PHOCION
  402？…317　B。C。
  by　Plutarch
  translated　by　John　Dryden
  DEMADES；　the　orator；　when　in　the　height　of　the　power　which　he
  obtained　at　Athens；　by　advising　the　state　in　the　interest　of　Antipater
  and　the　Macedonians；　being　necessitated　to　write　and　speak　many　things
  below　the　dignity；　and　contrary　to　the　character；　of　the　city；　was
  wont　to　excuse　himself　by　saying　he　steered　only　the　shipwrecks　of　the
  commonwealth。　This　hardy　saying　of　his　might　have　some　appearance　of
  truth；　if　applied　to　Phocion's　government。　For　Demades；　indeed；　was
  himself　the　mere　wreck　of　his　country；　living　and　ruling　so
  dissolutely；　that　Antipater　took　occasion　to　say　of　him；　when　he　was
  now　grown　old；　that　he　was　like　a　sacrificed　beast；　all　consumed
  except　the　tongue　and　the　belly。　But　Phocion's　was　a　real　virtue；　only
  overmatched　in　the　unequal　contest　with　an　adverse　time；　and　rendered；
  by　the　ill　fortunes　of　Greece；　inglorious　and　obscure。　We　must　not；
  indeed；　allow　ourselves　to　concur　with　Sophocles　in　so　far　diminishing
  the　force　of　virtue　as　to　say　that…
  〃When　fortune　fails；　the　sense　we　had　before
  Deserts　us　also；　and　is　ours　no　more。〃
  Yet　thus　much；　indeed；　must　be　allowed　to　happen　in　the　conflicts
  between　good　men　and　ill　fortune；　that　instead　of　due　returns　of
  honour　and　gratitude；　obloquy　and　unjust　surmises　may　often　prevail；
  to　weaken；　in　a　considerable　degree；　the　credit　of　their　virtue。
  It　is　commonly　said　that　public　bodies　are　most　insulting　and
  contumelious　to　a　good　man；　when　they　are　puffed　up　with　prosperity
  and　success。　But　the　contrary　often　happens；　afflictions　and　public
  calamities　naturally　embittering　and　souring　the　minds　and　tempers
  of　men；　and　disposing　them　to　such　peevishness　and　irritability　that
  hardly　any　word　or　sentiment　of　common　vigour　can　be　addressed　to
  them；　but　they　will　be　apt　to　take　offence。　He　that　remonstrates
  with　them　on　their　errors　is　presumed　to　be　insulting　over　their
  misfortunes；　and　any　free…spoken　expostulation　is　construed　into
  contempt。　Honey　itself　is　searching　in　sore　and　ulcerated　parts；　and
  the　wisest　and　most　judicious　counsels　prove　provoking　to
  distempered　minds；　unless　offered　with　those　soothing　and　compliant
  approaches　which　made　the　poet；　for　instance；　characterize　agreeable
  things　in　general　by　a　word　expressive　of　a　grateful　and　easy　touch；
  exciting　nothing　of　offence　or　resistance。　Inflamed　eyes　require　a
  retreat　into　dusky　places；　amongst　colours　of　the　deepest　shades；
  and　are　unable　to　endure　the　brilliancy　of　light。　So　fares　it　in　the
  body　politic；　in　times　of　distress　and　humiliation；　a　certain
  sensitiveness　and　soreness　of　humour　prevail；　with　a　weak　incapacity
  of　enduring　any　free　and　open　advice；　even　when　the　necessity　of
  affairs　most　requires　such　plain　dealing；　and　when　the　consequences　of
  any　single　error　may　be　beyond　retrieving。　At　such　times　the　conduct
  of　public　affairs　is　on　all　hands　most　hazardous。　Those　who　humour　the
  people　are　swallowed　up　in　the　common　ruin；　those　who　endeavour　to
  lead　them　aright　perish　the　first　in　their　attempt。
  Astronomers　tell　us；　the　sun's　motion　is　neither　exactly　parallel
  with　that　of　the　heavens　in　general；　nor　yet　directly　and
  diametrically　opposite；　but　describing　an　oblique　line；　with
  insensible　declination　he　steers　his　course　in　such　a　gentle；　easy
  curve；　as　to　dispense　his　light　and　influence；　in　his　annual
  revolution；　at　several　seasons　in　just　proportions　to　the　whole
  creation。　So　it　happens　in　political　affairs；　if　the　motions　of　rulers
  be　constantly　opposite　and　cross　to　the　tempers　and　inclinations　of
  the　people；　they　will　be　resented　as　arbitrary　and　harsh；　as；　on　the
  other　side；　too　much　deference；　or　encouragement；　as　too　often　it
  has　been；　to　popular　faults　and　errors；　is　full　of　danger　and
  ruinous　consequences。　But　where　concession　is　the　response　to
  willing　obedience；　and　a　statesman　gratifies　his　people；　that　he　may
  the　more　imperatively　recall　them　to　a　sense　of　the　common　interest；
  then；　indeed；　human　beings；　who　are　ready　enough　to　serve　well　and
  submit　to　much；　if　they　are　not　always　ordered　about　and　roughly
  handled；　like　slaves；　may　be　said　to　be　guided　and　governed　upon　the
  method　that　leads　to　safety。　Though　it　must　be　confessed　it　is　a
  nice　point；　and　extremely　difficult；　so　to　temper　this　lenity　as　to
  preserve　the　authority　of　the　government。　But　if　such　a　blessed
  mixture　and　temperament　may　be　obtained；　it　seems　to　be　of　all
  concords　and　harmonies　the　most　concordant　and　most　harmonious。　For
