“Krates of Thebes was magnanimous and furnished many examples of it; he was also dismissive of things admired by most men, including money and native home. The fact that he gave all of his wealth to the Thebans is well-recorded. But less well known is another detail: he left Thebes when it was rebuilt and said: “I don’t want a city that some other Alexander will destroy.”
Κράτης ὁ Θηβαῖος τά τε ἄλλα μεγαλόφρων ὢν πεφώραται καὶ καταφρονητικὸς τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ πλήθους θαυμαζομένων, ἀτὰρ οὖν καὶ χρημάτων καὶ πατρίδος. ὅτι μὲν οὖν τῆς οὐσίας ἀπέστη τοῖς Θηβαίοις, τοῦτο μὲν καὶ ἐς πάντας ἐξεφοίτησε• τὸ δὲ ἕτερον αὐτοῦ οὐ πᾶσι γνώριμον• ἔστι δὲ ἐκεῖνο. ἀπαλλαττόμενος τῶν Θηβῶν οἰκισθεισῶν πάλιν ἔφη ‘οὐ δέομαι πόλεως, ἣν ᾿Αλέξανδρος κατασκάψει ἄλλος.’
