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has already even happened. But may someone become a father to these words, not more well-disposed, perhaps, but better. 80 To Phaidros Truly, then, words were images of the soul and showed the absent how they are disposed in mind, no less than a painter shows whatever he wishes to imitate. For upon reading your letters, I thought that the man whom I did not know by experience had that same character, so that if someone, having removed the salutation, had handed me the letter, I would have thought the letter was from a loving father to his child. Such are the pupils that virtue is wont to show as its own. For that you, having neither seen nor had experience of me, should both initiate a correspondence and make your present blessings common with me, what praise would this not rightly obtain? But nevertheless I have chosen not to despise my Ithaca, even if something should happen, but I also admire the Homeric Odysseus for this reason, that disregarding all things he longed for the small island which no one would have mentioned for its finest qualities. 81 To Hieronymus Egypt and luxury again, and we are poor in your eyes and there is no word from the absent. This is no matter; only laugh, seeing the Nile flowing with gold. And if you should raise your eyebrow yet more, we shall bear being scorned completely. For there will be a day, when you will see Elousa again, and you will weep at the sand being shifted by the winds and stripping the vine to its roots. There are some dry and sea nymphs, and Zeus the rain-giver is nowhere. Then I shall laugh and make a comedy of fortune, but you will consider me, who am now cast aside, as happy. But while the Nile allows you to live in luxury, only write and call us small and some who go on the ground. For thus we shall both enjoy your writing and console ourselves for your arrogance with the hope of the future. 82 To Zacharias and Philippus The good John will claim your goodwill both from his kinship and from his having studied with me; for he is the son of Leontius, if you know Dionysius, the husband of our grandmother. His father is this man's brother, so that I might remind you of the man, although you know him. And if these things were not the case, you would in any case have considered our fellow-disciple and one who completed the chorus with me as one of your own. Therefore do not delay to do well by the young man, who has a claim on your goodwill from every side; for I pass over in silence how he also attracts beholders by his character, knowing how to blush before even saying anything, and to speak moderately, measuring his words to the occasion and having acquired a mind beyond his years. But the wretched Theodorus, having threatened us with the voyage, has drawn back again, perhaps having condemned himself if by prophesying something he should speak the truth and bring the matter to a conclusion. 