Opening the text

Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 5 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"Plutarch

Philosophy

Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 5 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"

Name: Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 5 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"
Author: Plutarch

Plutarch

Classical literature; Essays; Ethics; Philosophy

He then is best, who desires none of these things, but shuns and
refuses them all. But if perhaps it is not easy wholly to decline a
favor or testimonial of the people’s amity, when they are fully bent to
bestow it, yet for those who have in the service of the state contended
not for silver or presents, but have fought a fight truly sacred and
deserving a crown, let an inscription, a tablet, a decree, or a branch
of laurel or olive suffice, such as Epimenides received out of the
castle of Athens for having purified the city. So Anaxagoras, putting
back the other honors that were given him, desired that on the day of
his death the children might have leave to play and intermit their
studies. And to the seven Persians who killed the Magi it was granted
that they and their posterity should wear their turban on the fore part
of the head; for this, it seems, they had made the signal, when they
went about that attempt. The honor also which Pittacus received had
something political; for being bid to take what portion he would of the
land he had gotten for his citizens, he accepted as much as he could
reach with the cast of his dart. So Cocles the Roman took as much as he
himself, being lame, could plough in a day. For the honor should not be
a recompense of the action, but an acknowledgment of gratitude, that
it may continue also long, as those did which we have mentioned. But
of the three hundred statues erected to Demetrius Phalereus, not one
was eaten into by rust or covered with filth, they being all pulled
down whilst himself was yet alive; and those of Demades were melted
into chamber-pots. Many other honors also have undergone the like fate,
being regarded with an ill eye, not only for the wickedness of the
receiver, but also for the greatness of the gift. A moderation in the
expense is therefore the best and surest preservative of honors; for
such as are great, immense, and ponderous are like to unproportioned
statues, soon overthrown.

28. Now I here call those honors which the people,

    Whose right it is, so name; with them I speak:

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 5 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"Plutarch

Philosophy

Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 5 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"

Plutarch

Classical literature; Essays; Ethics; Philosophy

He then is best, who desires none of these things, but shuns and
refuses them all. But if perhaps it is not easy wholly to decline a
favor or testimonial of the people’s amity, when they are fully bent to
bestow it, yet for those who have in the service of the state contended
not for silver or presents, but have fought a fight truly sacred and
deserving a crown, let an inscription, a tablet, a decree, or a branch
of laurel or olive suffice, such as Epimenides received out of the
castle of Athens for having purified the city. So Anaxagoras, putting
back the other honors that were given him, desired that on the day of
his death the children might have leave to play and intermit their
studies. And to the seven Persians who killed the Magi it was granted
that they and their posterity should wear their turban on the fore part
of the head; for this, it seems, they had made the signal, when they
went about that attempt. The honor also which Pittacus received had
something political; for being bid to take what portion he would of the
land he had gotten for his citizens, he accepted as much as he could
reach with the cast of his dart. So Cocles the Roman took as much as he
himself, being lame, could plough in a day. For the honor should not be
a recompense of the action, but an acknowledgment of gratitude, that
it may continue also long, as those did which we have mentioned. But
of the three hundred statues erected to Demetrius Phalereus, not one
was eaten into by rust or covered with filth, they being all pulled
down whilst himself was yet alive; and those of Demades were melted
into chamber-pots. Many other honors also have undergone the like fate,
being regarded with an ill eye, not only for the wickedness of the
receiver, but also for the greatness of the gift. A moderation in the
expense is therefore the best and surest preservative of honors; for
such as are great, immense, and ponderous are like to unproportioned
statues, soon overthrown.

28. Now I here call those honors which the people,

    Whose right it is, so name; with them I speak:

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 5 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"

Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 5 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"

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