--- title: "Letters" author: "Isocrates" translator: "Larue Van Hook" languages: [grc, en] shelf: "Classical Greek" section: 4 of 9 url: https://scriptura.si/works/isocrates-letters/4/ cite: "Isocrates, tr. Larue Van Hook, Letters, section 4. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/isocrates-letters/4/" --- # Letters *Isocrates, tr. Larue Van Hook* Nine letters to rulers: Dionysius of Syracuse, Philip and the young Alexander, Antipater, Archidamus of Sparta and others. > Greek: ed. Larue Van Hook, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0010.tlg022–tlg024, CC BY-SA 4.0). > English: Larue Van Hook, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0010.tlg022–tlg024, perseus-eng2/perseus-eng3). Notes are not included. > Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence. ## 4. Letter 4 · To Antipater Source: https://scriptura.si/works/isocrates-letters/4/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/isocrates-letters/4/#p-N [¶0] 1. Although it is dangerous for us here in Athens to send a letter to Macedonia, not only now when we are at war with you, but even in time of peace, nevertheless I have decided to write to you concerning Diodotus, as I think it only right to esteem highly all those who have been my pupils and who have shown themselves worthy disciples, and not the least among them this man both because of his devotion to me and of the general probity of his character. > Greek: 1. ἐγώ, καίπερ ἐπικινδύνου παρ’ ἡμῖν ὄντος εἰς Μακεδονίαν πέμπειν ἐπιστολήν, οὐ μόνον νῦν ὅτε πολεμοῦμεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς εἰρήνης οὔσης, ὅμως γράψαι πρὸς σὲ προειλόμην περὶ Διοδότου, δίκαιον εἶναι νομίζων ἅπαντας μὲν περὶ πολλοῦ ποιεῖσθαι τοὺς ἐμαυτῷ πεπλησιακότας καὶ γεγενημένους ἀξίους ἡμῶν, οὐχ ἥκιστα δὲ τοῦτον καὶ διὰ τὴν εὔνοιαν τὴν εἰς ἡμᾶς καὶ διὰ τὴν ἄλλην ἐπιείκειαν. [¶1] 2. I wish that if possible I might have been the means of his introduction to you; since, however, he has already met you through the kindness of others, it remains for me to give my testimony concerning him and to strengthen the acquaintance which he already has with you. For although many men of various countries have been my pupils and some of these are of great repute, and while of all the others some have proved to be distinguished for eloquence alone, and others in intellect and in practical affairs, and still others have indeed been men of sobriety of life and cultivated tastes, but for general usefulness in the practical affairs of life utterly devoid of natural ability, yet Diodotus has been endowed with a nature so well balanced that in all the attributes I have named he is quite perfect. > Greek: 2. μάλιστα μὲν οὖν ἠβουλόμην ἂν αὐτὸν συσταθῆναί σοι δι’ ἡμῶν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ δι’ ἑτέρων ἐντετύχηκέ σοι, λοιπόν ἐστί μοι μαρτυρῆσαι περὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ βεβαιῶσαι τὴν γεγενημένην αὐτῷ πρὸς σὲ γνῶσιν. ἐμοὶ γὰρ πολλῶν καὶ παντοδαπῶν συγγεγενημένων ἀνδρῶν καὶ δόξας ἐνίων μεγάλας ἐχόντων, τῶν μὲν ἄλλων ἁπάντων οἱ μέν τινες περὶ αὐτὸν τὸν λόγον, οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸ διανοηθῆναι καὶ πρᾶξαι δεινοὶ γεγόνασιν, οἱ ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ βίου σώφρονες καὶ χαρίεντες, πρὸς δὲ τὰς ἄλλας χρήσεις καὶ διαγωγὰς ἀφυεῖς παντάπασιν· [¶2] 3. All this I should not dare to say of him if I did not possess the most precise knowledge of him gained by experience, and if I were not anticipating that you would gain the same, partly through your own association with him and partly