Letter 43: When an enemy renders such a verdict about me, then I will consider it worth taking pride in -- since it would mean...

To Demetrius. (358/359) When an enemy renders such a verdict about me, then I will consider it worth taking pride in -- since it would mean that even a man who hates me has been won over by the power of my words. After all, I observe that Demosthenes proved his choices were the best precisely because not even his enemies could attack what he had chosen. But when a friend praises a friend, that is just Astydamas praising himself [Astydamas was a tragic poet proverbially mocked for his self-praise]. I would not claim to remember the particular praises you set down in your letter, but I take pleasure in having such a friend -- not in the suggestion that my rhetoric is anything special. As for my writings, I will send you whatever you ask, so as not to cause you pain. But I will not send them unsolicited, so as not to seem to be praising myself.

**To Demetrius** (358/359) When a man who is my enemy passes such judgments about me, then I shall think it right to take pride in them, as having conquered even one who hates me by the force of my words — since I observe that Demosthenes, too, demonstrated that he had chosen the best course by the fact that not even his enemies could misrepresent what he had chosen. But a friend praising a friend is merely an Astydamas praising himself. As for the things you have written to me, I would not claim to deserve them; yet I take pleasure in having such a friend — not in believing that my oratory is truly as you describe. Of my works, whatever you ask for I shall send, so as not to disappoint you. But otherwise I shall not send them, lest I seem to be praising myself.

Δημητρίῳ. (358/359) Ὅταν ἐχθρὸς ὤν τις ταῦτα περὶ ἡμῶν ψηφίζηται, βότε αξιώσω μέγα φρονεῖν ὡς ἂν καἰ τοῦ μισοῦντος τῇ ῥωμῃ τῶι λόγων κεκρατηκώς, ἐπεὶ καὶ Δημοσθένην ὁρῶ τὰ ἄριστα προ- ελέσθαι δεικνύντα τῷ μηδὲ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἃ προείλετο συκυ- φαντεῖν, φίλος δὲ φίλον ἐπαινῶν Ἀστυδάμας ἐστὶν αὑτὸν ἐπ- αινῶν. ἐγὼ δὲ μνησθῆναι μὲν αὐτῶν οἷς ἐπέσταλκας οὐκ ἂν φαίην, ἥδομαι δὲ τῷ φίλον ἔχειν, οὐ τῷ λόγων οὕτως ἔχειν. τῶν δὲ ἐμῶν ὅ τι ἂν αἰτῇς πέμψομεν τοῦ μὴ λυπεῖν. ἄλλως δὲ οὐ πέμψομεν τοῦ μὴ δοκεῖν ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐπαινεῖ