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It seemed necessary to me, like a starting-gate to a colt, to rouse you to write. 174.2 And you would be most incited to this, if you would consider that, who you are, and to whom, and on whose behalf what I write, I write, and that it is fitting for children, just as of their paternal inheritance, so indeed also to inherit friendship. 174.3 In addition, it is well to consider that also, that you indeed are at the peak of your philosophizing, but we are the fathers of philosophers, and it is necessary to display your virtue to us, just as the noble athletes to their trainers. 174.4 Shall I say something even greater than what has been said? We have no small hostages of philosophy with you; you are educating our blood and the blood of our nearest kin. You know of whom I speak, the children of our most genuine and most honored son Nicobulus. 174.5 Whatever you may do for them, suppose that you are mindful of us, who are inferior to no one else, if we must believe those who say so, both in judging speeches and testing diligence and in making skillful teachers loftier with praise. 175.Τ TO THE SAME 175.1 Again my Nicobulus is with you; and again I am superfluous, urging you who are yourself already very eager. Since the young man has a clever nature (unless my wish deceives me), but what is for the most part yoked with natural talent, he is somewhat rather lazy and in need of goads, contribute in turn the earnestness that is from yourself. 175.2 And that I may say something of your sort, having imitated the mythical cicada and having become for your Eunomus a substitute for the broken string, complete the song. Thus you seem to me to be about to gain honor with the young man and to do us the greatest favors, we who do not put many things before you and your learning. 176.Τ TO THE SAME 176.1 What shall we say you have suffered in relation to us, O wonderful one? What is the reason for not writing? We will charge neither arrogance, nor idleness, nor your not having anything to write; it is not like you to suffer these things. 176.2 Do you perhaps hold a grudge against us for the iambics, which Valentinus, may he perish badly, spat out, and this with your approval. 176.3 For it was not for an orator and a clever man to avenge himself, whenever someone previously had dared to compose such iambics. 20But, Achilles, subdue your great spirit20 ... and move for us again the pen, your ashen spear; may you not seem, having suffered a small thing, to retaliate in a greater, the episcopal manner. 176.4 Ride, hunt, walk as you may wish, for my part, we will neither write anything anymore, nor will we jest. And these things are sufficient, so much we value your friendship. 176.5 So then the jest is so much and to this extent. But what is no longer of those who jest, but of those who are very serious, we again entrust to you our sweetest son Nicobulus. 