Letter 511: I have long known your skill in governing, so I am certain you are handling your present post with all proper care.
Ἀραξίῳ. (356/57)
Πάλαι σου τὴν περὶ τὸ ἄρχειν ἐπιστήμην εἰδώς, ὅτι
Καὶ τὴν παροῦσαν μετὰ παντὸς ἄρχεις τοῦ προςήκοντος, οἶδα.
Εἰ δὲ μὴ καὶ πάλαι σε ἐτύγχανον εἰδώς, εὗρον ἄν σου τὴν
ἀρετὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ φίλου. ὅστις γὰρ ὁμιλῶν ἥδεται Θεμιστίῳ,
Οὐ πώποτ᾿ ἠρώτησα γινώσκων, ὅτι τοῦ ζῆν ὡς ἄριστα
Ποιεῖται λόγον.
Διὸ δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκεῖ τε συνέζων αὐτῷ
καθάπερ συμπεφυκὼς καὶ τῇδε ταὐτὸν ἐποίησα. συνὼν οὐκ
ἐπαυσάμην, ὅπως τε ἀκούοιμί τι χρηστὸν καὶ δοκοίην τοῖς
πολίταις εἶναι μὴ κακὸς ἀπὸ τοῦ χαίρειν τῷ καλῷ.
γράμ-
ματα δέ μοι σὰ κομίζων διπλῆν ἐποίει τὴν ἡδονήν, αὐτοῖς
τε τοῖς δοθεῖσι καὶ ὅτι τοιοῦτος ἦν ὁ φέρων. καὶ δή με καὶ
μετεωρίσας τοῖς περὶ σοῦ λόγοις ὥρμησε πρὸς τὴν ὁδόν. καὶ
νῦν ἔ σοι διελεγόμην, εἰ μή με τὸ γῆρας τῆς μητρὸς ἔκαμψε
πάνυ χρῇζον ἐπικουρίας. εἰ δὲ μὴ τοῦτο μένειν ἔπειθεν, οὐ-
δὲν ἄν με τῶν ἄλλων μᾶλλον ἔπειθεν ἢ σοὶ βαδίζειν.
ἴσως
μὲν οὖν καὶ μένων ὄψομαί σε, τὴν γὰρ Τύχην ὁρῶ σε κομί-
ζουσαν οἷ δεῖ σε ἐλθεῖν· ἴσως δὲ καὶ τῆσδέ σοι τῆς ἀρχῆς
μηκυνομένης ἐμέ τις ὄψεται παρὰ σοί.
τῆς δὲ ὕβρεως ἣν
ὕβρισμαι, πρὸς θεῶν, ἀπαίτησον δίκας καὶ μὴ τὸ γνῶναι
πολλοὺς τὴν συκοφαντίαν μᾶλλον ἡγήσῃ φοβερὸν ἢ τὸ μὴ
λαβεῖν με δίκην τοιούτων ὑβρισμάτων.
ὅπως δὲ ταῦτα
ἔσται, καλῶς εἴσῃ τά τε ἄλλα ἐπιστάμενος καὶ δικῶν ὁδούς.
οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγε οἴσω τὰ τῶν κακῶς πεπλουτηκότων ἀκούων ἐν
πενία.
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