Letter 297

To Clearchus. (361?) The very quality that makes you admirable as a governor -- your refusal to bend the law for anyone -- is the quality that makes me hesitant to write. For I know you will do what justice demands regardless of my letter. But since the man asked me to write, and since refusing a friend's request seemed worse than sending a redundant letter, here I am. Examine his case on its merits. If justice favors him, grant it freely. If it does not, do not strain the law on my account -- for that would dishonor us both.

Θεμιστίῳ. (361?) Κατὰ μὲν τοὺς λόγους ἡμῖν ἔοικεν ὁ χρηστὸς Ἐλπίδιος, βίου δὲ ἰδεῖν ὁδὸν κατὰ πολὺ βελτίων. ἦν μὲν γὰρ αὐτῷ θρόνος καὶ τρίβων καὶ τἄλλα δὴ πάντα ἐν οἷς ἡμεῖς ἔτι, τοὺς δ’ ἐν τῷ παιδεύειν διατρίβοντας ὁρῶν εἰδώλων ἀσθενεστέρους, Σωκράτη δὲ ἐξαιρῶ τοῦ λόγου, σὺ μὲν γὰρ ἰσχύεις, ἀλλὰ τά γε τῶν ἄλλων σκιά. ταῦτ’ οὖν ἰδὼν ἀφεὶς τὰ τῶν τεττίγων γίνεται τῶν ὁπλιτῶν. καὶ πολλοὺς ἤδη καὶ ἔτρωσεν ἀδι- κοῦντας καὶ ἔσωσεν ἀδικουμένους. βλέπων δὲ πρὸς τὸ καλὸν μᾶλλον ἢ πρὸς ἀργυρίου πλῆθος ὑπό γε τῶν δυνατῶν πιστεύεται. τὰ παρόντα δὲ σὲ πειθέτω καὶ σχῆμα λαμπρὸν ἐν ἐλπίσι. κάλλιστον δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ τοὺς μὲν ναυτιῶντας νέους φεύγειν, τὸ κτῆμα δὲ φυλάττειν τῶν λόγων. ἔξεστι δέ σοι πεῖραν λαβεῖν καὶ ἀκούοντι καὶ λέγοντι· σεῖσαί τε γὰρ δεινὸς ἀκροώμενον καὶ ταὐτὸ παθεῖν ὑπὸ κάλλους λόγων. παν- ταχῆ δὲ ὢν ἀγαθὸς ἒν ἀδικεῖ, παρὰ σοὶ δ’ ἂν συγγνώμης τύχοι· πολλῷ τῷ φίλτρῳ κέχρηται πρὸς ἐμέ, καὶ τοῦτ’ αὐτὸν εἰς ἐπαίνων ὑπερβολὰς ἐκφέρει.