from the testimony of his acquaintances, of whom there is no one who would not agree, unless he be exceedingly envious, that Diodotus is inferior to none in eloquence and counsel, and that he is very honest, temperate, and self-controlled in respect to money; nay more, to spend the day with and to live with he is a most charming and agreeable companion. In addition to these good qualities he possesses frankness in the highest degree, not that outspokenness which is objectionable, but that which would rightly be regarded as the surest indication of devotion to his friends. > Greek: 3. οὗτος δ’ οὕτως εὐάρμοστον τὴν φύσιν ἔσχηκεν ὥστ’ ἐν ἅπασι τοῖς εἰρημένοις τελειότατος εἶναι. καὶ ταῦτ’ οὐκ ἂν ἐτόλμων λέγειν, εἰ μὴ τὴν ἀκριβεστάτην πεῖραν αὐτός τ’ εἶχον αὐτοῦ καὶ σὲ λήψεσθαι προσεδόκων, τὰ μὲν αὐτὸν χρώμενον αὐτῷ, τὰ δὲ καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν ἐμπείρων αὐτοῦ πυνθανόμενον, ὧν οὐδεὶς ὅστις οὐκ ἂν ὁμολογήσειεν, εἰ μὴ λίαν εἴη φθονερός, καὶ εἰπεῖν καὶ βουλεύσασθαι μηδενὸς ἧττον αὐτὸν δύνασθαι καὶ δικαιότατον καὶ σωφρονέστατον εἶναι καὶ χρημάτων ἐγκρατέστατον, ἔτι δὲ συνημερεῦσαι καὶ συμβιῶναι πάντων ἥδιστον καὶ λιγυρώτατον, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις πλείστην ἔχειν παρρησίαν, οὐχ ἣν οὐ προσῆκεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν εἰκότως ἂν μέγιστον γιγνομένην σημεῖον τῆς εὐνοίας τῆς πρὸς τοὺς φίλους· [¶3] 5. This is the sort of frankness which princes, if they have worthy and fitting greatness of soul, honor as being useful, while those whose natural gifts are weaker than the powers they possess take such frankness ill, as if it forced them to act in some degree contrary to their desires—ignorant as they are that those who dare to speak out most fearlessly in opposition to measures in which expediency is the issue are the very persons who can provide them with more power than others to accomplish what they wish. > Greek: 5. ἣν τῶν δυναστῶν οἱ μὲν ἀξιόχρεων τὸν ὄγκον τὸν τῆς ψυχῆς ἔχοντες τιμῶσιν ὡς χρησίμην οὖσαν, οἱ δ’ ἀσθενέστεροι τὰς φύσεις ὄντες ἢ κατὰ τὰς ὑπαρχούσας ἐξουσίας δυσχεραίνουσιν, ὡς ὧν οὐ προαιροῦνταί τι ποιεῖν βιαζομένην αὑτούς, οὐκ εἰδότες ὡς οἱ μάλιστα περὶ τοῦ συμφέροντος ἀντιλέγειν τολμῶντες, οὗτοι πλείστην ἐξουσίαν αὐτοῖς τοῦ πράττειν ἃ βούλονται παρασκευάζουσιν. [¶4] 6. For it stands to reason that it is because of those who always and by choice speak to please that not only monarchies cannot endure—since monarchies are liable to numerous inevitable dangers—but even constitutional governments as well, though they enjoy greater security: whereas it is owing to those who speak with absolute frankness in favor of what is best that many things are preserved even of those which seemed doomed to destruction. For these reasons it is indeed fitting that in the courts of all monarches those who declare the truth should be held in greater esteem than those who, though they aim to gratify in all they say, yet say naught that merits gratitude; in fact, however, the former find less favor with some princes. > Greek: 6. εἰκὸς γὰρ διὰ μὲν τοὺς ἀεὶ πρὸς ἡδονὴν λέγειν προαιρουμένους οὐχ ὅπως τὰς μοναρχίας δύνασθαι διαμένειν, αἳ πολλοὺς τοὺς ἀναγκαίους ἐφέλκονται κινδύνους, ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ τὰς πολιτείας, αἳ μετὰ πλείονος ἀσφαλείας εἰσί, διὰ δὲ τοὺς ἐπὶ τῷ βελτίστῳ παρρησιαζομένους πολλὰ σῴζεσθαι καὶ τῶν ἐπιδόξων διαφθαρήσεσθαι πραγμάτων. ὧν ἕνεκα προσῆκε μὲν παρὰ πᾶσι τοῖς μονάρχοις πλέον φέρεσθαι τοὺς τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἀποφαινομένους τῶν ἅπαντα μὲν πρὸς χάριν, μηδὲν δὲ χάριτος