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by all means, being disposed lovingly toward friends; for I would not be so arrogant as to think that I am loved in return by you. And yet I would pray that this might happen to me rather than to be rich with much gold and to have arrived at the pinnacle of any fortune. For so each one, being unable to be idle on account of his longing, would surely console my love. But if there is nothing of the sort, and you will still be silent, I, having suffered such things, will bring charges, and some loving judge will decide, and he will vote what you must suffer or pay. Or rather, the suffering will be absent, so that you may not again grieve the one who loves me, but he will vote for you to pay with so many letters that by their multitude you may console the silence of the time that has passed. 25 To Philip the brother For good men, character is sufficient for the establishment of friendship; but since it is also fitting that there be some occasion, through which one must first enter into conversation, and then, having made trial, to admire, for this reason I have given the letter to the learned Theon. For first on account of this you will look on him kindly, and later, thinking letters superfluous, on his own account, I think, you will admire the man. 26 To Eusebius If even a single day makes those who long for someone grow old, for how long do you think I have been growing old, being so struck with longing for you—for who, having made trial of you, departs without loving you?—and deprived of the sight of you for so long a time? But you do well to alleviate my difficulties with your letters, emulating the wise physicians who, when they cannot cure, only console the suffering. Such have you become to me, offering your letters in place of yourself. And now I imitate passionate lovers and through your image console my love. As for the good Megas, nature makes you his father, but art makes me his, so consider that you are present for the boy through me. But if I leave anything out, consider this to be something I am not even able to do, and I blame fortune for not being able to do all things, so that I might gratify you as much as I wish. But, O gods, may we both not fail in the hope which we have placed in the boy. 27 To Elias When I took your letter in my hands, I seemed to see you present yourself—so much of your own charm you have put into your writing—and I smiled at the letter more often, just as when, seeing you, I was filled with pleasure. If you remember your absent friends, it is nothing surprising or unexpected, but this has happened which we had already hoped for. And I seem to converse with you even while sleeping, and often upon waking I have been vexed that it was a dream. As for our companion Megas, if I were able to give him as easily as I wish, you would surely have already received him back as a perfect orator. 