To Hierocles. (358)
On my way to the school I ran into Julianus, who was urging Calykion toward the labors of rhetoric. He said he was doing this at your prompting, by letter. So I joined in the encouragement and added my own counsel — counsel I have never ceased to give.
I think we shall not be boiling a stone [i.e., wasting our effort]. The young man has often heard that his father's integrity left him poor and that eloquence is his one road to wealth. He clearly admires us and is persuaded, and scarcely needs to be told that he must acquire rhetorical training.
So you too should stop only scolding and start congratulating him on his eagerness — for that very thing is a tonic for eagerness.
On my way to the school I ran into Julianus, who was urging Calykion toward the labors of rhetoric. He said he was doing this at your prompting, by letter. So I joined in the encouragement and added my own counsel — counsel I have never ceased to give.
I think we shall not be boiling a stone [i.e., wasting our effort]. The young man has often heard that his father's integrity left him poor and that eloquence is his one road to wealth. He clearly admires us and is persuaded, and scarcely needs to be told that he must acquire rhetorical training.
So you too should stop only scolding and start congratulating him on his eagerness — for that very thing is a tonic for eagerness.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.