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to send these out of fear that my children might be refuted before you as judge. For our work perhaps seems great in the eyes of benevolent judges, but to those wishing to scrutinize it, it will seem the opposite. But may you be rather the former to me; for my discourses, fearing your letter, often cried out, "1let us lie hidden, O father,"2 but I barely consoled them, promising that they would be going from home to home; "1For,"2 I said, "1having the Muses with him, he would not seek you out unless he also wished to honor you."2 This is brought by a fellow citizen of yours, for whom the things of the Muses are a concern; Dorotheus is his name, and they call him the son of Pelagius. 34 To Philip, brother Oh how much the Loves can do and change, and they confirm by their deeds that nothing has greater strength than they. They seem to say, "1most of all we hate arrogance."2 And if someone should raise an eyebrow and disregard the words of a lover, they change the order of things, and that haughty one suddenly loves and utters humble things. But what does this mean for me? You surely already understand and are laughing, but nevertheless, for the sake of their honor it will be said. For my longing for you, assailing me with its whole current, drew my thoughts to itself, and I was terribly at a loss and did not know what was to become of me. I thought, then, that there was one consolation, if I might say something while you were away and often hear you speak. When you learned of the matter, you suffered something strange, alas, and were lifted up to arrogance. And I was in love, but you paid no attention at all. I begged, and it availed me nothing. I brought up our kinship, I called you brother, I reminded you of Zeus, the god of friendship, but you were silent again. The matter was henceforth impossible. What then happened? I said something to the Loves and wept, and I called them to their bows; and they were persuaded; and they shot while you, being tested, were changed, and the one who was before arrogant to us asked me to be kind, so that you might not be tested by us in the same things as we were by you. But O friendly Loves, I am persuaded and am reconciled before I take revenge. But if he should act rashly again ... but I do not think he would dare. 35 To Ilasius If an old saying wants the things of friends to be common, and the most eloquent Peter is my friend, he would also reasonably be considered yours. And if I rightly esteem him, experience will often show, but for now the sight of him will testify to you of his character. He, being in need of something from you and wanting to obtain it at all costs, moved me to this letter, thinking that I have so much influence with you that I would reasonably fail in nothing. But if he thinks truly, confirm his opinion still more; but if falsely, even so assist, so that we