Chap. 31.] MEN EEMAEKABLE TOE WISDOM. 175 
self a striking testimony, indeed, given in adversity, to the 
merit of an enemy ! The Athenians sent their general, Thu- 
cydides, into banishment, but recalled him as their historian, 
admiring his eloquence, though they had punished his want 
of valour/ A strong testimony, too, was given to the merit 
of Menander, the famous comic poet, by the kings of Egypt 
and Macedonia, in sending to him a fleet and an embassy ; 
though, what was still more honourable to him, he preferred 
enjoying the converse of his literary pursuits to the favour of 
kings. 
The nobles too of Eome have given their testimonies in favour 
of foreigners, even. Cn. Pompeius, after having finished the 
war against Mithridates, when he went to call at the house of 
Posidonius, the famous teacher of philosophy, forbade the 
lictor to knock at the door, as was the usual custom and he, 
to whom both the eastern and the western world had 
yielded submission, ordered the fasces to be lowered before the 
door of a learned man. Cato the Censor, after he had heard 
the speech of Carneades,^ who was one of the embassy sent 
5 This anecdote is related by Cicero, De Oratore, B. iii. c. 56, and by 
Val. Maximus, B. viii. c. 10. — B. 
6 This is rather a strong expression, and it is doubtful if the great his- 
torian at all deserves it. The facts of the case seem to have been as follow. 
Thncydides was employed in a military capacity, and was in command of 
an Athenian squadron of seven ships at Thasos, B.C. 424, when Eucles, 
who commanded in Amphipolis, sent for his assistance against Brasidas, 
who was before that town with an army. Fearing the arrival of a superior 
force, Brasidas offered favourable terms to Amphipolis, which were readily 
accepted, as there were hut few Athenians in the place. Thucydides ar- 
rived at Eion, on the mouth of the Strymon, the evening of the same day 
on which Amphipolis surrendered : and though too late to save Amphipolis, 
prevented Eion from falling into the hands of the enemy. It was in con- 
sequence of this failure, that he became voluntarily an exile, perhaps to 
avoid the still severer punishment of death, which appears to have been 
the penalty of such a failure as that which he had, though unavoidably, 
committed. It is most probable that he retui'ned to Athens about b.c. 403, 
the period of its liberation by Thrasybulus. 
'7 The following passage in Livy, B, vi. c. 34, may serve to illustrate this 
remark of Pliny : — " The lictors of Sulpicius, the military tribune, when 
he went home from the forum, knocked at the door with his staff, as the 
usual custom is." 
^ Of Gyrene, the Academic philosopher. In b.c. 155, being then fifty- 
eight years old, he was chosen with some others to deprecate the fine of 
500 talents which had been imposed on the Athenians for the destruction 
of Oropus. It was then that, in presence of Cato the Elder, he delivered 
