As this was the first sea fight, since the capture and ruin
of Athens, which the Athenians won by themselves, without allies, over
other Greeks, they were greatly pleased with Chabrias, and Phokion was
henceforth spoken of as a man of military genius. The battle was won
during the performance of the Great Mysteries at Eleusis; and every
year afterwards, on the sixteenth day of the month Boeedromion,
Chabrias used to entertain the Athenians, and offer libations of wine
to the gods.
VII. After this Chabrias sent Phokion to visit the islands and exact
tribute from them, giving him an escort of twenty ships of war: upon
which Phokion is said to have remarked, that if he was sent to fight
the islanders, he should require a larger force, but that if he was
going to the allies of Athens, one ship would suffice for him. He
sailed in his own trireme, visited all the states, simply and
unassumingly explained the objects of his mission to their leading
men, and returned home with a large fleet, which the allies despatched
to convey their tribute safe to Athens.
He not only esteemed and looked up to Chabrias while he lived, but
after his death he took care of his family, and endeavoured to make a
good man of his son Ktesippus; and though he found this youth stupid
and unmanageable, he never ceased his efforts to amend his character
and to conceal his faults. Once only we are told that when on some
campaign the young man was tormenting him with unreasonable questions,
and offering him advice as though he were appointed assistant-general,
Phokion exclaimed, "O Chabrias, Chabrias, I do indeed prove myself
grateful for your friendship for me, by enduring this from your son!"
Observing that the public men of the day had, as if by lot, divided
the duties of the war-office and of the public assembly amongst
themselves, so that Eubulus, Aristophon, Demosthenes, Lykurgus, and
Hypereides did nothing except make speeches to the people and bring
forward bills, while Diopeithes, Menestheus, Leosthenes, and Chares
rose entirely by acting as generals and by making war, Phokion wished
to restore the era of Perikles, Aristeides, and Solon, statesmen who
were able to manage both of these branches of the administration with
equal success.
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