Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 1 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"Plutarch
Philosophy
Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 1 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"
Plutarch
Classical literature; Essays; Ethics; Philosophy
POLTYS. Poltys king of Thrace, in the Trojan war, being solicited both
by the Trojan and Grecian ambassadors, advised Alexander to restore
Helen, promising to give him two beautiful women for her.
TERES. Teres, the father of Sitalces, said, when he was out of the army
and had nothing to do, he thought there was no difference between him
and his grooms.
COTYS. Cotys, when one gave him a leopard, gave him a lion for it. He
was naturally prone to anger, and severely punished the miscarriages
of his servants. When a stranger brought him some earthen vessels,
thin and brittle, but delicately shaped and admirably adorned with
sculptures, he requited the stranger for them, and then brake them
all in pieces, Lest (said he) my passion should provoke me to punish
excessively those that brake them.
IDATHYRSUS. Idathyrsus, King of Scythia, when Darius invaded him,
solicited the Ionian tyrants that they would assert their liberty by
breaking down the bridge that was made over the Danube: which they
refusing to do because they had sworn fealty to Darius, he called them
good, honest, lazy slaves.
ATEAS. Ateas wrote to Philip: You reign over the Macedonians, men
that have learned fighting; and I over the Scythians, which can fight
with hunger and thirst. As he was rubbing his horse, turning to the
ambassadors of Philip, he asked whether Philip did so or not. He took
prisoner Ismenias, an excellent piper, and commanded him to play; and
when others admired him, he swore it was more pleasant to hear a horse
neigh.
SCILURUS. Scilurus on his death-bed, being about to leave fourscore
sons surviving, offered a bundle of darts to each of them, and bade
them break them. When all refused, drawing out one by one, he easily
broke them; thus teaching them that, if they held together, they would
continue strong, but if they fell out and were divided, they would
become weak.
GELO. Gelo the tyrant, after he had overcome the Carthaginians at
Himera, made peace with them, and among other articles compelled
them to subscribe this,—that they should no more sacrifice their
children to Saturn. He often marched the Syracusans out to plant their
fields, as if it had been to war, that the country might be improved
by husbandry, and they might not be corrupted by idleness. When he
demanded a sum of money of the citizens, and thereupon a tumult was
raised, he told them he would but borrow it; and after the war was
ended, he restored it to them again. At a feast, when a harp was
offered, and others one after another tuned it and played upon it, he
sent for his horse, and with an easy agility leaped upon him.
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