  thus　we　are　taught　even　God　governs　the　world；　not　by　irresistible
  force；　but　persuasive　argument　and　reason；　controlling　it　into
  compliance　with　his　eternal　purposes。
  Cato　the　younger　is　a　similar　instance。　His　manners　were　little
  agreeable　or　acceptable　to　the　people；　and　he　received　very　slender
  marks　of　their　favour；　witness　his　repulse　when　he　sued　for　the
  consulship；　which　he　lost；　as　Cicero　says；　for　acting　rather　like　a
  citizen　in　Plato's　commonwealth；　than　among　the　dregs　of　Romulus's
  posterity；　the　same　thing　happening　to　him；　in　my　opinion；　as　we
  observe　in　fruits　ripe　before　their　season；　which　we　rather　take
  pleasure　in　looking　at　and　admiring　than　actually　use；　so　much　was　his
  old…fashioned　virtue　out　of　the　present　mode；　among　the　depraved
  customs　which　time　and　luxury　had　introduced；　that　it　appeared；
  indeed；　remarkable　and　wonderful；　but　was　too　great　and　too　good　to
  suit　the　present　exigencies；　being　so　out　of　all　proportion　to　the
  times。　Yet　his　circumstances　were　not　altogether　like　Phocion's；　who
  came　to　the　helm　when　the　ship　of　the　state　was　just　upon　sinking。
  Cato's　time　was；　indeed；　stormy　and　tempestuous；　yet　so；　as　he　was
  able　to　assist　in　managing　the　sails；　and　lend　his　helping　hand　to
  those　who；　which　he　was　not　allowed　to　do；　commanded　at　the　helm；
  others　were　to　blame　for　the　result；　yet　his　courage　and　virtue　made
  it　in　spite　of　all　a　hard　task　for　fortune　to　ruin　the　commonwealth；
  and　it　was　only　with　long　time　and　effort　and　by　slow　degrees；　when　he
  himself　had　all　but　succeeded　in　averting　it；　that　the　catastrophe　was
  at　last　effected。
  Phocion　and　he　may　be　well　compared　together；　not　for　any　mere
  general　resemblances；　as　though　we　should　say　both　were　good　men　and
  great　statesmen。　For；　assuredly；　there　is　difference　enough　among
  virtues　of　the　same　denomination；　as　between　the　bravery　of　Alcibiades
  and　that　of　Epaminondas；　the　prudence　of　Themistocles　and　that　of
  Aristides；　the　justice　of　Numa　and　that　of　Agesilaus。　But　these
  men's　virtue；　even　looking　to　the　most　minute　points　of　difference；
  bear　the　same　colour；　stamp；　and　character　impressed　upon　them；　so
  as　not　to　be　distinguishable。　The　mixture　is　still　made　in　the　same
  exact　proportions　whether　we　look　at　the　combination　to　be　found　in
  them；　both　of　lenity　on　the　one　hand；　with　austerity　on　the　other；
  their　boldness　upon　some　occasions；　and　caution　on　others；　their
  extreme　solicitude　for　the　public；　and　perfect　neglect　of
  themselves；　their　fixed　and　immovable　bent　to　all　virtuous　and
  honest　actions；　accompanied　with　an　extreme　tenderness　and
  scrupulosity　as　to　doing　anything　which　might　appear　mean　or　unworthy；
  so　that　we　should　need　a　very　nice　and　subtle　logic　of
  discrimination　to　detect　and　establish　the　distinctions　between　them。
  As　to　Cato's　extraction；　it　is　confessed　by　all　to　have　been
  illustrious；　as　will　be　said　hereafter；　nor　was　Phocion's；　I　feel
  assured；　obscure　or　ignoble。　For　had　he　been　the　son　of　a　turner；　as
  Idomeneus　reports；　it　had　certainly　not　been　forgotten　to　his
  disparagement　by　Glaucippus；　the　son　of　Hyperides；　when　heaping　up　a
  thousand　spiteful　things　to　say　against　him。　Nor；　indeed；　had　it
  been　possible　for　him；　in　such　circumstances；　to　have　had　such　a
  liberal　breeding　and　education　in　his　youth；　as　to　be　first　Plato's
  and　afterwards　Xenocrates's　scholar　in　the　Academy；　and　to　have
  devoted　himself　from　the　first　to　the　pursuit　of　the　noblest　studies
  and　practices。　His　countenance　was　so　composed　that　scarcely　was　he
  ever　seen　by　any　Athenian　either　laughing　or　in　tears。　He　was　rarely
  known；　so　Duris　has　recorded；　to　appear　in　the　public　baths；　or　was
  observed　with　his　hand　exposed　outside　his　cloak；　when　he　wore　one。
  Abroad；　and　in　the　camp；　he　was　so　hardy　in　going　always　thin　clad　and
  barefoot；　except　in　a　time　of　excessive　and　intolerable　cold；　that　the
  soldiers　used　to　say　in　merriment；　that　it　was　like　to　be　a　hard
  winter　when　Phocion　wore　his　coat。
  Although　he　was　most　gentle　and　humane　in　his　disposition；　his
  aspect　was　stern　and　forbidding；　so　that　he　was　seldom　accosted
  alone　by　any　who　were　not　intimate　with　him。　When　Chares　once　made
  some　remark　on　his　frowning　looks；　and　the　Athenians　laughed　at　the
  jest；　〃My　sullenness；〃　said　Phocion；　〃never　yet　made　any　of　you　sad；
  but　these　men's　jollities　have　given　you　sorrow　enough。〃　In　like
  manner　Phocion's　language；　also；　was　full　of　instruction；　abounding　in
  happy　maxims　and　wise　thoughts；　but　admitted　no　embellishment　to　its
  austere　and　co