Plutarch: Lives of the noble Grecians and Romans
one told him that were he impartial, he would make a good magistrate;
"I wish," replied he, "I may never sit on that tribunal where my
friends shall not plead a greater privilege than strangers." But
Aristides walked, so to say, alone on his own path in politics, being
unwilling, in the first place, to go along with his associates in ill
doing, or to cause them vexation by not gratifying their wishes; and,
secondly, observing that many were encouraged by the support they had
in their friends to act injuriously, he was cautious; being of opinion
that the integrity of his words and actions was the only right
security for a good citizen.
However, Themistocles making many dangerous alterations, and
withstanding and interrupting him in the whole series of his actions,
Aristides also was necessitated to set himself against all
Themistocles did, partly in self-defense, and partly to impede his
power from still increasing by the favor of the multitude; esteeming
it better to let slip some public conveniences, rather than that he by
prevailing should become powerful in all things. In fine, when he
once had opposed Themistocles in some measures that were expedient,
and had got the better of him, he could not refrain from saying, when
he left the assembly, that unless they sent Themistocles and himself
to the barathrum, there could be no safety for Athens. Another time,
when urging some proposal upon the people, though there were much
opposition and stirring against it, he yet was gaining the day; but
just as the president of the assembly was about to put it to the vote,
perceiving by what had been said in debate the inexpediency of his
advice, he let it fall. Also he often brought in his bills by other
persons, lest Themistocles, through party spirit against him, should
be any hindrance to the good of the public.
In all the vicissitudes of public affairs, the constancy he showed was
admirable, not being elated with honors, and demeaning himself
tranquilly and sedately in adversity; holding the opinion that he
ought to offer himself to the service of his country without mercenary
news and irrespectively of any reward, not only of riches, but even of
glory itself. Hence it came, probably, that at the recital of these
verses of Aeschylus in the theater, relating to Amphiaraus,
For not at seeming just, but being so
He aims; and from his depth of soil below,
Harvests of wise and prudent counsels grow,
the eyes of all the spectators turned on Aristides, as if this virtue,
in an especial manner, belonged to him.
He was a most determined champion for justice, not only against
feelings of friendship and favor, but wrath and malice. Thus it is
reported of him that when prosecuting the law against one who was his
enemy, on the judges after accusation refusing to hear the criminal,
and proceeding immediately to pass sentence upon him, he rose in haste
from his seat and joined in petition with him for a hearing, and that
he might enjoy the privilege of the law. Another time, when judging
between two private persons, on the one declaring his adversary had
very much injured Aristides; "Tell me rather, good friend," he said,
"what wrong he has done you: for it is your cause, not my own, which
I now sit judge of." Being chosen to the charge of the public
revenue, he made it appear that not only those of his time, but the
preceding officers, had alienated much treasure, and especially
Themistocles:--
Well known he was an able man to be,
But with his fingers apt to be too flee.
Therefore, Themistocles associating several persons against
Aristides, and impeaching him when he gave in his accounts, caused him
to be condemned of robbing the public; so Idomeneus states; but the
best and chiefest men of the city much resenting it, he was not only
exempted from the fine imposed upon him, but likewise again called to
the same employment. Pretending now to repent him of his former
practice, and carrying himself with more remissness, he became
acceptable to such as pillaged the treasury, by not detecting or
calling them to an exact account. So that those who had their fill of
the public money began highly to applaud Aristides, and sued to the
people, making interest to have him once more chosen treasurer. But
when they were upon the point of election, he reproved the Athenians.
"When I discharged my office well and faithfully," said he, "I was
insulted and abused; but now that I have allowed the public thieves in
a variety of malpractices, I am considered an admirable patriot. I am
more ashamed, therefore, of this present honor than of the former
sentence; and I commiserate your condition, with whom it is more
praiseworthy to oblige ill men than to conserve the revenue of the
public." Saying thus, and proceeding to expose the thefts that had
been committed, he stopped the mouths of those who cried him up and
vouched for him, but gained real and true commendation from the best
men.
When Datis, being sent by Darius under pretense of punishing the
Athenians for their burning of Sardis, but in reality to reduce the
Greeks under his dominion, landed at Marathon and laid waste the
country, among the ten commanders appointed by the Athenians for the
war, Militiades was of the greatest name; but the second place, both
for reputation and power, was possessed by Aristides: and when his
opinion to join battle was added to that of Miltiades, it did much to
incline the balance. Every leader by his day having the command in
chief when it came to Aristides' turn, he delivered it into the hands
of Miltiades, showing his fellow officers, that it is not dishonorable
to obey and follow wise and able men, but, on the contrary, noble and
prudent. So appeasing their rivalry, and bringing them to acquiesce
in one and the best advice, he confirmed Miltiades in the strength of
an undivided and unmolested authority. For now everyone, yielding
his day of command, looked for orders only to him. During the fight
the main body of the Athenians being the hardest put to it, the
barbarians, for a long time, making opposition there against the
tribes Leontis and Antiochis, Themistocles and Aristides being ranged
together, fought valiantly; the one being of the tribe Leontis, the
other of the Antiochis. But after they had beaten the barbarians back
to their ships, and perceived that they sailed not for the isles, but
were driven in by the force of sea and wind towards the country of
Attica; fearing lest they should take the city, unprovided of defense,
they hurried away thither with nine tribes, and reached it the same
day. Aristides, being left with his tribe at Marathon to guard the
plunder and prisoners, did not disappoint the opinion they had of him.
