Plutarch: Lives of the noble Grecians and Romans
colored garment but white,) at that time appareled in a purple robe;
and, taking a water-pot out of the city record-office, he proceeds,
bearing a sword in his hand, through the middle of the town to the
sepulchres. Then drawing water out of a spring, he washes and anoints
the monument, and sacrificing the bull upon a pile of wood, and
making supplication to Jupiter and Mercury of the earth, invites those
valiant men who perished in the defense of Greece, to the banquet and
the libations of blood. After this, mixing a bowl of wine, and
pouring out for himself, he says, "I drink to those who lost their
lives for the liberty of Greece." These solemnities the Plataeans
observe to this day.
Aristides perceived that the Athenians, after their return into the
city, were eager for a democracy; and deeming the people to deserve
consideration on account of their valiant behavior, as also that it
was a matter of difficulty, they being well armed, powerful, and full
of spirit with their victories, to oppose them by force, he brought
forward a decree, that every one might share in the government, and
the archons be chosen out of the whole body of the Athenians. And on
Themistocles telling the people in assembly that he had some advice
for them, which could not be given in public, but was most important
for the advantage and security of the city, they appointed Aristides
alone to hear and consider it with him. And on his acquainting
Aristides that his intent was to set fire to the arsenal of the
Greeks, for by that means should the Athenians become supreme masters
of all Greece, Aristides, returning to the assembly, told them, that
nothing was more advantageous than what Themistocles designed, and
nothing more unjust. The Athenians, hearing this, gave Themistocles
order to desist; such was the love of justice felt by the people, and
such the credit and confidence they reposed in Aristides.
Being sent in joint commission with Cimon to the war, he took notice
that Pausanias and the other Spartan captains made themselves
offensive by imperiousness and harshness to the confederates; and by
being himself gentle and considerate with them and by the courtesy and
disinterested temper which Cimon, after his example, manifested in the
expeditions, he stole away the chief command from the Lacedaemonians,
neither by weapons, ships, or horses, but by equity and wise policy.
For the Athenians being endeared to the Greeks by the justice of
Aristides and by Cimon's moderation, the tyranny and selfishness of
Pausanias rendered them yet more desirable. He on all occasions
treated the commanders of the confederates haughtily and roughly; and
the common soldiers he punished with stripes, or standing under the
iron anchor for a whole day together; neither was it permitted for any
to provide straw for themselves to lie on, or forage for their horses,
or to come near the springs to water before the Spartans were
furnished, but servants with whips drove away such as approached. And
when Aristides once was about to complain and expostulate with
Pausanias, he told him, with an angry look, that he was not at
leisure, and gave no attention to him. The consequence was that the
sea captains and generals of the Greeks, in particular, the Chians,
Samians, and Lesbians, came to Aristides and requested him to be their
general, and to receive the confederates into his command, who had
long desired to relinquish the Spartans and come over to the
Athenians. But he answered, that he saw both equity and necessity in
what they said, but their fidelity required the test of some action,
the commission of which would make it impossible for the multitude to
change their minds again. Upon which Uliades, the Samian, and
Antagoras of Chios, conspiring together, ran in near Byzantium on
Pausanias's galley, getting her between them as she was sailing before
the rest. But when Pausanias, beholding them, rose up and furiously
threatened soon to make them know that they had been endangering not
his galley, but their own countries, they bid him go his way, and
thank Fortune that fought for him at Plataea; for hitherto, in
reverence to that, the Greeks had forborne from indicting on him the
punishment he deserved. In fine, they all went off and joined the
Athenians. And here the magnanimity of the Lacedaemonians was
wonderful. For when they perceived that their generals were becoming
corrupted by the greatness of their authority, they voluntarily laid
down the chief command, and left off sending any more of them to the
wars, choosing rather to have citizens of moderation and consistent in
the observance of their customs, than to possess the dominion of all
Greece.
Even during the command of the Lacedaemonians, the Greeks paid a
certain contribution towards the maintenance of the war; and being
desirous to be rated city by city in their due proportion, they
desired Aristides of the Athenians, and gave him command, surveying
the country and revenue, to assess every one according to their
ability and what they were worth. But he, being so largely empowered,
Greece as it were submitting all her affairs to his sole management,
went out poor, and returned poorer; laying the tax not only without
corruption and injustice, but to the satisfaction and convenience of
all. For as the ancients celebrated the age of Saturn, so did the
confederates of Athens Aristides's taxation, terming it the happy time
of Greece; and that more especially, as the sum was in a short time
doubled, and afterwards trebled. For the assessment which Aristides
made, was four hundred and sixty talents. But to this Pericles added
very near one third part more; for Thucydides says, that in the
beginning of the Peloponnesian war, the Athenians had coming in from
their confederates six hundred talents. But after Pericles's death,
the demagogues, increasing by little and little, raised it to the sum
of thirteen hundred talents; not so much through the war's being so
expensive and chargeable either by its length or ill success, as by
their alluring the people to spend upon largesses and play-house
allowances, and in erecting statues and temples. Aristides,
therefore, having acquired a wonderful and great reputation by this
levy of the tribute, Themistocles is said to have derided him, as if
this had been not the commendation of a man, but a money-bag; a
retaliation, though not in the same kind, for some free words which
Aristides had used. For he, when Themistocles once was saying that he
thought the highest virtue of a general was to understand and foreknow
the measures the enemy would take, replied, "This, indeed,
Themistocles, is simply necessary, but the excellent thing in a
general is to keep his hands from taking money."
