Theon, with a quiet smile, said, ‘In such a way
as to lodge complaint against you as well for bringing
up the most trifling of the peccadilloes of the Greeks.
For just as Socrates, while being entertained at
Gallias's house, shows hostility toward perfume only,1
but looks on with tolerance at children's dancing, and
at tumbling,2 kissing,3 and buffoons4; so you also
seem to me, in a similar way, to be excluding from
this shrine a poor weak woman who put the beauty of
her person to a base use, but when you see the god
completely surrounded by choice offerings and tithes
from murders, wars, and plunderings, and his temple
crowded with spoils and booty from the Greeks, you
show no indignation, nor do you feel any pity for the
Greeks when upon the beautiful votive offerings you
read the most disgraceful inscriptions : ‘Brasidas
and the Acanthians from the Athenians,’ and ‘The
Athenians from the Corinthians,’ and ‘The Phocians
from the Thessalians,’ and ‘The Orneatans from
the Sicyonians,’ and ‘The Amphictyons from
the Phocians.’ But Praxiteles, apparently, was the
only one that caused annoyance to Crates by gaining for his beloved the privilege of a dedication
here, whereas Crates ought to have commended
[p. 299]
him because beside these golden kings he placed a
golden courtesan, thus rebuking wealth for possessing nothing to be admired or revered. For it would
be well for kings and rulers to dedicate votive
offerings to commemorate justice, self-control, and
magnanimity, not golden and luxurious affluence,
which is shared also by men who have led the most
disgraceful lives.’