96 KEY TO EASY LATI. N STORIES. [?z_?? ,v.
money.’ To whom Alcibiades: ‘Rather contrive thisnot to be compelled to give an account.’ Pericles obeyed the advice of the youth, for he so contrived matters that the citizens were not able to demand an account, having commenced war with their neighhours.
Conjugal love.
275.Marcia, the daughter of Cato, while mourning for her dead husband, replied to a man who asked her what day was likely to be the last day of her grief, that the last day of her life would be the last of her grief. A certain Valeria, being asked why she would not marry any one, her husband being dead, said, ‘For me, indeed, my Servius is ever living.’ The wife also of Phocion spoke as follows to a lady who kept showing off her riches: ‘My most distinguished honour is Phocion; a poor man indeed, but he has been ruling the Athenians for twenty years.’
The sorrows of mankind.
276.Solon, having seen one of his friends mournful, took him with him to the citadel, and asked him to look at the buildings of the city. When he had done so Solon remarked, ‘Reflect how many sorrows there are under these roofs; how many there have been; and lastly, how many there are likely to be. Consider these evils no longer your own, for they happen to all.’ The same man used to say, if all the losses of mankind were brought together into one place the result would be that each one would sooner bear his own than those of other people.
The death of Epaminondas.
277.Epaminondas was the most distinguished man, not only among the Thebans, but even among all the Greeks of that time. For nothing good happened to the Thebans before they employed him as general; but when Epaminondas was dead they were only remarkable for their losses. I shall relate how bravely and how willingly he laid down his life for his country. When he was going with line of battle drawn up to storm a town, the enemy charged, and severely wounded him. Afterwards, when his friends had brought him back to camp, and he had perceived that he was not far from dying, he asked
