrvso-
things might have passedAir idle dreams, had gonua,Sylla's freedman, at the small sum of
he not soon demonstratedthe truth of the pre- two thousanddrachmse. Roscius, the sonand
diction. When he was of a proper age to go heir of the deceased, expressedhis indigna-
to school, his genius broke out wjth so much tion, and declared that the estate was worth
lustre, and he gained so distinguished a repu- two hundred and fifty talents. Sylla, enraged
tation amongthe boys,that the fathersof some at having his conduct thus publiclycalledin
of them repairedto the schoolto seeCicero, question, broughtan actionagainstRosciusfor
and to havespecimens of his capacityfor lit- the murderof his father,andappointedChry-
erature; but the lesscivilizedwereangrywith sogonusto be the manager. Such wasthe
their sons, when they saw them take Cicero dread of Sylla's cruelty, that no man offered
in the middle of them as he walked, and al- to appear in defence of Roscius, and nothing
ways give him the place of honour. He had seemedlefl for him but to fall a sacrifice. In
that turn of genius and disposition which Pla- this distress he applied to Cicero, and the
tolT would havea scholarand philosopher
to friendsof the youngoratordesiredhim to un
* Cinnawasof this family.
f Dion (t-flsus (hat Q. Caleouswasthe authorof * This Glaucutwasa famousfisherman,
who,a/l*r
this calumny. Cicero, iu his books DC LegiltK, has eating a certain herb, jumped into the sea,and becama
saidenoughto shew,thaibothhis fatherandgrandfa- oneof the codsof that element. jEichjIuswrotea
ther were personsof property aud ofalibcral education. tragedy on the subject. Cicero's poem is lo-'t.
| The sameprinceto whomCoriolapusretiredfour t Plutarchvas a veryindifferentjudgeuf theLatia
hundredyearsbefore. poetry,andhis speakingwilh somuch(a\ourof dec
$ Pliny'sarccustof the origin of thisnameis more ro's, contraryto the opinionof Juvenaland many
probable.He supposes, that the person who first others,isa strongproofof it. He translated
Aratul
boreit wasreir.arkablefor the cultivationof vetches.into verseat theageof seventeen,
andwrites noemin
60Fabius, Lcntnlus,audPtso, hadtheirnames from praiseof theactionsof Marius,whieh,Scseraalaid,
beans, tares,and i> wouldlive throughinnumerable ages.Bui he*asout
|j In thesix hundredandforty-seventh
yearof Rome: in his prophecy.It haslongbeendead.Andthepoem
t hundredandfour yearsbeforetheChristian
sera.whichhewrotein threebooks,
onhisowncousulihipi
Tompey was born iu the sameyear has shared the samefate.
V rjato'f CominunweaJlb,Jjb i. ) In the eighteenth year of his age.
 CICERO. 599

Jertakethe cause;thinkinghe could not have andadmireyou; but I am concernedfor the

&moregloriousopportunityto enter the lists fateof Greece. Shehad nothingleft her but
of Tame.
Accordinglyheundertookhisdefence, the glory of eloquence
anderudition,and you
succeeded,andgainedgreat applause.* But, arecarryingthat too to Rome."
fearingSylla's resentment,he travelledinto Cicero now preparedto apply himself to
Greece,
andgaveoutthat the recovery
of his publicaffairs
withgreathopes
of success-,
but
healthwasthe motive.Indeed,hewasof a lean his spirit receiveda checkfromthe oracle at
andslenderhabit,andhis stomachwasso weak Delphi.For uponhis inquiringby whatmeans
that he was obliged to be very sparing in his he might rise to the greatestglory, the priestess
diet, and not to eat till a late hour in the day. badehim " follow nature, and not take the
His voice,however,hada varietyof inflections, opinionof the multitude for the guideof his
but was at the same time harsh and unformed; life." Hence it was, that after his coming to
aud, as in the vehemence and enthusiasmof Rome he acted at first with great caution He
speakinghe always rose into a loud key, there was timorous and backward in applying for
was reasonto apprehend that it might injure public offices, and had the mortification to find
his health. himself neglected,and called a Greek, a scho-
When he came to Athens, he heard Antio- lastic; terms which the artizans, and others
chus the Ascalonite, and was charmedwith the the meanestof the Romans,are very liberal ia
smoothnessand grace of his elocution, though applying. But, as he was naturally ambitious
he did not approve his new doctrines in philo- of honour, and spurredon besidesby his father
sophy. For Antiochus had left the new aca- and his friends, he betook himself to the bar.
demy, as it is called, and the sect of Carnea- Nor was it by slow and insensibledegreesthat
des, either from clear conviction and from the he gained the palm of eloquence; his fame
strengthof the evidenceof sense, or else from shot forth at once, and he was distinguished
a spirit of opposition to the schoolsof Clitoma- aboveall the orators of Rome. Yet it is said
chusand Philo, and had adopted roost of the that his turn for action was naturally as defec-
dostrinesof the Stoics. But Cicero loved the tive as that of Demosthenes;and therefore ha
new academy, andentered more and more into took all the advantagehe could from the in-
its opinions; having already taken his resolu- struction of Roscius, who excelled in comedy,
tion, if he failed in his design of rising in the and of jEsop, whose talents lay in tragedy.
Btate, to retire from the forum and all politi- This ^Esop, we are told, when he was one day
cal intrigues, to Athens, and spendhis daya ia acting Atreus, in the part where he considers
peacein the bosomof philosophy. in what manner he should punish Thyestes,
But not longafter he receivedthe news of beingworkedup by his passionto a degreeof
Sylla's death. His body by this time was insanity,withhia sceptrestrucka servantwho
strengthenedby exercise, and brought to a happened suddenly to pass by, and laid him
goodhabit. His voicewasformed;andat the deadat his feet.In consequence
of ihesehelps,
sametime that it was full and sonorous, had Cicero found his powers of persuasion not a
gaineda sufficientsweetness,
andwasbrought little assisted
by actionandjust pronunciation
to a key which his constitution could bear. Be- But as for those orators who gave into a bawl
sides,his friendsat Romesolicitedhimby let- ing manner,he laughedat them, and said,
ters to return, and Antiochus exhorted him " Their weaknessmade them get up into cla
muchto applyhimselfto public affairs. For mour,aslamemenget on horseback."His ei-
which reasonsheexercised his rhetorical pow- cellence at hitting off a jest or repartee ani-
ersafresh,as the bestenginesfor business,and matedhis pleadings,andthereforeseemednot
calledforthhis political talents. In short,he foreign to the business
of theJorum: but by
sufferednot a day to passwithout either de- bringingit muchinto life, heoffendednumbers
claiming,or attendingthe most celebratedof people,andgot the characterof a malevolent
orators. In the prosecution of this design he man.
(ailed to Asia and the islandof Rhodes. He wasappointedquaestor at a time when
Amongst the rhetoriciansof Asia, he availed therewasa greatscarcityof corn; andhaving
himselfof the instructionsof Xenoclcsof Ad- Sicily for his province,he gave the peoplea
rsmyttium, Dionysius of Magnesia, and Me- great dealof trouble at first, by compelling them
nippusof Caria. At Rhodeshe studiedunder to sendtheir corn to Rome. But afterwards,
the rhetoricianApolloniusthe eonof Molo,f whentheycameto experiencehis diligence,
and the philosopher Posidonius. It is said, that his justice, and moderation,they honouredhim
ApoJlomus,not understanding
the Romanlan- morethan any qusstor that Romehad ever
guage,
desiredCicero to declaimin Greek; sentthem.About that time a numberof young
andhe readilycomplied,becausehe thought Romansof noble families,who lay underthe
by that means
his faultsmightthe belterbe charge
of having
violated
therulesof discipline,
corrected. When hehadendedhis declama-andnot behaved withsufficientcouragein time
tion, the rest were astonishedat his perfor- of service,were sentback to the prator of
mance, and strove which should praise him Sicily. Cicero,undertooktheir defence,and
most;butApolloniusshewedno signsof pleas- acquittedhimselfof it with great ability and
urewhile hewasspeaking; and whenhe had success. As hereturnedto Rome,muchelated
done,hesat a longtime thoughtfulandsilent. with theseadvantages, he tellsus" he metwith
At last, observing the uneasiness it gave his a pleasant adventure. As he was on the road
pupil,hesaid," As for you,Cicero,I praisethroughCampania,
meeting
with a personof
* lo his twenty-Beyenrtiyear.
someeminencewith whomhe wasacquainted,
t Not "ApoUmiiut the ton of Mala, but Jlpollonius heaskedhim,"What theyend andthoughtot
Holo. Tlir namemutake i» inadt by our author in his actionsin Rome.'"imaginingthathis name
tic life of Ciesar. * In hu oratioD for PUuciiu.
600 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
and
theglory ofhisachievements hadfilled theVerres,
buthewa«prevailed
onto appear
fol
wholecity.Hisacquaintance
answered, "Why,himatthelaying
wherehave you been, then, Cicero, all tlna
ofthefine,andhadreceived
time."' anivorysphinxfromhimby way of conside-
ration. In this caseCicero threw out several
Thisanerver dispirited
himextremely; for enigmatical
hints
against
Hortensius;
andwhen
hefound thattheaccountsofhisconduct hadhesaid," Heknew nothowtosolve riddlei,"
been lostin Rome,asinanimmense eea, andCiceroretorted,
" Thatissomewhat strange,
hadmade noremarkable
addition
to hisrepu-when youhaveasphinx inyour
house."
tation.Bymature reflection
uponthis inci- Verresbeing
thuscondemned,
Cicero sethi*
dent,hewasbrought toretrenchh^s
ambition, fineat sevenhundred andfiftythousand
becausehesawthatcontention forglorywasdrachma:; uponwhich,
it wassaidbycenso-
anendless
thing,andhadneithermeasure
nor riouspeople,that he hadbeenbribedto let
bounds
toterminate
it. Nevertheless,
hisim- himoffsolow.»TheSicilians,
however,
in ac-
moderate
loveof praise,
andhispassion
for knowledgment
ofhisassistance,
brought
him
glory,always
remainedwithhim,andoftenin- whenhewasaedile
a number
ofthings
for hii
terrupted
hisbestandwisest
designs. games,
andotherveryvaluable
presents;
but
Whenhebegan to dedicate
himselfmorehewassofarfromconsidering
hisprivate
ad-
earnestlytopublic
business,
hethought that,vantage,
thathemade
noother useoftheir
gea-
whilemechanics knewthename, the place,erosity
thantolowerthepriceofprovisions.
theuseofeverytoolandinstrument
theytake Hehad ahandsomecountryseat
atArpimim,
in theirhands,
thoughthosethingsareinani-afarmnearNaples,andanother atPompeii,
mate,it wouldbeabsurd
forastatesman,
whosebut neither ofthemwereveryconsiderable.
functionscannot
beperformedbutbymeans of Hiswife,Tercntia broughthima fortuneof a
men,to be negligentin acquainting
himselfhundred andtwentythousanddenarii,ardhe
withthecitizens.He thereforemade it his fellheirtosomething
thatamountedtoninetyi
business to commit
tomemory, notonlytheir thousand more.Uponthishelivedina gen-
names, buttheplace
ofabodeofthoseofgreat-teel,andat thesame timea frugalmanner,
ernote,
whatfriends
theymade
useof,andwithmen
ofletters,
bothGreeks
andRomans,
whatneighbours
werein theircircle. Sothat around
him. Herarelytookhis mealbefore
whatever road in Italy Cicero travelled, he sunset; not that business or study prevented
couldeasilypointouttheestates
andhouses
of hissittingdownto tablesooner,
buttheweak-
bisfriends. ness
ofhisstomach,
hethought,
required
that
Thoughhisownestatewassufficient
forhis regimen.Indeed,hewassoexactin all res-
necessities, yet, as it was small, it seemed pects in the care of his health, that he had hit
itrar.gethathewouldtakeneitherfeenorpres-statedhoursfor rubbingandfor theexercise
of
entfor hisservicesat the bar. Thiswasmost walking.By thismanagement of hisconstitu-
remarkable in thecaseof Verres.Verreshad tion,hegained a sufficient
stockof healthand
beenpraxtor in Sicily,andcommitted num- strengthfor thegreatlaboursandfatigues ha
berless acts of injustice and oppression. The afterwards underwent.
Siciliansprosecuted
him, and Cicerogained Hegaveupthetownhouse whichbelonged
thecausefor them,not somuchby pleading,to hisfamily,tohisbrother,
andtookuphisre-
as by forbearingto plead. The magistrates,
in sidenceon the Palatine hill, that thosewho
their partialityto Verres,putoff the trial by came
to paytheircourtto himmightnothave
severaladjournments to thelastday;*and as toofarto go.Forhehada leveeeveryday,not
Ciceroknew therewasnot timefor the advo- lessthanCrassushad for his great wealth, or
catesto heheard,andthe matterdetermined Pompey for hispowerandinterestin thearmy;
in the usualmethod,he roseup, and said, thoughtheywerethemostfollowed,andthe
"There was no occasion for pleadings." He greatestmen in Rome. Pompey himself paid
therefore
broughtupthe witnesses,
and after all duerespect
to Cicero,andfoundhispoliti
theirdepositions
weretaken,insistedthat the calassistance
veryusefulto him,bothia res-
judgesshouldgivetheirverdictimmediately.pectto powerandreputation.
\ ct we havean accountof severalhumorous When Cicero stood for the pnetorship,he
layingsof Cicero'sin this cause. Whenan hadmanycompetitors whowere persons of
emancipated slave,Csciliuaby name,who distinction,
andyet hewasreturned
first. Ai
wassuspected
of beinga Jew, wouldhave set a president in the courts of justice, he acted
asidetheSicilians,
and takentheprosecution with great integrityand honour.Liciniui
of Verres,uponhimself,tCicerosaid," What Macer, whohad great interestof hisown,
hasa Jewto dowithswine'sflesh?"For the andwassupported, besides,
withthatof Cras-
Romans call a boar-pig verres. And when sus, was accused before him of some default
Verresreproached
Cicerowitheffeminacy,
he with respectto money.He had so iruch
answered," Why do younot first reprove your confidence in his own influence and the activi-
own children?" For Verreshada young son ty of his friends,that, whenthe judgeswere
who wassupposed to makean infamoususeof goingto decide the cause,it is saidhe went
bis advantages
of person.Hortensiusthe orator home,cut his hair, andput on a whitehabit,as
did not venture directly to plead the causeof
* This fine,indeed,wasveryincorsiderable.Tli«
* Not till thelast day: Cicerobroughtit on a/rw legalfinefor extortion,in suchcase*
asthatof Verres,
daysbtforeVerres'friends
werelo comeinlooffice
; wastwicethe sumeilorted. The Sicilians
laida
but of thesevenorationswhichwerecomposed oti the chargeof 322.91fi/.
acninslVerrcsrthefinemustthere-
occasion,the two first onlyweredelivered.A. U. 663. forehavebeen64S.832i.;
but750,000dmchma: wasno
f Ciceroknewthat Caecilius wassecretlya friendto morethan 24,21Si. Plutarchmust, therefore,mod
Vcrrcj, andwanted,by thii nienns,to bringhim ofT. probablyhavebeenmistaken.
 CICERO. f.01

if he hadgainedthe victory, andwasaboutto by timeandcustomit cameto anestaoislnnent

returnsoequipped
to theforum. ButCrassuswhichmanythoughtnota badone.At present
met him in his court-yard, and told him that there were eornewho wantedto bring in another
all thejudgeshadgivena verdictagainsthim; change,merelyto gratifytheirownavarice,and
which atTectedhim in such a manner that he without the least view to the public good. Pom-
turnedin again,tookto his bed,and died.' peywasengaged
withthekingsof Pontusand
Cicerogaiuedhonourby this atfair, lor it ap Armenia,andtherewasno forcein Romesuf-
pearedthat he kept strict watch againstcor- ficient to suppress
the authorsof this intended
ruptionin the court. innovation. They had a chief of a boldand
Therewasanotherperson,namedVatinius, enterprisingspirit, and the most remarkable
aninsolentorator,who paidvery little respect versatilityof manners;his nameLucius Cati-
to the judges in his pleadings. It happened line. Besidesa variety of other crimes, he was
thathe hadhis neckfull of scrophulousswel- accusedof debauching
his owndaughter,and
lings. This man applied to Cicero aboutsome killing his own brother. To screen himself
business
or other; and as that magistratedid from prosecution
for the latter, he persuaded
not immediately comply with his request, but Sylla to put his brother among the proscribed,
sat some time deliberating, he said, "I could as if he had beenstill alive. These profligates,
easilyswallowsucha thing, if I wasprsctor;" with sucha leader,amongother engagements
upon which Cicero turned towardshim, and of secrecyandfidelity, sacrificeda man, and
made answer, ''But I have not so large a ate of his flesh. Catalme had corrupted great
neck," part of the Koman youth by indulging their
When there were only two or three daysof desires in every form of pleasure, provid»ig
bis office unexpired, an information was laid them wine and women, and setting no bounds
againstMamlius for embezzlingthe public to his expensesfor thesepurposes. All Tus-
money. This Manilius was a favourite of the cany was preparedfor the revolt, and most of
people,and they thought he wasonly prose- CisalpineGaul. The vast inequalityof the
cuted on Pompey's account, being his par- citizens in point of property prepared Rome,
ticular friend. He desired to have a day fixed too, for a change. Men of spirit amongst the
for his trial; and, as Cjcero appointedthe next nobility had impoverished themselves by their
day,the people were much otfended, because, great expenses on public exhibitions and en
it hadbeencustomaryfor the praUors to allow tertainments, on bribing for offices, and erect-
the accusedten days at the least. The tri- ing magnificentbuildings; by which meansthe
bunes,therefore, cited Cicero to appearbefore riches of the city were fallen into the handsof
the commons,and give an account of this pro- meanpeople: in this tottering state of the com-
ceeding. He desired to be heard in hie own monwealth there neededno great forceto over-
defence,which was to this effect.-"As I have set it, and it was in the power of any bold ad
alwaysbehavedto personsimpeached with all venturer to accomplishits ruin.
the moderation and humanity that the laws Catiline, however, before he began his oper-
will allow, I thought it wrong to lose the op- ations, wanted a strong fort to sally out from,
portunity of treating Manillas with the same and with that view, Blood for the consulship.
candour.I wasmasteronly of oneday more His prospectseemedvery promising,because
in my office of praetor,and consequently must tie hoped to have Caius Antonius for his col-
appoint that; for to leave the decision of the league; a man who had no firm principles,
cause
to anothermagistrate
wasnot themethod either goodor bad, nor any resolutionof hia
for those who were inclined to serve Mamlius.'1 own, but would make a considerable addition.
Thismadea wonderfulchangein the mindsof to the powerof him that led him. Many per-
the people; they were lavish in their praises, sonsof virtue and honour, perceiving tins dan-
and desiredhim to undertake the defence him- ;er, put up Cicero for the consulship, and the
self. This he readily compliedwith, his re- Deople
accepted
him with pleasure.Thus Cati
gard for Pompey, who was absent, not being me was balfled, and Cicero" and Caius Anlo-
hisleastinducement.In consequence hereof, niusappointedconsuls;thoughCicero'sfather
hepresentedhimselfbeforetlie commons
ag.iin, wasonly of the equestrianOlder,andhis com-
Ind giving an accountof the whole affair, took petitors of patrician families.
opportunityto make severe reflections on those Catiline's designs were not yet discoveredto
who favouredoligarchy, and envied the glory the people. Cicero, however, at his entrance
of Pompey. uponhis office,hadgreataffairson his hands,
Vet, for the sake of tr.eir country, the pa- the preludes of what was to follow. On the
triciansjoinedthe plebeians in raisingiiim to one hand, those who hadbeenincapacitated
the consulship.The occasionwastins. The by the lawsof Sylla to bearoffices,beingneith-
changewhich Sylla introducedinto the r.on- er inconsiderable in powernor in number,be
ititution at first seemedharshand uneasy,but jan now to solicit them,and makeall possible
.nterestwith the people. It is true; they al-
" Theilory isrelated
differently
by ValeriusMai- legedmanyjust and goodarguments against
Bnus.He saysthat MacerwasIDccJurl,waitingthe the tyranny of Sylla, but it was an unseason-
issue,and,perceiving (hatCicero wasproceeding to abletimeto givethe administration
so much
givelenience
DC wn dead, against
and, athim, hescut
the same to inform
time, himhim-
suffocated lhat trouble. On the otherhand,thetribunes
of
ielf wilh his handkerchief. Cicero, therefure, did not the people proposedlaws which had the same
pronounce sentence agaiust him,b>which means, hii>tendency
to distress
thegovernment; for they
tsta-ewassaved10his sonLiciniiu CB\TUJ.Nui»iih- wanted to appoint decemvirs, and invest them
itandingthis,Cicerohimself, inoneof hisepistlesto withanunlimited
AUicus,says,lhat he actually condemnedhim ; and in
power. Thiswasto extend
Anotherof his epistles,he speaksof ttir popular esteem
tLii »ffiirprocured
him. Oc.Ep.adAll. \.i. c.3,4. * In h-j forty-thirdyow.
602 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

all overItaty,overSyria,andall thelatecon-andstrovewiththe knightswhichshouldd*

quests of Pompey. They were to be commis- him the most honour.
iionedto sell the public landsin thesecoun- Cataline'sconspiracy,
whichat firsthadbeen
tries; to judgeor banishwhom they pleased;intimidatedanddiscouraged,beganto recover
to plant culonics;to take moneyout of the its spirits. The accomplices
assembled, and
public treasury;to levyandkeepon footwhat exhortedeachother to begintheir operations
troops they thought necessary.Many Ro- with vigour,beforethe returnof Pompey,who
mansof high distinctionwere pleasedwith was said to be alreadymarchinghomewarda
the bill, and in particular Antony, Cicero's col- with his forces. But Cataline's chief motive
Irauuf, for he hopedto beoneof the ten. It for actionwasthedependence he hadon Syl-
w is thought, too, that he wasno strangerto la's veterans.Thoughthesewerescatteredall
C:iv!m' 's designs,andthat hedidnot disrelish over Italy, the greatestandmostwarlikepart
themon accountof his greatdebts. This was residedin thecitiesof Etruria,andinideawere
an alarmingcircumstanceto all who had the plunderingand sharing the wealthof Italy
goodof their countryat heart. again. They hadManliusfor their leader,a
This danger,too, wasthe first that Cicero man who had servedwith great distinction
guardedagainst;which he did by gettingthe underSylla; andnow enteringinto Catiline's
province
of Macedonia
decreed
toAntony,and views,theycameto Rometo assist
in theap-
not takingthatof Giul which wasallottedto proachingelection;for he solicitedthe consul-
himself. Antony was so much affectedwith shipagain,andhadresolvedto kill Ciceroin
this favour,that he was ready,like an hired the tumult of that assembly.
player,to act a subordinatepart underCicero The godsseemedto presignifythe machina-
for the benefitof his country. Cicerohaving tions of these incendiariesby earthquakes,
thusmanaged his colleague,
beganwithgreater thunders,andapparitions.There werealsoin-
courageto take his measures againstthe sedi- timationsfrommen,trueenoughin themselves,
tiousparty. He allegedhisobjectionsagainst but not sufficientfor theconvictionof aperson
the law in the senate,and effectuallysilencedof Cataline'squalityandpower. Cicero,there-
the proposers.*They tookanother opportu-fore,adjournedthe dayof election;andhaving
nity, however, and coming prepared, insisted summoned Catalme before the senate,exam-
that the consulsshould appearbefore the peo- ined him upon the informations he had receiv-
ple. Cicero,not in theleastintimidated,com- ed. Cataline,believingthereweremanyin the
mandedthe senateto follow him. He address-senatewho wanteda change,andat the same
ed the commons with such success,that they time being desirous to shew his resolution to
threw out the bill; and his victorious eloquence his accompliceswho were present, answered
had such an effect upon the tribunes, that they with a calm firmness:-"As there are two
gave upother things which they had beenmedi- bodies,one of which is feebleand decayed,but
tating. has a head; the other strong and robust, but
He was indeedthe man who most effectually is without a head; what harm am I doing, if I
showed the Romans what charmseloquence give a head to the body that wants it?" By
can add to truth, and that justice is invincible these enigmatical expressionshe meant the
when properly supported. He showed also, senateand the people. Consequently Cicero
that a magistrate who watches for the good of was still more alarmed. On the day of election
the community should in his actions always he put on a coat of mail; the principal persons
prefer right to popularmeasures,
and in hiD in Romeconductedhim from his house,and
speechesknow how to make those right meas- great numbers of the youth attended him to
ures agreeable,by separating from them what- the Campus Martins. There he threw back
ever may offend. Of the graceand power with his robe, and shewedpart of the coat of mail,
which he spoke,we have a proof in a theatrical on purposeto point out his danger. The peo-
regulationthat took place in his consulship.ple wereincensed,and immediatelygathered
Before, those of the equestrianorder sat mixed about him; the consequenceof which was,
with the commonalty.Marcus Otho, in his that Catalinewasthrownout again,andSila-
pratorship, was the first who separatedthe nusandMurenachosenconsuls.
knights from the other citizens, and appointed Not long after this, when the veterans were
themseatswhichtheystillf enjoy. The people assembling
for Catilinein Etruria, andtheday
lookeduponthisa markof dishonour, andhiss- appointedfor carryingthe plot into execution
ed and insulted Otho when he appearedat the approached,three of the first and greatestper-
theatre. The knights, on the other hand, re- sonagesin Rome, Marcus Crassus, Marcus
ceived him with loud plaudits. The people Marcellus, and Metellus Scipio,went and
repeated
their hissing,and theknightstheir knocked
at Cicero'sdooraboutmidnight:
and
applause;till at last theycameto mutualre- having called the porter,badehim awakehis
proaches,
andthrewthewholetheatreintothe master,andtell him who attended.Their
utmostdisorder. Cicerobeinginformedof the businesswas this: Crassus'sporter brought
disturbance,cameand calledthe peopleto the him in a packetof lettersafter supper,which
templeof Bellona;where,partlyby reproof,hehadreceived froma personunknown.
They
partlyby lenientapplications,
heso correctedwere directedto different
persons,
andthere
them, that they returnedto the theatre,loudly was one for Crassushimself,but without »
testifiedtheir approbation
of Otho'sconduct,name.Thisonly,Crassus
read;andwhenhe
found that it informed him of a great massacre
* Thiswasthe firstof his threeorations
deLege intendedby Catiline, and warnedhimto re-
Jlgraria.
t Abnttt four years before, under the consulshipof tire outof thecity, hedidnotopentherest,
Piso;i'nlGlabrio.
ButOtho
wunotthea
praetor
; hehe
butwas
immediately ivenltowaitonfJicero: for
wai tribune. not only terrified at the impending
 CICERO. 603
danger,
bin hehadsomesuspicions
to removetime;for that wasa customary
qualification
whichhad arisen from his acquaintance with whenejectedpersonswere to berestoredto
Catiline. Cicerohavingconsultedwith them their placesin the senate.*As to the surname
whatwas proper to be done, assembled the of Sura,it is said to havebeengiven him on
senateat break of day,and deliveredthe let- this occasion. When he was qusstorin the
ters accordingto the directions,desiring at time of Sylla, hehadlavishedawayvastsums
thesame
timethattheymightberendin pub-of the publicmoney.Sylla,incensed
at his
lic. They all gave the sameaccountof the brhaviuur,demandedan accountof him in
conspiracy. full senate. Lentulus came up in a very earn-
Q'iintus
Arriua,a manof prxtoriandignity, lessanddisrespectful
manner,and said," I
morever, informed the senate of the levies have no account to give, but I present you
that had been made in Etruria, and assured with the calf of my leg;" which was a com-
themthatManlius, with a considerableforce, monexpressionamong the boys,when they
washovering
aboutthoseparts,andonlywait- missed
theirstrokeat tennis. Hencehe had
ing for newsof an insurrectionin Rome. On the surnameof Sura, which is the Roman
these informations,the senate made a decree, word lor the calf of the leg. Another time, being
bywhichall affairswerecommittedto thecon- prosecuted
for somegreatoffence,hecorrupt
suls, and they were empowered to act in the ed the judges. When they had given their
mannertheyshouldthink bestfor the preser- verdict,thoughhewasacquittedonlyby a ma-
vation of the commonwealth. This is an jority of two, he said, " He had put himself
edictwhich the senateseldom issue,and never to a needlessexpense in bribing one of those
butin somegreatandimminentdanger. judges, for it would have been sufficientto
When Cicero was invested with thia power, have had a majority of one."
he committedthe care of things without the Suchwasthe dispositionof this man,who
city to QuintusMetellus,and took the direc- hadnot only beensolicited by Catiline,but
tion of all withinto himself. He madehisap- wasmoreverinfatuatedby vain hopes,which
pearance every day attendedand guardedby prognosticatesandother impostorsheldupto
sucha multitude of people,that they filled him. They forgedverses in an oracularform,
great partof the forum. Catiline, unableto andbroughthim them as from the booksuf
bearanylongerdelay,determinedto repairto the Sibyls. Theselying propheciessignified
Manlius nnd his army; and ordered Marcius the decreeof fate, "That three of the Corneli1
and Celhegu.9to take their swords and go to would be monarchs of Rome." They added,
Cicero's house early in the morning, where, "That two had already fulfilled their destiny
under pretence of paying their compliments, Cirina and Sylla; that he was the third Cor-
they were lo fall upon him and kill him. But nelius to whom the gods now offered the mon
Fulvia, a womanof quality, went to Cicero in archy; and that he ought by all meansto em
the night to inform him of his danger, and brace his high fortune, and not ruin it by de-
chargedhim to be on his guard in particular lays, as Catiline had done."
againstCethegus. As soon as it was light, the Nothing little or trivial now entered intc
assassinscame, and being denied entrance, the schemesof Lenlulus. He resolved to kill
they grew very insolent and clamorous, which the whole senate, and as many of the othei
madethem the more suspected. citizens as he possibly could; to burn the city,
Cicero went out afterwards, and assembled and to spare none but the sons of Pompey,
the senate in the temple of Jupiter Stator, whom he intended to seize and keep as
which standsat the entrance of the Via. Sacra, pledgesof his peacewith that general; for by
in the way to the Palatine hill. Catiline came this time it was strongly reported that he was
among the rest, as with a design to make his on his return from his great expedition. The
defence; but there was not a senator who conspirators had fixed on a night during the
"wouldsit by him; they all left the bench he eastof the Saturnalia forthe executionof their
hadtaken; and when he beganto speak they enterprise. They had lodged armsand combus-
interrupted him in such a manner that he :ible matter in the houseof Cethegus. They
could not be heard. bad divided Rome into a hundred parts, and
At length Cicero rose up, and commanded pitched upon the same number of men, each
him todepnrtthe city. " for," saidhe, "while of whomwas allotted his quarter to set fire
I employonly words, and you weapons,there to. As this was to be done by them all at the
ihould at least be walls between us." Cati- same moment, they hoped that the conflagra-
line, uponthis, immediatelymarchedout with tion would begeneral;otherswereto intercept
three hundred men well armed, and with the the water, and kill all that went to seek it.
"miresandotherenginesof authority,as if he While thesethings were preparing,there
had beena lawful magistrate. In this form he happened to be at Rome two ambassadors
wenttoManlius,andhavingassembled
an army fromthe Allobroges,a nation that had been
oftwentythousand
men,he marchedto the muchoppressed
by theRomans,
andwasvery
cities,in order to persuadethem to revolt. impatient under their yoke. Lentulus and
Hostilities
having
thusopenlycommenced,
An- tiis party thoughttheseambassadors
proper
tony, Cicero's colleague, was sent againstCati- persons to raise commotions in Gaul, and
line. bringthat countryto their interest,and there-
SuchasCatilinehadcorrupted,
andthoughtfore madethempartnersin the conspiracy.
properto leavein Rome, were kept together They likewise chargedthem with letters to
andencouraged by CorneliusLentulus, sur- their magistratesand tn Catiline. To the
n»med
Sura,
aman
ofnoble
birth,butbad
life. * When
aRoman
senator
was
eipcllccl,
anappoint-
Hehadbeenexpelled
thesenate
forhisde-mentlo praetorial
office
viv.»tulhcitnt
qualllxrdUO
kaucheiies,
but wasthen prater the secondforhimtoresume
hiiteat. Dion.1.xxxrii.
 604 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
Gaulstheypromised liberty,
andtheydesiredoutintothemostdesperate villanics,
whea
Catiline
toenfranchise theslaves,
andmarch theirformerwickednesswassharpenedwith
immediatelytoKoine.Along withtheambas anger andresentment.
Besides,
hemight him
sadorstheysentoneTitusofCrotona tocarr selfbebraced withthemarksoftimidity
and
theletters
to Catiline.But themeasuresoi weakness, andthe ratheibecause he wai
theseinconsideratemen, whogenerallycon generally
supposednottohavemuch courage.
suite*
upon theiraffairs
overtheirwineand
in Before Cicerocould cometoaresolution,
company with women, weresoondiscovert^ thewomen whoweresacrificingobserved
an
by theindefatigablediligence,
thesoberad extraordinary presage.
Whenthefireonthe
dress,
andgreatcapacity of Cicero.Hehaxaltarseemed tobeextinguished,
a strong
and
his emissariesin all partsof the city, to brightflamesuddenly
brokeoutoftheembers.
traceeverysteptheytook;andhad,besides, a Theotherwomen wereterrified
attheprodi
secretcorrespondence with manywhopre-gy,butthe vestalvirgins orderedTerentia,
tended to join in theconspiracy;
by whichCicero's wife,togoto himimmediately,
and
means he got intelligenceof theirtreatingcommand him,fromthem,"Boldlytofollow
withthosestrangers. hisbestjudgmentin theservicrof hisc (un-
In conRequencehereof,he laid in ambushtry; because
thegoddess,
bythebrightness of
fortheCrotonian
in thenight,andseized
him thisflame,
promised
himnot onlysafety
but
andtheletters;the ambassadors themselves glorvin hisenterprise."Terentiawasbyno
privatelylendinghimtheirassistance.*Early mean:of a meekand timid disposition, but
in themorning heassembled thesenatein the .iadherambition,
and(asCicerohimself says)
templeof Concord, wherehereadtiie letters,tooka greatersharewithhimin politicsthan
and tookthe depositions of the witnessesshepermittedhim to havein dcaiestic busi-
JuliusSilanusdeposed, that severalpersonsness.Shenowinformed him of theprodigy,
hadheardCethegus say,thatthreeconsulsand and exasperated him againstthe criminals.
fourpraetors wouldverysoonbekilled. The His brotherQuintus,and PuhliusNigidius,
evidence of Piso,a manof consular dignity, one of his philosophical
friends,whomhe
contained circumstancesof the like nature.madegreatuseof in the administration,
AndCamsSulpitius, oneof thepraitorswho strengthened himin thesamepurpose.
was sent to Cethegus'shouse,foundthere a Next daythe senatemet to deliberateon
greatquantityof javelins,swords,pomards,thepunishment
of theconspirators,
andSila-
and other arms, all new furbished. At last nus, being first asked his opinion, gave it
thesenategivingthe Crotonian
a promise
of for sending
themtoprison,
andpunishing
them
indemnity,
Lentulus
sawhimself
entirely
de- ntheseverest
manner
thatwaspossible.
The
tected,and laid down his otfice (for he was restin their orderagreedwith him,till it came
then prztor:) he put ofl his purplerobein the to CaiusCaesar,
whowas afterwardsdictator.
hou»e,andtook another more suitableto his Cssar,thena youngman,andjust in thedawn
prefientdistress. Uponwhich, bothheandhis of power,both in his measures andhis hopes,
accomplices weredeliveredto the prators, to wastakingthat roadwhich he continuedin,
be kept in custody, but not in chains. till he turned the Roman commonwealthinto
By thistimeit grewlate,andasthepeoplea monarchy.
Thiswasnotobserved
byothers,
were waitingwithout in greatnumbersfor the >utCicerohadstrongsuspicionsof him. He
eventof the day,Cicero went out and gave ookcare,however,not to give him a sufficient
theman accountof it. After which,theycon- tandleagainsthim. Somesaythe consulhaJ
ductedhim to the houseof a friendwho lived almostgot the necessary
proofs,and that Cae-
in his neighbourhood; his own being taken up sar had a narrow escape. Others assert,that
with the women,who were then employedin Hiceropurposelyneglectedthe informations
the mysteriousritesof the goddesswhom the hat might havebeenhadagainsthim,for fear
Romanscall Boua orthe GoodandtheGreeks of his friendsand his greatinterest. For, had
Gynecea. An annualsacrificeis offeredher zsar beenbrought underthe samepredica-
ui the consul'shouseby his wife and mother, ment with the conspirators,
it would rather
and the vestal virgins give their iltendance. lave contributed to savethan to destroythem.
When Cicero was retired to the apartments When it came to his turn to give judgment,
assignedfor him, with only a fewfriends,he le roseanddeclared," Not for punishing them
beganto considerwhat punishment he should capitally,but for confiscating
their estates,
and
inflict uponthe criminals. He wasextremely edgingthemin any of the townsof Italy that
loath to proceedto a capital one,whichthe Ciceroshouldpitch upon,wheretheymightbe
nature of their offenceseemedto demand,as tept in chainstill Catilinewas conquered."*
well by reasonof the mildnessof his disposi- To this opinion,which was on the merciful
tion, as Tor fear of incurring the censureof ide, and supportedwith great eloquence b/
makingan extravagantand severeuseof his lim w*io gave it, Cicero himselfaddedno
power against men who were of the first small weight: for in his speechhe gave the ar-
families, and had powerful connexionsin gumentsat largefor both opinions,first for the
Rome. On theotherside,if he gavethema ormer,andafterwards
for thatof Cssar.And
moregentlechastisement, he thoughtheshould all Cicero'sfriends,thinkingit would be lesf
"till have somethingto fear from them. He nvidiousfor him to avoidputtingthe criminals
knew that they would never rest with any o death,were for the latter sentence:inso-
thing less than death; but would rather break
* Theseambassadors hadbeensolicited
byUmbre- * Plularch teems hereto intimate,
thatafterthede
nuitojuiii hisparty.Uponmature
deliberation,
they rat of Calaline,
theymightbeputupontheir trial;
thought
it safrst
toabide
by(.litstale,
anddiscovered
butit appears
fromSallust,
thatCxsar
hadnotuck
the plot to Fabiun Saiiga, the patron of Ihcir nation. intention.
 CICERO. 605

