nd to give him the suit of armour which was the
prize. And also at the battle of Delium, when the Athenians were routed,
Alkibiades, who was on horseback, when he saw Sokrates retreating on
foot with a few others, would not ride on, but stayed by him and
defended him, though the enemy were pressing them and cutting off many
of them. These things, however, happened afterwards.

VIII. He once struck Hipponikus, the father of Kallias, a man of great
wealth and noble birth, a blow with his fist, not being moved to it by
anger, or any dispute, but having agreed previously with his friends to
do so for a joke. When every one in the city cried out at his indecent
and arrogant conduct, Alkibiades next morning at daybreak came to the
house of Hipponikus, knocked, and came to him. Here he threw off his
cloak, and offered him his body, bidding him flog him and punish him for
what he had done. Hipponikus, however, pardoned him, and they became
friends, so much so that Hipponikus chose him for the husband of his
daughter Hipparete. Some writers say that not Hipponikus but Kallias his
son gave Hipparete to Alkibiades to wife, with a dowry of ten talents,
and that when her first child was born Alkibiades demanded and received
ten more talents, as if he had made a previous agreement to that effect.
Upon this Kallias, fearing that Alkibiades might plot against his life,
gave public notice in the assembly that if he died childless, he would
leave his house and all his property to the State.

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