Letter 626: The boy came in the late morning bringing the books, just when I was about to deliver a speech the next day and the...

To Palladius. (361 AD) The boy came in the late morning bringing the books, just when I was about to deliver a speech the next day and the dinner guests had already been invited. It seemed a good omen that speeches had arrived from a man who produces speeches, just as I was about to display speeches. A better hope now possesses me — though god knows the future. When I come away from the contest, I shall take up both Aristides' works and yours and judge the wrestling matches. Though the copy containing Aristides is so decayed by time that even the opening seems — well, it is a matter of having without having. One syllable is visible, the next you search for and cannot see. Thinking I had found the Thersites, I still have not finished searching for the Thersites. As for Hadrian, he has not escaped you — he lies in your hand. He stayed behind so that I would always need something from you and you would always have something to bestow. Though this is not quite right as a witticism: "much is in Antimachus's house" [a proverb for inexhaustible wealth], and even if you send something every day, what has been given will never outweigh what has not. As for your speech, I shall cast an honest vote — and that while judging without an oath.

Παλλαδίῳ. (361) Περὶ δείλην πρωίαν ἦλθεν ὁ παῖς κομίζων τὰ βιβλία μέλλοντί μοι τῆς ὑστεραίας ἐρεῖν, καὶ οἱ δαιτυμόνες ἐκέκληντο. χρηστὸν οὖν μοί τι δηλοῦν ἐδόκει τὸ παρ’ ἀνδρὸς λόγους ἐργαζομένου λόγους ἀφῖχθαι δείξοντι λόγους. καί μέ τις ἀμεί- νων ἐλπὶς ἔχει, θεὸς δὲ οἶδε τὸ μέλλον. ἢν οὖν ἀπέλθωμεν ἐκ τοῦ ἄθλου, τῶν Ἀριστείδου τε καὶ τῶν σῶν ἑξόμεθα καὶ κρινοῦμεν τὰ παλαίσματα. καίτοι τὸ Ἀριστείδην φέρον σαπρὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ χρόνου καὶ τὰ πρῶτα δοκεῖν, ἐστὶν ἔχειν οὐκ ἔχειν· οὕτως ἡ μέν τις συλλαβὴ φαίνεται, τὴν δὲ ζητῶν οὐκ ὄψει, ἀλλὰ δοκῶν εὑρηκέναι τὸν Θερσίτην ἐγὼ τοῦ ζητεῖν ἔτι τὸν Θερσίτην οὐκ ἀπηλλάγην. Ἀδριανὸς δέ σε οὐ διαπέφευγε μέν, ἀλλ’ ἐκεῖνος ἐν τῇ σῇ κεῖται χειρί. κατέμεινε δέ, ὅπως ἀεί σου δεοίμην καὶ ἔχοις, ὅ τι χαρίζοιο. καίτοι τοῦτο οὐκ ὀρθῶς κεκόμψευται. πολλὰ γὰρ ἐν Ἀντιμάχοιο, κἂν πέμπῃς καθημέραν, οὐδέποτε τὰ δοθέντα τῶν οὐ δοθέντων ἱστᾶι πλείω. περὶ δὲ τοῦ λόγου σου τὰ δίκαια ψηφιοῦμαι καὶ ταῦτα δικάζων ἀνώμοτος.