muchthatevenSilanuschanged
sides;andex delinquents,appeared
soextraordinary
a thing;
cuaedhimself by sayingtli.it he did not mean but the wonder was,that he could suppret*
capitalpunishment,for thatimprisonment\va the greatestconspiracy that ever existed,with
the severest which a Roman senator coulc so little inconvenienceto the state without the
suffer. least sedition or tumult. For many who join-
The matter thus went on till it came to Lu ed Catiline left him on receiving intelligence
Utius Catulus He declaredfor capita] pun of the fateof Lcntulus andCethegus;andthat
ishment:andCato supportedhim, expressingtraitor,givingAntonybattlewiththe troopsthat
in strongtermshis suspicions
of Csepar;whicl remained,wasdestroyed with his wholearmy.
BOroused the spirit and indignationof th Yet someweredispleased with this conduct
senate,that they made a decreefor sending andsuccess of Cicero,andinclinedto do him
theconspiratorsto execution. Caesarthenop- all possibleinjury. At the headof thisfaction
posedtheconfiscatingtheir goods;for he saic weresomeof the magistrates for the ensuing
it was unreasonable, whenthey rejectedthe year; Caesar, who was to be praetor,andMe-
mild part of his sentence, to adopt the severe t'jllus and Bestia, tribunes.* These last, en-
As the majoritystill insisted uponit, he ap- tering upontheir officea few daysbeforethat
pealedto the tribunes. The tribunes,indeed, of Cicero'sexpired, would not suffer him to
did not put in their prohibition, but Cicero addressthe people. They placed their own
himselfgaveup the point, andagreedthat the bencheson therostra, and only gavehim per-
goodsshouldnot beforfeited. missionto take the oath uponlayingdown hi«
After this Cicero went at the head of the officc,t after which he was to descend imme-
tenate to the criminals, who were not all diately. Accordingly, when Cicero went up,
lodgedin onehouse,but iti thoseof the sev- it waa expectedthat he wouldtake the cu«-
eral praters. First he took Lentulusfromthe tomaryoath; but silencebeing made,instead
Palatine hill, and led him down the Via Sacra, of the usual form, he adopted one that wa§
and through the middle of the forum. The new and singular. The purport of it was, that
principalpersonsin Romeattendedthe consul "He hadsavedhis country,and preserved
the
on all sides, like a guard; the people stood si- empire;" and a41the peoplejoined in it.
lent at the horrorof the scene;andthe youth This exasperated
Caesar
andthe tribunesstill
looked on with fear and astonishment, as if more, and they endeavoured to create him new
theywereinitiatedthatday in someawful cer- troubles. Amongotherthingsthey proposed
a
emoniesof aristocratic power. When he had decree for calling Pompey home with his army
passed
theforum, andwascometo the prison, to suppressthe despoticpowerof Cicero. It
he delivered Lentulus to the executioner. Af- was happy for him, and for the whole com-
terwards he brought Cethegus,and all the rest monwealth, that Cato was then one of the tri-
in their order, and they were put to death. In bunes;for he opposed them with an authority
his return he saw others who were in the con- equal to theirs, und a reputation that was much
spiracy
standingthick in theforum. As these jreater,andconsequently broketheir measure*
knewnot the fate of their ring-leaders,they with ease. He made a set speechupon Ci-
werewaiting for night, in order to go to their cero's consulship, and represented it in so glo-
fescue,for they supposedthem yet alive. Ci- rious a light that the highest honours were de-
cero,therefore,calledout to themaloud, They creedhim, andhe wascalledthf father of hit
did live. The Romans, who choose to avoid country; a mark of distinction which noneever
all inauspicious
words,in this mannerexpress fainedbefore.Cato bestowed
that title on him
death. jefore the people, and they confirmed it.J
By thistimeit grew late, and as he passed His authorityin Romeat that time wasun
throughtheforum to goto his own house,the doubtedlygreat but he renderedhimself ob-
peoplenow did not conduct him in a silent and noxious and burdensometo many, not l>y any
orderly manner, but crowded to hail him with II action, but by continually praising and mag-
loudacclamationsand plaudits, calling him the nifying himself. He never entered the senate,
loinour and second founder of Rome. The he assemblyof the people, or the courts of
streetswere illuminated* with a multitude of udicature, but Catiline and .Lentulus were the
lampsand torches placed by the doors. The >urdenof his song. Not satisfied with tins,
womenheld out lights from the tops of the lis writings were so interlarded with enco-
bouses,
that theymightbehold,andpay a pro- miumson himself,that thoughhis style waa
per compliment to the man who was followed elegant and delightful, his discoursesweredis-
with solemnity by a train of the greatest men justing and nauseousto the reader; for the
in Rome,most of whom had distinguished ilemishstuck to him like anincurabledisease.
themselvesby successfulwars,ledup triumphs, But thoughhe hadsuchan insatiableavidity
indetlargedthe empireboth by eeaandland. "orhonour,he wasneverunwilling that others
All these,in their discoursewith eachother as houldhavetheir share. For he wasentirely
the) "wentalong,acknowledged that Romewas Veefrom envy, andit appearsfrom his workj
indebtedto many generalsandgreat men of hat he was most liberal in his praises,not
that age for pecuniaryacquisitions,for rich only of the ancients,but of thoseof his own
"poils, for pomr; but for preservation and
tafety, to Cicero alone, who had rescued her
fromsogreatanddreadfula danger. Ps'otthat * Beitia-wentout of officeon the eighthof Dectm-
jer. Melellus and Seiliu' were tribunes.
hisquashing
the enterprise,and punishingthe \ The consulstookIwo oaths:one,onenteringinto
heiroffice,that Ihry wouldactaccordingto thelaws;
* Illumination*Are of high antiquity. Theycame ndtheother, on quitting it, that theyhad not acted.
originallyfromthe nocturnalcelebrationof religious ontraryto the laws.
fnyiteriej;and,on that account,carried the ideaof { Q. Caiuswas the first who gavehim the UU«.
nutrition andreipectwith them. '"oto, u tribune,confirmedit beforethe [wapk.
CU
 606 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
time.Manyofhisremarkable sayings,
too,of ia always rich."* " I imagine,"
saidCicero,
thisnature,arepreserved.Thusol"Aristotle" thereisanother moreagreeable
to you,,/JJI
bewiii)," Thatheivasa
riverofflowing
gold:"thingsbelong tothefirudent."ForCrassui
»nd of Plato'sDialogues,
"That if Jupiter wasnotoriously
covetous.Crassus
hadtwo
were to speak,he would speakas he did." sons,one of which resembleda man called
Theophrastus
heused
tocalihisparticular
fa-Accius
somuch
thathismother
waasuspected
vourite;and beingaskedwhichof Demos-of an intriguewith him. This youngman
thenes'sorationshe thoughtthebest,hean- spokein thesenatewithgreatapplause; and
swereii," The longest."Somewhoaffectto Cicerobeingasked what hethoughtof him,
bezr.iluiihadmirers
of thatorator,complain,answeredin Greek,arias Craasou.fWhen
indeed,of Cicero'ssayingin oneof hisepis- Crassua
wasgoingto set out for Syria,he
tles," That Demosthenes sometimesnoddedin thoughtit betterto leaveCicerohisfriendthan
his orations:"but theyforgetthe manygreat his enemy:and thereforeaddressed him one
encomiums
hebestowed
onhimin otherparts day in anobligingmanner,andtold himhe
of his works;anddo not considerthathegave would comeand sup with him. Cicero ac-
thetitle of Philippicsto his orationsagainstcepted
theofferwithequalpoliteness.A few
Mark Antony,whichwerethemostelaboratedaysafter,Vatiniuslikewiseappliedto b<<Q
he ever wrote. There wasnot oneof his con- by his friends, and desireda reconciliation.
temporaries celebratedeitherfor hiseloquence"What!" said Cicero, "does Vatiniustoo
or philosophy, whosefamehedid not promote, wantto supwith me."' Such were his jest«
either by speakingor writing of him in an ad- upon Crassus. Vatinius had scrofuloustu-
vantageousmanner. He persuadedCaesar;moursin his neck; andone day whenhe was
when dictator,to grant Cratippusthe Peripa- pleading,Cicerocalled him" a tumid orator."
tetic, the freedomof Rome. He likewisepre- An account was once brought Cicero that
vailed uponthe councilof Areopagus to make Vatiniuswas dead, which being afterwards
out an order for desiringhim to remain at contradicted, he said," May vengeance seize
Athensto instructthe youth,and not deprive the tonguethat told the lie!" When Casar
their city of such an ornament. There are, proposed a decreefor distributingthe landsin
moreover,lettersof Cicero's to Herodes,and Campaniaamongthe soldiers,many of the
othersto his son,in which he directs themto senatorswere displeasedat it; and Lucius
"ludy philosophy under Cratippus. But he ac- Gellius, in particular, who was one of the
cuses Gorgias the rhetorician of accustoming oldest of them, said, "That shall never be
his son to a life of pleasure and intemperance, while I live." " Let us wait awhile, then,"
and thereforeforbidsthe youngman his soci- saidCicero; " for Gelliusrequiresnoverylong
ety. Amongst his Greek letters, this, and an- credit." There was one Octavius, who had it
other to Pelops the Byzantine, are all that dis- objected to him that he was an African. One
cover any thing of resentment. His reprimand day when Cicero was pleading, this man said
to Gorgias certainly was right and proper, if he could not hear him. " That is somewhat
be was the dissolute man that he passed for; strange," said Cicero; for you are not without
but he betrays an excessivemeannessin his ex- a hole in your ear."{ When Metellus Nepos
postulationswith Pelops,for neglectingiopru- told him, " That he hadruined more as an
cure him certain honours from the city of By- evidence than he had saved as an advocate:"
zantium. " I grant it," said Cicero, " for I have more
These were the effects of his vanity. Supe- truth than eloquence." A young man, who lay
rior keennessof expression,too, which he had underthe imputation of having given his father a
at command, led him into many violations of poisonedcake, talking in an insolent manner,
decorum. He pleadedfor Munatiusin a cer- andthreateningthat Cicero shouldfeel the
lain cause; and his client was acquitted in weight of his reproaches,Cicero answered,
consequenceof hisdefence.AfterwardsMu- "I hadmuchratherhavethemthanyourcake."
nUius prosecuted Sabinus,one of Cicero'sPubliusSestiushad taken Cicero,among
friends;uponwhich hewasso muchtrans-others,for his advocate, in a causeof some
ported with anger as to say, " Thmkest thou it importance; and yet he wouM suffer no man
wasthe merit of thy causethatsavedthee,and to speakbut himself. When it appeared
that
not rather the cloud which I threw over thy he would be acquitted, and the judges were
crimes,andwhichkeptthemfromthesightof givingtheirverdict,Cicerocalledto him,and
the court?" He had succeeded in an enco- said, "Sestius, make the best useof your time
miumon Marcus Crassusfrom the rostrum: to-day,for to-morrowyouwill beoutof office."!
anda few days after as publicly reproached
him. "What!" said Crassus, "did you not T»VTI nvii rev Teen. The Greek meet signifies
latelypraisemeinthetheplacewhereyounow cunning,shrewd,prudent,u well u wise; »»d,in
stand.'" "True:" answered Cicero, "bull anyof the formeracceptations,
the stoic maumwas
did it by way of experiment,to seewhat 1 applicable
lo Crassus.
Thusfrugi, in Latin,u used
couldmakeof a badsubject." Crassushad indifferently either
forsavingprudence, cr forlober
onceaffirmed,that none of his familyever wisdom.
f An ill manneredpun,which signifieseitherual
lived abovethreescoreyears: but afterwards theyoungmanwasworthyof Crassus,
or that hewa»
wanted to contradict it, and said, " What thesonof Accius-
could 1 have been thinking of when I asserted I A markof slaveryamongst
somenations; but th«
tuch athing!" " You knew,"saidCicero,ment.
Africans
wore
pendanU
in theirears
byway
ofonur
"that such an assertion would be very agreea- § ProbablySestius,not beine» professed
adTocatt
ble to the peopleof Rome." Crassus hap-would
notbeemployed
tospcafc
foranybodfeljr;and
penedonedayto professhimselfmuchpleasedtherefore,
Ciceromeant
thatheshouldisdulge hit
with that maxim of the stoics, " The goodman ranityin speakingfor himself
 CICERO. 607

PubliusCotta,whoaffected
to bethoughtan for Pompeia,
thewifeof Csesar.
Thisinduced
»blelawyer,
thoughhe hadneitherlearninghimtogetprivately intothehouse,
whichhe
norcapacity,
beingcalledin asa witness
in a didin thehabitof a femalemusician.The
certaincause,declared," Heknewnothingof womenwereofferingin Cssar'shousethat
thematter." " Perhaps," saidCicero," you mysterioussacrifice
whichiskeptfromtheeight
thinkI amaskingyousomequestion in law." andknowledge of men. But,thoughnoman
MetellusNepos,insomedifference withCice- is suffered
to assistin it, Clodius,who wai
ro oftenaskinghim,"Who is yourfather?"veryyoung,andhadhisfaceyetsmooth, hoped
bereplied," Yourmotherhasmadeit much to passthroughthewomen to Pompeiaundis-
moredifficultfur youtoanswerthatquestion."covered.As heentereda greathousein the
For his motherhadnot themostunsulliedrep- night,he waspuzzledto find hia way; andone
utation. This Metelluswashimselfa manof of the womenbelongingto Aurelia, Caesar's
" light unbalanced mind. He suddenlyquitted mother seeinghim wanderingup afld down,
the tribunitialoffice,and sailed to Pompcyin asked him his name. Being now forcedto
Syrii; andwhenhewasthere,hereturnedin speak,he saidhe wasseekingAbra,oneof
a manner still more absurd. When his pre- Pompeia'a maids. The woman, perceiving it
ceptorPhilagrus
died,heburiedhimin apom- wasnota femalevoice,shrieked
out,andcall-
pousmanner,andplacedthe6gureof a crow edthematronstogether.They immediately
in marble on his monument.* " This," said madefast the doors, and, searching the whole
Cicero," was one of the wisest things you house,found Clodiusskulkingin theapartment
ever did: for your preceptorhas taught you of the maidwho introducedhim.
ratherto fly than to speak."t Marcus Appius Ag the affairmadea great noise,Cresardi-
havingmentioned, in the introduction to one vorced Pompeia,and prosecutedClodiusfor
of his pleadings,that his friend had desired that act of impiety. Cicero was at that time
him to try everysourceof care,eloquence, and his friend; for during the conspiracyof Cat:-
fidelity in his cause,Cicero said," What a line, he hadbeenreadyto givehim all the as-
hard-hearted man you are, not to do any one sistancein his power; and even attendeda»
thing thatyour friend hasdesiredof you?" oneof his guards. Clodiusinsisted,in his de-
It seemsnot foreign to the business of an fence, that he was not then at Rome, but at a
orator to usethis cutting raillery against ene- considerabledistance in the country. But Cice-
miesor opponents;but his employingit indis- ro attestedthat he camethat very day to hii
criminately,merelyto raisea laugh,rendered house,and talkedwith him aboutsomepartic-
him extremelyobnoxious. To give a few in- ular business.This was,indeed,matterof fact;
itances: He used to call Marcus Aquilius, yet probably it was not so much the influence
Jldrastus,becausehehadtwo sons-in-law who of truth, as the necessityof satisfyinghis wife
were both in exile.} Lucius Cotta, a great Terentia, that inducedhim to declareit. Sho
lover of wine, was censor when Cicero solicit- hated Clodius on account of his sister Clodia;
ed the consulship. Cicero, in the courseof for shewaspersuaded that that lady wantedto
his canvass,
happeningto bethirsty, calledfor get Cicerofor her husband;andthateheman-
water, and said to his friends who stood round agedthe design by one Tullus. As Tullus was
him as he drank, " You do well to conceal me, an intimate friend of Cicero's, and likewise
for you areafraidthat the censorwill call me constantlypaidhis court to Clodia,who was
to accountfor drinking water." Meeting Voco- his neighbour, that circumstance strengthened
Diusone day with three daughters, who were her suspicions. Besides, Terentia was a wo-
Teryplain women,he cried out: man of an imperioustemper,and, having an
OnIhisconception
Phojbusnerersmiled.} ascendantover her husband,sheput him upon
giving evidence against Clodius. Many other
Marcus Gellius who wag supposedto be of
iervile
extraction,
happened
toread
gome
let- persona
crimes ofof honour
perjury, of alleged
fraud, ofagainst
bribing him th&
the peo-
ters in the senate with a loud and strong voice, ple, and corruptingthe women. Nay, Lucul-
" Do not be surprised at it," said Cicero, " for
there have been public criers in hia family." lus brought his maid-servantsto prove that Clo-
diua had a criminal commerce with his own sis-
Faustus, the sonof Sylla the dictator, who had ter, who waa the wife of that nobleman. TMi
proscribedgreat numbers of Romans, having was the youngest of the sisters. And it was
run deepin debt, and wasted great part of his generally believed that he had connexions of
estate,was obliged to put up public bills for the same kind with his other sisters; one of
the sale of it. Upon which Cicero said, " I
likethese
billsmuchbetterthanhisfather's."which,named
Tertia,wasmarried
toMartini
Many haled him for those keen sarcasms; Rex; and the other, Clodia, to Metellus Celer
which encouraged Clodms and his faction to The latter wascalled Quadrantaria,because
againsthim. The occasion one
formtheir schemes of her loverspalmeduponher a purgeof
small brass money,instead of silver; the small'
was this: Clodms, who was of a noble family, est brass coin being called a quadrans- It wa«
youngand adventurous, entertained a passion on, this sister's account, that Clodius was most

* It wu usual among the ancientsto place emblema- censured. As the people set themselvesboth
ticfigure*
onthemonuments
of thedead;
andtheseagainst
the witnesses
andtheprosecutors,
the
wereeithersuchinstrumentsasrepresented
thepro- judges were so terrified that they thoughtit
Jeision
ofthedeceased,or suchanimals
asresembled necessary
to placeaguardaboutthe court; and
them in disposition.
I Alluding to the celerity of his expeditions. mostof themconfounded
thelettersuponthe
\ BecauseAdraslus had married his daughters to tablets.* He seemed,
however,to be acquittea
Eteoclei
andPolynices,
whowere
exiled. by themajority;butit wassaidto bethrough
QA verse
of Sophocles,
jpeakipg
of Ijaius,thefather " Seethenoteontheparallelpassage
in thelib ut
"fGCdimu. CMU,
 608 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
pecuniary
applications.
HenceCatulus,
when thousand
youngmen,of thebestfamilies,at-
bemulthejudges,
said,
" Youwere
rightin tended
himwiththeirhairdishevelled,
andin-
desiring
a guardfor yourdefence;foryouwere treatedthepeople
forhim.Afterwards thesen-
afraidthat somebody wouldtakethe moneyatemet,withanintentto decree thatthepeo-
fromyou." AndwhenClodiustold Cicerothat pleshouldchangetheirhabits,asin timesof
thejudgesdid notgivecredittohisdeposition,publicmourning.But,astheconsuls opposed
<:Yes," said he, " five and twenty of them be- it, and Clodius beset the housewith his armed
lievedme,for so manycondemned you;nor bandof ruffians,
manyof thesenators
ranout,
did the otherthirty believeyou,for theydid rending
theirgarments,
andexclaimingagainit
Dot acquit you till they had received your mo- the outrage.
ney." As to Cxsar,when he wascalled upon, But thisspectacle excitedneithercompassion
hegaveno testimonyagainstClodius; nor did nor shame;andit appearedthat Ciceromust
he aliirm that hewascertainof anyinjury done eithergo into exile,or decidethe disputewith
to his bed. He only eaid, " He had divorced the sword. In this extremity he appliedto
Pompeia,
because
thewifeof Caesar
oughtcot Pompey
for assistance;
but he hadpurposely
only to be clear of sucha crime, but of the very absented himself, and remained at his Alban
"uspicn.ui of it." villa. Cicero first sent his son-in-law Piso to
After Clodius had escaped this danger, and him, and afterwards went himself. AVIien
was electedtribuneof the people,he immedi- Pompeywasinformedof his arrival,he could
ately attacked Cicero, and left neither circum- not bear to look him in the face. He was con-
Btancenor personuntried to ruin him. He foundedat the thoughtof aninterviewwithhn
gainedthe peopleby laws that flattered their injuredfriend,who hadfoughtsuchbattlesfor
inclinations,andtheconsulsby decreeingthem him, andrenderedhimso manyservicesin the
large and wealthy provinces; for Piso was to course of his administration. But being now
have Macedonia, and Gabjnius Syria. He re- son-in-law to Cxsar, he sacrificed his former
gistered many mean and indigent persons as obligations to that connexion, and went out at
citizens; and armed a number of slaves for his a back door, to avoid his presence.
constant attendants. Of the great triumvirate, Cicero, thus betrayed and deserted, had re-
Crassus was an avowed enemy to Cicero. course to the consuls. Gabinius always treat-
Pompey indifferently caressedboth parties, and ed him rudely; but Piso behavedwith someci-
Caesarwas going to set out uponhis expedition vility. He advised him to withdraw from the
to Gaul. Though the latter was not his friend, torrent of Clodius's rage; to bear this change
but rather suspectedof enmity since the affair of the times with patience; and to be oncemore
of Catiline, it was to him that heapplied. The the saviour of his country, which, for his sake,
favour he asked of him was, that he would take was in all this trouble and commotion.
him as his lieutenant; and Cxsar granted it.* After this answer, Cicero consulted with hit
ClodiusperceivingLhatCicerowould, by this friends. Lucullusadvisedhim to stay,andas
means,get out of the reach of the tribunitial suredhim he wouldbevictorious.Otherswere
power,pretendedto be inclinedto a reconcil- of opinionthat it wasbest to fly, because
the
iation. He threw most of the blame of the people would soon be desirous of his return,
late differenceon Terentia; andspokealways whentheywerewearyof the extravagance and
of Ciceroin termsof candour,not like an ad- madness
of Clodius. He approvedof thislast
versaryvindictively
inclined,butasonefriend advice;andtakinga statue
of Minerva,which
might complain of another. This removed tie hadlongkept in his housewith greatdevo-
Cicero'sfearsso entirelyt that he gaveupthe tion, he carriedit to the Capitol,anddedicated
lieutenancy which Caesarhad indulgedhim it there,with thisinscription:TOMINKRVA THE
with, andbeganto attendto business as before. PROTECTRESS OFROME.About midnight he
Caesarwasso much piquedat this proceed-privately quitted the city; and, with some
ing,that he encouraged
Clodiusagainst
him, friends
whoattended
to conducthim,tookhit
anddrewolf Pompeyentirelyfromhis interest. routeonfootthroughLucania,intendingto pas)
He declared,too, beforethe people,that Cice- fromthenceto Sicily.
ro, in hisopinion,hadbeenguiltyof a flagrant It wasnosoonerknownthathewasfledthan
violationof all justice and law, in putting Clodius
procuredadecree
ofbanishment against
LentulusandCethegus to death,withoutany him,whichprohibitedhimfireandwater,and
formof trial. This wasthechargewhichhe admission into anyhousewithin fivehundred
wassummoned to answer.Cicerothenputon milesof Italy. Butsuchwasthevenerationthe
mourning,
let hishairgrow,and,withoverypeople
hadfor Cicero,
thatin general
there
tokenof distress,
wentaboutto supplicate
the wasno regardpaidto thedecree.Theyshew-
people.Clodius
tookcare
tomeet
himeveryedhimevery
sortof civility,andconducted
wherein thestreets,withhisaudacious
andin- himon hiswaywith the mostcordialatten-
"olentcrew,whointmltedhimon hischangetion. Onlyat Hipponium, a city of Lucania,
of drees,
andoftendisturbedhisapplicationsnowcalledVibo,oneVibius,a native
of Sici-
by pelting
himwithdirtandstones.However, ly, whohadparticular
obligations
tohim,and,
almostall the equestrianorder went into amongotherthings,had an appointmentun-
mourning withhim;anduofewerthantwentyder him,whenconsul,as surveyor of the
works,now refusedto admit him into hij
house;but at the sameOneacquaintedhim
" Cicero
says
thatthis lieutenancy
wasa voluntarythat hewould appointa place in the country
offerofCaesar's. Ep.adAlt. for hisreception.AndCaiusVirginius,* th«
f It dues
not.i['|".«rthatCicrrowaftinfluencedby praetor
tin* conduct of Cloiliu: He had aJwayeexpreMed an
of Sicily,though
indebted
to Cicero
fin
inilill' " in - to the lieutenancy thai wai ofltrtd lu linn
AyCznarEu.y All.1.» <"-!*" " Some
copie«
hateit fifgiliuf.
 CICERO. 609

"ODiidcrable services,wrote to forbid him en- andthat his town andcountryhouses,which

tranceinto that island. Clodiushaddemolished, should be rebuilt at
Discouragedat these instancesof ingrati- the public charge.*
tude,herepairedto Brundusium, whereheetu- Ciceroreturnedsixteenmonthsafterhii ban-
bftrkec'"r Dyrrhachium. At first he had a ishment;and «uch joy was expressed by the
ft'ounble gale, but the neit day the wind cities, so mucheagerness to meet him by all
tamedabout,anddrovehim backto port. He ranks of people,that his own account of it
tet Bill, however,again,as soon asthe wind is less than the truth, thoughhe said,"That
was fair. It is reported,that when he was Italy had brought him on her shouldersto
goingto laml at DyrrhachiumtherehappenedRome." Crassus,who washis enemybefore
to bean earthquake,and the searetired to a his exile,now readilywent to meethim, and
greatdistancefrom the shore. The diviners wasreconciled.In this,hesaid,he waswilling
inferredthat hisexile wouldbeof no longcon- to obligehis sonPublius,who wasa greatad-
tinuance, for these were token? of a sudden mirer of Cicero.
change.Greatnumbersof peoplecameto pay Not long after his return, Cicero, taking
theirrespectsto him; andthe citiesof Greece his opportunity when Clodius was absent,!
itrove which should shew him the greatest wentup with a great companyto the Capitol,
civilities; yet he continued dejected and dis- and destroyed the trlbunitial tables, in which
consolate. Like a passionate lover, be often were recorded all the acts in Clodius's time.
cist a longing look towards Italy, and behaved Clodius loudly complained of this proceeding;
with a littlenessof spirit which could not have but Cicero answered, " That his appointment
been expected from a man that had enjoyed as tribune was irregular, becausehe was of a
iuchopportunities of cultivation from letters patricianfamily, andconsequently all hia nets
andphilosophy.Nay, he hadoftendesiredhis wereinvalid." Cato wasdispleased, andop-
friendsnot to call him an orator, but a philos- posed Cicero in this assertion. Not that he
opher,becausehe had made philosophyhis praisedClodius; on the contrary,he wasex-
business,and rhetoric only the instrument of tremely offended at his administration; hut he
hispoliticaloperations.But opinionhasgreat reprcsentea," That it would be a violent
powerto effacethe tincture*of philosophy, and Btreto.hof prerogativefor the senateto annul
infusethe passions of thevulgarinto the minds so many decreesand acts, amongwhichwa»
of statesmen, who havea necessary connexionhis own commission andhis regulationsat Cy-
andcommerce with the multitude;unlessthey prus and Byzantium." The differencewhich
takecaresoto engagein everything extrinsic this producedbetweenCato and Cicerodid
as to attendto the business only, withoutim- not come to an absoluterupture; it onlyles-
bibingthe passions that arethe commoncon- senedthe warmth of their friendship.
sequences of thatbusiness. After this, Milo killed Clodius; and being
After ClodiushadbanishedCicero, heburn- arraignedfor the fact, he choseCicerofor his
edhis villas, and his housein Rome; andon advocate. The senate,fearingthat the prose-
the place wherethe latter stood, erected a cutionof a manof Milo's spirit andreputation
templeto Liberty. His goodshe put up to might produce sometumult in the city ap-
auction,andthe crier gavenotice of it every pointed Pompey to presideat this and the
day,but no buyerappeared. By thesemeans, other trials; andto provideboth for the peace
lie became
formidable
to thepatricians;and of thecity andthecourtsof justice. In con-
havingdrawn the peoplewith him into the sequenceof which, he posteda bodyof sol-
mostaudaciousinsolenceandeffrontery,heat- diers in the forum beforeday, and secured
tackedPompey,andcalledin questionsomeof everypartof it. This madeMilo apprehensive
his acts and ordinances in the ware. As this that Cicero would be disconcerted at so unu-
exposed Pompeytosomereflections,heblamed suala sight,andlessable to plea«l. He there-
himselfgreatlyfor abandoningCicero; and, fore persuaded him to comein i 'itter to the
entirelychanginghis plan, took everymeans brton; and to reposehim»ri? "tift till the
foreffectinghis return. As Clodiusconstantly judgeswere assembled, and th.- stivf. filled:
opposed them,the senatedecreedthat no pub- for he was not only timid in wir. but he had
lic businessof any kind should be despatchedhis fearswhen he spokein public; and in
bytheir bodytill Cicerowasrecalled. many causeshe scarceleft tremblingevenin
In the consulshipof Lentulus, the sedition the height and vehemence of his eloquence.
increased;some of the tribunes were wounded When he undertook to assist in the defence of
in theforum; and Quintus, the brotherof Licinius Murana,t againstthe prosecution
of
Cicero,
wasleft fordeadamong
theslain.The Cato,he wasambitiousto outdoHortensius,
peoplebegannow to change their opinion; who hadalreadyspokenwith great applause;
andAnniusMilo, oneof the tribunes,wasthe for whichreasonhe sat upall night to prepare
first who venturedto call Clodiusto answer himself. But that watchingand application
for hisviolationof the publicpeace. Many of hurt him so muchthat he appeared
inferior to
the peopleof Rome,andof Uie neighbouringhis rival.
cities, joined Pompey; with whose assistance " The consuls decreed, for rebuilding his nousein
te droveClodiua out of the forum; and then Rome, near 11,000!.; for his Tuscan villa, ne»r 3000J.;
be summoned the citizens to vote. It is said and for his Formian villa, about half that nun, which
lhatnothingwasevercarriedamong
thecom-CiciTp
called
ateryBcantj
utinuAe.
monswith so great unanimity: and the senate, f Cicerohadattemptedthis oncebefore,whenCIo
endeavouring
to givestill higherproofsof their diuswaspresent;
butGaius,
thebrother
of Clodiut.
attachment
toCicero,
decreed
thattheirthanksthe
being praetor,
hands byhismeans,
of Cicero. they
were
rescued
outoY
thould
begiventhecitieswhichhadtreated JMurana
badretained
three
advocates,
Horttnnu,
himwithkindnessandrespectduringhiaexile: Marcus
Crauus,
andCicero.
610 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

