255

343.1 If these are the products of a slower tongue, what would you be like if you sharpened it? For in you

in your mouth dwell springs of words greater than the flow of streams, but we, if we are not watered daily, all that is left is to be silent.

344.τ BASIL TO LIBANIUS

344.1 What persuades me not to write continuously to your learned self is both fear

and ignorance; but that you are most steadfastly silent, what will exempt that from blame? But if someone should consider that you, living among words, hesitate to write, he will condemn you for forgetfulness towards us. For one to whom speaking is easy, writing letters is not unprepared. But he who possesses these things, and then is silent, it is clear that he does this out of contempt or forgetfulness. I, however, will repay your silence with a greeting. Farewell then, most honored sir, and write if you wish, and do not write if that is dearer to you.

345.τ LIBANIUS TO BASIL

345.1 I think I am more in need of an apology for not having begun to write to you long ago, than

of an excuse now that I have begun to do so. For I was that one who used to run to you whenever you appeared, and who most gladly lent my ears to the stream of your tongue, and delighted when you spoke, and departed with difficulty, and said to my companions: "This man is so much more beautiful than the daughters of Achelous in that he charms just as they do, but does not harm as they do. And it is a small thing not to harm, but that this man's songs are a gain to the one who receives them." For a man, then, holding such an opinion, and believing himself to be loved, and thought to be a good speaker, not to dare to write letters would be a mark of extreme laziness, and at the same time injurious to himself. For it is clear that you will answer my small and poor letter with a beautiful and great one, and will surely take care not to wrong me a second time. For I think many will cry out at the word, and will gather around the matter shouting: "Has Basil done any wrong, even a small one? Then so have Aeacus and Minos and his brother." I grant that in every other respect you have been victorious. For who could see you and not be envious? But there is one thing you have done wrong towards us, and if I remind you of it, persuade the indignant not to shout. No one ever approached you and asked a favor which was easy to grant, and went away unsuccessful. I, then, am one of those who asked a favor but did not receive it. What then did I ask? Often when I met with you at Strategius' house I wished through your wisdom to enter into the depth of Homer's poetic frenzy. "If the whole is not possible, then at least lead us into a part of the inheritance." And I desired that part in which, when the Greeks had fared badly, he propitiates with gifts the one whom Agamemnon had insulted. When I said this, you laughed, unable to deny that you could do it if you wished, but unwilling to grant it. Do I seem to you and to those who are indignant that I said you did wrong, to have been wronged?

346.τ LIBANIUS TO BASIL

346.1 Whether we have added anything to the speeches for the young men you sent, you yourself

will judge. But I hope that it, even if it is small, will gain the reputation of being great on account of your friendship for us. As for what you praise before their speeches, their moderation and their not surrendering their souls to ignoble pleasures, they have taken very great care of this and have lived, as was fitting, being mindful of him who sent them. Receive, then, what is your own, and praise those who... both you and

255

343.1 Εἰ ταῦτα γλώττης ἀργοτέρας, τίς ἂν εἴης αὐτὴν ἀκονῶν; Σοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἐν

τῷ στόματι λόγων οἰκοῦσι πηγαὶ κρείσσους ναμάτων ἐπιρροῆς, ἡμεῖς δέ, εἰ μὴ καθ' ἡμέραν ἀρδοίμεθα, λείπεται τὸ σιγᾶν.

344.τ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΣ ΛΙΒΑΝΙΩ

344.1 Τὸ μὴ συνεχῶς με γράφειν πρὸς τὴν σὴν παίδευσιν πεί θουσι τό τε δέος

καὶ ἡ ἀμαθία, τὸ δέ σε καρτερικώτατα σιωπᾶν τί τῆς μέμψεως ἐξαιρήσεται; Εἰ δέ τις λογίσαιτο τὸ καὶ ἐν λόγοις σε βιοῦντα ὀκνεῖν ἐπιστέλλειν, καταψη φιεῖταί σου λήθην τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς. Ὧ γὰρ τὸ λέγειν πρόχει ρον καὶ τὸ ἐπιστέλλειν οὐκ ἀνέτοιμον. Ὁ δὲ ταῦτα κεκτη μένος, εἶτα σιγῶν, εὔδηλον ὡς ὑπεροψίᾳ ἢ λήθῃ τοῦτο ποιεῖ. Ἐγὼ δέ σου τὴν σιωπὴν ἀμείψομαι προσρήσει. Χαῖρε τοίνυν, Τιμιώτατε, καὶ γράφε εἰ βούλοιο, καὶ μὴ γράφε εἰ τοῦτό σοι προσφιλές.

345.τ ΛΙΒΑΝΙΟΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΩ

345.1 Μᾶλλον ὅτι μὴ πάλαι σοι γράφειν ἠρξάμην οἶμαί μοι δεῖν ἀπολογίας, ἢ

νῦν παραιτήσεως ὅτι τοῦτο ποιεῖν ἠρξάμην. Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ὁ προσθέων, ὁπότε φανείης, καὶ ὡς ἥδιστα ὑπέχων τὰ ὦτα τῷ ῥεύματι τῆς γλώττης καὶ λέγοντος εὐφραινόμενος καὶ μόλις ἀπαλλαττόμενος καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἑταίρους λέγων ὡς· «Οὗτος ἀνὴρ τοσούτῳ καλλίων τῶν Ἀχελῴου θυγατέρων ὅσῳ θέλγει μὲν ᾗπερ ἐκεῖναι, βλάπτει δὲ οὐχ ὥσπερ ἐκεῖναι. Καὶ μικρόν γε τὸ μὴ βλάπτειν, ἀλλ' ὅτι τὰ τοῦδε μέλη κέρδος τῷ δεξαμένῳ.» Τὸν οὖν οὕτως ἔχοντα μὲν γνώμης, νομίζοντα δὲ καὶ φιλεῖσθαι, λέγειν δὲ δοκοῦντα μὴ τολμᾶν ἐπιστέλλειν ἐσχάτης ἀργίας καὶ τοῦτ' ἂν εἴη ἅμα ζημιοῦντος αὑτόν. ∆ῆλον γὰρ ὡς ἀμείψει μου τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τὴν μικρὰν καὶ φαύλην καλῇ γε καὶ μεγάλῃ καὶ φυλάξει δήπου μή με καὶ δεύτερον ἀδικῇς. Οἶμαι γὰρ πολλοὺς βοήσεσθαι πρὸς τὸ ῥῆμα καὶ περιστήσεσθαι πρὸς τὰ πράγματα κεκραγότας· «Βασίλειος ἠδίκηκέ τι κἂν σμι κρόν; Οὐκοῦν καὶ Αἰακὸς καὶ Μίνως καὶ ὁ τούτου δὲ ἀδελφός.» Ἐγὼ δέ σε τῇ μὲν ἄλλῃ νενικηκέναι συγχωρῶ. Τίς δὲ ἰδών τε σὲ καὶ οὐ φθονῶν; Ἓν δέ τί σοι ἡμαρτῆσθαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς κἄν σε τοῦτ' ἀναμνήσω, πεῖθε τοὺς ἀγανακτοῦν τας μὴ βοᾶν. Οὐδείς σοι προσελθὼν καὶ χάριν ἐπαγγείλας ἣν δοῦναι ῥᾷστον ἀτυχὴς ἀπῆλθεν. Εἰμὶ τοίνυν τῶν χάριν αἰτησάντων μέν, οὐ λαβόντων δέ. Τί οὖν ᾔτουν; Πολλάκις ἐν Στρατηγίου σοι συγγενόμενος ἠβουλήθην διὰ τῆς σῆς σοφίας εἰς τὸ βάθος τῆς Ὁμήρου μανίας εἰσελθεῖν. «Εἰ δὲ τὸ πᾶν οὐ δυνατόν, σὺ δὲ ἀλλ' εἰς μέρος ἡμᾶς εἰσάγαγε τοῦ κλήρου.» Μέρους δὲ ἐπεθύμουν ἐν ᾧ, τῶν Ἑλλήνων κακῶς πεπραχότων, ὃν ὕβριζεν Ἀγαμέμνων θεραπεύει δώροις. Ταῦτ' ἐμοῦ λέγοντος ἐγέλας ἀρνεῖσθαι μὲν οὐκ ἔχων ὡς οὐκ ἂν δύναιο βουληθείς, δωρήσασθαι δὲ οὐκ ἐθέλων. Ἆρά σοι καὶ τοῖς ἀγανακτοῦσιν ὅτι σε ἔφην ἀδικεῖν ἠδικῆσθαι δοκῶ;

346.τ ΛΙΒΑΝΙΟΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΩ

346.1 Εἰ μέν τι περὶ τοὺς λόγους τοῖς νέοις οἷς ἔπεμψας προσεθήκαμεν αὐτὸς

κρινεῖς. Ἐλπίζω δὲ αὐτό, κἂν μικρὸν ᾖ, μεγάλου λήψεσθαι δόξαν διὰ τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς φιλίαν. Ὃ δὴ πρὸ τῶν λόγων ἐπαινεῖς, τὴν σωφροσύνην καὶ τὸ μὴ παραδοῦναι τὰς ψυχὰς ταῖς οὐ καλαῖς ἡδοναῖς, πάνυ τού του πεποίηνται πρόνοιαν καὶ διήγαγον, ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν, τοῦ πέμψαντος μεμνημένοι. ∆έχου δὴ τὰ σεαυτοῦ καὶ ἐπαίνει τοὺς σέ τε