ing the Greeks to defend their liberties against the Persians, who were threatening a new invasion. As Xerxes approached, the Athenians recalled all their exiles, and Aristides with them, whose absence they began to lament. On his return, he suspended all political animosities in this season of common danger; and understanding that it was the wish of Themistocles to fight the Persian navy in the straits of Salamis, he repaired to him in private, proposed an oblivion of all past misunderstandings, highly commended his intentions, and promised to assist him with all his influence in carrying them into execution. Some time after the victory at Salamis, Themistocles acquainted the people of Athens, that he had a project highly to the advantage of their state, but that it was of a nature which forbade the public communication of it. They directed him to disclose it to Aristides. It was a scheme for burning the whole confederate fleet of Greece, except their own ships, which would leave Athens complete mistress of the sea. Aristides reported to the citizens that nothing could be more advantageous than the scheme of Themistocles, and nothing more unjust. The people thereupon determined that it should be thought of no further. It was equally to the honour of Aristides that he was made the referee on this occasion, and to the Athenians that they came to such a determination! Before the battle of Platea, Aristides was of the greatest service in preserving concord between the confederates, and in persuading his own countrymen, elevated with their former successes, to submit to the superiority of the Spartans. In the combat he acquitted himself with great resolution; and after the victory he terminated a dangerous quarrel concerning the honour of the day, by giving up the claim of the Athenians to that of the Plateans; in which he was followed by the Lacedæmonians. When Athens was rebuilt, he was the first to promote, in favour of the people at large, who had deserved so well of the state, a decree which gave all the citizens a share in the administration, and enjoined that the archons should be chosen out of the whole body.

The war with the Persians continuing, Aristides was sent with Cimon, the son of Miltiades, to command the Athenian forces in the confederate army. Their behaviour, contrasted with the haughtiness of Pausanias the Spartan general, so won upon the rest of the allies, that all the other states concurred in bestowing the superiority of rank upon Athens. A signal proof of the high character of Aristides throughout all Greece for integrity and justice, was given by

the unanimous nomination of him to lay a proportionate assessment upon all the states, for the purpose of raising a common fund towards the expense of the war. This delicate commission he executed with such wisdom and impartiality as to give universal satisfaction. After this affair was concluded, he caused all the confederates to swear solemnly to the articles of alliance. It must have been some very evident and urgent necessity, which afterwards induced him to advise the Athenians to extend their own authority beyond the prescribed limits, and suffer the consequences of the perjury to fall upon himself. When Themistocles fell under the displeasure of the ruling party, Aristides refused to concur in a capital prosecution of him; and, on his banishment, he was so far from triumphing over an old enemy, that he ever afterwards spoke of him with increased respect.

It was common in that age for men who had borne the highest public offices, to add nothing to their private fortunes: but no man ever carried farther this proof of disinterestedness than Aristides. He was, indeed, so remarkably poor, that when his rich relation, Callias, underwent a prosecution on some account, the orator who pleaded against him, in order to excite the indignation of the audience, remarked upon the scandalous indigence in which he suffered Aristides and his family to live, though he was so able to assist them. And Callias, in his vindication, was obliged to summon Aristides to testify that he had several times offered him considerable sums, which he had refused to accept, saying, "that it better became Aristides to glory in his poverty, than Callias in his riches;" which, indeed, appear to have been dishonourably acquired.

This truly great man died about 467 years B. C. as some say, in Pontus, whither he was sent on public business; according to others, at Athens, in an advanced age. His funeral was conducted at the public expence; and the Athenians, grateful after his death, bestowed a pension and an estate in land on his son Lysimachus, and portioned his daughters out of the public treasury. Plutarch's Life of Aristides. Univers. Hist.-A.

