Nicias   

concerning his silver mines; for he owned many works at Laurium, of
great value, but somewhat hazardous to carry on. He maintained there
a multitude of slaves, and his wealth consisted chiefly in silver.
Hence he had many hangers-on about him, begging and obtaining. For
he gave to those who could do him mischief no less than to those who
deserved well. In short, his timidity was a revenue to rogues, and
his humanity to honest men. We find testimony in the comic writers,
as when Teleclides, speaking of one of the professed informers, says-
"Charicles gave the man a pound, the matter not to name,
That from inside a money-bag into the world he came;
And Nicias, also, paid him four; I know the reason well,
But Nicias is a worthy man, and so I will not tell." So, also, the
informer whom Eupolis introduces in his Maricas, attacking a good,
simple, poor man:-
"How long ago did you and Nicias meet?
I did but see him just now in the street.
The man has seen him and denies it not,
'Tis evident that they are in a plot.
See you, O citizens! 'tis fact,
Nicias is taken in the act.
Taken, Fools! take so good a man
In aught that's wrong none will or can."
Cleon, in Aristophanes, makes it one of his threats:-
"I'll outscream all the speakers, and make Nicias stand aghast." Phrynichus
also implies his want of spirit and his easiness to be intimated in
the verses-
"A noble man he was, I well can say,
Nor walked like Nicias, cowering on his way."
So cautious was he of informers, and so reserved, that he never would
dine out with any citizen, nor allowed himself to indulge in talk
and conversation with his friends, nor give himself any leisure for
such amusements; but when he was general he used to stay at the office
till night, and was the first that came to the council-house, and
the last that left it. And if no public business engaged him, it was
very hard to have access, or to speak with him, he being retired at
home and locked up. And when any came to the door, some friend of
his gave them good words, and begged them to excuse him, Nicias was
very busy; as if affairs of state and public duties still kept him
occupied. He who principally acted this part for him, and contributed
most to this state and show, was Hiero, a man educated in Nicias's
family, and instructed by him in letters and music. He professed to
be the son of Dionysius, surnamed Chalcus, whose poems are yet extant,
and had led out the colony to Italy and founded Thurii. This Hiero
transacted all his secrets for Nicias with the diviners; and gave
out to the people what a toilsome and miserable life he led for the
sake of the commonwealth. "He," said Hiero, "can never be either at
the bath or at his meat but some public business interferes. Careless
of his own and zealous for the public good, he scarcely ever goes
to bed till after others have had their first sleep. So that his health
is impaired and his body out of order, nor is he cheerful or affable
with his friends, but loses them as well as his money in the service
of the state, while other men gain friends by public speaking, enrich
themselves, fare delicately and make government their amusement."
And in fact this was Nicias's manner of life, so that he well might
apply to himself the words of Agamemnon:-
"Vain pomp's the ruler of the life we live,
And a slave's service to the crowd we give."
He observed that the people, in the case of men of eloquence, or of
eminent parts, make use of their talents upon occasion, but were always
jealous of their abilities, and held a watchful eye upon them, taking
all opportunities to humble their pride and abate their reputation;
as was manifest in their condemnation of Pericles, their banishment
of Damon, their distrust of Antiphon the Rhamnusian, but especially
in the case of Paches who took Lesbos, who having to give an account