Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

The Eretrians, he said humorously, were like cuttle-fish in having a sword [*](The bone of the cuttle-fish; Cf. Aristotle, Historia Animalium, iv. 1. 12.) but no heart.[*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Themistocles, chap. xi. (118 A).)

After his banishment from Athens first, and later from Greece, he went to the Persian king, and, when he was bidden to speak, he said that speech is like rugs woven with patterns and figures; for speech, like the rugs, when it is extended, displays its figures, but, when it is rolled into a small compass,

He asked for time so that, when he should have learned the Persian tongue, he might conduct his interview through his own self and not through another. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Themistocles, chap. xxix. (126 C); Thucydides, i. 137.)

Being held deserving of many gifts, and speedily becoming rich, [*](Cf. ibid. i. 138.) he said to his sons, Boys, we should be ruined now if we had not been ruined before! [*](Cf. Moralia, 328 F and 602 A; Plutarch’s Life of Themistocles, chap. xxix. (p. 126 F); Polybius, xxxix. 11 (-xl. 5).)

Myronides, conducting a campaign against the Boeotians, gave orders to the Athenians for an invasion of the enemy’s territory. When the hour was near, and the captains said that not all were present as yet, he said, All are present that intend to fight. And, leading them into battle before their ardour had cooled, he won a victory over the enemy. [*](At Oenophyta in Boeotia, 457 (?) B.C. (Thucydides, i. 108). Cf. also Moralia, 345 D; Diodorus, xi. 31. A simliar remark is attributed to Leonidas by Plutarch, Moralia, 225 D, and to Timotheus by Polyaenus, Strategemata, iii. 10. 3.)

Aristeides the Just was always an independent in politics, and avoided political parties, on the ground that influence derived from friends encourages wrongdoing. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Aristeides, chap. ii. (319 F).)

At one time when the Athenians had impetuously determined to vote on ostracism, an ignorant country fellow, holding his potsherd, approached him and bade him write on it the name of Aristeides. Why, said he, do you know Aristeides ? And