happy　maxims　and　wise　thoughts；　but　admitted　no　embellishment　to　its
  austere　and　commanding　brevity。　Zeno　said　a　philosopher　should　never
  speak　till　his　words　had　been　steeped　in　meaning；　and　such；　it　may
  be　said；　were　Phocion's；　crowding　the　greatest　amount　of
  significance　into　the　smallest　allowance　of　space。　And　to　this；
  probably；　Polyeuctus；　the　Sphettian；　referred；　when　he　said　that
  Demosthenes　was；　indeed；　the　best　orator　of　his　time；　but　Phocion
  the　most　powerful　speaker。　His　oratory；　like　small　coin　of　great
  value；　was　to　be　estimated；　not　by　its　bulk；　but　its　intrinsic
  worth。　He　was　once　observed；　it　is　said；　when　the　theatre　was
  filling　with　the　audience；　to　walk　musing　alone　behind　the　scenes；
  which　one　of　his　friends　taking　notice　of　said；　〃Phocion；　you　seem
  to　be　thoughtful。〃　〃Yes；〃　replied　he；　〃I　am　considering　how　I　may
  shorten　what　I　am　going　to　say　to　the　Athenians。〃　Even　Demosthenes
  himself；　who　used　to　despise　the　rest　of　the　haranguers；　when
  Phocion　stood　up；　was　wont　to　say　quietly　to　those　about　him；　〃Here　is
  the　pruning…knife　of　my　periods。〃　This；　however；　might　refer；　perhaps；
  not　so　much　to　his　eloquence　as　to　the　influence　of　his　character；
  since　not　only　a　word；　but　even　a　nod　from　a　person　who　is　esteemed；
  is　of　more　force　than　a　thousand　arguments　or　studied　sentences　from
  others。
  In　his　youth　he　followed　Chabrias；　the　general；　from　whom　he
  gained　many　lessons　in　military　knowledge；　and　in　return　did　something
  to　correct　his　unequal　and　capricious　humour。　For　whereas　at　other
  times　Chabrias　was　heavy　and　phlegmatic；　in　the　heat　of　battle　he　used
  to　be　so　fired　and　transported　that　he　threw　himself　headlong　into
  danger　beyond　the　forwardest；　which　indeed；　in　the　end；　cost　him　his
  life　in　the　island　of　Chios；　he　having　pressed　his　own　ship　foremost
  to　force　a　landing。　But　Phocion；　being　a　man　of　temper　as　well　as
  courage；　had　the　dexterity　at　some　times　to　rouse　the　general；　when　in
  his　procrastinating　mood；　to　action；　and　at　others　to　moderate　and
  cool　the　impetuousness　of　his　unseasonable　fury。　Upon　which　account
  Chabrias；　who　was　a　good…natured；　kindly…tempered　man；　loved　him　much；
  and　procured　him　commands　and　opportunities　for　action；　giving　him
  means　to　make　himself　known　in　Greece；　and　using　his　assistance　in　all
  his　affairs　of　moment。　Particularly　the　sea…fight　of　Naxos　added　not　a
  little　to　Phocion's　reputation；　when　he　had　the　left　squadron
  committed　to　him　by　Chabrias；　as　in　this　quarter　the　battle　was
  sharply　contested；　and　was　decided　by　a　speedy　victory。　And　this　being
  the　first　prosperous　sea…battle　the　city　had　engaged　in　with　its　own
  force　since　its　captivity；　Chabrias　won　great　popularity　by　it；　and
  Phocion；　also；　got　the　reputation　of　a　good　commander。　The　victory　was
  gained　at　the　time　of　the　Great　Mysteries；　and　Chabrias　used　to　keep
  the　commemoration　of　it　by　distributing　wine　among　the　Athenians；
  yearly；　on　the　sixteenth　day　of　Boedromion。
  After　this；　Chabrias　sent　Phocion　to　demand　their　quota　of　the
  charges　of　the　war　from　the　islanders；　and　offered　him　a　guard　of
  twenty　ships。　Phocion　told　him；　if　he　intended　him　to　go　against
  them　as　enemies；　that　force　was　insignificant；　if　as　to　friends　and
  allies；　one　vessel　was　sufficient。　So　he　took　his　own　single　galley；
  and　having　visited　the　cities；　and　treated　with　the　magistrates　in
  an　equitable　and　open　manner；　he　brought　back　a　number　of　ships；
  sent　by　the　confederates　to　Athens；　to　convey　the　supplies。　Neither
  did　his　friendship　and　attention　close　with　Chabrias's　life；　but　after
  his　decease　he　carefully　maintained　it　to　all　that　were　related　to
  him；　and　chiefly　to　his　son；　Ctesippus；　whom　he　laboured　to　bring　to
  some　good；　and　although　he　was　a　stupid　and　intractable　young
  fellow；　always　endeavoured；　so　far　as　in　him　lay；　to　correct　and　cover
  his　faults　and　follies。　Once；　however；　when　the　youngster　was　very
  impertinent　and　troublesome　to　him　in　the　camp；　interrupting　him
  with　idle　questions；　and　putting　forward　his　opinions　and
  suggestions　of　how　the　war　should　be　conducted；　he　could　not　forbear
  exclaiming；　〃O　Chabrias；　Chabrias；　how　grateful　I　show　myself　for　your
  friendship；　in　submitting　to　endure　your　son！〃
  Upon　looking　into　public　matters；　and　the　way　in　which　they　were　now
  conducted；　he　observed　that　the　administration　of　affairs　was　cut
  and　parcelled　out；　like　so　much　land　by　allotment；　between　the
  military　men　and　the　public　speakers；　so　that　neither　these　nor
  those　should　interfere　with　the　claims　of　the　others。　As　the　one
  were　to　address　the　assemblies；　to　draw　up　votes　and　prepare
