Potidaea and Delium
There was a time philosophers and those
They taught were men on battlegrounds. They fought
Together, side by side. There was no pose
(About butch fortitude) in fancy thought—
They did it sword and shield and spear and brawn.
And if they found themselves or friends beset
By doom, the enemy was set upon
With courage. Philosophy met the threat
With sweaty action. Socrates saved him
At Potidaea on the battlefield.
At Delium Alcibiades, grim
In youthful strength and beauty, would not yield
His ugly teacher with the wisest breath
To even a heroic fighting death.