Source edition
Cornelius Nepos. Cornelii Nepotis Vitae. Fleckeisen, Alfred; Halm, Karl, editors. Leipzig: Teubner, 1886.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA (per Perseus's terms)
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This work is a biography depicting the life and outstanding virtue of "justice" of Aristides, an ancient Athenian politician and general. The narrative begins with his rivalry with Themistocles and the famous anecdote of his ostracism, which was triggered paradoxically by his reputation as "the Just" (Dikaios). Recalled from exile during the Persian Wars, Aristides plays a crucial military role in the battles of Salamis and Plataea. His exceptionally fair and impartial character wins the trust of the Greek city-states, facilitating the transition of hegemony from Sparta to Athens. In his later years, he takes on the heavy responsibility of assessing the tributes for the Delian League with utmost fairness, yet he remains devoted to poverty in his private life, dying so poor that he does not even leave enough money for his own funeral. The work vividly portrays the portrait of a selfless patriot who dedicated his life to the state.