may not be shown to be feigning our friendship for each other in other matters. He also has justice as an ally, which for you is a friend even when no one is asking. To be able to prevent an injustice and yet to overlook it is equivalent to doing it, which is foreign to your character. But know that you will certainly assent, being persuaded either by my letter or by his presence. You will cause grief in one thing only, by showing a duller virtue through your delay. 36 To Elias Of your gift, experience moves those who have known it to wonder, and its fame moves others, but both move me to hold your benefaction forever unwritten. And being admired for the good things of which I have become a servant to my fatherland, I trace the cause back to you in my memory of these good things. For this reason, I am always bold beyond what is proper, bringing you small things; and it is no wonder; for not even those who burn incense to the gods show their gratitude in proportion to the favor's worth, but in proportion to their ability to seem grateful. And in the case of things brought to you, the greatest have the same power as the least when measured against your benefaction. 37 To Zacharias and Philip, brothers Well done on your letters, how they know how to lift our spirit to such good cheer. For what is sweeter than to hear the voices of those whose presence one has prayed for with his own voice? Although fortune ought to have granted this long ago, may it someday come to pass with your willing, O gods, and for as long as they delay, letters are provided to us in their place. For to another in

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τούτους ἐκπέμψαι με φόβῳ τοῦ μὴ παρὰ σοὶ κριτῇ τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἐλέγχεσθαι παῖδας. τὸ γὰρ ἡμέτερον παρ' εὐνοοῦσι μὲν δικασταῖς τυχὸν ἴσως μέγα δοκεῖ, παρ' ἐξετάζειν δὲ βουλο μένοις ἐναντίον δόξει. ἀλλά μοι γένοιο μᾶλλον τὸ πρότερον· ὡς τὴν σὴν ἐπιστολὴν δεδιότες οἱ λόγοι "1ἔα λανθάνειν, ὦ πάτερ"2 πολλάκις ἐβόων, ἐγὼ δὲ μόλις παρεμυθούμην οἴκοθεν οἴκαδε φοιτήσειν ἐπαγγελλόμενος· "1παρ' αὑτῷ γὰρ ἔχων τὰς Μούσας οὐκ ἄν"2 ἔφην "1ὑμᾶς ζητοίη μὴ καὶ σεμνύνειν βουλόμενος"2. ἐπάγεται δὲ τοῦτο πολίτης ὑμέτερος, ᾧ τὰ Μουσῶν μέλει· ∆ωρόθεος ὄνομα αὐτῷ, καὶ Πελαγίου τοῦτον ἐπονομάζουσιν. 34 Φιλίππωι ἀδελφῶι Ὢ πόσα δύνανται καὶ μεταβάλλουσιν Ἔρωτες, καὶ βεβαιοῦσι τοῖς ἔργοις ὡς οὐδὲν αὐτῶν ἐκείνων μεῖζον ἰσχύει. ἐοίκασι δὲ λέγειν ὡς "1μάλιστα πάντων μισοῦμεν ὑπεροψίαν"2. κἂν τὴν ὀφρῦν τις ἀνασπάσῃ καὶ παρίδῃ λόγους ἐρῶντος, ἐνήλλαξαν οὗτοι τὴν τάξιν, καὶ ὁ σεμνὸς ἐκεῖνος ἐξαίφνης ἐρᾷ καὶ φθέγγεται ταπεινόν. ἀλλὰ τί μοι βούλεται ταῦτα; ἤδη μὲν πάντως ἐπίστασαι καὶ γελᾷς, ἀλλ' ὅμως τιμῆς ἕνεκα τῆς ἐκείνων εἰρήσεται. ἐμοὶ γὰρ ὁ σὸς πόθος ὅλῳ ῥεύματι προσβαλὼν εἷλκε τὸν λογισμὸν ἐφ' αὑτόν, καὶ δεινῶς ἠπόρουν καὶ οὐκ εἶχον ὅ τι καὶ γένωμαι. μίαν τοίνυν ἐδόκουν εἶναι παρα μυθίαν, εἴ τι λέξεις ἀπὼν καὶ φθεγγομένου πολλάκις