Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

When the allies said in the Peloponnesian war it was only right that Archidamus set a limit to their contributions, he said, War does not feed on fixed rations. [*](Repeated in Moralia, 219 A, and in Plutarch’s Life of Crassus, chap. ii. (544 B); and Life of Cleomenes, chap. xxvii. (817 E). In his Life of Demosthenes, chap. xvii. (853 E), the saying is put in the mouth of Crobylus (i.e. Hegisippus the Athenian orator). See the note on Moralia, 187 E, supra. )

Brasidas caught a mouse among some dry figs, and, getting bitten, let it go. Then, turning to those who were present, he said, There is nothing so small that it cannot save its life, if it has the courage to defend itself against those who would lay hand on it. [*](Repeated in Moralia, 79 E and 219 C, and with some variation, 208 F.)

In a battle he was wounded by a spear which pierced his shield, and, pulling the weapon out of the wound, with this very spear he slew his foe. Asked how he got his wound, he said, ’twas when my shield turned traitor. [*](Cf. Moralia, 219 C, infra, and 548 B.)

When it came to pass that he fell while trying

Agis the king said that the Spartans do not ask how many are the enemy, but where are they. [*](Cf. Moralia, 215 D, infra.)

At Mantineia, when efforts were made to dissuade him from risking a battle with the enemy who outnumbered his own men, he said, He who would rule over many must fight with many. [*](Ibid.)

When the Eleans were commended for conducting the Olympic games honourably, he said, What wonderful feat is it if they practise justice on one day in four years ? And when these same persons were persistent in their commendation, he said, What wonder if they practise honourably an honourable thing, that is, justice ? [*](Ibid. 215 F, and Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus, chap. xx. (52 C).)

To a base man, who asked him many times who was the best of the Spartans, he replied, The one most unlike you. [*](Life of Lycurgus and Moralia, 216 C.)

When another man inquired about the number

When another asked the same question, he said, You will think they are many, if you see them fight.

When Dionysius, the despot, sent garments of a very costly kind for Lysander’s daughters, Lysander would not accept them, saying that he was afraid that the girls would appear more ugly because of them. [*](Cf. Moralia, 141 D, 229 A, and Plutarch’s Life of Lysander, chap. ii. (434 C). The same story is told of Archidamus in Moralia, 218 E.),

To those who found fault with him for accomplishing most things through deception (a procedure which they asserted was unworthy of Heracles) he used to say in reply that where the lion’s skin does not reach it must be pieced out with the skin of the fox. [*](Cf. Moralia, 229 B; Plutarch’s Life of Lysander, chap. vii. (437 A), Leutsch and Schneidewin, Paroemiographi Graeci, i. p. 30.)

When the Argives seemed to make out a better case than the Spartans about the territory in dispute, he drew his sword, and said to them, He who is master of this talks best about boundaries of land. [*](Cf. Moralia, 229 C; Life of Lysander, chap. xxii. (445 D).)

Seeing that the Spartans were reluctant to carry on the battle against the walls of the Corinthians, he said, as he saw a hare leap out of the moat, Are you afraid of such enemies as these, in whose walls hares go to sleep because of the men’s inaction ? [*](Cf. Moralia, 229 D; Life of Lysander, chap. xxii. (445 D).)

When a man from Megara used frank speech

Agesilaus used to say that the inhabitants of Asia Minor were poor freemen, but good slaves. [*](Cf. Moralia, 213 C infra. The remark is attributed to Callicratidas, Moralia, 222 E, infra. Cf. also the similar sentiment recorded in Herodotus, iv. 142.)

Regarding their custom of calling the king of the Persians the Great King, he said, In what respect is he greater than I, unless he is more upright and self-restrained ? [*](Cf. Moralia, 78 D, 213 C, 545 A; Plutarch’s Life of Agesilaus, chap. xxiii. (608 F); also Xenophon, Agesilaus, 8. 4. A similar remark of Socrates is found in Plato, Gorgias, 470 E.)

When he was questioned about bravery and uprightness and asked which was the better, he said, We have no need of bravery if we are all upright. [*](Cf. Moralia, 213 C, infra, and Plutarch’s Life of Agesilaus, chap. xiii. (608 F).)

When he was about to break camp in haste by night to leave the enemy’s country, and saw his favourite youth, owing to illness, being left behind all in tears, he said, It is hard to be merciful and sensible at the same time. [*](Cf. Moralia, 209 F, infra, and Plutarch’s Life of Agesilaus, chap. xiii. (603 B).)

Menecrates the physician, who was addressed by the title of Zeus, wrote in a letter to him: Menecrates Zeus to King Agesilaus, health and happiness. Agesilaus wrote in reply: King Agesilaus to Menecrates, health and sanity! [*](The story is repeated in Moralia, 213 A, and in Plutarch’s Life of Agesilaus, chap. xxi. (607 E). Aelian, Varia Historia, xii. 51, and Athenaeus, 289 B, say that it was Philip of Macedon who thus replied to Menecrates.)