Procopius of Gaza, Letters

he will convey frequent requests from us, but only just ones and having a praiseworthy pretext, for which a man who is grateful and Hellenic in character would take more pleasure in giving a favor than in receiving one from others. Such is the need of the present circumstances. Nilus the most learned, having dedicated his life to God, lives in the city, while his mother is disturbed on his account, tending both to her old age and the resulting weakness, and is no less known for his piety than perhaps many who live in the desert. Possessing a house which has an adjacent empty plot, he has had the misfortune of a wicked neighbor, who, having newly built some windows facing the empty plot which did not belong to him, for the present agreed that he would not be an obstacle to one wishing to build them up. But now that word has come to deed, he puts forward the windows as an obstacle, as if demanding a penalty because he was overlooked when the innovation was made. But seeing himself on every side cast out by what is just, he devises for himself the infiltration of power and, what is greatest, of a man who has always resolved to delight in what is just. For he pushes himself toward that great Nestorius, being emboldened by the man's absence. For having used those close to him for an alliance, he fabricated a certain purchase against him for the purpose of mischief, the just name, and having taken the matter for injustice and trying to slander the praises against him from every side. But having learned these things, he will, through you, hinder the wrongdoer with threats, through a man who honors what is just. 138 To Dorotheus So then, for those who long, spring was not a change of season and the brightness of the hour and singing swallows and the earth adorned with flowers, but the voice of a boy changing the winter of silence that vexes the soul of lovers to a fair hearing. Such have you appeared, bestowing letters better than any pleasure. For the winter that galloped by came upon nature with great force, but seemed more grievous while you were silent. 139 To Orion Your uncle thinks he will bestow some great favor on your education, if indeed he must bring a letter from me, and in saying this, no doubt, he is prompted to write. But I have admired the man for his good will toward you, sparing not even the smallest things by which he knows he will please you, but I preferred silence, blushing for myself and having nothing wise to write. For as it seems also to the most wise Plato, it is not possible to know what virtue is, if one is not striving toward virtue in one's deeds. And concerning what it is not possible to know, I would blush to speak, doing the same as if someone who knows nothing of music, not even in a dream, then said he was some Orpheus, taming the wild beasts with his lyre. But if he had