Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

When the Athenians took as a friend Alexander, the despot of Pherae, who was an enemy of the Thebans, and he promised to supply the Athenians with meat to be sold at a penny a pound, Epameinondas said, But we will supply them with

The Boeotians, relaxed by leisure, he was always desirous of keeping continually under arms, and whenever he was chosen Governor of Boeotia he used to urge his advice upon the people, saying, Bethink yourselves once more, men, for, if I am general, you will have to serve in my army. And he used to call their country, which was flat and exposed, the dancing-floor of War, [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Marcellus, chap. xxi. (310 B), where two other picturesque expressions of similar meaning are quoted.) intimating that they could not hold their power over it if they did not keep a grip on the handles of their shields.

Chabrias, in the vicinity of Corinth, having struck down some few Thebans whose eagerness led them to carry the fighting to the foot of the walls, set up a trophy. [*](Cf. Diodorus, xv. 69.) Epameinondas, ridiculing it, said, In that place should stand, not a trophy, but a Hecate; for it was in keeping to set up an image of Hecate, as they used to do, at the meeting of three ways in front of the gates.

When somebody reported that the Athenians had sent an army, decked out with novel equipment, into the Peloponnesus, he said, Why should Antigenidas cry if Tellen has a new flute or two ? (Tellen was the worst of flute-players, and Antigenidas the best. [*](There are many references to the skill of Antigenidas; it must suffice here to refer only to Moralia, 335 A.))