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21.ΤO SOPHRONIUS 21.1 Gold is at different times reworked in different ways and

is shaped, being fashioned into many ornaments and applied to many uses by art; but it remains what it is, gold, and it is not the substance but the form that undergoes a change. 21.2 So also, believing that your goodness remains the same to your friends, even if you are always advancing to what lies ahead, we have ventured to bring this embassy, not so much fearing your high rank as trusting in your character. 21.3 To our most revered son Nicobulus, who is in all things well-disposed towards us, both through kinship and through familiarity, and, what is greater than these, through his character, be favorable. 21.4 In what things, and how much? In those things which he himself will ask of you, and as much as you consider to be fitting for your magnanimity. 21.5 And we in turn will give the best of what we have. And what we have are our words and to be heralds of your virtue, if not near to its worth, at least according to our ability. 22.ΤO THE SAME 22.1 It were necessary that, just as we recognize gold and precious stones by sight, so too we should distinguish at a glance the good and bad among men, and not require a longer test. 22.2 For we would not have needed many words, acting as envoys to your magnanimity on behalf of our most honored son Amphilochius. 22.3 I would sooner expect something unbelievable and paradoxical than that this man would do or intend to do anything base for money; so great is his universally acknowledged goodness and his possession of a wisdom beyond his years. 22.4 But what is to be done? Nothing escapes envy, since some blame has attached itself even to this man, who has fallen under accusations more through simplicity than through evil character. 22.5 But let it not seem tolerable to you to overlook him being swept away by slanders. Do not, I beg your sacred and great soul, —but rather honor our country, and help virtue, and show respect for us who have been honored by you and through you, and in place of all things be a support to this man, adding the will to the ability, since I know that all things are overcome by your virtue. 23.ΤO CAESARIUS 23.1 If the things we ask are great, do not be surprised, since it is from a great man, and the request ought to be commensurate with the one being asked. 23.2 For it is equally absurd to seek great things from a small man, and small things from a great man; for the one is inopportune, the other petty. 23.3 I myself bring to you by my own hand our most honored son Amphilochius, a man so known for his goodness, even beyond what is expected for his age, that I myself—an old man, a priest, and your friend—would have loved to be so regarded. 