In fact, these very Achaeans, though but in-
considerable in comparison of the Greeks in their flo-
rishing times, or, to speak more properly, not equalling
in their whole community the strength of one respect-
able city in the period we are on, yet by good counsels
and unanimity, and by hearkening to any man of supe-
rior virtue, instead of envying his merit, not only kept
themselves free amidst so many powerful states and
tyrants, but saved great part of Greece, or rescued it
from chains.
considerable in comparison of the Greeks in their flo-
rishing times, or, to speak more properly, not equalling
in their whole community the strength of one respect-
able city in the period we are on, yet by good counsels
and unanimity, and by hearkening to any man of supe-
rior virtue, instead of envying his merit, not only kept
themselves free amidst so many powerful states and
tyrants, but saved great part of Greece, or rescued it
from chains.
Plutarch - Lives - v7
232
PLUTARCH.
ty-four years, and reigned sixty-two. He had the
character of a prince who governed with lenity, and
loved his people. But perhaps the hehavior of his
successor might contribute not a little to his reputa-
tion; for Ochus was the most cruel and sanguinary of
princes.
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? t
\
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? ARATUS.
THe philosopher Chrysippus, my dear Polycrates,
seems to have thought the ancient proverb not quite
justifiable, and therefore he delivered it, not as it really
is, but what he thought it should be--
Who but a happy son will praise his sire 1
Dionysidorus the Troezenian, however, corrects him,
and gives it right,
Who but unhappy sons will praise their sires I
He says, the proverb was made to silence those who,
having no merit of their own, dress themselves up in
the virtues of their ancestors, and are lavish in their
praises. And those in whom the virtues of their sires
shine in congenial beauty, to make use of Pindar's
expression ; who, like you, form their conduct after
the brightest patterns in their families, may think it a
great happiness to remember the most excellent of their
ancestors, and often to hear or speak of them: for they
assume not the honor of other men's virtues for want
of merit in their own, but uniting their great actions
to those of their progenitors, they praise them as the
authors of their descent, and the models of their lives:
for which reason, when I have written the life of Ara-
tus, your countryman, and one of your ancestors, I
shall send it to you, who reflect no dishonor on him
either in point of reputation or power. Not that 1
doubt your having informed yourself of his actions
from the first with all possible care and exactness; but
I do it, that your sons, Polycrates and Pythocles, may
form themselves on the great exemplars, in their own
family, sometimes hearing and sometimes reading what
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? PLUTARCH.
it becomes them well to imitate: for it is the self-ad-
mirer, not the admirer of virtue, that thinks himself
superior to others.
After the harmony of the pure Doric,1 I mean the
aristocracy, was broken in Sicyon, and seditions took
place through the ambition of the demagogues, the city
continued a long time in a distempered state. It only
changed one tyrant for another, till Cleon was slain,
and the administration committed to Timoclidas and
Clinias, persons of the greatest reputation and au-
thority amongst the citizens. The commonwealth
seemed to be in some degree re-established, when Ti-
moclidas died. Abantidas, the son of Paseas, taking
that opportunity to set himself up tyrant, killed Cli-
nias, and either banished or put to death his friends
and relations. He sought also for his son Aratus, who
was only seven years old, with a design to despatch
him. But, in the confusion that was in his house when
his father was slain, the boy escaped among those that
fled, and wandered about the city, in fear, and destitute
of help, till he happened to enter, unobserved, the
house of a woman named Soso, who was sister to
Abantidas, and had been married to Prophantus, the
brother of Clinias. As she was a person of generous
sentiments, and persuaded, besides, that it was by the
direction of some deity that the child had taken re-
fuge with her, she concealed him in one of her apart-
ments till night, and then sent him privately to Argos.
Aratus having thus escaped so imminent a danger,
immediately conceived a violent and implacable hatred
for tyrants, which increased as he grew up. He was
educated by the friends of his family at Argos, in ?
liberal manner; and as he was vigorous and robust, he
1 There was a gravity, but at the same time great perfec-
tion, in the Dorian music.
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? ARATUS.
235
took to gymnastic exercises, and succeeded so well, as
to gain the prize in the five several sorts. 1 Indeed, in
his statues there is an athletic look; and amidst the
strong sense and majesty expressed in his countenance,
we may discover something inconsistent with the vora-
city and mattock of the wrestlers. Hence perhaps it
was that he cultivated his powers of eloquence less than
became a statesman. He might indeed be a better
speaker than some suppose ; and there are those who
judge, from his Commentaries, that he certainly was
so, though they were hastily written, and attempted
nothing beyond common language.
Some time after the escape of Aratns, Dinias and
Aristotle the logician formed a design against Abanti-
das, and they easily found an opportunity to kill him,
when he attended, and sometimes joined in, their dis-
putations in the public halls, which they had insensibly
drawn him into for that very purpose. Paseas, the
father of Abantidas, then seized the supreme power,
but he was assassinated by Nicocles, who took his
place, and was the next tyrant. We are told that there
was a perfect likeness between this Nicocles and Pe-
riander, the son of Cypselus; as Orontes the Persian
resembled Alcmaeon, the son of Amphiaraus, and a La-
cedaemonian youth the great Hector. Myrtilas informs
us that the young man was crowded to death by the
multitudes who came to see him, when that resemblance
was known.
Nicocles reigned four months, during which time he
did a thousand injuries 1o the people, and was near
losing the city to the yEtolians, who formed a scheme
to surprise it. Aratus was by this time approaching
1 The five exercises of the pentathlon, as we have already
observed, were running, leaping, throwing the dart, boxing,
and wrestling.
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? 236
PLUTARCH.
to manhood, and great attention was paid him on ac-
count of his high birth, and his spirit, in which there
was nothing little or unenterprising, and yet it was
under the correction of a gravity and solidity of judg-
ment much beyond his years. The exiles therefore
considered him as their principal resource; and Ni-
cocles was not regardless of his motions, but by his
private agents observed the measures he was taking.
Not that he expected he would embark in so bold and
dangerous an enterprise as he did, but he suspected
his applications to the princes who were the friends
of his father. Indeed, Aratus began in that channel;
but when he found that Antigonus, notwithstanding
his promises, put him otf from time to time, and that
his hopes from Egypt and Ptolemy were too remote,
he resolved to destroy the tyrant without any foreign
assistance.
The first persons to whom he communicated his in-
tentions were Aristomachus and Ecdelus. Aristoma-
chus was an exile from Sicyon, and Ecdelus an Arca-
dian banished from Megalopolis. The latter was a
philosopher, who in speculation never lost sight of
practice, for he had studied at Athens under Arcesilaus
the academician. 1 As these readily accepted his pro-
posal, he applied to the other exiles; a few of whom
joined him, because they were ashamed to give up so
promising a hope; but the greatest part believed it was
only Aratus' inexperience2 that made him think of so
bold an attempt, and endeavored to prevent his pro-
ceeding.
While he was considering how to seize some post in
the territories of Sicyon, from whence he might prose-
- 1 Arcesilaus was the disciple of Crantor, and had esta-
blished the Middle Academy.
2 He was not yet twenty years old.
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? ARATUS.
237
cute hostilities against the tyrant, a man of Sicyon
arrived at Argos, who had escaped out of prison. He
was brother to Xenocles, one of the exiles; and being
introduced by him to Aratns, he informed him that the
part of the wall which he had got over was almost
level with the ground on the inside, as it joined on a
high rocky part of the city, and that on the outside it
was not so high but that it might be scaled. On this
intelligence Aratus sent two of his servants, Sceuthas
and Technon, along with Xenocles, to reconnoitre the
wall; for he was resolved, if he could do it secretly,
to hazard all on one great effort, rather than lengthen
out the war, and publicly engage with a tyrant, when
he had no resources but those of a private man.