ARISTIDES, ELIUS, the Sophist, a native of Adrianum in Bithynia, a disciple of Polemo the rhetorician, of Smyrna, of Herodes at Athens, and of Aristocles at Smyrna, flourished in the latter part of the second century, in the time of the emperors Antoninus Pius, Aurelius and Commodus. He was an orator of great skill and ability; and has left many orations, which appear to have been studied with

much care and diligence. The subjects are laudatory, in praise of Jupiter, Minerva, Neptune, Bacchus, and other divinities, of illustrious men, of great cities and states, &c.: gratulatory, as, on the restoration of Smyrna after an earthquake: suasory, to the Athenians, to incite them to assist the Spartans and Thebans; to the Smyrnæans, to persuade them to abolish licentious comedies; to the states of Asia, recommending mutual harmony; to the Rhodians, to the same purport, &c.: apologetic, in defence of Pericles, Miltiades, Cimon, and Themistocles; of himself, against the charge of vanity, and for not declaiming more frequently, &c. Among his works are also found an epistle "On the Causes of the Increase of the Nile," in which the several explanations given of this phænomenon are set aside, and it is ascribed wholly to the immediate power and providence of God; and an excellent treatise "On popular and simple Diction," exemplified from Demosthenes and Xenophon. This piece was edited, in folio, by Aldus, among the Greek Rhetoricians, at Venice, in 1508. Of the orations of Aristides, that entitled "Panathenaica," in praise of Athens, written in imitation of Isocrates, is annexed to H. Stephens' edition of Isocrates, published in 1593. The entire works of this orator were published in Greek, in folio, at Florence, in 1517; and in Greek and Latin, in three volumes 12mo. by P. Stephens, in 1604; at Upsal, by Norman, in 1677; and by Jebb, in two volumes 4to, at Oxford, in 1722. Large extracts from the Orations of Aristides are to be found in Photius (Cod.

247).

The orations of Aristides are written with laboured accuracy, and abound with fine moral sentiments. They, at the same time, afford many proofs, that the author was credulous and superstitious. Several of his orations called sacred, relate the communications which he had with the gods by dreams. In an oration, which reprehends some of the sophists of his time, he is supposed to compare them to the Christians and though they are not expressly mentioned, it is probable that he refers to them under the title of "the impious people in Palestine, who acknowledge not the gods;" for they were commonly charged with impiety by the pagans, because they did not worship their divinities.

From these orations, and others of the same class, we are enabled to form a clear idea of the nature of the profession of sophists, or rhetoricians, and of the manner in which these declaimers amused their pupils and the public.

The office was, under the Roman emperors, a regular national establishment: and the professors, whose occupation it was to instruct the youth in rhetoric, and to deliver public harangues on various subjects, fictitious or real, received, from the time of Vespasian, a regular annual stipend, which has been computed at ten thousand Attic drachmas, or 3201. How much influence these orators had, not only over their pupils and hearers, but even over the emperors themselves, may be seen in an anecdote related concerning Aristides by his biographer Philostratus. (De Vit. Sophist. lib. ii. c. 9.) When Smyrna had been overthrown and almost destroyed by earthquakes, Aristides so pathetically represented their calamitous situation in a letter to the emperor Antoninus, that he could not refrain from tears, and immediately issued an order to restore the city. The inhabitants thought themselves so much indebted to Aristides for this benevolent service, that they honoured him as the founder of their new city, and erected in their forum a brass statue to his memory. A declaimer by profession, if he possessed talents and merit, such as appears to have belonged to Aristides, might be pardoned, if he were not wholly free from vanity, the weakness which his daily occupation tended to nourish. When Marcus Aurelius came to Smyrna, Aristides neglected, for three days, to pay his respects to the emperor. Upon his appearance, the emperor, who had before made inquiry after him, asked him, "How had it happened that he had so long delayed his visit?" "I was busy (he replied) in a work, upon which my mind was so intensely occupied, that it could not easily be disengaged." Aurelius, not perceiving, or more probably overlooking, the affectation of this apology, politely imputed it altogether to ingenuous simplicity, and requested Aristides to appoint a time when he might be gratified with hearing him declaim. "Let it be to-morrow, if you please (says Aristides); only I must entreat that my friends may be present, to applaud and clap their hands with all their might.' "That (replied the emperor, smiling) must depend upon yourself." The emperor was not perhaps aware that, besides the gratification which the orator would receive from the plaudits of his audience, they were become, through habit, a necessary accompaniment of his harangues, without which his spirits would flag, and his eloquence fail. Aristides, doubtless, valued the reputation which he had acquired as an eloquent speaker; but he valued it only in connection with virtue." No man," says he in one of his orations (Orat. cont. Prod. Myst.), can be so

stupid as to despise fame, if it be the reward of eloquence and a life of virtue, and I do not desire to obtain it by any other means." And, in another place (Orat. Plat. secunda.): "I had rather be master of eloquent speech, with a sober and virtuous life, than enjoy a thousand times the wealth of Darius the son of Hystaspes." Such a man, with all his errors and weaknesses, must be respected as an ornament to the age in which he lives. Philostr. Vit. Sophist. Suidas. Fabric. Bib. Græc. lib. iv. c. 30. § 4, 5. Lardner's Heathen Testimonies,

