Themistocles
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Original / primary: Perseus Eng2
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21.1
He made himself hateful to the allies also, by sailing round to the islands and trying to exact money from them. When, for instance, he demanded money of the Andrians, Herodotus
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says he made a speech to them and got reply as follows: he said he came escorting two gods, Persuasion and Compulsion; and they replied that they already had two great gods, Penury and Powerlessness, who hindered them from giving him money.
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Timocreon, the lyric poet of Rhodes, assailed Themistocles very bitterly in a song, to the effect that for bribes he had secured the restoration of other exiles, but had abandoned him, though a host and a friend, and all for money. The song runs thus:—
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Come, if thou praisest Pausanias, or if Xanthippus,
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Or if Leotychidas, then I shall praise Aristides,
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The one best man of all
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Who came from sacred Athens; since Leto loathes Themistocles,
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The liar, cheat, and traitor, who, though Timocreon was his host,
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By knavish moneys was induced not to bring him back
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Into his native Ialysus,
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But took three talents of silver and went cruising off,—to perdition,
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Restoring some exiles unjustly, chasing some away, and slaying some,
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Gorged with moneys; yet at the
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Isthmus he played ridiculous host with the stale meats set before his guests;
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Who ate thereof and prayed Heaven no happy return of the day for Themistocles!
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Much more wanton and extravagant was the raillery which Timocreon indulged in against Themistocles after the latter’s own exile and condemnation. Then he composed the song beginning:—
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O Muse grant that this song
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Be famed throughout all Hellas,
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As it is meet and just.
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It is said that Timocreon was sent into exile on a charge of Medizing, and that Themistocles concurred in the vote of condemnation.
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Accordingly, when Themistocles also was accused of Medizing, Timocreon composed these lines upon him:—
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Not Timocreon alone, then, made compacts with the Medes,
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But there are other wretches too; not I alone am brushless,
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There are other foxes too.