Whenhecameoutof thelitterto openthe Athens;whichhe didwithgreatpleasure,

in
causaofMilo, and saw Pompey seatedon high, remembranceof the conversationsbe had for-
u ina camp,andweapons glistering
allaroundmerlyhadthere. He hadnowthe company
theforum, hewassoconfounded thathecouldof all that were mostfamedfor erudition;
"carcubeginhisoration. For he shook,and and vieitedbin formerfriendsand acquaint-
his tongue faltered; though Milo attended the ance. After he had received all due honour*
trial v.ith greatcourage,
andhaddisdained
to andmarkiof esteemfromGreece,
hepasted
let lua liair grow, or to put on mourning. These on to Rome, where he found the tire of di«-
circumstances
contributed
not a little to his sentionkindled,andeverythingtendingtoa
condemnation.As for Cicero, bis trembling civil war.
wasimputed
ratherto hisanxietv
for hisfriend Whenthesenate
decreed
hima triumph,
he
tban to any particular timidity said, " He had rather follow Cssar's chariot-
Cicero was appointedone of the priests, wheelsin his triumph,if a reconciliationcould
called Augurs,in the roomof youngCrassus,be effectedbetweenhim and Pompey." And
who was killed in the Parthianwar. After- in private he tried everyhealingandconcili-
wards the provinceof Cilicia wasallottedto ating method,by writing to Cssar, and en-
him; andhe sailedthitherwith an armyof treatingPompey.After it cameto anopen
twelvethousandfoot, andtwo thousandsix rupture,
andCzsarwasonhismarchtoRome,
hundredhorse. He hadit in chargeto bring Pompeydid not chooseto wait for him, but
Cappadociato submitto king Anobarzanes:retired,with numbersof the principalcitizeni
which he performed to the satisfaction of all in his train. Cicero did not attend him in his
partien, without having recourseto arms. And flight; and therefore it was believed that he
finding the Cilicianselatedon the miscarriagewouldjoin Cresar. It iacertainthat hefluctu-
of the Romansin Parthia,and the commo- atedgreatlyin his opinion, andwasin the ut-
tions in Syria, he broughtthem to order by most anxiety. For, he says in hJa epislles,
the gentleness of hisgovernment.He refused" Whither shall I turn? Pompeyhasthemore
the presents which the neighbouring princes honourable cause; but Caesarmanageshis af-
offeredhim. He excusedthe provincefrom fairs with thegreatest address, andis mostable
findinghim a public table, and daily enter- to savehimself and his friends. In short, I
tained at his own charge personsof honourand know whom to avoid, but not whom to seek.'
learning, not with magnificenceindeed, but At last,oneTrebatius,a friendof Czsar's,sig-
with eleganceandpropriety. He hadno por- nified to him by letter, that Cssarthoughthe
ter at his gate, nor did any man ever find him had reason to reckon him of his side, and to
in bed; for he rose early in the morning,and considerhim as partnerof his hopes. But if
kindly received those who came to pay their his age would not permit it, he might retire
court to him, either standing or walking before into Greece,and live there in tranquillity, with-
his door. We are told, that he never caused out any connection with either party. Cicero
any man to be beaten with rods, or to have was surprised that Cssar did not write him-
his garments rent;* never gave opprobious lan- self, and answered angrily, " That he would
guage in his anger, nor added insult to pun- do nothing unworthy of bis political charac-
ishment. He recovered the public money ter." Such is the account we have of the mat
which had beenembezzled; and enriched the tcrin his epistles.
cities with it. At the same time he was satis- However, upon Cssar's marching from
fied, if those who had beenguilty of suchfrauds Spain, he crossed the sea, and repaired to
made restitution, and fixed no mark of infamy Pompey. His arrival was agreeable to the
uponthem. generality;but Cato blamedhim privatelyfor
He had also a taste of war; for he routed the taking this measure. " As for me," said he,
bands of robbers, that had possessedthem- " it would have beenwrong to leave that party
selves of Mount Amanus, and was saluted by which I embraced from the beginning; but
his army Imperator on that account.! Caeci- you might have been much more serviceable
Iiu8,{ the orator, having desiredhim to send to your countryandyour friends,if you had
him somepanthersfrom Cilicia for his games staid at Rome,andaccommodated yourselfto
at Rome, in his answer he could not forbear events; whereas now, without any reasonor
boastingofhisachievements. He said,"There necessity, youhavedeclaredyourselfanenemy
were no panthersleft in Cilicia. Thoseani- to Caesar, andare cometo sharein the danger
mals, in their veiition to find that they we'e with whichyou hadnothingto do."
the only objectsof war, while everythingelse These argumentsmadeCicerochangehit
was at peace,werefled into Caria." opinion; especiallywhenhe found thatPom-
In his return from his provincehe stoppedpey did not employhim uponanyconsiderable
»t Rhodes,
andafterwards
madesomestayat service.It ia true,noonewasto behlatned
for this but himself;for hemadeno secretof
" Thii markof ignominywasof greatantiquity.his repenting. He disparaged Pompey'sprep-
u WhereforeHanun lookDavid'e
servants,
andsharedarations;he insinuatedhis dislikeofhis coun-
off one
to the halfoftheir
middle, even beards,
to theirandcutofftheir
buttocks, garments
and sent them sels,andneverspared
hisjests uponhisal-
away."2Sam.
x.4. lies. He wasnot,indeed,
inclined
tolaugh
f Henotonlyreceived
thismark
ofdistinction,
buthimself;onthecontrary,
hewalked aboutthe
public
thanksgmngs
were ordered
atRome ful hiscamp withaverysolemn
countenance;
buthe
wcress;andthe peoplewer*tnearto dc/reehim a oftenmadeotherslaugh,thoughtheywerelittle
triumph. His services,
therefore,musthavebeencon- inclined to it. Perhaps it may not be amissto
siderable, and Plutarch seemsto mcntioo them too give a few instances. When Domitius ad-
"lightly. vanceda man who hadno turn for war to the
j Not Csciliu!, but Cxlius. He was then edile, ana
wanted
thepanther*
forhispublic
thorn. rankof captain,and assigned
for his reason
 CICERO. «1

but hewai anhonestandprudentman;"Why, varietyof pathos,so irresistible a charm,that

then," said Cicero, "do you not keephim for his colour often changed,and it v,u.«evident
governorto your children?" When somewere thathismindwastorn with conflictingpatsiong
commendingTheophaneathe Lesbian, who At last, whenthe oratortouchedon the battle
wasdirectorof the boardof works,for consol- of Pharsalia,hewassoextremelyaffected,that
ing tlie Khodians on the lossof their fleet, hiswholeframetrembled,andhe let dropsome
" See,"saidCicero,''"what it is to havea Gre papersout of his hand. Thus, conqueredbj
cian director!'' When Cisar was successfulthe forceof eloquence,he acquittedLigarius.
in almost every instance, and held Poinpey as The commonwealth being changed into a
it werebesieged,
Lentulus said, " He was in monarchy,Cicerowithdrewfrom the sceneof
formed that Cesar's friends looked very sour." public business, and bestowed his leisure on
" You mean,I suppose,"said Cicero, " that the youn» men who were desirousto be in
theyareout of humourwith him." OneMar- structedin philosophy. As thesewereof the
tius, newly arrived from Italy, told them a best families, by his interest with them heonce
report prevailed at Rome that Pompeywas moreobtainedgreat authorityin Rome. He
blockeu up in his camp: "Then," said Cicero, made it his businessto composeand translate
"ycu took a voyageon purposeto seeit" After philosophical dialogues, Mid to render the
Pompey's defeat, Nonnius said, " there was Greek terms of logic and natural philosophy in
room yet for hope, for there were seven eagles the Roman language. For it is said that he
left in the camp." Cicero answered, " That first, or principally, at least, gave Latin terms
would be good encouragement,if we were to for these Greek words, phantafia [imagina-
6ght with jackdaws." When Labienus, on the tion], syncatathesis [assent], epoche [doubt],
itrength of someoracles, insisted that Pompey catalepsis [comprehension], atomos [atom],
must be conqueror at last: " By this oracular ameres [indivisible], kenon [void], and many
generalship," said Cicero, " we have lost our other such terms in science; conlming either
camp." by metaphorical expression, or strict transla-
After the battle of Pharsalia (in which hewas tion, to make them intelligible and familiar to
not present, on account of his ill health), and the Romans. His readyturn for poetry afforded
after the flight of Pompey, Cato, who had con- him amusement; for, we are told, when he wai
siderable forces, and a great fleet at Dyrrha- intent upon it, he could make five hundred
chium, desired Cicero to take the command, versesin one night. As in this period he spent
becausehis consular dignity gave him a legal most of his time at his Tusculan villa, he wrote
title to it. Cicero, however, not only declined to his friends, " That he led the lite of Laer-
it, but absolutely refused taking any further tes;" either by way of raillery, as his custom
sharein the war. Upon which, young Pompey was, or from an ambitious desire of public em-
and his friends called him traitor, drew their ployment, and discontent in his present situa-
swords, arid would certainly have dispatched tion. Be that as it may, he rarely went to Rome,
him, had not Cato interposed, and conveyed and then only to pay his court to Cttsar. He
him out of the camp. was always one of the first to vote him addi-
He gotsafeto Brundusium,
andstayedthere tional honours,and forward to saysomething
some time in expectation of Czsar, who was new of him and Ins actions. Thus, when Cesar
detainedby his affairs in Asia and Egypt. orderedPompey'sstatues,whichhadbeenpull-
When heheard that the conqueror was arrived ed down, to be erected again, Cicero said,
at Tarentum, and designed to proceed from "That by this act of humanity in setting up
thence by land to Brundusium, he set out to Pompey's statues,he had establishedhis own."
meet him; not without hope, nor yet without It is reported that he had formed a design to
some shameand reluctance at the thought of write the history of his own country, in which
trying how he stood in the opinion of a victo- lie would have interwoven many of the Grecian
rious enemy before so many witnesses. He affairs, and inserted not only their speeches,
had no occasion,however,either to do or to t>utfables. But he was preventedby many
say any thing beneathhis dignity. Cssar no disagreeable circumstances, both public and
sooner beheld him, at some considerable dis- private, into most of which he brought himself
tance,advancingbeforethe rest, than be dis- oyhis own indiscretion. For, in the first place,
mounted,and ran to embrace him; after which he divorced his wife Terentia. The reasons
hewentondiscoursing
with him alonefor many heassignedwere,that she hadneglectedhim
furlongs. He continued to treat him with great during the war, and even sent him out without
kindnessandrespect;insomuch,that whenhe necessaries.Besides,after his return to Italy,
hadwritten an encomiumon Cato,which bore shebehavedto him with little regard,anddid
the nameof that great man, Caesar,in his an- not wail on him during his long stay at Rrundu-
swer, entitled Jlnticato, praised both the elo- sium. Nay, when his daughter, at that time
quenceand conductof Cicero; and said he veryyoung,took so long ajourneyto seehim,
greatlyresembledPericlesandTheramenes. sheallowedher but anindifferentequipage,and
When QuintusLigarius was prosecutedfor insufficientsupplies. Indeed,accordingto his
bearingarms againstCaesar,and Cicero had account,his housewas becomenaked and
undertaken to plead his cause, Caesar is re- empty through the many debts which she had
portedto havesaid, " What maywe not give contracted. Thesewerethemostspecious pre-
ourselves
a pleasurewhichwe havenot enjoyed tencesfor the divorce. Terentia, however,
io long, that of hearing Cicero speak; since I denied all these charges; and Cicero himself
havealreadytakenmyresolutionasto Ligarius, madea full apologyfor her, by marryinga
whois clearlya badman,aswell asmyenemy?" youngerwomannot longafter. Terentia said,
But hewasgreatlymovedwhenCicerobegan; he took her merelyfoi her beauty; but his
sjjd hia sp*ech,as it proceeded,had such c. freedmanTyro affirmsthat he marriedher for
612 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

herwealth,thatit mightenable himto payhis destroyAntony. Cicero,withoutdepending

debts. Shewas,indeed, veryrich,andherfor- muchon theirscheme,gaveupthat of going
tune wasin the handsof Cicero,who waslefl with Dolabella,and agreedwith the consuls
herguardian.As hisdebtsweregreat,his electto pass
thesummer
in Athens,
andreturn
friendsand relationspersuaded him to marry whentheyenteredupontheir office.
the young lady,notwithstandingthe disparity Accordingly he embarkedfor that place
of years,and satisfy h««creditors out of her withouttakinganyprincipalRomanalongwith
fortune. him. But his voyagebeingaccidentallyre-
Antony, in his answerto the Philippics, tarded,newswasbroughtfrom Rome(for he
taies him with " repudiatinga wife with whom did not chooseto be withoutnews,)that there
hewasgrown old;* andrallies him on account was a wonderfulchangein Antony; that he
of his perpetuallykeepingat home,like a man took all his stepsagreeablyto the senseof
unfit eitherfor business
or war. Not longafter the senate;andthat nothingbut his presence
this match, his daughter Tullia, who, after the was wanting to bring matters to the best estab-
death of Piso, had married Lentulus, died in lishment. He therefore condemnedhis excei-
childbed. The Philosophers came from all sive caution, and returned to Rome.
partsto comforthim; for his lossaffectedhim His first hopeswerenot disappointed.Such
extremely; and heeven put away his new bride, crowds came out to meet him, that almost a
becausesheseemedto rejoiceat the deathof whole day wasspentat the gates,and on his
Tullia. In this posturewere Cicero'sdomes- wayhome,in compliments andcongratulations.
tic affairs. Next day Antony convenedthe senate,and
As to thoseof the public,hehadno sharein sentfor Cicero; but he kept his bed,pretend-
\he conspiracy against Czsar, though he was ing thai hewas indisposedwiih his journey. In
_>ne
of Brutus'sparticularfriends;andno man realityhe seemsto have beenafraidof assas-
was more uneasyunder the new establishment, sination, in consequence of come hints he re-
or moredesirousof havingthe commonwealthceivedby the way. Antonywasextremelyin-
restored. Possibly they feared his natural de- censed at these suggestions,and ordered a
ficiency of courage, as well as his time of life, party of soldierseither to bring him, or to burn
at which the boldestbegin to droop. After the his house in caseof refusal. However, at the
work was done by Brutus and Cassius, the request of numberswho interposed,he revoked
friends of Cxsar assembled to revenge his that order, and badethem only bring a pledge
death ; and it was apprehended that Rome from his house.
would again beplunged in civil wars. Antony, After this, when they happenedto meet,they
who was consul,ordered a meeting of the passedeachother in silence,and lived in mu-
senate, and made a short speechon the neces- tual distrust. Meantime young Czear, arriving
sity of union. But Cicero expatiated in a man- from Apollonia, put in hie claim as heir to hn
ner suitable to the occasion; and persuadedthe uncle, and sued Antony for twenty-five million
senate, in imitation of the Athenians, to passa drachmas,* which he detained of the estate.
general amnesty as to all that had beendone Hereupon Philip, who had married the
against Caesar, and to decree provinces to mother, and Marcellus, who was husband to
Brutus and Cassius. the sister of Octavius, brought him to Cicero.
None of these things, however, took effect: It was agreedbetweenthem, that Cicero should
for the people were inclined to pity on this assistCaesarwith bis eloquence and interest,
event; and when they beheld the dead body of both with the senateand the people; and that
Cssar carried into the forum, where Antony Cssar should give Cicero all the protection
shewed them his robe stained with blood, and that bis wealth and military influence could af-
pierced on all sideswith swords,theybroke ford: for the youngmanhadalreadycollected
out into a transport of rage. They sought all a considerablenumberof the veteranswho had
over the forum for the actors in that tragedy, served under his uncle.
and ran with lighted torchesto burn their Cicero receivedthe offer of his friendship
houses. By their precautiontheyescapedthis with pleasure. For while Pompeyand Caisar
danger; but as theysaw others, no lesscon- wereliving, Cicero,it seems,hada dream,in
"iderable,
impending, theyleft thecity. whichhe thoughthe calledsomeboys,the
Antony, elatedwith this advantage,becamesonsof senators,up to the Capitol, because
formidableto all theoppositeparty,wliosup-Jupiterdesigned
to pitchupononeof themfor
posedthat he would aim at nothing lessthan sovereignof Rome. The citizensranwith all
absolutepower; but Cicerohadparticularrea- the eagerness of expectation,
andplacedthem-
son to dread him. For being sensiblethat, selvesaboutthe temple; andthe boysin their
Cicero'sweight in the administrationwases- pratexta;satsilent. The doorssuddenlyopen-
tablishedagain,andof hisstrongattachmentto ing, the boysroseup oneby one,and, in their
Rrutus,Antonycouldhardlybearhispresence.order, passingroundthe god, who reviewed
Besides,therehadlong beensomejealousyand them all, and sent them awaydisappointed:
dislike betweenthem on accountof the dis- but when Octaviusapproached, he stretched
similarity of their lives. Cicero, fearing the out his hand to him, and said, " Romans,
event, wasinclined to go with Dolabellainto this is the person who, when he comesto
Syria,as hislieutenant.Butafterwards
Hir- be your prince,will putan endto yourcivil
tius and Pansa,who were to be consulsafter wars." This vision,theytell us,madesuchan
Antony, personsof great merit, and good impressionuponCicero,that he perfectlyre-
friends 1o Cicero, desired him not to leave tained the figureandcountenanceof the boy,
them;andpromised,
withhis assistance,
to though
hedidnotyetknowhim. Nextdayhe
* Plutarch It mistakenin the sum. It appears,from
" Cicerowa»Ihenliity-two. Fatercitlui
andother:,lhatit vru icventime*u much.
 CICERO. 613
wentdownto theCampus
Martius,whenthe wasnot longbeforehe wassensiblethat ho
boyswerejustreturning
fromtheirexercises;
hadruined
himself,
andgiven
upthelibertieg
of
anilthefirst whostruckhiseyewastheladin hiscountry: for Caesar
wasnosooner strength-
theveryformthathehadseenin his dream.enedwiththeconsularauthority,thanhegava
Aitonished at thediscovery,
Cicero,askedhim upCicero;"andreconciling himselfto Antony
whowerehisparents; andheprovedtobethe andLepidus,heunitedhispowerwiththeirs,
ionof Octavius, a person
notmuchdistinguish-anddividedtheempireamong them,asil'it had
edin lite,andof Attia,sisterto Csstir.As he beena privateestate. At thesametime they
waseoneara relation,andCxsar hadno chil- proscribedabout two hundredpersonswhom
drenof hisown,headopted
him,and,by will, theyhadpitched
uponforasacrifice.
Thegreat
left him his estate. Cicero, afterhis dream, estdifficultyanddisputewasabouttheproscrip-
wheneverhe met young Octavius,is said to tion of Cicero; for Antonywould cometo no
havetreated
himwithparticular
regard,
andhe termstill hewasfirsttakenoft'.Lepidusagreed
receivedthosemarks of his friendship with with Antonyin thispreliminary,but Cassar
op-
greatsatisfaction.
Besides,
hehappened
to be posed
themboth.Theyhada privatecongresa
bornthe sameyear that Cicero wasconsul. for thesepurposes
near the city of Bononn,
Thesewere pretendedto be the causesof whichlastedthreedays.The placewherethe/
theirpresent
connexion.Buttheleading
mo- metwasoveragainst
theircamps,
a littleisland
tivewith Cicernwashis hatredof Antony; and in the river. Cesaris saidto havecontended
the nexthis naturalavidity for glory. For he for Cicerothe two first days;but the third he
hoped
to throwtheweightof Octavius
intothe gavehim up.Thesacrifices
oneachpartwere
"caleoftl/e commonwealth
j andthe latter be- these: Cxsar was to abandonCiceroto his
havedto him with sucha puerile deference,fate; Lepidus,his brotherPaulus;andA-ntony,
thatheevencalledhim father.Hence,Brutus, Lucius Caesar, his uncleby the molher's side.
inhislettersto Atticus,expressed
hisindigna-Thusrageandrancourentirelystifledin them
tion againstCicero, and said, " That, as all sentiments
of humanity;
or moreproperly
throughfearof Antony,he paidhis courtto speaking, theyshewed
that no beastis more
young Cu-sar,it wasplainthathetooknothis savagethanman, whenhe is possessed of
measures for the libertyof his country,but only power equalto his passion.
to obtaina gentlemasterfor himself. Never- While his enemieswere thus employed,
theless,
Brutusfinding the sonof Ciceroat Cicerowasat hisTusculan
villa,andhisbro-
Athens,
wherehewasstudying underthe phi- therQuintuswithhim. Whentheywerein-
losophers,
gavehima command, andemployedformedof the proscription,
they determined
himuponmanyserviceswhich provedsuc- to removeto Astyra, a country-house of
cessful. Cicero's near the sea; where they intended to
Cicero'spowerat this time wasat its great- takea ship,andrepairto BrutusinMacedonia;
estheight;lie carriedeverypoint that he de- for it wasreported,that he wasalreadyvery
lired;insomuch
that heexpelledAntony,and powerfulin thoseparts.Theywerecarriedin
raisedsucha spirit againsthim, that the con- their separatelitters, oppressedwith sorrow
sulsHirtius and Pansawere sentto give him anddespair;andoftenjoining their litters on
battle;andCicerolikewiseprevaileduponthe the road. Quintuswasthe moredejected,be-
senatetograntCxsarthefasces,
withthedigni- causehewaain wantof necessaries;for, ashe
tyof pro.-K.ir,
asonethat wasfightingfor his said,hehadbroughtnotlungfromhomewith
country. him. Cicero,too, hadbuta slenderprovision.
Antony, indeed,was beaten;but both the They concluded,therefore, that it would be
consuls
fallingin theaction,thetroopsrangedbest for Ciceroto hastenhis flight, and for
themselvesunder the bannersof Czsar. The Quintus to return to his house,and get some
lenate
nowfearingtheviewsof a youngman supplies.This resolutionbeingfixed upon,
whowassomuchfavouredby fortune,endeav-they embracedeacli other with every expres-
ouredby honoursandgifts to draw Ins forces sionof sorrow,andthen parted.
fromhimand to diminishhis power. They A fewdaysafter,Quintus andhis sonwere
alleged,that,as Antonywasput to flight, betrayedby hisservantsto the assassins
who
therewasnoneedto keepsuchan armyon camein questof them,andlosttheirlives.Aa
foot. Caesaralarmedat thesevigorousmeas-for Cicero,he wascarriedto Astyra;where,
ures,privatelysentsomefriendsto entreatand findinga vessel,heimmediatelywenton board,
persuade
Ciceroto procuretheconsulshipfor andcoastedalongto Circaeum
witha favoura-
themboth;promising,
at thesametime,thathe blewind. The pilotswerepreparing imme-
ihoulddirectall affairsaccordingto his better diately to sailfrom thence;but whetherit wat
judgment,
andfindhimperfectlytractable,
who thathefearedthesea,or hadnotyet givenup
wasbut a youth, and had no ambition for any all his hopes in Cusar, he disembarked, and
thingbutthe title and the honour. Czsarhim- travelled a hundredfurlongs on foot, as if
telf acknowledged afterwards, that, in his ap- Rome had been the place of his destination.
prehension
of beingentirelyruinedanddesert-Repenting,however, afterwards,
heleft that
ed,he seasonably
availedhimselfof Cicero'sroad,andmadeagainfor thesea. He passed
ambition,
persuaded himto standfor the con* the night in the mostperplexing
andhoirid
mlship,andundertook to supporthisapplica-thoughts;insomuch thathewassometimes in-
tion withhis wholeinterest. clined to go privatelyinto Caesar's
house,and
In this caseparticularly,Cicero,old aahe stabhimselfuponthe altar of his domestic
was,suffered himselfto be imposeduponby gods,to bringthe divinevengeance uponhit
thisyoungman,solicitedthe peoplefor him, betrayer.But hewasdeterredfrom this by
tndbrought thesenate intohisinterest.His " liiNtrarl oftaking
(heads blamed him for it at the time; and it Quintuj i'cdivu.
himforhucolleague,
hechoM
614 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

thefearof torture.Otheralternatives,
equallyhismurderers.
Suchanappearance
of misery
distressful,presentedthemselves.At last, he in his face, overgrownwith hair, and waited
put himself in the hands of his servants, and with anxiety, so much affectedthe attendant! of
orderedthem to carr/ him by sea to Cajeta,* Herenniusthat theycoveredtheir facesduring
wherehe hada delightful retreat in the sum- the melancholyscene.That officerdespatched
mer, when the Etesian winds set in.f There him, while he stretched his neck out of the lit-
was a temple of Apollo on that coast, from ter to receivethe blow. Thus fell Cicero, in the
which a flight of crows came,with great noise, sixty-fourth year of his age.Herennius, cut off
towardsCicero'svessel,as it wasmakingland. his head,andby Antony'scommand,
his handa
They perched on both sides the sail-yard, too, with which he had written the Pliilippict.
wheresomesat croakingand otherspecking Suchwasthe title hegavehis orationsagainit
the endsof the ropes. All lookeduponthis Antony,andtheyretain it to thisday.
as an ill omen; yet Cicero went on shore, When these parts of Cicero's body were
and, entering his house, lay down to repose brought to Rome, Antony happenedto be hold-
himself. In the meantimea numberof the ing anassembly
for theelectionof magistrates.
crows settled in the chamber-window, and He no sooner beheld them, than he cried out.
croaked in the most doleful manner. One of " Now let there be an end of all proscriptions."
them even entered in, and alighting on the bed, He ordered the head and handsto be fastened
attempted with Usbeak to draw off the clothes up over the rostra, a dreadful spectacleto the
with which he had covered his face. On sight Roman people, who thought they did not so
of this, the servants began to reproach them- much see the face of Cicero, as a picture of
selves. " Shall we," said they, " remain to be Antony's soul. Yet he did one act of justice
spectatorsof our master's murder? Shall we on this occasion, which was the delivering up
not protect him, so innocent and so great a Philologus to Pomponia the wife of Quintus.
sufferer as he is, when the brute creatures give When shewas mistressof his fate, besideother
him marks of their care and attention?" Then, horrid punishments,she made him cut off his
partly by entreaty,and partly by force, they got own flesh by piecemeal, and roast and eat it
him into his litter, and carried bun towardsthe This is the accountsome historiansgive us; but
lea. Tyro, Cicero's freedman,makes no mention of
Meantime the assassinscame up. They the treachery of Philologus.
were commanded by Herennius, a centurion, I am informed, that a longtime after, Caesar
and Pompihus, a tribune, whom Cicero had going to seeone of his grandsons, found him
formerly defended when under a prosecution with a book of Cicero's in his hands.The boy,
for parricide. The doors of the house being alarmed at the accident, endeavoured to hide
made fast, they broke them opec. Still Cicero the book under his robe; which Caesarper-
did not appear,and the servants who were left ceived, and took it from him; and after having
behind, said they knew nothing of him. But run most of it over as he stood,he returned it
a young man, named Philologus, his brother and said, " My dear child, this « asan eloquent
Quintus'e freedman,whom Cicero had instruct- man, anda lover of his country."
ed in the liberal arts and sciences,informed the Being consul at the time when he conquer-
tribune that theywere carrying the litter through ed Antony, he took the son of Cicero for hJ3
deepshades
to the seaside.
The tribune,taking colleague;underwhoseauspicesthe senato
a few soldiers with him, ran to the end of the took down the statuesof Antony, defacedall
walk where he was to come out. But Cicero the monumentsof his honour, and decreed,
perceivingthat Herenniuawashasteningafter thatfor the future, noneof his family should
him,orderedhisservantsto setthe litter down; bearthe nameof Marcus. Thus the divine
andputtinghis left handto hie chin,as it was justice reservedthe completionof Antony's
his customto do,he looked steadfastlyupon punishments for the houseof Cicero.

DEMOSTHENES AND CICERO COMPARED.

THESEare the most memorablecircumstances eminent for the sublime of declamation; and,
in the lives of Demosthenesand Cicero that in accuracy and art, the most able profenora
could be collected from the historians which of rhetoric. Cicero's studies were more gen-
havecometo ourknowledge.ThoughI shall eral;and,in his treasures of knowledge, he
notpretendto compare theirtalents for speak-hada greatvariety. Hehasleft usa number
ing; yetthis,I think,I oughtto observe, that of philosophical
tracts,whichhe composed
Demosthenes, bytheexertion of all hispowers,upontheprinciples of theacademy;andwesee
both naturaland acquired, uponthat object something of an ostentation
of learning
in the
only,cameto exceed in energyandstrength,veryorations whichhewrotefortiteforumand
themostcelebrated
pleaders
of histime: ingran- the bar.
deurandmagnificence
of style,all that were Their differenttempers
arediscernible
in
their way of writing. That of Demosthenes,
" According to Appian, Cicero wu killed near Ca-
pua; but ValeriusMaimiujsays, of that without anyembellishmentsof wit .inu humour,
tiic scene
tragedy
was atCajeta. isalways grave andserious.Nordoes it smell
" Theoerlheaitwindi. of the lamp,as Pytheaitaunting!)said,but of
 DEMOSTHENES AND CICERO COMPARED. 610
thewater-drinker,
of themanof thought,of Pompey andyoungCaesar,
of Cicero;asCe-
onewhowascharacterized
by theausterities
of sar himselfacknowledges,
in his Commenta-
life. But Cicero,who lovedto indulgehis vein ries addressed
to AgrippaandMaecenas.
of pleasantry,
somuchaffectedthewit,thathe It is anobservation
no lessjust thancom-
"ometimes sunkintothebuffoon;
andbyaffect-mon,thatnothingmakes sothorougha trialof
inggaietyin themostseriousthings,to servea man'sdisposition,
as powerand authority,
hisclient,hehasoffendedagainsttherulesof for theyawakeeverypassion, and discover
propriety
anddecorum.
Thus,in hisorationeverylatent
vice. Demosthenes
never
hadan
for Cxlius,he says, " Whereis theabsurdity,opportunity
for a trial of this kind. Henever
if a man,withanaffluentfortune at command,obtainedanyeminent charge;nordidhelead
(ballindulgehimselfinpleasure?It wouldbe thosearmiesagainstPhilip,which biselo-
madness
not to enjoy what is in his power; quencehadraised. But Cicerowent quaestor
particularly
whensome
of thegreatest
philoso-intoSicily,andproconsul
intoCiliciaandCap-
phers
place
man's
chiefgood
in pleasure."'*padocia;
ata time,too,whenavarice
reigned
When Catoimpeached Murena,Cicerowho without control; whenthe governorsof pro-
wasthen consul,undertookhis defence;and, vinces,thinkingit beneaththemto takea clan-
in his pleading,took occasionto ridicule sev- destineadvantage,
fell opento plunder;v ien
eralparadoies
of thestoics,because
Catowas totakeanother's
property
wasthoughtn<5ieat
of that sect. He succeededso far as to raise crime, and he who took moderately parsedfor
a laughin theassembly;
andevenamongthe a manof characier.Yet,at sucha timeasthis,
judges.UponwhichCatosmiled,andsaidto Cicerogavemanyproofsof hiscontempt of
thosewho satby him, " What a pleasantcon- money;manyof his humanityand goodness.
iulwehave!" Cicero,indeed,was naturally At Rome,with the title only of consul,hehad
facetious;
andhenot only lovedhisjest, but his an absoluteanddictatorialpoweragainstCati-
countenancewasgay and smiling. Whereas line andhis accomplices.On whichoccasion
Demosthenes hada careand thoughtfulness in heverifiedthe predictionof Plato," That every
hisaspect,
whichheseldom
or neverput off. state will be deliveredfrom its calamities,
Hencehisenemies,
ashe confesses,
calledhim when,by the favour of fortune, greatpower
a moroseill natured man. unites with wisdom and justice in one person."
It appears
alsofromtheirwritings,thatDe- It is mentioned, to the disgrace
of Demos-
mosthenes,
whenhe touchesuponhis own thenes, thathiseloquence wasmercenary;that
praise,
does
it withaninoffensivedelicacy.In- heprivatelycomposed orationsbothTorPhor-
deedhenevergivesinto it at all, but when he mio and Apollodorus,though adversaries
in
hassome
greatpointin view;andonall other thesamecause.To whichwe mayaddthat
occasions
is eitremcly modest. But Cicero, hewassuspected
of receivingmoneyfrom the
in hisorations,speaks in suchhightermsof kingof Persia,andcondemned fortakingbribes
himself,thatit is plainhehada mostintem-of Harpalus.Supposing someof thesetheca-
peratevanity. Thushecriesout, lumniesof thosewhowroteagainst him (and
Letarmsmeretherobe, thewarrior's
laurel theyarenota few;)yet it is impossible to af-
Yieldto thepalmof eloquence. firm that he was proof againstthe presents
At length he came to commend not only his which were sent him by princes, as marks of
own actions and operations in the common- honour and respect. This was too much to be
wealth,but his orations
too,as wellthoseexpected
froma manwhovested
hismoney
at
which he had only pronouncedas those he had interest uponships. Cicero, on the other hand,
committed to writing, as if, with a juvenile had magnificent presents sent him by the Sici-
vanity,hewerevyingwith the rhetoricians lians,whenhewasa;dile;bythekingof Cap-
Isocrates andAnanmcnce, insteadof beinged padocia, when proconsul;
andhis.friendspress-
him to receive their benefactions, when in
inspired with the great ambition of guiding the
Roman people, exile; yet,as
fused them all. wehavealreadyobserved, here-
Fierce I'D the field, and dreadful to the foe. The banishment of Demosthenes reflected
It is necessary,
indeed,for a statesman
to infamyuponhim: for he wasconvictedof
havetheadvantage
of eloquence;
but it is takingbribes:that of Cicero,
greathonour;
mean and illiberalto restin sucha qualifica-because
hesuffered
fordestroying
traitors,who
tion,orto huntafter praisein that quarter.hadvowedtheruin of theircountry.The for-
In this respect Demosthenes behaved with mer,therefore,departedwithout exciting pity
more dignity,
witha superior
elevation
ofsoul.orregret:
forthe latter,the senate changed
Hesaid,"His abilityto explain
himselfwastheirhabit,continued
in mourning, andcould
amere acquisition;
andnotsoperfect,
butthat notbepersuadedtopass anyacttill thepeople
it required
greatcandour andindulgencein hadrecalledhim. Cicero,indeed, spentthe
the audience." He thoughtit must be, as in- time of exile in an inactivemannerin Mace-
deed
it is,only
alowandlittlemind,
thatcandonia;
butwithDemosthenes
it was
abusy
pe-
valueitselfupon
suchattainments. riodin hispolitical
character.
Thenit was(a«
Theyboth,undoubtedly,hadpolitical
abili-wehave mentionedabove)
thathewenttothe
ties,aswellaspowersto persuade.
Theyhadseveral citiesofGreece,
strengthened
thecom-
theminsucha degree,
thatmen whohadar- moninterest,
anddefeated
thedesigns
of the
mies
attheirdevotion,
stoodin need
of theirMacedonian
ambassadors.
Inwhichrespecthe
support.
ThusChares,Diopithcs,
andLeos-discovered
amuchgreater
regard
forhiscoun-
thenesavailed
themselves
of Demosthenes;trythan
Themistocles
and
Alcibades,
when un-
* Plutarch has not quoted this passagewith accura-
derthesamemisfortune.Afterhisreturn,lie
cy.Cicero
apologizes
fortheexcesses
ofvoulh
; butpursued
hisformer
planof goTcrnmenl,
and
¬OM
notdefend
orapprove
thepursuit
ofpleasure. continued
thewarwithAntipater
andtlieMa
 616 PLUTARCH S LIVES.

cedonians. WhereasLaeliusreproached Cicero ing to hidehimselffrom der.th.which was"

in full senatewith sitting silent, when Cresar,messenger that naturewould soon havesent
whowasnnt yetcometo yearsof maturity,him,andovertaken notwithstanding
andslaugh-
applied
for theconsulshipcontraryto law.And teredby hisenemies!The other,thoughhe
Brutus,in oneof hisletters,charged himwith did discover
somefear,bytakingsanctuary,
it,
"havingreared
agreater
andmore
insupporta-
nevertheless,
tobeadmired
fortheprovision
he
bletyrannythanthatwhichtheyhaddestroyed."hadmadeof poison,for the carewith whichhe
As to the mannerof their death, we cannot hadpreserved it, andhis noblemannerof using
think of Cicero'swithouta contemptuous kind it. Sothat, whenNeptunedid notaffordhimao
of pity. How deplorahle to see an old man, asylum, he had recourseto a more inviolable
for wantof properresolution,sufferinghimself altar, rescuedhimself from the weaponsof
to becarried aboutby bis servants,
endeavour-the guards,andeludedthe crueltyof Actipater.

