Megabates, feeling himself slighted, tried no more to kiss him, and Agesilaus
 approached one of his companions with a request that he would persuade
 Megabates to show him honour once again. Will you kiss him, asked his
 companion, if Megabates yields? After a deep silence, Agesilaus gave his
 reply: By the twin gods, no, not if I were straightway to be the fairest
 and strongest and fleetest man on earth! By all the gods I swear that I
 would rather fight that same battle over again than that everything I see
 should turn into gold. What opinion some hold in regard to these matters I know well enough; but for
 my part I am persuaded that many more men can gain the mastery over
 their enemies than over impulses such as these. Xen. Anab.
 2.6.28 No doubt when these things are known to few,
 many have a right to be sceptical: but we all know this, that the
 greater a man’s fame, the fiercer is the light that beats on all his
 actions; Xen. Mem. 1.1.11 we know too that no one ever
 reported that he had seen Agesilaus do any such thing, and that no
 scandal based on conjecture would have gained credence; for it was not
 his