ἀκούσω. ὡς οὖν ἔγνως τὸ πρᾶγμα, ξένον τι πέπονθας, οἴμοι, καὶ πρὸς ἀλαζονείαν ἐπήρθης. καὶ ἐγὼ μὲν ἤρων, σὺ δὲ παντάπασιν οὐ προσεῖχες. ἐδεόμην, καὶ ἦν μοι πλέον οὐδέν. προὔφερον τὴν συγγένειαν, ἀδελφὸν προσεῖπον, ὑπέμνησα φιλίου ∆ιός, σὺ δὲ καὶ πάλιν ἐσίγας. ἀμήχανον ἦν τὸ πρᾶγμα λοιπόν. τί οὖν καὶ γέγονεν; εἶπόν τι πρὸς τοὺς Ἔρωτας καὶ ἐδάκρυσα, καὶ παρεκάλουν ἐπὶ τὰ τόξα· καὶ πείθονται· καὶ οἱ μὲν ἔβαλλον σὺ δὲ πειραθεὶς μετεβάλλου, καὶ ὁ πρὶν ἡμῖν ἀλαζὼν ᾔτεις με γενέσθαι φιλάνθρωπον, ὅπως μὴ τῶν αὐτῶν πειραθῇς παρ' ἡμῶν, ὧνπερ ἡμεῖς παρὰ σοῦ. ἀλλ' ὦ φίλοι Ἔρωτες, ἐγὼ μὲν πείθομαι καὶ πρὶν ἀμύνασθαι διαλλάττομαι. εἰ δέ τι πάλιν νεανιεύσεται ... ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν οἶμαι τολμήσειε. 35 Ἰλασίωι Εἰ τὰ τῶν φίλων κοινὰ παλαιὸς εἶναι βούλεται λόγος, ἐμοὶ δὲ φίλος ὁ λογιώτατος Πέτρος, καὶ σὸς ἂν εἰκότως νομίζοιτο. εἰ δὲ δικαίως τοῦτον ἀσπάζομαι, δείξει μὲν πολλάκις ἡ πεῖρα, ἡ δὲ θέα σοι τέως μαρτυρήσει τὸν τρόπον. οὗτος ὑμῶν τι δεόμενος καὶ βουληθεὶς πάντως τυχεῖν ἐμὲ πρὸς ταύ την ἐκίνησε τὴν ἐπιστολήν, νομίζων τοσοῦτόν με δύνασθαι παρ' ὑμῖν ὡς μηδενὸς ἂν εἰκότως διαμαρτεῖν. ἀλλ' εἰ μὲν ἀληθῆ νομίζει, βεβαίωσον ἔτι τὴν γνώμην· εἰ δὲ ψευδῆ, καὶ οὕτως ὑπούργησον, ἵνα μὴ δειχθῶμεν ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους φιλίαν πλαττόμενοι. ἔχει δὲ καὶ τὸ δίκαιον συμ μαχοῦν, ὅπερ σοι καὶ μηδενὸς αἰτοῦντος καθέστηκε φίλον. τὸ δὲ δυνάμενον ἀδικίαν κωλῦσαι περιιδεῖν ἐν ἴσῳ καθέστηκε τῷ ποιεῖν, ὅπερ τῆς σῆς γνώμης ἀλλότριον. ἴσθι δὲ ὡς πάντως ἐπινεύσεις ἢ τοῖς γράμμασι τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἢ τῇ παρουσίᾳ πειθόμενος. ἓν μόνον λυπήσεις, ἀμβλυτέραν τῇ ἀναβολῇ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐνδεικνύμενος. 36 Ἠλίαι Τῆς ὑμετέρας δωρεᾶς ἡ μὲν πεῖρα τοὺς ἐγνωκότας, ἡ δὲ φήμη τοὺς ἄλλους εἰς θαῦμα κινεῖ, ἐμὲ δὲ ἀμφότερα πρὸς τὸ ἀνάγραπτον ἐσαεὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἔχειν εὐεργεσίαν. καὶ θαυμαζόμενος ἐφ' οἷς τοιούτων ἀγαθῶν ὑπηρέτης γέγονα τῇ πατρίδι, εἰς ὑμᾶς ἀνάγω τῇ μνήμῃ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὴν αἰτίαν. ὅθεν, ἀεὶ παρὰ τὸ προσῆκον παρρησιάζομαι τὰ μικρὰ προσάγων ὑμῖν· καὶ θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν· οὐδὲ γὰρ οἱ τοῖς θεοῖς λιβανωτὸν ἐπιθύοντες πρὸς ἀξίαν τὴν χάριν, πρὸς δὲ δύναμιν τὸ δοκεῖν εὐγνώμονες ἐπιδείκνυνται. καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ὑμῖν προσαγομένων τὰ μέγιστα τοῖς ἐλαχίστοις τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχει δύναμιν πρὸς τὴν εὐεργεσίαν μετρούμενα. 37 Ζαχαρίαι καὶ Φιλίππωι ἀδελφοῖσ Εὖγε τῶν ὑμετέρων γραμμάτων, ὡς πρὸς εὐθυμίαν ὅσην ἡμῶν οἶδεν ἐπαί ρειν τὴν γνώμην. τί γὰρ ἥδιον ἢ φθεγγομένων ἀκούειν ὅτε παρεῖναί τινας αὑτῷ φθόγγοις προσηύξατο; ὡς ἔδει μὲν καὶ πάλαι τοῦτο τὴν τύχην ἐπι νεῦσαι, γένοιτο δ' ἄν ποτε καὶ πρὸς πέρας ἔλθοι βουλομένων ὑμῶν, ὦ θεοί, ἐν ὅσῳ γε μὴν μέλλουσιν ἀνθ' ἑαυτῶν ἡμῖν χορηγεῖσθαι τὰ γράμματα. ἄλλῳ μὲν γὰρ ἐν