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Thus I will show that he is now in greater ease and pleasure. For what is easier, to be anxious about so many things, and to be bound by such a guard and slavery, and to fear lest any of one's possessions be lost, or to have been freed from these bonds? For let it be granted that he does not desire other burdens, but it is much better also to despise those already imposed. For if not needing more is acknowledged to be the greatest good, to be beyond the need even of one's possessions would be a mark of greater 47.336 prosperity. For that man who is without thirst and without love—for nothing prevents us from returning to the same examples—is shown to be far more blessed not only than those who are always thirsty, nor than those who are always in love, but even than those who have experienced this for a short time and have satisfied their desire, inasmuch as he has not even fallen into the trial of such a compulsion. And I will ask you again, if it were possible both to surpass all in wealth and to be freed from the evils that come from wealth, would you not have chosen this abundance ten thousand times over, so as to endure neither envy, nor slander, nor anxiety, nor any other such thing? If, then, we show that your son has this, and is now more abundantly wealthy, will you not cease lamenting and wailing so bitterly? That he is freed from anxieties, then, and from the other evils that are dragged in by wealth, not even you will deny; therefore there is no need for us to discuss these things with you; but you seek to learn how he is wealthier than you who have so much. This, then, we will teach you, and we will show that what you consider him to be in now, the utmost poverty, this is what you yourself suffer when compared to him. 4. And do not think that we will speak of the good things in the heavens, and those after the departure from here; for we will make our proof for now from the things at hand. You, then, are master of your own things only, but he is master of those throughout the whole world. But if you disbelieve, let us bring you to him, and persuade him, having come down from the mountain, or rather, remaining there, to signal to one of the very wealthy and pious, to send a weight of gold, as much as you wish; or rather, he will not endure this, but let him command that it be given to so-and-so who is in need, and you will see the rich man obeying and bringing it forth more eagerly than one of your own stewards. For the latter, when he is ordered to spend, is downcast and sullen; but the former, when he is not spending, then fears lest he may have offended, seeing that he is commanded no such thing. And I can point to many, not of these well-reputed men, but even of the more humble, who have such power. And you, if your stewards spend what was entrusted to them, have no one else from whom to demand it, but your wealth will immediately turn to poverty because of their wickedness; but with your