Insults and Scandals

Abstract

This chapter discusses Alcibiades' scandals, which resulted from his insolence that went very far back, to childhood and early adolescence. The anecdotes collected by Plutarch are sufficient to suggest Alcibiades' character—and all the dangers therein. The many assets he enjoyed gave rise to increasingly serious faults in his day-to-day life. Handsome, rich, and noble, Alcibiades took no account of others and felt entitled to everything. This attitude appeared first in his manners. People say that he raised fighting cocks; he enjoyed leading the life of a spoiled youth. In relations with others, this meant an attitude of deliberate arrogance. It was said he was so sure of himself that he would have criticized even the twelve gods. What's more, he could, out of pure insolence, ridicule the very rules of the city. The chapter then looks at the area most scandalous of all, relating not to Alcibiades' wealth, but to his beauty: his love life. It is not surprising that his good looks would lead to scandal: he was involved with both men and women. It was said that even here he always wanted to win. Ultimately, all the insolence and scandalous behavior was diverting and amusing. However, from the moment Alcibiades entered politics, they acquired some weight and played a role—one that historians have not failed to reflect on, beginning with Thucydides.