176.6 And may you receive him from us as from us, gratifying his father in the work of rhetoric, and us in the work of a sophist. For I know that for you, should you wish it, the matter is easily accomplished. And to the wonderful sophists you will only give a raised eyebrow, and the fighting about the greater part. 177.Τ TO THE SAME 177.1 How are things with you concerning virtue? and have we made any progress according to God? which we suppose is more fitting for you than anything. For it is dear to us both to ask and to hear these things. 177.2 But let us bid farewell to other things, however they may be. And yet, even if we should wish these things also to be well, we would wish it for this one reason, that you might have what you have overlooked and might philosophize more on greater things. 177.3 Let these things be a greeting from us, and to the good Nicobulus be such as we hope. But if we ask for more, satisfy our insatiability, as one who loves honor. 178.Τ TO THE SAME 178.1 There was an old law in Athens, and as I say, a most excellent one, that when the young men reached puberty, they were to be led to the crafts, and to be led in this manner: 178.2 the tools of each craft were to be set out in public and the young men brought to them; and with whatever each one happened to delight in and run towards, of this also he was to be taught the craft; since the one according to nature for the most part succeeds, but the one contrary to nature fails. 178.3 What does this story mean for me? I say that you also ought, for you are suitably disposed toward philosophy, not to neglect this, nor more towards anything else

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τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐδόκει μοι, ὥσπερ ὕσπληγι πῶλον, διεγεῖραί σε πρὸς τὸ γράφειν. 174.2 Μάλιστα δ' ἂν πρὸς τοῦτο παροξυνθείης, εἰ ἐκεῖνο ἐνθυμηθείης, τίς ὤν, καὶ τίνι, καὶ τὸ τίνος, ἃ γράφω, γράφω, καὶ ὅτι πρέπει τοὺς παῖδας, ὥσπερ τῆς οὐσίας τῆς πατρικῆς, οὕτω δὴ καὶ τῆς φιλίας κληρονομεῖν. 174.3 Πρὸς δέ, κἀκεῖνο λογίζεσθαι καλῶς ἔχει, ὅτι σὺ μὲν ἀκμὴν φιλοσοφεῖς, ἡμεῖς δὲ φιλοσόφων πατέρες, καὶ δεῖ ἐπιδείκνυσθαι ἡμῖν τὴν ἀρετήν, ὥσπερ τῶν ἀθλητῶν οἱ γενναῖοι τοῖς παιδοτρίβαις. 174.4 Εἴπω τι καὶ μεῖζον τῶν εἰρημένων; Οὐ μικρὰ ἡμῖν φιλοσοφίας ὅμηρα παρὰ σοί· αἷμα ἡμέτερον ἐκπαιδεύεις καὶ αἷμα τῶν ἐγγυτάτων. Οἶδας οὓς λέγω, τοὺς τοῦ γνησιωτάτου καὶ τιμιωτάτου υἱοῦ ἡμῶν Νικοβούλου παῖδας. 174.5 Τού τοις ὅ τι ἂν συμπράττῃς, ἡμῶν μνημονεύειν οἴου, οἳ οὐδενὸς ἄλλου φαυλότεροι, εἴ τι δεῖ τοῖς λέγουσι πιστεύειν, κρίνειν τε λόγους καὶ σπουδὴν δοκιμάζειν καὶ διδασκάλους δεξιοὺς ὑψηλοτέρους ποιεῖν τοῖς ἐπαίνοις. 175.Τ ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ 175.1 Πάλιν πρὸς σὲ Νικόβουλος ὁ ἐμός· καὶ πάλιν ἐγὼ περιττός, μάλα σε σπεύδοντα καὶ αὐτὸν ὀτρύνων. Ἐπειδὴ φύσεως μὲν ἔχει δεξιᾶς ὁ νέος (εἰ μή με ἀπατᾷ τὸ βού λεσθαι), ὃ δὲ τοῖς εὐφυέσιν ὡς τὰ πολλὰ συνέζευκται, ῥᾳθυμότερός πώς ἐστι καὶ κέντρων δεόμενος, τὴν παρὰ σεαυτοῦ σπουδὴν ἀντεισένεγκε. 