1. The sons of Aphareus, my grandsons, who were instructed in music by Agenor, have asked me to write to you and beg that, since you have restored some of the other exiles, you will also allow Agenor, his father, and his brothers to return home. When I told them that I feared I should appear ridiculous and meddlesome in seeking so great a favor from men with whom I have never before spoken or been acquainted, they, upon hearing my reply, were all the more insistent.
1. οἱ παῖδες οἱ Ἀφαρέως, ὑιδεῖς δ’ ἐμοί, παιδευθέντες ὑπ’ Ἀγήνορος τὰ περὶ τὴν μουσικήν, ἐδεήθησάν μου γράμματα πέμψαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ὅπως ἄν, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τινὰς κατηγάγετε φυγάδων, καὶ τοῦτον καταδέξησθε καὶ τὸν πατέρα καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφούς. λέγοντος δέ μου πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὅτι δέδοικα μὴ λίαν ἄτοπος εἶναι δόξω καὶ περίεργος, ζητῶν εὑρίσκεσθαι τηλικαῦτα τὸ μέγεθος παρ’ ἀνδρῶν οἷς οὐδὲ πώποτε πρότερον οὔτε διελέχθην οὔτε συνήθης ἐγενόμην, ἀκούσαντες ταῦτα πολὺ μᾶλλον ἐλιπάρουν.
2. And when they could obtain nothing of what they hoped, they clearly showed to all that they were displeased and sorely disappointed. So when I saw that they were unduly distressed I finally promised to write the letter and send it to you. That I may not justly seem foolish and irksome I make this explanation.
2. ὡς δ’ οὐδὲν αὐτοῖς ἀπέβαινεν ὧν ἤλπιζον, ἅπασιν ἦσαν καταφανεῖς ἀηδῶς διακείμενοι καὶ χαλεπῶς φέροντες. ὁρῶν δ’ αὐτοὺς λυπουμένους μᾶλλον τοῦ προσήκοντος, τελευτῶν ὑπεσχόμην γράψειν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν καὶ πέμψειν ὑμῖν. ὑπὲρ μὲν οὖν τοῦ μὴ δικαίως ἂν δοκεῖν μωρὸς εἶναι μηδ’ ὀχληρὸς ταῦτ’ ἔχω λέγειν.
3. I think you have been well advised both in becoming reconciled to your fellow-citizens and, while trying to reduce the number of exiles, in increasing that of the participants in public life and also in imitating Athens in handling the sedition. You are especially deserving of praise because you are restoring their property to the exiles who return; for thus you show and make clear to all that you had expelled them, not because you coveted the property of others, but because you feared for the welfare of the city.
3. ἡγοῦμαι δὲ καλῶς ὑμᾶς βεβουλεῦσθαι καὶ διαλλαττομένους τοῖς πολίταις τοῖς ὑμετέροις, καὶ πειρωμένους τοὺς μὲν φεύγοντας ὀλίγους ποιεῖν, τοὺς δὲ συμπολιτευομένους πολλούς, καὶ μιμουμένους τὰ περὶ τὴν στάσιν τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἡμετέραν. μάλιστα δ’ ἄν τις ὑμᾶς ἐπαινέσειεν ὅτι τοῖς κατιοῦσιν ἀποδίδοτε τὴν οὐσίαν· ἐπιδείκνυσθε γὰρ καὶ ποιεῖτε πᾶσι φανερὸν ὡς οὐ τῶν κτημάτων ἐπιθυμήσαντες τῶν ἀλλοτρίων, ἀλλ’ ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως δείσαντες ἐποιήσασθε τὴν ἐκβολὴν αὐτῶν.
4. Nevertheless, even if you had adopted none of the measures, and had received back no one of the exiles, the restoration of these individuals is to your advantage, I think; for it is disgraceful that while your city is universally acknowledged to be most devoted to music and the most notable artists in that field have been born among you, yet he who is the foremost authority of living men in that branch of culture is an exile from such a city; and that while all other Greeks confer citizenship upon men who are distinguished in any of the noble pursuits, even though they are foreigners, yet you suffer those who are both famous among the other Greeks and share in your own racial origin to live abroad in exile.
