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Orontes, the son-in-law of King Artaxerxes, became involved in disgrace because of an accusation, 1 and, when the decision was given against him, he said that, as mathematicians' fingers are able to represent tens of thousands at one time, and at another [p. 23] time only units,2 so it was the same with the friends of kings : at one time they are omnipotent and at another time almost impotent. 3

1 Against Tiribazus according to Diodorus, xv. 10-11, where the story is told at length.

2 Cf. Pauly-Wissowa, Real-Encyclopadie, ii. p. 1068.

3 A similar remark is attribute to Solon by Dogenes Laertius, i. 59.

Plutarch. Moralia. with an English Translation by. Frank Cole Babbitt. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. London. William Heinemann Ltd. 1931. 3.

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