ἄξιον λεγόντων· συμβαίνει δ’ ἔλαττον ἔχειν αὐτοὺς παρ’ ἐνίοις αὐτῶν. [¶5] 7. This experience Diodotus has met with in his relations with some of the potentates of Asia, to whom he had often been of service, not only in offering counsel, but also in venturing upon dangerous deeds; because of his frankness of speech in matters involving their best interests he has been both deprived of honors he had at home and cheated of many hopes elsewhere, and the flattery of men of no consequence had greater weight than his own good services. > Greek: 7. ὃ καὶ Διοδότῳ παθεῖν συνέπεσε παρά τισι τῶν περὶ τὴν Ἀσίαν δυναστῶν, οἷς περὶ πολλὰ χρήσιμος γενόμενος οὐ μόνον τῷ συμβουλεύειν ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ πράττειν καὶ κινδυνεύειν, διὰ τὸ παρρησιάζεσθαι πρὸς αὐτοὺς περὶ ὧν ἐκείνοις συνέφερε, καὶ τῶν οἴκοι τιμῶν ἀπεστέρηται καὶ πολλῶν ἄλλων ἐλπίδων, καὶ μεῖζον ἴσχυσαν αἱ τῶν τυχόντων ἀνθρώπων κολακεῖαι τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν τῶν τούτου. [¶6] 8. That, then, is the reason why Diodotus, although from time to time he entertained the thought of presenting himself to you, hesitated to do so, not because he believed that all his superiors were alike, but because the difficulties which he had experienced with these rulers caused him to be rather faint-hearted with reference also to the hopes he placed in you. That feeling was, I fancy, like that of some persons who have been at sea, who when they have once experienced a tempest, no longer with confidence embark upon a voyage, even though they know that one may often meet with a fair sailing. Nevertheless, now that he has met you, he is taking the right course. > Greek: 8. διὸ δὴ καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀεὶ προσιέναι διανοούμενος ὀκνηρῶς εἶχεν, οὐχ ὡς ἅπαντας ὁμοίους εἶναι νομίζων τοὺς ὑπὲρ αὑτὸν ὄντας, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὰς πρὸς ἐκείνους γεγενημένας δυσχερείας καὶ πρὸς τὰς παρ’ ὑμῶν ἐλπίδας ἀθυμότερος ἦν, παραπλήσιον, ὡς ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ, πεπονθὼς τῶν πεπλευκότων τισίν, οἳ τὸ πρῶτον, ὅταν χρήσωνται χειμῶσιν, οὐκέτι θαρροῦντες εἰσβαίνουσιν εἰς θάλατταν, καίπερ εἰδότες ὅτι καὶ καλοῦ πλοῦ πολλάκις ἐπιτυχεῖν ἔστιν. οὐ μὴν ἀλλ’ ἐπειδὴ συνέστηκέ σοι, καλῶς ποιεῖ. λογίζομαι γὰρ αὐτῷ συνοίσειν, μάλιστα μὲν τῇ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τῇ σῇ στοχαζόμενος, ἣν ἔχειν ὑπείληψαι παρὰ τοῖς ἔξωθεν ἀνθρώποις, ἔπειτα νομίζων οὐκ ἀγνοεῖν ὑμᾶς ὅτι πάντων ἥδιστόν ἐστι καὶ λυσιτελέστατον πιστοὺς ἅμα καὶ χρησίμους φίλους κτᾶσθαι ταῖς εὐεργεσίαις καὶ τοὺς τοιούτους εὖ ποιεῖν, ὑπὲρ ὧν πολλοὶ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὑμῖν χάριν ἕξουσιν. [¶7] 9. For I reason that this will be to his advantage, chiefly conjecturing so on the strength of that kindliness which you have been supposed among foreigners to possess; and partly believing you are not unaware that the most agreeable and profitable of all things is to win by one’s kind deeds friends who are at the same time both loyal and useful, and to befriend men of such character that on their account many others also will be grateful to you. For all men of discrimination praise and honor those who are on intimate terms with superior men just as much as if they themselves were deriving profit from the services rendered. But I think that Diodotus himself will best induce you to take an interest in him. His son also I have advised to espouse your cause and by putting himself in your hands as a pupil, to try to advance himself. When I gave him this advice he declared that