Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

When Zeno of Citium died, whom he admired most among the philosophers, he said that the audience to hear of his exploits had been taken away. [*](Cf. Diogenes Laertius, vii. 15.)

Lysimachus was overpowered by Dromichaetas in Thrace, and because of thirst surrendered himself and his army [*](In 292 B.C.); and when he drank after he had been made a prisoner, he said, My God, for what a little pleasure have I made myself a slave from being a king ! [*](The story is repeated with slight variations in Moralia, 126 E and 555 D; the capture of Lysimachus is recorded in Plutarch’s Life of Demetrius, chap. xxxix. (908 B); Polyaenus, Strategemata, vii. 25; Diodorus, xxi. 12.)

To Philippides the comic poet who was his friend and intimate he said, What of mine shall I share

Antipater, hearing of the death of Parmenio at the hands of Alexander, said, If Parmenio plotted against Alexander, who is to be trusted ? And if he did not, what is to be done ?

Of Demades the orator, who had already become an old man, he said that he was like an animal which had been eaten at a sacrificial feast; there was left only the belly and the tongue. [*](Cf. Moralia, 525 C and Plutarch’s Life of Phocion, chap. i. (741 E). Pytheas (quoted in Athenaeus, 44 F) speaks of Demades’ protruding belly and ranting tongue.)

Antiochus the Third wrote to the cities that, if he should write ordering anything to be done contrary to the laws, they should pay no attention, assuming that he had acted in ignorance.

Seeing the priestess of Artemis surpassingly beautiful in her appearance, he straightway marched forth from Ephesus, [*](In 196 B.C., presumably, when he wintered in Ephesus (Livy, xxxiii. 38).) for fear that even against his determination he might be constrained to commit some unholy act.

Antiochus who was nicknamed the Hawk was warring against his brother Seleucus for the kingdom. [*](In 246 B.C.) But when Seleucus, vanquished by the Galatians, could nowhere be found, but, to all appearances, had

Eumenes, plotted against by Perseus, was reputed to be dead. When the story was brought to Pergamum, Attalus his brother put on the crown, married his wife, and assumed the rule. But upon learning that his brother was approaching alive, he went to meet him, attended, as was his wont, by his bodyguards, and holding a short spear. Eumenes greeted him kindly and whispered in his ear,

—ldquo;Haste not to marry ere you see him dead,—rdquo; [*](Apparently a parody of a line of Sophocles adapted to fit the situation (μήπω μέγ᾽εἴπης, κλτ.). See Nauck, Trag. Graec. Frag., Sophocles, No. 601.)

The sons of Pyrrhus, when they were children

Being asked whether Python or Caphisias were the better flute-player he said, Polysperchon is the better general. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Pyrrhus, chap. viii. (387 D).)

When he was twice victorious in conflict with the Romans, but lost many of his friends and commanders, he said, If we are victorious over the Romans in one more battle, we are lost! [*](The details may be found ibid. chap. xxii. (397 B). The Pyrrhic victory is like the Cadmean victory, Moralia, 10 A.)

As he was sailing away from Sicily after his failure there, [*](In 276 B.C.) he turned to look back, and said to his friends, What a field of conflict are we leaving behind us for the Romans and Carthaginians to wrestle in! [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Pyrrhus, chap. xxiii. (398 F).)

When the soldiers addressed him as Eagle, he said, Why not an eagle, when I am borne aloft on the swift wings of your weapons ? [*](Ibid. chap. x. (388 B).)

Hearing that some young men had made many defamatory remarks about him while in their cups, he ordered that they should all be brought before him the next day. When they were brought, he asked the first whether they had said these things about him. And the young man replied, Yes, Your Majesty; and we should have said more than that if we had had more wine. [*](Told with more details by Plutarch in his Life of Pyrrhus, chap. viii. (387 F), and Valerius Maximus, v. 1. ext. 3. Cf. also Quintilian, vi. 3. 10.)

Antiochus, who made his next [*](The first campaign was against Jerusalem in 133 B.C.) campaign against the Parthians, in a hunt and chase wandered away from his friends and servants, and unrecognized entered the hut of some poor people. At dinner he brought in the subject of the king, and heard that, in general, he was a decent man, but that he entrusted most matters to friends who were scurvy fellows, and overlooked and often disregarded matters that were imperative through being too fond of hunting. At the time he said nothing; but at daybreak some of his bodyguards arrived at the hut, and his identity was disclosed when the purple and the crown were brought to him. Howbeit, said he, since the day when I donned you, yesterday was the first time that I heard true words about myself.

The Jews, when he was besieging Jerusalem, asked for an armistice of seven days for their most important festival, and he not only granted this, but he also made ready bulls with gilded horns, and a great quantity of incense and spices, and brought all these in solemn procession as far as the gates. Then, having transferred the offering to the hands of their priests, he returned to his camp. The Jews were amazed, and immediately after the festival placed themselves in his hands.[*](The same facts are narrated by Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, xiii. 8. 2.)