4. οὐ μὴν ἀλλ’ εἰ καὶ μηδὲν ὑμῖν ἔδοξε τούτων μηδὲ προσεδέχεσθε μηδένα τῶν φυγάδων, τούτους γε νομίζω συμφέρειν ὑμῖν κατάγειν. αἰσχρὸν γὰρ τὴν μὲν πόλιν ὑμῶν ὑπὸ πάντων ὁμολογεῖσθαι μουσικωτάτην εἶναι καὶ τοὺς ὀνομαστοτάτους ἐν αὐτῇ παρ’ ὑμῖν τυγχάνειν γεγονότας, τὸν δὲ προέχοντα τῶν νῦν ὄντων περὶ τὴν ἱστορίαν τῆς παιδείας ταύτης φεύγειν ἐκ τῆς τοιαύτης πόλεως, καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους Ἕλληνας τοὺς διαφέροντας περί τι τῶν καλῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων, κἂν μηδὲν προσήκωσι, ποιεῖσθαι πολίτας, ὑμᾶς δὲ τοὺς εὐδοκιμοῦντάς τε παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις καὶ μετασχόντας τῆς αὐτῆς φύσεως περιορᾶν παρ’ ἑτέροις μετοικοῦντας.
5. I marvel that so many cities judge those who excel in the athletic contests to be worthy of greater rewards than those who, by painstaking thought and endeavor, discover some useful thing, and that they do not see at a glance that while the faculties of strength and speed naturally perish with the body, yet the arts and sciences abide for eternity, giving benefit to those who cultivate them.
5. θαυμάζω δ’ ὅσαι τῶν πόλεων μειζόνων δωρεῶν ἀξιοῦσι τοὺς ἐν τοῖς γυμνικοῖς ἀγῶσι κατορθοῦντας μᾶλλον ἢ τοὺς τῇ φρονήσει καὶ τῇ φιλοπονίᾳ τι τῶν χρησίμων εὑρίσκοντας, καὶ μὴ συνορῶσιν ὅτι πεφύκασιν αἱ μὲν περὶ τὴν ῥώμην καὶ τὸ τάχος δυνάμεις συναποθνῄσκειν τοῖς σώμασιν, αἱ δ’ ἐπιστῆμαι παραμένειν ἅπαντα τὸν χρόνον ὠφελοῦσαι τοὺς χρωμένους αὐταῖς.
6. Intelligent men, therefore, bearing in mind these considerations, should esteem most highly, first those who administer well and justly the affairs of their own city, and, second, those who are able to contribute to its honor and glory; for all the world uses such men as examples and all their fellow-citizens are judged to be of like excellence.
6. ὧν ἐνθυμουμένους χρὴ τοὺς νοῦν ἔχοντας περὶ πλείστου μὲν ποιεῖσθαι τοὺς καλῶς καὶ δικαίως τῆς αὑτῶν πόλεως ἐπιστατοῦντας, δευτέρους δὲ τοὺς τιμὴν καὶ δόξαν αὐτῇ καλὴν συμβαλέσθαι δυναμένους· ἅπαντες γὰρ ὥσπερ δείγματι τοῖς τοιούτοις χρώμενοι καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους τοὺς συμπολιτευομένους ὁμοίους εἶναι τούτοις νομίζουσιν.
7. But perhaps someone may object, saying that those who wish to obtain a favor should not merely praise the thing, but should also show that they themselves would be justly entitled to that for which they petition. But here is the situation. It is true that I have abstained from political activity and from practising oratory: for my voice was inadequate and I lacked assurance. I have not been altogether useless, however, and without repute; on the contrary, you will find that I have been the counsellor and coadjutor of those who have chosen to speak well of you and of our other allies, and that I have myself composed more discourses on behalf of the freedom and independence of the Greeks than all those together who have worn smooth the floor of our platforms.
7. ἴσως οὖν εἴποι τις ἂν ὅτι προσήκει τοὺς εὑρέσθαι τι βουλομένους μὴ τὸ πρᾶγμα μόνον ἐπαινεῖν ἀλλὰ καὶ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐπιδεικνύναι δικαίως ἂν τυγχάνοντας, περὶ ὧν ποιοῦνται τοὺς λόγους. ἔχει δ’ οὕτως. ἐγὼ τοῦ μὲν πολιτεύεσθαι καὶ ῥητορεύειν ἀπέστην· οὔτε γὰρ φωνὴν ἔσχον ἱκανὴν οὔτε τόλμαν· οὐ μὴν παντάπασιν ἄχρηστος ἔφυν οὐδ’ ἀδόκιμος, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τε λέγειν προῃρημένοις ἀγαθόν τι περὶ ὑμῶν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων συμμάχων φανείην ἂν καὶ σύμβουλος καὶ συναγωνιστὴς γεγενημένος, αὐτός τε πλείους λόγους πεποιημένος ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐλευθερίας καὶ τῆς αὐτονομίας τῆς τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἢ σύμπαντες οἱ τὰ βήματα κατατετριφότες.
