Letter 154: To the same person. (358)

To the same person. (358) Do you really think Andronicus is unaware of your merit, or that he would not consider it to his own advantage to safeguard your interests? That is not the case at all. Your fame has reached us even here, and he knows how to admire good governors. Still, since you ask me to, I am writing to a man who has no need of letters -- not to move him, but so as not to seem disobedient to you. As for the excellent Naumachus -- for any friend of yours must be excellent -- he accomplished everything on his own, needing nothing from me. Since I was not called on for the work itself, I did what remained: I congratulated him on what he had achieved.

**To the same recipient.** (358) Do you really suppose that Andronicus is ignorant of your virtue, or that he does not consider it a gain for himself to safeguard your interests? That is not how matters stand at all. Your fame has reached even here, and he is a man who knows how to admire good governors. Nevertheless, since you bid me, I write to a man who has no need of letters — not to move him to action, but merely so that I may not appear to disobey you. As for the excellent Naumachus — for a friend of yours must surely be such a man — he accomplished everything, though none of it through me, for he was quite sufficient on his own. And I, not having been called upon for the actual business, did the only thing left to me: I congratulated him on what he had achieved.

Τῷ αὐτῷ. (358) Οἴει γὰρ Ἀνδρόνικον τὴν σὴν ἀγνοεῖν ἀρετὴν ἢ μὴ κέρδος αὑτοῦ νομίζειν, εἰ τὰ σὰ φυλάξειεν. ἔχει δὲ οὐχ οὕ- τὼς, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν σὸν καὶ δεῦρο διῖκται κλέος, ὁ δὲ ἄρχοντας ἀγαθοὺς οἷδε θαυμάζειν. ἀλλ’ ὅμως ἐπειδὴ κελεύεις, τῷ μηδὲν δεομένῳ γραμμάτων γράφω τοῦ μή σοι δοκεῖν ἀπειθεῖν, οὐχ ὅπως ἐκεῖνον κινοίην. Ναυμάχιος δὲ ὁ καλός, τὸν γὰρ σοὶ φίλον ἀνάγκη τοιοῦτον εἶναι, πάντα μὲν ἔπραξε, δι’ ἡμῶν δὲ οὐδέν, ἤρκεσε γάρ, ἐγὼ δὲ πρὸς τὰ ἔργα μὴ παρα- κληθείς, ὃ λοιπὸν ἦν, ἐποίησα· συνήσθην εἰργασμένῳ.