Phocion

Here some decent fellow called out in response: Right thou art; for if we should torture Phocion, what would be left for us to do to thee? So the form of the edict was approved, and when the show of hands was taken, no one keeping his seat, but all rising to their feet, and most of them wreathing themselves with garlands, they condemned the men to death. Now, there were with Phocion, Nicocles, Thudippus, Hegemon, and Pythocles; and Demetrius of Phalerum, Callimedon, Charicles, and sundry others, were condemned to death in absentia.

When, accordingly, the assembly had been dissolved and the men were being led to the prison, the rest of them, as their friends and relatives clung about them, walked along lamenting and shedding tears; but the countenance of Phocion was the same as it used to be when he was escorted from the assembly as general, and when men saw it, they were amazed at the man’s calmness and at his grandeur of spirit.

His enemies, however, ran along by his side and reviled him; and one of them actually came up and spat in his face. At this, as we are told, Phocion looked towards the magistrates and said: Will not someone stop this fellow’s unseemly behaviour? Again, when Thudippus, on entering the prison and seeing the executioner bruising the hemlock, grew angry and bewailed his hard fate, declaring it not fitting that he should perish with Phocion, Is it no satisfaction to thee, then, said Phocion, that thou art put to death in company with Phocion?

And when one of his friends asked him if he had any message for his son Phocus, Certainly, said he; my message is that he cherish no resentment against the Athenians. Again, when Nicocles, his most faithful friend, begged the privilege of drinking the drug first, O Nicocles, he said, thy request is grievous to me and painful; but since I have never in all my life denied thee any other favour, I grant thee this one also.

But when all the rest had drunk of it, the drug ran short, and the executioner refused to bruise another portion unless he were paid twelve drachmas, which was the price of the weight required. However, after a delay of some length, Phocion called one of his friends, and, asking if a man could not even die at Athens without paying for the privilege, bade him give the executioner his money.