John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.
8848 Plutarh AD 46?-AD 120 John Bartlett
| NUMBER: | 8848 |
| AUTHOR: | Plutarch (A.D. 46?–A.D. c. 120) |
| QUOTATION: | Antagoras the poet was boiling a conger, and Antigonus, coming behind him as he was stirring his skillet, said, “Do you think, Antagoras, that Homer boiled congers when he wrote the deeds of Agamemnon?” Antagoras replied, “Do you think, O king, that Agamemnon, when he did such exploits, was a peeping in his army to see who boiled congers?” |
| ATTRIBUTION: | Apophthegms of Kings and Great Commanders. 1 Antigonus I. |
| Note 1. Rejected by some critics as not a genuine work of Plutarch.—Ralph Waldo Emerson. [back] |