DEMETRIUS.

THOSE
whofirstthoughtthattheartsmightbe motivewith Ismenias
the Thebanmusician,
comparedto the senses,
in the perceptionof who presented
his scholarsbothwith goodand
their respective
objects,appear
to meto have badperformers
on theflute;andusedto say,
well understood the powerby which that per- " Thusyou must play, and, Thus you must
ceptionwas to he formed,the power of dis- not play." And Anligenidas observed," That
tinguishingcontraryqualities;for thistheyhave young menwouldhear able performerswith
in common. But in the mode of distinguish-muchgreater pleasure,afterthey had heard
ing, aswell as in the endof whatis distinguish-badones." In like manner,accordingto my
ed, they evidently differ. The senses, for in opinion, we shall behold and imitate the vir
stance, have no connate power of perceiving tuous with greater attention, if we be not en
a white object more than a black one; what is tirely unacquaintedwith the charactersof the
iweet more than what is bitter; or what is soft vicious and infamous.
and yielding, more than what is hard and solid. In this book, therefore, we shall give the
Their office is to receive impressions from lives of Demetrius surnamedPoliorcetes, and
«uch objects as strike upon them, and to con of Antony the triumvir: men who have most
vey those impressions to the mind. But the remarkably verified that observation of Plato,
operation of the arts is more rational. They " That great parts producegreat vices,as well
are not, like the senses,passive in their per- as virtues." They were equally addicted to
ceptions. They choose or reject what is pro- wine and women; both excellent soldiers,and
per or improper. What is good they attend personsof great munificence; but, at the same
to primarily and intentionally; and what is time, prodigal and insolent. There was the
evil, only accidentally, in order to avoid it. same resemblance in their fortune; for in the
Thus, the art of medicine considersthe nature courseof their lives, they met both with great
of diseases; and music that of discordant success,and great disappointments; now. ex-
sounds, in order to produce their contraries. tendingtheir conquestswith the utmostrapidity,
And the most excellent of all arts, temperance, and now losing all; now falling beyond all ex-
justice,andprudence,teach us to judgenot pectation ; andnowrecoveringthemselves when
only of whatis honourable, just, and useful, .herewasas little prospectof sucha change
but alsoof what is pernicious,disgraceful,and This sim.'aritythere was in their lives; ana
unjust. Thesearts bestowno praiseon that n the concludingscenethere was not much
innocence which boastsof an entire ignorance difference; for the one was taken by his ene-
of vice; in their reckoning,it is rather an ab- mies,anddiedin captivity,andthe other wai
iurd simplicity to beignorant of thosethings, nearsharingthe samefate.
whicheverymanthat is disposedto live vir- Antigonushavingtwo sons by Stratonice,
tuouslyshould makeit his particularcareto the daughterof Corraeus, calledthe oneafter
know. Accordinglythe ancient Spartans, at us brotherDemetrius,andthe other afterhis
their feasts,usedto compelthe helotsto drink ather,Philip. So most historianssay. But
an excessive quantityof wine,andthen bring someaffirmthat Demetriuswaslot the sonof
theminto the public halls where they dined, Antigonus,but his nephew;andthathis father
to shew the young men what drunkennessdying and leaving him an infant, and hid
was. mother soon after marrying Antigonus, he
VVedonot; indeed,think it agreeable,
either was,on that account,consideredas his son.
(n humanityor goodpolicy,to corruptsomeof Philip who wasnot manyyearsyoungerthan
tlie species,in order not to corrupt others. Demetrius,diedat anearlyperiod. Demelrius,
TEet,perhaps,it may not be amissto insert thoughtall, wasnot equalin sizeto hisfather
amongthe restof the lives, afew examples of Anligonus. But his beautyand meinwereso
thosewij<>*veabused theirpowerto thepur- nimitablethatnostatuary
or painter
couldhit
poses" licentiousness,and whoseelevationoffa likeness.
Hiscountenancehada mixture
hasonlvmade theirvicesgreater
andmorecon- of graceanddignity;andwasat onceamiable
spicuous.Not that weadducethemto give andawful;andthe unsubdued andeagerair
pleasure,
or toadornourpaintings withthe if youthwasblended
withthemajesty
of the
graces
of variety;butwedoit fromthesameleroandtheking.Therewasthesame happy
 DEMETRIUS. 617

mixturein bigbehaviour,
whichinspired,
at the werealone,hewroteontheground,with tbo
"me time, both pleasureand awe. In his bottomof hisspear,"Fly, Mithridates.'' The
hoursof leisurea mostagreeable
companion;youngmanunderstanding his danger,fled that
it histable,andeveryspecie!
of entertainment,
night into Cappadocia;
andfatesoonaccom-
of all princesthe mostdelicate;andyet, when plishedthe dreamof Antigonus. For Mithri-
business called, nothingcould equalhisactiv- datesconquered
a rich andextensivecountry,
ity, hisdiligence,
anddespatch.In whichres- andfoundedthe familyof the Pontickings.
pectheimitatedBacchus mostof all thegods; whichcontinued
through
eightsuccessions,
and
iince hewasnot only terriblein war, but knew wasat last destroyedby the Komans. This ii
how to terminate war with peace, and turn a sufficient evidencethat Demetrius was natu-
with the happiestaddress
to thejoys andpleas- rally well inclinedto justice andhumanity.
ureswhichthat inspires. But as,accordingto Einpedocles,love and
His affection for his father was remarkably hatred are the sources of perpetual wars be
great;andin the respecthe paidhis mother,his tweenthe elements,particularlysuchas touch
love for his other parent was very discernible. or approach each other; so among the succes-
His duty was genuine, and not in the least in- sors of Alexander there were continual wars;
fluencedby the considerationsof high station or and the contentions were always the most vio-
power. Demetrius,happeningto comefrom lent wheninflamedby the oppositionof inter-
hunting, when his father was giving audience est, or vicinity of place. This was the caseof
to someambassadors,went up and salutedhim, Antignnus and Ptolemy. Antigonus, while he
and then sat down by him with his javelins in resided in Phrygia, received information that
his hand. After they had received their an- Ptolemy was gone from Cyprus into Syria,
Bwer,and were going away, Antigonus called where he was ravaging the country, and re-
out to them, and said, "You may mention, too, ducing the cities either by solicitation or force.
thehappytermsuponwhichI amwith myson." Upon this he senthis son Demetriusagainst
By whichhe gavethemto understand,
thatthe him, thoughhe wasonly twenty-twoyearsof
harmonyand confidence in which they lived, age; and in tins first command had the greatest
addedstrength to the kingdom, and security to andmosldifftcult affairsto manage.But a young
his power. Soincapableis regalauthority of and unexperienced
manwasunequallymatch-
admitting a partner, so liable to jealousy and ed with a general from the school of Alexan-
hatred,that the greatest and oldest of Alexan- der, who haddistinguished himself in many im-
der's successorsrejoiced that he had no occa- portant combatsunder that prince. According-
uon to fear his own son, but could freely let ly, he w'aadefeated near Gaza; five thousand
him approachhim with his weaponsin his hand. of his men were killed, andeight thousandtaken
Indeed,we may venture to say, that his family prisoners. He lost also his tents, his military
alone,in the course of many successions,was ches*, and his whote equipage. But Ptolemy
free from these evils. Of all the descendantsof sent them back to him, together with his friends,
Antigonus,Philip was the only prince who put adding this generous and obliging message,
his sonto dpath: whereas, in the families of "That they ought only to^ontend for glory
otherkings, nothing is more common than the and empire." When Demetrius received it,
sunders of sons,mothersand wives. As for the he begged of tVie gods, " That he might not
killing of brothers, like a postnlatum in geom- long be Ptolemy's debtor, but soon have it in
etry, it was considered as indisputably neces- his power to return the favour." Nor was he
"ary to the safely of the reigning prince. disconcerted, as most young men would be,
That Demetrius was originally well disposed with such a miscarriage in his first essay. On
by nature to the officesof humanity and friend- the contrary, like a complete general, accus-
"hip, the following is a proof. Mithridates, tomed to the vicissitudes of fortune, he em-
the sonof Ariobarzanes, was of the same age, ployed himself in making new levies and pro-
andhisconstantcompanion.He waslikewise viding arms; he kept the cities to their duty,
one of the attendants of Antigonus, and bore and exercised the troops he had raised.
an unblemishedcharacter. Yet Antigoaus con- As goonas Antigouua was apprised how the
ceived some suspicion of him from a dream. battle %vent,he said, " Ptolemy has, indeed,
He thouguthe entereda large andbeautiful beatenboys,but heshall soonhaveto do with
field, andsowedit with filingsof gold. This men." However,as he did not chooseto re-
produceda crop of the same precious metal; press the spirit of his son, on his request, h«
butcominga little after to visit it, he foundit gavehim permission
to try his fortuneagainby
wascut,andnothingleft butthestalks.As he himself. Not longafterthis,Giles,Ptolemy^
was in great distress about his loss, he heard general, undertook to drive Demetrius entire-
tome peoplesay, that. Mithridates had reaped ly out of Syria: for which purposehe brought
the goldenharvest,and wasgonewith it to- with him a numerousarmy, though he held
wards the Euxmc sea. him in contempt on account of his late defeat.
Disturbedat thia dream,he communicatedBut Demetrius,by a suddenattack,struckhia
it to his son, having first made him swear to adversaries with such a panic that both the
keepit secret,
and,at thesame
time,informedcampand the generalfell intohishands,
to-
him of his absolutedeterminationto destroy gether with veryconsiderabletreasures. Yet
Mithridates.Demetrius
wasexceedingly
con- hedid notconsider
thegain,buttheabilityto
cernedat theaffair; but tnoughhis friend wait- give: nor so muchvaluedthe glory andriches
ed on him as usual,that they might pursue whichthis advantagebroughthim, as its ena
theirdiversions togcthti,ne durst notspeakblinghimto requitethegenerosityof Ptolemy.
to him on the subject,cti.iusi.-of his oath. He wasnot, however,
for proceedinguponnil
By degrees, however,hedrewhimasidefrom ownjudgment;heconsulted his father;and,
(he real of his companions; and whentliev on his free permission to act as hethought
618 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
proper,loaded Cillesandhis friendswithhis confusionfollowed,whichwasnaturalwhea
favours,and sentthembackto theirmaster.anenemy cameunexpected, andwanalready
By this turn of affairs,Ptolemy
losthisfoot- landing.For Demetrius
findingthemoulho?
ing in Syria; and Antigonusmarcheddown the harbouropen, ran in with ease;and the
from Colons,rejoicingin hisson'ssuccess,
peoplecouldplainlydistinguish
himon the
and impatientto embracehim. deckof hisship,whencehn madesignsto them
Demetrius,after this, beinggentto subdue to compose themselves andkeepsilence. They
the NabathxanArabs,foundhimself in great compliedwith his demand;and a heraldwas
danger,by falling into a desertcountry,which orderedto proclaim," That hisfatherAntigo-
affordedno water. But the barbarians, aston- nus,in a happyhour,hehoped,for Athens,had
ishedat his uncommon intrepidity,did not ven- senthim to reinstatethem in their liberties,
ture to attack him, andhe retired with a con- by expellingthe garrison,andto restoretheir
siderablebooty; amongstwhich were seven lawsandanciefltformof government."
hundredcamels. Uponthis proclamation,the peoplethrew
AntigonushadformerlytakenBabylonfrom down their arms, and receivingthe proposal
Seleucus; but he had recovered it by hia own with loud acclamations, desired Demetrius to
arms; and was now marching with his main land, and called him their benefactor and
army, to reduce the nations which bordered deliverer. Demetrius, the Phalerian, and bis
upon India, and the provinces about Mount partisans, thought it necessaryto receivea man
Caucasus.
MeantimeDemetrius, hopingto find who camewith sucha superiorforce, though
Mesopotamiaunguarded, suddenlypassedthe he shouldperform none of his promises,and
Euphrates,andfell uponBabylon.There were accordinglysent deputiesto make their sub-
two strong castlesin that city; but by this man- mission. Demetrius receivedthem in an oblig-
oeuvre in the ibsence of Seleucua, he seized ing manner, and sent back wit> them Aristo-
one of them, dislodgedthe garrison, and placed demus, the Milesian, a friend of his father's-
there seven thousand of his own men. After At the same time, he was not unmindful of
this, he ordered the rest of his soldiersto plun- Demetrius, the Phalerian, who, in this revo-
der the country for their own use,and then re- lution, was more afraid of the citizens than of
turned to the seacoast. By these proceedings, the enemy; but out of regard to his charac-
oe left Seleucus better establishedin his do- ter and virtue, sent him with a strong convoy
minions than ever; for his laying wastethe coun- to Thebes, agreeably to his request. He like-
try, seemedas if hehad no farther claim to it. wise assured the Athenians, that however de-
In his return through Syria, he was inform- sirous he might be to seetheir city, he would
ed that Ptolemy was besiegingHulicarnassus; deny himself that pleasuretill he had set it en-
upon winch he hastenedto its relief, and oblig- tirely free, by expelling the garrison. He there-
ed him to retire. As this ambition to succour fore surrounded the fortress of Munycbia with
the distressedgainedAnUgonus and Demetrius a ditch and rampart, to cut off its communi-
great reputation, they conceived a strong de- cation with the rest of the city, and then sail-
sire to rescue all Greece from the slavery it ed to Megara, where Cassanderhad another
was held in by Cassanderand Ptolemy. No garrison.
prince ever engagedin a morejust andhon- On his arrival,he wasinformed,that Crate-
ourablewar. For they employedthe wealth sipolis,the wifeof Alexanderthe son of Poly-
which theyhad gainedby the conquestof the perchon,a celebratedbeauty,wasat Patra,
barbarians,for the advantage of the Greeks; andhada desireto seehim. In consequence
solely with a view to the honourthat suchan of which he left his forcesin the territory of
enterprisepromised. Megara,and with a few light horsetookthe
Whentheyhadresolved
tobegintheiroper-roadto Patra. Whenhewasneartheplace,
ations with Athens,one of his friendsadvisedhedrew off from his men,andpitchedhis tent
Antigonus, if hetook the city, to keepit, as apart,that Cratesipolismight not be perceiv
thekeyof Greece;butthatprincewouldnot edwhenshecameto pay her visit. But a
listen to him. He said, "The bestandsecur- partyof the enemygettingintelligenceof this,
est of all keyswasthefriendship
of thepeo-fellsuddenlyuponhim. In hisalarm,hehad
ple; and that Athenswasthewatch-tower of onlytime to throwoverhima meancloak;
theworld,fromwhence thetorchof hisglory and,in that disguise,
savedhimselfby flight.
would blaze over the earth." So near an infamous captivity had his intem-
In consequence
of theseresolutions,
Deme-perateloveof beautybrought
him. Asfor his
trius sailed to Athens with five thousandtal- tent, the enemy took it, with all the riches it
entsof silver, anda fleet of two hundredand contained.
fiftyships.Demetrius,
thePhalenan,
govern- AfterMegara
wsstaken,thesoldiers
pre-
edthecityfor Cassander, andhada goodgar- paredto plunderit; but theAthenians
inter-
risonin thefort of Munychia.His adversary,
cededstrongly
for thatpeople,and prevailed.
whomanaged the affair,bothwithprudence Demetriuswassatisfied withexpelling the
andgoodfortune,made hisappearance beforegarrison,
anddeclared the cityfree. Amidst
thePirausonthetwenty-fifth ofMay.* The thesetransactions, hebethought himselfof
townhadnoinformation of hisapproach; and Stilpo,aphilosopher
of greatreputation,
who
whentheysawhisfleetcoming in, theycon-soughtonlytheretirementandtranquillityof
cludedthatit belonged to Ptolemy, andpre-a studiouslife. He sentforhim,andasked
paredto receive it as such.Butat lastthe him," Whether theyhadtaken anything
from
officers
whocommanded in thecity,being un- him?""No," saidStilpo,"I foundnone
deceived,
rantooppose it. All thetumultand that wanted to stealanyknowledge." The
soldiers, however,had clandestinely
carried
off almost all the slaves. Therefore, when
" ThaTgeKan.
 DEMETRIUS. 619
Demetriuspaid hie respectsto him again,on This Stratoclcewas,in all respects,a person
leavingthe place,he said," Stilpo,I leaveof themostdaringeffrontery andthemostde-
jou entirelyf-ee." " True,"answeredStilpo, bauched life, insomuch
that heseemed
to imi-
" for youhavenotleft a slaveamongus." tate theancientCleonin hisscurrilousand
Demetrius then returned to the siege of licentiousbehaviour to the people. He kepta
Munychia,dislodgedthe garrison,anddemol- mistresscalledPhylacium;andonedny,when
ishedtlie fortress. After wlrch the Athenians she broughtfrom the market someheadsfor
pressed
himto enterthecity,andhecomplied.supper,he said,"Why how now!youhave
Having assembledthe people, he re-established provided us just such things to eat, as we
the commonwealth in its ancient form; and, statesmenuse for tennis-balls."
moreover,promisedthem, in the nameof his When the Athenianswere defeatedin the
father,a hundredandfifty thousandmeasures*sea-fightnearAmorgos,he arrived at Athena
of wheat,andtimberenoughto builda hundred beforeany accountof the misfortunehadbeen
galleys. Thus they recoveredthe democracyreceived,and passingthrough the Ceramicus
fifteen yearsafter it wasdissolved. During with a chapleton his head, told the people
the interval, after the Lamian war, and the bat- that they were victorious. He then moved that
tle of Cranon, the government was called an sacrifices of thanksgiving should be offered,
oligarchy,but in fact,wasmonarchical;for the and meatdistributedamong the tribes for a
powerof Demetrius,the Pbalerean,met with public entertainment. Two days after, the
no control. poor remains of the fleet were brought home;
Their deliverer appearedglorious in his ser- and the people, in great anger, calling him to
vices to Athens; but they rendered him ob- answer for the imposition; he made his ap-
noiious by the extravaganthonoursthey de- pearance
in the heightof the tumult, with the
creed him. For they were the first who gave most consummateassurance,and said, " What
him and his father Antigonus the title of kings, harm have I done you, in making you merry
which they had hitherto religiouslyavoided; for two days?" Suchwas the impudenceof
and which was, indeed, the only tiling left the Stratocles.
descendants of Philip and Alexander, unin- But therewere other extravagances hotter
vadedby their generals. In the next place, than fire itself, asAristophanesexpresses it.
theyalonef honouredthem with the appella- OneflattereroutdidevenStratoclesin servility,
tion of the gods-protectors;and, insteadof by procuring a decreethat Demetrius,when-
denominating the year as formerly,from the everhe visitedAthens,shouldbereceivedwith
arc/ion, theyabolishedhis office,createdan- the samehonoursthat were paidto Ceresand
nuallyin his rooma priestof thosegods-pro-Bacchus;andthat whoeverexceededthe rest
tectors,andprefixedhis nameto all their pub- in the splendourand magnificenceof the re-
lic acts. They likewise ordered that their por- ception he gave that prince, should have money
traitsshouldbe wroughtin the holy veil with out of the treasury,to enablehim to setup some
thoseof the other gods.J They consecratedthe pious memorial of his success. These instance*
placewhere their patron first alighted from his of adulation concluded with their changing the
chariot, and erected an altar there to DEME- name of the month J\Iunychion to Demetrion,
TRIUSCatabates. They added two to the with calling the last day of every month Deme
numberof their tribes, and called them De- trias; andthe Dionysia, or feastsof Bacchus,
metrius and Jlntigonia; in consequence of Demetria.
which the senate, which before consisted of The gods soon shewed how much they were
five hundred members, was to consist of six offendedat these things. For the veil in which
hundred;for eachtribe suppliedfifty. werewroughtthe figuresof DemetriusandAu-
Stratocles, of whose invention these wise tigonus, along with those of Jupiter and Miner-
compliments were, thought of a stroke still va, as they carried it through the Cermricut,
higher. He procured a decree, that those who was rent asunder by a sudden storm of wind.
should be sent upon public business from the Hemlock grew up in great quantities round the
commonwealth of Athens to Antigonus and altars of those princes, though it is a plantsel-
Demetrius, should not be called ambassadors, dom found in that country. On the day when
but Theuri, a title which had been appropri- the Dionysia were to becelebrated, they wei*
ated to those who, on the solemn festivals, forced to put a stop to the procession by the
carriedthe customarysacrificesto Delphi and excessive
cold,whichcameentirelyout of sea
Olympia, in the name of the Grecian states. "on; and there fell so strong a hoar frost, that
it blasted not only the vines and fig-trees, but
* MedimDi. great part of the corn in the blade. Hence,
t Nootherpeople werefoundcapable ofsuch
Tile Philippidas,
whowasanenemyto Stratocles,
adulation. Theirservility shewed howlitlletheydc- thusattackedhim in oneof his comedies:-
"ened Ihe liberty tint was restored them.
1 Every fifth year the Athenians celebrated the Pan- " Who was the wicked cause of our vines be-
atnerurtL,
or festivalof Minerva,
andcarriedin pro- ing blastedby the frost,andof the sacredveil's
Cewion
thePeplwm,or holy veil, in which the defeat being rent asunder? He who transferred the
of theTitans,
andtheactions
of Minerva,
werein- honours
of thegodsto men:it is he,notcom-
wrought. In thisveil, too,theyplacedthe figuresof edy,* that is the ruin of the people." Phi-
thosecommanders whohaddistinguished themselvesby
theirrictories;
andfromthence
came
theexpression,
lippides,
enjoyod
thefriendship
of Lysimachus,
thatsjchaone
was
worthy
of t'ne
Peplum;
fhat he was a brave soldier.
meaning
As to the form of the
aridtheAthenians
received
many
favours
from
Peyj/um,
it wasa largerobe,
wilhout
sleeves.
It was " It isprobable
thatSiratocles,
andtheotherper.
drawnbyland,in a machine
like a ship,alonethe sonsof hischaracter,
inveighed
againstthedramatic
Cer«mciu»,
asfarasthethetempleof Ceres
atEieu- writers,onaccount
oftheliberties
theylookwilhtheir
""",' from whenceit wasbrought back,and cooac- vices. Thoughthis wasafter thetime that themiddlt
trmtedin the citadel comtdyprevailedat Allieaj.
 620 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
thatprinceon hisaccount.Nay,whenever anddefealed
him. Ptolemy
himselfsoon
aftei
Lyeimachuswaswaitedon by thiepoet,or madehisappearance
witha greatnumberof
happened to meethim,heconsidered il as a landforces,
anda considerable
fleet Onwhich
goodomen,and ahappytimeto enteruponany occasion, severalmenacing
andhaughty mes-
greatbusiness
orimportant
expedition.Besides,sages passed
betweenthem.Ptolemy badeDe-
he wasa manof excellentcharacter,neverim- nictriu: depart, before he collected all hii
portunate,intriguing,orover
officious,
like those forcesandtrod him underfoot;andDemethui
whoarebredina court.Oneday,Lysimachue
said,hewouldlei Ptolemy
go,if hewouldpro-
Calledto him in themostobligingmanner,and raiselo evacuateSicyonandCorinth.
"aid, " What is thereof minethat you would The approaching battleawakedIheattcntioi
"harein?" "Anything,"saidhe, " butyour nol onlyof the partiesconcerned, but of all
secrets."I havepurposely contrasted theseotherprinces;for, besidesthe uncertaintyof
characters,
thatthedifference maybeobvioustheevent,so muchdepended uponit thatthe
between thecomicwriterandthedemagogue. conqueror wouldnol bemaslerof Cyprusand
What exceeded all the rageof flatterywe Cyriaalone,bul superior to all hisrivals10
havementioned, wasthedecreeproposed by power.Plolemyadvanced witha hundredand
Dromochdes theSpheltian; according to which fiftyships,andhe hadorderedMenelaus, wilh
they were to consultthe oracleof Demetrius, sixtymore,to comeoutof theharbourof Sala-
asto themannerin whichtheywereto dedi-mis,in theheatof thebattle,andputtheenemy
catecertainshieldsat Delphi. It wascon in disorder,by fallingon his rear. Against
ceivedin theseterms:"In a fortunatehour ihcsesixlyships,Demetrius
appointed a gutd
be il decreedby the people,that a citizen of often, for thai numberwassulhricnlto bl/ok
Athensbeappointedto goto thegodprotector, upthe mouthof the harbour His landfo.cei
and,afterduesacrifices offered,demand of De- herangedon the adjoiningproniontorieiand
metrius,the god protector,what will be the then boredownuponhis adversary with < hun-
most pious,the most honourableandexpedi- dred and eightyships. This he did w.th so
tiousmethodof consecrating theintendedoffer- muchimpetuosity thai Ptolemycouldnotstand
ings. And it is herebyenacted,thatthepeople the shock,but wasdefealed,andfledwith eight
of Athenswill follow the methoddictated by shipsonly,whichwereall lhal hesaved. For
his oracle." Bv this mockeryof incenseto his seventywere takenwith their crews,andthe
vanity, whowasscarcelyin his senses before, restweresunkin the engagement.His numer-
theyrenderedhim perfectlyinsane. ous train, his servants,friends,wives,arms,
During his stayat Athens,be marriedEury- money,andmachines, lhat werestationed near
dice, a descendant of the ancientMiltiadcs, the (leetin transports,
all fell into the handsof
whowasthewidowof Opheliaskingof Cyrene, Demetrius,andhecarriedthemto his camp.
andhadreturnedto Athensafterhisdeath.The Amongthesewasthe celebrated Lamia,who
Athenians reckoned this a particular favour and al first was only taken notice of for her per-
honour lo iheir city; thoughDemetriusmade formingon Ihe flute, whichwas by no meani
no sort of difficulty of marrying,andhadmany contemptible,
butafterwardsbecame
famcusas
wivesat the sametime. Of all bis wives,he a courtesan. By ihis time her beautywas"a
paid most respect to Phila, becauseshewas the the wane,yet shecaptivated Demetrius, though
daughter of A ntipater, and had been married lo not near her age, and so effectually enslaved
Craterus, who, of all Ihe successorsof Alexan- him by the peculiar power of her address,that,
der, was most regretted by the Macedonians. though other women had a passionfor him, he
Demetrius was very young when his father could only think of her.
persuadedhim to marryher, though she was After thesea-fight, Menelausmadenofurther
advancedin life, and on that accountunfit for resistance,
butsurrendered Salamiswith all the
him. As hewasdisinclinedto the match,An- ships,andthe land forces,whichconsistedof
tigonus is said to have repeatedto him that twelvehundredhorse,andtwelvethousand foot.
verseof Euripides,with a happyparody: This victory, so great in itself, Demetrius
WhcD
fortune
spreads
herstores,
weyieldtomarriage
rendered
still moreglorious
bygenerosity
and
Agaiutltlie bentof nature. humanily,in giving the enemy'sdeadan hon
Only puttingmarriageinsteadof bondage.Durableinterment,
and sellingtheprisoners
However,the respectwhichDemetriuspaid ree. He selected
twelvehundredcomplete
Philaandhis otherwiveswasnol of sucha na- suits of armourfrom Ihe spoils,and bestow-
turebutlhathepublicly
entertained
many
mis-edthemontheAthenians.
Aiistodemus,
t.he
tresses,
aswellslavesasfree-born
women, and Milesian,wasIhepersonhesenlto hisfather
wasmoreinfamousforhisexcesses
of thatsort, with an accountof Iheviclory. Of all the
lhananyotherprince
ofhistime. courtiers,
ihis manwasibeboldesl
flatterer,
Meantimehisfathercalledhimto takethe and, on the presentoccasion,
he designed
conduct of thewaragainsl Plolemy; andhe to outdohimself.Whenhe arrived onth«
found il necessary
loobey him.Buiasil gavecoasl ofSyria fromCyprus,
hewould nolsuf-
himpaintoleave thewarhehadundertaken for er theshipto makeland;bulorderingit to
thelibertiesofGreece,which wassomuch moreanchor atadistance,andall thecompany lo
advantageous in pointofglory,hesentto Clco-remainin it, hetooktheboat,andwenlon
nidcs,whocommanded forPumpey in Sicyon shorealone.Headvanced lowardsthepalace
andCorinth, andoffered hima pecuniarycon-of Antigonus, who waswatching for lhs>
sideration,
oncondition
thaihewould
setihoseevenlof ihisbailie,wiihallIhesohcilude
citiesfree. Cleonides
not accepting
thepro- naturalto a manwhohassogreata concern
posal,
Demetrius
immediately
embarked
hisatstake.
Assoon
ashewas
informed
that
troops,
andsailed
toCyprus.
Therehehad
an he messenger
wascominghisanxiety
in-
engagement
withMenelaus,
brother
loPtolemy,
creased
tosuch
adegree
lhalhecould
scare*
 DEMETRIUS. 621

keepwithin hispalace. He senthis officersandhisgreatsizeandweightdisqualified him

