XXIII.  When Leosthenes plunged the city into the war[636] for the liberation of Greece, as Phokion opposed him, he sneeringly asked him what good he had done the city during the many years that he had been general.  “No small good,” retorted Phokion, “I have caused the Athenians to be buried at home in their own sepulchres.”  As Leosthenes spoke in a boastful and confident manner before the public assembly, Phokion said, “Your speeches, young man, are like cypress trees; they are tall and stately, but they bear no fruit.”  When Hypereides rose and asked Phokion when he would advise the Athenians to go to war; “When,” answered he, “I see young men willing to observe discipline, the rich subscribing to the expenses, and the orators leaving off embezzling the public funds.”  As many admired the force which Leosthenes got together, and inquired of Phokion whether he thought that sufficient preparations had been made, he answered, “Enough for the short course; but I fear for Athens if the race of war is to be a long one, since she has no reserves, either of money, ships, or men.”  The events of the war bore out the justice of his remark; for at first Leosthenes was elated by his great success, as he defeated the Boeotians in a pitched battle, and drove Antipater into Lamia.  The Athenians were now full of hope, and did nothing but hold high festival to welcome the good news, and offer sacrifices of thanksgiving to the gods.  Phokion, however, when asked whether he did not wish that he had done all this, answered, “Certainly I do; but I wish that quite the contrary policy had been adopted.”  Again, when despatch after despatch kept arriving from the camp, announcing fresh successes, he said, “I wonder when we shall leave off being victorious.”

XXIV.  After the death of Leosthenes, those who feared that, if Phokion were made commander-in-chief, he would put an end to the war, suborned an obscure person to rise in the assembly and say that, as a friend and associate of Phokion, he should advise them to spare him, and keep him safe, since they had no one else like him in Athens, and to send Antiphilus to command the army.  The Athenians approved of this advice, but Phokion came forward and declared that he had never associated with the man, or had any acquaintance with him.  “From this day forth, however,” said he, “I regard you as my friend and companion, for you have given advice which suits me.”  When the Athenians were eager to invade Boeotia, he at first opposed them; and when some of his friends told him that he would be put to death if he always thwarted the Athenians, he answered, “I shall suffer death unjustly, if I tell them what is to their advantage, but justly if I do wrong.”  When he saw that they would not give up the project, but excitedly insisted on it, he bade the herald proclaim that all Athenians who had arrived at manhood[637] from sixty years and under, should take provisions for five days and follow him to Boeotia at once.  Upon this a great disturbance took place, as the older citizens leaped to their feet, and clamoured loudly.  “There is nothing strange in the proclamation,” said Phokion, “for I, who am eighty years of age, shall be with you as your general.”  Thus he managed to quiet them, and induced them to give up their intention.”