15

would become sweeter. For what would a genuine friend not accomplish? How much pleasure would he not create? And how much benefit? How much security? And if you should speak of ten thousand treasures, you would find nothing of equal value to a genuine friend. And just as the bloom of brilliant bodies flows to the nearby places; so also friends, to whatever places they may come, emit a grace of their own. For it is better to live in darkness than to be without friends.

Gregory of Nyssa. Just as fragrant spices make the surrounding air full of their own good scent, so the presence of a good man benefits his neighbors.

Of Evagrius. Love heals the inflamed parts of the temper. Of Philo. One must consider a friend, the one willing to help and be of service in return, even if he is not able

to. To drink a potion from a golden cup, and from an ungrateful older woman

to receive counsel, is the same thing. New vessels are better, but older friendship is. 15Ε_064 The fruits from the earth come annually, but those from friendship,

spring up at every season. The fruits from the earth come annually; but those from friendship, at every

season spring up. Many choose friends, not the best, but the wealthy. 760 Many seeming to be friends, are not; and not seeming to be, are; of a wise man

therefore it is to know each one. One must flee the friendship of those whose disposition is doubtful. Isocrates. Acquire friends, not all who are willing, but those

who are worthy of your nature. Of the same. Make no one a friend, until you have examined how he has treated his

former friends. For expect him to be the same toward you, as he has been toward them.

Be slow to become a friend; but having become one, try to remain so. For it is equally shameful to have no friend, and to change many companions.

True friendship seeks three things most of all: virtue, as it is good; and intimacy, as it is pleasant; and usefulness, as it is necessary. For one must approve after judging, and rejoice when together, and make use of when in need.

Plutarch. We judge a horse's excellence in war, but a friend's faithfulness in misfortune.

A brother ought not, like the scale of a balance, incline to the opposite, being humbled when the other is exalted.

Be pleasant toward all, but associate with the best. For thus you will not be hateful to the former, and you will become a friend to the latter.

Acquire friends, not those with whom you may most pleasantly pass the time, but those with whom you will fare best. From the Chreiae of Dio. For however many companions one may have acquired,

with so many eyes he sees what he wishes, with so many ears he hears what he must, and with so many minds he thinks 15Ε_066 about what is expedient. For it makes no difference than if God had given to one having a single body, many souls, all taking thought for him.

Aristotle. It is more fitting to make money for the sake of friends, than friends for the sake of money.

This man, being reproached for associating with wicked people, "He," he said, "is the best physician, who takes up those given up for lost by all."

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γλυκύτερον γένοιτο ἄν. Τί γάρ οὐκ ἄν ἐργάσαιτο φίλος γνήσιος; πόσην μέν οὐκ ἄν ἐμποιήσειεν ἡδονήν; πόσην δέ ὠφέλειαν; πόσην ἀσφάλειαν; κἄν μυρίους θησαυρούς εἴπῃς, οὐδέν ἀντάξιον γνησίου φίλου εὕροις. Καί καθάπερ τά λαμπρά τῶν σωμάτων ἄνθος ἀποῤῥεῖ πρός τούς πλησίον τόπους· οὕτω καί φίλοι, οἷς ἐάν παραγένωται τόποις, ἑαυτῶν χάριν ἀφιᾶσι. Κρεῖσσον γάρ ἐν σκότῳ διάγειν, ἤ φίλων εἶναι χωρίς.

Γρηγ. Νύσσης. Ὥσπερ τά εὐώδη τῶν ἀρωμάτων, τῆς ἰδίας εὐπνοίας τόν παρακείμενον ἀέρα πλήρη ποιοῦσιν, οὕτως ἀνδρός ἀγαθοῦ παρουσία τούς πέλας ὀνίσησιν.

Εὐαγρίου. Ἀγάπη, τά φλεγμαίνοντα μόρια τοῦ θυμοῦ θεραπεύει. Φίλωνος. Φίλον ἡγητέον, τόν βοηθεῖν καί ἀντωφελεῖν ἐθέλοντα, κἄν μή

δύνηται. Ἐκ χρυσοῦ ποτηρίου πίνειν φάρμακον, καί παλαιοτέρα ἀγνώμονος

συμβουλίαν λαμβάνειν, ταυτόν ἐστιν. Σκεύη μέν τά καινά, κρείττονα, φιλία δέ ἡ παλαιοτέρα. 15Ε_064 Οἱ μέν ἐκ τῆς γῆς καρποί κατ' ἐνιαυτόν, οἱ δέ ἐκ τῆς φιλίας,

κατά πάντα καιρόν φύονται. Οἱ μέν ἐκ τῆς γῆς καρποί κατ᾿ ἐνιαυτόν· οἱ δέ ἐκ τῆς φιλίας, κατά πάντα

καιρόν φύονται. Πολλοί φίλους αἱροῦνται, οὐ τούς ἀρίστους, ἀλλά τούς πλουτοῦντας. 760 Πολλοί δοκοῦντες εἶναι φίλοι, οὐκ εἰσί· καί οὐ δοκοῦντες, εἰσί· σοφοῦ

οὖν ἐστι γινώσκειν ἕκαστον. Φεύγειν δεῖ τήν φιλίαν, ὧν τινων ἀμφίβολος ἡ διάθεσις. Ἰσοκράτ. Φίλους κτῶ, μή πάντας τούς βουλομένους, ἀλλά τούς τῆς σῆς

φύσεως ἀξίους ὄντας. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Μηδένα φίλον ποιοῦ, πρίν ἄν ἐξετάσῃς πῶς κέχρηται τοῖς

πρότερον φίλοις. Ἔλπιζε γάρ αὐτόν καί περί σέ γενέσθαι τοιοῦτον, οἷος καί περί ἐκείνους γέγονεν.

Βραδέως μέν φίλος γίνου· γενόμενος δέ, πειρῶ διαμένειν. Ὁμοίως γάρ αἰσχρόν μηδένα φίλον ἔχειν, καί πολλούς ἑταίρους μεταλλάττειν.

Ἡ ἀληθινή φιλία τρία ζητοῖ μάλιστα· τήν ἀρετήν, ὡς καλόν· καί τήν συνήθειαν, ὡς ἡδύ· καί τήν χρείαν, ὡς ἀναγκαῖον. ∆εῖ γάρ ἀποδέξασθαι κρίναντα, καί χαίρειν συνόντα, καί χρῆσθαι δεόμενον.

Πλουτάρχ. Ἵππου μέν ἀρετήν ἐν πολέμῳ, φίλου δέ πίστιν ἐν ἀτυχίᾳ κρίνομεν.

Οὐ χρή τόν ἀδελφόν καθάπερ πλάστιγγα ῥέπειν εἰς τοὐναντίον, ὑψουμένου ταπεινούμενον αὐτόν.

Ἡδέως μέν ἔχε πρός ἅπαντας, χρῶ δέ τοῖς βελτίστοις. Οὕτω γάρ, τοῖς μέν οὐκ ἀπεχθής ἔσῃ, τοῖς δέ φίλος γενήσῃ.

Φίλους κτῶ, μή μεθ᾿ ὧν ἥδιστα συνδιατρίψῃς, ἀλλά μεθ᾿ ὧν ἄριστα. Ἐκ τῶν ∆ίωνος Χρειῶν. Ὁπόσους γάρ ἄν τις ᾗ κεκτημένος ἑταίρους,

τοσούτοις μέν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἅ βούλεται ὁρᾷ, τοσαύταις δέ ἀκοαῖς ἅ δεῖ ἀκούει, τοσαύταις δέ διανοίαις διανοεῖται 15Ε_066 περί τῶν συμφερόντων. ∆ιαφέρει γάρ οὐδέν, ἤ εἴ τῳ Θεός ἕν σῶμα ἔχοντι, πολλάς ψυχάς ἔδωκεν, ἁπάσας ὑπέρ ἐκείνου προνοουμένας.

Ἀριστοτέλ. Χρήματα ποιεῖσθαι μᾶλλον τῶν φίλων ἕνεκα προσήκει, ἤ τούς φίλους τῶν χρημάτων.

Οὗτος ὀνειδιζόμενος ὅτι πομηροῖς συνδιατρίβει, Ἐκεῖνος, ἔφη, ἄριστος ἰατρός ἐστι, ὅς τούς ὑπό πάντων ἀπεγνωσμένους ἀναλαμβάνει.