Phocion _ 5
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ven Demosthenes himself, who used to despise the rest of theharanguers, when Phocion stood up, was wont to say quietly tothose about him, “‘ Here is the pruning-knife of my periods.”This, however, might refer, perhaps, not so much to his eloquenceas to the influence of his character, since not only a word, buteven a nod from a person who is esteemed, is of more force thana thousand arguments or studied sentences from others. In his youth he followed Chabrias, the general, from whom hegained many lessons in military knowledge, and in return didsomething to correct his unequal and capricious humour. Forwhereas at other times Chabrias was heavy and phlegmatic, inthe heat of battle he used to be so fired and transported that hethrew himself headlong into danger beyond the forwardest,which indeed, in the end, cost him his life in the island of Chios,he having pressed his own ship foremost to force a landing.But Phocion, being a man of temper as well as courage, hadthe dexterity at some times to rouse the general, when in hisprocrastinating mood, to action, and at others to moderate and_ cool the impetuousness of his unseasonable fury. Upon which- account Chabrias, who was a good-natured, kindly-tempered_ man, loved him much, and procured him commands and oppor-' tunities for action, giving himself means to make himself known_ in Greece, and using his assistance in all his affairs of moment.- Particularly the sea-fight of Naxos added not a little to Phocion’sreputation, when he had the left squadron committed to him byChabrias, as in this quarter the battle was sharply contested,and was decided by a speedy victory. And this being the firstprosperous sea-battle the city had engaged in with its own forcesince its captivity, Chabrias won great popularity by it, andPhocion, also, got the reputation of a good commander. Thevictory was gained at the time of the Great Mysteries, andChabrias used to keep the commemoration of it by distributingwine among the Athenians, yearly, on the sixteenth day ofBoédromion. After this, Chabrias sent Phocion to demand their quota of_ the charges of the war from the islanders, and offered him aguard of twenty ships. Phocion told him, if he intended him togo against them as enemies, that force was insignificant; if asto friends and allies, one vessel was sufficient. So he took hisown single galley, and having visited the cities, and treated withthe magistrates in an equitable and open manner, he broughtback a number of ships, sent by the confederates to Athens, to convey the supplies. Neither did his friendship and attention
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