The Deipnosophists; or, Banquet of the Learned of Athenæus, Vol. 3 (of 3)Athenaeus, of Naucratis
Philosophy
The Deipnosophists; or, Banquet of the Learned of Athenæus, Vol. 3 (of 3)
Athenaeus, of Naucratis
Civilization, Greco-Roman; Dinners and dining -- Greece; Greece -- Social life and customs; Homosexuality -- Greece
43. But in the thirteenth book of his History of the Affairs of Philip,
speaking of Chabrias the Athenian, he says—"But he was unable to live
in the city, partly on account of his intemperance, and partly because
of the extravagant habits of his daily life, and partly because of the
Athenians. For they are always unfavourable to eminent men; on which
account their most illustrious citizens preferred to live out of the
city. For instance, Iphicrates lived in Thrace, and Conon in Cyprus,
and Timotheus in Lesbos, and Chares at Sigeum, and Chabrias himself in
Egypt." And about Chares he says, in his forty-fifth book—"But Chares
was a slow and stupid man, and one wholly devoted to pleasure. And
even when he was engaged in his military expeditions, he used to take
about with him female flute-players, and female harp-players, and a lot
of common courtesans. And of the money which was contributed for the
purposes of the war, some he expended on this sort of profligacy, and
some he left behind at Athens, to be distributed among the orators and
those who propose decrees, and on those private individuals who had
actions depending. And for all this the Athenian populace was so far
from being indignant, that for this very reason he became more popular
than any other citizen; and naturally too: for they all lived in this
manner, that their young men spent all their time among flute-players
and courtesans; and those who were a little older than they, devoted
themselves to gambling, and profligacy of that sort; and the whole
people spent more money on its public banquets and entertainments than
on the provision necessary for the well-doing of the state.
[Sidenote: THE PISISTRATIDÆ.]
But in the work of Theopompus, entitled, "Concerning the Money of which
the Temple at Delphi was pillaged," he says—"Chares the Athenian got
sixty talents by means of Lysander. And with this money he gave a
banquet to the Athenians in the market-place, celebrating a triumphal
sacrifice in honour of their victory gained in the battle which took
place against the foreign troops of Philip." And these troops were
commanded by Adæus, surnamed the Cock, concerning whom Heraclides the
comic poet speaks in the following manner—
But when he caught the dunghill cock of Philip
Crowing too early in the morn, and straying,
He kill'd him; for he had not got his crest on.
And having kill'd this one, then Chares gave
A splendid banquet to the Athenian people;
So liberal and magnificent was he.
And Duris gives the same account.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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