to touch the strings, the boast is immediately a laughing-stock, and everything is easily put to the test. Whence then am I thought by your uncle to be what I am not by nature? You have often said something to him, dignifying me by the law of friendship, but he, not considering your longing but thinking your words came from my deeds, demands that I become such a man as you fashioned me in your words, and for your falsehood I am now held accountable and I refute your words, not being able to be a teacher of virtue? But since my letter is to you, resolve to admire me again, so that you do not prove yourself a liar. 140 To Diodorus You have filled my house with the two-obol rags of Euripides, sending little Adonises without rhythm, as you are fond of calling them, and unmusical slippers and Iphicratides, at which the general Iphicrates would have greatly lamented, as they bear no evidence of Attica. For they offer neither any grace nor the experience of a Hymettian bee, nor do they proclaim Attica by their appearance, in which are Marathon and Salamis and men who are lovers of freedom and spirit, not, by Zeus, initiated into the Muse among you. For your things ... but let it lie in auspicious silence, lest I speak something unawares. 141 [To Cyriacus] Such are your gifts; but our gifts even you yourself would praise, since you so indulge your stomach. For being a glutton and having made gluttony your practice and measuring great happiness by food, if you should hunt down anything sweet somewhere, you immediately stick out your tongue, just like some Ajax his great shield. And the occasion is a witness, in which you snatched the cake from others, immediately sending the whole thing to your mouth. 142

δεήσεις παρ' ἡμῶν διακομίσει πυκνάς, πλὴν οὖν δικαίας καὶ πρόφασιν ἐχούσας ἐπαινουμένην, ὑπὲρ ὧν τις εὐγνώμων καὶ τὸν τρόπον Ἑλληνικὸς χάριν ἂν ἡσθείη διδοὺς ἢ παρ' ἑτέρων δεχόμενος. τοιαύτη δέ τις τῶν παρόντων ἡ χρεία. Νεῖλος ὁ λογιώτατος θεῷ τὸν βίον ἀναθεὶς πόλιν μὲν οἰκεῖ, μητρὸς ἐπ' αὐτῷ σαλευούσης, γῆρας ὁμοῦ θεραπεύων καὶ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀσθένειαν, οὐδὲν δὲ ἧττον πολλῶν ἴσως ἐπ' ἐρημίας οἰκούντων ἐπ' εὐσεβείᾳ γνωρίζεται. οἰκίαν δὲ κεκτημένος τόπον ψιλὸν ἐχούσης τὸν παρακείμενον, γείτονος ἀπέλαυσε πονηροῦ, ὃς θυρίδας κατὰ τοῦ μὴ προσ ήκοντος ψιλοῦ νεωτερίσας τινάς, πρὸς μὲν τὸ παρὸν ὡμολόγει μηδὲν ἐμπο δὼν ἔσεσθαι ταύτας οἰκοδομεῖν βουλομένῳ. ὡς δὲ νῦν εἰς ἔργον ἦλθεν ὁ λόγος, κώλυμα τὰς θυρίδας προβάλλεται, ὥσπερ δίκην ἀπαιτῶν ὅτι παρεῖδε καινοτομούμενος. ὁρῶν δὲ τοῖς δικαίοις πανταχόθεν ἑαυτὸν ἐξωθούμενον, παρείσδυσιν ἑαυτῷ δυναστείας ἐπινοεῖ καί, τὸ μέγιστον, ἀνδρὸς τοῖς δικαίοις χαίρειν ἐγνωκότος ἀεί. εἰς γὰρ τὸν πολὺν ἐκεῖνον ὠθεῖται Νεστόριον, τῷ μὴ παρεῖναι τὸν ἄνδρα θαρρῶν. τοῖς γὰρ αὐτῷ προσήκουσιν εἰς συμμα χίαν χρησάμενος, ὠνὴν εἰς αὐτόν τινα πρὸς κακουργίαν ἐπλάσατο τὸ δίκαιον ὄνομα, καὶ πρὸς ἀδικίαν ὕλην λαβὼν καὶ τοὺς κατ' αὐτοῦ πανταχόθεν ἐπαίνους διαβάλλειν πειρώμενος. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μαθὼν δι' ὑμῶν κωλύσει ταῖς ἀπειλαῖς τὸν ἀδικοῦντα δι' ἀνδρὸς τιμῶντος τὰ δίκαια. 138 ∆ωροθέωι Ἦν ἄρα τοῖς ποθοῦσιν ἔαρ οὐ καιροῦ μεταβολὴ καὶ ὥρας λαμπρότης καὶ χελιδόνες ᾄδουσαι καὶ γῆ ποικιλλομένη τοῖς ἄνθεσιν, ἀλλὰ παιδικῶν φωνὴ χειμῶνα σιγῆς τῇ τῶν ἐρώντων ψυχῇ παρενοχλοῦντα πρὸς εὔδιον ἀκοὴν μεταβάλλουσα. τοιοῦτός τις πέφηνας κρείττω πάσης ἡδονῆς τὰ γράμματα χαρισάμενος. ὡς ὅ γε παριππεύσας χειμὼν ἐπῆλθε μὲν τῇ φύσει πολύς, σοῦ δὲ σιγῶντος ἔδοξε δυσχερέστερος. 139 Ὠρίωνι Ὁ μὲν ὑμέτερος θεῖος οἴεταί τι μέγα χαριεῖσθαι τῇ παιδεύσει τῇ σῇ, εἴ γε δεῖ γράμματα κομίσαι παρ' ἐμοῦ καὶ ταῦτα δήπου λέγων ἐπὶ τὸ γράφειν ἀνάγεται. ἐγὼ δὲ τῆς μὲν εἰς ὑμᾶς εὐνοίας τὸν ἄνδρα τεθαύμακα μηδὲ τῶν σμικροτάτων φειδόμενον ἐξ ὧν οἶδεν ὑμῖν χαριούμενος, τὴν δὲ σιωπὴν ἠγάπων ἐμαυτὸν ἐρυθριῶν καὶ σοφὸν ἔχων ἐπιστεῖλαι μηδέν. ὡς γὰρ καὶ Πλάτωνι τῷ σοφωτάτῳ δοκεῖ, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀρετὴν εἰδέναι τί, μὴ τοῖς ἔργοις πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἐπειγόμενον. ὃ δὲ μὴ ἔστιν εἰδέναι, κἂν ἐρυθριάσαιμι περὶ τούτου φθεγγόμενος καὶ ταὐτὰ ποιῶν ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις μουσικὴν μηδ' ὄναρ εἰδὼς εἶτά τις Ὀρφεὺς εἶναι λέγοι τὰ θηρία τῇ λύρᾳ χειρούμενος. ἀλλ' εἰ δέοι τῶν κρουμάτων ἐφάψασθαι, γέλως εὐθὺς ὁ κόμπος, καὶ πάντα δὴ ῥᾳδίως ἐλέγχεται. πόθεν οὖν ὃ μὴ πέφυκα παρὰ τῷ σῷ θείῳ νομίζομαι; ἔφης τι πρὸς αὐτὸν πολλάκις νόμῳ δὴ φιλίας ἀποσεμνύνων ἐμέ, ὁ δὲ τὸν πόθον οὐ σκοπῶν, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῶν ἔργων εἶναι τοὺς λόγους οἰόμενος, ἀπαιτεῖ γενέσθαι με τοιοῦτον οἷόν με τοῖς λόγοις ἀνέπλασας, καὶ τοῦ σοῦ ψεύδους νῦν εὐθύνας εἰσπράττομαι καὶ διελέγχω σου τοὺς λόγους, οὐκ ἔχων ἀρετῆς γενέσθαι διδάσκαλος; πλὴν ἐπειδὴ πρὸς σέ μοι τὰ γράμματα, δόκει δὴ πάλιν θαυμάζειν, ἵνα μὴ σαυτὸν ἐλέγχῃς ψευδόμενον. 140 ∆ιοδώρωι Ὀβολοῖν τῶν Εὐριπίδου ῥακίων τὴν ἐμὴν οἰκίαν ἀνέπλησας, ἀδωνάρια πέμψας ἄρρυθμα, καθά σοι φίλον καλεῖν, καὶ βλαύτας ἀμούσους καὶ ἰφικράτι δας, ἐφ' αἷς ἦ κε μέγ' οἰμώξειεν ὁ στρατηγὸς Ἰφικράτης οὐδὲν τῆς Ἀττικῆς φερούσαις τεκμήριον. οὐδὲ γὰρ χάριν τινὰ καὶ πεῖραν μελίττης Ὑμηττίου παρέχονται, οὐδὲ βοῶσι τῇ θέᾳ τὴν Ἀττικήν, ἐν ᾗ Μαραθὼν καὶ Σαλαμὶς καὶ ἄνδρες ἐλευθερίας καὶ φρονήματος ἐρασταὶ οὐ μὰ ∆ία τῇ παρ' ὑμῖν Μούσῃ τετελεσμένοι· τὰ γὰρ ὑμέτερα ... ἀλλ' εὔστομα κείσθω, μή τι καὶ λάθω φθεγξάμενος. 141 [Κυριακῶι] Τὰ μὲν σὰ δῶρα τοιαῦτα· τὰ δὲ ἡμέτερα κἂν αὐτὸς ἐπαινέσειας οὕτω τῇ γαστρὶ χαριζόμενος. λίχνος γάρ τις ὢν καὶ τὸ γαστρίζεσθαι μελέτην πεποιη μένος καὶ βρώμασι τὴν μεγάλην εὐδαιμονίαν μετρῶν, εἴ πού τι θηράσαις ἡδύ, προτείνεις εὐθέως τὴν γλῶτταν, καθάπερ τις Αἴας τὴν μεγάλην ἀσπίδα. καὶ μάρτυς ὁ καιρὸς ἐν ᾧ τὸν πλακοῦντα παρ' ἑτέρων ὑφήρπασας, ὅλον εὐθὺς παραπέμψας τῷ στόματι. 142