83 To Zacharias and Philippus The man delivering this letter to you is one of those who studied with me, not for a long time, but nevertheless he considers it sufficient for your beneficence and for being designated by my mere name. But if he has judged rightly, he awaits experience as his teacher. Therefore it is a challenge for you both that he not be mistaken in his opinion, and that I not be put to shame, who am thought to have such influence with you. 84 To Zacharias and Philippus Again a letter to you and again another crowd; for I seem, I suppose, not to know any measure in asking but always to be quick to conceal my previous requests with new ones, and you to be laughing with each other and saying that I was better silent than pelting you with frequent letters. But nevertheless, even if I provide you with diversion and laughter, I will not endure being silent, as you might say, having always received from fortune the art of speaking, and this especially since the present matter looks to our need. For the notables among us by a common decree ask the highest authority to approve an easy matter, a tax-exempt ship capable of providing me with a grain allowance; and they ask that old allowances be confirmed for their successors and that a mere name be transferred. These things await your zeal; by bringing these things to completion you will do a favor both to me and to those who have asked you through me. But if you should overlook these things, a double misfortune befalls me, both not to obtain what was hoped for and not to obtain it through you, of which the one causes shame, the other loss. But we shall succeed in any case, with God assenting from above, and you

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ἤδη καὶ γέγονεν. ἀλλά τις γένοιτο τούτῳ λόγων πατήρ, εὔνους μὲν οὐκ ἂν μᾶλλον, κρείττων δὲ ἴσως. 80 Φαίδρωι Ὄντως ἄρα τῆς ψυχῆς εἰκόνες ἦσαν οἱ λόγοι καὶ τοὺς ἀπόντας ἔδειξαν ὅπως ἔχουσι γνώμης, οὐχ ἧττον ἢ ζωγράφος ἅπερ ἂν ἐθέλῃ μιμεῖσθαι. τοῖς γὰρ ὑμετέροις γράμμασιν ἐντυχών, ὃν ἠγνόουν τῇ πείρᾳ, τοῦτον ἐκεῖνον ἔχειν ἐδόκουν, ὡς εἴ τις ἐξελὼν τὸ πρόγραμμα τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἐπεδίδου, ᾤμην ἂν πατρὸς εἶναι φιλοστόργου πρὸς παῖδα τὰ γράμματα. τοιούτους ἡ ἀρετὴ τοὺς ἑαυτῆς ἔοικε τροφίμους δεικνύναι. τὸ γάρ σε μήτε ἰδόντα μήτε πεπειραμένον καὶ λόγου προκατάρχειν καὶ κοινὰ πρός με ποιεῖσθαι τὰ παρόντα τῶν ἀγαθῶν, τίνος εὐφημίας οὐκ ἂν τύχοι δικαίως; ἀλλ' ὅμως προῄρημαι μηδ' ἂν εἴ τι γένοιτο τὴν ἐμὴν Ἰθάκην ὑπεριδεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν Ὁμηρικὸν Ὀδυσσέα διὰ ταῦτα ζηλῶ, ὅτι πάντα παριδὼν τὴν μικρὰν ἐπόθει νῆσον καὶ ἧς οὐκ ἄν τις ἐπὶ βελτίστοις ἐμνήσθη. 