while he craved your friendship, yet he felt toward that very much as he does toward the athletic contests in which crowns are awarded to the victors; > Greek: 9. ἅπαντες γὰρ οἱ χαρίεντες τοὺς τοῖς σπουδαίοις τῶν ἀνδρῶν καλῶς ὁμιλοῦντας ὁμοίως ἐπαινοῦσι καὶ τιμῶσιν ὥσπερ αὐτοὶ τῶν ὠφελειῶν ἀπολαύοντες. ἀλλὰ γὰρ Διόδοτον αὐτὸν οἶμαι μάλιστά σε προτρέψεσθαι πρὸς τὸ φροντίζειν αὑτοῦ. συνέπειθον δὲ καὶ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τῶν ὑμετέρων ἀντέχεσθαι πραγμάτων καὶ παραδόνθ’ ὑμῖν αὑτὸν ὥσπερ μαθητὴν εἰς τοὔμπροσθε πειραθῆναι προελθεῖν. ὁ δὲ ταῦτά μου λέγοντος ἐπιθυμεῖν μὲν ἔφασκε τῆς ὑμετέρας φιλίας, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ παραπλήσιόν τι πεπονθέναι πρὸς αὐτὴν καὶ πρὸς τοὺς στεφανίτας ἀγῶνας. [¶8] 11. victory in them he would gladly win, but to enter the lists to gain them he would not dare, because he had not acquired the strength that would deserve the crowns. Similarly, while he longed to obtain the honors it is yours to bestow, yet he did not expect to attain them; for he is appalled not only by his own inexperience but also by the splendor of your position; furthermore, he believes that his poor body, not being sound but somewhat defective, will impede him in many activities. > Greek: 11. ἐκείνους τε γὰρ νικᾶν μὲν ἂν βούλεσθαι, καταβῆναι δ’ εἰς αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἂν τολμῆσαι διὰ τὸ μὴ μετεσχηκέναι ῥώμης ἀξίας τῶν στεφάνων, τῶν τε παρ’ ὑμῶν τιμῶν εὔξασθαι μὲν ἂν τυχεῖν, ἐφίξεσθαι δ’ αὐτῶν οὐ προσδοκᾶν· τήν τε γὰρ ἀπειρίαν τὴν αὑτοῦ καταπεπλῆχθαι καὶ τὴν λαμπρότητα τὴν ὑμετέραν, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὸ σωμάτιον οὐκ εὐκρινὲς ὂν ἀλλ’ ἔχον ἄττα σίνη νομίζειν ἐμποδιεῖν αὑτὸν πρὸς πολλὰ τῶν πραγμάτων. [¶9] 12. He will do, however, whatever he thinks expedient; and do you, I beg, whether he resides with you or remains inactive in that region, have a care for everything else which he may chance to need and especially for the personal safety of himself and of his father, considering them to be, as it were, a sacred trust committed to you by my old age, which might fittingly receive much consideration, and by the reputation I possess (if this, to be sure, is worthy of any interest) and by the goodwill which I have never ceased to have for you. > Greek: 12. οὗτος μὲν οὖν, ὅ τι ἂν αὐτῷ δοκῇ συμφέρειν, τοῦτο πράξει· σὺ δ’ ἄν τε περὶ ὑμᾶς ἄν θ’ ἡσυχίαν ἔχων διατρίβῃ περὶ τούτους τοὺς τόπους, ἐπιμελοῦ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων μὲν ἁπάντων ὧν ἂν τυγχάνῃ δεόμενος, μάλιστα δὲ τῆς ἀσφαλείας καὶ τῆς τούτου καὶ τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ, νομίσας ὥσπερ παρακαταθήκην ἔχειν τούτους παρά τε τοῦ γήρως ἡμῶν, ὃ προσηκόντως ἂν πολλῆς τυγχάνοι προνοίας, καὶ τῆς δόξης τῆς ὑπαρχούσης, εἴ τινος ἄρα σπουδῆς ἐστὶν ἀξία, καὶ τῆς εὐνοίας τῆς πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἣν ἔχων ἅπαντα τὸν χρόνον διατετέλεκα. [¶10] 13. And do not be surprised either if the letter I have written is too long, or if in it I have expressed myself in a somewhat too officious way and after the fashion of an old man; for everything else I have neglected and have had thought for this one thing alone—to show my zeal on behalf of men who are my friends and who have become very dear to me. > Greek: 13. καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς, μήτ’ εἰ μακροτέραν γέγραφα τὴν ἐπιστολὴν μήτ’ εἴ τι περιεργότερον καὶ πρεσβυτικώτερον εἰρήκαμεν ἐν αὐτῇ· πάντων γὰρ τῶν ἄλλων ἀμελήσας ἑνὸς μόνον ἐφρόντισα, τοῦ φανῆναι σπουδάζων ὑπὲρ ἀνδρῶν φίλων καὶ προσφιλεστάτων μοι γεγενημένων.