1. Cyrus.—2. Artaxerxes.—3. Agathocles.—4. Philip.—5. Ptolemy.—6. Xenophanes.—7. Antigonus.—8. Themistocles.—9. Aristides.—10. Pericles.—11. Phocion.—12. Clitomachus.—13. Epaminondas.—14. Demosthenes.—15. Agasicles.—16. Agesilaus.—17. Agis.—18. Alcamenes.—19. Alexandrides.—20. Anaxilas.—21. Ariston.—22. Archidamus.—23. Cleomenes.—24. Dersyllidas.—25. Hippodamus.—26. Leonidas.—27. Lysander.—28. Pausanias.—29. Theopompus, &c.—30. The manner of life and government of the Lacedæmonians in general.—31. Lycurgus their lawgiver.
I. Cyrus, than whom a greater monarch we hardly find in story, is more famous for his virtue than his power; God calls him his shepherd. Now let us see the principles of his conduct and life. So temperate was he in his youth, that when Astyages, urged him to drink wine, he answered, "I am afraid lest there should be poison in it, having seen thee reel and sottish after having drunk thereof." And so careful was he to keep the Persians from corruption of manners, that he would not suffer them to leave their rude and mountainous country, for one more pleasant and fruitful, lest through plenty and ease, luxury at last might debase their spirits. And so very chaste was he, that having taken a lady of quality, a most beautiful woman, his prisoner, he refused to see her, saying, "I have no mind to be a captive to my captive." It seems, he claimed no such propriety; but shunned the occasion of evil. The comptroller of his household asking him one day what he would please to have for his dinner; "Bread," said he; "for I intend to encamp nigh the water:" a short and easy bill of fare: but this shows the power he had over his appetite as well as his soldiers; and that he was fit to command others, that could command himself: according to another saying of his, "No man," saith he, "is worthy to command, who is not better than those who are to obey." And when he came to die, he gave this reason of his belief of immortality; "I cannot," said he, "persuade myself to think that the soul of man, after having sustained itself in a mortal body, should perish when delivered out of it, for want of it;" a saying of perhaps as great weight, as may be advanced against Atheism, from more enlightened times.
II. Artaxerxes Mnemon, being upon an extraordinary occasion reduced to eat barley bread, and dried figs, and drink water, "What pleasure," saith he, "have I lost till now, through my delicacies and excess!"
III. Agathocles becoming king of Sicily, from being the son of a potter, always to humble his mind to his original, would be daily served in earthen vessels upon his table: an example of humility and plainness.
IV. Philip, king of Macedon, upon three sorts of good news, arrived in one day, feared too much success might transport him immoderately; and therefore prayed for some disappointments to season his prosperity, and caution his mind under the enjoyment of it. He refused to oppress the Greeks with his garrisons, saying, "I had rather retain them by kindness than fear, and to be always beloved, than for a while terrible." One of his minions persuading him to decline hearing a cause, wherein a particular friend was interested, "I had much rather," says he, "thy friend shall lose his cause, than I my reputation." Seeing his son, Alexander, endeavouring to gain the hearts of the Macedonians, by gifts and rewards, "Canst thou believe," says he, "that a man that thou hast corrupted to thy interests, will ever be true to them?" When his court would have had him quarrel with and correct the Peloponnenses for their ingratitude to him, he said, "By no means; for if they despise and abuse me after being kind to them, what will they do if I do them harm?"—a great example of patience in a king, and wittily said. Like to this was his reply to the ambassadors of Athens, whom asking after audience, if he could do them any service, and one of them surlily answering, The best thou canst do us is to hang thyself, he was nothing disturbed, though his court murmured; but calmly said to the ambassador, "Those who suffer injuries are better people than those that do them." To conclude with him: being one day fallen along the ground, and seeing himself in that posture he cried out, "What a small spot of earth do we take up, and yet the whole world cannot content us!"
V. Ptolemy, son of Lagus, being reproached for his mean original, and his friends angry that he did not resent it; "We ought," says he, "to bear reproaches patiently."
VI. Xenophanes being jeered for refusing to play at a forbidden game, answered: "I do not fear my money, but my reputation: they that make laws, must keep them." A commendable saying.
VII. Antigonus being taken sick, he said, it was a warning from God to instruct him of his mortality. A poet flattered him with the title of the Son of God, he answered, "My servant knows the contrary." Another sycophant telling him, that the will of kings is the rule of justice: "No," saith he, "rather justice is the rule of the will of kings;" and being pressed by his minions to put a garrison into Athens, to hold the Greeks in subjection, he answered, "he had not a stronger garrison than the affections of his people."
VIII. Themistocles, after all the honour of his life, sits down with this conclusion, "That the way to the grave is more desirable than the way to worldly honours." His daughter being courted by one of little wit and great wealth, and another of little wealth and great goodness; he chose the poor man for his son-in-law: "For," saith he, "I will rather have a man without money, than money without a man;" reckoning, that not money, but worth, makes the man. Being told by Symmachus, that he would teach him the art of memory; he gravely answered, he had rather learn the art of forgetfulness: adding, he could remember enough, but many things he could not forget, which were necessary to be forgotten: as the honours, glories, pleasures, and conquests he had spent his days in: too apt to transport to vain glory.
IX. Aristides, a wise and just Greek, of greatest honour and trust with the Athenians;—he was a great enemy to cabals in government: the reason he renders is, "Because," saith he, "I would not be obliged to authorize injustice." He so much hated covetousness, though he was thrice chosen treasurer of Athens, that he lived and died poor, and that of choice: for being therefore reproached by a rich usurer, he answered, "Thy riches hurt thee more than my poverty hurts me." Being once banished by a contrary faction in the state, he prayed to God, that the affairs of his country might go so well, as never to need his return: which however caused him presently to be recalled: whereupon he told them, that he was not troubled for his exile with respect to himself, but the honour of his country. Themistocles, their general, had a project to propose, to render Athens mistress of Greece, but it required secrecy: the people obliged him to communicate it to Aristides, whose judgment they would follow. Aristides having privately heard it from Themistocles, publicly answered the people, "True there was nothing more advantageous, nothing more unjust:" which quashed the project.