Letter VIII.—A Testimonial.

That for which the king of the Macedonians is most admired by people of understanding,—for he is admired not so much for his famous victories50    διηγήμασιν. “He believed in fidelity, and was capable of the sublimest, most intimate friendships. He loved Hephæstion so fervently, that.…he remained inconsolable for his loss.”—F. Schlegel. Achilles was his hero: for he too knew the delight of a constant friendship. over the Persians and Indians, and his penetrating as far the Ocean, as for his saying that he had his treasure in his friends;—in this respect I dare to compare myself with his marvellous exploits, and it will be right for me to utter such a sentiment too. Now because I am rich in friendships, perhaps I surpass in that kind of property even that great man who plumed himself upon that very thing. For who was such a friend to him as you are to me, perpetually endeavouring to surpass yourself in every kind of excellence? For assuredly no one would ever charge me with flattery, when I say this, if he were to look at my age and your life: for grey hairs are out of season for flattery, and old age is ill-suited for complaisance, and as for you, even if you are ever in season for flattery, yet praise would not fall under the suspicion of flattery, as your life shows forth your praise before words. But since, when men are rich in blessings, it is a special gift to know how to use what one has, and the best use of superfluities is to let one’s friends share them with one, and since my beloved son Alexander is most of all a friend united to me in all sincerity, be persuaded to show him my treasure, and not only to show it to him, but also to put it at his disposal to enjoy abundantly, by extending to him your protection in those matters about which he has come to you, begging you to be his patron. He will tell you all with his own lips. For it is better so than that I should go into details in a letter.

[8] Ἀντιοχιανῷ Ἐφ' ᾧ μάλιστα παρὰ τῶν σοφῶν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Μακεδόνων θαυμάζεται_θαυμάζεται γὰρ οὐ τοσοῦτον τοῖς Μηδικοῖς τροπαίοις οὐδὲ τοῖς Ἰνδικοῖς τε καὶ περὶ τὸν Ὠκεανὸν διηγήμασιν, ὅσον ἐπὶ τῷ εἰπεῖν τὸν θησαυρὸν ἐν τοῖς φίλοις ἔχειν_, τολμῶ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ μέρει τούτῳ τοῖς ἐκείνου θαύμασιν ἐμαυτὸν ἀντεπᾶραι, καί μοι προσήκει τὸν τοιοῦτον μᾶλλον λόγον εἰπεῖν, ὅτι [δὲ] πλουτῶ τῇ φιλίᾳ καὶ ὑπεραίρω τῷ τοιούτῳ κτήματι τάχα καὶ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον τὸν ἐπὶ τούτῳ μεγαλαυχούμενον. τίς γὰρ ἐκείνῳ τοιοῦτος φίλος, οἷος ἐμοὶ σύ, διὰ πάντων ἐν ἑκάστῳ τῆς ἀρετῆς εἴδει πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἁμιλλώμενος; πάντως γὰρ οὐκ ἄν τις ἐμοὶ ταῦτα λέγοντι κολακείαν ἐπικαλέσειε, πρός τε τὴν ἡλικίαν τὴν ἐμὴν καὶ πρὸς τὸν σὸν βίον βλέπων: ἔξωρός τε γὰρ ἤδη πρὸς κολακείαν ἡ πολιά, καὶ τὸ γῆρας εἰς θωπείαν ἀνεπιτήδειον, σοί τε, καὶ εἰ ἐν ὥρᾳ τοῦ κολακεύειν ἤμην ποτέ, ὁ ἔπαινος πρὸς ὑπόληψιν κολακείας οὐκ ἂν κατέπιπτε, τοῦ βίου πρὸ τῶν λόγων δεικνύντος τὸν ἔπαινον. ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τῶν καλῶς πλουτούντων ἴδιον τὸ εἰδέναι κεχρῆσθαι οἷς ἔχουσιν, ἀρίστη δὲ χρῆσις τῶν παρόντων τὸ κοινὰ προτιθέναι τοῖς φίλοις ἃ ἔχουσι, φίλος δέ μοι πάντων μάλιστα διὰ πάσης γνησιότητος συνηρμοσμένος ὁ ποθεινότατος υἱὸς Ἀλέξανδρος, παρακλήθητι δεῖξαι αὐτῷ τὸν ἐμὸν θησαυρόν, καὶ μὴ δεῖξαι μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ δαψιλῶς παρασχεῖν ἐμφορηθῆναι, τῷ προστῆναι αὐτοῦ ὑπὲρ ὧν ἥκει τῆς σῆς προστασίας δεόμενος. λέξει δὲ δι' ἑαυτοῦ τὰ πάντα: οὕτω γὰρ εὐπρεπέστερον ἢ τὰ καθ' ἕκαστον ἐμὲ διεξιέναι τῷ γράμματι.