for Athens. They were
talking thus to one another in his presence, imagining that he could no
longer understand them, but had lost his power of attending to them. He,
however, was following all that they said, and suddenly broke silence,
saying that he was surprised at their remembering and praising him for
the exploits which depended entirely upon fortune for their success, and
which many other generals had done as well as himself, while they did
not mention his greatest and most glorious title to fame. "No Athenian,"
said he, "ever wore black because of me."

XXXIX. Perikles was to be admired, not only for his gentleness and
mildness of spirit, which he preserved through the most violent
political crises and outbreaks of personal hatred to himself, but also
for his lofty disposition. He himself accounted it his greatest virtue
that he never gave way to feelings of envy or hatred, but from his own
exalted pinnacle of greatness never regarded any man as so much his
enemy that he could never be his friend. This alone, in my opinion,
justifies that outrageous nickname of his, and gives it a certain
propriety; for so serene and impartial a man, utterly uncorrupt though
possessed of great power, might naturally be called Olympian. Thus it is
that we believe that the gods, who are the authors of all good and of no
evil to men, rule over us and over all created things, not as the poets
describe them in their bewildering fashion, which their own poems prove
to be untrue. The poets describe the abode of the gods as a safe and
untroubled place where no wind or clouds are, always enjoying a mild air
and clear light, thinking such a place to be fittest for a life of
immortal blessedness; while they represent the gods themselves as full
of disorder and anger and spite and other passions, which are not
becoming even to mortal men of common sense. Those reflections, however,
perhaps belong to another subject.

Events soon made the loss of Perikles felt and regretted by the
Athenians. Those who during his lifetime had complained that his power
completely threw them into the shade, when after his death they had made
trial of other orators and statesmen, were obliged to confess that with
all his arrogance no man ever was really more moderate, and that his
real mildness in dealing with men was as remarkable as his apparent
pride and assumption. His power, which had been so grudged and envied,
and called monarchy and despotism, now was