On all accounts I was pleased to see Ablavius but principally because he brought me a letter from you. For sooner than blame you I should detest myself; such has been your attention to the promotion of my interest, amidst this tedious war, which you could not have been if anyone had spoken to my disadvantage. In seeming to laugh, and pardoning those who, in order to flatter one, calumniate another, you acted like yourself. Flattery is their trade and as necessary to their livelihood as rowing is to that of sailors. That sage, with whose morals Ablavius acquainted me, though he would not disclose his name, gave me no concern on any account, this only excepted, that in mentioning me he was guilty of a solecism; and I, though guilty of no offence, was sent by him among the barbarians . Inform him of this and caution him to avoid such mistakes for the future; he may then, if he pleases, speak evil of me, for then at least he will not speak ill. But this man is unalterable. If however by his calumnies he should still offend you and you wish to punish him, you easily may by confining him to his house for an afternoon and obliging him to sup at home; and when he again grows insolent, through repletion, and drinks your own wine against you , you need only repeat the punishment; you cannot inflict a greater. This will effectually curb his licentious tongue; but whatever be his name, let me know it so that when I write his elogium, it may not be anonymous. Libanius has two letters to Ablavius. Libanius ridicules the man who made himself a barbarian by speaking barbarously of Libanius. The translator has tried to retain Libanius' pun between speaking evil and speaking badly. Drinking a toast against the one whose money paid for the wine.
On all accounts I was pleased to see Ablavius but principally because he brought me a letter from you. For sooner than blame you I should detest myself; such has been your attention to the promotion of my interest, amidst this tedious war, which you could not have been if anyone had spoken to my disadvantage. In seeming to laugh, and pardoning those who, in order to flatter one, calumniate another, you acted like yourself. Flattery is their trade and as necessary to their livelihood as rowing is to that of sailors. That sage, with whose morals Ablavius acquainted me, though he would not disclose his name, gave me no concern on any account, this only excepted, that in mentioning me he was guilty of a solecism; and I, though guilty of no offence, was sent by him among the barbarians . Inform him of this and caution him to avoid such mistakes for the future; he may then, if he pleases, speak evil of me, for then at least he will not speak ill. But this man is unalterable. If however by his calumnies he should still offend you and you wish to punish him, you easily may by confining him to his house for an afternoon and obliging him to sup at home; and when he again grows insolent, through repletion, and drinks your own wine against you , you need only repeat the punishment; you cannot inflict a greater. This will effectually curb his licentious tongue; but whatever be his name, let me know it so that when I write his elogium, it may not be anonymous. Libanius has two letters to Ablavius. Libanius ridicules the man who made himself a barbarian by speaking barbarously of Libanius. The translator has tried to retain Libanius' pun between speaking evil and speaking badly. Drinking a toast against the one whose money paid for the wine.
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On all accounts I was pleased to see Ablavius but principally because he brought me a letter from you. For sooner than blame you I should detest myself; such has been your attention to the promotion of my interest, amidst this tedious war, which you could not have been if anyone had spoken to my disadvantage. In seeming to laugh, and pardoning those who, in order to flatter one, calumniate another, you acted like yourself. Flattery is their trade and as necessary to their livelihood as rowing is to that of sailors. That sage, with whose morals Ablavius acquainted me, though he would not disclose his name, gave me no concern on any account, this only excepted, that in mentioning me he was guilty of a solecism; and I, though guilty of no offence, was sent by him among the barbarians . Inform him of this and caution him to avoid such mistakes for the future; he may then, if he pleases, speak evil of me, for then at least he will not speak ill. But this man is unalterable. If however by his calumnies he should still offend you and you wish to punish him, you easily may by confining him to his house for an afternoon and obliging him to sup at home; and when he again grows insolent, through repletion, and drinks your own wine against you , you need only repeat the punishment; you cannot inflict a greater. This will effectually curb his licentious tongue; but whatever be his name, let me know it so that when I write his elogium, it may not be anonymous. Libanius has two letters to Ablavius. Libanius ridicules the man who made himself a barbarian by speaking barbarously of Libanius. The translator has tried to retain Libanius' pun between speaking evil and speaking badly. Drinking a toast against the one whose money paid for the wine.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.