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) Toward dawn the boy came bringing the books, when I was about to give a recitation the next day, and the dinner guests had already been invited. So it seemed to me to signify something auspicious that words coming from a man who fashions speeches had arrived for one who was going to display speeches. And some better hope holds me, but the god knows the future. If, then, we come off well from the contest, we shall apply ourselves to the works of Aristides and to yours, and we shall judge the wrestling-bouts. And yet, as for the matter that carries Aristides, rotten with age though it is, and that is held to be of the first rank, it amounts to having it and not having it; thus one syllable shows itself, but the one you are looking for you will not see; rather, while supposing that I had found Thersites, I was not freed from still searching for Thersites. As for Adrianus, he has not escaped you, but he lies in your hand. He stayed behind so that I might always have need of you and you might have something to bestow as a favor. And yet this has not been cleverly contrived. For there is much in Antimachus, and even if you should send every day, the things given never come to stand as more numerous than the things not given. Concerning your speech I shall cast my vote justly, and that too while judging unsworn.

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.