Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata
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Original / primary: Perseus Eng3
41.1
41.1
Aristeides the Just was always an independent in politics, and avoided political parties, on the ground that influence derived from friends encourages wrongdoing.
41.1
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41.2
41.2
At one time when the Athenians had impetuously determined to vote on ostracism, an ignorant country fellow, holding his potsherd, approached him and bade him write on it the name of Aristeides.
41.2
Why,
41.2
said he,
41.2
do you know Aristeides ?
41.2
And
41.2
when the man said that he did not know him, but was irritated at his being called
41.2
the Just,
41.2
Aristeides said never a word more, but wrote the name on the potsherd, and gave it back to him.
41.2
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41.3
41.3
He was hostile to Themistocles,
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41.3
and once, when he was sent as ambassador in his company, he said,
41.3
Are you willing, Themistocles, that we should leave our hostility behind us at the boundaries ? And then, if it be agreeable, we will take it up again on our return.
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2
41.4
41.4
When he had fixed the contributions that the Greeks were to pay, he returned poorer by exactly as much as he spent on his journey.
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41.5
41.5
Aeschylus
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1
41.5
wrote referring to Amphiaraus,
41.5
His wish is not to seem, but be, the best,On account of the reading δίκαιος in the Life of Aristeides it has been thought that the actor who spoke the words may have substituted the Just for the best when he saw Aristeides in the audience. Reaping the deep-sown furrow of his mind In which all goodly counsels have their root.
41.5
And as these words were spoken all looked towards Aristeides.