Xenocles and his companions, after they had taken
the height of the wall, reported at their return that it
was neither impracticable nor difficult, but that it was
dangerous to attempt it on account of some dogs kept
by a gardener, which were little indeed, but at the same
time extremely fierce and furious. Aratus, however,
immediately set about the work. It was easy to pro-
vide arms without suspicion; for almost every body
went armed, by reason of the frequent robberies and
the incursions of one people into the territories of
another. And as to the scaling ladders, Euphranor,
who was one of the exiles, and a carpenter by trade,
made them publicly; his business screening him from
suspicion. Each of his friends in Argos, who had no
great number of men that he could command, furnished
him with ten : he armed thirty of his own servants, and
hired some few soldiers of Xenophilus, who was chief
captain of a band of robbers. To the latter it was given
out that the design of their march to Sicyon was to
carry off the king's stud; and several of them were
scut before by different ways to the tower of Polygno-
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? 238
PLUTARCH.
tus, with orders to wait for him there. Caphesias was
likewise sent with four others in a travelling dress.
These were to go in the evening to the gardener's, and
pretending to be travellers, get a lodging there; after
which they were to confine both him and his dogs: for
that part of the wall was not accessible any other way.
The ladders being made to take in pieces, were packed
up in corn chests, and sent before in waggons prepared
for that purpose.
In the mean time some of the tyrant's spies arrived
at Argos, and it was reported that they were sculking
about to watch the motions of Aratus. Next morning,
therefore, Aratus appeared early with his friends in the
market-place, and talked with them for some time. He
then went to the gymnasium, and after he had anointed
himself, took with him some young men from the
wrestling-ring who used to be of his parties of plea-
sure, and returned home. In a little time his servants
were seen in the market-place, some carrying chaplets
of flowers, some buying flambeaux, and some in dis-
course with the women who used to sing and play at
entertainments. These manoeuvres deceived the spies.
They laughed, and said to each other, ' Certainly nothing
can be more dastardly than a tyrant, since Nicocles, who
is master of so strong a city, and armed with so much
power, lives in fear of a young man, who wastes the
pittance he has to subsist on in exile, in drinking and
revelling even in the day-time. ' After these false rea-
sonings they retired.
Aratus, immediately after he had made his meal, set
out for the tower of Polygnotus, and when he had joined
the soldiers there, proceeded to Nemea, where he dis-
closed his real intentions to his whole company. Hav-
ing exhorted them to behave like brave men, and pro-
mised them great rewards, he gave propitious Apollo
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? ARATUS.
239
for the word, and then led them forwards towards Si-
cyon, governing his march according to the motion of
the moon, sometimes quickening, and sometimes slack-
ening his pace, so as to have the benefit of her light by
the way, and to come to the garden by the wall just
after she was set. There Caphesias met him, and in-
formed him that the dogs were let out before he arrived,
but that he had secured the gardener. Most of the
company were greatly dispirited at this account, and
desired Aratus to quit his enterprise; but he en-
couraged them by promising to desist, if the dogs
should prove very troublesome. Then he ordered
those who carried the ladders to march before, under
the conduct of Ecdelus and Mnasitheus, and himself
followed softly. The dogs now began to run about
and bark violently at Ecdelus and his men; neverthe-
less they approached the wall, and planted their lad-
ders safe. But as the foremost of them were mounting,
the officer who was to be relieved by the morning guard
passed by that way at the sound of bell, with many
torches and much noise. On this the men laid them-
selves close to their ladders, and escaped the notice of
this watch without much difficulty; but when the other
which was to relieve it came up, they were in the ut-
most danger. However, that too passed by without
observing them; after which, Mnasitheus and Ecdelus
mounted the wall first, and having secured the way
both to the right and left, they sent Technon to Aratus
to desire him to advance as fast as possible.
It was no great distance from the garden to the wall,
and to a tower in which was placed a great hunting
dog to alarm the guard. But whether he was natu-
rally drowsy, or had wearied himself the day before,
he did not perceive their entrance. But the gardener's
dogs awaking him by barking below, he began to
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? 240
PLUTARCH.
growl; and when Aratus' men passed by the tower,
he barked out, so that the whole place resounded with
the noise. Then the sentinel, who kept watch opposite
to the tower, called aloud to the huntsman, and asked
him ' whom the dog barked at so angrily, or whether
any thing new had happened V The huntsman answered
from the tower, 'that there was nothing extraordinary,
and that the dog was only disturbed at the torches of
the guards and the noise of the bell. ' This encouraged
Aratus' soldiers more than any thing; for they ima-
gined that the huntsman concealed the truth because
he had a secret understanding with their leader, and
that there were many others in the town who would
promote the design. But when the rest of their com-
panions came to scale the wall, the danger increased.
It appeared to be a long affair, because the ladders
shook and swung extremely if they did not mount them
softly, and one by one; and the time pressed, for the
cocks began to crow. The country people, too, who
kept the market, were expected to arrive every mo-
ment. Aratus, therefore, hastened up himself when
only forty of his company were on the wall; and when
a few more had joined him from below, he put himself
at the head of his men, and marched immediately to
the tyrant's palace, where the main-guard was kept,
and where the mercenaries passed the night under
arms. Coming suddenly on them, he took them pri-
soners without killing one man; and then sent to his
friends in the town to invite them to come and join
him. They ran to him from all quarters; and day
now appearing, the theatre was filled with a crowd of
people who stood in suspense; for they had only
heard a rumor, and had no certainty of what was doing,
till a herald came and proclaimed it in these words,
'Aratus the san of Clinias calls the citizens to liberty. '
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? ARATUS.
241
Then persuaded that the day they had long expected
was come, they rushed in multitudes to the palace of
the tyrant, and set fire to it. The flame was so strong
that it was seen as far as Corinth, and the Corinthians
wondering what might he the cause, were on the point
of going to their assistance. Nicocles escaped out of
the city by some subterranean conduits; and the sol-
diers having helped the Sicyonians to extinguish the
fire, plundered his palace. Nor did Aratus hinder
them from taking this booty; but the rest of the wealth
which the several tyrants had amassed he bestowed on
the citizens.
There was not so much as one man killed or wounded
in this action, either of Aratus' party or of the enemy;
fortune so conducting the enterprise, as not to sully it
with the blood of one citizen,. Aratus recalled eighty
persons who had been banished by Nicocles, and of
those that had been expelled by the former tyrants not
less than five hundred. The latter had long been forced
to wander from place to place, some of them full fifty
years; consequently most of them returned in a desti-
tute condition. They were now, indeed, restored to
their ancient possessions; but their going into houses
and lands which had found new masters laid Aratus
under great difficulties. Without, he saw Antigonus
envying the liberty which the city had recovered, and.
laying schemes to enslave it again, and within he found
nothing but faction and disorder. He therefore judged
it best in this critical situation to join it to the Achaean
league. As the people of Sicyon were Dorians, they
had no objection to being called a part of the Achaean
community, or to their form of government. It must
be acknowleged, indeed, that the Achaeans at that time
were no very great or powerful people. Their towns
were generally small, their lands neither extensive nor
PLUT. VoL. VII. Q
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? 242
PLUTARCH.
fertile; and they had no harbors on their coasts, the
sea for the most part entering the land in rocky and
impracticable creeks. Yet none gave a better proof
than this people that the power of Greece is invinci-
ble, while good order and harmony prevail amongst
her members, and she has an able general to lead her
armies.
In fact, these very Achaeans, though but in-
considerable in comparison of the Greeks in their flo-
rishing times, or, to speak more properly, not equalling
in their whole community the strength of one respect-
able city in the period we are on, yet by good counsels
and unanimity, and by hearkening to any man of supe-
rior virtue, instead of envying his merit, not only kept
themselves free amidst so many powerful states and
tyrants, but saved great part of Greece, or rescued it
from chains.
As to his character, Aratus had something very po-
pular in his behavior; he had a native greatness of
mind, and was more attentive to the public interest
than to his own. He was an implacable enemy to ty-
rants; but with respect to others he made the good of
his country the sole rule of his friendship or opposi-
tion. So that he seems rather to have been a mild
and moderate enemy, than a zealous friend; his re-
gards or aversions to particular men varying as the oc-
casions of the commonwealth dictated. In short, na-
tions and great communities with one voice re-echoed
the declaration of the assemblies and theatres, that
Aratus loved none but good men. With regard to
open wars and pitched battles, he was indeed diffident
and timorous; but in gaining a point by stratagem, in
surprising cities and tyrants, there could not be an
abler man.
