But in the case of Phokion and Cato, their virtues bore the
same stamp, form, and ethical complexion down to the most minute
particulars. Both alike possessed the same mixture of kindness and
severity, of caution and daring: both alike cared for the safety of
others and neglected their own: both alike shrank from baseness, and
were zealous for the right; so that one would have to use a very nice
discrimination to discover the points of difference between their
respective dispositions.
IV. Cato is admitted by all writers to have been a man of noble
descent, as will be explained in his life: and I imagine that the
family of Phokion was not altogether mean and contemptible. If his
father had really been a pestle maker, as we are told by Idomeneus,
who may be sure that Glaukippus, the son of Hypereides, who collected
and flung at him such a mass of abuse, would not have omitted to
mention his low birth, nor would he have been so well brought up as to
have been a scholar of Plato while a lad, and afterwards to have
studied under Xenokrates in the Academy; while from his youth up he
always took an interest in liberal branches of learning. We are told
by the historian Douris that scarcely any Athenian ever saw Phokion
laughing or weeping, or bathing in the public baths, or with his hand
outside of his cloak, when he wore one. Indeed when he was in the
country or on a campaign he always went barefooted and wore only his
tunic, unless the cold was excessively severe; so that the soldiers
used to say in jest that it was a sign of wintry weather to see
Phokion wearing his cloak.
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