Amidst the profusion of gold and silver, all sorts of apparel, and
other property, more than can be mentioned, that were in the tents and
the vessels which they had taken, he neither felt the desire to meddle
with anything himself, nor suffered others to do it; unless it might
be some who took away anything unknown to him; as Callias, the
torchbearer, did. One of the barbarians, it seems, prostrated
himself before this man, supposing him to be a king by his hair and
fillet; and, when he had so done, taking him by the hand, showed him a
great quantity of gold hid in a ditch. But Callias, most cruel and
impious of men, took away the treasure, but slew the man, lest he
should tell of him. Hence, they say, the comic poets gave his family
the name of Laccopluti, or enriched by the ditch, alluding to the
place where Callias found the gold. Aristides, immediately after
this, was archon; although Demetrius, the Phalerian, says he held the
office a little before he died, after the battle of Plataea. But in
the records of the successors of Xanthippides, in whose year Mardonius
was overthrown at Plataea, amongst very many there mentioned, there is
not so much as one of the same name as Aristides: while immediately
after Phaenippus, during whose term of office they obtained the
victory of Marathon, Aristides is registered.
Of all his virtues, the common people were most affected with his
justice, because of its continual and common use; and thus, although
of mean fortune and ordinary birth, he possessed himself of the most
kingly and divine appellation of Just; which kings, however, and
tyrants have never sought after; but have taken delight to be surnamed
besiegers of cities, thunderers, conquerors, or eagles again, and
hawks ; affecting, it seems, the reputation which proceeds from power
and violence, rather than that of virtue. Although the divinity, to
whom they desire to compare and assimilate themselves, excels, it is
supposed, in three things, immortality, power, and virtue; of which
three, the noblest and divinest is virtue. For the elements and
vacuum have an everlasting existence; earthquakes, thunders, storms,
and torrents have great power; but in justice and equity nothing
participates except by means of reason and the knowledge of that which
is divine. And thus, taking the three varieties of feeling commonly
entertained towards the deity, the sense of his happiness, fear, and
honor of him, people would seem to think him blest and happy for his
exemption from death and corruption, to fear and dread him for his
power and dominion, but to love, honor, and adore him for his justice.
Yet though thus disposed, they covet that immortality which our nature
is not capable of, and that power the greatest part of which is at the
disposal of fortune; but give virtue, the only divine good really in
our reach, the last place, most unwisely; since justice makes the life
of such as are in prosperity, power, and authority the life of a god,
and injustice turns it to that of a beast.
Aristides, therefore, had at first the fortune to be beloved for this
surname, but at length envied. Especially when Themistocles spread a
rumor amongst the people, that, by determining and judging all matters
privately, he had destroyed the courts of judicature, and was secretly
making way for a monarchy in his own person, without the assistance of
guards. Moreover, the spirit of the people, now grown high, and
confident with their late victory, naturally entertained feelings of
dislike to all of more than common fame and reputation. Coming
together, therefore, from all parts into the city, they banished
Aristides by the ostracism, giving their jealousy of his reputation
the name of fear of tyranny. For ostracism was not the punishment of
any criminal act, but was speciously said to be the mere depression
and humiliation of excessive greatness and power; and was in fact a
gentle relief and mitigation of envious feeling, which was thus
allowed to vent itself in inflicting no intolerable injury, only a ten
years' banishment. But after it came to be exercised upon base and
villainous fellows, they desisted from it; Hyperbolus, being the last
whom they banished by the ostracism.
The cause of Hyperbolus's banishment is said to have been this.
Alcibiades and Nicias, men that bore the greatest sway in the city,
were of different factions. As the people, therefore, were about to
vote the ostracism, and obviously to decree it against one of them,
consulting together and uniting their parties, they contrived the
banishment of Hyperbolus. Upon which the people, being offended, as
if some contempt or affront was put upon the thing, left off and quite
abolished it. It was performed, to be short, in this manner. Every
one taking an ostracon, a sherd, that is, or piece of earthenware,
wrote upon it the citizen's name he would have banished, and carried
it to a certain part of the market-place surrounded with wooden rails.
First, the magistrates numbered all the sherds in gross (for if there