  motions；　men；　for　example；　like　Eubulus；　Aristophon；　Demosthenes；
  Lycurgus；　and　Hyperides；　and　were　to　push　their　interests　here；　so；　in
  the　meantime；　Liopithes；　Menestheus；　Leosthenes；　and　Chares　were　to
  make　their　profit　by　war　and　in　military　commands。　Phocion；　on　the
  other　hand；　was　desirous　to　restore　and　carry　out　the　old　system；　more
  complete　in　itself；　and　more　harmonious　and　uniform；　which　prevailed
  in　the　times　of　Pericles；　Aristides；　and　Solon；　when　statesmen
  showed　themselves；　to　use　Archilochus's　words…
  〃Mars'　and　the　Muses'　friends　alike　designed；
  To　arts　and　arms　indifferently　inclined。〃
  and　the　presiding　goddess　of　his　country　was；　he　did　not　fail　to
  see；　the　patroness　and　protectress　of　both　civil　and　military
  wisdom。　With　these　views；　while　his　advice　at　home　was　always　for
  peace　and　quietness；　he　nevertheless　held　the　office　of　general　more
  frequently　than　any　of　the　statesmen；　not　only　of　his　own　times；　but
  of　those　preceding；　never；　indeed；　promoting　or　encouraging　military
  expeditions；　yet　never；　on　the　other　hand；　shunning　or　declining；　when
  he　was　called　upon　by　the　public　voice。　Thus　much　is　well　known；
  that　he　was　no　less　than　forty…five　several　times　chosen　general；　he
  being　never　on　any　one　of　those　occasions　present　at　the　election；　but
  having　the　command；　in　his　absence；　by　common　suffrage；　conferred　on
  him；　and　he　sent　for　on　purpose　to　undertake　it。　Insomuch　that　it
  amazed　those　who　did　not　well　consider　to　see　the　people　always　prefer
  Phocion；　who　was　so　far　from　humouring　them　or　courting　their
  favour；　that　be　always　thwarted　and　opposed　them。　But　so　it　was；　as
  great　men　and　princes　are　said　to　call　in　their　flatterers　when　dinner
  has　been　served；　so　the　Athenians；　upon　slight　occasions；
  entertained　and　diverted　themselves　with　their　spruce　speakers　and
  trim　orators；　but　when　it　came　to　action；　they　were　sober　and
  considerate　enough　to　single　out　the　austerest　and　wisest　for　public
  employment；　however　much　he　might　be　opposed　to　their　wishes　and
  sentiments。　This；　indeed；　he　made　no　scruple　to　admit；　when　the　oracle
  from　Delphi　was　read；　which　informed　them　that　the　Athenians　were
  all　of　one　mind；　a　single　dissentient　only　excepted；　frankly　coming
  forward　and　declaring　that　they　need　look　no　further；　he　was　the
  man；　there　was　no　one　but　he　who　was　dissatisfied　with　everything　they
  did。　And　when　once　he　gave　his　opinion　to　the　people；　and　was　met　with
  the　general　approbation　and　applause　of　the　assembly；　turning　to
  some　of　his　friends；　he　asked　them；　〃Have　I　inadvertently　said
  something　foolish？〃
  Upon　occasion　of　a　public　festivity；　being　solicited　for　his
  contribution　by　the　example　of　others；　and　the　people　pressing　him
  much；　he　bade　them　apply　themselves　to　the　wealthy；　for　his　part　he
  should　blush　to　make　a　present　here；　rather　than　a　repayment　there；
  turning　and　pointing　to　Callicles；　the　money…lender。　Being　still
  clamoured　upon　and　importuned；　he　told　them　this　tale。　A　certain
  cowardly　fellow　setting　out　for　the　wars；　hearing　the　ravens　croak
  in　his　passage；　threw　down　his　arms；　resolving　to　wait。　Presently　he
  took　them　and　ventured　out　again；　but　hearing　the　same　music；　once
  more　made　a　stop。　〃For；〃　said　he　〃you　may　croak　until　you　are　tired；
  but　you　shall　make　no　dinner　upon　me。〃
  The　Athenians　urging　him　at　an　unseasonable　time　to　lead　them　out
  against　the　enemy；　he　peremptorily　refused；　and　being　upbraided　by
  them　with　cowardice　and　pusillanimity；　he　told　them；　〃Just　now；　do
  what　you　will；　I　shall　not　be　brave；　and　do　what　I　will；　you　will
  not　be　cowards。　Nevertheless；　we　know　well　enough　what　we　are。〃　And
  when　again；　in　a　time　of　great　danger；　the　people　were　very　harsh　upon
  him；　demanding　a　strict　account　how　the　public　money　had　been
  employed；　and　the　like；　he　bade　them；　〃First；　good　friends；　make
  sure　you　are　safe。〃　After　a　war；　during　which　they　had　been　very
  tractable　and　timorous；　when；　upon　peace　being　made；　they　began
  again　to　be　confident　and　overbearing；　and　to　cry　out　upon　Phocion；　as
  having　lost　them　the　honour　of　victory；　to　all　their　clamour　he　made
  only　this　answer；　〃My　friends；　you　are　fortunate　in　having　a　leader
  who　knows　you；　otherwise；　you　had　long　since　been　undone。〃
  Having　a　controversy　with　the　Boeotians　about　boundaries；　which　he
  counselled　them　to　decide　by　negotiation；　they　inclined　to　blows。　〃You
  had　better；〃　said　he；　〃carry　on　the　contest　with　the　weapons　in
  which　you　excel　（your　tongues）；　and　not　by　war；　in　which　you　are
  inferior。〃　Once　when　he　was　addressing　them；　and　they　would　not　hear
  him　or　let　him　go　on