289

Of Clement of Rome. It is not just when the giver has been forsaken, for the things given to remain with the ungrateful

Of Nyssa. He who has willed the good only, but was hindered from the fine deed by inability, is in no way inferior in the disposition of his soul, to the one who has shown his intention through his works.

Of Philo. Nothing is so conducive to goodwill, as praise for good deeds.

Love more, O king, those who supplicate to receive favors from you, than those who are eager to offer you gifts. For to the latter you become a debtor for a reward; but the former will make Him your debtor who appropriates the things done for them, and who repays your philanthropic purpose with good recompense.

Of the same, from another. Plut. Grace is like the moon, when it becomes full, then it appears beautiful.

Democrit. A man has something similar to God, when he does not make a trade of doing good; both being beneficent and speaking the truth.

The same, seeing someone readily granting favors to all, and serving without examination, said, "A plague on you, because you have made the Graces, who are virgins, into prostitutes."

Of Moschion. To spend on an ungrateful person is a loss; but not to spend on a grateful person is harmful.

Of Cato. The majority of men are more ready for punishments; but for good deeds and friendships, they are sluggish.

Alexander. Having sent fifty talents to Xenocrates the philosopher, when he did not accept them, saying he had no need, he asked if Xenocrates had not even a friend. "For to me," he said, "the wealth of Darius was barely enough for my friends."

When one of his friends asked him for a dowry for his daughter, he ordered him to take fifty talents; and when he said that ten were enough, he said, "Ten are enough for you to receive, but for me, ten are not enough to give."

The same, having once filled a platter with bones, sent it to Diogenes the Cynic philosopher; and he, having received it, said, "The food is Cynic-like, but the gift is not kingly."

The same said that it is the same error to give to those to whom one should not, and not to give to those to whom one should.

Diogenes, having been asked by someone for what reason men give to beggars, but not at all to philosophers, said, "Because they expect they may perhaps become lame and blind, but philosophers, never."

Philistion. It is better to lend to the earth than to mortals, She who gives interest without being distressed.

289

ΚλήμεντοςῬώμης. Οὐ δίκαιόν ἐστι τοῦ δεδωκότος ἐγκαταλειφθέντος, τά δοθέντα παραμένειν τοῖς ἀγνώμοσιν

Τοῦ Νύσσης. Ὁ θελήσαας τό ἀγαθόν μόνον, κωλυθείς δέ πρός τό καλόν τῷ μή δύνασθαι, κατ᾿ οὐδέν ἐλαττοῦται τῆς ψυχῆς διαθέσει, τοῦ διά τῶν ἔργων τήν γνώμην δείξαντος.

Φίλων. Οὐδέν οὕτω εὐάγωγον εἰς εὔνοιαν, ὡς ἡ τῶν εὐεργετημάτων εὐφημία.

Πλέον ἀγάπα βασιλεῦ, τούς λαμβάνειν παρά σοῦ χάριτας ἱκετεύοντας, ἤπερ τούς σπουδάζοντας δωρεάς σοι προσφέρειν. Τοῖς μέν γάρ ὀφειλέτης ἀμοιβῆς καθίσταται· οἱ δέ σου τόν ὀφειλέτην ποιήσουσι τόν οἰκειούμενον τά εἰς αὐτούς γινόμενα, και ἀμειβόμενον ἀγαθαῖς ἀντιδόσεσιν τόν φιλάνθρωπόν σου σκοπόν.

Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, ἄλλ. Πλουτ. Ἡ χάρις ὥσπερ ἡ σελήνη, ὅταν τελεία γένηται, τότε καλή φαίνεται.

∆ημοκρίτ. Θεῷ ὅμοιον ἔχει ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὅταν τό εὖ ποιεῖν μή καπηλεύηται· καί τό εὐεργετεῖν καί τό ἀληθεύειν.

Ὁ αὐτός ἰδών τινα προχείρως πᾶσι χαριζόμενον, καί ἀνεξετάστως ὑπηρετούμενον, Κακῶς, εἶπεν, ἀπόλοιο, ὅτι τάς Χάριτας παρθένους οὔσας, πόρνας ἐποίησας.

Μοσχίωνος. Τό μέν εἰς ἀχάριστον ἀναλῶσαι, ἐπιζήμιον· τό δέ εἰς εὐχάριστον μή ἀναλῶσαι, βλαβερόν.

Κάτωνος. Οἱ πολλοί τῶν ἀνθρώπων, πρός μέν τάς τιμωρίας ἑτοιμοτέρως ἔχουσι· πρός δέ τάς εὐεργεσίας καί φιλίας, ὑπτίως.

Ἀλέξανδρ. Ξενοκράτει τῷ φιλοσόφῳ πεντήκοντα τάλαντα πέμψας, ὡς οὐκ ἐδέξατο, μή δεῖσθαι φήσας, ἐρώτησεν, εἰ μηδέ φίλον ἔχει Ξενοκράτης· Ἐμοί γάρ, ἔφη, μόλις ὁ ∆αρείου πλοῦτος εἰς τούς φίλους ἤρκεσεν.

Τινός δέ τῶν αὐτοῦ φίλων αἰτήσαντος αὐτόν εἰς προῖκα τῆς θυγατρός, ἐκέλευσε πεντήκοντα τάλαντα λαβεῖν· αὐτοῦ δέ φήσαντος, ἱκανά εἶναι δέκα, Σοί μέν, ἔφη, λαβεῖν, ἐμοί δέ οὐχ ἱκανά εἶναι δέκα δοῦναι.

Ὁ αὐτός πληρώσας ποτέ ὀστέων πίνακα, ἔπεμψε ∆ιογένει τῷ Κυνικῷ φιλοσόφῳ· ὁ δέ λαβών, εἶπεν, Κυνικόν μέν τό βρῶμα, οὐ βασιλικόν δέ τό δῶρον.

Ὁ αὐτός εἶπεν, τῆς αὐτῆς ἁμαρτίας εἶναι, τό διδόναι οἷς μή δεῖ, καί τό μή διδόναι οἷς δεῖ.

∆ιογένης ἐρωτηθείς ὑπό τινος, διά τίνα αἰτίαν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, τοῖς μέν προσαιτοῦσι, διδόασι· τοῖς δέ φιλοσοφοῦσιν, οὐδαμῶς, εἶπεν, Ὅτι χωλοί μέν καί τυφλοί ἴσως ἐλπίζουσι γενέσθαι, φιλόσοφοι δέ οὔ.

Φιλιστίων. Τῇ γῇ δανείζειν κρεῖττόν ἐστιν ἤ βροτοῖς, Ἥτις τόκους δίδουσι μή λυπουμένη.