John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.
Page 919
| Plutarch. (A.D. 46?–A.D. c. 120) (continued) |
| 8849 |
| Pyrrhus said, “If I should overcome the Romans in another fight, I were undone.” |
| Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders. 1 Pyrrhus. |
| 8850 |
| Themistocles being asked whether he would rather be Achilles or Homer, said, “Which would you rather be,—a conqueror in the Olympic games, or the crier that proclaims who are conquerors?” |
| Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders. 2 Themistocles. |
| 8851 |
| He preferred an honest man that wooed his daughter, before a rich man. “I would rather,” said Themistocles, “have a man that wants money than money that wants a man.” |
| Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders. 3 Themistocles. |
| 8852 |
| Alcibiades had a very handsome dog, that cost him seven thousand drachmas; and he cut off his tail, “that,” said he, “the Athenians may have this story to tell of me, and may concern themselves no further with me.” |
| Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders. 4 Alcibiades. |
| 8853 |
| Being summoned by the Athenians out of Sicily to plead for his life, Alcibiades absconded, saying that that criminal was a fool who studied a defence when he might fly for it. |
| Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders. 5 Alcibiades. |
| 8854 |
| Lamachus chid a captain for a fault; and when he had said he would do so no more, “Sir,” said he, “in war there is no room for a second miscarriage.” Said one to Iphicrates, “What are ye afraid of?” “Of all speeches,” said he, “none is so dishonourable for a general as ‘I should not have thought of it.’” |
| Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders. 6 Iphicrates. |
| 8855 |
| To Harmodius, descended from the ancient Harmodius, when he reviled Iphicrates [a shoemaker’s son] for his mean birth, “My nobility,” said he, “begins in me, but yours ends in you.” 7 |
| Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders. 8 Iphicrates. |
| 8856 |
| Once when Phocion had delivered an opinion which pleased the people,… he turned to his friend and said, “Have I not unawares spoken some mischievous thing or other?” |
| Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders. 9 Phocion. |
| Note 1. Rejected by some critics as not a genuine work of Plutarch.—Ralph Waldo Emerson. [back] |
| Note 2. Rejected by some critics as not a genuine work of Plutarch.—Ralph Waldo Emerson. [back] |
| Note 3. Rejected by some critics as not a genuine work of Plutarch.—Ralph Waldo Emerson. [back] |
| Note 4. Rejected by some critics as not a genuine work of Plutarch.—Ralph Waldo Emerson. [back] |
| Note 5. Rejected by some critics as not a genuine work of Plutarch.—Ralph Waldo Emerson. [back] |
| Note 6. Rejected by some critics as not a genuine work of Plutarch.—Ralph Waldo Emerson. [back] |
| Note 7. I am my own ancestor.—Junot, Duc D’Abrantes (when asked as to his ancestry). [back] |
| Note 8. Rejected by some critics as not a genuine work of Plutarch.—Ralph Waldo Emerson. [back] |
| Note 9. Rejected by some critics as not a genuine work of Plutarch.—Ralph Waldo Emerson. [back] |