The Greek ruler Philip was surrounded by flatterers and hypocrites. A few court sycophants sought out the renowned speaker Demosthenes with the intention of persuading him to join them in praising King Philip.
“Why do you never say a word of praise for the king? Why can’t you find a single nice word for many of his qualities?”
“What qualities are those?” asked Demosthenes.
“Well, the king is an excellent speaker, a very handsome man, and, by God, he can hold his liquor,” flatterers and hypocrites said.
Demosthenes replied:
“The first is praise for a lawyer, the second for a woman, the third for a sponge, but none for the king!”
(Greek legend, translated by Vesna Krmpotić)