ARISTIDES. 287

took away the treasure, but slew the man, lest he should tell of him. Hence, they say, the comic poets gave his family the name of Laccophdi, or enriched by the ditch, alluding to the place where Callias found the gold. Aris- tides, immediately after this, was archon ; although Deme- trius, the Phalerian, says he held the office a little before he died, after the battle of Plataja. But in the records of the successors of Xanthippides, in whose year Mardo- nius was overthrown at Plataea, amongst very many there mentioned, there is not so much as one of the same name as Aristides : while immediately after Phsenippus, during whose term of office they obtained the victory of Mara- thon, Aristides is registered. Of all his virtues, the common people were most af- fected with his justice, because of its continual and com- mon use ; and thus, although of mean fortune and ordi- nary birth, he possessed himself of the most kingly and divine appellation of Just ; which kings, however, and tyrants have never sought after ; but have taken delight to be surnamed besiegers of cities, thundei-ers, conque- rors, or eagles again, and hawks;* affecting, it seems, the reputation which proceeds from power and violence, rather than that of virtue. Although the divinity, to whom they desire to compare and assimilate themselves, excels, it is supposed, in three things, immortality, power, and virtue ; of which three, the noblest and divinerst is virtue. For the elements and vacuum have an everlast- ing existence ; earthquakes, thunders, storms, and torrents have great power; but in justice and equity nothing par- ticipates except by means of reason and the knowledge of that which is divine. And thus, taking the three va-

• Demetrius Poliorcetes, or the examples alluded to ; with Pyrrhug

besieger, Ptolemy Ceraunus, or who had the name of Aetus, the Thunder, and Demetrius Nicator, eagle, and Antiochus surnamed Hie- the conqueror, are the probable rax, the hawk.