Letter 1033: I have no time for the common run of philosophers who fake wisdom with pretentious clothing and a haughty air.
Nihil moror ceteros vulgus ignobile, qui philosophiam fastu et habitu mentiuntur.
paucos et in his praecipue familiarem meum Barachum nostra aetas tulit, quorum
germana sapientia ad ye/ustatem vergeret. tune, inquies, audeas de philosophis iudi- 5
care? licet alienas spectare virtutes. nam et Phidiae Olympium lovem et Myronis
buculam et Polt/cliti canephoras rudis eius artis hominum pars magna mirata est.
intellegendi natura indulgentius patet. alioqui praeclara rerum paucis probarentur, si
boni cuiusque sensus etiam ad inpares non veniret. concede igitur mihi de Baracho
testis officium et amicitiam viri prudentis amplectere, cuius exploratio brevi faciet, ut 10
mihi de omnibus, quae scio, facile credas, cum videas, me nec in his falsum esse,
quae nescio. vale.
XXX (xxnn) a. 370—379.
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