72 ONE THOUSAND FAMOUS THINGS
The Just Man
AN illiterate man came to Aristides, and asked him to write on the
billet for his banishment the name Aristides.
" Do you know him ? " asked the minister. " No, I don't; but I
hate to hear him always called the Just."
Axistides made no reply, but wrote his own name as he was
requested. Plutarch
The City No One Knows
IF we traverse the world it is possible to find cities without walls,
without letters, without kings, without wealth, without coin,
without schools and theatres ; but a city without a temple no one
ever saw. Plutarch
The Ten
CAECILIUS METELLUS, being advised to attack a strong position
which he was assured could be taken with the loss of only ten
men, replied, " I will, if you will be one of the ten." Plutarch
Spring is No More
THE young men have been taken from the city; the spring has
gone out of the year. Pericles
In the Name of Pericles
HE perished, but his wreath was won,
He perished in his height of fame ;
Then sank the cloud on Athens' sun,
Yet still she conquered in his name.
Filled with his soul she could not die ;
Her conquest was posterity.
George Croly on Pericles
The Peaks We Cannot Scale
FORGIVE 1
And tell me that sweet tale,
How you and I one day may live
In some diviner vale*
In some diviner vale, dear child, *
Than this in which we lie
And watch the monstrous mountains piled
And clouded into sky.
Yet even there, far out of reach
Are peaks we cannot scale,
For God has something still to reach
In that diviner vale.
Francis Burden Money-Coutis