V. Though one of the kindest and most affable of men, he was of a
forbidding and severe countenance, so that men who did not know him
well feared to address him when alone. Once when Chares in a speech
mentioned Phokion's gloomy brow, the Athenians began to laugh. "Yet,"
said he, "his brow has never harmed you: but the laughter of these men
has brought great sorrow upon the state." In like manner also the
oratory of Phokion was most valuable, as it incited his countrymen to
win brilliant successes, and to form lofty aspirations. He spoke in a
brief, harsh, commanding style, without any attempt to flatter or
please his audience. Just as Zeno says that a philosopher ought to
steep his words in meaning, so Phokion's speeches conveyed the
greatest possible amount of meaning in the smallest compass. It is
probably in allusion to this that Polyeuktus[623] of Sphettus said
that Demosthenes was the best orator, but that Phokion was the most
powerful speaker. As the smallest coins are those which have the
greatest intrinsic value, so Phokion in his speeches seemed to say
much with few words. We are told that once while the people were
flocking into the theatre Phokion was walking up and down near the
stage, plunged in thought. "You seem meditative, Phokion," said one of
his friends. "Yes, by Zeus," answered he, "I am considering whether I
can shorten the speech which I am going to make to the Athenians.
Pages:
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727