Demetrius's Life

I. Demetrius was a native of Phalerus, and the son of Phanostratus. He was a pupil of Theophrastus.

I. Demetrius was from Phalerus and was the son of Phanostratus. He was a student of Theophrastus.

II. And as a leader of the people at Athens he governed the city for ten years, and was honoured with three hundred and sixty brazen statues, the greater part of which were equestrian; and some were placed in carriages or in pair-horse chariots, and the entire number were finished within three hundred days, so great was the zeal with which they were worked at. And Demetrius, the Magnesian, in his treatise on People of the same Name, says that he began to be the leader of the commonwealth, when Harpalus arrived in Athens, having fled from Alexander. And he governed his country for a long time in a most admirable manner. For he aggrandised the city by increased revenues and by new buildings, although he was a person of no distinction by birth.

II. As a leader of the people in Athens, he governed the city for ten years. He was honored with 360 bronze statues. Most showed him on horseback, while some showed him in carriages or two-horse chariots. All 360 were completed within 300 days, so eager were the workers to finish them. Demetrius, the Magnesian, says in his treatise on People of the same Name that he began leading the state when Harpalus arrived in Athens after fleeing from Alexander. He governed his country admirably for a long time. He made the city greater by increasing its revenues and adding new buildings, although he was not distinguished by birth.

III. Though Phavorinus, in the first book of his Commentaries, asserts that he was of the family of Conon.

III. Though Phavorinus says in the first book of his Commentaries that he belonged to Conon's family.

IV. He lived with a citizen of noble birth, named Lamia, as his mistress, as the same author tells us in his first book.

IV. He lived with Lamia, a citizen of noble birth, as his mistress. The same author tells us this in his first book.

V. Again, in his second book he tells us that Demetrius was the slave of the debaucheries of Cleon.

V. Again, in his second book, he says that Demetrius was enslaved to Cleon’s debauchery.

VI. Didymus, in his Banquets, says that he was called χαριτοβλέφαρος, or Beautiful Eyed, and Lampeto, by some courtesan.

VI. In his Banquets, Didymus says that a courtesan called him χαριτοβλέφαρος, or Beautiful Eyed, and Lampeto.

VII. It is said that he lost his eye-sight in Alexandria, and recovered it again by the favour of Serapis; on which account he composed the pæans which are sung and spoken of as his composition to this day.

VII. It is said that he lost his sight in Alexandria and regained it through the favor of Serapis. In gratitude, he composed the paeans that are still sung and attributed to him today.

VIII. He was held in the greatest honour among the Athenians, but nevertheless, he found his fame darkened by envy, which attacks every thing; for he was impeached by some one on a capital charge, and as he did not appear, he was condemned. His accusers, however, did not become masters of his person, but expended their venom on the brass, tearing down his statues and selling some and throwing others into the sea, and some they cut up into chamber-pots. For even this is stated. And one statue alone of him is preserved which is in the Acropolis. But Phavorinus in his Universal History, says that the Athenians treated Demetrius in this manner at the command of the king; and they also impeached him as guilty of illegality in his administration, as Phavorinus says. But Hermippus says, that after the death of Cassander, he feared the enmity of Antigonus, and on that account fled to Ptolemy Soter; and that he remained at his court for a long time, and, among other pieces of advice, counselled the king to make over the kingdom to his sons by Eurydice. And as he would not agree to this measure, but gave the crown to his son by Berenice, this latter, after the death of his father, commanded Demetrius to be kept in prison until he should come to some determination about him. And there he remained in great despondency; and while asleep on one occasion, he was bitten by an asp in the hand, and so he died. And he is buried in the district of Busiris, near Diospolis, and we have written the following epigram on him:—

VIII. He was held in the highest honor among the Athenians. Nevertheless, his fame was darkened by envy, which attacks everything. Someone brought a capital charge against him, and because he did not appear, he was condemned. His accusers, however, could not get hold of him, so they vented their venom on the bronze. They tore down his statues, sold some, and threw others into the sea. They even cut some up to make chamber pots. For even this is reported. Only one statue of him survives, on the Acropolis. But Phavorinus says in his Universal History that the Athenians treated Demetrius this way on the king's orders. Phavorinus also says they accused him of acting unlawfully in his administration. Hermippus, however, says that after Cassander died, Demetrius feared the hostility of Antigonus. For that reason, he fled to Ptolemy Soter. He stayed at Ptolemy's court for a long time and gave the king various pieces of advice. Among them, he advised the king to leave the kingdom to his sons by Eurydice. Ptolemy would not agree to this and instead gave the crown to his son by Berenice. After his father's death, this son ordered Demetrius imprisoned until he could decide what to do with him. Demetrius remained there in great despair. Once, while he was asleep, an asp bit his hand, and he died. He is buried in the district of Busiris, near Diospolis, and we have written the following epigram on him:

But Heraclides, in his Epitome of the Successions of Sotion, says that Ptolemy wished to transmit the kingdom to Philadelphus, and that Demetrius dissuaded him from doing so by the argument, “If you give it to another, you will not have it yourself.” And when Menander, the comic poet, had an information laid against him at Athens (for this is a statement which I have heard), he was very nearly convicted, for no other reason but that he was a friend of Demetrius. He was, however, successfully defended by Telesphorus, the son-in-law of Demetrius.

But Heraclides says in his Epitome of the Successions of Sotion that Ptolemy wanted to pass the kingdom to Philadelphus. Demetrius argued against this, saying, “If you give it to another, you will not have it yourself.” I have also heard that Menander, the comic poet, was accused of a crime in Athens. He was almost convicted for no other reason than that he was a friend of Demetrius. However, Telesphorus, Demetrius’s son-in-law, successfully defended him.

IX. In the multitude of his writings and the number of lines which they amount to, he exceeded nearly all the Peripatetics of his day, being a man of great learning and experience on every subject. And some of his writings are historical, some political, some on poets, some rhetorical, some also are speeches delivered in public assemblies or on embassies; there are also collections of Æsop’s Fables, and many other books. There are five volumes on the Legislation of Athens; two on Citizens of Athens; two on the Management of the People; two on Political Science; one on Laws; two on Rhetoric; two on Military Affairs; two on the Iliad; four on the Odyssey; one called the Ptolemy; one on Love; the Phædondas, one; the Mædon, one; the Cleon, one; the Socrates, one; the Artaxerxes, one; the Homeric, one; the Aristides, one; the Aristomachus, one; the Exhortatory, one; one on the Constitution; one on his Ten Years’ Government; one on the Ionians; one on Ambassadors; one on Good Faith; one on Gratitude; one on Futurity; one on Greatness of Soul; one on Marriage; one on Opinion; one on Peace; one on Laws; one on Studies; one on Opportunity; the Dionysius, one; the Chalcidean, one; the Maxims of the Athenians, one; on Antiphanes, one; a Historic Preface, one; one Volume of Letters; one called an Assembly on Oath; one on Old Age; one on Justice; one volume of Æsop’s Fables; one of Apophthegms. His style is philosophical, combined with the energy and impressiveness of an orator.

IX. He wrote more works and more lines than nearly all the Peripatetics of his day. He was a man of great learning and experience in every subject. Some of his writings are historical, some political, some about poets, and some about rhetoric. Others are speeches delivered in public assemblies or on embassies. There are also collections of Æsop’s Fables and many other books. His works include five volumes on the Legislation of Athens, two on Citizens of Athens, two on the Management of the People, two on Political Science, one on Laws, two on Rhetoric, two on Military Affairs, two on the Iliad, and four on the Odyssey. There is one volume each of the Ptolemy, on Love, the Phædondas, the Mædon, the Cleon, the Socrates, the Artaxerxes, the Homeric, the Aristides, the Aristomachus, and the Exhortatory. There is one each on the Constitution, his Ten Years’ Government, the Ionians, Ambassadors, Good Faith, Gratitude, Futurity, Greatness of Soul, Marriage, Opinion, Peace, Laws, Studies, and Opportunity. There is one volume each of the Dionysius, the Chalcidean, the Maxims of the Athenians, on Antiphanes, a Historic Preface, Letters, an Assembly on Oath, on Old Age, on Justice, Æsop’s Fables, and Apophthegms. His style is philosophical, with the energy and power of an orator.

X. When he was told that the Athenians had thrown down his statues, he said, “But they have not thrown down my virtues, on account of which they erected them.” He used to say that the eyebrows were not an insignificant part of a man, for that they were able to overshadow the whole life. Another of his sayings was that it was not Plutus alone who was blind, but Fortune also, who acted as his guide. Another, that reason had as much influence on government, as steel had in war. On one occasion, when he saw a debauched young man, he said, “There is a square Mercury with a long robe, a belly, and a beard.” It was a favourite saying of his, that in the case of men elated with pride one ought to cut something off their height, and leave them their spirit. Another of his apophthegms was, that at home young men ought to show respect to their parents, and in the streets to every one whom they met, and in solitary places to themselves. Another, that friends ought to come to others in good fortune only when invited, but to those in distress of their own accord.

X. When he was told that the Athenians had torn down his statues, he said, “But they have not destroyed my virtues, the reason they erected the statues.” He used to say that eyebrows were not an insignificant part of a person, since they could overshadow a whole life. He also said that Plutus was not the only one who was blind. Fortune, who guided him, was blind too. He said that reason had as much influence on government as steel had in war. Once, when he saw a debauched young man, he said, “There is a square Mercury with a long robe, a belly, and a beard.” He often said that people swollen with pride should be cut down to size but allowed to keep their spirit. He also said that young men should respect their parents at home, everyone they met in the streets, and themselves when alone. He said that friends should visit those enjoying good fortune only when invited, but should visit those in distress without waiting for an invitation.

These are the chief sayings attributed to him.

These are the main sayings attributed to him.

XI. There were twenty persons of the name of Demetrius, of sufficient consideration to be entitled to mention. First, a Chalcedonian, an orator, older than Thrasymachus; the second, this person of whom we are speaking; the third was a Byzantine, a Peripatetic philosopher; the fourth was a man surnamed Graphicus, a very eloquent lecturer, and also a painter; the fifth was a native of Aspendus, a disciple of Apollonius, of Soli; the sixth was a native of Calatia, who wrote twenty books about Asia and Europe; the seventh was a Byzantine, who wrote an account of the crossing of the Gauls from Europe into Asia, in thirteen books, and the History of Antiochus and Ptolemy, and their Administration of the Affairs of Africa, in eight more; the eighth was a Sophist who lived in Alexandria, and who wrote a treatise on Rhetorical Art; the ninth was a native of Adramyttium, a grammarian, who was nick-named Ixion, in allusion to some crime he had committed against Juno; the tenth was a Cyrenean, a grammarian, who was surnamed Stamnus,⁵¹ a very distinguished man; the eleventh was a Scepsian, a rich man of noble birth, and of great eminence for learning. He it was who advanced the fortunes of Metrodorus his fellow citizen; the twelfth was a grammarian of Erythræ, who was made a citizen of Lemnos; the thirteenth was a Bithynian, a son of Diphilus the Stoic, and a disciple of Panætius of Rhodes; the fourteenth was an orator of Smyrna. All of these were prose writers.

XI. There were twenty people named Demetrius who were notable enough to mention. The first was an orator from Chalcedon, older than Thrasymachus. The second is the Demetrius discussed here. The third was a Peripatetic philosopher from Byzantium. The fourth, known as Graphicus, was a very eloquent lecturer and also a painter. The fifth was from Aspendus and was a disciple of Apollonius of Soli. The sixth was from Calatia and wrote twenty books about Asia and Europe. The seventh was from Byzantium. He wrote a thirteen-book account of the Gauls’ crossing from Europe into Asia. He also wrote eight books on the history of Antiochus and Ptolemy and their administration of African affairs. The eighth was a Sophist who lived in Alexandria and wrote a treatise on rhetoric. The ninth was a grammarian from Adramyttium. He was nicknamed Ixion because of a crime he had committed against Juno. The tenth was a grammarian from Cyrene, known as Stamnus,⁵¹ and was a very distinguished man. The eleventh was a wealthy man from Scepsis, of noble birth and great learning. He helped advance the fortunes of his fellow citizen Metrodorus. The twelfth was a grammarian from Erythræ who became a citizen of Lemnos. The thirteenth was from Bithynia. He was the son of Diphilus the Stoic and a disciple of Panætius of Rhodes. The fourteenth was an orator from Smyrna. All of these were prose writers.

The following were poets:—The first a poet of the Old Comedy. The second an Epic poet, who has left nothing behind him that has come down to us, except these lines which he wrote against some envious people:—

The following were poets: The first was a poet of Old Comedy. The second was an epic poet. None of his work has survived except these lines, which he wrote against some envious people:

The third was a native of Tarsus; a writer of Satires. The fourth was a composer of Iambics, a bitter man. The fifth was a statuary, who is mentioned by Polemo. The sixth was a native of Erythræ, a man who wrote on various subjects, and who composed volumes of histories and relations.⁵²

The third was from Tarsus and wrote satires. The fourth wrote iambic verse and was a bitter man. The fifth was a sculptor mentioned by Polemo. The sixth was from Erythræ. He wrote on various subjects and produced volumes of histories and accounts.⁵²