Alcibiades, whose trick had been the cause of so much mischief, was the son of an Athenian, named Clinias. While Alcibiades was still young his father died, and Pericles became one of his guardians. He was a beautiful baby, a handsome boy, and when he grew to be a man he was so brave and so winning in his ways that he made friends very easily. But he made enemies as well as friends, for he was wild and wayward, while his pride often made him behave with scant courtesy even to those whom he should have treated with reverence and respect. Staid, sensible folk were shocked at his careless, extravagant ways. Nicias distrusted him. But the citizens loved him and forgave him much, for he spent his wealth freely among them, and often entertained them with public shows. ‘They love and hate and cannot do without him,’ wrote Aristophanes, as he watched the Athenians now cherishing, now chiding, their favourite. One day, he was a mere lad at the time, he was wrestling with a playmate, when, thinking he was going to be thrown, he suddenly bit his companion’s hand with all his strength. His friend quickly let go his hold, crying, ‘You bite, Alcibiades, like a woman.’ ‘No,’ answered the boy, ‘like a lion.’ Another day he was throwing dice in the street with his playmates, when a wagon pulled by two horses approached. It was the turn of Alcibiades to throw, and he shouted to the driver to stop, but the man paid no heed to the boy and drove on. The other children scampered out of the way, but the wilful little noble flung himself down in front of the horses and cried to the driver to go on now if he pleased. Afraid lest he should hurt the boy the man at once pulled up his horses, while those who had been looking on in terror rushed forward and dragged the foolish little fellow out of danger. But Alcibiades had made the driver pull up and he was content. His want of self-control became greater as he grew older. When he was at a grammar school he one day asked the schoolmaster to lend him one of Homer’s books. The master said that he did not possess it, whereupon the rude boy struck him and then turned and walked away. Some years later he struck a citizen whose talent in the theatre had outshone his own. When he was a young man he walked into the assembly with a pet quail hidden under his cloak. This would have raised a storm of indignation had it been done by anyone else. In the law court one of Alcibiades’ friends was accused, when the favourite at once seized the writ and tore it in pieces before the face of the judge. The young nobleman was rich, and much of his wealth he spent on horses. He sent seven chariots to the Olympic games, and once, to the great delight of the Athenians, their favourite won the first, second, and third prizes. Euripides, the poet, sang of the triumph of Alcibiades in these lines: