29) writes it. He
took the island of Skiathus, where the enemy deposited their plunder;
he hanged the slaves that he found there, and cut off the hands of the
freemen. Caesar, when he was in Gaul, cut off the hands of all the
persons who had assisted in the defence of Uxellodunum against the
Romans, according to the author of the eighth book of the _Gallic War_
(viii. 44).]

[Footnote 208: See the Life of Lucullus.]

[Footnote 209: He is called Athenion by Athenaeus. His father was an
Athenian citizen; his mother was an Egyptian woman. His political
career began with his being sent by the Athenians on an embassy to
Mithridates, and he ultimately persuaded the Athenians to join the
king. This is the account of Posidonius as quoted by Athenaeus (v. 211,
&c. ed. Casaub.) Appian (_Mithridatic War_, 28, &c.) gives an account
of his making himself a tyrant in Athens, which is somewhat different.
He appears to have established himself in B.C. 88; and his power only
lasted till B.C. 86. This Aristion was a philosopher, which gives
occasion to some curious remarks by Appian (_Mithridatic War_, c. 28),
who says, speaking of his enormities: "and all this he did though he
was a follower of the Epicurean philosophy. But it was not Aristion
only at Athens, nor yet Kritias before him, and all who were
philosophers with Kritias and tyrants at the same time; but in Italy
also, those who were Pythagoreans, and in Greece the Seven Sages as
they are called, as many of them as engaged in public affairs,--all
were chiefs and tyrants more cruel than tyrants who were not
philosophers. So that one may doubt as to other philosophers, and have
some suspicion, whether it was for virtue's sake, or merely to console
them for their poverty and having nothing to do with political
matters, that they adopted philosophy. There are now many philosophers
in a private station and poor who consequently wrap themselves up in
philosophy out of necessity, and bitterly abuse those who are rich or
in power; and thereby do not so much get a reputation for despising
wealth and power as being envious of them. But those whom they abuse
act much more wisely in despising them." There was at least one
exception to these philosophers, Marcus Antoninus, who was the head of
the Roman State, and required in his exalted station all the comfort
that philosophy could give.]

[Footnote 210: The Peiraeus, one of the chief ports of Athens, is often
used to express the maritim