He was of a good family, both
his father Timodemus, and his mother Demariste being of rank in the
city. He was a lover of his country, and of a mild temper, except only
that he had a violent hatred for despotism and all that is base. His
nature was so happily constituted, that in his campaigns he showed much
judgment when young, and no less daring when old. He had an elder
brother, Timophanes, who was in no respect like him, but rash, and
inflamed with a passion for monarchy by worthless friends and foreign
soldiers, with whom he spent all his time: he was reckless in a
campaign, and loved danger for its own sake, and by this he won the
hearts of his fellow-citizens, and was given commands, as being a man of
courage and of action. Timoleon assisted him in obtaining these
commands, by concealing his faults or making them appear small, and by
magnifying the clever things which he did.
IV. Now in the battle which the Corinthians fought against the Argives
and Kleoneans, Timoleon was ranked among the hoplites,[A] and his
brother Timophanes, who was in command of the cavalry, fell into great
danger. His horse received a wound, and threw him off among the enemy.
Of his companions, some at once dispersed in panic, while those who
remained by him, being a few against many, with difficulty held their
own. When Timoleon saw what had happened, he ran to the rescue, and held
his shield in front of Timophanes as he lay, and, after receiving many
blows, both from missiles and in hand-to-hand fight, on his arms and
body, with difficulty drove back the enemy and saved his brother.
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