8 Plutarch’s Lives
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ade only this answer, ‘‘ My friends, you are fortunate in havinga leader who knows you; otherwise, you had long since beenundone.” Having a controversy with the Bceotians about boundaries,which he counselled them to decide by negotiation, they inclinedto blows. ‘‘ You had better,” said he, “ carry on the contestwith the weapons in which you excel (your tongues), and not bywar, in which you are inferior.” Once when he was addressingthem, and they would not hear him or let him go on, said he,“You may compel me to act against my wishes, but you shall -never force me to speak against my judgment.”’ Among themany public speakers who opposed him, Demosthenes, forexample, once told him, ‘‘ The Athenians, Phocion, will kill yousome day when they once are ina rage.” ‘“ And you,” said he,“if they once are in their senses.’’ Polyeuctus, the Sphettian,once on a hot day was urging war with Philip, and being acorpulent man, and out of breath and in a great heat withspeaking, took numerous draughts of water as he went on.““ Here, indeed,” said Phocion, “is a fit man to lead us into a_war! What think you he will do when he is carrying hiscorselet and his shield to meet the enemy, if even here, deliver-ing a prepared speech to you, has almost killed him withexhaustion?” When Lycurgus in the assembly made manyreflections on his past conduct, upbraiding him above all forhaving advised them to deliver up the ten citizens whom Alex-ander had demanded, he replied that he had been the authorof much safe and wholesome counsel, which had not beenfollowed. There was a man called Archibiades, nicknamed the Lace-dzmonian, who used to go about with a huge, over-grown beard,wearing an old threadbare cloak, and affecting a very sterncountenance. Phocion once, when attacked in council by therest, appealed to this man for his support and testimony. Andwhen he got up and began to speak on the popular side, puttinghis hand to his beard, “ O Archibiades,” said he, “ it is time youshould shave.”’ Aristogiton, a common accuser, was a terribleman of war within the assembly, always inflaming the peopleto battle, but when the muster-roll came to be produced, heappeared limping on a crutch, with a bandage on his leg;Phocion descried him afar off, coming in, and cried out to theclerk, “ Put down Aristogiton, too, as lame and worthless.” So that it is a little wonderful, how a man so severe and harshupon all occasions should, notwithstanding, obtain the name of
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