23.4 And if, overcome by friendship for a man, he did not suspect the slander, what is surprising? For because he is not wicked, he did not suspect wickedness, thinking that it was a correction of speech rather than of character that was fitting for him. 23.5 Thus he undertook to share in the suffering. What is terrible in this to men of good judgment? Therefore do not allow wickedness to have more power than virtue, nor dishonor our gray hairs; but respect our testimony and add this act of kindness to our blessings, which perhaps have some account with God, before whom we stand. 24.ΤO THEMISTIUS 24.1 Words are what is at stake; and the opportunity is yours, if indeed you are the king of words. And what is more, my Amphilochius is a friend of yours through his father; and I will add that he is such a man as to disgrace neither the family of his fathers, nor our friendship, unless I am a poor judge of such men. 24.2 And what is most important, especially to a philosopher like you, is that he is in trouble though having done no wrong. This is a very light thing for him, but for us, on the other hand, it is very grievous, if we should appear to be looking on with indifference. 24.3 I, therefore, am doing the only thing I can; and I can act as an envoy to those who are able to do good; for nothing else is possible for me in my present state. 24.4 But you, confirm the saying of your Plato, who said that cities would not cease from evils until ability is united with philosophy. 24.5 For you are able

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21.Τ ΣΩΦΡΟΝΙΩΙ 21.1 Ὁ χρυσὸς ἄλλοτε μὲν ἄλλως μεταποιεῖται καὶ

σχηματίζεται, εἰς πολλοὺς κόσμους τυπούμενος καὶ πρὸς πολλὰ ὑπὸ τῆς τέχνης ἀγόμενος· μένει δ' ὅπερ ἐστί, χρυσός, καὶ οὐχ ἡ ὕλη μεταβολήν, ἀλλὰ τὸ σχῆμα λαμ βάνει. 21.2 Οὕτω καὶ τὴν σὴν καλοκἀγαθίαν ἡγούμενοι τὴν αὐτὴν μένειν τοῖς φίλοις, κἂν ἀεὶ προΐῃς ἐπὶ τὰ ἔμπροσθεν, ταύτην ἐθαρρήσαμεν τὴν πρεσβείαν προσα γαγεῖν, οὐ μᾶλλον τὴν ἀξίαν εὐλαβηθέντες ἢ τῷ τρόπῳ πιστεύσαντες. 21.3 Τῷ αἰδεσιμωτάτῳ υἱῷ ἡμῶν Νικοβούλῳ τὰ πάντα ἔχοντι πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐπιτηδείως καὶ διὰ συγγένειαν καὶ διὰ τὴν οἰκειότητα καί, τὸ τούτων μεῖζον, διὰ τὸν τρόπον, γενοῦ δεξιός. 21.4 Ἐν τίσι, καὶ πόσον; Ἐν οἷς αὐτὸς σοῦ δεηθήσεται, καὶ ὅσον τῇ σῇ μεγαλονοίᾳ πρέπειν ὑπολαμβάνεις. 21.5 Ἀντιδώσομεν δὲ καὶ ἡμεῖς ὧν ἔχομεν τὸ κάλλιστον. Ἔχομεν δὲ τοὺς λόγους καὶ τὸ κήρυκες εἶναι τῆς σῆς ἀρετῆς, εἰ καὶ μὴ τῆς ἀξίας ἐγγύς, ἀλλά γε κατὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν δύναμιν. 22.Τ ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ 22.1 Ἔδει, καθάπερ τὸν χρυσὸν καὶ τοὺς λίθους τῇ ὄψει γνωρίζομεν, οὕτω καὶ τοὺς καλοὺς καὶ μὴ τῶν ἀνδρῶν αὐτόθεν διαγινώσκεσθαι, καὶ μὴ μακροτέρας δεῖσθαι δοκιμασίας. 