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heralds of the Godhead both in danger and without danger, and enduring to detract nothing from the one and unapproachable Godhead. 185.7 And pray for us, I beg you, who are extremely weary with sickness. I and all who are with me greet the brotherhood with you. May you be granted to us and to the Churches, strong, cheerful, and well-esteemed in the Lord, the common support. 186.T TO THE SAME 186.1 What would you have done, if I myself had been present and in trouble? It is clear that you would have used all zeal to free me from the insolence, if one must judge by what has gone before. 186.2 Grant this to us now also through our most modest niece who petitions you through us, reverencing the age of the suppliant, and reverencing her character and piety which are not like that of many women, 186.3 and reverencing in addition to the other things both the quiet life of the woman and the fact that she now has troubles from her own kin, and above all, our entreaty. 186.4 The greater grace, however, is the swiftness of the benefaction which we demand. For even the unjust judge in the Gospel granted kindness to the widow, but after much supplication and perseverance. 186.5 But from you let there be swiftness, that she may not grow weary with long cares and hardships in a foreign land; although I know very well that your piety will make even the foreign land a home for her. 187.T TO EUDOXIUS 187.1 You accuse me of not writing, though you yourself, I think, are not one of those who have sent the most letters, unless my illness makes me foolish and forgetful of the good things I have received. 187.2 And yet, if for no other reason, an epitaph from your words was owed to us as to men about to die, to you whose art is speaking and writing. So much for the refutation; for it is not right when reproaching as friends to do so beyond the bounds of friendship. 187.3 As for what you write about my sweetest son Nicobulus, they are very great and wonderful things, and sufficient to carry away a father's partiality, which readily believes what it wishes. 187.4 But we shall accept them as true then, when the young man, giving us a test, does not appear unworthy either of your promises or of our hopes. 188.T TO STAGIRIUS 188.1 Are you Attic in your education? We are Attic too. Do you preside over the young? We, over every age. Do you shape them for speech? We, for character. 188.2 We have many things in common with each other; but one thing in place of all and before all, our sweetest son Nicobulus is set between us. 188.3 In whom you, by doing well, will display both your education and our friendship, if you care for this. 188.4 And I think you do; for old athletes are honored by the young; and so much so that by offering to them even the prizes of victory, they are considered grateful regarding the laws of athletics. 