Letter 483: If this man arriving from Cyprus had not stood in your way, surely another would have come from Euboea or Scyros.

To Adamantius. (356) And if this man, on his arrival from Cyprus, had not become an obstacle to you, surely some other man would have come from Euboea or Scyros. I say this, then, not as though you had lied in this present matter, but as one saying that, even if this had not been the case, you would not have been at a loss for something to put forward as your excuse. And yet you love me more than the father of Telemachus [Odysseus] loved Ithaca. Granted, then, and I will not contend with you over your affection; but the matter of the idleness, which I have perceived to be great in you, does not permit you, not merely to sail upon a raft, but not even to advance beyond the gates. But those many sweats and the speeches and a tongue that takes its share of the race [of declamation]: all these things are going to profit you; for so it is better to put it. Then do you think that loving me suffices you for your livelihood, but that it is a thing of great absurdity to love another while not loving oneself: this, indeed, you do not see. But, O you who know how to speak yet are unwilling to, be willing to speak. There are, in any case, many courts in many places, some greater, some lesser. And you, if it is a longing for the greater ones, come here and make yourself great and give us joy. And in this way you will also stir up your kinsmen, who are near at hand, both by deed and by word.

Ἀδαμαντίῳ. (356) Εἰ δὲ μὴ οὗτος ἥκων ἐκ Κύπρου κώλυμά σοι κατέστη, πάντως ἄν ἕτερος ἧκεν ἐξ Εὐβοίας ἢ Σκύρου. λέγω δὴ οὐχ ὡς ἐψεύσω τοῦτο δὴ τὸ νῦν, ἀλλ’ ὡς, εἰ καὶ μὴ τοῦτο ἦν, οὐκ ἂν ἠπόρεις ὅ τι ἂν ᾐτιῶ. καίτοι φιλεῖς μὲν ἐμὲ πλέον ἢ τὴν Ἰθάκην ὁ τοῦ Τηλεμάχου πατήρ. ἔστω γάρ, καὶ οὐ μα- χοῦμαί σοι περὶ τοῦ φίλτρου, τὸ δὲ τῆς ἀργίας, ἣν ἐν σοὶ πολλὴν ἐνεῖδον, οὐκ ἐᾷ σε μὴ ὅτι πλεῖν ἐπὶ σχεδίας, ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ προελθεῖν τῶν πυλῶν. πολλοὶ δὲ ἱδρῶτες ἐκεῖνοι καὶ λόγοι καὶ γλῶττα μετέχουσα δρόμου, πάντα ταῦτα μέλλει σε ὀνήσειν· οὕτω γὰρ εἰπεῖν βέλτιον. εἶτα νομίζεις ὡς ἀρκεῖ σοι πρὸς τὸν βίον τὸ φιλεῖν με, ὅτι δὲ πολλῆς ἀτοπίας ἄλλον μὲν φι- λεῖν, αὑτὸν δὲ μή, τοῦτο δὴ οὐχ ὁρᾷς. ἀλλ’, ὦ λέγειν εἰδὼς μέν, οὐκ ἐθέλων δέ, βουλήθητι λέγειν. πάντως δὲ πολλὰ πολ- λαχοῦ δικαστήρια, τὰ μὲν μείζω, τὰ δὲ ἐλάττω. σὺ δ’, εἰ τῶν μειζόνων ἔρως, ἥκειν ἐνθάδε καὶ σαυτὸν ποιεῖν μέγαν καὶ ἡμᾶς εὐφραίνειν. οὕτως δὲ καὶ τοὺς συγγενεῖς ἐγγύθεν παρ- οξυνεῖς καὶ ἔργῳ καὶ λόγῳ.