This Timandra is said to have been the mother of Lais, commonly called
the Corinthian, who really was brought as a captive from Hykkara, a
small town in Sicily. Some writers, although they agree in their account
of the manner of his death, differ as to its cause, alleging that it was
neither due to Pharnabazus nor to Lysander nor the Lacedaemonians, but
that Alkibiades had debauched a girl of noble birth and was living with
her, and that her relatives, enraged at this insult, during the night
set fire to the house in which Alkibiades was living, and, as has been
related, shot him as he leaped out through the flames.
LIFE OF CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS.
I. The patrician family of the Marcii at Rome produced many illustrious
men, amongst whom was Ancus Marcius, the grandson of Numa, who became
king after the death of Tullus Hostilius. To this family also belonged
Publius and Quintus Marcius, who supplied Rome with abundance of
excellent water, and Censorinus, twice appointed censor by the Roman
people, who afterwards passed a law that no one should hold that office
twice.
Caius Marcius, the subject of this memoir, was an orphan, and brought up
by a widowed mother. He proved that, hard though the lot of an orphan
may be, yet it does not prevent a man's becoming great and
distinguished, and that the bad alone allege it as an excuse for an
intemperate life. He also proves to us that a naturally noble nature, if
it be not properly disciplined, will produce many good and bad qualities
together, just as a rich field, if not properly tilled, will produce
both weeds and good fruit.
Pages:
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550