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.”  Demosthenes himself, who despised the other orators, when Phokion rose used to whisper to his friends, “Here comes the cleaver of my harangues.”  Much of his influence, however, must be ascribed to his personal character; since a word or a gesture of a truly good man carries more weight than ten thousand eloquently argued speeches.

VI.  While yet a youth Phokion especially attached himself to the general Chabrias, and followed him in his campaigns, in which he gained considerable military experience, and in some instances was able to correct the strange inequalities of his commander’s temperament.  Chabrias, usually sluggish and hard to rouse, when in action became vehemently excited, and tried to outdo the boldest of his followers in acts of daring:  indeed he lost his life at Chios by being the first to run his ship on shore and to try to effect a landing in the face of the enemy.  Phokion, who was a man of action, and cautious nevertheless, proved most useful in stirring up Chabrias when sluggish, and again in moderating his eagerness when roused.  In consequence of this, Chabrias, who was of a kindly and noble disposition, loved Phokion and promoted him to many responsible posts, so that his name became well known throughout Greece, as Chabrias entrusted him with the management of the most important military operations.  At the battle of Naxos he enabled Phokion to win great glory, by placing him in command of the left wing, where the most important struggle took place, and where the victory was finally decided.  As this was the first sea fight, since the capture