28 To Victor the brother I have received the book, which was more desired before the trial. For it has arrived, wonderful in its title, but in its substance bringing nothing new, but what has been earnestly pursued by many and in various ways. But for your sake, let whatever is better to say be kept silent. But nevertheless, a favor will be stored up for you, inscribed in my memory, except not of the sort from the Persian Pausanias, who was not sensible to the very end. For he, showing no respect for Plataea nor for the beloved trophies, was betraying to the barbarians the Greece that had been saved through him, as if not enduring to remain fortunate to the end. But you, taking care of your own affairs, will do nothing that you should not. Therefore, the favor will be stored up for you, not the first, by Zeus, but another in addition to many first ones. But one favor from those who have been well-treated will suffice for the good: merely to remember that they have been so treated. And may it be mine not to be forgetful even of those who are willing to do good only in intention, even if there is no fulfillment to their resolutions. 29 To Diodorus Are you still silent? Are you still looking down on our affairs? And yet I thought you had arrived at a surfeit of pride, thinking it dignified to be silent, while we would handle the matter more ambitiously, so that we might even conquer an eyebrow raised in silence. For this is that usual thing: as soon as you saw Caesar's court you walk on high and are vexed that you are not lifted aloft on the wings of Perseus, and our affairs, as you consider them, seem to you still small and of no account. Whence an ancient law, prevailing everywhere, was transgressed by you. For it is necessary, whenever someone leaves his companions and directs his course in a foreign land, that he himself be the first to

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πάντως, περὶ φίλους διατεθέντες ἐρωτικῶς· οὐ γὰρ ἂν τοσοῦτον φρονήσαιμι ὡς καὶ αὐτὸς οἴεσθαι παρ' ὑμῶν ἀντερᾶσθαι. καίτοι εὐξαίμην ἄν μοι τοῦτο γενέσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ πολλῷ κομᾶν τῷ χρυσῷ καὶ ἡστινοσοῦν τύχης εἰς ἄκρον ἀφῖχθαι. οὕτω γὰρ ἂν ἕκαστος, ῥαθυμεῖν οὐκ ἔχων διὰ τὸν πόθον, ἐμοῦ πάντως ἂν παραμυθοῖτο τὸν ἔρωτα. εἰ δὲ τοιοῦτο μὲν οὐδέν, ἔτι δὲ σιωπήσεσθε, κατηγορήσω μὲν ἐγὼ τοιαῦτα παθών, κρινεῖ δέ τις ἐρωτικὸς δικαστής, καὶ ψηφιεῖται ὅ τι χρὴ παθεῖν ὑμᾶς ἢ ἀπο τεῖσαι. μᾶλλον δὲ τὸ μὲν παθεῖν ἀπέσται, ἵνα μὴ τὸν ἐρῶντά με πάλιν λυπήσητε, ψηφιεῖται δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀποτεῖσαι τοσαύτας ἐπιστολὰς ὥστε τῷ πλήθει τοῦ προλαβόντος χρόνου παραμυθεῖσθαι τὴν σιωπήν. 25 Φιλίππωι ἀδελφῶι Τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀρκεῖ μὲν εἰς σύστασιν φιλίας ὁ τρόπος· ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἀφορμὴν εἶναι προσήκει τινά, δι' ἧς δεῖ πρῶτον εἰς λόγους ἐλθεῖν, εἶτα πειραθέντας θαυμάζειν, τούτου χάριν ἐπέδωκα τῷ λογίῳ Θέωνι τὴν ἐπιστολήν. πρῶτον γὰρ διὰ ταύτην εὐμενῶς αὐτὸν ὄψει, ὕστερον δὲ περιττὰ νομίσας τὰ γράμματα δι' αὐτὸν οἶμαι θαυμάσεις τὸν ἄνδρα. 