Letter XI. To a Student of the Classics.

When I was looking for some suitable and proper exordium, I mean of course from Holy Scripture, to put at the head of my letter, according to my usual custom, I did not know which to choose, not from inability to find what was suitable, but because I deemed it superfluous to write such things to those who knew nothing about the matter. For your eager pursuit of profane literature proved incontestably to us that you did not care about sacred. Accordingly I will say nothing about Bible texts, but will select a prelude adapted to your literary tastes taken from the poets you love so well. By the great master of your education there is introduced one, showing all an old man’s joy, when after long affliction he once more beheld his son, and his son’s son as well. And the special theme of his exultation is the rivalry between the two, Ulysses and Telemachus, for the highest meed of valour, though it is true that the recollection of his own exploits against the Cephallenians adds to the point of his speech57    The text here seems hopelessly corrupt. Or the meaning may be, “Our main text shall be his exultation at the generous rivalry between Ulysses and Telemachus, though his mention of his exploits against the Cephallenians shall also contribute to illustrate our discussion;” but this can hardly be got out of the Greek. The reference is to Odyssey, xxiv. 514. Gregory was evidently fond of Homer: the comparison of Diomede to a winter torrent (Iliad, v. 87) is used De Virginit. c. 4: and Menelaus’ words about the young and old (Iliad, iii. 108), c. 23: and in Letter II. of the seven edited by Caraccioli (Letter XV.) describing the gardens of Vanota, Od. vii. 115, xiii. 589. For other quotations from the classics see Letters XI. and XII. of this Series (H. C. O.).. For you and your admirable father, when you welcomed me, as they did Laertes, in your affection, contended in most honourable rivalry for the prize of virtue, by showing us all possible respect and kindness; he in numerous ways which I need not here mention, and you by pelting me with58    βάλλοντες, with allusion to the darts hurled by Ulysses and Telemachus (H. C. O.). your letters from Cappadocia. What, then, of me the aged one? I count that day one to be blessed, in which I witness such a competition between father and son. May you, then, never cease from accomplishing the rightful prayer of an excellent and admirable father, and surpassing in your readiness to all good works the renown which from him you inherit. I shall be a judge acceptable to both of you, as I shall award you the first prize against your father, and the same to your father against you. And we will put up with rough Ithaca, rough not so much with stones as with the manners of the inhabitants, an island in which there are many suitors, who are suitors59    Reading μνηστῆρες, for the unmeaning κρατῆρες; “they are suitors not so much for the hand of Penelope as for her money” (H. C. O.). The Medicean has βρωστῆρες, “devourers.” Just below the allusion is to Melantho’s rudely threatening Ulysses, and getting hanged for it. most of all for the possessions of her whom they woo, and insult their intended bride by this very fact, that they threaten her chastity with marriage, acting in a way worthy of a Melantho, one might say, or some other such person; for nowhere is there a Ulysses to bring them to their senses with his bow. You see how in an old man’s fashion I go maundering off into matters with which you have no concern. But pray let indulgence be readily extended to me in consideration of my grey hairs; for garrulity is just as characteristic of old age as to be blear-eyed, or for the limbs to fail60    ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ γήρως ἀπονοίας, an irrelevant phrase, and, as not necessary to the sense, here omitted in translation (H. C. O.).. But you by entertaining us with your brisk and lively language, like a bold young man as you are, will make our old age young again, supporting the feebleness of our length of days with this kind attention which so well becomes you.