189.T TO EUSTOCHIUS 189.1 Imitate Alexander for me, O wonderful one; and just as he, in order to please the Athenians, was more ambitious, and for this reason called Athens the theater of his own kingdom, so you too, thinking our opinion to be of some account, even if it is of none, 189.2 but if only for the sake of letters and of Athens itself, and besides, revering the common fathers of letters, be eager to double your diligence in letters for the good Pronoïus. 189.3 In any case, whatever you contribute to the young man, you will contribute this to us, who are both fit to be treated well and perhaps not poor praisers of letters; even if we sit below the thrones of the sophists, having enjoined upon ourselves 20the riskless prize of silence20. 190.T TO THE SAME 190.1 20O Odysseus, somehow you have hit me hard20, reproaching my Stageirism and sophistically outwitting me most carefully. And while praising your frankness for what you write, (for it is better to speak out what is vexing than to convict the ignorant in their absence), I also have something to complain of. 190.2 Nevertheless, so that I may keep a judicial rule, I will first make my defense, then I will accuse, and both with equal goodwill. 190.3 My Nicobulus went to the good Stagirus, 20not at all according to our mind20, do not suppose this; I am not so forgetful either of Athens, or of your friendship and companionship. But he was prompted by himself and his father so

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Θεότητος κήρυκας καὶ μετὰ κινδύνων καὶ ἀκινδύνως, καὶ μηδὲν ὑφαιρεῖν ἀνεχομένους τῆς μιᾶς καὶ ἀπροσίτου Θεότητος. 185.7 Καὶ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν προσεύχου, παρακαλῶ, σφόδρα καμνόντων τῇ ἀρρωστίᾳ. Τὴν σὺν σοὶ ἀδελφότητα ἐγώ τε καὶ οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ πάντες προσαγορεύουσι. Ἐρρωμένος, εὔθυμος, εὐδόκιμος ἐν Κυρίῳ χαρισθείης ἡμῖν καὶ ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις τὸ κοινὸν στήριγμα. 186.Τ ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ 186.1 Τί ἂν ἐποίησας, εἰ παρὼν αὐτὸς εἶχον πράγματα; ἦ δῆλον ὅτι πᾶσαν ἂν ἔθου σπουδὴν ἐλευθερῶσαί με τῆς ἐπηρείας, εἴπερ τι δεῖ τοῖς προλαβοῦσι τεκμαίρεσθαι. 186.2 Τοῦτο καὶ νῦν ἡμῖν χάρισαι διὰ τῆς κοσμιωτάτης ἀνεψιᾶς ἡμῶν τῆς προσπιπτούσης σοι δι' ἡμῶν, αἰδεσθεὶς μὲν τὴν ἡλικίαν τῆς ἱκέτιδος, αἰδεσθεὶς δὲ τὸν τρόπον καὶ τὴν εὐλάβειαν οὐ κατὰ πολλὰς οὖσαν γυναῖκας, 186.3 αἰδεσθεὶς δὲ πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις καὶ τὴν ἀπραγμοσύνην τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ τὸ παρὰ τῶν οἰκείων νῦν ἔχειν πράγματα, πρὸ πάντων δὲ τὴν ἡμετέραν παράκλησιν. 186.4 Ἡ μείζων δὲ χάρις, τὸ τάχος τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἣν ἀπαιτοῦμεν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ φιλάνθρωπον τῇ χήρᾳ καὶ ὁ ἄδικος ἐν τῷ Εὐαγ γελίῳ κριτὴς ἐχαρίσατο, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλὴν ἱκεσίαν καὶ προσεδρείαν. 