Letter 158: To the same person. (359/60)

To the same person. (359/60) I expect this will be a profitable venture for these young men, since on their way to pursue a legal career they had the good fortune to meet the man who shone brightest in the courts. For if an athlete on his way to Olympia [Pisa, near Olympia, site of the Olympic Games] happened to encounter Heracles on the mountain -- something like what we hear of Pan -- it would be obvious that the crown was destined for no one else. I am confident you will receive them warmly. But add to your kindness some instruction in these forensic arts. Let them learn as much as they can, not just for their education, but for their careers. And give them letters to the leading men among the advocates. They would prefer not to rise to fame through others' patronage, but they will perhaps listen to you on even that point.

**To the Same Recipient** (359/60) I expect the venture will prove profitable for these young men, because as they set out for the courts they had the good fortune to meet first with the man who has shone brightest in the courts. For if an athlete on his way to Pisa had chanced to encounter Heracles somewhere in the mountains — something like what we hear of Pan — it would have been clear that the crown would belong to no other. That you will receive them kindly, I am confident. But to your goodwill, please add instruction in the ways of forensic practice. For let them learn not only what pertains to their education, but everything they possibly can, and let them carry from you letters of introduction to the leading men among the advocates. To be sure, it would not please them to owe their reputation to others, but to you, perhaps, they would submit even in this.

Τῷ αὐτῷ. (359/60) Καλὴν ἐλπίζω τὴν ἐμπορίαν ἔσεσθαι τοῖσδε τοῖς νέα νίσκοις, ὅτι χωροῦντες ἐπὶ δίκας τῷ λάμψαντι περὶ τὰς δίκας ἔσχον προεντυχεῖν. καὶ γὰρ ἀθλητῇ πορευομένῳ πρὸς Πίσαν, εἴ που τῶν ὀρῶν ὑπῆρξεν Ἡρακλεῖ συμβαλεῖν οἷόν τι τὸ τοῦ Πανὸς ἀκούομεν, ἦν ἂν δῆλον, ὡς οὐχ ἑτέρων ὁ στέφα- νος. ὅτι μὲν οὖν αὐτοὺς εὐμενῶς ὄψει, πέπεισμαι, προσ- ἔστω δὲ τῇ φιλοφροσύνῃ καὶ διδαχὴ τούτων δὴ τῶν δικανι- κῶν δρόμων. καὶ γὰρ οὐχ ὅσον εἰς παίδευσιν, ἀλλ’ ὅσα γε ἔξεστι μαθέτωσαν καὶ φερόντων γε παρὰ σοῦ γράμματα πρὸς τοὺς ἰσχύοντας ἐν τοῖς ἀγορεύουσιν. οὐχ ἡδὺ μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἄλλων εἰς δόξαν ἐλθεῖν, σοὶ δ’ ἂν ἴσως καὶ τοῦτο ὑπακού- σαιεν.