C. 20.-E.

ARISTIDES, an eminent painter, a native of Thebes, and contemporary with Apelles, flourished about B. C. 340. He is said to have been the first who painted mind, and expressed the affections and passions. A famous picture of this kind was that of a mother, in a captured town, mortally wounded, and her infant seeking the breast; in which the mother seemed apprehensive lest the child should suck blood instead of milk. Alexander carried this piece to Pella in Macedon. Aristides also painted a battle with the Persians, comprehending one hundred figures. At Rome was a Bacchus and Ariadne by his hand, part of the plunder of Corinth. Concerning this picture it is said, that when Mummius put up the spoil of that city to auction, Attalus king of Pergamus bought it at a price which so much surprised the Roman general, that, suspecting some secret value, of which he was ignorant, he annulled the bargain, to the great displeasure of Attalus, and reserved the work for the temple of Ceres at Rome. Attalus for another piece of this master is related to have given one hundred talents. In the Capitol was an old man with a lyre teaching a boy to play, by Aristides. A sick man of his painting was greatly admired. Expression seems to have been his distinguishing excellence. In colouring he was somewhat hard. Plinii. Hist. Nat. lib. xxxv.-A.

ARISTIDES, an Athenian philosopher of the second century, became a convert to the Christian faith. He was an eloquent teacher of philosophy, and after his conversion retained the profession and habit of a philosopher. In this habit he presented, at the same time with Quadratus," An Apology for the Christian Faith" to the emperor Adrian. Of this work Jerom speaks as a monument of the writer's ingenuity in another place he observes, that it was interspersed with sentences from the philosophers; and that Justin imitated it in the Apology which he presented to the emperor Antoninus Pius. It is to be lamented, that nothing

remains from the pen of this Christian philosopher. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. lib. iv. c. 3. Hieron. de Vir. Ill. c. 20. Id. ad Magn. ep. 84. Lardner's Credibility, part ii. c. 28. §2.-E.

ARISTIPPUS, a Grecian philosopher, the founder of the Cyrenaic sect, was born at Cyrene in Africa, and flourished about 400 years before Christ. In his youth, when he was attending the Olympic games, he heard such particulars concerning the wisdom of Socrates, and his method of instructing youth, as inspired him with an ardent desire of becoming one of his disciples. Leaving his native city, where he had large possessions, he took up his residence at Athens, and attended the school of Socrates. At first he was much delighted with the doctrine of a master who professed to prescribe the true remedy for the ills of life, and to conduct his followers to happiness on the path of wisdom: but he soon found the moral system of Socrates too severe to suit his inclinations, and indulged himself in a luxurious and effeminate manner of living. His behaviour displeased Socrates, and gave occasion to an excellent Lecture on Pleasure, preserved by Xenophon (Memorab. lib. ii.). The expensive habits which Aristippus formed, excited a desire of gain, which induced him, while he was a pupil of Socrates, to open a school of rhetoric; and he was the first of the Socratic school who took money for teaching. Socrates, who remarked his extravagance, asked him how he came to have so much? "How came you (he replied) to have so little?" From the profits of his own school of rhetoric he sent Socrates, probably in hopes of silencing his reproofs, a present of twenty minæ, or about 641. Socrates, however, returned the present, saying that his dæmon forbade him to receive it. From this time Aristippus alienated himself from his master, and soon afterwards left his school, and withdrew from Athens.