175.2 Καὶ ἵνα τι τῶν ὑμετέρων εἴπω, τὸν μυθικὸν τέττιγα μιμησάμενος καὶ ἀντὶ τῆς ῥαγείσης νευρᾶς Εὐνόμῳ τῷ σῷ γενόμενος, ἀναπλήρωσον τὴν ᾠδήν. Οὕτω μοι δοκεῖς ἐνευδοκιμήσειν τῷ νέῳ καὶ ἡμῖν χαριεῖσθαι τὰ μέγιστα, οἳ μὴ πολλά σου καὶ τῆς σῆς λογιότητος ἔμπροσθεν ἄγομεν. 176.Τ ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ 176.1 Τί φῶμεν πεπονθέναι σε πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ὦ θαυμάσιε; Τίς ἡ τοῦ μὴ γράφειν αἰτία; Οὔτε ὑπεροψίαν ἐγκαλέσομεν, οὔτε ἀργίαν, οὔτε τὸ μὴ ἔχειν ὅ τι γράψεις· οὐ πρὸς σοῦ τὸ ταῦτα παθεῖν. 176.2 Ἦ που τῶν ἰάμβων ἡμῖν μνησικα κεῖς, ὧν ὁ κακῶς ἀπολούμενος Οὐαλεντῖνος προσέπτυσε, καὶ ταῦτα σοῦ θέλοντος. 176.3 Οὐ γὰρ ἦν ῥήτορος ἀνδρὸς καὶ δεινοῦ ἄνδρ' ἐπαμύνασθαι, ὁπότε τις πρότερον ἰαμβοποιεῖν τοιαῦτα κατετόλμησεν. 20Ἀλλ', Ἀχιλεῦ, δάμασον θυμὸν μέγαν20 ... καὶ κίνησον αὖθις ἡμῖν τὴν γραφίδα, τὴν σὴν μελίαν· μὴ δόξῃς, μικρὰ πεπονθώς, ἀπαντᾶν εἰς μείζω, τὸν ἐπισκοπικὸν τρόπον. 176.4 Ἵππευε, θήρα, βάδιζε ὡς ἂν ἐθέλῃς, ἐμοῦ γε εἵνεκα, οὔτε τι γράψομεν ἔτι, οὔτε προσπαίξομεν. Καὶ ταῦτα ἱκανῶς, τοσούτου τιμώμεθα τὴν σὴν φιλίαν. 176.5 Ἡ μὲν οὖν παιδιὰ τοσαύτη καὶ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον. Ὃ δὲ οὐκέτι παιζόντων ἐστίν, ἀλλὰ καὶ λίαν σπουδαζόντων, τὸν γλυκύτατον υἱὸν ἡμῶν Νικόβουλον αὖθις ἐγχειρίζομέν σοι. 176.6 Καὶ δέχοιο παρ' ἡμῶν τοῦτον ὡς παρ' ἡμῶν, τὸ μὲν ῥητορικὸν ἔργον τῷ πατρὶ χαριούμενος, τὸ δὲ σοφιστικὸν ἡμῖν. Οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι θελήσαντί σοι τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐπίδρομον. Τοῖς δὲ θαυμασίοις σοφισταῖς τὴν ὀφρῦν μόνον ἀφήσεις, καὶ τὸ περὶ τοῦ πλείονος μάχεσθαι. 177.Τ ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ 177.1 Πῶς σοι τὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἔχει; καὶ εἰ κατὰ Θεόν τι προεληλύθαμεν; ὃ παντός σοι μᾶλλον ἁρμόζειν ὑπολαμ βάνομεν. Ταῦτα γὰρ ἡμῖν φίλον καὶ ἀνερωτᾶν καὶ ἀκούειν. 177.2 Τὰ δὲ ἄλλα χαίρειν ἐάσωμεν, ὅπως ἂν ἔχῃ. Καίτοι κἂν εἰ βουλοίμεθα καὶ ταῦτα δεξιῶς ἔχειν, δι' ἓν τοῦτο βουλοίμεθ' ἄν, ἵνα ἔχῃς ὧν ὑπερεῖδες καὶ πλείω φιλοσοφῇς ἐπὶ μείζοσι. 177.3 Ταῦτα καὶ προσείρησο παρ' ἡμῶν, καὶ τῷ καλῷ Νικοβούλῳ γενοῦ τοιοῦτος οἷον ἐλπίζομεν. Ἐὰν δὲ καὶ πλέον αἰτῶμεν, τὴν ἀπληστίαν ἡμῶν, ὡς φιλότιμος, κόρεσον. 178.Τ ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ 178.1 Νόμος ἦν Ἀθήνησι παλαιός, ὡς δ' ἐγώ φημι, καὶ κάλλιστα ἔχων, ἐπειδὰν φθάσαιεν εἰς ἥβην οἱ νέοι, πρὸς τέχνας ἄγεσθαι, ἄγεσθαι δὲ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον· 178.2 προ τίθεσθαι δημοσίᾳ τέχνης ἑκάστης ὄργανα καὶ προσάγεσθαι τούτοις τοὺς νέους· ὅτῳ δὲ τύχοι χαίρων ἕκαστος καὶ προσ τρέχων, τούτου καὶ τὴν τέχνην διδάσκεσθαι· ὡς τοῦ μὲν κατὰ φύσιν ἐπιτυγχάνοντος ὡς τὰ πολλά, τοῦ δὲ παρὰ φύσιν διαμαρτάνοντος. 178.3 Τί μοι βούλεται τὸ διήγημα; Καὶ σέ φημι χρῆναι, πρὸς φιλοσοφίαν γὰρ ἔχεις ἐπιτηδείως, ταύτης μὴ ἀμελεῖν, μηδὲ πρὸς ἄλλο τι μᾶλλον