Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

When Hipparchus of Euboea died, [*](Hipparchus, with two others, was set up by Philip as tyrant in Eretria about 343 B.C. See Demosthenes, Oration, ix. 58 (p. 125), and Oration xviii. 295 (p. 324).) it was plain that Philip took it much to heart; and when somebody remarked, But, as a matter of fact, his death has come in fullness of time, Philip said, Yes, in fullness of time for him, it is true, but swiftly for me, for he came to his end too soon to receive from me, as he ought, favours worthy of our friendship.

Learning that Alexander complained against him because he was having children by other women besides his wife, he said, Well then, if you have many competitors for the kingdom, prove yourself honourable and good, so that you may obtain the kingdom not because of me, but because of yourself. He bade Alexander give heed to Aristotle, and study philosophy, so that, as he said, you may not do a great many things of the sort that I am sorry to have done. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Alexander, chap. ix. (669 A).)

He appointed one of Antipater’s friends to the position of judge, but later, on learning that the man dyed his beard and hair, he removed him, at the same [*]( )

While he was hearing the case of Machaetas, he was near falling asleep, and did not give full attention to the rights of the case, but decided against Machaetas. And when Machaetas exclaimed that he appealed from the decision, Philip, thoroughly enraged, said, To whom ? And Machaetas replied, To you yourself, Your Majesty, if you will listen awake and attentive. At the time Philip merely ended the sitting, but when he had gained more control of himself and realized that Machaetas was treated unfairly, he did not reverse his decision, but satisfied the judgement with his own money. [*](Of an old woman in Stobaeus, Florilegium, xiii. 29 (quoted from Serenus) and Valerius Maximus, vi. 2, ext. 1; in the latter place is the more familiar appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober. )

When Harpalus, acting in behalf of his kinsman and intimate friend Crates, who was under condemnation for wrongdoing, proposed as a fair solution that Crates should pay the fine, but be absolved from the adverse judgement so that he should not be subject to reproach, Philip said, It is better that the man himself, rather than that we because of him, should be ill spoken of.

When his friends were indignant because the people of the Peloponnesus hissed him at the Olympic games, although they had been treated well, he said, Well, what if they should be treated ill! [*](Cf. Moralia, 143 F and 457 F. A similar remark of Pausanias is quoted in Moralia, 230 D.)

Once on a campaign he slept for an unusually long time, and later, when he arose, he said, I slept safely, for Antipater was awake. [*](Cf. Athenaeus, p. 435 D.)

On another occasion when he was asleep in the

When he desired to correct a harp-player at dinner, and to discuss the playing of this instrument, the harp-player said, God forbid, Your Majesty, that you should ever fall so low as to have a better knowledge of these matters than I. [*](The story is found also in Moralia, 67 F, 334 D, and 634 D.)

At a time when he was at odds with Olympias, his wife, and with his son, Demaratus of Corinth arrived, and Philip inquired of him how the Greeks were feeling towards one another. And Demaratus said, Much right have you to talk about the harmony of the Greeks when the dearest of your own household feel so towards you ! Philip, taking the thought to heart, ceased from his anger, and became reconciled with them. [*](Cf. Moralia, 70 B (which omits the conclusion) and Plutarch’s Life of Alexander, chap. ix. (669 C).)

When a poor old woman insisted that her case should be heard before him, and often caused him annoyance, he said he had no time to spare, whereupon she burst out, Then give up being king. Philip, amazed at her words, proceeded at once to hear not only her case but those of the others. [*](The story is told also in Plutarch’s Life of Demetrius, chap. xlii. (909 C). Stobaeus, Florilegium, xiii. 28, quotes Serenus, who states that a peasant made this remark to Antipater.)

While Alexander was still a boy and Philip was winning many successes, he was not glad, but said to [*]( d The story is told also in Plutarch’s Life of Demetrius, chap. xiii. (909 c). Stobaeus, Florilegium, xiii. 28, quotes Serenus, who states that a peasant made this remark to Anitpater. e Alexander the Great, born 356, king of Macedon 336323 B.C. )

Being nimble and swift of foot, he was urged by his father to run in the foot-race at the Olympic games. Yes, I would run, said he, if I were to have kings as competitors. [*](Cf. Moralia, 331 B, and Plutarch’s Life of Alexander, chap. iv. (666 D).)

A girl was brought to him late in the evening with the intent that she should spend the night with him, and he asked her, Why at this time ? She replied, I had to wait to get my husband to go to bed ; whereupon Alexander bitterly rebuked his servants, since, owing to them, he had so narrowly escaped becoming an adulterer.

On a time when he was offering incense to the gods with lavish hand, and often taking up handfuls of the frankincense, Leonidas, who had been his attendant in boyhood, happening to be present, said, My boy, you may offer incense thus lavishly when you have made yourself master of the land that bears it. And so, when Alexander had become master of it, he sent a letter to Leonidas: I have sent to you a half-ton of frankincense and cassia, so that you may never again count any petty cost in dealing with the gods, since you know that we are now masters of the land that bears these fragrant things. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Alexander, chap. xxv. (679 C); Pliny, Natural History, xii. 32 (62). )

Just before he fought the battle at Granicus he urged the Macedonians to eat without stint, and to bring out all they had, since on the morrow they should dine from the enemy’s stores.

When Perillus, one of his friends, asked him for dowry for his girls, Alexander bade him accept ten thousand pounds. He said that two thousand would be enough; but Alexander said, Enough for you to accept, but not enough for me to give. [*](Stories of this type about kings have long been popular and often repeated.)

He bade his manager give to Anaxarchus, the philosopher, as much as he asked for; and when the manager said that he asked for twenty thousand pounds, Alexander said, He does well, for he knows that he has a friend who is both able and willing to make such presents. [*](Xencrates seems to have been the lucky recipient, while Anaxarchus received high esteem, according to Moralia, 331 E, and Plutarch’s Life of Alexander, chap. viii. (668 E).)

When he saw in Miletus many statues of athletes who had won victories in the Olympic and the Pythian games, he said, Where were the men with bodies like these when the barbarians were besieging your city? [*](Cf. in Aristophanes, Plutus, 1003, and Athenaeus, 523 F, the proverb, Once were the Milesians stout and strong. )

Ada, queen of the Carians, made it a point of honour to be always sending to him fancy dishes and sweetmeats prepared in unusual ways by the hands of artists and chefs, but he said he had better fancy cooks--his night marches for his breakfast, and for his dinner his frugal breakfast. [*](The story with slight variations is found also in Moralia, 127 B, 1099 C, and the Life of Alexander, chap. xxii. (677 B).)