" "No," replied he, "like a
lion." Another time, when playing at dice in the street, being
then only a child, a loaded cart came that way, just as it was his
turn to throw; at first he called to the driver to stop, because
he was about to throw in the way over which the cart would pass;
but when the man paid him no attention, and was driving on, the
rest of the boys divided and sprang away; but Alcibiades threw
himself on his face before the cart, and, stretching himself out,
bade the carter pass on now if we would. The man was so startled
that he put back his horses, while all that saw it were terrified,
and, crying out, ran to assist Alcibiades. When he began to study,
he obeyed all his other masters fairly well, but refused to learn
upon the flute, as a thing unbecoming a free citizen; saying that
to play upon the lute or the harp does not in any way disfigure a
man's body or face, but one is hardly to be known by his most
intimate friends, when playing on the flute. Besides, one who
plays on the harp may speak or sing at the same time; but the use
of the flute stops the mouth, intercepts the voice, and prevents
all articulation. "Therefore," said he, "let the Theban youths
pipe, who do not know how to speak, but we Athenians, as our
ancestors have told us, have Athena for our patroness, and Apollo
for our protector, one of whom threw away the flute, and the other
stripped the Flute-player of his skin.
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