To this cause we must assign it, that after he had
exerted great courage, and succeeded in enterprises
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? ARATUS.
243
that were looked on as desperate; through too much
fear and caution he gave up others that were more
practicable, and not of less importance: for, as amongst
animals there are some that can see very clearly in the
night, and yet are next to blind in the day-time, the
dryness of the eye, and the subtilty of its humora, not
suffering them to hear the light; so there is in man a
kind of courage and understanding, which is easily
disconcerted in open dangers and encounters, and yet
resumes a happy boldness in secret enterprises. The
reason of this inequality in men, of parts otherwise ex-
cellent, is their wanting the advantages of philosophy.
Virtue is in them the product of nature, unassisted by
science, like the fruits of the forest, which come with-
out the least cultivation. Of this there are many ex-
amples to be found.
After Aratus had engaged himself and his city in
the Achaean league, he served in the cavalry, and the
generals highly esteemed him for his ready obedience:
for though he had contributed so much to the common
cause by his name and by the forces of Sicyon, yet the
Achaean commander, whether of Dima, or Tritta, or
some more inconsiderable town, found him always as
tractable as the meanest soldier.
When the king of Egypt made him a present of
twenty-five talents, he received it, indeed, but laid out
the whole on his fellow-citizens; relieving the neces-
sitous with part of it, and ransoming such as were pri-
soners with the rest.
But the exiles whom Aratus had recalled would not
be satisfied with any thing less than the restitution of
their estates, and gave the present possessors so much
trouble, that the city was in danger of being ruined by
sedition. In this extremity he saw no resource except
in the generosity of Ptolemy, and therefore determined
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? 244
PLUTARCH.
to take a voyage to Egypt, and apply to him for as
much money as would reconcile all parties. Accord-
ingly he set sail for Methone above the promontory of
Malea, in hopes of taking the shortest passage: but a
contrary wind sprang up, and the seas ran so high that
the pilot, unable to bear up against them, changed his
course, and with much difficulty got into Adria, a town
which was in the enemy's hands; for Antigonus had a
garrison there. To avoid this imminent danger he
landed, and, with only one friend, named Timanthes,
making his way as far as possible from the sea, sought
for shelter in a place well covered with wood, in which
he and his companion spent a very disagreeable night.
Soon after he had left the ship the governor of the fort
came and inquired for him; but he was deceived by
Aratus' servants, who were instructed to say he had
made off in another vessel to Euboea. However, he
detained the ship and servants as lawful prize. Ara-
tus spent some days in this distressful situation, where
one while he looked out to reconnoitre the coast, and
another while kept himself concealed; but at last
by good fortune a Roman ship happened to put in near
the place of his retreat. The ship was bound for Sy-
ria, and Aratus prevailed on the master to land him in
Caria: but he had equal dangers to combat at sea in
this as in his former passages. And when he was in
Caria he had a voyage to take to Egypt, which he
found a very long one. On his arrival however he was
immediately admitted to an audience by the king, who
had long been inclined to serve him on account of the
paintings which he used to compliment him with from
Greece: for Aratus, who had a taste for these things, was
always collecting for him the pieces of the best masters,
particularly those of Pamphilus and Melanthus: for
Sicyon was famed for the cultivation of the arts, par-
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? ARATUS. 245
ticularly the art of painting; and it was believed that
there only the ancient elegance was preserved without
the least corruption. Hence it was that the great
Apelles, at a time when he was much admired, went
to Sicyon, and gave the painters a talent, not so much
for any improvement he expected, as for the reputa-
tion of having been of their school. In consequence
of which, Aratus, when he restored Sicyon to liberty,
and destroyed the portraits of the tyrants, hesitated a
long time on coming to that of Aristratus; for it was
the united work of the disciples of Melanthus, who
had represented him standing in a chariot of victory,
and the pencil of Apelles had contributed to the per-
formance, as we are informed by Polemo the geo-
grapher.
The piece was so admirable that Aratus could not
avoid feeling the art that was displayed in it; but his
hatred of tyrants soon overruled that feeling, and he
ordered it to he defaced. Nealces the painter, who
was honored with his friendship, is said to have im-
plored him with tears to spare that piece: and when
he found him inflexible, said, ' Aratus, continue your
war with tyrants, but not with every thing that belongs
to them. Spare at least the chariot and the victory,
and I shall soon make Aristratus vanish. ' Aratus gave
his consent, and Nealces defaced the figure of Aristra-
tus, but did not venture to put any thing in its place
except a palm-tree. We are told however that there
was still a dim appearance of the feet of Aristratus at
the bottom of the chariot.
This taste for painting had already recommended
Aratus to Ptolemy, and his conversation gained so
much farther on him, that he made him a present of a
hundred and fifty talents for the city; forty of which
he sent with him on his return to Peloponnesus, and
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? 216
PLUTARCH.
he remitted the rest in the several portions and at the
times that he had fixed. It was a glorious thing to
apply so much money to the use of his fellow-citizens,
at a time when it was common to see generals and
demagogues, for much smaller sums which they re-
ceived of the kings, to oppress, enslave, and betray to
them the cities where they were born. But it was still
more glorious, by this money to reconcile the poor to
the rich, to secure the commonwealth, and establish
harmony amongst all ranks of people.
His moderation in the exercise of the great power
he was vested with was truly admirable: for, being
appointed sole arbitrator of the claims of the exiles, he
refused to act alone, and joined fifteen of the citizens
in the commission; with whose assistance, after much
labor and attention, he established peace and friend-
ship amongst the people. Besides the honors which
the whole community conferred on him for these ser-
vices, the exiles in particular erected his statue in
brass, and put on it this inscription:
Far as the pillars which Alcides rear'd,
Thy counsels and thy deeds in arms for Greece
The tongue of Fame has told. But we, Aratus,
We wanderers whom thou hast restored to Sicyon,
Will sing thy justice; place thy pleasing form,
As a benignant power, with gods that save:
For thou hast given that dear equality,
And all the laws which favoring Heaven might give.
Aratus, after such important services, was placed
above envy amongst his people. But king Antigonus,
uneasy at the progress he made, was determined either
to gain him, or to make him obnoxious to Ptolemy.
He therefore gave him extraordinary marks of his re-
gard, though he wanted no such advances. Amongst
others, this was one. On occasion of a sacrifice which
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? ARATUS.
he offered at Corinth, he sent portions of it to Aratus at
Sicyon; and at the feast which ensued, he said in full
assembly, 'I at first looked on this young Sicyonian
only as a man of a liberal and patriotic spirit, but now I
find that he is also a good judge of the characters and
affairs of princes. At first he overlooked us for the
sake of foreign hopes, and the admiration he had con-=
ceived from stories of the wealth, the elephants, fleets,
and the splendid court of Egypt; but since he has been
on the spot, and seen that all this pomp is merely a
theatrical thing, he is come over intirely to us. I have
received him to my bosom, and am determined to em-
ploy him in all my affairs. I desire therefore you will
all consider him as a friend. ' The envious and male-
volent took occasion from this speech to lay heavy
charges against Aratus in their letters to Ptolemy ; in-
somuch, that the king sent one of his agents to tax him
with his infidelity. Thus, like passionate lovers, the
candidates for the first favors of kings dispute them
with the utmost envy and malignity.
After Aratus was first chosen general of the Achaean
league, he ravaged Locris, which lies on the other side
of the gulf of Corinth, and committed the same spoil
in the territories of Calydon. It was his intention to
assist the Boeotians with ten thousand men; but he
came too late; they were already defeated hy the
/Etolians in an action near Chaeronea, in which Abaso-
critus their general and a thousand of their men were
slain.