[11] Εὐπατρίῳ σχολαστικῷ Ζητῶν τι προσφυὲς καὶ οἰκεῖον τῷ γράμματι δοῦναι προοίμιον, ἀπὸ μὲν τῶν ἐμοὶ συνήθων, λέγω δὴ τῶν γραφικῶν ἀναγνωσμάτων, οὐκ εἶχον ὅτῳ καὶ χρήσομαι, οὐ τῷ μὴ εὑρίσκειν τὸ συμβαῖνον, ἀλλὰ τῷ περιττὸν κρίνειν πρὸς οὐκ εἰδότας τοιαῦτα γράφειν: ἡ γὰρ περὶ τοὺς ἔξωθεν λόγους σπουδὴ τοῦ μηδεμίαν τῶν θείων μαθημάτων ἐπιμέλειαν ἔχειν ἀπόδειξις ἡμῖν γέγονεν. οὐκοῦν ἐκεῖνα μὲν σιωπήσομαι, ἐκ δὲ τῶν σῶν πρὸς τὴν λογιότητά σου προοιμιάσομαι. πεποίηταί τις παρὰ τῷ διδασκάλῳ τῆς ὑμετέρας παιδεύσεως πρεσβυτικῶς εὐφραινόμενος, μετὰ τὴν χρονίαν αὐτοῦ κακοπάθειαν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἔχων τὸν ἑαυτοῦ παῖδα καὶ τοῦ παιδὸς ἅμα τὸν παῖδα: ὑπόθεσις δὲ αὐτῷ τῆς εὐφροσύνης ἡ περὶ τῶν πρωτείων τῆς ἀρετῆς Ὀδυσσεῖ πρὸς τὸν Τηλέμαχον μάχη. [εἰς] τί οὖν ἡ μνήμη τῶν Κεφαλλήνων πρὸς τὸν σκοπὸν τοῦ λόγου συμβάλλεται; ὅτι με διαλαβόντες μέσον ὑμεῖς, σύ τε καὶ ὁ τὰ πάντα θαυμάσιος ὁ πατὴρ ὁ σός, ὥσπερ τὸν Λαέρτην ἐκεῖνοι, φιλοτίμως πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐν τῇ πρὸς ἡμᾶς τιμῇ τε καὶ φιλοφροσύνῃ περὶ τῶν πρωτείων διαγωνίζεσθε, ὁ μὲν ἐκ τοῦ Πόντου, σὺ δὲ ἀπὸ Καππαδοκίας τοῖς γράμμασι βάλλοντες. τί οὖν ὁ γέρων ἐγώ; μακαριστὴν τίθεμαι τὴν ἡμέραν, ἐν ᾗ βλέπω τοιαύτην παιδὶ πρὸς πατέρα τὴν ἅμιλλαν. μή ποτε οὖν παύσαιο χρηστοῦ καὶ θαυμαστοῦ πατρὸς εὐχὴν δικαίαν ἀποπληρῶν καὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς προτερήμασι τὴν πατρικὴν δόξαν ὑπερβαλλόμενος: οὕτω παρ' ἀμφοτέροις ὑμῖν ἔσομαι κεχαρισμένος κριτής, σοὶ μὲν τὰ πρωτεῖα πρὸς τὸν πατέρα νέμων, τῷ πατρὶ δὲ πρὸς σέ. ἡμεῖς δὲ οἴσομεν τὴν τραχεῖαν Ἰθάκην, οὐ λίθοις τοσοῦτον ὅσον τοῖς ἤθεσι τῶν οἰκητόρων τραχυνομένην, ἐν ᾗ πολλοὶ [οἱ] μνηστῆρες καὶ τῶν κτημάτων τῆς μνηστευομένης βρωτῆρες, οἱ καὶ αὐτῷ τούτῳ τὴν νύμφην ὑβρίζοντες, τῷ ἐπαπειλεῖν τὸν γάμον τῇ σωφρονούσῃ, Μελανθοῦς, οἶμαι, τινὸς ἢ ἄλλης τοιαύτης ἀξίως πράττοντες, οὐδαμοῦ δὲ ὁ σωφρονίζων τῷ τόξῳ. ὁρᾷς ὅσον πρεσβυτικῶς ἐπὶ τὰ μηδὲν προσήκοντα ἡμῖν παρεληρήσαμεν; ἀλλά μοι πρόχειρος ἔστω διὰ τὴν πολιὰν ἡ συγγνώμη: ἴδιον γὰρ αὐτῆς, ὥσπερ τὸ κορυζοῦσθαι τὰ ὄμματα καὶ τὰ μέλη πάντα ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ γήρως ἀτονίας βαρύνεσθαι, οὕτω καὶ τὸ ἀδολεσχεῖν ἐν τῷ λόγῳ. σὺ δὲ ἡμᾶς τοῖς τροχαλοῖς τε καὶ διεγηγερμένοις τῶν λόγων νεανικῶς δεξιούμενος ἀνανεώσῃ τὸ γῆρας, τῇ καλῇ καὶ πρεπούσῃ γηροκομίᾳ ταύτῃ τὸ κεκμηκὸς τῆς ἡλικίας ἐπανορθούμενος.