LYCURGUS was the son of Lycophron, and grandson of that Lycurgus whom
the Thirty Tyrants put to death, by the procurement of Aristodemus
the Batesian, who, also being treasurer of the Greeks, was banished
in the time of the popular government. He was a Butadian by birth,
and of the line or family of the Eteobutades. He received his first
institutions of philosophy from Plato the philosopher. But afterward
entering himself a scholar to Isocrates the orator, he employed his
study about affairs of the commonwealth. And to his care was committed
the disposal and management of the city stock, and so he executed the
office of treasurer-general for the space of twelve years; in which
time there went through his hands fourteen thousand talents, or (as
some will have it) eighteen thousand six hundred and fifty. It was the
orator Stratocles that procured him this preferment. At first he was
chosen in his own name; but afterwards he nominated one of his friends
to the office, while he himself performed the duties; for there was
a law just passed, that no man should be chosen treasurer for above
the term of four years. But Lycurgus plied his business closely,
both summer and winter, in the administration of public affairs. And
being entrusted to make provision of all necessaries for the wars, he
reformed many abuses that were crept into the commonwealth. He built
four hundred galleys for the use of the public, and prepared and fitted
a place for public exercises in Lyceum, and planted trees before it;
he likewise built a wrestling-court, and being made surveyor of the
theatre of Bacchus, he finished this building. He was likewise of so
great repute among all sorts, that he was entrusted with two hundred
and fifty talents of private citizens. He adorned and beautified the
city with gold and silver vessels of state, and golden images of
victory. He likewise finished many things that were as yet imperfect,
as the dock-yards and the arsenal. He built a wall also about the
spacious Panathenaic race-course, and made level a piece of uneven
ground, given by one Dinias to Lycurgus for the use of the city. The
keeping of the city was committed wholly to his care, and power to
apprehend malefactors, of whom he cleared the city utterly; so that
some sophisters were wont to say, that Lycurgus did not dip his pen in
ink, but in blood. And therefore it was, that when Alexander demanded
him of the people, they would not deliver him up. When Philip made
the second war upon the Athenians, he was employed with Demosthenes
and Polyeuctus in an embassy to Peloponnesus and other cities. He
was always in great repute and esteem with the Athenians, and looked
upon as a man of that justice and integrity, that in the courts of
judicature his good word was at all times prevalent on the behalf of
those persons for whom he undertook to speak. He was the author of
several laws; one of which was, that there should be certain comedies
played at the Chytrian solemnities, and whoever of the poets or players
should come off victor, he should thereby be invested with the freedom
of the city, which before was not lawful; and so he revived a solemnity
which for want of encouragement had for some time before been out of
request. Another of his laws was, that the city should erect statues
to the memory of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides; and that their
tragedies, being fairly engrossed, should be preserved in the public
consistory, and that the public clerks should read these copies as
the plays were acted, that nothing might be changed by the players;
and that otherwise it should be unlawful to act them. A third law
proposed by him was, that no Athenian, nor any person inhabiting in
Athens, should be permitted to buy a captive, who was once free, to be
a slave, without the consent of his former master. Further, that in
the Piraeus there should be at least three circular dances played to
Neptune; and that to the victor in the first should be given not less
than ten minas; in the second, eight; in the third, six. Also, that no
woman should go to Eleusis in a coach, lest the poor should appear more
despicable than the rich, and so be dejected and cast down; and that
whoever should ride in a coach contrary to this law should be fined six
thousand drachms. And when even his own wife was taken in the violation
of it, he paid to the discoverers of it a whole talent; for which being
afterwards called in question by the people: See therefore, said he, I
am called to answer for giving, and not for receiving money.
As he was walking one day in the streets, he saw an officer lay hand
on Xenocrates the philosopher; and when nothing would serve his turn
but the philosopher must to prison, because he had not deposited the
tribute due from strangers, he with his staff struck the officer on the
head for his unmannerly roughness toward a person of that character,
and freeing Xenocrates, cast the other into prison in his stead. And
not many days after, Xenocrates meeting with the children of Lycurgus
said: I have returned thanks unto your father right speedily, my good
children, for his friendship towards me, for I hear his kindness
commended by all people where I go. He made likewise several decrees,
in which he made use of the help of an Olynthian named Euclides, one
very expert in such matters. Though he was rich enough, yet he was
used to wear the same coat every day, both summer and winter; but he
wore shoes only when he was compelled to do it. Because he was not
ready to speak extempore, he used to practise and study day and night.