The year following Aratus, being elected general
again, undertook that celebrated enterprise of recover-
ing the citadel of Corinth; in which he consulted not
only the benefit of Sicyon and Achaia, but of Greece in
general; for such would be the expulsion of the Mace-
donian garrison, which was nothing better than a ty-
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? 248 PLUTARCH.
rant's yoke. As Chares, the Athenian general, on a
battle which he won of the king of Persia's lieutenants,
wrote to the people that he had gained a victory which
was sister to that of Marathon; sq we may justly call
this exploit of Aratus sister to that of Pelopidas the
Theban, and Thrasybulus the Athenian, when they
killed the tyrants. There is indeed this difference,
that Aratus' enterprise was not against Greeks, but
against a foreign power, which is a difference much to
his honor: for the isthmus of Corinth, which separates
the two seas, joins our continent to that of Peloponne-
sus; and when there is a good garrison in the citadel
of Corinth, which stands on a high hill in the middle,
at an equal distance from the two continents, it cuts off
the communication with those within the isthmus, so
that there can be no passage for troops, nor any kind
of commerce, either by sea or land. In short, he that
is possessed of it is master of all Greece. The younger
Philip of Macedon therefore was not jesting, but spoke
a serious truth, when he called the city of Corinth the
fetters of Greece. Hence the place was always much
contended for, particularly by kings and princes.
Antigonus' passion, for it was not less than that of
love in its greatest madness; and it was the chief ob-
ject of his cares to find a method of taking it by sur-
prise, when the hopes of succeeding by open force
failed. When Alexander, who was master of the cita-
del, died of poison, that is said to have been given him
through Antigonus' means, his wife NicKa, into whose
hands it then fell, guarded it with great care. But
Antigonus, hoping to gain it by means of his son De-
metrius, sent him to make her an offer of his hand. It
was a flattering prospect to a woman somewhat ad-
vanced in years to have such a young prince for her
husband. Accordingly Antigonus caught her by this
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? ARATUS.
bait. However, she did not give up the citadel, but
guarded it with the same attention as before. Antigo-
nus, pretending to take no notice, celebrated the mar-
riage with sacrifices and shows, and spent whole days
in feasting the people, as if his mind had been intirely
taken up with mirth and pleasure. One day, when
Amoebeus was to sing in the theatre, he conducted
Nicaea in person on her way to the entertainment in a
litter set out with royal ornaments. She was elated
with the honor, and had not the least thought of what
was to ensue. But when they came to the point which
bore towards the citadel, he ordered the men that bore
the litter to proceed to the theatre; and bidding fare-
well to Amoebeus and the wedding, he walked up to
the fort much faster than could have been expected
from a man of his years. Finding the gate barred, be
knocked with his staff, and commanded the guard to
open it. Surprised at the sight of him, they complied,
and thus he became master of the place. He was not
able to contain his joy on that occasion: he drank and
revelled in the open streets, and in the market-place,
attended with female musicians, and crowned with
flowers. When we see a man of his age, who had ex-
perienced such changes of fortune, carouse and indulge
his transports, embracing and saluting every one he
meets, we must acknowlege that unexpected joy raises
greater tumults in an unbalanced mind, and oversets it
sooner, than either fear or sorrow.
Antigonus having in this manner made himself mas-
ter of the citadel, garrisoned it with men in whom he
placed the greatest confidence, and made the philoso-
pher Persaeus governor. Whilst Alexander was living,
Aratus had cast his eye on it, as an excellent acquisi-
tion for his country; but, the Achaeatis admitting Alex-
ander into the league, he did not prosecute his design.
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? PLUTARCH.
Afterwards, however, a new occasion presented itself.
There were in Corinth four brothers, natives of Syria;
one of which, named Diocles, served as a soldier in
the garrison. The other three, having stolen some of
the king's money, retired to Sicyon, where they ap-
plied to one jEgias, a banker, whom Aratus used to
employ. Part of this gold they immediately disposed
of to him, and Erginus, one of the three, at several
visits, privately changed the rest. Thus an acquaint-
ance was formed between him and jEgias, who one day
drew him into discourse about the garrison. Erginus
told him, that as he often went up to visit his brother,
he had observed on the steepest side a small winding
path cut in the rock, and leading to a part of the wall
much lower than the rest. On this jEgias said, with
an air of raillery, 'Why will you, my good friend,
purloin the king's treasures for so inconsiderable a
sum, when you might raise yourself to opulence by
one hour's service? Do not you know, that if you are
taken, you will as certainly be put to death for this
trifling theft as if you had betrayed the citadel V Er-
ginus laughed at the hint, and promised to sound his
brother Diocles on the subject; for he could not, he
said, place much confidence in the other two.
A few days after this he returned, and had an inter-
view with Aratus; at which it was agreed that he
should conduct him to a part of the wall that was not
above fifteen feet high, and that both he and his bro-
ther Diocles should assist him in the rest of the enter-
prise. Aratus, on his part, promised to give them
sixty talents if he succeeded ; and in case they failed,
and yet returned all safe to Sicyon, he engaged that
each of them should have a house and one talent. As
it was necessary that the sixty talents should be depo-
sited in the hands of /Egias, for the satisfaction of Er-
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? ARATUS.
251
ginus, and Aratus neither had such a sum nor chose to
borrow it, because that might create some suspicion of
his intentions, he took most of his plate and his wife's
jewels, and pledged them with jEgias for the money.
Such was the greatness of his soul, such his passion
for high achievements, that knowing that Phocion and
Epaminondas were accounted the justest and most ex-
cellent of all the Greeks, for refusing great presents,
and not sacrificing virtue to money, he ascended a step
higher. He privately gave money; he embarked his
estate in an enterprise, where he alone was to expose
himself for the many, who were not even apprised of
his intentions in their favor. Who then can sufficiently
admire his magnanimity? Who is there, even in our
days, that is not fired with an ambition to imitate the
man who purchased so much danger at so great an ex-
pense, who pledged the most valuable of his goods for
the sake of being introduced by night amongst ene-
mies, where he was to fight for his life, without any
other equivalent than the hope of performing a great
action?
This undertaking, which was dangerous enough in
itself, became more so by a mistake which they com-
mitted in the beginning. Technon, one of Aratus'
servants, of whom we have already spoken, was sent
before to Diocles, that they might reconnoitre the wall
together. He had never seen Diocles, but he thought
he should easily know him by the marks which Ergi-
nus had given, which were, curled hair, a swarthy com-
plexion, and want of beard. He went therefore to the
place appointed, and sat down before the city at a
point called Ornis, to wait for Erginus and his brother
Diocles. In the mean time Dionysius, their eldest
brother, who knew nothing of the affair, happened to
come up. He greatly resembled Diocles; and Tech-
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? 252
PLUTARCH.
non, struck with his appearance, which answered the
description, asked him if he had any connexion with
Erginus. He said he was his brother: on which Tech-
non, thoroughly persuaded that he was speaking to
Diocles, without asking his name, or waiting for any
token, gave him his hand, mentioned to him the cir-
cumstances of the appointment with Erginus, and asked
him many questions about it. Dionysius availed him-
self very artfully of the mistake, agreed to every point,
and returning towards the city, held him in discourse
without giving him the least cause of suspicion. They
were now near the town, and he was on the point of
seizing Technon, when by good fortune Erginus met
them, and perceiving how much his friend was imposed
on, and the great danger he was in, beckoned to him
to make his escape. Accordingly they both fled, and
got safe to Aratus. However, Aratus did not give up
his hopes, but immediately sent Erginus to Dionysius,
to offer him money, and intreat him to be silent; in
which he succeeded so well, that he brought Dionysius
along with him to Aratus. When they had him in
their hands, they did not think it safe to part with him:
they bound and set a guard on him in a small apart-
ment, and then prepared for their principal design.
When every thing was ready, Aratus ordered his
troops to pass the night under arms; and taking with
him four hundred picked men, few of whom knew the
business they were going about, he led them to the
gates of the city near the temple of Juno. It was then
about the middle of the summer, the moon at the full,
and the night without the least cloud. As their arms
glittered with the reflection of the moon, they were
afraid that circumstance would discover them to the
watch. The foremost of them were now near the walls,
when clouds arose from the sea, and covered the city
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? ARATUS,
263
and its environs. The men sat down and took off their
shoes, that they might make the less noise, and mount
the ladders without danger of slipping. But Erginus
took with him seven young men in the hahit of travel-
lers, and getting unobserved to the gate, killed the
keeper and the guard that were with him. At the same
time the ladders were applied to the walls, and Aratus,
with a hundred men, got over with the utmost expedi-
tion.
