And while he showed such vigour in enterprises
that required spirit and courage, he was equally admirable in peaceful
negotiations and the arts of persuasion; for he skilfully won over the
formidable Porsena to be the friend instead of the enemy of Rome.
Still we may be reminded that Solon stirred up the Athenians to capture
Salamis, which they had given up to the Megarians, while Poplicola
withdrew the Romans from a country which they had conquered. We must,
however, consider the circumstances under which these events took place.
A subtle politician deals with every thing so as to turn it to the
greatest advantage, and will often lose a part in order to save the
whole, and by sacrificing some small advantage gain another more
important one, as did Poplicola on that occasion; for he, by withdrawing
from a foreign country, preserved his own, gained the enemy's camp for
the Romans, who before were only too glad to save their city from ruin,
and at last, by converting his enemy into an arbitrator and winning his
cause, obtained all the fruits of victory: for Porsena put an end to the
war, and left behind him all his war material to show his respect for
the noble character of the consul.
LIFE OF THEMISTOKLES.
I. Themistokles came of a family too obscure to entitle him to
distinction. His father, Neokles, was a middle-class Athenian citizen,
of the township of Phrearri and the tribe Leontis.
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