Clearchus replied: I myself, Phalinus, was glad
 to see you, and, I presume, all the rest were, too; for you are
 a Greek and so are we, whose numbers you can observe for
 yourself. Now since we are in such a situation, we ask you to
 advise us as to what we ought to do about the matter you
 mention. Do you, then, in the sight of the
 gods, give us whatever advice you think is best and most
 honourable, advice which will bring you honour in future time
 when it is reported in this way: Once on a
 time Phalinus, when he was sent by the King to order the
 Greeks to surrender their arms, gave them, when they sought
 his counsel, the following advice. And you know that
 any advice you may give will certainly be reported in Greece . Now Clearchus was making this crafty suggestion in the hope that the
 very man who was acting as the King’s ambassador might advise them
 not to give up their arms, and that thus the Greeks might be made
 more hopeful. But, contrary to his expectation, Phalinus also made a
 crafty turn, and said: For my part, if you have one chance in ten
 thousand of saving yourselves by carrying on war against the
 King, I advise you not to give up your arms; but if you have no
 hope of deliverance without the King’s consent, I advise you to
 save yourselves in what way you can. In reply to this Clearchus said: Well, that is
 what you say; but as our answer carry back this word, that in
 our view if we are to be friends of the King, we should be more
 valuable friends if we keep our arms than if we give them up to
 someone else, and if we are to wage war with him, we should wage
 war better if we keep our arms than if we give them up to
 someone else.