PLUTARCH.
ty-four years, and reigned sixty-two. He had the
character of a prince who governed with lenity, and
loved his people. But perhaps the hehavior of his
successor might contribute not a little to his reputa-
tion; for Ochus was the most cruel and sanguinary of
princes.
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? t
\
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? ARATUS.
THe philosopher Chrysippus, my dear Polycrates,
seems to have thought the ancient proverb not quite
justifiable, and therefore he delivered it, not as it really
is, but what he thought it should be--
Who but a happy son will praise his sire 1
Dionysidorus the Troezenian, however, corrects him,
and gives it right,
Who but unhappy sons will praise their sires I
He says, the proverb was made to silence those who,
having no merit of their own, dress themselves up in
the virtues of their ancestors, and are lavish in their
praises. And those in whom the virtues of their sires
shine in congenial beauty, to make use of Pindar's
expression ; who, like you, form their conduct after
the brightest patterns in their families, may think it a
great happiness to remember the most excellent of their
ancestors, and often to hear or speak of them: for they
assume not the honor of other men's virtues for want
of merit in their own, but uniting their great actions
to those of their progenitors, they praise them as the
authors of their descent, and the models of their lives:
for which reason, when I have written the life of Ara-
tus, your countryman, and one of your ancestors, I
shall send it to you, who reflect no dishonor on him
either in point of reputation or power. Not that 1
doubt your having informed yourself of his actions
from the first with all possible care and exactness; but
I do it, that your sons, Polycrates and Pythocles, may
form themselves on the great exemplars, in their own
family, sometimes hearing and sometimes reading what
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? PLUTARCH.
it becomes them well to imitate: for it is the self-ad-
mirer, not the admirer of virtue, that thinks himself
superior to others.
After the harmony of the pure Doric,1 I mean the
aristocracy, was broken in Sicyon, and seditions took
place through the ambition of the demagogues, the city
continued a long time in a distempered state. It only
changed one tyrant for another, till Cleon was slain,
and the administration committed to Timoclidas and
Clinias, persons of the greatest reputation and au-
thority amongst the citizens. The commonwealth
seemed to be in some degree re-established, when Ti-
moclidas died. Abantidas, the son of Paseas, taking
that opportunity to set himself up tyrant, killed Cli-
nias, and either banished or put to death his friends
and relations. He sought also for his son Aratus, who
was only seven years old, with a design to despatch
him. But, in the confusion that was in his house when
his father was slain, the boy escaped among those that
fled, and wandered about the city, in fear, and destitute
of help, till he happened to enter, unobserved, the
house of a woman named Soso, who was sister to
Abantidas, and had been married to Prophantus, the
brother of Clinias. As she was a person of generous
sentiments, and persuaded, besides, that it was by the
direction of some deity that the child had taken re-
fuge with her, she concealed him in one of her apart-
ments till night, and then sent him privately to Argos.
Aratus having thus escaped so imminent a danger,
immediately conceived a violent and implacable hatred
for tyrants, which increased as he grew up. He was
educated by the friends of his family at Argos, in ?
liberal manner; and as he was vigorous and robust, he
1 There was a gravity, but at the same time great perfec-
tion, in the Dorian music.
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? ARATUS.
235
took to gymnastic exercises, and succeeded so well, as
to gain the prize in the five several sorts. 1 Indeed, in
his statues there is an athletic look; and amidst the
strong sense and majesty expressed in his countenance,
we may discover something inconsistent with the vora-
city and mattock of the wrestlers. Hence perhaps it
was that he cultivated his powers of eloquence less than
became a statesman. He might indeed be a better
speaker than some suppose ; and there are those who
judge, from his Commentaries, that he certainly was
so, though they were hastily written, and attempted
nothing beyond common language.
Some time after the escape of Aratns, Dinias and
Aristotle the logician formed a design against Abanti-
das, and they easily found an opportunity to kill him,
when he attended, and sometimes joined in, their dis-
putations in the public halls, which they had insensibly
drawn him into for that very purpose. Paseas, the
father of Abantidas, then seized the supreme power,
but he was assassinated by Nicocles, who took his
place, and was the next tyrant. We are told that there
was a perfect likeness between this Nicocles and Pe-
riander, the son of Cypselus; as Orontes the Persian
resembled Alcmaeon, the son of Amphiaraus, and a La-
cedaemonian youth the great Hector. Myrtilas informs
us that the young man was crowded to death by the
multitudes who came to see him, when that resemblance
was known.
Nicocles reigned four months, during which time he
did a thousand injuries 1o the people, and was near
losing the city to the yEtolians, who formed a scheme
to surprise it. Aratus was by this time approaching
1 The five exercises of the pentathlon, as we have already
observed, were running, leaping, throwing the dart, boxing,
and wrestling.
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? 236
PLUTARCH.
to manhood, and great attention was paid him on ac-
count of his high birth, and his spirit, in which there
was nothing little or unenterprising, and yet it was
under the correction of a gravity and solidity of judg-
ment much beyond his years. The exiles therefore
considered him as their principal resource; and Ni-
cocles was not regardless of his motions, but by his
private agents observed the measures he was taking.
Not that he expected he would embark in so bold and
dangerous an enterprise as he did, but he suspected
his applications to the princes who were the friends
of his father. Indeed, Aratus began in that channel;
but when he found that Antigonus, notwithstanding
his promises, put him otf from time to time, and that
his hopes from Egypt and Ptolemy were too remote,
he resolved to destroy the tyrant without any foreign
assistance.
The first persons to whom he communicated his in-
tentions were Aristomachus and Ecdelus. Aristoma-
chus was an exile from Sicyon, and Ecdelus an Arca-
dian banished from Megalopolis. The latter was a
philosopher, who in speculation never lost sight of
practice, for he had studied at Athens under Arcesilaus
the academician. 1 As these readily accepted his pro-
posal, he applied to the other exiles; a few of whom
joined him, because they were ashamed to give up so
promising a hope; but the greatest part believed it was
only Aratus' inexperience2 that made him think of so
bold an attempt, and endeavored to prevent his pro-
ceeding.
While he was considering how to seize some post in
the territories of Sicyon, from whence he might prose-
- 1 Arcesilaus was the disciple of Crantor, and had esta-
blished the Middle Academy.
2 He was not yet twenty years old.
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? ARATUS.
237
cute hostilities against the tyrant, a man of Sicyon
arrived at Argos, who had escaped out of prison. He
was brother to Xenocles, one of the exiles; and being
introduced by him to Aratns, he informed him that the
part of the wall which he had got over was almost
level with the ground on the inside, as it joined on a
high rocky part of the city, and that on the outside it
was not so high but that it might be scaled. On this
intelligence Aratus sent two of his servants, Sceuthas
and Technon, along with Xenocles, to reconnoitre the
wall; for he was resolved, if he could do it secretly,
to hazard all on one great effort, rather than lengthen
out the war, and publicly engage with a tyrant, when
he had no resources but those of a private man.
Xenocles and his companions, after they had taken
the height of the wall, reported at their return that it
was neither impracticable nor difficult, but that it was
dangerous to attempt it on account of some dogs kept
by a gardener, which were little indeed, but at the same
time extremely fierce and furious. Aratus, however,
immediately set about the work. It was easy to pro-
vide arms without suspicion; for almost every body
went armed, by reason of the frequent robberies and
the incursions of one people into the territories of
another. And as to the scaling ladders, Euphranor,
who was one of the exiles, and a carpenter by trade,
made them publicly; his business screening him from
suspicion. Each of his friends in Argos, who had no
great number of men that he could command, furnished
him with ten : he armed thirty of his own servants, and
hired some few soldiers of Xenophilus, who was chief
captain of a band of robbers. To the latter it was given
out that the design of their march to Sicyon was to
carry off the king's stud; and several of them were
scut before by different ways to the tower of Polygno-
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? 238
PLUTARCH.
tus, with orders to wait for him there. Caphesias was
likewise sent with four others in a travelling dress.
