Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-04-22

still deSlr0uS TO engage MIN 10 accepl
valuable from him, begged
that he would take at least so much
as would reimburse him the charges
which Polymnus, his father, had been
at in the maintenance and funeral
obsequies Of his late perceptor, Lysis.
To which he replied, THAT Lysis had
repaid him. In the pains he
took to make him cherish the prac-
tice Of poverty" This occasioned
some friendly debate between them,
in which Theanor endeavored to make
him sensible Of the necessity Of ac-
ency; which only gave the other an
opportunity of displaying his talents
m praise Of his favorite notion OF
poverty, which he did with such
forcible reasoning as left Theanor
without reply. The truth Is, Epa-
minondas had a double view in prac-
ticing and promoting this his darling
virtue. viz: To keep himself proof
against corruption and, by his pre-
cepts and example to reform, as much
as in him lay, the luxury and dissipa-
ton of the people. AS neither brtbes
nor promises could gain him from the
interest Of his country, SO neither
nor dangers could make
him betray the honor Of It 1t was
this noble ardor that made him go
and fight for 1t as private sentinel,
when his ungrateful countrymen had
been induced, by the prevailing fac
tion. to strip him Of his posts.-Plut.
Cor Nep. in Wit. Epam. ....
Ptolemy Philadelphus, king OF
Egypt, having sent to desire the
of the Roman people, an
embassy was dispatched from Rome
the following year in return for the
- Dk1lA T6n q q q a.
dors were @. Fabius Gurges, Cn.
Fabius Pictor, with Numerius, his
brother, and @. Ogulnius. The dis
Interested air with which they appear
ed sufficiently indicated the greatness
of their souls. Ptolemy gave them
splendid entertainment, and took that
opportunity to present each OF them
with a crown of gold, which they re-
ceived, because they were unwilling to
disoblige him by declining the honor
he intended them; but they went the
next morning and placed them on the
head Of the kings statues erected In
the public parts OF the city. The king
likewise having rendered them very
considerable presents at their audi
ence Of leave, they received them as
they had accepted the crowns; but be-
fore they went to the senate to give
an account Of their embassy after
their arrival at Rome, they deposited
all those presents In the public treas
ury and made 1t evident by 80 noble
q conduct that persons Of honor ought
when they serve the public, to propose
no other advantage to themselves
than the honor Of acquitting them
selves we'll Of their duty. The repub.
lie, however, would not suffer itself
to be exceeded in generosity OF senti-
ments. The senate and people came
to a resolution that the ambassadors,
in consideration Of the services they
had rendered the state. should receive
sum Of money equivalent 10 tnat
they had deposited In the public treas
ury. This was indeed an amiable con-
test between generosity and glory;
and one Is at q loss to known which
of the antagonists to ascribe the VIC
tory. Where shall we now find men
who devote themselves In such a man
ner to the public good, without any
interested expectations Of a return,
and who enter upon employment In
the state without the least view OF en-
riching themselves?
But let me add too. where shall we
find states and princes who know now
to esteem and recompense merit In
this manner? 1--WE may observe
here" says Valerius Maximus. three
fine models set before us in the noble
liberality Of Ptolemy. the disinterested
spirit of the ambassadors and the
grateful equity Of the Romans.
Val. Max. lib. iv. C. 8.
The deputies Of Philip, king Of
Macedon, Offering great sums OF
money, in that princes name, to
Phocion, the Athenian, and entreat-
himself, at least for his children, who
were in such circumstances that 1t
would be impossible for them to sup
port the glory Of his name: IF they
resemble me-" said Phocion, "the lit
tie spot Of ground on the produce OF
which I have hiterto lived, and which
has raised me to the glory you mem
ton. will be sufficient to-. maintain
them: II 1t will not, do not Intend
to have them wealthy merely to
foment and heighten their LUXURY
Alexander the Great, son OF Philip
having sent him hundred talents.
Phocion asked those who brought
them, upon what design Alexander
had sent him so great a sum. and did
not remit any to the rest Of the Athen-
ians? "It is" replied they. because
Alexander looks upon you as the most
Just and virtuous man" Then.
said Phocion, "let him suffer me still
to enjoy that character, and be really
what I am taken for."-Cor. Napos. In
Phoc.
Strato, king Of the Sidonians, hav-
ing declared in favor of Darius, the
Persian monarch, Alexander the Great
expelled him the kingdom, and per.
mitted Hephaestion, his beloved friend
to give the crown to whomsoeVer OF
the Sidonians he should Judge worthy
of so exalted a station. This fayorite
was ouartered at the house OF two
brothers, who were young and OF the
most considerable family In the city;
to these he offered the crown, put
they declined to accept 1t, telling MIN
that according to the laws OF their
country no person could ascend the
throne unless he were Of the blood
royaI. Hephaestion, admiring this
greatness Of soul, which could con-
denim what others strive to obtain by
fire and sword: Continue" says he
to them, "in this way Of thinking:
you were already sensible that IT Is
much more glorious to refuse a dia-
dem than to accept 1t. However:
name me some person of the royal
family who may remember, when ne
Is king, that 1t was you who set the
crown on his head. Inc protners
observing that several through excess
sive ambition aspired to this high
station, and to obtain 1t paid servile
court to Alexander's favorites, declar-
ed that they did not know any person
more worthy Of the diadem than one
Abdolonymus, descended. though a
great distance, from the royal line;
but who at the same time was poor.
that he was obliged to get his bread
by day labor in a garden without the
city. His honesty and integrity had
reduced him, as we'll as many more,
to this extreme poverty. Immediate.
ly the two brothers went in search OF
Abdolonymus, with the royal garmeits
and found him wedding his garden;
they then saluted him king, and one
of them addressed him thus: You
must now change your tatters for the
dress 1 have brought you. Put of
the mean and contemplate habit In
which you have grown old. Assume
the sentiments Of a prince, but when
you are seated on the throne, con-
tinue to preserve the virtue which
made you worthy Of 1t. And when
you shall have ascended 1t, and by
the means become the supreme dis
penser Of life and death over all your
citizens, be sure never to forget the
condition in which, or rather Tor