Phocion 9
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the Good. Yet, though difficult, it is not, I suppose, impossiblefor men’s tempers, any more than for wines, to be at the sametime harsh and agreeable to the taste; just as on the other handmany that are sweet at the first taste are found, on further use,extremely disagreeable and unwholesome. Hyperides, we aretold, once said to the people, “ Do not ask yourselves, men ofAthens, whether or not I am bitter, but whether or not I ampaid for being so,” as though a covetous purpose were the onlything that should make a harsh temper insupportable, and asif men might not even more justly render themselves obnoxiousto popular dislike and censure, by using their power and influencein the indulgence of their own private passions of pride andjealousy, anger and animosity. Phocion never allowed himselffrom any feeling of personal hostility to do hurt to any fellow-citizen, nor, indeed, reputed any man his enemy, except so faras he could not but contend sharply with such as opposed themeasures he urged for the public good; in which argument hewas, indeed, a rude, obstinate, and uncompromising adversary.For his general conversation, it was easy, courteous, and obligingto all, to that point that he would befriend his very opponentsin their distress, and espouse the cause of those who differed -_ most from him, when they needed his patronage. His friends reproaching him for pleading in behalf of a man of indifferentcharacter, he told them the innocent had no need of an advocate.Aristogiton, the sycophant, whom we mentioned before, having,after sentence passed upon him, sent earnestly to Phocion tospeak with him in the prison, his friends dissuaded him fromgoing; “ Nay, by your favour,” said he, “‘ where should I ratherchoose to pay Aristogiton a visit?” As for the allies of the Athenians, and the islanders, wheneverany admiral besides Phocion was sent, they treated him as anenemy suspect, barricaded their gates, blocked up their havens,brought in from the country their cattle, slaves, wives, andchildren, and put them in garrison; but upon Phocion’s arrival,they went out to welcome him in their private boats and barges,with streamers and garlands, and received him at landing withevery demonstration of joy and pleasure. When King Philip was effecting his entry into Eubcea, andwas bringing over troops from Macedonia, and making himselfmaster of the cities, by means of the tyrants who ruled in them,Plutarch of Eretria sent to request aid of the Athenians for therelief of the island, which was in imminent danger of fallingwholly into the hands of the Macedonians, Phocion was sent fe) Plutarch’s Lives thither with a handful of men in comparison, in expectation thatthe Eubceans themselves would flock in and join him. Butwhen he came, he found all things in confusion, the country allbetrayed, the whole ground, as it were, undermined under his —feet, by the secret pensioners of King Philip, so that he was inthe greatest risk imaginable. To secure himself as far as hecould, he seized a small rising ground, which was divided from —the level plains about Tamyne by a deep watercourse, and herehe enclosed and fortified the choicest of his army. As for theidle talkers and disorderly bad citizens who ran off from his —camp and made their way back, he bade his officers not regard —them, since here they would have been not only useless andungovernable themselves, but an actual hindrance to the rest:and further, being conscious to themselves of the neglect oftheir duty, they would be less ready to misrepresent the action,or raise a cry against them at their return home. When theenemy drew nigh, he bade his men stand to their arms, untilhe had finished the sacrifice, in which he spent a considerabletime, either by some difficulty of the thing itself, or on purpose |to invite the enemy nearer. Plutarch, interpreting this tardi-ness as a failure in his courage, fell on alone with the mercenaries,which the cavalry perceiving, could not be contained, but issuingalso out of the camp, confusedly and in disorder, spurred up tothe enemy. ‘The first who came up were defeated, the rest wereput to the rout. Plutarch himself took to flight, and a body ofthe enemy advanced in the hope of carrying the camp, supposingthemselves to have secured the victory. But by this time, thesacrifice being over, the Athenians within the camp came forward,and falling upon them put them to flight, and killed the greaternumber as they fled among the intrenchments, while Phocion,ordering his infantry to keep on the watch and rally those whocame in from the previous flight, himself, with a body of his bestmen, engaged the enemy in a sharp and bloody fight, in whichall of them behaved with signal courage and gallantry. Thallus,the son of Cineas, and Glaucus of Polymedes, who fought nearthe general, gained the honours of the day. Cleophanes, also,did good service in the battle. Recovering the cavalry from itsdefeat, and with his shouts and encouragement bringing themup to succour the general, who was in danger, he confirmed the- victory obtained by the infantry. Phocion now expelledPlutarch from Eretria, and possessed himself of the veryimportant fort of Zaretra, situated where the island is pinchedIn, as it were, by the seas on each side, and its breadth most i
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