These were to go in the evening to the gardener's, and
pretending to be travellers, get a lodging there; after
which they were to confine both him and his dogs: for
that part of the wall was not accessible any other way.
The ladders being made to take in pieces, were packed
up in corn chests, and sent before in waggons prepared
for that purpose.
In the mean time some of the tyrant's spies arrived
at Argos, and it was reported that they were sculking
about to watch the motions of Aratus. Next morning,
therefore, Aratus appeared early with his friends in the
market-place, and talked with them for some time. He
then went to the gymnasium, and after he had anointed
himself, took with him some young men from the
wrestling-ring who used to be of his parties of plea-
sure, and returned home. In a little time his servants
were seen in the market-place, some carrying chaplets
of flowers, some buying flambeaux, and some in dis-
course with the women who used to sing and play at
entertainments. These manoeuvres deceived the spies.
They laughed, and said to each other, ' Certainly nothing
can be more dastardly than a tyrant, since Nicocles, who
is master of so strong a city, and armed with so much
power, lives in fear of a young man, who wastes the
pittance he has to subsist on in exile, in drinking and
revelling even in the day-time. ' After these false rea-
sonings they retired.
Aratus, immediately after he had made his meal, set
out for the tower of Polygnotus, and when he had joined
the soldiers there, proceeded to Nemea, where he dis-
closed his real intentions to his whole company. Hav-
ing exhorted them to behave like brave men, and pro-
mised them great rewards, he gave propitious Apollo
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? ARATUS.
239
for the word, and then led them forwards towards Si-
cyon, governing his march according to the motion of
the moon, sometimes quickening, and sometimes slack-
ening his pace, so as to have the benefit of her light by
the way, and to come to the garden by the wall just
after she was set. There Caphesias met him, and in-
formed him that the dogs were let out before he arrived,
but that he had secured the gardener. Most of the
company were greatly dispirited at this account, and
desired Aratus to quit his enterprise; but he en-
couraged them by promising to desist, if the dogs
should prove very troublesome. Then he ordered
those who carried the ladders to march before, under
the conduct of Ecdelus and Mnasitheus, and himself
followed softly. The dogs now began to run about
and bark violently at Ecdelus and his men; neverthe-
less they approached the wall, and planted their lad-
ders safe. But as the foremost of them were mounting,
the officer who was to be relieved by the morning guard
passed by that way at the sound of bell, with many
torches and much noise. On this the men laid them-
selves close to their ladders, and escaped the notice of
this watch without much difficulty; but when the other
which was to relieve it came up, they were in the ut-
most danger. However, that too passed by without
observing them; after which, Mnasitheus and Ecdelus
mounted the wall first, and having secured the way
both to the right and left, they sent Technon to Aratus
to desire him to advance as fast as possible.
It was no great distance from the garden to the wall,
and to a tower in which was placed a great hunting
dog to alarm the guard. But whether he was natu-
rally drowsy, or had wearied himself the day before,
he did not perceive their entrance. But the gardener's
dogs awaking him by barking below, he began to
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? 240
PLUTARCH.
growl; and when Aratus' men passed by the tower,
he barked out, so that the whole place resounded with
the noise. Then the sentinel, who kept watch opposite
to the tower, called aloud to the huntsman, and asked
him ' whom the dog barked at so angrily, or whether
any thing new had happened V The huntsman answered
from the tower, 'that there was nothing extraordinary,
and that the dog was only disturbed at the torches of
the guards and the noise of the bell. ' This encouraged
Aratus' soldiers more than any thing; for they ima-
gined that the huntsman concealed the truth because
he had a secret understanding with their leader, and
that there were many others in the town who would
promote the design. But when the rest of their com-
panions came to scale the wall, the danger increased.
It appeared to be a long affair, because the ladders
shook and swung extremely if they did not mount them
softly, and one by one; and the time pressed, for the
cocks began to crow. The country people, too, who
kept the market, were expected to arrive every mo-
ment. Aratus, therefore, hastened up himself when
only forty of his company were on the wall; and when
a few more had joined him from below, he put himself
at the head of his men, and marched immediately to
the tyrant's palace, where the main-guard was kept,
and where the mercenaries passed the night under
arms. Coming suddenly on them, he took them pri-
soners without killing one man; and then sent to his
friends in the town to invite them to come and join
him. They ran to him from all quarters; and day
now appearing, the theatre was filled with a crowd of
people who stood in suspense; for they had only
heard a rumor, and had no certainty of what was doing,
till a herald came and proclaimed it in these words,
'Aratus the san of Clinias calls the citizens to liberty. '
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? ARATUS.
241
Then persuaded that the day they had long expected
was come, they rushed in multitudes to the palace of
the tyrant, and set fire to it. The flame was so strong
that it was seen as far as Corinth, and the Corinthians
wondering what might he the cause, were on the point
of going to their assistance. Nicocles escaped out of
the city by some subterranean conduits; and the sol-
diers having helped the Sicyonians to extinguish the
fire, plundered his palace. Nor did Aratus hinder
them from taking this booty; but the rest of the wealth
which the several tyrants had amassed he bestowed on
the citizens.
There was not so much as one man killed or wounded
in this action, either of Aratus' party or of the enemy;
fortune so conducting the enterprise, as not to sully it
with the blood of one citizen,. Aratus recalled eighty
persons who had been banished by Nicocles, and of
those that had been expelled by the former tyrants not
less than five hundred. The latter had long been forced
to wander from place to place, some of them full fifty
years; consequently most of them returned in a desti-
tute condition. They were now, indeed, restored to
their ancient possessions; but their going into houses
and lands which had found new masters laid Aratus
under great difficulties. Without, he saw Antigonus
envying the liberty which the city had recovered, and.
laying schemes to enslave it again, and within he found
nothing but faction and disorder. He therefore judged
it best in this critical situation to join it to the Achaean
league. As the people of Sicyon were Dorians, they
had no objection to being called a part of the Achaean
community, or to their form of government. It must
be acknowleged, indeed, that the Achaeans at that time
were no very great or powerful people. Their towns
were generally small, their lands neither extensive nor
PLUT. VoL. VII. Q
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? 242
PLUTARCH.
fertile; and they had no harbors on their coasts, the
sea for the most part entering the land in rocky and
impracticable creeks. Yet none gave a better proof
than this people that the power of Greece is invinci-
ble, while good order and harmony prevail amongst
her members, and she has an able general to lead her
armies.
In fact, these very Achaeans, though but in-
considerable in comparison of the Greeks in their flo-
rishing times, or, to speak more properly, not equalling
in their whole community the strength of one respect-
able city in the period we are on, yet by good counsels
and unanimity, and by hearkening to any man of supe-
rior virtue, instead of envying his merit, not only kept
themselves free amidst so many powerful states and
tyrants, but saved great part of Greece, or rescued it
from chains.
As to his character, Aratus had something very po-
pular in his behavior; he had a native greatness of
mind, and was more attentive to the public interest
than to his own. He was an implacable enemy to ty-
rants; but with respect to others he made the good of
his country the sole rule of his friendship or opposi-
tion. So that he seems rather to have been a mild
and moderate enemy, than a zealous friend; his re-
gards or aversions to particular men varying as the oc-
casions of the commonwealth dictated. In short, na-
tions and great communities with one voice re-echoed
the declaration of the assemblies and theatres, that
Aratus loved none but good men. With regard to
open wars and pitched battles, he was indeed diffident
and timorous; but in gaining a point by stratagem, in
surprising cities and tyrants, there could not be an
abler man.
To this cause we must assign it, that after he had
exerted great courage, and succeeded in enterprises
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? ARATUS.
