257

351.1 Many from there who met with us marveled at your excellence in oratory. For they were saying that a certain very brilliant exhibition had taken place, and it was a contest, as they asserted, of the greatest kind, so that all ran together and no one else was seen in the city except only Libanius competing and every age listening. For no one thought it right to be absent from the contests, not he who possesses the weight of high office, not he who is distinguished in the military registers, not he who is occupied in the mechanical arts. And already even women were hastening to be present at the contests. But what was the contest? What was the speech that gathered the general assembly? And they announced to me that you had set forth a speech on the character of a difficult man. Do not hesitate to send it to me, so greatly admired, so that I too may be a praiser of your speeches. For I, who praise Libanius even apart from his works, what will I become now that I have found a subject for praise.

352.τ LIBANIUS TO BASIL

352.1 Behold, I have sent the speech, drenched in sweat. For how could I not

sending the speech to such a man, who is able, through his own ease in oratory, to show that the wisdom of Plato and the eloquence of Demosthenes are idly celebrated? But my work is such as a gnat compared to an elephant. Therefore I shudder and tremble, considering the day on which you will examine the speech; and I have nearly lost my senses.

353.τ BASIL TO LIBANIUS

353.1 I have read the speech, most wise one, and I am utterly astonished. O Muses and

Oratory and Athens, what gifts you bestow upon your lovers. What fruits they reap who spend even a short time with you. O what an overflowing spring, what sort of men it shows those who draw from it to be. For in the speech I seemed to see the man himself consorting with a talkative little woman. For Libanius has written a living speech upon the earth, he alone has bestowed a soul upon his words.

354.τ LIBANIUS TO BASIL

354.1 Now I know I am what I am said to be; for with Basil having praised me, against

all I hold the prize of victory. And having received your vote, it is my lot to walk with a stately gait, like some boaster looking down on everyone. Since, therefore, a speech against drunkenness has also been composed by you, we wish to encounter it. But I do not wish to say anything elegant, but the speech, when seen, will teach me the art of speaking.

355.τ LIBANIUS TO BASIL

355.1 Can it be, Basil, that you are living in Athens without realizing it? For not the

children of Caesarea were able to hear these things. For my tongue was not accustomed to them, but as if traversing a cliff, struck by the novelty of the words, it said to me its father: "Father, you did not teach me this. This man is Homer, nay Plato, nay Aristotle, nay Susarion who knows all things." And this my tongue said; but may it be your part, Basil, to praise us with such words.

356.τ BASIL TO LIBANIUS

257

351.1 Πολλοὶ περιτυχόντες ἡμῖν τῶν αὐτόθι ἐθαύμασάν σου τὴν ἐν τοῖς λόγοις ἀρετήν. Ἔλεγον γὰρ ἐπίδειξίν τινα γεγενῆσ θαι λαμπρὰν ἄγαν, καὶ ἀγὼν ἦν, ὡς ἔφασκον, μέγιστος, ὡς πάντας μὲν συνδραμεῖν καὶ μηδένα ἕτερον ἐν τῇ πόλει φανῆναι ἢ μόνον Λιβάνιον ἀγωνιζόμενον καὶ πᾶσαν ἡλικίαν ἀκροωμένην. Οὐ γὰρ ἠξίου τις ἔξω τῶν ἀγώνων γενέσθαι, οὐκ ἀξιώματος ὄγκῳ συνών, οὐ στρατιωτικοῖς καταλόγοις ἐμπρέπων, οὐ βαναύσοις τέχναις σχολάζων. Ἤδη δὲ καὶ γυναῖκες παρεῖναι κατηπείγοντο τοῖς ἀγῶσι. Τίς δὲ ὁ ἀγών; Τίς δὲ ὁ λόγος ὁ τὴν πάνδημον συναγείρας πανήγυριν; Καὶ δή μοι ἤγγειλαν δυσκόλου τρόπον ἀνδρὸς τὸν λόγον ἐνστή σασθαι. Ὃν οὕτω θαυμασθέντα μὴ κατόκνει μοι πέμψαι, ἵνα κἀγὼ τῶν λόγων ἐπαινέτης εἴην τῶν σῶν. Ὁ γὰρ Λιβά νιον ἐπαινῶν καὶ τῶν ἔργων ἐκτὸς τίς ἂν γένωμαι νῦν ὑπόθεσιν ἐπαίνων εὑράμενος.

352.τ ΛΙΒΑΝΙΟΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΩ

352.1 Ἰδοὺ πέπομφα τὸν λόγον ἱδρῶτι περιρρεόμενος. Πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἔμελλον

ἀνδρὶ τοιούτῳ πέμπων τὸν λόγον, ὃς ἱκανός ἐστι τὴν Πλάτωνος σοφίαν καὶ ∆ημοσθένους δεινότητα τῇ περὶ τοὺς λόγους εὐμαθείᾳ δεῖξαι θρυλουμένας μάτην; Τὸ δὲ ἐμὸν τοιοῦτον οἷον κώνωψ ἐλέφαντι παραβαλλόμενος. Ὅθεν πέφρικα καὶ τρέμω τὴν ἡμέραν λογιζόμενος καθ' ἣν ἐπισκέψῃ τοὺς λόγους· μικροῦ δὲ καὶ τῶν φρενῶν ἐκπέ πτωκα.

353.τ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΣ ΛΙΒΑΝΙΩ

353.1 Ἀνέγνων τὸν λόγον, σοφώτατε, καὶ ὑπερτεθαύμακα. Ὦ Μοῦσαι καὶ

Λόγοι καὶ Ἀθῆναι, οἷα τοῖς ἐρασταῖς δωρεῖσθε. Οἵους κομίζονται τοὺς καρποὺς οἱ βραχύν τινα χρόνον ὑμῖν συγγινόμενοι. Ὢ πηγῆς πολυχεύμονος, οἵους ἔδειξε τοὺς ἀρυομένους. Αὐτὸν γὰρ ἐδόκουν ὁρᾶν ἐν τῷ λόγῳ λάλῳ συνόντα γυναίῳ. Ἔμπνουν γὰρ λόγον ἐπὶ χθονὸς Λιβάνιος ἔγραψεν, ὃς μόνος τοῖς λόγοις ψυχὴν ἐχαρίσατο.

354.τ ΛΙΒΑΝΙΟΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΩ

354.1 Νῦν ἔγνων εἶναι ὃ λέγομαι· Βασιλείου γάρ με ἐπαινέσαν τος, κατὰ

πάντων ἔχω τὰ νικητήρια. Καὶ τὴν ψῆφον δεξά μενος τὴν σὴν ἔπεστί μοι βαδίζειν μετὰ σοβαροῦ τοῦ βαδίσ ματος, οἷά τις ἀλαζὼν τοὺς πάντας περιφρονῶν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν καὶ σοὶ κατὰ μέθης λόγος πεποίηται, βουλόμεθα τούτῳ περιτυχεῖν. Ἀλλὰ κομψὸν μέν τι λέγειν οὐκ ἐθέλω, ὁ δὲ λόγος ὀφθεὶς διδάξει με τὴν τοῦ λέγειν τέχνην.

355.τ ΛΙΒΑΝΙΟΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΩ

355.1 Ἆρα, Βασίλειε, μὴ τὰς Ἀθήνας οἰκεῖς καὶ λέληθας σεαυτόν; Οὐ γὰρ τῶν

Καισαρέων οἱ παῖδες ταῦτα ἀκούειν ἠδύναντο. Ἡ γλῶττα γάρ μοι τούτων ἐθὰς οὐκ ἦν, ἀλλ' ὡσπερεί τινα κρημνὸν διοδεύοντος πληγεῖσα τῇ τῶν ὀνομά των καινοτομίᾳ ἐμοί τε τῷ πατρὶ ἔλεγε· «Πάτερ, οὐκ ἐδίδα ξας. Ὅμηρος οὗτος ἀνήρ, ἀλλὰ Πλάτων, ἀλλ' Ἀριστοτέλης, ἀλλὰ Σουσαρίων ὁ τὰ πάντα ἐπιστάμενος.» Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἡ γλῶττα, σὲ δὲ εἴη, Βασίλειε, τοιαῦτα ἡμᾶς ἐπαινεῖν.

356.τ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΣ ΛΙΒΑΝΙΩ