Plutarch, Aussprüche von Königen und Feldherren (Moralia 190 B):
Brasidas war ein spartanischer General im Peloponnesischen Krieg.
1.
Brasidas caught a mouse among some dry figs, and, getting bitten, let it go. Then, turning to those who were present, he said, “There is nothing so small that it cannot save its life, if it has the courage to defend itself against those who would lay hand on it [οὐδὲν οὕτως, ἔφη, μικρόν ἐστιν, ὃ μὴ σῴζεται τολμῶν ἀμύνεσθαι τοὺς ἐπιχειροῦντας].”
Vgl. Plutarch, Aussprüche von Spartanern:
[identischer Text]
[Moralia 219 C]
Vgl. Plutarch, Fortschritt in der Tugend:
Brasidas caught a mouse among some dried figs, got bitten, and let it go: thereupon he said to himself, “Heavens, there is nothing so small or weak that it will not save its life if it has the courage to defend itself [ὦ Ἡράκλεις, ἔφη, ὡς οὐδέν ἐστι μικρὸν οὐδ’ ἀσθενές, ὃ μὴ ζήσεται τολμῶν ἀμύνεσθαι].”
[Moralia 79 E]
Vgl. Plutarch, Aussprüche von Spartanern:
At another time he [sc. Agesilaos II.] saw a mouse being dragged from a hole by a boy who had hold of him, and the mouse turned and bit the hand that held him and escaped; whereupon Agesilaus called the attention of the bystanders to this, and said: “When the smallest animal thus defends itself against those who do it wrong, consider what it be-comes men to do. [ὅταν τὸ ἐλάχιστον ζῷον οὕτως ἀμύνηται τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας, τί τοὺς ἄνδρας προσήκει ποιεῖν λογίζεσθε.]”
[Moralia 208 F]
[Quelle: Plutarch, Moralia III. Ed. by Frank Cole Babbitt. Cambridge (Mass.)/London 72004, pp. 123 sq.]