Lysander at Sardis.
39.Cyrus the younger, a prince of the Persians, excelling in talent and in the renown of his rule, once received with hospitality at Sardis, Lysander the Lacedaemonian, a man of the greatest virtue. He showed him a certain field, carefully cultivated. Now to Lysander, wondering at the trees, and the cultivated ground, and the well-arranged rows, Cyrus replied: ‘I arranged all these things: the rows are my own: many also of these trees were sown by my hand.’ Then Lysander, seeing his dress splendid with much gold, ‘Rightly, indeed, do they call thee happy, Cyrus, for to thy virtue riches have been added.’
Contempt of death.
40.Of how great a mind was Theramenes! For once upon a time (when he had) been thrown into prison by order of the thirty tyrants, he drank the poison, and threw what remained from the cup into a vessel. But when a sound was re-echoed, he said with a smile, ‘This (is) for handsome Critias.’ Now Critias had been most cruel to him. For the Greeks at their feasts, when about to hand the cup to any one, are wont to call him by name.
Socrates.
41.A few years after Socrates went to the same prison through the same (kind of) wickedness of his judges. What then is his speech before the judges? ‘Willingly,’ said he, ‘shall I go to meet death; for one thing of two will happen: either death will altogether remove all feelings, or we shall go to some other (place) from these (places). So we shall either enjoy sleep, or shall be able to converse and live with all the best citizens.’
The Spartans.
42.With like courage fell the Lacedaemonians at Thermopylae. What says their leader, Leonidas? ‘Fight on with bold resolution, Lacedaemonians: to-day we shall sup with the gods below.’ Was not also the Lacedaemonian woman equally brave? For she, when the death of her son was announced, said, ‘I bore him for this end.’