Aristides, moreover, made all the people of Greece swear to keep the
league, and himself took the oath in the name of the Athenians,
flinging wedges of red hot iron into the sea, after curses against
such as should make breach of their vow. But afterwards, it would
seem, when things were in such a state as constrained them to govern
with a stronger hand, he bade the Athenians to throw the perjury upon
him, and manage affairs as convenience required. And, in general,
Theophrastus tells us, that Aristides was, in his own private affairs,
and those of his fellow-citizens, rigorously just, but that in public
matters he acted often in accordance with his country's policy, which
demanded, sometimes, not a little injustice. It is reported of him
that he said in a debate, upon the motion of the Samians for removing
the treasure from Delos to Athens, contrary to the league, that the
thing indeed was not just, but was expedient.
In fine, having established the dominion of his city over so many
people, he himself remained indigent; and always delighted as much in
the glory of being poor, as in that of his trophies; as is evident
from the following story. Callias, the torchbearer, was related to
him: and was prosecuted by his enemies in a capital cause, in which,
after they had slightly argued the matters on which they indicted him,
they proceeded, beside the point, to address the judges: "You know,"
said they, "Aristides, the son of Lysimachus, who is the admiration of
all Greece. In what a condition do you think his family is in at his
house, when you see him appear in public in such a threadbare cloak?
Is it not probable that one who, out of doors, goes thus exposed to
the cold, must want food and other necessaries at home? Callias, the
wealthiest of the Athenians, does nothing to relieve either him or his
wife and children in their poverty, though he is his own cousin, and
has made use of him in many cases, and often reaped advantage by his
interest with you." But Callias, perceiving the judges were moved
more particularly by this, and were exasperated against him, called in
Aristides, requiring him to testify that when he frequently offered
him divers presents, and entreated him to accept them, he had refused,
answering, that it became him better to be proud of his poverty than
Callias of his wealth: since there are many to be seen that make a
good, or a bad use of riches, but it is difficult, comparatively, to
meet with one who supports poverty in a noble spirit; those only
should be ashamed of it who incurred it against their wills. On
Aristides deposing these facts in favor of Callias, there was none who
heard them, that went not away desirous rather to be poor like
Aristides, than rich as Callias. Thus Aeschines, the scholar of
Socrates, writes. But Plato declares, that of all the great and
renowned men in the city of Athens, he was the only one worthy of
consideration; for Themistocles, Cimon, and Pericles filled the city
with porticoes, treasure, and many other vain things, but Aristides
guided his public life by the rule of justice. He showed his
moderation very plainly in his conduct towards Themistocles himself.
For though Themistocles had been his adversary in all his
undertakings, and was the cause of his banishment, yet when he
afforded a similar opportunity of revenge, being accused to the city,
Aristides bore him no malice; but while Alcmaeon, Cimon, and many
others, were prosecuting and impeaching him, Aristides alone, neither
did, nor said any ill against him, and no more triumphed over his
enemy in his adversity, than he had envied him his prosperity.
Some say Aristides died in Pontus, during a voyage upon the affairs of
the public. Others that he died of old age at Athens, being in great
honor and veneration amongst his fellow-citizens. But Craterus, the
Macedonian, relates his death as follows. After the banishment of
Themistocles, he says, the people growing insolent, there sprung up a
number of false and frivolous accusers, impeaching the best and most
influential men and exposing them to the envy of the multitude, whom
their good fortune and power had filled with self-conceit. Amongst
these, Aristides was condemned of bribery, upon the accusation of
Diophantus of Amphitrope, for taking money from the Ionians when he
was collector of the tribute; and being unable to pay the fine, which
was fifty minae, sailed to Ionia, and died there. But of this
Craterus brings no written proof, neither the sentence of his
condemnation, nor the decree of the people; though in general it is
tolerably usual with him to set down such things and to cite his
authors. Almost all others who have spoken of the misdeeds of the
people towards their generals, collect them all together, and tell us
of the banishment of Themistocles, Miltiades's bonds, Pericles's fine,
and the death of Paches in the judgment hall, who, upon receiving
sentence, killed himself on the hustings, with many things of the like