Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/116

 108 DEMETRIUS. happy omen to meet or see Pliilippides at the outset of any enterprise or expedition. And, in general, he was well thought of for his own character, as a plain, uninter- fering person, with none of the officious, self-important habits of a court. Once, when Lysiraachus was solicitous to show him kindness, and asked what he had that he could make him a present of, "Any thing," replied Philippides, "but your state secrets." The stage-pla^-er, we thought, deserved a place in our narrative quite as well as the public speaker. But that which exceeded all the former follies and flat> teries was the proposal of Dromoclides of Sj)hettus ; who, when there was a debate about sending to the Del- phic Oracle to inquire the proper course for the conse- cration of certain bucklers, moved in the assembly that they should rather send to receive an oracle from Deme- trius. I will transcribe the very words of the order, which was in these terms : " May it be happy and propi- tious. The people of Athens have decreed, that a fit per- son shall be chosen among the Athenian citizens, who shall be deputed to be sent to the Deliverer ; and after he hath duly performed the sacrifices, shall inquire of the Deliverer, in what most religious and decent manner he will please to direct, at the earliest possible time, the con- secration of the bucklers; and according to the answer the people shall act." With this befooling they com- pleted the perversion of a mind which even before was not so strong or sound as it should have been. During his present leisure in Athens, he took to wife Eurydice, a descendant of the ancient Miltiades, wlio had been married to Opheltas, the ruler of Gyrene, and after his death had come back to Athens. The Athenians took the marriage as a compliment and favor to the city. But Demetrius was very free in these matters, and was the husband of several wives at once ; the highest place