243
that were looked on as desperate; through too much
fear and caution he gave up others that were more
practicable, and not of less importance: for, as amongst
animals there are some that can see very clearly in the
night, and yet are next to blind in the day-time, the
dryness of the eye, and the subtilty of its humora, not
suffering them to hear the light; so there is in man a
kind of courage and understanding, which is easily
disconcerted in open dangers and encounters, and yet
resumes a happy boldness in secret enterprises. The
reason of this inequality in men, of parts otherwise ex-
cellent, is their wanting the advantages of philosophy.
Virtue is in them the product of nature, unassisted by
science, like the fruits of the forest, which come with-
out the least cultivation. Of this there are many ex-
amples to be found.
After Aratus had engaged himself and his city in
the Achaean league, he served in the cavalry, and the
generals highly esteemed him for his ready obedience:
for though he had contributed so much to the common
cause by his name and by the forces of Sicyon, yet the
Achaean commander, whether of Dima, or Tritta, or
some more inconsiderable town, found him always as
tractable as the meanest soldier.
When the king of Egypt made him a present of
twenty-five talents, he received it, indeed, but laid out
the whole on his fellow-citizens; relieving the neces-
sitous with part of it, and ransoming such as were pri-
soners with the rest.
But the exiles whom Aratus had recalled would not
be satisfied with any thing less than the restitution of
their estates, and gave the present possessors so much
trouble, that the city was in danger of being ruined by
sedition. In this extremity he saw no resource except
in the generosity of Ptolemy, and therefore determined
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? 244
PLUTARCH.
to take a voyage to Egypt, and apply to him for as
much money as would reconcile all parties. Accord-
ingly he set sail for Methone above the promontory of
Malea, in hopes of taking the shortest passage: but a
contrary wind sprang up, and the seas ran so high that
the pilot, unable to bear up against them, changed his
course, and with much difficulty got into Adria, a town
which was in the enemy's hands; for Antigonus had a
garrison there. To avoid this imminent danger he
landed, and, with only one friend, named Timanthes,
making his way as far as possible from the sea, sought
for shelter in a place well covered with wood, in which
he and his companion spent a very disagreeable night.
Soon after he had left the ship the governor of the fort
came and inquired for him; but he was deceived by
Aratus' servants, who were instructed to say he had
made off in another vessel to Euboea. However, he
detained the ship and servants as lawful prize. Ara-
tus spent some days in this distressful situation, where
one while he looked out to reconnoitre the coast, and
another while kept himself concealed; but at last
by good fortune a Roman ship happened to put in near
the place of his retreat. The ship was bound for Sy-
ria, and Aratus prevailed on the master to land him in
Caria: but he had equal dangers to combat at sea in
this as in his former passages. And when he was in
Caria he had a voyage to take to Egypt, which he
found a very long one. On his arrival however he was
immediately admitted to an audience by the king, who
had long been inclined to serve him on account of the
paintings which he used to compliment him with from
Greece: for Aratus, who had a taste for these things, was
always collecting for him the pieces of the best masters,
particularly those of Pamphilus and Melanthus: for
Sicyon was famed for the cultivation of the arts, par-
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? ARATUS. 245
ticularly the art of painting; and it was believed that
there only the ancient elegance was preserved without
the least corruption. Hence it was that the great
Apelles, at a time when he was much admired, went
to Sicyon, and gave the painters a talent, not so much
for any improvement he expected, as for the reputa-
tion of having been of their school. In consequence
of which, Aratus, when he restored Sicyon to liberty,
and destroyed the portraits of the tyrants, hesitated a
long time on coming to that of Aristratus; for it was
the united work of the disciples of Melanthus, who
had represented him standing in a chariot of victory,
and the pencil of Apelles had contributed to the per-
formance, as we are informed by Polemo the geo-
grapher.
The piece was so admirable that Aratus could not
avoid feeling the art that was displayed in it; but his
hatred of tyrants soon overruled that feeling, and he
ordered it to he defaced. Nealces the painter, who
was honored with his friendship, is said to have im-
plored him with tears to spare that piece: and when
he found him inflexible, said, ' Aratus, continue your
war with tyrants, but not with every thing that belongs
to them. Spare at least the chariot and the victory,
and I shall soon make Aristratus vanish. ' Aratus gave
his consent, and Nealces defaced the figure of Aristra-
tus, but did not venture to put any thing in its place
except a palm-tree. We are told however that there
was still a dim appearance of the feet of Aristratus at
the bottom of the chariot.
This taste for painting had already recommended
Aratus to Ptolemy, and his conversation gained so
much farther on him, that he made him a present of a
hundred and fifty talents for the city; forty of which
he sent with him on his return to Peloponnesus, and
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? 216
PLUTARCH.
he remitted the rest in the several portions and at the
times that he had fixed. It was a glorious thing to
apply so much money to the use of his fellow-citizens,
at a time when it was common to see generals and
demagogues, for much smaller sums which they re-
ceived of the kings, to oppress, enslave, and betray to
them the cities where they were born. But it was still
more glorious, by this money to reconcile the poor to
the rich, to secure the commonwealth, and establish
harmony amongst all ranks of people.
His moderation in the exercise of the great power
he was vested with was truly admirable: for, being
appointed sole arbitrator of the claims of the exiles, he
refused to act alone, and joined fifteen of the citizens
in the commission; with whose assistance, after much
labor and attention, he established peace and friend-
ship amongst the people. Besides the honors which
the whole community conferred on him for these ser-
vices, the exiles in particular erected his statue in
brass, and put on it this inscription:
Far as the pillars which Alcides rear'd,
Thy counsels and thy deeds in arms for Greece
The tongue of Fame has told. But we, Aratus,
We wanderers whom thou hast restored to Sicyon,
Will sing thy justice; place thy pleasing form,
As a benignant power, with gods that save:
For thou hast given that dear equality,
And all the laws which favoring Heaven might give.
Aratus, after such important services, was placed
above envy amongst his people. But king Antigonus,
uneasy at the progress he made, was determined either
to gain him, or to make him obnoxious to Ptolemy.
He therefore gave him extraordinary marks of his re-
gard, though he wanted no such advances. Amongst
others, this was one. On occasion of a sacrifice which
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? ARATUS.
he offered at Corinth, he sent portions of it to Aratus at
Sicyon; and at the feast which ensued, he said in full
assembly, 'I at first looked on this young Sicyonian
only as a man of a liberal and patriotic spirit, but now I
find that he is also a good judge of the characters and
affairs of princes. At first he overlooked us for the
sake of foreign hopes, and the admiration he had con-=
ceived from stories of the wealth, the elephants, fleets,
and the splendid court of Egypt; but since he has been
on the spot, and seen that all this pomp is merely a
theatrical thing, he is come over intirely to us. I have
received him to my bosom, and am determined to em-
ploy him in all my affairs. I desire therefore you will
all consider him as a friend. ' The envious and male-
volent took occasion from this speech to lay heavy
charges against Aratus in their letters to Ptolemy ; in-
somuch, that the king sent one of his agents to tax him
with his infidelity. Thus, like passionate lovers, the
candidates for the first favors of kings dispute them
with the utmost envy and malignity.
After Aratus was first chosen general of the Achaean
league, he ravaged Locris, which lies on the other side
of the gulf of Corinth, and committed the same spoil
in the territories of Calydon. It was his intention to
assist the Boeotians with ten thousand men; but he
came too late; they were already defeated hy the
/Etolians in an action near Chaeronea, in which Abaso-
critus their general and a thousand of their men were
slain.
