Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata

Plutarch

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

He bade the people, inasmuch as they happened to be waging war against the Celtiberians, to send

out both himself and his rival either as legates or tribunes of the soldiers, and take the word and judgement of the fighting men in regard to the valour of each.

After he was made censor, he deprived a young knight of his horse because, at the time when war was being waged against Carthage, this young man had given an expensive dinner for which he had ordered an honey-cake to be made in the form of the city, and, calling this Carthage, he set it before the company for them to plunder. When the young man asked the reason why he had been degraded, Scipio said, Because you plundered Carthage before I did!

Seeing Gaius Licinius coming before him, he said, I know that this man is guilty of perjury, but, since no one accuses him, I cannot myself be both accuser and judge. [*](Cf. Cicero, Oration for Cluentius, 48 (134); Valerius Maximus, iv. 1. 10.)

He was sent out by the Senate a third time for the purpose, as Cleitomachus [*](Poseidonius (instead of Cleitomachus) is found in Moralia, 777 A, and is also suggested by Athenaeus, 549 D.) says, of

Looking upon men’s arrogant acts and their acts of good order,[*](Homer, Od. xvii. 487. Scipio’s journeyings, beginning in 141 B.C., took him over most of the countries around the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea.)

that is, as an inspector of cities, peoples, and kings; and when he arrived at Alexandria and, after disembarking, was walking with his toga covering his head, the Alexandrians quickly surrounded him, and insisted that he uncover and show his face to their yearning eyes. And so he uncovered amid shouting and applause. The king could hardly keep up with

them in walking because of his inactive life and his pampering of his body, [*](Ptolemy VII., called Physcon by the Alexandrians because of his fat and unwieldy body. ) and Scipio whispered softly to Panaetius, Already the Alexandrians have received some benefit from our visit. For it is owing to us that they have seen their king walk. [*](Cf. Moralia, 777 A; Diodorus, xxxiii. 28a; Athenaeus, 549 D; Cicero, Academics, ii. 2 (5); Justin, Historiae Philippicae, xxxviii. 8. 8.)

His one companion in his travels was a friend Panaetius, a philosopher, and there were five servants. When one of these died in a foreign land, he did not wish to buy another, and so sent for one from Rome. [*](Cf. Athenaeus, 273 A (-Polybius, Frag. 166, ed. Hultsch); Valerius Maximus, iv. 3. 13.)

Inasmuch as the Numantians seemed invincible in battle and had vanquishedany generals, the people made Scipio consul the second time [*](In 134 B.C.) for this war. When many were eager to enlist for the campaign, the Senate intervened, on the ground that Italy would be unprotected. Moreover, they would not allow him to take money from what was already on hand, but set aside for his use the revenues from taxes not yet due. Scipio said that he did not need monev, for his own and that of his friends would be sufficient; but in regard to the soldiers he did find fault. [*](Cf. Appian, Roman History, the Wars in Spain, xiv. 84.) For he said that the war was a hard war; if it was owing to the bravery of the enemy that they had been vanquished so many times, then it was hard because it was against such men; if it was owing to the want of bravery in their own citizens, then it was hard because it must be conducted with such men.

When he arrived at the camp, and found there much disorder, licentiousness, superstition, and luxury, he straightway drove out the soothsayers, diviners, and panders, and issued orders to send

away all camp-utensils except a pot, a spit, and an earthenware drinking-cup. But he conceded a goblet of silverware of not more than two pounds weight to those who wished to keep such. He forbade bathing, and of those who took a rub-down he required that each man should rub himself, saying that the pack-animals, not being provided with hands, needed somebody to rub them. He also issued orders that the soldiers should eat their luncheon standing, and that it should be something uncooked, but that they might recline at dinner, and this should be bread or porridge simply, and meat roasted or boiled. He himself went about with a black cloak pinned around him, saying that he was in mourning for the disgrace of the army. [*](Appian, Roman History, The Wars in Spain, xiv. 85; Polyaenus, Strategemata, viii. 16. 2; Livy, Epitome of Book lvii.; Valerius, Maximus, ii. 7. 1.)

He detected in the baggage carried by the pack-animals of Memmius, a military tribune, wine coolers set with precious stones, the work of Thericles, [*](A famous Corinthian potter.) and said to him, By such conduct you have made yourself useless to me and your country for thirty days, [*](Presumably the period of his disgrace and punishment.) but useless to yourself for your whole lifetime. [*](Cf. Frontinus, Strategemata, iv. 1. 1.)

When another man showed him a shield beautifully ornamented, he said, A fine shield, young sir; but it is more fitting that a Roman rest his hopes in his right hand rather than in his left. [*](So in Aelian, Varia Historia, xi. 9. Slightly variant versions are to be found in Polyaenus, Strategemata, viii. 16. 4; Frontinus, Strategemata, iv. 1. 5; Livy, Epitome of Book lvii.)