andfriends,oneafteranother,
to Aristodcmus,for war,still morethanhisage.He therefore,
to demand whatintelligence
hebrought.But, left themilitarydepartment to hisson,whoby
insteadof givinganyof theman answer, he hisgoodfortune,as well as ability,managed
walkedon with greateilenceandsolemnity.it inthehappiest manner.NorwasAnligonui
Thekingbythistimemuchalarmed, andhav- hurtby hk son'sdebaucheries, his expensive
ingno longerpatience, went to the doorto appearance, or hislongcarousals: for these
meethim. A greatcrowdwasgatheredabout werethe thingsin whichDemetriusemployed
Aristodcmus,and the people were running himselfin time of peacewith the utmostlicen-
from all quartersto the palace to hear the tiousness
andmost unbounded avidity. But in
news.When hewasnearenoughto be heard, war, no man, howevernaturally temperate,
he stretched out his band, and cried aloud, exceededhim in sobriety.
"Hail to king Antigonus! we have totally When the power that Lamia hadoverhim
beatenPtolemy at sea; we are masters of Cy- was evident to all the world, Demetrius came,
prus, and have made sixteenthousandeight after someexpeditionor other, to salutehis
hundred prisoners."Antigonusanswered, "Hail father, and kissed him so cordially, thnt he
to you too, my goodfriend; but I will punish laughedandsaid," Surely,my son,you think
you for torturing us so long; you shall wait you are kissingLamia." Oncewhen he had
long for your reward." been spending many dayswith his friends over
The peoplenow, for the first time, proclaim- the bottle, he excused himself at his return to
edAntigonusandDemetriuskings. Antigonus courtby saying," That he hadbeenhindered
had the diadem immediately put on by his by a defluxion." " So I heard," said Antigonus,
friends. He sent one to Demetrius; and in the "but whether was the defluxion from Thasos
letterthat accompanied it, addressed
him un- or from Chios?"Anothertime, beinginformed
derthe style of king. The Egyptians,when that he was indisposed,
he went to see him;
theywereapprizedof this circumstance, gave andwhen hecameto the door,he met oneof
Ptolemy likewise the title of king, that they his favourites going out. He went in, however,
might not appearto be dispirited with their late and sitting down by him, took hold of his hand,
defeat. The other successorsof Alexander Demetrius said, his fever had now left him.
caughteagerlyat the opportunityto aggrandize" I know it," saidAntigonus," for I metit this
themselves.Lysimachus took the diadem; and moment,at the door." With such mildnesshe
Seleucusdid the same in his transactions with treated his son's faults, out of regard to his ex-
theGreeks.The latterhadworn it sometime, cellentperformances.It is the customof the
when he gave audience to the barbarians. Scythians in the midst of their carousals to
Cassanderalone, while others wrote to him, strike the strings of their bows, to recal, as it
»nd saluted him as king, prefixed hia name to were, their courage which is melting away in
thelettersin the samemanneras formerly. pleasure. But Demetriusonewhilegavehim-
This title proved not a mere addition to their self up entirely to pleasure, and another whila
nameand figure. It gave them higher notions. to business; he did not intermix them. Hii
It introduced a pompousnessinto their man- military talents, therefore, did not suffer by his
ners,and self-importance into their discourse. attentions of a gayer kind.
Just as tragedians,when they take the habit of Nay, he seemedto shew greater abilities in
tings, change their gait, their voice, their his preparationsfor war than in the useof them.
whole deportment, and manner of address. He was not content unless he had stores that
After this they became more severe in their were more than sufficient. There was some
judicial capacity;for they laid asidethat dis- thing peculiarlygreat in theconstructionof his
simulationwith which they had concealedtheir ships and engines, and he took an unwearied
power, and which had madethem much milder pleasure in the inventing of new ones. For he
andmore favourableto their subjects. So much was ingenious in the speculative part of me-
could one word of a flatterer do! such a change chanics; and he did not, like other princes,
did it effectin the wholefaceof the world! applyhis tasteand knowledgeof thoseartsto
Antigonus, elated with his son's achieve- the purposesof diversion, or to pursuits of no,
mentsat Cyprus,immediatelymarchedagainst utility, suchas playingon the flute, painting,
Ptolemy;commanding his land forcesin per- or turning.
"on, while Demetriiii, with a powerful fleet at- -Eropus, king of Macedon, spent his hours
tendedhim along the coast. One of Antigo- of leisure in making little tables and lamps.
nus'efriends, namedMedius, had the event of Attalus,* suroamed Philometer,t amused him-
this expeditioncommunicatedto him in a self with planting poisonousherbs, not only
dream. He thoughtthat Antigonus and his henbaneandhellebore,but hemlock,aconite,
wholearmywere runninga race. At first he and dorycnium.f Thesehe cultivatedin the
"ecmedto run with great swiftness and force; royal gardens, and besides gathering them a
but afterwardshis strengthgradually abated; their properseasons,made it his businessto
"nd, on turning,he becamevery weak, and
drewhis breathwith suchpain, that he could * Plutarch doeinotdothathonourto Attalus
which
"carce recover himself. Accordingly, Antigo- hedeserves,
whenhemcntiov his employments
a«un-
nuametwithmanydifficulties
at land,andDe- worthyof a prince.
Hemade many ciperimenU n
naturalphilosophy,
metrius encountered such a storm at sea, that andwrott a treatiseonagricul-
hewasin dangerof beingdriven upon an im- ture. Otherkings,particularlyHicro andArchelauj,
did the same.
practicableshore. In this storm he lost many t This is a mistakein Plutarch. PhilomcterWM
of his ships,andreturnedwithout effectingany another
princewhomade
agriculture
hisamusement,
thing. t Dorycnium
wasacommon
poitonous
plant,
which;
Antigorus
wasnowlittle shortof eighty;was
with 10
lUcalled
juices.from
thepoiutiofcpcari
being
tinged
RB
622 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
knowthe qualitiesof their juicesandfruit. AstheRhodians
defended
themselves
wito
Andthekings
of Parthia
tookapride
in forg-great
spirit,
Demetrius
wasnotabletodoany
ingandsharpening
heads
forarrows.Butthe thingconsiderable.Therewasonethingin
mechanicsof Demetrius
wereof a princelytheirconduct whichheparticularly
resented,
kind;therewasalways
something
greatin the andforthatreason
hepersisted
in thesiege.
fabric. Together
witha spiritof curiosity
and Theyhadtakenthevessel
in whichwerelet-
loveof thearts,thereappeared
inall hisworkster*fromhiswifePhila,together
withsome
agrandeur of designanddignityof invention,
robes andpieces
of tapestry,
andtheysentit,
10that theywerenotonly worthyof thege- asit was,to Ptolemy.In whichtheywerefal
niusandwealth
butofthehandofa king.His fromimitating
thepoliteness
oftheAthenians,
friends
wereastonished
attheirgreatness,
andwho,whentheywereatwarwithPhilip,hap-
bisveryenemies werepleased withtheirbeau-peningto takehiscouriers, readall theother
ty. Nor Isthisdescription
of himat all exag-letters,butsenthimthatof Olympias withth«
gerated. His enemiesusedto standuponthe sealentire.
shore,
looking
withadmiration
uponhisgalleys ButDemetrius,
though
muchincensed,
did
of fifteenor sixteenbanksof oars,astheysail- notretaliate
upontheRhodians,
thoughhesoon
ed along;and hisengines calledhelepoles, hadan opportunity.Protogenesof Caunoi
werea pleasing
spectacle
to theverytownswasatthattimepainting
forthemthehistory
whichhebesieged.
Thisis evidentfromfacts. of Jalysus,*
andhad almostfinishedit when
Lysimachus, who of all the princes of his time Demetrius seizedit in one of the suburbs. The
wasthe bitterestenemyto Demetrius, whenRhodians senta heraldto entreat
himto spare
hecameto compelhim to raisethe siegeof the work,andnot sufferit to be destroyed.
Soli in Silicia,deeired
hewouldshewhimhis Uponwhichhesaid," Hewouldratherbum
engines of war,andhis manner of navigatingthepictures
of hisfatherthanhurtsolaborious
the galleys; and he was so struck with the a pieceof art." For Protogenes
is saidto have
light that he immediately
retired. Andthe beenseven
yearsin finishingit. Apellestells
Rhodians,afterthey had stooda long siege, us,that whenhe first sawit, he was so much
and at last compromisedthe affair, requestedastonished that hecouldnotspeak; andat last,
him to leave someof his engines,as monu- when he recoveredhimself,hesaid," A mas-
mentsboth of his powerandof their valour. ter-pieceof labour! A wonderfulperformance!
His war with the RhodianswasoccasionedBut it wants those graceswhich raise the
by their alliance with Ptolemy;and in the fameof my paintingsto the skies." This piece
courseof it he broughtthe largestof his hele- was afterwardscarried to Rome: and,being
polesup to their walls. Its basewas square; addedto the numberof thosecollectedthere,
eachof ita sidesat the bottomforty-eightcubits was destroyedby fire. The Rhodiansnow
wide;and it was sixty-sixcubits high. The beganto grow wearyof the war. Demetriui
sidesof the severaldivisionsgraduallylessened,too wantedonly a pretenceto put an endto
so that the top was much narrower than the it, and he found one. The Athenianscame
bottom. The inside was divided into several and reconciled them on this condition, that the
itorics or rooms, one aboveanother. The front Rhodians should assist Antigonus and Demet-
which was turned towardsthe enemyhad a rius as allies,in all their wars exceptthose
window in eachstory,throughwhich missive with Ptolemy.
weapons of various kinds were thrown: for it At the same time the Athenians called him
was filled with men who practised every meth- to their succour against Cassander,who was
od of fighting. It neithershooknor veeredthe besieging
their city. In consequence
of which
least in its motion, but rolled on in a steady he sailed thither with a fleet of three hundred
uprightposition. And as it movedwith a hor- andthirty ships,anda numerousbodyof land
rible noise,it at oncepleasedandterrifiedthe forces. With thesehe not only droveGas
spectators.* sander out of Attica, but followed him to
He hadtwo coatsof mail broughtfrom Cy- Thermopylae,
andentirelydefeatedhim there.
prus,! l°r 'lls use m tn'a war>eacnof which
weighed forty minx. Zolius, the maker, to
chew the excellence of their temper, ordered a 1We havenot metwith the particularsubjectof
dart to be shot at themfrom an engineat ihe thisfamous
painting.Jatysus
wasoneof thefabulouj
distance
of twenty-sixpaces;and it stoodso heroes,the
and there iseon of Uchimus,
a town and
in Rhodes grandson
called of Apollo;
Jalysuj, which
firm that there was no more mark upon it than probably had its namefrom him. It was in this pic-
what ,jnightbe madewith such a style as is turethatProtogenes,
whenhehadlonglaboured
in
used in writing. This he took for himself, and vainto paintthe formof a dog,happilyhit it off, by
gavetheotherto Alcimusthe Epirot,a man throwing
thebrush
inanger
atthedog's
mouth.
-Eli-
of thegreatest
bravery
andstrength
of anyin an, aswellas
in finishingit.Plutarch,
says,
Plinytellsus,that hegave
that he was
seven
it fourycarl
coati
bisarmy. The Epirot'swholesuit of armourofcolours,
thatwhen
one
waseflaced
oytime,
another
weighedtwo talents,whereasthat of others mightsupplyits place.He tellsus,too,thatwhile
weighedno more than one. He fell in the Protogenes
wasatwork,hewasvisited byDemetriuj,
liegeof Rhodes,
in anactionnearthetheatre.and wnen
his work the
withlatter
asked
so much himhow
calmness hecould
under theprosecute
rage of
" war, he answered,that " ThoughDemetriuswa»at
* DiodorusSiculuasays,this machine
had nineslo- war with Rhodes,hedid not suppose
hewasat war
ri»; andthatit rolledonfourlargewheels,eachof withtheArts." He is saidto nave livedonlupines
whichwassixteen feethigh. duringthetimehewasemployed onthispainting,that
f Plu.j says,
thattheCyprian Adamant wasimpreg-hisjudgment mightnotbeclouded
byluiuriousdiet.
nable.Cypr'Js wasfamous forthemetalof whicnar- The picturewasbroughtto Romeby Cauius, icd
mourwasmade, evenin thetimeof theTrojanwar; placed in theTempleof peace,
whereit remaia1tiL
andAgamemnon hadacuirass senthimfromCyniras,thetimeof Commodus; when,togetherwithth tem-
king of Cvpriu. Horn.11.«i ple,it wasconsumed byfire.
 DEMETRIUS. 623

Heracleathenvoluntarilysubmitted,andhe re- solved,that whatsoever

thingDemetriusmight
ceived into his army six thousandMacedonians command,should be accountedholy in respect
whocameover to him In his return he restor- of the gods,andjust in respectof men." Som4
ed libertyto the Greekswithin the straits of personof betterprincipleonthis occasionhap-
Thermopylae, took the Boeotians,
into his alli- peningto say,that Stratocleswasmadin pro-
ance,andmade himself masterof CenchreiE.posingsuchdecress,Demochares the Leuco-
He likewise reduced Phyle and Panactus, the nian* answered: " He would be mad, if ha
bulwarks of Attica, which had beengarrisoned were not mad." Stratocles found bis advantage
by Cassander,and put them in the handsof the in his servility; andfor this saying, Demochares
Atheniansagain. The Athenians,thoughthey wasprosecuted
andbanishedthecity. To such
had lavished honours upon him before in the meannesseswere the Athenians brought, when
most extravagantmanner,yet contrived on this the garrison seemedto be removedout of their
occasionto appearnew in their flattery. They city, and they pretended to be a free people!
gave ordersthat he shouldlodgein the back Demetriusafterwardspassedinto Pelopon-
part of the Parthenon;which accordinglyhe nesus,wherehe foundno resistance,
for all hia
did, and Minerva was said to have received enemiesfled before him, or surrendered their
him as her guest; a guest not very fit to come cities. He therefore reduced with ease that
underher roof,or suitableto her virgin purity. part of the countrycalledJlcte, andall Arca-
In one of their expeditionshis brother Philip dia, except Mantinea. Argos, Sicyon, and Co-
tookup his quartersin a housewherethere rinth, he setfreefromtheirgarrisons,by giving
werethreeyoungwomen. His fatherAntigo- the commandingofficersa hundredtalentsto
nus said nothing to Philip, but called the quar- evacuate them. About that time the tasts of
ter-master, and said to him in his presence, Juno came on at Argos, and Demetrius presid-
* Why donot you removemy sonout of this ed in the gamesandother exhibitions.During
Judging,wherehe is so much straitenedfor these solemnitieshe married Deidamia,the
room?" And Demetrius, who ought to have daughter of ^Ecides, king of the Molossians,
reverencedMinerva, if on no other account, and sister of Pyrrhus. He told the Sicyonians
jet as his eldestsister, (for so he affectedto that they lived out of their city, and shewing
call her), behavedin such a manner to persons them a more advantageoussituation, persuad-
of both sexes who were above the condition of ed them to build one where the town now
slaves,and the citadel was so polluted with his stands. Along with the situation he likewise
debaucheries,that it appeared to be kept sa- changedthe name, calling the town Demetnas,
cred in somedegree,when he indulged himself instead of Sicyon.
onlywith suchprostitutesas Chrysis,Lamia, The statesbeingassembled
at the Isthmus,
Demo, and Anticyra. and a prodigious number of people attending,
Some things we chooseto passover, out of he was proclaimed general of all Greece, aa
regardto the character of the city of Athens; Philip and Alexander had been before; and in
butthe virtue andchastityof Democlesought the elationof powerand success,he thought
not to be left under the veil of silence. Demo- himself a much greater man. Alexander robbed
cles was very young; and his beauty was no no other prince of his title, nor did he ever de-
lecret to Demetrius. Indeed; his surnameun- clare himself king of kings, though he raised
happilydeclared
it, for hewascalledDemoclesmanybothto the styleand authorityof kings.
the handsome. Demetrius, through his emis- But Demetrius thought no man worthy of tiat
saries,left nothing unatlemptedto gain him by title, except his father and himself. He eveo
great offers, or to intimidate hirn by threats; ridiculed those who made use of it, and it was
butneithercouldprevail.He left the wrestling with pleasureheheard the sycophants
at tu«
ring andall public exercises,and made uscor.ly table drinking king Demetrius, Seleucua com-
of a privatebath. Demetriuswatchedhie op- manderof the elephants,
Ptolemyadmiral,Ly-
portunity,andsurprisedhim therealone. The simachustreasurer,andAgathocles
the Sicili-
boyseeing
nobody
nearto assisthim,andthe an,governor
of theislands.The restof them
impossibility of resisting with any effect, took only laughed at such extravagant instances of
offthe coverof the caldron, andjumpedinto vanity. Lyeimachusalonewasangry,because
the boiling water. It is true, he came to an Demetrius seemedto think him no better than
unworthyend, but his sentiments
were worthy an eunuch.For the princesof theeasthadgen-
of his country and of his personal merit. erally eunuchsfor their treasurers. Lysima-
Very different were those of Cleametus the chus, indeed, was the most violent enemy that
ton of Cleomedon. That youth having pro- he had; ind now taking an opportunity to dis-
cured his father the remission of a fine of fifty parage him on account of his passion for La-
talents,brought letters from Deme'.rius to the mia, he said, " This was the first time he had
people,signifying his pleasure in that respect. seen a whore act in a tragedy."! Demetrius
By whichhe not only dishonoured
himself,but said in answer,"My whore is an honcsler
brought great trouble upon the city. The peo- woman than his Penelope."
pletook off the fine, but at the sametime they When he waspreparingto returnto Athens,
madea decree, that no citizen should for the he wrote to the republic, that en his arrival he
futurebringanyletterfrom Demetrius.Yet intended
to beinitiated,andto beimmediately
whentheyfound that Demetriuswasdisoblig- admitted,not only to the lessmysteries,but
edat it, andexpressed
hisresentmentin strong evento thosecalled intuitive. This wasun-
terms, they not only repealed the act, but pun-
ishedthepersons
whoproposed
andsupported " Thenephew
of Demosthenes.
it, some
with death,
andsomewithbanish-thist The modern stageneed nolbeputtotheblush, by
assertionin favour of Die ancient; the reasonof il
ment. They likewisepisseda new edict,im- was,that therewere no womenaciuri. Men,in ("
porting;"That thepeopleof Athenshad re- male
dresses,
performed
theirparts.
624 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
fawfulandunprecedented;
fortheleasmyste-themanaccount
ofhisbeing
shutnpwiththlt
ries werecelebratedin February*and the wildbeastbyAlexander theGreat,andof the
greaterin September ;t andnonewereadmit-battlehe hadwith it.* Uponwhich they
ted to the intuitivetill a yearat leastafter laughed,
andsaid," Thekingourmaster,too.
they had attended the greater mysteries.^bearson hisneckthe marksof a dreadfulwild
Whentheletterswereread,Pythodonjs,
the beastcalleda.Lamia." Indeed, it wasstrange
torch-bearer,
wastheonlypersonwhoventur-thathe shouldat firsthavesogreatanobjec-
edto oppose
the demand;andhis oppositiontionagainst
thedisparity
of yearsbetweenhim
wasentirely ineffectual. Stratoclesprocured andPhila, andafterwardsfall into sucha last-
a decree that themonthof Murtychionshouldingcaptivityto Lamia,thoughshehadpassed
becalledandreputedthemonthof Jinthcste-her primeat their first acquaintance.One
rton,to giveDemetrius an opportunity
forhis evening whenLamiabadbeenplayingonthe
firstinitiation,whichwasto beperformed in fluteat supper,DemetriusaskedDemo,sur-
the ward of Agra. After which, Munychion namedJWo7H<z,t whatshethoughtof her. "I
waschangedagaininto Boedromion.By these think her an old woman,Sir," said Demo.
meansDemetriuswas admittedto the greater Anothertime, whentherewasanextraordina-
mysteries,andto immediate
inspection.Hence ry desserton the table,he saidto her, « You
thosestrokesof satireuponStiatocles,
from seewhatfinethingsLamiasends
me:""My
thepoetPhilippides-"Themanwhocancon- motherwill sendyoufiner,"answered
Demo,
tract the wholeyearinto onemonth;"andwith "if you will but lie with her."
respectto Demetrius'sbeinglodgedin the Par- We shall mentiononly one story more of
thenon-"The man who turns the templesinto Lamia, which relates to her censure of the
inns,andbringsprostitutes
into the companycelebrated
judgment
of Bocchoris.Jn Egypt
of the virgin goddess." therewasa youngman extremelydesirous of
But amongstthe manyabusesand enormi- the favoursof a courtesan namedThonis,but
tiescommittedin their city, no one seemsto shesettoo higha price uponthem.Afterwards
havegiven the Atheniansgreateruneasinesshefanciedthathe enjoyedherin a dream,and
than his. He orderedthemto raisetwo hun- hiadesire wassatisfied. Thonis, uponthis,
dredandfifty talentsin a veryshorttime, and commenced an actionagainsthim for the mo-
the sumwasexactedwith the greatestrigour. ney; andBocchorishavingheardbothparties,
When the moneywasbroughtin, andhe SPWorderedthe manto tell the gold that shede-
it all together, he ordered it to be given to mandedinto a basin, and shakeit about before
Lamia and his other mistresses,
to buy soap. her, that shemightenjoythe sightof it. " For
Thus the disgrace hurt them more than the loss, fancy," said he, " is no more than the sha-
and the application more than the impost. dow of truth." Lamia did not think this a
Some, however say, that it was not to the just sentence; becausethe woman's desire of
Athenianshe behavedin this manner,but to thegoldwasnot removedbythe appearance
of
the people of Thessaly. Besides this disagree- it; whereas the dream cured the passionof her
able tax, Lamia extorted money from many lover.
persons on her own authority, to enable her to The changein the fortunes and actions of
provide an entertainment for the king. And thesubject of our narrative now turns the comic
the expenseof that supper was so remarkable, sceneinto tragedy: all the other kings having
that Lynceus the Samian took pains to give a united their forces against Antigonus, Deme-
descriptionof it. For the samereason,a comic triusleft Greecein orderto join him; andwas
poet of thosetimes,with equal wit andtruth, greatlyanimatedto find his fatherpreparing
called Lamia an Helepolis. And Demochares, for war with a spirit abovebis years.Had Anti-
the Solian,called DemetriusMuthos, that is, goaus abateda little of his pretensions,
and
faiilc, becausehe too had his Lamia\ restrained his ambition to govern the world, he
The greatinterestthat Lamia hadwith De- might havekeptthe pre-eminence amongthe
metrius,in consequence of his passionfor her, successorsof Alexander,not only for himself,
exciteda spirit of envyandaversionto her,not but for his sonafterhim. But beingnaturally
only in the breastsof his wives,but of his arrogant, imperious,and no less insolentin
friends. Demetriushavingsent ambassadors his expressionsthan in his actions,he exas-
to Lysimachus,onsomeoccasionorother,that perated many young and powerful prince*
princeamusedhimselfonedaywith shewingagainsthim. He boasted,that "be could
themthe deepwoundshehad receivedfrom a break the presentleague,and dispersetna
Lou'sclawsin hisarmsandthighs,andgave unitedarmieswithasmuchease asa boydoes
a flock of birds, by throwing a stone,or mak-
" JlnUasterion. ing a slight noise."
| Boedromion. Hehadanarmyofmorethanseventythou
\ Plutarch
in this
place
teem*tomake
adifference
sandfoot,tenthousand
horse,
andseventy-five
between
theintuitive
andthegreater
mysteries,
though
elephants.Theenemy's
infantry
consisted
of
theyarccommonly
understood
to bethesame.Ca-sixty-fourthousand
men,their cavalryof ten
taubou andMeursius thinkthe textcorrupt:but the thousandfive hundred; they had four hun-
manner in -which they -would restore it, does not rea- dredelephants,
andahundredandtwentyarm-
der it less perplexed. ed chariots. When the two armies were in
Ij Fabuloushistorymentionsa queenof Libya, who,
CMt
ofrage
fortheloss
ofher
own
children,
ordered
sight,
there
wasavisible
change
inthemind
those of other women to be brought to her, and de-
vouredthem. Fromwhence
shewascalledLtimia, " JustinandPausanras
mention
this; butQ. Cur
fromthePhrenician
wordliittuma,
todevour.Upontiusdoubts
thetruthof it; andheprobably
this account, Diodoru* lells us, thai Lamia becamea
ii inlb»
bugbear
tochildren.
Andthissatisfies
M.Dacicr
with right.
regard
totheexplanation
ofthispassage
inPlutarch. f lo English,
Mis)Madcap.
 DEMETRIUS. 625

of Antigonus,but rather with respectto his horse. And ashe reachedEp\ esusin a short
hopes than big resolution. In other engage- time, and was in want of money, it was expect*
ments,hiaspiritsusedto behigh,hisport lofty, ed that hewould not sparethe temple. How-
his voice loud, and his expressions vaunting; ever,he not only sparedit himself,*but fear-
insomuch, thathewould sometimes, in the heat ing thathiasoldiersmightbetemptedto violata
of the action,let fall somejocular expression,it, he immediatelyleft theplace,andembarked
to shewbis unconcernandhis contemptof hia for Greece. His principal dependence wa«
adversary.But at this time, he wasobserveduponthe Athenians;for with themhe hadleft
for the mostpart to bethoughtfuland silent; his ships,his money,and his wife Deidamia,
and one day he presented his son to the army, and, in this distress, he thought he could have
andrecommended him aabis successor.What no saferasylumthantheir affection.He there-
appeared
still more extraordinary,was, that fore pursuedhis voyagewith all possibleexpe-
betook him aside into his tent, and discoursed dition; but ambassadorsfrom Athens met him
with him there: for heneverusedto communi- neartbe Cyclades,andentreatedhim not to
catf his intentionsto him in private,or to con- think of goingthither,becausethe peoplehad
sult Kim in the least, but to rely entirely on his declared by an edict that they would receive
ownjudgment,and to give ordersfor the exe- no king into their city. As for Dcidaroia,they
cutionof whathehad resolvedon by himself. had conductedher to Megara with a proper
It is reportedthat Demetrius, when very young, retinue, and all the respect due to her rank.
onceasked him when they should decamp, and This so enraged Demetrius, that he was no
that he answeredangrily, "Are you afraid that longer master of himself; though he had hith-
youonly shallnot hearthe trumpet?" erto bornehis misfortunewith sufficientcalm-
On this occasion, it is true, their spirits were ness, and discovered no mean or ungcneroul
depressedby ill omens. Demetriusdreamed ecstimentin the great changeof his affairs
thatAlexandercame to him in a magnificentBut to bedeceived,
beyondall hisexpectation,
suit of armour, and asked him what was to be by the Athenians; to find, by facts, that their
the word in the ensuing battler1 Demetrius affection, so great in appearance,was only false
answered,Jupiter and victory; upon which, and counterfeit, was a thing that cut him to
Alexandersaid, " I go then to your adversaries, the heart Indeed, excessive honours are a
for they are ready to receive me." When the very indifferent proof of the regard of the peo-
army was put in order of battle, Antigonus ple for kings and princes. For all the value
"tumbled as he went out of his tent, and falling of those honours rests in their being freely
on his face,received a considerablehurt. After given; and there can be no certainty of that,
he had recovered himself, he stretched out his becausethe givers may be under the influence
bands towards heaven, and prayed either for of fear. And fear and love often produce the
fictory, or that he might die before he was sen- same public declarations. For the same rea-
lible that the day was lost. son wise princes will not look upon statues,
When the battle was begun, Demetrius, at pictures, or divine honours, but rather consider
the head of his best cavalry, fell upon Anti- their own actions and behaviour, and in conse-
ochusthe son of Seleucus,and fought with so quence thereof, cither believe those honours
much bravery that he put the enemy to flight; real, or disregard them as the dictates of neces-
but by a vain andunseasonable
ambitionto go sity. Nothing more frequentlyhappens
than
uponthe pursuit, he lost the victory. For he that the people hate their sovereign the most,
went so far that he could not get back to join at the time that he is receiving the most immod-
his infantry, the enemy's elephantshaving eratehonours,the tribute of unwilling minds.
taken up the intermediate space. Seleucus, Demetrius, though he severely felt this il]
now seeing his adversary's foot deprived of treatment, was not in a condition to revengeit;
their horse,did not attack them, but rode he therefore,by his envoys,expostulated
with
aboutthem, as if he was going every moment the Athenians in moderate terms, and only
to charge; intending, by this manoeuvre,both desired them to send him his galleys, among
to terrify them, and to give them opportunity which there was one of thirteen banks of oars.
to changesides. The event answered his ex- As soon as he had received them, he steered
pectation. Great part separatedfrom the main for the Isthmus, but found his affairs there in
body,and voluntarily cameover to him; the a very badsituation. The citiesexpelledhit
rest were put to the rout. When great num- garrisons,and were all revolting to his enemies.
berswere bearingdown uponAntigonus,one Leaving Pyrrhusin Greece,he then sailed to
of thosethat wereabouthim, said," They are the Chersonesus,
and by the ravageshe com-
coming against you, Sir." He answered, mitted in the country, distressed Lysimachus,
" Whatother objectcan theyhave? But De- as well asenrichedandsecuredthe fidelity of
metrius will come to my assistance." In this his own forces, which now began to gather
hopehecontinuedto the last,still lookingabout strength,andimproveinto a respectable
army.
for his son,till he fell undera showerof darts. The otherkingspaidnoregardto Lysimachus,
Hia servantsandhis very friendsforsookhim: who, at the sametime that he wasmuchmore
only Thorax of Larissa remained by the dead formidable in his power than Demetrius, was
body. not in tbe least more moderate in his conduct.
The battlebeingthusdecided,the kingswho Soonafter this, Seleucussentproposalsof
werevictorious,dismembered the kingdomof marriageto Stratonice,the daughterof Deme-
AntigonusandDemetrius,like somegreatbody, trius by Phila. He aad,indeed,alreadya son
»ndeachtook a limb; thusaddingto their own namedAntiochus,by Apama,a Persianlady;
dominionsthe provinceswhich, these two
princes
werepossessed
of before.Demetrius* A striking
proof
thatadvenilv
fled with five thousand foot and four thousand virtue!
a tht .-arent
of
626 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