26 Εὐσεβίωι Εἰ τοὺς ποθοῦντας καὶ μία γηράσκειν ἡμέρα ποιεῖ, ἐξ ὅσου με χρόνου γεγηρακέναι δοκεῖς, οὕτω μέν σου βληθέντα τῷ πόθῳτίς γὰρ πειραθεὶς οὐκ ἐρῶν ἀπαλλάττεται; τοσοῦτον δὲ χρόνον ἐστερημένον τῆς θέας; ἀλλ' εὖ γε ποιῶν τοῖς γράμμασιν ἐπικουφίζεις τὰ δυσχερῆ, τοὺς σοφοὺς ζηλώσας τῶν ἰατρῶν, οἳ μὴ θεραπεύειν ἔχοντες μόνον παραμυθοῦνται τὸ πάθος. τοιοῦτος ἡμῖν γέγονας ἀντὶ σαυτοῦ παρέχων τὰ γράμματα. καὶ νῦν τοὺς σφοδροὺς μιμοῦμαι τῶν ἐραστῶν καὶ διὰ τῆς εἰκόνος παραμυθοῦμαι τὸν ἔρωτα. τῷ δὲ καλῷ Μεγάλῳ σὲ μὲν φύσις, ἐμὲ δὲ τέχνη πατέρα ποιεῖ, ὥστε δι' ἐμοῦ παρεῖναι νόμιζε τῷ παιδί. εἰ δέ τι παραλείψω, τοῦτο νόμιζε μηδὲ δύνασθαί με ποιεῖν, καὶ μέμφομαι τὴν τύχην μὴ καὶ πάντα δυνάμενος, ἵνα σοι χαρίσωμαι τοσοῦτον ὅσον καὶ βούλομαι. ἀλλ' ὦ θεοί, μὴ διαμάρτοιμεν ἄμφω τῆς ἐλπίδος ἣν ἐπὶ τῷ παιδὶ πεποιήμεθα. 27 Ἠλίαι Τὴν ὑμετέραν ἐπιστολὴν εἰς χεῖρας λαβὼν αὐτόν σε παρόντα βλέπειν ἐδόκουνοὕτω σου τὴν χάριν ἐνέθηκας ὅλην τοῖς γράμμασικαὶ τῇ ἐπιστολῇ προσεγέλων πυκνότερον, ὥσπερ ὅτε σε βλέπων ἐνεφορούμην τῆς ἡδονῆς. εἰ δὲ μέμνησαι τῶν φίλων ἀπόντων, θαυμαστὸν ἢ παρ' ἐλπίδας οὐδέν, ἀλλὰ τοῦτο γέγονεν ὃ καὶ προλαβόντες ἠλπίσαμεν. ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ καθεύδων προσ διαλέγεσθαί σοι δοκῶ, καὶ πολλάκις ἀναστὰς ἠνιάθην ὅτιπερ ὄνειρος ἦν. τὸν δὲ ἑταῖρον Μέγαν, εἰ διδόναι ῥᾳδίως εἶχον ὅσον καὶ βούλομαι, πάντως ἂν αὐτὸν ἤδη καὶ τέλειον ἀπειλήφεις καὶ ῥήτορα. 28 Βίκτορι ἀδελφῶι ∆έδεγμαι τὸ βιβλίον τὸ πρὸ τῆς πείρας μᾶλλον ποθούμενον. ἥκει γὰρ τῇ μὲν ἐπιγραφῇ θαυμαστὸν ἡλίκον, τῷ δὲ πράγματι ξένον φέρον οὐδέν, ἀλλ' ὃ καὶ πολλοῖς καὶ ποικίλοις ἐσπούδασται. σοῦ δὲ χάριν καὶ ὅ τι βέλτιον εἰπεῖν σεσιγήσθω. ἀλλ' ὅμως κείσεταί σοι χάρις εἰς ἐμὴν μνήμην ἀνάγραπτος, πλὴν οὐχ οἵα παρὰ τῷ Πέρσῃ τῷ Παυσανίᾳ τῷ μὴ μέχρι παντὸς σω φρονοῦντι. ὁ μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲ Πλαταιὰς αἰδεσθεὶς οὐδὲ τρόπαια φίλα προεδίδου βαρβάροις τὴν δι' αὐτοῦ σωθεῖσαν Ἑλλάδα, ὥσπερ οὐκ ἀνεχόμενος εἰς τέλος εὐτυχὴς ἐπιμεῖναι· σὺ δὲ τὰ οἰκεῖα περιέπων οὐδὲν ὅ τι μὴ δράσεις. κείσεταί σοι τοίνυν ἡ χάρις οὐ πρώτη, μὰ ∆ία, πρὸς πολλαῖς δὲ πρώταις ἑτέρα. μία δὲ χάρις παρὰ τῶν εὖ παθόντων ἀρκέσει τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς μεμνῆσθαι μόνον ὅτι πεπόνθασιν. ἐμοὶ δὲ γένοιτο τὸ μηδὲ τῶν μέχρι βουλῆς εὖ ποιεῖν ἐθελόν των ἀμνημονεῖν, εἰ καὶ μὴ πέρας ἔσται τοῖς δόξασιν. 29 ∆ιοδώρωι Ἔτι σιγᾷς; ἔτι περιφρονεῖς τὰ ἡμέτερα; καὶ μὴν ᾤμην σε πρὸς κόρον ἀφῖχθαι φρονήματος, σεμνὸν μὲν ἡγούμενον τὸ σιγᾶν, ἡμῶν δὲ φιλοτιμότερον χρησομένων τῷ πράγματι, ἵνα καὶ νικήσωμεν ὀφρῦν διὰ σιγὴν ἐπηρμένην. τουτὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνο τὸ σύνηθες· ἅμα τε τὴν Καίσαρος εἶδες καὶ βαίνεις ὑψοῦ καὶ ἀγανακτεῖς ὅτι μὴ Περσέως πτεροῖς αἴρῃ μετέωρος, τὰ δὲ ἡμέτερά σοι λογιζομένῳ σμικρά τε ἔτι δοκεῖ καὶ οὐδέν. ὅθεν σοι νόμος παλαιὸς καὶ παντα χοῦ κρατῶν παρεβαίνετο. χρὴ γὰρ ἐπειδάν τις τοὺς συνήθεις καταλιπὼν ἐπ' ἀλλοδαπῆς ἰθύνῃ τὸν δρόμον, αὐτὸν εἶναι πρῶτον τὸν