Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

Theophrastus has recorded that Philip, the father of Alexander, was not only great among kings, but, owing to his fortune and his conduct, proved himself still greater and more moderate [*](Cf. Cicero, De Officiis, i. 26 (90).)

He said that he must congratulate the Athenians on their happy fortune if they could find ten men every year to elect as generals; for he himself in many years had found only one general, Parmenio.

When several happy events were reported to him within a single day, he said, O Fortune, do

After his victory over the Greeks, when some were advising him to hold the Greek cities in subjection by means of garrisons, he said that he preferred to be called a good man for a long time rather than a master for a short time.

When his friends advised him to banish from his court a man who maligned him, he said he would not, so that the man should not go about speaking ill of him among more people. [*](A similar story is told of Pyrrhus in Plutarch’s Life of Pyrrhus, chap. viii. (387 E).)

When Smicythus remarked maliciously of Nicanor that he was always speaking ill of Philip, and Philip’s companions thought that he ought to send for Nicanor and punish him, Philip said, But really Nicanor is not the worst of the Macedonians. We must investigate therefore whether something is not happening for which we are responsible. When he learned therefore that Nicanor was hard pressed by poverty, and had been neglected by him he directed that a present be given to the man. So when again Smicythus said that Nicanor was continually sounding the praises of Philip to everybody in a surprising way, Philip said, You all see that we ourselves are responsible for the good and the ill that is said of us. [*](Cf. Themistius, Oration, vii. 95 B, and Frontinus, Strategemata, iv. 7. 37.)

He said that he felt very grateful to the popular leaders of the Athenians, because by maligning him they made him better both in speech and in character, For I try both by my words and by my deeds to prove that they are liars.

When all the Athenians who had been taken

When the keybone of his shoulder had been broken in battle, [*](Cf. Demosthenes, Oration xviii. (De Corona), 67 (p. 247), and Aulus Gellius, ii. 27.) and the attending physician insistently demanded a fee every day, he said, Take as much as you wish; for you have the key in your charge ! [*](The pun depends on the fact that κλείς means both key and collar-bone. )

Of two brothers, Both and Each, he observed that Each was sensible and practical, and Both was silly and foolish, and he remarked that Each was both and Both was neither!

Those who counselled him to treat the Athen ians harshly he said were silly in urging a man who did everything and underwent everything for the sake of repute to throw away his chance to exhibit it.

Being called upon to decide a suit between two knaves, he ordered the one to flee from Macedonia, and the other to pursue him.

When he was about to pitch his camp in an excellent place, he learned that there was no grass for the pack-animals. What a life is ours, he said, if we must live to suit the convenience of the asses ! [*](Cf. Moralia, 790 B; also Eunapius, Frag. 56 in Dindorf, Historici Graeci Minores, i. p. 249.)

When he was desirous of capturing a certain stronghold, his scouts reported that it was altogether difficult and quite impregnable, whereupon he asked

When the men associated with Lasthenes, the Olynthian, complained with indignation because some of Philip’s associates called them traitors, [*](Cf. Moralia, 97 D.) he said that the Macedonians are by nature a rough and rustic people who call a spade a spade. [*](A reference to a line from an unknown comic poet quoted by Lucian, Iupiter Tragoedus, 32. Cf. also Lucian, Historia quomodo conscribenda sit, 41, and Kock, Com. Att. Frag. iii. p. 451, Adespota no. 227.)

He recommended to his son that he associate with the Macedonians so as to win their favour, and thus acquire for himself influence with the masses while another was reigning and while it was possible for him to be humane. [*](Cf. Moralia, 806 B, Cicero, De Officiis, ii. 14 (48). )

He also advised him that, among the men of influence in the cities, he should make friends of both the good and the bad, and that later he should use the former and abuse the latter.

Philon [*](Probably the man mentioned by Demosthenes, Oration xix. 140 (p. 384).) the Theban had been his benefactor and host during the time he spent as a hostage in Thebes, but later would not accept any gift from him; whereupon Philip said to him, Do not deprive me of my invincibility by letting me be outdone in benefactions and favours.

On a time when many prisoners had been taken, Philip was overseeing their sale, sitting with his tunic pulled up in an unseemly way. So one of the men who were being sold cried out, Spare me, Philip, for I am a friend of your father’s. And when Philip askeds Where, sirrah, and how carne you to be such ? the man said, I wish to tell you privately, if I may come near you. And when he

Once when he was on the march, and was invited to dinner by a man of the land, he took a good many persons with him; and when he saw that his host was much perturbed, since the preparations that had been made were inadequate, he sent word in advance to each of his friends , and told them to leave room for cake. They took his advice and, expecting more to follow, did not eat much, and thus there was enough for all. [*](The story is repeated in Moralia, 123 D and 707 B.)