buthethought
thathisdominions
weresuffi-suddenly
before
it. Accordingly,
hesetoutwiA
cientfor moreheirs,andthathestoodin needa considerable
fleet,andcrossed
theseawith-
of thisnewalliance,becausehesawLysima-outdanger;butonthecoastof Attica,hemet
chua
marrying
oneofPtolemy's
daughters
him-witha storm,
in which
helostmany
ships
and
"elf,andtakingtheotherfor his sonAgatho-greatnumbers of hismen. Heescaped, how
cles.A connection withSeleucus wasa happyever,himself, andbeganhostilities
againstAth-
tnd unexpected turnof fortunefor Demetrius.ens,thoughwithnogreatvigour.Ashisopera
He tookhisdaughter, and sailedwith his tionsanswered noend,hesenthislieutenant*
wholefleet to Syria. In the courseof the to collectanotherfleet,and,inthemean time,
Toyage, hewasseveral timesundertheneces-enteredPeloponnesus, andlaid siegeto Mcg-
"ity of makingland,andhetouched in particu-sene. In oneof theassaults,
hewasia grea
lar uponthecoastof Cilicia,whichhadbeen danger; for a dartwhichcamefromanengine,
given to Plistarchus,the brotherof Cassander,piercedthroughhisjaw, andenteredhis mouth.
as his share,after the defeat of Antigonus. But herecovered,and reducedsomecitiesthat
Plistarchus,thinking himself injured by the had revolted. After this, be invadedAttica
descent
whichDemetrius
made
uponhiscoun-again,tookElensis
andRhamnus,
andravaged
try, went immediatelyto Cassander,to com- the country. Happeningto takea ship loaded
plainof Seleucus
for havingreconciledhimself with wheat,whichwas boundfor Athens,he
to the commonenemy,withouttheconcurrencehangedboth the merchantandthe pilot. Thij
of theotherkings. Demetrius beinginformedalarmedothermerchantsso much,that they
of hisdeparture,
left thesea,and marchedup forboreattempting
anythingof that kind,so
to Quinda; where,findingtwelvehundredtal- that a famineensued;and, togetherwith the
ents,the remainsof his father'streasures,he want of breadcom, the peoplewere in want
arriedthemoff,embarkedagainwithoutinter- of everything else. A bushelof salt was sold
ruption,andsetsailwith theutmosteipedition, for forty drachmas,*anda peckf of wheatfor
bis wife Phila havingjoinedhim by the way. threehundred. A fleetof a hundredandfifty
Seleucusmethim at Orossus. Their inter- ships,which Ptolemysent to their relief, ap-
view was conducted in a sincere and princely peared before ^Egina; but the encouragement
manner, without any marks of designor suspi- it afforded them was of short continuance. A
cion. Seleucus invited Demetrius first to his great reinforcementof ships came to Demetriuf
pavilion; and then Demetrius entertained him from Peloponnesusand Cyprus, so that he had
in his galley of thirteenbanksof oars. They not in all fewerthanthreehundred.Ptolemy's
conversed at their ease, and passed the time fleet, therefore,weighedanchor and steeredoff.
together without guards or arms; till Seleucus The tyrant Lachares, at the same time, made
took Stratonice,and carried her with great his escapeprivately,andabandoned
the city.
pomp to Antioch. The Athenians, though they had made *
Demetrius seizedthe province of Cilicia, and decree, that no man, under pain of death,
sent Phila to her brother Cassander,to answer should mention peace or reconciliation with
the accusationsbrought againsthim by Plistar- Demetrius; now opened the gates nearesthim,
chus. Meantime, Deidamia came to him from and sent ambassadorsto his camp. Not that
Greece,but she had not spentany long time theyexpectedany favourfrom him,but they
with him, beforeshe sickenedand died; and wereforcedto takethat stepby the extremity
Demetriushavingaccommodated matterswith of famine. In the courseof it, manydreadful
PtolemythroughSeleucus,it wasagreedthat thingshappened, andthisis relatedamongthe
he shouldmarryPtolemaisthedaughterof that rest. A fatherandhis sonwere sitting in the
prince. sameroom,in the lastdespair;whena dead
Hitherto Seleucushadbehaved with honour mousehappeningto fall from the roof of the
"nd propriety; but afterwardshe demandedhouse,theyboth startedup andfoughtfor it.
that DemetriusshouldsurrenderCilicia to him Epicurusthe philosopheris said at that time
for a sumof money,and on his refusalto do to havesupportedhisfriendsanddisciples with
that, angrilyinsistedonhavingTyreandSidon. beans,whichhe sharedwith them,andcount-
This behaviour appeared unjustifiable
andcruel. edout to themdaily.
Whenhe alreadycommanded Asia,fromthe In sucha miserable conditionwasthecity,
Indiesto theSyriansea,howsordidwasit to whenDemetrius enteredit. He ordered all
quarrelfor two cities,with a princewhowas the Athenians to assemble in the theatre,
his father-in-law,
and wholabouredunderso whichhesurrounded withhistroops;andhav-
painfula reverseoffortune.A strongproofhow ing planted hisguardson eachsidethestage,
truethemaximof Platois,Thatthemanwho hecamedownthroughthe passage by which
wouldbe truly happy,shouldnot studyto thetragedians enter. Thefearsof thepeople,
enlargehisestate, but to contracthisdesires.on hisappearance, increased,but theywere
For hewhodoesnotrestrainhisavarice, must entirelydissipated whenhe beganto speakj
for everbepoor. for neitherthe accentof hisvoicewasloud,
However, Demetrius, far frombeingintimi- nor hisexpressionssevere.He complained of
dated,said," ThoughI had lost a thousand themin softandeasyterms,andtakingthem
battlesasgreatasthatof Ipsus,nothingshouldagainintofavour,madethema presentof s
bringmetobuythealliance
of Seleucus;"
and,hundred
thousand
measures
ofwheat,}
andre-
uponthis principle,hegarrisoned
thesecities established
suchanadministration
aswasmort
in the strongestmanner.About thistime, hav- areeable to them.
ing intelligencethatAthens was divided into
(actions, and that Lachares, taking advantage '
f Modiia. Thesemeuurei were lomelhmgmore,
of these,had seizedthe government,he ex- butwegirt onlytherouadquantity,SeetheTitle.
pecteilto takethecity with case,if heappeared
 DEMETR1LS. 627
The orator Dromoclidca observedthe varie- in the leastdisconcerted; heonly slackenedhi3
tyofacclamations amongst thepeople,
andthat pace,andgaveordersto hisgenerals to keep
in thejoy of theirheartstheyendeavoured to thetroopsunderarms;afterwhichhelookhit
outdotheencomiums of thosethatspokefrom guards andtheofficersof his household,
who
therostrum. Hetherefore proposed
a decreeweremuchmorenumerous thanthoseofAlex-
that the Pirausand the fort of Munychiaander,andcommanded themto entertheban-
"houldbedelivered upto kingDemetrius. Af- quetingroomwithhim,andtoremain theretill
ter this bill waspassed,
Demetrius,on his own hearosefromthe table.Alexander'speople,in-
authority,put a garrisonin the museum;lest, timidatedby his train,durst not attackDemet-
if thereshould be another defectionamongst rius: andhe, for his part, pretendingthat he
the people,it mightkeep themfrom other en- wasnot disposedto drink that evening,soon
terprises- withdrew. Next day,he preparedto decamp;
The Atheniansthusreduced,Demetriusim- and, allegingthat he was calledoff by some
mediatelyformed a design upon Lacedaemon. new emergency, desired Alexander to excuse
King Archidamus met him at Mantinea,where him if he left themsoonthis time; andassured
Demetriusdefeatedhim in a pitched battle; him that at someother opportunityhe would
and,after hehad put him to flight, he entered makea longerstay. Alexanderrejoicedthathe
laconia. There was another action almost in was going away voluntarily, and without any
Bightof Sparta,in whichhekilled two hundred hostileintentions,andaccompanied
him as far
of the enemy,and madefive hundred prisoners; as Thessaly. When they came to Larissa, they
BOthat he seemed almost master of a town renewed their invitations, but both with ma-
which hitherto had never been taken. But lignity in their hearts. In consequenceof these
lurely fortuneneverdisplayedsuchsudden and politemanoeuvres,
Alexanderfell into the snare
extraordinaryvicissitudesin the life of any of Demetrius.He would not go with a guard,
otherprince; in no othersceneof thingsdid lest he shouldteachthe otherto do the same.
sheso often change from low to high, from a He therefore suffered that which he was pre-
glorious to an abject condition, or again repair paring for his enemy, and which he only defer-
the ruins she had made. Hence he is said, in red for the surer and more convenient execu-
hisgreatestadversity,to have addressedher tion. He went to supwith Demetrius;andaa
in the wordsof JEschylus- his hostroseup in themidstof the feast,Alex-
Thou gareit me lire anil honour, and thy hand ander was terrified, and rose up with him. De-
Kow strikesmeto the heart. metrius, when he was at the door, said no more
to his guards than this, " Kill the man that fol-
Whenhisaffairs
seemed
tobeinsopromis-lowsme;"andthenwentout.Upon
which,they
inga trainfor powerand empire,
newswas cut Alexander
inpieces,
andhisfriends
whoat-
brought
thatLysimachus,
in thefirstplace,
hadtempted
toassist
him.Oneof themisreported
takenthecitieshehadin Asia,that Ptolemyto havesaid,ashewasdying," Demetriuiis
haddispossessed
himof all Cyprus,
except the butonedaybefore-hand
withus."
cityof Salamis,
in whichhehadleft hischil- Thenightwas,asmightbeexpected,
fullof
drenandhismother,andthatthistownwasterrorandconfusion. In themorningtheMa-
nowactuallybesieged.
Fortune,
however,like cedonians
weregreatly
disturbed
withtheap-
thewoman in Archilochus, prehension
thatDemetrius
wouldfallupon
them
Whose right handofferedwater,whilethe left
with all his forces; but when, insteadof an ap-
Bore hostile Ore
pearance of hostilities, he sent a messagede-
Though she drew him from Lacedacmonby siring to speak with them, and vindicate what
thesealarmingtidings,yet soon raised him a wasdone,they recoveredtheir spirits,andre-
newsceneof light andhope. Sheavailedher- solvedto receivehim with civility: when he
"elf of thesecircumstances. came,he found it unnecessary
to makelong
After the deathof Cassandcr, his eldestson speeches.
They hatedAntipaterfor themurder
Philip hadbut a shortreignover the Macedo- of his mother,andas theyhadno belter prince
nians,for he died soonafter his father. The at hand,they declaredDemetriusking, and
two remaining brothers were perpetually at conducted him into Macedonia. The Macedo-
variance, One of them, named Antipater, nianswho were at home,provednot averseto
havingkilled his mother Thessalonica,
Alex- the change:for theyalwaysremembered
with
ander, the other brother called in the Greek horror Cassander's base behaviour to Alexan-
princesto hisassistance.PyrrhusfromEpirus, der the Great;andif theyhadany regardleft
andDemetrius fromPeloponnesus. Pyrrhusar- for the moderationof old Antipater,it turned
rived first, and seizeda considerablepart of Ma- all in favour of Demetrius, who had married
cedonia,which he keptfor his reward,andby his daughterPhila, andhad a son by her to
that means becamea formidable neighbour to succeedhim in the throne, a youth who was
Alexander. Demetriusno ooonerreceivedthe alreadygrown up, andat this very time bore
letters than he marched his forces thither like- arms under his father
wise,andtheyoungprincewasstill moreafraid Immediatelyafterthisgloriousturnof fortune,
of him on accountof his great nameanddig- Demetriusreceivednewsthat Ptolemyhadset
nity. He methim, however,at Dium, andre- his wife andchildrenat liberty, anddismissed
ceived him in the most respectful manner, but them with presentsand other tokens of honour.
toldhimatthesame
timethathisaffairsdidnot He wasinformed
too, thathisdaughter,
who
now requirehis presence. Hencemutualjeal- hadbeenmarried to Seleucus,was now wife
ousiesarose,andDemetrius,as he was going to Antiochus,the son of that prince,and de-
to supwithAlexander uponhisinvitation,
was claredqueen of thebarbarous
nations
in Upper
informedthattherewasa designagainst his Asia. Antiochus wasviolentlyenamoured
of
life, whichwasto beput in executionin the theyoungStratonice,thoughshehada sonby
midstof theentertainment.Demetriuswasnot his father. His conditionwas extremelyun-
 628 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
happyHemade
thegreatest
efforts
tocon-loponnesus
too,andthecities
of Megara
an4
querhiapassion,buttheywereof noavail.Athensontheothersideof theIsthmus,
he
At last,considering
thathisdesires
were
ofthe wanted
to reduce
theBoeotians,
andthreaten-
mosteitravagant
kind,that therewagnopros-edthemwithhostilities.At first,theypropos-
pect of satisfactionfor them, andthat the suc- ed to cometo anaccommodation
with him on
coursof reason entirelyfailed,he resolved in reasonableconditions;but CIconymus, the
hisdeepairto rid himselfof life, andbringit Spartan,havingthrownhimselfin themean-
graduallyto a.period,
by neglecting all careof timeinto Thebeswithhisaimy,theBoeotian*
bisperson,andabstaining fromfood;for this weresomuchelated, that,attheinstigation
of
purposehe made sicknesshis pretence.His Pisiethe Thespian,who wasa leadingmai
physician,Erasistratus,
easilydiscovered that among them,theybrokeoffthetreaty.Deme-
hisdistemper
waslove;butit was
difficult
to triusthen
drewupbismachine*
tothewalla,
conjecture
whowastheobject.In orderto andlaidsiege
toThebes;
upon
whichCleony-
findit out,hespentwholedaysinhischamber;musapprehending theconsequence, stoleout:
andwhenever anybeautifulpersonof either andtheThebanswereso muchintimidated,
sexentered it, heobserved withgreatattention,thattheyimmediately surrendered.Demetrius
Dotonlyhislooks,but everypart andmotionplacedgarrisons in theircities,exactedlarge
of thebodywhichcorresponds the mostwith contributions,andleft Hieronymus, thehisto-
thepassions of thesoul.Whenothersenteredrian,governor of Boeotia.Heappeared, how-
hewasentirelyunaffected, butwhenStratoniceever,to makea mercifuluseof hi» -victory,
camein, assheoftendid,eitheraloneor with particularly in thecaseof Pieis;for though he
Seleucus,heshewed all thesymptoms describ-tookhimprisoner, hedidnotofferhimanyin-
edby Sappho, thefalteringvoice,theburningjury, on thecontrary,he treatedhim with
blush,thelanguideye,the sudden sweat,the greatcivilityandpoliteness, andappointed him
tomuhuous pulse;andat length,thepassionpolemarch of Thegpiie.
overcoming his spirits,a dtliquiwn and mor- Not longafter this, Lysimachue beingtaken
tal paleness. prisonerby Dromichstes,Demetriusmarched
Erasistratus
concluded from thesetokensthat towardsThrace with all possibleexpedition,
the princewasin lovewith Stratonice,andper- hopingto find it in a defenceless
state. But,
ceivedthat heintendedto carrythesecretwith while he wasgone, the Boeotiansrevolted
him to thegrave.He sawthedifficultyof break- again,andhe hadthe mortificationto hearon
ing the matter to Seleucus;yet he dependingthe road,that Lysimachuswasset at liberty.
uponthe affectionwhich the king had for his He, therefore,immediatelyturned back in
son,heventuredonedayto tell him, " That the greatanger; and finding,on his return, that
youngman's disorderwas love; but love for the Bosolians were alreadydriven out of the
whichtherewasno remedy." The king, quite field by his sonAntigonus,he laid siegeagain
astonished, said," How! lovefor whichthere to Thebes.However,asPyrrbushadoverrun
is no remedy!" " It is certainlyso," answeredall Thessaly,andwasadvanced asfar asTher-
Erasistratus," for he is in lovewith my wife," mopylae,Demetriusleft the conduct of the
« What". Erasistratus!" said the king, " would aiegeto his sonAntigonus,and marchedagainst
you, who are my friend, refuse to give up your the warrior.
wife to my son,whenyou seeus in dangerof Pyrrhus immediatelyretiring, Demetrius
losing our only hope."' "Nay, wouldyou do placed a guard of ten thousandfoot, and a
sucha thing,answeredthe physician," though thousandhorsein Thessaly,andthen relumed
you arehis father,if hewere in lovewith Stra- to the siege. His first operationwasto bring
tonice?" "O my friend," replied Seleucus,up his machinecalled helepoles;but he pro-
" bow happyshould1 be, if either Godor man ceededin it with greatlabour,andby slowde-
could removehis affectionsthither! I would grees,by reason of its size and weight; he
give up my kingdom,so I couldbut keepAn- could scarce move it two furlongs in two
liochos." He pronounced thesewordswith,so motitha.* As the Boeotiansmadea vigorous
muchemotion,and sucha profusionof tears, resistance,and Demetriusoften obliged his
that Erasistratustookhim bythehand,andsaid, mento leTiewthe assault,ratheroutof aspirit
" Then thereis no needof Erasistratus. You, of animosity,than the hopeof any advantage,
Sir, who are a father,a husband,and a king, youngAntigonuswasgreatlyconcerned at see-
will bethe bestphysiciantoo for yourfamily." ing suchnumbersfall, and said," Why, sir,
Uponthis,Seleucus summoned the peopledo welet thesebravefellowslosetheir lives
to meetin full assembly,
andtold them," It withoutany necessity?"Demetrius,offend-
that Antiochusshould edat the libertyhe took,madeanswer," Why
washis will andpleasure
intermarrywith Stratonice,and that they doyoutroubleyourselfaboutit? Haveyon
shouldbedeclared kingandqueenof theUp- anyprovisions to findfor thedead?"To shew,
per Provinces." Hebelieved,"hesaid," that however,that he wasnot prodigalof the
Antiochus,who wassuchan obedienteon, livesof hia troopsonly,he tookhisshare in
wouldnotoppose hisdesire;
andif theprincessthedanger,andreceived a woundfroma lance,
"houldoppose themarriage,
asanunprecedent- that piercedthroughhis neck. This gave
ed thing,hehopedhisfriendswouldpersuadehimexcessive pain,yethecontinued thesiege
herto think,that whatwasagreeable to the till he oncemoremadehimselfmasterof
king,and advantageousto the kingdom,was Thebes-Heentered thecitywithsuchanair
bothjust andhonourable."Suchis saidto of resentment and severity,that the inhabi-
navebeenthecause
of the marriage
between
tantsexpected
to sufferthe mostdreadful
Antiochus
andStratonice. punishments;
yet he contented
himselfwith
Demetriuswas now master of Macedonia * A wonderful kindof motion
thisforamachine
thlt
and Thessal) j and as he had great part of Pe- ranupon
wheela;
abouttutthemcUts »nanWur1
 DEMETRIUS.

puttingthirteen
ofthemtodeath,andbanishingsaidthe Spartan,
acutelyin his laconicway,
" fewmore. All the resthepardoned. Thai "one ambassadorto oneking."
Thebeswastakentwice withinten yearsafter Oneday,whenhe seemedto comeout in a
U beingrebuilt. moreobligingtemper,andto be something
lew
The Pythian games now approached, and inaccessible, he was presented with severa,
Demetrius onthis occasion
tooka veryextraor- petitions,all whichhe received,andput them
dinary step. As the JEtolianswere in pos- in the skirt of his robe. The peopleof course
sessionof the passesto Delphi, he ordered the followed him with great joy: but no sooner
games
to be solemnized
at Athens;alleging,washecometo thebridgeovertheJioiusthan
that theycouldnot paytheirhomageto Apollo he openedhis robe,and shookthem all into
in a more proper place than that where the the river. This stung the Macedonians to tho
peopleconsidered
him ai their patronand heart;when,lookingfor the protectionof a
progenitor. king, they found the insolenceof a tyrant.
Fromthencehereturnedto Macedonia:but And thistreatmentappeared theharderto such
at he was naturally indisposed for a life of as had seen, or heard from those who had
quietand inaction,and observedbesidesthat seen,how kind the behaviour
of Philip wason
the Macedonianswere attentive and obedient such occasions. An old woman was one day
|o him in time of war, though turbulent and very troublesome to him in the street, and
seditiousio peace,he undertook an expedition beggedwith great importunity to be heard: He
againstthe JEtolians. After he hadravaged said, "He was not at leisure." "Then,"
the country, he left Pantaucbus there with a cried the old woman, " you should not be a
respectablearmy, and with the rest of his king." The king wasstruckwith thesewords;
forcesmarchedagainstPyrrhue. Pyrrhus was and having consideredthe thing a moment, he
comingto seekhim; but as theyhappenedto returnedto his palace;where,postponingall
take differentroads,and missedeach other, other affairs,he gaveaudience
for severalday§
Demetriuslaid waste Epirus, and Pyrrhus fall- to all who chose to apply to him, beginning
ing uponPantauchus,
obligedhim to standon with the old woman. Indeed,nothingbecome!
his defence. The two generals met in the ac- a king so much as the distribution of justice.
tion, and both gave and receivedwounds. For " Mars is a tyrant," asTimotheusejpress-
Pyrrhus,however,defeatedhis adversary,kill- es it; but justice,accordingto Pindar," Is the
ed greatnumbersof his men, and madefive rightful sovereignof the world." The things,
thousandprisoners. whichHomertells us,kingsreceivefromJove,
This battlewastheprincipalcauseof Deme- are not machinesfor taking towns,or ships
trius's ruin; for Pyrrhus was not so much hated with brazen beaks, but law and justice* thece
by the Macedonians
for the mischiefhe had they are to guardand to cultivate. And it is
done them, as admired for his personal bra- not the most warlike, the most violent and
very; and the late battle in particular gained sanguinary,but the justest of princes, whom be
himgreathonour:insomuch,that manyof the callsthe discipleof Jupiter.f But Demetrius
Macedonianssaid, " That of all the kings, it was pleasedwith an appellation quite opposite
was in Pyrrhus only that they saw a lively to that which is given the king of the gods.
image of Alexander's valour; whereas, the For Jupiter is called Pulicito and Poliuchus,
other princes, especially Demetrius, imitated the patron and guardian of cities; Demetrius
him only in a theatrical manner, by affecting a is surnamed Poliorcttes, the destroyer of
lofty port andmajesticair." cities. Thus, in consequence of theunion of
Indeed,Demetriusdid alwaysappearlike a powerandfolly, viceis substitutedin the place
theatrical king. For he not only affected a of virtue, and the ideas of glory and injustice
superfluity of ornament in wearing a double are united too.
diadem,and a robe of purple, interwoven with When Demetrius lay dangerously ill at
gold,but hehad his shoesmadeof cloth of gold, Pella, he was very near losing Macedonia;
with soles of fine purple. There was a robe a for Pyrrhus, by a suddeninroad, penetrated at
long time in weaving for him, of most sumptu- far as Edessa: but as soon as he recovered, ha
ousmagnificence. The figure of the world and repulsed him with ease, and afterwards he
all the heavenlybodies were to be represented came to terms with him; for he was not willing
uponit; but it was left unfinished, on account to be hindered, by skirmishing for posts with
of his changeof fortune. Nor did any of bis Pyrrhus,from the pursuitof greaterandmore
successorsever presumeto wear it, though arduousenterprises.His schemewas to re-
Macedonhadmanypompouskingsafter him. cover all his father'sdominions;and his pre-
This ostentation of dress offended a people parations were suitable to the greatnessof the
whowere unaccustomed
to such sights: but object. For he hadraisedan armyof ninety-
his luxuriousand dissolute manner of life waa eight thousandfoot, and near twelve thousand
a more obnoxiouscircumstance: and what horse;andhewasbuildingfivehundredgalleyi
disobliged
themmost of all was hiadifficulty in the ports of Piraeus,Corinth, Chalcis,and
of access. For he either refused to seethose Pella. He went himself to all these placesto
whoappliedto him, or behavedto them in a give directionsto the workmen,and assistin
hush and haughtymanner. Though be fa- theconstruction. All theworld wassurprised,
TouredtheAtheniansmorethan the restof the not onlyat the number,but at thegreatness
of
Greeks,their ambassadors
waitedtwo yearsat his works. For no man,beforehis time, ever
his court for an answer. The Lacedaemonians saw a galley of fifteen or sixteen banks of oars
happeningto send only one ambassador to Afterwards,indeed,PtolemyPhilopaterbuilt
him,he consideredit an affront,and said in oneof forty banks;its lengthwastwo hundred
greatanger,
"What! havetheLacedemonians
andeightycubits,andits heightto thetopof
"entnomorethanoneambassador?""No," «Iliad,1.i. 231. f OdyM«Y,rii. 178.
630 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
the prowforty-eight
cubits.Four hundred
Demetrius,
andbidhimprovide
forhimself
by
marinersbelonged
to it, exclusive
of therow- flight,for " TheMacedonians(theytoldhim)
erewhowerenofewerthanfourthousand; and weretiredof fightingto maintainhisluxury."
thedecksandthe several interstices
wereca- Theseexpressions appeared
modest incompari-
pable of containing near three thousand sol- sonof the rude behaviourof others. He there-
diers. This, however,wasmerematterof foreentered histent notlikea realking,buta
curiosity;for it differedverylittle fromanim- theatrical
one,andhaving quittedhisroyalrobe
moveablebuilding,and was calculatedmore for a black one,privatelywithdrew. As mul-
for showthanfor use,asit couldnotbe put titudeswerepillaginghis tent,whonot only
in motionwithoutgreatdifficultyanddanger.tore it in pieces, but foughtfor the plunder,
But theshipsof Demetrius hadtheir useas Pyrrhusmade hisappearance;uponwhich,the
\vellasbeauty;withall theirmagnificence of tumultinstantlyceased, andthe wholearmy
construction,theywereequallyfit for fighting; submittedto him. Lysimachus andhethendi-
andthoughtheywereadmirable for theirsize, videdMacedonia between them,whichDeme-
they were still more so for the swiftnessof trius had held without disturbancefor seven
their motion. years.
Demetrius havingprovided
suchanarmament Demetrius, thusfallenfromthepinnacleof
for the invasion
of Asiaas no maneverhad power, fledto Cassandria,wherehiswifePhila
beforehim,except Alexander the Great,Se- was. Nothingcouldequalhersorrowonthis
leucus, Ptolemy, and Lysimachus, united occasion. She could not bear to seethe unfor-
againsthim. They likewisejoined in an ap- tunateDemetriusoncemorea privatemanand
plicationto Pyrrhus;desiringhim to fall upon an exile; in her despair,therefore,and detes-
Macedonia; and not to look to himself as tation of foitune,who was alwaysmore con-
boundby the treatywith Demetrius,sincethat stant to him in her visits of adversitythan
prnce hadenteredinto it, not with anyregard prosperity,shetook poison.
to the advantage
of Pyrrhus,or in orderto Demetrius, however,resolvedto gathernp
avoidfuturehostilities,
butmerelyfor hisown the remainsof hiswreck;for whichpurpose
lake, that he might at presentbe at liberty to he repairedto Greece,and collectedsuchof
turn his arms againstwhom he pleased. As his friends and officersas he found there. Me-
Pyrrhusacceptedthe propoaal,Demetrius,nelaus,
in oneof the tragedies
of Sophocles,
while hewas preparingfor his voyage,found givesthis pictureof his ownfortune:
himself surrounded with war at home. For, at I moveon Fortune's rapid wheel: my lot
oneinstantof time,Ptolemy,
camewithagreat Foreverchant-ing
likethechangeful
moon,
fleetto drawGreeceofffromitspresentmaster: Thateach
nightvaries;hardlynowperceived;
Lysimachus invaded Macedonia from Thrace; And nowsheshewsher brighthorn; bydegrees
andPyrrhusentering
it froma nearerquarter, InShefillsherorbwithlight;butwhen she
all her pride, she then beginsoncemore
reigu
joined in ravaging the country. Demetrius, on To wa»If her glories, till dissolvedand lost,
this occasion,left his son in Greece, and went She ginksagain to darkness.
himself to the relief of Macedonia. His first
operations were intended againstLysimachus, But this pictureis more applicableto Demetrius,
but as he was uponhis marchhe receivedan in his increaseand wane,his splendourand ob-
account thatPyrrhus hadtaken Boroea; andscurity. Hisgloryseemed now entirely eclipsed
thenews soon spreading among hisMacedo- andextinguished,
shone with new and yetit broke
splendour. out
Fresh again,
forces and
came
nians, he could do nothing in an orderly man-
ner:fornothing wastobefound inthewholein,andgradually filledupthemeasure of his
army butlamentations, tears, andexpressions hopes. Thiswas thefirsttimeheaddressed the
ofresentment andreproach againsttheirking.citiesaaaprivate man, andwithout anyofthe
Theywere even readytomarch off,under pre-ensigns ofroyalty.Somebody seeing himat
tence ofattending totheirdomestic affairs,
butThebes inthiscondition, applied tohim,with
infacttojoinLysimachus. propriety enough,those verses ofEuripides,
In this caseDemetriusthoughtproperto get To Dirce'sfountain,
andIsmenus'
shore,
at thegreatest
distance
hecouldfromLysima- Inmortal
form
hemoves,
aGodnomore.
chus,andturnhiaarmsagainst
Pyrrhus.Ly- Whenhehadgotintothehighroadof hope
snnachus
wasof their ownnation,andmanyof again,and hadoncemore a respectable force
them knew him in the serviceof Alexander; andform of royalty abouthim, herestoredthe
whereasPyrrhuswasanentirestranger,and Thebanstheir ancientgovernment
andlaws.
thereforehe thoughtthe Macedonians
would At the sametime the Atheniansabandoned
hie
nevergivehim the preference.But he was interests,
andrazingout of theirregisters
the
tadlymistakenin hisconjecture;
andhesoonnameof Diphilus,whowasthenpriestof the
foundit uponencamping nearPyrrhus. The godsprotectors,
orderedArchonsto beap-
Macedonians
alwaysadmiredhis distinguishedpointed again,accordingto ancientcustom.
valour,and hadof old beenaccustomed
to Theylikewisesentfor Pyrrhus
fromMacedo-
think the bentmanin the fieldthe mostworthy nia, because
theysawDemetriusgrowstrong-
of a crown. Besides,theyreceived
dailyac er thantheyexpected; Demetrius,greatly
en-
countsof theclemencywithwhichhebehavedraged,marched immediatelyto attackthem,
to his prisoners.Indeed,theywereinclinedandlaidstrongsiegeto thecity. But Cratei
to desert
to himor anyother,sotheycouldthephilosopher,
amanofgreat reputation
and
outgetridofDemetrius. Theythereforebe- authority,
beingsentouttohimbythepeople,
gantogooff privately,
andin smallparties
at partly
byhisentreaties
fortheAthenians,
and
first, but afterwardstherewas nothingbut partlyby representing
to himthat hisinterest
opendisorder
andmutiny
in thecamp.At [ayanother
way,prevailed
onDemetrius
to
last,some
ofthemhadtheassurance
to goto raise
theBie»e.Afterthis,hecollected
allhit
 DEMETRIUS. 631

ships,
embarkedhisarraj,whichconsisted
of Uponthese representationsSeleucus
marched
eleventhousand
foot,besides
cavalry,andsail- into Ciliciawitha greatarmy.Demetrius,
as-
edtoAsia,inhopes
ofdrawingCariaandLydia tonished andterrifiedat thesudden
change
of
overfromLysimachus. Eurydice, the sister Seleucus,withdrewto the strongestpostshe
of Phila, receivedhim at Miletus, having could find upon Mount Taurus, and sent a
brought
withherPtolemais,
a daughter
shehad message
to him,begging,
" Thathe mightbe
by Ptolemywho hadformerly beenpromisedsufferedto makea conquestof somefree na
hjn uponthe applicationof Scleucus.Demet- tions of barbarians,and by settling amongst
rius marriedher with thefree consentof Eury- them astheir king put a periodto his wan-
dice,and soonafter attemptedthe cities in derings. If this could not be granted,he
thatquarter;manyof themopenedtheir gates hopedSeleucuswould at leastpermit him to
to him, and manyothers he took by force. winterin that country,andnot by driving him
Among the latter was Sardis. Some of the offi- out naked and in want of every thing, expose
cers of Lysimachus likewise desertedto him, him in that condition to his enemies."
and brought sufficient appointments of money AH these proposalshad a suspiciousappear-
andtroopswith them. But, asAgathoclesthe anceto Seleucus,he madeanswer,"That he
sonof Lysimachuscameagainsthim with a might, if hepleased,spendtwo monthsof the
greatarmy,hemarchedto Phyrgia,with anin- winter in Cataonia,if hesenthim hisprincipal
tention to seize Armenia, and then to try Me- friends as hostages." But at the same time he
dia andthe Upper Provinces,whichmightaf- securedthe passes into Syria. Demetrius,thus
ford him manyplacesof retreatuponoccasion.surroundedlike a wild beastin the toils, was
Agathocles followedhim close,andashefound undera necessityof havingrecourseto vio-
Demetriussuperiorin all the skirmishesthat lence. He thereforeravagedthe country,and
neventuredupon,hebetookhimselfto cutting had the advantageof Seleucuswheneverhe
off hie convoys. This distressedhim not a attackedhim. Seleucusoncebesethim with
jttle; and,whatwasanotherdisagreeable cir- his armedchariots,andyet he broke through
cumstance, his soldiers suspected that he de- them, and put his enemy to the route. After
signedto lead theminto ArmeniaandMedia. this hedislodgedthe corpsthat was to defend
The famine increasedeveryday; and,by the heights on the side of Syria, and made
mistakingthe fords of the river Lycus, he had himself master of the passages.
a greatnumberof men sweptaway with the Elevatedwith thissuccess, andfindingthacou-
stream. Yet, amidstall their distress,his rageof his menrestored,hepreparedto fighta
troopswere capable of jesting. One of them decisive battle with Seleucus. That prince was
wroteuponthedoorof his tentthebeginningof now in greatperplexity. He hadrejectedthe
thetragedyof CEdipuswith asmallalteration, succoursofferedhim byLysimachus,for want
Thouoffspring
oftheblindoldkingAntigoniu, of confidence
in hishonour,andfromanappre-
Wheredostthouleadus? hensionof his designs;and he was loath to try
Pestilence,at lastfollowedthe famine,as it his strengthwith Demetrius,because
hedread-
commonlyhappenswhen peopleare undera ed his desperatecourage,as well as his usual
necessity
of eatinganything,howeverunwhole- changeof fortune,whichoftenraisedhim from
some,so that finding he bad lost in all not less great misery to the summit of power. In tlit
thaneightthousandmen,he turnedbackwith meantime,Demetriuswasseizedwith a fit of
the'est. When he camedown to Tarsus,he sickness,whichgreatly impairedhis personal
wa»desirousof sparingthe country, becausevigour,andentirely ruinedhis affairs:for part
it belonged to Seleucus;andhe did not think of hismenwentoverto theenemy,andpart left
properto give him any pretenceto declare their coloursand dispersed. In forty dayshe
againsthim. But perceivingthat it wasimpos- recovered with greatdifficulty;andgettingun-
siblefor his troopgto avoidtakingsomething,der marchwith the remainsof his army,made
whentheywerereducedto such extremities, a feint of movingtowards Cilicia. But after-
andthatAgathocles hadfortified the passes
of wardsin the night hedecampedwithoutsound
MountTaurus, hs wrote a letter to Seleucusof trumpet, and taking the contrary way,
containing a longandmovingdetailof hismis- crossedMountAmanus,andravagedthecoun-
fortune,andconcludingwith strongentreaties try on the other sideas far as Cyrrhestica.
thathewouldtakecompassion ona princewho Seleucusfollowed,andencamped verynear
wasalliedto him,and whose sufferingswere him. Demetriusthenput his army in motion
suchasevenan enemymightbeaffectedwith. in the night,in hopesof surprisinghim. Seleu-
Seleucus wastouchedwith pity, andsentor- cuswasretired to real; and in all probability
dersto hislieutenants
in thosepartsto supplyhis enemywouldhavesucceeded, bad not
Demetrius witheverythingsuitable
tothestate somedeserters
informed himofhisdanger,just
of a king, andhis armywith sufficient
provi- timeenough
for himto puthimselfina posture
lions. But Patrocles,who was a manof un- of defenceUpon this he startedup in great
derstanding,
anda faithfulfriendto Seleucus,consternation,and orderedthe trumpetsto
wentto thatprinceandrepresented to him, soundanalarmjand asheputonhiesandals,he
'That theexpenseof furnishing
thetroopsof saidto hisfriends," Whata terriblewildbeast
Demetrius withprovisionswasa thingofsmall areweengaged with!" Demetrius perceiving
by
importance,in comparisonofsuffering
Demet-thetumultin theenemy's camp thathisscheme
riushimselftoremainin thecountry,whowas wasdiscovered, retiredasfastaspossible.
alwaysoneof the mostviolentandenterprising At break of dayScleucusofferedhim battle,
princesin the world,andnow wasin suchdes- whenDemetriusorderingoneof his officersto
peratecircumstances
asmightputeventhosetakecareof onewing,puthimselfat thehead
of themildestdispositions
onboldandunjust of theother,and made
someimpressionupon
IttempU." the enemy.Meantime Seleucus
quittmgtu»
632 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

horse,andlayingasidehis helmet,presented
athisaversion
to thatstep. Suchconfidence
himselfto Demetrius's
hiredtroopswithonly hadhein thehopes theyheldouttohim,when
bis bucklerin hishand,exhortingthemto come Pausaniascomingwith a partyof horseand
overto him, andto beconvincedat last that it foot, to the numberof a thousand,suddenly
wasto sparethemnot Demetrius,that hehad surrounded him, and drove awaysucn as he
beenBOlong aboutthe war. Upon whichthey found inclinedto favourhis cause. Alter ha
all salutedhim king, and rangedthemselveshadthusseizedhisperson,insteadof conduct-
under his banner. ing him to the presenceof Seleucus.heearned
Demetrius,thoughof all the changeshehad him to the SyrianChersonesus. There hewa«
experienced,
he thoughtthis the mostterrible, kept, indeed,undera strongguard,but Peleu
yet imaginingthat he mightextricatehimself cussenthim a sufficientequipage,andsuppl-
from this distress as well as the rest, fledto the ed him with money and a table suitable to his
passesof Mount Amanus, and gaining a thick rank. He had also places of exercise and
wood, waited there for the night, with a few walks worthy of a king; his parks were weil
friendsandattendants
whofollowedhisfortune. stored with game;and suchof his friendsas
His intention was, if possible, to take the way had accompaniedhim in his flight, were per-
to Caunus,wherehe hopedto find his fleet, and mitted to attend him. Scleucus,too, had the
from thenceto makehis escapeby sea: but complaisance
oftento sendsomeof hispeople
knowing he had not provisions even for that with kind and encouraging messages,intima-
day, he soughtfor some other expedient. After- ting, that as soon as Antiochus and Stratonice
wardsoneof his friends,namedSosigenes,
ar- shouldarrive,termsof accommodation
would
rived with four hundred pieces of gold in his be hit upon, and he would obtain his liberty.
purse; with the assistanceof which money they Under this misfortune, Demetrius wrote to
hopedto reachthesea.Accordinglywhennight hisson,andto hisofficersandfriendsin Athens<
came,theyattemptedto passthe heights;but andCorinth,desiringthemto trust neitherhii
finding a numberof fires lightedthere by the handwriting nor his seal,but to act as if he
enemy,theydespaired of succeeding
that way, were dead,andto keep the cities and all his
and returnedto their formerretreat,but neith- remainingestatesfor Antigonus. When the
er with their wholecompany (for some had youngprincewasinformedof his father'scon-
goneoff,) nor with the same spirits. One of finement,hewasextremelyconcerned at it; he
themventuringto tell him,that he thoughtit put on mourning,and wrote not only to the
wasbeatfor him to surrender himselfto Seleu- other kings,but to Seleucushimself;offering,
cus,Demetriusdrew his swordto kill himself; on conditionthat his fatherwere set free,to
but his friendsinterposed, andconsolinghim cedeall the possessions theyhadleft, andde-
In the best mannertheycould,persuaded him liver himselfupas ahostage.Many citiesand
to follow his advice:in consequence of which princesjoinedin the request;but Lysimacbuj
he sentto Seleucus, andyieldedhimselfto his was not of that number. On the contrary,
discretion. he offered Seleucusa large sum of money to
Uponthisnews, Seleucussaidtothoseaboutinduce himto putDemetrius to death.Seleu-
him," It is notthegoodfortuneofDemetrius,cus,wholookeduponhiminanindifferent light
butmine,that nowsaves him; and that adds before, abhorredhimasa villainfor hispro-
to other favours thisopportunity
of testifyingposal;andonlywaitedfoi mearrivalof Anti-
myhumanity."Then,callingtheofficers of ochusandStratonice, to makethemthecom-
hishousehold heordered themtopitcha royal pliment of restoring
Demetriusto hisliberty.
tent,andto provide
everythingelseforhis Demetrius,
whoatfirstsupported
hismis-
reception
andentertainment
in themost
mag-fortunewithpatience,
by custom
learned
to
nificentmanner.Aatherehappenedto bein submit
to it witha stillbettergrace.Forsome
theserviceof Seleucus
oneAppollonides,
who timehetooktheexercises of huntingandrun-
wasanoldacquaintance ofDemetrius, heim- ning;butheleftthembydegrees, andsank
mediatelysentthatperson to him,thathe intoindolence andinactivity.Afterwards he
might bemoreatease,
andcome withthegreat-tooktodrinking andplay,andspentmost
ofhis
er confidence,
asto a son-in-lawanda friend.timeinthatkindofdissipation.Whetherit was
Onthediscovery of this favourabledispo-toputoffthethoughts ofhispresent
condition,
sitionofSeleucus
towards him,atafirstview,which hecouldnotbear inhisscber
hours, and
andafterwardsagreatnumber ofthecourtiersto drownreflectionin thebowl,orwhether he
waited onDemetrius,
andstrove whichshouldwassensible at lastthatthiswasthesortof
payhimthemost
respect;
forit wasexpected
life,which,
though
originally
theobject
ofhis
thathisinterestwith Seleucus
wouldsoonbe desires,
hehadidlywandered
from,to follow
thebestin thekingdom.Butthese compli-thedictates
ofanabsurd ambition. Perhapshe
ments turned thecompassion
whichhisdistress
considered
thathehadgiven himself andothers
hadexcited intojealousy,
andgaveoccasion infinite
trouble,byseeking withfleets and ar-
;otheenvious andmalevolent
to divertthe miesthathappiness whichhefoundwhenhe
stream of theking'shumanityfromhim,by leastexpected it, in ease,
indulgejce, andre-
alarming himwithapprehensionsofnoinsen- pose.Forwnat other endsdoes thewretched
siblechange, butof thegreatest
commotions vanity
ofkingspropose toitselfinalltheirwars
in hisarmy
onthesightofDemetrius. and dangers,
buttoquitthepaths
ofvirtue
and
Appollonides
wasnowcome to Demetrius
honour
forthose ofluxuryandpleasure;
the
withgreatsatisfaction;
andotherswhofol-sure
consequence oftheirnotknowingwhat
lowedto paytheircourt,brought
extraordinary
realpleasure
andtrueenjoyment
are. ^
accounts
of thekindness
of Seleucus;
inso- Demetrius,
afterthree
years'
confinement
in
muchthatDemetrius,
though
in thefirstshocktheChersonesus,
fell into a distemper
occa-
of hismisfortune,
hehadthought
it agreatdis-
sioned
byidleness
andexcess, whichcarried
gracetosurrender
himself,
wasnow displeased
himoffattheage
of fifty-fourSeleucus
was
 ANTONY. 633

"everelycensured, andindeedwasmuch con- funeral procession,beating their breastsin

cernedhimself,for his unjustsuspicions
of De- concertwith the music.But it wasthemourn-
metrius,whereashe shouldhavefollowedthe ful appearance andthe tearsof Antigonuethat
exampleof Dromichztes, who, though a Thra- excited the greatest compassion among tho
cianand barbarian,had treatedLysimachus, peopleaa they passed. After the Corinthi-
whenhis prisoner,with all the generositythat ans hadbestowedcrownsandall duehonour*
become a king. upon the remains,Antigonouscarried them
There wassomethingof a theatricalpomp to Demetriusanddeposited themthere. This
eveninthefuneralof Demetrius.For Antigonus was a city called after the deceased,which
beinginformed
thattheywerebringinghisfa- he had peopled
fromthe little townsabout
ther's ashes to Greece, went to meet them with Jolcoe.
his whole fleet; and finding them near the Isles Demetrius left behind him several children]
of the JEgcan sea,he took the urn, which was Antigonus and Stratonice, whom he had by hie
of solidgold,on boardthe admiralgalley.The wife Phila; two sons of the nameof Deme-
citiesat which they touchedsent crowns to trius,onesumamedTheSlender,by anIllynan
adorn the urn, and personsin mourning to as- woman; the other was by Ptolemais, and came
sist at the funeral solemnity. to be king of Cyrene. By Deidamia he had
When the fleet approachedCorinth, the urn Alexander, who took up his residence in
"wasseenin a conspicuous position upon the Egypt; and by his last wife Eurydice he is said
sternof the vessel,adornedwith a purplerobe to havebada son namedCorrhaebus.
His pos-
and a diadem, and attended by a company of terity enjoyed the throne in continued euceea
youngmenwell armed. XenophantuSj a most sion downto Perseus*
the last king of Mace
celebratedperformeron the flute, satby the don,in whosetime the Romanssubduedthat
urn,andplayedasolemnair. The oarskepttime country.Thus havinggonethroughthe Mace
withthe notes,and accompanied themwith a doniandrama,it is time that we bringthe Ho
melancholysound,like that of mourners in a man upon the stage.

ANTONY.

THEgrandfather of Mark Antonywaa Antony mity which subsisted betweenCiceroandAn-

the orator,who followedthe faction of Sylla, tony.The latter affirmed,that hismotherJulia
andwasput to deathby Marius.* His father was even otliged to begthe body of Cicero5!
wasAntony,surnamed theCretan,a manof no wife for interment. But this is not true; for
figureor consequence in the political world,! noneof thosewho sufferedon the sameocca-
outdistinguished
for his integrity,benevolence,sion,underCicero,wererefusedthisprivilege.
sad liberality; of which the following little cir- Antony was engaging in his person, and was
cumstance
is a sufficientproof. His fortune unfortunate
enoughto fall into the goodgraces
was not large; and his wife, therefore, very and friendship of Curio, a man who was devot-
prndentlylaid somerestrainton his munificent ed to everyspeciesof licentiousness,andwho,
disposition.
An acquaintance of his, who was to renderAntony the moredependentonhim,
undersomepecuniarydifficulties,appliedto led him into all the excesses of indulgingin
him for assistance.Antony, having no money at wine and woman, and all the expenses that
command,
orderedhis boy to bringhim a sil- suchindulgences
areattendedwith. Of course,
ver basonfull of water, under a pretence of he was soon deeply involved in debt, and owed
shaving.After the boy wasdismissed,
he gave at last two hundredandfifty talents,while he
the basin to his friend, and bade him make was a very young man. Curio was bound for
what use of it be thought proper. The disap- the payment of this money; and his father be-
pearance
of thebasinoccasioned
nosmall com- ing informedof it, banishedAntony from his
motion in the family; and Antony finding his house. Thus dismissed,he attached himsdf
wifeprepared to takea severeaccountof the to Clodms,that pestilent and audacioustri-
servants,beggedher pardon,andtold her the bune,who threwthe state into suchdreadful
truth. disorder;till wearyof his mad measures,and
His wife'snamewasJulia; she wasof the fearfulof hisopponents, hepassedinto Greece,
familyof the Cssars, anda womanof distin- where he employedhimself in military exer-
guishedmeritand modesty. Under her aus- cises,andthe study of eloquence. The Asia-
picesMark Antonyreceived hia education;tic stylefwasthenmuchin vogue, andAntony
when,afterthedeathof hisfather,shemarri- fell naturallyintoit; for it wascorrespondent
edCornelius Lentulus,whomCiceroput to withhismanners, whichwerevainpompous,
deathfor engagingin the conspiracyof Cati- insolent,and assuming.
line. This was the origin of that lasting eo-
" Aboutonehundredandsixteenyears.
f Cicero,
inhisBrutusmentions
two«orUof style
" ValeriusMaiimussays,thatAntonythe orator called
theAsiatic. Unumtenttntiofum
el argutum
"» putto deathby Ihejoint order of CinnaandM&- sententiisnontarngruntna et sererisijwimconcmnis
rius. But CiceromentionsCinnaas the immediateet venustit.Mud autemgenusat non tarnsententtii
caiue.Cic.PhilipI. frc/juentatum
yuamverbavaluers,
atyueincttatum
t NerertheleM,
heconductedthe war in Crete,and quali nunceat.ltia tola, neeflumineiolumoralu>na.
fromhencewascalledOreteniii. ltd ttiam exornatattfuceto genorevcrlxmm.
 634 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
In Greece
hereceived
aninvitation
fromGa- aquiline
nose;
and,uponthewhole,
thegama
biniue
theproconsul,
tomake
acampaign
with manly
aspect
thatweseein'hepictures
and
himin Syria.*Thisinvitation
herefused
to statues
of Hercules.
Therewas,indeed, an
accept,
asa private
man;butbeing appointee
ancient
tradition;
thathisfamilywasdescend-
to thecommand
of the cavalry,he attendeeedfrom Hercules,
bya BOD
of hiscalledAo-
him.Hisfirstoperation
wasagainst
Aristobuleon;andit wasnowonder if Antonysought
lus,whobadexcitedtheJewstorevolt.He toconfirm thisopinion,
byaffecting
toresemble
wasthefirstwhoscaled
thewall;andthishe himin hisairandhisdress.Thus,whenhe
didin thehighest
part.HedroveAristobulusappearedinpublic,
heworehisvestgirtonthe
froir.all historts;andafterwards
witha hand-hips,a largesword,andoverall a coarse
man-
ful of men, defeatedhis numerousarmyin a tle. That kind of conductwhichwouldseem
pitchedbattle. Mostof theenemy
wereslain disagreeable to others,rendered
himthedar-
andAnstobulus andhissonweretakenprison ling of thearmy. He talkedwiththecoldiera
ers. Upon the conclusionof this war, Gabi- in their own swaggeringand ribbaldstrain-
niuswassolicited
byPtolemy
tocarryhisarms eatanddrankwiththemin public,andwould
into Egypt, and restore him to his kingdom.! stand to take his victuals at their common ta-
The rewardof thisservicewasto be ten thous- ble. He was pleasanton the subjectof hii
andtalents. Most of the officersdisapprovedamours, ready in assistingthe Intriguesof
of the expedition;andGabinius himselfdidnot others,andeasyunderthe railleryto whichlie
readilyenterinto it, thoughthe moneypleadedwassubjected by his own. His liberalityto the
strongly ia his behalf. Antony, however, am- soldiers and to his friends was the first founda-
bitious
of greatenterprises,
andvainof grati tionofhisadvancement,
andcontinued
tosup-
fying a suppliantking, usedevery meansto port himin thatpowerwhichhewasotherwise
draw Gabiniusinto the service,andprevailed. weakeningby a thousandirregularites. One
It was the general opinion, that the march to instance of his liberality I must mention: he
Pelusiumwas more dangerousthan the war had orderedtwo hundredand fifty thousand
that was to follow. For they were to passover drachmas(which the Romanscall deries) to be
a sandyand unwateredcountry,by the filthy given to oneof his friends; his steward,who
marsh of Serbonis, whose stagnant ooze the was startled at the extravaganceof the sum,
Egyptians call the exhalationsof Typhon; laid the silverin aheap,that hemightseeit as
though it is probablyno morethan the drain- he passed. He sawit, andinquiredwhatit wai
ings of the Red Sea,whichis there separatedfor; " It is the sum," answeredthe steward,
from the Mediterraneanonly by a smallneck " that you orderedfor a present."Antonyper-
ofland. ceived his envious design,and, to mortify him
Antonybeingorderedthitherwith the caval- still more,said coolly "I really thoughtthe
ry, not only seizedthe straits, but took the large sum would have madea better figure. It is too
city of Pelusium,andmadethegarrisonprison- little; let it bedoubled."* This, however,was
era. By this operation he at once opened a se- in the latter part of his life.
cure passagefor the army, and a fair prospect Home was divided into two parties. Pompev
of victory for their general. The samelove of was with the senate. The people were for
glory which was so serviceableto his own bringingCzsar with his army out of Gaul.
party, was,on this occasion,advantageous
to Curio,thefriend of Antony,who hadchanged
the enemy. For when Ptolemy enteredPelu- sides, and joined Caesar,brought Antony like-
sium, in the rage of revenge, he would have wise over to his interest The influence he
put the citizensto death,but Antonyresolutely lad obtainedby his eloquence,
andbythat pro
opposed it, andpreventedhim from executing usionof moneyin whichhe wassupportedby
hishorridpurpose.In the severalactionswhere Dasar,enabledhim to make Antonytribune
he was concerned,he gavedistinguished proofs of the people, and afterwards augur. Antony
of his conductandvalour,butespecially
in that wasno soonerin powerthan Cesarfoundthe
manoeuvre where,by wheelingabout and at- advantage of his services.In the first placehe
tackingthe enemyin the rear,heenabledthose opposedthe consulMarcellus,whosedesign
who chargedin front to gaina completevicto- wasto give Pompeythe commandof the ola
ry. For this actionhe receivedsuitablehon- egions,andat the sametimeto empowerhim
ours and rewards. to raise new ones. On this occasion he ob-
His humanecareof the bodyof Arcbelaua, taineda decree,that the forcesthen on foot
who fell in the battle,wastakennoticeof even shouldbe sentinto Syria,and join Bibulusin
by the commonmen.He hadbeenhis intimate carrying on the war againstthe Parthians;
friend, andconnected with him in the rightsof and that none shouldgive in their namesto
hospitality;and thoughhewasobliged,by his serveunderPompey. On another occasion,
duty, to opposehim in the field,he no sooner whenthe senatewouldneitherreceiveCssan
heard that he was fallen, than he ordered letters,nor suffer them to be read,he read
searchto bemadefor his body,andinterredit themby virtue of his tribunitialauthority;and
with regalmagnificence.This conductmade the requests of Caesar
appearingmoderate and
him respectedin Alexandria,andadmiredby reasonable, bythismeanshebroughtovermany
the Romans. :ohis interest. Two questionswere at lengthput
Antony hada nobledignity of countenance, n thesenate;one, " WhetherPompeyshould
&gracefullengthof beard,a largeforehead,
an dismiss his army;" the other, "Whether
CsDsarshould give up his." There were but a
* AultnGabimus
waaconsul
in theyearof Romeewvotesfor theformer,a largemajorityfoi
135; and the ye»r full'.>wiugkt went into Syria.
f Dion 1. inn. * The samestory is told of Alexander.
 ANTONY. 635

thelatter.ThenAntonystoodup,andputthe him,he nadnot judgedimproperly;

for An
question," WhetherbothCssarandPompeytonywasa brave,skilfulandactivegeneral.
ibould not dismiss their armies." This motion Caesarembarked at Brundusiurn, sailed ove
wasreceivedwith greatacclamations, andAn- the Ionian seawith a smallnumberof troop*
tony was applauded, and desiredto put it to and sent back the fleet, with ordersthat An-
the vote. This beingopposed by the cousuls, tony and Gabinius,should put the army on
the friendsof Caesarmade other proposals,board,andproceedas fastas possibleto Ma-
whichseemed by no meansunreasonable: But cedonia. Gabiniuswas afraidof the sea,for
theywereoverruledby Cato,*andAntony,was it waswinter, andthe passage wasdangerous.
commanded by Lentulus,the consul,to leave He thereforemarchedhis forcesa long way
thehouse. He left them with bitter execra- round by land. Antony, on the other band,
tions;anddisguisinghimselflike aservant,ac- beingapprehensive that Caesarmightbe sur-
companied only by QuintusCaseius, hehireda roundedandovercome by hisenemies, beatoff
carriage,andwent immediatelyto Cxsar. As Libo, who lay at anchorin the mouthof the
"oon as theyarrived,they exclaimedthat no- havenof Brundusium. By sendingoutseveral
thing was conductedat Rome accordingto small vessels,he encompassed LIDO'Sgalleys
order or law, that eventhe tribuneswerere- separately, andobligedthemto retire. By this
fusedthe privilege of speaking,and whoever meanshefoundanopportunityto embarkabout
would rise in defence of the right, must be ex- twenty thousandfoot and eight hundred horse;
pelled,andexposedto personaldanger. andwith thesehesetsail. The enemydiscov-
Czsar, upon this, marchedhis army into eredandmadeup to him; but be escapedby
Italy, andhenceit wasobservedby Cicero,in favourof a stronggalefrom the south,which
his Philippics, that Antony was po less the made the sea so rough that the pursuerscould
causeof the civil war in Rome, than Helen not reach him. The same wind, however, at
had been of the Trojan war.f There is, first drove him upon a rocky shore on which
however, but little truth in this assertion. the sea bore so bard that there appearedno
Cssarwasnot so mucha slaveto the impulse hopeof escapingshipwreck;but after a little,
of resentment, as to enter on so desperate a it turned to the south-west, and, blowing from
measure,if it had not beenpremeditated. Nor land to the main sea, Antony sailed in safety,
would he havecarried war into the bowels of with the satisfaction of seeing the wrecks of
his country, merely because he saw Antony the enemy's fleet scattered along the coast.
and Cassiusflying to him in a mean dress and The storm had driven their ships upon tha
ahiredcarriage.At the sametime, thesethings rocksandmanyof themwentto pieces. An-
might give some colour to the commencement tony made bis advantage of this disaster; foi
of thosehostilitieswhichhadbeenlongdeter- he took severalprisoners,and a considerable
mined. Czsar'g motive was the same which booty. He likewise made himself master o.
badbeforedrivenAlexander and Cyrus over the townof Lissus;and,by the seasonable ar
therumsof humankind, the insatiablelust of rival of his reinforcement,
the affairsof Cssai
empire,the frantic ambition of being the first wore a more promising aspect.
manuponearth,whichhe knew he couldnot Antonydistinguished
himselfin everybattle
be while Pompeywas yet alive. that was fought. Twice he stopped the army
As soonas he was arrived at Rome, and bad in its flight, brought them back to the charge,
drivenPompey out of Italy, his first design was and gainedthe victory; so that, in point of mili-
to attackhislegionsin Spain,andhavinga fleet taryreputation,he wasinferior only to CasaT.
in readiness, to go afterwardsin pursuitof What opinion Caesar hadof his abilities,ap-
Pompeyhimself,while, in the meantime, Rome peared in the last decisive battle at Pharsalia:
was left to the government of Lepidus, the he led the right wing himself, and gave the left
prator,andItaly andthe armyto the command to Antonyas to the ablestof his officers. Af-
of Antonythe tribune. Antony,by the socia- ter this battle,Cssar beingappointeddictator,
bility of his disposition,soon madehimself went in pursuit of Pompey,andsentAntony
agreeableto the soldiers; for he eat and drank to Rome in character of general of the horse.
with them, and made them presents to the ut- This officer is next in power to the dictator,
most of his ability. To others, his conduct and in his absencehe commands alone. For,
was less acceptable. He was too indolent to after the election of a dictator, all other magis-
attendto the causeof the injured, too violent trates,the tribunesonly excepted,aredivested
and too impatientwhenhe wasappliedto on of their authority.
business,and infamousfor his adulteries. In Dolabella,oneof the tribunes,a youngman
short,thoughthere wasnothingtyrannicalin who wasfond of innovations,proposeda law
the governmentof CtEsar,it was renderedfor abolishingdebts, and solicited his friend
odiousby the ill conductof his friends; and Antony, who was ever ready to gratify the
asAntonyhadthe greatestshareof the power, people,to join him in this measure. On the
"o he bore the greatestpart of the blame. other hand,Asinius andTrebellius dissuaded
Caesar,
notwithstanding,
on his returnfrom himfromit. Antony,happened
at thistime,
Spain,connivedat his irregularities;and in- to suspectacriminal connection
betweenDol-
deed,
in themilitaryappointment
hehadgiven abellaandhiswife,whom,onthataccount,
he
dismissed,
thoughshewashis first cousin,and
* Ciceroasserts,that Antonywas the immediatedaughter to Cams Antonius, who had beencol
S»ose
ofthecivilwar; butif hecouldhavelaiddown leaguewith Cicero. In consequence
of this,
bisprejudice,
diatecause hemight
in the have
impolitic discovered
ofaCato.
resentment moreimme-hejoined
Asinius,
andopposed
Dolobella.
The
t In 'he secondPhilippic. Ut Helena Trojan is, tic latter had taken possessionof the forum, with
iltf huicreiputlicacausabelK; causayexti*aJtyieKI- a designto passhis Jawby force: andAntony
tufuit. beingordered">ythe senatetc repel forcewith
 636 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.
force,attackedhim,killedseveralof hit men, thattheenemywasmarching intoItaly,here.
andlostsomeofhisown. turnedimmediately
to Rome,andin the dis-
By thisactionhe forfeited
thefavourof the guiseof a slave,wentto bishouse by night,
people:but this wasnot theonlythingthat pretending thathehadlettersfromAntonyto
renderedhim obnoxious; for men of senseand Fulvia. He wa» introduced to her with bit
virtue, as Ciceroobserves,
couldnot but con- headmuffledop; and beforeshereceivedthe
demnhisnocturnal
revels,
hisenormous
extrav-letter,sheasked,
with impatience,
if Antony
agance,his scandalous
lewdness,his sleeping were well? He presented
the letter to her in
in theday,hiswalksto carryoffthequalms
of silence;and,whileshewasopeningit, he
debauchery, and his entertainments on the threw his arms around her neck and kissed
marriages of players and buffoons. It is said, her. We, mention this as one instance out of
that afterdrinking all night at the weddingof manyof his pleasantries.
Hippias, the player,he wassummoned in the When CEsarreturnedfrom Spain,mostof
morninguponbusiness
to theforum,when, theprincipalcitizenswentsomedaysjourney
througha little too muchrepletion,hewasun- to meethim; but Antony met with the most
fortunateenough,in the presenceof thepeople, distinguished
reception,andhadthe honourto
to return part of his evening fare by the way ride with Cxsar in the same chariot. After
it hadentered;andoneof his friendsreceivedthemcameBrutusAlbinius,andOcUvius,the
it in his gown. Sergius,the player, had the son of Caesar'sniece, who wasafterwards
greatestinterest with him; and Cytheris,*a called AugustusCaesar,and'for manyyean
ladyof thesame
profession,
hadthemanage-
wasemperor
of Rome.Caesar
being
created
ment of his heart. She attendedhim in his consulfor the fifth time, choseAntonyfor his
excursions;andherequipagewasby nomeans colleague;.butas he intendedto quit the con
inferior to his mother's. The peoplewere of- sulshipin favourof Dolabella,he acquainted
fendedat the pomp of his travelling plate, the senatewith his resolution. Antony,not-
which was more fit for the ornamentof a withstanding, opposed this measure,andload-
triumph; at his erectingtents on the road by ed DolabeJlawith the mostflagrantreproach-
groves and rivers, for the most luxurious din- es. Dolabella did not fail to return the abuse;
ners; at his chariots drawn by lions; and at and Caesar,offended at their indecent beha
bis lodginghis ladies of pleasure,andfemale viour, put off the affair till another time.
musicians, in the houses of modest and sober When it was again proposed, Antony insisted
people. This dissatisfactionat the conduct of that the omens from the flight of birds were
Antony could not but be increasedby the com- againstthe measure.* Thus Caesarwasoblig-
parative view of Caesar. While the latter was ed to give up Dolabella, who was not a little
supporting the fatigues of a military life, the mortified at his disappointment. It appears,
former was indulging himselfin all the dissi- however,that Caesar
had as little regardfor
pation of luxury; and, by meansof his dele- Dolabella as he had for Antony, for when
gatedpower,insultingthe citizens. both wereaccused
of designsagainsthim, he
This conduct occasioneda variety of disturb- said, contemptuouslyenough, " It is not these
ances in Rome, andgave the soldiers an oppor- flat sleek fellows I am afraid of, but the pale
tunity to abuseandplunderthe people.There- andthe lean;" by whichhemeantBrutusand
foie, whenCssar returnedto Rome, he par- Cassius,who, afterwardsput him to death.
donedDolabella; and being created consul, the Antony, without intending it, gave them a pre-
third time, he took Lepidus,andnot Antony, tencefor that undertaking.WhentheRomans
for his colleague.Antonypurchased Pompey'swerecelebratingthe Lupercalia,Cassar, in a
house,but, whenhe wasrequiredto makethe triumphalhabit, sat on the rostrumto seethe
payment,he expressed himself in very angry race. On this occasion,many of the young
terms;andthis he tells us wasthe reasonwhy nobility andthe magistracy, anointedwith oil,
he would not go with Cassar into Africa. His and havingwhite thongsin their hands,run
formerserviceshethoughtinsufficientlyrepaid. about andstrike, as in sport, every onethey
Czsar,however,by his disapprobation of An- meet: Antony was of the number,but re-
lonv's conduct,seemsto havethrownsomere- ardlessof the ceremonies of the institution,
straint on his dissolutemannerof life. He e took agarlandof laurel,andwreathingit in
now took it into his headto marry,andmade a diadem,ran to the rostrum,where,being
choice of Fulvia, the widowof the seditious liftedupby his companions,he would have
Clodius,a womanby no meansadapted to do- placedit on the headof Czsar, intimating,
jiesticemployments,
norevencontented with ihereby,
theconveyanceof regalpower.Cs-
rulingherhusband
asa privateman. Fulvia'ssar,however,
seemedto declinetheoffer,and
ambitionwasto governthosethatgoverned,was,therefore,
applaudedby thepeople.An
andto commandtheleadersof armies. It was tonypersistedin his design;andfor sometime
toFulvia,therefore,
thatCleopatra
wasobligedtherewasa contestbetween
them,whilehe
forteachingAntony
duesubmission
to femalethatoffered
thediadem hadtheapplauseof
authority.Hehadgonethrough
such
a courseliisfriends,
andhethatrefused
it,theacclama
of discipline,asmadehimperfectlytractabletionsof themultitude.Thus,whatissmgula
whenhecameinto her hands. enough,while theRomans
enduredeverything
He endeavoured, however, to amuse the thatregalpowercouldimpose, theydreaded
violentspiritofFulviabymany whimsicalandthename ofking,asdestructive
oftheirliberty.
pleasantfollies,WhenCaesar, afterhissuc-Caesarwasmuch concerned atthistransaction;
cessin Spain,wasonhisreturnto Rome,An- and,uncovering hisneck,heoffered hislifeto
tony,amongst others,
wentto meethim;buta anyonethatwould takeit. At lengththedia
report prevailing that Cssar waskilled, and
" Cic.Ep. »dAlt. 1. x. ep.10 * He hadthis powerby virtue of Uuofficeasincur
 ANTONY. 637

ternwasplacedononeof hisstatues,
butthe charged
thefuneralrites, theysnatched
th«
tribunestook it off;* upon which the people burningbrandsfrom the pile, andwentto at-
followedthem homewith great acclamations tack the housesof the conspirators.
Afterwards,however,Czsar shewedthat hi Brutusand his partynow left the city, and
resentedthis, by turningthosetribunesout ol Caesar's
friendsjoined Antony. Calphurnia,
office. The enterpriseof Brutus andCassiu the relict of Czsar, entrustedhim with her
derivedstrengthandencouragement fromthese treasure,which amountedto four thousand
circumstances.To the rest of their friends talents. All Cigar's papers,whichcontained
whomthey hadselectedfor the purpose,the' a particularaccountof his designs,were like-
wantedto draw over Antony. Treboniuaonl; wise deliveredup to him. Of thesehemadea
objectedto him; he informedthem that in very ingenioususe; for, by insertingin them
theirjourneyto meetCaesar, hehadbeengen what nameshe thoughtproper,he madesome
erally with him; that he had sounded him on of his friends magistrates,and others senators
this business
by hints, which, thoughcautious somehe recalledfrom exile,andothershedis-
wereintelligible;andthathe alwaysexpressecmissedfromprison,on pretencethat all these
bis disapprobation, though he never betrayet things were so ordered by Caesar. The peo-
the secret. Upon this, it was proposed, that ple that were thus favoured, the Romanscall
Antony should fall at the same time with Cl- ed Charonitesj* because,to support their title,
ear; but Brutus opposed it. An action, under- they had recourse to the registers of the dead.
taken in support of justice and the laws, he The power of Antony, in short, was absolute:
very properly thought, should have nothing un- he was consul himself, his brother Caius was
just attendingit. Of Antony, however,the) praetor,and his brotherLucius tribuneof the
were afraid, both in respect of his persona] people.
valour, and the influence of his office, and it Such was the state of affairs when Octavius-
wasagreed,that when Cajearwas in the house who was the sonof Caesar'sniece, and appoint-
and they were on the point of executing their ed his heir by will, arrived at Rome from Ap-
purpose,Antony should be amusedwithout by pollonia, where he resided when hia uncle
"ome pretendeddiscourse of business. was killed. He first visited Antony, as the
When, in consequence of these measures, friend of his uncle, and spoke to him concern-
Caesarwas slain, Antony absconded in the ing the money in his hands, and the legacy
disguiseof a slave; but after he found that the of seventy-five drachmas left to every Roman
conspirators were assembled in the Capitol, citizen. Antony paid little regard to him at
and had no further designs of massacre,he in- first; and told him, it would be madnessfor an
vited them to come down, and sent his son to unexperienced young man, without friends, to
them as a hostage. That night Cassiussupped take upon him so important an office as that of
with him, and Brutus with Lepidus. The day being executor to Caesar.
following, he assembled the senate, when he Octavius, however, was not thus repulsed:
proposedthat an act of amnesty should be pass- he still insisted on the money; and Antony,
ed; and that provinces should be assigned to on the other hand, did every thing to mortify
Brutusand Cassius. The senateconfirmed this, and affront him. He opposed him in his ap-
and, at the same time, ratified the acts of Cae- plication for the tribuneship; and when he
sar. Thus Antony acquitted himself in this made use of the golden chair, which had been
difficult affair with the highest reputation; and, granted by the senate to his uncle,f he threat-
by saving Rome from a civil war, he proved ened, that, unless he desisted to solicit the
himself a very ableand valuablepolitician. But Deople,he would commit him to prison. But
the intoxication of glory drew him off from these when Octavius joined Cicero and the rest
wise and moderatecounsels; and, from his in- of Antony's enemies, and, by their means,
fluencewith the people, he felt that if Brutus obtained an interest in the senate: when he
were borne down, he should be the first man continued to pay his court to the people, and
in Rome. With this view,when Caesar's
body drew the veteransoldiersfrom their quarters,
was exposedin the forum,, he undertook the Antony thought it was time to accommodate:
customaryfuneral oration; and when he found ind for this purpose gave him a meeting in the
the people affected with his encomiumson the Capitol.
deceased,he endeavouredstill more to excite An accommodation took place, but it was
their compassion, by all that was pitiable or icondestroyed;for that night Antonydream-
aggravating in the massacre. For thispurpose,ed that bis right hand was thunderstruck:
in the closeof his oration,he took the robe and, in a few days after, he was informed,
from the deadbody,and held it up to them, hat Octavius had a design on his life.-
bloodyas it was, and pierced through with The latter would havejustified himself, but
weapons;nordid hehesitate,at the sametime, was not believed; so that, of course, the
to call the perpetratorsof thedeedvillainsand >reachbecameas wide as ever. They now
murderers. This hadsuchan effectuponthe went immediatelyover Italy, and endeavour-
people,that they immediatelytore up the ed to be beforehandwith each other, in se-
benches andthe tablesin theforum, to make curing, by rewards and promises,the old
I pile for the body. After they hadduly dis- roops that were in different quarters,and
uch legious as were still on foot.
* Trihtni ptekii, Epilkut Marcelltu, cfsetiwjue
Flava* cororuK
fasciam dctraki,Aor/uncmyue
ductin * Theslaves,
whowereenfranchised
bythelut will
vinculajussitfent, dolcns seu parum prosyere motam f their masters, were likewise calltd Charonites.
rr%nimentioncm, si're,utfeTcbat,CTCpt<imsil)i
gloriam t The»enale haddecreedto Caesar the privilegeof
reaaanditril/unot graviter incrcpttoipotestutepri- sing a goldenchair, adornedwith a crown jf gold
"ant Suet. nd prcciotu itonci, in all the theatres. Dior I. tlii
Ss
 638 PLUTARCH'S LIVES
Cice*t>,
whohad thenconsiderable
influence
heleftsixlegions
asagarrison
inGaul,
under
Inthecity,incensed
thepeople
against
Antony,
thecommand ofVarius,
oneof hisconvivial
andprevailedonthesenate
todeclare
hima companions,whomtheycalled
Cotylon.*
publicenemy; tosend therodeandtherestof Octavius, whenhefoundthatCicero's ob-
thepratorialensignsto youngCatsar, andto jectwasto restore thelibertiesof thecom-
commission HirtiusandPansa,theconsuls, to monwealth, soonabandoned him,andca-ne to
driveAntony outof Italy. Thetwoarmies anaccommodation withAntony.Theymet
engaged nearModena; andCxsarwas present together
withLepidus, in asmallriver-island,t
at thebattle.Boththeconsuls wereslain;where theconference lastedthreedays.The
butAntonywasdefeated; in hisflighthewasempire oftheworldwasdivided amongst them
reduced to greatextremities,
particularly by likeapaternal inheritance;andthistheyfound
famine.Distress,however,wastehimaschoolnodifficulty in settling.
Butwhom theyshould
ofmoralimprovement; andAntony, inadver-kill,andwhomtheyshould spare,it wasnot
sity,wasalmosta manof virtue.Indeed, it is soeasytoadjust, whileeach wasforsaving his
common formenunder misfortunes,to have a respectivefriends,andputting todeath hisen-
clearideaof theirduty;butachange of con-emies.At length theirresentment against the
duct is not alwaysthe consequence.On such latter overcametheir kindnessfor the former.
occasions,
theytoo oftenfall backinto their OctaviusgaveupCiceroto Antony;andAn-
formermanners,
throughthe inactivityof rea- tonysacrificed
hisuncleLuciusCssarto Oc-
son,andinfirmity
of mind.ButAntony
wastavius;
whileLepidus
hadtheprivilege
of put-
evena patternfor hiasoldiers.From all the tingto deathhisownbrotherPaulus.Though
varietiesof luxuriousliving, he camewith otherssay,that LepidusgaveupPaulusto
readinessto drinkalittle stinkingwater,and them,fthough theyhadrequired himto put
to feed on the wild fruits and roots of the him to death himself. I believethere never
desert.Nay,it is saidthattheyatetheverywasanythingsoatrocious, or soexecrably
barkof thetrees;andthat,in passing
theAlps, savage
asthiscommerce
of murder;for while
theyledoncreatures thathad neverbeenac- a friendwasgivenupfor an enemyreceived,
countedhumanfood. the sameaction murderedat once the friend
Antony'sdesignwasto join Lepidus,who andtheenemy;andthedestruction of thefor-
commanded thearmyontheothersideof the merwasstill morehorrible,
because
it hadnot
Alps;andhehad,a.reasonable prospect
of his evenresentment
for its apology.
friendship,fromthegoodofficeshe haddone Whenthisconfederacy hadtakenplace,the
himwithJuliusCsesar.Whenhecamewith- armydesiredit mightbeconfirmed by some
in a smalldistanceof him,heencamped; but alliance:andCssar,therefore,
wasto marry
receiving no encouragement,
he resolvedto Claudia,thedaughterof Fulvia,Antony'swife.
hazardall upona singlecast. Hishair was As soonas thiswasdetermined,
theymarked
uncombed, and his beard,which he hadnot downsuchas theyintendedto putto death)
shavensince his defeat, was long. In this the numberof whichamountedto threehun-
forlornfigure,witha mourning
mantlethrown dred.WhenCicerowasslam,Antonyordered
over him, he cameto the campof Lepidus, his head,andthehandwith whichhewrotehis
andaddressed himselfto the soldiers. While Philippics,to be cutoff; andwhenthey were
somewereaffectedwith his appearance, and presented him, helaughed,andexultedat the
otherswith his eloquence,Lepidus,afraid of sight. After hewassatiatedwith lookingupon
theconsequence, orderedthetrumpetsto sound, them,he orderedthem to be placedon the
thathe might no longerbe heard. This, how- rostra in theforum. But this insult on the
ever, contributed to heighten the compassion dead was, i" fact, an abuseof his own good
of the soldiers;so that they sent La?!iusand fortune,andof the powerit hadplacedin his
Clodius in the dress of those ladies who hired hands.§ When his uncle Lucius Caesarwas
out their favours to the army, to assureAntony pursued by his murderers, he fled for refuge to
that if he had resolution enough to attack the his sister; and when the pursuershad broken
camp of Lcpidus, he would meet with many, into the house,and were forcing their way into
who were not only ready to receive him, but, h;s chamber, she placed herself at the door,
if he should desireit, to kill Lepidus. Antony and, stretching forth her hands,shecried, "You
would not suffer any violence to be offered to shall not kill Lucius Caesartill you have first
Lepidus; but the day following, at the head killed me, the mother of your general. By this
of his troops, he crossed the river which lay means,she savedher brother.
between the two camps,and had the satisfac- This triumvirate was very odious to the
tion to see Lepidus's soldiers all the while Romans; but Antony bore the greater blame;
stretching out their hands to him, and making for he was not only older than Ca?sar,and
way through the entrenchments. more powerful than Lepidus, but, when he
When he had possessedhimself of the camp
of Lepidus, he treated him with great human- * From a half pint bumper; a Gnek morale M
ity. He salutedhim by the nameof father; called.
andthough,in reality, everything was in his f In theRhine,not{31fromBologna.
own power, he secured to him the title and the t The formerEnglishtranslatoroughtnot to hut
honoursof general.This conductbroughtover omitted this,because it lomewhatsoftens at leastlh«
character of Lepidus. who wascertainly the leajt exe-
Munatius Plancus, who was at the head of a crable villain of the three.
considerable force at no great distance. Thus § Werethereanycircumstance in Antony'slife thai
Antony was once more very powerful, and re- could be esteemedan instanceof true magnanimity,
turnedinto Italy with seventeen
entirelegions Ihctotalwantofthatvirtuein thisc««e
wouldprort
of foot and ten thousand horse. Besides these, thatsucha circumstance
wasmerelyaccidental.
 ANTONY. 639