And to the end he might not at any time oversleep himself and so lose
time from his study, he used to cover himself on his bed only with a
sheepskin with the wool on, and to lay a hard bolster under his head.
When one reproached him for being in fee with rhetoricians when he
studied his orations, he answered, that, if a man would promise to
restore his sons better, he would give him not only a thousand drachms,
but half what he was worth. He took the liberty of speaking boldly upon
all occasions, by reason of his greatness; as when once the Athenians
interrupted him in his speaking, he cried out, O thou Corcyraean whip,
how many talents art thou worth? And another time, when some would rank
Alexander among the Gods, What manner of God, said he, must he be, when
all that go out of his temple had need to be dipped in water to purify
themselves?
After his death Menesaechmus accusing and indicting them by virtue
of an instrument drawn by Thracycles, his sons were delivered to the
eleven executioners of Justice. But Demosthenes, being in exile,
wrote to the Athenians, to let them know that they were wrongfully
accused, and that therefore they did not well to hear their accusers;
upon which they recanted what they had done, and set them at liberty
again,—Democles, who was Theophrastus’s scholar, likewise pleading in
their defence. Lycurgus and some of his posterity were buried publicly,
at or near the temple of Minerva Paeonia, where their monuments stand
in the garden of Melanthius the philosopher, on which are inscriptions
to Lycurgus and his children, which are yet extant. The greatest thing
he did while he lived was his raising the revenue of the commons
totally from sixty talents, as he found it, to twelve hundred. When
he found he must die, he was by his own appointment carried into the
temple of the Mother of the Gods, and into the senate-house, being
willing before his death to give an account of his administration. And
no man daring to accuse him of any thing except Menesaechmus, having
purged himself from those calumnies which he cast upon him, he was
carried home again, where in a short time he ended his life. He was
always accounted honest; his orations were commended for the eloquence
they carried in them; and though he was often accused, yet he never was
overthrown in any suit.
He had three children by Callisto, the daughter of Abron, and sister
of Callias, Abron’s son, by descent a Batesian,—I mean, of him who,
when Chaerondas was magistrate, was paymaster to the army. Of this
affinity Dinarchus speaks in his oration against Pastius. He left
behind him three sons, Abron, Lycurgus, and Lycophron; of which,
Abron and Lycurgus died without issue, though the first, Abron, did
for some time act very acceptably and worthily in affairs of the
commonwealth. Lycophron, marrying Callistomacha, the daughter of
Philip of Aexone, begat Callisto, who married Cleombrotus the son
of Dinocrates the Acharnian, to whom she bare Lycophron, who, being
adopted by his grandfather, died without issue. He being dead, Socrates
married Callisto, of whom he had his son Symmachus. To him was born
Aristonymus; to Aristonymus, Charmides, who was the father of Philippe.
Of her and Lysander came Medeius, who also was an interpreter, one
of the Eumolpids. He begat two children of Timothea, the daughter
of Glaucus, viz. Laodamia and Medius, who were priests of Neptune
Erechtheus; also Philippe a daughter, who was afterward priestess of
Minerva; for before, she was married to Diocles of Melite, to whom
she bare a son named Diocles, who was a colonel of a regiment of
foot. He married Hediste, the daughter of Abron, and of her begat
Philippides and Nicostrata, whom Themistocles the torch-bearer, son of
Theophrastus, married, and by her had Theophrastus and Diocles; and he
likewise constituted the priesthood of Neptune Erechtheus.
It is said that he penned fifteen orations. He was often crowned by the
people, and had statues dedicated to him. His image in brass was set
up in Ceramicus by order of the public, in the year of Anaxicrates; in
whose time also it was ordered that he and his eldest son should be
provided for with diet in the Prytaneum; but he being dead, Lycophron
his eldest son was forced to sue for that donation. This Lycurgus also
was used frequently to plead on the account of sacred things; and
accused Autolycus the Areopagite, Lysicles the general, Demades the
son of Demeas, Menesaechmus, and many others, all whom he caused to be
condemned as guilty. Diphilus also was called in question by him, for
impairing and diminishing the props of the metal mines, and unjustly
making himself rich therefrom; and he caused him to be condemned to
die, according to the provision made by the laws in that case. He gave
out of his own stock fifty drachms to every citizen, the sum total of
which donation amounted to one hundred and sixty talents;[17] but some
say he gave a mina of silver to each. He likewise accused Aristogiton,
Leocrates, and Autolycus for cowardice. He was called the Ibis:...