Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

Plutarch

Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. III. Babbitt, Frank Cole, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1931 (printing).

Artaxerxes, the son of Xerxes, called Longhand, because of his having one hand longer than the other [*](Cf. Plutarch’s Life of Artaxerxes, chap. i. (1011 E).) used to say that it is more kingly to give to one who has than to take away.

He was the first to issue an order that any of his companions in the hunt who could and would might throw their spears without waiting for him to throw first.[*](Xenophon (Cyropaedia, i. 4. 14) attributes this innovation to the elder Cyrus; but Cf. Ctesias, Persica, frag. 40.)

He was the first to ordain this form of punishment for those of the ruling class who offended:

Instead of having their bodies scourged and the hair plucked from their heads, they took off their outer garments and these were scourged, and put off their head-dress and this was plucked.[*](Cf. Moralia, 35 E and 565 A, and Wyttenbach’s note on the latter passage.)

Satibarzanes, his chamberlain, made a dishonourable request of him, and it came to his knowledge that the man was doing this for thirty thousand pounds; whereupon he directed his treasurer to bring him thirty thousand pounds, and, as he gave the money to his chamberlain, he said, Take this, Satibarzanes; for if I make you this gift I shall not be poorer, but if I do that deed I shall be more dishonourable !