With Themistocles, on the contrary, it was a favourite saying, "The gods forbid that I should be in power, and my friends no partakers of my success." The tendency of the first policy is to discontent friends, while it rarely, if ever, conciliates foes; neither is it so elevated as it may appear to the superficial; for if we contend for the superiority of one set of principles over another, we weaken the public virtue when we give equal rewards to the principles we condemn as to the principles we approve.

We make it appear as if the contest had been but a war of names, and we disregard the harmony which ought imperishably to exist between the opinions which the state should approve and the honours which the state can confer.

He who is impartial as to persons must submit to seem lukewarm as to principles.

Thus the more towering and eminent the seeming power of Aristides, the more really hollow and insecure were its foundations.

To his own party it was unproductive-- to the multitude it appeared unconstitutional.