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
When they also demanded their garments and
quilts, and on that account accused the Macedonians, Philip laughed and
said, Do ye not think these Athenians imagine we beat them at cockal?
In a fight he broke his collar-bone, and the surgeon that had him in
cure requested him daily for his reward. Take what you will, said he,
for you have the key.[109] There were two brothers called Both and
Either; perceiving Either was a good understanding busy fellow and
Both a silly fellow and good for little, he said: Either is Both, and
Both is Neither. To some that advised him to deal severely with the
Athenians he said: You talk absurdly, who would persuade a man that
suffers all things for the sake of glory, to overthrow the theatre of
glory. Being arbitrator betwixt two wicked persons, he commanded one to
fly out of Macedonia and the other to pursue him. Being about to pitch
his camp in a likely place, and hearing there was no hay to be had for
the cattle, What a life, said he, is ours, since we must live according
to the convenience of asses! Designing to take a strong fort, which
the scouts told him was exceeding difficult and impregnable, he asked
whether it was so difficult that an ass could not come at it laden with
gold. Lasthenes the Olynthian and his friends being aggrieved, and
complaining that some of Philip’s retinue called them traitors, These
Macedonians, said he, are a rude and clownish people, that call a spade
a spade. He exhorted his son to behave himself courteously toward the
Macedonians, and to acquire influence with the people, while he could
be affable and gracious during the reign of another. He advised him
also to make friends of men of interest in the cities, both good and
bad, that afterwards he might make use of these, and suppress those.
To Philo the Theban, who had been his host and given him entertainment
while he remained an hostage at Thebes, and afterwards refused to
accept any present from him, he said: Do not take from me the title of
invincible, by making me inferior to you in kindness and bounty. Having
taken many prisoners, he was selling them, sitting in an unseemly
posture, with his tunic tucked up; when one of the captives to be sold
cried out, Spare me, Philip, for our fathers were friends. When Philip
asked him, Prithee, how or from whence? Let me come nearer, said he,
and I’ll tell you. When he was come up to him, he said: Let down your
cloak a little lower, for you sit indecently. Whereupon said Philip:
Let him go, in truth he wisheth me well and is my friend, though I
did not know him. Being invited to supper, he carried many he took up
by the way along with him; and perceiving his host troubled (for his
provision was not sufficient), he sent to each of his friends, and
bade them reserve a place for the cake. They, believing and expecting
it, ate little, and so the supper was enough for all. It appeared he
grieved much at the death of Hipparchus the Euboean. For when somebody
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