Phocion | 15
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hat he who could afford to give so magnificent a present, wasyet not so rich as he who could afford to refuse it. And whenAlexander was displeased, and wrote back to him to say that hecould not esteem those his friends who would not be obliged byhim, not even would this induce Phocion to accept the money,but he begged leave to intercede with him in behalf of Eche-cratides, the sophist, and Athenodorus, the Imbrian, as also forDemaratus and Sparton, two Rhodians, who had been arrestedupon some charges, and were in custody at Sardis. This wasinstantly granted by Alexander, and they were set at liberty.Afterwards, when sending Craterus into Macedonia, he com-manded him to make him an offer of four cities in Asia, Cius,Gergithus, Mylasa, and Elza, any one of which, at his choice,should be delivered to him; insisting yet more positively withhim, and declaring he should resent it, should he continueobstinate in his refusal. But Phocion was not to be prevailedwith at all, and, shortly after, Alexander died. Phocion’s house is shown to this day in Melita, ornamentedwith small plates of copper, but otherwise plain and homely.Concerning his wives, of the first of them there is little said,except that she was sister of Cephisodotus, the statuary. The - other was a matron of no less reputation for her virtues and simple living among the Athenians than Phocion was for hisprobity. It happened once when the people were entertainedwith a new tragedy, that the actor, just as he was to enter thestage to perform the part of a queen, demanded to have a numberof attendants sumptuously dressed, to follow in his train, andon their not being provided, was sullen and refused to act, keep-ing the audience waiting, till at last Melanthius, who had tofurnish the chorus, pushed him on the stage, crying out, “‘ What,don’t you know that Phocion’s wife is never attended by morethan a single waiting-woman, but you must needs be grand, andfill our women’s heads with vanity?”’ This speech of his, spokenloud enough to be heard, was received with great applause, andclapped all round the theatre. She herself, when once enter-taining a visitor out of Ionia, who showed her all her richornaments, made of gold and set with jewels, her wreaths, neck-laces, and the like, “‘ For my part,” said she, “ all my ornamentis my husband, Phocion, now for the twentieth year in office asgeneral at Athens.” He had a son named Phocus, who wished to take part in thegames at the great feast of Minerva. He permitted him so todo, in the contest of leaping, not with any view to the victory,
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