186.5 Παρ' ὑμῶν δὲ ὑπαρχέτω τὸ τάχος ἵνα μὴ κάμνῃ μακρὰ ταῖς φροντίσι καὶ ταῖς ἐπὶ τῆς ἀλλοδαπῆς κακοπαθείαις· εἰ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα οἶδα σαφῶς ὅτι οἰκείαν αὐτῇ ποιήσει καὶ τὴν ἀλλοτρίαν ἡ σὴ θεοσέβεια. 187.Τ ΕΥ∆ΟΞΙΩΙ 187.1 Αἰτιᾷ τὸ μὴ γράφειν, οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ὤν, οἶμαι, τῶν πλεῖστα ἐπεσταλκότων, εἰ μή με ἡ νόσος λῆρον ποιεῖ καὶ ὧν εὖ πέπονθα ἐπιλήσμονα. 187.2 Καίτοι γε, εἰ μή τι ἄλλο, ὡς ἀποθανοῦσιν ἡμῖν ὁ παρὰ τῶν σῶν λόγων ὠφείλετο ἐπιτάφιος, ᾧ τέχνη τὸ λέγειν καὶ γράφειν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν ἔλεγχος τοσοῦτος· οὐδὲ γὰρ δεῖ φιλικῶς ἐγκαλοῦντας ἔξω τῶν τῆς φιλίας ὅρων τοῦτο ποιεῖν. 187.3 Ἃ δὲ περὶ τοῦ γλυκυτάτου υἱοῦ Νικοβούλου γράφεις, μεγάλα μὲν σφόδρα καὶ θαυμαστὰ καὶ ἱκανὰ συναρπάσαι πατρὸς εὐκολίαν ῥᾳδίως οἷς βούλεται καὶ πιστεύουσαν. 187.4 Τότε δὲ ἀληθῆ εἶναι δεξόμεθα, ὅταν πεῖραν διδοὺς ἡμῖν ὁ νέος μὴ ἀνάξιος φαίνηται ἢ τῶν σῶν ὑποσχέσεων ἢ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐλπίδων. 188.Τ ΣΤΑΓΕΙΡΙΩΙ 188.1 Ἀττικὸς σὺ τὴν παίδευσιν; Ἀττικοὶ καὶ ἡμεῖς. Νέων προκαθέζῃ; Πάσης ἡλικίας ἡμεῖς. Τυποῖς πρὸς λόγον; Ἡμεῖς πρὸς ἦθος. 188.2 Πολλὰ κοινὰ πρὸς ἀλλή λους ἡμῖν· ἓν δὲ ἀντὶ πάντων καὶ πρὸ πάντων, ὁ γλυκύ τατος υἱὸς ἡμῶν Νικόβουλος ἐν μέσῳ κείμενος. 188.3 Ὧι σὺ καλῶς ποιῶν ἐνεπιδείξῃ καὶ τὴν παίδευσιν καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν φιλίαν, εἴπερ σοι μέλει ταύτης. 188.4 Οἶμαι δέ· καὶ γὰρ ἀθληταὶ παλαιοὶ νέοις τιμῶνται· καὶ τοσοῦτον ὥστε καὶ τὰ τῆς νίκης ἆθλα προσφέροντες τούτοις εὐγνώ μονες εἶναι νομίζονται περὶ νόμους ἀθλήσεως. 189.Τ ΕΥΣΤΟΧΙΩΙ 189.1 Μίμησαί μοι τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον, ὦ θαυμάσιε· καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνος, ἵν' Ἀθηναίοις ἀρέσῃ, φιλοτιμότερος ἦν, διὰ ταῦτά τοι καὶ θέατρον τῆς ἑαυτοῦ βασιλείας τὰς Ἀθήνας ὠνόμαζεν, οὕτω καὶ σὺ τὸ καθ' ἡμᾶς εἶναί τι νομίσας, εἰ καὶ μηδαμῆ, 189.2 ἀλλ' ἢ τῶν γε λόγων εἵνεκα καὶ τῶν Ἀθηνῶν αὐτῶν, πρὸς δὲ καὶ τοὺς κοινοὺς πατέρας τῶν λόγων αἰδούμενος, διπλασιάσαι προθυμήθητι τῷ καλῷ Προνοΐῳ τὴν περὶ λόγους σπουδήν. 189.3 Πάντως ὅ τι ἂν εἰσενέγκῃς τῷ νέῳ, ἡμῖν τοῦτο εἰσοίσεις, οἳ καὶ παθεῖν εὖ ἐπιτήδειοι καὶ λόγων ἐπαινέται ἴσως οὐ φαῦλοι· εἰ καὶ κατωτέρω σοφιστικῶν θρόνων καθήμεθα, 20σιωπῆς ἀκίνδυνον γέρας20 ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς ἐπιτάξαντες. 190.Τ ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ 190.1 20Ὦ Ὀδυσεῦ, μάλα πώς με καθίκεο20, σταγει- ρισμὸν ὀνειδίζων καὶ κατασοφιστεύων ἡμῶν ἐπιμελέστατα. Καὶ σοῦ τὴν παρρησίαν ἐπαινῶν ἐφ' οἷς γράφεις ἃ γράφεις (κρεῖσσον γὰρ ἐκλαλεῖν τὸ λυποῦν ἢ ἐρήμην αἱρεῖν ἀγνοοῦντας), ἔχω τι καὶ ἐγκαλεῖν. 190.2 Ὅμως δέ, ἵνα νόμον φυλάξω δικαστικόν, ἀπολογήσομαι πρότερον, εἶτα κατηγορήσω, καὶ ἀμφότερα μετὰ τῆς ἴσης εὐνοίας. 190.3 Τῷ καλῷ Σταγειρίῳ προσῆλθεν Νικόβουλος ὁ ἐμός, 20οὔ τι καθ' ἡμέτερόν γε νόον20, μὴ τοῦθ' ὑπολάβῃς· οὐχ οὕτως ἢ τῶν Ἀθηνῶν ἐπιλήσμων ἐγώ, ἢ τῆς σῆς φιλίας καὶ ἑταιρείας. Ἀλλ' ὥρμησε μὲν παρ' ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς οὕτω