81 Ἱερωνύμωι Πάλιν Αἴγυπτος καὶ τρυφή, καὶ πένητες ἡμεῖς παρὰ σοὶ καὶ λόγος ἀπόν των οὐδείς. οὐδὲν τοῦτο πρᾶγμα· γέλα μόνον χρυσῷ ῥέοντα τὸν Νεῖλον ὁρῶν. κἂν ἔτι μᾶλλον τὴν ὀφρῦν ἀνασπάσῃς οἴσομεν πάντως ὑπερορώμενοι. ἔσσεται γὰρ ἦμαρ, ὅτε πάλιν ὄψει τὴν Ἐλοῦσαν, καὶ δακρύσεις ψάμμον μεθισταμένην τοῖς πνεύμασι καὶ γυμνοῦσαν εἰς ῥίζας τὴν ἄμπελον. ἔνθα καὶ νύμφαι ξηραί τινες καὶ θαλάττιαι, καὶ Ζεὺς ὑέτιος οὐδαμοῦ. τότε γελάσω μὲν ἐγὼ καὶ κωμῳδήσω τὴν τύχην, σὺ δὲ νομιεῖς εὐδαίμονα τὸν νῦν ἀπερριμ μένον ἐμέ. πλὴν ἐν ὅσῳ σοι δίδωσιν ὁ Νεῖλος τρυφᾶν, γράφε μόνον καὶ κάλει σμικροὺς ἡμᾶς καὶ χαμαί τινας ἐρχομένους. οὕτω γὰρ καὶ σοῦ γράφοντος ἀπολαύσομεν καὶ τὴν σὴν ἀλαζονείαν τῇ τοῦ μέλλοντος ἐλπίδι παρα μυθησόμεθα. 82 Ζαχαρίαι καὶ Φιλίππωι Ὁ καλὸς Ἰωάννης κἀκ τοῦ γένους ὑμᾶς ἀπαιτήσει τὴν εὔνοιαν, κἀκ τῆς παρ' ἐμοὶ συμφοιτήσεως· ἔστι γὰρ Λεοντίου παῖς, εἰ ∆ιονύσιον ἴστε τῆς ἡμετέρας τήθης τὸν ἄνδρα. τούτου πέφυκεν ἀδελφὸς ὁ τούτου πατήρ, ἵνα καίπερ εἰδότας ὑπομνήσω τὸν ἄνθρωπον. εἰ δὲ καὶ μὴ ταῦτα προσῆν, πάν τως ἂν οἰκεῖον ἡγήσασθε θιασώτην ἡμέτερον καὶ τὸν παρ' ἐμοὶ χορὸν ἐκ πληρώσαντα. οὐκοῦν μὴ μέλλετε τὸν νέον εὖ ποιεῖν ἔχοντα πανταχόθεν ὀφειλομένην τὴν εὔνοιαν· σιωπῶ γὰρ λέγειν ὡς καὶ τῷ τρόπῳ τοὺς ὁρῶντας ἐπάγεται, ἐρυθριᾶν εἰδὼς πρίν τι καὶ λέγειν, καὶ φθέγγεσθαι μέτρια, τῷ καιρῷ τοὺς λόγους μετρῶν καὶ τὸν νοῦν ὑπὲρ τὴν ἡλικίαν κτησάμενος. ὁ δὲ μιαρὸς Θεόδωρος τὸν πλοῦν ἡμῖν ἐπανατείνας πάλιν ἀνέδυ, τάχα κατα γνοὺς ἑαυτοῦ εἴπερ τι προειπὼν ἀληθεύσειε καὶ πρὸς πέρας ἐνέγκοι τὸν λόγον. 83 Ζαχαρίαι καὶ Φιλίππωι Ὁ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ὑμῖν ἐπιδιδοὺς τῶν ἐς ἐμοῦ φοιτησάντων ἐστὶν ἀνήρ, χρόνον μὲν οὐ πολύν, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἱκανὸν ἡγεῖται πρὸς τὴν ἐξ ὑμῶν εὐποιίαν καὶ τὸ ψιλὴν ἐπιγράφεσθαί μου προσηγορίαν. εἰ δὲ δεόντως ἔγνωκε, διδά σκαλον ἀναμένει τὴν πεῖραν. οὐκοῦν ἀγὼν ὑμῖν κἀκεῖνον μὴ ψευσθῆναι τῆς γνώμης, κἀμὲ μὴ καταισχῦναι τοσοῦτον ἰσχύειν παρ' ὑμῖν νομιζόμενον. 84 Ζαχαρίαι καὶ Φιλίππωι Πάλιν ὑμῖν ἐπιστολὴ καὶ πάλιν ἕτερος ὄχλος· ἔοικα γάρ που τοῦ αἰτεῖν μὴ τάχα μέτρον εἰδέναι ἀλλὰ φθάνειν ἀεὶ τοῖς δευτέροις τὰ προλαβόντα ἀποκρύπτειν, ὑμᾶς δέ γελᾶν τε ἀλλήλοις καὶ λέγειν ὡς κρείττων ἦν σιωπῶν ἢ πυκνοῖς βάλλων τοῖς γράμμασιν. ἀλλ' ὅμως κἂν διατριβὴν ὑμῖν παρέχω καὶ γέλωτα, σιωπᾶν οὐκ ἀνέξομαι, ὡς ἂν ὑμεῖς εἴποιτε, τέχνης ἀεὶ τὸ λαλεῖν παρὰ τῆς τύχης λαχών, καὶ ταῦτα τοῦ νυνὶ πράγματος εἰς ἡμετέραν χρείαν ὁρῶντος. οἱ γὰρ παρ' ἡμῖν λογάδες ψηφίσματι κοινῷ τὴν μεγίστην ἀξιοῦ σιν ἀρχὴν ῥᾴδιον ἐπινεῦσαι πρᾶγμα, πλοῖον ἀτελὲς σιτηρέσιόν μοι χορη γῆσαι δυνάμενον· αἰτοῦσι δὲ καὶ παλαιὰς συντάξεις βεβαιωθῆναι τοῖς δια δεξαμένοις καὶ ψιλὴν μεταθεῖναι προσηγορίαν. ταῦτα τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀνα μένει σπουδήν, ταῦτα πρὸς πέρας ἐνεγκόντες κἀμοὶ χαριεῖσθε καὶ τοῖς αἰτή σασιν ὑμᾶς δι' ἐμοῦ. εἰ δὲ ταῦτα παρίδοιτε, διπλᾶ μοι συμβαίνει παθεῖν, καὶ τὸ μὴ τυχεῖν τῆς ἐλπίδος καὶ τὸ δι' ὑμῶν μὴ τυχεῖν, ὧν τὸ μὲν αἰσχύνην τὸ δὲ ζημίαν ἐργάζεται. ἀλλ' εὐτυχήσομεν πάντως, θεοῦ μὲν ἄνωθεν ἐπι νεύοντος, ὑμῶν δὲ