Letter 43: When an enemy renders such a verdict about me, then I will consider it worth taking pride in -- since it would mean...

To Demetrius. (358/359) Whenever someone who is an enemy casts such a vote about us, then I shall think it right to take great pride, on the grounds that I have prevailed in eloquence even over one who hates me; since I observe that Demosthenes too showed that he had chosen the best course by the fact that not even his enemies maligned what he had chosen, whereas a friend praising a friend is, as Astydamas was, a man praising himself. For my part, I would not say that I made mention of those matters about which you wrote to me [...]; rather, I take pleasure in having a friend, not in being so well off for words. Of my own possessions, whatever you ask for we shall send, so as not to cause you pain. But otherwise we shall not send, so that we may not seem to be praising our own selves.

**To Demetrius** (358/359) When a man who is my enemy passes such judgments about me, then I shall think it right to take pride in them, as having conquered even one who hates me by the force of my words — since I observe that Demosthenes, too, demonstrated that he had chosen the best course by the fact that not even his enemies could misrepresent what he had chosen. But a friend praising a friend is merely an Astydamas praising himself. As for the things you have written to me, I would not claim to deserve them; yet I take pleasure in having such a friend — not in believing that my oratory is truly as you describe. Of my works, whatever you ask for I shall send, so as not to disappoint you. But otherwise I shall not send them, lest I seem to be praising myself.

Δημητρίῳ. (358/359) Ὅταν ἐχθρὸς ὤν τις ταῦτα περὶ ἡμῶν ψηφίζηται, βότε αξιώσω μέγα φρονεῖν ὡς ἂν καἰ τοῦ μισοῦντος τῇ ῥωμῃ τῶι λόγων κεκρατηκώς, ἐπεὶ καὶ Δημοσθένην ὁρῶ τὰ ἄριστα προ- ελέσθαι δεικνύντα τῷ μηδὲ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἃ προείλετο συκυ- φαντεῖν, φίλος δὲ φίλον ἐπαινῶν Ἀστυδάμας ἐστὶν αὑτὸν ἐπ- αινῶν. ἐγὼ δὲ μνησθῆναι μὲν αὐτῶν οἷς ἐπέσταλκας οὐκ ἂν φαίην, ἥδομαι δὲ τῷ φίλον ἔχειν, οὐ τῷ λόγων οὕτως ἔχειν. τῶν δὲ ἐμῶν ὅ τι ἂν αἰτῇς πέμψομεν τοῦ μὴ λυπεῖν. ἄλλως δὲ οὐ πέμψομεν τοῦ μὴ δοκεῖν ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐπαινεῖ