The son of Lysimachus; he was poor, and on account of his manner he was believed without [having to take] oaths. Once when Kallias was being tried he came forward and said "grant this man to me"; and it was done. When Kallias offered him gold, he declined and said: "The life of Kallias needs the poverty of Aristides, but the poverty of Aristides looks down on the wealth of Kallias."[1] He was the political opponent of Themistocles. When he was on an embassy with him, he said, "let us leave our differences within the borders, and get along on behalf of the city."[2] He was so just that when he was about to be ostracised, someone from the country gave him a potsherd (he did not know the man) and asked him to write up [Aristides] for ostracism. When he asked why Aristides displeased him, he said, "because he is totally just." And Aristides laughed and wrote the vote.[3] This same Aristides was banished and spent time in Aegina. And Xerxes sent an ambassador to him in his banishment when he was coming into Greece and offered him three thousand darics.[4] He [Aristides] said he had no use for Persian wealth, living the sort of life that he did. He happened to be serving low-grade bread.[5]
Aristides was also rather like Miltiades.[6] Each of these men was the very best: Aristides was just and Miltiades was general at Marathon. Mention is made of the battle at Marathon because all Greece achieved its other successes in common, but only the Athenians did so at [the battle] of Marathon.