Heeren, in
doing full justice to the biographical talent of the Chaeronean, has yet
observed, "We may easily see that in his Lives he only occasionally
indicates his authorities, because his own head was so often the source."
It is in the life of Demosthenes that the story of his flight is told, but
briefly; and for that part which relates to the inscription on the shield
of Demosthenes, he says, [Greek: hos elege Putheas]. The other life among
those of the Ten Orators, the best critics think not to be Plutarch's; and
the relation in it is too ridiculous for credit; yet it is repeated by
Photius.
The first writer in which the story takes something of the form in which
Erasmus gives it is Aulus Gellius (_Noct. Att._ l. xvii. c. 21.):--
"Post inde aliquanto tempore Philippus apud Chaeroneam
proelio magno Athenienses vicit. Tum Demosthenes orator ex eo
proelio salutem fuga quaesivit: quumque id ei, quod fugerat,
probrose objiceretur; _versu illo notissimo_ elusit, [Greek:
anaer d pheugon], inquit, [Greek: kai palin machaesetai]."
We here see that the senarius is designated as _a well-known verse_,
so that it must have been in the mouths of the people long before it was
applied to this piece of gossip. I have hitherto not been able to trace it
to an earlier writer.
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