22.2 Οὐ γὰρ ἂν πολλῶν ἐδέησεν ἡμῖν λόγων ὑπὲρ τοῦ τιμιωτάτου υἱοῦ Ἀμφιλοχίου πρεσβεύουσι πρὸς τὴν σὴν μεγαλόνοιαν. 22.3 Θᾶττον ἂν ἤλπισα ἕν τι τῶν ἀπίστων καὶ παραδόξων, ἢ τοῦτον ἀγεννές τι πράξειν ἐπὶ χρήμασιν, ἢ διανοήσεσθαι· τοσοῦτον αὐτῷ τὸ παρὰ πάντων συγκεχωρηκὸς ἐπὶ καλοκἀγαθίᾳ καὶ τὸ πρεσ βυτέραν τῆς ἡλικίας ἔχειν φρόνησιν. 22.4 Ἀλλὰ τί χρὴ παθεῖν; Οὐδὲν διαφεύγει τὸν φθόνον, ὁπότε καὶ τούτου τις μῶμος ἥψατο, ἀνδρὸς δι' ἀπλότητα μᾶλλον ἢ τρόπου κακίαν περιπέσοντος ἐγκλήμασιν. 22.5 Ἀλλά σοι μὴ ἀνεκτὸν φανήτω περιϊδεῖν αὐτὸν ταῖς συκοφαντίαις παρασυρόμενον. Μή, δέομαί σου τῆς ἱερᾶς καὶ μεγάλης ψυχῆς, -ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν πατρίδα τίμησον, καὶ τῇ ἀρετῇ βοήθησον, καὶ ἡμᾶς αἰδέσθητι τοὺς παρὰ σοῦ καὶ διὰ σοῦ δοξασθέντας, καὶ ἀντὶ πάντων γενοῦ τῷ ἀνδρί, τῷ δύνασθαι τὸ θέλειν προσθείς, ἐπειδὴ πάντα τῆς σῆς ἀρετῆς οἶδα ἡττώμενα. 23.Τ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΙΩΙ 23.1 Εἰ μεγάλα ἐστὶν ἃ αἰτοῦμεν, μηδὲν θαυμάσῃς, ἐπεὶ καὶ παρὰ μεγάλου, καὶ συμμετρεῖσθαι δεῖ τῷ αἰτου μένῳ τὴν αἴτησιν. 23.2 Ὁμοίως γὰρ ἄτοπον παρὰ μικροῦ μεγάλα ζητεῖν, καὶ παρὰ μεγάλου μικρά· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἄκαιρον, τὸ δὲ μικρόλογον. 23.3 Αὐτός σοι προσάγω διὰ τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ χειρὸς τὸν τιμιώτατον υἱὸν ἡμῶν Ἀμφιλόχιον, ἄνδρα τοσοῦτον ἐπὶ καλοκἀγαθίᾳ γνώριμον καὶ παρὰ τὸ εἰκὸς τῆς ἡλικίας, ὥστ' αὐτὸς ἂν ἠγάπησα ὁ γέρων καὶ ἱερεὺς καὶ ὑμέτερος φίλος οὕτως ὑπολαμβάνεσθαι. 23.4 Εἰ δὲ φιλίας ἀνδρὸς ἡττηθεὶς τὴν διαβολὴν οὐχ ὑπεί δετο, τί θαύμαστον; Τῷ γὰρ μὴ πονηρὸς εἶναι οὐδ' ὑπείδετο τὴν πονηρίαν, λόγου μᾶλλον διόρθωσιν ἢ τρόπου προσήκειν αὐτῷ νομίσας. 23.5 Οὕτω συμπονεῖν ἐδέξατο. Τί τοῦτο δεινὸν τοῖς εὐγνώμοσι; Μὴ τοίνυν ἀνάσχῃ πλέον ἔχειν ἀρετῆς κακίαν, μηδὲ τὴν ἡμετέραν πολιὰν ἀτιμάσῃς· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν αἰδέσθητι καὶ τὸ φιλάνθρωπον ὑπόθες ταῖς παρ' ἡμῶν εὐλογίαις, ὧν ἴσως τις παρὰ Θεῷ λόγος, ᾧ παρεστήκαμεν. 24.Τ ΘΕΜΙΣΤΙΩΙ 24.1 Λόγοι τὸ κινδυνευόμενον· καὶ σὸς ὁ καιρός, εἴπερ βασιλεὺς σὺ τῶν λόγων. Καὶ πρός γε, σοὶ φίλος πατρόθεν ὁ ἐμὸς Ἀμφιλόχιος· προσθήσω δ' ὅτι καὶ τοιοῦτος, οἷος μήτε γένος πατέρων αἰσχύνειν, μήτε τὴν ἡμετέραν φιλίαν, εἰ μὴ φαῦλος ἐγὼ τῶν τοιούτων κριτής. 24.2 Καὶ τὸ μέγιστον, ἀνδρὶ μάλιστα κατὰ σὲ φιλοσόφῳ, ὅτι μηδὲν ἀδικῶν ἔχει πράγματα. Ὃ τῷ μέν ἐστι κουφότατον, ἡμῖν δ' αὖ βαρύτατον, εἰ περιορῶντες φαινοίμεθα. 24.3 Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ὃ μόνον δύναμαι, τοῦτο ποιῶ· δύναμαι δὲ πρεσ βεύειν πρὸς τοὺς εὖ ποιεῖν δυναμένους· οὐ γὰρ ἄλλο γ' οὐδὲν ἐμοὶ δυνατὸν οὕτως ἔχοντι ὥσπερ νῦν ἔχω. 24.4 Σὺ δὲ τὸν τοῦ σοῦ Πλάτωνος βεβαίωσον λόγον, μὴ πρότερον παύσασθαι κακῶν τὰς πόλεις εἰπόντος, πρὶν ἂν συνέλθῃ φιλοσοφίᾳ τὸ δύνασθαι. 24.5 Ἱκανὸς γὰρ εἶ