The year following Aratus, being elected general
again, undertook that celebrated enterprise of recover-
ing the citadel of Corinth; in which he consulted not
only the benefit of Sicyon and Achaia, but of Greece in
general; for such would be the expulsion of the Mace-
donian garrison, which was nothing better than a ty-
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? 248 PLUTARCH.
rant's yoke. As Chares, the Athenian general, on a
battle which he won of the king of Persia's lieutenants,
wrote to the people that he had gained a victory which
was sister to that of Marathon; sq we may justly call
this exploit of Aratus sister to that of Pelopidas the
Theban, and Thrasybulus the Athenian, when they
killed the tyrants. There is indeed this difference,
that Aratus' enterprise was not against Greeks, but
against a foreign power, which is a difference much to
his honor: for the isthmus of Corinth, which separates
the two seas, joins our continent to that of Peloponne-
sus; and when there is a good garrison in the citadel
of Corinth, which stands on a high hill in the middle,
at an equal distance from the two continents, it cuts off
the communication with those within the isthmus, so
that there can be no passage for troops, nor any kind
of commerce, either by sea or land. In short, he that
is possessed of it is master of all Greece. The younger
Philip of Macedon therefore was not jesting, but spoke
a serious truth, when he called the city of Corinth the
fetters of Greece. Hence the place was always much
contended for, particularly by kings and princes.
Antigonus' passion, for it was not less than that of
love in its greatest madness; and it was the chief ob-
ject of his cares to find a method of taking it by sur-
prise, when the hopes of succeeding by open force
failed. When Alexander, who was master of the cita-
del, died of poison, that is said to have been given him
through Antigonus' means, his wife NicKa, into whose
hands it then fell, guarded it with great care. But
Antigonus, hoping to gain it by means of his son De-
metrius, sent him to make her an offer of his hand. It
was a flattering prospect to a woman somewhat ad-
vanced in years to have such a young prince for her
husband. Accordingly Antigonus caught her by this
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? ARATUS.
bait. However, she did not give up the citadel, but
guarded it with the same attention as before. Antigo-
nus, pretending to take no notice, celebrated the mar-
riage with sacrifices and shows, and spent whole days
in feasting the people, as if his mind had been intirely
taken up with mirth and pleasure. One day, when
Amoebeus was to sing in the theatre, he conducted
Nicaea in person on her way to the entertainment in a
litter set out with royal ornaments. She was elated
with the honor, and had not the least thought of what
was to ensue. But when they came to the point which
bore towards the citadel, he ordered the men that bore
the litter to proceed to the theatre; and bidding fare-
well to Amoebeus and the wedding, he walked up to
the fort much faster than could have been expected
from a man of his years. Finding the gate barred, be
knocked with his staff, and commanded the guard to
open it. Surprised at the sight of him, they complied,
and thus he became master of the place. He was not
able to contain his joy on that occasion: he drank and
revelled in the open streets, and in the market-place,
attended with female musicians, and crowned with
flowers. When we see a man of his age, who had ex-
perienced such changes of fortune, carouse and indulge
his transports, embracing and saluting every one he
meets, we must acknowlege that unexpected joy raises
greater tumults in an unbalanced mind, and oversets it
sooner, than either fear or sorrow.
Antigonus having in this manner made himself mas-
ter of the citadel, garrisoned it with men in whom he
placed the greatest confidence, and made the philoso-
pher Persaeus governor. Whilst Alexander was living,
Aratus had cast his eye on it, as an excellent acquisi-
tion for his country; but, the Achaeatis admitting Alex-
ander into the league, he did not prosecute his design.
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? PLUTARCH.
Afterwards, however, a new occasion presented itself.
There were in Corinth four brothers, natives of Syria;
one of which, named Diocles, served as a soldier in
the garrison. The other three, having stolen some of
the king's money, retired to Sicyon, where they ap-
plied to one jEgias, a banker, whom Aratus used to
employ. Part of this gold they immediately disposed
of to him, and Erginus, one of the three, at several
visits, privately changed the rest. Thus an acquaint-
ance was formed between him and jEgias, who one day
drew him into discourse about the garrison. Erginus
told him, that as he often went up to visit his brother,
he had observed on the steepest side a small winding
path cut in the rock, and leading to a part of the wall
much lower than the rest. On this jEgias said, with
an air of raillery, 'Why will you, my good friend,
purloin the king's treasures for so inconsiderable a
sum, when you might raise yourself to opulence by
one hour's service? Do not you know, that if you are
taken, you will as certainly be put to death for this
trifling theft as if you had betrayed the citadel V Er-
ginus laughed at the hint, and promised to sound his
brother Diocles on the subject; for he could not, he
said, place much confidence in the other two.
A few days after this he returned, and had an inter-
view with Aratus; at which it was agreed that he
should conduct him to a part of the wall that was not
above fifteen feet high, and that both he and his bro-
ther Diocles should assist him in the rest of the enter-
prise. Aratus, on his part, promised to give them
sixty talents if he succeeded ; and in case they failed,
and yet returned all safe to Sicyon, he engaged that
each of them should have a house and one talent. As
it was necessary that the sixty talents should be depo-
sited in the hands of /Egias, for the satisfaction of Er-
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? ARATUS.
251
ginus, and Aratus neither had such a sum nor chose to
borrow it, because that might create some suspicion of
his intentions, he took most of his plate and his wife's
jewels, and pledged them with jEgias for the money.
Such was the greatness of his soul, such his passion
for high achievements, that knowing that Phocion and
Epaminondas were accounted the justest and most ex-
cellent of all the Greeks, for refusing great presents,
and not sacrificing virtue to money, he ascended a step
higher. He privately gave money; he embarked his
estate in an enterprise, where he alone was to expose
himself for the many, who were not even apprised of
his intentions in their favor. Who then can sufficiently
admire his magnanimity? Who is there, even in our
days, that is not fired with an ambition to imitate the
man who purchased so much danger at so great an ex-
pense, who pledged the most valuable of his goods for
the sake of being introduced by night amongst ene-
mies, where he was to fight for his life, without any
other equivalent than the hope of performing a great
action?
This undertaking, which was dangerous enough in
itself, became more so by a mistake which they com-
mitted in the beginning. Technon, one of Aratus'
servants, of whom we have already spoken, was sent
before to Diocles, that they might reconnoitre the wall
together. He had never seen Diocles, but he thought
he should easily know him by the marks which Ergi-
nus had given, which were, curled hair, a swarthy com-
plexion, and want of beard. He went therefore to the
place appointed, and sat down before the city at a
point called Ornis, to wait for Erginus and his brother
Diocles. In the mean time Dionysius, their eldest
brother, who knew nothing of the affair, happened to
come up. He greatly resembled Diocles; and Tech-
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? 252
PLUTARCH.
non, struck with his appearance, which answered the
description, asked him if he had any connexion with
Erginus. He said he was his brother: on which Tech-
non, thoroughly persuaded that he was speaking to
Diocles, without asking his name, or waiting for any
token, gave him his hand, mentioned to him the cir-
cumstances of the appointment with Erginus, and asked
him many questions about it. Dionysius availed him-
self very artfully of the mistake, agreed to every point,
and returning towards the city, held him in discourse
without giving him the least cause of suspicion. They
were now near the town, and he was on the point of
seizing Technon, when by good fortune Erginus met
them, and perceiving how much his friend was imposed
on, and the great danger he was in, beckoned to him
to make his escape. Accordingly they both fled, and
got safe to Aratus. However, Aratus did not give up
his hopes, but immediately sent Erginus to Dionysius,
to offer him money, and intreat him to be silent; in
which he succeeded so well, that he brought Dionysius
along with him to Aratus. When they had him in
their hands, they did not think it safe to part with him:
they bound and set a guard on him in a small apart-
ment, and then prepared for their principal design.
When every thing was ready, Aratus ordered his
troops to pass the night under arms; and taking with
him four hundred picked men, few of whom knew the
business they were going about, he led them to the
gates of the city near the temple of Juno. It was then
about the middle of the summer, the moon at the full,
and the night without the least cloud. As their arms
glittered with the reflection of the moon, they were
afraid that circumstance would discover them to the
watch. The foremost of them were now near the walls,
when clouds arose from the sea, and covered the city
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? ARATUS,
263
and its environs. The men sat down and took off their
shoes, that they might make the less noise, and mount
the ladders without danger of slipping. But Erginus
took with him seven young men in the hahit of travel-
lers, and getting unobserved to the gate, killed the
keeper and the guard that were with him. At the same
time the ladders were applied to the walls, and Aratus,
with a hundred men, got over with the utmost expedi-
tion.
