Hipparete was a quiet and loving wife, but was so constantly insulted by
her husband's amours with foreign and Athenian courtesans, that she at
length left his house and went to her brother's. Alkibiades took no heed
of this, but continued in his debauchery.
It was necessary for her to deliver her petition for separation to the
magistrate with her own hand, and when she came to do so, Alkibiades
laid hold of her, and took her home with him through the market-place,
no one daring to oppose him and take her from him. She lived with him
until her death, which took place not long after Alkibiades sailed for
Ephesus. In this instance his violence does not seem to have been
altogether lawless or without excuse, for the object of the law in
making a wife appear in person in public seems to be that she may have
an opportunity of meeting her husband and making up her quarrel with
him.
IX. He had a dog of remarkable size and beauty, for which he had paid
seventy minae. It had a very fine tail, which he cut off. When his
friends blamed him, and said that every one was sorry for the dog and
angry with him for what he had done, he laughed and said, "Then I have
succeeded; for I wish the Athenians to gossip about this, for fear they
should say something worse about me."
X. It is said that his first public act was on the occasion of a
voluntary subscription for the State. He did not intend doing anything
of the sort, but as he was passing he heard a great noise, and finding
that voluntary subscriptions were being made, went and subscribed.
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