son, this fear does not exist. For if this one becomes poor, he will command another again; and if that one suffers any such thing, he will move on to another, and it is more likely for the springs of waters to fail than for any of those who will obey these commands. And if you thought as we do, I would have narrated to you many and great stories; but since you esteem the things of the Greeks, I will not be at a loss for an example from there either. For hear what Crito says to Socrates: My money is available to you, and I think it is sufficient; and then, too, if out of concern for me you think you ought not to spend my money, these strangers here are ready to spend. Simmias the Theban has brought sufficient money for this very purpose, and Cebes is ready too, 47.337 and many others. So, as I was saying, do not, fearing these things, shrink from saving yourself, nor let what you said in court trouble you, that if you went into exile you would not know what to do with yourself. For in many places, and wherever else you may arrive, they will love you. And if you wish to go to Thessaly, I have friends there who will value you highly and will provide you security, so that you will lack nothing among the Thessalians. What is sweeter than this abundance? But these things are said as to a worldly man; but if we wished to examine his wealth more philosophically, you perhaps will not follow the argument,

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οὕτως ἐπιδείξω ἐν μείζονι νῦν ὄντα ἀνέσει καὶ ἡδονῇ. Τί γὰρ κουφότερον, ὑπὲρ τοσούτων φροντίζειν, καὶ τοιαύτῃ προσδεδέσθαι φυλακῇ καὶ δουλείᾳ, καὶ δεδοικέναι μὴ παραπόληταί τι τῶν ὄντων, ἢ καὶ τούτων ἀπηλλάχθαι τῶν δεσμῶν; Κείσθω γὰρ, αὐτὸν μὴ ἐπιθυμεῖν φορτίων ἑτέρων, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ βέλτιον καὶ τῶν ἐπιτεθέντων ἤδη καταφρονεῖν. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ μὴ δεῖσθαι πλειόνων συνωμολόγηται μέγιστον ὂν ἀγαθὸν, τὸ καὶ τῆς τῶν ὄντων χρείας ἐξώτερον εἶναι, μείζονος εὐ47.336 πραγίας ἂν εἴη. Ὁ γὰρ ἄδιψος ἐκεῖνος καὶ ἀνέραστος οὐδὲν γὰρ κωλύει πάλιν ἐπὶ τὰ αὐτὰ ἐλθεῖν ὑποδείγματα οὐ τῶν ἀεὶ διψώντων μόνον, οὐδὲ τῶν ἐρώντων ἀεὶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐν βραχεῖ τοῦτο παθόντων, καὶ πληρωσάντων τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν πολλῷ μακαριώτερος ὢν ἀποδέδεικται, ὡς μηδὲ εἰς πεῖραν ἐμπεσὼν τῆς τοιαύτης ἀνάγκης. Ἐρήσομαι δέ σε πάλιν, εἰ καὶ ὑπερβαλέσθαι τῷ πλούτῳ πάντας καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ πλούτου κακῶν ἀπαλλαγῆναι ἐνῆν, ἆρα οὐκ ἂν μυριάκις ταύτην εἵλου τὴν περιουσίαν, ὥστε μήτε βασκανίας, μήτε συκοφαντίας, μήτε φροντίδος, μήτ' ἄλλου μηδενὸς τῶν τοιούτων ἀνέχεσθαι; Ἂν τοίνυν καὶ τοῦτο ἔχοντα δείξωμεν τὸν υἱὸν, καὶ μειζόνως εὐπορώτερον ὄντα νῦν, παύσῃ θρηνῶν πάντως καὶ ὀλοφυρόμενος οὕτω πικρῶς; Ὅτι μὲν οὖν φροντίδων ἀπήλλακται, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν ἐπισυρομένων τῷ πλούτῳ κακῶν, οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ἀντερεῖς· διόπερ οὐδὲ ἡμῖν περὶ τούτων ἀνάγκη πρὸς σὲ διαλέγεσθαι· ζητεῖς δὲ μαθεῖν πῶς εὐπορώτερος τοῦ τοσαῦτα ἔχοντός σου. Τοῦτο δή σε διδάξομεν, καὶ δείξομεν, ὅτι ὅπερ ἡγῇ ἐκεῖνον νῦν εἶναι ἐν πενίᾳ τῇ ἐσχάτῃ, τοῦτο αὐτὸς πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἐξεταζόμενος πέπονθας. δʹ. Καὶ μήτοι νομίσῃς τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἡμᾶς ἐρεῖν ἀγαθὰ, καὶ τὰ μετὰ τὴν ἐνθένδε ἀποδημίαν· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῶν ἐν χερσὶ τέως ποιησόμεθα τὴν ἀπόδειξιν. Σὺ μὲν οὖν τῶν σαυτοῦ κύριος εἶ μόνον, ἐκεῖνος δὲ τῶν κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἅπασαν. Εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖς, δεῦρό σε ἀγάγωμεν εἰς αὐτὸν, καὶ πείσωμεν αὐτὸν κατελθόντα ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄρους, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐκεῖ μένοντα σημᾶναί τινι τῶν σφόδρα πλουτούντων καὶ εὐλαβῶν, πέμψαι χρυσοῦ σταθμὸν, ὅσον ἐθέλεις· μᾶλλον δὲ τοῦτο μὲν οὐκ ἀνέξεται, δοῦναι δὲ τῷ δεῖνι δεομένῳ κελευέτω, καὶ προθυμότερον ὄψει τὸν πλουτοῦντα ὑπακούοντα καὶ ἐκκομίζοντα, ἢ τῶν οἰκονόμων τινὰ τῶν σῶν. Οὗτος μὲν γὰρ ὅταν ἀναλίσκειν κελεύηται, κατηφής τέ ἐστι καὶ σκυθρωπός· ἐκεῖνος δὲ ὅταν μὴ ἀναλίσκῃ, τότε δέδοικε μή ποτε προσκεκρουκὼς ᾖ, ἅτε τοιοῦτον ἐπιταττόμενος οὐδέν. Καὶ πολλοὺς ἐπιδεῖξαι· ἔχω οὐ τῶν εὐδοκίμων τούτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν εὐτελεστέρων, τοσαύτην ἔχοντας δύναμιν. Καὶ σὺ μὲν, ἂν οἱ οἰκονόμοι ἀναλώσωσι τὰ πιστευθέντα, οὐκ ἔχεις ἀπαιτῆσαι ἕτερον, ἀλλ' εὐθέως σοι εἰς πενίαν ὁ πλοῦτος μεταπεσεῖται ὑπὸ τῆς κακουργίας ἐκείνων· παρὰ δὲ τῷ παιδὶ τῷ σῷ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστι τὸ δέος. Ἂν γὰρ οὗτος γένηται πένης, ἐπιτάξει πάλιν ἑτέρῳ· κἂν ἐκεῖνος πάθῃ τι τοιοῦτον, ἐφ' ἕτερον μεταβήσεται, καὶ τὰς τῶν ὑδάτων πηγὰς πρότερον ἐπιλιπεῖν εἰκὸς, ἢ τῶν ταῦτα ὑπακουσομένων τινά. Καὶ εἰ μὲν τὰ ἡμέτερα ἐφρόνεις, διηγησάμην ἄν σοι πολλὰ καὶ μεγάλα διηγήματα· ἐπεὶ δὲ τὰ Ἑλλήνων πρεσβεύεις, οὐδὲ ἐκεῖθεν ἀπορήσω τοῦ παραδείγματος. Ἄκουσον γὰρ τί πρὸς τὸν Σωκράτην ὁ Κρίτων φησί· Σοὶ δὲ ὑπάρχει μὲν τὰ ἐμὰ χρήματα, ὡς ἔγωγε οἶμαι, ἱκανά· ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ εἴ τι ἐμοῦ κηδόμενος οὐκ οἴει ἀναλίσκειν τἀμὰ, ξένοι οὗτοι ἐνθάδε ἕτοιμοι ἀναλίσκειν. Εἰσκεκόμικε δὲ ἐπ' αὐτῷ τούτῳ ἀργύριον ἱκανὸν Σιμμίας ὁ Θηβαῖος, ἕτοιμος 47.337 δὲ καὶ Κέβης, καὶ ἄλλοι πολλοί. Ὥστε, ὅπερ ἔλεγον, μὴ ταῦτα φοβούμενος ἀποκάμῃς σῶσαι σαυτὸν, μήτε ὃ ἔλεγες ἐν τῷ δικαστηρίῳ δυσχερές σοι γενέσθω, ὅτι οὐκ ἂν ἔχοις ἐξελθὼν ὅ τι χρῷο σαυτῷ· πολλαχοῦ μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἄλλοσε ὅπου ἂν ἀφίκῃ, ἀγαπήσουσί σε. Ἐὰν δὲ βούλῃ εἰς Θετταλίαν ἰέναι, εἰσὶν ἐμοὶ ἐκεῖ ξένοι, οἵ σε περὶ πολλοῦ ποιήσονται, καὶ ἀσφάλειάν σοι παρέξονται, ὥστε σοι μηδὲν ἐλλείπειν τῶν κατὰ Θετταλίαν. Τί ταύτης τῆς εὐπορίας ἥδιον; Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν ὡς πρὸς ἄνδρα βιωτικόν· εἰ δὲ φιλοσοφώτερον αὐτοῦ τὸν πλοῦτον ἐξετάζειν ἐθέλοιμεν, σὺ μὲν ἴσως οὐ παρακολουθήσεις τῷ λόγῳ,