No longer the pupil of wisdom, but of pleasure, Aristippus now visited the island of Ægina. At the annual festival of Neptune the celebrated Laïs, according to her usual practice, was present; and the philosopher became a captive to her charms, and accompanied her to Corinth. (Cic. Ep. Fam. lib. ix. ep. 26. Athen. lib. v. p. 216. xii. p. 554. xiii. p. 559. ed. Casaubon, 1612.) On the passage, a storm arising, at which he appeared terrified, one of the crew said to him: “ Why are you philosophers more afraid than we?" "Because (says he) we have more to lose." (Ælian, Hist. Var. lib. ix. § 20. Aul. Gell. lib. xix. c. 1.) At Corinth Aristippus devoted himself to voluptuousness, and apologised for his con

duct by saying, "that it was not pleasure that was criminal, but being the slave of pleasure." In a voyage which Aristippus made into Asia from Corinth, the vessel was shipwrecked on the island of Rhodes. Accidentally observing, as he came on shore, a geometrical diagram drawn upon the sand, he said to his companions, "Take courage, I see the footsteps of men." (Vitruv. Arch. lib. vi. Diod. Sic. lib. xiv.) When they arrived at the principal town of the island, the philosopher soon procured a hospitable reception for himself and his fellow-travellers; herein confirming one of his own aphorisms: "If you ask what advantage a man of letters has above one that is illiterate; send him among strangers, and you will see." From Asia Aristippus probably returned to Corinth, and thence to Ægina; for Plato (Phædon.) says, that he remained at Ægina till the death of Socrates.

It was, perhaps, about this time that Aristippus instituted his school at Cyrene, which, from the place, was called the Cyrenaic sect; al though it must be owned, that we have little certain information concerning this school, either during the life of its founder or after his death.

At the period when the court of Dionysius the tyrant of Sicily was the general resort of philosophers, Aristippus appeared in the train of that prince; and the easy gaiety of his manners, and the convenient suppleness of his system, gave him an advantage over all his brethren in managing the humours of the tyrant. When he first came to Syracuse, Dionysius asked him Why he visited his court?" Aristippus replied, "To give what I have, and to receive what I have not." At a public festival, when Dionysius required all the guests to appear in purple robes, Plato refused; but Aristippus adorned himself with a rich and splendid dress, and danced with all the ease of a courtier. By that happy versatility which enabled him to accommodate himself to every circumstance, so

that

"Omnis Aristippum decuit color, et status et res-Yet Aristippus every dress became, In all affairs, in every state, the same.

HOR. EP. i. 17. 23.

he never failed to please the tyrant. The interest which he possessed in the royal favour excited the envy of his brethren; and the freedom with which he ridiculed their singularities, provoked their resentment. When, or from what cause, Aristippus left Syracuse, is not known;

nor is it certain whether he went back into his own country. The Socratic Epistles, by which we are informed that his daughter Arete wrote to him to request his return, and that he fell sick and died at the island of Lipara on his return home, are probably spurious. The last incident concerning him, which deserves credit, is, that schines, after his return from Sicily, found Aristippus teaching at Athens: this was, perhaps, about the year 366 before Christ.

To repeat all the dull or loose jests which are fathered upon Aristippus, cannot be necessary. A few smart repartees and good maxims, which have been transmitted under his name, may be acceptable. Polyxenus, a friend of Aristippus, happening to call upon him when great preparations were making for an entertainment, entered into a long discourse against luxury: Aristippus grew tired with his harangue, and invited him to stay and sup with him: Polyxenus accepted the invitation: "I perceive then (said Aristippus) it is not the luxury of my table that offends you, but the expense." Being asked by Dionysius, why philosophers frequented the houses of the great, but not the great those of philosophers; he replied, "because philosophers know their wants, but the great did not know theirs." To one who had asked what he had gained by philosophy, he answered, “Confidence to speak freely to any man." Being reproached with his expensive entertainments; "If this be wrong (he said), why is so much money lavished upon the feasts of the gods ?" A wealthy citizen complaining that Aristippus, in asking five hundred crowns to instruct his son, had required as much as would purchase a slave; "Purchase one then with the money (said the philosopher), and you will be master of two." To one who was boasting of his skill and activity in swimming, he said, "Are you not ashamed to value yourself upon that which every dolphin can do better?" In the midst of a dispute with his friend Eschines, when both were growing warm, "Let us give over (he said) before we make ourselves the talk of servants; we have quarrelled, it is true, but I, your senior, have a right to make the first motion towards reconciliation." Aschines accepted the proposal, and acknowledged his friend's superior generosity. "Philosophers (said Aristippus) excel other men in this, that, if there were no laws, they would live honestly.—It is better to be poor than illiterate; for the poor man wants only money, the illiterate man wants that which distinguishes man from the brute. The truly learned are not they who read much, but they who read what they are able to digest;

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