wasno longerunder difficulties,he fell back wereabsolutelynecessary,

whena gratuity ot
nto the formerirregularitiesof his life. His five thousanddrachmas
hadbsenpromisedtc
abandonedand dissolutemannerswere the everyprivateman.
moreobnoxious to thepeopleby hislivingin Antony's behaviour wasat firstveryaccept
thehouseof Pompcy the Great,a mannoless ableto the Grecians.He attended the dis-
distinguished
by histemperance andmodesty,putesof theirlogicians,
theirpublicdiversions,
thanbythehonourof threetriumphs.They andreligious ceremonies. Hewasmildinthe
were mortifiedto seethesedoorsshutwith in- administrationof justice,and affecfced to be
"olenceagainstmagistrates, generals,and am- called the friend of Gredce;but particularly
bassadors;while they were opento players, the friendof Athens,to whichnemadeconsid-
jugglers,andsottishsycophants, on whom he erablepresents.The Megarensians, vyingwith
spenttnegreatestpart of thosetreasures
hehad the Atheniansin exhibitingsomething curious.
amassedby rapine. Indeed,the triumvirate invited him to see their senate-house; and
wereby nomeansscrupulous aboutthemanner whenthey askedhim how he liked it, he told
in which they procuredtheir wealth. They themit waslittle and ruinous. He took the
seizedand sold the estates of those who had dimensions of the temple of Apollo Pythius, aa
beenproscribed,
and, by falseaccusations,
de- if he hadintendedto repairit; and, indeed,he
frauded their widows and orphans. They bur- promised as much to the senate.
denedthe people with insupportableimposi- But when, leaving Lucius Censorinusin
tions;andbeing informedthat large sumsof Greece,he oncemorepassedinto Asia; when
money,the propertybothof strangersandcit- he hadenrichedhimselfwith the wealthof the
izens,weredepositedin the handsof the ves- country;whenhia housewasthe resortof ob-
tals,theytook themawayby violence.When sequiouskings, andqueenscontendedfor his
Caesar foundthatAntony'scovetousness
wasas favourby their beautyandmunificence;then,
boundlessas his prodigality, he demandeda di- whilst Czsar was harassed with seditions at
visionof the treasure. The army too wasdi- Rome,Antonyoncemoregaveup his soul to
vided. Antonyand Cssar wentinto Macedo- luxury, andfell into all the dissipationsof his
nia againstBrutus and Cassius;and the gov- former life. The Anaxenorsand the Zuthi
ernmentof Romewasleft to Lepidus. the harpersandpipers,Metrodorusthe dancer
When they had encampedin sightof the the wholecorpsof the Asiaticdrama, who fa.'
enemy,Antonyoppositeto Cassius, andCssar outdidin buffoonery the poorwretchesorltaly;
to Brutus,Cssar effectednothingextraordina-thesewere the peopleof the court, the folks
ry, but Antony'seffortswere still successful.thatcarried all beforethem. In short, all was
In thefirst engagement Cssarwasdefeatedby riot anddisorder.And Asia,in somemeasure,
Brutus;his campwastaken; andhe narrowly resembledthe city mentionedby Sophocles,"
escaped by flight, though,in his Commenta-that wasoncefilled with the perfumesof sa-
ries, he tells us, that, on account of a dream crifices, songs,and groans.
which happened to one of his friends, he had When Antony entered Ephesus, the women
withdrawn before the battle.* Cassiuswas de- in the dress of Bacchanals, and men and boys
featedby Antony; andyettherearethose,too, habitedlike Pan and the satyrs,marchedbe-
who say,that Antony was not presentat the forehim. Nothingwasto be seenthroughthe
battle, but only joined in the pursuit after- wholecity but ivy crowns,andspearswreathed
wards. As Cassiusknew nothing of the suc- with ivy, harps, flutes, and pipes, while Anto-
cessof Brutus, he was killed at hie own earnest ny was hailed by the name of Bacchus.
entreaty, by bis freedman Pindarus. Another " Bacchus! ever kind and free !"
battlewaafoughtsoonafter,in whichBrutus And such,indeed,he wasto some;but to
wasdefeated;and,inconsequence ofthatslewothers
himself. Czsar happened,at that time, to be
hewassavage
andsevere.
Hedeprived
many noble families of their fortunes, and be-
sick,andthehonourof this victory,likewise,stowedthem on sycophants and parasites.
of course
fellto Antony. As hestoodoverthe Manywererepresented to bedead,whowere
bodyof Brutus,heslightlyreproached himfor still living;andcommissions
weregivento his
thedeathof hisbrother
Caius,
whom,
in re- knaves
forseizing
theirestates.He gave
hia
venge
for thedeathof Cicero,Brutushadslain cookthe estateof a Magnesian
citizen,
the
in Macedonia.
It appeared,
however,that dressingonesupper
tohistaste:butwhenhe
Antony
didnotimpute
thedeathof Caiusso laid a doubleimposton Asia,Hybrias,
the
muchto Brutusas to Hortensius;
for he or- agentfor thepeople,
told him,witha pleasant-
dered the latter to be slain upon his brother's ry that was agreeableto his humour, that " If
tomb.Hethrewhispurplerobeoverthebody hedoubledthe taxes,heoughtto double
the
of Brutus,
andordered oneof hisfreedmen
to seasons
too,andsupply thepeople with two
dothehonoursof hisfuneral.Whenhewas summers andtwowinters."Headded, attb«
afterwards
informed,thathe hadnot burnedsametime,with a little asperity,
that," A*
therobewiththebody,andthathehadretain-Asiahadalreadyraisedtwohundred thousand
edpartof themoneywhichwasto beexpend-talents,if hehadnotreceived
it, heshould
de-
edontheceremony, hecommanded himto be mandit of thosewhohad;but,"saidhe," if
slain.AfterthisvictoryCssarwasconveyedyoureceivedit andyethaveit not,weareun
toRome;andit wasexpected thathisdistem-done."Thistouchedhimsensibly; forhe-was
perwouldputanendto hislife. Antonyhav-ignorantof manythingsthat weretransacted
ingtraversed
someoftheprovinces
ofAsia
for under
hisauthority;
notthathewasindolent,
thepurpose
of raising
money,
passed
witha butunsuspecting.
Hehadasimplicity
in his
large
armyintoGreece.
Contrihutions,
indeed,naturewithout
much
penetration.
Butwhen
" Secthelife of Brutuj « Sopaocles,
(Ed. Sc.1.
 640 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

hefound
thatfaultshadbeencommitted,
he most
distinguished
beauty,
anrt,habited
likethe
expressedthe greatest
concernandacknow-Nereidsandthe Graces, assisted
in thesteer-
ledgmentto thesufferers.Hewasprodigal
in ageandconductof thevessel.The fragrance
his rewards,and severein his punishments;
of burningincensewasdiffusedalongthe
but the excesa
wasratherin the formerthan in shores,whichwerecoveredwith multitudesof
thelatter. The insultingrailleryof hii con- people.Somefollowedthe procession,
and
versationcarrieditsremedyalongwithit; for suchnumbers wentdownfromthecity to see
he wasperfectlyliberalin allowing the retort, it, that Antonywasat last left aloneon thetri-
andgive andtookwith the samegoodhumour. bunal. A rumourwassoonspread,that Venui
This, however,hada badeffecton his affairs. wascometo feastwith Bacchus,for the bene-
He imaginedthatthosewhotreatedhimwith fit of Asia.Antonysentto inviteherto supper
j
freedom
in conversation
wouldnotbeinsincerebut shethoughtit his dutyto waituponher,
in business.He did not perceivethat his eye andto shew his politenesson her arrival he
ophantswereartful in their freedom;thatthey complied. He wasastonished at the magnifi-
usedit asa kindof poignant
sauceto preventcenceof thepreparations;
butparticularly
at
the satietyof flattery; andthat, by takingthese that multitudeof lights, whichwere raisedor
libertieswithhim at table,theyknewwell, that let downtogether,anddisposedin sucha va-
whentheycomplied
withhisopinions
in busi-rietyof squareandcircularfigures,
that they
ness,he would not think it the effect of com- affordedoneof themostpleasingspectacles
that
plaisance,
but a convictionof his superiorhasbeenrecorded
in history.The dayfollow-
judgment. ing Antonyinvited her to sup with him, and
Suchwasthe frail,the flexibleAntony,when wasambitiousto outdoherin the elegance and
the loveof Cleopatracamein to the completion magnificenceof the entertainment.But hewai
of his ruin. This awakenedeverydormantvice, soonconvincedthat he cameshort of her in
inflamedeveryguilty passion,and totally ex- both,and wasthe first to ridicule the mean-
tinguishedthe gleamsof remainingvirtue. It nessendvulgarityof his treat. As shefound
beganin this manner:whenhe first set out on that Antony'shumour savouredmore of the
his expeditionagainstthe Parthians,he sent campthan of the court, shefell into the same
ordersto Cleopatrato meethimin Cilicia, that coarsevein, andplayeduponhim without the
shemight answersomeaccusations whichhad leastreserve.Suchwasthevarietyof herpow-
t»eenlaid againsther of assistingCassiusin the ers in conversation: her beauty, it is said, was
war. Delhus,who went on this message,
no neither astonishingnor inimitable; but it de-
sooner observedthe beautyand addressof Cle- rived a force from her wit, and her fascinating
opatra,than he concludedthat sucha woman, manner,which wasabsolutely irresistible.Her
far from havingany thing to apprehendfrom voicewasdelightfully melodious, and hadthe
the resentmentof Antony, would certainly samevarietyof modulationas aninstrumentof
havegreatinfluenceover him. He therefore manystrings. Shespokemostlanguages;and
paid his courtto the amiableEgyptian,andso- therewere but fewof the foreignambassadors
licited her to go, as Homer says, " in her best whom she answered by an interpreter. She
attire,"* into Cilicia; assuringher,thatshehad gave audienceherselfto the Ethiopians,the
nothing to feat fromAntony,whowasthemost Troglodites,the Hebrews,Arabs, Syrians,
courtly generalin the world. Inducedby this Medes,andParthians.Nor weretheseall the
invitation,andin the confidence of that beauty languages
sheunderstood,
thoughthe kingsof
which hadbeforetouchedthe heartsof Cssar Egypt,her predecessors, couldhardlyeverat-
andyoungPpmpey,she entertainedno doubt tain to the Egyptian; andsomeof themforgot
of the conquest of Antony. When Caesarand even their original Macedonian.
Pompeyhad her favours,she was youngand Antonywas so wholly engrossed with her
unexperienced; butshewaato meetAntonyat charmsthat while his wife Fulvia wasmain-
an agewhenbeauty,in itsfull perfection,called taininghis interestat RomeagainstCsesar,
and
in the maturityof the understanding
to its aid. the Parthianforces,assembledunderthe con-
Prepared,therefore,with suchtreasures, orna- ductof Labienusin Mesopotamia, were ready
ments,andpresents,asweresuitableto thedig- to enter Syria,she led her amorouscaptivein
nity andaffluenceof her kingdom,but chiefly triumph to Alexandria. There the veteran
relyingonherpersonal
charms,
shesetoff for warrior fell into everyidleexcess
of puerile
Cilicia. amusement,and offered at the shrine ofhixu-
Thoughshehadreceivedmanypressinglet- ry, whatAntipho callsthe greatest of all sacri-
ters of invitationfrom Antonyand his friends, fices,the sacrificeof time. This modeof life
"he held him in suchcontemptthat sheby no they calledthe inimitable. They visitedeach
meanstookthe mostexpeditious methodof trav- otheralternatelyeveryday; andthe profusion
elling. Shesailedalongthe river Cydnusin a of their entertainmentsis almost incredible.
mostmagnificentgalley.The stern was cov- Philotas, a physicianof Amphissa,who was
eredwith gold,the sailswereof purple,and at thattimepursuing
hisstudies
in Alexandria,
the oarswere silver. These,in their motion, told mygrandfatherLamprias,that being ac-
kepttimeto themusicof flutes,andpipes,and quainted
with oneof Antony's
cooks,he was
harps. The queen,in the dressandcharacter invited to see the preparationsfor supper.
of Venus,layunderacanopy embroideredwith Whenhecameintothekitchen,beside aninfi-
gold,of themostexquisite
workmanship,while nite varietyof otherprovisions,
heobserved
boys,likepaintedCupids,
stoodfanningheron ightwildboarsroasting whole;andexpressed
eachsideof the sofa. Her maidswere of the is surpriseat the numberof the company
for
whom th'n enormousprovision muat havebeen
* Horn. II- iiv. 1.162. It is thus that Juno proposes
tomeetJupiter,
when shehasaparticular
design
of made.Thecooklaughed,
andsaid,thatthe
uuniring
Innwithlove. company
didnot exceed
twelve:but lhat.
 ANTONY. 641

u everydishwasto beroastedto a singleturn, put a salt fish on his hook. When Antony
andasAntony was uncertainas to the time foundhe had caughthis fish, he drewup hi»
whenhe wouldsup,particularlyif an extraor- line; andthis, asmaybe supposed, occasioned
dinarybottle, or an extraordinaryvein of con- no smallmirth amongstthe spectators." Go,
versationwasgoinground,it wasnecessary to general1."
said Cleopatra," leavefishingto u»
navea succession of suppers. Philotasadded, petty princesof Pharos and Canopus;your
thatbeingafterwardsin theserviceof Antony's gameis cities,kingdoms,andprovinces."*
eldestson by Fulvia, he \vaaadmittedto sup In the midstof thesescenes of festivityand
with him, when he did not sup with his father; dissipation, Antony received two unfavourable
and it once happened that, when another phy- messages:one from Rome, that his wife Ful-
sician at table had tired the company with his via, and his brother Lucius, after long dissen-
noise and impertinence, he silenced him with tions between themselves, had joined to op-
the following sophism: There are some de- pose Cisar, but were overpowered, and oblig-
greesof afever in whichcoldwater is good ed to fly out of Italy. The other informed
for a man: every man, who has a fever, has him, that Labienus and the Parthians had re-
it in some degree; and, therefore, cold water duced Asia from Syria and the Euphrates to
is good for every man in a fever. The im- Lydia and Ionia. It was with difficulty that
pertinentwasstruckdumbwith thissyllogism; eventhis rousedhim from his lethargy: but
and Antony's son, who laughed at his distress, waking at length, and literally waking from a
to reward Pjilotas for his good offices, point- fit of intoxication, he set out againstthe Par-
ingto a magnificentsideboardof plate,said, thians, and proceededas far as Phoenicia.
"All that,Philotas,is yours!" Philotasac- However,
uponthereceiptof someverymov-
knowledged the kind offer; but thought it too ing letters from Fulvia, he turned his course
muchfor sucha boyto give. And,afterwards, towardsItaly with two hundredships. Such
when a servant brought the plate to him in a of his friends as had fled from thence, he re-
chest, that he might put his seal upon it, he ceived; and from these he learned, that Fulvia
refused,and,indeed,was afraid to acceptit; hadbeentheprincipalcauseof thedisturbances
uponwhichthe servant said, " What are you in Rome. Her dispositionhada naturalten-
afraidof? Do not you considerthat this is a dencyto violence and discord; and, on this
presentfrom the son of Antony, who could occasion,it was abettedby jealousy;for she
easilygiveyou its weightin gold? However, expectedthat the disordersof Italy wouldcall
I would recommendit to you to take the value Antony from the arms of Cleopatra. That
of it in money. In this plate there maybe unhappywomandied at Sycion,in her pro-
gomecurious pieces of ancient workmanship gress to meet her husband.
that Antony may seta value on." Such are This eventopenedan opportunityfor a re-
the anecdoteswhich my grandfathertold me conciliationwith Cssar. For when Antony
he had from Philotas. came to Italy, and Czsar expressedno resent-
Cleopatrawas not limited to Plato's four mentagainsthim, but threwthe whole blame
kindsof flattery.* Shehadan infinitevariety on Fulvia; their respectivefriendsinterfered,
of it. WhetherAntony were in the gay,or andbroughtthemto an accommodation.The
the serious humour, still she had something east, within the boundaries of the Ionian sea,
ready for his amusement. She was with him was given to Antony; the western provinces
night and day; she gamed,she drank, she to Cassar;and Lepidus had Africa. When
hunted, she reviewed with him. In his night they did not accept of the consulship them-
rambles,
whenhe wasreconnoitering
the doors selves,they were to disposeof it aa they
ard windows of the citizens, and throwing out thought proper, in their turns.
hisjestsuponthem,she attended
himin the After thesematterswere settled,they
habit of a servant, which he also on such oc- thought of means to secure this union which
casions,
affectedto wear. From theseexpedi- fortunehad set on foot. Cssar hada sister
tionshefrequentlyreturneda suffererboth in older than himself,namedOctavia,but they
personandcharacter. But thoughsomeof the haddifferentmothers. The motherof Octavia
Alexandrianswere displeasedwith this whim- was Ancaria. Caisar's mother was Attia. Ha
sical humour,others enjoyed it, and said, hada great affectionfor this sister; for she
" That Antony presented his comic parts in was a woman of extraordinary merit. She had
Alexandria,andreservedthe tragicfor Rome." beenalreadymarriedto CaiusMarcellus;but
To mention all his follies would betoo trifling; a little before this had buried her husband:
but his fishingstory mustnot be omitted. He andasAntony had lost his wife, therewasan
wasa fishingoneday with Cleopatra,andhad openingfor a fresh union. His connection
ill success,which, in the presenceof his mis- with Cleopatrahe did not affectto deny; but
tress,be lookeduponas a disgrace;he,there- he absolutelydeniedthat he was marriedto
fort, orderedoneof his assistantsto dive and her; and, in this s.rcumstance,indeed,hia
put on his hook suchashadbeentakenbefore. prudenceprevailedover his love. His mar-
Thisscheme
he put in practicethreeor four riagewithOctaviawasuniversally
wished.It
limes,andCleopatraperceivedit. Sheaffect- wasthe general hope,that a womanof her
td, however,
to be surprisedat his success;beauty
anddistinguished
virtueswouldacquire
expressed
herwonderto the peopleabouther; suchan influenceoverAntony,as might,in
and,the day following, invited them to see the end, be salutaryto the state. Conditions
freshproofsof it. When theday followingbeingmutually
agreed
upon,theyproceeded
Vo
came,
thevessel
wascrowded
withpeople;*Thiiexpression
ofCleopatra's
hassomething
of
indassoonasAntonyhadlet downhisline, the«mcturnwiththatpajiage
inVirgil-
iheoidered
oneof herdiversimmediately
to Eicudcnt
ilii (pinmtia
moHiuiar»!
" Plato Oorgiui. Tu 'eyeteimperiopopuloi,Romanf,memcnU.
642 PLUTARCH'S LIVES.

solemnize thenuptialsat Rome:andthe law t wasstill Caesar's

cock and Cxsar'squail.
which permitsnowidowto marrytill theex- Thesethingsco-operating withtheconjuror3*
pirationof tenmonthsafterthedecease
of her observations,
had euchaneffecton Antony,
husband, wasdispensed withby thesenate. :hathegaveupthemanagement ofhiedomes-
Sextus, the son of Poropev,
whowasthen tic affaireto Casar,and left Italy. Octavia,
in possessionof Sicily, had not only made who hadby thistime broughthim a daughter,
great ravagesin Italy, but had covered the sea he took with him into Greece. He wintered
with sucha numberof piraticalvessels,under in Athens,andtherehelearnedthathis affairg
the commandof Menasand Menecrates,that in Asia,underVentidius,weresuccessful; that
it wasno longer safe for other shipsto pass. the Parthianswere routed,and that Labienoi
He had been favourable,notwithstanding, to andPharnapates, the ablestgenerals
of Orodes,
Antony;for he hadgivena kindreception
to Tellin thebattle. In honour
of thisvictoryhe
hismotherandhis wile Fulvia,whentheywere ;ave an entertainmentto the Greeks,and
obligedto fly from Rome. It wasjudgedpro- treatedthe Athenianswith an exhibitionof the
per, therefore, to accommodate matters with jymnastic games, in which he took the mas-
him; and, for this purpose,a meetingwasheld ter's part himself. The robesand ensignsof
at the promontory of Misenuroby the mole the generalwerelaidaside;the rods,the cloak,
that runs into thesea. Pompeywasattended andthe slippersof the Gymnasiarch wereas-
by his fleet; Antonyand Caesar by an armyof sumed;andwhen the combatantshad fought
foot. At this interview it was settled,that sufficiently,he partedthemhimself.
Pompeyshould keep Sicily and Sardinia,on When he went to the war,hetook withhim
conditionthatheshouldclearthe seaof pirates, a crown of the sacredolive; andby the direc-
and send a certain quantity of corn to Rome. ;ion of some oracle or other, a vessel of water
When these things were determined, they mu- illed out of the Clepsydra.* In the meantime,
tually invited each other to supper; but it fell Pacoras, son of the king of Parthia, madean
to the lot of Pompey to give the first enter- incursion into Syria, but was routed by Veoti-
tainment.When Antonyaskedhim wherediusin Cyrrhestica,
andwiththegreatest
part
they should sup: " There," said he, pointing of his army, fell in the battle. This celebrated
to the admiral-galley of six oars, " that is the victory made ample amends for the defeat of
only patrimonial mansion-housethat is left to Crassus. The Farthians had now been thrice
Pompey: and it implied, at the game time, a conquered, and were confined within the
sarcasm on Antony, who was then in posses- boundsof Media and Mesopotamia. Venti-
sion of his father's house. However, he en- dius would not pursue the Parthians any far-
tertained them very politely, after conducting ther, for fear of exciting the envy of Antony;
them over a bridge from the promontory to the he, therefore, turned his arms against the re-
ship that rode at anchor. During the enter- voiters,and broughtthembackto their duty.
tainment, while the raillery ran briskly on An- AmongstthesewasAntiochus, the king of Com-
tony and Cleopatra, Menas came to Pompey, magene,whom he beaiegedin the city of Sa-
and told him secretly, that, if he would permit mosata. That prince, at first offered to pay a
him to cut the cable/he would not only make thousandtalents,andto submithimselfto the
him masterof Sicily and Sardinia,but of the Romanempire;upon which Ventidiustold
whole RomanEmpire. Pompey,after a mo- him,that he must sendproposalsto Antony
ment'sdeliberation,answered,that he should for tie wasthenat no great distance,andhs
havedoneit without consultinghim. " We badnot commissioned Ventidiusto makepeace
mustnow let it alone," saidhe, " for I cannot with Antiochus,thatsomethingat leaatmight
breakmy oath of treaty." The complimentof be doneby himself. But while the siegewas
the entertainmentwasreturnedby his guests,thusprolongedand the peopleof Samosata
andhe thenretired to Sicily. despairedof obtainingterms,thatdespairpro-
Antony,after the accommodation, sentVen- duced a degreeof courage which defeated
tidius into Asia,to stop the progressof the everyeffortof the besiegers;andAntony was
Parthians. All mattersof public administra-at lastreducedto the disgracefulnecessityof
tion wereconductedwith the greatestharmony acceptingthreehundredtalents.
betweenhim and Octavius; and,in compli- After hehad donesomelittle towardsset-
mentto the latter, he took upon himselfthe tling theaffairsof Syria,he returnedto Athens,
officeof bigh-priestto Caesar
thedictator. But, andsentVentidius to Rome,to enjoy the re-
alas!in theircontests
at play,Coesar
wa§gen-wardof his meritin a triumph. He wastbe
erallysuperior,
andAntonywasmortified.He onlygeneral
thatevertriumphedoverthePar-
bad in his housea fortune-tellinggipsy,who thians.His birth wasobscure,but his connec-
wasskilled in the calculation of nativities. This tions with Antony brought him into great ap-
man,eitherto obligeCleopatra, or followingpointments:
and,by makingthe bestuseof
theinvestigation
of truth,toldAntonythatthe them,heconfirmed
whatwassaidof Antony
star of his fortune,howevergloriousin itself, andOctaviusCxsar,that theywere moresuc-
waseclipsed andobscured by Caesar's,
andad- cessfulbytheir lieutenants,
thanwhenthey
visedhim,by all means, to keepat the great commanded in person.
Thisobservation,
with
eetdistancefromthat youngman. " The ge- regardto Antonyin particular, mightbejusti-
niusof your life,"said he, " is afraidof his: fiedby thesuccessof Sossius
andCanidius.
whenit is alone,its portis erectandfearless;Theformerhaddonegreatthingsin Syria;
whenhisapproaches, it is dejectedandde- andthe latter,whomhe left in Armenia,re-
pressed."
Indeed,
thereweremanycircum-duced
thewhole
country-;
and,afterdefeating
ftances that seemed to justify the conjuror's
doctrine:for in everykind of play,whether " TheClepsydra
wasa fountain
belonging
In the
they castlots, or castthe die,Antonywasstill ciladf1at Athens;»ocalled,because
it wa*somttmni
the loser. la their cock-fights and quail-fights, full of water and"ometioiciempty.
 ANTONY. 643
the kingsof IberiaandAlbania,penetratedas dominions,andbeheaded
Antiponusof Judaea,
far as Mount Caucasus,and spread the terror the first king that ever suffered in sucha man
of Antony'snameand power throughthose ner;* yet nothing somuchdisturbedthe Ro-
barbarousnations. mans as his enormous profusion in favour of
Soonafter this, uponhearingsomedisagree-that woman. Nor were they lessoffendedat
ablereportsconcerningthedesignsor the con- his giving the surnames
of the sun and moon
duct of Cesar, he sailed for Italy with a fleet to the twins he had by her.
of three hundred ships; and, being refused the But Antony knew well how to give a fair ap
harbour of Brundasium, he madeforTarenfim. pearanceto the mostdisreputable actions. The
There he was prevailed on by his wife Octa- greatness of the Roman empire, he said, ap-
via, who accompaniedhim, and was then preg- pearedmore in giving than in receiving king-
nant a third time, to send her to her brother; doms; and that it was proper for personsof high
and she was fortunate enough to meet him on birth and station to extend and securetheir no
her journey, attended by his two friends, Mar- bility, by leaving children and successorsborn
cenasandAgrippa. In conference with him, of differentprinces;that his ancestorHercules
sheentreatedhim to considerthe peculiarity trustednot to the fertility of onewoman,as L
of her situation, and not to make the happiest he had feared the penalties annexedto the lav
woman in the world the most unfortunate. of Solon; but, by various connections with the
"The eyesof all," said she, " are necessarily sex, became the founder of many families.
timed oa me, who am the wife of Antony, and After Orodeswas slain by his son Phraates,t
the sisterof Caesar;
and shouldthesechiefsof who took possession of the kingdom,manyof
the empire,misledby hastycounsels,involve the Parthianchiefsfledto Antony; andamongst
the wholein war, whatevermaybe the event, the rest, Monesus,a man of great dignityand
it will be unhappyfor me." Caesarwas soft- power. Antonythinkingthat Monesus,in his
ened by the entreaties of big sister, and pro- fortune, resembledThemistocles, and compar-
ceeded with peaceable views to Tarentum. ing his own wealth and magnificenceto that of
His arrival afforded a general satisfaction to the kings of Persia, gave him three cities,
the people. Theywerepleasedto seesuchan Larissa,Arethusa,andHierampolis,whichwas
army on the shore, and such a fleet in the har- before called Bombyce. But when Phraates
bour, in the mutual disposition for peace; and sent Monesus assurancesof his safety, he rea-
nothing but compliments and expressions of dily dismissed him. On this occasionhe form-
kindness passing between the generals. Ac- ed a schemeto deceive Phraates'. he pretended
tony first invited Caesarto sup with him, and, a disposition for peace,and required only that
in compliment to Octavia, he accepted the in- the Roman standards and ensigns which had
vitation. At length it was agreed, that Caesar beentaken at the death of Crassus,and such
should give up to Antony two legions for the of the prisonersas still survived, might be re-
Parthian service; and that Antony, in return, stored. He sent Cleopatra into Egypt; after
should leave a hundred armed galleys with which he marched through Arabia and Arme-
Caesar. Octavia, moreover, engaged Antony nia, where, as toon as his own troops were
to give up twentylight ships to Caesar,and joined by the allies, he reviewedhis army
procuredfrom her brothera thousandfoot for He hadseveralprincesin alliancewith him,but
her husband. Matters being thus accommo- Artavasdes, king of Armenia, was the most
dated,Caesarwent to war with Pompey for the powerful; for he furnished six thousandhorse,
recovery of Sicily; and Antony, leaving under and seventhousandfoot. At this review there
his protection bis wife and his children, both appearedsixty thousand Roman foot, and ten
by tbe present and the former marriage, sailed thousand horse, who, though chiefly Gauls and
for Asia. Spaniards, were reckoned as Romans. The
Upon his approach to Syria, the love of number of the allies, including the light armed
Cleopatra, which had so long been dormant in and the cavalry, amounted to thirty thousand.
his heart, and which better counsels seemed This formidable armament, which struck
totally to have suppressed,revived again, and terror into the Indians beyond Bactria, and
took possessionof his soul. The unruly steed, alarmed all Asia, his attachment to Cleopatra
to which Plato* compares certain passions, rendered perfectly useless. His impatience to
once more broke loose, and in spite of honour, return and spendthe winter in her arms, made
interest,and prudence,Antony sent Fonteius him take the field too early in the season,
and
Capitoto conductCleopatraint