8. For this you would justly be grateful to me in the highest degree; for you constantly and earnestly desire such a settled policy. And I think that, if Conon and Timotheus were still alive, and Diophantus had returned from Asia, they would have supported me most enthusiastically, since they would wish that I might obtain all I request. On this topic I do not know what more I need say; for there is no one among you so young or so forgetful as not to know the benefactions of those great men.
8. ὑπὲρ ὧν ὑμεῖς ἄν μοι δικαίως πλείστην ἔχοιτε χάριν· μάλιστα γὰρ ἐπιθυμοῦντες διατελεῖτε τῆς τοιαύτης καταστάσεως. οἶμαι δ’ ἄν, εἰ Κόνων μὲν καὶ Τιμόθεος ἐτύγχανον ζῶντες, Διόφαντος δ’ ἧκεν ἐκ τῆς Ἀσίας, πολλὴν ἂν αὐτοὺς ποιήσασθαι σπουδήν, εὑρέσθαι με βουλομένους ὧν τυγχάνω δεόμενος. περὶ ὧν οὐκ οἶδ’ ὅ τι δεῖ πλείω λέγειν· οὐδεὶς γὰρ ὑμῶν οὕτως ἐστὶ νέος οὐδ’ ἐπιλήσμων, ὅστις οὐκ οἶδε τὰς ἐκείνων εὐεργεσίας.
9. But I think that you would arrive at the best decision as to this matter if you should consider who your petitioner is and for what men the favor is asked. For you will find that I have had the most intimate relations with those who have been the authors of the greatest benefits to both you and the other allies, and that while those for whom I intercede are men of such character as to give no offence to their elders and to those in governmental authority, to the younger men they furnish agreeable and useful occupation that befits those of their age.
9. οὕτω δ’ ἄν μοι δοκεῖτε κάλλιστα βουλεύσασθαι περὶ τούτων, εἰ σκέψαισθε, τίς ἐστιν ὁ δεόμενος καὶ ὑπὲρ ποίων τινῶν ἀνθρώπων. εὑρήσετε γὰρ ἐμὲ μὲν οἰκειότατα κεχρημένον τοῖς μεγίστων ἀγαθῶν αἰτίοις γεγενημένοις ὑμῖν τε καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις, ὑπὲρ ὧν δὲ δέομαι τοιούτους ὄντας, οἵους τοὺς μὲν πρεσβυτέρους καὶ τοὺς περὶ τὴν πολιτείαν ὄντας μὴ λυπεῖν, τοῖς δὲ νεωτέροις διατριβὴν παρέχειν ἡδεῖαν καὶ χρησίμην καὶ πρέπουσαν τοῖς τηλικούτοις.
10. Do not wonder that I have written this letter with considerable warmth and at some length; for I desire to accomplish two things: not only to do our children a favor, but also to make it clear to them that even if they do not become orators in the Assembly or generals, but merely imitate my manner of life, they will not lead neglected lives among the Greeks. One thing more—if it should seem best to you to grant any of these requests, let Agenor and his brothers understand that it is owing in some measure to me that they are obtaining what they desire.
10. μὴ θαυμάζετε δ’ εἰ προθυμότερον καὶ διὰ μακροτέρων γέγραφα τὴν ἐπιστολήν· βούλομαι γὰρ ἀμφότερα, τοῖς τε παισὶν ἡμῶν χαρίσασθαι καὶ ποιῆσαι φανερὸν αὐτοῖς ὅτι, κἂν μὴ δημηγορῶσι μηδὲ στρατηγῶσιν ἀλλὰ μόνον μιμῶνται τὸν τρόπον τὸν ἐμόν, οὐκ ἠμελημένως διάξουσιν ἐν τοῖς Ἕλλησιν. ἓν ἔτι λοιπόν· ἂν ἄρα δόξῃ τι τούτων ὑμῖν πράττειν, Ἀγήνορί τε δηλώσατε καὶ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ὅτι μέρος τι καὶ δι’ ἐμὲ τυγχάνουσιν ὧν ἐπεθύμουν.