Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

Phocion the Athenian was never seen by anyone to laugh or cry. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Phocion, chap. iv. (743 D).)

At a meeting of the Assembly someone said to him, You seem to be thinking, Phocion. You guessed right, said he, for I am thinking whether I can leave out any part of what I am going to say to the Athenians. [*](Ibid. chap. v. (744 A).)

An oracle was given to the Athenians declaring that there was one man in the city opposed to the opinions of all, whereupon they ordered that search be made to find him, and were very vociferous. But Phocion said that the man was himself, for he was the only one who did not like a single thing of all that the multitude did and said. [*](Ibid. chap. viii. (745 C).)

Once, when he expressed an opinion before the people, he won acclaim, and saw that all alike accepted the view he had expressed, whereupon he turned to his friends and said- Does it not look as if I had unwittingly said something bad ? [*](Ibid. Cf similar remarks of Antisthenes, in Diogenes Laertius, vi. 5 and 8; and of Hippomachus, in Aelian, Varia Historia, ii. 6.)

When the Athenians were asking for contributions towards a public sacrifice and feast, and all the rest were contributing, he, being importuned to give, said, I should be ashamed to make a contribution to you and not make restitution to this man, and, as he said this, he pointed to a man who had lent him money. [*](Repeated in Moralia, 533 A and 822 E, and in Plutarch’s Life of Phocion, chap. ix. (745 C).)

Demosthenes, the orator, said to him, The Athenians will put you to death if they go mad. Yes, he replied, me if they go mad, but you if they keep their senses, [*](Ibid. chap. ix. (745 F). In Moralia, 811 A, Demades is substituted for Demosthenes.)

Aristogeiton, the informer, was about to be put to death in prison, sentence having been passed upon him, and he wanted Phocion to come to him; but Phocion’s friends were averse to his going to see such a wicked man. And where, said he, could anyone converse with Aristogeiton with greater pleasure ? [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Phocion, chap. x. (746 E).)

The Athenians were enraged at the people of Byzantium because they had not received Chares in their city when he had been sent with a force to help them against Philip. But when Phocion said that they must not be enraged at those of their allies who distrusted, but at those of their own generals who were distrusted, he was himself chosen general; and he, being trusted by the people of Byzantium, made Philip withdraw without accomplishing his purpose. [*](Ibid. chap. xiv. (748 A); the date was 339 B.C.)

When Alexander the king sent him twenty thousand pounds as a present, he asked those who brought the money why it was that, when there were so many Athenians, Alexander offered this to him only. They replied that their king considered him only to be upright and honourable. Then, said he, let him suffer me both to seem and to be such. [*](Ibid. chap. xviii. (749 E); cf. also Aelian, Varia Historia, xi. 9.)

When Alexander made a demand for triremes, and the people called for Phocion by name to come forward and advise them, he arose and said, Well then, I advise you either to be conquerors yourselves by force of arms, or else to be the friends of the conquerors. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Phocion, chap. xxi. (751 A).)

When word suddenly came, quite unauthenticated, of the death of Alexander, and the orators

When Leosthenes plunged the State into war, elated as it was by brilliant hopes to aspire to the distinction of freedom and leadership, Phocion likened his words to the cypress - trees. For, said he, they are beautiful and tall, but they bear no fruit. However, the first attempts were successful, and, when the State was offering sacrifices to celebrate the good tidings, Phocion was asked whether he wished that these deeds had been done by himself. Yes, said he, these deeds done, but that advice given. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Phocion, chap. xxiii. (752 A B); Valerius Maximus, iii. 8, ext. 2.)

When the Macedonians invaded Attica, [*](In the Lamian war, 322 B.C.) and were devastating the land near the sea, he led out the men of military age. Soon many were thronging about him and strongly urging him to take possession of that hill over there, to draw up his forces here. Great Heavens, he said, how many generals do I see and how few soldiers ! Nevertheless, he engaged the enemy, and overcame them, and slew Micion the Macedonian commander. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Phocion, chap. xxv. (752 E).)

After a little time the Athenians were overcome in the war, and compelled by Antipater to submit to receiving a garrison. Menyllus, the commander of the garrison, offered money to Phocion, who said with indignation that Menyllus was no whit

Antipater said that he had two good friends at Athens; and of the two he had never persuaded Phocion to accept a gift, nor ever sated Demades by giving. [*](Ibid. chap. xxx. (p. 755 B).)

When Antipater required as his right that Phocion do a certain act of unrighteousness, he said, Antipater, you cannot use Phocion as a friend and flatterer both. Repeated by Plutarch in Moralia, 64 C, 142 B, 533 A; Life of Phocion, chap. xxx. (755 B); Life of Agis, chap. ii. (795 E).

The death of Antipater was followed by a democratic government at Athens, and sentence of death was passed in Assembly on Phocion and his friends. The others were led away weeping, but Phocion was proceeding in silence when one of his enemies met him and spat in his face. He looked toward the officers and said, Will not somebody make this man stop his bad manners ? [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Phocion, chap. xxxvi. (758 D).)

When one of the men who were to die with him wept and cursed, he said, Are you not content, Thudippus, that you are to die with Phocion ? [*](Ibid.; cf. 541 C, and Aelian, Varia Historia, xiii. 41.)

When the cup of hemlock was already being handed to him, he was asked if he had any message for his son. I charge and exhort him, said he, not to cherish any ill feeling against the Athenians. [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Phocion, chap. xxxvi. (758 D); Aelian, Varia Historia, xii. 49.)